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It's September 2024, and Mamadou Sangare has been called up to the Mali squad for the very first time. As is normal in modern football, new players have to do an initiation song while stood on top of a chair.As Yves Bissouma introduced him onto the 'stage', the Mali captain asked Sangare what position he'd like to play in the team."Yours," Sangare told Bissouma, in a big, bold statement."I loved that," Tom Saintfiet, the Mali manager at the time, tells Sky Sports. "He's an open, intelligent person - and confident. He knows what he can do."Sangare did not end up taking Bissouma's national team spot - they played alongside each other in the Mali team - but the 24-year-old has taken his place as Mali's big talent in the Premier League.Brentford take on Tottenham Hotspur in the opening day of the season and Sangare will take to the field as the Bees' new record signing. Bissouma - released by Spurs this summer and still without a club - will not.The Mali midfielder joining Brentford for £39m was deemed quite a coup for the west London club. Sangare was one of RC Lens' most important players as they finished second in Ligue 1 and won the French Cup.Stream Brentford vs Spurs on Sky with NOWHe was subsequently named in Ligue 1's Team of the Year, over Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz.The 24-year-old could have stayed and played Champions League football with the French side, but instead chose Brentford, when so many other top clubs were circling around him."I remember a few months ago when I was talking to him, there were some different names already mentioned," Saintfiet recalls. "There were some top clubs in the English Premier League, the real giants."Sangare may be new to the average Premier League fan but those who followed Ligue 1 last season will know exactly why this is a promising signing.The young midfielder effectively earned his status as the 'Elliot Anderson of French football'. He was in a league of his own in terms of ball-winning numbers and defensive statistics.But Sangare is far from simply a defensive midfielder. "No, no," says Saintfiet, who even played Sangare as a wider midfielder in the national team."If you talk about ball recovery, tackling, then you look really to the Claude Makelele, the Gennaro Gattuso, the real die-hard No 6. And for me, he's not really a No 6. He's different from that."He's more of a No 8 than a No 6, and he can even play as a No 10. His multifunctional qualities are his strengths."That is good news for Brentford, who have a more than capable No 6 option emerging onto the Premier League scene. If Sangare is the 'Elliot Anderson of French football' then Yehor Yarmoliuk was the 'Elliot Anderson of Brentford' last season, looking at the numbers.So while Yarmoliuk protects the Brentford back four, Sangare can cause opposition players more problems further forward."When he has the ball, he is very confident on the ball," says Saintfiet. "He is able to find solutions very fast under pressure, to give good passes, both short and long. So he's much more than only someone who can recover a ball, in my eyes."Put him in Barcelona's team, and he will have an important role in such a team - because of his style of playing. He is confident on the ball, he is very smart in his passing. Even if he is strong in ball recovery, he combines that with so many other skills, which is so important in modern football."The other area where Sangare stands out is his long-range shooting. Only two players in Ligue 1 attempted more shots from outside the box than the Lens players last season - and if Sangare can improve this skill at Brentford, then the hype will only grow.The early signs are positive - as Sangare opened his Brentford account with a long-range strike in their 7-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt."I think he can score a few more goals a season," says Saintfiet. "He has a very good shot, he has a good free kick, but he doesn't use it. In training, I'm always impressed with his shots from distance and during small side games."And maybe, sometimes he is too much a team player. He wants to give the chance to another player. He gives a pass when he has the opportunity to take the shot himself. So I think he can be a little bit being more selfish in front of the goal."A player who delivers final passes, assists, that's welcome. But if you can have three, four, five goals a season, that will be better. And I think he has that ability to do that. He only has to take now the responsibility to show it."Sangare may need a bit of time to settle into the Premier League's high-intensity football but he didn't need that time in his debut campaign at Lens last season - becoming an immediate success story after joining from Austrian side Rapid Vienna.He comes across as a player that the Premier League's 'Big Six' could have easily taken a punt on this summer - and he would have thrived in that environment too.The player who once fought for Bissouma's spot in the Mali team is thinking about bigger and better things."For me, Yves Bissouma is a fantastic player," says Saintfiet, comparing the two now. "He has a proven record in the highest level of Europe. Probably Yves could have reached even higher if he had taken different decisions in his career."Sangare is starting to be on a real top level now. Brentford is a good step, they have always shown in the past to have an eye for talented players who are maybe less known in England."But for me, knowing Mamadou Sangare, Brentford is not his final destination. He can reach the top in England."

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Arsenal reporterPublished6 minutes ago3 CommentsMartin Odegaard's man-of-the-match performance was the highlight of Arsenal's 3-0 Community Shield demolition of Manchester City and showed early signs that the Gunners' chief creator might be returning to his best after a frustrating 2025-26. Although Arsenal won the Premier League last season, knee and shoulder problems stopped their Norwegian playmaker from reaching his very top level.He only started 16 times in the league and his one goal and seven assists were his lowest totals since joining the club permanently from Real Madrid in 2021-22.On Sunday in Cardiff, Odegaard capped an all-action display with a brilliant third goal when his dummy left City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on the floor.Odegaard was a key part at the start of Mikel Arteta's rejuvenation of Arsenal. If he stays fit and keeps up this form, will he feel like a new signing for the Spanish manager?After winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, Arteta has moved to strengthen his midfield with the signing of £75m Bruno Guimaraes.Mikel Merino, one of Arsenal's many midfielders, has called the Gunners' options in that area of the pitch "probably the best in football".With Odegaard, Guimaraes - who impressed in his 45 minutes on the pitch - Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Merino, it is hard to disagree.Odegaard's quality has never been in doubt but he did not showing it consistently last season and there were also debates by former players about whether he should be captain.Sunday's performance went some way to dispelling those question marks.Odegaard shone in all areas - of the Arsenal players in action on Sunday, he completed the most passes (55/58), dribbles (3/3) and won possession the most times (nine).Maybe the added level of competition in midfield will bring another level out of the Gunners captain?Odegaard finished last season fit and went on to shine at the World Cup with Norway.He started five of Norway's six games in the tournament and registered four assists."Last year was really a big struggle with a lot of difficult moments. To miss so many games because of injury was really frustrating," Odegaard said on Sunday."It is the worst thing for a footballer to not be able to be on the pitch and I had quite a lot of weird injuries, and bad luck."It was good for me to end the season with a title, here, and then a good World Cup. Then I had my break and I feel good, ready to go again.""What I have just worked on is to use that as motivation for this year and to come back stronger. And to use all of those experiences in a positive way."Odegaard and Guimaraes appeared to click straight away in their first start together."Sometimes you are just in the flow. You need to find that on the pitch," Odegaard said of his performance."All of us were flowing pretty good out there. I will just try to keep that up and keep going."And Arteta said he was looking forward to having Odegaard fit and available heading into the new season."Well, he missed five or six months for different things and it was extremely difficult for him to get any momentum," said Arteta."So I'm sure this year if we can maintain him fit, available with the players around him, we're going to see a very different Martin."And I sense from the first day that he joined [pre-season training] that he has something else on the belly that he wants to prove and show, because the team needs it as well."Norwich struggles to assist king - Tzolis could be Arsenal gem£2.14bn and counting - why Premier League spending could set new recordNightmare Man City start for Maresca - are Arsenal really so far ahead?Stats that show Premier League is getting more competitive

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Memphis Depay agreed to take a pay cut to remain at Corinthians - days after the Brazilian club decided against renewing his contract. The former Manchester United forward accused Corinthians of "unacceptable behaviour" last week after the club withdrew a previously agreed extension on a two-year deal signed in 2024.But Corinthians president Osmar Stabile has now confirmed the Netherlands forward has reduced his financial demands "significantly" in order to sign a new contract with the Sao Paulo club until 2028."Everything's fine but it was hard work," Stabile said. "Obviously, you can't get an international star done very quickly - it was a lengthy process but everything worked out."We had a personal meeting and he managed to reduce numbers that his team couldn't achieve. We did what was best for Corinthians, especially in financial terms."The 32-year-old has scored 20 goals in 79 appearances for Corinthians and helped them win the Copa do Brasil in 2025 and the Supercopa do Brasil this year.But the club, who are ninth in Brazil's Serie A, had originally decided not to extend his contract over concerns over their finances.Breakouts & wildcards - 13 surprise stars for new seasonThe remainder of the debt, amounting to R$54m (£7.6m), is set to be paid in four instalments, starting in January 2027. The club would lose the discount if payments are delayed."[Depay] reduced it significantly," added Stabile. "I don't want to discuss numbers but he made a considerable reduction because of the circumstances, because of his desire to stay, and because Corinthians needed to find a way to pay. I believe we can afford this contract."Depay is the Netherlands' all-time leading goalscorer but failed to score in three appearances as his side exited the 2026 World Cup in the last 32.Listen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone

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Director Joe Pearlman says he expected Real Madrid manager to ‘try to manipulate us’ in making of Netflix seriesEven in the hyperreal world of football, there are few characters more compelling, more polarising, or more everything than José Mourinho, the best and worst of public him on full display in a new three-part Netflix series. “It reminded me how good he was,” says Joe Pearlman, who directed Mourinho, and the actual Mourinho is, believe it or not, keen to communicate the same. As he puts it in the show: “I look, you look, I see more than you.”Making documentaries, though, is often about taking people to the places they’re most skilled at avoiding. “I knew the interviews were going to be very intense,” says Pearlman, “and he was going to try and control the narrative and manipulate us. Everything bad is everyone else’s fault and everything he’s done is validated by winning. Because that’s all that’s important.”This is just one aspect of an unusual worldview. “There’s a moment in episode three where I ask him about his childhood,” says Pearlman, “and he doesn’t want to talk about it because he doesn’t think it’s relevant to who he is, essentially saying he’s not interested in people. Which, for one of the greatest man-managers of all time, is quite odd.”The son of a much-loved coach, Mourinho felt like an outsider from childhood because he was known by way of his dad. Then, when he became a coach himself, having not been a player, that appeared to confer insider privilege. Indisputably, this self-image has helped Mourinho self-actualise, surviving unlimited wealth at Chelsea and a spell at Real Madrid, with the attitude of “someone who’s had a chip on their shoulder for a lot of their life” – along, of course, with his irrepressible charisma and tactical acumen.Félix Mourinho died in June 2017 and, when that comes up in the documentary, there are tears. “He’s obviously buried the loss of his father,” Pearlman says. “It’s very painful for him to talk about. As someone who’s lost a parent, I can talk about my mum very openly because I’ve processed it. I’ve been to therapy, I’ve tried to understand what that part of my life means. I don’t think José’s ever tried to understand what any part of his life means. I think he’s always looking forward, always looking for the next thing. He’s winning the treble for Inter against Louis van Gaal and Bayern but, at the same time, he’s really thinking about crushing Pep [Guardiola] when he joins Madrid.“Losing his father changed him; it tainted the years that came afterwards. And on top of that, José carries every word, every goal, every decision that doesn’t go his way; it’s a rucksack of pain he’s been lugging around since he was probably 19, 20 years old.”Nevertheless, everything that makes Mourinho special – the wit, the insight, the confidence, the zest, the charm, the genius, the cool – burns through the screen. “He was looking for an outlet to be the biggest possible version of himself and football allowed that,” says Pearlman. “The ego and the charisma on top of the talent meant he could embody a character he’d always dreamt of being, that maybe he wasn’t in his childhood, and that is the person that we’ve come to know as José Mourinho.”That person is, of course, only one version of reality, a character honed for the purpose of footballing warfare. One who, it seems, sees football as distinct from the real world, with combatants permitted to do anything in the pursuit of victory; he is no more apologetic for his Anders Frisk and Eva Carneiro excesses now than at the time. Yet Mourinho also articulates his desire to be loved, though you sometimes wonder if, to him, that has as much in common with adulation as affection. “It can also be: ‘I want to have a lot of attention on me’,” says Pearlman, “and conflict brings that in spades. It’s like this safety blanket that allows him to feel like he’s doing things for a righteous cause.”At home Mourinho is different: more reserved, quieter. And it is with regard to his home life that we experience the show’s other sad moment: Mourinho explaining he’s been away from his family a lot, so much so that it’s easier for them when he’s not around. “You can kind of hear it in my voice,” says Pearlman. “I’m like: ‘Oh my god, what does it even feel like saying that?’”What does Pearlman think the show is about? “A lot of it is about winning at all costs,” he replies, “and what happens when you’re defined by winning and that winning stops. It’s also the portrait of a hero and a villain, one of the great leaders of men that the world has ever seen. As a civilisation, we’re lucky Mourinho didn’t go into politics!”And, of course, the show now has a surprise happy ending, with Mourinho’s return to Madrid. “The person I’ve seen over the last few years at Roma, Benfica … until this last one, I don’t think I could say that I’ve met a happy man or a content person,” says Pearlman. “He is now where he believes he should always have been – after every cup Madrid have won since he left, Florentino Pérez has called to say: ‘This is because of you,’ because of how he modernised the club. And one thing we all know is that whatever comes next, it’s going to be a box-office blockbuster.”

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There will be some familiar faces involved in this week’s European qualifiers as a number of smaller clubs have a chance to make their markFenerbahce v Lyon, Tuesday 8pm Romelu Lukaku is the latest familiar face to rock up at Fenerbahce. The 33-year-old striker is, however, unlikely to be fit for Lyon’s visit to Istanbul on Tuesday – he sat out Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Genclerbirligi, the club his father played for in the 1990s. “This beautiful country is a second home to me,” Lukaku, who spent part of his childhood in Turkey, said last week. Fenerbahce have also added Mason Greenwood and Nathan Aké to a squad that includes Ederson, N’Golo Kanté and Marco Asensio. Failure to get past Lyon, who are aiming to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since reaching the semi-finals in 2019-20, would not be the best start to Ismail Kartal’s fourth spell as head coach.Celtic v LASK, Wednesday 8pmEven before seeing Rangers and Hearts suffer damaging qualifying defeats this summer, Celtic would have needed no reminding of how much jeopardy these ties contain. Kairat Almaty dumped Brendan Rodgers’ side out at this stage last season on penalties after two goalless draws. “They are big games in every aspect … prestige, finance,” said Martin O’Neill, who will have grim memories of his own defeat to Basel in the playoffs 24 years ago. In both legs against LASK, the Austrian champions, Celtic will have to do without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as the midfielder serves a three-match ban for a red card he received playing for Besiktas in the Conference League in 2023.Trabzonspor v Ferencvaros, Thursday 6pmMohamed Salah could make his home debut for Trabzonspor when they take on Ferencvaros in Turkey. The former Liverpool forward came off the bench – along with Cape Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral – in the second half of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Kasimpasa. Ferencvaros will not be overawed by the occasion, with a glamour friendly against Real Madrid in Budapest part of their pre-season preparations. Among the ranks of last season’s Hungarian Cup winners, who replaced Robbie Keane with Balazs Borbely in the dugout this summer, is Salah’s former Liverpool teammate Naby Keïta. They have been to Serbia, the Netherlands and Poland in three rounds of Europa League qualifying so far.Egnatia v Lillestrøm, Thursday 6pmHans Erik Ødegaard, father of Arsenal’s Premier League-winning captain Martin, has been working miracles in his two years in charge of Lillestrøm. After being appointed head coach following the Norwegian side’s relegation in 2024, he oversaw their immediate return to the top flight unbeaten and won the Norwegian Cup in the process. Ødegaard, who coached in Real Madrid’s academy after his son’s move there in 2015, will lead Lillestrøm into their first European main draw since the Uefa Cup in 2000-01 as defeat would still guarantee them a Conference League place. Egnatia are the Albanian champions from the past three years and overturned a 3-1 deficit to Shamrock Rovers in the previous round.Tromsø v Brighton, Thursday 6pmSussex is officially in drought but Brighton supporters will have to dig out their coats if they are making the trip to Europe’s most northern football club. It is forecast to be 13C and raining by the time Fabian Hürzeler’s side kick off in Tromsø, situated over 200 miles into the Arctic Circle. Jørgen Vik’s team have dropped down from Europa League qualifying but are looking to make the most of home advantage against Premier League opposition. “Facing our style of play on artificial turf could potentially come as a shock to them,” said Vik. Tromsø and Lillestrøm are two of five Eliteserien teams involved in European playoffs this week. “There is a great deal of confidence in Norwegian football right now,” said Vik.Drita v Inter Club d’Escaldes, Thursday 7pmSince winning their first Andorran league title in 2020, Inter Club d’Escaldes, who wear black and blue stripes like the Italian Inter, have fallen short in six European qualifying campaigns, but this is the first time they have been one round away. Inter are coached by Felip Ortiz, a former goalkeeper who shared a flat with Carles Puyol when they were teenagers at Barcelona, and they will be no pushovers having put six without reply past Flora Tallinn in the previous round. Drita, the reigning champions of Kosovo who reached the knockout stage of last season’s Conference League, stand in Inter’s way of making history.

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CommentsErling Haaland will be hoping for a record-equalling fourth Premier League Golden Boot this season.With four-time winner Mohamed Salah no longer at Liverpool, the route might appear even more open for him - so who stands in Haaland's way?BBC Sport looks at the contenders to be the league's top scorer - and what is usually needed to win it.Erling Haaland (Man City)The Manchester City striker has won the Premier League's Golden Boot in three of his four seasons in English football.The Norwegian scored a record 36 goals in 2022-23 and won it the next campaign - and again last season - with 27 each time.With 112 goals in 132 English top-flight games, he will take some stopping again - even if he is now under a new manager in Enzo Maresca.The 26-year-old comes into this campaign after a seven-goal World Cup for Norway - a total which would have won the Golden Boot in more than half of the previous tournaments.It is almost easy to forget about the British record signing in this discussion, after the Swede spent so much of last season injured.The 26-year-old finished second in the Golden Boot race in 2024-25 with 23 goals, outscoring Haaland and only finishing behind Salah.But he only managed four goals in 22 games in all competitions for Liverpool last season after his £125m move from Newcastle.If he can stay fit and new Reds manager Andoni Iraola can provide him with the service he was denied last season, he will hope to show why Liverpool paid £125m for him.Thiago will hope to avoid being a one-season wonder for Brentford - assuming he stays with the Bees.The 25-year-old scored 22 Premier League goals in his first proper season playing in England - having missed most of the season before through injury.He finished second only to Haaland in the Golden Boot race.That form led to him playing for Brazil at the World Cup, having never been capped before this year.Manchester United are among the clubs reportedly interested in him.Joao Pedro will be hoping to build on his 15 Premier League goals last campaign for Chelsea following his move from Brighton.However he now has more rivals for the striker role than last season - including ex-Albion team-mate Danny Welbeck.How he fits in under new manager Xabi Alonso will also be a factor.Alonso's German double-winning Bayer Leverkusen team of 2023-24 shared out the goals - with nobody netting more than 14 in the Bundesliga.The Sweden striker had a steady but unspectacular debut season at Arsenal, with 14 league goals - and 21 in all competitions.However the 28-year-old played his part in Arsenal winning their first title in 22 years.And 14 of those 21 goals came after the turn of the year, suggesting he had adapted to the new league.If he can match that form across the 2026-27 season - and if Arsenal can take the shackles off with the tension gone after ending their title drought - he may be a contender.Watkins is the third top-scorer in the Premier League since stepping up to the top flight by joining Aston Villa in September 2020 - behind only Haaland and Salah.His 91 league goals in that time mean he averages just over 15 a season - with 16 in the league last term.However the 30-year-old would probably have to at least match his final goalscoring season for Brentford in the Championship - 25 league goals - to be a contender for the Golden Boot.Sesko scored 11 goals in his maiden Premier League season following a move from RB Leipzig last summer.But nine of those came after Manchester United sacked Ruben Amorim on 5 January and ditched his preferred back three and wing-backs formation.In fact in that time only one player - Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White - scored more Premier League goals.With Sesko still only 23, he will hope he can maintain that form over a whole season under Michael Carrick and be a Golden Boot contender.There have been 34 Premier League seasons - and 42 Golden Boots handed out because of joint top-scorers.Surprisingly, only 12 of those have won the Premier League in those seasons - so that gives hope to those players whose teams are unlikely to challenge for the title this season.Haaland has played a part in driving the amount of goals needed to win the Golden Boot up in recent years.The four seasons between 2018-19 and 2021-22 did not see anybody score more than 23 goals.But the past four Golden Boots have all entailed between 27 and 36 goals.Most winners have been strikers - or at least centre-forwards - but as you would expect in recent years it has become more frequent for other positions to win it.Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007-08 was the first winger - back when he largely played in that position - to win the Golden Boot, with Salah winning it a joint-record four times (level with Thierry Henry).Wide forwards Sadio Mane and Son Heung-min have also claimed a share of the Golden Boot in the past eight years.

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The rules are simple. Each day there's a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. The fewer clues you need to get the right answer, the more points you score.Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.So take part and return for more tomorrow.Today's player and clues set by BBC Sport's Joe Rindl.After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.What information do we collect from this quiz?Get in touchSend us your quiz ideasContact formContact formRelated topicsFootballPremier LeaguePlay more quizzesAll our Premier League Who Am I? quizzes in one placeCan you name the players with most Premier League appearances?Can you name the 10 Lionesses with most England caps?Can you name every team to have played in the WSL?

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The rules are simple. Each day we want you to give us five correct answers inside five minutes.Will you beat the clock? Take part and return for more tomorrow.Today's question is set by BBC Sport's Joe Rindl.After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.What information do we collect from this quiz?Get in touchSend us your quiz ideasContact formContact formRelated topicsFootballPlay more quizzesAll our Premier League Who Am I? quizzes in one placeCan you name the players with most Premier League appearances?Can you name the 10 Lionesses with most England caps?Can you name every team to have played in the WSL?

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12 CommentsEli Junior Kroupi, Igor Thiago and Nico O'Reilly were among the breakout stars who made their mark on the Premier League last season - but who will be next?BBC Sport's TV and radio commentators have picked 13 players they believe are worth watching out for over the next few months.Whether they are new signings, wonder kids or late bloomers, here are some unfamiliar faces of all ages who might make a name for themselves in the new campaign.Age: 18 Position: Centre-midfield Country: NetherlandsSteve Bower: There has been a lot of talk this summer about Newcastle players departing, particularly in the midfield area, but here's someone they brought in early on - before Eddie Howe left - in a deal that could be worth up to £23m.I saw Steur play in Europe for Ajax last season, and he made 25 appearances for them in all competitions in the end. He can either play in defensive midfield or a bit further forward, is two-footed and has lovely passing ability.Obviously it is a big step up, as we know, to come from the Dutch league into the Premier League as a teenager, and also to arrive at a club in transition with a new manager.But Newcastle have got players like Lewis Miley - who has come through in recent seasons - that Steur can learn from being in a similar situation as well.I liked the look of him on first viewing for Ajax and he appears as if he has got the personality to play in the Premier League.Steur is not someone who necessarily starts initially, or all the time, but he seems pretty fearless and is the type of player who could grab the opportunity if it comes his way.Age: 20 Position: Midfield Country: GhanaJohn Murray: This looks a potentially shrewd signing for newly promoted Coventry City, even though they have just paid a club record transfer fee of about £25m to sign him from Danish side FC Nordsjaelland.Yirenkyi featured in all four of Ghana's matches at the World Cup and, when I commentated on him during their group match against England, I thought he looked the kind of energetic midfielder who would do well in the Premier League.Conor McNamara: Coventry City have got themselves a talented and versatile new signing in Yirenkyi - which is pronounced 'yur'INCH-ee', by the way.He started on the right of a back five for Ghana against England at the World Cup, but his favoured position is the centre of midfield.Wales fans will remember him scoring against them in the pre-tournament friendly in June and he got a goal at the World Cup itself against Panama too.After coming through Ghana's 'Right To Dream Academy', he was named Young Player Of The Year in the Danish Superliga last season with Nordsjaelland.Frank Lampard could be just the right coach to help Yirenkyi blossom further, as a midfielder of Premier League standard.Age: 27 Position: Defender Country: SpainConor McNamara: Mingueza did not make Spain's World Cup-winning squad, but the standard was incredibly high. Pedro Porro was first choice right-back and, with Marcos Llorente and Marc Pubill also able to cover that position, Mingueza was left to rue what might have been.After allowing his contract to run down at Celta Vigo, the defender has joined Crystal Palace on a free transfer, which might just prove to be one of the signings of the summer. I commentated on Mingueza playing for Spain at the Nations League finals a year ago and he is very impressive at turning defence into attack.With Daniel Munoz's future at Selhurst Park up in the air, Mingueza could be a ready-made replacement for one of Palace's most effective players of recent seasons.If Munoz stays, Mingueza has the versatility to play anywhere across the back line.Age: 17 Position: Striker Country: EnglandJohn Murray: Madjo is a teenage striker Aston Villa fans will know all about already after the goals he has scored for them in pre-season.Born in London to parents from Cameroon, Madjo grew up in Luxembourg and made his senior international debut for them last year.But he has now switched his international allegiance to England and played for the Under-17 team.After a wrangle over that, he was finally cleared to play in competitive matches for Villa, making his competitive debut last week with a goal in the Super Cup against Paris St-Germain.He looks like a big man with a big future.Guy Mowbray: There's been talk of a loan move for Madjo, but his flurry of pre-season goals and a massive impact against PSG should keep him around at least until the next transfer window.If that's the case - you won't fail to notice him! He is a powerful striker who has most of the tools to be a success.Steve Bower: I was going to choose Johan Manzambi, who I included when we did a similar article about new players to watch at the World Cup. Manzambi had an excellent tournament, and Villa pipped Newcastle to sign him.But I didn't want to include two players from one club, and I was told about Madjo when Villa signed him for just over £10m back in January, before they had well-documented issues registering him.Obviously we know he has been available in pre-season, when he has made his mark with four goals against Walsall, Real Sociedad and Indonesia All-Stars. Then of course Unai Emery gave him his opportunity against PSG, when he scored again.He has got a huge frame and figure for his age, bringing very early comparisons to Erling Haaland, which is a big tag to carry.But, without putting too much pressure on a 17-year-old's shoulders, with Villa being in the Champions League this season and the extra games that brings, Madjo is going to get some minutes.It feels like the perfect scenario for Madjo, because with strikers like Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham at the club, Villa can introduce a young player like him to the first team without having to rely on him.In Emery, Madjo has got the perfect manager to nurture his development too, and I think he could make his mark across all competitions this season.Age: 18 Position: Centre-back Country: AustraliaConor McNamara: I saw Herrington start for Australia at the World Cup and was impressed by his calm assurance on the ball.He only turns 19 at the start of September and is very young for any central defender in the Premier League, so it is going to be a steep learning curve for him, but he is robust at 6ft 4in, which will help.Herrington has played just one season in Major League Soccer with the Colorado Rapids, but he did well enough to be named in the MLS All-Stars Team. He only made his international debut in March, but became Australia's youngest starter in a World Cup game as they reached the knockout stages.It was Herrington's penalty - blasted against the crossbar - that ultimately eliminated Australia from the tournament in their last-32 shootout defeat by Egypt.But the fact he was given the responsibility of that crucial kick, and that he was willing to take on the challenge, shows he has immense courage.Age: 19 Position: Centre-back Country: SerbiaTom Gayle: Bournemouth are renowned for their 'plug and play' approach to recruitment.Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi arrived with low profiles and were all trusted with regular Premier League minutes before all three moved on in return for significant transfer fees.Veljko Milosavljevic could be their latest defensive recruit to attempt to follow a similar trajectory.I was at Vitality Stadium 11 months ago that the teenager made his debut in Bournemouth's 2-1 victory over Brighton. Before the match there was surprising honesty from then head coach Andoni Iraola, who told me he was unsure if Milosavljevic was ready for the Premier League.The context was that Iraola had only worked with the youngster for just a couple of days because the defender had been away with Serbia's Under-21 team.But he was ready, and made a further six top-flight appearances before suffering a knee injury in December's defeat by Everton, which remains his last Premier League outing.Granted, it's a limited sample size, but his cameos provided clear evidence Milosavljevic possesses the technical ability and physicality required to earn more consistent game time.A knock picked up during pre-season may mean a delayed start to the campaign but, fitness permitting, I'm excited at the prospect of seeing more of a man described as "one of the biggest talents of Serbian football" by media in his homeland.Age: 19 Position: Centre-midfield Country: EnglandSteve Wilson: The young central midfielder has been one of Liverpool's best performers in pre-season. Signed from Leicester City in 2023, he made his Premier League debut in late December after a handful of appearances in domestic cup competitions.Arne Slot liked what he saw enough to give the then 18-year-old a dozen appearances from the bench in the second half of last season.Andoni Iraola has been impressed by Nyoni on his new side's somewhat shaky US tour and, with central midfield an area Liverpool aren't especially strong in, he may be reconsidering listening to offers to send him out on loan.Age: 20 Position: Left-winger Country: Ivory CoastSteve Wilson: After a difficult summer, Newcastle will be hoping Toure can make an early impact, just as he did when he joined Hoffenheim from Hammarby only 18 months ago.Fifteen assists and five goals during his time in the Bundesliga meant that comparisons with countryman Yan Diomande at RB Leipzig were inevitable. 'Bazoumania' burned brightly but only briefly in south-west Germany.Toure - who is only eight months older than Diomande, now of Real Madrid - prefers to operate down the left flank, although he can be effective on both sides.Combining his pace with control is not easy, but Toure has worked hard on providing an end product to go with his acceleration.His one start and two substitute appearances at the World Cup for Ivory Coast were slightly underwhelming but with Diomande and Amad Diallo also in the squad, competition for places out wide was fierce.Age: 19 Position: Midfield Country: EnglandGuy Mowbray: The exits of Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers have left a big gap to fill in Aston Villa's midfield.Hemmings looks like a mixture of the two players who have departed and his display against PSG in the Super Cup caught my eye as much as, if not more than, Madjo's. He looks confident and classy on the ball.Tom Gayle: There is hole in Villa's midfield as a result of Tielemans' move to Manchester United as well as Amadou Onana's anterior cruciate ligament injury. Unai Emery will hope Hemmings could be the solution.A regular England international throughout the age groups, Hemmings had plenty of admirers as he progressed through the Nottingham Forest academy before moving to the West Midlands at the start of 2024.Back in January, I was in the press box for his first senior start in the Europa League group match against Salzburg. With Villa trailing 1-0 at half-time, the teenager - who in my assessment had struggled - was taken off.I concluded Hemmings must have been substituted because of his performance, but Emery confirmed afterwards the plan was always for him to play just 45 minutes.There's no doubt during the 20 months since his arrival at Villa's Bodymoor Heath training ground that Hemmings has been nurtured in the strict requirements of 'Emery Ball'. The Spanish head coach has admitted during this time the youngster has spent more time "working and not playing".All this work behind the scenes led to John McGinn's striking assessment of Hemmings' performance against PSG, when he proclaimed "it's no surprise to see him as one of the best players on the pitch".Following his breakout performance last week, perhaps the only surprise will be if we don't get to see a lot more of Hemmings this season.Age: 19 Position: Centre-back Country: CroatiaSteve Wilson: Playing for just over an hour at the World Cup for Croatia would have come as a disappointment to the teenager, who had just enjoyed a stellar season at Hamburg on loan from Tottenham.Brighton knew what they were doing when they made signing Vuskovic a condition of selling Jan Paul van Hecke to Spurs. Not only was he one of the best young defenders in Germany last season, he was also the Bundesliga's top-scoring centre-back.Vuskovic looks ready to come straight into top-flight action, and how many signings do Brighton get wrong?Age: 18 Position: Winger Country: EnglandGuy Mowbray: What happens at Etihad Stadium this season is something of an unknown post-Pep Guardiola, but as Enzo Maresca assesses the riches he has available, he might just be impressed by the talent of the teenager recruited from Chelsea's academy.The FA Youth Cup-winning winger looked at home with the senior players on City's Far East tour, with his chances of a regular place on the bench likely to be enhanced if, as expected, Savinho moves on.Age: 19 Position: Forward Country: EnglandSteve Bower: At Manchester United, everyone is talking about JJ Gabriel, who is so good he is a freak of nature - but he is just 15, so we might only see him occasionally in the Carabao Cup this season.A few years ahead of him, but still only 19, is Shea Lacey, who has overcome some early injury problems and has figured prominently in pre-season.Lacey is an exciting wide player - exactly the type that United fans like - and is also very well known to Michael Carrick, not only with his coaching head on but also his parental one, from watching his son Jacey over the years in United's academy.I watched Lacey play against Burnley in United's first game under Darren Fletcher, another coach who knows him well, when he took temporary charge last season.A lifelong United fan, he was a whisker away from scoring in that game at Turf Moor and I see him being involved in the first-team squad a lot this season.He is fearless, and it doesn't look like the shirt or any expectation will weigh heavily on him. United fans are going to enjoy seeing a lot more of him this season, with Carrick keen to give him as many opportunities as possible.Age: 19 Position: Midfield/forward Country: SwitzerlandJames Fielden: I first saw Johan play for Freiburg towards the back end of last season in their Europa League tie against Celta Vigo and said to a colleague that something would have gone wrong for him if he wasn't playing Premier League football come August. Think of Eberechi Eze in the way he effortlessly glides across the pitch with the ball.Don't be fooled by the number nine he wore on his back for Switzerland at the World Cup - he generally plays a lot deeper than that.He played against Villa in their Istanbul final, but him not having much of a say was more about the team than his own doing.Steve Wilson: He went into the World Cup with his reputation blossoming after helping Freiburg reach the Europa League final, and came out of the World Cup looking like the future of Swiss football, with Newcastle and Villa hot on his heels.His brace against Bosnia and goal against Canada meant Freiburg had little choice but to cash in.Manzambi can play in central midfield, as a number 10 or as a right-sided forward - which is arguably his most effective position. Switzerland missed him badly when injury curtailed his World Cup in the last 32.Listen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone

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Lukas Nmecha celebrates after his goal during the pre-season friendly match between Sunderland AFC and Leeds United Photograph: Rebekah Wynkoop/SPP/ShutterstockAfter keeping Leeds up last season and reaching an FA Cup semi-final, Daniel Farke has good reason to expect further improvement at Elland RoadGuardian writers’ predicted position: 12th (NB: this is not necessarily Louise Taylor’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)Pretty bright. A team’s second season in the Premier League following promotion is traditionally regarded as hazardous but all the indications are that Daniel Farke’s side will not merely harbour a high degree of immunity to this syndrome but could debunk it as a lazy cliche. The spine of the side looks extremely robust and has been reinforced by the club record £40m signing of James Trafford from Manchester City and the £34m acquisition of the Bosnia and Herzegovina centre-half Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo.Much hinges on Dominic Calvert-Lewin remaining fit. At times last season, Farke’s centre-forward proved unplayable as Leeds finished a respectable 14th. This time round Calvert-Lewin and his fellow forwards should benefit from assists provided by the talented Harry Wilson, a free transfer recruit from Fulham.Significantly, survival was achieved last spring after an unconvincing start to the campaign that, by November, had placed Farke’s job in jeopardy. After a switch to a, broadly, 3-5-2 formation the team improved, radically. Indeed, were there a separate Premier League table for the second half of the season, Leeds’ form from the start of December would have left them seventh. Pre-season results can be notoriously misleading but it is worth noting that Leeds have impressed against some strong opposition. “Pre-season has given us confidence,” said Farke.While the manager aims to take Leeds to “a new level” such ambition is tempered by sensible caution. “Everyone is talking of Europe and trophies but it’s important we stay humble and grounded,” he said. “In the last 25 years our highest Premier League finish has been ninth so we need to go step by step. The second year after promotion can be difficult and dangerous but we are hopeful we can have a good season.”The dated, if hugely atmospheric, Elland Road is undergoing a wholesale redevelopment in a project instigated by the club’s owners, 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. One of the ideas behind this much-needed stadium modernisation – involving an increase in capacity from 37,792 to 53,000 – is to help increase commercial revenue streams and, in turn, be less restricted by football’s spending rules. Another priority is reducing the lengthy season ticket waiting list. Elland Road should remain fully operational on match days as work progresses on a design intended to be the centrepiece of a wider local regeneration. The only frustration is that city council plans for a new tram network have once again been heavily delayed. With public transport infrastructure poor in a part of Leeds notorious for serious traffic congestion that could prove a big problem on match days at an expanded arena.Decent. Leeds have had some unpredictable owners in recent years so the sense of stability, professionalism and vision introduced by the California-based 49ers Enterprises has been welcome. With Elland Road now in the process of being redeveloped, Trafford recently becoming the club’s record signing and commercial income being boosted appreciably, few doubt the ownership’s ambition. A senior executive team comprising chair, Paraag Marathe, managing director, Robbie Evans, and sporting director, Adam Underwood, is generally regarded as efficient, sensible and sufficiently realistic to remain on the right side of football’s spending rules.Farke says his personality is “95% coffee and cake on the sofa and 5% fire beast”. An economics graduate who originally intended to become a sporting director, the 49-year-old one time lower division German striker and, later, Norwich manager is an interesting, multi-dimensional character with an engaging sense of humour and a love of literary fiction. In steering then newly promoted Leeds to the safety of 14th position last season while also reaching an FA Cup semi-final, Farke lost the “trampoline man” tag that, rather unfairly, had suggested his career largely involved either winning promotion or facing relegation. A coach close to Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel has described himself as “a football romantic who has learned that romanticism shouldn’t blind you to reality”. As he explains: “My brand of football normally suits teams who dominate possession but I’m always switched on to what is necessary.”The 23-year-old left-sided central defender Muharemovic has looked outstanding in pre-season. The £34m signing from Serie A has imbued Farke’s defence with not merely robust physicality and controlled aggression but assurance on the ball and a refined passing range. The manner in which he bundled Sunderland’s formidable Netherlands centre-forward Brian Brobbey over in pre-season delighted Leeds fans who have already labelled him the Bosnian King. After helping Sassuolo win promotion from Serie B, Muharemovic played a big part in securing a mid-table Serie A finish last season. Comfortable in a back three or a back four, he appears an inspired reinforcement for a team that, further forward, also seem likely to benefit from Wilson’s arrival.In recruiting Trafford, Leeds pulled off quite a coup. The 23-year-old England goalkeeper, currently understudy to Jordan Pickford in Tuchel’s squad, shone at Burnley in the Championship and arguably deserved more than to be No 2 at City last term. Trafford’s excellence with his feet can only enhance Farke’s team and his all-round talent and impressive poise under pressure should guarantee Leeds some invaluable extra points. All the indications are that the son of a Cumbrian farmer who still tries to lend a hand at lambing time is about to show the world how good he really is.Although the versatile forward ended last season in fine form for Leeds, Noah Okafor played just 25 minutes as a substitute – against Algeria – as Switzerland reached the quarter-finals, eventually bowing out to Argentina. Given Okafor’s previous rift with Murat Yakin, Switzerland’s head coach, there was a degree of surprise when he was included in his World Cup squad and it appears he had not done quite enough to earn Yakin’s full trust. Despite making one appearance for the United States as they reached the last 16 it was still a good summer for Brenden Aaronson. Farke’s trusted attacking midfielder briefly left the US pre-tournament training camp in late May and returned a married man after his long-planned wedding to Milana D’Ambra.

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A new documentary shows the moment Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola told his players that he was "incredibly sad" that captain Kyle Walker had asked to leave the club.In an emotional scene, the Spanish manager is also shown telling the players "you cannot behave" the way Walker did.Former City defender Walker joined AC Milan on loan in January 2025, after asking his manager if he could leave the club for a fresh challenge.A new Amazon Prime documentary series following Guardiola's final two years at the club captures the manager addressing his team just days after the defender's departure."So sad, what happened with Kyle," he says, before a home match with Chelsea."It was so easy for him to come to me [and say] 'I'm tired'. But you cannot behave as a captain the way he has done it. You cannot, in the toughest moments in our lives.""What did you do my friends? What did you do with your captain? Tell me, what did you do?"While it is not clear what specific behaviour from his captain Guardiola is referring to, one scene does capture an argument between the pair following a loss at Anfield in December 2024, during which Walker was at fault for losing the ball to Luis Diaz before the former Liverpool winger won a penalty."Kyle has to know that if you lose the ball it's a goal," Guardiola tells his dressing room afterwards, which draws an angry reaction from the defender, who says: "Every meeting, it's my name".Guardiola's response was to say: "Maybe because you're a captain."Walker replies: "OK. You didn't want me to be your captain".The England defender was made chosen by City teammates to be captain for the 2024-25 season, with four vice-captains - Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Bernardo Silva.Shortly before that defeat to Liverpool, Guardiola signed a new contract at City , after suffering four consecutive defeats for the first time in his career.Just after the argument with Walker, the documentary shows the Spanish coach in tears as he tells his team: "If I'm a problem, then you have to tell me."I won't stay here just for the money, or just for the fact to stay."I extended the contract because I want to be here with you, I want to win a fight in that position. I don't want to feel that I'm leaving and running away from you. I don't want to have that feeling that now the pieces fall down."He adds: "But if you feel, captains first, then the other ones, for example [feel] that there's a problem, tell me. It's not going to change the love I have for all of you - not one second. But I want to fight. That's all. I'm sorry."Before leaving for Milan, Walker made 316 appearances for City and won six Premier League titles under Guardiola after signing from Tottenham in 2017 for £50m.However, his final season at the Etihad was dogged by poor results as City ended the 2024-25 season trophyless - just the second time that had happened since Guardiola joined the club in July 2016.Despite signing a contract extension in November 2024, the series reveals how close Guardiola came to not renewing his deal.In one scene, the manager reveals to director Kevin Macdonald that, after losing four games in a row in 2024, he told the club: "Maybe it's over."In a separate scene, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak says that he was not sure he was going to be able to convince the legendary manager to stay at the club."You know the boy that cried wolf? He is the boy that cried wolf," the Emirati said."I always convince him, but last year, I knew, this time he actually saw the wolf."There were various mitigating circumstances for City's disappointing campaign in 24-25, including the 115 charges for alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules hanging over the club and the long-term injury of 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri.Amid that, Guardiola's personal life was in turmoil as he went through a divorce and there was media speculation about his mental state when the 55-year-old appeared with multiple scratches on his head and nose following a disappointing 3-3 Champions League draw with Feyenoord in November 2024.While the coach does not admit to the idea that his personal struggles affected his ability to do his job, Manel Estiarte, a long-time member of Guardiola's technical staff, speaks about how he had to address players who were worried by their manager's behaviour."They were worried because Pep was anxious," he says."He was sad. He was different. And only I knew the reason."And I said to the team, 'please, you have to understand, you're not playing with a coach who can be a bit impulsive, who can be a bit intense, who can be sometimes up and down. You're seeing a human being. He's getting a divorce'."Alongside scenes where Guardiola obsesses over tactics, there are many where he gives candid speeches and berates his team.Following a defeat by Bayer Leverkusen in November 2025, he tells his squad: "I work for you and I leave my life, my divorce and my family is away and everything for all of you. And what do you give back?"The performance you have done, all of you. It's a disgrace guys."When I see that, I am exhausted, I'm drained, I want to quit. When you play like this, I feel alone."In some scenes, the Spaniard warns his team that they will "get a new manager" if performances do not improve.In others, he speaks about using a knife to get into their hearts and insists on his squad hugging one another and himself before matches, even blaming poor performances on lukewarm goal celebrations.Guardiola stepped down as City manager at the end of the 25-26 campaign after 10 years at the Etihad, during which time he won 20 trophies, including both the FA Cup and League Cup in his final season.Speaking about his next steps, he says: "I don't know even myself what I am going to do," adding: "It will be difficult to come back. That's my feeling today. I need to refresh many things that happened in my personal life."City embarked on a rebuild during the 2024 winter and summer transfer windows in a bid to refresh an ageing squad.As part of that, the club brought in exciting French winger Rayan Cherki, 22, while 35-year-old playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, who won 16 trophies in 10 years at the Etihad, left the club.It is clear in the series that De Bruyne did not want to leave and the Belgian breaks down while speaking about the impact on his family.Guardiola describes the tough decision he had to make in letting the midfielder go."It kills me," he says. ""ithout Kevin, that period - forget about it. He was crying here [in the office]. Oh God. I have affection for that player. We lived incredible things together. Then you have to be more cold."Meanwhile, sporting director Hugo Viana reveals that there were question marks over Cherki's attitude before he was signed for £30m in June 2025.The Frenchman was chosen partly to fill De Bruyne's role, but Viana says: "The information on Cherki was not so positive, I will be very honest. Everybody knew about his abilities, but there was this idea that he was chaotic."Cherki was one of the standout players in City's squad last season, registering four goals and 12 assists in 33 Premier League matches - the second highest number of assists in the division.Man City move for £85m Bouaddi and still want FernandezNightmare Man City start for Maresca - are Arsenal really so far ahead?

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Brian Barry-Murphy toasted substitute Rubin Colwill's impact in Cardiff City's dramatic Welsh derby draw with Wrexham - after admitting he should not have come on as early as he did.The Bluebirds seemed destined for defeat in their opening game of the new Championship season after Kieffer Moore's early goal at the Cardiff City Stadium.On a night when Wrexham missed chances to put the game to bed, Cardiff huffed and puffed, but looked like lacking the quality to find an equaliser until Colwill lashed home a free-kick in the eighth minute of stoppage time."I thought he had a big impact on a big game," Barry-Murphy said.Last-gasp Cardiff salvage dramatic Wrexham drawLatest Cardiff City news, analysis and fan viewsColwill began on the bench having struggled recently with an ankle injury.The Wales international was introduced just after the hour as Barry-Murphy made a flurry of changes in an attempt to turn the tide of the contest."He's only trained for two days really, so I probably shouldn't have put him on as early as I did," the Cardiff head coach added."But the way the game was going, I felt as if we needed a bit of something different and he can do that from deep, so we just take it day by day with him and see how he is."He's an impeccable professional, loves the game, loves the club, so he's a huge figure for us here, I can't deny that. He just needs to find some rhythm and volume in his training because he hasn't done a lot of training, so we can't rush him back because that would just put him at risk for no reason."Colwill's goal means Cardiff are off and running in the Championship with a draw which felt almost as sweet as a victory.Amid frantic celebrations after the leveller, Barry-Murphy was cautioned for leaving his technical area.When asked whether the booking was worth it in the circumstances, he said with a smile: "No, no, no. I don't want to be paying any fines. I was a bit embarrassed."