All posts by h716a5.icu

Blurring the lines between the pitch and the pavement.

Earlier this week, Ajax announced a new collaboration with Amsterdam-based label Daily Paper. Designing the Dutch giant’s third kit, the brand took inspiration from a golden generation of street footballers from its home city, dedicating the design to “Amsterdam’s homegrown icons and rising stars, pushing boundaries for the love of football.”

This season feels like the year that fashion-designed football kits really crossed into the mainstream. As well as Ajax and Daily Paper, Parisian Red Star club tapped Lack of Guidance, and Venezia recruited the well-known consultancy firm Bureau Borsche, who count Supreme and Balenciaga amongst their clients, to work on its home, away and third kits. In reality, though, these teams were far from the first to do it. Here are some of the best examples of what can happen when fashion designers are let loose on football kits.

Denis Doyle/Getty ImagesYohji Yamamoto x Real Madrid (2014/15)

Real Madrid first worked with Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto for the 2014/15 season. The Japanese fashion legend designed the club’s third kit, bringing his own aesthetic to a black shirt with white trim. The stand-out feature, though, was a graphic that ties the dragon king with the dragon bird. The first was a symbol of greatness and glory, while the second is a mark of resistance, determination and agility.

Yamamoto reunited with the Spanish club during the 2021/22 season, celebrating the 120th anniversary of Real Madrid and the 20th anniversary of his own Y-3 line with adidas. That shirt again came in black with white detailing, complete with a Y-3 logo.

AdvertisementNikeJordan Brand x PSG (2018/19 – onwards)

The partnership between Jordan Brand and Paris Saint-Germain is one of football’s most long-running and successful collaborations. Since it launched in 2018, the partnership has allowed Jordan to enter the footballing world while giving PSG access to Jordan Brand’s fashion and streetwear heritage.

The collaboration has gone mainstream, moving from its basis in third kits and special-edition releases to PSG’s home kit for the 2021/22 season. That shirt eschewed the Hechter stripe, instead adding a subtle red and white trim to a dark blue base. This season, the collaboration continued with a grey away shirt, showing that there’s still life in the Jordan x PSG partnership.

Marco Bertorello/Getty ImagesPalace x Juventus (2019/20)

London-label Palace has dipped its toes into the sporting world before, including designing kits worn at Wimbledon. It also has a long football history, beginning when it referenced vintage England kits through a collaboration with Umbro. None of that made it any less surprising when it joined up with Juventus in 2019, though.

The sight of Cristiano Ronaldo wearing a shirt designed by a London skateboarding company was a shock. Palace launched the kit during a match between Juventus and Genoa, with a design that mixed a gradient take on the black-and-white stripes with neon green details. 

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adidasPharrell x adidas (2020/21)

Pharrell Williams' work with adidas eventually led to him working with some of the biggest football brands signed to the Three Stripes. The designer, musician and creative produced kits for Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Manchester United and Real Madrid, with Juventus and Bayern wearing the designs during competitive matches.

The five kits all referenced various designs from the past – including Real Madrid’s previous Yohji Yamamoto shirt – and all were given a hand-painted design by Williams. Speaking at the time, he explained that he had wanted to “learn of each club’s legacies and how each defining moment of their histories were captured and preserved from a design perspective.”

GOAL divides the 14 playoff teams into four tiers to assess what to expect in the postseason

There is perhaps no more purely unpredictable disaster of a soccer tournament on planet Earth than the MLS Playoffs.

Every year, teams assemble after surviving a grind of a regular season which should give us a pretty good idea of where teams stand. And, ever year, it all rapidly turns into complete chaos as contenders drop like flies in games that descend rapidly into madness.

It's one of the most lovable things about soccer in this part of the world, the unpredictability of it all. As big clubs continue to dominate in Europe, there's something special about what goes on in MLS, where nothing matters except which team can get hot at the right time.

Because of that, predicting winners and losers is never an easy task, but we can assess what to expect from the 14 teams that make up this season's playoff participants.

Here's a look at each team's outlook heading in the postseason:

Victor Decolongon / Getty ImagesThe tiers

To give a better picture of where each team stands, we'll be dividing them into four easily- understandable tiers.

Tier 1: Championship or bust. We all know what this means. If this team fails to win MLS Cup, everyone involved will be very disappointed.

Tier 2: Got a shot. Teams that have a realistic chance of making a run and could theoretically lift the trophy at the end of all of this madness.

Tier 3: Could make a run. Probably not MLS Cup contenders, but they could certainly take one out at some point.

Tier 4: Good luck. Hey, they made it this far. A win would be fantastic, but just making the playoffs is a victory.

AdvertisementLAFCLAFC

When you put together a roster like LAFC's, there can only ever be one expectation.

LAFC have essentially assembled the Avengers in Hollywood, somehow skirting salary cap rules to bring in megastars for one big playoff push. Gareth Bale, Giorgio Chiellini and Christian Tello joined on relatively cheap deals, joining a team that was already loaded with starpower. Then, just for good measure, they brought in another Designed Player, Denis Bouanga, to join Carlos Vela and co. in the attack.

It's an absolutely sickening amount of talent for an MLS squad and LAFC, as expected, marched right to a Supporters' Shield. But that isn't the trophy any of those players are here for and, with that in mind, they can only go in one tier.

Tier: MLS Cup or bust

GettyPhiladelphia Union

The Union have built something so, so special.

Basing their identity on developing young talent, the Union have constructed a pipeline that seemingly never stops. Young stars sign, young stars shine and young stars leave, only to be replaced by ones that are seemingly better than before.

When you take that and add in signings like Daniel Gazdag, Julian Carranza, Mikael Uhre and Kai Wagner, you have a machine that can go out and beat teams by a handful of goals, which is something the Union did several times this season.

The Union legitimately have All-Star level producers in goal, central defense and in the midfield. The attack, meanwhile, is deep with guys that can score. You could realistically say they have the best defense and attack in MLS.

That said, it feels like its a step too far to put them in "MLS Cup or bust" territory. It could be argued that they could be the favorites to win it all, but it doesn't feel like it would be doom and gloom if they didn't. They may be the best team, but the Union failing to win it all wouldn't have the same consequences as LAFC would.

Regardless, they're right on the line and have plenty of reason to think they should lift the trophy at the end of it all.

Tier: Got a shot

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Getty ImagesAustin FC

What a turnaround from Austin FC, who went from wooden spoon contender to MLS Cup contender in one year.

Lots of credit will go to Sebastian Driussi, a legitimate MVP candidate who is among the best players in MLS, but this is a team that is ready for the big stage. They have MLS experience all over the roster in players like Maxi Urruti, Diego Fagundez, Ethan Finlay and Alexander Ring. And then there's Driussi, who is that player that all MLS teams need: a difference maker.

Do they have enough pure talent to compete with the best of the best in a one-off game? That remains to be seen. But when you have someone like Driussi leading the line and a team that is built to understand the nonsense of the MLS playoffs, you won't be afraid of anyone.

Tier: Got a shot

England's Phil Foden won the Golden Ball, while Rhian Brewster won the Golden Boot in India, but how have they and their team-mates fared since?

In October 2017, England were crowned world champions at Under-17 level after beating Spain 5-2 in the final.

Players like Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden were arguably the standout performers of that England U17 team and have since become stars in their own right.

While Foden has already won the Premier League four times with Manchester City and reached the Champions League final in 2021, Sancho became a superstar with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga before returning to the Premier Lague at Manchester United, becoming one of the club's most expensive players in the process.

Here, we take a look at the players who were a part of that historic England squad and what they are up to now.

Getty ImagesBilly Crellin – GK

Billy Crellin came through the ranks at Fleetwood Town and played for League One and National League clubs like FC United of Manchester, Chorley and Bolton Wanderers.

Everton snapped him up in January 2022 as they looked to add to their goalkeeping options, although he has yet to make his first-team debut for the Toffees.

He hasn't represented England since appearing for the Under-20 side back in 2019.

AdvertisementGettyJosef Bursik – GK

After playing at a number of Championship and League One sides on loan from Stoke City, Josef Bursik eventually returned to his parent club and finally made his Championship debut in November 2020.

He then went on to become Stoke's first-choice goalkeeper in 2021-22, although injury briefly held back his development. Bursik has since shaken off his injury woes to re-establish himself as the Potters' number-one.

GettyCurtis Anderson – GK

After the U17 World Cup in India, Curtis Anderson played for various age-group teams of Manchester City. In 2019, he parted ways with the Sky Blues and joined second-tier American club Charlotte Independence, only to leave the club again months later. 

He has since represented Wycombe Wanderers, Walton Casuals, Eastbourne Borough and finally Lancaster City, which is his current club.

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GettyMarc Guehi – DF

Graduating from Chelsea's youth system, Marc Guehi signed professional terms with the Blues in 2019 and made his senior debut for the Premier League giants in September 2019 in a League Cup match against Grimsby Town.

Ahead of the 2021-22 season, Guehi joined Crystal Palace on a five-year-deal in what was Palace's third-highest transfer signing, quickly becoming a key figure at the club and even earning himself a senior call-up to England. 

He made his Three Lions debut in March, starting the 2-1 win over Switzerland.

The Reds' top-four hopes took yet another blow as City came from behind to batter Jurgen Klopp's side at the Etihad Stadium

Liverpool's fading hopes of securing Champions League qualification for next season suffered yet another blow as they were beaten 4-1 by a rampant Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

The Reds led briefly in the first half thanks to Mohamed Salah's clinical finish, but City levelled through Julian Alvarez, the stand-in for the injured Erling Haaland, before roaring away from their rivals after the break.

Kevin De Bruyne scored within a minute of the restart, and Ilkay Gundogan added another soon after, as Liverpool's fragile defence crumbled once more, leaving Jurgen Klopp bewildered.

🏆 TOP STORY: Mbappe wants Madrid move in 2024📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Can Man City catch Arsenal?🚨 MUST READ: The players who could leave Chelsea

The impressive Jack Grealish completed the scoring, 16 minutes from time, as City rubbed salt into Red wounds.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from the another disappointing afternoon on the road…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Alisson Becker (6/10):

Left exposed by the team in front of him. He's too good for them at the moment.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (5/10):

Lovely ball to create the opening goal. Had a hard time defensively against the excellent Grealish. Unlucky for the third goal but was alarmingly sloppy on other occasions.

Ibrahima Konate (4/10):

Played like a bag of nerves and looked bewildered by City's speed and movement.

Virgil van Dijk (4/10):

Beaten too easily for the equaliser, and City exploited the Reds' defensive line time and again.

Andy Robertson (4/10):

Caught out pushing up for City's first two goals and was wasteful in some good attacking positions.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Fabinho (4/10):

Played on the edge in terms of fouls in the first half, and looked a yard off the pace throughout.

Jordan Henderson (4/10):

Found wanting in terms of composure, legs and quality on the ball.

Harvey Elliott (4/10):

In and out, and too safe at times with his passing. Couldn't get near City's midfield stars.

Getty ImagesAttack

Mohamed Salah (5/10):

Ice-cool finish to open the scoring but should have set Jota up to make it 2-0 before City levelled. Faded before being subbed.

Cody Gakpo (5/10):

Showed a bit of fight at least, and a few touches of class. Terrible dive to try and win a penalty.

Diogo Jota (5/10):

Great run and set for the opener, but he faded as quickly as Liverpool did.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Kostas Tsimikas (5/10):

On with the game lost. His main action in this game came when Pep Guardiola celebrated in his face after the equaliser. The Greek kept his composure admirably, there.

Roberto Firmino (5/10):

No impact.

Darwin Nunez (5/10):

Can't have been fit, else he'd have been on much sooner than he was.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (5/10):

Was no worse than anyone else, but his presence here tells you just how badly this season has gone for Liverpool.

James Milner (N/A):

On late. May well feel like he is too old for all this.

Jurgen Klopp (5/10):

What has happened to his team?! Made his subs too late.

The Belgian scored twice in a dominant performance as John Stones and Erling Haaland also got on the scoresheet in a superb showing from the champions

Kevin De Bruyne tore Arsenal apart in Wednesday's top-of-the-table showdown, paving the way for a likely third successive Premier League title for Manchester City.

After all the excitement about a potential title decider, De Bruyne raced through Arsenal's midfield and fired City into the lead after only seven minutes.

Arsenal rarely looked like finding a way back, and John Stones' header before half-time, initially ruled out for offside, tightened City's grip on the game.

De Bruyne struck again early in the second half before Erling Haaland completed the rout after Rob Holding's consolation goal down the other end.

🏆 TOP STORY: Haaland breaks Salah's goal record📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Is Lukaku the answer to Chelsea's scoring woes?🚨 MUST READ: Arsenal couldn't, so can anyone stop Man City?

GOAL rates Man City's players from a euphoric Etihad Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Ederson (6/10):

Dealt well with crosses that Arsenal pumped into his box. That was all he really had to worry about until Holding's late goal, which he could do little about.

Kyle Walker (7/10):

Nathan Ake's injury handed him a ticket back into the starting line up. Was rarely tested and always looked comfortable.

Ruben Dias (7/10):

As physically dominant as ever and faultless in possession, making more passes in the first half than Arsenal's entire midfield. Booked for scrapping with White by the corner flag.

John Stones (8/10):

Back in at centre-back due to the 4-3-3 shape and had slightly less influence on City's overall play as a result. But he was decisive in the area and now has three goal contributions in his last four matches.

Manuel Akanji (9/10):

Excelled in the unfamiliar role of left-back and no-one noticed that City were missing Ake.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Ilkay Gundogan (6/10):

Had the better of Ben White for much of the game and created a good chance for Haaland which Ramsdale saved. Didn't threaten much on his own, sending his one shot way off target.

Rodri (7/10):

Dominated Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka.

Bernardo Silva (7/10):

Not as influential as usual and should have put away a clear shooting chance in the first half, scuffing the ball into Ramsdale's hands.

Getty ImagesAttack

Kevin De Bruyne (10/10):

The Belgian owned the pitch and was utterly magnificent, dovetailing exceptionally well with Haaland. On this occasion, he showed the Norwegian how to finish, taking his goals superbly.

Erling Haaland (8/10):

Was utterly brilliant even though his finishing was a little suspect until scoring in added time. Set up both of De Bruyne's goals, held the ball up well and bullied Arsenal. His Maradona-esque dribble in the first half deserved to end in a goal but he still made sure he got on the scoresheet in the end.

Jack Grealish (8/10):

So strong and so quick, he had Arsenal on the backfoot whenever he got the ball. Very committed in defence.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Riyad Mahrez (6/10):

Struggled to get much space when he came on.

Julian Alvarez (6/10):

Only had 10 minutes on the pitch and wasn't involved too much.

Phil Foden (N/A):

Introduced for the final three minutes but still managed to get an assist for Haaland.

Pep Guardiola (9/10):

Despite missing Ake, he devised the perfect game plan against the league leaders. After overseeing dominant wins over Bayern Munich and the Gunners, Real Madrid must be worried.

The Germany midfielder wrote his name into the history books at Wembley, but David de Gea signed off a poor season on a miserable note

Ilkay Gundogan conjured two magical volleys to win a tense and tight FA Cup final against Manchester United and secure the double for Manchester City. Now the Cityzens have just one more step to take on their stairway to a heavenly treble.

Gundogan scored the fastest goal in FA Cup final history with an outstanding strike after only 13 seconds at Wembley, and after Bruno Fernandes had pulled United back into contention from the penalty spot, the German struck again, meeting Kevin De Bruyne's free-kick and beating a lacklustre David de Gea.

While De Bruyne and Gundogan were City's outstanding performers, the finger will again be pointed at United's goalkeeper, who ended a poor season on a miserable note. But United showed character to overcome their nightmare start and pushed City all the way, with Scott McTominay and Alejandro Garnacho coming agonisingly close to equalising and forcing extra-time.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Wembley Stadium…

GettyWINNER: Ilkay Gundogan

If this is to be Gundogan's last game for City in England, it was the perfect way to go out. The Germany midfielder etched his name into FA Cup history by scoring the fastest goal in a final in the competition's 151 years. And what a finish it was – his volley took everyone in the stadium by surprise, including De Gea, who watched motionless as the ball ripped into the net. His second goal was another volley, even if he benefited from a very slow reaction from De Gea.

Gundogan's contract expires on June 30 and while Pep Guardiola wants to keep him, the midfielder feels like he has done his service. No-one could argue with that after scoring twice to win last season's title and now slaying City's biggest rivals with another double.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: David de Gea

The Spaniard capped a season to forget with another dismal performance. As his kicking is not up to the standards of the modern game – he gave the ball away on a few occasions with hopeless punts straight to City players – he only has his shot-stopping ability to fall back on.

And he keeps on letting in shots he should be saving. He was left stunned by Gundogan's lightning-quick opening strike, but will be very disappointed not to have kept out the second goal.

It was another bad piece of goalkeeping to file alongside costly errors against Brentford, Sevilla, Everton and West Ham from across the campaign, and his overall performance underlined United's need to go and sign a young 'keeper to compete for his place next season.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Kevin De Bruyne

By his own high standards, the Belgian had a poor first half. He kept over-hitting passes and could not dictate the game in his usual way. Everything changed in the second half, though, as he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.

His nifty footwork fooled Fred into fouling him early in the second period, and he dusted himself down to deliver the perfect cross for Gundogan to strike for the second time. His down-then-up display showed that not only is he one of the most talented players to have graced English football, he also has a highly resilient mentality.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: Marcus Rashford

The United striker grabbed the winner in the last Manchester derby, but he was barely involved in the final. He had the misfortune to start as centre-forward, where he is not nearly as dangerous as when playing on the left of the attack.

He had only one shooting opportunity, a weak header which dribbled hopelessly wide, and United's best prospect of an equaliser lay in substitute Alejandro Garnacho. As United's only Mancunian to start the game, he will desperately disappointed not to have had a bigger impact in the biggest match of the season.

Everything you need to know about England and Chelsea midfield star Mason Mount!

Mason Tony Mount is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking or central midfielder for Premier League club Chelsea and the England national team. He was born on 10 January 1999, in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Mount began his football journey in the youth academy of Chelsea, one of the elite clubs in England. He joined the Blues at the age of six and progressed through the various age groups, showcasing his exceptional work-rate and footballing intelligence.

After rapid development in the youth ranks, he was loaned out to gain valuable first-team experience. During the 2017-2018 season, Mount was loaned to Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands, where he impressed with 24 direct goal contributions from 40 appearances across all competitions.

Another loan move followed, this time to Championship outfit Derby County. He shone again with 11 goals and six assists from 44 outings. Following his successful loan spells, Mount returned to Chelsea and made his first-team debut in August 2019, and never looked back since, quickly establishing himself as a regular starter under manager Frank Lampard, who had a reputation for nurturing young talent.

Mount continued to shine for Chelsea, playing a vital role in their success in recent years, but the major highlight arrived in May 2021 when the Englishman lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy with Chelsea, assisting Kai Havertz’s match-winning goal against Manchester City in the final. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup in the same year.

Mount made his senior international debut for England in September 2019 after showcasing his potential across all youth levels with the Three Lions. He has since become a regular member of the England squad and was an integral part of the team that reached the final of the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, ultimately losing to Italy in a penalty shootout.

The 36-cap England star also featured at the recent 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where England were knocked out at the quarter-final stage.

At just 24 years old, Mason Mount has already achieved a significant amount in his career, but what are 13 fun things about Mount you need to know…!

Living his dad's dream

Mount's footballing education began at an early age at his family home. His father, Tony Mount, had the most influence on his son's football career. Tony was a former non-league footballer who later coached local clubs, including Havant Town and Newport.

While Mount's father had a rather unimpressive professional career, he vowed to continue living his dream through his son. No wonder Mount Senior was the one who enrolled him into one of the town’s best football academies, Baorhunt FC, at the age of four.

Mount has spoken about how his father's influence has been crucial to his development as a footballer. He has said that his father taught him the importance of work-rate, passion, and dedication in football, and that he has always been there to support him.

He said: "Dad always said to me, “You have got to do the dirty work”. ‘He told me you can’t just be good on the ball. You have to track back, you have to make tackles and get stuck in. I always want to introduce that into what I am doing now. I don’t just want to be an attacking player who gets into the box and scores goals. I’ve got to do it all."

AdvertisementHis father called an emergency family meeting 🚨

It was way back in 2014 and Mount, one of the most in-demand 15-year-old talents in the country, had to pick between a scholarship with the Blues and a host of tempting offers to leave.

However, this was the time when Chelsea were bankrolled by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and the club's transfer policy was more centred around buying ready-made superstars instead of promoting talent from youth ranks.

World-class players like Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah were not given a chance to play at Chelsea, and so they left – becoming big stars.

His father was worried about the situation and called a family meeting to discuss the possibility of leaving Chelsea. Uncles, aunts and grandparents offered advice to the talented teenager after dad Tony called a family meeting at their Portsmouth home. Mount's resolve to become a Chelsea star, though, stayed firm as he refused to budge under pressure.

Tony later explained the incident in an interview with The Sun, saying: "I told Mason I thought he needed to move on to get the best opportunity.

"I said, 'No one at Chelsea's academy has got into the first-team since John Terry — what chance have you got?'

"Mason shot back, 'I'll be the next one.' He said, 'I'm not leaving Chelsea, it's my club. I've been here since the age of six and I'm going all the way.'"

Getty ImagesFootballing inspirations in life?

Mount's idols in football were Lampard, Andres Iniesta, and Luka Modric.

In an interview, he said: “Frank was an example throughout my career at Chelsea, and throughout my career as a midfielder. When it comes to scoring goals as a midfielder, you look at Frank Lampard as a role model. I looked at [Luka] Modric when he was in the Premier League at Tottenham. Andres Iniesta at Barcelona in his prime, playing their tiki-taka, I was always watching them on YouTube.”

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Getty ImagesBest friends with Declan Rice 🤝

West Ham United star Declan Rice and Mount have been best friends for over 12 years. The pair first met when they were just eight years old. They were in their formative footballing years in Chelsea's Cobham Academy, at a time when their aspirations of professional contracts and England call-ups were simply just dreams.

They remained close friends and have since progressed to England teammates. Both have risen to stardom at club level, too, with Rice becoming a key player and captain at West Ham while Mount stayed at Chelsea and has become an integral figure at Stamford Bridge.

With both West Ham and Chelsea in close proximity, Mount and Rice remain in close touch and hang out every now and then on the streets of London. What's more, Mount unknowingly violated the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions by going out in the open to play football with his best buddy in 2020, for which he was criticised in the mainstream media.

Real Madrid are famed for their ‘Galacticos’ transfer policy, with it possible that Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe will form part of that process.

The Blancos, with Florentino Perez filling the role of club president, have previously invested heavily in the likes of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Ronaldo, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Financial constraints mean that the very best in the business cannot always be targeted in each passing window.

Real are, however, looking to build for the future once again and are said to have French World Cup winner Mbappe back in their sights as he nudges an exit door open at Paris Saint-Germain. They have also been linked with prolific Norwegian frontman Haaland in the past and could be a future landing spot for him once he has finished breaking records and collecting major honours at Manchester City.

Former Madrid star Julio Baptista can see such deals being put in place, with the Brazilian discussing superstar recruitment at Santiago Bernabeu with GOAL…

GettyGalacticos Part III

Quizzed on whether Real could one day boast a fearsome front three of Mbappe, Haaland and Vinicius Junior, Baptista – who was speaking on behalf of – told GOAL: “I think the whole world would like to see these players play together. The only man that could create that situation is Florentino. He has done it in the past, he could do it again now. When you have so many good players in one team it is not easy to control them. When you are successful it is okay, but when you aren’t then it becomes very complicated. This has happened in the past and it’s hard.”

AdvertisementGettyFrench fancy

Real are reported to be mulling over a move for Mbappe that could cost them upwards of €200 million (£174m/$224m), with Baptista saying when asked if he expects the exciting 24-year-old to end up in Spain: “It depends on his choice. I don’t know if he will move in the summer or the next window. I think he knows that to become one of the best players in the world, he needs to move. PSG have an incredible team, but they don’t create something special like other teams – Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich. These type of teams create something, a legacy. PSG is missing something to complete the process, they have got to the final of the Champions League and created an incredible team but are still missing the final piece. I think he needs to move if he wants to be the best player in the world.”

Getty/Real MadridNow or never

Pressed further on whether Real should make their move this summer, in order to avoid seeing a rival suitor steal in for one of the most sought-after players on the planet, Baptista added: “This is the risk you take. If the player doesn’t want to move, then you can’t sell the player. If the player says ‘sorry, I don’t to join this team’, then you can’t sell the player.”

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GettyStay or go?

Real already have one superstar forward on their books in the form of Vinicius Jr – with Karim Benzema having departed as a free agent – but questions have been asked of how long he will stick around after being subjected to regular rounds of vile racist abuse. Baptista said when asked if he sees his fellow countryman spending a long time in the Spanish capital: “I think he needs to stay at Real Madrid. He knows the Spanish league now. He has been in incredible form. I think he had an amazing season and he needs to continue to do what he does. If he continues, maybe he can compete to be the best player in the world. He needs to stay in the same way as he did last season.”

Monaco handed new signing Folarin Balogun a debut against Lens as they recorded a 3-0 win to go top of the table in France.

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Balogun swapped Arsenal for MonacoMade debut as substituteBooked when trying to win a penaltyGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Monaco were already 3-0 up against Lens when Balogun was introduced with 72 minutes on the clock. Goals from Wilfried Singo, Aleksandr Golovin and Guillermo Maripan had the hosts in cruise control and allowed manager Adi Hutter the luxury of resting Wissam Ben Yedder and sending on Balogun to make his debut following his move from Arsenal.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Balogun was instantly involved in the action, wanting a penalty after rounding goalkeeper Brice Samba. The forward went to ground under the slightest touch but no spot-kick was given and Balogun was handed a yellow card for diving instead. Another sight of goal presented itself after a smart run, but the former Arsenal man dwelt to long on the ball and could only find the side netting.

Photos AS MonacoUSMNT IMPACT

USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter will be surely glad to see Balogun getting his first minutes of the season following his move from Arsenal. Berhalter has already hailed the transfer a "fabulous move" after seeing him score 21 goals in Ligue 1 last season for Reims. Meanwhile, Balogun has explained he wanted to move out of his comfort zone in a bid to develop his game. The forward will be aiming to force his way into the starting XI at Monaco, with Saturday's win keeping them top of the table heading into the international break with 10 points from their first four games.

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GOAL'S RATING

Folarin Balogun (5/10):

Looked eager to make an impact after coming off the bench in the second half, perhaps too eager, as he went to ground far too easily in a bid to win a penalty. Looked lively enough but the game had already been won by the time he came on and he had little time to really make an impact for his new team.

Slowly but surely, the Blues are finally seeing a return on their £89 million investment – but the flying winger still has a long way to go

As an emotional Mykhailo Mudryk clasped his hands to his face in disbelief at Craven Cottage, the sense of relief in the dugout, the away end and for those watching on at home was palpable. Eight-and-a-half months on from his stunning £89 million ($107m) move to Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk, the winger had found the back of the net in competitive action.

Controlling Levi Colwill's pass expertly, Mudryk sprinted through and fired a shot between the legs of Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno. The ensuing scenes of jubilation were testament to his hard work and popularity among the Blues' squad.

This was not a flash in the pan, though – the kind of false dawn Chelsea supporters have become accustomed to with misfiring, expensive attacking signings – but rather the culmination of months of graft, and – hopefully – the beginning of a new chapter.

Mudryk is finally beginning to show his potential in a Chelsea shirt, and under Mauricio Pochettino's tutelage he stands a real chance of shaking off that nagging tag of 'expensive flop'.

Getty ImagesFitness undoubtedly an issue

With an £89m price tag and a burgeoning reputation, Mudryk was unfairly expected to hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge, and in truth he's been fighting a losing battle ever since.

He played his final game for Shakhtar Donetsk almost two months before signing for Chelsea in mid-January, which means he almost certainly wasn't match fit as Graham Potter eased him into the team in the subsequent weeks.

If the winger was already playing catch-up, that was compounded by the fact that overall fitness levels suffered badly during the second half of last season, with both Graham Potter and Frank Lampard failing to juggle a bloated 30-man squad.

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It's no surprise, then, that a full pre-season under notoriously tough trainer Pochettino has done him the world of good. While his minutes have still been managed somewhat, he looks stronger and fitter. But that isn't just down to his head coach.

By all accounts, Mudryk is putting in an absolute shift off the pitch, and his hard work has been rewarded. It has even been reported that the Ukrainian's team-mates have been taken aback by his relentless work ethic, as he spends endless hours in the gym with a personal trainer working on his strength and speed.

Indeed, Chelsea have even decided to put some boundaries in place – reducing his extra strength training in a bid to aid his conditioning.

Handled with care by Pochettino

It's easy to forget that this is a player whose career is still in its infancy, despite his exorbitant transfer fee; Mudryk had made just 65 first-team appearances before completing a life-altering transfer to Chelsea – many of which were as a substitute.

He was thrown in at the deep end without a real period of adaptation by Potter, who was desperately seeking a solution to his side's troubles back in January, making his debut just shy of two months after his last competitive game. When it became evident that he wouldn't hit the ground running, he swiftly became a bit-part player.

Pochettino – a manager with a reputation for developing and improving young players – has adopted a wholly different approach. The wide man has been eased into the team, with his minutes gradually increasing and performances gradually improving.

The Argentine has worked one-on-one with 'Misha', even playing crossbar challenge with him in a bid to build his confidence, and is insistent on taking things "very slowly". Having opened his account for the club, Mudryk revealed on his Instagram story that his manager had gifted him a copy of Guillem Balague's book 'Brave New World', about Pochettino's Tottenham team that includes contributions from the manager. They are both beginning to reap the rewards of their blossoming relationship.

mmudryk10 Instagram

"We need to understand that young people need time and need to settle," Pochettino said after Mudryk capped his recent upswing by slotting home his first competitive goal for the Blues. It’s about adaptation. It’s a big change when Mudryk arrived here and when you arrive at a team, it’s not easy to settle in a team that isn’t solid. He wasn’t the cherry on the cake, they needed to add something to the team.

"It’s about time, having patience, trusting these young talented players, building confidence. It’s a big job, step by step. Sometimes people don’t have the patience but for us it’s about having the patience."

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Before his well-taken goal at Craven Cottage, Mudryk had looked more likely to assist a goal than score one himself. He's often been Chelsea's most creative player in a period where they have been bereft of ideas.

The most encouraging aspect of his game in the opening weeks of the season has been his vision and ability to pick out a team-mate in a threatening position, with the early signs of a developing understanding with striker Nicolas Jackson.

The 22-year-old has played five key passes in the league, and has an average xA (expected assists) of 0.8. All of which means he is already well on his way to matching his contributions from last season.

A whipped through ball to play Jackson in against Aston Villa was particularly eye-catching, but the Senegal international was unable to snaffle up the chance. His combination with the centre-forward could and perhaps should have yielded an assist against Bournemouth, too.