Some u-20's news or not really news yet.

Zelalem on tour with Arsenal in US. Expected to play heavy minutes vs MLS all-stars Thursday or Chivas on Sunday.
Pulisic getting buried by Dortmund
Carter-Vickers, so far #5 at CD for Spurs.
3-4 signings of 17-18yo's in Germany as well. Weston McKennie at Schalke (rumored).
Julian green has now played 225 minutes in 3 Bayern friendlies.
Hyndman out all of preseason due to ankle injury at Bournemouth
Rubio Rubin has played quite a bit for Utrecht in preseason.
Palmer-Brown a steady starter for Porto II
Miazga on tour with Chelsea
Yedlin still with Spurs (rumors they are shopping Trippier or Southampton is interested)
Arriola starting to play more with Tijuana
Germerican Timothy Tillman 17yo CM playing with Bayern in friendlies and on US tour (from what I've read he seems more likely to play for Germany)

My perception is that Euro teams are starting to seriously consider American youth players and that we'll start to see more breakthroughs into the first teams. Or they see some commercial value in doing so.

Pulisic getting buried by Dortmund

What's going on there? Anything to be concerned about or is this just simple "18 year old kid can't break into one of the best teams in the world."

Carter-Vickers, so far #5 at CD for Spurs.

Any chance he'd get loaned out? Doesn't seem like it does him or Spurs any good for him to sit on his thumbs for 12 months.

With the Manchester City-United match cancelled this morning due to weather, City are on pace to play 3 total pre-season games before the season starts. That seems like a mistake given that they're getting used to a new manager and his style, and incorporating several new players.

Carter-Vickers, so far #5 at CD for Spurs.

How are you getting #5?

I'd reckon he's 3 or 4 at worst.

JannyVerts (injured), Alderweireld, Wimmer, Dier?, CCV.

Yeah, there is talk Yedlin might stick with Spurs this season. He has supposedly really impressed in training so far this summer.

Yedlin does not look ready for a CL quality team in the games I've seen him play for the US.

Yedlin had a great game against Juve this morning. He's even winning over the Yank skeptic Tottenham fans.

I'd reckon he's 3 or 4 at worst.

JannyVerts (injured), Alderweireld, Wimmer, Dier?, CCV.

That's the depth chart I've seen when everyone is healthy.

he started vs Juve this morning and twitter sentiment was that he did well.

Actually, what I've seen is both CCV and Ball didn't have a good game at all.

Here's Dustin Menno over at CFC:

Dominic Ball and Cameron Carter-Vickers had a horror-show of a first half in central defense. Ball especially looked completely out of his depth and was absolutely schooled for Juventus’ opening goal. I thought both settled in a little bit after the first half hour, but based on that opening neither is ready for Premier League football.

The Guardian MBM expressed similar thoughts.

Olympic previews:
Group E (Sweden, Brazil, China, South Africa)
Group F (Germany, Australia, Canada, Zimbabwe)
Group G (USA, France, Colombia, New Zealand

I wrote the one for Group E, but recommend them all if you want to get up to speed.

I wrote the one for Group E, but recommend them all if you want to get up to speed.

You'd be the person to ask; how the hell do the US and France get into the same group? Isn't that two teams with a good chance to be in the final?

Jose: I believe it was just standard seeding stuff. There are only three groups, Brazil are in one as host, Germany and the US are the first and second-ranked teams in the tournament, and France was stuck having to be drawn with *someone* (the next four teams in the rankings are France, England [who aren't here], Australia, and Sweden*). Happened to be the US.

Brazil got a great draw when one considers they avoided both Australia and France (and Canada as well). Doubly great given that neither England nor Japan are even here.

*Japan or someone might have been higher when the draw actually happened. Doesn't really matter.

Anyone else think the Higuain fee was crazy? I know he had a great year last year but I'm not a big fan of his. Maybe this was as much about declawing Napoli as improving Juventus? But, even then, I can't imagine Napoli was a real threat to Juventus. I also can't see Higuain as the difference maker in Europe since he's not the greatest "big game" player. A weird one. And it's given us this classic.

I'm with you on Higuain.

Brad Guzan is moving to Boro to compete with Victor Valdes for the #1 keeper job, and by compete, I mean sit on the bench and wait for the League Cup games so he can "stay sharp." At least it's a PL gig.

Anyone else think the Higuain fee was crazy?

I don't think it's crazy. I kinda of like it. Although it's worth stating that I like Higuain and that could give me some bias. If you don't think he's a great talent, then of course this is crazy.

Don't get me wrong, I don't see how it isn't an overpay. I like Higuain but he's not worth this price. But I'm not sure I'd call it crazy. Juventus wants to compete for the Champions League. At present, Juventus is one of a handful that legitimately can claim a real chance at it. They have to replace Morata. I'm not sure if I'm them I settle for a lesser player. They have to be rolling in money, especially with their recent success in capturing out of contract players for free.

€90 million is extremely high and normally you'd want to be able to recoup some of that money so you'd invest in a younger player. I get that. Even if Higuain is worth €90M in talent (and he's not that good), his age would lower that number.

But Juventus' time is now. Even though Higuain is all that young at the age of 28, he's going to be one one of the youngest players in the starting 11.

I feel that Juventus simply had to pay the ManU premium on the player. The selling team knows (a) you have the money, (2) you really want the payer, (3) there are very few equivalent talents and those guys are generally locked up by the Big 3.

I guess the question I'd pose is if not Higuain, than who? And are those savings really worth it to a team like Juventus.

If Juve had to replace Morata, they should just have bought back Morata. He would cost far less than Higuain and is probably almost as good right now and likely to be better in a couple years. And I say this as someone who likes Higuain and thinks he is unfairly maligned.

You'd be the person to ask; how the hell do the US and France get into the same group? Isn't that two teams with a good chance to be in the final?

Arjun gets it right with the explanation. Brazil being seeded put things slightly out of whack. But Brazil is pretty good, too, and 8/12 teams advance to the quarterfinals, so it's hard to get too worked up about any group arrangements.

If you're paying 75, do you still let Pogba go for 120 million? couldn't you argue you've just raised Pogba's value? "Sorry, Jose--now we want €150 million!"

Napoli had zero interest in selling Higuain.

The only way Juve were going to get him was to pay his release clause, which is what they did.

If Juve had to replace Morata, they should just have bought back Morata. He would cost far less than Higuain and is probably almost as good right now and likely to be better in a couple years. And I say this as someone who likes Higuain and thinks he is unfairly maligned.

I thought Morata had an out clause of some kind and Real paid it leaving Juve with no option.

Can we just ban West Ham from European competition?

I thought Morata had an out clause of some kind and Real paid it leaving Juve with no option.

RM had a buyback clause for Morata, which they exercised, but it appears that they did so because they want to sell Morata now for a profit.

Also, Pogba deal is supposedly finally done. £95M to Juve plus £20M going to Raiola.

I agree the Higuain fee is crazy. Not that he isn't really good, but for a player that isn't that young I think it's a serious overpay. It seems very anti-Juventus, who seem in general all about buying low, selling high.

If they have this kind of money, why'd they sell Vidal? He was "only" 37mill. Was he going to walk anyways? Or have teams still adjusting to account for the money that's entered the game the last couple of years.

RM had a buyback clause for Morata, which they exercised, but it appears that they did so because they want to sell Morata now for a profit.

Juventus seem to run a team pretty well. So while my initial thought is to agree with the sentiment of just keep Morata, maybe it wasn't that simple.

The only reason I can think of Juventus for so overpaying for Higuain is that it weakens their closest rival. Why wouldn't Juventus buy Lukaku, Lazacatte or negotiate with Madrid and buy out that Morata buyback clause? Maybe Higuain is better, but giving 90M to Napoli seems a little shortsighted.

I know nothing compared to you guys, but surely the vast slow iceberg of the Pogba signing has to be a huge factor in Juve's thinking on this....

(A deal which Pogba's agent is now denying being done, fwiw.....)

Maybe Higuain is better, but giving 90M to Napoli seems a little shortsighted.

Maybe Juve don't think Napoli can spend that money wisely, well, or fast enough to make a difference. If they figure this makes them better right now and improves their chances in the CL over the next two cycles, plus sets Napoli back over the same period, it kinda makes sense.

I know nothing compared to you guys, but surely the vast slow iceberg of the Pogba signing has to be a huge factor in Juve's thinking on this....


Of course, but I thought they would spread that money around on 2-4 players.

Hat trick from Julian Green. He's had a really good preseason here. Will be interesting to see what they do with him. I'd like to see him loaned out one more year, I think. Just hard to see how he can get any playing time behind their guys right now. But if he goes out and puts up a big season with another Bundesliga team then it changes things.

Best case scenario for him is something Gotze got, which is playing in line one-third of the matches and even still usually as a sub. I think he'd be best getting loaned out one more year.

McCaffrey!! That is why Chicago brought her aboard.

I know nothing compared to you guys, but surely the vast slow iceberg of the Pogba signing has to be a huge factor in Juve's thinking on this....


Pretty dumb to blow the money from that deal before it has been finalized.