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For years, the U.S. has been begging for a striker. Now, Gregg Berhalter's side has two that look ready for the big moments.

They say a rising tide lifts all boats. It's an old saying but, in sports, it's often true. Competition, more often than not, is a good thing, and the introduction of just one newcomer can sometimes take everyone and everything to a new level.

That was apparent on Tuesday night. The introduction of Folarin Balogun has raised the potential of the USMNT in the long-term, and it's clear that the new striker has lit under a fire under one that was once in his place.

Balogun and Ricardo Pepi both got on the scoresheet in the 4-0 win over Oman, scoring in either half with both playing 45 minutes. Balogun's goal was a poacher's effort, a solid finish on a rebound from a Sergino Dest striker. Pepi's, meanwhile, was another well-hit missile after he scored a similar blast against Uzbekistan.

Balogun now has two goals in under 300 USMNT minutes. Pepi, meanwhile, has six goals in six USMNT appearances as Balogun's arrival, and his World Cup snub, haven't deterred him in the slightest.

The strikers were big winners on Tuesday night, but they weren't the only winners for the USMNT. It was a complete performance from top to bottom, one that will leave Gregg Berhalter excited looking ahead to bigger tests next month against Germany and Ghana.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Allianz Field…

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  WINNER: Weston McKennie

  It was, at least partly, a function of the game, as Oman's 4-4-2 diamond left them exposed. However, there's no denying the performance McKennie put in in this one.

  The Juventus midfielder played a seemingly never-ending series of diagonal balls, routinely opening up Oman's defense. In the first half, in particular, McKennie made it feel like the game was being played under his control thanks to both his passing and effort.

  That passing was the most noticeable part of his game, but it was the effort that helped pave the way for the USMNT goal. It was his hustle that kept the sequence going, leading to Balogun's goal, and that effort never went away no matter how lopsided the score got.

  It was a big game for McKennie, one even better than his performance against Uzbekistan. Despite not getting on the scoresheet, he was likely the Man of the Match, making quite a statement as he heads back to Juventus.

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  LOSER: Argentina

  The smile on Benjamin Cremaschi's face said it all. As he prepared for to come in for his USMNT debut, the Inter Miami teenager was smiling from ear to ear. You could see this meant something to him.

  And that's great news for the USMNT, who may just have the inside track on his recruitment. Cremaschi may have Lionel Messi in one ear, but whatever the USMNT is saying in the other seems to be working.

  It wasn't a wildly eventful debut. Solid, but not spectacular, it's fair to say, as Cremaschi didn't look out of his depth against a team that, for most of the night, looked out of theirs. Still, the questions immediately turned towards the future: with this one USMNT appearance under his belt, what does that mean for his future with Argentina?

  "We didn't talk about that," Berhalter said. "We'll have time talk about it. To me, it was about letting him see the environment, letting him see the guys, get to know the guys, know the coaches.

  "His performance did nothing to change my opinion: I think he's a highly, highly talented player. He has exciting potential, and I think he showed that today."

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  WINNER: Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi

  It's felt like forever since the USMNT had a competent striker. It proved to be their undoing at the 2022 World Cup. If that team had someone, anyone, that could finish chances, who knows what that tournament would have looked like?

  These days, the U.S. doesn't just have one; they have at least two. Heck, it could be argued that there are three or four. But, on this day, the focus was on Balogun and Pepi, the clear frontrunners in this ever-changing striker race.

  After a fairly quiet game against Uzbekistan, Balogun made an early impact against Oman. His goal set the tone, leading to the onslaught that followed. Yet, Berhalter says he believes Balogun could have scored more and, in the future, he will as his teammates adjust to his game.

  "I think we're still trying to figure out the best way to utilize Balo because we know that he's high quality," Berhalter said. "He made a number of good runs behind the back line that we didn't pick up on so he's still integrating on that side of it."

  As for Pepi, Berhalter was quick to praise the striker, who has used his World Cup snub as fuel to start this cycle. He's been unstoppable for the U.S. so far this year and looks like he's recovered all of the confidence that was drained from him at Augsburg.

  If the Copa America were to start now, Balogun would likely be the guy up top, but don't write Pepi off just yet. Those two will continue to push each other, it seems, and that's great news for the U.S. after waiting so long to have goalscorers like this.

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  LOSER: Oman

  In his pregame availabilities, Berhalter routinely pointed to the dangers of Oman's counterattack. Despite not being a traditional power, Oman are a team that can cause teams problems. Just last year, they played Germany tight in a 1-0 loss, while this year, they already beat World Cup partcipant Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Cup.

  There was no danger, though, on Tuesday night. Oman had absolutely nothing for the USMNT.

  Routinely torched by the U.S. throughout, Oman's 4-4-2 diamond was picked apart. And, in the few moments when they did get the ball, the USMNT centerback swept up anything Oman tried to throw at them.

  Berhalter left the game thrilled with his team's defensive performances, saying that he gave Miles Robinson and Chris Richards game balls as co-Man of the Match.

  "We never do that," Berhalter said. "The reason why we did is because the counter attack was non-existent. Anytime they tried to run the channels, they were there."

  As complete as the U.S. performance was, it was equally poor from Oman, who will need to go back to the drawing board as they begin World Cup qualifying next month.

The Blues are expected to lose the renowned Frenchman this summer but Brighton's midfield dynamo would be more than an able replacement

"N'Golo Kante [is my idol]. I like the way Kante plays because he pressures a lot. I learn every day when I watch him. I think it helps watching these top players if you want to carry on improving."

Those were the words of a 19-year-old Moises Caicedo when he became a Brighton player back in 2021, and it seems he must have been watching a lot of the Frenchman in the two years since. After a meteoric rise to prominence on the south coast, he is ready to step into his idol's rather big boots at Stamford Bridge as Kante prepares to head for the riches of Saudi Arabia.

Despite a harrowing 2022-23 season in which they failed to qualify for any form of European football, Chelsea lead the race for the coveted Ecuadorian's signature ahead of the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool. Like his reputation, Caicedo's price tag has soared since he arrived in England for just £4.3 million ($5.5m), but GOAL explains why Chelsea should be breaking the bank (again) to land him…

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  Chelsea need an injury-free No.6

  Having seen his involvement diminish in recent seasons as a result of worsening fitness issues, Kante's time at Chelsea is set to come to a sad and abrupt end.

  His problems reached their nadir in 2022-23 following a serious hamstring injury in August , as the France international made just nine appearances in all competitions, totalling just 685 minutes.

  His presence was felt as keenly as his absence, with Kante a transformative force in those games he was fit for late in the season, while Chelsea's lack of an out-and-out defensive midfielder was often exploited as they slid down the Premier League table during his spell on the sidelines.

  By contrast, Caicedo has been a near ever-present for Brighton since making his breakthrough for the Seagulls, with a muscle tear way back in 2020 the most serious injury of his career to date.

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  South American synergy

  This is a transfer that creates the potential for a South American symbiosis at Stamford Bridge; Argentine Mauricio Pochettino has been installed in the dugout, and Chelsea signed his compatriot and their primary midfield target, Enzo Fernandez, in January, following a brief flirtation with second-choice Caicedo.

  It's a triumvirate that should be mutually beneficial. Outgoing interim manager Frank Lampard revealed at the end of May that Enzo's English isn't the best, saying: "He doesn’t speak the language much at all, but he’s learning fast." Caicedo is still learning himself, and he has previously spoken about the importance of having Spanish speakers around him – both on the touchline and on the pitch.

  “I’m getting to understand it [English], learning new words, new phrases all the time, but it’s been so important to have the Spanish-speaking guys here to help me. My English will only get better. I also watch as much English TV as I can, as that is helping," he said in 2022.

  While they are learning the language away from the pitch, the ability to communicate in their native tongue on it cannot be underestimated in a position that requires constant talk. Meanwhile, Pochettino will be able to get his ideas across to both players on the training ground and from the dugout.

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  Enzo unlocked

  One of the main benefits of Chelsea signing an elite-level No.6 would be unleashing Enzo Fernandez. The World Cup-winner barely put a foot wrong after his blockbuster move from Benfica, but it was evident that he was playing within himself in an attacking sense, conscious that he was also having to do the job of a defensive midfielder given Kante's absence and the deficiencies of some of his midfield team-mates.

  While he was able to cut out passing lanes and occasionally regain possession in ground duels, Enzo was occasionally found wanting when defending one-v-one against players with more pace, infamously being left for dead by Borussia Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi in the Champions League last 16.

  Indeed, Fernandez’s father, Raul, has revealed his son is relishing a more advanced role next season. “Enzo is comfortable, happy, and adjusting to London," he said. "He was happy about the arrival of Pochettino. Next season? My son wants to be a champion. I think [we will see Enzo play further forward]. He was going to ask [Pochettino] to play further forward.”

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  Premier League-ready

  It has been widely reported that Pochettino wants to build his Chelsea side on the foundations of a core of players with Premier League experience, and Caicedo obviously fits the bill.

  After catching the eye of Brighton's famed scouting department during his time at Independiente del Valle in his home country in 2021, Caicedo required just six months of European football on loan at Beerschot in Belgium before adapting seamlessly to the rigours of the Premier League in April 2022.

  In 2022-23, he ranked in the top five of Premier League midfielders (minimum 900 minutes) for both passes completed and tackles won. His passing accuracy was second only to Manchester City star Rodri among midfielders, and he was in the top 10 for interceptions, ball recoveries, duel success and passes into the final third.

  He already looks like the complete defensive-minded midfield player, and his manager Roberto De Zerbi has seen that in him. “There are many players who are very good with the ball but without it, in defensive spaces, are not so good,” he said. “Others in the defensive space are top but with the ball there are some problems. With Caicedo, I don't see anything not at the top level.”

Manchester City’s hopes of signing Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli this summer have taken a blow as Arsenal now reportedly lead the race to sign the ItalY international, which suggests that Pep Guardiola’s side must act quickly if they want to bring him to the Etihad Stadium.

The Citizens have been regularly linked with the 23-year-old in recent months as a result of his superb performances for club and country and, after some excellent performances at the European Championship for Roberto Mancini’s side so far this summer, it seems as if a summer transfer is on the cards.

Although the likes of Man City, Juventus and PSG were previously said to be the main contenders to sign the young midfielder, it has now been reported that Arsenal have bid for him and are now leading the race to sign him this summer.

Despite the lack of European football on offer at the Emirates Stadium next season, Sassuolo’s sporting director Giovanni Carnevali has claimed that Arsenal are the only club to have made a concrete offer for the £31.5m-rated Locatelli and are the leading contenders to sign him outside of Italy.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-manchester-city-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Manchester City transfer rumours and news!”]

Although Fernandinho recently agreed to a new one-year deal at Manchester City, it seems likely that next season will be his last as a player in Guardiola’s squad, and the 23-year-old Locatelli could have been the ideal long-term option for City as they look for some competition for Rodri in that role for the significant future.

Last season saw the former AC Milan ace make 34 appearances in Serie A for Sassuolo, in which he contributed four goals and two assists, averaging an impressive 7.08 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He has also been a driving force for Italy at the Euros, averaging a superb 7.46 rating from WhoScored across his three appearances thus far, and seems likely to start as Mancini’s side face Belgium in the quarter-finals tonight.

[freshpress-quiz id=“577936″]

Therefore, the “complete” midfielder could be an excellent addition to Guardiola’s side this summer, although sporting director Txiki Begiristain must act quickly if he wants to bring him to the Etihad following the news that Arsenal have already made an offer for him.

In other news… City not prepared to give up on teenage wonderkid

The Italian's appointment was met by scepticism by some, while Adam Lallana had no idea who he was, but he is now the hottest manager on the market

On the evening of October 22, 2022, Roberto De Zerbi was a man under pressure. He had only been Brighton boss for just over a month, but he had yet to win a game in the Premier League. A 3-1 loss at Manchester City represented a third defeat in his first five outings.

It was feared that all of Graham Potter's excellent work on the south coast was in serious danger of being undone, with the team having dropped from fourth to ninth following his departure to Chelsea. Maybe Graeme Souness had been right when he claimed that De Zerbi "doesn't know our game".

Yet those that actually do know the game could see that the Italian's daring tactical approach was starting to take root at Brighton.

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  'His impact in England will be massive'

  City may have triumphed that evening at the Etihad, but something very strange had happened: the reigning English champions had lost the battle for the ball. Brighton had restricted their hosts to just 48 percent possession.

  "They propose a type of game we're not used to," Pep Guardiola admitted afterwards, before boldly predicting, "De Zerbi's impact in England will be massive." Guardiola has a tendency to lavish meaningless praise on opponents but, on this occasion, he meant every word. And he's been proven right, too.

  Just seven months after his arrival in England was greeted with almost widespread scepticism, De Zerbi is being hailed as a tactical genius who has managed to marry the best principles of Pep's possession play with Jurgen Klopp's controlled counter-pressing chaos.

  Not that he's allowing the praise to go to his head. "I've been coaching for 10 years and I've learned to live in this world," he told the last month. "Now that the results are smiling at us, compliments and nice words abound. But it's important to know how to decipher them.

  "I don't want to change anything, just do what I'm capable of: leaving my imprint on the team. Here, I think I have succeeded in a short time, but the credit goes to the players."

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  'Almost father-son relationship with players'

  The Brighton squad wasn't against his appointment. But that was mainly because they had never heard of De Zerbi, as Adam Lallana is now "embarrassed" to admit. The former Liverpool midfielder has claimed, though, that he was the first Brighton player to understand what exactly Potter's replacement was trying to do, and thus played a key role in his team-mates embracing the new approach.

  "Even if he doesn't speak English well, and I don't speak Italian, we understood each other just by looking at each other," Lallana told the . "It was hard for us at the beginning, because Potter had left us while we were fourth in the table: we were all sad and not at all players like change. But I knew we had to go on, that we had to move on, also because there were immediately important games to play.

  "And I remember how De Zerbi immediately wanted to get things across to the group, how he wanted everything to change quickly, and convey the passion and love he has for football. It took a little bit of time, but I think we still adapted very, very quickly, with an open mind and a willingness to hear what he had to say.

  "We started to see that things worked his way because of the way he is as a person, the almost father-son relationship he creates with the players. I remember telling him to let me know what he wanted, that I was ready to explain to the team-mates why they had to follow him. And I did it: I explained that it would be difficult at the beginning, but that we would see the results and we would be successful."

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  Few better footballing sides in Europe

  He wasn't wrong. Brighton narrowly missed out on a place in the FA Cup final, losing on penalties to Manchester United in the last four, while ahead of Thursday's game against the same opposition, they sit eighth in the Premier League table, with games in hand over all of their rivals for a fifth-placed finish.

  What's most impressive about Brighton's results, though, is how they are being achieved. There are few better footballing sides in Europe right now, let alone England.

  While he still occasionally dabbles with Potter's three-man defence, De Zerbi has successfully implemented his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, which he uses to put opponents in a most uncomfortable position. If they choose to sit back, Brighton will dominate possession and pick teams apart with some of the remaining principles of Potter-ball. If they elect to press, though, Brighton will pass through them, as swiftly and directly as possible.

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  'Launching the ball is the equivalent of gambling'

  Obviously, such a daring strategy requires the utmost quality and composure from each and every single player entrusted with possession of the ball. It feels like a high-risk tactic. There are those that frown upon building from the back and instead espouse knocking it long when required.

  De Zerbi, though, sees things very differently. "To me, launching the ball upfield and trying to win the second ball is the equivalent of gambling," he once told , "and since I don't like to bet, I prefer to train a team to bring the ball carefully out of defence."

  As he now freely admits himself, this Brighton side best exemplifies his footballing philosophy, the one with which he enjoys "the most harmony". He rather humbly puts that down to the foundations put in place by his predecessor Potter and the intelligence of his players, but Lallana has been astounded by just how quickly "he managed to get so many guys to play in such a specific way".

  "I think that's what makes him so incredible," the Englishman said. "He got a group of 25 players to follow him, to always stay focused, and to embrace his idea of football."

Here's where you can watch Inter Miami vs FC Dallas in MLS on TV or stream live.

When Inter Miami hosts Dallas at DVR PNK Stadium on Saturday night, it wo;; be trying to snap a four-game losing streak in the MLS.

The hosts are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, while the guests have had a little bit of a better start and are currently sixth in the Western Conference.

▶ Watch every MLS match, including the playoffs, here

Inter Miami had a very promising start to the MLS season, winning its first two games. However, in recent weeks, its record has declined, and it is currently outside the playoff spots.

The Herons have only collected six points from its first six games and in its most recent game, it lost 1-0 away against FC Cincinnati despite controlling possession.

Dallas had a very good 2022 season, finishing third in the Western Conference, but it was eliminated from the playoffs in the quarterfinals after losing 2-1 away to Austin FC.

The Hoops have had a respectable, if not amazing, start to the season. It has eight points after six games, which puts it in the playoff spots but already seven points behind St. Louis City at the top of the standings.

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about where to watch the game on TV and stream live online.

• Inter Miami vs FC Dallas date & kick-off time

  Game:	Inter Miami vs FC Dallas
  Date:	April 8, 2023
  Kick-off time:	7:30 pm ET
  Venue:	DRV PNK Stadium

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• Where to watch Inter Miami vs FC Dallas on TV & live stream online

  Fans in the United States & across the world can watch MLS with Apple TV MLS Season Pass.

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  US	N/A	Apple TV

  • Check out GOAL's soccer on U.S. TV guide

• Team news & squads

  Inter Miami team news and squad

  Inter Milan will be without Robbie Robinson and Leonardo Campana due to calf strains, Edison Azcona with a sore hamstring, and Ian Fray and Noah Allen because of knee injuries.

  Inter Miami possible XI: Callender; Yedlin, Kryvtsov, McVey, Negri; Gregore, Mota; Pizarro, Ulloa, Jean; Martinez

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Callender, Marsman
  Defenders	Negri, McVey, Yedlin, Kryvtsov, Sailor
  Midfielders	Mota, Gregore, Pizarro, Ulloa, Jean, Duke, Cremaschi, Neville, Duke
  Forwards	Martinez, Lassiter

  FC Dallas team news and squad

  FC Dallas has Tarik Scott unavailable after he underwent ACL surgery while Ema Twumasi is suspended for the game.

  FC Dallas possible XI: Paes; Jesus, Tafari, Ibeagha, Farfan; Quignon, Cerrillo, Velasco; Obrian, Ferreira, Arriola

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Paes, Maurer
  Defenders	Farfan, Geovane, Twusami, Martinez, Ibegaha, Korca
  Midfielders	Pomykal, Lleget, Cerrillo, Quignon, Ntsabeleng
  Forwards	Ferreira, Velasco, Arriola, Jimenez, Obria

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Graham Roberts has slammed Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks, insisting that he has become “Mr Conservative”.

The 25-year-old endured a terrible season under the management of Jose Mourinho, as he fell out of favour under the Portuguese.

Winks made just 10 appearances under Mourinho in the league, and completed the 90 minutes just three times.

Following the appointment of Ryan Mason, Winks did manage to work his way back into the team, playing some part in all of the final three games of the 2020/21 Premier League season.

Roberts, though, was left unimpressed with his displays in the top-flight and believes that he continuously looks for the safe option, instead of trying to play the ball forward.

Indeed, he believes that it does not matter who the manager is in north London, such is the inability of Winks to affect the game in the final third.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “I would say, forget about [the new manager] with Harry Winks, I think it’s Harry Winks with Harry Winks. When Harry Winks got in the team years ago, it’s not the same Harry Winks now.

“He’s Mr Conservative. Harry Winks gets the ball, I’m watching games with people and they say ‘Harry Winks had 347 passes of the ball today’, I say ‘well, how many went forward?’

“It’s always back to the centre-half or square to a centre-half or square to another midfield player. He never, ever looks forward.”

Mikel Arteta's side will take a 2-2 draw back to Emirates Stadium for the second leg in London next week

Arsenal were far from their best at Sporting CP on Thursday night, but Mikel Arteta's side will go into the return fixture in London next week in good shape after a hard earned 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Europa League last 16 clash.

There will be parts of this performance that will have worried Arteta, who saw his side once again concede from a set piece, but the Gunners boss will have been pleased with the character shown by his side to fight back from a 2-1 deficit to snatch a share of the spoils in the second half.

Arsenal's manager made six changes from the team that started against Bournemouth on Saturday and things seemed to be going relatively smoothly when the impressive William Saliba powered a header home from Fabio Vieira's first half corner.

But a combination of poor goalkeeping from Matt Turner and slack defending from debutant Jakub Kiwior allowed Goncalo Inacio to equalise before the break. Paulinho then pounced from close range to give the hosts the lead soon after the interval.

At that point Arsenal looked up against it, but they responded well and got themselves what could prove to be a crucial equaliser, when Granit Xhaka's attempted pass to Vieira deflected off the unfortunate Hidemasa Morita and snuck into the bottom corner to earn the visitors a 2-2 first leg draw.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the Jose Alvalade Stadium.

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  WINNER: William Saliba

  Arsenal’s best defender on the night by some distance.

  It was not easy for Saliba alongside Jakub Kiwior, a player who he has never played alongside before at centre-back.

  But he performed well, even though Kiwior looked understandably nervous at times.

  Saliba was the one calming presence at the back for the visitors and made several excellent blocks and tackles to frustrate the hosts throughout a commanding performance.

  And he once again showed his threat at the other end when he rose highest to head home Fabio Vieira’s corner in the first half.

  This was far from a vintage performance from Arsenal, but they had the game’s outstanding performer in the French centre-back.

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  LOSER: Matt Turner

  This was the American goalkeeper’s first appearance since the FA Cup tie at Manchester City in January so it was perhaps no surprise that he looked rusty.

  But Turner will still be disappointed by some moments in the game, especially Sporting’s opening goal from the corner.

  It was an excellent ball in by Marcus Edwards, but it landed inside the six yard box so Turner really should have come off his line and cleared the danger before Goncalo Inacio got his head to it.

  Arsenal’s keeper was then very fortunate not to give the hosts a second goal just before half-time when his poor pass out from the back was intercepted.

  Turner has proven himself to be good back up to Aaron Ramsdale this season, but this was not one of his more assured performances.

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  WINNER: Fabio Vieira

  Arsenal’s Portuguese playmaker had a good evening back in his homeland. 

  While a number of his team-mates struggled to make much of an impact, Vieira was always lively and looked like he could make something happen.

  His delivery for William Saliba’s opening goal was excellent and there were several moments when his clever movement caused the home side problems.

  Vieira always felt like the player most likely to open up the hosts and he was very close to getting himself on the scoresheet with an effort that fizzed just past the post in the second half.

  This was a big opportunity for Vieira to impress and it was one he certainly took as he looks to move in front of Granit Xhaka in the pecking order at Arsenal.

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  LOSER: Jakub Kiwior

  This was always going to be a tough ask for Kiwior, who has had to sit on the touchline kicking his heels since joining Arsenal in January.

  These were the Poland international’s first competitive senior minutes since the World Cup and so it was perhaps no surprise to see him look a bit off the pace.

  He did have some good moments, but the way he failed to deal with the danger for Sporting’s first goal was disappointment.

  Even if he did get a shout from Matt Turner as the corner came in, he never really looked like he was ready to deal with the danger and that allowed Goncalo Inacio to have a free header inside the six yard box.

  When he looks back at the replays, Kiwior will certainly be disappointed with his part in the goal.

A major update has emerged on Southampton’s pursuit of a Serie A midfielder, it could lead to an unforgivable blunder by Martin Semmens.

What’s the talk?

According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Southampton have submitted an offer to Serie A side Sassuolo for midfielder Filip Djuricic as they attempt to re-sign the Serbian international six years on from his loan spell at St. Mary’s in 2015.

The report claims Southampton’s Premier League rivals West Ham have joined them in their pursuit of Djuricic, who has one year left on his contract at Sassuolo. However, it does not state how much has been offered or whether or not Sassuolo are open to cashing in on Djuricic in the coming months.

Earlier this year, Sassuolo coach Roberto De Zerbi voiced his frustration at Djuricic’s “wrong attitude” prior to a Serie A match with Sampdoria. He told Sport Mob:

“He had a wrong attitude with me before the Sampdoria game. He trained well after what happened, but it was fair to leave him out today. Rules must be respected. He is the player I’ve coached the most during my career.

“Not only he did apologise, but he also wanted to join us. He is a regular starter, but when a player commits a mistake, a coach must intervene like he would do with his own son.”

Semmens blunder

Southampton CEO Martin Semmens could be heading for an unforgivable blunder with this prospective deal for Djuricic. This could be a major error by the club as Djuricic has not proven that he is good enough to improve Southampton’s team in the years since he left from his loan stint in 2015. Semmens should, instead, be looking to avoid this deal and he should stop himself from making a mistake in the summer window.

Djuricic played nine games for Southampton in the Premier League in the 2014/15 campaign and failed to provide a single goal or assist, averaging a dismal WhoScored rating of 6.40. This proved that he was not good enough to make an impact in England at that point in his career and his statistics for Sassuolo do not suggest that there has been a major improvement. In the last six Serie A seasons, he has racked up 12 goals and 13 assists whilst playing for various clubs and he has never averaged a WhoScored rating higher than 6.75.

The £8.1m-rated flop is also at a tricky age for a signing. He is at the age, 29, where he has little resale value and he would not be a player Southampton could develop and then sell on for a profit at a later date. This means that he needs to be of the requisite quality to come in and make an immediate, big, impact in the Premier League. Given the aforementioned statistics, he does not have that quality and Semmens should pull out of any deal to avoid making a massive blunder.

AND in other news, Semmens could land Southampton’s dream Danny Ings heir in £2k-p/w dynamo…

Aston Villa are interested in signing Chelsea teenager Valentino Livramento.

And, as to be expected, the latest transfer link has had a number of Villa supporters talking on social media.

Chelsea’s Goal correspondent Nizaar Kinsella shared the news on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, claiming Villa are keen on the 18-year-old.

Kinsella also added that Tammy Abraham, who has been linked with a Villa Park return, wants to leave the club this summer.

Livramento, born in London, can play as a right-back and right midfielder. He’s yet to make a senior appearance for the Blues and is out of contract at Stamford Bridge in 12 months time.

The youngster turned out on 26 occasions for Chelsea’s youth side last season, scoring three times and registering 10 assists.

Villa fans react

@villareport shared the links to Livramento on Twitter on Wednesday. These Villa fans were excited by the news, with more than one referencing his ability on Football Manager to make a judgement.

“YES PLEASEEEE”

Credit: @JoeAVFC_

“this guy on fm is different gravy sign him up”

Credit: @rjszn82

“class fm player sign him up”

Credit: @DanAV___

“Excellent, I’ve heard good things about this kid”

Credit: @37K37

“Just building for the Champions League don’t fret anyone”

Credit: @MerseMagic

“This lad flies”

Credit: @Jamorushton

In other news: Villa set to miss out on Premier League midfielder following Fabrizio Romano’s update, find out more here. 

Man City used to be well-stocked with world-class full-backs but are now having to call on their central defenders to fill the gaps.

Pep Guardiola made an intriguing tactical call ahead of Manchester City's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday.

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With Joao Cancelo on loan at Bayern Munich, Sergio Gomez struggling to bed in and Kyle Walker landing himself in trouble last week, the coach fielded four natural centre-backs at Selhurst Park.

John Stones played at right-back, Nathan Ake again featured at left-back, with Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji in the middle.

"I like when we play with four centre-backs, we are so solid, they are stable players, they are so calm and so composed – that's why we defended really well," Guardiola explained after barely allowing Palace a sniff at goal.

However, while his side were solid, they struggled to create many opportunities down the flanks and it took a late penalty for them to grab all three points.

Ake and Stones lacked the pace and verve to do the damage that Cancelo and Walker can do from the position.

Commentating the game for , Gary Neville said City need to address the full-back situation soon in the transfer market.

City's sudden shortage at full-back is all the more remarkable given that Guardiola spent over £200 million ($240m) on full-backs in the space of two years, signing Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Danilo in 2017, and Cancelo in 2019.

As City prepare to host RB Leipzig in their Champions League last-16 second leg, GOAL takes a look at the defenders Guardiola should target to solve this unexpected problem…

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  Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig)

  Gvardiol is strictly a centre-back. But boy does he have the makings of a perfect utility player for Guardiola.

  One of the breakout stars of the 2022 World Cup, the Croatian is physically imposing yet technically brilliant, making him an ideal fit for the Premier League and City.

  Guardiola would relish turning him into a full-back that can effectively operate as a midfielder, just as he has done with Phillip Lahm, Joshua Kimmich, Dani Alves and Cancelo in the past.

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• Getty Images
  

  David Raum (RB Leipzig)

  Another player City will come up against on Tuesday.

  The 24-year-old had to fight his way through Germany's lower leagues to earn a move to the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim in 2021 and only needed one season in the top flight to convince Leipzig to shell out €26m (£23m/$28m) for him last summer.

  Raum won the under-21 European Championship with Germany in 2021 and the following year broke into the first team, starting all three matches at the World Cup.

  Raum is a more traditional full-back than Guardiola has favoured recently: he loves to fly down the wing and put in crosses.

  But given City have arguably the best centre-forward on their hands in Erling Haaland, maybe that is what they need.

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  Alex Grimaldo (Benfica)

  Guardiola has known about Grimaldo since he was a teenager.

  The left-back was breaking into Barcelona's B team in Guardiola's final season with the Catalans and showed impressive ability.

  A serious knee injury in 2023 de-railed his progress at Barcelona but he has re-built his career with Benfica and has been one of the Portuguese league leaders' most important players in what is proving a rip-roaring season.

  The timing could be right for their paths to cross again.

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• Getty Images
  

  Jose Gaya (Valencia)

  Gaya has been one of the most consistent full-backs in La Liga since making his Valencia debut in 2014 and is Spain's first-choice left-back.

  He has resisted offers from the likes of Real Madrid in the past and last year signed a new contract with his boyhood club until 2028.

  But with Valencia in serious danger of relegation, Gaya could surely be tempted away to a move to the Premier League and his club, who sold rising star Ferran Torres to City in 2020, could sure do with the money.