Millie Bright hailed Chelsea's pre-season tour to the United States as "trip to remember" after a perfect end with a derby win over Arsenal.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
GOAL caught up with the American defender to discuss a summer full of change and what comes next
This summer was a turning point in U.S. international Mark McKenzie's career. There is so much changing for the 25-year-old right now, for club, for country and in life.
On the club side, McKenzie recently made his debut for Toulouse, having made the big move to Ligue 1 this summer. The centerback accomplished all he could with Genk in Belgium and, heading into the summer, he knew it was time for a step up. After a busy transfer window, that came this month, and just days later, he found himself starting in Ligue 1 – a 1-1 draw against Nice. It was a big step and a quick one.
Internationally, though, the U.S. men's national team defender is also reckoning with a bittersweet summer. He was called into the Copa America for one of the biggest moments of his career, but could only watch on as the USMNT crashed out. After not playing at the tournament this summer, McKenzie is one player that can benefit from a fresh start and a clean slate, and, with Mauricio Pochettino reportedly incoming as manager, that's starting now.
With less than two years remaining until the World Cup, McKenzie's vision board is put together. He wants to be there when the USMNT is one of the hosts of the world's biggest sporting event and he wants to make his mark, too. How does he get there? Well, that's what this summer was about: taking that first step towards proving himself and kicking down that door.
In the Wednesday Convo, a weekly Q&A with central figures in the American soccer scene, GOAL caught up with McKenzie to talk about his big transfer, his new life off the field and his USMNT hopes…
Would it be an overreaction to call Liverpool's 2-0 defeat against Everton a watershed moment? Perhaps it would. The damage, if we are brutally honest with ourselves, was already done. Liverpool's Premier League title hopes hinged on overpowering, fanciful belief.
Belief that Jürgen Klopp's inborn magic, his creativity and his charisma, would prevail despite the glaring, booming issues that a 3-1 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage did not get rid of.
Once upon a time, Liverpool supporters came close to a European quadruple under Klopp's guidance, only to end up with 'just' the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. Once again, this year, a quadruple looked improbably attainable for this still-under-reconstruction Anfield side.
But triumph in the 2024 Carabao Cup masqueraded over a sense of overachievement that, for so long, looked fixed in place, set to stay, right up until the farewell parade, the final send-off to wave goodbye to the man who lifted an outfit of doubters and turned them into believers.
But all good things, as the proverb puts it, come to an end and Klopp's tenure is no different. The search for a successor has already proved to be a winding and frustrating road but Liverpool do now seem to be honing in on an heir.
Frontrunner: Xabi Alonso became Ruben Amorim became Arne Slot. Slot, manager of Feyenoord, finally seems to be the man that Liverpool have chosen to anoint in Klopp's place and continue the journey that has lifted Anfield to silver skies.
Liverpool will be back among Europe's elite next season after finishing fifth in the Premier League last year but it is clear that summer recruitment needs to be emphatic if the club are to keep up with juggernauts Arsenal and Manchester City, who have always felt a bit more slick, stylish and assured in their respective places in this thrilling three-horse race.
But that's no disservice to the masterful job that Klopp has done in lifting his squad to such heights, having made sweeping changes to his all-important midfield last summer. Liverpool are still a team in transition, and now the reins are handed over.
Slot's expansive brand of football, emphasis on developing younger players and first-rate man-management skills make him the perfect figure to lead from the dugout next season.
He might even have the tools to bring struggling stars back from the rubble – could one such star be Darwin Nunez?
Mohamed Salah is out of contract at the end of the 2024/25 campaign and was the subject of a £150m approach from Al-Ittihad last summer. Nearly 32, it's going to be one to keep an eye on during the off-season.
And while he's erratic and wasteful, Darwin Nunez is unlikely to follow the Egyptian out of the door; even though his arrival was Klopp's preference, and not that of the recruitment team, the club-record signing probably won't be moved on after just two years, what with Salah more probable to depart, Diogo Jota injury prone and Luis Diaz lacking a clinical edge, electric he may be.
And still, for all his faults, the 24-year-old Uruguayan has posted 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions this season. He's got the trappings of a world-class star.
Nunez's poor finishing is a matter of temperament, not technical quality, as mused by analyst Raj Chohan, and under Slot, the role of centre-forward at Anfield could shift and realign with added impetus, Klopp's brand at an end.
Coveted Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez scored 23 times last year and has clinched 24 goals this season. It might just be worth keeping this enigmatic ace on Merseyside for a little longer…
The same can be said for Dominik Szoboszlai, who has not been at the top of his game recently but undoubtedly boasts top-class ability.
Liverpool signed Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig last summer after meeting his £60m release clause, adding the talented attacking midfielder to the ranks following performances in Germany that had led journalist Marcel Moeller to call him a "generational talent".
And what a start to life in the Premier League, with fierce ranged strikes, elite athletic energy and undeniable spark and swagger suggesting that Klopp had his midfield general for years to come.
Injuries and a spiral in form have changed the mood significantly around the Hungary international, who has been criticised for his "stinker" efforts in recent weeks by reporter Lewis Steele.
Against Everton, the 23-year-old was branded with a lowly 3/10 match rating by The Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle, who wrote: 'One forceful run into the box aside, the midfielder suffered a shocker of a first half and didn’t improve much after that. Subbed.'
But across the duration of the campaign, Szoboszlai has shown glimpses, quite a few, of the things still to come, and Slot could prove to unleash the £120k-per-week star in a refreshed and restored position.
|
Dominik Szoboszlai: PL Stats 23/24 |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat |
# |
|
Matches played |
29 |
|
Matches started |
25 |
|
Goals |
3 |
|
Assists |
2 |
|
Pass completion |
87% |
|
Touches per game |
63.7 |
|
Shots per game |
1.9 |
|
Key passes per game |
1.8 |
|
Ball recoveries per game |
5.8 |
|
Tackles per game |
1.1 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 9% for blocks per 90, showcasing his forward-surging qualities as a No. 10.
Slot is an advocate of high-intensity offensive football, like Klopp in that regard, but with an added emphasis on a central attacking midfielder, Liverpool's record signing of 2023 could finally return to his favoured position, protected by the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo from deep.
There is a special skill set in there, lasting but latent quality that needs channelling and unleashing in a manner that better fits Szoboszlai's style.
Let's not throw in the towel with this one just yet. Liverpool may yet come to bask in the full scale of Szoboszlai's brilliance.
Liverpool must replace 3/10 flop who just ruined Klopp's farewell
Jamie Carragher singled this struggling star out for criticism after a dreadful, title-crashing display at Goodison Park.
By
Angus Sinclair
Apr 25, 2024
The PFA have announced the Championship, League One and League Two Teams of the Year.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
There are plenty of things up in the air with Liverpool Football Club ahead of the 2024/25 season. Manager Jurgen Klopp is set to leave the club, and they are yet to find a replacement, although Sporting manager Ruben Amorim is the man linked with the role.
Of course, this throws into question the number of new signings whom Amorim or any other candidates would both want and need to tailor the squad to their style of play.
The future of key player Mohamed Salah is not 100% certain yet, either. Whilst fans will surely hope their talisman stays another year at Anfield, there are strong rumours that the Egyptian could follow suit with Klopp and depart the club at the end of the season.
If the Premier League legend does leave Liverpool next summer, it of course means the Reds will need a replacement, and it would likely have to be a marquee player to fill the very big void left by Salah in his potential departure.
According to reports in Spain, via Football Transfers, the man linked with a move to Anfield in the event of Salah’s departure is one of the world’s deadliest wingers, Vinicius Junior.
The Real Madrid man is said to be of major interest to Liverpool when Kylian Mbappe inevitably joins Los Blancos this summer, thus becoming their key man ahead of Vini.
The fee quoted to Liverpool is huge and would be both a club record and a Premier League record. Darwin Nunez’s £85m move to Liverpool from Benfica in 2022 is the current Liverpool record, with Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo the Premier League’s record transfer, when he cost the Blues £115m last summer from Brighton.
Liverpool would need to pay a huge £171m fee to Real Madrid should they wish to acquire the services of Vini ahead of next season, but they might recoup a lot of that from the sale of Salah.
According to reports, Saudi club Al Ittihad made a bid of at least £80m for the Egypt captain last summer and could make a similar offer this time around.
There is no doubt Vini is one of the best players in the world, a sentiment which Sadio Mane agrees with. The former Liverpool man even believes Vini is one day capable of winning a Ballon d'Or.
The Brazilian has scored 18 goals and registered eight assists for Real Madrid this season in all competitions. Salah, however, has outdone him in terms of goal involvements. The 31-year-old has netted 23 goals and has 13 assists to his name, a remarkable return.
The pair are not very similar players stylistically. Vini is a superb ball carrier, using his pace to get in behind opposition defences and driving at defenders in one-on-one scenarios. In contrast, Salah is less of an explosive dribbler, thriving more in combination play and operating mainly in the final third.
The numbers suggest this estimation is correct. According to Fbref, Vini is one of the world’s best dribblers. Per 90 minutes, he averages 6.31 progressive carries which places him in the top 3% of positionally similar players in Europe, 4.41 carries into the penalty area, which puts him in the top 1% and 3.44 carries into the final third, which ranks him in the top 12%.
In comparison per 90 minutes, Salah completes 3.85 progressive carries, placing him in the 59th percentile, 2.26 carries into the final third, which puts him in the 51st percentile, and 2.65 carries into the penalty box, which ranks him in the best 8%, according to Fbref. The difference between each player with the ball at their feet is clear to see.
Where Salah excels over Vini is with his progressive passing. As per Fbref, the Eygpt international sits inside the best 4% of wingers for passes into the penalty area, with 2.6 per 90 minutes, and in the 81st percentile for progressive passes, with 5.47 per 90 minutes.
In comparison, Vini makes 1.09 passes into the penalty area per 90 minutes, ranking him in the 25th percentile, and 2.67 progressive passes per 90 minutes, placing the Brazilian in the 80th percentile. The comparison is stark.
There is no doubt that, whilst different, both players are elite wingers. Should Liverpool move for Vini in the event of Salah’s departure, it would be interesting to see how he fits in, given he is a better dribbler than Salah, but less creative in the final third.
Should the Reds sign the Madrid superstar, they will certainly be bringing in one of the best players in the world. It would be exciting to see such a talented player in the Premier League, and fascinating to how he would fill the boots of Salah.
Wolves have made their first move to sign a new player ahead of a number of Premier League rivals, according to a new report.
Those at Molineux and Gary O‘Neil may well be looking ahead to the 2024/25 season, with the club’s push for European football this season now faltering.
Tuesday evening’s 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Burnley has seen Wolves drop points in three of their last four fixtures, with a potential battle now on for a top-half finish.
O’Neil once again vented his frustrations at the club’s business in the January transfer window following the point at Turf Moor.
There have been transfer targets mentioned ahead of the summer, especially in attack. Wolves are expected to sign teenage forward Stephano Carrillo from Mexican side Santos Laguna and they are also readying an offer to sign Eddie Nketiah from Arsenal ahead of Brentford and Crystal Palace.
The Old Gold are also in pole position to sign Southampton striker Che Adams, but there could also be additions at the back going off a new update.
According to reports in Spain in the last 48 hours, relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves have made contact to sign UD Las Palmas goalkeeper Alvaro Valles.
The 26-year-old has been linked with rivals Aston Villa, as well as Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, but it is Wolves who have made first contacts over a potential deal.
Valles, who was previously on the books with Real Betis, has been with Las Palmas since 2018 and has been a regular in recent years.
In fact, the shot-stopper helped Las Palmas win promotion to La Liga with 19 clean sheets in 34 appearances, and he has also impressed in the Spanish top flight.
|
Alvaro Valles best performances 2023/24 |
WhoScored rating |
|---|---|
|
Athletic Club 1-0 Las Palmas |
8.37/10 |
|
Sevilla 1-0 Las Palmas |
8.04/10 |
|
Real Madrid 2-0 Las Palmas |
7.95/10 |
|
Deportivo Alaves 0-1 Las Palmas |
7.72/10 |
|
Las Palmas 1-0 Getafe |
7.63/10 |
For example, his Transfermarkt valuation stood at just €1m less than 12 months ago, but that figure has now rocketed to a career-high €15m. Valles also recently spoke about the possibility of being called up by Spain ahead of Euro 2024 following his eye-catching displays.
“I’m not aware of anything. I’m focused on the collective success of the team. We all want to finish as high as possible in the standings, to make history. Individual awards, if they come, are welcome. But the main thing for me is the collective. Praise can be debilitating, that’s why I always keep my feet on the ground.”
A move to Molineux this summer looks like it could be one to watch, with Valles potentially the long-term successor to Jose Sa.
Manchester United have reportedly held initial talks with Youssouf Fofana as they seek a midfield signing this summer.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
With the Scottish Premiership title race on a knife edge, Celtic have turned their attention towards summer reinforcements during the international break, with a second attempt to sign a long-term target.
For some time, it looked as though Celtic were on course to comfortably win the Scottish Premiership once again, but the arrival of Philippe Clement has swung the tide in Rangers' favour ever since. Now, Celtic sit just one point clear at the top, having played one game more than Rangers, who have fate in their own hands after an incredible comeback.
Celtic "powerhouse" out on loan could be Rodgers' new Ndidi
The Hoops loanee has caught the eye with his impressive performances this season.
By
Dan Emery
Mar 20, 2024
Hoping to avoid such a tightly-contested race next season, the rumour mill has already started regarding potential additions at Celtic Park. Reports have already linked the Bhoys with a replacement for the retiring Joe Hart in the form of RKC Waalwijk goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen and the number one spot may well be the focus this summer.
Away from incomings, meanwhile, reports have suggested that Brendan Rodgers is on "borrowed time" and the Celtic boss and could yet find himself out of a job come next season following a disappointing return to Celtic Park.
That said, with or without Rodgers, the Scottish giants are seemingly eyeing a move to finally land a long-term target. According to TeamTalk, Celtic are eyeing a second attempt to sign Hugo Bueno from Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer after they saw their loan offer for the left-back turned down in January. A move this time around is "possible" after Wolves opted to maintain their squad depth during the winter window.
Bueno was reportedly open to the challenge of playing in Scotland and given that he is still keen to gain consistent first-team minutes, a move to Celtic Park could go through in the coming months. With Spanish and French clubs to contend against though, Celtic will need to act swiftly if they are to finally sign Bueno.
Currently stuck behind Rayan Ait Nouri in the pecking order at Wolves, Bueno needs Celtic as much as they need him to strengthen the left-back spot alongside Greg Taylor.
That said, given that he's been at Wolves since he was 16-years-old, a permanent deal may be a difficult one to negotiate, perhaps making a loan deal the most viable option this summer.
If on loan in Scotland, those in the Midlands will be watching on hoping to see the left-back make strides towards his best, including Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs, who told the club's official website: "Since joining us as a 16-year-old number 10, the work that Hugo and the coaches have put into changing his position, and the acceptance he had of doing that, shows what a good pro he is. To be able to get his head around a new position and develop at the rate he has was incredible.
“Hugo’s one of the huge success stories of the club. Bringing him in from a grassroots team in Spain when he was just 16, and he’s now 21, playing in the Premier League and being a regular Premier League player, it’s testament to everyone involved.”
Aston Villa could well be nearing a notable summer setback, following an update on the future of assistant coach Michael Beale.
As per the Telegraph’s John Percy, the Englishman is close to leaving his post at Villa Park, with Championship side Queens Park Rangers said to be keen on appointing the 41-year-old as their new manager.
Having previously reported that Beale was a potential candidate for the Loftus Road outfit, the respected journalist has now taken to Twitter to reveal that an agreement is now imminent: “QPR are close to appointing Michael Beale as manager. Beale is very keen to become a No 1 and AVFC have known there was always a chance of this happening since appointing Steven Gerrard.”
The west Londoners have been searching for a new permanent appointment following the departure of former Brentford boss Mark Warburton at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, after three seasons at the helm.
After the highs of Villa’s early summer transfer business, this latest news will no doubt bring manager Steven Gerrard crashing back down to earth, with the Liverpool legend set to lose his trusty right-hand man in the coming days or weeks.
Formerly a part of the youth set-up with the Merseysiders, Beale was plucked by Gerrard following the latter man’s appointment as Rangers boss in the summer of 2018, with the duo going on to help guide the Old Firm outfit to a first league title in ten years in 2021.
The highly-rated coach then linked up with the former England captain again in the Midlands following Dean Smith’s sacking in November, with the expectation seemingly having been that he would remain a key part of the coaching set-up moving forward.
As it is, the Villans’ number two is now set for pastures new, leaving behind a notable void that will have to be swiftly filled before the Premier League resumes in early August.
For those on the outside looking in, it may not be too great a setback to lose an assistant coach, although Gerrard is acutely aware of the impact that his colleague has on the training pitch, previously stating of his compatriot that: “It would take me 15 to 20 years to become as good as Michael Beale as an on-pitch coach, delivering sessions on a daily basis, so I let Mick be Mick because he’s the expert.
“What I’ll never do is try to do someone else’s job when they are better than me at doing it. A lot of people won’t have a clue what Michael Beale does on the training pitch, but what he does is really quite special.”
Dubbed a “genius” by former Gers striker Jermain Defoe, Beale has also been credited as the “brains” behind the operation in Gerrard’s coaching staff, according to Northern Ireland international Kyle Lafferty.
That glowing praise highlights just what a loss the Bromley-born gem will be to his current employers, with the Villa boss, in particular, set to be impacted the most by a man who has been integral to the early success of his managerial career.
Gerrard may be getting the backing at boardroom level in terms of transfers, yet he will be enraged by potentially losing such a dressing room and training ground asset.
IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior
Everton will travel to London to take on Arsenal in their final game of the season after securing safety in the Premier League for next season following a victory over Crystal Palace earlier this week.
Frank Lampard will be relieved and feel that a weight has been lifted going into the game at the Emirates this afternoon, and it will be the first game that the Toffees boss will manage that doesn’t have detrimental repercussions if the side fails to take all three points.
With that being said, Lampard could make some drastic changes in his team to give players who have been rarely seen the golden opportunity to put their mark on the final Premier League game, and Anwar El Ghazi should be unleashed in the starting line-up against Mikel Arteta’s side.
The Aston Villa loanee made a six-month move to Merseyside in January when Rafa Benitez was still the Everton manager, but since his signing the management team has changed with Lampard appointed on Deadline Day, leaving El Ghazi as the forgotten man in the squad.
The £38k-per-week ace who was hailed “unstoppable” by former Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton, has only been given 11 minutes of football at Goodison Park over the last five months but has proven back at his parent club that he has the quality to positively affect the game against Arsenal today.
Last season El Ghazi scored 11 goals in 31 appearances, matching Richarlison’s goal tally for Everton this season, but it’s not just his goal-scoring capabilities that make him a danger against opponents.
According to SofaScore, in his 28 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa last season, the 27-year-old was successful in the majority of his dribbles (53%), taking 2.3 shots on goal on average per game, creating one big chance and making 0.9 key passes per game, proving that if given the chance he can terrify Arsenal.
Considering his lack of game time it would seem highly unlikely that Everton will extend his stay at Goodison Park beyond his loan deal this season, however, if Lampard does give El Ghazi the nod against Arsenal it could be the perfect opportunity for the player to prove he has what it takes to play first-team football back at Aston Villa next season.