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Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has revealed just how close he came to joining Manchester United before signing for Liverpool in January 2023.

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• Gakpo could have joined United
• Player spoke with Erik ten Hag
• Joined Liverpool and won Carabao Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gakpo had seemed poised to join United in the summer of 2022 when Erik ten Hag was appointed manager at Old Trafford, but the move never materialised. Ten Hag was then made to rue a missed opportunity as Liverpool gazumped United and signed Gakpo the following winter. The Dutchman has now opened up on the transfer tussle between the clubs and how close he had been to joining Liverpool's fierce rivals.

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  WHAT GAKPO SAID

  Speaking to , Gakpo said: "I think it was the summer before that I was in contact with the club [Manchester United] and spoke to the manager as well, obviously he's Dutch. But, at the end it didn't go through and that's just it. And in the winter Liverpool came. [It was the] Best decision for me."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  One can only sit and wonder what might have happened had United got their man in the summer before Liverpool. Instead, the Red Devils had to watch as Gakpo scored a brace against them in the 7-0 rout in March 2023. As for Ten Hag, he ended up signing Antony from Ajax who could leave United as one of the worst signings in the club's history.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GAKPO?

  Gakpo's Liverpool travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday hoping to maintain their position at the top of the Premier League. The recently-crowned Carabao Cup winners are dreaming of winning even more silverware this season.

The forward's pending departure could lead to a rebirth for the Parisians, who have already hinted at a new team-building strategy

In a pre-season speech to the Paris Saint-Germain squad, club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi laid out his message for the new campaign. He spoke of the power of the manager, the pride of suiting up for the Parisians, and his desire for hard work in training. Notably, he also asserted: "The club is bigger than anyone here."

That was July 2023, and it seemed to be a shot at Kylian Mbappe – then in open warfare with the French champions regarding the status of his contract after infoming the club that he would not be picking up the extra year that had been placed into his deal a year earlier. Back then, it seemed unlikely that Mbappe, the last Parisian Galactico left, would be playing his football at Parc des Princes for the 2023-24 season.

But things changed. Mbappe came to an agreement with the club hierarchy, pledged his loyalty for the upcoming season, and re-joined the squad after a month in exile. Now, though, his departure is confirmed. He told the club last week that he wishes to leave Paris at the end of the season, while talk has accelerated about his desire to join Real Madrid – with a massive contract all-but agreed with Los Blancos.

Things, then, look bleak for PSG. Mbappe is a generational talent, one of the best in the world, and the face of French football. You'd struggle to spin this in an overwhelmingly positive light, and yet it does present an opportunity.

For years, the Qatar Sports Investment-run club have sought out the biggest stars in world football: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Beckham, Neymar, Lionel Messi and Mbappe himself. All of those intergalactic names were brought in not only as shirt-sellers, but also to form the foundation of a side that demanded Champions League success.

Now that they have gone, with Mbappe serving as the final departure, PSG can refocus. The Champions League can be worked towards, and approached organically. For the first time in recent memory, the Parisians finally have the chance to develop Galacticos of their own, rather than buying ready-made superstars in search of instant European glory.

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  Saga to end all sagas

  Eighteen months ago, Mbappe leaving so soon seemed unlikely. At the very end of the 2021-22 campaign, he shocked the world by turning down Real Madrid's massive offer before he was paraded around Parc des Princes while holding aloft an 'Mbappe 2025' shirt to mark him becoming the best-paid footballer in the world.

  Any hope of him joining Madrid over the course of the next three years was seemingly gone. Yes, Mbappe would have another chance to leave in 2025, but Madrid's ego had been bruised, and Mbappe's new salary presumably put him out of reach for any interested parties.

  Things change quickly when it comes to Mbappe, though. He never stopped flirting with Madrid, keeping the possibility of a move open. and last summer, Mbappe went about sealing the deal. Refusing to pick up the extra option was the first step; announcing it to the world – or ensuring it was leaked – was the second; and declining a move to the Saudi Pro League was the third. It was all tied up – albeit six months later than he might have hoped – last week, when he officially communicated his decision to leave Paris.

  Somehow, a season-and-a-half after signing the kind of deal that had the potential to keep Mbappe in Paris for life, he has now engineered an amicable exit.

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  Champions League misery

  Mbappe's pending departure brings the curtain down on a PSG era that promised so much, but instead saw them become an almost-annual punchline in the Champions League. Since Al-Khelaifi took charge in 2012, the club has acquired superstar after superstar, all in the hope that spending vast sums of money could bring the European Cup to Paris. It hasn't worked.

  The Parisians' European failures have come in all shapes and sizes, from blowing massive leads to lifeless showings, penalty heartbreak, and an unfortunate final loss in 2020. From La Remontada to Marcus Rashford's VAR-assisted spot-kick, PSG just haven't been able to get it right on European nights.

  The weight of expectation has certainly played a role. Big names are supposed to win big trophies – especially when they're coached by marketable man-managers or tactful tacticians. Parisian failures look worse because of the individuals in the line-up.

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  Superstars fall short

  None of PSG's failures felt as catastrophic as those in 2022 and 2023. Messi has since revealed that he never really wanted to be a PSG player, but his reluctance does little to explain the fact that a team containing the Argentine maestro, Neymar and Mbappe never managed to make it past the last 16 of the competition.

  There were admittedly failures around them, as first Mauricio Pochettino and then Christophe Galtier could do little to wrangle a turbulent squad into something coherent. While Messi, Neymar and Mbappe all had their moments in PSG shirts, focusing the bulk of club's finances on the forward line meant that the rest of the team wasn't up to the required standard, and thus the much-vaunted trio largely became little more than merchandise-moving commodities and sources of YouTube highlights.

  A superstar-first approach seldom works; the presence of Neymar, Messi and Mbappe in Paris proved that.

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  Change of strategy

  While the Mbappe saga grabbed most of the headlines around PSG last summer, the club hierarchy were simultaneously overseeing a much-needed change in strategy. Their transfer activity was lavish – the Parisians spent nearly €400 million (£340m/$430m) – but they focused on young players.

  In came forwards Goncalo Ramos (22), Randal Kolo Muani (24) and Bradley Barcola (20), as well as midfielders Lee Kang-in (22) and Manuel Ugarte (22). Even their more experienced new arrivals, Ousmane Dembele (26) and Lucas Hernandez (27), were far from being over the hill, even if they both have patchy injury histories.

  The managerial appointment sent a similar message. Luis Enrique is not the kind of manager a club hires in order to maintain dressing-room harmony and pander to stars. This was the coach who forced Xavi out and willingly dropped Neymar on a number of occasions at Barcelona, and he immediately told Marco Verratti that his services were no longer needed upon his arrival in France.

  The potential in PSG's new-look squad couldn't be denied, but the plan seemed to be more aligned with the club's status as just below the true elite, and with one eye on the future.

Legendary Manchester United defender Gary Neville will be part of plans to renovate Old Trafford after being brought on board by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

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• Neville to advise on Old Trafford rebuild
• Stadium renovation a priority for Ratcliffe
• Former defender built hotel in area

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former United captain will be part of a committee that will analyse the various options for the future of Old Trafford, according to Ratcliffe has pledged to invest $300 million (£238m) into developing the stadium in addition to buying a 25 percent stake in the club, which was finally completed on Tuesday.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There are two main options available to the club, renovating the current stadium or building a brand new arena on the land next to it. Ratcliffe is reported to be in favour of constructing a new stadium, which has been described as 'The Wembley of the North'. Old Trafford is the biggest club stadium in Britain, hosting more than 73,000 people at each game, and one of the largest in Europe. But it feels rusty and dated in comparison to new grounds such as the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium or the recently expanded Anfield.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Since retiring from football, Neville has combined his work as a pundit for with major property investment. He co-owns Hotel Football, which is next to Old Trafford, and the 92 Academy education institute also in the area, in addition to other developments in Greater Manchester.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  Neville and Ratcliffe must now decide whether to renovate the ground or build a new one. A renovation is estimated to cost around £800m ($1bn), while a brand new stadium could cost anything between £1.2bn and £1.6bn ($1.6bn to $2bn).

Celtic are closing in on a deal to bring Mario Vuskovic to Parkhead this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Croatian media outlet Slobodna Dalmacija (via Daily Record), who claimed that Ange Postecoglou is pushing to complete a deal for the 19-year-old Hajduk Split player and has offered the centre-back a more generous contract than any of the other interested parties.

The Daily Record reported that Serie A outfit Torino are one club the Bhoys are battling in a bid to get a deal over the line for the Croatia under-21 international this summer, with Hajduk believed to be demanding a fee of in excess of £5m in order to part with the defender.

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how much potential Vuskovic seems to have, reports that Celtic seem to be in the driving seat regarding a deal for the 19-year-old is something which will leave fans of the club buzzing.

Indeed, over his 29 1.HNL appearances for Jens Gustafsson’s side last season, the £5.85m-rated defender helped his side keep 12 clean sheets, as well as averaging 1.4 interceptions, 0.7 tackles and three clearances and winning 3.2 duels per game.

The centre-back also impressed for Hajduk in an attacking capacity, scoring two goals, providing three assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, along with averaging 0.2 key passes per league fixture.

These returns saw Vuskovic earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as Gustafsson’s joint fourth-best performer in the Croatian top flight, a highly impressive feat considering Vuskovic’s tender age.

As such, with Dominic McKay undoubtedly hoping to build a side in the summer transfer window which would be capable of going on to reclaim their Premiership crown next season, the news that Celtic appear on course to land the man whom Aleksandar Holiga claimed is an “exceptional” talent is sure to come as a huge boost for the chief executive. Vuskovic looks as if he would be a fantastic addition to Postecoglou’s options at the back ahead of the manager’s first season in charge at Parkhead.

In other news: Get him gone: Postecoglou must ruthlessly axe “unacceptable” £14k-p/w Celtic disaster

Everything you need to know about how to watch the U17 World Cup live on TV and stream online.

The FIFA Under-17 World Cup takes place every two years and gives a glimpse of the best young footballers in the world who may well become stars of the future.

Watch the U17 World Cup on fuboFind the best deals

England star Phil Foden, Nigeria's Victor Osimhen and Mexico legend Carlos Vela are among the previous winners of the competition, showing the level of quality that is typically on display.

So how can you watch the stars of tomorrow in action this November? GOAL brings you everything you need to know about where to watch live on TV, stream online, and more.

• Where to watch U17 World Cup: TV channels, live streaming & highlights

  Country	TV + streaming
  United States	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes
  United Kingdom	FIFA+
  Canada	TSN, RDS
  Argentina	TyC Sports
  New Zealand	Sky Sport
  International	FIFA+

  In the United States, the U17 World Cup will be available to watch live on the FOX network, with FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes and Fox Soccer Plus, Telemundo and Universo showing games, including those involving the USMNT U17s and Mexico U17s.

  You can also stream U17 World Cup games live with fubo – find out everything you need to know here.

  Watch U17 World Cup games on fuboFind the best deals

  Fans in the United Kingdom who wish to watch England games, or indeed any games at the U17 World Cup, can do so by subscribing to FIFA+, which is broadcasting every game live.

  FIFA U17 World Cup highlights will be available to watch on FIFA's official YouTube and social media channels, as well as FIFA+.

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  2023 U17 World Cup fixture schedule

  Group stage

  Date	Game	Kickoff time	TV channel
  Nov 10	Panama 0-2 Morocco	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS2, Universo, FIFA+
  Nov 10	Mali 3-0 Uzbekistan	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 10	Indonesia 1-1 Ecuador	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 10	Spain 2-0 Canada	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, Universo, FIFA+
  Nov 11	New Caledonia 0-10 England	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 11	Japan 1-0 Poland	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 11	Argentina 1-2 Senegal	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 11	Brazil 2-3 Iran	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 12	France 3-0 Burkina Faso	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 12	Venezuela 3-0 New Zealand	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 12	South Korea 1-3 USA	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 12	Mexico 1-3 Germany	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 13	Spain 1-0 Mali	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 13	Morocco 0-2 Ecuador	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 13	Uzbekistan 3-0 Canada	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 13	Indonesia 1-1 Panama	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 14	Brazil 9-0 New Caledonia	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 14	Senegal 4-1 Poland	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 14	England 2-1 Iran	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 14	Japan 1-3 Argentina	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 15	USA 2-1 Burkina Faso	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 15	Mexico 2-2 Venezuela	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 15	France 1-0 South Korea	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 15	New Zealand 1-3 Germany	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 16	Uzbekistan 2-2 Spain	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 16	Canada 1-5 Mali	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 16	Ecuador 1-1 Panama	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 16	Morocco 3-1 Indonesia	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 17	Poland 0-4 Argentina	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 17	Senegal 0-2 Japan	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 17	England 1-2 Brazil	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 17	Iran 5-0 New Caledonia	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 18	Germany 3-0 Venezuela	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 18	New Zealand 0-4 Mexico	4am ET / 9am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 18	USA 0-3 France	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 18	Burkina Faso 2-1 South Korea	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+

  Last 16

  Date	Game	Kickoff time	TV channel
  Nov 20	Ecuador 1-3 Brazil	3:30am ET / 8:30am GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 20	Spain 2-1 Japan	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 21	Mali vs Mexico	3:30am ET / 8:30am GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 21	Germany vs USA	3:30am ET / 8:30am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 21	Argentina vs Venezuela	7am ET, 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 21	Morocco vs Iran	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, Fox Soccer Plus, FIFA+
  Nov 22	England vs Uzbekistan	3:30am ET / 8:30am GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 22	France vs Senegal	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+

  Quarter-finals

  Date	Game	Kickoff time	TV channel
  Nov 24	TBC	3:30am ET / 8:30am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 24	TBC	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2,FIFA+
  Nov 25	TBC	3:30am ET / 8:30am GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+
  Nov 25	TBC	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+

  Semi-finals

  Date	Game	Kickoff time	TV channel
  Nov 28	TBC	3:30am ET / 8:30am GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+
  Nov 28	TBC	7am ET, 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+

  Third-place playoff

  Date	Game	Kickoff time	TV channel
  Dec 1	Loser semi-final 1 vs Loser semi-final 2	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS2, FIFA+

  Final

  Date	Game	Kickoff time	TV channel
  Dec 2	Winner semi-final 1 vs Winner semi-final 2	7am ET / 12 noon GMT	fubo, FS1, FIFA+

• Where is the 2023 U17 World Cup final being played?

  Stadium:	Manahan Stadium
  Capacity:	20,000
  Tenant(s):	Persis Solo
  Address:	Adi Sucipto St, Manahan, Surakarta, Central Java

  The Manahan Stadium in Surakarta will host the 2023 U17 World Cup final.

  First built in 1998 and then renovated in 2018, the Manahan Stadium has a capacity of 20,000.

  It is the home stadium of Indonesian team Persis Solo.

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  Who won the last U17 World Cup?

  Brazil won the last U17 World Cup in 2019 as hosts. They defeated Mexico in the final to secure their fourth World Cup at Under-17 level.

  Goals from Kaio Jorge and Lazaro were enough as Brazil defeated Mexico 2-1 in the final, which was held in front of 13,000 people at Estadio Bezerrao.

  Gabriel Veron was awarded the Golden Ball at the tournament, seeing off competition from France's Adil Aouchiche and Mexico's Eugenio Pizzuto.

Chelsea may still hold a special place in the heart of Mateo Kovacic, with the Manchester City star appearing to celebrate a goal from Cole Palmer.

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• Croatian midfielder left London in the summer
• Back at the Bridge for Premier League thriller
• Odd reaction to dramatic penalty leveller

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Croatia international midfielder brought a five-year spell at Stamford Bridge to a close over the summer when he swapped west London for the North West of England. Kovacic had enjoyed considerable success in a different shade of blue, becoming a Champions League winner while taking in over 200 appearances.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kovacic’s colours are supposed to be firmly nailed to City’s mast now, with the 29-year-old looking to help Pep Guardiola’s side defend their Premier League title. He could, however, be seen reacting to a dramatic late goal during a return to the Bridge on Sunday in surprising fashion.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  City dropped two points at Chelsea as Palmer converted a stoppage-time penalty in a thrilling 4-4 draw and Kovacic – who was standing on the edge of the box as a nerveless spot-kick was crashed into the top corner – appeared to give a fist bump when seeing the ball hit the net.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  It is impossible to tell what was going through Kovacic’s mind at that point, unless the man himself speaks out, and it may be that he was merely geeing himself up for the time that remained on the clock. Chelsea fans are, however, taking his actions as an indicator that he will forever be one of them.

For the remainder of the campaign, GOAL's Ryan Tolmich will be evaluating the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's displays in the United States

Lionel Messi has well and truly arrived into American soccer, as the Argentine superstar wasted no time in making his presence felt following his headline-grabbing move from Paris Saint-Germain to Inter Miami in July.

Messi is undoubtedly the biggest star in MLS, and almost certainly the biggest the league has ever seen, and therefore all eyes were on him as he looked to lift Miami from towards the bottom of the table into playoff contenders and, eventually, title challengers.

In the end, Tata Martino's team fell short of that target, thanks in no small part to Messi suffering an injury that saw him miss multiple matches down the stretch. He fared better in the cup competitions, though, guiding Miami to their first trophy as they won the Leagues Cup while helping them earn a place in the final of the U.S. Open Cup.

GOAL was there throughout to ensure you didn't miss out on any of Messi's displays during his time in Miami, as United States writer Ryan Tolmich casted his eye over all of the Argentine's performances and gave an evaluation on how Messi fared in each of his outings with his new club:

• July 21: Cruz Azul 1-2 Inter Miami, Leagues Cup

  Cometh the moment, cometh the man. Could Messi's debut have ended any other way?

  Inter Miami fans had to be patient for that debut, with Messi not named to the starting XI, but it certainly was worth the wait. With the game level and just seconds remaining, Messi stepped up and buried a free-kick, leading Inter Miami to victory and ushering in a new era of American soccer.

  It's a moment that will be replayed for years, the moment that Messi truly arrived in this section of the world. It was the dream debut, the dream goal, for Inter Miami's dream player. The first of many, you'd expect, but, when all was said and done, it was a night that will be included in any and every highlight reel going forward. Grade: A+

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• July 25: Inter Miami 4-0 Atlanta United, Leagues Cup

  How could you possibly follow up that debut? Well, this is Messi we're talking about. Of course he took things a step further in Round 2.

  Handed his first start in Inter Miami pink, Messi was absolutely dominant in a 4-0 triumph over Atlanta United. He scored the first two, both within the first 22 minutes, before setting up the next two. In the process, he made Robert Taylor look like prime Luis Suarez, with Taylor, in these early days, being the biggest beneficiary of Messi's arrival.

  This was a performance that was Messi at his best. He scored his own goals, of course, but he also created more, and not just through his passing but also with the gravity and pull he has on every opposition player on the pitch. Grade: A+

• August 2: Inter Miami 3-1 Orlando City, Leagues Cup

  Orlando City did what Atlanta United and Cruz Azul did not: they roughed up Messi a bit. A good strategy, for sure. If you can't beat him, beating him up may be your only hope. Unfortunately for Orlando, it literally didn't matter. Messi torched them anyway.

  Despite being fouled hard several times, Messi scored twice in the win, one in either half. His first was a fantastic volley off a lovely cross from Robert Taylor. His second was another volley off a lovely cross from Josef Martinez. Pure Messi, pure brilliance, and another Miami win. With his two goals, Messi now has five goals in three games, a ridiculous stat line even for the GOAT.

  Orlando tried something different, and they barely slowed him down. Another game, another victim for Messi, who continued to terrorize all in his path. Grade: A

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• August 5: FC Dallas 4 – 4 Inter Miami (3-5 pens), Leagues Cup

  Messi simply isn't human. Another game, another dazzling free-kick, with this one being a late equalizer to save Inter Miami. With his side down a goal late in his first game away from home since arriving in the U.S., Messi buried a free-kick in the 85th minute to headline a Leagues Cup clash that will go down in history.

  This game was wild, even by this continent's insane standards. It began with, of course, a Messi goal, a fantastic finish off of a Jordi Alba cross. From there, total chaos. An own goal on either side, one Messi-made from FC Dallas' Marco Farfan and one from Messi's new BFF Robert Taylor, and several stunning finishes for either side, with both Dallas and Miami seeing their respective Argentine stars go back and forth.

  Unfortunately for Dallas, though, it was Miami's Argentinian icon that won the day. With his two goals, he's now this competition's leading scorer. When he stepped up to the spot in the shootout, there was little doubt that Messi would score then either. His team-mates did their job, too, with FC Dallas' Paxton Pomykal the unfortunate one to fail from the spot.

  On goes Messi and on goes Inter Miami. The Argentine can't be stopped, and Miami can now start thinking of a trophy at the end of this storybook run. Grade: A

Aston Villa have rivalled Celtic in their pursuit of free agent Joshua King, according to Norwegian publication VG.

The Lowdown: Celtic have a long standing interest in Joshua King

Undoubtedly, Celtic need major reinforcements after a bleak 2020/21 campaign. In particular, the striking berth may require redefining, in the midst of Odsonne Edouard’s prospective exit to Premier League side Leicester City [Sky Sports].

As previously mooted, Celtic have noted an interest in Norwegian international Josh King since early April [Daily Record].

Currently a free agent after leaving Premier League outfit Everton upon his contract expiration [Guardian], the 29-year-old is seeking pastures new after a 2020/21 tally of three goals and two assists in 25 appearances [Transfermarkt].

However, the Parkhead giants could now be set to miss out on the forward after recent developments.

The Latest: Aston Villa enter the race for the Norwegian international

Aston Villa are now rumoured to be in the race for his signature alongside the Celts and Premier League newcomers Norwich City [The Boot Room via VG].

Previously linked with a switch to the Villains last year, there will undoubtedly be considerable cause for concern amongst the Celtic support [Birmingham Live].

Despite this, the VG report still claims that Celtic are keen on bringing the former Manchester United frontman north of the border, which will come as a relief to the Hoops faithful.

The Verdict: Celtic should make King an offer he cannot refuse as interest ramps up

Without doubt, King would be a tremendous signing for Celtic should they manage to force a deal over the line.

Once labelled ‘talented’ by former team-mate Paul Robinson [Football Insider], the pacy Norwegian enjoyed prolonged success with Bournemouth in the Premier League; notching 53 goals and 19 assists from 184 outings on the South Coast [Transfermarkt].

Whoever ends up acquiring King, will inherit an international class player who has shown the credentials necessary to succeed at the top level. Celtic should do all they can to make the deal happen.

In other news, Celtic are linked with another prolific striker.

Brenden Aaronson's late missed header proved costly as Union Berlin fell to Braga in stoppage-time.

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• Aaronson comes on in 81'
• Misses golden chance
• Braga win in stoppage-time

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Braga came out on top in a wild 3-2 victory over Union Berlin. The Bundesliga side's Sheraldo Becker notched a brace, but a stoppage-time winner from Braga's Andre Castro stole the show.

  Becker scored twice in minutes 30' and 37' to put the home side up 2-0 up, but Braga capitalized on a defensive mistake four minutes after the double to get one back before the break. Portuguese winger Bruma equalized just after half-time and then set up Castro at the death to take home the glory.

  USMNT midfielder Aaronson was subbed on in the 81st minute, but failed to leave a lasting impact on the match, spurning a headed chance late on. The miss proved costly, as Union lost their second group-stage match of the campaign.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Aaronson's loan has been nothing but disappointing so far, and Tuesday was just an amplification of that. He was benched for the second-straight match and for the second time this UCL campaign. He was their last substitute used in the match and only played a total of 14 minutes, and it appears his confidence is drained.

  He had a great opportunity to put the German side ahead minutes after entering the match, but missed a point-blank header.

  For Union Berlin, it's a second-successive heartbreaking loss in stoppage-time loss in the Champions League. On matchday one, the Bundesliga side fell to Real Madrid 1-0 due to a 94th-minute winner from Jude Bellingham.

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  USMNT IMPACT

  Aaronson not starting nor getting regular minutes for Union Berlin has to be a worry for Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT.

  With upcoming October friendlies against both Ghana and Germany on the horizon, it's important that the 22-year-old finds both his confidence and his shooting boots as the two matches ahead are their toughest international opponents yet.

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• GOAL'S RATINGS

  Brenden Aaronson (5/10):

  Despite coming on late in the 81st minute, Aaronson nearly set up a goal immediately and then missed a point-blank header late; one would argue he has to score in that moment.

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi was furious after his side surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Bologna in Serie A on Saturday.

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• Inter were 2-0 up inside 15 minutes
• Bologna pulled level at San Siro
• Collapse infuriated coach Inzaghi

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Inter were 2-0 up within just 13 minutes of the Serie A clash at home but the visitors pulled a goal back through a Riccardo Orsolini before Joshua Zirkzee equalised early in the second half.

  The Milan club had opportunities to restore their lead, but were unable to find the net and ended up walking away with just a point.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The result, followed by AC Milan's 1-0 win against Genoa later in the day, saw Inzaghi's team lose their hold on first place in the Italian league. They now trail their San Siro rivals by two points.

  Inter's collapse left Inzaghi infuriated, especially in the wake of another recent comeback defeat from his side – the 2-1 loss at home against Sassuolo.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  "I'm angry, you can't draw a match like this. We lost bloody points," he said. "I'm angry like all the players in the locker room are angry. It's the second time we've taken the lead at home and not won: against Sassuolo we lost, this time we drew.

  "After the 2-0 we made two mistakes that we can't allow ourselves to make: we should have moved better, the two goals are two serious oversights. Thus excellent performances like today's are wasted: with what we had produced, I hardly accept a draw.

  "Even after those two goals conceded to Bologna we created a lot without finding the goal again: we had opportunities to win, with Lautaro, with Carlos Augusto."

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Inter's next match is away at Torino on October 21.