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GOAL sat down with the USWNT midfielder to discuss her rehab, her new purpose and the emotions of seeing your loved ones get their chance.

Sam Mewis is doing okay. She's still recovering from her knee injury, the one that has kept her out of a U.S. women's national team jersey for the last two years and will unfortunately see her miss the Women's World Cup. One knee, multiple surgeries, two years out and, ultimately, one World Cup dream gone up in smoke.

A World Cup is the pinnacle of a player's career. Mewis has already been to, and won, one, but who wouldn't want another crack at it? A healthy, in-form Mewis would be a key figure for the USWNT this summer if not for that injury.

That fact, though, doesn't make accepting it all any easier. Knowing what could have, and should have, been makes moments like this even harder. And Mewis, admittedly, has spent much of the last two years not just rehabbing her knee, but rehabbing her mind due to all of the trouble that injury caused her.

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She'll still be majorly connected to this World Cup, though. Two sisters, one born and one chosen, will be in the USWNT squad this summer, and Mewis will, of course, be watching and cheering, sweating out every result from afar. What comes after that? It's too soon to tell. But, as the USWNT prepares to defend their World Cup title Down Under this summer, Mewis has accepted her new role, even if it isn't the one she always dreamed of.

Ahead of the World Cup, GOAL caught up with Mewis to discuss her recovery, the World Cup and her renewed sense of purpose during a challenging time in her playing career.

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  Finding a new purpose

  It's been nearly two years since Mewis underwent surgery on her right knee, surgery that was supposed to keep her out for somewhere around eight weeks. It doesn't take much math to put together that eight weeks and two years are vastly different timelines. It's safe to say that this process, all of it, hasn't gone as expected.

  Back in January, Mewis announced that she'd need to undergo more surgery on the same knee. The announcement came after her NWSL club, the Kansas City Current, who traded for her in 2022, placed her on the season-ending injury list with a “long-standing progressive injury to her right leg suffered prior to her arrival in Kansas City.”

  USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said in January that Mewis would remain out with a "long-term injury" before Mewis herself confirmed that there was no timeline for her return.

  The injury has cost her two years of her career, games for her club and the national team that she'll never get back. She scored 24 goals across her 83 caps, winning a World Cup title and Olympic bronze, but it still isn't clear when Mewis will be back to being a player that was always so key to the USWNT. Mewis played in six of the USWNT's seven matches in the last World Cup, scoring two goals in the group stage as the U.S. triumphed over the Netherlands.

  It's all been difficult, no doubt, physically and mentally. Mewis has dealt with a lot over the last two years, and going through that is something that will change your perspective on not just your career, but life in general.

  "I think it's super important to keep in mind," Mewis began, "and I would give this advice to any of the athletes here: when you are facing an injury or some kind of adversity like this and you're unable to participate the way you want to, find a new purpose in there somewhere. Maybe you're feeling isolated from the team or you have a setback with an injury or something goes wrong, I think being able to kind of reframe in that moment and say, 'What can I do here that's going to be productive?'.

  "It might not look exactly like what I want it to look like but it will give me a new sense of purpose. I think I've had to do that a little bit. Obviously, I haven't played in a while. I'm just doing my rehab and taking it one day at a time but I think my message is just in moments like that, in moments of difficulty, just try to find that new purpose, if you can, and apply yourself to that."

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  Rooting for Kristie (and Lynn)

  If there is a silver lining to it all, it is that Mewis will still feel deeply connected to this summer's World Cup team. The group is obviously made up of long-time teammates and friends, many of whom she played alongside for years while claiming trophies at the highest level.

  There's something even more human to it than that, though. Mewis' absence has, at least somewhat, helped pave the way for her sister, Kristie, to make her first World Cup squad.

  The two starred together in the USWNT midfield back in 2021, with Sam scoring her first career hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Colombia. Kristie scored the other goal in that win and, in the years since, has completed a return to the USWNT that, for a while, seemed like it would never be on the cards.

  Kristie has 52 career caps, but was totally out of the picture between 2013-2020. After making one appearance in 2020, she's become something of a regular in the years since, especially since her sister's injury took her out of the lineup.

  In a video released by U.S. Soccer, the elder Mewis was clearly emotional as she received the call from Andonovski. You can see the precise moment when nerves turn to tears, signaling her realization that her dream just came true.

  Kristie Mewis must have felt like the happiest person in the world during that Facetime call, but her feelings were soon matched by her sister Sam when she found out the good news.

  "When Kristie did call, I was just so proud of her and happy for her," Mewis said. "I know that she's been through her own adversity, her own injuries. She's been in and out of the team, so seeing her dreams come to fruition was so inspiring for me. Watching people you love get that call and have that moment it's really inspiring and you really just feel so happy for them."

  Mewis' sister wasn't the only one close to her that received that life-changing call. Her longtime friend, and 'Snacks' podcast co-host, Lynn Williams was also named to the USWNT's World Cup squad for the first time in her career, having amassed 53 caps since making her debut all the way back in 2016.

  "I feel super invested in both Kristie and Lynn Williams,'" Mewis said. "Lynn, we joke that she's like my other sister. I'm really close with her. I was so confident in both of them and I wasn't nervous waiting for them to tell me that they had made it because I just felt like I knew they would both make it."

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  Staying a part of it all

  Mewis, though, won't just be a fan during the upcoming World Cup. She'll also be analyzing it from the other side.

  On Wednesday, it was announced that Mewis would be a part of the Men in Blazers' World Cup coverage, hosting a daily podcast as well as Twitch streams to provide live commentary during games. It's an opportunity for Mewis to be a part of the tournament, albeit in a different way than she would have originally hoped.

  "I'm excited to watch," she said. "I'm going to do some media stuff during the World Cup, so I'm really excited to be a part of it from another perspective."

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  Looking at the next generation

  Ahead of the World Cup, though, Mewis got a chance to take a look back at one of her earliest accomplishments while also spending a moment looking ahead to the next generation.

  Mewis, a two-time Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, joined the likes of Jayson Tatum and DK Metcalf at the Gatorade Player of the Year Awards in Los Angeles on Tuesday, spending time alongside 2022-2023 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year Kennedy Fuller. Fuller, a U.S. U-16 international, won the award as a high school sophomore and has already committed to the University of North Carolina.

  For Mewis, the ability to meet and give advice to a player like Fuller is something that she enjoys immensely as she looks to remain a role model to the next generation of rising USWNT stars.

  "I'm so impressed hearing about Kennedy's life and how advanced she is and how much she's doing and how well she's doing," Mewis said. "I think when I was her age, something that we actually were just talking about is balancing that traveling with the national team or coming to events like this. For Kennedy, being away, traveling for your club, being away from your family, there's such a balance to it, and if you go on to have a career where you're going to be playing all over the world or all over the country all the time, you really have to learn that balance.

  "Kennedy seems like she already knows all of those steps. She's talking about her nutrition and being in the weight room and recovering and, when I was 16, I don't think I understood that fully. It seems like Kennedy does so I'm just super impressed and it's been fun getting to know her."

  She added: "I think being a part of something like this reminds you of why we go through all of this stuff. It's to create opportunities for yourself to, hopefully, inspire the next generation. I think a part of my motivation is always trying to be involved with who's up and coming and seeing if I can help in any way or give any advice."

David de Gea's place at Manchester United is under serious scrutiny after a disaster-class against West Ham – but who should they sign to replace him?

There is little doubt that David de Gea's legacy at Manchester United is secure; across 12 years of service, the goalkeeper has developed from a meek youngster into one of the finest shot-stoppers around.

However, with grumblings about his footballing ability growing increasingly loud this season, De Gea's disastrous performance in the Europa League quarter-final humbling by Sevilla thrust his deficiencies into the cold light of day; whatever he has achieved in the past, he is now costing them dearly in the biggest moments.

De Gea's failure to keep out a tame Said Benrahma shot led to United's latest defeat against West Ham, and they are now in danger of being caught by Liverpool in the race for a top four Premier League finish. Erik ten Hag has backed the 32-year-old, but he cannot afford to keep picking him based on his past repuation.

Despite being one of the world's best when it come to making reaction saves from basically any range, the Spaniard and his club have been left behind as the modern game moves towards a model where a ball-playing goalkeeper is almost essential.

De Gea's contract expires this summer, and while it is rumoured he could yet extend his stay, that may well provide the perfect opportunity to part ways. Here are the goalkeepers Man Utd should consider to replace him…

🏆 TOP STORY: Another De Gea error proves costly 😲

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Man Utd must offload De Gea

🚨 MUST READ: Sorry City – Arsenal aren't done quite yet!

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  Diogo Costa

  The man who is widely reported to be in line to replace De Gea at Old Trafford is Porto's Diogo Costa, and it's easy to see why they might target him.

  Costa, who has emerged as Portugal's No.1 goalkeeper, prides himself on his ball-playing ability and is adept at spraying long passes out from the back – both from his hands and the ground.

  The 23-year-old is also at ease playing with either foot, meaning he is more comfortable than most under the pressure of an attacker's press and won't turn into trouble.

  In terms of his goalkeeping ability, Costa is an adept shot-stopper who is an imposing figure in the penalty area, keeping clean sheets in more than half of the 35 games he has played so far in 2022-23.

  He wouldn't come cheap, though, with Porto said to value their goalkeeper at a whopping £66 million ($53m).

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  Mike Maignan

  A difficult sell compared to most of the other names on this list, but if the opportunity arises to land a man who is swiftly emerging as one of the finest goalkeepers on the planet, Man Utd should jump at it.

  Maignan has been exceptional in a Milan side that has failed to recapture the title-winning form of last season, and he was France's natural successor to Hugo Lloris when he hung up his international gloves.

  While he has defied physics with some incredible reaction saves, Maignan is also supremely comfortable in stepping out from his box and joining the build-up as a pseudo third centre-back.

  Indeed, one of Milan's secret weapons is his pinged diagonal pass to flying winger Rafael Leao, as the opposition midfield is taken out of the equation and Leao is immediately set one-on-one with his defender.

  It would be a costly and complicated deal to pull off, with Maignan seemingly settled in Milan and heading for a Champions League semi-final. But of the world-class goalkeepers out there, he is arguably the most attainable and provides a perfect balance between shot-stopping and playing the sweeper keeper.

  Man Utd have been linked in the past, and now could be the perfect time to strike with his value only increasing.

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  Giorgi Mamardashvili

  Another of those touted to be a potential successor to De Gea is Valencia's Giorgi Mamardashvili.

  The 22-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise having initially been signed for the club's B team in 2021, demonstrating all the attributes required to be a top goalkeeper with his agility, reactions, command of his penalty area and shot-stopping ability.

  In terms of his distribution, Marmardashvili's kicking is by no means perfect, but there is potential there that can be worked on in training.

  While he's also been linked with Chelsea, becoming Man Utd's No.1 goalkeeper at this early stage in his career may be a bit too much of a leap, but he would come cheap from cash-strapped Valencia and the Red Devils have had success in the past when they have rolled the dice; De Gea was just 20 when he signed in 2011.

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  Jordan Pickford

  It feels as though it is only a matter of time before Jordan Pickford jumps ship at Everton after two consecutive relegation dogfights.

  Given the pressure potential Premier League-winner Aaron Ramsdale is putting him under, Pickford needs to be playing at a higher level and in Europe if he wants to keep his place as England's No.1.

  Although he is prone to a high-profile rush of blood to the head, Pickford has developed into an excellent all-round goalkeeper whose distribution is one of his main assets.

  It could also be argued that he is far more assured in an England shirt, where is usually protected by a higher calibre of centre-back than he is used to at club level, and it is the mark of a top player when they still shine in a struggling team.

  A man with vast Premier League experience who has played on the biggest stage with his country, capitalising on Everton's woes could make good business and footballing sense for Man Utd in the summer.

How to watch Napoli vs AC Milan in Serie A in the US, as well as kick-off time and team news.

Napoli will be looking to further stamp their authority at the top of Serie A when they welcome AC Milan at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Sunday.

▶ Watch Napoli vs AC Milan live on Paramount+ today!

Only a remarkable collapse can prevent from ending their 33-year Scudetto wait as Luciano Spalletti's men boast a 15+ points lead over their nearest rivals, including Milan – whom they would meet again in the Champions League quarter-final soon enough.

Sunday's hosts have won their last three games in all competitions scoring a combined nine goals and conceding none – the last a 4-0 league win over Torino – while Stefano Pioli's side enter the game on the back of a 3-1 loss at Udinese in Serie A.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the U.S. as well as how to stream live online.

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  Kick-off time

  Game:	Napoli vs AC Milan
  Date:	April 2, 2023
  Kick-off:	2:45pm EDT
  Venue:	Diego Armando Maradona Stadium

  The game is scheduled for April 2, 2023, at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium.

  It will kick off at 2:45pm EDT in the US.

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  How to watch Napoli vs AC Milan online – TV channels & live streams

  TV channels & streaming options

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  U.S.	N/A	Paramount+

  In the United States (US), the game can be watched live on Paramount+.

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  Team news & squads

  Napoli team news

  A muscle injury has ruled out the in-form Victor Osimhen from the Serie A meeting with Milan, and Giovanni Simeone will seize his opportunity alongside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia up front.

  It's a battle between Matteo Politano and Hirving Lozano to start at the right side of attack, other than Mario Rui tipped to start ahead of Mathias Olivera at left-back.

  Napoli possible XI: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Rui; Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Simeone, Kvaratskhelia

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Meret, Gollini, Idasiak, Marfella
  Defenders	Kim, Rrahmani, Ostigard, Jesus, Olivera, Rui, Di Lorenzo, Bereszynski
  Midfielders	Lobotka, Demme, Zielinski, Anguissa, Ndombele, Elmas, Zedadka, Gaetano, Kvaratskhelia, Zerbin, Lozano, Politano
  Forwards	Raspadori, Simeone

  AC Milan team news

  Zlatan Ibrahimovic picked up a fresh thigh injury on international duty, but Olivier Giroud will be looking to score against Napoli for the third time in a row.

  Elsewhere, Pierre Kalulu's injured may coerce Pioli to deploy a four-man backline that would bring back Davide Calabria at right-back, with Simon Kjaer at the heart.

  AC Milan possible XI: Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Hernandez; Bennacer, Tonali; Diaz, Krunic, Leao; Giroud

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Maignan, Tatarusanu, Vasquez, Mirante
  Defenders	Tomori, Gabbia, Thiaw, Kjaer, Hernandez, Ballo-Toure, Calabria, Dest, Florenzi
  Midfielders	Tonali, Bennacer, Bakayoko, Pobega, Vranckx, Krunic, De Ketelaere, Diaz, Adli
  Forwards	Giroud, Rebic, Leao, Origi, Messias, Saelemaekers, Roback

  Head-to-head record

  Date	Result	Competition
  September 19, 2022	AC Milan 1-2 Napoli	Serie A
  March 7, 2022	Napoli 0-1 AC Milan	Serie A
  December 20, 2021	AC Milan 0-1 Napoli	Serie A
  March 15, 2021	AC Milan 0-1 Napoli	Serie A
  November 23, 2020	Napoli 1-3 AC Milan	Serie A

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  Useful links

  • AC Milan team page

  • Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

  • 13 fun facts about Rafael Leao

Harry Kane levelled Jimmy Greaves' Tottenham goalscoring record as Spurs registered an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Fulham

Was it convincing? Absolutely not. But who needs to be convincing when you've got Harry Kane.

Tottenham told a familiar tale at Craven Cottage on Monday night, putting in a thoroughly uninspiring first-half display before being bailed out by their joint-highest all-time goalscorer.

Kane didn't hold that record before proceedings in west London, but after swivelling on the edge of the box and finding his favoured bottom right corner, he now stands alongside the immortal Jimmy Greaves in Spurs' scoring charts with 266 strikes.

On the balance of play, that goal had not been coming. By Conte's design, Tottenham pinned themselves back in their own territory for the overwhelming majority of the opening period, allowing the Cottagers the freedom to express themselves and cause serious problems.

However, a combination of poor finishing and Hugo Lloris' heroics meant Spurs kept them out, and they protected their lead pretty gallantly after the break. A few defensive alterations killed Fulham's momentum and, aside from one late scare, Tottenham were not overly troubled.

And so they held on for just their second Premier League victory since the restart. Off the pitch, there are still countless questions to answer, with the futures of both Kane and Antonio Conte still subject to feverish speculation. But there's no denying this was an important three points which keeps Spurs ticking over in the most hotly-contested race for the top six in recent memory.

Here are GOAL's winners, losers and ratings…

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  The Winners

  Hugo Lloris:

  A string of post-World Cup clangers meant Spurs' captain was under intense pressure heading into this one – not that you could tell by his performance. Fulham peppered the Lloris' goal in the first half, but he was more than up for the challenge, producing four saves – one of which was of the highest quality to prevent Harrison Reed putting Fulham ahead. Thankfully, his second half was altogether quieter, but he'd already made his point. Lloris may not be perfect, but it's safe to say that Fraser Forster's chances of seeing significant Premier League minutes any time soon are extremely remote.

  Harry Kane:

  It wasn't deserved – Spurs' first-half display was putrid – but like he has done so many times before, Kane came to his side's rescue. The goal that saw him tie Greaves' all-time Tottenham goal record was fittingly world class. Knocking the ball into a yard of space in front of Tim Ream, Kane then somehow curled it into the far corner. His body shape for the strike was a thing of beauty. He'll be disappointed that he couldn't break the record with a second-half header that was well saved by former north London derby adversary Bernd Leno.

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  The Losers

  Son Heung-min:

  Anyone who loves football cannot help but feel a little despondent over the drastic decline that Son, one of the most likeable players in the Premier League, has experienced this season. Once again, this was a thoroughly underwhelming evening for the South Korean superstar. Nothing he tried came off and, in truth, he was fortunate to get away with a naughty stamp in the first half. It seems unthinkable, considering how untouchable he's been in recent times, but carry on like this and Richarlison simply has to replace him.

  The fans:

  A delayed kick off is never good – but it's especially depressing when it happens on a Baltic Monday night. Severe delays on the London Underground caused kick-off to be pushed back by 15 minutes at Craven Cottage, though that was not the only issue. Once the two teams did finally emerge, a fault with referee Paul Tierney's electronic communications lead to another chilly wait before things finally got underway. Even second-half stoppage time was delayed due to injury. Really not a great evening for anyone who wanted an early night.

  ENIC & Daniel Levy:

  In case you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, Spurs supporters aren't the biggest fans of their ownership right now. And the travelling contingent made their feelings perfectly clear with little over 120 seconds played in west London, belting out the first of many 'We want Levy out!' chants. Even the rare sight of a first-half goal could not temper the hostile atmosphere – and it's tough to envisage a way for this relationship to be rebuilt from here. Interestingly, Spurs' away support were still vocally behind their manager. They clearly feel that he has not been given the right backing – and if that doesn't change, they will no doubt lose the Italian at the end of the season, if not sooner.

  Spurs' top six rivals:

  This must have been a maddening watch for those currently occupying, or aspiring to occupy, the Champions League places this season. Tottenham really weren't convincing here and the likes of Manchester United, Brighton and others would have been expecting the Cottagers to land a damaging blow on Spurs' Champions League qualification hopes at some point. But that blow never came. Instead, Conte's charges held on, leaving them in a startlingly good position to land European football next term when you consider the current gloomy mist surrounding the club.

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  Tottenham Ratings: Defence

  Hugo Lloris (7/10):

  Under pressure coming into this and dealt with his early tests confidently. Made a fine stop from Reed. A good answer to his critics.

  Cristian Romero (5/10):

  Mitrovic easily won the battle against him in the first period. Nearly took the Serbian's head off half an hour from time. A bit rash.

  Eric Dier (7/10):

  Gave Mitrovic his toughest test of the three Spurs defenders. Kept it simple and fairly solid.

  Ben Davies (6/10):

  Fulham exploited his channel time and time again before the break. Tightened up after the half-time tweaks.

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  Midfield

  Emerson Royal (5/10):

  Pretty dismal. Willian enjoyed plenty of joy down the left due to Emerson's hapless defending.

  Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (6/10):

  Needed to be more assertive in demanding the ball from his defenders. Did the nitty gritty fairly well, especially in the second half.

  Rodrigo Bentancur (6/10):

  Sloppy early on. Far too easily dispossessed on more than one occasion and passing was wasteful. Improved markedly to help his side see things out.
  Ivan Perisic (5/10):
  Takes a share of the culpability for Fulham having so much joy down the right. Not his most influential display in the final third.

This season has been a wretched one for Nuno Santo’s small squad at Wolves.

They have been dealt countless injury blows which means we won’t see the likes of Jonny, Daniel Podence, Pedro Neto or Raul Jimenez until next season.

That being said, a return is edging ever closer for their Mexican sensation.

Jimenez has been missing since November after a horrifying clash of heads with Arsenal defender David Luiz.

The forward fell to the floor in agony as he was then stretchered from the field. The prognosis was that Jimenez had fractured his skull, an injury that would keep him out for an extended period of time.

He’s been able to progress from basic fitness work into full competitive training from March but has been unable to fully involve himself in powered heading and aerial duels.

Wolves announced on Wednesday evening that he wouldn’t play again this season but they did provide an exciting update on when he may back in action.

In a club statement, they revealed that Jimenez is expected to be fit and ready in time for the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Club doctor Matt Perry said: “His skull fracture has now healed well; he will wear a protective headguard to cover the area of bony injury for the remainder of his career, but it is adjudged strong enough for him to return to play with this protection.

Perry continued: “A brain injury such as concussion can take weeks and months to recover fully and TBI will sometimes leave lasting deficits. It is wonderful to be able to say that Raul has made a remarkable and excellent recovery to date.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-wolves-transfer-rumours-and-news-soumare-dias-dembele-marques-nuno-santo” title=”Read the latest Wolves transfer rumours and news!”]

“Further match-based rehabilitation will start in July and will be tightly controlled initially. This respects the fact that although his recovery appears to be total there is a big step from training to competition.”

This is simply wonderful news, and it’s likely to leave the manager absolutely buzzing.

Without Jimenez this season, Wolves have struggled significantly in the final third.

Their top scorers are Ruben Neves and Neto on just five goals while Fabio Silva and Willian Jose have only netted a handful of times between them as well.

Silva has started to progress nicely in the back end of the campaign but Jose’s arrival from Real Sociedad has not gone according to plan.

He hasn’t suited the club’s style of play and has one goal to show for his efforts at Molineux.

Jimenez is a natural born goal scorer so to have him back next season will be a massive boost to their chances of finishing in the top half.

Last term, the 30-year-old bagged 27 strikes and also racked up ten assists. To have that sort of volume missing from your attack will trouble any team.

Nuno will be dancing for joy that his main man is making a full recovery.

AND in other news, Tim Spiers delivers exciting transfer update, Wolves fans should be buzzing…

GOAL rounds up all the completed Manchester United transfers in the 2022-23 season so far

Erik ten Hag has done a commendable job since taking charge of Manchester United, helping them climb into the top four after losing his first two Premier League games.

The season began with several new additions to the squad as Ten Hag looked to make his mark.

Casemiro, who won five Champions Leagues with Real Madrid, was signed along with Tyrell Malacia, while the Dutcman also convinced the club to splash huge sums on the Ajax duo of Antony and Lisandro Martínez, who he had previously managed while he was in charge of the Eredivisie giants.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo's unpleasant departure following his shocking interview with Piers Morgan has left a void in the forward line, which means that United will be on the lookout for a new forward in the January window, especially after long-term target Cody Gakpo joined Liverpool.

GOAL has got you covered with all the completed Manchester United transfers in the ongoing 2022-23 season, below.

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  New signings summer window

  There was plenty of transfer activity ahead of the start of the 2022-23 campaign, with Ten Hag bringing in a number of big-money signings.

  Antony joined from Ajax after a lengthy transfer saga, while his compatriot Casemiro was brought in to strengthen United's midfield after they failed to lure Frenkie de Jong away from Barcelona.

  Martinez initially appeared to be on his way to Arsenal, but didn't need any time to think about it when United came calling and he has quickly become a key figure at Old Trafford.

  Player	Nationality	Previous club	Fee
  Antony	Brazil	Ajax	€95m
  Casemiro	Brazil	Real Madrid	€72m
  Lisandro Martínez	Argentina	Ajax	€67.37m
  Tyrell Malacia	Netherlands	Feyenoord	€17m
  Christian Eriksen	Denmark	Brentford	Free
  Martin Dúbravka	Slovakia	Newcastle United	Loan

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  New signings January window

  With Dubravka returning to Newcastle after his loan spell came to a premature end, United opted to bring in Jack Butland as their new back-up goalkeeper.

  Player	Nationality	Previous club	Fee
  Jack Butland	England	Crystal Palace	Loan
  Wout Weghorst	Netherlands	Besiktas (on loan from Burnley)	Loan
  Marcel Sabitzer	Austria	Bayern Munich	Loan

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  Departures summer window

  It was arguably one of United's busiest-ever summers when it came to players leaving, with numerous big names moving on.

  Paul Pogba was the standout name on the list of players exiting, but the likes of Edinson Cavani, Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic are all household names as well, to name just a few.

  Player	Nationality	New club	Fee
  Andreas Pereira	Brazil	Fulham	Undisclosed
  Paul Pogba	France	Juventus	Free
  Edinson Cavani	Uruguay	Valencia	Free
  Eric Bailly	Ivory Coast	Marseille	Loan-to-buy (€10m)
  Jesse Lingard	England	Nottingham Forest	Free
  Juan Mata	Spain	Galatasaray	Free
  Nemanja Matić	Serbia	Roma	Free
  Alex Telles	Brazil	Sevilla	Loan
  Dean Henderson	England	Nottingham Forest	Loan
  Amad Diallo	Ivory Coast	Sunderland	Loan
  Tahith Chong	Netherlands	Birmingham City	Undisclosed
  James Garner	England	Everton	€10.5m
  William Fish	England	Hibernian	Loan
  Hannibal Mejbri	Tunisia	Birmingham City	Loan
  Ethan Laird	England	Queens Park Rangers	Loan
  Lee Grant	England	NA	Retired

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• getty
  

  Departures January window

  The departure of Cristiano Ronaldo technically happened in November as his contract got terminated and brought an unsuccessful second spell at Old Trafford to an end.

  He got plenty of goals in his first season back, but it didn't result in any trophies and he quickly fell out of favour this term for a number of reasons.

  Player	Nationality	New club	Fee
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	Al-Nassr	Released
  Martin Dúbravka	Slovakia	Newcastle United	End of loan
  Axel Tuanzebe	England	Stoke City	Loan

Mexico defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1 on Wednesday, but it wasn't enough to fend off World Cup elimination

Hirving Lozano sat glum and alone in the dugout when the match ended, a training bib draped over his head. Cesar Montes rested on his back in the middle of the pitch, hands covering his eyes. Edson Alvarez wept in a post-match TV interview.

Heartbreak. Complete and utter heartbreak.

Mexico would have felt deep pain regardless of the elimination method, but this particular way of going out of the World Cup felt extra cruel.

After squandering each and every chance given to them in the first two games of the group stage, El Tri finally threatened in the attack. They scored twice in the second half to inspire hope, but couldn't get the third that would have given them a tiebreaker advantage over Poland in Group C.

A 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia that exhilarated their fans most of the way was ultimately irrelevant.

Manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino's tenure is likely over, and it will be seen as a failure. Despite the fight back, despite the hope, the 2022 World Cup was a grand disappointment for El Tri, who expected to be around a lot longer than this.

This is their first group stage exit since 1978.

It's the hope that kills you, they say, and, at Lusail Stadium on Wednesday night, Mexico's World Cup dreams were killed in painful fashion.

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  The Winners

  The neutral:

  What drama that was.

  This is what the World Cup is about, isn’t it? Pure, absolute chaos. Permutations and calculations galore.

  It was edge-of-your-seat stuff, really. At Lusail Stadium, you could hear the crowd simmer when news of Argentina’s goals against Poland reached those in attendance. It was no doubt the same at Stadium 974.

  For about 30 minutes, it all lay in the balance with everything from goals to yellow cards coming into play. 

  One more Mexico goal would have been enough. It never came, which will serve as a gut punch to fans of El Tri. But, for anyone watching without a horse in the race, there was no way to take your eyes off of it.

  The drama of the World Cup, everyone. Can you beat it?

  Luis Chavez:

  Good God what a goal.

  You’ll see few better, especially when you take the circumstances into account. To hit that ball from that far into the goal like that? Goodness gracious.

  As Chavez lined up from well past 30 yards, few could have predicted what he would do. How could you? How could you expect a free-kick so audacious?

  It was a deserved moment in the sun for Chavez, who has been in fantastic form dating back to the Liga MX playoffs. And that was his first-ever senior international goal. Can you imagine a better one?

  It as all for nothing, ultimately, as Mexico couldn't get the result needed to advance. However, Chavez did well for himself in Qatar. European clubs, take notice. Mexico have quite a player on their hands.

  Poland:

  In the end, the biggest benefactor of the result at Lusail Stadium was the team on the losing end at Stadium 974.

  Poland survived by the skin of their teeth, barely edging Mexico on goal difference.

  Robert Lewandowski and Co. have moved on at Mexico's expense as El Tri will look back at the missed opportunities and unrealised potential of it all after losing out by the slimmest of margins.

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  The Losers

  Gerardo Martino:

  As the final whistle blew, an orange drink was hurled in the direction of Gerardo Martino. And so his tenure moved toward what is seemingly an inevitable end clouded in failure.

  It's wild to think back to the optimism that came with his hiring in 2019. The former Argentina and Barcelona coach was fresh off an MLS title. He'd managed Lionel Messi and now he was taking on El Tri.

  Ironically, it was Messi who helped doom Martino as his Mexico side failed to escape their group for the first time in more than 40 years. Mexico will look back on the Argentina loss perhaps most of all wondering what could have been.

  The fans turned on Martino long before Wednesday. His roster selections, tactics and overall relationship with the public soured prior to the squad's arrival in Qatar. But he had a chance to salvage it all with a strong performance at the World Cup.

  It didn't happen.

  Saudi Arabia:

  Talk about a missed opportunity…

  After beating Argentina in their opener, Saudi Arabia had it in the palms of their hands. A point, any sort of points, against Poland or Mexico could have sent them through. They couldn’t find it. 

  Saudi Arabia squandered such an opportunity to stun the world by advancing. Few would have pegged them to do so, but they had their chance, didn’t they?

  Their crowd support was incredible as their fans went toe-to-toe with El Tri's, but, from the moment Chavez’s Golazo hit the back of the net, they’d accepted their fate. They rose again briefly for Salem Al-Dawsari's goal, but it was too late.

  A tough one to take for a team that provided one of the best upsets in tournament history. It’s a shame they couldn’t build on it to turn it into something bigger. They captured lightning in a bottle for just that one game against Argentina, but, as they say, lightning doesn't strike twice.

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  Mexico ratings: Defense

  Guillermo Ochoa (6/10):

  Didn't have to do much and, realistically, the goal he conceded didn't matter.

  Jesus Gallardo (7/10):

  One of Mexico's best players at this tournament. Was good once again as he got forward well.

  Hector Moreno (6/10):

  Solid enough as he mostly dealt with infrequent Saudi Arabia counters.

  Cesar Montes (7/10):

  Assisted the opening goal with a fantastic flick off his heel and was solid at the back.

  Jorge Sanchez (7/10):

  Similar to Gallardo, got forward well as El Tri pushed for goals

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  Midfield

  Edson Alvarez (6/10):

  A physical performance that bordered on careless. Was withdrawn late as Mexico needed more attackers.

  Luis Chavez (8/10):

  An absolutely electric goal from a player who certainly raised his profile in Qatar despite his team's failings.

Everton have been handed a massive boost ahead of their clash with West Ham United on Sunday afternoon.

Although they will be missing the services of James Rodriguez again, they will be able to welcome back one of their key players from a promising campaign.

Carlo Ancelotti was speaking late this week about his team’s chances at the London Stadium and confirmed that Abdoulaye Doucoure was fit again.

He said: “He is really important. He showed fantastic quality and has supported the team a lot when he played.

“It was a great surprise for us to have this type of player. He put a lot of energy into the midfield and to have him back for the next game will be really important.”

Ancelotti concluded: “Without him, we have had more problems. He is one of the most important players we had and he has been a really good signing. I hope he can show his quality in the last games we have before the end.”

The Frenchman has been absent for seven games now dating back to March 4th. The £120k-per-week earner has been missing as a result of a small fracture in his foot.

Everton posted pictures of the midfield general back in full training this week which represents a huge advantage to their chances on Sunday.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-everton-transfer-news-coutinho-ancelotti-hawng-sarr” title=”Read the latest Everton transfer news!”]

The Toffees have been missing some muscle in the middle of the park without him with Andre Gomes struggling following his own return to injury.

The Portuguese was lumped off shortly after the hour mark against Arsenal and then won just two of his nine defensive duels in the defeat to Aston Villa last weekend.

Ancelotti appears to be buzzing that his combative midfield player is back and you can hardly blame him.

Prior to his two-month-long injury, the 28-year-old had only missed one league game all season after arriving from Watford for a fee of £20m.

Against a free-flowing West Ham side, having Doucoure back is absolutely vital. He and Allan will have a huge job on their hands if they are to stop the effervescent Jesse Lingard.

AND in other news, Imagine him & DCL: Everton must swoop for £24.9m gem who gives oppo “sleepless nights”…

Pep Guardiola takes his side back to his former club for a charity fund-raiser in aid of former team-mate Juan Carlos Unzue

Any friendlies once the season has started are extremely rare, particularly for leading clubs like Manchester City who plan for a long campaign by attacking every cup competition.

Last season City played 58 competitive matches, 61 the season before and 59 the previous year, and Pep Guardiola will be hoping and expecting for a similar amount this time.

But he’s also mindful about taking care of players who have such a heavy workload and with the added requirement of international football – even greater this year because of the mid-season World Cup in Qatar, so it might seem strange to add an extra unnecessary fixture.

However, the City boss was delighted to take his squad to Spain ahead of a charity fund-raiser at Camp Nou in support of former Barcelona goalkeeper and coach Juan Carlos Unzue, who was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) two years ago.

Guardiola has spoken about the benefits of the trip and GOAL looks at who will gain from another match and how it could help their challenge for silverware this season…

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  Luzon Foundation

  First and foremost, the most important benefactor from the game is the foundation which carries out research into the incurable degenerative neurological condition.

  All proceeds from the game will go towards ALS research, on behalf of Unzue, who is a former Barcelona team-mate of Guardiola, and 51,000 tickets have already been sold for the game.

  “We go because Barcelona open doors to play a game for an important person in our lives,” Guardiola said. “They invite us to raise money for the battle that he has, and it is an incredible argument for us to be there.”

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  Pep Guardiola

  Even in late August, no one can reasonably predict the current pleasant temperatures in Manchester, so a trip to Catalonia was a guarantee of some warm weather training.

  City will base themselves at sister club Girona and will have a few days of team bonding, which began with a flight straight from the 3-3 draw at Newcastle and will see them return ahead of Saturday’s visit of Crystal Palace.

  After an extended summer break for the squad compared to some of their rivals, City had a short preseason and the trip will also give the coach an opportunity to work on tactics ahead of the fixture schedule building up.

• Kalvin Phillips

  The £42million summer signing has so far played only four minutes following his move from Leeds and is likely to have an opportunity for more game time.

  With only one game a week at the moment, it’s understandable that Guardiola has chosen Rodri as his go-to holding midfielder, partly because he’s attuned to the system, but also because he’s been in brilliant form for the past two seasons.

  As the schedule starts to fire up over the upcoming weeks, Phillips will get his starts in a key position and Guardiola has said this game will give rhythm to players that have so far been on the periphery.

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  Julian Alvarez

  Exactly the same can be said for the Argentinian striker, who will not have expected to have started the opening matches ahead of the standout summer signing Erling Haaland.

  Acclimatising to the Premier League will be slightly easier for Haaland who was born in Leeds and speaks English, but Guardiola says that he needs Alvarez to be a strong alternative.

  “Now he has one game a week, I tell you now when we have games every three days that Erling will not play, I will play Julian,” Guardiola said after the draw with Newcastle.

A number of Manchester City fans are livid with their rumoured third kit for the 2021/22 season.

The Citizens are enjoying a fantastic campaign – they are within touching of distance of claiming the Premier League title, while they have one foot in the Champions League final after beating Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their semi-final. They have already secured the Carabao Cup as well, meaning they could end the season with three trophies.

Their attire for the season have been made by Puma, their kit provider since 2019. Next season is already not too far away, and plans are already being made for the shirts they will wear in 2021/22 as a rumoured City third kit for the upcoming campaign has been leaked. Remarkably, it does not seem to contain the club’s crest.

A photo of the reported new kit was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters, some of whom have dubbed it “terrible”. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these Man City fans had to say about the kit leak

“Hate this so much, wish we can go back to Nike”

Credit: @jason23ortega

“Is this club trying to punish we the fans or what”

Credit: @chetambe_

“That looks terrible”

Credit: @FUTJPO

“This can’t happen…. there’s no badge man!”

Credit: @danthedrummer12

It’s like @PUMA are trying to outdo themselves in terms of dreadfulness. Got to say, they’re knocking it out the park every single time.

Credit: @phil_ribchester

“This makes me feel ill”

Credit: @Ethan4707

In other news, some Man City fans are unhappy about this Raheem Sterling news.