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The Canadian soccer federation announced that it has received the initial report from an investigator following the drone spying scandal in Paris

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• Canadian federation announces "pattern of an unacceptable culture"
• National team caught spying on opponents using drones at Paris games
• Canada women received points deduction

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Canadian football federation has received the original findings from an investigation into its spying scandal, and plans to reveal the findings in the coming days, the governing body announced in a statement. women's team were caught spying on New Zealand using drones, leading to head coach Bev Priestman and members of her coaching staff leaving their posts. They were also docked six points.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The initial incident at the Paris games was the beginning of a wider scandal in which it was claimed that Canada had repeatedly engaged in unethical behavior. The men's team reportedly used drones in both 2019 and 2021 to spy on first the USMNT then Honduras prior to games.

  In a podcast appearance, USMNT captain Tyler Adams later admitted that "every team" engages in some sort of spying activity.

  "I mean, listen, every team does it. I know for a fact. Every team does it in some capacity. I don't know about drones and sh*t like that seems, that seems a little bit crazy. But like, there's always people when you train in stadiums the day before games or whatever, someone will be acting like a worker and they're, like, really working for a different federation or something like it happens. It happens consistently. I'm positive of that," he told .

  Jesse Marsch, Canada's current men's head coach, discussed the challenges of the spying scandal in a recent interview with GOAL US.

  "There are levels of things [like this] happening in the sport," he said. "When we played in the Champions League, you go to the [opposing] stadium the night before… You know that pretty much the cameras are going to be on and probably someone from the [opposing] technical staff is watching training, right?"

  He added, "I know that the country has been disappointed…We're going to find a way to still get through this the right way and make sure we continue to push our program the right way."

• WHAT THE CANADIAN SOCCER FEDERATION SAID

  Kevin Blue, the CEO and General Secretary of the Canadian Soccer federation, announced that the findings of the investigation would soon be revealed: "Our initial review of the conclusions of the independent investigator reveals that the drone incident in Paris was a symptom of a past pattern of an unacceptable culture and insufficient oversight within the national teams. While we are being thoughtful about how best to address the findings, we also want to move decisively. To that end, we will release key conclusions and next steps within a week."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR CANADA?

  It seems that more information regarding the scandal will come out within the coming week. The Canadian men's soccer team will play Suriname in the first leg of their Nation's League quarter final tie on Nov. 15.

Manchester City made history when they won the club's first treble in the 2022/23 campaign by securing the Premier League title, the FA Cup, and the Champions League.

It was also the first Champions League trophy for the Cityzens as Pep Guardiola and his men ran riot on all fronts to showcase their dominance domestically and in Europe.

Despite their incredible season, City opted to dip into the transfer market to splash the cash on new signings to bolster the manager's squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Josko Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku, Mateo Kovacic, and Matheus Nunes were all brought in, whilst Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, and Cole Palmer were allowed to depart.

Whilst Gvardiol, who started 26 Premier League matches, and Kovacic, who played in 30 of the club's 38 league games, played important roles in the club's title success, Nunes did not enjoy as successful a debut season at The Etihad.

Guardiola could now land an upgrade on the former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielders by securing a deal to sign one of the club's reported transfer targets.

Man City's interest in Premier League star

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester City are one of the teams interested in a potential deal to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United this summer.

The report claims that the Brazil international had a release clause in his contract that would have allowed him to move on for a fee of £100m before the end of June.

That clause has now expired and any club wanting to sign the former Lyon starlet would need to negotiate a fee with the Magpies for his services.

TEAMtalk states that there is confidence from City sources that they would be able to secure an agreement with Newcastle for a fee in the region of £80m, £20m less than his expired release clause.

It adds that fellow Premier League title challengers Arsenal are also interested in the Brazilian maestro and also believe that they could sign Guimaraes for £80m.

However, the outlet reveals that the right-footed gem, who was signed from Lyon for £40m in January 2022, is currently happy at St. James' Park and is in no rush to seal an exit from Tyneside.

TEAMtalk reports that both Arsenal and City do believe that he would be interested in playing for them, though, and that a move to The Etihad is the most likely option for him if he does decide to call time on his spell with Newcastle.

If Guardiola can convince the talented whiz to join his squad before the end of the summer then he could come in as a big upgrade on Nunes in midfield.

Matheus Nunes' underwhelming season

The Cityzens reportedly splashed out a mega fee of £53m to sign the Portugal international from fellow Premier League side Wolves last summer.

Instead of hitting the ground running as a key first-team player for the Spanish boss, Nunes struggled to prove that he was ready to be a regular in the team.

The 25-year-old midfielder should be in the prime years of his career, as he is not a young player in the early years of his senior journey, but did not show enough to suggest that he is going to be crucial for City next term.

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese flop only started nine of the club's 38 league matches and only featured in 19 in total – missing out on getting on the pitch in the other 19 games.

He only contributed with two goal involvements – two assists – in those 19 matches, which shows that the former Wolves ace struggled to make much of an impact at the top end of the pitch.

His lack of physicality out of possession was also evident with a duel success rate of just 49%. This shows that opposition players found it too easy to get the better of him in physical contests, on the deck and in the air.

That may have contributed to Guardiola opting not to use him week-in-week-out in the Premier League, as he could not be relied upon in duels or to contribute in the final third.

Why Man City should sign Bruno Guimaraes

The Cityzens should now swoop to sign Guimaraes from Newcastle on a permanent deal for £80m this summer as he is a proven performer who could come in and hit the ground running at The Etihad.

He has been a fantastic player in the middle of the park for the Magpies in recent seasons and played a crucial role in their qualification for the Champions League in the 2022/23 campaign.

The Brazilian star produced four goals and five assists in 32 Premier League starts that term to help them to finish fourth in the division, sealing a place in Europe's premier cup competition.

Guimaraes followed that up with a string of outstanding displays in midfield for Eddie Howe's side last season, albeit they failed to finish inside the top four for a second season in succession.

As you can see in the table above, the Magpies sensation offered far more to his team in and out of possession than Nunes did for City in his first year with the club.

The Newcastle ace, who was described as "special" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, proved himself to carry a big threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which is something the Portuguese flop failed to do.

He also showcased his ability out of possession with 2.2 more tackles and interceptions combined per match and a higher success rate in his physical duels.

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By
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These statistics suggest that Guimaraes would come in as an immediate upgrade on Nunes, as he is a better player who offers more on and off the ball in a central midfield role, and that is why City should swoop to sign him.

The talented full-back looks destined for a switch to Europe after a remarkable rise to stardom in his homeland with Lanus

The Premier League, and more specifically Manchester United, has a strong history when it comes to Argentine players. The Red Devils have regularly raided the Albiceleste's talent pool down the years, bringing in the likes of Juan Sebastian Veron, Gabriel Heinze, Carlos Tevez, Angel Di Maria, Marcos Rojo and Sergio Romero, while Alejandro Garnacho and Lisandro Martinez are currently representing the reigning world champions at Old Trafford.

It has been reported that the Red Devils have their eye on another promising Argentina starlet in the form of Julio Soler, who is already earning senior international recognition at the tender age of 19. Soler has been playing regular football for Lanus in Argentina's Primera Division for two years, and he looks ready to take the next step in his fledgling career.

The Premier League seemingly beckons for Soler, but it's by no means a foregone conclusion that United will win the race for his signature. That's because Liverpool are also said to be huge admirers of the teenager, and a bidding war between two of English football's biggest clubs could be on the cards next summer if he stays on his current trajectory.

It's no exaggeration to say that Soler has the potential to be a leading figure for Argentina's next generation, and GOAL is here to explain what makes him such an exciting prospect…

• Where it all began

  Soler was born in Paraguay on February 16, 2005, but moved to Argentina as a child and started to pursue a path towards professional football. Boosted by the guidance of his father Jose, who played in the Paraguayan top-flight for Sol de America, Soler eventually attracted the attention of Argentinos Juniors as a child.

  He honed his skills in the academy best known for producing global icon Diego Maradona, but his journey took an unexpected twist when he played in a 2017 match against Lanus. Argentinos Juniors lost 1-0, but Soler's performance impressed everyone, including then-Lanus first team manager Ezequiel Carboni, who was in the stands to watch his son Valentin in action.

  According to , Carboni said to reserves coach Rodrigo Acosta: "We have to go and get him now." Two days later, Soler made the swift nine-mile trip across Buenos Aires to begin his Lanus career, though Argentinos Juniors still managed to retain 40 percent of his economic rights.

  Lanus also employed Soler's father as a kit man for their children's team, and the family gave approval for the youngster to live in the club's boarding house. By 2021, Soler had worked his way up to the reserves squad, and the following year he was handed his senior debut at 17.

  When Julian Aude went down injured in the 77th minute of a Copa de la Liga Profesional group-stage clash against Independiente on April 30, 2022, Soler was thrown on as his replacement, and made a big impact as Lanus went on to seal a 1-0 victory courtesy of a stoppage-time winner from Angel Gonzalez. Soler would also make three league appearances that year, but would have to wait for a regular role.

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  The big break

  Soler made 12 appearances for Lanus across all competitions in 2023 as they finished fourth in the Primera Division and qualified for the 2024 Copa Sudamericana. However, under the stewardship of Ricardo Zielinski, Lanus made a poor start to the 2024 campaign, losing two of their first three Copa de la Liga games, which led him to promote Soler into his starting XI.

  The youngster shone in a 3-0 win over Platense, and has been a fixture in Zielinski's line-up ever since. Soler was one of Lanus' top performers in the first half of the year and also managed to break into Argentina's Under20 set-up. On June 10, Javier Mascherano started Soler in Argentina's final warm-up game for the Olympics, and he notched an assist in a 2-0 win against Paraguay. That impressive display convinced the ex-Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder to include Soler in his 18-man squad for the Paris Games.

  Geronimo Rulli, Nicolas Otamendi and Julian Alvarez took the three over-age spots, while Thiago Almada also made the cut, giving Soler the chance to play alongside four World Cup winners. Unfortunately, their presence did not guarantee a strong start to the tournament.

  Argentina were upset by Morocco 2-1 in their first group game, which lasted 116 minutes due to a ridiculously drawn-out VAR review that eventually ruled out Cristian Medina's stoppage-time equaliser. It was a crazy introduction to international tournament football for Soler, but he showed no sign of feeling the pressure in his 71 minutes on the pitch, and even set up Giuliano Simeone to score Argentina's only goal of the game.

  Soler retained his place in subsequent wins over Iraq and Ukraine as Argentina bounced back to reach the quarter-finals. There would be no fairy-tale finish for Soler, though, as Mascherano decided to drop him to the bench against hosts France. Soler came on as a half-time substitute in the last-eight tie, but left the field in tears after just 30 minutes due to injury, and Les Bleus managed to close out a 1-0 victory.

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  How it's going

  Argentina's Olympics campaign was a huge disappointment, but Soler was able to return to South America with his head held high. He made the most of every minute he got on the pitch and put himself on the radar of top clubs across Europe.

  The teenager emerged as a more mature footballer for the experience, too, and immediately picked up from where he left off at Lanus. He played a vital role in their run to the Copa Sudamericana semi-finals, even scoring one of the penalties in their shootout win over Independiente Medellin in the last eight.

  Lanus ultimately crashed out against Cruzeiro, and are now destined to finish the season without silverware, but it will go down as Soler's breakout year. That was confirmed in October, when Lionel Scaloni drafted him into the Argentina senior squad for the first time, after an injury to Marcos Acuna.

  Unfortunately for him, Soler was an unused substitute as Scaloni's side played out a 1-1 draw against Venezuela and a 6-0 win over Bolivia in their most recent set of World Cup qualifiers. He got to witness a Lionel Messi masterclass up close in the latter game, though, as the Inter Miami star scored a hat-trick and provided two assists.

  Not many teenagers get the chance to rub shoulders with Messi; it's a testament to how far Soler has come in such a short space of time. He was understandably a little bit star struck in training, as he admitted to reporters: "I haven't spoken to Messi much. I've watched him on TV all my life and now he's right here, it's amazing. It doesn't seem real."

  Soler didn't receive a call-up for Argentina's November qualifiers, but that shouldn't dishearten him. The Lanus ace is way ahead of schedule development-wise, and will remain in Scaloni's thoughts ahead of the 2026 World Cup, especially if he seals a switch to Europe next year.

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  Biggest strengths

  Soler is a forward-thinking left-back with bags of energy and pace. He's already a very mature, technical player with a good range of passing and an aggressive streak that makes him difficult to get past or dispossess.

  There are often times when Soler takes it upon himself to get Lanus up the pitch, accelerating away from his marker effortlessly even in the tightest of spaces. He has a knack for drawing fouls, can keep the ball under control at top speed and always plays with his head up, which is a sign of his general footballing intelligence.

  Soler relishes one-on-one duels, too, and rarely comes off second-best. He has everything needed to make it to the very top of the game, it will just be a case of keeping his feet on the ground as the hype around him continues to grow.

A £15m player could now seal an exit away from Manchester City in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh transfer update.

Man City transfer news

Exciting transfer rumours continue to circulate at the Etihad, with Spain star Dani Olmo reportedly closing in on a move this summer, fresh off the back of a hugely successful Euro 2024 campaign with his country. He ended the tournament as joint-top scorer, having initially been behind Pedri in the pecking order, doing no harm to his reputation whatsoever.

An alternative to Olmo has also reportedly been lined up, with Crystal Palace and England ace Eberechi Eze also seen as an option to come in. The 26-year-old isn't without suitors this summer, however, and the Eagles will find it hard to keep hold of one of their most prized assets.

Adam Wharton's stock has risen greatly this year, having surprisingly made England's Euros squad, and he has been linked with a summer switch to City, too. The 20-year-old looks like a player of huge potential and could be considered a long-term replacement for Rodri in the deep-lying midfield role, even though matching the legendary Spaniard could be extremely difficult.

Then there's Joao Neves, who is also wanted by the likes of Liverpool as well as City, who could cost as much as £105m, having emerged as a massive prospect at Benfica.

£15m Man City player set to leave

According to a new report from Football Insider, Manchester City have "given the green light" for Callum Doyle to leave the club in the current window, valuing him at £15m.

The report also states that "Norwich are in talks" to sign the 20-year-old, with "other Championship clubs" also believed to be interested in snapping him up. It is the Canaries who are "close" to completing a deal, although it doesn't state if it will be a loan or a permanent transfer.

This summer feels like the natural time for Doyle to head out again, with his current contract not expiring until 2027, allowing the club to make good money for him or to gain more experience on loan. Former manager at Coventry City, Mark Robins, has lavished him with praise in the past, making it clear how highly he thinks of him:

"I think he’s a really talented player who has everything he needs to have a brilliant career in the game. Technically he’s very, very good and he’s learning the other bits and pieces. There’s clearly more work to be done and that will determine where he will end up playing the majority of his career. But he’s at a brilliant football club [in Manchester City]. They have great coaches there as well, and have done a great job with him so we have been the beneficiaries of his talents this year."

The aim for Doyle will be to kick on and enjoy a fantastic career, potentially even making the leap to England's senior squad at some point, becoming a key starter in a side and fulfilling his potential.

UEFA has launched an inquiry into suspended Premier League referee David Coote after a new video allegedly showing drug use at Euro 2024 emerged.

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• Video allegedly shows Coote snorting 'white powder'
• UEFA opens investigation into incdent
• Coote already suspended after leaked Klopp video

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The PGMOL suspended Premier League referee Coote earlier this week after a video surfaced showing him calling former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp a 'German c**t'. The 42-year-old is now facing a separate probe as another leaked video has allegedly shown the referee snorting what appears to be cocaine during Euro 2024.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The video appears to show Coote ingesting a 'white powder' from a rolled-up United States bank note during the European Championship in Germany earlier this year. The Premier League referee had been working as a video review specialist at the tournament. UEFA has now revealed that they have launched an investigation into Coote and confirmed the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to assess whether Coote has breached the Disciplinary Regulations.

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  WHAT UEFA'S STATEMENT READ

  In a statement made on Thursday afternoon, the UEFA said: “A UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to evaluate a potential violation of the UEFA disciplinary regulations by the referee, Mr. David Coote”.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR COOTE?

  The 42-year-old Premier League referee has already been disciplined by UEFA, who have removed him from their roster of officials for the forthcoming international matches, and it is understood that he will not take to the field until both the investigations are completed.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has made four additions to his squad during the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business last month.

Joe Rodon, Alex Cairns, Joe Rothwell, and Jayden Bogle have all been brought in to strengthen the group ahead of the 2024/25 Championship campaign.

The German head coach has already lost Glen Kamara, to Rennes, and Archie Gray, to Tottenham Hotspur, whilst loanees Connor Roberts and Jaidon Anthony returned to their parent clubs.

Farke and Leeds could, though, find a superb replacement for Anthony this summer by swooping to sign one of the club's reported transfer targets.

Leeds interest in Premier League forward

It was recently reported by London News Online that the West Yorkshire side are one of a number of teams interested in Crystal Palace forward Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

The outlet claimed that the Whites are looking to sign the 21-year-old wizard on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, but they are facing stiff competition for his signature.

It stated that 18 teams in the Championship are keen on the former Charlton Athletic loanee, whilst Premier League side Southampton have had a bid of £7m rejected by the Eagles.

Leeds must now push to win the race for the talented Premier League youngster as he could come in as a big upgrade on Anthony, who struggled at Elland Road last term.

Why Leeds should sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Like the Bournemouth man, Rak-Sayki is a versatile forward who can be deployed on either flank or through the middle, which means that he could be a valuable addition to the group to provide cover in multiple positions.

Anthony was brought in on loan for the 2023/24 campaign to provide competition on the wings but he failed to provide quality at the top end of the pitch in doing so.

The 24-year-old flanker made 31 appearances in the Championship for Farke's side. In that time, the English flop produced one goal and zero assists, and did not create any 'big chances' for his teammates.

Rak-Sakyi is a player who has the potential to come in and make a greater impact in the final third for the Whites, albeit he is unproven at Championship level.

The young whiz, who was described as "remarkable" by Roy Hodgson, only made six Premier League appearances last season but has showcased his quality at U21 and League One level in recent seasons.

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi provided regular quality in the final third as a scorer and a creator of goals on loan with Charlton in the 2022/23 campaign.

The £7.5k-per-week ace has also racked up 22 goals and seven assists in 29 Premier League 2 games for Palace's U21 side since the start of the 2021/22 season.

He has proven his attacking quality in the third tier of English football and at youth level, and now it is time for him to make his mark in the Championship.

Leeds could unearth new star duo by landing Szmodics and "ridiculous" star

The Whites have been linked with an interest in both players, who starred in the Championship last season.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 25, 2024

Leeds must swoop to sign the talented youngster to come in as a big upgrade on Anthony, due to his potential to offer far more as a scorer and a creator from a wide position.

Rasmus Hojlund scored twice for Mancheter United against Bodo/Glimt, and the Dane has revealed what Ruben Amorim told him before the important clash.

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• Man Utd win 3-2 against Bodo/Glimt
• Hojlund scores decisive brace
• Reveals what Amorim told him before the match

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United's Hojlund has not been in the best of form this season, but the Dane was the main man for Amorim as the Red Devils won 3-2 against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on the Portuguese coach's Old Trafford debut. Just as it had been in Amorim's first match against Ipswich Town at the weekend, United opened the scoring inside the first couple of minutes. However, the visitors scored twice before the 23rd minute to pile the pressure on the former Sporting CP boss, before Hojlund came to the rescue.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Hojlund brought United back on level terms just before the end of the first half as Noussair Mazraoui slipped past his marker and found the number nine in a tight space between two defenders. His perfect touch and volley beat the defenders and keeper Nikita Khaikin. It took only five minutes after the start of the second half for the Dane to find the back of the net again, as his good movement in the box allowed him into space before Manuel Ugarte's pass found him as he easily slotted the ball into the goal to give Amorim his first win at United. Hojlund has now revealed what the new boss told him before the game which served as motivation.

• WHAT HOJLUND SAID

  Speaking to , Hojlund said: "[Amorim] told me today not to think too much about the guys behind me and try to work a little bit more with just what I can see in front, to be very aggressive towards the goal. And obviously, we saw that with the first goal and I was happy with that.

  "The manager told me at half-time to stick to running [to] the first post and we saw how it worked out.

  "Obviously we came back and showed character but we want to make sure these games don't get too exciting. But obviously the game is about the three points and we did the job today."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  Hojlund may slowly be living up to the expectations that have been put on his shoulders since joining the Red Devils, and he will be looking to carry this high into United's next clash against Everton in the Premier League on Sunday, December 1.

The CBS Sports analyst and former New York Red Bulls forward joins Mic'd Up to talk Serie A, MLS Cup, and his on air banter with Thierry Henry

Mike Grella remembers the old days – the ones where you couldn't even access soccer in the United States.

"20 years ago you couldn't find a football match on American televsion," Grella tells GOAL. "Now you wake up on a Saturday or Sunday morning and it's in your face. The Premier League is there, the FA Cup is there, the Serie A is there."

The New York-born journeyman has seen it all. After an 11 year professional career that spanned 10 clubs – including stops in England, Denmark and MLS – Grella retired in 2018. These days, he's pitchside or on the panel for Paramount+'s Serie A coverage. He will be on the ground when CBS broadcasts the Juventus-Bologna game this weekend, with pre-match studio coverage originating live from Juventus’ Allianz Stadium, beginning at 11 a.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.

For Grella, it's a landmark moment.

"I think it says a lot about the growth of football in general, and especially for us Italian football fans… I'm hoping it sticks, and it gains more popularity."

And the CBS crew have picked the right season to go big. Reigning champions Inter Milan might just have a little too much for everyone else, but glance at the Serie A table, and it's packed. Seventh placed Milan – home to USMNT star Christian Pulisic – are a good result in their extra game away from getting back into Champions League contention. It's what makes the league great, Grella says.

The American influence in the Italian top flight is palpable. Pulisic is the headliner, and "among the best in the world" according to Grella. But there are others. Weston McKennie and Tim Weah have both impressed for Others will undoubtedly also come. And in the broader soccer landscape, two decades removed from being inaccessible, that's not a bad start.

He discussed all that and more in the latest edition of Mic’d Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL US taps into the perspectives of broadcasters, analysts, and pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and beyond.

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  ON THE SERIE A SEASON

  GOAL: You've got this live broadcast of a Serie A ground, this weekend, for a national TV network. What do you think it says about where soccer is in the U.S. right now?

  GRELLA: I think it's really exciting. One of the most important things about football, is the education of football and understanding it, and not just on a tactical level. Falling in love with the game is very important, and I want young kids to see that. 20 years ago you couldn't find a football match on American television. It's very telling. Now you wake up on a Saturday morning or Sunday morning, and it's it's in your face.

  The Premier League is there, the FA Cup is there. Now the Serie A is there. We're making that jump where we're going to be on CBS this weekend, so I think it says a lot about the growth of football in this country. I think it says a lot about the growth of football in general, and especially for us Italian football fans. I think we want to see it move in the right direction. And America's obviously huge market for Serie A also. So I'm hoping it sticks, and it gains more popularity.

  GOAL: Serie A has been interesting so far. I wanted to talk a bit about Juventus, who are yet to lose, but have more draws than anyone else. What do you think is going wrong? Is Thiago Motta just not figuring it out?

  GRELLA: This summer there was a merry-go-round of coaches in Serie A, more than I've ever seen, and I've watched the League my whole life. As we know, being in the game of football, it takes time to understand your teammates. It takes time to implement your way of playing. It just takes so much time to sort of understand what your best 11 is, how you want to play, what that looks like. Obviously, you need more than one transfer market to make it work as well. So I think, for all these managers: Raffaele Palladino, Vincenzo Italiano, Thiago Molta, Paulo Fonseca, even. I think they need time.

  I think they're really good managers. You don't get those jobs in those positions if you're not a good manager. I think we can start to judge them towards the later part of this season and start to say, "OK, well, what have the results been? What is the style of play? What's it like in the locker room? Do they follow them? Do they want to play for them? What are the energy levels like?"

  I think all those things need to be taken into account the end of the season. If you want to know what I think about Motta… I think that it's not been overwhelmingly convincing just yet. I think the squad was made a lot younger. I think that's what a lot of Juventus fans wanted to see. I think the squad plays a little bit better football when it actually has the ball. They have the first or second possession in Serie A. There's been sparks of these games against Inter in San Siro, where they tie 4-4, against Leipzig, away from home, where they're down a man, and they go back and win the game. So there's been these sparks and glimpses of this old Juventus DNA of winning and fighting and feeling them fight to the end.

  And then there's been the reality of growing pains. They [drop points to] Roma and Napoli. I was there for that game. They play Stuttgart at home and they take one shot on target. And they look like they're never gonna score, even if they play 500 minutes of football. It's sideways and backwards, and it's slow, and it's predictable, and it doesn't look great.

  Dusan Vlahovic is a microcosm of what's going on at Juventus. There's days where he looks like "That's the player we signed for €75 million!" and there's other days where you say, "My god, I mean he can't be the answer. He can't be a Juventus level striker." Some of the misses, some of the hold up play, some of the just bad games that he has… And I think that's just where Juventus is right now, a giant European Club, with unbelievable history that's just trying to find its feet. But I don't think it's been very convincing thus far.

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  ON AMERICANS IN SERIE A

  GOAL: Tim Weah and Weston McKennie have been a bit in and out of the lineup for Juventus. Obviously, McKennie had an injury recently, Weah had one at the start of the season. But what have you made of their contributions thus far? It seems like when they're on the pitch together, things go well.

  GRELLA: I think they're both very good players. I think we've learned to love them. I think they're a major reason why Serie A has grown in this country as well and rightfully so, because they have a lot of great tools.

  We are launching a documentary later on this week about [Christian] Pulisic… Without spoiling too much, one of the things in it was having McKennie on, and his take on what it's been like being in Italy and being in Serie A, playing in Champions League football and he hinted at the fact that he always feels like he's on the out every single season, and then you have to sort of find a way to get him back in, and then he has to re-prove himself every single season.

  So I think it's been a little unfair. I think there is a little bit of a stigma with American footballers. I think if you look at what McKennie's done, he's been their most reliable player. When it comes to professional football, I think you want to know there's got to be seven guys of the 11 that you start, that you know exactly what performance they're going to give you. They might not give you a 10 performance, but they're definitely not going to give you a three. I think McKennie embodies that. I think he's you're always going to give you that seven to eight performance. He's always going to work hard. He's always going to tackle. He's always going to be a good teammate. He's good aerially. And every team needs guys like that.

  Yeah, maybe he's not the most technical. Maybe he's not gonna pick the past that unlocks teams – although he does have that in his locker as well. But he definitely brings an honest, solid performance that you can rely on every single week.

  With Weah, he just has so many tools. You know, [ex-Juventus manager Max] Allegri is quite defensive. So he was playing as a wing back. I think you look at him playing up top now for Vlahovic. He's got four goals, which is the highest total he's had in a very long time, he's got pace, and he can strike a football, and he can play well anywhere.

  With all the American players, even with Pulisic, the attitude stands out a lot. I think they're really good professionals. I think they work hard. I think they're good teammates. I think they have great character, and you can rely on them, and that's been the most important thing for American players.

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  ON CHRISTIAN PULISIC

  GOAL: For sure. And on Pulisic, is this the best version of him we've ever seen?

  GRELLA: Yeah, for sure. The first stage was when, he signed at Chelsea. And then you think, "Oh, it's the big American market. That's why he's there." And he goes on, wins the Champions League, and looks the part in some flashes. And then there's the injury concerns and the physicality of the Premier League…

  And then he comes to Milan. You think, "OK, this is another marketing play. He's probably gonna be a guy that's in and out of the team. He's gonna be competing for a spot with Samuel Chukwueze, who they've also brought in and I don't think he's done very well."

  And then he turned into a guy who was the first name on the team sheet every single week for Milan. I think that was very impressive. Then he notched it up another level to being the leading goal scorer in the team, the leading creator in the team. Then he turned out to be the guy that when moments would go bad for Milan and Fonseca, he was the most reliable player in the team. He still is right now.

  You look at Liverpool right now. That's just as good as Klopp's best Liverpool already, and we haven't even seen them hit their peak yet, and you look at Pulisic. The goal he scores against them is fantastic. Milan's not in a good way. They're playing at home. He carries the footballs 50 yards, half the pitch, to do that at, that speed, at that pace, at that technicality, and know where guys are the whole time, and then be able to slot it.

  I think he's shown a new level of now we're not talking about just an American footballer. We're talking about one of the best, being in the conversation of one of the top footballers in the world, regardless of the country, which I think is special.

  GOAL: Fonseca has kind of played around with him a bit. Rafa Leao seems to be the guy on the left, but Pulisic has sometimes played as a 10, sometimes off the right. Let's say you're the Milan manager, where does Pulisic play for you?

  GRELLA: If you have to pick one spot, I think you could probably say the 10 because Milan don't have a lot of really good options there. I think he's he can play in between the lines, he's super quick on the wing. As a No. 10, he can do a lot of damage.

  But again, he's the type of guy that you just want in the in the team, regardless. You asked me about Motta before. I think this is an interesting point, because we're covering Juventus on the weekend. But you know, Fonseca's come under immense amounts of pressure. I was there and got to interview him after one of the games, when they played Inter away from home and won the game. The relief on this man… you could feel it, you could actually feel it!

  And I think it's interesting because he's only four points behind Juventus with a game in hand. And so if they win against Atalanta – it's a tall task. But if they win against Atalanta, they're one point behind Juventus. And now we're talking about Fonseca, who everybody wants out, who's put under an immense amount of pressure, and Motta, who everyone's saying he's doing a great job. The lines are very blurred here early on in the Serie A season. Also, Milan have a point more than them in Champions League, so you could really make the argument that Fonseca's really not doing any worse. And Juventus have spent more money in the offseason. So it's a really fun, interesting season this year.

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  ON THE TITLE RACE

  GOAL: Who wins the Serie A title?

  GRELLA: I think it's still Inter's to lose. When you watch the way they play football, I think they're comprable to Liverpool in that they can dominate over 90 minutes. They create so many chances out of nothing, can control possession, can control tempo, can defend really well. They have game changers within the team. They have depth. I think they're very similar to Liverpool in that way.

  But there is more parity in Serie A. Inter has shown a little bit of age. They're the oldest team in the Serie A, as well, and they're dealing with a lot of different competitions. So I think it's been difficult for them, but it's theirs to lose because of the quality that they have in their team and the job that [Filippo] Inzaghi has done. He's done such a phenomenal job.

  GOAL: He's unbelievable, isn't he? That Champions League final between Inter and City in 2023, a couple of balls bounce the other way, Romelu Lukaku puts a couple of those away, and you have an Italian winner of the Champions League.

  GRELLA: I think they surprised themselves. I think that was around the time Man City was starting to show some abnormalities and some cracks. The way that they were playing with the high line… they were very nervous as well in that game.

  If [Inter] would have got one, it probably would have been a difficult night for Man City. But in the end, Man City walked away. But that was sort of a snapshot into what Inter is about. I mean, they play really good football. They're fun to watch and hard to keep a clean sheet against… they have so many game changers in Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez. They can bring Mehdi Taremi now off the bench as well. The midfield three are unbelievable, probably the best midfield in Italy as well. They have a long way to go, but I think it's theirs to lose.

  GOAL: Nicolo Barella is one of my favorite players to watch.

  GRELLA: He's a monster, man. One of these little guys that can compete with the biggest. You look at him and you're like: "Well, he's not very tall. He's not the fastest. He's not the strongest." But man, he competes. He'd be great to watch in the Premier League one day.

Reliable reporter Jonny McFarlane has dropped a significant update regarding Rangers' links with a move for a free agent in the summer transfer window.

Rangers transfer news

A busy summer at Ibrox is threatening to become even more productive in the coming weeks, as Philippe Clement looks to add more players to an already impressive squad.

Marco van Ginkel is a player who has been most recently linked with a summer move to Rangers, with the former Chelsea midfielder now a free agent after leaving Vitesse Arnhem at the end of last season. It was reported in recent days that Clement and his director of recruitment Nils Koppen were working flat out to get a possible deal done before the deadline to submit squads for the upcoming Champions League fixtures.

The Gers are also believed to have registered interest in Bristol City attacker Tommy Conway, with the forward potentially seen as a good replacement for Kemar Roofe, who departed when his contract expired at the Scottish Premiership giants earlier this summer. The former scored 10 goals in the Championship last season.

Rangers are keen on securing the services of Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejbri, too, with the Tunisian not looking like he is an important part of Erik ten Hag's plans currently. The 21-year-old once enjoyed a productive loan spell at Birmingham City, where manager John Eustace heaped praise on him, saying: "The way he has played in the last couple of games has been phenomenal. He has broken records for total distance [covered], all that kind of stuff."

Reporter drops Rangers update on free agent Van Ginkel

Taking to X, McFarlane claimed that free agent Van Ginkel won't be moving to Rangers this summer, despite previous reports suggesting otherwise:

There were arguably clear benefits to Rangers signing Van Ginkel in the current transfer window, considering he is a player of undeniable pedigree, in terms of the teams he has represented during his career. He has played for Chelsea, joining on a permanent basis back in 2013, and he has also had loan stints at the likes of AC Milan and PSV Eindhoven, among others, as well as winning eight caps for the Netherlands.

The fact that the Dutchman would have joined for free also means that there wouldn't have been much risk element involved, simply covering the wages, although the fact that he is 31 years of age does mean that the Gers could have been signing a player who is past his peak.

Assuming the Van Ginkel move is off the table, it is still paramount that Clement targets another midfielder between now and the end of the window, ensuring that there are enough options in a vital area, allowing his side to mount another genuine Scottish Premiership title push.

After Propper: Rangers lining up Hannibal upgrade who Mourinho loved

Philippe Clement could be eyeing up an experienced midfielder as his next signing…

By
Ross Kilvington

Aug 2, 2024

Ryan Jack has left after a seven-year stint at Ibrox, for example, which has left a gap in the squad, and while other signings have already come in, targeting one more figure in the middle of the park could make sense.

Manchester United have been urged to put a struggling Marcus Rashford "out of his misery" by Paul Parker amid talk of a potential sale in January.

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• United ready to offload Rashford in January
• Ready to sell at a discounted price of £40m
• Parker wants Rashford gone as soon as possible

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United need to balance their books to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and it has been reported that the Red Devils are prioritising player sales in January to alleviate financial pressure. Rashford’s homegrown status makes him a significant asset in that regard as selling him would register as pure profit on the club’s financial records.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rashford has managed only four goals in 15 Premier League appearances during the 2024-25 campaign and United are reportedly willing to let him leave for as little as £40 million ($51 million). Nonetheless, United will be happy to part ways with the striker even at a discounted rate as questions remain over his role under Ruben Amorim.

• WHAT PARKER SAID

  Speaking candidly in an interview with about Rashford’s struggles, Parker expressed disappointment over the England international’s apparent lack of consistency and leadership at a crucial stage in his career.

  "Any other player, it would have been done and dusted by now," he said. "It’s been going on for too long. Most other players would have been put out of their misery and one of the saddest things in football is seeing talent go to waste because the player can’t be bothered. That’s what’s happening with Marcus Rashford."

  He added: "He’s 27 now and you can’t keep switching it on and off. He can’t be called a kid. He’s supposed to be a mature player now that leads his teammates along the way, especially because he’s a local lad. If you ask him to lead the way, I believe three-year-olds wouldn’t even follow him at the moment. There’s nothing about him that suggests he wants to be a footballer and a Manchester United player."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

  Rashford's performances have seen him relegated to the bench in recent league matches against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest but he did return to the starting lineup in United’s Europa League clash against Viktoria Plzen, only to be hooked off before the hour mark after another anonymous outing. United’s next test comes on Sunday when they face cross-city rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. It remains to be seen whether Amorim will trust Rashford to start in this high-stakes derby as the pressure on him to deliver is gradually building up.