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Chelsea were dealt a seismic blow defensively in the last few days, with news that Levi Colwill will now miss the majority of 2025/2026.

He was meant to be one of the pillars of Chelsea’s defence next season, but the 22-year-old has now ruptured his ACL, ruling him out for the majority – possibly the entirety – of the new campaign.

Colwill sustained the problem at the end of his first training session back at Cobham earlier this week, and after he underwent successful surgery, the centre-back’s recovery timeline is expected to stretch to around six to nine months.

The injury is a brutal blow. Colwill was a mainstay last season, starting 35 Premier League matches and playing a key part in Chelsea’s Champions League qualification push – not to mention Club World Cup glory.

With him now sidelined for the foreseeable future, boss Enzo Maresca has declared that his defence is a top-priority position to strengthen during these final few weeks of the window – confirming that Chelsea will dip into the market amid their ongoing talks for Alejandro Garnacho and Xavi Simons.

“It is a priority for me,” Maresca told Channel 5, via Standard Sport. “Levi is a fantastic player. What we achieved last season is because of him. He played a lot of games with me, I love him. We are going to miss him.

“We are trying also to find different solutions.”

Jorrel Hato, signed from Ajax for around £36 million, steps into the spotlight. Despite being just 19, Maresca insists the Dutchman’s senior experience – over 100 Ajax games – makes him “mature enough” to slot into the backline immediately.

However, Chelsea are reliably believed to view the teenager as more of a left-back to cover for Marc Cucurella (Ben Jacobs), and even before Colwill’s injury, the west Londoners were looking at signing another centre-half (Simon Phillips).

Their need for another option has now intensified, with Benoit Badiashile also out till September.

Chelsea open talks with Ajax defender Aaron Bouwman

According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea could turn to another Ajax teenager – Aaron Bouwman – after Hato.

The 17-year-old is yet to make a senior appearance for the Eredivisie giants but is amassing quite the reputation as one of Europe’s rising stars defensively, impressing in the pre-season Como Cup, and Bouwman is a standout in Ajax’s prestigious youth set up right now.

It is unclear whether Chelsea plan to integrate him into the first team, but they’re serious about potentially capturing him.

TT state that Chelsea have opened talks with Bouwman’s agents in the last few days and are in pole position to sign the Dutch starlet ahead of both Man City and Arsenal – who are also looking at him.

If Bouwman isn’t exactly ready to reinforce Maresca’s senior defensive options, then other reports suggest that Chelsea could U-turn over selling Renato Veiga and give the Portuguese a chance to stake his claim in the squad.

da realsbet： With the frantic transfer window now over and done with, and the opening set of Premier League fixtures finished, Sunderland will appreciate this downtime for the international break.

da bet7： Indeed, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats have headed into this mini break with a promising two top-flight victories already picked up, as the whole host of new signings gifted to the Frenchman over a lengthy summer largely impressed.

Therefore, a moment of rest could do the Wearside outfit the world of good, ahead of the fixtures coming thick and fast again, with a trip to Crystal Palace awaiting them next weekend.

Brian Brobbey will no doubt be clamouring for some action at Selhurst Park, having sealed a deadline day move from Ajax to the Stadium of Light to bolster the Black Cats up top, and steal the limelight momentarily as another statement buy at the £21.6m mark.

Brobbey & Diarra: Sunderland's standout summer purchases

In a window that saw Sunderland regularly splash cash excessively, deadline day was no exception for the ambitious Premier League new boys.

Brobbey would go down as the Black Cats’ second most costly purchase of the summer, with pressure now on the Dutchman’s shoulders to live up to the hype that once saw him be dubbed a “goal machine” by scout Jacek Kulig.

From 284 career appearances both in the senior side at the Johan Cruyff Arena and on the youth pitches, the lively 23-year-old has a ridiculous 141 strikes next to his name, with Marc Guiu’s surprise return to Chelsea in the final few days of the window not hurting so much after the late capture of Brobbey was unveiled.

He wasn’t the most expensive capture, however, with that crown being handed to Habib Diarra far earlier in the summer, when he broke Sunderland’s transfer record at the £30m region.

The ex-RC Strasbourg ace has since featured in all four of Sunderland’s competitive games so far this season, with a calm 83% pass accuracy averaged in the Premier League.

Diarra will be hoping he can pick up goals and assists for fun soon, as he grows more used to the testing environment of the English top-flight.

On top of that, one of the Senegal international’s new teammates in the middle will also be praying for more first-team opportunities to come his way, as he staggeringly boasts an even heftier price tag than both the expensive 21-year-old and Brobbey.

Sunderland star looking to outshine Brobbey & Diarra

Le Bris will have plenty of selection headaches to contend with over the course of the season, off the back of a mammoth 15 fresh signings entering the swollen Sunderland ranks this summer.

With the arrival of the £30m-rated Diarra to the building, it has seen the likes of Chris Rigg struggle for gametime early on this campaign, despite the 18-year-old being heralded as a presence that will “obviously play in the Premier League” by commentator Ian Darke last year, after consistently shining bright for Le Bris and Co in their hunt for promotion glory.

Having made his senior debut at just 15, the wide-eyed Rigg has always punched above his weight and shown that he belongs in the taxing environments sprung onto him, with four goals and one assist coming his way last season to help his side achieve promotion.

Unfortunately, with the wide array of talent at Le Bris’ disposal now, the teenage sensation has only been limited to one meagre minute of Premier League action to date.

However, Sunderland will still be very aware of how much a prized asset Rigg is, having tied him down to a new contract until 2030 recently, amid previous interest in his services from the likes of Manchester United.

Even Real Madrid are allegedly keeping a close eye on the 18-year-old, with the big bucks needing to be splashed to obtain such a “phenomenal” talent, as he has been lauded by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Rigg at Sunderland

Games played

106

Goals scored

10

Assists

5

Positions played

7

Value

£40m

Sourced by Transfermarkt

While Black Cats fans far and wide will no doubt bask in the number of standout signings their side has made this summer, they will gain even more joy from Rigg’s sharp rise from academy prospect to first-team regular, with the England U19 international now rumoured to be valued around the £40m mark.

That’s amazingly more than Brobbey’s £21.6m valuation, on top of trumping Diarra’s much-talked-about £30m price by £10m.

For the Wearside outfit’s sake, they will hope they don’t fall victim to another Jobe Bellingham-style sale anytime soon, though, with Rigg surely only getting better at his hometown club if more minutes are afforded to him across the 35-game league marathon to follow.

Related Sunderland's most expensive signings of all time

Who is the Black Cats’ record addition?

Posts ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025

After going through the process of hiring a new manager and rebuilding the squad last summer, Todd Boehly’s Chelsea will have to repeat it all over again.

Mauricio Pochettino’s exit from Stamford Bridge was instantly a shock to many, including the players, and the owners now have the difficult task of proving that their decision was correct.

Therefore, it’s of utmost importance that whoever replaces the Argentine brings not only success but also entertaining football.

There is one manager target who’s proven he can provide just that while also having a track record of improving players, and one of those could be Noni Madueke.

Chelsea’s search for Pochettino’s replacement continues

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, via CaughtOffside, Chelsea could look to make Enzo Maresca their new boss.

It’s reported that the Italian is desperate to jump at the chance to become the new manager at Stamford Bridge, with Romano saying he’s “super open and super keen.”

The Leicester City boss has already turned down an offer to join Sevilla, as his goal is to stay in the Premier League.

Yet if Chelsea do decide that he’s the best fit for the job, then a £8.5m release clause will have to be met.

Why Maresca could make Madueke unstoppable

Around the time of his £29m move from PSV, Madueke was regarded as one of the most promising forwards in Europe.

Football scout Jacek Kulig highlighted his incredible ability, stating that the forward “has the potential to become a world-class winger,” but unfortunately, his time at Stamford Bridge hasn’t been a breeze.

The England international has been in and out of the team all season, starting just 13 games but making 22 appearances, boasting an output of five goals and two assists.

However, the man to fix his struggles and guide him towards extreme development could be Maresca, who’s been incredible at Leicester.

Despite losing the likes of James Maddison and Youri Tielemans, the Italian had the Foxes playing some fantastic football, dominating the ball and scoring the second-most goals in the division, all while also conceding the fewest in the league, which ultimately handed them the Championship title.

Yet, it is his influence on the individuals in his team that makes him so special, particularly the role he played in the development of 20-year-old Abdul Fatawu Issahaku.

The youngster shares a similar profile to Madueke in terms of being a pacy, left-footed right winger who’s direct in his approach.

Leicester’s loanee played a huge role in the success of the team, scoring six goals and registering a fantastic 13 assists, which is the sort of output expected of Chelsea’s number 11.

Maresca’s system promotes wide attacking play, where the wingers are instructed to attack with intent and freedom, as shown by Fatawu's output, and if he can have such an impact on the Ghana international, it’s expected that similar results will occur with Madueke.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise to see that Boehly is keen to bring the former Manchester City coach on board, especially if he can transform players already at the club.

Chelsea in talks to seal "exciting" signing who'd "skyrocket" under McKenna

Chelsea could sign a rival for Cole Palmer.

By
Tom Lever

May 26, 2024

Delhi Capitals won a crucial toss in Delhi as dew has started playing a much bigger role in IPL matches. They elected to field on a track they expect to be slightly slow, but one that could get better to bat on later in the night. DC were unchanged from the side that lost their last match to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Kolkata Knight Riders made one change, bringing in left-arm spinner Anukul Roy, who for majority of his time in the IPL has played the role of the specialist substitute fielder for KKR. They were coming off a washed-out game against Punjab Kings.With three defeats in the last five games, DC’s campaign has plateaued after a smashing start. They still had 12 points from nine matches, which meant they could get right back into the contention for a top-two finish if they could start winning again. Their explosive batting unit struggled to get going in their last home game on a slow surface, and will be hoping they get better batting conditions to work with in the night.Defending champions KKR were one slip away from entering must-win territory for the rest of the tournament. Their batting unit has not clicked at all. Ajinkya Rahane, not a regular T20 player, has been their best batter.The likely Impact Players were Vaibhav Arora for KKR and Ashutosh Sharma for DC.Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Venkatesh Iyer, 4 Ajinkya Rahane (capt.), 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Rovman Powell, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Anukul Roy, 11 Varun ChakravarthyPossible Impact Players: Manish Pandey, Mayank Markande, Vaibhav Arora, Ramandeep Singh, Luvnith SisodiaDelhi Capitals: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Abishek Porel, 3 Karun Nair, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Axar Patel (capt.), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mukesh KumarPossible Impact Players: Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Jake Fraser McGurk, T Vijay, Donovan Ferreira

MatériaMais Notícias

da betway： As pessoas no Palmeiras foram surpreendidas com a notícia que o clube alviverde supostamente teria ajudado o Atlético-MG a ter o atacante Hulk na partida contra o Flamengo, nesta quarta-feira (29), pela 36ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras agiu nos bastidores para que Hulk, do Atlético-MG, não fosse suspenso antes de enfrentar o Flamengo, diz jornalPalmeiras29/11/2023NotíciasSabia dessa? América-MG venceu apenas dois dos últimos 15 jogos contra o PalmeirasNotícias29/11/2023PalmeirasCinco anos depois, Palmeiras recebe novamente o América-MG para ficar perto do título BrasileiroPalmeiras29/11/2023

da jogodeouro： De acordo com matéria do jornal “O Globo”, o Verdão teria usado do seu prestígio junto à CBF para adiar o julgamento do atacante, que pode pegar entre três e 15 jogos de suspensão pela expulsão contra o América-MG, no início de novembro. 

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

O Palmeiras não confirma a informação. Pessoas ouvidas pela reportagem, inclusive, ironizam a situação, dizendo que se a equipe palestrina realmente tivesse atuado nos bastidores para ajudar o Atlético teria o “dom da clarividência” para adivinhar que o Galo chegaria na reta final brigando pelo título do Brasileirão e com um confronto direto contra o Flamengo. 

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Palmeiras, Flamengo e Atlético-MG entram em campo na noite desta quarta-feira (29). Cariocas e mineiros se enfrentam no estádio do Maracanã, às 19h30. Já os paulistas encaram o lanterna e já rebaixado América-MG, no Allianz Parque, às 21h30. 

➡️ Confira a classificação do Campeonato Brasileiro

Verdão e Mengo dividem a liderança do Campeonato Brasileiro, com 63 pontos. Os palmeirenses estão em vantagem por conta do saldo de gols, segundo critério de desempate. Os atleticanos estão três pontos atrás, na quarta colocação.

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Se Palmeiras e Atlético vencerem, o Alviverde dará um grande passo pelo título nacional, pois abrirá três pontos de vantagem. Porém, se o Galo bater o Flamengo e contar com a ajuda do América-MG, o Brasileirão ficará completamente embolado, com três equipes empatadas em pontos no topo da tabela.

Ben McKinney’s excellent unbeaten century gave Durham the edge on day one of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Warwickshire.Durham had the worst possible start when they lost Alex Lees in the first over, but they recovered well with McKinney leading the charge and he was well supported by Emilio Gay and the fortunate David Bedingham, who was dropped twice on his way to making 58.The Bears then took the initiative thanks to double-wicket bursts from Michael Booth and Taz Ali either side of tea, but Matthew Potts joined McKinney at the crease and made an unbeaten half-century to take Durham to 343 for seven at the close.McKinney impressed on tour with England Lions over the winter and he’s brought that form with him to the county scene. The tall left-handed opener saw out some tough periods but he remained calm and composed throughout the day to pick up his third first-class ton.This century, when others around him struggled, will likely prompt further calls for the opener to be in the reckoning for a senior international call-up and England Test skipper Ben Stokes was among the spectators as he steps up his recovery from injury at Chester-le-Street.Durham won the toss and elected to bat at the BANKSHomes Riverside, but the decision didn’t look a good one when Ethan Bamber bowled Durham skipper Alex Lees for a six-ball duck.McKinney and Gay settled the nerves for the hosts, with the former producing a booming shot through the covers which went for four. Gay, who made a pair against Nottinghamshire in the season opener, then got in on the act with a lovely punch through backward point for four.The hosts continued to tick along nicely through the two left-handers. McKinney showed a good balance of attack and defence amid some tight Warwickshire bowling, but he launched a Rob Yates delivery for four to keep the scoreboard ticking over.However, Booth picked up a much-needed wicket soon after as Gay edged a delivery behind to keeper Kai Smith for 41. But that brought last year’s top Division One run-getter Bedingham to the crease and he looked in good touch from the off as the South African international picked up a boundary with the first delivery he faced.McKinney and Bedingham resumed after lunch and they continued to combine well as the former reached 50 off 93 balls to kickstart his season.Warwickshire then missed two huge chances to get rid of the dangerous Bedingham, as the South African was dropped twice, both from the bowling of Bamber, with Smith and Yates the culprits for the visitors.The drops were proving costly for Warwickshire as Durham talisman Bedingham reached his half-century from 88 balls, but Booth removed him for 58 after he trapped the South African in front.McKinney continued to impress as he plundered a Booth ball through the covers for four but Ollie Robinson didn’t last long as Booth got his third scalp of the day when the wicketkeeper picked out Ali at extra cover for 12.Ali then got himself into the wickets with two in quick succession as Colin Ackermann holed out to the legside boundary for 18 after tea and he then bowled ex-Warwickshire man Will Rhodes for a three-ball duck. A third wicket in seven balls then came for the visitors as Ben Raine was bowled for four by Sri Lankan international Vishwa Fernando.Despite the chaos at the other end, McKinney remained calm and composed and reached his century from 186 balls after a nervy period in the 90’s where Potts had the bulk of the strike.Potts supported McKinney well and produced some lovely shots as well including a cut shot for four from a Fernando delivery.McKinney then heaved a Bamber ball over the legside boundary for six to pass his career best score and just before close Potts passed fifty for the fourth time in his first-class career.

Everyone involved with Birmingham City next season will have an immediate concern on their minds to put right, returning back to the Championship at the first time of asking, after a dismal relegation down to League One.

The American owners at St Andrew's wouldn't have expected a first relegation down to the third tier in 29 years to come so soon into the infancy of their stewardship of the Blues, having only officially acquired the club last year.

Mammoth plans for a new bumper stadium in the pipeline and much more are now mere afterthoughts to the business on the pitch and the immediate business off it regarding the vacant dug-out, with Birmingham still managerless after the departure of Tony Mowbray.

Dropping all the way down to the third tier doesn't mean SCL won't try and flex their muscles to try and pull off an ambitious Mowbray successor, with this highly regarded Championship boss even in their sights.

Birmingham looking at "brilliant" Mowbray alternative

It has been revealed by Football Insider in the past few days that West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan's representatives have spoken to Birmingham about the job post being available at the neighbouring West Midlands outfit, as the Spaniard shows signs of restlessness in the Baggies hot-seat.

Corberan has also shown a keen interest in the Burnley position, with the Blues having to really sell a project to the 41-year-old to make him drop a division, especially if the Clarets come knocking for his in-demand services.

Corberan

51

22

13

16

Gary Rowett

8

3

2

3

Mowbray

8

4

1

3

Wayne Rooney

15

2

4

9

John Eustace

13

6

3

4

Managing more games just himself than the in-and-out quartet at Birmingham could muster up this campaign, Corberan could be the steady presence the Blues need next season, especially when you consider the former Leeds United assistant manager shone for the Baggies in his permanent manager role to lead them to the Championship play-offs.

Corberan's managerial style

This move could well be viewed as a step down for the current West Brom man considering that achievement is still fresh, but with the likes of Sky Sports commentator Don Goodman labelling Corberan as a "brilliant" manager in the second-tier, the West Midlands outfit would be foolish not to push ahead and try to pull off a coup regardless to send a statement out to their new division.

Corberan would also make Birmingham a far more resolute and well-drilled unit if he were to take over the reins, having made his current Baggies side "horrible to play against" as was further stated by Goodman.

West Brom only shipped 47 goals last season from 46 games, compared to Birmingham's dire 65, and so Corberan could be prepared to win promotion by any means necessary, with more attritional and effective football served up.

It's been the case throughout his successful managerial career in the EFL, with his Huddersfield Town side getting to a Championship play-off final against Nottingham Forest despite never blowing teams away, scoring nine fewer goals than eventual final opponents Nottingham Forest and even beating Luton Town in the semi-finals for a spot at Wembley.

Yet, despite boasting such an impressive track record in the Championship, Corberan has only ever managed to beat Birmingham twice, with the 3-1 defeat he suffered at the hands of the Blues this campaign just finished funnily enough John Eustace's final game in charge of the club before the wheels well and truly fell off at St Andrew's.

Blues chairman Tom Wagner has now finally admitted that that was a decision 'they wouldn't have made' with hindsight now on their side, but with the situation as bleak as it is, Corberan could be the saviour Birmingham need to show to everyone they mean business and aren't going to wallow in their self-pity for too long.

Birmingham eye Mowbray successor who could get James to stay

This potential Birmingham City appointment could be enough for Jordan James to want to stay put.

ByKelan Sarson May 31, 2024

Rangers fans and media members have wasted no time in laying into one of their stars after their chance of winning the Scottish Premiership title took perhaps its final blow on Saturday afternoon.

Celtic on the verge of the title

Heading into their clash with Rangers on Saturday, Celtic knew that should they avoid defeat they would have one hand on the Scottish Premiership.

Rangers chiefs now believe £25k-a-week star will be at Ibrox next season

Huge news for the Gers.

ByTom Cunningham May 10, 2024

Their 2-1 victory in the latest Old Firm derby has left them on the verge of success though. While not yet mathematically confirmed as Champions, they lead Rangers by six points with two games left to go, while they also boost a seven superior goal difference than their title rivals, meaning that they would need to lose both of their final games and see Rangers win heavily to stand a chance of reversing the top two in the division.

The Scottish Premiership as it stands

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal Difference

Points

Celtic

36

27

6

3

59

87

Rangers

36

26

3

7

52

81

It will see Brendan Rodgers complete a title win that at times this season has looked unlikely, but a poor spell of form from Rangers has effectively handed the trophy on a plate to their rivals, and this game continued on that theme.

A fiesty encounter, the game turned on one moment, and Rangers fans and pundits wasted no time making sure they made their feelings known.

Lundstram branded a "disgrace" vs Celtic

Rangers podcasters and media members have taken to Twitter/X in their droves to aim their ire at midfielder John Lundstram, who endured a torrid afternoon at Celtic Park. The ex-Sheffield United midfielder put the ball into his own net seven minutes before half-time to see his side fall 2-0 down to their Glasgow rivals, though an effort from Cyriel Dessers pulled them back into proceedings.

But that chance disappeared on the stroke of half time courtesy of Lundstram, who was given his marching orders in first-half stoppage time for a poor challenge on Celtic's Alistair Johnston, which VAR correctly deemed a red card challenge.

It capped an awful game for Lundstram, who managed just 16 passes in midfield, lost possession seven times and won just three of his 10 duels. Rangers podcast Heart and Hand labelled him an "absolute disgrace", while he was branded "absolutely woeful" by 4 Lads Had a Dream

The midfielder is out of contract this summer, and Philippe Clement admitted last week that the chances of him penning a new deal are increasingly slim.

“There is nothing official around that. I am not naïve, the longer that things last the more possibility that other people step in. But for the moment apparently the water is too deep between the two sides," he explained.

Having picked up a straight red card, he will now be suspended for the remainder of Rangers' games this campaign, which means he could well have played his last game for the Ibrox outfit. Based on the reaction to his performance today, there will be few Rangers fans complaining.

The first post-Gregg Berhalter U.S. roster is certainly attention-grabbing, due to both its inclusions and exclusions

There are numerous new faces in the U.S. men's national team squad, but the big takeaways are the few that are missing. That group includes established regulars, stars such as Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson. More importantly, the missing includes the USMNT's coach, or at least the soon-to-be coach.

After falling short at the Copa America, the U.S. is now set for this team's first friendlies of the post-Gregg Berhalter era. They'll come against Canada and New Zealand in the next week, but the new era won't properly kick off this September. Instead, the U.S. will tread water just a bit until the reported hire of Mauricio Pochettino finally gets over the line.

For now, the job falls to Mikey Varas, who will take charge of the USMNT on an interim basis. He will start the process of picking up the pieces, but he knows he won't be finishing it. How does that impact this camp? What can the U.S. do to get something, anything, out of this brief time in limbo?

We'll find out in a few days but, for now, Varas is in charge, and he'll be leading an interesting squad. Robinson's exclusion is about rest, which is tough but understandable. McKennie's absence, meanwhile, is a bit more headline-worthy. And while those exclusions are notable, the inclusions are also compelling – several new faces will look to make their claim less than two years out from a World Cup.

What should fans be watching out for in USMNT camp? GOAL names the winners and losers of this squad announcement.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Auston Trusty

Right or wrong, Auston Trusty was the odd man out all too often under Berhalter. This camp is proof, though, that the slate is completely wiped clean. For Trusty, that's very good news.

The centerback race is generally pretty open, particularly with veteran Tim Ream slowing down. The Charlotte FC defender is still in the team for now but, at some point, Father Time will show his face. Who will take that spot? Could it be Trusty?

He faces competition, to be fair. Mark McKenzie is in the mix, as is Trusty's new Celtic teammate, Cameron Carter-Vickers. Even if Trusty doesn't win a starting spot, just being back in a camp is a considerable step forward considering he hasn't been involved since June 2023.

Now's the time to prove it for Trusty, who is being given the chance to take full advantage of this regime switch.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Weston McKennie

Aside from January camps, it's been a while since there's been a legitimate USMNT camp without Weston McKennie. He was absent in March 2022 due to injury but, aside from that, he's largely been ever-present for this team.

Not this time. McKennie was surprisingly left out of the squad but, realistically, it does make sense. Varas explained the decision saying that McKennie needs more fitness and minutes, and staying at Juventus will get him closer to that.

"In the case of Weston McKennie he wasn't able to do a full preseason," Varas said, "so the best thing for him in collaboration with player, club and country is to leave him at Juventus and let him catch up and get ready for his season."

Even so, it's unfortunate for McKennie, who relishes these moments in a national team shirt. For now, though, the focus is getting into Thiago Motta's plans at the club level and, once that happens, hope everything else can fall back into place.

(C)Getty ImagesWINNER: The young goalkeepers

Matt Turner's place as USMNT No. 1 is far from safe and, if this roster is any indication, the U.S. could get younger in goal quickly.

Diego Kochen is in for his first USMNT camp, which represents a massive leap for the young Barcelona product. The 18-year-old goalkeeper is uncapped and has yet to even play a senior game, but it seems he'll get a chance to at least integrate into the team this fall.

"Diego will be his first time with the senior national team," Varas said. "He’s a young player playing for Barcelona B that we see as a high-potential player. This is an opportunity for him to come in and not only compete with the senior team, but also get an amazing experience so that we can keep building for our future.”

Patrick Schulte is a player closer to the senior level, having already earned one camp while also serving as the Olympics starter for the U23 squad that reached the quarterfinals. Schulte was a breakout star in MLS this season and is now right on the precipice of a USMNT role. Now's his chance to push for it.

The guard is changing in goal and, even if Turner holds that No. 1 spot, the backup and third-string role seems tailor-made for the new generation. There is one young goalkeeper, though, that was left off the list.

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USA Today SportsLOSER: Gaga Slonina

It's unfortunately the negative effect of playing in League One. Young goalkeeper Gaga Slonina would seem like a great call-up for this U.S. group, but his club situation will keep him in England.

Barnsley, unfortunately, play through the international break, as does the rest of League One. As a result, Slonina is needed on the club level, which almost certainly played a part in his status for this particular camp.

That's unlucky for Slonina, who could have used this opportunity after backing up Schulte at the Olympics. It's an easy argument to say that Slonina has the highest upside of any USMNT goalkeeper but, at just 20, he hasn't quite had a chance to show that upside.

He won't this camp, either, which means his hopes of pushing for that No. 1 spot will have to wait.

The Argentine playmaker is expected to suit up for the Herons prior to the playoffs

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Messi making good progress on recoverySustained high ankle sprain in Copa America finalMiami has nine regular season games remainingGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Concerns arose over Lionel Messi's ankle injury when he was omitted from Argentina's September World Cup qualifiers, but he may return to club action sooner than expected.

Inter Miami manager Tata Martino confirmed that the Inter Miami captain is making good progress in individual training sessions, and will play at least some part for before the playoffs start in late October.

AdvertisementWHAT MARTINO SAID

Speaking to reporters, Martino elaborated on Messi's return. Although he acknowledged that he couldn't offer a timeline, the head coach did offer some insight.

"There is no estimated time for his return,” Martino said. “It’ll depend on how he feels and on the summation of training sessions." But when pressed as to whether Messi would play again in the regular season, the former Argentina and Barcelona boss responded with a clear "yes."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Including his absence due to Copa America, Messi hasn't suited up for Miami for over two months. were in the midst of their Leagues Cup campaign when he returned from international duty with an ankle injury. Miami managed a Round-of 16 run in the Leagues Cup without him, and have a five-point lead atop the Eastern Conference ahead of the resumption of MLS Saturday.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

The Argentine will continue individual sessions as Miami continues its playoff push in MLS. Although there is no date for his return to action, it seems that the seven-time Ballon d'Or Winner will be back in the fold prior to the playoffs. The final week of the season ends on Oct. 19.