Wolverhampton Wanderers are not willing to match the £25m price-tag set by Bristol City for young midfield star Alex Scott, according to Dean Jones.

Scott has been linked with a move this summer after impressing for the Robins in the Championship last season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers transfer news – Alex Scott

Several Premier League clubs have entered the chase to sign Scott this summer, according to TalkSPORT, with Wolves among those.

The Midlands club reportedly face competition from West Ham United and Bournemouth for the teenager's signature this summer.

Meanwhile, Liverpool previously sent scouts to watch the midfielder, before cooling their interest.

As the summer goes on, it looks like Scott will have a big decision to make regarding his future.

What has Dean Jones said about Alex Scott and Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Speaking to Football FanCast, when asked about Scott and Wolves, Jones said: "Scott’s an interesting one. Bristol City value him at around £25m at the moment.

"That’s been quite off-putting for a lot of teams, it’s not just Wolves that aren’t willing to get to that make, so I think as the window goes further in, we might find that price-tag comes down a little."

How did Alex Scott perform in the Championship last season?Reports over a potential Premier League move for Scott come as no surprise after the Bristol City youngster picked up the Championship's Young Player of the Year award.

Many were quick to praise the 19-year-old throughout the season, with Robins manager Nigel Pearson saying, via Bristol World: "He’s just a very unique talent and he’s got a very impressive temperament.

“I think he’s destined for the very top, but football dictates to you what’s going to happen because you can’t always be in control of your own destiny.

"Alex Scott will, I think, continue to progress and he’ll be a top player. But he also knows that he’s got to do it for us while he’s here, he just enjoys playing football so it's good to have young hungry players at the club as well as senior players who want to continue to perform and get better.”

In total, the man in demand was involved in seven goals from midfield in the Championship last season, as well as particularly impressing through his progressive dribbling ability, making 2.34 progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Wherever he ends up this summer, there is no doubt that Scott has all the tools to become a top talent.

Manchester United are in talks with Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana and are currently in pole position to bring him to the Premier League – but this could spell the end of David de Gea's time at Old Trafford.

What’s the latest on Andre Onana to Manchester United?

A new update on United’s pursuit of the shot-stopper has emerged, with Football Insider claiming the Red Devils are now the frontrunners to sign Onana during the transfer window.

A fee of around £50m will be enough to secure his signature as the uncertainty surrounding the future of De Gea rumbles on. The £375k-per-week star is out of contract at the end of this month and a new deal is yet to be signed off by Erik ten Hag.

Could Andre Onana replace David de Gea at Manchester United?

The Spaniard won the Golden Glove award for the 2022/23 Premier League season having kept 16 clean sheets – the second time he had claimed the award.

Despite this, he made a few high-profile errors, most notably against West Ham United, where he fumbled a weak Said Benrahma shot that resulted in a goal for the Hammers. This ended up being his fourth error that led to a goal – the joint-most of any player in the league, alongside Hugo Lloris.

He arguably should have done better during their defeat in the FA Cup final to Manchester City, as he failed to stop Ilkay Gundogan's shot from the edge of the area in the 2-1 loss, and a move for Onana could spell bad news for the United No 1.

The Cameroonian enjoyed a stellar year for Inter, especially in the Champions League, as his performances allowed the club to reach their first final since 2010, narrowly losing to City.

Across 13 matches in the competition, Onana averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.41/10, while conceding just 0.8 goals per game and managing to keep eight clean sheets, demonstrating his shot-stopping abilities well.

The ‘keeper ranks in the top 11% for touches per 90 (43.81) across Europe’s big five leagues and ranks in the top 10% for passes attempted per 90 (35.46), suggesting he is extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet and regularly plays passes, and he could certainly fit in well with Ten Hag’s philosophy of playing out from the back.

His ability was even lauded by Pep Guardiola, who claimed that Onana was “exceptional with his feet” before the Champions League final, proving just how highly regarded he is.

It would be a wonderful signing for United and he could play an integral role in the side next season as Ten Hag chases more silverware next term.

UAE picked up their first win in a first-class game since September 2013, and their maiden win of the 2015-17 Intercontinental Cup with a nine-wicket triumph over PNG

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Mohammad Naveed took two wickets in the first innings and four in the second•AFP

Lega Siaka’s career-best 142 not out was not enough to prevent a nine-wicket defeat for Papua New Guinea at the hands of United Arab Emirates in their Intercontinental Cup match in Abu Dhabi. It was UAE’s first win of the competition, and their first since September 2013 in first-class cricket, also by the same margin. In the interim, they had lost three of their four matches – two of them by heavy margins – and drawn the other.”It’s an awesome feeling,” Dougie Brown, the UAE coach, said. “There has been a lot of work that has gone into this in the past three months, and all the credit for embracing the work and the vision we have presented goes to the players.”It was a pretty flat wicket. I thought the way the guys stuck to it with the ball and in the field was absolutely exceptional. Dominic Tello [UAE assistant coach] deserves a lot of credit for the hours he has put in, but the guys deserve most of the credit because they are the ones putting in the hard work.”UAE dominated the match right from the first day. Having chosen to bat, PNG were quickly in trouble as seamers Mohammad Naveed and Qadeer Ahmed dismantled the top-order to leave them 33 or 3. From there, it was all downhill. Jack Vare and Chad Soper, PNG’s Nos. 8 and 9, scored 38 each to lift them from 110 for 7 to 194. The new-ball pair of Naveed and Qadeer shared five wickets and spinners Imran Haider and Ahmed Raza took the rest.UAE gained a 247-run first-innings lead, courtesy a 63 from Rameez Shahzad and centuries from Muhammad Usman and Saqlain Haider. Both raised their maiden first-class centuries – both were playing their third game. Usman was dismissed for 103, while Saqlain remained unbeaten on 102 when UAE declared at 441 for 8. Legspinner Mahuru Dai took 4 for 126, his best returns in first-class cricket.”I think I’m right in saying the team haven’t scored 400 before in a first innings,” Brown said. “For them to get that and for us to be in a position where we can declare, to give ourselves the best part of five sessions to try to win the game, was fantastic.”PNG managed to make UAE bat again courtesy Siaka, who scored nearly 50% of his team’s second-innings runs. Siaka began day four on 51, having taken PNG to 152 for 4 (effectively minus 95 for 4) in the company of Sese Bau. Bau fell early, ending a fifth-wicket stand of 67. Thereafter, it was all Siaka until he ran out of partners. Legspinner Haider, who scythed through the top half of PNG’s line-up, and Naveed took four wickets each for UAE.UAE needed a mere 42 to win. They lost Laxman Sreekumar for 4, before Shaiman Anwar blitzed an unbeaten 32 off 19 balls as UAE knocked off the runs in just 5.5 overs.Dipak Patel, the PNG coach, put the defeat down to lack of first-innings runs, but added there was plenty to learn from it.”In the first innings we didn’t get enough runs,” Patel, the former New Zealand spinner, said. “There is a lack of experience among our batsmen. We are still learning. This is only the fourth time they have played a four-day game.”The natural instinct for our players is to play shots. We can take a lot out of it, particularly the classy knock by Lega Siaka in the second innings.”

Mauricio Pochettino's side came from behind to record a 4-1 win at Turf Moor for their second successive victory on the road

It wasn't a pretty showing from Chelsea against Burnley on Saturday, but a dominant second hal showed what Mauricio Pochettino's squad is capable of. Winger Raheem Sterling stole the show, forcing an own-goal to open the scoring for Chelsea, scoring his own and then delivering a blistering assist late in the match.

Burnley opened the scoring just 15 minutes in through 18-year-old winger Wilson Odobert, and the young Frenchman caused havoc all match, with Marc Cucurella likely to have nightmares about their 1v1 duels. With the opening goal in their hands, it looked as though the match was Burnley's to lose, but Sterling's forced own-goal just before the halftime whistle gave the Blues a lifeline, and sparked the comeback.

Cole Palmer doubled Chelsea's lead from the spot six minutes into the second-half, and Sterling added a third in the 61st minute. The England international, who again missed out on the Three Lions squad for their upcoming matches with Australia and Italy, didn't stop there, though, as the 28-year-old delivered a brilliant assist for Nicolas Jackson with 15 minutes to spare. The result marked three-straight victories for Chelsea, and they might – just might – be back to their winning ways,

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Turf Moor..

Goalkeeper & Defence

Robert Sanchez (6/10):

Made a few crucial saves, but struggled commanding his box and defense throughout the first-half.

Levi Colwill (6/10):

Playing in a left-back role, Colwill has adapted well but didn't bring much to the attack Saturday.

Thiago Silva (7/10):

A dominant showing centrally, closed of any threat in the air in their box.

Axel Disasi (7/10):

Was a brick wall for the Blues, didn't allow much through.

Marc Cucurella (4/10):

Committed a defensive error for Burnley's opening goal and followed it with a wicked lash out on the leg of Wilson Odobert, earning a yellow card.

AdvertisementMidfield

Moises Caicedo (6/10):

Struggled a bit with his positioning early, but overall adapted well and closed down passing lanes.

Enzo Fernandez (8/10):

A brilliant midfield performance, Fernandez orchestrated the match from the middle of the pitch.

Conor Gallagher (7/10):

Assisted Sterling's goal and helped launch the forward momentum over the final 45 minutes.

Attack

Cole Palmer (7/10):

Scored the penalty to give the Blues the go-ahead goal in the 51st minute, and linked up well over the final 45 minutes.

Armando Broja (5/10):

Struggled to find any footing in the match, removed at half-time.

Raheem Sterling (8/10):

Scored the third goal of the match, caused chaos in the box throughout and forced the own-goal to open the scoring for Chelsea.

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Subs & Manager

Nicolas Jackson (7/10):

Scored the fourth goal of the match, and looked to take advantage of his cameo off the bench after serving a one-match suspension.

Mykhailo Mudryk (N/A):

Subbed on with less than 10 minutes to spare, but quality minutes for the winger who left Wednesday's match early due to injury.

Mauricio Pochettino (7/10):

Frankly, it was an awful first 45 minutes from the Blues boss as they were outclassed in almost every sense. However, whatever he said at the half-time break, it worked as we may have seen the best version of his Chelsea yet.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been offered the chance to sign Harry Maguire this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Maguire?

Recently, CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs spoke on the United Stand YouTube channel and stated that Maguire could be a surprise target for the Old Gold this summer as Julen Lopetegui eyes defensive reinforcements.

Jacobs gave some further insight into Wolves' interest in Maguire this off-season, stating: “I would actually keep an eye on Wolves. One dark horse for Maguire. Even though he has not had as good a season this season as the season before, Max Kilman is being looked at by a variety of clubs, so Wolves could lose a centre-back, and that might open the possibility later in the window for them to look at a player like Maguire.He is on their radar as well. There are going to be offers for Maguire.”

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on the £190k-a-week ace, who is also attracting attention from clubs overseas.

The report states that despite several clubs being open to offering him a new challenge, Maguire is said to be content at Manchester United despite falling further down the pecking order at Old Trafford during 2022/23.

talkSPORT understand that Maguire is keen to fight for his spot at Manchester United and is 'reluctant' to leave the Red Devils, where he is currently club captain.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones would have his doubts over Maguire's suitability to Wolves should he complete a move to Molineux.

Jones told FFC: "I mean, the Maguire one surprises me a bit. I'm not really sure how that fits with anyone's vision, whether it's Harry Maguire or Wolves, so I'm not so sure about that one, but this is the time when they're trying to put the feelers out and find clubs that will buy and actually show some interest in Harry Maguire. I can believe that it's been put to them. Would they be interested?"

Would Harry Maguire be an ideal addition for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Maguire is an experienced head that could potentially be an intelligent signing by Wolves if he was to be enticed to swap Old Trafford for Molineux this summer.

The Sheffield-born star – who has been dubbed a "monster" by some in the media – was utilised mainly as a rotational squad option during 2022/23 and made 31 appearances in total for Manchester United, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored show that the 30-year-old had his wits about him regarding sniffing out danger across the term, as he completed an average of 2.6 clearances per match in the Premier League.

As per FBRef, Maguire also excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions in the art of aerial duels won, successfully coming out on top in around 3.01 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the top 12% for this metric.

Nevertheless, Wolves would need to beat off stiff competition from a number of clubs in England and around Europe if they were to snap up Maguire in this window.

Newcastle United are waiting to pounce after Fulham made their left-back, Antonee Robinson, available for transfer this summer, according to recent reports.

What's the latest on Antonee Robinson to Newcastle?

That's according to the Evening Standard, which claim that the Cottages are now prepared to sell the American ace after his refusal to sign a new contract.

Marco Silva's side will conduct business for around £35m, with Newcastle joined in their pursuit by Ligue 1 outfit Marseille; Manchester City and AC Milan have also previously registered an interest.

The 25-year-old would add a fresh dimension to Eddie Howe's side after qualifying for the Champions League with a fourth-placed finish, and the Magpies are indeed determining whether to swoop.

Should Newcastle sign Antonee Robinson?

Newcastle were absolutely exceptional during the 22/23 campaign, ending a two-decade absence from the Champions League and reaching the final of the Carabao Cup, losing a hard-fought match to Manchester United.

With the ascent showing no sign of ceasing, the Tyneside giants must now make the requisite moves on the transfer front to consolidate this new position of power, and Robinson, who made 35 appearances in the Premier League last term to assist newly-promoted Fulham in securing a tenth-place finish, could be their man.

Given his progressive approach and sharp speed, the £25k-per-week ace could make Alexander Isak even better at St. James' Park, with the Swedish striker impressing during his maiden campaign in English football despite being hampered by injury.

Isak's failure to capture the full scale of his qualities when deployed on the left is perhaps partly due to Burn's skills lying outside that of the creativity of a full-back.

For all the 6 foot 6 titan's solidness, he is not one to maraud up the flank, instead serving Howe's system by providing stability and composure, indeed evidenced by the club's joint-best defensive record in the Premier League last term, alongside champions Manchester City with 33.

Robinson would open up a whole new dimension, with the USMNT star ranking among the top 13% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref – also demonstrating his defensive ability by ranking among the top 10% for interceptions per 90.

This certainly differs to Burn's skill set, who ranks among the top 2% for clearances and aerials won per 90, but also among the bottom 5% for progressive carries and the bottom 16% for successful take-ons per 90.

Isak plundered ten goals from just 17 Premier League starts last season after completing his £63m transfer from Real Sociedad but failed to score across all five of his outings on the left flank.

Given that the £120k-per-week sharpshooter ranks among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers for touches in the attacking box, he is perhaps just searching for some creative support to play him into goalscoring opportunity, and Robinson can do just that.

Editor Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic certainly thinks so, as he said: "Antonee Robinson can BALL. He’s such a dynamic LB. His ball progression is fun to watch. He is electric in his dribble and delivery."

The increase in competition and expectation next year will warrant the inclusion of a new option from the left-back position, and Robinson could play a starring role, helping to make star man Isak all the more unplayable in the process.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for Khephren Thuram this summer and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club's progress in getting a deal done.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Khephren Thuram?

According to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs, the Merseyside giants could be handed the opportunity to sign the OGC Nice midfielder, despite the French club being keen to hold onto him.

Jacobs revealed on The Football Terrace YouTube channel: "I still think Khephren Thuram is the one to watch now in terms of Liverpool.

"It seems like there is less now in terms of Kone, who is another player who Liverpool have looked at. There are reports Nice wants to keep the player but the feeling is that Nice are going to have to sell some of their assets, so there is an opportunity there for Liverpool."

Will Liverpool sign another midfielder this summer?

The Reds have already secured the signing of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister this summer in an attempt to add more quality and youth to the centre of the pitch.

A midfield rebuild has been long overdue at Anfield with the former Brighton and Hove Albion star becoming the first permanent midfielder signing since the arrival of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich three years ago.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner have all been moved on upon the expiry of their contracts this summer and Thuram could be the dream replacement for the latter who will be joining Brighton this summer.

Milner has played a huge part in Liverpool's success over the last half a decade with the 37-year-old playing a number of midfield roles, and his versatility is something that the centre of the pitch has sorely missed as he has reached the latter stages of his career and seen less game time.

Now Klopp can replace that unrivalled work ethic and diversity in skill by landing a deal for Thuram who is renowned for his wide range of capabilities and has no trouble gliding from a deeper role in midfield to break the lines of attack.

Over 35 Ligue One appearances last season, the Frenchman offered a potent attacking threat with two goals scored, four assists registered and nine big chances created, as well as averaging 1.1 shots on goal, 1.1 key passes and 1.3 successful dribbles per game.

Not only that, Thuram has not sacrificed his consistency in his defensive responsibilities as the Nice star averaged 1.1 interceptions, 3.8 duels won and 1.5 tackles per game, according to SofaScore.

For context, no Liverpool central midfielder provided more goal contributions in the Premier League, whilst only three players in the squad averaged more key passes. Meanwhile, defensively, he managed more tackles per outing than the likes of Andy Robertson, Jordan Henderson, Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip, via WhoScored.

Milner, meanwhile, could only average 0.8 tackles and 0.4 interceptions per game with 0.4 key passes to show for his efforts. Thuram, therefore, would represent a colossal upgrade at Anfield.

Possessing a reported €40m (£34m) price tag – he has been attracting a lot of attention and earning high praise over his short career so far, with U23 scout and football journalist Antonio Mango outlining the Frenchman's super capabilities:

"At a staggering 6'4ft, Khéphren's presence can't go unnoticed as he stands out above most players on the field. Khéphren excels in his defensive duties, ball-carrying & retention. Khéphren is big, strong, physical, athletic and brilliant in possession, a true diamond, right?"

With that being said, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will add more depth to the centre of the pitch this summer but Thuram is looking like the one to watch and could be a huge presence in midfield if a deal is done ahead of next season.

A 120-run stand between Azhar Ali and Babar Azam made it Pakistan’s day after they were put in to bat under overcast conditions in the series decider in Roseau

The Report by Danyal Rasool10-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
0:55

‘Would have ideally wanted Pakistan four wickets down’ – Coley

Pakistan eased into their comfort zone in the evening session of a truncated day’s play in Roseau. They played as they like to – slow, solid, unremarkable – scoring at a run rate around 2.50 throughout the day, ending on 169 for 2 in 69 overs. Azhar Ali and Babar Azam looked settled for most parts, much more so than one would have expected after their team was thrust in to bat under gloomy skies. The late wicket of Babar gave West Indies something to cling to on at the end of a long day.After the brighter evening skies allowed for an extended final session, Azhar and Babar resumed their dominance, but the lengthy break seemed to have taken much of the intensity out of the game. The scoring rate dropped and there was a palpable lull in proceedings as Pakistan inched along in conditions that looked to have improved for batting.There was a slice of luck for Babar soon after play resumed, a perfect legspinner from Devendra Bishoo taking his outside edge on 28, only for Dowrich to put down a straightforward. Excitement elsewhere was in precious little supply as Azhar brought up his half-century soon after and Pakistan hit cruise control.There was a massive scare for the West Indies early on in the session, with their ace bowler Shannon Gabriel heading off the field with a niggle. Much to their relief, however, he was able to make his way back soon after, and, despite remaining wicketless, was the pick of the bowlers, wielding an aura of control over proceedings that his fellow bowlers couldn’t quite match.Azhar Ali struck seven fours and two sixes in his 219-ball vigil on a truncated opening day•AFP

But it was Alzarri Joseph who provided the breakthrough towards the end of the day, with a fifth stump line that Babar couldn’t quite decide whether to leave or play. He did neither in the end, and his bat jutted out indecisively. The ball caught the outside edge and carried through to slip, but not before he had scored 55 in a 120-run partnership that had put his side in a position of authority.That heralded the most memorable moment of the day, as the West Indies players formed a guard of honour to allow Pakistan’s next batsmen to pass through. Younis Khan strode in to respectful, almost reverent applause from the Dominica crowd before shaking Jason Holder’s hand as a way of thanks, and then drawing him in with a warm embrace. With the niceties out of the way, West Indies brought their best bowler Gabriel back into the attack, knowing Younis’ wicket could put an entirely different spin on proceedings. Pakistan’s most prolific runscorer, however, stood firm, living to bat yet another day.The first session, to borrow from a football cliché, was one of two halves with Pakistan scoring freely after the first hour, during which they managed just 19 runs in 13 overs for the loss of Shan Masood. The cloudy weather resembled much of the first Test, and Azhar Ali and Masood, replacing the ill Ahmed Shehzad, started tentatively against the late swing of Gabriel and Joseph. As the pair pounded away at the Pakistan side they had skittled for 81 less than a week earlier, the scoring rate wasn’t of as much importance as the wickets column.With the bowlers on top, it was surprising to see Holder introduce part-time offspinner Roston Chase into the attack as early as the ninth over. What was even more unexpected was the prodigious turn and bounce Chase extracted, beating the left-handed Masood’s bat almost every ball. Masood’s eventual dismissal was entirely in keeping with the events leading up to it, as he finally edged an offbreak that carried low to Jason Holder at second slip.The run rate picked up sharply after the drinks interval, with Chase, who didn’t concede a run in his first three overs, lofted for two sixes off consecutive overs by Azhar. With the left-hand batsman gone, Chase found himself unable to take advantage of the footmarks created by the fast bowlers, and his potency rapidly decreased.By the time lunch was called, the tables had been turned almost completely, with the West Indies on the defensive as Pakistan tried to stamp their authority on a session they might have been dreading by the drinks break.The rest of the day continued in much the same fashion, though with rain expected across the remaining four days of the Test, Pakistan will have to speed up their run rate if they are to prevail in a Test that would give them their first ever series win in the Caribbean.

The attacking midfielder totaled 31 goal contributions during the regular season, and could yet be a future option for Gregg Berhalter

There is no doubting who the biggest star is in MLS anymore. Lionel Messi will wear that crown for as long as he calls Inter Miami his home, drawing in massive crowds wherever he goes. He may not have been able to lift his new team into playoff contention in 2023, but as the postseason rumbles on without him, the league remains abuzz from it's first brush with 'Messi-mania'.

As well as the biggest name, Messi is almost certainly the best player in MLS right now. But despite his quite ridiculous nomination given how little he played in the league due to his injury problems, he will not be taking home the MLS MVP award for 2023. That prize is Acosta's.

Lucho Acosta has spent the past season spearheading FC Cincinnati's best-ever regular season, as they were crowned Supporters' Shield winners while also earning a place in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup, where they were beaten by Messi and Miami.

Acosta tallied 17 goals and 14 assists across all regular season competitions, and as a result, was handed the MVP honors. Actively in the process of acquiring his United States citizenship, the 29-year-old is also looking to earn eligibility to represent the U.S. men's national team, and potentially play a role in the 2026 World Cup on American soil.

What the diminutive Acosta lacks in size, he makes up for in skill, intelligence and awareness across the entire pitch. If Gregg Berhalter has the opportunity to add Acosta to his ranks, it automatically raises the standards of the USMNT.

From a failed move to Paris Saint-Germain to turmoil with D.C. United, and now MVP with FC Cincy, Acosta has adapted and continued to excel in MLS. Now, he's finally being recognized for his brilliance.

• Getty Images
  

  Where it all began

  Acosta could barely have gotten a better footballing education as he worked his way through the youth ranks at Boca Juniors; the Argentine giants known as the club of the late, great Diego Maradona.

  At just 21, Acosta made the move to the United States, joining D.C. United on loan in 2016 from his beloved Boca. He made an instant impact, with three goals and eight assists in his first season, and United turned his initial loan deal into a permanent one during his first year with the club.

  Two years on, Acosta was regarded as one of the best players in MLS, and his lore only grew after D.C. added legendary Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney to their ranks. The duo even scored what might be the most famous goal in league history, while Rooney dubbed Acosta as "one of the best I've played with" during his time in the capital.

  However, after a collapsed transfer to PSG, Acosta left United in 2020 on a free transfer, joining Liga MX side Atlas, but returned to MLSwith Cincinnati in 2021 as a Designated Player. Now, two years on, the Argentine has turned Cincy from cellar dwellers to MLS Cup challengers.

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• Getty Images
  

  Parisian dreams up in smoke

  In January 2019, Acosta was the darling of MLS. Flourishing alongside Rooney, he asserted himself as one of the brightest up-and-coming players in the league. Meanwhile, with Miguel Almiron having completed a $27m move from Atlanta United to Newcastle of the Premier League months prior, all eyes were on MLS for who the 'next Almiron' would be.

  PSG certainly felt that Acosta fit the bill, and they pursued him like hawk late in the MLS transfer window. Per The Athletic, then-GM of D.C. United, Dave Kasper, traveled with Acosta to Paris to meet with the French giants through an 'unnamed intermediary' – but that's when the deal began to collapse.

  The intermediary appeared to give false information to both parties ahead of time, and the two sides couldn't come to an agreement regarding a fee for Acosta, who United valued at $13-15m, while PSG's offer was $9.1m.

  Whether Acosta would have made the grade at such an established European powerhouse is anyone's guess, but PSG's interest highlights the level of talent we are talking about here.

• Getty Images
  

  A captain & a champion

  When FC Cincinnati joined MLS as an expansion franchise in 2019, they were genuinely awful. There's no point in holding back or trying to frame it in a polite manner. They were awful, and it wasn't just one year of it; it was three-straight seasons where they finished as the worst team in MLS, managing just 14 league wins in that stretch.

  Their fortunes changed in the summer of year three, though. Acosta arrived, and they built a squad around a player who had previously shown so much potential in MLS, but left due to the club refusing to build around him and provide the talent needed for him to truly succeed. Cincy didn't make that mistake.

  Come 2022, Acosta's first full season with the Orange and Blue, he was named captain, and they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Progress.

  This time around, however, has been the stuff of dreams. Cincy went seven games unbeaten to start the season, and only suffered one loss through their first 22 matches in all competitions. Acosta kept scoring, assisting and leading them to glory, and the Argentine even earned the captains' honors for MLS in their 2023 All-Star game against Arsenal in July.

  The 2023 regular-season campaign from Cincinnati has gone down in league history as one the best-ever, only second to the 2021 run by the New England Revolution. Acosta was named on the ballot for 2023 MVP, and is now the first-ever winner of the award for the Orange and Blue. He almost single-handedly turned the franchise around, and is now being touted as an individual who could do that on the national stage – only not with Argentina.

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  Berhalter's next dual-national?

  The 2026 World Cup is still over two years away, but the USMNT's planning for the tournament – which America will co-host – began the minute team crashed out of the 2022 edition in the last 16.

  One aspect of that planning, that admittedly began before Qatar last winter, has been the convincing of dual-nationals to commit to joining Berhalter's squad. Berhalter has been part-coach, part-recruiter over the past few years, and has secured the services of enough players to make his roster one of the world's most talented.

  Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, Malik Tillman, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jesus Ferreira are just some of the high-profile names to have committed themselves to the U.S. cause in recent times, while the successful pursuit of Folarin Balogun earlier in 2023 left fans abuzz with anticipation as he rejected England's advances. Recent dual-national call-ups Kristoffer Lund, Kevin Paredes and Lennard Maloney could yet become reliable members of the squad in the build-up to 2026, too.

  Next on Berhalter's radar is Acosta, who earlier this year started his American citizenship process with a dream of playing for the USMNT. In June, Acosta told that he would "obviously" accept a call-up to the squad if it arrived. The Argentine midfielder added: "It’s one reason I started (the citizenship) process."

  Securing Acosta's services would offer the USMNT a veteran presence in their incredibly youthful attack, while allowing them to have an alternative to Gio Reyna at the No.10 position. Reyna's injury history is a cause for concern, and there is no clear back-up for the Borussia Dortmund youngster in the current U.S. squad. Acosta ticks every box that the USMNT need.

The Durban-based Dolphins franchise have a new boss after Heinrich Strydom was unveiled as their CEO on Tuesday. Strydom is currently in charge of provincial side North West, one of the teams that feed into the Lions’ franchise, and will take over at Kingsmead from August 1.Strydom succeeds Pete de Wet, who left Durban for Napier last August. The franchise has since been overseen by two acting CEOs, Rajesh Behari, and Muhammad Seedat who will remain in charge until Strydom takes over ahead of the 2017-18 season.At 34, Strydom will be the youngest franchise CEO but he brings with him almost a decade of experience in cricket administration. Apart from his role at North West – a union which regularly plays host to international touring sides for warm-up matches and which will host its first Test since 2002 against Bangladesh this summer – Strydom has also served as general manager of the Lions. His work in creating a venue that is in demand from visiting teams such as Australia, and in building one of the most successful outfits in the country, should serve both Kingsmead and the Dolphins well.The franchise is desperate for silverware after three barren seasons. The Dolphins’ last success was in 2013-14, when they won the T20 competition under coach Lance Klusener. They have since gone through a period of strife during which Klusener’s contract was not renewed, internationals such as Kyle Abbott and David Miller left, and de Wet stepped down, before stabilising under new coach Grant Morgan.”It is an exciting prospect to work with Grant Morgan, a man I know quite well, having played against him in a Club Champs final. Taking on a national franchise was always the next step for me and I am really looking forward to the challenge of running the Dolphins franchise,” Strydom, an opening batsman who played five first-class matches, said. “I am not coming in to change everything. There are a lot of really good things at the Dolphins but I do believe that we can be in the top three franchises in the country.”Apart from domestic results, Stydom will also look to grow Kingsmead’s profile, as it seeks to remain one of the premier international venues in the country. Last season, the stadium hosted an early season Test against New Zealand in August and there was no play possible for three of the five days because of a soaked outfield. The fault did not lie with administrators in Durban, but with an ill-timed re-scarifying of the outfield.Nonetheless, Kingsmead’s outfield was judged poor by the ICC and its reputation took a knock. Two ODIs were played at the stadium since then without incident but Kingsmead continues to fight for its status as the Boxing Day venue of choice for Tests.Recent years have seen the festive fixture alternate between Durban and Port Elizabeth and there is no confirmation of where or if it will be played this summer. With India yet to confirm their fixtures for a four-Test tour of South Africa, Kingsmead has to wait to see which of the matches it may host. The next scheduled Test is in March 2018 against Australia but a host of domestic matches, including those in the inaugural South African T20 league, will precede that. Ensuring Kingsmead is up to standard will be among Strydom’s biggest tasks.