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Rob McElhenney is daring to dream big at Wrexham and wants to win the Premier League title en route to becoming "the best team in the world".

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• Hollywood co-owners overseeing meteoric rise
• Made history with three successive promotions
• Taking aim at top-flight title & European football

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  McElhenney, alongside fellow Red Dragons co-chairman Ryan Reynolds, has never shied away from the fact that he wants to bring top-flight football to SToK Racecourse. That goal was outlined from the moment that a stunning takeover was completed in 2021.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Many scoffed at that suggestion, but three successive promotions have seen the record books rewritten in North Wales. Wrexham are now readying themselves for Championship life in 2025-26.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  More money will be spent on ensuring that Phil Parkinson’s squad are competitive at that level. McElhenney admits that "consolidation" is not a word in his vocabulary, with the plan being to remain upwardly mobile.

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  WHAT ROB MCELHENNEY SAID

  He is aiming for the very top, in domestic and continental competition, telling the : "That’s what we’re going for. So, of course, our goal is to get to the Premier League. And then it’s to win the Premier League. Then, you’re in European football and why not go out and be the best football team in the world."

Rangers supporters have endured a mixed season at Ibrox so far, it is fair to say.

In the Premiership, the title race was over before it ever really began, with the Gers having lost four matches already, all coming away from home, leaving Philippe Clement’s side a whopping ten points adrift run-away league-leaders Celtic, who have a game in hand.

Meanwhile, as has so often been the case in recent times, the Light Blues’ highlights have come in the Europa League, enjoying victories over Malmö, Nice and Steaua Bucharest, also holding Tottenham to a credible draw, so are already through to the knockout phase, seeking to sneak into the top eight when Royale Union Saint-Gilloise visited Ibrox on Thursday.

His European exploits in particular have left one Rangers player in high demand, a key figure Clement will be determined to keep hold of.

Rangers star striker in demand

As reported by Camillo Forte of Tuttosport, Everton are ‘on the verge’ of completing a deal to sign Rangers striker Hamza Igamane, claiming returning Toffees boss David Moyes is eager to bring in a new forward, given the underwhelming form of both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto.

Igamane joined Rangers as recently as last summer from Moroccan club AS FAR for a reported £2.5m, but Mick Brown of Football Insider believes the club would sell for a “huge” price this month, adding that the Gers’ financial situation “means they’ll listen to offers for all of their players”.

The 22-year-old Moroccan has 13 goals to his name this season, four of which have come in the Europa League, most notably breaking the deadlock when Tottenham visited Ibrox in December.

He also slotted home a brace in the French Riviera during the demolition of Nice in November, before scoring a first hat-trick for the club earlier this month against Hibernian.

Given his recent form, Igamane would be a massive loss, should he depart before Monday’s deadline, but could Rangers return to the African market for a possible replacement?

A perfect Igamane replacement for Rangers

A report from South African-based outlet Soccer Laduma prior to the January window opening suggested that Rangers were ‘keeping a close eye’ on Mamelodi Sundowns striker Iqraam Rayners.

The 29-year-old has four international goals to his name, most recently on target for Bafana Bafana during an AFCON qualifier against South Sudan in November.

However, it is his club form that has attracted attention; he scored 17 goals last season for Stellenbosch, earning him a move to current African Football League champions Mamelodi Sundowns last summer, scoring 13 times in just 22 appearances for them.

Clifton Mabasa of Goal described Rayners as a “goal-scoring machine”, with his manager Manqoba Mngqithi claiming his star player to be “one of the best goal-scorers” in South Africa right now.

Well, to back that assertion up, according to OptaJabu, Rayners scored 24 goals across all competitions in 2024, a tally only bettered by six players in the history of the South African Premier Division. So, how do Rayners and Igamne compare?

This season, the duo have played a near-identical number of minutes, there’s just under two hours in it, both with 13 goals to their name.

Rayners appears to be a more clinical finisher, missing only one big chance, compared to Igamane’s five, while the South African is a significantly better dribbler, albeit the Moroccan has created exponentially more chances for teammates, registering more assists too.

It’s also worth bearing in mind the respective levels the duo are plying their trade at; according to Global Football Rankings, the South African top-flight is the 58th strongest league in the world, while the Scottish Premiership comes in at 43rd, showing Rayners would need to make a step-up should he move to Glasgow, although not a ginormous one.

So, should Rangers lose their talismanic centre-forward this month, they’ll need a ready-made replacement, and Rayners could be just that, likely to cost less than if they were buying from another European club.

Better than Balogun & Propper: Rangers make late bid to sign 'man-mountain'

Rangers manager Philippe Clement is looking to bolster his back-line, so could the Gers re-sign a centre-back who departed just 3 years ago?

By
Ben Gray

Jan 29, 2025

Brendan Rodgers made a surprise return to Celtic in the summer of 2023 for a second spell in the dugout at Parkhead after Ange Postecoglou left to join Tottenham Hotspur.

The Northern Irish manager, who had managed Leicester City in England after leaving the club in 2019, enjoyed a successful first season back at the club in the 2023/24 campaign.

Celtic went on to win the Scottish Premiership title under the former Liverpool head coach and clinched the SFA Cup with a last-gasp goal from Adam Idah against Rangers in the final at Hampden Park.

The board then decided to back the manager in the summer transfer window in 2024, as they swooped to make several big-money additions to the squad.

Celtic first smashed their transfer record to complete the £9.5m signing of Idah from Norwich City on a permanent deal, eclipsing the £9m that was spent on Odsonne Edouard in the summer of 2018.

That record did not last long, though, as the Scottish giants swooped to sign Belgium international Arne Engels from Augsburg for a fee of £11m, with the Hoops potentially hoping that both players will go on to be sold for even more in the future.

Celtic's top ten sales

The Premiership champions have a rich history of cashing in on talented young players after helping them to develop and improve during their time on the pitch in Glasgow.

Jota, who recently returned to Parkhead on a permanent deal from Rennes, is a good example of that in the current squad, as he left to sign for Al-Ittihad for big money in the summer of 2023, shortly after Rodgers returned to the club.

As you can see in the table above, only Matt O’Riley has been sold for more money than Jota was, after the Danish midfielder’s move to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Bhoys will now be hoping that Engels and Idah can go on to achieve huge success on the pitch for Celtic in the seasons to come, which could then attract interest from elsewhere, and that could lead to big-money moves away from the club.

They may, however, look back at some of the fees that they received for some players and feel that they could have got more out of those deals, given what they have achieved since being in Glasgow, with Virgil van Dijk being one example of that.

Virgil van Dijk's soaring market value

Celtic swooped to sign the Dutch central defender from Groningen for a reported fee of £2.6m in the summer of 2013, and he went on to be a rock at the back for the Scottish giants.

The 6 foot 5 colossus went on to score 15 goals in 115 appearances in all competitions, despite only being at the club for two seasons, and won two Scottish Premiership titles.

Neil Lennon signed van Dijk for the Hoops and went on to claim that the central defender had “pace, composure” and “physicality”, with all the attributes to thrive at the top level.

The Netherlands international was, as aforementioned, sold for £13m in the summer of 2015, as Southampton swooped in to secure his services.

His value continued to skyrocket, however, as Liverpool eventually signed him from the Saints at the start of 2018 for a staggering fee of £75m – a fee that was quickly repaid with his performances in their 2019/29 Premier League title-winning campaign.

As you can see in the table above, the giant Dutchman provided a colossal presence at the back for Jurgen Klopp, dominating opposition attackers and offering a goal threat from set plays.

Rodgers could, now, hit the jackpot by unearthing his own version of van Dijk at Parkhead by helping academy graduate Dane Murray to finally fulfill his potential at the club.

Why Dane Murray could be Virgil van Dijk 2.0

The Scotland U21 international first made his breakthrough in the first-team during Ange Postecoglou’s first season at the club, as he made his debut at the age of 17 in the Champions League qualifiers for the 2021/22 campaign.

In The Pipeline

Murray made his first-team debut off the bench against FC Midtjylland in the first leg before he started the second leg and played the entire 120 minutes of the 2-1 defeat in extra-time.

As you can see in the table above, the 6 foot 4 colossus made a strong impression on his full debut with a dominant performance against the Danish side, winning 79% of his 14 duels, but then had to bide his time as Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Stafelt established a partnership under Postecoglou.

The Scottish titan, however, then suffered an ACL injury that kept him out for part of the 2022/23 season and the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign, which stunted his development.

Murray was sent out on loan to Queen’s Park in the Championship for the first half of this season and won 64% of his aerial duels in 17 league matches, before being recalled by Rodgers.

The 21-year-old ace came on against Aston Villa in the Champions League at the end of January and then started and played the full 90 in the 5-0 win over Raith Rovers in the SFA Cup last weekend.

After the healthy win over Rovers, Rodgers hailed Murray as a “really talented” centre-back with “good pace”, whilst also hailing his 6 foot 4 height and his ability to play out from the back.

The Celtic academy graduate is similar to van Dijk in that sense, as he is also a towering presence at centre-back with great recovery speed and ability on the ball, and he still has plenty of time left to develop and improve at the age of 21.

Rodgers also lauded the youngster’s potential and the qualities he offers on the pitch, saying: “I really think that he can be a really top player. “[He had] a real challenge in terms of injuries. “You see him now out on the pitch – his power, his speed, his dominance, & he can play football.”

The Celtic academy graduate is similar to van Dijk in that sense, as he is also a towering presence at centre-back with great recovery speed and ability on the ball, and he still has plenty of time left to develop and improve at the age of 21.

Celtic's new Tierney: Rodgers can replace Schlupp with exciting B team star

The Celtic loanee has caught the eye on his travels over the past 18 months.

By
Dan Emery

Feb 11, 2025

Therefore, Rodgers could hit gold with Murray if he can slowly integrate him into a regular role in the first-team, to help him fulfill his potential and go on to be a van Dijk-esque figure at the heart of the Hoops defence for many years to come.

Bayern Munich chief Max Eberl says Leroy Sane "doesn't want to accept" their contract offer as fears grow over a summer exit.

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• Sane yet to extend Bayern Munich deal
• Weeks away from becoming free agent
• Winger "doesn't want to accept" contract offer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 29-year-old was offered a new contract with a reduced €10 million (£8m/$11m) salary, plus €5.5m in bonuses, but as it stands, the German international will run down his contract and become a free agent this summer. Now, joint Bayern sporting director Eberl says Sane doesn't want to accept their current proposal but there is "no bad blood" and he believes the winger wants to stay.

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  WHAT EBERL SAID

  He told Sky Sport in Germany: "He said [on Saturday] he doesn't want to accept our offer in this form. There's no bad blood. The offer is there. We've expressed our desire. You can sense, at least in my opinion, that Leroy wants to stay. Now we'll see what happens in the next few days."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Just when it looked like the Arsenal-linked Sane would sign a contract extension with Bayern, the former Manchester City man switched agents and talks have been at a standstill ever since. It seems a Bayern exit is very much on the cards.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Fellow Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund says talks over a new Sane contract are ongoing but the initial signs are not positive.

The reported agreement lines up with the FIFA-approved window in Europe that briefly opens ahead of the competition

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• U.S. Soccer, MLS reportedly approve transfer window
• Only participating CWC teams will be able to utilize it
• Will run June 1-10, ahead of Club World Cup
• Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. Soccer and MLS have reportedly approved a pre-Club World Cup transfer window that will run June 1-10 ahead of the 2025 competition. Only teams competing in the CWC will be eligible to engage in the window, with the participants limited to Inter Miami, Seattle Sounders and, potentially, LAFC.

  With the expulsion of Leon from the Club World Cup, LAFC will face Liga MX side Club America in a one-game playoff at the end of May, with the final spot in the competition at stake.

  was first to report the transfer window agreement, adding that because no Canadian side qualified for the tournament, that federation would not authorize the opening of the window.

  As a result, MLS chose not to open the window for the entire league, as the three Canadian teams would not be eligible, and instead, just authorized it for the participating MLS teams.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In October, FIFA announced an "exceptional registration window" ahead of the tournament that will also run June 1-10, and several European leagues have already adopted it to allow teams to bolster their ranks ahead of the competition.

  MLS's secondary transfer window does not open until July 24, meaning if Miami, Seattle, or potentially LAFC sign a player during the 10-day window, they will be handed a boost before the opening of the secondary transfer window. Any player signed during the window will be eligible to play in Club World Cup and MLS regular season matches.

  By the time the secondary transfer window opens, most MLS teams will have played 24 matches on their 34-match schedule, leaving minimal time for summer signings to make a lasting impact.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The winner of the LAFC vs. Club America match will effectively be awarded nearly $10M. The victor of the match will earn a guaranteed entry fee of $9.55 million, plus an additional $2 million per group stage win, along with round-by-round prize money.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The final spot in the 2025 competition will be determined on May 31 when LAFC host Club America in a one-match playoff to join Group D with the likes of Chelsea, Flamengo and Esperance de Tunis. The tournament begins on June 14 when Inter Miami host Al Ahly.

West Ham United have been rocked by yet more injury news in the early stages of Graham Potter’s reign, with the London Stadium outfit set to be without another key man for a prolonged period, it has emerged.

West Ham struggling under Potter

Since Potter replaced Julen Lopetegui in the West Ham dugout, performances have improved but the results are yet to follow suit. A late defeat to his former side Chelsea on Monday night meant that he has won just one of his first four Premier League games in charge, with that coming courtesy of a 3-2 victory over Fulham, and the Hammers still languish in 15th place.

However, after his side’s latest loss, Potter was quick to stress the positives.

“I thought the performance was really good, lots of good things”, he told the BBC. “I thought we were intelligent tactically. We felt a little bit unlucky with the first goal, we thought there might have been a foul leading up to it. Sometimes you need those things to go your way but it wasn’t meant to be. We could have nicked a point with Mo [Kudus] and I think we would have deserved that.”

There is reason to hope that results improve in the near future too, with Jarrod Bowen returning against the Blues after several weeks out with a broken foot and immediately getting back on the scoresheet.

Meanwhile, the Hammers have also moved to bring another striker to the club by finalising a loan deal for Evan Ferguson for the remainder of the campaign in the wake of losing both Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug to long-term injuries.

Now though, their poor injury luck has struck once more, with another player set to be sidelined for the forseeable future.

Insider reveals new West Ham injury

That comes as ExWhuEmployee has revealed on social media that summer signing Crysencio Summerville is now set to be sidelined for up to two months with a new hamstring injury. The Dutchman was expected to be returning to fitness imminently after suffering an issue in the same area, but has picked up a “a second hamstring injury”, this time more serious.

According to Ex, “he was back in training and close to featuring again” before suffering “another tear” which is set to leave him sidelined for up to eight weeks, putting his return date into April.

An exciting addition to the Hammers last summer when he penned a five year deal worth £30,000 a week, Summerville was hailed as “an outstanding creative player” by former boss Daniel Farke but has had little opportunity to showcase that talent at the London Stadium.

2025 winter transfer window: Every done deal from the Premier League

Find every incoming and outgoing this winter for each Premier League club here.

By
Stephan Georgiou

Feb 3, 2025

Largely out of favour with Lopetegui, he has started just seven Premier League games so far this campaign, and now will have to wait even longer for another opportunity to impress.

Former Tottenham Hotspur scout Bryan King is “sure” two players will be trying to convince an “exciting” midfielder to move to north London in the summer.

Tottenham eyeing summer move for midfielder

Tottenham were forced into action during the January transfer window, with Ange Postecoglou in need of reinforcements in light of the injury crisis the manager has been forced to deal with over the past few months.

To ensure a similar situation does not arise again, however, Postecoglou may feel he needs more squad depth, and Spurs are thought to be pursuing a new central midfielder, identifying a number of targets.

Johnny Cardoso is thought to be of particular interest, with the Real Betis midfielder set to be available for the relatively low fee of £21m due to a release clause in his contract, which the Lilywhites are planning to activate.

ESPN journalist shares Tottenham takeover update after Qatari claims

Private investors have been showing interest in a phased buy-out of the club.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 15, 2025

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson is another long-standing target for Tottenham, who has also attracted attention from the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Bayern Munich, and there has now been a new update on the pursuit of the midfielder.

Former Spurs scout King has now claimed Swedish duo Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall will play a pivotal role in convincing the midfielder to move to N17 this summer when they link up with Larsson on international duty.

King said: “They have already brought Bergvall in, for a lot less of course. Larsson moved out of Sweden before Bergvall did and he has since established himself in Germany. Spurs should be looking at these players before they make the move to Holland or Germany.

“However, I’m sure that Kulusevski and Bergvall will be recommending the club to Larsson to help get a transfer across the line. They’ll obviously meet up on international duty, and I imagine they will be selling life at Tottenham to Larsson.”

"Exciting" Larsson impressing in Germany

Although he is still just 20-years-old, the Swedish maestro has established himself as a key player for Frankfurt this season, making 31 appearances in all competitions, during which time he has amassed five goals and one assist.

Sky Sports Germany journalist Kerry Hau has been full of praise for the youngster, in light of his top-drawer performances, saying: “Hugo Larsson is one of Eintracht Frankfurt’s shooting stars and is currently one of the most exciting midfielders in the Bundesliga,”

Of course, it would be useful for Tottenham if Bergvall and Kuluveski make an attempt to lure their compatriot to north London this summer, but the truth is it will still be very difficult to win the race for his signature.

Barring a Europa League triumph, it seems very likely Spurs won’t have European football on offer next season, which could play a big part in Larsson’s decision-making, amid interest from Arsenal, Bayern and a number of other clubs who are set to be in the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola has refused to guarantee Kevin De Bruyne a place in the Manchester City starting lineup for the Belgian's final game at Etihad Stadium.

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• De Bruyne might not start against Bournemouth
• Guardiola to pick best possible starting lineup
• De Bruyne to leave Man City at end of season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After a heartbreaking FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace last weekend, City are now gearing up to face Bournemouth in a crucial Premier League clash on Tuesday in their final home game of the 2024-25 campaign. It will also be De Bruyne's final appearance at the Etihad Stadium as he is all set to leave the club after 10 years this summer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While the match against the Cherries will be an emotional affair for the Belgian midfielder, Guardiola is refusing to be guided by sentiment and won't guarantee his spot in the starting XI. The Cityzens, who are currently sixth in the table, will aim to secure a win at home and head into the final matchday in third and with Champions League qualification firmly in their hands.

• WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the Spanish coach said: "What Kevin wants is that we win the game to qualify for the Champions League next season. That is what Kevin wants. It cannot be otherwise. I'm going to decide the best so that we can have the best chance to win the game against Bournemouth."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

  City are scheduled to take on Fulham on May 25 in their final Premier League game of the season. The match at Craven Cottage is likely to be De Bruyne's farewell game as he hinted earlier that he is unlikely to travel to the U.S. to play in the Club World Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is planning to hand a Spurs youngster more game time after being impressed by him, with the Lilywhites gem also highly thought of behind-the-scenes at Hotspur Way.

Ange Postecoglou under pressure at Tottenham

Throughout what has been a dismal 2024/2025 campaign, Postecoglou has faced mounting pressure at various points, despite injuries ravaging his squad for large chunks of the season.

Tottenham plotting approach for £42m star wanted by Real Madrid and Bayern

Spurs are stepping up their interest in him.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 7, 2025

Daniel Levy has reportedly got candidates in mind for if he does opt to part ways with Postecoglou at the end of this Premier League campaign, with Tottenham’s list of managerial targets including Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzić, Brentford boss Thomas Frank and even Inter Milan head coach Simone Inzaghi, according to reports.

Their Europa League campaign could be crucial in determining Postecoglou’s long-term future, but they haven’t exactly got off to the best start of their last 16 tie with AZ Alkmaar, tasting a 1-0 defeat in their first leg of their tie on Thursday night.

TalkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan, speaking on air earlier this week, said he’d be surprised if the 59-year-old is still manager next season.

“The fact is they still spend a hundred-odd million plus on transfer fees most seasons and most managers with a few exceptions would bite your arm off for a job like that,” said Jordan (via Football Insider).

“So they’ll find a replacement for Ange Postecoglou. Whether it’s the right one, whether it gets you in the right direction and whether Daniel Levy will continue to make appointment without winning anything, who knows.

“But I would be surprised if you finish 13th in the league, you get knocked out of the cup competitions – besides the credible performance in the League Cup – if he’s still in a job.”

Despite some uncertainty surrounding his long-term position, Postecoglou is believed to be planning for next season behind-the-scenes, and he has already mapped out a more significant squad role for young forward Dane Scarlett.

The 20-year-old was recalled by Spurs from a loan spell at Oxford United, to help Postecoglou cope during the height of their injury crisis, and he has since managed to impress over cameos in Europe.

Scarlett bagged a goal and an assist against Elfsborg during their 3-0 win in late January, with the England Under-21 international also notching an assist against Ipswich Town in the Premier League recently.

Ange Postecoglou planning "bigger role" for Dane Scarlett

According to GiveMeSport, the attacker has done enough to convince Postecoglou that he’s deserving of more chances for next campaign.

It is believed that Postecoglou is planning a “bigger role” for Scarlett at Tottenham for the 2025/2026 season, after being left impressed by the Spurs starlet, with N17 officials also thinking highly of the academy graduate.

Scarlett originally burst on to the scene under José Mourinho, who even likened Scarlett to Marcus Rashford, but it’s taken a while for him to start establishing himself in the first-team since those comments. Now, it appears he could finally be given the opportunity to live up to that tag.

The former River Plate scout, who was responsible for discovering Franco Mastantuono in 2017, heaped a lot of praise on the 17-year-old wonderkid.

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• Mastantuono praised by River Plate scout who discovered him
• Described him as a player with the Real Madrid DNA
• Also revealed that he was among the best young tennis players nationally

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Daniel Brizuela, a former River Plate scout who was responsible for discovering Mastantuono in 2017, believes that the wonderkid possesses the Real Madrid DNA, also revealing that football was not the only sport he excelled in. Labelled a child prodigy, Mastantuono was among the best young tennis players in Argentina, Brizuela said.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mastantuono has been on Real Madrid's radar since 2023, but Los Blancos never showed any urgency with regards to the completion of the teenager's signing. All that changed earlier this week after it was reported that PSG were closing in on an agreement for the transfer of Mastantuono. Madrid sent chief scout Juni Calafat to Buenos Aires, where he held meetings with both Mastantuono's family as well as his entourage. It was also reported that new head coach Xabi Alonso had a phone call with the player, which accelerated the operation. On Thursday, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Mastantuono has decided to join Real Madrid, with a personal agreement established. The only thing left is discussing the terms of the attacking midfielder's exit, as Madrid are not willing to pay the full €45 million (£38m/$51m) release clause in his River Plate contract.

• WHAT DANIEL BRIZUELA SAID

  Speaking in an interview with , Brizuela started by describing what impressed him when he first noticed Mastantuono: "Instant. You could say it was love at first sight. From the first ball he touched, I could see he was a special player. I was thrilled to watch him. Without any training, he received the ball on a bumpy pitch, made a spectacularly targeted control, and chose the best passing option in tenths of a second. His decision-making was already exceptional. My instincts immediately told me I was in the presence of a child prodigy with superlative talent."

  He was also asked if he was a good tennis player, to which the ex-River Plate scout replied: "One of the best in the country at his age. He's one of those kids who's good at all sports. When the time came, like Rafa Nadal, he had to choose between the two, and his passion for the ball led him to opt for football. His tennis coaches were deeply disappointed because he could have been a magnificent [tennis] player as well.

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• 'HE HAS THE REAL MADRID DNA'

  Brizuela was asked which quality in the-then nine-year-old caught his attention the most. The scout replied: "Everything. When I started evaluating him, I saw that he was a player for European football. He was very intelligent, skillful, with great vision and great technical ability. The way he made decisions and his speed on the field were absolutely different. Furthermore, his body type and genetics were spectacular. I told the coach who was with me: 'This is a kid for Real Madrid'."

  As a follow up question, AS journalist David Alonso asked him why he mentioned Real Madrid. "Because he had the DNA of a Real Madrid player. He always has," Brizuela stated. "At Real Madrid, they look for a player with special qualities, and he had them all: supreme intelligence, interpretation of the game, individual technique, ambition, and a high competitive level. In that "field," he played as if he were at the Bernabeu. It was a spontaneous comment, but based on an intuition that doesn't usually fail me."