Everton points deduction latest: Journalist shares worrying new update

A worrying new update regarding Everton's points deduction in the Premier League has emerged, courtesy of journalist Pete O'Rourke.

Everton's ten-point deduction

The Blues have suffered so many disappointments this season, with off-field issues threatening to completely derail Sean Dyche's side's campaign as they desperately fight for survival between now and May.

While results have been adequate for much of the season, the ten-point penalty that has come Everton's way has rocked the club, throwing them into the relegation zone in the process. The Merseysiders have never dropped into the Championship since its former Second Division days, but there is now a genuine threat of that happening.

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Some reports have even suggested that further punishments could come Everton's way due to their financial breaches, and another deduction would surely be too much to come back from in the relegation battle.

There has also been the ongoing issue surrounding the takeover of the Blues, with 777 Partners still not getting a deal over the line to replace Farhad Moshiri as owner, so it's fair to say that Goodison Park is a tense place to be at the moment.

Worrying new Everton update

According to a new update from Football Insider's O'Rourke, Everton may not be successful in appealing their points deduction, with a decision expected very soon.

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri.

"Everton are not likely to receive good news when the results of their appeal against the 10-point deduction for Financial Fair Play breaches is announced, sources have told Football Insider.

"The verdict is set to be announced in the middle of February. That means news on Everton’s potential fate for the 2023-24 campaign may be just days away."

This is another blow in what feels like a constant stream of negative updates this season, although it may not come as a huge surprise that an appeal is unlikely to be successful.

It is a hugely frustrating situation for Dyche and his players, whose performances this season don't warrant being in the relegation zone at all, with a mid-table spot coming their way currently without the 10-point penalty. It can't be easy to remain focused on on-pitch matters, but Everton have to do all they can to get themselves away from danger, preserving their Premier League status for another year.

The idea of dropping into the Championship doesn't bear thinking about, considering the impact it could have on the potential takeover and their finances in general, while the move to Bramley-Moore Dock next year needs to happen with the Blues playing in the top flight, not the second tier.

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The hope is that the appeal does end up being successful, but the manner of this season suggests that good news won't come Everton's way, making for what could be a stressful next few months in the league, with big matches arriving every week.

Shilen Patel: Net worth, West Brom takeover, age, wife, businesses & more

Things are finally looking up for West Brom as a seven and a half year spell under Guochuan Lai looks set to finally come to an end.

There appears to be a new man on the block as it was announced last week that Bilkul Football, who are a company owned by Shilen Patel, have agreed to buy an 87.8% stake in the Championship club.

So, with the recent news, we at Football FanCast have decided to compile a fact file on everything about Shilen Patel.

Who is Shilen Patel?

Shilen Patel is a businessman who founded, and became the CEO of, HealthAxis Group, who provides cutting-edge core administrative technology + BPaaS, BPO, staff augmentation, and consulting services based in Florida.

And, it has been claimed that Patel has additional links with MSD Holdings, who are the same investment firm that loaned the Midlands club around £27m, so it'll be interesting to see how that plays out.

Shilen Patel's age

Shilen Patel was born in June 1980, and resides in Tampa, Florida.

This makes him 43 years old.

Who is Shilen Patel's father, Doctor Kiran Patel?

Kiran C. Patel is a Zambian Indian American philanthropist, serial entrepreneur, hotelier and cardiologist.

He's achieved everything you could possibly think of in his fields so far.

Kiran started his career as a cardiologist, starting his own practice in 1985 in Florida. And, things soon started to take off as he opened 14 branches. As well as this, he transformed Well Care HMO, INC. into the 5th largest Medicaid HMO in the United States.

However, that wasn't the only company he gave a makeover, as he started up his own company and acquired two different health care plans. The amazing thing about this is he grew these companies to over 115,000 members and over $1 billion (£795 million) in revenue, which is when he decided to sell them to Anthem in April 2019.

This industry was where he completely built his fortune, and walked away from it with up to $400 million (£318 million).

Shilen Patel's West Brom takeover

Shilen Patel has completed the takeover of West Bromwich Albion for around £60 million.

Bilkul Football WBA, LLC, a company owned and run by Shilen and his father Kiran, is now the 87.8% majority shareholder of the Midlands club after acquiring Guochuan Lai's stake, which has been approved by the EFL.

An exchange and completion is expected to take place this week.

Shilen Patel's net worth

It's been reported by Birmingham Mail that Shilen Patel has a net worth just shy of £100 million. The official number stated is around $100 million (£79.5 million), which is a shadow of Kiran Patel's net worth at around $400 million (£318 million).

Patel's net worth comes from his career as an entrepreneur, investor in start-ups around Tampa, and leader in the healthcare IT sector.

He's a smart man, who knows that diversifying his portfolio can only benefit him, which can be seen with his various investments in technology, healthcare, property, finance, food, and now football. He is also a founding Director of Central Bank.

However, nothing can prepare him for the challenges of maintaining and controlling a football team, with fans to keep happy.

Shilen Patel's wife and family

Shilen Patel's wife is called Parita.

They're a bit of a power couple when it comes to business. One thing Parita does it take part in philanthropic activities with Shilen, as they both have roles as chairs of the Glazer Children’s Museum’s.

However, it isn't just the businesses and investments that occupy the pair's time, as they have three kids all under the age of 11 to care for.

Shilen Patel's businesses

As well as being the CEO of HealthAxis over in Flordia, Shilen enjoys investing in start-ups in the Tampa Bay area back home. Evidence of this is the fact that he co-founded and chairs the TiE Tampa Bay Angel Fund, which aims to back Florida startups and promote angel investing among local investors. So he's a bit of a local hero in the eyes of some.

However, the hard work doesn't stop there as Shilen also chairs the Creative Entrepreneurship Lab, which is a non-profit initiative, aiming to enhance entrepreneurial activity in the USF area. As well as being a founding director of Central Bank as previously mentioned.

Guochuan Lai's ownership at West Brom

West Bromwich Albion fans certainly won't have a hard time forgetting about Guochuan Lai's time at the Hawthornes.

The Chinese businessman was unveiled as the controlling shareholder back in 2016 after purchasing his stake for around £175 million.

But, there always seemed to be a lack of transparency during his seven and a half years at the club, as there was debt, which still stands now, as well as relegation and a lot of concern from the fan base and those within.

Interestingly, when Lai purchased the club he inherited a £3.7 million loan that the Albion holding company owed to the football club. And, due to interest mounting up due to the debt not being paid, in May 2019, the debt was £4.1 million.

Lai loved an excuse, as he told the club that restrictions on foreign investment from the Chinese government were halting his efforts to pay the £4.1million debt that was owed.

Due to all the messing around, shareholders of the Midlands club succeeded in their attempt for an independent investigation to be launched into the loan, with the club agreeing to fund the investigation.

The thing that really annoyed fans was the release of the club's accounts as it came out that Laid had taken £4.95 million of the club's money and gone and put it into another one of his firms Wisdom Smart Corporation Limited. Bear in mind that the amount owed to the club due to interest had risen to around £5 million by this time.

And, to make matters worse, it was revealed that the Chinese businessman borrowed another £2 million in September 2021 for another one of his companies.

For a club with the history of West Brom, a Premier League place is what's craved. But, under Lai, he seemed to go out of his way to make this seem like a distant dream, certainly over the past few years.

Afghanistan's chance to give coach Phil Simmons a send-off gift

Afghanistan have beaten West Indies thrice in their last four completed matches. Can they add another win to their kitty?

The Preview by Shashank Kishore03-Jul-20194:30

Ganga: A bit surprised that WI didn’t invest in Pooran earlier

Big pictureFifteen months ago, Afghanistan and West Indies faced off in the finals of the World Cup Qualifiers in Harare. It was a landmark day in Afghanistan’s young cricketing history as they toppled the two-time World Cup winners to make a statement that they deserved to be here.Unfortunately, the only statement that the world seems to remember from their 2019 campaign is Gulbadin Naib’s ” (we are already drowned darling, but we’ll take you with us) quip ahead of the match against Bangladesh.Beyond that, of course, there are those who would say they should have beaten India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. In each of those games, their lack of experience and poor tactics were exposed. However, the bigger question still stares at them: did they give themselves the best chance to compete? Should they have tinkered with their leadership?Then, there was also the controversy over Mohammad Shahzad’s injury even as the wicketkeeper-batsman claimed to be a victim of board politics. Public differences between the sacked selection committee chief and outgoing head coach Phil Simmons haven’t helped them either. Now in their final game, they would want to give Simmons a fitting farewell.For West Indies, this World Cup promised much more. Their battery of young players – Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer – are being hailed as some of the best talent to emerge in recent times. Chris Gayle wanted it to be his swansong, Andre Russell brought with him the threat that made him IPL’s MVP. Shannon Gabriel’s fire, Oshane Thomas’ pace and Jason Holder’s bounce brought with it a fine fast-bowling cocktail.They had Australia tottering at 38 for 4, posted 300 plus against Bangladesh, came within one blow of victory against New Zealand and then squandered a winning position against Sri Lanka. How could it all go wrong? It’s a question they would do well to answer, although they will be the first to admit that they have underachieved. Ahead of their flight back for a home series against India, they’d want to carry back some happy memories.Form guideWest Indies:LLLLL (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Afghanistan:LLLLLGetty ImagesIn the spotlightNot too many selection committees gamble on a batsman with just one ODI under his belt ahead of a World Cup. Yet, as they leave, Nicholas Pooran’s batting has been among the biggest positives for West Indies. His 118 against Sri Lanka is the highest by a West Indies player this World Cup. He’s the only West Indies batsman to average above 40 this tournament. Against Sri Lanka, he fell with his side needing 31 in three overs. If he gets into a similar situation, he’d be itching to finish it off and prove it to be his next step of learning.Gulbadin Naib may have well replayed the 46th over against Pakistan many times over in his head. He’d perhaps do things differently if he could warp back in a time machine. Could he have bowled Samiullah Shinwari? Would that have left Pakistan needing 18 or 20 off the final over? Could they have won? Now, Naib has a final opportunity to leave his mark on the world stage.Team newsKemar Roach trained full-tilt, a hint that he could be back for West Indies. Hamid Hasan’s injury for Afghanistan could mean a debut for left-arm medium pacer Sayed Shirzad.West Indies (probable): 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Sunil Ambris, 3 Shai Hope (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Jason Holder (capt), 7 Carlos Brathwaite, 8 Fabian Allen, 9 Sheldon Cottrell, 10 Oshane Thomas, 11 Kemar RoachAfghanistan: (probable): 1 Rahmat Shah, 2 Gulbadin Naib (capt), 3 Hashmatullah Shahidi 4 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 5 Asghar Afghan, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Samiullah Shenwari, 10 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 11 Sayed ShirzadPitch and conditionsForecast is for a bright start, with cloud cover and possibly some rain towards the evening. This could make the toss tricky. Do you then play for DLS or go with the tried-and-tested mantra of batting first, batting big and choking the opponents? As such, both sides have chased poorly. They may as well bat first when the surface is at its best.Strategy punt Three matches at No. 5, five games at No. 6. Afghanistan haven’t maximised Mohammad Nabi’s utility. Branding him a finisher has meant he’s largely batted when games have all been decided, the India clash being an exception. They need to find a way to slot him a spot higher. Gayle isn’t comfortable against spin upfront. Not if the bowler at the other end is Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Remember the qualifier final last year? A googly that drew him forward, only to rip away and crash into the stumps. Since then, of course, Gayle and Mujeeb have been team-mates at the IPL. Can Afghanistan look to play on his ego once again?Stats and trivia Sheldon Cottrell’s seven wickets are the most for a bowler inside the first 10 overs this World Cup Afghanistan have used five opening pairs, the most by any team this tournament West Indies average 11.1 for the first wicket, the lowest among all teams Mujeeb’s economy rate of 4.3 is the best among spinners who have bowled at least 20 overs

Future Wrexham captain? Max Cleworth quizzed on whether he wants to lead Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney project towards Premier League end goal

Max Cleworth would like to fill the role of Wrexham captain at some point in the future, with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney looking for leaders.

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  • Defender stepped out of academy system
  • Being tipped for a bright future
  • Armband up for grabs in summer of 2024
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The armband at SToK Racecourse is coming up for grabs this summer, with Ben Tozer and Luke Young among those to have been released at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. A new skipper will be required in League One next season, with prolific striker Paul Mullin considered to be a leading contender for that role.

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    WHAT CLEWORTH SAID

    Cleworth will hope to come into contention for captaincy duties further down the line, as he is just 21 years of age, and he has told the podcast of whether he sees himself leading Wrexham out of the tunnel: “That’s something that I would like to be in the future, but you obviously never know what happens in football. But that would be something that means a lot to me if it happens one day. I don’t like to think too far in the future – take it day by day, or a season at a time and if happens one day, it happens. Obviously just enjoy playing for the club at the minute and see what happens.”

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Cleworth has stepped out of Wrexham’s academy to become a regular under Phil Parkinson, with it his intention to nail down a role at centre-half – rather than experiment with the midfield berth that he has filled at times. The youngster added: “I think I came on against Altrincham away in the National League, and I played central mid. Centre-half is probably going to be my main position – whether that be a back three or back four. I think I could maybe do a job in centre mid, but the more you play centre-half the harder it becomes to play centre mid – because they are very different in terms of the way you receive the ball, the time you have on it. Altogether it’s a completely different position, so I’d like to think I could do a job but I mainly see myself as a centre-half.”

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    WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

    Parkinson will find a role for Cleworth within his defensive unit next season, with there the potential for new recruits to be drafted in alongside him as Hollywood co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney prepare to make more funds available in the summer transfer window.

Chelsea offered chance to sign 22-goal striker in short-term January move

Chelsea have now been offered the chance to sign a new international striker as a short-term Stamford Bridge solution this month, according to a report.

Chelsea striker rumours

The Blues and Mauricio Pochettino would ideally like to sign a striker during the January transfer window, with one of their top targets being Napoli star Victor Osimhen.

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Recent reports have revealed that the Nigerian, who is currently away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, would be open to a move to Chelsea, with his agent holding “positive” talks with co-owner Behdad Eghbali.

“I understand Chelsea have had contact with Osimhen’s entourage in recent weeks/days to discuss the possibility of the Napoli striker joining Chelsea”, said journalist Simon Phillips.

“The feedback they have had is positive, with there being an understanding that Osimhen would be open to joining Chelsea. Behdad Eghbali has initiated this contact and now has good relations with Osimhen’s agent. Now, that doesn’t mean Chelsea are 100% signing Osimhen, and it doesn’t mean that he would also not be open to joining other clubs if they come in.”

Unfortunately, a transfer for Osimhen is now ‘more likely to gather pace in the summer’, potentially leaving the Blues to look elsewhere for the second half of the season.

Christopher Nkunku has suffered with injury issues and Nicolas Jackson has been inconsistent in front of goal, and by the looks of things, Chelsea have now been offered a number of short-term striker solutions.

Chelsea offered international forward

According to HITC in the last 48 hours, the Blues have been offered a number of strikers this month, including Greece international Vangelis Pavlidis, who has been starring for AZ Alkmaar.

“Sources also believe that AZ Alkmaar Vangelis Pavlidis, Zenit St Petersburg’s Mateo Cassierra, Cercle Brugge’s Kevin Denkey and Atletico Mineiro’s Paulinho are amongst a host of names who have been offered to them this month.”

Pavlidis is arguably one of the most eye-catching names of the four, with the 25-year-old starring in the Netherlands during the current campaign, already scoring 22 goals in 27 games this season.

The striker began his career on the books in Germany with VfL Bochum before moving to the Netherlands with Willem II in 2019. He then switched to AZ Alkmaar in 2021 and has seen his Transfermarkt valuation rocket from €2.5m to a career-high €25m.

Therefore, you could argue that signing Pavlidis this month for the second half of the season may well be a shrewd move before possibly targeting someone like Osimhen in the summer.

PHOTO: Man Utd savagely trolled by goggle-wearing Newcastle fans after shocking Old Trafford flooding

A group of Newcastle United fans were spotted wearing swimming goggles as they poked fun at Old Trafford's leaky roof on Wednesday night.

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Newcastle fans spotted wearing gogglesOld Trafford roof keeps leakingMan Utd beat Magpies 3-2WHAT HAPPENED?

On Wednesday night as the Magpies travelled to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in their penultimate game of the season, a bunch of their fans were spotted wearing swimming goggles as they aimed a dig at the home supporters over the condition of The Theatre Dreams.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Manchester United grabbed headlines last week for all the wrong reasons as Old Trafford's dismal condition was exposed during their Premier League defeat at Arsenal. After heavy rainfall during the match, fans were bemused to witness water gushing through the leaky roof of the stadium. Club legend Gary Neville did not spare the club as he described Wednesday's Premier League clash as a 'water polo' game.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Concerns were raised over the poor condition of Old Trafford's infrastructure earlier in the season. However, the management later concluded that renovation works could not be commenced while the season was still ongoing.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

After beating Newcastle 3-2 in their final home game of the season, Erik ten Hag's side will now prepare to face Brighton away on Sunday in the Premier League.

Celtic considering move to bring 6 ft 3 penalty saving expert to Parkhead

Celtic are considering a move to bring a new goalkeeper to the Scottish Premiership in January, according to a fresh report.

Celtic's season so far

The Hoops have made a remarkable start to the domestic campaign having won 11, drawn three and lost none of their opening 14 games, meaning that they currently find themselves clear at the top of the table ahead of their rivals Rangers.

Whilst Brendan Rodgers doesn’t necessarily need to enter the market to improve his squad given their outstanding form, Joe Hart and Scott Bain will both have reached the expiration of their deals at the end of the season (Celtic contracts), so the manager could do with discovering the availability of goalkeepers.

Celtic signal January transfer plans; Rodgers convinced he can land targets

Celtic are keen to strengthen in January to give them an edge in the hunt for the Scottish Premiership title…

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 26, 2023

Back in 2018, Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin put pen to paper at the Bernabeu Stadium, but during that time, he’s been sent out on three loans to CD Leganes, Real Valladolid and Real Oviedo, showing how low down in the pecking order he is under Carlo Ancelotti (Transfermarkt – Lunin statistics).

The Ukraine international is typically his manager’s third-choice shot-stopper behind Thibaut Courtois and Kepa Arrizabalaga when all members of the trio are fully fit, and with his terms set to run out upon the conclusion of the current campaign (Real Madrid contracts), the 24-year-old has been highlighted as a target at Parkhead.

Celtic eyeing swoop for Andriy Lunin

According to The Daily Record, Celtic are contemplating a move for Lunin at the start of next year, and there's a chance that he could be made available due to his lack of game time and minutes at Real Madrid.

Real Madrid's backup keeper Andriy Lunin might just be available in January despite a recent run in the team. Record Sport understands he's one of the keepers under consideration at Celtic and while his recent prominence at Real might suggest he'll be a tricky man to land, Carlo Ancelotti dropped a hint that his stint in the team is coming to an end this weekend.”

Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

Lunin could be a "top goalkeeper" for Rodgers

Since the start of his career, Lunin has kept 37 clean sheets from 112 games. Standing at 6 foot 3, Real Madrid’s colossus has made 15 saves from 17 shots on target against this year, giving him a save percentage of 88.2% (FBRef – Lunin statistics), which is higher than the 72% that Hart has managed so far this season (FBRef – Hart statistics), showing that he’d be an upgrade on the existing number one.

Sponsored by Nike, the Ukrainian additionally ranks in the 98th percentile for penalty saves so he has an excellent record when it comes to spot kicks, making him a really well-rounded player and one who would surely decide the odd cup fixture here and there too.

According to Carlo Ancelotti, Lunin is a “top goalkeeper” between the sticks, so if the right opportunity was to present itself, Celtic have to fully pursue a deal for their target by trying to fend off interest elsewhere and secure his services in January.

Steven Smith's BPL participation in doubt

BCB to take a final decision after other franchises object to bending of rules to allow Comilla Victorians to rope in Smith

Mohammad Isam11-Dec-2018A question mark hangs over axed Australia captain Steven Smith’s participation in the 2019 Bangladesh Premier League, following a meeting on Tuesday that ended in a deadlock. Jalal Yunus, the BPL’s technical committee chairman who held the meeting with BPL franchise representatives, said that he asked the BCB to take a final decision on whether Smith will be eligible for the T20 tournament that begins on January 5.Smith had signed with Comilla Victorians in late November, as a replacement for Sri Lanka’s Asela Gunaratne. This is where the issue stems from: replacement players are supposed to be chosen from among the players who were in the draft in the first place, and Smith was not part of the draft.Yunus said that Comilla were allowed to contract Smith with a view to enhance the league’s appeal, but the other franchises objected to this bending of the rules, putting his participation under a cloud.”We had allowed Comilla to sign Steven Smith for the greater interest of the BPL,” Yunus said. “The bylaws said that a replacement player has to come from the [players who were in the] draft and, after we allowed Comilla, the other franchises objected. Which is why we held the meeting today but, since we couldn’t come to a conclusion, I have now referred it to the BCB.”Yunus didn’t confirm by when the BCB is likely to take a decision.

Farke could unearth surprise Gnonto replacement in 18 y/o Leeds academy whiz

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke had plenty to deal with throughout the summer transfer window as players flooded in and out of Elland Road.

The likes of Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Max Wober, Robin Koch, and Jack Harrison, among others, departed either permanently or on loan after the club suffered relegation from the Premier League.

Three months on and the Whites are currently third in the Championship and vying for an instant return to the top-flight but that has not stopped speculation over the future of their players.

TEAMtalk reported at the end of October that sources close to the player believe that a January transfer away from Yorkshire is possible for Wilfried Gnonto.

Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto.

Lazio, Roma, and Everton are all said to be keen on the £25m-rated dynamo and this means that Farke could lose another first-team squad member.

However, the German head coach could unearth a surprise replacement for the 20-year-old forward in current Leeds academy whiz Connor Douglas.

Gnonto's season in numbers

The Italy international has one goal, one assist, and zero 'big chances' created in 13 Championship appearances for the club so far this season.

He is a versatile attacker who can play on either flank or through the middle as a number ten or centre-forward but has not produced the quality to go alongside that versatility this term.

Appearances

13

Sofascore rating

6.83

Key passes

Six

Dribbles completed

14

Goals + assists

Two

Gnonto has started six league matches under Farke and this shows that his lack of contributions in the final third have not been down to a lack of chances.

It could, therefore, be a shrewd piece of business for the club to cash in on the young gem if the likes of Everton, Roma, and Lazio come in with offers, as his performances have been less-than-impressive this season.

Connor Douglas' Leeds statistics

Supporters may expect the club to dip into the transfer market to find a replacement if they do decide to sell Gnonto but Farke could use his willingness to offer chances to young players to unearth a surprise heir.

Douglas is a versatile forward, like the Italian prospect, who can play out wide on either flank and he has showcased his potential at youth level for the Whites.

The 18-year-old winger burst onto the scene with the U18s and plundered six goals and three assists in 23 appearances – with all of those goal contributions coming in 15 league matches last term.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke.

He earned himself a promotion to the U21s towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign and has racked up four goals in ten matches at that age group to date.

This means that he has 13 goals and assists combined in 33 appearances for the academy – one involvement every 2.53 matches – in comparison to the current senior ace's two in 13 Championship outings – one involvement every 6.5 clashes.

These statistics show that the talented whiz, who only turned 18 in October, has produced goals and assists far more frequently at youth level than Gnonto has for the first-team this season.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Douglas will be able to translate his form over to the senior squad but his impressive displays should not go unnoticed and Farke could look to offer him a chance to stake a claim for a place in the side if Gnonto moves on.

The head coach has already proven that age and inexperience is not a significant issue for him as 17-year-old Archie Gray has played 18 league games so far this term.

Chess, yoga and meditation – Liverpool star Mohamed Salah reveals the hobbies that help him be 'the best version of myself'

Mohamed Salah has revealed how he keeps himself at his best as the Liverpool star looks to win his second Premier League title.

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  • Salah reveals hobbies off the field
  • Chess, yoga and meditation his go-to's
  • Heading into Premier League title run in
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Salah has revealed how he spends his free time off the field as he has become one of the best players to have graced the Premier League. He has revealed that he plays chess, practises yoga and meditates regularly to keep himself in top shape.

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    WHAT SALAH SAID

    Speaking to , Saah said: "I play chess almost every day. Pretty much every day. I also do yoga for a good part of the time, I do meditation almost every day.

    "I try to evolve small things, not only by football, but also by thinking of me, as a person. It's like that… when I think about it, I do everything to be my best version in football. But as a human being, I also need to evolve."

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Liverpool are currently atop the Premier League as they are involved in a title fight against Arsenal and Manchester City. Salah has played a major part in the success of the Merseyside club so far as they look to win the Europa League as well as the league.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR SALAH?

    He will likely start for Jurgen Klopp when Liverpool take on Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday, April 6. The Reds will be hoping for a win to at least maintain their two-point lead at the top of the table.

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