Stories By Harry De Cosemo

• Sport

  Tyler Adams’ understated form at Leeds United

  Jesse Marsch has put his stamp on Leeds United. With his first anniversary not too far away, he faces questions about his impact on the club. Overall, having kept them up by the skin of their teeth on the final day of last season, his impact has been widely positive.

• Sport

  Nick Pope’s impact at Newcastle United

  Bruno Guimaraes was gushing in his praise of Nick Pope. Newcastle had just beaten Southampton 1-0 in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi final, and they had their goalkeeper, at least in part, to thank for it.

• Sport

  Club value is more important than market value in football transfers

  With one piece of scintillating close control and a shot into the side-netting, Mykhailo Mudryk introduced himself. The Ukrainian playmaker joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in an £89m deal last week, and all eyes were on him at Anfield as the Blues played out a 0-0 draw with Liverpool.

• Sport

  Is Napoli’s Victor Osimhen ready for a big move?

  For all the talk of Arsenal’s redemption arc under Mikel Arteta or Newcastle’s unlikely but increasingly convincing Champions League push, neither can be called the story of the European season so far.

• Sport

  Marco Silva deserves more credit at Fulham

  In defeat at St James’ Park, Fulham may have proven their credentials for an unlikely European odyssey next season. Against a backdrop of late heartbreak, angst and controversy, following Alexander Isak’s winner for Newcastle United, Marco Silva’s side will know in themselves just what they can achieve.

• Sport

  Antonio Conte’s approach is at odds with what Tottenham need and want

  Antonio Conte and Daniel Levy have always seemed like a very strange match. From the moment they began working together, there was a feeling that tension was inevitable. The Tottenham Hotspur chairman has been desperate to establish the club as one of English football’s powerhouses, but within strict financial boundaries and a long-term vision to make everything sustainable.

• Sport

  Chelsea’s worrying transfer strategy

  Todd Boehly’s Chelsea should have been about taking things slow. The American is heading up the new era at Stamford Bridge, and after the successful but extremely volatile two decades of Roman Abramovich’s ownership, he preached a more considered, longer-term, collective approach.

• Sport

  Are Bayern in trouble as they wait for Mane to return?

  When Sadio Mane came off injured in Bayern Munich’s final game before the World Cup against Werder Bremen in November, Senegal took a collective deep breath. His knee problem was instantly played down, and he was included in the squad to travel to Qatar.

• Sport

  Sven Botman’s impact at Newcastle

  When Newcastle United’s ownership group started putting transfer plans in place after their takeover of the club, there weren’t many names more prominent in meetings than that of Sven Botman. The 22-year-old Dutch defender was a key target from the very first day of the January transfer window of 2021.

• Sport

  What next for Enzo Fernandez?

  There are two types of post-World Cup transfer, with wildly differing success rates. The first one is when a club buys a player whose value and reputation has been inflated by the tournament itself. It can be easy to get swept up when somebody unexpectedly shines on the big stage, but context is key and far too often, these players revert to their club form after the tournament is finished.

• Sport

  Is Southgate cut out for club management?

  Now that Gareth Southgate is staying as England manager until Euro 2024, debates around his qualities as a coach will be much more straightforward. Those who want him in place recognise the growth and development he has overseen since taking over at one of the national team’s lowest ebbs in living memory, whereas those who don’t believe he has not got the most out of what is fast becoming the most exciting squad in years.

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