This season has been an absolute grind for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side have had to deal with injury after injury, dubious decisions and an attack that has, at times, felt frustratingly profligate.

However, while they are out of both domestic cups and a distant second in the Premier League, there have been some positives from the campaign thus far.

A number of players have really stepped up this year, including one who has seen his valuation explode since making his debut for the club.

Arsenal's top performers this season

When it comes to Arsenal’s best players this season, one name immediately jumps to mind: Bukayo Saka.

The Englishman might’ve been out of action since late December, but he was so unbelievably effective before suffering from his hamstring injury that he remains the club’s most effective attacker, even though his teammates have had almost two months to catch up.

In all, the Gunners’ “legend in the making,” as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, has an unreal tally of nine goals and 13 assists to his name in just 24 appearances, totalling 1828 minutes this season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.09 games, or every 83.09 minutes – talk about world-class.

Appearances

24

Minutes

1828′

Goals

9

Assists

13

Goal Involvements per Match

0.91

Minutes per Goal Involvement

83.09′

Moving from front to back, another starter who has been having a sensational season is Gabriel Magalhães.

Often playing the supporting role to William Saliba, the Brazilian titan has received far more plaudits this year, and for good reason, as once again, he’s helped create the best defence in the league and, on top of that, has become an even more potent attacking threat.

In 35 appearances, totalling 2944 minutes, the 27-year-old monster has scored five goals and provided one assist, which comes out to a sensational average – for a centre-back – of a goal involvement every 5.83 games, or every 490.66 minutes.

However, there is another star who has been playing in the backline this season and, within the context of their career, has been even more impressive and has seen their valuation explode.

The Arsenal star whose valuation has soared

The backline has arguably been Arsenal’s biggest strength this season, with Gabriel, Saliba, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and David Raya all playing their part in making the team a nightmare for opposition attackers to play against.

Still, the player in question is someone who has joined that group despite supposedly not even being a natural defender.

Myles Lewis-Skelly spent much of his time in the academy playing in midfield roles, but due to some experience playing at left-back, he was put into the first team when Calafiori was out, and since then, he nor the manager have looked back.

For example, despite only turning 18 in September, the incredibly gifted teen has already made 21 appearances for the first team – 13 of which have been starts – in which he scored a sensational goal against Manchester City and fully established himself as a serious option off the left alongside Calafiori, who cost £42m only seven months ago.

The Islington-born phenom, whom podcaster Will Balsam dubbed a “different beast”, demonstrated how special a player he really is once again on Saturday when he managed to make a vital interception in the second half that prevented Jordan Ayew from scoring what would have been an easy tap-in.

On top of passing the eye test with flying colours, the 5 foot 10 ace has also got some seriously impressive underlying numbers.

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, the top 7% for successful take-ons, the top 10% for non-penalty goals and more, all per 90.

Unsurprisingly, such a rapid ascent from youth player to key member of the first team has also seen the teenager’s valuation soar.

According to Football Transfers, he was worth just €1.1m in June, which is about £900k, and is now worth up to €17.3m, which is about £14.3m, or a staggering increase of 1488% in the space of eight months.

Ultimately, that’s an enormous increase, especially for a player so young, but with how well Lewis-Skelly has adapted to first-team football in such a short space of time, it’s hard to dispute it.

Sold by Wenger: Arsenal must rue losing "future legend" now worth 700% more

The incredible international has shone away from Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 19, 2025

Brighton & Hove Albion's impressive recruitment strategy has rarely seen them shop on English shores in recent seasons.

The Seagulls use a data-driven approach to their transfers, meticulously scouting for gems outside of Europe's top five leagues and picking up undervalued young players who have shown above-average talent.

Rarely signing anyone above the age of 25, Brighton have cherry-picked talent from all around the globe, picking them up for cheap, developing them into world-class stars and selling them on for an obscene amount of money.

Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo were the biggest examples of this strategy coming to fruition. The duo were picked up on the cheap, and grew rapidly into the Brighton fabric, helping them qualify for Europe before being sold to Liverpool and Chelsea this summer, with Caicedo breaking the British transfer record after moving to Stamford Bridge for £115m.

While that pair were the latest to depart the club for astronomical fees, Roberto De Zerbi still has a whole host of talented stars at his disposal, including explosive wing back Pervis Estupinan, teenage prodigy Evan Ferguson and the skilful speedster Simon Adingra, but none have yet usurped the impact that the sensational Kaoru Mitoma has made.

How much did Brighton pay for Kaoru Mitoma?

When Graham Potter's enthralling and imaginative style was taking the Premier League by storm, the Englishman unearthed several gems, including the silky Belgian Leandro Trossard and ball-winning machine Yves Bissouma but in the summer of 2021, Mitoma would be the latest to join their roster of talent.

The Japanese arrived from Kawasaki Frontale for just £2.7m and as a part of his development, was instantly loaned out to Belgian side Union St Galloise to become accustomed to the physical demands required to play European football.

This decision would turn out to be a stroke of genius as Mitoma was able to showcase his pace and trickery on a regular basis, posting nine goal contributions in 21 appearances in the Belgium Pro League, including a hat-trick off the bench to single-handedly bring his team from behind to go top of the league.

While the Japan star was balling out in Belgium, he would return to the South Coast and do similar as he proved to be the missing piece to Brighton's attacking puzzle.

How much is Mitoma worth now?

Predicted to become the next £100m asset to be sold by Brighton – in the words of pundit Karen Carney – Mitoma's value has risen exponentially over the course of two years and according to Football Transfers, he is valued at around £23m (€27.5m).

Although this is an astronomical 751% increase on top of what the club shelled out for him, the 26-year-old's value to Brighton is far greater than the aforementioned figure having helped fire De Zerbi's side into Europe last season.

He was labelled as "incredible" by former Premier League striker Jermaine Defoe on the back of his impressive run of form last term, chalking up 18 goal contributions in 41 appearances in all competitions.

Mitoma showcases his greatest strengths when slaloming between defenders using his low centre of gravity, manipulating the ball onto his strong foot through his agility and tormenting defenders with his rapid pace, placing in the top 10% for successful take-ons, top 4% for progressive carries completed and top 7% for touches in the attacking penalty box when compared against players positionally similar to him in the Premier League last season, as per FBref.

While the £10k per-week sensation is one of the best wingers in the league at beating defenders in one-on-one situations and fashioning space to have a shot, he's also bought into De Zerbi's pressing system, possessing the stamina to be able to win possession back for his team in the opposing half.

He ranked within the top 15% for tackles in the attacking third, aerials won and top 18% for the percentage of dribblers tackled, showcasing that he's not only a crucial entity to Brighton's thrilling attack but also their defensive unit.

After a splendid first season in English football, Mitoma has already made the headlines on numerous occasions this campaign, however, the biggest applause directed towards the silky winger came following his stunning solo goal against Wolves as the Seagulls posted a 4-1 victory.

This magnificent goal unsurprisingly earned him the Premier League Goal of the Month award, but the biggest recognition he received was a comparison to Lionel Messi, who has his very own highlight reel of solo goals.

While his value currently stands at £23m, if Brighton were to cash in on their next prized asset, they would surely hold out for a fee closer to triple figures.

Newcastle United have already built an impressive squad for Eddie Howe, who has used it superbly to take the Magpies into the Champions League after a top four Premier League finish. Now, those at St James' Park will want to build from the platform that they have created, progressing more and more along the way. And that makes the January transfer window all the more interesting.

Finding their form this season, Newcastle could yet make more improvements come the winter window, which could include options that could play a large part in the future of Howe's squad. With that said, reports suggest that the Magpies are set to bid for one particular Championship star.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

The only limit that Newcastle face when it comes to spending is Financial Fair Play. But, as long as they stay within those guidelines, then they can splash the cash, potentially resulting in the arrival of some top talents. To ensure consecutive top four finishes, squad depth could be key, and if Howe feels as though he hasn't got enough options at St James' Park, then January could be a busy month.

Given that, reliable reporter Alan Nixon has issued an Newcastle transfer update involving Adam Wharton, reporting that PIF are set to make a second bid for the Blackburn Rovers midfielder after they failed to secure his signature in the summer transfer window. They're not alone in the race to sign the teenager, however, with Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and Everton also reportedly interested.

It remains to be seen just how much Blackburn demand for their youngster in January, and just how much the Magpies are willing to offer, but it looks like Wharton will certainly have a decision to make when the time comes.

Who is Adam Wharton?

The fact that Adam Wharton is already an important part of the Blackburn Rovers squad, starting in all but one Championship game this season, tells you all you need to know about how talented the 19-year-old really is. And that's a talent that Newcastle seem to want to witness for themselves at St James' Park.

Even amid recent spending, Newcastle have maintained their stance as a club willing to give young players a chance this season, represented by the opportunities handed to academy graduate Elliot Anderson. If he makes the move, Wharton will be hoping for a similar chance.

Wharton, hailed as a “brilliant young prospect” by journalist Josh Bunting, has earned a lot of praise during his time at Ewood Park, including from current manager Jon Dahl Tomasson, who said, via the Lancashire Telegraph:

"He was the best player in the game. The boy he gets things right, on the ball, off the ball, and that’s great to see. I’m happy to see that development Adam has made this season. If you do the right things in training, and keep doing the right things, you will get chances. It’s also important that a young lad shouldn’t go down and (start) doing the wrong things. Everything is possible for the boy if he does the right things.”

أعلن مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي، عن تجديد عقد محمد هاني لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، لمدة 3 سنوات قادمة، وذلك بعد الاتفاق على كافة تفاصيل التعاقد الجديد.

محمد هاني صاحب الـ28 عامًا توج مع النادي الأهلي بالعديد من الألقاب، منها دوري أبطال إفريقيا وكأس السوبر وكأس مصر.

ونشر النادي الأهلي في بيان رسمي عبر الموقع الرسمي: “تجديد عقد محمد هاني لمدة ثلاث سنوات قادمة، اللاعب أنهى كافة الإجراءات الإدارية والمالية الخاصة بالعقد الجديد”.

وأكد محمد هاني على سعادته باستكمال مشواره مع ناديه، للاستمرار في العطاء وبذل الجهد لتحقيق المزيد من الانتصارات والبطولات وإسعاد جماهير الأهلي.

طالع أيضاً.. قائمة الأهلي لمباراة طلائع الجيش في الدوري المصري.. استبعاد كهربا وعودة كريم نيدفيد

ويستعد الأهلي لمواجهة طلائع الجيش على أرضية استاد الكلية الحربية، في الجولة المؤجلة من الأسبوع الـ 13 لبطولة الدوري الممتاز.

ويحتل الأهلي المركز الثاني في ترتيب جدول الدوري المصري برصيد 48 نقطة، بينما يتواجد فريق طلائع الجيش بالمركز الحادي عشر، ولديه 34 نقطة.

Glasgow Rangers’ turbulent season continues as Michael Beale was relieved of his managerial duties on Sunday evening, and it leaves the Ibrox side searching for their third permanent manager in just two years.

Steven Davis has been placed in interim charge of the side until further notice as James Bisgrove is leading the hunt for a new manager, one that will hopefully bring back the feel-good factor to the club.

His first game will be against Aris Limassol in the Europa League, and the Northern Irishman will be aiming to secure win number two of the group stage, having defeated Real Betis 1-0 at Ibrox just a couple of weeks ago.

A win against the Cypriot side would certainly boost their confidence and would also aid their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages.

What’s the Rangers team news vs Aris Limassol?

Davis may be set for some positive news, as previously injured trio Nicolas Raskin, Kemar Roofe and Danilo were all spotted in training this week, although it remains to be seen whether they will make an appearance tonight, as the game perhaps comes too soon.

Todd Cantwell, Rabbi Matondo and Tom Lawrence likely won't be available until after the international break, missing both the Aris clash along with the Premiership tie against St Mirren this Sunday.

Following the 3-1 defeat against Aberdeen on the weekend, Davis could potentially make a change or two to the starting XI and this could see defender John Souttar come back into the first team.

Will John Souttar start for Rangers against Aris Limassol?

The former Hearts centre-back formed a solid partnership with Connor Goldson at the heart of the defence during the opening weeks of the season and performed well.

Across five league matches, he achieved a Sofascore rating of 7.16 for his displays while winning 4.8 total duels – a success rate of 71% – and making 1.4 interceptions per game, and it appeared he was finally beginning to show the form which led the club to sign him in 2022.

Following the international break, Ben Davies was given a chance and the former Liverpool defender recorded four clean sheets in consecutive matches to keep his place alongside Goldson as Souttar looked on from the bench.

The Englishman lost possession 18 times during the tie against the Dons on Saturday, however, and perhaps it is time for Davis to unleash Souttar against Aris tonight.

The £8.1k-per-week titan was previously hailed by teammate Ryan Jack, who dubbed the defender as a “presence” and he could be the man drafted in to make his first start since Motherwell during the 1-0 win towards the end of last month.

Having missed 46 games during his debut campaign in Glasgow, Souttar has returned to full fitness during the 2023/24 season and could prove to be an important member of the squad under whoever takes over the Gers.

The centre-back will shackle any threat Aris pose tonight, and he could be integral to the club keeping a European clean sheet while allowing him to gain some more minutes ahead of the crucial tie against St Mirren on the weekend.

The Parisians' star man delivered again to stoke hopes of European glory

A few days ago, there was talk that Kylian Mbappe's PSG career could be over. The disgruntled forward was subbed at half time of the Parisians' Ligue 1 clash last weekend, while his manager gave little reason to suggest he would be a given starter for weeks to come. But against Real Sociedad, he made an emphatic return, scoring twice and serving as the razor-sharp edge of a humming PSG attack as his side eased their way to a 4-1 aggregate win.

Mbappe showed just how important he is from the first minute, ducking and weaving through the La Real defence, and creating chances in spades. His goal – a fine lashed effort into the bottom corner – felt inevitable and gave the Parisians an advantage less than 20 minutes in.

Takefusa Kubo came close to getting his team back in it on the brink of half time, smashing a left-footed strike just wide of the post from long range.

But Mbappe put the tie to bed just before the hour mark, adding a glorious second with a scamper down the left wing and a clinical near-post finish. A late Mikel Merino strike added the only blemish on an otherwise perfect night – one in which PSG's star man showed up in style.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Anoeta…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (7/10):

Didn't have loads to do, but made one particularly impressive stop. Could do nothing about La Real's goal.

Achraf Hakimi (7/10):

Didn't get forward as much as usual, but willingly tucked into midfield to offer cover, and snuff out counter-attacks.

Lucas Hernandez (6/10):

Odd to see the heavily left-footed player used as a right-sided centre-back. Went about things effectively.

Lucas Beraldo (7/10):

Made one excellent tackle to deny a clear opportunity for La Real. A composed performance from the 20-year-old, who looks better every week. Perhaps could have done more to deny the consolation goal.

Nuno Mendes (5/10):

A bit of a shaky outing. Picked up an early booking, and was removed on the hour. Struggled to deal with Kubo.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Warren Zaire-Emery (6/10):

A willing and effective runner with the ball from midfield. Didn't have many opportunities to create, but he can turn in gutsy showings, too.

Vitinha (7/10):

An impressive display in the middle of the park. Completed all but two of his passes, kept the ball moving, and covered loads of ground. Nothing sexy about his play, but he turned in the kind of disciplined showing the Parisians needed.

Fabian Ruiz (7/10):

Not always the tidiest on the ball, but can't be faulted for his effort. It's telling that he seems to be favoured for the big games.

Ousmane Dembele (8/10):

Deployed, oddly, as a No.10 behind split strikers. It worked a charm, with the Frenchman proving adept at linking play and providing a lovely assist for Mbappe's second. A new position, perhaps?

Getty ImagesAttack

Bradley Barcola (4/10):

Touched the ball nine times, missed a good chance, and didn't have much of an impact on the game. A forgettable night.

Kylian Mbappe (9/10):

Scored a ridiculous first goal to silence those who thought he should be benched. Bagged an equally impressive second to seal it. Denied a third by an excellent save. For all of the exit talk, he's still the undisputed star man.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Lee-Kang In (7/10):

Energetic on the right. Perhaps should have been handed the start here

Nordi Mukiele (6/10):

A solid shift at left-back.

Manuel Ugarte (N/A):

No time to make an impact. Has fallen out of favour.

Randal Kolo Muani (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Carlos Soler (N/A):

Ten misused minutes at right-back.

Luis Enrique (7/10):

Made the big call and started Mbappe, while also deploying Dembele as a No.10, and it all came together nicely. PSG controlled the game and scored two great goals. A good night – the last eight will surely bring tougher challenges.

The former Australia vice-captain also said “something has to happen for the worst for people to come out and show a lot of support”

ESPNcricinfo staff05-May-2018

AFP

Speaking for the first time since his emotional press conference in Sydney more than a month ago, Australia’s former vice-captain David Warner said he has “learned a valuable lesson” after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March. Warner was banned from playing international and domestic cricket for a year along with Steven Smith, for their respective roles in tampering with the ball during the Cape Town Test.”Sometimes with our society, something has to happen for the worst for people to come out and show a lot of support and I think I’ve learned a valuable lesson in this myself for the support I have been given to be on the front foot to help others,” Warner told on the sidelines of a cricket clinic he attended with children in Darwin.”I think the biggest thing for us has been when you are in a routine you can get caught in a bubble – cricket, hotels, packing your bags, coming home. I’ve missed that part until now where the kids run up to the gate saying, ‘Mummy and daddy are here’, and I am really enjoying and embracing that.”Warner and Smith were later axed from the IPL and had accepted the sanctions handed to them by Cricket Australia. Cameron Bancroft, who was banned for nine months, also chose to not challenge the ban imposed on him.Smith also thanked people publicly for their support on Friday, saying “I now have a lot to do to earn back your trust.”

Former Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa should be fondly remembered by the supporters at Elland Road due to the excellent work he did during his time at the club.

The former Marseille head coach, who is the current national team manager of Uruguay, enjoyed a terrific spell in Yorkshire as he joined them in the Championship and left with the side competing as a Premier League outfit.

Ex-sporting director Victor Orta and the 68-year-old boss worked together to secure promotion to the top flight within his first two seasons at the helm, which was followed by a ninth-placed finish in the top division.

Whilst some may look back at the signings Bielsa made, with the most expensive highlighted below, and how successful they were, the experienced tactician also struck gold with his decisions on who to cash in on.

Rodrigo

£25.9m

Dan James

£25.1m

Jean-Kevin Augustin

£18.2m

Diego Llorente

£17.3m

Raphinha

£16.1m

One sale the Argentine boss hit the jackpot with was centre-forward Kemar Roofe's move to Belgian side Anderlecht in the summer of 2019.

Former Whites owner Andrea Radrizzani revealed that the club needed to bring in money through sales that year in order to avoid a points deduction from the league due to their financial situation.

This means that Bielsa's hand was somewhat forced with Roofe but there were other assets at Elland Road and his decision to cash in on the Jamaica international turned out to be an excellent one.

How many goals did Kemar Roofe score for Leeds?

The energetic attacker spent three full seasons with the Yorkshire-based outfit and plundered 33 goals in 122 appearances across all competitions in total.

He arrived at Leeds off the back of an outstanding 2015/16 campaign with Oxford United in League Two as the talented ace produced an eye-catching 25 goals and 12 assists in 49 matches, which included 17 goals and ten assists in 40 league outings.

However, the English-born star struggled for form at the top end of the pitch during his debut season with Leeds. Roofe scored four goals and provided seven assists in 49 games throughout the 2016/17 term.

The former West Brom academy prospect was then able to find his feet the following campaign with a record of 14 goals and five assists in 39 clashes, which included 11 goals in 36 Championship outings.

His final season with Leeds came in the 2018/19 campaign, which was Bielsa's first year at Elland Road and ended in a play-off semi-final defeat to Derby County. He contributed with 15 goals and two assists in 34 matches in total, which included 15 league goals in 33 appearances.

Roofe was Leeds' top-scorer in the Championship with his 15 league strikes, which was six more than the nine that Patrick Bamford managed after his move from Middlesbrough during the 2018 summer transfer window.

How much did Leeds sell Roofe for?

Bielsa and Leeds reportedly cashed in on the reliable number nine for a significant fee of £7m as Vincent Kompany's Anderlecht secured his services.

He only had one year left to run on his contract at Elland Road and was offered an attractive wage hike by the Pro League side, while the Whites were well compensated for a Championship club selling a player who would have been a free agent the following summer.

His departure left a hole to fill at the top end of the pitch for Bielsa but it also presented Bamford with the opportunity to stake a claim for his place in the side, which is exactly what he did.

The former Chelsea prodigy went on to score 16 goals in 45 Championship appearances, which was seven more than any of his teammates, as Leeds won the title and earned promotion to the Premier League.

Where is Roofe now?

Roofe is currently playing for Scottish giants Rangers at the age of 30, having joined the Light Blues from Anderlecht in the summer of 2020.

The striker scored seven goals in 16 appearances in all competitions for the Belgian outfit before his switch to Scotland after just one season with Kompany.

He has been a fairly prolific scorer for the Gers throughout his three-and-a-bit years in Glasgow to date, with 37 goals in 86 matches to date.

However, his fitness record has been a huge issue over the course of his stay in Scotland. Roofe has suffered seven separate injury problems and missed a staggering 84 competitive games since the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

This means that the former Leeds forward has almost been absent for as many matches as he has played for Rangers over the last three years, which shows that the 30-year-old attacker has been a liability with his lack of consistent availability.

How much is Roofe worth now?

At the time of writing, FootballTransfers have placed Roofe's Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at £850k (€1m), showing that his market value has plummeted since his departure from Elland Road.

The experienced finisher's xTV of £850k is 88% less than the £7m that Leeds raked in for his services in the summer of 2019.

Roofe, who was described as a "Duracell bunny" by former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, has been a fine goalscorer for the Scottish giants but his injury issues have caused too many problems for him to be worth anywhere near as much as the Whites received for him four years ago.

His team are not able to rely on him to play regular football as he has not played more than 21 league games in a single season since the 2018/19 campaign with Leeds.

Therefore, Bielsa hit the jackpot with his move to sell the ex-Oxford United star in 2019 as his injury issues have caught up with him and his market value has deteriorated drastically, which suggests that the English outfit cashed in on him at the perfect time.

Roofe's exit also allowed Bamford to thrive in the final third, as aforementioned, and fire the Yorkshire side to the Premier League, which suggests that they did not miss the Jamaican marksman's talents on the pitch.

MatériaMais Notícias

A bruxa está solta para o zagueiro Juan Quintero. Antes mesmo de voltar ao time de Ceni, o defensor sentiu mais uma lesão. Agora no adutor, o que vai impedir o atleta de recuperar a sua posição.

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De acordo com o Diário O POVO, a previsão é que o zagueiro fique fora de combate nas próximas três semanas.

Com a ausência de Quintero, a zaga do Fortaleza permanece formada pela dupla Paulão e Roger Carvalho, que tem se apresentado bem.

O último jogo de Quintero pelo Fortaleza foi no dia 19 de setembro, quando disputou 26 minutos do duelo contra o Internacional.

Liverpool's recruitment strategy is admired these days for their ability to be proactive rather than reactive in the transfer market, sticking to a plan and being prepared to wait for the player they want to become available rather than settling for a fall-back option.

During the Jurgen Klopp era, this has been particularly prevalent, with this strategy enabling the German to construct a squad capable of challenging for the top prizes in England and Europe.

The consistency of this approach has elevated Liverpool's modern-day recruitment to its current level with the club channelling their ability to find and secure some of the world's best players before their rivals, breaking the bank on stars, some of which have been instrumental through their trophy-laden period.

Darwin Nunez (Benfica)

£85.6m

Virgil van Dijk (Southampton)

£76.2m

Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig)

£60m

Alisson Becker (AS Roma)

£56.3m

Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton)

£55m

All fees via Football Transfers.

When Alisson joined Liverpool he became the world's most expensive goalkeeper and Van Dijk smashed their transfer record, but both repaid their hefty price tags by forming the bedrock of the club's golden period.

While those two are examples of big-money deals paying dividends, scouring the globe for talent often comes with its pitfalls, as was the case when the Reds broke their club transfer record in 2004 to bring in French forward Djibril Cisse.

How much did Djibril Cisse cost Liverpool?

The Reds were assembling a squad capable of stars that ended up elevating them towards their Champions League triumph. Xabi Alonso arrived from Real Sociedad to form an instrumental partnership with Steven Gerrard in the engine room, silky winger Luis Garcia was snapped up from Barcelona and Djibril Cisse was prised away from Ligue 1 side Auxerre for £14m, a pretty penny 19 years ago.

The 23-year-old had been on Liverpool's radar for some time and this was hardly surprising given his compatriot, Gerard Houllier, was the man at the helm when he emerged as one of Europe's top striking talents.

Despite his tender age, the Frenchman was devastatingly plying his trade for Auxerre, smashing in a sensational 90 goals in 169 appearances before his Liverpool move, but it was in the 2001/02 season when he truly announced his name to the football world.

One of the finest goal-getters by his pace, power and nerveless finishing, Cisse finished as the Ligue 1's top scorer in that campaign with 22 goals from only 29 appearances to help Auxerre finish third and qualify for the Champions League.

With an already impressive CV to his name, Cisse's attributes were expected to flourish in the English game and become one of the league's destructive strikers.

How did Djibril Cisse perform at Liverpool?

After scoring 100 goals before the age of 23, Cisse's move to Liverpool was greeted with a hefty dose of excitement.

He had been targetted by Houllier but after joining found out that the man who engineered the transfer had been sacked and replaced by Rafa Benitez, a manager who labelled the striker as "fantastic".

While a change like that can do damage to a player's progress, it was a freak incident against Blackburn Rovers, in which Cisse broke his leg, that ultimately threatened to derail the career of a star who looked destined to reach the very top.

Despite missing large parts of his first season at Anfield, he did score a penalty in the 2005 shootout against AC Milan as the Reds scooped the Champions League in Istanbul, and the French prodigy experienced pure elation after a torrid campaign.

He started his next term on fire, scoring four goals in five Champions League qualifiers, but his most important goal of that campaign would come against West Ham in the 2006 FA Cup final, kickstarting their comeback.

What is Djibril Cisse doing now?

Unfortunately, that was as good as it got for the striker at Anfield, departing on loan to Marseille in the summer before leaving permanently the following year after scoring 24 goals in 79 appearances for the Reds.

Later on in his career after being sold for £6m to Marseille, Cisse would turn out for Premier League sides Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers before announcing his full retirement from the sport in 2018.

Now 42-years-old and enjoying life as a worldwide DJ, Cisse has devoted his passion from scoring goals to playing sets across the globe.