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Pochettino admitted this camp was being used as a period of assessment for Reyna, who did not play vs Panama

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• USMNT lost to Panama in Nations League semifinals
• Reyna went unused in the contest
• Pochettino admits camp is evaluation period for midfielder

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino emphasized that Gio Reyna remains an important player for the squad, but acknowledged that the 22-year-old is still being evaluated by the coaching staff.

  Speaking to the media ahead of the U.S. men's national team's third-place match against Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League, Pochettino noted that he had not yet worked with Reyna before this camp, as the midfielder was an unused substitute in the semifinal loss to Panama.

  The Argentine admitted there was a plan to sub in the Dortmund midfielder if the match against Panama had gone to extra time. However, after conceding a stoppage-time winner to , Reyna remained unused. Ahead of the third-place match against Canada, Pochettino hopes to finally hand him his first competitive minutes of the camp.

  "He’s not playing much at his club, and for us, it was a great opportunity to have an experience with him. Because in June, if he is still at Dortmund, he is going to be involved in the Club World Cup and is not going to have the possibility [to play for the U.S. at the Gold Cup]" Pochettino said. "That is why, I think, for us, with not too much time to work and to get to know the player, I think it was a great opportunity. That doesn't mean that he's ready to play in the way that we expect for him to perform, but I hope that tomorrow he has some minutes."

  Reyna missed both the October and November camps due to injury, making this March roster his first real exposure to Pochettino's leadership with the national team. Given that reality, expectations for his involvement across both matches in this camp were always tempered – something Pochettino acknowledged.

  "The most important thing is how he's showing in every single training session and spending time with us, because I think maybe he’s not at his best. But he’s here for us to try to get to know him and, from there, to help him arrive at his best. That is the reality," Pochettino said. "I am so honest and what I think I see is this important player, who was also an important player in the past. I think it's a player we need to recover and put to the same level as the rest of the players to have the possibility to compete in the World Cup."

  Reyna, who won the Golden Ball as the best player at the 2024 Nations League, has struggled for regular minutes at the club level this season with Borussia Dortmund.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Borussia Dortmund are set to play at the FIFA Club World Cup in the U.S. this summer, and with it being a FIFA-sanctioned tournament, Reyna will not be released to the national team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The same goes for both Tim Weah and Weston McKennie with Juventus, and any Americans on Inter Miami, Seattle Sounders or any other clubs in the competition.

  Asked if the U.S. will make an attempt to try and negotiate the release of anyone participating in the competition, Pochettino shrugged, saying it's not an option, at least for now.

  "No, at the moment we are not discussing about that… We never know about the future of the player. At the moment, we will pay attention in the next months to see what is going on and [determine] if that is a possibility or not," he said. "But even if it's not possible, I think that opens the chance for another player to be here."

  Barring the unforeseen, it means the U.S. will only have Reyna available for this Nations League camp – and potentially – the FIFA international window in early June until the 2025-26 club season begins.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Reyna has played just 322 minutes of regular season action for BVB in the 2024-25 season, starting three matches and making 14 total appearances where he has scored two goals and recorded zero assists.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR REYNA?

  The U.S. clash with Canada on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET for a chance at third-place honors in the competition. It will serve as another chance for Reyna to get minutes with the U.S. this camp, but more importantly, an opportunity for Pochettino to get an important win under his belt against the likes of and manager Jesse Marsch.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has certainly put his money where his mouth is since taking over the reins back in May 2022 from Roman Abramovich.

The American businessman paid £4.25b to take control of the club, but he’s also invested heavily in the playing squad since his arrival.

Boehly has splashed £1.2b on new players, looking to make key additions to make an immediate impact, whilst also keeping one eye on the future with big money spent on young prospects.

Such transfers have allowed Enzo Maresca to take to life at Stamford Bridge like a duck to water, leading the Blues to second place after the first 14 Premier League outings.

It was one window before his arrival that set the club on their way, looking to end their lengthy wait for a league triumph.

Chelsea’s transfer window in the summer of 2023

During the summer of 2023, Chelsea owner Boehly dropped £400m on new signings to try and avoid a repeat of the season prior.

The Blues ended the season in 12th place, their lowest finish for well over a decade, in what was a transitional period after the American’s takeover 12 months earlier.

His statement addition came in the form of midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion, forking out £115m – a British record fee – for the services of the Ecuadorian.

It was the second time in a matter of months the club splashed a fee of over £100m on a player, with Enzo Fernández costing £106.8m in the January before the summer window.

Nicolas Jackson was also signed to add firepower in the attacking areas, now looking to be well worth his £32m fee after his start to 2024/25, which has seen him already score eight times in the Premier League.

However, the club also invested in a crop of youngsters for the future, including one star who arrived in England with huge expectations for the future – but he’s been unable to produce the levels many expected.

The player who Chelsea thought could’ve been their own Neymar

Deivid Washington was just one prospect signed during the aforementioned window, arriving as one of many during an influx of Brazilian youth stars moving to West London.

However, former Santos teammate Angelo Gabriel was another to join the Blues in 2023, having huge expectations placed on his shoulders after being compared to Neymar by former coach Betinho:

The attacker joined at the age of just 18, before being sent on a season-long loan to sister side Strasbourg for the 2023/24 campaign to gain European game time.

He would make 21 Ligue 1 appearances during his temporary stint, failing to score a single goal, but managing to register three assists – leading to analyst Ben Mattinson dubbing him a “world-class” talent.

Angelo was included in Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the USA, impressing against Wrexham, in particular, but was ultimately unable to force his way into Maresca’s plans and departed the Bridge without making a single appearance.

The winger would join Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in the summer in a deal worth £19m – banking a £4m profit despite his lack of impact for the Blues.

He’s since struggled to make a name for himself in the Middle East, scoring just twice since his transfer in the summer – yet to demonstrate why he was so highly rated back in his homeland.

Given his lack of success during the ongoing season, Maresca may have made the right call in allowing him to depart permanently – especially considering the form of the likes of Jackson in recent months.

Undoubtedly, he has huge potential and plenty of time to fulfil such promise, but as of yet, Angelo is yet to demonstrate why he received such high praise during his time at Santos.

Chelsea now prepared to sell "leader" in January so they can sign £83m star

It could be one in, one out at Cobham.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 6, 2024

An ex-Premier League CEO has predicted that Manchester City have "done quite well" in their 115-charge FFP case based on his "trusted sources".

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• Man City hit with 115 charges
• Verdict from legal battle nears
• Ex-CEO says City have "done quite well"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  While City await the verdict of a lengthy legal battle after being hit with 115 charges of alleged financial rule breaches by the Premier League, former Everton and Aston Villa CEO Keith Wyness has weighed in on the matter. According to some of his "trusted sources", Pep Guardiola's men may get a more favourable ruling than some have predicted.

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• WHAT KEITH WYNESS SAID

  He told Football Insider: "All the rumours and there's both sides of the rumour mill are going strongly that Man City are gonna escape, that there's a settlement being done behind the scenes – to the Premier League may well win. So right now you just pick your rumour and see where it goes. My own gut feeling and the sources that I've been trusting so far would tend towards City doing quite well in this case. But I don't think both parties will come out of it unscathed. Let's just wait and see."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  If found guilty, City could face a huge points deduction, but relegation and trophies being chalked off may be more unlikely. Either way, this has been a monumental story in English football and could have a huge impact on the sport going forward as a whole.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  It has been reported that a ruling on this seismic matter is likely to come out before the end of the current season. It is just a matter of wait and see. City are due back in action against Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 30.

Glasgow Rangers have endured their fair share of struggles this season, partly due to the fact they have laboured in front of goal.

Indeed, the Light Blues have scored just 17 Premiership goals across 12 matches. This tally is lower than St Mirren, Dundee United and Dundee, who are all below the club in the table.

Philippe Clement has been forced to persist with Cyriel Dessers as his number nine, yet the Nigerian has found the back of the net just ten times throughout the season so far.

His failings lie in his actual performances, however, as the player prefers to play facing the opposition goal, meaning he fails to link up with others behind him, often leaving the Light Blues playing with ten men during games.

How Clement and the club would love to have a striker who was competent in front of goal but also loved working with the midfield and wingers to create chances and bring others into play.

Alfredo Morelos is a prime example of a former Rangers striker who had all the attributes to not only score regularly but to drop deep when required. Just how well would he get on in this current team if he was at his peak?

Alfredo Morelos’ Rangers statistics

The Colombian forward moved to Ibrox in the summer of 2017 as Pedro Caixinha was looking to build a squad which could topple Celtic and end their domestic dominance.

He cost just £1m, a fee that would prove to be a bargain later on, but at the time, it was certainly a massive gamble.

The striker took to Scottish football with ease, scoring 18 goals during his debut season and this would only get better under the management of Steven Gerrard.

30 goals followed in 2018/19, while another 29 came during the 2019/20 campaign as Morelos thrived under Gerrard’s leadership, expanding his overall game to include linking up with others, rather than just being a main focal point.

He even began to break records too. In November 2020, Morelos scored his 22nd European goal for the Light Blues, breaking Ally McCoist’s record of 21 in the process, proving just how vital he was to the cause.

He won his first major honour with the club in 2021 as they claimed the Premiership title, but the next two seasons would see injury issues and a loss of form impact the player.

With Rangers racing towards the Europa League final in 2022, Morelos suffered an injury on international duty which kept him out for the rest of the season. Had he been fit, the Ibrox side may have defeated Eintracht Frankfurt.

Entering into the last year of his contract, it was clear Morelos’ head wasn’t quite in the right frame of mind as he scored just 12 goals during the 2022/23 season.

At one stage, it looked like the Gers would make a stunning profit on the player, but he chose to leave for free in May 2023 and hasn’t been the same since, currently playing for Atlético Nacional in his homeland.

Following Hamza Igamane’s European exploits, might the Moroccan striker have the potential to turn into Morelos 2.0 for the Light Blues? Especially as the pair share similar qualities.

Hamza Igamane’s Rangers statistics

The Belgian was keen to bring in another striker to bolster his first-team squad and there were several names linked throughout the summer transfer window.

A move for Igamane perhaps went slightly under the radar as not much was known about him. Indeed, he cost the club around £1.7m, which, for someone who had made only 58 senior appearances in his career, appeared a decent sum of money.

It was clear he would be battling it with Dessers and Danilo for the main attacking role in the team, yet this didn’t daunt him, despite taking a few months to finally make an impression at the club.

Igamane had to wait until September to make his first team debut for Rangers, and it came during the Old Firm defeat to Celtic. With ten minutes left, the Moroccan took to the field but didn’t have time to make any meaningful impact.

He was given 25 minutes against Dundee United two weeks later and his arrival on the pitch gave the fans a glimpse of what the future might hold. The striker was full of running and his neat touches and flicks certainly made him more dynamic than Dessers.

It has been on the European stage where the 22-year-old has made his biggest impact. Against FCSB in October, Igamane netted his first goal for the club during their 4-0 win in the Europa League.

Against OGC Nice in midweek, he was even better. Not only did the centre-forward score twice, but he also grabbed an assist, made three key passes and attempted six dribbles, of which two were successful.

The youngster also won four of his five aerial duels and this physical strength, combined with a natural goalscoring instinct and the ability to drop deep, indicates he has shadows of Morelos about him.

That is the verdict of former Dundee United goalkeeper Trevor Carson, at least, who previously claimed on the Open Goal Podcast that there is “a wee bit of Morelos about him”.

If given time to develop, Igamane could be a key part of the club’s future, especially if the display against Nice is a sign of things to come, having been praised for his “unbelievable composure and accuracy” by former Gers striker, Steven Thompson.

Perhaps he is one to watch in the present, as Dessers has struggled largely this season while Danilo is still looking to reach peak fitness.

Could this see the promising starlet achieve more game time in Europe and domestically over the next few weeks? He has the hallmarks of a truly wonderful striker, for that there is no doubt.

The 10 greatest Rangers players of all time – ranked

Rangers have had plenty of legendary players turn out for them over the years.

By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 29, 2024

Celtic secured the first piece of silverware of the Scottish campaign with a win on penalties in the League Cup final at Hampden Park on Sunday.

The Hoops won 5-4 on penalties against their Glasgow rivals after an entertaining, for the neutral, 3-3 draw in regulation time, to win the competition for the first time since Brendan Rodgers returned to the club last summer.

They were twice pegged back by Rangers after going 2-1 and 3-2 up but kept their cool and ended up being perfect from the spot, scoring all five penalties.

The Gers won the competition, beating Aberdeen 1-0 in the final, last year after the Bhoys had been knocked out by Kilmarnock, and they were unable to defend their crown.

It was far from a perfect showing from the Scottish Premiership champions, given that they conceded three times and had to take the match to penalties.

However, there were a number of strong performers on the park for Celtic in the match, as a few of Rodgers’ star players stepped it up on the big stage.

Celtic's top performers against Rangers

Despite letting in three goals, veteran goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was fantastic between the sticks for the Scottish giants with several important stops, and could do little about the goals that were conceded.

The Denmark international, of course, had the telling moment in the match with his brilliant low save from Ridvan Yilmaz’s penalty to provide Daizen Maeda with the opportunity to win the game in the shoot-out.

Summer signing Arne Engels came off the bench to contribute to the victory with an assist for the third goal for Celtic, cutting the ball back to Nicolas Kuhn for the forward to score, before coolly converting from the spot in the penalties.

Maeda and Kuhn, the scorers of the second and third goals, were also impressive on the flanks, with the former brilliantly winning the ball back before racing through to score, as well as finding the back of the net from the penalty spot to win the trophy.

Kuhn’s goal was also superb as the German forward raced down the wing to lay the ball off to Engels before positioning himself perfectly inside the box to finish brilliantly.

However, there were also some players who struggled to showcase the best of their abilities, and one of those was Greg Taylor – despite his goal.

Why Greg Taylor may have secured his departure

The Scotland international was at fault for the opening goal in the match as it was his dreadful pass in the middle of the pitch that went straight to Nedim Bajrami, who eventually scored after Hamza Igamane’s shot was parried out to him in the box.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

BBC Scotland reporter Martin Dowden described it as a “mindless” mistake from the former Kilmarnock man, as his decision to play the ball towards Cameron Carter-Vickers when Igamane and Bajrami were in position to intercept could not be explained.

The 27-year-old earned a player rating of 5/10 from the Daily Record, who wrote that his sloppy passing let the team down, and that the lightweight looked ‘off the pace’ down the left flank.

Taylor did, however, find the back of the net with an equaliser but it was a deflected, low, effort from the edge of the box that may not have caused Jack Butland many problems had it not come off Robin Propper’s boot.

Popular account ‘Everything Celtic’ on X posted that the full-back “just secured his departure” as he “hasn’t been good enough for Celtic for a long time”, adding that they hope the defender is moved on by the end of the January transfer window.

The experienced full-back’s current contract with Celtic is due to expire in the summer of 2025, and this means that he can speak to teams from abroad next month to secure a pre-contract deal elsewhere.

Why Celtic should cash in on Greg Taylor

With this in mind, Rodgers must ruthlessly cash in on the Scottish dud when the January transfer window opens for business, to avoid losing him for nothing next summer.

Taylor can leave on a free transfer at the end of the season and this means that next month’s window is the club’s last chance to rake in a fee, albeit a potentially small one with his deal running down, if there are any sides interested in a swoop for him ahead of the second half of the season.

He has been a fantastic servant for the Hoops over the years, with 194 appearances in all competitions to date, but his departure would open the door for another player to get an opportunity in the left-back spot.

Celtic already have a young talent in the squad in Barcelona loanee Alex Valle and the Spanish dynamo could step up to be the first-choice left-back in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.

His performances in the Premiership in his limited minutes on the pitch this term have been impressive, and he could potentially be an upgrade on Taylor.

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish dud has been dribbled past twice as much on average per game in comparison to his Spanish teammate, which shows that forwards have far more joy in one-on-one battles against him.

They offer a similar threat at the top end of the pitch, with two assists in six games for Valle and four assists in 12 outings for Taylor, but the Barcelona loanee appears to have the edge over him from a defensive perspective.

This shows that Rodgers does have a player with the potential to slot straight into the left-back spot in the starting XI, which is why he could afford to brutally bin Taylor next month if a club comes in with an offer for him.

As bad as Taylor: Rodgers must instantly drop 6/10 Celtic star

Celtic secured the first piece of silverware of the season by defeating Rangers at Hampden.

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By
Matt Dawson

Dec 15, 2024

GOAL writers discuss the USMNT's Nations League disappointment, and where the program goes next after a miserable week

So, there goes the USMNT's footballing hopes for the forseeable future. That's it. Program done. World Cup lost. Move on to 2030, or even 2034, because 2026, on home soil, is a lost cause.

Of course, that's all hyperbole.

The USMNT had a very bad week. But there will be some good ones, too. International football exists on a knife edge. There are seldom gray areas to be found. Still, it's hard to spin back-to-back losses to Panama and Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League with much optimism.

Indeed, USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino comes out of this whole thing with more questions than answers. He still doesn't really know what his best XI is, or which configuration of footballers should start on day one of the 2026 World Cup – he has more than 400 days to figure that out, but the clock is ticking.

And with this summer's Gold Cup likely yielding a depleted squad because of the simultaneous Club World Cup, he is facing a long wait before he is able to put his best side on the pitch.

So what can be learned here? Did anyone impress? Has anyone played their way out of the squad? Did Gio Reyna, Diego Luna and others help – or hurt – their cases? A word, too, for Mexico and Canada. El Tri are back at the top after winning Nations League for the first time. A good Mexico is probably good for world football. Canada boss Jesse Marsch will be disappointed that his side lost in the semifinals, but can take joy from a second straight win over the U.S.

There's a lot to analyze, and GOAL US writers break it all down in the latest edition of… The Rondo.

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  Just how bad were the losses to Panama and Canada for the USMNT?

  Tom Hindle: Well, it wasn't great. Pochettino made all of the right noises about wanting to win this thing, and, uhhh, didn't. So in that sense, objectively, he failed to do what he wanted to do. The manner of the defeats isn't as bad as everyone made it out to be. For the billionth time, the USMNT did not lack effort. It is not a case of "not wanting it enough." They were just tactically outdone, twice, which is objectively a little bit funny. Then again, if you're Pochettino, you'd probably rather learn about all of the bad stuff now than halfway through a World Cup campaign.

  Jacob Schneider: Bad isn't the right way to describe it. It was a pretty pathetic performance. The stars didn't shine, and it felt… slow. The tempo wasn't there, and there was a severe lack of urgency on the ball. It was odd to watch. It was as if the players didn't know each other, lacked chemistry and were waiting for someone else to do something. They were playing self-consciously.

  Ryan Tolmich: Are you a glass half-full or half-empty person? The half-full agrees with Pochettino, who rightly points out that it’s a good thing this happened now and not next summer. It’s a humbling, yes, but a well-timed one. Now then work begins, and it’s clear that there’s much to be addressed. As for the half-empty, the sky is falling! The roster hasn’t turned over nor has it really improved since Qatar. This team isn’t dramatically different from the one that winter and, in many ways, that’s a concern. They’re supposed to be better but they aren’t – at least not yet. Again, there’s a lot of work to be done.

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• Should the USMNT be worried ahead of the 2026 World Cup?

  TH: Most coaches tend to know what their starting XI will be for day one of a major tournament at least a year out. How many guaranteed starters are there for the USMNT right now? Probably Christian Pulisic, Sergino Dest, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson? Chuck in the fact that it's unclear where Pulisic, Adams and McKennie will all play, and only the full backs are set. That's not great.

  JS: Not yet. Pochettino is still in an evaluation phase – although that excuse is out the door after this competition. Come the Gold Cup in June and July, the player pool should be determined. An XI with minor rotation needs to be implemented and that group is that.

  RT: No one will want to hear it, but Pochettino is right: this was timed well. It’ll fire up the group and likely humble them a bit. The injured stars will return, players can make their summer moves and everyone can, eventually, move on. Check back in again after the Gold Cup, though. If that goes south, then we can discuss.

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  What positives can Pochettino take from these games?

  TH: All of the right noises are being made about Diego Luna. And sure? Zoom out, and he was impressive for about 45 minutes against Canada. But therein lies the problem. Are we really getting excited about a backup attacking midfielder, with no clear position, who doesn't sniff this XI at full strength? We shouldn't be. It's like getting gassed after your backup point guard gives you 20 good minutes off the bench. That's a pretty weak outlook.

  JS: On the contrary, Luna was sensational – his creativity will be so, so important for the U.S. against teams where they need some to experiment. Otherwise, Joe Scally's defensive prowess was really impressive – the U.S. have a really talented defender on their roster. Just not sure he fits the mold of Pochettino's style.

  RT: Welcome to the USMNT, Diego Luna! The RSL star is here and here to stay. Pochettino loves his attitude and energy, and there’s plenty to love there going forward. Outside of that, not much. It was a rough week, one that reinforces that spots can and should be up for grabs over the next year.

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  What can Marsch and Canada take from the win over the U.S.?

  TH: That they're pretty good without being elite. The Mexico game was a real chance for them to establish themselves as the best side in CONCACAF. Instead, they conceded inside the first minute, and never really grabbed a foothold thereafter. Marsch will be delighted with the win over the USMNT. But this feels like a missed opportunity to bring home a trophy. Still, with Jonathan David on fire and good performances from the likes of Alistair Johnston and Ismael Kone, there's plenty to be excited about. More to come.

  JS: Marsch cares an awful lot about the program, and their striker situation is set for the foreseeable future. Tani Oluwaseyi and David both really impressed across the two games.

  RT: It just reaffirms what they’ve been saying for some time now: on their best day, they can compete with anyone. Canada have legitimate match-winners in their squad, which often makes the difference. They also have depth and, more importantly, personality. They’re a good team and, while they may not be great in time for 2026, they’re not a team anyone will look forward to playing.

Newcastle United have clicked. Eddie Howe has cut a frustrated figure at times this season, understandably frustrated by his squad’s up-and-down form.

But recent results have reminded Tyneside of the heady quality within this team, so powerful in attack, so oiled in midfield, so sturdy at the rear. Newcastle are into the Carabao Cup semi-final and lurk behind Nottingham Forest, fourth in the Premier League, by five points.

It’s remarkable that the Magpies are capable of producing the football that they do when considering the rueful nature of the summer transfer window, with key targets missed on the wing and in central defence.

At the back in particular, United have been a little light this term, with Sven Botman yet to feature as he recovers from an ACL injury and Jamal Lascelles and Emil Krafth also sidelined long term.

Newcastle are riding a nice stream of form at the moment, but Howe will know that an arrival or two could really hold sway in the coming months when the business end heightens the drama.

Newcastle eyeing January transfer

As per TEAMtalk, Newcastle have been put on red alert after Fikayo Tomori revealed internally that he is open to leaving Serie A side AC Milan in 2025.

The Magpies are seen as ‘long-term admirers of the defender’ and are allegedly the favourites to sign him over any Premier League club.

Tomori has been a mainstay for the Rossoneri over the past several years but fancies a change of scenery. He’s contracted until 2027 so won’t go cheap, with his employers looking for a fee in excess of £25m.

The 27-year-old would ideally want to return to his homeland, and while he would have no shortage of suitors, Newcastle might feel that their finances and need for a new defender could tempt him to sign and play an important part.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

What Fikayo Tomori would bring to Newcastle

Tomori has completed 157 appearances for AC Milan, scoring seven goals and lifting the 2020/21 Serie A title. Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis has described the player as “extraordinary,” crediting him as “one of the pillars of this team.”

However, he’s fallen out of favour under Paulo Fonseca this term, making just three substitute appearances in Serie A since October 9th, albeit featuring prominently throughout his side’s Champions League campaign.

His career on Italian soil has stalled after leaving Stamford Bridge for the bustling city of Milano in June 2021 for about £30m. Now would be the perfect time to try his hand elsewhere, with a steely defensive skillset and sharp ball-playing game making him the perfect type of player for Premier League football.

The £71k-per-week titan is a dependable robust player who is absolutely masterful in the challenge when at his best. In 2021/22, when Milan clinched the Scudetto, he came out on top in an incredible 76% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore.

One of the finest defensive distributors around, Tomori ranks among the top 7% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 16% for passes attempted per 90, as per FBref, with his ball-playing skills even leading the statistical site to draw Arsenal’s William Saliba as one of his most comparable players.

But it’s the Chelsea connection that might prove the biggest temptation for a Newcastle side reaping the rewards of Cobham academy’s bloatedness this season.

Indeed, Lewis Hall is thriving at St. James’ Park after formerly rising through the youth ranks at Chelsea, and Tomori could be the next one to make the move, albeit in differing circumstances.

Why Tomori could be Lewis Hall 2.0

Hall is the cream of Newcastle’s youthful crop right now, but Tino Livramento deserves a mention too. The right-back has displaced Kieran Trippier and is another Cobham graduate to now ply their art on Tyneside.

Tomori might be a bit older than the wide defenders but with age comes experience and he could be a brilliant future partner for someone like Botman, who is expected to return to fitness after his lengthy absence in the next few weeks.

Chelsea’s academy is renowned, and there’s a general sense of frustration in west London concerning the decision to ship Tomori off. He has of course found success in the years since, but if Hall’s efforts this season are anything to go by, it might be worth the investment for yet another one-time Blue.

Indeed, If you look at Hall’s performances in the Premier League this season when compared to Chelsea’s first-choice Marc Cucurella, who has been acknowledged as one of the division’s finest this year, it’s clear that Newcastle have secured a blinder with the versatile ace.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed Hall as “one of the best left-back’s in the Premier League” after his emphatic start to the season, taking the roots of his maiden campaign in black and white and now producing results that will make rivals watch on in envy.

All things considered, Tomori would be a brilliant addition to Howe’s Newcastle system, boasting a track record of fierce defending and slick passing that suggests that he would dovetail right into Toon life.

Newcastle have the money to spend after placating Premier League profit and sustainability problems throughout the summer and failing to convince Crystal Palace to part with Marc Guehi, despite tabling a series of offers reaching sums of £65m.

Both Lascelles and Fabian Schar are out of contract at the end of the current campaign, so a January transfer for a talent such as Tomori would be the perfect way to improve Newcastle’s first team and build some fluency before a summer of anticipated change.

Newcastle favourites to sign amazing Murphy rival who's "like Cole Palmer"

Eddie Howe is on the hunt for a brand new Newcastle United attacker.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Dec 23, 2024

The Germany centre-back rose highest in extra-time to secure victory in what turned into an instant classic

An Antonio Rudiger header in extra-time concluded a chaotic contest between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, his late goal earning Los Blancos a 5-4 aggregate win and spot in the Copa del Rey final. Madrid made things complicated as they fell behind in the tie heading into the final 10 minutes and threw away the lead in stoppage-time, but eventually, inevitably got the job done against a La Real side that never gave in – even in defeat.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg in San Sebastian, Madrid started slowly – and were made to pay. Ander Barrenetxea levelled the tie on aggregate after 16 minutes, running through on goal down the left and threading his shot through the legs of reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. The home side's equaliser was wonderfully crafted, however, as Vinicius Jr fed Endrick, who lifted the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

The visitors had an excellent chance to level things up again when Martin Zubimendi directed a volley on target, but Lunin redeemed his earlier woes with a full-stretch save – and Mikel Oyarzabal skied the ensuing rebound. They were gifted the goal to level the tie soon after, though, when David Alaba inadvertently glanced Pablo Marin's cross into his own net. Alaba had the misfortune of being involved in the next one, too, as he deflected Oyarzabal's shot into the bottom corner.

From there, Madrid woke up. Jude Bellingham made it 3-3 on aggregate with an audacious side-footed volley after a fine piece of set up play from Vinicius before Aurelien Tchouameni seemed certain to have scored the winner as he guided a header past a sprawling Alex Remiro with four minutes left on the clock. But La Real offered another twist, as Oyazarbal found the net with a close-range header in injury time.

Neither side could carve out an opening for most of extra time until Rudiger settled things, rising above three defenders to nod into the far corner and kill off the most dramatic of cup ties.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Santiago Bernabeu…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andriy Lunin (5/10):

  Made to look a bit silly on Barrenetxea's goal and badly misjudged the cross for La Real's fourth, but couldn't really do anything about the other two. Had a couple of air-headed moments otherwise. Not his best day.

  Lucas Vazquez (5/10):

  Decided, very generously, to give Barrenetxea a free run in on goal for the opener, which was pretty much his defining moment on the night.

  Raul Asencio (4/10):

  A bit too overzealous in his tackling and positioning at times.

  David Alaba (4/10):

  A nightmare for the Austrian. One own goal, and another deflection that gave La Real their third.

  Eduardo Camavinga (5/10):

  Skinned in the run up to La Real's second goal and committed the foul that led to Oyarzabal's stoppage-time strike . Dealt with his man well, otherwise.

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  Midfield

  Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

  Pretty miserable, scored what looked like a winning header, and was then pretty miserable again.

  Federico Valverde (5/10):

  One of his less memorable games of the season. Didn't offer much going forward in central midfield, and looked a bit unsteady on the right.

  Jude Bellingham (8/10):

  Full of industry and intent. Scored a wonderful goal, won his tackles, offered defensive cover and played some key passes. Ran his way through cramp for most of extra-time, too.

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  Attack

  Rodrygo (5/10):

  Barely involved in the play, but swung in a lovely ball for Tchouameni's goal, though was rather rusty thereafter.

  Endrick (7/10):

  Tried a bicycle kick early on and took his goal wonderfully. Less involved thereafter, but this was arguably his best hour as a Madrid player.

  Vinicius Jr (8/10):

  A constant nuisance on the wing. Took on defenders relentlessly and picked up two assists.

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  Subs & Manager

  Kylian Mbappe (5/10):

  A few lively moments but not much in the way of quality.

  Luka Modric (6/10):

  Offered a bit of composure to a game that was running away from the hosts.

  Antonio Rudiger (8/10):

  Rose to bury the winner. Hero on the day.

  Fran Garcia (5/10):

  Extra legs for extra-time.

  Brahim Diaz (N/A):

  Barely involved in a few brief moments.

  Arda Guler (7/10):

  Curled in the corner to win it.

  Carlo Ancelotti (6/10):

  What a journey. His team were truly awful at times, then world-class at others. Props are due for getting to a cup final, but this was far trickier than it needed to be.

Peterborough United have eclipsed Barcelona in one statistic after winning the EFL Trophy with a 2-0 win over Birmingham at Wembley.

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• Tom Brady's side beaten in final
• Posh have won all five games they've played at Wembley
• Back-to-back EFL Trophy winners

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Peterborough beat Brady's Birmingham 2-0 at Wembley in the Vertu Trophy final on Sunday, winning the competition in back-to-back seasons. Posh have become the first team to do so, and have also managed to eclipse Barcelona. It is all the more impressive given that Birmingham have already been crowned League One champions, and sit 47 points ahead of Posh in the table.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Darren Ferguson's side have visited Wembley on five occasions, and have won every game they have played at England's national stadium. Barca, by comparison, have won all four of their competitive visits. If they return, they will have the chance to equal the League One side.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Hector Kyprianou also made history in the final, as he became the first ever Cypriot player to score at Wembley. His second goal ultimately clinched the club's triumph.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Posh are 16th in League One and face Stockport County on Friday. They then have a short turnaround before a clash with Barnsley on Monday.

Sunderland have now reached an agreement to sign a new midfielder for Regis Le Bris as they look to bolster their hopes of promotion back to the Premier League in the second half of the campaign.

Sunderland flying high in the Championship

With 18 games left of the Championship campaign, Sunderland sit just three points off the summit of England’s second tier despite currently being fourth.

The Black Cats have scored the third most goals in the competition to date, but face a tough second half of the campaign as they head away to fellow promotion hopefuls Burnley and Leeds United.

The likes of Chris Rigg, Anthony Patterson and Jude Bellingham have all grabbed attention so far for their prodigious talent amid links with clubs across Europe, but the club are keen to add more strength to their ranks as they underline their ambition to secure a return to the Premier League for the first time since the 206/2017 season.

To that end, they are expected to be busy in the January window despite Regis Le Bris outlining how difficult it was to recruit in the winter transfer window.

“It’s not easy to find the right pieces of the jigsaw,” he told the media. “It’s very important to find the right players rather than just focus on recruiting now. We have to be very accurate”

Now, it seems that Sunderland have managed to do just that, in a move that has developed incredibly quickly.

Sunderland reach agreement over astonishing loan move

That comes as multiple outlets now report that Sunderland have reached an agreement to reunite Roma midfielder Enzo Le Fee with Le Bris for the remainder of the campaign.

The Frenchman starred in Ligue 1 before earning a £20m move to Roma over the most recent summer transfer window. However, things have not worked out for him in the Eternal City and he has seen just 319 minutes of Serie A action, starting just twice under a succession of managers at the Stadio Olimpico.

He had been strongly linked with a move away, and Sunderland appear to have won that race after intense speculation, with the player on his way to Wearside for a Thursday medical.

Now, he is set to rejoin Le Bris in a shock move, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that the Black Cats have agreed an initial loan move for the midfielder, who still has almost five years left to run on his £69,000 a week deal in Rome.

Better yet for the Black Cats, it is added that his wages will be fully covered by Roma, who are clearly just keen to see the back of him already, saving around £1.7m for the Wearside outfit over the next six months.

2025 winter transfer window: Every done deal from the Championship

Every winter transfer from the second tier can be found here.

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Stephan Georgiou

Feb 3, 2025

There is an option to buy the 24-year-old set at between €23m and €24m (£20m), and should he help Sunderland get promoted back to the top flight come the end of the campaign that option will become an obligation to buy the France U23 international.

For their part, Sunderland are believed to have pulled off a coup here with his arrival, with Football Expert Zach Lowry claiming that Le Bris has secured an “absolute gem” for the northeast outfit, especially if they are able to return him to his pre-Roma form. Can he be the man to help secure promotion for the Black Cats?