The draw delivered clarity, confidence and a challenge. Now Pochettino and his players know the route – and, inspired by Herb Brooks and the Miracle on Ice, they’re daring to dream big.

WASHINGTON – For a little while there, Mauricio Pochettino was just like everyone else. 

He wasn't the head coach of the U.S. men's national team or the de facto face of American soccer; he was part of the audience at the Kennedy Center watching Shaquille O'Neal, Aaron Judge, and Wayne Gretzky struggle to open up ping pong balls that decided fates. There was no coaching to do, no strategy to implement, no adjustments to be made. The fate of Pochettino and his team was, at least for now, in the hands of others.

The moment that final ball was drawn, the USMNT’s fate snapped back into their own hands. Paraguay and Australia were confirmed. A European playoff winner will join them. The waiting stopped the second that envelope was opened. From that moment, Mauricio Pochettino’s preparations could truly begin.

“How did I live the experience? With happiness,” Pochettino said. “Because it is a unique moment, where we see which teams we are going to face in the World Cup, with zero expectations. What it looks like today, in six months, can change – that is the truth for us, in the same way. Yes, I am really happy to have been part of this event, and we really enjoyed it.”

Fans did, too. The USMNT were given a group that, to put it fairly, is navigable. They’ve beaten both Australia and Paraguay in recent months. If Turkey emerge from the playoff, they would be familiar as well, having played the U.S. to a narrow 2-1 win before the Gold Cup. The reaction on social media was swift: this was no group of death. Not even close. Some might even call it a best-case scenario – one that can have the USMNT dreaming about what’s possible in ways they couldn’t before those ping-pong balls bounced their way.

Getty'It made it feel like an American event already'

Pochettino wasn’t the only one watching with intrigue. Millions around the world tuned in to the festivities at the Kennedy Center, including several of the USMNT’s most important players.

“Just watching, the Americans on stage and the President giving speeches and all of the performances, it made it feel like an American event already,” said 2022 World Cup captain Tyler Adams.

Added star winger Christian Pulisic: “I knew it was going to take a while before we actually saw who we’d have in our groups, and it did, but it was good. The buildup was good. Now that we know, it’s an exciting time.”

Pulisic was putting it lightly. It took a while to get to the actual draw. A series of musical performances preceded it. So did an award for President Donald Trump, who was in attendance. There was no shortage of ceremony or spectacle. Then, finally, it got down to business.

Tom Brady, O’Neal, Judge, and Gretzky drew the teams, with varying levels of success. By the time they were done – concluding a two-hour marathon of a ceremony — the U.S. knew what came next: Paraguay, Australia, and then a European play-off winner, in that order. Depending on the result of that playoff, which includes Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo, the U.S. may be favored in all three games.

“For ourselves, no matter who we drew in the group, we were going to have that belief that we could make a run and do something special,” Adams said. “I think, just having the draw in general, the excitement grows, and it makes it feel more real.”

It’s both real and somewhat familiar, as the U.S. now looks ahead to games against teams they know pretty well.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLessons from the past

Pochettino was in a joking mood when asked about the upcoming opponents.

"It means less work!" he said with a laugh, "It's fresh. We've already done the work over the last six months."

He's right. The U.S. played Turkey ahead of the Gold Cup, falling 2-1 after scoring early. They faced Australia in October, earning a 2-1 win of their own in a hard-fought game in Colorado. Then, just last month, the U.S. hosted Paraguay, earning yet another 2-1 win as part of their five-game unbeaten run through the fall.

Following his initial quip, Pochettino got down to business, explaining the reality of the situation: the teams that meet in seven months won't be the same as the ones that met this year. Players will have gone in and out. Key pieces may suffer injuries or return from them. The squads will look entirely different. Plus, at the end of the day, this is a World Cup; no friendly can fully prepare you for one of those.

"The reality is that the sequence has changed, or are going to change," Pochettino said. That is why there are different games with different rosters or different players in the starting XI. In six months, things can change. Teams can have a very different system. It's a good reference for us, and also for them, but I think we need to be very focused on the things that can change. I don't believe there will be an advantage. I think these events have no effect on the future."

All eyes are on that future now, though, and that has sprouted a question: how far can this team go?

Getty Images SportThe scenarios

The wheels of social media immediately started spinning. If the U.S. wins the group, several teams could be up next. If they win that, maybe they get a rematch against Belgium! That would be fun! Finish second in the group and, oh boy, does it get tougher. Third? Well, we'll figure all of that out later.

Pochettino isn't one for scenarios. They're fun for fans to think about, sure, but there's no benefit to getting too far ahead. Pochettino knows that more than most, having suffered a stunning group stage elimination with Argentina in 2002. As a result, there's no counting chickens, even if the group is a manageable one.

"If you are Argentina, the best team and the winner of the last World Cup, maybe you can say, 'Okay, the stage after, what is going to happen?'. Maybe then you allow yourself to see," Pochettino said. "We don't do the same. Our first game is the final of the World Cup. The second needs to be the final of the World Cup. The third, too. We need to see that. The first game is not just another opportunity. That's why we have the mentality that we want to build, the mindset we've talked about before."

That mindset does call for optimism, though. Pochettino once again called for fans to back this team. He called for those outside of the squad to believe in the players, to push them, and guide them to achieving more than any of their predecessors have. The hope is that they can do that, having now been given a realistic pathway to doing so.

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Getty Images Sport'We don’t need the best players; we need the right players'

Midway through his press conference, Pochettino quoted the legendary Herb Brooks. Under Brooks’ leadership, the USA hockey team defied all odds to create the Miracle on Ice in 1980, still one of the biggest sporting upsets of all time. Pochettino recently watched the movie based on that achievement, . It inspired him.

“The coach said, ‘We don’t need the best players; we need the right players to make the team a strong team,’” he said. “That’s what we want to provide to the national team: the right players to build a powerful team with the possibility to fight against anyone in the world. Good and right are completely different. What I have explained is that you cannot be only a good player; what we need is the right player.

“They are going to be more powerful than as individuals. It’s a quality and, if we don’t have this energy, maybe we can win one game, but, for them, in a competition like this, winning the World Cup is impossible.”

Pochettino doesn’t believe it’s impossible, though. He said so at his very first press conference. Time and time again, he has reiterated the message: the U.S. can win the World Cup. If not, what’s the point of all this? What’s the point of trying this hard if you don’t believe you can actually do it?

That may still be a step too far. But to get there, the U.S. will first need to navigate their group. That is achievable. They can win this group and, from there, who knows? At that point, Pochettino will be able to see how far the right players can take this team.

For a few months now, Pochettino has harped on one specific tagline: “Be realistic and do the impossible.” Emerging from the group seems more realistic than ever. Maybe the impossible might be, too.

We're approaching the midway point of the 2025 MLB season, and this year's Cy Young races have begun to take shape with less than a month to go until the All-Star break. Some of the league's top starters have already taken the mound as many as 15 times, and plenty of contenders for the award honoring the league's most outstanding pitcher have emerged.

Tarik Skubal claimed the American League Cy Young for the first time in 2024, and he’s on track to repeat the feat after a magnificent start to his '25 campaign. Chris Sale won the award for the National League last year, and despite having a strong follow-up season so far with a 2.79 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings, he's not currently among the top contenders to repeat. That speaks to how stacked the competition is.

Let’s take a look at the top three candidates in both leagues, as well as some honorable mentions. All stats are updated entering Tuesday.

American League Cy Young Candidates

3. Max Fried, New York Yankees

The Boston Red Sox have been without star third baseman Alex Bregman for over a month, as the 31-year-old has been sidelined with a right quad strain since late May.

Bregman took to social media Wednesday and dropped a major hint about his potential return from the IL, suggesting it won't be long before he's back in Boston with the team. On Instagram, Bregman shared a video of himself hitting a home run at Fenway Park. He used an emoji that says "SOON" underneath an arrow as the caption for the post.

While Bregman didn't get into any specifics about his impending return, Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged that there's "a really good chance" the veteran infielder returns prior to the All-Star break, via Ian Browne of MLB.com.

Boston's last series before the midseason break is set to begin Thursday—a four-game series against the rival Tampa Bay Rays at home. It seems likely Bregman will be back in the lineup at some point during that series.

Prior to sustaining the injury, Bregman had been off to a roaring start to his career with the Red Sox. In his first 51 games for the organization, he slashed .299/.385/.553 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs.

Italy captain says when he is asked about the plan for the 2026 World Cup, his reply is, they’re planning to “win every game”

Matt Roller12-Jul-2025At least one will play at a next year. Italian football is in chaos: their men’s national team have a proud World Cup history but have failed to reach the last two, and sacked their manager after losing the opening match of their qualifying group for the 2026 edition. But in a small Dutch town on Friday, their cricketers created their own legacy.Italy lost by nine wickets to Netherlands in Voorburg, but Jersey’s win over Scotland earlier in the day – and their own results over the previous week – meant that it did not matter. Instead, Italy wrapped up one of the two spots available at the European Qualifiers for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, the first time that Italy have reached a major ICC event.”It’s still very surreal,” Joe Burns, Italy’s captain, told ESPNcricinfo on Saturday morning. “We’ll probably take a few weeks to get home and decompress a bit to fully realise the impact that the occasion will have on so many people. It was an emotional moment that we’re going to try and reflect on as a group as much as we can over the next few months.”The crucial result for Italy was their 12-run win over Scotland on Wednesday. It was launched by Emilio Gay, the Durham opener, who cracked 50 off 21 balls; set up by Grant Stewart, the Kent allrounder, who hit 44 not out off 27; and sealed by Harry Manenti, who has played a couple of BBL games for Adelaide Strikers, and took 5 for 31 with his medium pace.Those names are reflective of a disparate group of players who are based all over the world, but their heritage provides a common thread. Burns’ own story is typical: his roots are in Calabria, in southern Italy, but his grandfather was a prisoner-of-war in North Africa during the second world war and the family relocated to Australia. He has always felt a connection with Italy, and made his debut for them last year.

“I think we had six Australian-born players in our team yesterday… If we do play Australia and I’m on the field, it’ll obviously be a very special occasion”Joe Burns

It was a long way removed from his first international career, which saw him hit four hundreds in his 23 Tests for Australia. “When you play for Australia, there’s such a history to the baggy green that you’re honouring the past and representing the people that have gone before,” Burns said. “When you’re playing for Italy, it’s very much a blank canvas, trying to shape the future.”Burns first reached out to Cricket Italia in 2009, when qualification rules were stricter, and had to undergo a three-year cooling-off period from his final Australia appearance, in 2020, before he became eligible. But he has thrown himself into his new challenge, taking over the captaincy this summer, and has worn the number 85 shirt in tribute to his late brother, Dominic.”A lot of our grandparents left Italy after World War II, so it’s very much a shared story to come together and to represent past generations,” he said. “I know my grandparents would be very proud, and I know mum and dad have been following the games really closely. There are Italians dispersed all over the world, and I hope this team is a beacon for Italians everywhere.”Burns admires his medal•International Cricket CouncilItaly ramped up preparations for the qualifiers last month with a training camp in Rome, and Burns has demanded the full focus of his team-mates: “I told the guys that I don’t care if we’re playing Luxembourg in the sub-regional qualifiers or India in a T20 World Cup final: I want our team to be the most prepared team in world cricket for every game that we play.”This has all come together on the back of a lot of planning. People ask me what the goal for the World Cup is and I say, ‘Look, we’re planning and preparing to win every game – so we’re planning to win the World Cup.’ I want the guys to enjoy the experience and play with freedom – but you have to earn the right to play with freedom on the back of really solid preparation.”Cricket is a niche sport in Italy, but World Cup qualification will unlock new sources of funding. “It will go a long way for us,” Burns said. “We don’t have any turf facilities, and very little facilities in general, but this gives us an opportunity to develop the game. We’ve had a lot of support from CONI (the Italian Olympic Committee) which keeps building in the background.Time to celebrate after Italy qualified for the T20 World Cup for the first time•International Cricket Council”Associate cricket is very much the grassroots of international cricket, so for us, it’s about trying to unlock funding and build facilities to create opportunities for future generations to come. It’s very rewarding. At different stages in your career, you have different motivations, and I think this came at a really good time for me. It really reinvigorated my love for the game.”Italy will welcome back Wayne Madsen – a man with more than 20,000 runs in county cricket to his name – for the World Cup after he missed the qualifiers due to his Derbyshire commitments, but Burns hinted that he himself may step aside before the main event. “This [qualification] was such a big goal for me,” he said. “It’s probably going to take me a few months to think about it.”But if Burns, 35, does play on, there is one team he would relish the chance to face next year. “We’ve said briefly as a group that we want the big stage. We want to be drawn against the best in the world, and we want to take it on. I think we had six Australian-born players in our team yesterday… If we do play Australia and I’m on the field, it’ll obviously be a very special occasion.”

Jemimah Rodrigues, Laura Wolvaardt, Kate Cross, Shreyanka Patil, Tanuja Kanwar, Alice Capsey and Shweta Sehrawat on what they have learned about their Australian team-mates in T20 leagues

Interviews by S Sudarshanan 29-Sep-2024Out of the first 15 Women’s World Cups across the ODI and T20I formats, Australia won nine. Then they lost the semi-final of the 2017 50-over World Cup, which stung them so much that they changed the look of their line-ups – pushing up Alyssa Healy to open the batting being one of those – in a bid to get back to the winningest of ways.Since then, they have added another ODI World Cup and three more T20 World Cups to their cabinet. They also finished gold medalists at the inaugural Commonwealth Games women’s cricket competition in 2022. In short, they have swept it all – every single multi-team tournament since the start of 2018.How do Australia manage to build a winning mindset? What does it entail? And how do their players prepare for matches or deal with pressure? We asked players from other countries to tell us what they had observed about their Australian counterparts while playing alongside them in T20 leagues across the world.

Is there an Australian player you love watching play or train?

Kate Cross (*with Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux in WPL; Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Phoebe Litchfield, Heather Graham in the Hundred): I think Phoebe Litchfield is probably one of the more fun players to watch at training. She often commentates on her batting, which can be hilarious at times, and she really puts a lot of time into her funky shots. So, it was interesting watching how she tries to develop and improve her game – even in the middle of competitions.Related

• South Africa head in new direction with calm Laura Wolvaardt at the helm

• FAQs: The first ever women's T20 World Cup at a neutral venue

• Ellyse Perry: 'If you worry too much about any other team, you're only reacting then'

• 'We know we're being hunted' – Mooney wants to keep winning while the going is good

• Annabel Sutherland: 'If you're a youngster coming through and you're not frustrated, you're doing something wrong'

I love watching Georgia Wareham go about her business. She’s a pretty quiet character off the field but she’s outthinking a lot of people on it. Her skill level is ridiculously high too, so having her as a team-mate recently has been something I’ve really enjoyed.Shreyanka Patil (with Perry, Wareham, Molineux in WPL): I enjoyed playing with Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham as fellow spinners. Even during practice, they were coming and helping me out, and asking questions as well, so it was a two-way learning.Laura Wolvaardt (with Gardner, Garth, Sutherland, Wareham, Litchfield, Mooney in WPL; Mooney, Garth, Wellington in the Hundred; McGrath, Wellington, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown in WBBL): Tahlia McGrath, obviously played a lot with her at [Adelaide] Strikers. I think she is a really good cricketer, good at everything – batting, bowling, fielding, captaincy. She is a really cool and humble person off the field as well.Alice Capsey (with Lanning, Sutherland, Jess Jonassen in WPL; Lanning, Sutherland, Kim Garth in WBBL; Amanda-Jade Wellington in the Hundred): Growing up, I was more attracted to the Jos Buttlers, Jason Roys, Charlotte Edwards. I wasn’t really Australian-driven, I didn’t know many of the players that well. But now it has been great to share the dressing room with someone like Meg Lanning. It is not just about their experiences but [observing] how they go about training, preparing for a game, what they look for, what kind of prep they do and just learning how they had done it themselves. I am never going to be same as a Lanning, but I can pick up on different things she does based on what works for me.Shweta Sehrawat walks out to bat with Alyssa Healy for UP Warriorz: “My first experience playing alongside Healy and Tahlia [McGrath]… I had to adjust a bit mentally, because in my mind they were my opponents”•Deepak Malik/BCCI

How has your impression of them changed from that of an opponent to a team-mate?

Capsey: You see these players on TV and you play against them, but it is nice to understand them as a person as well and just build really good relationships and have a relaxed conversation. Every time I have been in the changing room with Meg, she has been very open, very welcome. She is one of the cricketers who just knows her game so well.She’s been a good sounding board for when I have been playing for Delhi Capitals and Melbourne Stars. People don’t realise how valuable it is batting alongside her in the middle. At the end of the day, you can do all the training and have all the conversations off the pitch. But it is how they manage the in-game situations, which is one of the aspects that makes them so great. Meg’s one of those – she manages her innings so well. She knows what’s happening and is so in control. Being able to play alongside her is so amazing.Shweta Sehrawat (with Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath in WPL): It was a bit different for me. I always imagined wanting to play for India against Australians as opponents. But my first experience itself was playing alongside Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath in the first season of the WPL. I had to adjust a bit mentally, because in my mind they were my opponents. But there was no fear, and I lapped up the opportunity to learn from them. I gelled better in the second season, so much so that I am in regular touch with Tahlia and we went out for dinner when I toured Australia as part of the India A side last month.Tanuja Kanwar (with Litchfield, Garth, Sutherland, Wareham, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner in WPL): I used to watch Australian players only on TV before the WPL. But when I met them, I realised they are very chill people. I used to feel, “Oh, how do I speak to them”, but it was very easy when I met them and we became a team.Cross: I think it was just nicer to have Ellyse as a team-mate for once and not worry about how to get her out! But the beauty of changing from rivals to team-mates is that it gives you an insight into how and why they have got to the very top of their game. Also, just getting to know someone on a personal level – it almost makes me look forward to the Ashes more, knowing you’ve got mates to go up against.Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues and Alice Capsey at a Delhi Capitals event: Capsey says her understanding of the game has grown in the time she’s spent with Lanning•Bhushan Koyande/Hindustan Times/Getty Images

How do they train and prepare for a game?

Wolvaardt: The level of training and preparation at Strikers is equal to an international set-up, whereas our domestic systems are very much behind. They have an analyst, physio, strength and conditioning coach, a manager, because they are just so far ahead development wise. They have 200-300 players at a professional level every single day whereas we maybe only have the national side that is at that level of training.Cross: I didn’t notice any differences, but it’s their diligence that stands out the most. How well they train is admirable and is a huge indication of how consistent they are on the pitch because of how they train behind the scenes.Capsey: Everyone does it differently; someone like Meg does it differently to someone like Nat [Sciver-Brunt], who does it differently to someone like Marizanne Kapp, who does it differently to me or anyone else. Everyone has different things that works for them. Meg’s one of those people that’s so consistent, she just churns runs for fun, and it’s amazing to watch. You can also see the hard work that goes behind the scenes, how she goes about her net sessions and how specific she is. Then you get a pretty good understanding of the process that makes her successful.That is important in cricket. You are always going to fail more than you succeed. As a batter, more often than not, you are going to get out for low scores. It is about understanding and creating a process that works for you and allows you the best chance to be successful. There are so many variables that if you have your process it makes it a little bit easier.Kanwar: I am a bit superstitious; I don’t do knocking just before toss, but I do bowl a bit to warm up. With Australian players, I have seen that they prepare fully. They do knocking, take a few catches and do fielding drills, too, just to be ready in the match.Tanuja Kanwar: “I have noticed that the Australians do not get overly dejected [by defeat]. They are focused on what to do next and how to better the performances”•Prashant Bhoot/BCCI

How do they react under pressure?

Jemimah Rodrigues (with Lanning, Jonassen, Sutherland in WPL; Jonassen in WPCL; Sutherland in WBBL): Lanning is so calm and cool, even under pressure. I feel that is one of the biggest qualities a captain can have. Everyone’s under pressure, but if you see your captain calm, it just helps calm the entire team. That is an amazing thing with Lanning.Wolvaardt: They are very good under pressure. Just as you think they are about to finally lose a game, they find a way to win. They can find a way to win from any position. That comes with time and being exposed to those scenarios. It is like a momentum type of thing – the more you win in those situations, the more you will be able to win. It’s hard when you are in those situations and you lose ().Rodrigues: I think the one thing I will really take from Lanning is that she just knows what she’s doing. That’s what helps her be calm even under pressure.Cross: Nothing massively stood out that I wasn’t expecting, but Pez would be in the nets all the time. I’m now really not surprised she has that massive hotspot in the middle of her bat. She uses it that often!Sehrawat: I hadn’t really looked at Tahlia from that perspective, but come to think of it, I can recall one thing from during the A series. I was standing at slip, and against a left-arm spinner, she hit a lovely inside-out lofted shot that beat long-off. I then remembered her playing that shot on a few occasions before as well, so I now want to steal that shot and play it as adeptly as her.Capsey: Playing with Meg, I have learnt to manage my innings a lot better. The little bits and pieces that I have taken from her have been about my mindset and how I go about reading a game. She’s one of the most successful captains in world cricket – just how she reads the game, she’s good at speaking. She’ll tell you why she’s done certain things. She just doesn’t do it and you notice it, but she speaks to you and helps you understand why she’s done it. So, mindset and my understanding of the game and reading the game, I think, has a lot to do with playing and being in an environment with her. How to be ruthless once you are on top, I think she is good at that – sensing moments and pouncing at that.*Includes Australian team-mates in T20 leagues from March 1, 2023

Chelsea have been tipped to ‘easily’ sign a ‘top player’ who could become a ‘superstar’ away from his current club.

Chelsea suffer Atalanta blow as Maresca crashes down to Earth

Chelsea’s aspirations of securing automatic Champions League knockout round qualification took a significant hit as they surrendered a half-time advantage to lose 2-1 against Atalanta in Bergamo on Tuesday evening.

Enzo Maresca’s side appeared on course for a crucial victory when Joao Pedro slid home his maiden Champions League goal in the 25th minute, capitalizing on Reece James’s delivery after a VAR review confirmed the captain had timed his run perfectly.

The Blues controlled proceedings during the opening period, with their man-to-man pressing disrupting Atalanta’s rhythm and limiting the Serie A outfit’s opportunities.

However, Josh Acheampong did have to produce a stunning goal-line block to deny Ademola Lookman what appeared a certain opener.

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Maresca’s decision to withdraw the booked Trevoh Chalobah at half-time appeared to kickstart a dramatic shift in momentum.

Chelsea weigh up January move amid Delap injury with £22m deal already agreed

The Blues are short up front.

ByEmilio Galantini 6 days ago

James spurned an excellent opportunity to extend Chelsea’s lead early in the second period, firing wide from a promising position on the edge of the penalty area.

Atalanta immediately made Chelsea pay, with Charles De Ketelaere delivering an exceptional cross from the right flank, allowing former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca to rise completely unmarked inside the six-yard box and nod past Robert Sanchez.

The Belgian forward then completed the turnaround with seven minutes remaining, his deflected strike looping over Sanchez after taking a wicked deflection off Marc Cucurella’s retreating leg.

Despite late opportunities for Alejandro Garnacho, James and Pedro, Marco Carnesecchi’s goalkeeping ensured Atalanta claimed all three points.

It was a humbling night for Chelsea, merely a fortnight after they were being talked about as genuine Premier League title contenders.

There is clearly still work to do before the west Londoners can be discussed in that manner, with Maresca lamenting Chelsea’s defending in a post-match press conference.

With holes still ever present and Maresca constantly rotating his first-team due to injuries, there may still be more work to do in the transfer market next year.

Chelsea spent nearly £300 million in the summer, but they remain pretty light in midfield with the constantly-injured Roméo Lavia sidelined for yet another extended period.

As a result, the west Londoners have been tipped to move for a new midfielder in 2026, and Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo could be available.

Chelsea tipped to 'easily' sign Kobbie Mainoo from Man United

Chelsea have been repeatedly linked with the Red Devils sensation these last 12 months, with Mainoo on the fringes of Ruben Amorim’s first team and potentially poised for the exit door.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, ex-United midfielder Nicky Butt has tipped Chelsea to sign Mainoo amid his current club’s ‘mind-boggling’ stance when it comes to young stars.

The 20-year-old, who burst on to the scene at Old Trafford in 2023/2024, was once a revelation under Erik ten Hag and one of England’s rising stars.

Mainoo’s excellent form that year, including an FA Cup final goal against Man City, earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.

He played in all but one of the Three Lions’ games that tournament, including a start in the final against Spain, so finding Mainoo in this situation at United is truly bizarre.

The talented and versatile midfielder seemingly doesn’t fit into Amorim’s tactical blueprint, with Chelsea believed to still be keen on Mainoo amid their search for world football’s most elite young talents.

This could be a match made in heaven.

Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers made several additions to the playing squad during the summer transfer window, and Wilfried Nancy is tasked with getting the best out of them.

The Northern Irish boss made 11 signings to bolster his options across the pitch before he eventually resigned after a 3-1 defeat to Hearts at the end of October.

Nancy has to try to get the best out of those signings in the coming months and years, as many of them have failed to live up to the hype so far this season.

Ranking Celtic's summer signings

Whilst this may say more about the rest of the business done in the summer, Benjamin Nygren has been the club’s best signing of the season, as he is currently Celtic’s top goalscorer in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, with seven goals in 25 games.

Kieran Tierney, who arrived on a free transfer, and Marcelo Saracchi, who joined on loan from Boca Juniors, have also been solid additions in the left-back position, sharing duties in that role.

Callum Osmand joined from Fulham after his contract expired with the English side and scored one goal and won a penalty in three first-team matches before picking up an injury, which suggests that he is an exciting talent to watch out for when he is back fit.

Ross Doohan, who joined on a free transfer as a third-choice goalkeeper, is the dividing player between poor and good signings in the rankings above, as the most average addition to the squad.

We have Sebastian Tounekti in the lower half of the rankings because he is starting to look like one of the biggest wastes of money since Albian Ajeti.

Why Sebastian Tounekti looks like a waste of money

After creating four chances, completing five dribbles, and scoring one goal in his first two matches, per Sofascore, the Tunisia international looked primed to be a star for the Hoops. Rodgers even claimed that he “excites the crowd”.

Celtic paid £5.2m to sign the forward from Hammarby to make him the most expensive signing of the summer, falling just shy of the £6m mark that would have taken him into the club’s top ten most expensive signings in their history.

Unfortunately, three months later, Tounekti has recorded two goals and zero assists in 18 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has struggled to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

Since Celtic paid £5m for Ajeti, who scored just nine goals in 48 games as a striker (Transfermarkt), the Hoops have signed six players for more than £5m: Jota (twice), Cameron Carter-Vickers, Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Auston Trusty, and Tounekti.

Jota was sold for £25m, before being re-signed, and Idah was sold for £6m after scoring 20 goals in all competitions last season, which shows that they were not complete wastes of money.

Carter-Vickers, of course, has been a long-serving regular starter for the club and Auston Trusty has made 50 appearances, now established as a regular starter, per Transfermarkt.

Engels, signed for £11m from Augsburg, has been fairly effective at the top end of the pitch, per Transfermarkt, with a return of 12 goals and 17 assists in 76 appearances since the start of last season.

This shows that the five other most expensive signings since Ajeti flopped at Parkhead have either been successful signings or had plenty of positives in their time at Celtic, even if it did not work out perfectly.

Tounekti, though, has one goal and no assists in his last 16 appearances for Celtic, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be a regular starter under the new manager, after he was the first player to be substituted in the 2-1 defeat to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

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1

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6 days ago

For a player signed for £5.2m, he has not delivered enough quality at the top end of the pitch to suggest that he was a worthwhile signing, which is why he currently looks like one of their biggest wastes of money since Ajeti flopped at the club with his nine goals in 48 games.

Are Tottenham Hotspur finding their feet under Thomas Frank’s stewardship?

Certainly, we have seen green shoots in recent matches. After that dismal home defeat to Fulham at the end of November, Spurs battled to a 2-2 draw at St. James’ Park before beating Brentford in the Premier League and Slavia Prague in the Champions League.

Two clean sheets from two games, but Tottenham still could do with reinforcements in the rearguard. Namely, ENIC Group are planning to help Frank piece together a lasting project with a new left-back.

Destiny Udogie picked up a hamstring injury against Newcastle United and will be out until the New Year. But the Italian defender has been out of sorts this season anyway, and Tottenham are ready to take action.

Spurs' search for a left-back

Udogie quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous up-and-coming full-backs in Europe after joining Tottenham from Hellas Verona. Better known for his time on loan with Udinese across multiple years, the Italian was hailed as “the best left-back” in the country by Clinton Morrison on BBC Sport a few months into his arrival under Ange Postecoglou’s wing.

However, Udogie’s persistent injury issues have stunted his growth, and the 23-year-old has been told he “needs to wake up” by one coach this term, lacking awareness and dynamism. With Ben Davies getting on – and rarely getting off the bench – competition is needed, especially with the Lilywhites making headway in the Champions League.

That’s why Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are circling in on Eintracht Frankfurt star Nathaniel Brown, with TEAMtalk revealing that the 22-year-old German international is on Tottenham’s wishlist ahead of the winter window.

A versatile wideman with no qualms about playing further upfield, Brown would add depth and new dimensions to Frank’s team, though this is a sentiment shared with rivals, Arsenal and Manchester United also among the suitors named.

He would cost upwards of £50m, but Brown has the potential to become one of the best in the business, and he would slot right into Frank’s set-up.

What Brown would bring to Spurs

Brown, a German-born player with American heritage, boasts blistering pace and a desire to progress play whenever he can. However, he is also defensively sound, mixing between duties seamlessly.

As per FBref, Brown ranks among the top 9% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 3% for tackles per 90, underlining his dynamism and ability to mix defence with attack.

In this, he has something of a likeness to Udogie, the finest iteration of the Italy star, and while Spurs’ talented wide defender has fallen by the wayside of late, his profile remains tailor-made for a starring role in one of Europe’s top outfits.

Brown, moreover, is on an upward trajectory, with analyst Spencer Mossman claiming earlier in 2025 that he is “one-two years away from being the most coveted left back” in the world. Already, several of the Premier League’s biggest sides want to bring him over, suggesting that he is indeed ahead of that prediction already.

Frankfurt has a rather porous defence this season, and that is a concern, but Brown is one of the standouts, showcasing an impressive mix of qualities. Furthermore, he rode the crest of a wave into the current campaign, having played so well in the Bundesliga last year.

Matches (starts)

10 (6_

6 (6)

Goals

0

1

Assists

1

2

Touches*

47.5

47.8

Accurate passes*

26.8 (85%)

25.7 (84%)

Chances created*

0.7

1.0

Succ. dribbles*

0.3 (27%)

0.5 (38%)

Recoveries*

3.8

3.4

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.1

Clearances*

1.1

1.2

Duels (won)*

2.9 (46%)

3.8 (51%)

As we can see from the respective left-backs’ Champions League campaigns, Brown is enjoying greater success, with his staggering duel success rate something to note.

Last season, talent scout Jacek Kulig said Brown is “moving to another level”, so perhaps it is the right time for him to take the leap of faith over the channel and down N17 to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What Tottenham decide to do remains to be seen, but Frank needs a few more instruments in his tactical toolbox, and Brown could mark his crowning signing as improvements start to reveal themselves.

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After the saga surrounding Alexander Isak during the summer transfer window, it was crucial that Newcastle United navigated their way past the situation.

The Swedish international netted 23 Premier League goals last campaign, helping the Magpies secure Champions League football, but that wasn’t enough to keep the striker happy on Tyneside.

Eddie Howe was left with no choice but to cash in on the 26-year-old’s services during the summer transfer window, subsequently taking in an English record £125m for his services.

However, it no doubt left a huge hole that needed filling within the final third, leading to over £100m being splashed on numerous players to soften the blow of his departure.

Despite the recent spending spree, the hierarchy appear to be targeting numerous attacking reinforcements to take the club to the next level in the months ahead.

Newcastle’s hunt for new attacking signings in January

Over the last couple of days, Newcastle have been just one side credited with an interest in landing Stuttgart star Bilal El Khannouss ahead of the January window.

The Moroccan international joined the German side on loan from Leicester City in the summer window, already making an immediate impact – as seen by his tally of five goals and assists in 10 outings.

However, Howe’s men could strike a permanent deal with his current employers this winter, which could result in a £25m switch to St James’ Park for the attacking midfielder.

He’s not the only player currently on their radar, with Brentford striker Igor Thiago another player currently being considered ahead of the upcoming window.

According to TEAMtalk, the Magpies are just one Premier League club monitoring the Brazilian, after his tremendous start to 2025/26, which has seen him score 11 times to date.

However, the report also states that Keith Andrews’ side are unwilling to sanction a move, but may be forced to consider a move if a huge offer is made for his signature.

Why Newcastle’s latest target could be bad news for Woltemade

In an attempt to soften the blow of Isak’s summer departure from Newcastle, the board backed Howe by spending a reported £69m on the signature of striker Nick Woltemade.

The German’s transfer fee certainly raised eyebrows across the division, but a couple of months on and the deal now appears to be an excellent piece of business by the board.

He’s already featured in 11 Premier League matches to date, scoring on five separate occasions, whilst also managing to lay on one assist for his teammates.

The 23-year-old’s latest effort came in the 4-1 demolition of Everton, with Woltemade producing an outrageous lob over Jordan Pickford to cement all three points for the Magpies.

However, despite his excellent start to life in the North East, he could struggle for consistent minutes if Thiago arrives, with the Brazilian man in tremendous form in recent weeks.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats, the Brazilian has managed to outperform Woltemade in key areas, showcasing why it could be bad news for the German.

Thiago, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by boss Andrews, has scored almost double the number of goals netted by the Magpies star – showcasing his clinical edge in front of goal.

Games played

14

12

Goals & assists

11

6

Shot on target accuracy

50%

30%

Shots on target per 90

1.1

0.5

Passes into final third

0.9

0.6

Take-on success

56%

38%

Aerials won

2.9

1.5

Aerial success rate

43%

34%

He’s also registered more shots on target per 90, whilst achieving a better accuracy rate with the chances he’s been presented with – arguably making him a more consistent option in the final third.

However, he’s also demonstrated a more all-round skill-set than the German star, as seen by his higher take-on success rate and higher tally of passes into the final third per 90.

The Brazilian’s dominance over Woltemade is further reflected in his aerial presence, which no doubt makes him a better focal point than the number 27.

It’s unclear how much the Bees would demand to part ways with their talisman, but it’s clear he’s currently a leading talent in the Premier League this season.

Such a move could be harsh on Woltemade, but the added competition in the months ahead could allow the youngster to find the next level in his career as a result.

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ByAngus Sinclair Dec 5, 2025

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland was full of praise for one Everton star, who played a pivotal part in Thierno Barry’s first goal for the club against Nottingham Forest.

Everton ease past Nottingham Forest

After battling to beat Bournemouth in midweek, Everton had the chance to move up to fifth in the Premier League with victory over Nottingham Forest and David Moyes’ side duly obliged. The Toffees had the perfect afternoon against former manager Sean Dyche, with Barry capping off a fine afternoon with his first goal since arriving for £27m in the summer.

It’s been some time coming for the summer signing, who has smashed the woodwork, had VAR intervene and everything in between before finally getting the chance to wheel away in celebration at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

It’s Moyes who should take plenty of credit. After all, it is the veteran manager who decided to stick with his goal-less forward, only to reap the rewards 90 minutes later.

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Aside from the forward’s first goal for the club, it was a fine display from the Toffees all round. The hosts wasted no time before getting going, with Nikola Milenkovic’s own goal handing them the lead as early as the second minute.

It was then Everton’s to lose and Barry’s effort just before the break all but put them out of sight, before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a third in the 81st minute.

For all their goalscorers, however, it was another player who received the praise of Boyland for the role he played in Everton’s second goal before the break. The Athletic reporter dubbed Iliman Ndiaye “brilliant” in the build-up as the Frenchman continued his role as the Toffees’ talisman.

Boyland heaps praise on "brilliant" Ndiaye

Boyland watched on as Everton struck Nottingham Forest on the counter on the brink of half-time, praising Ndiaye as “brilliant” when he raced past the halfway line before finding goalscorer Barry.

Barry will steal the headlines, but Ndiaye deserves plenty of credit. He has been Everton’s main man since arriving last season and has more than played his part to take Moyes’ side into the top five, for the time being at least.

By the time that the final whistle sounded against Forest, the winger had one assist to his name and had even completed 13 defensive contributions – summing up his impact at both ends.

If those at the Hill Dickinson Stadium are to secure a shock European place this season, then Ndiaye’s role will be more important than ever.

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