All posts by h716a5.icu

It's a wild time to be a fan of American soccer, leaving those that follow it plenty to be grateful for this holiday season

Thanksgiving is here. It's a time for family and food and, for Americans celebrating the holiday, it's safe to say there will be plenty of the latter to go around. However, the holiday is also one about reflection and gratitude. It is called Thanksgiving, after all.

This holiday season, American soccer fans have plenty to be thankful for. It's a wild time across the soccer landscape, as fans of both the men's and women's game have plenty to look forward to.

So, in between bites of turkey and family time around the TV watching the football, GOAL has you covered with a breakdown of what American fans should be thankful for on this Thanksgiving day…

Getty/GOALSerie (US)A

Just about six months ago, things were dire for the U.S. men's national team's top stars in Europe. Christian Pulisic was stuck on Chelsea's bench; Tim Weah wasn't quite a regular at Lille; Weston McKennie was enduring a nightmare at Leeds that dragged him down alongside USMNT teammates Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson.

At the time, it looked like the USMNT's big stars would have to take a step back in search of playing time. Instead, three of the team's most important players made the move to Italian mega-clubs and, thus far, they've thrived.

Pulisic, Weah and Yunus Musah have all found homes in Serie A and have all played key roles to start the season. Injuries have limited Weah a bit, although he remains a regular starter at wing-back for Juventus, while McKennie has featured both out wide and centrally for the Old Lady after re-establishing himself in Turin. Over at AC Milan, Pulisic has been among the Rossoneri's better players this season, while Musah has made a midfield role his own after earning Stefano Pioli's trust.

The Italian top-flight hasn't always been a go-to for Americans, but it's rapidly becoming one, as Serie A has given four key players a much-needed place to call home.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesHomefield tournaments

All eyes are on the 2026 World Cup, and rightfully so. It'll be a defining moment for American soccer, one that might just blow 1994 out of the water. Before that, though, there's something of a dress rehearsal. The Copa America is coming in 2024 as South America's best will head up north for a massive tournament.

The USMNT is already in the field, having exorcised their demons a bit by defeating Trinidad & Tobago to book their place. Mexico got in too by the skin of their teeth, needing every last second to beat Honduras. Jamaica and Panama have also booked their spot, but Canada will need to win a play-off to get in.

That feels like the undercard, though, as CONMEBOL's giants are no doubt the ones to watch. Argentina, the defending champions and World Cup winners, remain the favorite, for sure. Colombia and Uruguay are rising with young stars leading the way. And Brazil, despite their recent struggles, are Brazil… can your really write them off?

Some of the world's biggest stars will be playing big games in the U.S. next summer, including arguably the best this sport has ever seen. Speaking of him…

GettyLionel Messi

Who could have imagined? The dream move, somehow, became a reality. Lionel Messi is playing in the U.S.

All these months later, it's still a hard one to grasp for those that have followed the rise of MLS. One of the best players in history, if not the best, is playing in the U.S., and just a few months in, he's already put on quite a show.

His Leagues Cup run was unforgettable, as Messi stepped in and lifted Inter Miami to the club's first trophy. He came too late to guide the club to the playoffs, but even so, Messi has already made quite an impact, on and off the field.

Interest is through the roof, as are sales of that pink No.10 shirt. Fans all over the world are paying attention to MLS, and now it's on the league to capitalize on that fact. With Messi involved and the World Cup around the corner, it seems it's only up from here for MLS.

As for Messi, he'll be back in early 2024, and after joining midseason, it's fun to imagine what his first full campaign in MLS could be like. With a full preseason, a bit of rest, and perhaps some new superstar teammates, Messi looks set to dominate next season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesEmma Hayes

The U.S. women's national team's World Cup run was a failure, and it cost Vlatko Andonovski his job. That pushed the USWNT towards a turning point as they looked to define a new era with a big coaching hire.

Well, U.S. Soccer went out and got a big one. The federation flexed its muscles to lure one of the best in the women's game to the role, proving that the USWNT job is still one with considerable pull.

Emma Hayes is a superstar coach, one that built the Chelsea program from the ground up. She's a coach that knows how to build a winning culture, and the USWNT is currently a team that needs to rediscover that side of itself.

The hiring of Hayes is a massive deal, and it probably won't take long for USWNT fans to see why. Having coached in the U.S. earlier in her career, Hayes is the perfect mix of insider and outsider that this team needs as they look to build on the good parts of 2023. And about those good parts…

The Gunners began their Dubai Super Cup campaign with a comfortable success against Lyon in which several players made the case for more playing time

Arsenal picked up where they left off before the World Cup break with a comfortable 3-0 victory against Lyon on Thursday night, bringing some positivity after this week's news of forward Gabriel Jesus' surgery.

It was the perfect start to the Dubai Super Cup for the Gunners, who cruised to the win thanks to first half goals from Gabriel Magalhaes, Eddie Nketiah and Fabio Vieira.

A penalty shootout was held at the end of the game with an extra point on offer and Arsenal won that as well, with keeper Karl Hein keeping out four Lyon penalties as the Gunners edged it 2-1.

Mikel Arteta would have been delighted with what he saw from his side, who were totally dominant in the first half and deservedly went in front when Gabriel powered home Martin Odegaard's corner.

Eddie Nketiah's finish from Fabio Vieira's pass then doubled the lead before Vieira made it three with a superb strike from outside the box which picked out the top corner.

Arteta changed his outfield XI completely in the second half, throwing on the Under-21s, and they performed well as they held on for the win against a far more experienced Lyon side and also came out on top in the penalty shootout.

Getty ImagesThe Winners

Winner: Eddie Nketiah

All eyes were on Nketiah going into this game following the confirmation that Gabriel Jesus was set for an extended spell on the sidelines. With Jesus out, Nketiah will now have the responsibility of leading the frontline for Arsenal once the Premier League returns on Boxing Day. So he would have been well aware of the pressure he was now under and so to respond in the manner he did was very impressive. He was bright from the first minute, with his movement causing Lyon all sorts of problems. He took his goal as well as you would expect from Fabio Vieira's pass and the piece of hold up play he produced at the start of the move for Vieira's goal was very encouraging. Nketiah has a big couple of months coming up and this was a very positive start.

Winner: Fabio Vieira

Mikel Arteta said last month that he believed Arsenal's trip to Dubai would be hugely beneficial to Fabio Vieira and Arsenal's manager looks set to be proved right on this evidence. The Portuguese playmaker grabbed an assist for Nketiah with a clever pass in the first half and then got on the scoresheet himself with a fabulous curling effort from outside the box that fizzed into the top corner. Vieira was playing on the right of the front three which is not his favoured role and you could see that his preference was always to cut inside on his left foot when he did get on the ball. Lyon did play into his hands a bit by allowing him to do that, but the former Porto star demonstrated once again that he has a real talent for getting into dangerous areas in and around the final third.

Winner: Karl Hein

Arsenal's third-choice goalkeeper had very little to do during the game, with Lyon struggling to create anything of note. But whenever he was called into action to deal with balls into the box and did perfectly, showing real maturity and composure when claiming crosses. And he was the star of the show in the penalty shootout, saving four Lyon spot kicks to ensure Arsenal got the extra point.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Losers

Loser: Sambi Lokonga

The young Belgian midfielder was the one Arsenal player who looked a bit off the pace. Given Lyon were so poor, there was lots of space for Arsenal to exploit and the majority of the starters did just that. Lokonga just couldn't quite take his opportunity to impress, however. He saw plenty of the ball, but didn't do much with it.

Loser: Alexandre Lacazette

Lacazette would have been desperate to score against his former club. It may have only been a friendly, but he would have still loved to get one over his old team-mates. But the Lyon striker barely got a kick all evening, with Gabriel Magalhaes and Rob Holding comfortably seeing him off.

Loser: Rayan Cherki

The Lyon player produced one of the worst attempted Panenka penalties off all time to hand Arsenal the penalty shoot-out win after the game. The 19-year-old had to score to keep Lyon alive, but embarrassingly dinked his effort straight into the grateful hands of Hein.

Getty ImagesArsenal Ratings: Defence

Karl Hein (9/10):

Excellent. Didn't put a foot wrong during the 90 minutes and then saved four Lyon penalties in the shootout.

Cedric Soares (7/10):

Linked up well with Vieira. Sent in some good set pieces.

Rob Holding (7/10):

Never troubled. Easy night's work.

Gabriel Magalhaes (8/10):

Thumping header to open the scoring.

Kieran Tierney (7/10):

Got forward well and combined well with Nelson.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesMidfield

Mohamed Elneny (7/10):

Controlled the midfield. Kept everything tidy. Shot just wide in the second half.

Sambi Lokonga (6/10):

Looked a bit off the pace. Didn't really take his chance to impress.

Martin Odegaard (8/10):

Excellent. Set up the first goal and pulled the strings all night.

Christian Pulisic was delighted with AC Milan's "big win" over Rennes in the first leg of the Europa League knockout round play-off tie.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Milan beat Rennes 3-0 in Europa LeagueLoftus-Cheek and Leao score in first legPulisic thrilled with 'big' play-off tie winGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

A Ruben Loftus-Cheek double and Rafael Leao's fine finish secured Milan a comfortable win against the French side on Thursday night at San Siro. While Pulisic didn't score or get an assist, he and fellow USMNT international Yunus Musah were solid against the Ligue 1 outfit. And after the match, the former Chelsea man took to social media to toast the victory.

AdvertisementWHAT CHRISTIAN PULISIC SAID

In an Instagram story, Pulisic, who has scored seven goals and bagged six assists for Milan since his£17 million ($22m) transferto the Italian giants from Chelsea last summer, wrote: "Big win!", followed by several photos of the match.

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

AC Milan face an outside chance of winning Serie A this season as they are eight points behind leaders Inter, with their rivals having a game in hand, too. However, the Europa League offers the Rossoneri, who dropped out of the Champions League earlier this season, a good opportunity to pick up major silverware.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT?

Pulisic's Milan take on Monza in Serie A on Sunday evening, before travelling to Rennes for the second leg of their Europa League play-off clash next Thursday. If they win that, they will be in the hat for the round of 16 draw on February 23.

The Cameroonian's clanger undid an excellent start by the Red Devils and sent the hosts on the path to their 4-3 victory

Manchester United put so much faith in Andre Onana this summer, and their reward was a catastrophic error which paved the way towards a 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday which puts yet more pressure on Erik ten Hag.

The Red Devils made a surprisingly good start and could have taken the lead, but Onana's feeble attempt to keep out a soft Leroy Sane shot put them on the backfoot, and Bayern twisted the knife in with goals from Serge Gnabry, Harry Kane and teenager Mathys Tel.

United can console themselves with the fact Rasmus Hojlund struck his first goal for the club and they at least put up a fight with Casemiro's two late goals, but this was another dark night for Ten Hag. His next game at Burnley is now a must-win match.

GOAL rates Manchester United's players from the Allianz Arena…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Andre Onana (4/10):

Committed a horrendous error which galvanised Bayern and the home crowd after their sleepy start and it was all downhill from there for the visitors. Didn't get close to Gnabry or Kane's goals but did do well to turn away Choupo-Moting's later strike.

Diogo Dalot (5/10):

Was powerless to stop Musiala's run into the area to set up Gnabry's strike, underling the difference in defensive quality between him and the injured Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Did make a brave late interception which prevented a worse scoreline, however, and showed promise going forward.

Victor Lindelof (6/10):

Made a series of crucial interventions and looked far more alert than his defensive partner.

Lisandro Martinez (4/10):

Poor decision-making for the second goal, leaving Gnabry unmarked as he focused on Kane, who was being covered by Reguilon.

Sergio Reguilon (7/10):

One of United's best performers. Solid and brave defensively and gave his opposite number Laimer a lot to think about down the other end.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Christian Eriksen (4/10):

Frequently over-powered and saw several passes intercepted. Missed a glorious chance to give United the lead, then was harshly punished for an accidental handball by VAR. The first player to be taken off.

Casemiro (5/10):

Made a positive start but once Bayern were ahead he struggled to keep them at bay. Lost track of Musiala for the second goal but kept fighting and his two goals kept the scoreline dignified.

Bruno Fernandes (4/10):

Another poor performance from the captain. Unable to influence proceedings in any meaningful way.

Getty ImagesAttack

Facundo Pellistri (5/10):

A surprise inclusion in the starting XI and initially did well, causing some early problems and making United look more organised than when they deployed the midfield diamond against Brighton. But his lack of experience and physical prowess soon showed.

Rasmus Hojlund (6/10):

Crucially got off the mark, even if his goal came courtesy of a big deflection. Worked hard off the ball.

Marcus Rashford (5/10):

Had the run of Laimer down the left wing but had little overall impact.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Scott McTominay (5/10):

Gave the team a little bit more balance after replacing Eriksen.

Anthony Martial (6/10):

Had a surprisingly big impact despite coming on in the 81st minute, showing good hold-up play and setting up Casemiro's first goal.

Alejandro Garnacho (N/A):

Came on in the 81st minute which was too late for a player of his quality when chasing the game.

Erik ten Hag (6/10):

Picked a sensible starting XI and his team began well. His changes mostly worked but again he made them too late. Can't escape criticism after a third straight defeat.

Some of the greatest players in history have lined out for the Catalan club, but only so many can make our all-time Blaugrana XI…

One of the most decorated football clubs in the world, Barcelona have won 92 major trophies throughout their illustrious history and are the second-most successful club in Spain behind rivals Real Madrid.

Superstars such as Johan Cruyff, Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho have all donned the famous shirt at various points in time.

But who makes it into Barcelona's all-time XI?

Getty ImagesGK: Victor Valdes

A Barcelona academy product, Victor Valdes played for the first team for 12 years from 2002 to 2014 and won 21 trophies during that time, including six Liga titles and three Champions Leagues.

He was an integral part of the Pep Guardiola side that won the ‘Sextuple’ in 2009 and even though he was never quite Spain's undisputed No.1, there is no doubt about it that Valdes is an all-time Barca great.

Andoni Zubizarreta was a strong candidate for the goalkeeper spot as well, but he just misses out to Valdes.

AdvertisementGettyRB: Dani Alves

Now, this was an easy decision.

Dani Alves is not just an undisputed Barcelona hero, but arguably one of the best right-backs the game has ever seen.

The Brazilian joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2008 and played at the club until 2016. In January 2022, Dani Alves re-joined the Catalans on a six-month deal with a clause to extend his stay up to June 2023.

During the eight-and-a-half years he has spent at Camp Nou so far, Dani Alves has won a staggering 25 trophies. 

Albert Ferrer may have been good, very good in fact, but Dani Alves was the obvious choice for the right-back berth.

Getty ImagesCB: Carles Puyol

Club legend and former captain Carles Puyol played for Barcelona throughout his career from 1999 to 2014, never once being tempted to try his luck elsewhere.

He won every major trophy with the Catalan club, including six Liga titles and three Champions Leagues, and was the undoubted heart of the side that changed the game.

Indeed, Puyol, who is the club's fifth most-capped player of all time with 593 appearances, was a truly special player, someone who personified Barcelona like few others.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyCB: Gerard Pique

Picking Puyol's partner at the back was not an easy choice.

We considered Ronald Koeman. After all, he delivered that coveted first Champions League trophy with his sublime free-kick at Wembley in 1992.

But then, that would have meant leaving out Gerard Pique, which, let's be honest, would have been plain wrong.

The veteran Spanish defender rejoined Barcelona in 2008, having previously left the club for a spell with Manchester United, and is still playing for the Catalan giants to this day.

Pique has won 30 major club trophies during his time at Barcelona, so we think he probably deserves forgiveness for his temporary move to United.

Juventus are planning a doubling swoop for out of favour Manchester United stars Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho in the January transfer window.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Juventus plotting double transfer for Man Utd outcastsVan de Beek wants to play regularlyEnquired about Sancho in NovemberWHAT HAPPENED?

Sancho, who has remained out of action since his public fallout with manager Erik ten Hag in September, has been linked with a move to Juventus ever since the Serie A giants enquired about the player's situation at United last month. Now reports that the Italian club are plotting a double swoop for Sancho and Van de Beek in the upcoming transfer window.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Dutch midfielder has had limited opportunities under Erik ten Hag having clocked just 21 minutes on the pitch this season. The Bianconeri eye him as an alternative to Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli who are currently serving suspensions. A few days back, Van de Beek had even expressed his desire to leave the Red Devils in January as he wants to play more regularly.

DID YOU KNOW?

The 26-year-old Netherlands international has made just six Premier League starts since joining Manchester United in 2020. In January 2022, he moved on loan to Everton but returned to the club at the end of the 20222-23 season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR VAN DE BEEK AND SANCHO?

The double transfer could take place in January but the Premier League giants are likely to demand €30 million (£26m/$33m) for a permanent move of Sancho. If the Italian club agree to pay the sum for the English winger they could get Van de Beek on a free loan.

For the third time this season there will not be a lunchtime fixture on a Saturday in the Premier League – and here's why.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

No lunchtime fixture on SaturdayThird time this season in Premier LeagueTNT decides against using 12.30pm slotWHAT HAPPENED?

The upcoming round of Premier League fixtures will start no earlier than 3pm on Saturday for the second weekend in a row. While there will be a 12.30pm kick-off on March 9 when Manchester United take on Everton at Old Trafford, why is there no lunchtime fixture this time out?

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE EXPLANATION

According to , TNT Sports are the holders of the 12.30pm slot on Saturday in the Premier League. The broadcaster will televise 52 live games this season, in either a lunchtime or midweek evening fixture. However, TNT has decided against using any of their games on this weekend's matches, meaning there is no 12.30pm match this Saturday in Gameweek 27.

DID YOU KNOW?

In early December, the Premier League agreed a new record £6.7 billion ($8.5bn) UK TV rights deal with Sky Sports and TNT Sports to broadcast up to 270 live matches a season. This new deal will come into play from the 2025/26 season and will last for four years.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT?

While there is no 12.30pm match on Saturday, there are seven fixtures on that day, including Nottingham Forest versus Liverpool, Brentford against Chelsea, Newcastle United versus Wolves, and Luton Town against Aston Villa.

Al-Nassr duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane took turns to mock Al-Hilal's Ali Al-Bulayhi for his so-called playacting in a Saudi Pro League clash.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ronaldo clashes with Al-BulayhiMane joins in with the tauntsAl-Hilal beat Al-Nassr 3-0WHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo was not best pleased by the Al-Hilal defender's so-called playacting and pretended he couldn't hear his enraged opponent by cupping his hand to his ear. Former Liverpool star Mane then joined in and could be seen sarcastically clapping Al-Bulayhi. The latter was sent off in the closing stages of the game after receiving two yellow cards but it mattered little as Al-Hilal eased past Al-Nassr in a 3-0 win on Friday night in the Saudi Pro League.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The result, courtesy of goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and a brace from former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, puts Al-Hilal seven points clear ahead of second-placed Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. But with Ronaldo in their team, who has scored an incredible 18 goals in 20 games in all competitions this season, this title race is far from over.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

The Portuguese international is next in action for Al-Nassr in the AFC Champions League away to Istiklol on Tuesday.

It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

As a long time Premier League captain, Steven Gerrard knows a bit about the demands of the job. However, his decision to strip Tyrone Mings of the captaincy coupled with his less than favourable comments were still seen as a little bit over the top by sections of the Aston Villa fanbase.

Whether it's because Gerrard sees a bit of himself in new skipper John McGinn, or just that he doesn't fancy Mings, you do have to feel sorry for the England international.

After Saturday's opening day defeat against Bournemouth, Gerrard : "When Tyrone is back at his best and looks me in the eye and shows that he's ready to play, he'll get opportunities."

Gerrard himself was famously awarded the Liverpool captaincy in 2003 after then boss Gerard Houllier removed Sami Hyypia from the job, saying that Gerrard deserved the armband to reflect his growing influence on the team.

Here, GOAL remembers six other skippers who fell out with their gaffers and teammates.

Getty ImagesPierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Arsenal

For a young manager, a revolt from such a senior, influential player might have been a daunting prospect – but Mikel Arteta dealt with Aubameyang's misbehaviour pretty well.

The then-Arsenal captain had failed to return to London for training after a trip to France in December last year, resulting in disciplinary action after several breaches.

"Following his latest disciplinary breach last week, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will no longer be our club captain," read a statement on Arsenal’s website. "We expect all our players, particularly our captain, to work to the rules and standards we have all set and agreed."

With that, Aubameyang was out of the picture at the club. The striker appeared happy to leave, joining Barcelona in January and ending his Arsenal career in ignominious style.

AdvertisementGettyGranit Xhaka – Arsenal

Aubameyang was not the first disruptive Arsenal captain. In fact, it was the Gabonese striker who took the armband when Xhaka was stripped of it for telling fans to "f*** off".

The midfielder reacted angrily when substituted during a game, unhappy with the reception he got from supporters at Emirates Stadium as he walked off the pitch.

It took some time for Xhaka to apologise and to rebuild relations with the Gunners faithful, but he did so eventually.

The Switzerland international appears to have been liberated without the burden of the captaincy, continuing to be a regular under Arteta.

Getty ImagesWilliam Gallas – Arsenal

An Arsenal hat-trick.

Gallas, brazenly and apparently without any regard for the consequences, decided to publicly attack teammates Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri in an interview promoting his autobiography.

Arsene Wenger did not take kindly to it, taking the armband off the French defender midway through the 2008-09 season.

With his popularity at the Emirates already waning, Gallas' decision to join Tottenham in 2010 was the final nail in the coffin.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesChris Samba – Blackburn

Big Chris Samba was not someone to be messed with – particularly if you happen to be a diminutive Scot.

However, Steve Kean was not intimidated upon taking the managerial role at Blackburn after the departure of Sam Allardyce in 2010.

After Samba suggested he might be open to a move elsewhere, Kean immediately appointed a new captain, although the Frenchman didn't take long to win the armband back.

“The way he explained it to me was really good,” Kean said. “He said, ‘I’ve never asked to leave. All I said was that if a bigger club comes in I’ve aspirations to play in Europe and win things, then it’s something I would look at’.

“I stressed that we want to build a squad that gets us into the top half, then next summer we’ll make additions to try and challenge the top six. As soon as he heard that he was much more positive.”

The ex-Borussia Dortmund star has disappointed at Old Trafford, and there are several players on the market who may be a better fit for the Red Devils

Manchester United have boasted some of the greatest wingers of all time in their ranks down the years, from George Best to Ryan Giggs, and David Beckham to Cristiano Ronaldo.

In their prime, they were players capable of mind-boggling moments of individual brilliance that could decide matches – risk-takers and mavericks with a winning mentality that just cannot be taught, and supporters idolised them for it.

United paid £73 million ($101m) to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund because they believed he was cut from the same cloth. He certainly looked special in Germany, after taking the brave decision to turn down a first professional contract at Manchester City to join BVB at the tender of age of 17 back in 2017.

🏆 TOP STORY: Arteta gives worrying Saliba injury update📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Can Haaland beat Ronaldo's UCL goal record?🚨 MUST READ: The most boring UCL knockouts ever?!

Sancho racked up an impressive haul of 50 goals and 64 assists in a Dortmund shirt, but his fearlessness and intelligence on the ball made him stand out the most. Personality can often be the difference between good and great players, and he had it in spades.

For whatever reason, though, that version of Sancho has yet to appear at Old Trafford.

As we edge towards the end of his second season at United, he has just 10 goals to his name from 68 appearances, and Erik ten Hag is reportedly growing impatient with his lack of progress.

Sancho fought his way back into the squad after being exiled entirely by the Dutchman due to "physical and mental" issues, but he hasn't made the most of his clean slate it now feels as though he will never fulfil his potential in Manchester.

A summer transfer might be in the best interests of all parties concerned, especially given the possible replacements thought to be on United's radar.

Sancho probably isn't going to enter the club's Hall of Fame, but there are others that could, starting with a certain Portugal international making a huge impact at Milan…

Getty ImagesRafael Leao

With 42 minutes on the clock in the second leg of Milan's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Napoli, Leao picked up possession deep in his own half as Stefano Pioli's side were granted a reprieve following wave after wave of attacks.

The 23-year-old proceeded to race down the left flank, showing superb dribbling skills to elude three defenders along the way, and eventually found himself in the opposition box.

Leao capped it all off by showing superb awareness to cut the ball back for Olivier Giroud, who made no mistake with a simple finish from just outside the six-yard box. Milan went on to win the tie 2-1 on aggregate, progressing to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2007.

The Rossoneri needed a moment of magic to get over the line, and Leao provided it. However, it wouldn't have come as much of a surprise to the visiting fans at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, given the fact he's been producing that kind of brilliance on a regular basis for the last four years.

Leao was the driving force behind Milan's 2021-22 Scudetto success and he's now pushing them towards an eighth European Cup, which is why just about every top club on the continent is interested in his services.

United, Arsenal and Chelsea are reportedly among those weighing up a summer move for Leao, whose contract at San Siro is due to expire in 2024. Talks over a possible extension have yet to progress, as he admitted after the quarter-final.

"I want to stay here at Milan, yes — but there are some things to resolve," he told .

At the moment, Leao looks like the kind of superstar United had hoped Sancho would become, and they could snap him up for a cut-price fee if they act quickly when the market reopens.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesChristian Pulisic

Next up is a man who played alongside Sancho at Dortmund in the early stages of his own career – the talisman of the United States men's national team and one of the most talented players in the current Chelsea squad: Christian Pulisic.

Unfortunately, he has only shown off said talent sporadically over the last three years at Stamford Bridge.

Pulisic in full flow is difficult for any defender to stop, and his highlight reel for the Blues makes for an excellent watch. He's scored 26 goals for the club to date, and more than a few fall into the category of spectacular.

Arguably his best effort came in a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in June 2020, as he ran from inside his own half and ghosted past Ilkay Gundogan and Benjamin Mendy before placing a beautiful finish past Ederson.

The USMNT star has that in his locker, and has been pretty consistent for his country at international level, but he's always been in and out of the starting line up at Chelsea.

Niggling injuries have played their part, while Frank Lampard, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter all struggled to find his best position, and it has been reported that the Blues could cut their losses on the 24-year-old later this year.

Old Trafford has been mooted as a potential next destination for Pulisic, who still has the prime years of his career ahead of him.

Ten Hag has brought the best out of previously inconsistent figures such as Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw this season, and the American might enjoy a similar resurgence if he were to join United's ranks – though it remains to be seen whether Chelsea would sell him to a direct rival.

(C)Getty imagesAnsu Fati

Lionel Messi's surprise departure from Camp Nou in 2021 sent shockwaves through the entire footballing world, and Barcelona are still trying to recover to this day.

The Liga giants lost their captain – who is the greatest player to ever kick a ball in the eyes of many – amid an unprecedented financial crisis, and supporters lost a hero they had worshipped for nigh on two decades as the trophies rolled in.

Ansu Fati was the man given the honour of inheriting Messi's sacred No.10 shirt, which felt like a logical move at the time given his bright start to life in Barca's senior squad.

In his first season after graduating from the academy, the Spaniard became Barca's youngest-ever league goalscorer, the youngest-ever Champions League goalscorer and the youngest player in La Liga history to score twice in a match.

There was a risk attached to the club's decision, though, given Fati's progress had stalled due to a serious knee injury that kept him out of action for nine months.

A hamstring issue then held him back throughout the 2021-22 season, and he has been unable to force his way into Xavi's starting XI since, much to the frustration of his father.

Bori Fati, who also serves as his son's agent, hit out at the club over their treatment of Ansu in an extraordinary rant last month, and also suggested that he should seek a transfer.

Fati appears to have finally put his fitness troubles behind him, but only 13 of his 42 appearances for the Blaugrana this season have come as a starter, and he hasn't taken to a new central striker role under Xavi.

It has been reported that Fati is one of several first-team players Barca will look to offload this summer in order to further reduce their wage bill (and potentially re-sign Messi), and United are said to be considering a swoop.

A move to Old Trafford might give the 20-year-old the opportunity to return to his favoured position on the left wing – which is where he still has the capacity to become one of the top players of his generation.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)Getty ImagesKaoru Mitoma

Circling back to the Premier League, we come to Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma, who has emerged as a top prospect in his debut campaign at the Amex Stadium.

Mitoma spent a year on loan at Royale Union Saint-Gilloise after his initial move to Brighton, which turned out to be the right call for his development.

Graham Potter used the Japan international primarily off the bench at the start of the season, but after the manager's departure to Chelsea, Mitoma was given the chance to truly shine.

Potter's replacement, Roberto De Zerbi, saw something in Mitoma right from the off and threw him straight into his line up on the left flank, with fantastic results.

The 25-year-old has been one of the standout players in a Brighton side making an unlikely push for Champions League football, alongside the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, earning plenty of admirers in the process.

Mitoma thrives in one-on-one situations, as evidenced by his position in the top 10 for successful dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season.

Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold has been among those to be caught in a spin trying to contain Mitoma, who has the end product to match his electrifying ability on the ball.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle have all been linked with Mitoma in recent months, along with United, who might just have the edge in any transfer race.

After signing for Brighton in 2021, Mitoma revealed his desire to follow in the footsteps of one of Japan's most successful footballing exports, Shinji Kagawa, who played for United between 2012 and 2014.

"Kagawa being a part of Manchester United was a big thing in Japan," he told Brighton's official website. "I hope to have as much success as my fellow Japanese predecessors in the Premier League."

Kagawa became a Premier League winner at United, but Mitoma could win multiple pieces of silverware if he joins Ten Hag's ever-improving squad, and would be a shrewd addition given the lasting impression he has made on English football in such a short period.