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Leeds manager Daniel Farke praises USMNT midfielder Brenden Aaronson, with the former Philadelphia Union product impressing in his return to England

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• Brenden Aaronson has scored four, assisted one
• Worked back into the USMNT setup under Mauricio Pochettino
• Struggled on loan at Union Berlin last season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Daniel Farke has praised the work of Brenden Aaronson at Leeds this season, dubbing him "excellent" as the Whites fight for promotion to the Premier League. The USMNT playmaker spent last year on loan at Union Berlin, and was linked with a move away this summer, but has proved his worth thus far, starting 11 of 13 games and tallying five goal contributions.

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• WHAT FARKE SAID

  The Leeds manager praised Aaronson's performance: "He's excellent so far this season. It's always good when a player has extra motivation or perhaps a bit of a bad conscience to improve. He was not happy with the last season he played in a Leeds shirt. It was difficult for him for several reasons, and he wanted to prove his worth.

  "In our initial conversations, I was convinced by him as a player. there are still several things in his game that he can and has to improve. He's still a young guy, but I like his work rate, his ability to work against the ball, his ability to make many runs with the ball, his ability to set up players with assists, and his ability to score goals. They are excellent for us so far this season."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Aaronson struggled to find his feet after making the move from RB Salzburg to Leeds in 2022. He started 28 games in the 2022-23 Premier League campaign, but managed just one goal and three assists as they were relegated. The result was an ill-advised loan move to Union Berlin, where he was in and out of the XI as his side finished 15th. He reportedly wanted to stay in Germany, but the club ended his loan.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AARONSON?

  Aaronson will likely be in the picture when Leeds take on Millwall in a Championship match tomorrow. A win and Sunderland loss would take Farke's side to the top of the table. The midfielder is also expected to be named in Mauricio Pochettino's next USMNT squad.

In what would be a major blow for Mikel Arteta, Real Madrid have reportedly identified one particular Arsenal star as their top target in this summer's transfer window.

Arsenal transfer news

As the Gunners look to make it a third time lucky in the Premier League next season, they could be faced with an all too familiar story of star players heading out The Emirates exit door. Those in North London suffered heartbreak once again last season of course, as Manchester City won their fourth consecutive Premier League title to keep Pep Guardiola's winning machine rolling on.

Star players leaving is a story that Arsene Wenger saw one too many times during his legendary tenure, with the likes of Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas jumping ship. The former went on and won the Premier League with rivals Manchester United, whilst the latter joined Barcelona before returning to English football with Chelsea. And now, years later, reports suggest that Arteta could suffer a similar fate.

Arsenal now offered £50 million PSG star as Bayern Munich consider talks

The Gunners could also beat PL rivals to his signature…

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 29, 2024

According to Caught Offside, Real Madrid have identified William Saliba as their top target in central defence this summer alongside Lille's Leny Yoro, but Arsenal are not willing to part ways with their star defender who has become a vital cog in Arteta's side.

The Spanish giants aren't alone in their interest either, with Paris Saint-Germain also eyeing a move to sign the £190,000-a-week France international in the coming months. Of course, it's a great compliment to Saliba that such clubs are interested in his signature, but it remains to be seen whether he'll be tempted to jump ship and deal Arsenal fans yet another heartbreak, courtesy of a La Liga giant.

Replacing the defender would be a near-impossible task, so there's no doubt that the Gunners will be desperate to keep hold of Saliba this summer.

"Superb" Saliba is one of Premier League's best

Forming one half of last season's best centre-back partnership in the Premier League statistically, Saliba stands out as one of the best players that English football has to offer these days in what goes a long way towards the project that Arsenal are building.

Whilst he is yet to earn the silverware to add accreditation to his stature, Arteta has still been full of praise for his star defender. The Arsenal boss previously told Sky Sports via TNT Sports: “Saliba was superb. For his age, he is built really well. You need the right balance. Physicality in this league is something where you can’t come up short. If you do, you will be exposed. It’s the same with Ben [White] to have another player in that backline who can make a difference.”

With that said, keeping hold of Saliba this summer amid reported interest from Real Madrid and PSG must be seen as one of Arsenal's biggest priorities this summer.

West Ham United are thought to be leading the race to make another defensive signing after the deal for Max Kilman.

West Ham eyeing more signings in busy summer

The Irons have already been active in the transfer window ahead of Julen Lopetegui’s first season in charge at the London Stadium, bringing in three new additions with a month still to go until the first game of the 2024/25 campaign.

After teenage winger Luis Guilherme and experienced goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, centre-back Kilman also put pen to paper with the Irons, joining in a deal worth around £40m.

West Ham submit bid to sign Duran alternative who's better than En-Nesyri

Tim Steidten has made the first move to sign this Euro 2024 sensation.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 9, 2024

A player who Lopetegui has worked with previously, Kilman expressed his delight at signing for West Ham, saying via the club’s official website: “It’s an amazing feeling to be a West Ham United player.

“As soon as I was aware of the interest from the Club, it was an opportunity I was keen to pursue, so I couldn’t be more delighted to be here. I really enjoyed working with Julen during his time at Wolves – he’s a top-class coach and someone I learned a lot from, and I am confident I will continue to improve as a player under his management here.

“West Ham is a massive Club and I feel this is the natural next step forward in my career. Playing in front of a passionate fan-base, with 62,500 supporters packing out London Stadium every other week, is something I am incredibly excited about.”

Now, the club appear to be looking at further additions before the opening game against Aston Villa, with Villa Park forward Jhon Duran a firm target in attack.

After Kilman, though, more defenders appear to be wanted, with Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten linked with the likes of Ryan Sessegnon, who is available on a free transfer after leaving Tottenham, Jayden Oosterwolde of Fenerbahce, Lazio’s Luca Pellegrini and Al-Ettifaq defender Jack Hendry.

Now, a new defensive target has emerged, with the player in question recently at Euro 2024.

West Ham leading Josip Sutalo transfer race

According to Caught Offside, West Ham are interested in signing Ajax defender Josip Sutalo and are leading the race for the Croatia international ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion and Fulham due to their recent dealings with the Dutch giants after deals for Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus.

The report states that Ajax value the centre-back at up to €30m (£25m), with the Hammers expected to come in with a first offer of around €23m (£19.3m).

Sutalo only joined Ajax from Dinamo Zagreb last summer and made 32 appearances in all competitions during his first season with the club. His displays resulted in him being called up to the Croatia squad for Euro 2024, where he played every minute of action in Group B at the heart of the defence.

A move to England could be next for the 24-year-old, and who knows, West Ham fans could see a completely new centre-back partnership of Kilman and Sutalo, should a move materialise over the coming weeks.

Neymar has broken his silence amid speculation Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal could terminate his contract after his latest injury setback.

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• Neymar speaks out after being ruled out again
• Future at Al-Hilal currently uncertain
• Brazilian's contract expires at end of season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Neymar's future has been in the spotlight after the Brazilian superstar was sidelined for up to six weeks after suffering a hamstring injury. The 32-year-old had only just returned from a year out of action due to an ACL tear, leading to speculation that Al-Hilal could look to terminate his current contract which is set to expire in the summer.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The ex-Barcelona and PSG star has already been linked with several clubs including Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and former club Santos. Neymar has now spoken about his future, as he helped to officially launch Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2024 World Cup, and claimed he is still happy at Al-Hilal.

• WHAT NEYMAR SAID

  He said: "The opportunity to play here and live in a country like this is very important for people. That’s why I always say that I was very well received here. I’m very happy and I’m sure it will only get better. I’m sure other stars will come here. I believe that many will have the opportunity to come here, and I think that everyone should have the opportunity to experience what I have experienced here."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Al-Hilal enjoyed an unbeaten Saudi Pro League season last year, winning the title by 16 points, despite being without Neymar due to injury for virtually the entire campaign.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has sent a “pay attention” warning to Vinicius Junior after pipping the Real Madrid star to Ballon d’Or recognition.

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• Man City star walked away with Golden Ball
• Blancos representatives refused to attend
• Spain international has offered words of advice

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Prior to the most prestigious of awards being handed, the expectation was that a Golden Ball would end up in the hands of a Brazilian forward. It then emerged that Rodri, with Premier League and Euro 2024 titles under his belt, would be recognised as the best player on the planet.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Real Madrid refused to send any representatives to the glitzy Ballon d’Or ceremony in disgust, as they reacted angrily to the most dramatic of snubs, but Rodri is revelling in his new standing at the top of the global game and has offered some words of advice to Vinicius when it comes to achieving a similar standing himself.

• WHAT RODRI SAID

  Spain international Rodri has told : “I think he's an intelligent guy and he'll realise over time that the more he pays attention to the pitch, the better he'll be. Like everyone, he has areas for improvement both on and off the pitch. He's young, I'm sure that people will give him good advice and even more so when he's at Madrid. It's a club with values.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Quizzed on whether he has received any contact from the Spanish capital on the back of his Golden Ball triumph, Rodri joked: “Did they call me from the club? No, obviously not. A message from Vinicius? Yes, yes, a FaceTime… not at all.”

Glasgow Rangers only have a couple of weeks left to prepare for their first game of the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership season, which kicks off next month.

The Ibrox giants are looking to end a run of three years without a title to show for their efforts in the top-flight, as their rivals have won the last three trophies.

Philippe Clement and head of recruitment Nils Koppen have put in plenty of work during the summer transfer window so far in an attempt to build a squad at Rangers that is ready to compete.

Jon McLaughlin, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Kemar Roofe, and Borna Barisic were all allowed to depart as free agents at the end of May, when their contracts in Glasgow came to an end.

The Gers have also moved to bring in a host of new signings. Hamza Igamane, Jefte, Oscar Cortes, Mohammed Diomande, Clinton Nsiala, Liam Kelly, and Connor Barron have all come through the door to bolster the manager's options across the park.

However, Rangers do not appear to be done there, yet, in the transfer window as they are reportedly eyeing up a star from the Premiership before the deadline passes at the end of next month.

Rangers interested in Premiership marksman

According to the Daily Record, the Scottish giants have reignited their interest in Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland as they look to improve their attacking options.

The report claims that the Gers did consider a swoop to sign the Scotland international in the January transfer window earlier this year, only for Clement to put a stop to it.

It states that the Belgian boss has now changed his mind on the situation and is interested in a deal to snap up the impressive centre-forward this summer.

The outlet adds that Clement is now considering a bid to sign the Hearts star to see if it is possible to tempt him away from Tynecastle over the coming weeks.

Daily Record also reveals that it could take a bid of around £3m to convince the Jam Tarts to part ways with Shankland, despite him now being in the final 12 months of his contract.

He could speak with teams to agree a pre-contract deal from January onwards but that does not seem likely to stop Hearts from demanding a sizeable fee for his services.

If Clement and Rangers can get a deal over the line for Shankland before the end of the window then they could land a dream partner for new signing Igamane, as he would have the perfect role model at Ibrox.

Hamza Igamane's Rangers potential

The Gers swooped to sign the young forward from Moroccan outfit FAR Rabat on a permanent move earlier this summer and he comes in as a prospect with potential.

Igamane is only 21 and has yet to play a competitive game, at club level, outside of his home country in Morocco, which means that it could take some time for him to adapt to Scottish football and supporters should not expect him to hit the ground running as a star for the Gers.

He has spent the majority of his career so far as a centre-forward but, due to the reasons outlined, it may be too much to ask him to come in and immediately lead the line for the Light Blues.

Igamane has also operated on the wings at time and his form from the 2023/24 campaign suggests that he has the attributes to potentially be successful on the right flank for Rangers.

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old ace is not currently the most prolific forward but is excellent when it comes to dribbling past opposition players, completing a high percentage of his attempted dribbles and completing more than one per game on average.

This suggests that Igamane could be suited to a right-wing position for the Gers as he could use his speed and dribbling ability to burst past defenders to then score for himself or create chances for his teammates in the final third.

Why Shankland would be perfect for Igamane

Firstly, Shankland could benefit from the young forward's creative and direct play down the flank as it could result in him having plenty of chnaces to find the back of the net.

Secondly, the Scottish marksman is a proven Premiership performer who could act as a mentor for Igamane over the years to come, to mould him into his own successor for the future.

Shankland would not come in with much to prove in the Scottish top-flight due to his return of 55 goals and 14 assists in 120 appearances in the division.

As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old star is coming off the back of an outstanding season in the Premiership, in which he scored an incredible 24 goals in 37 outings.

This shows that the Hearts skipper knows exactly what it takes to be a consistent goalscorer at that level and that he has the quality to do it, with only nine 'big chances' missed to go along with his 24 strikes.

These statistics indicate that Shankland would come in as a lethal centre-forward for Rangers who could hit the ground running due to his proven Premiership quality.

The experienced Scotsman, who was once hailed as "clinical" by journalist Euan Robertson, could be the perfect mentor for Igamane due to his knowledge of Scottish football and his evident finishing quality.

The Morocco U23 international could learn from playing and training alongside Shankland over the years to come, whilst also potentially striking up a working relationship with him on the pitch as a winger.

Cantwell 2.0: Rangers to launch move to sign "exciting" £15m talent

Philippe Clement is eyeing a new winger this summer…

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By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 22, 2024

It is now down to Clement and Rangers to get a deal over the line for the Hearts captain before the window slams shut to immediately improve the team and set Igamane on a path to being a future star.

New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has personally requested that the club make a key signing in one area, with Stamford Bridge chiefs casting their eye on a £34 million player for him.

Chelsea's busy summer transfer window with nearly £120m spent

Chelsea are set to sign Aaron Anselmino from Boca Juniors with everything in place over their £17 million deal, and he'll be joined by Caleb Wiley, who is also set to make the move to west London in an £8.5 million deal from MLS outfit Atlanta United (The Athletic).

Chelsea hold new talks with Premier League club over signing £70m "talent"

He’s fresh off the back of an excellent campaign.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 19, 2024

The £25.5 million spent on both Americans takes Chelsea's total expenditure for the window to nearly £120 million, following on from the £93 million invested in deals for defender Tosin Adarabioyo (free), striker Marc Guiu, homegrown starlet Omari Kellyman, midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Portuguese ace Renato Veiga.

There could still be more signings to come through the door, as co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley reportedly set their sights on a star winger. Indeed, Chelsea are targeting a star wide forward for Maresca, and one who can compete with the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Raheem Sterling.

This has lead to the likes of Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi and Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams being linked in the past fortnight, alongside others, with Federico Chiesa's representatives also reaching out to Chelsea.

However, they could also shore up their defensive department as well, with Chelsea reportedly contacting Nottingham Forest over a deal for Murillo. The Brazilian's arrival would do wonders to fill the void left by Thiago Silva's departure, coming after the veteran centre-back re-joined boyhood club Fluminense on a free.

Meanwhile, there have been sporadic murmurs that a new goalkeeper could come through the door as well. Maresca is said to be a big fan of Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez and has plans for him next season.

Maresca asks Chelsea to sign new goalkeeper with Mamardashvili targeted

However, that hasn't stopped Chelsea's boss from making a personal transfer demand behind the scenes.

According to Football Transfers, Maresca has personally asked Chelsea to sign a new goalkeeper after a week assessing his current squad in training. It is unclear what this means for Sanchez, but in terms of the players who have admirers at the club, one of them is Valencia shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The 23-year-old Georgian, who helped his country to the last 16 of Euro 2024, is in the final year of his contract and could be available for a cut-price £34 million – a huge drop down from his £84 million release clause.

The England legend remains determined to crack the managerial game and must get it right at Home Park to be in the conversation for bigger jobs

Wayne Rooney is headline news. There's an inevitability to it – you don't carve out a career as one of the greatest players to ever wear a Manchester United and England shirt without attracting intense press scrutiny and your life constantly being under the microscope.

If Rooney the player had to face the music, Rooney the manager wasn't going to escape the noise, and while all's well when you're getting results in the managerial game, it can be a pretty harrowing place when things aren't going to plan.

Into his fourth permanent role in four years, and having failed to truly prove himself up to now, it feels like it's now or never for Rooney's managerial career as he navigates the lower echelons of the Championship with Plymouth Argyle.

So where's it been going wrong? How's it going now? And will Rooney ever be a contender to take his holy grail – the Manchester United job?

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  A managerial reputation in tatters

  Rooney's first taste of management came in November 2020 where he was entrusted with attempting to steer Derby County away from relegation from the Championship following the dismissal of Phillip Cocu. Already in place as a player-coach at Pride Park, this was his big chance – and he didn't make a bad fist of it.

  Rooted to the bottom of the table and in their lowest league position for 12 years, Rooney took charge, first as part of a four-man interim team before getting the job permanently in January 2021, and would go on to settle for 21st place. Relegation avoided, mission accomplished – just about, it must be said, with the Rams surviving by a single point.

  It would ultimately all end in misery, however. The following season saw Derby hit with deductions totaling 21 points, crippling their chances of survival. Indeed, the east Midlands club were relegated despite amassing 14 wins and 55 points – a tally that would've put them in 17th place had they not been punished by the EFL.

  Rooney decided to step down from his position following relegation to League One, and headed back to the United States and D.C. United less than a month later. It didn't go so well.

  Under their former striker, D.C. finished plum last in the Eastern Conference and then followed that up by failing to make the MLS play-offs for the second season in a row. Rooney's days were numbered.

  Onto Birmingham City. Out of nowhere, the Championship play-off hopefuls – who had seen Tom Brady join as a minority owner just a couple of months before, raised eyebrows when they sacked John Eustace in October 2023 and bet all their chips on Rooney – it was bold, bizarre and by no means a guarantee of success.

  It ended terribly, for all concerned.

  After winning just two of his 15 games in charge, Rooney was shown the door. Birmingham would go on to be relegated and the Manchester United legend was shouldering the majority of the blame. His managerial reputation was in the gutter and at the point of no return, or so it seemed…

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  Plymouth find their 'perfect match'

  Plymouth Argyle and Wayne Rooney. A shock appointment that, just a few years ago, would've made it as a screenshot on the Out of Context Football Manager Twitter feed. But here it was, an opportunity for Rooney, and possibly his last-chance-saloon as a manager.

  Following the Birmingham debacle, the former England captain had been out of work for a little over four months but he was in no mood to give up. Speaking via , he outlined his intentions to "bounce back" and that he was a "fighter", determined to rise off the canvas and keep on punching. And what's more – he'd had enough of being sat on the sofa at home, twiddling his thumbs. It was getting "weird".

  It came out of the blue, but ahead of the 2024-25 season, Plymouth emerged as Rooney's salvation. Just like Derby back in 2021, Plymouth had survived relegation by the skin of their teeth. Change was needed, Rooney, they felt, was needed, with the 39-year-old reportedly winning a race consisting of as many as 80 candidates to land the job.

  Argyle chief executive Andrew Parkinson called it a "perfect match" – time will tell. So how's it been going so far?

  When Wayne Rooney walks through the door, whatever level of football you're playing at, you're going to take notice. After a full pre-season with his new manager, midfielder Adam Randell complemented Rooney's tactical awareness, commenting on how "approachable" he found England's second highest-ever goalscorer, despite all his enviable achievements as a player.

  Come the start of the season, though, it couldn't have gone much worse.

  Plymouth were ripped apart by Sheffield Wednesday, losing 4-0 and being completely played off the park – allowing 31 attempts at their goal attests to that. No one said it was going to be easy.

  Since then, results it's fair to say, have been up and down. Of their 15 league matches to date, Argyle have put 16 points on the board – that's four wins, four draws and seven losses. They've only won one of their last five in the league but find themselves outside of the relegation spots and in 18th place – a 1-0 victory over fellow strugglers Portsmouth undoubtedly helping clear some of the doom and gloom.

  Not great, it's fair to say, but not a complete disaster either. And Rooney's certainly not lost any of that fire that became synonymous with his playing career – a rage-induced red card during a narrow win over Blackburn proved as much.

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  A big family sacrifice

  Before a ball had even been kicked, or cone laid out, the Rooney family had some significant decisions to make after the Plymouth role was rubber-stamped – the most obvious being where they'd all live, and whether upping sticks to the south Devon coast was workable.

  To put it simply – it takes five hours to drive from Rooney's family home in Cheshire's Golden Triangle down to Plymouth, some 260 miles away. The logical solution would've been to move his entire family – wife Coleen and their four boys – to Devon with him, something that was considered but ultimately ruled out.

  Speaking on the topic, Coleen told the in September: "We thought long and hard about it (moving to Devon) but with the kids it didn't work.

  "Kai's now in year 10 and just starting GCSE prep and everything’s going well with football, and the other boys are all settled at school, so it didn’t seem fair on the children to pick them up and take them away, and start in a whole new place. It’s manageable. It's life. Other couples and families have similar situations and have to get on with it."

  The end result has seen Rooney purchase a flat in the city, with Coleen admitting that they only see him "a couple of times a week".

  Forget the football side of things for a moment, taking the manager's job at Plymouth was clearly a significant – and, to some extent, lifechanging – decision for the Rooney family, with the 39-year-old sacrificing a lot of quality time with his wife and children to pursue his managerial dream. It surely takes its toll.

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• Karaoke, pasties & scrutiny

  There's no denying it. Rightly or wrongly, Rooney is the most scrutinised manager in the Football League. Wherever he goes, whatever he does and whatever he says, it's going to make headline news. It comes with the territory of being the most recognisable name and face of English football – David Beckham aside – of the past two decades. And to be fair to Rooney, he often tackles it head on.

  One thing that wasn't on our bingo card so soon after his appointment, however, was the sight of Rooney singing his heart out – albeit terribly – at a pub on the south coast. As expected, it went viral on social media.

  On this occasion, though, it was for the right reasons, with Manchester United's all-time top scorer mixing with locals and showing that, despite his global status and fame, he's a pretty normal bloke at heart.

  The headlines in November weren't quite as complementary.

  The likened Rooney's life in Devon to that of a "bachelor", claiming he enjoys "boozy nights and takeaways" while in the temporary arrangement of living away from his family. That, and whether he's getting "stuck into the pasties", as one customer at a local bar speculated, can't be confirmed, but there have been suggestions that Coleen's concerned.

  A source told in September: "Coleen got a bit of a shock when she saw Wayne recently. She's worried he's not taking enough care of himself now that he's living on his own.

  "It was always going to be a big adjustment for him when he gave up playing football professionally. He was at the peak of his fitness during that time. Coleen made sure he ate healthily and he was always running about and playing footie with the boys. Now, she feels he's not putting himself first, and worries that he's struggling to cope without her looking after him."

AC Milan will send Christian Pulisic for an MRI scan on Monday, with it suggested that the USMNT star could be ruled out for up to three weeks.

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• American forced off against Atalanta
• Muscle problem set to be assessed
• Rossoneri have four games left in 2024

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international was forced from the field before half-time in Milan’s 2-1 defeat at Atalanta, with the 26-year-old forward seen clutching at his right calf. Medical staff were unable to prevent Pulisic from being substituted, leading to questions being asked of how severe his latest injury problem is.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to , Pulisic will undergo further tests on December 9. The results of those scans will give the Rossoneri a better idea of how long their American talisman could be sidelined for. It is expected that he will definitely sit out a Champions League meeting with Crvena zvezda on Wednesday.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  report that calf complaints can be "tricky" with it yet to be determined whether Pulisic has suffered a muscle tweak or a full strain. It is claimed that he could require up to three weeks in order to regain full match fitness.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  If that were to be the case, then Pulisic would be missing for Serie A clashes with Genoa and Verona – while also being a doubt for a home date with Roma on December 29. He could be back in contention for a Supercoppa Italiana semi-final clash with Juventus, in what will be Milan’s first outing of 2025.

After a slow start to the summer, things are starting to heat up for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta introduced Riccardo Calafiori to the press on Monday after weeks and weeks of links to the club, and on the same day, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Hale End graduate Emile Smith Rowe is on his way across the capital to join Fulham.

While it's likely the right move, it's sad for fans as the midfielder was a crucial part of the club's turnaround just a few years ago, alongside fellow youngsters Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

However, the Croydon-born ace probably won't be the only Hale Ender to leave the club this summer, as reports over the last few weeks have heavily touted Reiss Nelson for a move away from North London.

The talented winger hasn't been able to establish himself in Arteta's first team, and while he's likely to make the club a pretty penny, he's still worth less than one of the club's more senior and versatile attackers.

The latest on Nelson

According to a report from TEAMtalk late last month, Arsenal's asking price for Nelson this summer sits at about £20m, with it clear that his chances of regular and substantive minutes in the coming campaign are slim.

It was reported last week that Leicester City were the favourites to land the winger on an initial loan with an obligation to buy this summer, but yesterday, journalist Jordan Blackwell revealed that talks between the clubs have not led anywhere, and as things stand, it looks like the Englishman won't be joining the Foxes.

West Ham United are also said to be keen on the player. In his column for Caught Offside, journalist Charlie Watts wrote that he 'wouldn't rule them out as Nelson's next destination' at the moment.

However, with the winger on the Gunners' pre-season tour, a move doesn't look imminent.

Overall, it does look like Arteta and Co are looking to sell the Hale End ace at some point this summer. However, with just over a month remaining of the window, it could be a transfer that happens late in the day and while it will be sad to see him go for some fans, they can rest assured that there's another winger in the side worth even more.

Leandro Trossard's valuation in 2024

The winger in question is Leandro Trossard, who's only been with the club for a season and a half following his £27m transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion in the January 2023 transfer window.

Since then, the Belgian has become an essential member of Arteta's squad, and according to Transfermarkt, he is now worth €35m, which converts to about £30m, or about £10m more than the club's reported valuation of Nelson.

It would be hard to argue against the increase in the Belgian's value over the last season and a half, and if anything, it could be argued that it should be higher.

For example, in his first half campaign for the club, the 29-year-old "wizard," as journalist Charlie Haffenden described him, scored one goal and provided ten assists in just 22 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every other game.

He followed that up by scoring 17 goals and providing two assists in 46 appearances last season, which equates to a goal involvement every 2.42 games.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 31, 2024

Ultimately, while he's not the biggest name, Trossard has more than proven his worth in North London, and his improved valuation is evidence of that.