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Everton boast a rich history littered with outstanding players, although in recent memory that kind of talent has been in short supply.

The last two full Premier League seasons have seen the Toffees embroiled in a couple of arduous relegation battles, somehow surviving despite the numerous obstacles that stood in their way.

Injuries, unrest, protests and pitch invasions, Goodison Park has played host to it all, and although Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell operated shrewdly on a shoestring budget, the summer of this year represented an important one both with regard to balancing the books and improving the squad despite losing some star men.

However, after just four league games they are still without a win, and face last year’s title challengers Arsenal upon the conclusion of the international break. Things do not get any easier.

Such continued misery around Merseyside will likely have fans harking back to better times, of Howard Kendall’s magical managerial era, and even as recently as Roberto Martinez’s first term following David Moyes’ departure.

The Spaniard’s enthralling style of football has underpinned one of the younger generation’s only real memories of success, as they soared to a fifth-place finish, arguably deserving more, and would impress in the Europa League the following campaign.

What made his tenure so special was that they did so with an exciting brand of football that, whilst it often left them lacking at the back, was always a fun watch.

Although Dyche is supposed to offer a more pragmatic, results-driven philosophy, there are flashes of the attacking brilliance, particularly in Dwight McNeil, who could have been a mainstay at Everton in 2013.

How many goals has McNeil scored for Everton?

Having been signed by Frank Lampard in a £20m deal, McNeil had flattered to deceive during his time in Lancashire, but remains vastly experienced in the top flight for someone so young.

After all, the 23-year-old boasts 171 Premier League appearances already, and yet his best goalscoring season before joining came in 2019, with just three strikes.

Few wondered what he was expected to offer when it was Neal Maupay he was tasked with supplying, but it seems that the trickster grew into a role that demanded more of an attacking impetus, breaking numerous personal records during his first year at Goodison Park.

His seven goals and three assists made him the Toffees’ top scorer in the league last term, and as such he also maintained an admirable 7.06 average rating. Such a fine figure was further upheld by his 1.4 key passes, 1.8 tackles and 1.5 successful dribbles per game, via Sofascore.

Drifting from the right onto his lethal left foot, it proved a clinical and consistent area of success for an otherwise unreliable side that needed someone to step up and take charge in their hour of need.

All stats via Transfermarkt.

After all, the 34 goals they scored in the league that term was the second-lowest in the division, having also started the current campaign without a goal in their opening three fixtures.

His exploits will seldom be forgotten in a hurry, and the hope will be that he can continue to grow as the squad evolves around him. Especially given how his stock has risen across the last year, with pundit Clinton Morrison seeking to praise him on Sky Sports’ Gillette Soccer Saturday: “He’s an elegant footballer," he began.

“He likes to get half a yard and whip balls into the box but when you get into those positions, he should definitely be scoring more goals. Hopefully, this goal will give him confidence moving forward because the strike was magnificent."

That plea to see him find the net with more regularity might seem harsh given McNeil has just enjoyed his best-ever term in front of goal, but with the stars of the past that the Merseyside club has enjoyed over the years, it is understandable to expect more.

One such example hailed from that aforementioned Martinez side that drew so many plaudits, and could thrive in their current system; Kevin Mirallas.

How good was Kevin Mirallas at Everton?

Mirallas was one of the outstanding assets from not just that period, but both before and after such was his consistency, varied skillset and longevity.

The 60-cap Belgian joined from Olympiacos in 2012 under Moyes, and would enjoy seven impressive years in England before to his homeland in 2019.

He would oversee five different permanent managers in the Goodison Park dugout, with the peak of his powers certainly coming under Martinez’s tutelage.

His performances throughout the 2013/14 season help to support this notion, as he scored eight and assisted nine in the league alone. Reporter Adam Lefkoe would even write on Twitter that he was an "animal."

Given the attacker would make 186 total appearances for the club, scoring 38 and assisting 35, it might be a stretch to suggest he is a legend, but completely fair to brand him a cult hero.

This suggestion comes despite the winger consistently being linked with an exit that never came, as he sought to reassure fans with an interview in 2015: “I have always been proud to wear this shirt at Everton.

“At the start of the season I was very happy with my form. I had come back from injury and started the season really, really well and people speaking about me wanting to leave has never come from me.

“When you have a good start to the season and you are playing well, people are maybe showing a bit of an interest in you.

“But the supporters can rest assured that it never came from me and I never said I wanted to leave."

His love for the Toffees was well-documented, with his dynamism and trademark directness proving a thorn in the side of most defences he faced. Given McNeil boasts a wildly differing profile, it could be argued that he is not nearly as impactful.

The hope will be that a full season under Dyche’s leadership once more could help propel the youngster’s figures to the aforementioned heights that Mirallas reached.

However, with the struggles that they have endured when it comes to finding the net, were they blessed with such an outstanding goalscoring winger now, the 52-year-old manager would see the bulk of his prayers answered.

Southampton have developed a reputation for being a fantastic place for players to progress their careers and seal bigger moves elsewhere over the years.

Who are Southampton's record sales?

Many players have passed through the halls at St. Mary's on their way to some of the biggest clubs in Europe after being picked up by the Saints at the start of their respective careers.

Fees via Transfermarkt.

These are the top five biggest sales in the club's history to date and there have been a number of talents who have been sold for significant fees below that after honing their skills on the south coast.

One player whom Southampton hit the jackpot with was English winger Nathan Tella, who recently departed Russell Martin's side during the summer transfer window.

How much did Southampton sign Tella for?

The Saints snapped the talented wizard up on a free transfer from then-fellow Premier League side Arsenal after the top-six club opted against handing him a new contract.

He did not do enough to earn an extension with the Gunners ahead of the 2017/18 campaign which allowed Southampton to secure his services for £0.

Norwich City, who have also built a reputation for developing young talents like Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey Emi Buendia, and James Maddison, invited the 17-year-old prospect to train with the Norfolk-based side but he decided to make the move to the south coast instead.

Tella had only scored one goal in nine U18 league matches for Arsenal during the 2016/17 season but scored one goal in one game on trial with the Canaries before eventually ending up with Southampton.

The exciting forward went on to enjoy an impressive spell at U21 level with the Saints as he produced 12 goals and seven assists in 46 appearances.

His form for the academy side led to him making his Premier League debut against, ironically, Norwich during the 2019/20 campaign.

However, Tella found it difficult to deliver consistently impressive performances in the top flight over the following two seasons as Ralph Hasenhuttl offered him plenty of opportunities to impress.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.54 across 18 Premier League outings throughout the 2020/21 season as he contributed with just one goal and one assist from out wide.

The young prospect followed that up with an average Sofascore rating of 6.39 over 14 league matches the following campaign, which included ten starts, as the former Arsenal prodigy failed to deliver a single goal and produced one assist.

Tella ranked 25th out of 25 players in the Southampton squad with that dismal Sofascore rating, which shows that he was one of the team's worst performers that term, if not the worst.

How many goals did Tella score for Burnley?

His poor form at Premier League level for Hasenhuttl's side led to a season-long loan move to Burnley in the Championship in 2022, which is where the English hotshot was able to thrive.

Tella caught the eye with his goalscoring prowess for the Clarets as he ended the campaign with 17 league goals to his name, to go along with five assists and an average Sofascore rating of 6.82.

Vincent Kompany, who described the talented phenom as a "raw diamond", got the best out of the Saints loanee and helped him to become one of the best players in the division.

The 24-year-old's fantastic performances were recognised by his peers as he made it into the PFA Championship Team of the Year for the 2022/23 campaign. This means that the other players in the league voted him as one of the most impressive attackers at that level, illustrating how successful his time at Turf Moor was.

His sublime form for Burnley was also reflected in his market value. At the time of his move to Kompany's side, FootballTransfers rated his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at just €2.7m (£2.3m).

This soared to a whopping xTV of €10m (£8.6m) by May of this year due to his displays for the Championship title-winners, skyrocketing by a whopping 270% within the space of less than 12 months.

How much did Southampton sell Tella for?

The Saints opted to cash in on Tella whilst his stock was high as they decided to sell him to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of £20m this summer.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed how much the total package could end up being worth to Southampton and added that they have a sell-on clause that could net the club another payday in the future if he moves on again.

This came after the 24-year-old whiz enjoyed a strong start to the 2023/24 campaign with Martin's side. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.30 across three Championship appearances as the talented maestro scored one goal and provided one assist from out wide.

The £20m-rated ace did initially think that his assist was a goal, as shown in the video above, as his strike from distance against Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day deflected in off his teammate Adam Armstrong's head.

Tella, who made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game for the Saints this term, currently holds the fourth-highest average Sofascore rating within the squad, although only five matches have been played so far.

He has only made one appearance for Bayer Leverkusen since making the switch to Germany, which came as a substitute in a 5-1 Bundesliga win over Darmstadt last week.

Southampton will now be hoping that the English forward is able to rip up the German top flight in the same way that he excelled for Burnley. Such an eventuality could ensure that he makes another big-money switch and earns them even more money thanks to their sell-on clause.

However, even if the former Arsenal prospect ends up being a flop for Leverkusen, there is no doubt that the Saints hit the jackpot by snapping him up for free in 2017.

The club turned a free agent academy signing into a £20m sale within the space of seven years and they deserve immense credit, as do Burnley and Kompany for their role in his development, for that outstanding piece of business.

Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell, who regularly appears on Sky Sports, says Mikel Arteta has a truly under-appreciated star in his ranks.

Arsenal vs PSV Eindhoven

The Gunners' opening Champions League clash at home to PSV Eindhoven begins their European journey after a fair few years outside the continent's most prestigious competition.

Arsenal hadn't competed for the honour since 2017, when they last qualified, but have now returned as they aim to battle on multiple fronts.

It's been a solid start to the domestic campaign overall, too, where they have tasted victory in four out of their opening five Premier League matches.

Wins over Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Man United and Everton showcased a different side to Arteta's squad; their ability to grind out results despite not playing at their very best.

This goes especially after their latest league win over the Toffees at Goodison Park on Sunday, with Arsenal's manager hailing their assured display.

“Six years without a win here is a long time, so we had to learn some lessons, we had to be better." said Arteta.

"I am delighted for the win but especially the way we won it, the way we played, how dominant we were, the presence that we showed on the pitch. We fully deserved to win the game.

“I think we had many other openings to put the ball in the last line and to put somebody in the box and finalise.

Credit to Everton, they defended the box extremely well, and they had some big, big blocks when we opened them up. It’s great to have other ways to score goals, it gives you different resources and be more unpredictable."

Arsenal player ratings

The Gunners' squad boasts a few standout stars, like Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba and Martin Odegaard to name a couple.

However, Sky pundit Campbell believes there is one player who has quite simply deserved more credit this season.

The man in question is Oleksandr Zinchenko, who he says has formed a stellar understanding with Rice and "nobody talks about" it.

“Do you know what nobody talks about," said Campbell on the Highbury Squad YouTube channel.

"The connection him and Declan Rice are having in the middle of the park. Rice seems to be everywhere, but Zinchenko is the glue that just knits everything together with Rice and Odegaard in there.

"This guy is the key to that. Is he a better defender than Kieran Tierney? No, he’s not, but he gives us so much more than being a defender."

How good is Oleksandr Zinchenko?

The Ukraine international signed from Man City in the summer of 2022 and has gone to contribute effectively, with Arteta hailing his true ability last year.

"First of all, his mentality. He’s used to winning – winning is the only thing and winning in the right way," said Arteta.

"He’s a perfectionist and a really demanding boy.

"I know him so well, and after that he brings qualities that we didn’t have in the squad. He gives us a different option to play within the role in different spaces, and I’m really happy to have him."

Newcastle United have set their sights on bringing an exciting young defender to the Premier League, according to a fresh report.

Who have Newcastle signed in 2023?

PIF and Eddie Howe brought five fresh faces to the club over the summer in the form of Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento and Yankuba Minteh on a permanent basis, whilst Lewis Hall joined on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

With regards to outgoings, Allan Saint-Maximin, Chris Wood and Karl Darlow were the three senior stars to leave the northeast for good, alongside the likes of Ryan Fraser, Jamal Lewis and Isaac Hayden, who were temporarily sent out on the road to receive more regular game time.

The St. James’ Park outfit have therefore created space in the squad for further recruits in January having sanctioned plenty of exits before the previous deadline, and one player that they appear to be targeting is Sao Paulo centre-back Lucas Beraldo.

The Brazil youth international still has another three years remaining on his contract, but having impressed at the highest level since getting promoted to the first-team from the academy last summer, the 19-year-old has caught the eye of the hierarchy in NE1.

Are Newcastle signing Lucas Beraldo?

According to Spanish reports (via Sport Witness), Newcastle, Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers have all “expressed their interest” in Beraldo ahead of the transfer window opening in January.

The Premier League trio have been impressed with their target’s performances which have “caught the attention” of his admirers, who also include Benfica, Porto and Monaco overseas.

St. James' Park scouts are now considering a “promising investment for the future”, but as the outlet states, it won’t be an easy task to fend off other potential suitors at the start of 2024.

How good is Lucas Beraldo?

According to talent scout Jacek Kulig, Beraldo is a “fearless” defender, and that is exactly the attitude and mindset that you want your younger players to possess as a manager, so should Newcastle be able to beat their fellow competitors in the race for his signature, it could be a massive coup.

Sponsored by Nike, the left-footed ace ranks in the 93rd percentile for pass completion by centre-backs so is extremely calm and composed on the ball throughout the backline, and he also looks to push his team as high up the pitch as possible, listing in the 95th percentile for progressive passes, via FBRef.

Furthermore, Piracicaba’s native has even scored two goals himself since the start of his career so he’s shown that he can make himself a threat in the opposition’s box when it comes to set pieces, despite only standing at 5 foot 11.

Finally, Beraldo earns just £770-per-week at Sao Paulo – that would make him the lowest-earner on the books compared to the current squad’s salaries and is a tiny number in Premier League terms – so this is a no-brainer of a deal to pursue should the opportunity present itself.

Kyle Walker claims John Stones “loves a party”, with the Manchester City defender partial to “straight bottles of tequila & Jager” on a night out.

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• Blues had plenty to celebrate in 2023
• Claimed historic Treble
• Squad let hair down when season is over

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pep Guardiola’s squad had plenty to celebrate last season as they swept to a historic Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League Treble triumph. Jack Grealish made headlines with his boozy antics on the back of that success, but Stones pushes him close when it comes to drinking escapades.

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  WHAT WALKER SAID ABOUT STONES

  England star Walker has revealed as much, with the City full-back telling Rio Ferdinand’s podcast of a trip to Abu Dhabi alongside his domestic and international team-mate: “John loves it [a party]. But he doesn’t drink all season. We went to Abu Dhabi, he had a little go then. But when he goes, it's bottles. It's no mixers, it's just a bottle of tequila, a bottle of jager and he’ll just drink that straight. Just 'give me the bottle' and he drinks it.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While remaining model professionals during any given campaign, Walker admits that celebrations can get a little wild once trophies have been secured and competitive action comes to a close. He added on toasting victory in style: “I absolutely love it. How high is the high when you're celebrating with the lads? We stretch [nights out] to probably three days.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  City have won 14 trophies during Guardiola’s reign at the Etihad Stadium, with the plan being to collect many more in 2024 as City remain in contention to successfully defend all of the silverware that they secured 12 months ago.

Over the last few years, Daniel Levy has received criticism from the Tottenham Hotspur supporters for his ownership of the club, with protests held ahead of games in recent weeks.

The fanbase have been campaigning for change, wanting a new owner to take them forward and transform the side into a Premier League-winning outfit – understandable given the facilities in place in North London.

His lack of spending during his time at the helm has often come into question, with the recent injury crisis that has depleted Ange Postecoglou’s side evidence that more needs to be done to help the Aussie.

However, admiration needs to be handed Ange’s way in the manner he’s conducted himself through the situation, with the recent wins in the league evidence of what he’s capable of with a full quota.

Despite the protests around Levy’s future, the 63-year-old has spent big in certain situations, but it remains to be seen if his big-money additions are worth the fees paid.

Tottenham’s record signings under Daniel Levy

In the summer just gone, the Spurs owner forked out a club-record £65m for the signature of striker Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth, handing the manager the forward he craved after Harry Kane’s departure.

The Englishman has been missing since the middle of January with a knee injury, halting his progress in North London after his impressive start to life, registering 17 combined goals and assists in his first 29 matches.

The 27-year-old moved to the club after Richarlison failed to nail down the regular role at the top end of the pitch, scoring 18 times across the last three seasons with the Lilywhites.

He cost a whopping £50m from fellow top-flight outfit Everton, but the big-money fee spent hasn’t been worthwhile, undoubtedly going down as a miss for Levy.

However, the Brazilian isn’t the only player to fail to live up to his mammoth fee in North London, joining another player who only demonstrated his quality in glimpses.

The Spurs flop who’s now similar to a £100m talent

Back in the summer of 2019, Spurs spent big on midfielder Tanguy Ndombele from French side Lyon, costing £63m, a then-club record, before Solanke’s rival.

After such a fee, there’s no denying that excitement built among the fanbase over his move, but unfortunately, the now 28-year-old was only able to showcase his skillset on a consistent basis.

He would feature a total of 91 times for the Lilywhites over a three-year period, spending two separate spells on loan at Napoli and Galatasaray before his contract was cut short – allowing him to depart on a free transfer last summer.

Whilst he produced some moments of magic, including his superb effort against Sheffield United, unfortunately, he was unable to produce such levels on a regular basis – leading to his departure with concerns around his attitude and fitness.

However, in the last few months since his departure, he’s moved back to France, joining Nice on a free transfer, recapturing his form which saw Spurs fork out such a hefty fee for his services.

Such is the impressive nature of his performances, the “unbelievable” Ndombele, as dubbed by journalist Jack-Pitt Brooke, he’s been compared by FBref as a similar player to Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes – who previously had a £100m release clause in his deal.

When comparing his figures to the Brazilian in 2024/25, the Frenchman has matched or bettered the Magpies star in numerous key areas, highlighting how impressive he’s been since leaving North London.

It’s great to see a former first-team star after such a tricky period during his time as a player in North London – potentially needing more time to adapt to life in England.

However, after such an impressive run, some of the fanbase may wish they had kept hold of him, with Ndombele having the skill set to feature amid the recent injury troubles.

A £116m star in the making: Spurs hit gold on "world-class" Conte signing

The incredible attacker could achieve great things with Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 21, 2025

GOAL sat down with the longtime USWNT star to discuss how she balances it all ahead of the 2024 season

"I just feel like it's been such a crazy, crazy life."

That's Sydney Leroux putting it lightly. Calling it "crazy" feels like an understatement. So much has happened. So much good, so much bad. And, as she nears the end of her playing career, she's starting to reflect on it all just a little bit.

It takes time to develop that perspective. As a young player, or just as a young person in general, life always feels like it's on the move. For Leroux, doubly so. There was always the next game, the next U.S. women's national team camp, the next trophy. When you're a professional athlete playing at that level, you aren't allowed the freedom of reflection.

She has that luxury nowadays, just a bit at least. She can sit back and think about the highs: the World Cup, the Olympic medal, the moments in the spotlight. She can think about the lows, too: the difficult decisions, the loneliness, the emotions, the injuries.

And, as she reflects, she sees herself viewing her own life through a different lens. For years, she looked backwards through the lens of an athlete. Now, she looks back through the lens of a mother. And, having looked through that lens for a few years now, she still can't quite fathom what she sees.

"I moved away from my mom," she tells GOAL. "I was just basically alone since I was 14. I feel like you do all of these things because you have this huge dream ahead of you, but I also look at it now, and I'm like, 'wow, I accomplished so, so much but I also gave up so much'.

"I've been thinking about that lately because, of course, I'm nearing the end. I'm not there yet, don't worry! But, still, I'm like 'oh, wow'. I think back to what my mom did for me. She was unbelievable. If my 14-year-old daughter came to me and was like 'I have this dream, I want to do all these things, will you send me away so I can do that?' I don't know what I'd say. I just don't know."

Ahead of the 2024 NWSL season, Leroux sat down with GOAL to discuss her changing perspective, the public and private moments of motherhood that she loves so much, and what's left for her to achieve before her time as an athlete comes to an end.

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  Finding perspective

  It's easy to pick out the big moments of Leroux's career. She's spent so much of it in the spotlight, after all. Part of that came from her status as a member of the U.S. women's national team, one of the most discussed groups on planet earth.

  Part of it, though, was Leroux's own doing. Her personality naturally saw her gravitate to putting herself out there. So much of her life was lived in front of others through both soccer and social media. In the 12 years since she broke through as a 21-year-old rising star, it feels like the public has gotten to know Sydney Leroux, even if they never even met her.

  They saw her peaks – the 77 caps with the USWNT, the 2012 Olympic triumph in London and the 2015 World Cup win in Canada, most notably. Any player would give just about everything to achieve the things Leroux achieved on the field. The world saw the lows, too, both in her professional and private life.

  As she looks back at it, though, the highest of highs for her weren't the moments you'd expect; it's what has come after. Lifting a World Cup was life-changing, of course, but so was seeing her eight-year-old son lose his mind when she scored a bicycle kick for Angel City last season. It's a different feeling, a different emotion, but one she thinks about often.

  That goal came nearly seven years after her last USWNT cap. The World Cup and Olympic runs were so long ago, but the passion is still there, even if it's now kind of built upon the emotions of two young children.

  "It's so funny because I look back on my career and I see that I have an Olympic gold medal and a World Cup," she begins. "You would think that those are the highlights of my career, but I don't see them as the highlights. I see the highlights being my son crying, like being brought to tears, after I came back after an injury or the kids running up to me after a game that we won. Those are like my 'Aha' moments. It's just crazy because I feel like I'm so proud of what I've accomplished, but I think, even more, I'm proud of what they've been able to see me accomplish while I've had them here, too."

  Leroux now approaches the game differently because of it. Her son, Cassius, and her daughter, Roux, are her foundation. For years, all she worried about was what she could do to be in and stay in the USWNT; nowadays, she's playing to impress two little ones who look for very different things from her when she is on that field. She's a little bit less stressed about her goal return than she once was; her focus is now on impressing her two smallest critics.

  "It's perspective, right? I think the kids have given me so much perspective," Leroux said. "Before them, soccer was like, my life. That's all it was. It was soccer, soccer, soccer and now I'm like, 'oh, wow, it's just a game'. It doesn't have to eat you alive. When you play professional sports and you've been doing it for so long, you know that there's this constant grind and constant need to be perfect. It's stressful. You're always living with high stress, and I think the kids made me realize that it's just a game.

  "I can find balance. It's given me a lot of balance. Of course, I love soccer so much, but it's not life or death for me anymore."

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• Living life on social media

  From the beginning, Leroux decided that she was going to be one of the few athletes to really put themselves out on social media. It was, and still is, a risk, for sure. Particularly for female athletes, the world of social media can be so toxic and debilitating. There's a reason many choose to stay off it.

  Leroux, though, never thought twice.

  She's amassed millions of followers on both Instagram and Twitter, where her humor can shine through a bit. Her International Women's Month posts go viral every year. Her frightened reaction to her EA FC player model led to a profile picture change. Fans of soccer and people who know nothing of the sport line can both be found lining her comment section to discuss her private life, as Leroux has crossed over into social media celebrity territory.

  "I've always used social media as a way to live my truth and be honest," she says. "It's not always the good stuff, and I think that that's really important. I think social media can be so like, 'oh, you're only seeing the perfect parts of my life', and I don't do that. I think that's really helpful for moms, seeing that, 'oh, she's going through the same sh*t I am!' I understand and I think that's really important for me to be able to be honest and be myself while having fun with it as well."

• 'My daughter thinks they're there for her!'

  A big part of Leroux's social media presence is tied to her kids. So often, Cassius and Roux are the stars of the show. Their entire lives have been lived in front of Leroux's fans, many of whom have become emotionally invested in the two's childhood.

  They've seen the clips of Cassius playing with his mom in the backyard in various soccer jerseys. They've seen Roux putting on a show in her princess outfits. They've seen the school pictures, the holiday outfits, the dancing videos. And, as a result, Cassius and Roux are nearly as famous as their mother.

  Both Cassius and Roux know it, too, at least to a degree. They feel the love whenever they're seen in public, even if they aren't fully aware of why.

  "I honestly think, my daughter, when she goes to the Angel City games and there's like 20,000 people in the stands, she thinks that they're there for her," she says with a laugh. "The fans have always been amazing to the kids. I feel like they've watched them grow up and they're always super respectful. At the games, they sing Happy Birthday, and there are people who bring the kids birthday presents. It's just unbelievable."

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• The quieter moments

  Outside of the public eye, though, Leroux enjoys the quiet moments. Much of her life is lived in the spotlight, and that makes those times when she's out of it all the more special.

  Cooking, for example, is one thing she enjoys. It's not just an opportunity for her to check out and focus on something away from soccer, but also a chance for her to connect with her kids in a shared activity. As a mother balancing life with being a pro athlete, those moments are everything to her.

  Inspired by that love of family cooking time, Leroux recently partnered with Barilla to promote the company's new Protein+ Cellentani, which she says is a staple of pasta nights with her two kids.

  "With cooking, just like us having time together, my kids love pasta," she says. "Making Barilla Protein+ pasta gives us something that we can all eat together that I know is healthy. It's fun for us to do little things. They'll make their own little pasta. I like it spicy, they don't like spicy, but we have a good time together.

  "It's important to just find ways to spend time together outside of Cassius' sports or what Roux wants to do with her princesses and all of my things with my soccer. It's just about us finding time together and I would say cooking is one of those things."

  Even in those quiet moments, the ones in the kitchen or playing princess or whatever other activities Leroux plans out, the competitiveness does tend to come out. The apples don't fall far from the tree in that regard.

  "We have dance competitions," Leroux says. "Those can get emotional because stakes are high! Stakes are so high! Even though my daughter is not into sports, she's very competitive with other things. Anytime there's something to win or we're playing a game, we're making it competitive."

  She adds: "I just try to make it fun. We have a good time. We have a lot of fun. We have a lot of laughs and I think laughter gets us through a lot."

USMNT star Ricardo Pepi has featured in a commercial with Mexico's Santiago Gimenez ahead of their CONCACAF Nations League showdown.

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• Pepi and Gimenez star in commercial
• USMNT face Mexico in final
• Both players look ahead to clash

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pepi, 21, and Gimenez, 22, both featured in the commercial for 'Bimbo' where they can be seen jokingly arguing about the baked goods while also trying to watch a game of football.

  The two are set to go head-to-head in the Nastions League final on Monday at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The two have already faced off in the Eredivisie earlier in March, as Gimenez was on the scoresheet for Feyenoord during the 2-2 draw with Pepi's PSV Eindhoven.

  Pepi was limited to a role off the bench, while the goal for Gimenez was his 20th of the 2023/24 Dutch league season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PEPI AND GIMENEZ?

  Pepi's USMNT secured a solid 3-1 victory against Jamaica to the reach the final on Monday and will now prepare, while Gimenez and Mexico eased past Panama with a 3-0 win.

  Following the final, both players will return to the Netherlands for the return of domestic action after the international break.

Manchester United are a club that have seemingly tried everything in an attempt to return to the top, having been so absent from the pinnacle of English football ever since Sir Alex Ferguson's 2013 retirement.

First employing David Moyes on his recommendation, his short-lived tenure gave birth to a decade of managerial upheaval, employing club heroes like Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, legends of the game like Jose Mourinho, and more recently a progress manager in Erik ten Hag with whom they are expected to trust to oversee the creation of a long-term sustainable project.

However, their start to the new Premier League season has thrown doubt over his credentials, with fans quick to forget the good work he engineered the year previously that returned them to the Champions League.

He will be keen to turn things around, but it must be noted that this is a process not to be completed overnight. Along with implementing a system which he hopes to yield unbridled success once again, he is also battling with regard to personnel, and ensuring that the right characters remain within the dressing room.

After all, there have been years of misfires in the market that have left them far from the level they will hope to be at.

When looking back on that plethora of deals that once promised the world, few disappointed so severely like Memphis Depay.

Why did Man United sign Memphis Depay?

Joining from PSV Eindhoven for £31m in 2015, the Dutch winger had been terrorising his homeland for years before the Red Devils came calling, with Louis van Gaal keen to bring in his compatriot in order to revolutionise his frontline.

After all, having scored 28 goals across all competitions in his final year before departing whilst also taking home the division's Golden Boot award, it seemed a foolproof signing especially given the rich history they share with forwards from that nation.

Robin van Persie and Ruud van Nistelrooy had both joined and spearheaded title charges in the past with their goalscoring exploits, and given the 29-year-old had recorded 79 goal contributions in 124 appearances for his club as a youngster, there was every reason to believe that the same might occur, especially under the experienced manager at the helm.

How good was Depay?

It would not pan out as expected, with the trickster scoring just two Premier League goals across a torrid debut year.

Such a titanic club suffering such aggressive upheaval were not to wait about for him to fulfil his potential, and just two years after his 2015 move he had left with just seven goals in 53 outings to his name, seeking to reignite his career with Lyon.

It is clear now that French football suited the dynamic forward far more, and there he would enjoy arguably the pinnacle of a career that later saw him join Barcelona before moving to their La Liga rivals for whom he now plays. Across four years in France, the £145k-per-week earner would score 76 and assist a further 55, typifying the perfect false nine, able to both drop deep to create and spearhead an attacking unit.

Such form then allowed him to become a mainstay for the national side too, with Ronald Koeman noting back in 2018: "He's great, he's turning into a top player. That's great, we need that, especially in attacking positions. He's showing that at Lyon, and at Oranje now as well.

"He has freedom here, that's what he needs to be the best Memphis. He can do that in this team. When he's a lone striker he tends to drift back too much, so we have a hole up front. But when he plays between the lines, like in the last part, he was so strong. He's turning, attacking, he's a joy to watch."

Whilst many might argue that Depay has fulfilled his potential away from Old Trafford, given the huge expectations placed upon his shoulders, this remains a notion still somewhat uncertain.

What was said about Depay when he first signed for Man United?

Given the money expended, it marked a hugely significant outlay for the time, but one which provoked huge interest from the masses.

Van Gaal would seek to talk up his new acquisition just after that 2015 capture, claiming: "I think he is one of the biggest, highly talented boys of his age because he is full of confidence."

However, that confidence would perhaps spill over into arrogance, with Dutch legend Ruud Gullit questioning his attitude during that torrid debut season: "I’m a fan of Memphis and have faith in him, but he has to do something to live up to expectations — and that is to perform.

"If you’re not performing you should not turn up for training in a new Rolls-Royce or Hummer. He’s got to focus entirely on football and that is where his advisors and so-called friends have a key role. He has been regarded as the biggest waste of money this season."

What makes his underperformance and subsequent speedy exit even more frustrating is the calibre of player he was compared to, with ESPN even penning a 2015 article suggesting he could be the club's new Cristiano Ronaldo.

"He is the type of player whom the United faithful have been dying to see since Ronaldo left in 2009 — a player who will make Old Trafford stand up each time he has the ball at his feet, like George Best, Eric Cantona and Ronaldo," writer Paul Parker noted.

An arrogant left winger with all the skill and bravado to terrorise full-backs, the comparisons were admittedly there to be made. However, with one quote reading "He is probably a better footballer than Cristiano Ronaldo was at 21," it feels like this is a report that has certainly not aged well.

How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored?

Having first made his move to Old Trafford in 2003, as a little-known 18-year-old from Portugal, there were next to no expectations on the shoulders of the trickster.

Few could possibly have predicted that this gangly speedster would turn into one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, having currently notched 726 career goals and won countless trophies, including five Champions Leagues.

However, to refute that earlier claim, at 21 the 202-cap superstar had just spearheaded another Premier League triumph for Ferguson, scoring 17 and assisting eight in the process. In fact, just three years later he would make his legendary move to Real Madrid too, where he would become their leading all-time goalscorer and La Liga's second all-time top scorer, only bettered by his long-time rival Lionel Messi.

Depay realistically stood no chance of ever living up to such an impossible comparison, as it is unlikely that football will ever produce someone as talented as the Portuguese ace who won five Ballon d'Or's.

However, what is especially frustrating is that he never even came close, and even though he has enjoyed a solid career in his own right, it marked a lofty comparison that forced far too much weight onto such young shoulders.

Manchester United are a club in crisis at the moment, given their lofty expectations and vast underperformance this campaign.

Sitting tenth in the Premier League and in serious peril of crashing out of the Champions League at the group stages, it was expected that Erik ten Hag would build on last season's impressive run which saw them claim third and win the EFL Cup. However, if anything they have regressed.

That is not without investing heavily too, as the Red Devils often do, seeking to take the foundation forged by the likes of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez, and take it to the next level.

Acquisitions such as Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Sofyan Amrabat were all expected to do that, supplemented by arguably the safest bet of them all, Mason Mount.

Although the £55m expended marked a huge fee, given his entire career had been played in England it was expected that he would fit seamlessly into a new system and become as integral for them as he was for his boyhood club Chelsea.

However, that has unfortunately been far from the case.

How good is Mason Mount?

Whilst he has never been famed for the stellar figures he posts with regard to goals and assists, although he has enjoyed some standout years, the rate at which he has kickstarted his career at Old Trafford has been more than disappointing.

After all, the key facets of the England international's game have largely been his tactical dexterity, and ability to fit into most attacking roles. The 24-year-old is a facilitator, and is meant to make those around him better.

Given where they stand across numerous competitions, floundering in both the Premier League and Champions League, it is clear he is failing in such a task.

It was only two years ago that Mount was lighting up the former division, having scored 11 and assisted ten, with former manager Thomas Tuchel noting: "It is always a pleasure to work with Mason because he is the kind of guy who comes with a smile on his face to every single training session. It is always 100 per cent in matches, he accepts every challenge and that is why it is so nice to work with him."

However, that hard-working creator that the German tactician lauded is yet to be found following that summer switch, which has seen even the most positive of midfielders dragged down into the mire that the great club seems to emanate.

A visual outliner of his downturn in form is showcased through his 1.4 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.4 tackles he made per game last campaign in the league, having seen the first two drop to 0.8 and 1.0 per game in the new term, via Sofascore. Whilst his roles may be ever-changing as Ten Hag seeks to find a new winning formula, there is no excuse for such a dramatic change in his attacking impetus.

What makes this especially frustrating is how one of their recent sales is performing since departing the club, with James Garner having left in 2022, and now grown into a fine Premier League ace.

Why did Manchester United sell James Garner?

As an academy graduate, his departure was never likely to be well-received, especially after the stunning loan campaign he had enjoyed with Nottingham Forest.

The 22-year-old had surely done enough to merit a potential emergence into the first team, and yet Ten Hag instead saw fit to cash in on the young maestro, with Everton the more than willing recipient.

After all, from defensive midfield, the classy enforcer had managed to feature in 41 Championship games, recording 12 goal contributions whilst recording 1.1 shots, two key passes and 1.8 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

His work in helping the Tricky Trees return to the top flight was nothing short of monumental, with Steve Cooper rushing to praise him: "He’s good for a goal. He’s around the set-pieces a lot and he’s a good technician. His out-of-possession game might go under the radar, but that’s been really good as well. He reads and intercepts some really important passes and that’s as pleasing for me as the other stuff.”

Then, Arsenal legend Martin Keown would laud his set-piece play further, noting: "Again, set-piece, the ball in from Garner is an absolute beauty, look at the whip on that. You can’t underestimate the quality that Garner is putting into this box. He’s on loan from Manchester United – they need to be thinking about getting him back there quickly!"

Despite this, he had not done enough to impress the Dutch manager, with The Athletic reporting the thought process when sanctioning his £15m sale: 'Ten Hag was the key voice in allowing James Garner to leave. He judged Garner not at the level to play every week and United decided to bank cash rather than send the midfielder on loan where there was no guarantee his value would rise.'

How is James Garner playing?

Whilst his first year on Merseyside was a troubled one – as the youngster was hampered by injury, perhaps seemingly vindicating their decision to offload – Garner's start to the current one has been exceptional, and directly coincided with United's own struggles.

Creative yet combative in numerous positions for Sean Dyche, the £30k-per-week workhorse is easily outperforming Mount despite being two years his junior, having scored one and assisted one whilst averaging 1.6 shots, 1.5 key passes and 4.1 ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.

What makes this even more impressive is that Garner too shares that tactical flexibility that Mount boasts, yet has not allowed it, or a negative atmosphere within their respective clubs, to hamper his form.

Dyche would laud that adaptability: "I think it gives us more options for Jimmy, I think he’s applied himself to anything we’ve asked of him, which is terrific of him from a young player in the Premier League.

“Playing wide, playing wing-back, in certainly one of our main hours of need at the end of last season, doing a very good job. I thought he played very well down at Brentford in a wider position – I think he can perform there because of his delivery and the power he’s got."

With Mount struggling and Garner thriving, and the huge price attached to the former, perhaps Ten Hag could have saved himself millions had he removed his biases and kept faith in the youth. Instead, it is the Toffees now profiting.