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Everton women will move into the stadium next season, but Sunday's game with Southampton will still be an emotional farewell for most fans

I live 238 miles from Goodison Park. That number has never dipped below its current, frankly ridiculous mark, even growing to nearly 300 during my years at university. And yet, I support Everton Football Club.

Alan Ball and his white boots are to blame. My dad, despite being born in Leyton, east London, and having no connection with the city of Liverpool, spotted him wearing them while watching and in the early seventies. He was playing for the Blues, and that was that. Everton forever.

My dad has been making the pilgrimage to Goodison for almost 50 years, travelling up from Kent to witness some of the most glorious days in the club's history, and some of the worst. This weekend, we'll make the trip together one final time.

Sunday's game with Southampton is Everton's last at their spiritual home, at least as we know it. News that the women's team will move in next season and that the ground will be preserved is more than welcome, but let's not pretend that this isn't goodbye.

Against Ipswich Town a couple of weeks ago, my dad claimed he'd "be alright" – another way of saying he wouldn't cry – during the Grand Old Lady's farewell fixture, but I'm not so sure. Despite the beauty of our new stadium at Bramley-Moore dock, leaving Goodison Park is gut-wrenching.

Getty ImagesThe first visit

My first sight of Goodison in the flesh came on February 24, 1996. I was eight years old and we tied the trip in with a visit to some family friends who lived not too far away. Nottingham Forest were the Blues' opponents, but they were no match for Joe Royle's men that day.

Memories at that age are hazy at best, but I remember visiting the club shop and, for some reason, seeing midfielder Anders Limpar outside, seemingly picking up some club merch. I followed his lead, getting my hands on a home shirt with 'Kanchelskis' on the back for the princely sum of £1 per letter, my parents cursing the fact that Craig Short wasn't my favourite player.

Duncan Ferguson, Dave Watson and Andrei Kanchelskis found the back of the net that afternoon, sealing both a 3-0 win and a perfect day for an increasingly football-obsessed boy who had never seen his team play at home before, let alone at somewhere as special as Goodison.

Looking back, that experience was the start of something much more. It's now more than 29 years since that day and my dad and I are still making the same long journey to L4, still taking in the majesty of one of football's great old grounds and still hoping Everton aren't rubbish.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMadness of it all

When I occasionally ponder my Everton fandom – which is usually on the train after a heavy home defeat, having spent £150 and given up half my weekend for the pleasure – I realise just how mental it all is. The colour of Alan Ball's boots – along with him being a brilliant player – have effectively dictated a large chunk of my life.

I'd be lying if I said there haven't been times when I've cursed my dad for not following in his father's footsteps by supporting Leyton Orient. They're a lovely little club and, crucially, they're just half-an-hour down the road. I would've certainly been able to get to more games over the years, wouldn't have annoyed mates and girlfriends by disappearing for entire Saturdays, and wouldn't be paying a small fortune to Avanti West Coast Trains for the privilege.

But Orient aren't Everton, and Brisbane Road isn't Goodison. Despite the distance, 30-year trophy drought and everything else that goes into supporting a club at the other end of the country, my dad getting caught by the blue bug all those years ago – and then passing it on to me – just feels right, and neither of us would have it any other way.

As the saying goes: .’ I couldn't agree more.

Joe StrangeGetting to Goodison

My relationship with Goodison is a little different to most match-going supporters, those who can take a stroll, jump in the car or hop on a bus to arrive at the Grand Old Lady in 10 or 20 minutes once a fortnight, and are generally unaffected by TV kick-off times and games in midweek.

While I went up more regularly in my teens and early twenties, working weekends in sports media, regularly going to away games, becoming a father and developing a somewhat unhealthy obsession with golf have combined to limit my visits to five or six a season in recent years.

My dad's claim that he'll be unaffected on Sunday stems from getting to Goodison less regularly than most season ticket holders, but being unable to go every week has only increased my affection for the place. Every visit still feels special, even if the results and quality of football have often left a lot to be desired.

I've been lucky enough to get on the pitch twice, too. Both times, even if only for a brief moment, it felt as if my boyhood dreams had come true 10 years too late, and I was out there playing for the Toffees. Even better was seeing my old man having a kickabout and casually sticking one in the back of the Gwladys Street net. Just magic.

The thought of walking out for the final time, regardless of the score against Southampton, feels almost impossible to comprehend. How can we be leaving the only home I've ever known?

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Getty Images SportThere are places I remember

I will miss everything about Goodison. Walking up from County Road and spotting the giant Main Stand for the first time, chips and curry sauce – the type which stains your clothes and your insides – from the Blue Dragon takeaway across the road and pints in the tightly-packed Winslow Hotel and The Brick.

Wandering the top floor of St Luke's church as my dad haggles over more football cards to add to his collection, chatting with friends underneath the Holy Trinity statue and popping into the club shop just to moan about how expensive shirts are these days.

Looking out for legends from days gone by strolling down Goodison Road, those incredible coach welcomes – which left you covered in blue smoke but undoubtedly helped Everton survive in recent years – and the click-clack of the turnstiles on the Gwladys Street.

The walk up the stairs from the concourse and that first glimpse of sprinklers covering the pitch, smiles, handshakes and predictions with those we've sat by for a decade, the roar when Z Cars hits and the even bigger one when the boys in the royal blue jersey emerge from the tunnel.

The unmistakable criss-cross pattern on the Bullens Road, the unhinged response from all four stands when a 50-50 decision goes against us and the celebrations – played out to and – when we get a good result. I will miss it all.

Mount Maunganui hasn’t been affected too badly, but both sets of players have been forced to train indoors

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Feb-2023New Zealand began their preparations for the first Test against England without a full deck as Cyclone Gabrielle wreaked havoc on the travel plans of a number of their squad members. They trained on Monday morning at Bay Oval without Tom Blundell, Henry Nicholls, Matt Henry, Will Young, Blair Tickner and three support staff after sweeping rains and high winds caused widespread disruptions across the North Island.New Zealand Cricket confirmed that Tickner and Young were on their way by car from Napier, while Nicholls was due to arrive on Thursday from Christchurch (South Island) after his original flight was cancelled. Blundell is currently with his family in Wellington following the birth of his second child. Henry, meanwhile, is in Christchurch awaiting the birth of his first child and there is uncertainty over when he would be able to join the rest of the squad.Situated on the eastern entrance to the Tauranga Harbour, Mount Maunganui has not been as badly affected by the cyclone, but inclement weather meant training for both teams took place in the Bay Oval Indoor Grass Training Facility. New Zealand had originally planned for an evening training session but were advised to shift their plans forward with winds expected to worsen.While there is a forecast for a break in the rain on Wednesday, further disruptions are expected when the day-night Test gets underway on Thursday.Though international long-haul flights have been given the go-ahead to land in Auckland on Monday, scores of short-haul local flights have been cancelled. Air New Zealand has cancelled all its domestic flights until Tuesday. All regional flights in and out of Tauranga (which services Mount Maunganui), Hamilton and Taupo have also been cancelled for the same period.”We’ve got a number of players that are still arriving here at the moment,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. “So the cyclone that’s happening at the top of the North Island has had a wee bit of an impact on travel for some people. It’s disappointing the weather the way it is but there’s a lot of people up at the top of the North Island who are a lot worse off than us.”The weather has also meant the Powhiri (a Maori welcoming ceremony) scheduled for February 14 has been cancelled.

Los Blancos surrendered both their La Liga and Champions League crowns in what turned out to be Carlo Ancelotti's final season in charge

Real Madrid were supposed to win everything when they signed Kylian Mbappe last summer. The treble calls were pretty much ubiquitous, and with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, there was no reason to believe that Los Blancos wouldn't kick on from their Liga-Champions League double in 2023-24.

Nine months on, and all of those predictions look a bit silly. Madrid were good at times this past season, but spent most of the year struggling through injuries and failing to find the right balance. The end result was a trophy-less campaign that featured a feeble title defence, embarrassing European exit and ended with the departure of Ancelotti.

Mbappe largely held up his side of the bargain, bagging 43 goals in all competitions, but outside of the marquee summer signing, it proved to be a disappointing campaign for a number of top-quality individuals.

GOAL rates and ranks every Real Madrid player on the back of a forgettable 2024-25 campaign…

Getty Images Sport24Jacobo Ramon – N/A

A couple of panic starts in La Liga and a Copa del Rey appearance punctuated a season that was really supposed to be spent in the reserves. The best compliment that can be paid to Ramon is that he never really stood out – nor made any mistakes. A word for his late winner against Mallorca; a signature moment in a season otherwise lacking in them.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport23Jesus Vallejo – N/A

A few scattered appearances at the end of the season for Madrid's forgotten man, who proved that good things come to those who elect to pick up a bloody massive pay check to sit around on the bench at the Bernabeu…

AFP22Dani Carvajal – N/A

Carvajal looked good in the early goings as he looked to build on a career season that saw him finish fourth in the Ballon d'Or voting. However, a horrific knee injury suffered in October derailed his campaign, and he will hope to be back to his best next year as he aims to hold off increased competition from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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(C)Getty Images21Lucas Vazquez – 4/10

Poor Lucas! After both Carvajal and Eder Miliato suffered terrible knee injuries, Vazquez had to step up. And while his effort is never lacking, Vazquez became the undeniable weak link in an already pretty poor defence, and had lost his spot to Federico Valverde by February.

A couple of miserable Clasico showings, in particular, will go down in memory for the wrong reasons. He will leave the club at season's end, and it seems like the right time to move on.

The death overs was where this game came to life and Kings scoring 96 off their last five made a big difference

Hemant Brar22-Apr-20231:15

Moody: Arshdeep a threat in the powerplay and at the death

Punjab Kings’ innings was going nowhere. After 14 overs, they were 105 for 4 with Harpreet Singh Bhatia batting on 15 off 16 and Sam Curran on 8 off 12. But in the next six overs, they ransacked 109. Bhatia ended with 41 off 28, Curran 55 off 29, and Jitesh Sharma 25 off just seven. That lifted Kings to a formidable 214 for 8.In response, Mumbai Indians were always in the contest, thanks to Rohit Sharma’s 27-ball 44 and Cameron Green’s 43-ball 67. Suryakumar Yadav then threatened to snatch the game from Kings with his blazing half-century. That’s when Arshdeep Singh rose to the occasion. He dismissed Suryakumar in the 18th over, and then with 16 required from six balls, he conceded just two while breaking the middle stumps of Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera with back-to-back deliveries.The 13-run win took Kings to fifth position with eight points from seven games. In fact, the top five teams all have eight points each, only the net run rate separating them.Rohit and Green keep Mumbai on trackBefore his heroics at the death, Arshdeep dealt Mumbai an early below by sending back Ishan Kishan in the second over of the chase. Rohit and Green didn’t let that deter them and kept finding boundaries at regular intervals. They hit five fours and three sixes in the powerplay to take Mumbai to 54 for 1 after six overs. The pair added 76 off 50 balls before Rohit spooned a return catch to Liam Livingstone in the tenth over.Green and Suryakumar press on furtherWith Mumbai needing 127 in the last ten overs, Suryakumar didn’t waste any time. He swept his third ball for a four before hitting Livingstone for a hat-trick of fours. It was a typical Suryakumar innings – he hit a 26-ball 57, with 33 of those runs coming behind square on the leg side.At the other end, Green too switched into the next gear. In the 15th over, he hit Rahul Chahar for a six and four, bringing up his half-century in the process and reducing the equation to 66 needed from 30 balls.It was even stevens when the last over started, but Arshdeep Singh made sure the result went his team’s way•BCCIEllis and Arshdeep show their skillsGreen started the 16th over by hitting Nathan Ellis, Kings’ Impact Player, for a four and six. But Ellis had him miscuing a back-of-the-hand slower one, and Curran settled under it near extra cover.Despite that, Mumbai were very much in the contest. In fact, Suryakumar’s six and four off Curran in the 17th over put Mumbai ahead. With 40 needed from the last three overs, Tim David hit Arshdeep’s first ball – a full toss – for a six but the bowler conceded only three off the remaining five balls. One of those balls also took out Suryakumar. It was a low full toss that the batter flicked towards midwicket, where Atharva Taide leapt to his left to pluck the ball.David still threatened to pull it off for Mumbai. In the penultimate over, he hit an Ellis full toss for a 114-metre six but apart from that, he struggled to middle the ball. In the final over, he took a single on Arshdeep’s first ball, and then spent the rest of the over at the non-striker’s end watching a death-bowling masterclass.Prabhsimran, Taide revive the powerplayEarlier, Kings had a quiet start after being sent in. Matthew Short tried to take on Green in the third over, flicking him over square leg for four. He eyed another boundary on the next ball, but his attempted pull failed to clear Piyush Chawla at short midwicket.After three overs, Kings were 20 for 1. The next three, however, produced 38. Jason Behrendorff bowled a couple of short balls in the fourth, and Prabhsimran Singh duly dispatched them over the short square-leg boundary. From the other end, Taide ramped Jofra Archer for his first six.Rohit introduced Chawla in the sixth over, and the two batters picked up a boundary each off him as well to lift Kings to 58 for 1 by the end of the powerplay.Tendulkar, Chawla drag Kings backIt was a bit of a surprise when Arjun Tendulkar, who swung the new ball, was taken off after just one over. When he came back for his second, in the seventh of the innings, he had Prabhsimran lbw with an excellent yorker, the ball sneaking underneath the bat to hit the back shoe.Chawla hurt Kings further with his double-strike in the tenth over. First, seeing Livingstone come down the track, he slipped one down the leg side to have him stumped. Three balls later, he beat Taide on the sweep. The ball hit the pad and went on to disturb the stumps. That left Kings 83 for 4 after ten overs.The calm, followed by the carnageBhatia and Curran consolidated for a while, scoring only 22 from the next four overs. But then came the acceleration, and how. Hrithik Shokeen’s 13-run over, the 15th of the innings, was a bad omen for Mumbai. But instead of bringing back Chawla, who had figures of 2 for 15 from three overs, Rohit went ahead with Tendulkar. Curran and Bhatia smashed him for four fours and two sixes, taking 31 from the over that also featured a wide and beamer.Two overs later, Green came in for the punishment. Curran started it with two successive sixes. After a single on the third, Green dismissed Bhatia, but Jitesh launched him for two more maximums to make it 25 from the over.Curran brought up his fifty, off 26 balls, with a four off Archer before getting out in the same over. Jitesh wasn’t done yet, though. He hit two more sixes in the final over, bowled by Behrendorff, to take Kings to what proved to be just the winning total.

Are Liverpool supporters ‘settling’ for ‘just’ a Premier League title this season or are they enjoying one of the best seasons in the club’s modern history?

The Reds were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United in the final of the League Cup, lost to Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

This means that Arne Slot’s side’s only chance of winning silverware this season is the league title and, at this point, they are 12 points clear of Arsenal with nine matches left to play.

As you can see in the clip above, there were no fans allowed inside the stadium to watch the only Premier League title success in Liverpool’s history to date, which would not be the case this time.

This is not to say that supporters should be happy that their team has suffered setbacks in multiple other competitions, but this is still set to be a historic campaign for the club.

Despite that, Liverpool may still look to the summer transfer window to improve their squad for next season, with the star of Sunday’s League Cup final reportedly on their radar.

Liverpool's interest in Alexander Isak

Earlier this week, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Reds are one of the clubs interested in a deal to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: “But I keep telling you that big, big, massive proposals will come to the table for Alexander Isak because Arsenal will be there, Arsenal want Isak.

“Liverpool are also there for Alexander Isak, they already made some contacts with people close to the player, so both clubs are interested in Alexander Isak. For Arsenal, he is the absolute top target. For Liverpool, he’s one of names they are considering in that position.”

These quotes from Romano suggest that it will take a big push from Michael Edwards and the recruitment team to land the Sweden international, as he is seemingly a big priority for the Gunners.

Ahead of the January transfer window, The Telegraph reported that it would take a fee in excess of a British record £150m to tempt the Magpies into cashing in on the centre-forward. It added that Newcastle’s demands also caused Chelsea to end their pursuit of the former Borussia Dortmund man.

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It now remains to be seen whether or not the Reds are prepared to splash out a record fee on the Magpies star, who showcased his quality against Slot’s men at Wembley on Sunday.

Isak, who scored – what turned out to be – the winner in the League Cup final, is reportedly on £120k-per-week at St. James’ Park, and Liverpool already have a number nine who earns more than him at Anfield.

Liverpool's top wage earners

The Reds, in fact, have many players who earn more than the Newcastle superstar currently does on Tyneside, which suggests that they have the wage budget to fit him into their current structure – if they do decide to stump up the £150m fee.

Mo Salah, whose contract expires in the summer, is reportedly on a weekly wage of £350k and has paid that back with 27 goals and 17 assists in the Premier League this season.

He has provided goals and assists on a regular basis in the top-flight, pushing his team towards the title this term, and there may not be many complaints about how much the club are paying him for his services.

Mo Salah

£350k

Virgil van Dijk

£220k

Trent Alexander-Arnold

£180k

Andy Robertson

£160k

Alexis Mac Allister

£150k

Alisson

£150k

Federico Chiesa

£150k

Ryan Gravenberch

£150k

Darwin Nunez

£140k

Diogo Jota

£140k

As you can see in the table above, Uruguay international Darwin Nunez, on a reported wage of £140k-per-week, also earns more than the £150m-rated Liverpool target Isak.

With this and the club’s interest in the Swedish forward in mind, Slot must finally ditch the former Benfica centre-forward in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Why Liverpool must sell Darwin Nunez

Liverpool splashed out a club-record fee of £85m to sign the number nine from Benfica in the summer of 2022 to bolster Jurgen Klopp’s options at the top end of the pitch.

Unfortunately, however, Nunez has not proven to be a reliable forward for either Klopp or Slot in the subsequent seasons in English football, as his finishing has often left far too much to be desired.

The 25-year-old forward, as you can see in the clips above, has had his fair share of good moments in a Liverpool shirt, scoring 40 goals in 136 matches for the club to date.

Nunez has, however, missed a staggering 81 ‘big chances’ in all competitions since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, with 28 in his first season, a mind-blowing 38 last term, and 15 in the current campaign.

This means that the £85m signing has missed just over twice as many ‘big chances’ as he has scored goals for the Premier League giants, which shows that the ex-Benfica man is far from reliable enough in front of goal to be a consistent scorer.

24/25 appearances

25

23

24/25 xG

15.55

4.86

24/25 goals

19

5

24/25 big chances missed

11

6

23/24 appearances

30

36

23/24 xG

20.29

16.39

23/24 goals

21

11

23/24 big chances missed

21

27

As you can see in the table above, Isak has significantly outperformed the Liverpool man at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League since the start of last season, scoring 40 goals to Nunez’s 16.

This shows that Newcastle are getting far more out of the Swedish star for £120k-per-week wages than the Reds are getting from Nunez for his £140k-per-week wages, on top of the £85m transfer fee.

NBC host Rebecca Lowe claimed that the striker had “been a bit rubbish” for the Reds last year, and it remains difficult to argue against that comment with his poor ‘big chance’ conversion rate across almost three years at the club.

Therefore, Slot should look to finally move on from the Uruguay international in the summer in the hope that he can be replaced by a reliable number nine, whether that is Isak or another player.

Atletico Madrid and Al-Nassr have both been reported to be interested in a swoop for the Liverpool striker, which suggests that there is enough interest from elsewhere for the Reds to cash in on the £85m flop when the summer transfer window opens for business.

Best signing since Van Dijk: Liverpool struck gold on £150k-p/w "leader"

He’s been one of the most transformational acquisitions in recent years for Liverpool.

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Slot must, now, make it clear to the board that Nunez should be moved on and replaced ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, to ensure that Liverpool have a striker who they can rely on week-in-week-out in the final third next season and beyond.

Manchester United went into the last international break off the back of a relatively high point in Ruben Amorim’s time in the dugout at Old Trafford so far.

The Red Devils progressed through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad in the second leg, before they beat strugglers Leicester City 3-0 in the Premier League.

United are unbeaten in their last four matches and have only conceded two goals in that time, drawing 1-1 with Real Sociedad and 1-1 with Arsenal.

The defence, which has conceded 40 goals in 29 Premier League games, has shown signs of improvement with just one goal conceded in their last two league outings.

Central defender Harry Maguire has missed the last four matches with a calf injury, which has coincided with the club’s improved defensive record.

This may bring up some doubts over the English centre-back’s long-term future at Old Trafford under Amorim, as he does not appear to be one of the manager’s best options at the back.

Why Man United need an upgrade on Harry Maguire

The experienced defender is still under contract until the summer of 2026 and it remains to be seen whether or not the Red Devils will be able to move on from him in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Amorim could, however, dip into the market to sign an upgrade on the former Leicester and Hull City man in order to send him further down the pecking order at Old Trafford ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

In Maguire’s last six starts for United, the team have conceded nine goals and won two matches – against Ipswich Town and Leicester in the relegation zone – in all competitions.

Compare that to the aforementioned form in the four matches since he picked up a calf injury and this suggests that Amorim’s side have been better off without him.

The 32-year-old colossus has had an up-and-down time at Old Trafford, with Gary Neville stating in 2022 that Maguire played better for England than United and that he had an “awful time” to date at that point.

Maguire has, however, made 234 appearances for the club in all competitions and won the League Cup and the FA Cup, which shows that it has not all been doom and gloom for him in Manchester.

United have only kept one clean sheet in his 20 appearances in the Premier League this season, though, and this suggests that Amorim should try to find an upgrade on the veteran stopper this summer, which the club appear to be trying to do.

Manchester United enquire about deal for Serie A star

According to Italian outlet Messaggero Veneto, Manchester United are one of a number of European teams interested in a deal to sign Udinese centre-back Oumar Solet in the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster their backline.

The report claims that West Ham, United, and several teams from Turkey are keen on signing the 25-year-old defender from the Serie A outfit, which suggests that there will be plenty of competition for his signature.

Messaggero Veneto adds that the Red Devils and the Hammers have already enquired about a move for the French ace, testing the ground ahead of a possible swoop, as they plot to sign the former RB Salzburg star.

The report also reveals that Udinese are set to put a price tag of at least €40m (£33m) on the central defender’s head, despite the fact that he only joined them on a free transfer in the January window earlier this year.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It claims that Solet has signed a contract through to the summer of 2027 and suggests that this could tempt Udinese into cashing in on him this summer, as he is not on a long-term deal that gives them negotiating power.

Manchester United must, now, follow through on their initial enquiry with an offer that is enough to seal a deal for Solet, whether that is £33m or a cheaper fee, as he could come in as an upgrade on Maguire ahead of next season.

Why Oumar Solet would be an upgrade on Harry Maguire

The right-footed defender has starred for Udinese since his move to the Serie A at the start of the year and his statistics from his time in the Italian top-flight suggest that he could offer even more than the England international does.

Solet’s use of the ball could be particularly useful to Amorim’s team in possession when it comes to progressing the ball up the pitch, whether that is with passes or with carries and dribbles from a centre-back position.

As you can see in the chart above, the French titan excels with the ball at his feet, particularly in comparison to Maguire, who ranks fairly lowly in most progressive statistics.

Solet, who was once described as a “marauding centre-back” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the quality and forward-thinking mentality on the ball to consistently progress play out from the back, which could help United when they are building out from the back to break teams down and bypass opposition presses.

Appearances

20

10

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.0

2.7

Clearances per game

3.3

3.6

Duels won per game

4.0

5.0

Ground duel success rate

59%

66%

Error led to shot/goal

1

0

As you can see in the table above, there is not a great deal of difference between the two players when it comes to their out-and-out defending at the heart of the backline, as they win duels, make clearances, and make tackles and interceptions at a fairly similar rate.

This suggests that Solet could offer a similar level of defensive quality whilst improving what United do in possession with his progressive passes and carries to start attacks and find the team’s dangerous offensive players in better positions more frequently than Maguire currently does.

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Therefore, Amorim must push for the board to complete a deal for the Udinese star in the upcoming summer transfer window because he appears to have the required attributes to come in as an upgrade on Maguire in the centre-back position.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s former bodyguard has revealed what it is like to work for the Portuguese GOAT and insists "no people want to kill him".

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All-time great boasts personal securityMakes sure to look after his staffRemains at the top of his game at 40Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Given his celebrity status around the world, CR7 has been left with no choice but to bring in his own security team. Eternal rival Lionel Messi has done likewise at MLS side Inter Miami, with former Navy SEAL Yassine Cheuko working his corner.

AdvertisementGettyDID YOU KNOW?

Hichman worked as Ronaldo’s bodyguard for four years, helping to ensure the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was never put in any danger by adoring fans. He claims that his toughest opponents were members of the paparazzi.

WHAT FORMER BODYGUARD SAID

Discussing life alongside one of the most famous people on the planet, Hichman told the Telecinco programme : "He's the best boss I've ever had. People don't know him, but he's a very good person. Cris is a great person, generous, that's not how people say he is. He's always treated us well.

"When you're going to provide protection services to someone like this, you have to bear in mind that your life will be on that person's back, you might have to give your life for the person you work for, you have to accept the risks.

"There are no people who want to kill him or there are no death threats. I've only had a few anecdotal situations, complications with the paparazzi, who hate me because I'm the bad guy."

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GettyTHE GOSSIP

Hichman was charged with making life difficult for photographers by keeping Ronaldo out of the public eye as much as possible. It can be dangerous when A-list superstars are followed everywhere they go by camera crews.

“We’ve collaborated and agreed dates with CSA, who have confirmed the tour, acknowledged the arrangements and have been in receipt of the schedule for several weeks,” NZC says

Firdose Moonda20-Jul-2023New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is not open to negotiating the dates of the two-Test series against South Africa scheduled for February next year, despite CSA’s hopes that the matches could be moved to avoid a player availability crunch with the SA20. The matches, due to take place from February 4 to 17, 2024, necessitate that South Africa arrive in late January but will clash with the latter stages of the SA20 and CSA was hopeful of discussing a reschedule but NZC insists the fixtures are set, as per the FTP.”These Tests have been part of the FTP since it was announced two years ago,” Richard Boock, NZC’s manager of public affairs, told ESPNcricinfo. “We’ve collaborated and agreed dates with CSA, who have confirmed the tour, acknowledged the arrangements and have been in receipt of the schedule for several weeks. Flights have been confirmed, dates for the practice game have been agreed, and we’re looking forward to the squad’s arrival. The Proteas are a popular and formidable Test team and we view them as an important part of our home summer schedule.”Related

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New Zealand were unable to adjust South Africa’s fixtures to any other time in a home season which also includes a visit from Australia, whose series must end before late March for the IPL.That means South Africa could be forced to field a makeshift Test side with a significant proportion of their first-choice players required for the SA20. Although South Africa’s centrally-contracted players are bound to both the national team and the SA20, CSA has guaranteed the SA20 first rights to the players over the January window and as such, the players will be obliged to play for their franchises rather than the national team. An SA20 mini-auction will take place in September which could see more players snapped up for the league and will also give CSA a clearer idea of who can make the trip to New Zealand.The series in New Zealand will be South Africa’s second engagement of the 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle, during which they will only play two-Test series. It is understood that there are serious concerns within CSA of the quality of the squad South Africa will be able to send to New Zealand but no suggestion that they will forfeit entirely. On Wednesday, CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki told ESPNcricinfo the organisation was mindful of their bilateral obligations, while also stressing that the SA20 takes first priority.

Manchester United are preparing to pursue Antoine Semento and Eberechi Eze should they fail to land Bryan Mbeumo.

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Spurs reportedly lodge £70m bid for MbeumoUnited's £55m bid has been trumpedSemenyo and Eze also linked to London clubFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

The Old Trafford club have been heavily linked with the Brentford star, but are preparing to lose out to Spurs. United lodged a £55 million offer to the west London club, but have been outmanoeuvred by Tottenham's reported bid of £70m. ESPN are now reporting United have earmarked Bournemouth's Semenyo and Palace's Eze as potential Plan Bs.

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Both players have been linked with a move to north London themselves, but it is believed Thomas Frank wants to reunite with the impressive Mbeumo. Semenyo and Eze impressed in the 2024/25 season, respectively logging 16 goal contributions in the Premier League.

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Mbeumo remains the prized asset however. A recent analysis of xG performance revealed Mbeumo was the most efficient goalscorer in last season's Premier League. The Cameroonian bagged 20 goals, on just 12.3 xG.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MBEUMO, EZE AND SEMENYO?

The early stage of the transfer window is always fascinating, as you feel one major move can produce a domino effect. Should Mbeumo choose Tottenham, or United, it might just dictate where Semenyo, Eze or another star player might end up.

Roberto Mancini's mother Marianna has weighed in on the debate surrounding Italy's new men's head coach, claiming her son deserves an apology.

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Spalletti leaves ItalyMancini return rumouredCoach's mum says he needs an "apology"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The departure of former Italy boss Luciano Spalletti was confirmed earlier this week, and various potential candidates have already emerged. Mancini coached his country to glory at Euro 2020, so it's not a surprise to see his name crop up again, and one person coming out in support of the former City manager is the 60-year-old's mother.

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Several legends of the Italian national team have been mentioned in relation to the managerial vacancy, including Fabio Cannavaro, Gennaro Gattuso, and Daniele De Rossi. With Spalletti's disappointing performance at Euro 2024 highlighting clear gaps in terms of personnel and quality, the next manager to take up the reins will have a tricky task on their hands.

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According to Mrs Marianna Puolo, "[Mancini] wins when he gets places, he's certainly not the last to arrive. I don't know what he thinks, they should talk to him." She added: "He is a winner, but if he left the national team he must have had his reasons, perhaps someone was not honest with him."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MANCINI?

Whether Mancini is interested in the role himself is unclear, with the former City boss remaining fairly tight-lipped about the vacancy. Asked about how Spalletti and Ranieri's periods in charge ended, he said "these are things that concern other coaches, it doesn't seem right to get involved."