Juventus' former chief scout reveals how close the club came to signing Jude Bellingham in 2019.

Teenager Lewis Miley has been told to ready himself for a key role in Newcastle’s midfield as they attempt to continue the fight on three fronts in the midst of an injury crisis. The 17-year-old turned in an impressive display in his Premier League home debut on Saturday to help the Magpies trounce Chelsea 4-1 after seeing Joe Willock added to a lengthy casualty list with a recurrence of an Achilles problem. Willock could be sidelined for some time as he awaits specialist advice on the way forward, and with Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Paris St Germain and a Carabao Cup quarter-final visit to Chelsea to come amid a schedule which will see Eddie Howe’s men play 10 more games by New Year’s Day, Miley has been primed for a run in the team. Asked about his performance against the Blues, Howe said: “His general performance was very good. I thought he showed the composure that we saw during pre-season – I thought he executed a very good pre-season, played very well – and he’s going to be a key player for us in he next few weeks. “He’s going to have to step up and do what we know he can do.” Miley played a significant role in the opening goal with a perfectly weighted pass which allowed Alexander Isak to spin and fire home just 13 minutes into his comeback after a month out with a groin injury. Howe said: “That pass sort of represents him. To have that composure in that moment when you’re so young and thrust into your debut at home, the temptation is to shoot, but he resisted that and the ability to spot Alex, so it was a brilliant pass and also a brilliant finish.” He doesn't behave like the average 17-year-old Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe Raheem Sterling levelled with a beautifully struck 23rd-minute free-kick, but Newcastle skipper Jamaal Lascelles, whose error had led to that set-piece, made amends with a bullet header on the hour before Joelinton capitalised on a rare howler from Thiago Silva to thump home a third. Anthony Gordon completed the rout after full-back Reece James had been sent off for a second bookable offence, but Miley’s contribution on a day when Howe was without 13 senior players and named three keepers on his bench was one of the major talking points. Asked if it was easy to forget he is only 17, the head coach replied: “Yes, I think we do because he’s six-foot-two and he’s a man, he looks a man in your presence, and also his maturity. He doesn’t behave like the average 17-year-old. “But it’s important we do remember how young he is and we look to protect him as well. It’s my job to do that and educate him in the right way on and off the pitch. “He comes from a very good family who won’t allow him to go over the top in any way. It’s on to the next match for him and us.” Pochettino was less than impressed with the way his young Chelsea team capitulated on Tyneside, accusing them of putting in a “soft” performance. He said: “As a team, we need to show a different energy, a different capacity to compete. For me, that is the key. “The big teams perform every week, every three days, in this way. This is a thing that we need to settle in the team.” Read More Reds boss hails ‘super influential’ Trent Alexander-Arnold after Man City draw On This Day in 2020: Gunners have a good night against Rapid Vienna Erik ten Hag: Schedule has already crossed limits of what players can handle Two teenagers arrested for ‘misogynistic chanting’ towards referee Rebecca Welch Mikel Arteta hails Aaron Ramsdale despite errors in Arsenal’s win over Brentford Novak Djokovic left to rue ‘bitter’ end to season as Serbia beaten in Davis Cup

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Everton manager Sean Dyche is confident the goalscoring problem which has affected the team for a year will be solved soon. Despite creating 19 chances against Fulham, the Toffees slipped to an opening game defeat at home – where the top-flight’s lowest scorers lost a record 10 league matches last season. Central to the issue is the continuing unavailability of injury-plagued Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose lack of minutes in pre-season means he is still possibly a couple of weeks short of being ready. However, the arrivals of on-loan Arnaut Danjuma – who made his debut as a late substitute – and young Sporting striker Youssef Chermiti, watching from the stands, will hopefully help to ease the burden as current deputy Neal Maupay wasted a host of chances as he extended his woeful record to one goal in 30 appearances for the club. “Dominic will get some football this week, amongst others,” said Dyche, who is still looking for reinforcements but knows he must get more out of the limited resources he has. “He is at the end of his rehab period, so, in the next week or two, we’re going to be stronger, just by our own group and let’s see if we can get something in to help us as well. “Arnie (Danjuma) is getting fit, properly fit – he knows he’s a bit behind the curve. “I am confident we have to rely (on players) within the squad because this is what we are at the moment. If we can affect it, we will do.” Everton had only 41 percent possession but made the most of it and with better finishing could have had the game won by half-time. While the outcome was disappointing, the manner of the performance was more encouraging than the majority of the relegation scraps they had when Dyche took over in January and guided them to safety on the final day. “Some of the breakaways, some of the moments, some of the quality of chances were excellent,” the Toffees boss added. “One of our analysts said about xG, which I’m not that big a believer in but it’s still a reference point, was around three, which is high in the Premier League. “Inevitably, it’s only a measure but we’ve got to look at where we were and where we are now – and that, I thought, was a big shift. “Now we’ve got to find those moments to go and score goals. “But there’s a real strong sign there today, a strong sign of a good outfit there that is creating lots of chances and a lot of good things, so we’ve got to maintain the belief in that.” Fulham were fortunate to leave Goodison Park with a third successive win and boss Marco Silva admits there is plenty of improvements to be made. “We need more time to work, our pre-season was not at the level that it should be so we missed a bit of energy,” he said. “But we were able to win a football match and that shows we have the quality to work.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live On this day in 2016: Mo Farah retains Olympic 10,000m title in Rio Anthony Joshua confident fight with Deontay Wilder will happen ‘soon’ Lucas Glover holds onto lead in Memphis with Tommy Fleetwood two strokes behind

Jeff Stelling revealed singer Sir Elton John was among his well-wishers this week as the presenter signed off from the “best job that anybody could possibly have wished for” at Soccer Saturday. Stelling announced last month his intention to stand down as anchor of the Sky Sports programme after almost 30 years and earmarked the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday as his last show. In the days leading up to his swansong, Stelling divulged he had messages of support from the likes of Gordon Strachan and Neil Warnock, plus a phone call from John, former chairman and director of Watford. Stelling, an unapologetic Hartlepool fan who frequently celebrated their goals on Soccer Saturday, said: “Somebody asked me the other day if I’d ever been starstruck and yeah, I was starstruck when Elton John rang me at home to say ‘Thank you very much for all you’ve done’. “He said ‘Every week I watch the show and every week you tell me Watford are losing and every week you tell me Hartlepool are losing so I feel like we’re kindred spirits’. There’s something in that, isn’t there?” After touching tributes from colleagues past and present in a video montage, Stelling was given a standing ovation by the punditry panel of Paul Merson, Clinton Morrison, Kris Boyd and Michael Dawson. Stelling, who had planned to quit last year before reversing that decision, briefly hid his emotions with a mask of himself and quipped: “This is tricky because I’ve changed my mind – just kidding. “I haven’t changed my mind this time.” Stelling was clearly moved by the highlights package Sky televised in the final minutes of the show after Everton retained their top-flight status and confirmed the relegations of Leeds and Leicester. Merson, Alan Mullery, Frank McLintock, Clive Allen, Charlie Nicholas, Phil Thompson and Matt Le Tissier passed on their congratulations, as did Chris Kamara, who in a nod to the catchphrase that has become synonymous with the pair and the show, said: “You are unbelievable, Jeff!” Stelling looked back fondly on his 30-plus years with Sky, in which he not only covered football but live snooker, darts, greyhound racing, pool and thanked everyone with whom he had worked. So that's it. Soccer Saturday will be back next season. I'll be watching...From me, goodbye Jeff Stelling In his farewell monologue, he added: “It’s been the best job that anybody could possibly have wished for. My wife takes great pleasure in saying ‘You are the luckiest man ever to take a breath’ and you know what? I don’t tell her this often but she’s right. “The principle success of Soccer Saturday is you lot at home, who have given us unswerving support – both for the programme and for me personally. “So that’s it. Soccer Saturday will be back next season. I’ll be watching – when Hartlepool are not playing. From me, goodbye.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Bielsa casts shadow and ownership uncertainty – reasons behind Leeds’ relegation Wales to host South Korea in September friendly Football rumours: Barcelona set sights on Bruno Guimaraes

CJ Abrams and Lane Thomas homered, rookie Jake Irvin struck out a career-high nine and the Washington Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants 5-3 on Friday night