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After a weekend where the club once again came within touching distance of a trophy, Chelsea need to try and find a way to end their unwanted run of cup final defeats in recent seasons.

The club have lost six consecutive cup finals since 2019, with the Blues losing their last three in a row to Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool, with the latest arguably the poorest defeat.

The Reds used seven academy products during the Carabao Cup final, with the players having an average age of just 20 years and two months – with Jayden Danns, son of former professional footballer Neil Danns, the youngster at just 18.

Klopp's side managed to find a way to win with his crop of promising youngsters, with Chelsea needing to adopt a similar approach and steer away from big-money signings in the transfer window.

In recent seasons, Chelsea have developed some brilliant talents, with Conor Gallagher and Levi Colwill just two examples within Mauricio Pochettino's side.

However, there's one player within the club's academy who has impressed and should be fast-tracked into the Blues' current first-team setup.

Chelsea's next great academy talent

Despite his tender age of just 18, Leo Castledine is a player with a huge future at Stamford Bridge, with the attacking midfielder capable of making the step into Pochettino's plans.

The midfielder was part of the Cobham Academy as a youngster, before leaving the club to join lower league side AFC Wimbledon in 2013, before rejoining his boyhood club back in March 2020.

Castledine signed his Chelsea professional contract on his 17th birthday back in August 2022, with the youngster impressing for the club's academy in recent seasons.

He had featured on the bench multiple times for the Blues this season, before making his senior debut as a substitute against Middlesbrough during the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg.

The 18-year-old came on with just five minutes to go. However, he failed to make a real impact, with Chelsea already securing the victory before his introduction.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Chelsea's next Mason Mount inbound

Mason Mount was one of the last attacking players to come through Chelsea's academy, starring in loan moves to sides such as Vitesse and Derby County before making an impact on the Blues' first team.

Castledine, "who's similar to Mount" in the eyes of Chelsea’s U21s coach Mark Robinson, could benefit from a loan move to a League One or League Two side, giving him vital experience in men's football before making an impact under Pochettino.

The youngster has excelled for the Blues' U21s in Premier League 2, scoring seven times with eight assists in 14 games – with Castledine contributing to 44% of the side's goals so far this campaign.

Castledine has a huge future ahead of him, with Chelsea conducting brilliant business in bringing him back to the club in 2020.

Whilst he's still very young with a long way to go until he features within the Blues first-team, it's great to see a promising youngster coming through the ranks – with one eye ahead on the future.

Leah Williamson has partied with ex-Arsenal star Alex Scott during a sun-drenched summer holiday for the Gunners defender and England captain.

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• Lionesses skipper relaxing in the sun
• Spending time with close friends
• Preparing for 2024-25 WSL campaign

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fresh from helping the Lionesses to qualify for Euro 2025, as they seek to defend a prestigious continental crown, Williamson has been making the most of an opportunity to relax and unwind. She has bid farewell to inclement England and headed to warmer climes.

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• THE GOSSIP

  Williamson has been joined by a number of familiar faces on her summer break, with the 27-year-old claiming to have enjoyed “16429 years of friendship” with those by her side. That party includes former Arsenal and England star Scott, who is now a television presenter and pundit.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Scott and Williamson posed for pictures together during an evening out. The Euro 2022-winning star has been spending her days relaxing on floating rafts – having headed out on a luxury boat – and cooling down in hotel swimming pools.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Williamson will be fully recharged in time for the new WSL season with Arsenal. She will be hoping to avoid any setbacks in 2024-25 after working her way back from a serious knee ligament injury that dashed World Cup dreams in 2023.

With Newcastle United's transfer activity still hamstrung by financial limits, PIF's summer business appears to involve ensuring key assets stay at the Premier League side.

Latest Newcastle transfer news

With the threat of FFP sanctions looming over their heads, it has long been thought that the Magpies would only be able to enter the transfer market once they have made significant sales.

Newcastle must get rid of a player who currently earns more than Joelinton

The 28-year-old has only managed three starts all season.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 6, 2024

It has been reported that star man Bruno Guimaraes is set to leave this summer with the Brazilian boasting a release clause of £100million. Whilst watching the 26-year-old leave St James' Park would be heartbreaking for Toon fans, many know that the windfall provided would be essential in getting new signings through the door.

There has been growing talk around exercising the £28m option to buy on Lewis Hall's loan however, it is uncertain whether this would see the youngster loaned out straight away.

Until a major sale is completed, it is likely that a lot of Newcastle's work will centre around tying key players down to new deals. With a number of contracts set to expire in the next couple of seasons, the north east outfit look to have already taken significant steps to agreeing fresh terms with a key player.

Toon star edging closer to new deal

According toTthe Newcastle Chronicle, talks around Joelinton's new contract are "heading in the right direction". The outlet has heard that the Brazilian will "be offered a significant increase on his current pay packet, granting him his wish of being one of the club's top earners".

Talks over Joelinton's new deal had previously stalled however, it is now reported that the influence of both Eddie Howe and Amanda Staveley behind the scenes has helped negotiations progress. With former football director Dan Ashworth now on gardening leave ahead of a move away from Tyneside, Staveley has stepped in and has been an important part in getting the deal done.

The 27-year-old's contract is set to expire at the end of next season however, both the club and player are eager for the midfielder to remain at St James' Park. When Joelinton was asked about his future back in December, the Brazilian said that he wished to remain in the north east: "Yes, of course I want to stay. I feel at home here. My family feels at home, my son has friends here."

Branded a flop when he arrived from Hoffenheim for a club-record £40million fee back in 2019, Joelinton's transition from striker to midfielder has seen him become a fan favourite at St James' Park.

From the table above, it is clear just how important Joelinton is to Newcastle and Howe. A Swiss Army Knife of a midfielder, the Brazilian is just as comfortable starting attacks as he is stopping them. Getting Joelinton to sign a new deal would be a massive coup for the Magpies with the player integral to Howe's style of play.

There has been much to admire about the Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar reign at Arsenal.

The performances on the field of play, of course, have been truly fantastic. The Gunners are top of the league heading into the international break and await a first Champions League quarter-final in 14 years.

It's safe to say this project is going rather well for the Spaniard and his coaching staff.

That said, the way they have carried out their work behind the scenes has also been first-class. There have been very few misses in the transfer market with even those questioned initially now proving doubters wrong. Ahem, Kai Havertz, we're talking about you.

There has been some phenomenal work carried out regarding contract renewals too. Gone are the days of the club's best players running their deals down – ala Robin van Persie. The Emirates Stadium is now where these players see their futures. Thank you, Arteta, truly.

Martin Odegaard has already signed new terms this campaign and the latest start to put pen to paper is Ben White.

Why Ben White signed a new contract

This has been quite the week for Arsenal's right-back. On Wednesday morning it was announced by the club that White had signed a new deal to remain at the Emirates. It was superb news, particularly considering his recent form.

Handed new terms on £150k-per-week until 2028, it was a fine reward for a player with two assists and a goal in his last couple of Premier League outings.

A new contract was for more than just a couple of games, however. White has been one of the most consistent figures in the team since signing for £50m from Brighton with Arteta transforming the 26-year-old from a central defender into a flying full-back.

An understated character and a man of few words, his teammates were truly delighted to see him awarded with a new deal. Just check out the video below.

That said, it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows for him this week after refusing to make himself available for England selection.

Why Ben White doesn't want to play for England

Speaking after receiving a first call-up as a Brighton player for the European Championships back in 2021, the defender could hardly contain his excitement. This was a player living out his childhood dreams. To say he isn't proud to have an England cap would be absurd.

However, since that moment his time with the Three Lions has been a struggle. White didn't make a single appearance at the Euros, nor did he get any minutes during the World Cup in Qatar.

After finding it difficult to settle into life away from home at tournament football, White flew home from the tournament before England's campaign was finished, with 'personal reasons' cited.

The real reason we will perhaps never know, although The Athletic believe that differences between one of Gareth Southgate's key coaching staff, Steve Holland, could be to blame.

It's thought Holland wasn't a great fan of White's attitude, with the coach reportedly calling the defender out for not taking things seriously enough. Southgate denies that staunchly and is still open to a return to the England setup for the Arsenal star. Speaking in his press conference after announcing the latest squad, the national manager said:

"On form, I can't sit here and say [White] doesn't deserve to be in. John McDermott [technical director] had a call from Edu last week to say Ben didn't want to be considered for England squads at this time.

"That's a great shame, he's a player I really like, he's a player we took to the Euros when he was at Brighton, to the World Cup. I spoke to him post-Qatar, because I wanted to pick him. There was clearly reticence from his side, I don't know fully why that is."

Whether White adds to his four caps remains to be seen. We may just have to wait until Southgate departs the role to find out.

Meet Arsenal's Hale End "monster" who's ready to become the new Ben White

The Hale End gem is just as versatile as the Arsenal starter.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 6, 2024

Which Arsenal players will sign a new deal next?

It's reported that Japanese defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is close to agreeing a new deal with the club as Arsenal aim to tie down some of their most consistent assets.

Next on the list should be another rather underrated character in Jorginho. Signed from Chelsea for just £12m, the Italian has been nothing short of exceptional since arriving.

There were complaints when he first moved to north London. Arsenal had been after Moises Caicedo, a player who was eventually sold for even more than Declan Rice (£115m), so to end up with an ageing Chelsea 'reject' as everyone thought was not ideal.

However, like the aforementioned Havertz, he has fought away the doubters in exquisite fashion.

Described as a "monster" by Dr Rajpal Brar, a notable figure in the Arsenal community on social media, Jorginho has been the big game player that Arteta had been missing. He is the definition of plug-and-play. Simply select the former Champions League winner and you'll get a 7 or 8/10 every time.

Handed the Player of the Match award against Newcastle last month, the 32-year-old has been rolling back the years. Truth be told, it takes quite something to stand out above all else when your team are scoring so many goals, but Jorginho has.

He was notably outstanding in that vital 2-1 win over Liverpool, again winning the Man of the Match. On that occasion, no player retained possession better, had more touches or made more passes.

Crucially, it has also given Rice a license to get forward, something he is excelling in. With Jorginho at the base, the club's record buy has scored three goals in his last five league outings.

With Thomas Partey injured for much of the campaign, Arteta has needed someone to step up beside Rice and in the European Championship winner, he has found the ideal man. The trouble is that Jorginho's deal expires in the summer.

Arsenal can trigger a one-year extension and they should do just that, potentially even handing their 2023 signing a bumper pay rise in the process. He certainly deserves it.

Manchester United defender Leny Yoro has been spotted wearing a protective boot and on crutches after coming off injured against Arsenal.

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• Man Utd sign Yoro from Lille for £52m
• Defender picks up injury against Arsenal
• Seen on crutches & with protective boot

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Yoro swapped Lille for United earlier this month in a £52 million move ($68m) but less than two weeks after signing for the Premier League team, the 18-year-old may face a spell on the sidelines. After being forced off in the first half of Saturday's pre-season loss to Arsenal, the centre-back was filmed getting onto the team bus with the protective boot and crutches at their UCLA training base.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United edged out Real Madrid, among others, to sign the talented defender – who is seen as one of the world's most promising teenagers. The Red Devils had a hefty injury list last season, particularly in defence, and manager Erik ten Hag will be praying Yoro makes a speedy recovery – or else they may need to strengthen in that part of the field again.

• WHAT ERIK TEN HAG SAID

  After the 2-1 loss to Arsenal, Ten Hag said on Yoro's injury: "It is too short [notice] we have to wait over 24 hours and then we know hopefully more. We were very careful especially with Leny. He did only 50 per cent from the sessions so it was very disappointing that he had to come off but let’s be positive and see what is coming out."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  According to BBC Sport, manager Ten Hag will speak to the media about this topic and more ahead of United's pre-season friendly against Liverpool in South Carolina on August 3. Before then, the Red Devils will take on Real Betis on Wednesday in San Diego.

Endrick has explained the role Cristiano Ronaldo played in his Real Madrid presentation tears, with the Brazilian wonderkid emulating his idol.

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• Exciting forward completed switch to Spain
• Portuguese superstar was boyhood hero
• Ambitious long-term goals being set

• Getty Imges
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Having celebrated his 18th birthday on July 21, exciting teenage forward Endrick has been cleared to complete his transfer from Palmeiras to Santiago Bernabeu. The youngster has been officially unveiled in the Spanish capital, with emotion spilling out of him on a big day.

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• WHAT ENDRICK SAID

  Endrick has said of his tears, as he follows in the illustrious footsteps of Blancos legend CR7: “I hadn’t planned it, but I’ve loved Real Madrid since I was a kid. I saw Cristiano Ronaldo and because of him I wanted to know a bit more about Real Madrid. Years ago I looked up all the idols, also [Emilio] Butragueno. Since I was a child I was in love with Real Madrid. I didn’t want to cry, but it came from my soul.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Endrick scored 21 goals through 79 appearances for Palmeiras, while also earning 10 senior caps for Brazil. He claims Madrid was the only destination he was willing to consider when leaving his homeland, with bold long-term targets being drawn up. He added: “I’ve been in love with Madrid since I was a kid, I wanted to come here. When the negotiations started, the only thing I asked was if Madrid were in the negotiations. I didn’t care about any other club. I’ve always wanted Real Madrid. I’ve been signing for a long time. I hope to stay here for the rest of my life.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Becoming a Real stalwart will be no easy task for Endrick, as he faces fierce competition for places in Spain. He has linked up with the Blancos a matter of weeks after World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe, while the holders of La Liga and Champions League titles also have Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo on their books.

The banter years may be no more at Arsenal Football Club but the fact they were forced to contest the first penalty shoot-out in the Champions League since 2016 was just typical.

The Gunners never do things the easy way and that was seen at the Emirates Stadium on a dramatic Tuesday night.

Mikel Arteta's men had conceded a late goal in Portugal a fortnight ago, meaning they headed into the second clash 1-0 down. Fortunately, one all was said and done, that didn't matter.

Leandro Trossard's superb opener on the night could and should have given the hosts control but after 210 minutes of football across the two ties they couldn't be separated. Step forward David Raya, the man of the hour or hours.

David Raya's performance vs Porto in numbers

At the beginning of the season, Arteta admitted that he was delighted to have two such excellent goalkeepers at his disposal. "We have to use them" he barked, hinting that a real battle could play out between Raya and Aaron Ramsdale for a starting spot.

The latter began the campaign as the no.1 but since the first international break of 2023/24, it is the Brentford loanee who has been preferred. Initially, he looked edgy, perhaps not quite comfortable with the demands of playing for Arsenal.

Why had Arteta disrupted things in such a crucial position? No one really had the answer. Well, in 2024 the critics have been hammered away with vigorous force. If anyone still had doubt regarding who should be Arsenal's 'keeper moving forward their 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over Porto should squash those once and for all.

Raya made two crucial saves and could have saved a third as the north Londoners made it through to the last eight of the competition where a whole host of European heavyweights sit in store.

The Spaniard's display was arguably about more than just his heroics in the shoot-out, making three saves during normal time and succeeding with 100% of his run-outs. That was as well as boasting plenty of influence in possession with the goalkeeper's 54 completed passes only two fewer than skipper Martin Odegaard and more than Kai Havertz.

Another one of the heroes on the night was Declan Rice. Of course it was.

The £105m summer signing stepped forward comfortably to net a penalty having been everywhere during the 120 minutes. He won five duels, completed 84% of his passes and even if none of his corners came off, was mightily impressive.

The two players in question have both marked yet more superb pieces of business by Arteta and Co but there is another rather underrated signing who deserves just as much praise; Jakub Kiwior.

Jakub Kiwior's game vs Porto in numbers

Raya and Rice have both quickly cemented themselves as undroppable figures in this Arsenal team but Poland international, Kiwior, has had to bide his time for a fair share of playing time.

Signed rather unexpectedly in a £20m deal from Serie A side Spezia in the winter of 2023, the defender only played in seven matches in the Premier League last season.

However, with Oleksandr Zinchenko enduring a period of time on the treatment table in the opening stages of 2024 Kiwior has finally got his chance for regular minutes, albeit in an unfamiliar position.

A central defender by trade, the 24-year-old has been forced to play as a left-back which to begin with wasn't met with great success. Having struggled in an inverted role in the 4-3 win over Luton, eventually hooked just after the hour mark, it looked as though we wouldn't be seeing much more of him.

Though, since that moment Arteta has tweaked things. Kiwior doesn't step inside like Zinchenko but operates as more of a typical full-back. Indeed, with four goal involvements in his last six domestic games, he's still more than making an impact on proceedings.

No such attacking contribution was made in the win over Porto in midweek but as analyst Ben Mattinson suggests, he was a "monster" on the night defensively.

Handed an 8/10 match rating by The Standard's Dan Kilpatrick, the reporter described it as the defender's "best performance for the club."

It's certainly hard to dispute that, even if he did only complete 73% of his passes and ceded possession on 12 occasions. That said, he won 100% of his aerial battles and his one and only dribble.

Perhaps his finest moment came late in the second half to deny what would have been a certain goal, only for the offside flag to intervene. After Raya was forced into parrying a shot the ball sat up perfectly for Evanilson to find the net from close range, only for Kiwior to use his body as a shield and prevent an effort on goal.

It was a moment that summed up his gladiatorial display in the Champions League on Tuesday. He was eventually sacrificed for Zinchenko for the second period of extra time but it spoke volumes that he lasted that long.

The left-back position is now the former Spezia man's to lose. Alongside fellow 2023 signings Rice and Raya, he is surely undroppable for the time being. A start against Manchester City at the end of the month would be truly deserved.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to lose the services of one of their highest earners this summer, it has emerged, after transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that he will leave north London.

Postecoglou's revolution in full swing

Though there was no shortage of concerns for Tottenham heading into the season without Harry Kane, they have enjoyed a thoroughly successful Premier League campaign to date.

Ange Postecoglou has breathed new life into the north London side, and though they are not always getting the results they want, the style of football is a refreshing change from the tactics of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

However, relics of past regimes remain, and it is set to be another big summer of transfer action in a bid to fully mould the squad to one fitting Postecoglou's vision with signings and departures alike.

Massive earner set to leave

Now, it has been confirmed that Tottenham are set to allow Tanguy Ndombele to leave permanently this summer.

The French midfielder arrived for £63m (including add-ons) in 2019, but never really impressed during his time in north London and fell out of favour amid criticisms of laziness.

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He has spent the last two and a half years away from the club on loan, returning to Lyon before spending seasons at Napoli and Galatasaray. However, he has never really hit the heights that he managed before moving to north London initially.

So far this season, he has racked up just four starts and 449 minutes in Turkey, and though there is an option to buy the player in his current loan move, his form and reports of a bust-up with the manager have left this almost certain not to be taken up by Galatasaray.

That would mean Ndombele will once again return to N17 this summer and have just a year left to run on his £200,000-per-week contract.

However, transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed what fate awaits him – and it will likely come as a relief to Spurs fans.

"He will leave," the transfer guru confirmed. "That’s the idea. Obviously, I think it’s one to follow in the summer because, at the moment, it is still early to understand if there will be some opportunity in Europe or in a different market – that is a possibility."

There is undoubtedly still a top-quality player in the Frenchman somewhere. Speaking during his time at West Ham United, fellow midfielder Declan Rice was full of praise for the Frenchman, labelling him one of the best he's played against.

"The perception of him shouldn’t be what it is, because I tell you now, he is one of the toughest I have played against. He is top. Just a street footballer on the pitch. He takes the ball anywhere, with little flicks and tricks. Like he doesn’t care. He does everything so confidently," the Arsenal man explained.

“With players like that, you just have to let them play. Give them the freedom to go out and do whatever they want. When we played against Lyon in the Europa League, he was incredible. He’s a top player”

However, that player has never shown himself for Tottenham, and a clean break could be best for all parties this summer.

Pep Guardiola is into the final year of his Manchester City contract, with even club staff at the Etihad Stadium unsure as to what his future holds.

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• Catalan coach moved to England in 2016
• Overseen era of dominance across eight years
• Uncertainty regarding what happens next

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Catalan coach has been in his current post since 2016, with an English adventure taken on following successful spells in charge of Barcelona and Bayern Munich. At the time of his appointment, few could have predicted that he would remain at the helm eight years later – with six Premier League titles, a couple of FA Cups, four League Cup wins and a Champions League triumph to his name.

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• WILL GUARDIOLA STAY?

  It remains to be seen how much longer Guardiola will be sticking around, with no clues being given as to his way of thinking. There has been talk among those on the blue half of Manchester of extensions, 12-month sabbaticals or a fresh start being sought, with City hero Paul Dickov – speaking in association with – telling GOAL when asked what happens next: “He’s the best, we all know that. With only having this year left, every press conference that he does, every interview that anybody connected with the club is going to do, is going to get asked that question until he decides what he does with his future. We’re all hoping that he does extend – not just City fans but the Premier League in general, he’s been that influential. I really don’t know. I was out in pre-season and speaking to some of the people within the club and trying to get a little hint of what Pep was going to do, but they were genuinely saying themselves that they don’t know. They want Pep to make that decision when he’s ready.

  “The one thing on a positive note, sometimes in pre-season as players and staff when you are away for a long time, it can be a little bit of a drag, but I have never seen Pep look as energised in a long time. In and around the hotel, on the training pitch and especially in his press conferences, he seemed to have a little bit of a buzz about him and energy that maybe we haven’t seen the last couple of years because it has been long seasons, short post-seasons and straight into pre-season. He’s probably looked a bit tired, but he’s now energised and bubbly and raring to go. Hopefully that’s a good sign.”

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  COULD GUARDIOLA TAKE ENGLAND JOB?

  There has been talk of the Football Association making a play for Guardiola, with Lee Carsley taking charge of England on an interim basis following the departure of Gareth Southgate. As a former Scotland international, Dickov said when asked if he is hoping to see those rumours disappear as quickly as possible: “Definitely! If there is any job going at any club, or whether it be any country, because he’s in the last year of his contract, Pep’s name is going to get mentioned. When we were out in the States, all of the fans out there were saying that Pep is going to come and manage the U.S. national team. All England fans are saying that they want Pep to come and do the England team. Any job that is out there, he is going to be the one that is linked to it. He’s an intelligent guy, he will know what his plan is and what he wants to do. We just have to keep our fingers crossed that it’s staying in Manchester.”

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• MORE TRANSFER BUSINESS?

  Guardiola has overseen plenty of transfer business during his time at City, but little of that has been completed this summer – with Brazilian winger Savinho the only new arrival. Asked if he expects more movement before the next deadline passing, Dickov said: “Usually I get a little inkling from people in and around the club, but it has been very quiet. You would think that with Julian Alvarez leaving, the money that we have got for him – that’s incredible business, from £14m to £81m in a couple of years. Maybe it’s getting a back-up for [Erling] Haaland, if he needs a rest or is injured. The problem you have got is, any top player who wants to come to Manchester City won’t want to play second fiddle to Haaland. We have seen that with Julian. His numbers over the last couple of years, the trophies that he has won and the impact that he has made when he has played, he’s probably looked at it and thought that he’s still not going to play in the position he wants. That’s the problem if City are going to go for the top players that they want to get – they are going to want to come in and play.

  "I look at the signings like Savinho etc, do they go for somebody a little bit younger that they can bed in and have an impact? [Jeremy] Doku last season, probably played a bit more than he expected to because of injuries to Jack [Grealish] and his form, so it might be a younger talent to come in that can still have an impact when needed.”

Hernandez carried the Crew to another trophy, contributing to all three goals to topple LAFC in Leagues Cup final

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• Hernandez the hero
• Columbus Crew win 3-1
• Second final win over LAFC in 9 months

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  TELL ME MORE

  The Columbus Crew largely ran the first half, with LAFC spending most of the 45 pinned back in their own box. The hosts created several chances out of that dominance, forcing some heroic LAFC blocks to keep the score level.

  Eventually, the Crew got their reward.

  The opener came from none other than superstar Cucho Hernandez, who scored just minutes before halftime. Mo Farsi was the creator, with his picture-perfect cross landing right on the head of Hernandez, who smashed a header past a helpless Hugo Lloris.

  LAFC's newest superstar wouldn't be denied, though. Making his first start for LAFC, Olivier Giroud headed home from close range in the 57th minute, making it 1-1 with his first goal for the club.

  That all just set the stage for Hernandez, who embraced his moment in the spotlight. The Colombian scored in stoppage time to give the Crew a late 2-1 lead. Moments later, he teed up Jacen Russell-Rowe for some insurance, leading the Crew to a 3-1 win and another memorable final win over LAFC.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  This season's competition was technically the fourth edition of the Leagues Cup, but only the second in its current format. Last season's tournament was won by Lionel Messi and Inter Miami as the Argentine caught fire in his first matches with the club.

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  THE MVP

  Come on, is there any doubt?

  Two goals, one assist and, most importantly, another trophy to his name – Cucho Hernandez is the superstar, arguably the most dominant force in MLS right now. He proved it on Sunday with another humongous performance as he led the charge for the Crew once again.

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  THE BIG LOSER

  Going big picture here, let's point to LAFC as a whole. In the last nine months, LAFC have lost an MLS Cup to the Crew, were shellacked 5-1 in MLS play last month and then lost another heartbreaking final in Columbus. For all their talent, LAFC just can't find a way to overcome the Crew and, with the MLS Playoffs looming, there's a chance they'll have to dust themselves off and try again in a few months time. Mentally, will they be able to do it?