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Edison Azcona has revealed that, in a bid to protect Lionel Messi from injury, Inter Miami “don’t let him play” in some training matches.

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• Argentine inspired Leagues Cup triumph
• Missed important games through injury
• Handled with care by those in Florida

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The MLS outfit are delighted to have the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner on board, and saw him inspire them to a historic Leagues Cup triumph within weeks of his arrival in the United States. He has, however, also suffered a knock that prevented him from figuring in the U.S. Open Cup final and a late push for a playoff berth.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Inter Miami are aware of the need to handle Messi with care, with Azcona telling of how the all-time great is treated behind the scenes: “Everyone understands that we are not going to try to hurt him. One tries to defend, but they are a little more careful. We don't let him play in the games we play among ourselves, we defend him, but with caution. Nobody gets into it very hard.”

• WHAT THEY SAID

  It is not just in training that Inter Miami stars are changing their ways for Messi, with Dominican Republic international Azcona revealing that a number of players are learning a new language. He added: “I have not heard Leo speak English… Sometimes, he has said 'good morning' when he comes in, but those who speak English and do not know Spanish are learning to speak Spanish.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Messi has hit 11 goals for Inter Miami through 14 appearances and will not be heading out on loan in January – amid talk of a return to Barcelona – as he seeks to ensure that he is in peak condition for the start of the 2024 MLS campaign.

Burnley have told Crystal Palace they will have to pay a £3m compensation fee to take Sean Dyche to Selhurst Park, according to Football Insider.

And, as to be expected, a number of Palace fans have been giving their thoughts to the managerial update on social media.

A Palace source informed Football Insider that the Eagles hierarchy see Dyche as a suitable fit to replace Roy Hodgson.

Palace approached the Clarets to see how much it would cost to bring the 49-year-old to London and have now learned the figure.

Dyche’s current contract at Turf Moor has just over 12 months left to run, however, he has previously admitted talks will be held over a potential extension in Lancashire.

He’s been with Burnley since 2012 and has averaged 1.38 points per game in his 391 games as boss.

Palace fans react

@cpfc_xtra shared the news that it will cost Palace £3m to bring Dyche to the club on social media. These supporters were all for a deal, with many urging the club to get it done.

“Get it done”

Credit: @OutYanks

“That is ridiculously worth it”

Credit: @Jay_Rodrigues09

“Get it done! Ticks all the boxes”

Credit: @sean132707

“Pay it. Think about the cost of getting someone unproven..”

Credit: @OliverRender

“Get this done please”

Credit: @Jonno55Ng

“Tbh get it done”

Credit: @Thomas01568186

In other news: Many CPFC fans react to David Ornstein’s revelation on Eberechi Eze, find out more here. 

Giovanni Reyna's wait for a first Borussia Dortmund appearance of the season goes on after he was left on the bench for Friday's match at Hoffenheim.

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• Reyna left on Dortmund bench
• Has not featured this season
• Visitors beat Hoffenheim 3-1

The United States international watched on from the sidelines as his side picked up a 3-1 win in the Bundesliga.

It is the third time in a row he has been named among the Dortmund substitutes but overlooked by coach Edin Terzic when it came to making changes.

Despite the 20-year-old's absence, Dortmund picked up another three points to ensure they remain unbeaten after six matches in the German top-flight.

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  After missing the first two Bundesliga matches of the season through injury, Reyna has only been called up to take a place on the bench for Dortmund since his return to the squad.

  For the games against Wolfsburg in the league, Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, and now the trip to Hoffenheim, coach Terzic has turned to other options when deciding to bring on fresh legs to help his team see out results.

  Reyna could only watch on as the likes of Emre Can, Karim Adeyemi, Marius Wolf, Niklas Sule and Sebastien Haller were brought on as substitutes to help the 10-man Dortmund sealed the win.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Dortmund were the dominant force throughout the game and took a well-deserved lead just 18 minutes in when Julian Brandt pounced on a defender's error and fed it through to Niklas Fullkrug to fire home.

  The visitors gave Hoffenheim a way back in less than 10 minutes later, however, as Mats Hummels conceded a penalty and Andre Kramaric blasted it into the net.

  Marco Reus came to Dortmund's rescue just before half-time when Donyell Malen's low cross was knocked into his path by goalkeeper Oliver Baumann and the Germany international seized the opportunity.

  The win was put at risk for the final 20 minutes when Ramy Bensebaini was sent off with a second yellow card but that hardly slowed last season's runners-up down.

  Indeed, Julian Ryerson went on to score the pick of the bunch when he won the ball in his own half and charged forward, eventually smashing it into the net in stoppage time to wrap things up nicely for Dortmund.

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  USMNT IMPACT

  Reyna has little chance of persuading Gregg Berhalter that he is worthy of a spot in the next United States squad, let alone that place in the starting XI that his family feels he deserves.

  Dortmund play just two more games before the next international, in which USMNT take on Germany and Ghana.

  Given he has not featured at all this season, it is unlikely that Terzic will trust him to line up against AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday, but he could be brought on as a substitute, and he will hope to be given a chance in the subsequent Bundesliga clash against Union Berlin.

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  GOAL'S RATINGS

  Giovanni Reyna (N/A):

  The 20-year-old had to watch on from the bench yet again as his side maintained their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga season.

  With Dortmund top of the table – at least until Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen play over the weekend – Terzic may be more hesitant to alter his starting XI over the coming weeks, so it could be some time before the USMNT star gets his first start of the season.

In an exclusive interview with The Transfer Tavern, former Manchester United winger Keith Gillespie has urged his old club to use Sir Alex Ferguson in their search for an Ed Woodward replacement.

Manchester United recently confirmed that Woodward would be stepping down from his role as executive vice-chairman at the end of the year, leaving the Premier League outfit needing to find a replacement.

The likes of Edwin van der Sar and Richard Arnold have been touted as potential successors, and it will now be interesting to see who else enters the fray over the coming months.

And for Gillespie, Ferguson should be having a say on the candidates for the position given his experience and everything he has accomplished in the game.

Speaking exclusively to TT about United’s search for a Woodward replacement, Gillespie said:

“When you’ve still got Alex Ferguson about the place, he’s always one you have to take advice from. He worked at that club and was successful at that club for 26, 27 years, so he knows how to bring success.

“So certainly, in terms of who is going to come in and replace Woodward, Alex Ferguson would be the first person that you would be asking who you should go and get.

“He knows the club inside out. He knows the DNA of the club.”

Before then, Woodward and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be looking at how United can close the gap with rivals Manchester City, with bringing in Harry Kane this summer potentially being a solution.

Captain Martin Odegaard claims that he even he could be dropped at Arsenal, with Aaron Ramsdale’s surprise benching against Everton proving as much.

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• Raya handed the gloves at Goodison Park
• Spanish coach happy to rotate
• Skipper happy with level of competition

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mikel Arteta opted to freshen up his side between the sticks at Goodison Park when naming summer signing David Raya as his starting goalkeeper. England international Ramsdale, who has been a mainstay for the Gunners since breaking into their team, had to settle for a place among the substitutes.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Arteta is hoping to show that nobody is untouchable, and that rotation is a good thing, with club captain Odegaard – who continues to be a shining light for the north London outfit – telling when asked if even his place could be under threat: “Of course, the competition is huge. You see it in training every day, the quality that we have. Everyone has to be on their very best every day in training, so I think that’s a good thing. It will help us improve as a team as well.”

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Odegaard added on Ramsdale’s reaction to being benched against the Toffees, with Raya keeping a clean sheet in a hard-fought 1-0 win: “I think he will just keep working hard like he is always doing. Today he was there supporting us, cheering for us, helping us. He is a great character and he showed a very good response today by backing the team, by being there and giving us energy. It was excellent from him. We have two good goalkeepers there and big competition.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Ramsdale will be hoping for a recall when Arsenal make their long-awaited return to Champions League competition on Wednesday with a home date against Dutch giants PSV.

Writing on Twitter, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has shared some major West Ham team news for tonight’s clash with Brighton and Hove Albion. 

The Lowdown: West Ham injury crisis…

Over this last month, David Moyes has been forced to cope with mounting injury issues to his squad, with the likes of Declan Rice, Michail Antonio, Aaron Cresswell, Arthur Masuaku, Mark Noble and Manuel Lanzini all having been missing at some stage.

This has arguably had a major impact on West Ham’s race to do the unthinkable and qualify for a Champions League place. Indeed, the Irons have lost three of their last four games in the Premier League and Moyes will be hoping to have a near-fully fit squad at his disposal for the final hurdle.

The Latest: ExWHUemployee shares big team news

Writing on Twitter, Ex has now dropped a five-word message containing some significant team news on star midfielder Rice.

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When asked if the 22-year-old will feature at the Amex Stadium tonight, Ex revealed: “He should play against Brighton”.

Rice has been nearing a return but Moyes has always remained cryptic on the exact timeframe of injured players returning to the fold. As such, supporters have been relying on inside information from the likes of Ex, and his latest claim should excite plenty of Hammers enthusiasts.

The Verdict: Huge boost for Moyes…

Arguably the nucleus of this overachieving West Ham side, Rice has attracted plenty of attention from major clubs for his performances this season (90min). It’s not hard to see why either, with the midfield colossus proving an assured, composed figure to protect the Irons’ defence.

Out of the entire West Ham squad, he averages the most interceptions per match with two (WhoScored). Rice also completes a greater frequency of accurate passes (87.9%) than any Hammers regular with 10 or more starts in the Premier League (WhoScored).

His presence will be vital for Moyes as Europa League qualification remains a very strong possibility, so Ex’s team news update is a most welcome one.

In other news: Many West Ham fans flocked to this club announcement, find out more here.

Everton Football Club have a very proud youth academy.

From Wayne Rooney coming through the ranks roughly 20 years ago to the reliably consistent Leon Osman or the effervescent Ross Barkley, there have been some impressive talents to graduate from the Merseyside club.

Their product line in recent years hasn’t been quite as successful but we’ve still seen players like Tom Davies make the seamless transition from academy football to first team life.

The current jewel in the crown of Everton’s youth system is Anthony Gordon. The 20-year-old has played 20 times for the Toffees’ senior side but is yet to score for the club. He is currently earning valuable experience on loan at Preston but he may have to look over his shoulder in the next few years.

That’s because the winger will be challenged by plenty of other young attackers trying to make the grade at Goodison Park.

Ellis Simms is another making waves but the promising duo could be joined in competition by a certain Emilio Lawrence. The attacker is just 15 years of age but has made the step-up to under-18s football in the last few weeks.

A number of injury concerns have rocked the academy in recent months which has meant that a number of the under-18 squad have had to play at under-23 level.

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That has opened the door for spaces in the under-18s, a level at which Lawrence is now flourishing. He was handed 20 minutes against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this week and he took full advantage of his opportunity by finding the back of the net.

Everton have never been afraid to fast-track young players if they’re ready and this was a fine example. Lawrence was a significant danger to the opposition as he popped up with a late strike to seal a 3-1 win.

Speaking at full-time, under-18 manager Paul Tait reserved special praise for the teenager, saying: “Emilio gave us a threat. He can hit the ball with both feet and shifted it from right to left to score a smashing goal.”

The ability to use both feet in such a confident fashion should give him a big leg-up when it comes to competing for places at higher levels of the game.

It seems evident that Lawrence plays with no fear, and although a first team breakthrough is still a long way from becoming a reality, he appears to have plenty of tools to continue making a splash.

He’s one talent who Carlo Ancelotti will need to keep watching in the coming years.

AND in other news, Imagine him & DCL: Everton must swoop for £24.9m gem who gives oppo “sleepless nights”…

Sarina Wiegman's team may have come up just short in Australia and New Zealand, but the next generation can help them reach even greater heights

England's Women's World Cup dream was not to be in 2023, but that does not mean there shouldn't be a lot of optimism and excitement surrounding the future of this team. The Lionesses achieved an incredible feat by reaching the final of the tournament despite missing a number of key players, and many of those who stepped up during that historic run are still only in the early years of their careers.

Indeed, 13 members of England's 23-player squad were aged 25 or under, with veteran defender Lucy Bronze saying after the 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final that there will be much more to come from this group in the next few years.

“I think we have a really strong squad,” she said. “I think we showed that with the fact that we have made a final and nearly won, nearly took it to extra-time with many players from the Euros having retired or got injured. The starting XI tonight, in attack especially, was very young and they have got many, many tournaments ahead of them."

There are a number of exciting players who weren't part of this World Cup, too, that could well find themselves leading a title charge in 2027. So, who are those young stars that could be at the forefront of the Lionesses' battle to become world champions in four years' time? GOAL takes a look…

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  Lauren James

  The star of the show in the group stages, Lauren James' performances at this Women's World Cup were so exciting and encouraging. After bringing a serious spark to England when playing off the left wing against Denmark, she showed versatility, too, as she shone in a creative playmaker role once the team had changed to a 3-5-2 system.

  What is scary is that this tournament came at the end of the Chelsea star's first full season at the very highest level. Having helped Manchester United win promotion to the top-flight as a teenager, she is a name everyone has been raving about for several years, but a couple of seasons struggling with niggling injuries since meant she had to wait to really show that on the biggest stages.

  The 21-year-old is well on top of those problems now, though, and has put them behind her to show the world just why everyone in England is incredibly excited about her future. James will come back even better after this experience, with her sure to learn massively from the last few weeks – including from that foolish red card in the last 16.

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  Chloe Kelly

  It's been another big year for Chloe Kelly in an England shirt. After scoring the goal that won England the Women's Euros at Wembley last summer, it was her penalty in the shootout that secured the Women's Finalissima title in April, and she came up big again at this World Cup with a decisive spot-kick, hers sending the Lionesses through to the quarter-finals following a tricky last-16 encounter with Nigeria.

  But despite all of that, and her fantastic performances for Manchester City in the Women's Super League, Kelly is yet to secure her spot in England's starting XI. It's something that is sure to come over the next few years as she starts to hit her prime years.

  Currently 25 years old, she is the oldest name on this list, but it feels like there's so much more to come from her looking ahead to that 2027 Women's World Cup. She'll be a leading figure going into that tournament.

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  Maya Le Tissier

  A player incredibly unlucky to have missed out on this Women's World Cup, Maya Le Tissier was outstanding for Manchester United last season and was probably the best centre-back in the Women's Super League, even.

  Already so mature, with the intelligence in her play belying her years, the 21-year-old is still learning a lot about the highest level of the game, too, and is sure to get a lot of big games and pressure moments under her belt over the next four years.

  Despite being a surprise omission from the squad, Le Tissier did get the opportunity to fly to Australia to train with England ahead of the tournament, and that will be something she can take a lot from, with her sure to be an integral member of the team come 2027.

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  Hannah Hampton

  There are a couple of promising young goalkeepers coming through in this England set-up, and one of them, Hannah Hampton, was part of the squad that reached this World Cup final.

  The 22-year-old burst onto the scene six years ago and her shot-stopping reflexes and great technical ability have been catching the eye ever since.

  This past year will have been a huge learning experience for her, too. After being part of the group that won the Euros last summer, Hampton was dropped from the England squad for what head coach Sarina Wiegman cited as "some personal issues that she has to solve". She came through that, returned to the team before the World Cup and has just been part of a run to the final.

  Hampton will now enter a new chapter in her club career, too, joining Chelsea ahead of the new season. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out for her in a very competitive – and large – goalkeeping group, but she's sure to only develop.

As well as the England and USWNT stars, Japan are well-represented in the best XI of the tournament's opening fortnight…

What an incredible group stage we've just been treated to at the 2023 Women's World Cup. There were huge shocks, with two-time winners Germany, Olympic gold medallists Canada and South American champions Brazil all crashing out, while the underdog stories kept coming as Jamaica, Morocco and South Africa made the last 16 for the first time in their respective histories.

We've seen surprise results, too, such as Japan thrashing Spain, and the big guns are starting to warm up, as seen in huge wins for Sweden and England.

At the heart of it all have been some seriously impressive individual performances, with the race for the Golden Ball award certainly heating up with each matchday that has passed. As we prepare for all the drama that is sure to come in the knockouts, GOAL picks its team of the Women's World Cup group stage…

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  GK: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria)

  When you look at Nigeria's squad, you're immediately drawn to the attack. Asisat Oshoala, Ifeoma Onumonu, Uchenna Kanu and Rasheedat Ajibade are among the players Randy Waldrum can call upon in the final third, but one of the stars of their group stage was at the other end, in goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.

  Four years on from becoming the youngest goalkeeper to keep a Women's World Cup clean sheet, the 22-year-old has experience that belies her years and that certainly helped her as she kept two big clean sheets against Olympic champions Canada and a determined Ireland.

  Racking up a save percentage of 83.3 in her first three games, Nnadozie's stand-out moment was the stop she made to deny Christine Sinclair, the greatest goalscorer in the history of international football, from the spot. It gave Nigeria a great foundation to build on in Group B.

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  RB: Tiernny Wiltshire (Jamaica)

  Again, Jamaica's star names come in the forward areas, with Manchester City star Bunny Shaw certainly the poster girl for this team, but their defence was the key as they caused one of the shocks of the tournament by knocking out Brazil.

  The Reggae Girlz are yet to concede at this World Cup, with a 1-0 win over Panama sandwiched in between goalless stalemates with France and the South American champions, and Tiernny Wiltshire was absolutely solid in the latter two results.

  Tasked with keeping some real top talents quiet in her right-back role, Wiltshire won 10 duels, made 10 clearances, won five tackles and both of the aerial battles she competed in across the two games. There haven't been too many outstanding, eye-catching right-backs over the first phase, but there haven't been any more reliable and dependable ones than the 25-year-old.

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  CB: Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden)

  How often can you say that a centre-back is in the race for the Golden Boot? Amanda Ilestedt certainly is after netting three times from defence in Sweden's first three games.

  The first of those was absolutely crucial, her header from Kosovare Asllani's 90th-minute corner saving Sweden's blushes and allowing them to start with a win over South Africa. A few days later, she came to their rescue in a different way, breaking the deadlock from another set-piece just before half-time, the Olympic silver medallists having found Italy tough to break down before that goal.

  Ilestedt, who signed for Arsenal this summer, has been important at the other end of the pitch, too, helping Sweden to record two clean sheets as they enter the knockout rounds as just one of three teams to take maximum points in the group stage.

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  CB: Naomi Girma (United States)

  There's no doubt that the U.S. women's national team were poor in the group stage, with their tally of five points the lowest they've ever recorded at a Women's World Cup. That said, Naomi Girma has been excellent for the reigning champions in the heart of defence.

  Only conceding once in the first three games, the U.S. were relatively solid at the back despite their struggles, Girma's composure and ability to take control of situations particularly important given the team lost captain and star centre-back Becky Sauerbrunn just before the tournament.

  So often what the 23-year-old does can be under-stated and therefore go unnoticed, but it certainly shouldn't. She's already one of the best in the world in her position.

A number of Liverpool fans have been expressing their delight at footage of Virgil van Dijk making further progress in his injury recovery.

The Dutchman has been missing since suffering cruciate ligament damage back in October, following a dreadful challenge by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

It proved to be a massive moment in Liverpool’s season, with the Reds never the same from that moment on and their campaign slowly falling apart as each month has passed.

[freshpress-quiz id=“350790”]

Van Dijk was widely considered the best centre-back in the world before his injury, but his reputation has only grown since being out, such have been the Premier League champions’ struggles.

The 29-year-old is not expected to feature for the Reds until next season, but his much-anticipated return does appear to be edging closer all the time.

On Thursday, Van Dijk posted a video on Twitter showing him running at Liverpool’s AXA Training Centre, with the Netherlands captain showing good mobility and seemingly in good spirits.

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Liverpool fans react to fresh Van Dijk footage

Needless to say, these Liverpool fans were overjoyed to see Van Dijk making encouraging progress.

“Be still my heart “

Credit: @KeithCostigan

“Did my heart love til now?”

Credit: @Sinead_ONeill

“Big man come back soon”

Credit: @UpsornLFC

“Can’t wait for the best on the planet to be back”

Credit: @ShakOmarMusic

“Get this colossus back asap”

Credit: @Tiff5757

“My king”

Credit: @ToppsMatt

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been revealing their delight at seeing a Reds player back in training. Find out who it is here.