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Tottenham Hotspur’s season is still alive.

On Thursday night, a goal down from the first leg in Alkmaar, Spurs ultimately saw off AZ in the Europa League, progressing 3-2 on aggregate, with Wilson Odobert the scorer of a brace, while James Maddison was on target in between.

Ange Postecoglou’s team will now take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals, welcoming die Adler to North London for the first leg on 10 April, before the decider at Waldstadion a week later.

Potentially not in UEFA competition next season, and possibly searching for a new manager, it’s a big summer ahead for Daniel Levy and the Spurs hierarchy, so are they already plotting a bid for one of the Premier League’s best attacking full-backs?

Spurs seeking to sign a new full-back

According to The Boy Hotspur, Tottenham’s number one full-back target this summer is Wolves’ Rayan Aït-Nouri, planning an ‘opening bid’ of €35m (£30m), albeit with the Algerian international valued at closer to €60m (£51m).

Transfer Focus

As per the report, despite being pleased with his current options at left-back, Postecoglou is seemingly keen to add further competition on that side, with Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko and Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez also noted as potential targets.

In the past, Manchester United have shown an interest in Aït-Nouri, while Sean McCormick of the Liverpool Echo notes the full-back ‘has been tipped’ to move to the Premier League champions-elect.

So, he won’t come cheap and Tottenham do face competition for his signature, but how would the 23-year-old fit in, should he choose to move to North London?

How Aït-Nouri would improve Spurs' left-back options

When Aït-Nouri joined Wolves from Angers, initially on loan before making the move permanent for a £9.5m fee, then-technical director Scott Sellars described him as “a very talented player, with lots of potential”.

Well, he has certainly been proved right, making 148 appearances in Old Gold to date, with Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelling his performances “fantastic”, while Steve Madeley of the Athletic boldly asserts he is ‘Wolves’ most indispensable player’,

On top of this, Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley described him as “one of the Premier League’s best players in 2024”, which is exactly why Tottenham are interested in him due to, as noted by Venkatanarayanan of Total Football Analysis, his outstanding ‘attacking prowess’.

So far this season, across all competitions, five Spurs players have been deployed at left-back, as the table below documents.

With former undisputed first-choice Destiny Udogie having been in and out due to a hamstring injury, Djed Spence has often been tasked with filling in at left-back.

Spence’s Spurs career so far has been peculiar to say the least, taking 881 days to make his Premier League debut for the club, this coming at Southampton in December, having infamously been labelled a “club signing” by Antonio Conte upon his arrival.

Nevertheless, his performances, either on the left or the right, have earned high praise, with Jay Harris of the Athletic describing him as ‘undroppable’. So, let’s analyse how Spence and Aït-Nouri compare.

As the table outlines, Aït-Nouri comes out on top for both attacking and defensive metrics – including goals and assists – with Spence only superior when it comes to both passing and dribbling.

As alluded to earlier, former forgotten man Spence has exceeded expectations out-of-position on the left, but this is still an area Postecoglou will surely seek reinforcements, should he remain in situ, and Aït-Nouri’s statistics suggest he would excel at Spurs, given the freedom to get forward and contribute to attacks.

Worth way more than Spence: Spurs struck gold on "incredible" Ange signing

The brilliant Spurs ace should have been in the England squad.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 14, 2025

Thursday’s convincing win over Real Sociedad has ensured that Manchester United will return from the international break later this month with something still left to fight for, with Lyon next on the agenda in their battle for Europa League glory.

As manager Ruben Amorim has stated, however, triumphing in the competition – and securing Champions League qualification – would not be enough to “save” United’s season, with the team still languishing in 13th in the Premier League table.

This largely wretched campaign has ensured that the upcoming summer window will be vitally important once again for the Red Devils, with the pressure on for the INEOS regime to get it right on the recruitment front.

As per recent reports, the Old Trafford hierarchy are already looking ahead to the end of the campaign and potential moves that can be made in the market to help strengthen Amorim’s hand, with CEO Omar Berrada outlining the desire to target versatile players who can play in “multiple positions”.

The transfer rumour mill will, unsurprisingly, begin to churn out numerous names regarding those who could end up in Manchester, although one player who definitely won’t be making the switch is Amorim’s former Sporting CP prodigy, Geovany Quenda.

Why Man Utd have missed out on Geovany Quenda

As Erik ten Hag showcased more than most, there is a theme of managers looking to bring in players that they know and trust, with the Dutchman frequently turning to his former Ajax assets, such as Andre Onana, Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.

The expectation will be for Amorim to follow suit at some stage, with reports having been rife ever since the 40-year-old joined the club that he will be followed by Swedish goal machine, Viktor Gyokeres.

Reports in January – as per The Athletic’s David Ornstein – also claimed that United were looking at a potential summer deal for the aforementioned Quenda, with the 17-year-old having been handed his debut by Amorim earlier in the campaign.

A reunion looked almost inevitable, although, as it has proved, top-flight rivals Chelsea have now pounced to sign the teenager, with the Portuguese superstar set to join the Blues in 2026, after signing on a £40m deal.

The manner in which the Stamford Bridge side quietly pulled off that transfer coup has certainly surprised a few, albeit with journalist Samuel Luckhurst reporting that United never actually lodged a bid, with talks having also only gone as far as ‘informal discussions’.

As Luckhurst also revealed, the signing of fellow left-footer Patrick Dorgu may have impacted that pursuit, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claiming that Chelsea have edged ahead after offering Quenda a future as an out-and-out forward, rather than in the wing-back role he would likely play under Amorim.

As it is, United will likely have to look elsewhere to pep up their options on the flanks, although – on recent evidence – Amorim may have stumbled across the perfect academy solution.

The Man Utd sensation would could save INEOS millions

Time and again the youth ranks have represented something of a saviour for the Red Devils, be it Marcus Rashford’s rise in 2016 under Louis van Gaal, or Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence under Erik ten Hag.

It is still early days, yet Amorim has already showcased that he is more than willing to follow that trend, with chances having been afforded to the likes of Chido Obi, Ayden Heaven and Toby Collyer in recent times.

The latest academy starlet to force his way into the first-team picture is 18-year-old, Harry Amass, with the promising Englishman having featured off the bench against Leicester City last time out.

Tipped to be “Luke Shaw’s successor” by journalist Alex Turk – with Shaw himself highlighting his compatriot as a player to watch – Amass has arguably been long overdue a senior role, after notably shining during the club’s pre-season tour last summer.

The teenager – who featured against the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal back in July – was praised by Ten Hag for making “big steps” during that period, albeit having been unable to kick on since then with regard to first-team opportunities.

Reports even suggested a loan move was potentially on the cards for Amass in January, although having made the matchday squad in recent times, the “powerful” talent – as hailed by MUTV pundit Danny Webber – has finally been rewarded with that late cameo against the Foxes.

The former Watford youth product will need time to bed in, although he could potentially emerge as a bargain solution to missing out on Quenda, with there a chance that Dorgu could move over to the right flank to accommodate Amass, or vice-versa.

Described as “perfect” for the wing-back role in Amorim’s system by analyst Ben Mattinson – who also reflected on what was a “very impressive pre-season” – Amass will aim to build on his form at youth level, where he has chalked up four assists in just 16 U21 games.

Also a key part of the U18 side that has reached the FA Youth Cup semi-finals, the 5 foot 11 gem could well be a star of the future at Old Trafford.

If all goes to plan, both Amorim and INEOS will be quickly forgetting the name Quenda…

Amorim has a bigger star than Dorgu in Man Utd's "unbelievable" 17-year-old

Manchester United have another talent on their hands alongside Patrick Dorgu.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 15, 2025

AC Milan are interested in Oleksander Zinchenko as a replacement for Atletico Madrid-bound full-back Theo Hernandez.

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• Arsenal's Zinchenko targeted
• Possible replacement for Hernandez
• Ukrainian seeks minutes elsewhere

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italian club are looking to strengthen their options at left-back and in Italy reports that a move for Zinchenko is being considered.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With only one year left on his contract, Milan are prepared to sell Hernandez to ensure they do not lose him for free next year. The France international has refused an offer to join Al-Hilal despite the Saudi club's agreement with Milan, instead pursuing a move back to Diego Simeone's Atletico.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  His possible replacement, Zinchenko, may be open to a move to San Siro after a rough season at Arsenal in which he made just 15 Premier League appearances. The 28-year-old Ukraine international joined the Gunners in 2022 from Manchester City, where he won four Premier League titles.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ZINCHENKO AND MILAN ?

  After having missed out on European football for next season, Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani promised to correct their mistakes over the summer. Their rebuild has started with the appointment of Igli Tare as sporting director and Massimiliano Allegri as coach, while star player Tijani Reijnders is heading to City and Hernandez appears set to return to Spain.

Liverpool’s main goal between now and the rest of the season is to clinch the Premier League title for just the second time in the club’s history, and the first in front of their home supporters.

The Reds are a whopping 12 points clear of Arsenal, in second place, with just nine matches left to play in the division, which shows that they are well on course to secure the trophy.

Mohamed Salah has played a significant role in the club’s rise to the Premier League summit, with a staggering haul of 27 goals and 17 assists in the top-flight.

The Egypt international stepped up to score two goals from the penalty spot in Arne Slot’s side’s last match in the division, beating Southampton 3-1.

Salah’s goals from a right wing position have been crucial, as they were against the Saints, and have helped to mask the problem that the Reds have had in the number nine position.

Slot has not had a consistent number nine who has started week-in-week-out, as Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, and Luis Diaz have all had turns in that role.

Why Liverpool have a striker problem

Salah is the only player in the Liverpool squad, despite their success in the Premier League this season, to hit double figures for goals in the league so far, with no other forward on more than nine league strikes.

Diaz, who has started 11 matches as a striker, has scored nine times in 28 matches in the division, but he has performed about on par with his expected tally, based on xG.

As you can see in the table above, the Colombia international has scored nine goals from 9.18 xG, whilst Jota and Nunez have also underperformed in front of goal.

This suggests that Slot has a problem in the striker position because he does not have a reliable, go-to, option, which may be why the club have been linked with a move for Newcastle United centre-forward Alexander Isak – who scored against Liverpool in the League Cup final earlier this month.

The Sweden international, who is reportedly valued at more than £150m, has scored 19 goals from 15.55 xG in the Premier League so far this season for the Magpies, which suggests that he is the kind of ruthless finisher that the Reds currently lack.

Whilst the likes of Diaz, Jota, and Nunez have failed to make the most of the chances that have fallen their way, Isak can elevate his team with his exceptional finishing quality by outperforming his xG.

Liverpool are, however, reportedly eyeing up another forward who is like the Swedish ace, but far less expensive, as well as being a big upgrade on Luis Diaz.

Liverpool chasing deal for Serie A star

According to Caught Offside, the Premier League leaders are one of a number of clubs chasing a deal to sign 2024 Ballon d’Or nominee Ademola Lookman from Atalanta at the end of the season.

The report claims that Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Arsenal are also showing an interest in the Nigeria international, as Slot plots a move to sign the former Fulham and Everton man.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It states that Lookman is ‘expected’ to complete a move away from the Italian side when the summer transfer window officially opens for business, with a host of Premier League sides seemingly ready to compete for his services.

Caught Offside adds that the Serie A outfit are set to demand a fee of around £55m to allow the electric forward to leave, which means that he would be almost £100m cheaper than signing Isak would later this year.

Slot and Michael Edwards must, now, push to secure a deal for Lookman ahead of the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Why Ademola Lookman would improve Liverpool's team

The English-born talent has been in phenomenal form for Atalanta in Italy in recent seasons, so much so that FBref lists Isak as one of the most similar players to him based on their respective statistics over the past 365 days.

As you can see in the chart above, both players excel in similar areas of the game as forward players, with Lookman even offering more non-penalty goals and more Expected Assisted Goals per 90.

The Atalanta star’s finishing quality this season suggests that he could bring the ruthless edge that Isak has to Anfield, with 13 goals from 9.11 xG in the Serie A – outperforming his xG by more than any Liverpool player aside from Salah.

Lookman, who scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in the Serie A last season, could come in to be an Isak-esque finisher for Slot, despite costing £95m less.

The 27-year-old star, who was hailed as “sensational” by pundit Jack Collins, can play out wide on the left or through the middle as a centre-forward, which suggests that he could come in as a direct upgrade on Diaz – who offers similar positional flexibility.

As you can see in the table above, Lookman has racked up 18 goals from just 14.31 xG in the Serie A and Champions League combined this term, whilst Diaz has failed to outperform his xG for Liverpool.

Meanwhile, the Colombian forward has only created seven ‘big chances’ in the Premier League and the Champions League combined, which suggests that the Atalanta ace also offers more than him as a creative threat for his side.

These statistics suggest that Liverpool would improve their team by signing Lookman to be an upgrade on Diaz, due to his superior finishing and goalscoring, as well as his ability to create high-quality chances for his teammates more frequently.

He'd be as important as Alvarez: Liverpool "held talks" to sign £40m star

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing this star as well as Julian Alvarez.

By
Dan Emery

Mar 22, 2025

Therefore, Edwards and Slot must sign the Isak-esque star this summer to improve the team and solve their finishing problems at the top end of the pitch, which may be particularly important if Salah leaves when his contract expires this summer.

Angel Gomes has rejected Premier League interest from Manchester United and Arsenal to sign a three-year deal with Ligue 1 side Marseille.

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• Man Utd & Arsenal were tracking Gomes
• Midfielder committed his future to Marseille
• Has penned a three-year deal at Velodrome

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Marseille have announced they have reached an agreement in principle with Gomes on a three-year deal and he will shift his base to the Stade Velodrome after his contract with Lille expires on June 30.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gomes, who began his career at United and was long seen as one of their most promising youth prospects, has chosen not to return to Old Trafford despite speculation suggesting the Red Devils were keen on re-signing him. Arsenal also kept tabs on the midfielder, with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United similarly exploring the possibility of bringing him back to the Premier League.

• TELL ME MORE

  After four seasons at Lille, Gomes decided against renewing his deal. His most recent campaign was disrupted by injuries, limiting him to just 20 total appearances and only 10 starts in Ligue 1. Despite those setbacks, his overall contribution to the club remains notable, tallying 10 goals and 19 assists in 134 appearances since his arrival in 2020.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The move also reunites Gomes with a familiar face from his United days – Mason Greenwood. Greenwood enjoyed a sensational campaign under De Zerbi and ended up finishing as the joint-top scorer in Ligue 1 alongside Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele with 21 goals.

Joshua Kimmich's versatility is under fire as ex-Bayern defender Markus Babbel launches a brutal attack, urging the Germany star to stop roaming.

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• Babbel says Kimmich weakens Bayern’s defence
• Ex-Bayern star calls midfield role “just average”
• Bayern Munich beat Auckland City 10-0 in CWC opener

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Bayern Munich and Germany defender Babbel launched a scathing critique of Kimmich, claiming the current Bayern star is "doing gymnastics everywhere" and hurting the team by not sticking to one role. Babbel insisted Kimmich should return to right-back, calling him "world-class" in that position, and said he was "just average" as a central midfielder. Babbel’s remarks follow ongoing debates in Germany over Kimmich’s best role.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kimmich’s positional play has long divided opinion. While he sees his future in central midfield, both former Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel and current Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann have used him at right-back. New Bayern boss Vincent Kompany continues to field him in midfield, a decision that may now face further scrutiny given Babbel’s harsh assessment. Meanwhile, Bayern are pushing to maintain their dominant form at the Club World Cup, where they opened with a 10-0 win over Auckland City.

• WHAT BABBEL SAID

  In an interview with , Babbel argued that the player’s tendency to roam the pitch and take on too much responsibility is hurting the team’s balance: “Joshua is doing gymnastics everywhere, it's a total mystery to me. Now he's had a phase again where he thought he had to do everything, and as a result, the central defenders got into trouble and looked bad,” Babbel said, highlighting how Kimmich’s freedom in midfield can destabilise the defensive unit behind him.

  Babbel, who spent eight years at Bayern and played primarily as a right-back, insisted Kimmich’s insistence on playing centrally is misguided: “He should finally stay in his best position, right-back. He was world-class there, but in midfield he's just average.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kimmich has played over 230 Bundesliga matches for Die Roten. He has switched between right-back and midfield roles since joining from RB Leipzig. He also captained Euro 2024 finalists Germany at and currently holds the same role under Julian Nagelsmann.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been scouting a personal transfer target of his, with the tactician asking Stamford Bridge chiefs to replace two players.

Chelsea set to spend again this summer transfer window

Ahead of their participation in the Club World Cup, a competition which could land Chelsea a huge financial windfall of £100 million if they win it, reports have suggested that the west Londoners will be active in the early summer transfer window.

Chelsea "already" preparing bid to sign Liverpool "superstar" for Maresca

The west Londoners are expected to sign players before the Club World Cup.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 1, 2025

Chelsea will have an early opportunity from June 1st to June 10th to make signings ahead of their CWC campaign, with BlueCo already doing some work on potential incomings for the competition.

Ipswich Town star Liam Delap is a key transfer target for Chelsea, and journalist Simon Phillips has already claimed that a large amount of groundwork has been done for the Englishman’s signature.

Phillips also recently reported that Chelsea are expected to “go big” on three positions this summer – a new goalkeeper, centre-back and striker.

Amid concerns surrounding both Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen, who have both attracted criticism in their own right, Chelsea are being heavily linked with a move for Liverpool second-choice Caoimhin Kelleher.

Chelsea are even rumoured to already be preparing a £40 million bid for Kelleher, but he is by no means their only potential target in-between the sticks. Kepa Arrizabalaga could return to west London after his loan at Bournemouth, though he appears out of Maresca’s plans, while the in-form Djordje Petrovic has hinted that he could remain at Strasbourg next season.

Mike Penders will be joining Chelsea this summer from Genk, but the 19-year-old could well be one for the future rather than a direct upgrade for the first team.

All the aforementioned factors have made signing a new keeper one of Maresca’s top priorities, with Torino ace Vanja Milinkovic-Savic now on his radar as well.

Enzo Maresca personally scouting Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic

That is according to Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, who write that Maresca has been following Milinkovic-Savic all season.

The Italian specifically watches Torino matches due to the 28-year-old’s outstanding performances this campaign, with Chelsea’s manager on the lookout for new keepers as he looks to replace Sanchez and Jorgensen.

The £110,000-per-week duo have apparently failed to convince Maresca, leading to the head coach requesting a new signing for that area of the squad. A potential swoop for Milinkovic-Savic is made all the more tempting by his £17 million release clause, which would make him a very astute option financially.

Chelsea would have no issue paying this fee, according to Tuttosport, but it is worth noting that Maresca faces stiff competition from Premier League and CWC rivals Man City if they wish to win the race.

“I think Milinkovic-Savic is an underrated goalkeeper and I told him that too,” Torino boss Paolo Vanoli told DAZN in February.

“Some of our work this season has been letting him realise his genuine potential. He is a goalkeeper who gives you many options too.”

Extra-time hero scores less than 90 seconds after coming off the bench in thrilling win

Jonathan Rowe scored a stunning winner off the bench as England U21s won the European Championship for the second time in a row with a 3-2 extra-time victory over a strong Germany side, who had fought back from 2-0 down.

Rowe was introduced at the beginning of extra time and took less than 90 seconds to make the game's telling contribution with a perfectly-placed stooping header from Tyler Morton's whipped delivery from the right. Lee Carsley has now won two successive Euros tournaments in charge of the Three Lions of the future following success in 2023, and his introduction of Rowe proved inspired.

England had taken the lead in the fifth minute through Harvey Elliott, before Omari Hutchinson deservedly doubled the advantage. But Germany came back fighting to level the score at 2-2, and may even have won it in the dying embers of normal time.

The Young Lions begun the biggest match of most of their international careers so far at a sprint, taking an early lead after just five minutes. Who else but semi-final hero Elliott, who finished with the composure of a young man playing on the top of his game after Hutchinson's initial shot had been well saved. When the loose ball fell to Elliott off a German foot, there would only be one conclusion.

England ran riot throughout the first half, James McAtee the chief creator as Lee Carsley's side looked to take the game away from the Germans. Germany beat England in the group stages of this tournament, but it was the Three Lions who dominated the first half. McAtee twice flashed the ball across the face of goal to no avail, but would create the game's second goal in the 24th minute. With Jay Stansfield and Elliott involved in the build-up, McAtee slipped in Hutchinson, who fired through the legs of Noah Atubolu.

England looked like the only side in the game until momentum shifted in a moment in first-half stoppage time. Nelson Weiper rose highest to head home his fourth goal of the tournament and the Germans came out for the second half a different team. Elliot Anderson and substitute Tyler Morton made key defensive contributions to prevent an equalising goal, but the resistance was broken when Paul Nebel found the top corner from just inside the box on 61 minutes.

The final half-hour of normal time became increasingly tense, as both sides knew glory was at their fingertips but did not want to make the mistake which would throw it all away. Germany came inches from winning the game in stoppage time. Charlie Cresswell made a game-saving tackle in the box, before the ball fell to Nebel – whose deflected strike rebounded off the crossbar. The final, therefore, went to extra time.

Rowe made the crucial difference and England threw their bodies on the line to a man. Merlin Rohl hit the bar for a second time in the final moments, but England had done it. European champions once again.

GOAL rates England U21's players from Tehelne Pole Stadium…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  James Beadle (6/10):

  Got a hand to both Germany goals but had little chance with either of them. The 20-year-old had few other saves to make but looked a commanding presence in goal.

  Tino Livramento (7/10):

  Got up and down the pitch tirelessly and barely put a foot wrong from right-back.

  Charlie Cresswell (8/10):

  Faced with the difficult task of dealing with Woltemade, he rose to the occasion and limited him to few opportunities before making a crucial tackle in second-half stoppage time. Played a role in Hutchinson's goal with a lofted ball up to Stansfield, and celebrated like he had scored after a final 122nd-minute block.

  Jarell Quansah (7/10):

  The future Bayer Leverkusen man drove forward from defence with purpose, while remaining as solid as ever defensively.

  Jack Hinshelwood (6/10):

  Classy and intelligent on the ball. Primarily a right-footed midfielder by trade, his ability to put in a shift at left-back in a final underlines his quality.

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  Midfield

  Harvey Elliott (7/10):

  Arguably England's outstanding player of the tournament, Elliott got the Three Lions on their way with a typically assured finish, his fifth of the tournament. Has shown throughout just why he is a target of several Premier League clubs this summer. Tired towards the end of the 90 and was taken off ahead of extra time.

  Elliot Anderson (8/10):

  Drove through midfield at will, while doing the dirty work to keep Germany out at the other end. An all-action performance in a big game.

  Alex Scott (6/10):

  Composed on the ball in a strong first-half showing, unfortunately saw his evening over in the 44th minute after Eric Martel's challenge. The Bournemouth man cut a frustrated figure after he was unable to run off the injury, and took out Woltenmade to earn a booking before making his exit.

  Omari Hutchinson (8/10):

  Looked electric down the left from the first minute. Deservedly got his goal and created endless opportunities, particularly in the first half.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  James McAtee (8/10):

  The captain was outstanding, creating chances at will from just behind Stansfield while making sure to do his defensive work for the team.

  Jay Stansfield (5/10):

  Played a role in the second goal, but was quiet otherwise. Couldn't do enough to sniff out a couple of good opportunities around the six yard box, while his unfortunate deflection took Germany's equaliser beyond Beadle and he was dragged off moments later.

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  Subs & Manager

  Tyler Morton (8/10):

  An outstanding performance after his introduction for Scott. Beaten to the header by Weiper for his goal, but more than made up for it with a wicked Trent Alexander-Arnold-esque delivery to Rowe and sound defensive work from midfield.

  Brooke Norton-Cuffy (7/10):

  Played with an abundance of energy after his introduction following Germany's equaliser. Had a decent chance in normal time but could only hit it straight at the goalkeeper.

  Jonathan Rowe (8/10):

  A decisive substitute appearance. To score in any final is impressive, to do it seconds after coming on is astronomical.

  Ethan Nwaneri (5/10):

  It was not the game-changing impact hoped of by Nwaneri, but that did not matter as Rowe made the telling impact instead.

  CJ Egan-Riley (6/10):

  Came on for his first minutes of the tournament in extra time and had his role to play at the back as England held out.

  Samuel Iling-Junior (5/10):

  Another extra-time introduction, Iling-Junior worked hard for his team after coming on alongside Egan-Riley.

  Lee Carsley (8/10):

  Drilled his young side well throughout the tournament and made crucial substitutions on the night, none more so than the perfectly-timed introduction of Rowe.

Wrexham have announced the return of former goalkeeper Danny Ward ahead of life in the Championship.

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• Wrexham sign Ward on free transfer
• Keeper returns to Welsh side
• Second signing of the summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Welsh international began his career at Wrexham but never made an appearance for the Red Dragons. But after 13 years away, the 32-year-old is back at the Welsh outfit following his release from recently relegated Premier League side Leicester City.

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• WHAT WARD SAID

  He told Wrexham's website: "It’s an exciting time and an amazing feeling to be back at the Club. I’m forever grateful for the opportunity that the Club gave me at an early age and I hope I can repay that."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After a historic three-straight promotions, Wrexham are preparing for life in the Championship. In addition to summer signing Ryan Hardie from Plymouth Argyle, the 6ft 3in stopper brings much-needed experience and will compete with Arthur Okonkwo for the number one spot.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Ward will link up with the Wrexham squad soon as they prepare for the new season.

  Manager Phil Parkinson added on the move: "We’re delighted to welcome Danny back to Wrexham. He’s a keeper with a lot of experience and he’s going to be a great addition to the squad."

The two regional rivals are set to meet in the 2025 Gold Cup final Sunday at 7 p.m. ET in Houston

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• Rivals U.S. and Mexico to meet in the Gold Cup final
• First time since 2021, when USMNT won
• Fans on both sides excited for renewed rivalry

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After four years, the U.S. and Mexico will once again meet in a Gold Cup final, their first trophy-deciding matchup in this tournament since 2021. The USMNT won that final, 1-0 in extra-time.

  With the match serving as the last competitive game before next year's World Cup, there is plenty at stake for both sides – and fans are building anticipation on social media.

  GOAL takes a look at the best social media reactions following both U.S. and Mexico's semifinal wins.

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• WHAT U.S. FANS ARE SAYING

• WHAT MEXICO FANS ARE SAYING

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• WHAT PUNDITS AND PLAYERS ARE SAYING