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The Norwegian is set to win this season's Golden Boot, but there is no room for him in our all-star line-up

And so, the end is near, with the final curtain set to come down on the 2023-24 Premier League campaign on Sunday. We don't yet know the identity of the champions, of course, with Manchester City and Arsenal still locked in a titanic title tussle. And while Luton are effectively doomed to relegation, along with Burnley and Sheffield United, there are also European places still up for grabs.

However, GOAL's Premier League Team of the Season is already decided – and there are a few selections that are bound to cause controversy. For starters, there's no room for either Erling Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne, while City only have half as many representatives as Arsenal. We've also included a couple of players from teams in the bottom half of the table.

So, check out our line-up below and be sure to tell us what you think in the comments section!

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  GK: Jordan Pickford (Everton)

  David Raya has already won this season's Golden Glove, having kept 16 clean sheets thus far, but Jordan Pickford managing just three shut-outs fewer is an even more impressive achievement, given Everton were locked in a relegation battle up until a few weeks ago.

  The England international has had a couple of dodgy games (which keeper hasn't this season?!) and has been helped out by the sterling efforts of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Brantwaithe in front of him, but Pickford continually came to his team's rescue when they needed him most.

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  RB: Ben White (Arsenal)

  Is Ben White's fine form down to his decision to make himself unavailable for international duty? Hard to say. All we know for sure is that the versatile defender has played a pivotal role in Arsenal's title challenge, scoring four goals, and registering as many assists.

  It's a real shame for England's Euro 2024 campaign that Gareth Southgate won't have the option of pairing him on the right flank with Bukayo Saka this summer.

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  CB: William Saliba (Arsenal)

  Anyone else get the feeling that Arsenal might have won the league last season had they not lost their fantastic Frenchman to injury?!

  William Saliba has been utterly integral to the Gunners maintaining this year's title challenge. No other player in the Premier League has been involved in as many clean sheets (16), while the ridiculously composed centre-back also ranks second among defenders for possession won. In short, a class act.

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  CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

  The Dutchman's reign as Liverpool captain didn't get off to the best of starts, with Van Dijk dismissed for a clumsy foul in the come-from-behind win over Newcastle back in August. However, the veteran centre-back recovered wonderfully well from that setback and dismissed all suggestions that he was past his best by producing a string of almost-flawless displays for Liverpool that earned him a deserved nomination for Player of the Season.

  The Reds' backline still has plenty of problems but Van Dijk, as it turns out, is far from "finished".

Liverpool are currently in second place in the Premier League having topped their Europa League group and advanced to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, of which they are ostensible favourites in both cup competitions.

Table-toppers Arsenal are imminently making the trip to Merseyside to face Jurgen Klopp's side in a pivotal league clash, which will determine whether the Reds spend Christmas Day in pole position.

Klopp could land Luis Diaz upgrade in Liverpool swoop for £51m "architect"

The Reds are reportedly interested in the talented whiz ahead of January.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 22, 2023

All this paints a brilliant picture of promise, but further work is needed to ensure that Liverpool succeed in their ambitious endeavours.

The midfield welcomed four new additions in the summer to combat the mass exodus after a dismal year, and now, reports from the continent suggest that Klopp is eager to add another to the engine room…

Liverpool transfer news – Nicolo Barella

According to Spanish sources, Liverpool are among the English clubs to be in contention to sign Inter Milan maestro Nicolo Barella, with Arsenal and Newcastle United also registering an interest.

In June, reliable reports surfaced that Newcastle were closing in on a sensational £50m deal for the Italian, though ultimately his Serie A outfit refused to advance negotiations to the conclusive stage.

Barella – who could command a fee of around £70m-£80m – is contracted to the San Siro until 2026 and has proved his worth as one of Europe's elite midfielders over the past several seasons, but is he the signing that the Reds need?

Nicolo Barella's style of play

Barella is a midfielder of supreme technicality, first-class ball-playing ability and an all-action approach that has led sports editor Mike Piellucci to describe him as a "genius" for his work.

As per FBref, the £153k-per-week machine ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 12% for progressive carries per 90.

Likened to many of Europe's most guileful and inventive midfielders, Barella was "appreciated" by Liverpool in the summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, but no deal materialised as Klopp moved for other options.

It's clear to see why; having chalked up 210 appearances for the Nerazzurri, posting 21 goals and 47 assists and proving instrumental in the winning of the Serie A and two Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana apiece, Barella has been nothing short of an "unbelievable" member of the squad over the past several years, as was noted by one podcast host.

But, crucially, he's not a defensive midfielder, instead finding success as a midfield operator in and around half-spaces, pushing forward with creative intent and contributing effectively in recycling possession.

Understandably, Klopp appreciates his talents, but Barella is not the answer to Liverpool's midfield questions, and signing him would only have a negative effect on Harvey Elliott.

How Nicolo Barella compares to Harvey Elliott

Having played 46 times across all competitions last year, Elliott has established himself as one of the brightest starlets in the Premier League, and despite multiple midfield signings in the summer, remains a coveted asset of Klopp's team.

This season, the "incredible" prospect – as stated by Paul Dalglish – has started all nine of Liverpool's cup fixtures, though only has one Premier League start to his name and has recently admitted that he is disgruntled by a lack of match action in the English top-flight.

Elliott, aged 20, offers many of the tools that Barella brings to the table and is contributing effectively for Klopp's side; frankly, he is a frightening talent and signing the Inter player would not bode well for him.

It's worth noting that several players have been excluded from several columns due to scant match action, thus bloating their metrics; Elliott's rankings are collated with those having played more than 180 minutes of football across all competitions.

To emphasise how effective this young star is, he ranks among the top 11% of midfielders for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for progressive passes, the top 4% for progressive carries, the top 6% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 17% for blocks per 90.

Given the overload of creative and multi-functional midfielders in Liverpool's squad, it's hard to conclude that signing a player such as Barella – who, granted, is fantastic and would be a credit to the Merseyside outfit – would be the best move to continue the resurgence.

It's a bit like saying Thibaut Courtois is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and thus Liverpool must target his signature: with Alisson Becker between the sticks, such an acquisition would be met with incredulity.

Thiago Alcantara is plagued by injury problems and is out of contract at the end of the campaign, while Mac Allister has proved his worth in the deep-lying role and Wataru Endo, aged 30, improves with each passing fixture. All this being said, a specialist No. 6 is a prerequisite for lasting success at the peak of the European pyramid.

When partnering Liverpool's need for a natural Fabinho replacement – the Brazilian was sold to Al-Ittihad in the summer after declining – with the ongoing requirement for defensive reinforcements, exacerbated by Joel Matip's season-ending ACL injury, Barella is just not the answer.

Such a transfer could force Ryan Gravenberch into a deeper role, which is clearly not his best position, while precluding Elliott's chances of cementing a starting berth with regularity.

Intangibles such as confidence and guile form the base of Elliott's creative repertoire, and at a time when he is on the cusp of a level-up, it would be ludicrous to sign a player that would inhibit his prospects of success.

Chelsea are reportedly looking to make a statement signing this summer and could join Bayern Munich in the race to sign Barcelona's Ronald Araujo.

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• Chelsea looking to sign Ronald Araujo
• Bayern also interested in the defender
• Barca don't want to sell the Uruguayan

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  As per Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea are keeping a keen eye on the Uruguayan defender for a potential summer move as they believe he could take over as the leader in defence following Thiago Silva's departure from Stamford Bridge this summer.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Uruguayan currently has a contract with the Blaugrana that runs up to the summer of 2026 and also has an unrealistic release clause of €1 billion (£850m/$1.08bn). To further complicate the situation for Chelsea, Araujo is one of the names on the Catalan side's non-transferable priority list. However, due to Barcelona's economic troubles, the London outfit know that a big bid would likely appeal to Joan Laporta and company as they must comply with La Liga's FFP rules.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Barca reportedly held talks with the Uruguayan over a potential contract extension earlier this year but negotiations have not progressed since as the Catalan side have put an extension on 'stand-by' as they look to make further investments in the squad.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARAUJO?

  The Uruguayan defender's future could also depend on who is the manager at Barcelona next season as the club has been moving haphazardly in regard to Xavi Hernandez's future at the club. It is now very likely that Hansi Flick could join the Catalans to take over from the former midfielder.

Leeds United are keen to bring in quality this month and are lining up an upgrade in a problem position at Elland Road, according to a report.

Leeds need to replace Djed Spence

Djed Spence joined Leeds United on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and much was expected of the England Under-21 cap due to his previous pedigree in the Championship, which saw him play a vital role in Nottingham Forest's 2021/22 promotion campaign and poke fun at former boss Neil Warnock with this famous tweet.

Nevertheless, the 23-year-old struggled to settle into Daniel Farke's plans at Elland Road in a spell plagued by injury and has now returned to north London after the Whites activated his recall clause. Now close to joining Genoa on a similar basis, the focus in Yorkshire will now turn towards finding his replacement.

Full-back depth within Farke's squad has taken another dip in numbers after news from The Telegraph broke indicating that Whites veteran Luke Ayling will join Middlesbrough on loan for the remainder of the campaign. Burnley defender Connor Roberts has emerged as a target to help fill the available slot on the right-hand side of defence and could offer a wealth of experience if he were to arrive this month.

Speaking to Football League World, pundit Carlton Palmer has suggested that Roberts would be a "shrewd" bit of business by Leeds United, as he stated: "Connor would be a shrewd signing for Leeds, and his pals Ampadu and Rodon from the Welsh squad should help him hit the ground running. This would be a very, very good addition for Leeds United."

Now, one reporter has delivered a further update on market activity at Elland Road this window and where Leeds United could look to strengthen.

Leeds eye Byram upgrade…

According to Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, Leeds United are keen to bring in a new left-back this window and will look to upgrade on Sam Byram, who is naturally a right-sided defender.

The 30-year-old has spent more or less the entire campaign on the left-hand side of Farke's backline. At the same time, Junior Firpo remains on the books at Elland Road, though he has struggled with injury concerns for much of the season.

Labelled "powerful" by journalist Alan Biggs, Byram has been a fantastic addition, considering he arrived for free in the summer and has made 21 appearances across all competitions this campaign, registering one goal and a solitary assist in the process (Byram statistics – Transfermarkt).

Byram will be a vital part of Leeds United's plans in the coming weeks and months; however, recruiting a natural to add competition in the left-back role should definitely be a priority at the club before the window closes.

Emma Hayes has explained why USWNT icon Alex Morgan was absent in the 4-0 victory against South Korea.

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• Hayes explains Morgan absence
• Hayes wins debut game in charge of USWNT
• Face same opposition on Tuesday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The USWNT romped to victory thanks to braces from Mallory Swanson and Tierna Davidson to give Hayes a dream start. The former Chelsea manager is making her first steps into international management and will have been delighted to get underway with an emphatic victory. Morgan's absence from the squad was highlighted but Hayes expects to have the USWNT striker back for their next game.

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  WHAT HAYES SAID

  After the game, Hayes explained: "[Morgan] felt yesterday – this is an important issue to raise – maybe stretching a little bit her pelvic area. I told her yesterday I'm not going to take any risks today, because I want her to play Tuesday."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Hayes joined the USWNT from Chelsea having ended her time in west London on a fairytale high. The Blues won the WSL title on the final day of the season and handed Hayes her seventh triumph in the competition. The USWNT see Hayes as the serial winner they need to return them to the top of world football.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MORGAN AND HAYES?

  The USWNT face South Korea again on Tuesday with Hayes looking to give Morgan an opportunity to impress. Her squad will all be eager to showcase their talents ahead of the Olympic games in Paris this summer and win the gold medal.

Crystal Palace currently find themselves in 14th place in the Premier League table, three spots down from where they finished last season. They are only five points above the bottom three, and 18th-place Luton have played the same number of games.

A big part of the reason for Palace's struggles has been their lack of goals. They've only managed to net 22 this season, the third-lowest in the division after 19th-place Burnley and bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United. In the circumstances, chairman Steve Parish has reportedly grown frustrated with Roy Hodgson.

The Guardian reported late last month that Hodgson was coming under "mounting pressure" in South London, with Parish eyeing up Steve Cooper, recently relieved of his duties at Nottingham Forest. Even if he does survive until May, Hodgson is out of contract in the summer, and as yet another manager link emerges, it seems like his second spell in the Selhurst Park dugout could soon come to an end.

Hodgson helps Parish as he eyes Carrick

According to Football Transfers, Parish is "very keen" to appoint Middlesbrough's Michael Carrick as Hodgson's replacement. Palace tried to lure him last March after they sacked Patrick Vieira, but the Championship outfit refused to permit talks.

Now, though, Carrick is high on the shortlist again as the Eagles search for a new long-term gaffer. Ahead of his anticipated exit, Hodgson has even been assisting Parish as he runs the rule over possible candidates.

Palace are impressed by Carrick's "intelligence, calm temperament and meticulousness", and it's felt he would "jump at the chance" to take the job and manage in the Premier League, especially if Middlesbrough fail to get promoted.

"Ridiculous" Carrick is transforming Boro

Carrick's gig at The Riverside is his first in permanent management after a three-game caretaker stint at former club Manchester United following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solksjaer in autumn 2021. He's won plenty of plaudits during his tenure in the northeast, with BBC journalist and broadcaster Harry Roy calling his achievements "ridiculous", and The Daily Mail's Craig Hope noting that he's "been likened to Keanu Reeves in The Matrix". "While the stadium spins & the match axis tilts, nothing invades Carrick's world. In slowing things down, he thinks quicker."

That mindset has helped the 42-year-old transform a club that was down in 22nd in the Championship when Chris Wilder was sacked in October 2022. The 4-2-3-1 manager somehow guided them to the play-offs, where they lost to Coventry in the semifinals.

Boro are currently in 10th place, but they're only one point off the top six in a congested table, so they still have a shot at promotion. While they only rank eighth for goals scored (41), they're fourth for expected goals (43.9), which shows that Carrick's attacking set-up is working well – he just needs his attackers to put the ball in the back of the net more often.

Perhaps the bigger story is his side's run to the semifinals of the Carabao Cup. Having stunned 'big six' club Chelsea with a 1-0 first-leg victory last week, they have a real chance of reaching Wembley, which could only intensify Parish's desire to snap him up.

Manchester United have reportedly reduced their earlier asking price for Jadon Sancho as they look to sell the winger this summer.

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• Sancho's asking price slashed by Man Utd
• Man Utd asking for £40 million (€47m/$50m)
• Borussia Dortmund remain interested

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Sancho spent the second half of the season out on loan at Borussia Dortmund and impressed under Edin Terzic as Die Schwarzgelben made it to the Champions League final. The Red Devils initially set an asking price of around £55 million ($70m) for the winger as they looked to recoup some of the cash they spent on him.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As per the BBC, United have now slashed Sancho's asking price for the summer to £40 million (€47m/$50m) as they do not plan to reincorporate the exiled winger especially if Erik ten Hag stays on manager. Sancho and Ten Hag had a very public falling out last season which led to the winger leaving the club on loan.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  As per Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United are 100 per cent committed to selling Sancho this summer with Dortmund very interested in re-signing the 24-year-old but could face competition from other clubs heading into the summer.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR SANCHO?

  The 24-year-old will be hoping to have his future sorted as soon as possible so he can be incorporated into his future side's pre-season plans. Dortmund are keen to secure another loan but Manchester United would prefer a sale.

A journalist's sources have insisted that Tottenham could potentially do business to sign a "top talent" who Steven Gerrard tipped for stardom.

Spurs want new midfielder for Postecoglou

Since the beginning of this January transfer window and beforehand, widespread reports have made clear Spurs' desire to sign a new midfielder.

"Fantastic" player's camp think he's eventually going to play for Tottenham

People around him are thinking of a north London switch.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 27, 2024

Manager Ange Postecoglou is believed to be personally keen on bringing in a new midfield running man this year, and one who can alternate with playmaker James Maddison when required (Miguel Delaney). This has lead to repeated links with Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, who they held a serious interest in signing last summer but couldn't quite get a deal over the line.

The Englishman's stock has only risen since then, becoming a key player under Mauricio Pochettino over his 20 Premier League starts for Chelsea so far this season. His new-found importance to Chelsea could make a last-gasp January deal hard to pull off, though, with chairman Daniel Levy and the Lilywhites recruitment team weighing up alternatives to Gallagher as Postecoglou refuses to completely rule out more activity.

Atalanta star Ederson has admirers at Spurs in this regard, and a report this week by reliable journalist David Ornstein in The Athletic stated that Tottenham have made their interest in Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey abundantly clear. The 22-year-old, who can play across midfield and as a central attacker, has impressed over his 10 league appearances this season and would count towards Spurs' homegrown quota.

Ornstein listed Tottenham's interest in Ramsey in a list of "deals that could happen before deadline day", with HITC and journalist Graeme Bailey now sharing a further update.

Sources "insist" Villa would consider selling Ramsey to Spurs

According to their information, sources "insist" Villa would consider selling Ramsey to Spurs as well as other interested sides like north London rivals Arsenal and Newcastle United. European heavyweights Bayern Munich and Juventus are also said to be fans, but Villa boss Unai Emery appears reluctant for his club to let him leave.

“Jacob Ramsey is a very important player, he grew up in the academy and his progression is getting better,” said Emery to The Birmingham Mail (via HITC). “His level is increasing a lot and I want to keep him here with us."

The highly-rated Englishman was also tipped for stardom by former Villa manager and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who is now in charge of Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.

"He is a top talent, I’m loving every moment of working with him. He is getting stronger with each game because we’re giving him the platform to express himself. He is in a wonderful place," said Gerrard to TNT Sports.

"Jacob Ramsey is Jacob Ramsey. He will be a terrific player. It won’t be long before the whole country is watching him I’m sure. He is right up there, let me tell you.”

Alisha Lehmann has visited the Hollywood Walk of Fame while in LA, with the Swiss stopping by the stars of Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson.

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• Swiss star enjoying American vacation
• Has moved from Florida to California
• Ready to watch partner in major tournament

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Aston Villa forward is in California ahead of her boyfriend, Douglas Luiz, forming part of Brazil’s squad at the 2024 Copa America. She has already watched him in friendly action against the USMNT during a stint in Florida that saw time spent in Miami and Orlando.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Lehmann has moved from the east coast to the west, with Brazil set to open their Copa quest against Costa Rica at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on June 24. Prior to attending that game, opportunities to soak up more sun and see the sights are being embraced.

• THE GOSSIP

  Lehmann has headed out into Los Angeles to visit the famous stars on Hollywood Boulevard, with superstar performers from the worlds of film and entertainment being recognised on a 1.3-mile stretch of road. The stars of legendary actress Monroe and pop icon Jackson held special appeal to Lehmann.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  It remains to be seen what the rest of the summer holds for Lehmann, as she may yet be on the move in the latest transfer window. There has been talk of the 25-year-old joining partner Luiz in trading life at Aston Villa for that at Italian giants Juventus.

Former Birmingham City manager Steve Bruce has had his say on Wayne Rooney’s recent St Andrew’s exit.

Birmingham managers 2023/24

Blues began the current Championship campaign with John Eustace in charge in the Midlands, enjoying a positive first few months.

However, despite sitting in the playoff places, Eustace was sacked following a 3-1 victory over West Brom, something which didn’t go down well, with supporters hitting out at the decision.

Birmingham chiefs decided that Rooney was the man for the job and he was quickly brought in. That call didn’t work out for the Manchester United and England legend or Birmingham, though, with the club losing nine of the 15 games in charge under the 38 year-old.

He was sacked at the beginning of the year after a 3-0 defeat to Leeds United on New Year's Day, with the club going from playoff contenders to a relegation battle. Rooney released a statement following his dismissal which read:

“I would like to thank Tom Wagner, Tom Brady and Garry Cook for the opportunity to manage Birmingham City FC and the support they all gave me during my short period with the club. Football is a results business – and I recognise they have not been at the level I wanted them to be. However, time is the most precious commodity a manager requires and I do not believe 13 weeks was sufficient to oversee the changes that were needed.

“Personally, it will take me some time to get over this setback. I have been involved in professional football, as either a player or manager, since I was 16. Now, I plan to take some time with my family as I prepare for the next opportunity in my journey as a manager. Finally, I wish Birmingham City FC and its owners my best wishes in the pursuit of their ambitions.”

Former Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray was named as Rooney’s successor, and so far, he has won two of his five games with Birmingham just four points above the drop zone.

Steve Bruce discusses Wayne Rooney sacking

Talking to Football Fancast, Bruce, speaking on behalf of BoyleSports, who offer the latest Premier League betting, was asked if Rooney should have been given more time at St Andrew’s.

Rooney remains out of work, whereas Mowbray will be looking to guide Blues away from trouble in the final 17 games of the campaign.