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Liverpool are preparing a massive bid for a “brilliant” holding midfielder who is loved by Pep Guardiola and has been compared to Manchester United star and Real Madrid legend Casemiro, according to a new report.

Liverpool expecting big summer

Despite enjoying a superb first season under Dutch head coach Arne Slot, Liverpool and FSG are not planning to rest on their laurels and are expected to be very busy in the upcoming summer transfer window – especially with a number of players set to leave Anfield.

The most high-profile of the imminent departures is, of course, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who looks likely to join Real Madrid as a free agent at the conclusion of the campaign.

His reported move to the Santiago Bernabeu has split opinion among fans – some feeling the Englishman is deserting his boyhood club, others wishing him luck as he embarks on a new chapter after playing a crucial role in Liverpool’s return to Europe’s elite.

Elsewhere, midfielder Wataru Endo could move on, while Portuguese forward Diogo Jota could also leave, having struggled with persistent injuries and been unable to put together a consistent run of games.

On the incoming front, several names are already being floated.

Liverpool want world's "best player" in £77m deal who'd be Slot’s own Mane

Liverpool are planning to strengthen Arne Slot’s frontline in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 25, 2025

They include Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, West Ham United’s Mohamed Kudus, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak – who is believed to be Liverpool’s top target after a stellar season in which he scored over 25 goals, helped the Magpies lift the EFL Cup, and pushed them to the brink of Champions League qualification.

Liverpool preparing £50m+ Adam Wharton bid

Another player reportedly on Liverpool’s radar is Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.

The Englishman, who has already drawn comparisons to Manchester United star and Real Madrid legend Casemiro, has been superb since joining Palace from Blackburn Rovers in February 2024. His all-action performances in the middle of the park have caught the attention of clubs across Europe, including Real Madrid, and recently earned him a place in the England squad.

According to a new report from The Sun, Liverpool are preparing a £50 million-plus bid for Wharton this summer in an effort to beat out the competition and lure him to Merseyside from Selhurst Park.

The newspaper claims that while Palace have enjoyed an excellent season, reaching the FA Cup final, the lure of Champions League football could prove too strong for Wharton to resist, and that “he may take the chance” to move to Anfield.

Wharton’s performances have earned widespread praise, including from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Speaking ahead of City’s 5-2 win over Palace last month, Pep described the 20-year-old as “an excellent holding midfielder.”

“The impact has been really good, coming from the Championship to the Premier League. Brilliant left foot, a really good player,” Guardiola said.

Even in a frustrating season, Rangers have still had their standout stars and Gers legend Ally McCoist took the time to have his say on two particular players he’d have loved to have played with.

Ally McCoist full of praise for Rangers stars

It’s been a nightmare campaign for the Gers in the Scottish Premiership. They have been a world away from runaway leaders Celtic and are heading into the summer transfer window with it all to do. Those at Ibrox will, however, be hoping that the pending arrival of the 49ers will help turn a new leaf and bridge the gap on their Old Firm rivals once and for all.

The first take that the 49ers will need to tick off their list of priorities will no doubt be hiring a permanent replacement for Philippe Clement, but then their aim should be to keep hold of some of their stars – including two that Ally McCoist name-dropped.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast in partnership with TalkSPORTBET, McCoist was asked which current Ibrox stars he’d like to have played with.

Rangers must go all-out to keep Raskin and Cerny

Many around Ibrox will certainly agree with McCoist’s praise and it’s something that the 49ers should instantly recognise before keeping hold of the two Rangers stars. In the case of Vaclav Cerny, things are slightly more complicated than they could be, however. It’s not just a case of keeping hold of the winger, the Gers must renegotiate their loan deal into a permanent arrival with parent club Wolfsburg.

Meanwhile, keeping hold of Raskin may also prove to be difficult amid reported interest from the likes of Aston Villa and Leeds United. As McCoist mentioned, the Belgian has recently become a full international and is a player who is making “steady improvement”. Whether that’s improvement Rangers can keep up with will certainly be interesting to see this summer.

What is certain though, is that both current stars would have thrived alongside McCoist – the type of player that the 49ers would love to have at their disposal upon their arrival.

Lower-order runs are useful and can change Test matches, but are they worth it if they come at the cost of bowling potency?

Sidharth Monga01-Jul-20252:28

Gill: A second spinner won’t be a bad option if pitch is similar to last Test

India are worried about their long tail. They keep saying 20 wickets are their priority and that they are willing to play four tailenders if that means getting 20 wickets as cheaply as possible, but believe it once you see it with your own two eyes.It is clear by now that Shardul Thakur played the first Test at Headingley primarily because of his batting ability. India have repeatedly called him a “bowling allrounder”, but used him for just 16 overs out of 182.4. Two days out from the second Test, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate was asked why, when the tail hasn’t been contributing anyway, India don’t just go after 20 wickets by playing four proper bowlers plus Ravindra Jadeja. His response politely suggested that it’s great optics to say India can play four tailenders but those advocating it don’t have skin in the game.Related

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“You know when you’re 430 for 3, it’s absolutely fine,” ten Doeschate said, “but when you’re 200 for 5, it’s a very different ball game.”It’s not about optics, though. It is about establishing and living with a philosophy to try to win Test matches. Thakur worked as a fourth fast bowler on spicy pitches in 2021; if India had similar confidence in his bowling on the flatter tracks of 2025, they would have used him more.Since the start of the 2024-25 Australia tour, with the exception of the Perth Test on a spicy pitch, India have struggled to take 20 wickets while staying competitive in a Test match. Thakur, who wasn’t in the squad in Australia, has not really proved to be the solution either.Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have decisions to make•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesIf their nets sessions and public utterances between Headingley and Edgbaston are anything to go by, India seem likely to replace Thakur with Washington Sundar. Captain Shubman Gill said he felt a second spinner could help control the flow of runs when the ball goes soft and India are waiting for the second new ball. Their opponents have the luxury of Ben Stokes, who swung the ball more than anyone else in the first Test, as their fourth quick.India expect the surface – dry underneath patchy grass, according to them – to assist spin, but if they do go ahead with Washington, they basically give up on the wicket-taking threat of wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav, who, albeit in different conditions, was the Player of the Match in their last Test against England before this tour.All things being equal, you absolutely want bowlers who can contribute runs, but Kuldeep and Washington, for all the extra runs the latter can bring, are not exactly equal with the ball. Or you want a seam-bowling allrounder who brings wicket-taking threat. India have neither. This is where their commitment to taking 20 wickets as cheaply as possible gets tested. This is where you see if they put their money where their mouth is.Before you counter any of the team management’s arguments, of course, you must look at it from their point of view in good faith. They probably feel that good lower-order batting doesn’t just bring runs but also deflates the opposition bowling, and gives India the chance of coming back into the game with the bat in many situations. They may also feel that the bowlers might struggle to create pressure without runs on the board. They may even feel that in the likely absence of Jasprit Bumrah, they don’t have the class and the experience in the bowling to take 20 wickets anyway.For all the runs Washington Sundar could bring, does he present the wicket-taking threat of Kuldeep Yadav?•Getty ImagesAll of it seems counterproductive, though. Any reduction to the bowling firepower from Headingley only takes India closer to playing for a draw and taking the win as a bonus if the opportunity presents itself.India need to eliminate all else and condense this debate to runs that extra batting could get them versus runs that extra bowling could prevent by taking wickets quicker. Look at it this way: if you have a wicket-taking attack, a match-winning first-innings total could be 450 rather than 550. Targets could be smaller too. Better bowling attacks don’t increase the batters’ load but reduce it.All the arguments of psychology and pressure can be flipped on their head too. Extra runs on the board can only increase the chance of a draw; runs saved by bowling oppositions out can win you games. One extra threatening bowler gives all the bowlers longer breaks between spells. England’s four fast bowlers bowled 21%, 21%, 18% and 17% of their overs. India’s quicks bowled 24%, 23%, 19% and 9% of their overs. A more equitable workload keeps the bowlers effective for longer.While the team management may have their reasons to prioritise batting depth, and while it might seem like a drastic change to put 20 wickets first, this might just be the time to take that leap of faith. And India haven’t yet ruled it out.

Big-match temperament and growing tactical acumen makes for a compelling package

Matt Roller23-Aug-2023For seven years, the identity of England’s next white-ball captain was clear. Jos Buttler served as Eoin Morgan’s No. 2 between 2015 and 2022, deputising in nine ODIs and five T20Is, and was the obvious successor when Morgan called it a day last year.Now, there is a level of uncertainty. Moeen Ali is Buttler’s vice-captain and has thrived in that role, captaining England to a 4-3 T20I series win in Pakistan last year and making several unheralded contributions to their success in Australia. But Moeen is 36, and unlikely to play ODIs beyond November; next year’s T20 World Cup looks like a natural end-point.Buttler is only 32 and is the strong favourite to captain England into the 50-over World Cup in 2027, but there may well be a vacancy for the white-ball vice-captaincy as soon as next summer. In the short term, there is a three-match ODI series against Ireland in September in which the World Cup squad are unlikely to feature, which will require a stand-in leader; in the long term, there is no standout candidate to succeed Buttler.Enter… Sam Curran? It might seem a left-field suggestion, but at 25, Curran is England’s youngest white-ball regular. His diffident public persona does not suggest an obvious captain in the making, but those who have worked with him speak highly of his cricketing intelligence and leadership credentials. Quietly, he has become a viable contender to eventually succeed Buttler.Curran has only captained six games at senior level, and admits it came as “a big surprise” when Trevor Bayliss asked him if he would deputise as Punjab Kings captain at the IPL earlier this year. “Shikhar [Dhawan] was injured, and Trev just asked, ‘do you fancy doing it?'” he recalls. “I was more than happy to. The games went pretty well and I really enjoyed it. Who knows what will happen?”Under Curran’s leadership, Kings won two out of three – and the wins came away from home against sides that ended up qualifying for the play-offs: Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians. With Curran returning to the UK before Chris Jordan, Surrey’s regular T20 captain, he filled in for another three games at the start of the Vitality Blast.Sam Curran captained opposite Rohit Sharma in the IPL•BCCIAhead of the Hundred, Tom Moody, Oval Invincibles’ head coach, was keen for Curran to take a more active role in leadership, perhaps in part to lessen the burden on Sam Billings – one of two players in the Hundred, along with Buttler, who captains while keeping wicket.Along with Jason Roy, another senior player, Curran has been part of pre-match strategy meetings this season and is part of Invincibles’ leadership group. “It’s just about having chats with analysts and guys who want to chat about different scenarios,” he explains. “Obviously I know Bilbo very well, and we’ve had a lot of conversations.”In-game, Curran often fields at mid-on or mid-off during the Powerplay and returns the ball to the bowler, offering a word of encouragement or advice as he does so. He consults with Billings on reviews, and hurries his team-mates up during end-changes when they fall behind the over-rate.Does he enjoy the tactical side of the game? “Yeah, I do,” Curran says. “It was something new to me, but when I did it, I really enjoyed it. It helps when you’ve got senior players and experience around you.”By his own admission, Curran is “not a massive planner”. Instead, he says he is “a big reaction person”. He explains: “I’m not massive with watching videos. You obviously plan for the game in your mind, but I like turning up on the day and reacting to conditions and dimensions.”Regardless, analysts say that Curran’s reading of the game tends to marry up with their insights – and he has shown that adaptability in his own bowling, most obviously at last year’s T20 World Cup, where he took home the Player of the Tournament award as well as the trophy.Related

• Jordan Cox, Sam Curran ensure thrilling Invincibles win over Superchargers

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In the final, he bowled shrewdly to the MCG’s vast square boundaries. Two of his three wickets came from batters pulling good-length balls to deep midwicket, as he finished his four overs with 3 for 12 to be named Player of the Match.”We are very lucky as players in this day and age,” Curran says. “We’ve got great analysts who work with us who can show you anything you want: videos, trends, match-ups and all those types of things. But for me personally, that might just confuse the game a little bit. I try to react to what’s in front of me.”Perhaps the biggest challenge for Curran would be his workload. England have had bowlers and allrounders as ODI captains before – think Bob Willis, Adam Hollioake, Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood – but not in the modern era of a relentless, three-format international schedule.And Curran is in high demand in franchise leagues: Bayliss made him the most expensive buy in IPL auction history last year, and he has been retained for a second season at MI Cape Town in the SA20. By the time Buttler steps away from the captaincy, the global landscape could look fundamentally different.Curran has not been at his best in the Hundred, scoring 120 runs and taking five wickets across eight group games. But Sunday’s final will provide him with another chance for him to perform on the big stage, and to underline the big-game temperament that has been such a feature of his career.If Invincibles win the men’s trophy for the first time, it will rightly be Billings who takes the plaudits for his savvy leadership over the last four weeks. Yet in Curran, England might well have stumbled upon a long-term option for the limited-overs captaincy.

Qualification scenarios after West Indies put their first points on the board

S Rajesh29-Oct-2021West Indies’ thrilling three-run win against Bangladesh means they are still in the hunt for a semi-final spot. To get there, they must win their last two games and finish on six points. (There is a possibility of five teams finishing on four points with England topping with 10, but given West Indies’ net run rate, that is not a route they’d want to take.)Assuming West Indies finish on six points, here is how they can qualify without NRR coming into play:- England must win at least two of their three remaining matches. That includes beating Australia, and winning at least one of their two remaining games, against Sri Lanka or South Africa.- Australia to lose all three remaining matches. They already have four points, and from West Indies’ point of view, they wouldn’t want any addition to that tally.- Sri Lanka and South Africa to win no more than one of their two remaining matches. Both teams currently have two points, and play each other on Saturday. They also have games against England coming up, which means the team that wins on Saturday should lose to England.- Bangladesh must beat Australia, since Australia already have four. If they lose to South Africa, then South Africa must in turn lose to England so that they don’t move beyond four points.If all of these happen, then West Indies can progress without run rates coming into play. To start with, though, they need to keep their end of the bargain and win their two remaining games – against Sri Lanka on November 4, and Australia on November 6. Given that five more Group 1 matches would have happened by the time they take the field again, they will have a pretty good idea of where they stand before their next game.

كشف مصدر بـ نادي الزمالك عن موافقة القلعة البيضاء على رحيل أحد نجوم فريق الكرة البازرين خلال الفترة المقبلة.

ويعاني الزمالك من أزمات قوية في الفترة الماضية، بسبب عدم قدرته على دفع المستحقات المتأخرة لبعض لاعبيه ومدربيه السابقين، وحرمانه من القيد.

وعلم بطولات، أن هناك اتجاهًا في الزمالك للموافقة على رحيل حسام عبد المجيد خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية في يناير.

ويأتي حسام عبد المجيد، مدافع الفريق الشاب، ضمن أكثر الأسماء التي تحظى بمتابعة واسعة، خاصة بعد بروز اسمه مع الزمالك ومنتخب مصر الأول خلال الأشهر الماضية.

طالع | بشرى سارة لجماهير الزمالك قبل انتقالات يناير

ويأتي موقف إدارة الزمالك حال توفر عرض مادي قوي في ظل عدم وضوح موقف اللاعب بشأن تجديد عقده.

كما يرغب مسؤولو الزمالك في الاستفادة المادية من رحيل اللاعب الذي ينتهي عقده الموسم المقبل.

If you're in the process of building a dynasty in EA Sports FC 26, you will need to invest in young talent – GOAL has you covered.

If you're kicking off a new save in EA Sports FC 26 Career Mode, you simply need to have an eye on the future and that means signing the best young players available. Whether you are a major club looking to secure the talent of the next Lionel Messi or a smaller team looking to make a profit by serving as a stepping-stone, buying high-potential young players is a key aspect of the game.

Here, GOAL brings you the best young players to sign in every position – from strikers and midfielders to defenders and goalkeepers – to help you get off to a flying start in Career Mode.

KEY:

Essential FC 26 readingGuide to EA Sports FC 26 web app & companion appThe best 50 men's players in EA Sports FC 26The best 26 women's players in EA Sports FC 26EA Sports FC 26 soundtrack: Full list of songs & artistsEvery team & competition in EA Sports FC 26

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Getty ImagesBest young strikers & forwards in EA Sports FC 26: Wonderkid CFs & STs

Player Club Age POS CR PR

EndrickReal Madrid19ST7791Francesco CamardaLecce17ST6587Mathys TelTottenham20ST7786Eli Junior KroupiBournemouth19ST7485Conrad HarderRB Leipzig20ST7485Charalampos KostoulasBrighton18ST7285Chido ObiMan Utd17ST6584Christian KofaneBayer Leverkusen19ST6884Marc GuiuChelsea19ST7184Francesco Pio EspositoLombardia20ST7284Jeronimo DominaUnion Santa Fe19ST7084Nelson WeiperMainz20ST7084Santiago CastroBologna20ST7684Kaye FuroClub Brugge18ST6383Kaua EliasShakhtar Donetsk19ST7183

Real Madrid's Brazilian striker Endrick remains the best young striker in EA Sports FC 26, having also been deemed the forward with the most potential in FC 25. His rating at the beginning of the game is 77, but he has an exceptionally high ceiling of 91 – a rating which, if reached, would place him at a similar stature to players such as Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.

AC Milan youngster Francesco Camarda, who is on loan at Lecce in the game, follows Endrick in the potential stakes, with a possible rating of 87, putting him slightly ahead of Tottenham's Mathys Tel, whose potential is 86. Manchester United fans will be excited to see how Chido Obi develops, with the teen boasting a potential rating of 84 in the game.

AdvertisementGettyBest young midfielders in EA Sports FC 26: Wonderkid CAMs, RWs, LWs, CMs & CDMs

Player Club Age POS CR PR

Lamine YamalBarcelona18RM8995Desire DouePSG20RW8591Joao NevesPSG20CM8590EstevaoChelsea18RM7889Jorthy MokioAjax17CDM7089Kenan YildizJuventus20CAM7989Arda GulerReal Madrid20RM8189Rodrigo MoraPorto18CAM7689Rio NgumohaLiverpool17LM6888Franco MastantuonoReal Madrid18CAM7788Geovany QuendaSporting18RM7688Antonio NusaRB Leipzig20LM7688Pablo GarciaReal Betis19RM6887Assane Diao DiaouneComo20LM7687Lucas BergvallTottenham19CM7787Ethan NwaneriArsenal18RW7687Warren Zaire-EmeryPSG19CM8087Arthur VermeerenMarseille20CM7787Julien DuranvilleBorussia Dortmund19RM7287Kees SmitAZ19CAM7287Lennart KarlBayern Munich17CAM6386Ayyoub BouaddiLOSC Lille17CM7586Konstantinos KaretsasGenk17CAM7086Maher CarizzoVelez19RM7286Joao CostaAl Ettifaq20RM7186

It will come as little surprise to learn that Lamine Yamal is the best young midfielder in EA Sports FC 26 and, given that he is just 18, he will likely be so for the next few years. The Barcelona wonderkid is already one of the best players in the game and boasts a potential rating of 95, which means he is capable of emulating talents such as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Paris Saint-Germain duo Desire Doue and Joao Neves follow Yamal, with potential ratings of 91 and 90 respectively, while the likes of Chelsea's Estevao (PR: 89) and Ajax defensive midfielder Jorthy Mokio (PR: 89) will be sought-after talents, especially if you are in control of a bigger club. Liverpool's exciting winger Rio Ngumoha leads an array of 17-year-old talents in our list, with the Anfield sensation possessing a potential rating of 88.

Other intriguing talents within that 17-year-old cohort, include Bayern Munich youth Lennart Karl (PRL 86), Lille central midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi (PR: 86) and Genk's Greek CAM Konstantinos Karetsas (PR: 86).

Getty Images SportBest young defenders in EA Sports FC 26: Wonderkid CBs, LBs & RBs

Player Club Age POS CR PR

Dean HuijsenReal Madrid20CB8289Jorrel HatoChelsea19LB7889Pau CubarsiBarcelona18CB8288Givairo ReadFeyenoord19RB7588Finn JeltschStuttgart19CB7287Myles Lewis-SkellyArsenal18LB7887Luka VuskovicHamburg18CB7287El Chadaille BitshiabuRB Leipzig20CB7587Pietro ComuzzoFiorentina20CB7486Leny YoroMan Utd19CB7886Joaquin SeysClub Brugge20RB7386Joane GadouRB Salzburg18CB6685YarekPSV20CB7385Pau NavarroVillarreal20CB7085Jan-Carlo SimicAl-Ittihad20CB7085Diego LeonMan Utd18LB6485Martim FernandesPorto19RB7585Josh AcheampongChelsea19RB7085Tobias PalacioArgentinos Juniors18CB6985Ayden HeavenMan Utd18CB6984

The two best young centre-backs in EA Sports FC 26 both play for Spain, but on either side of the Clásico divide. Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen (PR: 89) and Barcelona's Pau Cubarsi (PR: 88), look set to form the defensive foundation for La Roja for years to come. German youth Finn Jeltsch and Croatian centre-half Jusko Vuskovic aren't far behind, with each boasting a potential rating of 87.

Chelsea's Jorrel Hato is the best young left-back in the game, while the best young right-back is Givairo Read, who plays for Feyenoord. Manchester United should be well set for the future, with Leny Yoro, Diego Leon and Ayden Heaven all among the brightest young defensive talents in the game.

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Best young goalkeepers in EA Sports FC 25: Wonderkid GKs

Player Club Age POS CR PR

Guillaume RestesToulouse20GK7886Matthieu EpoloStandard Liege20GK7385Dennis SeimenPaderborn19GK6684Mike PendersStrasbourg20GK7384Lucca BrughmansGenk17GK5982Tiago Pereira CardosoBorussia Monchengladbach19GK6782Robin RisserLens20GK7282Ewen JaouenReims19GK6882Mathys NifloreDunkerque18GK6381Joeri HeerkensAjax19GK6480

While he is getting to the older end of the wonderkid grouping, Guillaume Restes continues to be the best young goalkeeper in the game. However, the Toulouse shot-stoppers's potential has dropped from 88 to 86 in EA Sports FC 26. Matthieu Epolo has a similar ceiling (PR: 85), while German goalkeeper Dennis Seimen is still among the best young net-minders around.

France appears to be a fertile ground for goalkeeper talent, with the likes of Robin Risser, Ewen Jaouen and Mathys Niflore all plying their trade in the country.

The USMNT have been told what represents a successful 2026 World Cup, with Brad Friedel looking ahead to the tournament in an exclusive interview with GOAL. Mauricio Pochettino’s side are being challenged to reach the knockout stages on home soil, but there will be “no shame” in falling short if they come unstuck against a heavyweight rival such as England or Brazil.

Golden Generation: Who makes USMNT squad?

Having qualified as co-hosts of FIFA’s flagship event – alongside neighbours Canada and Mexico – the United States have had fewer competitive fixtures to ready them for a shot at global glory. A series of friendlies, Gold Cup games and Nations League ties have, however, allowed Pochettino to experiment and shuffle his pack.

The former Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss will be close to settling on a 26-man squad that he believes can be competitive against the very best in the business. He is considered to be working with a ‘Golden Generation’ of talent but can they live up to expectations, or even exceed them?

AdvertisementKnockout blow: How far will USMNT go at 2026 World Cup?

Asked what success will look like next summer, former USMNT goalkeeper Friedel – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “My expectation is that we get through the group. I think exceeding expectations is past the quarters. It’s really difficult to say what I think will be success or failure, the knockouts etc, until you see the draw and the knockout games. There is no shame in getting knocked out to Brazil or England. It just happens. For me, it’s the manner in which it would happen.

“Mauricio I know very well and he is going to have a team that is well prepared, that is fit, that is going to fight for everyone, and they are going to compete really well. That’s why I think over a three-game period in the group stages, they can get out of the group – that’s what I expect. After that, unfortunately no matter how hard you compete against some of the teams at the World Cup – that’s why so few have won it over the history of the tournament – it’s difficult to win it. We’ll have to wait and see.

“I would say that the team is definitely capable of – with the talent that they have and I know how Mauricio works – getting to the quarter-finals. We’ll see after that because then it becomes really hard.

“Sometimes you are going to need luck or penalties or sendings off, or whatever it is. Look at all the great England teams that have been so close. Talent-wise, playing with them and against them, they have had the talent to win a World Cup. For whatever reason, they haven’t been able to finish it off.”

Getty Images

Avoid Messi: Who will the USMNT want to face?

The USMNT made it to the last-16 of the 2010, 2014 and 2022 World Cups – having failed to qualify in 2018 – and believe that they can emulate those achievements in their own backyard. They will, however, cross paths with at one least of the favourites at some stage.

Quizzed on whether Lionel Messi and Argentina would be a dream draw or whether it is best to avoid the elite for as long as possible, Friedel added: “You are going to get at least one of the best in your group. Back in ‘94, we were lucky to get out of the group but really unlucky because we had two European countries. We had Switzerland and Romania and Colombia.

“You are going to get somebody really good to play against. The European countries are generally of the higher quality, and the South American countries. I would still say avoid everyone at the top for as long as you can! You can lose against those guys any time, with no shame and playing a really good match, so why not play against people that you know you can beat seven out of 10 times.”

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GOALWorld Cup draw: When USMNT will discover group stage opponents

The USMNT will discover their fate – and whether that includes a meeting with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, who has helped to guide Inter Miami to the 2025 MLS Cup final – when the group stage draw is held at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on December 5.

Ravindra Jadeja is set to play for Saurashtra in the second round of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy starting October 25.Jadeja’s inclusion will strengthen their attack against Madhya Pradesh at home in Rajkot, on the same pitch where spinners took for 31 of the 35 wickets to fall in last week’s fixture between Saurashtra and Karnataka.Jadeja, the top-ranked Test allrounder, is currently on a break, having most recently played in the two home Tests against West Indies earlier this month. He scored his sixth Test hundred – an unbeaten 104 – in the first Test in Ahmedabad and took eight wickets in the series as India won 2-0.He wasn’t selected in India’s ODI squad that is currently in Australia, which Jadeja said was “not a surprise” after the team management spoke to him about their decision.”It is a good thing that they communicated the reason behind my omission,” Jadeja had said during the Delhi Test against West Indies. “I am happy about that. But whenever I get a chance next, I will try and do what I have done all these years.”If I get a chance in the World Cup and there are many ODIs before and if I do well there, it will be a good thing for Indian cricket. Winning a World Cup is everyone’s dream. We narrowly missed out last time, so next time we will try and make up for it.”When he plays against Madhya Pradesh, Jadeja will reunite with his Saurashtra spin twin Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. Dharmendrasinh picked up a match haul of 10 for 203 as Saurashtra earned points for taking the first-innings lead against Karnataka.Jadeja had most recently featured for Saurashtra in the previous Ranji season. He took 12 wickets in two matches – both all against Delhi – including a best of 7 for 38.

Manchester United are in the market for January reinforcements and may now be about to grant Ruben Amorim one of his key wishes at Old Trafford.

Generating momentum has been a struggle for the Red Devils in recent years. However, they have gone five matches unbeaten in the Premier League, showing a renewed sense of resolve at the club.

Standing firm behind their manager, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS will feel vindicated after refusing to succumb to pressure surrounding Amorim. Long-term planning at Manchester United is key, and Fabrizio Romano believes there will definitely be a midfield arrival at the club in 2026.

He said: “Conor Gallagher could be an opportunity, but Atletico Madrid didn’t want to let him go in August. So let’s see what happens in the January window. Angelo Stiller is also a player they appreciate from Stuttgart, but I don’t see a German club selling one of the stars in the January window at all.

“So January is not going to be easy. It’s going to be about opportunities in the summer could be different. And for sure, Manchester United in 2026 will add again, at least one midfielder.”

Romano is right, January is hardly an easy month to do business, and it remains to be seen how much the Red Devils have to spend after a summer of new arrivals, though trying to keep pace with their Premier League rivals may require some form of expenditure.

Midfield is a key area where reinforcements could happen and Hertha Berlin youngster Kennet Eichhorn could be a capture with the long-term in mind.

Casemiro is also coming to the end of his contract, and Manchester United have now shortlisted a successor who has recently been in the headlines.

Man Utd place Bournemouth star Alex Scott on shortlist

According to United In Focus in conversation with Graeme Bailey, Manchester United have placed Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott on their shortlist as a potential heir to Casemiro if he leaves Old Trafford on a free transfer next summer.

The Guernsey-born midfielder earned plenty of adulation last week due to earning a maiden England call-up, and is certainly deserving of the praise he is getting, having bounced back from major knee injuries both at Bristol City and Bournemouth. He is now on the radar of the Red Devils due to his ‘dominant’ displays as Amorim looks to bring fresh energy into his engine room.

Alex Scott’s excellent 2025/26 campaign at Bournemouth
Appearances	12
Goals	1
Assists	0

Bailey stated: “Alex Scott is emerging as a real name now and United are well aware of his talents. I am told they watched him and liked him during his Bristol City days, but now he is maturing into a dominant player.

“We know all the big names linked to United heading into the New Year and ahead of next summer, but keep an eye on Scott – he is a possibility for a number of clubs and that includes United.”

Man Utd could land a heavy discount on an alternative midfielder

Featuring predominantly in a double pivot at Bournemouth, it is likely Amorim would instruct him to perform the same function at Old Trafford, and it appears he could be someone who fills the deeper-lying role at the Red Devils for years to come.