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Liverpool are preparing to defend their Premier League title, with FSG’s ambitions evidenced through the heavy spending that has been enforced over the past few months.

And there’s likely more to come. With Darwin Nunez being touted with a move away, Napoli had been interested but have withdrawn their name due to differences in valuation. Sporting director Richard Hughes is thus perusing the market for a potential striker to lead the line over the coming years.

Nunez’s struggles to adapt to Arne Slot’s tactics were well documented last season, with the Dutch coach even stating that he “can’t accept” the 25-year-old’s work rate after a string of concerning performances in February.

With just one Premier League start to his name since Boxing Day, Nunez was routinely replaced at number nine by Luis Diaz, whose versatility allowed him to moonlight as a focal frontman to a title-winning effect.

However, Diaz may now be on the move.

The latest on Luis Diaz's Liverpool future

Diaz scored 17 goals and provided eight assists across all competitions last season, indeed playing a decent chunk of his football as Liverpool’s makeshift striker.

There’s no denying he was one of the most important parts of Slot’s squad, but Diaz is 28 and entering the second-to-last year in his £55k-per-week contract. In spite of Liverpool turning Barcelona’s approach aside last month, concrete talks for a new deal don’t appear to be forthcoming.

But interest has persisted. Bayern Munich are understood to have recently agreed personal terms with the Colombian, and while Liverpool’s stance remains the same, a lucrative offer could change the narrative.

Diaz is one of the best wingers in the Premier League, in Europe, but if Liverpool receive a compelling offer, there’s just cause for his summer transfer, especially if a new deal on Merseyside isn’t in the pipeline.

And indeed, Slot and Hughes appear to have identified a successor already.

Liverpool lining up Diaz successor

According to RMC Sport over in France, Liverpool have joined the race for Lyon winger Malick Fofana, who is also on Bayern Munich and Marseille’s radar.

Chelsea were previously interested, but their £51.5m signing of Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund should put them out of consideration (emphasis on ‘should’).

Lyon’s financial struggles could ease negotiations for Liverpool, but the Ligue 1 outfit are likely to demand something in the region of €50m (£43m).

What Malick Fofana would bring to Liverpool

Fofana might only be 20 years old, but he’s already established himself as one of the most exciting offensive talents in Europe. Across 62 appearances with Lyon, he’s scored 15 goals and supplied seven assists.

He’s unpolished and would need plenty of coaching to reach Diaz’s slick level as a Premier League powerhouse, but the ingredients are absolutely there. Praised for his “style, swagger and charisma” on the field by journalist Antonio Mango, who was advocating in May for his potential to succeed Diaz at Liverpool, should the South American leave.

Fofana’s pace and power as a winger make the strong suggestion that he’s a tailor-made successor on the left wing. Last season, for example, he hit 17 goal contributions across all competitions despite only starting 23 times, with Mango also calling him a “game-changer”.

Fofana, moreover, has shown himself to have an eye for a wonder goal.

Diaz’s uniqueness will be hard to replace. Not only a dynamic athlete, he is intelligent and happy to perform across any number of roles in order to drive Slot’s project closer toward success.

But there’s a logic to FSG’s hesitance toward extending Diaz’s deal: he’s not exactly proved a winger of sustained prolificness across his time at Anfield, and ebbed and flowed from form throughout points of the 2024/25 campaign.

Diaz and Cody Gakpo equally provided an attacking output that was surpassed only by Mohamed Salah. With signing a new striker on the cards, the reorienting of Liverpool’s goal threat could actually work in Fofana’s favour, allowing him to arrive without the responsibility of emulating Diaz’s form from the off.

Fofana’s limited starting action across all competitions didn’t stop him from displaying a promising clinical edge, though. As per FBref, the Belgium international ranked among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last term for non-penalty goals scored and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90.

Looking at Fofana’s crisp 84% pass rate in Ligue 1 last term, too, there’s surely just cause for Liverpool to push ahead and sign him before one rival or another steals ahead and snaps him up.

Given that Diaz’s stock is sky-high at the moment, Liverpool would also be able to complete this series of moves to their financial benefit, which could prove especially important given that signing a new centre-forward is indeed a matter of priority for the Reds.

With Gakpo easing the pressure on the left flank, signing Fofana before he hits his prime should prove a masterful move from FSG. One which rivals will look back on with envy in the coming years.

He’s not fully developed yet, but there’s so much to like with this Diaz-esque talent. And is that not the Liverpool way?

Hughes lining up Liverpool move for £34m Guehi alternative who's Konate 2.0

Liverpool’s search for a new centre-back continues, amid uncertainty over Ibrahima Konate’s future

By
Robbie Walls

Jul 13, 2025

Leeds United are back in the top flight and could now escalate their pursuit of a talented star who can cover several different positions, according to a report.

Leeds seeking Premier League-ready reinforcements

Being a newly promoted Premier League outfit has come with a considerable level of danger in recent years, but Daniel Farke will be confident his side can do enough in the market to exceed expectations.

Jaka Bijol, Lukas Nmecha and Sebastiaan Bornauw have become early parts of the cavalry, and Paul Robinson is excited over Leeds’ chances of signing either Aaron Ramsdale or Nick Pope to replace Illan Meslier between the sticks.

He stated: “Ramsdale, I’ve said before on record, I’d love him to go to Leeds. I know Leeds are now strongly looking at Nick Pope as well. These are two goalkeepers they have been heavily linked with this summer.

“For Aaron Ramsdale, with the World Cup coming up, he wants to get back into that England reckoning as a real challenger.”

Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri could also emerge as a Leeds target due to financial problems at the French giants that have seen them demoted to Ligue 2, though they may be able to retain their top-flight status subject to the outcome of their appeal.

Farke's new Rutter: Leeds now showing strong interest in £11m star

Leeds United are still in need of attacking reinforcements, ahead of their Premier League return

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By
Robbie Walls

Jul 6, 2025

Left-back is also an area needing to be upgraded at Elland Road after Junior Firpo’s departure, leading the Whites to pursue Lille’s Gabriel Gudmundsson. Drawing up a list of targets, Farke’s men could now be about to throw themselves ahead of rival suitors for another talented left-sided star, per recent developments.

Leeds interested in signing El Hadji Malick Diouf

According to The Sunday Mirror (July 6, print edition) via MOT Leeds News, Leeds could be in a good position to beat competition to sign Slavia Prague’s El Hadji Malick Diouf after West Ham United saw a bid worth £17.25 million plus add-ons thrown out by the Czech outfit.

Jindrich Trpisovsky’s men want to recoup £21.6 million with an initial outlay of £17.25 million for the Senegal international, who is also attracting interest from Nottingham Forest and Atalanta.

Labelled a “UCL Level LB” by Ben Mattinson, Diouf is capable of featuring in left midfield or at left-back and has shot onto the radar of multiple clubs due to his performance in his nation’s 3-1 victory over England last month at the City Ground.

The 6 foot star can also slot into central midfield, but he would be likely to take on importance in a wide role given that Max Wober has joined Werder Bremen on loan for the forthcoming season.

Exploring markets far and wide will give Leeds the best chance of remaining in the top flight, and Diouf could be an intelligent signing to kickstart their new Premier League era under Farke.

Brazilian full-back Wesley said he thought Roma were "crazy" to offer €20 million for him as he laughed about his own performances for Flamengo.

• Wesley felt Roma were 'crazy' to spend €20m on him
• Felt he was forced out by Brazilian club Flamengo
• Speaks about Gasperini's crucial role in Italy move

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wesley joined Italian side Roma from Flamengo in the summer for €20m (£17m/$23m), fending off interest from Serie A rivals Juventus. Despite not being a regular starter at Flamengo, he admitted he initially felt Roma were overpaying, believing he wasn’t yet at that level.

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• WHAT WESLEY SAID

  "When the €20 million offer arrived and I wasn't even playing, I thought: these guys are crazy," he said in an interview with . "€20 million and I'm not even playing, and when I was playing I would miss a pass in front of the cameras. So I asked myself: how can they pay €20 million for me?"

  Wesley had flirted with a move to Atalanta last year, but nothing materialised. When Gian Piero Gasperini returned for him in the summer after taking over as Roma coach, it helped convince the Brazilian to make the move. 

  "When I saw Gasperini had gone to Roma, I thought: 'Wow, he really wants me.' So everything went well," he added. "Once I got there, even the coach surprised me with the way he's making me work. I hope to improve a lot, but obviously it will take time: I won't become Dani Alves overnight, it's impossible. I feel like when a coach wants a player so badly, that means a lot. He called me, he talked to me. There were other offers, but a coach who already wanted you last year, then changes teams and wants you again… that weighed heavily. I just hope to grow with him, like all the players he had at Atalanta."

• WESLEY'S DIFFICULT TIME AT FLAMENGO

  Wesley says things had turned sour for him at Flamengo, but that the situation changed after Chelsea legend Filipe Luis took over as head coach.

  “At first, it was difficult. I couldn't deliver what the coach asked. I tried, but it didn't work. I wasn't affected by the internet; it never will be affected by it," he said. 

  "In 2024, halfway through the year, I wasn't doing well at all. After the FIFA International Day, which I didn't go to, I had 10 games and I was ruined. So, they started asking me to be on the Brazilian national team. Then, Filipe Luís arrived. Filipe Luís' arrival changed everything. For the Copa do Brasil match against Corinthians, he said I would play. Thank God, everything happened. I just have to thank the entire Flamengo fan base for their support."

  In the end, though, he felt he was forced out of the club as Flamengo received a very generous offer from Roma, saying: "It was no longer possible to stay, I wasn't well and nobody wanted me."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WESLEY AND ROMA?

  Wesley has hit the ground running in Rome, starting both of Roma’s opening fixtures and netting the winning goal against Bologna. He will be hoping to repay the faith Gian Piero Gasperini has shown in him.

Gareth Bale lit up the footballing world with both Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid during his career, becoming a five-time Champions League winner at the Bernabeu.

Regarded as Wales’ greatest ever player, Bale somewhat surprisingly called time on his career at the age of just 33 back in 2023.

Since then, Bale’s obsession with golf has grown and the former winger now spends even more time on the course, with his handicap down to an impressive 0.5.

Talking last year, now Grand Slam champion Rory McIlroy was impressed with what he saw from Bale on the course, saying the ex-footballer has the potential to get his handicap to zero (scratch).

Bales has also made guest appearances at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, BMW PGA Pro-Am, the All-Star Ryder Cup match at Marco Simone and The Dunhill Links, but what’s in Bale’s bag out on the course? The whole lot will cost you just shy of £3,000…

Gareth Bale: British manager toughened me up and made me one of the best players in the world

The Welshman gave a lot of credit to his former manager.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 15, 2025

Gareth Bale’s golf clubs in detail

TaylorMade Stealth Driver

Starting with the longest club in the bag, the driver. Bale is currently using the TaylorMade Stealth Driver which has an RRP of £499.

Bale’s driver has a loft of 10.5˚ and the Mitsubishi Tensei 85 TX-Flex shaft, being described as ‘hugely impressive’ with a ‘strong ball flight consistency, especially in the wind’.

TaylorMade Stealth 2 Fairway Wood

Often considered the hardest club to hit in the bag, the fairway wood Bale uses has been labelled ‘a cheat code’ by Golf Monthly.

His TaylorMade Stealth 2 Fairway 4 Wood has a 16.5˚ loft and, like his driver, the Mitsubishi Tensei 85 TX-Flex shaft. The RRP for this wood is £299.

TaylorMade P770 Irons

Continuing the TaylorMade theme, Bale uses the TaylorMade P770 Irons starting at a 3 iron and all the way down to the pitching wedge.

The P770 irons are recommended for golfers with handicaps ranging from scratch to 10 and are ‘designed for golfers who consistently strike the ball well and have a solid understanding of their swing’.

In limited edition phantom black, the P770 irons have an RRP of £1400, and Bale’s grip is the Golf Pride MCC.

TaylorMade MG3 Wedges

Clubs: GW, SW, LW

Bale’s current wedges are the TaylorMade MG3’s, one down from McIlroy and Collin Morikawa’s MG4s.

The Welshman has 50˚, 54˚, 58˚ in his bag, which are thought to be worth around £400 in total. They have a 4.5/5 star rating on Golf Monthly, who state the wedges are ‘extremely high-spinning’ and ‘delivers the control golfers are looking for with ample versatility and a soft, solid feel’.

TaylorMade Spider Tour X Putter

Finishing the bag with one of the most important clubs, the putter, and Bale’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X Putter is the same as McIlroy, who has put it to good use in 2025 as he sits in the top 10 on the PGA tour in strokes gained putting.

With a SuperStroke grip, the RRP is around £299 and is described as ‘one of the most forgiving putters on the market’, with ‘the Spider Tour X design one of the best TaylorMade putters’.

Arsenal are about to wrap up some key summer transfer deals, but Mikel Arteta could also see a host of players go the other way.

Gyokeres would love him: Arsenal eyeing up move for £100m "nightmare"

The international dangerman would be unreal for Arsenal.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 23, 2025

Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres is about to become an Arsenal player after a month of intense talks with the Primeira Liga champions, finally culminating in Fabrizio Romano dropping his famous ‘here we go’ tagline to the move earlier this week.

Plans are in place for Gyokeres to undergo his medical in Singapore and link-up with Arteta’s squad for their pre-season tour of Asia (The Independent), after Arsenal agreed a potential £64 million fee for the forward, including add-ons.

Gyokeres and defender Cristhian Mosquera – Arsenal’s two most recent arrivals – could be joined by a central attacking midfielder, which is seen as their next priority.

Arsenal are still reportedly planning to accelerate a move for Eberechi Eze after sealing Gyokeres (Pete O’Rourke), but they may have to start thinking more about outgoings too, in an attempt to balance the books and err on the side of caution with PSR.

Leandro Trossard has emerged as a recent target for Bayern Munich amid their struggles to land Liverpool forward Luis Diaz, according to Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, and sporting director Andrea Berta could be forced to consider a bid given the Belgian’s contract expires next year.

Meanwhile, Fulham are in talks over another loan deal for Reiss Nelson (Dharmesh Sheth), so there are a couple of opportunities for Arteta to trim the squad before deadline day on September 1.

However, one of the few stars they won’t be prepared to sell is mainstay defender William Saliba.

Agent offers William Saliba to Real Madrid with Arsenal unhappy

The France international has been a pivotal member of Arteta’s defence since the beginning of 2022/2023, forming an unbreakable partnership with Gabriel, and this has attracted interest from Real Madrid.

The La Liga heavyweights are continuously linked with a move for Saliba, and they’re believed to view the ex-Saint-Etienne star as a “game-changer” (Fabrizio Romano).

Only an offer of around £100 million would get Arteta’s side thinking, according to Sky Switzerland’s Sacha Tavolieri, but the Gunners are currently in advancing talks to extend Saliba’s deal.

As per a report from Football Transfers this week, Arsenal are close to agreeing a new long-term contract with Saliba, which comes as very good news for Arteta. However, they’re unhappy with the conduct of his agent, who offered the 24-year-old to Xabi Alonso’s side via a phone call.

Saliba’s representative, Djibril Niang, is said to have fuelled rumours of a departure by contacting Real, and they faced similar situations with him when Edu was sporting director.

Heated exchanges between Edu and Niang apparently nearly resulted in the defender’s exit during his loan spell at Marseille, but luckily for Arsenal, Saliba’s potential extension will quash any possibility of a Real move for the summer.

Liverpool made Premier League history with another late show at Burnley. Mohamed Salah converted a 95th-minute penalty to earn the reigning champions three points at Turf Moor. No top-flight team has ever won four games in a row in such dramatic circumstances, with Arne Slot’s side making a habit of securing vital victories as the clock ticks down.

• Started the season in style at Anfield

  Liverpool opened the defence of their top-flight crown in 2025-26 with a testing home date against Bournemouth. They threw away a two-goal lead in that contest before seeing Federico Chiesa and Salah find the target beyond the 88-minute mark.

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  Dramatic victories over top-four hopefuls

  Teenage wonderkid Rio Ngumoha then hit a 100th-minute winner in a five-goal thriller at Newcastle, before Dominik Szoboszlai struck a stunning 83rd-minute free-kick to secure a 1-0 win over Arsenal at Anfield.

• Salah held his nerve at Turf Moor

  It appeared as though points would be dropped during a visit to Burnley, but a moment of madness from Hannibal Mejbri saw him block the ball with his arm and concede a dramatic penalty. Salah made no mistake when slamming home from 12 yards.

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• How Liverpool made Premier League history

  Liverpool have become the first Premier League team to “win four consecutive games thanks to winning goals scored in the final 10 minutes or later”. They are certainly displaying the spirit of champions.

Nottingham Forest are now “preparing a bid” for a “fantastic” playmaker, who has been a subject of interest for a number of Premier League clubs this summer, journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed.

Forest looking to bolster options at full-back

Ola Aina was one of Nuno’s most important players in the Premier League last season, making 35 appearances, but the manager has set out to bolster his options at right-back ahead of his side’s upcoming European campaign.

Neco Williams has also proven himself as a dependable option on the opposite flank, but given that the Wales international is more accustomed to playing on the opposite side, Nuno may look at bringing in another option at left-back this summer.

Earlier this week, it was revealed the Tricky Trees were in talks to sign Omari Hutchinson, and the forward is not the only Ipswich Town player on the shortlist, with Jacobs taking to X to state that Leif Davis has also emerged as a target.

Nottingham Forest are “preparing a bid” to sign the left-back, who is clearly highly sought-after, with the journalist revealing Ipswich have already knocked back offers from different Premier League clubs this summer.

Nottingham Forest now ready to offer £26m for "superb" international star

The Reds want the move done as soon as possible.

By
Henry Jackson

Aug 8, 2025

Jacobs has since offered a further update on Forest’s pursuit, suggesting that it could be difficult to get a deal done, given the Tractor Boys’ unwillingness to sell.

"Fantastic" Davis could be exciting addition for Forest

The Ipswich defender, who was once dubbed “fantastic” by Cartlon Palmer, poses a real threat on the front foot, as showcased by the fact Kieran McKenna’s side were heavily reliant on the full-back as a playmaker during the 2024-25 campaign.

While the 25-year-old struggled to make much of an impact in the top flight, picking up three assists all season, the attacking numbers he chalked up in the Championship and League one were remarkable.

As such, the Englishman could be an exciting addition from an attacking point of view, and it could be useful for Nuno to have a different type of player to choose from at left-back, given that Williams flourishes from a defensive standpoint.

There may be some concerns about the fact Forest want to sign the £25k-a-week full-back and Hutchinson, given that both players were relegated from the Premier League last season, but Davis’ attacking prowess means it could be a risk worth taking.

Monaco forward Ansu Fati netted a brace after coming off the bench in their weekend clash against Metz. On loan from Barcelona, the 21-year-old struck just a minute after his introduction before adding a second to complete a comeback victory. Fati said the performance was a major confidence boost for both himself and the team following their midweek Champions League defeat to Club Brugge.

• Monaco's win against Metz and Fati's brace

  Monaco ran out 5-2 winners over Metz with debutant Fati marking the occasion with a brace. The visitors struck first through Habib Diallo, but Fati, introduced at half time, needed just a minute to make his impact as he slotted home from Lamine Camara’s cutback. He then doubled his tally with a well timed header from Krepin Diatta’s pinpoint cross, helping Monaco turn the game around in style.

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  Fati's comments after the win

  Fati commented on the win and how much the two goals boosted his confidence, saying: “Yes, of course. That's the case every time you score a goal and contribute something to the team. Those two goals helped us impose ourselves. It's a joy for me too, as a striker, to have that confidence. The coach encouraged me and told me to make the most of it. We knew it wouldn't be easy; every match is important, and after a defeat, it's even more so. We managed to win; that was essential.”

  He added: “It's a joy for me too, as a striker, to have this confidence. The coach encouraged me and told me to make the most of it. We knew it wouldn't be easy; every match is important, and after a defeat, it's even more so.”

• Fati's fresh start at Monaco

  Fati joined Monaco from Barcelona on loan with an option to buy. The Spanish forward enjoyed a dream start at Camp Nou, becoming the club’s youngest ever goalscorer at just 17 years and 40 days old. However, a series of injuries stalled his progress, leading to a loan spell at Brighton during the 2023-24 season, where he struggled to make an impact. After returning to Barcelona and featuring in only 10 games, Fati now sees his move to Monaco as a chance to revive his career, linking up with idol Paul Pogba in the process.

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  Fati's challenges for this season

  Fati will be aiming to stay injury free, rediscover his best form, and play a key role in Monaco’s bid to challenge Paris Saint-Germain for the Ligue 1 title, while also keeping alive his hopes of earning a place in Spain’s 2026 World Cup squad.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including Pulisic's continued dominance

There’s no slowing Christian Pulisic right now, and we’re running out of superlatives for the American star. Simply put, he’s a man in form.

Pulisic was once again the headliner in this weekend's slate of Americans Abroad, as the AC Milan star added a goal and an assist to his recent tally. With that, he's up to four goals and two assists in just four Serie A matches. Make no mistake about it: the U.S. men's national team star has been the league's best player to start this 2025-26 season.

He wasn't the only one with an assist this weekend, which turned out to be a fairly productive one for the USMNT stars in Europe. Gladbach's Joe Scally put on a show in the weekend's most chaotic game. Patrick Agyemang added another helper to his tally, too. And then there was Brenden Aaronson, who set up a goal, too, to silence some of the critics over in Leeds.

With USMNT camp looming, several Americans stepped up as the European season really gets into full swing heading into October.

GOAL looks at the major takeaways from this weekend's Americans Abroad.

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  Pulisic steals the show

  Sunday was a statement game for Milan. Riding a strong start to the season, Milan had a date with Napoli, another Serie A contender. Win and maybe the world would believe and Milan was for real. Lose? Well, same old Milan.

  In those types of games, it's vital that a team's best player steps up. That happened on Sunday, as Pulisic led from the front by playing his part in both goals.

  The first was a picture-perfect assist just three minutes in.. It came after he broke free on the left-hand side, showing off his pace to drive the ball forward. Then came the pass, a ball right across the goal line to Alexis Saelemaekers that left little more than a tap-in.

  Pulisic then got a goal of his own before the first half was over, netting his fourth goal in just three games. It proved vital. A second-half red card to Pervis Estupinan also handed Napoli a penalty but, despite the man disadvantage, Milan held onto the 2-1 lead after Kevin De Bruyne buried that spot kick with 30 minutes remaining in the match.

  So, does this mean Milan is for real? Quite possibly. Pulisic, himself, appeared to allude to higher expectations for the club.

   "It sends a message for sure,” Pulisic told CBS Sports Golazo after the result. “That we’re a good team, we’re a strong team, you know we can score goals, but we can defend like this. And we have a good spirit and I think it shows a lot for sure.”

  As long as Pulisic is in this form, the answer is probably "yes." Right now, Milan have Serie A's most undefendable player. Pulisic proved that again on Sunday.

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  Scally's big attacking day

  The questions about Joe Scally are almost universally on the attacking side of the ball. One performance doesn't answer those questions, of course, but the right back showed he can be a factor on that end of the pitch Saturday. 

  Scally provided two assists in Borussia Monchengladbach's 6-4 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in what was surely the weekend's craziest game. While Gladbach were, in general, horrific defensively, Scally made some uncharacteristic contributions on the attacking end, setting up Gladbach's first and last goals from a right wingback position.

  With the U.S. switching to a similar five-at-the-back look last camp, Scally's place seems far from guaranteed. He isn't traditionally an attacking presence. There are also options like Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten and even Tim Weah or Yunus Musah that can fill roles in those wide spots. Scally has a fight to earn a World Cup spot, even with his own versatility. 

  Those assists help.

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  An assist for Agyemang

  In truth, a bulk of the credit goes to Ben Brereton Diaz. It was his touch and long-range finish that made the goal what it was, earning Derby County a 1-1 draw with Wrexham. But Patrick Agyemang's part in it has to be acknowledged, too, as he provided an assist that offered a good glimpse into what he can offer for his new club.

  Agyemang's assist was a flicked on header, one that put Brereton Diaz through. From there, the Chilean international did the rest. Yet, it was Agyemang's play that helped Brereton Diaz make something out of nothing. That, at his core, is what the American forward can do: make things happen from nowhere due to his unique combination of physical and mental skillsets.

  After making the big move to the Championship this summer, Agyemang is just getting started. This was his first start and just his third appearance but, in those three appearances, he's already provided two assists. Despite lacking fitness and sharpness, Agyemang is finding a way to impact games, which is a good sign for a player that will experience a crazy learning curve in his first season abroad.

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  Richards and Palace stand tall again

  Over the last year or so, Liverpool have generally ran rampant through the Premier League. Few teams have given them problems. After this weekend, though, there's no arguing that Chris Richards and Crystal Palace are the biggest thorn in Arne Slot's side.

  After already toppling in the Community Shield, Palace took it to Liverpool again, netting a late winner to earn a 2-1 win. Richards, again, was generally solid, although his inability to clear did lead to Liverpool's goal. Outside of that, though, the Palace defense was near perfect, effectively silencing stars Mohammed Salah and Alexander Isak throughout the game.

  It continues Palace's insane run of form. The club has not lost a competitive match since April, claiming two trophies since while pushing all the way up to third to start this new Premier League season. In total, the run extends 18 games in all competitions. The continuing rise of Richards has played a big part in that, as the defender continues to impress alongside fellow stalwarts Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix in defense.

  Defensively sound and talented enough in attack to scare even top sides like Liverpool, Palace are one of the Premier League's most dangerous teams. 

Soon, it will all be over. Soon, the summer transfer market will have slammed down its shutters, and the noise produced by the Alexander Isak saga will be drowned out by the excitement of another campaign.

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Newcastle United have already started their season, of course, having gone to Villa Park and emerged with a point which could have been three, if only the stylish visitors had had a free-scoring frontman.

Isak remains absent from first-team training and thus match contention, and with Callum Wilson now playing for West Ham United, it’s imperative that PIF succeed in signing one or two high-level frontmen to lead Newcastle back into the Champions League, with hopes of landing another major honour also sitting in the recesses of Magpies’ minds.

Well, progress has trickled along over the past several months, but with the window coming to a head, Newcastle appear to be edging closer to catching their quarry, with Brentford’s Yoane Wissa the top target after a series of rejected bids.

Why Newcastle should sign Wissa

Earlier this week, Newcastle’s second offer for Wissa, worth £35m plus difficult-to-achieve add-ons, was knocked back by the Bees, who are under no obligation to cash in, by any means.

However, Wissa has his heart set on a move to Tyneside, and such a burning passion to play in black and white is something that United must pounce on, for Howe’s system is built on cohesion and hard work and commitment to the cause.

It’s felt that certain Magpies sources, as revealed by The Athletic, are pessimistic over the chances of sealing a move for Wissa before the end of the transfer window, but the player’s dogged determination to join Howe’s squad has kept the flame alive.

An alternative has been earmarked in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jørgen Strand Larsen, but at a reported price of around £60m, a formal approach for the Norwegian would perhaps be a profligate usage of resources.

Wissa is older, but with age comes wisdom, and he proved last year that he has the composure and honed technical ability to score consistently for a club like Newcastle.

Strand Larsen has his strengths, but there’s another Premier League star on the radar who, yes, is raw, but also has a high ceiling and could go from strength to strength under Howe’s tutelage.

Newcastle consider bid for Premier League striker

According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle are considering a proposal for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson before the September 1st transfer deadline, with the 24-year-old up for sale at Stamford Bridge.

Jackson has ebbed and flowed across his two years as Chelsea’s main striker, but it seems like he’s set to jump ship, and Newcastle are prepared to engage in a transfer tussle that could rage into the dying embers of the window.

Chelsea hope to bank £60m for Jackson, a far cry far south of previous suggestions that the Blues would listen only to offers worth £80m, a figure linked to Aston Villa’s own bid to sign the Senegal international.

Why Nicolas Jackson could star at Newcastle

When Chelsea signed Jackson from Villarreal for a fee in the ballpark of £30m two years ago, they landed one of the most promising up-and-comers in the business, with pace, power and potency, as advertised through his meteoric rise in La Liga.

The Premier League swallows many talented hopefuls into its maw, however. Jackson has struggled for consistency and accuracy in front of goal, but a return of 34 goal involvements from 65 matches in England’s top flight is hardly a poor return.

And Jackson, praised for his “special” quality by journalist Rahman Osman, is far more than just a goalscorer. He’s an energetic, interlinking focal point, and Howe would seem the perfect manager to will him into a superstar.

After all, when you’ve got legends such as Thierry Henry waxing lyrical over your potential, there’s clearly something in that skill set that’s worth writing home about.

There’s little question that Jackson has a higher ceiling than Wissa, but given that Newcastle are in for multiple forwards, the two could operate together in contrasting harmony.

Looking at the respective nines’ data from the recent Premier League campaign, it’s clear to see how this would be so.

Wissa takes the crown as the superior finisher, and no mistake, but Jackson is more energetic and more creative, having averaged 1.1 and 0.9 key passes per game over his two years in the Premier League, as recorded by Sofascore, underscoring his value as a mobile forward eager to thread the frontline together.

Wissa is not Isak, of course, but he played his heart out for Brentford last season, producing goalscoring figures that were not all that dissimilar to the Scandinavian star’s.

But, in spite of his sharp link-up play, Wissa lacks the dynamism and roundedness to thrive in Howe’s system as a player of Isak’s ilk. Many consider the Sweden international to be among the most complete strikers in the game.

Enter Jackson. The Chelsea man could reach levels unknown if placed into the Newcastle first team, using his high-speed running and his robustness to combine with Wissa, who has indeed shown himself capable of forging a strong on-field relationship with versatile forwards (Bryan Mbeumo, stand up).

Will Newcastle get it done? Howe needs a new striker or two, to be sure. And in Wissa and Jackson, the trophy-winning manager would have contrasting options to further his project, maybe even leaving the 2024/25 campaign remembered as a springboard toward success of the kind Tyneside has not seen for many, many years.

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