Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie is relishing a "great opportunity" to play alongside Paul Pogba after the former Manchester United man made his Bianconeri return.
Having spent six seasons at Old Trafford following a then-world record £89million (€105m) move in 2016, Pogba re-signed for the Turin giants on a free transfer earlier this month.
The 2018 World Cup winner has declared his move to be a return "home", having won four consecutive league titles with Juventus between 2012 and 2016.
Pogba scored 28 league goals during his first spell with the Bianconeri, making him the third-highest French goalscorer in the club's Serie A history after David Trezeguet (123) and Michel Platini (68).
The midfielder has also registered 22 Serie A assists, leaving McKennie excited by the prospect of playing alongside the creative 29-year-old.
"It's a great opportunity," he told GOAL. "He can play a lot of passes that a lot of people can't play, and I feel like I make a lot of runs that a lot of people have to be able to play those passes to get it to me.
"To have someone of his calibre in the midfield, it's definitely something that I'm looking forward to. But at the same time, for me, it's as important on the field as off the field.
"His energy, his vibe, his personality, I can kind of relate to it in so many ways and I think it's good for the players here and good for me.
"He knows how to let loose sometimes and joke around sometimes but also when it's time to work, it's time to work. It's something that I can definitely feed off."
Meanwhile, having made just 21 Serie A appearances for Juventus last season, McKennie was touted for a potential move away, with a number of Premier League clubs suggested as possible destinations.
But Massimiliano Allegri declared last week the club have no intention of selling the midfielder, and while McKennie admits he finds it difficult to ignore transfer speculation, he expressed gratitude for the his coach's support.
"That's one of the biggest things as an athlete and as a player, you want to be where you're wanted, where you're valued," the United States international added.
"I've seen things that I didn't even know about, that I see on the transfer rumours. It's stuff that I'm like, 'oh, wow. I've never heard of that' and, obviously, it's very hard to ignore."
Cavalier SC clinch Jamaica Premier League title in dramatic penalty shootout victory over Mount Pleasant
Cavalier SC secured their third Jamaica Premier League title in thrilling fashion on Sunday night, defeating defending champions Mount Pleasant FA 4-3 on penalties at the National Stadium in Kingston.
After a hard-fought 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time, the match was decided by a tense penalty shootout. Cavalier SC goalkeeper Vino Barclett emerged as the hero, making two crucial saves during the shootout. Nicholas Hamilton, who entered the game late in extra time, sealed the victory with the decisive penalty.
Mount Pleasant had taken the lead in the 65th minute through Devonte Campbell, whose well-placed shot found the net. However, Cavalier SC quickly responded just two minutes later when Richard King leveled the score from close range.
Despite both teams pushing for a winner in extra time, neither could break the deadlock, leading to the drama of penalties. Initially trailing 0-2 in the shootout, Cavalier SC staged a remarkable comeback, holding their nerve to prevail 4-3.
In the playoff for third place earlier in the day, Arnett Gardens secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Waterhouse.
Cavalier SC's triumph marks a significant achievement for the club, avenging last year's final defeat to Mount Pleasant and showcasing their resilience and determination throughout the season.
Injured Ederson replaced in expanded Brazil Copa America squad
Brazil coach Dorival Junior has replaced the injured Ederson for the Copa America and called three more players up to an expanded squad.
South American governing body CONMEBOL announced that teams can now name a 26-man squad, up from the original 23 allowed at the tournament.
Dorival Junior has called upon Juventus defender Bremer, Atalanta midfielder Ederson and Porto forward Pepe as the extra players for his team.
Manchester City's Ederson will not be fit to play at the Copa America, so Sao Paolo's Rafael has been called up in his place.
The goalkeeper suffered a small fracture on his eye socket in a heavy collision with Cristian Romero against Tottenham and missed the end of their league season.
Brazil’s original 23-man squad, announced earlier this month, did not include Casemiro, Richarlison or Gabriel Jesus, though 17-year-old prodigy Endrick was included.
Selecao are nine-time winners of the Copa America and will kick off their campaign against Costa Rica in Group D on June 24.
Outgoing Brighton boss De Zerbi not walking into new job
Roberto De Zerbi insisted he does not have another job lined up after overseeing his final game as Brighton and Hove Albion boss on Sunday.
One day after surprisingly announcing De Zerbi's departure, Brighton ended their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 home loss to Manchester United.
That meant they slipped below rivals Crystal Palace to finish 11th in the table, their first bottom-half placing since finishing 16th in 2020-21.
De Zerbi has been linked with several big clubs since leading Brighton to European qualification last season, with Bayern Munich, Milan and Napoli touted as possible landing spots for the former Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk coach.
However, De Zerbi says he has not reached an agreement with any other club, telling reporters: "There isn't any club – no-one offered me anything. At the moment, nothing.
"I hope to work in the Premier League again. I don't know where or when, but it was an honour to work in the Premier League."
Sunday's defeat was De Zerbi's 70th Premier League game in charge of Brighton, with his top-flight win percentage of 37 per cent (26/70) the highest of any boss in the Seagulls' history.
Battling a lengthy injury list for much of 2023-24, Brighton made a total of 143 changes to their starting lineup throughout the course of the campaign, with only Manchester City in 2019-20 (144) ever making more in a single Premier League season.
Asked by BBC Match of the Day if there was a particular reason for his exit, the Italian added: "We didn't find the agreement to move on. I want to keep my way.
"I know very well what I want to do and I know I am a coach and I have to accept the policies of the club.
"They gave me an incredible chance. They gave me the possibility to know incredible people, to play and to work in the Premier League, to play in the Europa League. They gave me the opportunity to know this club, this city, these fans and that I cannot forget."
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna and Nice coach Francesco Farioli have both been tipped as possible contenders to replace De Zerbi, with Brighton having a reputation for excellent succession planning under owner Tony Bloom.
Asked about the search for a replacement on Sunday, Bloom said: "We always try and have a plan. We have got a plan. We now need to execute that plan."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
