Man City star Phil Foden leaves England's Euro 2024 camp due to 'pressing family matter'

Phil Foden has left the England camp at Euro 2024 in Germany to return to the UK for the birth of his third child.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Foden representing England at Euro 2024Star has returned to homeland from GermanyFA confirm urgent family issue behind exitWHAT HAPPENED?

Foden was given permission to leave the Three Lions' training base to return to his homeland on Wednesday. The 24-year-old was in Gareth Southgate's starting XI as England played out a 0-0 draw with Slovenia on Tuesday night, but departed the squad the following day.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT THE FA SAID

The Football Association (FA) confirmed the Manchester City star's departure from the Three Lions' camp, saying in a statement: "Phil Foden has temporarily left the England camp and returned to the UK for a pressing family matter."

It was later widely reported that Foden had left to attend the birth of his third child.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The attacker is expected to be back with the England squad in Germany by Sunday – the same day Southgate's men face their last-16 clash.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT?

Foden's involvement in the first knockout round may now be in doubt as he is away celebrating the arrival of his third child and is therefore unable to train. England will face either the Netherlands or the team that finishes third in Group E at 5pm (BST) on Sunday.

Will richness of Jason Roy's promise be compromised by England's reckless approach?

A few years ago, at a gig (The Wildhearts, if memory serves; it may well not), the following exchange took place.”As I came in this evening, I saw a homeless guy just outside,” the lead singer said. “Now, if everyone here gives him a quid as they leave…”Cheers and applause rang out. But then the bass player (again from memory, but memories play tricks) chimed in. “That’s simplistic and irresponsible,” was the basis of his response. “If everyone gives him a quid, he’ll probably have overdosed by midnight.”The point of all this? That sometimes it pays to challenge the pervading view. And that just because something sounds like a good idea on a superficial level, it may do little to resolve underlying issues. It may even make them worse.All this came to mind when listening to Joe Root explain England’s decision to open the batting with Jason Roy in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. It was, Root said, “exciting” and “different” that England had “gone this way”. And it will, he said, give England “an opportunity to put pressure on the opposition at the top of the order”.Roy is, no doubt, a fine player. And a dangerous player. His impact in the World Cup was huge. Put simply, England looked a different side when he returned after injury. Irrespective of statistics, nobody contributed more to that success.But even his own county coach believes that Roy has a better chance of demonstrating his undoubted skills at Test level if he bats in the middle-order.Against the red, Dukes ball – a ball that moves far more laterally than its white, Kookaburra counterpart – and against a highly-skilled attack on surfaces which are expected to provide assistance to bowlers, Roy faces the steepest of learning curves.He doesn’t open for Surrey in first-class cricket, remember. Asking him to fulfil a role in Test cricket which he does not fulfil at either county level or for The Lions appears oddly optimistic. And like a failure in the planning process. England are asking a huge amount of Roy here.The idea that trying an aggressive opening batsman is “different” is palpably nonsense. To a greater or lesser degree, all of Alex Hales, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali and Adam Lyth might be defined as aggressive batsmen. Equally, the likes of Nick Compton and Keaton Jennings were encouraged to be more ‘positive’ – an almost meaningless word in cricket; who goes out there trying to be negative? – during their spells in the side. It didn’t work out for any of them.Jason Roy goes on the attack•Associated Press

Attacking the bowling is the get-rich-quick scheme of Test cricket. And while getting rich quickly is, without doubt, the best way to get rich, there is a reason that people view such schemes with deep suspicion. They tend to be simplistic. They tend to be a con.None of this language is new to England. Over the last few years, the rhetoric around the side has been about positivity, aggressive batting and responding to most situations by counter-punching.Instead, pressure can be put on bowlers by forcing them into fourth and fifth spells in a day. Instead aggression can be expressed by forcing the opposition into the field for a fourth or fifth session in succession. By grinding them into the dust as India did so well to England on home soil at the end of 2016. England spent 190 overs in the field in India’s first innings in Chennai and 183 in their first in Mumbai. On both occasions, India scored at under four-runs-per-over and on both occasions they won by an innings.But to do that, batsmen need to have sound defensive games. And they have to be patient. And they have to be playing in a set-up that respects and encourages such an approach. You could be forgiven for wondering how many England batsmen such criteria would fit. In the longer term, it is encouraging that Ashley Giles, the director of men’s cricket at the ECB, recognised this and promised to act to improve the development system.England’s home record is more than respectable. They’ve not been beaten in a Test series in England since 2014 – before Trevor Bayliss took over as coach – with a feature of their success being the manner in which their all-rounders have allowed them to compensate for their top-order fragility. They are, without doubt, a talented side who could win this series.But they were bowled out for 85 by Ireland last week. They were bowled out for 77 by West Indies in January. And 58 by New Zealand in March 2018. They have reached 400 only once in their last 32 Test innings and were bowled out for under 200 on two more occasions in the Caribbean.Sooner or later, that top-order fragility is going to cost them. And with the batting returns of Jonny Bairstow and Moeen having declined (the former is averaging 24.42 in Test cricket since the start of the 2018 English season; the latter 17.00 since September 2017), there can be less confidence about the ability of that middle-order to lead the recovery.It therefore becomes ever more important that the top-order sell their wickets dearly. That they dare to be dull and prepare to be patient. That they allow bowlers sessions where few runs are scored and outside edges are passed. That they embrace some of the old-fashioned virtues of Test cricket.Not since 2014 has a Test been drawn in England when the weather has not intervened. And on that occasion – the Trent Bridge Test of 2014 – the pitch was so poor it was censured by the ICC. There is plenty of time in Test cricket. Time for batsmen to play themselves in, to leave balls outside off stump, to hit the ball on the ground.This England team is wonderfully, endlessly entertaining. But if they want to go the extra mile – from entertaining and dangerous to undisputed world Test champions – they may well have to embrace a little more caution and a little less aggression. The outcome of the Ashes may depend upon it.

Spurs must bench 5/10 star who was as bad as Werner v Everton

Jarrad Branthwaite's last-gasp, close-range header handed Everton a reprieve from the vertiginous problems painting their half of Merseyside a solemn shade of blue, but Tottenham Hotspur will be dismayed that they squandered the chance to clinch back-to-back victories in the Premier League.

Ange Postecoglou's summer appointment has refuelled the fire in the north London club after a tough period, anointed to spark vision and verve back into an ambitious outfit that had trundled to an eighth-placed finish in 2022/23.

Ange Postecoglou.

In fairness, Spurs are just two points behind Aston Villa in the top four, having bolstered in January, seen key players filter back in from the medical room and put the skid before the festive period firmly behind them.

However, Postecoglou fashioned a blistering start to the season and while this highlighted the quality within the squad, it camouflaged the issues that will take more than a couple of months to do away with.

4/10 Spurs man who made fewer touches than Vicario was anonymous vs Everton

The Lilywhites suffered a setback in their bid to secure a top-four berth…

ByRobbie Walls Feb 3, 2024

The winter additions were a step toward plastering such cracks and aggressive Radu Dragusin and versatile Timo Werner have strengthened Spurs' accord, and while the latter has slotted right into the starting line-up, he was unable to produce a convincing performance against Sean Dyche's men.

Timo Werner's game vs Everton in numbers

Spurs took the lead on two occasions at Goodison Park courtesy of Richarlison's red-hot goalscoring form – that's nine goals from eight matches in the Premier League now – but Werner was unable to complement the talisman effectively on Saturday afternoon.

Signed from RB Leipzig on a six-month loan (with a buy option inserted for around £15m), Werner, aged 27, placed assists across his first two league appearances for Tottenham but failed to impress against a Toffees backline braided with resilience and boosted by a cacophonous home support.

Timo Werner applauding Tottenham supporters.

Against Everton, as per Sofascore, Werner completed 86 minutes of action but took just 26 touches – only three more than Dejan Kulusevski, who replaced Brennan Johnson after the hour mark – and while he completed 80% of his 20 attempted passes, making one key pass, there wasn't enough on offer to convince Postecoglou that he is deserving of a regular starting berth.

Indeed, having won just one duel and failed to even attempt a dribble or take a shot, the former Chelsea forward flattered to deceive and few would bemoan Postecoglou if he were to relegate him to the bench next time out.

Ball retention

Finishing

Long shots

Aerial duels

Offside awareness

Source: WhoScored

Handing the German international a lowly 4/10 match rating, football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold penned his thoughts on an ineffectual effort: 'Caused Everton some problems with his runs down the left and had one effort saved before being flagged offside. He could have had more conviction in getting to a Johnson cross that was instead intercepted by Godfrey.'

While Werner struggled to perform, he wasn't the only player to miss the mark on Merseyside, with centre-midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur failing to spark any invention into the Spurs attack and consequently leaving Werner with little fuel from which to engineer openings.

Rodrigo Bentancur's performance vs Everton

Bentancur has started the past four Premier League matches for the Lilywhites after returning from injury problems that ruled him out of most of the first phase of the campaign, but it's probably fair to say he's been something of a mixed bag thus far.

Hooked shortly after 60 minutes for the industrious Oliver Skipp, Bentancur was nullified in the centre of the park and failed to make an impact, unable to place a single key pass and winning just three of his 12 contested duels.

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur applauding supporters.

While Gold provided Bentancur with a marginally better match score than Werner – giving him a 5/10 – he did note: 'Another very quiet display from the Uruguayan who seems to be still feeling his way back into regular Premier League football.'

It wasn't that the 27-year-old was objectively bad, he's just not maximising his myriad of midfield tools and is struggling to slot himself right back into prominent standing.

But then, of course, this will hardly fill Postecoglou with worry; the 6 foot 1 Bentancur spent the lion's share of 2023 on the sidelines and has been plunged back into the deep end over the past month and a bit.

Described as "technically immense" by broadcaster Adam Smith, Bentancur has enjoyed some moments since his comeback, scoring a well-taken goal to restore parity against Manchester United at Old Trafford several weeks ago, and kept it crisp with his passing.

Though he wasn't at the races against Everton and a case could be made that he was off the race in midweek against Brentford, substituted at half-time with the home side trailing.

There is, in what will be mellifluous words to Spurs supporters' ears, a solution, with Pape Matar Sarr replacing his South American counterpart against the Blues, having returned from the African Cup of Nations this week after Senegal's exit.

Sarr has started 16 times in the league this season, posting two goals and two assists, and is proving himself to be one of the division's hottest prospects; his return from AFCON is massive.

Spurs midfielder Pape Sarr celebrating against Bournemouth.

As per FBref, the 21-year-old ranks among the top 10% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 9% for assists, the top 18% for pass completion and the top 19% for progressive passes per 90.

Moreover, he's averaging five ball recoveries per game in the Premier League this season and will bring the energy and tenacity needed to ensure that Tottenham take control of midfield battles over the coming months.

With Yves Bissouma's Mali knocked out of AFCON on Saturday, Postecoglou will soon boast an engine room in its full force and the burden on Bentancur's shoulders will be eased somewhat, allowing him to continue to build up fitness and rekindle his best form.

Tottenham dropped points against Everton and lost their short-lived hold on the top four. Still, there is much to be confident about going forward and there is every chance that a return to the continent's pinnacle competition will be achieved in May.

Erik ten Hag has 'influential backers' at Man Utd after FA Cup success as 'equivalent of Mikel Arteta' argument is put forward amid sack talk

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United managerial job may yet be saved as the Dutchman reportedly has 'influential backers' following his FA Cup triumph.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ten Hag in danger of sack at Man UtdFA Cup win gives him lifelineNow has growing support in boardroomWHAT HAPPENED?

According to The Independent, United's 2-1 win over City in the FA Cup final has helped the Dutchman's case in his bid to keep his job. While the Red Devils have spoken to the camps of Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, Kieran McKenna, and Thomas Frank, one argument being pushed by his defenders is the fact that Mikel Arteta struggled early on at Arsenal. Some believe the Spaniard had an "equivalent" first season at Arsenal to United's 2023-24 campaign, as he also won the FA Cup after finishing eighth in the Premier League, before going on to transform the Gunners into genuine title challengers.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

While Ten Hag led United to third place last season and a Carabao Cup triumph, without their surprise FA Cup win, they would have to reflect on an eighth-place finish this term and a sorry Champions League group stage exit. However, the report adds there is 'sympathy' for the Dutchman over injuries and a series of other distractions. Either way, the ex-Ajax boss may learn his fate in the coming week.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

The report adds that while sacking Ten Hag would be an 'unpopular' decision amongst United fans, one highly prominent voice is 'adamant' a new manager should come in, and there have been questions raised about some of their recent signings.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT?

Ten Hag, who has just headed off on his holidays, could reportedly be replaced by ex-Chelsea bosses Thomas Tuchel or Mauricio Pochettino – who are understood to be United's top targets. Brentford's Thomas Frank is considered behind them, as is the greatly admired Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna.

Inter now fear Liverpool could make "monstrous offer" for Nicolo Barella

Liverpool rebuilt incredibly well during the summer transfer window, welcoming Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai to replace the likes of Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Fabinho in a midfield overhaul. Reaping the rewards ever since, the Reds now find themselves in a Premier League title race, leading the way against both Arsenal and Manchester City.

Even when in the middle of that title race, however, Liverpool have turned some of their attention towards next summer, when they could reportedly look to repeat their transfer trick by landing one particular European star and submitting a "monstrous offer" to his current club.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds are undoubtedly back to their best under Jurgen Klopp after failing to qualify for the Champions League last season. But that's not to say they couldn't do with further improvements.

Liverpool's rumoured centre-mid targets for January

Latest update

Kalvin Phillips

19th December

Khephren Thuram

15th December

Joao Palhinha

10th December

Piotr Zielinski

2nd December

Joao Neves

29th November

If they are to add trophies to their returned form, then Liverpool may well need to return to the transfer market for even more midfield talent. The last thing that those at Anfield will want is to endure a summer of panic once again in pursuit of reinforcements, and it appears FSG are already tempted by a big move.

nicolo-barella-inter-milan-arsenal-transfer-gossip-edu-arteta-thomas-partey

According to Milan-based outlet Linterista, translated by Sport Witness, Inter are worried that Liverpool will come in with a "monstrous offer" to sign Nicolo Barella, forcing their hand to reach a new deal with the midfielder sooner rather than later.

The Italian's current contract is set to expire in 2026, meaning that he currently has just two years before he can leave the club on a free deal. The last thing that Inter want is to be backed into a corner and left with little choice but to accept an offer for Barella, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United all reportedly interested in landing his signature.

"Great" Barella would be an instant upgrade for Liverpool

There are not many players who could instantly make an incredible impact on Liverpool's new midfield, but Barella is certainly one of the few who could. There's even an argument that he would be the Reds' best option in the middle of the park. Barella's stats this season compared to the current options at Anfield certainly suggest as much.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Passes into final third

Goals + Assists

Nicolo Barella

35

152

113

5

Alexis Mac Allister

15

80

57

2

Dominik Szoboszlai

51

108

65

4

Curtis Jones

10

31

28

1

Even when not at his best, Barella has earned the praise of those in Italy, with Christian Vieri telling Bobo TV via FCInterNews: "Barella isn’t at his best. But that’s okay, I don’t see this as a big problem. Inzaghi now has a very strong bench. So this season, if Barella is tired, he gets to rest and Frattesi plays in his stead. I always considered Barella a great midfielder. In my opinion, he remains a point of reference for the manager.”

With that said, it's no wonder Inter are concerned over the possibility of the likes of Liverpool presenting an offer for their midfielder, given his clear ability in the middle of the park.

Ange could boldly ditch Johnson for Spurs’ £70k-p/w star

Tottenham Hotspur ended a dismal run of form in the Premier League with a convincing 4-1 victory over Newcastle United last weekend, but must now follow this up with a big performance at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest.

Despite losing four times in that period, also drawing against Manchester City, Ange Postecoglou's side have benefitted from an electric start to the campaign and remain just three points off Pep Guardiola's fourth-placed side.

With Forest manager Steve Cooper under fire after his team's own struggles, the hosts will be desperate to secure a statement victory to wipe away the malaise, so Postecoglou will need to get his selection right to prevail.

Tottenham team news vs Forest

Tottenham's mountainous injury list is slowly shrinking, with Pape Matar Sarr and Heung-min Son both starting last weekend after different injury concerns; Richarlison also scored twice from centre-forward after a period of convalescence following groin surgery.

ruben-neves-james-maddison-tottenham-opinion

However, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur remain long-term absentees, meaning Spurs' squad remains without three essential components.

While Tottenham's fragile squad precludes heavy rotation, the win over Newcastle highlights the riches that can be reaped from the current crop.

Brennan Johnson's season in numbers

One player who might return to the bench is Brennan Johnson, who has recently come into his own over recent weeks after signing from Forest for £47.5m in the summer.

Perhaps Postecoglou will opt to unleash him on his former stomping ground, but with Richarlison bagging a brace last time out and Son posting a goal and assist apiece back on the left wing, it's unlikely that the Australian will disrupt such freshly braided harmony.

While Johnson has started four Premier League matches in succession, three of such appearances coming from the right, this has been to accommodate the shifting of Dejan Kulusevski to the No. 10 position.

brennan-johnson-tottenham-hotspur-injury-postecoglou-bryan-gil

Principally a right-sided winger, Kulusevski has started every league fixture this season and it's unlikely that that will change tonight; the Swede brings so much energy and creativity to the team.

Johnson is very talented and has even been described as a "nightmare" for opposition defenders by content creator HLTCO, but Tottenham will need to control the flow of what will be a fiery encounter against the Tricky Trees, and Kulusevski should move back out wide.

This would allow space in the centre for Giovani Lo Celso to reclaim a starting spot, with his skill set perfect to solve the task ahead.

Why Giovani Lo Celso must start vs Forest

Lo Celso was an outcast at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before bagging twice in as many games for the Lilywhites in recent weeks, having spent the past 18 months on loan with Villarreal.

The 48-cap Argentina international signed for Spurs from Real Betis for a staggering £55m fee back in 2019, but he's never quite acclimatised to the Premier League and was even branded a "flop" by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke.

The £70k-per-week ace has proved his worth in Maddison's absence this season though, scoring against Aston Villa and then Manchester City, starting three of the past four league clashes.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Passing

Finishing

Ball retention

Crossing

Defensive contribution

Aerial duels

Dribbling

*Sourced via WhoScored

Hailed as a "master of the last pass" by reporter Milena Gimon, Lo Celso ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, passes attempted and progressive passes, and the top 7% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

This fantastic control and creativity in the centre of the park could be crucial for Postecoglou's squad in Nottingham, especially when buttressed by Yves Bissouma and Sarr in the engine room.

With so much at stake, Postecoglou must enforce the alteration, providing his team with the requisite control to subdue the cacophonous City Ground support and ensure that Tottenham take all the goods back to London.

Man City now on the trail of "complete" player compared to Eder Militao

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is keen to strengthen his options in January and is now reportedly on the trail of a talented defender, according to reports.

Manchester City transfer updates…

Manchester City are never far away from the headlines with regards to transfer stories and the present reality of their activity in the market is no different, as Guardiola looks to assemble a squad capable of continuing their domination in recent English football history.

In the summer, Jeremy Doku, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Josko Gvardiol arrived in Manchester and fed into a quality-over-quantity recruitment approach at the Etihad Stadium, which looks to have paid dividends so far as the Blues sit at the summit of the Premier League table with 28 points from their opening 12 fixtures.

Nevertheless, Manchester City aren't showing any signs of slowing down on the transfer front and are believed to be admirers of Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves; however, a summer swoop for the Portugal international is more likely than any approach in the January transfer window, according to Football Insider. Newcastle United are also keen on the former Wolverhampton Wanderers captain, who is expected to leave the Saudi Pro League side despite only arriving in the Middle East earlier this year.

Looking to the future, Manchester City are in contention to land St Patrick's Athletic wonderkid Sam Curtis, though the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international is on the agenda of a plethora of clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Hull City, Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Scottish Premiership champions Celtic.

St Patrick's are expecting Curtis to leave Richmond Park during the off-season in Ireland, which will run until around mid-February, given that the football season in the country is scheduled differently to the United Kingdom's summer-to-summer system. Now, a fresh report has suggested that Manchester City are in the hunt for another young individual to bolster their backline, albeit someone with a significantly higher reputation already.

Manchester City looking to sign Arouna Sangante

As per Football Insider, Manchester City are keen on Le Havre defender Arouna Sangante, who has helped his side record five clean sheets in Ligue 1 this term. The Senegalese centre-half has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Chelsea in recent times and is believed to be available in the January window, following Le Havre owner Vincent Volpe's decision to give FIFA agent Willie McKay a brief to try and take advantage of his rising stock.

Arouna Sangante statistics in 2023/24 – Ligue 1 (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

10

Goals

0

Assists

0

On the continent, Serie A giants AC Milan and Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund are also monitoring developments around the 21 year-old as they search for defensive reinforcements.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Labelling Sangante as a "complete" player, Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig has also likened the Dakar-born defender to Real Madrid defender Eder Militao, which is high praise indeed given his young age.

Looking ahead to January, it will be intriguing to see if Manchester City can get a deal over the line for Sangante as Guardiola aims to build for the future at the Etihad Stadium.

Volante do CRB, Olívio celebra goleada da equipe na Série B

MatériaMais Notícias

A equipe do CRB atropelou o Figueirense na última terça-feira (19) quando aplicou uma sonora goleada por 5 a 1 em partida válida pela 36ª rodada da Série B. Além dos três pontos, o placar elástico teve um sabor especial para o volante Olívio.

RelacionadasCRBTitular absoluto do CRB, Claudinei quer terminar bem a Série B no clubeCRB20/01/2021Futebol NacionalAtropelamento! CRB tem noite brilhante e goleia o FigueirenseFutebol Nacional19/01/2021CRBLucão revela meta do CRB nas rodadas finais da Série BCRB12/01/2021

Isso porque, retornando aos gramados, o atleta do Galo da Pajuçara entrou na etapa complementar e pode retornar ao estádio Rei Pelé depois de dois anos enfrentando problemas físicos:

– Agradeço a confiança do Roberto Fernandes, que vem dando oportunidade para que eu possa estar retornando, quero aproveitar ao máximo e ajudar o clube dentro de campo.

– Foi uma grande vitória em casa, nosso time fez uma partida impecável, todos desempenharam um ótimo futebol. Agora é focar nas duas últimas rodadas da Série B e terminar a competição em grande estilo – acrescentou o volante.

Com a vitória em casa, o CRB chegou aos 49 pontos e se colocou em 10° na tabela de classificação, livre de qualquer risco de rebaixamento. Na próxima rodada, o CRB vai enfrentar a Ponte Preta no domingo, às 18h15 (horário de Brasília) no Moisés Lucarelli, em Campinas.

Lionel Messi reacts after scoring game-winning brace for Inter Miami in MLS victory over Nashville SC

Lionel Messi has reacted to his latest match-winning brace for Inter Miami, with two more goals added to his tally in an MLS victory over Nashville.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Argentine icon at his brilliant bestScored two and made another on home soilHas Herons sat top of the Eastern Conferencegetty imagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was at his mercurial best once again as the Herons eased to a 3-1 victory at Chase Stadium. They did fall behind inside two minutes, as Franco Negri put through his own net, but it was the Messi show after that.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Argentine superstar restored parity with 11 minutes on the clock, before teeing up fellow Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets to put the home side in front before half-time. Messi then grabbed his second of the game from the penalty spot with nine minutes remaining.

WHAT MESSI SAID

It was not all good news for Inter Miami, as they saw Diego Gomez added to an ever-growing injury list, but their talismanic No.10 is firing on all cylinders after overcoming fitness concerns of his own. Messi has posted a defiant “Vamos” message on social media after helping to pick up three precious points.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

More Messi magic has kept Inter Miami at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference. Having suffered Champions Cup heartache at the hands of Monterrey, the David Beckham co-owned outfit are determined to get their hands on more major silverware in 2024.

Ranking all 20 Premier League club’s best academy graduates

Premier League clubs pride themselves on bringing young talent through the ranks and then playing them in the first-team.

This is a common trend not just in the top-flight but in English football in general.

Some of the brightest players currently playing at the highest level have come through these academies are now the stars of today and tomorrow.

So, we at Football FanCast have ranked every Premier League’s best academy product by their market value on Transfermarkt which is decided by the demand for a player and what league they are playing in amongst other factors.

20 Brentford: Ellery Balcombe

Value: £259.4k

West London is where this list gets started with Brentford goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe.

He is yet to make his Premier League debut for the Bees but Balcombe did play all 120 minutes in the EFL Cup game against Newport County, one which they won via a penalty shootout.

19 AFC Bournemouth: Gavin Kilkenny

Value: £345.6k

Gavin Kilkenny is another yet to make his Premier League debut but he did play 14 times in the Championship in the 2021/22 season, totalling 1,100 minutes.

The midfielder has previously gone out on loan to Stoke City and Charlton Athletic but has since returned to AFC Bournemouth.

18 Everton: Lewis Dobbin

Value: £777.5k

Lewis Dobbin is the first name on this list to have appeared in the top-flight with his first start coming against Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 26th, 2023.

Meanwhile, Rafael Benitez gave him his debut, sending him on as a substitute for Alex Iwobi at Goodison Park in September of 2021. Norwich City were the opponents that day.

17 Burnley: Jay Rodriguez

Value: £864k

Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez.

Jay Rodriguez has certainly appeared in the Premier League, playing well over 200 times in the competition and counting.

Despite being a Burnley product, he actually made his debut in a Southampton shirt in the 2012/13 season after a strong couple of seasons with the Clarets in the Championship.

16 Luton Town: Cauley Woodrow

Value: £1 million

Cauley Woodrow graduated from the Luton Town academy, went on to play for Fulham and Barnsley before returning to Kenilworth Road over a decade later.

This is of course Luton’s first season in the Premier League, meaning that Woodrow’s debut in the competition for the Hatters came this season as well. Although, this isn't his first taste overall, as he actually made 6 PL appearances during his Fulham days in the 2013/14 campaign, scoring once under the stewardship of Felix Magath.

15 Fulham: Marek Rodak

Value: £2.6 million

Talking of players to make their Premier League debut whilst wearing the white of Fulham and the same goes for goalkeeper Marek Rodak.

The Slovakian shot-stopper made his debut in a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal on September 12th, 2020. He made two league appearances that term.

14 Sheffield United: Rhys Norrington-Davies

Value: £2.6 million

Rhys Norrington-Davies was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia which must be somewhat rare for a Welsh international.

He is another to feature on this list that is yet to make his Premier League debut and yet is still valued at a very solid £2.6 million, owing to his very respectable performances in the Championship for the likes of Sheffield United and Stoke City.

13 Wolverhampton Wanderers: Hugo Bueno

Value: £5.2 million

Wolves' Hugo Bueno competing with Michael Olise of Crystal Palace.

Hugo Bueno is the next man up, and he is valued at double Norrington-Davies having been a very consistent performer for Wolverhampton Wanderers last term.

The fullback made 21 Premier League appearances, 16 of these being starts and he amassed a total of 1,316 minutes. All of that at just 20 years of age.

12 West Ham United: Ben Johnson

Value: £8.6 million

West Ham United defender Ben Johnson.

Keeping on the theme of fullbacks and Ben Johnson has become a regular in West Ham United squads despite his age.

Johnson first appeared in the Premier League in the 2018/19 season with Manuel Pellegrini giving him his debut against his own former employers, Manchester City.

David Moyes has since put a lot of trust in him and 20 league appearances in the 2021/22 is a career-high for him to date.

11 Nottingham Forest: Joe Worrall

Value: £10.4 million

Joe Worrall Nottingham Forest

Joe Worrall graduated from the Nottingham Forest academy into the first-team in 2016 and has remained a mainstay in the side ever since.

He played a major role in their promotion back to the Premier League and made his own top-flight debut on the opening day of last season in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United.

Worrall made 30 appearances that term for a total of over 2,200 minutes.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus