Ahead of the transfer window closing, GOAL grades the USMNT-related deals completed during January.

Jean-Philippe Mateta has reportedly told Crystal Palace he wants to leave Selhurst Park as the France striker believes the club do not match his ambitions. He is angry that promises regarding player recruitment and terms in a potential new contract have not been kept. It is believed the 28-year-old wants regular European football, and that he was recently the subject of an offer from Juventus.

Manchester United reportedly want to open talks with Bruno Fernandes over a new contract, but will ultimately let the captain decide whether he stays or goes. Fernandes' current deal runs until 2027 and though the club have the option to extend it by a further 12 months, they would like to discuss fresh terms.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has hit out at “misinformation” regarding a supposed players-only meeting that he called on the back of a disappointing draw with relegation-threatened Burnley. Reds boss Arne Slot is said to have been left out of those discussions, amid questions of his future, but Van Dijk insists there was no gathering organised by him.

Club América are exploring a potential move to bring Fulham striker Raúl Jiménez back to the club after the 2026 World Cup, sources say. While midfield reinforcements remain the short-term priority, the veteran forward is emerging as a longer-term target. Jiménez started his career with the club and scored 36 goals in 96 league appearances for the club between 2011 and 2014.

Manchester United and England legend Sir David Beckham has received an apology after an "objectifying" social media post was directed at the former footballer amid a very public falling out with son Brooklyn. TalkSPORT presenter Shebahn Aherne tried to make light of the situation by sharing an anecdote about a meeting with Beckham but ended up coming in for criticism and has now said sorry.

Hertha Berlin fans haven't had much to cheer about in recent years. Their decade-long stay in the Bundesliga ended after the team slumped to an 18th-placed finish in the 2022-23 season, just four years on from Lars Windhorst's €224 million minority takeover that came with the billionaire's promise to build a "true ‘big-city club’, like those in London or Madrid."

With all the data and all the video footage you could ever hope for, there really shouldn't be many secrets left in the world of youth football. Sure, progress isn't linear and some players' attributes translate better to the adult game than others, but for most teams, picking and finding the best young talent still feels like a bit of a lottery, at least from the outside looking in.

Rennes are no strangers to producing some of the best players around, and Mohamed Kader Meite looks primed to become the next elite talent to step off the conveyor belt after the likes of Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Eduardo Camavinga. Still just 18, the towering striker is already said to be turning heads across Europe.

Robert Lewandowski has joined Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Neymar in an exclusive goal club. The prolific Polish striker was back on target for Barcelona in their Champions League clash with Slavia Prague. He actually found the net at both ends of the field in that contest, with his effort at the right end seeing him reach 20 in elite European competition for Barca.

Harry Kane helped Bayern Munich automatically qualify for the last-16 of the Champions League by scoring both goals in the German giants' 2-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise. The England captain missed a chance at a hat-trick, however, as his 81st minute penalty cannoned off the crossbar. Bayern overcame the 63rd minute sending off of Kim Min-Jae, as well as the absence of their banned ultras, to secure the victory.

Weston McKennie scored in his third consecutive Champions League game as the U.S. men's national team star helped lead Juventus to a crucial win over Benfica. The American scored Juventus's second goal in the 2-0 win, one that helped the Old Lady progress to the next stage of the competition. The club is also still in the running for a top 8 place.

Modernising the role of a full-back 30 years ago, Roberto Carlos undoubtedly set the benchmark. A tactical genius and a physical specimen, the Real Madrid and Brazil legend won countless trophies at club and international level, contributing bucket loads of goals and assists. No one in the past, present or future can ever claim to be his equal - he was that good.

One of the best midfielders of his era, perhaps the greatest crosser of a football ever and a free-kick taker to rival the best the game has ever produced, David Beckham was a special player to say the least. And yet due to his off-field impact, one of the sport's great champions of the past 30 years is generally forgotten when it comes to referencing the true legends of the game.

Romario moved around the penalty area with the stealthy gait and sly gaze of a panther, ready to suddenly accelerate as soon as the ball came his way, to disorient the opposing defenders with a couple of feints, to pounce on the ball, which inevitably ended up at his feet, as if magnetised, and finish with an unstoppable shot of pure technique or power, or alternatively serve up a perfect assist for one of his team-mates. He was a Hall of Fame striker if ever there was one.

In 1969, at the age of 23, George Best wanted to focus solely on the essentials. Just football, just his job. So he turned his back on his two other great passions, alcohol and women. His sobering conclusion: "It was the worst 20 minutes of my life." A Manchester United legend, that quote sums up Bet's rebellious attitude towards football, and life in general.

Rebel United introduces players who prefer to swim against the tide, such as Barcelona and Spain legend Gerard Pique, who has achieved great significance beyond the pitch thanks to his Catalan pride and innovative spirit...

"La France, c'est vous." Translated as 'France, is you', that was what French president Charles de Gaulle told footballer Rachid Mekhloufi in 1968. Mekhloufi had just led his Saint-Etienne side to the double, and the reward was an audience with the most powerful man in the country. For Mekhloufi, this sentence brought things full circle. Now he was both Algerian and French; 10 years earlier, he had - in a sense - been neither.

On September 15, 2018, N'Golo Kante walked off the Stamford Bridge pitch, satisfied. As was often the case, the Frenchman had just covered every blade of grass over the course of the 90 minutes. And, as was so often the case, he was not one of the major speaking points at full-time. Not right away, at least.

Anyone that manages to carve out a career for themselves in professional football is ridiculously talented. The standard at the highest level is just so high that it is simply impossible to 'fake it 'til you make it'. However, not everyone is as prodigiously gifted as Lionel Messi or Lamine Yamal. Your average player will require some time to get to grips with the rigours of the elite game.

Player development in football follows many different paths. Some exceptional talents, such as Lamine Yamal and Estevao, make an impact at the highest level at a very young age. At the same time, countless players need more time before their qualities fully emerge.