Stories By Harry De Cosemo

• Sport

  Evan Ferguson’s hat-trick was a coming of age performance

  Evan Ferguson’s foray into English football with Brighton appeared gradual. For many a neutral and rival fan, it could be easy to believe he appeared from nowhere as just another example of the Seagulls’ stunningly effective recruitment from unfashionable markets.

• Sport

  Kovacic already proving to be a key player for Manchester City

  This summer has been one of the most defining for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. It is his third rebuild, having made clear to those inside and out of the club that their treble win, while historic, is in the past.

• Sport

  Neymar’s PSG transfer could go down as one of the worst ever

  It is understandable that Neymar’s transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Al-Hilal is being viewed as a watershed moment in the Saudi Arabian football project. Signing a player of such calibre, still very much at the height of his game aged 31, would appear ominous for the rest of football, as the Saudi Pro League continues its charge to rival Europe as the best place to watch and play football across the globe.

• Sport

  Crystal Palace should build around Eberechi Eze

  For Crystal Palace, life after Wilfried Zaha started well. On Saturday afternoon at Bramall Lane, they cruised to a victory over Sheffield United. It spoilt what was billed as a huge day for the Blades, a triumphant return to the top flight after two seasons away.

• Sport

  Newcastle’s recent signings has given them great depth in midfield

  Last season, Newcastle United’s reliance on Bruno Guimaraes was so stark that they didn’t win a game without him. In a campaign that was all about exceeding expectation, it became obvious that if the Magpies are to continue their upward trajectory as that expectation grows, they need to diversify their approach from the middle of the pitch.

• Sport

  Will David Silva finally get the respect he deserves now he has retired?

  On a Sky Sports documentary charting the rise of Manchester City, former defender Nedum Onuoha told a story about David Silva, the Spanish midfielder who retired last week at the age of 37. Onuoha described how Silva pulled him up during a game for not passing him the ball.

• Sport

  Saint-Maximin’s departure will allow more Newcastle additions this summer

  There aren’t many players who had as great an impact on the pre-takeover iteration than Allan Saint-Maximin, and even fewer whose was as positive. But times have moved on and, as the French winger prepares to move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli, his exit feels timely and necessary.

• Sport

  Joao Felix’s next move will prove vital

  Joao Felix is at a career crossroads. Back at Atlético Madrid, where he has never quite fit in, and facing a manager in Diego Simeone whom he is known not to see eye to eye with, the future appears bleak.

• Sport

  Messi is a great starting point for a new era of American Soccer

  The biggest irony in football is that nostalgia and narrative, two things that make the game so magical and popular, can be coerced, and potentially bought. Marketing means the business side of football can manipulate everything to control the game, regardless of its true intentions.

• Sport

  Arsenal to reap the rewards once again with Havertz signing

  This season is going to be very interesting for Arsenal. Although they fell late on to Manchester City in the Premier League title race, Mikel Arteta has changed the perception of the club in a year. Now they must be taken seriously; after so many false dawns and consistently struggling with the same issues, progress is now obvious and undeniable.

• Sport

  Bournemouth have looked at the bigger picture with Iraola appointment

  Bournemouth’s decision to sack Gary O’Neil last week came out of the blue. So much so, according to reports, even the man himself wasn’t expecting the news. There certainly wasn’t any suggestion of it before the news broke, but once it did, nobody had time to digest it before the club announced its contingency plan.

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