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The American starlet has made the most of his time in Scotland on loan from Bayern Munich, but what's next for him is anyone's guess

For a player who is placing so many questions, Malik Tillman is looking more and more like a sure thing.

The 20-year-old U.S. men's national team starlet has taken a leap this season while on loan with Rangers. Maybe not THE leap, at least not yet, but it has been a leap nonetheless. In his first real season of senior soccer, Tillman now has double-digit goals. A good haul, for sure, for a player still very much a newcomer to the top levels of the game.

But Tillman's success in Scotland brings more questions than answers and, heading into a busy summer for club and country, the American's future remains uncertain.

At club level, Tillman's loan at Ibrox is nearing its end and his career can go any which way once it does this summer. Rangers want him back, obviously, but – given his success – a return to Bayern Munich may be on the cards, especially if new manager Thomas Tuchel wants a closer look.

As for the USMNT, it'll be a busy summer considering the program is staring down both the Nations League final and the Gold Cup. It is believed that two different squads will be called in for those two different competitions. Will Tillman make either and, regardless of which, how does he fit into the USMNT's present and future?

Tillman and Rangers are set to face Celtic this weekend, putting the young American under the spotlight once again in Scottish soccer's biggest rivalry. And, heading towards the end of the season, that spotlight will intensify on a player who will certainly be one to watch for fans on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

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  Plenty of games, plenty of goals

  After making seven total appearances for Bayern during the 2021-22 season, Tillman was loaned to Rangers for the ongoing campaign. The Scottish giants could offer him first-team minutes, something that is near impossible for young players to come by in an always-competitive Bayern squad.

  He's had plenty of game time, too, featuring 25 times in the league, nine times in the Champions League and five times in the cup for 39 total appearances across all competitions. Tillman, though, hasn't just been playing; he's been one of Rangers' best performers all season long.

  Tillman's 10 league goals are good for third in the Rangers' squad, with only Antonio-Mirko Colak and James Tavernier scoring more with 13 apiece. Tavernier, however, has scored eight of those goals from the penalty spot, making Tillman the club's second-leading scorer from open play.

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  An uncertain club future

  We know Tillman's loan spell at Rangers ends this summer. What we don't know is what will happen when it does end.

  Rangers, for what it's worth, are very interested in keeping him. They reportedly have a £5 million ($6.2m) clause that would allow them to purchase Tillman, and manager Michael Beale says they intend to activate it.

  “[Director of Football] Ross [Wilson] is away in the background speaking to Bayern,” said Beale.

  “They have obviously had a change of coach, but we want to activate the clause that we got. There are discussions about that, but he has been really good for us."

  Beale hinted at the interesting part of this potential saga: Bayern's change of coach. And what makes that part matter is that, even if Rangers activate their clause, Bayern reportedly hold one that would allow them to buy Tillman right back.

  Tillman could be welcomed back to Bayern under Tuchel, who would surely like to make his own decisions about the club's young stars. Having impressed in Scotland, Tillman may be a player that Tuchel would want to work closely with as Bayern usher in a new era under the former Chelsea boss.

  You can also add in the uncertainty around two of Bayern's attacking options – Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry. Sane will be entering the final year of his deal next season, while Gnabry has been linked with a move away from Bayern for some time. Should the club move on without either, Tillman could be an in-house option to slot into their current roles.

  All of that adds up to an intriguing summer for Tillman, who could still end up at Rangers, Bayern or elsewhere, should another club pay up to sign the American star. You wouldn't be surprised if a Bundesliga loan was also an attractive option for Die Roten.

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  Tillman's in USMNT limbo…

  When Tillman announced his intention to make a one-time switch to represent the USMNT, many thought he would be guaranteed a World Cup spot. As it turns out, that wasn't the case.

  Tillman instead became one for the future rather than the present, but that future is coming up faster than many thought, even if his initial take-off didn't go quite as expected.

  The Rangers star has earned four USMNT caps so far, all of which have come off the bench. In fact, he's only played 108 total minutes in a USMNT shirt as the U.S. prioritized its World Cup-bound stars – understandably; prior to the roster selection, Tillman had scored just two of his 10 league goals.

  He's a whole new player now though, having grown in a big way at Rangers. However, he missed the most recent USMNT camp, the team's first at full strength since Qatar, due to a slight injury. However, the knock wasn't bad enough to keep him out for Rangers as he's scored three goals since that squad was announced.

  Heading into a busy summer that includes both the Gold Cup and Nations League, it remains to be seen where Tillman will end up. He's certainly earned a call-up, but the U.S. hasn't yet made it clear how it will approach the two competitions, although two different squads are expected to contest each one.

  As for where he fits on the field for the USMNT…

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  Tillman's best position?

  With Rangers, Tillman has been playing as an attacking midfiedler, something of a No.10 behind Colak or star striker Alfredo Morelos. It's likely his best position, although Tillman is certainly versatile.

  He can play centrally as a No.10 or a No.8, or he can he be deployed out wide if needed, with that seemingly his best chance of breaking into the USMNT line-up. Additionally, there was even talk that he could even start up top at one point for the U.S., given his history as a striker.

  Gregg Berhalter, meanwhile, was quick to praise Tillman's versatility when he was originally called in last year.

  “I think he’s an attacking midfielder in a 3-4-2-1, he could be a pocket winger in a 4-3-3, could be a center mid in a 4-3-3, depending on if he can get his defensive work up to it,” Berhalter said. “But he’s really talented between the lines, really natural with scoring goals, good and calm around the penalty box.

  "Good technique, good with both feet, so a really interesting player.”

  With all of that said, it's tough see what Tillman's best path onto the field is given the current USMNT options ahead of him.

  On the wing, the U.S. has plenty of talent in Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Brenden Aaronson and Alejandro Zendejas headlining that group. As a No.8, he'd be competing with the MMA midfield of Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, as well as Luca de la Torre, who is just on the fringes of that starting unit. The two positions are, arguably, the most set in stone for the USMNT. That's where the stars are.

  Perhaps, though, Tillman's best chance at seeing the field will be as a No.10, which interim coach Anthony Hudson experimented with in the Nations League. With Adams out, Hudson stuck Reyna in midfield to give him a bit more license to create centrally, rather than the usual 4-3-3. Results were mixed, for sure, but it's easy to imagine a lineup with Tillman in that role with, say, McKennie and Adams behind him.

  This will all be something for the next USMNT coach to figure out but, as things stand, Tillman's versatility should be an asset to the USMNT, even if it does make it less clear what starting spot he could be gunning for in the immediate future.

The Blues may want to sell the winger this summer to raise money, but a move away looks like it's in the American's best interests, too

For months now, the tabloids have said that Chelsea are ready to move on from Christian Pulisic. Reports have swirled from all over in the wake of Chelsea's nine-figure spending spree over the past 12 months, with the American often singled out as one of many players the club could offload to raise some much-needed funds.

Should they do so, though, it would likely be a blessing for the U.S. men's national team star.

Given what we've seen from Chelsea over the last few months, it's Pulisic that looks set to benefit most from this partnership coming to an end.

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The 24-year-old has reached unimaginable highs since joining the Blues, there is no doubt. He's played in and won a Champions League final, scored against Real Madrid in a European semi-final, grown as a player and played a leading role for his country at a World Cup.

But he's also watched on as Chelsea has bounced from one mess to the next. Roman Abramovich's forced departure was supposed to bring an end to the club's instability but, instead, life at Stamford Bridge has now become rockier than ever.

Graham Potter's dismissal, which comes after less than seven months in charge, shows just how far Chelsea have to go. Another manager, another reset, and another rebuild are on the way.

And, considering all we've seen from the Blues under Todd Boehly, it's probably time for Pulisic to stop fighting a losing battle and move on to a club where life can be just a bit more stable than whatever is going on at Stamford Bridge.

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  A successful, if sometimes frustrating, spell

  Despite the pessimistic lens that many use to view Pulisic's time at Chelsea, the truth is that it's all been pretty good.

  No American has reached the heights that Pulisic has with the Blues, who signed the winger from Borussia Dortmund in 2019. He's gone on to make 140 appearances, scoring 26 goals. At just 21, he became the youngest Chelsea player to score a Premier League hat-trick, although his most notable goal came in the semi-final win over Real Madrid during Chelsea's run to win the 2020-21 Champions League.

  The Blues followed that up with UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup titles, while the Blues have also reached four domestic finals since Pulisic's arrival, though all four have ended in defeats.

  Through that time, Pulisic has also blossomed even more on the international stage, helping the U.S. men's national team bounce back from the failures of the 2018 cycle before scoring a vital goal against Iran to fire the U.S. to the knockout rounds at the 2022 World Cup.

  All in all, Pulisic has been something of a regular for Chelsea, despite bouncing in and out of the line up. He has been wildly unlucky at Chelsea, with several injuries having hindered his progress at key moments.

  However, it would be fair to say that Pulisic's worst strokes of luck have come due to the Chelsea boardroom, which seems to make changes at the worst possible moments for the American star.

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  Chelsea's revolving door

  It all got off to a bad start, now that you look back on it.

  Signed by Maurizio Sarri in January 2019, Pulisic would finish the season on loan at Borussia Dortmund before joining Chelsea in the summer. However, by the time he arrived, Sarri was gone, replaced by Frank Lampard.

  Sarri became Lampard, and then Lampard became Thomas Tuchel. Tuchel, inevitably, became Potter and here we sit. Four managers in four years, each of whom has provided Pulisic with challenges to overcome.

  Sarri never even managed Pulisic, so we can skip right over him. Lampard, at least initially, was not impressed, with Jesse Marsch claiming that the ex-Chelsea midfielder was hesitant due to Pulisic's nationality.

  Lampard did eventually warm to Pulisic, whose best season at Chelsea was his first, to be fair. But, just as Pulisic got going, Lampard was gone and replaced by Tuchel.

  Tuchel, Pulisic's former boss at Borussia Dortmund, led Chelsea to new heights and, more importantly, a Champions League. However, Pulisic never took off under the German as many expected. He always found himself on the periphery of Tuchel's plans, and was often asked to fill in in roles that were unfamiliar to him.

  Under Potter, meanwhile, Pulisic played just 13 games, having been limited by an injury suffered in January against Manchester City. He returned in March, seemingly fit and ready to contribute but, by April 2, Potter was gone, too.

  And so Pulisic begins the process again. A new manager to impress as part of a cycle that seemingly never ends.

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  How many new signings?!?

  The instability hasn't been limited to the managerial situation, either, but the squad as a whole.

  Since Boehly's arrival, Chelsea have been playing a videogame with the unlimited money setting going on. The club has spent around £600 million ($750m), signing player after player to add to an already bloated squad.

  To illustrate the point, here's a list of the forwards in the Chelsea squad that Pulisic is now competing with: Joao Felix, Kai Havertz, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling, Armando Broja, Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech, David Datro Fofana and Noni Madueke. All of those names for three spots. It just simply isn't going to work.

  It isn't healthy, what's going on at Chelsea. It's too many players for too few spots. Pulisic is too good of a player to be left on the sidelines, and the same goes for the majority of those attacking options.

  There's something to be said for having squad depth, sure, and competition is always good, but there's a difference between competition and insanity and, right now, the Chelsea squad is tilted towards the latter.

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  Fighting a losing battle

  Having to go through this over and over again isn't normal. And having to compete with this many players all at once isn't either.

  It's quite clear that Chelsea are committed to their shiny new toys, even if Felix's loan move from Atletico Madrid is not made permanent. The club is rebuilding, reshaping and retooling and, with that, Pulisic's spot is far from assured.

  It would be one thing to start all over again under a new manager if Pulisic was seen as a regular starter. And while it remains to be seen who Chelsea bring in, there's little doubt that it will be someone who can help Pulisic in some way.

  But this is a losing battle, no doubt about it. There's just too much chaos, too many hurdles. A player's career is short, too short to have to start over over and over again.

  There's something to be said for players who stick it out and prove themselves, but Pulisic would be far from the first player to leave Chelsea's chaos and flourish, should that come to fruition.

  It seems that Pulisic has reached the point that players like Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Fikayo Tomori reached before, ultimately, becoming champions elsewhere.

The England winger was a huge threat at Stamford Bridge as the Blues fought back to claim a point on the final day of the campaign

Chelsea showed incoming coach Mauricio Pochettino that he has plenty to work with as they put in a strong performance in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Newcastle. It has been a horrid season for the Blues but they put the Champions League-bound Magpies under a lot of pressure at Stamford Bridge to give their fans reason to expect better in 2023-24.

They may have gone a goal down early on through some embarrassing defending, but the likes of Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke, Lewis Hall and Enzo Fernandez looked quality as they matched Newcastle in Frank Lampard's final game in charge.

Sterling, in particular, gave a lot of evidence that will have Pochettino confident of putting together a strong attack, but Kai Havertz disappointed once again to expose the Blues' dire need for a proper striker.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Kepa Arrizabalaga (7/10):

  Made some good saves to prevent Newcastle from going further ahead after Gordon's opener.

  Cesar Azpilicueta (5/10):

  Left too much space open on the right of Chelsea's defence and was partly to blame for the opening goal.

  Thiago Silva (5/10):

  Stopped and watched as Gordon nipped in to open the scoring. Was a danger in the Newcastle box on a couple of corners.

  Trevoh Chalobah (6/10):

  Too slow to close down on occasion but won the ball with a few strong tackles to stop Newcastle's attacks before going off after the first time.

  Lewis Hall (7/10):

  Had a few good moments as he got forward to whip in crosses, but left a massive gap for Newcastle to attack and get the first goal.

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  Midfield

  Enzo Fernandez (7/10):

  Made some lovely passes as he looked to get some Chelsea attacks going with an energetic display.

  Conor Gallagher (6/10):

  Made decent efforts to win the ball with tackles and interceptions but did not offer enough on it once again.

  Ruben Loftus-Cheek (6/10):

  Given a standing ovation as he went off at the hour mark in what was a subtle but effective last appearance for the club alongside Enzo.

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  Attack

  Noni Madueke (7/10):

  A bright performance in his second start in a row. Lively on the wing and was always looking to create a goalscoring chance on his own.

  Kai Havertz (5/10):

  Always at his best when he can move around in deep areas and create a passing option, but posed zero threat on goal, creating a huge gap up front.

  Raheem Sterling (8/10):

  A real danger throughout the game, he created Chelsea's equaliser and had a few more chances to score but failed to hit the net.

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  Subs & Manager

  Wesley Fofana (6/10):

  Composed on the ball after replacing Chalobah and was rarely in trouble at the back.

  Joao Felix (7/10):

  Just like Havertz, he had a hard time as Newcastle's defence stayed tight on him but was able to get a couple of shots in and should have scored from a header.

  Carney Chukwuemeka (7/10):

  An improvement on Loftus-Cheek with some smart runs on the ball and good passes.

  Mateo Kovacic (7/10):

  Added a bit more speed to Chelsea's attacks with quick passes and did well carrying the ball forward.

  Christian Pulisic (5/10):

  Came on for the final minutes and immediately had a great chance when Sterling teed him up at the end of a great run, but his shot was straight at the goalkeeper.

  Frank Lampard (7/10):

  His team got off to a horrific start but they recovered well and looked bright for the most part. They were particularly good in the second half with some lovely quick passes, while Sterling and Madueke had some good runs at goal. It has been a woeful tenure all in but he saved the best for last in a nice farewell to the Blues fans.

Julian Araujo appears to be on his way out of Barcelona after being deemed surplus to requirements ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

• Mexico international has failed to break into the first team at Barcelona
• Keen to get regular match action elsewhere in upcoming season
• Has attracted interest from Feyenoord and Las Palmas

• What happened?

  Julian Araujo appears to be on his way out of Barcelona as Las Palmas have shown an interest in signing the Mexico defender on loan for the 2023-24 campaign, reports.

  The right-back has also been linked with Eredivisie champions Feyenoord, but the Rotterdam giants have yet to make a formal move for Araujo.

  Newly promoted Las Palmas therefore appear to be sitting in pole position to land the promising youngster.

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• The bigger picture

  Araujo joined Barcelona from LA Galaxy in the January 2023 transfer window, but has yet to make his first-team debut at Camp Nou.

  Barcelona coach Xavi preferred the likes of Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde at right-back last season, with USMNT international Sergino Dest another option after returning from his loan spell with AC Milan.

  The defender's contract with Barca runs until June 2026.

• And what's more

  Araujo's move to Barcelona in the January window nearly fell through after a delay with the paperwork meant the Catalans failed to register him in time.

  He was eventually allowed to join the Blaugrana after all on February 17 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overruled Fifa.

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  Did you know?

  Araujo was born and raised in the USA, but has opted to represent Mexico at international level.

  He made over 100 appearances in all competitions for LA Galaxy before making the move to Spain earlier this year.

The shortlist for world football's most prestigious individual award has been revealed ahead of the ceremony in Paris on October 30

The Ballon d'Or. Love it or loathe it, it's the award every footballer in the world dreams of one day winning. And now, after a memorable and unique 2022-23 campaign, the shortlist of nominees for the 2023 Golden Ball have been announced.

There are a host of top names vying to claim the prize that Karim Benzema took home in 2022, with performances not only at club level, but also at the 2022 World Cup, having been taken into account when selecting this year's list of potential winners.

Who will take home the prize? Will Lionel Messi pick up Ballon d'Or number eight after guiding Argentina to glory in Qatar? Or will Erling Haaland's record-breaking exploits for treble-winners Manchester City be enough? And could Kylian Mbappe or Vinicius Jr. force themselves into contention?

We will have to wait until the ceremony in Paris on Monday, October 30 to find out, but for now, here are the players who have been shortlisted for football's ultimate individual honour:

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  Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City)

  A standout for both Croatia and RB Leipzig during the 2022-23 season, Gvardiol did enough to earn a big-money move to Man City. Chances are, he will get even better there.

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  Andre Onana (Manchester United)

  Onana turned in countless big performances as Inter made an unexpected run to the Champions League final. And although his side lost to Man City in the showpiece, Onana was one of the best keepers in Europe last year.

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  Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad)

  Benzema had an under-par season for Los Blancos and still managed to bag 19 goals in 24 La Liga starts — as well as a hat-trick against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final. Not bad for a 35-year-old with chronic injury issues.

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  Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

  One of Europe's brightest talents, Musiala continued to develop throughout 2023, bagging 12 goals and adding 10 assists as Bayern Munich made a late push for the Bundesliga title. His winner against Koln on the final day of the season will go down as one of the most important goals in club history.

Bruno Fernandes gave his Man of the Match award to team-mate Jonny Evans after Manchester United's 1-0 win against Burnley on Saturday.

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• Fernandes got Man of the Match award
• Gave trophy to team-mate Evans
• Defender assisted winning goal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fernandes scored the match-winning goal in the second half after a fantastic assist from veteran defender Evans. The Portugal midfielder was voted the best player in the game, but he felt the centre-back deserved it even more and handed the award over to him.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Before setting up the winner, Evans appeared to have scored the opening goal himself when he headed past James Trafford. However, that goal, which would have been his first for United in over nine years, was disallowed after a VAR review revealed that Rasmus Hojlund was in an offside position and interfering with play by blocking the goalkeeper.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Speaking after his first start for United in over eight years, Evans told : "I loved every minute of it. Before the game you get a feeling, I couldn't wait, just pure excitement. Coming up here on the bus I was buzzing. That was my 200th game for Man Utd, I never thought I would ever reach that figure – the best night of my life.

  "I wasn't consciously thinking I would sign [after getting the first call]. When you get to a certain age you start to wind down your career. I got the call and didn't have another option, so I just took it and tried to do my best in training and take my chance. You then just hope your body sees you through.

  "It was never a thought that I would come in and be a starter, I was told that my role would be to provide competition and that is how I have approached it. With a few injuries I then had the chance to start tonight."

  Coach Erik ten Hag was full of praise for the 35-year-old, saying: "He showed personality. He was calm, composed, did everything right. Very good performance.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  United are next in action on Tuesday when they face Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup.

Kylian Mbappe “going to City will be game over”, says Gael Clichy, but Manchester United and Liverpool have been ruled out of the transfer hunt.

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• World Cup winner expected to be on the move
• Contract expires in 2024
• Linked with leading clubs across Europe

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Paris Saint-Germain superstar is expected to be on the move in 2024 as he is yet to sign a contract extension with the reigning Ligue 1 champions. Various landing spots have been mooted for the World Cup winner, although Real Madrid are considered to be leading the race for his signature.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Former France international Clichy cannot see his fellow countryman heading to England, with Premier League title holders City the only side that could realistically put an enticing transfer package together for an exciting forward that continues to draw comparisons with the legendary Thierry Henry.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Ex-City and Arsenal full-back Clichy has told : “Mbappe going to City will be game over! Mbappe reminds me of Theirry Henry as he can pop up with vital goals and has so much charisma and confidence. I haven't seen a player with this much confidence since Thierry. Him going to City would be great, but as I've said before, the Premier League is the most challenging league in the world. Mbappe's favourite club is seemingly Real Madrid – and that's understandable due to their history and status. If he leaves PSG, I can't see him going anywhere before Real Madrid. Not Liverpool, not Arsenal, not Man United, and not Tottenham.

  “The only Premier League club who I feel could tempt Kylian would be City due to Pep Guardiola’s influence as well as what City have achieved over the last few years. City also have the financial muscle to maintain their status. However, Real Madrid can do all of this, too. They could create a project around Mbappe and I can't see a reason why he wouldn't go there. PSG is his boyhood club, but his next-favourite team is Madrid. They can give him everything they need to become the next Ballon d'Or winner. I can't see him going anywhere else, but it would be great to have him in England. It may be tough here, but he's got all the tools to succeed. As much as I want that, I think he's destined for Spain.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Mbappe failed to sparkle on his latest appearance – as PSG suffered a humbling 4-1 defeat to Newcastle in the Champions League – but the 24-year-old does have eight goals in as many appearances this season and is considered to be a future Ballon d’Or winner in waiting.

Romelu Lukaku got the “40,000 whistles” reception at Inter that Nerazzurri fans had promised, with ultras defying a ban on the handing out of gifts.

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• Striker won league title at San Siro
• Returned on loan last season
• Now with Serie A rivals

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Belgium international striker was once a fan favourite to San Siro, with Serie A title glory savoured back in 2020-21. After enduring a forgettable second stint at Premier League giants Chelsea, Lukaku returned to Milan on loan last season.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He was then linked with a move to Inter’s arch-rivals Juventus over the summer, before ending up back in Italy working under Jose Mourinho at Roma. Lukaku was never going to get a warm recerption from the home support when returning to familiar surroundings, with passionate supporters vowing to make his “life on the pitch hell”.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Inter ultras were ordered not to hand out whistles prior to a meeting with Roma, but that advice was ignored and Lukaku was welcomed onto the pitch for his pre-match warm-up by a deafening noise.

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Lukaku knew what was coming and was able to see the funny side. He calmly applauded the Roma fans in attendance before going about his business with a smile on his face. Inter followers had, however, made it clear that they would whistle his every touch, with the 30-year-old forward unable to escape the most ear-splitting of sounds in the stands.

After a long summer of drama, Joao Felix joined Barcelona on loan from Atletico Madrid and the Atleti president has now spoken about Felix's future.

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• Felix wanted by Barca on permanent transfer
• Atleti ready to sell player
• Permanent deal will be difficult for Barca

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Portuguese international actively pursued a transfer to the Blaugrana, waiting until the final day to complete his ideal move and even consenting to a large pay cut in order to facilitate the deal. Felix made an immediate impression upon arriving, getting off to a great start in his Barca career by both scoring and setting up goals, and soon solidifying his place in the starting lineup. According to recent reports, the Catalan side hopes to recruit the Portuguese on a permanent basis in the summer of 2024.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Whether or not Atleti are ready to sell Felix to their rivals, a permanent agreement will be difficult to achieve because Barcelona will reportedly to spend at least €105 million (£92m/$113m) in order to sign Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo in the upcoming summer.

• WHAT CEREZO SAID

  "Joao Felix will be one of the best players in Europe, I wish him all the best at Barca," said Cerezo to COPE Partidazo. "He’s on loan there but if Barca wants to sign Joao on a permanent deal, they’ll have the option to make it happen for sure. Otherwise, he will return."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FELIX?

  Felix has been called up to the Portugal national team for their European Championship qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Iceland. He will then rejoin his club for their clash against Rayo Vallecano on November 25.

Chelsea are eyeing a big-money transfer for Brentford's star forward Ivan Toney in the January transfer window.

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• Chelsea want Toney in January
• Toney returns to action on January 18
• Currently serving an eight-month ban

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea are reportedly ready to splash a huge transfer sum to sign Brentford City's star striker Ivan Toney in the January transfer window, according to .

  Toney has been serving an eight-month ban since May after admitting to 232 breaches of FA betting rules. He is expected to return to action on January 18, 2014.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Blues are on the lookout for a quality striker in the next transfer window despite having the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Armando Brojaand Christopher Nkunku in their ranks. After a tough start to life in England, Jackson has finally found his scoring boots, having netted five times in the club's last five Premier League matches. But Pochettino is still looking for a proven number nine to further bolster his squad.

  The Bees are reportedly interested in doing business in January considering the striker's contract expires in 2025 but they will demand a transfer fee of around £80 million (€91m/$99m)

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 27-year-old English striker was in sublime form before his suspension. In the 2022/23 season, the attacker scored 20 goals in 33 Premier League appearances for his club.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  While the winter transfer window is still several weeks away, the Blues, for now, will concentrate on their upcoming league clash against Newcastle United on Saturday.