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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Brighton £30m signing Charalampos Kostoulas not yet ready for Premier League
Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler says he can tell from speaking to Charalampos Kostoulas that the £30million summer signing is not yet ready to be thrown into action in the Premier League. But there are no plans to loan out the 18-year-old Greek forward signed from Olympiacos or Tommy Watson, who joined from Sunderland for £10m. The 19-year-old also had no minutes during pre-season after picking up an injury during the training camp in Spain in July. Advertisement Asked by The Athletic about the state of play with the teenage newcomers, Hurzeler said: 'Tommy had a small issue during the training camp. Nothing big, so he will be fine. 'Both are in training. Both are training quite well. Regarding 'Babis' (Kostoulas), of course, there's a big spotlight on him because we spent £30million. That's a huge amount of money, but I think it's very important to understand where he comes from. 'He's coming from a different culture, a different league with different demands. And if you have talks with him, you can feel it, that he needs time to adapt to the intensity here. It's not only a different culture, it's also just a different adaptation for his body. So, how much sprint distance he has to do here during training, how much high-speed distance he has to do during training. It's something completely different. And the body just needs time, especially when you are that young.' Hurzeler, who was speaking to reporters on the eve of Brighton's first game of the 2025-26 season at home to Fulham on Saturday, added: 'You need time to adapt, not only physically, but also in some ways mentally. Therefore, we need to give him the time and we need to be very patient with him, because I can say that he won't be immediately in the starting XI. He also might not be playing (against Fulham). 'That's something everyone has to understand. Just because you pay that amount of money doesn't mean he immediately comes and plays from the beginning. The Premier League has different demands. We have a big squad, we have a very strong squad, so there's also a lot of competition in this position. So we all have to be patient. 'That's our responsibility, to give him the environment where he can improve, where he can adapt, where he can be himself, but where he also gets challenged. Then he will adapt quite quickly and he will be an important player for us.' Brighton intend to keep Kostoulas and Watson in house, rather than loaning them out. Hurzeler said: 'At the moment, we don't think about that. The plan is that they try to adapt here as quickly as possible and be a help for us in the season.' Brighton were among the worst-hit clubs by injuries during the 2024-25 campaign, as they finished eighth in their first year under Hurzeler. Advertisement The 32-year-old German has a full squad to choose from with the exceptions of long-term absentees Adam Webster, who has undergone surgery on a anterior cruciate knee ligament rupture sustained during the training camp in Marbella, and Solly March. The long-serving winger had another operation towards the end of last season on the ruptured ACL which kept him out for 14 months from October 2023 to December 2024. (Top photo of Kostoulas alongside team-mate Stefanos Tzimas: James Boardman / BHAFC) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
How Sunderland play: Fast breaks, wide triangles, and lots of dribbles
This is part of a series from The Athletic breaking down the tactical approach of Premier League teams for the 2025-26 season. Read about other clubs below: After eight long seasons away, Sunderland's return to the top flight of English football was never going to be quiet. But even by their own turbulent standards, a dramatic stoppage-time winner at home to Coventry City in the play-off semi-final, before Tommy Watson's perfectly placed finish in the 95th minute of the final, was an extraordinary way to come back up. Advertisement It's been a winding road back to the Premier League for Sunderland, suffering consecutive relegations down to the third tier in the spring of 2018. It took four attempts to get out of League One, twice losing out in the play-offs, before eventually defeating Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley, shooting up to sixth in the Championship, and plummeting back down to 16th in the space of two dramatic years. Things were no more straightforward last season, and while Regis Le Bris' side held onto fourth for six months to coast into the promotion picture, their end-of-season form — losing all five of their remaining games, scoring just once in the process — didn't exactly inspire confidence ahead of another play-off attempt. But Sunderland somehow made it. And while there are flaws to this side — they are rarely a team you can rely on to control the momentum of games— their bold approach to the transfer window this summer is cause for cautious optimism that they can scale up an expansive, counter-attacking style to pose problems in the Premier League. Reinforced with some of Europe's most exciting young players, this is how a new-look Sunderland could face up to the challenge. While they are capable of smothering opponents with possession and passing patterns, many of Sunderland's best performances under Le Bris have come when they are able to cede the initiative, defend in a compact shape, and hit on the break. As we can see from the graphic below, they were outliers in the Championship for how quickly they looked to get the ball forward last season. One in every five of their carries were considered progressive, while only Millwall recorded a higher proportion of progressive passes, pointing to a team that attempted to move the ball into dangerous areas as often as they could. Sunderland's incisive, direct play was best showcased in the first leg of the play-off semi-final against Coventry, where Le Bris strayed from his preferred 4-3-3 to deploy both Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda as centre-forwards. With just 26.7 per cent of the ball, his team soaked up the pressure in a compact 4-4-2 mid-block, before devastatingly hitting with their two transition specialists on the break. Advertisement Isidor and Mayenda were involved in all but one of Sunderland's nine goals from fast breaks last season, and each scored in a decisive 2-1 win at Coventry. Both goals arrived within 15 seconds of a touch in the defensive penalty area, including this slick move and emphatic finish from Isidor to win it. Both forwards bring a different kind of firepower on the transition for Sunderland. Mayenda's solo effort against Bristol City in April was named as the club's goal of the season, as he took on six players and drove the length of the pitch before sweeping home at the near post. He is more of an agile, tricky dribbler who can also play out on the wing. Isidor, meanwhile, is more about direct, explosive movement, and he clocked up the most runs in-behind the defensive line in the Championship last season per SkillCorner. Like his strike partner that day, Isidor's form in front of goal can be patchy, but there have been some moments of inspiration from the Frenchman in a Sunderland shirt — an excellent turn and finish away at Leeds, an improvised volley against Oxford, and this lightning-quick run and dinked finish at Hull. The speed. The finish. An incredible solo goal from Wilson Isidor in the reverse fixture ⏮️⚡️ — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) February 22, 2025 With space to attack against more front-footed Premier League sides next season, both forwards could be potent options on the counter. Facing a more organised defensive block, Le Bris likes his teams to target the flanks and create triangles out wide. His wingers — Patrick Roberts and occasionally Chris Rigg from the right, Romaine Mundle and stand-in Enzo Le Fee from the left — often look to cut inside onto their stronger feet, allowing full-backs to push on and the ball-side central midfielder to drift over and link up with the inverted wide player. The sequence below shows just how those rotations can pull opposition defenders out of shape. First, Rigg receives the ball out wide and immediately looks to scamper inside, triggering an underlapping run from adventurous right-back Trai Hume to take a marker away. Rigg chops back and plays the simple pass to supporting midfielder Dan Neil, who in turn moves the ball down the flank to Hume, before looking to make the forward run himself. That allows Hume to cut inside and find Rigg, who has drifted into a pocket of space, and Rigg picks out a one-two with a precise reverse pass into the box. In the space of 10 seconds, the triangle takes on four different forms, with overlapping and underlapping runs crucial in creating a one-vs-one for the player on the ball. Similarly, on the opposite flank against Watford below, the movement of left-back Dennis Cirkin helps to isolate Le Fee against a defender, while Neil is again on hand for the short ball. With a slick turn, Le Fee is able to dart around the outside before poking the ball through to Cirkin, who has continued his run into the box. On both wings, having skilful, technical wingers who can beat their man is key to Sunderland's ball progression under Le Bris — they were the team with the most take-ons attempted in the division last season, while, as we saw earlier, 20 per cent of their carries were classified as progressive, by far the highest share of any team in the league. Advertisement It's why the signing of Simon Adingra makes a lot of sense, a forward-thinking winger with Premier League experience and potential to improve. As we can see from the visual below, the 23-year-old is equally comfortable — and unpredictable — on both flanks, able to cut inside, skip to the byline or drive into the box. Chemsdine Talbi is a similarly exciting acquisition on the other side and had the most carries into the penalty area per 90 minutes in Belgian football last season. The idea seems to be to ramp up the direct, quick-footed wing play, while keeping those swirling triangles intact with wide players who like to cut inside. Another key strategy for Sunderland to create those wide situations was through raking crossfield passes, most effectively struck by centre-back Luke O'Nien. The 30-year-old — a former central midfielder — boasts an impressive passing range, able to hammer the ball out to the flanks on either foot. Only Burnley's CJ Egan-Riley completed more switches of play in the Championship, while O'Nien ranked sixth for line-breaking passes according to SkillCorner, outlining his ability to move the ball effectively up the pitch. Here, against Leeds, we see the centre-back carry the ball through the first line of pressure and spear a pass into Roberts. The winger's first touch instantly takes him inside, and with another lung-busting supporting run from Hume, the triangle is formed, creating space for Roberts to drive towards the box and take a shot at goal. Expect to see O'Nien (if he plays) and new signing Granit Xhaka hitting those long diagonals to wingers whenever they get the chance. The attacking quality, particularly on the transition, is clear to see. But the big question upon Sunderland's return to the Premier League is whether they can make the step up without the ball. With the sale of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund for a record €38million (£33m; $44m) fee, Le Bris has lost a strong box-to-box midfielder, an excellent carrier of the ball, and a strong duel winner in the centre of the pitch. In the sequence below against Norwich, for example, Bellingham crunches into a challenge on the edge of his own penalty area, before leading the counter-charge barely seconds later. Sunderland have looked to replace his bustling presence with Habib Diarra, another ground-eating midfielder who likes to charge forward with the ball at his feet. The Senegalese international is less destructive in his defensive work than Bellingham, but looks set to thrive in a right-sided No 8 role, where he can drive forward and link up with the wide players. Advertisement On the opposite side of holding midfielder Xhaka, Le Fee is a sure bet to step into the other attacking midfield role, having covered for the injured Mundle out wide for much of last season. His technical quality is evident, an incisive forward passer who can split back-tracking defences with nicely weighted through balls, but Le Fee is also bursting with energy, a snappy tackler and keen interceptor who likes to go hunting for the ball. From the 4-3-3 shape outlined earlier, Sunderland should have no issues retreating into their preferred 4-4-2 shape without the ball, with Le Fee's versatility and tenacity allowing him to defend the left flank as he did for most of last season. Once again, the play-off win against Coventry illustrates how Sunderland will need to work hard and maintain pressure in their defensive shape against higher-quality opposition. First, Le Fee steps out and looks to squeeze Jack Rudoni to the touchline, forcing their opponents to pass the ball across the defensive line, with the pass into midfield blocked off by the two centre-forwards. On the opposite side, Roberts applies pressure with similar intensity and ushers Coventry back. Defender Bobby Thomas then limbers up to play the long pass over the top, but Sunderland's back four is alert to the runs in-behind and sweeps up the eventual ball. Le Bris will want his team to avoid sinking too deep into their own half and inviting pressure onto their goal, and will rely on the athleticism of his new-look midfield to retain a solid, proactive shape. With eight new arrivals and close to €150m (about £130m) spent, Sunderland still weren't finished in the transfer market, with a season-long loan deal for Chelsea's Marc Guiu adding to the squad. He is another strong, physically disruptive centre-forward who can add more power to Sunderland's transitional game. Advertisement There may look to be a lot going on, but the plan is falling into place. It's clear that Sunderland have recruited to enhance their approach from their promotion season — dialling up the unpredictability and explosiveness on the wings, improving the service into runners in-behind, while injecting more energy and defensive bite into midfield. Sunderland are looking to make sure that their clearly defined transitional style under Le Bris stands the best possible chance. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
The Independent
07-08-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
How the Championship's compelling and cruel nature delivers every time
After an indictment of the Championship, its advertisement came shortly after. Its last three escapees procured just 59 Premier League points between them and were swiftly cast back to the Football League. Yet Tommy Watson's injury-time play-off winner for Sunderland showed the Championship in its full glory: the drama and the dream, the £200m reward for promotion, but also the emotion. And, crucially, the unpredictability. Sunderland's promotion without the benefit of parachute payments offered hope for the Championship's upwardly mobile middle class; it was less good news for Chris Wilder, sacked by Sheffield United. Luton's relegation back to League One, with parachute payments, showed the Championship can be both compelling and cruel. Last year's division was both tight, with only 20 points separating demoted Luton from fifth-place Coventry, and subject to a rare level of domination, with Leeds and Burnley twinned on 100 points at the top. So to the 2025-26 Championship, to the familiar assortment of the ambitious and the expensive, the impatient and the impoverished. The division starts with the familiar expectation that, in footballing gravity, what has come down must go back up, but also the potential that those who have come up, in Birmingham City and Wrexham, may be expected to do the same. It also begins with 11 managerial changes. Two of them are among the outcasts from the Premier League. Marti Cifuentes has been tasked with emulating Enzo Maresca at Leicester, but becomes the club's sixth manager in under three years and starts with the handicap of a potential points deduction, after Leicester were charged with a PSR breach in 2023-24. While there have been a few arrivals and, aside from Jamie Vardy, few notable departures, the squad still boasts plenty of quality. Southampton hired the managerial wunderkind Will Still, in charge of a fifth club at just 32. It could be seen as a dramatic response to a calamitous season or the best appointment they could make in the circumstances. After getting just 12 points, it is a peculiarity that their last two managers, Russell Martin and Ivan Juric, could both manage in the Champions League this season. In the Championship, Saints will be without Aaron Ramsdale, Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Bednarek, Adam Lallana, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Paul Onuachu, presumably with a couple more departures to follow. But some players who seemed to inhabit the no-man's land of being too good for the Championship and not good enough for the Premier League. Certainly, an attacking contingent of Adam Armstrong, Ben Brereton Diaz, Cameron Archer and Ross Stewart belong in that category; the young American Damion Downs, a £7m buy, could be another source of goals. Then there is Ipswich, with continuity in the dugout under Kieran McKenna, and much on the pitch. Liam Delap has left, and Omari Hutchinson may follow, but part of their recruitment last year was to sign the Championship all-stars, which should stand them in good stead. They look set to be joined by the 2022-23 Championship player of the year, Chuba Akpom, while Ashley Young won promotion from the division in 2006 and is older than his manager. Ipswich may look the likeliest bet for promotion. Their journey from League One to the Premier League in successive seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24 may offer encouragement to Birmingham and Wrexham. The Blues come fresh from earning 111 points last season and a manager in Chris Davies, who has a similar career path to McKenna, as a highly-rated coach at a top club. Birmingham have bought the former Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi, and alongside Jay Stansfield, gives them considerable firepower. While bringing back Demarai Gray, at 29, shows an immediate determination to get promotion. Wrexham, meanwhile, have the Hollywood owners and the least Hollywood of managers, in Phil Parkinson. Their income is boosted by their commercial appeal, and some of it is being spent on a series of signings. Conor Coady may be both the most high-profile and the loudest but it is worth remembering this is just the second spell in the second tier in their history and that, three years ago, they were in non-league. In clashes of clubs who have travelled in opposite directions, it scarcely feels a coincidence that the first games of the season are Birmingham against Ipswich and Wrexham's trip to Southampton. Yet the 18 clubs that went neither up nor down may look at Sunderland, and their influence might be seen across the division. Some of the managerial newcomers look like attempts to find their own Regis Le Bris. QPR went for Julien Stephan, another Rennes alumnus, to take over from Cifuentes. Sergey Jakirovic has become the latest in an eclectic line of Hull appointments. Paulo Pezzolano, deemed a promotion specialist, was hired by Watford, which tends to be a precursor to being fired by Watford. Sheffield United replaced Wilder with Ruben Selles, looking for more AI-led recruitment; artificial intelligence led them to the Bulgarian market. The Spaniard may have traded up in the division, but there was intrigue in Liam Manning leaving play-off finishers Bristol City, for Norwich, who came in the bottom half despite having two of the four top scorers. It spoke to the untapped potential at Carrow Road. It is a boost, though perhaps only a temporary one, that Josh Sargent has stayed while the Canaries are looking for new signing Mathias Kvistgarden to replace Borja Sainz. Among last season's other underachievers, Ryan Mason gets his first managerial job at West Bromwich Albion. Middlesbrough have brought in Rob Edwards, who played a part in Luton's exit from the division in each direction, for Michael Carrick. Carrick may have underperformed last season, but not as much as an old teammate. Thus far, however, no one has made the mistake of appointing Wayne Rooney. Frank Lampard has been lazily lumped in with some of England's golden generation as they stumbled in various dugouts, but he had a transformative impact at Coventry last season. In a division where the majority of teams are evenly matched, the right choice, coupled with momentum, can make a difference. Lampard's predecessor, Mark Robins, might end Stoke's status as the division's annual disappointments. Millwall's club-record buy of Josh Coburn shows their goals too. There were, though, too few goals last season, with just 2.45 per game, down from 2.68 per game in 2023-24. And it was not just because of Burnley's astonishing total of 30 clean sheets. Parsimony paid off for them. Others are forced into frugality. Hull have a transfer embargo, meaning they cannot buy. Sheffield Wednesday are in more desperate straits as owner Dejphon Chansiri's reign unravels. Their transfer embargo is compounded by the exits of unpaid players and the manager, Danny Rohl, leaving his replacement Henrik Pedersen with a horribly thin squad, despite the admirable loyalty of Barry Bannan. The enforced closure of the North Stand at Hillsborough on safety grounds has not helped matters. A club is in crisis. While others imagine going up, the season begins with the probability that an increasingly beleaguered Wednesday will go down.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
One year, four babies and a 'Village' of love: Edmonton quadruplets' family grateful for outpouring of support
When raising kids takes a village and a large, in-depth spreadsheet, you're likely parents of quadruplets. Last year, Tara and Tommy Watson welcomed four precious babies into the world and on Thursday at the Laurier Heights Community League, they celebrated the quadruplets' (two boys, two girls) first birthday in front of their 'village' of supporters of more than 100 people. Friends. Family. Friends of friends. Even some strangers, who've now become friends, have all teamed up to help the Watson family after the quadruplets arrived on July 8, last year. After giving birth to their daughter Emmy Lou in 2022, they're now parents of five under the age of three. 'It's been really special, and something very humbling for all of us,' said Stephanie Perry, a neighbour and family friend of 11 years, who lives down the street from the Watsons. 'Everyone at this party today is the embodiment of people who took a look around to see what needs to be done and step in and do it.' From going on clothing and diaper drives and helping with home renovations before the quadruplets were born, to the early stages of changing 50 diapers a day, to now seeing all four babies celebrate their first birthday — it's been an incredible ride. The Watsons' 'village' has done everything they can to help lighten the load and make the chaotic days of taking care of four babies just a little less chaotic. 'Because I live so close, originally I was put on SOS duty to help with emergency moments. If someone cancelled or there was a snowstorm and someone couldn't make it, I stepped in to help. But now I'm doing Monday afternoon shifts and Wednesdays,' said Perry. 'A lot of us that are in the helper group are moms who have been through (parenting) already, and a lot of us have older children. Being able to see these little ones become who they are from the very beginning, is so special.' Heather Rootsaert recruited her 17-year-old and 14-year-old daughters to help, and they're known as the 'Thursday-Saturday crew.' 'To see it and be a part of it, it's absolutely unbelievable. It's awe-inspiring,' said Rootsaert, who's known Tara for 13 years. 'Many of us have formed a special bond through this experience. There have been amazing moments and there have been some trying times, and some of us have to go over there at 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. to help out, but everyone rallies.' If you were to poll members of the 'village' and the Watsons, Max is likely to be the first to walk. Theo is the fastest crawler. Sydney loves books, and Kenna says 'No' the most. While they may be quadruplets, their personalities are quite different, as seen in their reactions to four flaming birthday cakes, as everyone belted out Happy Birthday to them at the party. Max cried. Theo was very hesitant. Kenna wasn't sure about all the commotion, while Sydney couldn't wait to dig in and start eating her individual birthday cake. 'You could assume they would do a lot of things at the same time, and hit their milestones together, but it's such a perfect acknowledgment that every baby is so different. They're going to do things on their own time,' said Tara. 'We get to see it every day. We get to see who's crawling first, who got their first tooth. You might think they're so similar, but we're finding they're even more different than they are similar.' The Watsons said this year has had its share of challenges, but it's also been filled with many blessings and surprises. As parents, you're always forced to adapt — sometimes on the fly. But imagine going through an absolutely life-changing experience of raising quadruplets. This year, they've welcomed roughly 100 people into their home, who signed up wanting to help. That can't be easy. 'They're doing amazing,' said Perry. 'Take the stress of becoming a parent, whether it's your first time or not. It's not just multiplied by four, it's multiplied by a thousand. The joys are that much bigger, but the catastrophic thinking can be so much bigger. 'It takes a special vulnerability to open yourself up and ask for help the way they have, and to open your home to a steady flow of people all the time. Their lives have really opened up in a beautiful way, because they've been willing to be so open.' While the Watsons celebrated Max, Theo, Sydney and Kenna's milestone first birthday in a big way, it was also a way for them to recognize and thank their 'village' of friends and family and others, who are helping them through the journey of raising quadruplets. Members of their 'village' helped with major renovations to prep for the quadruplets' arrival. They cooked meals and baked goods, so Tara and Tommy didn't have to worry about cooking meals for the first few months. They cleaned the house, and mowed the lawn, and shovelled snowy sidewalks. 'The theme of today, 'Friends 4 ever' wasn't chosen because we have four babies, and not because they're going to be built-in best friends for life, but because of all of you,' said Tara in a speech to all who attended the celebration. 'This community, this village, you are our friends forever, and stuck with us now, whether you like it or not. Some of you I didn't even know a year ago. Some are friends of friends, moms or sisters of friends, neighbours, I may not have ever crossed paths with again, if I had just one baby last summer like we planned,' she continued. 'But life had other plans. Four little miracles that chose me to be their mom, and Tommy their dad. In doing so, it's brought all of you together, and you are now forever part of our family. 'I can't wait for the day when we can pay it all forward and give the same love, generosity and support to someone that you've given so freely to us.' The Watsons and their 'village' made it through the first year, and can look forward to whatever comes their way next in Year 2 and beyond. No matter what, the Watsons are forever grateful. 'We feel like we won our lottery,' said Tara. 'We have the most special and incredible healthy babies and we have everything we could ever ask for. I'm so grateful for them, and my family and friends who keep showing up.' 'Can't believe the blessing we have': Edmonton couple will give birth to quadruplets in July Adorable Hythe quadruplets remain delightful social media sensation You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun
The Sun
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Sunderland announce NINE player exits after winning promotion to Premier League and sealing club record transfer
SUNDERLAND have let NINE players leave after securing their promotion back to the Premier League. But they did secure a club-record transfer arrival. 3 The Black Cats booked their spot back in the top flight for the first time since 2017 after beating Sheffield United in the play-off final. And they marked the return by completing the permanent transfer of Enzo Le Fee for £20million. Le Fee, 25, reunited with his former Lorient boss Regis Le Bris in January on a six-month loan from Roma. And now Sunderland have tied the French winger down to a four-year contract as their first summer signing. But nine players have departed the Stadium of Light. Sunderland confirmed both Chris Mepham and Salis Abdul Samed have returned to their parent clubs - Bournemouth and Lens respectively - after their loan spells. Mepham played a key role in promotion, racking up 40 appearances. Tommy Watson was the play-off hero at Wembley with his memorable winner. But he scored the goal knowing it would be his last match for his boyhood club, with the 19-year-old already agreeing a £10m summer switch to Brighton. The deal was announced in April and ratified when the transfer window opened. Enzo Le Fee meets the Sunderland fans as he arrives at Wearside Elsewhere, Under-21 squad members Ben Crompton, Cuba Mitchell, Caden Kelly, and Kelechi Chibueze will leave. Second-year scholars Aaron Chungh and Daniel Parker were also let go. The club confirmed youth players Ben Middlemas, Oliver Bainbridge, Marshall Burke, and Daniel Cameron have signed contract extensions and Ethan Moore and Timur Tutierov were offered new deals, too. But there still could be further exits from the Stadium of Light. SunSport revealed Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt are in a battle for the £21m signing of Jobe Bellingham. Dortmund are in pole position to land the youngster, five years after they signed his brother Jude. Elsewhere, Black Cats captain Dan Neil has emerged as a shock £15m transfer target for Roma. 3
