With the opening day of the Premier League season just over a week away, Leicester City are reportedly set to make an official offer in an attempt to sign a player who knows all about England's top flight.

Leicester transfer news

Whilst they haven't been able to splash the cash so far this summer, Leicester have still managed to welcome a number of reinforcements. The likes of Issahaku Fatawu, Caleb Okoli, Michael Golding and Bobby De Cordova-Reid have all arrived to hand Steve Cooper's side a boost as they look to simultaneously complete their business and avoid crossing the profit and sustainability line.

That said, the Foxes could still make at least one statement-signing before the window slams shut at the end of the month in what could yet strengthen Cooper's new side enough to avoid relegation at the first time of asking.

According to De Telegraaf in the Netherlands, Leicester are set to make an official offer to sign Steven Bergwijn from Ajax in a deal that could be worth close to €20m (£17m). Those at the King Power are reportedly unwilling to go above that price, however, in what could yet make negotiations difficult to sign the winger, who earns £75k-a-week in the Eredivisie.

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Of course, Bergwijn is already a familiar name with Premier League fans, having previously played for Tottenham Hotspur from 2020 to the summer of 2022. It was in that time that the King Power became all too aware of the Netherlands international's quality, as he netted a dramatic brace to seal a 3-2 victory over Leicester.

If the winger does seal a move to the Foxes this summer, then it's fair to say that he'll have quite the making up to do.

"Great" Bergwijn would be an impressive coup

Whilst he was only able to show glimpses of his best form during his time at Spurs, Bergwijn may now have the opportunity to prove himself once and for all in the Premier League, courtesy of Leicester. For £17m, he would have to hit the ground running, however, as last season's stats showed he is more than capable of – scoring 13 goals and assisting a further five in all competitions.

Earning the praise of former Spurs manager Jose Mourinho after scoring a debut winner against Manchester City, the current Fenerbahce manager said via TNT Sports: "The goal was a great goal and so important for us. (It was) the icing on the cake of a very good performance. Independent of the goal his performance was very good, very solid, very mature."

Now an experienced player at 26 years old, Bergwijn could get the opportunity to become the main man at Leicester this summer.

Liverpool continued their perfect start to life under Arne Slot in the Premier League with an impressive 3-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday.

The Reds have now won all three of their top-flight matches without conceding a single goal and are second in the division, only behind Manchester City on goal difference, heading into the first international break.

Much was made of Jurgen Klopp's exit, after almost nine years and Premier League and Champions League trophies, when he made the decision to part ways with the club in the summer.

However, Slot has hit the ground running and implemented his style seamlessly with a terrific start to the 2024/25 campaign, which may have eased any fears about a bumpy transition.

What makes this impressive start to the season all the more eye-catching is that the manager only made one signing during the summer transfer window.

Federico Chiesa arrived on a permanent deal from Juventus towards the end of the window and has yet to make his debut for the club, which means that the players Slot inherited have all adapted to his style quickly.

Luis Diaz and Mo Salah are shining

Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah are two players who have thrived under the new boss in the opening three games of the season, and they were in sublime form against United on Sunday.

The duo linked up for the opening goal in the first half as the Egypt international was played in down the right channel and clipped a delightful ball to the back post for his teammate to head the ball into a virtually empty net.

It was the same combination again for the second goal before the break, with Salah prodding the ball across for Diaz to brilliantly slide a shot into the bottom right corner.

The Liverpool icon went from provider to scorer in the second half as he walked onto a pass from Dominik Szoboszlai to slot the ball into the corner past Andre Onana, ending the game with one goal and two assists.

Appearances

3

3

Goals

3

3

Assists

1

3

Big chances created

2

4

Key passes per game

2.3

1.7

As you can see in the table above, the wing wizards have now combined for six goals and four assists in the first three games of the Premier League season.

Slot's exciting, progressive, style of football has put both players in positions to cause constant problems for opposition full-backs, and it has resulted in them providing regular quality in the final third.

However, they were not the only stars of the win at Old Trafford as Szoboszlai was as good as Salah and Diaz with his display in the number ten position.

Dominik Szoboszlai's performance against United

Szoboszlai, who was handed a player rating of 8/10 by 90min writer Jude Summerfield, put in a fantastic display in the middle of the park against Erik ten Hag's side.

Firstly, the Hungary international did not stop running from minute one to minute 90. His incredible engine was there for all to see with his superb pressing work to ensure that United's players did not have time and space to do what they wanted to do in possession, in the areas that he was covering.

The former RB Leipzig star won four of his six physical duels out of possession, all of which came on the ground, and made three tackles and one interception throughout the match, which illustrates his defensive impact for Liverpool to help his side to another clean sheet.

In possession, Szoboszlai was uber reliable for Slot in the role behind the front three, as he completed 90% of his attempted passes, with 35 out of 39 passes completed.

That did not take away from his creativity and risk-taking in the final third, however, as the Hungarian maestro provided an assist for Salah's goal with a drive through the middle and lay-off to the winger.

His assist for the Liverpool forward was one of three key passes made throughout the match, to go along with a 100% success rate in long passes and crosses (2/2).

Overall, it was a phenomenal shift from Szoboszlai, who proved his worth to the team in and out of possession, as he matched Diaz and Salah as one of the top performers in the team.

Slot is turning Szoboszlai into a monster

With a lack of signings during the summer transfer window, Slot had to improve the players he already had at his disposal when he arrived and the Dutchman appears to have done that already with the Hungary international.

Szoboszlai has produced two 'big chances' and registered one assist in the first three matches of the season, which shows that he has started the campaign in fine form offensively.

His work out of possession has not suffered as a result of that, though, as the central midfielder has averaged 6.3 ball recoveries per game and won 50% of his ground duels, compared to 5.2 recoveries and a 42% ground duel success rate in the Premier League last term.

Albeit based on a small sample size, the ex-Bundesliga starlet has improved his defensive work by winning possession back more frequently and more efficiently.

Appearances

33

3

Sofascore rating

7.15

7.63

Big chances created

7

2

Key passes per game

1.7

2.7

Pass accuracy

87%

93%

Ball recoveries per game

5.2

6.3

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old maestro's use of the ball has also improved under Slot on the evidence of this season so far.

He has been more secure in his passing whilst also offering more creativity, averaging 1.0 more key passes per match, and this suggests that the manager has helped him to be more efficient and effective in a number ten, or advanced eight, position.

These statistics show that the Dutch head coach is turning Szoboszlai into a midfield monster who can make a big impact in and out of possession for Liverpool and, hopefully, it will continue for the rest of the 2024/25 campaign.

Liverpool hit gold with Klopp signing who’s worth millions more than Chiesa

He’ll be hoping to raise his level under Arne Slot this season…

1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 31, 2024

Chelsea have had a very interesting week in the transfer market, as proceedings with Atlético Madrid hit a stumbling block, stopping Samu Omorodion joining the Blues, and Conor Gallagher from going in the opposite direction.

The Blues have now pivoted to long-term target, Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen, as their number one target. However, it is believed they are watching multiple striker situations develop as they assess their next move.

Osimhen made 32 appearances in all competitions last season for Napoli, scoring 17 goals, providing four assists, and totalling 2,476 minutes played.

Chelsea transfer news

According to reports from The Independent, Chelsea could look to test the resolve of Brentford and make an offer for striker Ivan Toney late in the window. This could be as a loan with an obligation to buy of around £60m.

Manchester United are another club stated in the reports that could make a move for the 28-year-old late in the window. Any sale would be a massive decrease on the asking price in January, which was close to £100m.

Toney made 17 Premier League appearances last season, scoring four goals, providing two assists, and totalling 1,449 minutes played.

Toney vs Osimhen comparison

The "remarkable" forward, as manager Thomas Frank described him, has shown his quality in the Premier League already, scoring 20 in the league last season in 33 appearances.

A 20+ goal a-season striker is something that is not easy to come by in the Premier League, and getting your hands on one, especially at Chelsea, who have failed in this department since Diego Costa, is a hard task.

Goals

0.25

0.62

0.61

Assists

0.12

0.11

0.15

xG

0.37

0.65

0.57

Shots Total

3.17

3.69

2.77

Shots on Target

1.30

1.53

1.05

Shot-Creating Actions

2.42

2.47

2.01

Progressive Carries

1.43

1.59

0.43

Progressive Passes

2.48

0.96

2.41

Touches (Att Pen)

4.16

6.83

4.76

Aerials Won

3.35

1.81

3.32

For these metrics, we have decided to compare Toney's 2022/23 season too alongside the Osimhen and Toney 2023/24 campaigns. This is due to the minute differential in the two seasons, managing 3,090 in the 2022/23 season, compared to 1,450 in the 2023/24 season.

You can instantly see from the numbers, Toney produced 0.61 goals per 90 in his 22/23 season, over double his production level this season (in fewer games). Despite accumulating 0.08 less xG per 90 than Osimhen, Toney only averaged 0.01 goals per 90 less than Osimhen.

This shows the lethal nature of the England international during that season, as he took a lower volume of shots, managed less on target, but still scored at a 0.16 goals/shot ratio. He overachieved his xG in that season by 0.04 G-xG per 90.

A reliable marksman is exactly what Chelsea need, one that can offer a significant box threat improvement too, which is certainly another asset the Bees star can bring, winning 3.35 aerials per 90. This would give Chelsea a focal point in the box, especially when facing low-block sides.

So at a cheaper fee and potentially much lower wages too, Toney could prove to be an astute move for Chelsea late in the window, especially if their Osimhen hopes slowly diminish.

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Sheffield Wednesday’s deadline day plans have been revealed as they plot a double move before 11pm Friday, according to a recent report.

The Owls have been extremely busy this summer, as manager Danny Rohl tries to shape a team that can go from beating the drop last season to possibly mounting a playoff challenge. The Yorkshire side have made a steady start to this season, as they have won one and lost two of their opening three games of the season, looking strong in attack but susceptible at the back.

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Sheffield Wednesday have added 11 players to their squad over the course of this summer, as Rohl is keen to avoid a repeat of last season. The club’s latest addition is midfielder Shea Charles, who has joined the club on a season-long loan deal from Premier League side Southampton.

Sheffield Wednesday's summer signings

Ike Ugbo

Troyes

Olaf Kobacki

Arka Gdynia

Yan Valery

Angers SCO

Max Lowe

Sheffield United

Jamal Lowe

Bournemouth

Nathaniel Chalobah

West Brom

Svante Inglesson

Hansa Rostock

Ben Hamer

Watford

Charlie McNeill

Man United

Shea Charles (Loan)

Southampton

James Beadle (Loan)

Brighton

But Wednesday’s business might not be stopping there, as in the past month they have also been linked with a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Alfie Devine. It was claimed that the Owls were considering a move for the player, with the preference being a loan deal. The 20-year-old has been with Spurs since 2020, when he joined the club from Wigan Athletic, and has spent time on loan in the second tier before, as he joined Plymouth Argyle last January.

As well as looking to sign Devine, it has also been claimed this month that the Yorkshire side are interested in Brighton player Malick Yalcouye. Yalcouye is set to be loaned out by the Seagulls despite joining the club earlier this summer, and Wednesday are among the clubs interested in taking him on, but face competition from Austrian club Sturm Graz.

Wednesday only have a day left to complete any transfers they have in mind, and it appears that they are still in the market to add at least another two players.

Sheffield Wednesday plot double transfer move

According to The Star, Sheffield Wednesday are still in the market to do more transfer business, despite already adding 11 players to their squad this summer.

The report states that while no names have been mentioned, they are keen to sign another attacker while also adding a ball-playing defender to their squad, which ideally would be a left-footed player. Furthermore, it appears as though their search to fill these voids has taken them to the Premier League loan market, and they are intended to be starting level players, not additions simply for squad depth.

The report states: “The bulk of their work is already done, and it wouldn’t be a monumental shock if no further business were to be done – though in an ideal world The Star understands they would like to. It’s believed another attacker and a ball-playing defender – preferably a left-footed one – are options still being looked at. Specific names, at this stage, are on short supply.”

Sheffield Wednesday have already added Ike Ugbo, Charlie McNeill, and Jamal Lowe to their ranks, who are all players that play in the forward line, but it appears Rohl still wants more in that area of the pitch. Meanwhile, the club have yet to add a centre-back, with the only defensive arrivals being full-backs.

Darts sensation Luke Littler called for a Manchester United legend to return to the club during their Europa League win over Viktoria Plzen.

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Man Utd beat Viktoria PlzenLittler not happy at certain playerDarts star wants club icon to returnFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Not long after Andre Onana made a mistake for the Czech Republic team's opener, 17-year-old Littler took to social media to express his displeasure at the situation. The United fan appeared to want former goalkeeper David de Gea back at Old Trafford, before deleting the Instagram story.

AdvertisementWHAT LUKE LITTLER SAID

The now-deleted Instagram story, which featured a photo of the United game, reads: "Bring back Dave," with a gloves emoji.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

United went on to win the game 2-1 in a comeback victory, one that put them into a strong position to reach the last 16 of the Europa League. But this game raised questions about whether Onana is good enough to be the Red Devils' first-choice keeper. The Cameroon international joined United from Inter Milan in the summer of 2023 for £48 million ($62m) but he has made a number of high-profile errors since then. Even though his form has improved this season, a couple of mistakes have led some to call for De Gea – who left the club in 2023 after a 12-year stint – to return to the Premier League giants.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

With 34-year-old De Gea now at Fiorentina, Onana, 28, is very much United's number one keeper. He will hope to improve his form against Manchester City on Sunday.

Sheffield Wednesday are in a race to sign a Premier League midfielder on loan before the summer transfer window slams shut. The Owls have been a very busy side this summer, but with still under three weeks remaining, the club could still be keeping an eye on potential developments that may occur.

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Sheffield Wednesday’s transfer business

The Yorkshire side got their Championship campaign underway on Sunday in the best possible fashion, as they demolished Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle 4-0. This was a very impressive start for Wednesday, even more so when you consider how long it took the club to pick up their first league win last season, and the result continued what has been a very impressive summer for the Owls under Danny Rohl.

Wednesday have been extremely busy so far in this transfer window, adding ten players over the course of the last few months as they look to avoid a repeat of last season. Some of those new additions include Charlie McNeill from Manchester United, as well as Nathaniel Chalobah and Jamal Lowe on free transfers.

But the most eye-catching arrival has got to be Ike Ugbo, who spent time on loan at Hillsborough, and the club had been chasing his signature for much of this transfer window. It appears as though their transfer business may not be finished just yet however, with another McNeill type signing lined up.

Sheffield Wednesda interested in signing Malick Yalcouye

According to the Daily Express’ Charlie Parker-Turner, Malick Yalcouye is set to be loaned out by Premier League side Brighton in this transfer window. The report states that the midfielder has impressed during pre-season for the Seagulls, but a decision has been made for him to spend the upcoming campaign elsewhere.

Wednesday are said to be interested in signing the player but face competition from Luton Town and arch-rivals Sheffield United. Yalcouye joined Brighton from Swedish club IFK Goteborg earlier in this transfer window, in a deal that is said to have cost £6 million.

Therefore, the midfielder has yet to play a competitive game for the club, but as Parker-Turner states, he has impressed during pre-season for the top-flight club. The 18-year-old started his career at ASEC Mimosas, and in 2023 he made his debut in the African Champions League at the age of 17, which was the start of some very big things to come in the player’s career.

Malick Yalcouye's IFK Goteborg stats
Apps	14
Goals	1
Assists	0
Stats as per Transfermarkt

Yalcouye only joined IFK Goteborg earlier this year, so he wasn’t with the Swedish side for long before moving to England and signing for Brighton. However, he did feature a lot for the club, as he played 11 times in the Allsvenskan, scoring one goal, and he has also played three times in the Svenska Cupen.

The young midfielder played a total of 959 minutes in the Swedish league, while he also played a further 162 minutes in the cup competition, as per Transfermarkt.

حقق فريق الكرة الطائرة بـ الأهلي فوزًا هاماً على منافسه سبورتنج بنتيجة 3-0، في المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين اليوم الثلاثاء، في اللقاء الذي جمع بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري.

و‏‎أقيمت المباراة على صالة سبورتنج بالإسكندرية، وقدم خلالها الفريق عرضًا قويًّا على صعيد الإعداد والإرسال وحائط الصد والضربات الساحقة، لينهي اللقاء لصالحه بنتيجة ثلاثة أشواط نظيفة.

طالع | خالد الغندور: زياد كمال لا يليق على الزمالك.. ولماذا لا يتحدث أحد عن لاعب الأهلي؟

و‏‎تفوق فريق الطائرة بـ الأهلي في الشوط الأول على سبورتنج بنتيجة 25-20، ثم حسم الشوط الثاني بنتيجة 26-24، قبل أن ينهي الشوط الثالث والمباراة بنتيجة 25-17، ليواصل الفريق انتصاراته في مسابقة الدوري المصري.

ومن المقرر أن يواجه فريق الطائرة بالأهلي نظيره طلائع الجيش يوم الأحد المقبل في إطار منافسات الدوري.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is not underestimating Manchester City ahead of the derby, despite Pep Guardiola's side's recent struggles.

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• Cityzens lost seven of last 10 games
• United also in a rut under Amorim
• 'Great teams respond in any moment'

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  City have won just one of their last 10 matches in all competitions in their worst run of form since 2006, falling off the pace in the Premier League title race and in danger of missing out on the Champions League knockout stage. United, though, have problems of their own, despite snatching victory over Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday. They have won three out of six games since Amorim took charge and find themselves 13th in the Premier League following twin losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

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• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Amorim told a press conference: "No, no, no, no. The great teams can respond in any moment and I think they are in a better place than us in type of understanding the game, the way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments, we have a lot to focus on in our team. Of course we have a strategy to try to win the game with the strategy like it should be. But we are focused just on our team. We will face a great opponent and I’m more focused on our problem. So we have a lot of issues here. So I’m more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game. So I’m really focused on my team."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Amorim acknowledged that the two Manchester clubs, who have won 21 Premier League titles between them, have fallen on hard times and looked forward to them battling each other for the top prizes. He added: "I’m really focused on the details, I just want to improve the team so I cannot treat it like a normal derby. It should be like two great teams fighting for the title and it is not that in this moment. So it is just one more game with a very good opponent. Both teams are struggling in the moment so I hope in future I can feel that real feeling of a derby. But my goal now is to improve the team and win games. And we’ll try to win this game."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Amorim also repeated that he had never spoken to City about potentially replacing Pep Guardiola before he entered talks with United. Hugo Viana, Amorim's former colleague at Sporting, will take over as City's sporting director next season. "Never. Never heard from them and this was my only option," he said. "When Manchester United talked to me I had no doubts. I had already something in my mind that could be a possibility. With Manchester City or Viana? Nothing about that."

Left-arm seamer collected eight trophies in globetrotting T20 career

ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2021Harry Gurney, the Nottinghamshire and England seamer who became a fixture on the T20 franchise circuit, has announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 34.Gurney announced the decision after failing to recover from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss Nottinghamshire’s triumphant campaign in last season’s Vitality Blast.However, Gurney claimed three one-day trophies with Nottinghamshire in the course of his career – two List A finals at Lord’s, and the 2017 Vitality Blast title, in which he claimed figures of 7 for 36 across their two fixtures on Finals Day at Edgbaston.”The time has arrived for me to hang up my boots,” Gurney told the club website. “After trying to recover from the recent injury to my shoulder, I am truly disappointed to have to end my playing career as a result of it.”From the first time I picked up a cricket ball at the age of ten, I was completely obsessed. Cricket has been my life for 24 years and has taken me on an incredible journey that I will cherish forever.”As a left-arm seamer with a natural ability to swing the ball, Gurney played 12 times for England, all in 2014 – 10 ODIs and two T20Is – but enjoyed significantly more success on the T20 domestic circuit, with trophy-winning stints at Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash and Barbados Tridents in the CPL. He also represented Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, and Quetta Gladiators in the PSL.Related

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“Playing for England, in the IPL and winning eight trophies at home and abroad including the Blast, Big Bash and CPL has exceeded my wildest dreams,” he said.Outside of cricket, Gurney runs a pub company, the Cat and Wickets, with his Nottinghamshire and England team-mate Stuart Broad. Although the duo confirmed on Thursday that they would not be renewing the lease on their original Leicestershire project, The Three Crowns, in Wymeswold, near Loughborough, due to the impact of Covid-19, Gurney says he will be continuing in the hospitality industry.”I always prepared for leaving cricket and I have discovered a new path in business that gives me the same excitement that I felt when I discovered the game all those years ago,” he said.”That is a path I will now go down with immediate effect, as I have found this injury recovery too much of a mountain to climb.”Mick Newell, who brought Gurney to Nottinghamshire ahead of the 2012 season, highlighted his achievements in both the red- and white-ball game.”Harry has been a terrific, match winning, bowler for this club for a number of years,” Newell said.”He’s carved out a niche in limited-overs competitions in recent times and been very successful in that at home and abroad, but his record in the First-Class game is something he can be immensely proud of as well.”Harry sets a good example to all cricketers in that he’s prepared himself for life after the game, and that is something I hope will make the transition a lot easier.”He moves into a new phase of his life with the very best wishes of everyone at Trent Bridge, and we hope to see him as a welcome visitor on a regular basis during the coming years.”

Manchester City look to be closing in on the signing of a 2007-born defender as they beat Arsenal to the signing, according to a new report.

The Blues have just come out of what was a rather quiet transfer window, but that hasn’t stopped them from making an excellent start to the new Premier League season. But while the transfer window was quiet, the club is now preparing to be busy when it comes to handing out new contracts.

Man City plotting huge new contract talks for another £220,000-a-week star

Txiki Begiristain is eyeing a new contract for a key Man City player.

1 ByBrett Worthington Sep 3, 2024 Man City plan new De Bruyne and Rodri contracts

Man City added just two players to their squad over the course of the summer months, and they were Savinho and İlkay Gündoğan. However, the club was busy in terms of exits, as they allowed several fringe players to leave as they searched for regular football.

Savinho

Troyes

İlkay Gündoğan

FC Barcelona

Now that the window has closed, the club’s hierarchy looks to be turning their attention to tying their best players down to new contracts. The first player that the Blues are looking to tie down to a new contract is talisman Kevin de Bruyne, who revealed earlier this week that he would be having “conversations” with the club over a new deal.

The Belgian has entered the last year of his contract with City, which has put some doubt over his future at the club. But reports have stated that there is an expectation that he will sign a new contract with the Premier League side.

As well as de Bruyne, City are also keen on tying fellow midfielder Rodri to a new “lucrative” contract. The Spaniard still has three years left to run on his contract, but the Blues are keen to tie him down further to avoid teams such as Real Madrid pouncing at the end of the campaign.

Man City set to beat Arsenal to teenage signing

According to HITC, Manchester City have an “agreement in place” to sign Christian McFarlane from MLS side New York City FC. The 17-year-old came through the academy at the USA side and has made his first team debut for the club, but he now looks set to join Man City in 2025.

The report states that given McFarlane is already part of the City Football Group, it makes a deal straight forward to do and easy to complete. The defender has been on the club’s radar for a long time, and they have been planning to bring him to England since he was in New York's academy, making sure no one else beats them to the signing.

It goes on to add that teams such as Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Atlético Madrid were watching the young star, but City are set to win the race for the Englishman. The 17-year-old has played 11 times for New York City in all competitions, with six of those appearances coming in this year’s MLS campaign.