Kane Williamson is confident that New Zealand’s recent problems in T20 won’t damage their confidence in the one-day game as they prepare for the marquee white-ball section of the season.Until the second T20I against Pakistan at Eden Park, New Zealand’s summer had gone without a blemish but since then they have won once in seven outings. However, their ODI record stands at eight wins on the bounce ahead of the Seddon Park opener against England.”I think we park the T20 for now and focus on a lot of the good one-day cricket we’ve been playing,” Williamson said. “The plans are fairly different so it’s important we go back to that. We know it’s a tough challenge against England.”We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. There’s been some good one-day cricket played by our group but we do know we’ll have to adapt to the opposition and the surfaces which have been different throughout each venue.”Those surfaces will include a used pitch for the opening match, the same that was played on for the T20 last weekend, which is expected to again offer purchase for the spinners. Williamson is ready for England’s “very aggressive” approach with the bat, but still sees a place for the more nuanced side of one-day accumulation.In the T20s it felt as though there was too much on the shoulders of Martin Guptill and Colin Munro, but the longer format brings the traditional skills of Williamson and Ross Taylor back to the fore and makes a very strong-looking top four. Williamson was able to practice leaving the ball in the nets on Saturday and you sensed he was itching to be able to build an innings again.”I think T20 cricket keeps pushing the boundaries of cricket, whether into the one-day game or even the Test game – you see people being a lot more positive,” he said. “But at the same time, that doesn’t completely change it – because you do get on surfaces that require a lot more batsmanship, perhaps more defence for a period of time, to get through some of those tougher moments.”T20 is definitely having an influence, but it’s important that all of us don’t get too carried away with it at times when the conditions might dictate something else.”Williamson was not getting wrapped up in Ben Stokes’ comeback – for all that Stokes has looked impressive in the nets, a player returning after such a long break could actually work in New Zealand’s favour at the start of the series – although he acknowledged the enviable all-round depth England have.”That comes back to the cricket we want to play, our plans, our styles,” he said. “There are a number of quality matchwinning players in the English side who have been playing good cricket. It’s tough to focus on one name.”The main question marks around the New Zealand side heading into this series are the middle order and whether the five-six combination of Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls packs quite enough of a punch, notwithstanding Williamson’s belief that batting doesn’t always have to be gung-ho.Latham as wicketkeeper in the top five adds the balance that New Zealand want, but his one-day runs have dried up again this summer as they did last season. Nicholls is making a decent fist of the finisher’s role at No. 6 with three half-centuries in eight matches this season, but when serious lower-order hitting is needed it falls to Colin de Grandhomme who has a strike-rate of 112 from his 11 ODI innings.Williamson, though, remained confident in his side to find another level after the limited competition provided by West Indies and Pakistan in the 50-over game.”The way they’ve been adapting to conditions, which have changed a lot, has been a real strength,” he said. “So it’s important we look to do that again, but at the same time we want to be fluid in how we operate in terms of guys perhaps being able to adjust to slightly different roles when that’s required.”

Kevin O’Brien, Body Rankin and Simi Singh also made significant contributions to Ireland’s massive 226-run DLS win

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2018
ICCPaul Stirling and William Porterfield put on a 205-run opening stand to lead Ireland to a 226-run drubbing of United Arab Emirates in Harare. Stirling went on to make his seventh ODI hundred, a 117-ball 126 that included 15 fours and five sixes. Porterfield struck 10 fours and two sixes in his 103-ball 92. Together, they added the highest opening stand in ODIs for Ireland. Both sides, though, made the Super Sixes stage of the World Cup Qualifier after Netherlands lost to West Indies.Rain in Harare had interrupted Ireland’s innings twice, resulting in a reduction of six overs. After Stirling fell in the 38th over, Kevin O’Brien led the charge, smashing seven fours and one six in his unbeaten 26-ball 50. Ireland scored 75 runs in the final seven overs to post 313 for 6. Fast bowler Mohammad Naveed took three wickets.UAE made a steady start to their chase, before they lost wickets in clumps. At one point, they were 65 for 2 after 13 overs. However, a spectacular collapse saw them lose their last eight wickets for 26 runs.Fast bowler Boyd Rankin returned exceptional figures of 6-2-15-4, while Simi Singh finished with 3 for 15 from his six overs. UAE’s net run-rate took a beating after the result.

West Ham United are currently top of the Premier League table following their victory at Kenilworth Road, so supporters won't be worried about a lack of new additions on Deadline Day.

However, the Hammers did miss out on a golden opportunity to add quality depth to their defensive presence this evening, with a new update emerging on a target who wanted a move to the London Stadium.

Who were West Ham interested in on Deadline Day?

According to The Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella, Chelsea full-back Ian Maatsen wanted to join West Ham, despite being touted for another loan move back to Burnley this afternoon.

As per the report, the west London club agreed an initial loan with an obligation worth £31.5m for Maatsen, but the youth prospect was reluctant to agree to the deal as he preferred a move to remain in London, and it is now looking like he will stay at Stamford Bridge.

How good is Ian Maatsen?

The Hammers are currently unbeaten in the Premier League which will be a huge relief to David Moyes after losing a number of key players this summer, however, a missed opportunity to sign Maatsen will surely haunt the manager as they step into their Europa League campaign.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

The left-back – who is a product of the famous Cobham academy – was one of the most promising prospects in the Championship last season during his season-long loan at Turf Moor, where he made huge contributions to Burnley's successful promotion back to the top flight.

Over 39 Championship appearances, the 21-year-old – once hailed as "hugely talented" by Coventry City goalkeeper Simon Moore – scored four goals, registered six assists, created a whopping 11 big chances and tallied up an 83% pass completion rate, as per Sofascore.

Not only that, the Netherlands native ranked in the top 20% of his positional peers across the eight leagues most similar to the Championship for non-penalty goals, assists, progressive carries, progressive passes and interceptions per 90 minutes played, offering a glimpse at his diverse skill set and strengths.

In fact, Maatsen would have been a dream replacement for Aaron Cresswell as he outperformed the Hammers full-back in a number of key attributes last season, albeit at a poorer level.

Indeed, those metrics included goal contributions (10 v 1), pass completion rate (80.6% v 77.8%), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.30 v 0.04), percentage of dribblers tackled (52.5% v 38.7%) and successful take-ons (40.3% v 28.6%), as per FBref.

Cresswell is now 32 years old and his current contract with the east London club will expire at the end of this season, so it will definitely feel like a huge chance has been missed for the Hammers to not only sign a worthy and youthful successor, but a potential upgrade on the left-back.

With that being said, there is no doubt it will be disappointing for West Ham supporters that Maatsen couldn't complete a deal with the club this summer, however, should he stay at Chelsea it could still present an opportunity for the future if the youngster is open to a move in January.

Nottingham Forest have seen Benfica goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos as a key target in the summer transfer window and now a new update could excite supporters.

Do Nottingham Forest want to sign Odysseas Vlachodimos?

The Reds have enjoyed a solid start to their Premier League season, as they look to build on retaining their top-flight status last time around, in what was their first year back in the division.

Two defeats to Arsenal and Manchester United may have been disappointing, but they were both one-goal losses where they made a good account of themselves, while the late 2-1 victory at home to Sheffield United was a positive night at the office earlier this month.

While Forest look well-equipped to once again compete well in the Premier League in 2023/24, some more signings could arguably do with arriving before the transfer window closes on Friday night.

A new goalkeeper seems to be at the top of their list of priorities, even though Matt Turner has already arrived from Arsenal, and Vlachodimos has emerged as a primary target in that position. The 29-year-old is currently plying his trade at Benfica, who he started 34 Primeira Liga games for last season, also appearing 10 times in the Champions League.

Now, a new update has emerged regarding Forest's chase for the 33-cap Greece international – one that has now seen some significant progress made.

Will Nottingham Forest sign Odysseas Vlachodimos?

According to a key update from journalist Fabrizio Romano on X, Forest have officially submitted an offer to sign Vlachodimos this summer, as the Reds look to seal a deal sooner rather than later:

"EXCL: Nottingham Forest submit formal bid for Odisseas Vlachodimos, package close to €9m fee — it’s the first official bid from Forest. Benfica want more to make it happen but talks continue. Vlachodimos, Man Utd 2nd option as backup GK after priority Bayindir."

Vlachodimos could be the ideal summer addition for Forest between now and the end of the window, possessing a huge amount of experience at a high level in Europe, as highlighted by regular playing time in the Champions League over the years.

He could come straight in and rival Turner between the sticks with Jurgen Klopp once praising him as the "best player" on the pitch when Benfica came up against his Liverpool side.

At 29, Vlachodimos appears to be at the peak of his powers, especially for a goalkeeper, with players in that position capable of being in their prime well into their 30s in the modern game.

Realistically, Forest will have matches this season when they are under big spells of pressure, and for them to get through those periods as best as possible, they need a proven figure between the sticks who can make key saves, make the defence feel safe and generally enjoy a big influence week in, week out, just like Keylor Navas did during his loan spell.

Vlachodimos looks like he could be the man to do exactly that, given his pedigree, so the Reds appear to be doing all they can to ensure that they get a deal over the line in the new few days.

ICC chief executive David Richardson will be part of the four-member panel, which also includes Amy Perko, Rohan Chandran and Keith Aaron

Peter Della Penna14-Apr-2018The ICC and USA Cricket jointly announced the formation of a four-member nominating and governance committee on Thursday, whose main role will be to put forward candidates to fill the three independent director slots on the new 10-member USA Cricket board of directors. The four members of the committee – who were selected by the ICC’s sustainable foundation advisory group (SFAG) for redeveloping US cricket governance in the wake of USACA’s suspension and subsequent expulsion – are ICC chief executive David Richardson, Amy Perko, Rohan Chandran and Keith Aaron.Perko was a three-time Academic All-American basketball player from 1983 to 1987 at Wake Forest before she transitioned into a career as a sports administrator where, in one of her previous roles, she served as an Associate Athletic Director at the University of Kansas. Her inclusion is noteworthy as it signals a continued effort by the ICC’s Project USA caretaker administration, which served as a bridge to the new USA Cricket administration, to build links with the wider US sports community as well as demonstrating a concerted effort to seek out female administrators that were nonexistent in the history of the USACA executive board. According to the new USA Cricket constitution, the three independent directors must not have held any administrative roles in cricket in the last three years and at least one must be female.Perko is currently the chief executive of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, a college sports committee founded in 1989 whose mission is “to promote reforms that support and strengthen the educational mission of college sports”, according to its website. Among the current 17-member Knight Commission panel are former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, NBA Hall of Famer and 1992 Olympic basketball Dream Team member David Robinson, and Harvard Medical School neurosurgery resident Myron Rolle, who earned AP All-American honours as a defensive back on the Florida State football team in 2008 before famously postponing an opportunity to play in the NFL in order to accept a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford.Chandran is well known in US cricket circles as one of the founders of ESPNcricinfo. Originally from Hong Kong, where he captained the national Under-19 team, Chandran now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area where he works as a technology executive and has been heavily involved in local cricket as a longtime member of Stanford Cricket Club. Chandran is familiar to Richardson and other ICC administrators after he was interviewed in late 2012 as one of five finalists for the vacant USACA chief executive position that eventually went to Australian administrator Darren Beazley.Aaron has over 30 years of experience as a business executive and cricket administrator in New York according to the ICC release. Prior to coming to America, Aaron captained the Guyana Under-19 team in 1968 to a regional junior title where he was team-mates with Dr. Vincent Adams, a member of the SFAG that appointed Aaron and the others.”The appointment of ICC Chief Executive, Mr. Richardson, represents the ICC’s continued commitment to the growth of cricket in the United States – something the SFAG has been eager to maintain,” said Adams in an ICC release. “His experience along with the skills and expertise of Mr. Aaron, Ms. Perko and Mr. Chandran ensure the NGC will play an extremely important role in identifying the right Independent Directors to work alongside the elected Members to take USA Cricket forward for many years to come.”The three independent directors will be appointed by the inaugural seven-person executive board after receiving nominations from Richardson’s new committee. The seven constituent directors – three individual directors, one club director, one league director, and one male and female elite player representative – will be voted in through the inaugural USA Cricket elections scheduled for June, just ahead of the ICC annual conference. A new 10-member board including the three independent directors can then be installed in time for USA Cricket to be formally approved as the officially recognised national governing body to replace USACA after its expulsion in 2017. Those seeking to be eligible to vote in the USA Cricket elections have until April 24 to register as members of USA Cricket.

It might not have had much of a bearing on the result of the match, but the third umpire might have looked at the wrong replay when the on-field officials turned to him to check on a no-ball during the match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore.Jasprit Bumrah is no stranger to bowling no-balls – his costliest one coming in last year’s Champions Trophy final – but he got away without scrutiny when he dismissed Umesh Yadav, the eighth Royal Challengers batsman to fall, on Tuesday. The on-field umpire immediately asked to see if he had overstepped. The replay shown, though, has Umesh at the non-striker’s end, and the heel of Bumrah’s front foot lands well inside the crease. The commentators were surprised that it was even checked. “No need to go [to the third umpire] for that,” commentator Sunil Gavaskar said on air.It went unnoticed that Umesh was in the picture at the non-striker’s end until Twitter user @ronak_169 brought it to ESPNcricinfo’s notice. While this was not significant to the result – Royal Challengers were 137 for 7, chasing 214, with only 13 balls left – it once again raises the possibility of this human error in more critical stages of the match. Nor is this the first time that the third umpire has ruled on a no-ball when watching the wrong replay.In the 2011 IPL, Sachin Tendulkar was ruled out similarly. The first two replays showed that the bowler Amit Mishra was close to overstepping, but a third angle, from cover, had him just okay. It was later noticed that in the third replay, Tendulkar was at the non-striker’s end. Later that year, in a Test match in Barbados, MS Dhoni was ruled out off a no-ball even though on-field umpire Ian Gould suspected Fidel Edwards had overstepped and went upstairs to check. The wrong replay was shown to the third umpire on that occasion, which the broadcasters, , then admitted as “a human error, compounded by a senior replay operative having to return home at a very short notice”. There must be others that go unnoticed.This kind of error often occurs when the replay operator clicks twice, thus going to the previous ball and missing the ball in question. In this case, Umesh was indeed at the non-striker’s end one ball before he got out. There is no plausible reason for this to be anything other than an innocent human mistake, but such an error has the potential to attain major significance in a tight situation.In this particular instance, perhaps the third umpire could have been more vigilant. Perhaps checking who is at the non-striker’s end when checking for no-balls can be added to the third umpire’s protocols, but by no means is it an exhaustive check: in this case, for example, if the previous ball had been a dot played out by Umesh, a wrong replay would have shown Virat Kohli at the non-striker’s end.The trickiest part of the situation is the delegation of the decision-making arm to the broadcaster, which is not neutral in international cricket. The ICC doesn’t pay for the technology used for decision making, which means it cannot hold the broadcasters accountable for any errors. If ICC does assume control of the decision making, the money will have to ultimately come from the member boards’ share of profits, which reduces the likelihood of this happening in the near future.

Newcastle United have made a poor start to the 2023/24 Premier League season, and a reliable journalist has delivered an update on the future of Eddie Howe.

What's happening at Newcastle right now?

St. James’ Park chiefs first appointed Howe back in November 2021 having taken a bit of time out of work following his departure from Bournemouth, as per Transfermarkt, and during his almost two years in the northeast, the positive impact that he’s made both on and off the pitch is clear to see.

The Magpies, however, have only won one and lost three of their opening four games of the new top-flight campaign, via Sky Sports, which sees them sitting 14th in the table on just three points, and these underwhelming results compared to last term could potentially raise questions surrounding the 45-year-old at the helm.

The Amersham-born manager will also be aware that the level of competition won’t be getting any easier having been drawn in a group with Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan in the Champions League, so the boss will be aware that he’s got a big job on his hands to maintain the high standard that was set last season.

Are Newcastle sacking Eddie Howe?

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Fabrizio Romano shared what he’s heard on Howe’s future at Newcastle. He said:

“It’s not been the best start to the season for Newcastle United, who have lost three in a row since their opening day win over Aston Villa. Of course this is a disappointment after the superb achievements of last season, but I think fans can be calm.

"My understanding is that Eddie Howe is absolutely not under pressure, it’s all quiet. The Newcastle owners love the manager and there are no issues at the moment. Of course Howe will have time to play Champions League football as Newcastle coach, there are no messages in a different direction at this moment in time.”

What is Eddie Howe's record at Newcastle?

During his time at Newcastle, Howe has taken charge of 78 matches, winning 39, drawing 19 and losing 20, meaning that he’s picked up 136 points from a possible 234 whilst averaging 1.74 points per match, via Transfermarkt, which is an impressive record in the grand scheme of things.

The Wasserman client, who has a preferred formation of 4-3-3, has also been individually recognised for his impact from the dugout since putting pen to paper with the black and white stripes having twice won the Premier League Manager of the Month award, with his positive impact resulting in him receiving plenty of plaudits and accolades.

Despite Howe's struggles this season, PIF will be aware of the fantastic relationship that he's built with supporters, not only himself but the whole of the squad, and there's no doubt that it would be difficult to find a replacement that could come in and work the same magic as he has, so it's completely the right decision to stick with him and give him the opportunity to turn things back around.

The 17-year-old defender has been a rare bright spot in his side's grim 2023-24 campaign, leading to reports linking him with the Gunners

The most-recent January transfer window was certainly not one to remember. But, amid the tumbleweeds, some reports did surface that raised hopes that we could at least be in for a more exciting summer.

One such rumour was Arsenal being linked with a move for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato. In an ideal world, Mikel Arteta would have likely brought the 17-year-old to the Premier League last month. However, hamstrung by the club's expensive summer, the Gunners simply wouldn't have been able to make the move work.

It seems likely that Arsenal will reignite their interest in the summer, but what it is that has got Arteta so excited about the young defender? GOAL took a deep dive into Hato's recent development to find out…

Getty ImagesWhere it all began

On March 7 2006, Jose Mourinho's Chelsea were 15 points clear of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League, a Liverpool side containing Steve Finnan and Jermaine Pennant had just knocked a young Lionel Messi and Barcelona out of the Champions League and, most crucially for this profie, Jorrel Hato was born in Rotterdam.

Despite his talent, Hato somehow slipped through Feyenoord's net and instead ended up signing with the city's secondary club, Sparta Rotterdam. He did not stay there long though, switching to Ajax's youth academy in 2018.

The move required some consideration from the youngster, with the defender later reflecting: "At the time, I had to think about it for a while because I was comfortable at Sparta. [At Ajax], fortunately, I was well taken care of and could immediately be myself."

In 2022, after impressing through the age groups, he was handed his maiden professional contract – a life-changing event that kept him awake with excitement the previous night. "I knew I was going to sign my contract. My sleep was not optimal as a result, but I am super happy," he beamed.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break

Hato got his first-team break towards the back end of the 2022-23 season. After enjoying a few cameos off the bench earlier in the campaign, he would end up starting Ajax's final six Eredivisie games. With nothing left to play for – Feyenoord had the league title sewn up by that point – blooding the youngster made sense, but his position in the first team was far from guaranteed for the following season.

However, a hectic summer in Amsterdam changed that; chaos is a ladder after all. Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez were sold to West Ham for sizeable sums, with 12 players arriving in the other direction. The key piece of business from Hato's perspective, though, was Jurrien Timber joining Arsenal.

This freed up a starting spot in the backline, and Hato made sure he did everything he could during pre-season to secure it. When his side's Eredivisie opener against Heracles rolled around, there he was at the heart of defence. Any doubts over whether he was ready to become such a key piece for Ajax were addressed that afternoon, with Hato seriously impressing. He even chipped in with an assist – albeit only a five-yard sideways pass before Jakov Medic thumped one in from long range.

Getty ImagesHow it's going

Since then, Hato has become indispensable for Ajax in what has been a hugely testing campaign for the Dutch giants. Amid a backdrop of boardroom chaos and controversy over the signings of sporting director Sven Mislintat – who replaced the disgraced Marc Overmars – their horrendous start to the season saw them drop into the relegation zone in October.

Unsurprisingly, manager Maurice Steijn paid with his job, with John van 't Schip taking over in an interim capacity in October, following a brief caretaker stint from Hedwiges Maduro. Michael Valkanis also had two games in charge when Van 't Schip was away in Australia attending his son's wedding.

Throughout all of this turmoil at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, there's been one constant – Hato. Amazingly, the defender has not missed a single second of his side's season in all competitions, even being handed the captain's armband during an Eredivisie victory over Almere City in November. He then started a Europa League clash against Brighton as skipper the following month.

Speaking after the latter game, Van 't Schip was full of praise for Ajax's youngest-ever captain: "[He's] special in the sense that he has been able to stand his ground for so long and that he continues to reach such a high level. Of course, he is still a young player, the youngest one, who still has a lot to learn, but if you look at what he brings, the way he defends, the way he can play football forward, he has a great future ahead of him."

He also praised Hato's conduct, adding: "We don't have to do a lot because he is an exemplary professional. Of course, he has fun with the boys and that's something that needs to happen because that makes sure you train happily. But he is also a very serious guy in the sense that he trains well, he takes care of himself. Many should see him as an example, especially the players in the youth academy."

In recognition of his prodigious club form, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman handed him a maiden senior cap against Gibraltar in November. "I was able to assess him better in the training sessions. There he had to defend Wout Weghorst and other attackers. I really liked that. He adapted very easily and plays with bravado. It’s nice that you can let those kinds of boys make their debut," Koeman said after the win.

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Getty ImagesBiggest strengths

Despite their recent fall from grace, Hato's emergence from the youth academy proves that when it comes to forging the next generation of global stars, few clubs do it better than De Godenzonen. The teenager is very much of the Ajax mould.

Technically sublime and possessing a football IQ that defies his tender years, Hato is the archetypal modern defender. He has no issue breaking the lines with his passes and relishes pushing into midfield to help his side's build-up. This is reflected in the 94 percent passing accuracy he has registered in the Eredivisie this season, while he is also averaging over five progressive passes per 90 minutes.

Hato's ability to carry the ball is even more impressive. His quick feet and coolness under pressure means just one player, Feyenoord's David Hancko, has racked up a higher progressive carrying distance in the Eredivisie this season. Hato's ability to drive his team forward from the back has been pivotal to Ajax's resurgence under Van 't Schipp, with the Amsterdam outfit not losing a league game since he took the reins.

Defensively, there is a lot to like about Hato's game too. He does not go out looking for tackles, preferring to choose his moments to dispossess attackers. The fact he has been booked just three times in the league all season while committing only five fouls – despite playing every minute – speaks well of his discipline, particularly at such an early stage of his career.

The U.S. may need some help in midfield, and the answer to the team's problems may lie in Spain

The fear was already there, but Gregg Berhalter's recent comments only added to it. It's been a question that has been lingering for quite some time: what will the U.S. men's national team do if captain Tyler Adams isn't available this summer?

It's a big concern, for sure. The U.S. will play in not one, but two big competitions over the next few months. First will be the Nations League in March and, after that, the big one: the Copa America. As things stand, it's been about a year since we've seen Adams fully fit and, with those games looming, there's no guarantee we'll see the best version of him this summer.

So, with that being the big question, does the USMNT have an answer? It seems so, in the form of two players currently killing it in La Liga. Both Johnny Cardoso and Luca de la Torre could be the natural cover for Adams, and both have stepped up massively for their clubs in recent matches.

There's no replacing skipper Adams; no player in the pool is quite like him. However, a quick glace at what Cardoso and De la Torre are doing in Spain proves that the U.S. has two players that could capably fill in if Adams isn't good to go.

• Getty
  

  'Taking it day by day'

  By the time the Nations League kicks off, we'll have seen Adams play just one match over the last 12 months. In addition, he hasn't featured for the USMNT since the team's round-of-16 loss to the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup. Yes, it's been that long.

  His initial injury came all the way back in March 2023 while at Leeds United. A hamstring injury led to surgery, knocking out for the rest of the season as Leeds fell to eventual relegation. Adams, though, moved to Bournemouth this summer, but saw his debut delayed by that injury. Shortly after his debut, Adams was forced to go under the knife again, in October.

  He is continuing to rehab and it seems he may be back on the field soon, but Berhalter says Adams' status isn't totally clear at the moment

  “I don’t know,” Berhalter told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re taking it the same way he’s taking it, and that’s day by day. And as we get information, we’ll be able to make decisions, but for us, it’s just supporting him, continuing to communicate with his club, and really not getting ahead of ourselves."

  The hope is that Adams can go, giving the U.S. their midfield lynchpin and, more importantly, their captain. If he can't though, a spot in midfield is there for the taking, and both Cardoso and De la Torre look poised to take it.

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  Cardoso rewarded for big move

  For most of his USMNT career, it's been hard to really figure out what to make of Cardoso. He's earned nine caps, but has started just twice: once in a B-team camp against Bosnia & Herzegovina and then again in a 4-0 beatdown of Ghana in 2023.

  With him playing in the Brazilian league on the club level, he felt hard to compare. How did his exploits with Internacional line up with what others were doing in Europe? The Brazilian league is good, for sure, but it's fair to say that it's rarely the focus of American soccer.

  In January, though, everything changed. The midfielder made his big move, signing with Real Betis and, just a month into his time with the club, he's already a key player.

  He was instantly tossed right into the club's XI and hasn't looked back. On February 9, in just his fourth start, he provided an assist in a 2-0 win over Cadiz to earn man of the match honors. Then, in the Europa League on Thursday against Dinamo Zagreb, he ran the show, leading all players on the field in dribbles and duels despite a 1-0 defeat.

  Betis sit sixth in La Liga at the moment and have an outside chance at pushing for a Champions League spot. The signing of Cardoso may just help get them there as the midfielder is raising his level in a big way.

  For some time, there have been calls for the USMNT to take a longer look at him, and those calls are growing louder as he's shown the ability to run games in a league as good as La Liga.

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  De la Torre as consistent as ever

  It hasn't been the easiest season for Celta Vigo. They sit 17th in La Liga, facing a real relegation battle. De la Torre, though, has been one consistent positive as the American has put together a solid second season with the club.

  After joining in the summer of 2022, De la Torre became a regular for Celta relatively quickly, playing 30 times in that debut season. He hasn't slowed down in this sophomore campaign, either, featuring 26 times in all competitions for the club to date.

  Early in the campaign, he revealed a new nickname: The Aldi Frenkie de Jong; an insult, in one way, but a compliment in others. Like the Dutchman, De la Torre is a player who can contribute in all facets of the game. It's never too bad to be compared to an elite player, even if you are called the Aldi version.

  De la Torre recently put in his best performance of the season, leading the way in a huge 3-0 win over Osasuna. After assisting Jorgen Stand Larsen in the 24th minute, he then scored a goal of his own just 60 seconds later.

  The strike was his third in five games in all competitions as De la Torre is really rounding into form. In total, he has five goal involvements this season, with four of those coming within the last month. One of those efforts came via an outrageous heel flick – a highlight reel goal, for sure.

  Despite his club's struggles, De la Torre's stock is rising, and it's rising at a good time.

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  The case for De la Torre

  It's safe to assume that Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah will start for the USMNT whenever healthy. But, if Adams can't go in March or, worst case, to the Copa America, who is the third midfielder?

  De la Torre could be the guy. He has been before. With 20 caps to his name, De la Torre has filled in plenty of times, playing as both a No.8 and a No.6. He was a member of the World Cup squad in Qatar, too, even if he didn't play.

  The Celta midfielder isn't a destroyer like Adams, but rather more of a ball-playing midfielder. He doesn't offer the physicality that Adams does, but what he does offer is significantly more passing range and the ability to move the ball up the field quickly once he gets it.

  Statistically, De la Torre is in the elite percentiles of ball carrying, offering a different sort of presence to the midfield. He's the natural replacement for Musah, realistically, but the U.S. could go with Musah and De la Torre in a more progressive role with McKennie sitting deeper. They could also interchange any of those names due to their flexibility.

  Against some teams, that type of setup is great, against others, not so much. But, either way, De la Torre has the quality and, now a regular in La Liga, the high-level experience, to step in.

Liverpool are in the running to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe next year, and a fresh report has revealed the club’s stance on bringing him to the Premier League.

How valuable is Kylian Mbappe?

According to Transfermarkt, Mbappe’s current market value is €180m (£153m), and whilst that’s a huge amount of money for any player to be worth, he’s more than proved why he’s one of the best talents on the footballing stage during his 263 appearances since putting pen to paper at the Parc des Princes.

The France international’s contract is set to expire in June 2024 meaning that January will be the final time for Luis Enrique’s side to cash in should they not want to risk losing their prized asset for free, and having established himself as their overall best-performing player so far this season with a WhoScored match rating of 8.36, he won’t be short of potential suitors should he depart.

Back in July, The Mirror reported that Jurgen Klopp and Jorg Schmadtke had opened talks regarding a loan swoop for the 24-year-old, with club chiefs getting encouragement that he’d want to join due to his mother, who is also his agent, Fayza Lamari, being a huge fan of the side at Anfield.

Are Liverpool signing Kylian Mbappe?

According to French outlet L'Equipe (via TEAMtalk), Liverpool are genuinely "firmly in contention" to sign Mbappe in 2024 when his contract expires, and whilst Real Madrid are also plotting a move, Carlo Ancelotti's side are set to be "strongly challenged" from Merseyside.

The Reds "cannot be discounted" from the race, especially if Mohamed Salah eventualy does seal a switch to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad. However, it's worth noting that the Frenchman could demand a large signing-on fee, not to mention his huge wages as he currently pockets £1.1m-per-week (£57m-a-year). FSG "could not reach those heights", but they would be able to offer him a hefty salary if they were able to get the Egyptian King off their books.

How many goals has Kylian Mbappe scored?

During his time at PSG, Mbappe has racked up an extraordinary 315 contributions (217 goals and 98 assists) in just 263 appearances, with this outstanding form having seen him labelled a “generational talent” by football scout Jacek Kulig, so it would be a massive coup if he was ever to put pen to paper at Liverpool.

Sponsored by Nike, the striker also ranks in the 99th percentile for most attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area and has recorded a total of 13 shots so far this season which is more than any other of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, highlighting the fact his goalscoring exploits are not likely to slow down any time soon.

Mbappe, who has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline, is additionally one of the players who will most know what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured 35 senior pieces of silverware for both club and country, including individual accolades, so he would be able to match the winning mentality of the current squad who are already on Merseyside.