Gregg Berhalter praises ‘resilient’ USMNT following 1-0 win against Jamaica

U.S. men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter praised his young squad after a valiant 1-0 triumph over Jamaica in the 2021 Gold Cup quarter-finals. 

FC Schalke 04 forward Matthew Hoppe scored the only game of the night in the 83rd minute after a swift pass from veteran USMNT player Sebastian Lletget led him into the box. Hoppe recorded his third appearance for the national team against Jamaica after debuting with the senior squad only 10 days prior. 

Berhalter counted on the grit and determination of his young squad to navigate through the tournament and reach the finals. The inexperienced bunch performed well during the early weeks of the tournament to emerge as group leaders before reaching their first real challenge against Jamaica, a team ranked third in the region. 

“We talked about what type of game it was going to be, so the guys were prepared from that standpoint. But when you actually get in the game, it’s a different deal. I thought our guys competed unbelievably,” Berhalter said following the win. 

“The guys were resilient. They just kept going. These are young players, our whole player pool is young, and we’re trying to get them experience. And games like Sunday’s are what does it.”

Berhalter spoke particularly about Hoppe’s improvement and potential moving forward with the USMNT. 

“I think the way he was able to get chances, he had a couple of clear looks at goal, and that’s due to his movement in the box,” Berhalter said of Hoppe. 

“He was grinding. When a guy puts that type of effort in and hangs in there and keeps going, we want to stick with him because we thought he was doing a good job and because he’s goal-dangerous.”

The young forward joined Schalke in 2019 and made his debut with the team in January 2021 before going on to record 22 appearances for them. He became the first ever American to score a hat-trick in the Bundesliga, inspiring the German side to a 4-0 victory over Hoffenheim to end the team’s 30-game winless streak. 

Raphael Varane to undergo Man Utd medical on Wednesday

Raphael Varane is set to undergo a medical at Manchester United and could be announced as their latest signing within days.

The Real Madrid defender has been United’s main transfer target since they ended their long-running pursuit of Jadon Sancho, but it doesn’t look as if this saga will drag on for anywhere near as long.

Raphael VaraneRaphael Varane

Varane is leaving Madrid after 10 years at the club / Soccrates Images/Getty Images

The 28-year-old is said to have his heart set on heading to the Premier League side, where he will partner Harry Maguire in the middle of a fearsome looking back line. Real, meanwhile, haven’t put up too much of a fight – Varane wants to leave, and is out of contract in a year’s time.

Negotiations have been steadily progressing for a couple of weeks now, and it was reported on Sunday that a deal could be announced ‘within hours.’ That didn’t quite prove to be the case; here we are 24 hours later; but it is now a matter of when, rather than if.

That certainly seems to be the case from what Gianluca Di Marzio is reporting, anyway, as he claims the deal is almost complete.

Di Marzio claims that Varane is set to arrive in England for a medical, which will take place over the next 48 hours before the announcement is made. An agreement with Real has been reached over a €50m (£43m) deal, and personal terms have been ironed out with the player.

David Ornstein of The Athletic later reported that the deal is expected to be closer to £35m plus add ons, while a date for a medical is currently unclear due to quarantining issues.

It follows the news 90min reported on Monday that United are preparing to offload two centre-backs this summer to clear the way for Varane. In addition to Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly will be expecting first-team minutes next season, so the likes of Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones are surplus to requirements.

The former is being targeted by Newcastle, while Jones could leave on a free transfer just to get his substantial wages off the books.

Xherdan Shaqiri was the right player at the wrong time for Liverpool

Having grown frustrated with waiting patiently for a chance that’s probably never going to come, it looks as if Xherdan Shaqiri is finally about to leave Liverpool.

The little Swiss magician, with his cheeky smile and calves that defy all known rules of biology, has been good value for his £13m transfer fee. In three years at Anfield, he’s brought everything he has to the table – but some bad luck with injuries, and the sheer quality of the players in front of him, mean that he has lost the battle for regular first-team football.

In a recent interview in Italy, he revealed he wants to leave this summer, and there was a strong hint at a move to Lazio – where sporting director Igli Tare shares his Albanian heritage.

The idea of a hungry, fit Shaqiri running amok in Serie A should greatly excite Lazio fans to no end. His showing at Euro 2020, scoring three times as Switzerland made the quarter-finals, were a hint at his obvious creative ability, but it’s been obvious throughout his time at Liverpool that there is a very good player in there – he’s averaged a goal or an assist for every 146 minutes he’s on the pitch.

He’s just unlucky to have landed behind one of the best attacking tridents in modern football, and never quite found the consistency to knock one of them off their perch.

Among Shaqiri’s highlights were that match-winning double against Manchester United in his first season, and that alone was enough to ensure that when he does leave Anfield, he will do so with the best wishes of every Liverpool fan with a sense of reason.

It was also an indicator of exactly what Lazio are getting should the deal go through. Shaqiri is a match-winner, and while he won’t give you a lung-bursting shift at both ends of the pitch, he’s exactly who you want taking that high-pressure shot from the edge of the box when the game hangs in the balance.

At another time in history, he’d have been a hugely influential player at Anfield. There’s no doubt the player who curled in the cross for Georginio Wijnaldum’s earth-shaking equaliser against Barcelona, and took Everton apart by himself in one festive Merseyside derby, would have been a massive player had he landed at Anfield just a few years earlier.

But after three years of flying against the wind and hoping that sheer persistence would pay off eventually, he’s decided to call it quits.

And at 29, with two years to run on his deal, he is probably doing so at the right time for everyone involved.

Man Utd sign ex-Man City defender Aoife Mannion

Manchester United have signed versatile defender Aoife Mannion ahead of the new WSL season, handing the 25-year-old a contract until 2023 following her departure from Manchester City.

United have lost senior defender Amy Turner this summer and opted not to renew the contract of England international Abbie McManus, but the arrival of Mannion in addition to four-time WSL winning full-back Hannah Blundell will give the back-line a new look in 2021/22.

Mannion started her career with Birmingham at 18 years-old before playing important part of the Blues side that impressively finished fourth in 2018/19. Her form brought her to the attention of City, but an ACL injury soon after arriving there halted her progress.

Once fit, she’ll join last summer’s arrivals Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood at City.

“I’m delighted to be joining Manchester United,” she told the club’s official website.

“It’s a new chapter for me in my career and I’m just looking forward to working as hard as I can for this club. European football is obviously a big ambition here and would be the next step for the club, so to break into the Champions League with this team would be amazing.

I’ve also heard lots about the fans and how passionate they are, and I can’t wait to hear them all in the stadium next season.”

Mannion is United’s fourth new signing of the summer after Norway midfielder Vilde Boe Risa, ex-Bristol City goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley and the aforementioned Blundell.

An announcement on the appointment of Marc Skinner as manager is also expected soon, with Mannion in particular having previously worked under him at Birmingham.

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The biggest transfers that never happened

There’s no mill that moves quite like football’s transfer rumour mill.

Despite there only being two windows a season, transfer talk never quite goes away. And why should it? We all lap it up, no matter how absurd the rumours are.

The best rumours, though, are the ones that never seem to go away, despite there being a collective understanding that it’s never happening; players suddenly become more remembered for their stint with a club they never joined. With that in mind, here are 30 of the best examples.

Zlatan IbrahimovicZlatan Ibrahimovic

He’d suit red and white stripes / Marco Canoniero/Getty Images

Alright, not a famed memory or one that lasted very long. But seeing Sunderland scouts sneak Ibrahimovic’s name onto the bottom of their striker targets during Sunderland ‘Til I Die was hilarious.

One of many great moments in a calamitous 2017/18 season in the Championship. Who knows, perhaps Simon Grayson would’ve kept his job and got the band firing up if Zlatan had become a Black Cat.

Harry KaneHarry Kane

Kane could still be a Madridsta / Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

English player does well, link English player to fancy move abroad.

It’s football’s most common trope, mainly because Real Madrid have made a habit of signing anyone who shows any flash of brilliance. Kane has been put next to them for a while, but this one isn’t exactly off the cards.

Romelu LukakuRomelu Lukaku

Lukaku headed to United over Chelsea / Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images

The Belgian forward has been linked with that ‘sensational’ return to Chelsea ever since he dragged his suitcase out of the doors at Cobham in 2014.

That ramped up in 2017 when he left Everton, but instead he joined Manchester United. Since leaving them for Inter, the talk of the Chelsea return continues to drive people mad.

David VillaDavid Villa

A loan to City was needed / Michael Stewart/Getty Images

When Villa signed for New York City FC in 2014, the immediate thought was when his inevitable loan to Manchester City would be, not if it would happen.

It was a regularly talked up switch and truthfully one that made sense. Unfortunately, City never pulled the trigger.

Sergej Milinkovic SavicSergej Milinkovic Savic

Never happened / Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

Pre-warning: Manchester United feature in this list a lot. Like, a lot. It’s almost impressive how they become linked to every player on the planet.

The summer of 2018 was the Milinkovic-Savic saga, where the Red Devils were endlessly linked with an £80m move for the midfielder. The same talks weirdly popped up again in 2020 and 2021.

NeymarNeymar

Neymar would definitely move back if possible / Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Despite breaking football completely by leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in a record £200m deal, talk of a return has never fully evaporated.

Neymar has swept up domestic titles in France – as expected – but hasn’t been able to kick into another gear and make PSG European champions as the solo star. Considering Barcelona’s financial mess, though, there’s no way they’re thinking of his return.

Kylian MbappeKylian Mbappe

Madrid could still be in his future / Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Another one that isn’t exactly impossible and could well happen, when a top player isn’t at one of Spain’s big two, they’re doing it wrong.

The media will not rest until they’ve booked that player into the main event and essentially made the move an inevitability, which is what continues to happen with Mbappe. Liverpool are always linked too, but the Real Madrid one is relentless.

Antoine GriezmannAntoine Griezmann

Griezmann seemed destined for Manchester / Power Sport Images/Getty Images

The summer of 2017 saw Atletico Madrid’s flamboyant Frenchman teasing and flirting with United about as much as humanly possible.

A saga dragged on throughout the summer, with Griezmann keen to leave and hinting at a move to United on social media alongside his brother. How did it end? He signed a new contract with Atletico, of course. He still gets linked to United years on.

RonaldinhoRonaldinho

No words for this one / Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Yep. Football royalty and Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldinho was supposedly in talks with a move to Scottish side St Mirren in 2001.

He stalled and amid some legal issues, a deal collapsed. It wasn’t spoken of again, mainly because the Brazilian soon exploded onto the world stage.

Kalidou KoulibalyKalidou Koulibaly

It’s not happening / Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images

Every summer, Italian media seemingly bands together and joins forces over one objective; get Koulibaly a move to Manchester.

Be it United or City, the Napoli defender has been linked with a move to both Premier League sides at just about every chance. He’s obviously heard about the Trafford Centre.

Foot : 1/4 Final England - Brazil / Wc 2002Foot : 1/4 Final England - Brazil / Wc 2002

Rivaldo at the Reebok – almost / Tim de Waele/Getty Images

Back in the good ol’ days of Sam Allardyce’s Bolton running the streets in the Premier League, Rivaldo was one of many big names linked with a move to the club.

Potentially linking up with Jay-Jay Okocha, Youri Djorkaeff and Ivan Campo, the Brazilian World Cup winner said himself in 2004 that he was closing in on the move. Massive wage demands for the 32-year-old saw the move collapse, however. British football’s darkest hour.

FBL-LIGA-ESP-REAL MADRID-BARCELONAFBL-LIGA-ESP-REAL MADRID-BARCELONA

Fine margins / OSCAR DEL POZO/Getty Images

Those Black Cats at it again, this time with a more realistic prospect that they managed to make a goof of in 2011.

Sunderland passed up the chance to sign Rakitic for a measly 380k that January, with the 22-year-old out of contract in the summer. Who needs an exciting young Croatian when Lee Cattermole is patrolling the park with Jack Colback, right?

Bordeaux's Zinedine Zidane (R) struggles to keep MBordeaux's Zinedine Zidane (R) struggles to keep M

A young Zidane at Bordeaux / DERRICK CEYRAC/Getty Images

Off the back of their Premier League winning 1994/95 season, Blackburn being linked with an up and coming French hotshot at Bordeaux wasn’t as surprising as it sounds now.

Of course it hasn’t aged well, but a move to Blackburn would’ve made sense on paper at the time for Zidane. Still, it never materialised in a shoddy 1995 summer window and Blackburn fell as Zizou headed to Juventus a year later.

Manchester City's Brazilian forward RobiManchester City's Brazilian forward Robi

Robinho was meant to join Chelsea / ADRIAN DENNIS/Getty Images

The infamous first mega money signing of Manchester City’s new era in 2008, Robinho headed to Manchester on deadline day despite a long chase from Chelsea.

Robinho was set on Chelsea where Luiz Felipe Scolari had taken on the hot seat, but moved to City at the death as Real couldn’t strike a deal with the London side. Chelsea doesn’t even have a big ASDA anyway, so the Brazilian was right.

Toni KroosToni Kroos

United might just have missed a trick with this one / Soccrates Images/Getty Images

After a hellish spell as Manchester United manager, the one thing David Moyes did do was seemingly set up a deal to bring Toni Kroos to Old Trafford in 2014.

The move seemed all ready to go, but the plug was pulled when Moyes was sacked and Louis van Gaal didn’t pursue it following his arrival. Kroos moved to Real Madrid despite having the chance to get rather close to his pal Robbie Williams in England. Shame.

FC Zenit St. Petersburg v FC Alania Vladikavkaz - Russian Premier LeagueFC Zenit St. Petersburg v FC Alania Vladikavkaz - Russian Premier League

Hulk was always linked to Tottenham / Epsilon/Getty Images

Famous for being built like a brick proverbial and being stupidly good on FIFA back in the day, Hulk’s cult hero status had him wrapped up in a media saga with Spurs in the 2010s.

The Brazilian winger was linked with a move to Andre Villas-Boas’ Tottenham in 2013, and despite it not coming off, those rumours never truly died down, somehow popping up every year or so. Was never happening.

Nabil FekirNabil Fekir

Fekir in his unofficial Merseyside derby / Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

In 2018, the Lyon midfielder’s move to Anfield felt as close to done as possible, without the announcement.

Hourly updates, fans unable to put the phone down, tweet notifications on from just about every outlet. The Fekir/Liverpool saga was constant fuel, but ended with absolutely nothing to show for it despite the deal ready to be completed. Knee injury, you see. You know the ones.

AC Milan's Swedish forward Zlatan IbrahiAC Milan's Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahi

Ibrahimovic has faced Arsenal plenty of times since / GIUSEPPE CACACE/Getty Images

While a move to Sunderland was never happening, a young Ibrahimovic could have headed to Arsenal, if it wasn’t for a trial period. Definitely not his own ego. No way.

Arsene Wenger invited Ibrahimovic to London for a trial, but outraged at the thought of having to prove himself again, the Swede declined and moved to Ajax instead.

Robert LewandowskiRobert Lewandowski

This could be the Rovers right now / Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Much stranger reading compared to the failed Zidane move, mid-table Blackburn had invited over Lewandowski in 2010 with a view to signing the young Polish striker.

A volcanic ash cloud saw his trip to the north of England cancelled, however, and Blackburn missed out. How close were they to actually completing a deal, though? We’ll never know.

Karim BenzemaKarim Benzema

Sign da ting, Karim / David Ramos/Getty Images

Another name for the list of famous players that Wenger infamously tried to sign for Arsenal, there was a point where Benzema was coming every summer throughout the 2010s.

Having landed Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid, Arsenal fans were dreaming of a similar arrival. Was it ever happening? As Vince McMahon would say, no chance in hell.

Leandro DamiaoLeandro Damiao

Spurs legend / Esteban Garay/Getty Images

No, you’re not in a fever dream. Leandro Damiao does exist.

The Brazilian forward was linked with Spurs throughout the 2010s more times than I’ve had hot dinners. The offer was apparently there in 2013, but Damiao opted for Napoli instead. A deal fell through regardless, and he only left Brazil for Europe on a short loan to Spain in 2016.

Josep Guardiola, Lionel MessiJosep Guardiola, Lionel Messi

No reunion in Manchester / Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Ever since City came into money, they’ve been destined to be linked with every rather invaluable player under the sun. Messi regularly topped that list.

It went into overdrive following Pep Guardiola’s 2016 arrival, and then some more following his 2020 Barcelona contract disputes. No matter how much fans want it to happen, there is no chance. Again though, big ASDA, his loss.

Osvaldo Fabian Nicolas Gaitan, Nico GaitanOsvaldo Fabian Nicolas Gaitan, Nico Gaitan

Gaitan never got his United move / Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images

Old Trafford should make room for statues for some of their greatest club servants never to actually appear for the side or sign on officially.

Nico Gaitan’s six year spell with Benfica isn’t even remembered for his exploits on the pitch, but a forever impending move to United which never happened. Cult hero.

Real Madrid new player Brazilian midfielReal Madrid new player Brazilian midfiel

Kaka chose the Santiago Bernabeu instead / JAVIER SORIANO/Getty Images

Having blossomed into one of football’s very finest, Kaka was linked with a huge money move to big spenders City in January 2009.

City were prepared to pay £88m to land the Brazilian that summer and Milan would’ve accepted, but Kaka famously refused the move and pledged his allegiance to Milan, before moving to Real Madrid that summer.

Gareth BaleGareth Bale

Bale to United comes up every summer / David Ramos/Getty Images

Every summer, a new photoshop of Bale’s head on the latest United home kit crops up online. And it fools absolutely nobody.

The Welshman has been a target for United under Ferguson and in the later 2010s, but a move was never as close as the hundreds of weird, photoshopped images and constant speculation would suggest. Cursed.

Chelsea's Frank Lampard (L) greets LiverChelsea's Frank Lampard (L) greets Liver

Almost club teammates / ODD ANDERSEN/Getty Images

In 2005, Chelsea were inches away from securing the Lampard/Gerrard pair at club level.

‘Inches’ meaning a u-turn on a transfer request submitted by Gerrard following a £32m bid. Gerrard cited the fans as the reason for the change of heart.

IscoIsco

A move to City looked inevitable / Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Isco seemed nailed on for a move to City after shining with Malaga, following Manuel Pellegrini to the club in 2013.

They lost out against Real Madrid despite already including him in chants and would continue to be linked with the tricky Spaniard for the rest of time. Isco is to City what Gaitan is to United.

David De GeaDavid De Gea

No Dave, they’re not looking to sign you / Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images

A slow fax machine was the sole reason why David de Gea didn’t join Real Madrid in the summer of 2015.

Frozen out of the United squad, sat waiting in Spain for the move to go through after endless barrages of speculation. And it didn’t happen. Speculation continued after, but never to the same extent.

FBL-EUR-C1-PSG-MAN UTDFBL-EUR-C1-PSG-MAN UTD

It’s not happening / GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/Getty Images

Just about every summer since the German midfielder could kick a ball, he’s been the subject of reported interest from the Gunners.

But despite all the ‘welcome to Arsenal’ compilations, the graphics and the speculation, there’s probably more chance of Arsenal signing one of us at 90min to fix their midfield.

Wesley SneijderWesley Sneijder

A United cult hero / Julian Finney/Getty Images

Topping the lot is a true legend of Manchester United. So good he never even turned out for the side.

Seriously, what is a transfer window without Sneijder being linked with that move to Old Trafford? Nobody believed it, but everybody was frothing at the mouth to read it. Give him a statue alongside Gaitan, you cowards.