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Liverpool are on the hunt for a new defender in 2024 but whether a fresh face will be welcomed to the fold over the coming weeks is uncertain.

Jurgen Klopp will be delighted with his side's progress this season but no doubt concerned by the foreboding signs of Manchester City's resurgence of late – with creative talisman putting on a clinic off the bench to snatch victory at St. James' Park last time out.

Just two points ahead in the Premier League after 20 matches, Klopp will have a glass-half-full attitude to his team's endeavours and rightly so, though strengthening the rearguard could make all the difference in the months to come and reports suggest that the Reds have a dynamic star on the radar.

Liverpool transfer targets – defenders

There have been multiple names floating around Anfield as Klopp assesses the feasibility of a winter move for a new centre-back, with Sporting Lisbon duo Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande both targetted.

However, both rising stars would command an exorbitant outlay and for this reason Liverpool could move for Feyenoord star David Hancko, with one Italian journalist, via Paisley Gatres, revealing that alongside Paris Saint-Germain the Reds are considering the player.

Valued at €45m (£39m) by the Dutch Eredivisie champions, Hancko is one of the more rounded defensive prospects on the market but his club will hope to retain his services until the summer.

How David Hancko compares to Martin Skrtel

Liverpool's requirement for a new central defender stretches back several years now, with Ibrahima Konate the only signing made since Virgil van Dijk's arrival six years ago, but the situation has now been exacerbated by Joel Matip's season-ending anterior cruciate injury suffered in December.

The 32-year-old has been a stalwart for the Anfield side since arriving as one of Klopp's first signings on a free transfer from Schalke in 2016, having now amassed 201 appearances and won the whole under his manager's guidance.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

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Luke Randall

Feb 1, 2024

But he's out of contract at the end of the campaign and a successor is needed, with Hancko – who has been regarded as a real "talent" by journalist Santi Aouna – offering the skill set to succeed the distinguished veteran.

Scoring four goals and supplying five assists across 50 matches in a mammoth campaign last year, the Slovakia international was crucial to the success in the Dutch top-flight, completing 88% of his passes and winning 75% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore.

Furthermore, he ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs across divisions similar to the Eredivisie for assists, shot-creating actions, passes attempted, progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, which clearly places him in an elite bracket of technical quality for one of his positional standing.

With a successful transfer, Klopp could even sign the next version of Martin Skrtel on Merseyside, with the Slovak sensation hailed as a "great player" in the past by former teammate Pepe Reina.

Liverpool completed the £6.5m transfer of Skrtel from Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2008 and he would go on to chalk up 320 displays, scoring 18 goals.

An aggressive and fiery player, the 39-year-old was very much a no-nonsense kind of presence but he did offer immense offensive abilities and Hancko could emulate his compatriot in this regard, with the Feyenoord titan also noted for his tackling skills.

Hancko would be a cheaper alternative to some of the names linked with a move to Liverpool of late, and given his expansive skill set, he might just be the perfect addition to complement and improve the existing ranks.

Manchester United's performances this season have been those of 11 individuals rather than one team.

That's reflected in their eighth position in the Premier League, but Erik ten Hag's biggest issue has been in the final third.

The Red Devils have netted just 1.14 goals per game in the top flight, and therefore, the boss will look to bolster his attack with a new addition.

Man Utd identified their next striker target

According to a recent report from The Athletic, Man United are keeping an eye on England international and proven Premier League scorer Ivan Toney.

The striker is reportedly valued at £100m by Brentford, who will only settle for a fee close to their evaluation. However, due to the hefty price tag and United's financial fair play restrictions, a move this January may not be possible.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

By
Luke Randall

Feb 1, 2024

The stats that show Toney would thrive at Man United

The striker position has been occupied by many players over the last ten years, with none of them successfully nailing down the role on a prolonged, permanent basis to great success.

In fact, nobody has been able to live up to anywhere near the standards of Robin Van Persie's 2012/13 Premier League campaign, where he won the Golden Boot with 26 goals while also providing 15 assists to help United win the top-flight.

However, a player that could emulate the Dutch legend's spell at Old Trafford could be Toney, who may just become the best striker to play for United since Van Persie.

The Bees star has proved to be up there with the elite strikers in the division since being promoted in 2021, with last season's 20-goal campaign really cementing his status among the elite. Last weekend, the 27-year-old played his first game since being suspended in May, and he bounced back with a bang, scoring and helping his side to their first win in seven matches.

Nonetheless, the table below displays a handful of Toney's statistics from last season, and how he compared to his positional peers.

Although the former Newcastle player has plenty of technical ability, he is the definition of a true target man who loves to bully defenders all game. United have lacked a reliable goal-scorer to lead the line for a while, with Anthony Martial struggling with injuries and Rasmus Hojlund struggling to adapt to the Premier League, as highlighted by his two goals in 16 appearances.

Unlike the aforementioned duo, Toney is a "prolific" finisher, as per talent scout Jacek Kulig, and his goals per ninety ratio and overperformance of xG support that claim. He's also extremely intelligent, and he can drop deeper to progress the ball into the final third.

The English forward would make United much more unpredictable in attack while also elevating the whole team's performance, especially when playing out from the back, which is installed within Ten Hag's philosophy. This is because of Toney's athleticism and dominance in the air, meaning they would have a constant direct outball to hit in all scenarios.

Overall, Toney could have an astronomical impact on United, just like Van Persie did over ten years ago, and signing him this summer could be a masterstroke by Ineos, who could finally land a clinical and reliable centre-forward for the club – as he has proven himself to be lethal at this level.

The midfielder has run into a familiar problem of struggling to weave his usual magic for the Three Lions at Euro 2024

England were off to a winning start in a European Championship, but there was an overall sense of disappointment after the game and a focus on Phil Foden. We're not talking about the 1-0 victory over Serbia on Sunday, however, but when England beat Croatia at the last Euros.

Foden's quiet and at times sloppy display was one of the main talking points in Gelsenkirchen after he was billed as one of the players to watch at Euro 2024 following a blistering campaign with Manchester City. It was a similar story after England's unconvincing 1-0 win over Croatia at Wembley three years ago, when Foden hit the post before being the first player to be substituted by Gareth Southgate. Foden had also been tipped to light up that tournament after scoring nine goals and providing five assists for City in the campaign that preceded it, but he made just three appearances in England's run to the final.

The circumstances then were different to now, but the outcome was the same: Foden flattering to deceive on the international stage despite a stunning season with City. So why can't he do for Southgate what he has been doing for Pep Guardiola for years? And is the Catalan coach to blame?

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  Significant drop-off

  Foden shrinking when putting on an England shirt is nothing new. He has played 35 games since making his Three Lions debut in 2020, scoring four goals while setting up eight. That's an average of 0.34 goal involvements every game. By contrast, he has played 270 games for City and contributed to 140 goals, an average of 0.52 per match. And in the last season, he contributed to 39 goals in 54 games, an average of 0.72.

  Even considering the big difference in overall quality between City and England and the gulf in coaching ability between Guardiola and Southgate, it's a significant drop-off. Especially when putting Foden's numbers next to those of his fellow midfielders at City, who tend to replicate their club form at international level.

  Kevin De Bruyne has an average of 0.75 goal involvements per game for Belgium compared to 0.71 for City; Bernardo Silva's average is 0.44 for Portugal and 0.37 for City; Rodri's is 0.1 for Spain and 0.22 for City; Erling Haaland's average is 1.1 for both Norway and City; Jack Grealish's England average is 0.28, for City it's 0.26.

  Julian Alvarez is 0.52 for City but 0.25 for Argentina, also a big drop-off, with the important caveat that he starred at the 2022 World Cup and was his team's second-top scorer behind Lionel Messi.

  Foden's former City team-mates also had similar trajectories at club and international level. Ilkay Gundogan's average for City was 0.32, for Germany it's 0.33. Raheem Sterling's was 0.6 for City, only marginally higher than his 0.57 for England.

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  Struggling out wide

  A lot has been made of the fact that Foden tends to play out on the left wing for England while last season with City he enjoyed more freedom, operating as a No.10 when De Bruyne was unavailable or playing off the right. In a number of games, he also started out on the left, the position he used to play in his first four seasons after breaking into the first team.

  Indeed, Southgate gave a sarcastic response when asked last year why he didn't play Foden more centrally for England. "He doesn't play there for his club, so presumably there's a reason for that," he said. "It depends on the level of the game really. You'd have to speak with Pep Guardiola, the best coach in the world, who plays him from wide."

  The big difference between City and England, however, is Guardiola encourages his players to move all over the pitch and rotate with their team-mates, confusing the opposition and opening up more space for each other. Positions are much more rigid in Southgate's side, even if the manager would not like to admit it.

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  Lacking freedom

  Southgate said a month before the tournament "the key with Phil is where he ends up, not his starting position." He added: "It's where these players arrive and where they are allowed to drift to. We never pin these forwards to the touchline. There is this freedom."

  But that freedom was not on display in Gelsenkirchen. With Luke Shaw still not fit and Kieran Trippier forced to play at left-back on his weaker foot, England did nearly all of their attacking down the right flank.

  Bukayo Saka mostly stuck to that, while Kyle Walker, who is encouraged to come into midfield more at City, stayed close behind him, doubling England's threat down that side.

  That combination provided the only goal of the game for Jude Bellingham, but it also meant that Foden could not get into the space in which he thrives the most, coming off the right wing on the half-turn and cutting onto his deadly left foot.

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  Missing Shaw

  Of the 27 goals Foden scored in all competitions last season for City, just three came while attacking from the left. Ten came while attacking from the right, with 13 coming from attacks through the middle or arriving in the middle of the box. It is unsurprising, therefore, that he was not able to cause as much damage operating in a different sphere.

  Foden's capacity to drift inside was further reduced due to a lack of support from Trippier, who was not able to get forward with the same regularity as Josko Gvardiol did for City in his spectacular end to the season.

  The absence of Shaw, the only natural left-back in the squad Southgate took to Germany, has badly affected Foden, and the Manchester United defender looks unlikely to start against Denmark on Thursday, which does not bode well for Foden's prospects against Kasper Hjulmand's side.

Manchester United legend Roy Keane was spotted hiding from selfie-hunters in a shopping mall in Berlin.

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• Keane hilariously hid from selfie-hunters
• Was on a shopping trip with Wright
• Working as a pundit for ITV in Euro 2024

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Keane went on a shopping trip in a mall in Berling along with ex-Arsenal star and ITV co-pundit Ian Wright when a bunch of fans came to click photographs with the former football stars. While Wright happily obliged, Keane was spotted hiding from the fans as he jokingly entered a store to get away from getting clicked.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Euro 2024 kicked off in style on Friday with the hosts Germany thrashing Scotland 5-1 in the opening encounter at Allianz Arena in Munich. Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz handed the hosts a convincing 3-0 lead at halftime before Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can found the back of the net in the second half to seal a statement win for the Germans.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  On Saturday, 2008 and 2012 winners Spain will begin their journey in the competition as they take on 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia in Berlin.

Derby County aren't holding back this January transfer window, having now completed a deal for standout Charlton Athletic star Corey Blackett-Taylor with other moves also potentially in the works.

One of those moves could well be a deal for Derby to finally land Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith, the 32-year-old lethal finisher at League One level eyeing up a transfer reunion with his former Rotherham United boss Paul Warne at Pride Park.

Yet, as the clock ticks nearer to transfer deadline day and tensions are raised with no official announcement forthcoming, the Rams could well have to cast an eye over alternatives to Smith in a bid to strengthen up top.

Here are three dream strikers Warne could look to go for if a deal for the ex-Millers striker doesn't go through, including two potential swoops for League Two sharpshooters…

1

Jake Young

Derby could well go away from signing experienced figures who know League One inside out to gamble instead on a prolific striker further down the EFL pyramid, current Bradford City attacker Jake Young scoring goals by the bucket load whilst out on loan at Swindon Town earlier this season in League Two.

The 22-year-old would become a man possessed pulling on a Swindon strip immediately after finalising a move, helping himself to a ridiculous tally of nine goals from his opening six games for his new employers.

Young did experience an inevitable slump in form, but he still exited the County Ground with 16 goals next to his name after a fruitful switch which has led to Rams becoming interested in the 22-year-old's services.

Touted for a big move to Derbyshire off the back of this unbelievable run of form according to Sky Sports' Lyall Thomas, it would see Warne go for a raw and unproven finisher at third level over opting for the tried and tested approach which could well pay off.

2

Macaulay Langstaff

Likewise, Warne signing Macaulay Langstaff would see the Rams boss explore the division below for a sharpshooter addition.

Langstaff has been even more of a prolific goal threat than Young has been at League Two level this campaign, the Notts County talisman netting a league-best 19 goals in the fourth tier this season with 20 managed in all competitions.

It's not just been a breakthrough run of scoring however for the Magpies star-man, who now has an astounding 61 goals from just 79 games for County to date.

Linked with a move up to the Championship to Sunderland in this window, as confirmed by the Sunderland Echo, Derby have also been cited as an interested party and so will test the waters with the Magpies to see if they can land the on-fire 26-year-old.

This would appease a disgruntled fanbase who could be angry about Michael Smith not joining, acquiring a striker who has managed to navigate going up divisions with ease from non-league to League Two previously. Could he handle the step-up to League One?

3

Alfie May

Derby could well attempt to pile on the misery even more at the Valley with another raid of Charlton's top assets, signing current joint-top League One top scorer Alfie May to join Blackett-Taylor at Pride Park.

Going toe-to-toe with Barnsley attacker Devante Cole in the third tier at the top of the scoring charts this season – both strikers now tied at 16 goals apiece – signing May would show to the teams at the top of the division that Derby are there to stay in the hunt for automatic promotion.

Much like Langstaff, the ex-Cheltenham Town attacker has been a reliable source of goals for a number of seasons now, especially in League One.

It's why Derby were reportedly in for May when his Robins contract expired before a ball was kicked this season, only for Charlton to come out on top to land his services.

Only nine goals off Smith's total at the level with May bagging 66 goals to Smith's 75 – a total that could be surpassed this campaign if May continues his hot streak – the one stumbling block will be Charlton's hesitancy to offload May after only signing him in the summer.

Yet, if Derby go all in for May as a result of a deal for Smith going awry, the Addicks could be handed an offer for the 30-year-old that they can't turn down and so Derby could potentially poach two of Charlton's key players in just one window.

Sunderland are finally in contention for a return to the Premier League, after years in the footballing wilderness had seen the Black Cats slip all the way down to League One.

The wheels fell off in Wearside at a rapid speed, back-to-back relegations down to the third tier making the Stadium of Light outfit the butt of many people’s jokes at the time.

Yet, under Michael Beale this season, the Black Cats could well finally rise from the ashes and return to the top flight – Beale’s youthful side just a point shy of breaking into the coveted top six at the time of writing after losing out in the playoffs last campaign.

Sunderland’s approach to transfers – if they were to return to the Premier League for the first time since dropping out back in the 2016-17 season – would differ to how they went about their business last time in the division with this record buy flopping big time when making a much-talked-about move to England.

How much Sunderland signed Didier Ndong for

Didier Ndong signed for Sunderland before this disastrous relegation season could get underway, entering as Sunderland’s most expensive player of all time with a £13.6m fee above his head.

That was always going to weigh Ndong down playing for the Black Cats, an expectation that the former Lorient man would take the Premier League by storm just based on his price-tag alone.

The move wouldn’t go to plan whatsoever for the Gabonese central midfielder however, scoring only one goal wearing the Sunderland strip from 54 appearances.

Towards the back end of his uninspiring spell with the club, Ndong would sour his relationship further with the Sunderland faithful by refusing to play when the team were relegated down to the third tier.

The now 29-year-old midfielder would see his contract eventually terminated as a result, ending an ill-fated association with the Black Cats that felt doomed from the beginning.

Ndong would opt to return back to France after this severing of ties was confirmed, with the 29-year-old becoming somewhat of a nomad since leaving Wearside behind.

What Ndong did after leaving Sunderland

The divisive ex-Sunderland man has been mixing it with Jordan Henderson out in Saudi Arabia of late, having played for the likes of Guingamp and Dijon in Ligue 1 directly after leaving the Stadium of Light.

Featuring for Al-Riyadh this season, Ndong has impressed in flashes by making 18 appearances in total for the Saudi Pro League side, even featuring in a game where he beat the aforementioned Henderson’s Al-Ettifaq 1-0.

His display in a back-and-forth encounter with Al-Shabab last year sticks out, helping himself to an assist in the entertaining 2-2 draw whilst also losing possession seven times from a holding role.

The former Sunderland flop will just look to keep plugging away in his new surroundings currently, with his time playing in both the Premier League and Championship for the Black Cats firmly at the back of his mind now.

Supporters at the Stadium of Light will most likely have forgotten about Ndong’s existence too, erasing those troubled times completely in pursuit of glory in the present with Beale’s young and hungry outfit eyeing up a playoff push.

Lionel Messi was serenaded by Argentina fans on Monday as he turned 37, while sharing a massive birthday cake with fans.

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• Messi's birthday was on Monday
• Team-mates provided him with special cake
• Shared with fans, who sang happy birthday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Messi celebrated his birthday while away at the Copa America, and was gifted a cake by his team-mates on Monday. He was also given a giant bottle of Argentine wine by Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, and fans trekked out to the Argentina team hotel in New Jersey to serenade their hero, who then returned the favour by sharing his birthday cake.

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• WHAT MESSI SAID

  Messi popped his head out of a window to greet his supporters and thanked his fans with a heartfelt Instagram message.

  He wrote: "Thank you so much for all the greetings and congratulations!! 😃 Another year that coincides with my birthday being with the National Team… So celebrating a little bit more and we keep getting ready for our next game. Hugs!"

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Messi played through an injury during Argentina's 1-0 win over Chile, as his side secured qualification to the knockout rounds, and he could subsequently be rested against Peru this weekend.

Gareth Southgate is facing a selection dilemma ahead of England's quarter-final clash against Switzerland as Luke Shaw is declared fit.

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• Shaw yet to play at Euro 2024
• Has not played since February
• Could be introduced from the bench against the Swiss

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Shaw, who has not featured in any matches since February due to a hamstring injury, was included in Southgate's Euro squad despite not being fully fit. However, according to the the Manchester United defender is now ready to make his debut in the European Championship – but questions remain about his ability to start given his extended absence from competitive football.

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  Southgate had originally planned to reintroduce Shaw gradually, bringing him off the bench, but the urgency of the knockout stage might necessitate a different approach. England's performances in the tournament have been inconsistent, and Southgate is under pressure to make tactical adjustments. Shaw's ability to play as a left-wing back or even as a centre-back, a role he has occasionally filled at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag, offers Southgate valuable flexibility against the Swiss.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Southgate is reportedly contemplating a shift to a three-at-the-back system, moving away from the four-man defence that has been used in the tournament so far. This tactical switch could better utilize Shaw's strengths and provide more defensive solidity.

  In the event of a system change, Bukayo Saka is another option Southgate might consider for the wing-back position. Saka has been playing on the right wing but could adapt to a deeper role. Other potential wing-back candidates include Trent Alexander-Arnold, who started the tournament in central midfield, and Kieran Trippier.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  England's narrow 2-1 extra-time victory over Slovakia highlighted areas that need improvement, and Southgate must find solutions quickly. Defensive solidity, effective midfield control, and clinical finishing are areas where England need to improve. However, Shaw's return to fitness is a significant boost as his defensive capabilities, combined with his ability to contribute offensively, make him a key asset. Nonetheless, Southgate must carefully manage his workload to avoid a recurrence of his injury.

Since Joe Rodon joined Leeds United on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur, he's started 27 out of a possible 30 Championship games, including the last 22 in a row. While he ranks fifth in the overall squad leaderboard for minutes played (2,674), he leads the way among defenders.

On Saturday, Rodon once again played the full 90 minutes as Leeds beat Rotherham 3-0 to make it six wins on the bounce and continue an amazing streak of defensive form. Across that sequence of victories, Daniel Farke's side have only shipped a single goal.

The manager has publicly confirmed that Leeds want to keep the Welshman, who won their player of the month award in December, both because of his footballing ability and his intangible attributes. He said:

"Behind the scenes, we are working. There is no doubt we are more than happy with Joe,” Farke said. He is growing into this club more and more, a leader role, you see how much it means to him to wear this white shirt.

"He is just happy to be here. He is crucial. We are more than happy. We would like him to stay for a bit longer, but right now it is not an urgent topic – he will stay for us until the end of the season."

It's recently been reported that, for Leeds to sign Rodon, they need to get promoted back to the Premier League. There's no option to buy in their loan agreement with Spurs, so they'll need to open fresh negotiations over a longer-term deal.

Spurs demand £15m for Rodon

Football Insider journalist Pete O'Rourke has now shared a fresh Rodon to Leeds update. He reports that Spurs want between £10m and £15m to sell him in the summer, a valuation that put off "multiple" Premier League clubs during the January window.

Ange Postecoglou wants to offload Rodon and bank a healthy windfall, but Leeds may struggle to afford it unless they return to the top flight, and it will be difficult to convince the player to choose them too.

Premier League funds essential for Rodon deal

You only need to look at last summer's transfer window to see the difficulty of doing a £15m deal for a Championship club. Only two incoming second-tier transfers (where the fee was disclosed) surpassed eight figures – Leicester's £10m move for Harry Winks and Southampton's £15m deal for Shea Charles.

Leeds have a “beast in the making” waiting to replace Joe Rodon

Leeds United could look towards their youth if a permanent deal for Joe Rodon can’t be reached.

By
Kelan Sarson

Feb 12, 2024

By contrast, in 2022/23, when Leeds were last in the Premier League, they signed four different players for a fee of £15m or more and shelled out nearly double that figure to land Brenden Aaronson from RB Leipzig, as you can see in the table below.

Then there's the problem of attracting players. If Rodon is offered the chance to start games in the Premier League, then it's highly unlikely that he'll favour the Championship, regardless of the bond he's forged with supporters.

France midfielder Adrien Rabiot wants to make Lamine Yamal feel the pressure of playing in a European Championship semi-final.

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• Rabiot issues warning to Yamal
• Barca star has feature in all five matches
• France take on Spain in the first semi-final

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 16-year-old Barcelona wonderkid has featured in Spain's starting lineup in all of their five matches in the ongoing Euro 2024 and has provided three assists including contributing to Dani Olmo's opening goal in the quarter-final clash against Germany.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While the young winger has been widely praised for his mature display on his debut in a major tournament, France midfielder Adrien Rabiot claimed that Yamal will now feel the real pressure of playing in the last-four stage of the Euros and that it is up to the French players to make him feel the heat.

• WHAT ADRIEN RABIOT SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the former Juventus midfielder said, "We saw that he was a player who knew how to handle pressure very well. He has a lot of qualities. He is capable of playing with his qualities at club level as well as in major tournaments, without pressure.

  "Afterwards, it is always complicated to manage a semi-final in a tournament like that, but it will be up to us to put the pressure on him above all, not to let him feel comfortable and to show him that to play in a Euro final, he will have to do much more than what he has done so far."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FRANCE?

  Les Bleus will aim to make it to their fourth final in a major tournament under Didier Deschamps as they face La Roja in a blockbuster Euro 2024 semi-final clash on Tuesday.