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Manchester City have reportedly slapped a huge price tag on Julian Alvarez after the Argentina star demanded to leave Pep Guardiola's side.

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Alvarez wants a fresh challenge City demand £77m for the strikerAtletico Madrid unwilling to match the valuationWHAT HAPPENED?

According to the forward remains keen to get more playing time and relocate to a warmer climate. However, he might find himself hindered by City's valuation which is reportedly around £60m ($77m), with an additional £17 million ($22m) in potential add-ons. Atletico Madrid, who have shown considerable interest in the player, disagree with City's demands and might pull out of any potential deal if further negotiations fail to convince the Premier League champions to lower their asking price.

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Alvarez has flown to Paris to participate in the Summer Olympics with Argentina after plying his trade in the Copa America, which will further deter Pep Guardiola from handing him a starting role, at least in the initial phase of the 2024-25 campaign. He hasn't had a substantial break in three years owing to club and international commitments, making his situation even more complex.

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In recent years, City have demonstrated a willingness to allow players to leave if they desire, a policy highlighted by the transfers of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal. However, they have also shown resistance when it comes to key players, whom they will struggle to replace at short notice, creating challenges for potential suitors. Last summer, they blocked the sales of Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva, demonstrating their selective approach to player transfers.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

City's financial prudence while dealing with key assets has come to the forefront once again. They are likely to be rigid with their valuation of Alvarez, who has already reportedly rejected a four-year extension offer, which could force the player to continue at Etihad as a backup to goal-machine Erling Haaland, at least for another year.

Maxwell is set to return from a break from the game to lead the Melbourne Stars in the BBL

Daniel Brettig13-Dec-2019Glenn Maxwell has admitted he was suffering the effects of “four or five years” of near constant travel until his partner Vini helped convince him to step off the international treadmill for a mental health break in October, and has resolved to be more careful about how he plans his schedule in the future.The start of the Big Bash League and his role as captain of the Melbourne Stars always loomed as a likely moment for Maxwell to return to cricket, though he has been around the Victorian set-up for several weeks now and made himself available for the state’s final Sheffield Shield game before going on Twenty20 hiatus. But he is a much fresher and wiser man for the time away from the game, having re-acquainted himself with home, family and life not lived out of a suitcase.That had been Maxwell’s lot for most of the past five years, culminating in close to eight months of continuous travel this year as a key component of Australia’s white ball teams, plus stints with Lancashire in English county competition and the beginning of the domestic season for Victoria.When he finally did elect to step back, following the start of Australia’s T20 series against Sri Lanka, Maxwell was described as “not enjoying his cricket” by the national coach Justin Langer, and he spoke to the likes of Moises Henriques, Australia’s team psychologist Michael Lloyd and the noted sports psychiatrist Ranjit Menon on his way back to a better balance.”I was pretty cooked when I decided to take the time off,” Maxwell said. “Big reason why I did take that time away is I was pretty mentally and physically ruined. I think it was eight months on the road, living out of a suitcase and that probably had been going on for four or five years, just constantly on the road and it all just caught up with me at that time. I really want to thank Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria and the Stars for giving me that space and allowing me to have that time away from the game and get myself right.”It was actually my partner who suggested I speak to someone, she was the first one who noticed it, so I should probably thank her as well. Once I had that initial conversation it was a big weight off my shoulders. My girlfriend was probably No. 1, it wasn’t an easy job for her to deal with me going through my mood swings for the first few weeks, but Michael Lloyd was the guy I had the initial conversation with, he’s been someone who I’ve confided in since back in the academy days, so I’ve known him for well over a decade now.””Guys like Moises Henriques, I think he was my first phone call after everything sort of calmed down. He was brilliant for me, giving me something. He has gone through it as well, giving me an idea of what I would expect to see over the next few weeks and he was unbelievable. You go through a lot of waves of emotions over the first few weeks [of the break] and especially that first week, that was probably the hardest, and as I took the time away to get myself right and speak to the right people and have that amazing support network behind me was pretty key.”ALSO READ: BBL previews: Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane HeatIt’s clear that Maxwell had looked upon 2019 as a year of much opportunity, but after the World Cup ended in a semi-final appearance and he found himself playing for Lancashire and watching the Ashes rather than playing in them, he is mindful of managing his playing commitments and his self-expectations a little more carefully over the remainder of a career that, at the age of 31, may still have his very best days ahead of him.”I did put a bit of pressure on myself to try and play as much as I could this year and, rightly or wrongly, I didn’t come out of it the way I thought I was going to. I’ll have a look at that next year,” Maxwell said. “A holiday was actually spending time at home. I spent as much time at home as I could with friends and family. I tried to stay fit, and I still watched a fair bit of cricket over that time, but pretty exciting to get going now.”I look at it a little bit differently, a little bit more respect for taking care of myself in all aspects of the game and not losing sight of taking care of myself in those times where you’re in a hotel room pretty constantly and being able to have that time to myself and refresh.”Contrary to many assumptions, Maxwell said that social media criticism had not been a part of his problems. “I have been a pretty bad victim of social media and a fair bit of abuse but I have become pretty accustomed to it,” he said. “It slides off my back.”I think I have been pretty hard on myself, I have been my own hardest critic for a long period of time. That can wear you down and it is more the stuff you put on yourself, not so much from the outside. I suppose being able to relax a bit more and enjoy playing the game. I probably look at things a little bit differently but a little bit more respect for taking care of myself in all aspects of the game and not sort of losing sight of taking care of myself in those times where you’re in a hotel room pretty constantly and being able to have that time to myself and refresh.”As for his return to the game, Maxwell has clearly enjoyed being back with the Stars, now coached by his former state teammate David Hussey, an environment in which the allrounder described as “home” for him. “It probably took a bit longer than I thought it was going to take, it was an interesting six weeks, away from the game and there was probably times I thought I was going to come back earlier,” Maxwell said. “Once I got back into club cricket, the cycle started to feel a bit more normal again and I feel like I’m back at home.”I’ve been getting back in the swing of things for a while, I’ve been around the Vics change rooms for the last two or three weeks now, so I’ve sort of been floating around and watching a few of the one dayers and just trying to get back into the change room atmosphere again. Coming back here with the Stars feels like home again, a new coach, a bit of familiarity as an ex-player, but it’s a great change room to be a part of, it’s very welcoming.”As for a return to Australian colours, Maxwell was notably cautious to ensure he did not think about it before concentrating on the fortunes of the Stars, who under his leadership came within a few overs of scooping last summer’s BBL title. “I’ll always put my hand up to play for higher honours for sure,” he said, “but first and foremost I’ve got to perform well for the Stars and lead by example.”

Despite Root leading England 34 times, it is only fair to start looking at his record as Tests take priority, Giles says

George Dobell in Hamilton26-Nov-2019Ashley Giles has appealed for Joe Root to be given more time before he is judged as England’s Test captain.While Giles, the managing director of England men’s cricket, concedes that Root has been in the job for 34 Tests, he feels that it is only now, with Test cricket gaining more priority in the ECB’s planning, that it is fair to start judging him in the role.In particular, Giles stresses that, until recently, the priority of the England set-up had been success in white-ball cricket and that recent changes both to the coaching staff and to the development systems will take time to take hold.So while Giles accepts that Root’s form with the bat has dipped – he is averaging 39.70 as captain and 27.40 this year – he believes the introduction of Chris Silverwood as England’s head coach will ease the burden on Root and allow him to rediscover his best form.Also read: Who could possibly take over from Joe Root?At present, Root has captained England in 14 away Tests. Four of them have resulted in victories – including three in succession over Sri Lanka – and eight have been lost. England have won 13 and lost six of the Tests Root has captained at home.”Joe is our captain and he takes us forward,” Giles said. “The stats would say the captaincy has affected his batting. You can’t hide from that.”So we’ve got to work with him to make sure his game is in the best shape and he’s got time to work on it away from the pressures of captaincy. We want to help him get back to averaging 50-plus and if he’s doing that we are going to win games of Test cricket. I am very confident that [the burden] on Joe has changed and Chris is picking up a lot of the slack. I feel their relationship is going very well.”There is a renewed focus on Test cricket and there are some young players in this team. We are going to make mistakes.”But it’s important that while we have a long-term vision in mind, we are looking at the short-term measures and reflecting and reviewing: do we need to change; how do we get better? We can’t just get to the Ashes and see how we go. We’ve got to keep learning and keep getting better.”In modern times, England captains have been appointed to the job on a permanent basis – rather than for a fixed period – in the belief that the security reduces unsettling speculation and encourages stability.But that does leave Giles in a slightly tricky position. State that he expects Root to captain into the Ashes in 24 months and he might be accused of complacency; suggest that the appointment will be reviewed and he risks being seen to undermine his captain. As he puts it: “I’m not quite sure what anyone is expecting me to say; ‘we’ll see how we go’? That’s not a great vote of confidence in a captain.”In reality, Root will be given every opportunity and every bit of support with a view to him leading lead England to the Ashes. But if results do not improve, well, you only have to look at the many other departures around the ECB – particularly at Loughborough – since Giles was appointed to know he is not afraid to make tough decisions if he thinks they’re necessary.We’re not at that stage now. Both Giles and Silverwood have stressed their desire to reduce Root’s workload to allow him to concentrate upon his batting and ensure he is fresh for games. And Giles hopes that changes to the county and pathway systems – including his proposal that Championship games are played during the window created for The Hundred – will help develop players better prepared for Test cricket. Equally, there will be an emphasis on improving the pitches used in county cricket.It was a message reiterated by England’s new head coach, Silverwood, who also suggested the team were at the start of a “new sort of era”.”Behind the scenes we’ve got to keep trying to strip away the things Joe doesn’t have to worry about,” Silverwod said. “Making sure that when it comes to practice he’s just one of the lads and he’s worried about his batting and that’s it. We have to help him, talk to him and try to strip pressure away.”In any form or walk of life, you never stop learning, and we are starting a new sort of era now so I’m going to judge this team on where we are now and where we get to.”

After another season rooted in the Premier League's mid-table, Chelsea have reportedly already turned their attention towards the summer transfer window, in which they could sign a new defensive reinforcement.

Chelsea transfer news

It's a rare day when Chelsea aren't in the headlines for their transfer business after spending their way into mid-table stagnation, forced to once again turn to the same solution this summer to finally put an end to the misery at Stamford Bridge. Whether it's been Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel or now Mauricio Pochettino, no one has quite found the answers to Todd Boehly's growing problems at the London club.

Chelsea struck gold selling Tuchel flop who's worth less than Chalobah

He failed to make an impact during his time at Stamford Bridge.

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It would sum up the American's ownership of the club if Chelsea were hit with a point deduction, as reports have suggested is possible in the near future due to the fine line they walk when it comes to Financial Fair Play rules in the Premier League. Whilst that is yet to be their reality, however, the Blues look set to return to the transfer market to splash even more cash this summer.

With veteran defender Thiago Silva set to leave as a free agent upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the current campaign, those at Stamford Bridge may need to find a replacement. And that's where Gleison Bremer could come in.

According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Boehly and Chelsea have been offered Bremer this summer after receiving contact via intermediaries. A deal could be worth over £50m if the Blues triggered the defender's release clause at Juventus.

Bidding farewell to one Brazilian defender, only to welcome another fresher option could make sense for Chelsea this summer and they've more than proved that money is hardly an obstacle in the past, making this deal certainly plausible. With Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Manchester United also named, however, Chelsea could face a fight to secure Bremer's signature.

"World-class" Bremer could help end Chelsea's misery

Whilst it can't just be him, Bremer may play a part in turning a sinking ship around at Stamford Bridge if Chelsea made their move this summer. The London giants' defensive struggles are no secret and could only worsen without the leadership of Silva next season. If Pochettino can land Bremer's signature, before forming a solid defensive duo using the Brazilian, however, then he may finally take steps back towards European football, at the very least.

Progressive Passes

90

89

73

Tackles Won

34

16

30

Blocks

30

20

28

Interceptions

35

16

26

Aerial Duels Won

81

61

43

What's more, Bremer has earned high praise during his time in Italy, including from CBS commentator Matteo Bonetti, who posted on X back in 2022:

Now, Bremer could get the chance to prove his worth outside of the Serie A this summer, with Chelsea possibly hoping that they become the benefactors to his ability over their rivals.

As the likes of Spain, the USWNT and 2020 champion Canada prepare to fight for gold at this summer's Games, GOAL picks some names to keep an eye on…

While the men's football tournament at the Olympics is an Under-23 event, the women's is a senior competition, thus making it one of the most prestigious in the sport, and meaning we are set to see some of the very best players in the world take to the field in France this summer in search of a gold medal.

After winning the Women's World Cup last summer, Spain will go into the event as favourites to stand on top of that podium in Paris next month, but the United States women's national team, now under the charge of Chelsea icon Emma Hayes, has taken big steps forward in the past 12 months. There are plenty of other big nations involved, too, including 2020 gold medalists Canada.

It's a packed field with three extremely competitive groups and 12 rosters filled with top quality players. So, ahead of the tournament kicking off on Thursday, July 25, GOAL has picked out 15 names to keep an eye on at the Games…

USA TODAY SportsMayra Ramirez (Colombia)

Colombia's performances at last summer's World Cup, at which it reached an historic quarter-final, and this year's CONCACAF W Gold Cup, where it lost to the U.S. in the first knockout round, could not have looked more different. In 2023, the South Americans were exciting and delighted many with their attacking play, so it was a shame that wasn't on show in the team's first major tournament of this year.

However, among the big differences between those two events was the absence of Mayra Ramirez at the Gold Cup. The striker, who signed for Chelsea in January for a bumper fee, was an obvious miss for Colombia in the U.S., and so her presence at the Games should change things for the better.

Ramirez's devastating qualities were evident in an incredible individual display on the final dayas Chelsea won a fifth successive Women's Super League title in May, and Colombia will hope to see performances like that in France, too, as it bids to win a medal.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesAdriana Leon (Canada)

This will be the first major tournament since the Olympic Games in 2000 at which Canada does not have the legendary Christine Sinclair on its roster. The 41-year-old announced her retirement from international football in December, hanging her boots up as the all-time top goal-scorer in this field. Her 190 strikes, some 60 more than Ronaldo's all-time record in the men's game, seem unlikely to ever be surpassed.

So, going into the 2024 Olympics, how does Canada cope without her presence in attack? In recent years, Sinclair has dropped into a deeper role rather than being the focal point, but there's no debating how significant a role she maintained in her nation's attacking play, not least because she would draw attention from opposing defenders and that could create space for team-mates.

Throughout 2024, it has not been a case of the 2020 Olympic gold medalists replacing Sinclair like-for-like, but of adapting to a new-look attack without her. Within that, Adriana Leon has shone. The Aston Villa forward has scored nine goals for Canada this calendar year and a continuation of that form in France would go a long way in helping her team have another successful Games.

Getty ImagesKadidiatou Diani (France)

At last summer's World Cup, Kadidiatou Diani had to operate as France's No.9 due to the injury absence of Marie-Antoinette Katoto, the goal-machine she spent so many years providing perfect service for with Paris Saint-Germain. In that role, she scored four goals in five games, but we didn't see the very best of her as Les Bleues lost in the quarter-finals.

Things could be different this time around. Katoto is back and Diani is out wide again, where she can torment full-backs with her agility, skill and positive mindset. She comes into the tournament off the back of an assist-laden season at Lyon, joining the club from PSG last year, and not only will she be hoping to keep that up – Katoto will be keen for her to do so too, so the two can combine to fire the host nation to a medal.

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Getty ImagesRebekah Stott (New Zealand)

Like at most major tournaments, it's going to be tough for New Zealand – pooled with France, Colombia and Canada – to get out of the group stages at the Olympics. However, the Football Ferns hit a huge milestone last summer by winning a World Cup match for the first time and were only denied a place in the knockout stages on goal difference. That will give the players confidence as another major tournament approaches, there's no doubt.

That close call was built on a rock solid defense, New Zealand conceding just once in three group-stage matches, and keeping it tight at the back will be important again in France, given the opposition. Rebekah Stott is a leader in that back line and, as such, she will be key to ensuring this team is tough to break down.

The 31-year-old has a ton of experience, commands the respect of this team and comes into the Olympics having had a superb season with Melbourne City, too, helping the Australian side become A-League Women Premiers again while also reaching the grand final.

And breathe. What a game.

Chelsea looked destined for another shocking defeat in the Premier League last night as they let a two-goal lead slip to Manchester United – until Cole Palmer stepped up, that is.

Mauricio Pochettino must have a shrine to the young Englishman in his house because, at times, it feels like he's the only reason the Argentine still has a job.

That said, another Chelsea ace will be thanking their lucky stars that Manchester City sold the talented gem to the Blues last summer after their shocking performance last night.

Cole Palmer's performance vs Manchester United

He may not have opened the scoring for the Pensioners last night, but there can be no denying that it was the Palmer show once again.

The 21-year-old sensation doubled the west Londoners' lead in the 19th minute with an ice-cold penalty, restored parity with another one 81 minutes after that, and scored the winner courtesy of a Scott McTominay deflection just 60 seconds later.

It was an unreal performance from the Wythenshawe-dynamo and one fully deserving of the 10/10 the Standard's Nizaar Kinsella gave, who described his display as 'heroic.'

While his hat-trick will be the main topic of discussion – and rightly so – the rest of his game was equally impressive.

In his 103 minutes of action, he had five shots on target, won five of his eight duels, made two interceptions, created one big chance, played eight key passes, and took 74 touches.

Minutes

103'

Goals

3

Expected Goals

1.86

Expected Assists

0.42

Touches

74

Key Passes

8

Big Chances Created

1

Shots on Target

5

Shots Blocked

4

Duels (Won)

8 (5)

Interceptions

1

In all, it was a masterful showing from the incredibly talented youngster and one that saved one of his teammates from significantly more flak.

Marc Cucurella's performance vs Manchester United

The dismally poor player in question is Marc Cucurella, who, despite looking decent at the start of the game, only further proved that he simply isn't good enough for the Blues.

The Spaniard was lively for the first 20 minutes or so, bombing up and down the byline and even winning the first penalty of the game, but as the match went on, his defensive fragilities came to the fore.

For example, in his 103 minutes of action, he lost six of his 11 duels, lost the ball 13 times, was dribbled past a whopping four times, committed one foul and managed a paltry passing accuracy of just 78%.

Minutes

103'

Expected Goals

0.05

Expected Assists

0.02

Dribbled Past

4

Duels (Won)

11 (5)

Possession Lost

13

Fouls

1

Accurate Passes

35/35 (78%)

Kinsella was particularly harsh on the former Brighton & Hove ace in his player ratings, writing that he was 'terrible defensively', blaming him for Alejandro Garnacho's second goal, and ultimately awarding him a 5/10, which might actually be too generous – especially for a full-back who lost out to Antony of all people.

Chelsea "monitoring" an "incredible" Poch upgrade who could be Jose 2.0

There are more than a few similarities between the highly sought-after manager and the ‘Special One.’

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 3, 2024

Ultimately, the 25-year-old was all over the place last night, and were it not for the herculean efforts of Palmer almost single-handedly winning the game for the Blues, he would have been in for an awful lot more criticism.

A round up of the Under-19 World Cup matches played on January 25, 2020

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2020
ScorecardEngland allrounder George Hill, playing his first game of the Under-19 World Cup, finished with figures of 4 for 12 to help England bowl Nigeria out for 58 in 27.5 overs in the final Group D game at Kimberley. England, for whom this was their first win of the tournament, won by eight wickets with opener Sam Young finishing the game off with a six, as England racing to 64 for 2 in just 11 overs.Nigeria had opted to bat first, but the England seamers reduced them to 19 for 3 early. A 23-run fourth-wicket then took Nigeria past the forties, but then offspinner Hamidullah Qadri, who also took four wickets, and medium-pacer Hill bowled them out soon after. Nigeria captain Sylvester Okpe top-scored with 16.Young was brisk in England’s pursuit of 59, crunching five fours and two sixes in his 33-ball 39, while Hil, who batted at No.4, was not out on 7 when the winning runs were hit. Both teams will move to the Plate League stage of the tournament, having failed to come in the top two of their group. West Indies topped the group, with Australia finishing second.
ScorecardFour days after being bowled out for 41 by India, Japan slumped to 43 all out in their final Group A match, against Sri Lanka. In a match reduced to 22 overs a side, Sri Lanka chose to bowl, and took just 18.3 overs to rattle through Japan’s line-up, and only 8.3 to complete their chase.None of the Japan batsmen got into double figures, their No. 4 Debashish Sahoo coming closest with 9. Four Sri Lanka bowlers – Dilshan Madushanka, Sudeera Thilakaratne, Ashian Daniel and Navod Paranavithana – took two wickets each, with the other two coming via run-outs.Paranavithana fell early in Sri Lanka’s chase, before Mohammad Shamaz and Ravindu Rasantha steered their side home with an unbroken partnership of 38. The result confirmed that New Zealand – whose match against Japan didn’t produce a result – joined India in the quarter-finals.
ScorecardZimbabwe beat Scotland to notch their first win of the Under-19 World Cup, with Tadiwanashe Marumani leading the way. The opener smashed 85 off just 55 balls, including 12 fours and 4 sixes, as Zimbabwe won by eight wickets in just 17.1 overs after keeping Scotland to 140 all out.Put in to bat, Scotland were in deep trouble at 42 for 5 with the top five all back in the hut, but a lower middle-order rally prevented a complete rout. Allrounder Kess Sajjad made 68 off 71 from No.7, and was the last wicket to fall. He shared a 66-run stand for the sixth wicket with Daniel Cairns (28), and did the bulk of the scoring all through his time at the crease.Sakhumuzi Ndlela, the right-arm medium pacer, had done the early damage, taking four of the first five wickets. He ended with figures of 4 for 27, while Dion Myers and Tadiwanashe Nyangani had a couple of wickets each.In the chase, Marumani made it a no-contest, playing the dominant role in a 121-run stand for the second wicket that came off just 14 overs. He was out with just two needed for victory, and Milton Shumba finished things off in style, hitting a six with the scores level.Neither of Zimbabwe or Scotland have finished in the top two of Group C though, and both will thus be progressing to the Plate League knockouts. From Group C, Bangladesh and Pakistan will progress to the quarter-finals, having finished on top of the group.

A string of youthful talent has caught the eye this summer and could be set for increased roles heading into the new campaign

It's been an odd pre-season for most Premier League clubs. With various players' involvement in the European Championship and Copa America leaving them unable to partake in their side's overseas tours, the gaps have been plugged by a string of young players desperate to impress before the new campaign kicks-off.

Of course, getting to watch your team's next big thing has always been an integral part of these summer warm-up games. But the unique circumstances have provided more youthful talent than ever with the opportunity to force their way into the senior squad.

Many have grasped this chance with both hands, and we could be seeing a lot more of them when the proper stuff kicks off next week. Here, then, are 10 such youngsters who have seriously improved their standings during pre-season…

Getty ImagesHarry Amass (Manchester United)

Having witnessed Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo force their way into the senior squad, the Manchester United youngsters included in the travelling party to the United States this summer will have been conscious that there is no age barrier preventing them from breaking into the first team. There's been a couple of standout performers, with Will Fish looking assured prior to picking up a nasty injury, while fellow young defender Harry Amass deserves immense credit too.

The left-back, signed in 2023 from Watford, has looked strong going in both directions and even registered an assist in the victory over Real Betis where he was engaged in a fascinating running battle with Hector Bellerin. Ten Hag is clearly excited about Amass, perhaps seeing a pathway to the first team this season due to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia's fitness issues.

"In this moment he needs to catch up and he has to develop some of the skills needed to play for Manchester United, when we are competing for the highest position in the league," the Dutchman said of the 17-year-old recently. "But with big talent it can go very quickly and it is very interesting to see if he is capable of doing this."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLucas Bergvall (Tottenham)

After fighting off competition from Barcelona to seal his signature in February 2024, Spurs fans have finally been able to catch a glimpse of Lucas Bergvall this pre-season. So far, there's been no complaints, with the Swede looking comfortable in the roaming playmaker role James Maddison thrived in last season.

Bergvall registered an assist on his Tottenham debut against Hearts and, after shaking off an injury picked up in a clash with QPR, he's racked up more minutes on the club's tour of Asia. Some fans have even called for him to start ahead of Maddison when the season gets going, though Postecoglou has warned that the young Swede needs more time to get used to his demanding training methods.

Getty ImagesOscar Bobb (Manchester City)

Oscar Bobb is hardly a fresh face on the block, having racked up a decent amount of substitute appearances for Manchester City last season. However, it still feels like this pre-season has been important in him moving up the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium.

With a sizeable proportion of the first-team squad missing due to their international commitments, Bobb was City's standout player on their U.S. tour, scoring twice and chipping in with three assists. After he was involved in all three of his side's goals against Celtic, Guardiola hailed the Norwegian's "incredible potential", and with his rivals for the right-wing position unlikely to be up to speed for Saturday's Community Shield, Bobb will surely be heavily involved at Wembley.

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Getty ImagesFabio Carvalho (Liverpool)

At the end of last season, it seemed like Fabio Carvalho's Liverpool career was over. After struggling to break into the first team following his arrival in summer 2022, then-manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed that the midfielder wasn't happy with his playing time and he was shipped out on loan to RB Leipzig in July 2023.

That didn't work out either, though a change of scenery at Hull City last January did suggest that his talent had not waned. Still, with reports of attitude problems hanging over him, it seemed like the opportune time to move on this summer. But incoming boss Arne Slot has had other ideas.

Initially impressed by the Portuguese, Carvalho responded to the trust Slot has placed in him by scoring against both Arsenal and Manchester United. And with the Reds rejecting an offer from Southampton for him in recent days, it would seem that his Anfield story isn't quite over yet.

The 24-year-old center back has garnered attention with strong performances for the Rapids and Canada, with a transfer to France now on the cards.

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Bombito's time in MLS appears close to an endWas named 2024 MLS All-StarNice hope to fill void created by Jean-Clair Todibo's exitWHAT HAPPENED?

The fastest man in MLS appears set for a move to Ligue 1.

The Colorado Rapids and OGC Nice have reportedly agreed to a €7 million transfer fee for Moises Bombito, pending successful completion of the contract and medical phase.

The 24-year-old center back has significant strides in his second season in MLS. He was named to his first MLS All-Star game and went viral on social for being the fastest player in the league, clocking at an impressive 23 miles per hour. Bombito has been a crucial part of the Rapids' turnaround this season, helping a team that won just five games in 2023 go up to fourth in the Western Conference standings with 12 wins in 26 games played.

Fabrizio Romano was first to break the news.GOAL US reached out to the Colorado Rapids for comment.

AdvertisementUSA Today ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Bombito's rise has been nothing short of astonishing this season. His performances in the 2024 Copa America, which helped Canada make a run to the semifinals, garnered praise from his national team manager Jesse Marsch.

“For me, the best example of what’s wrong with the sport in our country is that Moïse Bombito never really was identified until 23 years old. Like, that can’t be," Marsch said.

“I’ve coached some of the best centre-backs in the world: (Dayot) Upamecano, (Ibrahima) Konaté, (Joško) Gvardiol. And [Bombito]’s talent level is in that category."

Romano reported Bombito is seen as the potential replacement for France international Jean-Clair Todibo, who just secured a high-profile loan to buy move to the Premier League with West Ham United.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bombito was the No. 3 selection in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. His rise proves there is still value to be found in scouting college soccer, despite some criticisms.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR THE RAPIDS AND OGC NICE?

The MLS transfer window comes to a close at midnight on Aug. 14. There is a chance the Rapids could aim to purchase Bombito's replacement.

Nice's season starts Sunday as they travel to face AJ Auxerre in Ligue 1 action as manager Franck Haise looks to get their campaign underway.

KL Rahul’s fourth ODI century goes in vain as New Zealand romp home by five wickets

The Report by Sidharth Monga11-Feb-2020
New Zealand consigned India to their first bilateral ODI whitewash in more than 22 years*, riding on the efforts of a second-string attack missing Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry. Hamish Bennett’s four-for and some tight bowling around him made sure India managed only 296 despite their biggest gain of the series: a middle-order core of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer.The New Zealand players pose with the trophy•Getty ImagesNew Zealand made the chase seem more difficult than it should have been after a 106-run opening stand between Henry Nicholls and Martin Guptill. Regular wickets, though, brought back memories of the T20I series debacle, but Tom Latham and a charmed Colin de Grandhomme saw them through from 220 for 5.India might have lost the ODI series, but in Rahul they have solidified a No. 5 to fill the hole left by Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni. Rahul had already shown he could hit hard, hit from ball one and hit for a long time, but on Tuesday, he rescued India from 62 for 3 to score his fourth ODI century. And he did so without eating up balls at the start of his 113-ball 112. Rahul stayed at the wicket for 34.3 overs during which time India scored 207 for 2. Around that stay, though, New Zealand – not great in the field, mind you – managed to cause enough damage to restrict India to 296 for 7 despite the score reading 269 for 4 in the 47th over.If the similarities were not enough already, Rahul joined Rahul Dravid as the only India wicketkeeper with an ODI century outside Asia. Both were naturalised wicketkeepers who batted below their preferred position to suit the team’s needs. Incidentally, the last time an India batsman scored a hundred from No. 5 or lower was when Dhoni and Yuvraj were batting together, in January 2017 against England. That Cuttack ODI was also the last time India had crossed 290 with the top three’s contribution being under 20%. Not just Rahul, Nos. 4 and 6 around him played their role: Iyer scored a near-run-a-ball 62, and Manish Pandey made sure the runs kept coming with his 42 off 48 from 162 for 4.The day, though belonged to the New Zealand bowlers. Kyle Jamieson continued his impressive beginning by bowling Mayank Agarwal early, beating the outside edge after having gone past the inside one in the previous game. Virat Kohli played an uncharacteristic innings, getting beaten by wide deliveries early before hitting out to only the seventh ball he faced. This was the earliest he had hit a six in India’s innings. Kohli’s innings didn’t continue for long, though, as he cut Bennett straight to third man. Prithvi Shaw, looking in great touch once again, gave it away by running himself out, bringing in Rahul to join Iyer.During their last partnership, in the first ODI of this series, Rahul had sort of carried Iyer, but here Iyer was in better touch. He still kept hitting the ball in the air but never fell too far behind the 100 strike rate. Rahul looked imperious from the time he walked in, square-driving the second ball he faced for four. New Zealand turned to de Grandhomme and James Neesham soon after the early exchanges just like they had done in the first ODI. Runs kept trickling with a Neesham short delivery stopped at Iyer, who could only pop up a catch to short midwicket. The two added 100 in 110 deliveries.Mitchell Santner missed a run-out of Rahul on 64, and Pandey on 35 but did a good job of keeping a lid on the scoring. From the 39th to the 46th over, India hit only one boundary. There was a slightly strange element of risk aversion for a side only four down.When Rahul took the risk in the 47th over, Jamieson dropped him at long-off. Bennett, though, got his due reward with a similar chance next ball, with Jamieson hanging on this time. Pandey chose the next ball to try to hit a six, and even he could go only as far as long-on. Bennett’s mix of wide lines, hard lengths and knuckle balls worked well and only 86 came in the last 12 overs.It took New Zealand a little over 12 overs at the start to score those 86. Guptill took apart Navdeep Saini and also took a ten-run over off Jasprit Bumrah, who went wicketless in the series. It was eventually the legspin of Yuzvednra Chahal that dragged India back into the contest. Guptill fell to a ripper, but Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor chipped up soft catches to give India a look-in. Nicholls, consistently impressive as a naturalised opener, failed to convert yet again and fell 20 short of a hundred. Neesham took a fair go at a half-volley from Chahal but found Kohli at midwicket. Against the run of play, it was 77 runs required with the last recognised pair in.With Latham rock solid at one end, de Grandhomme chanced his arm as soon as he came in. A mis-hit fell short of a deep fielder, two less-than-ideal hits just about cleared the fence, and New Zealand were off again. Latham remained unbeaten on a soothing 32 off 34.