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England boss Gareth Southgate suggested Harry Kane will recover from a back injury in time for Euro 2024 as the issue is "pretty much clear".

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• Kane picked up back injury
• Rested by Bayern after blow
• Southgate issues injury update

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kane picked up a back injury during Bayern Munich's 2-1 Champions League semi-final second-leg defeat to Real Madrid earlier this month and the England captain has not played since. Concerns are growing the Three Lions striker may not be fully fit for the start of Euro 2024 but manager Southgate has allayed those fears.

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  WHAT GARETH SOUTHGATE SAID

  The England manager told reporters: “He [Kane] is quite relaxed about it. I think a sensible decision was taken not to push for [Bayern’s last games], but our understanding of it is that it is something that is pretty much clear now. Something like that can happen at any given moment as we all know. Back problems can just happen, [during] travel [or] whatever else but it is not something we are concerned about at this moment in time.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Not having Kane fit for England this summer would have been a disaster. He has been prolific for Bayern this season and having the Three Lions talisman ready and available for this upcoming tournament is a huge plus.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  England have their final warm-up games for the Euros with friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina and then Iceland on June 3 and 7 respectively. They begin their European campaign against Serbia on June 16.

The January transfer window is now officially open for business and Glasgow Rangers could be in the market to make further additions to their playing squad.

Philippe Clement has already made his first signing in charge of the Scottish giants as Fabio Silva has been brought in on loan until the end of the season from Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Light Blues are also reportedly lining up a £2.5m bid to sign Vitesse winger Million Manhoef to add more firepower to their wide options.

Rangers are currently eight points adrift of the top of the Scottish Premiership table after they were beaten 2-1 by Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday.

However, they have two matches in hand on their rivals and could, therefore, only be two points behind them if they win those matches, which means that Clement's side are still in the title race as it stands.

A couple of strong additions during the January transfer window could give the Gers a lift ahead of the second half of the campaign to push on and secure more silverware.

Rangers transfer news – Lawrence Shankland

According to Football Insider, one player the Light Blues have their eye on is Hearts and Premiership star Lawrence Shankland, who has been in superb form this season.

The report does, however, claim that a move is unlikely to take place this month as it stands due to his club's valuation of his services, which is £3m.

It states that the Gers do not have the funds to facilitate a deal at that price and would need to wait until the end of the season to launch an approach.

However, it does add the caveat that things could change if they are able to increase their budget through player sales. Although, there is no mention of who could be sold in order to do that.

The Scottish giants are said to be keeping close tabs on Shankland's situation as the impressive marksman's current contract with Hearts is due to expire at the end of next season.

Football Insider report that the Jam Tarts have held talks with the Scotland international over an extension but the experienced forward has refused to put pen to paper.

This suggests that the striker is keeping his options open and that a move to Rangers, or another side, is not completely out of the question, whether that is this month or in the summer.

Rangers must now find a way to finance a deal for Shankland, through player sales if possible, as the Premiership star has the quality to be a phenomenal addition to the squad.

He is miles better than Clement's current number nine Cyriel Dessers, who has struggled badly since his move to Ibrox from Cremonese.

Dessers' Premiership season in number

The Nigeria international has not provided consistent quality at the top end of the pitch and is not a reliable attacking option for the head coach.

Michael Beale snapped him up from Cremonese after the centre-forward managed six goals from 7.15 xG in 26 Serie A appearances during the 2022/23 campaign.

This meant that the Gers were bringing in a striker who was coming off the back of a poor season in front of goal, as the dud underperformed his xG by 1.15.

The warning signs were there for Beale but the English head coach, who has since been replaced by Clement, still pressed ahead with a deal for the former Feyenoord ace.

So far this season, Dessers has scored six goals and provided one assist in 16 Premiership matches. His finishing has left plenty to be desired as the 29-year-old flop has missed 11 'big chances' in front of goal, which suggests that he has let his teammates down far too often.

The Nigerian attacker also managed one goal in five Europa League matches during the group stages of the competition, although he did not miss a single 'big chance' in that time.

This means that Dessers has produced seven goals in 21 Premiership and Europa League games combined to go along with 11 'big chances' missed.

His performance against Celtic on Saturday was the latest in a long line of disappointing performances from the summer signing, as he struggled badly at Parkhead.

As you can see in the table above, Dessers did not have an impact on the match at the top end of the pitch and lost the physical battle with Maik Nawrocki and Liam Scales, who eased him out of the way more often than not.

The statistics that show Shankland is better than Dessers

Meanwhile, Shankland has been in phenomenal form for Hearts in the Premiership and has the potential to hit the ground running at Ibrox.

He is a proven performer in Scotland who is currently top of the scoring charts in the top-flight, with two more goals than Gers captain James Tavernier.

The 28-year-old marksman, who was once described as "different class" by journalist Joel Sked, has plundered an eye-catching 12 goals in 20 league outings for the Jam Tarts. More impressively, perhaps, is that he has done that with only three 'big chances' missed to date.

This sensational return in front of goal is also not a flash in the pan for the Scottish ace. He produced a superb 24 goals and four assists in 37 Premiership matches during the 2022/23 campaign, and only missed 16 'big chances'.

The Hearts star has, therefore, scored 36 goals in 57 league outings since the start of last season to go along with 19 'big chances' missed, which shows that the £3m-rated talent rarely spurns opportunities to score.

Shankland has proven himself to be a terrific goalscorer in the Scottish top-flight over the last 18 months and this suggests that he would hit the ground running at Rangers as the impressive ace already knows what it takes to find the back of the net on a regular basis at this level.

Whereas, Dessers has proven himself to be a liability in front of goal, which is why the Gers target is miles better than him on their form since the start of last season due to the vast difference in quality and consistency in the final third.

This is why Clement must do everything in his power to raise the funds to secure a deal for the Premiership top scorer this month.

Leeds United will look to actively add bits here and there to their squad to try and take the West Yorkshire giants to the next level this January, prolonging their push for the automatic promotion places that look slightly out of reach currently.

However, with many twists and turns still to come in the Championship before its finale, Daniel Farke's men are still very much in the reckoning for the top two despite Leicester City and Ipswich Town, at this moment in time, setting the pace.

Farke could look to add this current Premier League defender to his Whites arsenal this month if rumours are correct, with the player in question eager to slot into his new team alongside fellow countryman and ex-teammate Joe Rodon.

Leeds transfer latest – Connor Roberts

Football journalist Darren Witcoop revealed yesterday on social media that Leeds have shown interest in signing Burnley full-back Connor Roberts, with Leeds stalwart Luke Ayling potentially heading out of the club as a result of this development.

Ayling is subject to interest from Middlesbrough, according to Witcoop, the Championship promotion chasers at peace with the 32-year-old defender leaving for the Riverside Stadium if Roberts then follows suit and relocates to Elland Road.

Roberts would be a welcome addition this January, offering Leeds another option down the right-hand side with Djed Spence's loan being terminated recently and other options out injured.

Likewise, it would be a smart bit of business to reunite the 28-year-old with the likes of Rodon, Joel Piroe and Dan James – the quartet all playing alongside each other at Swansea City under Steve Cooper's reign with the Welsh club, Farke wanting to get the band back together.

Connor Roberts' style of play

Roberts would provide Leeds with a calm head at the back, not slaloming forward at every opportunity but patiently allowing his side to tick from the right-back position.

The Welshman's main strength is his creativity playing out from defence, notching up an impressive 15 assists for the Swans in all competitions during a celebrated stay with the club with 14 of those coming in the bread and butter of Championship action.

The experienced 28-year-old played alongside Leeds loanee Joe Rodon many times during this patch of his career where Swansea would routinely challenge for the second tier playoffs, both key components to defensively resilient sides assembled by Cooper.

It saw Cooper openly praise his compatriot many a time, with the ex-Nottingham Forest boss going above and beyond to wax lyrical about Roberts after a 2-1 Swansea away win at Stoke City back in 2021.

Roberts helped himself to a goal on the day, with his boss at the time showering the praise post-match when mentioning Roberts' attacking qualities which "caught the eye" whilst his defending was also typically "excellent".

Signing Roberts – who has been praised for his "boundless energy" by The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell – would also allow Farke to play Archie Gray in a more comfortable midfield position if needed, as well as giving the 17-year-old time to breathe on occasion after becoming a fixed first-teamer recently at right-back.

The £30k-per-week machine would be champing at the bit to be reunited with Rodon if a deal got over the line, forming a formidable duo at the back again to help their new side Leeds on their way to more decisive victories in the tense promotion race.

Roberts will also hope he can share his recently attained promotion-winning wisdom in West Yorkshire and it rubs off on his new teammates, after winning the Championship title with Burnley just last campaign.

Manchester United could be banned from competing in the Europa League due to a UEFA rule about multi-club ownership.

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• United win FA Cup to qualify for Europa League
• Could be banned due to INEOS's ownership of Nice
• Ratcliffe's company confident of resolution

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  French side Nice and United, who are both involved with INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, have both qualified for next season's Europa League. However, UEFA regulations state that clubs with the same owner cannot compete in the same competition, which has since cast doubts over whether or not United can compete in the competition.

  It was previously claimed that the Red Devils might drop into the Europa Conference League after finishing lower than Nice in their respective league standings. United finished eighth while Nice finished fifth in Ligue 1.

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  WHAT INEOS SAID

  A statement released by INEOS read: "We are aware of the position of the two clubs and we are in direct dialogue with UEFA.

  "We are convinced that we have a solution for next season in Europe."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite finishing in eighth place, United qualified for the Europa League following their FA Cup victory over Manchester City last weekend.

  According to , a deal has since been reached with UEFA regarding United competing with Nice in the Europa League. The two teams will bypass the multi-club ownership rule in the same competition due to Ratcliffe owning under 30 percent of United currently.

  However, INEOS' initial takeover plan includes steps to increase the ownership over the 30% limit, which would mean United violated UEFA rules. If they pass this threshold, one of the two teams would be relegated to the Europa Conference League.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?

  Before plans can be made for 2024-25 and the potential competitions they will compete in, Ratcliffe and United must first decide on the future of Erik ten Hag. Whether or not the Dutchman stays at Old Trafford remains to be seen. Once his future is decided, the club can look ahead to next season and make plans for the ownership structure and how to avoid relegation while competing in Europe.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson lined up for Brazil in their pre-Copa America friendly clash with Mexico sporting No.110 on his back.

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• Reds shot-stopper in international action
• Has taken captain's armband for his country
• Celebrating special anniversary for Selecao

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 31-year-old shot-stopper is accustomed to wearing shirts bearing a number one, as he has become a go-to option between the sticks for club and country. He is the undisputed first-choice at Anfield and fills the No.1 spot on Merseyside.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Alisson has often taken on a similar role with Brazil, and is expected to provide their last line of defence when going in search of continental glory in the United States this summer. He was included from the off in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico that saw Real Madrid-bound Endirck snatch a 96th-minute winner.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Alisson played the full 90 minutes when earning cap 64 for the Selecao, but did have a rather unusual number on his shirt. As the Brazilian national team are celebrating their 110th anniversary, special dispensation was granted for them to produce a unique goalkeeper jersey.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Brazil, who handed their captain’s armband to Alisson against Mexico, are now counting down the days to a Copa America opener against Costa Rica on June 24. They have one more friendly date, against the USMNT, to take in prior to that.

The January transfer window opened for business at the start of this month and Celtic are reportedly keen to make up to four new signings for their squad.

Alongside winger Nicolas Kuhn, Football Insider recently reported that Brendan Rodgers would also like to sign a striker, a goalkeeper, and a left-back to bolster his side ahead of the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

The club's desire to bring in another left-sided defender does not bode well for second-choice Alexandro Bernabei in that position, as it could spell the end of his career at Parkhead.

Rodgers could brutally ditch the Argentine full-back, who has been behind Greg Taylor in the pecking order, by signing another left-back to take his place.

The Scottish Sun reported in December that clubs in Italy and Argentina have shown an interest in the 23-year-old dud, who has only played four times in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.

With this in mind, here are three left-backs who Celtic could sign – amid reported interest from the club – to allow them to part ways with Bernabei for good this month…

1

Owen Beck

Firstly, Liverpool youngster Owen Beck could be an excellent addition for the Hoops to bolster their options at the back for the second half of the campaign.

Dave OCKOP reported earlier this month that Celtic and Rangers are both keen on a deal to sign the Welsh defender, who spent the first half of the season on loan with Dundee in the Premiership.

His outstanding performances in Scotland suggest that he could be a fantastic signing for Rodgers and, potentially, an upgrade on Taylor in the number three position.

As you can see in the table above, the Reds prodigy comes out on top in a number of key defensive and offensive metrics whilst playing at the same level for a club lower in the division.

Celtic have won 12 more Premiership matches than Dundee and scored 31 more goals. Yet, Beck has provided more quality in possession through chance creation and dribbles to push the team up the pitch in transition.

These statistics suggest that the Hoops target could improve the team and leave Taylor as a second-choice, which would then push Bernabei out of the door.

At the age of 21, Beck could also be a terrific long-term signing for the Bhoys if they are able to convince Liverpool to part ways with him on a permanent deal as the talented gem has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve as he gains more experience.

2

Gijs Smal

A left-back who was linked with a possible switch to Parkhead ahead of the January transfer window was FC Twente's Dutch maestro Gijs Smal.

Rangers have also been touted with an interest in the defender, who has been nicknamed 'Smaldini' in his homeland for his similarities to the legendary Paolo Maldini.

Twente wanted a whopping fee of £6m for the talented full-back at the end of last season but his contract is due to expire in the summer and he is reportedly set to run it down before assessing his options ahead of next term.

Celtic could swoop in to convince the Dutch side to part ways with him this month instead of losing the gem for nothing in the summer, as Smal's form for his club during the 2022/23 campaign suggests that he has the potential to be a terrific signing.

Kai Watson – the founder of the Rangers Journal – analysed the 26-year-old ace and hailed him as being "aggressive" as a defender, which is backed up by his 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game in the Eredivisie last season – 1.1 more per match than Taylor has managed in the Premiership this term.

The £2.2k-per-week whiz also assisted ten goals and created 16 'big chances' in 34 league matches for Twente during the 2022/23 campaign.

Taylor, meanwhile, has assisted eight goals and created 13 'big chances' in his last 77 league appearances for Celtic since the start of the 2021/22 season.

This suggests that Smal could come in as an upgrade on the Scotland international at both ends of the pitch if he can translate his form over to the Premiership, which is why Rodgers should consider a swoop for him this month.

3

Tiago Araujo

Finally, Estoril left-back Tiago Araujo is another option who has been linked with a potential transfer to join the Scottish giants before the end of the window.

Portuguese outlet O'Jogo recently reported that the Hoops are plotting a swoop to sign the promising young talent to bolster their squad in January.

The report added that the Liga Portugal club are not prepared to cash in on the talented gem for anything less than €4m (£3.4m) as Benfica still own half of his 'pass' and would be entitled to their cut.

At the age of 22, Araujo is a player with potential who could come in as a long-term project to eventually replace Taylor in the future, whilst allowing Celtic to ditch Bernabei now.

As you can see in the table above, the Estoril youngster could come in and offer more quality as a defender for Rodgers with his added physicality and ability to win possession back for the side.

With 0.7 key passes per game this season, Araujo is possibly the least-exciting option on this list in terms of what the £3.4m-rated ac offers on the ball but could be a solid option if Celtic want a back-up to Taylor who could develop and improve over time, rather than an immediate first-team quality signing like Smal or Beck.

After 21 matches in the Premier League, Aston Villa are still holding their own near the top of the table.

That said, since the 1-0 win over Arsenal at the start of December, their performances have been less convincing with just two victories from five games.

Therefore, with Unai Emery looking to secure Champions League football and a trophy this season, a new signing could be on the cards.

Unai Emery is targeting a new forward

According to a report from Ben Jacobs, writing for GIVEMESPORT, Villa are interested in signing Armando Broja.

The reporter noted: "Broja remains a possible exit with Fulham one club to watch. Marco Silva really wants a striker this month and it's understood Fulham are currently considering a loan.

"Aston Villa also like Broja but haven't yet made an enquiry. Wolves have also explored Broja but currently feel the price is too high. West Ham can't be entirely discounted due to holding a historical interest having made a £33m bid in summer 2022."

Jacobs further states that Chelsea are willing to cash in on the Albanian, but only for a minimum fee of £35m.

January transfer window: All the deadline day deals from England and Scotland

Stay on top of all the latest transfer deals across the Premier League, EFL and SPFL as the January window closes.

By
Charlie Smith

Feb 1, 2024

How Broja would fit into Villa's starting XI

Moussa Diaby became Villa's club record signing in the summer, as he joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £51.9m.

The 24-year-old forward has four goals and assists apiece in 21 Premier League games, but the Spaniard has looked to manage his minutes to an extent, as highlighted by his 65 minutes per game this season.

However, Diaby's best campaign to date was in the 2021/22 Bundesliga season, where he scored 13 goals and registered 12 assists.

In that side, he combined with a traditional target man in Patrik Schick, and the potential signing of Broja, who has a similar style of play to the Czech Republic striker, could see Diaby reach similar standards.

The Chelsea forward has only played 36 minutes per game at Chelsea this season over 13 appearances, with his lack of playing time being the driving force behind a potential exit. With that in mind, the table below shows a selection of Broja's statistics from the last year.

The 22-year-old has had an awful time with injuries over the last couple of seasons, notably missing 45 games since December 2022, which has clearly impacted his confidence in front of goal. The striker's goal statistics prove that, but his xG suggests that his movement and ability to arrive in the right areas are excellent.

Broja would slot into Diaby's current position as a second striker, which would ultimately allow the France international to play in his preferred wide-right role, where he can use his dribbling and speed to burst past the opposition full-back, which he can't do in the inverted role where the pitch is more compact.

Villa signing a traditional centre forward to play alongside Watkins and operate in the box should see Diaby's output and creativity increase significantly, as he already ranks in the top 9% and top 6% of wingers in the Premier League for crosses and expected assisted goals.

Furthermore, with Broja having been described as a "complete forward" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, his ability to combine play and beat a man would also provide Diaby with more space to work his magic, and increase the number of times he can get himself in and around the box to score for himself.

The Chelsea attacker clearly needs minutes and the right environment to succeed, and alongside the likes of Watkins and Diaby, it is difficult to see him failing at Villa if he were to switch London for the Midlands.

The Bayern Munich star has made the perfect start to Euro 2024, leaving Three Lions and Blues fans pondering what might have been

When Jamal Musiala was substituted in the 74th minute of Germany's 5-1 victory over Scotland on Friday, the home fans packed into Allianz Arena all rose to their feet to applaud the 21-year-old as he left the pitch. The standing ovation was a fitting tribute for Musiala, who terrorised the Scottish defence with his sublime dribbling skills and almost broke the net with his thunderous strike to put Germany two goals ahead inside the first quarter of the game.

Julian Nagelsmann's side will face tougher challenges as Euro 2024 progresses, but they played like potential champions in their opening game, and Musiala looked like a man who has his sights set on the Player of the Tournament prize. At just 21, the Bayern Munich man is already a world-class operator, and both England and Chelsea will be watching on with envious eyes as he continues to unlock his limitless potential in the coming years.

In an alternate reality, Musiala could have been lining up for England against Serbia on Sunday, as a representative of the Blues instead of Bayern. But just how did the two organisations manage to let such a special talent slip away? GOAL explains all…

• Bellingham's partner

  Musiala was born in the central German city of Fulda, and raised by a Nigerian-British father and German mother. He moved to England at the age of seven, attending the Whitgift School in Croydon, where he spent three years before joining Chelsea's academy ranks on a full-time basis.

  At just 13, England drafted Musiala into their youth set-up, and he would go on to represent the Three Lions at Under-15, U16, U17 and U21 levels. As per , he didn't mature physically at the same speed as his team-mates, but coaches were blown away by his physical qualities, and his footballing IQ belied his tender age.

  Musiala played a grand total of 13 games alongside a certain Jude Bellingham as the pair were singled out as future stars by the Football Association. Chelsea also knew they had a diamond on their hands, with Musiala making his league debut for their U18 side just two months after his 15th birthday.

  But in August 2019, his career trajectory took an unexpected turn, as Bayern Munich snapped him up from Chelsea for just £170,000. The move came as a major shock for the FA, who had never doubted that Musiala would represent England at senior level before then, despite the fact he had also represented Germany twice at U16 level.

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• Brexit changes everything

  Chelsea faced plenty of criticism for selling a 16-year-old Musiala just as he was starting to push for a first-team breakthrough, and it was reported that they didn't even protect themselves with a buy-back clause. However, according to , the Blues did table a new contract for Musiala, only to see him seduced by the project on offer at Bayern.

  The report added that Musiala felt Bayern could provide a quicker progression route, and after being given a tour of their training ground, he was determined to make the switch. Chelsea didn't make a mistake, their hand was forced, and they did at least manage to agree a sell-on fee worth 20 percent – which could see them land a considerable windfall down the line.

  Family was also an important factor for Musiala's thinking. Brexit created uncertainty for foreign nationals living in the United Kingdom, and his mother wanted to go back to Germany.

  “I think [Brexit] may have been part of it," one of Musiala's old teachers at Whitgift, Andrew Martin, told in 2021. "Also his mother saw her home as Germany. He was playing for Chelsea at the time, who may have undervalued him a little. Bayern Munich came in with the right offer. Then he was presented with a pathway into the national side. The rest is history.”

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  England outfoxed

  It only took Musiala 11 months to break into the senior team at Bayern, as he became their youngest-ever Bundesliga player at the age of 17 years and 115 days when lining up against Freiburg on June 20, 2020. He was also getting to know a number of household Germany stars, including Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, but four months later, he was called up by England U21s for their 2021 European Championship qualifiers.

  Musiala made his U21s debut off the bench against Andorra before scoring in a 5-0 win over Albania at Molineux, prompting the head of academy coaching for the German Football Association (DFB), Meikel Schonweitz, to admit the attacking midfielder “currently sees his future with England”.

  Then-England U21s boss Aidy Boothroyd, meanwhile, attempted to dismiss any concerns over Musiala being stationed at Bayern. "He needs to push himself further to grow to get into his club team in Germany," he said. "It won’t be an issue that he plays in that country so we want to create an environment that he flourishes in."

  The DFB never gave up on Musiala behind the scenes, though. has stated that former Germany head coach Joachim Low was the driving force behind their pursuit, as he invited Musiala's parents out to dinner and frequently checked on him in person at Allianz Arena. And by Febuary 2022, Musiala had made up his mind once and for all.

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  Why did Musiala opt for Germany?

  Musiala pledged his allegiance to Germany just four months before Euro 2020, which was postponed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. “I’ve thought about this question a lot,” he stated when quizzed on his decision to snub England by . “'What is best for my future?’ ‘Where do I have more chances to play?’ In the end, I just listened to the feeling that over a long period of time kept telling me that it was the right decision to play for Germany, the land I was born in. Still, it wasn’t an easy decision for me.”

  He also offered an insight into his meetings with Low and Germany director Oliver Bierhoff, having been earmarked for the No.10 slot in the national team line up. "I had a very good an honest discussion with Joachim Low. We met in Munich and he showed me clearly my way to the national team," Musiala said. "I was impressed by how well informed they both were. Mr Low analysed very well my style and my weaknesses. He sees me in the future in my strongest position, that in the attacking midfield."

  It was a bitter pill for England, and Gareth Southgate to swallow. "We would have liked him to stay, for sure," the Three Lions boss admitted after the announcement.

  Bayern had already made Musiala a staple of their squad by then. He turned 18 two days later, and signed his first professional contract at Bayern through to 2026, before making his bow for the Germany national team in their March World Cup qualifiers.

  Musiala's rapid rise to prominence was unprecedented, and it was hard to escape the feeling that England had fumbled the bag, though former Germany and Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann offered a more simple explanation. He proclaimed on : “We are happy because he is a great player and probably because he sees more potential in the German team winning something than in the English!”

Fitness doubts over the Arsenal winger mean the ultra-confident Chelsea forward should be allowed to continue his incredible run of form on Sunday

The wait is almost over. Just under three years after agonisingly missing out on European Championship glory to Italy on penalties at Wembley, and 18 months after falling to France in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, England are back at a major tournament.

Injuries to key personnel and the shock defeat to Iceland in their final warm-up game have tempered expectations somewhat, although the Three Lions are still among the favourites to win Euro 2024, boasting a squad overflowing with attacking talent.

But how should England line up for their opener in Group C against Serbia? GOAL picks the players who should be giving Gareth Southgate's side lift-off in Gelsenkirchen…

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  GK: Jordan Pickford

  There are no doubts about this one. Pickford has been England's No.1 since Southgate took charge after usurping Joe Hart, and no one has come close to challenging him for the position. The Everton goalkeeper goes into the tournament in top form after keeping 13 clean sheets, finishing joint-second in the Premier League Golden Glove along with Ederson and behind David Raya.

  That says a lot about his importance given Ederson and Raya's sides finished first and second, respectively, but the Toffees came 15th. That Everton avoided relegation while having eight points deducted speaks highly of their defensive record, and Pickford was a huge part of that.

  His fellow England goalkeepers, Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson, were second-choice for their clubs this season, with Raya usurping Ramsdale at Arsenal and Henderson only getting the nod at Crystal Palace after Sam Johnstone's season-ending injury. And Ramsdale did not cover himself in glory against Iceland, either.

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  RB: Kyle Walker

  Walker has faced lots of competition for the right-back berth in the form of Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James and Ben White, but has seen them all off and remains the indisputable first choice. Walker is still the fastest right-back in the business, with his exceptional recovery speed being his strong point.

  He is not encouraged to attack much for Manchester City or England, and that is unlikely to change in Germany. With the wealth of attacking options in front of him, he does not need to. Best to keep focusing on defending his flank and sweeping up through-balls, which is what he does best.

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  CB: Lewis Dunk

  Normally John Stones would be first-choice, but he is an injury risk after hurting his ankle against Iceland and then being unable to train last Wednesday due to illness. Given his frequent injury problems this season, which limited him to making 12 Premier League starts, the last thing England need is to start the tournament with another setback.

  Therefore, it would be advisable to give Dunk his senior tournament bow against Serbia and make sure Stones is ready for the bigger test against Denmark on Thursday. Dunk did have shaky displays against Brazil and Belgium in March, but has been in strong form for Brighton, and he is the best option to mark Aleksandar Mitrovic, unquestionably Serbia's greatest threat.

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  CB: Marc Guehi

  Crystal Palace centre-back Guehi will be one of the most coveted defenders in the Premier League over the summer. An Under-17 World Cup winner alongside Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho and Conor Gallagher in 2019, he has been an England regular since 2022, albeit not usually starting the biggest games.

  He is in excellent form going into the tournament after helping Palace finish the season sensationally. He is ball secure and can calmly dribble or pass his way out of pressure, while showing excellent anticipation. In the absence of Harry Maguire and the injury doubts over Stones, he is England's most experienced centre-back.

The dust might have settled after Jurgen Klopp's shock announcement that he will step down as Liverpool manager this summer but an air of despondency remains at the core of every supporter.

How can Anfield possibly replace such an esteemed and transformative manager? The 56-year-old has won six major honours during his eight-and-a-half-year tenure with silverware very much on the line this term but that is not why his name will forever be hung in the Anfield corridors, adorning the walls.

Klopp's transcendent reign has pumped life back into Liverpool, and turned "doubters to believers", a promise he made upon his appointment back in 2015, he has won the hearts and elevated the joy of a proud and football-frenzied city.

But his time at the helm is drawing to a close and he has earned the right to decide when that might be; now, as bitter as it might be, the Reds are working hard to identify and appoint a worthy successor.

Liverpool's manager shortlist

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is the frontrunner to replace Klopp at Liverpool, but he is contracted at the BayArena until 2026 and the Bundesliga table-toppers are reportedly confident of keeping him at the club.

As such, Liverpool could turn to Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim as an alternative, with Correio da Manha – via TEAMtalk – revealing that scouts have been watching the Portuguese outfit and ascertaining the suitability of Amorim's tactical style.

Ruben Amorim could keep Nunez firing

Liverpool owners FSG will be desperate to ensure that a changing of power does not devolve into something lacking cohesion, verve and promise.

Klopp is a one-of-a-kind manager but Amorim could be a good replacement, and while Alonso, who made 210 appearances and won the Champions League with Liverpool, is the favourite, Sporting are an exciting and tactically fluid team and Amorim could thrive on Merseyside.

Tending to field a 3-4-3 formation that allows ball-playing centre-backs to drift into pockets of space centrally and pull the strings from deep, this is exactly the kind of system that Liverpool could adapt to, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate two of the Premier League's finest defensive distributors, both completing north of 89% of their passes this term.

Moreover, the Anfield side have been fiercely linked with a move for Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio for a while, with the 22-year-old one of the most creative and technically proficient centre-halfs in the business, and Amorim could arrive with the "complete" defender – as remarked by talent scout Jacek Kulig – in tow.

But crucially, handing Amorim the keys could preserve Darwin Nunez's ever-improving presence at the club; the Uruguayan striker signed from SL Benfica in a club-record move totalling £85m in 2022, but missed 20 big chances in the English top-flight last season and was harangued for his profligacy.

He's a menacing, tenacious and spirited striker, however, and the Liverpool faithful have maintained the faith all the way – as, crucially, has Klopp.

This term, the 24-year-old has posted 11 goals and ten assists from just 20 starts in all competitions and has been sharper and more economical in his movements and influence.

Amorim likes to wear teams down and implement crisp and quick passing patterns before sundering the backline with laser-focussed through balls, and given Nunez's pace and energy, he will surely maintain his fine form under new management.

Alonso remains the frontrunner, but Amorim would be an excellent alternative and has already showcased his credentials by winning the Liga Portugal with his outfit, beating the formidable Benfica and FC Porto in 2020/21 – lauded as a “special” manager by journalist Zach Lowy.

The 39-year-old's ears will have pricked up upon Klopp's declaration, and Liverpool are wise to have had him earmarked.