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Alexi Lalas has slammed Portugal boss Roberto Martinez for sticking with Cristiano Ronaldo upfront throughout their entire Euro 2024 campaign.

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• Portugal knocked out in quarter-finals
• Ronaldo played every game
• Lalas branded Euro 2024 a "charity game"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo endured a nightmare tournament at Euro 2024, despite playing every game. The Al-Nassr star failed to score and only managed to provide one assist, in his side's 3-0 group stage win over Turkey.

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  Ronaldo was left in tears against Slovenia after missing a penalty, before scoring in the shootout to send Portugal into the quarter-finals, where they were beaten on penalties by France. And Lalas believes Martinez should have dropped the 39-year-old early on at the tournament, instead of turning it into a "charity" exhibition.

• WHAT LALAS SAID

  Ex-USMNT international Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast: "When it comes to Portugal and Ronaldo in this tournament, they have no one to blame but themselves. And when I say ‘themselves’, ultimately it rests with Roberto Martinez. He made his bed and that bed was with Ronaldo in it. He leaned into it all tournament and propped him up at every chance he could get, including playing him in that third [group stage] game, trying to get him a goal. If it was not a player called Cristiano Ronaldo, in any other circumstance, that player would’ve been taken off the field. Not necessarily because he’s not good, but strikers are there to serve a purpose. And obviously, the ultimate purpose is to score goals, or at the very least to be dangerous."

  He added: “Sometimes there also comes up a point where you need to mix it up, and you have other arsenal on the bench that you bring in. Maybe it’s a like-for-like, maybe it’s a different type of person up there. In this case, that wasn’t done. I don’t know if it was out of fear or out of respect or a combination of all of it.

  "What you ended up having in this tournament was a charity game set up for Ronaldo and that’s not even fair. This is a situation that Roberto Martinez created and Cristiano Ronaldo accepted and certainly didn’t do anything to change. Ultimately, it hurt Portugal."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Ronaldo will head back to Saudi Arabia to prepare for the 2024-25 season with Nassr, as questions rage over his future with the Portuguese national team. He has yet to win a major trophy with Al-Nassr, who were beaten to the Saudi Pro League title by Al-Hilal last term.

As is the way for many ex-footballers nowadays, finding a new career beyond the beautiful game can be quite difficult at times, but Jill Scott is doing just fine.

Indeed, Scott, who was awarded an MBE for her services to women's football back in 2020, has really taken off as a pundit since retiring from football, with appearances here, there and everywhere.

So, we have decided to compile a fact file on everything about Jill.

How old is Jill Scott?

Jill Scott was born on 2nd February 1987, and is from Sunderland.

This makes her 37 years of age.

Jill Scott's net worth

Of course, no one can put an exact number on Scott's net worth apart from herself, but according to Heart, her net worth is somewhere between $1.5million (£1.3 million) and $4million (£3.4 million).

She will have earned a decent amount of money during her 18-year football career, but nowhere near as much as the amount she'll be getting paid to present and appear on shows such as I'm a Celebrity, Sky Sports Overlap and others.

Jill Scott's salary

The former England international earned a healthy chunk of money for going into the jungle back in 2023 to appear on I'm a Celebrity, with her reported fee rumoured to be around £120,000.

Her football career will have paid okay, but women's football has only started to increase exponentially in the past five years or so, with more teams becoming professional, so she may have missed out on large chunks for the majority of her career.

Punditry, on the other hand, will no doubt be her biggest income. Heart claimed back in 2022 that the 37-year-old earns around $450,000 (£391,000) per year, and she has also had many brand deals. Though, this number is likely to have risen as she has since appeared on ITV, Sky Sports, Channel 4 and other channels.

Jill Scott's height

So, how tall is Jill Scott? Well, she allegedly stands at 5ft 11in (181cm), and was nicknamed “Crouchy” due to her similarities in height with Peter Crouch, who was a former professional footballer.

Jill Scott's partner

Jill Scott is herself gay. She isn't married yet, but will soon have a wife as she's currently engaged to her girlfriend/fiancée, who goes by the name of Shelly Unitt. (leave this bit, as have fit all keywords in)

The couple have been together now for over six years, and got engaged back in March 2020. They even have their own coffee shop together in Manchester, which is called Boxx2Boxx.

Shelly is the sister of former England rugby player Rachel Unitt. While her fiancee is off presenting and doing punditry on TV, Shelly enjoys travelling and visiting family, which is evident from her Instagram and social media channels.

Amanda Staveley is reportedly considering investing in Premier League side Tottenham after waving goodbye to Newcastle United.

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• Staveley has left Newcastle
• Considering investing in Tottenham
• Ligue 1 side Monaco also an option

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Staveley and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi could be set for a swift return to the Premier League since stepping away from Newcastle after three years at St James' Park. The couple are now considering investing in Premier League rivals Tottenham after raising £500 million ($646m) through her investment fund PCP Capital Partners, according to Bloomberg.

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  Ligue 1 side Monaco are also a potential investment opportunity, with Staveley said to be studying the options available currently. Initial talks to buy a minority stake in Tottenham have already taken place, with chairman Daniel Levy having previously revealed he is willing to listen to offers. Staveley has just left Newcastle after overseeing the club's £300 million Saudi-led takeover. The club also qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 2003 during her time there and enjoyed a Carabao Cup final appearance at Wembley last year.

• WHAT LEVY HAS SAID

  Levy admitted in April that he was seeking investment in the club, saying: "To capitalise on our long-term potential, to continue to invest in the teams and undertake future capital projects, the club requires a significant increase in its equity base.

  “The board and its advisors, Rothschild & Co, are in discussions with prospective investors. Any recommended investment proposal would require the support of the club’s shareholders.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM

  Fans will have to wait and see if Staveley does decide to make a move and approach Levy over a potential investment in Tottenham. The north London club are currently preparing for the new Premier League season under manager Ange Postecoglou and are currently valued at around £3.5 billion.

Newcastle United have been given a boost in their quest to sign an "excellent" player in the summer transfer window, with his current club potentially lowering their demands.

Newcastle could look to fill Botman void

The Magpies have suffered a season to forget overall, with their performances in both the Premier League and Champions League not up to scratch. However, injuries have been a fair excuse for Eddie Howe, with the manager constantly having to get by without so many key players available.

Newcastle have now received a fresh major blow with the news that Sven Botman's season is over after suffering an ACL injury, which is expected to keep him out of action for 6-9 months. Given the Dutchman's influence at the heart of the defence, it is a significant setback, and PIF could now look to sign another centre-back this summer.

Plenty of potential targets have emerged recently, with Sporting CP pair Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande both linked with moves to St James' Park once the current campaign is done and dusted. Both are highly rated young players who could have big futures in the game, so they represent exciting options.

Someone who was backed to move to Newcastle earlier this season was Crystal Palace and England ace Marc Guehi, should he decide that this summer is the right time to move on to pastures new. Another Premier League player is also believed to be an option, with Nottingham Forest defender Murillo recently linked with a switch to the Magpies.

Newcastle given boost over "fantastic" target

According to a new update from A Bola [via Sport Witness], Newcastle remain keen on signing Inacio from Sporting in the summer window. Citing other sources, the Portuguese outlet stated that his current club could potentially accept €40m (£34.4m) plus €20m (£17.2m) in bonuses, rather than the upfront €60m (£51.7m) release clause that exists in his current deal. However, these bonuses would have to be considered realistically achievable.

It is also stated in the report that Sporting have already begun looking for replacements for both Inacio and Diomande, which could give the Magpies further hope of striking a deal for at least one of them.

Inacio could be a perfect signing for Newcastle at the end of the season, with so many positive attributes in his game, from quality on the ball to strong defensive work. He can also play at left-back if needed, which would give Howe more depth in that area of the pitch at a time when Dan Burn arguably doesn't represent the future there, considering he is 31 years of age and more of a centre-back by trade.

The Sporting ace has been hailed as an "excellent central defender" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and his stats in the table below sum up what an impressive season he is enjoying in the Primeira Liga:

The fact that Newcastle could strike a cheaper deal initially acts as an added bonus, and they should do all they can to snap up one of Europe's brightest young defenders in the summer.

Brentford have been hit with a devastating injury blow to record-signing Igor Thiago that could see striker Ivan Toney forced to stay at the club.

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• Thiago out for months after surgery
• Forward seen as replacement for Toney
• England man may have to stay at Brentford

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Bees signed Brazilian forward Thiago from Club Brugge in the summer transfer window after agreeing a €38 million (£30m) deal in February – setting a record for the London club and the Belgian Pro League. However, the 23-year-old has now been ruled out for several months after undergoing an operation on an injury he sustained in a friendly against Wimbledon.

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  WHAT BRENTFORD SAID

  A statement from the club read: "Brentford’s Igor Thiago had successful surgery on Tuesday. Thiago suffered a meniscus injury during the Bees’ 5-2 victory over AFC Wimbledon on 20 July, which has been repaired. The striker will now begin a period of recovery and rehabilitation and is expected to return towards the end of the year."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The news may have derailed Brentford's transfer plans for the rest of the summer window. Thiago was seen as a replacement for star forward Toney, who has been linked with a move away from the club for several months. Brentford had reportedly slashed their asking price for the forward in an attempt to move him on, but they may decide to keep him at the club now that their other attacking option has been ruled out.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BRENTFORD?

  Brentford will continue their preparations for the 2024-25 campaign with friendlies against Watford and Wolfsburg before they face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on August 18.

Newcastle United's heavy spending under the Saudi PIF could be about to continue in the summer, with the Magpies needing to increase their squad depth.

The club will already be looking to strengthen the centre-back department after the long-term injury suffered by Sven Botman, with the Dutchman ruled out for up to nine months after his ACL surgery.

Injuries have left Eddie Howe's side depleted in multiple areas, with other players such as Joelinton and Callum Wilson spending multiple months on the sidelines.

The club have often been light in midfield, with the club targeting another Brazilian to add to the duo of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton who already ply their trade at St James' Park.

Newcastle interested in another Brazilian midfielder

According to Italian outlet Tutto Atalanta, the Magpies are interested in signing 24-year-old Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Serie A outfit Atalanta.

The youngster has made 27 appearances in the league this season, scoring on five occasions, including a brilliant header in the 3-2 defeat against Lazio earlier this campaign.

The former Salernitana midfielder has emerged as a potential option for Howe's side this summer, but any deal would be a costly one for the Magpies.

Indeed, it's thought that the Toon are willing to bid £34m to secure the services of one of the Italian club's star performers from this campaign.

It's not just the price Howe's side needs to worry about, with multiple other sides such as Atlético Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur also credited with an interest in the Atalanta sensation.

Despite any price tag and competition from elsewhere, the Brazilian would be an unbelievable piece of business for the Magpies, with his stats this season better than current Newcastle midfielders Joelinton and Guimaraes.

How Ederson compares to Guimaraes and Joelinton

When delving into the trio's stats, they all complement each other well – with Ederson potentially being the perfect fit alongside his compatriots in the centre of the Magpies' midfield.

The three Brazilians all have very similar playstyles, all of them enjoying the attacking and defensive side of the game as reflected by their stats per 90 in the Serie A and Premier League this season.

As seen in the table above, all three of the players are effective at both ends of the pitch, with a midfield trio of Joelinton, Guimaraes and Ederson a very exciting prospect.

The current Atalanta man comes out on top for most blocks and tackles per 90, but whilst trailing Joelinton for most shots per game, he has the highest goal tally of the players – with Ederson more clinical than the one-time centre-forward.

Although the club may face stiff competition from sides all over Europe for his signature, the Magpies must work tirelessly to convince the 24-year-old to move to St James' Park this summer. Indeed his array of progressive and passing makes him seem like a player who is simply tailor-made for Premier League life.

He would be the missing piece in Howe's midfield puzzle, with Ederson potentially allowing the club to edge closer to a European push whilst also providing needed depth in the centre of the field.

Newcastle struck gold on "outstanding" ace who's worth more than Joelinton

The incredible talent is one of the best players in his position.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 13, 2024

Robinson, one of the top left-backs in the Premier League, is excited about Pochettino's reported arrival as U.S. manager.

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• Robinson praised the reported hire
• Robinson: All eyes on 2026
• Fulham opened with loss to Manchester United

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Antonee Robinson, one of the top players on the U.S. men's national team, is ready to give "everything" for the team's reported new hire Mauricio Pochettino.

  The 27-year-old fullback praised Pochettino following Fulham's late loss to Manchester United in their Premier League opener at Old Trafford.

  Robinson, widely seen as one of the top left-backs in the Premiership, has made 46 season appearances for the U.S. since making his debut in 2018.

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• WHAT ROBINSON SAID

  "He’s a very good manager, so I’ll be interested to see obviously how he comes in," Robinson told NBC Sports in a postgame interview. "How he gets used to the boys. How we get used to him. It’s a fresh start now.

  "Obviously eyes are going to be on the World Cup and he’s got two years to get the best out of us that we can and we got to give it everything for him, so that he can be successful with us."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Robinson is the first one of the first USMNT players to publicly acknowledge the reports of Pochettino's hiring. He's one of the team's elite players so his public backing is critical for the Argentine.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR ROBINSON, POCHETTINO?

  Robinson's Fulham will be looking to rebound from a heartbreaking season-opening loss in Manchester. After a grueling test with United, they might have more luck against a recently-promoted Leicester side at home on Aug. 24.

  Pochettino's reported agreement still has finer details to resolve. The U.S. has upcoming matches against Canada and New Zealand, but it’s not yet confirmed if he will be managing in those matches.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement raided the transfer market during the January window, bringing in three new signings for the Ibrox side.

Oscar Cortes, Mohamed Diomande, and Fabio Silva all settled in well at the Light Blues, combining to score seven goals thus far for the club.

Both Silva and Cortes will return to their parent clubs at the end of the current campaign, with Diomande joining on a permanent deal in the summer, but it is clear just what strategy Clement will be using going forward.

Previously, the Gers had signed seasoned professionals who would offer some experience, although they would come with significant wage demands and have no resale value.

Under the Belgian, it appears as though he is looking at the long-term approach for the club. By signing young talents who have yet to blossom, developing them and moving them on for a profit, Clement will establish a player trading model which could be wonderful for the finances.

At the end of the 2023/24 season, there are several players who are out of contract, meaning the manager could free up some of his wage bill by releasing those he thinks have no future in Glasgow.

The Rangers players out of contract this summer

John Lundstram, Leon Balogun, Jon McLaughlin, Kemar Roofe, Ryan Jack, and Borna Barisic are the six senior players who will be free to leave the club once the season finishes.

Realistically, only Lundstram could offer something over the next couple of years, with the rest looking like they will be tasked with finding a new club.

This strategy could see the former Club Brugge manager save a total of £69k-per-week on the wage bill, which will give him some leeway in the transfer market with regard to potential new signings.

Of course, the Gers will still sign the odd player aged 25 or over, but longer-term planning will see plenty of talented gems arrive at the club in the coming years.

Might Clement already have some future prospects in the academy who could soon be ready to make their mark on the first team? With Bailey Rice a player who is being talked about as having a wonderful future in the game.

Bailey Rice’s youth statistics

The midfielder began his career with Motherwell and was offered a professional contract with the Steelmen during the summer of 2022.

Rangers pipped in ahead of a few other clubs to secure his signature, much to the frustration of Motherwell’s academy director Steven Hammell, who said:

“Although it’s disappointing to lose Bailey at this stage of his development, we respect his decision.” Explained Hammell having lost one of his most prized young talents.

Rice clearly could not turn down a move to Rangers, and it looks as though it could be the best possible place for him to showcase his skills while making an inroad into first-team football.

Indeed, having featured on a regular basis for the B team, Michael Beale called up Rice to be part of his matchday squad against Livingston in February last year.

Rangers: Bailey Rice could be an ideal Kamara heir

The young talent could become a mainstay in the first team in a few years time.

By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 18, 2023

With a few minutes remaining, Beale gave Rice his senior bow, aged just 16 years and 137 days, making the midfielder the youngest ever player to make an appearance in the top flight, indicating just how promising a player he is.

“It was a huge achievement to even be involved in the squad but obviously to make my debut was even better.” Said Rice in an interview last year and it has gotten even better for him during the current campaign.

The 17-year-old signed a contract extension until 2026 back in September last year, with the Gers having high hopes for a future regular in the senior side.

Off the back of that news, Rice even made two appearances for the Ibrox side in the Premiership, during the 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen and in the win over St Mirren a week later.

He has been in the matchday squad a further four times but has yet to make another appearance since Clement arrived in mid-October.

The Belgian will be keeping a close eye on the young Scot, and he isn’t the only youngster making waves of late.

How Paul Nsio could slot in alongside Rice

Nsio joined Rangers in the same summer as Rice and it did not take him long to announce himself to the Ibrox faithful.

During a League Cup clash against Queen of the South in August 2022, Giovanni van Bronckhorst gave a host of academy gems some game time. Zak Lovelace, Archie Stevens and Robbie Ure made their debuts, while Nsio was brought on with just a couple of minutes remaining to make his senior bow aged just 16.

The youngster also played in all six of the UEFA Youth League fixtures for the B team last season, suggesting that he was clearly ready for the step-up.

His work ethic and performances were rewarded in November, as the midfielder was named the academy player of the month for October, having scored against AS Monaco, while he was also influential against Queens Park during a 4-0 win in the Glasgow Cup.

These impressive displays led the club to offer Nsio a contract extension until 2026 – similar to Bailey – at the end of November, with the youngster eagerly confirming, committing to the Gers for another two and a half years.

A loan move could be the next step on his journey, as Clement will be keen to see how he performs at senior level on a consistent basis, but there is no doubt he has what it takes to be a success in the coming years.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Rice and Bailey sound like a 90s hip-hop duo, but on the pitch, they work well in tandem with each other.

The former Motherwell gem typically drops slightly deeper, which could allow Nsio to utilise his attacking qualities to full effect.

The pair may just save the Ibrox side millions in the transfer market over the next few years, as their talent can take them to the very top of the game.

Jose Mourinho admitted Fenerbahce "would have never reached the Champions League final" after their qualifying loss against Lille.

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• Fenerbahce went down against Lille
• Mourinho admitted Europa League is their level
• Slammed the format changes for 2024-25

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fenerbahce failed to qualify for the 2024-25 Champions League main competition after a late strike from Jonathan David helped Lille clinch the tie 3-2 on aggregate. After the third qualifying round loss, manager Mourinho made an honest confession that his team would have never made it to the final of the Champions League, let alone win it.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Portuguese manager is now focusing on the club's campaign in the Europa League, although, he also criticised UEFA for changing the format of all their competitions. Both the Champions League and the Europa League will played in a new format from this season as all teams will play four home and away matches in a league competition before making it to the play-offs, with the old group-stage format scrapped.

• WHAT JOSE MOURINHO SAID

  Speaking to reporters at his post-match press conference, the 61-year-old said: "We lose economically because the Champions League obviously is an important boost to the club and we lose the chance to play against the biggest teams in the world. But we would never win the Champions League. We would never reach the Champions League final. Never."

  When asked about UEFA's format changes, the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid coach added: "I don’t even know the reason why the Europa League is going to be this way. Same as Champions. I don’t know the reason why. We have to adapt it’s something new for everybody. You play eight matches, four at home, and four away. Against some opponents you only play at home, against some opponents, you only play away. It’s strange, but it is what it is. I think money makes decisions and we have to adapt to it.

  "But as I was saying before, the Champions League would be great for the club, great for the players. But we would never have a chance to go very, very far in the competition and the [Europa] league is more adapted to our level. And I want to inject ambition in the team to do well."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FENERBAHCE?

  Mourinho's Fenerbahce will be next seen in action on Sunday as they take on Goztepe in a Turkish Super Lig clash, where they will be aiming to extend their 100 percent start to the new domestic season.

A "superb" manager INEOS have liked for years is "highly thought of" by Manchester United and could replace Erik ten Hag this summer, according to an update from journalist Ben Jacobs.

Man Utd manager latest

Ten Hag finds himself under huge pressure in the Old Trafford hot seat currently, with Thursday night's 4-3 defeat away to Chelsea another bad result in an increasingly disappointing season.

There have been some positive moments during the campaign, and United could yet win the FA Cup, but supporters are growing tired of consistently unpredictable performances, and many are keen for a new manager to come in. Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be of the same mindset, as he looks to have a huge summer, making big changes behind the scenes to kick start a new era.

A number of names have been thrown into the hat as potential options to come in for Ten Hag, including Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna, who was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's assistant for a period at United, as well as being in charge of the Under-18s. Bologna boss Thiago Motta is another possible candidate to take charge of the Red Devils, being described as a "special" manager.

Now, someone else has been mentioned as an option for United – one with plenty of Premier League experience.

Man Utd interested in "superb" manager

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs said that Graham Potter is a serious choice as United's next manager, as Ratcliffe and INEOS have liked the former Chelsea boss for years.

"If Manchester United have to make a change or decide to make a change, they will have a plan. This is why we have a lot of names linked. You start with a long list. Of those names, I think many are other available or sought-after managers in the market currently. A few left-field, younger, or less proven names are doing well, but it would be a big step up to go to Manchester United.

"One is Graham Potter, who couldn't handle the Chelsea dressing room for various reasons, perhaps some not in his control, but is still highly thought of after his time at Brighton. INEOS liked Potter with a view to Nice long before the investment was completed at Manchester United, and that's why he's been linked."

Potter's reputation has been hampered a little after a disappointing spell in charge, but in truth, the Blues job is something of a poisoned chalice, as Mauricio Pochettino is finding out currently.

Instead, the Englishman should be judged on the excellent job he did at Brighton between 2019 and 2022, turning the Seagulls into a top-half Premier League side and playing good football along the way, often favouring a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Potter has also been hailed as "superb" by Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy and he would come in as a young coach with fresh ideas, potentially getting far more out of the squad than Ten Hag is. There would be an element of risk there, given the size of the job, but he has shown enough in his managerial career to show that he would be an exciting choice.