Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino sees young centre-back Levi Colwill as a potential regular next season, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.

Where does Levi Colwill's future lie?

The 20-year-old is arguably one of the most highly-rated young players in the country at the moment, being viewed as a future England regular by some.

Last season, Colwill was loaned out to Brighton for the entirety of the campaign, in order to get more minutes under his belt, and while he didn't always manage to oust Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster, he still started 13 times in the Premier League and looked the part.

Now back at Chelsea, there has been a huge amount of talking regarding the centre-back's future, with Liverpool seemingly interested in making a move for him this summer. The Reds see him as a special prospect who they are willing to break the bank for, but the Blues are understandably reluctant to let him leave.

Colwill's current Chelsea deal expires in the summer of 2025, and while that still gives the club some leeway over an extension, time is slowly running out and the player's head could be turned by a move to Anfield.

Will Levi Colwill be a regular at Chelsea?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Pochettino could make Colwill a regular starter for Chelsea in 2023/24, potentially alleviating fears over his exit:

"I think that he's certainly a player that is expected to be embraced by Pochettino. The noises that I'm hearing from people that cover Chelsea closely are that Colwill could genuinely come into the thinking for a starting role."

This is hugely encouraging news from a Chelsea perspective, with Colwill someone they simply must keep hold of this summer, especially having already lost another homegrown player in Mason Mount, who has completed his move to Manchester United.

At 20, there is so much time for Colwill to mature into one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and given Pochettino's preference for blooding youth, it would be so refreshing to see him show trust in him from the off next season, starting him at home to Liverpool on the opening weekend.

The centre-back is in the final of the Under-21 European Championship on Saturday evening, as England take on Spain, and success in that competition would only further enhance his ever-growing legend.

Should Colwill become a key starter for Chelsea from this point on, he could even take Harry Maguire's place in England's team at Euro 2024 next summer, should his rise continue to be as meteoric as it currently is. He has all the tools to become a massive player for the Blues, enjoying an 88.6% pass completion rate for Brighton last season and also 2.2 clearances per game, showing he can be a class act in possession and also muck in defensively, when required.

The thought of losing him to a rival in Liverpool doesn't bear thinking about, and while Chelsea can't promise him European football next term, the hope is that he is made to feel wanted by Pochettino and plays a big part in the rebuild at Stamford Bridge.

The France forward has re-established himself as being among the game's elite players over the past 12 months, but has received little to no credit

On October 30, France Football revealed its final Ballon d'Or rankings for 2023, placing the 30 nominees in order after all the votes were counted. The names trickled in via social media during the star-studded gala in Paris, with the outstanding players of the past 12 months all included.

There was Jamal Musiala, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard earning places in the top 20. So too did the likes of Mo Salah, Lautauro Martinez and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Lionel Messi, of course, won his eighth Golden Ball, with Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr close behind him.

One name that might have surprised those watching was Antoine Griezmann, who ranked at a lowly 21st following a season where Atletico Madrid crashed out of Europe early and went trophy-less in Spain. That he was even on the shortlist at all will have surprised some, but in truth, Griezmann's final ranking did him something of a disservice. That's a sentiment shared by Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who told GOAL this week that he "couldn't believe it" when he heard Griezmann's Ballon d'Or position.

Since the 2022 World Cup kicked-off in November of last year, the 32-year-old forward has scored 25 goals and added 17 assists for club and country. He took an Atletico side that had started the season in miserable form and led them to a third-placed finish and Champions League qualification. He has also been the architect of an undefeated Euro 2024 qualifying campaign for France, while in the opening months of the current campaign, his nine goals have Diego Simeone's side well-placed to make a first La Liga title push in three years.

On Sunday, when Atleti travel to take on Griezmann's former club, Barcelona, he has the chance to haunt Catalunya, as one of the Blaugrana's most-expensive transfer flops returns with his world-class abilities now revived and ready to land another blow to Barca's fading title dreams.

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  Not the right fit at Barca

  Griezmann and Barcelona's split was an amicable one. The two parties had endured a rocky 24-month relationship ever since his €120 million (£107m/$134m) move in the summer 2019, with neither side benefitting from the union.

  Griezmann, once one of Europe's best, saw his career stagnate at Camp Nou, though he did manage to scored a respectable 35 goals in 102 appearances. Brought into try and appease Messi and stop him from leaving, the pair instead found themselves operating in the same areas on the pitch, and manager Ronald Koeman never made the tactical adjustments to accommodate the duo.

  When the possibility of an Atleti return presented itself — on an initial two-year loan with an obligation to buy — neither side of the deal had reason to complain. Simeone, in fact, hailed the Frenchman's homecoming.

  "I found a Griezmann who was eager to return," Simeone said in September 2021. "[He was] enthusiastic about the option of returning to the team, and people will demand from Griezmann what they demand from us every day."

  There were some issues that still needed ironing out, as Atleti famously tried to use Griezmann as little as possible in order to avoid paying the obligated €40m (£35m/$39m) fee that would kick in after a certain number of appearances. But once a permanent move was finalised, on friendlier terms for a reluctant Atleti and cash-strapped Barca, Griezmann's Atletico journey 2.0 kicked off in earnest.

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  Atletico at a crossroads

  In January 2023, Simeone was reportedly on the verge of being let go. His side had gone into the World Cup break sat fifth in the table, already 13 points behind leaders Barcelona after just 14 matches. They had also crashed out of Europe altogether, finishing bottom of a less-than daunting Champions League group that also included Porto, Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen.

  The legendary Atleti manager seemingly couldn't work his magic anymore, with it claimed that opposition coaches had worked out how to counter 'Cholismo'. His team may have won La Liga in 2021, but even that felt like a spectre of something old (with the ageing Luis Suarez leading the charge), rather than the dawn of a new club.

  And so, Simeone changed things. Atletico could no longer be an elite defensive side — not in the mould of those that had competed with Barcelona and Real Madrid in the early 2010s. It was time for something new, something more attacking, something that the roaring Rojiblanco fans could get behind.

  In truth, Simeone had searched for it for a while, making the ill-advised signature of Joao Felix two years previously as a replacement for Griezmann. But that never worked – and with the Portuguese playmaker loaned out to Chelsea while Griezmann's loan move was made permanent – Simeone had his answer.

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  Taking a lesson from Deschamps

  To make his new-look side work, Simeone turned to the French national team, who had come within an Emiliano Martinez save of winning their second straight World Cup. Mbappe may have been the hero of that side, but Griezmann was the unquestioned fulcrum of it all. Dropped into a playmaking No.10 role, Didier Deschamps, in effect, allowed his attacking midfielder to control the tempo of games.

  And he repaid that faith in style. Griezmann didn't score in Qatar, but he was present for the bulk of Les Bleus' biggest moments. He provided the killer assist that set up Olivier Giroud's winner against England in the last eight, while was instrumental in the build-up to two of Mbappe's goals in the final. The Barcelona flop had become, in the space of one month, one of the world's most important playmakers.

  Simeone hasn't used Griezmann in exactly the same way; he still likes to pack the centre of the park with three interior midfielders, while France use only two. But the Argentine coach has asked Griezmann to drop deeper while still involving himself in attacking play. In the first four months after the World Cup, Griezmann touched the ball more in the middle third than at any point in his club career.

  And so while the teamsheet suggested that he was going to be playing alongside Alvaro Morata, the eye test told a different story. This was an orchestrator who covered ground, created spaces, and got into the box at the right moments. With Griezmann dictating, Atletico only lost once in the remainder of their La Liga campaign. Griezmann scored 10 and assisted 12 across those four months, becoming the driving force in an unlikely turnaround.

  Simeone, victorious and vindicated, summed it up: "He is an extraordinary player despite the fact that many, many, thought otherwise."

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  No drop off in form

  "We've been changing the way we play," Griezmann told GOAL before the 2023-24 campaign. Atleti, he said, were going to play more attacking football this season. They planned on keeping the ball, dictating play, and creating more goalscoring opportunities.

  This would still be a hardworking side revered for its transition defending and ruthless edge. But they would do that while also being more ambitious on the ball. It's a style that saw the Rojiblancos turn last season around, and a full campaign of that swagger, only more refined and calculated, meant Atletico could challenge for domestic and European success, Griezmann claimed.

  Thus far, his assertions have yielded results. Atleti are third in La Liga, four points off the top with a game in hand on co-leaders Real Madrid and Girona. They have scored the third-most goals in the league, and conceded the second-fewest. A drubbing at the hands of Valencia and tight loss to Las Palmas now look like outliers rather than warning signs.

  They have produced in big moments, too. Atletico dominated the Madrid derby, and remain the only team to keep Jude Bellingham quiet over 90 minutes this season. A nervy win against Real Sociedad, battering of Rayo Vallecano, and qualification for the Champions League knockout stages have only bolstered their credentials as genuine trophy candidates.

Shakhtar Donetsk could take legal action against Tottenham Hotspur over their deal to sign Manor Solomon a free transfer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest on Solomon?

Having already brought James Maddison through the door, as well as signing Dejan Kulusevski permanently from Juventus, Tottenham are ready to add another attacker to their forward line.

Seemingly, this will be Manor Solomon, who spent last season on loan at Fulham from Shakhtar Donetsk. The left-winger managed 24 appearances, scoring five times, but also missed a large chunk of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

Due to the conflict in Ukraine, FIFA introduced a ruling last summer that enabled foreign players who played in the country to leave their domestic clubs for free, something that was criticised by those involved in Ukrainian football.

This ruling is also influencing this summer's transfer market, with Spurs able to acquire Solomon from Shakhtar on a free transfer, despite the fact that the Israel international's deal does not officially expire until December 2023.

Shakhtar's chief executive Sergei Palkin has already threatened Tottenham with legal action over their pursuit of Solomon, telling ESPN:

"Finally, where he will go, I don't know. In any case, if you go to Tottenham, we will deal with Tottenham in court in this case. Everything comes to a simple situation: it sounds like unjust enrichment.

"Can you imagine, we pay big money for this player and finally Tottenham receives him for free? It is not fair in respect of our club. We will definitely go to court and we will fight for ourselves."

With Solomon expected to complete his medical at Spurs this week, Fabrizio Romano is still unsure on if the deal will be completed, or what will happen in terms of legal action.

What did Romano say?

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Romano said: "For Tottenham, exclusive news that I am tweeting right now is about Manor Solomon, who had a fantastic season at Fulham last year, did very well on loan to Fulham.

"Then what happened, he formally returned to Shakhtar Donetsk from Fulham, but the reality is that because of FIFA rules all the players returning to Shakhtar Donetsk could be available for free. Then what happens in some cases is that you can negotiate, in other cases you need to find a different kind of solution."

He continued: "In this case, Manor Solomon has an agreement with Tottenham on the contract. He will be in England next week to have his medical test, it will be early [this] next week. So, Manor Solomon has his medical booked in London to become a new Tottenham player.

"Then Shakhtar CEO, Palkin, a few weeks ago said if Tottenham complete this deal we are prepared to fight in court this Solomon story because we can't allow the player, who is worth probably £30m or £40m, to go to Tottenham for free. So, we are prepared to go to court for this story.

"So, let's see how this evolves because it is about rules, guys, it's not about transfers. It's not a normal transfer."

Whether or not the deal will be finalised remains to be seen as it may be a decision that is made in a courtroom rather than a boardroom.

One thing is for certain, if Solomon arrives in north London on a free transfer then it would be a very smart piece of business from a Spurs perspective.

Ange Postecoglou is seeing his new side do some encouraging early business in this summer's transfer window which will surely excite the Australian ahead of their pre-season tour.

There was clearly a lot of room for improvement on the back of last season, so it will be interesting to see whether this transfer activity is to continue over the coming weeks.

An outrageous half-century from Faheem Ashraf took Pakistan to a victory that, even by their standards, must rate as one of the most improbable in their history.

George Dobell at Edgbaston27-May-2017Pakistan 342 for 8 (Shoaib 72, Faheem 64*) beat Bangladesh 341 for 9 (Tamim 102, Junaid 4-72) by two wickets
ScorecardShoaib Malik’s 72 kept Pakistan in the game before an astonishing finale•Getty ImagesAn outrageous half-century from Faheem Ashraf took Pakistan to a victory that, even by their standards, must rate as one of the most improbable in their history.Fahee, playing his first innings in a Pakistan shirt, thrashed 60 in 34 balls to turn this Champions Trophy warm-up match against Bangladesh on its head. Coming in at No. 9, he helped add 93 in 41 balls for the ninth wicket to take his side to an unlikely victory and make an all-but-undeniable claim for selection in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy side.Sadly for Faheem, this match will barely rate a footnote in the record books. With both sides able to utilise substitutes and Edgbaston sporting a remarkably short boundary towards the Pershore Road side of the ground (it measured just 42 metres, or 47 yards) in an effort to ensure the best surfaces were protected for more important matches, the game will not even be regarded as a List A encounter.But let nobody say this innings came in a soft or contrived manner. At various stages, Pakistan had looked doomed to a fourth one-day defeat in succession against Bangladesh – Bangladesh won the last series between the sides, in April 2015, 3-0 – as they subsided to 168 for 5, 227 for 6 and, in the 42nd over, 242 for 7.That meant they required exactly 100 from the final eight-and-a-half overs. But Faheem, who thinks of his seam bowling as his stronger suit, struck four sixes – none of them over the short boundary – and four fours to take his side over the line.He launched the assault by taking 19 off an untidy over from Mehedi Miraz, followed it with 16 off one from Mashrafe Mortaza and, with 13 required from the last, eased his side’s nerves with a vast pull for six from the first ball of the final over over the longest boundary in the ground.While it was his straight hitting that was most impressive – think of Darren Sammy at his best – it was noticeable that, when Bangladesh dropped short in an attempt to push him onto the back foot, he pulled with powerful assurance. It was, by any standards, a wonderfully persuasive performance by a man pushing for an international debut.Perhaps, had Mustafizur Rahman been playing – he was rested – things might have been different. Taskin Ahmed seemed to tire noticeably as the innings progressed and Shakib Al Hasan did not bowl his whole allocation of overs. But such was Faheem’s power that the Bangladesh bowlers’ ploy of making him hit towards the long boundary was negated and even the experience of Mortaza could find no answer for his clean hitting down the ground.Maybe we should suspend judgement on Faheem. This was a warm-up game, after all, without the large crowds or media scrutiny of a tournament match. But if he replicates anything like this in the game against India a week tomorrow – and it is hard to see how he could be left out of a Pakistan side that has been looking for a seam-bowling all-rounder since what seems the dawn of time – a star really will have been born.There was one other major caveat to this performance. The Bangladesh fielding was, at times, really quite appalling. At least five potential catches were dropped – including Faheem in the final over, allowing him to run three – and one important stumping was missed.Coming on the heels of a match against New Zealand where Bangladesh won despite dropping four chances it underlined the impression that their fielding is a major area of concern going into the Champions Trophy. As Imrul Kayes put it afterwards with a lovely hint of understatement: “I think we need a few more fielding sessions… That’s why we lost the match.”The shame of that is that, for a vast chunk of this game, Bangladesh were the better side. With Tamim Iqbal slamming a century, they set a total that we may well come to think of as something around par in a tournament that looks set to be hugely enjoyable for batsman and a complete nightmare for bowlers.After a relatively cautious start (he scored only 8 from his first 17 balls), Tamim thrashed 43 from his next 22 as he made full use of the short boundary and any width offered by Pakistan’s seamers. Imrul added a run-a-ball 61, Mushfiqur Rahim a typically pugnacious 46 and Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain some impetus towards the end of the innings.With Mohammad Amir rested, Pakistan’s attack offered plenty of pace but no obvious control. Junaid Khan was taken for 25 in one over, Mushfiqur struck Imad Wasim for successive sixes and Wahab Riaz, who cannot be assured of his place in the side, was as mercurial as ever. While Hasan Ali, who could be the unfortunate man to make way for Amir’s return now that Faheem has made such a strong case for selection, leg-spinner Shahdab Khan and Faheem offered a little more control, this was a tough target for a Pakistan side who have made 340 in an ODI only once – and that against Zimbabwe – since the 2015 World Cup.And, for much of their innings, it seemed they had no chance of reaching it. Azhar Ali and Babar Azam both perished poking at balls outside off stump before Ahmed Shahzad’s promising innings was ended by a beauty from Shakib Al Hasan that gripped just a little and took his off bail. While Shoaib Malik, who was dropped on 8, and Mohammad Hafeez added 79 in 12.3 overs for the fourth-wicket to provide some hope, when they went and Sarfraz Ahmed soon followed, it seemed their chances departed with them.But Imad, who survived a stumping chance on 39, kept the chase alive before Faheem delivered his knock-out blow in partnership with Hasan.Insisting he was expecting to force his way into the side before the first match of the tournament – he was a non-playing member of the limited-overs team in the Caribbean – Faheem said he produced such innings “a lot” in first-class cricket – though a List A average of 15.52 with one half-century underlined that his shorter-format batting record is modest – and thanked his captain and coach for “their belief in me.””It’s the first innings I’ve played for Pakistan,” he said. “In first-class cricket I’ve played a lot of innings like that, but that’s the first one in one-day cricket. On one side, the boundary was very small. But they were bowling in good areas and we thought we would hit straight down the ground. I have an ability to hit straight.”He sure does. And while few will recall the details of such a warm-up game in a couple of weeks, his promise might mean that a Pakistan side seen as rank outsiders go into the tournament with hopes just a little higher.

Yorkshire’s captain once again came to the fore, but Somerset survived an early collapse to set up a fascinating final day

David Hopps at Taunton11-Jun-2017
ScorecardMany England fans are still on his case. “Ugly cricketer,” they carp about Gary Ballance. In Yorkshire, the criticism is peremptorily waved aside. As far as Yorkshire are concerned, ugly is the new beautiful.Since he was awarded the Yorkshire captaincy, Ballance has been irrepressible. His unbeaten 98 at Taunton has positioned his side for a victory that, if achieved, would pronounce them Championship contenders and which would deepen Somerset’s predicament in the process.How Somerset must wish they had a batsman like him. Pessimism surfaced in every corner of this intimate ground as they prepared to chase 263. That within 17 overs they succumbed at 49 for 4 was met by black West Country humour, but they finished on 101 for 4 with no further alarm, an engrossing conclusion in the offing.Steven Patterson took the first three, Dean Elgar to a leg-side strangle, Marcus Trescothick nicked one that straightened from around the wicket, and the poor, put-upon young captain, Tom Abell, lbw for 4 as he pushed forward. James Hildreth was ephemeral, a ghostly figure, there and then gone.Ballance is a captain who has been around the block. Abell, by everybody’s account, is a nice, polite young man, well-thought of, but he gives the impression that he should only go around the block if it is well lit, with CCTV cameras.Markedly young captains have a better chance of succeeding if they have a bit of arrogance and stubbornness about them. To draw courage from gentleness is never easy. It is to be hoped that the experience is the making of him, but his Championship average of 17 owes much to his unbeaten 71 on a dead final day against Middlesex at Lord’s last week.Ballance, by contrast, now has 727 runs in six Championship matches at 103.85. He has three hundreds, one of them a double. There are two dominant stories in Yorkshire’s season: the delightful wicket-taking exploits of a breakthrough fast bowler, Ben Coad, and something altogether earthier, Ballance at the crease, refusing to yield.When he took the Yorkshire captaincy in the close season, his England ambitions were far from abandoned. It is only last October, against Bangladesh in Dhaka that he played the last of his 21 Tests, but he met such a horrible end, passing 50 only once in his last 14 innings, that a long absence felt inevitable.Perhaps that absence remains likely. But with both Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings short of runs, the theory that they will fill the top three places alongside Alastair Cook in the first Test against South Africa is not the certainty it once was.Ballance will never be an elegant batsman, but once again he is a highly effective one. He will never invite purrs of delight, but he draws admiration. While Somerset’s spinners, Dom Bess and Jack Leach, worked their way through Yorkshire’s order, sharing 4 for 10 in 8.2 overs after lunch, he shored up the innings as reliably as ever. He has become a batsman from the Essentials range, an everyday necessity.As ever, Ballance prospered square on the offside, enough to spring his detractors into life as they reflect upon his predominantly back-foot style. Judging by Steve Davies’ disappointed reaction behind the stumps when he failed to gather a squirted shot, Leach almost dismissed him on 57. Of his two sixes, a skilful ramp to third man off Jamie Overton to move to 98 stood out. Then the innings ended, Ryan Sidebottom agonised to be lbw, his captain’s fourth Championship hundred lost.”Confidence is such a huge thing and I feel really good about my game at the moment,” Ballance said. “I don’t think too much about stats, but rather concentrate on putting in performances that help the team.”Batting wasn’t easy today as their spinners were getting the ball to drift in the strong wind, as well as turn. So I am very happy about the position we have put ourselves in.”Gary Ballance set Somerset a testing target with another captain’s innings•PA Photos

There is some irony in the fact that Yorkshire’s overseas batsman, Peter Handscomb, springs even further back in his crease than Ballance. Perhaps he was signed as a reminder perhaps that back-foot play is not necessarily a criminal offence. Although if the Conservatives’ post-election deal with the DUP runs out of control, who knows what could become illegal?Positive news for Somerset came from Bess, who took his fourth five-wicket haul in five matches. At 19, his story is already one of perseverance, a trip to the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide kick-starting his career after the Somerset Academy chose not to commit to his talents.Included in his 5 for 80 was a little drifter that did for Handscomb and a nicely-flighted delivery that had Jack Leaning caught at slip. A brief contest between Bess and Matthew Waite, an ambitious young player, quick on his feet, was as enjoyable as the day got.Hindsight suggests that Somerset should have kept faith with the spinners at 223 for 8, the lead 201, but they did not, and Yorkshire’s last two wickets added 60, primarily against pace bowlers and the second new ball, Ballance to the fore.

Key highlights from the second ODI between West Indies and India

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2017When West Indies won the toss, they looked at damp conditions underfoot and heavy skies overhead. It was atmosphere that called for length bowling to use the conditions: slowness, possible seam movement and variable bounce. However, the West Indies opening bowlers failed to get the length right, bowling either too short or two full. The result: eight fours, one six and 63 runs in the first 10 overs without even a half chance created.Ajinkya Rahane hasn’t had a great relationship with limited-overs international cricket. He starts off well, but hasn’t converted many of those starts into performances that guarantee him a spot in the XI. Before today he had crossed 50 19 times, converting them into hundreds only twice. Now, as KL Rahul nears fitness, this could be Rahane’s last chance in a while if he doesn’t grab it. He was predictably nervous as he neared his hundred before finally getting there in style.

High humidity, drizzle around, high pressure of bowling to Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, with floating yorkers as your weapon of choice, you leave yourself a low-percentage game as a bowler. Jason Holder realised that as three of his attempted yorkers at the death ended up as high full tosses. One of them was so slow Dhoni had time to rock back and pull it away for four. Another front-foot no-ball added insult to injury; fact that he got Kedar Jadhav out on that ball berated it further.Virat Kohli started off circumspectly but accelerated dramatically, scoring his last 50 runs in 25 balls. Hitting wasn’t that easy on a slow pitch with the humidity sapping players. There was an extra effort to set that solid base and concentrate on the swing of the bat and not the power. The head stayed down in all four of his sixes, none of which he over-hit.Wristspinners make the ball turn both ways legally, and the variation is harder to pick than the carrom ball – which is legal – from fingerspinners. That is why wristspinners have become an important part of limited-overs sides. Bowling for the first time in ODIs, Kuldeep Yadav – left-arm bowler to boot – showed what difference the variation could make, with West Indies left-hand batsmen failing to pick the one turning back into them

USMNT leged Clint Dempsey believes that the 2024 Copa America could either be the peak or end of boss Gregg Berhalter's tenure.

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• Dempsey gives exclusive Berhalter interview
• Believes Copa America is make-or-break for USMNT boss
• Says 'questions' will come about if bad performances arrive

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  On the set of with CBS Sports Soccer, Dempsey spoke to the Daily Mail about Berhalter's current form with the USMNT. The ex-striker believes, now, that the next year will define the American's time with the USA – NOT – the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The result of that tournament is in the past, and this is a new era for his squad, meaning they can only look forward.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Berhalter's performances of late have put him under the scrutiny of many after falling to Germany in an international friendly in October, and then suffering an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago in the Concacaf Nations League in November. Now, with the biggest tournament of 2024 upon him, Dempsey believes that Copa America could define his tenure with the USMNT.

• WHAT DEMPSEY SAID

  "I think Copa America is truly how you're going to be graded for the team,' Dempsey told Mail Sport, 'And, you know, for the coaches, are we doing the right thing? Because you're not gonna get another bigger opportunity to do well in the World Cup on home soil in 2026. So if you do well in [the Copa America] and you're building towards something, then that's great. But if you're not, I think there's still time to change things if you need to.
  "You don't do well, then you're always on the chopping block,' Dempsey added. "That's what comes with every job, right? If you're not performing, the question starts to be asked. So I think there's still time to show what you can do. But I think Copa America is going to be a huge test for this team and for this coach in terms of where we're going."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

  The USSF have scheduled an international friendly against Slovenia for January 20, with the first test of the year for Berhalter and co. being against the EURO 2024 side. For now, though, Berhalter will be having his eyes on his player's club performances, especially that of Ricardo Pepi, who notched a stoppage-time winner for PSV in the Champions League Wednesday.

It looks as if Leeds United are set to endure something of a player exodus over the coming weeks, with the Yorkshire set to see a number of first-team assets move on elsewhere ahead of a return to life in the Championship.

Speculation is rife that Wilfried Gnonto could be on his way – amid notable interest from Aston Villa – while Robin Koch is in line for a loan move to Bundesliga side, Eintracht Frankfurt.

The 6 foot 4 centre-back may not be the only Leeds figure to seal a temporary switch to Germany this summer, however, with The Athletic reporting that Brenden Aaronson is set to join Union Berlin for the 2023/24 campaign.

That relatively swift, impending departure follows what was a rather disappointing debut season at Elland Road for the promising playmaker, with the 22-year-old scoring just once and providing only three assists in 36 Premier League games, having joined on a £27.4m deal from Red Bull Salzburg last summer.

As writer Zach Lowy stated, both Aaronson and ex-Salzburg teammate Rasmus Kristensen "failed to make the step up from the Austrian Bundesliga to the Premier League", with his average match rating of 6.51, as per Sofascore, having reportedly been the lowest in the entire division.

With a quick exit now on the cards, new boss Daniel Farke could look to acquire a much-needed upgrade on the American with the signing of Bayern Munich starlet, Malik Tillman, with Leeds Live suggesting that the 46-year-old could use his friendship with Thomas Tuchel in order to seal a move for the exciting 21-year-old.

As per the piece, it would be no surprise if Farke was to be 'keeping close tabs' on the German-born, United States international, with the young midfielder having blossomed on loan at Rangers last season, ensuring he could represent a dream replacement for Aaronson in that number ten berth.

How much will Malik Tillman cost?

The four-cap dynamo has been valued at around £10m by the Bundesliga giants following his breakout season in Glasgow, having proven himself to be a "phenomenal" talent, according to ex-Gers teammate, John Lundstram.

Unlike Aaronson's attacking woes, Tillman enjoyed a far more fruitful campaign in front of goal after contributing 12 goals and five assists in 43 games in all competitions, including registering 14 goals and assists in just 28 Scottish Premiership games.

Lauded as a "great player" with an "infectious" attitude by pundit Alex McLeish, the 6 foot 2 maestro certainly made his presence felt at Ibrox, having been named the SPFA Young Player of the Year last term.

The fleet-footed gem emerged as a real creative force in Michael Beale's side despite only contributing four assists in the league, having impressively created 12 big chances – seven more than Aaronson racked up in the Premier League.

A further benefit of Tillman's acquisition would also be his impressive work off the ball as the Nuremberg native also averaged two tackles per game in 2022/23, with the current Leeds man, by contrast, averaging just 1.3 per game in that regard.

Such a stark difference in fortunes between the two international colleagues would suggest that Farke can happily allow Aaronson to depart this summer, in the knowledge that he could potentially be able to snap up a suitable and exciting upgrade in that playmaking berth.

Paul Mullin started a tradition at Wrexham that he now cannot stop, with Jurgen Klopp-esque fist pumps demanded from the striker after every win.

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Star striker celebrates with supportersFist pumps aimed in direction of the standsDragons have had plenty to shout aboutGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The prolific frontman started that trend a couple of years ago when scoring a dramatic goal that sealed three points for the Red Dragons. Supporters now expect the post-match routine to be delivered when emerging victorious, with a loyal fan base – that includes co-owners Ryan and Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – having had plenty to cheer of late.

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Mullin has told the podcast of his celebration and why he was delighted to break it out again following an emotional return from injury in a 2-1 victory over Doncaster on September 9: “It’s something we sort of stumbled across. It was a couple of years ago that I scored a last-minute goal and just celebrating at the end of the game, it just came out. Ever since then, I think I didn’t do it when we won and I had so many people asking me to carry on doing it and it’s become a signature thing now when we win a game. I can genuinely say that while I was in LA, I was sat there thinking I can’t wait to come back and do that. Not because I get anything from it, it’s because we have won a game and it’s something I have worked for to do that. The fans get to enjoy it and it’s something to look forward to at the end of the game. If we win, that’s going to happen.”

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

He added on returning to action after a punctured lung suffered in a pre-season friendly date with Manchester United, which forced him to spend several weeks in the United States before returning to North Wales: “That day [against Doncaster] the lads did unbelievably well – I came on and we managed to win the game. About the noise, it is still emotional now. I know the fans like me, but that day is something that I can’t describe. I don’t often get taken aback, especially when playing football, but that day I actually couldn’t believe it. Players I’ve played with on the other team said to be after the game ‘I thought the stadium was going to fall down’. It was that loud. It is a noise that I will never forget and is something I’m really proud of. For the two years that I’ve been there, I’ve built up that much of a connection with the fans to warrant that reception.”

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Merseyside native Mullin believes the noise generated that day eclipsed anything else that he has ever experienced, including his travels across Europe following superstar performers on the books at Anfield. He added: “When I came on the pitch, I was playing the rest of the game thinking ‘wow, has that really just happened?’ I’ve been to many, many Liverpool games all around the world – Champions League finals and all sorts – and although there were only 10,000 fans in the stadium that day, I genuinely think that is the loudest noise I’ve ever experienced towards one player. I’ve been in the stadium cheering Steven Gerrard back onto the pitch after injury and there wasn’t an excitement like I felt that day. It was something I will never forget.”

ScorecardSimon Harmer did the hard yards on the third day. On the fourth, gifts were bestowed upon him. For Harmer, it all added up to his career-best figures of 8 for 36, and 14 for 128 in the match. For Warwickshire, dismissed for 94, it added up to a whole lot of trouble.While Essex strengthened their hold at the top of Division One, Warwickshire are marooned with Somerset at the bottom, 40 points away from safety. Defeat by an innings and 164 runs underlined the extent of their challenge and, soon after the finish, their coaching team were huddled in earnest conversation.As Harmer took the last wicket, in a hospitality box overlooking the ground Mohammad Amir confidently predicted that he could help Essex win the Championship. Neil Wagner departed with a magnum of champagne and public thanks during a lunchtime celebration – a sign that Essex are doing the small things well – and, in Amir, they have quite a replacement.Ryan ten Doeschate, Essex’s captain, was delighted with his side’s response so soon after their last-over defeat in the Royal London Cup semi-final against Nottinghamshire. “Obviously Friday’s defeat was massively disappointing, but it was up to us to bounce back and the Championship is vitally important,” he said.Bouncebackability owed much to Essex’s first-innings batting, but it was ultimately down to Harmer. A switch of ends, a decision made late in Warwickshire’s first innings, and a harder ball, both contributed to faster turn than he had achieved the previous day and Warwickshire succumbed shortly after lunch.”We didn’t think the wicket was going to turn all that much, hence we only played one spinner,” said ten Doeschate. “Harmi is a turning spinner and there is not much more you can say about 14 wickets in the match. It was great for Harmi – he has predominantly done the holding job for the first six games of the year so to be able to fulfil that attacking role is a feather in his cap.””The English summer has arrived,” said Harmer with a smile. Hmm, perhaps somebody should have a word and warn him that it is an itinerant beast.Harmer had put in a 39-over shift on the third day, the bulk of it to take 6 for 92 in the first innings, but there were immediate indications that he had managed to fall out of bed in decent order as he took up a central place in Essex’s attack.By the time he came on for the ninth over of the day, Essex’s pace attack, encouraged by dark, thundery skies, had already struck. Ian Bell, a Warwickshire captain who must find a way out of a calamitous season, fell to an excellent diving catch by wicketkeeper James Foster after nicking a good ball from Wagner, which bounced a shade from a demanding line. There was no shame in that dismissal, although Bell had also edged just short of first slip earlier in the over.Harmer needed just six deliveries to start adding to his tally, Andrew Umeed edging onto the back foot and falling lbw. In his next over, Sam Hain tried to bale out of what seemed to be a pre-meditated sweep, got in a tangle, and squirted a catch off one knee to ten Doeschate at short leg.For the second time in the match, Rikki Clarke eschewed his attacking inclinations and concentrated largely on survival. The lbw decision against him that Harmer won was bound to get a few replays in the Warwickshire dressing room. Clarke shouldered arms to a good-length ball that pitched well outside off stump and was adjudged lbw. With his departure, Warwickshire’s last chance had gone and Tim Ambrose cast his bat aside in frustration.Next ball, Keith Barker tried to paddle the delivery away, got a top edge and was caught behind by Foster. Jeetan Patel, whose leg-side assault had damaged Harmer’s figures in the first innings, fell lbw. By lunch, Harmer’s morning’s work amounted to 5 for 31 off 15 overs.The lunch interval was delayed by 15 minutes, without success, to try to complete the match, but Warwickshire’s last two wickets did not delay overlong thereafter. Boyd Rankin was lbw to surely the slowest, loopiest full toss that Harmer has ever bowled, leaving Sunny Singh to push a turning delivery to first slip in the next over.So the pitch upon which Essex suffered a heartbreaking 50-over defeat had provided consolation by wearing sufficiently quickly for Harmer’s benefit. Patel, a fellow offspinner, and a fine one at that, will rue the fact that Warwickshire lost the toss and imagine that he might also have felt the benefit.But luck rarely runs with a side at the bottom of the table. It is Essex who have become the story of the summer. Their top six has been sheltered from the storm by Alastair Cook and will soon have to prove its mettle without him. Harmer is the signing of the summer and the combative qualities of Wagner are about to give way to the sheen of Amir. And a clutch of promising young pace bowlers are a reminder that Essex remain committed to unearthing their own.Chris Silverwood, a coach with a rising reputation, was absent from the final day because he was feeling unwell, but there was much good news to aid his recovery.