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The midfielder was eased into life in Itay, but it seems he's ready to play his part as the Rossoneri prepare for some massive matches

For the first time ever, the eyes of American soccer are fixed on Italy. Serie A is a massive league, of course, and the country's titans have always been among the most popular in the world, but there's never been such an American presence in Italy, especially towards the top of the table.

Christian Pulisic, the most famous U.S. men's national team player there is, is starring for AC Milan, scoring goal after goal to regain some of his confidence that was lost at Chelsea. Tim Weah and Weston McKennie have been trading off minutes at Juventus, with both making strong impressions to start the season.

And then there's Yunus Musah, who, compared to his three USMNT team-mates, has gone slightly under the radar. It'd understandable, given Pulisic's goals and Weah and McKennie's position battle, but Musah has been quietly battling his way right into Milan's starting XI.

On Sunday, all four will face off as Juventus and AC Milan collide in a USMNT derby – or 'Derby d'USMNT' to use local parlance. And, while all eyes may be on the other three, Musah's ascendance at Milan could just be the story of the season for USMNT fans before it's all said and done.

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  Massive move

  As La Liga's 2022-23 season came to a close, it began to look more and more like Musah's time had come. He had given plenty to Valencia and developed into a hell of a player, but with the club struggling on and off the field, it seemed like the best time for all involved to move on.

  In the end, he moved to Milan, despite plenty of reported interest throughout the Premier League. He became the second American to arrive at the club in the summer, joining Pulisic, who made the move from Chelsea.

  The two Americans were brought in to a team that was looking to build on back-to-back successful seasons. In 2021-22, Milan won the Scudetto, their first in over a decade. In 2022-23, they made it all the way to the Champions League semi-finals before heartbreakingly falling to fierce rivals Inter.

  So, heading into the summer, Milan were looking for a few players to lift the team, and while Musah was brought in as a long-term investment, he's already made his mark in the short-term.

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  Breaking into the line-up

  From the first few weeks of the season, it was clear that Stefano Pioli would be taking things somewhat slow with Musah. He had other midfielders he could rely on, at least at the start, so the manager was content to ease the 20-year-old into his new surroundings.

  That was made easier by the fact that Musah, who spent part of his childhood in Italy, wouldn't be overwhelmed by the change in language or culture. But, even so, it always takes a young player a bit of time to adjust to a club the size of AC Milan.

  His first three appearances in Serie A were off the bench, combining for just under 90 minutes total. He was then inserted into the starting XI for his first start against Chievo Verona on September 23.

  Pioli's biggest show of faith, though, came against Borussia Dortmund's in Milan's second Champions League group-stage match. After coming off the bench in the opener against Newcastle, a 0-0 draw, Musah then started against Dortmund in Germany. It was his first Champions League start, and Musah more than held his own in a another scoreless draw.

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  Having fun

  Musah expected to break into the Milan XI at some point. This fast, though? Not even he expected that. "I knew I had to be patient when I got there, and then, all of a sudden, things happen really fast where all of a sudden I was coming on for more minutes and then I was starting in different roles and getting confidence from the manager, the fans, the team," Musah said. "Things went really fast and I started starting a few games and I can't say that it's not been ideal.

  "This is so fun, to be playing so many games and now getting game time, winning games. Yeah, it's been a very fun process. I'm enjoying being at the club."

  Musah went on to credit Pioli for helping him to adjust, and for giving him confidence to play in a new setting with new teammates and in new roles: "I feel like every player will agree, you want to come in, starting games all the time, scoring goals, and just shining at the beginning. I had to be patient. I thought I'd have to be even more patient than I've been! I didn't expect to be starting so many games right now, to be honest with you. With patience, things come and I'm happy that things came quickly.

  "The manager has been helping me a lot as well. He's helping me adapt to the system, the different roles and ultimately helping me to become a better player. That's one of the ultimate goals."

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  Different tests, different positions

  One of the most intriguing parts of Musah's move to Milan is how he will develop from it. After years shifting from a wide position with his club to a central spot with the USMNT, Musah is in Milan's plans as a central midfielder.

  Musah, of course, is comfortable in all three spots: as a No.6, a No.8 and, if needed, as more of an attacking midfielder. His ability to carry the ball forward makes him a handful for anyone marking him and, over the years, his defensive instincts have improved. Thus far, it seems like Milan are cultivating him as a No.6, one that will be able to disrupt play and also have the ability to play with the ball under pressure when pressed.

  "When you're receiving the ball deeper and you're constructing and starting the build-up, I feel like it's an area of the field that's delicate," Musah said of the position. "You have to try and play simple. I have to simplify my game and try and play simple, one-two touch. You're not in the pockets as you are when you're playing higher so you're close to goal and you're trying to play simple, one or two touch and you feel people pressing you from behind.

  "Defensively, also, it's more of a role where you're not pressing high because you're not as high up the field, but you're closing lines, helping the center-backs, things like that."

  Pioli, though, says Musah isn't just limited to a deeper position as the team will be creative in how they use him, saying in late September: “He has different characteristics from [Rade] Krunic and [Yacine] Adli, and he is able to penetrate when he plays further forward. He has qualities that we will need a lot; he is a complete player, and wherever I use him, he will be important for the team.”

Kylian Mbappe limped off in the first half of Paris Saint-Germain's match against Marseille with an ankle injury.

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• Mbappe suffered injury early on
• Striker tried to continue
• Walked off field in first half

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The striker was struggling with some discomfort after an early tackle from Leonardo Balerdi.

  Mbappe walked off the field to receive extra treatment and was brought back on, but he soon stopped and kicked the ball out of play before walking straight down the tunnel.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The blow to the France star will come as a big concern for PSG coach Luis Enrique. Mbappe has been a pivotal figure since returning to the squad following a summer of uncertainty about his future.

  Mbappe had scored seven goals in just four Ligue 1 appearances for the French champions heading into Le Classique at Parc des Princes on Sunday.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  PSG approached the game in dire need of three points after losing 3-2 to Nice last week. They were five points adrift of Ligue 1 leaders Brest, but got off to an excellent start against their fierce rivals when Achraf Hakimi sent a free-kick sailing past goalkeeper Pau Lopez.

  After Mbappe went off, Randal Kolo Muani got his first goal for PSG when he pounced on the rebound of a save from Lopez and knocked it over the line.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  PSG will hope Mbappe's injury is not too severe and it is not known if he will be available when they take on Clermont Foot next week or when they face Newcastle in their next Champions League game.

Many Wolves fans have been left to buzz as the Midlands club confirmed on their official website that Conor Coady is in England’s provisional Euros squad.

Gareth Southgate has named 33 players in his provisional squad for Euro 2020 which will have to be cut down to 26 and named on the 1st June.

It is always good to see a player from your team represent their country at international level, and Coady may be able to do just that for the Molineux faithful should he make the final cut.

The central defender averaged the most blocks (0.9) and long balls (6.7) per game in the Premier League in the 2020/21 term out of any of his teammates, and he also ranked highly in terms of clearances (3.5), average passes (50.2) and pass success percentage (88%) (Whoscored).

With the competition for places at centre-back for the Three Lions, Coady has certainly done well to earn his spot.

Wolves fans on Coady call-up

These WWFC supporters buzzed as Coady’s call-up was shared on Twitter, with one fan claiming that they were ‘so happy’ while a couple labelled the news as ‘brilliant’:

“Brilliant news! #ourcaptain  so proud of him!  xx”

Credit: @AuntyTwe

“Thank goodness for that”

Credit: @JezLowe

“No brainer ..Southgate loves his leadership qualities on and off the pitch. Well done skipper”

Credit: @StPaul197173

“Brilliant”

Credit: @taylerjadeloach

“So happy for him”

Credit: @Luciafarruggio1

“Yess Coady captain fantastic”

Credit: @charlwolves84

In other news, find out what big Wanderers manager update Henry Winter has dropped here!

USMNT star Christian Pulisic fired AC Milan into a 1-0 lead against Lazio on Saturday in Serie A.

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• Pulisic volleyed into net
• Gave AC Milan the lead
• Rossoneri joint-top of Serie A

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States star ran into the middle of the Lazio box and was totally unmarked when Rafael Leao cut back to him.

  Pulisic made no mistake as he side-footed it beyond goalkeeper Ivan Provedel.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Leao went on to set up another goal as Noah Okafor doubled Milan's lead in stoppage time, securing the three points for the home team.

  Milan remain top of Serie A were level at the top of Serie A heading into the game but Saturday's win sees them move ahead of Inter, who could rejoin them at the top with a win against Salernitana later on Saturday evening.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Pulisic's goal is his third in Serie A since joining the San Siro outfit from Chelsea in the summer transfer window.

  The 25-year-old helped Milan to a 3-1 win against Cagliari in their previous game, creating two goals to ensure they remain head-to-head with Inter.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  After the clash against Lazio, Milan turn their attention to a Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.

An injury to their star striker and the retirement of their veteran goalkeeper are just two of the reasons for Wrexham's early-season struggles

Expectations were sky high at the SToK Racecourse heading into Wrexham's first season back in the Football League since 2008. The 2022-23 campaign was one of the most joyous in the club's history.

Buoyed by the generous ownership of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Phil Parkinson's side romped to the National League title, recording a division-record points tally in the process. And although no one was denying that there would be a step up in quality this season, Wrexham were the bookies' favourites to go up again.

Flash forward to the present and the feel-good factor around the club has taken a significant dent. At the time of writing, Wrexham are currently stuck in mid-table, albeit just four points adrift of league leaders and rivals Notts County at this early stage.

With only six games played, it would be ridiculous to write off the Red Dragons. However, Parkinson and Co will still not be entirely satisfied with the way they have started the campaign.

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  Far from a dream return to the EFL…

  Things are never boring in north Wales and nothing summed this up better than Wrexham's League Two curtain-raiser against MK Dons at the Racecourse. The Red Dragons were 2-0 down inside 10 minutes and 4-1 down after an hour, with a pulsating game eventually ending 5-3 to the visitors.

  To their credit, Wrexham responded a few days later by knocking cash-strapped Wigan Athletic out of the Carabao Cup on penalties, before stumbling to a 1-1 away draw at AFC Wimbledon.

  Their first win since returning to the Football League was eventually earned against Walsall on August 15, but they were brought crashing back down to Earth by a completely bonkers draw with Swindon Town.

  Losing 4-1 at home with little over half an hour on the clock, a 96th-minute leveller from Elliot Lee eventually earned them a 5-5 draw. It was a breathless affair but Parkinson was not happy at full time and a 1-1 stalemate with Barrow did little to raise his mood.

  Since then there have been some green shoots of consistency, with back-to-back wins over rivals Tranmere and Newcastle U21s coming after a penalty-shootout defeat to Bradford in the Carabao Cup.

  So, Wrexham are out of one of the domestic cups and have more draws than wins to start the League Two season. Any hopes of 'p*ssing the league' are firmly in the rear-view mirror.

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  No magic Mullin

  The reasons for Wrexham's less-than-stellar start are multi-faceted. By far and away the biggest factor in their early struggles, though, has been the absence of their offensive talisman Paul Mullin.

  Mullin was clattered by Manchester United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop during a pre-season friendly over the summer, with the collision leaving the striker with a punctured lung. It was a scary moment, with the 28 year old revealing: "I was trying to breathe in but nothing was happening. I couldn’t get air into my lungs. That’s when I knew it was bad. In that struggle for breath, with my lips turning blue, I accepted that this could be it for me. That’s how it felt. I couldn’t breathe properly for a few minutes."

  Mullin has been Wrexham's standout player since arriving at the club from Cambridge United in 2021, scoring a ridiculous 74 goals in just 90 games. The 32 goals he plundered for Cambridge during the 2020-21 season also suggests that he would have had no issue with the heightened competition this campaign, with many tipping him to claim another Golden Boot this year.

  But due to his grizzly injury, he has not made it onto the pitch at all so far. With him leading the line, there's little doubt that Wrexham would have been able to turn a few of their low-scoring draws into victories. Indeed, the Red Dragons have had little issue creating chances so far, registering 70 shots in League Two – the fourth highest in the division. They've just needed their star striker converting them.

  There is light at the end of the tunnel at least, with Parkinson confirming that Mullin had returned to training recently. Wrexham will be desperate to get him back on the pitch as soon as possible.

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  Foster hangs up his GoPro

  Mullin is not the only high-profile star Wrexham have lost in recent times. Heading into the 2023-24 season, Ben Foster was full of fighting talk, backing he and his team-mates for a League Two title charge.

  However, just five games into the new campaign, Foster announced that he was hanging up his gloves for a second time, having previously been tempted out of retirement by Reynolds and McElhenney earlier this year.

  The news came as a shock to fans, team-mates and manager Parkinson, with the 'Cycling GK' explaining his decision in a recent interview.

  "I just got to the point where I didn’t feel that I could do the team justice. I felt like my legs had slowed down, my sharpness, my spring, my reflexes. I felt I’d let too many goals in that I knew I should have been saving. When I got to that point I felt I was letting my team-mates down. I can’t do that, I can’t look at myself in the mirror. It’s the right decision, there’s no shame in it," he said.

  Although Wrexham did ship a lot of goals with Foster between the sticks, 13 to be precise, it's hard not to feel that the ex-England international was being a little harsh on himself. But if Foster wasn't feeling comfortable anymore, he has made the right decision. Still, losing your first-choice goalkeeper so early in the season is bound to have significantly disrupted the squad.

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  A chaotic transfer strategy

  Foster's departure instigated a mad dash to sign a replacement goalkeeper. And this haphazardness seemed to sum up Wrexham's approach to the most recent transfer window.

  Early in the summer, Parkinson had preached caution, with the Red Dragons making just one signing before the season kicked off, bringing in Will Boyle from Huddersfield. However, after winning just one of their opening three games, the club's owners sprung into action, strengthening the squad with a string of new arrivals.

  First, James McClean arrived at the SToK Racecourse from League One Wigan for a fee of around £250,000 ($314,000). Not content with this, the club also had a busy deadline day, completing a last-minute double swoop.

  First, George Evans – capable of playing in central defence or midfield – arrived from Millwall. Wrexham then raided Arsenal for Arthur Okonkwo, signing the promising goalkeeper on loan, likely to replace Foster.

Lots of Manchester City fans are delighted with a video of Brazilian youngster Kayky, who is set to move to the Citizens next year.

City have a history of signing Brazilians. Ederson, Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho have all played important roles in the club’s successes down the years, while many fans will also remember the contributions of the likes of Elano, Geovanni and, to a lesser extent, Robinho and Maicon.

Kayky will soon be adding his name to this list, and it seems that Pep Guardiola and co will be getting their hands on a top talent.

On Sunday evening, @City_Xtra shared a video of the 17-year-old scoring for current club Fluminense against Portuguesa RJ, and it was an impressive strike. He picked up the ball just inside the opposition half before showing off his pace to beat a defender and slot through the legs of the goalkeeper for his third professional goal (Transfermarkt).

These City fans were delighted with what they saw, and they took to the social media platform to share their thoughts. One excited supporter has even made comparisons with Kayky’s prolific compatriot Neymar, whose PSG side lost to City in the Champions League last week.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Kayky below

“The Premier League is in big trouble”

Credit: @Dreckel_

“Gonna be special”

Credit: @alexpaolo9

“Closest player to Neymar I’ve ever seen”

Credit: @MCFCJerrish

“Better than Sterling already”

Credit: @s10s10s10s10s10

“Which great diamond!!! I’m desperate to see him already playing for City”

Credit: @jdiazm11

“he looks like a proper baller”

Credit: @Ethan4707

In other news, some Man City fans were unhappy with this photo featuring Phil Foden.

The French giants are set to appoint the ex-Spain boss following Christophe Galtier's sacking, but the process to reach this point has been laughable

As Paris Saint-Germain realised in early spring that Christophe Galtier was not the right manager to take them forward, the process began on finding a replacement who could finally deliver the French champions more than just domestic success. The early in-house decision surely put them at an advantage in their pursuit of a top-tier coach, didn't it? You wouldn't know it from what's happened since.

First, it was Thomas Tuchel. And why wouldn’t PSG want him? This was a Champions League-winning manager, all flailing limbs and clever tactics. Yes, the Parisians had been down the road before — and burned out spectacularly just months on from reaching the Champions League final — but there wasn’t a better manager on the market. Tuchel, though, was lured in by Bayern Munich before PSG had the courage to officially sack Galtier.

Then, briefly, it was Jose Mourinho. And perhaps that wasn’t the worst idea. Yes, the Portuguese manager had become, sommehow, even more toxic while at Roma. But he has always won in Europe — drab Europa League final penalty shootout loss a few weeks ago notwithstanding. Maybe a totalitarian regime was exactly what the Qatar-owned club needed.

After that, Julian Nagelsmann was the front runner. This one was even more exciting. The German wore trendy clothes, had a cool haircut and rode skateboards. There were some alarm bells following his sacking by Bayern, but he had the Bavarians well in pursuit of a treble before his unfair removal by an erratic board. Young, trendy, tactically astute – this was surely the direction PSG needed. But that move — one that seemed certain to materialise — has now fallen apart.

Instead, PSG have seemingly landed on Luis Enrique. The credentials are certainly there. He has won the Champions League, coached some big names, and will get the Parisians playing some pretty stuff. It does little to take away from the fact, though, that Luis Enrique is effectively fourth-choice, the back-up’s back-up’s back-up for a job that, theoretically, should be a hot commodity.

And this is all indicative of the state of the club. PSG, the biggest team in France, with the third-biggest budget in Europe, and the team that has been able to attract some of the biggest names in football, can't seem to nail down a big-name manager. They are, in effect, a team failing to correct their own mistakes, and running out of options in a vital vacancy because of it.

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  A complex history

  This is hardly a novel concept. When Qatari Sports Investments took over the club in 2011, PSG immediately tried to upgrade. Gone were the sensible appointments of old, and in came the big names. Carlo Ancelotti, Laurent Blanc, Unai Emery, Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino have all sauntered into the club before skulking out.

  At the time, all were highly-rated, high-profile names. Ancelotti had won nearly everything when he was the man brought in to lead the glitzy new project in 2011. Blanc's France tenure was turbulent, but he certainly didn't lack experience dealing with big names. And then came Emery, Tuchel and Pochettino, different types of managers, but similar in their application. Here were a trio of coaches who had won something, proved their credentials to manage a big club, but weren't notorious for their control of dressing rooms.

  And they all ended their tenures in similar ways. The stars that had been brought in to bolster the PSG brand didn't so easily conform to their tactical tendencies, and while all three relied on intricacy, commitment and the purity of systems to succeed, big-money superstars thrown into teams that are trying to be moulded in a certain way don't always work.

  There's complexity here. Not every manager deals with every player in a fixed manner. But Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi — transformative individuals that they are — were all signed to the detriment of the team. And none of PSG's last four managers – including Galtier – have ever really been able to deal with them.

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  The Luis Campos factor

  But this time, there's a mysterious extra actor involved. The hiring of transfer guru Luis Campos in 2022 was always going to be something of a gamble. Though the Portuguese's recruiting skills couldn't be knocked, there didn't appear to be much room for him in a club where star players, a demanding board and indignant manager were jostling for power.

  And some of those fears were validated. Campos and Galtier shared something of a similar vision for the club, but what, exactly, the Portuguese was employed to do wasn't clear. PSG technically didn't have a director of football after letting Leonardo go, but Campos was never given the position on a permanent basis, instead employed with an accordingly uncertain title of 'football advisor'.

  If he was supposed to be a stand-in for sporting director, he did so with an unusually close relationship to the team. Campos was there at every game, scowling from the stands and often on the pitch after full-time. On occasion, he was found waiting by the edge of the tunnel for Galtier, an angry parent waiting to tell off a misbehaving child.

  There were moments of tension between him and the players, too. Campos reportedly lambasted the Parisians at half-time of a heavy loss to Monaco in Ligue 1. He also repeatedly called on Mbappe to improve his performance — while Galtier simply heaped praise on his star striker.

  This could all be very difficult for a new manager to figure out. It is admittedly rare that coaches and the board work in complete harmony, but the next PSG manager will walk into a club where power has already been split. This is, in effect, a system set up to fail.

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  Summer business

  Campos has continued to exert his influence, being active in the transfer market without having a manager in place. His signings so far have been admittedly interesting, and the exact antithesis of PSG's usual strategy. Manuel Ugarte is a no-nonsense centre-midfielder who won't sell many shirts. Marco Asensio was a bargain-bin find on a free after Real Madrid refused to offer him a new contract. Lee Kang-in is near-unheard of outside of Spain and South Korea, but was a dynamic attacking midfielder for Mallorca last season, playing a starring role in one of La Liga's most impressive success stories.

  Bernardo Silva, if he is indeed next, would also be a good piece of business — although Manchester City will undoubtedly want a hefty fee for his services. In isolation, then, these are a series of smart signings that should add either depth or immediate quality in key areas. But how, exactly, they fit together isn't quite clear — and likely won't be until a new manager is brought in.

  The difficulty is, Campos isn't necessarily putting together a squad for a specific coach. Ugarte seemed to be a very Mourinho-esque player. Asensio and Lee, in theory, are ideal for Nagelsmann. Luis Enrique, though, doesn't necessarily seem an ideal coach for any of the newcomers, and either way, it appears unlikely that the manager will have had any sort of say in how the nearly €100 million was spent.

  This is a common concept — to an extent. Coaches always inherit squads with players they do and don't like, and whoever the new manager is will inevitably want to get rid of a few names Campos considers important. But Campos appears to be going about a whole summer's worth of recruiting without employing a manager to oversee the team. It is difficult to see any sort of experienced coach who will willingly embrace that scenario — or execute it in the vision of the man doing the buying.

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  The Mbappe problem

  But amid all the incomings, the real sticking point is the player who may yet be leaving. Mbappe has caused a certain degree of chaos around PSG after announcing that he would not extend his contract beyond the end of next season. He knows that, in return, PSG will likely be forced to sell him — letting him walk for free in 12 months would be a massive financial waste.

  And that will likely be the first question every single candidate for the PSG job has: where will Mbappe be next year? Relying on Asensio and relying on Mbappe are, after all, two very different managerial situations. Chances are, PSG will be forced to sell, despite Mbappe's thinly-veiled well-wishes and reassurances over the past few weeks. Real Madrid will likely buy him, and add to what is already the best young core in Europe.

  That would, in effect, leave PSG bringing in a manager to oversee a rebuild. If the expectations in Paris are to reach the Champions League final, an injured Neymar, ageing Marquinhos and erratic Vitinha aren't the pieces to do it.

  The issue is, managing PSG is often a short-term proposition. Galtier only lasted a year. Pochettino managed two. Blanc now looks more akin to Arsene Wenger at Arsenal for being at the club for three. There are questions to be asked here about the patience of Campos, the board, and the fans. Clubs like PSG do not simply accept resets, especially when they have spent years compiling droves of big names.

Alen Stajcic will lead the Philippines in their first-ever Women's World Cup. But who is in their squad?

The Philippines national women's team is set to play in their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup finals in July, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand.

A shootout win against Chinese Taipei in the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup quarter-finals ended a 32-year World Cup wait for them. Despite missing two of their opening four spot-kicks, goalkeeper Olivia Davies-McDaniel's heroics helped her nation progress to its first FIFA tournament.

After Alen Stajcic was sacked in 2019 by Australia, the Philippines – a team that had won nothing and never qualified for a single major tournament – appointed the Aussie in October 2021. Since then, they have won the 2022 AFF Championship apart from qualifying for the World Cup.

However, in the recent 2023 Southeast Asian Games, they were unlucky to crash out from the group stage after finishing third behind Vietnam and Myanmar on goal difference after the three teams were locked on six points.

Nonetheless, they will look to overcome their disappointment and compete with renewed vigour alongside hosts New Zealand, Switzerland and Norway in Group A in the Women's World Cup.

Who can Grings pick in the World Cup squad? GOAL takes a look…

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  GOALKEEPERS

  Olivia Davies-McDaniel is the number one choice between the sticks for the Philippines. Her heroics against Chinese Taipei in the penalty shootout has catapulted her to a demi-god stature in her nation and will once again be entrusted with the responsibility of shot-stopping in Australia.

  Her form will be crucial to the Philippines' chances as she is expected to have a busy time under the crossbar.

  Meanwhile, Kiara Fontanilla, who plies her trade with Central Coast Mariners, is likely to be the backup goalkeeper with Inna Palacios as the third choice.

  Name	Club
  Olivia McDaniel	Free Agent
  Kiara Fontanilla	Central Coast Mariners
  Inna Palacios	Kaya–Iloilo
  Kaiya Jota	Stanford Cardinal

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  DEFENDERS

  Stajcic likes to stick to four defenders in defence. Alicia Barker and Malea Cesar are the two options at right-back. The latter is 19 years old but already has 28 caps for the national team, highlighting her immense potential.

  Meanwhile, Hali Long is the most experienced defender in the backline and has 71 international caps. She might be partnered with Maya Alcantara at the heart of the defence.

  Whereas Sofia Harrison is likely to slot in at left-back, with Dominique Randle as the other option.

  Name	Club
  Jessika Cowart	Kalmar
  Cathrine Graversen	Odense Q
  Dominique Randle	2023 Pinatar Cup
  Maya Alcantara	Georgetown Hoyas
  Alicia Barker	Pacific Northwest
  Reina Bonta	Santos
  Malea Cesar	Blacktown City
  Sofia Harrison	Free Agent
  Hali Long	Kaya–Iloilo
  Eva Madarang	Blacktown Spartans

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  MIDFIELDERS

  It is mostly four players at the centre of the park for Stajcic. However, sometimes the coach also opts to have two defensive midfielders and a bank of three behind the striker.

  Tanhai Annis and Sara Eggesvik are the two most trusted players who are the pivots of the team. Both play in Europe for KIL/Hemne and Por/KA, respectively. Jaclyn Sawicki is also a potent option in midfield, as the 30-year-old has plenty of experience and switched her nationality from Canada to represent Philipines in 2021.

  Red Star Belgrade winger Quinley Quezada is most likely to occupy the right flank, whereas Isabella Flanigan can take the place on the left.

  Meanwhile, Stabaek's Meryll Serrano is the x-factor in this team, who has four goals in eight appearances. She can be used as a number 10 as she is to be prolific in the attacking third.

  Name	Club
  Anicka Castañeda	Mt Druitt Town Rangers
  Sara Eggesvik	KIL/Hemne
  Isabella Pasion	Lebanon Trail High School
  Natalie Oca	Loyola Marymount Lions
  Sabine Ramos	Woodbridge High School
  Tahnai Annis	Por/KA
  Ryley Bugay	Free agent
  Reinna Gabriel	Cornell Big Red
  Kaya Hawkinson	Central Coast Mariners
  Camille Rodriguez	Lords FA
  Meryll Serrano	Stabæk

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  FORWARDS

  Carleigh Frillies and Sarina Bolden are the two preferred strikers for Stajcic. Fillies was born in the United States but has represented the Philippines right from the age group teams since 2016. She has 12 goals in 33 caps and is a crucial figure in the squad.

  Meanwhile, Bolden, also born in the United States, caught the attention of Richard Boon, former Philippines national team coach, and convinced her to join the Filipinas. She has made 33 appearances so far and has 20 goals.

  Katrina Guillou is another striker who has the potential to be a difference-maker. She sent a highlight reel from her college days to the Philippine Football Federation before the 2022 Asian Cup, which got her selected for the national team. Since joining the team, she has scored 10 goals in 25 appearances.

  Name	Club
  Sarina Bolden	Western Sydney Wanderers
  Isabella Flanigan	West Virginia Mountaineers
  Chandler McDaniel	Free agent
  Quinley Quezada	Red Star Belgrade
  Carleigh Frillies	Blacktown Spartans
  Katrina Guillou	Pitea IF
  Alyssa Ube	UP Fighting Maroons

You’d be hard-pressed to find any team in the country with as much clarity missing from the club as Celtic right now.

The Hoops are without a new manager and they are also on the hunt for a new director of football.

The Bhoys are also fretting over the future of a number of their regular first-team stars.

On the chalkboard

Odsonne Edouard is regularly linked with a move to the Premier League and at the front of the queue right now appear to be Leicester City.

That said, Celtic’s defensive rock could also depart south of the border.

Both Norwich City and Newcastle United are interested in signing colossal defender Kristoffer Ajer this summer. The Norwegian has also attracted the eyes of Italian giants AC Milan.

It would be far-fetched to imagine keeping the pair of them at the club so the Celtic hierarchy must begin preparing for next season.

With Shane Duffy also set to head back to Brighton at the conclusion of his loan spell, it will leave the Glaswegian outfit light in defence.

The solution

When it’s come to the defensive part of their game this term, Celtic have been utterly diabolical.

They shipped 19 strikes in six Europa League games while they’ve also conceded 13 more goals than Rangers in the Premiership.

Even with Neil Lennon gone, the problems continue to mount under John Kennedy. The way they conceded two goals against the Gers in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup was simply dreadful.

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Diego Laxalt was all at sea for both goals and thus, it will be difficult to see him staying at the club either.

Fortunately, Celtic have a remedy right in front of them; Jack Hendry.

The Scot has rarely been seen throughout his Hoops career and missed a great deal of last season through injury.

However, he’s bounced back in phenomenal fashion while on loan with Oostende in Belgium. Hendry has been so good he was announced as the best player in the entire division last week.

He has been a pillar of consistency at the back and is proving exactly why he can step in for both Duffy and Ajer in 2021/22.

Celtic will, however, need to stop a £2m move from going through. Oostende have the option to make the deal permanent in the summer while he’s also being courted by Burnley, Brighton and Sheffield United in England.

The Hoops hierarchy would be extremely foolish to get rid of him, though. Speaking earlier this season, Oostende manager Alexander Blessin said: “He’s been a tower of experience for us.

“Jack’s the most important member of the team this season and he’s one of the best defenders in the league. He can defend, he’s fast and he’s also a useful weapon at attacks because of his height.”

The 25-year-old’s game can be outlined by the level of consistency he’s established. Compare that to someone like Duffy and he’d add an extra layer of security.

The Irishman’s spell at Paradise has been a disastrous one and he now hasn’t played since the middle of February.

If Celtic want to improve defensively, they have to keep Hendry at the club.

AND in other news, Forget Howe: Desmond could revive Celtic by hiring 58 y/o Rodgers dubbed “world-class”…

The Frenchman has made a sensational return from injury, reminding everyone of his brilliance with a string of superb saves for club and country

After Emiliano Martinez's antics at Qatar 2022, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) have announced that goalkeepers will no longer be permitted to delay the taking of a penalty – or distract their opponent by touching the crossbar or the posts before the shot.

Mike Maignan was less than impressed by the rule change, feeling that the shot-stopper's job has now been made even more difficult.

"New IFAB penalty rules 2026: Goalkeepers must have their backs to the shot," the AC Milan No.1 sarcastically wrote on Twitter.

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Maignan's frustration is understandable, of course. The thing is, though, when it comes to the Frenchman, one would still expect him to save the spot-kick in such a ludicrous scenario.

He has, after all, made a succession of logic-defying stops in recent weeks, prompting many pundits to proclaim him the world's best goalkeeper.

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  'An unbelievable save'

  During the international break, for example, he saved a Memphis Depay penalty in France's 4-0 rout of Netherlands in a Euro 2024 qualifier in Paris. Three days later, though, he did something truly extraordinary.

  With France leading 1-0 but under the cosh in the final stages of their meeting with Ireland in Dublin, Nathan Collins made what looked like the perfect contact with a cross to send the ball arrowing towards the top corner of Maignan's goal.

  However, the goalkeeper somehow managed to not only get a hand to the close-range header, but deflect it away to safety with a stunning show of dexterity that Didier Deschamps described as "worth a goal".

  Collins couldn't believe it. He thought he'd done everything right. "I got as high as I could," the defender said afterwards, still in disbelief. "I got power behind it, but it’s an unbelievable save.

  "That’s the difference at the top level; it’s so frustrating."

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  Denying Di Lorenzo

  Just a couple of weeks later, it was Giovanni Di Lorenzo's turn to be denied by a man known as 'Magic Mike' in certain sections of the Italian press.

  With just seconds to go in last Wednesday night's Champions League clash between AC Milan and Napoli at San Siro, the visitors carved out their best opening of the evening for their club captain.

  Di Lorenzo made great contact but, again, Maignan was equal to it, getting down swiftly and nimbly to turn the defender's shot around the post and preserve Milan's precious 1-0 goal advantage going into Tuesday's second leg at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

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  'You have to follow him'

  Maignan's heroics over the past month have astounded some, but those that have been following Frenchman's career closely are not in the least bit surprised.

  It was clear during his time at Lille that he was a special talent. Indeed, the first time Milan coach Stefano Pioli saw Maignan in action, during a Europa League group-stage clash with Les Dogues, he turned to his goalkeeping coach and said, "You have to follow him!"

  And the Rossoneri did.

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  A bargain buy

  When it became clear that Gigi Donnarumma wasn't going to sign a contract extension in 2021, Milan moved quickly to wrap up a deal for Maignan before the Italy No.1 had even confirmed his departure.

  It proved an absolute masterstroke – and a sensational bit of business, with the Serie A side paying just €13m (£11m/$15m) for his services.

  Because while the loss of Donnarumma on a free transfer hurt Milan, Maignan immediately soothed the pain.

  Less than a month after his arrival, he was saving a penalty from Mohamed Salah in the Champions League, while Donnarumma was sitting on the PSG bench in Bruges.

  By the season's end, he was a Scudetto winner, having helped Milan win their first Serie A title in a decade by keeping an incredible 17 clean sheets.

  He even chipped in with a fantastic assist for Rafael Leao at one point, illustrating his comfort with the ball at his feet.