Manchester United staged an unlikely comeback against Sheffield United on Sunday before conceding late on to draw 3-3.
Their first goal came from an unlikely source – Brandon Williams – the 19-year-old left-back who was making consecutive starts for the club for the first time.
He fizzed in a fine strike first-time with his weaker foot, finding the bottom corner to claw the match back to 2-1 and give his side hope of victory, having been outclassed by the Blades for much of the game.
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His contribution was appreciated by many fans and several have taken the time to lavish praise on not only his goal, but his overall display.
He has certainly repaid the faith shown in him by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who left skipper Ashley Young on the bench in favour of the youngster.
As a result, if he continues to perform as he did at Brammall Lane then he could retain his place in the side, and such a prospect would likely appeal to Red Devils’ supporters.
Here is how they have reacted to William’s display.
Ipswich Town have been transformed under the unbelievable reign of Kieran McKenna to date, with the ex-Manchester United coach taking the Tractor Boys all the way up to the Premier League after joining in League One.
The club have also reaped the rewards when it comes to finances in the top flight, making a number of signings in the Premier League. But who is Ipswich Town’s highest earner? Here at FootballFanCast, we’ve ranked every Tractor Boys player in terms of their wages for the 2024/25 season, according to Capology.
Disclaimer: Only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.
1
Kalvin Phillips
£150,000
£7,800,000
2
Axel Tuanzebe
£40,000
£2,080,000
=3
Jens Cajuste
£35,000
£1,820,000
=3
Dara O’Shea
£35,000
£1,820,000
=3
Arijanet Muric
£35,000
£1,820,000
=6
Sam Morsy
£30,000
£1,560,000
=6
Ben Johnson
£30,000
£1,560,000
8
George Hirst
£27,500
£1,430,000
=9
Jacob Greaves
£25,000
£1,300,000
=9
Leif Davis
£25,000
£1,300,000
=9
Sammie Szmodics
£25,000
£1,300,000
=9
Chiedozie Ogbene
£25,000
£1,300,000
=9
Jack Clarke
£25,000
£1,300,000
=14
Liam Delap
£20,000
£1,040,000
=14
Christian Walton
£20,000
£1,040,000
=16
Conor Townsend
£15,000
£780,000
=16
Conor Chaplin
£15,000
£780,000
=16
Julio Enciso
£15,000
£780,000
=19
Massimo Luongo
£10,000
£520,000
=19
Jack Taylor
£10,000
£520,000
=19
Wes Burns
£10,000
£520,000
22
Cameron Burgess
£8,000
£416,000
23
Luke Woolfenden
£7,500
£390,000
=24
Nathan Broadhead
£6,000
£312,000
=24
Omari Hutchinson
£6,000
£312,000
26
Cieran Slicker
£3,000
£156,000
Here's a detailed look at Ipswich Town's top 10 earners… 10 Leif Davis £25,000 per week
Five Ipswich Town players pick up a yearly salary of £1.3m per season, including star left-back Leif Davis.
Signed from Leeds United when the club were in League One, Davis has gone from strength to strength under McKenna and signed his latest contract in 2024.
9 Jacob Greaves £25,000 per week
Also on the same salary is centre-back Jacob Greaves, who Ipswich signed from Hull City after they won promotion to the Premier League.
Greaves signed a five-year deal at Portman Road and has been a regular at the back for the club.
8 George Hirst £27,500 per week
Forward George Hirst initially joined Ipswich Town on loan in January 2023, and after helping the club into the Championship, made his move from Leicester City a permanent one.
Since then, Hirst has impressed in the second and top tiers and is under contract until 2027.
7 Sam Morsy £30,000 per week
Club captain Sam Morsy has been with Ipswich Town since 2021 and has played a key role in taking the club from League One to the Premier League.
The Egyptian hasn’t looked back since leaving Middlesbrough and was rewarded with a new two-year deal in 2024.
6 Ben Johnson £30,000 per week
Ipswich Town were able to offer Ben Johnson a four-year contract on just over £1.5m per season after he left West Ham as a free agent in 2024.
The versatile defender has been in and out of McKenna’s starting line ups after making more than 100 senior appearances for the Hammers.
5 Arijanet Muric £35,000 per week
After Burnley and Ipswich swapped divisions in 2024, goalkeeper Arijanet Muric remained in the Premier League with the Tractor Boys.
The Kosovo international signed a four-year deal at Portman Road on £35,000 per week but has already made numerous errors under McKenna.
4 Dara O’Shea £35,000 per week
Another summer signing on the same wage is defender Dara O’Shea, with the Irishman arriving from West Brom in an initial £12m transfer.
A centre-back who can also play as a right-back, O’Shea is under contract until 2029.
3 Jens Cajuste £35,000 per week
Jens Cajuste was another who made the move to Portman Road in 2024, joining on loan from Italian giants Napoli.
A Sweden international, Cajuste picks up £1.82m a year and Ipswich also have an option to make a deal permanent at the end of the season.
2 Axel Tuanzebe £40,000 per week
Axel Tuanzebe
After struggling to make an impact at Manchester United and following various loan spells, Ipswich Town signed Axel Tuanzebe on a free transfer in 2023.
The defender impressed and helped the Tractor Boys win promotion to the top flight, which resulted in his contract being extended by a further 12 months.
1 Kalvin Phillips £150,000 per week
The current top earner at Ipswich Town is loanee Kalvin Phillips, who was arguably the Tractor Boys’ biggest signing of the summer.
Signed from Manchester City for the 2024/25 campaign, the holding midfielder picks up just under £8m a year, although there is no option to buy in a loan deal.
A marquee Chelsea player was quizzed about his future at Stamford Bridge this week, and about the prospect of joining one specific club.
Chelsea return to action against Bournemouth this weekend
Following the September international break, Enzo Maresca has been preparing his squad for their first Premier League game back in action, as the Blues gear up to play Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
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Chelsea head into the contest on a promising run of form, barring their opening weekend defeat to champions Man City. Maresca's side put Wolves to the sword with a 6-2 win at Molineux, and were very unfortunate not to beat Crystal Palace in their last game, instead settling for a 1-1 draw.
The west Londoners dominated their derby against Palace, repeatedly knocking on the door and creating a host of chances, but Chelsea weren't quite ruthless enough on the day and were constantly denied by an excellent Dean Henderson in the Eagles net.
Player
Match Rating
Cole Palmer
7.6
Nicolas Jackson
7.2
Moises Caicedo
7.2
Eberechi Eze
7.2
Dean Henderson
7.1
Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth won't be easy customers, though, as they come into the game off the back of an unbeaten Premier League run.
The Cherries held both Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United to 1-1 draws before sparking an exceptional comeback away to Everton from 2-0 down, eventually seizing all three points at Goodison Park with a smash-and-grab 3-2 victory in the dying minutes.
Bournemouth's tails will be up after their memorable afternoon on Merseyside, so Maresca will need all of his elite Chelsea stars on top form. Centre-backs Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill will be instrumental in stopping Bournemouth, with the duo starting all three of their opening league games thus far.
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana.
"Fofana's a really good player and I really enjoy playing with him," said Colwill on playing alongside Fofana.
"He’s so aggressive and I think we complement each other really well. Behind the scenes he’s such a great lad. I get on really well with him and I think everyone in the team gets on really well with him.
"We’ve created loads of chances by building from the back. You can see the way the gaffer wants us to play and there's definitely loads of positives to take. We are building. We've only had a few games with the new gaffer, but it's really exciting.
"All the players are excited for it and I think the fans should be too."
Wesley Fofana teases move to Marseille from Chelsea
Fofana has been called the next Virgil van Dijk, but has been unfortunate with injuries since making a £75 million move to Chelsea from Leicester City in 2022. However, there are early signs of promise around the 23-year-old, who was actually approached about joining Marseille in the summer.
Speaking to Free FOOT, the defender admitted he considered the Ligue 1 side's offer, as he is a Marseille supporter and holds a deep connection with the club. Fofana teased a future move to Marseille from Chelsea, refusing to rule out that possibility, but also says he's currently concentrating on his time in England.
“I had a conversation that really touched me. I would be lying if I said I didn’t weigh it up. It was from Benatia, Marseille’s sporting director," said Fofana (as transcribed by Chelsea Chronicle).
“It touched me and I think everyone knows why. I thought about it but there you go, the current objective is to succeed at Chelsea, to try and play regularly, and to establish myself at my club.
“But OM, we’ll see one day. I still have a contract until 2029 and we’ll see after that. I have never hidden it, [Marseille] is my city, my club, I am an OM supporter. We’ll see if I end up being at Marseille in a few years, or if I stay at Chelsea for the rest of my career.”
Fofana earns around £200,000-per-week at Chelsea, and he'll be looking to justify those wages over the course of 2024/2025. The Frenchman has made just 23 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions since joining, due to his fitness issues, but now appears to be one of Maresca's favoured centre-backs for this season.
Arsenal could make a £21 million bid to replace defender Takehiro Tomiyasu with an elite club’s highly-rated player in January, as transfer chief Edu Gaspar and the Gunners recruitment team make a head start on next year already.
Arsenal's rumoured transfer targets for 2025
Mikel Arteta watched on as his side spent around £100 million on five key additions in goalkeeper David Raya, defender Riccardo Calafiori, midfielder Mikel Merino, Neto and Raheem Sterling this summer, but there is still work to be done on the squad.
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Kai Havertz has seriously impressed in his centre-forward role, though it is still believed that Arsenal are looking at bringing in another striker to complement the German and Gabriel Jesus.
According to recent reports, Arsenal have already made contact over Benjamin Sesko ahead of a potential swoop in 2025, coming after the RB Leipzig striker rejected a move to north London this year in favour of remaining at his current club.
Considering the likes of Man United and Chelsea also contended for Sesko, Arsenal could face stiff competition to sign the Slovenian starlet, so Edu has alternative options in mind.
Appearances
42
Goals
18
Assists
2
Minutes per goal
115
Minutes played
2,057
Indeed, Arsenal are the rumoured frontrunners to sign Jonathan David from Lille, with the Canada striker out of contract next summer and able to agree pre-contract moves as early as January.
Arteta also wants to strengthen defensively and on the left side, regardless of Calafiori’s arrival before summer deadline day. Arsenal are targeting Alphonso Davies from Bayern Munich, according to some other reports, which could throw Jakub Kiwior’s long-term future into doubt.
The same can be said of Tomiyasu, who is yet to feature for Arsenal this campaign after injuring his knee in pre-season. The Japan international also missed 13 games with a calf injury last campaign, with his fitness record proving to be a cause for concern.
Arsenal could make £21m bid for Yann Bisseck to replace Tomiyasu
As per Inter Live, Arsenal would be willing to offer Tomiyasu to Inter Milan, but the Nerazzurri are not interested in taking the 25-year-old.
Instead, Edu would have to find a different buyer for Tomiyasu, and once they do, highly-regarded young Inter defender Yann Bisseck is a candidate to replace him.
Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck
Inter Live claim that Arsenal could make a £21 million bid for Bisseck as early as January, with the centre-back only joining Simone Inzaghi’s side at the start of last season from Aarhus.
Bisseck made 21 appearances in all competitions for Inter last campaign, even managing to chip in with two goals and two assists in that time, and the 23-year-old German has been called a “diamond” by Serie A expert Nima Tavallaey Roodsari.
The opening weekend of the new Premier League season will see a London derby showdown between Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Here is Football FanCast’s preview ahead of the action…
When is the match and is it on TV?
Tottenham's Arnaut Danjuma
Kick-off in west London is slated for 2pm on Sunday the 13th of August.
The game will be part of the first Super Sunday doubleheader of the season, and will be the first of two live games shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League on the Sunday.
Who is Brentford’s key player?
Ivan Toney for Brentford
Brentford’s key man is Ivan Toney, but the England international striker will be suspended until mid-January after breaching FA betting rules, leaving others to step up to the plate.
In his place, Cameroon forward Bryan Mbuemo is likely to step up to become Brentford’s main threat. Mbuemo finished the 22/23 season strongly, scoring twice against Spurs in the final weeks of the season.
Who is Spurs’ key player?
harry-kane-manchester-united-spurs
Despite speculation linking him with a move away, Spurs' record goalscorer and captain Harry Kane is undoubtedly the key man in Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Kane scored 30 goals in 38 Premier League games last season, scoring in 26 individual matches. He will surely be crucial to any success Spurs have on the pitch in the upcoming season – as long as they can hold onto him.
How will Brentford line up?
Soccer Football – Premier League – Brentford v West Ham United – Brentford Community Stadium, London, Britain – April 10, 2022 Brentford’s Rico Henry in action with West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen REUTERS/Ian Walton EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account represe
Brentford recently completed the permanent transfer of German youngster Kevin Schade in June for a fee around £22m. Schade should go straight into the lineup in Toney’s absence, along with new goalkeeper Mark Flekken who looks to replace the departing David Raya:
Spurs are chasing want-away Brentford keeper David Raya this summer, and it is likely they get the transfer done. If they get their man, he should make his debut against his former side on opening weekend. Spurs have also been linked with a double move for Leicester attackers James Maddison and Harvey Barnes who would also go straight into the starting XI:
What were the last league meetings between the two teams?
Soccer Football – Premier League – Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur – Brentford Community Stadium, London, Britain – December 26, 2022 Brentford’s Ben Mee in action with Tottenham Hotspur’s Dejan Kulusevski Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Pleas
Brentford and Spurs have only faced off four times in Premier League history following the Bees’ promotion in 2021. No team has managed to get an upper hand in this London rivalry so far:
December 2021 – Spurs 2-0 Brentford April 2022 – Brentford 0-0 Spurs December 2022 – Brentford 2-2 Spurs May 2023 – Spurs 1-3 Brentford
Every Premier League opening day fixture in full
Who is going to win?
It’s a difficult fixture to predict.
Brentford were a difficult test for the top 6 clubs last season, while Spurs will be looking to get off to a fast start under new manager Postecoglou. However, we’re going to back the men in white to get their season off to the perfect start.
Leeds United are preparing for the 2023/24 Championship season after suffering relegation from the Premier League this year, three years on from their monumental return to the top flight after 16 years away.
According to the Daily Mail, Daniel Farke is on the verge of assuming the role of manager at Elland Road, and given his pedigree in England's second tier – winning promotion on two occasions with Norwich City – there are few available bosses better placed to orchestrate a return to prominence.
While United are starting to commence transfer plans following a slow start to the window, it might be wise for Farke to utilise the club's prestigious youth academy and manage the squad's finances aptly.
This shifts attention to Cody Drameh. The rising star completed a successful loan spell last season with Luton Town, who earned promotion to the Premier League for the first time in the side's history, and the 21-year-old could now repeat the feat with his parent club.
How good is Cody Drameh?
Given Leeds' woeful defensive fortunes last term, the crux of their demise, it is hardly likely that Farke will be contented with his current options.
But Drameh now stands in stellar stead to cement a starting berth, with his average 7.09 Sofascore rating in the league last term evidence that he can thrive and provide a different dynamic to the right flank.
Indeed, the marauding ace made 16 appearances after joining the Hatters on a six-month loan in January, registering two assists, averaging 1.6 key passes per game, and 3.1 tackles and 2.6 clearances per outing.
Hailed as a "Duracell bunny" by former Cardiff City boss Steve Morison during his previous loan stint in Wales, the £2.5k-per-week gem's multi-faceted prowess is evidenced through FBref, where he ranks among the top 5% of full-backs for shot-creating actions across the Men's Next 8 divisions – the top leagues below the established European 'big five' – as well as the top 12% for successful take-ons, the top 3% for tackles and the top 1% for blocks per 90.
Given that Luke Ayling has been branded an "idiot" by Jamie Carragher and mustered only a lowly 6.60 Sofascore rating after conceding 78 times in the Premier League – a divisional high tally – the 31-year-old is surely not the answer.
And with Rasmus Kristensen closing in on a move to Serie A side Roma, Drameh could well find the right-back position is his own under Farke's wing.
Kristensen arrived from RB Salzburg one year ago for around £10m and impressed as the campaign drew into the latter stages, scoring three goals after Christmas and establishing a prominent role both on the defensive right flank and the centre.
Drameh boasts the energy and enthusiasm to impress in West Yorkshire next term, and he simply has to be provided with the opportunity to star – perhaps proving the difference as the Whites seek an instant return to the Premier League.
Eddie Howe is close to strengthening his midfield and defence with the expected arrivals of Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento, but Newcastle United's transfer business is far from over.
Despite having the likes of Callum Wilson, Alexander Isak and Allan Saint-Maximin in their ranks, the Magpies outscored just two sides in the top eight of the Premier League last season.
Howe could therefore look to bring in another new attacker this window, with the aim of building a side capable of scoring regularly while continuing to keep out the opposition.
According to football transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus forward Federico Chiesa is one of those being targeted by Newcastle ahead of the new season, alongside Aston Villa who have reportedly offered £52m.
In the view of former Premier League star Paolo Di Canio, that would be the ideal signing for United to make this summer if they are to take the next step.
What would Federico Chiesa bring to Newcastle United?
Howe paired Wilson and Isak together in the latter stages of last season, having alternated between the two prior to that, and that could still be the case even if Chiesa – on £153k per week at Juve, according to Capology – does indeed sign.
As pointed out by Di Canio in an interview with Sky Sport Italia: "[Chiesa] is a devastating player on the wing, especially on counter-attacks. I imagine Chiesa on the left and he could be devastating with Isak up front."
Indeed, if Wilson, Almiron and Chiesa are all fielded, it would leave Saint-Maximin as the odd man out in the front three. Either way, there is no denying Chiesa can bring something a little different to St James' Park and can form a brilliant partnership with centre-forward Isak in particular.
Across Europe's top five leagues over the past 12 months, Chiesa ranks in the top 4% of all attacking midfielders and wingers for assists per 90 minutes (0.42), as per FBref.
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak.
The Italian winger was directly involved in 0.74 goals per 90 minutes in a stop-start Serie A campaign last time out in which he featured 21 times, which compares to 0.48 for Saint-Maximin across 25 Premier League matches.
Miguel Almiron (0.47) and Jacob Murphy (0.43), incidentally, were further down the list and will surely see their playing time diminish more if Chiesa is recruited.
The Italy international likes to cut inside and shoot, but he also has the ability to get the ball into the middle, as highlighted by his 0.63 crosses into the box per 90 minutes last season. Only Kieran Trippier bettered than number last term among Newcastle players (0.70), with Saint-Maximin next highest on 0.32.
As Isak himself said earlier this year, he performs at his best when "connected to the game and involved". On that basis, Chiesa could be just the man to unleash Newcastle's club-record signing, who scored ten times in the Premier League last season but can still bring more.
After all, Chiesa completed 2.63 passes into the final third per 90 minutes, showing his ability to get the ball into the zone Almiron – and indeed Wilson – will be waiting to take over. To put that figure in perspective, Saint-Maximin managed 1.85 per 90.
Whether it is part of a front three with Wilson and Isak, or as an alternative for one of the two, there is no doubt that Chiesa could be the man to help take Newcastle to the next level.
Blackburn Rovers have identified Brighton and Hove Albion prospect Andrew Moran as a target, with the Lancashire side engaged in talks to bring him to Ewood Park on loan this summer, according to TEAMtalk.
Blackburn Rovers transfer news – Andrew Moran identified
Unlike recent years, Rovers have been active early this summer, already bringing two new faces into the club as they look to build on Jon Dahl Tomasson's first season in charge.
Having missed out on the playoffs on the final day of the season through goal difference, the club have got to work early, signing Plymouth Argyle's forward Niall Ennis and Norwegian international Sondre Tronstad on free transfers.
The club has also signed former Tottenham Hotspur youngster Tom Bloxham following the midfielder's release from the North London club.
With Ben Brereton Diaz, Bradley Dack and Daniel Ayala just several names that have departed Ewood Park already, and with a couple of key first-team players like Lewis Travis linked to a move away, the side have plenty of holes to fill and Brighton's young gem is the next name they've identified as a target.
Moran was in blistering form for the Seagulls' U21 side last season and would be an upgrade on Sammie Szmodics, who has been a key player for Tomasson's team since his arrival last summer.
How does Andrew Moran compare to Sammie Szmodics?
While the 19-year-old prodigy didn't enjoy the brightest of starts to life at Rovers, Szmodics really came into his own towards the end of the season and became a vital member of Tomasson's side as they chased a playoff place.
With seven goals and three assists in all competitions, he played a key role in the club's campaign, but replacing him with Moran could actually improve the club's offensive output.
Blackburn's Sammie Szmodics in action with Coventry'sJonathanPanzo
With 11 goals and six assists for Brighton's U21 side last year, including a goal against Blackburn's youth team when the two met in November, the teenager has already shown both a goal-scoring ability and a creative vision that will benefit the side massively.
One of Rovers' biggest issues last season was a lack of firepower up front, so adding Moran, who hit double figures in the Premier League 2, could go a long way to fixing that weakness.
While Szmodics worked best in the no.10 role, Moran has the versatility to play in a number of different positions, including either wing and as an attacking midfielder, so with a long Championship season ahead of them, having a player capable of performing in a variety of areas will benefit Rovers and is just another reason why the 19-year-old is an improvement on the former Peterborough man.
Having been labelled the "Irish Phil Foden" in the past by former Seagulls youth coach Mark Beard, big things are expected of the youngster – who his ex-manager Graham Potter once hailed as a "quality" talent with "huge potential" – going forward and bringing him in on loan would significantly strengthen Rovers' side and offer a big upgrade on the current personnel.
Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made a move to sign a Premier League-proven talent…
What's the latest on Harvey Barnes to Tottenham Hotspur?
That's according to the Daily Mail, who report that Spurs had lodged a £50m double bid for both James Maddison and Harvey Barnes.
It is a move that has been met with widespread ridicule, as Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy continues to short-change his rivals. However, Ange Postecoglou will likely not be as amused, as he seeks to make his first signing since being appointed earlier this month.
Although it is set to be rejected, it does mark a statement of intent from the Lilywhites, who are setting out their plans for the coming transfer window.
However, to tempt only the £35m-rated wide man, they will certainly have to up their price. Leicester City were commanding a fee of £50m for the 25-year-old alone last summer.
Would Harvey Barnes improve Tottenham Hotspur?
As a left winger, his acquisition by Spurs would immediately put Heung-min Son's place in the side under fire, especially after the torrid term the South Korean has just endured, in which his stock plummeted.
The 30-year-old star would score just ten league goals, marking a miserable downturn from the 23 he notched the season prior, and even the 17 the year before that.
Although the north London outfit suffered a poor season themselves, it did not excuse the anonymity of their usually ever-reliable goal machine. This left the attacking burden solely on Harry Kane, who still mustered 30 goals to emphasise this gulf in class.
However, frustratingly for Antonio Conte, Cristian Stellini and eventually Ryan Mason, a lack of viable alternatives meant the former Bayer Leverkusen dynamo still featured in 36 out of their 38 Premier League games.
He could not be dropped to emphasise his unacceptable form, and so he trundled on with his levels below average.
To sign Barnes would give the struggling South Korean some ample competition at last, especially seen as the one-time England international outscored him in a Foxes side that eventually fell to relegation.
His 13 strikes in the most recent Premier League campaign marked a goalscoring career-best for the England gem, who has previously been lauded as a "huge talent" and a truly "special" footballer by journalist Adam Bate in the past.
With sheer pace and a thunderous right foot akin to Son, but at five years his junior, this could be a signing both for the near future and to reignite their once dependable finisher in the present.
heung-min-son-tottenham-hotspur
After all, at the time when pundit Noel Whelan suggested his pairing with Kane was "the best partnership in world football", he was battling for his spot with a more spirited Lucas Moura, Dejan Kulusevski on top form, and Steven Bergwijn.
Barnes could arguably surpass all three of those options, to either usurp Son or spur him back to his brilliant best.
Liverpool lead the race to secure a surprise swoop for Fulham full-back Kenny Tete this summer, who could be viewed as an interesting replacement for James Milner, who has departed Anfield upon the expiry of his contract.
What's the latest on Liverpool's pursuit of Kenny Tete?
That's according to recent reports, with the Dutch defender's future at Craven Cottage up in the air after failing to agree a contract extension with Marco Silva's side.
Tete has just one year left on his current deal and could be available for as little as £10.5m, with Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke now in the driving seat despite further intrigue from two anonymous Premier League outfits and one LaLiga side.
The Cottagers made an emphatic return to the top flight this term and cast aside the 'yo-yo' tag as they recorded a tenth-placed finish, with Tete playing a starring role.
Should Liverpool sign Kenny Tete?
With Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson mere weeks away from his 33rd birthday, it is likely that he will be utilised more sparingly next season, maintaining his leadership skills and galvanising the troops, but no longer taking centre stage on the Anfield grass, having started just 23 times in the league.
It could be that the England veteran slowly transitions into the role that Milner played during his twilight phase on Merseyside, a dependable and dynamic utility option.
While primarily a midfielder, the loss of the 37-year-old Milner has left the right-back position depleted, with 12 of the 61-cap former England international's 41 outings for the Reds this term coming in the defensive position.
And while Trent Alexander-Arnold is the undisputed powerhouse in the right-back position at Anfield, Tete's prospective acquisition could pay dividends by bolstering the fold with a perfect alternative.
demarai-gray-everton-fulham-premier-league
Hailed as a "great asset" for Fulham by chairman Tony Khan upon signing for the club in 2020, the 27-year-old made 31 appearances in the top-flight this season and scored one goal and supplied five assists, recording a laudable average Sofascore rating of 7.09 and completing 1.7 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game.
As per FBref, the £50k-per-week ace ranks among the top 15% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of assists, the top 9% for rate of tackles, the top 3% for interceptions and the top 6% for blocks per 90.
The "sensational" defender – as dubbed by presenter Jack Collins – would clearly be a marked improvement on the ageing Milner, who recorded an average rating of 6.68 this term and boasted just 0.8 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 0.4 clearances per game in the Premier League, branded as "no longer the answer" by talkSPORT's Ade Oladipo in the early phases of the campaign.
For such a paltry fee, Tete would be a wonderful addition to the Reds' team, and could etch his name into the considerable list of shrewd acquisitions to have served as pillars for Klopp's dynasty on Merseyside.