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GOAL looks back at the very best of the USMNT's stars abroad, position-by-position, for the 2024-25 season

Here's a spoiler: Christian Pulisic makes the cut. So, too, does Antonee Robinson. When looking back at the season for Americans Abroad, however, there are some difficult choices to make when narrowing it down to a Best XI, position-by-position.

This European season was an up-and-down adventure for the U.S. men's national team's top players overseas. There were trophy wins and losses in big finals. There were big promotions and heartbreaking relegations. Injuries wreaked havoc on some key players, while multiple young stars worked to shed that "young" label to earn the star one outright.

There were some tough calls, and a few surprising selections. In a season in which multiple attackers had hot streaks, who joins Pulisic in the attack, for example? Multiple center-back won trophies, but which make the XI? In a season in which the goalkeeping position was so rough – like, really rough – who earns the nod in net?

With the 2024-25 season complete, GOAL selects Americans Abroad Best XI.

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  GK: Jonathan Klinsmann

  A big shoutout to Klinsmann, who definitely took a big leap forward with Cesena this season. After never fully seizing a chance with the LA Galaxy, Klinsmann did just that with the Serie B side, emerging as a solid starter for a team that finished seventh in the league.

  If his father, former USMNT boss Jurgen, is to be believed, clubs in bigger leagues are keeping an eye on him, too.

  Klinsmann's selection here is just as about the rest of the USMNT goalkeeper pool, though. Matt Turner hardly played. Ethan Horvath was relegated. Diego Kochen got close to a Barca breakthrough, making the bench several times, but remained with Barca B. It wasn't a great year for the goalkeepers, to put it mildly.

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  LB: Antonee Robinson

  No doubts here. When you finish with double-digit Premier League assists despite playing fullback, you're a pretty easy choice.

  Robinson racked up 10 assists in England's top flight, leaving him tied for fourth in the league. The Fulham star looked destined for more, too, before his pace slowed down massively in a period that just so happened to coincide with an injury.

  If Robinson was fully fit, we might be talking about one of the best seasons from a fullback in Premier League history. It was an incredible campaign for Robinson, though, and the USMNT will be eager to get him back once he's healthy.

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  CB: Cameron Carter-Vickers

  This spot was always going to go to one of the Celtic defenders, given their title success. The only question was which one. Auston Trusty was generally good during his first season in Scotland, featuring 22 times in the league and 10 more in the Champions League.

  There were certainly some good moments in there, but Carter-Vickers gets the final nod. The Celtic veteran was ever-present throughout the season, lifting his fourth league title and third League Cup since joining the Scottish giants.

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  CB: Chris Richards

  Another trophy winner here, although this one was significantly more unexpected.

  Richards helped lead Crystal Palace to a historic FA Cup win, serving as an anchor in their back three all the way up through their final victory over Manchester City. It truly was a breakout season for Richards, who firmly established himself as a Premier League-level defender with his performances both in the cup and throughout the league campaign.

  A shoutout to Mark McKenzie, though, as he misses out despite a strong season at Toulouse.

Ian Wright believes a £6 million-a-year star could reject Arsenal in the summer despite Mikel Arteta desperately wanting to sign him.

Arsenal transfer news

As the Premier League title looks to be slowly slipping away from the Gunners, focus may soon start turning towards their summer plans, as they try to bridge the gap from second place to first next year.

Fewer touches than Raya: Arteta must now axe Arsenal's 6/10 "wild horse"

The talented international was poor for Arsenal last night…

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 27, 2025

One area of the pitch that Arteta wants to strengthen in the summer is at left-back, as Kieran Tierney appears set to join Celtic on a free transfer come the end of the season, while there is uncertainty surrounding the future of Oleksandr Zinchenko after he was close to leaving in January.

According to reports from Italy, Arsenal are interested in signing Club Brugge left-back Maxim De Cuyper. It is claimed that the Gunners are going to hold talks with the player’s agents “shortly”.

But while a left-back might be on their agenda, it is a new centre-forward that must be the top priority for Arteta and everyone involved at the club. Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak appears to be a top target for the Gunners, but it has now emerged that Arsenal have also joined the race to sign Samu Aghehowa from FC Porto.

The forward is said to be valued at £42 million, and there are several Premier League teams interested in a possible deal.

Wright says Isak may reject Arsenal to sign for Liverpool

Isak is still said to be the Gunners’ top target, but Ian Wright believes Arsenal could miss out on signing Isak to Liverpool this summer, despite Arteta being desperately keen on signing him.

Isak, who earns £6 million a year at St. James’ Park, is the player the Gunners boss believes is the missing link to take them to the next level, and it’s been reported that a formal bid is expected in the summer.

But Wright, when speaking to Stick to Football (relayed by TBR Football), thinks Isak is more likely to end up at Liverpool in the summer than Arsenal, as Arne Slot looks to build his own team.

“Let’s say Arsenal and Liverpool are both in the market for a striker, and I know this will upset Liverpool fans, but do you think it is realistic that another Premier League side could sign Isak?” Wright was asked.

Wright responded: “I mean, with what he’s done now and how he is, if I had the money, I’d buy him for £120m. He’d probably go to Liverpool. I like to think that Arteta could convince him, but if we’re talking about Slot and the fact that Slot doesn’t have his own team, that seems like it may be a more attractive proposition.”

A 53-year-old man has been arrested after a car ploughed into supporters during Liverpool’s title parade, with 27 people being hospitalised.

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• Reds celebrating Premier League title triumph
• Scary scenes unfolded on Merseyside
• Local police forces carrying out investigation

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Four children are among those to have required treatment at a medical facility following the shocking scenes that accompanied Liverpool’s open-top bus tour through the city of Liverpool on the back of their Premier League title triumph.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Two people, one of them being a child, are reported to have sustained “serious injuries” during the incident on Water Street. Some 20 others were treated for minor injuries at the scene, which has left a global audience stunned.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Merseyside Police have detained a suspect that was arrested at the scene on May 26. The force says it is not treating the incident as terrorism-related, with further investigations ongoing.

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  WHAT EYEWITNESSES SAID

  Eyewitnesses described the “horrible scene” they saw unfold, with the driver of the car in question accused of putting “his foot down and just ploughed through the rest of them, he just kept going”.

Luka Modric is on the verge of signing for AC Milan after bidding adieu to Real Madrid.

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• Milan wants to bring Modric to San Siro
• Modric had positive talks with Milan's sporting director
• Tijjani Reijnders moves closer to exit

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As per in Italy, the Croatian midfielder has had productive talks with Milan's sporting director Igli Tare, and the Serie A club believes a contract agreement is just around the corner. The arrival of Modric coincides with Tijani Reijnders moving closer to Manchester City, with an agreement reportedly already in place with the English club.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Modric left Los Blancos as the most decorated player in the club's history, having won 28 trophies in 13 years. The Spanish club decided to part ways with the Croatian despite reports he wanted to extend his contract until 2026. In talks with Milan, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner showed a total willingness to join the Italian side, and only a few personal issues need to be sorted before a deal is finalised.

• TELL ME MORE

  Modric will join a Milan side coming off the back of a disappointing season that saw them miss out on a place in next season's Champions League. With Reijnders leaving and the likes of Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez expected to leave, the presence of 39-year-old Modric may provide a much-needed lift heading into next season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AC MILAN?

  Mike Maignan is also being considered to sell by Tare as he enters the last year of his contract with the Italian side, with Chelsea interested in signing the goalkeeper.

Sunderland had to make do with a share of the spoils against Preston North End last time out as returning hero Romaine Mundle delivered the goods to secure Regis Le Bris’ men a 1-1 draw.

That keeps the Black Cats’ unbeaten stretch on their own patch in March in-tact, but their resolve will be tested significantly away at Frank Lampard’s Coventry City up next in the Championship, who occupy a playoff spot alongside the promotion-aspiring Wearside outfit.

If promotion was to be sealed at the end of the long, dramatic campaign, Le Bris would look to improve his side all over the pitch ahead of the challenge of the Premier League, with a deal already allegedly being eyed up to bring a sharpshooter to the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland eyeing deal for Stewart 2.0

As per a recent report by journalist Graeme Bailey, the Black Cats are now looking towards the services of Hearts star Lawrence Shankland this approaching summer, with his future up in the air at Tynecastle at this moment in time.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, the Hearts marksman is yet to pen a contract to keep him at the Edinburgh side past the end of this season, with Ipswich Town also in the race now to land the 29-year-old, knowing they could now land him for nothing. That would be a great deal considering his previous £5m price-tag.

Sunderland will pray that they are the winning suitor here, with the Championship promotion candidates well aware of how successful pick-ups can be from Scotland, having once obtained ex-hero Ross Stewart from Ross County.

Arguably, Le Bris’ men have never replaced Stewart effectively, with Shankland also showing throughout his stay in the Scottish capital and beyond that he’s an even deadlier finisher than Wilson Isidor at his prime.

Why Shankland is more clinical than Isidor

Last season in total, which included a calmly taken goal being slotted away right at the start of 2024, Shankland would end up firing home a mightily impressive 31 strikes from 47 clashes.

Whilst his French counterpart does better Shankland’s goal haul when considering only this campaign in isolation – with the Glasgow-born forward only helping himself to four goals from 34 contests compared to Isidor’s heftier 14 – the 29-year-old’s blistering record in his native country overall away from this lacklustre season currently unfolding speaks for itself.

As can be seen looking at the table above, Shankland has proven himself to be a goal machine up and down the various Scottish divisions, with a staggering 205 strikes coming his way playing for a whole host of different clubs.

To add more context, Isidor – away from enjoying a purple patch under Le Bris in England – only boasts 60 career goals, reinforcing the notion that Shankland is far more clinical than the Black Cats number 18.

Moreover, Shankland’s standout goal record blows Stewart’s prior exploits in Scotland out of the water before his major switch to the EFL giants occurred, with the now Southampton attacker only registering 52 strikes for the likes of Alloa Athletic and Ross County ahead of taking that leap.

Of course, there will be a worry that the Hearts striker’s confidence will be dented somewhat by his barren patches of form this campaign, but if he can recapture his “ruthless” best – as he’s been labelled previously by Chris Sutton – he could go down as an inspired capture by Le Bris and Co.

After all, it will be a risk-free move if Sunderland can snap up the 29-year-old for nothing when his Hearts contract expires, leaving them with some top options in attack whether promotion is clinched or not.

Better than Isidor: Sunderland must rue losing "special" star for £3.5m

Sunderland must rue letting this star go prematurely.

By
Kelan Sarson

Mar 10, 2025

Unless there is a major tournament, international breaks can be pretty boring for fans, but this time, there has been something to cheer for Arsenal fans.

The Gunners’ latest academy gem, Myles Lewis-Skelly, was a surprise inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad last week, so it was even more of a surprise when he was named in the starting lineup on Friday night.

As the Emirates faithful are now accustomed to seeing, the teenage sensation looked entirely at home in the first-team and even scored his first goal for the country.

It was the perfect introduction to international football for the young star, but there might be even more to come from Hale End, as another of their most exciting prospects looks destined to be the youngest Arsenal player to win a senior England cap, and it’s not Ethan Nwaneri.

Arsenal's young England stars of yesteryear

While Lewis-Skelly is the first to come along in a little while now, Arsenal have seen a number of their teenage talents make their way into the senior England side in the past, with perhaps the most notable example being Theo Walcott.

The now-retired attacker joined the Gunners in a £5m deal from Southampton in January 2006, and while he didn’t make a single first-team appearance for the rest of the season, he made his England debut in a friendly against Hungary on May 30th, at just 17 years and 75 days old, making him the youngest Arsenal player to make a senior England appearance – for now.

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, the teenager was included in the 2006 World Cup squad, even if he never got onto the pitch in Germany.

The third youngest Gooner to represent the Three Lions, behind Lewis-Skelly, was fellow Hale End icon Jack Wilshere, who debuted at 18 years and 222 days old on August 11th 2010, against Hungary.

At one point, it looked like Wilshere was heading for the very top of the game, and he did manage to win 34 senior caps for the national side, but persistent injuries derailed what should have been an incredible career and ultimately forced him into early retirement in 2022.

However, the former fan favourite will at least have his place on the list of Arsenal youngsters to play for the national team, although with a certain youngster coming up through the ranks at Hale End, he might not be the third youngest for much longer.

Arsenal's future England star

So, the first thing to say is that we are pretty certain Nwaneri will make the first of many appearances for England in the coming months, but at 18 years old, he simply can’t be the Gunners’ youngest Three Lions representative.

Max Dowman, on the other hand, certainly could be.

Now, we should exercise some caution here, as the Chelmsford-born gem is still just 15 years old, and predicting the future of young footballers is hardly a science, but in this case, the Hale Ender looks destined for stardom.

Indeed, despite being 14 at the start of the season, the academy’s “crown jewel,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been training with the first team for some time now.

Moreover, he is already thriving with the U18s, scoring six goals and providing seven assists in 18 games.

In the process, he has become the youngest player to score in a UEFA Youth League Game in September and has already made one appearance for the U21s.

On top of all that, the incredible youngster is reportedly being mentored by Declan Rice, who described him as “the best 15-year-old in the country” while the aforementioned Kulig has suggested he is the ‘most exciting’ teenage talent to emerge on the scene since Lamine Yamal.

Ultimately, Arsenal have a proud track record of producing youngsters who go on to play for England, and with how fast Downman is currently developing, we wouldn’t be surprised to see him break Walcott’s record and become the club’s youngest ever Three Lions representative.

Arsenal's "huge talent" was the original Lewis-Skelly, then he left for £0

Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly has made quite the impression at club and international level this season.

By
Matt Dawson

Mar 23, 2025

Reports are linking Fred with a return to the Premier League, with Everton expected to lodge a substantial bid for the Fenerbahce midfielder.

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• Fenerbahce lining up move for Yves Bissouma
• Turkish giants want at least €17m for Brazilian
• Midfielder under contract until 2027

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Turkish media outlet Takvim reports Everton would be willing to "pay a large transfer fee" for the 32-year-old midfielder. Feneberahce are pursuing a deal for Tottenham's Yves Bissouma, which would leave Fred surplus to requirements despite featuring in 45 games for the Turkish giants in 2024/25.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Under contract until 2027, Fenerbahce would still look for a substantial fee to part company with the midfielder. Takvim believes any negotiations would start at a minimum of €17m.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite repeated criticism of the holding midfielder during his time at Old Trafford, Fred managed to log 214 games and 14 for the Red Devils in five seasons. If Fred is to return to the Premier League at the rumoured fee, it would represent solid business for Fenerbahce, as they signed the player for approximately €10m in the summer of 2023.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FRED?

  Although David Moyes is said to be a fan of the player, the move could depend on the future of Idrissa Gana Gueye. The Seneagalese midfielder is out of contract in a few weeks, and is currently pushing for a two-year deal. It is believed Everton have offered him a one-year extension. If the details are ironed out, an offer for another ageing midfielder might appear less appealing to the Merseyside club.

Chelsea have made an offer to sign a Real Madrid sensation in the last few days, with Los Blancos also replying to the proposal from Enzo Maresca’s side.

Chelsea win London derby with 1-0 victory over Tottenham

Enzo Fernández scored the only goal to pile more pressure on Ange Postecoglou as Chelsea sealed a 1-0 London derby victory over Spurs at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

Chelsea player criticised for "horrendous" attitude as Boehly looks to sell

He’s been slammed for his “arrogance” behind-the-scenes.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 3, 2025

Chelsea dominated the early stages, but failed to take advantage of some truly questionable defending from the visitors until Fernandez finally broke the deadlock with a free header inside the penalty area.

Moises Caicedo also had a screamer ruled out for offside, but Maresca was nearly made to pay for only having a one-goal advantage late in the game. Pape Matar Sarr’s excellent equaliser was chalked off for a foul in the build-up, and it took an excellent save from Robert Sanchez to deny Son Heung-min.

“I just said to the players, since day one we don’t work every day to win the game in the way we win and play in the last 10 minutes,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s nervy end to the contest.

“In terms of waiting for them and give the ball to them. But if you want to become a team, I think you need also to learn and to play in the way we played in the last 10 minutes. Win a game in a dirty way. Because I think for 90 minutes until extra time we were in control, we created enough chances to win the game. We created enough chances in the first half.

“And then to be honest, that’s been my mistake [bringing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tosin Adarabioyo on for Cole Palmer and Fernandez] because I did the change before I saw the extra time. And when I saw 12 minutes, I saw that probably it was too early to make that kind of change. But fortunately, we won the game, and we are happy.”

The result will go a long way in Chelsea’s race for Champions League qualification, which in turn will help them attract Europe’s best players.

Chelsea make £59m offer to Real Madrid for Endrick

On their transfer activity, quite a big claim has emerged from the Spanish media, involving Real Madrid striker Endrick.

The Brazilian hasn’t exactly been a mainstay for Carlo Ancelotti, but did play a role in their thrilling 4-4 Copa del Rey semi-final draw with Real Sociedad earlier this week, a result which booked their place in the final. Endrick has also been called a “special” young striker by pundits from his native Brazil.

“The boy is special, no doubt about it,” said ex-Manchester City star Elano to FourFourTwo.

“He belongs to that group of super-talented players that Brazil has produced in the past: Neymar, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and others. He’s another rare case of a youngster who convinces everyone they’re special; youngsters born with incredible talent.”

Now, Spanish media report that Chelsea made a £59 million offer to Real for Endrick right after the Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday.

Maresca’s side believe he’s the ideal candidate to lead their forward line, prompting them to swoop in with a proposal before the summer window. However, they’re set to be left disappointed, as the La Liga heavyweights have no intention of accepting this bid.

While Chelsea would also offer Endrick a good salary, and the South American is dissatisfied with his game time right now, he’s also showing no desire to leave and Real are just as reluctant.

It is unclear whether Chelsea will return with a counteroffer, but it appears they may have to move on to alternative striker targets. Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap is among the other centre-forwards on Maresca’s transfer list.

The playmaker's relationship with his new boss will be fascinating to watch after being plagued by accusations of an attitude problem

Whenever footballers talk to the media, the club's press officer is hoping they will say as little as possible and ideally stay out of the headlines. As Peter Crouch put it: "You're doing an interview for the newspaper but you're trying not to be in the newspaper. They were so nervous about you putting your foot in it."

Rayan Cherki opted for a very different approach when speaking to journalists for the first time since joining Manchester City. In just a five-minute exchange with reporters in Florida as City were preparing for their opening game at the Club World Cup, he left a real impression.

He outlined his ambitions to win the Ballon d'Or, saying Rodri's success in 2024 showed him that City offered a platform to become the best player in the world. And, in a statement that immediately endeared him to his new club's supporters, he said he wanted to "kill" Manchester United after Lyon's painful Europa League defeat to the Red Devils in April. Before that quarter-final tie, incidentally, he said he was "ready to go to war" with Ruben Amorim's side.

Cherki's opening statements would not have surprised anyone who has followed the Frenchman's career. He has always looked to make a mark and often has done, having become Lyon's youngest-ever goal-scorer at the age of 16 before more than one coach complained about his attitude, which was regarded as his biggest obstacle to progress.

Still, Cherki can do remarkable things on the pitch, and last season finally found the consistency he craved, contributing to 34 goals in 44 appearances. His uptick in productivity led to his long-awaited first call up to the France senior team and he marked his debut against Spain by setting himself up to score a tremendous volley in the Nations League semi-finals.

That form has also earned him a move to one of the top clubs in the world, and now Cherki has the chance to showcase his talent on the world stage. His audacious comments merely confirmed his reputation as a maverick, but the big question now is: Will this ultimate individual be able to thrive under Pep Guardiola?

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  Street player to 'rest station'

  Cherki's signing for City immediately led to comparisons with when Jack Grealish arrived at the Etihad Stadium for a Premier League-record transfer fee of £100 million ($135m) as a frighteningly talented playmaker, only to have all his creative tendencies stamped out of him by Guardiola.

  Grealish was heralded as a street footballer at Aston Villa, but at City he has been given the rather less flattering description of 'the rest station'. His role under Guardiola has primarily been to hug the touchline with the ball and hold on to it so the team can reset and his team-mates can get forward to progress the move.

  The treble-winning season of 2022-23 was Grealish's only good campaign out of four at the Etihad Stadium, and now he is seen as an outcast having been left out of the Club World Cup squad to try and find a new club after starting just seven Premier League games this past season, before not getting on the pitch for the FA Cup final as he was overlooked for teenage debutant Claudio Echeverri at Wembley. Grealish was also the victim of some less than complimentary comments from Guardiola, who revealed publicly that Savinho was in better shape than the England international.

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  Zlatan's refusal to conform

  Cherki's arrival at City has also led to thought of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's disastrous season under Guardiola at Barcelona. The Swede famously lambasted the Catalan's methods in his autobiography, likening the atmosphere Guardiola had created within the squad to a school. Ibrahimovic simply did not fit in and did not want to follow his coach's orders to behave and conform. It all came to a head after Barca were knocked out of the Champions League semi-finals by Ibrahimovic's former club Inter, after which the striker told Guardiola "You have no balls."

  In his revealing autobiography, 'I Am Zlatan'Ibrahimovic wrote: "I had done a lot to adapt – the Barca players were like schoolboys, following the coach blindly, whereas I was used to asking ‘Why?'. I like guys who run red lights, not pedantic and strict rules. I tried to be overly nice, didn’t dare lose my temper.

  "But after this I stopped trying to adapt. For example, at Barcelona, players were banned from driving their sports cars to training. I thought this was ridiculous – it was certainly not the club’s business what car I drive – so in April, before a match with Almeria, I drove my Ferrari Enzo to training and it caused a scene. When you buy me, you are buying a Ferrari. If you drive a Ferrari, you put premium petrol in the tank, you hit the motorway and you step on the gas. Guardiola filled up with diesel and took a spin in the countryside. He should have bought a Fiat."

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  'Not a special player'

  Cherki has not yet scaled the heights that Grealish and Ibrahimovic had before they linked up with Guardiola, but there have been several instances of the ex-Lyon man having a Diva-esque attitude which could lead to him running into problems with his new boss at some point.

  In his breakthrough season with Lyon in 2019-2020, Cherki demanded to return to the youth team in protest at being left on the bench for a Ligue 1 game against Bordeaux. But he did not play well when back in the academy ranks, and his own father was heard shouting at him: "If you don't want to play, get off the pitch."

  Rudi Garcia, the coach who gave Cherki his debut, warned early on about the danger of him getting carried away by the hype that was building around him. He said: "We all keep telling him that he will have the career he deserves if he continues to work. The danger is to make him believe that he is already one of the best players on the planet."

  Garcia's successor, Peter Bosz, had no interest in paying Cherki special attention and used him sporadically during his tenure. "I know that Cherki is very popular, it's great for him and for the fans," he explained. "I choose my players to win the match every week. If I see that we can win with Rayan he will start, otherwise it will be another player."

  Laurent Blanc revealed he had "some heated discussions" with Cherki over his tendency to play for himself rather than the collective, but Fabio Grosso proved to be the most critical of the playmaker, saying: "He's a player, not a special player. He's a player like any other, albeit with some additional qualities. But it’s not just technical qualities that matter; there are mental and athletic qualities as well."

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  Silencing the critics

  Cherki began to really show his worth under Grosso's successor Pierre Sage, albeit after a spell on the fringes of the Lyon team and then another period of being left out at the start of last season amid a contract stand-off with the club. He made a typically emphatic return to action by scoring a few minutes after coming off the bench against Marseille, the start of a run of five goals and seven assists between September and December. When Sage was eventually sacked in January, Cherki paid him an emotional tribute, saying: "He leaves behind an exceptional legacy."

  Cherki also showed leadership under his final boss at Lyon, Paulo Fonseca. The Portuguese was slapped with a nine-month touchline ban in domestic matches for confronting a referee, and in their next match, against FCSB in the Europa League, Lyon's players mobbed Fonseca. Cherki said afterwards: "We felt a sense of injustice before the match, we wanted to give everything for him." He backed up those words by notchin five goals and 15 assists in 19 matches under Fonseca.

  Cherki certainly believes he has knuckled down in the last few years and worked on the areas of his game that were previously lacking: "I think I had the best season of my career, I managed to make people talk only about good things: my passes, dribbling. I don’t hear many people talking about the unfounded criticism I faced. I think I took a step forward in all aspects: my efficiency, defensive work, efforts without the ball. Everyone knows my offensive style, dribbling, passing. That’s not what I worked on most, I instead worked on knowing what I wanted to become, which makes the difference."

Jadon Sancho will not join Fenerbahce as Jose Mourinho has vetoed against a move for the Manchester United outcast after holding talks with Ruben Amorim. Despite mounting speculation that the winger was close to a switch to Istanbul, the former Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Roma manager has asked the club to abandon their pursuit.

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• Mourinho has snubbed Sancho
• 'Special One' close with Amorim
• English winger in talks with Juventus

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Turkish outlet Mourinho advised Fenerbahce’s board to seek alternative options on the flanks, bringing an end to their interest in Sancho. This decision came after Mourinho consulted Amorim, the current United boss, and sought insight into why Sancho is no longer part of the long-term vision at Old Trafford. The two coaches have a close relationship.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mourinho, renowned for his strict managerial standards, is understood to have based his decision on Sancho’s perceived lack of motivation and professionalism. The Portuguese tactician expressed reluctance to bring in a player who he believes lacks commitment to the cause and could be more interested in a lucrative payday than contributing meaningfully on the pitch.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  With a future in Turkiye now off the table, Sancho is edging closer to a new chapter in Italy. United have reportedly accepted a €25 million (£21m/$30m) offer from Serie A heavyweights Juventus. Negotiations over personal terms are said to be at an advanced stage, and talks have accelerated following the approval of the transfer fee.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SANCHO?

  Juventus sporting director Damien Comolli has been in direct contact with the player’s representatives and has received encouraging feedback. Barring any late obstacles, the deal is expected to be finalised upon Comolli’s return to Europe next week.