Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister has named a player who was very nearly his team-mate as his toughest-ever midfield opponent.
Liverpool midfielder names toughest opponentPlayer could have been his team-mateTransfer saga saw him move to PL rivalsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Speaking to GOAL at the PFA Awards in Manchester, the midfielder revealed that Chelsea's Moises Caicedo has given him the sternest tests of his career to date. Mac Allister and Caicedo were team-mates at Brighton and Liverpool tried to sign them both in the same summer in 2023. However, while the former headed to Anfield, the latter was snatched by Chelsea despite the Reds having a deal agreed in a then-British-record £115 million ($146m) transfer.
AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT MAC ALLISTER SAID ABOUT CAICEDO
Asked his toughest midfield opponent on the red carpet at the PFA Awards ceremony, Mac Allister named Caicedo as his toughest midfield opponent and said: "It always stays the same. Caicedo, I think he's a very good player."
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MAC ALLISTER & LIVERPOOL
The Liverpool man was forced to sit out Monday night's dramatic win against Newcastle through injury but will hope to be fit in time for Sunday's blockbuster clash with Arsenal. He has two meetings with Caicedo coming up – one in the international arena against Ecuador in September and another in the Premier League when Chelsea host the champions in early October.
Toni Kroos says Lamine Yamal is "unbelievable" for a 16-year-old and Germany will try to keep him quiet in their Euro 2024 quarter-final with Spain.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Germany face Spain in quarter-finals
Midfielder Kroos to retire after competition
Hails 'unbelievable' Lamal ahead of last-eight tie
WHAT HAPPENED?
Ahead of Germany taking on Spain in the quarter-finals of the Euros, now former Real Madrid ace Kroos has heaped praise on teenager Yamal. The veteran, who is retiring from football after this tournament, says his side need to keep the Barcelona man and team-mate Nico Williams under wraps if they want to reach the last four of Euro 2024 on home soil.
Advertisement
Getty
WHAT TONI KROOS SAID
He told reporters: "In recent years players seem to be better now at younger ages, it’s really incredible. He [Yamal] was Barcelona’s most dangerous player last season. We know what he’s capable of and will try to keep him and Nico Williams as quiet as possible. To be that good at 16 is simply unbelievable."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Germany have impressed this tournament but Spain have, arguably, been the best team so far and are the only side to win every game. This mouth-watering clash could be the last time anyone sees Kroos on a football pitch, but he will want to make sure he goes out with a bang by reaching the final and winning the Euros.
Getty Images
WHAT NEXT?
Kroos' Germany team take on Spain at MHPArena in Stuttgart on Friday evening, with the victor lining up against either 2016 winners Portugal or that year's runner-up France in the semi-finals of the tournament on July 9.
Tottenham have been told one key condition to sign a player who’s been identified by manager Thomas Frank as a summer target, according to a new report.
£43m star "clear" he wants to join Tottenham in talks with club chairman
He’s expressed his desire to seal a Spurs switch.
3 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 15, 2025
Spurs are fresh off the back of their first pre-season game against Reading, with new signing Mohammed Kudus enjoying an impressive cameo on Saturday as the Lilywhites ran out 2-0 winners against the League One side.
Goals from Will Lankshear and new arrival Luka Vuskovic secured Frank the perfect start to his new managerial chapter, with the Dane getting a first look at his star-studded squad.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
He could yet see more illustrious names added to it, as Tottenham maintain their pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White despite Nottingham Forest’s threat of legal action. Fabrizio Romano confirms that sealing a deal for Gibbs-White is their priority right now, speaking via his YouTube channel, but that doesn’t mean Daniel Levy won’t have other plates spinning in the background.
Yves Bissouma has been regularly linked with a move away from north London before deadline day on September 1, and José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe are believed to be prime contenders for the Mali international (Yağız Sabuncuoğlu).
With Spurs competing in the Champions League next season, Frank will need a ready-made replacement for Bissouma, considering the hot and cold midfielder played 28 games for them in the Premier League alone last term.
According to recent reports, Bayern Munich ace and former Fulham favourite Joao Palhinha is among the targets on Tottenham’s shortlist to potentially step into Bissouma’s shoes for 2025/2026.
Bayern Munich's Joao Palhinha in action against Bayer Leverksen.
The Portugal international finally sealed what was a long-awaited move to Bavaria last summer, signing for around £47 million, but his debut season at the Allianz Arena was marred by injury struggles, suspensions, illness and a subsequent lack of game time under Vincent Kompany.
As a result, reports suggest the 30-year-old could call time on his stay in the Bundesliga already, and Spurs have been told the requirements to seal a deal.
Tottenham told Joao Palhinha condition after opening Bayern Munich talks
According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham have held club-to-club discussions with Bayern over Palhinha, and Kompany’s side are adamant that Levy will only be able to sign him on a permanent deal.
Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.
Any offers for a loan will not be accepted as Bayern attempt to get Palhinha’s £166,000-per-week wages off the books for good, but Frank has personally identified the player as a target, so there appears to be a real willingness from Spurs to move for him.
Bayern are said to have made it clear that Tottenham will need to table a “big-money” bid for Palhinha if they stand a chance of signing him this summer, but this report doesn’t disclose the exact amount they’d be looking for.
In any case, if Spurs decide to press forward, there is reason to believe he would thrive under Frank.
Palhinha was famed for his tackling and robustness in midfield during his spell at Craven Cottage, indicating why Spurs are so keen, with former teammate Tom Cairney even calling him a “breath of fresh air”.
“If you lose the ball, he smells blood,” Cairney said in a glowing endorsement.
“He’s probably one of the best I’ve ever seen off the ball, in terms of getting back, recovering and trying to win back the ball. He doesn’t just put pressure on them, he goes back to win the ball and does the tackle.
“It’s amazing to watch sometimes. I think the fans have taken to him. I think he’s been a breath of fresh air in the Premier League.”
The agency representing some of the biggest names in football – including Virgil van Dijk – is now under the UTA umbrella with LeBron James.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
UTA acquires ROOF agencyPlans to integrate with KLUTCHVan Dijk & LeBron join togetherWHAT HAPPENED?
ROOF (Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers) has been acquired by UTA (United Talent Agency), expanding the group's global sporting reach by entering the soccer market. It is a move that will put management of footballing superstars like Van Dijk and Kai Havertz under the same parent company as LeBron and other top basketball players.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
In recent years, UTA's sporting portfolio has been led by KLUTCH, which represents basketball icon James and has negotiated $4 billion worth of contracts on behalf of its clients across the NBA, WNBA, NFL and MLB. As part of the takeover, UTA said that ROOF will integrate with KLUTCH "to reimagine the landscape of representation for a new generation of top football stars". But ROOF will retain its own name and founding management. As it stands, ROOF represents around 130 players and 20 coaches across Europe's big five leagues. But the ambiiton is international expansion beyond current bases in London, Madrid and Munich.
WHAT UTA SAID
"Football is the most global and popular sport on the planet, and in charting our path into the game, we've searched for a partner who aligns with KLUTCH's values and takes a similar client-first approach," said Rich Paul, co-head of UTA Sports and KLUTCH founder/CEO.
"It was clear very early on that ROOF was the perfect fit; our agencies share the same philosophy, passion and professional approach to representing the world's best athletes. Together we look forward to bringing new energy to the beautiful game and its athletes through the lens of empowerment, storytelling and forward thinking."
DID YOU KNOW?
In additional to Van Dijk and Havertz, other top players like Sadio Mane, Serge Gnabry, Harvey Elliott and recent Europa League final hero Ademola Lookman are on the books at ROOF.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has given a passionate defence of his managerial record after receiving criticism this season.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Ten Hag under fire for Man Utd's poor form
Dutchman slammed pundits in passionate rant
Asks for patience ahead of Arsenal clash
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Red Devils head coach is under increasing pressure as reports suggest he could be given the boot in the summer. Ten Hag has guided Manchester United to back-to-back FA Cup finals but struggled in the Premier League, sparking criticism from pundits and ex-players. He has since hit back and questioned their knowledge of football ahead of the clash against Arsenal.
Advertisement
WHAT TEN HAG SAID
During his press conference, Ten Hag said: "In almost every game except Palace, they have fought. There is a good team spirit. We saw it against Brentford, Chelsea, Liverpool, Coventry until 70 minutes. They were resilient against Sheffield United, and the physical output against Burnley, their third game in six days, was incredible. I see some comments (from pundits). Either they don't have any knowledge of football or managing a football team."
(C)Getty Images
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite Ten Hag's passionate defence, there is no denying United have been below par in 2023-24. They forked out a fortune last summer to bring in the likes of Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund but have failed to challenge the Premier League's top three.
Getty
WHAT NEXT FOR TEN HAG AND MAN UTD?
Ten Hag's men can still secure a spot in Europe next season but will likely have to beat Arsenal at Old Trafford to stay in the running for a top-six finish. They face Newcastle in midweek for what could be a make-or-break match for the Dutchman.
The team travelled from the airport to the hotel in the bullet-proof buses owned by the PCB and were escorted by over 500 policemen
Umar Farooq30-Jan-20191:04
West Indies women arrive in Karachi for T20I series
A 13-member West Indies women’s squad led by Merissa Aguilleira with a support staff comprising eight members landed in Karachi on Wednesday for the first visit to Pakistan by a non-Asian women’s team in 15 years. West Indies women are scheduled to play three T20Is in Karachi and the series is being seen as another important step towards the resumption of international cricket in the country.The squad was received by officials of the PCB women’s wing and was accorded special VVIP security protocol, with over 500 policemen escorting the team from the airport to the hotel. Traffic on the roads en route to the team hotel was held up for brief period to create an empty pocket and ensure a smooth drive, as the team travelled on the bullet-proof buses owned by the Pakistan board.”The security system is top class,” West Indies captain Aguilleira said. “There was security on both sides of the roads and these things show that everybody has put things in place and we are really lucky to be spending time here. We are not playing ODIs here but eventually it will happen. I’m pleased that we as a team took the initiative to come over here. I am so thankful that we can contribute to bring back cricket to Pakistan.”I really urge other teams to come back to [play in] Pakistan because the people here love cricket, which is the most important part.”West Indies are without their regular captain Stafanie Taylor who opted out of the T20Is due to security concerns and will return for the subsequent ODIs in Dubai. Aguilleira, who led West Indies until 2015, was appointed captain for the T20Is instead. Among the support staff, the full-time physiotherapist Marita Marshall has not accompanied the side and has been replaced by Dr Oba Gulston. That is the only change to a support staff led by coach Hendy Springer, assistant coach Augustine Logie, team manager Augena Gregg and strength and conditioning coach Shayne Copper. The side is also accompanied by a selector Courtney Browne and a security officer.West Indies women had last toured Pakistan in March 2004 for a seven-match ODI series, making them, at the time, only the second women’s international team to tour Pakistan after Netherlands.Their current visit to Pakistan is the first by a women’s side since Bangladesh women toured the country in October 2015. All three of West Indies’ T20Is will be played at the Southend Club in Karachi from January 31 to February 3 before the sides travel to Dubai to play a series of three ODIs as a part of the ICC Women’s Championship.
GOAL runs through all of the winners and losers on a chastening night for Mikel Arteta and his young team at the Allianz Arena
Not Bayern Munich, not again, and not like this! Arsenal's Champions League meeting with the Bavarians was meant to be different this time. This felt like the perfect opportunity for revenge over a team that had knocked them out of Europe's top-tier tournament on four previous occasions.
After all, Bayern were struggling horribly in the Bundesliga, being embarrassed on a seemingly weekly basis. Better still, their hopes of winning any other competition were already over, meaning this was a chance to pile even more misery on former Tottenham star Harry Kane, who had moved to Bavaria summer in the hope of finally getting his hands on some silverware.
But after stumbling in the first leg of this quarter-final tie at the Emirates, Arsenal's young and relatively inexperienced team froze at the Allianz Arena, deservedly beaten 1-0 on the night, to go out 3-2 on aggregate, after a painfully timid display.
GOAL runs through all of the winners and losers from a chastening defeat for Mikel Arteta's men…
Getty Images
LOSER: Arsenal's young forwards
The most disturbing aspect of this second leg from Arsenal's perspective will be their almost complete lack of an attacking threat. The Gunners enjoyed plenty of possession, but they did next-to-nothing with it. Indeed, they only had one decent opening, when Martin Odegaard pulled the ball back for Gabriel Martinelli, who shot straight at Manuel Neuer.
It was an effort entirely in keeping with Martinelli's performance all evening. He got no change out of Joshua Kimmich and then criminally failed to track his marker for the goal that decided the tie in Bayern's favour.
Worryingly for Arteta, though, Martinelli's fellow forwards fared little better. Rumours of Kai Havertz's revival have been proven grossly exaggerated, while Bukayo Saka did absolutely nothing to silence those that believe he still has some way to go before he can be considered world-class.
Advertisement
Getty Images
WINNER: Harry Kane
He may not have scored, but Kane won't care! Make no mistake about it: this will rank as one of the sweetest victories of the England captain's career. Arsenal fans were very much looking forward to ending the former Spurs striker's hopes of winning a first trophy – so Kane will have enjoyed the fact that he more than played his part in Bayern progressing to the last four.
There's still plenty of work to do, of course. Even just making the final is going to be tough, but there's no need to look that far forward right now. On Wednesday, Kane could enjoy having got one over on his old rivals – and take a serious amount of encouragement out of the fact that after carrying Bayern for most of the season, many of his team-mates have stepped up to his level over the course of these two games.
Plenty of fans – not just those of an Arsenal persuasion – have been ridiculing Kane over the past few months, but he might just have the last laugh.
G
LOSER: Mikel Arteta
Much of the narrative around this tie focused on the Champions League being Tuchel's last chance to win a trophy before he departs this summer. And the German remains very much at risk of becoming the first Bayern boss to fail to lift at least one piece of silverware in a season since 2012.
However, it's also worth pointing out that while Arteta certainly won't be leaving his post anytime soon, the Spaniard and his expensively-assembled squad could end this season empty-handed, given they've also slipped to second in the Premier League.
He still has time to turn things around, of course, but there's no papering over the fact that Arteta failed to coax anything like the same level of performance out of his side as Tuchel, who had long since lost the support of several key players at Bayern.
The first leg was worrying, but the paucity of the display at the Allianz Arena was embarrassing for a side being touted as potential winners. Arsenal were outclassed on the night, and Arteta was out-thought.
Getty Images
LOSER: Arsenal's title hopes
There are obviously two ways of looking at this. Maybe avoiding an inevitably draining Champions League semi-final will help Arsenal's Premier League title challenge. The extra games could have killed them.
However, this defeat – and perhaps more importantly, the nature of it – will hit Arsenal hard. They didn't go down fighting after all, they bowed out with a whimper – and that's going to sting.
So, while losing might end up helping them physically, as it means fewer matches, it does absolutely nothing for their confidence and only reinforces the impression that Arsenal, just like last season, have lost momentum at precisely the wrong time.
Getafe believe that Manchester United have already triggered the extension option in Mason Greenwood’s contract that takes him through to 2026.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Forward has spent current campaign in Spain
Expected to be on the move again this summer
Red Devils can extend deal before finding buyer
WHAT HAPPENED?
The 22-year-old forward has been tied to terms at Old Trafford that are due to run until 2025. There has always been the option for another 12 months to be taken up, with the Red Devils having until May of next year to take advantage of that clause.
Advertisement
Getty
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Greenwood appears destined to sever ties with United at some stage, having not figured for them since his arrest on suspicion of attempted rape, assault and coercive and controlling behaviour in January 2022. Those charges were dropped in February 2023 and he has spent the current campaign on loan in Spain with Getafe.
DID YOU KNOW?
The one-cap England international has attracted interest from leading sides across Europe with his performances this season – which include eight goals and five assists – with the expectation being that he will be moved on again this summer. Greenwood is said to have no desire to rejoin the ranks in Manchester.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty
TELL ME MORE
Getafe would be keen to keep him on their books and, according to , believe that an extension option in England that could work in their favour has already been triggered – despite claims to the contrary from senior figures at United. The Liga outfit are eager to put another loan agreement in place.
The Los Angeles Dodgers made an exciting announcement Wednesday, as they called up catcher Dalton Rushing, one of the team's top prospects, after a torrid start for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets. Unfortunately, every baseball promotion is paired with a player leaving the big league roster. For the Dodgers, the addition of Rushing means that Austin Barnes, an L.A. catcher since 2015, has been designated for assignment.
While Barnes has never started more than 62 games in a season for the Dodgers (2019), he's been a valuable contributor for the team for more than a decade. A member of the 2020 and '24 World Series teams, Barnes came through in a big way in that first championship run, going 8-for-25 with three RBI and four runs scored, highlighted by a big Game 3 home run against the Tampa Bay Rays.
One notable Dodgers star who will miss Barnes: pitcher Clayton Kershaw. The future Hall of Famer admitted he and a number of his teammates are "disappointed" by the Barnes move, even if he's excited to see what Rushing can do.
"I think everybody was surprised. Yeah. It's sad," Kershaw said, per Jack Harris of the . Barnesy's one of my best friends on or off the field. You won't find a guy that competes better than Austin Barnes. He wants to win more than anybody, and he always found a way, and he came up with some big moments for us throughout the years. I think a lot of people forget he was starting a lot of playoff games and winning a lot of games for us, getting big knocks.
"It's sad to see someone like that go who's been here that long, and I think we all kind of feel it. It's no disrespect to Dalton. I know he deserves it, and he's going to be a great player. It's just for me, personally, I think for a lot of guys on the team, it was disappointing to see him go."
Barnes has struggled at the plate this year, hitting just .213/.233/.286 with a pair of RBIs on the year, while Rushing is hitting .308/.424/.515 with five home runs. The move makes sense as L.A. looks to add some pop and depth, but it makes sense that Kershaw and other longterm members of the team hate to see Barnes depart this way.
Those who know, who understand the most important position at the most successful men’s basketball program in recent NCAA history, return to the same phrases. Leader … tough … versatile … resilient … floor general … heart … competitive. They tend to fall back on cliches because what they’re trying to explain is obvious and difficult to describe beyond the obvious part. They’re trying to explain what it means to play guard at Villanova, perhaps the single position that’s most synonymous with the ethos of a modern college basketball power, a job title that doubles as a window into a program’s soul.
Think Villanova men’s basketball and, chances are, “guards” comes next. Think national championships and many pivotal players shared the same position. In 2016: Josh Hart, Ryan Arcidiacono, Jalen Brunson. In 2018: Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Phil Booth.
These weren’t the first guards to lift Villanova toward the pinnacle of shining moments. But they were the ones who elevated the Wildcats to bluest-blood status in recent years. The ones who, says former player and assistant coach Baker Dunleavy (now the head coach at Quinnipiac), “have the same personality, the same demeanor; they’re stoic, in a way, ready to rip your heart out.”
That association, of a program and the position that defines it, led Hart to Villanova in the first place. In some ways, Jay Wright reminded him of John Thompson. Both coached in the bruising Big East, at basketball schools—Villanova for Wright, Georgetown for Thompson—and both not only built elite programs but built elite programs with one position as the centerpiece. For Thompson, it was centers; for Wright, guards; specifically at the point. What’s funny, Hart says, is how both coaches wanted the same thing from different places. “Just tough motherf—–s. That’s the pedigree. That’s why they call us Guard U.”
One Wright mentor, Miami’s Jim Larrañaga, watches the Wildcats and sees that soul, which, at its most basic level, is of a point guard. The imprint, he says, is what makes Wright more than a good coach. Season after season, game after game, his guards bully into the paint, drawing fouls or kicking out for open jumpers; they’re adaptable, versatile, consistent and fundamentally sound; they can shoot, drive, pass and rebound. When Larrañaga watches Villanova’s current crop, he sees “carbon copies,” which he describes as “amazing, because they always look very, very similar to how they looked the year before.”
That’s the tapestry of Villanova basketball. One stitched from Randy Foye and Allan Ray and Mike Nardi to everyone who followed; tradition passed from Kyle Lowry to Scottie Reynolds to Corey Fisher, Maalik Wayns and Darren Hilliard; to those who won Wright titles; to the latest in the grand lineage, like Collin Gillespie to Justin Moore. That’s what Larrañaga sees. Same offense. Same defense. Same execution. Same confidence. “It’s actually a very simple brand of basketball,” he says. “But it works, every day and every year.”
To understand how Villanova is making another push for another national title—its third in the last six postseasons—start there. Not with the Big East player of the year honors, the hundreds of games won, the overwhelmed trophy case, or the All-American nods for future NBA draft picks. Playing is more than that, worthy of italics, and it’s the tradition that matters above all, not what the tradition yields.
Case in point: When the Wildcats clash with the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday night in the first national semifinal, they will do so without Moore, who tore his right Achilles against Houston in the Elite Eight. And yet, as Villanova prepared for a game few think it will win, Wright leaned on veterans like Gillespie to deliver the same message Larrañaga sees on court.