The Cityzens have made up for lost time and become one of the most popular clubs across the pond, breaking records while attracting legions of fans

Manchester City are back in the United States and are set for their biggest reception to date, playing in front of a potential audience of 257,000 fans in the four games that make up their pre-season tour. They will kick off their jaunt against Celtic at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill on July 23, and then take on AC Milan at Yankee Stadium in New York on July 27.

Next up is a mouth-watering clash with Guardiola’s boyhood club Barcelona at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, and City then round off the tour in style against Chelsea at the Ohio Stadium, which seats 100,000 people.

City have a lot to celebrate on their return to the States. They will be flaunting the Premier League title which they won for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season, while they can also boast of being the most popular team in the country by a number of metrics. They were the most watched Premier League club in the U.S. in the 2022-23 season in all competitions, according to sports data firm Nielsen, as well as being the most recognised Premier League brand and and the most liked club, according to YouGov.

City also made U.S. television history in March when their match with Arsenal was watched by a record 2.6 million people, the highest ever audience in the country for a Premier League game.

GettySpectacular success

City are one of 10 Premier League clubs touring the U.S. this summer, including rivals Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United. Those clubs put down roots in America long ago, enjoying a big head start on City, who only won their first Premier League title in 2012. However, thanks to a concerted strategy and homing in on what makes U.S. fans tick, City have played catch-up and raced to the front of the queue, attracting legions of new supporters.

Their timing could hardly be better as soccer is enjoying its latest boom in the States. Lionel Messi’s signing for Inter Miami in 2023 turbo-charged the sport’s popularity and this summer the Copa America came to the States, with Messi and Argentina triumphing.

Next year, the U.S. will host the inaugural expanded Club World Cup, where City will be taking part as 2023 Champions League winners. And in 2026, in partnership with Mexico and Canada, the States will host the largest ever World Cup.

“We've become more sophisticated in our approach because we've made a very conscious effort towards the next generation of soccer fans in the U.S.,” Nuria Tarre, City’s chief marketing officer, explains to GOAL. “We identified very soon in our journey that the U.S. market was a very important market for us as we saw the potential of soccer growing. Our success in the last few years has been spectacular.”

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City’s sustained success on the pitch, including winning 17 trophies in eight seasons under Guardiola, has undoubtedly been a key factor in the club’s growth, as has the presence of global stars such as Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland. But City’s strategy of appealing to young fans and tapping into their interests outside of football has played a huge part in the club’s growth.

Tarre explains: “Success helps a lot but it is not enough. If we just based our strategy on football success, in 20 years’ time, we’d be in the same place as the other clubs that were winning 10 years ago are right now. So our strategy has always been: how can we accelerate our presence? How can we actually authentically engage with the next generation of fans and maximise the impact of the on-pitch performance?

"Globally, and especially in the U.S., we’ve tried to position ourselves not only as a football brand, but more part of what we call the soccer culture. So we pride ourselves in being at the intersection of fashion, innovation, gaming and sports.”

City’s development of E-Sports teams, particularly in 'EA SPORTS FC' (formerly 'FIFA') and Fortnite has been part of that strategy in appealing to young fans, as has their slate of behind-the-scenes documentaries.

Getty Brave and innovative

City were the first soccer team to film a series of ‘All or Nothing’ on , which was more associated with following NFL franchises. Arsenal, Tottenham, Juventus and the Brazil team have all since followed suit.

“'All or Nothing' was a brave choice from our side, one that we pride ourselves on," Tarre says. "Some of the choices we made, such as being present in gaming, showing behind the scenes of the club, feel very normal now. But just six, seven years ago, they were not. We haven't been afraid to take some risks to look at the business in a different way."

On the back of the documetary's success, the club began using its in-house production company to tell the story of each season. This year, the club partnered with to release ‘Together’, the inside story of the treble winning season, on the streaming platform.

“We are also trying to make sure that we bring the club as close to the fans as we can. We think this is part of the success as well. We are showing the behind the scenes, showing the players as they are as personalities, but showing the club as well in its humility, its highs and its lows. And we think that whether you're a City fan for the last 20 years or whether you started being interested in City more recently, that way of showing the club resonates with that young audience.”

The success of 'Together', which has eclipsed the number of viewers of 'All or Nothing', shows how much the club has grown. It was translated into 30 languages and within the first few weeks of its release, it appeared in the top 10 documentaries on the platform in 35 countries.

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GettyOver 30 million potential new fans

Tarre also highlights the fact that Premier League fandom in the United States is more flexible than in Europe, and specifically England. Many young people who are interested in the game in the States are not yet wedded to one team. A lot of fans, particularly those who got into the sport through video games, are drawn to specific players rather than tied to a specific club.

That presents an opportunity for City and the other Premier League teams touring the U.S. this summer, especially those looking to diversify their revenue streams to meet the league’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Fan data specialists CLV Group calculate there are 83 million soccer fans in the U.S., 44 percent of whom are undecided on which team to support. According to CLV Group’s report 'Hearts, Minds and Wallets – Connecting and Winning U.S. Fandoms : A Guidebook for European Clubs', there are a potential 36 million fans that City can look to win over, although they face fierce competition from their Premier League rivals, as well as the top European clubs and even MLS teams.

"Manchester City's growth in the U.S. football fan market has been impressive over the past few years, but make no mistake, there’s still a huge opportunity here for growth,” Neil Joyce, CEO of CLV Group, tells GOAL. "With the ability to connect to around three million locked fan connections, the Cityzens have firmly established themselves as one of the leading Premier League clubs in terms of American support. But now they have the chance to go even further.

"The stakes are high, and our fan identification and connection data shows that successfully connecting with this group could mean huge potential benefits for City, worth more than $30m per season – the third-highest figure for an English club behind only their rivals Manchester United and Liverpool, whilst being hot on the heels of Barcelona."

Stumps An important half-century for Joe Burns, an inevitable one for Marnus Labuschagne, a five-wicket haul for Mitchell Starc and a lead of 417 runs. Australia had plenty going their way on the third day in Perth. New Zealand, meanwhile, braced themselves to fight against the current and they’re going to have to keep at it for another two whole days.As gutsy as Kane Williamson and his men are, that looks an impossible task, especially considering the vagaries of the pitch. Three days of wear and tear has introduced uneven bounce into play. When Steven Smith is beaten by one keeping low and another rearing up in the twilight session, you know the ball is doing tricks. And this, by the way, was a ball 46 overs old.Australia did excellently to earn the iron grip they have over this Test match. Such was the faith they had in their fast bowlers that they went out to the field on Saturday afternoon and immediately settled into a short-ball plan.Marnus Labuschagne uses the depth of his crease to go square off the wicket•Getty Images

Starc and Pat Cummins were the only ones left standing. Josh Hazlewood had already been sidelined with a hamstring strain. The heat was in the 40C range again. New Zealand were already five down, but their lower-order rarely ups and folds like a deck chair. There was a chance it could have gone all wrong, that the two big quicks would be bowled into the ground and Ross Taylor, who was well past fifty, could have marshalled the resources he had left to some semblance of safety.But what really happened was, after swaying out of the way of a ball that was coming for his nose, BJ Watling was slow to get in line with the follow-up delivery and was bowled. A man who had come into this game with Test scores of 77, 105*, 205 and 55 had been one-twoed by Cummins’ ruthless precision. He has 52 wickets this year, 14 more than his nearest rival.Taylor took on the short ball but his biggest test came at the hands of Nathan Lyon. The offspinner’s first over included a ball that scythed through the gap between bat and pad and nearly bowled Taylor. Ever since then, he began to look unsure of his scoring options because he was unsure how much the ball will spin. Eventually, a beautifully tossed up offbreak took Taylor’s outside edge as he played inside the line and he was caught for an otherwise flawless 80. With that being the only substantial score of the New Zealand innings, they were bowled out for 166.Mitchell Starc is applauded off the field by his team-mates after his 13th five-for in Test cricket•Getty Images

Having given up a lead of 250, there was very little New Zealand were in control of, but even there they were found wanting. Labuschagne was given a life when he was on 4 when a mis-hit pull shot against Neil Wagner was dropped by Colin de Grandhomme running back at square leg. For the next several moments, the fielder just lay there on the ground, face down, contemplating what could have been. This was a mere three overs after they had worked out David Warner for 19 off 63 balls. There was a moment to be seized there, just as there was late on the second day when they began batting under lights, knowing full well that if they could have survived that initial burst, batting in daylight would have been much easier. By the way, Labuschagne went on to make 50 off 81 and push his Test tally up to 1000 after only 12 Tests.New Zealand wouldn’t be faulted for the effort they have put into this Test match, especially considering they had only a handful of days to prepare for these conditions, but they haven’t been able to win the key moments in this game.Burns did though. He left the field in the first innings when he needn’t have and he played like a man conscious of that fact. Being stuck on 0 for 22 deliveries didn’t fluster him. Scoring opportunities drying up as the pink ball got soft didn’t affect him. There were a few balls outside off stump that had him fishing but outside of that he was solid for most of the time he spent at the crease to make 53 runs. His dismissal – a Tim Southee bouncer got too big on him and he could only fend it away to gully – only served as another reminder of the amount of life there still in this pitch.Umpire Aleem Dar receives treatment after hurting his knee•Getty Images

Banging it in was how Wagner got rid of both Labuschagne and Smith and then Australia went from 1 for 131 to 6 for 167 at stumps. Banging it in was also how Starc completed his five-for. He looked to have bounced de Grandhomme out – umpire Aleem Dar certainly thought so – but when the batsman took the option of DRS, replays seemed to indicate the ball might have just gone off the helmet on its way to Smith at second slip. HotSpot couldn’t catch the ball that high up. Snicko showed a flat line but the ball and glove were so close as they passed each other that third umpire Marais Erasmus felt the evidence he had wasn’t conclusive enough to overrule the on-field call.Pretty much the same thing happened when it was de Grandhomme bowling and seemed to have knocked out Warner with a bouncer, but umpire Dar didn’t give it out on-field and replays indicated the ball had bounced off the batsman’s shoulder and into second slip’s grasp. Dar’s time in the spotlight wasn’t done just yet as he found himself being tackled by Mitchell Santner who was trying to provide cover for a throw at the stumps in the 36th over. It really was a funny old day.

Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards says Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has a difference-making starlet at the club.

Spurs battling Aston Villa for Champions League football

As things stand, it appears to be a two-horse race between Aston Villa and Spurs for that coveted fourth-place finish and subsequent qualification for the Champions League next season.

BBC pundit says "astonishing" forward may decide to join Tottenham

He’s been on fire for his club this season.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 5, 2024

Five points separate Unai Emery's side in fourth and the north Londoners in fifth, but the latter have a game in hand which could narrow the gap to two as we approach the business end of the campaign.

Securing a spot in Europe's most prestigious competition for 2024/2025 would be a fine way to cap off what has been a solid debut campaign in England for Postecoglou, but he'll need all the help he can get against an equally impressive Villa side.

Aston Villa (away)

March 10th

Fulham (away)

March 16th

Luton Town (home)

March 30th

West Ham (away)

April 2nd

Funnily enough, Spurs travel to Villa Park for their next top-flight clash, and it's certainly an absolutely vital head-to-head in the race for fourth. Postecoglou will be reliant on his star men, with Son Heung-min receiving plenty of praise among others, but another player who's come into his own lately is 22-year-old starlet Brennan Johnson.

The Wales international, signed from Nottingham Forest last summer, has featured in each of Spurs' last 18 league matches – bagging three goals and six assists in that time.

Micah Richards hails difference-making Brennan Johnson

Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast this week (via TBR), Sky pundit Richards says Johnson is now "making a difference in games" at Tottenham, with the young winger notching two assists in their 3-1 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.

“Obviously Spurs have got Son back now from the Asian Cup, playing well," said the former Man City defender, when asked who will seal a top-four finish.

“Brennan Johnson making a difference in games as well, but then Villa, I don’t know how to call that one because they are both equally impressive.”

The attacker was brought in for £47.5 million last year, and he may now be slowly returning that investment with a string of noteworthy outings. Son is a big fan of Johnson, having praised his teammate already this season.

“That is what we need, especially the way we play. We want to play high, high intensity and who is coming from the bench has to make an impact. Brennan did and he did two amazing assists," said Son on Johnson's performance against Palace.

“I like this guy. I love this guy. I just want to help him as much as I can. Even when we start the game, I tell him, ‘just make sure you’re ready, you’ll make the difference. When you come on, you’ll make the difference,’ and that’s what we need.

“Brennan did a fantastic job and I just want to give him a big hug. The goals obviously he is missing but I am definitely sure, the way he works, working like this, the goals will come automatically, I am 100 per cent sure.”

يشهد اليوم السبت الموافق 2-11-2024، العديد من المباريات الهامة والمرتقبة على مستوى بطولات الدوري المصري والإنجليزي والإسباني والإيطالي والألماني، وأيضًا السعودي.

يفتتح فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي مشواره في بطولة الدوري المصري للموسم الجديد 2024-2025، بخوض مواجهة قوية أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا اليوم السبت.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع سيراميكا كليوباترا على أرضية استاد السلام، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الأولى من المسابقة المحلية.

ويخوض ليفربول مباراة ضد خصمه برايتون على ملعب “الأنفيلد” في الجولة العاشرة من الدوري الإنجليزي، 2024/25.

وفي الدوري الألماني، يلتقي آينتراخت فرانكفورت بقيادة نجمنا المصري عمر مرموش، مع خصمه بوخوم، في خضم لقاءات الجولة التاسعة على ملعب “دوتش بانك بارك”.

ويلتقي نيس بقيادة نجمنا محمد عبد المنعم مع خصمه بريست، في إطار منافسات الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الفرنسي لهذا الموسم، على ملعب “فرانسيس بليه”.

طالع أيضًا | مدرب باتشوكا المكسيكي: العالم كله يعرف الأهلي.. وأتمنى مواجهته مواعيد مباريات اليوم السبت 2-11-2024 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات الدوري المصري اليوم

الإسماعيلي ضد غزل المحلة، الساعة 6 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 7 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “on time sport”.

الأهلي ضد سيراميكا كليوباترا، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 9 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “on time sport”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي اليوم

نيوكاسيل يونايتد ضد آرسنال، الساعة 2:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 3:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 1”.

بورنموث ضد مانشستر سيتي، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 2”.

إبسويتش تاون ضد ليستر سيتي، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD Xtra 3”.

ليفربول ضد برايتون، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 1”.

نوتينجهام فورست ضد وست هام يونايتد، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD Xtra 1”.

ساوثهامبتون ضد إيفرتون، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD Xtra 2”.

ولفرهامبتون ضد كريستال بالاس، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 8:30 السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 1”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإسباني اليوم

أوساسونا ضد بلد الوليد، الساعة 3 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 4 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 3”.

جيرونا ضد ليجانيس، الساعة 5:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 6:15 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 3”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإيطالي اليوم

بولونيا ضد ليتشي، الساعة 4 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 5 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “AD SPORTS Premium 1”.

أودينيزي ضد يوفنتوس، الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 8 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “AD SPORTS Premium 1”.

مونزا ضد ميلان، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 10:45 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “AD SPORTS Premium 1”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الألماني اليوم

بايرن ميونخ ضد يونيون برلين، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 5:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 5”.

آينتراخت فرانكفورت ضد بوخوم، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 5:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 9”.

هوفنهايم ضد سانت باولي، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 5:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “TOD App – beIN SPORTS”.

فولفسبورج ضد أوجسبورج، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 5:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “TOD App – beIN SPORTS”.

هولشتاين كيل ضد هايدينهايم، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 5:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “TOD App – beIN SPORTS”.

بوروسيا دورتموند ضد لايبزيج، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 8:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 5”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الفرنسي اليوم

باريس سان جيرمان ضد لينس، الساعة 6 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 7 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 4”.

بريست ضد نيس، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 9 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 2”.

سانت إيتيان ضد ستراسبورج، الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 11 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 4”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري السعودي اليوم

الفتح ضد الفيحاء، الساعة 4:35 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 5:35 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “SSC1 HD”.

التعاون ضد الخلود، الساعة 4:55 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 5:55 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “SSC EXTRA 1 HD”.

الاتفاق ضد القادسية، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 9 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “SSC1 HD”.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــــا

Would it be fair to claim that West Ham United would not have enjoyed the riches of the past few years under David Moyes' tutelage had Declan Rice not emerged from the academy?

Sure, Moyes would have been re-appointed back in December 2019. And yes, progress would have been made transfer-wise, stabilising an outfit equipped for success but failing to make it all work, like trying to place various puzzle pieces into the right positions to form a completed picture.

But Rice closed the door on his Irons journey with successive Player of the Season awards in his locker. Oh yes, and the Player of the Season award in the Europa Conference League, having played a talismanic part in securing silverware for his London outfit.

His departure stung, not least because he decided to join cross-city rivals in Arsenal, but it's hard to bewail too loudly, Rice catalysed a midfield and lifted it to glory.

Why West Ham hit the jackpot with Declan Rice

Even the most sanguine West Ham supporters would have resigned themselves to Rice's sale following the completion of the 2022/23 campaign.

No doubt the Hammers bosses canvassed offers of extension at the London Stadium but Rice felt his skill set worthy of a place at the forefront of the European game and thus Arsenal succeeded with a £105m move, making him (briefly) the most expensive footballer in British history.

Such an astronomical recoup makes it hard to argue West Ham didn't succeed with Rice, but his exploits as a United player would have cemented him in the club's hall of modern greats had he left for a pittance, with Jack Wilshere gushing back in 2021 that "physically he's a freak, and technically he can do anything that he wants."

He amassed 245 appearances for West Ham after graduating from the academy and became synonymous with the side's resurgence under Moyes, fuelling the team from the nucleus of the pitch and dazzling with his high-energy, all-embracing midfield approach.

He's the creme-de-la-creme, but West Ham thought they had an even bigger talent on their hands in the early days of Rice's career.

They thought so, but Reece Oxford proved to fall by the wayside on English shores.

Why Reece Oxford failed at West Ham

Oxford was one of the hottest prospects around after making his Premier League debut as a 16-year-old in the 2015/16 Premier League opener against Arsenal, with West Ham securing a stunning victory at the Emirates Stadium.

GK – Adrian

RB – James Tomkins

CB – Winston Reid

CB – Angelo Ogbonna

LB – Aaron Cresswell

DM – Reece Oxford

CM – Mark Noble

CM – Cheikou Kouyate

AM – Dimitri Payet

CF – Mauro Zarate

CF – Diafra Sakho

Speaking of his performance after the match, Irons gaffer Slaven Bilic was bewildered by his young talent, remarking: “The boy has got everything. Everything. Let’s be fair. Ozil, Cazorla, and Ramsey are world-class players. It’s not easy to minimize their game. He’s definitely going to make it if he progresses and keeps his feet on the ground.”

Oxford made six further Premier League appearances that year but has featured only once in the English top-flight since, completing a series of indifferent loan spells with Reading and Borussia Monchengladbach before attracting Augsburg's attention, embarking on a temporary move in 2018/19 before completing a permanent transfer with the German Bundesliga side for around £3m.

The former England U20 international has now amassed 80 appearances for the Fuggerstädter, which evens out at 13.3 features per campaign.

Reece Oxford's market value in 2024

Sadly, injuries and setbacks relating to long Covid have hindered a once-promising career, and while Oxford has enjoyed comparative success in Germany, notably starting 30 Bundesliga matches in 2021/22 as his outfit swerved the clamp of the drop zone, he's played just three times since the start of last season.

As such, the 25-year-old is currently valued at just £2m – according to Football Transfers' player valuation model, actually marking him with a price tag below Ben Johnson, who is valued at £4m.

Johnson plays his part in West Ham's system but he's probably one of Moyes' more expendable cogs, with the 24-year-old full-back starting just four Premier League games all season.

While Oxford's market price never shot up exponentially, he was expected to go to big things, having once actually been considered a bigger talent than Rice.

Indeed, according to a pensive Bilic, the chatter surrounding Oxford after his debut propelled him into a position not just as West Ham's brightest prospect but as one of the Premier League's most exciting prodigies in recent years. He had it all, the world at his feet.

“What helped him was that he was a bit under the radar,” Bilic said. “A couple of years before, when I’d come to West Ham, I couldn’t move around the place without hearing that Reece Oxford was going to be the next big thing.

“Reece made his debut at 16 and we beat Arsenal 2-0, you can imagine the hype. He had an entourage, he got injuries, maybe lost a bit of confidence and focus.

“Dec’s was a different story. He was able to come in without the same expectations. I remember being in Germany on pre-season and walking round the hotel and seeing him with his mum and dad. They’d come over to see him, I had a chat and they didn’t seem the type to want a lot of fuss. Things like that don’t do any harm to a young player.”

It's clear that in those early days, there was such a weight of expectation surrounding Oxford that Rice enjoyed the smoother road, plying his trade astutely and working his way toward the fore.

While West Ham's £3m sale looks to have been a decent deal in hindsight, it all could have been so different, with unthinkable success surely on the cards had Oxford linked with prodigious partner Rice in east London.

At least the club enjoyed the riches of one of these players, but for Oxford, the giddy heights envisaged way back when have petered out.

Barcelona outcast Ansu Fati has picked up a foot injury during pre-season training after returning from a disappointing Brighton loan spell.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ansu gets injured again
• Was out for three months with a hamstring issue
• His Barcelona future is up in the air

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The youngster's career has been marred by several injuries since he burst onto the scene at the age of 16 in 2019 at Camp Nou. A meniscus tear in the knee initially sidelined him for almost a year in 2020, requiring surgery and rehabilitation. And then subsequent hamstring and muscle injuries further hampered Ansu's progress, which led the Catalan club to send him out on loan to Brighton last summer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  During his loan spell at Brighton, Ansu once again got sidelined with another hamstring problem which saw him spend three months on the sidelines. His fitness struggles restricted him from realising his potential in the Premier League and he was able to play just over 1000 minutes during the loan stint. The Spaniard returned to pre-season with renewed vigour to impress new manager Hansi Flick, but an untimely foot injury has once again thwarted his progress.

• WHAT BARCELONA SAID

  Barcelona released an official statement regarding Ansu's latest injury that read: "In Tuesday’s training session, first team player Ansu Fati injured the sole of his right foot. He will follow a conservative treatment plan in Barcelona, and his return to training will be decided by his recovery."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite expressing his desire to stay and succeed with the Catalan giants, the club has reportedly informed Ansu that he does not feature in the plans of Flick. Barcelona are said to be open to selling him this summer which has attracted interest from several clubs, including Fenerbahce, where manager Jose Mourinho is considering a move for the forward as he builds his squad for the upcoming season.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has personally identified a "priority" transfer target for the club this summer.

Postecoglou influence growing at Spurs

Following his arrival from Celtic last summer, Postecoglou's influence has grown both on and off the field as supporters take to his attack-minded, high-pressing brand of football.

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The feel-good factor at Spurs right now is being noticed away from N17, with the club even managing to convince Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall to U-turn on a move to Barcelona in favour of north London.

On the pitch, Tottenham are in firm contention to seal a top four place and subsequent Champions League football after a regrettable final season in charge for ex-manager Antonio Conte – who blasted the very culture of Spurs in a fiery rant to the press this time last year.

Luton Town (home)

March 30th

West Ham (away)

April 2nd

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 8th

Newcastle United (away)

April 13th

Arsenal (home)

April 27th

Postecoglou has drastically transformed the club's fortunes, and there is reason to believe the future could be very positive under the 58-year-old's guidance.

He'll also have a big part to play in Tottenham's future transfers, with technical director Johan Lange and co seeking to back the tactician as efficiently as possible whilst making sure any new arrivals are tailor-made to Postecoglou's system.

One such man, as per widespread reports over the last few months, could be Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.

Spurs have been repeatedly linked with a move for Gallagher since last summer, and his contract situation at Stamford Bridge has apparently alerted club officials to the possibility of doing a deal this year.

He's current terms expire in 2025, giving Chelsea the tough decision to make over whether to sell him for a handsome profit this summer or let him run down his contract if they cannot agree an extension.

According to TEAMtalk this week, a significant development has come to light, as talks over a new deal for Gallagher hit a real snag. Chelsea have apparently told the 24-year-old to lower his £150,000-per-week wage demands, or risk being sold.

This could seriously benefit Tottenham, who are apparently ready to pounce in case they do decide to part company.

Ange keen for Tottenham to sign Gallagher

As per the same source, it is believed Postecoglou is personally keen for Tottenham to jump at the chance to sign Gallagher.

The England international is a personal priority target for the Spurs head coach, but there is also a belief that Chelsea will stick to the midfielder's £50 million valuation, regardless of his current deal expiring next year.

Gallagher has been a star player for Mauricio Pochettino this season, and has been called "underrated" by members of the media for what he brings.

After a rocky start to life in England, Rasmus Hojlund has emerged as a key performer in the Premier League for Manchester United this season.

The 21-year-old marksman has plundered an incredible seven goals and two assists in his last six appearances in the top-flight, after a return of zero goals in his first 14 outings in the division.

United snapped the Denmark international up from Serie A side Atalanta for a reported fee of £72m last summer. That came after the forward racked up nine goals and two assists in 32 league games for the Italian outfit during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Red Devils could now repeat the blinder they appear to have played with Hojlund by returning to the Serie A to sign another number nine this summer.

Latest Manchester United transfer news

According to Tuttosport, the Premier League giants sent scouts to the Italian top-flight last weekend to watch an impressive young striker in action. The report claims that United sent an 'emissary' to watch Bologna star Joshua Zirkzee play against Atalanta away from home, a game in which he scored from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win.

Tuttosport add that fellow English side Arsenal sent their own scouts to watch the Dutch attacker play earlier this season, as both clubs could face competition from each other in a possible summer swoop for his services.

It also states that Bologna value the 22-year-old dynamo at around €60m (£51m). However, it remains to be seen whether or not United or the Gunners are prepared to meet that valuation.

Bayern Munich, who are due 50% of any profit made by Bologna, also have an option to buy him back for €40m (£34m) but the report claims that Zirkzee does not seem to be interested in a return to the German giants.

Joshua Zirkzee's Serie A stats

Like Hojlund last season, the young striker has caught the eye with his impressive performances at the top end of the pitch in the Serie A this term. The former Bayern starlet has showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a centre-forward position, as evidenced by the stats in the table below.

Appearances

26

Expected Goals

8.10

Goals

10

Big chances created

9

Assists

3

Zirkzee has outperformed his xG by almost two goals, which suggests that the forward is effective in front of goal, whilst his teammates have let him down with three goals scored from the nine 'big chances' that he has created.

The right-footed attacker's creativity, as a number nine, has been particularly impressive. He currently ranks within the top 22% of Serie A forwards for Expected Assisted Goals (0.14) per 90, and the top 25% for shot-creating actions (3.14) per 90.

These statistics show that the Bologna star, who was hailed as "unpredictable" by analyst Ben Mattinson, excels as a creator for his teammates as he produced high-quality opportunities for his fellow attackers at an excellent rate.

Coupled with his aforementioned qualities as a finisher, Zirkzee's form in Italy suggests that he could be a superb addition to Erik ten Hag's squad and as Hojlund 2.0, given the whiz could be another fantastic young striker option signed from the Serie A.

وجه مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك ومجلس إدارة الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، الشكر إلى دولة الإمارات، بعد قرار العفو الذي أصدره الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان رئيس دولة الإمارات مساء الثلاثاء عن الثلاثي المحتجز.

وأصدر الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان رئيس دولة الإمارات قرارًا بالعفو عن ثلاثي نادي الزمالك “مصطفى شلبي ونبيل عماد دونجا لاعبا الفريق ومعهما عبد الواحد السيد مدير الكرة بالفريق”، المتهمين في أحداث مباراة بيراميدز في كأس السوبر المصري.

وكان قد تم التحفظ على الثلاثي من قبل الشرطة الإماراتية، للاعتداء على فرد أمن بمباراة بيراميدز، التي حسمها الفارس الأبيض بركلات الترجيح في نصف نهائي كأس السوبر المصري وذلك يوم الأحد الموافق 20 أكتوبر الماضي.

طالع |  رئيس الإمارات يعفو عن ثلاثي الزمالك 

وقال مجلس الزمالك في بيان رسمي له، إنه تلقى بكل التقدير والإجلال الأمر السامي بالعفو عن أعضاء بعثة النادي بدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة.

وتابع الزمالك في بيانه :”يتقدم المجلس باسم الملايين من جموع الشعب المصري بصفة عامة وجماهير النادي بصفة خاصة بأسمى آيات الشكر والعرفان إلى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة قيادة وشعباً برئاسة صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن زايد رئيس الدولة حفظه الله، على تلك المبادرة الكريمة والتي تعكس عمق ومتانة العلاقات التاريخية مع جمهورية مصر العربية برئاسة الرئيس عبدالفتاح السيسي رئيس جمهورية مصر العربية، والشكر موصول ومستحق إلى وزيري الشباب والرياضة وكل القيادات السياسية والأمنية في البلدين الشقيقين وسفير جمهورية مصر العربية بدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة والتي بذلت جهوداً كريمة مشكورة في هذا المقام”.

طالع | تحديد موعد عودة ثلاثي الزمالك المحتجز في الإمارات بعد انتهاء الأزمة

وشدد مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك على أن تلك المبادرة تقدم رسالة للشباب في البلدين ودافعاً نحو إعلاء قيم التسامح والروح الرياضية والمزيد من العمل المشترك.

كما تقدم الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم بخالص الشكر والتقدير لرئيس دولة الإمارات، بعد العفو عن مدير الكرة ولاعبي نادي الزمالك.

وأعرب الاتحاد المصري عن اعتزازه بعمق العلاقات المصرية الإماراتية تحت قيادة الرئيس عبد الفتاح السيسي.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reportedly not ruled out the idea of replacing Erik ten Hag with a "breathtaking" manager at Manchester United this summer, according to a key update.

Man Utd manager latest

Ten Hag has been under pressure throughout this season, with results and performances in the Premier League not good enough, while Champions League elimination came in the group stage.

In fairness to the Dutchman, last weekend's stunning 4-3 win at home to Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals has given him some leeway, but it would still be a surprise if potential successors weren't being looked at should Ratcliffe feel the need to make a big decision in the summer.

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is one potential candidate for the job, with the 44-year-old impressing at the Amex Stadium, getting them into Europe and playing an attractive brand of football along the way. England boss Gareth Southgate has also emerged as a target for the Red Devils, with his relationship with likely new sporting director Dan Ashworth, formerly of the FA, a strong one.

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann remains one of Europe's most highly thought-of young coaches, and he has also been linked with being Ten Hag's replacement at the end of the season. He is expected to leave his current role after Euro 2024 this summer, at which point he could be keen to get another job immediately.

Ratcliffe eyeing "breathtaking" Ten Hag replacement

According to a fresh update from ESPN, Ange Postecoglou could be an option for Manchester United this summer should Ten Hag be sacked.

The Australian only became Tottenham manager last year, but Ratcliffe is reportedly keen to be as "ambitious as possible with his appointments to key positions", and the idea of Postecoglou coming in has "not been ruled out".

The 58-year-old is an intriguing option for United this summer, having impressed greatly in his first season at Spurs, catching the eye with his style of play but also getting his side in a good position to finish in the top four. He won back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic in 2021/22 and 2022/23, showing that he knows how to get over the finish line, and United legend Gary Neville has lauded him, saying:

"What he has done in such a short period of time is quite staggering because he has not only implemented what would be an idea of play, he has put something in place that is breathtaking to watch, that actually is quite complex when you watch it from a football point of view."

Meanwhile, Owen Hargreaves hailed the "beautiful attacking football" that Postecoglou played at Celtic in the past, further showing how highly he is rated by many. He also carries himself with class, which could also appeal to Ratcliffe, and while Spurs are a big club in their own right, the lure of the United job could be huge.

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It remains to be seen if Ten Hag will still be manager at Old Trafford come next season, but Ratcliffe will likely have made his decision already, and a change of boss could make sense after an up-and-down campaign.