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The United States were in control as Sophia Smith and Lindsay Horan also found the net in a comfortable 3-0 victory at the home of Inter Miami

Despite all of the issues that plagued this group throughout 2023, there’s no doubt that the U.S. women’s national team’s attacking unit is absolutely stacked – Emma Hayes, the team’s incoming manager, really is spoiled for choice.

No player can be considered a lock, not at this level, but, after another superstar performance on Saturday, it feels like Trinity Rodman is the closest thing to it. Rodman is unstoppable and, at this point, undroppable as the USWNT star continues to be a matchwinner at the highest level.

Rodman assisted two goals before scoring one of her own, leading the way in a 3-0 win over China. Her first assist saw her tee up Sophia Smith, who should have had a few more goals to her name by the end of this one. Her wayward finishing prevented that but, even so, the USWNT attack showed a viciousness we hadn’t seen in quite some time.

Rodman’s second assist, admittedly, wasn’t as intentional, as her throw-in to Lindsey Horan led to a fortunate goal after the ball was floated in, intended as a pass. Rodman, though, knew all about the USWNT’s third, as she scored a goal of her own on the back post late in the second half to put the game away.

The goal was her fifth of the year in what was her 17th USWNT appearance of 2023. There will be plenty more in her future as Rodman continues to grow and grow into the role of a true superstar.

GOAL rates USWNT players from DRV PNK Stadium…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defense

Casey Murphy (6/10):

That can be the life of a USWNT goalkeeper: sometimes, you don't have to do much! Rarely challenged she'll no doubt be happy with a clean sheet.

Emily Fox (6/10):

A different sort of game for Fox, who tucked in more than usual. Her versatility is such an asset as she can do so many different things on either side of the field.

Abby Dahlkemper (7/10):

Welcome back! Didn't have to do much defending, but she was solid at the back and showed off the passing range that makes her such a fun part of this player pool.

Naomi Girma (8/10):

What can't she do?!? Played the pass to earn a hockey assist on the opener and kept another clean sheet.

Casey Krueger (8/10):

An absolute menace throughout the first half. Was given freedom to roam and she took it, causing chaos all over the right-hand side.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Emily Sonnett (6/10):

Continued to thrive in midfield. Some good interceptions and recoveries, even if the passing could have been a bit better.

Lindsey Horan (7/10):

Wasn't expecting to get a goal from her long ball into the box but who cares? It's what happens when a midfielder makes things happen, and that's what Horan continues to do for the USWNT.

Savannah DeMelo (6/10):

Got beat up a bit, but did make things happen when on the field. Looks like a veteran despite having so few caps to her name.

Rose Lavelle (6/10):

The quality was there, but the execution was just a bit off. Looked a little rusty, but still had moments that made you go 'Wow!'

GettyAttack

Sophia Smith (7/10):

Got her goal, but probably should have had three or four more. She'll be disappointed with that, but it's nice to see the USWNT generating chances again.

Trinity Rodman (8/10):

Technically, a multi-assist game, but we'll only talk about the first one. A fantastic ball into Smith as Rodman continues to create real danger in a USWNT shirt. Got her goal, too, to put the cap on a true superstar performance.

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GettySubs & Manager

Mia Fishel (7/10):

Surely made her presence felt, and was unlucky not to get a goal.

Jaedyn Shaw (7/10):

Just an inch or two away from getting a goal, but then got her assist late on. She continues to prove she belongs at this level.

Sam Coffey (6/10):

Replaced Sonnett as a deep-lying midfielder and the USWNT didn't see any drop-off in that spot.

Jenna Nighswonger (6/10):

A good taste of the action for the NWSL Rookie of the Year, who had some decent moments in her first cap.

Olivia Moultrie (6/10):

The second debutant, the 18-year-old midfielder replaced Rose Lavelle, which felt symbolic. Got a little excited on a late shot, but you can excuse that.

Midge Purce (7/10):

Helped create the third goal. The NWSL champion has brought her form to the USWNT and is really playing her way into the mix.

Twila Kilgore (8/10):

Got everything right. Shook things up tactically, giving some life to the attack. And then, with the game done and dusted, was able to get some young players some big minutes. A perfect day for the U.S.

With clubs preparing to spend money in the transfer market once more, Goal takes a look back at some of the biggest flops from the past season

In an age of inflation and social media expectation, it's become even harder for players to live up to the hype when they join a club in a big-money move.

The 2018/19 season has been no exception with a number of signings across Europe failing to justify their transfer fees for a variety of reasons.

Olympiacos/Twitter15Yaya Toure (Free agent to Olympiacos)

Two hundred and twenty-two minutes was all Yaya Toure managed on his return to Greece with Olympiacos before his contract was terminated.

The 36-year-old might not want to retire just yet but his performances under Pedro Martins clearly left plenty to be desired. 

Having won the double during his first stint with Olympiacos, both fans and Toure himself will likely want to pretend this second spell never happened. 

AdvertisementGetty Images14Gianluigi Buffon (Free agent to PSG)

The Italian legend may have cost PSG nothing to sign him, but his error in the Champions League against Manchester United was beyond costly.

Signed to help PSG overcome their struggles in Europe, Buffon inexplicably spilled the ball in the second leg against the Red Devils with the scores locked at 1-1 to gift Romelu Lukaku a goal.

Manchester United would walk away winners that night with PSG and Buffon left to rue a mistake that once again saw them stumble in the Champions League.

While the former Juventus keeper has been otherwise solid for the Ligue 1 champions, he was signed to see them succeed in Europe.

A huge shame for PSG and Buffon himself, who is desperate to end his career with a Champions League title. 

Getty13Dominic Solanke (Liverpool to Bournemouth – €21 million)

The 21-year-old striker may be seen as a long-term investment by the Cherries, but Dominic Solanke's first season with Bournemouth hasn't encouraged fans he was worth the money.

Across his 10 league appearances, Solanke failed to score and picked up just one assist.

While coach Eddie Howe isn't worried, the former Liverpool attacker would have been hoping for far greater opportunities and success after leaving Anfield.

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Getty Images12Yerry Mina (Barcelona to Everton – €30 million)

After starring at the World Cup for Colombia, Yerry Mina has struggled to shine for Everton this season. 

Injuries have played their part with the 24-year-old playing just 12 league games for the Toffees. 

While he's shown glimpses when on the pitch, his many absences this campaign have ensured he's yet to live up to the significant hype. 

As the Norwegian looks to fire City to Champions League glory against Inter, GOAL takes a look at his quest for physical perfection

Hundreds of cars line the car park at Manchester City's training ground and one sticks out in particular – a Rolls Royce. It belongs to Erling Haaland. There is nothing unusual about top footballers owning luxury cars, but Haaland's motor is different to most – according to legend, it contains a cooking stove.

Even when he is on the move, Haaland wants to be able to eat top-quality food. His love for cooking was plain to see when, during City's Premier League title celebrations last month at a high-end restaurant in the centre of Manchester, the striker, wearing silk pyjamas, went into the kitchen to grill his own steaks, leaving the chefs with their jaws on the floor.

Haaland has been described as a freak of nature, but while he is blessed with the ideal genetics – a footballer father and a heptathlete mother – his phenomenal physical condition is not down to chance.

From his diet to his sleep pattern through to his post-match massage routine, Haaland's daily regime is meticulously planned and a key reason why he has scored a stunning 52 goals this season in 52 games, firing City to the Premier League title, the FA Cup and the Champions League final.

Getty'He eats like a bear'

Haaland has experienced a huge growth spurt in recent years, fuelled by his insatiable eating habits. The striker says he consumes around 6,000 calories a day (adult men are supposed to consume around 2,500) and eating is a huge part of his life.

Norway team-mate Josh King said he had never seen anyone consume as much food as Haaland, remarking: "He just eats like a bear". And there is something animalistic about the striker's eating habits. While vegan diets have been become common among modern footballers, Haaland is an unashamed lover of meat.

That might have something to do with growing up in a rural community in Bryne, Norway, where he would help out his grandfather, a potato and pig farmer. But the type of meat he eats is unusual. As well as liking steak, Haaland eats cow's hearts and livers. Even Dwayne Johnson, better known as The Rock, expressed surprise when he learned of Haaland's diet.

The striker explained his eating habits in the documentary . "Eating quality food that is as local as possible is the most important," he said. "People say meat is bad for you, but which? The meat you get at McDonald's, or the local cow eating grass right there?"

AdvertisementGetty ImagesNo booze – but plenty of filtered water

Haaland also indulges in pasta, a former favourite dish of footballers but which has fallen out of fashion in recent times. His father, Alfie, cooks him lasagne the day before each home game, which helped him score back-to-back hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. And he is a regular at Italian eateries in Manchester, with one restaurant opening specially for him so he can eat in private, away from the public glare.

While a fair few City players indulge in nightlife – Guardiola remarked that his side "drunk all the alcohol in Manchester" after winning the title – Haaland is not known for drinking much booze.

"He is the best professional I have ever seen" said Jack Grealish of the Norwegian. "His mindset is something you won't see again. He does everything. Recovers; in the gym; 10 hours of treatment a day; ice baths; diet. That's why he is what he is. But I swear, I couldn't be like that!

"We have a great friendship, but he will point at me after a game and say: 'Hey. Don't you go out tonight partying'. I just tell him to shut up and go and sit in his ice bath."

But Haaland still takes a big interest in what he drinks. He insists on drinking filtered water, while also drinking kale-infused milk, calling it his "magic potion".

Getty Taking sleep seriously

As well as taking his diet seriously, Haaland is passionate about getting a good night's sleep, calling it "perhaps the most important thing in life". Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, has taken a huge interest in sleep patterns, talking of the benefits of taking regular naps. Haaland is more traditional, preferring to get to sleep by 10.30pm and turning off his technological devices long before he climbs into bed. But he also uses modern technology to help him get the rest he needs.

He puts on orange, blue-light glasses before going to bed which hide natural light, and wears an Oura ring on his finger to measure the quality of his sleep and his heart rate.

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GettyLate-night massages to stay injury-free

Sleep and diet are crucial to any elite player's performance, but injury can derail the most promising of seasons and even wreck a career. Haaland had a checkered injury history before arriving at City, missing 16 matches for Borussia Dortmund last season, mostly with muscle injuries.

But he and the club have worked hard to keep him fit and relatively injury-free. Guardiola has talked openly about the club's concerns about his injury history and credited the medical staff and physios for keeping him in shape.

Haaland has been unavailable for only three games this season, recovering quickly from each setback. The club asked sports therapist Mario Pafundi to accompany him on international duty with Norway to ensure he kept the same routine.

Haaland also takes his own initiative to stay injury-free. After the Champions League quarter-final first leg victory against Bayern Munich, he headed straight to the training ground – conveniently located opposite the road from the Etihad Stadium – for an hour-long massage.

Chelsea are finally closing in on the midfielder despite Liverpool's best efforts – and it's just as well, because he will be intrinsic to their style

A new era in Chelsea's storied history gets underway in earnest as the 2023-24 season begins. The squad and indeed the coaching staff are unrecognisable from the group that ended 2022-23 at Stamford Bridge, with the club evidently desperate to consign a nightmare campaign to the history books.

Chelsea's unprecedented summer clear-out and a smattering of new arrivals means new head coach Mauricio Pochettino inherits a rejuvenated – if incomplete – Blues squad, with muted anticipation for a more successful season ahead. Indeed, the only way is surely up.

But how will Argentine tactician set up his side in what will be a watershed period in the Blues' modern history? GOAL runs through what should be his go-to line-up below…

GettyGK: Kepa Arrizabalaga

Pochettino has a sudden selection headache following the £25 million ($32m) arrival of Robert Sanchez from Brighton, but – for the time being, at least – it makes sense to stick with Kepa Arrizabalaga.

There's no guarantee he will be the long-term first choice, especially amid links with Bayern Munich, but Kepa offers a modicum of continuity amid the unprecedented upheaval. Aside from a few lapses, Kepa was much improved last season, with a 73% save percentage in the league and a post-shot xG minus goals allowed of +5, which meant he ranked third among Premier League goalkeepers in the most reliable metric for measuring shot-stopping ability.

Sanchez, on the other hand, lost his place at Brighton and slipped to third in the pecking order.

Pochettino has already suggested Kepa is his No.1 for the moment: "They know they are going to fight for the No.1. At the moment, Kepa is a little bit ahead. With time, we will see if Robert is there and can challenge Kepa."

AdvertisementGettyRB: Reece James

A no-brainer on the right side of defence. Reece James is Chelsea's new club captain and, barring any further fitness issues on the horizon, he is a guaranteed starter.

Pochettino does prefer a 4-2-3-1 shape and there is an argument that James is not at his best in a flat back-four given his potency as an attacking wing-back. New signing Malo Gusto will also provide him with stiff competition and quality cover.

However, James is arguably the Blues' best player, and the added responsibility of the captaincy means he should be the first name on the team sheet.

GettyCB: Thiago Silva

The swansong begins. In what will likely be his final season at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea will once again rely heavily upon the defensive nous and immeasurable experience of Thiago Silva.

Unsurprisingly, the 38-year-old phenomenon remained one of the club's most consistent performers throughout a turbulent 2022-23 campaign, and as a serial winner he will be determined to right the wrongs of last season on the pitch before bidding an emotional farewell to the Blues.

Indeed, he will also be crucial in being an on-field mentor for his young centre-back partner…

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Getty ImagesCB: Levi Colwill

Chelsea clung on to their latest outstanding academy graduate for dear life and finally managed to tie him down to a new long-term contract. Now it's time to back him.

He initially had to fight for his place in the team, but Levi Colwill eventually made his Premier League breakthrough on loan at Brighton in 2022-23 and he has proven that he is ready for the top level.

Given they have no European football to contend with and following the serious knee injury to Wesley Fofana, Pochettino should throw Colwill in at the deep end at left centre-back and build for the future. He has all the attributes to become a club legend.

After a dramatic last 16, who of the remaining eight sides is most likely to go on and lift the European Cup in Paris?

After just over two months away, the Champions League returned in style, with the last 16 throwing up plenty of talking points and surprises as Europe's elite continue to battle for the greatest prize the continent has to offer.

Defending champions Chelsea remain alive and are joined in the quarter-finals by some of the best teams European football has ever seen, though Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Ajax all fell in the first knockout round.

So, who are the favourites to lift the trophy following the draws for the latter stages, and which teams are set for continental disappointment?

GOAL'sChampions League Power Rankings are here to lay it all out…

Getty Images8Benfica | Last time: 8th

Regardless of who Benfica drew, they were always going to be considered as outsiders for the competition, but they could barely have asked for a more difficult tie than facing Liverpool.

In Darwin Nunez, the Portuguese side possess one of Europe's most in-form attackers, but the Uruguay international will have to produce something special if his team are to make it into the final four.

AdvertisementGetty Images7Villarreal | Last time: 7th

After knocking out Juventus in emphatic fashion in the last 16, Villarreal will fear no one going forward, but a quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich will be far from straightforward.

The Europa League champions have shown they have what it takes to win knockout ties in continental competition, but it feels like taking down the Bundesliga giants might be a step too far for Unai Emery's men.

Getty Images6Atletico Madrid | Last time: 6th

Undoubtedly the weakest side in their half of the draw, Atletico Madrid will have to be at their very best to go all the way to the final, knowing they will have to beat Manchester City and either Chelsea or Real Madrid to do so.

That said, if any team can cause an upset in the competition, it is the one managed by Diego Simeone, and they will not make life easy for City in the quarter-finals as they look to complete a Manchester double in this season's competition.

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Getty Images5Chelsea | Last time: 5th

Chelsea will take confidence from the fact that they beat Real Madrid in the semi-finals of last season's tournament when they face off again in this year's quarters, but there is no doubt that the circumstances are different.

Not only are Madrid a much better side now than they were then, they could yet have the advantage of getting to play their home leg in front of fans while Chelsea are forced to play behind closed doors at Stamford Bridge amid their ongoing ownership issues.

Between two closely-matched sides, that could make all the difference.

Premier League giants Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal along with Barcelona are reportedly ready to fight for €50 million-rated Benjamin Sesko.

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Sesko's stock is on the rise in EuropeSeveral European elites vying for his signatureHas an exit clause worth €50m (£43m)GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Although the 20-year-old RB Leipzig striker has a contract running until June 2028, it has an exit clause, valued at €50m (£43m/$54m), which will become active over the upcoming summer transfer window, according to While the price tag may seem steep for a player of Sesko's age, his recent performances suggest he could prove to be a valuable investment.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite a slow start to the season, Sesko has adapted well to life in Germany and has begun to shine on the pitch. In his last three Bundesliga outings, Sesko has showcased his goal-scoring prowess and inspired Leipzig to a victory over Union Berlin while his heroics fetched a point against Augsburg. Moreover, his performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League highlighted his potential as he found himself knocking on Andriy Lunin's goal on several occasions during the Champions League fixture. He did manage to put the ball into the net early in the match only to be denied by VAR.

DID YOU KNOW?

Scouts from Liverpool, City, and Barcelona believe that once Sesko consistently finds the back of the net in both domestic and European competitions, he could establish himself as one of Europe's most lethal strikers. They understand that the striker has the potential to exceed a valuation of £100m in the future, and then the initial investment of £43m could prove to be a bargain.

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Getty WHAT NEXT?

Sesko would face stiff competition for playing time at clubs like Liverpool and City, who already boast established strikers in their squads in Darwin Nunez and Erling Haaland. However, the pair may not want to let such a promising forward slip through their fingers. Meanwhile in Spain, Barcelona are looking for Robert Lewandowski's replacement and the Slovenian perfectly fits the bill.

Sri Lanka’s sports minister has expressed his confidence that Sri Lanka Cricket’s current standoff with the ICC will be resolved, while the ICC has agreed to release a small percentage of the sum it is holding in escrow

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Apr-2015Sri Lanka’s sports minister has expressed his confidence that Sri Lanka Cricket’s current standoff with the ICC will be resolved, while the ICC has agreed to release a small percentage of the sum it is holding in escrow. Navin Dissanayake, the sports minister, said SLC would shortly receive USD $300,000 from the ICC, which amounts to about 2.5% of the payment due to the board.The release of this money, which is effectively Sri Lanka’s prize money from the 2015 World Cup, is seen by SLC as a step toward the board’s full reintegration at the ICC. Dissanayake said he had also received a letter from ICC last week, and expects to respond over the next few days. He hopes to outline his reasons for suspending the SLC elections and appointing an interim committee.”I can say that the letter from ICC was very cordial and there was nothing confrontational about it,” Dissanayake said. “So I am certain, we can sort this out with ICC. I am meeting ICC Chief Executive David Richardson and ICC Chairman Srinivasan to negotiate the matters shortly.”The ICC’s constitution does not allow for government interference in cricket administration in full member nations. However, the SLC comes under the sports ministry’s purview, according to Sri Lanka’s sports law. This, Dissanayake said, was the crux of the wrangle.”There is a conflict between Sri Lanka Sports Law and ICC regulations,” he said. “It can be negotiated. ICC has to understand the situation in member countries.”Dissanayake also said Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department would probe the awarding of local broadcasting rights of Sri Lanka matches to Carlton Sports Network as part of a wider investigation.Meanwhile, a collective of Sri Lanka Cricket stakeholders, most from voting clubs and associations, has urged the Sri Lankan government to reinstate elections at Maitland Place. Sixty-eight members of cricket associations had met over the weekend, and expressed concern that SLC had been sidelined by the ICC.The collective issued a release which said “outgoing office bearers” would seek an appointment with the government “to discuss this issue in order to minimize the damage that could cause to Sri Lanka Cricket and the restoration of the democratic rights of the membership.”

A 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest in August 1992 proved an ominous sign of things to come for Graeme Souness' Liverpool.

Time really does fly, doesn’t it? Especially in top-level football.

Last month marked the 30th anniversary of Liverpool’s first Premier League game, a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest in first ever ‘Super Sunday’ offering. 

Teddy Sheringham’s first-half goal, his last in a Forest shirt as it turned out, settled matters at the City Ground, the game offering a window into the kind of problems that would beset the Reds under Graeme Souness during a season that would see them finish sixth, some 25 points adrift of champions Manchester United.

From a Liverpool perspective, the 'Class of 92' was far from a vintage one, but where are they now, some three decades on?

GOAL reveals all…

GettyDavid James

James was one of two Reds debutants that day at Forest, and by the time he retired from playing in 2014, he had amassed more Premier League appearances (572) than any other goalkeeper in the competition’s history.

Indeed, at the time of writing only four players – Gareth Barry, Ryan Giggs, Frank Lampard and James Milner – have racked up more games. James played more than 250 games for Liverpool before representing Aston Villa, West Ham, Manchester City and Portsmouth with distinction.

He finished his career in India with Kerala Blasters and is now a successful and erudite television pundit.

AdvertisementGettyNick Tanner

One of a number of players signed from lower league clubs during Kenny Dalglish’s final years in charge at Anfield, defender Tanner, who arrived from Bristol Rovers, would go on to make 59 appearances for Liverpool after making his debut in 1989.

Most of those came during that first Premier League campaign, when he played 45 times in all competitions, but a persistent back problem meant he was forced to retire in 1994, aged only 29.

He tried his hand at scouting and in management with non-league clubs such as Almondsbury Town and Mangotsfield, and can often be found summarising Liverpool games for .

His book was released in 2017.

GettyDavid Burrows

A left-back who arrived from West Brom in 1988, Burrows would make nearly 200 appearances for the Reds and is one of only a handful of players to have represented both Liverpool and Everton in the Premier League.

He also played for the likes of West Ham, Coventry, Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday before retiring in 2003 due to injury.

He now lives in Dordogne, France, where he and his wife rent out holiday properties.

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GettySteve Nicol

One of Liverpool’s all-time greats, the versatile Nicol made more than 450 appearances for the Reds and won eight major honours, as well as being named Footballer of the Year in 1989.

He left for Notts County in 1995 and later played for Sheffield Wednesday, West Brom and Doncaster before moving to the USA in 1999.

There, he would carve out a hugely successful coaching career, spending nine years in MLS with New England Revolution, where he won the North American SuperLiga and US Open Cup. He now works as a television pundit for . 

Injuries should have handed the United captain a way back into the team, but he now faces fresh competition in his position from the left-back

Harry Maguire must have felt under pressure when Manchester United signed Raphael Varane in 2021 and then even more so when Lisandro Martinez arrived last year.

But injuries to United's two first-choice, World Cup-winning centre-backs have not returned Maguire to the frontline of Erik ten Hag's defence.

He faces a new challenge in Luke Shaw that, rather like Erik Lamela chasing him down at the Sanchez Pizjuan, he did not see coming.

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Shaw has been used at centre-back on a number of occasions this season, and while he is still most useful at left-back, he is more than capable at the heart of defence.

And on current form, he is a much better option than Maguire.

(C)Getty ImagesInjuries and suspension lead Ten Hag to Shaw again

Although Shaw excelled when asked to play at centre-back shortly after the World Cup, his latest stint in the position came about by accident.

With Varane and Martinez out for the season and Maguire suspended for the FA Cup semi-final against Brighton, Ten Hag had little choice but to partner Shaw alongside Victor Lindelof.

The partnership worked well, with United managing to keep the normally free-scoring Brighton at bay for 120 minutes before prevailing on penalties.

Maguire then picked up an injury in training the day before the Tottenham game, meaning Shaw had to play there again.

Even though United threw away a two-goal lead to draw with Tottenham, Shaw was again outstanding.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesShaw excels again in unfamiliar role

He anticipated well, defending calmly while also putting his body on the line. And he showed real leadership, stepping in to midfield to put out fires.

Shaw chased down Son Heung-min and cleanly robbed the ball off him and charged down Richarlison to halt a Tottenham counter without even conceding a foul.

His passing was excellent, with United benefitting from that rarest of commodities, a left-footed centre-back.

He also got in good attacking positions, sending in a fine cross on to the head of Casemiro late in the game which the Brazilian glanced just over the bar.

With Shaw in the side, United looked comfortable in possession and were able to play the ball out from the back a lot more smoothly than with Maguire, who badly struggled in his last two appearances, against Nottingham Forest and Sevilla.

As a left-back, Shaw is used to taking on opponents and being pressed, making him far more suited to the style of play United aspire to under Ten Hag than Maguire.

GettyClimbing from League One to a World Cup semi-final

Amid the memes and derision from rival fans in stadiums and on social media, it is easy to forget that Maguire was one of the most coveted defenders in world football only five years ago.

Coming through Sheffield United's youth academy before breaking into the first team aged 18, he climbed his way through the English football pyramid, from League One to the Premier League.

He was even scouted by Man Utd in 2013 when David Moyes was manager, although the club neglected to sign him for only £4 million ($5m).

Maguire signed for Hull in 2014 and proved himself in the Premier League to earn a move to Leicester three years later.

He continued his rapid rise with the Foxes and impressed for England too, becoming one of the most-loved players of the Three Lions' run to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, scoring a header in the quarter-final victory over Sweden.

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United outbid City in record transfer for a defender

His value rocketed after the tournament and Jose Mourinho made a real push to sign him that same summer, but United would not meet Leicester's £60m ($75m) asking price.

The following season Manchester City declared their interest in signing Maguire to replace departing captain Vincent Kompany.

But the Red Devils outbid their neighbours and in August 2019 landed Maguire for £80m ($100m), exceeding the £75m ($94m) Liverpool paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018.

Four years on, Maguire remains the most expensive defender in the world.

But while the Van Dijk helped Liverpool take the final step in their steady rise under Jurgen Klopp, helping them to three Champions League finals and ending their 30-year wait for a league title, Maguire's best achievements have been leading United to two top-four finishes and the 2021 Europa League final, which he ended up missing through injury.

Wrexham have received a double boost with Steven Fletcher in line to return to action and goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo back in training.

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Scottish striker close to returnOkonkwo back in training after jaw opWrexham face up to hectic festive scheduleGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Ahead of Saturday's Welsh derby against Newport at the Racecourse Ground, manager Phil Parkinson has given encouraging updates about two key players who are close to a return to full fitness. Fletcher has been absent since picking up a knee injury that required surgery in late October. Meanwhile, Arsenal loanee Okonkwo suffered a facial injury last month which also required an operation.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

Speaking to the press ahead of a busy festive period, Parkinson announced that Fletcher had returned to training alongside full-back Ryan Barnett, although he could not put an exact date on his first-team comeback. "Fletch and Barney have been back involved this week," said the Wrexham boss. "We are just assessing them to see how the week progresses but it is good to get them back on the training ground. The good thing for Fletch is that when he joined us, he came in without a pre-season and this injury has allowed us an opportunity for the medical team to do a lot of fitness work with him."

On Okonkwo, Parkinson added: "Arthur's been back with us a couple of days now so we are pleased with that. We will just keep monitoring him on a day-to-day basis. He has a protective guard and has looked fine so far. He hasn't trained fully yet, just non-contact, but he is getting his handling back going and his kicking. We are gradually easing him back in but it's good to get him back up here and it's good to get him back involved with the lads again."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Wrexham fans will be cheered by the news of players returning ahead of a busy period that may well shape the rest of their promotion push, and will hope to see Fletcher back partnering star striker Paul Mullin in the final third as soon as possible. Wrexham's injuries had been mounting ahead of their postponed trip to Forest Green a fortnight ago but appear to be easing ahead of a run of four games in nine days.

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WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

The festive fun begins on Saturday with a tasty-looking Welsh derby against Newport County. Trips to Swindon and Walsall follow before a mouthwatering clash against fellow promotion hopefuls Barrow on New Year's Day.