Four Four Two UK- September 2023

BRIGHTOn • MERSOn • RAKITIC • 50 YEARS OF THE PFA AWARDS I n S I D E S T O R Y HOJLUnD | GVARDIOL | SZOBOSZLAI | DIaBY | TIMBER PREMIER LEAGUE nEW SIGnInGS PIQUE& THE KInGS LEAGUE P78 They’re not here to be popular – but at long last, they’re back in the Champions League

5 THInGS YOU’LL LEARn InSIDE WAnT MORE? FInD US HERE. . . FACEBOOK.COM/ FOURFOURTWO FOURFOURTWO @FOURFOURTWO FOURFOURTWO.COM @FOURFOURTWOUK Remember September 2002? Atomic Kitten topped the UK singles chart with The Tide Is High (Get the Feeling), Coldplay had just released their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, while Matt Damon was making his first outing as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity. In the Premier League, Manchester United were beaten 1-0 in successive games by Bolton and Leeds, before going on to win the title. In the second tier, a 24-year-old Eddie Howe was starting his long recovery from a serious knee injury suffered while playing for Portsmouth. September 2002 was also the last time that Newcastle United graced the Champions League group stage – 21 years later, under the management of Howe, they’re back. How will they get on now they’ve returned to Europe’s top table? We take a look at the club’s rise, as they aim to show that last season wasn’t a fluke and they’re here to stay. Elsewhere, we profile the new names coming into the Premier League this season, head over to Pohnpei to find out about Micronesia’s quest to join FIFA, and visit Madrid for an exclusive chat with Gerard Pique about his new, dynamic form of football – the Kings League. Enjoy the mag. SUBSCRIBE FROM £4.23 PER ISSUE Get FFT sent direct to your door every month for £54.99 per year – with 13 issues published in total, you’ll make some great savings. Head to magazinesdirect.com and find FourFourTwo, or phone 0330 333 1113 James Andrew @JamesAndrew_ @FourFourTwo Which PFA award winner later worked as Michael Caine’s body double Which football ground is now the home of the ‘Darth Vader’ stand Which game was started by a tightrope walker above the centre spot Why Ukraine’s champions played to a crowd of 10 people in Ayr Which goalie performed a magic trick to distract a penalty taker SCAn TO SIGn UP FOR OUR nEWSLETTER Future PLC Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA Phone 01225 442244 Email [email protected] To contact an individual, email [email protected] Editorial Thanks to Chris Evans, Andrew Murray, Huw Davies, Jon Crampin, Ben Miller, Paul Camillin, Nuria Picas, Alberto Lambea, Jay Taylor, Juan Beaza-Rojano Sanchez Contributors Marcus Alves, Caio Carrieri, Felipe Rocha, Ian Murtagh, Kenny Millar, Sean Cole, Richard Edwards, Chris Evans, Paul Brown, James Hilsum, Nick Moore, Martin Harasimowicz, Si Hawkins, Julien Laurens, Martin Mazur, Andy Greeves, Arthur Renard, Leo Moynihan, Emanuele Giulianelli, Niall Doherty, Marvio dos Anjos, Dani Gil, Paul Simpson, Jon Spurling, Sam Pilger, Paul Wilkes, Daniele Verri Photography Getty, Alamy, PA, Offside, iStock, Reuters. 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All contents © 2023 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. 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Editor James Andrew Art Director Anthony Moore Chief Sub Editor Gregg Davies Staff Writer Mark White Head of Video Adam Clery Deputy Editor Matthew Ketchell Senior Staff Writer Chris Flanagan Staff Writer Ed McCambridge Staff Writer Ryan Dabbs Editor at Large Andy Mitten

92 14 MY FOOTBALL 72 22 20 90 YOU ASK... 6 Ivan Rakitic sits down with FFT THE MIXER 12 Killie’s penicillin shirt and more UPFRONT 20 Mikael Silvestre’s finest games 22 DMA’s frontman loves Big Dunc 24 Morientes the singing gorilla 25 Jules Breach sees Messi in Miami 26 Christian Burgess: Union leader FEATURES 30 The rise of Newcastle United Ithasn’tbeenwithoutashareof controversy, but the Magpies are back in the continental elite 44 Premier League new arrivals Hojlund, Gvardiol, Szoboszlai: fresh faces are ready to shine 50 Brighton’s secrets uncovered FFT speaks to the key men who guided the Seagulls into Europe 56 When Bristol beat Barcelona From upsets to chair-kicking, it’s the Women’s Champions League

BEST & WORST 86 66 44 78 50 AROUND THE GROUNDS 84 Paul Simpson’s Carlisle ascent The manager has battled cancer 85 Non-league’s transgender ref 86 Best & Worst: Swindon Town 88 Queen’s Park: Scottish nomads An unexpected Hampden return THE PLAYERS LOUNGE 90 Juan Pablo Angel on Doug Ellis 92 Trevor Steven: an Italia 90 hero 93 Nedum Onuoha’s Mancini clash 94 Gunnar Halle receives a choking FEATURES 60 Up Pohnpei: the bid to join FIFA Paul Watson returns to the tiny Pacific island, still dreaming big 66 Paul Merson, a real Rolls-Royce TheArsenal legenddiscusseshis glorious but turbulent career 72 A half century of PFA awards Pele, Elton John and the choice that left Alex Ferguson fuming 78 “It’s time for the catapult!” Gerard Pique meets us in Madrid at the wacky Kings League finals 98 Claudio Pizarro’s Perfect XI

What was your upbringing in Switzerland like? Joe Palmer, Norwich My parents had to leave Yugoslavia because of the situation there, before the war. My father played for an important team, Celik Zenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but like many families he had to get out of a hard situation – he had to take care of his family. The opportunity came for him to move to Switzerland and he worked in construction, to do whatever he could to make money for his family. My parents went to Switzerland in 1985 and I was born there in 1988. Growing up there was easy because people in Switzerland were very kind. I enjoyed it a lot, so a big part of me is Swiss. I’m very proud of where I began my career, and I played for the Swiss national team in the junior age groups for four and a half years before I changed to Croatia. I’m living the dream that my father wanted to reach as a footballer. He was the person who pushed me; he was behind me all the time and many of the things I’ve done in my career have been for him. I am really thankful for what he did for me. How close were you to joining Chelsea as a teenager? Emilia Richards, Kew Very close. I was about 15 or 16 when I started to play for Switzerland in the junior age groups. We had really good games, then there was a time when Chelsea began to sign between 30 and 50 young players from everywhere, and there was this possibility to go there. People from Chelsea came to Switzerland, we spoke to them, and they put a proposal to my club, Basel, but we decided really quickly to stay in Switzerland and I think it was the right decision. It wasn’t to say no to Chelsea; it was just to stay at home and finish school in the right way, as there was still time for my football career after that. I was lucky that the people at Basel believed in me and gave me an opportunity very early – then everything went very fast for me. Former Spurs gaffer Christian Gross gave you your debut at Basel. How important was he to your career? Max Kolliker, Basel He was one of the most important people in my career, for sure, because at that time it wasn’t as normal as it is now for young guys to come up into the first team. Guys started to play for the first team at 22 or 23, but he gave me my opportunity at 16 or 17 to do pre-season with them, then to play my first game at 17. Not only that, but he pushed me in every training session. He stood behind me and gave me the confidence that I needed at that time. I’ll always be thankful to Christian and the whole of FC Basel. Before you started playing regularly, you were on the bench for a UEFA Cup game away at Roma, and at Middlesbrough when they famously came back from three goals down in the quarter-finals. How did that prepare you? Richard Rogers, Redcar To be in those places, to experience how it was – and then, years later, to win that same trophy – you started to understand what professional football was. Until then, you were just enjoying football with your school friends, so to be there, you soon understood what pressure really was in those big games. Normally I was watching at home or playing on FIFA. Then I was there! How did it feel to make the step into the Bundesliga with Schalke at 19? Timo Bornemann, Gelsenkirchen The first big move for me was really important, because I was starting to play in the Champions League and I was joining the second-best team in Germany. In two seasons, we were very close to being champions of the Bundesliga. Then, I really understood pressure. You had to finish in the top Interview Chris Flanagan “England were surprised what we could do. All of their players were worth £70m, £100m, £150m – but they had to play against us” YOU ASK THE QUESTIOnS F ourFourTwo have been in Seville for mere minutes when Ivan Rakitic looms large, holding the Europa League trophy. ‘CAMP7ONES,’ boasts the giant display on the doors of the airport’s arrivals hall, referencing Sevilla’s record seventh triumph in the competition at the end of last season. It’s a scorching 41 degrees when we land and we’re soon heading 50 miles south to the plush Montecastillo golf resort – next to the Jerez motor racing circuit – where we witness Rakitic preparing for the new campaign with his team-mates, including Erik Lamela, Gonzalo Montiel, Papu Gomez and goalkeeper Bono. Training begins at 9.30am to avoid the worst of the heat, but the work is still pretty demanding. “It is hard – it’s difficult to understand why we move only 40 minutes out of Seville; it could be easier to at least go outside Andalusia!” Rakitic jokes when he greets FFT, the session over. The 35-year-old was born and raised in the cooler climes of Switzerland, but went on to earn 106 caps for Croatia and appear in a World Cup final before his international retirement in 2020. Throw in his two Europa Leagues with Sevilla, nine years apart, as well as a Champions League triumph and four Liga titles with Barcelona, and it’s been a decent career. Now, he’s here to answer your questions about it all... 6 September 2023 FourFourTwo

CLUBS 2005-07 Basel 2007-11 Schalke 2011-14 Sevilla 2014-20 Barcelona 2020- Sevilla COUNTRY 2007-19 Croatia YOU ASK

four, you had to be strong in Europe – it was a new level. The tempo was also much higher than in Switzerland, and understanding that at the age of 19 was very important. [FFT: Is it true you were close to joining Barcelona before you joined Schalke?] We spoke, but what is ‘close’? We did start to speak a little bit, but I wasn’t close to signing. Playing with a young Manuel Neuer at Schalke, did you think at the time that he had the potential to be an all-time great goalkeeper? Joachim Roth, Munich I spoke to my friends about him many times when I arrived. He’d just played the last three months of the previous season and he was a bit like me – the young blond guy! Every week, he got better and stronger, and that’s why he may be one of the best goalkeepers in history: it was unbelievable to see how he improved. It was impossible to score a goal against this guy – he was just everywhere, with such long legs, hands, everything! I’m really happy about the career he’s had, as he’s still a big friend of mine. We speak a lot. How difficult was the decision to switch your playing allegiance from Switzerland to Croatia in 2007? Sanna Ruffner, Zurich It really was extremely hard. It was also clear for me that it would never be a decision against Switzerland or Croatia – just a decision for one of those countries. Sometimes, I was very close to saying I’d like to play for Switzerland, but Slaven Bilic visited me so many times at my home, to try to speak with me again and again. It was a decision for the heart, not the head. The head said maybe stay with Switzerland because it would be easier for me – in Croatia, I was the blond Swiss guy. If Slaven hadn’t been there, maybe my decision would have been on the other side, I don’t know. I’m really thankful for what he did for me. But it was just a decision for Croatia – never against Switzerland. You and your family received a few death threats from some people in Switzerland when you decided to play for Croatia. How scary was that? Mark Zeiler, Aarau Yes, there were some bad situations, but I don’t want to give that much importance because the good parts are much bigger and more important. My time there was amazing and I am always happy when I can go back to Switzerland. I’m a Swiss guy; I support Swiss sportsmen; I speak with a lot of people from Switzerland. Of course the reaction was hard for me, for my family and for my friends, but I also attempted to understand it because I could see they really wanted me to stay with the Swiss national team, and they expected that I would. I accepted it. For me, it’s all forgotten and I’m thankful to Switzerland. When they say now that a Swiss guy, Manuel Akanji, won the Champions League, I remind them that some years ago, another Swiss guy also won it with Barcelona. Don’t forget this! [Laughs] One of your first games for Croatia was as a substitute in a victory at Wembley, which stopped England from qualifying for Euro 2008. Why did Croatia win that night? Jessie Davis, Bournemouth [Smiles] Because we had an amazing atmosphere in the squad. We’d already qualified for the Euros and we just tried to enjoy that game. We knew that if everything went normally, England would win, but Slaven had been able to create a big family. [FFT: Were you nervous as you came on?] Of course, because you have amazing players in front of you. I was thinking, ‘David Beckham, wow! Becks is there!’ I tried to use his boots in every game; I’m a big Predator fan. Just to be near him was ‘wow’. To beat him in his stadium, against all of these other wonderful players, and to start your international career in that way... it was amazing. Was Felix Magath the strictest manager you’ve ever worked for? Marcus Klemperer, Bochum I wouldn’t say the strictest. I’d say he was the coach who let me understand football in another way. He was the man who tried to introduce eight-hour days for professional footballers in Germany. We never knew what would happen tomorrow – whether we would be training in the morning or the afternoon, if we’d have lunch together or not – so it wasn’t possible to say to the family, “See you later!” But he was very clear. If you ask me if he was the clearest coach, I can say yes. I liked that, because if you worked with him, YOU ASK “I SAID, ‘TOMORROW, I MUST SIGn – I WILL STAY In SEVILLE AnD MARRY THAT GIRL’”

you could be next to him; if you didn’t, you were out and that was it. As a young player, it was important to understand that winning mentality. He wanted to win everything, even when he was playing cards. I remember, though, that he’d ask, “How are you? Are you tired?” and you could never say you were tired! You’d say, “No, no, I’m OK”. [Laughs] His mentality meant all of the squad were physically and mentally 100 per cent. Was it tough to leave for Sevilla just three months before Schalke played in a Champions League semi-final? Tara Voigt, Oberhausen I was happy for Schalke, because my last game was the quarter-final of the DFB-Pokal – we beat Nuremberg 3-2 after 120 minutes – and they won that trophy as well. They called me to give me a medal, but I said, “No, that’s for the guys who did it”. When you’re not there, you cannot say you’re part of it. I had an amazing three and a half years at Schalke, but it was time to say goodbye, to go to the next step. My football understanding is close to how the game is played in Spain and I wanted to move there to see it. I was clear from the first day that if there was a possibility, I wanted to take it, and there was a possibility with Sevilla. Is it true that a lot of your motivation to succeed in your opening seven months at Sevilla was to convince your future wife to go out with you? Kyle Taylor, Oxford [Laughs] It is true, and it’s still true today! I met her on my first day in Seville – I was just aiming to go to the bar to have a drink with my brother, and she was working there. Different clubs were calling me, saying, “Don’t sign for Sevilla” and wanting me to move to other countries, but I told my brother that I’d already given my word to Sevilla’s president. I said, “Tomorrow morning, I have to sign. I will stay here and I will marry that girl.” So that I could speak to her, I used to go back into that bar all the time, to order the same coffee again and again! [Laughs] Everything was really special from the first day: to see her, to meet her and finally, after seven months, to be with her. Later I married her and today we are close to 12 years together. We have two daughters. My daughter’s birthday is today – she’s 10 years old. All of this is like a Hollywood story for me to say to Brad Pitt or George Clooney, “Do you want to do a new movie?” Sevilla did so much for my professional career, but also for my private life. How did it feel to be named as Sevilla’s first foreign captain since Diego Maradona? Gonzalo Rivera, Huelva Amazing. There are moments to feel really proud and happy, and that was one of them. There were other guys from Spain and from Seville who could have been captain, which I think is normal, but there was an opportunity because many players moved, which meant I could do it. And to lift the Europa League trophy as captain – the club’s first foreign captain after Diego – was just amazing. Can you describe your emotions when you won the 2014 Europa League, following an incredible comeback in a Seville derby against Betis, a last-minute goal against Valencia, and a penalty shootout win in the final against Benfica? George Derbyshire, via Twitter Maybe from the first game, that cup had to be ours. We played a European derby against Betis for the first time in history and lost 2-0 at home, but won there 2-0 and beat them on penalties. We then lost at Porto, but won 4-1 at home. Then there was the crazy game against Valencia, with a goal in the last seconds of the semi-final. Then we played the final against Benfica and people said it would be 3-0, 4-0, 5-0 to them; I think Benfica sold players for something like €500m after that, but we won the trophy, so you have to sign our players, not theirs! [FFT: It must have felt like destiny – Sevilla even finished ninth the previous year but qualified because Malaga and Rayo Vallecano were banned by UEFA...] It was as if it was our competition – so many things happened. It was very clear, it had to be ours. I think that as a team, we deserved to win it that season. It was similar when we won the Europa League again last season. What was Unai Emery like to play for at Sevilla? Why does he have such success? Tom George, Walsall Because he did it again at Aston Villa last season, and so many times – I just have to congratulate the people at Villa on having maybe one of the best coaches in the world. Unai is a guy who lives his... I don’t want to say ‘job’, because I don’t think he looks at it like a job. It’s his world. He lives football 24 hours a day for the YOU ASK Clockwise from left It’s no surprise that Magath was “very clear”; love at first sight; Sevilla, kings of Europa (2014 edition); in the days of Schalke being genuinely good; being “the blond Swiss guy” in the Croatia team FourFourTwo September 2023 9

whole year. He is able to transmit so many things to his players. He’s one of the most important coaches I’ve had. It was a shame to be with him for only one and a half years, because he is a coach to enjoy in every moment, at every training session. I was proud to do big things with him, and congrats to Villa because everything that comes will be amazing. What was it like, walking into the Barcelona dressing room for the first time? Jade Craddock, Worcestershire Extremely hard, because the decision to leave Sevilla wasn’t easy. If I left Sevilla, it would be to move to one of the best teams. There was a possibility with Barcelona and that’s why I chose to do it – it wasn’t easy, but I was very pleased in the end because it was amazing to win all of the titles, to play with the best players in the world, to have six amazing years in Barça and to make the fourth-most appearances for the club of any player from outside the country. How did it feel to score against Juventus in the Champions League final, at the end of your first season? Nick Cooney, via Instagram Amazing. I hope to do it many times again! [Laughs] I opened the scoring after just four minutes. I think that competition was for us that year. We beat the champions of Italy in the final, and before that we had beaten the champions of Germany, the champions of France and champions of England as well. It was the perfect Champions League: it was clear that we were the best team. You enjoy playing in a final like that. To be part of it and score was just... wow. Barcelona won the treble during your first season – like Manchester City did last season! What was the key to winning all three trophies? Richard Walsh, Stockport There are moments when you have to be at your top level. You play for so many years and face so many hard situations, so to be in those sorts of moments, to have that opportunity to be there, you have to try to enjoy it. For me, that’s the most important word: enjoyment. Enjoy the moment. There’s a lot of pressure, but if you try to enjoy it, things will be much easier. What was it like to play with great midfielders in Xavi, Andres Iniesta and – internationally – Luka Modric? Caglar Erol, via Instagram Again, it was just about enjoying it, because it was so amazing. You had to YOU ASK “LOSInG 4-0 AGAInST LIVERPOOL WAS HARD. In 90 MInUTES, WE LOST THE WHOLE YEAR” feel proud to be with these guys – not only with their quality on the pitch, but also because of how they were off the pitch. I’m really thankful for that time with them, and to be able to say today that those players are my friends. [FFT: You played with Xavi for one season before he left, and pretty much took on his role in the team...] It was just about learning 24 hours a day from Xavi – in training, in the dressing room, when you travelled with him, during games... it was only one season, but it was one year of learning all of the time. Did the Barcelona players genuinely believe that you could recover from a 4-0 first-leg deficit against PSG in the Champions League in 2017? Ava Dean, Leeds We tried to, because we said that if we scored the first goal quickly, then anything could happen. It was clear that they had come to Barcelona a bit shocked. The atmosphere at the Camp Nou was incredible and we started to press them from the first minute – we knew we would have the opportunity. We went 3-0 up. We were so close, but when Edinson Cavani scored to make it 3-1, we thought, ‘Oh… it will be hard now’. We had to do everything perfectly from then on. And, finally, it was just perfect to score the sixth goal with the last attack of the game. That was the spirit of the team that we had. What was the atmosphere like in the dressing room after Barcelona’s 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the 2019 semi-final second leg at Anfield? Chaitanya Kohli, via Twitter Shocked. Something similar happened at Roma the year before, when we lost the second leg 3-0, and it was just like that. Those are the hardest moments you have to experience in football. So, when it happened again… every team tries their best to win matches, and when you’re not at your highest level, anything can happen. Losing at Anfield was hard, because during that whole season we did a lot to be champions. In 90 minutes, we lost the whole year. We offered two great gifts in those two seasons, because I think normally Barcelona have to be the winners of those two Champions League titles. What was it like to score the winning penalty in two successive shootouts at the 2018 World Cup finals, against Denmark and then the hosts, Russia? Mirko Kraljevic, Opatija [Smiles] They were moments to show Croatia to the whole world; to know that you had everything at your feet. We had an amazing atmosphere in the team and we created this thing of ‘#family’ on social media, because although it was me taking those penalties, I knew that there were four and a half million people behind me – it really was a big family. If there would be a moment to take a decisive penalty, we would score it altogether. Why were Croatia able to defeat England in the 2018 World Cup semi-final? Yourself, Luka Modric and Marcelo Brozovic really got hold of the midfield that night... Zac Collins, Newbury At that time we dominated midfields, against England but also when we played Denmark and Russia. It was difficult to play against us – with all respect, of course, that there were also big players in the England team. I think they were a little bit surprised at what we were able to do. Of course all of their guys were worth £70m, £100m, £150m, but they had to play against us. That was the moment for us to show the world that we could do big things. It was our moment. How painful was the 4-2 defeat to France in the 2018 World Cup Final, even though it was already a huge achievement to make it that far? Jason Wells, Melton Mowbray It was really hard, because during the first 60 minutes, we played what may 10 September 2023 FourFourTwo

have been our best 60 minutes of the whole tournament. In the first half, I saw Paul Pogba arguing with Didier Deschamps because they didn’t know where to run, and Antoine Griezmann was saying to the other guys that they didn’t know how to defend against us, because we were everywhere. What was particularly unlucky was that they were given a free-kick that was not a free-kick, and an own goal came from that – and then they got a penalty-kick for handball that was a penalty, OK, but if the referee hadn’t given a penalty, that decision would also have been OK. The small details and decisions were against us: the penalty wasn’t a mistake, but I think that because France were playing against Croatia rather than England or Brazil, then maybe it was easier to make a decision against Croatia than against one of those big countries. Then, after 60 minutes, all of our power was lost. In 10 days, we had played 120 minutes three times, with two penalty shootouts, and when it went to 3-1, our power wasn’t there any more. For 55 or 60 minutes, we were clearly the better team and you could see the frustration of the French guys. But finally they had that quality with Kylian Mbappe to score from 25 yards, after the small details with the referee. That’s football. But, in those first moments, it was really hard to accept it. What was your favourite moment spent playing alongside Lionel Messi for Barcelona? Rafa Vayreda, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat Oh wow... to pick one moment out is impossible – let’s stay with the whole six years! [Laughs] We had so many amazing games together. When you play with Messi, you just have to give him the ball, but it’s a bit like learning football in a new way. There aren’t many guys in the football world, or in sport as a whole, who can take the decisions for the whole team during a match. He’s one of those guys. How did you view the end of your Barcelona career? Did you want to stay for a bit longer and finish your career there? @beingsvk10, via Twitter No, sometimes the moment comes to say goodbye. I still had two years left on contract, but the moment became really clear for me, because already in January I had told my agent, “Arturo, look: that’s it”. He told me, “No, they want you to stay here”, but I said, “No, no, it’s done”. There was no decision from the club or from Ronald Koeman when he arrived in August, like people said there was: it was my decision and it had already been made in January. And then there was the opportunity to come back home to Sevilla, and that was amazing for me. [FFT: What was the reason for leaving Barcelona? Was it about playing regularly?] No, because in January I was still playing. It was to say that if the time came, I wanted to see. When I had moved from Schalke to Sevilla, too, Schalke had offered me a new contract but I said, “No, I have to do something different – something new”. It was just like that again when I left Barcelona. What did it mean to you to win the Europa League with Sevilla again last season, nine years after your first triumph with the club? Sergi Val, Seville Oh, it was amazing – amazing. When I came back to Sevilla, I said to Jesus Navas, “We have to take another cup together; we have to lift it together”. To do it together in that moment – to win it again, for the seventh time for the club – made me think, ‘This is not real. This can’t be happening’. But the Europa League is our competition. We were able to have another very good Europa League season. To win it again, you just have to say, ‘Wow’. How many languages do you speak? I understand it’s quite a lot... Janet Louise, via Twitter [Smiles] Five or six languages quite easily! It’s very important because in Switzerland you speak German, Italian and French, and also English because everybody speaks English now. I also speak Croatian, and then I learned Spanish when I first moved to Seville, because it’s important to have that communication with people. I saw that when I was in Germany: there were players from Asia who couldn’t speak German. Then, when I arrived in Seville without speaking Spanish, I realised how difficult it was to be in a different place without having that communication. That’s why I tried to learn Spanish really fast. You’re 35 now. Do you plan to finish your career at Sevilla? Jon Navarra, Cadiz At the moment, I have one year left on my contract and I’m hoping that it could be more. When the moment comes that I see I can’t help any more on the pitch, then I’ll stop. But, at the moment, I feel there’s still more power in me, so hopefully I can do two, three or four more years. We’ll see. I’ll just go year by year. Of course, I’m thinking a little about what happens after my career. I have been studying sports management with UEFA, but I don’t know yet what I want to do. At the moment, I’m still thinking about having enough power to do well on the pitch, because that is where I want to be. I still believe that I can achieve many more things on the pitch, so as long as I feel like that, then let’s go for more. YOU ASK HIGHS & LOWS HIGH: 2014 Wins Europa League with Sevilla, beating Benfica in Turin HIGH: 2015 Scores in Champions League final as Barcelona complete treble LOW: 2018 Helps Croatia to their first World Cup final, but defeated by France LOW: 2019 Plays as Barça are stunned 4-0 by Liverpool at Anfield in second leg of Champions League semi-final HIGH: 2023 Wins second Europa League with Sevilla, beating Roma in Budapest Clockwise from far left Not a bad Barça side, all told; Rakitic netted the opener in that 2015 Champions League Final win; his spot-kick saw off the hosts at Russia 2018; Croatia tested France in the World Cup final... but to no avail; Sevilla, Europa League – yes, you know the drill FourFourTwo September 2023 11

THE BEST OF FOOTBALL KIT • FASHION • ART DESIGN • TECH NIKE X MARTINE ROSE COLLECTION £184.95-£729.95 nike.com Classier establishments might not appreciate the suit-and-boots look, but they can have no qualms with Nike and designer Martine Rose’s eye-catching collection. Modelled by Lionesses captain Leah Williamson, the gender-free range includes a player’s suit jacket, trousers, trench and shirt, plus a host of accessories and the latest iteration of the Nike x Martine Rose Shox Mule MR 4 just to finish things off. Swish. GOT GEAR? GET IT IN THEMIXER SEND IT TO @KETCHELLFC ON INSTAGRAM

RAINBOWLACES 10 – GLITTER EDITION £5 stonewall.org.uk/rainbowlaces Celebrate 10 years of Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign with extra lustre by grabbing a special glittery pair. The movement has become synonymous with supporting the LGBTQ+ community within football and is backed by players and clubs countrywide. This year’s message, Lace Up To Keep Up, urges people to share short videos about what they pledge to keep up in the name of inclusivity. KILMARNOCK 2023-24 AWAY KIT £40 kilmarnockfc.co.uk If you like your football kits to give you a science lesson, Kilmarnock have just the thing. Killie’s crimson away shirt is pretty smart in itself, but delve deeper into its back story and you’ll realise that what appears an innocent design is actually the visual DNA of the world’s first antibiotic, penicillin, discovered in 1928 by Sir Alexander Fleming who studied in the Scottish town for two years. ARSENAL2023- 24 AWAY KIT £80 adidas.co.uk An early contender for the Premier League’s most marmite shirt, the Gunners are already setting tongues wagging in this attire. Once you get past the zebra-style quality, there’s a lot to like about it, with a nice blue trim offsetting the luminous yellow. If Mikel Arteta’s men are going to go one better and lift the title, they’ll need to dazzle away from home. This garb guarantees it. FourFourTwo September 2023 13 in association with

SEVEN YEARS OF BENE ITALIA ’90S TEE £77 beneculture.com Dripping with ’90s Italian chic, this looks as iconic as James Richardson sipping an espresso and reading La Gazzetta dello Sport outside a Milanese cafe. The dashing shirt celebrates seven years of Beneculture designs and embraces everything that has made the brand popular among Italian football enthusiasts. The black-and-white combo, plus retro collar, can’t fail to have you getting all nostalgic. Bellissimo! WALTHAMSTOW FC XWILLIAM MORRIS KITS £54.99 prodirectsport.com Back in Victorian-era London, William Morris dreamt about a utopian society, where freeminded citizens would live at one with nature. That’s right, like modernday Walthamstow. Now, the Isthmian League outfit are honouring the former local writer and designer, in collaboration with the William Morris Gallery, via these dapper shirts based on the great man’s textile designs. Art and football, together. REQUIRED READInG SMELL OFFOOTBALL2: THE NEXT 11 YEARS (AND TEN TEAMS!) Mick Rathbone, £14.99 After leaving Everton in 2010, physio Mick Rathbone published his muchacclaimed autobiography The Smell Of Football, exploring his journeyman playing career and chronic lack of self-confidence as a youngster, which ultimately cost him a first-team place at hometown team Birmingham. In the last 12 years, ‘Baz’ has served 10 different clubs, entered the after dinner speaking circuit, penned this follow-up and delivered ‘retirement’ speeches on numerous occasions. The lure of the game – and medical bag – has often proved too strong, though. In his customary down-to-earth style, Rathbone lays bare the itinerant nature of his post-Goodison Park days, with dalliances at Salford and Dundee seeing acquaintances flit in and out of his life. One of the few constants is former Toffee David Unsworth, who Rathbone worked under at Oldham. No topics are off limits. Whether it’s the trials and tribulations of his dodgy knee regularly reminding him that the biological clock is always ticking, or the practicalities of keeping players in top physical condition throughout lockdown, Mick’s candour continually provides fresh insight. An entertaining and heartfelt book, written by a man hopelessly in love with the game. Jon Spurling 14 September 2023 FourFourTwo

NIKE FLIGHT PREMIER LEAGUE BALL £27.95 nike.com Nike’s new sphere is a modern-art masterpiece, with splashes of orange giving it a subtle character to complement their AerowSculpt technology. This is the penultimate year before Puma takes over ball production, but there’s no sign of slowing in the style stakes. The true test will be how good it looks crashing into a net from 30 yards, though there’s little doubt it’ll pass with, er, flying colours. NORDVPN nordvpn.com NordVPN offers class-leading privacy for a worry-free internet experience. With more than 5,500 servers in 60 countries, Nord VPN delivers a fast and reliable connection, so you can browse uninterrupted. FFT readers can take advantage of a limited-time deal until September 12: get 69 per cent off a two-year plan, plus four extra months. Head to www.nordvpn.com/442 for more information. UNDERARMOUR MAGNETIC ELITE 3 CLEAT £225 underarmour.co.uk Once you’ve got over the initial wow factor, you’ll see these seriously slick boots don’t just look the part, they feel it. The UA Clone upper and internal auxetic material creates a precise, customised fit, while the 3D print gives players extra touch and control. They’re stunners in so many ways. in association with SPONSORED CONTENT FourFourTwo September 2023 15

OFFICIAL CELTIC DOG FOOTBALL SHIRT £19.75 urbanpup.com/celtic Good boys – sorry, Bhoys – in the green half of Glasgow are sure to be rewarded for their best behaviour with this snappy number from UrbanPup. Ideal for the discerning Celtic fan who wants to show off their pooch’s colours, the shirt is an ode to the one worn by the 1967 European kings and has the badge proudly emblazoned on the chest. Celtic lovers will never walk (their dog) alone again. NIVELCRACK – JOGA BONITO JERSEY £75 nivelcrack.com Fans of Brazilian football, fashion and, er, the Tour de France will have a lot of love for this yellow jersey. Combining Samba styles with all the hallmarks of your favourite soccer shirt, Nivelcrack’s latest innovation screams joga bonito in more ways than one. Right down to the woven Nivelcrack crest and Christ the Redeemer prints on either arms, the details are what make this beauty sing. NEWBALANCE BEYOND ORBIT BOOT PACK £210 newbalance.co.uk Previously a footballer’s staple, black boots have been feeling as scarce as a Tony Hibbert goal in recent years, but New Balance’s latest release is here to redress that trend. The Beyond Orbit pack captures the oldschool essence of a black boot and adds modern flair with an iridescent shimmer that looks out of this world. The series includes the Furon v7, Tekela v4 and 442 to ensure plenty of choice. 16 September 2023 FourFourTwo in association with

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UPFROnT 18 September 2023 FourFourTwo

UPFROnT ↑ “GET ME A HOT DOG!” FORT LAUDERDALE, USA When Inter Miami took on Cruz Azul, Ignacio Rivero discovered that facing Lionel Messi isn’t always the dream you expect it to be. The Argentine treated him to a game of ‘now you see it, now you don’t’ – Rivero almost tackled the corner flag, before Messi bagged Miami’s winner. Photo Mike Ehrmann/Getty ← A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Hands on her knees, staring at the turf, Megan Rapinoe’s World Cup career came to a sad end against Sweden – victorious in 2015 and 2019, this time she skied a spot-kick in the last 16 shootout and the USA were out. Photo Jose Breton/Pics Action/ NurPhoto/Getty Playing off the last defender, it’s the big-manlittle-man partnership of football and funnies... THE BEAUTIFUL GAME FourFourTwo September 2023 19

UPFROnT Rennes 4-3 Bordeaux March 23, 1996 Ligue 1 “This was my first senior appearance, at Rennes – I came on as a substitute for a minute or two. It was a defining moment, as that’s always the objective when you join a club’s academy, and it happened in my fourth year. I’d been in the squad on a few occasions before that, but never managed to get off the bench. I was training regularly with the first team, though, and was hopeful my opportunity would come pretty soon. It wasn’t planned when I did come on and I felt nervous, but those first steps on the field were amazing. We won the match 4-3, so it was great to seal three points on my debut. Sylvain Wiltord, who later joined Arsenal, scored for us in that game. Bordeaux also had the likes of Bixente Lizarazu and Christophe Dugarry starring for them at the time.” Real Madrid 2-0 Inter September 16, 1998 Champions League “My first game for Inter, against Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage, and we had to play it in Seville [due to crowd trouble at the Bernabeu months earlier]. I came on at half-time because Salvatore Fresi had just been sent off. I had to do a quick warm-up and felt like I was being thrown in the deep end. We were up against a great Real Madrid team, who were reigning European champions and had Roberto Carlos, Raul and Savio in their line-up. But our side wasn’t bad, with Ronaldo, Javier Zanetti and Diego Simeone. Even though we lost 2-0, I think I had a good game and it was the first time I’d ever played in a European competition. The quality of the match was fantastic – it was on another level and gave me the confidence to play at the highest level.” Liverpool 2-3 Man United September 11, 1999 Premier League “My debut for Manchester United was special for so many reasons, especially because I’d been linked with a move to Liverpool. I flew over to England on the Thursday, and two days later I was on the pitch starting at Anfield. The noise was unbelievable and the fact I didn’t speak a lot of English actually helped, as I couldn’t properly understand what the fans in the stands were screaming! I remember Sir Alex Ferguson saying, ‘Enjoy it, son’ before kick-off. That gave me a big boost and also allowed me to relax. I hadn’t had much opportunity to consider playing in a match of that magnitude, which probably worked in my favour as well. I wasn’t watching TV very often back then and there was no social media, so it was easier to stay in my own bubble and remain focused.” France 1-0 Germany February 27, 2001 Friendly “I’ll pick yet another debut, for France in front of 80,000 fans at the Stade de France. I came on for Marcel Desailly after 75 minutes, and before I knew it the match was over! I don’t remember much about the game itself, other than just being there and pinching myself, thinking, ‘I’m playing for the national team now, wow!’ At the time, France were the World Cup holders and had also won Euro 2000 a year earlier. Only Didier Deschamps and Laurent Blanc had retired from the side at that point, so the rest of the squad was the same. When I got the call, my emotions were similar to when I signed for United. The team felt untouchable and was playing wonderful football. I was pleased with how I performed and later received the pendant from the game as a souvenir.” GAMES THAT CHAnGED MY LIFE MIKAEL SILVESTRE “ALL I REMEMBER FROM THE GAME IS PInCHInG MYSELF, THInKInG, ‘I’M PLAYInG FOR FRAnCE!’” 20 September 2023 FourFourTwo Interview James Hilsum Mikael was speaking courtesy of Freebets.com

UPFROnT 01 Who was Arsenal’s captain when the Gunners last won the Premier League title in 2003-04? 02 Which side has featured in the most Champions League/European Cup finals without ever winning the trophy? 03 Which future England boss led Ipswich to UEFA Cup glory in 1981? 04 In 2005, Stuart Pearce deployed which goalkeeper as a centre-forward towards the end of the final game of the season? 05 A sword-wielding pirate is prominent on the badge of which EFL club? 06 Which Spanish outfit have a ‘cantera’ policy of only signing players native to or trained in the local area? 07 Which of this trio has never featured at a World Cup while playing their club football overseas: Jude Bellingham, David Beckham or Paul Gascoigne? 08 The Henri Delaunay Trophy is awarded in which competition? 09 The Emperor’s Cup is a major domestic honour in which country? Test yourself with our questions on goalkeepers-turned-strikers, sword-wielding pirates and the Superclasico These four players all missed penalties at World Cups. Can you name them? napaJ. 9 pi hsnoi p mahC naepor uE AFEU. 8 engi ocsaGl uaP. 7 oabli B cit el ht A. 6sr evoRl otsir B. 5se maJ di vaD. 4 nosboR ybboBri S. 3 dir da Mocit elt A. 2 ari ei Vkcirt aP. 1 sr oi nuJ acoB. 81 0102. 71 or eugA oi gr eS. 61 dir da Ml aeR. 51 yaugur U, ni apS, dnal gnE. 41 nai b mol oC. 31 nilr eB noi nU. 21 enO. 11 accaB solr aC,t eugezerT di vaD, al ayA otr eboR, dnall oHtt a M. 01 10 WAnT MORE? VISIT FOURFOURTWO.COM/QUIZ 11 Dutch marksman Ruud van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals for Manchester United: how many of them were struck from outside the penalty area: one, 10 or 25? 12 Who are currently the easternmost club in Germany’s Bundesliga? 13 Which nationality was cult Newcastle United star Faustino Asprilla (left)? 14 Only three nations have a 100 per cent record in World Cup finals: can you tell us all three? 15 Jupp Heynckes, John Toshack, Manuel Pellegrini, Guus Hiddink, Fabio Capello and Juande Ramos have all managed which prestigious European club? 16 Which legendary forward lost the 2014 World Cup Final, scored more Premier League hat-tricks than any other player and retired at Barcelona? 17 In which year did Rafael Benitez (left) leave Liverpool in June, then win the Club World Cup with Inter in December, defeating TP Mazembe in the Abu Dhabi final? 18 Who has won more Superclasico derbies: Boca Juniors or River Plate? FourFourTwo September 2023 21

UPFROnT TOMMY O’DELL EVERTON The DMA’s frontman on growing up as a Toffees fan Down Under and being buds with Big Dunc because back then you would go to a pub to watch the game and it was all Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. He was great for the club. What was your finest moment as a player? I played for New South Wales as a kid and that was pretty good, but you need a lot of discipline to be a football player and as I got older I went down other roads. I worked hard and I was fit, but I wasn’t super-fast so I tried to make up for it by covering lots of ground. I was in midfield, doing the dirty work! How has watching football changed for you since you were a kid? I’ve always loved it and I always got up in the middle of the morning to watch Everton play. With the coverage these days you can What was the first football match you ever attended? Well, my father is from Liverpool and he was an Everton supporter, so that’s why I go for them. I grew up with Everton and I’ve been a big fan ever since I was little. I went to visit my brother in Liverpool when I was about 12: it was the 2000-01 season and I went to see Everton play against Coventry at their old ground, Highfield Road. We won 3-1. Gordon Strachan was the manager of Coventry and I remember him getting abused by the home fans. Then, the next week, I saw Everton at Goodison Park and we got beat 3-0 by Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup, which was pretty brutal. For someone from Australia to go to a football match and see so much passion was really eyeopening. I try to go to Goodison as much as I can when I’m in the UK. Going there for the first time was magic after watching it on the TV. It was very surreal, especially as a young boy. It was also really nice to go back to where my dad was from. It was a nice journey for him as well, to take me back there. Who was your childhood hero and did you ever meet them? I liked Duncan Ferguson. He was awesome – great goalscorer, great attitude. I met him briefly a couple of years ago when I did an interview for a Match Of The Day thing. He was really nice and such a great guy; he was obviously very busy – and we’d just lost 4-0 to Chelsea – but he still made time for me, so that was great. I also loved it when Timmy Cahill joined Everton, as obviously he is Australian. That was great, too. A lot of Evertonians came out of the woodwork in Sydney and Australia because of Timmy. He really promoted the club over there, which was so good to see, literally watch every single game, but I remember back in the day when I was growing up, you had to call a hotline to see how the games went, because there was no internet. You used to ring this 1300 number and they’d give you all of the results. That’s how I used to find out the scores when I was really young. We would all gather by the phone and listen in – my brother, my dad and my sister. It makes me sound really old now! Watching Everton in Australia at that point was hard. I was always the only kid with an Everton jersey at school on mufti day. Everyone went for Liverpool and United, so it was a sweet feeling when we beat United in the 1995 FA Cup Final, when Paul Rideout scored. I was really little then, but it was unreal. What do you like most about going to a game? I love the atmosphere. The energy that the stadium has when it’s full is pretty special, waiting for kick-off, with the buzz around the ground. Which player would you choose as your room-mate? Leighton Baines seems like a good bloke. He’s into music and he comes across like a lovely guy. Who from your club’s past would you bring back and put in the current side? Romelu Lukaku [left], at the moment, as we badly need a goalscorer. He was great for us. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was doing a great job but he’s just been f**king injured the whole time. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen at a game? When Everton were playing Man United back in 2020, we scored a winner and it was disallowed for offside as Gylfi Sigurdsson was sitting down [right]. That was a really bizarre moment. Richarlison scored to make it 2-1 but Gylfi was sitting down on the goal-line, so it was ruled out. Very strange. 22 September 2023 FourFourTwo

UPFROnT “TIMMY CAHILL WAS GREAT FOR THE CLUB. A LOT OF EVERTOnIAnS In AUSTRALIA CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK” What’s your favourite ever goal? I think I’d have to go for Phil Jagielka’s superb half-volley against Liverpool – a last-minute leveller at Anfield in 2014, in front of the Kop. That was pretty special. Where’s the best place you have ever watched a game? Other than Goodison? I watched us play in Munich, when we found a sports bar and had plenty of beers and watched the match. I always try to watch Everton when I’m on tour. My tour manager and sound engineer are Evertonians, so we always find a way to watch it, even if it’s on the iPad while we’re on the bus. What’s the most important piece of memorabilia that you own? I’ve got an old contract that my dad was given when he was an apprentice for Everton in 1968. I cherish that – I’ve got it in a little frame. Joe Royle was playing for them at the same time as him. My dad never played for the first team but he was an apprentice for a while, and he got to train with some really good players. It’s a tiny little contract and it’s cool – it’s got the little Everton letterhead. He came to Australia for a six-week holiday, for £10, and he never went back. I think he realised life was a bit better over there. The quality of life and the beach – everything was better than where he’s from. Do you support the Australian national team as fervently as Everton? I go for Australia, for sure. It’s not a week in, week out thing like it is for Everton, but it was brilliant to do so well at the World Cup. It’s fantastic to see football getting bigger over here, and us getting better. We’ve just had the Women’s World Cup this year as well, in Australia and New Zealand, which has been awesome. Football has really grown in Australia since I was a kid, without a doubt. It’s one of the most played sports now, too. All of the little kids play it and the facilities are decent. Hopefully we’ll get keep getting better as a national team. If you could drop yourself into your all-time five-a-side team, which players would you be playing alongside? Timmy Cahill, Lionel Messi, Tony Adams and Zinedine Zidane. I’d be in goal! Niall Doherty The DMA’s new album, ‘How Many Dreams?’, is available now and the band are on tour in December. For tickets, visit dmasdmas.com FourFourTwo September 2023 23

UPFROnT ...Germany, teams spent a summer’s weekend dragging each other through the mud WEIRD WORLD OF FOOTBALL Pitches across the UK were mostly at their pristine best for the start of the new season. Not so in Saxony, where one had turned into a mudbath. The latest edition of the Mud Football German Championships took place in August in the tiny settlement of Wollnau, north-east of Leipzig. Ten men’s teams and two women’s teams – the questionably-named FC Bierzelona among them – slugged it out in a quagmire. The event began in 2009, and 600,000 litres of water are poured onto the playing surface to ensure it’s ready for action. It probably wouldn’t have suited the dribbling talents of Lionel Messi or Mohamed Salah, but it may have brought back a few memories for Derby supporters who visited the Baseball Ground in the 1970s. Mud football originated in Finland, where it was initially used as a training exercise for athletes and also soldiers, who might be expected to face such conditions during combat. Just a few weeks before this year’s German Championships, the central Finnish municipality of Hyrynsalmi welcomed 100 teams for the Swamp Soccer World Cup. German champions Jugendclub Lindenau emerged as the victors, and there was even better news for them, too: only seven of their squad came down with trench foot. “HELP, I’M STUCK!” Goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman had a cunning plan when his Tigres side faced Vancouver Whitecaps during a Leagues Cup penalty shootout: he became a mime artist, then a magician. The 37-year-old stopper first attempted to distract Sergio Cordova by pretending that he was trapped inside an invisible box. It didn’t work – Cordova found the net – so he turned it up a notch, delaying the fourth penalty with a quick magic trick, pulling a ludicrously long ribbon out of his mouth. Baffled by what he had just seen, Ranko Veselinovic had his penalty saved and Tigres won. The magic of the cup, all right. • Diego Godin’s last ever game ended with defeat for his Velez Sarsfield side – then with angry ultras ambushing the players and threatening to shoot them. • Former Denmark star Pione Sisto has been back in the news: a sect have set up base on land he owns in Portugal, demanding to become a sovereign state. • Against Sacachispas, Argentino de Merlo forward Leonel Ovejero was sent off for urinating on the pitch during a break in play. • Kenya’s U20 rugby team has a player called Andycole Omolo. “WATCH AND LEARN, TEDDY” Fernando Morientes appeared on Spain’s version of The Masked Singer this summer – and he only went and won it. The UK show has seen Teddy Sheringham dress as a tree, Glenn Hoddle as a grandfather clock, Chris Kamara as a ghost and Michael Owen as a doughnut – the role he was born to play – but none of them challenged for victory. In Spain, Morientes belted out It’s My Life by Bon Jovi and defeated celebrities such as Bo Derek and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, then shared first prize with actual singer Ana Torroja, all while dressed as a gorilla in motorbike gear. We need to lie down. 24 September 2023 FourFourTwo

UPFROnT iami, Florida. It’s a city synonymous with palm trees, white sandy beaches – and now, Lionel Messi. Inter Miami have made one of the statement signings of the summer to bring one of the greatest footballers in history to Major League Soccer, and south Florida has been consumed by Messi Mania. Arriving in Miami, it won’t be long until you see someone wearing the club’s trademark pink shirt with the Argentine great’s name on the back. You’d be lucky to find one anywhere to buy, though – demand was simply that high at the time of his full debut in July. Even at the specially dedicated pop-up Adidas Messi store on Lincoln Road, they had only men’s 3XL left in stock, such is the appeal since the World Cup winner made the move Stateside. Still, Inter Miami are likely to be Messi’s final professional club before he hangs up his boots, so the hype is more than justified. Messi’s face is everywhere, adorning the side of buildings, with the popular Wynwood graffiti area showcasing more than one impressive Messi mural. At the DRV PNK Stadium on the evening of the 36-year-old’s full club debut against Atlanta United, the sun was beating down as thousands of fans arrived chanting Messi’s name, eager to get a glimpse of the superstar in action. He had already made his first substitute appearance five days earlier, when – naturally – he scored the winner in the 94th minute with a spectacular free-kick. On his first start, he followed it up in front of a sold-out stadium with another two goals, an assist, and a helping hand in creating the other goal in a 4-0 victory. Ask any Inter Miami supporter and they’ll tell you that 4-0 wins aren’t something that happen there very often. Messi was joined by former Barcelona team-mate Sergio Busquets, and at times the pair looked as though they were playing in a training match. Busquets had so much space in midfield that at one point he did a couple of step-overs just for the sake of it... before being wiped out by an Atlanta player. Messi looked effortless. He often does, of course, but with as much time on the ball as the opposition gave him in this Leagues Cup game, he was picking out some stunning passes and creating some intricate moves that had the crowd in awe. He has instantly given his new club-mates more confidence, too, and if they continue at this rate, the team will be sure of success in the near future. Inter Miami were bottom of the Eastern Conference when Messi moved from Paris to Florida, and though it’s unlikely that they will reach the MLS Cup Playoffs in October in order to compete for silverware, it isn’t mathematically impossible. Messi’s impact has been so impressive that he is likely to become their top scorer in under a year. In his first three matches, he had already broken into the top 10 leading scorers for Inter Miami, and won’t waste any time in chasing down his former Argentina team-mate Gonzalo Higuain, who holds the club record of 29 goals. The open-air stadium, which holds a mere 21,000 supporters, looked stunning as the sun set and fans continued to create a party atmosphere. There was only one person they were there to see, and it’s no longer owner David Beckham. No surprise, then, that as soon as the Argentine’s No.10 went up on the substitute board in the 78th minute, at least half of the crowd headed for the exit as the little magician left the pitch. It is always an absolute privilege to watch some of the greatest players in the world in OPInIOn The presenter and journalist was in Miami to see Messi Mania live LIOnEL MESSI IS ALREADY LIKELY TO BECOME InTER MIAMI’S TOP SCORER In UnDER A YEAR M a work capacity, but this was a match that I was able to enjoy purely as a fan – a fan of one of the finest players we will ever see play the beautiful game. Messi fever isn’t going away any time soon. BACK TO WORK The Premier League is back and I’m thrilled to have a front row seat every Saturday in my new pitchside role with TNT Sports. As a football fan, you can’t beat the buzz of being in the stadium on a matchday, so as well as all of the big interviews, I’m excited to also host the Early Kick Off show, half an hour before the match build-up begins. We’ll have even more access around the grounds before the teams arrive, so we can take a peek behind the scenes, get exclusive interviews and chat about some of the hot topics that have developed throughout the week. It’s going to be a fun season! FourFourTwo September 2023 25

UPFROnT The defender starred in Europe for Union SG last season – and almost won the Belgian league Interview Sean Cole You’ve been at Union for three years now, since joining from Portsmouth at the age of 28. What’s life like in Brussels? It feels more and more like home as time goes on. It’s a friendly city. There’s a lot of interest in Union’s rise, and Brussels is a hub of European politics, so you do meet people from all over the world. I’m slowly picking up on French, starting to communicate better. I definitely see a future here. How long did it take you to adapt? It felt pretty smooth. You’re away from your friends and family, but I met my wife here and we got married recently. There haven’t been too many challenges. You have to go through the visa process and also apply for residency – with Brexit there were a couple more appointments that had to be booked, but I came during the transition period so I can stay longer on a guaranteed basis. Then it’s just adapting to the way people work and socialise – sometimes British humour is a bit lost on people here! Union were in the second tier when you first arrived. What were your ambitions? Our immediate aim was to get promoted, and the goal the club had a few years down the line was to get into Europe. I thought that was a little far-fetched, but we won the second division, started well in the top division and never looked back. Then we found ourselves in the Champions League qualifying stages, which was ridiculous. What do you think are the main reasons for the club’s recent success? Most important has been recruitment, and getting a team together who all share an ambition and have something to prove. We haven’t signed big names for a lot of money. There’s a focus on the team over individuals. Other clubs don’t quite have that. CHRISTIAn BURGESS InT ERVI E W Late on the final day of last season, Union missed out on their first Belgian title since 1935. How was that day? We were confident that we simply needed to win our game. Antwerp were away at Genk, who were both still in contention, and the only way we wouldn’t win the championship was if Antwerp won, or we failed to win. We thought that we had to take care of our own business – we were doing that until the 89th minute at home to Club Brugge. The feeling when the equaliser went in was just one of shock and devastation. We couldn’t believe that it had happened. Then we knew that we had to score, because if we didn’t win, one of the other two teams would claim the title. We went all out and conceded again. Then it really was over. How long did it take you to recover from that disappointment? I was still thinking about it when I returned for pre-season, because we were so close. If we’d managed to hold out for five minutes and not conceded, we would have been the champions, which would have been a really incredible achievement. It was a really tough one to take. I’m sure in the future we can look back and be proud, but it was very raw then. Even now, it still crosses your mind. Since you helped the club back to the top flight for the first time in 48 years, Union have twice fought for the title. We’ve definitely exceeded expectations. We have been competing against clubs with a more settled history. We’re overperforming the size of our club and our budget. Every year, we’re back to being underdogs. It’s up to us to prove we’re here to stay. Winning the title would be an incredible achievement after being away from the top flight for so long. That’s what makes it hurt so much more that we missed out the last two years. 26 September 2023 FourFourTwo

UPFROnT “WE FOUnD OURSELVES In THE CHAMPIOnS LEAGUE QUALIFYInG ROUnD – IT WAS JUST RIDICULOUS” What effect have Brighton owner Tony Bloom and chairman Alex Muzio had on Union since they took over in 2018? They’ve had a massive influence in making the club more professional with staff behind the scenes and infrastructure. Alex Muzio is very hands on and took majority ownership this year. It’s a very measured approach and not about injecting massive sums of cash. Union have finished above Anderlecht in each of the last two seasons – you beat them at home on this term’s opening day. There’s a lot of pressure on those derby games, it’s about bragging rights in the city. Anderlecht have been the bigger club, but we’ve won the previous seven league games against them, which is crazy. Kaoru Mitoma was on loan at Union in 2021-22. What stood out about him? His pace is so frightening, then his calmness. I remember talking to a pal, a Brighton fan who was excited about buying Deniz Undav from us, and saying, “Just wait until you see Kaoru Mitoma.” I said he should take a look at him for his fantasy team! I knew he could be successful in the Premier League. I’m so chuffed for him, he’s a terrific lad. What was it like reaching the Europa League quarter finals last term? That’s probably been the biggest surprise and one of the things I’m most proud of. The other quarter-finalists were all big clubs from Europe’s top leagues, then there was us, a small Brussels side. We played against Bayer Leverkusen, but we saw it as a tie that was there for the taking – we played so well at their place, went 1-0 up, then they got a good goal to draw. Unfortunately, we just didn’t start very well at home and conceded early. But to get to the quarter-finals was a huge achievement in itself. How do you think you’ve progressed as a centre back since moving to Belgium? I’m valued a lot more over here. I don’t know whether that’s because I’m a foreigner or because of my performances. I was never settled under the manager at Portsmouth. I’ve taken on more responsibility here and the way we play is very different. We play out from the back and it’s a lot more tactical. I’ve enjoyed playing in the centre of a back three here, and it’s allowed me to flourish. You studied at Birmingham University before you joined Middlesbrough in 2012. How do you reflect on the unusual route you took to becoming a footballer? When I signed my first professional contract, I remember Tony Mowbray telling me, “It’s a foot in the door for you, son – hopefully you can make a good career out of the game but don’t stop your studies, make sure you have a plan B.” Middlesbrough helped me to finish my degree at Teesside University. The contract was enough money to afford rent and get by. It was about seeing if I could carve out a career and, when I look at where I am now, I think I’ve done more than that. I have been fortunate, especially with this move here to Belgium, that I’ve been able to experience European football and challenge for titles. It’s been quite an unconventional journey, but I’ve loved almost every minute. MARCUS EDWARDS SPORTING The ex-Spurs youngster only played one game for his boyhood club, but lined up for Vitoria Guimaraes in the Europa League, then earned a £7m move to Sporting. Last season, he scored two goals in the Champions League, including against Spurs... ANDRE GRAY ARIS Once the scorer of 23 goals in the Premier League for Burnley, Gray headed to Greece last summer and struck five times during qualifying for the Europa Conference League. It wasn’t enough to reach the group stage: Aris lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv. DANNY NAMASO PORTO New club, new name: Namaso may be more familiar to Reading fans as Danny Loader, part of the England squad that won the U17 World Cup in 2017. He played three Champions League games for Porto last term, including in the last 16 against Inter. TAKInG On THE COnTInEnT Like Burgess, these three also experienced their first taste of European competition after moving abroad 355 SPINE LINE: “‘Staines away, FA Trophy’ was the match in which Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu made his Luton debut, before climbing to the top flight,” says William Smith. Correct! Cracked the Spine Line? To win an Art Of Football A4 print or T-shirt, email [email protected] or enter on Twitter using #FFTSpineLine Above Burgess has netted 11 goals in three campaigns Below left During his Portsmouth days in League One FourFourTwo September 2023 27

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30 September 2023 FourFourTwo nEWCASTLE UnITED Almost two years since their controversial takeover, Newcastle are going where no Magpie’s flown for 20 years: the Champions League. Ahead of the curve their new owners plotted, they feel they have a man, a plan and the fans to sustain it – plus a sovereign wealth fund

nEWCASTLE UnITED Words Matthew Ketchell Additional reporting Alasdair Mackenzie Andrew Murray Ian Murtagh Illustration Neil Jamieson FourFourTwo September 2023 31

32 September 2023 FourFourTwo screamed Eddie Howe, thrusting a clenched right hand high into the air, on a late May afternoon at Stamford Bridge. A sweaty, sunburnt, occasionally topless Newcastle United away end responded in kind. On the final day of the 2022-23 campaign, Howe was punching a full stop to a remarkable journey in which the Magpies’ boss and the club’s new owners had transformed them from winless relegation fodder to a League Cup final and fourth in the Premier League. Howe & Co had unlocked the door to the Champions League in just 18 months. He had spent most of that time straight-batting tough questions about the club’s investment from Saudi Arabia, staying balanced through the highs and lows. As he walked across the pitch to applaud the supporters after the fulltime whistle at Chelsea, he exploded for just a moment, the emotion at the achievement briefly visible. The first stage of the Magpies’ journey was complete, but there’s more to come. This is the inside story of Newcastle post-takeover metamorphosis under Howe, and how the club’s owners intend to sustain that success. VOLCANIC ERUPTION Newcastle are a club well acquainted with nadirs. One of the most pronounced and recent came at a moist Molineux in October 2021. Two blasts of Wolves’ Eurodance goal music sandwiched a rare Jeff Hendrick strike for the Magpies, as ‘We want Brucey out’ chants greeted another lacklustre defeat. Such displeasure at manager Steve Bruce had been an audible staple for the majority of a miserable start to a seven-game-old league campaign. No wins, three draws, four defeats, 16 goals conceded. It was match number 999 in the dugout for Bruce and he was in a real emergency situation. His side sat second bottom of the table, having also battled relegation the previous season, before a late rally secured a 12th-placed finish. Federico Fernandez was Newcastle’s captain at Molineux – somewhat bizarrely, he emerged for the second half wearing Javier Manquillo’s shirt instead of his own. It encapsulated the club’s dysfunction. “It was tough because the previous year we were in the same situation,” the Argentine explains to FourFourTwo now. “The group knew the situation and how to come out of it, but it was not a good performance at Wolves.” Matthew Raisbeck, lead commentator for BBC Radio Newcastle, travelled back from the game that evening by rail. “They’d given up,” he says of Newcastle’s sodden support. “There was one lad, I remember it well, who told me that the season was over, that they were going down. He wanted them to get relegated because it would hurt [then owner] Mike Ashley, and that was all he had left.” Five days later, Ashley was gone. ‘Cans?’ had previously been the code word among fans – a one-word question posed after every update that contained even a semblance of hope that a takeover was imminent. The Toon Army had been under celebratory starter’s orders for months, but their tinnies hadn’t left the fridge. An indication of the fans’ desire for change in ownership came via a poll conducted by the club’s supporters’ trust – 93.8 per cent of members voted in favour of a takeover being greenlit by the Premier League. PCP Capital Partners, RB Sports & Media and the Public Investment Fund were the prospective custodians, a consortium comprised of husband-and-wife business partners Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Amanda Staveley, billionaire British property developers the Reuben family and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund respectively. With estimated assets of £538 billion, PIF would be fronting 80 per cent of the deal. Newcastle’s defeat at Wolves marked 18 months since a price of £305m had been agreed with Ashley, who was finally ready to sell after 14 unhappy years. But there was a snag. Amid a political dispute, Saudi Arabia were blocking Qatar’s beIN Sports network from broadcasting in their country – beIN had exclusively screened Premier League matches across the Middle East and North Africa since 2013 and had just renewed their contract for almost £400m. Despite Saudi Arabia getting in the way of that TV deal, PIF now wanted a seat at the Premier League table, through Newcastle. It was awkward. The breakthrough came four days after Newcastle’s miserable Molineux afternoon. Saudi Arabia had officially lifted their four- “YEEEESSSS!” Clockwise from top “Time for #Cans”; Staveley and Ghodoussi own 10 per cent of the Magpies; the fans never gave up hope of happier times; Howe celebrates top-four football nEWCASTLE UnITED

FourFourTwo September 2023 33 nEWCASTLE UnITED colleagues in the days following the takeover, and it felt like a volcano erupting. Positivity swept over everyone, not just the supporters celebrating with their cans.” An international break meant Newcastle had to be patient for their first post-takeover match. Bruce was still in the dugout for the visit of Spurs to St James’ Park – he’d had a brief meeting with new co-owner Staveley a few days earlier and been told to prepare for the game as normal. “He knew the writing was on the wall for him, though, irrespective of the Tottenham game’s outcome,” a friend of Bruce tells FFT. “Steve was just doing his job, trying to be professional until the last day,” continues centre-back Fernandez. “No one in the squad knew what was coming next.” Now 34, the defender left Newcastle at the end of that season, and says players rarely discussed the Saudi Arabia angle of the takeover. “We tried to focus on the thing that we love and we do as professionals, which is playing football,” he insists. “We put enough energy in at the training ground. The other things were obviously what other people were looking at – they needed to talk about that, not us.” As a one-club city, Newcastle and their fortunes set the mood of an entire area. “It was full of expectancy,” says Alex Hurst, who runs fan channel True Faith. “It felt like the city was alive again. Newcastle is a drinking city around football – the city relies on matchday income for part of its economy, but it had been slowly dying since [Bruce’s predecessor] Rafael Benitez left, because the football after him was so bad. Around 15,000 fewer people were going to games.” Supporter group Wor Flags, who crowdfund massive tifo displays inside St James’ Park, hadn’t produced anything for a Toon home matchday since 2019. When Benitez left, they followed him. Instead, they produced sporadic barbed protest displays outside the stadium in lieu of much excitement within it under Bruce. With Ashley gone, Wor Flags were back. Inspiration for their return display came via an unlikely source. Big River by Jimmy Nail barely tickled the top 20 when released back in October 1995. The song is an emotional elegy to the height and subsequent decline, of Newcastle’s once-thriving shipbuilding industry. Dire Straits frontman (and Geordie) Mark Knopfler performs guitar on the track that concludes on a touching note of hope. ‘‘’Cause this is a mighty town, built upon a solid ground, and everything they’ve tried so hard to kill, we will rebuild.” Among Magpies diehards, it ‘nailed’ the sentiment of the moment. Pre-match emotion – further ignited when Callum Wilson put Newcastle ahead after two minutes – was sobered by the visiting team that day. In Bruce’s 1,000th game as a manager, Tottenham won 3-2. Three days later, the Newcastle boss was sacked. The new owners weren’t content to battle relegation. “Do we want to win the Premier League within five to 10 years?” Staveley had asked reporters on day one. “Yes.” THE NEW KEEGAN Eddie Howe’s first day as Newcastle United boss began with a couple of cones 10 metres apart, running trainers rather than boots and a series of ever quickening ‘beeps’. The new manager was looking under the bonnet of the squad he’d inherited, via the beep test, most commonly performed on the first day of pre-season. Clips from the club’s YouTube channel showed players such as Dwight Gayle, Sean Longstaff and Jamaal Lascelles easing beyond level 15 of the test. Anything above 13 is ‘excellent’ for the average Joe. year restriction on beIN Sports and resolved to close pirate websites who were streaming the Premier League illegally. Restaurants and cafes and across the country began showing beIN once again. Saudi Arabia approached the broadcaster to settle a looming legal case – beIN had been claiming close to £750m in damages. #Cans was trending hard. Within 24 hours, the Premier League approved the takeover, having received “legally binding assurances” that the Saudi state would not control Newcastle. But it left many questions, which some believe are yet to be answered (see page 42). How would Saudi Arabia’s human rights record reflect on Newcastle? Would the league explain the legally binding assurances? Would Newcastle be signing Kylian Mbappe? And, er… what about Steve Bruce? “I really can’t remember Steve being down in any way,” recalls Derek Wright, the club’s head physio at the time. “Like the rest of us, he was incredibly excited about the future of Newcastle, even though he accepted that there would be changes.” Wright, who retired in the summer of 2022, had seen a lot in his 38 years at Newcastle. “We’d struggled at the start of 2021-22,” he says. “That wasn’t so much down to bad performances, tactics or anything like that, but all the takeover talk weighed heavily. “Everyone knew for a long time that Mike Ashley was looking to sell the club – it meant that we were just trundling along, through no particular fault of anyone on the football side of things. I remember chatting to some “IT FELT LIKE THE CITY WAS ALIVE AGAIn, WHICH RELIES On MATCHDAY InCOME. IT WAS DYInG”

“Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy were the best,” chuckles Federico Fernandez. “Eddie wanted an intense team who played high, wanted the ball and played direct football. All the training sessions were very detailed – it was demanding stuff, really well organised and good preparation. It was quick for us, the first couple of weeks, to understand what he wanted and how the training would be. You needed to adapt quickly.” Howe’s prognosis was positive. “They’re a fit group, but I think we can top that up,” he said. Such was the increased load, Jonjo Shelvey recalled climbing into bed at 8pm each night in the new regime’s first week. Howe was the 32nd permanent or interim manager under whom long-serving physio Wright had worked. The new gaffer’s dayto-day impact could compare only to Kevin Keegan’s arrival in 1992, when Newcastle were fighting relegation to the third tier. “I’m a creature of habit,” Wright tells FFT. “For years, I’d arrive at the training ground at bang on 7.30am. Eddie was always there before me. It was the same in the afternoons – I was among the last to leave, but Eddie always left after me.” Two days after the beep tests, Howe stood on the playing surface at an empty St James’ nEWCASTLE UnITED Park. He’d spent the past 48 hours sowing the first seeds of development among his squad at the Benton training base. This time, wearing a smart, slim-fitting black suit and thin grey tie, he was ready to face the media for the first time as Newcastle boss, but first allowed himself a quiet moment. BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Raisbeck, at the ground to hear the new manager speak, had the same idea. “I remember going to the seat where we commentate from inside the stadium, just to have a look at the pitch,” he says. “Eddie was out there, looking up at the giant Leazes End and Milburn Stand, taking it all in.” There was a throatiness to Howe as he met the press. He acknowledged he’d done a lot of shouting during his first two days at training. Messages like “no jogging”, “train as we play” and “if you think you’re maxed out, you’re not” echoed around Benton. Howe told the media that “everything felt right” to accept the job as Newcastle boss. Questions on Saudi Arabia were met with a response that he was only there to discuss football. His new team were winless after 11 games, five points from safety. After the press conference, Howe privately gathered members of the written media for an off-the-record huddle and asked them for patience, specifically regarding speculation linking squad members with moves away. “At his early pressers, Howe would say how impressed he was with the players he’d inherited,” one local writer reveals to FFT. “I remember on one occasion when the cameras were turned off, he stressed that he wasn’t just offering cheap platitudes – he genuinely meant it.” Ahead of Howe’s opening game in charge at home to Brentford, club doctor Paul Catterson strode towards him at the training ground. “I saw the doctor walking across the pitch and I was like, ‘Oh no, he’s coming for me!’” Howe later said. “I was like, ‘For f**k’s sake!’ It was an absolute disaster.” Howe had tested positive for COVID and would spend his first match isolating in a hotel room at the Hilton on Gateshead Quayside. Newcastle drew a chaotic game 3-3, but other results meant they propped up the table. “That felt typical Newcastle – fortunately he was OK,” says Raisbeck. After Brentford came a routine defeat at Arsenal, before a Tuesday night showdown at home to Norwich. There were 25 games left, but it felt like a relegation decider. After just nine minutes, Newcastle were down to 10 men, as Ciaran Clark was dismissed for “EDDIE SAW SOMETHInG In US, THAT WE WERE FIGHTInG EVEn In TOUGH SITUATIOnS” Above Suited, booted and sore-throated before his first press briefing Below Training soon stepped up under Howe

In the dressing room afterwards, a new ritual was born. “It was something that Eddie wanted to do when we won, to take a photo together in the changing room,” explains Fernandez. “He told us in that moment what we were doing and why – to celebrate a nice moment with a picture of everyone involved. Physios, kit men, everyone.” EMBARRASSING ARTETA Newcastle had to wait seven weeks for their next exultant dressing room photograph. After the Burnley triumph, their next six matches in all competitions ended in four defeats, with 14 goals conceded. They had finished 2021 having conceded 80 times in the calendar year, an unwanted Premier League record, then lost at home to League One Cambridge in the FA Cup third round. It was new signing Kieran Trippier’s debut. “He could be excused for wondering what the hell he’s signed up for – we, of course, have a life sentence, without parole,” popular fan site NUFC.com lamented. A fortnight later, the Magpies went to Elland Road. “Newcastle didn’t deserve to win,” admits True Faith’s Hurst. “Martin Dubravka pulled off two or three saves, Leeds kept missing chance after chance, then Newcastle showed real grit, a new kind of hardness they have now, where they can’t be bullied and the opposing crowd doesn’t bother them. Winning that game was huge.” The following day, the whole squad flew to Riyadh for a week of warm weather training. “A football decision,” stated Howe. Amnesty International UK’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh’s view was that “it will prove once again that sportswashing human rights crimes is the name of the game here, not football”. The trip was controversial, though the benefits of the seven-day excursion were significant from a sporting perspective. “It helped us get to know each other more,” says Fernandez. “We played some matches during the night, had competitions, enjoyed the good weather, did activities together, we played some golf. It always helps, a couple of days away in a country that we wouldn’t have probably gone to before. It surprised us in a good way. They treated us really well and we felt very welcomed. It was nice to see the owners over there and share a good moment with them.” Days after landing back in the North East, the squad had a trio of new team-mates: defenders Matt Targett and Dan Burn, plus Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, the latter a flagship signing from Lyon costing up to £40m. With Trippier and Chris Wood, Newcastle spent nearly £100m that January transfer window. Combine the outlay across all 14 winter windows under Ashley, and it totalled only a fraction more. Guimaraes’ impact proved seismic, and not just on the pitch. A club insider tells FFT that the Brazilian’s arrival added energy to the day-to-day mood at the training centre, and brought compatriot Joelinton further out of his shell. The pair had never met before, but have since acted as the best man at each other’s weddings. Beginning with that victory at Leeds, the Magpies won six games out of seven, drawing the other, to move 10 points clear of the relegation zone. BBC commentator Raisbeck noticed improvements in the team’s fitness and structure. “You could see that players nEWCASTLE UnITED a professional foul. Fernandez came off the bench to help Newcastle salvage something. They drew 1-1. It was something. “Eddie said after the game that he saw something in us – that we were still fighting, even in tough situations,” says Fernandez. Clark’s misjudgement had a bigger impact on one Magpies player than most. Joelinton dropped into midfield for the remainder of the match – up to that point, the £40m striker had managed just seven goals in 81 Premier League games and rarely looked comfortable. In midfield, he went smashing into tackles, protected the ball and linked defence with attack expertly. He left the stadium with the man of the match award. “After that he was the new Pirlo!” laughs Fernandez. “Joey came as a No.9, then played on the wing, but he has the physicality to run big distances. He’s Brazilian, so he has the quality. For me, football is about moments. It was crazy, because it was a tactical move that Eddie made because of that game, but that moment was so beautiful to see.” Overnight, Newcastle supporters went from complaining about Joelinton’s price tag to chanting that he’d only cost £40m. This summer, he scored on his senior debut for Brazil. From midfield. Newcastle suddenly had a ‘new’ midfielder and a foothold, plus another winnable game against Burnley four days later at a now supercharged St James’ Park. A first league win of the campaign, at the 15th attempt. Top to bottom Of course Jason Tindall is front and centre; the new Pirlo gets close attention; Bruno is loving life on Tyneside

were thinking, ‘Yeah, we’re good enough, we can do this’,” he explains. “The supporters were really on board, too, and they bought into it in a huge way. It just took off. Pretty much everything about the way they played changed. They went from a low block to high, from being passive to playing with intensity, from just trying to get the ball to Allan SaintMaximin all the time to having more players contribute all over the pitch. It now felt like a real team effort.” The final home game of the season against Arsenal was a glimpse at what the team was capable of under Howe. “F**king embarrassing!” yelled Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, after a 2-0 loss that ruined their chances of making the top four. “They were 10,000 times better than us,” said the seething Spaniard, in a dressing room rant captured by Amazon documentary cameras. “That Monday evening was a celebration of Howe’s miracle,” says Hurst. “Arsenal were lucky to only lose by two.” Newcastle were finally United again. The momentum generated would send them hurtling into 2022-23 with unstoppable force. “DO SOMETHING BIG” At the beginning of last season, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was in one of his better moods as he addressed the media after a match at St James’ Park. Maybe that was out of pure relief: the league champions had fought back from 3-1 down to salvage a point. “Newcastle have everything: they have pace, they have quality, they made it physical, it’s a very difficult place to come,” said Guardiola. “Newcastle were aggressive. We didn’t have control.” The one thing missing perhaps was luck – striker Callum Wilson had limped off with a hamstring injury. “I get the impression that just yet. We have to make sure that our pound goes further than a Manchester City, Chelsea or Liverpool.” There was, though, wriggle room for one more summer deal. PIF governor and Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan had been a sporadic matchday presence at St James’ Park, but was inside the stadium to watch Wilson limp off against Manchester City and gave permission to “do something big”. Five days later, Newcastle broke their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak for around £63m. Inside a week, the former Real Sociedad and Borussia Dortmund forward opened the scoring for Newcastle at Anfield. Roberto Firmino equalised, before Liverpool’s rhythm nEWCASTLE UnITED RAY HARFORD Kenny Dalglish’s former assistant (above right) was a pioneer as an English gaffer in the group stage of the Champions League, having stepped up to take the Blackburn job in 1995. They finished bottom, however. Leeds’ Howard Wilkinson and Besiktas boss Gordon Milne had taken part in 1992-93, but didn’t make it as far as the group stage. BOBBY ROBSON Wor Bobby joined Harford in failing to escape the 1995-96 group stage, at Porto. He suffered the same fate with PSV three years later, despite five goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy, but guided Newcastle into a second group stage in 2002-03 following a famous 3-2 win against Feyenoord. He remains the only English coach to manage more than one team in the competition. HARRY REDKNAPP ’Arry isn’t the continental type, so Spurs reaching the Champions League in 2010-11 was a bit like that Only Fools and Horses episode where Del Boy and Rodney jet off to Benidorm. Grandad didn’t get arrested in this one but Peter Crouch did get a quarterfinal red card at Real Madrid. A Gareth Bale-propelled side had defeated both Inter and Milan by then. Lovely jubbly. GARY NEVILLE G-Nev’s near-four months as Valencia supremo yielded just one Champions League group game. Replacing Nuno Espirito Santo in December 2015, Neville knew a win at home to Lyon plus a Gent slip-up against Zenit would steer Los Che through to the last 16. What happened? Valencia lost and Gent won – ah well, there’s always next time, Gary. Only there, er, wasn’t. Howe is the ninth permanent English boss to manage in the Champions League group stage or beyond An EnGLISHMAn ABROAD. . . 36 September 2023 FourFourTwo that others at the club were concerned with Wilson’s fitness record, and were very much in favour of bringing in a replacement,” one North East writer tells FFT. “That wasn’t a priority for Howe though, because he had such faith in Wilson.” The pair had, of course, memorably joined forces at Bournemouth. Newcastle’s summer had perhaps not been as busy as expected. Goalkeeper Nick Pope and defender Sven Botman arrived for a combined £45m. Matt Targett’s loan was turned into a £15m permanent deal, but that was largely it. Newcastle’s new owners were taking Financial Fair Play seriously. “It’s definitely been challenging,” admitted co-owner Jamie Reuben. “You’ve got to be controlled, especially with some of the other clubs – you’ve seen the amounts they’ve spent. Financial Fair Play means we can’t do “nEWCASTLE HAVE IT ALL – PACE, QUALITY AnD PHYSICALITY. THEY ARE SO AGGRESSIVE”

Miguel Almiron’s left foot. In the blink of an eye, the Paraguayan hit an instinctive volley and Newcastle were on their way to a 4-1 victory. It was the first day of October, but the goal of the month award had already been settled. Almiron would be named Premier League player of the month, too. “I’d felt good before then, but the goals hadn’t quite come,” he recalls to FFT. “It was a question of confidence, and it began with scoring twice against Fulham.” Almiron notched seven goals in the eight league matches immediately preceding the mid-season World Cup break. In ex-gaffer Bruce’s last full Newcastle season, Almiron had struck just four in the Premier League, a square peg in a round hole amid rumours of a transfer away from the club. In Howe’s front-foot system, he was born again. Newcastle weren’t used to having players involved in major tournaments and, even if Almiron’s Paraguay hadn’t qualified, the World Cup hiatus arrived at an inopportune time after the Tynesiders had beaten Chelsea to cement third spot. “Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson came back from Qatar, and neither of them looked fully fit,” says True Faith’s Hurst. When the January transfer window opened, the club were mere spectators. “Inside Newcastle, they preach privately what they preach publicly,” insists Hurst. “The club are up against it, FFP-wise. We have to sell players to continue spending.” Towards the end of the month, there was movement – Jonjo Shelvey and Chris Wood joined Nottingham Forest, freeing up money for Newcastle to sign Anthony Gordon from Everton for £45m. An exciting transfer for an exciting young English player, but there was a bigger talking point on Tyneside. “AM GAN TO GET ME SUIT MEASURED!” bellowed Dan Burn, paying homage to an iconic Paul Gascoigne quote after the local lad had helped Spurs reach the 1991 FA Cup Final. Newcastle had just won a semi-final of their own – beating Southampton 3-1 on aggregate – and were into the League Cup final, their first major showpiece since 1999. It was emotional. Perhaps too emotional. The week leading up to the game against Manchester United was a very long one for Newcastle’s players. Additional media duties, training, ticket clamour and travelling were all prefaced by a tidal wave of hope heaped on them by a fanbase who’d been waiting 68 years for a major domestic trophy. Was this the moment? “CHAMPIONS LEAGUE? I CAN’T EVEN PRONOUNCE IT” As it turned out, the League Cup final was all over when Marcus Rashford made it 2-0 six minutes before half-time with an effort that deflected agonisingly beyond Loris Karius. The Newcastle third-choice goalkeeper’s most recent appearance for an English outfit came in that nightmare 2018 Champions League Final for Liverpool against Real Madrid, and although neither Nick Pope (suspended) nor Martin Dubravka (cup-tied) would have prevented either goal, their absence contributed to a wider crisis of confidence that Newcastle seemed to suffer in the unfamiliar final setting. “It just felt like the wrong time for us,” sighs Hurst. “The game was an enormous nEWCASTLE UnITED CRAIG SHAKESPEARE Which gaffer guided Leicester to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2017? It was Claudio Ranieri, right? Wrong: Ranieri was sacked a day after a 2-1 defeat at Sevilla in the first leg of the last 16, so perennial assistant Shakespeare stepped into his first crack at the top job and promptly won the second leg 2-0, before succumbing to Atletico Madrid in the last eight. FRANK LAMPARD Super Frank’s knockout stage record as a boss isn’t the best: he lost 7-1 on aggregate to Bayern in 2020, then 4-0 to Real Madrid last season, though he was only caretaker for the latter, like Liverpool’s Phil Thompson after Gerard Houllier’s heart surgery in 2001. When Lamps was dismissed mid-campaign in 2021, Thomas Tuchel arrived for the knockouts and won the thing. Ah. GRAHAM POTTER Two of Chelsea’s three coaches last season were English: defeat in their opening group game against Dinamo Zagreb spelt the end for Tuchel, so in came Potter, who beat Milan home and away as the Blues won the group, then overcame Dortmund in the last 16. Seven matches, five victories: no English boss can boast a better win percentage in the competition. Yay. SCOTT PARKER Parker’s win percentage – not quite so good. Two games, two defeats, after his unlikely spell as head honcho of Club Brugge last term. Appointed on December 31, he took over a side that had triumphed 4-0 at Porto in the group stage, but the team was on the slide domestically. Under Parker, they lost 2-0 and 5-1 to Benfica in the last 16, and he was booted out by March. FourFourTwo September 2023 37 was interrupted by some dubious ailments ‘suffered’ by Howe’s men, with the manager confessing “we wanted to slow the game down”. The hosts scored a 98th-minute winner and, as both benches clashed, police intervention was required. The Kop less-thanpolitely encouraged Newcastle to the exit. “My ideal is that we’re booed off every week when we go to away grounds,” said Howe. “You don’t want to be popular. We’re here to win, we’re here to compete – and we’ll do whatever it takes.” Newcastle would go almost six months unbeaten in the league. A few weeks later, in the corner of the 18-yard box at Fulham’s Craven Cottage, a looping ball fell out of the sky and on to Clockwise from above Almiron volleys a Fulham banger; Gordon arrived in winter; “Alex, we’ve got to go and get our suits measured!”

“There was a feeling of shock when Tonali moved to Newcastle – for Milan supporters, he represented the perfect player. He’s a Milan fan, and on the pitch he has a winning mentality and attitude. He didn’t have the captain’s armband but for everyone, me included, he was the ideal Rossoneri skipper. “I thought Sandro could stay at Milan his whole career, but he understood the significance of the fee that Newcastle had paid – with that money, Milan have signed three or four good players. In a certain sense, in the eyes of Milan fans, he was a necessary sacrifice. He also understood that joining Newcastle was an incredible chance for him to grow in the most important league in the world. He would have happily done it at Milan, but this is a big opportunity. He had to accept that Milan wanted to sell him. “Tonali is a player who doesn’t let his emotions out – he’s always very serious, and he’s in a serious relationship too. He doesn’t go out to nightclubs if it isn’t for a team party. Newcastle have made a great signing, he’s a great professional. “To begin with he was compared to Andrea Pirlo because they have similar hair and both started at Brescia, but above all because he played very well. Tonali has good feet, even if they aren’t those of Pirlo yet. I know that Sandro feels more like Gennaro Gattuso, but he can become a proper player because he has so much quality. Gattuso is my friend, but he definitely didn’t possess the quality of Tonali – Gennaro was a player who ran himself into the ground. “Tonali said he wanted to be inspired by Gattuso, who gave everything on the pitch. Tonali is somewhere between Pirlo and Gattuso. He’s tidy on the ball but runs a lot and is very aggressive. Tonali is also good enough to become a regular starter for the Italian national team. “Knowing how he takes on his work, the first thing he’ll be doing now is trying to learn English as quickly as possible. If Newcastle were drawn to play Milan in the Champions League, I’d be really surprised if the Milan fans whistled him. After his superb performances for the club, I think they would applaud him.” “PIRLO? GATTUSO? TOnALI IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEn THE TWO” SAYS ALESSAnDRO COSTACURTA Champions League star Sandro Tonali joined Newcastle for £55 million this summer, sending Milan and Toon fans into differing frenzies. Rossoneri hero Costacurta tells FFT what to expect... nEWCASTLE UnITED 38 September 2023 FourFourTwo nEWCASTLE UnITED disappointment – Manchester United were very comfortable. I thought our fans didn’t really turn up, flag waving aside. We didn’t do ourselves justice as a club – if you want to be a big club it’s got to be about winning, not having a good time.” In the club’s first real test under their new ownership, they failed. In April, the Magpies passed a new exam in breathtaking fashion. It was fourth versus fifth in the Premier League, Newcastle three points ahead of Tottenham with a game in hand, but a defeat could have been hugely damaging to their Champions League hopes. “THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! NEWCASTLE UNITED HAVE… FIVE! I can’t believe it!” commentator Matthew Raisbeck screamed over the St James’ din as the home side led their Champions League decider 5-0 after only 21 minutes. They won 6-1. Newcastle had their statement. Tottenham had a more expensive squad, a much bigger wage bill (and stadium), Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and experience of qualifying for the Champions League. The Magpies shut the door on them. True Faith’s Hurst felt the landscape shift that day. “Newcastle have got Eddie Howe, who no one else really wanted,” he says. “They’ve got players who’ve been written off. They’ve got fans who have been slagged off relentlessly by other supporters across the country, by the previous owner, by the previous manager. They’ve got Amanda Staveley, who was called a time-waster. They’ve got a playing squad for which they paid about a third less than Spurs overall, and they were 5-0 up after 21 minutes. That’s why football is the greatest game. If everything happened the way it should, it wouldn’t be that interesting. We’ll probably never experience anything like that again. It was a privilege to be there.” Newcastle secured Champions League qualification with a match to spare, thanks to a nervy 0-0 draw at home to Leicester. Howe’s side couldn’t turn their possession into a goal and retreated for the closing 15 minutes, clinging to the point they needed. The tension transferred to the home support. During added time, Pope parried a stinging Timothy Castagne volley brilliantly. It was a pivotal moment, a scary reminder of how Newcastle used to concede. A valve released inside the stadium. Tension turned to elation. Newcastle had done it, without even needing a result at Stamford Bridge on the last day. “In 2021-22 we were only thinking about saving ourselves from relegation,” Miguel Almiron tells FFT. “But with the new players, coach and owners, the chips have changed for this club, the mentality is totally different. We’re now thinking about bigger objectives

Daniel Haddad is the head of commercial strategy at Octagon, one of the world’s largest sports marketing agencies, and has played an advisory role on deals that include Liverpool’s partnerships with Expedia and Standard Chartered. He’s well positioned to map out the road that Newcastle face. “There are two elements,” he says. “One is infrastructure. The biggest commercial departments aren’t small operations. If you look at Liverpool, they’ve got significant internal resource to act on all commercial opportunities. Newcastle have already made some pretty good strides in terms of staffing up that commercial team. It’s not as big a cost as the playing staff, but it can be quite a significant department to operate.” CEO Darren Eales and chief commercial officer Peter Silverstone, who have arrived in the past 12 months from MLS side Atlanta United and Arsenal respectively, are seen as simply the start of what’s expected to be a steady flow of top-class individuals from the commercial world joining Newcastle. They’ll help to hit revenue objectives and drive the club forward. “The other thing is positioning in the marketplace, developing the brand, communicating what Newcastle United stands for and how they’re different from other Premier League clubs. That’s linking back into the club’s heritage, creating a story that isn’t just intertwined with the ownership. When you go into a room to pitch to brands for sponsorship, you have to really sell the story of Newcastle United.” In June, Newcastle signed a new £25ma-year shirt sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabian events company Sela, majorityowned by PIF. A significant improvement on their previous agreement with Fun88, it was higher than deals at Aston Villa or Everton, but still around 50 per cent of the the value of a traditional Champions League club. Last year they partnered with e-commerce brand Noon (the Middle East’s Amazon) on a sleeve sponsorship deal worth around £7.5m a year. Two big commercial contracts coming from the Saudi companies raised eyebrows, but Haddad reasons that isn’t as challenging a situation as one might think. “The Premier League have put in place a ‘fair market value’ process where deals must be pre-approved,” he says. “Any related party transaction has to be flagged and submitted to the Premier League. The shirt deal they did this summer is a sensible value.” A third major commercial lever is the kit supplier – Newcastle’s existing deal is with fledgling brand Castore. “I’d be surprised if it’s a Castore kit renewal,” one industry insider tells FFT. “There have been a series of discussions between the club and Adidas.” Haddad continues: “A key consideration is global distribution – the advantage of going with an Adidas or Nike is their global retail capability. But I’m pretty sure the biggest consideration will be the size of the upfront, guaranteed payments.” What about any brand’s reputational nervousness when they consider partnering with a majority Saudi-owned football club? “There are plenty of brands aligning with state-owned clubs like PSG and Man City,” he counters. “There might be some challenges on the ownership, but if you look at what City have done, the model of that is replicable. In 10 to 15 years, is it going to be such a talking point as it is now? I’m not sure it is.” Huge decisions and changes will need to be made over the coming years. One of the biggest and most emotional is whether to move stadium. Newcastle have played at St James’ Park since 1892, but listed buildings behind the East Stand make development tricky, if not impossible. An extension to the Gallowgate End presents challenges, and even then could only have a modest impact on the 52,000 capacity. In July, more than 50,000 fans without season tickets bought club memberships that will enable them to enter a ballot for the few thousand matchday tickets that go on sale to the general public. In reality, Newcastle need a stadium closer to 80,000 in capacity. “I’m undecided,” says Raisbeck on the possibility of a stadium switch. “When you go to the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, you’re overwhelmed by how unbelievable it is. If Newcastle had something like that, the commercial potential would probably be unlimited. But St James’ Park is such a special place – it’s got so many memories.” The new owners have publicly played FourFourTwo September 2023 39 nEWCASTLE UnITED and that’s because of the work we’re putting in. When you win, everything feels better, but we’re also surer of ourselves.” Prior to the game, Howe was asked if he’d allowed himself to actually say the words ‘Champions League’. “I can’t pronounce it!” he joked. Now, with Newcastle assured of a top-four finish, he wasn’t so tongue-tied. “We’ve shot ahead of schedule,” he said, before acknowledging that there were some “big challenges ahead”. Newcastle were a Champions League club again. It had been 20 years since you could say that. FOURTH-PLACED PROBLEMS “We can’t continue to spend £200m in one year,” Newcastle’s sporting director Dan Ashworth said at a media event shortly after last summer’s transfer window. Ashworth, the FA’s former technical director, wasn’t cheap himself. His high-profile acquisition from Brighton included a multi-million pound compensation package that required he be on gardening leave for six months before he could start work in the North East. With Champions League fixtures now on their schedule, Newcastle are now in a race to drive up all off-pitch metrics and gain crucial ground on the European elite, from commercial revenue, social media following and brand identity – and awareness outside the UK – to stadium infrastructure and the training facilities. There is work to be done. Clockwise from below Ashworth will add nous as sporting director; new CEO Eales has moved from MLS; back in the big time; “Lads, it’s Tottenham...”

“I’m absolutely buzzing for Harvey to join Newcastle, as he’s such a top lad – he’ll do brilliantly. Part of my job at Leicester involved watching him when he was on loan at MK Dons, Barnsley and West Brom. He had a big impact at those clubs. I’d meet him for coffee, go over his clips and give him feedback. He was totally engaged as a young player – he wanted the information. “Harvey’s got an incredible family around him. His dad Paul is a former striker who played for York, Burnley and others, and Harvey has benefited from that guidance. His numbers have been incredible for a winger in the Premier League – he scored 13 goals last season. “He has terrific speed, which is a huge asset. He’s a winger who plays on the left, but he’s right-footed so he likes to drift in with the ball – he also has that ability to go on the outside and deliver crosses with his left foot. He’s brilliant against low block defences or in counterattacks on transitions, where there’s a lot of space behind the defensive line. “His job now, of course, will be fitting into how Eddie Howe wants to play, but Harvey’s a fast learner. He’ll very quickly become a fans’ favourite, because what Geordies love is somebody who gets you on the edge of your seat. “When we faced Eddie Howe’s teams at Leicester, I was always struck by how together they were as a group of players and staff. You could see the connection. The strength of Newcastle last season was their collective. Harvey’s personality will fit into that model, no question. After training, he wants to do extras – he’s got this deep desire to keep getting better. “He’ll be very ambitious, but he’s a very level-headed lad. That’s a major strength – he won’t get lost in the emotion.” “HARVEY’S SPEED IS A HUGE ASSET. HE’S BRILLIAnT AGAInST DEEPER DEFEnCES” nEWCASTLE UnITED 14 September 2023 FourFourTwo down the likelihood of a relocation from the stadium (above), but it will almost certainly be a hot conversation topic for the board. Of more immediate concern is Newcastle’s training ground. The facility, situated four miles to the north east of the city centre, became an ugly symbol of the Ashley era. An image of Newcastle players using outdoor paddling pools as ice baths often surfaced on social media as a stick with which to beat the former owners. “Newcastle outgrew that place many years ago,” admits Robbie Elliott, who played 142 league games for the Magpies across two spells in the 1990s and 2000s. Now running his own consulting firm advising sports organisations and athletes on health, wellness, performance and technology, he recently toured Newcastle’s training ground. “They’ve done some upgrades – there’s a new reception, a larger dining hall, they’ve put in a team meeting room, the gym’s in the best state it’s been for years and they’re going to extend again,” he enthuses. “They know what they want. A lot has changed, but there’s still a long, long way to go yet.” Problematically, Newcastle have already run out of space on their current plot – they either need to extend or move completely, both of which are expensive undertakings. “That conversation of, ‘where next and when?’ is already ongoing,” reveals Elliott. Fortunately, FFP doesn’t place any limit on what can be invested into a stadium or training facility. The Reuben family, as 10 per cent owners, also brings serious property expertise to the table, particularly within Newcastle. They already own Gosforth Park racecourse in an affluent suburb of the city – could a training ground solution lie in the acres of parkland surrounding the track? “It’s not going to be overnight,” adds Elliott of whichever location they come up with. “In the meantime, it makes it tricky for staff and operations. The sooner they can understand when that new training ground is going to be available and start working towards that target, the better.” Life is coming at Newcastle United fast, and keeping pace off the pitch has created hundreds of fourth-placed problems. The hierarchy are attempting to answer them, though there are only so many hours in the day. Money can’t buy you time, but winning football games can. Over to you then, Eddie. “VERY QUICKLY, HARVEY WILL BECOME A FAnS’ FAVOURITE AT ST JAMES’ PARK” Adam Sadler coached Harvey Barnes for eight years at Leicester, including two spells as joint caretaker boss – the Geordie can’t hide his happiness that the 25-year-old has joined Newcastle

‘FOOTBALLSHIRTSARE APOWERFUL THInG’ Why Lyle & Scott aregiving away thesestunningkits to grassrootsclubs for free Follow theLyle & Scottgrassroots football journey on Instagram & TikTok(@lyle_and_scott) andsearchlyleandscottonFacebook I t’s an incredible commitment. British lifestyle brand Lyle & Scott are ploughing seven-figures into grassroots football via a new campaign they’re calling ‘Kits for Clubs’. It will see tens of thousands of beautiful new kits issued to amateur players for seasons to come - for free! Clubs are invited to visit kitsforclubs.lyleandscott.com and complete a short online application form. An expert panel will review the application before deciding if they can kit your club out. Whether it’s 5-a-side or 11-a-side, freestylers or pub teams, your team could be running out in these wonderful Lyle & Scott kits at no cost. There will be number customisation for individual players in your team, and if your club is newly formed Lyle & Scott will go the extra mile and design a club crest. “I am so proud of this initiative,” explains Brand & Marketing Director Ben Gunn. “I know first-hand how tough funding and support at grassroots is. “Football shirts are a powerful thing, and being fortunate enough to play and enjoy watching football throughout my life, I associate important life lessons and memories with different football kits. “We are starting at the bottom with grassroots and building up to the top, realising that the time for change is now. Within football, the rich only get richer and to be truly inclusive means being democratic.” To be clear, this isn’t a one season wonder. Kits for Clubs will continue to be developed and grown by Lyle & Scott for years, supporting the funding and infrastructure the grassroots game desperately needs. The huge global initiative, ‘Kits for Clubs’, is designed to support grassroots football teams going through financial hardship by removing the cost of football strips Applications for kits can be made now! Visit kitsforclubs.lyleandscott.com Or scan this QR code Share your club’s story and you could be pulling on one of these beautiful kits this season “WE ARE STARTInG AT THE BOTTOM WITH GRASSROOTS AnD BUILDInG TO THE TOP” ADVERTORIAL

“W e don’t demand a team that wins, we demand a club that tries,” read the banner. Such was the rot that had set in at Newcastle United in Mike Ashley’s 14 years, that any concerns the club’s fans had over a takeover merely extended as far as ‘when’, never ‘whom’. The two entirely avoidable relegations, the rebranding of the stadium as the Sports Direct Arena, the hiring of Joe Kinnear, the employment tribunal with Kevin Keegan, the failure to retain Rafael Benitez. The decision to release Jonas Gutierrez – a man who mere months prior had made his footballing return after battling cancer – by asking the also-released Ryan Taylor if he could “pass the phone to Jonas”. Only the word count prevents me from going on. Newcastle fans would, understandably, have greeted any new owners with the most open of arms by 2020. So much so, that when reports first emerged of the acquisition led by Amanda Staveley, the fact it involved an investment group that would make them the “richest club in the world” was almost a footnote on Tyneside. The Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (below), was about as far removed from the club’s previous administration as it was possible to be. One was linked to a nation state with geopolitical influence on a global scale, the other was a guy from Walsall who flogged trainers on the cheap and once held crunch talks with a manager while eating a £7.95 spaghetti bolognese. What rendered the Ashley era untenable was its overall aspirations. A one-club city with a famously obsessive fanbase, who had flirted with tangible success in recent memory, were simply incompatible with an owner devoid of ambition. Spending just enough to survive in the Premier League, advertising the club as a stepping stone to potential signings, and employing managers who wouldn’t question those decisions. It wasn’t going to need a sovereign wealth fund to bring Newcastle United back from its necrosis, but that’s what they got. They will be (and already have been) a team that wins. As that banner read though, it was merely that they became a club that tried that ingratiated the new owners with the vast majority of the fanbase. That, for a lot of people, is the problem. Though the public face of the takeover consists of British business magnate Staveley, her British-Iranian financier husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, plus British billionaire and investor Jamie Reuben and family, they account for only 20 per cent of the club’s actual ownership. The remaining 80 per cent, and 100 per cent of the controversy, belongs to PIF. What makes the conversation such a difficult one is that, ironically for this of all clubs, almost none of it is black and white. Even the very label of ‘sportswashing’, used time and again by the club’s critics to condemn the takeover, is easy to dismiss for those who wilfully refuse to see a problem. Sportswashing was Berlin hosting the Olympics in 1936 to allay the world’s fears over the political direction that Germany was taking. Sportswashing was American tobacco companies paying all of the major baseball stars to advertise their product when reports were beginning to suggest smoking was bad for your health. Sportswashing was Russia invading Ukraine in 2014 while they were hosting the Winter Olympics, safe in the knowledge that the event would dominate news agendas that week. Mass appeasement of a population through the distraction of sport on a national, continental or global scale. That’s not something that’s even remotely possible in the fiercely tribal arena of English club football. For every one Newcastle fan dancing outside the ground with a tea-towel wrapped around their head, hundreds of supporters of other sides decry Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, and the horrific murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. How can you call it sportswashing, some Magpies fans will argue, when it’s having literally the opposite effect? Well, it’s the bigger picture. Signing Harvey Barnes and announcing a fanzone in the city centre isn’t “mass appeasement on a global scale”, but the staggering sum spent this summer in the Saudi Pro League is. LIV Golf is. A potential joint World Cup bid with Egypt and Greece is, were that to go ahead. As difficult as it is to pin down exactly what role owning Newcastle United plays in all of that, it’s part of the same project, run by the same people, and pushing the same ambitions. Saudi Vision 2030. Under Bin Salman’s rule, Saudi Arabia has embarked upon the biggest PR exercise the world has ever seen. Simultaneously trying to modernise the country economically and socially, while at the same time projecting an image of being an upwardly mobile and financially vibrant player on the world stage, they want the eyes of the entire globe, and specifically the west, to light up at the very sight of it all. Few things elicit that reaction easier than football. Although there have been immediate comparisons to the equally as expensive but ultimately abortive attempts of other nations to ‘buy’ a major league (Oscar still plays in China, in case you’re wondering), the mass influx of big name players to the Saudi Pro League is very different. For all that most people scoffed at Cristiano Ronaldo’s claims that it would soon be one of the top five leagues in the world, that is the cast-iron aim of the Saudi government – they’ve already proved this summer they have both the money and the plan to make that a reality. As FFT went to press, the lengthy list of names who’d been lured there during the current nEWCASTLE UnITED WHATMAKES THE OWnERSHIP COnVERSATIOn DIFFICULT IS THAT, IROnICALLY FOR nEWCASTLE, nOnE OF IT IS BLACK AnD WHITE The Magpies’ Saudi Arabia investment has divided English football down the middle. Lifelong supporter Adam Clery explains why it’s left the fanbase in a tricky position 42 September 2023 FourFourTwo

transfer window included Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mané, Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Marcelo Brozovic, Sergej MilinkovicSavic and Allan Saint-Maximin, plus coaches Steven Gerrard, Slaven Bilic and Jorge Jesus. Part of Saudi Arabia’s grand plan, however far removed it feels, is Newcastle United. Ownership of a top-flight English team, and successfully turning them into a European football staple, provides PIF with two things vital to their long-term aims – credibility as a footballing entity who are here for the long haul, and a seat at the table of both the Premier League and UEFA. They now have a voice at the highest levels of the game, and have to be taken seriously as a result. Thus, if there is sportswashing going on, it was never aimed at the fans, it was aimed at the governing bodies. When money talks, it doesn’t do so wearing a replica shirt with a pint in its hand, it does it in an £8,000 suit at a FIFA conference in Zurich. Whatever your thoughts on the takeover, whether you’re a Newcastle supporter or not, it’s impossible to expect one fanbase to be the sole moral arbiters of the game. Football has slowly allowed increasingly distasteful elements of business, celebrity, politics and consumerism to swallow it whole over the past few decades, and one group of fans was never going to be where the line was finally drawn. The sovereign wealth funds of nation states with deplorable human rights records, and prehistoric laws regarding the treatment of women and social groups (including LGBT rights) they judge to be “distasteful”, should not be allowed to own Premier League football clubs. But neither should men like Mike Ashley. Newcastle fans tried their best to make the latter point for over a decade and were met with deaf ears by rivals of other clubs and executives alike. That many Newcastle fans are returning the favour to those who, understandably, view the new administration as being worse by orders of magnitude is seen as fair game to some, and grossly hypocritical to others. The truth, as ever, is somewhere in between. Until fans are given a shred of the power required to determine who does and doesn’t control their club, the only place you’ll ever truly hear their voice is within the confines of a matchday stadium. For Newcastle, whether it’s boom or bust, it’s right where it’s always been. FourFourTwo September 2023 43 nEWCASTLE UnITED SOVEREIGn WEALTH FUnDS SHOULDn’T OWn CLUBS, BUT THEn nEITHER SHOULD MEn LIKE MIKE ASHLEY Picture @Ettifaq_EN Clockwise from top The banner that defines Newcastle; Gerrard and Hendo reunite; CR7 thinks Saudi football is on the rise; Benzema has also bowled up Below LIV Golf is part of a wider plan

44 September 2023 FourFourTwo PREM nEW BOYS From Manchester United’s Danish bride to Little Pep linking up with Big Pep, a gaggle of eager-to-impress stars have arrived in the Premier League this summer. FFT gets the lowdown... Before September’s next round of Euro 2024 qualifiers, he was joint-top scorer. Local rivals Manchester City found love with Erling Haaland last summer, so United will hope for similar from their Scandinavian new boy. Both are left-footed, flourished in Austria and have powerful centre-forward frames – though the Dane is fractionally shorter at 6ft 3in – to use their speed to run into space, with or without the ball. Hojlund demonstrated that perfectly at Lazio in February, scoring Atalanta’s second in a 2-0 victory. The visitors didn’t dominate possession, but the forward caused havoc on the counter-attack while also displaying impressive technical ability in tight areas. Were that not enough, he has the skill that every striker needs – he knows where the goal is. His instinct frequently compels him to turn, dribble and shoot. At Spezia in January, he did exactly that: receiving the ball with back to goal, then swivelling and slotting into the net with his weaker foot. Manchester United had to dig deep into their pockets to sign Hojlund, but they’ve secured one of the world’s best players in his age group. Only seven under-23s – Haaland included – boasted a better non-penalty xG in Europe and, in Ten Hag, he has a coach who’s likely to develop him further. A new Viking has arrived in Manchester, ready to make his name. Fifty-two goals may be a big ask to match you know who, but Hojlund’s near-identical goalscoring output and xG last season proves he will gobble up chances. Love is in the air at Old Trafford. RASMUSHOJLUnD ATALANTA TO MANCHESTER UNITED Words Daniele Verri 2020. By the start of 2022, despite his five senior goals coming in the Europa Conference League rather than the Danish Superliga, he was snapped up by Sturm Graz. He scored 12 times in 21 games in all competitions, earning a £15m move to Atalanta last August, just seven months after his arrival in Austria. Hojlund spent a few months adapting both to Serie A and coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s high-risk, attacking requirements, but then things really took off. After the turn of the year he was devastating, scoring nine of the 10 goals he plundered in all competitions. That coincided with a major impact for the national team. An international debut last September wasn’t quite enough to force his way into Denmark’s World Cup squad, but the youngster netted a hat-trick on his first start for his country, against Finland in March. He then scored twice in Kazakhstan, followed by another against Slovenia in June to take his international tally to six in just six caps. The wedding of Rasmus Hojlund and Manchester United was the consummation of a long courtship, one that largely took place away from prying eyes. Much of it was down to Hojlund’s new agents, who also happen to represent Erik ten Hag. Some time ago, the Red Devils’ boss had placed Hojlund at the top of his wish list, viewing the Danish forward as the potential centre of his Old Trafford project. It wasn’t too hard for the club to convince him, either. “I won’t hide the fact I’m a huge Manchester United supporter,” the 20-year-old revealed in January. A significant salary increase only added to the attraction. Atalanta made the most of the situation, forcing the initial fee up to £64 million, plus £8m in potential add-ons. It made Hojlund the fourth most expensive sale by a Serie A club, after Romelu Lukaku’s move fom Inter to Chelsea, Paul Pogba’s Juventus switch to to Manchester United and Gonzalo Higuain’s cross-country transfer from Napoli to Juve. Hojlund’s trajectory so far has been as vertical as a rocket taking off – after joining FC Copenhagen’s academy, his first-team debut came at the age of 17 in October

PREM nEW BOYS HOJLUnD’S CAREER TRAJECTORY HAS BEEn AS VERTICAL AS A ROCKET TAKInG OFF

PREM nEW BOYS Think of RB Leipzig as football’s finest finishing school. Players arrive in need of an education, and leave close to the complete article. Long before Christopher Nkunku and Dominik Szoboszlai rocked up at the German club’s Cottaweg training centre, it was clear how they could improve. A 2019 capture from Paris Saint-Germain, Nkunku lacked a scoring touch. “I’ve been told I need to work on my killer instinct,” the Frenchman explained towards the end of his time in the French capital – he made 29 PSG appearances in his final season, scoring four goals. “I sometimes don’t try my luck or I might miss the odd chance. I need to work on that – attackers must be decisive.” Szoboszlai had neither the drive nor the work rate to succeed as a modern midfielder prior to his 2021 arrival. “Marco Rose had to have a word with me a couple of times,” said Szoboszlai, about the coach who managed him at Leipzig and previous club Red Bull Salzburg. “He had to bring me back down to Earth. I thought what I was doing was enough. It wasn’t. I didn’t work hard enough off the ball and wasn’t focused enough.” Together at Leipzig, Nkunku and Szoboszlai developed into two of the most exciting attacking talents in European football. Naturally, they couldn’t have done it without the expert coaching on offer at Leipzig, but they might not have done it without one another either. The pair arrived at slightly different stages in their careers. Nkunku had been highly regarded at PSG, but had struggled to build minutes ahead of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. He wasted little time in earning a starting berth at Leipzig, scoring on his Bundesliga debut, adding another goal and two assists in his next five games. His versatility shone from the outset. Initially working under Julian Nagelsmann, the youngster was deployed on either wing, at No.10, as a striker and even as a central midfielder. “I didn’t want a forward who was restricted to just one position, but one who can take up a number of positions during a game,” said the Frenchman’s manager. “He is versatile and has real quality in attacking one-on-ones. He’s hungry for success.” Nkunku finished his debut season with five goals and 16 assists in all competitions. In 2020-21, he managed seven strikes and 11 assists. Though many forwards might see such constant shuffling of role as an inhibitor of their goalscoring ambitions, Nkunku could appreciate the positives. “Nagelsmann expects a lot from me, tactically, and he’s demanding about what I do in training and games,” he explained. “The coach also talks a lot about tactics, positioning – he wants me to understand how every aspect of the team works. That’s taken my development further.” Szoboszlai’s arrival, midway through that season in January 2021, would ultimately put a stop to Nkunku’s itinerant career. Hungary’s most expensive player in making the £18m switch from Salzburg, Szoboszlai would miss his first six months through injury, but soon provided the versatility and tactical intelligence to free up Nkunku’s natural virtuosity further forward. Under new boss Jesse Marsch, the pair’s first Leipzig start together came at home to Stuttgart in August 2021 on opposite flanks. The system worked well, with Szoboszlai scoring twice in a 4-0 victory. The Hungarian was initially deployed on the left, where his ability to cut inside and shoot from range was best utilised, but over time gravitated towards the right flank, with Nkunku moving into a central position. In a more advanced role, the Frenchman’s pace, finishing and intelligent movement delivered 35 goals and 20 assists across 2021-22. Of those club-record 55 goal involvements in 52 appearances, the most important was the equaliser in the 2022 DFB-Pokal Final against Freiburg, a game eventually won on penalties. The club had its first major trophy, and their star man was crowned Germany’s Footballer of the Year. “Christopher has developed incredibly,” club captain Willi Orban said after that final. “This should be the next step for him personally, as he takes more responsibility both on and off the pitch.” Nkunku didn’t shirk that responsibility, stepping up last term to share the Bundesliga Golden Boot with Werder Bremen’s Niclas Fullkrug on 16 strikes. That tally is all the more impressive when factoring in the three months he missed with a knee ligament injury that ruled him out of the World Cup. Leipzig raced to a top-three finish when their star forward returned to action in February. Szoboszlai’s own evolution has been more subtle. Across 91 appearances for RB Leipzig, the Hungarian was directly involved in 42 goals, creating a team-high 161 chances and ranking first in the entire Bundesliga for secondary chances created – also known as the pre-assist. Yet his technique and vision were never in doubt, areas in which the playmaker dazzled for Leipzig. More importantly from their perspective has been the 22-year-old’s defensive improvement. CHRISTOPHERnKUnKU&DOMInIKSZOBOSZLAI RB LEIPZIG TO CHELSEA & LIVERPOOL Words Ed McCambridge “CHRISTOPHER HAS DEVELOPED InCREDIBLY. THIS SHOULD BE THE nEXT STEP FOR HIM”

FourFourTwo September 2023 47 A player criticised by Rose as a youngster for not properly applying himself, and often questioned by Marsch for his work rate, has become a revelation off the ball over the past 12 months. Last season, only six Bundesliga outfielders made more sprints – a statistic used to evaluate pressing intention – while Szoboszlai featured in the top quarter of players for average distance covered (10.8km per game). Marsch’s replacement Domenico Tedesco praised the player’s application in training, while Rose, who took over in September 2022, identified his former Salzburg charge as key to Leipzig’s high press. By the time Nkunku and Szoboszlai simultaneously played their final match for the club, they looked ready to graduate. The 25-year-old Nkunku had evolved into the icecold finisher he’d once promised to be, while Szoboszlai was not only a class act with the ball, but a workhorse without it. They bid farewell in the sweetest way, both scoring in a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt to secure back-to-back DFB-Pokal titles (left). Nkunku even teed up Szoboszlai for the second goal. Afterwards, Leipzig coach Rose admitted that replacing Nkunku, who’d already said his goodbyes and joined Chelsea for £52m in June, would be “difficult”. Szoboszlai, a £60m summer signing for Liverpool, was no less valuable to the side. Two of Germany’s biggest stars have graduated from Leipzig’s famed finishing school and, though Nkunku will miss the first couple of months with a knee injury picked up in pre-season, are ready to take the Premier League by storm. “If he’s not a starter for Croatia by the time he’s 20,” said Dalibor Poldrugac, a coach in the Dinamo Zagreb academy back in 2019, “someone should go to jail for it.” The ‘he’ was a 17-year-old Josko Gvardiol, a left-footed defender who was considered a top prospect after switching from full-back to centre-back. Gvardiol actually became an international starter a year ahead of schedule: in 2021, he was selected for all four of Croatia’s games at the Euros, albeit at left-back. The tournament opener against England was only his second appearance for his country and his maiden start – at 19 years, four months and 21 days, he became Croatia’s youngest player at a major tournament. It wasn’t all hearts and flowers, though: in the last 16 defeat to Spain, Gvardiol went to the touchline to drink some water during the game, and Croatia were caught on the counter down his side of the pitch. It was an expensive lesson. The 21-year-old has always been a keen learner. There was a time in Gvardiol’s midteens when he wasn’t a starter for his youth team at Dinamo. He contemplated quitting football altogether and joining his father Tihomir, selling fish at the Dolac market in Zagreb. Instead, he took a mental map that a family friend created on a piece of paper and hung it on the wall of his room. It said ‘SUCCESS’ in capital letters, while three other terms were highlighted among others: ‘discipline’, ‘top club’ and ‘plan A’. What about plan B, journalists later asked him. “There was none,” he admitted. From there, Gvardiol’s ascent has been rapid, moving in summer 2021 to RB Leipzig where he established himself not only as a starter, but as one of the world’s hottest young players. His mature performances attracted additional attention at the 2022 World Cup, even if the moment everyone will remember is Lionel Messi turning him inside out in the semi-final. Gvardiol took it as just another valuable lesson and quickly recovered – he was man of the match, and scored, in Croatia’s third-place play-off defeat of Morocco. Gvardiol is dynamic, versatile and ambitious, so was the perfect match for Manchester City – right down to nickname ‘Little Pep’, given to him years ago by his friends, purely because his name is similar to his new manager Pep Guardiola (Josko is a Croatian derivation of Joseph or Josep). After a £77m transfer was agreed with RB Leipzig, now Little Pep and Big Pep have joined forces. Can anyone stop them? JOSKOGVARDIOL RB LEIPZIG TO MANCHESTER CITY Words Aleksandar Holiga PREM nEW BOYS

48 September 2023 FourFourTwo Last summer, it looked like Jurrien Timber’s move to the Premier League would be to Manchester United, linking up again with his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag. Instead, the Dutch international decided to stay in Amsterdam for another season, believing it was better to continue his development in the Netherlands and not put his place at the World Cup in any danger. That decision turned out pretty well. Last term, Timber matured yet further in familiar settings, playing in the Champions League against Liverpool and Napoli, then impressing at the World Cup on the right side of a threeman defence. This summer, Timber finally felt ready to move abroad. His destination proved to be Arsenal, the club he liked as a kid, inspired by Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie. Just after his unveiling in north London, a video emerged from several years ago in which Timber declared that Arsenal would be his dream club, were he to ever play abroad. It’s not difficult to understand why Mikel Arteta was excited to bring the 22-year-old to the Emirates, in a deal that could be worth as much as £38.5m. Defensively strong, very comfortable on the ball and eager to drive forward, Timber looks a perfect fit. In his youth, Timber and his twin brother Quinten both joined Feyenoord’s academy, before moving to rivals Ajax in 2014 aged 13. Both made their professional debuts within weeks of each other in the autumn of 2018, for Jong Ajax in the second tier. Jurrien developed steadily into the first team and 2020-21 was his breakthrough campaign, winning the double, then playing three times for the Dutch at the delayed Euro 2020. That same summer, Quinten switched to Utrecht seeking regular game time, but later returned to Feyenoord and beat his brother to the league title last term. Another sibling Dylan plays for VVV-Venlo, while older brother Christopher acts as their agent. At Ajax, Jurrien became an all-round defender with attacking traits. He reads the game well, constantly making interceptions, sometimes via a block tackle, which has become one of his trademarks. His calmness in one-on-one situations is impressive and reminiscent of Virgil van Dijk. Timber often looks for the footballing solution in defensive situations, via a pass or a dribble. Although he played mostly as a centre-back at Ajax, he can also play at full-back. Indeed, that’s where he operated in the Gunners’ Community Shield victory over Manchester City, as one of Arteta’s hybrid wide defenders who drift inside when in possession. Such versatility is highly prized. In his first four pre-season games, he was deployed in three different positions and looked comfortable in them all. Arsenal have bought three players in one. PREM nEW BOYS JURRIEnTIMBER AJAX TO ARSENAL Words Arthur Renard TIMBER LIKED ARSEnAL AS A KID, InSPIRED BY THIERRY HEnRY AnD ROBIn VAn PERSIE “I bet you he saves it. Watch.” James Trafford’s England Under-21 teammate Cole Palmer knew. The European U21 Championship final had entered its ninth minute of stoppage time in July as Spain’s Abel Ruiz strode towards the ball. Score and he’d force extra time. England’s goalkeeper, yet to concede in six matches at the tournament, had other ideas. Diving to his right, Trafford saved Ruiz’s spot-kick. And the rebound. The Young Lions were champions of Europe for the first time since 1984, and Trafford had made history – the first goalkeeper to win the U21 Euros with the cleanest of sheets. “It’ll take a massive effort to break that record,” said Trafford. Until they invent minus goals, at least. Soon, the 20-year-old had signed for Burnley in a deal of up to £19m, making him the third most expensive goalkeeper in English history, after Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale. That, despite never playing above League One level before. On the bench just once for Manchester City in the Premier League in 2020, he was dropped during a difficult spell at Accrington but flourished in an 18-month loan at Bolton, displaying excellence with his feet, fine shot-stopping and calmness that belied his age. City made sure they inserted a buy-back option into the agreement that took the talented gloveman to Turf Moor – if he adapts quickly to the top flight, don’t be surprised if they activate it. JAMESTRAFFORD MANCHESTER CITY TO BURNLEY

FourFourTwo September 2023 49 After masterminding Aston Villa’s stunning turnaround last term, Unai Emery earned the right to be picky over his summer transfers. Once the Spaniard upgraded his defence and midfield with Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans, attention soon turned to attack and there was only one name on the manager’s list – Moussa Diaby. Emery had been aware of the club-record £51.9m signing since his time in charge of Paris Saint-Germain, where the winger came through the ranks prior to joining Bayer Leverkusen in 2019. Diaby’s development from talented raw youngster to worldbeater has been jaw-dropping since then. The diminutive 5ft 7in forward registered a respectable eight goals and eight assists in his first Leverkusen campaign, before 25 goal involvements in 2020-21. Then came 31 (17 goals, 14 assists) in 2021-22 and 25 (14 goals, 11 assists) last term – a campaign in which the 10-cap France international had to contend with the heartache of missing out on Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad. Such numbers speak of a player who’s not only adept at finding the back of the net, but also selfless in front of goal and skilled at choosing the right pass in crucial moments. Diaby’s shy and quiet demeanour – he struggled to learn the German language in his first two Werkself seasons, during which boss Peter Bosz described him as “a sweet lad” – sits in direct contrast with his ferocious pace. Last October, Diaby was clocked at 22.7 miles per hour in a 2-2 home draw against Wolfsburg. It was the fifth fastest speed in Bundesliga history – faster than Alphonso Davies, Erling Haaland and Achraf Hakimi. But there’s more to the 24-year-old’s game than just devastating pace. “He’s not only very quick, but also a very clever player, and you don’t see that often in the Bundesliga,” midfielder Kerem Demirbay said of his younger team-mate last season. “His movement, his intelligence in making runs in behind and composure when he gets there are remarkable for his age.” Diaby also ranked among the Bundesliga’s most consistent dribblers last term, averaging 4.93 per game, and Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso praised his bravery on the ball. A word of warning to Villa supporters, though: Diaby ranked among the very worst forwards in Europe’s top five leagues last season for defensive contributions – paling even in comparison with the club’s current attacking midfield options, Jacob Ramsey and Emiliano Buendia. In Emery’s counterpressing system, the player will surely be required to track back more. But if the Villa supremo can strike the right balance between attacking output and defensive sacrifice, Diaby may just prove one of the signings of the season. The talent is there. PREM nEW BOYS MOUSSADIABY BAYER LEVERKUSEN TO ASTON VILLA Words Ed McCambridge MICKYVAnDEVEn WOLFSBURG TO TOTTENHAM Aged 17, Micky van de Ven was told he was surplus to requirements at Dutch second-tier club Volendam. Before he turned 20, he’d become their captain. The turning point was the arrival of new boss Wim Jonk, who soon implemented ‘Plan Cruyff’, which he co-wrote with Johan himself at Ajax. Its style of play suited Van de Ven perfectly. “We saw a Cruyffian defender – a lot of risk taking and incredible speed,” said Volendam strategic advisor Ruben Jongkind. “We have worked with Matthijs de Ligt, Toby Alderweireld, good defenders.” While Van de Ven needed to improve his heading and one-on-one defending, he could run 60 metres in seven seconds and bulked up to aid his physicality. Only 17 months after his debut, and still just 19, he was handed the armband, but he wasn’t skipper for long – snapped up for more than £3m by Wolfsburg. Injury prevented the 6ft 4in defender from playing very much, but he became a fixture last term, occasionally at leftback but mainly at centre-back. He gained attention for one blistering display of pace against Union Berlin, clearing off the line from a counter-attack. His form earned him a place in the Netherlands’ provisional World Cup squad, even if he didn’t quite make the cut and went to the Under-21 Euros instead. After joining Spurs for £43m, hand-picked to fit Ange Postecoglou’s style, a first Dutch cap seems only a matter of time.

As Brighton begin their first ever European campaign, having unearthed gem after gem in the transfer market, FourFour BRIGHTOn & HOVE ALBIOn Words Chris Evans