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Which alterations could the Super Eagles boss make for Tuesday’s make or break World Cup qualifier?

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  Nigeria vs Ghana

  Friday’s goalless encounter between these West African giants has set up a hugely-awaited decider in Abuja on Tuesday, with observers closer to finding out which nation will be in Qatar later this year.

  Nigeria boss Augustine Eguavoen may have seemed somewhat pleased with the 0-0 result, even though he still hinted a win could have been claimed at the Baba Yara Stadium.

  Having assessed Friday’s performance, GOAL suggests tweaks the trainer could make for the reverse fixture.

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  Frank Onyeka

  While there would be a temptation to play Peter Etebo instead, the Watford midfielder’s lack of match sharpness means Eguavoen should opt for the Brentford man from the start.

  Whether the trainer selects Onyeka from the off remains to be seen, yet there is unlikely to be another Innocent Bonke experiment owing to the defensive midfielder’s underwhelming showing and subsequent injury in Kumasi.

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  More minutes for Ademola Lookman

  Having waited so long before introducing the Leicester City winger on Friday, Lookman has to start in the reverse fixture.

  The RB Leipzig loanee not only offers his aggressive ball carrying and dribbling ability, but he backs that up with the all-important end product.

  With Samuel Chukwueze a doubt for Tuesday, Lookman should be trusted from the off for his home debut.

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  Start Emmanuel Dennis

  Kelechi Iheanacho may have fashioned Nigeria’s best chance of the night at the Baba Yara Stadium, but he offered little else for the remainder of the game.

  Admittedly, it could be a risk playing Dennis and Victor Osimhen in tandem up front, so Eguavoen may alternatively choose to introduce the Watford man for Moses Simon from the start.

Spooky season was celebrated in style this year as footballers embraced the halloween spirit.

Halloween is here and that means a few very important things.

Firstly, the winter ball is out. You know the one. The clocks are back and the yellow ball is flying around the pitches again. As it should. How about that for World Cup fever?

More importantly, Halloween means that we're officially on the road to the World Cup, if we were to put things into WWE Road to WrestleMania perspective.

But instead of letting the holiday pass by without a trick or a treat, a handful of footballers got into the spirit of the occasion and pulled out the good, the bad and the ugly of fancy dress. Let's take a look.

• Jese Rodriguez

  It's not bad, but it's certainly not good from Jese Rodriguez and his wife.

  We'll refrain from the more explicit analogies as to what they they've actually achieved. All that needs to be said is that his singular season spent in Stoke would've been a lot more frightening than this.

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• Mario Gotze

  Okay, sure, Gotze loses some points for not putting together a 'scary' outfit, but who does anymore?

  Halloween is about fun and creativity. This ticks both boxes, as well as the wholesome one. Super Mario (get it?) and his son. Brilliant.

• Lotte Wubben-Moy

  Nothing to see here, folks. Just an English footballing, European Championship-winning icon dressing up as a bonafide musical icon.

  The crossover we didn't know we needed. Good effort, Lotte. We like it a lot. Not sure how Conor McGregor ties into this alternate reality, but we don't need the answers right now.

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• Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis

  Chelsea's Kerr and Gotham FC's Mewis looked the part as they linked up with the rest of the Chelsea squad this weekend, in classic outfits.

  A little textbook, sure, but they make it work to its absolute limit. Very classy stuff. Stern poses too. Well done.

The Blaugrana are nine points clear going into Sunday's Clasico at Camp Nou, meaning victory would all but secure top spot

It wasn't supposed to look like this. Barcelona were supposed to just about keep pace with Real Madrid this year. But they weren't supposed to win La Liga.

That they would be nine points clear in March – and show few signs of slowing down – was unthinkable.

Yet here they are. Barca are far and away the best team in La Liga this year, clearing every hurdle as they sprint towards a first La Liga title in four years.

And matched up against a Madrid side coming off a domestic-European double, with perhaps another Champions League to come, such a successful season is undeniably impressive.

But this hasn't exactly come out of nowhere. Barcelona are not good by chance.

Indeed, they have all the pieces of a league-winning team, with just enough edge to presumably fight off any late charge from Los Blancos.

Victory this weekend, in fact, would effectively signal the end of the title race.

Below, GOAL takes a look at why Barcelona are so far ahead of Madrid with just 13 games to go…

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  Lewandowski!

  It makes sense: if your team is not scoring enough goals, you should probably find someone who can score goals.

  It's even more helpful when your goalscorer is one of the most prolific strikers in recent memory.

  Lewandowski has been everything Barcelona could have hoped for.

  Last season, they relied on a mixture of Memphis Depay, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ferran Torres for attacking production. The result was a team that couldn't find the back of the net consistently enough.

  And now, with Lewandowski in the middle, they have a prolific goalscorer for the first time since Luis Suarez left three years ago.

  The Poland striker has 15 Liga goals and five assists, and is on track to win the golden boot despite missing a handful of games due to suspension and injuries.

  There is perhaps also something to be said for having a perennial winner in your ranks. Lewandowski has won a league title every year since 2015. If anyone knows what it takes to stay in the mix for 38 games, it's him.

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  Goals from all over

  Lewandowski isn't the only one finding the net.

  It's not just the fact that Barcelona are scoring more: it's where the goals are coming from. Thirteen different players have found the net for the Blaugrana this year, the fifth-highest number of goalscorers in the league. Six squad members have also scored more than five goals, while 12 players have multiple assists.

  For so long, Barcelona relied on the genius of individuals, turning to Messi, Suarez or Neymar to find the net. And when those three left, albeit at different stages, it didn't look like the club knew where to turn.

  This year, though, everyone is getting involved. When Lewandowski was out, Ousmane Dembele stepped up. When Dembele picked up an injury, Raphinha took over. Meanwhile, Gavi and Pedri have supplied a steady trickle of goals themselves.

  Those additional goalscorers, that seemingly random production, is what pushes a team to the top. Barcelona, quite simply, have always been able to find the net – regardless of who's on the pitch.

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  A nifty midfield

  At the start of the season, Frenkie de Jong wasn't supposed to be a Barca player. Sergio Busquets, meanwhile, was too old. Gavi was too hot-headed. And Pedri, although class, was injured too often.

  So, Barcelona dipped into the transfer market for some midfield help but while Franck Kessie looked like a shrewd signing, it didn't exactly inspire confidence.

  However, Xavi, who knows a thing or two about a balanced midfield, has managed to piece together his unit perfectly.

  It all started working in January, when the manager broke out a 4-2-3-1 formation, placing four central-midfielders in a seemingly unbalanced system. But he got his tactics spot on, and seemed to get the most out of his four best options.

  And when any of that unit have gone down with injuries, either Kessie or Sergi Roberto have stepped in with relative ease.

  It's not yet a flawless formation, but Barcelona have crucial solidity in the centre of the park. It's given them valuable control over their contests, setting up win after win.

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  An imperious defence

  A cursory glance at Barcelona's back four before the season didn't exactly suggest that Xavi's side would have the best defensive record in Europe.

  There were question marks all over, from Ronald Araujo's fitness to Jordi Alba's aging legs. A poor 2021-22 campaign from usual stalwart Marc-Andre ter Stegen also suggested that it could be a rough year.

  Instead, Barcelona have pieced together the best domestic defensive season on the continent. The Blaugrana have only let in eight goals in La Liga, almost half of which came in one game against Real Madrid.

  Ter Stegen has kept 19 clean sheets in 25 matches, while free-signing Andreas Christensen has been a revelation. It must also be noted that allowing Gerard Pique to walk has buoyed the Blaugrana by subtraction.

  But it's not just individual quality that has carried Barca this far.

  The Blaugrana have the highest possession stats in the league, and Busquets playing in a deeper role has made them less susceptible to counter-attacks than they were last year.

  The more energetic, and younger, Alejandro Balde has also given Barca a defensive lift on the left flank.

  Put it all together, and it makes sense that Barca are so solid.

The Dutchman's passion and effort means he will be remembered fondly by United fans, even despite his lack of quality and goals

When Victor Lindelof buried his penalty to seal Manchester United's shootout victory over Brighton in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium, he was naturally mobbed by his team-mates.

But as the majority of players ran towards the Swede in front of the goal where the penalties had been taken and which the Brighton fans were behind, Wout Weghorst went the other way.

With all the energy of Usain Bolt in an Olympic final, the Dutchman sprinted towards the other end of the pitch where the United fans were and performed an epic knee slide.

After a couple of fist pumps in front of the fans, he headed straight back towards the rest of the squad to join in the celebrations.

But fans don't forget moments like that, and the gesture showed why, for all his technical shortcomings, Weghorst will be remembered fondly for his spell with the club.

No matter what happens in the final against Manchester City, the striker and supporters will always have this moment under the arch.

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  Composure from the spot

  Given Weghorst has only scored two goals in 24 appearances for United and is still yet to find the net in the Premier League, many fans were dreading the thought of him taking him penalty in the shootout.

  There was even more pressure on him given it was sudden death and Brighton had scored the first penalty, meaning a miss would have ended United's FA Cup journey there and then.

  But just as in the Netherlands' penalty shootout against Argentina in the World Cup, Weghorst kept his cool from the spot.

  And against Brighton he was the picture of calm, sending Robert Sanchez the wrong way and rolling the ball along the floor into the net.

  Whoever said the 6'6 striker was a donkey?

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  The kiss of death

  What Weghorst did next was equally pivotal.

  He grabbed the ball after scoring and gave it a knowing kiss. He then presented it to Solly March, the only United player to hand the ball to the next Brighton taker during the whole shootout.

  David de Gea also did his part in psyching out the midfielder by having a quiet word with him before taking it.

  No matter how minimal Weghorst and De Gea's actions might seem, they clearly had some kind of impact, as March ballooned his penalty over the bar.

  Lindelof became United's hero when he placed the decisive spot-kick into the top corner of the net, but do not underestimate Weghorst's role in the shootout victory.

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  Galvanising the crowd

  Weghorst's knee slide was not the only time he had sought to rev up United's fans during the game.

  Deep into extra-time, he drew a foul from compatriot Joel Veltman by the corner flag, winning a dangerous free-kick.

  He did not waste the opportunity to get in the faces of United's fans, imploring them to make some noise for what was a good scoring chance.

  As it happened, Marcel Sabitzer wasted the opportunity, sending the free-kick high across the box and away to safety for Brighton.

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  An improvement on Martial – for once

  Weghorst started his first 19 matches forUnited after cutting short his loan spell at Besiktas to head to Old Trafford.

  His ability to retain his place in the starting line up despite offering not much of a goal threat confused a lot of United fans, and the truth was he was only remained in the team because Anthony Martial was still recovering from injury.

  Since the Frenchman has returned to full fitness, Weghorst has not started a game, and the harsh truth is that Martial makes the team much better than the Dutchman. He can hold the ball up better, makes more intelligent passes and is far more likely to score.

  However, Martial was terrible against Brighton. He lacked energy, his passing was sloppy and he missed the target with his one chance.

  With Brighton having 60 percent of possession, this was a game which suited Weghorst far more than Martial, and the Dutchman was far more effective than his fellow striker in the 19 minutes he was on the pitch.

The Argentine has opted against coming back to Camp Nou, and despite his obvious talent, Xavi's team have avoided an unnecessary signing

Lionel Messi said it himself. On Wednesday, the Argentine gave a lengthy interview with Spanish publications and after it emerged that he would not, as many expected, return to Barcelona next season. He revealed that he'd been miserable in Paris. He conceded that he wanted to return to Catalunya. But he also noted that there are some people who probably don't want him there.

That is admittedly hard to imagine. Messi will forever be associated with Barca, a player who brought the club immense success, won seven Ballons d'Or in Catalunya, and outlasted numerous iterations of some of Europe's best sides. Who would be stupid, indignant and self-assuming enough to not to want him back?

But the detractors, made-up or otherwise, perhaps have a point. A Messi return was always enticing in theory and a dream for the football romantics. But its workability never seemed to be addressed. No one really asked why this happen.

It was something that everyone brushed over, with Barcelona reportedly hastily assuming that they could simply slot the Argentine into their title-winning team. Messi-ball, they insisted, would work — forget everyone else.

This would have all made for great viewing. It is, after all, the most dramatic transfers that yield the best storylines, and generate the most likes on social media. Indeed, Cristiano Ronaldo would not being trolled for finishing second in the Saudi Pro League if the Glazer Family had realised that he probably wasn't going to make Manchester United better two years previously.

But the actual stuff, the real football, needs to cross the mind at some point, and those involved in the Messi saga never really seemed to consider that. It was all rumours, half-baked stories, and pictures of the player looking sad at Parc des Princes. No one really knew anything concrete until it was announced on Wednesday that he would play for Inter Miami. As it turns out, Messi didn't either. In fact, he wanted to join Barcelona — until he realised he couldn't.

His decision made Barca rather sad, and it will undoubtedly remain in the Blaugrana psyche for some time. Still, it's perhaps good for the club that they couldn't make it happen. Football romanticism is irresistible and inevitable, but it's systems that work. And with Barca looking to expand on a La Liga win and improve on a young, interesting core of players, Messi was never going to be the right fit — not anymore.

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  What it should have been

  Barcelona, of course, will never admit that this rejection might have helped them. This signing was as much about power and ego as it was about football. The Blaugrana wanted Messi so they could him, to show the footballing world that they could, after years of financial ruin, bring their star man back. That he couldn't pen a new deal in 2021 was a disaster of their own making, the culmination of years of financial mismanagement, and him returning would have brought an end to that sorry chapter.

  The current version of Messi wouldn't have necessarily made them worse, but it always seemed like a statement of intent rather than a marquee signing. So, when Messi walked away, the Barcelona brand as a whole took a hit. Barca, in general, are not rejected by anyone. They especially don't get rejected by club legends. And they absolutely do not get turned down by Lionel Messi. This is mostly because they are, in fact, Barcelona.

  And everything had reportedly all been set up for his return. Barca were reportedly planning to use some of the billions of euros generated in shirt sales to pay the part of his contract they couldn't afford. They were counting on new sponsors, who they assumed would invest with the World Cup winner back in the fold, to give their own finances a boost. Messi's relationship was to be symbiotic. He would raise money for the club, who would then use a slice of those profits to pay him — equal parts footballer and cash cow.

  And the squad had been adjusted, too. Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique — among Barcelona's highest earners — have all left the club in the last seven months. For Pique, it was certainly time to move on. The other two, though, were perhaps ushered out of the door, and took massive pay cuts to leave, all so the money was there for Messi's arrival. In effect, the Blaugrana sacrificed the last pieces of his own generation to bring him back.

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  The disagreement

  But Messi didn't care about Barcelona's moves. Or rather, he didn't believe everything to be workable. He claimed on Wednesday that Barca had never presented him with a formal offer. The club fired back, saying that a proposal had been given to his father.

  It is possible here that both parties are right to some degree. Messi is not oblivious to Barcelona's finances, and could likely tell that they were making the monetary maneuvers to fund his return. After all, they made their intentions very public, with Xavi, Sergi Roberto and Laporta himself name-checking him in the press.

  But despite all of the optics, the Blaugrana's exact state still wasn't clear. In the end, Messi spared himself the embarrassment of a potential collapse and walked away before anything could happen.

  Barcelona, in return, were furious. They released a sarcastic, didn't-want-you-anyway, statement in return, indignantly wishing Messi the best of luck as he went to play in a "league with fewer demands".

  Those were the words of an organisation whose ego had been damaged. Here was a club that was planning to flaunt its new (old) superstar. He rejected them before they could plan it properly. That is not something that Barcelona could get over, and they perhaps never will.

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  What Barcelona won't have

  And they can't necessarily be blamed for their anger. Barcelona have missed out on something material here. In a footballing sense, Messi would have brought excitement every time he walked onto the pitch. He's slower now, those magical legs trudging through the grass they once sprung over. He touches the ball less, and only runs in short bursts. But the technical brilliance is still there. Messi is still Messi — just a different version.

  His footballing quality and sheer desire to play for Barcelona surely would have yielded more memorable moments for the Blaugrana. Messi showed at the World Cup that when he still wants to play for something, he can still be rather good at this sport.

  And there's the idealism of it all, too. Even the sternest, cold-hearted football fan would have loved, to some degree, to see Messi play in Catalan colours again. Messi was never really supposed to leave Barcelona, something he admitted on Wednesday. There are some things that football fans perhaps deserve. A Messi return to Catalunya was one of them.

  The marketing department at Barcelona is perhaps also disappointed. It is unclear how much Messi would have generated in commercial revenue, but hundreds of millions is not an entirely unreasonable estimate. And in a way, Barcelona were perhaps counting on his arrival.

  Although their financial situation has improved from the apocalyptic state that Messi walked away from two years ago, the Blaugrana still have immense problems, and could do with an injection of cash. The Argentine alone would not have brought them out of near-ruin for the third straight summer, but he would have certainly helped.

  And on a more basic level, the two entities are intertwined. If this were by choice, Messi would not have embarked on a miserable two-year Parisian holiday in 2021. Messi is Barcelona. And, as the last five days have shown, Barcelona Messi. Here are two parties that should always be united, ideally on the pitch. The vibes, quite simply, don't feel right.

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  What Barcelona might have

  But there have been signs this year that Barcelona the footballing entity don't need Messi anymore. After 18 months of misery without their former main man, the Blaugrana are actually rather good. Xavi hasn't made them must-see TV, but he's brought them a first La Liga in four years. Detractors will probably laugh at the winning of the glorified friendly that is the Super Cup, but after beating Real Madrid in the final, Barcelona have lifted two trophies this year.

  And if they keep this Messi-less current squad, they will be in the race to win La Liga again — if not outright favourites. Main rivals Madrid endured a bad year, and have responded by signing Europe's best young talent. But Barcelona are also very good, and will only get better.

  Messi is too good to make Barca worse — even with his defensive shortcomings. But the players around him could have stagnated. His arrival would mean the benching of one of Pedri, Gavi or Frenkie de Jong, arguably the three best midfielders in the Spanish top-flight this past season. If Barcelona is a project — and Xavi insists it is — then Messi would stall its progress.

  It would also certainly impact their transfer budget this summer. The Blaugrana have a lengthy shopping list, and will need to replace Busquets — an endeavour that will not be cheap. There will undoubtedly also be other targets needed to cope with the stress of what the Blaugrana hope will be a deep Champions League run.

  And bringing in Messi would stretch every last financial sinew. That budget, vital in fleshing out the squad, would shrink. Surrendering an entire squad to cater to one player simply doesn't make much sense — regardless of who it is.

Liverpool's famous old stadium has produced some of the most iconic climaxes in recent top-flight history

Anfield has another dramatic finale to add to its vast collection. What is it about this famous old stadium? What is it that creates such occasions, such conclusions?

Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham on Sunday may not, in the grand scheme of things, prove to be all that consequential. It was, after all, a meeting between the Premier League’s fifth and sixth-best teams, and one which probably underlined why neither is likely to be playing in the Champions League next season.

But boy was it exciting. Boy was it noisy. Boy was it enjoyable – unless, of course, you happen to be of a Spurs persuasion.

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And boy was it in keeping with Anfield’s reputation as THE place for such frenzied climaxes. Liverpool have more stoppage-time winners than any other side in Premier League history, after all.

Here, GOAL ranks the best of their Anfield ones…

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  10Gerrard does it himself (Liverpool 2-1 Charlton, April 2003)

  A list like this wouldn’t be complete without a Steven Gerrard goal, would it? 

  In spring 2003, the Reds were stuttering in their quest for a top-four finish – sound familiar? – and trailed at home to mid-table Charlton before Sami Hyypia struck an 86th-minute equaliser.

  Then Gerrard took over. Collecting the ball on the left wing, he forced his way between two defenders and into the box, firing in a low shot which squirmed past goalkeeper Dean Kiely.

  Off came the shirt, three precious points secured. There would be plenty more late, late Gerrard interventions for Reds fans to celebrate in the coming years.

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  9Firmino sinks Spurs (Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham, December 2020)

  Another Spurs game, another late winner. They must be sick of the sight of this place.

  Jose Mourinho’s side were actually top of the table when they visited Anfield just before Christmas in 2020, but they would leave empty-handed as Roberto Firmino headed a 93rd-minute winner to give the Reds top spot.

  That goal is doubly memorable for a clip of former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood, who declared that “he isn’t really worried about these corners” just as Andy Robertson delivered the ball onto Firmino’s forehead.

  Oh Tim!

• 8Carvalho causes chaos (Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle, August 2022)

  Even in this most frustrating of seasons, Liverpool have been able pull off some of the most dramatic and most spectacular wins.

  One such game was against Newcastle in August, when Fabio Carvalho netted a 98th-minute winner to sink Eddie Howe’s side, who had led in the first half through Alexander Isak, but who had infuriated Anfield with their constant time-wasting thereafter.

  They got their comeuppance late, Carvalho smashing home after a corner. For an August fixture, the noise really was something.

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  7Redknapp terrifies Dalglish (Liverpool 2-1 Blackburn, May 1995)

  The final day of the 1994-95 Premier League season saw Blackburn Rovers crowned champions, but only just.

  Kenny Dalglish’s side needed to win at Anfield to be sure of the title, and when Alan Shearer fired them into a first-half lead, all was rosy. Especially with Manchester United, their nearest rivals, losing at West Ham.

  But things soon changed. United levelled in London, and John Barnes levelled on Merseyside. Then, in stoppage time, Jamie Redknapp whipped a brilliant 30-yard free kick past Tim Flowers and into the net. 

  For a second, Blackburn’s worst fears were realised. Then came news from West Ham. United had drawn, Rovers were champions, and everyone inside Anfield was happy.

Real Madrid are left without a top class goalkeeper after stalwart Thibaut Courtois tore his ACL in training.

Real Madrid officially have a massive goalkeeping problem. On Thursday, the club announced that Thibaut Courtois — arguably among the best in the world in his position — had injured his ACL during training. He will undergo surgery in the coming days, and is effectively out for the season before it's even begun.

So what do Madrid do now? Los Blancos have a solid back-up in their ranks, with Andriy Lunin having shown promise in a handful of appearances. But there are also a few interesting options potentially available on the market.

Signing one of them likely won't be an expensive endeavour, however, and Madrid will still back Courtois to return to his pre-injury form in 2024-25, so the player must come in with their eyes open that this could be a one-season agreement.

Regardless, Madrid need a competent No.1 if they are to compete on all three fronts this season, so who's available? GOAL looks at Madrid's best options…

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  David de Gea (free agent)

  David de Gea is a curious one. As a shot-stopper, there aren't many better out there. The Spanish keeper has made some extraordinary saves over the years and proved himself as a solid one-on-one operator, too.

  Still, it's hard to overlook his fault — and there are a lot of them. De Gea is poor with his feet, increasingly error prone, and is beaten at his near post concerningly often. Throw in the size of his expected salary demands, and this doesn't make the most sense in terms of value for money.

  Manchester United have struggled with his risks and rewards for a few years now — and finally made the decision to get rid of him this summer. But a desperate Madrid might just overlook the bad in order to take advantage of the good. They have, after all, tried to sign him before…

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  Keylor Navas (Paris Saint-Germain)

  How about a wholesome reunion? Keylor Navas enjoyed an excellent spell between the sticks for Madrid from 2014-2018. It was, in fact, the arrival of Courtois that saw the Costa Rican depart for Paris Saint-Germain.

  And he didn't have much luck there, either. The Parisians signed Gigi Donnarumma within 10 months of his arrival, and relegated Navas to the bench. He's still out of starting contention in Paris, but a loan spell at Nottingham Forest towards the end of last season showed that he can still play at the highest level.

  PSG might want to keep him, though, with Sergio Rico's horrendous accident leaving the Parisians without a clear No.2. It's one to watch, but external factors might, once again, limit Navas' career prospects.

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  Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea)

  It would be the ultimate act of failing upwards. Kepa Arrizabalaga has shown in the five years since his record-breaking £72 million ($92m) move to Chelsea that he isn't really that good of a goalkeeper. The Spain international has enjoyed some memorable moments and has some top saves in him, but his flaws have consistently outweighed his ability. He has been error-ridden over the course of his stay, and has a real problem stopping shots from distance.

  That could be an issue for a Madrid side that don't really concede too many chances. If anything, Madrid 'keepers have to be able to stop the certain goals, and salvage games that seem to be going the other way.

  It remains to be seen whether Chelsea would sell, but they have just signed Robert Sanchez from Brighton and Bayern Munich have already tested the water as they search for their own No.1. Madrid could do worse than get themselves involved, too.

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  Yassine Bounou (Sevilla)

  Yassine Bounou became something of a cult hero at the 2022 World Cup after turning in a handful of excellent performances for Morocco, and he carried that momentum into the club season for Sevilla, playing a key role as the Spanish side won the Europa League (again.)

  He isn't a very versatile option. Indeed, Bounou is a pure shot-stopper, capable of delivering in big moments. If Ancelotti wants a keeper to spray the ball around, or even come off his line regularly, he isn't really the right fit.

  He could, though, certainly do a job. Bounou's skill in penalty shootouts is undeniable, while he is also surprisingly good in the air, despite being under 6'3. And at 32, he might be a solid option on a short-term deal.

Tickets to see Lionel Messi in action are “more in-demand than any NFL team from last season”, with the Inter Miami star generating quite the buzz.

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• Argentine has made immediate impact
• Silverware already secured
• Ready to make league bow

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has made an immediate impact since moving to the United States as a free agent, with a run of eight successive wins allowing him to capture a history-making Leagues Cup crown while also reaching the final of the U.S. Open Cup.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Messi’s next outing will be his MLS bow, with it possible that he could figure in a meeting with the New York Red Bulls on Saturday – if he is not rested for that fixture. Interest in entry passes for that game has surged, with prices soaring over $3,000 while the average ticket now costs $496.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  “Messi’s MLS debut ticket featuring Messi’s Inter Miami and New York Red Bulls is more in-demand than any NFL team from last season, based on average price,” Vivid Seats’ Consumer Communications Specialist Shana Rosenthal has told the of those clamouring to catch a glimpse of the all-time great.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup clash with FC Dallas currently boasts the highest average sale price, at $678, but that record could go. The Red Bulls had explored the possibility of moving their game with Messi’s latest club to the 82,500-capacity MetLife Stadium in order to get more people through the door, but New York-based NFL outfits the Jets and Giants are in pre-season action on the same night so the Red Bull Arena – which houses 25,000 supporters – will have to be used instead.

Lecce defender Patrick Dorgu has generated talk of interest from Barcelona and Liverpool, but he has revealed Chelsea to be the club of his dreams.

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• Teenager catching the eye in Italy
• Linked with La Liga heavyweights
• Would like to move to England

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The highly-rated 18-year-old has burst onto the Serie A scene this season, with a senior debut made in August 2023. His potential has not gone unnoticed, with leading clubs from across Europe already said to be aiming admiring glances in the promising left-back’s direction.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Dorgu moved to Italy from FC Nordsjaelland in his native Denmark back in 2022 and has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence since then. His agent revealed back in June that La Liga giants Barcelona are among those keeping an eye on the youngster’s development, with Liverpool and Manchester City watching on from England.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  The man himself has, however, stated that he would relish an opportunity to grace the books at Stamford Bridge. Dorgu has told : “Chelsea is my dream to play for. I have been a fan of them for over 10 years, so it would be a huge dream to play for them.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Dorgu is tied to a contract in Italy through to the summer of 2027, meaning that Lecce are under no pressure to sell, and it appears unlikely that Chelsea will make an approach any time soon as they already have left-backs Ben Chilwell, Ian Maatsen and Marc Cucurella on their books.

What once looked like a stellar signing now looks like an unmitigated disaster, headlined by one of the biggest busts in MLS history

At the time of their arrival, it felt hard to overstate just how wild it was that Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Insigne would continue their careers at Toronto FC. It was a club that was used to taking big swings, of course, including on their countryman Sebastian Giovinco, but there was something about Insigne and Bernardeschi's arrival that just felt different

Here was Insigne, a prince at Napoli fresh off winning the Euros with Italy. And Bernardeschi, an in-his-prime forward who, like Giovinco before him, made the leap straight from Juventus to MLS.

And now, less than two years later, it feels hard to overstate just how much of a disaster this has been. That's the only way to describe it all: a complete and utter disaster.

It all came to a head recently when Insigne, who has been a total non-factor on the field, was seen arguing with and cursing at one of his own supporters. A bad look, for sure, and one that is symbolic of just how wrong this has all gone.

Heading into the final weeks of the MLS season, Toronto FC find themselves dead last in MLS. One coach, Bob Bradley, an MLS legend, already paid with his job. A new one, ex-Canada boss John Herdman, has been brought in to rebuild a broken culture that has been totally centered around the two big-money Italian stars.

But what happened? How did Toronto FC spend a record-breaking amount of money on two players and get it this wrong? And how did Insigne, a player who is so beloved in Naples, become one of Toronto's biggest villains in just a year-and-a-half?

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  A history of big swings

  Few clubs in MLS have been able to match the pure ambition of Toronto FC, who have never been afraid to take a chance.

  It began nearly a decade ago with the "bloody big" signing of Jermain Defoe, who was joined by U.S. men's national team star Michael Bradley in 2014. Defoe's arrival was a mess, and he was soon moved back to England in exchange for Jozy Altidore, who was eventually joined by Italian star Giovinco.

  With Giovinco, Bradley and Altidore leading the charge under coach Greg Vanney, TFC established themselves as one of the best teams MLS has ever seen. The club won the MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield double in 2017 while also making it to the big game in 2016 and 2019.

  After a few tough seasons, though, as that trio aged out, the club took another big swing in 2022, signing two Italian stars to usher in a new generation of TFC.

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  The Italians arrive

  It's hard to explain what Insigne meant, and still means, to Napoli. He'd spent the entirety of his adult live a Napoli player, having joined the club all the way back in 2006. Through the club's highs and lows, Insigne was a constant, putting him in their pantheon of great players – one that includes Diego Maradona himself.

  So when he arrived in MLS, it was a stunning signing as Insigne was handed a record-breaking deal. He was paid a reported $14 million (£11m) in his first season, making him the highest-paid player in MLS history with nearly twice the annual salary of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was next on the list. This season, he has seen that salary slashed, with the MLS Players' Union saying Insigne will make a total of $7.5 million (£6m) in 2023, still good for second in the league behind only the Chicago Fire's Xherdan Shaqiri.

  Bernardeschi, too, was compensated handsomely for his services. The ex-Juve man makes around $6.25 million (£5m) a year with his Toronto FC contract. In total, Toronto FC has the highest salary spend of every MLS team, with Insigne and Bernardeschi alone making up for more than 12 MLS teams' whole roster.

  However, as TFC have found out, spending does not always lead to success, especially this season.

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  Bradley pays the price, a Drake collaboration & vaping

  The 2022 campaign was moderately successful for the two Italians, with Insigne netting six goals in 12 appearances and Bernadeschi adding eight in 14, but they arrived too late to guide the team into the postseason.

  After a rough start to the 2023 season, it all came to a head, though, and Bradley became the first to go.

  A report fromback in May revealed a toxic atmosphere behind the scenes, with all of the major players involved. Michael Bradley, the coach's son, captain and one of the few remaining links to the past, had reportedly lost the trust of the locker room due to his relationship with the boss. A problem, yes, but that was just the start.

  At the end of the 2022 season, Insigne reportedly told team-mates he would not play for the team if Bradley remained head coach. He reiterated his complaint in the early weeks of the 2023 season as well as TFC sputtered.

  Bernardeschi, meanwhile, simply did not get along with his fellow Italian international, with the report from adding that the ex-Juve man was often jealous of his team-mate. Bernardeschi was upset that Insigne was chosen for a jacket collaboration with Drake and chosen to attend MLS media day ahead of the season.

  Meanwhile, Bernadeschi was subject to his own disciplinary issues. The report says that he was admonished multiple times for vaping, including at the practice facility, in the training room, and on the team plane.

  All of this inevitably did spill over as Bradley was let go midseason, but the off-field issues have set the stage for a disastrous on-field effort as well.

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  On-field struggles

  It doesn't take much knowledge to call this season a complete failure for Toronto FC. One only has to look at the table to figure that out.

  As thing stand, Toronto sit dead last in MLS with just 22 points from 32 games. That's 11 fewer than the second-worst team in the East, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, and four worse than the worst team in the West, the Colorado Rapids. The difference is that the Rapids' salary spend this season is just about half of what TFC is paying out.

  Bernardeschi, to his credit, has been available for Toronto FC, playing in 29 of the club's matches. However, he has just five goals and four assists, nowhere near the contribution needed from a player of his paygrade.

  Insigne, has played just 19 games, scoring four goals and adding five assists. After an incident in the season's final weeks, though, there's almost certainly no coming back for the ex-Napoli star.