The Three Lions are going to Berlin to take on Spain – and it's all thanks to their manager's genius changes

Good things come to those wait, and Ollie Watkins had been waiting patiently on the sidelines for the nearly the entirety of Euro 2024. But in Dortmund, all it took was a 10-minute cameo off the bench for him to deliver a show-stopping performance to leave the Netherlands speechless and send England to their second-successive Euros final.

Watkins had been a mere spectator for England's games against Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Switzerland, only getting 20 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Denmark. But he knew that Wednesday would be the night he would get the nod, and the moment he would make all the difference.

"I swear on my kids' life, I told Cole Palmer earlier today, we'd be coming on and he'd set me up and I'd score. And it happened," he told moments after his last-gasp winner, which was indeed laid on by Chelsea's Palmer.

The striker had a sense of destiny about the occasion and England have seemed destined for something special in this tournament. How else to explain their puzzling passage through Germany? The Three Lions stunk out the group stage and needed moments of brilliance from Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka to get them to the last four.

They conceded the first goal for the third consecutive knockout game, but once more they rallied and are heading for Berlin on Sunday, all thanks to the understated leadership of Gareth Southgate.

Spain will be confident of winning the final if they can replicate the wonderful form they have shown throughout the tournament, but they should not underestimate this England's team capacity to turn dust to gold.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Signal-Iduna Park…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Ollie Watkins

It did not feel right that a player who had contributed 32 combined goals and assists over the course of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign had featured so little at the tournament. But Watkins was just waiting for the right moment.

As soon as he came off the bench, the Aston Villa striker looked like he was ready to make an impact. A few minutes after arriving he made a darting run into the box and narrowly failed to make contact with Luke Shaw's cut-back.

He stayed focused, and with extra-time looming, he did what Harry Kane had failed to do for most of the game, attacking the centre-backs and demanding the ball. He still had loads to do, with Stefan de Vrij breathing down his neck, but he took the ball away from the defender, firing it through his legs and into the bottom corner.

Watkins has had a patchy England career, getting very few opportunities due to Kane's consistency and Southgate's reluctance to rotate. There was even a question over whether he would be included for the squad back in May. But his club form was impossible to ignore and the whole country are grateful he was brought along for the ride.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Memphis Depay

Memphis Depay has often been an enigma, an extremely talented forward who made a precocious start to his career, only to flop at Manchester United. He rebuilt his reputation with Lyon and earned a dream move to Barcelona, where he also failed to live up to expectations.

He has been consistent for his national team, though, and has had a strong tournament, albeit while only finding the net once. But on the biggest night of his life, he lasted just 35 minutes before succumbing to injury.

As it turned out, his departure from the pitch and the introduction of Joey Veerman helped stabilise the Netherlands and slowed England's explosive start. But the Oranje ultimately lost the semi-final, and their talisman was powerless to help them.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Gareth Southgate

Was this Southgate's revenge for all the mud that has been slung at him? Against the toughest team England had faced yet in Germany, they produced their best performance, dominating the Dutch for large parts of the game, particularly in the second half.

Southgate has been heavily criticised, not without reason, for his hesitation to make substitutes, but here his changes were spot-on. He brought on Luke Shaw surprisingly early for Kieran Trippier, but bided his time before taking off Kane and Phil Foden for Palmer and Watkins.

He learned from Roberto Martinez's mistake with Cristiano Ronaldo and removed Kane for the far livelier Watkins, who struck the winner with the help of a pass from Palmer. Job done. And now England are off to their second consecutive Euros final, their first on foreign soil.

Berlin could well prove to be Southgate's last act as England manager, but however the match ends, he must be remembered as the man who gave the country hope again. Some of that goodwill has been tested at this tournament, but England are exactly where they wanted to be. Time to give Southgate his flowers.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: VAR

Gary Neville could be forgiven for being biased towards England in normal circumstances, but even he was convinced they should not have been awarded a penalty in the first half. In fact, he saw its awarding as a very affront to defenders past and present, calling it an "absolutely disgraceful decision" and saying he found it "offensive".

's refereeing expert Christina Unkel was also taken aback by the decision to review the play on the VAR monitor, as she could not see how on-pitch referee Felix Zwayer had made a clear and obvious error by not awarding a spot-kick for Denzel Dumfries' challenge on Kane.

The Netherlands had every right to be upset by the decision, which gave England a ticket straight back into the match as Kane converted after falling behind early on. It was not the first bizarre decision from VAR at the tournament, either, as Denmark were harshly punished for a questionable handball against Germany, who were then stunned themselves as they were denied a penalty in their quarter-final tie with Spain when the ball had struck Marc Cucurella's arm.

It's all coming to a head in the Premier League now, with the 2023/24 campaign drawing toward its closing stage and the heat throughout the division intensifying.

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur side recently dispatched Aston Villa away from home to slash their deficit to the fourth-placed team to just two points, and with a game in hand.

While Spurs were dismal for large portions of last season, there has been a refreshing new take under Postecoglou's management that has seen the transfer recruitment polished and the progress on the pitch ramped up, with some entertaining and proactive football to boot.

While the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Brennan Johnson and Guglielmo Vicario have been tremendous since completing transfers to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last summer, the club's youthful underbelly speaks of an exciting future fighting for silverware and competing on the continent.

8/10 Spurs star has been even more impressive than Johnson recently

Ange’s side are clicking into gear as they chase down Champions League qualification.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 12, 2024

While this wave of quality within the Lilywhites academy is far greater and more prolific than anything seen over many years, Tottenham have chugged out a prospect or two over the years (Harry Kane, stand up) but they haven't always been convinced of remaining in north London, with Chelsea winger Noni Madueke a prime example.

Why Spurs let Noni Madueke leave

Days ago, Madueke celebrated his 22nd birthday in London, and while he has yet to cement a regular starting berth for Chelsea after returning to England, he's definitely made some good choices thus far in his career.

Madueke spent much of his teenage years on the Tottenham books, impressing for the academy and even making an appearance back in the 2016/17 U18 Premier League campaign, yet to break into adulthood.

But he departed the club when PSV Eindhoven came calling and detailed in an interview with Sky Sports the reason for making this decision aged just 16.

"Tottenham was a great academy and they’ve got a great development plan. I’d been offered a scholarship agreement at Tottenham but I’d seen a lot of the boys – that were good as well – just kind of get lost in the system and I just didn’t want that for me.

“Going to PSV is not going to harm my development at all and if I’m good enough, I’m going to play quick in the first team, so that was really my mindset. I’m thinking ‘if I jump the queue, I’ll just be better than all my peers because whilst they’re playing Under-18’s and Under-21’s, I’ll be playing against men.”

It's hard to argue that Madueke's thought-out approach to his early development was inauspicious, having caught the eye as one of the Dutch Eredivisie's most promising youngsters after leaving London.

Noni Madueke's transfer value after leaving Spurs

Madueke, despite his youth, posted 20 goals and 14 assists across 80 senior appearances for PSV before leaving, with his performances leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to pronounce him a "wonderkid."

Such displays caught Chelsea's attention around 14 months ago as they looked to combat an abject start to life under Todd Boehly's ownership, and Spurs' London rivals forked out some £29m to snap him up in January 2023.

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Chelsea continue to flatter to deceive and Madueke has not quite enjoyed the return to the capital that he would have envisaged, but he's undoubtedly a top talent and Tottenham might come to regret pushing him toward the exit so soon.

His fleet-footedness and dynamism would be perfect in Postecoglou's system and he certainly offers skill surpassing that of Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil, the latter notably without a single goal or assist in 2023/24.

On a wage of £50k-per-week at Chelsea, Madueke is actually earning the same weekly salary as Van de Ven right now, so were he kept hold of for longer Spurs could have enjoyed his precocity for little expense before, potentially, shipping him out for a lucrative fee.

Or indeed utilising his abilities and bringing him to the fore at an improving and attractive project in N17.

Noni Madueke's Chelsea career so far

Madueke arrived at Stamford Bridge in the middle of a bleak winter, with cash splashed on a slew of stars to shape this new era at Chelsea. It didn't work.

Tottenham did not enjoy a good campaign by any stretch but Chelsea slumped to a 12th place Premier League finish, with 11 victories and 16 defeats.

Madueke was young and untested in English football but he impressed sporadically, starting seven times in the top-flight, scoring once – in a defeat against Arsenal – completing 82% of his passes, averaging 1.1 key passes, 2.8 dribbles and 5.2 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.

He has the trappings of a real player and Chelsea recognised this, with writer Bobby Vincent speaking of Madueke's potential and the regard that he was held in by the club's powers that be.

The journalist said: "There's a genuine belief from senior officials at Chelsea that the former Spurs youngster can develop into a world-class talent at Cobham. Madueke is a really exciting footballer to watch and he will certainly cause problems for full-backs thanks to his blistering speed, his fearlessness and his directness with the ball at his feet."

The cogs haven't quite meshed together yet but Madueke has some standout qualities that point toward a future of real success, with his core attributes already on show.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 2% for successful take-ons, the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 17% for tackles and the top 1% for clearances per 90.

But what does that actually tell us? Well, he's got some breakneck pace at his feet, that's for sure, and while he's been neither clinical nor incisive in his goalscoring and playmaking under Mauricio Pochettino's wing, he's deadly on the wing and surges into the danger area with frightening regularity.

Moreover, Madueke is an active defensive member and will always chip in and provide support to his defensive peers, demonstrating the kind of commitment and desire that Postecoglou demands from his players.

1.

Dejan Kulusevski

Tottenham Hotspur

2.

Bernardo Silva

Manchester City

3.

Miguel Almiron

Newcastle United

Had Tottenham given him an opportunity, there's no telling whether he could have garnered a similar fee to the one that pulled him toward Stamford Bridge, but there's no question that a bit more prudence might have been wise, allowing him to complete a series of loan moves to settle his feet on the major stage.

Described as a "mentality monster" by reporter Samuel Isaksson-Hurst in the past, Madueke has everything he needs to find his feet in London, performing from the outset with constancy in the Premier League.

Ruefully, it's a shame it's not going to be with Tottenham.

Spain enjoyed a golden generation between 2008 and 2012, winning two European Championships and a World Cup. During that time, they arguably had some of the best players in world football, some of whom scored plenty of goals during their international careers.

But who is Spain's record goalscorer? Football FanCast has taken a look at the top La Roja scorers of all time, with a detailed view of the very best Spain has produced over the years…

All information correct as of 21st March 2024.

Rank

Player

Caps

Goals

1

David Villa

98

59

2

Raul

102

44

3

Fernando Torres

110

38

4

David Silva

125

35

5

Alvaro Morata

69

34

6

Fernando Hierro

89

29

7

Fernando Morientes

47

27

8

Emilio Butragueno

69

26

=9

Alfredo di Stefano

31

23

=9

Sergio Ramos

180

23

11

Julio Salinas

56

22

12

Michel

66

21

13

Telmo Zarra

20

20

14

Ferran Torres

40

18

15

Pedro

65

17

=16

Isidro Langara

12

16

=16

Luis Regueiro

25

16

=16

Pirri

41

16

=16

Xabi Alonso

116

16

=20

Santillana

56

15

=20

Santi Cazorla

81

15

=20

Cesc Fabregas

110

15

Here is a detailed look at Spain's top 10 goalscorers:

10 Sergio Ramos 23 goals (180 caps)

Centre-back Sergio Ramos is the most-capped player in Spain’s history, and he averaged a decent scoring record for a defender.

The Real Madrid icon retired from international duty in 2023 after winning three major tournaments during that golden period between 2008 and 2012. Eight of his 23 goals were scored from the penalty spot, and he actually missed four spot kicks which could’ve taken him higher in the list.

9 Alfredo di Stefano 23 goals (31 caps)

Alfredo di Stefano, another Real Madrid legend, also netted 23 goals for his country, but did so in an impressive 31 appearances.

The striker actually represented Argentina and Colombia during his career, and didn’t make his debut for Spain until the age of 31. He won the Ballon d'Or twice in 1957 and 1959, years in which he was scoring regularly for Spain.

8 Emilio Butragueno 26 goals (69 caps)

Forward Emilio Butragueno was actually Spain’s record goalscorer for a number of years, scoring 26 goals over an eight-year international career.

Nicknamed El Buitre, Butragueno, who came through Real Madrid’s academy, represented Spain in two World Cups and two European Championships, but never won a major tournament. He retired from international football in 1992 at the tender age of 29.

7 Fernando Morientes 27 goals (47 caps)

Striker Fernando Morientes made quite an impact on his Spain debut, scoring two goals inside five minutes against Sweden. He then went on to net a brace in his second and third caps against Northern Ireland and Bulgaria, making 1998 his most productive year in front of goal at international level.

The former Real Madrid and Liverpool forward also scored in two major tournaments, falling just shy of 50 caps.

6 Fernando Hierro 29 goals (89 caps)

A defender who could also play as a holding midfielder, Fernando Hierro had a brilliant goal record for his country. Trusted on free kicks and penalties, the Real Madrid icon scored eight of his 29 goals from 12 yards.

He returned to manage Spain in the 2018 World Cup, where they didn’t have as much luck from the spot, with La Roja losing a shootout against Russia in the last 16.

5 Alvaro Morata 34 goals (69 caps)

Current Spain captain Alvaro Morata currently sits in the top five, but may have his eyes on climbing the leaderboard before retiring.

The 31-year-old made his debut back in 2014 and scored seven goals for his country in the years 2016 and 2022. A UEFA Nations League winner, Morata will be hoping to add a European Championship or World Cup winners' medal to his collection as captain.

4 David Silva 35 goals (125 caps)

Known for being a creative attacking midfielder, David Silva also chipped in with an impressive 35 goals in 125 appearances.

In fact, the former Manchester City playmaker scored more goals than he registered assists (32) and played an important role in their two European Championship wins and World Cup triumph.

He retired from international football in 2018 and ended his club career in 2023.

3 Fernando Torres 38 goals (110 caps)

After progressing through Spain’s youth levels at a rapid pace, Fernando Torres made his senior debut as a teenager in 2003 and went on to enjoy a successful international career.

Nicknamed El Nino, Torres played for the likes of Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea at club level. He famously scored the winner for Spain and was named Player of the Match in the Euro 2008 final against Germany – the most important of his 38 international goals.

2 Raul 44 goals (102 caps)

After making waves as a teenager at Real Madrid, Raul made his Spain debut at the age of just 19 and went on to become La Roja’s all-time record goalscorer in 2003.

Raul played in five major tournaments but never took home a winners' medal, retiring in 2006 after playing more than 100 games. Unfortunately for him, Spain’s rise was just getting started upon his retirement, which involved a forward who would eventually overtake him at the top of the scoring charts.

1 David Villa 59 goals (98 caps)

Top of the charts is David Villa, who hit his prime in 2008 to help Spain to European Championship glory, years on after taking the famous No 7 shirt from Raul.

He scored 12 goals in 28 games prior to 2008, but Villa would go on to net 39 times over the next four years, also lifting the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. He retired from international football in 2014, but came back out of retirement in 2017 for a 98th cap against Italy.

Chelsea could allow as many as 12 players to leave this summer as they seek to reduce their wage bill and trim their squad, according to a report.

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Chelsea could face mass exodus12 players could depart BluesMaresca draws with Wrexham in first gameWHAT HAPPENED?

report that the Blues want to offload a huge bulk of deadwood that they could not shift last year who are returning from various loans. Romelu Lukaku is the Blues' highest earner and the they have been unsuccessfully attempting to shift the striker for the past two summers.

Kepa Arrizabalaga has also returned from a loan spent largely on the Real Madrid bench and David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja and Cesare Casadei are also back at the club but look set to depart.

Other players potentially up for sale include homegrown talents Trevor Chalobah and Conor Gallagher as well as other first-team regulars Ben Chilwell and Djordje Petrovic. Out-of-favour centre-half Malang Sarr has already had his lucrative contract cancelled to allow him to move to RC Lens.

Young prospects Alfie Gilchrist, Andrey Santos and Lesley Ugochukwu could head out on loan.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Chelsea have got to sell before they can buy many more players. They have already added Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City, Omari Kellyman from Aston Villa, Renato Veiga from FC Basel, Caleb Wiley from Atlanta, Marc Guiu from Barcelona and Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham so far this window. They are also linked with moves for Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, Boca Juniors' Aaron Anselmino and Athletic Club's Nico Williams. It is once again a busy summer at Stamford Bridge.

DID YOU KNOW?

Following the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca has been entrusted with guiding Chelsea back into the Champions League and into title challenges. The Italian led Leicester straight back to the Premier League at first time of asking as champions, but Chelsea will offer different challenges for the Italian.

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David Gonzales-USA TODAY SportsWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Maresca had his first look at his Chelsea squad as they drew 2-2 with Wrexham in a hot-headed affair. The new Blues boss will look to secure the first win of his tenure against Celtic on Saturday in Indiana as they continue their pre-season tour of the US.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou wakes up this morning with one eye fixed on Aston Villa's trip to the Etihad Stadium to clash against champions Manchester City in the Premier League.

Villa are on the edge of top four, one place ahead of Spurs, but the fifth-placed side may yet rue the attacking bluntness that prevented them from securing all three points against West Ham United the day before, on Tuesday evening.

Whether it's a point gained or two points lost will be defined later down the line. Manchester United trail by nine points in sixth, albeit with a game in hand. The fifth spot in the Premier League may yet cement a Champions League spot through new UEFA co-efficient rankings, though that means rooting for rivals like Arsenal and the Hammers on the continent.

It was that man Brennan Johnson who got on the scoresheet to give Spurs a fast start to match his lightning pace, having turned in from close range after good work from loanee Timo Werner to get in behind and pump through a low cross.

Brennan Johnson's game vs West Ham in numbers

Johnson has not always found a starting berth easy to come by during his maiden campaign with the club, but Postecoglou clearly trusts the pacy Wales international and he has been rewarded with some stellar showings on the wing of late.

Minutes played

89'

Goals

1

Touches

50

Accurate passes

26/35 (79%)

Key passes

1

Dribble attempts

2/2

Duels won

2/6

Possession lost

17x

Against the Hammers, he was effective, continuing a promising run of form that is fast shaking off the doubters following his £47.5m move to Spurs from Nottingham Forest on transfer deadline day in August.

Now with four goals and three assists from ten top-flight matches (just five starts) since the new year, the 22-year-old is proving himself a valuable option and did so once again despite a lukewarm Lilywhites performance.

It left much to be desired heading into the business end of the campaign, with James Maddison one of the chief culprits after yet another indifferent display.

James Maddison's performance vs West Ham

Maddison has now entered a poor patch of form but he has showcased his high-level ability on enough occasions this term to quickly allay any fears that he is falling by the wayside in the final stretch of the season.

Postecoglou has previously hailed Maddison as one of the club's biggest "leaders" and this is reflected through both his conduct and quality on the field. Though he has definitely dipped recently and will need to pick himself back up quickly with so much on the line.

As per Sofascore, the 27-year-old completed 89% of his passes against West Ham, taking 72 touches, succeeding with two of his three attempted dribbles and winning five ground duels, also precisely placing all three of his crosses.

Despite this, the £170k-per-week phenom created just one key pass all evening, solemnly summing up the struggles his side were faced with at the London Stadium, having also lost the ball on 13 occasions.

Writing in his post-match player ratings, football.london's Alasdair Gold branded him with a 5/10 match rating and said: 'Some nice little turns and touches but another game he has struggled to grab by the scruff of the neck as he was doing earlier in the season.'

Something needs to change soon if Tottenham are to beat Aston Villa to that fourth and potentially final Champions League qualifying spot, and while it might seem unthinkable to some, Postecoglou might be inclined to drop his elite playmaker.

Why James Maddison could be dropped

It's dangerous territory when a player cultivates an air of invincibility, and that's not meant by performance on the pitch. Maddison is a wonderful midfielder, he's been the free-flowing machine behind Postecoglou's attacking verve.

In the Premier League this season, the England international has chalked up four goals and seven assists from 20 matches, completing 87% of his passes, creating nine big chances and averaging 2.3 key passes and 5.6 successful duels per game.

Moreover, he ranks among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 9% for passes attempted and the top 1% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

It's fair to say that there's no one quite like him down the N17, but that doesn't make him undroppable.

West Ham (A)

1-1 draw

5/10

Luton (H)

2-1 win

5/10

Fulham (A)

3-0 loss

3/10

Aston Villa (A)

4-0 win

8/10

Crystal Palace (H)

3-1 win

7/10

For example, Giovani Lo Celso has qualities that allow him to succeed in an attacking midfield position, but the best-placed stand-in would be Dejan Kulusevski, who has been out of sorts himself recently but brings energy and athleticism that could charge Tottenham's attack and sculpt it back into shape.

Admiring the Sweden international's distinctive attributes, Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir said: "Dejan Kulusevski really is a special special player. Works so hard, covers every blade of grass. Hell of an engine on him, and just so much heart."

Kulusevski has also created 12 big chances from 28 Premier League matches this term, crisp with an 82% pass success rate and also averaging 2.0 key passes and 4.1 ball recoveries per fixture.

While Kulusevski is principally a wide midfielder, barrelling up and down the right flank to send defenders in a spin and puncture backlines to open up space – space that, usually, allows Maddison to thrive through his playmaking prowess – he has filled in at No. 10 on occasion.

Maddison was positively electric after completing his £40m transfer from Leicester City last summer, winning the Premier League's Player of the Month award for August and leading those such as the Times' Henry Winter to describe him as a "nightmare for defenders."

But he's waned following a several-month-long ankle injury suffered back in November, understandably. Back in his absence, Kulusevski featured centrally, bagging a goal and assist apiece in matches against Manchester City and Nottingham Forest back in December.

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He's not quite the elite creator that his English teammate is but there's no question that Kulusevski has skills that make him a good fit for life in the centre of the park – again – pushing and prodding into the final third.

This would also allow fleet-footed flankers Werner and Johnson to wreak chaos, with dynamic striker Heung-min Son bringing it all together, supplemented from behind by Kulusevski. It might just work out.

It's been a tough season to be a Chelsea fan, although it wasn't much different last year.

In spite of the club spending an exorbitant amount of money on players over the last couple of years, Mauricio Pochettino's side currently sit in 11th place in the Premier League, one place better off than last year.

The Argentine hasn't been able to find a winning formula yet, although with so many of his stars underperforming or missing large chunks of the season, it's not surprising.

One of those stars is Ben Chilwell, and while he could still get back to his best in west London, he'll have to do so quickly as a loanee has been impressing elsewhere this year.

How Ben Chilwell has fared this season

It hasn't been the best of campaigns for the former Leicester City man so far – to put it mildly – although that can and has been said about most of Chelsea's first team over the last few months, so he's hardly unique in that respect.

Now, while the 27-year-old hasn't been in great form for Pochettino, earning a 5/10 for his season so far from GOAL's Krishan Davis, his most significant problem in 2023/24 has been his fitness.

The Milton Keynes-born defender has made just 18 appearances for the Blues this season. A hamstring injury kept him sidelined between late September and early January, and his lack of fitness kept him out for another week after that.

It's an unfortunate trend that doesn't seem to have an end in sight for the 19-capped Englishman.

2020/21

2

84

7

2021/22

1

178

45

2022/23

2

117

20

2023/24

2

108

18

Total

7

487

90

Since joining the club in the summer of 2020, he's missed an average of 22 games a season. While he can be a valuable contributor to the team at his best, Pochettino will always wonder when his next layoff will be.

This thinking could see the club promote one of their youngsters into Chilwell's spot next season, a youngster enjoying an excellent loan spell at present.

Chilwell's perfect replacement at Chelsea

Chelsea's youngster in question is 21-year-old Dutchman Ian Maatsen.

The "extremely physical" star, as described by journalist Benjy Nurick, joined the Blues' youth setup from PSV Eindhoven in July 2018, and after making 57 appearances for the various junior sides, he spent the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons on loan with Charlton Athletic and Coventry City, respectively.

Appearances

35

42

42

9

Goals

1

3

4

1

Assists

3

1

6

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.11

0.09

0.23

0.33

After impressing with the Sky Blues in the Championship, the Pensioners opted to send their young full-back on loan to Vincent Kompany's exciting Burnley project for the 2022/23 campaign. There, he scored four goals and provided six assists in 42 appearances as the team won the league.

The Clarets were so impressed with Maatsen's ability that they reportedly made a £31.5m offer for him in the summer, only for the player to turn it down, clearly backing himself to make it at Stamford Bridge.

Unfortunately, opportunities were scarce in the first half of the season. After making 15 appearances, with only three being starts, he went out on another loan, this time joining German giants Borussia Dortmund, a move that has worked out fantastically.

Since joining the team in early January, the "superb" Vlaardingen-born dynamo, as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, has started all nine games for die Schwarzgelben, scoring one goal and providing two assists.

If Chelsea fans needed more convincing that Maatsen could be their future left-back, then Nurick's claims that there are "comparisons to Ashley Cole" in the way he plays might do it.

These comparisons mainly stem from the power and physicality the young Dutchman demonstrates in his play and his ability to beat opposition defenders with those traits rather than attempting a neat trick.

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Ultimately, Chilwell has the rest of the season to make a case for his continued selection at left-back – if he remains fit, that is – but the brilliant form of Maatsen in Germany cannot be ignored, and he should be given a genuine chance next season.

Uli Hoeness has taken a shock swipe at Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies, while raving over Spain and Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal.

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• Hoeness takes swipe at Davies' skillset
• Bayern won't offer more money in renewal
• Praises Musiala and Wirtz for performances

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Honorary Bayern Munich president Hoeness has never been one to shy away from making controversial comments and as the start of the pre-season looms for the Bavarian side, he has taken a swipe at Davies, who is reportedly looking to make a move away from Allianz Arena this summer. While praising Spain and Barcelona's 17-year-old winger Yamal, Hoeness suggested Davies doesn't match up to the teenager in the technical department.

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• getty images
  

  WHAT HOENESS SAID

  While talking about the need to cultivate young talent at the club, Hoeness praised Yamal and said [via BILD]: "The way he [Yamal] does it – left and right. I wish Alphonso Davies could do that too."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Davies' situation with Bayern has been very clear from the club's end: sign a contract extension or leave this summer. However, neither of the two scenarios have gone ahead so far with the Canada international reportedly wanting a move to Real Madrid, who would prefer to wait for his contract to expire in the summer of 2025 before signing him as a free agent.

  Hoeness also spoke about the Canadian's situation briefly, adding [via Abendzeitung]: "We told him very clearly that we would let the contract expire if he did not renew it. He will not get any more money."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  During his address to fans at an anniversary event, Hoeness also talked about Germany star Florian Wirtz and admitted that he wants to see the Bayer Leverkusen man play for Bayern. However, he believes that a lot of pressure is being put on him and Jamal Musiala despite still being youngsters.

  He said: "I am a friend of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. We all know that I would love to see him at Bayern Munich. I think the hype surrounding them is wrong. Under these pressures, they cannot develop as they should. I think it is madness to compare Jamal with Maradona. It does the young players no favours. There is no question that they can get to that level. But I think it is a huge mistake to put them under so much pressure now."

It's fair to say that Liverpool got things spot on in last summer's transfer window, given that they now sit top of the Premier League and are still in with a chance of winning a historic quadruple. One man stands out amongst the impressive quartet of summer arrivals, however, in a deal that the Reds will look back on as a game-changer.

Liverpool's summer signings thriving

After a dismal campaign last time out, which laid their problems bare for all to see in the heart of Jurgen Klopp's midfield, it was all change at Liverpool in the summer. Out went club captain Jordan Henderson, who made a regrettable move to Saudi Arabia before finding himself at Ajax in January, and out went Fabinho, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner. Suddenly, the Reds were left without a midfield altogether. But that's when their rebuild began.

Liverpool's summer signings	Joined from	Cost (via Liverpool.com)
Alexis Mac Allister	Brighton	£35m
Dominik Szoboszlai	RB Leipzig	£61m
Ryan Gravenberch	Bayern Munich	£34m
Wataru Endo	Stuttgart	£16m

Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch all strolled through the door tasked with turning Liverpool's midfield back into no man's land for opposition sides. Now, months later, they can say that they've done exactly that with Mac Allister the leading figure in that evolution under Klopp, making Liverpool's delight no surprise.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are "super happy" with Mac Allister and the bargain £35m deal they secured to welcome the World Cup winner from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer. Romano wrote in his Daily Briefing for Caught Offside: "My understanding is that Liverpool are super happy with how they handled this important phase of recruitment.

"Not just now, but already in September Liverpool felt they did an excellent job. Mac Allister in particular is considered an incredible signing, a bargain considering conditions of the deal."

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He made a huge impact in the win against Nottingham Forest last weekend.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 7, 2024

As Klopp prepares to depart, Mac Allister will likely go down as one of the German's best signings, despite being one of his final acts at Anfield.

"Incredible" Mac Allister can do it all

It's easy to forget the panic that Liverpool were in when they lost out on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea in a big-money deal. At the time, matters were then made worse by the arrival of Endo – a lesser-known Bundesliga midfielder. Months later, however, it was the Japan international who lifted the Carabao Cup as Caicedo watched on and wondered what could have been. Football truly is a funny old game.

The conductor behind the Reds' return to their rampant best has undoubtedly been Mac Allister though, whether that be as a defensive midfielder or in a more advanced role. He is the glue to Liverpool's new-look midfield and he was a large reason why Darwin Nunez had the chance to seal a dramatic three points against Nottingham Forest last time out.

For £35m in today's market, Liverpool couldn't have got a better deal last summer, signing a World Cup winner who has shown all the signs of becoming a Premier League champion this season.

Joe Root has suggested Moeen Ali could be recalled to the England Test squad for the tour of South Africa.Moeen had requested for an indefinite break from Test cricket after a draining summer which ended with him being dropped from the Test side and given only a white-ball central contract.But the England management remains acutely aware of Moeen’s potential value to the team as a spin-bowling allrounder and Root confirmed they were “very open” to his return. As a result, a conversation between the team management and Moeen will take place in the next couple of weeks to assess his readiness to return.”I see Moeen as someone who can offer a huge amount to this team,” Root said ahead of England’s first Test of their New Zealand tour. “He made a decision he wanted a bit of a break from Test cricket and sometimes you do need that. You need to freshen your mind up to keep that hunger and desire.”We’ll have that conversation with him again, probably in the next couple of weeks. If he is in that [good] place he always adds value to our team. When he’s on form and playing well he offers so much and adds a different dimension to our playing group. He’s got to be comfortable and ready to come back to Test cricket but we’re very open to that, for sure.”Moeen’s return would probably be bad news for Jack Leach. But if, as expected, James Anderson returns to the Test team in South Africa, England may be concerned by the length of a tail which could start at No. 8 and consist of Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Anderson and Leach.In the end, it may well depend on how Leach fares in New Zealand. He struggled for penetration in the warm-up matches – he has taken one wicket in 56 overs so far on the tour – but provided good control in conceding just 2.15 runs per over in the first innings and 2.46 in the second of the match against New Zealand A. He also enjoyed a more than respectable Ashes series, claiming 12 wickets at a cost of 25.83 apiece.He has proved a determined lower-order batsman, too. As well as scoring 92 against Ireland at Lord’s, he provided fine support to Ben Stokes as England put on 76 for the final wicket to win the dramatic Test at Headingley.Getty Images

The issue with Moeen is the difference, at times, between his potential and his performance. At his best, Moeen, with five Test centuries, is a fine batsman. But in his final months in the side, he was unrecognisable from the player he had been. He has not scored a Test century in 43 innings since 2016 and, since the start of the Sri Lanka tour almost exactly a year ago, has averaged 11.20 in eight Tests. In that time he was dismissed for a duck five times and passed 13 only three times.At the time he was dropped, however, he was the top Test wicket-taker in the world over the previous 12-months having finished both the Sri Lanka and the West Indies tours as England’s leading wicket-taker, though in Sri Lanka Leach took the same number. And while there are times he can be expensive, he has now claimed 181 Test wickets at a better strike rate (60.60) than that achieved by those perceived as England’s former great spinners such as Derek Underwood (73.60), Jim Laker (62.30), Hedley Verity (77.50) or Fred Titmus (98.80). Graeme Swann, by comparison, had a strike rate of 60.10.In recent weeks, Moeen has been playing T20 and T10 cricket in South Africa and the UAE. But it will be his mental state the England management want to assess and, if they are convinced he is refreshed and energised for a return, it may well prove hard to leave him out of the Test squad. With a T20 World Cup in less than a year, Moeen is almost certain to return to the England squads for the limited-overs section of the tour.Root also suggested Mark Wood and Anderson should be in contention for selection for South Africa. Both were ruled out of the New Zealand series due to injuries – they both missed almost the entire Ashes series, too – but they have stepped up their rehabilitation in recent days and are currently bowling outdoors in Spain. Both bowlers are also part of a training squad heading to Potchefstroom at the start of December.”They very much have a chance to push for selection,” Root said. “They are working very hard and getting overs in their legs outside. They’re currently in Spain and they’ll go out to Potch to further that fitness. Hopefully, by the end of this tour when it comes round to selection, we’ll have a lot more information on whether they are fit and available for selection.”In the last couple of years Jimmy has probably been at his peak. He’s still finding ways to exploit conditions, take wickets and lead the attack. His desire and hunger and the way he’s going about his rehab just shows how desperate he is to keep playing.”

Newcastle United reportedly have the "financial resources" at their disposal to complete the signing of a "great player" this summer, with the individual in question a wanted man.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies will want to enjoy a significant summer in the transfer market, having gone backwards this season after their superb 2022/23 campaign. Granted, Eddie Howe still has an excellent squad when everyone is fit and firing, but too many players are injury-prone, and bringing some new blood will add a freshness to the group.

Sven Botman's long-term ACL injury means centre-back targets could be at the forefront of PIF's thinking at the end of the campaign, with Sporting CP duo Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande both once again linked with moves to St James' Park in a recent report.

Hugely exciting young RB Leipzig and Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko has also been seen as an option for the Magpies this summer, possibly coming in as Callum Wilson's replacement should he depart in the coming months. The Englishman's current deal expires next year, meaning 2024 is Newcastle's last chance to realistically receive a fair amount of money for his services.

Elsewhere, Shakhtar Donetsk maestro Georgiy Sudakov is another target for the Premier League giants, having already registered 29 goal contributions (15 goals and 14 assists) in 91 appearances for his current side at the age of just 21.

Newcastle want to sign "great player"

Now, a fresh transfer rumour has emerged, with Tutto Juve [via Sport Witness] reporting that Newcastle are still interested in signing Dean Huijsen this summer, and have the "financial resources" to snap up the highly rated Juventus centre-back.

However, the report does stress that the 18-year-old has "many admirers abroad", so there could be a big battle to acquire his signature when the summer arrives; and in any case, Juve see him as a prized asset they are reluctant to let leave at any point in the near future.

Huijsen is a player with a frightening amount of potential, so the idea of Newcastle signing him over others this summer is a mouthwatering prospect for the supporters.

Assuming Botman makes a full recovery from his huge ACL setback, the Magpies need to look at signing a young long-term partner for the Dutchman at the back; with Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles both in their 30s, the Juve ace would represent a great option. Manager Massimiliano Allegri is under no illusions as to how impressive Huijsen is as a player, praising him after his debut earlier in the season and comparing him to a former defensive great at the club:

"Huijsen entered the game serene and calm, he never played complicated passes and never put his teammate in difficulty. He reads the game like a great player. He does things like Ciro Ferrara.

“Dean worked with the tranquility and serenity of a thirty-year-old."

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Whether Juve allow Huijsen to move on this summer is certainly up for debate, but the fact that Newcastle are in the race to sign him says so much about the progress made by the club, even if this season has been a disappointment.