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Former Premier League goalkeeper and U.S. star Tim Howard has praised Gio Reyna ahead of November’s international friendlies, highlighting the midfielder’s unique technical qualities that set him apart from the typical American player. The 22-year-old playmaker has been included in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for matches against Paraguay and Uruguay later this month.

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  Howard identifies Reyna as special talent

  Howard emphasized that Reyna possesses qualities rarely seen in American soccer, describing him as a "generational talent" with technical skills that differentiate him from the country's traditional player profile. The former Manchester United and Everton goalkeeper noted that while the United States has historically produced physically robust players, strong defenders, reliable goalkeepers, and hardworking strikers, Reyna represents something entirely different.

  “I’m a fan of Gio because I have my eyes wide open about who U.S. Soccer is. And like I said to you before, time and time again, we do not produce players like this. Whether they reach their full potential or not, we don’t produce players like this," Howard said on podcast. "We’ve had, and I mentioned on this show, we’ve had Todd Ramos, we’ve had Claudio Reyna, we’ve had you [Landon Donovan], we’ve had Clint [Dempsey], we’ve had Christian [Pulisic], right?

  “That’s five, I might be missing one or two, but the people who are generational talents, we don’t have those players. We’ve got robust players, we’ve got good center backs, we’ve got good goalkeepers, and even had good strikers. We don’t produce that type of player, and he is one of those players.”

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• Howard maintains optimism for Reyna

  Howard remains hopeful that Reyna can overcome his challenges and fulfill his potential with the national team. The veteran of three World Cups emphasized that he continues to believe in Reyna's ability to find his place within Pochettino's system and make a significant impact as the team builds toward the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

  “I still hold out hope that he can find the form with the USMNT and that he can find the place,” Howard said. “Because you know, and I know that it’s tough to take the ball in big moments. When the lights are shining bright and you’re the underdog and the world is watching it’s tough to take the ball in tight spots and tough moments, and I think he has the ability to do that and I can’t say that about many players.”

• Technical brilliance remains evident

  Despite signing for Borussia Monchengladbach this summer from Borussia Dortmund in a bid to get more game time, Reyna has struggled for consistency. The 22-year-old has made only six appearances for the Bundesliga side out of their 10 league games, but has only played a combined total of 146 minutes in those appearances. Injuries have played a role in that, alongside the club’s lack of form and the fact that they have been managing his minutes, trying to get Reyna back up to full fitness.

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  November friendlies offer platform for midfielder

  The upcoming matches against South American opposition represent an important opportunity for Reyna to strengthen his position in Pochettino's plans, especially with other players missing in action.

If the Los Angeles Dodgers seem looser than usual this spring training—well, a World Series title like the one they won in 2024 will do that.

Exhibit A: the ongoing prank war between designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani and manager Dave Roberts. After Ohtani pranked Roberts by gifting him a toy Porsche in '24, Roberts got his revenge Friday by filling his car with plastic balls.

Ohtani posted video to Instagram Saturday morning of his dog, Decoy, playing with the balls—with the caption, "Thank you, Doc (Roberts's nickname)."

The Dodgers also posted video of Ohtani discovering the prank for the first time.

"What did you think?" the Los Angeles staffer taking the video asked Ohtani.

"I don't know, a little troublesome," he laughed.

Ohtani was a little troublesome for his old team—the Los Angeles Angels—Friday. The three-time MVP went yard in his first spring training at-bat in his team's 6–5 exhibition win.

Glasgow Rangers decided to part ways with head coach Russell Martin last month after a dismal start to the season, which saw them win five of 17 matches in all competitions.

The Light Blues endured a dismal time on the pitch for the majority of his tenure, losing more than they won and conceding more goals than they scored.

Along with that, several of the club’s signings in the summer transfer window failed to make much of an impact for the former Southampton manager, including Thelo Aasgaard.

Why Thelo Aasgard has not been a successful signing

The Norway international was signed on a permanent deal from Luton Town in the summer, but he was unable to provide a single goal or assist as an attacking midfielder for Martin.

Aasgaard’s only goal in 16 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues so far this season came against Dundee United in Stevie Smith’s match as the interim manager before Danny Rohl arrived at Ibrox.

As you can see in the table above, the English-born midfielder flopped under Martin in the Scottish Premiership, and has yet to produce the goods for Rohl.

The 23-year-old flop was then sent off against Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden Park on Sunday, as he continues to struggle at Ibrox.

After that red card, Rohl should bring another player who flopped under Martin into the side, as Nedim Bajrami could be even better than the ex-Luton man.

Why Nedim Bajrami should be unleashed by Danny Rohl

The Albania international only played 195 minutes of football for the Scottish manager, per Sofascore, and made five appearances off the bench without managing a goal, an assist, or a key pass.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Bajrami was described as “anonymous” in a game last season by content creator Stevie Clifford, and that is exactly what he was throughout Martin’s reign.

However, the former Sassuolo man did show signs of promise when given opportunities to impress in the Scottish Premiership and the Europa League by Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson in the 2024/25 campaign.

As you can see in the table above, Bajrami created ten ‘big chances’ in 23 starts across both competitions, but was only rewarded with one assist for his creative efforts.

This suggests that he was let down by poor finishing from his teammates, rather than it being a lack of creativity on his part, which is why Rohl should provide him with a chance to show what he can do in Aasgaard’s place.

After the clash with Roma in the Europa League this evening, Rohl should bring Bajrami into the starting line-up for the match against Dundee on Sunday, as he has the potential to provide more creativity than Aasgaard has.

The Norway international has failed to create a single ‘big chance’ in 809 minutes this season, per Sofascore, whilst the Albanian star created 11 in 2,330 minutes in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign.

Rohl can unearth his own Osmand by finally unleashing Rangers' "Boy Wonder"

Danny Rohl can unearth his own Callum Osmand by unleashing this Rangers youngster.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 4, 2025

This suggests that Rohl could unleash a more effective player than Aasgaard by bringing Bajrami into his XI to feature more prominently than he did under Martin, when he was completely anonymous due to his lack of game time.

Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT just delivered its best camp yet – but the emergence of new standouts has created a real selection dilemma ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Mauricio Pochettino was angry. Not childish angry or stroppy angry. 

Instead, Pochettino was egotistically angry. He was sports angry. He sat before the U.S. press pool after beating Uruguay, 5-1, and unleashed the kind of rant that coaches who know they have done a good job go on. He talked about respect. He snapped at a question. He declared, defiantly, that "it’s the U.S. men’s national team playing." The basic premise? People shouldn't question the fact that most of the starting XI on Tuesday night aren't in what most would consider his strongest team. This was, instead, the backups getting it done. Except, don't you call them backups. 

The best part, for him at least? Pochettino was right. This was the kind of victory that coaches love, that they can hang their hat on. Pochettino went out there, made nine changes, played a slightly different system, and saw his side absolutely batter a top 15 team in the world. Wins, albeit in a friendly, don't come much better than this. All of the right bits were here: goals from set pieces, crunching tackles, constant running, guys coming off the bench, and making an impact. You wanted a hit? Well, here's a doing what squads do – 15 men deep and immensely effective throughout. 

And, let's face it, this is exactly what Pochettino needed. There has been some serious back and forth on what constitutes success in these matches. The reality is that there is nothing material on the line. But winning is good. Winning curates a vibe. Winning changes perception. And winning, like this, is even better. 

Yet there’s a caveat. Pochettino can show off his tactical nous and coaching chops all he wants- and he should. But he now has a real problem. It was the newer faces who delivered. At some point, he’ll need the same level from the players long viewed as the more talented options from afar. And the question now is whether he can actually trust them to do it, or if he’ll keep leaning into his approach.

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  Calling in 71 players to change culture…

  This wasn’t quite the Pochettino everyone imagined. A lot of assumptions were made early, and understandably so. The resume was impressive: Tottenham, PSG, Chelsea. Miracles at Southampton. Success everywhere – even if not always measured in trophies. He managed egos in Paris. He reached a Champions League final with Spurs while missing Harry Kane for key stretches. Those are the things that grab attention.

  And then came his introductory press conference – tucked away in a secret room in New York, all theatrical buildup and “legion-of-doom” energy. But the man who walked in wasn’t ominous at all: sharp haircut, scruffy beard, smiling, joking. He didn’t promise a World Cup quarterfinal, but he did say he’d to be there.

  Those were simpler times – full of optimism and possibility. Since then, the mood has shifted. Pochettino’s tactics have been mixed, leaning heavily into counter-attacking. He’s dipped deep into the player pool – sometimes by choice, often out of necessity. Calling up 71 players is good for the long-term health of the program. Whether wanted to do that so aggressively is another story. He also picked a high-profile fight, benching Christian Pulisic once it became clear the star wanted to save his legs during the Gold Cup (he got injured anyway – a twist that felt a bit like football karma).

  That approach works in club football, especially with the talent-rich sides Pochettino once led. But with the USMNT, it just looked bad – particularly when paired with a Gold Cup final loss. The one upside? He got to position himself as a culture-builder. “Not a mannequin,” as he put it. This was his program now.

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  Signs of growth

  And that all set the table very nicely for this fall. The U.S. have improved camp by camp since the Gold Cup. And this November one was unquestionably Pochettino's best yet. You could make a pretty good XI out of the absentees, among them: Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, Yunus Musah, Malik Tillman, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson. In that group, there are, conservatively, four starters when the World Cup kicks off. 

  Pochettino went with his strongest side, given the circumstances. Sergino Dest, now fully fit, got a nod. Folarin Balogun played up front. Gio Reyna received a surprise start in an attacking midfield role. But Pochettino's MLS-heavy imprint was also there. Cristian Roldan started in the middle. Max Arfsten turned in a fine shift on the left. Miles Robinson went all 90 at right center back.

  The U.S. were far from perfect, but the 2-1 win was agreeable. It was another example of how Pochettino's three-in-the-back system might work out. It was also a fine tryout for Reyna after a lengthy absence from both the U.S. and the very concept of playing soccer for more than 15 minutes. Paraguay weren't great. Neither were the U.S. in truth. With the benefit of hindsight, this was, effectively, the Reyna show, 80 minutes of him being very good at football while everyone around him made the right movements. But they all count.

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  What the Uruguay thrashing meant

  And then, Tuesday. You could make a pretty compelling argument that Pochettino had always been building to this. He made nine changes, and went for what looked like an entirely backup XI. Only Matt Freese and Dest retained their spots in the side. This was the kind of team that, just 12 months ago, was every U.S. fan's worst nightmare. 

  You could imagine the skeptics sitting around, heads in their hands.

  On paper, in abstract, with no context and a fair bit of uninformed snobbery, it looked like suicide. 

  But this is Pochettino's U.S., or, at least, the version he likes to brag about. And here, they were magnificent. They scored five good goals, conceded one cheap one, yet completely smothered a top opponent. They were remarkably fluid on the break, tidy when they had the ball, and dangerous from set pieces. 

  Sebastian Berhalter, known really for being the son of Gregg Berhalter, whipped in an audacious free kick. Alex Freeman, a , and MLS Young Player of the Year, nodded a header in and then put Barcelona's Ronald Araujo on skates to complete a lovely brace. The camera panned to Pochettino after the third U.S. goal. The Argentine was sitting on the bench in shock. This was the performance of his wildest dreams. 

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  Vindication, finally

  And this was the evidence he needed to quiet the doubters. This, he implied, was what all the pain was for. This is why he lost four straight, and five of his first 10. This is why they couldn’t beat Mexico and were hammered by South Korea. All the setbacks, all the uninspiring performances – they funneled into one emphatic response.

  The vibes, the anger, the resilience: they all culminated here. There’s a clear line from the Gold Cup final loss, to a meaningless dust-up with Paraguay – essentially just childish petulance not worth overthinking – to a 5–1 demolition of the No. 15 team in the world. Pochettino’s players were fired up. And they played like it.

  Inside the locker room, that message has landed.

  "I think he's good at giving players confidence, which I definitely like and think is very important," Miles Robinson told GOAL. "We need to fight like our lives depend on it. Some of these players [who we play against], who come from other countries, this is their way out; they had nothing. He recognizes, 'Hey, that's not how most of you guys grew up, but we're going to have to beat them with our hearts, our minds, and other ways.' He's super truthful. His philosophy on life is something that I relate to."

  His rant, then, touched on all of the right things. It cultivated the aura of the USMNT of old. You could imagine the patriotic music swelling up behind him as he spoke, picture famous victories at the World Cup in 2002, and dream of Tim Howard's performance against Belgium in 2014. It was suggested a year ago that this team was unlikeable and soft. Now they are competitive heroes, full of energy and verve, yet a real nightmare to play against. 

  Freeman knows it.

  "It’s good to build our chemistry and confidence. In the past two games, not only did we play good, but we also dominated. So being able to get those wins in those situations is great for the team," he said after the Uruguay win.

Rodney Peete is best known as a former star quarterback at USC, and a longtime NFL signal caller who started 87 games and played for six franchises across a 15-year career. Today, he's a local sports personality in Los Angeles, and a diehard Dodgers fan, whose son RJ Peete works as a clubhouse attendant for the franchise.

The elder Peete and his wife Holly Robinson-Peete made the trip to Tokyo to watch the Los Angeles open its season against the Chicago Cubs, and he made a highlight of his own. In the bottom of the sixth inning with the Dodgers up 6–3, Pete—wearing a glove—appeared to rob L.A. third baseman Max Muncy of a catchable foul ball off the bat of Ian Happ.

Muncy was clearly irked by the play, but Peete took to X to argue that the infielder didn't have a legitimate chance to make the play.

Based on the replay, it certainly looks like Muncy had a chance at it, though the ball did seem to miss Muncy's glove, which looked to be positioned above Peete's, so maybe the Trojans great has a point here.

In any case, Happ would strike out in the at-bat and the Dodgers finished off the 6–3 win, so no harm, no foul.

We'll see whether Peete takes the time to call in and defend himself, live from Tokyo. Local radio host Tim Cates is already on the case.

Arne Slot has intimated multiple times this season his belief that Liverpool are conceding a disproportionate number of goals while failing to finish their chances off up top.

To a degree, this is true. Expected Goals Against (xGA) tell of the Anfield side’s struggles at the back, having conceded 20 times in the Premier League this season despite only conceding an xGA total of 15.5.

But that is only one dimension of a many-angled crisis for the Merseysiders, who have been sapped of strength and style and confidence after dispatching their rivals to storm to the Premier League title last season.

Liverpool are also joint-fifth for big chances created this season (35), while Chelsea are first with 39 created. Not exactly a world away, and when you consider that no team have had more possession than Liverpool this term (61.5%), you’d perhaps argue that Slot has all the ingredients to get his squad playing to his tune.

Football works in weird ways, though, and Liverpool have been shambolic. Something needs to give, and while defence and attack both share issues, it is a tough, physical presence in midfield that the Reds are lacking this season.

Liverpool need to sign a holding midfielder

Last season, Slot bounced back from the frustration of being rejected by Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi by converting Ryan Gravenberch into a robust, deep-lying midfielder. It paid dividends, with Liverpool lifting the Premier League title for the second time in five years.

Liverpool are such a far cry from the robust level of last year it almost beggars belief, with Gravenberch lacking the physicality and strength to give the Anfield side what they need to turn things around.

With Alexis Mac Allister also struggling, it could be that a robust new presence in the middle could turn the tide at Anfield, and sources from overseas suggest that that is what sporting director Richard Highes is focusing on right now.

Well, according to reports in Spain, Liverpool have made a staggering British record bid for Real Madrid star Federico Valverde, worth something in the region of €150m (equating to £132m).

Dissent is rife at the Santiago Bernabeu, with suggestions of breakdowns in the relationship between head coach Xabi Alonso and star players such as Vinicius Junior.

Liverpool are looking to capitalise, adding Uruguay international Valverde to their ranks and reinforcing their midfield with a combative presence and a leader of men.

What Valverde would offer Liverpool

Valverde, 27, has been at Real Madrid for the lion’s share of his senior career, having joined the Spaniard from Penarol in his homeland way back in 2015.

A dynamic and multi-functional player, Valverde has chalked up 339 senior appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 32 goals and supplying 35 assists. He was once described as a “monster in the making” with “world-class potential” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it’s fair to say Valverde has lived up to the hype on that account.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 20% for progressive carries, the top 17% for interceptions and the top 1% for switches (rekindling something of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing range, perhaps).

The data-led platform reveal Arsenal’s Declan Rice to be among his most statistically comparable players, to give a flavour of his style (though Liverpool fans are already well-acquainted with Valverde’s talent).

Moreover, Valverde’s steely defensive qualities could be the perfect way to reinforce Liverpool’s midfield while maintaining a kind of broadness of style that Slot is known to covet from his engine room workers.

Given Valverde’s Real Madrid connection and his steeliness in the centre of the field – he has won 58% of his duels and averaged 1.7 tackles per game in La Liga, as per Sofascore – the South American could even be Liverpool’s next version of Fabinho, who cut his teeth in the Spanish capital before finding his footing in France with Monaco.

Fabinho, Jurgen Klopp’s all-inspiring midfield anchor for so many years, was also more than capable as a right-back, emphasising the athleticism and tactical intelligence that he shares with Valverde.

The Brazilian differed from Gravenberch in that he was more resilient in his play, less technically gifted, but more suited to a natural role in the six berth.

Valverde could be the perfect addition in this regard, still getting forward when the need arises but bringing a more focused defensive skillset from which Slot’s tactics could bloom once again.

You could argue that Liverpool have missed Fabinho’s presence ever since he left for Saudi Arabia in 2023. With the pendulum swinging within English football once again, and low blocks and more direct play back in fashion, Valverde could be a significant upgrade and a worthwhile addition in spite of the exorbitant cost.

Joe Cole waxed lyrical after one glittering Champions League performance, remarking that Valverde “is every bit as good as Jude Bellingham”.

Quite the praise, that. But Liverpool don’t need Bellingham. They need someone even grittier and more grounded. Fabinho-esque. They need Valverde.

Liverpool teenager who's 'like Pogba' could end Mac Allister's Anfield stay

Liverpool must start handing this prodigious academy talent more chances to impress.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 25, 2025

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Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller strolled into the final, but the semifinals still left us plenty to unpack – including fresh questions about Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano’s future in San Diego.

And just like that, the stage is set. The Vancouver Whitecaps and Inter Miami will play for the MLS Cup on Saturday afternoon. That’s a tasty one: Lionel Messi on one side, Thomas Müller on the other, two legends anchoring two genuinely strong teams gearing up for a proper final.

But what about the games that got them here? MLS delivered two highly watchable – if not particularly close – semis over the weekend. Miami battered NYCFC, 5-1. Vancouver saw off San Diego 3-1. The results were perhaps a little predictable. But the margin of victory for both games? Not a chance. Still, it sets things up pincely – and does provide a forum for reflection. NYCFC were underdogs, and actually made a decent account of themselves in the game. SDFC could have played Vancouver even, but a couple of rough breaks – and the fact that they dealt with the reported internal turmoil of strife between their head coach, Mikey Varas, and their star player in Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano – made things trickier. 

Still, are the results fair? And is this the dream final? GOAL U.S. writers take a look at a fun weekend of conference finals, and look ahead to what should be a captivating MLS Cup in another edition of… . 

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  Which was the more convincing win: Miami or Vancouver?

  Tom Hindle: Miami, no question. That was probably the most dominant performance have turned in all season. Messi didn't have his best game whatsoever, and they still battered an opponent in NYCFC that has been in excellent form of late. Five goals, one real chance conceded, and they look in their best form heading into the biggest game of the year. 

  Ryan Tolmich: Both impressive and both, in a way, somewhat expected. Miami and Vancouver are both so far ahead of the teams they beat, which is what makes this such a fun MLS Cup final. As for the more convincing, it's probably Miami, largely because it was just the perfect reminder that they can light up a team unlike any other in MLS history.

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  What do San Diego and NYCFC need to do this offseason to go a step further?

  TH: San Diego got almost everything right. Perhaps the only thing that derailed things a bit was a bit of defensive frailty that Vancouver exposed. So, yeah, avoid injury, maybe bring in a little center back, and they're contenders next year. As for NYCFC, things look a little trickier. Can Maxi Moralez be counted on to stick around longer? Is Alonzo Martinez going to play any part next season? They need to invest in the attack to get close to where they were this year – even if manager Pascal Jansen did a fine job. 

  RT: San Diego will be looking at all of this and wondering "what if?". They had a star striker in Milan Iloski, but now he's in Philly because they were unable to keep him permanently. If they had him, would the outcome change? Maybe not, but it surely would have helped. As for NYCFC, they're close. The big task this offseason will likely be sorting out striker and midfield additions following crucial injuries. If they can do that, they'll be fine.

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  Does Chucky Lozano have a long-term future in SDFC?

  TH: If he behaves, yes! The Mexican star was supposedly in, shall we say, disagreement with Mikey Varas on a few occasions this year. If that relationship is properly mended, then they should be able to run things back in 2026. But disgruntled superstars can be a real issue, and with Anders Dreyer around, Chucky might not be the go-to guy, anyway. 

  RT: It's looking rocky, at the very least. He wasn't quite the elite presence many would have expected and, towards the end of the season, there was a clash with the coaching staff. Because of that, it's fair to at least wonder if this partnership is one that's going to work in the long run. If it doesn't, Lozano will have options. San Diego will, too, and they've shown a real ability to scout and sign talent. Lozano or no Lozano, one would bet on the club making the right call based on just this one year of evidence.

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  Is it fair to say that Miami are now a good defensive team?

  TH: Not really. A couple of defensive good games doesn't make them unreal at the back. But they certainly have found a vital sense of balance from front to back. Let's see if they can keep a good Vancouver team quiet, and then let's talk.

  RT: Let's not get carried away! This team still has its frailties, and the path to an MLS Cup is likely outscoring the Whitecaps, not shutting them down. Are they passable defensively? Sure, but no one is mistaking them for some shutdown side. Ultimately, this is a group that defends via its attack, which should scare any opponent into being just a little bit more cautious, given the talent on the field.

It’s safe to say that things could be going better for the New York Mets.

After jumping out to the lead in the NL East to start the year, they have since been surpassed by the surging Philadelphia Phillies. They had lost six of eight games over a recent stretch, before erasing those bad vibes with some wins over the Dodgers and White Sox. There have been questions about the hustle of Juan Soto, who is earning 765 million reasons to hustle over the next 15 years.

Mets’ mania reached its height at some point last week during the team’s dropped series against the crosstown rival New York Yankees. The vibes were, undeniably, bad, as the Mets hit a dismal .160 (4-for-25) with runners in scoring position, putting up just seven runs across three games against the Yankees.

But third baseman Mark Vientos is not worried about the struggles. Asked about the team’s RISP woes after their 9–4 loss to the White Sox on Wednesday, Vientos spoke with confidence.

"The way I look at it is, if this is us struggling, and we're winning games, imagine when we're not,” Vientos said. “I don't think the whole season is going to be like this."

Vientos comments came after another rough day for the Mets when it came to optimizing their opportunities with men on base, with the team hitting 2-for-12 in RISP situations.

But it’s likely that Vientos's perspective is the right one. The baseball regular season is a marathon, and every team in the majors will face its ups and downs over the summer swing.

Given the Mets are 4–1 over their past five games, and they sit just two games back in a divisional race against the team with the best record in the NL, things are pretty okay if this is what “struggling” looks like.

Still, if the Mets are going to reach the heights expected of them this season, they’re going to have to put it all together at one point. Scraping your way to wins is one thing, but this Mets team was built to dominate.

Newcastle United are far from perfect this season, but there is enough quality at Eddie Howe’s disposal for the manager to craft another knockout campaign.

While the Magpies have claimed seven points from nine in the Premier League, they are 12th in the standings; however, the congested nature of the campaign means fourth-place Chelsea only hold a five-point advantage.

Whether Newcastle consolidate a fine run of form over the winter months – as they did last year – remains to be seen, but Howe will take understandable solace in his side’s more polished and coherent recent performances after a tumultuous transfer window.

However, it feels like some outside aid is needed, and with midfield emerging as a priority position for technical director Ross Wilson, it’s no surprise that Elliot Anderson continues to be linked with a return home.

The latest on Elliot Anderson to Newcastle

We all know the story. Newcastle’s PSR problems. Selling Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to circumvent a ban. Shaving fringe quality instead of selling a superstar.

But the 23-year-old midfielder has grown into a force to be reckoned with, Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel going as far as to call him “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”.

This is a sentiment shared by Howe, who was candid in discussing why Newcastle sold their prized homegrown talent to a Premier League rival, and underlined his desire to win him back.

Anderson is now a sensation, though, and Premier League tax has been levied by the Tricky Trees, who are set to demand in excess of £100m for a player now being chased by Manchester City and Manchester United too.

Newcastle will try, but this is sure to prove an elusive signature to land.

It’s important that the St. James’ Park side learn from their past mistakes, though, and don’t part with their new version of the Three Lions star.

Newcastle have an even bigger talent than Anderson

He’s had a tough time of late in regard to injuries, but Lewis Hall’s emphatic return to the field at Newcastle has remind English football of the calibre of their exciting up-and-comer.

The 21-year-old has now started three Premier League games in a row for Newcastle, and already he has reshaped the tactical fluency that was sorely missing in the early stages of the campaign. He was instrumental in taking control against Tottenham, and unfortunate not to have claimed three points.

Hailed as “the best player on the field” by reporter Andy Sixsmith, Hall has only just regained full fitness but is indeed reminding the Premier League of his elite quality.

He’s so defensively sound while playing dynamically and always looking to develop Tottenham’s attacking patterns through intelligent build-up work and calculated movement.

This is further evidenced through FBref’s data. The platform reveal the England international to rank among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 18% for progressive passes, the top 7% for through balls, the top 19% for successful take-ons and the top 7% for tackles won per 90.

Journalist Harry De Cosemo claimed that the young full-back “makes such a difference” when starting from the opening, and no mistake there.

The vultures are bound to start circling before long, and while Newcastle may struggle to re-sign a homegrown talent in Anderson, they may have an even bigger talent in their ranks, and it is crucial that Howe is given the security to build around him.

Shades of Woltemade: Newcastle holding internal talks to sign £21m "magician"

This attacking star could improve Newcastle’s final third quality, just as Nick Woltemade has done of late.

By
Joe Nuttall

Dec 4, 2025

Benjamin Sesko's continued injury layoff is a significant blow for Manchester United and boss Ruben Amorim. Sesko has been sidelined since early November with a knee injury sustained against Tottenham Hotspur and while there were initial reports suggesting a swift recovery, the United boss announced a disappointing reason for his striker's latest setback.

• Bitter blow for United boss

  Amorim has revealed the Slovenian striker, a £74 million ($98.8m) summer signing from RB Leipzig has suffered a recent bout of food poisoning which will delay his comeback beyond the originally anticipated date. Sesko's absence has been keenly felt, particularly as United are set to lose key forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving the squad short on attacking options. The ongoing uncertainty surrounding Sesko's fitness puts immense pressure on other available forwards like Joshua Zirkzee and Matheus Cunha. And his agent, Elvis Basanovic, has noted Sesko is "impatient" to return. 

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  Amorim: 'We have to see'

  Speaking to the press ahead of the clash with Bournemouth on Monday evening, Amorim said: "(Harry) Maguire is out, (Matthijs) De Ligt is out, Ben (Sesko) we have to see. We have to see if he's available, he has some food poisoning but let's wait, we have two training sessions still."

• Sesko agent: 'We will see him on the pitch very soon'

  Speaking earlier this week, Sesko’s representative Basanovic told Slovenian broadcaster Arena Sport: "Benjamin feels very good, his rehabilitation is going according to plan. He can’t wait to get back on the pitch. He’s missing matches, he’s a little impatient and we hope that he will return soon, to be where he feels best again. It’s hard to say exactly (when he will return), it will ultimately be decided by the medical service and the coach. I think we will see him on the pitch very soon. Maybe sooner than it seems at the moment."

  And on Sesko’s relationship with boss Amorim, Basanovic added: “I must say he (Amorim) received Benjamin excellently. I think Ruben is first of all, an excellent person with fantastic charisma, extremely intelligent, emotionally intelligent and I think he knows what he’s doing. I believe he’s in a difficult situation. It’s not easy to build such a project that requires enormous knowledge and amount of time. United is one of the biggest clubs in the world, if not the biggest and people don’t understand you need time. But I think every team being built needs time. Just look at [Matheus] Cunha, Mbeumo and Sesko: they have played very few matches together.

  "And I think that they especially need games and they need to develop certain automatisms because then it’s much easier. When you have these automatisms, you don’t need to think where a player is or runs but that you start automatically. Then the results come and everything looks much better."

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  Bournemouth up next for United

  United face a demanding festive schedule with four Premier League matches leading up to the New Year and begin their run with a home match against Bournemouth on. The Cherries have become a banana skin for United in recent meetings and are winless in their last four Premier League games against them. But Amorim's side are in a good vein of form after a rocky start to the season, having lost just one of their last nine league games, with the defeat being the recent 1-0 at home to Everton. They then travel to Villa Park to face Aston Villa on December 21st and their Boxing Day fixture (which is the only top-flight game that day) sees them host Newcastle United at Old Trafford. And they round off 2025 with another home game against Wolves on December 30th.