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Lionel Messi dominates MLS at Inter Miami, but Don Garber has used the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys to explain why that can be a good thing.

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• Argentine icon moved to the States in 2023
• Made immediate impact on & off the field
• Interest likened to MLB & NFL franchises

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The arrival of eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi in the United States during the summer of 2023 generated much fanfare, with the all-time great deciding to chase an American dream despite having rival offers on the table from Barcelona and teams in Saudi Arabia.

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• WHAT GARBER SAID ABOUT MESSI

  Messi is now the biggest draw in MLS, with Inter Miami’s stock soaring, but League commissioner Garber has – using MLB and NFL as a comparison – told how that can be a positive: “I'm not concerned about it at all. We're trying to always open up our team and our league to those people that are fans of the sport that might not yet be fully committed to our clubs, and getting people here and around the world to follow MLS and experience it is a positive. Our job is to convert those fans into being passionate supporters of our league and our clubs. And if we have a brand that has global recognition like Inter Miami does, that's a positive. And I think you see that with clubs that are resonating around the world in all leagues. There are probably more followers of the New York Yankees around the world than there are of other Major League Baseball clubs. I think that's good for Major League Baseball and certainly followers of teams like the Dallas Cowboys and now the Kansas City Chiefs around the world — that's good for the NFL. And now it's up to all of us to take that experience and spend time convincing all those new fans that MLS can really be important to their soccer connection, so I'm not concerned about it at all.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Inter Miami have also added the likes of Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to a star-studded squad, with Garber adding when asked if MLS is focused on completing more marquee transfers: “I don't know. I think that our fan base and sometimes the media thinks that this is sort of a plan. You know, ‘Let's go sign X players so that we can achieve something in a particular market’, and it's really less about that. Teams are making decisions that work for them, work for them on the field, work for them off the field. There isn't a grand strategy that says, ‘Let's sign more big-name players’. Frankly, it's more about, how do we develop more competitive teams to continue our rivalry with Mexico? How can we be more relevant around the world and be more competitive against other clubs, our participation in Champions Cup? Then obviously that moves into the Club World Cup and how can we be more competitive in that tournament This is more about a long-term plan to grow the competitiveness of our league and the popularity of our teams and each club, and this is the key part of it: each club has got to decide how best that's going to work for them. The LA Galaxy had decided to do that with big-name players, and certainly Miami is looking to do that with the best player in the history of the game and a very South American focus, both at the technical level and the on-field level. Some teams are going to do it by trying to create a special experience locally.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI & INTER MIAMI?

  The new MLS campaign is due to get underway on Wednesday, with Inter Miami opening things up in a home date with Real Salt Lake. The Herons have four trophies to compete for in 2024, but a tumultuous pre-season suggests that they will not have things all their own way.

Millie Bright participated in a revealing This or That with Chelsea team-mate Guro Reiten where she gave away interesting insights about her likings.

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• Bright nursing a knee injury
• Undertook a fun This or That session
• Shed light on her various favourites along with Reiten

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The English defender is currently recovering from a recurring knee injury which saw her miss out on Sarina Weigman's England squad for the two friendlies in Spain. Nonetheless, Bright took out some time from her rigorous schedule and participated in a fun video with Reiten.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Bright chose scoring a goal over an assist, Reiten went in the other direction. In the next set, Bright opted for winter while Reiten again chose to walk the other way indicating her preference for summer. However, both players chose films over TV series, an early kick-off against a night game, and night outs over house parties.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  After the February international break, Chelsea will return to action on March 3 against Leicester City in the WSL. It will be followed by a blockbuster FA WSL Cup semi-final against Manchester City where they will look to avenge their recent league defeat.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Takumi Minamino to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report from Italy (via TEAMtalk), which claims that both Leeds and Lazio are keen on a move for the Liverpool winger this summer, with further reports suggesting that the 27-year-old is open to the idea of leaving Anfield in a bid to secure more regular first-team football.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

It has also been reported that Jurgen Klopp could be convinced into parting with the Japan international in the off-season, as long as the Reds were to receive an offer in the region of £17m for the former RB Salzburg sensation.

Raphinha heir

While it is true that Minamino has failed to hold down a starting spot in the Liverpool side following his £7.25m move to Anfield back in January 2020, it is nevertheless easy to see why Victor Orta would be interested in a deal to bring the forward to LS11 this summer.

Indeed, despite his lack of minutes, FBref rank the £12.5m-rated attacker in the top 3% of wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 5% for npxG, the top 13% for npxG+xA, the top 2% for pass completion, the top 1% for pressures, the top 8% for tackles and the top 15% for aerial duels won over the last 365 days.

For comparison, FBref rank £25m Leeds winger Daniel James in the bottom 27% of wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, in addition to the top 44% for npxG, the bottom 27% for npxG+xA, the bottom 8% for pass completion, the top 8% for pressures, the bottom 47% for tackles and the bottom 42% for aerial duels won over the past year.

As such, it is clear to see just how exciting a signing the £72k-per-week talent who David Lynch dubbed “unreal” would be for the Whites to get over the line this summer, with the “frightening” forward appearing to be something of a perfect heir for Raphinha – who looks set to seal a big-money move to Barcelona in the coming weeks.

AND in other news: Respected journalist drops huge 49ers takeover update that Leeds supporters will love

Tottenham Hotspur target Idrissa Gueye is exactly the sort of player Antonio Conte wants at the club…

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who delivered the claim to GIVEMESPORT recently, where he said:

“He’s obviously a warrior, and there’s this sort of player that Conte wants to see in there.

“He’s got this real feeling that losing games didn’t hurt Tottenham enough, so he’s trying to look for players of a certain character at the moment.”

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

The north London outfit were linked with a move for the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder by reports in France earlier this month, and the Ligue 1 champions could be open to selling him for around €20m (£18m) as he enters the final year of his current £99k-per-week contract.

Shades of Kante

After a fresh £150m cash injection ahead of the summer transfer window, it’s believed that Conte wants as many as six new signings at Hotspur Way, in which another central midfielder is thought to be among the targets.

Gueye at 32 may not be the most inspiring option but given their interest in Ivan Perisic, 33, it seems the Italian is targeting proven experience in a bid to change their fortunes in the short term.

Competing in the Champions League next season, Spurs will certainly need strength in depth to compete on all fronts and signing another engine room option would be wise, especially with Harry Winks and Giovani Lo Celso on the way out.

Just as Jones explains, Gueye is a ‘warrior’ and has done the business in the Premier League before, at Everton. He very much fits the mould of N’Golo Kante, who the Italian head coach had during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oliver Skipp and Rodrigo Bentancur are very solid options but none fit that mould as well as the 90-cap Senegal international.

The £11.7m-rated powerhouse, once lauded as a “monster” by ex-Villa boss Tim Sherwood, Gueye has averaged a whopping 3.1 tackles, 2.1 interceptions and 0.9 dribbles per game across the course of his long career, via WhoScored.

This sort of defensive work rate and output is right up Conte’s street and whilst he is stacked with alternatives, it would be foolish to not add the PSG man on the cheap, should the opportunity arise.

£18m for an Premier League ready option is certainly a steal.

AND in other news, Paratici now closing in on “unreal” £15m Spurs signing, it’ll give Arteta nightmares, again…

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Tyler Adams to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by MLS Transfers, who claim that sources have revealed the defensive midfielder is ready to leave RB Leipzig this summer, with the Bundesliga side looking to secure a “big fee” for the 23-year-old.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

It is then claimed that Leeds and Benfica are the two “most interested” clubs in the USA international, with the duo believed to be “pushing” to secure the defensive midfielder for a more reasonable price than Leipzig are currently demanding.

The next Keita

While it is true that, following links with a £34m move to Arsenal last summer, Adams did not enjoy the best campaign of his career in 2021/22, it is undeniable that the American is nevertheless a player who boasts a significant amount of potential.

Indeed, according to FBref data, the £26m-rated talent still ranks in the 2% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for blocks per 90, in addition to the top 18% for passes attempted, the top 25% for passes completed, the top 20% for pressures, the top 25% for progressive carries and the top 39% for aerial duels won over the last 12 months.

Furthermore, with the £38k-per-week midfielder looking to be a player who is a perfect fit for a team who like to deploy a high-press, it is easy to see why Marsch would once again like to work with his former New York Red Bulls and Leipzig starlet at Leeds, while it is also not difficult to understand why the Bundesliga website compares the 23-year-old to Liverpool’s £48m Naby Keita.

Indeed, it would appear as if Adams and the Guinea international possess extremely similar tools in the middle of the park, albeit with the Leipzig talent being a more reserved version of the Reds midfielder, while the American’s potential switch to the Premier League from the Red Bull Arena naturally echos the 27-year-old’s 2018 move to Merseyside.

As such, should Victor Orta be able to negotiate a much lower fee than Leipzig’s £34m asking price for the 23-year-old last summer, the signing of the player who Andrew Stern dubbed “an elite 6” would appear to make a great deal of sense for Marsch and the Whites ahead of 2022/23.

AND in other news: Orta can form “dangerous” duo with Leeds bid for £20m talent who “glides past players”

Alasdair Gold has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Djed Spence.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the football.london journalist revealed that, following a number of reports linking Spurs with a move for the Middlesbrough right-back in the coming months, the 21-year-old is tempted by the prospect of a move to Antonio Conte’s side this summer.

However, in his accompanying report, Gold went on to state that Fabio Paratici faces stern competition for the England U21 international’s signature, with Borussia Dortmund, AS Roma, Newcastle United, Brentford and Nottingham Forest all believed to be keen on a £16m move for the defender.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “The latest on Spurs and Djed Spence as I understand it. The young wing-back is definitely tempted by a move to work with Antonio Conte but Tottenham have some decent competition for his signature.”

Supporters will love Gold’s update

Considering his undoubted ability and potential for future growth, in addition to the signing of a new right wing-back reported to be one of Paratici’s primary targets in the summer transfer window, it is easy to see why the Italian is keen on a deal to bring Spence to north London in the coming months.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Indeed, the £7.2m-rated talent proved over his 42 Championship appearances on loan at Forest just how much of an attacking threat he can be from the right of a backline, scoring two goals, providing five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 1.0 key passes, taking 0.6 shots and completing 1.8 dribbles per game.

However, the £4.4k-per-week defender also demonstrated his solidity at the back, making an average of 1.5 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 1.4 clearances and winning 5.8 duels per league fixture in 2021/22.

These returns saw the former Fulham starlet average a quite extraordinary WhoScored match rating of 7.05, ranking him as Steve Cooper’s sixth-best player in the division – playing a pivotal role in Nottingham Forest’s promotion to the Premier League.

As such, it is not difficult to understand why Paratici personally scouted Spence over the course of the season, nor it is hard to see why the Italian is extremely keen on a £16m move for the defender this summer, as the England youth international would not only help to solve Conte’s homegrown player issue in north London, he would be a considerable upgrade on Spurs’ current options at right wing-back – something that leads us to believe the Tottenham faithful with love Gold’s latest update.

AND in other news: Conte could land the next £70m talent as Spurs now plot bid for “brutal” 21 y/o target

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Marc Guehi to north London in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Jack Pitt-Brooke, with the journalist revealing in a recent article for The Athletic that Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte are big admirers of the Crystal Palace centre-back, with the England international believed to be a potential alternative to Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni.

However, Pitt-Brooke added that, with the 21-year-old having four years remaining on his current contract at Selhurst Park, Patrick Vieira’s side have little incentive to negotiate with Spurs regarding any sale of the defender, with it being reported that it would take a huge fee to sign him this summer.

In his article, the journalist wrote: “Spurs are big admirers of Marc Guehi at Crystal Palace but he has four years remaining on his deal, meaning that Palace have no incentive to even negotiate with Spurs. It would take a huge fee to get him out at this point.”

The next John Terry

Considering just how exciting a prospect Guehi undoubtedly is, it’s not difficult to see why both Conte and Paratici would be keen on bringing the centre-back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

Indeed, over his 36 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £60m-rated talent was imperious on the left of Palace’s centre-back pairing. He helped his side to keep 10 clean sheets, making 0.8 interceptions, one tackle and 3.5 clearances and winning 4.1 duels (at a success rate of 67%) per game.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

The £31k-per-week prodigy also impressed going forwards, scoring two goals, registering one assist and creating one big chance for his team-mates, in addition to making 57 passes and 4.4 long balls and taking 0.5 shots per match.

These returns saw the player who Vieira dubbed “unbelievable” earn a quite spectacular seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as the Eagles’ second-best performer in the league last season.

Furthermore, as a result of his impressive reading of the game, Tom Barclay went as far as to compare the Chelsea academy product’s style of play to that of one of the best centre-backs to ever grace the English top flight, in John Terry.

Speaking about Guehi in an interview with GIVEMESPORT earlier this year, the journalist said: “He’s never been blessed with rapid pace, but his understanding of the game has really helped him on that front.

“I’m not surprised that John Terry is his idol. When you consider the similarities, John Terry didn’t have a lot of pace but his reading of the game nullified that problem.”

A deal appears unlikely at present, but should Paratici somehow manage to convince Palace to part with their centre-back sensation this summer, the sporting director could well have unearthed the next Terry at Tottenham. That is certain to be a hugely exciting prospect both for Conte and for supporters of the club alike.

AND in other news: “Told..”: Journo reveals Paratici now “very close” to Spurs deal, Arteta will be livid

According to Football Insider, Manchester City have now submitted an official bid for Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Following in Haaland’s footsteps?

After announcing the arrival of Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland earlier this week, the Sky Blues now appear to have turned their attention to midfield, specifically in the direction of the Whites midfielder.

The 26-year-old has progressed through the ranks at his boyhood club, but after being a standout performer in a struggling Jesse Marsch side, the maestro has been heavily linked with a move away from Elland Road in recent weeks and is seemingly on the radar of the Premier League champions.

The Latest: City submit bid for Phillips

In a new article published by Football Insider, it’s claimed that a City source has told the website that Phillips is their ‘top target’ for the remainder of the transfer window, and that an offer has ‘already’ been tabled.

The source further states that Pep Guardiola is a ‘huge’ admirer of the Leeds ace, with the Spaniard making it clear ‘how much he wants him’ in his squad at the start of next season.

It’s believed that a fee in the region of approximately £50m would be enough to seal a deal.

The Verdict: Fernandinho replacement

After captain Fernandinho revealed that he would be leaving the Manchester outfit after nine years, the hierarchy will now be on the hunt for a suitable replacement in the middle of the park, and Phillips could be the perfect candidate.

Despite only making 20 top-flight appearances this season after sustaining a hamstring injury towards the end of last year, the Whites academy graduate still made a massive impact when on the pitch, averaging 2.7 tackles per 90 minutes, via WhoScored, the second-highest number in the Leeds squad.

Once hailed as a “powerful” player by former Leeds boss Neil Redfearn, the 19-cap international will want to make the switch somewhere that he is capable of winning silverware and competing at the highest level if he wants to maintain his place in the England starting XI, and the Etihad is the ideal destination for him to do just that.

In other news… Manchester City are reportedly considering a move for a Premier League full-back.

Despite having the youngest squad in the Premier League in terms of average age (24.4), Leeds United still have a number of senior players in their ranks.

The likes of Luke Ayling, Mateusz Klich, Liam Cooper, Rodrigo and Adam Forshaw have now all hit the age of 30 and are among some of Leeds’ older players in the first team.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more” title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Another player in this age range is Stuart Dallas.

Since joining the Yorkshire club from Brentford seven years ago in a deal worth a reported £1.3m, the 31-year-old has made 266 appearances for the Whites across all competitions. In that time, the Northern Irishman has scored 28 goals and delivered 18 assists in the process.

However, it can be argued that his versatility and experience have more often than not been more important for the team than his actions in front of goal.

Going back to the present, Leeds have already secured deals for three new players this summer in the shape of Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca.

Now that the club and Jesse Marsch have shown how eager they are to refresh the squad and get themselves in the best shape to take on next season, they could well have the chance to sign what could be their next version of Dallas as well.

Earlier this month, Leeds were listed as one of the clubs interested in making a move to sign Paris Saint-Germain defender Colin Dagba.

In 105 games for the French club across their senior and youth teams, the 23-year-old has scored one goal and delivered seven assists. In 55 Ligue 1 appearances, the £6.3m-rated defender has made 57 shot-creating actions, delivered 82 crosses and made 60 blocks, 26 interceptions and 52 clearances.

Similarly to Dallas, the Frenchman has shown his versatility by playing in defensive and attacking positions on both sides of the pitch, as well as at centre-back.

Labelled a “humble” player by former PSG manager Thomas Tuchel, who also highlighted the 23-year-old’s reliability, Dagba could be an ideal prospective summer arrival for Marsch, given the talent that he possesses and the time that he still has ahead of him to develop into a strong Premier League player.

In other news: Big Leeds transfer development emerges, Marsch will surely be gutted

An update has emerged on the next Newcastle United deal that Dan Ashworth is plotting for the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to Bild, the Magpies are one of the Premier League teams competing to land the full-back ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Toon are set to challenge a number of clubs in attempting to land the €40m (£34m) Hoffenheim star in the coming weeks.

German podcaster Kevin Bader relayed the news, Tweeting: “Dortmund are getting plenty of competition when it comes to signing Hoffenheim left-back David Raum. The national team defender is said to cost around 40 million€. In addition to BVB, Manchester United, West Ham and Newcastle, among others, are interested.”

Eddie Howe would love him

The Magpies’ head coach would love to have Raum at St. James’ Park next season as he would be an exceptional addition to the team.

Whilst Matt Targett has already been brought in to play at left-back, Ashworth can bring in an alternative option for the club to call upon.

In the Premier League last term, Targett managed one goal and one assist – creating five ‘big chances’ – in 33 games for Villa and the Toon combined.

The Bundesliga’s official Twitter admin dubbed him a “marauding” full-back and his statistics in the Bundesliga certainly back that up as he caught the eye in the final third throughout the campaign.

In 2021/22, the 24-year-old produced three goals and 11 assists in 32 games for Hoffenheim. He provided 2.7 key passes per game and a whopping 19 ‘big chances’ for his teammates in the German top-flight, as he showcased his immense playmaking capabilities.

Along with his ability going forward, Raum also made 2.4 tackles and interceptions and won 4.5 duels per game as he proved that he can excel at both ends of the pitch. He added a huge threat going forward and did not neglect his defensive duties for the team.

Therefore, he can offer more quality than Targett in an attacking sense and this can make him a better option for Newcastle in games where they are expected to dominate the ball. He can break down deep blocks with his ability to create chances from left-back, whereas the former Villa man may be more suited to games against the top teams where he is not expected to be in possession as much.

Howe would love to have two quality options to pick from in this position and that is why he will be delighted by the club’s interest in Raum.

AND in other news, NUFC eyeing deal for “insane” £17m gem with a “scoring nose”, he’s a big Wood upgrade…