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England star Lucy Bronze lavished praise on Spain's players after Luis Rubiales was found guilty of sexually assaulting Jenni Hermoso.

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• Rubiales found guilty of kissing Hermoso forcefully
• Has been fined for his misconduct
• Not sentenced to jail time

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The verdict, delivered by Spain’s High Court, ruled that Rubiales’ actions – kissing Hermoso without her consent following Spain’s 2023 Women’s World Cup final victory over England – constituted sexual assault. The court ordered the 47-year-old to pay a fine exceeding €10,000 (£8,274), but he was not convicted of coercion. This ruling comes more than 17 months after Rubiales resigned from his position as head of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), following widespread backlash across the world over his behaviour.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Several Spanish players played a key role in the legal proceedings, standing in solidarity with Hermoso and testifying against Rubiales. Among those who gave evidence in court were Irene Paredes and Alexia Putellas, both of whom have been vocal about the need for change within Spanish football. Arsenal defender Laia Codina also provided testimony in support of Hermoso’s claims.

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  WHAT BRONZE SAID

  Bronze, who played alongside several Spain internationals during her two-year spell at Barcelona, expressed admiration for the courage shown by Hermoso and her teammates.

  "I am good friends with a lot of the players involved around it," she said. "From my point of view it’s been incredibly brave that these players have had to go through that. It’s incredibly brave, as individuals and as a team collectively they’re fighting for change, not just in that court case but in their federation.

  "It’s amazing. As an England team we’ve made changes, not for the same reasons, but we stand by them. During my last year at Barcelona, watching their ordeals after the World Cup, I think it was challenging for them. It would be nice for them to get back to their football and focusing on that because they are incredible people and unbelievable players as well."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Hermoso had previously described how Rubiales’ kiss had "tainted one of the happiest days" of her life. She stated that she had never given her consent, contradicting Rubiales' argument that the kiss was a mutual expression of joy.

  Despite his conviction, three of Rubiales’ former colleagues – Jorge Vilda, Spain’s World Cup-winning coach, Ruben Rivera, the RFEF’s former marketing head, and Albert Luque, the federation’s ex-sporting director – were acquitted after facing allegations of coercion. Meanwhile, FIFA had already taken action against Rubiales, banning him from all football-related activities for a period of three years.

Manchester United secured their first victory of the Europa League campaign with a 2-0 win against Greek side PAOK at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

A double from winger Amad Diallo secured the win for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side, as the Dutchman claimed his second victory in temporary charge after Erik ten Hag’s dismissal last week.

The win takes the Red Devils up to 15th in the league phase, three points off an automatic qualification place, despite remaining unbeaten in the first four outings of the competition.

It’s safe to say that Diallo took the opportunity with both hands, staking his claim for a regular starting role under new boss Ruben Amorim, when the Portuguese takes over on the 11th of November.

He wasn’t the only player, with numerous first-team members impressing during the victory, helping Van Nistelrooy kickstart the European campaign.

United’s star performers against PAOK

Captain Bruno Fernandes produced another impressive display for United, registering an assist for one of the goals during the victory – whilst also registering numerous eye-catching figures.

The 30-year-old completed 43 passes at a completion rate of 80%, creating seven key passes for his teammates as he helped the Red Devils end their European drought without a win.

Fernandes also completed four crosses – the most of any player on either side – often looking as the most likely to create opportunities in attacking areas.

Full-back Noussair Mazraoui once again impressed in at right-back, forcing Diogo Dalot to continue featuring in a slightly unnatural left-sided role.

The Moroccan featured for the entirety of the contest, winning five of the six ground duels that he entered – completing 93% of the passes he attempted during the victory.

In what was a disappointing transfer window over the summer, Mazraoui has proven to be one of the best of a poor bunch of additions – looking to be worth every penny of the £17.2m transfer fee the hierarchy paid for his signature.

The same can’t be said for one signing, who time and time again has proven that he’s not been worth the big money splashed out for his services.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The man who dropped a 4/10 against PAOK

Striker Rasmus Hojlund cost the Red Devils £72m in August last year, but up to now he’s only managed to notch a total of 18 goals since his arrival.

He’s often looked sluggish and off the pace, even being ineffective at the top end of the pitch – looking like a talent well below the confidence levels required of a striker who cost such a hefty sum of money.

Last night was no different for the 21-year-old, struggling to make any form of impact on the meeting, only managing a total of 16 touches – with goalkeeper Andre Onana having far more with his total of 51.

Hojlund also only completed four of his six attempted passes, losing possession seven times out of his 16 touches – which saw him lose the ball 44% of the time he had control of it.

He was also caught offside once, conceding a foul, and winning less than 50% of the duels he entered during the win for Van Nistelrooy’s men at Old Trafford.

As a result of his dismal display, the striker was handed a 4/10 match rating by Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst – receiving the joint-lowest rating of any player in the squad.

United host Leicester City on Sunday afternoon looking to claim just their fourth league win of the campaign, but striker Hojlund should be nowhere near the starting lineup given his terrible showing last night.

The Dutchman could look to bring in Marcus Rashford and utilise him as a central striker, allowing the Englishman to feature in a more natural role – potentially allowing him to regain his confidence and start finding the back of the net once again.

Man Utd want "unreal" signing who could be Ronaldo 2.0 for Amorim

Manchester United are already looking to bolster the attack for new boss Ruben Amorim.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 7, 2024

Pep Guardiola has saluted “extraordinary” Manchester City hero Abdukodir Khusanov, with the £34m ($43m) defender not even taking a wash bag to games.

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• Defender snapped up in winter window
• Endured tough start to life in England
• Has impressed everyone at the Etihad

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Premier League champions City spent big on prising the Uzbekistan international away from French side Lens during the winter transfer window. He endured a baptism of fire in English football, with a costly mistake made on debut against Chelsea.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The inexperienced 20-year-old has recovered well from there and put in assured performance as City collected a much-needed clean sheet and three-point haul away at Tottenham. Guardiola has been impressed by Khusanov’s early efforts at the Etihad Stadium.

• WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

  The Catalan coach said of an unassuming addition to his squad: “What I like is that Khusanov’s already incredibly liked in the dressing room! To face Spurs, he travelled with no wash bag, no nothing. He arrived to play football and when you talk to him, he just laughs, all the time! But he’s a reliable player, so fast, so quick, with ball the quality of pass is extraordinary. He breaks lines, has ability to do it.

  “Of course he has to improve, but he’s 20, so young. I’ve seen players with a lot of pace, he is one of them. People adore him; he’s silent, works, no complaints, so humble, and I’m pretty sure our fans will love him too. It’s not easy to overcome his first impact vs Chelsea, what happened. But he was so calm the days after, and the games he’s played recently have been really good.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Khusanov was acquired by City with one eye on the future, as they begin an elaborate rebuild on the back of four successive title triumphs, and the expectation is that he will become a key part of Guardiola’s plans in the months and years to come.

Wolverhampton Wanderers fans will still be seriously worried about their side falling through the relegation trapdoor come the end of the Premier League campaign, even as the Old Gold won their first game of the season last time out versus Southampton.

Gary O’Neil’s men will have to beat relegation rivals to try and stay afloat, and they did just that when overcoming Russell Martin’s rock-bottom Saints 2-0 last match, but the worrying regularity with which they leak goals must make for grim reading in their continued fight to not sink down to the Championship.

The Wolves boss hasn’t had luck on his side in the defensive department this season either, with Yerson Mosquera’s long-term injury severely weakening his team at the back.

Wolves' defensive numbers this season

Wolves do boast healthy goalscoring numbers to somewhat counteract their leaky displays at the back, with 16 goals registered across 11 league clashes, but the Old Gold have also conceded the most for the division at 27.

It wasn’t as if the clean sheets were piling up high when Mosquera was fit, but his displays were very promising at the back, with a stunning 4.8 ball recoveries averaged per league game as a lively performer defensively, on top of winning a hefty amount of duels on average at 5.8.

Therefore, it must have been a kick in the teeth for O’Neil when the encouraging season his standout number 14 was having was cut short away at Aston Villa in mid-September, with a lengthy time in the Molineux treatment room then greeting the Colombian.

The often under-fire Wolves manager has had to deal with just three centre-backs at this disposal, therefore, with Santiago Bueno stepping up to the mark in recent weeks as a first-choice option, as he helped his side keep their first clean sheet of the season against the Saints.

It could be argued that Bueno now deserves an extended run in the first-team mix, and that could well come his way, even if Wolves do snap up this experienced defender to add more depth at the back.

Wolves could now sign Craig Dawson 2.0

As per a report by journalist Graeme Bailey, Wolves are setting their sights on signing former Tottenham Hotspur star Eric Dier, who has fallen down the pecking order at Bayern Munich in recent times and could depart the Allianz Arena when his contract expires next summer.

A defender who knows the pressures of the Premier League inside out could be just what the Old Gold need to shore up defensively, but the relegation-threatened side aren’t alone in wanting to snap up the 30-year-old, with Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford also said to be keen.

He would exit North London earlier this year with a mammoth 365 appearances under his belt, with his final full campaign seeing him collect nine clean sheets from 31 Premier League starts.

Therefore, Wolves will hope the 6 foot 3 centre-back – who was referred to as “monstrous” when performing at his peak for Tottenham as per football journalist Dan Kilpatrick – still has more to give as an experienced presence if he soon relocates back to English shores, aware that their decision to sign another veteran in Craig Dawson last year ended up working wonders.

On his day, the 34-year-old can be as imposing as Dier is known to be, with 4.4 duels won on average per game last campaign, alongside also showing off his assuredness with the ball at his feet with 44.1 accurate passes managed.

The “outstanding” defender – as he was once labelled by football journalist Matt Law during his West Ham United days – also more than played his part in Wolves’ shut-out of Southampton, with seven clearances registered and 100% of his ground duels won.

Therefore, if O’Neil wants more numbers to pick from defensively to make his squad feel less threadbare, the £79k-per-week Bayern man – as per Capology – could well be a smart buy, with the 30-year-old potentially going on to become his next Dawson.

Whether it be in January, or next summer, the acquisition of Dier could represent a perfect, bargain deal, while helping to ease the loss of Mosquera in the process.

£90k-p/w Wolves forward keen to leave Molineux in January window

A Wolves player who has hardly featured under Gary O’Neil is keen to leave when January arrives.

By
Brett Worthington

Nov 12, 2024

Jose Mourinho revealed he shares a "good relationship" with Sir Jim Ratcliffe but feels sorry for the Manchester United staff losing their jobs.

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• Mourinho opened up about his equation with Ratcliffe
• Hailed the INEOS chief as a "great businessman"
• Shared his feelings on the recent job cuts at Old Trafford

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  INEOS has been making significant reductions in United’s operations, with many of the lowest-paid employees being affected. The club showed the door to 250 employees last season with another 200 redundancies lined up for next month. The job cuts have caused much distress, particularly in the youth department, where long-serving coaches were asked to put down their papers, reportedly leaving many academy players in tears.

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  WHAT MOURINHO SAID

  Despite the controversial restructuring, Mourinho spoke positively about his acquaintance with Ratcliffe and revealed that while they may not be close friends, they have built a respectful connection over the years.

  "I know Sir Jim Ratcliffe. I'm not saying we are big friends but we have a good relationship," he told

  "I know him well. He invited me to his house a couple of times. I see him as a good person and a great businessman."

  However, the manager also expressed concern for staff members losing their jobs, stating: "To be honest, I don't know much about what's happening. Of course, I feel for some of the people that I know [losing their jobs], but hopefully it goes in the right direction."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Recent reports indicate that INEOS is considering terminating United’s lease on their London headquarters in Kensington, which was secured two years ago after the club’s lease in Mayfair expired. This move is seen as another effort to reduce operational costs, aligning with the company’s strategy of financial efficiency.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Amid the off-field turmoil, United will attempt to bounce back from their FA Cup disappointment as they shift focus to European competition. The Red Devils will face Real Sociedad in the Europa League last-16 first-leg clash on Thursday, a game that will be crucial to their silverware ambitions. Following their continental challenge, United will return to Premier League action in a highly anticipated showdown against Arsenal.

Arsenal have reportedly turned their attention to an €80 million-rated forward as they try and solve their striker issues this summer.

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• Arsenal looking for new striker
• €80m-rated forward on their radar
• Face competition for young attacker

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri, Arsenal are interested in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike but Newcastle United have actually enquired about the 22-year-old. And Sky Sports Germany add that while the Frenchman is likely to leave the club this summer, the Bundesliga team have slapped a €80m (£67m) price tag on his head.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Arsenal are once again set to fall short in their bid to win their first Premier League title since 2004 and many believe their failure to get over the line is down to not having a clinical striker. The season-ending injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have intensified calls to recruit a new number nine and maybe the 6ft 3in Ekitike is the man to solve those problems.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Arsenal have repeatedly been linked with Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko but now Ekitike has come into the picture. The ex-Reims man left Paris Saint-Germain for Frankfurt last summer and since then he has scored 18 goals in 35 matches.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While Arsenal plough ahead with their summer transfer window plans, Arteta's side host PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday and lead 7-1 from the first leg of their last 16 tie.

The more optimistic Everton supporters will claim that Sean Dyche’s system and the club’s success still sit in the melting pot, though the cynics within the broad Toffees camp might point toward a middle-grounded future at best.

Everton have lost one of their past seven Premier League matches after starting the season with four defeats on the trot, but performances have routinely lacked colour and inspiration.

Dyche, at least, has upheld comparatively decent defensive numbers, with the 17 goals conceded from 11 matches so far the second-best from any side in the bottom seven, and the same total as ninth-placed Aston Villa’s.

The gruff-talking manager’s very appointment was built on the pledge that he would give rise to a restored defensive pedigree.

Everton, whose future remains frustratingly nebulous and excitingly uncertain in juxtaposition, have long prided themselves on solidity, preservation in the top flight. Defensive pedigree runs blue through the veins of the Merseyside-sat club.

Everton's defensive pedigree

Say what you want about Everton’s chequered fortunes on the field across the past however many years, but you can’t deny that Goodison Park has fostered some immense defensive talent.

In August 2016, Manchester City completed the £47.5m signing of John Stones, who had been at Goodison Park since he was 18 and became the second-most expensive defender ever, at that point in time.

Previously, Joleon Lescott had changed to a lighter blue hue in joining City back in 2009 for £22m, taking the newly-moneyed outfit to £120m as they rose to indomitable power.

Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka are both iconic names at Everton, distinguished and experienced defenders, while Jarrad Branthwaite looks like the latest prodigy to have been birthed in Finch Farm, arguably the star of Dyche’s squad.

It hasn’t always gone to plan at the rear, though, especially when Stones moved to Manchester. The loss of such a talented player demanded a high-class replacement, but Ashley Williams was anything but.

Everton had a howler with Ashley Williams

Williams, who is now retired and 40 years old, enjoyed a successful Premier League career that found its brightest days with Swansea City, who the Welshman captained and was hailed as “truly one of Swansea City’s greatest players” by Alan Curtis.

Having led the Swans from League One to the Premier League, competing across five top-flight campaigns, Everton felt that they were signing an experienced and commanding head, but he fell heavily by the wayside.

Journalist Ben Marlow’s assessment bore echoes of the general consensus: “Thought he would be great for us but turned out to be a total liability. Awful defender.”

Perhaps a tad harsh, but then emotions cloud impartiality when one’s club is concerned, struggling because of the strife of the player. Williams featured 73 times for Everton but indeed failed to inspire the kind of confidence that was ever-present in Wales.

In fairness, he featured prominently after signing for Everton in a deal worth £12m. It was August 2016, and the 31-year-old was indeed lined up to be the perfect Stones heir. Out with the new, in with the old. It was a risk, even for great financial gain.

His first term as a Toffee was decent enough. Williams started 35 Premier League matches as Everton finished seventh under the wing of Ronald Koeman, and though he remarkably averaged 7.9 clearances per game, the one-time Wales international also made three mistakes and only won 52% of his ground duels, which hardly speaks of defensive superiority.

The regression was fast and furious. Williams was relegated to a more bit-part role in 2017/18, starting 20 league fixtures but making even more errors (five, to be precise) and winning 48% of his ground battles.

His final Premier League campaign with Swansea, by the way, saw him command a 65% success rate.

It clearly didn’t have the desired effect, and given that Williams took home £70k per week during his time at Goodison Park, it wasn’t exactly cheap either. That’s a salary packet that, even now, stood as two times what Branthwaite earns while playing for Dyche’s team, with the sinew-framed star on a £35k-per-week pay packet.

Branthwaite, it almost need not be said, is the club’s finest young centre-back since Stones burst onto the scene. The 22-year-old carries the trappings of a world-class titan and will see his team recoup a mammoth sum if he is indeed to be sold in the year ahead.

Concerning Williams – Stoke City swept in and signed the veteran on a season-long loan move in 2018, and it is unclear whether the Potters provided Everton with a portion of his wages, or whether it was the Toffees who leaked money as the veteran plied his trade elsewhere.

Let’s imagine Everton did in fact cover the breadth of Williams’ £3.6m-per-year salary. In conjunction with the £12m transfer fee, this would mean that the Merseysiders suffered financial damages totalling almost £23m for a player who proved to be a disastrous Stones heir.

One to forget about, eh. Williams led a storied career below the clamour of those at the Premier League’s highest echelon; he remains a beloved figure in his homeland and proved to be a strong and inspiring figure for much of his career.

Unfortunately, it didn’t come together at Everton, and considering the £23m that was taken from Everton’s resources, almost half of the fee collected from the decorated Stones’ sale, it’s one that should have been avoided.

Everton must regret selling star who's now worth £45m & outscoring Salah

Everton appear to have offloaded the talent way too prematurely.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 14, 2024

Manchester City star Omar Marmoush has slammed his team-mates for 'lacking confidence' as they saw their European hopes dented by Brighton.

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• Man City draw 2-2 with Brighton
• City took the lead twice in the clash
• Marmoush urges team-mates to 'show quality'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester City are set to lose the Premier League title for the first time since the 2019-20 season. Additionally, their struggles this season have lowered the possibility of qualifying for the Champions League next season, and a 2-2 draw against Brighton at Etihad Stadium has not helped Pep Guardiola's side.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Manchester City made a number of signings in January to ensure an improvement in performance, and the Cityzens' best signing was arguably Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt. The Egyptian forward scored City's second goal against Brighton and has now urged his team-mates to show their 'quality more'.

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  WHAT MARMOUSH SAID

  Speaking to the media, Marmoush said: “Of course it is a challenge but we will do everything.

  “We will put our heads down, try to work as hard as we can and, always when we are on the pitch, give 100 per cent. Hopefully, in the end, we will secure that place.

  “We just have to try to show our quality more, have more confidence on the ball, keep the ball more and just do what Man City always did, and I think we will be good.”

• WHAT NEXT FOR MARMOUSH?

  City still have the FA Cup to fight for this season, alongside their battle to get the top four spot in the Premier League. Guardiola's side will return to action when they take on Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 30.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was backed by the board in the summer transfer window after key player Matt O’Riley was sold to Brighton.

The attacking midfielder left the Scottish giants to sign for the Premier League side in a deal that was reported to be a fee of more than £25m, breaking the domestic transfer record for the Hoops.

His departure from Parkhead was a big blow for the Northern Irish head coach and the team, as he had been a big player for the club last season.

As you can see in the table above, O’Riley made a huge impact at the top end of the pitch with his ability to score and assist goals from a central midfield position.

However, Celtic did swoop to sign the likes of Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo, Kasper Schmeichel, Auston Trusty, and Adam Idah, among others, to bolster the squad.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, the club could dip into the market again, and here is how the dream Celtic XI could look in February if everything falls into place.

1

Kasper Schmeichel

Firstly, there is no need to upgrade on Kasper Schmeichel, who arrived on a free transfer from Anderlecht in the summer, between the sticks.

The 38-year-old colossus has kept nine clean sheets in 12 appearances in the Premiership, saving 87% of the efforts on his goal, so far, and has Viljami Sinisalo as his back-up.

2

Alistair Johnston

Another player whose position in the team should be secured is right-back Alistair Johnston, who has been a terrific performer since his move to Glasgow.

The Canada international has scored four goals and created eight ‘big chances’ in 12 appearances in the Premiership so far this season for the Hoops, which illustrates the attacking impact he can have from a full-back position.

3

Cameron Carter-Vickers

At the heart of the defence, Rodgers will be hoping that Cameron Carter-Vickers can return to fitness and avoid any further injury issues, having already missed seven matches this season.

The 26-year-old star has been a dominant presence, winning 73% of his duels across eight league games, when he has been available to play.

4

Auston Trusty

This is a position that is still up for grabs, as Liam Scales and Auston Trusty are fighting it out to be the first-choice option in the left-sided centre-back role.

In the Premiership this season, the American summer signing has completed 95% of his attempted passes, made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game, and is yet to make a single error that has led to a penalty or goal in the Premiership.

Whereas, Scales has completed 92% of his attempted passes, made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game, and has made an error that led to a shot and given away a penalty, which suggests that Trusty has the edge over him at the moment.

5

Greg Taylor

At left-back, Greg Taylor could remain the first-choice option for Rodgers, having started nine of the club’s 12 matches in the Premiership so far this season.

6

Callum McGregor

At the base of the midfield, there is little doubt that the captain, the leader of the team, Callum McGregor will remain a regular ahead of the second half of the season.

The former Scotland international has scored an eye-catching five goals in ten league games so far this season, to go along with a pass completion rate of 93%.

7

Arne Engels

Another summer signing who could continue to shine is Arne Engels, who has scored two goals and created three ‘big chances’ in seven league starts since his move from Augsburg.

8

Lennon Miller

The first potential new signing in this starting XI comes in the third and final midfield position, as Lennon Miller could be brought in to bolster the middle of the park.

It was recently reported that the Hoops are preparing a swoop to sign the Motherwell star, who is valued at £4m, alongside Rangers and Liverpool ahead of the January window.

As you can see in the table above, the 18-year-old star has outperformed Reo Hatate and Paulo Bernardo in a host of key statistics in the league this season, which suggests that he could offer more as an all-round midfielder if he signs in January.

Therefore, the Scottish star, who has been hailed as “ridiculous” by James McFadden, could be a fantastic addition to the squad for the second half of the season.

9

Nicolas Kuhn

In a dream world, Celtic will be able to keep hold of Nicolas Kuhn, who has scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists in 18 appearances for the club this season.

10

Kyogo Furuhashi

In the centre-forward position, Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah will still be fighting it out to start. Rodgers has preferred the former so far, starting him in nine of the 12 league games, and that could stay the same.

England fans are in awe as Reece James' spectacular free kick gave the Three Lions the opener against Latvia in their World Cup qualifier.

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• James scores spectacular free-kick for England
• Fans left in awe of Chelsea right-back's strike
• James looking to cement position as England right-back

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  James has often been criticised by England fans for never being available to take his chances with the Three Lions struggling to find the correct fit at right-back between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker. However, in Thomas Tuchel's second game in charge, James took the chance with both hands as he gave England the opener against Latvia with a spectacular free kick and fans are in awe of the Chelsea captain.

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• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  @AverageAbove10 wrote on X: "Reece James just scored one of the best free kicks I’ve ever seen in my life."

  @calster1520 added: "Can’t lie that free kick was unreal from Reece James. I know it’s Latvia but it doesn’t take away the fact it was a perfect free kick man."

  @FathalliMo said: "Was going to post something about how England should use Reece James’ crossing more often, only for him to pull that off. Fairs."

  Chelsea fan @greatwhizz10 added: "Reece James, the absolute best there is."

  @LouisCFC8 went on to add: "Reece James scoring under Tuchel, poetic."

  @yarrumz wrote: "Don’t know who needs to hear this but Reece James is world class and a right back."

  @leo_oboro said: "So cold from Reece James!!! He scored a worldie and didn’t even flinch."

  @CPkeanoeastwood wrote: "Reece James goal was so good that he stunned even himself and forgot to celebrate."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  James has been in good form for Chelsea as well this season and he has managed to keep his injuries at bay so far in the second half of the season. As such, he will be keen on proving to Tuchel that he could be the future of the Three Lions' right-back spot as the 2026 World Cup slowly approaches.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JAMES?

  The Chelsea captain will now return to action with the Blues after the clash against Latvia as Enzo Maresca prepares his side for a gruelling second half of the season as they continue their hunt to get back into the Champions League next season.