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The Herons lost their cool against Monterrey in a match that served as a harsh reminder of just how hard this process will be

Playing soccer with your friends is really, really fun, so you can understand why Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets have been enjoying the Inter Miami experience. You've seen the photos of the ex-Barcelona stars together; laughing, smiling, having a good time, and rightfully so. These four created so many memories together and, now in the twilight of their careers, they have the opportunity to create a few more.

Wednesday night was not one of those fun, happy memories, though. Inter Miami's trip to Monterrey wasn't one full of smiles and laughs. It was embarrassing in ways that Messi and co. aren't particularly used to. Barcelona rarely gets outclassed the way Inter Miami was on Wednesday, and Messi and friends rarely have been humbled in the way they were in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

It was a harsh reminder that these matches aren't all fun and games. By the end, Inter Miami's stars seemed to have learned that, having lost their heads throughout the 3-1 drubbing

The defeat ensured Miami's continental run was over for 2024, and all involved will take some sort of blame for that. How will they bounce back from such an embarrassing defeat? Well, that may very well define their season.

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  Throughly beaten

  There was reason for hope heading into Wednesday's second leg. Having narrowly lost 2-1 in the first, Miami had Messi back from injury. David Ruiz's red card doomed them in that opening leg, one played without the Argentine. But with Messi back in the XI, Monterrey would have their hands full.

  It didn't go that way. Not even close, as Rayados never had to sweat. An early gaffe from Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender allowed the hosts to increase their lead, and they never looked back. By the 64th minute, it was 3-0 and the atmosphere had turned into a party. Fans were chanting "Ronaldo" at Miami's players, no doubt adding even more frustration by celebrating Messi's biggest rival.

  The visitors got a consolation goal late, but that didn't matter much; the damage had already been done. Some were resigned to the defeat, others fought back, but Inter Miami's exit was confirmed early and often by a ruthless Rayados side.

  In many ways, Messi's supporting cast let him down. Callender's early mishap was a disaster, Nicolas Freire was spun around for the second goal, and Tomas Aviles' horrible pass directly led to Monterrey's third. On nights like this, Miami needed more out of their role players. The ex-Barcelona gang, though, wasn't without blame themselves.

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  Quiet night for Messi

  Messi did get his assist, as he teed up Diego Gomez late on with a fantastic free-kick, It was pinpoint, vintage Messi in a way. You can't place balls much better than that.

  It didn't matter, though… not even in the slightest. The game was long gone, and Messi had been kept quiet during the most important moments of it.

  By the end, Messi had just three shots, and completed 79 percent of his passes, outdone several times by terrible field conditions. He created just one chance, the Gomez goal, and was fouled just once as Monterrey had no problem herding the GOAT into safe positions.

  With so much focus on Messi, Inter Miami's players often find ways to take advantage. Even on his off days, the Argentine can pull defenses apart, allowing his teammates to pounce. In Mexico, though, It never felt like that happened or was going to happen.

  "It's a team sport," Julian Gressel said after the game. "It's not just Leo. It's all of us. We came here and played against a really good team, and ultimately we couldn't get it done."

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  Suarez walks the line

  If you've followed Suarez's career, meanwhile, you know that he's prone to… we'll call it bursts of anger. Famous for his goals, Suarez is also infamous for his temper, which he has lost several times in the most important moments.

  Throughout Wednesday's match, you could see the temperature rising within Suarez, as he was clearly frustrated with everything going on. Save for one finish where he was miles offside, Monterrey had handled him.

  The Uruguayan was lucky not to be punished for one incident that saw him grab the arm of defender Victor Guzman. After a battle between the two, Suarez clearly pinned Guzman's arm to his body and spun in a move that could have seriously hurt the defender. Fortunately for both players, in a sense, nothing came of it.

  Suarez was bad-tempered throughout, as he chirped at opponents and referees. He got his yellow, and promptly yelled something right back at the official. He never fully lost his head, unlike one of his ex-Barcelona teammates.

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  Alba loses his cool

  Prior to Wednesday, Jordi Alba had been sent off just four times in his illustrious career. All four came in La Liga in a career that encompassed 386 matches and over 30,000 minutes.

  In a four-minute span in Monterrey, though, Alba was sent for an early shower for just the fifth time in his career, and he certainly earned it. Just moments after committing a frustration foul to earn his first yellow, Alba stamped on the foot of Monterrey's Jesus Gallardo. Yellow number two came almost immediately, and Alba yelling back at the official, unsurprisingly, didn't help his case.

  The left-back has largely been fantastic for Inter Miami since joining last summer, providing solidity to a defense that is so often Inter Miami's weak point. On Wednesday, he simply had a bad night.

Manchester United's strikers haven't quite found their shooting boots so far this season, young Rasmus Højlund United's sharpest shooter so far in attack with only three goals to his name after a summer move from Atalanta in Italy.

The midfield have stepped up where the strikers have been lacking, Casemiro surprisingly the Red Devils' top scorer overall this campaign with four strikes whilst the likes of Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes are tied with Højlund in the charts on three goals each.

Lacking a feared striker that was a staple of Man United teams from the past – figures such as Robin van Persie, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney devastatingly effective when needed in attack – the main focus in the January transfer window could be swooping in for a dangerous forward player who can score a crucial goal in the blink of an eye to reinstate a clinical goalscorer to the side.

Napoli's talismanic figure Victor Oshimen has been linked with a move to the Red Devils in the past, but the Nigerian striker's potentially hefty price tag could halt that move from ever getting off the ground.

This could lead Man United down an alternative avenue for fresh personnel as a result, ten Hag's men linked instead to Stuttgart's break-out talent Serhou Guirassy who is continuing to take the Bundesliga by storm.

Man United's interest in Guirassy

According to reports in Spain, via TEAMtalk, at the back end of September, the Red Devils are interested in the Guinean attacker off the back of his goal-laden past few months, joining the lengthy queue of clubs expected to fight it out for Stuttgart's star man when the transfer window re-opens in January.

Stern competition in the form of Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool is expected for Guirassy's services, the 27-year-old in high demand after a lethal start with Stuttgart this season after only joining the club permanently this summer after a successful loan spell from Rennes.

Expected to be available at a far cheaper asking price than Osimhen – who reportedly boasts an asking price of £150m – it'll be intriguing to see where Guirassy ends up following the conclusion of the transfer window and whether or not he's pulling on the Red Devils strip to give Erik Ten Hag's men some much-needed firepower next year.

If his Bundesliga statistics are anything to go by so far this campaign, Guirassy is a naturally lethal goalscorer ready for the demands of the Premier League.

Guirassy's numbers this season

Cited as a "machine" by football presenter Salim Baungally after scoring a ludicrous ten goals from his opening five games of the new Bundesliga season, Guirassy is currently outscoring Manchester City machine Erling Haaland for the German club – netting a ridiculous 14 goals in the division overall, from just eight matches.

Incredibly, the one-time Lille striker is being pipped to the golden boot currently by Harry Kane, the former Spurs man notching up 15 goals already for Bayern Munich.

Guirassy's importance to his side has been exemplified in the last two contests he's missed owing to a hamstring injury, Stuttgart losing both games to top-flight opponents Hoffenheim and Heidenheim narrowly when their star number nine has been absent.

Averaging 1.07 non-penalty goals per 90 over the last year according to FBRef, that is remarkably clear of the aforementioned Osimhen who boasts 0.75 non-penalty goals per 90 in the last 365 days. Having scored 31 goals in 39 outings for Napoli last term, he is a real monster in the penalty area but his efforts in 2023/24 are below that of Guirassy, netting six in ten. Impressive, but not quite as good as his cheaper alternative.

Man United will hope they can land the clinical 6 foot 2 attacker this January on a reasonable deal in the wake of other suitors scrambling to secure the Guinea international.

If so, the Dutch head coach would have a talismanic striker up top who could potentially decide games on a knife's edge and steer Man United to wins where they might have otherwise fallen short.

Former Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler has opened up about his struggles with nearly losing his voice, describing it as "by far the worst" time.

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• Iconic commentator almost lost his voice
• Required surgery to solve the problem
• Is back commentating on football matches

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tyler was found to have a growth of of keratin on his larynx and was in danger of suffering permanent damage to his vocal chords after he returned to England from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He was subsequently treated by the NHS and he heaped praise on the professionals who helped save his voice.

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  WHAT MARTIN TYLER SAID

  "I have had a very fortunate life but this was the roughest time for me. It was by far the worst," he told .

  He added: "I cannot be more grateful to how I was treated at St George’s [Hospital in Tooting]. They are wonderful people at looking after patients’ best interests. I am really grateful for their care."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tyler's career has spanned more than 50 years and is still going in the wake of the struggles with his voice and subsequent treatment. The 78-year-old is back commentating on football after the scare, adding: "Since my treatment, I have done 40 commentaries. It’s a miracle… The loss of my voice and the potential of losing it forever was the worst-case scenario."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TYLER?

  Tyler's iconic voice will hopefully continue to be heard over Premier League and Champions League matches by audiences around the world for many more years to come. His famous voice is something he will not be taken for granted, as he added: "Relish your voice: sing, talk, communicate and respect that it’s a part of your body that needs attention."

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp now has designs on bolstering his squad in January and reports claim that the Reds have established contact with a target from a top flight rival.

Liverpool maintain their title push…

In the summer, Liverpool boss Klopp was expected to carry out a rebuild of sorts after a disappointing 2022/23 campaign to put his side in contention for a tilt at the Premier League title. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo landed at Anfield during the last window and have given Liverpool some fresh energy in the engine room, while also offering some excellent foil for the likes of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez in attack.

Fast forward to mid-November and Liverpool are indeed involved in a title race with the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal, sitting second in the English top-flight with 27 points from their opening 12 matches. Nevertheless, January additions will be crucial for Liverpool if they are to fulfil their dreams of bringing just a second Premier League title to Anfield since the division was transformed in 1992.

Fluminense midfielder Andre is a well-documented target for Liverpool as Klopp eyes further midfield reinforcements; however, they will need to fend off competition from the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal to land the Brazil international, according to 90min.

Bayern Munich superstar Alphonso Davies is also on the radar at Anfield, according to the same outlet. Liverpool chiefs, alongside club officials from suitors Chelsea and Manchester City, believe that the Canada international has his heart set on a blockbuster move to La Liga giants Real Madrid. Now, another target in the left-back area has been uncovered by a fresh report as bringing in cover for the injured Andy Robertson is explored at Anfield.

Liverpool in contact with Rayan Ait-Nouri

According to a report in France, Liverpool are keen on Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and have established contact with the Algeria international over a potential move to Anfield.

Ligue 1 pair Olympique Marseille and OGC Nice are also keeping tabs on the 22-year-old; however, it is believed that Wolves are blocking any potential Ait-Nouri departure in the January transfer window. Ait-Nouri is set to be absent from club football for a period during the New Year as he joins up with his native Algeria to take part in the African Cup of Nations.

Playing a major part under Gary O'Neil, Ait-Nouri, who has previously been labelled "phenomenal" by journalist Tim Spiers, has been in solid form this campaign, making an average of 2.5 tackles and 1.3 clearances per match in the Premier League (Ait-Nouri statistics – WhoScored).

At present, Liverpool only have Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas to rely upon on the left-hand side of their backline and acquiring Ait-Nouri could be a clever alternative to afford Klopp some flexibility within his team selection.

Despite this, Wolves look to be standing firm and it may be a tough job trying to pinch the former Angers defender from the West Midlands-based outfit.

Romario has come out of retirement at the grand old age of 58 to play for Brazilian side America Football Club in Rio de Janeiro.

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• Romario confirms return to football
• Will play alongside his son at America FC
• His last game was back in 2009

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Brazil legend has confirmed he is set to return to professional football over 15 years after he hung up his boots all the way back in 2009. Romario enjoyed a successful playing career, winning the World Cup in 1994 and starring for Dutch side PSV and La Liga giants Barcelona among other clubs.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Romario has now registered himself as a player for America Football Club, where he serves as president and also where his son, Romarinho, plays his football. He's made it clear that playing with his son and for his "favourite" team is his main motivation and it's not expected he will feature in any league games. The Brazilian legend will earn a "minimum wage" at the club but will return it to America as a donation, according to Marca.

• WHAT ROMARIO SAID

  He posted on Instagram: "I'm not going to compete in the championship, but rather play a few games for the team of my heart and make another dream come true, playing alongside my son. What do you think?"

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• WHAT NEXT FOR ROMARIO

  America Football Club currently play in the second division of Brazil's Campeonato Carioca and are preparing for the start of a new sason which kicks off on May 18. It remains to be seen when Romario will make his debut for his latest club.

Arsenal are back in action this afternoon, as Mikel Arteta’s side host Burnley at the Emirates Stadium in the bid to return to winning ways in the Premier League.

Last time out the Gunners’ unbeaten start to the league campaign ended at the hands of Newcastle United, as the Magpies won 1-0 at St James’ Park in controversial fashion following a second-half strike from Anthony Gordon.

Vincent Kompany’s side pose a contrasting challenge to that of last week’s duel, as the Clarets arrive in the capital with just four points, sitting 19th in the table with only one win to their name so far.

Despite Arsenal being the favourites on paper, the visitors will be desperate for a result this afternoon, reinforcing the importance of Arteta’s side returning to their best in order to rebuild the momentum.

Arsenal team news vs Burnley

After beating Sevilla midweek in the Champions League at the Emirates, the Gunners were struck with more injury woes to add to their currently worrying collection.

In the 85th minute, goal scorer Bukayo Saka was forced to withdraw with a knock, which could leave him sidelined for the clash against Burnley this afternoon.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta shared that the Englishman was in “quite a lot of pain” when he exited the field on Wednesday, adding that the forward did not train on Thursday.

On the topic of injury, the boss confirmed that Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Jesus, Thomas Partey and Emile Smith-Rowe will not be in contention this afternoon, while sharing that Martin Odegaard is “racing against the clock” to find match fitness after a hip injury.

With a host of key players at risk of not playing against Burnley, Arteta will have some thinking to do ahead of selecting his most appropriate XI to face the clarets, with one name having a strong claim to secure minutes.

The stats that suggest Fabio Vieira should start against Burnley

In the absence of Odegaard and Partey, a midfield pairing of Kai Havertz and Jorginho has been summoned by the manager to questionable effect, giving Fabio Vieira a shout to fight for game time.

With the captain out of action, the Gunners need to identify an assured creative back-up, which the Portuguese whiz can provide when deployed in his favoured number ten role.

Once lauded as “phenomenal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Vieira has prevailed as one of the top creators in Europe for his form over the past year, averaging a staggering 0.54 assists per 90 to place him in the top 1% of midfielders in that area, via FBref.

The former Porto maestro also averages 1.72 key passes per 90, a far greater average than Jorginho who has averaged only 0.56 per 90 over the past year.

While the Italian brings experience, with all respect to Burnley, now could be the perfect opportunity for Arteta to unleash Vieira in the bid to allow him to show his worth at a time of need for an established playmaker in midfield.

There are plenty of decisions for the manager to make ahead of the clash, with the 23-year-old one of those crying out for minutes this season.

Mikel Arteta admitted that he has "all the sympathy in the world" for Mauricio Pochettino after Arsenal thrashed Chelsea 5-0.

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• Chelsea were outplayed by Arsenal
• Arteta shared his sympathies with under-fire Pochettino
• Believes he has been "doing a great job"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners' triumph, fuelled by Leandro Trossard’s brilliant opening goal and doubles from both Ben White and former Chelsea striker Kai Havertz, propelled them four points clear at the summit of the Premier League table, leaving Manchester City trailing but with two games in hand. It was a tough night for Pochettino as his Chelsea side capitulated in the second half and his Arsenal counterpart, who has been a dear friend of his since their playing days at Paris Saint-Germain, had nothing but kind words for the Argentine manager.

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  WHAT ARTETA SAID

  When questioned about Pochettino's predicament, Arteta responded with unwavering support and said: "All the sympathy in the world. With everything that he’s been through and everything that he’s been doing. He knows that. I’ve been on the other side as well. He’s doing a great job, I think when you look at this team and analyse every second of them, they deserve to win many matches, they deserve to win against big teams.

  "He’s doing a really good job so hopefully things will turn around and be as he deserves. I love winning. He would try to do the same. When you talk about sympathy and someone I love and admire, for sure, I want the best for him.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Amidst Arsenal's recent setbacks, including defeat to Aston Villa and elimination from the Champions League by Bayern Munich, Arteta found solace in his team's resilient response against their city rivals.

  “Just face the reality, that’s it. The margins are so small and in some things, you cannot be better than your opponent," he said.

  “You might not have the luck when you need it in certain moments but you need to react and face the moment. That moment is beautiful. We’ve been working on it for nine months, so we have to face it in the right way. Value what we have, and especially believe. If you are able to believe for nine months, you are able to win it. But you have to believe it first and consistently do what you have been doing. Nothing else.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chelsea were guilty were giving away possession cheaply as Arsenal snatched the ball 15 times in the final third against them – the maximum turnovers under Arteta in a Premier League match.

A Chelsea mainstay could now return to action after the international break following an injury blow he sustained, according to reports.

Pochettino picks up form

Since late September, the west Londoners have started to pick up real momentum following a pretty dismal start to the Premier League season and Mauricio Pochettino's reign as manager.

Indeed, Chelsea have lost just once in all competitions since beating Brighton 1-0 in the EFL Cup third round; sealing precious victories against the likes of Burnley, Fulham and Tottenham while also giving league champions Man City a real run for their money.

In what can only be described as the game of the season so far, Pochettino's men sealed a dramatic 4-4 draw against City at Stamford Bridge prior to internationals – a match which winger Raheem Sterling won't be forgetting in a hurry.

"We've played against one of the best, if not the best, teams from the past seven or eight years and we've had a right go at them," said Sterling.

"We played with such belief and intensity but, in the end, it's certainly a good point for us. It's been a good week [beating Spurs and drawing with City]. We've said for a while now, it's been stepping stones all season for us.

"It was important we stood up to City, because they're a team if you sit off them and show them too much respect, they can easily punish you. We stood up to them, were aggressive in our pressing and all the boys showed a real intensity. We showed real character and were rewarded in the end."

One player who missed the epic encounter was defender Levi Colwill, who was forced to sit out with a shoulder injury.

Colwill could now return vs Newcastle

The Englishman, who had started all 11 of Chelsea's league games prior to City, was also withdrawn from the Three Lions squad. Now, an update has come to light on his shoulder problem, with The Evening Standard claiming Colwill could return against Newcastle and play the clash with Eddie Howe's side.

The 20-year-old was thought to be a doubt for the game, but Colwill's reintroduction is now entirely possible as the Blues gear up for what will be a tough contest. During his loan at Brighton last year, the versatile ace earned many admirers with Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi heaping praise on Colwill and his "fantastic" ability.

“I think the best example of courage was Colwill in this game," said De Zerbi.

“We defended man-to-man and Colwill’s man was Odegaard. Colwill went 90 minutes to defend with Odegaard 80 metres from Jason Steele. This is courage.

“He’s a good guy, he’s improving a lot. This year his improvement has been fantastic and I hope he can stay with us.”

Arsenal backed up their 6-0 demolition of Lens in midweek by coming through a nervy encounter against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League this afternoon at the Emirates.

The Gunners raced into a two-goal advantage courtesy of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard and the home supporters would be forgiven for thinking the club could repeat their midweek heroics and net five or six.

It didn’t work out that way, however, as the hosts couldn’t quite kill the game off and Matheus Cunha pulled a goal back against the run of play late on.

With both teams desperate to score again, Eddie Nketiah struck the post, but in the end all three points went to the side top of the table.

Reflecting on those vital three points, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with some big performances, especially from his trusted skipper, Odegaard.

Martin Odegaard’s game in numbers vs Wolves

The captain led his club to another crucial Premier League win to open up a four-point advantage at the summit of the table – albeit temporarily.

The 24-year-old shone for the Gunners yet again, and he scored his fourth top-flight goal of the campaign to give the club some breathing space during the tie.

The Norwegian also managed to create three big chances during the match, alongside playing six key passes in what was a display full of attacking intent.

On another day, Arsenal may have scored another few goals, but they will be content with three points and while Odegaard was excellent, it was a Hale End graduate who shone the brightest – Saka.

Bukayo Saka’s game vs Wolves in numbers

The winger netted his fifth league goal with a well-taken effort against the Old Gold and in the process, he became just the second player to score or assist in ten different Premier League matches this season alongside Mohamed Salah.

Arsenal closing in on deal to sign £8k-p/w "magnificent talent" for Arteta

The Gunners have reportedly made a breakthrough in their pursuit of a long-term target.

By
Chloe Chadwick

Dec 2, 2023

Saka was in sublime form and – following a goal and assist against Lens – his confidence was clearly high as the winger made four key passes and took a total of three shots during the clash.

The Englishman’s eagerness to get forward came at a cost, however, as he lost possession a staggering 23 times in all during the game, yet his creativity and attacking threat clearly made up for this in abundance.

The youngster was also keen on helping out defensively as he made two tackles and one interception, while he also won seven out of his 16 total duels.

The talented winger is swiftly becoming one of the finest in the continent for his position and playing regularly in the Champions League is making a big difference.

If Arteta aims to win the league title this season, keeping Saka fit and healthy will be his number-one priority, that’s for sure.

There is no doubt he is on his way towards legendary status, especially if he can lead the club to some sort of silverware over the next couple of seasons.

If they keep grinding out important wins and piling pressure on the teams sitting below them in the league table, could this year end a 20-year Premier League title drought?

Only time will tell.

Rob McElhenney has aired his dream for a 55,000-seater stadium at Wrexham, with a state-of-the-art AI design showing what that venue could look like.

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• Hollywood co-owners have ambitious plans
• Intend to lead Red Dragons to the top-flight
• Racecourse to get serious upgrade on the way

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  McElhenney and fellow co-chairman Ryan Reynolds have big plans for the future in North Wales. Two Hollywood stars at the Red Dragons’ helm have never shied away from the fact that they want to guide the club to the Premier League Promised Land – having already made it as far as League One.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Part of that ambitious project would include a serious upgrade to Wrexham’s current SToK Racecourse home, with McElhenney having told : “We have a plan in place right now that would eventually work from stand to stand, so eventually you get all four sides. It's hard to say for sure, but we think we could get between 45,000 and 55,000 people in there.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Wrexham can only fit 12,600 fans through the turnstiles at present, although plans are in place for a new Kop Stand. McElhenney and Reynolds are aiming much bigger than that, though, and have enlisted the help of AI program to show how impressive a completely renovated Racecourse could become.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  The stunning concept designs include glass exteriors, VIP sections and large outdoor areas in which supporters can congregate. There is a more traditional offering, which still includes full two-tiered seating inside a red and white bowl, with the plans – if they were to become reality – set to give Wrexham the sixth-largest capacity in English club football, as they rise above the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle.