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The Spanish midfielder has made a huge impression in pre-season – and is now in line for a starring role in Xavi's first team

A month ago, very few football fans outside of Barcelona would have been aware of Fermin Lopez. The 20-year-old has yet to make his competitive senior bow for the Blaugrana, and spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Linares in the third tier of Spanish football.

But Fermin was a surprise inclusion in Xavi's squad for the club's pre-season tour of the United States, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He featured in all three of Barca's matches against Arsenal, Real Madrid and AC Milan, and made headlines with his impressive displays.

Fermin's journey to get to this point hasn't been an easy one, but his hard work is finally paying off. And there is a real possibility that 2023-24 could be a breakout season for the talented Spanish midfielder…

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  Where it all began

  Fermin was born in the port city of Huelva in Andalusia, and started playing football as a youngster with local club El Campillo. He went on to take in spells in the academy ranks at Recreativo Huelva and Real Betis before being snapped up by Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2016.

  While honing his skills on the famed youth pitches at La Masia, Fermin showed off his versatility by playing in a number of different positions, but his star-making potential wasn't immediately clear. He was not always an "outstanding performer" in the eyes of Barca's academy coaches and concerns were raised over his physicality – as reports.

  He had to wait until August 2022 before finally being handed a professional contract with the club's reserve team Barcelona Athletic, but was identified as one of the weakest members of the squad after completing pre-season.

  Barca felt Fermin's development would be best served by a loan spell so that he could play regular minutes while building up his physique, and Linares brought him on board for a year in the Primera Federacion.

  Fermin shone at Linares, featuring in 40 games across all competitions, including three in the Copa del Rey. He amassed an impressive haul of 12 goals and four assists on his way to becoming one of the best players in the third tier, paving the way for a fresh start at Barca.

  Xavi called Fermin in for first-team training in early July, and within the space of a week he decided that the youngster had to be a part of his squad for the trip to the United States. It was clear to the Barca manager that Fermin had transformed from a weak kid with an uncertain future to a man determined to make his mark after maturing physically and mentally in his year away from the club.

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• How it's going

  Barcelona opened their tour of the United States with a 5-3 loss to Arsenal in California as Xavi fielded a strong XI in the first half before changing the whole team for the second period. Fermin was introduced in place of summer signing Ilkay Gundogan, and impressed on his long-awaited senior debut.

  He was right in the thick of of the action throughout his 34 minutes on the pitch, showing off neat touches while pushing forward at every opportunity. Xavi brought Fermin off late on as he continued to ring the changes, but he'd already staked a strong claim for a starring role in the Clasico.

  Barca took on arch-rivals Real Madrid at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, two days later, and the Liga champions took an early lead through Ousmane Dembele. Los Blancos upped their level thereafter and it looked like only a matter of time before they'd find an equaliser.

  That is, until Fermin entered the fray. The attacker came on for Pedri in the 66th minute and embarked on a solo mission to re-establish Barca's authority in the game.

  That sense of urgency eventually reaped the ultimate reward, as Fermin received a Mikayil Faye pass some 35-yards from goal and took three touches to set himself before letting fly. His thunderous left foot shot was bound for the top corner as soon as it left his boot, with Thibaut Courtois unable to get anywhere near it despite a full stretch dive.

  Fermin celebrated wildly and his team-mates matched that energy, while Xavi and his coaching staff were also unable to contain their excitement. A win over Real is always a big deal for Barca, and Fermin underlined that fact by pointing to the club badge when facing up the fans.

  He wasn't finished there, either. Barca wrapped up a 3-0 victory in stoppage-time thanks to Ferran Torres, who dinked the ball over Courtois and finished into an empty net after facing onto a brilliantly weighted dinked-pass from Fermin.

  The Spaniard made something out of nothing after bringing the ball down in midfield, and pumped his fists in delight after seeing his inventiveness pay off. This was the moment that Fermin truly announced himself as a Barcelona player – and it was no surprise when Xavi singled him out for praise post-match.

  “He is a talented footballer — he knows how to leak the last pass, which is what he really lacked last season,” said the Barca boss. “He scored a worldie with his left foot and then assisted Ferran with the right foot, so he can use both feet. He also can play in multiple roles from a winger to a central midfielder. This whole package is not easy to find. I like him a lot. He is full of personality.

  “He is hungry and has a great character — that’s very important. When I saw that in training, I realised I had to give him minutes. I trusted him and he is delivering. That’s what football is about."

  Fermin was handed his first start for Barca against Milan in their final U.S. tour outing, and once again proved that he is capable of being the driving force in Xavi's line up. La Masia has clearly produced another special player, and Fermin is ready to make his mark.

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  Biggest strengths

  Fermin is a central midfielder by trade, but he is versatile enough to operate in a No.10 role or as a winger. Although he tends to favour his right foot, he's equally as deadly with his left – as his sublime striker against Real proved.

  The Andalucian is intelligent when it comes to his movement off the ball, he boasts an engine that never cuts out and he thrives in one-on-one duels. He's technically brilliant and rarely misplaces a pass, which makes him the ideal fit for Xavi's set-up.

  The fact that Fermin managed to record 16 goal contributions for Linares last term highlights how clinical he can be in the final third. He clearly has a great eye for goal and seems to be growing in confidence with each passing game.

  Fermin clearly has the ability, charisma and fearlessness needed to become a Barca great. The challenge for him now is to show he can deliver at the highest level week in, week out.

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  Room for improvement

  Standing at just 5'9, Fermin has never been the most imposing physical figure on the pitch. He's put on some muscle mass over the past year that has helped him make a bigger impact in matches, but it remains to be seen whether his body will hold up to the demands of La Liga and Champions League football.

  When deployed on the left-flank, Fermin has a tendency to cut inside instead of driving down the line, which can also make him a tad predictable at times. But generally, there are very few weaknesses in his game, as Alejandro Balde recently insisted.

  “I played with Fermin Lopez for seven years in the academy. He has great quality and a lot of talent,” Balde told reporters in the United States.

Eden Hazard has seen a return to Chelsea speculated on, but Fabrizio Romano claims there is no truth to those stunning rumours.

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• Left Stamford Bridge in 2019
• Flopped badly in Spain
• Retirement now an option

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 32-year-old Belgian is currently a free agent after seeing a disastrous spell at Real Madrid brought to a close. He was released by the Blancos over the summer after registering just seven goals for the Liga giants across four seasons.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There has been talk of Hazard being invited back to Stamford Bridge, with 110 goals recorded for the Blues in 352 appearances before completing a €100 million (£86m/$107m) transfer to Spain. He is still held in the highest regard by those in west London and Chelsea are crying out for creativity and goal threat.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Romano has, however, told of the options that Hazard continues to mull over: “There’s a lot being speculated about Eden Hazard, who remains a free agent, but at the moment I’m not aware of anything concrete. There are a lot of rumours, but nothing advanced, because at the moment Hazard is still discussing with his family and those close to him about retirement. Retirement for Hazard is a concrete possibility, but it’s not a final decision yet, and I think when we talk about a big decision like this for an important player like Hazard, I like to be respectful. It’s the player who has to decide and communicate, not for me or other journalists in general. For sure he’s considering retirement, but let’s see what he will decide, and I can say that all the rumours about Belgian clubs, or a return to Chelsea or other clubs, none of this was concrete or true.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Hazard earned a reputation as one of the most fearsome forwards in world football during his time at Chelsea, with two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, League Cup and a couple of Europa League crowns won over the course of his seven years in England.

New England Revolution have hired Tab Ramos as assistant coach after Bruce Arena resigned from the club last week.

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• New England appoint Ramos
• Will act as assistant coach
• Hired after Bruce Arena resigned

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ramos, who made 81 appearances for the United States national team and was Jurgen Klinsmann's assistant at the USMNT until 2016, has been added to the MLS team's technical staff. He will assist interim head coach Clint Peay for the remainder of the MLS campaign.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ramos' appointment comes after Bruce Arena resigned from his role as head coach following an internal investigation at the club. Arena was initially removed from his position on August 1 over alleged 'insensitive and inappropriate' remarks.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Technical director and interim sporting director Curt Onalfo told the club's website: "We are pleased to welcome Tab Ramos to our coaching staff in New England. In addition to a Hall-of-Fame career as one of the best players of his generation, Tab’s wealth of experience as a coach, knowledge of our league, and proven track record of developing top talent will all be assets to our club as we get ready for the postseason."

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  New England Revolution will play their first game with Ramos as assistant when they take on Chicago Fire this week.

West Ham have reportedly ended their interest in re-signing Jesse Lingard as a free agent, leaving the former Manchester United star in limbo.

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• Released by Nottingham Forest
• Spent time training with the Hammers
• Now heading off to Saudi Arabia

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 30-year-old midfielder finds himself without a club having been released by Nottingham Forest at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. Lingard endured an injury-hit spell at the City Ground, preventing him from making the desired impact.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There has been talk of interest in the 32-cap England international from around the world, with Lingard spending time training at Inter Miami’s facility in the United States while also being linked with teams in Qatar and Turkey.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It appeared at one stage as though Lingard's steps would be retraced to east London – where he previously starred during a loan spell in 2021- with David Moyes allowing him to train with West Ham. however, reports that no deal will be done there after Lingard featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Ipswich.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Lingard has now headed to Saudi Arabia for another trial spell at Al-Ettifaq – the side managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and with former Reds captain Jordan Henderson within their ranks – and will be hoping that performances in training finally bring his wait for another permanent contract to a close.

Paul Pogba has received confirmation from Juventus that, in the wake of a failed drugs test, his salary is to be cut to just €2,000 a month.

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• Frenchman posted positive test in August
• Counter-analysis also came back positive
• Remains suspended indefinitely as a result

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The France international midfielder has seen the B sample that he provided following a Serie A game with Udinese on August 20 also come back positive. The World Cup winner was already serving a suspension at Juve after initially posting elevated levels of testosterone.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That ban has now been extended indefinitely, with Pogba facing the threat of a lengthy suspension and possible termination of his contract if he is found guilty of doping offences at a sporting trial. Juventus have not taken such drastic action just yet, but they have sent a letter to Pogba informing him of his pay reduction. Pogba is reportedly hoping for a reduced ban after it was revealed that the substance he has tested positive for is not testosterone itself, but rather the testosterone-boosting hormone DHEA.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  As per regulations when it comes to suspended players, Juve only have to pay Pogba the minimum wage laid out in the Collective Agreement with the Italian Association of Footballers. That means the 30-year-old midfielder is receiving €42,177 gross per year – which equates to around €2,000 per month.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Pogba’s contract in Turin, which is due to run until the summer of 2026, is worth approximately €10.48m (£9m/$11m) gross a year, but he will now get only a fraction of that figure. Complete termination of that deal has not been ruled out, but Juve are waiting on updates from the player and his team of representatives before any big long-term future calls are made.

Sebastien Haller secured the Ivory Coast's third AFCON title – a year after recovering from cancer – in a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Nigeria.

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• Ivory Coast beat Nigeria 2-1 in comeback win
• Tournament hosts secure third AFCON title
• Haller & Kessie cancel out Troost-Ekong opener

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  TELL ME MORE

  The Super Eagles took the lead against the run of play after William Troost-Ekong outleapt Serge Aurier and powered a header into the top corner in the 38th minute. The tournament hosts weren't going down without a fight, however, and had it not been for a brilliant goal-line block from Calvin Bassey to deny Max Gradel, they would have equalised just after half time. The Elephants' pressure finally told, though, as Franck Kessie headed home Simon Adingra's corner to send the home crowd wild just after the hour mark. Ivory Coast were growing into the game and took a deserved lead nine minutes from time as Borussia Dortmund striker Haller, who underwent two surgeries and chemotherapy after his testicular cancer diagnosis in 2022, exquisitely flicked home Adingra's pinpoint cross. Despite a late surge, the Ivorians, who sacked manager Jean-Louis Gasset following their 4-0 group stage loss to Equatorial Guinea last month and appointed Emerse Fae as interim boss, held on to complete a remarkable turnaround at a raucous Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

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  THE MVP

  Simon Adingra: Despite Kessie and Haller grabbing the crucial goals for the Ivorians, Brighton winger Adingra was a constant threat throughout and bagged two superb assists. Nigeria struggled to handle the 22-year-old's pace and trickery in a statement performance.

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  THE BIG LOSER

  Victor Osimhen: The Nigerian and Napoli striker had a quiet game against the Ivorians, who kept the prolific forward under wraps for the majority of the contest. Osimhen fed off scraps as Nigeria deservedly lost, and finishes the tournament with just one goal to his name from seven appearances.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  The next edition of AFCON is scheduled to take place in Morocco in the summer of 2025. Guinea was set to be the original host of the tournament but the Confederation of African Football deemed the country was not ready to put on the competition.

A tour of their apartments for their World Cup base camp by Germany stars Lina Magull and Laura Freigang revealed a series of 'superfluous' rules.

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• Magull and Freigang mock World Cup camp rules
• Germany crashed out in group stage
• Germany sit top of Nations League group

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Magull and Freigang take the camera crew through to their apartment where they explain how, on arrival, they were presented with a number of 'rules' and 'guides' for how to live during their time at the World Cup. The players explain in disbelief, and loaded with sarcasm, how they were instructed on what to wear to bed, the best position to sleep in and, to their amusement, to drink lots of water and check their urine.

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• WHAT MAGULL AND FREIGANG SAID

  On the rules set, Magull said: "I think it was a nice gesture, but also superfluous, to be honest."

  The clip cuts to Freigang mocking the instructions: "In the evening I never know what to wear… luckily for me I have my guide to the right sleeping clothes!"

  Freigang then proceeds to say her preferred sleeping position in lying on her back with her hand across her chest, before starting to sing the German national anthem. She sings, "Einigkeit und Recht…", before laughing.

• WATCH THE CLIP

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The rules, seen by the players as slightly too overreaching, did little to improve the side's performance at the World Cup. Despite thumping Morocco 6-0 in their opening game of the tournament, Germany would go on to lose 2-1 to Colombia and draw 1-1 with South Korea. The side, tipped as one of the tournament's favourites, were dramatically dumped from the tournament in the group stage.

The MLS referees' labor union has turned down a new CBA offer and is now set to strike just four days before the start of the 2024 season.

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• MLS to begin 2024 with replacement refs
• PSRA rejects latest CBA offer from PRO
• Referees set to strike

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Professional Referees Organization (PRO) and Professional Soccer Referees Association (PRSA) have failed to agree a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) ahead of the 2024 season. Now, as a result, PRO and MLS are set to begin the 2024 season with replacement referees on every level. PRO is the organization that employs referees for the league.

  Their previous CBA expired on January 15, and they have been at the negotiating table since. Over a month's time, they came to a tentative agreement last week. However, when the PSRA members voted over the offer on the table, 95.8% of voters said "NO."

  Starting February 18 at 12:01 AM, PSRA officials will be locked out and PRO will begin preparations for the first week of the season without their core officiating group.

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  WHAT MLS SAID

  "It's extremely disappointing that the officials have voted against the tentative agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement reached by the Professional Soccer Referees Association and the Professional Referee Organization," Major League Soccer executive vice-president of sporting product & competition Nelson Rodriguez said.

  "PRO worked for months and addressed all the issues that were raised by PSRA’s bargaining unit. It is also unfortunate that the PSRA rejected PRO’s offer for a mutual no strike – no lockout commitment, which would have allowed all match officials to continue working during ongoing negotiations. PRO has informed us of its contingency plan for the upcoming MLS season, which includes utilizing experienced professional match referees supported by veteran VAR officials. We are confident in the comprehensive plan they have put in place."

• WHAT PRO GM MARK GEIGER SAID

  PRO general manager Mark Geiger said: "Time has been of the essence to conclude a fair deal and move forward together with renewed positivity ahead of our 12th year of supporting the growth of the professional game in the United States and Canada.

  "We made meaningful progress during recent bargaining, agreeing to fair pay increases, and addressing many of the PSRA's concerns with respect to non-economic items. This represented approximately a 25 percent overall increase over 2023 when comparing salary, retainers, game fees, and benefits plus the addition of business class travel for the MLS Cup Playoffs. The result of the membership vote is disappointing.

  "The PSRA has rejected a no strike/no lockout proposal from PRO through the 2024 MLS Cup, which, along with their public strike authorization, has created significant risk as the 2024 season begins. We are left with no choice but to institute a lockout and use qualified non-bargaining unit officials so that games can go ahead as scheduled."

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  WHAT THE PSRA SAID

  “We live for this game, giving it 100 percent of our dedication, experience, fitness and ability,” Peter Manikowski, president and lead negotiator for PSRA, said. “The skyrocketing growth of MLS has significantly increased demands on officials mentally and physically, and as such has increased demands on both our professional and personal time. Our members are asking not only for fair compensation at a time when the league is reporting record growth, but also for the ability to take care of themselves on the road and at home to continue officiating at the highest level that this sport demands.”

  Manikowski also revealed that it is the belief of the PSRA that replacement referees do not have the qualifications to perform at the highest level of the game in North America.

  “This game evolves rapidly and play happens quickly,” Manikowski said. “We think replacement officials generally do not have the current experience and level of fitness required to do our jobs. The sport and everyone involved — players, coaches and fans — deserve referees who are the best in North America at knowing the MLS game and its current rules and applications.”

USMNT star Christian Pulisic has reflected on Milan's disappointing Serie A loss to Monza on social media.

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• Milan lose to Monza 4-2, concede two late goals
• Pulisic scored belter in 88' to level match 2-2
• American reflects on performance

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Rossoneri went down 2-0 to Monza in the first-half of their Serie A clash on Sunday, only for Milan to storm back in the second-half, with Pulisic equalizing in the 88th minute. His stunning attempt saw his teammates erupt with applause and excitement, but it was short-lived.

  A 52nd-minute red card to Luka Jovic already put Milan at a disadvantage in the match, and it came back to haunt them in stoppage-time, with Monza scoring not once, but twice to win 4-2.

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• WHAT PULISIC SAID

  The American winger dubbed Sunday one of the "Ups and downs of football" on his Instagram story.

  Instagram/cmpulisic

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Pulisic scored his seventh goal of the Serie A season on Sunday, and even though the Rossoneri threw away a point late, it was a promising bench cameo for the American. Stefano Pioli's decision to bench both the American and Rafael Leao has since not gone over well with fans on social media, but with Milan playing just three days before in the Europa League, his decision-making has validity.

  Regardless, though, Pulisic's stunning left-footed goal should have meant more for the Rossoneri, who could have leapfrogged Juventus into second place in Serie A with a win. Instead, they stay in third.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC AND MILAN?

  The Rossoneri return to European action this week, with a Europa league clash against Rennes. Milan lead the aggregate score of the tie 3-0 heading into leg 2 this week.

Manchester City secured their fourth Premier League title in five years yesterday as they came back from 2-0 down to secure a dramatic 3-2 win over Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.

With the summer transfer window around the corner, this will once again give Pep Guardiola the chance to strengthen his squad and put them in the best shape possible to try and secure as many trophies as they can moving forward.

Looking back to the previous summer window, City grabbed headlines by securing a club-record £100m deal for Jack Grealish.

During his debut season with the Citizens, the Englishman scored three goals and provided three assists in 26 league appearances whilst predominantly playing on the left wing.

Despite the inconsistency of his goal contributions, the England international still proved himself to be a deadly attacking figure for City as only Kevin De Bruyne (5.68) ended the campaign with a higher rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes than Grealish (5.17) in the entire league.

Looking ahead to this summer window, one figure that has recently been linked with a £30m move to the Etihad is Brighton left-back Marc Cucurella.

With 35 league appearances to his name throughout the season, no other outfield player at the AMEX Stadium played more minutes than the 23-year-old, highlighting just how important he has been for the south coast club.

His overall performances in those appearances have earned him a season rating of 6.94/10 from WhoScored, making him the third-highest rated player at the club.

The Spaniard has now ended his debut campaign at Brighton with more passes completed, tackles, interceptions and successful pressures than any of his teammates.

Taking into account how City have averaged more possession and pass success percentage than any other team in the top flight this season, a player such as Cucurella who is comfortable on the ball and very efficient when it comes to winning it back, could be the ideal signing for the recently crowned league champions.

He also has the third-highest number of shot-creating actions per game in Graham Potter’s squad, showing that he is a very capable all-around full-back up and down the pitch.

Labelled as a “refreshing” player by former Brighton star Dan Burn, Cucurella could potentially make a deadly pairing with Grealish on the left-hand side of the pitch for City given the duo’s attacking talent and the full-back defensive capabilities.

With those defensive talents, he could potentially give Grealish more license to get forward more so he can start racking up more goals and assists.

In other news: In talks: Man City eye “special” £54m-rated “phenomenon”, just imagine him & Dias