The USL club insist that they can coexist with their MLS neighbor – they just need to take a different approach to the sport
Kyle Martino can see it now. The packed stands. The ball zipping around the field. The players, chasing it here and there, passing and moving. For most, it will be a familiar scene from any match. For Martino and the Atletico Dallas ownership group, it's the actualization of something bigger.
This is a different approach.
Soon, there will be two professional soccer clubs that carry Dallas in their name. One, FC Dallas, is a legacy brand, an MLS club with 18 playoff appearances, 2 U.S. Open Cups, and countless USMNT talents to come through their ranks. Atletico Dallas don’t exist as a fully functioning soccer club yet. But they have a badge, a brand, and an idea.
This is a USL club that represents a different part of the same area. FC Dallas play in the sparkling suburbs, nearly 40 miles from the city.
Atletico Dallas, meanwhile, forges its identity in the streets. Their team, they hope, will be packed full of locals, kids that grew up on blacktops and searing sun, shuffled into a first team of adoring fans. A massive metropolitan area, they insist, needs a second team that represents the core of the city.
“We're trying to create a community asset that's going to last for 100 years, and that begins in the street, in the communities and areas that might be underserved,” co-owner Matt Valentine told GOAL. “They definitely don't have organized elite club-level soccer in the US market as it exists today.”
It’s a simple principle, really. FC Dallas have a niche. They are a founding MLS club that operates out of a high-quality facility in a different county. Suburbia suits them. Theirs is a talent factory amid townhouses.
Atletico Dallas are set to operate from Dallas County, a metropolitan area of 2.8 million people, more densely populated and more diverse. They may border each other, but this is a different area that caters to perhaps a different kind of footballer. Valentine, Martino, and the team’s management want supporters to follow both. There is room for two badges.
And, for them, it starts in the city.
Atletico Dallas
Street FC offers a model
Martino is not from Dallas. He was born in Atlanta, spent his youth in Connecticut and played college soccer at Virginia. His all-too-brief MLS career was carried out first in Columbus, and then Los Angeles. He retired at 27, just as he was entering his prime, due to persistent hip injuries.
His response? Make soccer a business. There was a stint as an analyst with NBC Sports’s Premier League coverage, and now as a commentator for TNT Sports. He is a voice in the United States men’s national team sphere. He is also a savvy businessman.
Chief among his empire of events spaces and soccer ventures is Street FC. It’s a simple premise: Urban America has a lot of blacktops – mainly old basketball courts – and not many open fields. Those surfaces could be the platform for five-a-side soccer, at all levels. Give people a space, a ball, and make it very cheap – and the results could form naturally over time.
His involvement was a no-brainer for Valentine as he shaped the Atletico Dallas brand. The two were introduced, and Valentine flew to New York three days later.
“I thought it would be a few weeks later, maybe a month later, and we’d consider it,” Martino said. “Matt was like, 'Sorry for my language, F*ck it, what are you doing this week?’”
That visit sealed everything. Martino showed Valentine a few Street FC courts. They grabbed a few beers. Martino agreed to become a partner in his business. After that, it was just a question of logistics.
“I was like, ‘OK, we got a partner. We got to figure out how to make this work,'" Valentine said.
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Atletico Dallas
'A massive, massive agent for change'
But going about this all wasn’t particularly easy. It is one thing to have a blacktop and a dream. It is another entirely to be able to put that into place, build a brand, and inform a community about a professional soccer team.
There are some guiding principles here. Soccer in the United States is becoming more accessible, but there are still massive financial barriers to playing in many areas. That leaves droves of would-be professionals, mostly from minority communities, phased out of the game from a young age.
Atletico Dallas believe they can target those talents, give them a voice.
“I think that we can be a massive, massive agent for change around the Dallas community,” Valentine said. “The vehicle happens to be a sport that Kyle and I love and are incredibly passionate about. And there's nothing better to galvanize the community and people than sport.”
Dallas already has a soccer community. The city itself, the footprint Atletico’s ownership want to claim, is invested in the sport. It is Atletico Dallas’ job, then, to provide an outlet to actually play.
That can take a number of forms. It’s about working with influencers in the local area and amplifying their impact. It’s about going to community events and hiring local staff. It’s also about borrowing from other success stories – LAFC, Seattle Sounders, and Louisville City, for example – and following their models.
“We're not going to be the explorers that map our own path here,” Martino said. “A lot of people have figured out how to do it right from the start. So we're going to cherry-pick some of those great ideas from the people that have led the way ahead of us and did a groundswell, a community movement before they took the field.”
Atletico Dallas
'I wanted a club that's serious'
Martino can’t lie. He had no involvement in the brand, the badge or the colorway. That is not his doing. But he might be a pretty good case study as to why others might subscribe to the Atletico Dallas movement.
So much of soccer culture worldwide, these days, is visual. Sure, there will always be the old heads who get into a team because of proximity or convenience. But bringing on new people? That requires compelling visuals, a coherent brand. What, exactly, a club looks like has to mean something.
Valentine knew he needed something compelling. So, he scoured the Dallas area for local designers – those who could get what it means to piece together the visual messaging for a Dallas club.
He settled on Robert Milam of Dallas-based ModestWorks.
“I wanted a club that's serious, that takes the game seriously, but that's like, rooted in the things that I love about the sport, the kind of romance of the game, the history, the passion,” Valentine said.
Milam obliged. He created something sleek and interesting. Nowhere on the badge do the words “Atletico Dallas” appear – something that initially led to a few questions among casual onlookers.
Instead, it’s a black shield, with a silver outline. A wolf and snake are shown dueling in the middle. While some observers have disregarded it, Martino fell in love.
“My jaw dropped,” he said. “I just thought, ‘You guys nailed this.’ I like the rules that it breaks because it leaves room and time for us to earn the right to mean to them what they already mean to us.”
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Atletico Dallas
Built from the streets
And perhaps that’s the broader challenge. Atletico Dallas won’t kick a soccer ball officially until 2027. They still have 18 months to figure out the specifics. But they have a badge, they have a brand, and they have a vision. And everything starts there.
Martino, of course, is a key operative. But there are other promising signs at play. They have acquired one of the biggest youth soccer clubs in Dallas. Right now, they have 2,500 players in their academy. Their hope is to have 4,000 within two years. There are plans in place for a state of the art training facility. They will play in the Cotton Bowl for now, but the future is wide open.
And so we return to Martino’s vision: the winning team, the pretty soccer, the packed stadium, including the local kids who learn how to play in the city in which they were born.
This is a football club that is going to be built from the streets. The early pieces are in place for it to last.
Bumrah has not played any cricket since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in early January
Nagraj Gollapudi10-Feb-2025
Jasprit Bumrah has been out of action since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy•James Worsfold/Cricket Australia/Getty Images
India are set to take a final decision on Jasprit Bumrah’s participation in the Champions Trophy on February 11, the deadline for submission of the final squads to the ICC, as uncertainty lingers over his fitness.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Bumrah has had a scan on his back at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru recently. The BCCI’s medical staff will now coordinate with the selectors and the India team management before the decision is taken.Bumrah was included in the provisional 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy announced on January 18, but hasn’t been able to play a part in the ODI series against England, India’s last fixtures before the tournament begins on February 19. While it was hoped that he would be able to play the third ODI in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, Bumrah has travelled to Bengaluru instead.In January, while announcing the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said that based on information provided by the BCCI medical staff at the time, Bumrah was not “likely to be fit for the first couple of games” of the England ODI series. Agarkar had said that Bumrah was “asked to offload for five weeks” from bowling, before undergoing fresh scans on his back in first week of February.Bumrah has not played a match since he was unable to bowl in Australia’s second innings of the Sydney Test in early January. It is understood he had a stress reaction in his back, which required five weeks of rest.If India feel Bumrah is unlikely to play any part in the Champions Trophy, they could replace him with Harshit Rana, who played the first two ODIs against England. But if there is a chance Bumrah could be available in the later stages of the tournament, India could choose to keep him in the 15 and replace him later subject to ICC approvals. After February 11, any replacement needs the approval of the tournament’s technical committee.India are in Group A of the Champions Trophy along with Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand and will play all their matches in Dubai after not being given permission to travel to Pakistan – the official host of the tournament – by the Indian government. They begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, before playing Pakistan on February 23 and New Zealand on March 2.
Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham has undergone a dramatic body transformation after undergoing surgery to cure a troublesome shoulder problem. The England international has been asked to slim down and reduce muscle mass by the Spanish giants in a bid to become sharper, quicker and more agile in the new La Liga season with Xabi Alonso’s side.
Bellingham returns from shoulder surgery
Bellingham made his return from surgery on Saturday as a late substitute in Real Madrid's win over Espanyol in La Liga. The England star was back in action for the first time since going under the knife in the summer to cure a long-standing shoulder injury. Bellingham was given a rapturous reception by Real Madrid fans when he took to the pitch in the 89th minute.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportReal Madrid want slimmed down Bellingham
Bellingham's physique has noticeably changed during his time on the sidelines, according to . The midfielder was asked to bulk up and gain muscle last season in a bid to protect his strengthen his shoulder and stop him from dislocating it again. He followed a specific training plan to gain muscle mass but that has now ended after his surgery. Real Madrid's coaching team have decided they want Bellingham to slim down and lose muscle mass in order to be quicker, sharper and more aggressive when it comes to pressing.
Alonso reveals what he wants from Bellingham
Alonso welcomed Bellingham back at the weekend and clarified exactly how he plans to use the 22-year-old. He told reporters: "Jude’s position is as an attacking midfielder. He has an incredible range of movement, and the more we can find him, the better our performance. The Club World Cup was a different experience. With him and [Eduardo] Camavinga, we have two additional options, two top-class players.”
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Getty Images SportBellingham aiming for Madrid derby
Real Madrid take on Levante on Tuesday and then face city rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday in La Liga. According to , Bellingham is aiming to be "100%" for the trip across the city and will be hoping to make his first start of the season against Diego Simeone's side.
O Palmeiras tem um novo artilheiro: Gabriel Menino. Após marcar na vitória por 4 a 2 diante do Tombense, na última quarta-feira (12), o camisa 25 chegou a seis gols na temporada, ultrapassando Raphael Veiga e se igualando ao atacante Rony.
> Marcos Rocha comemora 250 jogos com a camisa do Palmeiras
A tendência é que o meia se torne o artilheiro isolado do Verdão, já que o camisa 10 sofreu uma fratura no antebraço direito e passou por cirurgia na segunda (10), podendo ser desfalque por mais de um mês. Além disso, com a lesão de Veiga, nos próximos jogos Gabriel Menino pode se tornar o jogador com mais participações em gols do Palmeiras.
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O camisa 23 lidera o ranking de participações com 11, sendo cinco gols e seis assistências. Em seguida, vem Rony com nove, tendo marcado seis e dado três passes para gol. Menino é o terceiro da lista somando, até o momento, seis bolas na rede e uma assistência. Isso significa que o meia precisa participar de mais cinco gols do Palmeiras para assumir o ranking.
Raphael Veiga, após exames realizados na última segunda (10), teve constatada uma lesão na coxa direita e já iniciou o tratamento no Núcleo de Saúde e Performance. O clube não informou o prazo de recuperação do atleta.
> Abel Ferreira rasga elogios para ‘reservas’ do Palmeiras e faz apelo para a torcida: ‘Acreditem em mim’
Gabriel Menino pode assumir a artilharia isolada do Verdão já neste sábado (15), na estreia do Palmeiras no Campeonato Brasileiro. A equipe comandada pelo técnico Abel Ferreira encara o Cuiabá, às 16h, no Allianz Parque. Contra o Tombense, o jogo de volta que decidirá quem avança às oitavasde final da Copa do Brasil será apenas no dia 26 de abril, fora de casa, às 20h.
After months of speculation, Manchester United finally secured the signature of Bryan Mbeumo earlier this week, with the Cameroonian international penning a five-year contract.
The hierarchy forked out a whopping £71m for the 25-year-old’s signature, becoming Ruben Amorim’s second signing of the summer after Matheus Cunha joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
However, whilst it may be a hefty sum, it could prove to be a worthwhile investment should he replicate his form in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign.
He registered 20 league goals last time around, with only talents such as Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland finding the net more in the same period.
Despite the big-money addition of Mbeumo, the hierarchy are still working tirelessly to improve the current squad to try and be successful in the 2025/26 season.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer
Ollie Watkins is a player who’s been constantly linked with United over the last couple of weeks, leading to strong interest from Amorim’s side this summer.
The England international could be available for a fee in the region of £60m this summer, a figure that could be slightly inflated given he’s 29 and coming into the back end of his professional career.
Aston Villa's OllieWatkinscelebrates
However, another name has been thrown into the mix over recent days, with PSG striker Randal Kolo-Muani also in their sights, according to one Spanish outlet.
They claim that the Red Devils are preparing an opening offer for the Frenchman after scoring 10 goals in his 22 appearances on loan at Italian side Juventus.
It also states that Newcastle United are in the hunt for the 26-year-old, with Luis Enrique’s side currently demanding a fee in the region of £39m for his signature this summer.
Why United’s £39m target would be a better signing than Mbeumo
There’s no doubt that signing a player after scoring 20 league goals in England’s top flight is excellent business for a club who were lingering in the bottom half all campaign.
However, there may be some concerns around his impact next season, potentially having to operate in an unnatural role at the club given Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
The Cameroonian operated in a right-wing position during his time at Brentford, but could be forced to play in a central attacking midfield role during his time at Old Trafford.
It could prove to be a huge investment on a player who’s not featuring in a familiar position, potentially failing to replicate his excellent form from 2024/25 as a result.
As a result, Kolo Muani could be a better option this summer, handing the manager the centre-forward he’s craved since taking the reins back in November last year.
When comparing the Frenchman’s stats to those of Mbeumo from the most recent season, he’s managed to better him in numerous key areas, highlighting the threat he carries in attacking areas.
Kolo Muani, who’s been labelled a “superstar” by former Ballon d’Or winner Lothar Matthäus, may have been outscored, but he posted the same goal per shot on target rate, showcasing the clinical edge he possesses in front of goal.
Games played
26
38
Goals & assists
12
27
Shot on target accuracy
48%
43%
Goal per shot on target
0.4
0.4
Pass accuracy
71%
66%
Take-ons completed
1.5
1.3
Aerials won
1.2
0.9
Aerial success rate
39%
31%
He also managed to register a higher shot on target accuracy rate, whilst winning more aerial battles – handing Amorim the all-round talent he desires at the top end of the pitch.
Such dominance is further reflected in his tally of take-ons completed and a higher pass completion rate highlights he can also provide for others along with finishing off attacks himself.
£39m could prove to be an excellent fee for the 26-year-old striker, who will be entering the prime years of his career should he complete a move to Old Trafford.
If he can solve the issue the Red Devils currently have within the final third, he would be worth every penny, filling the void at the top end of the pitch, subsequently making him a better signing than Mbeumo.
He'll love playing with Mbeumo: £70m CF now keen on signing for Man Utd
Manchester United have set their sights on a new centre-forward this summer.
Mitesh Velani spent a decade working for the English rugby union club
Matt Roller30-Aug-2024
Mitesh Velani, right, spent a decade working for Saracens•Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Yorkshire have appointed Mitesh Velani, who left Saracens as part of the fall-out from their salary cap scandal, as their new chief financial and operations officer.Saracens, the London-based rugby union club, were fined over £5 million and docked 35 points in 2019 after they were found guilty of breaching the English Premiership’s salary cap across three seasons.Mitesh Velani, who will join Yorkshire in a newly-created role on September 16, spent a decade working for Saracens. He was the club’s finance director from 2010 until 2017, before taking over as chief executive – initially in an interim capacity – until 2020. He was replaced as chief executive in January 2020, initially moving into a consultancy role before leaving the club soon after.Velani was mentioned repeatedly in the independent disciplinary panel’s report detailing the charges against Saracens, and was the principal witness when the club attempted – unsuccessfully – to make the case that the league’s salary cap was anti-competitive.Related
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The panel found that Velani’s witness statement had “largely been copied verbatim” from one made by his predecessor, Ed Griffiths, in a previous disciplinary case. The panel’s report said it was “regrettable” that Velani did not “make clear the extent to which his written statement simply reiterated Mr Griffiths’ earlier statement and addressed matters on which he had no first-hand knowledge”.Yorkshire mentioned Velani’s experience with Saracens in a club statement announcing his appointment, but did not address the salary cap scandal, instead saying that he had “brought transformation and innovation to the operating of the club during a decade of sustained success both on and off the field”.Velani said it was “an honour” to join Yorkshire. “I am looking forward to using everything I have learned to help support Yorkshire at this exciting time,” he said. “Working alongside the Board I am determined to help deliver success at Headingley and produce exceptional results, underpinned by robust commercial foundations and our vision to make Yorkshire Cricket a place for everyone.”Colin Graves is planning to demutualise Yorkshire•Getty Images
Velani’s appointment comes at a time when Yorkshire are in transition on and off the field. They are recruiting for a new director of cricket – with Essex’s Anthony McGrath considered the favourite for the role – and a new head coach, with Ottis Gibson stepping down at the end of the season.Colin Graves, Yorkshire chair, will ballot members in November as he seeks to demutualise the club, which would require a 75 percent vote from a minimum 50 percent turnout. “If people don’t vote for demutualisation, then unfortunately, Yorkshire’s going to fall into these financial problems time and time again,” Graves told the last week.Graves said that he has been speaking to IPL franchises and American investors about the prospect of buying stakes in the club, while Yorkshire will soon be gifted a majority stake in Northern Superchargers by the ECB. “They will not even consider investing in Yorkshire as a members’ club – that is fact,” Graves said.Yorkshire also announced on Friday that Sanjay Patel, the main architect of the Hundred, will become their interim chief executive when Stephen Vaughan leaves the role next month.Sanjay Patel is Yorkshire’s interim chief executive•Getty Images
Patel was the ECB’s chief commercial officer from 2015 and took charge of the creation of the Hundred from 2018, acting as the tournament’s managing director until the end of last summer. He has been a member of Yorkshire’s board since February, when Graves returned to the club as chair.”I am delighted to be joining Yorkshire County Cricket Club,” Patel said. “The board have been extremely open with me, sharing their learnings and challenges over the past few years, and importantly their bold and ambitious goals for the future. Together as an organisation, we will do the best we can for the members and supporters aiming to move forward in all areas.”Vaughan, who joined the club in late 2022, said that he was “very proud” of Yorkshire’s achievements during his tenure: “Yorkshire Cricket has faced some significant and well documented challenges that needed to be faced head on, and the club is now in a much better place and ready to continue its journey back to sustainability and success on and off the field.”It has been a real team effort, and I’d like to thank all of the staff that have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, often in extremely challenging circumstances for their support and dedication.”Velani and Yorkshire have been contacted by ESPNcricinfo for comment.
Victory against Namibia will ensure progress to the Super Eights and no points or run rate are carried over to the next stage
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-20244:28
Paine: England’s white-ball teams are living in the past
Australia have the opportunity to plot England’s downfall at the T20 World Cup 2024 and could jeopardise their rivals’ prospects of qualifying for the Super Eights by resting players in their final group-stage match against Scotland.Andrew McDonald, their coach, repeatedly insisted on Monday that his players are focused on their game against Namibia in Antigua on Tuesday night. If they win, Australia will qualify for the Super Eights with a match to spare. With their seeding in Group 1 of the Super Eights predetermined, they would then enter Saturday’s fixture against Scotland with no pressure on the result.”[Against] Namibia, we need a win to guarantee ourselves a way through,” McDonald said about the prospect of resting players against Scotland. “And then after that, once we’ve firmed up that qualification, then we can start to look at that potential if we feel like it’s necessary… we know if we win this one, then we get the ‘Q’ next to our name.”Related
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England are defending T20 world champions but have just a single point from their first two games: a washout against Scotland and a comprehensive 36-run defeat to Australia on Saturday. It leaves them needing to register convincing wins over Oman and Namibia to overturn a net run-rate (NRR) deficit to Scotland, who have already beaten both teams.Scotland have the added advantage of playing the final group game, putting them on the right side of an information asymmetry with England. Hypothetically, they could find themselves in a scenario where Australia set them, for example, 200 to win – but both teams would know that Scotland might only need to score 150 to keep their NRR ahead of England’s and thereby qualify for the Super Eights.”We’re not really focused on England and where they’re at,” McDonald said. “We played them, we’ve moved past them and we’ll do what’s important to us within those [remaining] games… England have clearly got their own work to do in the next couple of games.”We were put in a similar situation in the last T20 World Cup [in 2022] where we had to chase the net run-rate. It’s always difficult, you’re always dependent on other results and it’s not a nice situation to be in. But that’s for them to work through, not us.”McDonald said that he believes NRR is the best possible tie-breaker: “I don’t think there’s any other way of really doing it. It creates interest.” But he hinted at some frustration that Australia’s record will be wiped clean in the second league phase, as well as the fact that winning Group B would not affect their status as second seeds [B2] heading into the Super Eights.Josh Inglis is one of the squad players who could potentially have an outing against Scotland•Getty Images
“The only thing is that you don’t carry your NRR through to the Super Eights, which is a little bit interesting. The whole tournament starts again. I would have liked to have seen the benefit of the early rounds, and what you were able to do in the early rounds, even right down to the seeds. We’re seeded No. 2. We can’t change that seeding, so it doesn’t change what happens in the Super Eights for us.”In football’s World Cups, teams in the same group play the final round of fixtures simultaneously to avoid situations where sporting integrity could be compromised. That has been a norm ever since a 1982 match – known as the Disgrace of Gijón – which saw West Germany and Austria collude on a result which suited both teams.Asked if cricket could consider a similar system, McDonald drew a comparison with Australian Rules Football: “You’d have to have a rolling schedule, wouldn’t you, to work out what was going to happen and unfold? I know other sports do that now: they don’t lock away their later rounds until they’ve seen the first part of the season.”That’s probably more an AFL lens on that. But I think sometimes you’re a beneficiary of that position, and other times you’re not. So, whatever unfolds, there might be a way for teams to work out whether they’re going through the Super Eights or not.”Australia could play five times in 10 days if they reach the final in Barbados on June 29, and McDonald said their management are conscious of player workloads ahead of Tuesday’s fixture. “We’ve got a short turnaround from the England game into this one. There’s travel involved… we believe that whatever XI we put out there, it’s going to be very, very strong.”Clearly there’s a great challenge there for teams to navigate through the Super Eights: game, travel, game, travel, game. It’s going to be difficult in how you manage your resources and make sure they are ready to perform with short turnarounds. There’s a bit of an art to that. It may not necessarily be a locked XI through that period for teams. But they’re hypotheticals: we’ve got Namibia in front of us first.”
Everton manager David Moyes is prepared to enforce sweeping changes this summer after guiding his team, hitherto imperilled, toward safety since re-joining in January.
Incomings will flood through the gates at some stage, but for now, some house-keeping. Ashley Young, Asmir Begovic and Abdoulaye Doucoure are among the first-teamers set to depart when their contracts expire next month.
The biggest presence, Doucoure, has done a lot for Everton, not least scoring against Bournemouth on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign to preserve the club’s long-sustained Premier League status, but he’s 33 next year and the top earner besides at £130k per week.
With Dwight McNeil and Charly Alcaraz in the fold (the latter should sign after his loan spell), number ten isn’t actually the priority position for Moyes though.
However, signing a new striker is definitely an urgent job for the Toffees as they step into the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton need a new striker
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is out of contract at the end of the season, but the 28-year-old striker has not been named as one of the outgoing players.
Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin
If Everton are to keep him on the books, it shouldn’t come at the expense of a fresh signing, for Calvert-Lewin has only scored three goals across 25 Premier League games this term.
Beto has been a man reborn under Moyes’ wing, but is still prone to some misfires and Armando Broja, whose loan spell at Goodison Park has been ruined by injury, will return to Chelsea after this weekend’s culminating fixture against Newcastle United.
Everton manager David Moyes andBetoafter the match
Everton desperately need to sign a new number nine, having only scored 41 goals in the league this season; the three relegated sides are the only ones to have bagged fewer.
While it’s easier said than done, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher believes one of English football’s most sought-after stars would be wise to make the move to Bramley-Moore Dock in the coming months.
Carragher urges Moyes to sign PL star
On Monday Night Football, following Liverpool’s defeat at Brighton, Carragher was critical of Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap’s potential transfer to Manchester United.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapapplauds fans after the match
As per The Athletic, the 17th-place Red Devils have held executive meetings to determine whether a deal for the Englishman is feasible, with Chelsea also keen.
Moyes has been candid about his side’s own hopes of completing a move, and it’s something Carragher seems to agree with, believing the 22-year-old’s development would be best served in a talismanic berth on Merseyside.
Delap has a £30m release clause in his contract, which became active after the Tractor Boys’ relegation was sealed toward the end of April.
Though it’s been a pretty miserable campaign for Kieran McKenna’s newly-promoted team, Delap can hold his head high after scoring 12 goals from 32 starting appearances in the Premier League, praised as being “very strong” and a “powerful runner” by Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who seems keen.
Delap’s physicality and natural-born clinical edge may well see him become Everton’s finest centre-forward in a long time, perhaps even since the days of Romelu Lukaku.
Lukaku joined Everton from Chelsea for £28m (a similar fee) in July 2014 after a successful season-long loan spell at the outfit, and though he’s plied a nomadic career for himself, the 32-year-old devoted four prolific campaigns to the Blues cause.
Delap differs from the well-known Lukaku, but he’s similarly brutish in applying his physicality, eager to outmuscle his opponents and marry that presence with a deceptive swiftness and a sharp shooting sense.
As you can see below, Delap has maintained a comparatively superior level of prolificness to Everton’s existing strikers, also matching a combativeness that can be observed through high numbers in the duel.
Matches (starts)
36 (32)
29 (14)
25 (19)
Goals
12
8
3
Assists
2
0
1
Goal conversion
18%
16%
6%
Shots (on target)*
1.9 (0.9)
1.6 (0.8)
1.9 (0.8)
Big chances missed
10
12
14
Pass completion
62%
58%
64%
Key passes*
0.6
0.3
0.3
Dribbles*
1.1
0.7
0.4
Duels won*
4.3
5.0
5.0
And, of course, he’s far more progressive in his ball-carrying, something perhaps more clearly underscored by data-led platform FBref, who record Delap to rank among the top 13% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues this term for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.
Lukaku has been noted to ‘run like a wrecking ball’ by The Athletic’s Carl Anka in his heyday, and given the success Everton gleaned from the goal machine’s inward tactical database, extracting the raw quality of his skill set and building a team perfectly framed to promote his talent, Delap may well be curious at following suit to kick on over the next few years.
Given that the goalscorer used to be on Manchester City’s books as an academy player, a further similarity with Lukaku can be found, amid his initial stint at Chelsea. Let’s not forget too, the Belgian had one of the most fruitful spells of his storied career at Everton, posting 87 goals and 27 assists across 166 displays.
Described as a “wrecking ball” earlier in the campaign by Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones, just like Lukaku, Delap has what it takes to become a bona fide superstar in English football.
But would moving to Manchester be the most prudent for him right now? Old Trafford has proven to be a hotbed for stagnation and even regression over the past decade, and this is a player who needs balmy conditions so he can continue to foster his skills.
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Aston Villa’s name will not be etched on the FA Cup this season after a disastrous day out to Wembley at the semi-final stages saw Unai Emery’s Villans be humbled 3-0 by Oliver Glasner’s breathless Crystal Palace.
With no knock-out Champions League football on the menu now either, Villa’s sole goal rests on clinching a finish inside the Premier League’s top five to play amongst Europe’s elite once more.
Aston Villa manager UnaiEmery
Whatever does transpire, Villa could be facing a losing battle to keep Morgan Rogers situated at Villa Park past this season, with the rumour mill suggesting that the 22-year-old might be off very soon.
The latest on Morgan Rogers' future at Aston Villa
Rogers isn’t the only notable first-team face that could soon be heading for the exit door, with reports also surfacing that long-standing Villa servant Ollie Watkins is a wanted man by Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal.
The Independent claims that Chelsea are the Premier League club sniffing around for Rogers’ services, on the other hand, with a worry that Emery’s side might have to sign off on this departure reluctantly, owing to PSR rules.
The electric number 27 has shone throughout the season both down the wing and as a number ten, so it should come as no shock that Enzo Maresca’s Blues are keen, considering they are also weighing up moves for Jamie Gittens and Ademola Lookman to revolutionise their attacking options.
But, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom at Villa Park if Rogers does up and leave this summer, with a move for this sensational wonderkid finally getting over the line somewhat lessening the blow.
The "elite" long-term Rogers replacement
Obviously, losing a player of the 22-year-old’s unbelievable quality wouldn’t be ideal, with Rogers now up to a blistering 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season from 50 clashes.
But, it could push Villa to go back out into the market to fish for their next up-and-coming talent in a similar vein to the ex-Manchester City youngster, with long-term target Sverre Nypan potentially ticking a lot of boxes in this regard. Indeed, recent reports from Fabrizio Romano last week suggest they are ‘closing in’ on an agreement for the wonderkid’s signing.
The Champions League aspiring outfit took an almighty risk on Rogers coming good when he joined the building for around the £15m mark just last year, only for him to now be worth around the gigantic £100m price range.
Therefore, Villa will hope another risky gamble on their end to land the 18-year-old Rosenborg sensation works out, considering the attack-oriented menace continues to take his native Norway by storm in a similar way to the newly-capped Englishman
Nypan’s league numbers for Rosenborg (2024)
Stat (* = per 90 mins)
Nypan
Games played
28
Games started
25
Goals scored
8
Assists
7
Big chances missed
8
Big chances created
7
Total duels won*
5.4
Stats by Sofascore
Already off the mark for Rosenborg during their new Eliteserien campaign, Villa’s interest in the Norway U21 international would have been piqued before this, with his league numbers for his boyhood club last season also standing out massively.
Indeed, despite starting just 25 games, Nypan would close out the season with a weighty 15 goal contributions tallied up, leading to the likes of Arsenal also allegedly eyeing up the Nordic ace to try and claim their next version of Martin Odegaard.
In Villa’s case, landing Nypan’s signature would be all about trying to fill the potential void left behind by Rogers, with the teenager further showing himself to be a viable long-term replacement when you look at his adaptability to play as a striker, away from his usual midfield duties.
Hailed as an “elite potential talent” data analyst by Ben Mattinson just this year, it does seem like only a matter of time before a notable outfit takes a punt on Nypan, with Villa needing to exercise patience – much like they did with Rogers – to get the very best out of the Scandinavian starlet.
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Since the arrival of Graham Potter, West Ham United have opted for a more defensive approach, often starting in a back five, looking to have extra solidity in the side.
However, this has come at a cost, with the Hammers only scoring 33 goals this season, ranking 16th in the Premier League for goals scored per game.
West Ham are only averaging 47.4% possession, and whilst it is a big increase from last campaign’s 40.1% possession average, it still ranks 15th in the Premier League in this metric. The Hammers also only average 12.9 shots per game, ranking 12th in this metric in the division.
It is clear Potter himself knows his side has to improve, but getting to the summer and allowing him to invest in some players to help implement his style of play to a better degree would be a huge positive, with links already beginning to emerge for some summer targets.
West Ham targeting the next Kudus
According to reports from journalist Graeme Bailey, West Ham are interested in FC Twente star, Sem Steijn. Other Premier League clubs such as Bournemouth, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Wolves are also scouting the youngster, who has been excellent in the Eredivisie this season.
The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has made 39 appearances for FC Twente this season, scoring 26 goals and providing six assists in his 3,129 minutes played. Whilst English clubs have already sent scouts to watch the young midfielder, reports also suggest interest is emerging from Germany and France.
As we know, West Ham have already had success when buying from the Eredivisie, signing Mohammed Kudus back in 2023, joining from Ajax for a fee worth around £38m.
Why Steijn could be the next Kudus
Since joining the club, Kudus has made 72 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 17 goals, providing eight assists and totalling 5,634 minutes played. His form has tailed off in the 2024/25 campaign, but his debut Premier League season was certainly explosive, showing exactly what the 24-year-old has to offer.
Goals
0.37
0.75
Assists
0.17
0.16
xG
0.23
0.29
xAG
0.14
0.03
Progressive Carries
3.99
1.03
Progressive Passes
2.96
3.21
Shots Total
2.52
2.96
Key Passes
1.14
2.05
Shot-Creating Actions
3.52
2.05
When comparing the underlying metrics of Kudus in his first season at West Ham and Steijn’s current season in the Eredivisie, the 23-year-old comes out on top in five of the nine metrics analysed, offering better goal output, generating more xG, taking more shots, making more progressive passes and more key passes per 90.
Football Wonderkids on X (formerly Twitter) labeled Steijn a “ruthless” goalscorer, which is something the Hammers desperately need, even if it doesn’t come from the centre-forward. Adding that extra goal threat will only improve the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Kudus too, having a big overall impact on the side.
Mohammed Kudus for West Ham
Whilst not all things are linear, Kudus’ integration from the Eredivisie to the Premier League could be a good sign for West Ham when recruiting “Twente’s biggest jewel” – in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig – with the Hammers clearly hoping if they do choose to sign the 23-year-old, he could come and have an instant impact.
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