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Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is facing a spell on the sidelines, but a reliable journalist has confirmed that his injury is not as bad as first feared in a promising update for supporters.

What's the latest injury news on Trent Alexander-Arnold?

During the 3-0 Premier League victory over Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, the right-back was forced off the pitch after 71 minutes with a suspected hamstring injury and was replaced by Jarell Quansah.

In his post-match interview after the game, Jurgen Klopp delivered an immediate update on his vice-captain’s fitness. He said: “I don’t know exactly. I asked him, he said it’s [his] hamstring. ‘Not too serious’ is his opinion, but we obviously have to wait for the scans and then we will know more.”

The England international had initially been named as part of Gareth Southgate’s squad for his side's upcoming Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine and friendly vs Scotland, but with the 24-year-old having since withdrawn from duty with the Three Lions, fans will have been concerned that their academy graduate had sustained a serious problem.

How long is Alexander-Arnold out for?

Taking to X on Monday, however, The Athletic’s James Pearce revealed that Alexander-Arnold is only set to be out of action for a fortnight, and whilst he might not make next weekend’s game vs Wolves, the prognosis is a "big relief" from initial fears of serious damage:

“Trent Alexander-Arnold expected to be sidelined for around 2 weeks. Scan today showed damage to his hamstring is only minor. Big relief. A doubt for Wolves away after the break – but he’s a quick healer.”

How many goals has Alexander-Arnold scored for Liverpool?

During his 277 senior appearances for Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold has posted 89 goal contributions (73 assists and 16 goals), form which has previously seen him dubbed “mind-blowing” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and that’s certainly the impact he has under Klopp, hence why it’ll be a huge boost to have him back.

Sponsored by Under Armour, the defender has recorded a total of 18 shot-creating actions so far this season, which is tied with Dominik Szoboszlai for the most in the squad, as well as whipping 16 crosses into the box which is the second-highest behind Andy Robertson, via FBRef, highlighting his desire to provide for his peers in the final third.

The West Derby-born talent, who pockets £180k-per-week, has also helped the club to secure seven pieces of silverware since his promotion to the first team fold, including the Premier League and Champions League trophies, so he knows exactly what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level with his extraordinary winning mentality.

Finally, Alexander-Arnold has the ability to operate slightly higher up in both central and on the right side of the midfield alongside his usual role as a full-back so he provides the boss with excellent versatility, and there’s no doubt that having him in the starting line-up only increases the team’s chances of gaining a positive result.

A constitution provides cricket with stability and protection; in selection processes, in development of domestic cricket, in nurturing of regional associations

Osman Samiuddin26-Mar-2006

Will Shaharyar Khan’s plan of implementing a new constitution finally come through? © Getty Images
Constitutions are not big in Pakistan. The country didn’t have one until 1956 and the one that governs the nation now only arrived in 1973. And this one can argue that toilet paper is accorded greater respect in some countries around the world, such is the fiddling, chopping, changing, misinterpretation and disregard it has faced by various leaders over the years. Cricket is not much better; it has been waiting on a new constitution now since 1999, when, within the second six months of the year, in turn four different men were heads of Pakistan cricket. To this day, the board is run by an ad-hoc committee in constitutional ambiguity.One of the many tasks in current chairman Shaharyar Khan’s in-tray when he took over on 9 December, 2003 was to devise and implement a new constitution. For two years, deadlines were repeatedly set for the constitution to be put into place. In November 2004, in an interview to this website the chairman said it would take three to four months. A few months earlier, in May, he had told , a national daily, the constitution would definitely be in place in three to four months.A draft, created by a body headed by Justice Karamat Bhandari was finally completed in mid-2005 and handed to President Pervez Musharraf (the head of state in Pakistan is Patron of the PCB and has to approve the constitution) in June. Given that he is president and may have more pressing matters at hand, nothing has happened since, no approval, rejection, only more limbo.”I cannot add much to that I am afraid,” Shaharyar told Cricinfo. “Occasionally, I get the impression that the President’s House has sent the constitution out to legal experts to have it vetted. Beyond that I cannot say anything with any certainty.”Is it likely to emerge any time soon, say before the end of the year? “I am fairly confident that something will emerge in the next two to four months. They are moving on this, it’s not lying around gathering dust.” It’s been said before though and only the foolish would rule out it being said again.Is it disappointing then that over two years after having taken over, one of the primary objectives still hasn’t been achieved? “Frankly I won’t say disappointed but I really would prefer that we had one as soon as possible. In the areas where the old constitution is alive, like district level governance, we have held elections. It is only with the executive committee and electing a general body that we haven’t had elections. But our democratic credentials are still better than many boards in that we have had elections in many districts across the country.”It is a rationalisation Pakistan is familiar with; in 2005, local level elections, although widespread, were widely-disputed and there has only been a referendum for the ultimate head of state – the President – in 2002, the results of which were also disputed. Democracy, it is argued by the government, is not so black and white a concept, or indeed one that, one-size-fits-all, can be applied to every nation. Strands of similar reasoning persist in Pakistan cricket, where it is often argued that the centralised and autocratic functioning of the board allows a smoother administration of affairs nationwide, shred of pesky, dissenting regional voices.”We have spread out the decision-making process with the ad-hoc committee which is a good body with sensible people on it. Look around in India and Sri Lanka and the problems they face in running cricket, particularly in India where it is difficult to make decisions because so many voices are there,” says Shaharyar. But there is of course good reason for its speedy implementation, as Shaharyar reiterates, “I would rather we have a constitution, particularly as the new one has improvements in it and covers loopholes, anomalies and contradictions that the older one didn’t.”The safeguards of accountability and transparency a constitution guarantees is vital, as the current administration, dogged by financial scandals after every big home series may appreciate. And as Imran Khan has pointed out more than once, a constitution provides cricket with stability and protection; in selection processes, in development of domestic cricket, in nurturing of regional associations (which this administration has failed to do) all of which have traditionally been problematic areas for Pakistan. Above all, it makes the chances of something like the administrative shambles of 1999 unlikely to happen so easily.The chairman’s own position is likely to come under review if and when the new constitution is approved. Not only is his three-year term coming to an end in December, the draft constitution has also left the process of finding a chairman in the President’s hands. Traditionally they have been appointed directly by the President. “We have left that to the Patron to decide. He can nominate and have all other positions elected, or he can ask candidates to come in and stand for election. Or a mixture as in he nominates a person and the general body approves or disapproves.”My tenure ends in December. We’ll see after that: if the constitution is there and calls for an elected head I don’t want to run for that. If it is a nomination then I might consider it. Logically if I have been there three years then I should stay another three months for the World Cup. It makes sense to see it through till then. I’m not hankering for it though – I have done a few things and a few still need to be done. The constitution is one of them.” As it has been, unfortunately, since the day he took over.

Liverpool endured a nightmare spell against Brentford on Saturday which saw both Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones forced off to add to their injury woes.

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Alisson & Alexander-Arnold already sidelinedJones injured after awkward landingSalah returns as Jota stretched offGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Jones lasted just over half an hour before landing awkwardly, with Ryan Gravenberch brought on in his place. Jota then made a vital contribution to set up Darwin Nunez for a fine finish to put Liverpool 1-0 up. But he was crunched minutes later by a combination of team-mate Alexis Mac Allister and Brentford's Christian Norgaard and stayed down after a worrying-looking knee injury. The Liverpool forward had to be stretchered off as Salah made an unexpectedly early introduction at the Gtech Community Stadium.

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The double injury is a hammer blow for Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool are already without Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Thiago Alcantara and Dominik Szoboszlai, among others, and would likely have been planning not to re-introduce Salah so early on Saturday. Klopp now faces an anxious wait on Jota's condition – as that knock looked particularly serious – as he enters an injury crisis at the worst possible moment of the campaign.

WHAT DID KLOPP SAY AFTER THE MATCH?

Speaking at full-time of Liverpool's 4-1 win over Brentford, Klopp said on the injuries: "Mixed emotions because we lost players, which we don't know how serious they are. It doesn't look great for either of them (Jota and Jones)."

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Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Jota has already spent a month out injured this season with a muscle problem – missing eight games for Liverpool – and only returned to action in late December. Camera shots from within the tunnel area of the Gtech Community Stadium later showed the Portuguese worryingly struggling to walk, where a serious injury would be a nightmare blow for the Reds.

Arsenal have undergone a remarkable transformation in recent seasons. From missing out on the Champions League to arch-rivals Tottenham in 2021/22 to running Manchester City close to the Premier League title in 2022/23, the Gunners' meteoric rise has seen them shift their spending up a gear in the transfer window.

In the summer of 2022, Mikel Arteta was allowed to open up the chequebook and raid his former club for Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus for a combined £82m, with the pair becoming vital cogs in the Spaniard's footballing machine.

With the aim of challenging Man City for the title once more, Arsenal have turned their volume of spending up a notch, replacing the likes of Matt Turner, Rob Holding, Granit Xhaka and Florian Balogun with David Raya, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz for a combined £208m.

Out of that quartet, it is Rice who has made the most impressive start to life in north London, etching his name into Gunners folklore by scoring the winner in a pulsating 3-1 victory over Manchester United.

The Englishman is forming a strong partnership with Thomas Partey in the engine room and despite the qualities the latter possesses, Arsenal could have upgraded on the Ghanaian by signing Federico Valverde in 2016.

Did Arsenal almost sign Fede Valverde?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal had the opportunity to sign Valverde in 2016 when he was plying his trade in Uruguay for CA Penarol.

While the 25-year-old has become one of the best midfielders in Europe, his path to the top could have been a lot different.

The Gunners took the 50-cap Uruguay international on trial for a week seven years ago but Arsenal's manager at the time, Arsene Wenger, declined the opportunity to secure his services with Real Madrid swooping for him instead in a £4.5m deal.

Despite being rejected by the Frenchman, Valverde spoke fondly about his brief stint at the club and particularly, the impact Alexis Sanchez had on him as a youngster.

He said: "I have always been grateful to him. When I went to train at Arsenal, Alexis was there and he was one of the few who came up to help me.

"I will always be grateful to him because, being a nobody, I was well-received by him. He was there to help me when I was a kid. As a footballer, he is an incredible player."

What has Valverde achieved at Real Madrid?

Lauded as "untouchable" by manager Carlo Ancelotti, Valverde has enjoyed a glittering career so far in the Spanish capital, winning two La Liga titles and a Champions League in 2022. Such sparkling form and honours have seen his value rise to a meteoric £129m, as per Football Observatory.

The versatile midfielder, who can operate box-to-box, as a number 10 or on either flank, has become an important player in the Italian's system due to the fact he can play in a variety of positions, but it isn't just his versatility that has caught the eye.

Speaking on BT Sport after Real's 5-1 demolition of Celtic in the Champions League last season, Joe Cole heaped praise on Valverde for the array of technical and physical attributes he brings to the party while putting him in the same bracket as Jude Bellingham, saying:

"He's standing right at the top of the tree with Bellingham in the young players, and he's on the verge of becoming the best.

"He's box-to-box, he scores goals, he's a technician he was the unsung hero in the final, I thought he was outstanding against Liverpool.

"His stats this year are unbelievable, his goals, assists, goal involvements, incredible player and we talk a lot about Bellingham in this country, but this kid is every bit as good as Bellingham."

The departure of Casemiro to Manchester United was the catalyst for the £134k per-week star to grasp more opportunities to impress next to the untouchable duo of Luca Modric and Toni Kroos, doing so by becoming the driving force in that midfield, covering ground quickly and making lung-bursting runs to contribute further forward.

In the 2022/23 season, Valverde scored more goals than he managed in his previous five seasons for the club, amassing 12 goals in 56 appearances, compared to a total of six in the seasons prior, demonstrating that his influence on this Real side grows fast as he continues to play more regularly.

Valverde's former teammate Casemiro always believed in the Uruguayan's ability and predicted he would stand tall among the world's elite.

Speaking in 2020, the Brazilian said: "He's going to be one of the best No 8s in the world in two years"

According to FBref, Valverde is backing up that claim by producing frighteningly good metrics when compared against players positionally similar to him across Europe's top five leagues. He ranks in top 8% for progressive carries, top 10% for non-penalty goals, top 10% for expected assists and top 13% for progressive passes recorded.

For as long as Valverde continues to have a growing influence at Real by producing in every department, Arsenal will continue to rue their decision to let the 25-year-old slip through the net who is now worth a whopping £129m, as per Football Observatory.

Pakistan’s decision to play an unfit Shoaib Akhtar weakened their bowling attack and the Indian batsman took full advantage

Anand Vasu in Kolkata30-Nov-2007

Shoaib Akhtar was not match fit and it showed in his body language © AFP
Two errors of judgment, one from an inexperienced opening batsman and the other from an experienced umpire, caused minor blips in an Indian batting feast that left the first day’s play devoid of any contest. Wasim Jaffer, tall at the crease and elegant in stroke execution, provided much aesthetic pleasure to those who enjoy batting as spectacle, and the Kolkata crowd was happy just cheering India’s unchecked advance. However this isn’t why Test cricket is regarded as the highest and most pure form of the game.Beyond a point, there’s little joy in watching a set batsman dominating in conditions where the bowlers, fast and slow alike, have been defanged by a pitch so dead that you’re more likely to find life on Mars. But it’s hardly India’s fault that they dominated so, in fact it was to their credit. If anything, it was Pakistan who should be held accountable for taking the life out of this Test.The decision to play Shoaib Akhtar – flying in the face of common sense and, presumably, medical advice, given that he had been in hospital receiving antibiotics via an intravenous drip since Tuesday evening – was foolhardy rather than brave. Sure, Shoaib looked the only bowler likely to get a wicket in Delhi and might have been desperately keen to play, but if teams were merely decided on who was keenest to play, there would be no need for selectors.A 20-minute fitness Test on the morning of the Test deemed Shoaib fit to play. From his first spell, though, it was clear that he was nowhere near match fitness. After Anil Kumble chose to bat, denying Pakistan’s bowlers a chance to rest a bit more, Shoaib bowled four overs for nine runs, often pushing 140 kmh, before disappearing from the attack. He returned for a limping two-over spell just after lunch where enthusiasm rather than ability kept him going. The third spell, again two overs, was an apology and the final one – a solitary over before stumps – left Shoaib with 9-1-29-0 at the end of the day. In all honesty he should pass a large chunk of his match fees to Sohail Tanvir and Danish Kaneria. Having Yasir Hameed bowl offspin was an equally desperate measure, and to see these two [part-timers] operating in tandem on the first day of a Test was unedifying With their strike bowler out, Pakistan had only one option, and that was to take a leaf out of Nasser Hussain’s book and strangulate the opposition into making a mistake. On a pitch perfect for batting, Younis Khan, the stand-in captain for Shoaib Malik, should have done all he could to control the flow of runs. This would have meant putting men out on the fence to protect the boundaries, a conservative field in the ring, and bowlers operating on one side of the stumps.Instead, Younis had some strange fields in place, often employing two men in unorthodox and largely pointless midwicket and cover positions, slip and gully, giving Jaffer space on this large ground to pick off his boundaries. As the day progressed, Jaffer went past the milestones – 50, 100, 150 – with mind-numbing certainty and was unbeaten on the verge of his second double-century.By then, a procession of bowlers had tried their hand at changing Pakistan’s luck. It’s not clear if Younis was making a point by asking Tanvir to bowl left-arm spin. Abdur Rahman, the specialist practitioner of the art, was left out of the XI in place of two iffy fast bowlers. Having Yasir Hameed bowl offspin was an equally desperate measure, and to see these two operating in tandem on the first day of a Test was unedifying. To compound matters the ground fielding, spoken of as an indicator of team morale, began erratically and ended comically ragged.The only relief for Pakistan came in the form a Kaneria googly that Sachin Tendulkar failed to pick, being bowled for an unusually brisk 82. Once again the century proved elusive but, with Jaffer on 192 and India having reached 352 for 3 in a day, with VVS Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni still to come, even the most optimistic Pakistani supporter would do well to curb his enthusiasm.

Jordi Alba admits that reuniting with Lionel Messi was a factor in joining Inter Miami but winning more titles remains is his main motivation.

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Alba says he still has desire for titlesWanted to reunite with Messi and BusquetsVows: "I want to keep winning"Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Barcelona left-back signed on in Florida last July and got an immediate taste of success when his new side swept to victory in the Leagues Cup as Messi announced himself to his new stateside audience in stunning style. Things proved a little tougher after that as Messi suffered a number of injuries and Miami slid disappointingly out of the play-offs. But Alba's desire to win appears as keen as ever as he explained why he's opted for life in the Sunshine State.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT ALBA SAID

"I don't get tired of winning," Alba told CBS Sports ahead of the new MLS season. "I want to keep winning, to keep competing. If I didn't have that excitement I wouldn't have come here. I would have stayed in Barcelona, at home, not playing football. The opportunity was very attractive. I also wanted to get back with Leo [Messi] and Busi [Sergio Busquets] and now Luis [Suarez] has also come. So these were the incentives that led me to make that decision."

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A first full season for the quartet that won it all in Europe promises to be an intriguing one, and Inter Miami have been installed as clear favourites to win the MLS Cup come December. But much can happen between now and then. Coach Tata Martino will have to carefully manage the workload of a group of players well into their thirties and with Messi and Suarez likely to go all out for this summer's Copa America. And, in Messi's case, a potential tilt at an Olympic gold medal.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ALBA AND INTER MIAMI?

Inter Miami host the opening game of the 2024 MLS season later on Wednesday when they welcome Real Salt Lake to DRV PNK Stadium. Messi is reportedly ready for action after the injuries that beset The Herons' disastrous pre-season tour.

Sean Dyche has finally got Everton closer to their best in the Premier League, enjoying a successful season that even a ten-point deduction has failed to completely disrupt. The Toffees are already back out of the relegation zone after the deduction and would be in the top half of England's top flight if it wasn't for the loss of those aforementioned points.

With it all coming together for Everton, the January transfer window could be a dangerous month, with those at Goodison Park potentially forced into a battle to keep hold of their best players. Planning ahead, the Toffees have reportedly already reached a decision regarding one particular player who has attracted interest.

Everton transfer news

Whilst arrivals such as Jack Harrison and Ashley Young will get some credit for how they've settled in, it's been the likes of Dwight McNeil and Abdoulaye Doucoure who have stood out for Dyche, helping Everton to pick up some crucial points.

Their last win over Newcastle United summed up how good they can be when at their best under the former Burnley boss, and now, Everton will only look to kick on. If they can keep their star players then they may just return to the heights they once found themselves at, especially if one specific player stays put as planned.

According to Football Insider, Everton are set to reject offers for Jarrad Branthwaite in January, amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur. Having just signed a contract extension at the club until June 2027, it looks as though the star defender is set to stay put for now and help his side as they continue to climb back up the Premier League table in a major boost for Dyche and co. Everton will hope that the case remains the same in the summer transfer window.

"Outstanding" Branthwaite the key to Everton survival

Branthwaite's rise into Everton's first-team has been vital for Dyche's side so far this season, and even at 21 years old, the central defender stands tall as one of the Toffees' best options – Branthwaite's stats prove as much.

Jarrad Branthwaite

14

68

22

Michael Keane

2

7

4

James Tarkowski

14

59

26

It's no surprise that the defender has earned high praise throughout the season as a result of his performances. That includes from England U21s boss and ex-Everton midfielder Lee Carsley, who said (via the Liverpool Echo): "There were a few players that could've worn the armband. It was a way of showing Jarrad how well we think he's doing at present as well. I think it's part of the game he can add to in terms of leadership.

"He leads by example, he's not too loud, he's quite a quiet guy but the way he plays, he's very imposing. I thought he was excellent tonight and it's something that he should be proud of to lead the team out.

"It was (a) low-key (response), he's very much a team player. I'm not sure he was too keen on being the one in the limelight, you've seen that tonight both he and Jarell (Quansah), they play like men. I thought they were outstanding, they played with real matureness in their defending, it was good to see."

Club commits to ambitious initiative to phase out single-use plastic by the year 2020

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Apr-2018The “beer snake” could soon be a thing of the past during matches at The Oval, thanks to an ambitious initiative from Surrey CCC to phase out single-use plastic by the year 2020.The club’s vow is their latest step to address the mounting problem of plastic pollution. Earlier this year, they introduced a ban on the use of plastic straws, brought in compostable coffee cups, and made a move to reduce plastic bag usage in the club shop.However, the move against plastic glasses is their biggest commitment yet, and comes in the wake of a realisation from Richard Gould, the club’s CEO, that Surrey had been getting through approximately 1.3 million such items in the course of a season.”The club has always been very conscious of reducing its impact on the environment wherever possible and, after a great deal of thought, has decided to make this ambitious commitment,” said Gould.”Ever since the introduction of recyclable and reusable pint glasses in 2015, we have been introducing more sustainable policies around the ground – and the banning of plastic straws, introduction of compostable coffee cups and phasing out of plastic bags will all play a big part.”To achieve this, we will need to work with our Members, fans, partners and staff to analyse all areas of the business and work out where we need to introduce alternative products and ways of working.”With so many big events at the ground over the next three years, it’s going to be really exciting to see how we continue to improve the sustainability of everything we do and work out how we will achieve this target.”Two further partnerships this year will deepen Surrey’s commitment to environmental matters. A recommitment to Sky’s Ocean Rescue Campaign is expected later this summer, following the success of their initial tie-up in 2017, when 20,000 reusable water bottles were handed out to spectators, as well as the installation of 20 new permanent water fountains.And they have also announced a partnership with Fidelity Energy and ENGIE, which will ensure that all electricity used at the ground will be generated from sustainable sources.This deal, which was brokered by James Benning, the former Surrey player and now business development manager at Fidelity, helped to save 223.8 tons of carbon during the 2017 season. According to the club, the arrangement is estimated to save 6,252 tonnes of carbon from being pumped into the earth’s atmosphere over the duration of the contract.

Glasgow giants Celtic have had their fair share of producing some of the finest Scottish footballers.

You just have to look at Scotland’s recent squad to see the influence the Scottish Premiership side has had on the Tartan Army with the likes of Aaron Hickey, Kieran Tierney and Callum McGregor having all previously been on the Hoops’ books.

The Bhoys’ fans are some of the most loyal set of supporters with the love and affection they show to their players is unmatched, so when an academy player is brought through Lennoxtown it makes their connection with the player so much more special.

Former Celtic player John Hartson previously stated that McGregor has “become a legend” for the Scottish giants and it looked like former academy wonderkid Karamoko Dembele was once on track to achieve the same icon status as the Hoops’ captain.

Fast forward to 2023 and the once-proclaimed “good talent” by former Celtic teammate Moussa Dembele is now looking for game time in League 1.

Who is Karamoko Dembele?

If you were an avid football fan in 2016, then Dembele was a name you would hear very frequently, especially on social media platforms.

The hype train surrounding the teenage sensation had officially left the station when media outlets noticed the then 13-year-old playing for Celtic’s under-20 side. The tiny winger going up against adults was quite the sight to see but he often came out on top.

Highlight competitions of the English-born winger lightning up opposition defenders in youth matches soon flooded YouTube as he became one of the most highly anticipated prospects in the world.

Dembele was eligible to play for England and Scotland with both nations soon fighting over the player who was described as “very similar to Lionel Messi”, according to the winger's former youth coach David Feeney.

The Celtic phenomenon controversially decided to play for England at youth level having already made appearances for the Tartan Army. An international tug-of-war began for what was thought to be for a future starter for their senior teams.

How did Dembele play at Celtic?

At the age of 13, the spotlight fell onto the Celtic wonderkid and by the time he was 16, he finally made his first team debut, coming off the bench to replace Oliver Burke during the final league match of the season in 2019.

The atmosphere around Celtic Park was electric as it was the day that the Bhoys would lift their eighth consecutive league title, one of the biggest roars that the Green Brigade produced was when Dembele was gearing up on the sidelines to show everyone what the hype was about.

Despite not being involved in any goals in the 44 minutes he played, the talented winger still showed glimpses of a future star waiting to be unearthed.

Then Celtic manager Neil Lennon said after the winger's debut that fans have just seen a “glimpse of the future”.

Lennon’s vision of the future turned out to be misjudged as Dembele played just nine more times for the Glasgow outfit over the next three seasons.

Failure to break into the first team the England youth international’s hype was fading quickly and if he was to resurrect his career to align with what pundits have previously predicted of him, then he needed to find a new home to give him more minutes.

What was Dembele’s next move?

The then 19-year-year would decide to part ways with Celtic and would swap Glasgow for the northwest of France as he put pen to paper to officially become a Stade Brest player on a four-year deal.

Upon signing for Brest, Dembele said:

"I came to Brest because I saw that the project presented by Greg Lorenzi was good. It's something that suits me and I think I can have some playing time here. It was a great opportunity that presented itself to me and it interested me.

"I'm very explosive, I like to have fun and give it to the fans. I like to score and win."

A move to the mid-table Ligue 1 outfit may not have been in the plans of Dembele.

One of football’s best up-and-coming talents was once linked to a move to Premier League giants Manchester City, and would now be playing for a side that was participating in the second division of French football four seasons prior.

Life at the Stade Francis-Le Blé was particularly successful for the £1k-per-week player as he played just 15 games (all coming from the bench) during the course of the 2022/23 season while not contributing to a single goal.

According to WhoScored, Dembele averaged a measly 0.1 dribbles and 0.2 key passes per game signifying how tough he was finding his time in France.

Why did Dembele fail to live up to the hype?

There have been countless players touted as being the next future superstar looking to conquer domestic and international football.

Like Dembele, former AC Milan prodigy Hachim Mastour and American prospect Freddy Adu were expected to become global superstars before they were even 16.

Most teenage prospects fail to live up to their hype due to a lack of dedication and professionalism but Dembele injuries hampered his momentum.

Under former manager Ange Postecoglou, the 5 foot 7 winger failed to break into the dominant Celtic starting 11 with the Hoops being stacked with options. His rivals for a position in the squad were with the likes of Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi who would end the season scoring double figures.

In a make-or-break season for Dembele, the agile forward played just one game after being ruled out for 213 days and missing 44 matches as he picked up an ankle injury.

Celtic's wingers 2021/22 stats, as per FBRef Name Games Goals Assists Karamoko Dembele 1 0 0 Jota 29 10 9 Daizen Maeda 16 6 5 Kyogo Furuhashi 20 12 0 James Forrest 19 1 2 Where is Dembele now?

Still contracted to Brest, Dembele now finds himself back in his native Britain playing for League 1 side Blackpool on loan.

The Tangerines will hope they can bounce back to the Championship following their relegation last season.

Blackpool head coach Neil Critchley has recruited some relatively young players to help him guide Blackpool to promotion – 21-year-old Jenson Weir and 23-year-old Albie Morgan are some of the more noteworthy players brought to Bloomfield Road.

Dembele has played once for the Seasiders so far this season, the former Celtic winger produced an impressive performance in his side's 2-0 victory over Barrow in the EFL Trophy at the start of the month.

However, he is yet to start in the league since making his temporary switch.

Andy Robertson and Serge Gnabry are some examples of players who were written off too early so if Dembele can make the most of his loan spell in the north west there’s still a good chance he can revitalise his career into the top player we know he can be.

Rio Ferdinand has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo calmed his concerns over Diogo Dalot, with “is he that good?” questions asked of the Portuguese.

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Dalot moved to Old Trafford in 2018Has worked alongside CR7Value to the cause now being recognisedGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Portugal international Dalot was taken to Old Trafford by fellow countryman Jose Mourinho in 2018 while still in his teens. He was considered to be a decent prospect for the future, with the versatile performer able to operate in either full-back berth.

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Dalot struggled with various injuries early on, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka was acquired as a big-money rival in United’s right-back berth, and he ended up joining AC Milan on loan in 2020-21. A permanent transfer was mooted at that point, but the 24-year-old returned to Old Trafford and has become a regular.

GettyWHAT FERDINAND SAID ABOUT DALOT

That has not stopped former United defender Ferdinand from asking questions of Dalot’s value to the cause, but a couple of fan favourites in Manchester have assured him that the Portuguese is a useful asset. Ferdinand has told his podcast: “Dalot needs a special mention. He is someone I doubted early on. I remember speaking to Cristiano Ronaldo and said, ‘Is he really that good?’ – and Cristiano said he will work hard, make himself better and 100 per cent improve. He saw it behind the scenes so he knew that. I said to Darren Fletcher when I was at the training ground the other day that he has really impressed me. Darren said that he is a worker, he’s going to make himself the player he needs to be. I still think defensively he probably needs to work a little bit. With the ball, if we have players running on to them, the forwards will make the runs and we will score more goals.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR DALOT?

Dalot’s next appearance for United will be his 140th for the club, as he closes in on six years of service as a Red Devils player. He signed a new contract last summer that is due to take in through to 2028, with there the option of a further 12-month extension beyond that point.