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French newspaper L'Equipe has revealed the wages of some Ligue 1's biggest earners – but who takes home the most cash?

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  30Thomas Meunier (PSG)

  €260,000 per month

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  29Steven Jovetic (Monaco)

  €280,000 per month

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  28Kamil Glik (Monaco)

  €290,000 per month

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  27Bertrand Traore (Lyon)

  €300,000 per month

With all of the 'Big Five' leagues having now wrapped up for another year, Goal picks out the best performers from across the continent

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  Jan Oblak | Atletico Madrid

  Ederson may have helped Manchester City win the Premier League title but Jan Oblak was once again the best goalkeeper in Europe this season.

  Of the shot-stoppers to have played at least 15 games this campaign, none had a better save percentage than the Slovenian (79.39), who kept 20 clean sheets – only Liverpool's Alisson had more – as Atletico finished second in La Liga.

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  Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool

  Trent Alexander-Arnold's quick thinking may have caught Barcelona by surprise in the Champions League but the 20-year-old's deadly delivery hardly came as a shock to those who have been watching him in domestic action all season.

  Indeed, as well as proving a pivotal player in the best back-line in England, the Reds right-back also broke the Premier League assists record for a defender by creating 12 goals for the Merseysiders, who finished second.

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  Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool

  The man who has made £75 million ($95m) look like a bargain!

  After immediately settling into his new surroundings at Liverpool following last year's arrival from Southampton, the Netherlands international has gone from strength to strength this season, transforming the Reds' once brittle defence into the tightest in the Premier League.

  Van Dijk, who has also starred during his side's run to the Champions League final, was the overwhelming choice for PFA Player of the Year and is now widely regarded as the best centre-half on the planet.

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  Gerard Pique | Barcelona

  Age looked to be catching up on Gerard Pique during an error-strewn start to the season but the 32-year-old centre-half was immaculate in La Liga from October on, with his performance in the crucial win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu an undoubted highlight.

  In short, he went from vulnerable to undroppable as Barca stormed to another Liga title and his importance to the Catalans' defensive solidity was best illustrated by the way in which the Blaugrana went to pieces at the back when he was rested for the 4-4 draw with Villarreal at El Madrigal.

GOAL remember six African football stars who broke onto the scene at the tournament

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  Yves Bissouma

  The current Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder—and rumoured transfer target for some of the world’s biggest clubs—burst onto the scene at the Chan way back in 2016.

  He made a key impact for Mali at that edition of the competition, coming off the bench to net a late winner against the Ivory Coast in the semi-final in Kigali.

  However, the Eagles weren’t able to lift the crown, as they were dispatched 3-0 by the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final.

  No player from that Chan has achieved a higher status than the then-AS Real Bamako man, however, who was part of the Mali squad at the recent Africa Cup of Nations.

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  Elia Meschak

  Also featuring at the 2016 event was Congolese forward Meschak, who netted twice in the final against Mali—opening the scoring in the 29th minute before doubling the Leopards’ lead just after the hour mark.

  He won Player of the Tournament in Rwanda, and shared the Golden Boot, but—perhaps due to his relatively diminutive stature—he took his time to break into the European game.

  He finally left Tout Puissant Mazembe for Swiss side Young Boys in 2020, and has featured regularly for the full DRC side.

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  Hillal Soudani

  An Arab Cup winner with Algeria last year, Soudani may have missed out on the 2019 Afcon success, but he’s been one of the most familiar faces in a Fennecs side that achieved such great things under Djamel Belmadi.

  The powerful forward has won silverware in three separate European countries—including four consecutive Croatian titles—and was part of the Algeria side at the Brazil World Cup in 2014.

  He was joint top scorer at the 2011 Chan, as the Fennecs finished fourth, and set him on his way to a decade-long career in Europe.

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  Nayef Aguerd

  Currently considered one of Africa’s finest defenders in the world today, Aguerd has come a long way in a short amount of time, having gone from the Moroccan Botola to the Champions League in a handful of years.

  A Chan winner with Morocco on homesoil in 2018, he switched from FUS Rabat to Dijon later that year, and tasted the UCL last season after moving to Rennes.

  One of the most impressive centre-backs to strut his stuff at the Afcon earlier this year, Aguerd has been heavily linked with a move to West Ham United since last season.

The club has unprecedented flexibility to bring in big names in 2023.

The next few months will be era-defining for Inter Miami.

Since this club's inception, Miami has promised to be bigger, bolder, more ambitious than its competitors in MLS. And, as they enter the 2023 offseason, the handcuffs are ready to come off of a club that had been held back by its past missteps.

Limited by an MLS punishment in 2022, Inter Miami exceeded expectations, making a playoff run on the back of a vintage run of form from Gonzalo Higuain. The former Real Madrid and Juventus star truly lived up to his billing this year, putting the team on his back and carrying them to the postseason.

But that was the last we'll see of Higuain, who now heads into retirement on a personal high. The season ended with a loss to NYCFC, one that showed how far the team has come but also how far it needs to go.

They enter 2023, though, with the resources to reach that next level, but how will they use them? With the chance to bring in an entirely new set of stars, how high can Inter Miami aim?

GOAL takes a look back at their 2022 season, as well as what could be in 2023.

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  Financial handicaps

  The first thing to understand when putting Miami's 2022 season in perspective is exactly what they were working with.

  Following an investigation into the club's salary cap situation, MLS found that Miami violated league rules by having five Designated Players on its roster for 2020.

  The league announced that Miami would be fined while having its available allocation money slashed in 2022 and 2023, effectively handicapping the club's ability to fill out its roster.

  Those punishments led to some difficult exits. Lewis Morgan was traded to the New York Red Bulls for a massive sum of allocation money, which helped rebuild their finances a bit, but it was hard for Miami to watch on as he emerged as a star at Red Bull Arena.

  DP Rodolfo Pizarro was loaned to Monterrey after a largely-disappointing spell, while Blaise Matuidi, whose signing was at the center of MLS' investigation, became a club ambassador. The club also lost defender Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, a veteran with an MLS Cup to his name.

  In total, the roster had 19 new players on it before the regular season even started.

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  The regular season

  If I would have told you this summer that Inter Miami would make the playoffs with Higuain emerging as arguably the best striker in MLS, you would have called me crazy.

  Higuain, of course, was at one point benched by Phil Neville. But, by the end of it all, he was the hottest goalscorer in the league, leading a surge toward the postseason while ending his illustrious career on a high.

  Higuain finished the regular season with 16 goals, 14 of which came in the final 17 games, while catapulting Miami into the playoffs.

  And it's Higuain's resurgence that truly defined Miami's season.

  Like their striker, Miami looked done and dusted this summer but, after that benching, all involved used it as a rallying point. It would have been easy for Higuain to fade away, for Miami to fold, for Neville to see it all blow up around him.

  Instead, Higuain took it as a challenge and Inter Miami became better for it. And, as Neville pointed out, it led to the type of season that defines a culture, something the club has desperately lacked since its inception.

  "I suppose it’s Gonzalo is the biggest thing that I’m proud of," Neville said. "We spoke off camera about how there’s great potential, we’ve recruited really well but we needed time. And Gonzalo that day probably mirrored how we all felt. And he had a choice: Either return as a champion or his legacy at this football club wasn’t going to be great.

  "And he promised me, assured me that [for] his legacy he wanted to be a winner. And our relationship has never, ever wavered, we’ve always had a lot of respect for each other."

  He later added: "I think we changed the way people looked at Inter Miami. There was a lot of negativity around the club and I think that changed."

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  The postseason

  As it turns out, though, no amount of good vibes can do it all for your in the playoffs.

  Miami had all the makings of a team of destiny, with a legendary gunslinging striker retiring and looking for one last chance at glory.

  But they ran into an absolute buzzsaw at Citi Field and were dismantled by defending champions NYCFC.

  It was a match where Miami's flaws were laid bare. Their defense was horrific, starting with the centerback pairing. The midfield struggled to get any hold of the game given what was going on behind them. And Higuain, stationed up top, hardly got anything to work with (and yet still managed to score a goal that was disallowed) as NYCFC proved relentless in their first step towards defending their title.

  It was a match that showed the difference between a title contender and a playoff hopeful, and NYCFC's status as a title contender isn't exactly certain considering the departures they dealt with this year.

  But, if the regular season showed how far Inter Miami had come, their brief postseason run showed how far they have to go.

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  Who's staying on?

  Heading into 2023, the club certainly has some key pieces already in place.

  The midfield is in a good spot with Gregore and Jean Mota, while the goalkeeping position looks set for years to come with 25-year-old Drake Callender. The right back spot is also secure, with U.S. men's national team veteran DeAndre Yedlin one of the best in the league.

  Neville, too, should return, given the team's performance this year. The former England star is still very much learning how to be a head coach at this level, but you have to give him credit for how he handled the Higuain situation all year long.

  He got players to buy in and make an improbable run to the playoffs despite all of the things that held them back. In short, it was a successful season for Neville.

  But that's enough about who's coming back. Now to the part you're all here for…

Liverpool fans have a new firebrand Uruguayan striker to enjoy, with the £64m signing impressing, and proving decisive, in a 1-0 win over West Ham.

Liverpool’s season is officially up and running, and so is Darwin Nunez’s Reds career.

The Uruguayan was the matchwinner at Anfield on Wednesday night, his first-half header securing a second 1-0 win in the space of three days, this time against West Ham.

It was Nunez’s first home goal for his new club, and he might have had a hat-trick on the night, hitting the post with one fierce strike and seeing Lukasz Fabianski deny him two on further occasions.

The Hammers, meanwhile, can reflect on Jarrod Bowen’s penalty miss, just before half-time, as a crucial turning point.

The England hopeful was denied by Alisson Becker having been felled by Joe Gomez, and West Ham failed to capitalise on a nervous home crowd in the dying stages, with Gianluca Scamacca and Said Benrahma wasting chances, and a combination of Alisson and James Milner somehow denying Tomas Soucek a late equaliser.

For Liverpool, it is only the second time this season they have managed back-to-back wins in the league.

They move up to seventh in the table, and on Saturday have the chance to give their campaign further momentum, with a trip to bottom club Nottingham Forest.

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  The Winners

  Darwin Nunez:

  You can say what you like about Liverpool's £64-million man, but you don't want to take your eyes off him. It's been a while since Reds fans had a firebrand Uruguayan striker to enjoy, but Nunez, like Luis Suarez before him, looks like he has the tools to be a firm favourite at Anfield. He's certainly box office, a magnet for shots and a ball of energy whenever he steps onto the field. And here, for the first time for his new club, he was the match-winner, his superb first-half header settling an attritional, at times nervy contest. Nunez might have had three or four goals in the first half, denied superbly by Lukasz Fabianski early on and then clattering the woodwork with another stunning, instinctive left-foot strike. He clearly has talent, and he looks like he has bundles of belief as well. His work ethic has endeared him to his new supporters, and though his game ended, rather surprisingly, early in the second half when he was replaced by Harvey Elliott, he can reflect on a good night's work. Another one.

  Alisson Becker:

  The roar from the Kop at the end said it all. "Alisson, Alisson, Alisson," they chanted. They know how important their Brazilian No.1 is, and they know what a huge contribution he made to this win. It was his penalty save from Jarrod Bowen, right on half time, which preserved the Reds' advantage and ultimately secured the points. He has faced 13 penalties in his Premier League career, Alisson, and only seven have been scored. Later in the game, he was to make another crucial intervention, spreading himself to deflect Tomas Soucek's effort wide. As good as a goal. As good a goalkeeper as there is.

  Kostas Tsimikas:

  Liverpool's first-choice left back was superb in the win over Manchester City on Sunday, but Andy Robertson's deputy isn't bad either. Tsimikas has had plenty of opportunities to shine so far this season, and he certainly took this one. The Greece international was prominent in the first half, offering a constant outlet in blustery conditions. And when he got the chance to deliver, 22 minutes in, he did so beautifully, his curled cross buried by Nunez for the only goal. There were other dangerous deliveries, mainly from set-pieces, but just as pleasing was Tsimikas' defensive work, as he battled well against Bowen all evening, rarely letting the West Ham man get his own way. Robertson came on to finish the job, and will probably return to the starting XI at Forest on Saturday, but for Jurgen Klopp it must be comforting to know he can rotate with safety in that position.

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  The Losers

  Jarrod Bowen:

  Liverpool are long-time admirers of West Ham's No.20, and they'll like him even more after this. The England World Cup hopeful fluffed his lines in front of the Kop, and it would cost his side dearly. Bowen, in fairness, had won the penalty himself, bundled over clumsily by Joe Gomez, but he telegraphed his spot-kick, allowing Alisson to make a sprawling save low to his right. His impact otherwise was minimal, losing his battle with Tsimikas and managing only one further effort on goal. He's a good player, Bowen, but he'll see this as an opportunity missed, in more ways than one.

  David Moyes:

  This really isn't his ground, is it? Nineteen times the Scot has visited Anfield as a manager, with Everton, Manchester United, Sunderland and West Ham, and on each occasion he has failed to win. Only Sir Bobby Robson has been here more times as a manager (23) without tasting victory. Moyes felt his side had chances to take a result here, particularly in the final 20 minutes, but he will rue their lethargic, passive start to the game. By the time they'd woken themselves up, Liverpool were ahead, and with Bowen & Co. wasteful, the Hammers could have few complaints in truth.

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  Liverpool Ratings: Defence

  Alisson Becker (8/10):

  A couple of dodgy kicks early on, but a superb penalty save to keep his side in front before half time, and a brilliant touch to deny Soucek late on.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (6/10):

  More than decent for 70 minutes but faded in the last 20, when he seemed to lose his bearings defensively.

  Joe Gomez (6/10):

  Clumsy in conceding the penalty on Bowen, and it seemed to affect him thereafter. Not bad, but not as dominant as against Manchester City.

  Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

  Largely in control, and won some big headers in his own box late on.

  Kostas Tsimikas (8/10):

  Terrific delivery for Nunez's opener and defended stoically.

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  Midfield

  Thiago Alcantara (7/10):

  Ran the show in the first half, playing between the lines, keeping the ball and dictating the tempo. Replaced early in the second half.

  Jordan Henderson (6/10):

  Average first half, where he tried to play safe more often than not. A few good forward runs in the second half, though, and defended well.

EA Sports released a list of the highest rated MLS players in FIFA 23 and there are plenty of familiar faces.

The division's popularity continues to rise on an annual basis and, subsequently, so do the players competing in the United States.

Those players are available for use both in Ultimate Team and FIFA's other game modes ever since the new iteration of the popular video game franchise released on Friday, September 30.

Some players, such as Gareth Bale, have left MLS since the game's release, but they are still linked to the league on Ultimate Team.

GOAL shares the top 10 players (base ratings) below…

• =7 | Federico Bernardeschi | RM | 79

  While Lorenzo Insigne got much of the hype for his move to Toronto, fellow Italian Federico Bernardeschi is no slouch, and made the list of top-ranked MLS players for FIFA 23.

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  =7 | Nicolas Lodeiro | CAM | 79

  Another one of the five MLS players who were given a 79 rating on FIFA 23, Seattle Sounders captain Nicolas Lodeiro just completed his seventh season for the club.

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  =7 | Emanuel Reynoso | CAM | 79

  Emanuel Reynoso is coming off a brilliant season for Minnesota United with 10 goals and six assists in 29 MLS appearances. Because of the level of performance he has been turning in, he has been rewarded with a 79 rating.

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  =7 | Javier Hernandez | ST | 79

  Since leaving Europe for the MLS, Chicharito has stood out for LA Galaxy. He holds a very strong record of 37 goals in 65 MLS games and remains one of the league's most popular figures.

How to watch Gent against West Ham in the Europa Conference League quarter-final in the UK, US, and India, as well as kick-off time and team news.

Gent and West Ham will meet for the first leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-final at the Ghelamco Arena on Thursday.

Watch Gent vs West Ham live on BT Sport!

Watch Gent vs West Ham live on Paramount+!

West Ham have only lost one out of their last six matches in all competitions. David Moyes' team will be high in confidence, following their 6-0 aggregate win over Larnaca in the previous round of the Europa Conference League.

The hosts are unbeaten in seven matches in all competitions and their last defeat at home came against current Belgian league leaders Genk back in February 5. They will be confident of getting a good result against the Premier League opponents at the Arena.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the U.S., UK and India as well as how to stream live online.

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  Kick-off time

  Game:	Gent vs West Ham
  Date:	April 13, 2023
  Kick-off:	12.45pm EDT, 5.45pm BST, 10:15pm IST
  Venue:	Ghelamco Arena

  The Europa Conference League game between Gent and West Ham United is scheduled for April 13, 2023, at the Ghelamco Arena in Belgium.

  It will kick off at 12.45pm EDT in the US, 5.45pm BST in the UK, and 10:15pm in India.

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  How to watch Gent vs West Ham online – TV channels & live streams

  TV channels & streaming options

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  U.S.	N/A	Paramount+
  UK	BT Sport 2	BT app/website
  India	Sony Ten 5 SD/HD	Sony LIV

  In the United States (US), the game can be watched live on Paramount+.

  Fans in the United Kingdom (UK) can watch the game on BT Sport 2, with streaming options available on their app and website.

  In India, the game will be available to watch on Sony Sports Network.

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  Team news & squads

  Gent team news

  It will be interesting to see the guardian of the goal for Gent in this upcoming fixture, as second-choice keeper Davy Roef has been preferred over their number one Paul Nardi in Cup competitions so far.

  Boss Vanhaezebrouck has no fresh injury concerns to deal with ahead the crucial clash against West Ham. He will hope to get a home advantage in the first leg, with club and league top scorer Hugo Cuypers (19 goals) leading the line.

  Gent possible XI: Roef; Castro-Montes, Ngadeu, Torunarigha; Samoise, Kums, Hong, Odjidja-Ofoe, Fofana; Orban, Cuypers

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Nardi, Roef
  Defenders	Okumu, Piatkowski, Torunarigha, Fortuna, Godeu, Agbor, Van Daele
  Midfielders	Hong, Odjidja-Ofoe, De Ridder, De Sart, Castro-Montes, Hjulsager, Samoise, Marreh, Kums
  Forwards	Lemajic, Hauge, Cuypers, Fofana, Orban Depoitre, Tissoudali

  West Ham team news

  David Moyes has confirmed that Brazilian international midfielder Lucas Paqueta is part of the West Ham squad that has travelled for the Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg against Gent. Although he missed their last Premier League match due to an ankle knock, the player has trained throughout the week and will be available for selection.

  The team has an otherwise full squad to choose from, except for Gianluca Scamacca, who is recovering from a knee problem. Flynn Downes is set to return from a European suspension and 18-year-old prospect Divin Mubama, who has 26 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions this season, the majority coming for West Ham's youth team, has also made the trip.

  West Ham possible XI: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Ogbonna, Palmieri; Bowen, Soucek, Rice, Fornals; Ings, Antonio

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Areola, Fabianski
  Defenders	Zouma, Aguerd, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Emerson, Cresswell, Johnson, Coufal
  Midfielders	Rice, Soucek, Downes, Paqueta, Fornals, Laznini, Benrahma, Cornet
  Forwards	Ings, Antonio, Bowen, Mubama

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  Useful links

  • Europa Conference League home page

  • Live football on TV in the UK

  • Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

  • West Ham team page

The England international clearly has no future under Erik ten Hag, and a parting of ways is inevitable this summer

Manchester United are going places under Erik ten Hag. Sunday's 1-0 victory over Aston Villa gave the Red Devils a nine-point cushion over fifth-placed Liverpool in the race for the final Champions League spot, and they still have a game in hand on their rivals.

Ten Hag also brought the club's six-year trophy drought to an end with a 2-0 Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle, and supporters are now looking forward to a blockbuster FA Cup final clash against noisy neighbours Manchester City.

Amid their resurgence, Harry Maguire has been little more than a spectator.

The 30-year-old has only started 15 games for United this season, including just seven in the Premier League. Indeed, he was only given a four-minute run out against Villa after Ten Hag opted to deploy Luke Shaw as a makeshift centre-back alongside Victor Lindelof once again.

Maguire is still United's club captain, but Bruno Fernandes now wears the armband 90 percent of the time, and a permanent change will surely be made in the summer.

It has also been reported that Ten Hag will sanction Maguire's departure, with the defender not figuring into his long-term plans at Old Trafford.

When Maguire initially joined United, he was considered among the best centre-halves in the country. Four years later, he has been reduced to a figure of ridicule and appears destined for a significant step down.

So how did we get to this point?

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  The price tag

  Maguire was on the radar of a number of top clubs in 2019, having matured into one of the Premier League's most consistent performers at Leicester City.

  Pep Guardiola wanted him at Manchester City, but it was United that ultimately won the race for his signature by smashing the world transfer record for a defender.

  Leicester managed to get £80 million ($100m) out of United for Maguire, who signed a six-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option of an extra year.

  City didn't feel that lofty fee was a fair valuation, but the Red Devils took the gamble heading into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first full season in charge.

  "Harry is one of the best centre-backs in the game today," the Norwegian said at his unveiling. "He is a great reader of the game and has a strong presence on the pitch, with the ability to remain calm under pressure."

  Maguire backed up his manager's words with a solid first couple of months at the club, and outlined his aspirations in an interview with "It's the long term, that's what the main thing is," he said. "In five or six years, judge me then – whether I have been a success at this club or not."

  Pressed on how he deals with the expectations that come with his price tag, he added: "It doesn't bother me at all."

  United supporters hoped that Maguire would be the same kind of transformative signing that Virgil van Dijk was for Liverpool a year earlier, but he hasn't come close to reaching that standard.

  And despite what he says, that £80m fee has been a weight around Maguire's neck from day one.

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  Captaincy came too quick

  Maguire's quick adaptation to life at Old Trafford led Solskjaer to make a drastic call just six months into his debut season.

  With Ashley Young all set to seal a winter transfer to Inter, Maguire was given the honour of replacing him as United's official captain.

  Granted, Solskjaer wasn't blessed with a squad full of leaders, but at the time it seemed as though David de Gea was the better choice due to his standing as the most experienced member of the dressing room.

  Maguire jumped at the opportunity, despite not being ready for the extra responsibility that comes with the armband.

  A captain needs to exude confidence to the rest of his team-mates and set an example for younger players to follow, but Maguire's performances in a United shirt have ranged from frustrating to downright embarrassing at times.

  The Red Devils managed to finish second in the Premier League in 2020-21, but the wheels came off for Solskjaer in the first half of the following season as the flaws in Maguire's game were ruthlessly exposed.

  The legendary former striker was sacked before the Christmas period, and his interim replacement Ralf Rangnick was unable to steady the ship as United finished with their worst-ever Premier League points total.

  Maguire was regularly criticised for posting empty apologies on social media after bad results, and he was booed by angry supporters when turning out for England at international level.

  The additions of players such as Fernandes and Raphael Varane have also shone an unflattering light on Maguire, who cannot match them for natural talent or strength of personality.

  He has held onto the armband by a thread this term, but it's easy to wonder whether his time at United would have run far more smoothly had he never been entrusted with captaincy duties.

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  The Mykonos incident

  The public's opinion of Maguire began to change in the summer of 2020, when he took an ill-fated family holiday to Greece.

  His wife, dad, brother and sister were among those to accompany the United star to Mykonos for what should have been a relaxing break, but the trip ended up becoming a nightmare.

  Maguire was arrested after a brawl outside a bar, and held in police custody for two nights. He was later found guilty in court of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and attempted bribery, which earned him a 21-month suspended sentence.

  He has always denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the altercation occurred after two strangers injected his sister Daisy with an unknown substance. Maguire also alleges that he was beaten after being taken to the police station.

  Maguire launched an appeal, which nullified his international conviction, and his case is set to be heard in a Greek court this coming June.

  Police disputed his version of events, and one officer alleged in court that Maguire said to him following his arrest: "Please, let me go, I am very rich, I can pay, I am the leader of Manchester United."

  As the press jumped on all the details surrounding the case, Maguire found himself under greater scrutiny than ever before, and his performances seemed to suffer after his eventual return to action for United.

  “Some people will believe me, some people won’t,” he said when looking back on that summer in an interview with in 2022. “But one thing I would say about Mykonos is that I have no regrets.

  “I don’t worry about what the outcome is going to be. I don’t worry about anything to do with it because my conscience is so clear about what happened that night. The people who were there that night, there were nine of us, we all understand what went on and what happened.”

  Maguire's conscience may be clear, but he no longer goes anywhere full of strangers without a security team.

  “It’s not something I want, really," he added on those extra measures. "It’s probably made me a little more aware that I’m in the spotlight that much.”

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  Individual errors

  A study published by the Alan Turing Institute last August found that Maguire is the second most abused player online – after his former United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

  When the criticism was at its peak, Maguire was left fearing for his and his family's safety. In April 2022, he received a bomb threat to his home in Cheshire.

  Maguire said those responsible had "crossed a line" with the level of hate aimed in his direction coming as a shock to his colleagues at Old Trafford.

  "He's taken a lot of stick – probably more than I've ever seen before in football," Shaw told a few months later.

  There is no place in football for that level of abuse, and to Maguire's huge credit, he hasn't let it keep him down. However, in the world of social media, high-profile players will always be targeted if they are failing to perform. Maguire certainly doesn't deserve to be subjected to such appalling vitriol, but he has left himself open to criticism.

  He made 16 errors leading to goals last season, and has been similarly unreliable when called upon in 2022-23.

  Maguire is slow in and out of possession, and prone to making poor decisions that put United under pressure time and time again. He was made a scapegoat for the club's struggles last term because he stood out like a sore thumb.

  United legend Nemanja Vidic recently expressed his belief that Maguire has lost the respect of his team-mates as a result of his erratic nature.

  "Maguire has a problem because he doesn’t perform well," he said on Rio Ferdinand's YouTube channel . "When you don’t perform well, it’s difficult to say to someone what to do. It’s difficult to gain that type of respect. In general, any captain has to be first, has to show an example. A captain has to play well and has to fight for the club, and then everybody else will do it."

  The most recent example of Maguire's ineptitude came in United's dismal 3-0 loss to Sevilla in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final.

  Ten Hag had no choice but to start the England man due to a plethora of injuries at the back, but he will surely know by now that he cannot trust him in the biggest matches. After all, he was the one that identified Maguire's presence as one of United's biggest weaknesses upon his arrival at the club.

The Portuguese will likely need to raise his game in 2023-24 given the influx of stars into the Saudi Pro League, but he disappointed against PSG

Cristiano Ronaldo was held scoreless and turned in a drab performance as his Al-Nassr side fought to an uneventful scoreless draw with PSG in their pre-season meeting in Osaka. Chances were rare in this high-profile friendly, with a Kylian Mbappe-less PSG lacking a goalscoring punch, instead turning to a litany of imperfect options and teenagers for attacking production.

Al-Nassr, meanwhile, looked to feed their main man, and he marked a relatively uneventful first half — if only because of his failure to put a chance away. Ronaldo met a floated cross from five yards out, but saw his weak effort thwarted by Gianluigi Donnarumma. He missed a far more speculative chance shortly after, putting a bicycle kick well past the post.

His miscues were the closest either team came for most of the contest. PSG, fielding a mixture of academy players and new signings, were lacking in possession, and never really strung a coherent attacking move together. Marco Asensio had the occasional half-chance, but his like of killer instinct cost Luis Enrique's side.

Ronaldo was removed from play after 65 minutes, slumping off the pitch and acknowledging the smattering of Al-Nassr shirts that stuck out in a sea of PSG fans. This wasn't his finest performance — far from it. Those showings are becoming less frequent these days, especially against tougher competition. And, if nothing else, this served as evidence that Ronaldo will need to raise his game once the competitive action begins.

GOAL looks at what we learned during the clash at Nagai Stadium:

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  Cristiano isn't ready yet

  Ronaldo, in fairness, joined Al-Nassr when the Saudi Pro League season was well underway last season, and although a player of his quality is expected to quite comfortably dominate a lower-calibre division, there was always going to be something of an adjustment period.

  Not anymore, though. This time, Ronaldo has no excuses. And in Al-Nassr's latest warm-up, the Portuguese didn't have much of an impact. A lot of the typical Ronaldo things were here. He floated around the box, waiting for the right cross or fortunate nick off a PSG defender. He broke out a few stepovers, chops, and turns — few of which were particularly necessary.

  But his impact in front of goal — the thing he is supposed to be on the pitch for — was minimal. PSG certainly did their part defensively, but Ronaldo turned in a poor showing. Even he will need time to find form.

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  Zaire-Emery impresses again

  Another game, another start for PSG's immensely promising teenager Warren Zaire-Emery. The academy product caught the eye in PSG's pre-season opener against Le Havre, and he was equally impressive here. Deployed alongside Vitinha, he looked far more comfortable than the 23-year-old, who started 29 games for the Parisians last season.

  Al-Nassr have a sneakily good midfield pivot, lining up Marcelo Brozovic and Seko Fofana — an interesting blend of physicality and technique. Zaire-Emery danced around both of them, dictating play and offering an attacking thrust that the Parisians were otherwise missing.

  PSG have five midfielders fighting for three spots in Luis Enrique's XI — with potentially more to come. But Zaire-Emery might just get his chance, and if this was to be his trial, it's hard to see what else he could've done to impress the new manager.

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  Asensio is not a striker

  Luis Enrique insisted on playing Asensio through the middle during his tenure as Spain manager, despite it yielding minimal results. And he did the same here, asking the winger to function as a sort of false nine for most of the contest.

  The results, once again, were mixed. Asensio was full of energy and movement, and linked up well with PSG's wide players. But his instincts in the final third were lacking; this is not a player who likes to ghost into spaces, or win headers. It is, of course, in these times like these when PSG miss Mbappe, or crave a more direct presence off either wing.

  Still, Luis Enrique looks likely to push on with this experiment, one that hasn't been working for some time now. It is, likely, not the role that the Spaniard signed up for when he left Real Madrid on a free transfer a few months ago.

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  No Neymar to be found

  Neymar underwent significant ankle surgery less than six months ago, and was always going to need time to work his way back to fitness. And even though he seems to be nearing a return, it appears he isn't quite ready yet.

  But he should be back soon. Neymar was pictured in team training this week, and seen smiling from the bench. Still, he never got on the pitch, leaving a bit of uncertainty as to how, exactly, this PSG team will eventually line up. There seems to be a chance that Neymar could operate in a more attacking role, or provide a goal threat in Luis Enrique's side — especially with Mbappe likely gone.

  But it seems that Luis Enrique will have to wait a bit longer before he is able to release his Brazilian weapon. He will undoubtedly be an important addition for this languishing PSG side.

Tottenham have a bit of a reputation of being tight with their money, but they have spent plenty of cash this century

Tottenham Hotspur have done a fine job in becoming one of the Premier League's so-called big six over the course of the last decade or so after languishing in mid-table team at the start of the century.

Much of that upward trend is down to some strong decision making at board level and having a clear philosophy as to what they represent.

Their resurgence has not been cheap, though, as they have have been spending freely to get to where they are now.

Although Spurs have only surpassed the £50 million mark on two occasions, with both Tanguy Ndombele and Richarlison costing £50m+, they have not held back when it comes to quantity.

And it's fair to say that approach hasn't always paid off!

Luka Modric was a phenomenal signing at just over £20m, but they paid a similar amount for Vincent Janssen, Serge Aurier, Giovani Lo Celso and Bryan Gil to name just a few examples.

So, let's take a look at their 21st-century transfer dealings and their most expensive arrivals of the last 22 years!

Tottenham Hotspur most expensive signings by season

*All figures are taken from Transfermarkt.

Tottenham Hotspur top 10 most expensive player signings

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  10Roberto Soldado | £27 million | Valencia | 2013

  Tottenham signed Soldado in the summer of 2013 for a then club record fee of £27 million.

  The Spanish striker scored on his debut in Tottenham's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace and then four days later scored a brace in a 5-0 win in their Europa League match against Dinamo Tbilisi.

  However, he eventually scored just six goals in his debut season and was quickly labelled a flop by Spurs fans.

  Soldado left Tottenham in the summer of 2015 and joined Villarreal for a reported £10m.

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  9Steven Bergwijn | £27 million | PSV | 2020

  Steven Bergwijn arrived in North London from PSV for £27 million in January 2020.

  He signed a five-year contract and scored his first goal for the club on his Premier League debut in a 2-0 win over Manchester City.

  After the Premier League halt by Covid-19, Bergwijn scored in the first game against Manchester United in a 1-6 win at Old Trafford.

  The Dutchman made 60 appearances for Spurs, scoring seven goals before joining Ajax in the summer of 2022.

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  8Giovani Lo Celso | £28.80 million | Real Betis | 2020

  Tottenham signed Giovani Lo Celso from La Liga side Real Betis in August 2019 on a season-long loan with an option to buy.

  Lo Celso made his debut for Spurs against Manchester City and they triggered the option to sign him permanently in January 2020 for £28.80 million.

  After two decent years at Tottenham, Lo Celso was loaned to Villarreal in January 2022 and has been there since then.

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  7Moussa Sissoko | £31.50 million | Newcastle | 2016

  After a much-publicized move from Newcastle United in 2016, Moussa Sissoko went on to make 202 appearances for Tottenham across all competitions.

  Spurs paid a premium of £31.50 million to acquire his services, but it is probably fair to say that the move didn't work out for either party.

  He spent five years at the club before deciding to join Watford in the summer of 2021 and got relegated with them in the 2021-22 season.