Sports

There have been only 15 Premier League matchweeks since the start of the season, but plenty has changed.

Arsenal, rather than Liverpool, look the biggest threat to Manchester City s title defence, while Newcastle United are third ahead of the campaign resuming on Monday.

With the January transfer window also just around the corner, it is time to revisit Stats Perform s ranking of the top 20 most valuable Premier League players, first published back in July.

Inspired by Bill Simmons NBA trade value list for The Ringer, this is not a ranking of the 20 best Premier League players but perhaps the 20 most difficult to sign.

The following factors have all been considered: how important these players are to their clubs, how replaceable they are, how proven they …

Turkey failed to ease the mounting pressure on coach Fatih Terim after being held to a fiery 1-1 draw by Latvia in Euro 2016 qualifying.

Turkey who lost their opening Group A qualifiers to Iceland and the Czech Republic were utterly dominant in the first half of this clash in Riga but failed to convert their advantage.

And although substitute Bilal Kisa gave them the lead with an outstanding 30-yard strike in the 47th minute, Valerijs Sabala levelled proceedings from the penalty spot.

Sabala s 54th-minute spot-kick proved enough to earn the hosts a point despite a late red card being shown to substitute Gints Freimanis in stoppage time.

Turkey, who have not qualified for a major tournament since Euro 2008, remain bottom of the pool, while Latvia moved up …

Switzerland withstood a revitalised second half display from Hungary to kickstart their Euro 2024 campaign with a 3-1 win in Cologne.

Substitute Breel Embolo put the match to bed with a neat finish late on, after Barnabas Varga had dragged Hungary back into it.

Michel Aebischer starred for the Swiss in a dominant first-half display, teeing up Kwadwo Duah s opener with a brilliant throughball, before he curled a fine effort into the bottom corner.

Duah s first international goal was originally disallowed for offside, but a VAR review saw it given.

But with little to lose, Hungary emerged from the tunnel with the bit between their teeth. Varga, who scored 20 goals for Ferencvarosi this season, squandered a golden opportunity to half the deficit as he headed…

Borussia Dortmund have announced that Omer Toprak will join the club from Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season.

The 27-year-old confirmed last month that he wanted to leave the BayArena after a six-year spell.

Dortmund have now confirmed that the Turkey international has signed a four-year contract after they agreed to meet his release clause, which is reportedly set at €12million.

Borussia Dortmund have announced that central defender Omer Toprak will join the club in the summer from Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a Dortmund statement confirmed.

Dortmund are prepared to meet the release clause in the player’s contract and he will join the squad for the 2017-18 season.

Toprak will sign a contract running until June 30, 2021 at t…

Everton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin will miss Saturday s derby clash with Liverpool and the trip to Manchester United next week, Ronald Koeman has confirmed.

The 27-year-old is struggling with a calf problem he picked up in the 4-0 victory over Hull City on March 18 but was pictured this week completing gym work in a bid to recover before the visit to Anfield.

However, manager Koeman says Schneiderlin will not face Jurgen Klopp s side and is unlikely to be fit enough for the match against old club United at Old Trafford next Tuesday.

He s better now but still not available for the weekend, he told Everton TV.

I don t think he will be available for Tuesday but we have good hope that he will be available for the Leicester City game.

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Germany star Thomas Muller and team manger Oliver Bierhoff both rejected speculation of a division within the squad following their shock loss to Mexico at the World Cup.

The world champions have returned to the scene of their 2017 Confederations Cup triumph amid sweltering conditions in Sochi but are facing the heat on and off the pitch ahead of Saturday s crucial showdown with Sweden.

A 1-0 defeat to Mexico has put Germany under pressure and sparked reports of cliques in the team following the country s underwhelming Group F opener.

The topic of disharmony was inevitably raised during Wednesday s news conference after training and Muller dismissed the claims.

Is that confirmed? Do you have a source? No? Ok, Muller said when asked if there were factions…

Bundesliga outfit Hamburg have announced the signing of Greek defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 25-year-old was loaned to HSV, making 15 league appearances last term and scoring 2 goals, and he clearly did enough to secure a permanent move to Imtech Arena.

After the two clubs agreed on a transfer fee, Papadopoulos went on to sign a three-year deal with Hamburg.

The Greek footballer had been considered one of Europe’s most talented defenders when he joined Schalke from Olympiakos back in 2010, but his progress was seriously hindered by a succession of injuries.

Papadopoulos, however, managed to get his career back on track during the loan stint with Hamburg and he will be hoping to continue the rich vein of form.

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Former Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Monaco striker Radamel Falcao are being considered by AC Milan, according to CEO Marco Fassone.

Ibrahimovic is a free agent and recovering from a serious knee injury after he was released by United and the 35-year-old has been linked with a return to Milan.

He spent two seasons at San Siro, winning the Serie A title in 2010-11.

Falcao has also emerged as a possible signing to join the Milan revolution, which already includes Leonardo Bonucci, Andre Silva, Lucas Biglia, Andrea Conti, Hakan Calhanoglu, Ricardo Rodriguez, Mateo Musacchio, Franck Kessie and Fabio Borini.

Asked about Ibrahimovic and Falcao amid links with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Diego Costa, Andrea Belotti and Nikola Kalinic, Fassone told…

that Arsenal have been given in a boost in their hopes of signing James Milner, with the midfielder naming the North London club as preferred next destination.

The England international, who has also been linked with a move to Liverpool, is set to be out of contract in the summer and is seeking a new challenge with City unable to guarantee him of a regular starting berth.

The 29 year old moved to the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2010 from Aston Villa for £26m, and is closing in on two hundred appearances for the club in all competitions, while he has sixteen goals.

His tally of six strikes so far this term is his joint-best in a single season aside from the 2009/10 campaign with Villa, while he has also played for Newcastle United, Leeds United and had a…

Of the 26 clubs in Argentina s Superliga, 12 are based in the province of Buenos Aires. However, there is no rivalry like that between Boca Juniors and River Plate.

The competition between the two fierce adversaries will be ratcheted up several notches when they meet in the final of the Copa Libertadores – South America s premier club competition – for the first time in their history.

No spectacle in football quite matches up to the Superclasico, but why are Boca and River such fierce rivals? It is a story that can be traced back over 100 years.

While they no longer operate in close vicinity in Argentina s sprawling capital city, the two clubs were founded in the working-class port neighbourhood of La Boca.

A merger between La Rosales and Santa Rosa b…