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Losing out to Luton Town in the Championship playoff semi-finals under Tony Mowbray in 2023 must feel a lot longer ago than just a mere year for Sunderland supporters, who have just been subjected to a car-crash campaign.

A revolving door of managers couldn't fix the mess at the Stadium of Light, with Mike Dodds bowing out of his interim boss duties a broken man with just three wins from 15 collected whilst in the poisoned chalice of the Sunderland dug-out.

The Black Cats will be searching for a new boss who's more in-keeping with their exciting and young squad, with Dodds failing to raise the excitement levels with drab displays conjured up despite previously being a respected coach.

Sunderland might well try to tempt this full-throttle manager out of his current job post if rumours are correct, with Jobe Bellingham's eyes presumably lighting up at the prospect of this face occupying the sidelines soon.

Sunderland should look at left-field manager choice

One name that may be worth considering is England U21 manager Lee Carsley, with the one-time Everton man seemingly in demand at present, rumoured previously to succeed Stephen Kenny in the Republic of Ireland hot-seat.

Masterminding England to a Euros success just last year, with a whole wealth of exceptional talents at his disposal in the form of Harvey Elliott and Anthony Gordon to name a few, Carsley has also been instrumental in developing and nurturing the likes of Cole Palmer as manager.

Attempting to get the best out of EFL stars now in Jaden Philogene, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Archie Gray among others for the U21s, Carsley would do Bellingham the world of good to get even more out of the top starlet if a deal got over the line for the 50-year-old to relocate to Wearside.

Carsley could well be the daring appointment Sunderland fans desire, therefore, away from other heavily-tipped names such as Bo Svensson with the Three Lions coach also setting up his England sides in a very attacking manner by deploying a 4-3-3 formation.

How Carsley would suit Sunderland

With a lack of goals really getting under the skin of Sunderland fans towards the back end of this season – the second-tier strugglers netting just two goals in the entirety of April – Carsley would certainly raise the entertainment levels back up with his brand of football.

Over 29 games in charge of England, Carsley's many sides have managed to bag a ridiculous 81 goals with 23 wins picked up along the way.

It does, however, remain to be seen whether or not Carsley could get the same tune out of Sunderland's up-and-coming gems, when removed from the luxuries of St George's Park.

Still, it would be a gamble worth taking considering how much he's managed to get out of these talents who have been tipped to go on and have great careers at the very top after being nurtured under his tutelage.

Bellingham will want to excel under his guidance equally, having impressed Sunderland fans this season with an impressive goal and assists return of eight involvements from 45 games at just 18 years of age.

There will be plenty more to come from the ex-Birmingham City midfielder you imagine, who would likely love to see Carsley walk in through the door as Dodds' replacement.

The likes of Jack Clarke, if he's kept around, would also star in his attacking set-up with Sunderland desperate for a bright future now whoever is selected as their next permanent boss.

While Svensson may be among those high-profile targets that the Black Cats are seemingly looking at, there would certainly be wisdom in also seeking out Carsley – not least for the benefit it could have for young Bellingham.

Sunderland could look at "highly-regarded" manager over Svensson

Sunderland could now look towards this Bo Svensson alternative for their next manager.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 13, 2024

Ryan Reynolds has sent a strong “lots of season yet to go” message to NFL legend Tom Brady after seeing Wrexham suffer defeat at Birmingham.

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• Famous faces at St Andrew's
• Red Dragons surrendered early lead
• Both sides taking aim at promotion

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Both sides entered their meeting at St Andrew’s unbeaten in League One and looking to maintain momentum in what they hope will be sustained bids for promotion into the Championship. It was the home side that prevailed in a contest that had been billed as the ‘Hollywood derby’.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reynolds’ Wrexham co-chairman, Rob McElhenney, was in attendance, along with Birmingham investor Brady and Manchester United legend David Beckham – who was joined in the stands by his son Romeo and former Red Devils team-mate Gary Neville.

• WHAT REYNOLDS SAID

  Jack Marriott gave Wrexham an early lead, but Birmingham took charge from there and dominated proceedings in a 3-1 win that saw record signing Jay Stansfield bag a brace and Tomoki Iwata get in on the act. Reynolds is not reading too much into the final scoreline, posting on social media afterwards: “Tough loss to a good club. Congrats @bcfc @tombrady on the win. Lots of season yet to go. Up the town. Now and forever.”

  Instagram

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Wrexham remain top of the League One table, but have been joined on 13 points by Birmingham and Charlton – with the Blues boasting a game in hand. The Red Dragons will be back in action on Saturday when welcoming Crawley to SToK Racecourse.

With just one game to go, Arsenal are still in this season's Premier League title race, although, like last year, it feels like a near enough certainty that Pep Guardiola's Manchester City will be the ones lifting the trophy come full time on Sunday.

It may ultimately be the same outcome for Mikel Arteta's young side, but unlike last year, they have genuinely pushed the Citizens until the very last day, which is an achievement in and of itself.

That said, one of the other key differences is the absence of midfield leader Granit Xhaka, who left the North Londoners in the summer and wasn't truly replaced, although based on recent reports, the club could be about to remedy that mistake.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs (via Caughtoffside), "Arsenal have made contact" with the camp of Newcastle United's highly rated midfielder Bruno Guimaraes ahead of the summer transfer window.

Jacobs also revealed that the Gunners' title rivals, Manchester City, have done the same thing, and while the Toon don't want to sell, they may be left with no choice when his £100m release clause kicks in from late May until the end of June.

However, the good news for the interested parties is that they may not have to pay quite that much as "offers exceeding £80m could be entertained should Guimaraes wish to leave for a Champions League club", per Jacobs.

Ultimately, it would still represent a massive investment from the Gunners and would certainly open up a bidding war with City, but with a Xhaka-shaped hole still present in Arteta's midfield, it may well be worth going all in for the former Lyon man.

How Bruno Guimarães compares to Granit Xhaka

So, with Kai Havertz currently at his best as the team's striker, Thomas Partey entirely unreliable on the injury front, and Jorginho not being a realistic long-term option at 32 years old, were Guimarães to join the Gunners this summer, he'd have a position waiting for him, but how have his performances this season stacked up to Xhaka's performances in his final season in North London?

Well, from an output perspective, it's incredibly close.

Despite playing a slightly deeper role this season than the Swiss did last year, the Newcastle ace has scored six goals and provided eight assists in 48 appearances, whereas the man he could emulate in N5 scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 47 games last term.

How about their underlying numbers, then? Are they just as close under the hood? Well, it's a bit of both.

In the metrics that the Switzerland international comes out on top in, it's only by a small margin, whereas the "world-class" Brazilian, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, comes out quite far ahead in a number of other metrics.

For example, the current Bayer Leverkusen ace produced a marginally higher non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, maintained a slightly higher passing accuracy, and just about produced more goal-creating actions, all per 90, but that's it.

In comparison, Newcastle's star midfielder produces far more progressive passes, carries, and shot-creating actions, takes more shots, makes and wins more tackles, is more successful at taking on opponents, and recovers far more balls as well, also all per 90.

Ultimately, while the pair's output is remarkably similar, Guimarães' underlying numbers from this season are far more impressive than Xhaka's from last year. So, if Arsenal have the chance to complete this deal, they should absolutely take it.

Arsenal eyeing £52m "superstar" who could make Havertz even better

The incredible talent could be the difference-maker in Arsenal’s attack next year.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 14, 2024

Messi and Callender were pivotal as Miami clinched the MLS regular season title

Lionel Messi's superb brace, his 31st and 32nd goal-contributions of the campaign, helped Inter Miami clinch the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield Wednesday night with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew.

The Argentine bagged the opening goal of the match in the 45th minute, and four minutes into first half stoppage-time, he scored another, this time a sensational free kick to hand them a 2-0 lead.

Just 20 seconds into the second half, though, the Crew earned a goal back through winger Diego Rossi. However, the Herons responded immediately.

Less than 60 seconds after the Crew's second-half opener, Luis Suarez scored Miami's third, capitalizing off an error from Crew and USMNT goalkeeper Patrick Schulte. With a 3-1 lead, the Herons seemed poised to cruise to the final whistle, but it was anything but comfortable.

In the 61st minute, the Crew earned a penalty kick, with Cucho Hernandez scoring to bring them within one. Two minutes later, though, Columbus defender Rudy Camacho saw red after earning his second yellow card of the match.

Advantage, Miami – or so they thought.

In the 82nd minute of the contest, the Crew were handed another gift, with Miami defender Ian Fray committing a handball offense in the box. Hernandez had a chance to draw level, but U.S. international Drake Callender stepped up with a massive save to deny the Colombian from the spot.

With that, the Herons clinched the 2024 regular season title, in what may have been the most chaotic, lively and unexpected match of the campaign.

Columbus fans will feel enraged over decisions throughout the match, notably a studs-up tackle offense from Sergio Busquets in the first half that went to VAR, but after a lengthy review, was deemed a non-foul – much to the dismay of all in attendance at Lower.Com Field.

Meanwhile, for the Herons, both Federico Redondo and Marcelo Weigandt picked up yellow card accumulation suspensions and will miss Saturday's match against Toronto FC.

They likely won't care, though. The Herons are the 2024 regular season MLS champions and Messi, along with Callender, are the heroes of South Beach.

The win marked career trophy no. 46 for the Messi, and Inter Miami's second since he joined the club in 2023. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has led them to the league's best record on the back of his 17 goals and 15 assists this season.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Lower.Com Field.

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• Goalkeeper & Defense

  Drake Callender (9/10):

  In the biggest moment of the season, and one of the biggest saves of his career, he denied Hernandez – and with that, won the Shield.

  Jordi Alba (8/10):

  Outstanding assist on Messi's second and a brilliant evening on the flank.

  Ian Fray (5/10):

  Really poor under pressure. Unnecessary slide, handing Crew a PK opportunity. Should be thankful for Callender behind him.

  Noah Allen (5/10):

  Committed the first foul offense on the Crew's second goal that Hernandez scored. Was under pressure all evening and struggled with it.

  Sergio Busquets (3/10):

  Somehow not sent off, and somehow ends the match without a yellow. On another day, his poor decision making could have put his team in a deficit before anyone scored.

  Marcelo Weigandt (6/10):

  Operated on his flank well, but didn't make an impact. Removed in the 73rd.

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• Inter Miami CF
  

  Midfield

  Federico Redondo (5/10):

  Did his job in going to ground to get Camacho sent off, but was otherwise ineffective. Earned a sloppy yellow and is suspended Saturday as a result of accumulation.

  Yannick Bright (6/10):

  Rock-solid in the middle of the pitch. Didn't put a foot wrong.

• USA Today Images
  

  Attack

  Diego Gomez (5/10):

  A quiet evening. Was offside on a potential opener, and was not as effective as the other two up front.

  Luis Suarez (8/10):

  Earned the foul for Messi's free kick and capitalized on the Schulte error for Miami's third. A perfect evening for the veteran, even if he did go to ground easy on the former.

  Lionel Messi (9/10):

  A brilliant opening goal and an even better free kick. A performance that may have installed him as the frontrunner for MLS MVP.

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• Inter Miami CF
  

  Subs & Manager

  David Ruiz (N/A):

  Subbed on with 20 minutes remaining, very few touches on the ball.

  Serhiy Kryvtsov (N/A):

  Brought on late to seal the result.

  Matias Rojas (N/A)

  Subbed on with 3 minutes to spare.

  Tata Martino (X/10):

  Hard to say Martino's tactics of a back-five on the evening were justified. A freak error from Schulte, a Messi free kick and a moment of brilliance from Callender secured the result. But in the end? Supporters' Shield winners. No room to complain, despite their defense being an absolute disaster.

Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy are said to have already moved for one club's "vital" £34 million player, and it is believed they have a financial advantage over numerous other sides in the race for his signature.

Spurs targeting new centre-back for Postecoglou this summer

Despite already boasting three star senior central defenders in the form of Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is after a fourth as he plots to overhaul the current squad.

Ange outlines Tottenham star as weak link as he eyes "perfect" £55.6m heir

The Australian has decided to sell him.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 21, 2024

Postecoglou has strongly hinted that Spurs are set for a real makeover when the transfer window reopens on June 14, with the Australian set to reinforce the heart of his backline further. He green-lit a £25 million deal for Dragusin just four months ago, but has publicly stated since then that Tottenham will be in the market for another centre-back.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back at Spurs.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Tottenham have been linked with Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, and more marquee options like Everton starlet Jarrad Branthwaite, to bolster their defence. However, a fruitful pool of talent for the club is over in Italy, where Fabio Paratici's network of contacts has come in handy over the last few years.

Spurs are rumoured to be in the chase for Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori, who has really impressed under Thiago Motta in Serie A and could come at a fairly affordable price. Elsewhere in the division, another attractive Italian centre-half may well be Torino's Alessandro Buongiorno.

The Italian has been exceptional over the last eight months, and even finished 23/24 as Torino's best-performing player per 90 on average according to WhoScored.

Tottenham move already made for Buongiorno amid financial advantage

According to newspaper Tuttosport, Tottenham have "already moved" for Buongiorno pre-summer. While it isn't specified what Tutto mean by this, it presumably suggests some sort of approach or contact has been made to find out the costs of a potential deal.

It's also stated that Spurs' "spending power" will be key, and could hand them a financial advantage over the 24-year-old's plethora of other suitors abroad. Inter Milan, Napoli, Juventus and AC Milan are all interested in the centre-back, but they could have more trouble meeting his £34 million asking price.

Other reports have described Buongiorno as "vital" to the Torino cause, and his numbers suggest that he'd be worth a valuation of that amount.

The summer of 2024 will represent much change at Liverpool Football Club. For the first time in nine years, the Reds will experience a new manager taking over the reins, with Jurgen Klopp departing following the end of the Premier League season.

His replacement is former AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord manager Arne Slot, who will take charge of a club outside of his native country the Netherlands for the first time in his career. Klopp confirmed the appointment after Liverpool’s last Premier League game when he began a chant at Anfield in Slot’s name.

As with any summer, speculation has begun to ramp up for Liverpool about who they could sign. However, this transfer window feels slightly different, given the appointment of Slot, and there is more uncertainty surrounding the club.

At this current stage of the summer, the amount of money at Slot’s disposal in the 2024 transfer window has not been confirmed. However, he will no doubt look to strengthen the squad in a few areas to bolster his side ahead of a vital first summer at Anfield.

There were rumours recently that Mohamed Salah might leave Anfield in the summer, although they were squashed recently, with neither the club nor player considering a departure. However, there is one player who Liverpool have targeted to be Slot’s first incoming at the club.

Liverpool’s first summer transfer target

The man in question here is RB Leipzig and Spain midfielder Dani Olmo. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder is highly thought of in the Liverpool ranks, and he could well be the first signing under Slot this summer.

According to reports in Spain, the Reds “have begun to move” for Olmo. The Spain international has a £51m release clause in his current contract, although that is rumoured to expire on the 15th of July this year.

It's stated that Liverpool are not the only club hunting Olmo’s signature this summer. They believe that fellow English clubs Manchester City and Manchester United are interested, with European giants Bayern Munich and Barcelona also wanting to bring him to their respective clubs. The amount of interest in Olmo is perhaps unsurprising, given his impressive form in the 2023/24 season for Leipzig.

Indeed, there's a suggestion that Olmo’s preference this summer is to join Barcelona, yet that might not be a possibility for the 26-year-old. Their financial issues are persisting after some tough years on the fiscal side of things. Barca might not have the luxury of spending £51m on Olmo, no matter how much they, or the player, want the move. Enter Liverpool, who are poised to sign him if he can’t join Barca.

Why Dani Olmo would be a good signing

The biggest red flag when it comes to signing Olmo is the fact he has struggled with injuries over the course of the season.

He has missed 29 games for Leipzig and Spain in 2023/24, the most he has missed in a single campaign and did not play the last few games. However, Olmo has been named in Spain’s provisional Euro 2024 squad, suggesting he is over his latest fitness issue.

Injuries aside, however, there is no doubt that Olmo is a fantastic footballer, a sentiment that legendary Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola shares. Following Olmo’s goal for Dinamo Zagreb against the Cityiens in 2019, Guardiola described his countryman as “incredible”, explaining that “he has a bright future”, and that he can one day “play in the strong leagues in Europe”.

Olmo has impressed this season for Leipzig, despite his limited game time. The Spaniard has played 25 games in all competitions, scoring eight goals and registering five assists. He registered a hat-trick in the German Supercup against Bayern Munich at the start of the term to secure Leipzig the trophy.

Interestingly, there are some similarities between Olmo and the La Liga player of the season, Jude Bellingham. According to Fbref, Olmo averages 1.99 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to Bellingham’s 1.87 key passes per 90 minutes.

Not only that, the Spaniard averages 3.79 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, with Bellingham averaging 3.85 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes. There is little difference in their goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, too, with the Leipzig number seven averaging 0.5 per 90 minutes, and the Englishman 0.51 per 90 minutes.

However, where Olmo really excels is when carrying the ball. He is a wonderful, fluid dribbler and uses his body to roll defenders with ease, just like Bellingham excels in. He is superb on the half turn and is able to glide past defenders once he has received the ball, with his impressive close control helping him keep possession.

In fact, he is actually statistically better than the Ballon d'Or contender when carrying the ball. Olmo averages 3.73 progressive carries per 90 minutes, 3.04 carries into the final third per 90 minutes, and 1.12 carries into the penalty area per 90 minutes.

In comparison, Bellingham averages just 3.31 progressive carries per 90 minutes, 2.84 carries into the final third per 90 minutes and 1.01 carries into the penalty area per 90 minutes. The only area the Englishman pips the Liverpool target in is completed take-ons per 90 minutes, with the former averaging 1.95, compared to Olmo’s 1.93.

Signing the Leipzig star could give Liverpool their answer to Bellingham, who they targeted last summer, although pulled out of a deal before his move to Real Madrid. Instead, signing the Spanish sensation could add a like-for-like option to their squad, raising the technical ceiling given Olmo’s excellent ability on the ball.

For £51m, it could certainly be a deal that offers a great option for Liverpool this summer, and start the Slot revolution in the best possible way. It would not be an easy deal to do, given the other clubs targeting him, but he would be a superb signing, and, as Guardiola said, they would be signing an “incredible” player if they brought him to Anfield.

Liverpool eyeing up “world-class” £50m star who’d finally unlock Nunez

Arne Slot would wield quite the frontline by getting his hands on this long-time Anfield target.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 28, 2024

Manchester United full-back Noussair Mazraoui has had minor surgery after suffering heart palpitations.

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• Mazraoui suffered heart palpitations
• Full-back has had corrective surgery
• Will be out for a few few weeks

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The right-back was substituted at half-time against Aston Villa on Sunday with coach Erik ten Hag later explaining that he had to be taken off and would be sent to be examined. He subsequently withdrew from the Morocco team this week.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mazraoui has now undergone corrective surgery, according to , after he experienced palpitations. He is expected to be out of action for a period, but United hope he will be available again in a matter of weeks.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mazraoui has made 10 appearances in all competitions since joining the Red Devils from Bayern Munich alongside fellow ex-Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt in the summer window. He is expected to make a full recovery as his condition is said to be fairly common.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Mazraoui will continue his recovery in the wake of his surgery while United gear up for their match against Brentford on October 19. The Old Trafford club are unbeaten in their last five matches.

GOAL lays out the four major storylines for MLS' regular season finale – including yet another record Lionel Messi can help break

Decision Day2024 is nearly here. The regular season finale of the MLS campaign, and a chance for a few teams to try and extend their time on the pitch.

Two playoff spots, both wildcard roles, are up for grabs in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta United, CF Montreal, the Philadelphia Union and D.C. United are all fighting for a chance to compete in the play-in game for a berth in the Round One best-of-three series spot in the postseason.

Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the title itself is going to be determined Saturday evening with the victor being either Los Angeles FC or the LA Galaxy. In the East, LiMessi and Inter Miami are looking to make history, securing the regular season points record.

Individually, the league's finest strikers will also be looking to secure the 2024 Golden Boot, but a clear frontrunner stands in their way in Christian Benteke.

GOAL looks at some of the biggest storylines Saturday evening.

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• USA Today Images
  

  Western Conference title up for grabs

  The La Galaxy sit in an advantageous spot to claim the division title. They head on the road to take on the Houston Dynamo, where a win or a draw secures them the no. 1 seed in the postseason and the regular season conference title.

  LAFC, meanwhile, are not far behind.

  The host the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday evening, a match where they are the heavy favorites. However, in the league standings, they trail the Galaxy by three points. For them to clinch the Western Conference title, they would need a Galaxy loss, and they would need to be ahead of their arch-rivals in criteria points as well.

  As things stand heading into the regular season finale, the Galaxy have a +2 higher goal-differential then LAFC. Steve Cherundolo's men would need to defeat the Earthquakes, while making up that gap, and hoping the Galaxy fall on the road.

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• USA Today Images
  

  Who will claim the Golden Boot?

  It's looking like D.C. United's Benteke will lift the 2024 trophy, but there are a handful of contenders still in the hunt.

  The ex-Liverpool forward has scored 23 goals for D.C. this season, with two separate hat-tricks being a part of his scoring run, and only three of the goals being penalty kicks, as well.

  Both LAFC's Denis Bouanga and Columbus Crew's Cucho Hernandez are not far behind, though. They both sit on 19 goals, while Inter Miami's Luis Suarez sits on 18. It's not unrealistic to say that either of the three could go on a scoring spree in their regular season finale, but it's far-fetched, for sure.

  If Benteke wins the award Saturday evening, he will be the first D.C. player since Dwayne De Rosario in 2011 to claim the award.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Will Inter Miami break the points record?

  are looking to make more history this weekend, as Lionel Messi searches for yet another record to break. The South Beach club host the New England Revolution on Decision Dayand with a with they'll become the MLS side to record the most regular season points in one single campaign, ending the season with 74-total points.

  The Revolution themselves set the record during the 2021 season, accumulating an impressive 71 points during that run. However, their record is now in jeopardy, and in storybook fashion, they're the only ones who can do anything about it in the regular season finale.

  Can Caleb Porter's side hold off the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield winners, or will Messi and Co. make more history?

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  Who will claim the final Eastern Conference playoff spots?

  Four teams, two spots. It's as intense as it gets heading into the regular season finale for the Philadelphia Union, Atlanta United, CF Montreal and D.C.

  The final two wildcard playoff spots are up for grabs, with the No. 8 and 9 seeds still available. At the conclusion of Decision Day, the two teams in those spots will then meet midweek in a play-in game to qualify for the Round One best-of-three series against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.

  D.C. and Montreal are in pole-position for those spots, as they both sit on 40 points, while both the Union and Atlanta trail at 37 points alike. However, if one of D.C. or Montreal loses, it opens opportunity for Philadelphia and Atlanta, who could sneak into a playoff spot if they secure three points.

  GOAL lays out the scenarios below:

  Montreal: Win or draw and you are in the playoffs

  D.C. United: Win or draw and you are in the playoffs

  Philadelphia: Three points AND a Montreal or D.C. United loss AND they need to have a higher goal-differential than the losing team between Montreal and D.C.

  Atlanta: Three points AND a CF MTL or DC United loss AND they need to have a higher goal-differential than the losing team between MTL & DC

  Note: The first three criteria points for tiebreaker scenarios are No. 1. wins, No. 2. goal differential, No. 3. goals scored. The entire list of tiebreakers can be found here.

Glasgow Rangers could have a busy summer of transfer business as they attempt to revamp the squad and compete for more silverware next season.

The Light Blues ended the 2023/24 campaign with one trophy, the League Cup, under their belt and should now look to push on and win the Scottish Premiership title.

They have not won the league since the 2020/21 season under Steven Gerrard's management, with Celtic winning the last three titles, and Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen should be doing everything in their power to build a squad capable of securing the division.

The Gers have already made their first signing of the upcoming summer transfer window, as Brazilian left-back Jefte has joined on a permanent deal from Fluminense.

As well as the young full-back, Rangers are reportedly looking to bolster their squad in other positions as they look to improve the team to compete with Celtic next term.

A winger is reportedly on their radar and they could repeat the masterclass they played with Malik Tillman by signing a target from Bayern Munich.

Rangers interest in Bayern Munich youngster

It was recently reported by Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg that the Gers are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Yusuf Kabadayi.

The 20-year-old forward spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan with FC Schalke in the 2. Bundesliga but they could not afford to exercise their option to make the deal permanent. However, Plettenberg did not reveal how much that option would have cost the second division side.

It was also revealed that Rangers, St. Pauli, who won the 2. Bundesliga, and Italian side Lecce are three of the 'concrete' suitors to land the young talent.

Plettenberg added that the winger's current contract with Bayern Munich is due to expire in the summer of 2025 and there are ongoing talks on how to resolve his situation.

One resolution would be to sell him on a permanent deal this summer, which would have been the case with Schalke's option to buy, to avoid losing him for nothing next term.

The reporter claimed that the German giants could also agree a new contract with the talented whiz and then send him out on loan to one of the interested sides, either with an option to buy or a straight loan with a view to returning to Bayern in 2025.

Rangers could now repeat the masterclass they played with Tillman, who joined on loan from Bayern in the summer of 2022 and enjoyed a terrific season in Scotland.

Malik Tillman's impressive loan spell with Rangers

Giovanni van Bronckhorst signed the 20-year-old attacking midfielder on loan from the Bundesliga giants for the 2022/23 campaign and unearthed a diamond in the young maestro.

He had only played seven first-team matches in his career, all coming for Bayern, prior to his loan move to Ibrox, and had racked up nine goals and four assists in 25 outings for their second team.

Tillman made an instant impact in Glasgow as his assist for Antonio Colak in the 1-0 win over PSV in the Netherlands secured his team's place in the group stages of the Champions League, as it sealed a 3-2 aggregate win in the qualifying round tie.

The USA international then went on to enjoy a fantastic year in the Premiership as he showcased his quality in the final third on a regular basis.

As you can see in the table above, Tillman was an efficient finisher as he did not miss many 'big chances' in comparison to the number of chances he did finish.

The right-footed magician may also have been frustrated with his teammates as they only rewarded him with four assists from the 12 'big chances' that the young talent created for them.

Overall, though, it is clear to see that the Light Blues played a masterclass when they gambled on the 20-year-old attacker from Bayern ahead of that season, as he went on to be a roaring success on the pitch at Ibrox.

Kabadayi could now follow in his footsteps as a fellow 20-year-old sensation with a bit more first-team experience already under his belt ahead of this summer.

Why Rangers should sign Yusuf Kabadayi

The Germany U20 international is a versatile attacker who has spent the majority of his career, at senior and youth level, playing either as a centre-forward or out on the left flank.

This suggests that he would be a valuable addition for Rangers in terms of the roles that Clement could deploy him in, as the young whiz could be used on the wing or through the middle as the starting number nine depending on the opposition.

The Light Blues could also be landing a slightly more refined player than Tillman was when they signed him as Kabadayi has just had a season of first-team football in the 2. Bundesliga with FC Schalke.

He scored four goals in 11 starts in the second division, along with one goal in two matches for their second team, but also came off the bench in 12 more games.

U23 scout Antonio Mango described the German winger as being "incredibly prolific" at youth level for Bayern and that is backed up by his statistics for his club's academy sides.

As you can see in the table above, Kabadayi and Tillman were both fantastic operators in the final third for the German giants at U17, U19, and second team level, with their ability to score and assist goals on a regular basis.

The £7.3k-per-week magician, who scored nine goals in 20 league games for Bayern II during the 2022/23 campaign, has now showcased his finishing quality in a senior setting with four goals in 11 2. Bundesliga sides for Schalke, which suggests that the young whiz has the potential to translate his goalscoring prowess over to Rangers.

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Therefore, the Scottish giants could repeat the masterclass they played with Tillman by securing a deal to sign another excellent attacking talent from Bayern.

Arne Slot is enjoying a record-breaking start for a Liverpool coach as the Reds reclaimed pole position in the Premier League after beating Brighton.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

• Liverpool come from behind to beat Brighton
• Have now won eight of 10 matches under Slot
• Reds go top as Arsenal and Man City lose

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As Arsenal and Manchester City both faltered on Saturday, Liverpool had the perfect opportunity to capitalise. The Reds found themselves in a precarious position after Brighton’s Ferdi Kadioglu scored a well-placed goal, giving the visitors a deserved lead. Recognising the need for swift action, Slot made significant adjustments, introducing Curtis Jones and Luis Diaz and transitioning to a more aggressive formation.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The substitutions injected new energy, allowing Liverpool to unleash their full force on the visitors. The pressure paid off as Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah scored in quick succession, turning the game in Liverpool’s favour as the passionate home crowd at Anfield witnessed Slot’s tactical mastery that turned a potential setback into a valuable three points. Liverpool had already edged past Brighton in a hard-fought Carabao Cup encounter at the Amex Stadium earlier in the week and this is the second time in a row that the Merseyside club came out on top.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Under Slot, Liverpool have managed a record-breaking eight wins from their first 10 league games, drawing one and losing just one. This remarkable feat marks the best start for any manager in Liverpool’s storied history, underscoring Slot’s impact on the squad’s performance and morale.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  Following their thrilling Premier League victory, Liverpool now turn their attention to the Champions League, where they are set to host Bayer Leverkusen, managed by former Liverpool player Xabi Alonso. The fixture promises to be another high-stakes encounter, as Slot seeks to extend his team’s winning form on the European stage.