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Pep Guardiola says it will be "almost impossible" to replace Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City but stopped short of calling for a U-turn on his exit.

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De Bruyne set to leave Man City"Almost impossible" to replace himGuardiola addresses chances of exit U-turnFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Belgian international announced that this season at City would be his last and that he would run down his contract this summer, something he was not entirely happy with. Some fans have hoped that his recent upturn in performances, including the winner against Wolves on Friday, would make the club change their minds. And while manager Guardiola talked up the 33-year-old, it seems a new deal will not be in the offing.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

He said about De Bruyne on Sky Sports: "Just thank you. His contribution in the game against Crystal Palace when we were 2-0 down and he delivers and today the goal again. I'm happy that it is finishing that way, and we have one more game in the Etihad."

On whether his stay could be extended, he replied: "I want the best for Kevin so it cannot be possible to have done these many years without him. He has been an incredible player but the situation is what it is. It's almost impossible to replace this kind of player. It is not just the performance, it is what he means to the heart for our fans for many, many years. The success we have belongs to the players."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

De Bruyne will go down as City's greatest-ever player and will make it into many all-time Premier League XI's because of what he's done at City over the past decade. But time waits for no man, with the ex-Chelsea player increasingly struggling with injuries, and his consistency is, arguably, not what it was. He is on a huge salary, and as a result, there will be a parting of the ways but there could be one last hurrah this term via the FA Cup.

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

De Bruyne's next City game could be away to already relegated Southampton next Saturday in the Premier League.

Former coach Ravi Shastri had questioned why an India coach would need a break when they get “two-three months” off during the IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2022R Ashwin has defended India head coach Rahul Dravid being given a break from the ongoing tour of New Zealand, highlighting the physical and mental strain that the team has been under since they began building up to the 2022 T20 World Cup.In Dravid’s absence, former India batter and current head of the National Cricket Academy VVS Laxman took charge of a different-looking Indian team that is without regular captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami and Ashwin himself.”I will explain why Laxman has gone there with a completely different team because even that could be interpreted differently,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “Rahul Dravid and his team put in extensive hard work ahead of the T20 World Cup – right from planning. Since I saw this from close quarters, I’m saying this.Related

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“They had specific in-depth plans for each venue and each opposition. So they would have been under not only mental but also physical burnout, and everyone needed a break. As soon as the New Zealand series ends, we have the Bangladesh tour. That’s why we have a different coaching staff led by Laxman for this tour.”India made the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup after winning four out of five group matches, but went down to eventual champions England.Dravid’s immediate predecessor Ravi Shastri had questioned why an India coach would need a break especially when they get “two-three months” off during the IPL.”I do not believe in breaks,” Shastri had said during a press interaction ahead of the first T20I between India and New Zealand in Wellington. “Because I want to understand my team, I want to understand my players and I want to then be in control of that team.”These breaks… what do you need that many breaks for to be honest?. You get your two-three months of the IPL; that’s enough for you to rest as a coach. But other times, I think a coach should be hands on – whoever he is.”Dravid had been rested for a tour of Zimbabwe earlier this year as well. Before that, he and a number of other first-choice players were allowed to focus on a Test match in England while a second-string T20I squad played against Ireland in Dublin. And, this October, while India’s T20 World Cup squad was in Australia, a set of fringe players were involved in an ODI series at home against South Africa. On all these occasions, Laxman had filled in for Dravid.India’s tour of New Zealand consists of three T20Is and three ODIs, the last of which will be held on November 30. Four days later, they will be in Bangladesh, with Dravid likely to be back at the helm, for a series that involves three ODIs and two Tests.

Heading into this away clash in North London, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City had tasted the bitter blow of back-to-back defeats in the Champions League and the Premier League.

But, the reigning top-flight champions got back to winning ways against Ange Postecoglou’s up-and-down Spurs courtesy of an early Erling Haaland strike.

Haaland was the difference-maker on the night, but there were other lively performers that guided the still bruised away side to a much-needed victory.

Man City's best performers vs Spurs

It’s only fair to wax lyrical about Haaland’s clinical display first, with the 24-year-old now up to 20 strikes for the season in the league after this winner.

With only 12 minutes on the clock, the returning Norwegian would confidently place an effort past Guglielmo Vicario, after some terrific work from Jeremy Doku found the lethal finisher ready to pounce.

Doku was another standout performer in the attacking positions with the slick Belgian impressively pulling off four successful dribbles, on top of also committing himself to duels as a livewire on the left with six ground duels bravely won.

Whilst both Doku and Haaland excited the away masses in the forward areas, the travelling contingent packed into Spurs’ home ground would have been relieved with the efforts of Ederson between the sticks, with the Brazilian shot-stopper tallying up six big saves as Postecoglou’s hosts regularly surged forward.

In-front of the City number one, there were also some valiant faces in the back four, with a promising centre-back stealing the limelight when grinding out a win and clean-sheet combo.

Man City have found a new "cheat code"

It’s clear that Guardiola will have to oversee an overhaul this approaching summer if he wants City to be back amongst the league’s elite next season, instead of settling for their current flat mediocrity in fourth position.

Already, bits and pieces have been added to freshen up the machine, however, with the £33.6m purchase of 20-year-old defender Abdukodir Khusanov in January going down mainly as a treat so far.

The former Lens man did look somewhat ropey during his top-flight debut against Chelsea back in late January, but everything will be a learning process still for the 6 foot 1 youngster who will have had his confidence boosted after the Spurs win.

Indeed, at the full-time whistle, his manager hailed his quality on the ball as “outstanding”, with Khusanov slowly but surely becoming undroppable in the Spaniard’s eyes if he keeps these top-drawer displays coming.

Minutes played

90

Touches

56

Goals conceded

0

Accurate passes

41/48 (85%)

Key passes

1

Accurate long balls

3/7

Clearances

4

Interceptions

1

Tackles

2

Total duels won

2/3

Looking at the table above, the performance was an assured one from the 20-year-old constantly growing in confidence, with just seven misplaced passes registered from 48, on top of winning two tackles and two duels to preserve his side’s clean sheet.

Hailed as a “cheat code” by football journalist Lloyd Scragg for the speed at which he’s able to recover, it looks as if the future is very bright for Khusanov at the Etihad as a new dawn looms on the horizon for the Citizens.

Handed a high 8/10 rating at full-time by GIVEMESPORT, the raw defender will hope he just gets better and better as the season progresses, with Guardiola’s men hopeful as well that this win can see them put together a positive patch of form away from their new defensive hero.

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He is the leading Sheffield Shield run-scorer and his ability to take the gloves could work in his favour

AAP07-Dec-2022Peter Handscomb hopes his weight of runs can open the door for an Australian Test recall but concedes selection on the tour to India is largely out of his hands.Handscomb will get one final chance to push his case when he leads a Cricket Australia XI against South Africa, starting in Brisbane on Friday.The 31-year-old will then swap the whites for coloured kit, having signed a late deal to join the Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming BBL season. Handscomb has not featured in the Test arena since being dropped almost four years ago.But the Victoria captain has starred in this summer’s Sheffield Shield, leading all run-scorers with 562 runs at 93.66, and notched a pair of half-centuries for the Prime Minister’s XI against West Indies last month.Related

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“I’m thereabouts…so the conversations [with Test selectors] are promising,” Handscomb told reporters on Tuesday. “But you’ve also got to look at the Test squad as well and there are guys that are in front of me and there are batters doing pretty impressive things.”I can score as many runs as I want but there still needs to be a spot at the next level, and at the moment they’re playing pretty good cricket.”Known for his ability to play spin, the right-hander’s best chance of a recall for the India tour would come if selectors do not back Travis Head to return to the sub-continent after his tough tours of Sri Lanka and Pakistan this year. Handscomb’s versatility as a capable wicketkeeper could also play into his hands.”All you can do as a batter is force your way in through weight of numbers,” Handscomb said. “I pick up the gloves just to make sure that they also know that I’m still available as a back-up ‘keeper, or can take them if need be. That’s also an important skill to have in your bag.”Handscomb joins Renegades after two seasons with the Hobart Hurricanes, which followed a long stint with the Melbourne Stars.A 78-game BBL veteran, Handscomb averages almost 25 with the bat at a strike-rate above 120, having batted everywhere from opener to No. 7 over the last four summers.Handscomb adds further firepower to a strong Renegades batting line-up that features Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, Nic Maddinson and overseas signings Andre Russell and Martin Guptill.”For the last couple of seasons I haven’t been playing my best cricket in the T20 format but that can change pretty quickly,” Handscomb said. “If I get a chance hopefully at some stage this season I’ll be looking to grab it with both hands and do whatever I can to help us win.”

The former USMNT forward highlighted the Argentine's demanding standards and the growing pressure on the star-studded team to deliver results

Gomez points to Messi's frustration when teammates don’t meet his levelsNotes contrast between typically composed demeanor and recent reactionsInter Miami faces Minnesota United next in MLSGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Despite Inter Miami’s recent 4-1 win over the New York Red Bulls, their Argentine superstar Lionel Messi didn't appear to be happy at the end of the game. That was showcased by his storm off the field after the final whistle, and Herculez Gomez believes it’s because he’s frustrated with his teammates. The former USMNT and MLS star asserted that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner expects a certain standard from his teammates and is now expressing his frustration when he doesn’t get it.

“Messi is on the field, and I was talking about this when you are watching the game, away from the TV, at the stadium, you can see the movement off the ball, on the ball,” Gomez said on . “But you can also see the lack of (movements), and you can also see the lack of understanding, and you can also see the frustration. Messi is by far the best player on the field, and that is evident. What is also evident is the urgency in which Messi desperately needs more help."

He added, “Messi gets the ball, he plays it, and he already understands who he can play it to, and he’ll run off that and his run, or the pace of that run, will be determined by who he gives it to. If he gives it to one of the 'Messi’s friends,' Alba, Busquets, or Luis Suarez, he knows that there’s the capacity to return that play to him, and there’s a little more effort and purpose to the run. And oftentimes when he gives it to another player, he waits cause he knows that’s probably not going to get there."

AdvertisementIMAGNWHAT HERCULEZ GOMEZ SAID

The ESPN analyst also added that there’s a visible frustration that’s now evident whenever Messi does things second nature and his teammates struggle to respond in like.

“He tries to play a pass, a quick one-two to Fafa Picault, and Fafa Picault gets it stuck between his feet, and you can see Messi just frustrated," Gomez explained. "There’s a certain not frustration but fed up, he’s annoyed with how things are going. I don’t think he quite expected this heading into Inter Miami, and the recent failures are being magnified."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Inter Miami have endured a tough couple of weeks as they were knocked out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup after a comprehensive 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Not only that, they also lost 4-3 to FC Dallas, which saw the club lose not once but thrice in the space of a week. It marked the first three losses for Inter Miami this season, although they bounced back with a 4-1 win over the New York Red Bulls on May 3.

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Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

Following their victory over the Red Bulls, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami sit fourth on the Eastern Conference table with 21 points after 10 league games. They are only three points behind the league leaders in the Columbus Crew and face Minnesota United next on May 9, which is then followed by another away game against the San Jose Earthquakes on May 14.

The left-arm quick’s landmark wicket came before lunch on the second day at the Gabba

Andrew McGlashan18-Dec-2022Mitchell Starc became the seventh Australian to claim 300 Test wickets when he removed Rassie van der Dussen on the second day at the Gabba with a trademark inswinger which demolished the stumps.Having been poised on 299 after South Africa’s first innings, Starc produced a magnificent ball which swung back into van der Dussen shortly before lunch, zipping through a huge gap between bat and pad.”It was nice to pull a nice ball out,” Starc said. I said to Patty [Cummins] I felt like I could get him that way, the way he’s set up. I’ll definitely take that as a nice ball to bring it up with. It’s something to be proud of. It’s something I will reflect on later. Just really pleased to have a good Test match win.”The landmark came on the ground where Starc had made his Test debut, against New Zealand in 2011, and claimed Brendon McCullum as his first wicket.Related

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“I’m not sure I’d get one wicket let alone 300,” Starc had said in the lead-up to the Test. “It’s been an interesting but very enjoyable journey. Hopefully there’s a bit more left in it.”He had entered the game on 296 scalps and despite a somewhat indifferent start in the first innings he soon added to his tally when Dean Elgar gloved down the leg side.He then ended South Africa’s recovery, which came through a fifth-wicket stand of 98, when Temba Bavuma got a thin inside edge into his stumps against a delivery that shaped back nicely. No. 299 came when Keshav Maharaj sent an edge low to second slip.The landmark moment was delayed, however, when Travis Head spilled a sharp chance at short leg from Kagiso Rabada then he was withdrawn from the attack before the innings ended. “Trav was the first one to run in and say you’d rather take it like that than him catching it,” Starc joked after the 300th.Starc joined Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Nathan Lyon, Dennis Lillee, Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee on 300 Test wickets. He has comfortably the best strike-rate among that list at 49.5.”You can talk about strike rate, average, all those things,” Cummins said. “[But] the longevity you’ve got to have to get 300 as a fast bowler, the injuries you’ve got to overcome…you’ve seen it all by the time you get 300. Personally I’ve seen him a lot mending scars and bruises and blisters in the change room. You see the toil behind the wickets and performances. It puts him right in the upper echelon of great Aussie bowlers. Now he’s nipping the ball a bit more. I reckon his next 300 will come pretty quickly.”Starc’s 100th wicket came against Sri Lanka in 2016 when he claimed Kusal Perera and his 200th against the same opponents, and also at the Gabba, when he removed Suranga Lakmal in 2019.With Starc reaching 300 wickets he means Australia now have two with at least that many – Nathan Lyon is well ahead on xx – while Pat Cummins also has over 200. In the first Test against West Indies last month, Australia became the first side in history to have four bowlers with at least 200 wickets play together. Of that quartets, Josh Hazlewood has been injured for the last two matches.

Chelsea returned to winning ways last night, ending their run of three straight defeats, beating Southampton 4-0 at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

The victory takes the Blues back up to fourth, taking advantage of Bournemouth’s defeat, sitting two points clear of defending champions Manchester City.

Goals from Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, Pedro Neto and Christopher Nkunku secured the win for Enzo Maresca’s men, ending their drought in convincing fashion.

The last few weeks have seen the club’s top four ambitions take a hit, but the victory in West London could allow for a mini-revival as the season edges towards its conclusion.

However, despite the huge win, numerous players failed to make a positive impression at the Bridge, putting their position in the starting eleven at risk over the next few matches.

Chelsea’s poor performers against Southampton

Cole Palmer has for so long been the star man for Chelsea, often being the man to get the side out of trouble – as seen by his tally of 20 combined goals and assists in the Premier League this campaign.

However, despite his impressive tallies, he’s been unable to register a single goal contribution in any of the last six league outings, struggling to match his early-season form.

The 22-year-old missed two big chances during the triumph, registering seven shots on goal, but was unable to find the back of the net with any of his efforts – showcasing his wasteful nature in the final third.

Moises Caicedo has been the go-to man at the base of the midfield during Maresca’s reign at the Bridge, but last night was an abnormally quiet showing from the Ecuadorian.

He failed to win any of the two tackles he entered, winning just 40% of his duels before receiving a booking for the ninth time in the league – just one away from a two-game suspension.

Despite the outings of the two aforementioned players, one other Blues talent was unable to impress, leading to criticism over his showings as a result.

The Chelsea player who needs to be benched by Maresca

Winger Jadon Sancho impressed during the first few weeks of his spell as a Chelsea player, registering an assist off the bench against Bournemouth – in what was his debut for the club.

However, over the last couple of weeks, he’s found form hard to come by in attacking areas, falling to register a single goal or assist in any of his last nine outings across all competitions.

Despite his struggles, Maresca opted with the 24-year-old for the clash against the Saints, but was unable to end his run, being withdrawn in the 68th minute as a result of his lack of impact.

The winger created two chances during the win, but was unable to register a single effort on goal, unable to shine against the side occupying the bottom of the table – an indication as to his recent decline in form.

Sancho, who was dubbed “horrendous” by one content creator, also only completed 50% of his attempted dribbles, also failing to find his teammates with any of his crosses.

Minutes played

68

Touches

43

Chances created

2

Shots taken

0

Dribbles completed

1/2 (50%)

Crosses completed

0/1 (0%)

Possession lost

7x

To make matters worse for the Manchester United loanee, he was replaced by youngster Tyrique George, with the teenager registering an assist for Cucurella’s strike in the closing stages.

As a result of his showing, Sancho was handed a 7/10 match rating by Football London journalist Bobby Vincent, the joint-lowest of any player who started the encounter.

Given his showing, Maresca should consider dropping the £100k-per-week earner, putting faith in the likes of George, with the youngster the future of the football club.

It’s sad to see his lack of form given his start to life at the Bridge, with the Italian needing to take him out of the firing line, making him work for a starting role after his lack of tangible impact.

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The Blaugrana were seconds from advancing to the final at San Siro, only to come undone in one of the most dramatic European games ever

Modern football can be tough going at times. A nauseating combination of financial inequality, ever-expanding tournaments, farcical fixture lists, spiralling TV subscription fees, conspiracy theorists, endless VAR-related delays, relentless time-wasting, incessant simulation, blatant sports-washing and embarrassingly ineffective attempts to rid the sport of racism are sucking nearly all of the joy out of the game. But not at all of it.

Because sometimes there's a game that makes all of the misery worthwhile. Sometimes there's a game that reminds you why you fell in love with football in the first place. Sometimes there's a game that you just never want to end. On Tuesday at San Siro, we got to witness such a game.

Below, GOAL brings you all of the winners from Inter's football-affirming 4-3 victory over Barcelona in the second leg of the greatest semi-final tie in Champions League history…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Denzel Dumfries

Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Pedri, Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram, Nicolo Barella… There were so many world-class performers involved in this semi-final for the ages. So, how on earth did Denzel Dumfries end up being the star of the show?!

Remember, the Dutchman had only just made his return from injury as a substitute in Inter's loss to Roma four days before the first leg – and yet he proved a one-man wrecking ball in Catalunya, creating the opening goal for Thuram inside 60 seconds before scoring a stunning scissors-kick and then a towering header.

In Milan, meanwhile, he sprung Barca's offside trap to tee up Lautaro for a tap-in before somehow summoning up the energy for one more foray down the right flank to pull the ball back for Acerbi to draw Inter level in the third minute of injury time. Perhaps even more remarkably, Dumfries continued battling for a further 18 minutes in extra time before finally succumbing to exhaustion.

"I've just come back from injury, so it was not easy," the wing-back admitted to . "But I just wanted to help the team." Dumfries did more than that, though. He propelled his team into the final – and became an Inter icon in the process.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Raphinha & Yamal's Ballon d'Or bids

Like it or not, the race for this year's Ballon d'Or has become a much-discussed subplot during the Champions League semi-finals, with plenty of pundits championing Yamal's cause after his extraordinary performance against Inter at Montjuic.

The teenager was a constant threat on Tuesday, too – he completed a staggering 14 dribbles at San Siro – but could find no way past Yann Sommer this time around, while he only created one chance in 120 minutes.Raphinha, meanwhile, scored what looked like the winner, but was otherwise subdued.

Barcelona's elimination means that the path is now clear for Ousmane Dembele to boost his Ballon d'Or bid by leading Paris Saint-Germain past Arsenal at Parc des Princes on Wednesday, after netting the only goal of last week's first leg at the Emirates.

Of course, were the Gunners to progress, Mohamed Salah's name might even be brought back into the conversation, given his record-breaking exploits in the Premier League would give him an outside shot of victory if he were going up against rivals without a Champions League medal around their necks.

Much, then, will depend on whether Dembele's PSG reach the final, but let's not overlook the fact that Inter have just booked their ticket to Munich, meaning their talismanic captain Lautaro suddenly has a surprise shot at lifting the European Cup – and maybe the Ballon d'Or too…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Simone Inzaghi

There should be no underestimating the scale of the crisis Simone Inzaghi was facing going into last week's first leg at Montjuic. For the first time in 13 years, Inter had lost three games in a row in all competitions without scoring a single goal, resulting in them being replaced at the summit of Serie A by Napoli and dumped out of the Coppa Italia by city rivals AC Milan.

Few pundits gave them any chance of beating a brilliant Barcelona side over two legs – especially with Thuram and Dumfries having only just returned from injury, and several key men looking utterly exhausted. However, Inzaghi somehow managed to summon two extraordinary performances out of his over-stretched and over-matched squad.

Inter inevitably struggled to contain the Lionel Messi-like Yamal for long periods of the tie, but they never capitulated in the face of almost relentless pressure – and, far more importantly, figured out a way to repeatedly breach Barca's high line.

For both feats, Inzaghi and his players deserve the kind of gushing praise that the 2023 finalists have been inexplicably denied for far too long.

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AFPWINNER: Yann Sommer

Beppe Marotta really is the master of the transfer market. In the summer of 2022, he picked up Andre Onana on a free transfer from Ajax. The following year, he sold him to Manchester United for £47 million ($57m). Even better, Marotta paid just €6m (£5.1m/$6.5m) for Onana's replacement, Sommer, who has proven the most incredible upgrade on the Old Trafford flop.

The Swiss was by no means flawless against Barcelona. Perfectionist that he is, Sommer will no doubt be disappointed with the way in which he parried Raphinha's late strike right back to the Brazilian, rather than pushing it away to safety. But it's fair to say that the ex-Bayern Munich man more than made amends for his one mistake.

Having already made one extraordinary point-black range save to deny Eric Garcia an equaliser during the second half of normal time, Sommer produced an even better effort in extra time to keep out Yamal's goal-bound shott with his fingertips.

There wasn't a person in the ground that thought the teenager's strike was going to end up anywhere but the top corner of the Inter net, so when the ball flew wide it drew an audible gasp of disbelief from Beppe Bergomi on before the Inter icon roared: "He saved it! Sommer saved it!"

It really was a special stop. And absolutely crucial too. Indeed, it immediately evoked memories of Julio Cesar's equally important save from Messi at Camp Nou when Inter last faced Barca in a Champions League semi-final all the way back in 2010.

France boss Didier Deschamps says no team has been able to "find a solution" to stop Lamine Yamal ahead of their Nations League clash with Spain.

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France face Spain in Nations LeagueDeschamps praises Barcelona's YamalSays nobody has found a solution to himFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ahead of France's Nations League semi-final with Euro 2024 champions Spain, Les Bleus manager Deschamps has spoken about how it is nigh on impossible to stop Barcelona star Yamal. He admits that his French team will need to contain the 17-year-old as much as possible if they are to win this match.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT DESCHAMPS SAID

He said, via Relevo: "I haven't seen a team that has truly found a solution to stop Yamal. Spain is the best team in Europe and perhaps the best in the world."

Deschamps added that the idea was to "limit the influence" of the teenager.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Not only is Yamal the best young player in the world, he may be the best footballer on the planet – even before he turns 18. If France are to progress to the Nations League final next month, they will need to keep the Barca ace in check.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Yamal is likely to line up for Spain against France in this Nations League semi-final on June 5, with the final against either Germany or Portugal taking place three days later.

With Alexander Isak’s future in doubt, Newcastle United have reportedly made contact with an 18-goal striker who could realise his Premier League dream courtesy of the Magpies this summer.

Newcastle transfer news

Despite reportedly slapping a hefty £150m price tag on their star man, the rumours are still coming thick and fast surrounding Isak’s future amid interest from the likes of Liverpool.

As they continue to struggle in pursuit of Champions League football, keeping hold of one of Europe’s most wanted strikers will undoubtedly become more difficult too, perhaps handing Newcastle a long summer transfer window.

That said, what Isak’s big-money exit would finally do is free up some funds for Newcastle to spend. Eddie Howe has been forced to cope without significant arrivals in the last two windows due to PSR constraints. One major sale would quickly unleash PIF’s spending power, however.

Once unleashed, those in Tyneside could reportedly turn towards the likes of Tammy Abraham as they aim to add depth to Howe’s frontline, even if Isak stays put this summer. Meanwhile, if he does depart, Abraham may not be the only forward to arrive.

According to Sky Sports’ Sacho Tavolieri, Newcastle are now in contact with Hugo Ekitike over a summer move from Eintracht Frankfurt in what would see the Frenchman realise his Premier League dream and potentially replace Isak.

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Newcastle are, of course, long-term admirers of the forward having almost landed his signature before he decided to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2022. In the end, it was a decision that the forward would live to regret after struggling for game time in the French capital and moving on to Frankfurt, where he has since found his best form – scoring 18 goals in all competitions.

Now, with the Magpies calling for a second time, Ekitike could have a decision to make – especially if Isak moves on from St James’ Park this summer.

"Superb" Ekitike is ready for the Premier League

When Ekitike ultimately failed at PSG, the jury was still out on his potential. But what was PSG’s trash has since become Frankfurt’s treasure which they could choose to cash in on this summer. Still just 22 years old, the forward is among a select few candidates who have managed to stay within distance of Isak on the goals front this season.

Starts

22

25

Goals

13

19

Assists

3

5

Expected Goals

14.8

13.9

The stats suggest that there’s even greater potential for Ekitike’s numbers to get even better, given that he’s underperformed his expected goals by almost two, whilst Isak has remained as clinical as ever.

Dubbed “simply superb” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Ekitike is finally back to his best and more than ready to realise his Premier League dream. And whilst there may be some steps that need to take place before Newcastle make their move, he should be top of their wishlist if Isak does depart.

The Premier League has already seen Omar Marmoush make his mark in England. Now, his former Frankfurt strike partner could emerge to leave a mark of his own.