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Inter Miami's 2024 preseason calendar could include a friendly against Lionel Messi's childhood Argentine club, Newell's Old Boys.

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• Inter Miami planning 2024 preseason calendar
• Sporting Director says Herons could host Messi's childhood club
• Messi currently with Argentina on international duty

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Herons Sporting Director Chris Henderson held an end-of- year speaking event on Monday, elaborating on their plans for 2024. During the event, he spoke on how they are looking to improve in multiple departments on and off the pitch, while also planning ahead for a productive 2024 preseason. The SD of the Herons even shared a preview of what's to come, as Messi and Co. could take on his childhood club a a part of that productive 2024 plan.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Herons are already jumping in front of other MLS sides regarding creating an international image. They had a series of matches scheduled in early November as a part of their Asia tour, but they were cancelled last-minute unexpectedly. Now, Inter Miami and Co. are looking to expand even further, taking on one of the most stories clubs in all of Argentina while also allowing their superstar attacker to play against his former club in a moment that he will never forget.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Messi played for the Rosario-based club for five years from 1995-2000, before transferring to Barcelona in that last year. I'm not sure many knew that in – that moment – the greatest soccer player of all time would land in Spain and craft his trade with the Catalan club for 21-straight years.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI AND INTER MIAMI?

  The legendary attacker is currently on international duty with Argentina, where La Albiceleste are currently coming off their first loss of the calendar year against Uruguay. Inter Miami, meanwhile, are in offseason mode where they are planning for the next campaign while also enjoying the downtime of the winter months in the USA.

Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as France made history with a record-breaking 14-0 victory against 10-man Gibraltar on Saturday night.

Own goals from Ethan Santos and Aymen Mouelhi put Didier Deschamps' side 2-0 up inside the opening five minutes before debutant Warren Zaire-Emery got on the scoresheet soon after.

The 17-year-old was fouled as he shot at goal and Santos was sent off for the challenge after a VAR review. The onslaught continued when Kylian Mbappe, Jonathan Clauss, Kingsley Coman, and substitute Youssouf Fofana all scored before half time.

After stopping the bleeding for more than 15 second half minutes, Adrien Rabiot bagged and then Coman got his second with 25 minutes remaining. Substitute Ousmane Dembele added a splendid solo goal and Mbappe grabbed a brace to go third in France's all-time scoring list.

Mbappe then netted his hat-trick in magnificent fashion as the captain chipped the keeper from 40 yards to make it 12-0. Olivier Giroud rifled in a 13th one minute from time and then helped France secure the biggest win in European Championship qualification history – eclipsing Germany's 13-0 win over San Marino in 2006 – with a stylish bicycle kick.

GOAL rates France's players from Allianz Riviera Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Mike Maignan (N/A):

  It took until the 60th minute for Gibraltar to fashion something of a chance on the French goal. Had virtually nothing to do.

  Jonathan Clauss (7/10):

  Scored the second best goal of the evening with a stunning long-range effort, but had nothing to do in defence.

  Jean-Clair Todibo (7/10):

  Like his defensive teammates, had very little to do and tried his best to attack whenever possible.

  Dayot Upamecano (7/10):

  Wasn't troubled at the back but looked to get forward at every opportunity.

  Lucas Hernandez (7/10):

  Was always an option out on the left and was unlucky not to get a goal himself.

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  Midfield

  Warren Zaire-Emery (8/10):

  Looked impressive on his debut as he showed pace, power, and skill; plus, he took his goal with aplomb. Was unfortunate to be forced off with an injury inside the opening 20 minutes.

  Adrien Rabiot (7/10):

  Was very relaxed in a midfield that overran the visitors all night.

  Antoine Griezmann (8/10):

  Was in the thick of the action as he ran the show in midfield. Beautifully set up Giroud late on.

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  Attack

  Kingsley Coman (8/10):

  Was very dangerous in attack as his pace and trickery caused the away side problems throughout; and he got on the scoresheet in classy style.

  Marcus Thuram (7/10):

  His pressure forced Gibraltar into committing one of the early own goals and the Inter Milan forward put in the hard yards for his team. Lacked a clinical touch, mind.

  Kylian Mbappe (9/10):

  Took his penalty with ease, was in the right place at the right time for his second and then scored the goal of the night with a brilliant long-range strike.

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  Subs & Manager

  Youssouf Fofana (7/10):

  Had a quick impact when he came on as he got on the scoresheet soon after his introduction.

  Olivier Giroud (8/10):

  Had a well-taken goal disallowed for offside but got two late on, the best of which was a brilliant overhead kick.

  Ousmane Dembele (7/10):

  Scored a lovely solo goal mere minutes after coming on as he weaved in and out of Gibraltar's defence.

  Boubacar Kamara (N/A):

  Came on when France were out of sight.

  William Saliba (N/A):

  No time to make an impact.

  Didier Deschamps (8/10):

  Fielded a strong side and his subs were very effective in the second half in a record-breaking night.

Following Liverpool's thrilling 4-1 win at Anfield, Luton manager Rob Edwards, Jurgen Klopp and Jayden Danns shared a lighthearted joke.

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• Jayden Danns debuts for Liverpool
• Klopp embraces youngster after cameo
• Edwards reveals he played with Danns' father

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Hatters took a surprise lead in the first half thanks to Chiedozie Ogbene's header, but the hosts rallied after the interval with four goals from Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, and Harvey Elliott. After Jayden Danns made his first-team debut and caught Klopp's eye during his short cameo, the German coach dashed over to congratulate the 18-year-old striker and drew him into an embrace. Immediately after Edwards walked up to the duo and left the three laughing in the centre circle.

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• WHAT EDWARDS SAID

  Despite the scoreline, Edwards walked over and interrupted Klopp's post-match hug with Danns, telling the Liverpool boss: "I played against his father!" Danns and Klopp both laughed at the startling revelation, while Edwards also gave the Liverpool teenager an affectionate clap on the shoulder as he walked off the pitch.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Edwards played for Wolves, Aston Villa, and Blackpool before retiring, and he also represented Wales internationally. During his 15 caps, he met and played alongside Jayden's father, Neil Danns. Neil played for the likes of Crystal Palace, Leicester and Birmingham.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR DANNS?

  The 18-year-old was handed his chance to debut for the club as Klopp's side have been struggling with injuries and were also looking to rest key players ahead of Sunday's Carabao Cup final clash with Chelsea at Wembley.

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney and coach Phil Parkinson were paid a visit at the Racecourse Ground by Prince William on Saint David's Day.

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• Prince William visited Wrexham
• Met with co-owner McElhenney
• Pair pulled pints in local pub

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  On the day of the patron saint of Wales, the prince made the trip to the Red Dragons' stadium as well as the local pub, The Turf, where he and McElhenney poured pints. After meeting with manager Parkinson, first-team captain Luke Young and club captain Ben Tozer presented him with a Wrexham jersey.

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• SEE THE PICTURES

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Prince William met with the Wrexham coach and stars as they trained in preparation for their crucial League Two match against Accrington Stanley on Saturday. The National League champions will host the 15th-placed team at the Racecourse Ground.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Parkinson's team are in dire need of the three points from the weekend's encounter. They are currently fourth in League Two but are just three points adrift of leaders Mansfield, who face Newport on Saturday.

The future of exciting young Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White rests with the player himself this summer after the club made a new contract offer.

The Lowdown: Gibbs-White superb on loan

The 22-year-old was loaned out to Sheffield United at the start of the season, with Bruno Lage unable to promise him regular time at Molineux.

Gibbs-White enjoyed a fantastic year at Bramall Lane, helping the Blades reach the Championship playoff semi-finals and scoring 12 goals from midfield along the way.

It is unknown what will happen next with the youngster, with AC Milan reportedly keen on signing him but Wolves also potentially wanting him to sign a new deal.

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The Latest: Offer made

Taking to Twitter on Monday, The Athletic‘s Spiers confirmed that the decision rests with the player himself, with Wanderers trying to extend his stay at the club:

“Wolves want Morgan Gibbs-White to play a big role next season and are believed to have offered him a new contract to help convince him to stay. Decision now rests with the player.”

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The Verdict: Must keep hold of him

Gibbs-White is a prodigiously talented footballer – he has been hailed as ‘instrumental’ by Blades legend Billy Sharp – and for that reason, Wolves must do their best to keep hold of him.

With Ruben Neves looking likely to leave this summer, a midfield spot could open up for the Englishman – at 22, this could be his moment to shine in the Premier League.

While Wolves would receive good money for Gibbs-White if he was sold, his potential means he surely has to stay put and become a key player under Lage.

In other news, Wolves are reportedly closing in on a new signing. Find out who it is here.

Celtic had one of their most significant summer transfer windows in recent memory last year, which saw the club make a number of changes on and off the pitch.

Along with seeing many players move in and out of the club, the Hoops also appointed Ange Postecoglou as their new manager following Neil Lennon’s departure.

These changes seemed to work out well for the Parkhead club, as the 56-year-old and his players ended up taking the Premiership title off their Old Firm rivals.

Now that the campaign has come to an end, it seems as though a clue has emerged regarding the next steps for one of Celtic’s key figures at Lennoxtown.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones made a promising claim regarding Postecoglou and his future at Parkhead.

The reporter said: “I imagine they’ll try to reward him in some term. I mean, whether he wants a long-term commitment, who knows, I don’t think he’ll be pushing necessarily for raises or anything like that at this point.

“But from a Celtic point of view, you’ve got this identity now; they’d hate to get into a situation at the start of next season where they’re doing really well, and suddenly another job comes up elsewhere, and he’s pretty available because there’s not going to be much of a fee to get him out of there.”

Celtic appointed Postecoglou last June on a 12-month rolling contract, which has yet to be renewed. In 60 games so far in charge of the Bhoys, the Australian has won 42, drawn seven and lost 11.

Taking into account how the former Yokohama F Marinos manager was able to secure the league title and end the season with his side boasting the best attacking and defensive record in the Scottish top flight, it’s easy to see why the club would be keen on offering him a new deal.

This would also make it easy to assume that Celtic fans would like nothing better than to see the popular 56-year-old, who has already taken the club to glory, once again continue his journey with them.

We feel that Postecoglou has certainly done enough in his debut season to warrant a new deal at Parkhead. Whether that is another 12-month contract or a more long-term agreement is down to the club and how long they would want to see him in charge.

Either way, it would surely be brilliant news for Celtic and their supporters to see the Australian put pen to paper on a new contract soon.

In other news: Bad news: Postecoglou heading for big transfer error as Celtic eye move for £2m dud

Leeds United are looking at another American-based player along with New York City FC striker Valentin Castellanos, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Castellanos links

The Whites are thought to be ‘most interested’ in Castellanos after Manchester City passed up on their option to sign the 23-year-old.

Victor Orta and Angus Kinnear were recently spotted alongside Leeds director Massimo Marinelli just over five miles from New York City’s Yankee Stadium.

It seems as if Castellanos could be the third signing of the summer with Brenden Aaronson signed and a move for Rasmus Kristensen at an advanced stage, but Leeds aren’t stopping there.

The Latest: Another…

90min shared a story on Friday looking at Leeds’ interest in Castellanos. They added that as well as the Argentinian, Leeds have unnamed representatives looking at another American based player.

The report doesn’t reveal who that player is, although the Whites were linked with Philadelphia Union left-back Kai Wagner in the final weeks of the season.

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The Verdict: Double deal?

Kristensen looks set to become the second player to swap RB Salzburg for Leeds, and it appears as if the Whites have their eye on another double raid over in the US.

Castellanos would bolster Jesse Marsch’s attacking ranks, something which is needed after Patrick Bamford’s injury struggles last season.

Another USA-based player could also be on their way to Yorkshire by the looks of it, and if it is Wagner, he’d provide competition to Junior Firpo at left-back with Stuart Dallas sidelined.

In other news: Graham Smyth: Orta now looking at Leeds move for new striker target wanted by numerous PL clubs. 

Maccabi Haifa midfielder Mohammad Abu Fani is reportedly pushing for a move to Celtic after it’s been revealed that he’s held exit talks with his agent over a possible summer departure.

The Lowdown: Confirmed Celtic interest

The 24-year-old has been part of the Israeli outfit ever since joining the club at U19s level back in 2017, working his way up through the ranks to make 99 senior first-team appearances across all competitions for the club to date.

Even though the maestro still has four years remaining on his current contract with Barak Bakhar’s side, the 14-cap international has recently been linked with a move away from Maccabi amid interest from the Hoops, and following a fresh update, it seems as though the creative midfield man is keen to make the switch.

The Latest: Abu Fani pushing for Celtic move

In a new article published by the Daily Record, it’s claimed that Abu Fani is ‘pushing for an exit’ after hearing of the Bhoys’ interest, with the Scottish Premiership champions’ scouts having already ‘watched’ the £900k-rated ace playing for his country during the recent Nations League fixtures.

The source further states that the club are ‘demanding’ £800k to let the player leave during the upcoming transfer window, but won’t stand in his way if the right offer was to come in.

As relayed by the report, Israeli outfit ONE have revealed that ‘talks have taken place’ between Haifa chiefs and Dudu Dahan’s ScoutPush agency, with the representative wanting to see his client move to a European league in the coming weeks.

The Verdict: Hoops hold huge advantage

The fact that Celtic have already sent employees out to watch Abu Fani in action just shows how serious they are about trying to secure a deal for their target, and there’s a chance that they could hold a big advantage over any other potential competitors.

Dahan, the player’s agent, has already engineered moves to the Glasgow giants in the past for the likes of Nir Bitton and more recently Liel Abada, who is an international teammate of the 5 foot 6 playmaker, so there’s every chance that he will want to grasp the opportunity of working alongside someone he already has a strong relationship with.

Having provided four assists and scored two goals in Ligat ha’AL this season, as per Transfermarkt, Abu Fani could be the perfect replacement for the departing Bitton and Rogic, with Ange Postecoglou looking to get this deal over the line way in advance of the start of the new campaign.

In other news… the Hoops have been handed a huge transfer blow in the pursuit of one of their summer targets.

Wolves have been linked with a summer move for Paris Saint-Germain striker Mauro Icardi.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the Ligue 1 champions have asked Jorge Mendes to see if he can facilitate a move for the striker to Molineux as they look to sign Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo.

After scoring 124 goals in 219 appearances for Inter Milan, the Argentine joined PSG on loan in September 2019, before moving on a permanent basis the following summer. In 92 appearances for the French club, the striker has found the net 38 times and delivered 10 assists, once again highlighting the danger he possesses in front of goal.

This is something that the Old Gold were severely lacking in the Premier League last season, with just 38 goals scored throughout the campaign. To further highlight their attacking inefficiency, they ended the season with fewer shot-creating actions (611) than the likes of Watford (624), Brentford (640) and Southampton (732).

With that in mind, it would certainly suggest that some extra firepower is needed in their squad.

Mendes masterclass

Labelled an “animal in the box” by his former Inter boss Stefano Pioli, Icardi has a total of 173 club goals to his name at senior level.

This shows that he certainly has the experience and attacking prowess in him to be a great prospective addition to Bruno Lage’s squad as someone who can routinely find the back of the net.

Having started just 13 games for Mauricio Pochettino’s PSG across all competitions last season, the prospect of potentially playing regular football in the Premier League could be tempting for the striker, especially with his current club apparently looking to move him on.

If Mendes is able to work his magic and secure a deal for the Argentine attacker to join Wolves, this could be a real masterclass from the agent, assuming that the player settles into the Black Country and gets into the rhythm of the Premier League by scoring on a regular basis for Lage’s side.

In other news: Alan Nixon drops big Wolves transfer claim that’ll leave supporters gutted

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Sporting midfielder Matheus Nunes.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness), Newcastle, as well as fellow Premier League club Everton, have made an approach to the Portuguese club over a potential transfer for the midfielder.

With Newcastle now in talks, it’s thought they’ll need a fee in the region of €60m (£51.6m).

Back in the 2019 January transfer window, Nunes joined Sporting’s U23 side from fellow Portuguese club Estoril.

Since then, the 23-year-old has gone on to make 131 appearances for his current club across their senior and U23 sides.

Bruno 2.0

In those aforementioned appearances, the Brazilian-born midfielder has found the net ten times and delivered 11 assists in the process.

His latest season with Sporting saw the player make 33 league appearances, leaving only one other outfield player at the club to rack up more minutes than Nunes, which highlights just how key is for the team.

In those outings, the £31.5m-rated figure racked up 30 interceptions, 28 crosses, 22 shots at goal as well as winning 25 tackles.

This shows how much of a well-rounded midfield player he is and why the Toon and the Toffees have their eye on him.

The player has already caught the attention of one of the Premier League’s most recognisable figures when Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola labelled the Sporting midfielder as “one of the best players in the world today.”

With the Magpies showing during the previous January transfer window how successful it can be to sign a young midfielder with Brazilian roots in the shape of Bruno Guimaraes, securing a deal for Nunes could see them replicate a similar swoop.

After moving to St. James’ Park from Olympique Lyon in a deal worth £40m, the Brazilian had a rather productive end to the season with Newcastle having scored five goals, delivered one assist as well as making 19 interceptions and winning 39 tackles in just 17 league games.

This, just like Nunes, highlights how much of a capable midfielder the Brazilian is with and without the ball.

If Nunes can follow in the early footsteps of Guimaraes and settle into life in the Premier League, this could be yet another great bit of business from the club ahead of what could be a massive season for them.

In other news: Contact made: PIF in NUFC talks to land deal for £11m “specimen”, Howe would love him