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Thomas Frank is the latest man to be tasked with the responsibility of leading Tottenham Hotspur to potential Premier League glory – taking the reins from Ange Postecoglou during the off-season.

The Dane has already made a superb start to life as the Lilywhites boss, winning two of three league matches – including a sensational victory over Manchester City at the Etihad.

He will undoubtedly want to forget about the recent defeat to Bournemouth on home soil, losing his 100% start to life in the role as manager in North London.

The international break may be a blessing in disguise to the new boss, getting an added period to work with some of his players to fully get his ideology across to the squad.

However, there’s no denying the 51-year-old would’ve wanted to rely upon one player who caught the eye under his guidance at his previous job in charge of Brentford.

Bryan Mbeumo’s time under Frank at Brentford

During his seven-year stint in charge of Brentford, Frank managed to develop numerous top-level talents, including winger Bryan Mbeumo, who managed to take his career to the next level under his guidance.

The Cameroonian scored 70 times for the Bees in his 242 appearances for the club, with 20 of which came in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign.

Such a year was the best of his professional career, leading to huge rumours about his future during the recent summer transfer window – with the Lilywhites touted as a potential destination.

However, he decided to join Manchester United instead this summer, linking up with Ruben Amorim in a staggering £71m deal – already opening his account for the Red Devils in the recent clash with Burnley.

Frank will undoubtedly have wished that he could’ve secured a reunion with the 26-year-old this summer, but he also could’ve had his next version of the forward had the club kept hold of one talent.

The former Spurs player who could’ve been Frank’s next Mbeumo

Numerous players have caught the eye at Spurs over recent years, with many often cutting inside off either flank and striking dangerous efforts at goal.

Gareth Bale was arguably the best at doing so during his time in North London, often beating the opposition before finding the top corner with his left foot.

Such a skillset led to him scoring 71 times across his two spells as a first-team star – something which led to him leaving for Real Madrid in a £85m deal back in 2013.

However, another player who possessed a singular skill was winger Ivan Perišić, who joined the club in the summer of 2022, arriving on a free transfer under Antonio Conte after his release from Inter Milan at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

The Croatian made 44 appearances during his first season at the club, notching one goal and 12 assists, but he would be unable to make such an impact during his second season in North London.

He would tear his ACL in the early stages of 2023/24, featuring in just six matches, before moving to Hajduk Split on a free transfer at the end of his contract in the summer of 2024.

Despite his lack of first-team action in North London, he did show glimpses of being able to create danger by cutting off the flank – able to find a teammate or even the back of the net.

The Croatian, who’s been labelled “incredible” by one analyst, may now be 36, but he’s continued to thrive in Europe, helping PSV Eindhoven win the Eredivisie last season – notching 16 goals and 10 assists – a tally higher than that of Mbeumo.

His two-footed ability has made him such a threat in the Dutch top-flight, potentially showcasing to the Lilywhites the mistake they made in allowing him to depart.

Luuk de Jong

22

Ismael Saibari

22

Guus Til

21

Noa Lang

21

Ivan Perišić

17

Malik Tillman

14

Ricardo Pepi

13

Johan Bakayako

10

Perisic has had a superb career at the very top level, with credit needing to be directed his way, especially after recovering from his serious injury and producing some incredible goal contributions.

His unpredictable nature in forward areas is extremely similar to that of Mbeumo, which has seen Frank’s side miss out on possessing either of the talents due to their failures in the market.

Spurs struck gold signing "phenomenal" star who's worth more than Simons

Tottenham Hotspur have already conducted excellent business with the addition of one player.

1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 2, 2025

Star seamer leaves Southampton after four fruitful seasons, and heads for club he originally signed for in 2020

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2025Mohammad Abbas, the Pakistan seamer, has swapped Hampshire for Nottinghamshire, where he will be available for six fixtures in the forthcoming Rothesay County Championship.Abbas, who has claimed 758 first-class wickets at an average of 20.66, will begin his stint in May, following the conclusion of Fergus O’Neill’s month-long spell with the side. He will then return to the club in September for the closing stages of the County Championship season.Abbas joins fellow seamer O’Neill and South Africa international Kyle Verreynne in agreeing terms as an overseas player for the upcoming red-ball campaign, with Conor McKerr (three-year contract) and Daniel Sams (Blast) having also joined the club ahead of the new season.He had originally agreed to join Nottinghamshire for the 2020 season, before his stint was curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He subsequently starred for Hampshire, claiming 180 wickets at 19.07 across four summers, with successive 50-wicket seasons in 2022 and 2023.In a statement, Hampshire explained that they had released Abbas due to a need to “rebalance their squad”, with James Vince’s retirement from first-class cricket meaning they are exploring options for an overseas batter.”Mohammad has consistently been one of the top performers in the County Championship and has unfailingly produced his very best for Hampshire time and time again,” Giles White, the men’s director of cricket said. “His character will be sorely missed in the dressing room and on the pitch, and everyone at the Club wishes him the very best in his career.Abbas’s first-class form earned him a recall to the Pakistan Test side against South Africa this winter. In total, Abbas has 101 international wickets in 30 matches across formats, while his domestic record also includes 79 wickets for Leicestershire between 2018 and 2019.”Trent Bridge is a special place to play cricket, so it will be great to call the ground home this summer – especially after not being able to come over and play for Notts five years ago,” Abbas said.”I’ve really enjoyed my time in the English game, and the squad at Notts is in an exciting place. There’s a good blend of young talent and senior players who’ve been around for a while and know their game really well, and I’m looking forward to contributing in any way that I can to their success.”Nottinghamshire’s head coach Peter Moores said: “Players of Mo’s experience and track record don’t come around all that often, so we’re really excited about what he can bring to us this summer.”His control and his ability to find a way of getting wickets on any sort of surface make him extremely valuable; he’s certainly been a tough opponent for us to face over the years.”We’ve already got an exciting group of bowlers at our disposal for the summer, and the addition of Mo’s craft and subtlety will add a different style of bowling to the rest of our attack.”

Liverpool have confirmed that rising star Rio Ngumoha has signed his first professional contract with the club. The forward swapped Chelsea for the Reds a year ago and has enjoyed a rapid rise at the Premier League champions. The 17-year-old grabbed the headlines with his 100th-minute winner against Newcastle United earlier this season and now he has put pen to paper on a new deal.

Ngumoha pens new bumper Liverpool deal

Liverpool didn't disclose any details, but the left winger, who can also play as an attacking midfielder, is said to have committed his future at Anfield until the summer of 2028.

According to the , the teenager will now be on an annual salary of £52,000 ($69,000), which is the maximum for a first-year professional at Liverpool. He can, however, earn more through bonuses, but this still far eclipses the standard scholar's annual wages of £14,400 ($19,000) that he was previously on.

The Reds had to wait until he turned 17 last month before they were allowed to give Ngumoha this new professional contract. Incidentally, the Football Association's rules dictate that the maximum contract they can give a player of his age is three years.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLiverpool uncover latest gem

Ngumoha joined Chelsea's academy at the age of eight and spent the best part of a decade there before joining Liverpool in the summer of 2024. Last season, he featured for the Merseyside outfit's Under-18s, Under-19s, and Under-21s, before being handed his senior debut by manager Arne Slot against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup in January.

Shortly before he turned 17, Ngumoha netted a last-gasp winner for Liverpool in a 3-2 victory over Newcastle in the Premier League last month, prompting a deluge of positive coverage. He then made his Champions League debut in a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid last week, before registering his first start of the season in the 2-1 Carabao Cup triumph over Southampton on Tuesday. The way things are going, Ngumoha – the youngest ever Liverpool goalscorer and he youngest from the club to play in the Champions League – could get plenty of game time this term.

Slot and Van Dijk praise Ngumoha

After Ngumoha's winner at Newcastle, his manager Slot and team-mate Virgil van Dijk both lauded the teenager's contribution.

The Dutch boss said, "Rio can finish so well for his age. I did hear someone say afterwards in the dressing room he would have taken a first touch but he is so confident. For his age, he is a really good finisher."

Captain Van Dijk admitted, "I'm very pleased for Rio, I've said it to him already it all starts now, he has to keep working hard and stay humble but definitely have to enjoy this because these nights, you can't take them for granted if you're in his position."

And Ngumoha himself added, "I think Dom [Szoboszlai] just knew I was there. He said to me in the changing room, 'I hoped you were there,' and then luckily he just looked, and then I was there. As the ball came, I just thought I could back myself to score and then…I don't even know, it's crazy."

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Getty Images SportNgumoha targets more Liverpool game time

For all the praise that has come his way, and this new contract is a reward for his bright start to the season, Ngumoha still has a long way to go at Liverpool. He has had two cameos off the bench in the Premier League this term, and the youngster had a quarter of an hour against Atletico Madrid; but he did get 75 minutes at home to Championship side Southampton in midweek.

The England Under-19 international will hope to get some minutes away at unbeaten Crystal Palace in the league on Saturday, a side that beat them in the Community Shield final at Wembley in August. Before the Reds head off for the international break, Slot's team travel to Galatasaray in their next Champions League fixture on Tuesday, then head to Stamford Bridge in the league on October 4 to lock horns with Chelsea.

This is a great opportunity for Liverpool, who have won all five of their league matches so far this campaign, to stretch their lead at the top of the table, with Slot's players already five points clear of the chasing pack.

Birmingham City has seen their positive start to the brand-new Championship season unravel somewhat in recent games.

Indeed, the Blues raced out of the blocks very quickly after promotion with two wins and a draw, kickstarting their season on an unbeaten footing.

However, since an unexpected EFL Cup exit at the hands of Port Vale, the usually confident side have lost their way, as seen in the unfamiliar feeling of back-to-back defeats greeting Chris Davies recently.

Birmingham now find themselves all the way down in 11th position in the early league standings off the back of these two losses, with Davies praying he can get a tune out of his underperformers again very shortly, with Kyogo Furuhashi and Jay Stansfield – in particular – looking uncharacteristically rusty.

Birmingham's woes in attack this season

Birmingham are no longer the feared team in the division, having once bagged a weighty 86 goals on the way to lifting the League One title on a resounding 111 points.

Now, they find themselves in a middle-of-the-road position in the league above, with their recent attacking performances leaving a lot to be desired, arguably.

Frustratingly, since being in the right place at the right time to convert a golden opportunity back in August, summer arrival Kyogo, has regularly fired blanks.

Indeed, his lacklustre showing against Leicester City at the end of the month saw him make no accurate passes, while also struggling to catch out Jakub Stolarczyk with a goal-bound effort.

Having cost a reported £10m to bring to St. Andrew’s this summer, there will be a lot of worries already in the air that the former Celtic attacker isn’t cut out for the intense pressures of the EFL, and he will be viewed, down the line, as a costly mishap.

It’s not just new signings who have failed to settle up top, however, with Birmingham’s usually dependable number 28 in Stansfield also misplacing his shooting boots.

His last three outings in the cup and league have seen goals pass him by, with just 69 touches coming his way across those clashes, as the ex-Fulham youngster recedes into his shell.

Davies does have Marvin Ducksch as an alternative option in this department, but he will surely be resentful of Birmingham’s decision in the summer to part ways with this EFL-experienced marksman, who is now outperforming both Kyogo and Stansfield.

Kyogo & Stansfield being outperformed by ex-Blue

An unfortunate consequence of promotion glory is the rash decision-making that follows, as certain individuals are cast aside for flashier purchases who they hope will star in the league above.

In all fairness, there was plenty of logic behind Birmingham’s decision to part ways with electric goal machine Alfie May this summer, considering the hard-working veteran has never fired home a goal in the challenging Championship across his lower-league career to date.

Still, unwanted records like that are meant to be broken, and with May fresh off a promotion-winning return of 16 goals and eight assists in the third tier, Birmingham might well have been better placed to persevere with their experienced 32-year-old and see what he could do if given a chance up a league.

Birmingham’s loss has ended up being Huddersfield Town’s gain, though, with the brand-new Terriers number 26 now outperforming both Kyogo and Stansfield, situated back in League One, as he prepares to be yet another driving force for a side attempting to push back into the EFL’s elite division.

Games played

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Games started

4

Mins per game

64 mins

Goals scored

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Assists

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Shots per game

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Big chances missed

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When looking at the table above, in league action for Lee Grant’s men this season, May boasts one more goal involvement than both the Englishman and the Japan international, with those four goals and assists coming about despite making just four starts.

His ability to be a “wonderful” option from off the bench – as he was once labelled by ex-boss Nathan Jones – would certainly boost Birmingham right now, with Davies no doubt now growing impatient with the wasteful displays of both Stansfield and Kyogo.

Of course, there’s no guarantee May would come back into the fold and be an instant success in such a daunting division.

But, there are certainly worse shouts out there, as Davies now tries to get his team firing again to ensure they don’t slide down the competitive league even more.

"Strange" – Reaction as Birmingham linked with signing 29 y/o free agent

Could the Blues get their man?

ByHenry Jackson Sep 11, 2025

Changes could come in for 2026 with Hundred sale helping provide “financial certainty” for counties

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Apr-2025Less than 24 hours before the start of the county season, the ECB has announced a review into the men’s domestic structure which could see a reduction in the number of County Championship matches from 14 to 12 as early as 2026.The review, overseen by the Professional Game Committee (PGC) and expected to take “two to three months”, will be the third undertaken in the last seven years, and follows the Andrew Strauss-led high-performance review in 2022, which came in the wake of England’s 4-0 Ashes defeat in Australia.A number of Strauss’ recommendations, including reducing the number of County Championship and T20 Blast games to 10, were dismissed out of hand by the counties. This time around, their greater involvement in what is hoped will be a game-wide collaborative effort should make them more amenable to change.Related

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Hollioake, Anderson, Williamson – Big names headline scrap for promotion

Even at this early stage – talks began on Tuesday at the professional county assembly attended by the chairs and chief executives of the 18 counties – a 10-match Championship season has been ruled out. But cuts to the volume of red-ball cricket are expected with the Hundred set in stone for the summer holidays and the Blast still lucrative for all 18 counties. The review will also address the need for a more significant List A competition, having been played in the Hundred’s shadow since 2021.The ECB is hopeful this process will result in a meaningful domestic revamp from next summer onwards, one they hope will satisfy all parties, including the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), who have lobbied for a leaner schedule on behalf of their members.That optimism comes primarily from the fact the county game is soon to be flush with cash following February’s landmark sale of equity in the Hundred, which is set to bring approximately £520 million into English cricket. Despite the recent delay in negotiations resulting in an extension of the exclusivity period between some investors and their respective host counties, the ECB sees no reasons why the eight sales will not be ratified by the new deadline set for the end of April, with the agreed-upon valuations locked in.While 12 out of the 18 counties will need to vote in favour of any mooted tweaks, their involvement should mean fewer hurdles to overcome. The PGC, which was set-up in 2022 and feeds into the ECB board, is headed by Warwickshire chair Mark McCafferty, and features county chief executives in Steve Elworthy (Surrey), Ryan Duckett (Derbyshire) and Tim Bostock (Durham), as well as representatives from the PCA and recreational game.With the County Partnership Agreement set from 2025 to 2029, and major match allocations for international cricket sorted through to 2031, Rob Andrew, as managing director of the professional game, feels now is the time to work out a domestic structure that best serves all concerned.”I think the game now feels that we have an opportunity to look at the men’s domestic schedule a little bit more holistically, knowing where the Hundred is in the calendar,” Andrew said. “It’s very much about the counties themselves, and this is what I think is really important.”We started this process on Tuesday at the pro county assembly with all the chairs and all the chief execs, so that over the next two or three months we will be engaging with the game, with all stakeholders in the game to put together what we hopefully feel will be the best domestic men’s competitions that we can in this country.”Obviously that focuses around County Championship, the Blast competition, which has possibly been a little bit in the shade over the last couple of years with the establishment of the Hundred. We need to have a look at the 50-over competition as well. So there’s a real desire across the whole game, including the PCA.The Hundred equity sale is set to bring a significant windfall for the game•ECB via Getty Images”We’ve spoken to the PCA lot in the last 12 months, and the players. We know the members we need to engage with across the counties. We know the DOCs [directors of cricket] have clearly a lot of experience about how we can make those three competitions the best that we can make them in this country for all participants, players, members, media. I think it’s fair to say that, at the moment, there’s a feeling that these competitions can be improved, as we all know.”We’re basically facilitating a discussion around how can we improve this current schedule. Because I think the one thing that is clear from my reading of the game and my discussions with the game is that everybody recognises that the schedule is not perfect and the schedule is not optimal. We’ve got 18 counties that, that agree that it’s not right. But we’ve got 19 different versions of what the answer is. And, and our job over the next few months is to try to pull all of those views together to get to a schedule where everybody can look at it, including the media.”The 2022 high-performance review was done in a very different backdrop to the one that we’re facing now. There’s a very stable backdrop to the domestic county structure, and there’s no question that the Hundred process gives some financial certainty to the future.”Despite lauding the County Championship as “the best red-ball competition in the world”, Andrew would not be drawn on whether a new structure will mean fewer than the 14 matches currently played across Divisions One and Two. “Nothing’s on the table and nothing’s off the table.”He did admit the onus was on finding solutions promptly to protect the integrity of the current season given the stakes around relegation and promotion – and the need to offer players and supporters some much-needed clarity, given the state of flux around the domestic schedule. The current system is far from perfect, with a 10-county Division One meaning not all teams play each other twice.”The County Championship is the blue riband of red-ball cricket in the world. We believe it’s the best red-ball competition in the world. We want to make it better. We want to embed it even stronger. We’ve got some of the world’s best players, best coaches who want to come and be part of the County Championship, and we want to make that even better.”The intention and hope is that we can put it in place for 2026 and a bit like the other agreements around, hopefully have a period of time where we can settle on a structure that we can let bed down. And actually that’s the other message that we keep getting – we need to let something settle.”With the Hundred sale providing the backbone for change, ECB chief executive Richard Gould has spent the last five days in India to ensure they remain on track. Having arrived back on Wednesday evening following talks with prospective buyers over reported concerns about some of the terms of their respective agreements, particularly those regarding future broadcast rights, Gould acknowledged the validity of their queries and their need for more time.”They are coming into the ECB as new arrivals, so [it was about] being able to give them the certainty that we can help them to drive value,” he said. “That’s largely where it’s coming from – drive value from sponsorships, ticket sales, broadcast.”They’re investing a lot of money into our game, and we want to make sure they can bring the dividends as well. They’re largely commercial discussions, but what’s interesting is that they’re all on a very, very sound footing.”We’ve got some parties which are absolutely ready to go now, others that have got a few additional questions and points that are being worked through. I really do think that we are on the final run of those.”

Barcelona sporting director Deco has provided details regarding Marcus Rashford's season-long loan move from Manchester United, confirming that the reigning La Liga champions will not have to pay any penalty should they decide not to sign the Englishman permanently next summer. United have inserted a purchase option for the in-form Rashford but Barca appear set to wait until late in the season before making any decision.

Rashford: Barcelona's Plan C

Barcelona's fragile financial condition meant that they failed in their endeavours to sign prime left-wing targets Nico Williams and Luis Diaz, with the former staying put at Athletic Club and the latter moving to Bayern Munich. Ultimately, the reigning La Liga champions signed Rashford on a season-long loan from United, with an option to buy him for £26 million (€30m/$35m) next summer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRashford's great start away from United

The England international has made a terrific start in Catalunya, proving his importance to head coach Hansi Flick early on in the season. Rashford has featured in all eight games for Barca so far, which includes his rip-roaring brace against old foes Newcastle in the Champions League, as well as three assists in La Liga. The Catalans are keen on analysing Rashford's performances throughout the 2025-26 season before making a decision on his potential long-term future at the club.

Deco dives into financial details behind Rashford's move from Man Utd

Speaking to , Deco dispelled rumours that Barca would be required to pay a penalty should they opt not to sign Rashford permanently next summer.

"He's on a simple loan, there's no penalty, and if we want him, we have an option to buy," said Deco. "It's too early to talk about decisions for next season, but what matters is that we're happy with him. What we thought he could bring to us, he's bringing. He's a very high-level player; he exploded very early, then he had great seasons at United, then he had years of more complicated management with changes of coaches, and perhaps he struggled too because they demanded a lot of things from him there. But we're happy with him; that's the most important thing. These aren't decisions for now; now it's time to focus on the games to come. A decision will be made, but that's not being discussed right now."

He didn't provide much information regarding the details of the purchase option, though. "I don't know, [the purchase fee] is not that high but I don't have to say it either, there's a contract between the clubs but it has to be discussed," he added.

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Getty Images SportIn-form Rashford in for a start against PSG?

Flick will have a huge selection headache on his head when picking his starting XI for Wednesday's blockbuster Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain. With Lamine Yamal returning from injury, it is likely that Rashford will drop to the bench. However, the Barca manager might bear Rashford's fiery form in mind and name him as a surprise inclusion in the XI.

Manchester United are looking to build a squad capable of challenging for major honours under Ruben Amorim and could be set to up their pursuit of a midfielder in January, per reports.

Manchester United begin to take shape after transfer window

The transfer window has come and gone, leaving the Red Devils in a position to kick on after managing to secure several arrivals before the deadline earlier this week.

Coming in hours before the close of play, Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens joined the club for £18.2 million from Royal Antwerp and could face a baptism of fire in back-to-back Premier League fixtures against Manchester City and Chelsea.

Speaking about whether he could assume the number one jersey, Jay Motty of Stretford Paddock believes there is every chance the Belgian could get the nod over Andre Onana or Altay Bayindir.

He stated: “It was obvious we needed another option because neither Andre Onana or Altay Bayindir have covered themselves in glory.

“I know there’s a lot of pressure on a young goalkeeper coming in but hopefully he can rise to it because we knew we had to do something. I get that Emi Martinez has won a World Cup, but in the Premier League he can be erratic. Let’s not ignore his faults. With Lammens we don’t know if he’s going to be good enough for Manchester United, but there’s every reason to think he’s got a chance of that.”

With the Red Devils set to return for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba in 2026, their mission to build a talented squad appears far from finished, and they now have another midfield operator in their sights should the opportunity arise.

Manchester United plotting new move for Conor Gallagher

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are plotting a January move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher and will consult several avenues to try and bring the former Chelsea star back to English shores. The Red Devils are considering a both loan with an option to buy and a permanent deal if circumstances align, with the La Liga giants willing to offload the England international to offer themselves financial flexibility in the market.

Conor Gallagher in the Premier League

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Goals

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Assists

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Viewed as the main candidates to offer him a route back into English football, United are moving ‘increasingly close’ to his signature, and it remains to be seen whether they can offer a package to match his demands.

Registering four goals and six assists in 53 appearances for Atletico Madrid, Gallagher imposed himself in La Liga last term by winning 110 duels, per Fotmob, although he has only started one match in 2025/26. Labelled “priceless” by Mauricio Pochettino despite Chelsea sticking a £50m valuation on him at the time, his experience in the top-flight speaks for itself, and it may only be a matter of time before the Cobham graduate returns to familiar surroundings.

KKR lost their openers cheaply but Rahane and Raghuvanshi steadied their innings before Iyer and Rinku went ballistic

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2025The Indian batters in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) middle order finally came to the fore as the home team posted 200 for 6 in their first innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Eden Gardens.First, it was the four sixes hit by No. 3 Ajinkya Rahane in a 27-ball 38 that dragged KKR out of a tricky situation. No. 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who scored 50 in 32 balls, gave him able support.And then, when both batters were dismissed in quick succession, it was Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh who brought out the big shots. Venkatesh smacked 60 in 29 balls while Rinku Singh was unbeaten on a 17-ball 32.KKR’s batting performance was the first time since the fifth game of IPL 2025 (on March 25) that a team had reached 200 in the tournament. But that number looked far from possible when Zeeshan Ansari and the ambidextrous Kamindu Mendis rattled KKR through the middle overs with the wickets of Rahane and Raghuvanshi.However, with KKR batting right down to No. 9 with Moeen Ali’s inclusion for this fixture, Venkatesh and Rinku freed their arms against Simarjeet Singh, Pat Cummins and Harshal Patel. KKR crunched 78 off the last five overs to take the momentum into the innings break.From SRH’s perspective, they started well, dismissing Quinton de Kock (1) and Sunil Narine (7) cheaply in a strong powerplay performance.

U.S. coach Katie Schoepfer has selected the 21-player roster that will represent the country at the 2025 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco next month, with the squad featuring an three current NWSL professionals. The American team will begin their tournament journey against Ecuador on Oct. 18 before facing China and Norway in the remaining Group C matches.

ImagnHistoric professional presence

The U.S. roster makes history as only the second American U17 team to include professional players following the 2024 edition, and this group features three current NWSL talents.

Chicago Stars forward Micayla Johnson, Gotham FC forward Mak Whitham, and Utah Royals forward KK Ream bring valuable professional experience to the squad, with Ream having already etched her name in NWSL record books by becoming the league's youngest goalscorer.

AdvertisementImagnThe full U.S. U17 squad for the World Cup

Goalkeepers (3): Ella McNeal, Evan O'Steen, Peyton Trayer

Defenders (6): Meila Brewer, Pearl Cecil, Natalie Chudowsky, Cali O'Neill, Olivia Robinson, Sydney Schmidt

Midfielders (6): Scottie Antonucci, Riley Kennedy, Jaiden Rodriguez, Chloe Sadler, Anastasia Showler-Little, Nyanya Touray

Forwards (6): Maddie DiMaria, Micayla Johnson, Elayna Kocher, Lauren Malsom, KK Ream, Mak Whitham

'Our team is a united one'

Schoepfer emphasized the significance of the moment, noting that the opportunity allows some of the country’s most promising young players to test themselves on the world stage while continuing their development within the national team pathway.

“For these players to be a part of the first 24-team U17 World Cup is a big honor, and to have so many talented players getting to showcase themselves on a world stage is a great step forward for the game,” Schoepfer said in a statement. “Our team is a united one that cares deeply about each other and representing their country.

“They are ready to play their best in this tournament, which is a vitally important part of their growth as players through our National Team programs. We sincerely appreciate the collaboration with the clubs and colleges to enable these players to have this experience.”

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New opportunities for young Americans

The tournament represents a significant milestone as the first edition to feature an expanded 24-nation field, up from the previous 16-team format used since its inception. This expansion creates a new structure with six groups of four teams each, with the top two finishers in each group plus the four best third-place teams advancing to the Round of 16.

A 2-0 lead is the worst lead. So goes the footballing cliché. But it’s a saying aptly applied to Arne Slot’s Liverpool as they continue to face adversity when two goals to the good this season.

Three times had Liverpool ceded their lead when two goals up before meeting Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

After a barnstorming start to the all-Liverpool clash, the Reds looking back to their ferocious best, old habits crept in, with Idrissa Gueye pulling one back after the interval and casting an anxious blanket across most of Anfield.

However, this time Slot’s men didn’t need to dig deep and find a last-gasp winner, instead coming together to repel the impressive Toffees and see the game off.

Five wins from five in the Premier League. The hosts might have made a slight meal of things in the second half, but they got the job done once again, with a series of players stepping up.

Liverpool's best performers vs Everton

Virgil van Dijk is imperious as Liverpool’s leader and centre-back supreme, but Ibrahima Konate performed very well indeed against Everton, putting that shaky start to the season firmly behind him.

Against Everton, the France international won seven of eight aerial duels that came his way (data courtesy of Sofascore), while making eight clearances and two tackles, showing off that physical robustness when powering forward to stamp out danger or cover a wandering midfielder.

In the first half, Liverpool won 55% of the duels, but after the break, it was Everton who showed more impetus in the challenge, flipping that to a 56% success rate against the Anfield side.

That doesn’t tell the full story, though, and Dominik Szoboszlai is a testament to that, having only won half of his eight duels but thrived in an all-action midfield role, leading the press and showing off his first-rate stamina as the match wound down, instrumental to snuffing out a late comeback.

(GK) Alisson Becker

6/10

(RB) Conor Bradley

6/10

(CB) Ibrahima Konate

8/10

(CB) Virgil van Dijk

7/10

(LB) Milos Kerkez

6.5/10

(CM) Ryan Gravenberch

9/10

(CM) Alexis Mac Allister

6/10

(RW) Mohamed Salah

7/10

(AM) Dominik Szoboszlai

7.5/10

(LW) Cody Gakpo

6/10

(ST) Hugo Ekitike

9/10

Record signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak both entered the fray either side of the hour mark, but neither could write their names into the headlines as the visitors applied pressure and pushed for an equaliser.

That pairing have the skills and styles to emerge as Liverpool’s new version of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, but it’s two higher-flying members of Slot’s squad who are emerging as such stars of old.

Liverpool's new version of Gerrard & Torres

Torres and Gerrard formed one of the most iconic partnerships in Premier League history, turning aside opponents from every which way. Liverpool’s legendary skipper once said El Niño was “the best striker in the world”, before he up and left for Chelsea.

Hugo Ekitike has some stiff competition in Isak at number nine at Liverpool, but he’s playing like a man who knows it right now, having scored his fourth goal of the season after calmly collecting from a delicious Ryan Gravenberch pass and sending the ball past Jordan Pickford.

Liverpool’s £69m striker built on Gravenberch’s earlier goal, an incredible finish, dinked up and over Pickford and down and into the net after Mohamed Salah lobbed into space.

The duo have been incredible this season; they are proving invaluable proponents of Slot’s tactics, so coolly hitting the right heights under the head coach’s guidance.

Last season, Gravenberch announced himself as a major contender for a top side, but he now appears to have taken his game to the next level.

Peter Crouch remarked after the match for TNT Sports that he believes Gravenberch “has been Liverpool’s best player this season”, and it would be hard to contest that, so influential has he been across every corner of the midfield.

Now that he’s kindling a devastating attacking side to his game, the Dutchman is truly shaping into a new, modern version of Gerrard, who was the king of complete performances when in his heyday.

Moreover, Gerrard was a constant thorn in Everton’s side, with no man having scored more in the Merseyside derby than him.

Steven Gerrard

Liverpool

9

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

8

Divock Origi

Liverpool

6

Robbie Fowler

Liverpool

6

Tim Cahill

Everton

5

Dirk Kuyt

Liverpool

5

Torres was hardly a pushover on derby day, either, scoring three times against the Blues over five appearances as a Liverpool player; all three strikes came during his first two contests.

Ekitike appears up for the task of emulating the one-time hero, and he might even be playing with an air of the Spaniard’s flair too, with former Premier League goalkeeper Ben Foster saying during the game that the 23-year-old “looks like prime Fernando Torres running around Anfield”.

There was something Torres-esque about the way Ekitike worked overtime, just as it should be in a meeting of intense rivalry. The Frenchman completed all four of his dribbles, won seven duels and made two tackles for Slot’s side.

Isak, to be sure, has his work cut out this season and beyond. But Liverpool want to defend their Premier League title while challenging for silverware across all the other fronts too this term, and the duality of elite options at centre-forward will go a long way toward achieving that.

Boasting a combined Transfermarkt valuation of £130m and showcasing a budding partnership when Grav threaded through for his new frontman, there’s plenty of reason to be excited on the Red half of Merseyside, with such players already shaping this new charge toward the title.

Gravenberch, too, shares the midfield with a host of world-class players, but it’s hard to argue against the Netherlands international being the first name on the team-sheet right now, immovable and brilliant in the middle of the park.

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