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Everton are set to complete the signing of a player with a "hell of a future" in the January transfer window, according to a new update regarding the club's upcoming business.

Everton takeover and FFP turmoil

The Blues are going through a taxing period both on and off the pitch at the moment, with the club having to tackle so many different problems. The biggest current setback is the 10-point deduction that has come Everton's way, chucking Sean Dyche's side back into the relegation zone and into 19th place in the Premier League table.

There is also the potential takeover of the Merseysiders that is continuing to rumble on, with no definite end in sight, in terms of Farhad Moshiri's time as owner coming to an end, shrouding the playing squad and club staff in even more uncertainty.

Sunday's 3-0 defeat at home Manchester United highlighted the shortcomings within the team, and for that reason, supporters will be hoping to see new faces arrive in January. It looks as though Everton could be set to complete their first signing of the upcoming window, following a new update regarding possible additions.

Everton agree Braiden Graham signing

According to TEAMtalk, Everton have a deal in place to sign exciting teenager Braiden Graham, who currently plays as an attacker for NIFL Premiership side Linfield.

"Everton have agreed a deal for Northern Ireland teenage sensation Braiden Graham, TEAMtalk has learned. The 16-year-old has been earning rave reviews playing for Linfield in the Northern Ireland Premiership and also for Northern Ireland’s Under-17s side."

The report goes on to add that "Graham is set to join Everton on a scholarship deal until he turns 17 with the Toffees prepared to tie him down to what we understand to be a multi-year professional deal once his scholarship ends".

Everton now battling Premier League clubs for “terrific” English forward

The player in question was on fire last season.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 27, 2023

Granted, Graham is an extremely young player who wouldn't be arriving at Goodison Park as someone who can turn their season around, but he should be viewed as one for the future, suggesting that the club are focusing on long-term planning. Graham's statistics for Linfield show that he has already made two first-team appearances for his club side, while at international level, he has scored twice in three caps for Northern Ireland's Under-17s and Under-16s combined.

The young Irishman could go straight into the youth team setup at Goodison and continue to learn his trade, or potentially head out somewhere on loan immediately, before eventually making the step up at senior level for Everton.

Graham has been described as a footballer with a "hell of a future" by former Northern Ireland international David Healy, as well as an individual whose "work ethic is high" and one who "scores goals", so there is plenty to suggest that he could be a hugely exciting signing by the Blues.

By January, Rangers will hope to have the League Cup won and secured in the trophy cabinet, along with securing progression into the Europa League knockout stages.

This would represent a very productive December by all accounts, and it would give Philippe Clement some credit in the bank with the Ibrox faithful.

Trophies are all that matter and the Belgian will be giving every last ounce in order to deliver at least a couple during his maiden season in charge of the club.

To do this, he will need to strengthen his first team squad and the 49-year-old will be given the opportunity to do this in the next few weeks.

The Ibrox side have managed to make a few acquisitions off the field of play in the previous few weeks, however, as Tom Taylor will join towards the end of the month as the new head of performance, while Nils Koppen will commence duties at Ibrox at the start of January, and he will be the new director of football recruitment.

Hopefully, this is the start of a new era at the Gers in which a proper player-trading model is established while top-class talents are signed and ready to go straight into the starting XI.

Four dream players Koppen could sign for Rangers including Dessers upgrade

The new director of football recruitment could bolster the manager’s squad in January.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 5, 2023

In order to fund such acquisitions, however, Koppen will need to sell a few players in the January transfer window…

1

Borna Barisic

The Croatian defender has only a few months left on his current contract at the club, and he will be free to speak to clubs in the coming weeks regarding a pre-contract arrangement.

The 31-year-old isn’t getting any younger and with teams such as Nottingham Forest and AS Roma showing interest in the left-back recently, could Koppen perhaps secure a fee for him next month?

The Light Blues have Ridvan Yilmaz waiting in the wings to take over as the long-term heir to the £21k-per-week defender and with Robbie Fraser and Johnly Yfeko performing well in the academy, the position looks well covered if the defender does leave.

Following his display against Aberdeen last month, writer Kenny Stewart dubbed Barisic as “so negative” and it makes sense for him to move on sooner rather than later.

2

Ben Davies

The Englishman hasn’t quite lived up to his £4m price tag since joining from Liverpool last summer under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and he found himself in and out of the starting XI.

He was criticised by former professional Kenny Miller during the Old Firm defeat to Celtic in April, dubbing him “so poor” for his mistake during the tie which cost Rangers a goal.

During the summer transfer window, the centre-back looked like he was close to securing a loan move to Stoke City, but the Light Blues rejected the approach as Michael Beale failed to bring in another defender.

During the current season, the former Preston North End gem has featured in just 11 matches so far, starting ten, but only five of those games have come under Clement.

It doesn’t appear as though he has a future at the club under the Belgian and while he still has two and a half years left on his current deal, Koppen could command a decent transfer fee.

Even if they recoup half of the £4m they spent on him, the manager could put this towards a new player.

3

Kemar Roofe

A fit and firing Roofe is arguably the greatest forward in the Glasgow side. The Ibrox faithful haven’t seen this for quite some time, however, as the 30-year-old is unable to play three or four matches in a row and this is a massive concern.

The forward is currently earning £26k-per-week, but since the start of the 2022/2023 season, he has made just 18 appearances in all competitions for the Gers, finding the back of the net on just three occasions and getting him off the wage bill would be advantageous.

It’s a shame, as his quality has been evidenced throughout his spell at the club, scoring some crucial goals in the process, yet the previous 18 months has proved that the Light Blues aren’t getting the best out of Roofe.

Indeed, since joining in the summer of 2020, the former Anderlecht frontman has played 90 times for Rangers, yet he has missed a grand total of 84 matches through a succession of injuries in the same time period.

His contract expires at the end of the season, but if Koppen could somehow land a transfer fee for the player, it would be a big bonus for Clement, that’s for sure.

4

Cyriel Dessers

Michael Beale made quite a few mistakes in the transfer window but shelling out £4.5m to bring Cyriel Dessers to Ibrox is up there as his worst.

The Nigerian had scored 30 goals during the previous two seasons with Feyenoord and then Cremonese, yet spending that sort of money on a player who was close to turning 29 while having little sell-on value looked a recipe for disaster.

Fast-forward a few months and his spell in Scotland has been dismal to say the least. The striker has scored only seven times in 24 matches, while he currently ranks first in the squad for big chances missed (11) while ranking in a lowly 14th spot for successful dribbles per game (0.4) and 13th for key passes per game (0.9), clearly proving that he hasn’t hit the ground running in the Premiership.

With the January window just a few weeks away, Koppen may already have a few players in his mind who need to be sold on to provide funds for future signings, and the four players mentioned must surely be at the top of the list.

There are others, of course, who have proven they aren’t quite up to the required standards to make a difference as the Gers chase trophies on a few fronts, yet Clement may give them more time to impress.

The next few weeks could be an interesting time to be a supporter. With a manager approaching his first transfer window and a brand-new director ready to start work at the start of 2024, the Ibrox side could see some wholesale change among the first-team squad.

Saudi second-tier club Al-Qadsiah are eyeing a move for Jose Mourinho in the summer as they look to secure promotion to the Saudi Pro League.

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• Saudi side interested in Mourinho
• Last managed Roma in January
• Linked with a move to Benfica

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The legendary Portuguese manager has been without a job since Roma parted ways with him in January. Since then, he has been linked with a move to several clubs and now, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, Saudi Arabian second-division side Al-Qadsiah are reportedly keen on appointing Mourinho as their next boss.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Qadsiah are currently leading the second-tier title race by nine points and are favourites to win the league and secure promotion to the Saudi Pro League. The Aramco-owned club reportedly have big ambitions for the 2024-25 campaign and are accordingly keen on appointing the former Chelsea and Manchester United coach. The 61-year-old is due to meet the club officials in Khobar later this month.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite being heavily linked with a move to Benfica, the veteran coach refuted rumours of him heading back to his homeland as he claimed he is not in talks with any Portuguese club.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Al-Qadsiah will aim to secure their promotion to the top division with a win on Sunday as they take on Ohod in an away fixture.

Aston Villa have been dealt a blow after learning that one of their first-team stars could miss the Premier League game vs Brentford this afternoon, according to a key figure.

Aston Villa's form and results

The Villa Park outfit have made a remarkable start to the new campaign having won 11, drawn two and lost just three of their opening 16 games, and thanks to their positive run of form, they have now found themselves competing for a place in the top four.

On Sunday, Unai Emery’s side travel to the Community Stadium to take on Brentford, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm UK time, though the manager and the rest of the team might have to see out the fixture without one of their important squad members.

Emery could ease Luiz blow by handing start to £75k-p/w Aston Villa gem

This £75k-p/w gem could help Aston Villa ease the loss of Douglas Luiz this weekend.

By
Adam Scully

Dec 14, 2023

During the 1-0 top-flight victory over Arsenal, Leon Bailey was forced off the pitch and, as a result, he was completely missing from the team sheet for Thursday’s 1-1 Europa League draw against Zrinjski, which will have no doubt caused concern among supporters.

The winger has only made five starts and has been more of a feature off the bench having been introduced as a substitute on nine occasions (WhoScored – Bailey statistics), but with a recent upturn in form, the 29-year-old being absent again would be a setback.

Leon Bailey injury update

Taking to X, The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell shared an update from Emery's Friday pre-match press conference, where the manager confirmed that Bailey is a doubt for Aston Villa's trip to the capital, while providing an update on a couple of other players.

"Youri Tielemans and Leon Bailey are doubts for #AVFC's trip to Brentford. Other players are tired and will be assessed tomorrow morning. Robin Olsen and Bertrand Traore remain out, with Douglas Luiz & Lucas Digne suspended. No Tielemans may mean a chance for Leander Dendoncker."

Across all competitions this season, Bailey has 15 involvements, eight goals and seven assists, to his name from 22 appearances, showing how prolific he can be in the final third, and no matter whether the end product comes to fruition, he’s able to pose a constant threat to the opposition’s defence with his speed (Transfermarkt -Bailey statistics).

The Jamaican currently ranks in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons, representing how much he loves to use his pace to dribble past his marker to create as many chances as possible for both himself and his fellow teammates (FBRef – Bailey statistics).

With Bailey being a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and three roles in the midfield, it will come as a huge blow for Emery should his “deadly” player not be available for selection once again, as hailed by Josh Bunting.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has urged key defender Millie Bright to take her time as she continues to build fitness after a lenghy injury layoff.

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• Hayes reveals advice given to Bright
• Chelsea defender recently back from injury
• Immediately recalled to England squad

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bright was recalled to the England setup by Sarina Wiegman on Tuesday morning ahead of four upcoming Euro 2025 qualifiers in May, June and July. It will mark her first international action since withdrawing from the squad in late November. Club boss Hayes shared her advice to the Chelsea player a few hours later.

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• WHAT HAYES SAID

  Speaking at a press conference before Chelsea's midweek WSL clash with Tottenham, Hayes said: "I will often say to the players that you have to put your career first and Millie was putting her body in a situation where, if she didn’t look after it…careers are short. I advised her to really prioritise a little longer term instead of just constantly playing in pain. That's been tough for her, a long time out, and hasn't been smooth running.

  "That's why I think probably most managers get frustrated when [journalists] ask, 'Who's injured?' and we say, 'They are and it might be a week'. All of a sudden it’s three weeks or four weeks, or a month, or two months. It's not because we play games with you, this is the nature of what happens coming back from rehab and Millie's was certainly not straightforward.

  "I'm happy for her that she's back [but] I still think she has to build progressively. It's a testament to her character, she's always been a leader in our dressing room and one that's given everything to Chelsea and everything to me in my time here."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Having nursed a knee problem in the closing stages of last season that made her a doubt for the World Cup, Bright played her last game for more than five months when Chelsea drew 2-2 against Real Madrid in the Champions League on November 15. At one point, the 30-year-old even questioned whether she still had a career. But Bright returned for the final six minutes of the semi-final second leg against Barcelona on April 27 and has started each of Chelsea's WSL fixtures – against Liverpool and Bristol City – since.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  If Chelsea beat Tottenham on Wednesday and then Manchester United on Saturday, they will likely win a fifth consecutive WSL title, unless Manchester City can beat Aston Villa and orchestrate a goal-difference swing. For Bright, it would be her seventh since joining in 2014, as it would be Hayes, who is leaving the club for the USWNT job.

The Red Devils will be rank outsiders at Wembley on Saturday, but there are plenty of reasons to believe they can stage a shock

Being in the FA Cup final should be something to savour for any football fan, but the truth is many Manchester United fans will be feeling a sense of dread ahead of Saturday's showpiece against Manchester City.

It is easy to see why. City have just become Premier League champions for a record fourth-successive time while United have just finished eighth, their worst performance in the Premier League era. City gained 31 more points than United while scoring an extra 39 goals. Pep Guardiola's side are unbeaten in any competition since December while United were defeated on 19 occasions this season in all competitions. And they had a negative goal difference.

Even Gary Neville, the most staunch of United fans and former players, has admitted he does not want to go to the game at all after the pain of last year's defeat to City. But fear not. Despite all the gloom surrounding the final, there are plenty of reasons to believe that Erik ten Hag's side can pull off a shock and win the FA Cup. Let GOAL explain why…

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  Underdog mentality

  There's no hiding from the fact that everyone expects City to beat United. The Cityzens are the overwhelming favourites according to all bookmakers, with some outlets offering a mere 1/3 odds for a triumph for Guardiola's side. And no one could argue with that.

  But United's status as underdogs also means that the pressure will be off them at Wembley. This is a free hit, and they can use that to their advantage. “For me personally, it gives me more energy," said Diogo Dalot.

  "We want to be the team in the future that everyone thinks is going to win automatically. I've been at this club for a while now and I want to feel that feeling of dominance in every game and in every competition we play, everywhere we go. So that, for me, is good, because it gives me even more energy to want to win it."

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  City still celebrating?

  There has always been a small contradiction about this City side. On the one hand, they are the consummate professionals, always in perfect shape at the crucial stage of the season. And in Guardiola they have a coach who does not tolerate slipping standards. On the other hand, they sure like to party, with Jack Grealish the poster boy of their revelry. And having won so many trophies within the last few years, they have had plenty to celebrate.

  City's players were allowed to indulge after winning a fourth consecutive Premier League title last Sunday. Grealish, of course, was seen stumbling out of the Fenix bar and restaurant at 5am, while Kevin De Bruyne was spotted slumped in a taxi. Erling Haaland and Rodri also stayed out late, with the Spaniard in particular looking like he had enjoyed himself.

  United fans will be hoping that they will still be feeling the effects of their celebration at Wembley. As Gary Neville put it on : "The first thing I was thinking about and I hope it’s true… do you think City will have had a big night out on Sunday night, bladdered like? Just a couple of days and it knocks you back a little bit. We did it 20 years ago. I’m hoping they’re still celebrating!"

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  Cavalry is back

  United's season was rocked by injuries from start to finish. Ten Hag's side suffered more than 60 separate injuries, with players missing over 350 games combined. The manager is in no doubt that the setbacks are the reason why his side performed so badly.

  But the good news is that he will be able to field one of his strongest teams of the campaign at Wembley. The return of Lisandro Martinez, who has started just 10 games all season due to three separate injury problems, is the biggest boost for Ten Hag, while Raphael Varane could start alongside him after getting 21 minutes off the bench against Brighton.

  Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are unlikely to win their fitness battles, but Marcus Rashford will be back, and there is even a chance that Anthony Martial (remember him?) makes the matchday squad. Now is the time to see how good United can be with most of their best players available.

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  Rashford's point to prove

  Rashford will be hurting badly after being left out of England's provisional squad for Euro 2024. The striker cannot complain with Gareth Southgate's decision as he has had a miserable campaign while the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon have shone. But now he has an opportunity to prove Southgate wrong.

  He also has a chance to get United fans back onside after his relationship with supporters turned sour. The striker's attitude this season has angered many, but a match-winning performance against City would do a lot to heal the wounds.

  Rashford's career has been full of ups and downs, and it should not be forgotten that the exceptional form he showed last season came after a dismal campaign. He has got a knack for bouncing back and proving the public wrong, and if ever there was a time for him to prove a point, it is on Saturday.

Leeds United looked set to sanction the permanent sale of one of their players who is out on loan, but a fresh report claims he could instead make a shock return to the first-team.

Daniel Farke's Leeds signings

The Whites signed Joe Rodon from Tottenham Hotspur on a temporary basis over the summer, alongside Ethan Ampadu who is also capable of operating as a centre-back, so this allowed Daniel Farke to move on some of his existing players in that same position.

The Elland Road outfit sanctioned the departures of Robin Koch and Maximilian Wober until the end of the season to remove them from the wage bill following relegation to the Championship, but there was another defensive squad member who left the building on loan back in January.

"Relentless" Leeds player wanted permanently by his loan club

The Whites are facing a battle to hold onto one of their loan stars at the end of the season.

By
Chloe Chadwick

Dec 19, 2023

Having first joined Leeds in 2020, Diego Llorente has gone on to make 59 senior appearances to date, but the 30-year-old completed a switch to Serie A side AS Roma at the start of the year, with his deal there set to expire upon the conclusion of the campaign (Transfermarkt – Llorente statistics). However, Spain’s former international does have an obligation to buy included in the agreement that the two parties arranged before heading overseas.

Roma and Leeds change tact over Llorente

Italian outlet Roma Metropolitan Magazine (via Sport Witness) first reported that AS Roma want to retain Llorente beyond next summe, when he "could be redeemed" for a fee close to €5m (£4m).

However, a newer report this week from larger publication Gazzetta dello Sport (via SW) claims Roma do not feel Llorente is worth the obligation fee. And, if their information is correct, the Italian side can avoid the obligation if Llorente does not hit a certain number of games, leading to a shock return to Yorkshire.

When Llorente was still at Leeds for the first half of last season, he ranked as the club’s overall 14th best-performing player out of 29 squad members, showing how middle of the road and average his performances were compared to his peers, so the 49ers group should really be looking to shift him on (WhoScored -Leeds statistics).

Standing at 6 foot 1, Madrid’s native also currently pockets £57k-per-week in Italy (AS Roma salaries), which would make him the fourth-highest earner on the books if he was to return (Leeds salaries), so he needs to be removed from the wage bill where the extra cash could be used to generate funds to put towards new signings.

As previously described by journalist Josh Bunting, Llorente is typically “poor” when it comes to making individual errors and reading the game, so when you consider all of that, alongside the fact that he isn’t getting any younger, it has to be a no-brainer to get rid of him permanently at the end of the season.

Newcastle United travel to Anfield on New Year's Day to take on Premier League leaders Liverpool, hoping to avoid a seventh loss in eight games.

The Geordie outfit have been ravaged by injuries to some key players throughout the campaign which has caused the Magpies to free-fall in the table, even lower than Manchester United, who have suffered their worst start to a season since the competition commenced in 1992.

If Eddie Howe is to avoid yet another defeat on Monday, the manager will need to pick the right starting lineup to ensure that the side isn’t carved through, so a couple of changes could be on the horizon.

1

GK – Martin Dubravka

Newcastle have desperately missed Nick Pope since the team’s number ‘1’ picked up a nasty shoulder injury at the beginning of December which is set to keep him out of action until March at the earliest.

Martin Dubravka has been in goal in each of the side’s last six defeats and hasn’t always covered himself in glory, but Howe will likely persevere with his backup option in Pope’s absence.

2

RB – Kieran Trippier

It was a mixed-bag performance from Kieran Trippier on Boxing Day. The England international created two chances for Newcastle, whipped 19 crosses into the box and played the ball into the final third 15 times throughout proceedings, eventually ending the game as a centre-back. However, he was also dribbled past three times and lost 64% of his total duels, as per FotMob.

Nevertheless, while the fullback has struggled in recent weeks, Howe should stick with Trippier and play him through this sticky run of form.

3

CB – Fabian Schar

Like the rest of the backline, Fabian Schar struggled to cope with Nottingham Forest’s attack on Tuesday, particularly hat-trick hero and former teammate Chris Wood. The Swiss centre-half won merely 43% of his aerial duels during the game and committed two fouls.

Regardless, Howe has limited options at centre-back right now and it's unlikely that will Schar find himself out of the team.

4

CB – Sven Botman

Sven Botman was superb for the Magpies right up until he picked up a knee injury in September which kept him sidelined until two weeks ago. Having initially been eased back into the side, Howe has been forced to throw the Dutchman into the deep end as Jamaal Lascelles is not expected to return until mid-January.

The £35m man didn’t look fully match fit on Boxing Day against Forest and struggled to deal with Wood and Anthony Elanga running off of him while failing to win a single tackle or ground duel throughout the match before being substituted in the 79th minute.

Nonetheless, Howe may have no other choice but to keep Botman in the lineup at Anfield due to a lack of depth in defence.

5

LB – Tino Livramento

The first and arguably most important change Howe could make to his starting eleven is dropping Dan Burn for Tino Livramento. Burn looked lost against the pace of Elanga on Tuesday and was skinned by Wood for Forest’s second goal, earning a 3/10 match rating by Chronicle Live for his display.

Tasked with going one-versus-one against Mohamed Salah, keeping Burn in the team could be a recipe for disaster, hence why Livramento should start.

Having been described this season as a “Rolls Royce” player by club legend Malcolm Macdonald, the £50k-per-week star's pace, combined with his right-footedness will be important in stopping Salah from getting in behind and cutting inside on his left.

6

DM – Bruno Guimaraes

It wasn’t a vintage performance by Bruno Guimaraes on Boxing Day, the type that Newcastle supporters have come to expect from him. The Brazil international lost possession 17 times and made merely two passes into the final third throughout the match.

However, the 26-year-old has been a key player during Howe’s reign at St. James’ Park and is possibly Newcastle’s most technically gifted midfielder, meaning there’s very little chance he finds himself on the bench.

7

LCM – Joelinton

Boyhood Mags fan Sean Longstaff capped off a string of poor performances with another dismal display in Newcastle’s last outing at home to Forest. The midfielder failed to create a single chance, was dribbled past twice and didn’t win a single tackle or duel in his 71 minutes on the field.

Joelinton has been Howe’s first-choice this term, having started 13 of the side’s 19 Premier League matches in this position and will likely take his rightful place in the middle of the park once more at Anfield.

8

RCM – Lewis Miley

Lewis Miley has been a pair of goggles in a blistering sandstorm for Newcastle United in recent weeks. Even on Tuesday, the 17-year-old created one chance, had five shots, played a helping hand in his side being awarded a penalty for their only goal of the game and even boasted a 95% passing accuracy throughout the match, as per FotMob.

A start at Anfield would be a true test of his guile and one he could pass with flying colours.

9

RW – Miguel Almiron

In 19 Premier League appearances this season, Miguel Almiron has merely three goals and one assist. The Paraguay international struggled once more last week against Forest and came off in just the 55th minute, having recorded a measly xG of 0.06.

Nevertheless, the 29-year-old’s consistent run of games over the past month is a product of Newcastle’s lack of depth due to injuries and this trip to Anfield won’t be any different.

10

LW – Anthony Gordon

Despite the Magpies boasting 62% of the ball, Gordon didn’t create a single opportunity for his teammates on Boxing Day and failed to complete one cross. Furthermore, he lost 75% of his attacking duels, according to FotMob, and looked well off the pace.

Regardless, like Almiron, Howe has no other choice but to stick with his £45m January signing, unless Matt Ritchie comes back into the fold.

The midfielder is at the heart of an international battle as he looks to prove himself in MLS.

Is a future England midfielder currently developing in MLS? Could a kid from Arlington, Massachusetts someday line up next to Jude Bellingham in the Three Lions midfield?

Meet Noel Buck, the midfield star who could go from New England to…. well, England. Buck is currently a rising star with the New England Revolution, one who finds himself at the center of a potential recruiting battle.

At the moment, he's tied to England, having played for the Three Lions youth teams. He's still eligible for the U.S., though, so Gregg Berhalter and U.S. Soccer don't have reason to lose all hope just yet.

Where will Buck end up? It's too soon to tell, but the Revs star certainly has the potential to go far whichever country he plays for on the international level.

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  What he's done

  Raised in Arlington, Massachusetts, Buck has been a rising star within the Revs Academy since joining back in 2017. He'd shined for the club's reserves before signing his homegrown deal in January 2022 and it's all been up from there.

  He scored his first goal that September to become the second youngest scorer in team history, but his real breakout came in 2023. At just 18, Buck featured in 32 total matches for the Revs, establishing himself as an integral member of the squad despite his youth.

  His international future came into focus last September, though. Buck earned his first call-up to England's U-19s, having admitted that England had shown him more attention than U.S. Soccer. The son of a British father and an American mother, Buck is still eligible to represent the U.S. and Wales, but, as of now, England has his allegiance as he moves forward for club and country.

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• Why he's here

  If you're looking for a prototypical modern midfielder, it's Buck. He can contribute from a variety of positions and in a variety of roles, as many midfielders are asked to do in the modern game.

  Buck is capable of playing as a six, eight or even out wide due to his technical ability. At 5'11", he also has a solid frame that will fill out even more as he gets older. He can also pop up with a goal or two as well as evidenced by his three goals last season, including this stunner:

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  Who he reminds us of

  Buck's father is a massive, massive Chelsea fan, so it's no surprise who the midfielder idolized all throughout his youth. Buck was raised on a steady diet of Frank Lampard highlights, and it's easy to see the influence the Blues legend had on his game.

  These days, Buck also looks at another former Chelsea midfielder: Mason Mount. Like Mount, Buck is a midfielder who can make his mark in the attacking end, but is also capable of being a No. 8 if the system calls for it.

  Can he reach the level of Mount or Lampard? It's way too soon to say, but you can certainly see those influences in his game.

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• What's next

  Buck has earned interest from the Premier League, with those rumors beginning to fly after his run with the England U-19s. Tottenham have been among the clubs interested, but it's a safe assumption that clubs all over England are watching.

  First, though, Buck will need to break back into the Revs XI. He's started just four matches so far this season under new coach Caleb Porter, who hasn't used the teenager as much as his predecessors. Can Buck earn his trust? It's a big storyline to watch, for sure.

  If he regains that starting spot, it'll show plenty about Buck's character and development. Plenty on both side of the pond will be watching on as Buck looks to take another leap forward in 2024.

The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has proposed five major rule changes that could change the way the game is played in the future.

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• KNVB propose five radical rule changes
• Want 30-minute halves with stop clocks
• Unlimited flying substitutions and sin-bins

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The method that football is played has changed significantly in the last few years throughout the entire game. Everything from the implementation of VAR to modifications to handball regulations and the maximum amount of substitutes permitted. The Dutch FA's secretary-general, Gijs de Jong, has now suggested the five modifications discussed by the KNVB in the game's regulations.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  First of all, the Dutch FA wants kick-ins to take the place of throw-ins. They also want the introduction of sin bins, a proposal that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) has already discussed. They also want self-passes from free kicks and flying replacements, which would effectively let a manager make as many substitutions as they would like throughout a match.

  The most significant rule change recommendation comes in their final proposal, which calls for two 30-minute halves instead of the normal 45. They have also proposed for the stop clock to be paused every time there is a stoppage in the game so as to have a guaranteed 60 minutes of action.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  reports that when PSV hosts the Otten Innovation Cup in August, the KNVB will be testing all rule modifications. The KNVB has already instituted kick-ins and self-pass free-kicks in youth football.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR RULE CHANGES?

  The suggestions have already been met with strong resistance by fans online and it may be unlikely to be seen implemented in the game at least for the next few years. However, the final decisions will obviously lie in the hands of the IFAB.