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Sunderland head into the international break on a high after thrashing promotion favourites Southampton 5-0 last Saturday.

This result sent shock waves across the whole of the Championship as the Saints arrived at the Stadium of Light unbeaten while the Black Cats had only tasted victory in one of their first four.

Casting this performance aside, Sunderland have struggled in front of goal this season and although that can be put down to the injury and departure of Ross Stewart to Southampton, Amad Diallo returning from his loan spell to Manchester United was perhaps an even bigger loss this summer.

How did Amad Diallo perform at Sunderland?

As soon as Diallo pulled on the white and red Sunderland jersey, supporters fell in love with him.

Described by boss Tony Mowbray as "unbelievable" for conjuring up several match-winning moments, Diallo brought his explosive performances to the party to help the Black Cats gatecrash the play-offs in their first season back in the Championship.

Cutting in from the right wing with explosive changes in direction and powerful acceleration to beat opponents, the 21-year-old caused torment to defenders on a weekly basis, rising to prominence as one of the best players in the second tier.

Those sought-after dribbling attributes – registering 1.9 per game – were certainly backed up by his ability to convert his chances in the final third, chipping in with an impressive 13 goals in 37 appearances to become the club's top scorer.

Arriving at Man United for a big price tag and being loaned out to a Championship club could have deterred his confidence, but it had the opposite effect on Diallo, who used the loan move as fuel to show Erik ten Hag the quality he was missing out on.

This quality was reflected in all areas of his game, ranking inside top 10% when compared against other wingers in the second tier for progressive passes, shot-creating actions, pass completion, passes into the final and goals per 90 while finishing within the top 20% for successful take-ons, carries into the penalty area and shots on target, all per 90 via FBref.

With Diallo producing numerous outstanding performances and scoring some spectacular goals, it's clear to see why Sunderland missed him when he returned to Old Trafford but on the evidence of their 5-0 victory over Southampton, they could be about to unearth an even bigger talent than the former Atalanta winger.

One of the goalscorers in that victory was 16-year-old Chris Rigg, who announced his name in lights by scoring on his debut.

Who is Chris Rigg?

Most kids at 16 are collecting their GCSE results and embarking on their new chapter at college, not Rigg. He's just achieved every young boy's dream by scoring for his hometown club in front of 41,000 supporters to become the club and competition's youngest-ever scorer.

Coming off the bench in the 82nd minute with the three points already sewn up, an unmarked Rigg got on the end of a Jewison Bennette cross and powered a header past Gavin Bazunu.

The central midfielder, who has represented England at U15s, 16s and 17s, is making a habit out of breaking records in every competition. In their FA Cup tie against Fulham last season, he came off the bench to score in the dying embers and would have become the first player to score a goal at 15-years-old in the competition, but it was ruled out for offside in the build-up.

The teenage sensation used this as fuel to score when he was next given a chance to impress – this time in the Carabao Cup. Despite Sunderland losing on penalties to League Two Crewe Alexandra in August, Rigg scored their only goal of the game and earned a man of the match award for his performance. Clearly, he is the "outstanding" talent that journalist Josh Bunting labelled him.

He recorded a 91% pass completion, successfully completed two dribbles, won six of his ten ground duels, made two key passes and accurately played seven long balls, as per Sofascore.

At just 16, Rigg is putting in performances that make it seem like he's been playing for decades and for as long as he continues to do that, Mowbray will have to continue bringing him off the bench in the Championship, or perhaps even reward him with starts.

Speaking after their FA Cup tie with Fulham earlier on in the year, the Sunderland manager admitted that he wouldn't be scared to give Rigg more chances to impress in the first team, and it appears he's stuck to his word.

"I'd have no fear putting him on the pitch again," said Mowbray.

"I've just watched him in training and I wish you could put some of that fire in his belly into some of the other players.

"He gets wellied into everybody, he doesn't bother about reputations, he just gets stuck in and wins tackles, puts his body in, shoots, fights. He plays like the kid in the playground.

"So why not put him on the pitch? He has qualities I really like and I know the supporters will love them too."

After falling in love with the temporary signing of Diallo, Rigg has the potential to become their next hero and potentially even usurp what the former achieved in a Sunderland shirt.

Nottingham Forest are seen as potential suitors for Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson in the summer transfer window and have seemingly made a new offer to sign the player.

Do Nottingham Forest want to sign Victor Nelsson?

The Reds enjoyed a good first season back in the Premier League last time around, finishing 16th in the table, and the aim now is for them to kick on in 2023/24 and not go backwards.

Friday night's late 2-1 victory at home to Sheffield United was a massive result, and while things look positive on the pitch at the moment, it is also important that some new faces still arrive between now and the end of the current transfer window, as the squad keeps improving.

One player who has been seen as a strong option to come in is Nelsson, who has been an impressive performer for Galatasaray for some time now, having joined from FC Copenhagen back in 2021. He has made 85 appearances for the Turkish giants to date, winning the Super Lig title last season.

He has also won 10 caps for Denmark at international level, appearing once at the 2022 World Cup, and it could be that he looks to move away from his current club this summer, even though his current deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2026.

What's the latest on Victor Nelsson to Nottingham Forest?

According to Takvim [via Sport Witness], Galatasaray have rejected a bid for Nelsson from Forest worth an offer of €18m plus €4m in bonuses and are demanding that they make a higher offer for his services.

In fact, the Reds have done just that, upping the amount by €1m (£855,000), although it isn't specified if that has been added to the previous bid or to bonuses. That being said, Galatasaray are still unconvinced that the offer for the 24-year-old is big enough, so they could hold out for more money before allowing him to leave. He has a €25m (£21.3m) release clause in his current contract,

Forest are doing admirably under Steve Cooper, but they could definitely do with shoring things up defensively, having conceded a sizeable 68 goals in their 38 Premier League matches last season.

In Nelsson, the Reds could have an ideal option to bring in and further strengthen them moving forward, given his reputation as an established international football who has tasted title glory at club level. At 24, the Dane is also still relatively young, especially for a centre-back, so Forest would hopefully be signing him for many years, rather than bringing him in as a quick fix.

The fact that Tottenham have reportedly been interested in signing Nelsson this summer could act as a potential blow, however, considering they are chasing European football this season and are in a good place under Ange Postecoglou, following their 2-0 victory over Manchester United on Saturday.

Nelsson would likely come straight in as a regular starter for Forest, though, which may not be the case in north London, something which could hopefully persuade him to head to the City Ground, having been hailed as a "great athlete" by journalist Resit Omer Kukner recently, who has said he is a "Danish lion".

The batsman said that while he would enjoy captaining an IPL team again, the focus was on performing the role of a senior professional in the set-up

Gaurav Kalra25-Jan-20182:00

Agarkar: A team like Delhi Daredevils will bid for Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir feels at home in Kolkata. So much so that he once went around the city in search of a house he could buy. No surprise really. Kolkata has embraced him with open arms since the city’s IPL franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders, paid an astronomical sum of USD 2.4 million to bring him on board in 2011 after three middling seasons. Over the last seven years, Gambhir has led the team to a couple of titles, in 2012 and 2014, been its leading scorer, and helped forge one of the league’s most formidable outfits.Gambhir is in Kolkata these days, playing for the city of his birth, Delhi, in India’s domestic T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament. He isn’t sure, though, if he will return to the KKR set-up. In a move that not many IPL observers saw coming, the franchise decided against retaining him in January, forcing Gambhir back into the auction.There was speculation that Gambhir and the owners couldn’t agree on his price point. There is also talk that KKR envisage keeping Gambhir in house by using one of their three Right to Match cards (RTM) at a lower price point than retention would have cost them. Gambhir, at least publicly, isn’t interested in the nitty gritty, insisting he understood the decision made by the franchise.”I get where they are coming from,” Gambhir told ESPNcricinfo. “Above all, the communication between the KKR management and myself has been superb. We spoke in a very cordial atmosphere and I respect their call.”The speculation will end this weekend of course and Gambhir will find out whether he will stay in Kolkata or head to another city. On reputation alone, he makes a compelling case to attract a substantial bid. Only three players – Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have made more runs in IPL history than Gambhir. While his strike- rate hovers around a none too collar grabbing 125, Gambhir catches the eye on several other indices. His 35 half-centuries are second most in IPL history after David Warner and he sits on top of the list of the most fours in the tournament with 484, comfortably ahead of Raina’s 402.Recent experience would suggest reputation alone no longer counts towards frenetic bidding at IPL auctions. Gambhir’s T20 form of late has been patchy with scores of 1,1,7 and 21 in his last four games in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament. However, he was the second-highest scorer in last season’s IPL, with 498 runs at an average of nearly 42 with four 50+ scores, playing a key role in another appearance in the knockout stages for KKR.His form in last season’s Ranji Trophy, where Delhi made the final, was also quite impressive. He scored 683 runs, including three centuries, and finished as the sixth-highest run-getter. At 36, Gambhir remains convinced he can continue to contribute to teams he is part of, and isn’t fazed at the prospect of having to compete with much younger players.”I won’t have been playing the format if I was not convinced about my abilities,” he said. “I am feeling strong physically. Fitness and motivation have never been a challenge. When I turned 30 I promised myself that I needed to up the ante fitness wise as the game was changing, I was moving on and there is that thing called self-pride which you never want to dent. So, I do extensive gym training with my personal trainers, cross country in the ridge area behind my house in Delhi, yoga, kickboxing and also play badminton to stay in shape.”Besides his pedigree as a batsman, Gambhir is sure to be on the radar of franchises for his leadership abilities. Only M S Dhoni has more wins as captain in IPL history with 83 wins from 143 games while Gambhir has won 70 of his 123. In his time at the helm at KKR, players such as Manish Pandey, Kuldeep Yadav and Umesh Yadav have pressed their claims for India call-ups while the likes of Sunil Narine and Andre Russel have grown in stature. Now, as this next phase of his IPL career beckons, Gambhir said that while he would enjoy captaining a team again, the focus was on performing the role of a senior professional in the set-up.”I’d prefer both but the dynamics of the sport are such that each phase of a professional sportsperson’s career comes with responsibility,” he said. “The way I played in 2011 or 2012 is different to how I play now. Bowlers don’t bowl in my areas, as a senior member it is my duty to curb my game as per the situation. At the end of the day it is about a balanced approach because a team sport has to be played with a team’s interests in mind and not an individual’s.”

With the series in the bag, India might consider handing a T20I debut to Tamil Nadu allrounder Washington Sundar or Baroda allrounder Deepak Hooda

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu23-Dec-20171:37

Dasgupta: India should look to give youngsters a chance

Big pictureSri Lanka keep offering gifts this festive season, and India keep lapping it up. Their bowlers regularly send down half-volleys and half-trackers, wrapped up in ribbons. Their batting line-up continues to suffer rapid collapses. And their fielders keep missing chances. The only gift Sri Lanka have received in return was a spring-loaded boxing glove from an under-strength Indian side. Can Thisara Perera and his men end the tour with something to cheer?To do that they need to first figure out the right combination, and Angelo Mathews getting injured can’t have helped. In the first T20I, they went for four batsmen, three seam-bowling allrounders and four bowlers, and suffered their worst loss in the format. In the second match, they brought in an extra batsman in Sadeera Samarawickrama for a frontline seamer in Vishwa Fernando, but still lost 9 for 27 in 25 balls.With the series in the bag, India might consider handing a T20I debut to 18-year-old Tamil Nadu allrounder Washington Sundar or Baroda allrounder Deepak Hooda. This could also be a chance for the other IPL candidates to enhance their reputation ahead of the mega auction in January next year.Form guideIndia WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLLLLBCCI

In the spotlightThe force has been with wristspin in limited-overs cricket in recent times. Even when Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav were repeatedly swatted away to the short boundaries in Indore, they hit back by tossing the ball short and wide – often wider than a set of stumps – to deceive Sri Lanka’s batsmen. More of the same can be expected at Wankhede Stadium.A year ago Thisara Perera’s place in Sri Lanka’s A team was in question. Now he is captain of the senior team in limited-overs cricket. On this tour, he hasn’t passed 6 in four innings with the bat and has an economy rate of nearly nine after 25.2 overs.Team newsIndia might consider replacing one of the wristspinners with Sundar or Hooda. Kerala quick Basil Thampi is also in line for his T20I debut, possibly in place of Jaydev UnadkatIndia (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 KL Rahul, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Dinesh Karthik, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav/Washington Sundar, 9 Jaydev Unadkat/Basil Thampi, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal.With Mathews sidelined for two weeks, Sri Lanka might recall Dasun Shanaka or Fernando.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Niroshan Dickwella(wk), 3 Kusal Perera, 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Thisara Perera, 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Dasun Shanaka/Vishwa Fernando, 8 Akila Dananjaya, 9 Chaturanga de Silva/Sachith Pathirana 10 Dushmantha Chameera 11 Nuwan PradeepPitch and conditionsThe Wankhede’s flat pitch and the quick outfield is the fantasy of every batsman. The teams will have to be wary of dew in the second innings. The weather is expected to be fine for the duration of the match.Stats and trivia Sri Lanka have lost 22 out of 30 T20Is in the last two years. In comparison, India have won 23 out of 33 T20Is in the last two years. MS Dhoni batted at No. 3 on Friday for only the 13th time in 245 T20 innings. In all, he has scored 323 runs at the position, at an average of 29.36 and strike-rate of 128.17.Rohit Sharma has hit 64 sixes across formats in 2017, the most by a batsman in any calendar year.Quotes”When you travel overseas, the last series does have an impact. The momentum you create, the winning rhythm of the team does give a lot of confidence.”
“India are bowling really well and generally the wristspinners with their variations are hard to pick.”

Chelsea and England star Lauren James showed exactly why she is loved by football supporters as she stopped to take a selfie with a young fan.

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• Lauren James takes selfie with young fan
• Had a chat with young fan's family before posing for snap
• Set to return to action next week with Chelsea

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea shared a video of James where she stopped to take a selfie with a young fan who spotted the Lionesses star while with her family. The 22-year-old talked to the youngster's family members before posing for the photo.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Over the last couple of years, James has garnered an intense fan following thanks to her style of play and her meteoric rise to fame. She has been a pivotal player for the Blues this season with seven goals in nine league games so far.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR JAMES?

  With the league having been on the winter break, James will next be in action in the Blues' first game of the year when they take on West Ham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, January 14.

Glasgow Rangers appear to be on course to complete a move for Los Angeles FC midfielder Jose Cifuentes this week, according to a new report.

Are Rangers signing Jose Cifuentes?

Michael Beale and Ibrox officials have been extremely busy so far this summer, with seven new players already brought to the club this summer.

Three forwards have arrived in Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima, and it looks as if Feyenoord striker Danilo is also set to sign after a £6m agreement was reached with the Dutch champions.

Another long-term target has been Cifuentes, with Beale even admitting that a deal was in place to sign the player on a free transfer at the end of the year, however, work was ongoing on bringing a deal forward.

“It is getting closer. The logistics of that one, with work permits. The clubs are still talking. He’s out of contract at the end of the year and we have an agreement with that but would like to bring it to a close early so he can join us this season.”

It now looks as if an immediate summer switch is on the cards after Football Insider provided a positive transfer update on Rangers and Cifuentes in the last 48 hours.

They claimed Beale is desperate to sign the midfielder, and that the two sides are close to reaching an agreement that would see Cifuentes sign this summer. The two sides are ‘expected to have a deal completed this week’. No exact transfer fee was cited, but it does look as if a move is gathering real pace after an agreement was fast-tracked.

Who is Jose Cifuentes?

Cifuentes appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €12m Transfermarkt valuation and can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder.

Sponsored by Nike, the 24-year-old has played 16 times for Ecuador at senior level and has been with LAFC since January 2020. During that time, Cifuentes has turned out on 121 occasions, scoring 15 times and registering 20 assists.

He appears to be going from strength to strength in the MLS, and previously, Tim Vickery, an expert on all things to do with South American football, called the 24-year-old a "terrific" player after his performances at the Under-20 World Cup in 2019.

"He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder," said Vickey on talkSPORT.

"He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while.

"This fellow Cifuentes strikes the ball well, moves across the field, strong in the tackle, strong on the ball, I like him a lot."

It looks as if an imminent move to Glasgow is on the cards, and should he arrive in the coming days, Cifuentes would become the club’s most valuable player, as per Transfermarkt, with his €12m valuation higher than any current Rangers player, showing how this move could be a major cup for those in Glasgow.

Christian Pulisic revealed how a good haircut helps him and showed off his Italian skills as part of a novel promotion for a new electric car.

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Pulisic says he plays better with a good haircutDemonstrates some Italian skillsWinger in fine form with MilanGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The USMNT and AC Milan star was taking part in a video interview with a twist as part of U.S. Soccer's link up with Volkswagen. Pulisic took on a number of trick shot challenges with the forfeit of answering an offbeat question about some of the finer details of his life. His response gave fans a small glimpse into some of the keys to his renaissance in Milan.

AdvertisementWHAT CHRISTIAN PULISIC SAID

Asked for a little thing that helps him feel confident on the pitch, Pulisic replied: "I think a good haircut is underrated. Sometime when you look good, you play good."

After failing to lob the car, the winger was challenged on the spot to come up with the Italian for 'little thing'. His answer of 'cose piccole' was close enough to show the 25-year-old is picking up a bit of the language in his first few months in Milan.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Pulisic cut a relaxed figure in the video and has been enjoying life in Milan since joining the Rossoneriin a £17m ($22m) summer transfer from Chelsea. His form has seen him score five times in 12 Serie A appearances, already starting more league games than in his unhappy final season at Stamford Bridge.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHRISTIAN PULISIC ?

Pulisic and Milan continue their pursuit of Serie A pace-setters Juventus and Inter this Saturday when they face a tricky trip to Bergamo to face Atalanta. Stefano Pioli's side will then turn their attention to their crucial final Champions League group stage game against Newcastle on December 13.

USMNT star Brenden Aaronson is set to appear in court for two alleged driving offences, which could see him punished with disqualification.

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• Aaronson to appear before court in January
• USMNT star could face disqualification
• Leeds colleague Kristensen also facing ban

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The USMNT forward, who is currently on loan at Union Berlin from Leeds United, will have to appear in the Harrogate Magistrates Court on January 3 for two alleged driving offences. The first offense is for rash driving, as he allegedly crossed 30mph on March 12, 2023. The second offence is for allegedly failing to provide information on the identification of a vehicle driver when asked on August 9, 2023 – as reported by the .

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  Aaronson's Leeds United colleague Rasmus Kristensen, who is currently on loan at Roma, will appear in the same court on December 5 for allegedly breaching the speed limit. The alleged offence took place on the A6040 Knaresborough Road on February 19, 2023.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Aaronson and Kristensen could both be disqualified from driving if the court finds them guilty of their respective offences. Leeds will welcome the two men back to Elland Road next summer when their loan deals at Union and Roma expire.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AARONSON?

  The legal issue adds to Aaronson's frustrations since his summer exit from Leeds. It has been a tough start to the youngster's journey in Germany, as he's appeared in 14 matches for Union Berlin and has clocked just 450 minutes on the pitch while struggling to earn a starting spot. He has yet to score a goal or provide an assist for the Bundesliga club.

Tata Martino says “the work begins now for next season” at Inter Miami, with it unclear whether further risks will be taken on Lionel Messi’s fitness.

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Argentine superstar has nursed knockSeen limited game time as a resultHeading off with his country againWHAT HAPPENED?

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner may have already seen his 2023 campaign brought to a close at club level. An unfortunate injury picked up during his last trip away with the Argentina national team has limited his involvement in MLS action over recent weeks.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Messi has been included in the latest Argentina squad – despite his lack of game time – and they have two more 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru fast approaching. The second of those fixtures is not due to take place until October 17.

WHAT THEY SAID

Inter Miami will be back in action against Charlotte FC on October 18, before facing the same opponents in their final regular season fixture three days later. Messi would not be back for the first of those games if he stays with the Argentina squad, and would be struggling for the second. Martino has said of his plans for two games that have become dead rubbers: “Yes, we have two games left, but the work begins now for next season. We made good roster moves and progress over the summer, and we have to be very precise over the next few months about how we will approach next season.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

If Messi’s domestic campaign has come to a close, then he faces a long break through to the start of the 2024 MLS season. Argentina do have more qualifiers to come in November, while Inter Miami are expected to line up friendly dates, but the all-time great is going to have plenty of time in which to focus on returning to full match fitness – if no loan transfer is agreed in January.

Aston Villa are reportedly in "advanced talks" with Liverpool's soon-to-be-out-of-contract midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Is Oxlade-Chamberlain leaving Liverpool?

The 29-year-old has spent six up-and-down years at Anfield, winning almost all there is to win in the game, including the Champions League, but also struggling to consistently be a key man.

A serious knee injury back in 2018 arguably took Oxlade-Chamberlain down in his prime, and while he still contributed positively to Liverpool overall – he scored 18 goals and registered 15 assists in 146 appearances – it has become increasingly clear that his future lies away from the club.

The £120,000-a-week former Arsenal man is out of contract with the Reds at the end of this month, and with no extension coming his way, he will then be able to join a new club on a free transfer from July onwards.

With Villa looking to make numerous key reinforcements during the summer transfer window, a fresh report suggests that Oxlade-Chamberlain could be a primary target.

Are Villa eyeing move for Oxlade-Chamberlain?

According to Football Insider, the Villans are in "advanced talks" with the Englishman over a summer move to Villa Park, with the club working on a deal to bring him in, having already locked up Youri Tielemans from Leicester City on a free.

Villa are believed to see Oxlade-Chamberlain as a "key target who is proven in the Premier League and capable of slotting straight into their team", while Unai Emery admires his "versatility, dynamism and ability to create and score goals".

The 35-cap and seven-goal England international could be a really shrewd signing by the Villans this summer, coming in as someone with a wealth of experience at the top level, and who can thrive in various positions, from central midfield to out wide.

Granted, his injury problems down the years are far from ideal, so Emery would have to accept that he is a risky signing, but the free element of the deal would make it less of an issue, should he spend too much time on the treatment table.

When fully fit and in-form, Oxlade-Chamberlain can be a real handful, with Jurgen Klopp once describing him as "spectacular", and he could bolster Villa's squad great with his versatility, especially at a time when they are preparing to play in the Premier League, UEFA Europa Conference League, FA Cup and EFL Cup next season.