Dodger Stadium to Officially Serve As Venue for 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles

Dodger Stadium will officially host the baseball competition of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 's Thuc Nhi Nguyen reported on Tuesday.

This isn't the first time Olympic baseball will be played at the iconic Dodger Stadium—the ballpark was used in 1984 when baseball was part of the demonstration games during the Los Angeles Olympics. Team USA won a silver medal that year. Baseball didn't become an official Olympic sport until 1992, and it's been played six times total in the Games.

Baseball was not played in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and it was last played during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Team USA won another silver medal that year, falling to Japan.

"America’s favorite pastime will capture the world’s attention when baseball makes its Olympic return in Dodger Stadium in Downtown Los Angeles, one of the world’s most iconic stadiums,” LA28 said in a statement. “It has hosted countless record-breaking games, including 11 World Series, the most recent being in 2024, and will continue to break records in 2028."

The 2028 Summer Olympics will begin on July 14, 2028.

He can end Bentancur's stay: Spurs gem is showing "shades of Mousa Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur have had a fair few talents that have been underappreciated over the years, but none more so than central midfielder Mousa Dembélé.

The Belgian joined the Lilywhites in a £15m deal from Fulham back in the summer of 2012, with many supporters unaware of the quality he possessed prior to his switch to North London.

He racked up a total of 249 senior appearances during his seven-year spell at the club, arguably cementing himself as one of their best ever midfielders.

From dazzling runs with the ball at his feet to dominant physical displays out of possession, the talent cemented himself as a key player during his spell in the Premier League.

Since his move to Guangzhou City in 2019, the Lilywhites have massively lacked a player of his quality, with Thomas Frank unable to rely upon one player to be his own version of the Belgian.

Why Bentancur has struggled with Spurs in 2025/26

After Frank’s arrival in the summer, there was a huge question mark around what system the Dane would operate with at Spurs after utilising various formations at Brentford.

However, it appears as though the 52-year-old has settled on a three-man midfield in a 4-3-3 system, which has seen Joao Palhinha operate at the base, with two box-to-box players ahead of him.

Rodrigo Bentancur has been one of the most utilised players in such an area, as seen by his tally of 10 appearances out of a possible 11 in the Premier League to date.

However, the Uruguayan has struggled to impress in those outings, even being benched against Manchester United in the final game before the ongoing international break.

The 28-year-old’s underlying stats from the 2025/26 season showcase his struggles of late, which could see him drop down the pecking order further in the months ahead.

He has only created 0.6 chances per 90 this season, which ranks him in the bottom 25% of all players in the division – often struggling to make a huge impact when in possession.

Such a skillset is vital when playing with Palhinha at the heart of the side, with the Portuguese international known to break up the play and allow those around him to provide the creative spark.

However, out of possession, Bentancur has also struggled under Frank, only making 0.5 interceptions per 90, which also places him in the lower quarter of all midfielders in England’s top-flight.

The aforementioned figures highlight his all-round struggles in North London, which could certainly put his long-term future at the club in jeopardy – that’s despite penning a new deal earlier this campaign.

The Spurs star who’s already showing 'shades of Dembele'

Top-level midfielders in the modern game cost a small fortune, with numerous clubs in the Premier League often forking out mammoth sums to land world-class talents.

Four teams in England’s top-flight have spent £100m or more on a midfielder in the last five years, with Chelsea doing so on more than one occasion, with deals for Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández.

However, Spurs are a club that unfortunately aren’t in a position to willingly fork out such funds in the market, with more of a focus being directed to younger prospects.

Dominic Solanke remains the club’s record addition at £65m back in the summer of 2024, with no midfielder in Frank’s current first-team squad being bought for over £55m.

The likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr both cost a combined £22m, with both now managing to establish themselves as key first-team members in 2025/26.

However, the academy system is another avenue for clubs to go down, with the Lilywhites desperately needing to put faith in youngster Tyrese Hall in the years ahead.

The midfielder joined the club at the age of just eight, subsequently spending 12 years in the youth ranks, before making the move to join Notts County on loan in the summer.

Such a move came after the youngster registered six goals and seven assists in 28 U21 appearances in 2024/25, with such a move being his first taste of senior football.

However, whilst it may appear a daunting task to many, Hall has taken it all in his stride, as seen by his impressive numbers at Meadow Lane over the past few months.

Tyrese Hall – Career Stats by Position

Season

Apps

Goals (assists)

Central midfield

30

6 (5)

Defensive midfield

19

3 (4)

Attacking midfield

18

5 (3)

Centre-forward

6

3 (2)

Left midfield

3

1 (1)

Right midfield

1

1 (0)

Stats via Transfermarkt

The 20-year-old has already found the net on six occasions, with his latest strike proving to be the winner in the affair with Cheltenham Town at the beginning of the month.

Whilst he’s operated in a more advanced role with the Magpies, Hall has previously featured slightly deeper – even playing as a number eight for the Lilywhites in a post-season friendly back in 2024.

The youngster was brought on as a substitute in such a fixture and even impressed, with one of the commentators that day claiming he was showing “shades of Mousa Dembele”.

Such praise is huge given the levels produced by the Belgian during his own time in North London, with real hope that Hall can match such levels if given the opportunity.

At 20, he still has bags of time to reach his full potential, with his loan spell at Notts County undoubtedly helping him in his quest in the professional game.

However, Frank will need to keep a close eye on his progress and potentially hand him the opportunity to impress him in pre-season ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Dream Simons replacement: Frank has "one of England's best talents" at Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur already have an elite-level prospect on their hands in North London.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 18, 2025

Arne Slot pulls out of scheduled appearance to receive award after Liverpool's dismal 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest

Arne Slot reportedly pulled out of receiving an award in Manchester following Liverpool's 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. The Dutchman was supposed to accept the Football Writers’ Association Northern manager of the year accolade on Sunday after guiding the Reds to the Premier League title in the 2024-25 season. But a sixth loss in seven games may have put off Slot from attending the event.

  • Liverpool's woes continue

    Liverpool's thumping at the hands of Forest on Saturday saw them drop to 11th in the Premier League as their hopes of retaining their title all but ended. Despite this latest setback, former Feyenoord boss Slot struck a defiant tone, saying that his side will turn their results around. 

    When asked if his players are low on confidence, he said: "I don't feel this, or I don't see this. After we go 1-0, we struggled. I tried to pump them up and give them the information to start the second half well. Immediately, they go 2-0 up. The players kept trying, I can't blame them for that. They blocked every shot we had. The solution is not that far away. We created chances in every and it's not as if we give away 10 chances. That will not go on forever but we have to look at ourselves and what we can do better when we concede a goal. Two games in a row, we haven't scored."

    He did add, however, that his charges were in low spirits following another defeat. 

  • Advertisement

  • Getty Images Sport

    Slot misses awards show

    According to The Athletic, Slot had been due to collect the award in person but pulled out on the morning of the awards' dinner. Instead, Liverpool sent club ambassador and former player Gary McAllister to collect the prize on the 47-year-old's behalf. The Scot reportedly apologised for Slot's absence and said the Dutchman was "extremely proud" to have won this award.

    Incidentally, Slot appears to be shouldering the blame for Liverpool's wretched run of results. 

    He told reporters on Saturday: "It is my responsibility, whether we win or lose. But what I also see is a team keeping on trying until the end and the fans as well by the way, who stayed to the end to support the players. Lately, it’s almost constantly that we miss our chances and the ones we concede go in. That will not continue throughout the whole season. But we need that moment of energy of scoring a goal when playing well and going 1-0 up. The opposite thing happened as Forest got a big energy boost from scoring. I see a lot of things where in a normal situation the result would have been different but we’re now in a difficult situation."

  • Van Dijk defends Slot amid criticism

    While there is a growing section of Liverpool fans pointing the finger of blame at Slot, especially after spending more than £400 million on transfers this summer, captain Virgil van Dijk believes his team-mates are "letting the manager and ourselves down". The "angry" centre-back has now called on his side to get themselves out of this "mess".

    "You should be angry and the main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility," he said. "It’s not easy during difficult times but we have to do it if we want to get out of this. We’re definitely letting the manager down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. At the moment it is a mess – that’s just a fact. As the champions we can’t be in the situation we are in right now. What are we going to do about it? We’re going to try to turn it around and that’s the mentality everyone should have."

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty Images Sport

    What comes next for Liverpool?

    Liverpool have a chance to bounce back from this drubbing when they entertain PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday. They then host lowly West Ham on Sunday in the Premier League, before taking on promoted sides Sunderland and Leeds United in early December.

Tommy Edman Agrees to Five-Year, $74 Million Extension With Dodgers

The Dodgers can’t stop making deals.

Just days after signing two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal, the World Series champions handed out another big contract—this one to utility man Tommy Edman.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Edman’s deal with the Dodgers is another five-year agreement that will pay him $74 million, and includes a sixth-year team option.

They say the rich get richer, but this is getting ridiculous.

While Edman is far from the biggest superstar or biggest contract on the Los Angeles roster, his new deal is another clear statement from the team that they are making a run at dynasty status.

Acquired at the trade deadline from the St. Louis Cardinals, Edman quickly proved a pivotal part of the Dodgers lineup through the homestretch of the regular season and their run to the World Series.

After batting .407 with 11 RBIs in the team’s playoff series against the New York Mets, Edman was named NLCS MVP. He added another home run and a .294 average against the Yankees as the Dodgers took home a championship ring.

'Troy Parrott is better than Lionel Messi' – Ireland fans in dreamland after striker's historic hat-trick bags World Cup play-off spot

Republic of Ireland fans are basking in Troy Parrott’s heroics in World Cup qualification, with tickets to that event still up for grabs. A hat-trick from Parrott against Hungary has kept Irish eyes smiling, with a play-off berth being secured. Having become a national hero, at least for now, AZ striker Parrott is being billed as “better than Lionel Messi” after rewriting the history books.

  • Ireland stunned Portugal & red-carded Ronaldo

    Ireland kept their World Cup dreams alive when stunning Portugal at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Parrott was also the saviour there, as he bagged a brace, with some headlines being stolen from Cristiano Ronaldo. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner saw red for swinging an elbow into Dara O’Shea.

    Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side headed to Hungary knowing that only another win, when collecting a notable scalp, would be enough to keep them in contention for a place at FIFA’s flagship tournament next summer.

  • Advertisement

  • Fans react to Parrott's hat-trick against Hungary

    They fell behind on two occasions, but battled back to secure the most dramatic of victories. There were just 10 minutes left on the clock when Parrott netted his first of the game and restored parity. He then sparked wild scenes of celebration in the away end when poking home in the 96th minute.

    The Puskas Arena was left stunned, with Ireland achieving what had looked impossible. Parrott, with five goals through his last two appearances, has now reached double figures for his country. He has Irish supporters in dreamland.

    @SpreeCOD posted on social media: “Troy Parrott is better than Messi.” @antooconnell added: “Give Troy Parrott the freedom of Dublin tonight. What a player. Unreal. Ireland we’re still alive and we are so back.” @PhilAndrewPhoto went on to say: “Troy Parrott, 5 goals in two games, take down the Spire and put a 100 foot bronze statue of that man outside the GPO.”

    Parrott has joined Messi in the record books by becoming the first Ireland player to score a hat-trick away from home in a senior international. That means the match ball that he will be taking home holds added significance.

  • Parrott enjoying international fairytale with Ireland

    Former Tottenham striker Parrott, who moved to the Netherlands with AZ in 2024, told reporters after his stunning hat-trick in Budapest: “I said against Portugal that this is what dreams are made of, but I think tonight, I will never have a better night in my whole life. It is a fairytale. You can't even dream about something like that. I have no words to describe the emotions right now.”

    Ireland boss Hallgrimsson, speaking to RTE, said: “We seemed to be nervous at the beginning, struggling with movements and defending too late and not aggressive enough. We put in everything and threw in three strikers in the end. The guys deserved what happened and congratulations to the Irish nation for having the guys.”

    While making history with his hat-trick, Parrott has become the first player to bag a treble for the Republic of Ireland since all-time leading scorer Robbie Keane in October 2014 – who managed that feat against Gibraltar.

    He is just the fourth Irish player to score two or more goals in back-to-back appearances. Keane is also on that list (from 2013), alongside Jimmy Dunne (1936) and Callum Robinson (2021).

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty

    2026 World Cup play-offs: Dates for draw & qualification fixtures

    Ireland ended up finishing second in Group F behind Portugal – who booked their tickets to the 2026 World Cup when crushing Armenia 9-1 without suspended captain Ronaldo. The Irish pulled two points clear of Hungary with their last-gasp victory over qualification rivals. They only scored nine goals through six matches, with Parrott contributing significantly to the collective cause.

    The play-offs will feature 12 runners-up from the UEFA section of qualification, along with the four best-placed UEFA Nations League group winners who failed to finish in the top two of their respective groups. The draw to determine play-off paths will take place at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on November 20 – with the matches being held in late March, 2026.

Pete Rose, MLB's Banned All-Time Hits Leader, Dead at 83

Pete Rose has died at 83 years old, a source close to Rose’s family confirmed to ’s Tom Verducci on Monday.

Rose was a 17-time All-Star and set multiple Major League Baseball records during a 24-year career that began in 1963. He retired as MLB's all-time leader in hits (4,256), singles (3,215), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053), and plate appearances (15,890). He won three batting titles, two Gold Gloves, and was named National League MVP in 1973. Rose won World Series titles with the Cincinnati Reds in 1975 and ’76 and earned another with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980.

Rose transitioned into managing full time after acting as the Reds' player-manager from 1984 through the 1986 season. He led the team until August 1989 when his career changed dramatically.

On August 24, 1989, after a lengthy investigation, Rose voluntarily accepted a lifetime ban from baseball due to accusations that he gambled on games while playing for and managing the Reds. He was even alleged to have bet on his own team. In 1991, the Baseball Hall of Fame voted to ban everyone on the permanently ineligible list from induction, which barred Rose's selection.

After years of denials, in 2004, Rose admitted he had bet on baseball games, claiming he placed bets with bookies on Reds games as often as five times a week while managing the team in 1987. He maintained he never bet against the team.

Rose's lifetime ban is still a contentious issue in baseball circles and he appealed his status and unsuccessfully applied for reinstatement multiple times over the years.

Tottenham now "leading the race" to sign "big striker" amid Dominic Solanke worry

Tottenham have reportedly entered pole position to sign a “big striker” for manager Thomas Frank in January, coming amid reports that the unfit Dominic Solanke now faces an uncertain future at the club.

Thomas Frank unimpressed by Dominic Solanke at Tottenham

Spurs’ club-record signing has played just 49 minutes in all competitions so far this campaign, with a niggling ankle problem keeping him out of action since their 2-0 win at Man City in August.

His ankle issue required minor surgery and Frank has confirmed that the England striker could soon return to the field, having made decent progress in his recovery, but we can still only estimate when he will be fit and available for selection once again.

Tottenham absentee list to face Newcastle

Problem

Estimated return date

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

08/11/2025

Cristian Romero

Groin

01/11/2025

Destiny Udogie

Knee

08/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

08/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Fitness issues have been commonplace at Spurs since Solanke made the £65 million move from Bournemouth last year, and he hasn’t had a chance to showcase his worth to Frank just yet.

The 28-year-old finished 24/25 as Tottenham’s second-top goalscorer behind Brennan Johnson with 16 goals in all competitions, but a combination of knee, thigh and ankle problems limited his availability.

Interestingly, according to a report from Football Insider this week, Frank has already seen enough.

It is believed that Frank has been left unimpressed by Solanke and a January exit could be on the cards for him, as Tottenham’s manager decides that he wants a new striker to come in.

In the build up to the next transfer window, reports have suggested that Tottenham could bring Ivan Toney back to the Premier League on loan from Al-Ahli, with Frank’s ex-star at Brentford looking to battle his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

Some media sources claim that Frank has personally contacted Toney about a temporary move to Spurs, but there are other options.

With his contract expiring in 2026, Spurs have also been touted as suitors for Juventus star Dušan Vlahović.

Tottenham "leading the race" to sign Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović

According to reliable Bundesliga journalist and Bayern Munich expert Christian Falk, there’s been an update, and one which suits the north Londoners down to the ground.

While Bayern were continuously linked, it is actually Tottenham who are “leading the race” to sign Vlahovic, as Falk tells Bayern Insider that Vincent Kompany’s side have now backed off.

The 25-year-old, who reportedly earns a whopping £375,000-per-week in Turin, has managed to score at least 14 goals per season since his magnificent breakout campaign at Fiorentina in 2020/2021.

Vlahovic can be a big-game player as well, with strikes coming in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund and Man City over the last two seasons, as well as in crucial Serie A matches against the likes of Inter Milan.

On a free transfer or for a cut-price in January, Vlahovic could be a real coup, but he’ll almost certainly have to take a massive pay cut.

Nick Castellanos, Bryce Harper Rip Rays Pitcher After Benches-Clearing Incident

Philadelphia Phillies stars Nick Castellanos and Bryce Harper ripped Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Edwin Uceta after a benches-clearing incident in the bottom of the eighth inning of Philadelphia's 9-4 win at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday.

Uceta entered the game with one out and two runners on, then proceeded to surrender a two-run double, RBI single and two-run home run before allowing a double to Harper. On the first pitch of the ensuing at-bat, Uceta plunked Castellanos in the back with a 96-MPH sinker.

Castellanos threw his hands up in frustration and yelled out towards Uceta. Harper approached the Rays reliever from second in an effort to confront him before he was waylaid by two Rays. The benches then cleared.

After the game, Castellanos told reporters he could tell that he was about to get hit, judging by Uceta's increasing frustrations on the mound.

"I can't explain it," Castellanos said. "I know that he had pretty good numbers going into that. Just watching him I could see him getting frustrated and digging in I'm like, 'I'm gonna take this pitch here and see if he's around the plate.' "

"And it wasn't anywhere near me."

Castellanos said the Phillies "all got a sense" that Uceta was frustrated because his "ERA shot through the roof."

Uceta entered play with a 0.75 ERA but the mark ballooned to 1.49 after he was charged with three earned runs.

Castellanos then compared Uceta's behavior to that of his two-year-old son.

"You're throwing a baseball over 90 miles an hour and you're frustrated and you're gonna throw at somebody," Castellanos said. "It's like my 2-year-old throwing a fit because I take away his dessert before he's finished."

Harper told reporters that Uceta's actions don't line up with "the game that we play."

"He hit him on purpose," Harper said. "It's not the game that we play. It shouldn't be. Guys throw too hard nowadays. You're getting mad because a guy hits a homer off of you or you blow the lead, walk the guy and come out of the game. What are you going to do? it's just the situation."

"The whole thing just really fired me up, really upset me. Just not something you should accept as Major League Baseball."

The Phillies and Rays play the final game of the three-game series on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. ET.

'Never a good thing'- Wrexham star delivers shock message to Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac's side amid lack of game time

Wrexham star James McClean delivered a shock message to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's side amid a lack of game time. The winger has dropped a stunning revelation, claiming that his passion for boxing has eclipsed his love for football, and he’s planning to hang up his boots for gloves sooner rather than later.

  • When football turned feisty for McClean

    McClean’s tempestuous edge boiled over as tensions flared behind the scenes during Wrexham’s Carabao Cup derby clash against fierce Welsh rivals, Cardiff City. Emotions were running hot at the Racecourse Ground, and after the match, an incident in the players’ car park threatened to turn ugly. A group of Cardiff City fans reportedly breached a restricted area and confronted McClean, forcing him to defend himself. Witnesses claimed that he stood his ground and handled himself well. An internal investigation is now underway into how rival supporters gained access to the secured zone. But for McClean, the encounter only deepened his belief that he might be better suited to a ring than a pitch.

  • Advertisement

  • AFP

    McClean is a fighter at heart

    Over the past year, McClean has been training intensively in boxing. He has been posting workout clips to his Instagram that show sharp jabs and fierce combinations. 

    Speaking in an interview with Westlife star released on Thursday, he said: "I'll be honest, I've really enjoyed it [at Wrexham] up until the last two or three months. It's not been ideal, I've not been playing as much as I'd like, which is never a good thing. You want to be playing and you want to be in the mix. I've never dealt really well with not playing."

    The Republic of Ireland international, who joined Wrexham from Wigan Athletic in August 2023, has helped guide the club to back-to-back promotions. But the step up to the Championship has brought new realities. And it seems to have bruised his pride.

    "Nowadays, I just channel that frustration and annoyance and do my training. Before, I'd throw my toys out of the pram," he said. "Now, I just channel that frustration into the punch bag and it seems to blow off a bit of steam. You kind of feel better for it afterwards."

  • Taste of the big stage for McClean

    McClean isn’t just shadowboxing, but he has already dipped his toes into the professional world. On September 5, the Wrexham winger walked out with Michael Conlan for his high-profile bout against Jack Bateson at Dublin’s 3Arena. Now, he confirmed that talks have already taken place about entering the Misfits Boxing circuit. It is an influencer-led crossover promotion that’s given everyone from YouTubers to ex-footballers a shot at the spotlight.

    "I do want to box," he admitted. "Misfits (boxing company) is opening up opportunities for a lot of people who aren't professional boxers to give them the opportunity to step in and experience what it's like to be a boxer. Absolutely, it's something I want to do and there has been background chats about it, but I'm contracted at the moment. It's definitely something I want to do in the near future.

    "A lot of my training now is boxing training. I have a bigger passion now for boxing than I do for football. I would rather watch boxing than watch football. It's something I want to do and it's something I want to experience to tick off my bucket list. I've done the ring walk for Mike Conlan in Dublin. Being on the stage that night and doing the ring walk was unbelievable. I was thinking, imagine doing that, where this is for you and you're going into the ring for a tear up. I get goosebumps."

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty

    What comes next for McClean?

    McClean was once seen as one of the dressing room’s emotional leaders. But he has now found himself watching from the sidelines more often than not this season as he has made just 10 appearances across all competitions. Wrexham currently sit 14th in the table, comfortably clear of the relegation zone but well off the play-off pace. Their next test is a home tie against Charlton Athletic on Saturday, which will be their final game before the international break.

Better than Semenyo: Liverpool plot bid for "one of the best RWs in the world"

The October international break hasn’t quite slammed shut, but Liverpool fans are already looking with anticipation toward the return of Premier League action.

Arne Slot’s Premier League champions have been well below their best for most of the campaign, demonstrating much tenacity to find late winners across the opening weeks of the campaign but lacking balance and control.

They could only ride this wave for so long, with the tide turning in recent weeks and the Reds falling in successive top-flight outings, defeat in the Champions League at Galatasaray sandwiched in between.

Many high-profile signings have been made, but Liverpool need to rediscover their swagger and style. With names like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak added to the fold, welcoming another forward seems ludicrous, but it might be the answer to the Anfield side’s troubles in the long run.

Liverpool need another forward

Sporting director Richard Hughes and the senior figures at Liverpool remain confident that it will all come together. For Liverpool not to return to top-class form at some stage seems ludicrous, given the existing squad’s pedigree, the money spent this summer, and the calibre of signings brought in.

But Mohamed Salah’s form has been one of the big negative talking points this term. The 33-year-old has less than two years remaining on his £400k-per-week deal, and it’s well-known that Liverpool must spend big to secure a replacement.

According to Caught Offside, Hughes has already compiled a list of names he’s eager to pursue as Salah enters the final stretch of his Premier League career, and though talks were held in recent months for Lyon’s Malick Fofana and Bournemouth sensation Antoine Semenyo is being considered, it is Bayern Munich star Michael Olise who must be signed.

The France international is very much on Liverpool’s shortlist, with previous reports this month claiming the Merseysiders are even preparing an offer for the £86m-rated winger.

The 23-year-old joined Bayern from Crystal Palace for £50m in 2024, but Liverpool feel a deal could be struck given their good relationship with the Bundesliga champions.

What Michael Olise would bring to Liverpool

Olise thrived at Crystal Palace, joining from Reading and helping lift them toward their modern peak. Under Oliver Glasner, the Eagles are flying, and the French winger was crucial in getting the system up and running.

But his move to Germany has placed his name on the world atlas.

Last season was one of great success for Olise and his outfit, and he’s carried that form into the new campaign and fashioned something even greater, having notched five goals and six assists from just ten matches in all competitions.

There’s a sense that the best is still to come, and it’s for this reason Liverpool must chase his signature over Semenyo’s, as talented and dangerous as the Bournemouth star may be.

Comparing the two, we can see that Olise is the more clinical player and also the more explosive – though if Semenyo maintains his 2025/26 form across the duration of the year, that one may edge considerably closer.

Antoine Semenyo vs Michael Olise (past 12 months)

Stats (per 90)

Semenyo

Olise

Goals scored

0.39

0.39

Assists

0.20

0.50

Shots taken

3.07

3.47

Shot-creating actions

3.88

6.56

Touches (att pen)

5.13

6.32

Pass completion (%)

72.7

80.7

Progressive passes

3.832

7.50

Progressive carries

3.88

5.02

Successful take-ons

2.01

2.48

Ball recoveries

4.46

3.81

Data via FBref

Semenyo is likely a bit more physical and active throughout the different phases of play, but Salah’s success over the past nine years would tell you that a pick-and-choose approach bears just as many dividends, if not more. And it’s not as if Olise isn’t one of the silkiest and most fleet-footed wingers in the game.

Disregarding the players’ clinical starts to the campaign, their underlying metrics are evidence of their elite athleticism, with Sofascore also showing Olise has created 1.8 chances and won 4.3 duels per game in the German top flight this season, completing 83% of his passes.

Liverpool did manage to bag all three points in a frenzied match against Bournemouth on the opening day of the season, but Semenyo was electric throughout, bagging two special goals.

Make no mistake, Liverpool would not fumble if they were to sign the Ghana international next summer, but Olise is simply a level higher, with podcaster Henry Swain even describing him as “one of the best wingers in the world”.

Moreover, he’s younger than Semenyo, almost two years his junior, and has not yet been modelled into the final shape that could place him in conversations not too dissimilar to those which have followed Salah throughout his Liverpool journey.

The Cherries star, 25, has been in inspired form at the start of the season, it must be said. He has scored six goals and assisted three more in the Premier League this season, and Salah has paled in comparison on Liverpool’s right flank.

Both Olise and Semenyo would fall into similar financial ballparks, and so Liverpool must simply pick which player they believe stands a better chance of replacing the Egyptian King effectively, across many years.

We know he can do it in the Premier League, and the rise in prolific quality since moving to the Allianz Arena has been exciting to witness. Olise is the real deal and would be the perfect profile to ease Salah’s departure when that fateful day comes.

For now, he will continue to develop and improve in the Bundesliga, but it’s hard to imagine Olise being anything other than a triumph if he returned to the Premier League and took a place on Liverpool’s right wing.

FSG sold "world-class" Liverpool star, now he's outperforming Salah & Isak

Liverpool have lacked balance and fluency in the final third this season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 12, 2025

Game
Register
Service
Bonus