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U.S. legend Tony Meola voiced concern over Yunus Musah’s recent form, calling it part of a troubling decline dating back to his final year at AC Milan. Meola urged the midfielder to change course, regain confidence and aim to develop on his potential. Musah struggled mightily in Atlanta's 4-0 defeat by PSG in a midweek Champions League match.

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  'It was a tough test for Yunus Musah'

  Meola acknowledged Musah getting his first start for La Dea against the European Champions isn't ideal, but also insisted his struggles aren't isolated to that match. 

  “It was a tough test for Yunus Musah,” Meola said on the Call it What You Want podcast. “When you talk about performances, I’m still more worried about Yunus Musah because this, for me, isn’t a one off. Remember, he was at Milan. I watched him all year, I watched him all season, and the play just continued to decline and decline. 

  “So this is, for me, like an extension of what happened last year. And I get worried because at some point, I want it to turn around. And I don’t know if we should be judging in this game, because as [co-host] Charlie [Davies] mentioned, [Fabian] Ruiz, Vitinha, [Joao] Neves. Like you’re dealing with a midfield that is the best midfield in the world, arguably…but I’m a little bit concerned that Yunus Musah has to start turning this around.”

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  Praise for 'phenomenal' Weah

  While Musah struggled in his Champions League debut for Atalanta, there was plenty of praise for Tim Weah's first Champions League match for Marseille.  Davies offered glowing praise for the winger's impressive showing for Marseille against Real Madrid in the Champions League, calling it one of the best performances of his career. 

  “Oh, [he was] phenomenal,” Davies said. “He absolutely torched the backline with his movement. He was running, and he was confident. The 1-v-1s, I was really impressed with his influence for Marseille. Remember, they signed Igor Paxiao. They have Mason Greenwood, and Igor Paxiao is just catching up. You have [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang there as well. 

  "So this is a talented Marseille team, and I think Weah proved that he’s got to be on the pitch. To do this against a Real Madrid side? Phenomenal! This was probably one of the best games I’ve seen from Timothy Weah in his career.”

• Musah and Weah's Champions League journeys

  Both players have some signature moments in the Champions League, arguably the best club competition in global football. Musah, 22, made his Champions League debut with AC Milan in September 2023 against Newcastle United and has since built steady experience, logging 13 total appearances in his career. While he has yet to register a goal or assist in the competition, the fact that he has now featured for two clubs in the competition showcases the value of his versatility to teams. Weah, who previously featured in Europe for Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, has made 13 total Champions League appearances and is on an upward trend in the competition, scoring in his last two games. 

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  Big matches ahead

  Weah will likely feature in one of Marseille's biggest matches of the season when they host PSG in Le Classique. Musah will look to rebound when Atalanta take on Torino. 

Arsenal have splashed the cash this summer in a bid to win their first Premier League title in over 20 years, and Mikel Arteta may not even be done there.

While a move for Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze grows more and more unlikely by the day, amid stiff competition from Tottenham, who are now in talks for the England international, Andrea Berta could still go after a left-winger.

This would be dependent on one of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli leaving in the next two weeks, or perhaps both, but Arteta has already confirmed that Arsenal are still looking at opportunities after signing Kepa, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and Viktor Gyokeres.

“Let’s see,” Arteta said when asked about Arsenal’s transfer plans for the rest of the window.

“Let’s see what happens, in terms of where the squad is in the next few weeks.

“But, we are actively looking at options. As well, there are a few players, maybe, that they have to leave as well. So, we will be open to see what happens.”

It’s important to note that a move for Eze still hasn’t been entirely ruled out by credible media sources, but Tottenham appear to be taking pole position for him right now amid their glaring need for a playmaker to replace the injured James Maddison.

Arsenal’s hesitation is a result of their already-stocked central attacking midfield (talkSPORT), with club captain Martin Odegaard set for another key role going forward and Ethan Nwaneri tipped for more minutes after committing his future to the Emirates Stadium.

In truth, Arteta is very well reinforced in midfield, having also welcomed the arrivals of Zubimendi and Norgaard to replace Jorginho and Thomas Partey – who both left N5 after their contracts expired.

Norgaard in particular already boasts considerable Premier League experience from his time at Brentford, where he captained the Bees and stood out as perhaps one of their more underappreciated key players.

Mikkel Damsgaard says Arsenal have made a "surprising" signing in Norgaard

His former teammate at the Gtech Community Stadium, Mikkel Damsgaard, is convinced that Norgaard will be a quality signing for Arteta – albeit a “surprising” one.

Speaking to Danish news outlet Tipsbladet, via Sport Witness, Damsgaard says his fellow Dane is a hard-working player and backs him to succeed in north London.

Interestingly, former Tottenham director Frank Arnesen echoes this sentiment – calling Norgaard the “whole package”.

The 31-year-old signed a two-year contract with Arsenal, who spent an initial £10 million, plus £5m in add-ons, to secure his signature.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino met with CONMEBOL leaders in New York on Tuesday as the South American confederation pushed a proposal to expand the already sprawling 2030 World Cup – set to feature six host nations across three continents – from 48 to a proposed 64 teams, a move that would guarantee all 10 CONMEBOL members a spot.

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  'We believe in a historic 2030 World Cup!'

  Alejandro Domínguez, the President of the South American football governing body, along with the leaders of the Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay federations, traveled to New York to meet with the FIFA president to continue their pitch, first proposed in March. It was the first time the plan was formally presented to Infantino. 

  "We believe in a historic 2030 World Cup!" Domínguez said in a social media post after the meeting. "Thank you, President Gianni Infantino, for welcoming us and sharing this journey toward the centennial of football's greatest celebration. We want to call for unity, creativity, and believing big. Because when football is shared by everyone, the celebration is truly global."

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  Spanning continents

  If approved, it would mark the second expansion in a decade, after FIFA kept the same format from 1998 until the upcoming 48-team edition in 2026.

  With the tournament being the 100-year anniversary of the inaugural World Cup, FIFA is hosting matches across three continents in Europe, South America, and Africa. Uruguay, the original hosts in the 1930 edition, will get one game with Paraguay, Argentina, Morocco, Spain, and Portugal all serving as co-hosts.

  In addition to the FA presidents joining, the President of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, and the President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, also joined in the presentation. Argentina FA president Claudio Chiqui Tapia shared his thoughts after the meeting. 

  "I had the honor of being part of the FIFA summit, organized by Gianni Infantino, with the goal of starting to organize what will be the 2030 World Cup. It was truly a pleasure to have represented our country at this important meeting," Tapia posted on social media. "We are family, and we have done our part to request this meeting so our dream can become reality."

• 'This cannot be just another event'

  FIFA general secretary Mattias Grafström was also in attendance. If FIFA gives approval to the proposal, it would  expand the tournament to 128 matches – which is double the number played during the World Cups between 1998 to 2022. Dominguez said FIFA should act due to the historical significance of the World Cup. 

  "As we get closer to the date, we must reiterate that this cannot be just another event, it cannot be just another World Cup," Domínguez said. "We believe this is a once-in-a-century opportunity to have the group stage matches played in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay."

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• Critics of the proposal

  While CONMEBOL is aligned with the push for more teams, the proposal has been met by criticism from other FIFA federations. When the proposal initially came about, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin called it a "bad idea."

  "This proposal was maybe even more surprising for me than you," Čeferin said at a news conference after UEFA's annual meeting in Belgrade, Serbia. "I think it is a bad idea."

  Detractors argue the expansion would dilute the quality of play and lessen the importance of qualifying.

Brooklyn Earick has formally withdrawn his record-breaking £4.5 billion bid to buy Tottenham Hotspur after the Lewis family made it clear they will not sell the club “under any circumstances.” The American businessman’s 12-member consortium had been in advanced talks, but Spurs’ owners reiterated their firm long-term commitment to keeping control.

• Earick made record £4.5bn bid for Tottenham

  Brooklyn Earick had tabled a world-record offer worth £4.5 billion, including £3.3bn for the club and a further £1.2bn in funding for transfers and wages. Despite a series of discussions with Tottenham’s representatives, the Lewis family refused to entertain a sale. Following their stance, Earick confirmed via a Stock Exchange statement that he would no longer pursue a formal bid.

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  Sale turned down by Tottenham board

  Tottenham confirmed the end of discussions and thanked all parties for their professionalism. “The Board of Tottenham Hotspur Limited (the ‘Club’) notes the recent announcements from the Firehawk and Mr Earick’s consortiums that they do not intend to make an offer for the Club,” read the statement. “The Board thanks them for the constructive approach taken in the discussions with the Club's and the Lewis family's representatives and respecting the clear position of the Lewis family that the Club is not for sale. Following the announcements made by the consortiums, the Club is no longer in an offer period under the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.”

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  Earick led the consortium with Dan Gilbert

  Earick had formed a US-led group of 12 investors to finance the record-breaking move, with backing reportedly including NBA franchise owner Dan Gilbert. However, growing uncertainty and the Lewis family’s refusal to negotiate forced the group to pull back. Sun Sport reports that talks were held with legal counsel Douglas Armstrong before Earick agreed to step away.

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• Earick could still return to takeover at Tottenham…

  While Earick has withdrawn, the Stock Exchange confirmed his consortium “reserves the right to acquire shares” in the future under takeover regulations. The American also voiced a message after pulling out from the move, which read: "It’s been a privilege engaging with Tottenham Hotspur and the Lewis family’s representatives over the past few months. I have great respect for the Club, its leadership, and its supporters, and wish them nothing but success."

After launching a late move to sign Marco Asensio, Aston Villa have reportedly agreed personal terms with another Ligue 1 star in a late transfer flurry for Unai Emery.

Aston Villa open talks to sign Asensio

They’ve left things late, but Aston Villa are finally moving in the summer transfer window. With a matter of days left until the window slams shut, the Villans have opened talks to sign Asensio from Paris Saint-Germain. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Midlands club are pushing to secure a permanent deal following the Spaniard’s successful loan spell in the second-half of last season.

By the time that his loan spell came to an end last season, Asensio had become a fan favourite and scored eight goals in 21 games in all competitions. As such, he was always likely to be a summer target for all involved at Villa Park who made the mistake of falling in love with a loan player.

Alongside Evann Guessand, the former Real Madrid gem would add some much-needed depth to Emery’s attack as deadline day approaches. There’s no denying that his arrival is one that Villa need, having drawn their opening game against Newcastle United 0-0 and then failing to score again in a 1-0 defeat against Brentford.

Aston Villa closing in on "special" £13m former wonderkid; Monchi "confident"

The Villans are closing in on their man…

By
Tom Cunningham

Aug 29, 2025

After Asensio, they may not be done there, however. Rumours are continuing to emerge that Aston Villa are still targeting further reinforcements as they look to save what has otherwise been a summer to forget. And that has reportedly seen them turn towards another Ligue 1 star alongside Asensio.

Aston Villa agree personal terms with Mikautadze

As reported by French journalist Marc Mechenoua, Aston Villa have now agreed personal terms with Georges Mikautadze and are now in club-to-club negotiations with Lyon after submitting a €25m (£22m) offer. As talks continue, the Midlands club will be desperately hoping to reach a full agreement before Monday’s deadline.

If they can secure a deal worth £22m, meanwhile, then they’d be getting an absolute bargain. When compared to Ollie Watkins last season, Mikautadze more than kept pace – scoring 17 goals and assisting another 11, whilst the Englishman netted 17 himself and created 14 in all competitions.

Described as “electric” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Mikautadze is ready to take the Premier League by storm and potentially form an impressive partnership with Watkins. Welcoming both the Lyon man and Asensio before Monday’s deadline would be a true statement of intent from Aston Villa.

USMNT star Christian Pulisic has explained the quality that he shares with Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi. The United States international occupies a similar area of the field to eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi, with coaches and team-mates often looking to them for attacking inspiration. Pulisic has embraced that role down the years and believes that he has learned – much like an all-time great – how best to impact proceedings.

• Pulisic posting personal bests on the goal front

  Pulisic’s creativity and willingness to work hard for the collective cause has been embraced since making a senior breakthrough with Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund. He went on to become a Champions League winner at Chelsea, making history in the process, before heading to Italy in the summer of 2023.

  Impressive numbers have been posted at Milan, with personal-best tallies when it comes to goals scored being raised to 15 and then up to 17 last season. Pulisic has already found the target on six occasions across all competitions this term, while also registering a couple of assists. He is considered to have mastered the art of knowing when to take charge himself and when to move the ball on to a colleague.

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  The quality that Pulisic shares with GOAT Messi

  Messi has set the standard in that department for the best part of two decades, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner boasting the ability to alter the course of any given contest. Pulisic takes on similar responsibility with Milan and the USMNT. At 27 years of age, he is now mature enough to take chances and immediately shrug off any setbacks.

  Pulisic told of sharing those traits with one of the best to ever play the game: "I think it’s very important to understand when to take risks, and Messi knows how to do that. There are moments when you feel more confident than others, right now it’s even easier to talk, I’m scoring a lot, but there will also be negative moments and you have to be good at dealing with them."

• USMNT star Pulisic picks out his boyhood idols

  Messi is one of those that Pulisic looked up to when forging his own career, alongside a fellow countryman and other iconic wingers that have graced the grandest of stages. He said when asked to name his idols: "I had a few. When you’re little, you follow the national team: one of them was [Clint] Dempsey. I always followed him, especially during the World Cup, with the national team. I wanted to be like him. I liked the way he played, his attitude, his way of being on the pitch. In Europe, however, there were so many players I looked up to – [Luis] Figo, and obviously Messi."

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  How Pulisic has developed in Germany, England and Italy

  Pulisic’s experiences in Germany, England and Italy have presented him with different challenges. He has picked up many important lessons along the way, saying of how his game has developed: "I have learned a lot tactically, I have learned a lot here. I have faced different teams, and they all defend very well. It’s a different system and the same goes for the playing style."

  He went on to say of learning how to see so much of the ball, with a talismanic role being taken on with club and country: "I think soccer is a lot less about individual play: there’s much more teamwork. Compared to basketball, soccer is even more about instinct. You have to know where to position yourself in the box, because that’s where the goals are ultimately scored. Understanding how to occupy space, feeling it. And I think that’s my secret."

There is less than a week left to go in the summer transfer window and this means that Celtic need to start ramping up their business if they want to avoid missing out on key targets.

The Hoops are reportedly doing exactly that, as they are said to be closing in on two new additions to the squad on the left flank for Brendan Rodgers.

Sky Sports recently reported that the Scottish Premiership giants have agreed a £5m deal with Royal Antwerp for winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha to bolster the manager’s options on the wing.

The Belgian whiz is not the only incoming signing on the left flank, though, as Anthony Joseph claims that the club have agreed a deal to sign left-back Marcelo Saracchi on loan from Boca Juniors.

However, journalist Stephen McGowan has revealed that there is even more to come from Celtic, who want to sign another striker to compete at the top end of the pitch.

This means that current Hoops number nine Adam Idah could be in danger of losing his place in the starting XI beyond the end of the current transfer window.

Why Adam Idah's place in the XI is in danger

The Scottish giants splashed the cash last summer when the board sanctioned a deal worth up to £9.5m to sign the Ireland international on a permanent move from Norwich City.

Idah has yet to justify that significant outlay from the Hoops, though, because he has failed to establish himself as a player who can start week-in-week-out as the main number nine.

The 24-year-old centre-forward scored 20 goals in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, which is far from a horrendous return at face value.

However, Idah was often more impactful when coming off the bench to make an impact as a substitute against tired defences, than as a starter ahead of Kyogo Furuhashi or Daizen Maeda, particularly in the Premiership.

As you can see in the table above, the Irish forward scored more goals in roughly 1,000 fewer minutes as a substitute than he did as a starter in the league last season.

Unfortunately, Idah’s performances in the Premiership at the start of the current campaign do not suggest that he has gotten over those issues and is now ready to be the main man for the Hoops.

The former Norwich star, as shown in the graphic above, missed three ‘big chances’ and failed to score against St Mirren on the opening day. He then failed to score or assist a goal in the 2-0 win over Aberdeen as a starter in his most recent league outing.

Celtic preparing move for new striker

With Idah’s poor form as a starter last season and at the start of this term, supporters may be pleased to learn that the club are looking to sign a new marksman.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Football Insider, Celtic are interested in a deal to sign Lorient centre-forward Sambou Soumano before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Scottish giants are preparing to make a formal offer to bring the Senegalese number nine to Parkhead before next Monday’s deadline.

It states that they have already registered their interest in the 24-year-old marksman, and that a formal approach is now expected in the coming days.

Meanwhile, journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, claims that English Championship side Blackburn Rovers are already in talks with Lorient, who want £5m for their star forward, which means that Celtic may have to move quickly to get a deal done for Soumano.

Why Celtic should sign Sambou Soumano

The Premiership champions should be pushing for a deal to get done for the Ligue 1 marksman because he is an exciting talent who could come in as an upgrade on Idah for Rodgers in the number nine position.

The Lorient attacker caught the eye with his performances for the French side in the second tier last season, helping them to earn promotion back up to Ligue 1 with his goalscoring exploits.

Soumano provided a lethal presence in the centre-forward position in Ligue 2 by finishing the chances that came his way in front of goal at an impressively high conversion rate of 33%, per Sofascore.

As you can see in the table above, Soumano scored more goals and missed 13 fewer ‘big chances’ at league level in comparison to Idah in the 2024/25 campaign.

This suggests that the Senegalese striker, who was once dubbed “incredibly prolific” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is significantly better than the Celtic man when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net with the chances that he gets, which is the most important attribute a striker can have.

As you can see in the clip above, the £5m-rated marksman has also made a fast start to life in Ligue 1. He showed incredible composure to score a brilliant goal in a 4-0 win for Lorient against Rennes on Sunday.

This shows that he can also make an impact in a major European league, rather than his talents being confined to the second division, and that he could step up against high-quality opposition for Celtic.

With this in mind, Celtic should be looking to beat Blackburn to Soumano’s signature before the deadline on Monday because he has the track record in front of goal, at a decent level, to suggest that he could be an upgrade on Idah in the number nine position.

Even better than Breum: Celtic set to make offer for "flamboyant" £5m star

Celtic are reportedly set to make an offer for a star who could be an even better signing than Jakob Breum.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 26, 2025

His arrival at Parkhead would also allow the Ireland international to go back to his role as an impact substitute, which the statistics suggest is his most effective role for the Scottish giants.

Most football fans bemoan the international break, especially the September window, given that it comes just as the club season is starting up again, but perhaps Rangers supporters have enjoyed a fortnight of relative serenity away from Ibrox.

So far, Rangers have failed to win their opening four matches of a Premiership season for the first time in 42 years, held to a series of 1-1 stalemates, before a diabolically dull goalless Glasgow derby last Sunday.

Later this month, the Light Blues will commence yet another Europa League campaign, welcoming Genk to Ibrox, having been embarrassingly demolished 9-1 on aggregate by Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off round.

The takeover by 49ers Enterprises, that was finalised in June, was supposed to signify the start of a new era for Rangers, but that hasn’t come to pass so far, with supporters demanding a change in management, which could be coming soon.

Russell Martin: a dead man walking

Following a thorough and extensive search, Rangers fans were generally underwhelmed when Russell Martin was unveiled as the new manager, this coming 102 days after Philippe Clement had been sacked all the way back in February.

Well, given the miserable results documented already, Martin’s stock has managed to fall even further, winning only three of 11 fixtures across all competitions to date, one of which was a very unconvincing League Cup victory over third-tier Alloa Athletic at Ibrox.

Following the Light Blues’ 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Fir Park, which was, worth reiterating, on the opening day of the Premiership season, Martin gave a scathing assessment of his team’s performance.

Indeed he stated that they were “nowhere near where we need to be”, adding that too many players “want to do what they want to do”, while others need to “drop their ego”, suggesting that the entire club has a “mentality problem”.

Speaking on Sky Sports in reaction to this, Chris Sutton labelled it a “desperate” act, saying it’s never a good sign when you’re forced to “machine gun the dressing room”, let alone this early, while Kris Boyd added that this was “alarming”.

Thus, all the signs are that Martin will not remain Rangers manager for long, so should the 49ers already be laying the groundwork to bring in a major upgrade?

Rangers' major Russell Martin upgrade

During the summer, while Rangers’ managerial search was ongoing, reports emerged claiming that Marco Rose was the ‘front-runner’ to take the job.

Manager Focus

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Gers’ new owners, 49ers Enterprises, have a strong relationship with Red Bull Global, given that they own Premier League side Leeds United, with Red Bull buying a minority stake in the Yorkshire-based club last year.

Thus, Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe, who are on the board at both Ibrox and Elland Road, would surely be able to get in contact with Rose, given his own past employment.

Rose’s professional managerial career began at RB Salzburg, winning the Austrian Bundesliga title during both of his seasons at the club, completing the double at the end of his second campaign as they defeated Rapid Wien in the ÖFB-Cup Final.

Then, after 88 matches in charge of Borussia Mönchengladbach and a season with Borussia Dortmund, he returned to the Red Bull network by joining RB Leipzig in September 2022, a special appointment for him, having been born and raised in Leipzig, back when it was part of East Germany under Soviet rule.

During 124 games at the helm of die Roten Bullen, he led them to back-to-back top four finishes in the Bundesliga, also reaching the Champions League knockout stages, winning both the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Supercup in 2023, beating Freiburg on penalties at Olympiastadion in the cup final, before hammering Bayern Munich 3-0 away from home in the season curtain raiser.

Following a miserable campaign last year, however, he was eventually sacked in March, with Andy Brassell of the Guardian outlining how he still has a strong relationship with Red Bull, who did not take the decision to part company lightly.

Meantime, Kiyan Sobhani labels his style of play “direct”, elaborating that he wants to “get the ball to the attackers as quickly and as possible”, a style of play that would surely excite the Ibrox faithful, and his CV is night and day when compared to that of Martin.

As the table documents, Rose’s résumé is exponentially more impressive than that of Martin and would certainly represent a coup.

So, at a time when Rangers supporters are in mutinous mood, hiring a coach with so much elite-level experience would be exactly what they need to reunite everybody associated with the club.

Rangers must rue losing star who's worth millions more than Chermiti

Rangers must rue losing this “incredible” star who would now be their most valuable player.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 6, 2025

GOAL ranks the top three soccer players produced by every state in the Midwest, including Beasley, Ream and Brian McBride

The world of soccer is so often focused on the glitz of one coast and the grittiness of the other. Meanwhile, so much of American soccer's top talent has come from the middle. Yes, the stars are in California and few can go toe-to-toe with the New York/New Jersey area as talent producers. As for the heart and soul of American soccer, though? That can be found in the Midwest.

Cities such as St. Louis, Chicago, Columbus and Kansas City have emerged as hotbeds for soccer culture over the last few decades, with a number of U.S. men's national team legends coming from the region. The list is impressive: DaMarcus Beasley, Tim Ream, Brian McBride, Taylor Twellman, Cobi Jones, Brad Freidel, Alexi Lalas and many more.

Some regions in the U.S. have deeper player pools than others, so who is the best of the best? Which state has been the most fertile ground for developing American soccer talent?

GOAL ranks the top three men's soccer players from each of the 50 states. Next up, the South.

Previous: Northeast |South

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  Illinois: Brian McBride

  Hometown: Arlington Heights

  Clubs played for: Wolfsburg, Columbus Crew, Preston North End, Everton, Fulham, Chicago Fire 

  USMNT caps: 96

  Why he's No.1: There's no shortage of talent from Illinois, which, conveniently, was long the headquarters for U.S. Soccer. Ultimately, it comes down to two, though: McBride and Steve Cherundolo. While the Mayor of Hanover makes this neck and neck due to his long career in the Bundesliga, it's McBride who edges it out. 

  A legendary American striker who truly was a trailblazer in Europe, McBride is equally as loved at Fulham as Cherundolo is at Hannover. There's even a bar at Craven Cottage named "McBride's" in his honor. With 96 caps and 30 goals for the USMNT, McBride is a legend and one of MLS' founding fathers, serving as one of the league's top stars in the early days. 

  Runners-up: 

  2. Steve Cherundolo (Rockford): A USMNT legend in his own right, Dolo is unlucky not to be No. 1.

  3. Brad Guzan (Evergreen Park): The USMNT has had some great goalkeepers, and Guzan is right up there with the best due to his Premier League and USMNT runs.

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  Indiana: DaMarcus Beasley

  Hometown: Fort Wayne

  Clubs played for: Chicago Fire, PSV, Manchester City, Rangers, Hannover, Puebla, Houston Dynamo

  USMNT caps: 126

  Why he's No. 1: No questions here, as Indiana is the home of an all-time great. Few players in American soccer history have a resume that can get within sniffing distance of Beasley, who is the only American man to play in four World Cups. From his time as a rising star in 2002 to his role as USMNT vet in 2014, Beasley never slowed down. It's what made him great.

  On the club level, he was one of the first Americans to make an impact in the Champions League, making it all the way to the semifinals with PSV before falling to a legendary Milan team. Even his final career chapter was impressive, as he helped the Dynamo claim a U.S. Open Cup. No matter which area you search, Beasley has an accolade for it. He was just that good.

  Runners-up:

  2. Perry Kitchen (Indianapolis) – A longtime MLS veteran with a stint overseas, Kitchen provided stability wherever he went.

  3. Ray Gaddis (Indianapolis) – Spent more than a decade in MLS, primarily with the Philadelphia Union, where he won a Supporters' Shield, before claiming that trophy again with FC Cincinnati.

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  Iowa: Brandon Fricke

  Hometown: Grimes

  USMNT caps: 0

  Clubs played for: Des Moines Mennace, Charlotte Independence, Nybro FC, Lansing Ignite, Greenville Triumph

  Why he's No. 1: While Iowa has produced a few players who have had cups of coffee in MLS, Fricke gets the nod because he has the hardware to back it up. In 2020, in his first season with Greenville Triumph, the veteran defender won USL League One Defender of the Year honors after leading the league in several defensive stats.

  Originally drafted by the Colorado Rapids in 2015, Fricke never played in MLS, but he's certainly had his adventures, playing all over the U.S. and in Sweden with Nybro, where he had two separate stints.

  Runners-up:

  2. Kyle Zobeck (Coralville) – Often a backup at both the NASL and MLS level, Zobeck had a strong run with the New York Cosmos before getting his MLS shot with FC Dallas.

  3. Matt Bobo (Des Moines) – A longtime player in the lower leagues, Bobo carved out a decade-long career all over the country.

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  Kansas: Matt Besler

  Hometown: Overland Park

  USMNT caps: 47

  Clubs played for: Sporting KC, Austin FC

  Why he's No. 1: Arguably the American player who made the biggest impact on his hometown team, Besler is Kansas soccer. The centerback spent more than a decade with Sporting KC, winning an MLS Cup, three U.S. Open Cups and earning five MLS All-Star nods. Notably, he was also the 2012 MLS Defender of the Year in a season that headlined a decade of stability as part of SKC's back line.

  With the USMNT, he won two Gold Cups while featuring for the U.S. at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. After that World Cup, several European teams came calling, but Besler turned them down for Kansas City, furthering his commitment to his home.

  Runners-up:

  2. Jon Kempin (Leawood) – If there's a city, Kempin has likely played there as he carved out a 12-year career all over the country. 

  3. Andy Gruenebaum (Overland Park) – A longtime MLS player, the goalkeeper got a real shot with the Crew in the final years of his career before finishing up with his hometown team.

West Ham United have approached a title-winning former Tottenham manager to potentially replace the under-fire Graham Potter.

Graham Potter could be axed if West Ham suffer Crystal Palace defeat

According to some reports, amid real fan unrest, chairman David Sullivan is keen to avoid a Julen Lopetegui-esque ‘will they, won’t they’ sack saga with Potter, and will make a quicker decision on whether to part company if poor results continue.

Lopetegui continuously managed to save himself with the odd win this time last season, and delayed the Hammers axe from swinging down on him until January.

The same won’t be said for Potter, as it is believed that an unconvincing loss to Crystal Palace today could even seal the 50-year-old’s fate.

This is now backed up by English broadcast giant talkSPORT, who say that an undesired result at the London Stadium this afternoon will “likely spell the end” for Potter.

West Ham officials hold talks with Nuno Espírito Santo

Adding further information on West Ham’s managerial saga, the outlet also shared an update on the club’s links to ex-Tottenham, Al-Ittihad and Wolves boss Nuno Espírito Santo.

After guiding Nottingham Forest back to European football for the first time since 1995, Nuno is a hot commodity, and won plenty of admirers at the City Ground by shoring up their once-leaky defence.

The 51-year-old made Forest a very difficult side to beat with his pragmatic style, and they became far less vulnerable to set plays, which will undoubtedly appeal to Sullivan, Brady and the Hammers board after West Ham’s undoubted struggles in that regard so far.

Nuno was awarded a brand-new contract in June, but a public fallout with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis sealed a shock, unceremonious exit just three games into the new Premier League season.

talkSPORT reports that West Ham officials have spoken to Nuno about replacing Potter, but it remains to be seen whether the tactician, who won a Saudi league title with Al-Ittihad, would be so eager to jump into such a pressurised role after the heartbreak of his Forest departure.

In terms of whether Nuno is the right man, we believe he is the standout candidate by far if they elect to hand Potter a P45.

Why West Ham should appoint Nuno if they sack Potter

Not only could the coach help to shore up West Ham’s fragile backline, which has conceded more goals than any other Premier League side so far, but Nuno is also famed for being a “very good man-manager”.

His status as a free agent means that West Ham won’t have to pay any compensation fee to employers, either, with Nuno there for the taking.

The same could be said of fellow top contender, Slaven Bilic, but Nuno’s stock is very high right now after his miracle job at Forest last season.

Other reports claim that Nuno is in fact keen to make a swift return to management and his priority is to remain in England, so West Ham could have a golden opportunity here.