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Tottenham Hotspur drew against Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out in the Premier League but Ange Postecoglou remarked that his side "deserved to win" after a spirited effort despite a host of absences.

After 21 matches in the division, Spurs are level on points with fourth-placed rivals Arsenal – who do have a game in hand – and have made promising gains since last year's malaise, only really inhibited this season by a lack of options – the lapse in form before the festive period was a by-product of this.

And while key players are now returning from injuries, midfielders Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma and talisman Heung-min Son are unavailable for the foreseeable as they compete at AFCON and the Asia Cup respectively.

Every Premier League player at 2023 AFCON

Ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, which Premier League clubs could be affected most through missing players?

By
Brogan Clasper

Jan 5, 2024

Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner have already joined the fold this month and while Postecoglou might add a midfielder to close the play this month, plans are already being mapped out for the summer.

Spurs' striker search

According to Football Insider, Tottenham will wage transfer battle against Arsenal and Fulham to complete the transfer of Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez after the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign, with the Eredivisie champions willing to discuss terms for around £30m.

West Ham United are interested in signing the player this month and have been tracking him ahead of a potential bid, but Feyenoord remain confident that they can ward off advances until the summer.

And this suits Spurs, who could now move for a midfielder to complete the winter spending before returning with full focus on securing the services of a shiny new talisman.

Santiago Gimenez's style of play

£30m is no small sum but would mark a stellar piece of business if Tottenham were indeed successful in beating off the competition to sign the Mexico international this year, with Gimenez posting 44 goals and eight assists from just 68 appearances since leaving homeland side Cruz Azul in July 2022.

Hailed for this "insane" prolificness by scout Antonio Mango, the 22-year-old was the focal frontman to fire his side into title success last season, and while PSV Eindhoven have established themselves as runaway table-toppers this term, Gimenez's return of 19 goals and four assists from 17 Eredivisie contests is quite something to behold.

To highlight his level as a high-class centre-forward, as per FBref, the 6 foot star ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across divisions similar to the Dutch top-flight over the past year for goals scored and touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 2% for total shots taken and the top 22% for progressive carries per 90.

His aptitude as an out-and-out scorer is something that Spurs don't really have, with Son dynamic as they come and providing a variegated approach to his offensive craft, clinical and creative, while Richarlison has fired himself into some excellent goalscoring form of late – with six goals from as many outings – but he is probably not the first-rate striker to lead the line for years to come.

And with the return of continental competition expected after the summer, strengthening the frontline with a player such as Gimenez is only a prudent move, enhancing and solidifying the squad's attacking impetus across multiple fronts.

Santiago Gimenez to Spurs: Where Tottenham's last 11 Eredivisie signings are now

Tottenham have signed some notable duds from Dutch shores over the last 20 years.

By
Matt Dawson

Dec 18, 2023

While the likes of Son and playmaker James Maddison will be his creative kernels from behind, new addition Werner could also find himself reaching new heights when competing alongside the £19k-per-week gem.

Imagine Santiago Gimenez & Timo Werner

Dubbed the "Mexican machine" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, there's no question that Gimenez boasts a clinical quality that places him alongside the finest finishers on the continent. But, of course, Premier League football demands much more than innate ability.

Werner's style of play could be perfect in ensuring the Feyenoord forward has the tools to provide him with a steady flow of opportunity, having been praised for his "lightning-quick" pace by pundit Paul Merson.

Indeed, the 27-year-old ranks among the top 3% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries and the top 7% for passes attempted per 90, which highlights the qualities that would be well suited to supplementing a free-shooting phenom in Gimenez.

But only returning to London on an initial loan this month, with an option to buy for around £15m, the German international will need to build on a debut performance against the Red Devils that showcased his tenacious energy and wayward finishing it all its colour.

As the table portrays, Werner did not actually depart Stamford Bridge with a half-bad return, though ten goals from 56 appearances is not exactly the kind of return to evoke confidence in a player's capability to lead the line in the Premier League.

And having started just twice in the German Bundesliga this season before his return to England due to injury issues, an inevitable patina of rust enveloping his person on the pitch.

But his talent is still discernible and if he can add confidence and a cutting edge to his pace-endowed style, then Gimenez really could find the perfect partner in the future under Postecoglou's leadership.

As highlighted earlier through his FBref metrics, Gimenez's effectiveness in front of goal is built through his ability to unleash rifled efforts with frightening regularity – what he needs at Tottenham is reliable and consistent support, and Werner can offer this, a foil of sorts in the frontline.

Werner did bag an important assist on his Premier League debut for Spurs but will need to make improvements over the coming fixtures to ensure that he plays a prominent role as the season is pulled inexorably toward the business end.

Should he succeed in this endeavour and convince Postecoglou and club chairman Daniel Levy to wrap up a permanent transfer, then his protean threat could provide Gimenez with the constancy he requires to wreak havoc on English shores.

Prince William will hope for an early birthday president as he heads out to Germany to cheer on England against Denmark in Euro 2024.

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• Prince William turns 42 on Friday
• Off to Germany for England v Denmark
• Hoping for an early birthday present

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Standard reports the royal, who is president of the English Football Association, is set to watch the Three Lions take on the Danes at the Frankfurt Arena on Thursday afternoon. The Prince, who is an Aston Villa fan, turns 42 the following day, so he will hope Gareth Southgate's men can deliver him an early gift.

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  THE GOSSIP

  This trip for William will be a solo one as the Princess of Wales is still away from public duties while she continues her cancer treatment. Incidentally, victory for England would see them qualify for the last 16 of the Euros – with a game to play.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  William presented shirts to the England squad before the team left for Germany as he made a surprise visit to England's national football centre, St George's Park. He relayed to the players that his son, six-year-old Prince Louis, advised them to "eat twice the amount" they normally would to lift the trophy.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  After Southgate's England side – who won their tournament opener with a 1-0 victory against Serbia on Sunday – take on Denmark, they round off their group stage campaign against Slovenia next Tuesday night.

After welcoming Andreas Weimann to boost their attacking options amid their push to secure a Championship play-off place, there's now reportedly a high chance that West Bromwich Albion sanction the sale of one of Carlos Coberan's consistent starters.

West Brom transfer news

It comes as no surprise that the Baggies are stealing the headlines over a potential departure, given that Lai Guochuan is still at the helm, yet to complete the sale of the club. Speaking on the club's financial situation just before the January transfer window opened, Corberan said via Birmingham Live: "There are no excuses not to be fully focused.

“We have all the things we need. The financial situation at the club is a challenge. It’s something we’ve said since the summer and it doesn’t change – it’s exactly the same. It’s a challenging year for West Bromwich.”

Those in the Midlands have already lost right-back Taylor Gardner-Hickman to Bristol City this month and could now suffer another departure before the end of the window in just under a week. According to Beyaz Gazete, there's a high chance that Okay Yokuslu will leave West Brom this month amid talks to rejoin former club Trabzonspor. The Turkish club have reportedly opened talks to complete a deal for the midfielder this month but may face an obstacle in the form of his contract, which still has 18 months remaining.

Given that sales were always apparently on the cards if West Brom's takeover failed to go through, however, Yokuslu may well find himself heading out the exit door this month to force Corberan into a change within his starting side. Currently fifth and on course to secure a play-off place, the last thing the manager needs is a late winter departure, though the Baggies are linked with Jordan James as a replacement.

West Brom must keep "impressive" Yokuslu

Yokuslu's game time speaks for itself about just how important the midfielder has become at The Hawthorns. The 29-year-old has started 25 of West Brom's 27 Championship games so far this season, helping them into a solid position when it comes to secure a place in the play-offs come the end of the campaign. Yokuslu's all-round stats in those games have been equally as impressive, meanwhile.

Highlighting his importance, it's clear that West Brom, even under Lai's seemingly never-ending reign, must do everything in their power to keep hold of Yokuslu this month. Corberan will certainly hope that's the case too, having praised his midfielder this season.

The Baggies manager said via the club's official website: “The finish from Okay for the first goal was unbelievable. He’s been so impressive over the last few weeks and has shown a brilliant level of commitment and personality."

Ahead of a crucial few months, losing such an important player could quickly derail the Midlands club's push for what would be a shock promotion amid their ownership situation, though it may be a reality that West Brom will have no choice but to face this month.

The Azzurri have endured three years of turmoil since their thrilling triumph at Wembley, and arrive in Germany without several key men

Luciano Spalletti knows that Italy are not yet on the same level as Euro 2024 rivals England, France, Germany, Croatia, Spain and Portugal. He believes that they can be, though. There are "no d*ckheads" in his squad, he says, only players that are so committed to the cause that they're even willing to give up playing PlayStation for a month!

Consequently, Spalletti is adamant that he has a panel of players with not only the talent but the right attitude to emulate Italy's shock tournament triumph at Wembley just three years ago. "Even the Azzurri under [Roberto] Mancini in 2021 were not the strongest on paper," the coach has argued. "Then, they became a special team."

However, while Italy are once again arriving at a second successive European Championship having failed to qualify for the preceding World Cup, the similarities between Mancini's men and Spalletti's side end there.

Italy were in rude health ahead of the last Euros. This time around, they're in utter disarray after three years of turmoil. As a result, most fans aren't dreaming about winning the tournament; they're fearing a first-round exit. Because not since Greece in 2008 have we seen a reigning European champion turn up to defend their title in such poor condition.

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  Euros glory to World Cup woe

  After the shock and horror of missing out on a first World Cup since 1958, Italy enjoyed a spectacular revival under Roberto Mancini that culminated in a glorious – and fully deserved – victory over England in the final of Euro 2020. The Azzurri's triumph was undeniably a surprise, they way they played even more so, with Italy confounding stereotypes by playing a dynamic and offensive brand of football.

  However, this wasn't exactly a plucky underdog story. It was clear long before Italy had arrived in England for the final four that Mancini was building something special. He had already successfully created a club spirit within the national team, and it's worth remembering that his side were unbeaten in 27 games when the Euros began.

  Italy would go on to break the international record for successive matches without defeat, and were widely regarded as one of the favourites to win the 2022 World Cup. However, the Azzurri didn't even make it to Qatar. After two Jorginho penalty misses twice cost them victory over Switzerland in the qualifiers, Italy were stunned by North Macedonia in the play-offs.

  Even still, Mancini's resignation in the summer of 2023 – or perhaps more accurately, its timing – stunned Italian football.

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  Shock exit

  Mancini stepped down on August 13, 2023 – just nine days after the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) had granted him control of the nation's Under-20s and U21s, so as to allow him to smooth the progression of players from under-age football to senior level.

  “It’s a bit surprising," Renzo Ulivieri, the president of Italy’s coaches association, told . "Nobody expected it." Mancini, who immediately took over as Saudi Arabia manager, pointed the finger of blame at FIGC president Gabriele Gravina.

  "He could’ve kept me if he wanted to," Mancini alleged. "But for a year he was trying to revolutionise my staff. I explained to him that in these months I needed to be given support and calm, but he didn’t do that and so I resigned."

  Mancini's sudden exit left Italy in quite a bind, given their Euro 2024 qualification campaign was already under way. Finding a worthy replacement was not going to be easy. Luckily, Spalletti was willing to abandon his supposed sabbatical from football after sensationally parting company with Napoli at the end of their historic Scudetto win the season before.

  In that sense, the FIGC could not have found a more qualified coach to succeed Mancini, and Spalletti promptly proved his worth by sneaking Italy into second spot in their qualifying group. The Azzurri finished level on points with Ukraine, but progressed thanks to their superior head-to-head record – and a seriously contentious penalty call in the final matchday draw with Sergiy Rebrov's side in Leverkusen.

  However, Spalletti's attempts to build a "special team" in time for the Euros have been hindered not only by a lack of preparation, but also a lack of quality.

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  Old defensive guard gone

  While Italy were widely lauded for an atypically adventurous approach at Euro 2020, which brought the best out of Federico Chiesa, their triumph was still founded on defensive excellence.

  Leonardo Spinazzola was a revelation on the left-hand side, posing opponents all sorts of problems until picking up an injury against Belgium in the quarter-finals. Their attacking threat having been curbed by the Roma man's absence, Italy leaned ever more heavily on veteran defensive duo Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, both of whom were immense against Spain and England, while Gigi Donnarumma being named Player of the Tournament tells you everything you need to know about his importance to the team.

  Unfortunately, Chiellini and Bonucci (the two remaining members of the famed 'BBC') are now retired, depriving Spalletti of a wealth of quality and experience. Worse still, their absences have only been compounded by a spate of injury-enforced withdrawals from the defensive department.

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  Injury issues

  Unsurprisingly for a country renewed for producing world-class defenders, Italy were well stocked in centre-backs ahead of the Euros. The situation looks very different now, though, with both Francesco Acerbi and Giorgio Scalvini having been forced to pull out of Spalletti's squad.

  While Scalvini has emerged as one of Italy's most promising young defenders, it is Acerbi's absence that will be more keenly felt. The Inter ace, who helped mark Erling Haaland out of last year's Champions League final, was certain to start alongside his club-mate Alessandro Bastoni, whether Italy played with three or four at the back.

  To make matters worse, Spurs wing-back Destiny Udogie has also been ruled out, meaning Spalletti can ill-afford anything to happen to Federico Dimarco, particularly as Spinazzola didn't even make the preliminary roster, having struggled for form and fitness ever since Euro 2020.

  Italy's injury issues aren't solely confined to defence, either. The once-brilliant Marco Verratti has gone into semi-retirement in Qatar, Nicolo Barella has yet to fully recover from a minor muscular problem, while Chiesa, the Azzurri's most potent attacking weapon by some distance, is not the same thrilling talent we saw at Wembley three years ago. Playing under Massimiliano Allegri has obviously taken its toll on the Juventus winger, but so too have a succession of niggling injuries.

  Chiesa's decline – which Spalletti is hoping is not irreversible – is particularly problematic, given both Domenico Berardi and Nicolo Zaniolo will miss the Euros through injury, meaning the Azzurri once again look painfully short on attacking options.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has favoured Pascal Struijk and Spurs loanee Joe Rodon as his centre-back partnership at Elland Road this season, with the duo racking more than 4,000 minutes between them. Club captain Liam Cooper has also played his part, with 637 minutes under his belt, but Charlie Cresswell has effectively been ousted from the first-team picture.

Cresswell hasn't featured at all for Leeds – in any competition – since a late substitute appearance in a 1-0 win over QPR at the start of October, and his last Championship start came in a 1-0 defeat to Birmingham City in August. Speaking earlier this month, Farke said that the Englishman had shown a lack of focus and complained about his position in the defensive hierarchy.

The manager has decided not to pick him unless that stance changes, and there's a possibility that the 21-year-old could move on. Farke is "adamant" that Leeds should have four senior centre-backs in their squad, so that could open the door for a new face, and Ben Godfrey has emerged as a possible candidate.

Leeds rival European giants for Godfrey

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Leeds are interested in Godfrey at Everton, as are Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United. Both teams are said to be "on the trail" of the former Norwich man and could swoop in to steal him from Serie A outfit Atalanta.

They face more competition on the continent too from AC Milan, sitting third-place in Serie A and long-term admirers of Godfrey. Milan ideally want to sign Clement Lenglet, currently on loan at Aston Villa from Barcelona, but his salary could be an insurmountable obstacle.

Intermediaries have now offered them the chance to sign Godfrey, who had been "very close" to joining fellow Italian side Atalanta. That transfer was "agreed in detail" but it's now been "ruined" by "soaring costs". Leeds, Sheffield United and Milan all fancy hijacking the deal.

"Tremendous" Godfrey can rediscover top form at Leeds

After coming through at York City, Godfrey joined Norwich in 2016 and spent four years at Carrow Road before Everton signed him in a £25m deal. He's since played 80 games for the Toffees, but he's hardly had a look-in this year with just one Premier League start (in a 2-0 win over Burnley in mid-December).

Frustratingly, he's been fit and healthy too, making the squad for every single top-flight game but simply failing to earn the faith of manager Sean Dyche. From that standpoint, a loan or indeed a permanent exit would make sense.

EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

By
Luke Randall

Feb 1, 2024

If he does move to Elland Road, Leeds would hope he could rediscover the form he was showing in his final stretch at Norwich, which earned him a £25m move, and his first year at Everton. BBC Sport's Phil McNulty said he'd been a "revelation" after his arrival at Goodison Park, while fellow journalist Jonathan Northcroft hailed him as a "tremendous athlete" and pundit Rio Ferdinand applauded his "great" 1 v 1 abilities.

Indeed, Godfrey was successful 65.9% of the time when he went to tackle a dribbler, the eighth-best record in the league that year. His performances earned him the club's young player of the season award, and perhaps he can get back to that level with a needed move.

Gareth Southgate is now the longest-serving England manager since Bobby Robson tenure in the 1980s and comfortably the second-most successful behind only Sir Alf Ramsey – the man who won England their one and only World Cup.

That said, it hasn't been an easy ride for the former Middlesbrough star as he has faced detractors around every corner for much of his term, despite leading the country to its first final in 55 years in 2021.

Football FanCast has gathered everything you need to know about one of England's most successful football managers.

Gareth Southgate age

Born 3rd September 1970, Southgate is 53 years of age. The man who managed to make waistcoats cool for a summer five years ago was born in Watford, Hertfordshire.

The former defender left school with eight O-levels graded between A and C before studying at Croydon College.

Despite being released by Southampton at just 13 years old, Southgate finally made his senior debut for Crystal Palace in the 1990/91 season before playing a further 30 games the following year.

Gareth Southgate appointed England manager

Southgate was handed the reins over seven years ago on 27th September 2016.

Despite his relative success in the role, reaching both a World Cup semi-final and a European Championship final, Southgate was never supposed to get the job when he did and only found himself in his position following the unceremonious – and very public – sacking of Sam Allardyce.

Big Sam was announced as England's latest manager on 22nd July 2016, singing a two-year deal, but instead of 730 days, he lasted just 67. He left his post by 'mutual consent' after being filmed by undercover journalists seemingly admitting to knowing how to skirt FIFA's strict rules on third-party ownership.

With the FA embarrassed and no immediate successor to take over, they looked inwards and promoted Southgate, who at the time was in charge of the country's Under-21 side, and the rest is history.

Gareth Southgate's England record

Southgate has won 59 of his 91 games as England manager, with 17 draws and 15 defeats, while England have scored 212 goals and conceded 73 during that time.

He's approaching 60 wins, which puts him in great company, as only two previous managers have reached as many wins as Three Lions boss. Those two are World Cup winner Sir Alf Ramsey (69) and England’s longest-serving manager, Sir Walter Winterbottom (77).

Gareth Southgate's England salary

While his style of play might not be everyone's cup of tea, it's hard to argue that Southgate hasn't been effective in his time as England boss, time for which he has been handsomely compensated.

Just before he was given the job permanently in late 2016, The Telegraph reported that his two-year contract would be worth a tidy £1.5m a year. Since then, his pay has only gone up, with his most recent contract said to be worth an eye-watering £5m a year.

We can only imagine what the FA might offer him if he manages to go one better at the European Championship in Germany next summer.

England: Every European Championship campaign

Football FanCast has taken a look back at England’s past Euro campaigns.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 13, 2024

Gareth Southgate's net worth

Reports of Gareth Southgate's net worth differ from site to site.

According to 2020 figures (via 888 Sport), Gareth Southgate's net worth is in the region of £9m.

The England manager has been involved in football for around 30 years with pretty much all of his living made from the sport. But, as you can tell from these predicted figures, he doesn't earn anywhere near as much as some of the top-paid players in the world.

Celebrity info site Taddlr values his net worth slightly higher at £12m.

Gareth Southgate's wife

Southgate's wife is called Alison. Interestingly, they met when the England boss was a trainee at Crystal Palace.

The pair have been a couple for 20 years and were married in July 1997.

Some of the stories that surfaced in the manager's book were rather eye-opening as it was revealed that he and Alison would meet in a Tesco car park to keep their romance secret from her ex. When he was transferred to Aston Villa, she gave him an ultimatum: either she moved to Birmingham with him or the relationship must end.

Gareth Southgate's clubs

While he might be better known to the general public and younger football fans today for his managerial career, Southgate had a long and reasonably successful playing career that lasted over two decades.

As mentioned earlier, the 53-year-old started his professional career playing for Crystal Palace, signing for the side in 1988 before making his debut two years later in a League Cup game against Southend United – a game the Eagles won 8-0.

It took just three years and 100 appearances for the club for Southgate to be handed the captaincy – at just 23 years old – which, looking back, was probably a surefire sign that he would always be a brilliant leader of men both on the pitch and off it.

Aston Villa had taken notice of the full-back's performances in south London and signed the then-24-year-old for £2.5m. In his first season in Birmingham, Southgate won his first major trophy, beating Leeds United in the League Cup final.

Following his six-year spell with the Claret and Blue, Southgate would make one final move after Steve McClaren made a £6.5m offer to bring him to Middlesbrough. He captained Boro to League Cup glory in 2004, while his last game as a player was in the UEFA Cup Final against Sevilla in 2006, which he unfortunately lost 4-0.

Alongside his club career, Southgate was also a regular in the England team between 1995 and 2004. Terry Venables gave him his debut when he came off the bench against Portugal.

In total, the England boss won 57 caps for the Three Lions and scored two goals. That said, as reliable as he was for the national team, he might never be able to escape a certain penalty miss against Germany…

Gareth Southgate's missed penalty for England

England and penalty shootout misery, is there a more natural pairing in football? The semi-final against Germany in Euro 96 certainly didn't help to disprove the trend, anyway.

What made this defeat so much worse was that it was a home championship and England had taken the lead in the third minute thanks to an Alan Shearer goal, only for the Germans to equalise 13 minutes later.

With the score still 1-1 after 120 minutes, penalties were required to determine which team would be going through to the final. Both sides scored their initial five penalties meaning that it was sudden death, and with the weight of the nation on his shoulders, Southgate saw his attempt saved, and when Andreas Moller smashed his past David Seaman, it was all over.

In a mark of his mental fortitude, Southgate starred in a Pizza Hut advert later that year alongside Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle (who both missed penalties at the 1990 World Cup), making light of his very public blunder.

Next England manager after Southgate

It might feel to some like Southgate will never leave his post as Three Lions boss, but recent rumours and speculation have led some to assume he will simply saunter off into the sunset following next summer's European Championship in Germany. By that point, he would've been in charge for the best part of eight years, so who could blame him?

For all the differing opinions on his tenure as England boss, it is impossible to deny that he has overseen the best results the country has had in generations, so whoever comes in next will have a tough act to follow. However, if the rumours are true, his potential replacement should be just fine.

According to reports, the FA's 'dream' appointment in a post-Southgate world is none other than Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Now, it may seem like a pipe dream and eerily reminiscent of reports all those years ago linking José Mourinho to the job.

That said, with the Spaniard's contract set to expire in 2025, the Three Lions job could be a tempting prospect and a fresh challenge for a man who has won everything there is to win at club level.

Additionally, Guardiola's vocal support of Catalan independence essentially makes it impossible for him to take charge of the Spanish national team. So, were he interested in taking on a national team, England could scratch that itch.

Teams Gareth Southgate has coached

Gareth Southgate started out his managerial career at Middlesbrough, where he landed the role back in June 2006. During his time at the Riverside Stadium, he was in charge of a whopping 151 games, which took him up until October 2009. But he was only able to lead Boro to a points-per-match average of just 1.21.

From here, Southgate stepped up onto the international stage, managing the England academy from January 2011 until June 2012.

After this, he took a period of around just over a year out of the managerial game before landing the England Under-21 job in August 2013. This is really where his managerial career took off, as he drew plenty of attention for his impressive leadership and management qualities, as the Under-21 side set things alight with a points average of 2.55 per game and winning the Toulon tournament in 2016.

Of course, this then led to him landing the England national team job just one day after leaving his position as the Under-21s manager in September 2016. And, you would have to say us fans have enjoyed a pretty good time of it in recent times.

Team Gareth Southgate supports

Southgate's book may give us a slight clue as to who he may support, as when Manchester United lost the FA Cup final against Southampton in 1976, he had this to say:

“I supported Manchester United, and experienced the excitement of following my team from one season to the next. I also had a taste of heartbreak when they lost to Southampton in the FA Cup final one year, and ended up bawling my eyes out.”

It’s unclear if he still supports the Red Devils, but one thing we do know is that the 53-year-old idolised Bryan Robson as a kid and wanted to follow in his footsteps.

West Ham star Jarrod Bowen feared he had broken his ankle mere minutes after coming on in England's drab Euros draw against Denmark.

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• England draw 1-1 with Denmark
• Winger Bowen came off the bench
• Feared he had broken his ankle

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 27-year-old came on for Arsenal's Bukayo Saka in the 1-1 draw with Denmark in midweek but shortly after his introduction he feared his tournament would be over. The winger looked to have rolled his ankle on the slippy Deutsche Bank Park pitch but managed to ride it out and carry on. Now, he has spoken about that near miss.

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  WHAT JARROD BOWEN SAID

  He told reporters: “I thought I had broken my ankle in the first two minutes when I came on. It was definitely difficult, it’s not an excuse in the slightest, but I think Walks (Kyle Walker) had a couple in the first 10 minutes and you could see the chunks of ground coming up a bit like a bad divot if you hit a bad golf shot. I was probably running a bit too fast for my brain, turned around and got my foot stuck and I thought, ‘Oh no, I’m in trouble here’, but luckily I got away with it. It was one of those pitches where you can get your foot caught in the ground and it can come up against you.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Hammers ace Bowen has been one of the few positives for England this tournament, so having him fit is a big boost for the Three Lions. He, and the watching nation, will hope Gareth Southgate's men can put in a better performance against Slovenia on Tuesday as they eye the last 16 of the Euros.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  England, who sit top of their group, take on third-placed Slovenia at RheinEnergieStadion on Tuesday night, as they look to advance as group winners. Southgate's men have four points whereas Slovenia have two heading into their final fixture.

Celtic only made two additions to their first-team squad during the January transfer window as Brendan Rodgers missed out on a number of targets.

German winger Nicolas Kuhn arrived from Austrian side Rapid Wien on a permanent basis, putting pen to paper on a five-and-a-half-year deal, as the first signing.

Football Insider then reported that the Northern Irish head coach was eyeing up a goalkeeper, a left-back, and a centre-forward to bolster his squad, whilst a central midfielder was added to the shopping list after David Turnbull's deadline day move to Cardiff City – per the Daily Record.

However, the Hoops did not land a midfielder, a goalkeeper, or a left-back to fill the voids Rodgers reportedly felt were there throughout the window.

Celtic's search for a striker

Their only piece of incoming business on deadline day was the signing of centre-forward Adam Idah on loan from Norwich City, which was a curious addition on paper.

The 23-year-old had only started 12 Championship games for the Canaries, who were sat outside of the play-off positions, during the first half of the season.

He was not a regular starter for the second division team in England and supporters, therefore, had a justifiable right to be concerned about whether or not he could make an instant impact.

It was also curious as it had been reported that the Hoops had an interest in Dutch marksman Sydney van Hooijdonk, who then joined Norwich on loan from Serie A side Bologna to replace Idah.

Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski, who has scored 22 goals in 36 games for Aberdeen this season, was also a reported target for the club ahead of the January transfer window.

Celtic opted against swooping for Miovski or van Hooijdonk in the end as they pivoted to a deal for Idah on loan until the end of the season, with no option to buy.

The Hoops must make the most of the young gem whilst they have him and Rodgers could repeat his Luis Suarez masterclass with the talented marksman

Luis Suarez's progression under Brendan Rodgers

Speaking to The Herald recently, the Northern Irish head coach made the point that the Uruguay international was not a prolific scorer for Liverpool before his appointment in 2012.

Rodgers stated that the way his team plays, with attacking, aggressive, football, suits strikers and that Suarez, in particular, benefitted from narrowing his game to focus on his impact in the final third.

This point was made in relation to what Idah's limit is as a player and the potential he has to improve over the weeks and months to come in Scotland.

The Hoops boss played a masterclass, as he explained himself, with Suarez and could repeat that with the Norwich loanee ahead of the summer.

Prior to Rodgers' arrival at Liverpool in the summer of 2012, the former Ajax star had racked up 15 goals and six assists in 41 Premier League starts for the Reds in 18 months.

During that time, Suarez averaged between 4.1 and 4.2 shots on goal and between 1.9 and 2.0 key passes per game in the top-flight through the 2010/11 and 2011/12 campaigns.

Rodgers was then brought in from Swansea and helped the centre-forward to become a prolific scorer and creator of goals for the English giants by, as aforementioned, narrowing his game and ensuring that his focus was on making an impact in the box.

This led to the impressive striker taking his average shots per game up to between 5.5 and 5.7 and his average key passes per match up to between 2.7 and 2.8 over the course of the 2012/13 and 2013/14 Premier League campaigns.

His increased output of shots and key passes led to a staggering return of 54 goals and 17 assists in 66 league appearances for Liverpool in Rodgers' first two seasons in charge.

This shows that Suarez went from a goal or an assist every 1.95 games on average pre-Rodgers to one every 0.93 matches under his management, which is a startling improvement.

You could, therefore, partly attribute his incredible success at Anfield to the now-Celtic boss' tactical work and coaching to focus on the forward's best qualities in the final third.

Adam Idah's potential at Celtic

Rodgers has described Idah as a player with "real potential" and could now repeat the masterclass he played with Suarez by narrowing the Norwich loanee's play to what he does inside the box.

The £23k-per-week dynamo has only had 35 touches of the ball in his two Scottish Premiership appearances for the Hoops so far, but has produced two goals and one assist.

During the first half of the 2023/24 campaign, Idah ranked within the bottom 8% of Championship strikers for touches in the opposition penalty area (2.39) per 90.

This suggests that David Wagner's system at Norwich was not creating ample opportunities for the Ireland international to make his mark in the box.

Despite that, the young marksman scored six goals from 5.83 xG in 28 league appearances, 12 of which came as a starter, which speaks to his ruthless nature in front of goal.

The Canaries academy graduate, therefore, has proven that he has the finishing ability to take his chances if his teammates can create for him.

His quick start to life at Parkhead also shows that the young gem will not need any time to adapt to Scottish football, which is also a promising sign ahead of the final few months of the campaign.

It is now down to Rodgers to ensure that Idah focuses his game on staying between the width of the penalty box so that he can be in the right positions to score and create goals, as Suarez did for him at Liverpool.

Hopefully, the Hoops head coach will be able to repeat that masterclass once more and the Irish sensation will lead Celtic to glory by the end of the season.

Cristiano Ronaldo has explained his tearful reaction to missing a penalty for Portugal at Euro 2024, while also dropping a major retirement hint.

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• All-time great waiting on first goal at Euro 2024
• Saw Oblak save spot-kick in last-16 clash
• Will not grace the continental competition again

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Having failed to find the target during the group stage, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo was determined to make a decisive contribution in a last-16 showdown with Slovenia. He fired in several free-kicks, while coming close to meeting a number of crosses, but was given his big moment in extra-time when stepping up to the spot. CR7 saw his effort beaten away by Jan Oblak, leaving the Portuguese superstar in tears.

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• WHAT RONALDO SAID

  After converting his penalty in a shootout that Portugal won 3-0 courtesy of three saves from Diogo Costa, Ronaldo told of emotion getting the better of him: “Initial sadness and joy at the end, that’s what football gives you. These are inexplicable moments. I had the chance to put the national team ahead and I didn’t manage it. Oblak made a good save. I had to review the penalty, I don’t know if I shot well or badly, but during the year I didn’t miss a single time and when I needed it most, Oblak saved it. The most important thing is to enjoy qualifying, the team did an extraordinary job, we fought until the end and if you analyse the match well, Portugal deserved it because they had more chances.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo, who is competing at his 11th major international tournament, went on to admit that this summer’s European Championship will be his last. He added, with it impossible for the evergreen frontman to go on forever: “It’s certainly my last Euro. But I’m not moved by that, I’m moved by everything that football entails. The enthusiasm I have for the game, the excitement of seeing my fans, and my family, the affection that people have for me. It’s not because I’m leaving football, because if I do, what else is there for me to do or win? It’s not going to come down to one more point or one less point. Making people happy is what motivates me the most.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Ronaldo hit 50 goals for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in the 2023-24 campaign, with there no sign of him slowing down at club level. There has also been talk of him playing through to the 2026 World Cup, which suggests that retirement remains some way off for now.

Liverpool are reportedly closing in on the appointment of a key off-field role, with an announcement coming as soon as next month.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds sealed EFL Cup glory on Sunday afternoon, as Jurgen Klopp's final season at Anfield threatens to be a legendary one, with a quadruple still possible in the coming months.

It is important that there is plenty of focus on new signings in the summer, however, and it could even be that FSG have already lined up their next manager, with Xabi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann both believed to be in the running.

A number of players have been linked with moving to Anfield at the end of the season too, with centre-back an area of the pitch that could be bolstered. Crystal Palace and England ace Marc Guehi has emerged as a target, being seen as a potential replacement for Joel Matip.

Meanwhile, Sporting CP star Goncalo Inacio continues to be linked with Liverpool, with the Portuguese a wanted man among numerous Premier League clubs, including Manchester United.

There is also the small matter of the Reds nailing the appointment of a new sporting director after the January exit of Jorg Schmadtke, bringing in an individual who can work seamlessly alongside the next manager. West Ham's highly-rated ace Tim Steidten has been backed to take the club, as has Alonso's colleague at Bayer Leverkusen, Simon Rolfes, and now a new claim has emerged.

Liverpool set to appoint sporting director in March

According to an update from Football Insider, Liverpool will appoint a new long-term sporting director as early as March, with FSG keen on completing a deal in good time.

"Liverpool want to appoint a new sporting director in the next month, sources have told Football Insider. It is believed that the Reds are keen to announce a new chief recruiter by the end of March and will then push ahead with their search for Jurgen Klopp’s managerial replacement.

It is great to see that FSG are looking to act quickly when it comes to hiring a new sporting director, rather than allowing it to drag on and hamper the club's summer transfer business.

It remains to be seen who the standout candidate is to come in, but there would be real sense in Rolfe being the choice, should Alonso be named the new manager. They have clearly worked well together at Leverkusen, so to have people who already know each other's qualities can only be a good thing.

FSG chiefs have “strong relationship” with “unbelievable” Liverpool target

The Reds are reportedly interested in signing him.

By
Henry Jackson

Feb 26, 2024

Whoever comes in, it is essential that the right decision is made, with the role so influential in the modern game, during a period in which the likes of Michael Edwards and Dan Ashworth have rightly been hailed for their influence at their respective clubs.