Novak Djokovic competing in the "unique" Davis Cup so soon after winning the US Open comes as an honour for tournament director Feliciano Lopez.

Serbia's Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 grand slam triumphs after a straight-sets victory earlier in September.

At 36 years and 111 days, Djokovic became the oldest winner of the men's singles title at the US Open, as well as winning three majors in a year for the fourth time in his career.

That saw him surpass Roger Federer – who won three grand slams in a year on three occasions – but unlike the Swiss star, Djokovic has shown no signs of slowing down.

The 36-year-old was straight back into action just five days later, overcoming Alejandro Davidovich to help Serbia into the Davis Cup quarter-finals with victory over Spain.

Former Spanish tennis player and now tournament director Lopez hailed the endeavours of Djokovic for appearing in Valencia in such a short period after victory in the United States.

"As you can imagine having Novak here in Valencia this week is such an honour first of all," Lopez told Stats Perform.

"I personally appreciate a lot what he's done by coming here after winning the US Open because I know how tough it is to win a slam and then three or four days after put yourself in a position to compete again at the highest level.

"I don't think I can thank him enough that he's here ready to compete, ready to represent his country.

"I have to take my hat off and say thank you and wish him all the best for the rest of the week."

Djokovic has reiterated his commitment to helping Serbia to a second title in the men's Davis Cup, a tournament that Lopez believes is different to any other.

"I think the fact that you're representing your country is one of the things that I wanted to say [about what makes it special] because tennis is an individual sport where you normally play for yourself," he added.

"Whenever you have the chance to play for your team-mates, for your country and for a lot of people that you know, they put in a lot of efforts during that particular week to make everything happen.

"For me, it's the most special thing and unique."

Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is defying expectations and can bring "joy and visibility" to LaLiga, according to former Spain midfielder Marcos Senna.

The England midfielder has enjoyed a blistering start to life in Madrid since joining from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth an initial €103million, which could rise to €133.9m.

Bellingham is the top scorer in LaLiga with five goals, while his stoppage-time winner against Getafe last time out made him only the third Madrid player – after Pepillo and Cristiano Ronaldo – to net on each of his first four competitive appearances for the club.

The 20-year-old's exploits have caught the eye of ex-Villarreal captain Senna, who was part of the Spain squad that won the 2008 European Championships.

Speaking at the Thinking Football Summit, Senna told Stats Perform: "He is really impressing, and the numbers are there for everyone to see. He is doing more than could have been expected. 

"For LaLiga, it is very important that players like him and others who arrive in the league continue being very competitive and visible in the world. 

"He is a player that can bring [Spanish football] joy and visibility, and he is proving it already."

The 47-year-old also spoke about former club Villarreal, where he racked up over 350 appearances during his 11-year stay, helping them reach the Champions League semi-finals in the 2005-06 season.

But the Yellow Submarine have endured a poor start to 2023-24 with three defeats in four games culminating in the departure of Quique Setien, who was replaced by Pacheta.

The former Elche and Real Valladolid boss will take charge for the first time when Villarreal welcome fellow strugglers Almeria on Sunday, but Senna is confident the club's fortunes will soon improve.

"Villarreal didn't start the season the way we wanted and now there is a change of manager," he said. "But I believe we have a lot of time to turn the situation around, and we have a group of great players. 

"It's a great club that knows what it's doing. The goal this year is to finish as high as possible in the table, among the European places, and to be the Villarreal that everyone knows."

On Pacheta, Senna added: "It's a great opportunity for him, he is a great professional. This is one of the clubs with the most expression, and he will have the opportunity [to show his methods]. We hope he does a good job and can help us."

Vinicius Junior has enjoyed a "meteoric" rise at Real Madrid but Mauro Silva believes the Brazil winger could still get better with the world "yet to see the best" from him.

The Los Blancos forward soon became a fan favourite in Madrid after scoring three times in his first five games of the 2020-21 season, following his 2018 transfer from Flamengo as a 16-year-old.

While Vinicius only managed three goals and four assists in his next 44 games for Los Blancos, the 23-year-old helped Madrid to the LaLiga and Champions League double in the 2021-22 term.

Vinicius continued to shine in the Spanish capital last campaign, contributing to 42 goals across all competitions (23G, 19A) – only Mohamed Salah (46), Kylian Mbappe (50) and Erling Haaland (61) managed more in Europe's top five leagues.

That illustrious list of regular Ballon d'Or contenders – and Europe's top marksmen – only serves to purvey the quality of Vinicius, whose progression was hailed by Silva.

"What is clear is that the evolution and the progression of Vinicius Junior in recent times has been meteoric," Silva, a former Brazilian international midfielder, told Stats Perform at the Thinking Football Summit.

"When he arrived at Madrid he was questioned a lot, there were a lot of doubts and he was able to progress, he had a great evolution.

"He is a very young player, with a great future, it is clear. I still think we are yet to see the best of Vinicius Junior.

"He is a player who, at his age, has a lot to progress, to improve on and also perhaps [develop] as a striker, because in recent games he got used to being there but improving at scoring goals is fundamental."

Silva believes Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has been key to Vinicius' development.

"You can see the confidence, you can also see Ancelotti's work when it comes to working on this footballer's self-esteem and confidence," the ex-Deportivo player added.

"But what is clear is that he has a great future and it is difficult right now to say how far he can go.

"I hope he can fight with Neymar to be among the great footballers of Brazil.

"In a team like Madrid and with the pressure they have and with the demands they have, that such a young player is capable of doing what Vinicius is doing makes us think that he could go very, very far."

Ancelotti's future at Madrid has come under regular speculation, with suggestions the Italian remains a target of the Brazilian national team – a move that Silva would welcome.

"It is clear that Ancelotti is one of the best coaches in the world. And when you are looking at a coach, I honestly don't think you have to take into account his passport or his nationality," Silva continued.

"If you think that the game model fits in Brazil, and in this case Ancelotti, the relationship he has with Brazilian soccer players, the ability to adapt that he has shown throughout his career, winning titles in all countries, well, it makes him as one of the best in the world at the moment, along with [Pep] Guardiola, with [Jurgen] Klopp.

"A coach of this level is capable of making a team like the Brazilian one, with the players they have, with the football culture that exists around them.

"Ancelotti [already] has a lot of relationships with Brazilian footballers, [he has had it] throughout his entire career, [all these things] makes us think that he could do a great job with Brazil."

Monaco's sporting director Thiago Scuro believes the Ligue 1 club is the perfect place for Folarin Balogun to "reach the next level".

Balogun joined Monaco in a move potentially worth £34.4million in August, with Arsenal electing to cash in on the United States forward.

Speaking to Stats Perform at the Thinking Football Summit in Porto, Scuro outlined his confidence that Balogun and Monaco will be the perfect match.

"He's a young and top-talented striker, who had a very strong season in Ligue 1 last season," Scuro said.

"So he's fully adapted to the league, and [we are] fully confident about what he can do in the league. Now it's our job to help him reach the next level in his career, as he is recently an international for the US.

"He's a young player with an Arsenal academy profile, which [means] he brings very, very good and strong skills with him."

Balogun, who came on from the bench to make his Monaco debut in a 3-0 win over Lens on Saturday, is set to compete with Wissam Ben Yedder for a starting spot.

"We are excited to have him on board competing now with Ben Yedder, who is a legend at the club and the top scorer," Scuro added.

"Internal competition is one of the concepts that I truly believe [is key] for success."

Balogun netted 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances while on loan at Reims last season. Only Kylian Mbappe (29), Alexandre Lacazette (27) and Jonathan David (24) scored more times in France's top flight.

Monaco have enjoyed a flying start to the new season, winning three of their four Ligue 1 games. No team in Europe's top five leagues has scored more goals than the 13 managed by Adi Hutter's side.

"I think the playing idea and Adi Hutter's playing style, which is very offensive, very aggressive when we don't have the ball, very aggressive when we have the ball, and the players' commitment to this, is, of course, also very key," Scuro said.

"Considering the quality of our players, we are going to score. The challenge is also that this model also drives you to be very exposed [defensively]. That's why defending together and working hard is important."

Despite Monaco's strong start, Scuro is not getting carried away.

"Of course, it is good to start in a good place and in a good position, because it brings confidence and brings good energy to the daily routine," he added.

"But it's only the beginning. What matters in football is how you finish, not how you start. So we are very happy to have a good start, but we also know that it's a long journey, with a lot to do, and we still have to improve our performance in so many areas.

"This is our focus. It has to be. Taking care of the details, which is going to make us stronger for the next stage."

The United States fell short tactically at the Women's World Cup and must now look to their European rivals for inspiration.

That is the view of former Italy striker and head coach Carolina Morace, who believes the USA's previous dominance of the women's game owed largely to their players' physical attributes.

The four-time winners recorded their worst-ever World Cup performance in Australia and New Zealand, losing to Sweden in a last-16 penalty shoot-out after narrowly avoiding a humiliating group-stage elimination in a goalless draw with Portugal.

Vlatko Andonovski resigned as head coach in the aftermath of their exit, with the USA having failed to score in back-to-back World Cup games for the first time in the tournament's history. 

Morace, who scored over 100 goals for Italy before coaching Le Azzurre between 2000 and 2005, believes the USA paid the price for falling behind their more astute rivals.

"They dominated the scene for years because physically the players were stronger, more trained than all the others," Morace told Stats Perform. "[Now] all the teams have physically grown. 

"They had to improve tactically. I coached Canada for a couple of years [between 2009 and 2011]. European football does not arrive there. 

"The innovations are in Europe, so the innovations that have been in Europe have not been [happening] in America. I don't know. 

"I am referring to occupying the empty spaces rather than passing between the lines, wanting to dominate the game, starting from the goalkeeper and pressing offensively. These are things they aren't used to doing, because it's a different kind of football there.

"In Australia and New Zealand, rugby is the national sport, so innovations come from there. Football is from Europe and innovations certainly come from here. 

"Maybe they thought that on a physical level they could still make up for the gaps they may have tactically, and it wasn't like this."

The USA scored just four times from 9.14 expected goals (xG) in their four games at the tournament, with star striker Alex Morgan failing to net from 17 attempts totalling 2.96 xG.

The World Cup – eventually won by Spain following Olga Carmona's final strike against England – was defined by upsets, with Germany and Brazil suffering group-stage eliminations.

Jamaica, South Africa, Morocco and Colombia earned plaudits by reaching the knockout stages, and Morace believes a sense of unpredictability contributed to the tournament's success. 

"It was an absolutely special World Cup because teams like Germany, the United States and Brazil immediately left the competition. It is clear that this has shocked everyone," she said.

"This certainly means that, on one hand, some teams have grown a lot, but it also means that teams like the USA or Germany or Brazil had to do better. 

"It was a very, very special World Cup. In the end, however, the final was played between the two best teams. Spain and England were the two teams absolutely on a tactical level and also on a technical level. They expressed the best football. 

"I wouldn't say that from a tactical point of view this was the best World Cup ever, because we saw that many teams had little possession, especially teams like South Africa, like Nigeria.

"The big teams probably didn't expect to find teams that played a different kind of football, more physical and more vertical. Then, in the end, the World Cup was won by the team that had the most possession in the whole championship."

Victors Spain managed more build-up attacks (23) than any other team at the World Cup, ahead of runners-up England (20). Meanwhile, the Lionesses were the only side to better Spain's 92 sequences of 10 or more passes, recording 100.

Jude Bellingham has made a flying start to his Real Madrid career but that comes as no surprise to Gus Poyet due to the midfielder's mentality.

Carlo Ancelotti's side saw off competition from Liverpool and a host of other European clubs to sign Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund ahead of the 2023-24 season.

The England international has soon settled into life in Spain, scoring three goals in his first two LaLiga games after Saturday's brace against Almeria.

Poyet, like many other coaches and former players, pinpointed Bellingham's mentality and told Stats Perform the former Birmingham City man was always going to go to the top.

Poyet said: "I knew Bellingham because I had an interview with Birmingham four or five years ago, before he went to Dortmund, and I watched the team obviously.

"I watched him play and I was thinking 'wow' at the potential he had at 17 or 18 years old.

"So you see the player, but then you need to meet the person, the personality, the passion, how can he handle the pressure, what he likes and what he doesn't. And I think that is what people are seeing now at Real Madrid. 

"We knew that he had the quality, we knew that he made a big impact at Borussia Dortmund, especially when you saw him at Dortmund sometimes being the captain. You think that he must be special because of this.

"The quality, everyone can see, but I think the most important quality of Bellingham is his mentality.

"He is very strong, he believes in himself, he knows what he wants. He made decisions early in his life, leaving England his comfort zone to go to Germany at that age and now, boom, he is at Real Madrid."

Bellingham, aged 20 years and 51 days, is the second-youngest player to score in his opening two LaLiga games – only behind Markel Susaeta in 2007 (who was 19 years and 275 days old).

Poyet does not foresee Bellingham slowing down any time soon either, as Madrid eye a fruitful period with one of the world's most exciting talents in their ranks.

"I think he's going to be at Real Madrid for a long, long time," Poyet added. "He is going to be very good for the club and for himself."

The 20-year-old also had an assist against Almeria. He is just the third player to be involved in four goals in his first two LaLiga outings in the 21st century, along with Wesley Sneijder (2007) and Mounir El Hamdaoui (2013).

Gus Poyet has been impressed by the quality on display at this year's Women's World Cup and believes the tournament will inspire the next generation of women's football stars.

The expanded 32-team tournament in Australia and New Zealand has caught the imaginations of many, while a first-time winner is guaranteed ahead of Sunday's final between Spain and England.

Both host nations have posted record attendances for women's games, with Australia playing in front of three 75,784-strong crowds at Sydney's Stadium Australia and 43,217 watching Spain's semi-final victory over Sweden in Auckland.

The global competition has also been characterised by headline-making upsets, with Germany and Brazil suffering surprise group-stage exits as Morocco and Jamaica advanced at their expense. 

Speaking to Stats Perform ahead of the showpiece between Spain and England, former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder Poyet hailed the tournament as a triumph.

"With respect to the other girls, when you see the best players playing, that's it," Poyet said. "That's football. 

"I think we need to be realistic and it is simple when you have a number of people playing football… men play football – I don't know how many – all over the world. 

"You can choose from those quantities, [there are] so many people to make so many clubs and so many competitions all over the world, that is why they keep going. Second division, third division… you go to England and it is National League, local leagues, Sunday League…

"But for the girls, they didn't play football that much in the last 40 years, quantity-wise. Then it is very difficult to find a way to make all these clubs play at the same level we are watching at the World Cup. 

"It is time, I think we need to give them time but the football that we saw, the goals we have seen, the ability of certain players, is nice to see. 

"We don't need to ask too much, too quickly. We need to take time, I think they need time and it is going to be part of life for everyone nowadays. 

"If you have a daughter, they will say that they want to play football and it will be natural. 

"When we were young it was different. There were a few [top players], but not the quantity that women's football needs. But it's nice to see that the quality is there."

Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses are looking to become just the second team – after Germany in 2003 and 2007 – to win the Women's World Cup as reigning European champions.

It will be the first meeting between England and Spain at the Women's World Cup, with the Lionesses losing just two of their previous 13 matches against La Roja across all competitions (W7 D4), including a 2-1 quarter-final win at last year's European Championships.

Richarlison is not capable of filling the hole Harry Kane has left at Tottenham, according to former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp.

Kane joined Bayern Munich for a Bundesliga-record €117million (£100m) earlier this month, leaving Tottenham as the club's all-time top goalscorer having netted 280 times in 435 appearances in all competitions, including 30 in 38 Premier League games last season as Spurs finished a disappointing eighth.

Kane's departure has left Tottenham fans concerned over their attacking options for this season, with the striker's impressive output last term making up for disappointing campaigns from the likes of Son Heung-min and Richarlison, who only scored 11 league goals between them.

Richarlison particularly struggled in his first season with Spurs, netting just once in the Premier League after joining from Everton for £60m, and Redknapp doubts whether the Brazil international can step up in Kane's absence.

"[Richarlison] can't fill Harry [Kane's] boots," Redknapp told Stats Perform. "No, he's not on the same level as Harry Kane.

"He's got to do better than what he did last year for sure. He's played for the Brazilian team and is a regular for them, he played at the World Cup. [He] scored goals at Everton, did okay there.

"I think Son will play through the middle. They'll let him off the leash and stick him through the middle. I think that's where he wants to play. He'll score goals, he will get between 15 and 20 goals, I think. 

"But Harry Kane and Son together is definitely better than Son on his own. So that is the problem."

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy decided to cash in on Kane with a year left on the striker's contract, a decision that Redknapp understands but does not necessarily agree with, adding: "It's difficult. Daniel had that problem with him at the end of the year as a free agent.

"So do you wait and let him walk away for free, or do you take the 100 million? Could he have bought in that type of money by just staying this year and getting them back in the Champions League? Quite possibly.

"I thought Tottenham made some good signings, [James] Maddison coming in would be a big plus for Harry. He'd supply and make goals for him.

"[It is a] difficult one, but Daniel does what he feels is right for the football club at the end of the day, and he obviously feels it's better to take the 100 million now than get nothing at the end of the season."

Kane's exit is one of several big changes at Spurs, with former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou appointed ahead of this season as Tottenham bid to return to the top four.

Redknapp feels Postecoglou is in for a baptism of fire in Premier League management, having to cope without Kane in a league that will prove to be very competitive at the top end again, explaining: "He's got a great job. He's got a result as he's come from nowhere, really, in the last few years to manage Celtic and then manage Tottenham.

"I like him. When I see him, I like him an awful lot. It looks good. He's a good character. And I think he'll do a good job. I suppose when he came he always knew that he would have Harry for a year at most.

"I'm sure he's excited with the players he's working with, it will be the best players he's ever worked with anyway. 

"He's never worked with a squad of players near that standard before. It's going to be a tougher division this year and he needs time.

"There's Man City, Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle [United] and Tottenham. Seven teams here scrapping it out for four places.

"I think Spurs will be okay. I think Maddison was a great signing. They just took the centre-half now, the Dutchman [Micky van de Ven], who is supposed to be a good player. They'll bring two or three more in.

"They will be pushing for a top-four place, [but] whether they can make it without Harry Kane, I'm not sure now."

Harry Kane can lead Bayern Munich back to Champions League glory, according to his former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp.

Kane joined the Bavarian giants from Tottenham last week for an estimated €117million (£100m), leaving as Spurs' record goalscorer and joining a Bayern side targeting their 12th consecutive Bundesliga title this season.

For all their domestic success, however, Bayern have suffered three consecutive quarter-final exits from the Champions League, last winning Europe's premier club competition in 2019-20.

But Redknapp, who handed Kane his Spurs debut in a Europa League qualifier against Hearts in 2011, believes the 30-year-old is the best striker in the world and can spearhead Bayern's return to Champions League glory.

"He's just for me the best centre-forward in the world," Redknapp told Stats Perform. "He can do absolutely everything. 

"He's an amazing player. He scores goals. He makes goals, he can head it, he can score left foot, right foot, there's not a weakness in his game.

"Wherever he goes, he'll be a sensation. He could push Bayern Munich onto getting even closer to winning the Champions League this year and what they've been in the past.

"They'll probably win the league again. But the Champions League has got to be what they're looking to win and he's certainly the man to help them do that."

Kane's Spurs departure ended a 19-year association with the London club, the latter stages of which were clouded by rumours of a potential exit as major silverware evaded him. 

Redknapp is surprised Bayern managed to acquire Kane, questioning why Manchester United did not attempt to sign a player who sits just 47 goals shy of Alan Shearer's all-time Premier League scoring record.

"It was a surprise to me that he decided to go to Bayern Munich," Redknapp said. "Even if he had gone to Real Madrid, I could have understood it, maybe.

"For me, he'd have been a great signing for Man United. We see [Moises] Caicedo going [to Chelsea] for over 100 million pounds. He's a defensive midfield player, doesn't score goals, doesn't make goals, breaks the play up. 

"Harry Kane, for less money, who guarantees you between 25 and 30 goals a year, he could have pushed Man United onto maybe winning a title this year. So I was surprised they didn't go for him.

"I thought he might stay on and beat Shearer's record. I suppose the only person that's pleased he's going to Germany probably is Alan Shearer. It will keep the record intact."

Kane netted on his Bundesliga debut as Bayern began their title defence with a 4-0 thrashing of Werder Bremen on Friday.

Redknapp is confident his former player will adapt quickly and doubts he will be worried by the shadow of Robert Lewandowski, who scored 238 goals in 253 Bundesliga outings for Bayern before leaving for Barcelona last year.

"It'll be a different way of football, the style will be slightly different," Redknapp added. "It's still football, but it'll be slightly different to what he's been used to here.

"He's so low maintenance as a player, he's confident in his own abilities, he works hard, trains hard, lives right, family man. He'll score goals, make goals, he'll be a sensation.

"You know, Lewandowski was a great player, but Harry Kane's a better player."

England batting great David Gower described Stuart Broad's Ashes send-off as "the stuff of legend" after he delivered two crucial wickets to level the series on the final outing of his career.

Broad announced the fifth Test against Australia would be his last match as a professional cricketer on Saturday, before ending his glittering career on a high two days later.

With England requiring two late wickets on day five to level the series at 2-2, Broad dismissed Todd Murphy and Alex Carey to deny Australia a first series win on English soil since 2001.

The 37-year-old ends his career with 604 Test wickets, a tally only bettered by long-time team-mate James Anderson (690) among England players.

Asked about Broad's remarkable final outing, former England skipper Gower told Stats Perform: "Stuart's finished as anyone would like to, on a high, on an absolute high. 

"The Ashes has probably been his specialist subject, but he's taken wickets all around the world. His record, of course, is absolutely outstanding, bettered only by Jimmy Anderson. 

"His last shot being a six over deep midwicket, then to finish with the two wickets that wrapped up the game at The Oval… that is the stuff of legend. 

"Most of us go out without that script, most of us have to slink off having had a pretty bad day! 

"To go [out] on a highlight… that is a privilege accorded to very, very few. Alastair Cook did it at The Oval, others have done it at The Oval. The gods are looking after you when you have that sort of finish.

"I think for so many players, whatever else happens elsewhere in the world, if you are good at The Ashes – because of the history that comes with it – that stays in your memory forever. 

"I was very lucky to have a pretty good record in The Ashes as a batsman, and that's something I'm very proud of. Stuart can be equally proud about the way he succeeded and the way he played.

"We will always miss great players. When England next take to the field in a test match in India or next summer back here against different opposition, [we'll] be looking at the England eleven and thinking, 'I wish we still had Stuart' because people really enjoyed the way he played the game."

Broad's total of 153 wickets in Ashes series is the best of any England bowler, with only Australia pair Shane Warne (195) and Glenn McGrath (157) boasting more dismissals. 

Meanwhile, fellow bowling great Anderson has refuted suggestions he could follow Broad into retirement, saying his team-mate's exit has made his own desire to play on "even more firm".

Reflecting on the duo's incredible Test records, Gower added: "What will stay indelibly in black ink is that record. 

"The records of the game will show him [Broad] with 600-odd wickets in a lot of Test matches, 600 wickets for a seam bowler of his ilk is a lot of wickets. 

"Jimmy Anderson is ahead in that game, and he is even more incredible for his longevity. Jimmy is saying, 'I don't want to give up, I'm only 41!'

"It's an extraordinary thing for him to be quite so fit and strong and capable at that age as a quick bowler. 

"Both of them will look back as their lives develop, and there will always be those figures in the book."

Liverpool have landed two midfielders perfectly fit for their system in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, according to Reds legend John Barnes.

Jurgen Klopp secured the services of Mac Allister for a reported initial £35million from Brighton and Hove Albion, while Szoboszlai arrived from RB Leipzig for £60m (€69m) ahead of the 2023-24 season.

The pair will likely be utilised as multi-functional midfielders, adding energy to an ageing Liverpool midfield, which is expected to lose Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabia.

Having initially played as a winger before moving to a central role, Barnes believes the versatility of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai makes the duo a tailormade fit for Klopp's men.

"Last season I think it was fairly apparent that we needed midfield players," Barnes told Stats Perform. "Of course, what you do is you use every opportunity to get who you can.

"So, in the strikers that we've got, I think that bodes well for the future. But I think you can see that we were a little bit short in midfield from an age perspective but also from a quality and intensity perspective.

"We knew we were going to lose two or three midfield players, so they are welcome additions to the squad from a positional point of view and also from the quality point of view too."

Mac Allister was also the only player to average two-plus shots (2.68), two-plus tackles (2.18) and 50+ passes (56.2) per 90 minutes in last term's Premier League, among players with 1,000 or more minutes.

That all-round approach and energetic demeanour makes the 24-year-old a suitable fit for Klopp's high-pressing philosophy, in the opinion of Barnes.

"It's not all about what impresses me, but he's the type of player who will suit our style," Barnes said of Mac Allister, who hit 10 league goals for Brighton last term.

"He may not be able to play for Manchester City but that doesn't mean he's better or worse. It's just that we have to sign players that suit our style and are hardworking all-action midfield players.

"He's not a Bernardo Silva type, but he suits what we want. Liverpool have always done that and looked to get players who suit their system, regardless of how other good other people think they are, or not.

"He suits our midfield profile and the template of a midfield player that we want. Hardworking, aggression and playing the ball forward quickly. He suits our style perfectly."

While Mac Allister impressed for Brighton and also Argentina during their triumphant World Cup campaign in Qatar, Szoboszlai arrives as a lesser-known star on English soil.

The Hungary international again fits Klopp's criteria for free-flowing aggressive football, having been involved in 163 open play shot-ending sequences in last season's Bundesliga – 49 shots, 48 chances created, 66 in the build-up – the fourth-highest figure of any player.

Barnes added: "I haven't seen much of him. But once again, you look at him in terms of his size, his aggression, his ability to get up and down.

"And once again, I trust in Jurgen Klopp and the staff to know exactly what they want. Not many people have heard of him, I'm one who didn't hear of him but they would have done their homework on him.

"So I have faith in them because they know the type of player they want. As I said, I haven't seen much of him but he seems to be quite impressive."

Declan Rice is one of the world's best players in his position and is a great signing for Arsenal, according to John Barnes.

England midfielder Rice completed his move from West Ham to Arsenal last week in a transfer that could reach a value of £105 million.

Rice racked up 204 Premier League appearances for West Ham and bowed out by leading the club to success in the Europa Conference League.

Opta data showed he made more interceptions (63) than any other player in the Premier League last season.

Ex-England international Barnes has no doubts about Rice's ability to make an impact with Arsenal as they challenge for Premier League and Champions League glory under Mikel Arteta.

Rice made his first Arsenal appearance on Wednesday as his new side opened their US tour by comprehensively beating Wayne Rooney's MLS All-Stars 5-0 in Washington DC.

"Declan Rice, for a defensive midfield player, I think is one of the best in the country, if not the world, so, therefore, it's a great signing for Arsenal," Barnes said to Stats Perform.

"It is a great signing. He's very, very good. I would've loved him at Liverpool, but obviously, he wanted to go to Arsenal. He's a London boy.

"Arsenal have got what they needed. They have Thomas Partey in that position and Arsenal have always been a good footballing team, but they have lacked a bit of strength and protection for the back four and he will then give them that.

"That is as well as obviously signing Kai Havertz, a player with good experience, so they have made some very good signings."

Rice's England team-mate Jude Bellingham has also been on the move, swapping Borussia Dortmund for Real Madrid.

Bellingham completed 88 take-ons in the Bundesliga last season, the most by any central midfielder across Europe's big five leagues in 2022-23.

Barnes also believes that major transfer will prove to be a success as long as the 20-year-old does not try to do too much to meet any unrealistic individual expectations.
 
"He has been fantastic and I think he will do very well," Barnes said about Bellingham.

"However, he's not going there to be the superstar player. Of course, they had it with Cristiano Ronaldo and there was Lionel Messi at Barcelona, but Real Madrid doesn't have that [in the current team] – look at Eden Hazard [struggling] there. 

"Bellingham is a hard-working midfield player who is not going there to be a Messi or Ronaldo because that's not the type of player he is. 

"If you look at what they have there in terms of [Eduardo] Camavinga and [Aurelien] Tchouameni, they have got lots of good young players who are hardworking midfield players and Bellingham will be one of those. 

"Bellingham is not going there to be a Messi or Ronaldo – he is going there to help that situation whereby the age of the squad has come down. He's a very, very good midfield player who will help Real Madrid. 

"As long as he recognises that he's not going there to be the best player in the world in terms of what the public expect, like for him to score 30 goals a season and to be dribbling around people. 

"He does his job which he does very well and he will be very successful."

Marketa Vondrousova must follow the example of Elena Rybakina to ensure her shock Wimbledon success results in becoming a top-10 regular, according to Marion Bartoli.

The 24-year-old became the first unseeded player to win the women's singles at Wimbledon with a shock straight sets victory over favourite Ons Jabeur in the final.

Vondrousova had previously reached the French Open final four years ago but had endured a tumultuous period since due to injuries and inconsistent form, while grass was seen as her weakest surface.

Her victory is the latest in a long line of shock major wins in the women's game, with Bianca Andreescu and Emma Raducanu among the others to cause upsets in recent years.

But the lack of a dominant group of players in women's grand slams is not a big concern to Bartoli, who made two Wimbledon finals in her career, winning once.

She has urged the crop of recent major winners, including Vondrousova, to take up the challenge of proving their successes were not flukes.

Bartoli cites the example of 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina, who is now ranked three in the world and reached the last eight this year before losing out to Jabeur, as one to follow.

"I don't see it as an issue – there is nothing you can do about it," Bartoli, who won Wimbledon in 2013, said to Stats Perform when asked about the recent trend in grand slams.

"I mean, you just can't say to a player, 'Oh, but why don't you win every single grand slam like Serena Williams?' All those [top-ranked] girls are trying their hardest when they're on the court, sometimes they're losing when they should have won, like Ons losing that final. 

"But it's not like you can go and say to her 'Oh, yeah, but why don't you try harder?' She tried her heart out on the court and tried absolutely everything to win. It just didn't happen. 

"You have new names, some newcomers are coming and winning, it was the same when Raducanu won her first grand slam, it was the same when Andreescu won.

"Now it's Marketa winning her first. It was slightly more of a shocker when Raducanu won because she came from the qualification. That was an even bigger story and then to become this £20million girl that gets all those contracts in the UK. She was into US Open qualifying and then three weeks later she was a mega superstar.

"Was tennis different back then when I was playing? Of course. Then you had 15 or 20 names who were coming back all the time. 

"It was extremely difficult just to get yourself inside the top 20 or into the top 10 because you had Serena and Venus, Kim Clijsters and all the Russians, you just didn't have the space. 

"But I like those news stories. I like those fairytale stories. I just hope that those girls can now stay there. 

"For Marketa [I hope] that she can bring that level constantly so she can be a face in the top 10 and people can come back to Wimbledon next year and say ‘OK, I know her now, she's top five, she has done this, she has this result somewhere’, like Rybakina in some ways. 

"Rybakina won last year but she came back this year and she was top three, so it's not like she was a fluke. 

"So if those breakthrough girls can now say 'I'm still part of the conversation, I'm coming back and I'm top five or top 10' then we are in for a great WTA Tour."

Vondrousova is the sixth unseeded player to win a grand slam title in the last decade, after Jelena Ostapenko, Sloane Stephens, Iga Swiatek, Barbora Krejcikova and Raducanu.

Bartoli feels it will take a while for the magnitude of her win to sink in, particularly when it was so unexpected. Vondrousova had only won four matches on grass before the tournament.

She added: "It's difficult to actually soak it in that quickly – for me, it took several days, even several weeks to be able to really understand what I just achieved, especially when you win for the first time.

"For Novak [Djokovic] or Roger [Federer] or all those players who have won Wimbledon on multiple occasions, then it almost becomes normal for them. Of course there is the happiness of achieving winning another grand slam, but it's not as much as a big deal as when it's your first one or your first Wimbledon in the case of Carlos Alcaraz.

"Especially for Marketa Vondrousova, being unseeded, it was completely unexpected for her to have that sort of run and being the total outsider in the final and coming out, playing great tennis and winning in straight sets as well.

"At the beginning of the tournament, no one would have thought to put her into the top five or top 10 contenders to go and win the title, and it is even more of a surprise after all the injuries she suffered.

"But all credit to her. She had some really tough matches, when you really have to push yourself that much you absolutely deserve to win your first grand slam title." 

Novak Djokovic will remain a force at the top of men's tennis despite the disruption to his dominance that has been caused by Carlos Alcaraz.

That is the view of former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli after the Serbian missed out on a fifth consecutive title, which would have been a record-equalling eighth overall, at the All England Club on Sunday.

Roared on by the Centre Court crowd, Alcaraz produced a dynamic performance in the final to earn a spirited five-set victory, storming back to win having lost the first set 6-1.

Despite only just turning 20, the Spaniard now has two grand slam titles to his name, having won the US Open last year.

And it is in New York where Djokovic will look to respond to only his second loss in nine Wimbledon finals.

Despite Djokovic's setback, Bartoli is confident 23-time grand slam winner is primed to win multiple further majors and one day reach 25, saying the veteran remains the man to beat.

"As the champion it is never nice to lose for sure and it will sting for a few days," Bartoli said to Stats Perform.

"I don't think he's going to come out of this match like 'yeah, it's fine I just lost it', as you don't win 23 grand slams without being a fierce competitor and without hating to lose.

"But there is the US Open coming up this year, so there is a lot on the line for him.

"He has absolutely no points to defend [in the US Open] and then he has the year-end championship [ATP Finals] that he won at the end of last year. 

"On the other end Alcaraz has the US Open to defend so it's more than likely that Novak Djokovic will be able to regain that number one ranking spot at the end of the US summer swing.

"He's going to get himself ready for that. I'm not sure what kind of schedule he will play, whether he's going to play the two Masters events before or maybe just one and go to the US Open because he's 36 and you just can't have the same schedule as someone like Carlos Alcaraz has, that is obvious.

"But can he pass and go over Margaret Court [on 24 major titles]? Absolutely. He's going to be the favourite to win the US Open equally with Alcaraz and he will be the overall favourite to win the next Australian Open.

"So absolutely it is very much more than achievable for him [to pass Court] and obviously I think by the end of 2024 that's where he should stand — at least 25 Grand Slams and alone on top of the world."

Djokovic had not lost at Wimbledon since going down to Tomas Berdych in the 2017 quarter-finals and the final was his first loss on Centre Court for 10 years, since Andy Murray beat him in the famous 2013 final, the same year when Bartoli won on the women's side.

Bartoli added: "So for sure it's just going to sting for him when he looks back at those tapes and sees back those points that he missed – two backhands during the tie-break, the drop shot that he missed in the net at 3-2 for him in the breaker, sees the swing volley that he decided to actually take in the air – maybe just let it drop and see if the ball actually will stay in the court or not.

"It is just two or three crucial points here and there that made the whole result at the end of the match change. He had set point to go up two sets to love. I think if he covered there, it is completely different. 

"He had a break point at the beginning of the fifth to go 2-0 up after winning the fourth and was carrying the whole momentum with him, so he was extremely close."

Bartoli thinks the rise of Alcaraz epitomises the new style of modern players, but thinks Djokovic's complete game means he is still well-placed to mix it with rising stars.

Alcaraz is the youngest player in the Open Era to win the singles title at both the US Open and Wimbledon.

But asked if the win for Alcaraz was a changing of the guard, she replied: "No, but I felt it was a new tennis. 

"It was very much a sort of new complete tennis that we'll be able to witness from the new generation of players coming in. I include in that Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner as the same [style] as Alcaraz. 

"The defence is there, the court coverage is there, the speed is there, coming to the net is there, playing the dropshot is there, play aggressive and defensive, and they can last for whatever time is required on the court. And in some sort of way in the middle, there is Daniil Medvedev and Stefan Tsitsipas too.

"That's what the new tennis on the men's side is looking for. Maybe for the next 10 years or so. And I think very much Novak was up to the task [against Alcaraz].

"So I don't think it was a change of the guard. I just felt it was a new tennis and because Novak has that type of tennis obviously he can sustain that level." 

The epic Wimbledon final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic is among the best three tennis matches Marion Bartoli has ever seen.

Former Wimbledon champion Bartoli watched in awe as Alcaraz dethroned Djokovic at the All England Club on Sunday, coming from behind to win a classic contest 1-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 3-6 6-4.

Bartoli played in two Wimbledon finals herself and was commentating on the latest instalment of great showpiece battles on Centre Court as Djokovic was denied a record-equalling eighth title at the grand slam tournament.

"I definitely ranked it in the top three matches that I've ever seen," Bartoli told Stats Perform.

"Of course there are some finals I haven't seen especially from before [this era], but I think when you look at it as Roger [Federer] against Rafa [Nadal] at Wimbledon 2008, and then Rafa against Novak at Australian Open 2012 and then this one, you will very much have the top three matches ever played. That's my personal opinion. 

"Maybe some people will add two or three other matches, but it is 100 per cent in the top five without a doubt, and I think I could even put it top three." 

Djokovic was frustrated as the Centre Court crowd rooted for his younger opponent for much of a back-and-forth encounter.

But Bartoli thinks the 20-year-old Spaniard would command support against any player.

She stressed that Wimbledon great Djokovic still gets plenty of backing, and much of the crowd reaction in favour of Alcaraz would have been based on not wanting the match to end quickly as the sport's latest blockbuster rivalry begins.

Alcaraz became the first player not called Djokovic, Federer, Nadal or Andy Murray to triumph at Wimbledon since 2002 – before he was even born – and the British crowd were relishing his success.

"It seemed like there was such an affection for Carlos Alcaraz," Bartoli said.

"In terms of Carlos, I don't know if it's because he's won so many matches and he doesn't lose or maybe the crowd is naturally against Novak, but for me I think it's more of an admiration for Carlos.

"From what I'm seeing from the crowd it is more like when you have this new genius that comes around, everyone wants to be part of the journey. I very much feel that with him. 

"And it's around the world – the welcoming that he had at the US Open last year, look at the shouting from the crowd again in that incredible match against Jannik Sinner when he was really on the ropes and Sinner was leading all the way and just couldn't finish it out at the end. 

"I think it's more when you're recognising that there is someone that good, it's almost impossible not to be for him, unless he's playing a local player. 

"That will be interesting to see if he plays the Brits next year. What sort of Centre Court is it going to be then? But if it's against anyone else then for sure they are going to be on his side.

"But even then I feel Novak has been really getting some great support as well and I think very much the crowd wanted to have a five-set match or a long run. 

"They didn't want it [to end quickly] when Carlos lost the first set easily and when Carlos won the second set then they didn't want Carlos to run away with the match either. 

"They really wanted both players to go out for battle all out for four hours and 45 minutes just like they did, so I don't think it's going to be one-sided always for Carlos Alcaraz. 

"But everyone very much feels like he is really the new genius and everyone wants to see him." 

The loss for Djokovic was the first time he had been beaten in a five-set grand slam final since losing to Murray in the 2012 US Open.

Despite that, Djokovic overtook Chris Evert (34) as the player with the most appearances in major finals, among both men and women (35).