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Is there anything more unstoppable than Rangers after the Europa League anthem has been blared out on a Thursday night?

Despite their continued turbulent domestic form, the Ibrox side are now on the cusp of the quarter-finals on the continent, following a 3-1 victory over Fenerbahçe at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.

When winning the first leg away from home, the Gers have won all 21 two-legged European ties they’ve ever played, so supporters will surely fancy their chances of getting through, thereby setting up a last eight clash with Athletic Club or Roma.

While Jack Butland made a few smart stops, Mohamed Diomande was stupendous and fellow-midfielder Nicolas Raskin’s performance was described as “unbelievable” by Rangers legend Ally McCoist, during TNT Sports’ commentary, it’s the Light Blues’ attackers who deserve to be spotlighted.

Václav Černý the star against Mourinho

Václav Černý was certainly the star of Thursday night’s victory in İstanbul, scoring twice.

The Czechia international restored Rangers’ advantage on the cusp of half time, slotting past İrfan Can Eğribayat after some neat link-up play with Cyriel Dessers, before also scoring the crucial third nine minutes from the end, having been perfectly played in by Raskin on the counter-attack.

Černý’s performances for Rangers have been described as “outstanding” while, as former Rangers striker Kris Boyd put it on Sky Sports: “where would Rangers be if it wasn’t for him”?

Having previously netted against Steaua București twice, Nice and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Černý has now scored six goals in UEFA competition this season, so let’s see how that compares to Rangers players of the past.

On top of this, Černý’s tally of eight goals and assists combined in this season’s Europa League is second only to Rayan Cherki of Lyon.

Along similar lines, the Gers’ total of 11 goals on the road is the second-most in the competition, behind Olympique Lyonnais, four of which came at Ibrox in October.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

However, another Rangers attacker deserves some rare praise too.

Rangers star enjoys his best night for the club

Scottish Football analyst John Walker believes Thursday’s victory featured Cyriel Dessers’ “best match for Rangers”, adding that he put in a man of the match performance up front.

The Nigerian striker – who earned a 9/10 rating from the Scotsman – broke the deadlock inside six minutes, rounding the goalkeeper before his shot, just about, crept over the line.

That was despite the best efforts of Çağlar Söyüncü, as referee Alejandro Hernández Hernández’s watch flashed up that it was a goal, much to the delight of those who’d travelled from Glasgow.

Dessers then also set up the Gers’ second, with an inch-perfect reverse pass to tee-up Černý, before having not one but two goals disallowed in the second half for very marginal offsides; if he was a size five, he’d have had a hat-trick.

As Jonathan Wilson of the Guardian puts it, Dessers ‘divides fans’, but Gavin Berry and Andy MacKay of the Daily Record described the striker’s performance as ‘superb’, with the Nigerian having taken his tally to 22 goals for the season, four of which have come under Barry Ferguson.

If that praise wasn’t enough, then we’ll hand over to Mr Mourinho, who said that the enigmatic striker “looked like the best player in the world” on Thursday evening.

Many were surprised that Dessers got the nod over Hamza Igamane in attack, but Ferguson was certainly vindicated in his decision, with Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman stating that the win was a tactical ‘triumph’ for the coach.

Speaking of the interim Rangers boss, this was his first involvement in a European match since leading his club out in Manchester for the UEFA Cup Final of 2008 against Zenit Saint Petersburg, the occasion of his 400th appearance for the club, and what a victory for him, with Černý and Dessers spearheading the Light Blues to victory on the Asian side of the Bosporus Strait.

Newcastle or Glasgow? 8 landing spots for Jose Mourinho after Fenerbahce

Where should Mourinho head next?

By
Stephan Georgiou

Mar 6, 2025

Florian Wirtz gave a subtle response when quizzed about a potential transfer to Liverpool after Germany’s loss to Portugal in the Nations League.

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• Wirtz has been linked to Liverpool
• The Reds ready to bid big for the German
• Leverkusen star dropped subtle hint on international duty

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As players made their way through the mixed zone post-match, reporters jostled to speak to the 22-year-old sensation who got on the scoresheet against the Selecao, though that wasn't enough to prevent a 2-1 loss for the hosts on Thursday night. When asked directly if he was excited to finalise his £109 million ($148m) transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to the Premier League champions, Wirtz didn’t respond verbally.

  However, a quick glance and a subtle nod were enough to set tongues wagging. The understated reaction has been interpreted as the first clear confirmation that his move to Anfield is likely to go ahead in the coming days.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Liverpool are believed to be closing in on a record-breaking deal to bring Wirtz to Merseyside. The midfielder has been under the Reds' watchful eye for several months, with multiple top European clubs, including Manchester City and Bayern Munich, also interested. Yet reports suggest Wirtz has already made his decision to join the Premier League champions under Arne Slot.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite being just 22, Wirtz has already amassed an impressive 197 appearances for Leverkusen, netting 57 goals and assisting 65 more. His performances were instrumental in Leverkusen’s historic 2023-24 Bundesliga title win, achieved under the guidance of Xabi Alonso, a name fondly remembered at Anfield. With the Merseyside club looking to reinforce their squad to challenge for both domestic and European honours next season, Wirtz is expected to be a central piece of their future plans.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WIRTZ?

  Germany’s Nations League journey isn’t over just yet. The team will now compete in the third-place play-off against the loser of the Spain versus France semi-final. Once that fixture is completed, Wirtz is expected to be free to finalise the formalities of his move to Liverpool.

2025 is set to be a year of mass change at Manchester City.

In the January transfer market, the Sky Blues actively made their squad younger, spending around £180m on Juma Bah (18), Nico González (23), Abdukodir Khusanov (21), Vitor Reis (19) and Omar Marmoush, the slight exception at 26 years old.

Meantime, 34-year-old captain Kyle Walker was allowed to depart for AC Milan, with a few more Man City stalwarts in their 30s also forecast to depart in the summer.

So, as Pep Guardiola oversees a huge reconfiguration of his squad, do the Citizens have a teenager, tearing it up at youth level, ready to burst on to the first-team scene?

Kevin De Bruyne's decline at Manchester City

Former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp believes Kevin De Bruyne to be ‘the Premier League’s greatest-ever midfielder’ while, along similar lines, James Westwood of Goal labels him ‘the best playmaker to grace modern English football’.

Well, since arriving from Wolfsburg for a reported fee of £54m in 2015, the Belgian has made 411 appearances for the Citizens, scoring 106 goals and providing 174 assists, winning six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five EFL Cups and the Champions League.

His tally of 118 means he ranks second in the Premier League for all-time assists, 44 adrift Ryan Giggs’ all-time record, having played 353 fewer matches in the competition.

However, as noted by Richard Martin of Goal, the 33-year-old ‘has reached terminal decline’ and ‘is no longer cut out for the big-time’, underlined by the fact he’s no longer a guaranteed starter in big matches, a fact Sam Lee of the Athletic notes would’ve been ‘unthinkable’ in the past.

So, let’s compare De Bruyne’s season-by-season statistics.

As the table outlines, De Bruyne accumulated at least 3,000 minutes during seven of his first eight seasons at Manchester City, the 2018/19 campaign the sole exception, a year disrupted by a ligament injury in his left knee.

However, both this season and last, the Belgian’s minutes have significantly decreased, albeit he was still able to reach a whopping 18 assists last year, down to just seven this time round, which would be his lowest tally since 2009/10, when he was playing for Genk as a teenager.

Jeff Rueter of the Athletic reports that MLS expansion club San Diego FC are very interested in signing De Bruyne on a free this summer, a move that Joe Lowery of Total Soccer Show labels increasingly likely to happen.

Guardiola has described De Bruyne as “one of the best players in the history of Man City”, underlining that he’ll leave a rather large void should he depart, but do the Sky Blues have a ready-made replacement currently catching the eye at academy level?

Man City's next wonderkid could replace De Bruyne

Chances are, you’ve never heard of Divine Mukasa, but we’re very confident this will change in the near future.

The 17-year-old joined Manchester City in 2023 from West Ham United, and his performances at youth level have been earning rave reviews.

Analyst Ben Mattinson labels the midfielder a “serious talent”, while scout Gianni Bellasi believes he possesses “excellent spatial awareness”, is “calm under pressure” and “thrives” as a number ten, but is versatile enough to play anywhere across midfield or the forward line.

So, let’s assess the teenager’s statistics.

As the table below shows, Mukasa is something of an assist king, hence the comparisons with De Bruyne, starring at U18 Premier League level; only five players have scored more goals than him in that division this season, one of which is teammate Reigan Heskey, son of Emile, who we wrote about last month.

This has seen Mukasa given opportunities at higher levels, expected to feature in Man City’s UEFA Youth League quarter-final against AZ Alkmaar next month, converting his spot-kick as the Sky Blues ousted Midtjylland on penalties in an earlier round.

So, the 17-year-old may not be ready just yet to be a regular starter for the Citizens’ first team, but is certainly showing signs that he could be the long-term heir to De Bruyne’s throne.

Man City lost "England’s next superstar" for £0, now he's worth £83m

Man City must regret losing teen star in 2020 who is now shining.

By
Ross Kilvington

Mar 11, 2025

Arsenal today are an entirely different team from the one Mikel Arteta took control of over five years ago.

The manager has helped transform a meandering and seemingly lost club into one that looks destined to win something significant in the coming years.

However, it has not been a linear journey for the Spaniard, as just a year into his tenure, his position was starting to look seriously untenable.

Thankfully, the emergence of Emile Smith Rowe and his early partnership with Bukayo Saka steadied the ship and practically saved the Spaniard’s job, so it’s good news that Hale End has provided him with another version of the Englishman.

Emile Smith Rowe's career

So, while Smith Rowe did make his senior debut for Arsenal back in a Europa League group game in the 18/19 season, it makes sense to start in the 20/21 campaign, as it was in the Premier League game at home to Chelsea on Boxing Day, that it became abundantly clear to everyone watching that the youngster was a serious talent.

He started that game and, alongside Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, injected the dynamism the club lacked in the prior 14 league games, of which Arteta had overseen just four wins.

The Croydon-born gem ended the season with a brilliant haul of four goals and seven assists in 33 games and carried his form over to the following campaign, in which he scored 11 goals and provided two assists in just 37 appearances.

By the start of the 22/23 season, it felt as if the Hale Ender was ready to truly explode, but in a stroke of terrible luck, he was blindsided with injury problems, which limited him to just 196 minutes of action across 14 appearances.

Unfortunately, while he was sitting on the sidelines, the club were mounting a surprise title charge, with Martin Odegaard having the season of his life as the team’s most attacking midfielder and racking up a stellar haul of 15 goals and seven assists in 45 games.

So, while the young Englishman did miss some games through injury the following year, the primary reason he was limited to just 475 minutes was the simple fact that there wasn’t a place for him in the starting lineup anymore, which likely made the club’s choice to accept up to £34m for his service from Fulham in the summer far easier.

Since moving to West London, the former fan favourite has still suffered from some minor injuries but has generally looked good when on the pitch, scoring five goals and providing two assists in 31 appearances.

In all, while Arsenal would likely have used Smith Rowe more this season in light of their attacking struggles and injuries, selling him to the Cottagers was probably the best thing for all parties involved, especially as Hale End might’ve already provided Arteta with the perfect replacement.

Arteta's new Smith Rowe

For all that has gone wrong this season, one of the most significant positives has been the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, and it should come as no surprise that it is the latter who is Arteta’s new Smith Rowe.

Now, this comparison works for a few reasons, such as the fact that they are both attacking midfielders who can thrive on the wing, they’re both English and even the fact that their breakouts came under this manager.

However, we’d argue the most important similarity is how they impacted the first team in a time of need.

As mentioned above, the now Fulham star announced himself to the wider footballing world by forming a brilliant partnership with Saka and turning the ship around at a time when it looked like changes were going to be made in the dugout, and while it’s not been anywhere as dire this season, there are some unmistakable similarities.

For example, while the “unplayable” Nwaneri, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, was making cameo appearances and getting the odd cup start earlier this season, his involvement in the first team dramatically increased once the attacking injury crisis was in full swing, with nine of his 12 starts coming since January 1st.

Moreover, when he has played, the “sensational” Hale Ender, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has often contributed, with his eight goals and one assist coming in 1087 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 120.77 minutes, which for an 18-year-old is incredible.

Finally, while Smith Rowe broke through and formed a partnership with Saka, the Enfield-born dynamo is doing the same with Lewis-Skelly, who played a big part in his goals against Bolton Wanderers and PSV Eindhoven.

Ultimately, fans will be hoping his Arsenal career progresses in a different way, but as things stand, there are plenty of similarities between Smith Rowe and Nwaneri.

He earns way more than Isak: Berta must axe "frustrating" Arsenal star ASAP

The talented Arsenal star needs to be moved on.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 25, 2025

Real Madrid are finally set to welcome Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Spanish capital ahead of this summer's Club World Cup.

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• Alexander-Arnold a new Madrid player
• Joins England team-mate Bellingham
• Set to be unveiled in Spain ahead of CWC

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The La Liga giants snapped up the England international on a free transfer but did pay compensation to Liverpool in order to register their new defender ahead of the Club World Cup. Madrid will officially unveil Alexander-Arnold on Thursday, ahead of the tournament.

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  WHAT REAL MADRID SAID

  In a club statement on their website, Madrid said: "Real Madrid CF announces that tomorrow, Thursday, at 12:30 p.m., the presentation of our player Trent Alexander-Arnold will take place at Real Madrid City.

  "Previously, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez will welcome Trent Alexander-Arnold for the formal signing ceremony that links our new player to the club for the next six seasons.

  "Following the presentation, Trent Alexander-Arnold will address the media in the press room at Real Madrid City."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Alexander-Arnold received a huge amount of backlash for making the switch from Merseyside to Spain – where he will join up with friend and compatriot Jude Bellingham. Despite the 26-year-old dedicating nearly two decades of his life to Anfield, he has been cast out after winning everything on offer with his boyhood club.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ALEXANDER-ARNOLD?

  Alexander-Arnold can finally close the book on his Liverpool career and begin a new story at the Santiago Bernabeu. He will have the chance to impress during the Club World Cup, which begins on June 14.

Las Águilas are expected to pay around $6.7 million for the attacking midfielder

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• Gutiérrez played 20 games in this season (Clausura 2025 and Champions Cup)
• Has 103 Liga MX appearances, all with Cruz Azul
• Will sign a three-year contract with an option for a fourth

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Club América are set to make Alexis Gutiérrez their first signing of the summer, as the club has reportedly reached an agreement with Cruz Azul for the 25-year-old midfielder. The transfer is expected to become official in the coming days, pending final paperwork and minor details.

  Sources close to the negotiation told ESPN that the deal is a permanent transfer, with América expected to pay around $6.7 million for Gutiérrez, a left-sided midfielder who came up through Cruz Azul’s academy. He is set to sign a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year, depending on performance.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gutiérrez made his professional debut in the 2019 Clausura and has since played 103 matches for Cruz Azul, scoring six goals and registering eight assists. Known for his versatility and playmaking from the left wing, he’s expected to compete directly with Brian Rodríguez for a starting spot – though Rodríguez may be on his way out, with interest from MLS and Spanish clubs.

  América's front office plans to make at least four signings this transfer window, with Gutiérrez being the first. In addition to a left winger, the club is targeting a striker, an attacking midfielder, and potentially a right-back.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  So far, the only confirmed departure from Club América is Chilean midfielder Diego Valdés. Meanwhile, Dutch winger Javairo Dilrosun -on loan at LAFC for the Club World Cup – has seen limited action, featuring just 45 minutes. LAFC hold a $5 million purchase option, but if they decline to exercise it, América are expected to move him elsewhere, as he is not in their long-term plans.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CLUB AMÉRICA?

  returned to training this week as they begin preparations for the Apertura 2025, where they’ll kick off the season on July 11 with an away match against FC Juárez on Matchday 1.

Rangers are back in action on Saturday evening, seeking to continue the momentum established prior to the international break.

First, Barry Ferguson’s side ousted Fenerbahçe from the Europa League, prevailing on penalties at Ibrox, thereby setting up a quarter-final clash with Athletic Club Bilbao.

Then, three days later, the Gers were 3-2 winners in the Old Firm derby, with Ferguson becoming the first Rangers manager since Walter Smith in 1991 to win their very first Glasgow derby at Parkhead.

While it’s too late to reignite the Premiership title race, the Light Blues will be seeking another victory at Dundee on Saturday evening, although this is unlikely to be straightforward, considering they’ve drawn their last two visits to Dens Park, held to a 1-1 stalemate there in January.

If Ferguson is to land all three points in the City of Discovery, he should unleash his superstar striker.

Cyriel Dessers' recent Rangers form

As noted by Scott Bradley of Breaking the Lines, Dessers’ performances for Rangers have been largely ‘inconsistent’ and ‘frustrating’, adding that he ‘divides opinion’.

The Nigerian striker arrived from Cremonese for a reported fee of £5.5m in July 2023, scoring 44 goals in 99 appearances for the club to date, averaging a goal every 138 minutes, which certainly isn’t bad.

Following Rangers’ 3-1 win at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium last month, Fenerbahçe manager José Mourinho said that “today, Dessers looked like the best player in the world”, with John Walker adding that this was Dessers’ ‘best match for Rangers’.

However, he is often criticised for not being clinical enough, a perception supported by the fact that, since the start of last season, he has missed a humongous 46 Opta-defined big chances across the Premiership and Europa League.

So, after Dessers got the nod at Parkhead, we’re advocating for Ferguson to start his other centre-forward at Dens.

Rangers' starting striker vs Dundee

Hamza Igamane’s last-gasp winner in the Glasgow derby a fortnight ago will forever cement his name into Rangers folklore but, even before that, his performances had been catching the eye.

During the international break, the 22-year-old made his senior debut for Morocco, coming off the bench for the final eight minutes as the Atlas Lions beat Niger 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier in Oujda.

Head Coach Walid Regragui, who guided the North African nation to the most recent World Cup semi-finals, praised Igamane’s “mindset”, also adding he “has a bright future ahead of him”.

At club level, Igamane has scored 14 goals since joining Rangers last summer, four of which have come in the Europa League, described as “unpredictable” and “outrageous” by scout Ben Mattinson, thereby attracting Premier League interest.

So, let’s analyse how Rangers’ two centre-forward options compare.

As the table outlines, while Dessers’ pure goals and minutes-per-goal statistics are superior, Igamane comes out on top for pretty much every other underlying metric.

In this season’s Europa League for example, the Moroccan ranks second for goals – xG, behind only Malick Fofana of Olympique Lyonnais, while the Nigerian sits joint-fourth bottom for the same metric, out of the 702 players who’ve attempted at least one shot in the competition, above only Ulrik Saltnes, Kevin Rodríguez and compatriot Victor Osimhen.

This emphasises that Igamane is a significantly more clinical centre-forward and, at 22 years old, has a significantly higher ceiling than 30-year-old Dessers.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Thus, in Premiership matches that don’t matter a great deal, Ferguson should prioritise giving Igamane minutes, starting on Saturday, giving him the opportunity to stake a claim, with the first leg against Athletic Club coming up soon.

Rangers have sealed a "jackpot signing" who could be their new Nacho Novo

Barry Ferguson could find Rangers’ next Nacho Novo by unleashing this star.

By
Dan Emery

Mar 27, 2025

The Gabon forward netted the 2–1 winner that kept América out of the Club World Cup

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• Market value is $9.2 million according to Transfermarkt
• LAFC reportedly want $12 million to sell him
• Bouanga has scored 81 goals in 130 appearances for LAFC
• Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  After a trophyless semester, Club América are preparing for their upcoming season as they aim to reclaim the Liga MX title and secure the CONCACAF Champions Cup – the only trophy missing under André Jardine. Among the players they are reportedly targeting is LAFC forward Denis Bouanga, whose performance helped eliminate América from the Club World Cup.

  According to TUDN, América have formally asked LAFC about Bouanga, who struck late in the Play‑In round to score the crucial second goal that kept them out of the tournament.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  LAFC are reportedly seeking a transfer fee in the region of $12 million, despite Bouanga’s current market valuation standing at approximately $9.2 million per Transfermarkt.

  The striker is still with LAFC at the Club World Cup but he has underwhelmed so far – missing a penalty in the loss to ES Tunis that confirmed LAFC’s early exit.

  Back in Mexico, América have kicked off their preseason in Cancún, including beach training. A friendly against Cancún FC is scheduled for Friday. Their Apertura 2025 opener is set for July 11 at FC Juárez, with no signings officially announced yet—though Cruz Azul midfielder Alexis Gutiérrez appears poised to become their first arrival.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Since his arrival in 2022, Bouanga has been pivotal in LAFC’s successes, helping them lift the MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield. In 130 appearances, he has found the net 81 times and provided 37 assists.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LAFC?

  Steve Cherundolo’s team, already eliminated from the Club World Cup, will wrap up its participation tonight against Flamengo at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

Inter Miami boss Javier Mascherano hailed his team's performance in their Club World Cup round of 16 clash against Paris Saint-Germain but labelled the first half as a 'bloodbath' as the MLS side went down 4-0 against the European champions. Joao Neves led the way with a brace and Achraf Hakimi was also on target, while Tomas Aviles scored an own goal as Inter Miami were decimated before the interval.

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• Mascherano praised Messi & Co
• PSG beat Inter Miami 4-0
• Miami still accomplished their target

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Despite the goal fest for PSG in Atlanta, Mascherano claimed that the David Beckham-owned side accomplished their target for the competition. Inter Miami became the first American club to reach the knockout stage of the Club World Cup after they finished second in Group A behind Palmeiras, with a Lionel Messi-inspired win over Porto the high point of their campaign.

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• WHAT MASCHERANO SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the Argentine manager said: "My take on the tournament is we have accomplished the goals we set for ourselves. It was crystal clear that when we are competing, we would be able to do so to a certain level. It’s right in your face, we see it clearly. We have met the expectations set on us. Regrettably, when they scored a goal so early, it was difficult… it was just too easy the way it was scored. The first half was kind of like a bloodbath, but the second half was a bit slower, and we showed everything we are doing in MLS. I reiterate I am proud of what my team has accomplished. Going forward, we will focus on the future and leverage our entire experience for domestic competitions."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mascherano added: "PSG are full and fraught with so many tools. You cannot cover the entire field. I wanted to be on the pitch with my players, supporting them. The message at half-time was that we have to live with this.

  "It’s difficult when it’s 4-0 and you know you don’t have much chance, you don’t expect to change the result, but it was important to show a good image to people. The players did really well in the second half; they tried to do their best. This is the way we want to play."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

  Lionel Messi and Co will have to dust themselves down quickly for a return to MLS action on July 6, as they take on CF Montreal.

Aston Villa have officially rejected the chance to take up their option on Marcus Rashford, who wants to leave Manchester United for an overseas club.

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• Aston Villa reject Rashford deal
• Forward due to return for Man Utd pre-season
• Wants a move abroad

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Villa had the chance to sign Rashford for £40 million as part of the loan agreement that brought the forward to the club in January, but the club have confirmed his departure, thanking him for his "amazing efforts and contributions".

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It has now been reported that Rashford is seeking a move away from the Premier League this summer. Journalist David Ornstein claims the England international is keen to win titles overseas.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The same report states that Rashford is open to another loan move from Old Trafford, with a swap deal also a possibility. It has been claimed that Barcelona is his dream move, with the La Liga champions giving some thought to the idea.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

  Rashford may have to wait until late in the summer to seal a transfer to Barca. The club are intent on signing Nico Williams as a first-choice winger but could make a loan move for Rashford once they know their financial situation at the end of the window. For now, he is due to report for pre-season at United on July 7.