Manchester United are now ready to make a mammoth offer to sign a Serie A star for new boss Ruben Amorim, it has been reported, as the Red Devils look to rebuild under their recently appointed coach.

Amorim draws first Man Utd game

A tough 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town marked Amorim’s first Premier League game in charge of Manchester United, with the Portuguese coach explaining after the game that he expects the rebuild at Old Trafford to be a lengthy process.

“I know it is frustrating for the fans but we are changing so much in this moment with a lot of games,” he revealed. “We are going to suffer for a long period. We will try to win games but this will take time.

“We have to risk it a little bit [now] and in the next year we will be better [otherwise] next year at the same stage we will be here with the same problems.”

Man Utd star who Solskjaer sold for just £1.2m is now on par with Fernandes

The former Manchester United talent has still demonstrated his talents away from Old Trafford.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 27, 2024

Part of the problem is that the players in the Manchester United squad do not reflect the playstyle that he is trying to implement; against Ipswich, he opted to use Amad Diallo as a wing-back, with Noussair Mazraoui at centre-back and a midfield pair of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.

Further forward, Bruno Fernandes was stationed as one of the no.10’s, but struggled to get into the game too much from his position on the right side of attack, while Marcus Rashford contributed the early goal but little else at the top of the pitch.

The transfer windows ahead will be vital in their progression under Amorim, and now a fresh report has claimed that the Red Devils and INEOS are ready to pay one target big money over five years.

Man Utd ready mammoth contract for forward

That is according to a report in Italy, which points to Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as the player in question.

The Georgian forward, who has been dubbed “sensational”, still has almost three years left to run on his contract in Naples, but Napoli are trying to get him to sign a new contract at the club.

But that is now in jeopardy, as the report claims that Manchester United are ready to blow Napoli out of the water with a massive contract offer to Kvaratskhelia.

This offer will amount to a huge “five-year contract at €8m net per season” which could see him take home a mammoth €40m (£33.3m) across his five years at Old Trafford.

That would work out at around £128,000 a week, a sum that would not even make a dent among Manchester United’s highest earners, but would be a massive upgrade on his current £32,000 a week deal in Naples.

Manchester United’s highest earners
Player	Weekly wage
Casemiro	£350,000
Bruno Fernandes	£300,000
Marcus Rashford	£300,000
Mason Mount	£250,000
Antony	£200,000

Of course, that is only half the battle, with Manchester United still needing to convince Napoli to part ways with their winger, but it is added that should he enter the final two years of his deal without an agreement over a renewal, the Serie A giants will be open to a sale at around the €100m mark, though they are “open to there being a formula to reach that point rather than it being an outright payment”.

Could Kvaratskhelia be the first major signing of Amorim’s era at Old Trafford?

GOAL selected the 25 best talents in women’s football born on or after January 1, 2005 – but where are they now?

Every year, GOAL releases its NXGN lists, highlighting the best young talents in world football. After starting with the men’s game in 2016, the first women’s list was published in 2020, with many of its alumni having already gone on to achieve incredible things.

And so after theNXGN 2025 list was revealed, here’s a look at where the wonderkids of 2024 are today:

Every NXGN list

Dembele, Tielemans & 2016's best wonderkids

Mbappe, Donnarumma & 2017's best wonderkids

De Ligt, Kluivert & 2018's best wonderkids

Haaland, Sancho & 2019's best wonderkids

Saka, Rodrygo & 2020's best wonderkids

James, Oberdorf & 2020's best women's wonderkids

Pedri, Ansu Fati & 2021's best wonderkids

Le Tissier, Bennison & 2021's best women's wonderkids

Bellingham, Musiala & 2022's best wonderkids

Dumornay, Fowler & 2022's best women's wonderkids

Gavi, Garnacho & 2023's best wonderkids

Shaw, Thompson & 2023's best women's wonderkids

Yamal, Mainoo & 2024's best wonderkids

Getty25Brooke Aspin (Chelsea)

2024: After signing for Chelsea in the summer of 2023, Aspin spent the 2023-24 season back on loan with former club Bristol City, but her time with the Robins would end on a sour note as they suffered relegation from the Women's Super League. For the 2024-25 season, Aspin again went out on loan, this time to newly-promoted WSL side Crystal Palace. However, a devastating ACL injury in November cut that spell short.

2025: Aspin's focus for the forthcoming year is on her recovery from that knee injury, with her unlikely to feature again in the 2024-25 season as a result of it.

Advertisement(C)Getty Images24Toko Koga (Feyenoord)

2024: Koga made the leap overseas, joined Dutch side Feyenoord and started all of the club's final 11 league games of the season after breaking into the line-up in late January. The defender's year would yet get bigger, too, as she was included in Japan's squad for the Olympic women's football tournament in France. There, Koga started three of Nadeshiko's four games, including the heartbreaking 1-0 defeat in extra time to the United States in the quarter-finals.

2025: Koga has continued to assert herself at Feyenoord in the 2024-25 season, starting every league game to date and even netting a trio of goals, including a brace in the 5-3 win over Excelsior. For Japan, she scored the winner against the United States in February as her country won the SheBelieves Cup.

Getty Images23Liana Joseph (Lyon)

2024: Joseph enjoyed her first involvements with the U20s, included in the squad that travelled to Colombia for that year's World Cup. She only made one start, in the group stage against Fiji, but marked it with four goals. Joseph would also add to her lone appearance for Lyon's world-class first team, getting two more chances to impress in the latter stages of the 2023-24 season.

2025: After remaining at Lyon for the first half of the 2024-25 campaign, making just one league appearance, Joseph moved to Strasbourg on loan in the New Year. Regularly involved with France's U19s now, it's anticipated that she will travel with the team to their European Championships this summer, should they qualify.

Imagn Images22Amanda Allen (Orlando Pride)

2024: After making 11 appearances for the Orlando Pride in the NWSL and the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, albeit just one start, Allen was loaned to USL Super League side Lexington in September. There, she made nine starts, but did not end her goal drought. That has unfortunately continued with the Canada youth teams, too. Allen was part of the U20 side that reached the quarter-finals of their World Cup, starting all four games, but couldn't find the back of the net.

2025: Allen, now back at Orlando ahead of the new NWSL season, will hope for a more prolific 2025.

Manchester City are now chasing a defender who would help fix their defence and bring the best out of Josko Gvardiol at the Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola backs Gvardiol

It was almost a perfect first season for Gvardiol at Manchester City as the Croatian appeared 28 times on the way to helping his side to their fourth consecutive Premier League title.

However, this season has been less impressive, with the 22-year-old looking out of place at left-back and producing some uncharacteristic errors to go alongside his increasingly characteristic eye for goal.

Man City keeping tabs on "spectacular" next Ballack who may replace Rodri

Guardiola desperately needs reinforcements.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 29, 2024

A centre-back by trade, he has been asked to play at full-back by Pep Guardiola – something that he has taken to well during his time at the Etihad, though there is still the feeling that his long-term position is in the heart of defence.

The Manchester City boss defended his poor form after a series of errors saw his side thrashed 4-0 by Tottenham, explaining: “He’s so young, he will learn. It will be a good experience.

“Of the players that played, he was the best player on the pitch.

“He is so young, he will learn. He’s a fantastic player, a fantastic boy, and now more than ever he must be helped.”

Now, the Citizens have been linked with a new defender who may allow Gvardiol to revert to his more natural position.

Manchester City eye "special" defender

Reports in Spain claim that the Citizens are keeping a close eye on Atalanta defender Matteo Ruggeri after a series of fine performances.

The Italian full-back, who plays as a wing-back in Gian Piero Gasperini’s high-flying Atalanta side, scored a “special” goal to help his team reach the final of the Europa League last season – a tournament that they ultimately went on to win.

This season, he has continued his strong form, starting 10 games in Serie A as his side push for the first title in their history, with the Bergamo outfit currently a point behind reigning champions Inter.

Appearances

11

Goals

0

Assists

2

Yellow Cards

1

Ruggeri still has almost four years left to run on his £15k-a-week deal with Atalanta, but that has not stopped clubs circling for his signature ahead of the summer transfer window, with the report adding that Liverpool and Manchester United are also keeping tabs on the 22-year-old as they look to bolster their own ranks.

His arrival at the Etihad could allow Guardiola to return to a more natural back four, while his overlapping runs may well allow more freedom for the likes of Savinho and Jack Grealish further up the pitch, with both players yet to find form this season.

And at 6 foot 1, his addition wouldn’t see the Citizens lose any of their physicality in defence, while adding another dimension in attack.

Goals. Football’s currency. Defence wins you titles, and all that, but without goals, you’re not going to place the foundational blocks of any degree of success.

Everton need goals, need them desperately. Sean Dyche knows that his side are entering a harsh winter period having failed to inspire, with Sunday’s defeat at Old Trafford brutally exposing the Toffees’ shortcomings up top.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s days are numbered. He’s out of contract at the end of the campaign and a cynic would claim that his eight-match drought in the Premier League is a by-product of that uncertainty and the effect it’s had on his form.

With Armando Broja approaching the green light after injury woes, the 27-year-old might leave Goodison Park with his tail between his legs.

Calvert-Lewin: Everton Stats by Season (PL)
Season	Apps (starts)	Goals	Assists
2024/25	13 (12)	2	1
2023/24	32 (26)	7	2
2022/23	17 (15)	2	1
2021/22	17 (15)	5	2
2020/21	33 (32)	16	1
2019/20	36 (30)	13	1
2018/19	35 (19)	6	2
2017/18	32 (18)	4	5
2016/17	11 (5)	1	0
Stats via Transfermarkt

Calvert-Lewin has enjoyed heights on Merseyside in the past, even hailed as a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig during his heyday under Carlo Ancelotti.

A new age approaches. Farhad Moshiri’s 94% stake is soon to be purchased by The Friedkin Group, and hopefully, a fresh approach to transfer strategy will end the glut of misfires up front.

There have been a few to be sure…

Everton's worst strikers in modern history

Indeed, there have been a few. Everton fans have suffered some howlers in the transfer market since Moshiri insinuated himself in the head chair, and many exciting arrivals at number nine have proved to be anything but auspicious.

Sandro Ramirez, for example, left Barcelona to rise to prominence as Everton’s star man in 2017. It was a shrewd deal at around £5m, but he was utterly useless across his short Merseyside career, failing to carry the promise of his 16-goal campaign in Spain the year before, featuring just 16 times and scoring once before leaving the Toffees with negligible memories.

Cenk Tosun would be another, one of more damaging financial repercussions. He joined from Besiktas for £27m but only scored 11 goals from 61 appearances, made more frustrating when noting he bagged five times from his opening 14 Premier League matches.

What about Moise Kean? How frustrating that the Italian centre-forward, still only 24, has posted 12 goals from 15 matches for Fiorentina this term but fell heavily by the wayside, scoring only four goals across 39 matches.

Everton signed Juventus’ prospect for £29m, and while he was offloaded for £25m, it’s still one that rankles.

That brings us to Salomon Rondon.

In fairness, Rondon didn’t prove to be the costliest blunder, for he joined on a free transfer after his contract with Chinese outfit Dalian Professional expired. He reunited with Rafa Benitez but it was not a happy reunion.

The now 35-year-old managed just 20 Premier League appearances across his lonely Merseyside campaign, scoring once and assisting once more. As per Sofascore, the Venezuelan titan failed to show even a small degree of the technicality required, completing 62% of his passes and winning a paltry 27% of his ground duels.

Rondon only missed two big chances, so he can’t have been all that profligate in the final third, but if anything, this is a representation of his immobile, insipid presence up top, unable to find promising positions from which he could unleash shots.

You’d think, now playing in the twilight phase of his career, that Rondon would be on the way out, languishing in obscurity.

Although he plays in the Mexican top flight, the striker’s goalscoring exploits and trophy-lifting success have seen him be ranked alongside some of Europe’s finest centre-forwards and above Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

How Rondon is now ranked above Mohamed Salah

After something of a revival with River Plate in Argentina, Rondon has settled in Liga MX, the top division in Mexico, posting 25 goals and five assists across 44 matches for the outfit, lifting the CONCACAF Champions Cup last season.

Rondon bagged a brace in the final and then went on to notch three goals for his nation in the 2024 Copa America, leading FIFA to place him in contention for the global institution’s The Best Award.

Salah was not placed on the shortlist, and while Liverpool supporters and many more football fans besides will argue that the indomitable Egyptian is the superior player to Rondon across any stretch of his nomadic career, Toffees supporters will still delight in one of their former flops outranking him on such a prestigious list.

The Liverpool forward has long been regarded as one of the finest Premier League stars, and though he has led a storied career under Jurgen Klopp’s wing, the 32-year-old has hit another level within Arne Slot’s system, scoring 12 goals and adding ten assists across 19 matches in all competitions this season.

Given that the likes of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, wreaking havoc with Bayern Munich, are among the contenders for the award, it’s pretty rewarding stuff for an ageing player of Rondon’s ilk. No doubt, he will stand proud.

Everton will be frustrated that they failed to harness the goal prowess that Rondon has demonstrated elsewhere – including in the Premier League – and though TFG need to fix the forward issue at the moment, it’s unlikely that they will be swooping in for their former flop, even if he’s receiving such praiseworthy nominations.

Now worth just £3m: Everton must brutally get rid of Dyche’s flop

Everton must sell a flop whose “big move” has failed.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 29, 2024

After compiling Manchester City’s misery with a 2-1 victory last time out, Aston Villa have now reportedly been offered the chance to sign a £64m forward in a deal that could see Jhon Duran head in the opposite direction.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans are a difficult side to judge this season. Whilst they haven’t hit the heights of the last campaign just yet, as shown in a 2-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest last weekend, they bounced back in style by pushing Manchester City to one side in a game that could have easily been a thrashing rather than a narrow victory at Villa Park.

If they want to make it back-to-back top-four finishes, however, then those in the Midlands may well need to turn their attention back towards the transfer market in 2025, with names such as Manfred Ugalde and Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard already mentioned in recent weeks.

Ugalde would be a particularly interesting addition, given that the Villans are already well-stocked when it comes to goalscorers. But as 2025 approaches, it’s Paris Saint-Germain who could quickly change that.

Aston Villa battling to sign "brilliant" defender compared to Harry Maguire

He’s earned quite the praise.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 22, 2024

According to reports in Spain, PSG may have initiated contact to offer Aston Villa Randal Kolo Muani in a swap deal to sign Duran in 2025. The French giants are set to show their forward the door almost two years since his arrival for an initial £64m from Eintracht Frankfurt and now seemingly want Villa’s in-form star to act as an instant upgrade.

It’s a deal that would certainly steal the headlines, but whether Villa would be getting the better end of it is another question entirely. Given how disappointing Kolo Muani’s PSG spell has been and Duran’s contrasting fortunes on top of that, it’s not a deal that Villa should take.

Aston Villa should reject PSG swap deal

If Aston Villa get the chance to sign Kolo Muani at a cut price and without the inclusion of Duran, then it’s a deal worth pursuing. After all, this is still a 26-year-old forward who stole the show for Frankfurt not so long ago. But as things stand, it is a deal that those in the Midlands should reject. Duran is playing a growing part in Unai Emery’s side and unless an undeniable fee comes Villa’s way, keeping hold of both him and Ollie Watkins should remain imperative.

Minutes

358

492

Goals

2

6

Assists

1

0

Expected Goals

4.7

3.8

Simply put, Duran is clinical where Muani is wasteful in front of goal with both handed fairly minimal opportunity to start from the off. In just under 500 minutes – around 5.5 games – Duran has managed six goals and has managed to outperform his expected rate of just under four goals in that time. Kolo Muani, meanwhile, has underperformed by almost three goals.

A player once described as “quick” and “strong” by Oliver Glasner, Kolo Muani has quickly become a shadow of his best self at PSG.

أصدرت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة برئاسة أحمد دياب، عقوبات الجولة الخامسة من بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية، وذلك طبقا للائحة المسابقة ونظام ضبط الجودة موسم 2024-2025.

وتقام بطولة كأس الرابطة بنظام المجموعات، إذ تم توزيع الـ18 ناديًا على 4 مجموعات، بواقع 5 في أول مجموعتين و4 في المجموعتين الأخيرتين، يتأهل منها متصدر ووصيف كل مجموعة إلى دور الثمانية.

ولم توقع رابطة الأندية عقوبات على جميع مباريات الجولة بل تم توقيع عقوبة على مواجهة فريقي زد وسيراميكا كليوباترا.

طالع أيضاً.. حكم مباراة بيراميدز وأورلاندو بايرتس في إياب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا

الجدير بالذكر أنه تم انتهاء مباريات دور المجموعات ببطولة كأس الرابطة (كأس عاصمة مصر) 2025، وتتحددت الفرق المتاهلة إلى دور ربع نهائي المسابقة المحلية.

وشهدت تلك الجولة مفاجآت كبيرة، حيث خسر الأهلي أمام فاركو بهدفين مقابل هدف، وتلقى بيراميدز هزيمة من حرس الحدود، بهدفين دون مقابل.

بينما فاز الإسماعيلي على الاتحاد السكندري، بهدفين دون رد، وسيراميكا كليوباترا فاز على زد بنتيجة 4-1، فيما تغلب الزمالك على سموحة بهدف دون مقابل. عقوبات الجولة الخامسة من كأس الرابطة المصريةمباراة زد وسيراميكا كليوباترا

– إيقاف رشيد أحمد رشيد لاعب فريق زد إف سي مباراتين وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 5000 جنيه وذلك للطرد، للعب العنيف.

– إيقاف أحمد هاني حسين إبراهيم موسى لاعب فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا مباراة واحدة وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 2500 جنيه، وذلك بسبب الطرد لحصوله على إنذارين في نفس المباراة.

– إيقاف أمين عمر النور مساعد مدرب فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا مباراة واحدة وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 10000 جنيه، وذلك بسبب الطرد للاعتراض.

– مع تطبيق المادة 54 من لائحة مسابقة دوري nile موسم 2024-2025 الخاصة بحالات الإنذارات على الأجهزة الفنية والإدارية والطبية واللاعبين.

Surrey’s five-man pace attack blew Northamptonshire away for the second time in 24 hours at the Kia Oval, dismissing them for 202 to complete an emphatic LV= Insurance County Championship victory by an innings and five runs inside three days.Dan Worrall picked up 3 for 37, Gus Atkinson 3 for 26 and Jordan Clark 2 for 43 as Surrey, who earlier in the day had finished off the Northamptonshire first innings for 194 with Colin de Grandhomme taking 4 for 39, strengthened their position at the top of Division One with a third win from five games.This was a real show of power by Surrey, who earned 22 points, despite the absence from this match of Ollie Pope with illness and the fact Sam Curran did not bowl in either Northamptonshire innings as he continues to manage his return from a stress fracture of the back. In addition, left-arm paceman Reece Topley was rested.Worrall, though, hugely impressed on his home debut, after being signed last winter from Gloucestershire, and the 30-year-old Australian – now classed as a home player due to his British passport – claimed the vital scalp of Will Young soon after Northamptonshire had been asked to follow on.Worrall produced an absolute beauty to have New Zealand Test opener caught behind for 3 in his fourth over with the new ball, leaving the visitors on 8 for 2 after Ricardo Vasconcelos had also edged to keeper Ben Foakes off Clark in the previous over.Emilio Gay, to his enormous credit, then shrugged off a series of nasty blows to both his right and left elbows to hit a number of lovely strokes in a brave 51 and hold up Surrey’s seam battery for an hour and a half. Gay twice needed on-field treatment to his right elbow in one Clark over just before lunch and soon after his arrival at the crease. Then, on 33, he was struck on his left elbow by a de Grandhomme delivery that spat up at him.But the most painful blow came just after he had reached a 56-ball fifty with a pull off de Grandhomme, his ninth four. The next ball from the New Zealand allrounder again lifted sharply and Gay initially looked as if he could not carry on after a stoppage for yet more treatment to his right elbow.Deciding perhaps unwisely to bat on, Gay was then beaten from de Grandhomme’s next ball and also nicked Jamie Overton just short of Foakes before Atkinson found his edge again and this time it carried to the Surrey and England keeper. Atkinson’s first spell of 5-17-2 had also accounted for Luke Procter, well caught just inside the deep square leg boundary by Curran for 9 when the left-hander slightly mishit a pull at the young allrounder’s second ball.Northamptonshire’s slide continued apace following Gay’s dismissal, with Saif Zaib leg-before for 8 to a searing Overton yorker, Rob Keogh bowled off stump for 15 by another superb Worrall outswinger and Lewis McManus giving Foakes a fourth catch of the innings off Clark.Tom Taylor sparred de Grandhomme to second slip on 18, soon after tea, but Matt Kelly and Simon Kerrigan both enjoyed themselves in a ninth wicket stand of 50 before Worrall returned to have Kerrigan caught at cover for 25 and Atkinson saw Kelly swing high to deep midwicket on 33.Northamptonshire’s first innings, meanwhile, had earlier lasted just another 10.4 overs after they began day three on 154 for 8, with Procter – who had resumed on 61 – remaining 83 not out from 196 balls and fully deserving of the crowd’s warm applause following a determined lone hand. One of Procter’s last defiant blows was a memorable six off Overton that flew out of the ground over the short boundary and into the Harleyford Road.de Grandhomme picked up the remaining two Northamptonshire first innings wickets, pinning Kerrigan leg-before for 12 with a full-pitched swinging delivery and then forcing Ben Sanderson sky to mid-on when the No. 11 miscued an attempted smear.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is personally considering whether to pursue an ex-Man City defender in January after being told that the player could be available for a reasonable fee in the winter.

Ange Postecoglou short of centre-backs amid Spurs injury crisis

Postecoglou faces the very distinct possibility of being without all of his first-team centre-backs as things stand, with Radu Dragusin sustaining ankle damage in their last outing against Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.

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The Catalans have decided to sell in 2025.

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Depending on a late fitness test before their clash with Wolves on Sunday, the 59-year-old may not have Dragusin to call upon, with injuries to Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies leaving Postecoglou bereft of natural centre-halves.

The emergence of Archie Gray as a makeshift option in that position has seriously helped to plug the necessary gaps, but it is currently unclear as to how Postecoglou plans to cope without the Englishman’s partner if Dragusin is indeed out for an extended period.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Wolverhampton Wanderers (home)

December 29

Newcastle United (home)

January 4

Arsenal (away)

January 15

Everton (away)

January 19

Leicester City (home)

January 26

Naturally, with the January transfer window set to open in a matter of days, Tottenham have been linked with a host of new centre-backs.

RC Lens starlet Abdukodir Khusanov is reliably believed to be a Spurs transfer target heading into the new year, while other reports have linked Leeds United star Pascal Struijk, Feyenoord stalwart David Hancko, PSG’s Milan Skriniar, Getafe’s Omar Alderete and Inter sensation Yann Bisseck as other centre-backs who could join Tottenham in January.

By his own admission, Postecoglou has held numerous recruitment meetings with technical director Johan Lange in the build-up to next month, and the Australian says they’re “working hard” on reinforcing their options.

“There’s certainly a need to reinforce if we can,” said Postecoglou on January signings at Tottenham.

“Everyone knows January’s not an easy time to do that. But the club’s working hard behind the scenes to see what we can do to help players we’ve got at the moment who are giving everything in every game and dipping into every bit of energy they have to try to get us through.”

Ange Postecoglou personally considering move for Ko Itakura

According to GiveMeSport, Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Ko Itakura is a mid-season option for Spurs.

The Japan international’s contract expires in 18 months, which could hand them an opportunity to agree a move for a doable price, and Postecoglou is informed of this situation.

GMS writes that Postecoglou has been made aware that Tottenham could strike a “cut-price” January deal for Itakura, and the former Celtic boss is personally contemplating whether to reignite a pursuit for the Bundesliga centre-back after previously holding an interest.

The 27-year-old was on Man City’s books before the Sky Blues sold him to Monchengladbach in the summer of 2022, where he has gone on to become a pivotal figurehead at the heart of their backline.

Itakura has started all of their German top-flight games this season, helping Mönchengladbach to boast one of the finest defensive records in the division.

The Fulham forward reached 37 goals with El Tri after scoring twice against Canada in Nations League semifinals

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• The forward nearing El Tri's top 3 all-time goalscorers

• Jiménez debuted with national team in 2013

• Top 3: Chicharito, Jared Borgetti, Cuauhtémoc Blanco

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Raúl Jiménez is having an exceptional moment as a footballer, both with Fulham in the Premier League and with the Mexican national team. The 'Lobo de Tepeji' scored two goals in Mexico's victory over Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals, bringing his total to 37 goals with El Tri.

  That puts him just one goal away from tying Cuauhtémoc Blanco and entering the top three of Mexico's all-time top scorers, a list led by Chicharito.

  Mexico's all-time top scorers:

  Chicharito – 52 goals

  Jared Borgetti – 46 goals

  Cuauhtémoc Blanco – 38 goals

  Raúl Jiménez – 37 goals (current)

  Luis Hernández – 35 goals

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jiménez debuted with the Mexican national team in 2013 while playing for América in Liga MX. Since then, he has become one of El Tri's main forwards, participating in three World Cups. Despite ranking as the fourth-highest scorer, Jiménez has not scored in the World Cup.

  After Thursday's victory over Canada, the forward confessed his desire to play in the 2026 World Cup, saying "It's a beautiful thing to play a World Cup at home. I’ve been in three World Cups, and it hasn’t gone the best way I’d have liked."

• AFP
  

  WHAT RAÚL JIMÉNEZ SAID

  Jiménez spoke about the two goals he scored in the semifinals against Canada and shared his thoughts on playing alongside Santiago Giménez: "Sometimes it's good to have two forwards who play well and are doing things right. It keeps the defense more occupied with two rather than one. That’s important. We didn’t have many chances to score, but the way it all turned out was good."

• AFP
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Raúl Jiménez's first goal with the Mexican National Team came on July 12, 2013, against Canada. At that time, the forward was playing in his first Gold Cup with El Tri. Interestingly, Mexico lost in the semifinals to the same opponent they will face Sunday in the Nations League final: Panama.

  One of Jiménez's most famous goals came when he scored a bicycle kick against Panama in the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup. Mexico was on the verge of being eliminated in the qualifiers until he scored that legendary goal.

An “astonishing” West Brom player has “little chance” of being fit to face Preston North End on New Year’s Day, according to journalist Lewis Cox.

Latest West Brom news

The Baggies picked up their first positive result without Carlos Corberan in charge on Sunday, as they battled their way to a 1-1 draw away to rivals Sheffield United in the Championship. Having fallen behind, Karlan Grant responded just before half-time.

The search is now on to find Corberan’s successor, with West Brom desperately hoping his exit doesn’t rock their promotion charge, and a number of potential candidates have already been mentioned as possible replacements.

Liverpool first-team coach John Heitinga is seen as a front-runner to come in at the Hawthorns, despite no doubt enjoying life alongside Arne Slot this season, helping the Reds top the Premier League table. The Dutchman managed Ajax for a stint last year and may be keen to lead a team again.

Heitinga isn’t the only individual who has been linked with the vacant West Brom job, however, with Mark Robins backed to come in and lead the troops, having tasted victory against the Baggies twice in the past. He recently suffered a shock sacking at Coventry City and is likely to be keen to return to management. Away from the manager situation at the Hawthorns, the Championship club have now suffered an injury blow ahead of their return to action.

Injury blow for "astonishing" West Brom ace

According to Cox on X, West Brom midfielder Alex Mowatt has “little chance” of facing Preston, having picked up an injury against Derby County on Boxing Day.

Not having Mowatt available for the home clash with Preston to start 2025 would be an undoubted blow for West Brom, even though they did well without him against the Blades. The 29-year-old is an influential performer with so much quality in the middle of the park, bagging four goals and two assists in the Championship this season and being lauded by Sky Sports commentator Gary Taphouse in the past.

If Mowatt does miss out on New Year’s Day, as is expected, the hope is that his absence is still only a short-term one and that he is back for the trip to Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.

West Brom want 3-4-1-2 manager who's beat them twice to replace Corberan

He has won twice against the Baggies in the past.

1 ByHenry Jackson Dec 29, 2024

The Englishman is too important a player for West Brom to be without for a sustained period, and it would have an adverse effect on their hopes of sealing promotion to the Premier League.