Month: June 2023

Sachin Tendulkar, a renowned sports personality, needs no introduction. Apart from his extraordinary achievements in cricket, he is also famous for his love of cars. His garage houses an impressive collection of expensive and exotic automobiles, some of which we have featured on our website. While many know that Sachin’s first car was a modest Maruti 800, not everyone is aware that he also owned another Maruti model: the Maruti 1000 sedan. Recently, an online photograph of him posing with this car has emerged.
Sachin Tendulkar’s Maruti 1000 sedan
The circulating image of Sachin Tendulkar standing in front of his Maruti 1000 has been making the rounds online. Although we have images of Sachin with his other prized possessions, we have limited information available about the Maruti 1000. This red-colored Maruti 1000 resided in the cricketer’s garage for a while. Maruti Suzuki, currently the largest car manufacturer in India, faced challenges in achieving this status. Like any vehicle manufacturer, Maruti had some products that didn’t resonate well with Indian buyers, and the Maruti 1000 was one such example. Launched in 1990, it was India’s first Maruti sedan and, despite being somewhat underpowered, gained reasonable popularity. The Maruti 1000 was considered a premium car with a price tag of Rs. 3,81,000 in 1990. Weighing just 825 kg, it was powered by a 970-cc engine producing 46 bhp.
Also read: 10 DC Design cars & how they look in the REAL world: Maruti Swift to Mahindra XUV500
Sachin in his Maruti 1000
Due to its underpowered engine, the sedan struggled to maintain its popularity in the market. Maruti later made improvements and reintroduced it as the Esteem. The Maruti 1000 quietly disappeared from the market. It is unlikely that Sachin still possesses this sedan in his garage. Based on available reports and images online, Sachin Tendulkar purchased the Maruti 1000 in 1993.
Apart from the Maruti 1000, Sachin’s Maruti 800 also made headlines. As his first car, he sold it many years ago. A few years back, Sachin shared on social media that he no longer had his first car and was keen to locate it. He even sought help from his followers to track it down, but unfortunately, he was unsuccessful. Last year, Sachin Tendulkar partnered with Spinny, a popular platform for selling used cars. Spinny decided to surprise Sachin by gifting him a Maruti 800. A video was released capturing Sachin’s reunion with the Maruti 800 after 20 years.
Sachin’s Maruti 800
The Maruti 800 gifted to Sachin Tendulkar by Spinny is not the same car he previously owned. Spinny meticulously recreated the Maruti 800 specifically for him. The Bayers Blue Maruti 800 was meticulously restored down to the finest detail at Spinny’s Integrated Quality centers. As the first product from the manufacturer in India, the Maruti 800 was initially launched in 1983 and became popular among middle-class Indian families. The keys to the very first Maruti 800 were handed over by the then-Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.
Also read: Upcoming 2022 Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza rendered

The sixth Diamond League event of 2023, the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne on Friday (30 June), saw four meeting records and a raft of high-quality performances.
Mary Moraa showed why she will be one of the favourites for 800m gold at August’s Budapest World Championships as she repeated her Commonwealth Games victory over world and Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson.
Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi set the first of four meeting records on the night in the men’s 5000m, stretching his rivals from the halfway point before seeing off the challenge of Joshua Cheptegei in a manner which suggests the Ugandan’s world record is under threat.
Femke Bol came home in glorious isolation in the women’s 400m hurdles before Jakob Ingebrigtsen almost toyed with his rivals in the men’s 1500m as both joined Aregawi in breaking meeting records.
The fourth and final meeting record came in the non-Diamond League women’s 4x100m relay with Marie-Josee Ta Lou – who had earlier won the individual 100m – running the second leg for Cote d’Ivoire as they clocked a new national record.
In the field, there were wins for Olympic champions Ryan Crouser, Neeraj Chopra and Katie Moon with the latter needing a last-gasp clearance at 4.82m, the best jump in the world this year, to take the pole vault.
Read on to find out what happened when it happened at the Lausanne Diamond League 2023.
21:50 Classy Ingebrigtsen wins 1500m
Jakob Ingebrigtsen looked like he was ripe for taking in the 1500m but the Norwegian just kept finding more in front.
The Olympic champion had Josh Kerr and Ethiopia’s steeplechase world record holder Lamecha Girma in close attendance, but Ingebrigtsen ran the finish out of his rivals and was extending his lead by the end.
He clocked a meeting record of 3:28.72 with Girma taking second in a new Ethiopian record ahead Kerr and another Briton Elliot Giles.
There was drama at the end of the women’s pole vault. After three failures for Wilma Murto at 4.82m, Katie Moon had one last attempt to take the victory. And the Olympic champion cleared it, just, for the best height in the world this year. Eliza McCartney was third.
There was another victory for an Olympic champion in the field courtesy of Neeraj Chopra. The Indian went into the lead in the fifth round with 87.66m, and that was enough for the win despite Julian Weber recording 87.03m in round six.
Jakub Vadlejch was third with 86.13m, also posted in the final round.
The last event was the non-Diamond League women’s 4x100m relay with Cote d’Ivoire – led off by Murielle Ahoure-Demps and Marie-Josee Ta Lou – setting a new national record and the fourth meeting record of the night with a time of 42.23.
21:39 Femke Bol dominates 400m hurdles
Femke Bol was in a class of her own in the women’s 400m hurdles, coming home almost two seconds clear of the field in a new meeting record of 52.76.
The Dutchwoman was a long way clear and, though she was grimacing in the home straight, completed a comfortable victory with Finland’s Viivi Lehikoinen (54.67) and Ayomide Folorunso of Italy (55.12) edging out Britain’s Jessie Knight for third.
Commonwealth Games champion LaQuan Nairn took the scalp of Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou in the men’s long jump.
The Bahamian’s third-round effort of 8.11m proved enough with Tentoglou posting 8.07m and Japan’s Hashioka Yuki third with 7.98m.
21:27 Tebogo takes 200m as De Grasse toils again
The outside lanes were where you wanted to be in the men’s 200m with Letsile Tebogo taking victory.
Aaron Brown made a quick start from lane four but the youngster from Botswana was smooth around the bend and came clear with Jereem Richards, the only man outside him in lane eight, chasing him home.
Running into a headwind, Tebogo won in 20.01 ahead of Richards (20.11) with Joseph Fahnbulleh of Liberia in third place.
Brown faded into fifth with his fellow Canadian, Olympic champion Andre De Grasse, back in sixth in 20.57.
Eliza McCartney has had three failures at 4.77m which leaves just two women in the pole vault – Katie Moon passed at the height after Wilma Murto cleared at the first attempt.
21:20 Camacho-Quinn holds off Amusan in 100m hurdles
Olympic gold medallist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn just got the better of world champion Tobi Amusan in an exciting 100m hurdles.
Tia Jones of the United States was best away but the big two were soon alongside her and it was the Puerto Rican star who battled to the front to win in 12.40 with Amusan (12.47) equalling her season’s best in second. Jones was third in 12.51.
The women’s pole vault is building nicely. After Eliza McCartney cleared 4.71m with her first attempt, Wilma Murto went over at the second time of asking, and then Olympic champion Katie Moon responded to the pressure with a big clearance on her third and final go with Tina Sutej bowing out.
With the bar up to 4.77m, McCartney had her first failure of the night but Murto went over first time. Moon has now passed with 4.82m the next height.
21:10 Berihu Aregawi wins incredible men’s 500m
Who needs pacemakers when you have Berihu Aregawi?
The Ethiopian produced a massive injection of pace at the midway point – starting with a 59-second lap – and whittled the lead group down to four.
And Aregawi kept pouring it on at the front as compatriots Hagos Gebrhiwet and Telahun Bekele soon dropped away with only world record holder Joshua Cheptegei able to stay with him.
The Ugandan world record holder looked like he might snatch victory with 200m to go, but Aregawi dug deep to kick again and win in 12:40.45, the fifth fastest time in history.
Cheptegei was second with Gebrhiwet in third.
In the women’s pole vault, New Rio 2016 bronze medallist Eliza McCartney is having her best international competition for a long time.
The New Zealander missed all of last year but jumped 4.75m at April’s Australian Championships.
And tonight she has had first-time clearances at 4.51m, 4.61m and now 4.71m to take a clear lead. Olympic champion Katie Moon, Finland’s Wilma Murto and Tina Sutej of Slovenia are the only other women left and all failed with their first attempts at 4.71m.
20:55 Ta Lou too strong in women’s 100m
Marie-Josee Ta Lou claimed her third Diamond League win of the season in comfortable fashion in Lausanne.
The Ivorian made her customary fast start, and stretched clear in the second half to win in 10.88 with Britain’s Daryll Neita next in 11.07.
Germany’s European champion Gina Lückenkemper was third, just ahead of Poland’s Ewa Swoboda.
Mujinga Kambundji, the European 200m champion and 100m silver medalist, was eighth in 11.41 with the home favourite suffering from plantar fasciitis which she said this week would restrict her to the shorter sprint this season.
20:45 Beatrice Chepkoech takes women’s steeplechase
She could not break nine minutes, but Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech was too good for world number one Sembo Almayew in the women’s 3000m steeplechase as she won in a meeting record of 9:05.98.
Ethiopian Almayew regularly stepped on the hurdles and lost valuable momentum, and she was unable to shake off Chepkoech who kicked clear with 200m to go.
Uganda’s Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai clocked a season’s best in third place.
20:30 Wins for Izumiya, Crouser and Little
IOC President Thomas Bach is in the crowd for the Athletissima and he was an interested observer of the men’s 110m hurdles.
After Wilhem Belocian was disqualified for a false start, Izumiya Shunsuke fairly flew out of the blocks on the second attempt.
Home favourite Jason Joseph was in hot pursuit but could not quite reach the Japanese who won in 13.22. Joseph was one-hundredth adrift with France’s Just Kwaou-Mathey in third.
The first two field events are over – Ryan Crouser produced another 22m+ throw in the sixth round but did not improve on his best effort of 22.29m.
That was enough for victory with Tom Walsh (21.99m) taking second from Croatia’s European champion Filip Mihaljevic (21.42m).
Mihaljevic’s best throw came in round five, displacing Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri from the top three by just one centimetre.
There was no change in the javelin with the final three all failing to improve – Mackenzie Little winning with 65.70m from Kitaguchi Haruchi (63.34m) and Lina Muze (62.58m).
20:10 Mary Moraa defeats Keely Hodgkinson again over 800m
Tactics won the day as Mary Moraa repeated her Commonwealth Games victory over world and Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson.
The Kenyan controlled the race from the front and used her superior 400m flat speed to kick away off the home bend, winning in 1:57.43.
Hodgkinson was second with Jamaica’s Natoya Goule taking third.
That was the first Diamond League track event of the night. The field events are already underway – Mackenzie Little of Australia leads the women’s javelin going into the final round thanks to a personal best of 65.70m in round five.
And double Olympic champion and world record holder Ryan Crouser holds the shot put lead with 22.29m after five rounds.
Lausanne Diamond League 2023 Preview
Lausanne hosts the sixth meet of the 2023 Diamond League athletics series on Friday (30 June) with the Athletissima being held in the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise.
The timetable can be found below, but one event – the women’s high jump – was held on Thursday in the city.
There was something of a surprise as Australia’s Olympic silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers (formerly McDermott) equalled her own Oceania record of 2.02m – a new 2023 world lead – to beat Ukrainian pair Iryna Geraschenko and world champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh.
The men’s 1500m should be a race to savour with Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen up against Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma who broke the 3000m steeplechase record in Paris earlier this month.
The women’s 800m is also one to relish with world and Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson meeting the woman who beat her in last year’s Commonwealth Games final, Mary Moraa of Kenya.
Uganda’s Olympic 5000m champion and world record holder Joshua Cheptegei goes in a competitive mens 5000m with Beatrice Chepkoech, world record holder in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, seeking go under nine minutes for the first time this season.
Femke Bol reverts to hurdles after winning the flat 400m at the European Team Championships in Silesia, while the 100m hurdles pits Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn against world champion Tobi Amusan.
Marie-Josee Ta Lou will bid for her third Diamond League victory this season in the 100m with Mujinga Kambundji hoping to give the home crowd reason for cheer.
The field events are also worth keeping an eye on with shot put world record holder Ryan Crouser in action and Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra making his return after a muscle strain.
Cheptegei: If I don’t believe in myself then nobody is going to believe in me
Lausanne Diamond League 2023 schedule
All times local in CET (GMT+2)
19:15 Javelin Women
19:35 Shot Put Men
20:04 800m Women
20:06 Pole Vault Women
20:16 110m Hurdles Men
20:25 3000m Steeplechase Women
20:35 Long Jump Men
20:42 100m Women
20:48 Javelin Men
20:50 5000m Men
21:13 100m Hurdles Women
21:20 200m Men
21:28 400m Hurdles Women
21:39 1500m Men

NewsNorth Zone and Central Zone all but secured their berths in the semi-finals on day three
Prabhsimran Singh hit 59 off just 69 balls on the third day  •  PTI
Saurabh four-for shakes East up
East Zone 69 for 6 (Shantanu 18, Shahbaz 18, Saurabh 4-33, Mavi 1-7) and 122 need another 231 runs to beat Central Zone 182 and 239 (Mantri 68, Porel 3-15, Shahbaz 3-66)
Saurabh Kumar’s four wickets helped Central Zone take a big step towards the Duleep Trophy semi-final ahead of the final day’s play against East Zone in Alur. Saurabh’s wickets included the Bengal trio of Abhimanyu Easwaran, Anustup Majumdar and Shahbaz Ahmed, as East ended the third evening at 69 for 6, another 231 runs away from their target of 300.
East’s slide began with Saurabh dismissing captain Abhimanyu early in the sixth over to get Abhimanyu for 11. Three overs later, Avesh Khan got into the action by dismissing Sudip Kumar Gharami for a duck. And before Shantanu Mishra and Majumdar had hardly even settled down, Saurabh removed Majumdar for 13, as East started losing their way.
They lost 4 for 33 in a middle-order collapse – losing the last three wickets for just eight runs – as Saurabh ended with figures of 4 for 33, while Avesh and Shivam Mavi got one wicket each. Before that, Central had had a slide of their won, losing all ten wickets while adding only 115 after the opening partnership fetched 124.
Himanshu Mantri got 68 while Vivek Singh hit 56, but once Ishan Porel bowled Vivek to break the first-wicket stand, East found a way back. Porel finished with 3 for 15 – he got Upendra Yadav and Saurabh off back-to-back balls in the 69th over – while Shahbaz took 3 for 66 to restrict Central to 239 after they were 60 ahead in the first innings. However, the day eventually belonged to Central.
All-round North decimate North East
North East Zone 58 for 3 (Lyngdoh 14, Tamang 13*, Baltej 1-11) and 134 (Lamichaney 44, Kaul 3-16, Narang 3-27) need another 608 runs to beat North Zone 540 for 8 dec and 259 for 6 dec (Ankit 70, Prabhsimran 59, Jotin 2-44)
The day had begun when they were 65 for 3 in the first innings, where they soon folded for 134 to hand North a huge first-innings lead of 406. Siddarth Kaul and Pulkit Narang grabbed three wickets each to secure that for North.
However, North chose not to ask North East to follow-on, instead opting to bat again despite the huge advantage, and their bowlers having bowled only 39.2 overs spread across two days. They were 23 for 2 in their second innings, before the middle order got down to some batting practice. Ankit Kalsi and Prabhsimran Singh added 83 before Kalsi fell one short of a fifty. Prabhsimran went on to hit a quick 59 with nine fours and a six.
It was then Ankit Kumar and Jayant Yadav’s turn to entertain, as they formed a union of 113 for the sixth wicket, their partnership coming at above four runs an over. While Jayant remained unbeaten on 55, North declared their second innings on 259 after Ankit was dismissed for 70. And soon after, their bowlers left the result a mere formality.
Himanshu Agrawal is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

Chennai Super Kings are the most followed team in the world. The five-time champions registered the highest social-media engagement in May.
1) Chennai Super Kings – 424 Million
2) Real Madrid – 345 Million
3) FC Barcelona – 332 Million
MS Dhon’s team defeated Gujarat Titans to win their fifth title. Ravindra Jadeja hit a six and four to take CSK to a sensational win over the defending champions.
On the other hand, Barcelona were crowned the Spanish La Liga champions. In 38 games, they accumulated 88 points.
Real Madrid finished second with 78 points.

The SA20 retention rules differ significantly from those of the IPL and are highly protective of the players’ interests, particularly the South African players’ interests. If a player is released by the franchise and fails to find a buyer at the auction for at least one more year, he will still receive their full fee.
According to the rules shared with the teams, a South African player who participated in Season One and was released but subsequently not bought in the Season Two auction will be guaranteed his initial auction fee. Furthermore, if a player is bought for less than their first-year fee, the team that owned him will be required to compensate for the difference.
Graeme Smith explained this point. “For Season 2 of Betway SA20, South African players on multi-year contracts may be bought out of the second year by their franchise. The player will then return to the auction pool, but they are guaranteed their fee from the original contract, which will be offset against their new league fee if taken up at the auction,” the SA20 commissioner told Cricbuzz on Friday (June 30) through a statement.
For example, Tristan Stubbs, who was bought by Sunrisers Eastern Cape for R9.2m in the first auction, will be guaranteed that amount for the second year if his franchise releases him or if he is bought for a lesser amount in the second-season auction. If he attracts a higher value, Sunrisers Eastern Cape will have no liability.
This rule significantly differs from those in the IPL, where players, particularly Indian players, do not enjoy such protections. However, this shield only applies to this year, as the players were signed for three years on a 2+1 clause, which mandates the teams to protect the players’ interests. If a player is released after Season Two, the franchise will have no such liability.
“It is not in the supreme interest of a franchise, but it is a rule of the league that we have to follow,” said an owner of a team who requested anonymity due to confidentiality clauses. The owner further confirmed that the liable amount would not be part of the auction purse, which now stands at R 39.1 million, an uplift of R 5.1 million from Season One when it was R 34 million.
On June 1, SA20 opened the trading window for South African players, allowing teams to pre-sign, trade, buy out, or retain players ahead of the auction, expected to take place in September.
Each team is permitted to pre-sign four players, with one of them being a mandatory rookie South African, aged 22 or younger, who did not feature in Season One. Additionally, the regulators have increased the squad size from 18 to 19, including the rookie and Wild Card players, who must be signed before December. The value of the Wild Card player, as in the previous year, will not be part of the player purse. The value also need not be discussed.
As before, teams are required to have a minimum of 11 South African players in their squads. For the match day playing XI, teams can field a maximum of four overseas players and a minimum of seven South Africans.

Indian cricketer Hanuma Vihari, who has represented his country in 16 Test matches, is set to move from Andhra Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket. Vihari, who has been out of the Indian team since last year, was dropped after the postponed fifth Test match against England at Edgbaston.
As per a report on ESPNCricinfo, Vihari’s move is contingent upon receiving a No Objection Certificate from his current employers, the Andhra Cricket Association. The 29-year-old will join Madhya Pradesh as one of two professionals in the team.
During his Test career, Vihari has scored 839 runs with an average of 33.56. Despite his potential, he hasn’t received consistent opportunities to represent India. Furthermore, he was not included in the BCCI’s central contract list earlier this year.
Currently, Vihari is leading the South Zone team in the ongoing Duleep Trophy 2023. His addition to the Madhya Pradesh middle-order, which already boasts talented players like Rajat Patidar, Venkatesh Iyer, and Shubham Sharma, will further strengthen the team.
According to the report, Vihari has expressed a desire to play under Chandrakant Pandit, a renowned coach in domestic cricket who has won the Ranji Trophy with Mumbai, Vidarbha, and Madhya Pradesh.
Having scored 8600 runs in 113 first-class matches at an impressive average of 53.41, including 23 centuries and 45 half-centuries, Vihari brings significant experience to the team. Despite a somewhat disappointing performance in the last Ranji Trophy season, where he scored 490 runs in 14 innings, his determined half-century with a fractured right arm in the quarterfinals against Madhya Pradesh garnered attention.
During a JioCinema chat, Vihari expressed his dedication to the game, saying, “When I said that I wanted to bat, the physio told me ten times that my career might be jeopardised if I am hit on the hand again while batting.” I told the physio that it’s fine if I don’t play cricket after this match, but if I give up for Andhra in this match, it would be with me forever.”

Manchester United are planning face-to-face talks with David de Gea in a bid to resolve his contract standoff, sources have told ESPN.
De Gea’s existing deal at Old Trafford officially expires on Friday when the goalkeeper will become a free agent. He is getting married this weekend and sources have told ESPN that United are allowing the 32-year-old to spend time with his family in Spain without interruptions.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
However, club bosses including football director John Murtough are keen to meet De Gea in person to discuss his contract situation.
In a statement later on Friday, United said that “David De Gea’s contract is due to run out but discussions remain open with the long-serving keeper.”
Manager Erik ten Hag has said publicly he wants the Spaniard to stay, although the club have been keen to reduce his weekly wage of around £375,000-a-week.
United had the option to extend De Gea’s deal by a year until 2024 but decided against triggering the clause.
– De Gea situation sums up Man Utd’s flawed transfer policy
Sources have told ESPN that United are also talking to Andre Onana’s representatives with a view to making an offer for the Inter Milan goalkeeper.
Ten Hag knows the Cameroon international well after their time together at Ajax. There is also interest in FC Porto’s Diogo Costa and Brentford’s David Raya.
United have extended Tom Heaton’s contract for another year and Dean Henderson has returned to the club after spending last season on loan at Nottingham Forest.
Forest are keen to sign Henderson permanently after avoiding relegation from the Premier League last season.

90min rounds up the latest Chelsea transfer news, rumours and gossip circulating around the world…
Chelsea will enter the race to sign Kylian Mbappe from PSG this summer and are ready to offer 120m plus two players in exchange. Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella and Christian Pulisic are all possible makeweights. (Defensa Central)
A new contract has been offered to centre-back Levi Colwill, who wants to speak to Mauricio Pochettino for assurances on his role at the club before putting pen to paper. (Evening Standard)
Hakim Ziyech’s £8m move to Al Nassr has collapsed over a late breakdown in contract talks. (Evening Standard)
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are all in talks with the agent of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, who wants a move to the Premier League and will be available for £80m. (Calciomercato)
In their search for a new goalkeeper, Chelsea continue to monitor the future of Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez. (Football Transfers)
Thomas Tuchel wanted to sign Harry Kane back in 2021 but, after talks were opened by then-transfer chief Marina Granovskaia, the Tottenham striker made it clear he could never play for Chelsea. (BILD)
Loan bids for Italian starlet Cesare Casadei will only be considered from Premier League or Serie A sides. (Fabrizio Romano)
Fulham are among the sides keen to sign winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, who is available for transfer. (Guardian)
Milan remain confident they can strike a deal to sign Christian Pulisic. A £15m bid has been submitted but Chelsea are currently holding out for £25m. (Calciomercato)
Chelsea are increasingly likely to pursue a move for Everton midfielder Amadou Onana following the departure of Mason Mount. (Simon Phillips)
On this week’s edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth, Graeme Bailey and Sean Walsh to discuss Mason Mount’s impending move to Man Utd, Arsenal’s various deals, Liverpool’s pursuit of Dominik Szoboszlai and more!
If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!

It is a summer of overhaul for Liverpool’s midfield with a host of players departing the club and a whole lot of new ones needing to come in.
James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Fabio Carvalho will not be at the club next season, leaving the ageing trio of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara together with the youthful prospects Stefan Bajcetic and Harvey Elliott.
Consequently, Liverpool have been linked with almost every single half-decent midfielder in Europe. They got the Alexis Mac Allister deal over the line very early and an agreement for RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai has gathered pace.
Here’s why Liverpool are so keen on plugging one of their holes in midfield with Szoboszlai.
While there is a big desire to bring in a defensive midfielder, Liverpool clearly want to score a lot of goals from midfield next season. Mac Allister is attack-minded with a track record of finding the net and the same can be said for Szoboszlai.
Szoboszlai scored ten goals from midfield for RB Leipzig in the 2022/23 season after making 48 appearances, showing both how important he is to the Bundesliga side and also how prolific he can be from the midfield. He also chipped in with 13 assists across all competitions.
The Red Bull graduate is incredibly technically gifted and he stands at a commanding 1.87 metres (6’1). He has the physical profile of a player who can transfer to the Premier League well and can be of use in both boxes. His passing range is excellent and even with a big fee, it could be a very smart piece of business. Across his whole career, Szoboszlai’s output has been impressive; in just 226 games he has scored 64 times and provided 73 assists.
Another major point in his favour is his incredible versatility, proving to be as comfortable on either flank as he is in the middle of the pitch.

90min revealed Liverpool have entered advanced talks to sign Szoboszlai at the end of June. There was competition from Newcastle for the 22-year-old midfielder but that seems to have dissipated and he is the Reds’ to lose at this stage.
In terms of the transfer fee, the release clause in Szoboszlai’s contract means Liverpool will have to pay £60m. There are conflicting reports about whether that has expired, but regardless it shows the Merseysiders will have to part with a lot of money to ensure they get the Hungarian. 90min understands the club are confident they can haggle Leipzig down to £50m.
The deal is separate from the negotiations that will see Carvalho spend a year on loan at Leipzig and the interest in the likes of Southampton’s Romeo Lavia and Nice’s Khephren Thuram is not expected to go away even if this deal is completed. Jurgen Klopp’s side are also still looking at Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga.
On this week’s edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth, Graeme Bailey and Sean Walsh to discuss Mason Mount’s impending move to Man Utd, Arsenal’s various deals, Liverpool’s pursuit of Dominik Szoboszlai and more!
If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!