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Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that he is “inviting players like” Brighton’s Yves Bissouma to Villa Park.

Bissouma has been in superb form for the Seagulls this season, boasting some good numbers for dribbling when compared to the rest of Graham Potter’s squad (via WhoScored), and is now being linked with an Amex exit.

According to The Times, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City have all looked at the player, while there is also said to be interest coming from France.

Hendrie, however, would love it if Dean Smith could lure the 24-year-old midfielder to his old club.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about Bissouma, the ex-Villa player said:

“I did a chat with myself and Paul Merson on Soccer Saturday a few weeks ago talking about Bissouma, and we highlighted what he actually does. I mean, his stats are absolutely phenomenal, the way he breaks the game up, his forward play.

“He’s got a good football brain. Like I said, when you’ve got someone who breaks the game up so well and can go join in and play, I’m inviting players like that to the football club.”

Villa look in danger of losing one of their midfielders in Douglas Luiz, with Manchester City weighing up whether to trigger a buy-back clause, so Smith may find himself needing to dip into the market to sign a new man for the middle of the park.

Part of the attraction of the World Cup is the ability for countries to outperform their size, economic status and club prestige on the pitch

Just like in 2018, Croatia proved to be a powerful force at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar despite numerous factors working against them – including a tiny population to draw talent from relative to the United States, Mexico and others.

Zlatko Dalic made the most of a talented generation led by Luka Modric, guiding Croatia to a third-place finish after a memorable quarter-final upset of Brazil.

So how did all of the competitors stack up when taking population into account? GOAL's list is calculated by working out the difference between where each country ranks in terms of population size and their final ranking at the World Cup.

When teams went out in the same round, we used points (if a team went out on penalties in the knockouts, we say they drew their match), then goal difference and then goals scored to split them.

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  32Iran (-21 points)

  Population rank: 5

  World Cup finish: 26

  Despite their size, it was hard to blame Iran for struggling in Qatar given the civil unrest back home.

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  31Canada (-19)

  Population rank: 12

  World Cup finish: 31

  There was a lot of hope entering the tournament that Canada would be surprisingly competitive, but after playing Belgium close in their opener, they ran out of steam.

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  30Mexico (-19)

  Population rank: 3

  World Cup finish: 22

  Mexico parted ways with manager Gerardo Martino right after the tournament and must now re-assess their entire approach to international football. They're at a historical low point.

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  29Germany (-11)

  Population rank: 6

  World Cup finish: 17

  Didn't make it out of their group. There's no way to sugarcoat such an underwhelming result.

Manchester United will look completely different under the Dutch coach – as his first game in charge so thrillingly underlined

Erik ten Hag has already stamped his authority on Manchester United, with the new manager’s vision evident after just one game in charge. A 4-0 friendly win against Liverpool in Bangkok counts for little in terms of the result – even if the man described inside Old Trafford as “The new Sheriff” and the “The Conductor” has sparked a surge of optimism among fans with his spectacular start.

But it was the insights it offered into his early work that could be more telling.

Ten Hag has had little time to get to know his players – and is operating with a squad that will change significantly by the start of the season, with United working on deals for Frenkie de Jong, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez.

But his intensive training-ground approach is already having an impact, with players noting the detailed instructions they have been given and routines set up to ensure his high-pressing, possession-based tactics become second nature.

In just 90 minutes against an, albeit, much-changed Liverpool team, there was ample evidence of what the Dutchman wants to bring to Old Trafford…

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  High pressing

  It is remarkable that it has taken so long for a United manager to try to instil this modern approach to a team that has been left behind by Manchester City and Liverpool.

  The high press will be pivotal to Ten Hag’s plans – and even if there were doubts about the ability of a squad previously set up to counterattack to take on those principles, his work with them is already paying off.

  United repeatedly forced Liverpool into mistakes from which they capitalised. It is the type of high-risk football fans have been crying out for at Old Trafford.

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  Dangers there to see…

  It’s not called risk and reward for nothing. On a number of occasions, United were left wide open when the press was broken – notably when Liverpool hit the post twice in the space of a minute in the first half.

  The best teams know how to keep hold of the ball to limit the danger of being caught on the break – and they also know how to deploy gamesmanship to cut out fast breaks.

  There was a naivety about United at times – as thrilling as their attacking play was.

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  Interchangeable front three

  On paper, a forward line of Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford is full of pace, trickery and goals. Getting them to consistently produce has been the biggest issue at United – at least in the cases of Martial and Rashford.

  But here they were, showing their immense potential as a front three to give defences nightmares.

  Martial, in particular, looked like a man with a point to prove – scoring an excellent goal and constantly chasing down the ball.

  Rashford looked as fit as he has in a long time, even if his finishing still needs to be sharpened.

  And Sancho was bubbling with menace – intelligently looking to set up team-mates, as well as netting a sweetly-taken opening goal.

  Most notable was the manner in which they rotated with all three capable of playing right across the front to drag Liverpool out of shape and create spaces to attack.

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  Adventure and fearlessness

  United have been a tough watch for the majority of the past nine years. Here they played with a freedom rarely seen in recent times.

  Players were taking risks, with midfielders racing in to join the attack – and full-backs chasing beyond the wingers.

  Ten Hag has repeatedly drilled into his full backs the need to cut inside the forwards to create options or decoys.

  Meanwhile, Fred’s wonderful chipped goal from the edge of the area spoke of the confidence the new manager is already instilling into his players.

Los Angeles FC demolished the Seattle Sounders while the city's other team made it five straight wins in a week that saw several shock results

There were surprises galore in MLS week 8, but one constant remained: Los Angeles-based teams kept on winning.

Both Los Angeles FC and the LA Galaxy delivered big wins against top competition to solidify their standing as the top two teams in Major League Soccer. LAFC's thrashing of the previously-unbeaten Seattle Sounders cemented its status as the league's top dog, while the Galaxy fended off the Houston Dynamo to run their league-best winning streak to five matches.

The rest of the league's week 8 slate was filled with surprises, from San Jose's thrashing of Sporting Kansas City to New York City FC's shutout win on the road against D.C. United. The various surprise results helped shake things up in the latest Goal MLS Power Rankings, particularly at the bottom.

Here are Goal's MLS Power Rankings after week 8 action:

• 1Colorado Rapids (0-6-2)

  The Rapids continue to play some of the worst defense in MLS, and Saturday's 4-1 loss to Chicago continued that trend. Anthony Hudson's shuffling of his back four has yet to yield a group capable of limiting the goal deluge, and it's getting to a point now where Hudson has to be in jeopardy of being fired.

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• 2New York Red Bulls (1-4-2)

  Though Luis Robles might raise his hand and take the blame for Saturday's loss to New England, the real issue for the Red Bulls was once again an attack that was just too inconsistent. The Red Bulls actually generated twice as many shots on goal as the Revs, but couldn't convert those chances, leaving it to the team's defense to try and save the day again. The result is a team that's slumping and about to lose Kaku to a long suspension.

• 3Portland Timbers ((1-5-1)

  If a team ever needed a win, it was the Timbers, who handed their former coach Caleb Porter a surprising 3-1 loss on Saturday. Larrys Mabiala had a strong showing to ease the recent suffering he and the Timbers defense have endured, while Jeremy Ebobisse continues to make the case he is the forward the Timbers should build around.

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• 4Vancouver Whitecaps (1-5-2)

  Last Wednesday's win against Los Angeles FC was the morale booster the Whitecaps needed, and even though they dropped a 1-0 decision to Orlando City, Marc Dos Santos can feel good about how his team is coming together. The big issue his team continues to deal with is an inability to finish chances, which cost Vancouver a clear chance at three points at Orlando City.

The winner of NxGn 2018 has been announced, but which teenagers born 1999 and later make up the most talented young team in the world?

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  1BEST TEENAGE XI

  Here's how they line up…

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  2JUSTIN KLUIVERT | AJAX

  Justin Kluivert has followed in his father's footsteps, coming up through the ranks at Ajax to become a key first team player. But, he has already gone one further than his old man, scoring a hat-trick for the Amsterdam giants, something Patrick never did in three seasons at the club. He is already being linked with some of Europe's elite clubs, and it would not be a surprise if he ended up being the second of the Kluivert family to win the Champions League.

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  3MOISE KEAN | HELLAS VERONA/JUVENTUS

  Moise Kean made history as the first appearance-maker and goalscorer from the 2000s in Europe's 'big five' leagues, and has spent the last season at Hellas Verona on loan from Juventus to gain more match experience. The temporary deal has helped him get away from the spotlight in Turin as he develops his all-round game, becoming more than just a goalscoring forward.

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  4VINICIUS JUNIOR | FLAMENGO/REAL MADRID

  Vinicius Junior is already a Real Madrid player, but will remain in Brazil at Flamengo until after the 2018-19 season as he continues his development. Flamengo have been using the teenager sparingly in order to ensure that he is not overworked, and that has helped ease the burden on the winger that Madrid are hoping can live up to the 'next Neymar' tag.

Reports by Marca over the weekend claimed that Real Madrid plan to offer Luka Jovic out to potential suitors for a summer sale, and David Moyes should see that West Ham United are in the mix for the Serbian’s signature.

The Irons had shown an interest in Jovic’s availability for the winter market as they lined up possible replacements for Sebastien Haller, with Defensa Central noting in November that he could increase the quality available.

The London Stadium natives were again linked the day after Haller sealed a £20m move to AFC Ajax, with Caught Offside reporting that West Ham had approached Real Madrid to sound out their chances of acquiring Jovic.

West Ham ultimately failed to seal a deal for the 23-year-old Los Blancos spent £52.5m to sign in 2019, and he would instead secure a return to Eintracht Frankfurt to see out the rest of the season under the coach in Adi Hutter he scored 27 goals in 48 games in 2018/19.

Jovic had failed to make the grade in the Spanish capital during his 19-months under Zinedine Zidane with just two goals in 32 games, but has already achieved double that tally in 14 appearances back with Die Adler.

He is now expected to be made available for a permanent move away from the Santiago Bernabeu once the £18m-rated forward returns to Madrid, as Los Blancos make efforts to raise funds for necessary summer reinforcements.

The La Liga giants are refusing to rest on their laurels despite a 35th Spanish top-flight title and 14th Champions League crown still being achievable, and will need to make room for players like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to arrive.

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Real Madrid are expected to clear space both physically and financially by parting with a number of options in Gareth Bale, Marcelo, Isco, Alvaro Odriozola, Mariano Diaz and Jovic, while Sergio Ramos and Lucas Vazquez are out of contract at the end of the season.

If Jovic does prove to be available for a move away from Spain this summer, Moyes should urge West Ham to revive their interest given his continued need for attacking depth after opting against replacing Haller in the winter market.

Jovic is a widely lauded forward despite his struggles in Madrid and is considered to be “just unbelievable” by Eintracht Frankfurt teammate Filip Kostic, with whom he combined for five of his 17 Bundesliga goals in 2018/19 for the joint-best partnership in the division.

He may not have yet rediscovered the same prolific touch in front of the net that saw him become a Galactico, but Jovic’s instant impact back in Germany with a brace on his second debut against FC Schalke 04 offered the foundations for him to help Frankfurt claim 30 of a possible 42 points – only Bayern Munich (35) have taken more since January 16.

Eintracht Sporting Director Fredi Bobic also acknowledges that Jovic was re-signed when not 100 per cent match fit, but Hutter still believes “he is on the right track” and is satisfied with his overall contributions to the team.

Moyes now playing on Jovic’s uncertain future at Real Madrid to add depth to West Ham’s attack could see the Irons boss add a player who is still young and on the way back to his best, then, and one even likened to Sergio Aguero by AS Monaco boss Niko Kovac for “his technique and instinct”.

AND in other news, a £4.5m-rated West Ham enforcer is being lined up for a summer move out of east London…

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that Daniel Levy should consider Marcelo Bielsa as a potential replacement for Jose Mourinho.

With Tottenham out of Europe and likely to finish outside the top four, the Portuguese was sacked on Monday morning, meaning Levy’s search for a successor is well underway.

Former player Ryan Mason has been placed in temporary charge for the remainder of the season, with Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann the Spurs chairman’s number one target, although the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Wolves’ Nuno Espirito Santo have also been mentioned.

But with Bielsa’s contract at Elland Road expiring this summer and no agreement for him to extend his stay in Yorkshire as things stand, Windass believes that he’s one Tottenham should be looking at.

Asked whether he thinks the Argentine could be tempted by the move to north London, Windass told Football FanCast:

“Good shout, good shout. Yeah, without a doubt. Who knows what Bielsa is thinking, but he would be one on the lips of Daniel Levy.

“We won’t have to worry about it until the end of the season because Ryan [Mason] has got it, so good luck to the kid.”

Former Newcastle United star Keith Gillespie has exclusively told Transfer Tavern that the club will lose the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson if they are relegated to the Championship this season.

The Magpies have been in dire form under Steve Bruce and find themselves 17th in the Premier League table.

They have not won any of their last five games and currently sit just two points clear of 18th-placed Fulham. A win for Scott Parker’s men against Aston Villa, coupled with Newcastle losing to Tottenham Hotspur, would see Bruce’s men drop into the relegation zone.

They face a horror run-in, too, playing West Ham United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Leicester City and Manchester City in succession, while their last game of the season comes against Fulham.

Saint-Maximin and Wilson have been shining lights in a dismal season, the former’s electric dribbling and pace leading to two goals and three assists in 16 games, while Wilson has scored 10 goals in 21 outings, though he has struggled with injury issues.

And Gillespie, who played for the club 1995 and 1998, believes that the pair, along with Miguel Almiron, will almost certainly depart if the Magpies do drop through the trapdoor.

He told TT: “It’s really tough for them. Saint-Maximin, Almiron and Wilson are their creative players.

“I wouldn’t expect those players to be there next year if they go down because they are Premier League class players.

“They’ll be wanting to play at the top level.”

Leeds United youngster Robbie Gotts has been tipped to leave the club this summer, with Marcelo Bielsa not seeing him as part of his plans.

The 21-year-old is currently on loan at Salford City, having moved to the League Two club in January, affording him more regular first team football.

Gotts’ current Leeds deal expires at the end of next season, raising question marks over what the next chapter in his career will be.

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Gotts could leave Leeds, claims Hay

According to The Athletic‘s Phil Hay, the youngster is unlikely to convince Bielsa to be part of his future plans, with a move elsewhere appearing to be on the cards:

“He’s [Gotts] a lovely lad and a good player but I got a distinct impression that he suspects his future lies elsewhere. Bielsa always keeps his leading under-23s close to him. He’d rather they trained at Thorp Arch than played elsewhere on loan.

“This naturally concludes that anyone who is allowed to leave on loan is a fair distance from his plans.”

Gotts has managed three appearances for Leeds to date, making his debut away to Arsenal in the FA Cup third round in January 2020.

Transfer Tavern take

In truth, it makes sense for all parties for Gotts to find a new permanent club moving forward, with the midfielder once described as ‘excellent’ by Richie Wellens.

If Bielsa can’t guarantee him a regular squad role, he risks growing stagnant in his career, so being a key man at a different club makes far more sense.

Leeds are now at a level where they are a mid-table Premier League club with aspirations of improving further – Gotts doesn’t appear to be at that standard in Bielsa’s eyes.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with an outrageous move this summer – find out who the player in question is here.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Marlon Harewood urged his former club West Ham to go all out for Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham in the summer, believing he would complement Michail Antonio in attack nicely.

Following the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as Chelsea manager, Abraham has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge. The 23-year-old has not been included in any of his side’s last three fixtures, including the recent 2-0 win over Everton, putting his future in west London in doubt.

And, according to The Telegraph, West Ham are just one club who are said to be interested in £36m-rated Abraham should he become available at the end of the season.

For Harewood, who knows all about leading the line for the Hammers, bringing the England international to the London Stadium is a no-brainer. Speaking exclusively to FFC on the subject, the former West Ham striker said:

“That’s where West Ham should be looking, and I think Moysie [David Moyes] is that sort of person that he will be looking for a striker of that calibre, young, he’s ready to go, he’s been in the Premier League quite a while now. 

“I think he needs a chance, just like [Jesse] Lingard coming from Manchester United obviously not playing coming into the club, got a lot to show, and Tammy is one of them, got a lot to show [too] and would complement Antonio very well.”

Despite barely featuring of late, Abraham is still Chelsea’s top goalscorer in all competitions this season, managing to find the back of the net on 12 occasions.

This comes after a campaign where he was also the team’s most prolific player having scored 18 times last term. Bearing all of that in mind, Abraham could, indeed, end up being a good alternative or partner to Antonio at the London Stadium.