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How Lewis Hall Went from Newcastle’s Fourth-Choice Left Back to Playing for England
Lewis Hall has had to bide his time for opportunities, but in stepping off the bench to make his England debut away to Greece on Thursday, he showed a level of poise that has seemingly made the patience all worth it. A player of tremendous promise, Newcastle invested in his development to the tune…
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Orel Mangala: The “Pattex” Signing Bringing Ball Control to Everton
Orel Mangala has had a hectic seven months in his career. In late January, he made a move from Nottingham Forest to Lyon, initially on loan with a plan for the transfer to become permanent for up to £30 million ($39.4 million) at the end of the season. This sale was crucial for Forest, helping…
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The Man Who Runs on Steam: N’Golo Kanté
Football, like a symphony, requires an orchestra. Some players are the violins, others the grand piano, but then there are those rare, unassuming souls who act as the beating drum, the engine that makes the melody possible. N’Golo Kanté is one such anomaly, a steam engine in human form, propelling his teams with an unrelenting…
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Jayden Addai: AZ’s Newest Wonderkid
From Teun Koopmeiners to Tijjani Reijnders to Calvin Stengs to Myron Boadu, we’ve seen quite a few players go from developing in AZ Alkmaar’s academy to earning lucrative transfers to Europe’s top five leagues. At 19 years of age, Jayden Osei Addai has what it takes to become the next player to leave North Holland…
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Troy Parrott’s Redemption in Alkmaar
Name: Troy Parrott Club: AZ Alkmaar Nationality: Irish Position: Forward Preferred Foot: Right Height: 6’1” Age: 22 It has been a sensational start to life in the Netherlands for Troy Parrott. No player has racked up more Expected Goals (7.18) in the Eredivisie than him, whilst only Twente midfielder Sem Steijn (8) has scored…
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Luis Díaz: Taking His Game to New Heights under Arne Slot
It has been a nearly flawless start to the season for Liverpool FC. Apart from a 2-2 draw at Arsenal and a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, Liverpool have won each of the 15 matches that they have participated in under new manager Arne Slot, and they are the sole UEFA Champions League team who…
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Jonathan David: Lille’s Canadian Superstar in Attack
At 24 years of age, Jonathan David is staking a claim as one of the most in-form strikers in European football at the moment. Born in Brooklyn to Haitian parents, his family emigrated to Canada when he was just 6 years old. He played for various youth teams in Ottawa before joining Gent from Ottawa…
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Fermín López: The Starlet on the Rise from La Masia
It’s the 2024-2025 season and Hansi Flick’s Barcelona has taken some very important steps toward the restoration of its identity, having invested much in integrating the cream from La Masia to the first team. Housing homegrown talent has again taken prominence in this Barcelona side, now filled with players such as Fermin López. This…
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Youri Tielemans: Aston Villa’s Belgian Midfield Maestro
The midfield position requires players to be comfortable both in and out of possession. It demands that players contribute to both sides of the game, whether in attack or defence. However, not every player in this position possesses these dual traits; some are skilled on the ball but struggle without it, and vice versa. That’s…
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Ayoub Bouaddi: Lille’s Teenage Prodigy
Club: LOSC Lille Nationality: France Position: CM, DM, AM Preferred Foot: Right Height: 5’9”/175cm Age: 17 Strengths: dribbling, composure, creativity, passing, IQ, press resistance, tackling, anticipation, carrying Areas for Development: physical maturity From Eden Hazard to Leny Yoro, from Lucas Digne to Benjamin Pavard, we’ve seen quite a few players go from developing in…
