This man is hot. Not content with being the reigning African Footballer of the Year and the first Ballon d’Or winner hailing from outside Europe, George Weah was also recently named by FIFA as the best player on the planet.

No sooner had he received the prize, he beckoned his mentor Arsene Wenger to join him on stage and handed it over. For Weah, brilliance on the field and generosity off it come in equal measure.

After all, how many players would shoulder the financial burden for their own country’s impoverished football federation? Weah is a riverside lad from Monrovia who would have been resigned to a career as a telephone technician, if not for the fame and fortune that football offered him instead.

The Lone Stars, as the Liberian national team are nicknamed, are his baby. He pays the air fares of his European-based team-mates to attend crucial matches, buys their kit and even dishes out the win bonuses. Weah effectively enabled Liberia to qualify for a first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations.

He is perhaps football’s best bargain buy of the past 10 years. Remarkably, the £6 million striking pearl – the price Milan paid Paris Saint-Germain in the summer already looks like exceptional value – once cost a paltry £12,000, when Monaco bought him from Cameroonian club Tonnerre Yaounde in 1988.

But Weah’s transformation into a world-acclaimed goal-hunter who sat at the top of last season’s Champions League scoring charts, even though PSG didn’t make it to the final, has been no joyride. He’s had to plot his success while coping with the haunting thought that his parents, caught up in the thick of Liberia’s civil war, could easily have been butchered like so many others.

Under Wenger’s tutelage at Monaco, Weah was able to develop his game. If his deftness of touch and natural sense of awareness doesn’t scare the life out of the opposition, his powerful physique makes him almost unmarkable.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Milan president Silvio Berlusconi had no qualms in recruiting the forward – he even thrust his team of lawyers into a no-holds-barred, spare-no-expense battle all the way to the European Court in Strasbourg to potentially pronounce that Weah was a French citizen, so as not to upset the Italian quota of two non-EU players per club. The Rossoneri already had Zvonimir Boban and Dejan Savicevic on their books, but boss Fabio Capello needed a player worthy of filling the hole that was left behind by Marco van Basten’s retirement. Roberto Baggio was also signed from Juventus.

It’s been a remarkable European odyssey for Weah – here, the striker reminisces about that journey…

After helping Liberia qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, what do you tell those that label you a one-man team?

It’s not true. Maybe they say so because I single-handedly sponsor the team without receiving assistance from the government or any other person. I’ve committed my personal funds because I want Liberia’s global image, which has been badly dented by the civil war, to be repaired through football.

How do you spend your own money on your national team?

I buy all the playing gear and return international air fares for some of the country’s European-based players, to enable them to report for Liberia’s various matches in different countries. I also pay match bonuses to my less financially endowed team-mates to make them happy and motivate them into giving the country their very best.

Have you kept track of how much you’ve spent on the Lone Stars?

Lots of money! It’s not appropriate for me to disclose the amount I’ve spent so far. When you spend money on your country willingly, as I do, the amount involved is irrelevant. But I will say this – it’s been a big responsibility that has run into tens of thousands of dollars.

Just a few days ago, Liberia’s sports minister visited you in Milan, looking for further financial assistance. Does having to spend so much bother you?

No, because I believe that I’m doing something to improve the lives of my younger team-mates still in Liberia, and I want to use the exposure gained by playing in high-level tournaments, like the Africa Cup of Nations, to get them professional contracts in Europe.

How was it when you first moved to Europe to play for Monaco?

It wasn’t so easy. I had to readjust to the cold European weather and the business-like attitude to football, which is absent in Africa. I was very lucky to have met Arsene Wenger. His coaching contributed to what I’ve become today. He treated me as if l was his own son.

Has it been lonely living in France and Italy, thousands of miles away from your friends and family in Liberia?

Yes, because there’s no place like home. While any European colleagues can call their families at a reasonable rate or easily fly out to see them, I cannot go to Monrovia at the drop of a hat to see my family because of the distance and time involved. So the alternative is to phone them regularly. By the time I’ve spoken to my parents and members of my extended family, my monthly phone bill is in the region of $5,000 to $6,000. Fortunately, I have my very supportive wife and children by my side and that helps me to think less of home, so I can concentrate on playing well.

The brutal Liberian Civil War was raging on while you were playing for Monaco and PSG. Did knowing what was happening at home affect you?

It had a very adverse effect on me. I didn’t know whether my parents were dead or alive, as it was impossible to call Liberia at the time. Unfortunately, people found it difficult to understand the torment that I was going through here – Europeans find it very difficult to appreciate what we Africans go through when we think about home. As far as they are concerned, we’ve been paid to do a job and we just have to do it. But if they were in my shoes, they would have been in a worse mental state than me.

How have you managed to settle into living and playing in Italy so far?

As far as football with Milan has been concerned, everything has gone very well. It’s of the utmost priority that my wife and children like Milan because if they don’t, I’d have to send them back to live in either New York [Weah has two houses in the United States] or Liberia, which would make it very lonely for me, living by myself here in Italy.

You’ve met Marco van Basten, whom you were bought to replace after he retired due to injury. What do you have to say about him?

Through our regular chats at the Milan dining table, I’ve come to discover that he’s a very nice guy. It’s unfortunate that he had to quit the game, as I’d always dreamed of playing with him.

What is it like to be playing upfront next to Roberto Baggio?

It’s very rewarding. He’s an intelligent player with virtually no technical faults. When we play together, we have a good working relationship. I’m trying to learn new tricks from him as well.

Learning a new language can be difficult. How has it been for you?

[Smiles] Quite good. I took on a tutor who visits my home on Mondays and Fridays. I’m very eager to learn, so that I can communicate with my team and understand all of the instructions from Mr Capello. Even though football has its universal language, it’s important that I have a working knowledge of Italian as well. But at the moment things aren’t too bad, because a lot of my new mates here can speak English or French.

What has been your most sour experience with coaches since you began playing in Europe?

It would be with Paris Saint-Germain’s Portuguese coach, Artur Jorge. He used to confine me to the bench even when I was playing well, which I found very frustrating. I never bothered to ask him why he did that because, as far as I was concerned, I was doing well enough in training to be a regular in the first team and was convinced things would sort themselves out, which they did.

An interview in the Nigerian magazine Complete Football International quotes you as saying, “Artur Jorge is a racist – he doesn’t say it, but it’s glaring that he is.” Is that quote accurate?

Well I cannot recall saying that, but I know that he made things very difficult for me when he was PSG’s trainer.

Are you affected by any temptations from the much-hyped glitzy lifestyle in Italy – the fast cars, trendy clothes and gorgeous women?

I’m not into any of those mundane things. Business is business – I’m in Milan to play football. [Pauses] Well, I must confess that I like good clothes and pick out the occasional good pair of shoes, but that’s it. The job comes first and any other thing is secondary.

Are there any other footballers that you particularly admire?

All black players, but if you want specific ones, I’ll go for lan Wright of Arsenal, Tony Yeboah of Leeds, Jay-Jay Okocha of Eintracht Frankfurt, Rashidi Yekini of Sporting Gijon and Abedi Pele of Torino. When I see other Africans doing well, I feel proud. Players from countries such as Nigeria and Ghana opened the way. Their hard work has given African players a good image and encouraged European clubs to have faith in our ability.

Italian ‘calcio’ is still new for African players. Do you see yourself as the man who will open the way for other Africans to move to Serie A?

No. It was Roger Mendy [the Senegalese international who played for Pescara] and Abedi Pele that opened Italy up for African players. When Milan saw their exceptional performance, they decided to move for Marcel Desailly [a French international who was born in Ghana] and he didn’t disappoint them, which I think encouraged them to go for me.

Has Liberia’s inability to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations affected you?

A whole lot! It was very frustrating because we’ve had the talent to have qualified before, but poor preparations have always been our undoing, up until now. It’s only recently that I’ve been in a position to give the team financial support. Liberian players possess the kind of talent that can hold its own with Nigeria and Ghana in African football, but our mentality towards preparing for competitions has always been a major problem. However, with the exposure that several Liberian players have now had in Europe, which has shown us how football teams should be managed, I’m convinced that things can change for the better for the national team.

Do you ever wish you’d been born in another country, which would have made your passage in football easier?

That’s a very difficult question, but I believe that for whichever nation God decides to place you in, it’s done with a purpose. Despite all the problems that have engulfed Liberia, I’m proud to be Liberian. I can never be ashamed of my country because of the problems we’ve been facing. What’s most important now is to see how we can start to put things right so that we can become a peaceful nation once again.

How did you feel when you were named 1995 African Footballer of the Year, having lost out to Nigeria’s Emmanuel Amunike in 1994?

Very happy. I wasn’t expecting it, but I guess that my performance with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last season and my current form with Milan must have contributed towards them giving me the award.

You’re the most famous Liberian in the world! Do you feel a lot of pressure on you under that spotlight?

Being the centre of attention does put pressure on me because I’m seen as my country’s ambassador, on and off the pitch. But when I see the appreciation the Liberian people have showered on me for the little work that I’ve done, it spurs me on to do even more for my country, which I love so much.

Four Liberian postage stamps were recently released in tribute to you. What’s it like to be the first Liberian sportsman, and perhaps only African football player, to be so honoured?

It was overwhelming. I never knew that people held me in such high esteem. To think I would be honoured in that way actually feels beyond belief.

You finance Junior Professional FC, who recently won the Liberian First Division. Tell us about them?

I’ve been bankrolling the team since October 1993. They won the Second Division championship last season and went ahead to win this season’s First Division at their first attempt. That was a big shock in Liberia, because when I started to sponsor the team many people laughed at me, saying I would never be able to match Mighty Barrolle and my former club Invincible Eleven, who were the top clubs in Liberia. When the Liberian Football Association took the title away from them on spurious grounds, it made me angry. My players were depressed after the title was so unfairly taken away from them, but I told them not to worry as I’m very pleased with the way they performed. I sponsored the team because I wanted to show my countrymen that the youth are the future of Liberia.

Do you have the widely rumoured ambition to become the president of Liberia when you leave football, considering you’re the country’s most popular personality?

No, it’s not my wish to become the president of Liberia. My mission is simply to use football to make Liberia known in a good light all over the world. I know what it means to carry such a responsibility. But I do hope that true democracy comes to Africa, so that its citizens can speak freely about what they do or don’t like about their various governments. I really admire the way that politics is played in Europe and I hope African politicians will take a leaf out of their book in the future.

Have the leaders of the various warring factions in Liberia tried to get you to support their point of view on the way to bring peace?

Not exactly. The leaders of the various factions involved in the conflict are my friends, but they’re politicians and I’m a sportsman. They should do their best to find a lasting resolution to the crisis in Liberia and bring the much-needed peace to ordinary Liberians, while I and my Lone Star team-mates do what we can to promote the international image of the country through football.

What life do you see for yourself after you quit football?

I could be a coach or I’d like to help the Liberian Football Association in some way. Whatever happens when I retire, I think it would definitely have to be something that helps to boost the profile of sports within Liberia.

There’s no doubt that your time in Europe has made you a very wealthy man. Many believe you must be a millionaire in any currency to be able to sponsor both your national team and a Liberian football league club…

[Laughs] A millionaire? I wish I was a millionaire! A large part of what I earn goes to people who are in need. As long as hunger is far away from my door, I’m happy. I would estimate that I’ve spent close to 20 per cent of my earnings in European football on my extended family, my friends and fellow Liberians that I don’t even know. Perhaps if I was a mean and selfish man who keeps all of his money to himself, then I may be a millionaire by now! [Laughs]

This feature first appeared in the March 1996 issue of FourFourTwo

Carlos Baleba's Manchester United debut date has been revealed by Michael Carrick, ahead of his side's trip to Everton this weekend.

Manchester United have won one, and lost one in their two opening Premier League games this term, defeating Ipswich Town 5-2 last Sunday.

Prior to that, another newly-promoted side in Hull City served the Red Devils a 2-0 opening day defeat at the MKM Stadium

Michael Carrick reveals Carlos Baleba's Manchester United debut date

Manchester United signed Baleba in late August, in a deal worth £70 million, from their Premier League peer Brighton.

The Red Devils lost veteran midfielder Casemiro in the summer, and shelled out an initial £65 million, with a further five in add-ons, to secure the services of the Cameroonian as a replacement.

Baleba made 31 English top-flight appearances last season, playing almost 1700 minutes.

He recovered the ball just over three times per game, while winning an average of six duels; Baleba also made one interception and one tackle per match for the Seagulls.

Before revealing the his likely debut date, Carrick provided updates on the injury status of Mason Mount and Luke Shaw.

The former seems to have had a positive week on the training pitches, as relayed by Ben Dinnery, while the latter was pictured alongside club captain Bruno Fernandes in training on Thursday.

Baleba is now 10-14 days out from making his debut appearance for the Red Devils, as Carrick's men prepare to play Champions League football in the coming weeks.

In relation to Manchester United's schedule, the Cameroonian will likely make his first appearance in red versus Fulham at Craven Cottage.

That match will be played in the Premier League on September 20, however, if Baleba becomes available at the mid point of the range provided, he could face off against his former team in the Carabao Cup, on September 16.

If that is to be the case, bizarrely, Baleba's previous and last game would be against Manchester United, then Brighton respectively.

The 22-year-old last featured in a football match versus the Red Devils during a 3-0 loss with Brighton, in the final game of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Richarlison has been dumped by Tottenham Hotspur, failing to appear in their submitted 25-man Premier League squad list.

The news arrives days after Richarlison was reportedly asking the club to allow him to leave, with Super Lig side Trabzonspor entering the equation and gunning for his signature.

The Brazilian was also close to an Everton homecoming, however, he ultimately turned the Toffees down after unsuccessful negotiations.

Richarlison dumped by Tottenham Hotspur

Richarlison was a foundational player in Spurs' relegation survival last term, bagging 11 goals, and recording four assists, in 32 Premier League appearances.

His sole appearance so far this campaign came from the start versus Brentford, where he played 61 minutes in a 3-0 loss.

Last Saturday, before Spurs were beaten for a second successive game, losing 2-0 at home to Newcastle United, De Zerbi was brief and blunt in his assessment of the Brazilian's future.

"Richarlison has said too many times that he wants to leave," the Italian revealed.

"I love these players, and these are great guys - but if they want to leave, they have to bring the economic solution to the club.

"Then they can go, and we'll find other players [to replace them]," concluded De Zerbi.

Days later, Richarlison's name was omitted from Spurs' 25-man squad list, amid rumours of the Brazilian making the move to the Super Lig.

The 29-year-old was linked by two Turkish transfer experts to the current club of Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah: Trabzonspor.

That news arrived days after Richarlison took to Instagram to reveal a breakdown in negotiations between himself and former club Everton.

“My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes," wrote the 29-year-old. "“But the negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted.

"It will no longer be like that. I am under contract at Spurs and will remain at the club’s disposal," he concluded, before links to the Turkish top-flight emerged.

Mary Earps is ‘very happy to be home’ after returning to the Women’s Super League, following two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain.

The opening fixture of the Women’s Super League season sees Earps and London City face Manchester United, the club with which she spent five years before moving to France.

Earps missed her home comforts in her two years away, especially Percy Pigs, so is excited to be back in the WSL and especially excited to face her former side on the opening match.

‘Distance makes the heart grow fonder’

Earps spent two years at PSG after leaving Manchester United, with the move giving her the opportunity to experience life away from the spotlight that had followed her in England.

While she admits it was “nice to be away” and experience “the Parisian way of life,” her conversations with London City helped her decide it was time to return to England.

“I’m very, very happy to be home,” Earps said. “I missed the English comforts, my friends and family and a Percy Pig or two!

“From a football point of view, I missed the English football culture - the way you feel when you walk into a stadium, the electricity of the crowd, the feeling around women's football in this country.

"I knew I was probably going to miss that going away, but that's why I'm so excited to be back. Distance makes the heart grow fonder.

“I went away to push myself out of my comfort zone and get a different football and life experience. I'll carry that with me forever.”

Earps ‘like a moth to a flame’ with Manchester United

Earps’ reunion with United on the opening day of the season marks another exciting encounter with her former side.

Just last season, PSG were drawn against Manchester United in the Champions League, with Earps receiving a warm reception on her return to Old Trafford, something she said meant a “great deal” to her in that moment - it had been a turbulent time following the release of her autobiography detailing why she retired from international football.

With her first competitive appearance for London City potentially coming against United, Earps joked that the fixture felt almost inevitable: “Yeah, like a moth to a flame.”

"The club has changed a lot since I left but although some people have moved on as football and life does, there will still be a few friendly faces that I know and the fans don't change - they're still hardcore as ever.”

‘London City will go on to do great things for a long time’

While Earps says she doesn’t yet know whether she will be the starting goalkeeper for London City, she says the competition for her place is something that excites her.

“I want to continue to play at the highest level, to win at the highest level for as long as possible and to be a part of something special,” Earps added. “I really do believe that London City will go on to do great things for a long time.

“The way Michele [Kang] wants to do things, they want to be the best in class and world leading. So for me, it's a great place to be, for me to max out on whatever potential I have left and hopefully there's some fantastic days around the corner.

“London City being owned by a woman, being an independent football club, being able to go about their business in a non-traditional sense, really attack whatever they want to go for and become a success in their own right - I think that's an incredibly exciting thing to be a part of.

"Every time I spoke to them, I wanted to hear more, so it felt like the right place to be.

“We've been crying out for investment for such a long time and this is new and it's different and no one likes change. It is very unique and it’s not connected [to a men’s club] so you don’t have that tribalism of a men's club in that typical sense.

“Maybe I'm biased, but I think there will be a lot of people rooting for London City taking a different path, but there's a long way to go.

“I think it’ll be fun. It’s a fun, new thing and I know that people might be a bit unsure of it to start with, but hopefully we'll win over the hearts and minds of the nation.”

Pierre Sage has revealed that Ismaila Sarr will need time to recover from his failed transfer to Liverpool, and addressed whether the Senegalese forward will move to Anfield in January.

The Reds approached Sarr in an effort to locate their Mohamed Salah replacement, with Brighton's Yankuba Minteh also considered.

Neither forward was signed by Liverpool, and Cody Gakpo, who was on the verge of transferring to Manchester City, has stayed on Merseyside to provide additional right wing coverage.

Ismaila Sarr must recover emotionally and Palace have no intention to sell in January, reveals Sage

The Reds oversaw a mixed transfer window, completing the signings of La Liga youngster Victor Munoz and PSG superstar Bradley Barcola.

Neither of these signings were deemed adequate to cover the gaping hole left by Salah on the right flank, leading the club to enter the market in late plunges for Sarr and Minteh.

Ultimately, both deals failed, and Liverpool will likely play until January without a natural right winger of the quality they need.

Crystal Palace boss Sage has revealed that the Senegalese forward will need time to recover from the transfer falling through, and clarified that the club have no intention to sell Sarr in January.

"He has to digest for sure because it's a dream for a lot of players to play with this kind of club," confessed Sage.

"He had a good opportunity but in the end it didn't work. If he wants to continue, you have to have a good season with us as he did last year.

"We know he needs time. Like every bad situation, time does the job and we need time for that," he concluded.

On whether the Senegalese attacker will make an Anfield move in January, Sage quickly dispelled the thought.

I don’t think [he will leave]," confessed the Palace boss. "I don’t think so, because all the clubs are in their season.

"We have a decision to take about the European list. It's difficult to move the team when you are in this competition," he concluded.

UEFA have begun a disciplinary investigation involving Mason Greenwood and former Arsenal man Matteo Guendouzi following alleged provocative behaviour.

The incident in question came during August’s Champions League play-off game versus Lyon, which finished 1-2, and 2-3 on aggregate in the pair’s favour, as Super Lig side Fenerbahce advanced to the competition proper.

The Turkish top-flight club have released a statement via X (formerly Twitter) confirming their intention to challenge the proceedings brought by UEFA.

UEFA launch investigation into Greenwood, Guendouzi and Fenerbahce

The statement read: "Following the UEFA Champions League Play-Off Round second leg match, UEFA has initiated disciplinary proceedings against our players Matteo Guendouzi and Mason Greenwood, as well as against our club.

"Our club will present the necessary defenses before the relevant UEFA bodies in order to protect the rights and interests of our players and Fenerbahçe during this process.

Fenerbahce concluded: "The necessary information, documents, and defenses regarding the process will be submitted to UEFA, and developments are being closely monitored by our Club. We inform the public accordingly.”

It is alleged that both Greenwood and Guendouzi clutched their groins in an attempt to provoke the Lyon fans; the latter also raised his middle finger to them.

Guendouzi, who played two-and-a-half seasons for rival club Marseille, was involved in a further fracas after knocking the Ligue 1 side out of the competition in late August.

Fights broke out on the pitch and in the tunnel, with players and staff from both clubs reportedly involved. Guendouzi ran across the pitch performing karate kicks, which prompted members of Lyon’s squad to confront him. The former Gunner was, in turn, protected by his Fenerbahce team-mates.

The Frenchman's antics continued to anger the home fans as he exited the pitch, as he allegedly smiled and gestured at them, before being shoved angrily by a member of Lyon’s team or staff.

Guendouzi later defended his actions: "You know, you've got 60,000 people insulting your family, your mum, your children, even before the match, and nobody from the refereeing team tells the stadium to be quiet.

"I know that in France, when this sort of thing happens, there comes a point where they'll speak to the supporters and the match might be stopped. For 90 minutes - even longer if you count the warm-up - they were insulting my family. If you want to banter, then it goes both ways,” he concluded.

Fenerbahce boss Ismail Kartal defended his player post-match, claiming 'we all stood together' and 'this is what teamwork is all about.' Greenwood is also under investigation for his role in the post-match antics, after joining the Super Lig side on a four-year deal back in July.

The specifics of Greenwood’s role in the post-match clash aren’t yet clear, although reports suggest an obscene gesture was made by the Englishman. Fenerbahce referenced both he and Guendouzi by name upon revealing the proceedings initiated by UEFA against the club.

Lyon's Champions League loss had another unintended consequence: forcing the French top-flight to sell superstar Malick Fofana. That spiralled into one of the greatest Premier League deadline day sagas in history.

Liverpool have received a lift following deadline day frustration in the transfer market.

Big money summer signing Bradley Barcola has been confirmed fit and available for selection ahead of tomorrow night's Premier League fixture against Ipswich Town.

Manager Andoni Iraola confirmed that the 24-year-old French winger is in line to make his competitive debut at Portman Road.

Bradley Barcola set for Liverpool debut against Ipswich

Speaking ahead of the match, Iraola expressed his delight at securing the attacker.

"We are very happy with Bradley. It was our priority to sign a very good player in that position. I like the fact he wanted Liverpool a lot. He comes with the willingness to help us. He has trained and will be available for tomorrow."

The boost comes following a turbulent end to Liverpool’s 2026 summer transfer window.

Barcola's arrival provides added firepower to the Reds' attack, but supporters were left frustrated by the club's failure to secure a central midfielder before the deadline.

After agreeing the sale of Curtis Jones to Inter Milan and seen late moves for targets like AS Monaco's Lamine Camara fall through, the Reds enter the autumn with little room for injury or suspension in the middle of the park.

Barcola’s inclusion, however, offers an immediate injection of quality and dynamism to Iraola's frontline.

The winger developed in Olympique Lyonnais' renowned youth academy before enjoying a breakout 2022/23 campaign which ultimately earned him a €45 million (£38m) move to Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023.

During three seasons in the French capital, the line-breaking forward established himself as a key part of PSG's attack.

He won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles and played a pivotal role in back-to-back UEFA Champions League triumphs in 2025 and 2026.

While midfield concerns continue to linger among the Anfield faithful, Barcola’s availability gives Iraola a much-needed boost following a winless start this season's domestic campaign.

Sergio Aguero's winning goal against Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the 2011/12 season is perhaps the most iconic moment in Premier League history.

The Argentinian's injury-time strike earned Manchester City a 3-2 victory that took the title out of the hands of their cross-city rivals United and took it to the blue half of Manchester for the first time since 1968.

And Aguero has explained to FourFourTwo how he actually laid the groundwork for that goal with help from an unlikely accomplice.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

"It’s a memory I’ll never forget for the rest of my life"

Mario Balotelli was not noted for his assists record throughout his two and a half seasons at the Etihad Stadium; before that encounter with QPR, the Italian had only set up one Premier League goal in 40 appearances.

But Aguero had pulled Balotelli to one side before that famous goal and told him exactly what he wanted: a one-two playing into the box for him to finish off.

Aguero told FourFourTwo: "I made the decision to drop back to receive the pass from Nigel de Jong, then I tried to play a one-two with Mario Balotelli.

"That had been in my head already – I’d been planning that, to see if I could get a goal.

"Beforehand, I’d told Mario that I was going to look for him, that I was going to give it to him so that he could give me a one-two and an assist.

"Luckily, the plan I had with him worked out – it ended up being the perfect play. I did the one-two with Mario, I scored and we won the title."

Aguero went on: "Moments like that stay with you forever.

"It’s a memory I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.

"Now that I’m not playing anymore and I understand how that title is valued much more, it brings back very nice memories whenever I talk about it."

A busy summer of transfer business is over for Tottenham Hotspur, but injuries to James Maddison and Xavi Simons have left the Lilywhites short in one area.

It seems Spurs have bolstered pretty much every area of their squad apart from central attacking midfield (or the No.10 role). Jan Paul Van Hecke and Marcos Senesi are new faces in defence, Matheus Fernandes and £100m man Sandro Tonali are the fresh midfield pairing, while Savio and Omar Marmoush add quality to Roberto De Zerbi’s attack.

However, with the passing of deadline day, De Zerbi may be left wishing he had added a playmaker to his roster. Still, the solution could be right under their nose.

James Maddison 2.0

Tottenham fans waited a long time to see James Maddison return to the field after a spate of injuries last season. They got their wish when the 29-year-old came on as a substitute in the opening day defeat to Brentford, but it wasn’t long before he was causing concern once again.

After the game, De Zerbi confirmed (via London Evening Standard) that Maddison had “suffered a small injury in his shoulder,” and it’s thought he could be out for a couple of weeks at least. Speaking to the club website, the Spurs boss added: “I think with James, we have to find the right plan… We have to work consistently for three, four weeks, and then he's a different player - a different player on the pitch, outside the pitch.”

It says it all that Maddison has completed just five full 90-minute games for Spurs since signing for the club in 2023. That’s a real problem, especially considering Tottenham’s other option in that position, Xavi Simons, is out of action until at least early 2027, having suffered the same ACL injury as Maddison, only seven months later.

There is one positive to take from the current Tottenham injury list, however, with Dejan Kulusevski finally back in full training after more than 15 months on the sidelines. Spurs will have to be patient with the Swedish ace, but he could well fill that number 10 role when he’s back to his best.

In the meantime, it looks like Matheus Fernandes will be filling the gap, but that’s far from ideal and not where he has been signed to play.

Ten regrets

After signing so many players this summer and rebuilding the squad to De Zerbi’s liking, many had expected that a number 10 would be among the new additions. It wasn’t to be.

Morgan Gibbs-White has long been linked with Tottenham, but he stayed at Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, the likes of Cody Gakpo and Iliman Ndiaye were strongly mooted as potential signings, and they could have eased the pressure in the space behind the striker, but the Liverpool man stayed at Anfield while Ndiaye ended moving to Man City at the last minute.

It could be that Tottenham go for a playmaker in January instead, but by that point, will it be too late? Spurs have the potential to challenge at the top this season given the quality of the squad, but not having adequate options in the number 10 role will limit them.

In Luca we trust

But Tottenham could already have a solution to their problem, and it’s staring Robert De Zerbi right in the face. While the Italian coach clearly favours experience over everything, particularly Premier League pedigree, he’s also taken a liking to Tottenham’s teenage sensation, Luca Williams-Barnett, who plays centrally as an attacking midfielder/forward.

Fans in N17 are already raving about the 17-year-old, and rightly so. He’s already flown through the youth ranks and has found himself on the fringes of the first team since the second half of last season. A strong pre-season with plenty of minutes has seen Williams-Barnett’s stock rise further, while he’s already made an appearance for the Lilywhites this term in the 5-1 win over Charlton in the Carabao Cup, coming off the bench after 78 minutes.

Spurs have pedigree for producing highly-rated youngsters. Harry Kane is a prime example, but the likes of Alfie Devine, Dane Scarlett, Troy Parrott, Harry Winks, and Oliver Skipp have all tried and failed to make the necessary impact in North London. Mikey Moore and Jamie Donley could still do that, but they’re now out on loan, leaving Williams-Barnett as the most promising prospect in the building right now.

Giving the teen substantial minutes this season would not be a token gesture. He absolutely has the quality needed to finally become the next big academy graduate at Tottenham. Williams-Barnett’s skillset includes dazzling dribbling, incredible vision, and an unbelievable level of swagger and flair for someone so young. He’s the kind of maverick Tottenham – and indeed, any club – dream of producing. To let him tread water in the reserves this season would be criminal.

Spurs cannot let another exciting young talent stagnate until he decides to move on in search of first-team football. Instead, De Zerbi needs to embrace the vitality and fearlessness Williams-Barnett brings and allow this rough diamond to flourish. Adding a splash of youth could be the perfect way to balance what is a very experienced team.

Williams-Barnett is the kind of player who can produce moments of magic, something Spurs have been severely lacking in the last couple of years. While Maddison and Simons are injured, it would surely make sense to give a homegrown talent his chance, rather than shoehorning other midfielders into a role they’re not comfortable in.

The supporters would love to see Williams-Barnett get an opportunity; the player himself would almost certainly rise to the challenge, and it could well be the kind of decision that ends up saving Tottenham tens of millions of pounds.

Keira Walsh hopes her former Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas can make a major impact on the Women’s Super League, with the midfielder excited to see her friend and two-time Ballon d’Or winner take on the English game.

Putellas moved to London City Lionesses this summer after 14 years with Barcelona, winning three Champions League titles in that time, two of which Walsh won alongside her in 2023 and 2024 during the 29-year-old's three year stint there.

She is one of a number of high-profile arrivals and returning players in the WSL this summer, with Georgia Stanway and Ona Batlle joining Arsenal and Mary Earps and Kadidiatou Diani also joining Putellas at London City.

'It shows where women's football is at in England'

“Alexia’s a big name but she's definitely got all the talent to back that up,” Walsh said. “So first and foremost, I hope that she has an impact in the league.

“I think after seeing how hard she works and what she's about, that would be great for her. But in general, it's really exciting to have one of the best players in the world, if not the best player in the world, in our league.

“It's a really exciting time for the league. If you look at a lot of the signings that have come in the summer, a lot of teams have strengthened. Being an English player, and having played in this league for so long, I first played here when I was 17 - so 12 years ago.

“To know that people see it as the most competitive league and one of the most attractive leagues, with the likes of Alexia coming over and playing here now.

“It just shows where women’s football is at in England. Being in that space, it's really exciting to see that people are behind us and they're backing us.

“It’s the biggest difference in the league now, from when I first joined - seeing all the top players coming from abroad and playing here.

“It’s a really competitive league now and every team has an unbelievable squad. Seeing that squad depth and squad quality across most teams has improved so much.”

Chelsea chasing WSL glory again as they move to Stamford Bridge

But while Walsh is excited to see her former Barcelona team-mate in the WSL, her focus is firmly on helping Chelsea reclaim the title after Manchester City, Walsh’s former side, ended their remarkable run of six successive titles last season.

“The aim at Chelsea is always to win the WSL. Last year it went to City but the league was more competitive than it has been. In women’s football in general, we want that but obviously I would have preferred for the trophy to have come back with us.

“We need to control games better this season and when we're on top, we need to close out games and ride out the tough moments to make it hard for teams to come back. We made it difficult for ourselves last season.”

This season also marks a significant change for Chelsea, as they move their home from Kingsmeadow to Stamford Bridge after nine years at the 4,850-capacity stadium in Kingston upon Thames.

The Blues played four WSL games and all of their Champions League games at Stamford Bridge last season, but have now committed to host all of their home league matches at the 40,000-capacity stadium.

“I think it's an incredible move from the club,” Walsh said, on the move to the 40,000-capacity stadium. “Even just playing on a pitch of that quality in that stadium is an incredible feeling as a player.

“It makes you feel like you're being taken really seriously. And yeah, that's something that Chelsea have done. And I think to play in front of our fans at Stamford Bridge, you know, the place that we call home is really special.”

Last season, much was made of Hugo Ekitike, a standout striker in a faltering Liverpool attack, whose season tragically ended with an achilles tear versus PSG in the Champions League.

Erling Haaland won the Golden Boot (for the third time in four seasons, with only Mohamed Salah able to disrupt his streak) and the Frenchman hit 11 Premier League goals in 28 appearances.

For all the noise surrounding Ekitike, and Haaland’s Golden Boot procession, a certain Brazilian was quietly staking his claim as the Premier League’s next best striker. This season, he will realise it.

Joao Pedro will win the 2026/27 Golden Boot, here's why

Joao Pedro, like his French peer, was equally a standout in a failing Chelsea machine. He ended the season with the Blues’ Player of the Season award, and 15 Premier League goals in 35 appearances.

In all competitions, that total rose to 20, three more than Ekitike’s haul, and he equalled the Frenchman’s assist tally of six.

Despite his season-ending injury, Ekitike made just five fewer appearances than Pedro, and neither striker took penalties, with spot kick responsibilities falling to Salah and Cole Palmer.

Both attackers were clinical in their finishing: Pedro bagged 15 top-flight strikes from an xG of 14.96, and Ekitike struck 11 from an xG of 9.87.

But how will the Brazilian dethrone Haaland, who finished the Premier League season with a whopping 27 goals and was Manchester City’s penalty-taker?

To state the obvious, this isn’t the same Cityzens side that the Norwegian has played in since his debut campaign in 2022/23, when he broke the 38-game goal record.

To state the less obvious, and bear with, Haaland winning the Golden Boot would make for his fourth in five years, and tie him in the standings for most of all time alongside the Premier League’s greatest: Thierry Henry and Salah.

Will the football Gods allow him to tie that record? Both the Liverpool and Arsenal goalscorers played at least eight top-flight seasons to reach four Golden Boots, while Haaland is set to do so in virtually as many years as he has been in England.

FourFourTwo doesn’t believe so, and a historical rewind might just prove it. Many assumed a decade ago that Harry Kane would have broken the Golden Boot record with ease, so, why didn’t he?

The answer is, of course, Salah. The Egyptian steamrolled the league in his debut Liverpool season by, like Haaland, breaking the Premier League goal record. His tally of 32 denied Kane a third Boot, despite the Englishman hitting a staggering 30 Premier League goals — he even swore on his daughter’s life to have one of them recorded in his name.

Five seasons later, Salah was on track to achieve his fourth Golden Boot in 2022/23, so, why didn’t he? Again, the answer is obvious: a man named Erling Haaland arrived.

And when Haaland looked all but certain to three-peat in 2024/25, the Egyptian turned back the clock to claim his fourth, delivering the greatest individual season in Premier League history.

The point is, when goalscorers of Kane, Salah and Haaland’s calibre play in this league, it appears all but inevitable that the award will go to them. But when the Golden Boot record is on the line, someone, somehow, emerges out of nowhere to prevent it from being claimed so easily.

It is Pedro who will be the foil this season — a clinical, multi-faceted goalscorer playing in a Chelsea system that has begun the campaign in rock-and-roll fashion by winning games 4-3 and 3-2.

This is a high-scoring attack, with two top-tier creative players in Palmer and Morgan Rogers, and Pedro is the finishing centre-point. He already has two-in-two, as does Haaland, but this is the season in which the Brazilian won’t slow. The Norwegian, on the other hand, has entered mid-season slumps in each of his previous two campaigns, and life under Maresca won’t be as peachy as it was under Pep Guardiola.

Perhaps hitting 30 goals remains out of reach for the Blues forward, but Haaland will likely be kept in the low 20s as he adapts to a new Manchester City team and system. With Ekitike unlikely to return as the same player post-injury, and Alexander Isak certain to struggle in a Liverpool front-line that requires a season, at minimum, to adapt, Pedro’s path to the Golden Boot appears clear.

Chelsea might be a few seasons away from developing the class required to win a Premier League title, but their clinical Brazilian is already there.

Arsenal are sweating over the fitness of midfielder Declan Rice after the England international limped off at Villa Park during the Gunners' 1-0 Premier League victory against Aston Villa.

Bukayo Saka’s 59th-minute goal ultimately secured all three points for Mikel Arteta’s side, but the win came at a cost.

In the 85th minute, Rice was forced off while visibly limping, with Martin Zubimendi taking his place to see out the closing moments. Just six minutes prior to Rice's departure, centre-back Cristhian Mosquera went down holding his thigh and was replaced by Ezri Konsa, handing Arteta a worrying double injury blow.

Declan Rice limps off after summer of injury discontent

While Arsenal are yet to clarify whether Rice’s substitution was a precautionary measure following a knock or indicative of a muscle strain, his departure did set alarm bells ringing.

Rice had persistent fitness issues over the summer while representing England at the 2026 World Cup, where he reportedly suffered from neural pain affecting his lower back and hamstrings.

Those physical issues were likely the byproduct of a demanding 2025/26 campaign for Arsenal, during which Rice featured 55 times for the club and made 49 starts.

Adding to the concern is the short turnaround Rice had between international duty and returning to club action.

Following England’s final World Cup match on July 18, Rice was granted less than four weeks of rest before joining Arsenal's pre-season preparations and featuring in the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16.

With William Saliba already ruled out for the foreseeable future after suffering a back injury during the World Cup, losing Rice would be a major blow.

Arteta will hope the midfielder's issue proves minor as Arsenal evaluate his condition ahead of their upcoming fixtures.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a lift on transfer deadline day as Swedish international Dejan Kulusevski returned to full team training, 477 days after suffering a complex knee injury.

The 26-year-old forward has not featured in a competitive fixture since May 2025, when a challenge during a Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace left him with patella cartilage damage in his right knee.

While initial diagnoses suggested a minor knock, subsequent scans revealed significant cartilage damage requiring surgery.

Dejan Kulusevski returns to Spurs training after 477 days

His rehabilitation was heavily disrupted by setbacks and because cartilage lacks a direct blood supply, the joint failed to heal naturally under increased workloads, forcing Kulusevski to undergo a second surgical procedure to clean out the affected area.

In total, the Swede's 15-month ordeal has forced him to sit out well over 60 matches for club and country.

From the sidelines, Kulusevski has watched a turbulent chapter in Spurs’ recent history unfold. Former manager Ange Postecoglou departed, Thomas Frank arrived and left, then so did Igor Tudor.

New head coach Roberto De Zerbi has since taken the reins, but Kulusevski has been out of action for so long, he has missed Tottenham's 2025 Europa League title, as well as the entirety of last season's domestic struggles, including a 17th-place Premier League finish. He was also forced to miss Sweden’s 2026 World Cup campaign.

For De Zerbi, who has faced a frustrating start to the 2026/27 campaign following consecutive losses to Brentford and Newcastle, Kulusevski’s return provides a boost to Tottenham’s attacking options.

The versatile attacker’s ability to operate as a direct right-winger or more of a central playmaker offers De Zerbi the options his side has lacked for quite some time.

Given that Kulusevski has spent 477 days away from first-team action, realistic expectations must be maintained. Re-integrating into high-intensity Premier League football following two surgical procedures and a prolonged period of inactivity will require significant patience from Spurs supporters, and it will inevitably take time before he recovers full match sharpness and rhythm.

Nevertheless, stepping back onto the training pitch alongside his teammates is a significant milestone.

"After 477 days I came back to full team training," Kulusevski wrote on social media.

"Everything is impossible until is [sic] not. Want to see a miracle. Be one. See u soon."

Few pundits or supporters could see anything other than Arsenal retaining the Premier League trophy this season before opening day.

Mikel Arteta has strengthened his squad in all areas of the pitch, whilst the managerial changes at their major rivals over the last eight months have left them not yet in a position to challenge.

The Spaniard’s side weren’t the most attractive title winners last term, as tension crept into their approach as they chased their first championship in 22 years, but they have started this campaign with renewed confidence.

Last season, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard all had their lowest goal contributions in the last three years, so ensuring those attackers stay injury-free will naturally make some improvement.

However, there are also clear indications that they are evolving stylistically, with new signings Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis adding more creativity.

The sample size for this season is still relatively small, but the midfield seems to be progressing the ball forward more quickly, as they show signs of greater variation in their attacks.

Arsenal have only added centre-back Ezri Konsa this summer, though their full-backs are another area where they can increase their output in the final third.

Arteta likes to purchase full-backs who are comfortable in central areas, with Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapie all having spent considerable time at centre-back throughout their careers.

This enables them to not only offer cover in the centre of defence, but also make runs inside their wingers, invert into central positions in possession and provide physicality from set-pieces.

Calafiori is perhaps the most interesting example, as he was one of the best centre-backs in Serie A during the 2023/24 campaign.

Under the management of Thiago Motta at Bologna, he illustrated his ability to carry the ball forward and make line-breaking passes, whilst simultaneously intercepting opposition attacks and winning duels against robust strikers.

After moving to the Emirates, he switched back to the role which he had predominantly played in his formative years at Roma.

At Villa Park on Bank Holiday Monday, Unai Emery had clearly devised a plan to nullify his influence, with John McGinn playing on the right-hand side directly against him.

The Scotsman was happy to track him more centrally, whilst Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash also took on the responsibility of monitoring the Italian as he glided into their area of the pitch.

However, just before the hour mark, substitute Eberechi Eze played a pass inside and Calafiori displayed his athleticism to wrap his foot around and scoop the ball into the path of Saka, who bundled it past Aston Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.

After a discussion with Arteta, Calafiori and Arsenal almost repeated the move when Eze played him in once more, only for the offside flag to be raised just after the left-back had cleverly dragged the ball past a trailing Alysson.

In the 97^th minute, he was the furthest Arsenal player up the pitch as his team went in search of scoring a second.

The Italian has been directly involved in a goal in his last three games, including his early finish in the Community Shield against Manchester City.

"It was very different," said Arteta after the match when reminded his team had lost on their last visit to the ground.

"That shows our maturity, and it shows we have players who can change the momentum and understand what is needed in the game."

Calafiori is one of those players, and it would be a huge surprise if he didn’t record a seasonal best for goal contributions in Arsenal’s pursuit of back-to-back titles.

Vivianne Miedema helped Manchester City break Chelsea’s six-year Women’s Super League winning streak last season as they claimed victory under new manager Andree Jeglertz.

Manchester City claimed their first WSL title since 2016 last term, before going on to complete a domestic double by beating Brighton to lift the FA Cup.

Miedema, who joined from Arsenal in 2024, says the achievement represented the culmination of a period of change at the club and something she wanted to help the City achieve when she moved from WSL rivals Arsenal.

'People didn't expect City to do as well as we did'

Miedema claimed her second WSL title, having previously won with Arenal in 2019. She joined City in summer 2024 and after an injury-affected first season, last season scored 10 goals and made five assists to help City win their first league title in a decade.

“Every single league title is special for different reasons,” Miedema said.

“For me, after having left Arsenal after seven years and moving to City, I wanted to come here and help the club win things because they hadn't done that in a while.

“And my first year was tough personally with injuries, but also as a team with all the injuries we had and we didn’t get the result that we wanted to get.

“So coming back last season and doing what we did definitely felt like a full circle moment. It was really special to be part of it and to be able to celebrate the league and FA Cup win as well.”

After six years of dominance, it was going to take a lot to knock Chelsea off their pedestal. But new manager Jeglertz, aided by a lack of Champions League football due to a fourth-placed finish in the 2024/25 season, helped City do just that.

“Coming in last summer, there were a lot of changes, new people coming in and a new coach coming in. But I think we showed so much progress over the year.

“We always believed that we could do really well, but a lot of people didn't expect us to do as well as we did. Throughout the season, we adjusted and grew and that led us to win the league and the FA Cup too.

“For this year, regardless of if we are the champions or if we were chasing it, it doesn’t change our goals. Some of the girls haven’t been in this position before and it will be different.

“And looking at all the signings that other clubs are making, I think the league is going to be extremely exciting to see how it's going to pan out.”

'Isn't that why we love football?'

This year, the league has expanded by two teams to a field of 14 teams. A number of high profile players have also joined the WSL this season, something Miedema says speaks volumes of where the league is at.

“It’s amazing to see that so many big players want to come play in England and that the league has increased by two teams as well,” she added.

“It’s only going to get more exciting and more difficult to actually win it. To be in the league now and try to be successful again is going to be extremely difficult. But isnt’t that why we love football?

“That’s the reason every good player wants to come to England, because you want to measure yourself against the best.”

After a season away from Champions League football, City will be back competing against Europe’s best.

“I’m really excited to be back but it's going to be tough because you're going to be travelling a lot, you're going to be playing a lot of games.

“I think some of the girls will have to get used to it. But it's a competition you want to be playing and you want to measure yourself with the best in Europe.

“I can't wait to see how we do in the Champions League because it’s a completely different challenge to playing in the WSL.”

Arsenal were finally able to end their two-decade wait for the Premier League title last season, in a campaign which threw up more than its fair share of subplots.

Among the new signings, the redemption arcs and moments of personal glory was the story of 16-year-old Max Dowman, who became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history when he netted against Everton, before becoming the competition’s youngest-ever winner.

Gunners icon Paul Merson has been particularly impressed by Dowman's emergence.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Paul Merson on Max Dowman’s rise

Dowman was just 16 years old and 73 days when he scored a late breakaway goal to seal a crucial win over the Toffees in March, ahead of a summer which saw him claim a Premier League winner’s medal before collecting his GCSE results.

And for Merson, the teenager’s rise is barely believable.

“Dowman, in football terms, is a freak, and I mean that in the utmost respect,” Merson exclaims to FourFourTwo. “If he was in a book, you'd throw the book in the sea.

“If you were sitting reading about a 16-year-old kid who plays for Arsenal in the Premier League and scores against Everton, you’d just go ‘Oh, that’s never happening, who could be that good at 16?’”

Dowman clocked up 13 appearances for the Gunners last season and has represented England up to under-19 level, becoming that side’s youngest-ever scorer when he struck in a 7-0 win over Wales in October 2025.

Naturally, Dowman’s meteoric rise has left fans wondering just how far he will go, with Merson daring to believe he could match some of the game’s very best.

“He could be a generational great like Gazza or Rooney, who come along once in a blue moon,” Merson continues.

But it’s not just Dowman who has caught Merson’s eye when it comes to the club’s Hale End academy pipeline.

“And Myles Lewis-Skelly,” Merson continues. “He got in the team at the start at left-back. To then play in midfield and play the way he did, I’m pleased for him because that takes a lot.

“I’m a big fan of his. I like him more in midfield, if I’m being honest.”

Rule one for owners: never kill hope, never ruin fans’ chance to dream. That’s what Harrison Armstrong represents to Everton fans: hope, a chance to dream. The 19-year-old midfielder is a local lad, hailing from West Derby, one of their own and fulfilling their own dreams by pulling on the famous royal blue shirt of the club they love. Rule two for owners: don’t sell cherished home-grown talent.

Evertonians gathered at the Vitality on Saturday made their anger about the proposed sale of Armstrong to Nottingham Forest for £35m very clear to their unthinking owners, The Friedkin Group (TFG). “Don’t sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, I just don’t think you understand,” they sang. “If you sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, you’re going to have a riot on your hands”.

Everton’s manager, David Moyes, was clearly against the sale. TFG saw and heard the backlash, woke up to the folly of the plan, and called off the sale of a player widely considered Everton’s best home-grown talent since Wayne Rooney. Armstrong’s definitely worth keeping and fighting for.

“The potential sale of Harrison Armstrong goes against everything our fanbase stands for, a young talented Scouser who is the future of our club,” the Everton fans’ group The 1878s, said in a statement. It threatened to stop organising the flags and tifo displays that contribute so much to match-day atmosphere. TFG was toying with the very fabric of Everton life.

Also: what’s best for the player’s own development? Moyes looks after young players well, handling the precocious Rooney as best as possible when the bullish teenager launched himself so memorably on the scene in 2002. Moyes tries to shield such prospects in almost a paternal, certainly a pastoral, way. Moyes knows they will leave the footballing family home at some point so tries to prepare them while getting the best out of them.

Moyes showed vital support for a teenaged Ross Barkley when the teenager suffered a double break of his leg in 2010, even ensuring a new contract for a kid in a hospital bed worried about his future.

Moyes will feed Armstrong in and out of the team, not putting too much physical or mental strain on the 19-year-old. Armstrong looks like he can handle the pressure. That is partly down to the learning acquired when sent by Moyes on loan to Preston North End last season.

A broader dynamic is at work here, one that affects all supporters. Financial sustainability regulations are not fit for purpose when it comes to the development of young talent. From FFP to PSR to SCR, a rethink is required on content as well as lettering. The “pure profit” element to sales of academy starlets is so tempting to the more short-sighted owners. It was one of the reasons why a frustrated Eddie Howe was forced to sacrifice Elliot Anderson in a hurried sale to Forest. It’s why TFG considered offloading Armstrong. The player becomes an accounting item not a sporting asset.

TFG needs to balance the books at a club which has recorded alarming figures in some recent years, and been punished for it, but there are other more acceptable ways, others who could be sold. From a Premier League perspective, it would make sense if clubs were more incentivised to retain “one of our own”. One way would be to allow the first few years – perhaps 50 first-team games - of an academy graduate’s salary to be offset against SCR calculations. There would then be a financial incentive to keep home-grown talents.

Evertonians rightly take great pride that a local player has featured in every league campaign since the Football League commenced in 1888. It actually predates that. The likes of Liverpool-born goalkeeper, Charles Joliffe, played for Everton from 1885 until he was eventually replaced by Robert Smalley, a recruit from Preston.

Armstrong is more than a player to Evertonians. He’s a symbol of the area, almost an antidote to the big-monied modern game.

Connection with the community matters hugely, especially in an era where the Premier League is so heavily populated by overseas players.

Everton’s owners must have known there would be outrage. If TFG wasn’t aware, then it needs better advisors – or better channels of communication with fans. This is one of the most concerning elements of the whole story: TFG’s lack of understanding in the first place. It’s almost arrogance. Everton Football Club are more than a business; they are a footballing institution, a community asset, a developer of local talent and a beacon of hope. The Armstrong story highlighted that. Owners take note.

When Georgi Kinkladze arrived at Manchester City in the summer of 1995, the Georgian playmaker was one of Europe’s most promising young attacking talents.

It didn’t take long for the former Dinamo Tbilisi midfielder to become a cult hero at Maine Road, with the signing coming just as the still-young Premier League was beginning to establish itself as a viable destination for some of the continent’s best players.

This was proved evident in the fact that City were able to see off AC Milan, one of that era’s greatest sides, to Kinkladze’s signature.

Kinkladze on snubbing AC Milan for City

“There was interest from Italy, but [City chairman] Francis Lee was very determined,” Kinzladze tells FourFourTwo as he looks back at his 1995 move to England.

“He flew to see me and convinced me that City was a place where I could be the main man. I didn't know much about Manchester, but I liked the idea of a challenge in England.”

It quickly became clear to the young Kinkladze that English football was very different to anything he had previously experienced.

“When I arrived, the football was very different. It was much faster and more direct. The weather and the food were hard to get used to, but the fans made it easy. From the first day at Maine Road, they treated me like one of their own. That connection was instant.”

Alan Ball was the City manager at the time, having spent the previous season in charge at Southampton, famously building his team around Matt Le Tissier, instructing his side to ‘Just the ball to Le Tissier.’ So was that similar with Kinkladze at City?

“Alan Ball was very important in my development as a player,” he continues. “He loved technical players and wanted the team to play with flair, even if we were struggling in the table.

“The 90s were a different time and sometimes I was targeted by foul play. If you tried to dribble, someone would try to kick you. Vinnie Jones and the Wimbledon Crazy Gang were famous for it.

“But I had played in the streets of Tbilisi so I knew how to jump over a tackle. I always thought that if they couldn't catch me, they couldn't hit me.”

Those early Premier League days saw a number of big-name foreign players join the league, with Kinkaldze admitting that it was an exciting time to be involved.

“It was the start of something new,” he adds. “Seeing Gianfranco Zola, Dennis Bergkamp and Juninho arrive in the Premier League was exciting and it felt like the league was opening up to creative players.

“The long ball reputation of English football was changing.”

After spending 12 years at Wimbledon during the ‘Crazy Gang’ era, Neil Sullivan had experienced plenty during his career when he made the move to Tottenham in 2000.

However, nothing was able to prepare him for just how different the two London clubs were when he travelled north of the River Thames.

At Wimbledon, Sullivan had trained on Wimbledon Common and enjoyed the club’s uniquely down-to-earth culture, poles apart from the relative luxury he would find at Spurs.

Sullivan on swapping Wimbledon for Tottenham

“My contract was up in Wimbledon and my agent got me a move to Spurs through his connections,” Sullivan tells FourFourTwo as he reflects on the move.

“It was just a different world. I was used to training on Wimbledon Common, clearing up all the dog s**t before we could start. Suddenly, I’m walking into Spurs Lodge, which was completely different.

“I remember my first home game. I arrived at White Hart Lane and someone stopped me in my car, opened my door and offered to park my car. I thought it was a wind up. It would have been at Wimbledon!”

Towards the end of Sullivan’s time at Wimbledon, the club began the talks that would lead to their relocation to Milton Keynes, which caused huge amounts of fan unrest.

“Initially, we were going to Dublin,” Sullivan recalls, speaking via Betmaster Ireland, licensed for Irish players.

“We had new owners and Wimbledon weren't a massive club, and didn't have a lot of money. The Premier League was changing, so things had to change and modernise.

“But to move out of Wimbledon just didn't seem right. It just didn't seem right to take Wimbledon away from Wimbledon. People behind the scenes ultimately thought the MK Dons move would be more productive, earn more money.

“After that was decided, we got relegated, so they didn't get Premier League football in Milton Keynes and I think that was a big pull for doing it. The whole thing was just shocking.”

At Spurs, Sullivan was part of the side that reached the 2002 League Cup Final, only to suffer a shock defeat to Blackburn Rovers, a game which still rankles with the former Scotland stopper.

“Yeah, it was disappointing,” he says. “Don't forget, we just had a new manager come in. George Graham had got us to the final but then Glenn Hoddle took over. Daniel Levy had just taken over the club, so there were a lot of changes going on at the time.

“We’d go on to finish in the bottom half of the table so, while we had a talented side, it wasn’t a strong period. We were favourites for that game but, remember, Blackburn had won the Premier League within the last decade. They had a very good side.”

West Ham have got their Championship campaign underway as the Hammers look to bounce back from last season’s dire relegation campaign.

Nuno Espirito Santos’ side finished the season in 18th place to end a 14-year stay in the top flight, a period which saw them regularly oscillate between European pushes and survival battles.

Throughout this time, West Ham have been heavy spenders in the transfer market, but according to one former Hammers star, their recruitment has lacked the foresight and planning to build a balanced squad.

Tony Gale on West Ham’s transfer policies

Ex-West Ham favourite Tony Gale believes that the constant turnover of directors of football and other key transfer figures has meant cohesiveness has been lacking, leading to the club falling behind one of their rivals from across London.

“Fulham’s buying strategy has been far and away the better of the two,” Gale tells FourFourTwo. “It's designed to build a more balanced squad, with a good sell-on value for players.”

This has seen the Cottagers establish themselves as a mid-table Premier League side following their 2022 promotion from the Championship, with finishes of 10th, 13th, 11th and 11th over the past four seasons.

An effective transfer model, where the ability to develop players so that their sell-on value increases alongside their effectiveness on the pitch is vital in the current financial climate, but for Gale, this is not something West Ham have been able to replicate.

“West Ham seem to have been more reactive than proactive in the transfer market, taking action when a weakness is exposed,” he bemoans.

Central to his problem has been the revolving door of decision-makers behind the scenes.

“Then there’s been the constant changing of directors of football and the people recruiting,” he adds, before raising the basic issues that this problem brings on.

“Who’s been doing the buying? An agent comes on the phone and sells you his player. Well, every agent is going to do that.”

Gale’s ultimate conclusion here is one of another former Hammers favourite.

“What was it Harry Redknapp said? ‘They’ll have your trousers down’.”

During his two-decade career as a professional footballer, Diego Forlan has played in eight countries across three continents and turned out in a World Cup semi-final on his way to winning more than 100 international caps.

This journey has thrown up plenty of career highlights, but for the former Manchester United man, the 2010 Europa League final remains a particular standout.

The forward was a key part of Atletico Madrid’s 2-1 extra-time success over Fulham in Hamburg that night, scoring both goals for his side, including a 116th-minute winner to end the Cottagers' fairytale run to their first European final.

Forlan on firing Atletico to Europa League glory

“That night in Hamburg was one of the best of my career,” Forlan tells FourFourTwo. “A dream final. Not so much because it was a brilliant match, but because of the script.”

Fulham’s remarkable run to the final in just their second-ever European campaign had seen them first navigate a group containing Roma, CSKA Moscow and Basel, before Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, Wolfsburg and Hamburg were accounted for in the knockouts.

“Fulham arrived as the underdog, but they made life very difficult for us,” Forlan continues. I scored after half an hour, Simon Davies equalised, and the final went to extra time.”

With the clock continuing to run down, penalties loomed, only for Forlan to deliver when it mattered most, as he took full advantage of a chance that fell his way deep in the second half of extra time.

“When everything seemed to be heading for a penalty shootout, Sergio Aguero battled for a ball out wide and spotted me in the heart of the box,” he continues. “I managed to get the tip of my boot to it to give Atletico the title.”

Forlan’s reaction to the goal was as instinctive as his finish.

“I took my shirt off and threw myself onto the turf as if it were a swimming pool,” he recalls.

For Forlan, the significance of the goal stretched further than just adding another title to Atletico’s roll of honour.

“That goal tasted like glory, because it also marked a turning point for a club that started to feel important again,” he believes.

“Spain’s capital, a city used to seeing Real Madrid celebrating titles, was painted red and white, and thousands of fans gathered at Plaza de Neptuno in a huge display of pride.”

Jack Hinshelwood is a doubt for Brighton & Hove Albion against Chelsea this weekend.

The Seagulls star netted two goals on the opening day of the campaign, but missed Brighton's 4-0 win over Tromso in the Conference League last night with a knock.

Now, the utility man faces a quick turnaround ahead of facing a Blues side who have won both competitive matches under Xabi Alonso.

Jack Hinshelwood could be out for five to six weekes for Brighton & Hove Albion

Hinshelwood completed 63 minutes in the rout of Villa, scoring twice from just two shots on target.

But the midfielder picked up a knock on Wednesday, with manager Fabian Hurzeler, seemingly optimistic of him returning sooner rather than later when he spoke ahead of the European clash with Tromso.

“He had a small issue in training yesterday, so we have to go day by day with him and see how it progresses over the next few days,” the Brighton boss said after his side’s victory over Tromso. “I can’t give you a clear schedule for when he will be back: it could be a really short thing, or it could be a few days longer.”

“Let’s see how he presents himself, and then we can make a decision.”

According to The Athletic, the Brighton academy graduate will be out for five to six weeks – though the injury has not been confirmed.

Brighton have a number of injuries at this early stage of the season, with both wingers Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh sidelined right now – the latter of whom Hurzeler claims to have spoken to, to convince the Gambian to remain at the Amex.

Mitoma missed the World Cup with Japan through injury, while Georginio Rutter is still being monitored following a knock.

Rutter's absence could see Greek striker Charalampos Kostoulas get his chance to shine, while new signing Promise David could be in line for a Premier League debut after sitting on the bench against Villa.

Why would you limit yourself? Has there ever been a player nicknamed ‘the somewhere someone’, who ever outshone the original? The Romford Pele, the Welsh Xavi and the Scouse Cafu were all tongue-in-cheek, at least; the Croydon De Bruyne, the Scottish Messi and the Yorkshire Pirlo now feel almost mocking.

The Stockport Iniesta felt like shorthand at best. Diminutive, innately intelligent in his movement, excellent in small spaces: a midfielder could play a rondo in a lift. Pep Guardiola infamously proclaimed that Andres Iniesta would retire them all in Catalonia – and perhaps that quote was at the heart of the Foden comparison: that despite the present riches of Pep's first wave, the future was arguably bigger and brighter and bolder than the Centurions' peak.

Not that Foden and Iniesta have been inextricably linked: the Manchester City academy graduate has been compared more readily to more relevant parallels. It was expected that Foden would assume De Bruyne's throne; even Bernardo Silva's. Most of us have forgotten that Iniesta was even a reference point at one point or another, simply a metaphor of grandiosity more than an explanation for his profile. Yet there is a comparison.

Iniesta was a true generalist: all things to all men in a Blaugrana shirt, from dictating play from deep in the 2006 Champions League final to turning his hand at being a left-winger later under Pep. He was so talented that he could play Xavi's role, a bit of Sergio Busquets' and even mirror Lionel Messi on the right. A player that you simply had to “know ball” to appreciate.

Foden has had similar connotations. Gary Neville notably claimed that regardless of what form the City star was in, he was undroppable for his country. Gareth Southgate seemed to agree towards the end of his England tenure, crowbarring Foden into the No.10 spot in his side. Jude Bellingham was shoved out left; Harry Kane started to get subbed more.

“Just give Foden freedom. Let him dictate. Let him roam.” It's commonly considered that he's always been at his best when given the space and time to bend a game to his will.

And this, is a lie.

Foden has two very obvious peaks, both for Manchester City. The first came in the 2020/21 season, his breakout season behind closed doors following David Silva's departure. Those who didn't care to notice assumed he was a like-for-like heir – yet in City's strikerless system, Foden was the left-winger most often, playing a Sane-esque role in which he held width, beat full-backs on the outside, and pressed relentlessly.

He operated as a false nine at times in this system, sometimes an advanced midfielder: but fluidity shouldn't be confused for freedom. This was one of Guardiola's most forensic systems, with Foden one of several following instructions to the letter. He wasn't free: he was completing a task.

And then in 2023/24, the England man had the season of his life. Either from the right, left or centrally – depending on who overlapped – Foden was an attacking midfielder, drifting into a spot in front of the penalty box, receiving on the half-turn and unleashing hell. This time, the team was geared to him, even Erling Haaland sacrificing a few goals to allow this shadow striker to flourish.

Again, there was nothing free about the role. Foden did not have autonomy to dictate play or create: he was there as an exclamation point. It suited him perfectly.

We've been going round suggesting Foden is a generalist: yet, Foden is a specialist. He is best not when he's given a blank canvas and a box of paints, but when you give him a toolkit and a timer.

And that's precisely why he's only drifted in and out of City's best teams. Generalists are useful in any scenario: Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan all adapted their roles depending on whether Pep went with inverted wingers, a double-pivot, a target man or a 3-2-4-1. Specialists like Jack Grealish or Aymeric Laporte were usually good at one or two things, though, and found their importance fluctuating.

It's not an insult to call Foden a specialist. Liverpool built a team of them, with Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino doing basically the same thing for the entirety of Klopp's tenure to a league-defining standard. Perhaps it goes to explain, however, why neither Foden nor Trent have ever truly thrived for very long in an England shirt.

And maybe the expectations were too much on Foden. The No.47 was one of the first recipients of the ‘generational’ tags on social media, when really, none of us really knew what that actually meant. Was he the Second Coming of Gazza, peroxide-primed, 'n' all? Is Di Maria a lofty enough bar? Would Foden simply define an era of English attacking midfielder?

It just feels like we got him wrong back then, and we're continuing to now. Early signs under Enzo Maresca aren't that he's going to grab City by the neck and deliver a lightning bolt from the centre of chaos. And perhaps he was never that player: he was more of a Salah or a Mahrez or a Julian Alvarez that you could get to do a very specific job in a specific system.

There's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone is Andres Iniesta, after all.

Only three people in history have ever scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final.

For 49 years, Sir Geoff Hurst was the only one, with that feat of course coming in the 1966 FA Cup final.

American Carli Lloyd matched it in the 2015 Women's World Cup final, and Kylian Mbappe became just the second man ever to do it when he scored all three of France's goals in a 3-3 draw against Argentina in the 2022 final, only to lose the tie on penalties.

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Sir Geoff Hurst: "I’m sure if you’d ask Mbappe he'd have swapped his hat-trick for a winner’s medal."

Sir Geoff told FourFourTwo he was not fussed to have to share what was once a unique distinction, however, saying: "Watching Mbappe decades later, I can honestly say I didn’t care. One, because two of his were penalties, which makes it different from mine.

"But, more importantly, because he ended up on the losing side. I’m sure if you’d ask Mbappe he'd have swapped his hat-trick for a winner’s medal."

Even if Mbappe had added to his the winner's medal he had claimed four years earlier, though, it would take nothing away from Sir Geoff's experience.

He said: "That final in ‘66 was so utterly life changing.

"I still bump into people that tell me they were there that day, or can recall where they watched the game or who they were with when my final goal went in.

"It was the biggest game in the world and I pulled off something special - so it means a huge amount to me, obviously."

Hurst laughed off the suggestion that he has not had to pay for a drink in the past 60 years, though.

He said: "I wouldn’t say they queue up, but people do offer to buy a drink for me from time to time!

"Not on a regular basis, or as often as people may think. It’s very flattering and very nice that people want to do that, but I always refuse.

"It's weird in a way, a complete stranger coming up to me, offering to buy me a pint, so I never accept."

Robert Sanchez’s position as Chelsea’s starting goalkeeper is under genuine threat following a lapse in the opening game of the Premier League season against Fulham.

In conceding Josh King's first half strike, Sanchez was caught short on what should have been a routine save.

According to FotMob, King’s effort registered 0.07 xG (Expected Goals) and 0.07 xGOT (Expected Goals on Target), which indicates that 93 times out of 100, the average top-flight goalkeeper would be expected to save it.

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has some thinking to do in the goalkeeper position

Allowing such an effort to sneak into the net handed the hosts an equaliser and brought back to the surface some uncomfortable questions regarding the Spanish stopper's overall reliability.

This was hardly an isolated incident, either; Sanchez has committed the occasional high-profile error throughout his Chelsea spell, often leading directly to goals.

Last season, he was temporarily dropped in favour of Filip Jorgensen during the early months of Liam Rosenior’s tenure.

Now, with Xabi Alonso occupying the Stamford Bridge dugout, Sanchez faces a threat to his standing as Chelsea No. 1 and must once again prove himself to another manager.

Alonso may come to the conclusion that Sanchez lacks the composure required to serve as undisputed first-choice based on his Fulham display.

What makes Sanchez’s position more precarious is the evolution of Chelsea’s dressing room dynamic. Previously, at 28 years old, he held unique status as the eldest member of the first-team squad.

Twelve months on, that dynamic has shifted as the group is collectively a year older, and Alonso’s summer business saw Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck arrive.

With two decorated elder statesmen now in the building, Chelsea no longer depend on Sanchez, to the same extent, to provide leadership from between the posts.

Meanwhile, a very real competitive alternative has emerged in the form of Mike Penders. Returning from his loan spell at Strasbourg, the young Belgian stopper delivered performances statistically right on par with expectations while showcasing composure with the ball at his feet.

Given that distribution was always considered one of Sanchez’s primary strengths, Penders matches his elder counterpart while potentially offering greater long-term upside.

The Turkish giants suffered a damaging 1-0 defeat at home to Ferencvaros in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League play-off tie.

Having come off the bench against Kasimpasa in the Super Lig last weekend, the former Liverpool superstar was handed his full debut at Papara Park, but even the Egyptian's presence could not prevent his new side from faltering.

Trabzonspor dominated large periods of possession, registering a higher Expected Goals (xG) total from the match, but struggled to dismantle a resilient Ferencvaros setup.

Mo Salah waiting on first win in Trabzonspor colours

Operating on his usual right flank, Salah showed occasional flashes of his trademark quality, cutting inside to test the goalkeeper with a curling effort early in the second half.

However, the Hungarian champions stood firm, frustrating the hosts and proving clinical when their moment arrived.

Former Bristol City and Cardiff City winger Callum O'Dowda featured for the visitors, operating on the same flank as Salah.

With a 1-0 advantage secured on foreign soil, Ferencvaros head back to Budapest as favourites to advance to the Europa League league phase.

For Trabzonspor, the defeat carries consequences that extend beyond the pitch. Failure to overturn the deficit in Hungary next Thursday would see the club drop down to the UEFA Europa Conference League, inflicting a potential financial blow on the club.

Reaching the main stage of the Europa League guarantees participating clubs a baseline starting fee of roughly €4.3m, complemented by broadcast revenues and performance bonuses. In contrast, dropping into Europe’s third-tier competition reduces guaranteed entry fees to approximately €3.17m, alongside vastly reduced television market shares.

For a side that invested heavily to bring Salah to Turkiye, missing out on Europa League revenues represents a deficit they can ill afford.

It's May 2025 and Ajax fans are reeling.

In one of the biggest collapses in Eredivisie history, their side has just thrown away a nine-point lead in just six matches, handing the title into the incredulous arms of PSV Eindhoven.

Scapegoats to apportion blame are instantly sought. And very quickly, one conspicuous difference between the sides during the season rears its head - scoring goals.

Across 34 games in the campaign, PSV found the net a substantial 36 more times than their main title rival. And a significant reason for that was the struggles of Ajax's forwards, in particular one Brian Brobbey.

The Dutchman had ended up with just four league goals - fewer than the top scorers at two of the relegated sides, Almere City and RKC Waalwijk. This stretched to merely 7 in 44 appearances in all competitions.

The fact that this pitiful return came just one year after the best goalscoring season of his career perfectly encapsulated Brobbey’s time in Amsterdam, which repetitively veered from exciting potential to frustrating inconsistency. In a mixed time with his boyhood club, Brobbey often sparked without truly setting alight.

It meant that, when Brobbey was, as expected, sold that summer, the overriding feeling was that it was right for both club and player. If there was any major emotion, it was surprise that he had secured a Premier League move, with newly promoted Sunderland coughing up a reported £21.6 million fee.

Fast-forward a year and the Life of Brian looks totally different.

Few could have predicted that just over a year after that tepid end to his Ajax career, Brobbey would not only be starting for the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup but wreaking havoc upon opposition defences. For a long period, fans of the Oranje viewed Brobbey at best as a muscular impact sub and a squad player. Now, after scoring three goals in three starts at a tournament where he also linked the play brilliantly and showed his pace and power in abundance, he is the undoubted first-choice no.9 for the foreseeable future.

It has proven to be one of the more remarkable redemption arcs of the past year. And it all started with the foresight of those at the Stadium of Light.

The Brobbey Paradox

Those who watched Brobbey a lot in the Eredivisie would have perhaps considered that if the Black Cats were after that vital ingredient to ensure Premier League survival - a goalscoring striker - then Brobbey was better off being left on the shelf for someone else.

The academy graduate had previously returned to Ajax after a difficult half-season with RB Leipzig, initially on loan and then permanently in 2022. Even factoring in the leniency given to players with time on their side, there was a clear Brobbey paradox over the course of the next three and a half seasons.

One game he would look like a young player with all the attributes to become one of the world’s best old-school centre forwards. The next like one of those bigger kids who’d get picked for the school football team, but then give the distinct impression that they had never properly seen a football in their life.

As fans of Sunderland will now attest, Brobbey is able to combine fantastic strength and hold-up play with speed and a predatory instinct to get himself into the right positions in the box. The problem was, too often at Ajax he would do everything right but then fail to supply the necessary finish. It was as if a scientist had constructed the perfect young centre forward but then got distracted when applying the final and most important touches.

Blossoming in the North East

It turns out there was a real striker in there. He just needed the North East, not North Holland, to blossom.

With his physical attributes, there was no doubt Brobbey was going to be able to cope with the rough and tumble of Premier League football. Nevertheless, it has been a surprise - including to those across the North Sea - at how quickly he settled into life on Wearside.

A total of seven Premier League goals and one assist aren’t exactly big numbers on their own to get excited about, yet it was the nature of these contributions and the wider improvements in his game that have been so impressive.

After a slow start where he was initially brought in off the bench, two moments kick-started his career in England - one showed the player he has been, the other the player he is quickly becoming. In an away win at Chelsea, it was Brobbey’s superb strength, hold-up play and lay-off that enabled the cavalry to arrive in the form of Chemsdine Talbi to score a late winner. It was textbook Brobbey. Then, two weeks later we saw a far rarer side to his game with an acrobatic 94th-minute finish to earn a point against Arsenal. It was the sort of instinctive play that was often missing at Ajax.

At present, Brobbey looks like a man increasingly able to deliver at crucial moments. Last season included late equalisers against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, the equaliser that sparked an away win against Everton, plus winning goals against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and of course in the Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park. Throw in the aforementioned assist against Chelsea, and Brobbey directly played a part in securing 11 points for his team. Without them, Sunderland wouldn’t have been qualifying for Europe but ending just four points outside the relegation zone, nestled in between Tottenham and Nottingham Forest.

The capacity Brobbey has for drawing in defenders and being a physical nuisance is also invaluable for Sunderland when looking to get up the pitch, freeing up space for others. His quick turn of pace to break into the box - often after laying the ball off and spinning in behind - is frightening when he gets it right. The best example of this was his opening goal against Sweden at the World Cup, when he looked more like a 100 metre sprinter than a footballer.

On his day, watching Brobbey can feel like being taken back in time to an era of old school strikers getting their hands dirty, backing into defenders and revelling in the physicality of it all. A player happy to run the channels and to simply get in the box to cause some mayhem. He looks like he was made to play in the noughties, running out to ITV Football’s ‘Beautiful Day’ theme tune.

The really exciting thing about Brobbey is that theoretically there is still so much more to come from a player who is only 24 years of age. The challenge for the Amsterdammer is to now take his output to another level, and prove that he can get over the fallow periods that have previously knocked his confidence. Some strikers give an aura that they know they were made to score goals. Sometimes you feel Brobbey needs a calm tap on the shoulder to remind him of his potential.

According to XG Stat, compared to other Premier League strikers, he was in the top 16% for goal conversion last season but in the bottom 25% for non-penalty expected goals, demonstrating that if he can refine his decision-making in the attacking third, his ceiling for goal numbers is high. And for a player who does his damage within the penalty area, being in the bottom 22% for touches in the box per 90 minutes clearly needs improvement. Furthermore, as outlined by FotMob, a player who is one of the best in the whole division for aerial duels should definitely be having more than just six headed efforts on goal across a whole season.

An enigma no more

For much of his short career, Brobbey has been a bit of a footballing enigma. Could he actually be a good striker or not?

The question marks over his capacity to play in the Premier League were also understandable. Especially when, as has been proven in recent years, Dutch strikers in England - a bit like their country’s local Bitterballen cuisine - have been hit-and-miss. For every Ruud van Nistelrooy, there’s been a Memphis Depay.

There is room for improvement, but the doubters have been proven wrong. And the humble pie for those who doubted him, is still being eaten.

The different pieces needed for Brobbey to become a high-level centre forward were always there. Perhaps all it needed was the right environment to place them correctly together.

Harry Kane believes he has never played better, delivering as a 10 and 9. “This is the best version of myself for sure,” says the Bayern Munich and England forward, who was today presented with the European Golden Shoe as leading scorer across the Continent with 36 goals in the Bundesliga.

“Last season speaks for itself, my best season in my career, no doubt.”

In all competitions for Bayern, Kane scored 61 times and made seven assists in 51 games. Including England, Kane scored 73 times in 65 games.

"It’s been building"

Kane has invariably responded to the challenge of a centre-half and is enjoying working for Vincent Kompany, Bayern’s head coach and Manchester City legend. “Since the Boss has come in here (2024), he's elevated my game to another level. That's down to the style of play, the way we attack, the way we defend, the way he gives the players (like Kane) freedom to come and receive the ball sometimes deeper, and arrive in the box later.

“It's a multiple of different things. I also had a lot of these different positions during my Tottenham career as well, especially from the (Jose) Mourinho stage onwards (2019). Same sort of thing: I had freedom to come and drop, pick the ball. I had a great relationship with Hueng-min Son. It’s been building.

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“With the team I have around me, with the players I have, and the system that we play from the coach, it's just elevated me to another level. I feel extremely comfortable on the pitch. I know where I should be. I know where the players are going to be.

“I just use my instincts and my freedom to score the goals I score but also dictate the play sometimes in certain games. Each game poses a different test. I'm able to determine what game I need to drop, what game I need to stay high. Last season I got that balance really well.”

Kane played down the possibility of returning to England to break Alan Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record of 260 (Kane has 213). He’s obviously loving life at Bayern where there's talk of a new contract for the 33-year-old. “When I first left (Spurs in 2023), for sure it was something that I thought I'd definitely be coming back. That itch isn't there as much anymore.

“I'm extremely happy here in Munich. It’s opened my eyes to a totally different world of football outside of England. It’s made me appreciate European football even more. With the team we have here, with the manager. My family are really settled here. It's just about being in the best place possible. I never say never but, for now, I'm concentrating on Bayern Munich, and we'll see what the future holds.”

He’s determined to keep building on even record seasons. “That’s the aim. You know me, it's always to improve. 73 is such a big number and, for sure, going to be difficult to beat. But the team I have around me, the way I'm feeling right now mentally and physically, there's no reason why I can't push that level again.

“The goals are a consequence of loads of hard work behind the scenes, doing stuff every day when people aren't watching. It's just about improving on all those little aspects as well.”

In receiving the award, Kane said he loves “making a sliding tackle as much as scoring a goal”. Really? “The goal is the best feeling in terms of that moment! The celebration, the adrenaline, the way it feels when you score, especially a winning goal. No doubt!

“That's the best feeling, but I also love the different parts of my game, the different sides of the game. I love those sliding tackles or tracking back, running. When I'm watching my clips to improve my whole game, I find myself watching those moments maybe more than the goals now.

“I've always loved doing my bit for the team. I love to see the reactions of the players when I do those things. It’s a big part of my game that maybe isn't always seen because I'm judged on goals. Maybe the last couple of years people have been seeing more of that and appreciating a little bit more.”

As for the Golden Shoe, Kane reflected on “an extremely proud day, my second one now”. Bayern staff attended the presentation, as did his family. “This one definitely feels a little bit more special after the season we had as a team, as well to win the trophies we won.” Bayern won the Bundesliga, German Super Cup and DFB-Pokal but lost to Paris St-Germain 6-5 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

“Looking ahead, the Champions League is a big goal of ours,” Kane continued, a comment that surely ends those headlines about Saudi. “You're coming up against the best teams in Europe and PSG are back-to-back champions. It’s going to be really difficult.

“Arsenal reached the final. Real Madrid always. There's so many top teams that you have to beat to be European champions. I’m looking forward to that challenge again. We got extremely close to reaching the final last year. This year we need to try and do everything to go that one step further.”

Kane hails PSG’s centre-backs, Marquinhos and Willian Pacho, as the best around. “I love playing the best because they bring out the best in me as well. Against PSG was tough match-ups – Marquinhos, Pacho, two great defenders. We had good battles. They won some duels, I won some duels. There's a reason why PSG have been so successful over the last couple of years, and they have been a big part of that. They are probably the two that stand out. A lot of the top teams have great centre-backs, and I enjoy those challenges.”

He was quick to show his support for his Bayern teammate Jamal Musiala, who suffered two absence seizures in pre-season games. “Jamal is obviously going through a bit of a difficult moment right now. I know he posted on social media about the small condition that he has. From our point of view, it's just about supporting Jamal. He's a great player, extremely talented. He's a big part of our team.

“We feel really sorry for him. We feel frustrated for him when things like that happened in the last couple of games. He knows he has the full support from everyone here at FC Bayern and his friends, his family. We'll be there to help him deal with it.

“He's going through something that not everyone goes through, but also there are people who have dealt with it well before. He's doing everything possible to be his best version. He'd come off the back of a tough injury last season (broken fibula). I know how much he works behind the scenes, how much he's working on the training pitch.”

Kane’s focus is immediately on Bayern and his teammates with the resumption of England duty to come next month. He’s used to the relentlessness of the international programme. “We've gone pretty far in all those tournaments,” Kane reflects on the summer’s World Cup and preceding tournaments such as the 2018 World Cup, Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024. “I'm used to these quick turnarounds.

“In a way, sometimes it suits me. You don't lose too much rhythm, you don't lose too much fitness. You just get into the routine of going again, and that's where I'm at now. For England, it was an amazing summer in a lot of ways. Of course, a real disappointment to lose in the semi-final the way we did (to Argentina). But to win the 3rd/4th game was important, to get the feeling for everyone involved and also for the fans. And now we tackle a new year. You’re right at the bottom of the mountain again; you're getting ready for Nations League, and then that goes into European qualifiers.

“The Euros being in England, in a couple of years (2028), is obviously a big motivation. For now it's just about getting back into club football, hit the ground running, hopefully scoring some goals. And then before we know it, we'll be back in that international camp in September, a bit different this year with the two-week camp and the four games.

“We play the world champions, Spain, in the first one (at Wembley on September 26). A lot to look forward to from that point. There will be a lot of things to process that we've done in the summer, the good things, also a lot of things we can improve on, and now that's the challenge to try and get better for the Euros in a couple of years.”

Peter Crouch was known for his sense of humour during his playing days – but even he didn’t expect to become a comedy actor following retirement.

Crouch scored an impressive 22 times in 42 games for England and also famously entertained fans with his robot goal celebration.

After hanging up his boots in 2019, his light-hearted approach to life has led to him becoming the star of his own podcast, as well as an author.

The weird world of Peter Crouch

As time has gone on, Crouch has also been approached to do regular acting in adverts for betting company Paddy Power, who similarly take a tongue-in-cheek approach to football. It’s led to some unexpected moments for the former Liverpool striker.

“Just the other week, I was up in a hot air balloon, which was also designed like a pair of pants, in LA overlooking the California countryside – my life is very strange,” he chuckles as he talks to FFT.

“I remember when I was 18 years old, trying to make my way in the game – if you’d said then that we’d fast forward to being 45 and I’d be over California countryside vineyards in a pair of pants at a World Cup, I’d have told you you were mad.

“There are times where I look at myself and think ‘How have I got myself in this situation?’ There was one where I was lying in a bath with just my underpants on, there were rose petals in the bath and they were filming me from above – it was basically the scene from American Beauty, but with me in the bath. I was like ‘How has this happened?!’

“But it’s all good fun, I’ve found that being shy and retiring doesn’t work, you’ve just got to go for it and embrace it.

“When I’m working with Paddy Power, it’s exactly my kind of humour, it’s very similar to what I like – I don’t think we should take football too seriously. I think I'm alright at it too, so we work well together. I love every moment of it.”

Crouch has teamed up with Danny Dyer and Danny Murphy for Paddy Power’s latest advert ahead of the start of the new Premier League season, entitled 'Why The Football Not?', which references some of the weirdest moments in football over the last few months.

There's a nod to Murphy’s long lost cat Bob, while Crouch recreates Southampton’s infamous Spygate incident outside Middlesbrough’s training ground.

“The Danny Murphy cat situation tickled the nation, and my part is alluding to Southampton and what happened there,” Crouch explains.

“I’m walking past the tree, and there’s a lad who looks very, very similar to the guy that was actually spying.

“It’s about the weird and wonderful things we love about football – it’s what makes football magic. I’m no different in the things that we try to capture with my podcast, and Paddy Power do it very well.”

Some ideas have even had to be shelved over his time working with the company, because they were simply too weird.

“There have been loads, Paddy Power come up with them on a regular basis!” Crouch smiles. “Certain things, you're like ‘Can we get away with that?!’ because it’s very close to the bone. Sometimes the closer it is to the bone, the better it is, but it’s a difficult balance.

“I don’t know what I can and can’t say with regards to what they were trying to do, but some of the things they’ve tried to do over the years have been outrageous!

“I feel very blessed to do what I’m doing, it keeps me in the game and it’s good fun.”

There will be more from Crouch in FourFourTwo soon.

Yan Diomande has been the most coveted winger in world football this summer, with Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool both attempting to sign the 19-year-old winger.

Ultimately, though, it was Real Madrid who won the race, paying a club-record €125 million plus €15 million in bonuses and signing him to a contract through 2033. However, it was just two years ago that hardly any team was willing to take a chance on him. Back then, Diomande was just an anonymous teenager looking to realize his dream of becoming a professional footballer.

When Diomande was just 15 years old, he booked a solo, one-way flight from the Ivory Coast to Florida, where he started his journey at DME Academy. Despite not speaking any English, Diomande quickly adjusted to life in his new surroundings in Daytona Beach and impressed for both DME and their semi-pro affiliate club, AS Frenzi.

Yan Diomande's path to the top was paved with rejection

Diomande spearheaded Frenzi to the 2023 United Premier Soccer League title, winning the Playoffs MVP and Golden Boot, but he wasn't able to turn that into a professional contract, with teams from MLS and Europe turning their nose up at the precocious teenager.

"I think he did slip through the cracks," his former coach Todd Eason tells FourFourTwo. "We were in Daytona, 45 minutes from Orlando City, and at the time, I had told some representatives at Orlando City, 'Hey, I've got a kid coming that looks pretty special, and I would love him to come down and train with the B team.' But they just kept delaying and delaying."

"I was very disappointed that Orlando City wouldn't come 45 minutes to watch him or at least take them into camp," adds Eason, who worked as DME's Director of Soccer and then Director of Athletics from 2021 to 2024. Today, Eason serves as the General Manager for USL Championship side Miami FC.

"I do think MLS teams have probably dropped the ball a lot on some domestic talent that have come through, but every team's a little bit different, so you can't really speak on all that. Orlando City was the one that I was really disappointed in: you couldn't go out of your way to see this kid play, and now you lost your chance."

After being rejected by Orlando City as well as other European clubs like Rangers, Chelsea, and Bournemouth, Diomande returned to Abidjan after his student visa expired. Shortly after, Spanish club Leganes signed him in November 2024, and after just 10 professional appearances, he earned a €20 million move to RB Leipzig.

The rest is history: Diomande quickly emerged as one of the most exciting talents in the German top-flight, taking home the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award. He also established himself as a key figure for the Ivory Coast national team, scoring in the Africa Cup of Nations and helping Les Elephants advance to a World Cup knockout match for the first time.

After steering RB Leipzig from a seventh-place finish in 2024/25 – the worst finish in their Bundesliga history – to a third-place finish in 2025/26, Diomande will now be testing his skills in the Champions League. He won't be representing Leipzig, but Real Madrid, who are seeking a record-extending 16th title.

It has been a decade in the making for Diomande, who left his family at nine years of age to join Academie Inter Foot Sud Comoe and moved to a new continent at 15, all by himself. All of it in the pursuit of one objective: to receive a world-class footballing education and become a good enough player to carry his family out of poverty.

Two years after being left in the shadows, the sun is shining on Diomande, who'll be looking to stake out a starting spot on the right side of Real's attack alongside Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr. And while he never managed to make his professional debut there, he'll always be grateful for his time with Eason in the Sunshine State.

"I think I'm just most proud that he still answers my calls," added Eason. "He's just very true to the people that mean the most to him, and I think that's a true testament of who he is. That's what I'm proud of: that he's a good, respectful man, and is still paying attention to the people that have helped him in his life in some way."

Is Yan Diomande worth the investment from Real Madrid? Tell us in the comments below

Critistiano Ronaldo has hinted that the upcoming 2026/27 season is likely to be his last year as a player.

The Portuguese forward has broken numerous records across his 24-year senior career since breaking through at Sporting in 2002.

The 41-year-old's honours list includes five Champions Leagues, nine league tiles across his spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr; and a Euros winners medal with Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo drops retirement hint

No player can go on forever, though, and Ronaldo now seems to be seriously thinking about calling it quits next summer.

It's definitely not because he knows his powers are waning, though; it's simply because there's so much else he wants to do in life.

Ronaldo told Vogue: "This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy.

"I have my future all mapped out.

"I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard.

"Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one.

"Have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and continue to enjoy what I've earned - what we've earned - because after all, it's been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice."

The Saudi Pro League campaign is already under way, with Ronaldo sitting out Al-Nassr's 3-0 win over Al-Fateh on the opening day.

Ronaldo spent the summer at the World Cup with Portugal before getting married, and as a result has not had a full pre-season under his belt.

His manager Ange Postecoglou could now turn to Ronaldo to face Diriyah in the cup on Tuesday.

Myles Lewis-Skelly is not simply part of Arsenal’s future. He is very much part of the champions’ vibrant present. Headlines linking the teenager with a move away thankfully disappeared for good in Cardiff on Sunday.

The Community Shield often throws up more questions than answers, but one argument certainly settled, and no doubt dispelled in the 3-0 humbling of Manchester City, was the importance of Lewis-Skelly to Arsenal for footballing and financial reasons.

Arsenal should sell even world champions like Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino before even considering moving on Lewis-Skelly. He’s that important.

One down, 60-odd to go

He’s more than a number for Arsenal, even an obscure number in 49 vacated by an Estonian goalkeeper, Karl Hein, now Werder Bremen’s No.1. He’s more than a talented midfield option to rotate in when the new first choice of Declan Rice and Bruno Guimaraes has done its ferocious work and needs a break or the game is won.

Given the innate impatience of youth, the teenager will want to play every game. But there are so many. Arsenal are one game into what could prove a 68-game marathon. Mikel Arteta will sensibly rest and rotate, ensuring freshness for each game, a lesson surely learned from Rice’s draining workload last season.

“MLS” brings energy and intensity of press. He brings composure and invention in possession. For Arsenal’s first against City, Lewis-Skelly calmly let the ball run across him and then guided Riccardo Calafiori through on goal. Few players have the intelligence to see that pass and the technique to deliver it. He spots opportunity early. That anticipation and nimbleness, changing direction quickly, reflects early years as a tennis prospect.

He’s versatile, best in central midfield but launching himself onto the scene with Arsenal and England at left-back. He played centre-back for his school team but lacks the height. There are elements to his game that still needing work, including developing his shooting, but he’s still only 19. Like any young professional, MLS will be learning the art of total devotion to his craft. He certainly has great role models to learn from at London Colney.

MLS is an exciting symbol of a trait that fans always love – one of their own, an admired academy graduate, a link between the dressing room and the stands. He’s a Hale End boy, joining at eight, and imbued in the ways of the club like Bukayo Saka and the poster-boy for the next generation, Max Dowman. In the age of sky-high transfer fees and clubs needing to balance their books (which Arsenal do well), it makes even more sense to develop talent. The flaw in the system is that it then encourages clubs to sell the homegrown as it goes down in the books as pure profit.

How much is MLS worth? Headlines have him at £45m, which seems laughably low, almost disrespectful. He’s 19, got four years left on his contract and is an England international (with the added Three Lions premium to any fee).

Little fazes him: he scored against City in 2025 and famously mimicked Erling Haaland’s meditation celebration. The act felt more cheeky than insolent or arrogant and was a slight response to Haaland’s previous “who are you?” during an Etihad flare-up. MLS is not short on character.

He provided an assist against Real Madrid and scored on his England debut. Arteta rated the teenager highly enough to start him ahead of Zubimendi in last May’s Champions League final against Paris St-Germain. Best in a double pivot, Lewis-Skelly enjoyed helping Guimaraes dominate Elliot Anderson and the struggling Mateo Kovacic in Cardiff.

Talk of him leaving, however brief and caused by whoever, was dispiriting. Arsenal are a global institution, with players and supporters drawn from all over, and that is a celebration of their appeal and welcoming nature. But reminders of their roots, their Englishness, need protecting and promoting. Local heroes are part of Arsenal’s history going back to Tony Adams and Charlie George.

Midway through the second half at the Principality Stadium, Arsenal fans began singing about the late, great David Rocastle, whose name, image and mission statement adorn parts of Hale End. “Remember who you are, what you are, and who you represent.” MLS represents Arsenal’s present and future.

Neil Sullivan’s route from a Premier League regular to international football did not follow the conventional path.

In fact, Sullivan’s opportunity to represent Scotland all came down to a chance remark to a reporter from this very publication during a promotion event.

The former Wimbledon stopper would win 28 caps for Scotland and go to the 1998 World Cup with the Tartan Army, and while stories of this nature can often be over-egged, the man himself insists it is true.

How FourFourTwo helped Sullivan earn his Scotland call-up

“Yeah, 100 per cent true,” Sullivan tells FourFourTwo when asked if the magazine really did help him earn a place in Craig Brown’s squad back in 1997.

As was the case with Sullivan’s other most famous moment in football, a certain future England captain was also on hand.

“I was sponsored by Sondico gloves at the time, and I think David Beckham’s shin pads were sponsored by them,” the former Spurs and Leeds stopper continues, speaking via Betsson pari sport.

“We were doing a kind of promotional event at the same place, promoting the brand and taking photos and doing autographs with fans - no prizes for guessing whose queue was longer – and a FourFourTwo reporter was there.

“We had a bit of a general chat and then I just happened to mention that I had a Scottish grandparent. That went in the magazine and somehow it made his way back to Craig Brown. He rang me up and I jumped at the chance.”

Sullivan would make his Scotland debut under Brown against Wales in May 1997 and he would do enough to ensure he was part of the squad for the 1998 World Cup.

After former Manchester United ‘keeper Jim Leighton returned from international football in 1998, Sullivan became a regular starter during the Euro 2000 and 2002 World Cup qualifiers.

“It was amazing,” Sullivan says when asked about being part of the 1998 squad. “I went as our third-choice ‘keeper with Jim Leighton and Andy Gorham ahead of me.

“We went to America on a kind of pre-World Cup tour, and Andy decided that he didn't want to be involved, so I moved up to number two goalkeeper. We played the opening match against Brazil so we missed the opening ceremony as we were down underneath the pitch getting ready. That feeling was pure excitement.

“It was a brilliant summer, great to be involved even in a small way and soak up the atmosphere.”

From Arsenal’s Invincibles to Manchester City’s emerging superstars, Kolo Toure played with some of the greatest footballers of his generation.

The Ivory Coast international spent 14 seasons playing for Premier League contenders, from his time with the Gunners to the Citizens, up to his three-year stint at Liverpool which took in the beginning of the Jurgen Klopp era.

Selecting his Perfect XI for FourFourTwo, therefore, is no easy feat - but it’s a task Kolo set about with relish.

Kolo Toure's Perfect XI

GK: JENS LEHMANN

“Jens was a great shot-stopper who could catch the ball from corners and crosses – but he was also good with his feet. He had a strong personality… but oh my god, he was so crazy! You need that though, I think, as a goalkeeper. A lovely man, but very crazy. You didn’t want to get in his bad books, trust me.”

RB: LAUREN

“To be honest, I was torn between Lauren and Emmanuel Eboue. I played with Eboue for the Ivory Coast and at Arsenal and he was underrated both going forward and defending – but I’ve gone with Lauren. He was just immense, and he would kill me if he didn’t get in my team!”

CB: SOL CAMPBELL

“I’ve chosen two centre-backs, so of course, I went with Sol Campbell. He was powerful, strong in the air, an aggressive player – and he was lovely, too. I felt like I could always trust him and play my best football with him alongside me. I had a good relationship with him at Arsenal.”

CB: VINCENT KOMPANY

“I’ve gone for Vincent. We played a few games together at Manchester City and technically he was really good, as well as being as strong. He was very young when I played with him – but he was really mature and a leader for his age and of course he went on to have a tremendous career.”

LB: ASHLEY COLE

“I’ve got to go for Ashley Cole at left-back. Such a good player. Going forwards or backwards, it was easy for him; no problem. He had such energy and he was a really generous player. [FFT: you sometimes played right-back on the opposite side to Cole…] Yes, we’d both get forward a lot. But he was more natural in that role.”

DM: STEVEN GERRARD

“I’ve gone with a diamond – so I’ve gone with Stevie G from my time at Liverpool to ping the ball right and left. He’d moved into a deeper role by that stage in his career and his vision and passing range were perfect in there. A brilliant footballer and captain.”

CM: YAYA TOURE


“On the right of the midfield, Yaya Toure. [Laughs] If I don’t pick Yaya, he’ll ask why! He was a top player, technically and tactically. He could run with the ball and he could score goals as well. Oh, and he’s my brother! Yaya was always the better player of the two of us growing up, too, which I was happy with, I don’t mind my brother being better than me.”

CM: PATRICK VIEIRA

“I’ve chosen Patrick over David Silva – it was very hard. But Patrick had everything for a midfield player: he was so tall and powerful. Technically, he was really good, he could run, get from box to box and he scored goals, too. For me, he was a perfect midfielder.”

AM: DENNIS BERGKAMP

“I’ve got to have Dennis Bergkamp at the top of the diamond in this team, to find players and chip in with some goals. He was an unbelievable player and you couldn’t find anyone better past or present to do this role in this team, with these team-mates around him.”

ST: THIERRY HENRY

“What is there to even say about Thierry that hasn’t been said? His speed, his power, his desire to win… he was so professional, I have to choose Thierry Henry. He was a phenomenon.”

ST: DIDIER DROGBA

“For the last one, I didn’t know who to pick. It’s between Luis Suarez, Didier Drogba and Sergio Aguero… I’ve got to go for Drogba – but I have subs as well, right? [laughs] He doesn’t like the ball too much, but I’ve got to pick him because he was so physical, so determined and a guy you could always rely on in the biggest moments. A legend of African football and a great guy, too.”

SUBS: Gael Clichy, Sergio Aguero, Luis Suarez

THE GAFFER: ARSENE WENGER

“It absolutely has to be Wenger. He was immense, he was the guy who gave me my opportunity to come to the Premier League. No one believed in me until him and David Dein (Arsenal’s vice-chairman until 2009) and they both gave me the opportunity to play for one of the best clubs in the world. It’s not easy to pick a boy from Africa, take him straight to England and put him in the Arsenal team after not even a year. I owe him everything.”

West Ham will play their first second-tier match in 14 years today when they visit Burnley in their Championship opener at 4pm.

The club’s relegation at the end of last season came after the Hammers spent a decade trying to establish themselves as a Premier League force, only to be undone by a series of poor transfers and recent managerial instability.

As he sees his old club get set for the new season, former Irons defender Tony Gale believes that the drop could represent an opportunity for the slate to be wiped clean,

Gale on West Ham’s reset

“We’ve spent as much money as everyone else, but we’ve spent it unwisely,” Gale tells FourFourTwo. “It’s time for a reset.

“We’ve got to be looking more into the players we buy – studying their characters, not just their playing style. Character is even more important in the Championship than the Premier League – nobody can underestimate that division.”

Gale insists that the team cannot assume they will be in the promotion mix come the end of the season. “It’s no good thinking that six teams will get into the Championship play-offs this season, so we’ll get promoted by hook or by crook,” he continues. “West Ham have to be aiming to go up automatically. It’s not going to be a cakewalk.”

One thing the Hammers do have going for them, Gale adds, is their fanbase. “The fans have rallied around, with 30,000 season tickets sold within a few weeks of relegation. They’ve shown their loyalty.”

Gale has first-hand experience of relegation and believes mentality will play a defining part this season. “Going down is all about your mindset,” he continues. “I did it twice and came back up. We were lucky because the footballing world wasn’t so financially based then, and a lot of us stayed. Relegation clauses didn’t exist at the time. Our attitude was that we went down, so it was our responsibility to get them back up.

“The first thing on a lot of players’ minds nowadays is finances. No doubt some will have pay cut clauses written into their contracts but there might be boys going into the Championship who have hardly played lately who’ll be on £100,000 a week.

“West Ham went down because of complacency, thinking that the three sides who come up are always going to go down. But Sunderland were sensational and spent wisely. Leeds? Their home record was brilliant and Elland Road kept them up.”

Yet despite the anguish of last season’s campaign, Gale does have room for optimism this year.

“Relegation isn’t the disaster that everybody thinks, though,” he says. “I’m really looking forward to the Championship. If you’re a fan, you’re a fan. West Ham may lose the tourist supporters who came over to London to watch a game of Premier League football and visit the old Olympic Stadium. Maybe 10,000 will drop off the average gate.

“But you’ll still have the same number of away supporters, because they’ll all want to come to our stadium. Even little Lincoln will fill it, don’t worry about that, it’s their cup final. Our fans have shown their loyalty and hopefully the club is about to turn a corner, for a brighter future.”

As Zinedine Zidane gets set to return to the France national team setup as head coach, it is worth remembering just how big an impact the 54-year-old has had on his nation’s football culture.

From his upbringing in Marseille to becoming the face of France’s historic 1998 World Cup victory, few players have left such an indelible mark on the game.

For his former France teammate Djibril Cisse, Zidane’s influence went far beyond his impact on the pitch, as the ex-Liverpool striker believes that the former Real Madrid man’s journey, personality and playing style all contributed to making him a sporting and cultural icon.

Cisse on Zindane’s influence

“He was a little kid from the mean streets of Marseille,” Cisse tells FourFourTwo of Zidane’s beginnings, where he was born and raised in the city’s gritty La Castellane neighbourhood.

“He came from a very tough neighbourhood - a background that swallows so many people up. It’s not easy to become someone with this kind of start in life, but he did it.”

It was this ability to rise from such humble beginnings to the very top of the globe’s most popular sport which makes Zidane’s story so compelling.

And for Cisse, this - in addition to his sublime ability with a football - all plays into why Zidane was able to make such a difference in society.

“The best players in the world don’t just win matches but they influence people’s lives,” he continues.

“Zidane didn’t do that with his personality, like Ali, but he did it with his technical ability, his winning mentality and his elegance.”

This came courtesy of Zidane’s positive approach on the pitch, as he would let his attack-minded football do the talking.

“He was never the type of player who would sit deep and hope for a draw. He always saw the possibility to break forward and go for the win and you always had a chance with him in your team.

“Not only that but his sublime skill, his showboating and his effectiveness made so many people around the world fall in love with French football. Playing alongside him for the national team was an honour.

“Again, like Jordan, he is the GOAT of his sport in my opinion. A legend in my country."

Uruguay’s 2010 World Cup campaign was something of a rollercoaster ride for La Celeste.

After missing out on the 2006 edition, the team topped a group featuring France, Mexico and hosts South Africa on their way to the semi-finals, where they were eventually eliminated by the Netherlands.

This would prove to be Uruguay’s best World Cup campaign since their 1970 fourth-place finish, but the two-time winners needed to dig deep to even make it to the tournament.

Forlan on his memorable World Cup qualfying strike

With their qualification hopes hanging in the balance, the team travelled to Quito to face Ecuador in their penultimate qualifying match, knowing that defeat could end their hopes of making the World Cup.

The challenge of playing at 2,800 metres above sea-level is a well-documented one, but this particular match would go on to be one of striker Diego Forlan’s most memorable performances.

“It was the penultimate matchday of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” former Manchester United striker Forlan tells FourFourTwo.

“We were in Quito, a city where it’s always difficult to play because of the altitude. In the second half, Antonio Valencia scored to make it 1–0.

“We were against the ropes, because a defeat would have left us with no chance of reaching South Africa.”

A goal behind and in tough conditions, Uruguay needed someone to step up.

“Straight after that blow, we put together a good move, I assisted Luis Suarez and we made it 1–1,” he continues. “But we needed to win.

“In the very last attack, Ecuador’s goalkeeper fouled Edinson Cavani inside the box. I was the most experienced one, so I decided to take the ball and assume responsibility.

“Even though it was a critical moment, I don’t remember feeling particularly nervous. I struck it perfectly into the top corner.

“That win took us to the play-offs against Costa Rica and we ultimately reached the World Cup.”

Erling Haaland has been a record-breaker throughout his incredible career - and now it's official.

The Manchester City star is the proud owner of four Guinness World Records certificates after he was rewarded for his feats for club and country.

Haaland has been prolific wherever he has played and is currently on 162 goals in 198 games for City, while he is also Norway's all-time top goalscorer, finding the net 62 times in just 55 matches.

The numbers behind Erling Haaland's four Guinness World Records

Haaland's long list of individual achievements include three Premier League Golden Boots in four seasons, the European Golden Shoe in 2022/23, and six successive Norwegian Footballer of the Year awards.

The 26-year-old's goals have fired City to six major trophies since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in summer 2022, including the Treble in 2022/23, while he also scored seven times in just five matches at World Cup 2026 to help Norway reach the quarter-finals.

Haaland now has four more prizes to cram onto his mantelpiece after he was awarded the Guinness World Records certificates at the Etihad Stadium ahead of the new season.

His first award was for the most goals scored in a Champions League match, having struck five times in a 7-0 thrashing of RB Leipzig in the last 16 in March 2023.

Haaland shares that record with Lionel Messi, who scored the same number in Barcelona's 7-1 mauling of Bayer Leverkusen in March 2012, and Shakhtar Donetsk's Luiz Adriano, who equalled the feat in a 7-0 thrashing of BATE Borisov in October 2014.

The forward's next prize recognised his international exploits, as he received a certificate for scoring the most goals in the Nations League.

His tally of 19 is four clear of the next highest scorers - Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Haaland was also awarded a certificate for scoring the most goals in a Premier League season, having struck 36 times in his debut campaign in 2022/23 - surpassing even Andy Cole and Alan Shearer's shared record across 42 games in 1993/94, when the duo each found the net 34 times for Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers respectively.

The City superstar's final record was for being the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals, with his strike against Fulham last December bringing up the milestone in only 111 games - beating Shearer's mark by 13 matches.

Haaland, who features on the cover of the Guinness World Records Football Edition 2027, is set to begin what he hopes will be another record-breaking season on Sunday, when City face Arsenal in the Community Shield.

Manchester City begin their season in the Community Shield this weekend – with uncertainty about what their midfield is going to look like for the 2026-27 campaign.

City have recruited Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest this summer but look highly likely to lose linchpin Rodri.

The Spaniard is wanted by Barcelona, who have made bids for the 30-year-old after he was previously being linked with Real Madrid.

Decisions to make

Rodri only has one year left on his contract but Barcelona’s initial offer was reported to be less than £40m – understandably turned down, for a man who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024 and was crucial in Spain winning the World Cup this summer.

Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott knows that his departure would be a big blow to the club, but thinks his World Cup performances should be reflected in the fee.

“The length of contract plays a huge part – if he’s got three years left, I doubt he’s available, and he’s definitely not £35m,” Lescott told FFT.

“But he definitely didn’t do the club any harm in the fee he warrants, after his World Cup performances.

“He’d be a huge loss for City if decided to leave – he’s a top quality player, probably the best at his role.”

Manchester City have been strongly linked with Morocco’s World Cup star Ayyoub Bouaddi and Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez as possible replacements for Rodri, with Lescott suspecting the latter may be the better fit to step directly into the Spaniard's shoes right now.

“I haven’t seen a lot of Bouaddi but Enzo can obviously perform in the Premier League, so that would make more sense to me,” says the pundit for TNT Sports, who will be screening live coverage of Sunday’s Community Shield.

“I don’t think there’s a bad option or a bad decision, because they're both top quality players, but if you were to pick one of them, you’d probably say Enzo due to the fact that there’s no culture change – he’s already experienced and that’s a big factor.”

"Arsenal are the favourites"

As well as the likely loss of Rodri, Manchester City also go into the season without Pep Guardiola.

Arsenal are their opponents in the Community Shield – being played at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, because Wembley has been booked up by The Weeknd – and Lescott thinks the Gunners start the campaign as favourites to win the Premier League again.

“It's going to be difficult for City, with the fact that Pep’s not there,” he says. “And just generally – if Pep was there, I would still have said Arsenal were the favourites due to them being champions.

“And I think they’re favourites even more so now with all the factors that might be difficult for City – new manager, new players.

“Arsenal are the team that are most used to things – their manager’s been in charge for seven years, their players and their squad has been the same, they got to the final of the Champions League last year and won the league.

“All the things that are potential obstacles, they’ve experienced before, so I would say Arsenal are the favourites.”

With the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, Emirates FA Cup and Women’s FA Cup ALL in one place. There’s levels to this. TNT Sports.

Erling Haaland scores too many goals to become Manchester City's new captain, according to Enzo Maresca.

The Norway striker has found the net 162 times in just 198 games since his £51m move from Borussia Dortmund in June 2022.

Haaland has helped City win six major trophies in the past four seasons, alongside a host of individual awards, and will be key for new manager Maresca in 2026/27 after the Italian replaced Pep Guardiola this summer.

The unusual reason why Erling Haaland won't be Manchester City's next captain

Haaland's importance to City appeared to have made him one of the leading contenders to become club captain, after former skipper Bernardo Silva joined Real Madrid this summer.

The other candidates included defender Ruben Dias and midfielder Rodri, although the latter could soon be out of the picture if he completes his expected move to Barcelona.

However, Maresca suggested that Haaland isn't in the running for the captaincy, telling reporters: "Erling was one of the first to send a message when I joined the club.

“At Leicester and Chelsea, I had a rule that when we scored, the captain had to come to the bench, not to celebrate, for instructions.

“But if he scores, then he can celebrate. So if Erling is the captain, we have a problem. F****** hell, can you imagine?”

Haaland is yet to feature under Maresca after he was allowed to miss City's pre-season tour of Asia due to Norway's run to the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals.

The Italian gave the armband to Phil Foden in the club's opening pre-season friendly against Inter Milan, before Dias skippered the side against a K League All-Stars XI and Atletico Madrid - and Maresca's rule was already evident in the middle game.

“If you saw the game on Wednesday, when we scored the first goal, Ruben came over to the bench," the 46-year-old said.

“I think even if it is two or three minutes, there is always something to adjust.”

Haaland was one of seven players who didn't travel to Asia as a result of their World Cup exertions, but the group - which also includes £116m signing Elliot Anderson, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki - are expected to be part of the squad for the Community Shield against Arsenal in Cardiff on Sunday.

It's been a long road for Matt Grimes to earn himself a chance to play Premier League football once again - but for Coventry City, it's been even longer.

Grimes made just four top-flight appearances for Swansea as a youngster after joining from Exeter more than a decade ago, and spent the past ten years trying to find his way back to the very elite.

But Coventry's wait has been more than twice as long – and they have virtually been to hell and back in the meantime.

"To win the league like we did... I don’t think people realise the magnitude of it"

Coventry's relegation in 2001 was followed by 11 years mostly in the bottom half in the Championship before the club slid all the way down to League Two in 2017.

Along the way in their rise and gradual climb back up the pyramid, Coventry fans went through exile from their stadium, protests, uncertain ownership situations, and the heartbreak of Championship play-off final defeat.

Having only joined the club in January last year, Grimes admits he can only really imagine the depths of despair Coventry fans must have reached during their darkest days.

But he was delighted to finally be able to give them a big moment to celebrate when they mathematically confirmed promotion with a late 1-1 draw away to Blackburn in April.

Grimes told FourFourTwo: “The club have been down to League Two, had to groundshare, all of that.

"So I feel like a bit of an imposter talking about it, because I haven’t endured it the same as the fans have.

"But to give that back on that night when we got the club promoted in front of 7,000 away fans, who travelled all the way to Blackburn on a Friday night, it was very, very fitting."

That promotion was the culmination of several years of going close to promotion, first under Mark Robins and then Frank Lampard.

Grimes believes that doesn't make the way they did it any less remarkable, though, saying: "When teams come down from the Premier League, it’s normal that all the bookmakers have them to be top two or top six

"So to win the league like we did, 11 points ahead of second... I don’t think people will realise the magnitude of it until maybe a couple years down the line. It was a season where most of what we touched turned to gold.”

The ability to play in football matches has been the story of the last eight months for Aston Villa striker Brian Madjo.

The 17-year-old signed for Villa from Metz in January but his new club couldn’t register him. Despite being born in North London, Madjo is a full international for Luxembourg.

His registration was complicated as a result and it was ruled that Madjo could not be registered until he turns 18 next January.

Could Brian Madjo play for England?

Eagle-eyed fans will have noticed that Madjo did indeed play for Villa in Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain in Salzburg.

The back-to-back Champions League winners were clinical enough to come out on top despite being behind a fitter Villa in their pre-season schedule, but it was Madjo who hit the headlines by thrashing a volley past PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov despite the close attentions of Willian Pacho.

Thanks to Villa’s appeal, upheld late last month by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Madjo is now registered and active. His captain, John McGinn, believes he will be a ‘big player’ for the Europa League winners this season.

It doesn’t take much more than a glance in Madjo’s direction to see how literally true that will be, but his international eligibility is in the spotlight as a result of an eye-catching debut against the European champions.

Madjo is not a home-grown player. He was born in Enfield but played his junior football in Luxembourg before joining the youth set-up at Metz three years ago. He represented Luxembourg at international age levels and won three senior caps last year.

The teenager, who was also eligible for Cameroon, is qualified for England by birth and was able to change his international allegiance through FIFA’s one-time switch rules. Madjo has committed to England and quickly amassed nine caps – and four goals – for Liam Bramley’s under-17 side.

It’s premature to suggest that his international career will develop in any particular direction from here but Madjo is a player who backs his ability and has the physical presence to back it up, as PSG’s continent-leading defence learned in Salzburg on Wednesday.

“I know how to adapt because I’ve played in Luxembourg and in France, so I know what it’s like to change to another country,” he said on his arrival at Bodymoor Heath in January.

“On the pitch and off the pitch, that will really help me in Birmingham. Playing against senior teams helped me very much in every way: intensity, responsibility.

“It really helped me to be here because I know now what it’s like to be with experienced players. And I know how mature I am now because experienced players helped me.”

It’s easy to see why there’s such excitement about a player who has potentially 20 years ahead of him and yet already appears physically capable, but Madjo is 17 years old. He will need to be carefully managed, not only by Unai Emery but within the England set-up.

Former Arsenal midfielder Anders Limpar has identified the key to unlock the best from England winger Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal begin their Premier League title defence against promoted Coventry City next Friday and manager Mikel Arteta will have his fingers and toes crossed that Saka is fit and ready to make a big contribution sooner rather than later.

Saka struggled for fitness during the World Cup and was used sparingly by England manager Thomas Tuchel but has been in pre-season training with his club and working towards a new season with the champions.

Trent Alexander-Arnold to Arsenal? ‘It would be absolutely great for Bukayo Saka’

Limpar, who was a key figure in the impressive Swedish national team of the early nineties, wants Arsenal’s recruitment team to look ahead with maximising Saka’s peak years. The key, he says, is an England player who wasn’t at the World Cup at all.

“I don't think Trent Alexander-Arnold is going to leave Real Madrid,” Limpar told Hajper.

“He's tough. He will be ready to fight to get his place back. He is not soft. He is a strong character.

“Of course, Arsenal need good players and strong characters and Alexander-Arnold is a good player with a strong character, especially when it comes to playing forward and going on the attack.”

Building a team and indeed a transfer strategy around Saka’s potential would be a major vote of confidence in the 24-year-old, who has more than justified that degree of faith in his seven seasons as a regular in the first team.

“It would be great for Arsenal but it would be absolutely great for Bukayo Saka if Alexander-Arnold arrived because there is a similarity between Saka and Mohamed Salah, and Trent would know exactly what to do with Saka,” added Limpar, who admitted that his suggestion is unlikely to come to pass.

“I don’t think Arsenal need to worry about this now because Trent Alexander-Arnold is a grafter of a player and he will stay at Real Madrid for another three or four years or however long it takes because he hasn’t shown his best for them yet.

“He has had injuries, he has been in and out, and he isn’t the only player who struggled there last season. He will want to fight his way back into the team under Jose Mourinho and prove everyone wrong.”

Limpar played more than 150 top-flight games in his seven years in England, winning the First Division with the Gunners in 1991 and the FA Cup with Everton four years later.

He went on to brief spells with AIK and Djurgarden in Sweden, and with Colorado Rapids in the early years of Major League Soccer, before returning to his first club, Brommapojkarna, to see out his playing career.

Brian Madjo twice headed wide as Aston Villa battled for an equaliser against Paris Saint-Germain in Salzburg on Wednesday night.

The 17-year-old is used to waiting. Madjo signed for Villa from Metz in January but has been unable to play. Despite being from London, the former Luxembourg international’s registration was restricted until he turned 18.

In the midst of a pre-season campaign in which he’s featured regularly and scoring goals, Madjo was freed up when the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a Villa appeal. He made his overdue competitive debut in the UEFA Super Cup.

George Hemmings is thriving in a new position

Madjo eventually got his goal, bullying one of the best defenders in Europe at the back post to thump home from John McGinn’s cross, but rewind the move by one more pass and you’ll find the biggest positive of the night from Villa’s perspective.

Midfielder George Hemmings, now 19, came to the fore last summer. Villa’s first friendly was against Walsall at the Bescot Stadium and Hemmings immediately caught the eye.

He continued in that vein all summer and did so with various partners in the double pivot favoured by manager Unai Emery. The teenager was kept with the first team while others went on loan and made four appearances off the bench including one start in the Europa League.

Hemmings struggled in that start against Red Bull Salzburg but has been redeployed this summer and has been consistently impressive. Friendlies don’t count for much but performing in a Super Cup match against back-to-back Champions League winners PSG crystallised his shift into Villa’s three attacking midfielders in style.

The former Nottingham Forest youngster did everything against PSG that he’s been doing in his friendly appearances. His move up a line, primarily but not exclusively to the left wing, has unlocked a whole new battery of skills.

Hemmings looks a different player when he gets the ball out of his feet and carries the ball into green space, as he did in the first half in Salzburg.

His link play in the attacking third is more polished than anything he produced from central midfield suggested and he’s a threat, too. He was as close as anyone to scoring a second Villa equaliser against PSG.

The teenager has been used on the right this summer even with McGinn available, but it’s clear that Emery’s preference for him now is to play from the left in the role that brought the best out of a resurgent Emi Buendia in 2025-26.

Buendia has moved into the 10 after the British transfer record sale of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea but played the same way he always has. It was Hemmings who got at PSG, Hemmings who connected the play and Hemmings, ultimately, who did the lion’s share of the work left behind by Rogers, in both boxes and everywhere in between.

What’s planned for Hemmings this season isn’t clear. The arrival of Swiss international Johan Manzambi will affect how Villa configure their three off the striker and Hemmings is behind the newcomer in terms of his development as a first team-ready player.

But whatever Emery has in mind, Hemmings’ rather familiar performance might well have sharpened the manager’s faith in his promising youngsters in advance of what’s sure to be a busy and difficult season.

There's only a short list of footballers who have a particular technique named after them, like with the Cruyff turn, and, in different parts of the world, the Papinade and the Pele kick.

Fifty years on from the spot kick that made him a worldwide name, Antonin Panenka remains on that list.

The goalscoring midfielder enshrined his place in football terminology in the Euro 76 final, stepping up as his country's fifth and final penalty taker in the shootout against West Germany and dinking the ball into the middle of the net to win the trophy for Czechoslovakia.

"Even today, people in my country still want to take photos with me"

The sheer composure and audacity captured the imagination and changed the career of the then 27-year-old who plied his trade for hometown club Bohemians Prague.

Panenka went on to play in Austria, most notably for Rapid Vienna, with whom he won two Bundesliga titles, the second of which was part of a league and cup double, as well as finishing as the top scorer in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1984/85.

Panenka believes he never would have got that opportunity had it not been for that magic moment in the Euros final. As he told FourFourTwo: "My penalty in 1976 changed everything.

"Not only did I play abroad, I also had the chance to play in exhibition teams with some of the greatest footballers ever, like Eusebio, Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff.

"At first I felt almost intimidated, but I realised they were completely normal people – open and generous with team-mates and fans.

"Even today, people in my country still want to take photos with me. They know who I am and what I did. I’ve left my legacy – to my country through that European Championship trophy, and to my fellow citizens by always behaving well and trying to set an example, both on and off the pitch.

"Of course, people only remember me for that penalty today, even though I trained hard all my life and did far more than just that on the field. Then again, how many footballers are able to say they invented a shot that will forever carry their name?"

Panenka's penalty did have a more unfortunate legacy for another player, though: the West German goalkeeper Panenka fooled, Sepp Maier.

"My God, how much Sepp Maier hated me afterwards," Panenka said.

"I think he stayed angry with me for more than 35 years. We have a mutual friend who visited his house in Germany and told me that Maier keeps a dartboard in his garage with a photo of my face on it!

"I couldn’t believe it, but he swore it was true. Later, we met and even drank a beer together, but never brought up the penalty. I don’t think he holds the resentment any more."

Everton striker Martin Sherif has been formally charged by The Football Association for allegedly breaching its gambling regulations.

According to an official statement released by the governing body, the 20-year-old forward has been charged under FA Rule E1.2 in connection with 61 bets placed on football matches over a 15-month timeframe.

The FA states that the alleged infractions occurred between November 20, 2024 and February 12, 2026. Sherif has been given until Monday, August 17 to provide an official response to the charge.

Everton striker charged with betting offence breach

Rule E1.2 enforces a complete ban on betting for anyone involved in professional football in England.

Under the guidelines, players, managers, coaches, club staff, and officials are prohibited from betting, directly or indirectly, on any football match or competition.

The legislation also forbids passing on inside information to third parties for gambling purposes or instructing others to place bets on their behalf.

Sherif is a Liberian-born Netherlands youth international who joined Everton’s youth academy at the age of 13 in 2019 after making the switch from Dutch outfit Almere City.

He impressed in the youth ranks at Finch Farm before signing his first professional contract with the Merseyside club.

The young striker spent the 2025/26 season on loan in League One with separate spells at Rotherham United and Port Vale, making 29 senior appearances across all competitions and scoring four goals.

Should the allegations be proven, the Toffees forward faces potential disciplinary measures ranging from fines to a prolonged suspension from all footballing activity. Neither Everton nor Sherif have publicly commented on the charge.

The best player on Earth right now, arguably, is Barcelona's right-winger. It's arguable, too, that Arsenal's, Chelsea's, Manchester City's, Manchester United's and – up until this summer – Liverpool's right-winger are all better than their left.

Scroll through the most valuable players in the world on Transfermarkt, and on the right, you'll be spoiled for choice: Lamine Yamal heading up the list ahead of Michael Olise, Desire Doue, Bukayo Saka, and new Real Madrid man, Yan Diomande. Transfermarkt actually values the top 10 right-wingers in the world right now to be a full £200 million more valuable than the top 10 on the left.

It begs the question of why there's such a difference between the two roles – which should surely be mirrored.

The dearth of world-class left-wingers has something to do with maths

Let's start with the very basics. Most left-wingers are right-footed attackers who cut in on their favoured foot to attack the goal: it's been that way ever since the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho revolutionised the game in the 2000s, but has a lot to do with players like Thierry Henry popularising the notion that an attacker in the opposite half-space to their favoured foot has more of the goal to aim at.

Estimates of how many players are left-footed fluctuate wildly, from 10 to 25 per cent – meaning that the vast majority of footballers on Earth prefer to use their right foot. From that, one may deduce that surely, there should be more quality left-wingers than right-wingers?

It's not quite that simple, however. Think of the maths.

Imagine you're coaching an academy team with five young attackers, who can all carry the ball, beat a defender, pick a pass and strike a ball with venom. Statistically, only one of them will be a left-footer. It simply makes sense to play the left-footer on the right wing, because he can do something the others can't: cut inside on his natural foot.

Right-footers thus end up elsewhere. Had Eden Hazard, Neymar, Jamal Musiala or Florian Wirtz been left-footed, they would have almost exclusively played on the right wing growing up – but because they're both right-footed, they've played plenty of football at No.10. Even a more physical profile like Jude Bellingham could have been developed as a right-winger, had he favoured his left foot.

By the time a left-footed attacker makes it in senior football, he has probably spent most of his development in the right-wing funnel. He knows that position better than anyone on the pitch – but having played his entire life with a touchline over his right shoulder, he may lack the 360-degree awareness that a right-footer may have had from having played a handful of attacking positions in his development.

It seems strange to imagine someone like Arjen Robben or Mohamed Salah regularly playing centrally, for example – but while Alexander Isak or Marcus Rashford have several of the same traits (speed, movement, finishing), the latter two have played as centre-forwards a lot more than the former. Their preferred foot has something to do with that.

There's certainly a perception, too, around what we expect from left-footed players. We expect lefties to be naturally more creative – they certainly look more graceful to the naked eye to some people – and that almost certainly has something to do with the fact that we just don't see them very often. There's a case, too, that left-footed right-wingers grow up in a right-footed world, and thus have to find solutions that right-footers will never have to.

And then there's the excitement of finding ‘the next Lionel Messi’ from those bringing the next generation through. If you have a mercurial left-footed attacker in your academy – whether that's Martin Odegaard or Ryan Gauld – there will be an effort to ensure a pathway: you've found the most valuable commodity in the game, after all.

The Barcelona side that gave Messi his platform has become so influential that dribbly midfielders and ball-playing centre-backs have both been prioritised in youth football over the last decade – to the detriment of several other roles in football. The role of a traditional playmaker has been phased out, with chance creation now mostly generated from a high press. Box-to-box midfielders have become rarer, as teams search for specialists.

And specialised right-footed left-wingers have usually either moved up front or into midfield, depending on their physicality and finishing – while players like Morgan Rogers and Junior Kroupi play behind a No.9, rather than straight from the left.

The lack of world-class left-backs

Thanks in part to that Barcelona side, we have more midfield profiles in the modern game than we know what to do with. A top-level midfielder with intensity can play right-back these days – just ask Arne Slot last season or Declan Rice over the World Cup – whether they're inverting or overlapping.

To highlight the maths once more, how many left-footed right-backs have you ever seen, compared to the other way around? Well, if fewer than 25 per cent of players really are left-footed, there's a fair chance that the average youth team doesn't even have a leftie in its back four.

And if this imaginary team really does have a left-footed left-back, capable of offering good support to the left-winger ahead of him, the chances of him being good at defending, too, are slim. Besides, even those left-backs who were world-class going forward and simply fine in defence – Bukayo Saka, Gareth Bale, even Alphonso Davies for Canada – usually get moved further up the pitch. Left-back is seen as one of the last priorities of any manager, despite how much world-class full-backs can elevate your XI.

Coaches are simply picking from a much bigger pool when it comes to right-backs: that's reflected in the lack of genuinely world-class left-backs at the top level. Just in English football, Gareth Southgate's golden generation was defined by its talent at right-back, with the likes of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James all fighting for a berth. The left full-back spot was all Luke Shaw's if he was fit: Ben Chilwell's, if he could make a case for it, and by the end, Trippier's.

But the game has changed significantly, and so many teams don't attack with Roberto Carlos-style full-backs anymore. That's partly down to increased physicality in the modern game, demanding more of what players are physically capable of – but it's also down to tactical shifts. Teams prefer to invert full-backs, or leave them at the back for building play. Wingers are expected to hold the width a bit more instead. Even the likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Nico O'Reilly – who really are attack-minded left-footed left-backs – aren't there to support their left-winger: often, the left-winger is there to hold the width for them to attack the box.

Which brings us to the left-wingers thriving in the modern game, and their constant behind them.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola are lucky enough to play with arguably the best left-back in the world in Nuno Mendes. Vinicius Junior's best football at Real Madrid arguably coincided with Ferland Mendy's. Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz both played best alongside Andrew Robertson. Raphinha and Marcus Rashford both benefited from Alejandro Balde, Rafael Leao was world-class alongside Theo Hernandez, and Kingsley Coman was at his best with Alphonso Davies behind him. Cristiano Ronaldo had Marcelo, Hazard had Cesar Azpilicueta, Neymar had Jordi Alba, and Franck Ribery had David Alaba. Look at Ronaldinho and Carlos, or Henry and Ashley Cole.

Jeremy Doku has sparkled at times, and both Phil Foden and Leroy Sane were left-footed left-wingers holding width – but the right-wingers always shone more for Guardiola's Manchester City. Arsenal have had consistent right-backs in Ben White, then Jurrien Timber, while the left has been somewhat of a problem position, with arguably their last world-class left-wing option, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, having Kieran Tierney to work with behind him – while even Saka and Sead Kolasinac offered a solid overlap. Even Matt Targett and Ben Davies were solid Premier League-level players, there to provide a service for Jack Grealish and Son Heung-min, respectively: there are simply fewer and fewer of those bombing left-backs around these days.

That's not to suggest that any of those left-wingers wouldn't have made it without a left-back behind them to support. But it feels like the current generation of left-wingers are already at a disadvantage to their predecessors, when the standard and profile of left-back has changed so dramatically over the last decade.

And that's not even to mention the obvious: if top-level left-backs are in such scarcity, it's no wonder that the average right-winger looks so much better. The average left-winger is up against a right-back who, statistically speaking, fought off much better competition.

If Paris Saint-Germain value Barcola to be worth over €100m, there's a good reason for that. If Arsenal decide not to pursue an alternative to Vinicius Jr, that may well be because there are so few game-changers in that position in world football. If Nico Williams becomes a nine-figure transfer, that's maybe down to how few of his contemporaries are on his level. If Juventus charge more for Kenan Yildiz than RB Leipzig did for Diomande, it's not because of talent; it's because of scarcity. And perhaps, in a roundabout way, the cheapest way to sign a world-class left-winger is to sign a left-back who can improve what you already have.

Because strangely, world-class left-wingers have almost become a more precious profile than the Palmers and Sakas on the opposite side – despite all the odds. Does football need to evolve to produce more superstar left-wingers?

Newcastle United's close season of 2025 delivered the pain of losing one star player to a domestic rival, so how must it feel losing two?

Much has been written about the many big-name departures from Tyneside. The doom-mongering and pessimism was inevitable. Not only have Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães left in the past year, but last season’s top-scorer in all competitions – Anthony Gordon – and the man who led Newcastle to a first domestic trophy in 70 years, Eddie Howe, are gone too.

Yet this has deflected attention away from those who have been arriving, in particular a relatively unknown 18-year-old from Ajax: Sean Steur.

The next Frenkie de Jong?

A new central midfielder with just 25 senior appearances was never going to get pulses racing, especially when stepping into an area of the pitch recently vacated by two players many deem worthy of the world-class category.

Unlike his ever-so slightly more senior fellow midfield signing Aladji Bamba, some have already made the judgement that Steur will be a rotation option. His capture, worth up to £23 million on a five-year deal, is merely indicative of an intelligent change of transfer approach, with the club now moving proactively for young talent with a look to the future.

However, based on what he has already shown in his short career and the undoubted potential, there is an argument that Steur is ready for first-team action now.

There have been few better all-round central midfielders to have broken into Ajax’s first-team this century than Frenkie de Jong. The Barcelona man may have struggled with injuries in recent years, but when fit he is still regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world. It thus stands that if the youth coaches at Ajax were describing Steur as the next De Jong, you should sit up and take notice.

The reasons for the comparisons, and the appraisal of Steur as the brightest emerging talent since the player Steur himself refers to as his idol, are numerous. As one might expect from someone who has come through the Ajax ranks, Steur is technically superb. Some players instantly look like they belong on a football pitch with a ball at their feet, and he is one of them. And not just because of his confidence as a 10 year old doing over 2,000 kick-ups pre-match in the Johan Cruijff Arena.

A two-footed passer, Steur can quickly glide up the pitch thanks to his ability dribbling the ball and has a quick change of direction for someone of his height. Akin to De Jong, he is always playing with his head up, able to slow or quicken the pace of the game. Although he made his debut under Francesco Farioli in the 24/25 season, it wasn’t really until midway through the last campaign that Steur became a first team regular.

This makes the stats from Opta even more impressive – of those midfielders who started the season 18 or younger in the Eredivisie, Steur came out on top for chances created and carries of the ball, and was second for passing accuracy and total passes. He was also first for duel success and second for tackles and possession wins. These latter statistics point to an element of De Jong’s game that is often overlooked and that Steur has also shown signs of having in his arsenal - the capacity to get around the pitch and break up opposition attacks. Interestingly, despite such a short space of time in the first team, he ended up the third-ranked Ajax player for pass completion in the opposition half, demonstrating an ability to make penetrating attacking passes, just like De Jong. Based on this, it’s unsurprising that Steur reads the game well, having an innate understanding of space that looks easy but we all know is not.

Even if he is still new to the stage, Steur has already shown he has the ability to conduct his own Dutch orchestra, just like his idol.

Mature beyond his years

One should never place too much weight on pre-season, but a recent piece of praise from The Chronicle on Steur is telling: “Looks to be playing above his tender years.”

Of the many reasons Ajax were reluctant to sell such a highly-rated midfielder, the maturity and confidence in Steur was a prominent one. For example, in terms of atmosphere and pressure, there are few more intense matches than ‘De Klassieker’ between Ajax and Feyenoord. In 2009, the mayors of Amsterdam and Rotterdam even came to an agreement with the KNVB to prevent away supporters from attending games, a ruling that still stands today. At just 17, Steur started in the fixture, before starring in the away game at De Kuip, scoring his first professional goal in the biggest fixture in Dutch football.

It takes a certain type of character to thrive in such an environment when still only a teenager. Indeed, it should also not be overlooked that he came to the fore during a period of significant instability at Ajax, where criticism rained down from the terraces more fiercely than the traditionally temperamental local weather. The club managed to get through three different managers last season and ended up a lowly 5th in the Eredivisie, their joint lowest finish since 1999. These are hardly stable foundations for a young player to find his feet. Yet Steur did.

Despite a slight frame, he is six feet tall and could yet become a real physical presence. Aligned with the aforementioned defensive statistics, he could offer more tenacity than people might expect. Furthermore, he is a player who knows his own mind. Make no mistake about it, he has arrived at Newcastle to play, not sit on the bench. One of the major reasons for him leaving Ajax was because of the lack of guarantees on his role whilst discussing an extension to his contract. It can only be a good thing that Steur knows what he has to offer and has the ambition to prove it on the biggest stages.

On its day, there are few more atmospheric stadiums than St James’ Park. To hold your own and thrive there – particularly in the middle of the pitch – demands a certain type of personality. A concoction of confidence, assuredness and resolve. Bravery is not just about putting your foot in but demanding the ball. Made of stern stuff, Steur will do both willingly.

A great fit for the new coach

Of course, another notable signing has been that of new head coach Matthias Jaissle. The former Red Bull Salzburg and Al-Ahli Manager is said to favour a dynamic, high-pressing and counter-pressing style, reliant on quick ball progression in the final third following a calm build-up from the back.

It almost reads like a product description for a Sean Steur all-action toy. The two-footedness and composure make him press-resistant on the ball, combining with his natural inclination to provide incisive forward rather than sideways passes to quickly spring attacks. The tempo of Premier League football may initially take some getting used to, but Steur has already shown at Ajax that he savours winning back possession. A midfielder for Jaissle needs to be disciplined, energetic and proactive – all attributes you can assign to Steur.

Moreover, he can play in multiple positions. This could be invaluable for Jaissle, who has shown a willingness to adapt shapes based on opponents and the context of a game. He can play as a deep-lying six, a box-to-box 8 and even as a number 10, although there is work to be done on adding goals to his game. The fact Newcastle moved so quickly for a relatively inexperienced player is perhaps evidence in itself that they believe Steur has what it takes to excel on Tyneside, even if the man originally in the dugout when he arrived has changed.

A player for now and the future

Fans should of course, keep their feet on the ground to an extent with Steur. He naturally needs time to adjust to a new league, a new home and to keep growing physically. Yet he has all the foundational attributes – technically, physically and mentally – that a player needs to succeed in the Premier League. There is no reason why he cannot start making a big impact in the coming season, and several reasons to suggest that Newcastle United now have a really exciting pool of young central midfielders to build around.

Ultimately, with the losses of Tonali and Guimarães, perhaps it will turn out to be short-term pain for long-term gain. And if that is to transpire, there is a strong chance that Steur will be at the very heart of that progress for many years to come.

Every footballer must have their own tale about the big transfer move that got away from them - but Michail Antonio's will have stung more than most.

The forward had already made the jump from non-league Tooting & Mitcham straight to then-Championship Reading as a teenager in 2008, but found minutes hard to come by in Berkshire.

Instead, the Royals sent him out on a series of loans - five of them in total - before making the final one permanent by taking up a move to Sheffield Wednesday.

'That was probably one of the best days I’ve had'

In the interim, though, Antonio spent time at Cheltenham, Southampton and Colchester...and his first two loan spells both left him with mixed feelings.

Antonio told FourFourTwo of his EFL debut for Cheltenham in 2009: "It was under Martin Allen, on loan at Cheltenham against Leeds. I went from playing in front of 200 to 500 people at Tooting, to 20,000 people at Elland Road in the space of six months. Unbelievable.

"The first 28 minutes, I was on absolute fire, beating people for fun, doing long throws, taking corners – I was doing it all. Then after 28 minutes, I tore three ligaments in my ankle."

Upon recovering from that injury, Antonio was sent out on loan to League One again.

This time he joined Southampton, where he played a part in their Johnstone's Paint Trophy triumph at Wembley.

He said: "That was probably one of the best days I’ve had.

"We had some unbelievable players in that Southampton squad – Kelvin Davis, Jose Fonte, Dan Harding, Morgan Schneiderlin, Adam Lallana, Jason Puncheon, Rickie Lambert, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – and we were in League One!

"It was crazy. Southampton had started the season on -10 points, and we just missed out on the play-offs.

"But we won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final against Carlisle and I really enjoyed my time there.

"I actually wanted to sign for them again, but Reading told me no.

"The following season Southampton got promoted, then went from League One to the Premier League in only two years.

"I was left thinking to myself, ‘That could have been me…’."

Antonio made it to the Premier League himself just a couple of years later, though, leaving Sheffield Wednesday for Nottingham Forest before attracting the attention of West Ham, where he spent ten years and made 268 top-flight appearances.

Sometimes you just have to be patient, as it turns out.

West Ham’s move from the Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium remains one of the most contentious stadium relocations in recent football history.

The Hammers’ previous home was steeped in history and provided the kind of edge that is only found in old-school, tightly-packed stadiums that are becoming more and more rare in this age.

As the East Enders prepare for life back in the second tier, former Hammers favourite Tony Gale believes that the club’s fortunes on the pitch have indeed suffered following the 2016 move.

Gale on why West Ham struggle at the London Stadium

For Gale, the contrast between the side that left Upton Park under Slaven Bilic and the football that has been seen since is clear.

“Slaven Bilic took us out of Upton Park and I enjoyed that period,” Gale tells FourFourTwo. “Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, players that crowds wanted to watch.

“I remember listening to Slav, he was really interesting. He said the pitch is roughly the same size as Upton Park, but because of the vast expanse of the surroundings, there’s an optical illusion around the place and he said that reflected in the players. He found it hard to keep the team compact when they played at home.”

But Gale, who turned out more than 300 times for the Irons between 1984 and 1994, is aware that it is all too easy to look back with rose-tinted spectacles.

“But we must also remember that Upton Park didn’t always have a great atmosphere,” he admits. “You look at the start of our really good season in 1985-86, our crowds were down to 15,000.

“They’re now 62,000, and the acoustics of the new stadium are brilliant. Don’t tell me we haven’t had great nights with the European games there.

“The ground has changed but the crowd hasn’t. They’ll respond to 100 per cent effort and good football.”

And while the passion of the fans is there, Gale looks at the current infrastructure when it comes to why the club’s fortunes have been on the turn.

“Outside, it’s a different story,” he adds. “There should be more things around the stadium. You should feel like you’re coming up to a football ground, because it really doesn’t feel like that at present. It’s 20 to 25 minutes’ walk from Stratford station and it’s all wide open, not like the old cramped streets near Upton Park. That makes it hard to build an atmosphere outside.

“A lot of Premier League grounds suffer from that, but I miss the old programme sellers and old-fashioned hot dog stalls where you could smell the onions from the next post code. The London Stadium doesn’t ‘smell’ of football.”