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Newcastle United are in the box seat to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish in the Premier League. The Magpies, who lost their most recent outing 1-0 away to Arsenal, currently occupy third spot with one game to go.

With 66 points to their name, a win would guarantee Eddie Howe’s side a place in next season’s premier European club competition, although a draw might not be enough, given they are just one point clear of seventh-place Nottingham Forest. It is in their hands, so they must beat Everton at home.

If they do return to the competition next term, attacking reinforcements would certainly strengthen their case to help them go on a run in the competition.

Newcastle’s latest attacking target

Newcastle seem keen to add strength and depth to their forward line this summer, and one player who has been constantly linked with a move to St James’ Park is Bryan Mbeumo who has been excellent in 2024/25.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Now, according to a new report from GIVEMESPORT, the Magpies ‘are firmly in the race’ to bring Mbeumo to the club this summer.

Manager Howe, who brought silverware to the club this term after 56 years, views the attacker ‘as a standout target for Newcastle’ this summer.

However, this is not a deal that will come cheap. The report suggests that the Cameroon international will cost the North Eastern side £60m, with Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Arsenal all interested in signing the attacker, too.

Why Mbeumo would be a good signing

It has been a really strong season for Brentford in 2024/25, who themselves are pushing for a European spot. It is perhaps no coincidence that the Bees’ excellent campaign has aligned with a personal year to remember for Mbeumo.

The 25-year-old, who came through French side Troyes’ academy, has been one of the Premier League’s standout players this term. He was nominated for the Player of the Season award, which he described as a “crazy” feeling.

Well, the stats don’t lie, and Mbeumo’s goal and assist numbers are exceptional. He’s managed 19 goals and eight assists in 37 games, playing 3,327 minutes. That leaves him with an average of one goal involvement every 123 minutes.

Should the Magpies bring the winger to the club, he could prove to be a wonderful addition to an attack that includes Anthony Gordon. It has also been a terrific campaign for the England international, who has managed nine goals and seven assists in 41 games across all competitions.

One of Gordon’s biggest contributions came in the Carabao Cup. Although he was suspended for the final, the Merseyside-born winger scored in both semi-final legs against Arsenal to help guide Newcastle to Wembley, where they ultimately lifted the trophy.

Well, perhaps Mbeumo can become the right-sided Gordon in this Newcastle side. They play on opposite flanks, and with Gordon being right-footed on the left and the Brentford man left-footed on the right, both like to cut inside on their stronger foot and look to get a shot off.

They are also statistically similar via FBref from this season. For example, the Brentford attacker averages 1.84 key passes and 0.54 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes. In comparison, Newcastle’s number 10 averages 1.92 key passes and 0.45 goal-creating actions each game.

Football statistician Statman Dave described Mbeumo as a “deadly” attacker, and with the numbers he has put up this season, it is easy to see why. There is no doubt, he would enhance the Newcastle attack, and could well become the second coming of Gordon.

Although £60m is a large fee, the winger is seemingly worth the money, so perhaps the Magpies should take the plunge and bring Mbeumo to St James’ Park next season.

100% duels lost: 4/10 Newcastle dud must never start for the club again

Newcastle United are now hanging onto third spot in the Premier League after a narrow 1-0 defeat away at Arsenal.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 18, 2025

Shifting their focus towards the summer transfer window, Aston Villa have now reportedly added a record-breaking forward to their list of targets, with sporting director Monchi getting ready to pounce.

Aston Villa battling PSR again this summer

As Unai Emery’s side go in pursuit of Champions League qualification, those at Villa Park should be keen to point out the consequences that may occur should they fail to break into the top five in the final two games of the Premier League campaign. With PSR concerns hanging over their head, the Midlands club are on course for a difficult summer, which may leave them in a position with no choice but to sell at least one key man.

Just who leaves as a result of their PSR troubles remains to be seen, but that hasn’t stopped the transfer rumours from coming thick and fast regarding Aston Villa’s most important players.

Recent reports have seen both Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers linked with moves away to the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool and, although both sales would instantly ease their PSR problems, Villa will be well aware of just how much of an impact both make on Emery’s side.

Emery, himself, was recently full of praise for Watkins after he became Villa’s best-ever Premier League goalscorer, telling reporters: “Ollie Watkins is very fantastic. How he plays consistently here and his career as a player, he is very humble and trying to improve every day. He is not relaxing – he is always trying to do his work. His work is fantastic.”

Monchi and Aston Villa are now close to signing £13m star who Emery loves

Emery is reportedly pushing for the deal to happen.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 13, 2025

However, as “fantastic” as Watkins is, Emery may have no choice but to find a replacement for his star striker when the summer arrives and could even turn towards La Liga to do exactly that.

Aston Villa set sights on Sorloth

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa have now added Alexander Sorloth to their summer shortlist and Monchi is already plotting a move to sign the Atletico Madrid forward. Racing alongside Newcastle United for his signature, the Villans will hope to welcome the 6 foot 4 target man if Watkins departs to instantly solve their striker problem.

If there were any doubts over Sorloth’s ability, then his record-breaking hat-trick against Real Sociedad last time out should have put those to bed once and for all. Adding three more goals to take his total to 21 for the season, the 29-year-old striker could be one to watch when the summer transfer window swings open.

When it comes to world-class players, Tottenham Hotspur have had their fair share in the Premier League era.

For example, while they never managed to get over the final hurdle, the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Mousa Dembélé were unreal under Mauricio Pochettino.

However, go back just that little bit further, and you get to Gareth Bale, who for quite some time was arguably one of the best wingers in world football.

So, fans should be ecstatic about recent reports that have linked the club with another sensational wideman who could be their best winger since the Welshman.

Tottenham transfer news

With just how terribly this season has gone for Tottenham, it’s unsurprising to see the club linked with a host of talented players in recent weeks, such as Marcus Rashford.

The Englishman could be available for around £40m in the summer, which might prove to be a reasonable price for the Manchester United product, as across his time with the Red Devils and Aston Villa this term, he’s produced 20 goal involvements in 41 appearances.

A slightly cheaper and far younger option is Tyler Dibling.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Southampton gem has been one of the few bright sparks for the Saints this season, could be available for about £35m and would fit in with the club’s current crop of young talents.

However, as promising as the Exeter-born prospect is, he’s not going to come in and make an instant impact, unlike Jarrod Bowen.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Spurs are keen to land the West Ham United star from their London rivals this summer.

Alongside the Lilywhites, Liverpool have also been credited with interest in the Englishman, and while the Hammers do not want to sell, the two parties could make an offer of up to €60m for the 28-year-old, which is about £51m.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Bowen’s immense ability, it’d be one worth fighting for.

Why Bowen would be Spurs' best winger

So, should Spurs get their way and leapfrog Liverpool to sign Bowen this summer, why would he instantly become their best winger in a long time?

Well, there are a couple of reasons, but perhaps the most important is that he’s a reliable source of goals and assists.

For example, in just 32 appearances this term, he’s scored ten goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.68 games.

In contrast, Son has scored 11 goals and produced 12 assists in 43 appearances, which comes out to one every 1.86 games.

Brennan Johnson has scored 16 goals and produced seven assists in 46 appearances, which comes out to a goal involvement every other game.

And finally, Wilson Odobert has scored just three goals in 17 appearances this season, which comes out at one every 5.66 games.

On top of the number of goals and assists he produces, the Irons’ “game-changer,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas, has also proven that he can handle the most significant occasions, as he scored the winning goal in the 2023 Conference League Final.

Last but not least, while he thrives out on the right, the Englishman is incredibly versatile and can play up top and as a second striker as well as off the left at times, which would allow whoever’s in the Lilywhites’ dugout far more tactical flexibility.

Ultimately, while he might not reach the same levels as peak Bale did, Bowen has the ability and application to be Spurs’ best winger since the Welshman left.

Uh oh: Ange hints £190k-a-week Spurs star could miss Bodo/Glimt with injury

Postecoglou has dropped a worrying injury update ahead of Tottenham’s crucial Europa League tie.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 28, 2025

Manchester United remain in contact with the representatives of a £60 million star who rejected them three years ago, according to a new report.

Hojlund "not good enough" for United as new striker links emerge

After what has already been one of the most dismal seasons in the club’s history, Manchester United’s misery deepened on Sunday as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford.

A stunning free-kick from Pablo Sarabia sealed the win for Wolves, who are now level on points with United following the result. It was another underwhelming performance from Ruben Amorim’s side, but one player who drew particularly sharp criticism was striker Rasmus Hojlund.

The Danish forward failed to find the net once again, leaving his Premier League goal tally at just three for the season.

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara didn’t hold back in his assessment of the 22-year-old’s display.

“Hojlund makes a massive mess of it,” O’Hara said, referencing a key moment during a United counter-attack, according to Football 365. “He’s driving through. Mainoo has made a great run. He’s in acres of space. It’s not even a hard pass and Mainoo would have a free shot on goal.”

“But Hojlund takes 20 minutes to get it out of his feet and Wolves get back to make a tackle. That sums up his Man United career: not good enough, nowhere near good enough. Hojlund does nothing up front on his own.”

United remain in contact with Sesko

If United are to bounce back next term, there’s no doubt they need to upgrade on Hojlund. A number of high-profile strikers have already been linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer, including Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap. Another name reportedly under serious consideration is RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Šeško.

According to the Manchester Evening News, despite Šeško turning down a move to United three years ago, the club has “maintained contact” with his representatives in the hope of reigniting a deal this summer. That ongoing communication offers some hope that the Slovenian striker could be persuaded to make the switch to Old Trafford this time around.

Leipzig value the 21-year-old at around £60 million, and he’s enjoyed a breakout season, scoring 20 goals and providing six assists in 41 appearances across all competitions – including 12 goals in the Bundesliga.

Speaking to TNT Sports, via Mail Online, Leipzig teammate Yussuf Poulsen hailed Šeško as the best striker he’s ever played alongside – no small praise considering Poulsen has previously partnered with the likes of Timo Werner, Christopher Nkunku, Matheus Cunha, Loïs Openda, André Silva and Hojlund.

“As a striker, he’s the best I’ve played with,” said Poulsen. “If you look at his abilities, he has everything a top number 9 needs. He’s still young and still learning – not necessarily the technical side of being a striker, but more the finesse. He has it all: strength, shooting, technique – everything.”

Sesko, 6 foot 4, was previously compared to Erling Haaland as a youngster due to his combination of lightning pace and sheer power.

Of all Mikel Arteta’s signings as Arsenal boss, there has perhaps been none as controversial as Kai Havertz.

Since the German joined the club for £65m in the summer of 2023, he has faced his fair share of criticism from fans and pundits alike, and considering his slow start to life in North London, scoring one goal and providing one assist in his first 12 Premier League games, it’s wasn’t hard to see why.

However, once he moved up top, things started to look much, much better, and before his hamstring injury in February, the German international had amassed a tally of 32 goal involvements in 47 appearances there for the club.

Yet, if recent reports are to be believed, even a rate of return such as that might not be enough to keep him in the starting lineup, as the club are now confident of signing one of Europe’s most exciting strikers.

Arsenal's striker search

Before getting to the striker in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other top poachers Arsenal are reportedly interested in ahead of the summer transfer window, such as Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian international could be available for around £58m at the end of the season and with a tally of 20 goals and six assists in just 41 appearances, that could prove to be value for money.

Closer to home, the Gunners have kept Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins on their shortlist.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Englishman is a player liked by new Sporting Director Andrea Berta, and, with a haul of 29 goal involvements in 49 games this term, it’s not hard to see why, although he’s still some way off the club’s most exciting target: Viktor Gyokeres.

According to a recent report from Spain, the North Londoners have maintained their strong interest in the Sporting CP monster and are now ‘confident’ of securing his signature.

However, there is still the small case of his fee, which, according to the report, would be around €70m, which comes out to about £60m.

While that’s a sizable sum of money, this is still a transfer Arsenal should do all they can to get over the line, as Gyokeres could be transformational for them, even if he’d be bad news for Havertz.

How Gyokeres compares to Havertz

Should Arsenal get this transfer over the line and bring Gyokeres to the Emirates next season, it would undoubtedly be with the intention of having him start as many games as possible.

So, that would also mean that, when fit again, Havertz would be his primary competition for regular game time, but who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, despite his decent rate of return in the last year or so, the Sporting CP star wipes the floor with the former Chelsea ace when it comes to their raw output, which is, of course, the most important metric for a number nine.

For example, in 46 appearances, totalling 3700 minutes, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 47 goals and provided 11 assists.

That means he’s currently averaging 1.26 goal involvements per game or one every 63.79 minutes, which only lends credence to ESPN Head Writer Mark Ogdan’s claim that he’s “the hottest striker in Europe.”

In comparison, prior to his injury, the former Bayer Leverkusen star had amassed a tally of 15 goals and five assists in 34 appearances, totalling 2776 minutes, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.70 games or one every 138.8 minutes.

There is an argument to be made that the Portuguese league is an easier level, but given the extent to which the former Coventry City gem is outperforming the Gunners ace, we reckon he’d still be more prolific in a top-five league.

Ultimately, if Arsenal have the chance to sign Gyokeres this summer, they have to take it, even if it spells the end of regularly starting games for Havertz.

Better than Kiwior: Arsenal want to sign 'one of the best CBs in the PL'

The incredible international would be a brilliant signing for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 23, 2025

With INEOS planning a summer rebuild, Manchester United are reportedly open to allowing a big-money transfer flop to depart this summer as Serie A giants Juventus set their sights on a bargain deal.

Man Utd's need for an attacking overhaul

Whilst Ruben Amorim’s backline has far from been secure throughout the opening period of his reign, his biggest problem arguably lies in attack. The Red Devils have lacked a clear presence for some time and have often been left to rely on Bruno Fernandes to light the spark of a dying flame at Old Trafford.

To put the struggles of Manchester United’s frontline into true context, as impressive as Joshua Zirkzee’s headed effort against Lyon was in midweek, it was just the seventh goal that the summer arrival has managed in all competitions this season.

Amorim will be well aware of the troubles that his frontline have faced in recent months, but that didn’t stop the Manchester United manager from heaping praise on both Zirkzee and Ramus Hojlund in midweek, telling reporters: “Sometimes the most important player in the game is the guys that come on during the game. So he did his job quite well.

“But again, Rasmus, especially during the first half, he did a lot of runs and pushed the team forward, in one moment that we were struggling to find the right moment to press the opponent. So he did his job. And then Josh did a great goal and also did a great job when he was inside of the pitch.”

Bye-bye Onana: Man Utd seriously interested in "incredible" English 'keeper

Onana had another evening to forget against Lyon.

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 11, 2025

However, that praise may not be enough to prevent the changes that INEOS want to make this summer, as the exit door reportedly swings open for one particular player.

Man Utd open to selling Hojlund at discounted price

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Manchester United are now open to selling Hojlund at a £20m discount rather than recouping the £72m they paid to secure his signature in 2023.

As a result, Italian giants Juventus have been tentatively named as interested in a fresh swoop to sign the Dane over the coming months, in what could turn into a bargain should Hojlund realise his best form.

However, the strength of their rumoured interest is currently unknown as there has been no contact between the clubs, while Napoli have been credited with an interest in Hojlund in the past.

Priced at a reported €60m (£52m), Hojlund desperately needs a fresh start away from Manchester United and a summer switch to Juventus would offer exactly that. Given that he earns a reported £85,000 a week at Old Trafford, it should come as no surprise that INEOS are keen to show the door to what has been a major transfer flop.

Given their financial concerns, cashing in on the likes of Hojlund may well be a must for Manchester United this summer in what looks set to be an easier decision with every passing week.

GOAL sat down with the American defender to discuss the gut punches, the photos that mean everything to him, and what it means to enjoy life even when it isn’t perfect.

It’s almost cruel to ask a photographer to pick favorites. Every image is more than a picture – it’s a memory. Each one holds the who, what, where, when, and why of a life. For photographers, a single frame can feel like a piece of themselves, caught in the click of the shutter.

U.S. international Mark McKenzie is still new at this photography thing, less than one year in, but even for him, picking favorites is tough. He'll narrow it down to two, though. The first came this summer while on a trip to Greece. He was there with his wife alongside national team teammate Chris Richards and his girlfriend. What sticks out about those particular photos is how carefree they were. Those were the simple times.

"It was a time when we weren't thinking about anything, just enjoying the moment, just at peace," McKenzie tells GOAL. "We were on a boat just sitting watching the sun as it hit the waves, talking about how crystal clear the water was. Chris and I are diving off the boat. Those pictures, the sheer enjoyment, the sheer peace that we were in…"

The defender, who stars for Toulouse in Ligue 1, drifts off and begins describing another favorite set. They’re from the complicated moments – the good kind. He won’t quite say it, but these are the ones he treasures most. Taken just weeks after that Greece trip, they were shot in the hospital, in the moments after his son was born.

"Those speak for themselves," he says with a smile. "We had our parents there and seeing them experience the joy of holding their first grandchild. There was this moment of love that we felt in the room. Seeing my parents turn into grandparents was like, what? I just realized that life moves fast."

That end statement, the life-moving-fast part, is at the core of all of this. It's the reason McKenzie started picking up the camera in the first place. Few do so these days, particularly with the convenience of a smartphone in their pocket, but McKenzie doesn't take pictures for convenience. He takes photos to capture life, warts and all. He takes pictures to have something tangible to hold that allows him to look back on that life. He takes them to remind himself that this existence is made up of split seconds, and the moment you forget that fact is the moment that those split seconds start to feel a little bit more insignificant.

"I think this past year has been a realization of just becoming more present, more focused on the moment," he says. "It's about appreciating being present and how fleeting all of this stuff is. At the end of it all, my family and my loved ones are the most important factor in my life outside of my faith. I think that these are the moments that are the most beautiful moments and, as you get older, those moments start to become a little bit fast."

McKenzie's journey as a photographer, then, is really his journey in life. It's a life that promises to twist and turn over the next year as he fights for a World Cup spot with the USMNT. That fight will evolve quickly over the next few months, and McKenzie knows better than most that it can evolve in the harshest of ways. The build-up to that will include numerous games, challenges, and, again, moments that could ultimately determine whether or not McKenzie achieves his dream or not.

So how do you fight against that?  How do you stop and acknowledge how fast life is moving while also working in an industry that demands that you move even faster? How do you find some semblance of peace in the process while knowing how all-encompassing the end result is? Well, you do so by enjoying the journey, and McKenzie has found his way of doing that: snapping some pictures along the way.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Living in the present

  McKenzie's photography journey, in some ways, started just this year. When his wife got pregnant, he was inspired to document their journey to parenthood. It evolved into something more than that, though. At the Gold Cup, he frequently had his camera in hand to capture the quiet moments of USMNT camp. The hobby became something less focused and something a bit more freeing.

  It wasn't totally new, though. He'd had an interest in it since childhood. His parents often joked about how he always wanted to be behind the camera, taking pictures more than actually being in them. It's just that, as a footballer, his profession generally calls on him to be on the other side of the camera. International soccer stars aren't just on that side of the lens; they're under the microscope with the world watching.

  McKenzie uses his camera to watch the world. More importantly, though, he uses it to capture a glimpse into that world. The glimpse isn't always perfect, but it doesn't have to be. In McKenzie's eyes, it shouldn't be.

  "With film photography, you don't get the instant gratification of what the photo looks like," he says. "You take the photo, and then you're not so concerned. We have iPhones now. You take the photo, and then you want to edit it or take it again. You spend so much time taking the picture and trying to find the best angle and making sure it isn't blurry, and the next thing you know, you've lost the actual feeling. You've lost the meaning behind taking the photo itself."

  That was a lesson McKenzie took from childhood. He looks back fondly on the moments his entire family was together, digging through shoeboxes to look back at old pictures. 

  Now, he gets to be the one behind the camera, creating his own documentation of life in a way that many have forgotten over the years. Then, once they're created, he doesn't just show them off on an LED screen. Scrolling through iPhone camera rolls is so impersonal, he believes. There's just a different sensation that comes from actually holding a memory.

  "It's that nostalgic feeling," he says. "I'd go to my grandma's, and it felt like she had all of our youth in a shoe box. You pull them out, and you just say, 'Wow, yeah, this is what life was like back then. ' You value those times. I'm 26. I have a son now, and I'm married. Those days of being at home? Those times with my family, my mom, my dad, and my sister? They're a blessing. When those times become less frequent, you realize how important they are and how intentional you have to be about making time for them. You have to prioritize it. That's the root of this: just being present."

  There's a forward-thinking aspect of it, too. At the Gold Cup, McKenzie often thought about the fact that his son would someday get to look at his pictures, not on a phone but in his hand. In truth, McKenzie's son is at the forefront of most things he does these days. That's fatherhood, right?

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  Redefining himself after becoming a father

  Everyone says that you can feel the exact second your life changes. Anyone who has become a parent can identify with it. That includes McKenzie. The moment he held his son, everything else seemed to disappear. It was at that moment that he ceased being anything other than a father, at least in his own eyes.

  "Alongside marrying my wife, having our son is the biggest blessing in life. There's nothing that can top it," he says. "I don't think there's a trophy or individual accolade or World Cup or Champions League that can top that feeling of holding your child. Babies are one of God's many miracles…The whole perspective I have on my life, my career, my decision-making, all of that shifted to what's best for my family and setting him up for success and making sure his future is better than mine."

  Fatherhood, of course, has come with its own unique set of challenges. With McKenzie currently playing for Toulouse in France, family isn't particularly close by as he hails from the Bronx in New York City. Loved ones have found a way to help out in shifts. Parents and siblings have come across the Atlantic in waves to help the McKenzies navigate this crazy, life-changing world of parenthood.

  "The late nights are difficult because I've got training and games," he says. "Then there are just the moments where my wife needs a break to reset, right? It's easier said than done, but I have to give so much credit to my wife. She's done a phenomenal job."

  Parenthood doesn't just alter your sleep schedule, though; it also alters your mindset. McKenzie felt that happen to him in real time. For years, he's placed so much of his self-worth into his life as a soccer player. His successes and failures, ultimately, defined him right up until the next roster, game, or trophy. It's a feeling anyone in a competitive field knows. McKenzie, like many, has found himself lost in that field.

  Not as much anymore, he says. He's more comfortable within himself now, largely because he has redefined what "himself" actually means.

  "The game loves you one day and chews you out the next day," he says. "I've had games where I was flying and the best I could ever be, and games where I made mistakes and people wanted me out. I think, through those experiences, I've been able to recognize that football is a part of who I am, but it's not who I am. 

  "It's something I love dearly, but when I step off the pitch, my son doesn't care if I scored or made 10 blocks; he cares about the fact that I love him and that he's cared for and that he feels my presence every day." 

  That shift has helped him find balance – as a player, and as a person.

  "I put so much pressure on myself to not make mistakes and be perfect and make sure people wouldn't be able to say bad things about me after the game, but the reality is that people can always find something. There's always something they'll want to change or a person they'll prefer over you because they do this or that better. When I started to realize that, I became more mature and grounded in my faith. 

  "The biggest step is recognizing that I go out there, I give my all to play to the best of my ability. After that, I can only control what I can control: my work ethic and my mentality. Then, what everyone else see and say after the game? That's out of my control."

  A lot is beyond McKenzie’s control at the moment. That’s simply the reality of the months ahead.

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  Learning from gut punches

  McKenzie has achieved more than he likely could have dreamed of in his soccer career. He emerged as a homegrown star with the Philadelphia Union, earned a European move to Genk and a rise up the ladder with Toulouse, where he's now thriving in Ligue 1, one of the best leagues in the world. Internationally, he's earned 25 caps for his country, won two Nations League trophies and earned a spot at both the 2024 Copa America and 2025 Gold Cup.

  There’s still one moment that eats at him: finding out he wasn’t selected for the 2022 World Cup. He knew he was on the fringes, and he knew his exclusion was a real possibility. It still hurt. Nothing could prepare him for that kind of letdown.

  "It's who I am," he says. "I'm a competitor at the end of the day, but I think there's also a line where that competitive edge can drive you too far, and you become so encompassed with this one idea, with this one concept, that you lose sight of who you are and you lose your identity. Missing out on the 22 World Cup? It ripped me apart, bro. It was gutwrenching because I was so close. When you get that call that you're not going, that you weren't selected, it's a punch to the stomach. 

  "It's an important feeling to have, I think, because it puts everything in perspective in life. Okay, maybe I put too much onus on this, so much that I lost who I was, lost focus on being present, lost focus on the small areas of my game or my life that I need to improve."

  McKenzie has improved. He's been right in the mix under USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, who has had the team humming this fall with a five-game unbeaten run against World Cup-bound teams. Under Pochettino, the U.S. has switched to a back three system, something that McKenzie plays regularly with Toulouse. The 26-year-old defender recently started against Uruguay, helping the U.S. to a 5-1 win in a game where he had the honor of wearing the captain's armband.

  Once again, McKenzie is right in the mix just a few months before the game's biggest tournament. This time, though, it feels different. In 2022, McKenzie can acknowledge that he struggled to stay present, that he was always looking at the bigger picture. Not this time.

  "If you asked me about it four or five years ago, I would have told you like, 'Oh yeah, every day it's on my mind, and everything I do is pointing towards it'," he says. "Again, my identity now isn't just this game. I know I have that hunger and drive and competitive nature to be at the World Cup, don't get me twisted. When I say that's my goal to be in that World Cup squad, I mean it: my goal is to be there in 2026.

  "My mentality is to do everything I can and control everything I can to be there, but I can't control anything outside of that. It's a dream to play there and, if I get that opportunity, I'll make the absolute most of it."

  Until then, there's so much to do. There are photos to take, a son to raise, and some little things to enjoy that, ultimately, could make all the difference.

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  The fast life

  One year after making his big move, McKenzie feels comfortable in France. His French has gotten better. He and his wife have a grocery store they love, one with fresh produce. There's a preferred butcher in town, too. Most importantly, there's a sense of home

  Publicly, McKenzie offers few glimpses into that. His social media, by and large, focuses on soccer. There are very few behind-the-scenes photos of the McKenzies. There was no grand announcement when they became parents. Everyone would find out at some point, at least everyone who really mattered. There was no need to broadcast it all to the world.

  It's not that McKenzie doesn't want people to know him. Quite the opposite, in fact. It's just that there are some aspects of life that he and his family want for themselves alone.

  "I try not to live in the media or on social media," McKenzie says. "I saw a video recently about how we've become more like TV characters than actual people. We're living through a screen and posting to get likes and whatnot. You lose that real aspect of who you actually are. I try to be open as I can, but also try to keep my life, in a sense, in a bit of shade as well. Not everything needs to be broadcast, but there are things that matter more and things that should be talked about.

  "I think it's important in this day and age to be real, but also just to live your life, man. Don't spend it so focused on what everybody else is going to say."

  Who knows what the next few months will bring? Who knows where life will take McKenzie? Not long ago, he was on that boat with Richards, diving into the sea without a care. Now there’s so much to think about, so many moving parts that won’t slow down.

  That’s where the photos help. They’ll get better, he says, because he’s still learning. They don’t need to, though. It isn’t about sharper shots or better technique. The camera is a way to make sense of it all. Like everything else in his life, he’s still figuring it out.

  "It's something that takes me outside of myself," McKenzie says, reflecting on his still-new hobby. "It takes me out of how pragmatic I am and how structured I am. I'm disciplined, and this makes me tap into a creative side of my mind and a more artistic part of who I am. In the beginning, you're learning and there are challenges that come with that, but that's also where you find the most enjoyment, right? You can look back and say, 'Last year, I was doing this, and now I'm doing this. ' It helps me step outside of this game that takes up so much of my life. I'm blessed to do it for a living, but I have an opportunity to not be a footballer all the time. That's important.

  "I've just realized that life moves fast," he concludes. "Life moves so fast, man, and if you aren't careful, it goes right past you before you even realize it. So enjoy it, man. Really enjoy it."

The Guardians, despite their perennially small payroll, are a team that deals in outsized superlatives—the longest World Series drought, the longest no-hitter drought, and the largest in-season comeback in baseball history.

Despite accomplishing the last of those feats this season, Cleveland's 6–3 loss in Game 3 of its wild-card series against the Tigers Thursday ensured the first will continue. The Guardians had a runner on third in the ninth inning of Game 1 trailing by one run and won Game 2—only for the wheels to come off in a Game 3 that laid out the team's litany of flaws.

When the dust settles, Cleveland—rudderless and sub-.500 in early July—can reminisce fondly on essentially stealing a quality year as it phases in a new generation of talent. Here's a look at the problems that cost the Guardians against Detroit and the lessons the losing team can draw from them.

1. An already threadbare offense disappeared

The number ".226" followed Cleveland around like a specter during its short playoff stint—that was the team's batting average this year, the worst in the franchise's long history. The Guardians' .296 on-base percentage was a 53-year low; their .373 slugging percentage was a low for any full season this century. Even in September and October, the team hit just .242.

Lazy an observation as it may be, it is almost impossible to hit as poorly as Cleveland did all year and do protracted damage in the playoffs—even with a pitching staff as effective as the Guardians'. Thus, a one-run lead for the Tigers in Game 1 became insurmountable, and only a big eighth inning could save Cleveland in Game 2.

The Guardians, zealous platoon advocates, gave a glut of at-bats early on to some of their worst hitters: right fielder Johnathan Rodriguez (.197), first baseman Jhonkensy Noel (.162), and catcher Austin Hedges (.161) took seven at-bats combined (Hedges drew two walks in Game 1). When they rolled the dice on young talents such as right fielder George Valera and center fielder Chase DeLauter from Game 2 onward, the offense seemed to receive a modest jolt—perhaps a preview of coming attractions for 2026.

2. Small mistakes proved costly

Cleveland's defense-and-fundamentals-first approach—while undeniably entertaining to watch—had the adverse effect of shrinking the Guardians' margin of error to near zero. The trouble began for Cleveland in the first inning of Game 1, when Rodriguez misplayed a fly ball that opened the door for Detroit to score the first run of the series. Noel, too, made a costly error while playing out of his natural position (though manager Stephen Vogt correctly gave him credit for ensuring the play didn't go even more haywire).

Even third baseman José Ramírez—the Guardians' nerve center for over a decade now and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer—wasn't immune to the blunders Cleveland so carefully avoided late in the season. He ran into a crucial out in the ninth inning of Game 1, and in Game 3 appeared to slow up running to second base after a Tigers error—only for pitcher Will Vest to throw him out and extinguish the Guardians' last significant threat.

3. The Tigers beat them at their own game

On Sept. 23, Cleveland beat Detroit during its furious push for the division title with the help of a classic display of small ball. The Guardians stitched together two bunts, an infield hit, a wild pitch, a balk and a groundout to scrounge out three of their five runs in a 5–2 victory. It was part of a streak where every break in the American League seemed to be vacuumed into a black hole on the shores of Lake Erie.

As it turns out, the Tigers—a team, as ESPN announcers Sean McDonough and Todd Frazier pointed out, had five sacrifice hits —are quick learners. Detroit turned that formula back on Cleveland on multiple occasions this series, taking the lead in Game 1 on a well-placed bunt by third baseman Zach McKinstry (dubbed the "Zachrifice" by the Tigers' X account). Center fielder Parker Meadows, too, chipped in with a critical bunt in Game 3. The moral of this story for the Guardians may be the sheer fungibility of their luck-centric approach over the long term—but Cleveland fans can take heart in the knowledge that their front office's eagerness to control every variable has kept the Guardians one of baseball's most vital organizations for a decade and counting.

Cummins is the fifth-fastest to 300 Test wickets in terms of balls bowled, reaching the milestone in 13,725 balls

Shubh Agarwal12-Jun-20251:53

‘Once the ball gets older, Cummins puts his hand up’

Pat Cummins has reached the milestone of 300 Test wickets, claiming his 14th five-wicket haul during the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s. Picking five of the six South African wickets to fall on day two, Cummins finished with figures of 6 for 28 in 18.1 overs.Six wickets short at the start of the Test, he has now become the 40th bowler to reach the landmark and the eighth for Australia. Among pacers, he is the 30th to enter this club and the sixth for Australia.Cummins is the fifth-fastest to reach there in terms of balls bowled, completing 300 wickets in 13,725 balls, beating Malcolm Marshall by three deliveries. His bowling strike rate of 45.75 is the best for an Australian seamer.He also levelled with Imran Khan to become the joint-tenth-fastest to complete 300 wickets, reaching there in 68 Test matches.Cummins has picked up 136 wickets as the captain of his side. Among pace-bowling captains, only Imran has picked up more wickets (187). Among Australian captains, only Richie Benaud is ahead by a slender margin of two wickets. Overall, only ten bowlers have picked up over 100 Test wickets while being the captain of their side.Cummins has been among Australia’s greatest match-winners with the ball in this format. Overall, 184 of his Test wickets before this WTC final came in wins. The likes of Jason Gillespie, Mitchell Johnson, Dennis Lillee, Brett Lee, Mitchell Starc and Glenn McGrath are ahead but no one has a better average than Cummins’ 18.09, which is bound to improve further if Australia win the WTC final to claim their second successive title.Also, he is only the second Australian to claim over 200 wickets in the WTC, and the only quick bowler in the list with 206 wickets at 22.11 runs apiece.Cummins has mostly been a first-change bowler for Australia, coming in after the new ball bowlers in 48 of the 126 innings in which he has bowled in Test cricket. He is the only Australia quick with more than 100 wickets as a first-change bowler, with Peter Siddle behind him with 87 wickets on this metric. Among those who have over 50 wickets as the first-change bowler, only Scott Boland (52 wickets) has a better average than that of Cummins (Boland 15.75, Cummins 24.50).Overall, only four quick bowler have more than 100 Test wickets as first-change bowler – Courtney Walsh (106), Cummins (107), Morne Morkel (129) and Ian Botham (129).Cummins made his Test debut in 2011. However, after one Test – where he was the Player of the Match against South Africa – he was sidelined for six years owing to recurring injuries, and made a return in 2017 when he played his second Test. England’s Joe Root has been the highest run-scorer during Cummins’ career since November 2011, scoring 13,006 runs in this period.Cummins has dismissed Root 11 times, the most time he has dismissed a single batter in Test cricket, followed by Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma (eight times each).He also holds the record for the best bowling average for an Australia fast bowler in a calendar year with more than 50 wickets. He averaged 20.13 for his 59 wickets in 2019, bettering Lillee’s feat in 1981 – 85 wickets at 20.95.

“My cricket is in my hands, and if I just keep doing my job, as and when the opportunity comes, I will do well for India.”

Srinidhi Ramanujam15-Jan-2025Arundhati Reddy wasn’t expecting to be left out of India’s white-ball squads for the home series against West Indies and Ireland, especially after taking a career-best four-wicket haul in her most recent ODI. But the fast bowler isn’t brooding over the snub; instead, she says she’s making sure she’s only focusing on what she can control: fine-tuning her skills to become the best cricketer she can be. Along the way, she says she has learned to let go of the fear of failure, and express herself whenever she’s on the field.Reddy and Shafali Verma were the high-profile absentees from India’s limited-overs squads for the West Indies and Ireland series. Reddy, who made her ODI debut against South Africa in June last year, has played five matches, the last of which was against Australia in Perth, where she picked up 4 for 26.Related

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“I am not really sure what exactly happened [after the Australia tour],” Reddy said on the sidelines of the Senior Women’s One Day Challenger Trophy final in Chennai, where her side, Team A, lost to Team C. “But then again these things are not in my hands. At the end of the day, my cricket is in my hands, and if I just keep doing my job, as and when the opportunity comes, I will do well for India.”For me, all that matters is which team I am playing for and if I am doing well for them. And every time I take the field I want to win games for whichever team I play. And that has always been the way I play my cricket.”While Shafali, who was Reddy’s captain in the Challenger Trophy, finished the tournament as the highest run-getter with 414 runs in five matches at an average of 82.80, Reddy took seven wickets in five games at 24.14.”This [Challenger Trophy] was a good challenge personally for me,” she said. “Didn’t start off that well but again I think I like pressure. Every time I am put under pressure I seem to do well. So again probably a win would have been great. But it was a great final for us.”Arundhati Reddy picked up career-best figures of 4 for 26 in her most recent ODI, against Australia in Perth•Getty ImagesThat Reddy was also overlooked for the West Indies series T20Is in December also raised eyebrows. She made her T20I debut in 2018 and was dropped in 2021 before she returned to the side in 2024 on the back of an impressive WPL performance. Last year, she featured in seven T20Is and scalped ten wickets and returned an economy rate of 6.50. This included the T20 World Cup in UAE, where she finished as India’s joint-highest wicket-taker with seven wickets in four matches.How does Reddy deal with uncertainty? She revealed that a discussion with her coach Arjun Dev at the NICE Academy in Bengaluru helped her stay focused on what’s ahead and not dwell on what could have been.”The only thing that he told me was that whether the [India] tag comes or not, or whichever team that you play for, all we wanted to focus on was being the best allrounder in the world, wherever you play,” Reddy said. “Be it a club game or an India game, the focus is to become the best allrounder. Again, it’s very hard to say whether you’ll play [for India] or won’t. It’s still difficult for you as a player because there is a lot of uncertainty that comes with it.”But what motivates me is just waking up every day and trying to be the best cricketer I can be. And that’s what I want to chase. That’s what keeps me going. And also, just having the clarity that whichever team you play for, you have to win games for that team. Doesn’t matter where it is.”But I think now I’ve become responsible enough to understand. And whichever team I play for, I’m also one of the senior players. Again, it helps me a lot. Seeing things that way. Helping the other girls. I think that also gets the best out of me. That’s what I just focus on. And genuinely, I just want to focus on helping people around me. Because that gets the best out of me. So, just the focus has been on that. Rather than thinking too much about where I should be, where I could be.”That Reddy was willing to take risks for better opportunities was evident when she quit Railways (after playing there from 2017-18 to 2022-23) to move to Kerala in the 2023-24 season. She has also worked on becoming stronger and calmer over the last few years, and she feels she now approaches every tournament with clarity.’You’ll be put under pressure. You’ll have batters that will challenge you. But there’s no fear’•BCCI”I’ve been playing domestic from the time I was 12 years old,” she said. “But it’s just the past one or two years, I have felt the best that I have ever played. Again a lot of things have changed in the past two years.”I had to take some tough decisions leading up to the season last year. I think that helped me. I just have clarity and I go into the tournament with a lot of freedom. Because I had a lot to gain, nothing to lose. That helped me a lot.”Also from the last year, I have focused more on just expressing myself. Obviously, there was a lot of fear of failure when I was young. But now it’s like I don’t care if I fail.”Reddy will next be in action for Delhi Capitals in the WPL 2025 in February. With a home ODI World Cup scheduled later this year, she has been working on becoming a more potent wicket-taker as she sets sights on another comeback.”One thing I really worked on last season was attacking the stumps all the time,” she said. “Because, obviously, only if you attack the stumps, you’re going to get wickets. So, that was the main plan. The length differs depending on the batter. But be it death [overs], initial stages or the middle overs, stumps is the way to go for me. That’s my strength. And I try to do that as much as I can. So, that’s what has been, like, because I used to not do that earlier.”It was more like fourth-stump, fifth-stump bowling and just looking good economically. But my main focus from the past two years was attacking the stumps and trying to pick a lot of wickets and not be scared of getting hit. That is one key thing which I’ve been taught, that you’ll be put under pressure. You’ll have batters that will challenge you. But there’s no fear.”You’re still going to think about the positive option. And if that means you have to take a risk, you take a risk. And, again, not having the fear of failure has really helped me a lot.”