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Carlo Ancelotti's side made easy work of last year's title contenders, even if the manager now has further knocks to worry about

Real Madrid got back to winning ways as Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler provided the goals in a comfortable 3-0 win over Girona in La Liga on Saturday. A difficult first half gave way to an easy second, Bellingham bossing proceedings for an hour while Mbappe looked much improved ahead of a decisive Champions League match against Atalanta on Tuesday.

Los Blancos were on the back foot early on, with Girona enjoying a handful of chances, but the home side never capitalised and were made to pay. Bellingham provided the moment for Madrid, bashing one into the back of the net from the top of the box through a crowd of Girona legs.

The Englishman was crucial to the second, too, pivoting and feeding Arda Guler, who finished across the goalkeeper after darting in behind. Mbappe scored the third, slipping his man, taking a touch, and finding the bottom corner with a driven effort from a tight angle.

Madrid controlled the game thereafter, but it wasn't all smooth sailing. There are some injury worries as Bellingham was taken off on the hour mark after grabbing his thigh, and Ferland Mendy also required medical assistance. Still, this win was about as comfortable as they come after a prolonged difficult period for the reigning champions.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Montilivi…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Thibaut Courtois (7/10):

  Called into action a few times in the early goings, and dealt with the pressure effectively. Will be relieved to register a clean sheet.

  Lucas Vazquez (6/10):

  Struggled to deal with Bryan Gil at times. His work rate can never be faulted, but the defensive quality simply isn't there.

  Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

  A surprise start, especially given his patchy form of late. Didn't do much to silence his critics, either, with a shaky showing.

  Antonio Rudiger (8/10):

  So, so comfortable throughout. Won his headers, kept the ball moving, and enjoyed a few forward runs.

  Ferland Mendy (7/10):

  Went about his defensive duties with aplomb, and didn't really take any risks on the ball. His knock is a concern, though.

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  Midfield

  Federico Valverde (7/10):

  Ran loads, kept it tidy. No apparent impact from his mistake midweek.

  Jude Bellingham (8/10):

  Worked his socks off, bashed home Madrid's first goal. Has scored in five straight games. Produced a lovely assist for the second. Removed after an hour with an apparent leg injury. Will hope it's nothing serious.

  Luka Modric (8/10):

  Had some shaky moments early on, but rather turned it on in the second half. He was involved in the second goal and assisted the third with a lovely through ball.

  Arda Guler (7/10):

  Scored a wonderful second and danced around throughout. He looks a real talent.

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  Attack

  Kylian Mbappe (7/10):

  Busy in the first half, and had a couple of half chances. Found the back of the net to seal the decisive third.

  Brahim Diaz (5/10):

  Another game in which he did a lot of interesting things, but didn't have a real material impact.

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  Subs & Manager

  Dani Ceballos (5/10):

  Replaced Bellingham, immediately almost conceded with a silly giveaway.

  Endrick (N/A):

  No time to make an impact.

  Fran Garcia (N/A):

  A late replacement for the injured Medy.

  Raul Asencio (N/A):

  Puzzling that he didn't start.

  Daniel Yanez (N/A):

  A debut for the youngster

  Carlo Ancelotti (7/10):

  Made a big call with Tchouameni at centre-back, and had Mbappe play in a more central position. At first, it looked like poor management. But Los Blancos' attacking quality shone through. He won't be happy with the mounting injury list, though.

As their official Premier League return approaches, Ipswich Town are yet to complete their summer business, with reports now linking the Tractor Boys to a top six midfielder who is expected to leave his current club.

Ipswich transfer news

Those at Portman Road have already welcomed as many as six fresh faces, with the most impressive being a permanent deal for star man Omari Hutchinson from Chelsea.

Following the winger has been the addition of high potential players like Jacob Greaves and Liam Delap along with top flight experience to the tune of Arijanet Muric and Ben Johnson, with full back Conor Townsend rounding off the business so far.

Speaking for the first time since completing the move, Townsend told Ipswich's official website: “I’m delighted to be here. To play in the Premier League again is a big challenge for me and this kind of opportunity doesn’t come around very often so I jumped at the chance.

“The move came around quite quickly and I’m excited to get started. I have had good conversations with the Manager and everyone speaks very highly of him, so I’m looking forward to getting started and working under him. I played against Ipswich twice last season and both were very tough games. What the team was able to achieve last season was special, so I’m excited to be a part of it now.”

Ipswich could fix Hirst headache by signing “ridiculous” goal machine

Ipswich Town could well need more reinforcements up top.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 8, 2024

The former West Bromwich Albion man may not be the final new face through the door, either. According to Matt Law of The Telegraph, Ipswich are now eyeing a move to sign Oliver Skipp, who is expected to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer and has attracted interest from all three newly-promoted sides.

A player with plenty of Premier League experience these days, despite still being just 23 years old, Skipp would be some coup for the Tractor Boys before deadline day at the end of the month, though he may need to take a hit on his current £40k-a-week (over £2m per year) wages.

"Amazing" Skipp would be an intelligent signing

Skipp is not someone who will steal the headlines – his role simply isn't that of a marquee arrival. But what he will do is quietly work away in front of Kieran McKenna's backline to provide a platform for the likes of Hutchinson to thrive. What's more, outside of his role, the midfielder would bring invaluable experience from the top of English and European football, having made 77 Premier League appearances and 10 appearances across European competitions.

The 23-year-old has earned plenty of praise during his time at Spurs, including from former interim manager Cristian Stellini, who told BBC Sport after Skipp scored a sensational goal in a 2-0 win over Chelsea in 2023: “Brilliant moment [for Oliver Skipp] and one that we expected for one year because it has been one year he stayed far from the pitch. Last season with physical problems and this year for tactical decisions.

“He is ready because he has trained a lot and pushed himself. He is an amazing guy and great player. A player like Skippy has to understand that if he trains a lot he will have possibilities to show his value."

BVB could make millions from another top talent after making a habit of giving some of England's most talented youngsters an opportunity to shine

On November 30 at the Westfalenstadion, Jamie Gittens did something that no player had managed for eight weeks: he scored against Bayern Munich. However, the fact the Borussia Dortmund winger had breached the Bavarians' backline wasn't nearly as exciting or significant as the way that he had done so.

Gittens managed to torch Konrad Laimer without even touching the ball, with the 20-year-old ingeniously allowing Nico Schlotterbeck's seemingly innocuous pass from deep inside his own half to run past him before turning on the afterburners and racing past the bamboozled Bayern right-back.

Laimer puffed out his cheeks and set off in pursuit but his race was already run. There was no catching Gittens. And, despite the presence of Manuel Neuer in goal, no stopping the left-footed strike that almost burst the Bayern net either.

Gittens admitted afterwards that even just a couple of years ago, he would have been intimidated by going up against a goalkeeping legend that he used to see on FIFA and TV – but not anymore. Gittens is a very different character – and proposition – this season.

Right now, in fact, he's one of the most in-form forwards in the world – which is precisely why the latest English prospect developed in Dortmund is drawing comparisons to Lamine Yamal going into Wednesday's mouth-watering Champions League match-up with Barcelona…

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  Where it all began

  Gittens was born and raised in Reading and started playing football with his classmates shortly after starting primary school before joining local team Caversham Trents U6 or U7s. "I used to just kick a ball around, chase it and do it every single day," he told the Bundesliga's official website. "I really enjoyed these times – so much fun…

  "From there, I had a trial at Chelsea and Reading as well, but I picked Reading because it is closer to my home. I was in Reading from Under-9s until Under-14s. But then I went to Manchester City for two years."

  Just like Jadon Sancho, though, Gittens decided to leave the Etihad outfit for Dortmund before he'd even made a single appearance at senior level for the club. He wasn't considered quite as advanced as Sancho at the time – he was still only 16 when he moved to Germany – but BVB were cautiously optimistic that Gittens would prove just as shrewd a signing.

  "Our scouting department has done a fantastic job!" Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc enthused in September 2020. "He is a highly talented wide player, who will get the chance to develop at his own pace in our youth teams.

  "We don't want expectations to be raised too high right from the start. He is still a year younger than Jadon was then… but the hope is that at some point he will be promoted to the professional team."

  Gittens would have to bide his time, though.

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  The big break

  Gittens' early days in Dortmund were tough. There were the usual struggles with homesickness and the difficulty always involved in trying to adapt to a new country and new language – but the teenager's integration was greatly complicated by the fact that he arrived during lockdown, meaning he spent an awful lot of time "stuck in the youth house on academy campus".

  Gittens was also sidelined by an ankle injury and recurring issues in both shoulders that significantly stunted his rate of progress.

  However, Dortmund were in no doubt that Gittens would prove worth the wait and he eventually made his debut in April 2022 before netting his first Bundesliga goal in August of the same year.

  It was only after shaking off the effects of his shoulder problems that Gittens really began to show what he could do and, on the evening of November 28, 2023, he starred at San Siro, scoring one goal and creating another in a 3-1 victory over AC Milan that secured Dortmund qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League.

  "That was the perfect game for me," Gittens enthused in a post-match interview with UEFA's official website.

• How it's going

  Just over a year ago, Jude Bellingham hailed his former Dortmund team-mate Gittens as a potential Golden Boy winner – we're now seeing exactly why.

  Gittens has taken his game to a whole other level this season. A player who had previously scored five times in 58 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions has nine goals in 20 outings so far this season, including four in his last four games.

  "It's not news to me that he's incredible one-on-one and is a very good finisher," coach Nuri Sahin said recently. "But now he’s scoring goals and playing more mature football. He's a very important player for us.

  "[But] Jamie himself wants to take the next step, and we want him to take that step."

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• Biggest strengths

  Gittens will be the first to admit that in the past he was too preoccupied with showing off his sensational skillset, more concerned with embarrassing opponents than helping his team-mates. However, he's becoming as efficient as he is entertaining.

  Obviously, his pace has always made him a problem for full-backs but he's now become almost unstoppable when he starts with the stepovers.

  Teams have taken to doubling up on him and yet, as he's illustrated in several Bundesliga and Champions League games already this season, it doesn't appear to make a difference.

  The outcome is, as Dortmund's social media team have revelled in pointing out, as inevitable as Thanos.

It's fair to say that the Leeds United attackers didn't let down their side too much on the opening day against Portsmouth, with three goals finding the back of the Pompey net.

On another day, the Whites could have had five or six strikes to their name on the way to a comprehensive Championship win – hitting the woodwork multiple times early on – but three goals should have been enough to collect a straightforward victory from a newly promoted side.

Unfortunately, however, Daniel Farke's outfit had an off-day defensively and would have to make do with a disappointing 3-3 draw come the end of the frantic contest, despite the South Coast visitors only registering a meagre four shots on target at Elland Road.

Lessons will need to be learned from a Leeds perspective after this, with a slow start last campaign damaging confidence early on, as more new signings look to be lined up.

Leeds submit bid for tricky forward

As per football journalist Alan Nixon, Leeds have now submitted a big £15m bid to try and win Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, as they attempt to add yet more firepower to the ranks in West Yorkshire.

However, Crystal Palace aren't so keen on the idea of losing Rak-Sakyi for good, with the possibility that either Sheffield United or Hull City snap him up on loan instead.

Norwich City and Burnley are also now reportedly in the running for the in-demand Eagles number 49 too, as the top-end Championship clubs battle it out for the tricky 21-year-old.

What Rak-Sakyi could offer Leeds

Capable of playing down either flank, Rak-Sakyi could well end up being Leeds' next Wilfried Gnonto in the making if an ambitious move becomes reality, with centre-forward hotshot Mateo Joseph also licking his lips at the prospect of linking up with the ex-Charlton Athletic youngster soon.

Rak-Sakyi has impressed those at Selhurst Park this pre-season with his trickery and goalscoring ability coming to the forefront, as seen in the clip above.

Yet, the 21-year-old will be itching for a move away from his current South London location owing to the fact consistent gametime has constantly evaded him in the Premier League, with only six games gifted to him in the tough division last season.

He will want to explode into life for Leeds in a similar fashion to his devastating loan spell with the Addicks in League One, where Rak-Sakyi regularly terrorised third-tier defences for fun, as can be seen looking at the table above.

Rak-Sakyi's exuberance bursting forward could be exactly what Mateo Joseph needs to start firing in goals in the senior mix for Leeds, having been given the nod to lead the line against Pompey by Farke after many a bright pre-season showing.

Snapping up their £15m target could also soften the blow of Gnonto potentially still being allowed to move on, with Rak-Sakyi possessing shades of the Italian's game already, with the Palace winger more than comfortable playing down the left or the right.

Whilst at the Valley, Rak-Sakyi even lined up as a centre-forward on occasion, but has made 51 appearances down the right wing across his career to date, and 38 down the opposing channel.

Gnonto would find the back of the net versus Pompey from the left-hand side of the pitch, having been pushed out to the right the majority of last season as Crysencio Summerville sparkled, with the addition of Rak-Sakyi offering even more potential depth.

Even if the former FC Zurich man does stay, there would be no harm on Leeds' end to add a winger who was once described as "remarkable" by ex-Palace manager Roy Hodgson to their ranks, as the Whites continue to be known as a gung-ho team to watch.

As bad as Meslier: Farke could instantly drop 4/10 Leeds star after Pompey

Leeds United were very unlucky not to win on the opening day as a catalogue of errors proved costly.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 11, 2024

Ruben Amorim has revealed why he continues to leave Marcus Rashford out of his Manchester United squad and urged the forward to be more engaged.

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• Coach opens up on decision
• Urges Rashford to take more responsibility
• 'Big talent = big engagement'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rashford was first left out of the matchday squad by Amorim for the derby against Manchester City alongside Alejandro Garnacho and the homegrown forward was also discarded for United's Carabao Cup defeat Tottenham and Sunday's 3-0 loss at home to Bournemouth, while the Argentina international returned to the fold. Tension between Rashford and the club increased following the player's interview with the journalist Henry Winter, in which he acknowledged he was "ready for a new challenge". Amorim later criticised Rashford's decision to speak to the media.

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• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Amorim has now challenged Rashford to take more "responsibility" in order to get back into the team, stressing the need for everyone to be pulling in the same direction amid an ongoing crisis. "I'm so clear on my message. Everyone at Carrington knows what I'm talking about and what I want from Marcus and for everyone else so it's not a distraction for us, maybe it is for the media and people but that's not my concern," the Portuguese boss told a press conference. "I want Rashford to be like any other player, the best that they can be. If you have big talent, big performance, big responsibility, big engagement. Push everybody forward. In this moment some guys have a big responsibility here because they are here for a long time. This is one of the lowest moments of our club we have to face it and be strong in this moment, that's what I want from every player in the team."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Amorim described Rashford's recent exile from the squad as "a normal situation" and said he speaks with the forward "every day, but not about the interview, about his performance". The coach also confirmed that Rashford wants to play again for United but reiterated that the 27-year-old will only return to the squad when he feels it's in the team's best interests. He explained: "When I feel it's the right moment I'll change something. Until then I'll continue to think what's the best thing for the team. He wants to play, it's only my decision. I'm doing things my way. It's the only way I know, if I don't do that I'll lose myself and I can't do it."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  United will spend Christmas Day at the bottom of the league table for the first time since 1989 after losing three of their six Premier League games under Amorim. The coach said the team cannot accept the lowly position they have fallen into, as he added: "We know we cannot let this become normal. I understand it's a tough moment and it's on me. We cannot think about that, we just have to think about improving, to understand the context and not focus on what happened in the past, but see what we can do so it doesn't happen again."

Leeds United appear set for a busy end to the summer transfer window as they only have a few days left to complete the rest of their business.

The Whites have brought in Joe Rodon, Joe Rothwell, Largie Ramazani, Alex Cairns, and Jayden Bogle to improve Daniel Farke's options across the pitch so far.

Meanwhile, Charlie Cresswell, Archie Gray, Glen Kamara, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter have all left Elland Road on permanent deals.

With the deadline coming up on Friday, Leeds are still eyeing new signings and reportedly have their eye on a potential addition from the Premier League.

Leeds eyeing Premier League defender

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the 49ers are considering a late swoop to sign English full-back Max Aarons from Bournemouth this week.

The report claims that the former England U21 international is one of the full-backs on the club's radar as they look to strengthen in that area of the park before the deadline.

It states that Aarons went as far as to have a medical at Thorp Arch last summer, ahead of a proposed move from Norwich City, before he ended up signing for Bournemouth in the Premier League.

They are now hoping that it will be second time lucky in their pursuit of the defender, who did not make the bench for the Cherries in their Premier League draw with Newcastle on Sunday.

If Leeds can tempt Bournemouth into cashing in on the versatile full-back in the coming days then it would be a dream signing for Farke, who was an influential figure for Aarons at the start of his career.

Why Max Aarons would be a dream for Daniel Farke

Firstly, the 24-year-old ace is a versatile defender who can play at right-back, left-back, or further forward on the right flank, which means that he can cover several positions for the German coach.

Secondly, Farke handed Aarons his senior debut and the young gem went on to play 141 times for him at Norwich. Christoph Zimmermann (182) is the only player to feature more for the manager in his career to date.

In that time, the Leeds target won the Championship twice and was named in the PFA Team of the Year both times, in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns.

As you can see in the table above, Aarons produced quality at the top end of the pitch and held his own in physical duels in both of those seasons.

The 24-year-old star, who was once described as "outstanding" by Farke, made 20 appearances in the Premier League for the Cherries last term and won 60% of his ground duels, which suggests that his defensive strength is still prominent in his game.

He could provide great competition for Bogle, who has given away one penalty in three games for the club so far, whilst also offering back-up to Junior Firpo on the other side, which is another reason why Aarons would be a dream addition for Farke – who already knows and trusts the Cherries defender.

Farke could forget about Rutter in Leeds swoop for "magnificent" wizard

The Whites have been linked with an interest in the attacking midfielder this month.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 23, 2024

Mohamed Salah revealed his Liverpool team-mates poked fun at him for his heated exchange with ex-manager Jurgen Klopp before routing West Ham.

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• Salah & Klopp clash at West Ham last season
• Liverpool thrash Hammers 5-0 at same ground
• Salah reveals team-mates joked about feud

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  During West Ham's 2-2 draw against Liverpool at London Stadium back in April, winger Salah exchanged heated words with then-manager Klopp on the touchline. Nearly eight months on from that, the Reds returned to the same ground to thump the Hammers 5-0 in a game Salah starred in. Incidentally, the Egyptian international revealed Virgil van Dijk reminded him of the Klopp incident, something they "had a laugh about" in the dressing room.

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  WHAT MOHAMED SALAH SAID

  He told Sky Sports: "It was a funny thing because before the game, the guys in the dressing room they said 'Remember what happened last year?'. Virgil (van Dijk) started it. We had a laugh about it. It was not a nice moment here last year but I'm glad this one was better."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As 2024 draws to a close, Liverpool are in a fantastic position as a quadruple is once again on the cards. They are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League, are unbeaten in the Champions League, are in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and start their FA Cup campaign next month. And Salah is arguably the best player in the world at present under now-Liverpool boss Arne Slot.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Salah's high-flying Liverpool side kickstart 2025 with a home clash against struggling Manchester United in the Premier League on January 5.

Over the last few years, Arsenal have been transformed from a bit of a joke into serious and consistent title challengers.

Much of this dramatic change is due to Mikel Arteta's management and somewhat unorthodox leadership style, although another reason the club have become a real force again has been the players signed by the Spaniard and Sporting Director Edu Gaspar.

For example, the pair welcomed stars like Ben White, Gabriel, Declan Rice, and even club captain Martin Odegaard, who are now essential members of the first team.

However, there is another star that Arteta signed in recent years who is worth even more than the mercurial Norwegian.

Odegaard's Arsenal career

Arsenal first signed Odegaard on a six-month loan in January 2021, and while he certainly showed glimpses of quality during his time at the club, a return of two goals and two assists in 20 appearances wasn't mind-blowing, and perhaps masked his real quality somewhat.

Nevertheless, Arteta and Co had clearly seen enough during this period and opted to sign him on a permanent deal from Real Madrid that August for a fee in the region of £30m with £4m worth of add-ons, which, based on his performances since, may well have been activated.

In his first full campaign with the club, the then-22-year-old upped his game, ending the season with seven goals and five assists in 40 appearances. The next couple of years would see the Drammen-born dynamo show the world just how talented he really is.

For example, in 22/23, the 59-capped international scored a remarkable 15 goals from midfield in 45 appearances and provided seven assists, while last season, he scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 games for the club.

It would be fair to say that, given his output and the fact that he's now the club's captain, the fee paid by Arsenal just over three years ago was a bargain, especially as Odegaard is now worth around €74m, according to Football Transfers, which is about £62m.

However, even at this new price, the Norwegian international is worth considerably less than another one of Arteta's recent signings.

Kai Havertz's valuation in 2024

Yes, the signing in question is none other than Kai Havertz, who cost Arsenal £65m to get out of Chelsea last summer.

Now, the move itself was something of a surprise, as in the campaign prior, the German international had flattered to deceive in West London, ending the season with just nine goals and one assist in 47 appearances for the Blues, but while others were confused by the transfer, Arteta clearly saw something in the then 24-year-old, and after his first year in North London, the Spaniard was spot on.

However, to be completely honest, the former Bayer Leverkusen ace endured a campaign of two halves last season, one which saw him struggle in midfield and another that saw him thrive up top.

For example, in the 32 appearances he made in midfield, the German international scored just six goals, equating to an underwhelming average of a goal involvement once every 5.33 games.

However, in the 18 appearances he made as a centre-forward, the "sensational" talent, as dubbed by Arteta, scored eight goals and provided seven assists, meaning he maintained a seriously impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.20 games.

Moreover, in the three matches he has played this season, the 25-year-old has already scored two goals and provided one assist, suggesting that his great form in the number nine position last season was no fluke.

This incredible turnaround, combined with his relatively young age and lengthy contract, has seen his valuation soar, with Football Transfers now pricing the Arsenal ace at around €94m, which is about £79m, or £17m more than his captain.

Ultimately, the Gunners are lucky to have both Odegaard and Havertz in their team at the moment, and while both are incredibly important to Arteta's vision, the latter is currently more of a goal threat, and his new valuation reflects that.

Arsenal hit gold on "fantastic" ace who's worth more than Sterling in 2024

The incredible talent was a joy to watch at times.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 4, 2024

The 18-year-old has shown he has what it takes to take his career to the next level, with a move to Bavaria reportedly now in the cards

Despite not logging a single minute of senior soccer at age 18, Bajung Darboe is one of American soccer's hottest prospects. And in January, he's reportedly set to join Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich after an agreement was struck with MLS side LAFC in November for his transfer.

The two clubs have a unique partnership, too.

The respective giants helped found Red&Gold Football in 2023a partnership and development cooperation to help youth players find a pathway into the first-team at both clubs while scouting talent from all around the world.

Darboe? He's the latest example of the program's success.

“We’ve founded a joint venture, Red&Gold Football, which is based in Munich. It’s a 50/50 joint venture with LAFC," Director of Youth Development Jochen Sauer told WorldSoccerTalk in November. "Our focus is now the [North] American, South American, and African markets to develop talent for Bayern Munich and LAFC.

“One of the reasons why we have this partnership with LAFC, especially in California, is because they have a very close connection to North and South America,” Sauer added. “So we share a little bit of the responsibilities. LAFC oversees more of the South American market because they have their scouts on the ground in South America. They have a lot of players in their team from South America and North America. We, [Bayern Munich], oversee the European and African market.”

With his transfer, Darboe becomes the third MLS Homegrown player to join the German club, similar to current first-team star Alphonso Davies and ex-FC Dallas player Justin Che.

Darboe follow in the footsteps of current USMNT players Chris Richards and Malik Tillman – who both played for FC Bayern II before having brief stints with the first team in the Bundesliga. Both Richards and Tillman would move on to other clubs to secure bigger roles, joining Crystal Palace and PSV respectively.

But what makes the 18-year-old so special? From Minnesota United to the Philadelphia Union and now LAFC, he's been a hot commodity among MLS academies in recent years – and now, it's next step Bayern Munich for a reported $1.5M fee.

GOAL takes a look into why Bayern decided to bring the American to Bavaria.

• Where it all began

  Darboe's connection with Bayern isn't a new one, in fact, he trialed with the Bundesliga giants two years ago – and that moment, that's where he planted the seed. He impressed on trial as a 16-year-old so much that now, the German side have circled back to secure him on a permanent basis.

  His career overall, though, has been a unique one.

  A native of The Gambia, Darboe is from Madison, Wisconsin and first started making waves in the academy of Minnesota United five years ago. At age 13, he was playing with the Loons U17 squad, catching the eyes of many at the MLS NEXT level. However, MNUFC's academy collapsed in June 2020, spelling the end for Darboe in the midwest. The Loons furloughed or fired their entire academy staff due to cuts as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, and players at the U17 level and below explored other options around MLS and at the collegiate level.

  “Unfortunately without any revenue from within our club from our local games, and without knowing when MLS will get this (academy) vision up and running, we had to furlough and let some people go because we are going to shift,” former MNUFC CFO Manny Lagos had said at the time.

  As a result of the closure, both players and their families were left stunned, unsure what their next steps would be en route to becoming professional footballers. Darboe in particular, though, was someone the Loons were hoping to keep.

  “We are excited about talking about the next steps with Darboe,” Lagos added when speaking to reporters in June, 2020. “If he doesn’t like the path, he can go somewhere else. But there are caveats at the end of the pathway.”

  In the end, Darboe and countless others departed Minnesota, with the attacker leaving the midwest for the famed Philadelphia Union academy. They swooped in to secure his services that summer, leaving the Loons empty-handed and out of their budding star.

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  The big break

  In Philadelphia, Darboe spent a little over two seasons in the Union academy, even debuting at the MLS NEXT Pro level with Union II in 2022 making 15 appearances for the club. However, he never made it to the first team under Jim Curtin.

  He joined the LAFC academy in 2023 after departing the Union at the end of the 2022 campaign, signing as a Homegrown player with the club after they paid MNUFC a reported $50,000 GAM fee, with the Loons retaining a sell-on percentage. The attacker was once again part of the MLS NEXT Pro setup, working his way into the LAFC 2 XI throughout the campaign in 2024, making 14 appearances for the .

  His initial trial with Bayern left an impression with the club, but at just 16, they were unable to sign him due to him not having a European passport. Upon his 18th birthday on Nov. 7 this year, though, reports surfaced within 24 hours of his imminent move.

• Biggest strengths

  Darboe excels in space, in transition and in take-on duels. At the youth levels, he has used both his size and pace to his advantage, willingly taking on defenders while driving forward on the ball. Primarily playing in wide roles, he's excelled when on the ball or when pressing the opposition.

  A set piece specialist as well, the forward has shown he is reliable in front of net from dead ball situations. In the 2021 MLS NEXT semifinals, he scored this beauty of a free kick to send the Union's U15 squad to the MLS NEXT Playoff finals.

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• Room for improvement

  While Darboe has excelled at various youth levels, he hasn't quite found his footing at the MLS NEXT Pro level – while other academy players in his age group from around MLS have become regular contributors for their senior side's developmental team.

  However, that's not a mark against the 18-year-old, and obviously Bayern Munich has seen something special in him that's worth taking a gamble on. In 2024 for LAFC 2, though, he recorded zero goal-contributions across 14 appearances; four of which were starts.

  In 2022, at the MNP level with Union II, he made nine starts across 14 appearances, failing to record a single goal-contribution that campaign as well.

  it's unfair to judge a forward based on their lack of scoring, but to succeed at the highest level there needs to be consistent production in and around the opposition's 18-yard-box. At Bayern II, he will need to provide consistency in the final-third while improving his production around the net.

Sunderland fans might have anticipated an up-and-down start to this Championship season, as the Black Cats group grew accustomed to the fresh managerial methods of Regis Le Bris.

However, it's been all smooth sailing at the Stadium of Light so far, with four wins from four impressively picked up in the league, as the Wearside outfit convincingly beat Portsmouth 3-1 last time out.

Jobe Bellingham has impressed in flashes so far during what is still the infancy of the campaign, with Le Bris well aware that the promising youngster will be key to his side keeping their electric winning form up.

Bellingham's performances this season

Assisting Jack Clarke's final-ever goal for the Black Cats on the opening day away at Cardiff City, Bellingham hasn't picked up any more goal contributions yet, apart from playing his part in that last-minute strike versus the Bluebirds being powered home by the now Ipswich Town winger.

It's not as if he's taken a back-seat, however, when it comes to trying to leave his mark on contests though, with a mightily impressive 7.8 duels won on average per game this season, as Le Bris goes about toughening up the 18-year-old starlet.

The new French Black Cats boss will want to see Bellingham attempt more efforts in games moving forward though, away from his battling nature shining through, having netted seven league goals last season for his Wearside employers.

So far this campaign, the likes of Eliezer Mayenda and Romaine Mundle have been taking up more of the spotlight when it comes to firing home key strikes, whilst Bellingham grows into being more of an all-rounder centrally.

Still, he will hope he has more strikes like the one above up his sleeve across the course of the full Championship campaign, with the likes of Dan Neil and Chris Rigg also capable of striking fear into defences when venturing forward as his midfield teammates.

There was even a likelihood, at one stage, that Bellingham could have been joined by a former Champions League winner in the middle of the park as out-there options were assessed in the transfer window, but this spectacular move never get off the ground.

Naby Keita's failed move to Sunderland

As per football journalist Ed Aarons, Le Bris' men couldn't agree terms with forgotten ex-Liverpool man Naby Keita towards the end of the window, with a move to Istanbul Basaksehir now very much in the works.

Keita could well have reignited his playing days in England with the Black Cats, with the move seen as a coup if it did actually come to fruition, regardless of his time with the Reds petering out.

Never really becoming a key part of the jigsaw at Anfield, with recurring injury problems constantly stopping him in his tracks, Keita – who once cost the Reds a whopping £48m – did shine at points with seven goals and five assists tallied up from 87 Premier League clashes.

Capable of playing in a holding role, whilst also even prepared to line up down the left wing, the Guinea international's versatility would have also been useful to the Championship promotion hopefuls as the season dragged on.

Liverpool great Virgil Van Dijk even described the former Reds number eight as being "world class" during the early stages of his career at Anfield, and he could well have been a great partner for Bellingham in the centre of the park on Wearside, as another energetic and skilful midfielder with an eye for goal.

Unfortunately, no such audacious move happened, as the one-time Premier League winner now relocates to Turkey.

Le Bris won't be too disheartened by this development, as he now attempts to drill his ideas even more into the confident camp he has at his disposal, with a lengthy international break now in full swing.

Sunderland hit gold on "outstanding" star who is worth more than Bellingham

Sunderland have this star to also thank for their top start to the Championship season.

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 3, 2024