Arsenal are set for change on and off the field this summer as Andrea Berta settles into his new Sporting Director role at the Emirates Stadium, and the 53-year-old may already have identified one of his key targets.

Arsenal's summer transfer priorities begin to emerge

The Gunners know that their Premier League title challenge is now a thing of the past. Still, Mikel Arteta can carry plenty of optimism towards the future judging by the level of talent coming through the ranks at London Colney.

However, the Spaniard will be under no illusions that signings are necessary this summer to ensure his side remain among the chasing pack next term and he will be backed financially to carry out his mission.

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Following Berta’s arrival, Arteta is set to be given a war chest of £300 million to spend. Left-back, central midfield, and the wide areas are all set to receive investment alongside the goalkeeping department.

Heightening excitement ahead of the Gunners’ recruitment shake-up, Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Zubimendi have been earmarked as two high-profile Arsenal targets this summer. Nevertheless, whether FFP regulations will allow the Londoners to pull off two potential game-changing moves in the engine room remains to be seen.

While statement signings appear to be on the agenda, identifying bargain deals is also an area that Berta will be expected to excel in. His pursuit of Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich offered a clue regarding the value for money he is looking to find amid the renowned star’s availability earlier this year on a free transfer, even if the Germany international has since penned an extension at the Allianz Arena.

Continuing down that road, Arsenal’s new chief could explore an alternative market to bring the Gunners some bang for their buck this summer.

Arsenal could take advantage of Omar El Hilali release clause

According to The Sun, Arsenal are keeping tabs on Espanyol star Omar El Hilali and Berta could look to activate his £12.5 million release clause this summer.

Now a ‘genuine’ target, the Morocco international’s availability for such a cheap fee is something of an anomaly when evaluating his potential. Undoubtedly, Arteta has an abundance of defenders at his disposal, but some cover at right-back wouldn’t go amiss amid Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu’s injury problems.

Omar El Hilali statistics in 2024/25 – La Liga

Appearances

26

Goals

0

Assists

2

Tackles won

63 (69%)

Duels won

150

Recoveries

97

Arsenal are believed to be running the rule over the defender as their summer planning begins to take shape. Labelled an “excellent dueller & 1v1 defender” by Ben Mattinson, there has been no shortage of interest in his services over the last few windows.

El Hilali has previously been targeted by Manchester City, Aston Villa and Brighton, so Arsenal may need to act swiftly to secure his signature before rival suitors emerge.

Crucially, Berta has extensive links with the Spanish top-flight due to his time at Atletico Madrid, which could give Arteta’s side the edge if any approach materlialises from their initial admiration of the Barcelona-born star.

Innings has something for everyone, as batter even unfurls shots normally kept in his white-ball arsenal

Vithushan Ehantharajah06-May-2023

With all the outrage about the County Championship opening its doors to Australians this summer ahead of the Ashes directed at Steve Smith, perhaps Marnus Labuschagne has gone under the radar. As the 28-year-old peeled off a 170 not out at Headingley with a bit of something for everyone – close to a first victory of the season for Glamorgan; the grand return to form for the No.1-ranked Test batter – you wondered if the anger was, if not misguided, then overdue.Whether you think such outrage is confected is another matter – it is, of course it is – but there is something to be said of how Labuschagne has ingrained himself so deep into the 18-county system that he has earned honourary Welsh status. Glamorgan are where they are in this match, asking Yorkshire to either chase 492 in 96 overs or last that long in defiance because of a player not just tuning up for future, higher profile battles but revelling in his seniority at a club he has been a part of since 2019.”We speak most days so I’m sure he’ll have a debrief with me on his game and I’ll debrief him on what happens on my game,” said Labuschagne of a call to Smith later this evening to give him the breakdown of first-class century number 28 – a seventh for Glamorgan. As it happens, this is his second match at this ground. His first was in 2019 as an alternate for Smith, who had been concussed in the Lord’s Test the previous week. Labuschagne’s 74 and 80 were relegated to footnotes thanks to Ben Stokes (and Jack Leach), though reinforcing the comfort at a Ashes venue that is coming around again this July can’t hurt.Related

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Given the different phases of this knock – from the seven off 25 on Friday to the final flourish of 68 off 65 – and the range of strokes among the 25 boundaries, Smith might as well put him on speaker phone and shadow bat around his hotel room. Given Labuschagne usually has plenty to say when discussing cricket, Smith will struggle to get a word in.That being said, he did consider this a relief, which is worrying from an England perspective.”I have been a bit sort of all over,” Labuschagne said of his start to the season, having come into this match with 84 from three innings. “It hasn’t felt like it has come together until that innings. First innings (65) I felt like I batted alright: gritty, not much rhythm at all, and the wicket was a bit tacky and slow, tough to score.”I hit a few nice straight drives, a couple of nice cover drives and a nice flick through midwicket. That’s probably the most I’ve felt balanced at the crease, I felt like my head position was in a nice spot, my bat path was coming down nicely. That was probably the best time I batted. The first innings was a bit scrappy, I felt like I was squaring up a little bit but those types of wickets make you do those sorts of things. It felt like back at the end there, it really came together nicely but obviously, the situation of the game dictated that.”Those more conventional shots came in the morning session, which began with Sam Northeast new to the crease and a bumper overnight lead of 196. The pair reconnected after a stand of 83 on day one to fashion 148 from the first 34.5 overs of the day.Who knows what might have happened if Labuschagne had not been dropped on 11 midway through the 7th full over of the day? Finlay Bean reacted superbly to a full-blooded cut, diving high to his left, fully outstretched, getting two hands on the ball. It would have been one of the catches of the summer, but instead lingered ruefully as the only opportunity in the morning session.With 178 for 2 at lunch, leading by 317 and both batters in possession of half-centuries, Labuschagne called for a charge. Northeast indulged, only to slap to point when a three-figure score for himself looked nailed on. Labuschagne, however, embarked on a pretty spectacular acceleration.The shift from fifty to hundred took 38 deliveries. But it was 13 within that, taking him from 64 to 96, that confirmed the now one-sided nature of this affair. There were seven fours in that period, most off Mickey Edwards, who was banging the ball in short and getting slapped down the ground by his compatriot.It took a further 14 deliveries to move to three figures from there, though not due to any pressure beyond an impending milestone. A delay after getting whacked in the Crown Jewels by Matthew Fisher kept him on 97, but soon a guide down to third man through a gap in the cordon for a 17th boundary took him to a first hundred in the third of five matches he has with Glamorgan before joining up with the Australian Test squad ahead of the World Test Championship Final against India at the start of June.Labuschagne even unfurled a few shots he normally keeps in his white-ball bag, such as a couple of fetch-and-scoops over third man, both against Jordan Thompson. He seemed to reserve particular disdain for former England spinner Dom Bess, striking nine of the 11 boundaries conceded in a galling 10 overs for 76 runs. Every kind of sweep – reverse, paddle, orthodox and slog – was given an airing.Twice – during the 57th and 77th over – the off-spinner was taken for three boundaries in an over. Considering his introduction 48 overs into this second innings was his first bowl of the match, it was a hiding to nothing, By the time Bess was launched back over his head for Labuschagne’s only six, their battle was a microcosm of the match situation. A superfluous flexing of dominance.Glamorgan, moving to 289 for 4, had a lead of 485. Nine overs later, after Billy Root had picked apart the carcass of a bowling attack for a half-century, they called it quits on a lead of 491. The players left the field at 4:03pm, not to return again as the rains arrived five minutes later to wash out the final session.Perhaps Glamorgan were spooked that a team like Leicestershire could chase down 389 in the fourth innings here as they did in the season’s opening round. But it is clear this Headingley pitch has far more in it for the bowlers than that one. It’s worth noting Yorkshire’s lack of edge today was primarily due to a lack of Ben Coad, who did not take the field in the second innings after pulling up at the end of his 10th over on day one.There are fears he might have suffered a recurrence of the groin injury that kept him out for the first half of last summer. He will, however, bat if required. Though perhaps that should be “when” considering Glamorgan needed just 31 overs to dismiss Yorkshire in their first innings.”We would’ve liked at least 20 overs at them before the close,” said Labuschagne, frustrated. “We got caught a little bit by the rain at the end. If we came off, we couldn’t have gone back on in the rain, so we had to keep batting and we got almost 500 ahead.”It’s not ideal, we would probably have liked to have a few overs – at least 10 minimum at them today. But we are going to have 96 to get 10 wickets tomorrow.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Contratado para recuperar o Náutico e evitar que o time seja rebaixado, Elano não tem obtido o sucesso esperado em Recife.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

Nos dois primeiros jogos que dirigiu o time, o Náutico não somou pontos e permanece afundado na zona de rebaixamento.

O último insucesso foi na Arena Fonte Nova, quando acabou superado pelo Bahia por 3 a 0. Na estreia, o comandante perdeu do Londrina por 2 a 1.

Com o desempenho negativo, o Náutico aparece na 19ª posição da Série B, com apenas 18 pontos conquistados.

Calendário

Na próxima jornada, Náutico e Elano tem confronto direto com o Operário-PR, primeiro time fora da zona de rebaixamento e que ostenta três pontos de vantagem na classificação (21 x 18).

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Who's hot, who's not? INDIVISA ranks all 14 teams across the National Women's Soccer League

It was a high-scoring weekend across the NWSL. Barbra Banda scored a hat trick for the Orlando Pride, the Houston Dash finally got on the board, and the San Diego Wave exploded with five goals against the North Carolina Courage.

While the standings remain similar to previous weeks, the Wave are continuously showing signs that they could be the team to beat.

The Chicago Stars and Utah Royals continue their woes, with the two clubs now at the bottom of the standings. The league takes a break this weekend for international play – and it just may be the reset some of the clubs need.

So, who's leading the pack, and who's falling short of expectations? INDIVISA presents the latest 2025 NWSL Power Rankings.

Getty Images14Chicago Stars

Prior Ranking: 14

Result: Lost 3-1 to the Kansas City Current

Ramifications: The Stars absorbed another loss, dropping their record to 1-8-1. The highlight of the match was Shea Groom's goal in the 51st minute, which was her first since 2022.

U.S. women's national team head coach Emma Hayes was also at the game and was reunited with Chicago's Mallory Swanson, who is out for the season after announcing her pregnancy earlier this month.

AdvertisementGetty Images13Utah Royals

Prior Ranking: 13

Result: Lost 3-1 to the Orlando Pride

Ramifications: Utah are 1-7-2 overall this season, dropping another yet game. The Royals did manage to get a goal on the board, thanks to a 14th-minute finish from Brecken Mozingo. The Royals need to start stringing together some big wins for a chance to make it above the playoff line.

Getty Images12Bay FC

Prior Ranking: 10

Result: Drew Houston Dash 2-2

Ramifications: Bay FC played the Houston Dash to even, showing some moments of brilliance on both sides of the field. Penelope Hocking and Rachel Hill scored the two goals for Bay FC.

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Getty Images11Houston Dash

Prior Ranking: 12

Result: Drew Bay FC 2-2

Ramifications: The Houston Dash battled to a draw, with the highlights of the game Avery Patterson's finish, followed by Messiah Bright's 88th-minute stunner. The Dash are currently in 12th place with a 3-5-2 record.

Alex Lees makes 70 as Ben Gibbon replies with four wickets for Worcestershire

ECB Reporters Network13-Apr-2023Durham 363 for 7 (Bedingham 118, Lees 70, Gibbon 4-75) vs WorcestershireDavid Bedingham pressed his international credentials with a brilliant century on day one of Durham’s LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two clash against Worcestershire at Seat Unique Riverside.Before the start of the season, Bedingham declared his intention to play for his home nation of South Africa rather than await his availability for an England call. He duly delivered a timely reminder of his quality with a sublime innings of 118 after Alex Lees provided the platform with a knock of 70 at the top of the order, allowing Durham to post 363 for 7.Ben Gibbon and Adam Finch were the pick of the Worcestershire bowlers, preventing the hosts from building a dominant position by taking timely wickets. Gibbon ended the day with four for 75, including the scalp of Bedingham in the final hour, to drag his team back into the game on day one.After being inserted, Durham opener Lees endured a streaky start to his knock. He survived two inside edges and was able to settle into a rhythm with Michael Jones, and Lees quickly brought up the fifty stand in the 11th over with a cut to the fence, continuing Durham’s attacking intent from their opening match against Sussex.Finch and Gibbon turned the momentum of the morning session by hitting the pitch hard with a tight line. Back-to-back maidens forced a mistake from Jones to hand Finch the breakthrough. Finch continued to run in from the Lumley End and his effort ball ended a difficult 58-ball stay for Durham captain Scott Borthwick, who looked rusty following his return from a finger injury.Lees remained stoic and ground out his second fifty of the season from 110 deliveries. The England opener was not at his fluent best but displayed much-needed resilience to hand his team a solid platform before he was finally undone by a peach from Gibbon, who found the gap between bat and pad and removed his middle stump.Bedingham was the beneficiary of Lees’ exploits and ensured that Durham capitalised on their position of strength, surging past his fifty at almost a run-a-ball. The South African was in pristine touch and pressed on toward three figures after taking 15 runs from Finch’s 14th over, including a brilliant pull into the pavilion to register his first six of the day.Bedingham notched his 14th first-class century with a gentle nudge into the leg side, earning the deserved applause of the Riverside crowd after a near-faultless knock. The right-hander was taken out of his rhythm by a rain break, and the brief pause allowed Gibbon to return with the new ball to prise out Bedingham, ending a stand of 113 with Graham Clark for the fifth wicket.One wicket became three in seven deliveries as the hosts were in danger of throwing away their grip of day one as Gibbon and Joe Leach struck to remove Jonathan Bushnell and Clark. Ben Raine and Paul Coughlin stemmed the tide with a fifty-run stand to give Durham a narrow edge on the scoreboard heading into day two.

Arsenal are now preparing an £83m offer for a midfielder, who has been identified as a potential alternative to Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, according to reports from Spain.

Gunners linked with Zubimendi move

Zubimendi has been a well-known target for the Gunners for quite some time now, with journalist Steve Kay at one stage suggesting a summer deal is almost inevitable, given that personal terms were agreed a long time ago.

“It’s very close, Arsenal will sign him, they will trigger his release clause in the summer of €60m. Personal terms were agreed in March, but that is a normal thing with the player, that’s the first thing you do. That was done long ago.

Club chiefs are hoping to have the move fully wrapped up prior to the summer transfer window, but it is still yet to be made official, and there are now indications the north Londoners could move on to alternative targets.

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Last week, it was revealed Arsenal are looking at Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios, who may be brought in instead of Zubimendi, and there has now been a major update on their pursuit of the midfielder.

According to a report from Spain, the Gunners are now preparing a €100m (£83m) offer for Barrios, having identified him as their main target if a move for Zubimendi alludes them.

The Sociedad midfielder is still attracting attention from Real Madrid and other European clubs, so it is by no means a certainty the Spaniard moves to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

There is a belief Barrios could fit perfectly into Mikel Arteta’s team, indicating he is an ideal alternative target, but there may be competition from a number of other Premier League clubs, with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool expressing interest.

Barrios could be a suitable Zubimendi alternative

Zubimendi seemingly remains Arsenal’s top target in midfield, but there are signs the 21-year-old Atletico man could also be a solid signing, having established himself as a key player for the Spanish side at a young age.

The Madrid-born midfielder has made 27 appearances in all competitions this season, providing two assists, and he has received high praise for his dribbling ability by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also dubbed him a “future legend”.

The Spaniard is also extremely adept defensively, ranking in the 90th percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Barrios is a well-rounded midfielder, who would be useful for Arteta at both ends of the pitch, but he is not yet showing “world-class” signs, unlike Zubimendi, who should remain the top target.

حقق الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي إنتر ميلان الفوز على ريفر بليت بنتيجة 2-0 في إطار الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

وأقيمت المباراة على ملعب “لومين” في مدينة “سياتل” الأمريكية بحضور أكثر من 45 ألف متفرج.

وانتهى الشوط الأول من المباراة بالتعادل السلبي بين الفريقين واستمرت النتيجة بهذا الحال حتى الدقيقة 72 من زمن الشوط الثاني.

اقرأ أيضًا | أشعر بالأسف.. جوارديولا يعلن إصابة لاعب مانشستر سيتي قبل مواجهة يوفنتوس

وسجل فرانشيسكو إسبوسيتو هدف التقدم لصالح إنتر ميلان في الدقيقة 72 ولكن قبل هذا الهدف كانت هناك حالة طرد من ريفر بليت للاعب، لوكاس مارتينيز بالدقيقة 65.

وكانت المباراة تتجه نحو فوز إنتر ميلان على ريفر بليت بهدف نظيف، إلا أن أليساندرو باستوني أضاف الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة الثالثة من الوقت بدل الضائع من الشوط الثاني.

ورغم حسم إنتر ميلان النتيجة إلا أن الإثارة لم تنته حتى بعد الهدف الثاني بعد مشادة قوية بين لاعبي إنتر ميلان وريفر بليت انتهت بإنذار للظهير الأيمن، دينزل دومفريس وإنذار ثانٍ وطرد آخر للفريق الأرجنتيني عن طريق اللاعب، جونزالو مونتيل.

ليحصل إنتر ميلان على ثلاث نقاط جديدة في المجموعة الخامسة ويتصدر الترتيب برصيد 7 نقاط بفارق نقطتين عن مونتيري صاحب المركز الثاني، ويتأهل الفريق الإيطالي إلى دور الـ 16 ليواجه فلومينينسي.

West Ham United are in transition under Graham Potter and the summer window will arrive with much anticipation surrounding the type of signings the Englishman could bring to the London Stadium.

West Ham's lack of firepower on show again at Everton

Stability has been the watchword for Graham Potter since his arrival in East London, but his side have continued to deliver a series of inconsistent results over the last few months.

Learning plenty about the options at his disposal, suspicions coming out of the club indicate that the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager will react once the summer comes around. Injury problems and a lack of strength in depth have led to makeshift solutions in forward positions, with Tomas Soucek relied on for goals from midfield in recent weeks, bagging in a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Undoubtedly then, the frontline has became a pressing priority amid Michail Antonio’s unfortunate circumstances. Making himself clear, Potter wants to sign Lille forward Jonathan David as part of his transfer surge once the window opens for business.

A lack of firepower has indeed been the story of his side’s flat-footed season – Jarrod Bowen has been his usual productive self in front of goal, though not even he has reached double figures this campaign.

West Ham’s top goalscorers in 2024/25

Jarrod Bowen

8

Tomas Soucek

7

Lucas Paqueta

5

Mohammed Kudus

3

Niclas Fullkrug

2

Niclas Fullkrug has been another to succumb to fitness issues, so it won’t come as a surprise to hear that Fenerbache’s Youssef En-Nesyri is also on the Hammers’ radar, given his similar stature.

West Ham will stave off any threat of relegation, but they will still feel frustrated at their lack of tangible progress. Seeking ways to improve their Premier League predicament, Potter is now lining up a swoop for a striker with a proven track record that may be available this summer.

West Ham United want Tammy Abraham to head up transfer surge

According to Football Insider, West Ham have entered the frame to sign AC Milan loanee Tammy Abraham and there is scope for a relatively cheap deal to occur amid Roma deeming him surplus to requirements at the Stadio Olimpico.

Said to find the prospect of a move to the London Stadium ‘hugely appealing’ because of the chance to work with Potter, the former Chelsea man has scored 26 times in 89 English top-flight appearances. The 27-year-old is also wanted by Everton and Leeds United.

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Far from the only position Potter has earmarked for improvement, the Hammers want a full-back, central defender and midfielder to plug the gaps across their squad. Signing on for a £34 million fee at Roma in 2021, Abraham has been a peripheral figure on loan at AC Milan this campaign and isn’t likely to be a permanent fixture at San Siro or his parent club moving forward.

Spying an opportunity, Potter may feel West Ham could be the perfect environment for the Three Lions international to get his career back on track should a deal be thrashed out this summer.

After a six-year absence, Isco returns to Spain's national team but his children are more thrilled about him meeting teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Isco returns to Spain's national team after a six-year
• His kids are excited about him meeting Yamal
• La Roja face France in Nations League semi-finals

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Betis midfielder Isco has been recalled to the Spanish national team for the Nations League semi-finals, marking his first appearance since 2019.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Malaga-born midfielder's return comes after a challenging period marked by injuries and surgeries. His resilience and passion for football have been pivotal in his comeback. Now, as he rejoins a rejuvenated Spanish squad blending seasoned players with emerging talents, Isco aims to contribute to Spain's pursuit of Nations League glory.

• WHAT ISCO SAID

  Despite his personal excitement, Isco shared that his children are more enthusiastic about him meeting Barcelona's 17-year-old prodigy Yamal, than his own return to La Roja.
  “My younger kids have never seen me play for Spain. My oldest has, but they’re more excited that I’m going to see Lamine than about me being back with La Roja,” Isco revealed with a laugh.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Spain is set to face France in the Nations League semiseinals. Isco's experience and creativity could be instrumental as La Roja seeks to clinch another international title. Meanwhile, the presence of young talents like Yamal symbolises the promising future of Spanish football.

Liverpool could allow an “outstanding” player to leave the club in the summer transfer window, with Real Madrid circling for his £50m signature.

Liverpool fail to turn up in EFL Cup final against Newcastle

After the disappointment of Champions League elimination last week, the Reds lost 2-1 to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final on Sunday afternoon.

Arne Slot’s side produced a flat performance throughout at Wembley, with too many players looking jaded, so Liverpool could have few qualms about the eventual result. For the boss, it was a failed opportunity to win silverware at his maiden attempt in his first season at Anfield.

It’s now a case of the Reds knuckling down and getting the job done in the Premier League title race, and thankfully, a 16-day break before their next game could be a blessing in disguise. That is still the main aim for the season, and always has been.

The defeat to Newcastle highlighted the need for additions to Liverpool’s squad when the summer window rolls around, though, with a new centre forward vital and fresh legs needed in defence, too. Now, a key current player who started against Newcastle has been linked with a move away.

"Outstanding" Liverpool ace linked with exit as Real Madrid circle

According to a report from Spain, Liverpool may entertain offers of £50m for Ibrahima Konate at the end of the season, with Real Madrid interested in snapping him up.

It is claimed that the Frenchman’s “contractual situation, in addition to potential negotiation deadlock, has set a scenario where the club would not frown upon his departure if a suitable offer arises.”

Selling Konate could ultimately be the wrong decision by Liverpool, considering he is an important starter who could lead the defence once Virgil van Dijk has eventually moved on. The Dutchman hasn’t yet signed a new deal, though, so there is no guarantee that he will still be at Anfield beyond June.

The 25-year-old is such an imposing centre-back when he is fit and firing, with Van Dijk hailing his quality after the 1-0 win at Wolves earlier this season:

“He is a fantastic player who still can be better. As you saw, he is important with the goal, he is defensively solid, a bit unlucky with the goal we conceded, but obviously the qualities he has are outstanding in my opinion. He is learning, growing, getting better and looking after himself much better in order to be ready every three days as that’s what asked.”

The only issue with Konate is injuries, but he has already started 22 Premier League games this season – the most for Liverpool in the competition in any campaign for the club – which suggests he has hopefully overcome that problem.

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If Van Dijk stays and Konate goes, it wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster for the Reds, assuming a top-quality replacement came in, but keeping hold of him is still the preferred outcome.