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USA will want to take down another Full Member nation in what is likely to be their last game at the World Cup

Alan Gardner22-Jun-20241:23

Do England need Jacks for better balance?

Match detailsUSA vs England
Barbados, June 23, 10.30am local timeBig picture – Can USA upset calculations?If this is the end of the road for USA’s memorable T20 World Cup 2024 journey – they could still squeak into the semi-finals, but the odds are very much against them – then what a stage on which to bow out, facing up to the defending champions with one last chance to cause an upset.England and USA have met at both football and rugby World Cups but this will be their first cricketing encounter of the modern age. Jos Buttler’s side have endured a choppy campaign so far, winning three and losing two to go with a no result in their opening match at Kensington Oval. But they return to Barbados knowing that a convincing performance will go a long way to ensuring their title defence continues into the knockouts.Related

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Victory will put them on four points, and a margin of more than ten runs (batting first) will ensure their net run-rate goes above that of South Africa, who then take on West Indies in the final Group 2 game later on Sunday.England’s cushion comes from their convincing win over the other co-hosts West Indies at the start of the Super Eight, and Buttler remained upbeat after his side lost a close game to South Africa in St Lucia. England have rarely been at their best over the last three weeks in the Caribbean but there have been signs that their game is coming together at the right time for a tilt at becoming the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup trophy.Before they get that far, they must avoid a mishap against a USA side that burned brightly at the start of the tournament but has looked to be running low on gas after three defeats in a row against Full Member oppositions. Their success has already put the names of Aaron Jones, Monank Patel and Saurabh Netravalkar in lights. If they can summon one final effort and become the latest former colony to put one over on the mother country, it will add another sprinkle of Hollywood stardust to cricket’s American adventure.Form guideUSA LLLWW
England LWWWLLiam Livingstone nearly took England home against South Africa•ICC/Getty Images

In the spotlight – Aaron Jones and Liam LivingstoneAaron Jones’ six over midwicket to seal a rousing opening-night win over Canada was the shot that was heard around the World Cup. He followed up a career-defining 94 not out by helping secure the tie that eventually led to USA’s Super Over victory over Pakistan, but has found the going tougher since then, with scores of 11, 0 and 11. Taking on the captaincy, in the absence of the injured Monank, has added to his burden. But he has another chance to impress at a ground where he played in four first-class matches for Barbados during his time in West Indies’ domestic system.An innings of 33 off 17 balls in a losing cause might not sound much, but could it turn out to be the spark Liam Livingstone needed? Livingstone’s attempt to get England over the line against South Africa, helping to revive their chase while adding 78 for the fifth wicket alongside Harry Brook, was only the second time he has scored more than 30 in 22 T20 innings this year. His power when taking down Ottneil Baartman at the death was a reminder of what he can do, and suggested that he may be ready to repay England’s faith that he remains the answer in the finisher role.2:19

Stuart Law: ‘If we’re not winning, we’re learning’

Team news – England unlikely to make any changesUSA have been without Monank since their group-stage win over Pakistan, but head coach Stuart Law suggested he was close to returning from a shoulder injury. “He’s getting better, we’re constantly assessing him,” Law said after the defeat to West Indies on Friday. “Unfortunately, he nearly made it for this one. So, we’re constantly assessing it.”USA (probable): 1 Steven Taylor, 2 Andries Gous (wk), 3 Nitish Kumar, 4 Aaron Jones (capt), 5 Corey Anderson, 6 Shayan Jahangir, 7 Harmeet Singh, 8 Nosthush Kenjinge, 9 Shadley van Schalkwyk, 10 Ali Khan, 11 Saurabh NetravalkarEngland may be unchanged for the third match running, having apparently settled on Jonny Bairstow at No. 3 and Sam Curran as the extra bowling/left-hand batter option. Chris Jordan could replace Mark Wood to add further depth to the batting.England (probable): 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 3 Jonny Bairstow, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Jordan/Mark Wood, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid 11 Reece TopleyPitch and conditionsKensington Oval is one of only two venues at this World Cup to have seen a 200-plus score, but generally, the pitches have been on the tacky side. The forecast for Sunday has improved although there is still a chance of rainfall interrupting proceedings.Stats and trivia This will be the first meeting between England and USA with full international status in any format England have played 13 completed T20Is in Bridgetown, winning six (including the 2010 T20 World Cup final) and losing seven Sam Curran needs one more wicket to reach 50 in T20IsQuotes”We’ve just got to win the game. We haven’t played them before so it’ll be a good challenge and we’re looking forward to it. The games come thick and fast now so we’ve got to dust ourselves down and go again. We’ve had a great win against the West Indies, a great game today which was a shame not to win but we’re still in it and looking ahead to the next one.”

“I think every match we play, obviously, representing the country is important. So, we’ll definitely go hard against England and try to finish well. Obviously, we can’t advance to the next round. But as I say, I think every match you play for your country is important. So, we’re definitely going to try to win the game for sure.”

Celtic fans are taking some time to wind down after a hectic campaign, but Brendan Rodgers is already reportedly on the brink of sealing their first summer signing.

Celtic reflect after ending campaign with two trophies

Domestic doubles are a strong marker of success at Parkhead. However, Celtic will feel they let the prospect of a clean sweep in Scotland slip away during an unfateful Scottish Cup final loss to Aberdeen last weekend.

Coming down to penalties, claiming another prize proved to be a step too far for Brendan Rodgers’ men, who ended extra time with an unfamiliar line-up that illustrates their need to strengthen again this summer.

Showing faith in his manager to get it right in the market, Celtic defender Liam Scales has backed his compatriot to bolster squad depth ahead of another long campaign.

He stated: “He always wants the club to improve year on year. Since I arrived four years ago, it seems to keep getting better at every transfer window.

“I think that’s obviously going to be the focus, especially with the Champions League coming up. We need to qualify for that. If we do, we want to be strong going into that as well.”

Celtic’s summer schedule
Cork City (A)	SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Newcastle United (H)	St James Park – Adidas Trophy
SPFL opening day	Weekend of August 1st to August 3rd
Champions League playoff round	19/20th and 26/27th August

Jeffrey Schlupp could be set for an extended Celtic stay and is in discussions over signing on a permanent basis at Parkhead. Greg Taylor could make way following six years in Glasgow.

Either way, it is all change at the Hoops ahead of next season, though a familiar face could now be set to return between the sticks.

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According to Press and Journal, Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan has signed a pre-contract with Celtic and will return to Glasgow following three years away from his boyhood club.

Labelled “brilliant” by Graeme Shinnie, the former Scotland Under-21 international has kept five clean sheets in 18 appearances across all competitions this season.

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Scott Bain has entered the final year of his deal at Parkhead and is expected to make way this summer, creating the path for Doohan to come in as third-choice behind Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo.

In addition, the 27-year-old will help Celtic in their quest to meet UEFA’s squad registration rules, given he is homegrown and also a club-trained asset.

Celtic will make more eye-catching signings this summer, but being able to call on a familiar presence to integrate withing the goalkeeping group at Lennoxtown could be a savvy move.

Doohan spent seven years at Celtic in his first spell at the club. Now, he will have the opportunity to be part of a successful dressing room in the prime of his career.

The 49ers Enterprises must make the next manager of Glasgow Rangers the correct appointment. That is certainly non-negotiable, especially if the Ibrox side are to challenge their Old Firm rivals next season.

Not since Steven Gerrard have Rangers reached the summit of Scottish football and that was way back in 2021.

The process has been drawn out as, despite sacking Philippe Clement in February, the the Light Blues still haven’t appointed a permanent successor.

A new man must be in charge sooner rather than later, especially with the transfer window opening soon.

The 49ers must avoid bringing in someone like a Clement or Giovanni van Bronckhorst type. Someone who excels in Europe but fails domestically.

What went wrong for Clement and van Bronckhorst at Ibrox

Clement led the club into the last 16 during both of his European campaigns in charge of the Light Blues but it was under his predecessor that success was seen on the continental stage

Indeed, Van Bronckhorst will be remembered as the man who led Rangers to the 2022 Europa League final, defeating Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Braga along the way.

While the final ended in defeat, the Dutchman still led the Gers to the Champions League group stages the following campaign, although that ended without a win in six matches.

At the time of his dismissal, Clement had won just 17 of his 27 league games throughout 2024/25.

Van Bronckhorst also had a shoddy league record before he was sacked in November 2022. He won ten of his first 15 games, but his team slipped behind Celtic in the title race.

Both of these managers won league titles prior to joining Rangers. Van Bronckhorst in the Netherlands and Clement in Belgium. This didn’t exactly lead to success in Glasgow, however.

Now, they must learn from that.

Rangers could be on for a repeat scenario

Brian Priske certainly falls into the same sort of category as the aforementioned managers. The Dane has won league titles in Denmark and the Czech Republic, while also winning domestic cups in both countries.

Well, according to reports, Priske has held discussions about becoming the new manager of Rangers, but would it be a smart move by the board?

Brian Priske’s managerial career
Club	Matches	Points per game
Feyenoord	33	1.85
Sparta Prague	96	2.19
Royal Antwerp	49	1.53
FC Midtjylland	68	1.88

He took over at Feyenoord last summer, yet he departed in February, despite beating Bayern Munich 3-0 in the Champions League.

Like Clement and Van Bronckhorst before him, Priske failed to mount a title challenge with the Dutch side, winning only 11 of his opening 21 league games.

The Danish coach tends to use a 3-4-3 formation, which isn’t a style used by previous managers, including Clement, Van Bronckhorst and Gerrard.

He does, however, place a strong emphasis on pressing in the opposition half while expecting his team to be dynamic when they have the ball.

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Given how stale the football was under Clement, this could perhaps offer a refreshing change of mentality indeed.

The Ibrox faithful have been here before, though. A foreign coach with a decent CV on the continent, arriving with much fanfare in Glasgow.

While he might enjoy a decent start to life in Scotland, Priske may well go down the route travelled by several coaches before him.

Something that the supporters don’t want to see again.

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By
Dan Emery

May 25, 2025

It’s been challenging to find the positives for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Across all competitions, the North Londoners have lost 22 games, only one fewer than they’ve won, and if they don’t get to the Europa League final next month, it could go down as their worst campaign in a generation – or two.

However, there are, in fact, reasons to be optimistic for the Lilywhites faithful, as they have a collection of seriously exciting youngsters already in the senior side and the academy.

In fact, one youngster in particular looks like he could be a real world-beater, even in Tottenham’s answer to Lamine Yamal, if you will.

Spurs' most exciting youngsters

Before we get to the prospect in question, let’s take a look at some of the other sensational talents Spurs have on the books, including one teenager who is already playing senior football, just not in England: Luka Vušković.

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The Croatian wonderkid is one of the most exciting centre-backs around at the moment, as, on top of being labelled a “monster” for his defensive efforts by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, he’s also a serious goal threat.

For example, in just 32 appearances, he has already scored seven goals and provided two assists, which comes out to a frankly staggering average – for a centre-back – of a goal involvement every 3.55 games.

A talent far closer to home but no less exciting is Tyrese Hall.

The 19-year-old prospect is enjoying a stellar season in the academy this year and has amassed a tally of six goals and five assists in only 28 appearances.

That means the teenage phenomenon, who Jermain Defoe claims has a “Luka Modric vibe” is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.54 games, which is certainly encouraging.

However, there is another youngster who is even more exciting, someone who could be the club’s answer to Yamal.

Spurs' answer to Yamal

So, while some of you may be thinking of the incredibly promising Mikey Moore, you’d be mistaken, as the academy gem in question is actually a year younger.

Despite being just 16 years old, Luca Williams Barnett has been causing quite a stir this season, as every week, regardless of the opposition, he seems to deliver.

For example, in just 18 appearances, totalling 1465 minutes, the Luton-born prodigy has scored a whopping 19 goals and provided nine assists.

Appearances

18

Minutes

1465′

Goals

19

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

1.55

Minutes per Goal Involvement

52.32′

That means he is currently maintaining an otherworldly average of 1.55 goal involvements every single game, or in other words, he produces one every 52.32 minutes.

It is this simply sensational rate of return, combined with the kind of hype that has seen Mattinson describe him as “one of England’s best talents,” that makes comparisons to Yamal seem so easy.

After all, the young Spaniard earned his first start for Barcelona when he was 16 years old, and if the Lilywhites’ new superstar in the making continues to put up the numbers he is now, then we see no reason why he couldn’t get his first start next season, also at just 16 years old.

Finally, on top of being a pure output machine, the teenager has also played in several positions on top of his natural attacking midfield role before, including left-midfield, left and right-wing and even up top, which lends credence to Spurs’ expert John Wenham’s description of him as a “cheat-code.”

Ultimately, while it’s still very early in his hopefully long career, Williams-Barnett looks like he has everything needed to be a genuine superstar in the future. Who knows, maybe he’ll be talked about in the same way Yamal is now in a few years.

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Aston Villa have now made an offer to sign a “generational talent”, and they have moved ahead of Premier League rivals Manchester City in the race for his signature, according to a report.

Aston Villa gearing up for Paris Saint-Germain clash

Villa are hitting a rich vein of form at the perfect stage of the season, with a 2-1 victory against Nottingham Forest last time out boosting their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League considerably.

However, tonight’s game could be the Villans’ toughest of the season so far, as they are faced with the daunting task of travelling to Paris Saint-Germain for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

Aston Villa’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Paris Saint-Germain (a)

April 9th

Southampton (a)

April 12th

Paris Saint-Germain (h)

April 15th

Newcastle United (h)

April 19th

Manchester City (a)

April 22nd

These kinds of nights are what fans have dreamed about for decades, and Unai Emery will no doubt be fully focused on the task at hand, but the manager has also been stepping up his summer transfer plans as of late.

A new centre-back is of particular interest, and £50m will be enough to seal a deal for Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande, while Emery has also personally requested the signing of Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero.

Defence is not the only area in which Aston Villa are looking to strengthen, however, with a report from GiveMeSport stating they have now made an offer to sign Rosenborg midfielder Sverre Nypan.

Arsenal have also made an approach for the 18-year-old, with signing for the Gunners or the Villans deemed to be more likely than a move to Manchester City, despite interest from Pep Guardiola’s side.

There is also fresh competition for Nypan’s signature from Borussia Dortmund, with the transfer battle now hotting up, and there is a feeling any deal could amount to a fee of around £12.5m.

"Generational talent" Nypan could have "huge future ahead"

The teenager has already established himself as an important player for Rosenborg, displaying his attacking prowess by amassing 14 goals and 11 assists in 62 appearances for the Norwegian club.

Not only that, but the starlet has been hailed as a “generational talent” by a Norwegian scout, while football talent scout Jacek Kulig believes he has a “huge future ahead”.

The Norwegian midfielder’s performances for Rosenborg indicate he could soon be ready to make the step up to the Premier League, so it is exciting news that Aston Villa have now made an opening bid.

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However, it may be difficult to win the race for Nypan’s signature, given the interest from Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal, with the Gunners now in a very strong position to reach the Champions League semi-final after a 3-0 victory over Real Madrid yesterday.

The Saudi PIF takeover at Newcastle United in recent years has allowed a new generation of supporters to witness unthinkable levels of success on the pitch.

Eddie Howe has led the Magpies to multiple seasons competing in the Champions League, something which was a far-fetched dream under the ownership of Mike Ashley.

The hierarchy has invested serious money into the first-team squad over the last couple of years, which has allowed for numerous high/profile international names to move to St James’ Park.

Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes are just two players who are Brazilian internationals but also operating at the heart of the Magpies squad – something which was once an unthinkable sentence.

However, one other player could be set for a spell in the national team in the months ahead, especially if he keeps up his tremendous form in the Premier League.

Why Barnes could start at the World Cup

Over the last couple of weeks, winger Harvey Barnes has hit a tremendous run of form that has seen him nail down the left-wing role in Newcastle’s starting eleven.

The 27-year-old has started seven matches in the Premier League this campaign, already netting on three occasions, with his showing against Manchester City his best to date.

He scored a double against Pep Guardiola’s men at St James’ Park at the end of last month, subsequently securing a vital win for the Magpies on Tyneside.

Barnes has also thrived on the European stage, as seen by his tally of four Champions League goals in just five appearances – with two of which coming in just 27 minutes against Benfica.

As a result, rumours have been circulating over a potential call-up to the Scotland national team, with the winger potentially able to represent the nation through his grandparents.

He could feature at the World Cup in 2026, but he may even do so for England, with Barnes currently keeping international star Anthony Gordon out of the Magpies’ starting eleven at present.

It will certainly be a key few months for the winger, but it’s an exciting one for sure, which could see him reap the rewards of his recent success for Howe’s men.

The Newcastle star who has to start at the World Cup

As previously mentioned, the current Newcastle squad is littered with international stars, many of whom have taken their careers to the next level since their moves to the North East.

Dan Burn arrived in a fairytale return to St James’ after growing up in the area as a boy, but his move to the Magpies from Brighton in 2022 has seen the 33-year-old reach unimaginable heights.

The centre-back has been a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England international setup, as seen by his tally of five appearances to date – with his debut coming back in March of this year.

It remains to be seen if he will have done enough to go to the World Cup in around six months’ time, but the defender has certainly done his chances no harm in recent times.

There is also a huge argument that Lewis Hall should be England’s starting left-back in the USA next summer and rightfully so given his recent form in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old has struggled with injuries at times in 2025/26, but it’s not stopped him from starring when handed the chance to start within Howe’s first-team squad.

The £28m man been selected to play in seven league games to date, with Hall making his comeback from an injury layoff during the Champions League victory over Athletic Bilbao back in November.

Hall has since started all four league games for the Magpies and has subsequently produced some incredible numbers, which could solve England’s long-standing left-back issue.

The £45k-per-week full-back, who’s been dubbed an “absolute baller” by scout Antonio Mango, has completed 2.1 dribbles per 90 whilst achieving a success rate of 69% to date – showcasing the incredible ability he possesses in possession.

He’s also completed 85% of his passes to date, even registering his first assist of the season against Everton, which magnifies his ability to cause chaos to the opposition.

Lewis Hall – PL stats (2025/26)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	7
Assists	1
Pass accuracy	85%
Successful dribbles	2.1
Dribble success	69%
Tackles made	3.4
Duels won	7.8
Recoveries made	4.7
Stats via FotMob

However, without the ball, Hall has been just as impressive, as seen by his tally of 3.4 tackles made and 7.8 duels won per 90 – subsequently offering a huge threat at both ends of the pitch.

Such a skillset would be perfect for Tuchel’s current squad, with the youngster needing to continue on the same trajectory over the next few months if he is to go to the World Cup.

If he manages to continue his recent success, there’s no reason why Hall and Barnes could be starting alongside one another down the left-flank for their country, with the younger man already regarded as “one of the best” in the Premier League in his position.

There is certainly a long way to go until the tournament commences, but the duo’s recent success at St James’ could certainly hand the German a huge decision to make.

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Flying high at the top of the Championship, Coventry City have now reportedly scheduled talks in an attempt to sign Abdoulie Manneh from Swedish side Mjallby AIF.

The 21-year-old would provide Frank Lampard’s side with another attacking boost as if they’re lacking in that department. So far this season, no team have scored more goals in the Championship than Coventry, who have found the back of the net a staggering 40 times in 15 games.

To put that into context, Hull City and Ipswich Town are their closest contenders in that department and have scored 26 goals. Whilst others search for a manager, Coventry and Lampard are thriving.

Lampard is making sure that his side keep their feet firmly planted, however. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, the Chelsea legend explained the risks of overconfidence.

Up next for Coventry is the visit of West Bromwich Albion, who have struggled for form under new manager Ryan Mason. Victory over the Baggies would at least maintain the Sky Blues’ five-point lead at the top of the Championship.

After previous promotion heartbreak, it doesn’t look like Coventry chiefs are willing to take any chances, either. Recent reports have indicated that they’re willing to spend in the January transfer window to get Lampard’s side over the line and sign a former Brighton target.

Coventry schedule talks to sing Manneh

According to Swedish outlet Fotboll Direkt, Coventry have now scheduled talks to sign Manneh from Mjallby in the January transfer window. The Championship side are reportedly willing to break Mjallby’s sale record by paying £3.6m to sign the talented winger.

It’s clear to see why the Sky Blues are so interested in the 21-year-old, too. He’s scored nine goals and assisted another three in all competitions in 33 games in Sweden this season and is rightly on the radar of clubs around Europe.

Whilst Coventry need no help finding the back of the net, having another goalscorer at their disposal certainly won’t hurt their chances of securing automatic promotion. For under £4m, they could land a player who quickly turns into a January bargain if he settles quickly in the Championship.

Mjallby manager Anders Torstensson has been full of praise for Manneh during his time at the club and told reporters: “He has grown into it really well. He has been really good at training. He has learned from instructions. He is a really ambitious, humble guy who works really hard.”

An improving and impressive player, the winger is one to watch – especially if Coventry secure his signature.

In the almost six years since he took the job, Mikel Arteta has helped to utterly reshape Arsenal.

He’s pulled a team out of midtable mediocrity and turned them into serious contenders for the Champions League and Premier League.

Now, part of this transformation is down to his philosophy and tactics, but also to the sensational players he has promoted and signed.

In fact, one of his signings is now undoubtedly one of the world’s best players and arguably Arsenal’s best since the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.

Vieira and Henry's Arsenal legacies

Arsenal signed Vieira from AC Milan in the summer of 1996, after a season in which he sat on the bench watching the Italian giants win the Scudetto.

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However, he certainly wasn’t a bit-part player in North London; he ended his first campaign having made 31 Premier League appearances, and as the years went by, he only became more and more important to the Gunners.

For example, following Tony Adams’ retirement in May 2002, Arsène Wenger made the all-action midfielder the club’s new captain, and in the eyes of many, he is one of the best to ever wear the armband.

By the time the Dakar-born monster left the club for Inter Milan in 2006, he had made 405 appearances, in which he scored 32 goals, provided 47 assists, won three titles, four FA Cups and led the North Londoners on their legendary invincible campaign.

Now, for most clubs, the iconic midfielder would probably be considered their greatest ever player, but for the Gunners, there is only one man who can hold that title: Henry.

The legendary forward joined the North Londoners from Juventus in the summer of 1999, and while it sounds absurd today, he didn’t have the best of starts.

He failed to score a single goal across his first eight appearances for the club and later revealed in an interview that he had to “be re-taught everything about the art of striking” during that period.

Whatever Wenger taught him in those few months must have been pretty special, as he’d end his first season in red and white with a tally of 26 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.

By the time the Les Ulis-born superstar left the club for Barcelona in 2007, he had chalked up a frankly astounding tally of 226 goals and 104 assists in 370 appearances and won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups.

He returned for a brief spell in the 11/12 season, scoring twice in seven appearances.

Overall, when it comes to Arsenal legends, few players can match up with Henry and Vieira, but one of Arteta’s best signings is undoubtedly on his way.

Arsenal's future legend

The good news for Arsenal fans is that the squad is full of players who could go on to become club legends, but when it comes to someone performing at a world-class level, it’s hard to ignore Declan Rice.

The £105m man has been incredible for the club since his move in 2023, but towards the end of last season, and especially this year, it feels like he has taken another step forward.

Whether it’s hunting opposition players to steal the ball from them, marauding up the pitch with it at his feet or creating chance after chance with his outrageous set-piece delivery, the Englishman is operating at a truly unbelievable level.

In fact, he’s playing so well and has become so important in everything the Gunners do that it’s become increasingly hard to disagree with Thomas Frank’s assertion that he is among “the best in the world.”

That might sound hyperbolic to some, but it really, truly is not, and for those still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers.

Rice’s Scout Report
Statistics	Per 90	Percentile
Goals + Assists	0.49	Top 3%
Corner Kicks	3.15	Top 4%
Assists	0.27	Top 5%
Progressive Carries	2.75	Top 5%
Crosses	4.92	Top 5%
xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals	0.22	Top 6%
Non-Penalty Goals	0.22	Top 7%
Shots from Free Kicks	0.18	Top 7%
Key Passes	1.92	Top 8%
Switches	0.69	Top 9%
All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals plus assists, the top 5% for progressive carries and crosses, the top 8% for key passes and more, all per 90.

Moreover, something else that will help him reach the levels of Henry and Vieira is his mentality.

The England international is clearly someone who gives everything in every performance, and while he hasn’t got the armband, he is also undeniably a leader and will be a big reason for the Gunners winning anything this season.

Ultimately, while he needs those medals to get the respect he deserves, Rice is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world and will become an Arsenal legend.

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West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has made an admission about his future at the club amid repeated suggestions he could leave in January.

Paqueta’s time at West Ham has been intriguing to say the least, and fresh speculation has emerged recently about a potential winter exit from the London Stadium.

West Ham paid £51 million to secure his services in a club-record deal from Lyon three years ago, with the Brazilian quickly establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most technically gifted playmakers in his debut season under David Moyes.

Paqueta helped the Hammers to a glorious Conference League triumph that year, their first major trophy since 1980 and first European trophy since 1965, but a spot-fixing scandal then began to overshadow his time at the London Stadium.

The 28-year-old was charged with four alleged breaches of FA rule E5.1 in May 2024, relating to matches involving West Ham, with allegations that he directly sought to influence matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for influence of the betting market.

The investigation, which began in August 2023, cast a dark cloud over his future, with the FA once seeking a lifetime ban for him. Throughout the ordeal, West Ham stood firmly by their star man, and in July this year, he was finally cleared.

With that uncertain point of his career finally over, Paqueta got back to focusing on the pitch, and clubs also started taking an interest in the £150,000-per-week star.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Aston Villa tried to sign Paqueta in the summer, but he ultimately chose to stay put and show loyalty to a side who backed him off the field.

However, credible reports are indicating that his long-term future could be away from Rush Green. The Times recently reported that Paqueta is keen to leave West Ham as early as next month, with Fabrizio Romano also backing up that the ex-Ligue 1 star’s exit is a realistic possibility.

Lucas Paqueta makes West Ham transfer admission and expects move to happen

Now, the player himself has come out to make a revelation of his own.

Speaking to Brazilian outlet Globo, as translated by Standard Sport, Paqueta says that he had a desire to return to Flamengo in the most recent summer window, and he expects that transfer to happen eventually due to his close ties with the club.

Paqueta’s current deal expires in 2027, and while Nuno Espirito Santo won’t want to lose him in January, a summer transfer certainly appears on the cards next year.

Unfortunately for chairman David Sullivan, by that point, the Irons wouldn’t be in a position to demand big money for the player with just one year remaining on his contract.

Flamengo’s best opportunity to strike a reunion could be next year, if a more illustrious European or Premier League big-hitter don’t move to entice him first.

The Red Sox are red hot.

With a 4–1 win over the Rays on Sunday, Boston has now won 10 straight games as the baseball world heads into the All-Star break. It’s a notable high for the Sox, who have been a drastically streaky team to start 2025.

While the run of wins may have come as a shock to the baseball world, or at the very least the Red Sox’ recent opposition, one man who was not surprised was manager Alex Cora. In fact, Cora essentially called the streak two months ago while Boston was stuck with a middling record.

NESN shared a video from back in late May, when Cora talked openly about how his team was just one win streak away from being near the top of baseball.

“You guys know how I feel about 10-game win streaks. we haven’t done that in a while,” Cora said. “When you get on a hot streak, you want to get eight games over .500, 10 games over .500. We’re still playing where we’re at. An average team. Hopefully when we get our streak, we can get to eight games over .500 and then take off.”

With their 10-game winning streak, the Sox are officially 53–45—eight games over .500—as they head to the All-Star break. It’s Boston’s first 10-game winning streak since the 2018 season.

The Red Sox still have some work to do in an impressive AL East division, with the Yankees and Blue Jays still both ahead of Boston as we head into the Midsummer Classic.

Still, if Cora’s prediction continues to hold true, this winning streak is just the start. After the All-Star break, they might just take off.