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Southampton are in talks regarding a deal which would see Mario Lemina leave St Mary’s this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Le10 Sport (via Sport Witness), who claimed that, following a €4m (£3.5m) offer from Nice being rejected by Southampton, talks are ongoing between the two clubs regarding the midfielder’s potential sale in the summer transfer window.

The report added that, while there is still ground to be made up between the two clubs’ respective valuations of the 27-year-old, talks this weekend could see a breakthrough which may all but secure his switch to the south of France ahead of next season.

Fans surely buzzing

Having cost Southampton €20m (£18.1m) to sign from Serie A outfit Juventus four years ago, it is an easy argument to make that Lemina has not proven fantastic value for money for the south coast club.

Indeed, having featured just 52 times for Saints during his time at the club, as well as being sent out on loan for the last two seasons, it is evident that the £64,000-per-week midfielder is not a key part of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s plans at Saint Mary’s.

The Gabon international has not exactly flopped when given the opportunity in a Southampton shirt, earning an impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.98 and 6.89 in his first two seasons at the club respectively. However, if the 53-year-old Saints manager has no intention of playing the £9m-rated midfielder, it would indeed seem wise to move him on while he is still under contract with the club.

Furthermore, should Nice pay a fee for the man Garth Crooks dubbed a “powerhouse”, this money – plus whatever is saved on Lemina’s considerable wages – could easily be put towards improving Southampton’s squad ahead of next season. That possibility would surely have fans of the club buzzing.

In other news: Tom Leach delivers update on £60k-p/w Southampton outcast, fans will be buzzing

While the Argentine lights up South Beach, the Sheffield-born striker is making waves in Hollywood as he tries to save a season

Imagine this: after a gruelling European season, a 30-something-year-old attacker arrives in MLS, joining a big-market team that is very much down and very much out. The hope is gone, the season unsalvageable.

But goals start flowing, points begin to pile up, hope slowly starts to return. Not a crazy amount of hope, mind you, but a fool's hope. The season may not be dead, the playoffs may not be out of reach and, perhaps most importantly, there's a reason to finally be excited about what's going on.

This could all be used to describe Lionel Messi's heroics in Miami, and that would be correct. But that would be too obvious, wouldn't it? It may sound wild, and it certainly feels crazy to say, but the player we're talking about here is Billy Sharp.

Yes, Billy Sharp. The Sheffield United mainstay. The player who's journey has taken him to Rotherham, Sheffield, Southampton, Nottingham, Reading, Leeds and just about everywhere else a player can play in England. The player that, at least in some circles, is best known for pissing off Wrexham. The player who is the Championship's all-time leading goalscorer. The player who, at one point, had scored more goals than any other English-born player in the 21st century.

Sharp arrived in Los Angeles this season and, in the weeks since, has brought something magical to the LA Galaxy. No, he's not Messi, and it's ridiculous to make the comparison. Messi is perhaps the greatest of all time, a player that has changed a club and a league since he arrived in South Florida.

On the other coast, though, Sharp has been creating something special, too. With the 37-year-old striker leading the charge, the Galaxy aren't dead yet.

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  A winding road to LA

  Before you can understand exactly what Sharp has done since arriving in LA, you first have to understand a few other things. The first of those is Sharp's road to Hollywood.

  Born in Sheffield, the striker is a legit hero for his hometown club, having scored 129 goals over his two stints across three different leagues. His most recent spell lasted eight whole years, with him scoring 116 goals across 311 games to fire the club to multiple promotions all the way to the Premier League.

  He was the club's Player of the Year twice and was named League One Player of the Year all the way back in 2006-07. A decade later, he scored 30 goals and added eight assists to earn the League One Golden Boot.

  Sharp, in short, is a player who has scored at every level in England. But, after the 2022-23 season, his time with the Blades came to an abrupt end as he was released by the club.

  “I got told I was getting one more year,” Sharp told . “I wanted to go into the Premier League with everybody knowing it was my last year, and then it was up to me whether I’d retire after that. I had my heart set on coming back to play the Premier League and committing to playing whatever minutes it would be. When that opportunity didn’t come, it was difficult to digest.”

  The Galaxy, meanwhile, came calling in the summer, and they'll be glad they did.

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  A tough year for the Galaxy

  The second thing you have to understand about Sharp's magic, before we even really get into it, is just how bad the Galaxy were when he walked in. It was a season that was bad from the start, with the campaign beginning with fan protests against the front office, leading to Chris Klein's inevitable firing in May.

  It took nearly two months for the Galaxy to get their first win of the season. By mid-June, they had just three. And it was at that point that they lost their superstar, Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, to an ACL injury. The season, at that point, was all but doomed.

  Douglas Costa, the club's other big name, has been largely absent, failing to score while missing several recent games due to injury. For most of the campaign, the Galaxy have been without any sort of contributions from their Designated Players and, in MLS, that spells disaster.

  On August 15, the Galaxy announced Sharp's arrival on a two-month contract with an option for another year. It was a solid, veteran option to cover up what was lacking in Chicharito's absence. At the time, the Galaxy were way out of the playoff picture and fresh off a brief Leagues Cup run that ended in just two group stage games.

  What looked like a stopgap signing, though, turned into something much, much more incredible the moment Sharp got going.

• Sharp goes off

  And now the fun part: what's happened since Sharp arrived.

  Well, it began with a goal, of course, on his debut. After coming on as a substitute against the Chicago Fire, Sharp scored from the penalty spot, helping to seal a 3-0 win.

  After two substitute appearances without a goal, Sharp scored yet again on September 10, leading the way in 2-2 draw with St. Louis City SC. And it was at that point that he really got going for the Galaxy.

  His first start was marked with a goal, although the Galaxy lost El Trafico to rivals LAFC. And then came his best game yet: a ridiculous hat-trick in a potentially season-defining 4-3 win over Minnesota United.

  The first goal was a tap-in, a follow-up of a rebound on a shot from Riqui Puig. With his side down 3-1, Sharp then got his second, a real poacher's goal from a corner kick. And then the third, another stroke of luck, as the ball fell to him just outside the six-yard box, with Sharp making no mistake.

  "I promised my two kids I'd get one of these [game ball] in my time here so I managed to do that," Sharp said after the hat-trick. "I wanted to come here to score goals.  Yeah I'm 37 but I still got a lot of life left in me and a lot of goals."

  In total, Sharp has six goals and an assist across his first seven MLS appearances. He's created seven goals in just 335 minutes. It's a ridiculous return, even from a proven goal-scorer, and those sorts of numbers now have the Galaxy dreaming of a miracle.

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  Held in high regard

  One of the things that made Sharp such a good stopgap signing for the Galaxy was that there was no mystery to him. There's decades of data here for all to see. When you look at Sharp and what he brings to the game, you know what you'll be getting: goals, oftentimes in bunches.

  “An experienced striker who scored a ton of goals,” head coach Greg Vanney said of Sharp. “One thing that I had heard about him and read about him as we were going through this process is the type of leadership that he brings to a locker room and to a team.

  “For us, it was a who we felt could be as plug-and-play as you could possibly get from outside of the league because of his experiences, because of the nature and the challenges of the different levels that he has played at and also because of the humility that he brings to a team and to a locker room.”

  Prior to Sharp's arrival, the Galaxy definitely needed a goal-scorer. He's played just 300 minutes, but the English striker is already the club's joint-second-leading scorer, tied with winger Tyler Boyd and just one behind midfield star Riqui Puig. That bears repeating: Sharp didn't debut until September, and there's a legitimate chance that, with five games remaining, he could finish as the club's top marksman.

  “He gave us a lifeline, obviously," said his Galaxy team-mate Raheem Edwards. "We were kind of depleted right now for goals and this is a guy who is obviously experienced. He knows where to be."

  Diego Fagundez added: "We all know he's a goal-scorer. We see it in training, we see it all the time, he's been scoring and that is what is nice to see when you have a number nine that feels confidence in the box and scoring goals it's amazing."

New West Brom manager Valerien Ismael getting a four-year contract at The Hawthorns is a surprise, says journalist Luke Hatfield.

Ismael was appointed as Sam Allardyce’s successor at the end of last month after leaving Barnsley, with the Midlands club confirming that the 45-year-old has signed a four-year deal.

He was not West Brom’s first choice, however, with it being well-documented that the Baggies eyed up the likes of Chris Wilder and David Wagner prior, only for things to break down at the very end.

For Hatfield, it makes the decision to hand Ismael a four-year contract a surprise, though he sees it as a positive development, as it shows a long-term plan.

“It was a little bit of a surprise,” the Express & Star journalist told FFC. “It’s certainly a bold move by Albion in terms of they’re really showing a sign for the future here.

“I think Albion fans were getting a bit frustrated in that, you know, the likes of Big Sam came in and it did seem very short-termist. This seems the exact opposite, a four-year deal for Valerien Ismael.”

Certainly, it did look like Allardyce was just brought in to put out the fire at West Brom given his record when it comes to keeping teams in the Premier League, something he was unable to do this time round.

With Ismael, having been given that four-year deal, the Frenchman will surely be expected to get West Brom promoted and build something at The Hawthorns.

The veteran is a surprise inclusion in Southgate's latest squad, but his international career should be over after swapping Liverpool for Al-Ettifaq

Jordan Henderson's unforeseen move to Saudi Arabia in July was expected to be the death knell for the 33-year-old's international career. The political and footballing optics of his controversial, £13 million ($16m) transfer from European giants Liverpool to Steven Gerrard's middling Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq have made Gareth Southgate's selection decision an easy one.

However, six weeks on, Henderson somehow finds himself back among the England camp for fixtures against Ukraine and Scotland in September. Southgate looked like a rabbit in the headlights when quizzed on the call-up in a press conference, but rather than admit that his decision would be scrutinised, he instead launched into a fierce defence of one of his trusted lieutenants.

"My job is to pick a football team," he sniped. "I don’t think you can pick a football team based on any prejudice about where they might be playing their football. I am a bit lost with some of the questioning. You walk in to talk about a squad for football and we are wading into complex political situations, which I am not really trained to do. We will do the best we can."

Southgate has done so much for the England national team, but there is little doubt that this is a decision he has gotten badly wrong, and the accompanying furore is an unnecessary distraction.

• An incredibly tone-deaf transfer decision

  It is of course now well-documented that Henderson postured as a self-proclaimed LGBTQ+ ally throughout his time as Liverpool captain, wearing a rainbow armband and participating in the Rainbow Laces campaign as a show of support.

  In 2021, he told Liverpool's official website: "I do believe when you see something that is clearly wrong and makes another human being feel excluded you should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them. You also have a responsibility to educate yourself better around the challenges they experience.

  "That’s where my own position on homophobia in football is rooted. Before I’m a footballer, I’m a parent, a husband, a son, a brother and a friend to the people in my life who matter so much to me. The idea that any of them would feel excluded from playing or attending a football match, simply for being and identifying as who they are, blows my mind."

  His move to Saudi Arabia, then, is a case of actions speaking far louder than words. Homosexuality is criminalised in the Gulf State and punishable by death, as is the gender expression of trans people, and therefore Henderson's willingness to move there is a clear betrayal of the LGBTQ+ community and his so-called allyship.

  Speaking tohaving been included in the latest England squad, Henderson gave a weak defence of his decision to move to Saudi Arabia, suggesting he has martyred himself by going to play there as an LGBTQ+ advocate.

  "I can understand the frustration. I can understand the anger. I get it," he said. "All I can say around that is that I’m sorry that they feel like that. My intention was never, ever to hurt anyone. My intention has always been to help causes and communities where I felt like they had asked for my help. Now, when I was making the decision, the way that I tried to look at it was I felt as though, by myself not going, we can all bury our heads in the sand and criticise different cultures and different countries from afar. But then nothing’s going to happen. Nothing’s going to change.

  "I think people know what my views and values were before I left and still do now. And I think having someone with those views and values in Saudi Arabia is only a positive thing."

  The England squad has built a reputation for giving consideration to human rights issues and speaking out against discrimination. Henderson's transfer decision and subsequent inclusion in the squad betrays that, too.

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  Missed opportunity to set a precedent

  Quite incredibly, Henderson is insistent that his decision to swap the already-obscene riches of the Premier League for the unimaginable wealth of Saudi Arabia was financially motivated, instead claiming that the project at Al-Ettifaq – a club that finished seventh last season – 'excites' him, and denying that he is earning a reported £700,000 ($881,000) per week in the Gulf state (it's actually every two weeks).

  "People will see this club come with loads of money and he’s just gone, 'Yeah, I’m going.' When in reality that just wasn’t the case at all," the former Liverpool captain alleges in his extensive and dissatisfying chat with .

  "People can believe me or not, but in my life and my career, money has never been a motivation. Ever. Don’t get me wrong, when you move, the business deal has to be tight. You have to have financials, you have to feel wanted, you have to feel valued. And money is a part of that. But that wasn’t the sole reason. And these possibilities came up before money was even mentioned."

  Sure, Jordan.

  When it comes to his players moving to Saudi Arabia or any other moneyed-but-developing league where standards will be nowhere near the level required for international representation, Southgate's thinking in his selection process should really be clear: you will not be rewarded for chasing the money and playing in a significantly weaker league, which will inherently bring your own level down – whether you are conscious of it or not.

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  Significant step down in quality

  Despite the exodus of big-name players from the upper echelons of European football to the Pro League, the drop down in quality from England's top flight cannot be underemphasised – especially given how Public Investment Fund-owned (PIF) clubs Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli have effectively monopolised the blockbuster signings.

  Southgate – who has been accused of contradictory selection decisions in the past – previously shunned the likes of Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho during their time in Germany based on the perception that the Bundesliga is weaker than the Premier League, so it's difficult to comprehend his willingness to call upon a 33-year-old who has just embarked on what is an obvious swansong in the Middle East.

  Attempting to explain his rationale, Southgate said: “When Jordan phoned me about the likelihood he might be going there, we had an honest conversation. I said: ‘We’re going to have to map you against players playing in a different league and in a different level of competition and we’re just going to have to see how that goes.’"

  How Henderson's brief time with Al-Ettifaq has prepared him for games against relatively weaker nations Ukraine and Scotland remains to be seen, but while he has snuck into this squad, he has surely done serious damage to his chances of being included in the group for Euro 2024.

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  Past his best

  Henderson seems to be convinced that he is still in the physical condition to compete at the highest level, but he has struggled at times in the early days of his time with Gerrard's side, with the boy from Sunderland toiling in the oppressive heat. Indeed, he was having little influence on games before providing two assists against Damak last time out.

  That is a reflection of his understandable decline at the age of 33 – one which was evidently set to see him lose his starting berth at Liverpool in a summer overhaul of the midfield that everyone associated with the club seemed to deem necessary. Though he played regularly, Henderson's form was patchy throughout a difficult 2022-23 campaign for the Reds with his powers or intensity, energy and relentless discipline seemingly on the wane, and the fact he was allowed to leave despite having two years left on his contract, albeit reluctantly, suggests that deep down they were ready to move on without him.

  Discussing the reasons behind his decision to leave Anfield with , Henderson said: "There were a few things that sent alarm bells ringing. I’ve got a very good relationship with Jurgen. He was very honest with me. I won’t go into detail about the conversation because it’s private, but it put me in a position where I knew that I wasn’t going to be playing as much. I knew there were going to be new players coming in my position.

  "And if I’m not playing, as anybody will know, especially the manager, that can be quite difficult for me and especially when I’ve been at a club for so long, I’ve captained the team for so long. Especially when England’s a big thing for me. You’ve got the Euros coming up."

The striker looked out of ideas and missed a sitter as Erik ten Hag's side fell apart in a nightmare first away game of the 2023-24 campaign

Manchester United had a strong sense of deja-vu in their first away trip of the season as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham after a particularly shoddy second-half display.

Marcus Rashford was desperately disappointing, missing the target with a free header but above all failing to trouble Tottenham's defenders as he again looked out of place at centre-forward.

United began the game brightly and had a strong penalty appeal for handball turned down, while Bruno Fernandes also spurned a free header. Spurs dominated the second period though, and took the lead when Pape Matar Sarr pounced in the area before a Lisandro Martinez own goal doubled their advantage and summed up United's miserable performance.

GOAL rates Man Utd's players from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andre Onana (6/10):

  Took calculated risks on the ball and played some smart long-range passes. Made a good reaction save to thwart Destiny Udogie after the goal, which he could do little about.

  Aaron Wan-Bissaka (5/10):

  Looked solid for the opening 45 minutes then things took a downward turn and he was hooked for Diogo Dalot.

  Raphael Varane (6/10):

  One of the few players who did not play with lead in their feet.

  Lisandro Martinez (3/10):

  Some good early interventions were overshadowed by his mishaps for both goals. A weak block sent the ball to Pape Sarr for the first, then another sent it trickling into his own net.

  Luke Shaw (5/10):

  Left his left flank unguarded for the first goal. At least showed some character and tried to spark a response from his side.

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  Midfield

  Bruno Fernandes (5/10):

  Decent in the first half but missed the biggest chance of the game, somehow sending his free header over the bar.

  Casemiro (5/10):

  Struggled to impose himself on the game and lost the battle with Yves Bissouma.

  Mason Mount(5/10):

  Was good defensively in the first half and pressed aggressively while also linking up well with Alejandro Garnacho and Antony. Like his team-mates, faded after half-time.

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  Attack

  Antony (5/10):

  Worked hard in the first half and was close to equalising in the second when his shot clattered the bar. Removed after 66 minutes.

  Marcus Rashford (4/10):

  Headed a clear chance over the bar after a fine pass from Fernandes. Struggled once more playing up top by himself. Had a strop on the bench after being substituted.

  Alejandro Garnacho (5/10):

  Had a couple of bright moments in the first half but soon faded. Poor defensively for the goal.

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  Subs & Manager

  Christian Eriksen (5/10):

  Unlike against Wolves, he could do little to stop the rot.

  Jadon Sancho (6/10)

  An upgrade on Garnacho and should have started in his place.

  Diogo Dalot (5/A):

  Could have done more to prevent the second goal.

  Anthony Martial (N/A):

  Only came on in the 85th minute.

  Facundo Pellistri (N/A):

  Didn't have enough time to make an impact.

  Erik ten Hag (4/10):

  Played the same starting XI that had performed poorly against Wolves and his many substitutions failed to turn things around.

The teenager had a hand in three late goals as Xavi's side came from behind to win 4-2 after a dismal first-half display against Spurs

Barcelona pieced together a markedly poor 60 minutes against a makeshift Tottenham side, before the introduction of 16-year-old Lamine Yamal turned things around in the Joan Gamper Trophy on Tuesday. The youngster assisted one, and was vital in the build up for two more, as the Blaugrana ran out 4-2 winners.

Spurs arrived in Catalunya without some of their main attacking options, with Son Heung-Min benched and Harry Kane not even in the matchday squad. However, they dominated for long spells, and probably could have won this one with some more clinical finishing.

Things started well for the home side, though. With Ousmane Dembele almost certain to leave the club, Raphinha was charged with filling the vacant spot on Barca's right wing, and the Brazilian created the home side's opener, his angled pass perfectly meeting Robert Lewandowski's left foot for an early 1-0 lead.

But Barca swiftly lost control. A Kane-less Spurs created chance after chance throughout the remainder of the first half, with Oliver Skipp the unlikely beneficiary. He grabbed his first on 24 minutes after ghosting in at the far post to turn home a rebound. His second was more impressive, a well-timed run and fine header to give Spurs a much-deserved 2-1 lead which they held until nine minutes from full-time.

Yamal's introduction changed things. The teenager led Barca to victory with a wonderful 15 minute cameo, teasing Sergio Reguilon on the right-wing and giving Barca the dynamism and thrust they have lacked there for some time.

The 16-year-old assisted the equaliser, feeding Ferran Torres from close range. And he started the move for the third and fourth, with two other La Masia products — Ansu Fati and Ez Abde — grabbing stoppage-time goals. And so while there were plenty of concerns for Barca, this game will now be remembered for the arrival of the academy's latest wonderkid.

GOAL looks at what we learned during the clash at Barca's new temporary home, the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium…

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  Yamal is ready for the big time

  'The new Lionel Messi'. Again. To play right wing at Barcelona is a curse of sorts. The Messi comparisons are inevitable, and Yamal was slapped with that tag well over a year ago. He made his debut last season, and looked dangerous in brief instances on the pitch.

  This might just have been the game he pushed for regular inclusion, though. Barcelona were out of ideas when the winger came onto the pitch. They lacked dynamism and quality in the final third, and needed an injection of pace and trickery. And that's exactly what Yamal brought to the side.

  The 16-year-old twisted and turned his way around Reguilon for 15 minutes, having a direct hand in all three second-half goals. Yes, he was playing against some tired legs, but he still looked frightening while operating against a player 10 years his senior.

  There is a dangerous tendency for overreaction here, especially given the Barcelona badge and lineage at the position. For now, call it an encouraging start to what Barca fans will hope is a long career.

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  Barca don't need Neymar or a Dembele replacement

  Is the latest iteration of the Neymar to Barcelona rumour to be taken seriously? That's unclear, but the interest is certainly there from the Paris Saint-Germain forward, who, not unreasonably, wants out of Parcs des Princes. This would be an expensive and messy investment for the Blaugrana, the kind of deal that would mean tearing up their transfer strategy for an aging, erratic player.

  Barca might not need him, anyway. And they certainly don't when Raphinha is playing like he did on Tuesday. The winger set up Barcelona's first with a wonderful curled ball into Lewandowski, and looked dangerous all night. His pace and trickery was, at times, too much for a makeshift Spurs defence, while his diligence off the ball was also valuable.

  Ansu Fati did his bit, too. The forward enjoyed a turn in form after Christmas, last year, and looked far more of a threat in the New Year. He only built on that here, operating through the middle and bagging the winner for the Blaugrana. Fati might not be in for a start every week — Raphinha probably did enough to justify consistent inclusion — but he certainly showed his value.

  Given Yamal's performance, Ferran Torres' goals in pre-season and Vitor Roque's arrival to come in January, Xavi doesn't seem short of forward options, even with Ousmane Dembele on his to PSG. Signing a replacement such as Neymar, then, wouldn't be a wise move.

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  Spurs don't need Kane when they have… Skipp?!

  The Harry Kane transfer saga has been dragged out at this point. Bayern Munich clearly want him, while Spurs are predictably reluctant to sell. Club chairman Daniel Levy has always been a stickler in the market, and hasn't ditched his principles for the club's most valuable asset.

  Kane looks more likely to stay in north London with every day that passes. Still, he wasn't in the squad on Tuesday, with Tottenham presumably looking to avoid injury so close to their Premier League opener against Brentford.

  Richarlison started up front in his stead, but it was holding midfielder Skipp who grabbed the headlines. Largely a forgotten man last year, Skipp has been given a fair look this pre-season. And while he is not a regular goalscoring threat — and likely won't ever be — his double was valuable, if only to momentarily take Tottenham's minds away from the other homegrown player who has been making the headlines of late.

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  No place for Gundogan in Barca's diamond

  Xavi hasn't flexed his modified 4-4-2 this pre-season, instead opting to play something of a more traditional 4-3-3. That changed on Tuesday, though, with the manager reverting back to the system that helped Barca lock up the La Liga title in the first few months of 2023.

  And it certainly had its moments. Alejandro Balde pushed up on the left, Pedri pulled the strings centrally, and Raphinha offered support to Lewandowski. But Oriol Romeu, a very much imperfect replacement for Sergio Busquets, looked uncertain — and lost his man in the build up for Tottenham's first. Gavi, meanwhile, picked up a rash booking within the first 15 minutes, and was lucky to avoid a sending off.

  Notably, though, there was no place for Ilkay Gundogan. The German was presumably brought in as a sure-fire starter for Barca. However, he doesn't seem the right type of player to fit any of the midfield roles in the system. He can, and undoubtedly will, learn how to secure one of the starting spots here, and he did enjoy 30 effective minutes off the bench. Still, he might have to fight for his place in Xavi's side.

Danny Mills reckons that Aston Villa may be plotting to replace Jack Grealish after their bid for Arsenal winger Emile Smith Rowe was rejected in midweek [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Aston Villa get ready for 2021/22

As Aston Villa gear up for 2021/22, many will be intrigued to see how they go about bettering their impressive 11th-placed finish last term.

Already very active in the transfer market, the Villans have been successful in their bids to acquire Emiliano Buendia and Ashley Young respectively as they build for pre-season.

However, it is a failed pursuit which has caught Mills’ attention as Arsenal turned down a bid of £25m for Smith-Rowe from Aston Villa earlier this week [BBC].

The Latest: Mills issues honest Grealish rebuttal

Asked whether he thought this bid could signify an impeding Villa Park exit for Grealish sooner rather than later, Mills issued an honest reply in an exclusive interview with Football Insider, stating: “Quite possibly, yes.

“You always have to plan for that. At the moment, they’re bringing in players that can enhance their squad and their first XI and there’s no harm in doing that whatsoever.

“But there will be in the back of their minds that if suddenly something happens and there is a huge offer for Jack Grealish and he wants to go then they have enough players to cover those positions.

“Obviously they won’t be as good as Jack, not right now. But with a few tweaks here and there the aim will be you don’t miss.”

The Verdict: Villa’s swift recruitment will stand them in good stead

The former Leeds United defender makes an informed point regarding the difficult predicament in which Aston Villa find themselves.

Grealish has been a stand-out performer for Aston Villa in 2020/21, registering 19 goal contributions from 27 outings, with seven goals and 12 assists [Transfermarkt]. Earning adulation left, right and centre, the 25-year-old was deservedly nominated for the Premier League Player of the Season award at the beginning of this month [avfc.co.uk].

Villa will be doing everything in their power to keep the talented winger at Villa Park. Conversely, if Grealish decides to move on to pastures new within the transfer window, quality recruitment will be key in order to replace the offensive quality the Villa captain possesses.

Judging by the Clarets early summer transfer surge, they may be well stocked to handle any prospective departure.

In other news, many Aston Villa fans react with horror to this transfer report.

Between playing with the boys' teams at an MLS Next side and training with an NWSL team at 17, the young full-back has had quite the journey already

It's the week before the CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship and GOAL is chatting to Gisele Thompson, the United States' promising young full-back, about how she has been preparing for the tournament. While almost all of her team-mates are playing for college teams across the country, Thompson has been training with an NWSL side in Angel City, one that missed out on the play-offs by just four points in its inaugural season last year.

When Thompson explains that participating in practise sessions with seasoned stars, players who have been to multiple World Cups for their countries, has been really "helpful" in preparing her for the trip to the Dominican Republic with the U20s, GOAL can't help but laugh a little and note that very few players across the tournament will have had that same preparation. The teenager lets out a giggle in response, a shy one, almost to deflect the praise insinuated by the point.

Her addition to Angel City's pre-season roster in January was the latest milestone in the exciting yet unorthodox path the 17-year-old has taken to date. Like her sister, Alyssa, who was picked at No.1 in the NWSL Draft earlier this year, Thompson has spent the last few years at Total Futbol Academy, a boys' club that competes in MLS Next.

"They are my first and probably my last girls I'll coach," Mario Gonzalez, their coach at TFA, ponders, with a little laugh. His musing is a good indication of just how rare that path is for girls in the U.S to take. Gisele has been playing with the U17 boys' team and the experience has paid dividends. Gonzalez believes she's ready for the NWSL already. Though there is no rush, it only feels like a matter of time until that step is taken.

With Alyssa shining so brightly in the top league in the U.S. since she herself signed for Angel City this year, of course there is a lot of excitement about her younger sister and whether she can follow in her footsteps. But that excitement should be because Gisele is a huge talent in her own right, not because of anything else.

So, who is this teenage defender and what makes her future so bright?

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  Where it all began

  Both Gisele and Alyssa, with just 13 months between them, were introduced to all kinds of sports from a young age, with their parents putting them in sessions for basketball, gymnastics and “everything you can think of”, Gisele recalls.

  “My parents thought that we weren't going to be that tall, because my parents are pretty short, so they put us in soccer and we were pretty good at it,” she explains. “We also had speed from my dad's side of the family, so they knew that was a big part in how we played and I think just from there, we kept going.”

  The pair bounced around a number of different teams in the Los Angeles area before settling at TFA. It made both of them glad to have each other. “It was really hard to keep a friend in those groups because we'd stay at clubs for short amounts of time so having [Alyssa] there was just so much easier and just like a built in friend," Thompson adds.

  “You always have her there and we always go through the same experiences, so we always talk about how we feel. We understand each other so well, better than anyone could ever understand.”

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  The big break

  Last year was a big one for Thompson, who represented her country’s U17s at both the CONCACAF Championship and the World Cup that followed. The U.S. were champions on the continent again but suffered a disappointing quarter-final exit on the world stage, knocked out on penalties by Nigeria.

  Still, it was at these tournaments that Thompson really announced herself to a wider audience with her ability to be effective on both sides of the ball in her right-back role.

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  How it's going

  Fast-forward a few months and the teenage defender is now training with Angel City – when her school hours don’t clash – while still playing for TFA. She’s moved up to the U20 national team, too, representing them at the CONCACAF Championship, where they have reached the semi-finals and are one win away from qualifying for the 2024 U20 World Cup.

  “It's definitely very helpful because they're fast-paced and they're grown women, so they expect a lot from me, too,” Thompson says of practicing with an NWSL side. “They're very physical and they're looking for perfection, which is very hard but also, you expect that from yourself, too.”

  It’s given her an opportunity to watch and learn from a lot of top pros, with New Zealand captain Ali Riley, a veteran of four World Cup tournaments, a player she picks out as one who has given her a lot of advice.

  “She communicates with me very well,” Thompson explains. “She's always bringing me into conversations and just trying to be like an older sister to me, which has been very helpful in making me more comfortable in the situations that I've been in. Whatever I need, she's always there to help me and whenever I'm working on defending or anything in that realm, she's always there to help and give me advice.”

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  Biggest strengths

  In the modern game, it’s hard to find a full-back who has a well-balanced game. There are those who are defensively strong but don’t get forward and support attacks enough, while there are others who excel in the final third but neglect the other side of the game. Thompson, however, is very good at both.

  In fact, when she first arrived at TFA, it was her aggression, her fearlessness in a tackle and her will to throw her body on the line to defend that stood out to Gonzalez. “Obviously, after that, I started noticing her speed, her agility, her technical ability,” he remembers. “I was like, 'Wait a minute. There's more'.”

  Her attacking contributions have developed well alongside that because of how coachable and willing to learn Thompson is. "I think what makes me, me, is my attacking ability," she says. "My getting up the field and my speed to track back or get forward fast."

  “She's really fast, she's super smart, very technical, very aggressive. She’s going to develop into a really good player,” Gonzalez adds. But the coach's favourite aspect of Thompson’s development is in her personality, with him recalling how shy she was upon arrival at TFA.

  “She's transitioned into more of a comfortable role talking, coaching, demanding the ball from players,” he says. “I think that transition has been the one that I've kind of enjoyed the most in terms of just her coming out of her shell and being more confident.

  “Most of it has been through these national team call-ups. Every time it happens, I get her with all the boys and I make the announcement and they get all happy and give her a high five and it kind of triggers her to see that they're very excited for her and she's one of them. I think that's helped her transition to have more confidence.”

West Bromwich Albion have been handed a boost to their chances of keeping Karlan Grant at The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claim that the 23-year-old centre-forward has no intention of leaving the Baggies in the upcoming transfer window, despite their relegation from the Premier League.

Fans will be buzzing

While it is undeniable that Grant has not quite lived up to the £15m fee West Brom had to pay Huddersfield Town to secure his services last October, the news that the former England U18 international is happy to remain at The Hawthorns beyond the summer should have fans of the club buzzing.

Indeed, while the £8.1m-rated man’s performances in the Premier League left a lot to be desired, with the forward scoring just one goal over 21 appearances in the top flight last term, his form for the Terriers in the campaign prior would seem to bode extremely well for the Baggies ahead of next season.

In the 2019/20 Championship campaign, Grant bagged 19 goals, provided four assists and created six big chances over his 43 league appearances, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 1.2 key passes per game, with these returns seeing the £30k-per-week striker earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.87.

As such, if the man Danny Cowley dubbed a “ruthless” finisher can refind this form for West Brom next season, it would appear to massively increase the Baggies’ chances of securing an immediate return to the Premier League.

So, while Grant may have taken a little while to get used to life in the top flight of English football, the 23-year-old could be finally set to flourish in a West Brom shirt next season – an outcome that would undoubtedly delight West Brom fans, as well as the club themselves.

If West Brom want to secure an immediate promotion back to the top flight, they will need somebody to step up and score plenty of goals in the Championship. In Grant, they have a player with a track record of doing exactly that, it’ll be a huge boost if he stays at the club.

In other news: West Brom dealt transfer blow over “tenacious” £31k-p/w gem that’ll leave fans gutted

Manchester United fell to a shambolic 3-0 loss against an utterly dominant Sevilla side to exit the Europa League on Thursday

Manchester United's exciting Europa League campaign ended in horror and shame after one of the worst performances of the season, brimming with inexplicable errors, miscommunication and frustration.

David de Gea contributed to all three conceded goals while Harry Maguire had another embarrassing performance, giving the ball away to assist Sevilla's opener after he scored an own goal in last week's 2-2 draw.

After leading last week's first leg 2-0 at half-time, it was unthinkable that United could end up losing this tie, let alone by a 5-2 aggregate scoreline. And yet that's exactly what happened as the hope of European silverware in Erik ten Hag's first season in charge fell apart.

GOAL rates Manchester United players from an ecstatic Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan.

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David de Gea (1/10):

  Did Maguire no favours by passing to him under pressure in the moments before Sevilla's opener and was badly at fault for the second goal which came off Bade's shoulder and looped over his head in part because of a mistimed jump. He saved his worst moment for last, though, sending the ball straight to Youssef En-Nesyri who stroked a shot into an empty net. One of his worst-ever displays in 12 years at the club.

  Aaron Wan-Bissaka (5/10):

  Not United's worst defender but made a few late challenges.

  Harry Maguire (3/10):

  Showed no awareness for the first goal and looked shaky throughout, just as he did against Nottingham Forest.

  Victor Lindelof (6/10):

  The only defender that played with any confidence or conviction.

  Diogo Dalot (5/10):

  Created almost no danger going forward.

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  Midfield

  Christian Eriksen (5/10):

  Lost the ball on several occasions and could not handle Sevilla's intensity.

  Casemiro (5/10):

  Outmuscled more than once and also gave the ball away in dangerous areas, including for the goal Sevilla had disallowed for offside.

  Marcel Sabitzer (5/10):

  Kept making fouls and barely threatened in attack.

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  Attack

  Antony (6/10):

  One of very few to play with any passion or purpose but still could not do anything tangible.

  Antony Martial (5/10):

  Played deep and created no danger before being forced off injured early in the second half.

  Jadon Sancho (5/10):

  Again seemed afraid of making any bold moves and was lethargic defensively. Hauled off at half-time.

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  Subs & Manager

  Marcus Rashford (6/10):

  Created some semblance of danger when he came on but failed to trouble Bono.

  Luke Shaw (5/10):

  Could not stop the rot although it was not his fault.

  Wout Weghorst (5/10):

  Showed some effort but as usual created no danger, which is not what you want from your centre-forward.

  Fred (5/10):

  Did little to suggest he should be back in the starting line-up any time soon.

  Anthony Elanga (N/A):

  Came on in the 87th minute but did at least manage a shot.

  Erik ten Hag (5/10):

  His hands were tied due to the absences of key players like Fernandes, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane but he must take some blame for this shocking performance.