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Having already welcomed Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush this month, Manchester City are now reportedly set to hold talks with another young star over a January deal.

Man City transfer news

The Citizens have been in no mood to waste time this month, instantly welcoming two future stars in Reis and Khusanov to finally add some youthful exuberance to an ageing backline and then instantly turning their focus towards a big-money deal for Marmoush. The Eintracht Frankfurt forward arrived for a reported £59m and should ease the goalscoring responsibility on Erling Haaland.

Speaking for the first time since putting pen to paper, the Egyptian told Manchester City’s official website: “This is a day I will never forget. To sign for Manchester City – one of the best teams in the world – is an amazing feeling. I am delighted, my family are so proud, and we are all very happy to be here in Manchester.

“With Pep, his technical staff and the world-class facilities here, players have everything they need to improve. That was really enticing for me when I had the chance to come here.”

Man City could now sign £40m midfielder on loan before end of deadline day

Pep Guardiola has called him “strong” in the past.

1

By
Henry Jackson

Jan 24, 2025

The Premier League champions are not done there though. According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are now set to hold talks with Sverre Nypan who has flown in to see the project that they are proposing this month. The young Norway midfielder will reportedly take his time with his decision with a move to City potentially including a swift loan exit to Girona.

Still just 18 years old, like Khusanov and Reis, Nypan is undoubtedly one for the future.

"Elite" Nypan can become De Bruyne heir

Having already welcomed the future of their backline, Manchester City can welcome the future of their midfield in Nypan this month. The teenager shares similar qualities to a certain Kevin de Bruyne, who is currently on course to leave The Etihad at the end of his contract this summer, and Ben Mattinson detailed those qualities in an impressive verdict.

The analyst dubbed Nypan an “elite potential talent” before praising his “ability to control the pace of the game” and “decisive” passing ability in the final third – three traits that De Bruyne holds better than most.

With that said, Nypan remains one to watch in the closing stages of the transfer window as Manchester City look to round off what has been an excellent month of young arrivals.

It would be hard to describe this season as anything other than a failure for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners have had to deal with an astounding number of injuries to key players, but even then, their domestic form has been nothing short of shambolic, with a run to the League Cup semi-final their only saving grace in that respect.

Moreover, while the club backed Ange Postecoglou with three first-team additions in the winter transfer window, we can’t help but think he needed one or two more.

Alternatively, perhaps the club were too quick to sell a player in the summer who has since won comparisons to the incredible Jude Bellingham.

Spurs' 2024 departures

Quite a few first-teamers finally left Spurs during the summer, so before getting to the player in question, it’s worth seeing how a couple of them got on, starting with Emerson Royal.

The Brazilian full-back joined the Lilywhites in August 2021 but was never quite able to justify his £25.8m price tag and, after consistently underwhelming, eventually became something of a scapegoat, with former Tottenham player turned pundit Jamie O’Hara going as far as calling him a “liability.”

He was finally sold to AC Milan for around £13m in August, and it would be fair to say that his start to life at the San Siro was somewhat rocky, with Italian football expert James Horncastle writing that his move looked ‘like the biggest donation in the history of Fondazione Milan as the club charitably tries to make his wish to become a footballer come true.’

Appearances

26

Starts

22

Wins

14

Draws

5

Losses

7

Points per Game

1.81

Goals

0

Assists

0

However, he has since become a reasonably important part of the first team, and before his recent calf injury, he had made 26 appearances across all competitions, of which 22 had been starts.

Another defender who left the club in the summer was Joe Rodon, who moved to Leeds United on a permanent deal for around £10m after spending last season on loan with the club at the same time as Archie Gray went the other way.

Thus far, it looks like a move that has panned out perfectly for the Welshman.

Thus far, the centre-back has started 100% of league games for the Whites and played 100% of the minutes, which, when combined with his one start in the FA Cup and League Cup, means he’s made 35 appearances this season for a team that looks destined to win promotion at the second time of asking.

With that said, while both Rodon and Royal are doing well for their respective teams, we can’t imagine Ange regrets letting them leave, which might not be the case for a player who has won comparisons to Bellingham.

The former Spurs ace compared to Bellingham

As a modern midfielder, there probably isn’t a more complimentary modern-day comparison than that of Jude Bellingham, as the former Birmingham City gem has already established himself as one of the best in the world and played a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League triumphs last season.

So, it might surprise some Spurs fans that their former player, Giovani Lo Celso, who was eventually sold back to Real Betis for just £8m in the summer, has recently been likened to the Englishman.

The comparison primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in La Liga this season, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the former Borussia Dortmund star is the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Argentine dynamo.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.45

0.49

Shots

2.09

2.16

Completed Medium Passes

17.0

17.3

Goal-Creating Actions

0.43

0.50

Tackles + Interceptions

2.96

2.87

Successful Take-Ons

1.22

1.38

Carries

41.0

43.6

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, goal-creating actions, tackles plus interceptions, successful take-ons, carries and more, all per 90.

On top of their statistical similarities, the pair can also fulfil a few different roles in the middle of the park, such as attacking, central, or even, at times, defensive midfield.

However, away from the comparison to one of the game’s most exciting superstars, the former Spurs ace has also been having a great season from an output perspective, as even though he’s playing for a midtable side, he’s been able to rack up a haul of eight goals and one assist in just 20 appearances, totalling 1363 minutes.

That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.22 games, or every 151.44 minutes.

Ultimately, Spurs had to clear out a number of players over the summer, so while it was probably the right choice in the long term, we imagine Postecoglou would love to have Lo Celso in his squad today.

Sold by Conte: Spurs dud has seen his valuation soar 2300% since leaving

The talented attacker has enjoyed a relatively successful few years since leaving Spurs.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 20, 2025

West Ham United boss Graham Potter is enamoured by a member of Liverpool’s squad, with the east Londoners now considering a late move in response.

West Ham identify transfer targets in late January swoops

The winter window shuts in just over three days, with the clock ticking and time running out for Potter to acquire much-needed squad upgrades.

West Ham contact Man United in late January move for £120k-per-week player

The Hammers have approached Ruben Amorim’s side.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jan 31, 2025

West Ham’s chase for a striker has been well-documented in particular, following injuries to Niclas Füllkrug and Michail Antonio, with Brighton starlet Evan Ferguson emerging as the club’s top target for the role.

Chelsea (away)

February 3rd

Brentford (home)

February 15th

Arsenal (away)

February 22nd

Leicester City (home)

February 27th

Newcastle United (home)

March 10th

The Irons are believed to be in talks over a deal for Ferguson (ExWHUemployee), however, it has since come to light that West Ham face stiff competition from Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Bournemouth, Everton and Tottenham in what is seen as an “unpredictable” race for the Irishman (Jacob Steinberg).

In the event a move for Ferguson cannot be completed, PSV Eindhoven star Ricardo Pepi could be subject to a second bid from West Ham, after their initial offer for the USA international fell short, according to reports in the Netherlands.

As their pursuit of a new number nine seriously heats up, West Ham are believed to be in the market for a new centre-back as well, while other reports claim that a midfielder could even arrive at the London Stadium.

Turkish media outlet Sozcu reported earlier this week that West Ham made an enquiry over former Liverpool star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is enticed by a return to the Premier League, while it is believed that his former teammate at Anfield, Tyler Morton, is also on Potter’s personal agenda.

The 22-year-old, despite being included in some matchday squads, is yet to make a single English top flight appearance under Arne Slot this season – prompting rumours he could look to quit the Reds.

West Ham consider January move for Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, in a piece for Rousing the Kop, Morton is very highly-rated by Potter, and West Ham are considering a late January move for the midfielder as a result.

It is currently unclear whether they’ll look to bring the England Under-21 international on loan or permanently, but if it is the latter, other reports have suggested that Morton could cost up to £20 million.

Liverpool, for their part, are open to conducting business with interested sides – as Slot has used the player sparingly throughout 2024/2025. Morton spent the 2023/2024 season impressing on loan at Hull City, with Jürgen Klopp praising his development.

“Both are pretty dominant players, involved in a lot of moments,” said Klopp on Morton and Fabio Carvalho in 2024. “Development of both is fantastic.”

MatériaMais Notícias

da supremo： Após a derrota desta terça-feira (8) para o Internacional, por 1 a 0, o São Paulo complicou suas chances de conseguir alcançar uma vaga na Copa Libertadores no próximo ano. Tudo depende de como seguirão os jogos desta quarta-feira (9) de outras equipes que ainda não disputaram a rodada no Brasileirão e que tem o mesmo objetivo que o Tricolor. Durante a coletiva de imprensa pós-jogo, Rogério Ceni afirmou que ainda confia que sua equipe consiga se classificar.

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da betsson：
ATUAÇÕES: Nestor tira chance de “redenção” de Igor Gomes em noite ruim do São Paulo

Veja a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro e simule os próximos jogos

Para o São Paulo conseguir pelo menos uma vaga na pré-Libertadores, é necessário encerrar a temporada entre os oito primeiros colocados da tabela do Brasileirão.Na coletiva após o jogo, o treinador Rogério Ceni disse que os objetivos para o próximo ano são modestos, mas que ainda há a possibilidade de Libertadores.

– Temos os objetivos modestos para o ano que vem. Esse não vencemos, estivemos muito próximos de um título que mudaria todo o rumo da próxima temporada. Ainda temos a possibilidade (de vaga na Libertadores), tem a última rodada. Vamos aguardar os jogos de amanhã para ver esse jogo com o Goiás, mas acho que algumas mudanças serão encaminhas para a temporada de 2023 – disse.

Com o fracasso em casa contra o Internacional, o time segue na nona posição, com 51 pontos. Dependendo dos resultados das próximas partidas e de equipes como o Botafogo, o Tricolor já pode se despedir do sonho.

Mesmo que o encontro com o Colorado tenha sido o último do ano no estádio do Morumbi, o São Paulo ainda vai a campo no domingo (13), contra o Goiás, no estádio da Serrinha.

– Nós só vamos descobrir no término da rodada, vamos sem dúvidas tentar vencer a partida, como tivermos oportunidades hoje. Se tivermos chances, vamos atrás da vitória. Lógico que ficou mais difícil, tem vários times que podem jogar e somar pontos, acredito que ainda exista a possibilidade, mas ao final da última fica mais difícil – completou Ceni.

Captain confident that first-choice XI will come good at World Cup as England mix it up

Andrew Miller06-Mar-2023Jos Buttler admitted that planning for the long term was of greater benefit than any short-term fine-tuning – even in England’s final overseas ODI ahead of this winter’s 50-over World Cup – after they slipped to a 50-run defeat in the third ODI against Bangladesh in Chattogram.With a 2-0 lead already secured from the Dhaka leg, England had already become the first away team to win a bilateral ODI series in Bangladesh since Buttler himself oversaw a 2-1 win in 2016-17.But rather than push for the series clean-sweep, England chose to shuffle their pack, offering – among other changes – a white-ball debut to the legspinner Rehan Ahmed, and a promotion in the batting order for Sam Curran, who came in ahead of Buttler at No.5 and contributed 23 runs to a fourth-wicket stand of 49 with another fringe selection, James Vince.Despite limiting Bangladesh to 246 in another impressive bowling display, in which Rehan was the only player to serve up his full allocation of ten overs, England were eventually undone by the proven wiles of Shakib Al Hasan, who top-scored with 75 from 71 balls before stifling the run-chase with the fine figures of 4 for 35, including his 300th in ODI cricket.”Those numbers speak for themselves, don’t they?” Buttler, England’s white-ball captain, said. “Playing against him, you know what a great challenge it is. If you go back to the 2019 World Cup, his performances were outstanding. He’s a brilliant player.”Buttler, however, was undeterred by the loss, and insisted that the nature of England’s wins in the first two games – in particular the hard-fought centuries from Dawid Malan in the first game and Jason Roy in the second – had given his team ample pointers as to the approach that could prove successful on similar wickets in India this winter.”We changed a few things today and gave an opportunity to people in different ways, but I thought the intensity was still there,” Buttler said. “We certainly believed we could win the game, and if we played well enough, we would have won the game.”But there was an opportunity today to give Rehan a debut, and for Sam to bat at No. 5, and this is the last ODI we play now until September. So, especially in these conditions, it felt like a great chance to gather as much information as we can, and expose people to different situations. If we lost the game, then so be it. But I certainly believed we had a team and a performance that could have won the game today.”James Vince helped England rebuild through the middle overs but was unable to produce the match-defining innings•AP Photo/Aijaz RahiButtler’s phlegmatic attitude reflects an ODI cycle in which England have consistently struggled to field their first-choice XI. Rehan’s selection made him the 39th different player that they’ve used in 36 matches since their victory in the 2019 final, while England’s record in that period, 18 wins and 15 losses, is similarly hit and miss.However, Buttler added that England’s victory in the T20 World Cup in Australia before Christmas – which was achieved in spite of a similarly disrupted build-up – had given him confidence that the squad that comes together in India in seven months’ time will be able to call upon similar experience to overcome their lack of physical preparation.”I think the schedule is hugely challenging to always get your best XI on the field,” Buttler said. “But the game has changed a bit [since] the previous cycle of the World Cup.”Looking back to the T20 World Cup, we probably went into that World Cup having never played our perceived best XI. But then to get into the tournament and go on to win it, that gives you great confidence that, even though we haven’t had the opportunities to always play our best team, international cricket has become [more] focused on the ICC tournaments. I think that’s the way we’re building towards that. And we know that, come the World Cup, we will have the opportunity to pick from everyone who’s available.”England’s first-choice batting unit has been especially depleted in recent months, with Ben Stokes retiring from 50-over cricket due to the relentless demands on England’s multi-format players, and Joe Root also absent from this tour because of the clash with the recent Test series in New Zealand. Had he not already been ruled out with a broken leg, Jonny Bairstow would also have missed this tour for the same reasons.Related

Jacks out of remainder of Bangladesh tour with thigh injury

Shakib Al Hasan's all-round heroics lift Bangladesh to consolation win

Shakib Al Hasan becomes first Bangladesh bowler to take 300 ODI wickets

Yet another 'Shakib Al Hasan Day' rescues Bangladesh in distress

And so, this third ODI was arguably of greatest significance to the likes of Phil Salt and Vince, two of the batters who would appear likeliest to make way in a full-strength squad. Salt was visibly furious with himself when he failed to convert a bright start of 35 from 25 balls into a more substantial performance, while Vince’s 38 from 44 balls was a similarly unfulfilled display.”Everyone is desperate to play well, whether you’re an established player or whether you’re someone who’s potentially seen as on the fringes,” Buttler said. “We know there’s huge quality in those guys, and it’s great to expose them to these conditions but, I think, if you’re looking at the game today, we needed someone to go on and really take ownership of that chase.”One great learning is, when you lose a couple of wickets in clusters in these kinds of conditions, it’s a good time for the opposition to really squeeze you and you feel under pressure. So when you look at the first two games, Malan taking the game all the way through and Jason Roy playing a long innings to score a hundred, yeah, we maybe just missed someone today going on and playing that match-defining innings.”Buttler insisted that England had not lacked “intensity” in their performance, but acknowledged that they had taken the “opportunity” of the dead-rubber scenario to experiment with their options. This included giving Rehan a full quota of overs (England’s eventual player of the series, Adil Rashid, bowled just five) while Curran was given the chance to respond to a tricky situation with the bat, after a 54-run opening stand between Roy and Salt crumbled with the loss of three wickets in the space of eight balls.”He doesn’t lack confidence,” Buttler said, after Rehan – at 18 years and 205 days – had struck with the final ball of his spell for the debut figures of 1 for 62. “He’s very trusting in his ability, which is fantastic for a young guy, and he was willing to bowl to very aggressive fields and challenge himself, which is a great sign moving forward. For a guy on debut, I thought he handled himself brilliantly well.”We are blessed with a lot of allrounders in our squad, and it felt like today was a good chance to use them all,” Buttler added. “I see huge potential in Sam Curran’s batting and today there was an opportunity for him to get higher up the order. So yeah, that’s the thinking behind it.”We played some really good cricket throughout the series, and I’ve spoken a lot about these being great conditions for us to challenge ourselves in.”These are probably the conditions that we would find the hardest as a team. Bangladesh are a tough side to beat in their own conditions. So to win the series, there’s plenty to learn. Things that we’ve done well and areas that we can also improve.”

Michael Jones, Ollie Robinson lead workmanlike victory at Chester-le-Street

David Hopps02-Jun-2023

Michael Jones top-scored for Durham•Getty Images

Anticipation abounds throughout Lancashire that Jos Buttler finally has the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to their Vitality Blast campaign. His presence is something to applaud, but so far it is not going according to plan. A second failure in successive nights accentuated Lancashire’s gloom as they fell to a third successive defeat, Durham completing a workmanlike six-wicket victory with 10 balls to spare.Many imagined that Buttler looked jaded as he completed his Rajasthan Royals’ IPL campaign with three successive ducks, so as much as he officially pronounces that he is “fresh and raring to go” for the Blast, Lancashire will be wary of expecting miracles from his prolonged availability this summer following a dearth in which he has managed only seven appearances in five seasons. It is easy to mentally lose touch with a county as your life moves on: that perhaps represents his greatest challenge.Buttler’s second-ball dismissal against Yorkshire was followed by 11 in 10 balls against Durham at Chester-le-Street before a short ball from Bas de Leede rose more than he expected and he mistimed a pull to mid-on.Convert his run of scores 0-0-0-1-11 into a Hex colour code and it comes up as overwhelmingly black, so those of a mystical nature will imagine a subliminal message at work here that when it comes to the Blast, Buttler faces some dark times. There again, to a non-mathematician at least, the sequence looks vaguely like a binary progression in which the next number might be 111 or something. Struggling to connect or destined to succeed? Nottinghamshire, on Sunday afternoon, is next up, both counties are now desperate for a win, and we may find out more.From the broiling crowds of the IPL to a relatively sedate Friday evening in a Durham market town is not an easy adjustment, especially as half of the 5,000 crowd were still queueing to get into the ground for the 6.30 start. When he played his one shot of note – a square cut against Wayne Parnell – cars were still driving behind the bowler’s arm. Many missed his dismissal. WFH Fridays can’t be a thing in the north-east or else everybody would have been skiving off from lunchtime.Blast aficionados will hope that Buttler discovers simple pleasures in the competition – it is the longest-established T20 tournament that should remind him of his roots after all – but Eoin Morgan became increasingly apathetic before he called time on his Middlesex career and, at 32, perhaps even the player himself is uncertain how things will fall 10 years after he left Somerset for Lancashire for more regular wicketkeeping opportunities.As he lives in London, even his home appearances for Lancashire represent life in a suitcase. And there comes a time when everybody has had enough of that – even if you are guaranteed on-trend hotel offerings of customised experiences, digital conveniences and nose-to-tail menu options.Chester-le-Street is not the easiest place to make your mark, a ground where the pitches often demand considerable labour for batting rewards. Lancashire posted 152 for 9, their first six batters reaching double figures but nobody surpassing Steven Croft’s 34 from 30 balls, an innings ended when Nathan Sowter spotted him advancing down the pitch and dropped one shorter to bowl him through the gate.Sowter, who added Tom Hartley at long on, a crucial moment as Lancashire limped to 18 from their last four overs. The sub fielder, Jonathan Bushnell, took an exceptional diving catch on the rope at backward square to remove Luke Wood off Wayne Parnell, who followed up by yorking Tom Bailey.Sowter has the second-best economy rate in the tournament to date behind Somerset’s Roelof van der Merwe and he is already showing that he can prosper on this sluggish Riverside square. Durham’s acquisitions of Sowter and Ollie Robinson, as spritely as ever in making 39 from 30 balls, could not have been much shrewder.Lancashire’s other England white-ball batters also had starts that they could not see through as Durham’s Netherlands contingent made more of an impact than Ireland’s attack managed at Lord’s.Phil Salt made a clean-hitting start then whipped Brandon Glover dozily to deep square. Liam Livingstone was more painstaking, in captaincy mode, changed gear by twice muscling de Leede for sixes towards the Health Club but the third fell short at long-on, much to the disappointment of any over-excitable personal trainers looking on from the gymnasium windows.Durham did what Durham do on Chester-le-Street nights like this, grinding down the target with little fanfare. Crucially, Lancashire’s spinners could not make the impact that Sowter had earlier. Hartley and Matt Parkinson conceded 67 in eight overs. Michael Jones’ met them with comfort in top-scoring with 43 from 33 balls. Successive straight sixes against Parkinson left Durham 38 short with seven overs and eight wickets left and settled the game. Their only breakthrough coming when Graham Clark pulled over a quicker, flatter one from Hartley.Once again, North Group confounds predictions. Defeats for Lancashire, Notts and Birmingham have left it closer than logic suggested it would be with Worcestershire making the most convincing audition so far as the surprise contenders for a last-eight place.

Pep Guardiola is confident that Kevin De Bruyne, who is leaving Manchester City, will soon have a statue outside the Etihad Stadium.

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• Belgian spent 10 years at the Etihad
• Will depart when contract expires
• Standing secured among club icons

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After taking in 10 memorable years with the Blues, Belgian midfielder De Bruyne has revealed that he will be leaving as a free agent when his contract expires this summer. He will walk away as a modern day legend in the Premier League.

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• Manchester City
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  De Bruyne has won everything with City, including the Champions League, and is assured of a standing among the immortals on the blue half of Manchester. That should, at some stage in the near future, earn him a permanent monument outside the ground that he has graced with such distinction during an era of remarkable success.

• WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

  Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Mike Summerbee, Colin Bell and Francis Lee all have statues at the Etihad. Quizzed on whether De Bruyne will get that treatment, Guardiola told reporters: "Listen, I don't know, but I would bet a lot of money that it is going to happen, that's for sure."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  De Bruyne has been a talismanic presence for Guardiola throughout his trophy-laden reign as City manager, and the Catalan coach said of seeing another iconic figure move on: "A sad day. A happy day for the pleasure personally that I will leave with him. He gives all of us humility and his influence in our success over the last decade – that would have been impossible to imagine without him.

  "A sad day because one of us is leaving. When Vincent left, or Sergio left, or David Silva left, these players with their contribution. It’s a sad day. But we still have 10 games and hopefully 11 that we can enjoy with our fans. He will get, I’m sure, the love."

With the World Cup just more than 400 days away, GOAL looks at how the U.S. squad might look next summer

The World Cup is inching closer and closer but, after a disappointing performance in the last week's CONCACAF Nations League, the U.S. men's national team has never felt further away. Some of the team's very real issues were exposed during this most recent window, and there are just about 14 months remaining for Mauricio Pochettino and his staff to find the solutions.

That's all on top of the challenges that were expected to come over the next year or so. Just a few months into his role, Pocehttino is still learning about his group, and Nations League losses to Panama and Canada will be the harshest lessons yet.

There are still key players he hasn't seen in his brief tenure, including several that could end up starting for the USMNT in the sumer of 2026. Those include Sergino Dest and Folarin Balogun, both of whom have had long-term injury absences.

Of course, some of this roster picks itself. Christian Pulisic isn't going anywhere. Neither is Antonee Robinson, who was a crucial injury absence during the most recent games. Tyler Adams and and Tim Weah are anchors, if healthy. Outside of a select few, though, it's wide open everywhere else heading into the home stretch of this World Cup cycle.

So who's in and who's out? What are the tough calls Pochettino will have to make? Which youngsters have a realistic shot of making the 23-man squad for 2026? GOAL takes a way-too-early look.

• Getty Images
  

  GOALKEEPERS

  GOAL's picks: Patrick Schulte, Zack Steffen, Matt Turner

  Pochettino's top three in this spot seem somewhat clear, although the order could very well be changing. Turner has been the guy since 2021, but a lackluster Nations League run has put that into question. It'll all depends on what he gets up to this summer, as a move from Crystal Palace looks even more vital than it did even a week ago.

  Behind him are a pair of MLS goalkeepers that will just need to stay in-form to remain in the mix. There are other contenders in the league, for sure, but Steffen and Schulte have stood out and have continued to remain part of Pochettino's project. As things stand, it looks like Steffen is the one just ahead of Schulte at the moment but, again, so much can change here when it comes to form.

  One to keep an eye on, though, is Diego Kochen. Teams use their third goalkeeper spot on a rising star fairly often, using it to prep a future No. 1. If the U.S. goes that route, Kochen or Gaga Slonina are candidates.

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• Getty
  

  DEFENDERS

  GOAL's picks: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Sergino Dest, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Joe Scally, Antonee Robinson

  We'll start with the fullback position because that's relatively straightforward. If healthy – and that's a big if after both missed for Nations League – Dest and Robinson are the starting fullbacks. The U.S. misses so much in the final third without them providing options from out wide. Behind them, you have the versatility of Scally, who could also play as a third centerback, as well as several midfielders that can slot in at the fullback spots.

  That allows you to carry more centerbacks and, right now, that picture is far less clear. The team still hasn't really been able to move away from Ream, which is a credit to him and how smart he is, but is also a warning sign that those behind him need to grow a bit more. Of the rest, Richards is a relative lock, with the other spots up for grabs. For Nations League, they originally went to Carter-Vickers, McKenzie and Trusty, but carrying five centerbacks feels a bit heavy.

  Of the younger options, keep an eye on Noahkai Banks, John Tolkin and Caleb Wiley, too, depending on how well they develop with their clubs.

• Getty Images
  

  MIDFIELDERS

  GOAL's picks: Tyler Adams, Johnny Cardoso, Diego Luna, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna, Tanner Tessmann, Malik Tillman

  The eye-catching name is Reyna because, right now, he's the biggest wild card in the USMNT pool. The chances of him playing a key role next summer are just about equal to the chances of him being left out of the squad altogether

  It will all depend on a transfer and, more specifically, how well he plays once he gets one.

  There are other options in Tillman and Luna who can provide attacking flair, so no worries there. McKennie, too, could play as a No. 10. Musah, meanwhile, can be a swiss army knife either out wide or central.

  As for deeper-lying options, the U.S. still need to see a big game out of Cardoso, but there's still time for that – he also missed this camp with injury. Adams is a lock and we'll go with Tessmann for that final spot.

  For those in the mix, Brenden Aaronson is the big exclusion. It's clear that Pochettino wants to see more from him and, at the moment, attacking midfield spots are looking a bit full. Still, the U.S. missed his energy in Nations League, which certainly helps his case for inclusion.

• Getty
  

  FORWARDS

  GOAL's picks: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Haji Wright

  Some really tough calls for Pochettino to make in these spots and, to put it lightly, some major headaches.

  The first issue is the lack of wingers and, more specifically, the lack of pace. Pulisic and Weah are locks but, behind them, there aren't that many out-and-out wingers that have made an impression on Pochettino.

  Zendejas could if he keeps crushing it in Liga MX, while Wright's recent return to injury would give the team depth both at striker and out wide, should the U.S. go that route. There are wingers in the midfield section but, again, they don't have the "stretch the field" pace the U.S. may need in that spot.

  The big exclusion from the forward pool is Sargent. As we all know, forwards are defined by goals and, if he can keep scoring them for his club, that will help his cause.

  Yet it's hard to ignore his USMNT drought – stretching back to 2019 – and, more specifically, the fact that Pochettino turned elsewhere in the Canada game after Sargent missed two scoring opportunities against Panama. Add in the versatility Wright provides, and that decision would be a difficult – but it is one that, at least today, makes sense.

  As for young option on the rise, keep an eye on Paredes. He could be a game-changer out wide once he gets back into the swing of things at Wolfsburg.

The ICC’s Afghanistan Working Group (AWG) has conveyed to the governing body’s board that the country’s government has reiterated its commitment to “fully respect and comply” with the ICC constitution, including agreeing “in principle” to support the development of women’s cricket.The focus was to ensure “diversity and inclusivity, and for the Afghanistan Cricket Board to operate independent from government interference,” an ICC statement following meetings in Melbourne over the weekend said.Related

• IOC will decide if Afghanistan play in the Olympics – ICC CEO Allardice

• Women's cricket 'in peril' but fans rejoice as the game returns to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan

• Afghanistan women's cricket in danger after Taliban's reported opposition

• Cricket Australia confirms postponement of Afghanistan Test

“The meeting was positive and respectful, and the [Afghanistan] government representative was clear in his support for the ICC constitution including in principle for women’s cricket in Afghanistan,” Imran Khwaja, the AWG chair, was quoted as saying. “There are obviously challenges for it to resume but we will continue to work with the ACB to take this forward. The Working Group will closely monitor the commitment undertaken by the Afghanistan government and will continue to report back to the ICC Board.”As things stand, Afghanistan is the only Full Member to have received that status without having an operational women’s team in place. Last year, the ACB had announced its first contracts for women in their quest to build a team, but those efforts were put on the back-burner following the Taliban’s takeover of the administrative affairs of the country in September 2021.At the time, ACB chief executive Hamid Shinwari admitted that the women’s game was “in peril”, even as then acting chairman Azizullah Fazli said women would be allowed to play as long as the players adhered to Islamic rules. Soon after, Afghanistan’s Test in Australia – their first in the country – was called off. Australian sports minister Richard Colbeck said at the time that Afghan athletes would “remain welcome in Australia, but not under the flag of the Taliban”.The men’s ODI World Cup will be a 14-team affair in 2027•Getty Images

Thailand, Nepal, Namibia among hosts for U19 World Cups
Sri Lanka will host the men’s Under-19 World Cup in 2024, while Zimbabwe and Namibia will stage the 2026 edition together. And, as part of the ICC’s attempts to spread the game, Malaysia and Thailand have been named joint hosts of the women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in 2025, while Bangladesh and Nepal will jointly host the 2027 edition of the same tournament.The Under-19 World Cup for women is finally set to take off after a pandemic-enforced delay, with South Africa hosting the inaugural edition in January 2023.Men’s 50-over World Cup in 2027 will feature 14 teams
The ICC has also formulated a qualification pathway for the women’s 2024 T20 World Cup – the ten-team event will have eight automatic qualifiers – the top-three teams from each of the two groups at the 2023 women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, hosts Bangladesh (if they fail to make the cut in 2023), and the next-highest-ranked teams in the ICC rankings when the 2023 edition concludes. The remaining two teams will be identified through the ten-team global qualifying event.The men’s ODI World Cup in 2027 will be a 14-team event, as compared to ten in 2023 in India. South Africa and Zimbabwe will qualify as hosts, along with the next eight teams in the rankings on a date that is yet to be announced. Four others will join these ten via a global qualifier.

West Ham United chiefs have approached a trophy-winning manager over potentially replacing Julen Lopetegui in the London Stadium hot seat, with the man in question learning from one of the very best in ex-Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp.

Lopetegui under pressure at West Ham as club look at successors

Three wins from just 11 Premier League games is objectively a poor return, especially after their summer expenditure of over £120 million on nine major signings.

West Ham could now be offered £204k-per-week PSG player on loan in January

The Hammers really need an extra body in his position.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 22, 2024

Lopetegui’s West Ham have appeared lacklustre and uninspired on the field – branded a “complete mess” by some members of the media – which is far from what David Sullivan was hoping for after ex-head coach David Moyes drew the curtain on his memorable five-year stay at the helm.

This situation is said to be quite “volatile” behind the scenes in east London, with well-connected former West Ham scout Mick Brown recently suggesting that Lopetegui is walking a tightrope.

“The situation at West Ham is very volatile,” he told Football Insider.

Match

Date

Opponent

Competition

Result

#13

09/11/2024

Everton (H)

Premier League

0-0 draw

#12

02/11/2024

Nottingham Forest (A)

Premier League

3-0 loss

#11

27/10/2024

Man United (H)

Premier League

2-1 win

#10

19/10/2024

Tottenham (A)

Premier League

4-1 loss

#9

05/10/2024

Ipswich (H)

Premier League

4-1 win

#8

28/09/2024

Brentford (A)

Premier League

1-1 draw

#7

25/09/2024

Liverpool (A)

Carabao Cup

5-1 loss

#6

21/09/2024

Chelsea (H)

Premier League

3-0 loss

#5

14/09/2024

Fulham (A)

Premier League

1-1 draw

#4

31/08/2024

Man City (H)

Premier League

3-1 loss

#3

28/08/2024

Bournemouth (H)

Carabao Cup

1-0 win

#2

24/08/2024

Crystal Palace (A)

Premier League

2-0 win

#1

17/08/2024

Aston Villa (H)

Premier League

2-1 loss

“He could lose his job and be sacked immediately, at any time, things can change with the click of a finger. I’m not sure how good the relationship between the manager, the sporting director, and the owner is, but at the start of the season, I know it wasn’t good.

“They bought a lot of players for him and not many of them have turned up yet. That’s only put more pressure on him because if they spend big money, they want to see returns.

“From what I’ve heard, they were keen to give him time at first, but that faith is fading quickly.”

According to recent reports, the likes of Sergio Conceicao, Sebastien Hoeness, Maurizio Sarri, Roger Schmidt and Kasper Hjulmand stand out as managers linked with the West Ham job, if they do decide to part company with Lopetegui.

West Ham sound out Edin Terzić to replace Lopetegui

According to talkSPORT, former West Ham backroom coach and ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzić remains in the frame as well.

The 42-year-old, who worked under Jürgen Klopp at Dortmund once upon a time, is out of work after leaving Dortmund – most recently guiding them to a surprise Champions League final against Real Madrid earlier this year.

He also won two domestic German trophies during his time at Signal Iduna Park, and his accomplishments in the Bundesliga haven’t gone unnoticed.

It is believed West Ham have sounded out Terzic over potentially replacing Lopetegui, with Sullivan and Steidten preparing for the “eventuality” that they could have to sack their current boss.