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It hasn't been the season many were hoping for at Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe's side have been decimated by injuries, which torpedoed their Champions League campaign and has made the Premier League a real slog.

Last Monday night's defeat to Chelsea was just another painful blow – as was Saturday's FA Cup defeat to Manchester City – and while there isn't much to cheer about at the moment, the Toon do have a very promising youngster out on loan who could replace Jacob Murphy in the XI next year.

Jacob Murphy's performances this season

Newcastle completed the £12m signing of Murphy from Norwich City in July 2017, and while he's since spent a couple of spells out on loan to West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday, he has become a valuable part of the squad.

Last season, the Wembley-born winger made 43 appearances for the Magpies, in which he scored four goals and provided two assists as the club finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in two decades.

This year, the 29-year-old has been restricted to just 18 appearances, in which he has scored two goals and provided five assists, due to his shoulder injuries between October and late January.

In all, the 5 foot 10 ace has made 167 appearances for the Toon, and while he has undoubtedly been a useful squad player, his return of just 11 goals and 16 assists in that time isn't enough for a team that wants to consistently challenge the big boys at home and on the continent.

So, Newcastle are lucky that one of their most talented youngsters is tearing it up on loan this year and could mount a serious challenge to Murphy next season.

Yankuba Minteh's performances this season

So, the youngster in question is 19-year-old Gambian international Yankuba Minteh.

The immensely talented winger joined the Toon for just £7m from Danish side Odense Boldklub last summer before immediately being sent out on loan to Dutch giants Feyenoord.

Minteh has made 29 appearances for the Rotterdam outfit this season, and while 14 of those have come off the bench, he has an impressive return of eight goals and three assists.

The Bakoteh-born gem has taken it up a notch in recent weeks and is "on fire", according to talent scout Jacek Kulig, scoring three goals in his last three appearances.

The youngster's underlying numbers are outrageous as well.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across the next best 14 competitions, the 19-year-old sits in the top 1% of wingers for non-penalty goals, non-penalty expected goals, progressive carries, successful take-ons, touches in the opposition's penalty area, and many more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Howe and Co have a genuinely incredible talent on their hands in Minteh. While Murphy is a hard worker and has been deserving of his place in the squad over recent seasons, it looks like a matter of when, not if, he is replaced by the superb Gambian.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been blowing Wrexham’s transfer rivals out of the water by offering £3,000-a-week more to top targets.

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• Hollywood co-owners funding ambitious project
• More new recruits acquired in summer window
• Opponents accept big offers are part of the game

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons have been able to outspend many of their opponents en route to League One. Back-to-back promotions have lifted them out of the National League and into the third tier of English football for the first time in 20 years.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The playing field is now starting to level out, as Wrexham compete with the likes of Birmingham and Huddersfield, but Hollywood co-owners are still able to make the funds available that allow certain foes to be fended off.

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  WHAT MACANTHONY SAID

  That was the case when pursuing Leicester defender Lewis Brunt – who impressed on loan at Mansfield last season – with Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony telling his podcast of how Wrexham beat him to a much sought-after defender: “The ones we were in for, we had one signed, pretty much done, and at the last minute, obviously our Welsh friends came in and swooped in and offered him, I think it was £3,000 more a week than we had already agreed with the player. By the way, fair play to them, that’s their prerogative to do that, we’ve done that over the years with other clubs. The player chose them, no problem, I’ve got no issue with that.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Wrexham have also signed Arthur Okonkwo as a free agent this summer, while bringing in Brunt, George Dobson, Callum Burton and Sebastian Revan. There may be more business to come as the Red Dragons return to Wales from their pre-season tour of North America.

Glasgow Rangers’ European dream ended on Thursday evening as Benfica came away from Ibrox with a 1-0 victory.

The result does mean the Light Blues can now solely focus on domestic matters and with an injury list that seems to be never-ending, perhaps it is a good thing.

Philippe Clement will lead his side into one more game before the international break as they face Dundee at Dens Park tomorrow afternoon.

The Tayside outfit are enjoying a decent season in the Premiership, currently occupying sixth spot in the table.

In their previous two domestic clashes this term, Rangers have scored eight times and conceded only once against their upcoming opponents and another convincing win will ensure the club remain at the summit heading towards the final furlong.

Following the European exertions in midweek, Clement may make a change or two to his starting XI for the trip to Dundee…

1

GK – Jack Butland

The Englishman was unlucky not to keep a clean sheet in midweek, yet his fine performance in the first leg arguably kept the Light Blues in the tie.

23 clean sheets in 47 appearances proves he has been in wonderful form since moving north of the border last summer and if he can secure another one tomorrow, the Gers will head into the international break in good spirits.

2

RB – James Tavernier

The captain failed to get on the scoresheet or grab an assist against Benfica, but in two matches against Dundee this term, he has scored twice and provided an assist.

This could perhaps be a good omen ahead of the clash tomorrow and Tavernier will be more than up for the task as he looks to lead his club to another Premiership title.

3

CB – Connor Goldson

Like Butland and Tavernier, Goldson is the first name on the team sheet when he is fit. Indeed, the centre-back has only missed two league ties so far this season.

A few mistakes have crept into his game of late, and he has struggled to deal with long balls over the top, with certain teams exploiting this to good effect, most notably Celtic and Aberdeen.

4

CB – John Souttar

The Scottish defender is swiftly becoming a mainstay in the heart of the defence alongside Goldson, with the duo forming a solid partnership.

Souttar was a colossus against Benfica. Not only did he make seven clearances, but the defender also won five of his seven duels, completed 92% of his passes and lost possession only seven times during the clash.

It was another rock-solid display by the former Hearts star, and he will retain his place to play Dundee.

5

LB – Ridvan Yilmaz

The Turkish defender has claimed the starting slot on the left side of the defence from Borna Barisic and the Light Blues look a much better team for it.

In the top flight this season, Yilmaz has created six big chances along with averaging 1.7 key passes per game and his attacking abilities are getting better and better.

6

CM – John Lundstram

It is surely only a matter of when, not if, that Lundstram secures a contract extension, especially with his performances under Clement.

The midfielder has missed just one match since the Belgian took over in mid-October and his consistency has been key to the Gers' success recently.

The 30-year-old will keep his place in the heart of the midfield against Dundee and if he maintains his current form, the Ibrox side should record a comfortable victory.

7

CM – Mohamed Diomande

The January signing has not taken long to fully settle in at Ibrox. The 22-year-old has already scored twice in just ten appearances, and he certainly looks like a player who will have a big future in the game.

He was rather subdued against Benfica, however, losing possession 17 times while winning just two of his nine contested duels, and he was subbed off for Nico Raskin during the dying embers of the game.

8

RW – Scott Wright

The winger was a surprise starter against Benfica and many felt that it could perhaps be his final chance to really show Clement what he is made of.

The Scot delivered a positive performance, making one key pass, succeeding with three of his five dribble attempts, and winning four of his six ground duels, showcasing his physical strength.

With Ross McCausland not quite match fit, Wright will be given another start against Dundee tomorrow.

9

AM – Todd Cantwell

Tom Lawrence has not done much wrong recently, but he could drop to the bench for tomorrow's clash as Cantwell comes back into the starting XI.

The former Norwich City starlet missed the previous five matches due to a hamstring injury prior to coming off the bench in midweek, and a start against Dundee could see him gain vital minutes.

10

LW – Rabbi Matondo

With Abdallah Sima and Oscar Cortes out, Matondo could get the nod on the left wing. The £3m dynamo was dubbed “electrifying” by former Wales manager Ryan Giggs and his pace can cause the Dundee backline plenty of issues.

Matondo has scored four times and grabbed four assists this season, despite suffering several injury issues which have restricted him to 25 appearances.

If he can hit the ground running against Dundee, there is no doubt he will be key to unlocking their defence during the clash.

An update has emerged about the future of Celtic's young star Rocco Vata, who is set to be a free agent this summer as things stand.

Vata's future in doubt after Celtic breakthrough

18-year-old striker Rocco Vata broke into the Celtic first team last season, with four appearances in the Scottish Premiership and hopes that this season would be the one that saw him become a mainstay.

Mark Guidi shares exciting Celtic transfer update he's been "told"

The Hoops are “back in the market”.

By
Charlie Smith

Mar 27, 2024

However, it hasn't panned out that way, and he has been afforded just two first team opportunities to date, one apiece in the Scottish Premiership and Scottish cup. The January arrival of Adam Idah pushed the youngster further down the pecking order at Celtic Park, and he has struggled for opportunities.

Rodgers remains keen on the attacker though, praising the teen after his goal against Buckie Thistle during a 5-0 rout: “I like Rocco. He has qualities. He is strong, aggressive and from 25 yards in he wants to get goals. You can see even when he came on he got his goal and he had a few other opportunities. That’s good for him, he got a taste for it.”

Unfortunately for Rodgers, it seems as though Vata may not have had as much of a taste as he would have liked this year, and now sides circle around him ahead of a pivotal summer in the youngster's fledgling career.

Toffees tracking potential free transfer

With their financial position, it is no surprise that Everton are looking at ways to outsmart the market this summer, and they may have just found one. That comes as the Toffees have been named among the clubs chasing Vata, who is out of contract with the Glasgow giants this summer and is yet to pen fresh terms.

The striker netted a hat-trick over the international break as he helped the Republic of Ireland U21 side thrash San Marino's U21s 7-0, and he has been in excellent form for the Celtic youth side this season, with 12 goals in 15 outings.

Still just 18 years old, recent reports claimed that a new deal had been offered to keep Vata at Celtic Park until 2028, but that the parties remained 'quite far' from an agreement as 'the initial offer fell short of the expectations from the player's side'.

Now, TeamTalk journalist Harry Watkinson has reported that Everton are one of 'several' clubs 'keeping tabs' on the youngster ahead of a potential summer move. Sean Dyche's side have no shortage of strikers, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin the first choice and summer additions Beto and Youssef Chermiti both options available to the Everton boss.

They do, however, have a shortage of strikers who know where the back of the net is. The trio have managed just five Premier League goals between them (Calvert-Lewin 3, Beto 2), and their lack of proficiency in front of goal has been a major contributing factor in Everton's struggles this season.

For Celtic, his departure would come as a major blow given his undeniable talent, but given that he is yet to be given a first-team opportunity for Brendan Rodgers' side in the Scottish top flight, it's easy to see why he might be keen to move away and seek regular first-team minutes elsewhere.

Legendary Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has defended Andre Onana after a topsy-turvy first season at Old Trafford.

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• Great Dane defends United's No. 1
• 'Mistakes at Old Trafford stay with you'
• Cameroonian let down by inconsistent defence

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Onana had a difficult start to life at Old Trafford after signing from Inter for £47 million ($60m) to replace David de Gea, who was the Red Devils' longest-serving goalkeeper and also kept a record number of clean sheets. The Cameroonian had a particularly torrid time in the Champions League, playing his part in United's disastrous exit from the group stage.

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• WHAT SCHMEICHEL SAID

  "I just thought he was a bit unlucky for two reasons," Schmeichel told GOAL. "First of all, not playing behind a consistent defence. That's a problem as a goalkeeper. You can be the best goalkeeper in the world but if your defence is not protecting you you have a problem. Secondly, the goal he conceded in Munich was unlucky, if you do that for Inter or Ajax it goes away within a week or two. You do that for Man Utd, it stays and you will be a goalkeeper who makes mistakes. That's just the cruel reality of playing for Man Utd."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Schmeichel, talking on behalf of , who today launch their Official Premier League Trading Card game, believes Onana soon settled into life with United and had a strong finish to the campaign, which ended with the Red Devils stunning Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

  "I saw a lot of improvements with different things in his game over the season. What I particularly liked was he looked like he was enjoying it more and more, that's the first step towards becoming the one that you want in goal," Schmeichel added. "He needs help like any other goalkeeper in the world, he needs a defence in front of him. If he's got that I'm sure we'll have a world-class top quality goalkeeper who will do well."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Panini’s Premier League Adrenalyn XL Official Trading Card Game is back for the 2024-25 season – bigger, better, and more exciting than ever. Join the conversation via #GOTGOTNEED and for more information visit paniniadrenalynpl.com.

  Schmeichel spoke of his fascination for collecting football stickers when he was growing up. "My first one was the 1974 World Cup. Obviously we didn't have too many things to do with football, there was no Internet, so all of a sudden you had these stickers with all the teams in the World Cup," he recalled. "It became a really big thing between me and my friends and everybody else, you'd get the album filled in first, trading cards, it was a fantastic way to get to know the players playing in the World Cup."

The popular show, which won 13 Emmys during its three-season run, appears close to a return

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• Warner picked up options on three lead cast members
• Jason Sudeikis expected to return
• Questions remain about other cast members

• Getty Images Entertainment
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ted Lasso fans can rejoice, as it appears increasingly likely the show will return for a fourth season on Apple TV, according to a report.

  Warner Bros. Television, who produces the show, picked the options for three leading cast members: Hannah Waddingham, (AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Walton), Brett Goldstein (the fiery Roy Kent), and Jeremy Swift (director of football operations Leslie Higgins).

  The report also suggests that the move wouldn’t happen without assurances that Jason Sudeikis, who plays the title character and co-created the show, and fellow co-creator Brendan Hunt (coach Beard) would return.

  broke the news of Ted Lasso nearing a greenlight for Season 4.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While many of the core cast will likely return, there are question marks about some of the bigger characters.

  Phil Dunster, who plays Jamie Tart, has not been picked up according to the report, due to the fact that he's tied to two shows in Prime Video’s and Apple’s .

  It's unclear which other stars might be considered for Season 4. The cast has repeatedly shown enthusiasm for returning to their roles, and many would likely make guest appearances if the opportunity arises.

  On a positive note, it appears likely Juno Temple will return as Keeley Jones.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The character of Ted Lasso originated as part of NBC Sports' promotion of their new deal to promote the Premier League.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR TED LASSO?

  reports if all deals for the cast and crew are set quickly, production on Season 4 could start as soon as early 2025. Ted Lasso remains Apple TV's most streamed show.

West Ham United are apparently "determined" to tempt a defender to join them this summer as they ready a generous salary offer for him.

Steidten eyeing new defender amid West Ham concerns

A concern for the Hammers this season has been their lack of assurance at the back over certain points.

West Ham officials are keen on signing record-breaker in £15m+ transfer

The Hammers have turned their attention towards the summer.

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 4, 2024

Nayef Aguerd has been criticised for some of his performances over 2023/2024, while reports indicate that both the Morocco international and Kurt Zouma are attracting serious interest from the Middle East.

Indeed, both Aguerd and Zouma are said to be on the radar of Saudi clubs as we approach the summer window, and if the duo do depart, West Ham's defence could look very different – with or without David Moyes at the helm as uncertainty still surrounds the manager's future.

A few interesting names have already been linked, like Juventus starlet Dean Huijsen, with some reports claiming West Ham have already made an approach for the Dutchman pre-summer.

Currently on loan at Roma, their manager Daniele De Rossi has actually backed Huijsen to potentially become one of the best centre-backs in world football.

“Huijsen is becoming more and more mature. He does a lot. He’s very smart,” the 2006 World Cup winner told ESPN.

“He doesn’t look 18-years-old on the field. He knows what he is doing. But sometimes a little too well. (Huijsen) is good with the ball at his feet, but sometimes a little too calm. I think he needs to learn some more ‘Italian tricks’ in his own box. If he does that, he will become one of the best players in the world.”

Another option being looked at by Tim Steidten, according to reports, is Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo.

The Englishman, currently out of contract in the summer as things stand, is attracting attention from West Ham as the clock ticks down on his deal – and he could be a very cheap option given his soon-to-be free agent status.

As West Ham look to abide by PSR and avoid being sanctioned, Bosman deals could be one to watch, with Atletico Madrid defender Mario Hermoso also out of contract soon and on course to become a free agent.

West Ham determined to tempt Hermoso into joining

According to a report by Tutto Juve this week, West Ham are determined to convince Hermoso to make a move to England, so much so that they're ready to offer him around £4 million-per-year.

The Spaniard, who's a mainstay under Diego Simeone, is also being chased by Aston Villa, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan, so he's not short of admirers as West Ham look to beat them all to the punch.

After being brought back down to reality this season, Newcastle United have reportedly turned their attention towards the summer transfer window, where they could land an in-form striker to bridge the gap between the Premier League's top four in the next campaign.

Newcastle transfer news

On paper, it looks as though it could be a difficult summer at St James' Park, given that they'll likely be without Dan Ashworth and teams are already circling for some of Eddie Howe's best players.

This includes Bruno Guimaraes, who has reportedly attracted the interest of Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in what could be a big-money move this summer. Given that the Magpies have been walking a fine line when it comes to profit and sustainability rules in the last year too, they may be left with no choice but to sell at least one key man in the coming months.

Newcastle strong favourites to sign "outstanding" Dan Burn upgrade

He recently rejected a new contract at his current club.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 16, 2024

That key man will not be Alexander Isak, however, according to the striker himself. The Sweden international reaffirmed his commitment to Newcastle in a recent interview, saying: "Of course I want to be here in the future. I came here for the project, I absolutely love playing here, I really feel at home. I want to finish this season in a good way for me and the team. I love playing here.”

After a fantastic season, Isak may now even find himself next to a new strike partner next season. According to La Gazette Du Fennec, Newcastle are in the race to sign Mohamed Amoura from Union Saint-Gilloise this summer. If they want to sign the striker, however, they must fend off interest from West Ham, who reportedly saw an opening bid worth €15m (£13m) turned down by the Belgium club who are demanding no less than €20m (£17m) for their forward this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also interested in Amoura, creating a busy race for his signature in the coming months.

"Prolific" Amoura can form deadly Isak partnership

With Callum Wilson now 32 years old and still injury-prone, it's no surprise that Newcastle have turned their attention towards finding another striker to either partner or compete with Isak. The former Real Sociedad forward has enjoyed an excellent campaign, but adding Amoura alongside him would only add to his numbers and create an unstoppable attacking duo at St James' Park.

Whilst it's easy to look impressively at the goals that Amoura has scored, his expected goals are also incredibly impressive and highlight just how clinical he has been this season. The stats show that the Algerian has outperformed by a stunning eight goals in the current campaign in the type of finishing needed to take Newcastle back into the Champions League next season.

Described as "prolific" by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, Amoura has shown all the signs of being just that no matter where he ends up this summer.

Conor Gallagher has quickly become a fan-favourite at Atletico Madrid following his move from Chelsea.

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• Midfielder moved to Spain from London
• Gallagher a favourite at Atletico
• Already a focal point of Simeone's team

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per AS, Gallagher has quickly become a fan-favourite at Atletico, as his pitbull-esque on-pitch tendencies have endeared him to a fanbase that holds Diego Simeone in the highest possible esteem. He also won plenty of brownie points by dressing his nephew in an Atletico kit, with the club posting the picture and labelling him "Uncle Conor".

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gallagher was also required to wait for the deal to go through, and lived in a hotel for a period, before putting pen to paper. The report even claims that his respect for the club extends to his sock-cutting habit; he always cuts holes in his socks, but takes great care to ensure he does not mark anything with the words 'Atletico Madrid'.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Gallagher has made two appearances for Atletico, making his debut in a 3-0 win over Girona. He was on the bench against Espanyol but made his first start against Athletic Bilbao last weekend as Atleti won 1-0.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Atletico will next be in action against Valencia on September 15. They will then kick off their Champions League campaign against RB Leipzig.

Several pillars of the USMNT were left home, meaning multiple new faces could get their chances against Canada

Though he has reportedly agreed to become the next U.S. men's national team head coach, Mauricio Pochettino has not yet been officially named to the role. Yet he is likely watching the team's September camp closely.

There have already been a few significant changes with the squad selection under interim coach Mikey Varas. Several pillars of the USMNT under Gregg Berhalter were left at home, for varying reasons. Multiple new faces have been brought in. There have been little shifts to set the table for the next USMNT coach.

So what does that mean for these September friendlies? The audition process has already started for the members of the USMNT, and these friendlies are a chance to make a good first impression.

• READ MORE:

First up is a match with Canada. The U.S. will likely take it extremely seriously. After this summer's Copa America failure, the USMNT won't want another embarrassing moment against a CONCACAF rival so, knowing that, it's safe to expect a strong team against Jesse Marsch and Co. Even so, there are some big players missing, making Saturday's starting XI an interesting one to predict. Here's a look at how the USMNT could line up on Saturday against Canada in Kansas City.

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  GK: Matt Turner

  We know. The world wants to see Diego Kochen or Patrick Schulte in this spot. Maybe we'll see Schulte, in particular, against New Zealand. This is a big-ish game, though, and Turner is still the No. 1.

  He needs the minutes, too, even after his move to Crystal Palace. Turner is set to be the No. 2 at Palace, making minutes hard to come by there, too. At some point, Pochettino will have to make a call: continue to give Turner minutes to keep him sharp or pull the plug and hand the job over to someone new.

  We're not there yet. For now, Turner is still the guy.

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  LB: Kristoffer Lund

  There's no Antonee Robinson in camp, which really does open up this left-back spot. Does Mikey Varas go with a slightly more familiar face like Lund or a rising star like Caleb Wiley?

  We'll go with Lund, just because he's been around the team a bit more over the last year or so. Wiley should get his chance, though, either as a defender or on the wing, at some point during this September window.

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  CB: Tim Ream

  The time will come to move on from Tim Ream. This particular game against Canada is not that time.

  Ream still provides a valuable presence at the back, particularly with this centerback pool still sorting itself out. By this time next year, the hope will be that there are two other centerbacks locking down starting spots. For now, though, Ream can set the tone before taking a seat in a more experiment-friendly game against New Zealand.

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  CB: Chris Richards

  Chris Richards, the Crystal Palace defender basically locked up a starting spot under the previous regime but, once again, it's all up for grabs. That makes every game important, both for club and country.

  Richards had ups and downs during the Copa America, but that's behind him now. At 24, it's now about taking that leap from young defender to leader of the backline as the U.S. inches closer and closer to the World Cup.