Finally, the Matthijs de Ligt Juventus Transfer is Complete
One of biggest transfer sagas of the summer has come to an end, with the 19-year-old Dutch phenom choosing the warm embrace of the Old Lady over many big clubs across Europe.
True to his word, Christian Pulisic began training with Chelsea FC on Tuesday, July 16, just nine days after the USMNT’s defeat to Mexico in the Gold Cup final. His decision to join-up with the squad in lieu of an extended holiday break earned praise from Blues boss Frank Lampard, and he now has three full training sessions under his belt following today’s open practice in Yokohama, Japan.
If you don’t believe me, just look at his feet.
We still don’t know what number he’ll be wearing in Chelsea blue, but we now officially know what day 20-year-old American Christian Pulisic will be joining up with his new club: Tuesday, July 16 — just nine days after the USMNT’s defeat to Mexico in the Gold Cup final.
It was to no one's surprise that the Seattle Sounders were short-handed during this international break. What has made it worse is that injuries have started to pile up as well. All of this played into Saturday's match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, where only five of their usual starting XI featured. This meant that the Sounders had to rely heavily on their youth.
Up stepped 16-year-old Danny Leyva.
In a rematch of the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Final, Spain got revenge on Germany to capture its fifth title, moving the nation level with Italy as the most successful in the history of the Euro U-21 competition.
Spain last achieved U-21 glory when winning back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2013. That extremely skilled cohort included the likes of Juan Mata, David de Gea, Cesar Azpilicueta, Javi Martinez, Isco, Koke and Dani Carvajal, and the 2019 group is sure to achieve just as much international success, if not more than that highly skilled generation.
Everyone knows that Christian Pulisic isn’t going to immediately step into Eden Hazard’s shoes at Chelsea and act as a carbon copy of the Belgian. Hazard, of course, is eight years older than Pulisic and currently much more decisive in the final third: Hazard hit 16 Premier League goals last campaign, the American tied his career best by reaching four in the Bundesliga.
It’s been a vengeful week for U.S. Soccer. Last night at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, the USMNT romped to a 6-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago, exacting a small fraction of revenge for that frightful night in Couva. The win came only two days after the USWNT had vanquished its own personal demons by defeating Sweden at the Women’s World Cup.
For the last decade, Freddy Adu has been quixotically rediscovering his love for the game and declaring himself a much more learned and focused footballer. The problem is, over the course of the last five years, he’s only played 34 professional games, basically the same amount that Harry Kane plays in a week.
According to recent reports from Spanish daily MARCA, Atlético Madrid is planning on making a massive $135 million bid for Benfica wonderkid João Félix. The 19-year-old attacker tore up the Primeira Liga last season, scoring 15 goals while adding seven assists in 26 games.
The fee would double Atlético’s previous transfer record, set when purchasing French winger Thomas Lemar from Monaco last summer for $67 million.
Fresh off scoring his 100th career goal during France’s 4-0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying victory over Andorra, 20-year-old French sensation Kylian Mbappé boarded a plane for the United States, where he’s since been spotted at Nike’s World Headquarters, chilling with LeBron James, at game six of the NBA Finals and throwing out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game.
We’ll probably have to wait another couple decades to see Mbappé in MLS, but it’s clear that he enjoys his time spent stateside. Of course, it’s hard not to when the red carpet is rolled out wherever you go.