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The USMNT defender shared his frustrations about missing international duty and outlined his perspective on what the team needs to improve

• Dest maintains regular communication with USMNT coaches
• Emphasizes need for complete commitment from squad
• Identifies work rate and creative spark as key areas for improvement

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  WHAT HAPPENED

  After being sidelined for nearly a year with an ACL injury, Sergino Dest finally made his comeback for club and country earlier in 2025, and it has many excited for the 24-year-old’s future. However, that spell out has seen Dest miss out on a lot of chances to impress. But Dest acknowledged that while he stays in regular contact with Mauricio Pochettino's coaching staff.

  “I’ve had conversations with the assistant coach, and they’re watching me, we keep in contact, but yeah, it’s different,” Dest told when asked if he’s in touch with the USMNT coaches. “It’s different to meet them all in person, be at the camp, be with the players again, and I miss the players again because the last time was March 2024."

  He added, "And it’s been way too long, and we have a World Cup coming up, and I want to spend as much time with the players to be in the best shape with the team to be ready for the World Cup."

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• WHAT SERGINO DEST SAID

  Dest also touched upon what he believes the USMNT lacks and what they need to do before the 2026 World Cup.

  “I feel like we have some work to do as well. I don’t know, I'm willing to work 100 percent with the whole team cause that is our spirit, and I think you know if we’re our best version, if everybody gives 100 percent and maybe some creativity,” Dest added when asked what he thinks the USMNT lack.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The USMNT has struggled to find consistency under new coach Pochettino since his appointment in the Fall of 2024. Injury absences to key players like Dest, Tyler Adams, and others have complicated the transition, with the team showing concerning deficiencies in creativity and attacking threat. Dest's identification of work rate and creativity as areas needing improvement aligns with Pochettino's recent assessments as well.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The USMNT will come together at the end of the 2024-25 season for the 2025 Gold Cup, with Dest likely to be a part of the squad for the tournament. That will be the last section of competitive action that the team will have prior to the 2026 World Cup, beyond regularly scheduled friendly games.

Heading into game week 25 of the Premier League campaign, Crystal Palace currently sit 12th in the table, just four points off of a top-half spot.

They have managed to drag themselves away from a relegation battle, now sitting 13 points ahead of 18th-place Leicester City.

The Eagles are averaging some of the worst attacking numbers in the league. But, on the flip side, their defensive shape and quality are their biggest asset right now under Oliver Glasner, conceding 30 goals in 24 games and averaging 13.1 shots against them per game (ranking 10th in the league for this metric).

Crystal Palace face Everton at Selhurst Park in their next Premier League fixture, who currently sit 15th in the league, but are coming off of a very strong string of results, beating Tottenham, Brighton and Leicester in the league and drawing 2-2 with Liverpool.

Crystal Palace team news

Glasner will remain without Joel Ward (calf injury), Chadi Riad (knee injury) and Cheick Doucoure (knee injury) heading into the Everton game this weekend. Doucoure will now need to undergo surgery on his knee, which means he will miss the entirety of this season.

The likes of Eberechi Eze, Eddie Nketiah and Ismaila Sarr are all being assessed ahead of the Toffees game, with the first two currently having knocks/slight injuries and the latter having missed the last match due to illness.

Luckily for the Eagles, Adam Wharton has made his return to action in recent weeks, just in time to take over in midfield from Doucoure, which will give Palace a strong boost.

But after making some new signings in January, and the few injuries they have picked up, Glasner could look to change things up against Everton, adding a new dynamic to his side.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Crystal Palace's new dynamic against Everton

Crystal Palace could look to line up with both new signing Ben Chilwell and academy graduate, Tyrick Mitchell for the first time against Everton, finding a strong balance of attacking output and defensive stability on that left-hand side.

When you look at Chilwell’s underlying numbers from his last season under Thomas Tuchel in a back three system which allowed him to play as a wing-back, you can see the value he provides from that position, getting forward, getting shots off, attacking the box and being a threat on goal. In that sense, he could well be a better option for Glasner.

However, that doesn’t mean that Mitchell should miss out. Instead, it means the current incumbent of the left-back role could operate in a slightly unfamiliar left centre-back role in a back five/back three.

This would allow him to still defend in similar left-sided wide areas and add some protection behind the likes of Chilwell and Eze on that side, if/when their talisman is available.

Ex-Chelsea boss, Mauricio Pochettino praised Chilwell as “one of the best” left-backs in the world at his best, while Brendan Rodgers labelled him as “exceptional”, and if Glasner can get that level out of him, it would play a huge part in Palace’s bid for a second top-half finish in a row.

Crystal Palace have hit gold on Eagles star who's worth more than Chilwell

Crystal Palace now have two amazing options at left-back.

By
Connor Holden

Feb 9, 2025

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou slammed a journalist who labelled him as a "clown" in an awkward Europa League final press conference.

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• Postecoglou branded 'clown' by journalist
• Australian was furious with 'terminology'
• Confrontation in press conference

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As Spurs prepare to face Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday night, Postecoglou was confronted with a question from an journalist, which implied the manager was walking a "fine line" between success and failure. The question seemed to echo a recent column that described Postecoglou as "teetering between hero and clown" – a phrase that drew a passionate and pointed response.

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• WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

  Postecoglou said: "That depends on your outlook, Dan. But I'll tell you one thing, irrespective of tomorrow, I'm not a clown, I never will be mate. Really disappointed you used such terminology about a person who for 26 years, without any favours from anyone, has worked his way to be in a position where he's leading a club in a European major competition. For you to suggest that, somehow, us not being successful means that I'm a clown, not really sure how to answer that question."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tottenham’s current Premier League position does little to reflect the level of success they’ve had in Europe this season. Sitting 17th in the table with just one game remaining, this is Spurs’ worst domestic campaign since their relegation in 1977. Reports have suggested that even a Europa League triumph might not guarantee his stay at the club, but the manager himself appears unbothered by the speculation.

  "My future is assured mate, don't… I wouldn't be the first person who changes jobs mate, we all change jobs, I'm sure you've had more than one job," Postecoglou continued. "My future's assured. I've got a beautiful family, I've got a great life, I'll keep on winning trophies until I finish, wherever that is. So, don't worry about my future mate. My future is not tied with anything, my future is assured. Provided, God willing, my health remains, my beautiful family is beside me, my friends, there's nothing wrong with my future mate."

Arsenal are battling Paris-Saint Germain for the signing of an international legend this summer, with concrete talks already held and two offers on the table for his services as clubs attempt to sway him in their direction.

Arsenal targeting new midfielder this summer

The Gunners enjoyed a record-breaking night in the Champions League on Tuesday, becoming the first team in European history to score seven goals away from home in the knockout stages with a 7-1 victory at PSV Eindhoven.

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The Gunners star has taken plenty of criticism from his own fans this season…

By
Ben Goodwin

Mar 5, 2025

Off the field, the Gunners are already preparing for next season, after seeing their chances of winning a first Premier League title in over two decades falter at the hands of Liverpool.

With both Jorginho and Thomas Partey out of contract at the end of this season, and free to find new clubs, Arsenal are working on bringing in cover for the exit-bound duo.

Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi is reliably believed to be a key target for Mikel Arteta in this regard, with reports as far back as January suggesting that the north Londoners had entered pre-summer talks with the Spain international and intend to trigger his £51 million release clause.

While Arsenal are confident they can seal the signing of Zubimendi, it is far from a foregone conclusion, and other interested clubs could still come into the fold despite loose terms being verbally agreed in regard to wage structure and other contract details (Ben Jacobs).

If an agreement for Zubimendi falls through, Arsenal have been linked with other big names as alternatives.

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is an option for Arsenal, after he was recently offered out to Arteta’s side by representatives (The Boot Room), while Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich will be available on a free transfer this summer.

Arsenal battling PSG to sign Joshua Kimmich

The 97-cap international could be one of the bargains of the summer, considering his pedigree, experience and versatility, which will be attractive to Arteta.

Arsenal are believed to be working on Kimmich as a target, according to reports in Germany, with Sky journalist Florian Plettenberg sharing an update of his own. Plettenberg writes that the 30-year-old has two formal written offers to quit Bayern, one of them from PSG and another from an unnamed club, with the former said to have held concrete talks already.

Arsenal are still in the race for Kimmich, though, but face stiff competition from Luis Enrique’s side as they also weigh up other potential options.

He will be a sore miss for Vincent Kompany if Bayern cannot reach an agreement on a new deal.

Mario Balotelli has opened up on why he fell short of Cristiano Ronaldo’s success and confirmed his next move will likely take him near Lionel Messi.

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• Balotelli admits Ronaldo’s dedication set them apart
• Confirms plans to move to MLS and retire
• Striker failed to score in six appearances for Genoa

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italian admitted that Ronaldo's relentless work ethic is something he never matched, with 40-year-old still going strong with Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team while Balotelli is leaving Genoa after a dismal spell with the Serie A side.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Balotelli, whose career has seen dramatic highs and steep declines, broke through as one of Europe's most promising strikers at Inter, but has failed to live up to the hype in a tumultuous career. He did, however, win the Champions League with Inter, a dramatic Premier League title with Manchester City and has three Serie A crowns to his name. Since joining Genoa in October last year, though, he has played only 56 minutes spread across six appearances. Balotelli said he will not be staying in his homeland and instead plans to end his career in the United States.

• WHAT BALOTELLI SAID

  Balotelli was asked on why he is not as successful as five-time Ballon d'Or winner and ex-Real Madrid star Ronaldo, saying: "He kills himself with training, I don't… He has more money!"

  The 34-year-old admitted he made a mistake joining Genoa and revealed he will retire in a few years. He added: "I could have done more, but I'm happy. I thank the fans who love me, but I made the wrong choice for the type of club. It's unlikely that I will play again in Italy or Europe."

  Asked if he has an idea of where he will go, he replied: "Yes, America. I will play two or three years before I stop."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BALOTELLI?

  Balotelli will become a free agent when his contract expires this summer, clearing him up to make a free move to an MLS club.

With Mohamed Salah’s contract continuing to tick down, Liverpool are reportedly lining up a summer swoop to sign a potential replacement who knows exactly how to win a league title.

Liverpool transfer news

The Egyptian King was once again at the centre of the positives at Anfield against Southampton as Liverpool survived a first-half scare to eventually win 3-1, courtesy of Salah’s two penalties. Now the Reds’ third all-time top goalscorer, it becomes more and more surprising by the day that their history-maker is on course to leave as a free agent this summer.

If his goals weren’t impressive enough, Salah has had something for everyone this season and is closing in on Thierry Henry’s Premier League assists record with 17 to his name – four more are required to beat the Arsenal legend’s long-standing total.

With nine games to do it, the Liverpool star looks destined to create history once again.

However, as Anfield witnesses greatness, that new contract is yet to come, and those on Merseyside have seemingly been forced to think about potential summer replacements, as if truly replacing Salah is even possible.

Liverpool scouting new goalscorer to replace star who saved them vs Saints

He’s flying this season.

By
Barney Lane

Mar 8, 2025

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now lining up a summer swoop to sign Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich, who value their winger at around €40m (£34m) which is ironically not too dissimilar from the price the Reds paid for Salah in 2017.

Unlike Salah, however, Coman would not be arriving at the peak of his powers. At 28 years old, the Frenchman has struggled for game time ahead of the likes of Michael Olise at Bayern Munich, and if Liverpool want to replace arguably the best player in the world, they need a consistent star.

"Incredible" Coman could receive impossible task

There was once a time when Coman was asked to step out of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben’s shadow to become Bayern’s star player, before doing exactly that.

Now, the Frenchman looks to have been returned to the shadows amid the arrival of Olise, who has stolen the spotlight in style since joining from Crystal Palace.

Having won eight Bundesliga titles and a Champions League during his time in Germany, it could easily be said that Coman has completed life at the Bavarians, making this summer an ideal time to move on.

If that is to be the case, he could receive an even tougher task than the one he was handed all those years ago in Germany. Instead of Robben and Ribery, it could be Salah who he is asked to replace as Liverpool desperately look to ease any potential blow caused by the Egyptian’s expiring contract.

Previously dubbed “incredible” by former manager Hansi Flick, it remains to be seen whether a summer departure would see the Frenchman get back to his best form or whether he’s simply past the peak of his powers.

Real Madrid are set to make their final push for Arsenal target Martin Zubimendi with the hope that new boss Xabi Alonso can help seal the deal.

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• Arsenal sweating over Zubimendi deal
• Real Madrid making 'final push' for midfielder
• Los Blancos hoping that Alonso can seal the deal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal looked to be the final destination for Real Sociedad maestro Zubimendi this summer, as the Gunners had seemingly struck a deal for the midfielder after over a year of interest in the Spaniard. However, Real Madrid have crept up as a potential issue for the north London side.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In an effort to give new manager Alonso the best squad possible for the Club World Cup and the upcoming campaign, Real Madrid are coming up with answers to their problems under Carlo Ancelotti. As such, Los Blancos have shown interest in Zubimendi over the last few weeks and as per Spanish publication , the 15-time European champions are now set to make their 'final push' for the midfielder.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Real Madrid believe that Zubimendi could be convinced to ditch Arsenal in favour of a move to Santiago Bernabeu, as new Los Blancos boss Alonso crossed paths with the 26-year-old at Real Sociedad B. Additionally, they believe that Alonso's play style may be admired by the midfielder.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ZUBIMENDI?

  As per , Arsenal are sweating over Zubimendi's decision after Real made contact with the player, although the Spanish giants would struggle to match the English side's salary offer. However, the Real Sociedad midfielder is still said to be undecided on his future heading into the summer.

Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski has vowed not to play for Poland again under Michal Probierz after "losing trust" in the head coach.

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• Lewandowski makes bombshell announcement
• Won't play for Poland again under Probierz
• Had already withdrawn from latest squad

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lewandowski withdrew from selection for Poland’s June camp after telling Probierz he was “mentally tired”. The 36-year-old was absent for Poland's 2-0 friendly win over Moldova on Friday and will also sit out their World Cup qualifier against Finland on June 10, having not travelled to meet up with his international colleagues. Now, the Barcelona star has announced he has no plans to return to the squad while Probierz is still in charge.

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  WHAT LEWANDOWSKI SAID

  Lewandowski made the bombshell announcement via his social media channels on Sunday, saying: "Considering the circumstances and the loss of trust in the Polish National Team coach, I have decided to step back from playing for the Polish National Team as long as he remains the coach. I hope I will have the chance to play again for the best fans in the world."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lewandowski's announcement came just hours after Poland had confirmed Probierz's decision to strip the Barcelona striker of captaincy duties and hand the armband to Piotr Zielinski instead. That honour had belonged to Lewandowski since 2014, when he succeeded Jakub Błaszczykowski in the role. No official reason has been given for the change as yet.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LEWANDOWSKI?

  Lewandowski has won a record 158 caps for Poland to date, and is their all-time leading scorer with 85 goals. With his international career now on hold indefinitely, the former Bayern Munich frontman will enjoy a break from football before reporting back to Barcelona for pre-season.

Manchester City won’t be winning the Premier League title for the fifth season in a row after yet another league defeat over the weekend, this time to high-flying Nottingham Forest.

Pep Guardiola has never quite endured a campaign like this one, although he did make a few signings in January that could see the club return to their best next term.

Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov all arrived at the Etihad, with City spending close to £190m in the process.

Combined with their current crop of young talent, the club could be set for another wonderful era with some rising stars…

Man City's best rising stars

The January signings have added some much-needed quality to a stagnant City side which could give them a boost between now and the end of the season.

Rico Lewis is certainly proving his worth at the club, making 36 appearances in all competitions this term, and he looks like the perfect replacement for Kyle Walker at right-back.

Savinho has proved his worth countless times since joining from Troyes last summer. The Brazilian has registered 11 goal contributions in what has been a solid debut campaign but still needs to take himself to the next level, adding more goals to his game.

Elsewhere, James McAtee finally looks ready to take his game on, scoring six goals in just 21 matches for the club. He may soon be replaced by 19-year-old new signing Claudio Echeverri, though, who looks like one of the hottest talents to come out of South America in recent years.

That being said, could it be the signing of Abdukodir Khusanov that goes on to become the finest youngster at the club?

Why Abdukodir Khusanov could become world-class at Man City

After a dismal few months, Guardiola knew some freshness was needed in order to give his squad a boost heading into the second half of the season.

With Manuel Akanji and John Stones suffering from injury problems, bolstering the defence was crucial. Reis is certainly someone who could become a key player for the club in the future.

In the meantime, it is Khusanov who has slotted into the City backline with ease, overcoming a rocky debut against Chelsea.

No doubt proud of his development, the 21-year-old became the first Uzbekistan-born player to feature in the Premier League, costing the club £33.5m from French side Lens.

Since that first outing against Enzo Maresca’s men, judging by his performances, he could very well turn out to be one of Guardiola’s most important signings for City.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The centre-back had only made 31 appearances for the Ligue 1 side before City pounced and secured his signature during the transfer window, but his quality was obvious.

During the first half of the season in the French top flight, the youngster ranked in the top 1% for interceptions (2.4) and in the top 17% for aerials won (2.49) per 90 when compared to his positional peers.

Since joining City, Khusanov has played seven times, scoring against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup and he looks the part at the heart of the club’s defence.

Writer Alex Barker wrote on X that Khusanov’s physicality is “frightening” and, despite being aged only 21 and featuring in five Premier League games, the Uzbeki international has managed to showcase his talents already.

Across these five top-flight matches, the former Lens starlet has averaged a 92% pass success rate, along with recovering 4.8 balls, making one tackle and winning 57% of his aerial duels per game for City. To put those numbers into context, William Saliba has won 61% of his aerial duels and completed 94% of his passes. Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk has succeeded with 92% of his passes and won a whopping 71% of his aerial duels.

Thus, you can clearly see that Khusanov is on the right path and has made an impressive start to life in England. Now, the next few weeks will allow him to play without too much pressure, especially as the league title will elude the club for the first time since 2020.

This could give Khusanov a chance to continually impress, which could make a huge difference to the club for the 2025/26 campaign.

There is no doubt that the 21-year-old could turn into one of the finest defenders in the world, especially if he continues his recent meteoric rise.

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By
Joe Nuttall

Mar 8, 2025

To put it diplomatically, there have been some real negatives to this season for Tottenham Hotspur, but at least a few positives.

You can take your pick when it comes to the former, from lacklustre form to persistent injuries and a souring atmosphere at home and away.

However, when it comes to the latter, it really boils down to how well a number of the club’s young talents have adapted to first-team football, from summer signings Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray to academy gem Mikey Moore.

The good news is that another batch of talented youngsters could make their competitive first-team debuts next season, including one academy star who might just be the club’s own Cole Palmer.

The Spurs youngsters who could breakthrough next season

So, before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at a couple of other talented prospects who could finally make their competitive debut for the club next season, starting with Ashley Phillips.

The 19-year-old centre-back has spent the season on loan with Championship side Stoke City this year, and despite it being his first full campaign in the second tier, he’s been an essential member of the first team.

Across all competitions, the former Blackburn Rovers gem, whom Tony Mowbray said was “going to be a mega footballer” one day, has made 31 appearances for the Potters, and, most impressively, each one has been a start.

From defence to midfield now, and the next prospect who could play some games under Ange Postecoglou next season is Tyrese Hall.

The 19-year-old ace, who “has a really big future at Tottenham” according to Spurs expert John Wenham, has been enjoying a great season in the club’s U21 side this year.

In just 20 appearances, in which he’s played all over the place, the London-born dynamo has scored six goals and provided four assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every other game.

On top of that, he’s now a part of the England U19 camp, but even so, he is not the most exciting player in the club’s academy; that title belongs to someone even younger, someone who could be the Lilywhites’ own Palmer.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Spurs' own Palmer

He may be out of form at the moment, but Palmer is unquestionably one of the most exciting English talents around, and that’s what people could be saying about Luca Williams-Barnett in a few years.

The 16-year-old might still be a relative unknown to the wider footballing public, but he most certainly is not for those who follow academy football.

The incredible youngster, whom analyst Ben Mattinson described as “a name to keep an eye on,” has the potential to be the club’s version of the Chelsea ace for a few reasons.

The first is that, like the England international, he’s a lean-mean-goalscoring-machine.

In just 24 appearances for the U18s, totalling 1887 minutes, the unreal talent has scored 20 goals and provided ten assists.

In other words, he’s averaging 1.25 goal involvements every game, or one every 62.9 minutes, and while he’s still young, that is the sort of form that could force Postecoglou to hand him some first-team minutes next season.

The second reason he could become the club’s version of the former Manchester City prospect is that he, too, is positionally versatile.

For example, while his primary position is attacking midfield, he’s played in left-midfield, left and right-wing and even up top, which helps to explain Wenham’s description of him as a “cheat-code.”

Ultimately, Spurs might be having a terrible season this year, but the future is looking incredibly bright, and Williams-Barnett could make it even more so next season.

Their very own Saka: Spurs plotting bid to sign £50m "monster" from PL club

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By
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Mar 26, 2025