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USMNT star Luca de la Torre has revealed that he affectionately became known as “Frenkie de Jong from Aldi” during his time at Dutch side Heracles.

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• American impressed in the Netherlands
• Compared to Barcelona superstar
• Is now enjoying life in Spanish football

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international made his way to the Netherlands when leaving English football at Fulham in the summer of 2020. He has since earned another step up the footballing ladder when swapping the Eredivisie for Celta Vigo in La Liga.

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  WHAT THEY SAID

  De La Torre has forged a reputation with club and country for being comfortable in possession and progressing the ball forward – much like Barcelona’s Dutch star De Jong. The 25-year-old midfielder has told of his somewhat unusual nickname: “When I was playing in Holland, the fans of the club called me Frenkie de Jong from Aldi. Which is like Frenkie de Jong from a cheap knock-off supermarket. Which I guess was a compliment.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  De La Torre is up to 17 caps for the USMNT – forming part of their triumphant CONCACAF Nations League squad over the summer – and expects his game to be taken to even greater heights in Spain. He added: “The level of football is higher here obviously, both physically and technically. As a midfielder when you’re pressing, it’s important to not get beat and to make fouls when you have to. That was something I really had to add to my game when I made this step.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  The highly-rated playmaker has become a vital cog in Celta Vigo’s midfield machine, starting 21 games since his switch to Spain in 2022 – with five of those coming through six La Liga fixtures in the 2023-24 campaign.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood is unsure over what role Ollie Watkins could have with England.

Watkins, who joined Harewood’s old side from Brentford last summer, has had a season to remember at Villa Park. The 25-year-old has already reached double figures for the campaign and there are now calls for him to be included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships this summer.

Another former Villa forward, Gabby Agbonlahor, is one of those eager to see a call-up for £27m-rated Watkins. Harewood, however, is not too sure.

When asked if he could see Southgate turning to Watkins, Harewood told FFC:

“I wouldn’t rule it out. But with the calibre of strikers that we have now, I can’t see him being ahead of majority of them that can play up there because you’ve [also] got the likes of Sterling and players like that can play up front now.”

Indeed, England have some good options in attack, with Southgate really spoilt for choice in the No.9 department.

As well as Sterling, who has been used down the middle at times by club manager Pep Guardiola, Southgate also has the likes of Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Southampton’s Danny Ings to call upon.

Then there is, of course, England captain and Tottenham’s leading centre-forward Harry Kane, who will no doubt be the Three Lions’ first-choice striker at Euro 2020.

When you consider all of that, the tournament may just come a bit too soon for Watkins.

Chelsea have spent £1 billion ($1.3bn) in a little over 12 months, but the reasons for them not moving for James Maddison have been revealed.

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• Blues have been splashing the cash
• Invested heavily in players with potential
• Opted against proven playmaker

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues have, with Todd Boehly helping to call shots from the boardroom, continued to invest heavily in new recruits. They have reinforced just about every area of their squad, with big-money deals completed for the likes of Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Mykhailo Mudryk, Enzo Fernandez, Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Axel Disasi, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  They could have acquired the proven Premier League playmaker in the wake of Leicester’s relegation in 2022-23, but no move for Maddison was made. That left the path clear for London rivals Tottenham to swoop in – with the England international registering two goals and a couple of assists through his first five games for Spurs on the back of a £40m ($50m) transfer.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  According to , Chelsea opted against moving for Maddison as he does fit the club’s current recruitment model. It is claimed that the Blues were only looking to bring in players over the summer that are under 25 years of age – which rules Maddison out as he will turn 27 in November.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Chelsea have put a long-term strategy in place, with the plan being to benefit from the potential possessed by their new recruits over several years, but questions may be asked of why they are not looking to blend youth with experience – especially as their struggles for goals and creativity are well documented.

Despite being back in the EFL, the club have been surprisingly quiet in terms of incomings thus far, failing to sign a single player

Ever since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham in 2021, they have disrupted the lower-league transfer market. The wages and potential silverware on offer in north Wales has convinced a spate of players to drop down a division or two to join the Hollywood pair's exciting project.

Paul Mullin infamously turned down a shot at League One football with Cambridge United to become Wrexham's talisman in 2021. His example has been followed by a host of others since, with Elliot Lee, Ben Tozer and Ollie Palmer among those who have turned down offers from higher divisions before rocking up at the SToK Racecourse.

After Wrexham secured their return to the Football League in May, many were expecting business as usual in the summer transfer window. Former Championship, and even Premier League players, have been continually linked with the Dragons in recent weeks, but as of yet the club has not got a single deal over the line.

It's a surprising turn of events, considering how active they have been in their recruitment under Phil Parkinson. But is there any reason to be concerned? GOAL takes a closer look at what is keeping the transfer floodgates bolted in Wrexham this summer…

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  Financial Fair Play?

  One of the biggest differences between League Two and the National League is the existence of financial rules. Last season, Wrexham were permitted to 'live in the red' as they thrived for promotion, offering contracts as large as they wanted without the fear of being penalised.

  Things will be different this campaign, due to the EFL's Financial Fair Play regulations, which limit League Two clubs to spending 55 percent of its turnover on player wages. In theory, this has the potential of curtailing Wrexham's spending – but the reality is rather different.

  While the Dragons do now have a 'salary cap', they will still comfortably boast the most fearsome spending power in League Two. Not only are Wrexham set to have the highest attendances in the division – aside from Bradford City – their commercial power dwarfs their rivals' by a considerable margin.

  Nothing demonstrated this more aptly than Reynolds and McElhenney agreeing a big-money sponsorship deal with United Airlines this summer – a name that would look more at home on the front of the shirts of a Champions League team. The club's historic Racecourse Ground similarly bears the name of a high-profile company, SToK Cold Brew.

  While the exact value of these agreements has not been disclosed publicly, it's safe to assume that they are the most lucrative in League Two history. When you're bringing in this much money, 55% of your revenue is still more than enough to bring in pretty much any lower-league player. So, Financial Fair Play likely hasn't got much to do with Wrexham's quiet summer.

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  Key targets missed

  A more plausible explanation for the lack of business is that Wrexham have simply been outmaneuvered in the market. The club has tightly guarded against leaks this summer, but a few rumoured targets have managed to slip through the cracks.

  Alfie May was one such name linked. May is understood to have been on Wrexham's radar for some time after impressing for Cheltenham Town over the past few years. In the end though, he ended up at League One Charlton Athletic, supposedly due to a desire to be closer to his family in Kent.

  Another player who has seemingly fallen through the net is Max Power. After a turbulent season at Wigan Athletic, amid all of their off-field issues, Power was on the free agency market. If Wrexham were genuinely interested, the feeling was not mutual, with the midfielder becoming the latest player to head to Saudi Arabia recently – albeit in the second division.

  Ex-Premier League midfielders Jonny Williams and Nick Powell won't be playing for Wrexham this season either, sealing moves to Gillingham and Stockport Country, respectively. Reynolds and McElhenney are used to getting their own way in the transfer market, but this summer has been a different story.

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  Foster feels like a new signing!

  It's not all been doom and gloom at the SToK Racecourse this summer, however. In June, Ben Foster announced he would be sticking around for another year. Foster played a key role in promotion last season, famously making a decisive penalty save in the de-facto title showdown against Notts County in April.

  "At the end of last season it was obvious that I enjoyed being at the club, I loved being part of the team and everything that Wrexham stands for," he said. "The fans took to me so warmly, Phil Parkinson is brilliant, Steve Parkin is top class, I love Aidan Davison to bits, and the co-chairmen are out of this world. I’d decided before the end of last season I wanted to do it, because it feels like home. I’ve never joined a football club and felt at ease so quickly.”

  Foster's continued commitment to the cause was far from a sure thing. Not only is he 40, he has also taken to post-career life better than most footballers, setting up a hugely-successful YouTube channel. But with the veteran stopper opting to stick around, Wrexham now possess one of the strongest goalkeeping departments in League Two.

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  This isn't a National League side…

  Convincing Foster to stay put speaks to one of Parkinson's wider aims for the summer: keeping his title-winning squad settled. Much was made of the Dragons' decision to release 11 players in May, but none of those out of contract featured significantly last season.

  As a result, most of those who helped the club end their non-league exile look set to be given a chance in League Two. This isn't as much as a risk as it may appear either. In recent transfer windows, the club have clearly been recruiting for life in the Football League anyway, as evidence by the arrivals of Mullin, Lee, Tozer and Co.

  In this way, none of the current squad will be daunted by the step up in quality. Registering a record-breaking 111 points last season proved just how far ahead of the competition they were in the fifth tier, and suggests that the squad does not even need much tinkering to remain competitive next campaign.

  Perhaps this is why Wrexham have been so reserved this summer? They already got all of their League Two-standard players through the door over the previous four transfer windows. Midfielder Tom O'Connor has even been attracting admiring glances from Championship sides – and he is far from the only member of Parkinson's squad who would walk into a higher-division team if they left Wrexham.

After seeing him go down with an injury against Leicester, Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa was understandably concerned about summer signing Rodrigo.

Speaking after the game, the Argentine said: “Rodrigo fell and his legs separated and caused an elongation more than usual and this caused the injury.

“I saw a picture of the position both of his feet ended up in and the difference between them was different to what we would expect.”

Now, The Athletic’s Phil Hay has delivered an update on Rodrigo’s injury status, saying that he is “out for longer yet” on his official Twitter account.

The news surely comes as a major blow to Bielsa, who has deployed the Spaniard in that attacking role of trying to support Patrick Bamford, with nobody else in this current Leeds squad able to offer what he does in terms of his pace and movement.

Pablo Hernandez may be seen as someone who could potentially come in and offer that extra bit of creativity, but Hay relayed some news from Bielsa’s press conference that Leeds’ little magician is out once again.

Whilst the £22.5m-rated Rodrigo hasn’t exactly set Elland Road alight with his performances – he’s scored just three goals all season – he has shown flashes of his ability, not least against Arsenal earlier in the campaign.

Speaking after his impressive performance against the Gunners, former Leeds man Noel Whelan said: “He’s always looking for it, he’s never ever standing still, he’s always on the move and that’s what I like about him. He can’t be marked, he’s always looking for a space – very much the next Pablo Hernandez.

“He’s always brave and wants the ball in tight situations. We saw how dangerous he was when he came on. He is a player that looks like he can make things happen. He’s very intelligent, he brings other people into play and makes space for them.”

Rodrigo’s absence over the past couple of games has seen Mateusz Klich’s return to the starting line-up, but it still doesn’t make up for the fact that Leeds will continue to miss a player who ranks third for shots per game, fifth for key passes and sixth for dribbles per match among the entire squad.

His influence is there for all to see even without him catching the eye with either goals or assists.

Bielsa will be concerned that Rodrigo doesn’t look like he’ll be returning anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Leeds could sign Kalvin Phillips’ perfect midfield partner in this starlet…

The Brazil international is yet to officially sign a new contract at Santiago Bernabeu, but his recent displays warrant a huge salary

Vinicius Jr's emphatic finish against Manchester City wasn't the type of goal he usually scores. This strike, a 20-yard screamer that singed the fingertips of Ederson, was an unexpected effort from a player who has spent his career weaving his way into the opposition box.

But now, that same winger can now hit them from distance — and have the confidence to do so in big games. Such an evolution is the hallmark of a footballer who is constantly improving. And it's perhaps been lost in the carousel of chaos that is Real Madrid's season, but Vinicius keeps getting better.

At this point, there are very few attacking players who are more impactful, versatile, or exciting to watch in the world. Once regarded as a failure, too flamboyant and inefficient for the top levels of European football, Vinicius has become arguably the best in the world at his position.

Although Vinicius is out of contract next season, Real Madrid are calm about the situation. The renewal, according to reliable sources, has been agreed and will be announced soon. His Madridismo has never been in doubt and he is expected to play in Madrid white for years to come.

Still, regardless of how or when this gets announced, one thing is clear: Real Madrid need to pay Vinicius whatever it takes to keep him at Santiago Bernabeu for as long as they can.

• A season to remember

  There shouldn't really be any doubt in this process. Vinicius is one of the best players in the world and Madrid have helped curate his development. There are no obvious barriers to a new deal being done, or reported issues in getting it over the line. This should be the simplest of formalities.

  Vinicius, with 20 goals and 18 assists, has been Madrid's best player in 2022-23 — consistently carrying the offensive load left over by the oft-injured Karim Benzema.

  But there has been something particularly impactful about Vinicius in recent months. The Brazilian has never really been the singular star player of this Madrid side before. He was certainly involved, but the team never really centered around him. Now, though, Vinicius wants to be on the ball at every opportunity. And with that responsibility, he's become far more refined.

  In the past, there were perhaps too many touches. Samba flair is integral to the winger's game, but he occasionally overplayed, almost tried too hard to wow the crowd — at the detriment of his quality in the box. This season, though, the winger has streamlined that process. The rainbow flicks, elasticos, croquetas and stepovers are all here. But each one is purposeful and direct. Just ask Kyle Walker, Vinicius' most recent victim.

  There's now something really scary about Vinicius: he can embarrass you with serious intent. That's a rare quality for players of his profile. There are arguably too many in his position who do too much, or make the wrong decision. This version of Vinicius doesn't often make poor decisions. And if he misses a pass, or makes the wrong run, it's often from clinical desire, or personal expression — rather than the absent-mindedness that came to define some of his early days in a Madrid shirt.

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  Madrid's shield

  It's all quite new from a player that was linked with a Madrid exit less than three years ago. Vinicius' rise to the top has been rather rapid. At the start of the 2021-22 season, he was still a player of great, but perhaps unfulfilled potential. It mattered little to the detractors that he was just 21-years-old. Madrid are a results-driven proposition, and Vinicius had spent over two years failing to deliver with consistency.

  But things have turned around remarkably quickly. Certainly, Benzema has to be credited. The French striker famously refused to work with Vinicius in his early days at the club, but they have since developed a devastating on-field partnership.

  It helps, too, that Carlo Ancelotti has set up a system that allows him to stay as high up the pitch as possible — with first Ferland Mendy and more recently Eduardo Camavinga offering defensive cover. On the pitch, Los Blancos have curated a perfect tactical setup for him to flourish.

  However, it is perhaps Madrid's protection of Vinicius the person that has been of most value to his burgeoning career. Opposing fans have regularly abused him – a lot of times with overt racism – this season, while on-field opponents have realised that he can be rattled easily. The two often work in tandem. In Madrid's contest with Real Valladolid in January, he was clattered consistently and chirped at by opposing defenders. And when Vinicius reacted with words of his own, fans hurled abuse from the Jose Zorrilla Stadium rafters.

  That's hardly been an isolated incident, though. These stories seem to come out weekly, with Vinicius at one point appearing in court to testify about the chants directed at him. And Madrid have protected him through all of this. Ancelotti has repeatedly said that he needs more protection from referees, while team-mates have also called for opposing defenders to be booked more often when they clatter the young Brazilian.

  No athlete needs shielding quite like Vinicius. And Real Madrid have done it expertly.

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  Where else could he go?

  It's hard to see anywhere else offering Vinicius what he needs, on and off the pitch. At this point, the winger could have his pick of teams. At his age, with his talent and marketability, it is almost certain that all the big names would be in the mix for his signature.

  But just exactly who could provide a better setting for Vinicius the character and footballer is tricky to identify. Chelsea, Manchester United, Man City and Paris Saint-Germain all certainly have the funds to some degree, but none offer the same appeal.

  Chelsea have too many wingers and are yet to officially appoint a permanent manager. United also have too many wide forwards and need players at other positions. City, meanwhile, are not short of attacking threats, and would arguably deny Vinicius the creative freedom he needs. And PSG are their own, maddeningly confusing state of affairs, a place that, as history has shown, doesn't always get the best out of attacking players.

  No one can really match Madrid for sporting appeal, either. In Fede Valverde, Rodrygo, Aurelien Tchouameni, Camavinga and Eder Militao, Los Blancos have a spine of potentially world-class players who project to remain at the club for years to come. Add to that the expected signing of Jude Bellingham this summer and the pending arrival of Brazilian teenager Endrick, and there is no better project for him to spearhead.

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  The Mbappe question

  Kylian Mbappe might have done Real Madrid a favour in all of this. Last month, after being sparingly linked with a move to the Spanish capital for most of the season, Mbappe casually announced that he would stay in Paris for another year. It was an odd way to quell talk of a transfer saga destined to drag on for months. But for Madrid, and Vinicius, it is perhaps a relief that Mbappe will delay his expected arrival.

  If Madrid had executed their swoop for Mbappe this summer, it might have left Vinicius in an uncertain situation. The two are positionally similar players, as both he and Mbappe prefer to play off the left. Both demand the ball, ideally in space and on the run. Both need to stay high up the pitch to allow their side to hit on the break.

  Mbappe is a better goalscorer and Vinicius is a better dribbler. Mbappe could conceivably play through the middle, and Vinicius, if needed, could play on the right. These are not identical players. But bringing Mbappe in this summer — at the very point where they need to sign their current superstar to a long-term deal — might have created some problems. The duo will perhaps share a pitch in Madrid within 18 months. But short term, if Vinicius wasn't guaranteed a multi-year deal, there could have been friction at Santiago Bernabeu.

  Instead, Madrid now have a clear window to sort out one player before they go after another.

Speaking to Football Insider, a Lilywhites source has lifted the lid on Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy’s exciting summer transfer plan – with the club’s recruitment team now targeting a colossal centre-back with ‘genuine pace’.

The Lowdown: Problem position for Spurs

Centre-half has long been viewed as a real problem position for Tottenham given the lacklustre displays of Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez and Toby Alderweireld at points this season (GiveMeSport).

This has lead to claims from reliable sources like Sky Sports, who say that the centre of defence is a priority for Spurs and chairman Levy.

Many names have been linked, including the likes of Jannik Vestergaard and Jerome Boateng (Sky Sports), but now a Lilywhites source has detailed exactly the kind of profile Spurs are planning to recruit this summer.

The Latest: Lilywhites source lifts on Levy transfer plan

Now, backing up these claims, a Tottenham source has allegedly told Football Insider that Levy and co have made the signing of a world class centre-half a top summer priority.

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Indeed, the club have apparently ‘long identified’ a senior central defender to be part of the key recruitment strategy for Tottenham.

Lifting the lid on this transfer plan, the source explains that Tottenham desire a ‘commanding’ presence blessed with ‘genuine pace’.

As well as this, they must be capable of slotting effortlessly into the starting eleven as soon as possible.

The Verdict: Big plan, limited resources…

While this comes as an exciting plan for Spurs’ arguably most weak position, the financial difficulties brought upon by coronavirus make this strategy slightly more tricky.

Clubs will be looking to profit off player interest and generate profitable sales as much as possible over this summer window and it will be no exception when Tottenham come calling.

As explained by this report, Levy may have to consider selling one of his prized assets like Son Heung-min or even Harry Kane to bring in a truly world class centre half.

This is the real dilemma for Spurs, as a big rebuild could arguably require an even bigger sacrifice.

In other news: Tottenham fans erupt over this ‘best news’, find out more here.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Sheffield United striker Brian Deane believes his old side should be considering Slavisa Jokanovic for the job in the Bramall Lane dugout.

In their search to replace Chris Wilder, Sheffield United have narrowed down their shortlist to five names, but Jokanovic, 52, is not thought to be included despite being linked to the role.

Current caretaker manager Paul Heckingbottom, however, is one name that is currently being considered.

Deane, though, thinks overlooking the former Fulham and Watford boss could be a mistake.

When asked by FFC if Sheffield United have missed a trick by not considering someone who has won Premier League promotion before, the retired Premier League footballer said:

“Yeah, possibly. I think that they needed to react before they have done because it’s like the club is just drifting now.

“I just hope they’ve got a plan in place, to be honest, but there just seems to be a lack of direction right now.”

Given that Jokanovic has taken both Fulham and Watford from the Championship to the Premier League in the past, he certainly looked like a safe bet for Sheffield United.

It seems, however, that the Blades want to go down another route in their quest to make a quick return to English football’s top division.

Crystal Palace have seemingly handed Celtic a major boost in their pursuit of Eddie Howe.

That’s according to Football Insider, who have been informed from sources close to both the Eagles and the Hoops.

Burnley’s Sean Dyche is now the favourite to take over from Roy Hodgson, with a Palace source admitting ‘Dyche figures most prominently in the thoughts of the board’ – ten words that could be key in Celtic’s attempts to land Howe.

Howe has spoken to Palace ahead of a potential Selhurst Park swoop, but it seems as if they now have Dyche at the top of their list.

A Celtic source meanwhile believes the 43-year-old, who verbally agreed on a Parkhead move at the beginning of the month, has been hedging his bets while waiting to see how events pan out in London.

Transfer Tavern take

In our opinion, Dyche being the favourite for the Palace job may now lead to Howe eventually putting pen to paper on a Glasgow move.

As a Hoops source believes, he could have been waiting to see what was going on in Croydon, however, he was tabled a ‘wonderful offer’ by Celtic and may now be willing to sign the paperwork with Dyche moving to the fore in London.

Of course, details such as his coaching staff, salary and transfer budget may still need to be agreed, but with Palace now aiming for Dyche, we feel that will only spell good news for the Hoops going forward if Howe is their man.

In other news: Manager of Premier League giants talks to Celtic star ahead of possible summer move, find out how it went here. 

Some Liverpool supporters have been praising Ozan Kabak, claiming he was one of the few positives in the 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid on Tuesday night.

It was a bitterly disappointing evening for Jurgen Klopp and his players, with their performance horribly below par in Spain.

In truth, the final score was arguably kind on Liverpool, with their defending leaving a lot to be desired and too many attacking players off the boil.

The Reds now have a mountain to climb in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie next Wednesday, especially with no fans allowed inside Anfield.

One player who again stood out was Kabak, however, with the Turk producing a solid display, barring one error in the first half.

While a number of more experienced players around him threw in shocking performances, he looked an assured presence at the heart of the defence.

It was further proof that Liverpool should consider the idea of signing Kabak permanently in the summer – at 21, he has lots of potential.

Liverpool supporters praise Kabak

These Reds fans took to Twitter to laud the youngster’s showing.

“Don’t wanna see anyone get on to Kabak. He bailed Phillips out numerous times and if it wasn’t for him we would’ve held 5. Our 2nd best player tonight”

Credit: @RB_07Ftbol

“Ozan Kabak appreciation tweet. Our best player tonight. Very unfairly taken off by Klopp. Hope it doesn’t affect his confidence”
Credit: @Klopptinho

“Ozan Kabak was our best player imo”
Credit: @TaintlessRed
“I’d like to thank Kabak and Thiago for showing up today”Credit: @lfcels_“No one can defend this performance. No one stepped up, except for Kabak maybe”Credit: @danliv9“I thought he was instrumental in steadying things in the second half, weren’t as open in defence as the first. No idea why he was subbed, pointless tbh”Credit: @LFCKey_In other news, one Liverpool player has been linked with a move to a fellow Premier League club. Find out who it is here.