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Lucas Paqueta's spot-fixing hearing has finally concluded, with the West Ham star facing a potential career-ending verdict.

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• Paqueta's spot-fixing hearing over
• Started on March 17
• Further delay in verdict as Paqueta remains anxious

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Paqueta has been charged by the Football Association over allegedly breaching betting rules and picking up bookings intentionally for financial gain. If found guilty, the Brazilian will face a lifetime ban from football. According to the , the hearing that started on March 17 has finally concluded. The verdict, however, could take another four to eight weeks to come out, which leaves the player anxious over his future.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report adds that insiders from West Ham have urged for a faster conclusion of the hearing. Last month, Hammers boss Graham Potter had claimed that Paqueta was unable to concentrate on football and was suffering from illness due to the delay in the betting probe.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Towards the end of the 2024-25 campaign, Paqueta was reduced to tears after he picked up a yellow card for a foul on Tottenham's Mickey Moore. After the game, the Brazilian's wife, Maria Eduarda Fournier, shared an emotional note on social media, claiming the family was going through a nightmare.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Brazil international and his club now anxiously wait for the verdict to come out. Depending on the final outcome of the hearing, the Hammers will accordingly plan their transfer strategy for the summer window.

It’s been a season full of surprises for Arsenal fans this year.

For example, we aren’t sure many people saw Manchester City’s dramatic collapse in form coming, nor Liverpool’s sensational form under new boss Arne Slot.

However, perhaps the one that would have shocked fans the most had you told them back in the summer is the fact that, for all intents and purposes, Mikel Merino is now the club’s starting number nine.

A failure to reinforce the frontline and an absurd number of injuries has forced Mikel Arteta to play the Spaniard up top for over a month now, and while he hasn’t done terribly, it may be time to try something else and start arguably the most exciting player in the squad ahead of him.

Arteta's Merino alternatives

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other members in the squad Arteta could, but probably shouldn’t, turn to as a replacement for Merino.

The first option, which would almost certainly be met with significant backlash, would be to bring Raheem Sterling back into the starting line-up.

Now, the argument for this would be that he’s played as a central striker several times before and has a fairly decent record when doing so, scoring 14 goals and providing six assists there in 28 games for Manchester City.

However, that was quite some time ago, and to put it diplomatically, he has been dismal for the Gunners this term, so much so, in fact, that the manager has only started him ten times across the entire season, despite the injury crisis.

The second option would be to play Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli there, and while this would be far more popular than the prior idea, there are still some issues.

For example, neither player has been in particularly good form this season, with the former racking up just 13 goal involvements in 43 games and the latter 11 in 38, so having them as the club’s focal attacking point seems unwise at the moment.

Furthermore, if Arteta plays the Belgian on the left and the Brazilian on the right, he can make the bold and potentially correct decision to play the club’s most exciting attacker down the middle.

Chalkboard

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

The Arsenal star who should replace Merino

With Bukayo Saka unlikely to start a game for a few more weeks, it would be fair to say that the most exciting player currently in the squad is Ethan Nwaneri, and Arteta should be bold enough to start him up top in place of Merino.

Now, there is certainly an argument to be made that a decision such as this would put enormous pressure on the youngster, and while that is true, he’s shown us this season that pressure means very little to him.

Moreover, the potential upsides of starting such a dynamic and incisive player at the tip of the spear are massive and could be just the thing to help the team get into some form ahead of the Champions League clash with Real Madrid next month.

For example, despite playing just 1087 minutes across 29 first-team appearances this season, the often “unplayable” ace, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, has scored eight goals and provided one assist.

That means that at just 18 years old, the Hale End superstar is averaging a goal involvement every 120.77 minutes, which for a winger come midfielder is a brilliant rate of return.

Finally, we wouldn’t be surprised if this idea was already in Arteta’s head, as it was only in December that he told the press that the teenage sensation could develop into a striker due to his instinctive ability to finish.

Ultimately, while Merino has done his best in the circumstances, it’s time the manager played someone who could make the most of goalscoring opportunities up top, and from what we have seen this season, that could be Nwaneri.

Their answer to Kane: Arsenal make £67m "monster" their number one target

The incredible forward would be a game-changer for Arsenal next season.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 27, 2025

GOAL Convo: The former U.S. goalkeeper discussed MLS's beginnings, what the 2026 World Cup could mean for the league

The growth of soccer in America has surpassed anything Tony Meola could have imagined when he was playing in the 1994 World Cup.

"If I had a nickel for every time someone tells me '30 years [ago] I became a fan because of 1994,' I'd be on an island somewhere working on my golf game and fishing game," Meola jokingly reflected to GOAL.

The USMNT legend, who started four games as a fresh-faced, ponytailed goalkeeper in that tournament, noted that the expectations and roles for American players were vastly different compared to today.

"We always joke about the fact that we had two jobs, right? We had to play. You had to get ready for the game and get ready for trying to make a World Cup team," he said. "But then you had to promote the sport. Because the sport clearly wasn't at the level that it is now."

In 1994, American soccer fans had few ways to engage with the sport. There weren’t dozens of streaming packages to follow global leagues, and domestic players struggled to find professional opportunities. That began to change with the advent of Major League Soccer, which emerged as part of the U.S. hosting the world’s biggest sporting event.

"There was a rallying cry, or a belief that at least some of us had to stay in the U.S. to try and help promote the game, to try and help move it forward, you know?" he said. "And there were opportunities for players. It was a new league. No one knew about it. No one had ever seen it before, and the hope was that we would be in the forefront of having it grow."

Now in its 30th season, MLS has exceeded expections. Meola, now 56, helped launch the league as a member of the New York/New Jersey MetroStars.

"If you'd have told me that it would look like this in 2025, I probably would have told you you were crazy," he said. "It's grown to a place that I don't think any of us could have ever imagined, at least not if you were part of 1996 and that group that came into the league."

With the 2026 World Cup now exactly a year away, Meola hopes MLS can take another major step forward.

The goalkeeper turned broadcaster discussed the league’s evolution and his hopes for what’s next in the latest GOAL Convo, a Q&A with central figures in the American soccer scene.

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  ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 1994 AND 2026

  GOAL: It is exactly one year out from the 2026 World Cup kicking off. What are your thoughts on how things are shaping up and how it all compares to what you experienced in 1994?

  MEOLA: Well, it's obviously exciting, right? One year out begins the count down right to the World Cup. And I can remember one year out from '94, obviously, we were training in Mission Viejo, California. And the excitement started to build. There are some similarities, for sure, but I think we're in a completely different spot here in the US than we were back then. Back then, we always joked about the fact that we had two jobs, right? We had to, we had to play. You had to get ready for the game and get ready for trying to make a World Cup team. But then you had to promote the sport, right? Because the sport clearly wasn't at the level that it is now, where now we've got Major League Soccer is established in the U.S. We continue to grow every day. So there's an awareness about soccer. So the players are in different circumstances. Now we're going to see how countries fill cities up and find ways to gather… It's going to be incredible.

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  ON THE LAUNCH OF MLS

  GOAL: When did you start hearing MLS would be a thing, and what was your immediate reaction to it as a player?

  MEOLA: We knew about Major League Soccer starting before the World Cup started. That was the plan. We would use the '94 World Cup to sort of be the launching pad for Major League Soccer. And of course, it was supposed to start in 1995, but it didn't. It got pushed back a year, which was, in hindsight, the right decision. We knew about it, and we were all excited about it. And there was a rallying cry, or a belief that at least some of us had to stay in the U.S. to try and help promote the game, to try and help move it forward. And there were opportunities for players. We did a really good job of of positioning guys, Alexi Lalas in Boston, and myself and Tab [Ramos] in New York.

  Go through the list of guys: Eric [Wynalda] went out West. Jeff Agoos in D.C.. where he had spent so much time at UVA. John Harkes, the same thing, and we were able to position guys in the right places, to spread the word, if you will, about the league. It was a new league. No one knew about it. No one had ever seen it before, and the hope was that we would be in the forefront of having it grow. I had a vision of where I thought it would grow, and I thought it would be great. We had just come off the World Cup. There's so much excitement about the game. If you had told me that it would look like this in 2025, I probably would have told you you were crazy. And it's grown to a place that I don't think any of us could have ever imagined, at least not if you were part of 1996 and that group that came into the league.

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  ON THE GROWTH OF SOCCER IN THE U.S.

  GOAL: You mentioned you felt like you had two jobs, one was to promote soccer here. When did you realize the sport would have staying power here?

  MEOLA: I thought that when the league started. And then there was a dark period a couple of years later, right, where we saw a contraction in the league. Looking back on it, it seems logical, right? You start in a bunch of places, and it doesn't necessarily work in some, and you have to add some other places. There were some scary moments… And I was sort of at the beginning of the growth of that. So to look at it, you know, we always knew in New York, in L.A., eventually down in Miami, one day in D.C., It would take a little while, but it would grow. But you know, you're talking about Kansas City and Columbus and Austin, Texas now. And just think of what those places look like on the weekend.

  As much as we all dreamed about that stuff. I think we have over 20 new stadiums in the last 25 years. And like, it's incredible what we've done. I get people who look sometimes from the outside, can find fault in things that happen in the game, in our country. But if you do that, that's fine, because that's every business in the world, right? When you really sit back and think about it, there's no sport, there's no league in the world that has grown like this one has. It's incredible to think about it. And luckily, it's here. Like, I'm glad I get to see it, and glad my kids get to see it. And hopefully, we'll take the World Cup and use it again as another springboard to get to the next level.

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  ON THE IMPACT OF THE '26 WORLD CUP

  GOAL: Where do you think the 2026 World Cup can take MLS?

  MEOLA: One of the missions is always for Major League Soccer is to convert soccer fans into MLS fans, right? There's those grapple between where players play. Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that he doesn't care [where guys play]. We're looking at the national team now, and guys in MLS are making a name for themselves, not only in the league on the weekends but also in camps with a national team. Look at a guy like Diego Luna… we're looking at a guy that could potentially be a World Cup player that comes out of the RSL system.

  And it's stories like that that I think, really show the quality of the league and show where we're at as a league. You know Diego Luna plays for Real Salt Lake, or Patrick Agyemang plays in Charlotte.You know Brian White plays in Vancouver. And that's what the World Cup will do for those guys. It's life-changing, and it'll be changing for Major League Soccer because we will inherently just have more fans… There'll be enough opportunity to use the World Cup to help the league grow.

Tottenham Hotspur have another leading contender to replace Ange Postecoglou alongside Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, according to The Telegraph.

Pressure on Ange Postecoglou after another Tottenham defeat

It hasn’t been a memorable second year in charge of Spurs for Postecoglou so far, with the club’s only chance of winning silverware coming in the Europa League. In the Premier League, Tottenham sit in the bottom half of the table and have done for large parts of the campaign.

The latest top-flight setback came at Craven Cottage against Fulham, with Rodrigo Muniz and former Spurs ace Ryan Sessegnon scoring in a 2-0 win for Marco Silva’s side.

Talking after the game, Postecoglou said: “I said to the players, I’m not going to let anyone just think about Europa and nothing else. We can’t let this league season go the way it has. We’ve lost way too many games, unacceptable.

“I understand the supporters’ frustrations with that. It was another day where we let a game get away from us when we shouldn’t. We had chances to go 1-0 up which would have put pressure on them, then they scored a really soft goal.

“Today the opposition haven’t blown us off the park. For 75 minutes we were where we wanted to be, the fact we came out of that game with nothing is disappointing.”

Tottenham interested in signing relentless midfielder who Messi "loves"

Ange Postecoglou’s side have now set their sights on a midfielder who has impressed one of the greatest players of all time.

By
Dominic Lund

Mar 17, 2025

Pressure does seem to be building on the Australian, especially if his side fail to win the Europa League in the final months of the season.

Contact has already been made with Iraloa’s agents over a potential move to north London, with the 42-year-old impressing on the south coast with the Cherries. However, Iraola isn’t the only serious candidate for Spurs.

Marco Silva a leading contender to replace Postecoglou at Tottenham

According to The Telegraph, Fulham boss Silva is another leading candidate for Tottenham, should they decide to make a change in the dugout.

Silva, who got the better of Spurs on Sunday to seal his third win over Tottenham, reportedly has a £6m release clause in his Fulham contract.

The Telegraph say that ‘there are doubts emerging over Silva’s future at Fulham’ and that ‘sources have cast doubt on Silva’s future at Fulham past this season’.

Spurs could potentially make their move if Postecoglou departs, although it remains to be seen if Fulham would ‘demand the full clause to let Silva leave, or whether Tottenham, or another club, would be prepared to pay it’.

Silva, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system and shares the same Gestifute agency as Jose Mourinho, has been with Fulham since 2021, managing more games for the Cottagers than any of his previous clubs, but a move away over the coming months, possibly to Spurs, could be one to watch.

Omari Hutchinson also caught the eye and Charlie Cresswell found the net for Lee Carsley's side as they began the group stages in confident fashion

England Under-21s made a perfect start to the defence of their European Championship crown as they ran out 3-1 winners over Czechia on Thursday. Harvey Elliott and Charlie Cresswell got themselves on the scoresheet for the Young Lions in what was a strong opening night for Lee Carsley's side.

Tino Livramento and Omari Hutchinson both had early efforts saved in Slovakia, though England goalkeeper James Beadle also had to be alert to tip Stepan Chapoulek's header over the crossbar. It was Elliott, though, who broke the deadlock with a low effort after Livramento's deflected cross was knocked into the Liverpool midfielder's path by James McAtee.

England doubled their lead early in the second half when Livramento skipped past the Czechia full-back and fired in a low cross that was diverted into his own net by goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, though Marseille forward Jonathan Rowe may have got a touch on its way through.

Czechia offered an immediate response as Daniel Fila headed in at the back post to half the deficit, but England regained control thereafter and secured a deserved victory when Toulouse centre-back Charlie Cresswell headed in from a corner with 14 minutes remaining. Carsley's side will next be in action against Slovenia on Sunday, before rounding out their group-stage campaign against Germany next Wednesday.

GOAL rates England's players from Dunajska Streda…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  James Beadle (7/10):

  Made two fine saves in the first half as England struggled to deal with set-pieces, while he showcased his excellent passing ability when the ball was at his feet. Had no chance with Czechia's goal.

  Archie Gray (6/10):

  Grew into the game after being exposed defensively through the first quarter of the game. Carried the ball well and played the odd eye-catching pass.

  Charlie Cresswell (6/10):

  Made himself available for the ball as England built from the back, but was a little lucky not to be punished for a couple of sloppy passes. Commanding header sealed victory.

  Jarell Quansah (6/10):

  The more commanding of the centre-back duo, though he will be unhappy with how the Young Lions dealt with dead balls. Broke the lines with a couple of mazy dribbles in the second half.

  Tino Livramento (8/10):

  Absolutely electric going forward from the very first minute. Played his part in the opener before his superb skill and low cross led to England's second. Was caught out at the back post for Czechia's goal, however.

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  Midfield

  Harvey Elliott (7/10):

  Had some nice moments drifting inside from the right to combine with McAtee, though couldn't quite unpick the lock with his passing. Strong finish to open the scoring.

  Alex Scott (6/10):

  Faded in and out of the game, but put in plenty of hard yards off the ball when England lost possession while mostly keeping it simple in possession.

  Elliot Anderson (9/10):

  Booked inside the first 20 seconds, but didn't let it faze him one bit. Was at the heart of everything for England, whether that was when he baited the press while facing his own goal or when spreading the ball in attack. Commanding in every sense.

  Omari Hutchinson (8/10):

  Came close to opening the scoring early on and dazzled with his quick feet whenever he picked up possession. Almost opened the scoring early on, while his movement inside made him a nightmare to mark while opening space up for Livramento to overlap.

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  Attack

  James McAtee (5/10):

  Asked to help lead the line but looked more comfortable when he was able to drop into midfield or move out wide. Got the assist for Elliott's goal, but didn't offer enough otherwise.

  Jonathan Rowe (4/10):

  Struggled to have much impact on the game before being replaced midway through the second half. Movement across the front post saw him rewarded, as his faint touch was enough to see him awarded England's second goal, but otherwise rarely got into the game.

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  Subs & Manager

  Ethan Nwaneri (6/10):

  Had a couple of chances to run at the Czechia defence and let them for dead. Was guilty of taking one too many risks in his own half at times.

  Jay Stansfield (5/10):

  Gave England more presence up front and made a couple of good defensive interventions.

  Samuel Iling-Junior (5/10):

  On following the third goal to help shore up the left-hand side.

  Tyler Morton (N/A):

  Replaced Anderson late on.

  Hayden Hackney (N/A):

  On for the final seven minutes.

  Lee Carsley (7/10):

  Chose not to select a natural striker and it showed at times. However, putting Livramento on the left to combine with Hutchinson was an inspired move, while he wasn't shy to use his bench. Solid start.

West Ham managed a point against Bournemouth, having gone 1-0 down in the first half. Graham Potter’s side came out fighting in the second half, scoring in the 61st and 68th minute to take a 2-1 lead at the London Stadium.

However, Evanilson did manage to salvage a point for the Cherries, netting his second of the game to make it 2-2 in the 79th minute, with the points being shared.

Despite having more of the ball with 56% possession, West Ham only generated 0.65 xG in the match, creating one “big chance” and taking nine shots. In comparison, Andoni Iraola’s side generated 2.15 xG in the game, creating two “big chances” and taking 11 shots.

The second-half performance was much stronger by the Hammers, having seven of their nine shots in that second half, and it was the goalscorers, Niclas Füllkrug and Jarrod Bowen, who spurred the comeback.

Bowen's performance vs Bournemouth

Bowen scored the second goal, putting West Ham 2-1 up in the match. Whilst he started the game as a centre-forward, having a license to roam into both channels, Fullkrug’s introduction saw Bowen move to his natural right side, where he really began to come into his own.

The 28-year-old Hammers captain managed 52 touches in the game, taking four shots (only one on target) and completing two of his four dribble attempts. Bowen also won seven of his 15 ground duels in the game, working hard for his side, winning two tackles and making two interceptions.

Bowen’s goal was his ninth of the season, also providing seven assists in his 2,539 minutes played. But today’s game made one thing apparent, and it feels like West Ham could have one man who is even more undroppable than their captain at this point in time.

Why James Ward-Prowse is undroppable

James Ward-Prowse was recalled from his loan at the end of the January transfer window, having made just 10 appearances for Nottingham Forest. West Ham stated his return would offer “experience, depth and quality” to Potter’s side.

But his performance against Bournemouth proved exactly why he is more than extra depth and experience, as the midfielder controlled proceedings in the middle of the park, provided the assist for Fullkrug’s equaliser, and protected the Hammers back line, winning two of his three ground duels.

In recent weeks, Potter has shown faith in Ward-Prowse, quickly making him a regular starter in his side, giving the team a more progressive passer in the midfield, someone who can keep things ticking, but also a set-piece specialist, which can be an invaluable tool in the modern era of Premier League football.

Whilst Bowen is the club captain and top goalscorer, Ward-Prowse has shown his importance to the side, making them less predictable in their build-up, offering slightly more mobility in midfield (whilst it isn’t his biggest strength) and, of course, adding that set-piece threat.

Therefore, the former Southampton man should keep his place in the side and be considered undroppable by the manager heading into the final matches of the season.

Donovan says Pochettino's impact is starting to manifest itself after the team's dominant performance against Trinidad and Tobago

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• Donovan, Lalas have bought in on Poch's decisions
• Donovan pointed to Diego Luna as an example of Poch player
• Freese has a chance to win GK competition, Donovan says

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following an impressive 5-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago in the 2025 Gold Cup opener, former USMNT star Landon Donovan pointed to the performance as a sign that coach Mauricio Pochettino is starting to have a real impact on the squad.

  Pochettino opted to start the exact same XI against Saudi Arabia on Thursday night as he did in Sunday's Gold Cup win over T&T.

  "He elected to change the culture," Donovan said on FOX Sports. "With his decisions, the same starting XI, with his press conferences, what he said about players not picking and choosing which games they come into, how he's used Diego Luna as an example of what he wants his players to be – he's changing the culture, and he's saying this is what I expect. If you want to play for me, this is how it goes."

  Donovan was referring to the controversial back-and-forth between Pochettino and U.S. star Christian Pulisic over the past month. He also said Pochettino is sending a message to 2022 World Cup starter in goal, Matt Turner, with his decision to turn to NYCFC star Matt Freese in the first two Gold Cup matches.

  "Look at Matt Freese now in goal," Donovan said. "He said 'Matt Turner, you've been great,' but he had a statement like 'Matt Freese, let's see if you can be No. 1.' He's showing with his words and actions that he's changing the culture slowly."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Fellow ex-USMNT star Alexi Lalas said the message Pochettino is sending affects the entire national team pool, not just the players participating at the Gold Cup.

  "That message gets out to the players who are there, but it also gets out to the players who aren't there," Lalas said. "When you look at this team now, it's about winning back hearts and minds. It's about clawing back, it's a process. It's not going to happen overnight. What you want to avoid – now that the stakes are higher, the competition gets higher – you take that step forward, and you take two steps back. Now you grab it with both hands, as a team you progress and you mature, or as a player you plant that seed in the mind of Mauricio Pochettino."

  Prior to the match against Saudi Arabia, Pochettino acknowledged he was proud of the strides the national team has made. The team had lost four straight matches entering the Gold Cup.

  "Despite the results, the evolution is good," Pochettino said on FOX. "I think we are progressing in different areas. We need to keep this progression and with positive results, I think it's better. But yeah, so happy. The few weeks that we are working with that group, we are evolving really well."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite the controversy over Pulisic's decision to skip this summer's tournament, it's nothing new. The last Gold Cup Pulisic participated in was in 2019. That said, with the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, some expected the USMNT to have a more experienced roster for this tournament.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

  The U.S. will conclude the Gold Cup group stage phase with a matchup against Haiti on Sunday.

Alexandre Lacazette is set to begin a new chapter in his career with a move to the Saudi Pro League now on the verge of completion.

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• Lacazette agrees two-year deal with Saudi club Neom
• Has passed medical after leaving relegated Lyon
• Final minor detail remains before move is confirmed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lacazette has reached a full agreement with Saudi Pro League side Neom, according to . The 34-year-old former Arsenal and Lyon striker has signed a two-year deal and has already completed his medical with the newly promoted club. Before the move can be officially finalised, a minor detail in the contract needs to be worked out.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lacazette became a free agent after his contract with Lyon expired following the club’s relegation from Ligue 1. Despite Lyon’s poor campaign, the forward remained a consistent performer, scoring 43 goals across two seasons since returning to the French side from Arsenal in 2022. His transfer to Neom is part of a larger trend of experienced European players choosing the Saudi Pro League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Lacazette leaves Lyon with a total of 184 goals in 326 appearances over two spells. He was also club captain and top scorer during the 2023–25 period, despite their relegation.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LACAZETTE?

  Lacazette is expected to finalise his transfer to Neom once the last contractual detail is settled. He will play in the Saudi Pro League for the 2025–26 season. The club could make him public within days, as long as both parties confirm it officially.

Levi Colwill has admitted his performances are "nowhere near where I'd like to be" as he tries to live up to a "winners only" mentality at Chelsea.

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• Levi Colwill assesses performances
• "Nowhere near where I'd like to be"
• Wants "winners only" mentality

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Colwill has been a regular at the heart of defence for Enzo Maresca as well as featuring in England squads throughout the 2024-25 campaign. He believes he can do better, however, and admits he is striving for huge improvement.

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  WHAT COLWILL SAID

  Colwill told reporters: "I am nowhere near where I would like to be. Defending one-v-one has been tough, but I think I’ve proved that I’m getting a bit better. I’m good at times when I’m trying to make passes and there are other times where I’ve been a bit lazy. We all know how big this club is and how the culture of the club has always been to win. We're just trying to reinforce that to the young boys, to the boys coming in, that this club is for winners only. That’s what we need to strive towards."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The club hope several of their best young players are beginning to develop the snarl and mentality that defined the era of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba in the noughties. Colwill insists following in their footsteps is "what we want to do".

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Colwill is set to start again as Chelsea take on Palmeiras in the quarter-final of the Club World Cup on Saturday, with the Blues in with a decent chance of reaching the final if they play their cards right.

Luka Modric is set to join AC Milan on a reduced salary after ending his legendary spell at Real Madrid with eyes on one last run with Croatia.

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• Modric to sign one-year deal with Milan
• Leaves Real Madrid after 12 historic seasons
• Wants to stay fit for 2026 World Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Modric is finalising a one-year contract with the Rossoneri following his departure from Madrid. According to , the Croatian midfielder has agreed to a deal worth between €2.5 million and €3m gross, significantly less than what he earned in his final season with Los Blancos. The move is driven by his ambition to remain competitive ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Modric leaves Madrid after over a decade of success, making the switch to Milan as a free agent. He had previously earned €10m per year with the Spanish giants, but accepted a 50 per cent salary reduction in his final year. His new Milan contract marks a further drop in earnings, highlighting that his decision is based on footballing ambitions, not financial gain. The midfielder is keen to continue playing at the top level to stay sharp for Croatia's World Cup campaign.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In the 2024-25 season, Modric logged 2,990 minutes across all competitions, featuring in 35 of 38 La Liga games and all 14 Champions League matches. He also appeared in the Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup, and other tournaments. His final appearance for Los Blancos came during the Club World Cup against Paris Saint-Germain.

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• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MODRIC?

  Modric will be officially unveiled as new Milan player in the coming days. He is expected to join pre-season training under Massimiliano Allegri and begin preparations for the 2025-26 Serie A campaign. He aims to use this season as a springboard for one final major tournament with his national team next summer.