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Inter Miami officially announced the addition of De Paul, who will initially join the club on loan

Inter Miami add De Paul from Atletico on loanArgentina international joins Messi at South Beach clubMidfielder was on La Liga Team of the Year last seasonGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED?

Inter Miami have officially added Argentina international Rodrigo De Paul from Atletico Madrid, signing the midfielder initially on loan with a purchase option in 2026 to make the deal permanent through 2029. Miami co-owner David Beckham acknowledged he's "excited" to bring in a player he's admired for years.

“Rodrigo is a player I've admired for many years," he said in a statement. "As a leader he has brought so much to the teams he has played for – especially with his national team Argentina. He brings experience, passion and quality to our team and to our city. I'm excited to welcome another World Cup-winning player not just to Inter Miami, but also to MLS."

The move was initially tipped by Atletico Madrid posting a farewell to their midfield star on social media hours before Miami officially announced the deal.

The 31-year-old spent four seasons at Atletico after joining from Serie A side Udinese. For Diego Simeone's side, he made 187 appearances for Atlético, scoring 14 goals and providing 26 assists.

"From our club, we wish Rodrigo de Paul the best of luck in his future personal and professional endeavors," the La Liga side said in a statement.

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At Miami, De Paul will join a midfield alongside U.S. international Benjamin Cremaschi, former Barcelona star Sergio Busquets, and fellow Argentine Federico Redondo.

The 31-year-old will be viewed as one of the best midfielders in the league. It also ends months of speculation over Miami aiming to add another superstar. The team had previously been linked with Neymar and Kevin De Bruyne.

De Paul won't come cheap for The Herons, with reports suggesting a purchase option of $17 million for the midfielder. Still, it is a massive upgrade for the team overall.

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Internationally, De Paul has been nicknamed "Messi's bodyguard" for his physical and aggressive play for

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WHAT JORGE MAS SAID

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas pointed to the move as a sign of the club's ambitions.

“Assembling a team that inspires our fans to dream continues to be one of our primary aspirations, so we’re thrilled to sign a player of Rodrigo’s caliber. He is a winner who has conquered the world stage; his ambitions match ours at Inter Miami, and we are hungry to achieve these goals together,” he said in a statement. “Several of the best players in global fútbol have already chosen Inter Miami as their home, and Rodrigo joining our roster is another landmark as we continue on this journey to change the trajectory of the sport in this country and make our fans proud.”

Either Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur will miss out after identifying Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie as a target in the summer transfer window's final week.

• Hincapie interested in Arsenal transfer
• Spurs have made an offer to Leverkusen
• Developing saga reminiscent of Eze situation

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After Arsenal stepped up interest in Hincapie, revealed that the Ecuador international is taken by the project on offer should he move to the Emirates Stadium from Germany. The 23-year-old centre-back is described as "keen" on the proposed switch and an agreement on personal terms is not expected to be an issue after initial talks began.

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  Tottenham have also shown interest in Hincapie, reportedly putting forward a proposal to Leverkusen comprised of a loan and $60 million (£52m/$70m) obligation to buy. That fee, while delayed until 2026, matches the relase clause in the player's contract. Arsenal, meanwhile, are trying to negotiate a lower figure to secure a permanent deal of their own.

  It follows the Gunners snatching Eberechi Eze from under their rivals' nose, although Hincapie is no way near as close to joining Spurs as the England international was last week.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Arsenal are potentially offering less money than Tottenham, although Leverkusen stand to receive cash sooner. But with Hincapie's apparent preference for a move to the Emirates, his desire could influence or shape how the Bundesliga side respond to offers. It is a different situation to Eze because the rival proposals are not currently the same, whereas Arsenal had matched Tottenham's bid to Crystal Palace.

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  Romano adds that no Arsenal bid for Hincapie has yet been made, with the Gunners first needing to find new clubs for Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior. The latter is the subject of interest from Porto, who are reported to have made an approach over a loan with obligation to buy. Arsenal are looking for around £25m ($32m) for the Poland international, potentially half of what it might take to sign Hincapie.

أدلى هانز فليك، المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة، بتصريحات عقب فوزهم القاتل على خصمه ليفانتي، مساء أمس السبت، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.

وحل برشلونة ضيفًا على ليفانتي في إطار منافسات الجولة الثانية من الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26.

وكان برشلونة متأخرًا في النتيجة بهدفين دون رد، قبل أن ينجح في العودة ويسجل ثلاثة أهداف، ويحقق فوزًا ثمينًا.

وقال هانز فليك، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “دافع ليفانتي بشكل جيد للغاية، يمتلكون لاعبين سريعين للغاية، لم يكن الأمر سهلًا، سنحت لهم فرص جيدة في الشوط الأول”.

وأضاف: “في الشوط الثاني تغيرنا، ساعدنا الهدف الأول الذي سجلناه (بيدري)، اكتسبنا الثقة وقاتلنا حتى نهاية المباراة من أجل الفوز والحصول على النقاط الثلاث”.

وفيما يخص حصول ليفانتي على ضربة جزاء، في الشوط الأول، بداعِ وجود لمسة يد على بالدي، قال فليك: “عندما يحدث ذلك، تشعر بالغضب، لقد احتسب الحكم ضربة جزاء، علينا تقبل الأمر، ولكن الأهم هو أن نعود بالنقاط الثلاث”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رجل مباراة برشلونة وليفانتي في الدوري الإسباني

وعما إذا كان تفسير الحكم بشأن ذلك واضحًا، قال: “لا أستطيع أن أقول نعم أم لا، لا أستطيع، ولكن علينا تقبل ما حدث”.

وواصل: “هل أشعر بالفخر؟ بالطبع، لماذا تسأل؟! لقد فزنا بالنقاط الثلاث، وثقنا بأنفسنا، هذا الفوز يساعدنا كثيرًا، لم يكن الأمر سهلًا لأن الخصم يلعب بنفس الطريقة”.

واعترف: “لم نلعب بشكل مثالي ولكن علينا الإشادة بأداء ليفانتي، سجلنا 3 أهداف، علينا أن نتحدث ونحلل ما حدث، هذه المباريات تساعدنا على التحسن ومعرفة طريقنا، الموسم طويل”.

واسترسل: “حصل راشفورد على بعض الفرص في الشوط الأول وأظهر قدرته على مساعدتنا، في الشوط الثاني اضطررنا لإجراء تغييرات ووضعنا رافينها كجناح، أعتقد أنها كانت التغييرات الصحيحة، الهدف الأول غيّر مجرى المباراة”.

Celtic have already completed their first signing of the summer transfer window, which opened for business on Sunday, by agreeing to bring Kieran Tierney back to Parkhead.

The Scotland international will officially return to the club at the end of this month, upon the expiry of his contract at Arsenal, to be Brendan Rodgers’ left-back for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.

Tierney, as you can see in the graphic above, won five Scottish Premiership titles during his first stint in Paradise after coming up through the academy system, before being sold to Arsenal for £25m in the summer of 2019.

Six years later and the Scottish full-back is returning to the club on a free transfer to bolster the Northern Irish head coach’s options at the back next term.

Tierney is not the only former Celtic full-back sold for big money who is on the move this summer, though, as Jeremie Frimpong has signed for Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of £29.5m.

How Celtic hit the jackpot with Jeremie Frimpong

The Hoops hit the jackpot with the full-back when they snapped him up from Premier League giants Manchester City for a very modest fee of £300k in the summer of 2019, a few months after Rodgers left to join Leicester City.

Celtic were willing to take a gamble on a player who had not played a minute of senior football up to that point, as he had been playing

U23 and U18 football for City.

Because of his lack of senior experience, there was no way for the club to know how he would adapt to playing regular first-team football in Scotland, which is why it was a risk to bring him in as a right-back option.

However, he hit the ground running for the Hoops, winning the domestic treble in the 2019/20 campaign, with a fantastic debut season as a senior player.

Frimpong stayed at Celtic for another six months, playing 22 times in the 2020/21 Premiership season, before signing for Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to £11.5m at the start of 2021.

This shows that the club hit the jackpot with the defender because they were willing to take a gamble on an inexperienced young full-back from England for a modest fee, and went on to make a huge profit on the defender.

Frimpong then went on to provide 30 goals and 44 assists in 194 appearances for Leverkusen in all competitions before his big-money move to Liverpool this summer.

The Scottish giants are now reportedly eyeing up a move for the full-back who could follow in the Netherlands international’s footsteps at Parkhead.

Celtic eyeing move for English full-back

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign left-back Harley Mills from English League One side Peterborough United in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Posh are currently mulling over an approach from Premier League side Fulham, who have offered £1m for the teenage defender, which shows that there is competition for his signature.

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It states that Celtic have joined the race for the League One full-back because Rodgers wants to bring in competition in the left-back position for Tierney, who is poised to return to Parkhead on a free transfer from Arsenal at the end of the month.

Greg Taylor is out of contract and currently due to move on from the Scottish giants this summer, whilst Jeffrey Schlupp’s loan deal has expired, which has left Tierney as the only left-back contracted to the Hoops heading into next season.

Mills has been identified as a player who could come in to provide back-up in that position initially, as a replacement for Taylor, and he could now come through the door this summer as Frimpong 2.0 if Rodgers signs him.

Why Celtic should sign Harley Mills

Firstly, it is worth reinforcing that the 19-year-old talent would only be a second-choice at left-back in the 2025/26 campaign to start with, because Tierney will be the go-to option given what he achieved in his first spell at Parkhead.

This means that there will not be a lot of pressure on Mills to perform straight away, as was the case when Frimpong arrived from Manchester City’s academy, and that is backed up by a potential fee of £1m, which is not a mind-blowing amount of money to spend on a squad option.

He would, therefore, be given time to adapt and adjust to senior football in Scotland, as the young left-back does not have a wealth of experience as a first-team player under his belt.

Mills, who was hailed as “outstanding” by youth coach Jamal Campbell-Ryce, has played 20 times for Peterborough, including 12 appearances in League One, but did catch the eye at Wembley in the final of the EFL Trophy.

The English star scored a phenomenal free-kick in a 2-0 win over Birmingham City for his side, and that capped off what was an excellent campaign for the Posh academy graduate in that competition.

24/25 EFL Trophy

Harley Mills

Appearances

6

Sofascore rating

7.25

Goals

2

Key passes per game

1.2

Big chances created

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.2

Duel success rate

67%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Mills showcased his quality in and out of possession across six appearances in the EFL Trophy, winning the majority of his duels with opposition attackers whilst also scoring two goals and creating one ‘big chance’ for his teammates.

He only started eight games in League One, averaging 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 62% of his duels, but his form in that cup competition shows the kind of potential he has as a left-back.

Mills has shown potential as a strong defender, who can win his duels at an efficient rate, and as an attacking force with his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals, which suggests that he is worth gambling on for a fee of £1m.

Like Frimpong, he could be a low-risk full-back signing from English football who could go on to be worth millions more in the future if things go well for him in Glasgow.

Related Celtic could sign their new Dembele with swoop for "outstanding" £10m star

Celtic could repeat their Moussa Dembele masterclass with a swoop for this star.

Posts ByDan Emery Jun 1, 2025

على الرغم من خسارته لقب كأس العالم للأندية لكن باريس سان جيرمان أستطاع أن يتربع على عرش الأندية العالمية خلال الموسم الماضي بتحقيقه دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقد كثرت الأحاديث عن ديزريه دوي جناح باريس سان جيرمان ومقارنته بنجم برشلونة وصاحب القميص رقم 10 الموسم المقبل لامين يامال.

اقرأ أيضاً.. عقد رعاية بملايين.. برشلونة يعلن عن شراكة جديدة مع دولة إفريقية

ومع اقتراب الموسم الجديد يبدو أن نجم باريس سان جيرمان قد بدأ بالفعل في ممارسة الألعاب الذهنية حيث يرى نفسه اللاعب الأفضل وأنه أفضل من نجم برشلونة.

وسئل نجم باريس سان جيرمان عبر تيك توك عن اللاعب الذي يراه الأفضل بينه وبين لامين يامال ولم يتردد حتى في الرد حيث قال:” سؤال رائع، أنا”.

واعترف دوي جناح باريس سان جيرمان بهذا التصريح، بالتنافس المتزايد بينه وبين لامين يامال نجم برشلونة، والذي حقق ثلاثة ألقاب مع البلوجرانا الموسم الماضي وقدم أداءً مميزًا في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقد أثار دوي حماس الكثيرين بمهاراته الفنية وقدرته الرائعة على تجاوز الخصوم الموسم الماضي، لذا سيكون من المثير رؤية إذا كان سيجذب المتابعين لمستوياته ومساهماته مع باريس سان جيرمان.

SA captain admits that his bowlers took time to find their lengths but doesn’t expect them “to keep making the same mistakes”

Firdose Moonda08-Sep-2023Temba Bavuma expects South Africa to be more “relentless” as they ramp up preparations for the ODI World Cup.South Africa were well on track to defend a below-par 222 in the first ODI against Australia and had them at 113 for 7, but an unbeaten 112-run partnership between concussion sub Marnus Labuschagne and No. 8 Ashton Agar saw Australia cruise to a comfortable win. Bavuma, who was not on the field for most of Australia’s chase as he recovered from a cramp he picked up while batting, was disappointed with his team’s inability to dismiss the Australian tail.”If you get a team in that position, you expect yourself to be able to clean out the game,” he said afterwards. “We speak about being relentless. When you get given a sniff against a team like Australia, you’ve got to take it. If the situations were reversed, they would have prided themselves on cleaning up the game.”Related

Time to panic? No, South Africa just need to 'raise our intensity' a bit, says Klaasen

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Labuschagne: 'Mum had a feeling I would play'

This is not the first time that South Africa’s attack has been found wanting in this new season. They conceded a massive 226 against Australia in the first T20I last Wednesday and were unable to defend 190 in the third on Sunday.Though Bavuma maintained that the two white-ball formats should be assessed differently because they have “different personnel”, there are some common concerns. Lungi Ngidi and Gerald Coetzee played across both series and South Africa’s insistence on only one seam-bowling allrounder – Marco Jansen in the case of ODIs – means if things go wrong, their resources look thin.Bavuma was careful not to be too critical and believes there’s still some rust being shaken off after almost five months of inactivity for the national side. “We will get better,” he said. “These are world-class players we have in the team. We don’t expect them to keep making the same mistakes.”Asked what he thought went wrong specifically in the first ODI – when he was not on the field to counsel his attack and T20I captain Aiden Markram did the job instead – Bavuma tried to keep it vague but made one fair observation. “It was just our inability to create chances in that innings. I would have encouraged the bowlers to use their bouncer a bit more,” he said.

“We weren’t good enough and we need to find ways to improve our game holistically”Bavuma after the first ODI loss

On an unusually slow Bloemfontein surface with variable bounce, three of South Africa’s ten wickets fell to short balls and three of Australia’s seven went the same way. Towards the end of Australia’s innings, South Africa were barely bowling any and let the game drift to an inevitable conclusion.But it would be unfair to say that’s where the game was lost. It was the contrasting powerplays – South Africa scored 25 for 1 in theirs and Australia 69 for 4 – which set the tone for the innings that came. Bavuma acknowledged his bowlers took too long to find their lengths. “The first ten overs weren’t great. We managed to get wickets, but at what cost? That’s just a mis-execution thing. If you look at our first ten overs versus theirs first ten overs, it was chalk and cheese,” he said.South Africa have now lost four matches in a row to Australia, but Bavuma is not too worried about what that means. “We’ve lost one ODI game,” he said. “There’s no use referencing the T20s as that’s different personnel. We weren’t good enough and we need to find ways to improve our game holistically. We will challenge ourselves to get better.”He also played down fears over his own fitness after he received treatment while batting and spent most of the Australia innings on the sidelines. “My hammie (hamstring) felt a bit tight but I think I will be fine.”The second match of the series will also be played in Bloemfontein, on Saturday.

عقد البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، جلسة مع اللاعبين على هامش مران اليوم الإثنين، الذي أقيم على ستاد الكلية الحربية في حضور أعضاء الجهاز المعاون له.

وتحدث المدير الفني عن برنامج خطة الإعداد للموسم الجديد، وطالبهم بالتركيز وبذل أقصى جهد، وحرص على منحهم بعض التعليمات استعداداً للمرحلة المقبلة.

ويحرص الجهاز الفني بقيادة البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا على تجهيز جميع اللاعبين من الناحية البدنية في بداية فترة الإعداد، قبل بدء مرحلة التدريبات الفنية والخططية .

طالع أيضاً.. لاعب البنك الأهلي يخضع للكشف الطبي تمهيدًا للانضمام إلى الزمالك

يذكر، أن الزمالك أنهى الموسم الماضي 2024-2025 في المركز الثالث بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، بعدما واجه سلسلة من التحديات الفنية والإدارية على مدار الموسم.

ويسعى الزمالك للتعاقد مع عدد من اللاعبين لتدعيم صفوفه استعداداً للموسم القادم 2025/2026، وذلك بعد تعيين يانيك فيريرا مدربًا للفريق.

There was no place for Jaker Ali who was in the squad for the Ireland series in March

Mohammad Isam18-Jun-2023

Bangladesh have brought back Afif Hossain and Ebadot Hossain into their T20I squad for the two-match series against Afghanistan. There was no place for wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali who was in the squad for the Ireland series in March.Afif, who was also named in the ODI squad for the series against Afghanistan, last played T20Is against England in March. In 62 T20Is, he has scored 1020 runs at a strike rate of 120.28.Related

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Ebadot, meanwhile, wasn’t in the T20I side against England or Ireland, and he last played in the T20 World Cup in November last year. Having made his debut in the format during the Asia Cup in 2022, he has seven wickets in four T20Is. He took 4-47 in the one-off Test against Afghanistan earlier this week.Bangladesh’s next scheduled T20Is are against New Zealand in December this year following this series. The T20Is against Afghanistan will be played in Sylhet on July 14 and 16 following the three ODIs. The only other time Bangladesh played T20Is at home in July was against South Africa in 2015.Bangladesh T20I squad: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Litton Das, Rony Talukdar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Rishad Hossain, Afif Hossain

Lamine Yamal has signed a new contract at Barcelona until 2031, the club have confirmed.

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Yamal signs new dealHas become a superstar at BarcelonaCommits future to Catalan clubFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Spain international has committed his future to the Catalan giants, signing a deal until 2031 that will run until he is 23. He has already made 106 appearances for the club, scoring 25 goals and laying on 34 assists.

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Yamal had been linked with a potential move to Paris Saint-Germain but any doubts over his future have now been put completely to bed. The teenager is already a two-time La Liga champion, as well as a European champion, and will continue in the footsteps of Lionel Messi at Barcelona, as he bids to become equally legendary.

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

The Spain international has enjoyed a stunning season under Hansi Flick, scoring 18 goals and laying on 25 assists in 55 games. He has become a sensation since his first-team debut, so it is little surprise the Catalan giants are desperate for him to stay.

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WHAT NEXT?

Barca have yet to announce their pre-season plans but Yamal is currently enjoying a well-deserved break.

The USWNT boss continues to turn over the player pool, and this squad features intriguing choices

While discussing her latest roster selections, Emma Hayes was asked to reflect on it all. It has been almost exactly a year since she arrived as U.S. women's national team coach. With an Olympic gold in her back pocket and now with the experience of starting a fresh cycle, this was a time to take stock.

"The truth is I'm in love with my job every day," she said, then detailed the best aspects of the role – the challenges, the leadership lessons, the culture. And ahead of upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica, Hayes' favorite part? The opportunities.

This camp will represent exactly that for many: an opportunity. Hayes named a 24-player squad for these two matches, which will be held on May 31 and June 3. The roster features a key return, two first-time call-ups, a further uncapped player and a whole lot of young faces, all of whom are looking to take their own leap toward the 2027 Women's World Cup.

The USWNT split a pair of friendlies with Brazil in April, winning the first match 2-0 before falling 2-1 in the second. Facing Brazil wasn't going to be easy, and that proved to be the case. The games marked a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal match, so there was a lot on the line despite it being labeled a "friendly." Yet given that the 2027 World Cup is still two years away, Hayes made it very clear that once again she would be experimenting with players – because she can.

The USWNT isn't a finished product, and it isn't meant to be at this point in the cycle. For Hayes, the player pool continues to expand, and this camp will give her a chance to learn multiple lessons about those in it.

GOAL takes a look at the five big takeaways from Hayes' squad selection.

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  Girma's return

  For fans of the USWNT, one name stood out immediately in this roster. She's back!

  Naomi Girma is making her USWNT return, having missed all previous matches since the start of the year. Injury issues plagued her initial days at Chelsea, but she returned in time to win trophies and, more importantly for the USWNT, be ready for this camp.

  The USWNT has missed Girma dearly. There are few, if any, center-backs that can go toe-to-toe with her these days, and having her back gives the U.S. arguably the world's best safety net. It also gives the backline a vital boost in leadership from a player who has become one of the faces of this national team.

  "You cannot underestimate the importance of players like Naomi Girma to this team," Hayes said in a news conference Tuesday. "We've been without a lot of experienced players over the last six, seven or eight months, so getting some of that back in this camp with Naomi, we'll add not just quality, but that leadership piece. She's the vice captain of the team. She's someone who is growing into that role.

  "I know she's missed it terribly and, when you make as big of a move as she did, it does take a little bit of time to settle in. It's taken her body some time to adjust, but she's in a great place. She's very, very excited to be back with us."

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  Thompson as Rodman replacement?

  Trinity Rodman isn't here, along with here Triple Espresso mates, Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson. That pesky back injury has flared again, and the USWNT will be very cautious with her treatment and return.

  "It's a multi-disciplinary approach to supporting Trin," Hayes said. "That's club, country and the NWSL, so there's good communication and support provided to her. With regard to the issue in her back, she wants to get to a place where it doesn't keep coming back, so I think these are the right steps for her.

  "I've definitely seen a lot of progress this week but, unfortunately, I can't put a time frame on it because we want to ensure, again, that she's not carrying that pain any further. I think we're definitely heading in the right direction. I don't know when she will be back, but I know that Trinity is being given all of the support."

  Rodman's absence creates an opportunity. Hayes tipped a surprising player as a potential answer, though: Gisele Thompson. Typically a right-back, Alyssa Thompson's younger sister has been recognized as a forward by U.S. Soccer, and Hayes says that isn't by accident.

  "No Trinity Rodman available and no Yasmeen Ryan available, and Gisele is an attacking fullback, there's no question," Hayes said. "She's been playing as a right-back for her club, but I'd like to see her as a wide forward. One, because it's natural for her to go forward and, two, because I think there are other players ahead of her in the fullback position, specifically Emily Fox. It feels like a win-win with a lack of wide options in this camp."

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  Shaw, Albert and Fishel U23 bound

  There were some notable absences from this squad. Jaedyn Shaw was left out, as was Korbin Albert. Mia Fishel has recently recovered from her long-term injury and, given the lack of strikers, could be a valuable player for the USWNT. None were on the roster, but all will be active within the program.

  Hayes confirmed that all three will be part of the U.S. U23 roster, which will be released on Wednesday.

  "I think that's the beautiful thing about the U23s, going to Germany and playing high-level opponents," she said. "This is what I felt has been really missing for a lot of players. They make that jump from Under-20 to seniors and they don't have a body of games. Yes, they could come sit on the bench for us, but it's much better to go and play in Germany and get those experiences so that these players are tracking to compete in the place we want them to come 2027."

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  A feel-good callup

  With those familiar players switching to the U23s for this camp, there was room to expand the pool and call in some newer faces. The standout newcomer is, of course, Lo’eau LaBonta, who could make some history if she does feature.

  At 32, Labonta would become the oldest player to earn her first USWNT cap. An 11-year NWSL veteran, Labonta hasn't worn a national team shirt since her time with the U23s while she was at Stanford. This is a feel-good moment for her, one that is the culmination of years of hard work on the club level.

  Hayes was quick to point out, though, that this isn't just about creating a special moment.

  "She's deserving of the call-up," Hayes said. "She's been consistent in everything that she has done and I think, with the volume of young players – or less-experienced players – we're bringing in, I think we have to get that balance right.

  "Obviously, with the U23s program and two fantastic games in Germany, it's an opportunity for us to use that for less developed players who are strong candidates for the 2027 pool. You look at someone like Lo’eau, who is a super player and someone, like I said, is deserving of that. This is the right moment to do it."