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Ballon d'Or winner Rodri has revealed that Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior would have been his third choice for the 2024 Golden Ball.

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• Rodri reveals who he'd have picked ahead of Vini in Ballon d'Or vote
• Was unfazed by Real Madrid's absence in Paris
• Spaniard out until next year with ACL injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Manchester City star became the first midfielder since Luka Modric to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award this year as he beat Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior to the Golden Ball. Los Blancos, as a club, decided to boycott the ceremony just hours before the event as they had come to know about the outcome before.

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  The Brazilian's snub in Paris has divided opinions in world football, however, Rodri claimed that he was unfazed by the Spanish giants' absence at the ceremony. He also went on to claim that Vinicius Jr. would not have been his second choice for the award this year if he had the opportunity to vote.

• WHAT RODRI SAID

  Speaking to , the Manchester City midfielder said: "I felt a bit of disbelief when, at the time of the presentation of the trophy, half the room shouted 'Vinicius, Vinicius!'. In any case, there was a lot of respect for me from the audience because afterwards they all stood up and applauded me.

  "The Ballon d'Or has rewarded consistency, which is the most difficult thing in football. I am not the one to say whether I deserved this award or not. In 2023 I thought I could win it for my great season at City and this year I think I did even better."

  He added: "Winning it changes your life a bit, it's a before and after. I've been congratulated by a lot of people, one of the ones I'm most excited about is [Andres] Iniesta, who should also have a Ballon d'Or in his showcase because he's been the best footballer in our country's history."

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  TELL ME MORE

  The 28-year-old might have sparked yet another controversy as he revealed that Vinicius Jr. would have been his third choice for the award, adding: "I would have chosen [Dani] Carvajal second and Vinicius third."

  When asked if Real Madrid's boycott hurt him, the City star said: "It didn't hurt me that they weren't present. It was my moment, with my family, and the last thing I thought about was the people who hadn't come to the gala.

  "Did I receive any congratulations from Madrid? There were some from former players of this club like Nacho and Joselu, with whom I shared a dressing room," said Rodri, who made it clear that "I didn't miss Vinicius not congratulating me. I care about my people, my family and my club. I wouldn't have done what Real Madrid did by not showing up to the gala, but there's no point in thinking about it any more."

With the transfer window now in full swing, it appears that some of Rangers' most valuable talents could be on their way out of Ibrox this summer.

Rangers braced for numerous stars to exit this summer

The most recent news out of Ibrox has concerned the future of some of Rangers' biggest names. The future of current club captain James Tavernier has occupied many of the headlines in Glasgow, with the full-back offered an astronomical deal to leave Ibrox and reunite with former boss Steven Gerrard at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

Latest Rangers transfer news: Gers want PL teen; Saudi link to midfield ace

Who is Philippe Clement eyeing up in the transfer window ahead of his first full season at Ibrox?

By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 9, 2024

Centre-back Connor Goldson was also thought to be joining Tavernier in Saudi Arabia, though recent links to Birmingham City could see him swap the Champions League for League One next season. Goldson grew up in nearby Wolverhampton and could be tempted by a move back to the Midlands during the transfer window.

To make matters worse for Philippe Clement, Rangers have been dealt a significant blow in terms of their incomings, with a deal to sign Norwich City's Kenny McLean falling through after the parties failed to agree on personal terms.

With much of the Ibrox faithful hopeful that their club would use this summer to bolster their squad, the Scottish Premiership runners-up look to have been dealt a further blow as a European club consider a move for a Rangers striker.

Italian club discuss a deal to sign Dessers

As first reported by Sport Witness, the Italian press are claiming that Cagliari are thinking about Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers to improve their squad next season. The Ibrox outfit reportedly value the striker at €5m (£4m) and the Nigeria international's current deal is set to keep him at the club until 2027.

Dessers was a vital part of Clement's team last season, scoring 16 goals in the league as Rangers fell agonisingly short of the Scottish Premiership title. This tally saw Dessers finish as the club's second-highest scorer, just behind penalty-taker Tavernier.

The 29-year-old only joined Rangers last season in a move from Italian outfit US Cremonese. Since then, Dessers has gone on to establish himself as a regular fixture in the Gers' starting XI.

The striker has also been a player who has stepped up in big moments for Rangers, with former boss Michael Beale waxing lyrical about Dessers after the UEFA Champions League play-off first leg against PSV back in August 2023:

"It is a new team, and we have got new players. I thought Cyriel Dessers was excellent. He backed into the centre-halves, but he got us up the pitch. At times I would like people to get closer to him."

Whilst the fee received for Dessers will go some way towards funding new recruits, it is likely that Clement will struggle to find a player that can match the Nigerian's output for his side.

Raphinha has taken inspiration from Lionel Messi and surprised Barcelona team-mate Lamine Yamal with a solid gold iPhone worth £10,000.

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• Teenager named best U21 player on the planet
• Breaking records & making history at age of 17
• Club colleague has treated him to a luxury gift

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Teenage wonderkid Yamal was recently awarded the prestigious Kopa Trophy at the glitzy Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris. That prize is handed out to the best U21 player on the planet. At the age of just 17, Euro 2024 winner Yamal has been shattering records and rewriting the history books.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A club colleague in Catalunya believes those exploits need to be rewarded, with Raphinha – who fills Barcelona’s captain’s armband at present – arranging for Yamal to be presented with a luxury phone in recognition of his achievements. The Brazil international has also treated himself to some new bling.

• WHAT A SOURCE SAID

  According to , a source has said of Barca stars taking ownership of unique gifts from I Design Gold: “Raphinha presented the solid gold iPhone to Yamal when they were together and he was delighted. It was a mark of their friendship both off and on the field and was given to him after the Ballon d’Or ceremony where he got the Koba trophy. Raphinha had the phone made especially for Yamal by I Design Gold and it was tailored to all of his preferences and has his name engraved on the back.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  A spokesperson for IDG added: “Yamal and Raphinha have formed a very special partnership on the field with Robert Lewandowski; off the pitch, they have become great friends. We were honoured to deliver this amazing young player our famous gold iPhone. As a company, we always look after individuals and create exclusive pieces that reflect their personalities. Next year, we’re excited to be expanding further into the Middle East and USA retail markets, bringing our luxury designs to even more clients who appreciate innovation and personalisation.”

AC Milan have explained the “problem” that led to USMNT star Christian Pulisic being benched for their Serie A clash with Juventus.

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• American forward nursing a knock
• No risks being taken on his fitness
• Has become key man for Rossoneri

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United States international Pulisic has become an integral part of the Rossonseri’s plans, with seven goals and four assists being registered this season. With that output taken into account, it was a surprise to see him named among the substitutes for a home date with Juve.

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  Pulisic did get onto the field in a game that fellow countrymen Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah also graced, but was restricted to a 20-minute cameo role. He was unable to make a match-winning contribution at San Siro as the game in question finished goalless.

• WHAT FONSECA SAID

  Milan boss Paulo Fonseca was quizzed afterwards on why Pulisic was left out of his starting XI, with the Portuguese tactician telling reporters: “He came from the national team with a problem, yesterday and today we tried but he wasn’t well. I couldn’t let him play more. I took the risk. It didn’t seem like the right time to change players on the fly, we made some substitutions that didn’t have an impact.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Pulisic played 160 minutes for the United States across the two legs of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final win over Jamaica. No unnecessary gambles are being taken on his fitness, with Milan set to be back in Champions League action on Tuesday when taking in a trip to Slovan Bratislava.

Everton could reportedly complete the signing of a "special" £20m player as soon as this week, although his current club are still holding firm.

Everton transfer news

Kalvin Phillips has emerged as a possible addition at Goodison Park this summer, with a replacement for Amadou Onana likely to be found as the Belgian closes in on a move to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa.

In fact, Phillips has even been endorsed by teammate and former Blues hero John Stones, who has waxed lyrical over the Englishman's ability on the ball being an underrated asset, saying: "Easily his range of passing and how he’s always in the right place on the pitch, his positioning and some of the passes he plays [are] outrageous."

Meanwhile, Colombia midfielder Richard Rios has also been linked with a move to Everton in the current transfer window, although Leicester City are reportedly ahead of them in the race, acting as a nuisance to Sean Dyche. He could join Napoli winger Jesper Lindstrom as another addition, in what could be turning into a positive summer.

In fact, the latter has emerged as someone to come in alongside Leeds United youngster Wilfried Gnonto, who the Blues have seemingly shown interest in all summer long.

Everton could sign "special" player this week

According to a fresh update from TEAMtalk, Everton could now complete the signing of Gnonto from Leeds as early as this week, with three new additions potentially even on the cards.

The Italian remains keen on joining the Blues having failed to earn promotion from the Championship last season, and they are willing to pay £20m for his services. That being said, Leeds are holding out for £25m, so it may not be easy to get a deal over the line.

However, it is thought that talks are progressing well, while it has been stated that a deal where an extra £5m is payable through add-ons could be what Leeds require to shake hands with Everton.

Gnonto may have been outshone in many ways by Crysencio Summerville last season, with the Dutchman being named the Championship's best player, but the former is an excellent young talent in his own right – one who already has 13 caps to his name for Italy, which is no mean feat at the age of 20.

Meanwhile, former Leeds coach Michael Skubala made it clear what he thinks of the young winger in the past, saying: "He’s a great lad, he’s a special player. He’s a credit to Leeds, he’s a credit to himself and he’s a really nice player to work with."

Should the Whites hold out for £25m, Everton could still get a good deal given Gnonto's age and the fact that he could be worth far more than that over time, giving Dyche a hugely exciting young player in his ranks in the process.

Ex-Everton CEO says Dyche could now sign £150k-p/w player to replace Onana

He could be a shrewd successor to the Belgian.

By
Henry Jackson

Jul 22, 2024

He is still a raw footballer, so Blues supporters would have to accept that his end product could remain erratic to begin with, but he has already shown that he can handle the Premier League, registering six goal contributions in 24 appearances.

Jose Mourinho is ready to make a move for one West Ham ace after another transfer he was working on fell through due to being hijacked by the Hammers, it has been reported.

West Ham working hard to strengthen

The arrival of Julen Lopetegui this summer has brought with it a freeing of funds in east London, with several new faces set to be on show when the Hammers kick off their new Premier League campaign against Aston Villa on 17th August.

After a difficult 2023-24 season under David Moyes, West Ham have added four new signings and plenty more are expected to arrive between now and the transfer deadline on August 30th.

Indeed, two are imminent additions. The first of those is Borussia Dortmund striker Niclas Fullkrug, who was unveiled on Monday evening ahead of a switch to east London that is believed to have set the Hammers back a fee of 32m euros (£27m).

Imagine him & Summerville: West Ham plot another 'magnificent' transfer

West Ham seeking midfield reinforcements to aid new firepower in attack

By
Connor Holden

Aug 4, 2024

The second of those is free agent Guido Rodriguez, who saw his time with Real Betis come to a close this summer and is now set to pen a two year deal at the London Stadium to bolster their midfield ranks. However, their move for Rodriguez may have unforeseen consequences at the London Stadium.

Mourinho wants West Ham man

That comes as Jose Mourinho is keen to take midfield man Tomas Soucek away from West Ham this summer. Now in charge of Turkish giants Fenerbahce, the ex-Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United boss has made eight new signings this summer, including ex-Newcastle winger Alan Saint-Maximin.

But he saw a potential move for Rodriguez fall through at the eleventh hour courtesy of interest from West Ham, who ultimately secured the Argentine's signature.

And now he has turned his attention to the very man Rodriguez may replace at the London Stadium, with Turkish outlet Takvim [via HITC] claiming that Mourinho is ready to try and land Tomas Soucek this summer to fill the hole in his midfield.

Soucek started 34 Premier League games last season for the Hammers, and still has three years left to run on his £90,000 a week deal at the London Stadium.

However, the 29-year-old faces fresh competition in the middle of Lopetegui's midfield with Rodriguez joining James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez as options for the new Hammers boss to choose from.

There is even speculation that West Ham may still be chasing another midfielder before the window closes, which would heighten the competition for places yet further, and at 29, Soucek is entering the last few windows for West Ham to see any return on their £19m investment on the Czech midfielder.

Meanwhile, a move to Turkey would see him return to European football, which could even be the Champions League if Mourinho's side are able to beat Lille in the play-off for Europe's elite competition.

Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman has shared her thoughts on England's tough-looking draw for next summer's European Championship.

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• England handed tricky Euro 2025 draw
• Wiegman excited by challenge
• Lionesses aiming to defend title

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  England will head to Switzerland next summer aiming to retain their European Championship title but will have to do it the hard way after being handed a tough group. The Lionesses have been drawn in Group D and will take on France, Netherlands and Wales in the first round.

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  The Lionesses may have avoided world champions Spain and hosts Switzerland but know France will prove tough opponents. England finished as runners-up behind Les Bleues in their qualification group and lost 2-1 at St James' Park back in May. Wiegman will also face her native Netherlands as well as debutants and neighbours Wales.

• WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

  She told : “The draw was nice. The group is tough! These are the facts and we knew how the pots were that it would be difficult anyway. The women's game is developing so quickly so I don't think there are easy things any more. We have to be ready for every single game. The women's game has changed. Before we went to the qualifiers for the World Cup, it was kind of easy. Sometimes you could predict if you were going to win. In sport it's really good when it's unpredictable because that's the exciting bit about it."

  Wiegman also spoke about the prospect of taking on Wales: "Of course it is a huge accomplishment for them, qualifying for the first time in their history, so congratulations to Wales. We are neighbours, so a good rivalry on the pitch. That will be a challenging one too. I think they will fight for every yard in the game we play them and I think they will do that in every single game – so will we."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND

  The European Championship is due to kick off on Wednesday, July 2. Before then, England will be in Nations League action and will take on Belgium, Portugal and Spain.

Arsenal are interested in signing a striker once valued at £100 million, and one who's interestingly been compared to Napoli star Victor Osimhen.

Arteta wants striking partner for Kai Havertz at Arsenal

Since the very beginning of this summer window and even before that, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has been heavily linked with the signing of a new number nine who can give Arsenal that extra bit of cutting edge.

Talks ongoing: Arsenal believe they'll sign £55m ace soon, he wants to join

The Gunners are still trying to make their third signing of the window.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 13, 2024

Last season, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Havertz scored an impressive 51 goals between them in all competitions, with Arsenal pushing Man City to the final day in their quest to win a first Premier League title in decades.

However, reports have claimed that Arteta personally wants a striking partner for Havertz, despite the German's impressive displays towards the back end of last season in a makeshift forward role.

Arsenal made a proposal to RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko earlier this summer, but the Slovenia international gem decided to remain at his current club. The 21-year-old had offers from north London, Chelsea and Man United – who all missed out on a deal for Sesko.

Since then, Arsenal have been linked with big-name alternatives. Napoli star Osimhen has remained on Arteta's radar, according to some reports, as the Nigerian pushes to leave Serie A this summer.

Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting Lisbon has been targeted by Arsenal this summer, coming after the Sweden international's phenomenal haul of 43 goals in 50 appearances across all competitions last term.

More recently, FC Porto striker Evanilson has found himself on Arsenal's target list, but CaughtOffside now claim that a much more familiar name in Brentford striker Ivan Toney is still in Arsenal's thinking.

Arsenal maintain Toney interest as striker search continues

While the 28-year-old has fallen down Edu Gaspar's pecking order in terms of top targets, it is believed Arsenal remain interested in signing Toney this summer alongside Chelsea, as both sides search for a new striker.

Once valued at around £100 million in January, the England striker is now available to sign for around £30 million, as Toney has entered the final 12 months of his contract at the G-tech Community Stadium.

Perhaps if Arsenal enter the final week of the window still without a new centre-forward, this £70 million drop in asking price could be tempting from Arteta and Edu's perspective, especially considering Toney scored 20 league goals the season before last.

Football Transfers have also called the ex-Newcastle starlet a "similar" striker to Osimhen.

After a long summer filled with international football, preseason friendlies, and constant rumours, there are now less than 48 hours to go until the transfer window slams shut – until it starts all over again in January, that is.

Arsenal fans had to endure a plodding start to the window, with little happening in terms of incomings or outgoings. However, as things stand today, Edu Gaspar and Co have overseen the departure of Emile Smith Rowe for up to £34m and the impending departures of Eddie Nketiah for up to £30m and Aaron Ramsdale for potentially £25m.

On the other side of things, the North Londoners have welcomed in Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna and Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad after what must have been one of the most drawn out sagas of the summer.

The good news for fans is that recent reports suggest that the club are set to bring in at least one more new player before the clock strikes 11pm tomorrow, and the latest star touted for a move to the Emirates could be a repeat of sorts of the Merino deal.

Arsenal transfer news

According Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal are interested in signing Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia before the window closes tomorrow night.

The report claims that with Ramsdale on his way to Southampton, the Gunners are set to step up their efforts to land the Spanish shot-stopper, who has supposedly already agreed on personal terms with the club.

To get this deal over the line, the report has revealed that the North Londoners will have to stump up €30m to trigger the release clause inserted in the 23-year-old's contract, which converts to about £25m.

It wouldn't be a cheap transfer to get done, but given Garcia's performances last season and Ramsdale's departure, it is worth pursuing and would be another move akin to Merino's this summer.

Why Garcia would be another Merino-esque masterclass

Okay, so before looking at a couple of the reasons Arsenal might be keen to secure Garcia's services, why would his move represent another Merino-style masterclass in the market? Well, there are two key reasons, both of which are pretty straightforward.

The first is simply the fact that the North Londoners are looking to bring in a highly-rated Spaniard from the country's top-flight this season, and not only that, but it appears that they'll both be moving for fees that do not seem too outrageous in the modern game, especially considering the reputations they have recently built up.

The second similarity is that both players achieved international glory with Spain this summer. The former Sociedad ace helped La Roja win their fourth European Championship in Germany, while the Espanyol ace was a key part of the country's gold medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics.

Now, away from some of the interesting parallels between the two stars, it looks like there is one key reason why Arteta is so keen on bringing the Sallent de Llobregat-born keeper to North London this summer: he is unreal at stopping crosses.

For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across the next best 14 competitions after Europe's top five leagues, the "assuring" shot-stopper, as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, sits in the top 1% of goalkeepers for crosses stopped percentage per 90.

He also sits in the top 1% for goals against, save percentage and clean sheet percentage and the top 13% for defensive actions outside the penalty area, also all per 90.

However, his ability to collect crosses appears to be the most important metric to the manager, as according to FBref, Raya also ranks in the top 1% of keepers for crosses stopped. However, that is in Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League.

Ultimately, Garcia might not be a player who gets fans on their feet this summer, but his impressive record and stylistic similarities to the Gunners' current number one are certainly encouraging. Therefore, Edu and Co should do what they can to secure his services before the window slams shut.

Arsenal monitoring £179k-per-week Nketiah replacement with late bid possible

The Gunners have just sold him to Palace.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 29, 2024

The USMNT fullback is drawing interest from English side Plymouth ahead of the transfer window, sources tell GOAL

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• Plymouth pursuing USMNT fullback
• Sparta Prague already submitted offer
• Reynolds expected to draw more interest before transfer window

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. international and Westerlo fullback Bryan Reynolds could be on the move with the January transfer window set to open in less than an a week.

  Sources told GOAL that Plymouth have made an approach to sign Reynolds on an initial six-month loan as the club looks to fight off relegation from the English Championship. It is expected that Reynolds will be the subject of multiple bids this window from around Europe, with Plymouth being just the latest to make a push to sign the Westerlo defender.

  GOALcan also confirm that Sparta Prague have also reached out to Westerlo about Reynolds, with the two sides agreeing to speak more about the terms of a deal once the winter break begins in the Belgian league. The Czech club's initial offer came it at around $2.08 million (€2 million), but Westerlo are expecting a larger fee for the defender after paying € 3.5 million to sign the American from Italian side Roma.

  Belgian outlet GVA was first to report Sparta Prague's interest in Reynolds.

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  Reynolds has been with Westerlo since 2022, having initially joined on loan from Roma. He made 34 appearances in that first season, prompting the Belgian side to make a permanent move for him ahead of the 2023-24 season.

  The 23-year-old fullback, who initially left FC Dallas for Roma in 2021, was in high demand during the summer transfer window, too, with clubs in England, France and Turkey interested in signing him. GOAL confirmed that Hull City were one club that previously pursued Reynolds in the summer.

  On the international level, the 22-year-old fullback has earned seven caps for the USMNT. He was a member of the Gold Cup squad in 2023, but wasn't called in by either Gregg Berhalter or Mauricio Pochettino in 2024.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Prior to his move to Roma, Reynolds was the subject of interest from several of Europe's best, including Roma and Juventus. He ultimately ended up in Rome, but his time in Italy was derailed when Paulo Fonseca, the manager who signed him, was replaced by Jose Mourinho – who was public in his criticisms of him. Fonseca is now coaching Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah in Milan.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REYNOLDS?

  Reynolds was fantastic in Westerlo's final game of 2024, assisting two goals, including one to fellow American Griffin Yow. Unfortunately, though, Westerlo would fall 4-3 to Club Brugge despite Reynolds' heroics.

  The club is now off until Jan. 11 for the Belgian Pro League's winter break.