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Everything you need to know about England and Chelsea midfield star Mason Mount!

Mason Tony Mount is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking or central midfielder for Premier League club Chelsea and the England national team. He was born on 10 January 1999, in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Mount began his football journey in the youth academy of Chelsea, one of the elite clubs in England. He joined the Blues at the age of six and progressed through the various age groups, showcasing his exceptional work-rate and footballing intelligence.

After rapid development in the youth ranks, he was loaned out to gain valuable first-team experience. During the 2017-2018 season, Mount was loaned to Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands, where he impressed with 24 direct goal contributions from 40 appearances across all competitions.

Another loan move followed, this time to Championship outfit Derby County. He shone again with 11 goals and six assists from 44 outings. Following his successful loan spells, Mount returned to Chelsea and made his first-team debut in August 2019, and never looked back since, quickly establishing himself as a regular starter under manager Frank Lampard, who had a reputation for nurturing young talent.

Mount continued to shine for Chelsea, playing a vital role in their success in recent years, but the major highlight arrived in May 2021 when the Englishman lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy with Chelsea, assisting Kai Havertz’s match-winning goal against Manchester City in the final. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup in the same year.

Mount made his senior international debut for England in September 2019 after showcasing his potential across all youth levels with the Three Lions. He has since become a regular member of the England squad and was an integral part of the team that reached the final of the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, ultimately losing to Italy in a penalty shootout.

The 36-cap England star also featured at the recent 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where England were knocked out at the quarter-final stage.

At just 24 years old, Mason Mount has already achieved a significant amount in his career, but what are 13 fun things about Mount you need to know…!

• Living his dad's dream

  Mount's footballing education began at an early age at his family home. His father, Tony Mount, had the most influence on his son's football career. Tony was a former non-league footballer who later coached local clubs, including Havant Town and Newport.

  While Mount's father had a rather unimpressive professional career, he vowed to continue living his dream through his son. No wonder Mount Senior was the one who enrolled him into one of the town’s best football academies, Baorhunt FC, at the age of four.

  Mount has spoken about how his father's influence has been crucial to his development as a footballer. He has said that his father taught him the importance of work-rate, passion, and dedication in football, and that he has always been there to support him.

  He said: "Dad always said to me, “You have got to do the dirty work”. ‘He told me you can’t just be good on the ball. You have to track back, you have to make tackles and get stuck in. I always want to introduce that into what I am doing now. I don’t just want to be an attacking player who gets into the box and scores goals. I’ve got to do it all."

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• His father called an emergency family meeting 🚨

  It was way back in 2014 and Mount, one of the most in-demand 15-year-old talents in the country, had to pick between a scholarship with the Blues and a host of tempting offers to leave.

  However, this was the time when Chelsea were bankrolled by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and the club's transfer policy was more centred around buying ready-made superstars instead of promoting talent from youth ranks.

  World-class players like Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah were not given a chance to play at Chelsea, and so they left – becoming big stars.

  His father was worried about the situation and called a family meeting to discuss the possibility of leaving Chelsea. Uncles, aunts and grandparents offered advice to the talented teenager after dad Tony called a family meeting at their Portsmouth home. Mount's resolve to become a Chelsea star, though, stayed firm as he refused to budge under pressure.

  Tony later explained the incident in an interview with The Sun, saying: "I told Mason I thought he needed to move on to get the best opportunity.

  "I said, 'No one at Chelsea's academy has got into the first-team since John Terry — what chance have you got?'

  "Mason shot back, 'I'll be the next one.' He said, 'I'm not leaving Chelsea, it's my club. I've been here since the age of six and I'm going all the way.'"

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  Footballing inspirations in life?

  Mount's idols in football were Lampard, Andres Iniesta, and Luka Modric.

  In an interview, he said: “Frank was an example throughout my career at Chelsea, and throughout my career as a midfielder. When it comes to scoring goals as a midfielder, you look at Frank Lampard as a role model. I looked at [Luka] Modric when he was in the Premier League at Tottenham. Andres Iniesta at Barcelona in his prime, playing their tiki-taka, I was always watching them on YouTube.”

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  Best friends with Declan Rice 🤝

  West Ham United star Declan Rice and Mount have been best friends for over 12 years. The pair first met when they were just eight years old. They were in their formative footballing years in Chelsea's Cobham Academy, at a time when their aspirations of professional contracts and England call-ups were simply just dreams.

  They remained close friends and have since progressed to England teammates. Both have risen to stardom at club level, too, with Rice becoming a key player and captain at West Ham while Mount stayed at Chelsea and has become an integral figure at Stamford Bridge.

  With both West Ham and Chelsea in close proximity, Mount and Rice remain in close touch and hang out every now and then on the streets of London. What's more, Mount unknowingly violated the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions by going out in the open to play football with his best buddy in 2020, for which he was criticised in the mainstream media.

All summer long, GOAL's Mark Doyle handed out grades as they happened for the biggest transfers from around the world – did he get them right?

For some football fans, the off-season is the part of the calendar that they look forward to the most, as that can only mean one thing: It's time for transfers! Over the past weeks and months, the biggest names have been linked with the biggest clubs, with speculation going into overdrive before massive deals were made and players officially made their moves.

We all know that some transfers turn out well for all parties involved, but there are plenty where at least one of the clubs, or even the player, are left wondering what might have been had they made a different decision while at the negotiating table.

GOAL has been here, then, to ensure you knew who did the best out of every massive deal before the ink was even dry on the contracts. Throughout the summer window, we have been grading every done deal as it happened, letting you track the big winners – and losers – of transfer season.

Check out all our grades from the past three months below, and let us know what you think in the comments section…

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  September 1: Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt to PSG, €75m)

  For Eintracht Frankfurt: Hardly ideal in terms of timing but a fantastic fee. Eintracht, remember, signed Muani for nothing just over a year ago, on a pre-contract agreement, ahead of the expiration of his Nantes deal. So this is all profit for the German side, which obviously takes the edge off the fact that they're going to have a serious job replacing his goals and assists. In an ideal scenario, they'd have been able to use the money raised to bring in new players, but the one positive to the fact that this transfer went right until the wire is that PSG ended up paying over the odds for Muani in their desperation to get the deal done. Grade: A-

  For PSG: Satisfaction at having finally got their man. At one point it looked like the deal might collapse because of Hugo Ekitike's refusal to move in the opposite direction, but they will be delighted to have got it over the line, even if the fee is exorbitant for a player with just one great season under his belt. PSG's overhaul of their forward line is now complete and the fans will be thrilled by the prospect of Muani lining up alongside fellow France internationals Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele. Grade: B+

  For Muani: The move he so desperately wanted. Truth be told, Muani disgraced himself by the way in which he helped force this deal through by effectively going on strike, given Eintracht gave him a platform on which to shine. But, let's face it, he probably won't care, and now he's likely to have a blast playing for a PSG side that looks seriously well-stocked in every department this season, which would only boost his chances of nailing down a regular starting spot in the France starting line-up ahead of Euro 2024. Grade: A

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  September 1: Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina to Manchester United, loan)

  For Fiorentina: Finally, an end to a most annoying distraction for Vincenzo Italiano and his team! Still, this saga hasn't really been resolved in a wholly satisfactory manner for Fiorentina. To their credit, they dismissed United's ludicrous initial offer of a €2m loan fee to be paid in two instalments. But the hope all along was to get rid of Amrabat on a permanent deal, for somewhere in the region of €30m. The loan deal they've struck with United is obviously better than nothing and Fiorentina will obviously be glad that they can finally focus their attention elsewhere – for a while at least – but the Viola were obviously hoping for a more definitive and more lucrative resolution to the matter. Grade: C+

  For Manchester United: A decent deal at last. It's been a very trying summer for United, whose budgetary restrictions have been laid bare in the final few weeks of the window. However, Amrabat should add real bite – and some badly-needed dynamism – to Erik ten Hag's midfield, which has been badly overrun in recent outings. United were desperate for a defensive midfielder – and they've got a very good one for very little money. Amrabat could easily end up being the best-value transfer of Ten Hag's tenure to date. Grade: B+

  For Amrabat:The belated realisation of a dream. Amrabat thought he'd done enough at Qatar 2022 to earn himself a transfer to a truly elite club – and one can understand why. The Moroccan was absolutely sensational during the African nation's historic run to the semi-finals of the World Cup, an indefatigable presence in front of the back four who nullified the threat posed by some of the best attacking midfielders in the game. However, the challenge now for Amrabat is to show that he can deliver top-class performances on a consistent basis – something he never achieved at Fiorentina. Still, United could not have signed a more determined or hard-working character. Grade: A

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  September 1: Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich to Liverpool, £34m)

  For Bayern Munich: Something of a magic trick! Bayern have managed to sell a player that had a terrible season at the Allianz Arena for more than double what they paid Ajax for him just over a year ago. Gravenberch's potential may be obvious and some supporters fear that the club may come to regret giving up on the Netherlands international so soon, but the fact of the matter was that head coach Thomas Tuchel didn't believe the Dutchman had the requisite defensive discipline to play in central midfield – much like Julian Nagelsmann before him. If Bayern manage to bring in Joao Pahlinha, they'll be understandably chuffed with themselves. If Fulham resist their overtures, though, the Bavarians might end up looking worryingly short on numbers in their engine room. Grade: A-

  For Liverpool: Another belated – but exciting – midfield addition. We all know that Liverpool's top two central midfield targets were Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia – and they lost both to Chelsea. So, there has been an undeniable air of desperation around their moves for Wataru Endo and Gravenberch. However, both could prove shrewd signings, particularly that of Gravenberch, who is far more experienced than Lavia, for example. It's also not so long ago that the 21-year-old was being heralded as one of the most exciting youngsters to come out of Amsterdam in ages. Just ask Erik ten Hag: he tipped him to become a star while Gravenberch was still only a teenager breaking records at Ajax. It didn't happen for him at Bayern, of course, and the reports of a poor attitude are undeniably worrying from a Liverpool perspective. But while he might not be a specialist No.6 – not yet, at least – it's worth remembering that Klopp has been following Gravenberch for some time, so there is the distinct possibility that the German might just be able to turn his new signing into the 'new Gini Wijnaldum'. Grade: B+

  For Gravenberch: An end to his misery in Munich. It had been clear for some time that Tuchel didn't trust him, so Gravenberch's willingness to leave in pursuit of regular first-team football was understandable. He's not going to walk into the starting line-up at Anfield, though; it rarely works out that way for new, young arrivals at Klopp's Liverpool. So, it will be fascinating to see how he reacts to the manager's demands. Indeed, you get the feeling that the success of this move hinges on Gravenberch's attitude and application. He's got the talent to become a big hit on Merseyside, but does he have the right temperament? We're about to find out. Grade: A

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  September 1: Joao Cancelo (Manchester City to Barcelona, loan)

  For Manchester City: A welcome end to one of the more surprising break-ups in recent football history. Cancelo's relationship with Pep Guardiola unravelled so quickly, with the Portugal international seemingly going from integral to outcast overnight. The Catalan clearly had his reasons, but it really was strange to see such an important player be discarded so suddenly. City's initial hope was that Bayern Munich would take Cancelo off their hands, but when that loan move failed to materialise into a permanent transfer, a new buyer had to be found. City would obviously have preferred a permanent transfer, but a loan move with an option to buy that is highly likely to be activated is better than the alternative: Cancelo depreciating even further in value while sitting in the stands for another six months. Grade: C+

  Barcelona: The club's ideal full-back? Cancelo certainly fits the mould. He is outrageously comfortable on the ball, blessed with great vision and is so two-footed that he can play on either flank. The Portuguese has had his problems over the past year and it's undeniably worrying that neither Manchester City nor Bayern Munich wanted him anymore. But Barca were short on quality at the back and Cancelo should slot straight into Xavi's team because of his technical ability and tactical versatility. Grade: A

  For Cancelo: A dream conclusion to the nightmare scenario he found himself in. He had hoped to resurrect his career in Munich after being frozen out in Manchester, but he flopped badly at Bayern, with his prospects probably not helped by a change of manager at the Allianz Arena. He'll receive a warm welcome at Camp Nou, though, and the suspicion has long been that if Cancelo is made to feel loved and important, he will excel. Grade: A+

The Danish striker looked like prime Ruud van Nistelrooy but the goalkeeper played like Massimo Taibi and Erik ten Hag's team are in deep trouble

The Manchester United soap opera continues and this was a night of high drama that witnessed the sublime and the ridiculous. It ended with Erik ten Hag's side on the precipice of total disaster, somehow throwing away the lead twice to lose 3-2 at home to Galatasaray. They are left with no points from their first two Champions League games and look to be on their way to a humiliating group-stage exit.

Rasmus Hojlund was in sensational form and looked exactly like the striker United dreamed he would turn into, scoring two goals, one of which brought back memories of Ruud van Nistelrooy. But Andre Onana was inexplicably bad in goal once more and is making fans pine for David de Gea. The Cameroonian has had a shaky start to life in Manchester but this was by far his worst showing.

The nadir of a nightmare display was passing the ball straight to Dries Mertens, leading to Casemiro giving away a penalty and getting sent off, leaving him suspended for the must-win next game against Copenhagen. Mauro Icardi missed the penalty but made amends to sink United and give a fittingly crazy end to a night that defied logic and belief.

GOAL rates United's players from Old Trafford…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andre Onana (2/10):

  Looked shaky and transmitted nerves, not confidence. And that was before his unforgiveable pass straight to Mertens, costing Casemiro the red card. Got very lucky when Icardi missed from the spot. Conceded seven goals in two Champions League games.

  Diogo Dalot (4/10):

  Really poor defending for Zaha's goal. Didn't get forward enough.

  Victor Lindelof (3/10):

  Brushed aside in build-up to Akturkoglu's goal and showed no leadership to cut ball out before Icardi's winner.

  Raphael Varane (4/10):

  Lacked his usual decisiveness and couldn't hold the backline together.

  Sofyan Amrabat (4/10):

  Ran into numerous problems. Not surprising, considering he is playing in an unfamiliar position.

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  Midfield

  Hannibal Mejbri (5/10):

  Ran a lot but didn't make any notable contributions with the ball other than blocking Mount's goalbound shot. Hooked at half-time.

  Casemiro (5/10):

  Made a strong start then faded. Tackling was rash but Onana deserves more blame than him for his red card as he was trying to put out a fire the 'keeper had started.

  Mason Mount (6/10):

  Worked hard and is steadily improving.

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  Attack

  Bruno Fernandes (4/10):

  Erratic. Made lots of sloppy passes and couldn't stop the visitors strolling through the midfield in the second half.

  Rasmus Hojlund (9/10):

  The only positive note of a harrowing night, but he was truly spectacular. His second goal brought back memories of Ruud van Nistelrooy and all night he showed hunger and desire. Also became the youngest player since Erling Haaland to score in his first two Champions League matches.

  Marcus Rashford (5/10):

  Good movement, a fine cross for Hojlund's goal. Bungled the pass for Fernandes when he had to go for goal himself. The fact he didn't underlined how low his confidence is.

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  Subs & Manager

  Christian Eriksen (6/10):

  Had a big impact at first, playing some excellent through balls and sped up the play, particularly on the counter. Found wanting defensively in the latter stages.

  Alejandro Garnacho (5/10):

  Played with some spark but not clinical.

  Anthony (N/A):

  Made his return in the 85th minute

  Antony Martial (N/A):

  Only came on in the 89th minute.

  Erik ten Hag (5/10):

  Oversaw a chaotic game. His changes made sense and he cannot take all the blame for some glaring individual errors. But ultimately he is the captain of a ship that is sinking.

Man City have broken Man United's record for most consecutive wins on home soil by a Premier League club after they beat Brighton 2-1 on Saturday.

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• City won 2-1 against Brighton
• Have 21 straight home wins
• Beat record set by Man Utd

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland got the goals as City got the three points against Brighton, bouncing back after two straight Premier League defeats.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  City have now won 21 consecutive matches at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions since the start of the calendar year.

  That is a new record-winning run at home by a Premier League team, breaking the previous best set by United in 2010-11.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Pep Guardiola was impressed by his team, telling reporters: "Against Brighton for 95 mins, controlling them is impossible. No team in the world can do that. I am surprised we did it for 55-60 minutes. They link with the strikers and we went man to man with Julian [Alvarez] and Erling [Haaland]."

  He added: "I give credit to the team for victory."

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  City will now turn their attention to their midweek Champions League match against Young Boys in Switzerland.

The Spain international struggled on Sunday before straying offside just as the Blaugrana thought they'd scored a late winner

Ferran Torres proved to be an unfit replacement for the injured Robert Lewandowski as the Spaniard turned in a forgettable showing on what should have been a memorable night for Barcelona against Granada. Lamine Yamal became La Liga's youngest-ever goalscorer, but a series of scuffed half-chances and poor moments from Ferran — complete with a silly offside to have a goal ruled out in stoppage-time — saw Barca settle for a 2-2 draw.

Nineteenth-placed Granada showed few signs of fear early and struck after just 18 seconds, dispossessing Gavi before crafting an opening for Bryan Zaragoza, who found the net with a driven effort across Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The home side doubled their advantage 29 minutes later, Zaragoza bagging his second with a poked finish.

Yamal bagged his record-breaking goal to get Barca back in it on the cusp of half-time, the teenager ghosting in at the far post to turn home into an open net. From there, Barca threw everything forward in the second half, and they were rewarded for their efforts as Sergi Roberto grabbed the equaliser off the bench, turning in Alejandro Balde's low cross with five minutes remaining in normal time.

Joao Felix had the ball in the net in stoppage-time, but saw his goal disallowed after Ferran interfered in the play while marginally offside — summing up a miserable evening for the striker.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Los Carmenes…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Marc-Andre ter Stegen (4/10):

  Really should have saved Granada's first, and was too easily sent the wrong way for the second. Saved by the post from conceding a third.

  Joao Cancelo (5/10):

  Didn't really get involved until late on. Some of his passing was excellent once he started to have an influence.

  Jules Kounde (4/10):

  Made to look silly by Zaragoza for Granada's second. Forced off with a knee injury on the stroke of half-time.

  Andreas Christensen (6/10):

  Shaky at the start, but much more effective when Araujo came on.

  Alejandro Balde (6/10):

  Not his best night, but the delivery for the Barca equaliser was a thing of beauty.

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  Midfield

  Ilkay Gundogan (5/10):

  Missed a tackle entirely in the run up to the Zaragoza opener. Had a good effort denied late on. Functions more effectively with a recognised central presence.

  Fermin Lopez (5/10):

  Handed a well-deserved full debut, but didn't really deliver on the night. Will have to be on it when called upon again.

  Gavi (5/10):

  Gave the ball away before Zaragoza's first. Was otherwise lively and heavily involved — without being too effective.

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  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (7/10):

  Had some difficult moments defensively, but was as dangerous as ever going forward. Finished into an open net to halve the deficit.

  Ferran Torres (3/10):

  His first touch was lacking, and he didn't offer much as a central presence, either. Entirely unconvincing.

  Joao Felix (7/10):

  Effective in the first half, and grabbed an assist for Yamal's goal. Should've had a winner, had it not been for Ferran's mistake.

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  Subs & Manager

  Ronald Araujo (7/10):

  Was presumably supposed to be rested, but forced on when Kounde picked up a knock. Almost blasted one in.

  Sergi Roberto (7/10):

  Scored the equaliser. Did a lot of running, and kept the ball moving.

  Oriol Romeu (6/10):

  Active when introduced, and passed well.

  Xavi (4/10):

  Made an interesting call to hand Lopez his full debut, but was otherwise full strength — given a litany of injury problems. His side only really turned it on late, and didn't deserve anything more than a draw.

Chelsea star Cole Palmer has revealed that he used to imitate Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney when growing up.

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• Talented forward has enjoyed meteoric rise
• Starring at Chelsea & in senior England squad
• Has always looked up to all-time greats

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The talented 21-year-old could not have wished for a better group of role models, with a generation packed with all-time greats providing the inspiration for him to forge his own career at the very highest level. Palmer has been drafted into the senior England squad for the first time, on the back of a summer that saw him leave Manchester City for Chelsea while becoming a European champion with his country at U21 level, and is following in the footsteps of those that he once looked up to.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Palmer has told the of his meteoric rise to prominence, which could deliver a first full cap in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta on Friday: “Yeah, it’s been crazy. The changes have happened so fast. From winning the Euros with the Under 21s, to signing for Chelsea, then getting called up here. It’s all happened so fast. I am excited for it all. In the garden as a kid I used to pretend to be loads of players. Rooney, Ronaldo, Messi. All of them. But all this felt a long way away when I was that age. Now I am here I have thought about it and what it may be like to play. When I make my debut it will be an amazing moment for me and my family… if it happens.”

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Palmer has shown that he has the character to become an England regular, with a nerveless penalty converted against former employers City in Chelsea’s latest Premier League outing – with that stoppage-time spot-kick helping to claim a share of the points in a thrilling 4-4 draw. Palmer said of stepping up under the most intense pressure: “When I saw the ref give it I thought, ‘It’s my time’. I spoke to Raz (Raheem Sterling) and was like, ‘I wanna take it’. When I put the ball down I just picked a spot and put it there. I wasn’t nervous, not really. I have always tried to believe in myself.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  England have another qualification clash with North Macedonia to take in on Monday – with tickets already booked to next summer’s Euros in Germany – before domestic action resumes next weekend, with Palmer and Chelsea set to take in a testing trip to Newcastle.

The City playmaker's classy early goal ensured City got off on the right foot before leading the visitors' exhibition of possession football

Kevin De Bruyne still has unfinished business in the Champions League after getting injured in two finals, and he looked in the mood to reach a third showpiece after running the show in Manchester City's 3-1 win at Copenhagen on Tuesday.

City made a flying start in the Parken Stadium, and after De Bruyne and Ake had missed from close-range, the Belgian made amends with a slick finish into the far bottom corner after lovely work from Phil Foden.

City were dealt their first setback midway through the first half when Jack Grealish pulled up injured, and suffered an even bigger one when Magnus Mattson smashed in Copenhagen's equaliser after a sloppy pass out from Ederson. Pep Guardiola's side looked shaken, but a smart reactive finish from Bernardo Silva put them back in front just before the break.

The second half was a procession as City moved the ball around effortlessly and with barely any resistance but they still wanted a third goal, and eventually got it in added-time with another slick piece of play from De Bruyne, finished off by the equally brilliant Foden.

The thoroughly deserved final goal gave City a two-goal cushion for the second leg at home in three weeks' time and that is likely to be another breeze for Guardiola's all-conquering side.

GOAL rates Man City's players from Parken Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (4/10):

  His careless pass aimed for Ake led to Copenhagen's equaliser. It was the only shot he faced.

  Kyle Walker (7/10):

  Physically dominant and always on hand to sweep up any hint of danger from the hosts.

  Ruben Dias (7/10):

  Always looked in control, won every aerial battle.

  John Stones (6/10):

  Back in his hybrid defence/midfield role and did much more of the latter.

  Nathan Ake (7/10):

  Strong defensively and always looked to get involved in the attack.

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  Midfield

  Phil Foden (8/10):

  Survived an injury scare in the first half and had an outstanding game, dictating the tempo while twisting his way around the pitch. Rounded off a stunning performance with a deserved goal.

  Rodri (6/10):

  Kept things ticking over but was able to take a backseat role as his fellow midfielders took over.

  Bernardo Silva (8/10):

  Also brilliant in ensuring City never lost the ball, while his effortless finish put them firmly back in control.

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  Attack

  Kevin De Bruyne (9/10):

  A class above. His sharp-shooting got City off to a dream start and he set up the other two goals. Back where he belongs, dominating Champions League knockout games.

  Erling Haaland (5/10):

  Got very little space in behind. Not the blockbuster Champions League night he would have hoped for, but there will be plenty more.

  Jack Grealish (5/10):

  Was doing well without shining until his first start in five weeks was cruelly brought to a premature end, a groin injury forcing him off in the 21st minute.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jeremy Doku (6/10):

  Took fewer risks than usual and had fewer flashes of excitement, but looked to be on the same page as the team and did what was needed.

  Matheus Nunes (5/10):

  Replaced Bernardo in the 78th minute and had a hand in the third goal.

  Pep Guardiola (7/10):

  His tactic to utterly monopolise possession worked well, ensuring his side barely suffered in what could have been a difficult atmosphere.

Brazilian side Botafogo have signed Inter Miami midfielder Gregore as the Herons race to meet the MLS roster compliancy deadline.

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• Inter Miami in race to be MLS roster compliant

• Herons transfer Gregore to Botafogo

• Brazilian had hefty salary

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After a report from The Athletic surfaced earlier this week, sharing that the Herons are currently in a race to meet MLS roster compliancy after over-spending this offseason, they made their first outgoing splash of 2024. The Brazilian returns home and Inter Miami are gearing towards being on-track for Tuesday's deadline.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  MLS roster regulations for the 2023 campaign can be found here, but simply put, the Herons needed to offload a major salary on their team to meet compliancy with the league rules. Gregore made a hefty sum via his contract with Miami in 2023, earning $961, 250 across the campaign. With his outgoing transfer, it's assumed Miami are on-track to meet MLS roster regulations. However, the league has not yet announced the numerical statistics to which each team must abide by in 2024.

  As a result, Gregore's outgoing transfer may not be enough. The likes of Jean Mota, Robert Taylor, Coco Jean and Deandre Yedlin are all rumored to be available on the transfer market. However, the club expected to part ways with Coco Jean regardless of their status – with a potential contract termination even on the table.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Gregore made 67 appearances for Miami after signing for the club in 2021.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

  The Herons first regular game of the season will be against Real Salt Lake on February 21. The match will open up the 2024 MLS campaign for the league, with Lionel Messi and co. looking to start off their campaign with three points.

Paul Mullin says his fist-pumping celebration is the “best thing Jurgen gave me”, with the Wrexham star taking inspiration from Liverpool boss Klopp.

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• Reds boss passionately celebrates wins
• Star striker in North Wales does the same
• Hollywood owners targeting top-three finish

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Premier League and Champions League-winning coach at Anfield has become famed for his passionate salutes to The Kop following a big win. The same routine can be spotted at SToK Racecourse regularly, with Mullin taking on the role of Klopp.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The prolific frontman is a big Liverpool supporter and is happy to have brought another bit of Merseyside to North Wales. He was back in Klopp mode following a vital 1-0 victory for Wrexham over old adversaries Notts County.

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  WHAT MULLIN SAID

  Mullin has shared a video of his post-match celebrations on Instagram alongside the message: “Good win yesterday!! Best thing Jurgen gave me.” Those in the crowd bellow back at Mullin as he delivers three passionate fist pumps in their direction.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  A narrow win over Notts County has lifted Phil Parkinson’s side back into the top three of the League Two standings, with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney seeing their quest to secure back-to-back promotions get another timely shot in the arm – with the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary cameras never too far away ahead of series three of that production airing later this year.

New Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl suggested that the Bavarians might sell Alphonso Davies this summer.

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• Eberl suggested that Davies won't leave for free
• Left-back reportedly reached agreement with Real Madrid
• Bayern have 'had discussions with [Davies'] agent'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Alphonso Davies' time at Bayern Munich could be coming to an end. The Bavarians, although determined not to lose their star full-back, risk losing the Canada international for free in 2025 when his contract expires. And on Monday, it was reported that Davies had verbally agreed to join Madrid.

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• WHAT EBERL SAID ABOUT DAVIES

  The newly-minted Bayern sporting director outlined the Davies situation in his introductory press conference: "No club wants to lose players for free… of course. We already had discussions with his agent, so I will now try to continue the conversation. I have to see how the situation is."

• WHAT EBERL SAID ABOUT REPLACING THOMAS TUCHEL

  Eberl also explained the criteria for the Bavarians' soon-to-be-vacant managerial post: "We want a coach who fits with the club and its ambitions – who also fits with the ideas that Christoph and I have about the squad. Players like Tel and Musiala, are young players who need to play. Other big clubs like Real Madrid managed to integrate Camavinga and Tchouameni into a midfield with Kroos, Modric and Casemiro. That’s the sort of coach we need. We need a coach who wants to work with these kinds of players. Language? He has to speak a language that we all speak, German or English. It’s a criterion but not an excluding one. There are candidates."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Eberl arrives at a turbulent time. Tuchel is set to leave at the end of the campaign after falling behind a surging Bayer Leverkusen side in the title race. Meanwhile, the futures of cornerstones Davies and Joshua Kimmich seem to be up in the air.