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West Ham could be set for a real struggle without star winger Jarrod Bowen after news on his injury, says journalist Paul Brown.

Moyes loses Bowen to injury

The England winger returned home from international duty early last week after picking up a knee injury with Gareth Southgate's side.

Bowen, who has starred under manager David Moyes this season, even playing more centrally at points as a makeshift Michail Antonio alternative, is a sore miss on the field.

West Ham could sell "wonderful" talent in "surprise" January transfer move

He’s attracting great interest from abroad.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 28, 2023

West Ham just about scraped past struggling Burnley at Turf Moor last weekend, with dramatic late goals from Dara O'Shea (OG) and Tomas Soucek sealing all three points in Lancashire.

The Hammers arguably lacked a cutting edge at points. Striker Antonio was also absent following his injury, forcing Moyes to start the out-of-favour Danny Ings up front before he opted to bring on promising young forward Divin Mubama.

Bowen could've been a viable option to lead the line place of both Mubama and Ings, but his knee injury ultimately forced him to sit out in a blow for Moyes.

West Ham's boss, sharing an update on Bowen in his pre-match press conference before Backa Topola, said the 26-year-old is still unavailable through injury and hasn't travelled to Serbia. Moyes said (via The Standard):

"Jarrod hasn't travelled and we have another couple who have some illness who haven't travelled, but I am not prepared to say who they are."

West Ham "will struggle" without Bowen

Bowen has racked up eight goals and one assist in just 12 Premier League starts this season, with the former Hull City star really proving his worth after being awarded a new long-term contract recently.

Journalist Brown, speaking to GiveMeSport this week, claimed that West Ham will struggle without Bowen and his presence going forward – calling the player's absence a "big deal" for Moyes.

"Yeah, I think Jarrod Bowen has already proved just how important he is to West Ham," said the reporter.

"West Ham are going to struggle to be as creative without him. He's a good finisher. He advances the ball up the pitch, his movement causes teams problems, and losing him is a big deal for West Ham. They lose a lot of cutting edge without him and they don't really have a whole lot of options in forward areas which makes his absence even harder to bear.

"I just think Bowen is a really good player who deserves all the plaudits he gets. He's moved up a division and thrived under David Moyes and he's becoming one of the best forwards in the Premier League. So I think any team would miss him when he's out."

The attacker is a vital piece of the West Ham jigsaw and Moyes will want him back as soon as possible, especially considering the pressure surrounding his position right now.

As things stand, Moyes looks set to leave West Ham in 2024 and is very unlikely to be offered a new contract.

Following their promotion to League One, the Wrexham squad are en-route to Las Vegas as James McClean shares an in-flight update.

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• Wrexham on their way to Las Vegas
• James McClean shares photo of squad
• Reynolds and McElhenney sponsor Stateside trip

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Just like last year, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have yet again funded a trip to Las Vegas for Wrexham's squad after they finished their first season in League Two in second place and confirmed their automatic promotion to League One. Wrexham winger McClean has shared a photo of the squad having fun on their way to the United States.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Since Reynolds and McElhenney's takeover of the Welsh club in 2020, the Red Dragons have gone from playing regularly in non-league football to fully securing their place in the third-tier of English football. The players are now enjoying their promised trip to the States sponsored by the duo after a physically demanding season for the squad.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Unlike last season, Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has not joined the rest of the squad for the trip to the famous Nevada city as he has rather chosen to go on a tour to Spain as he looks to relax and rejuvenate before the planning for next season begins.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Wrexham and the players will have to return to the United States towards the end of July as they also have their pre-season Stateside and will take on Bournemouth, Chelsea and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Tottenham Hotspur were in ruin at the end of the 2022/23 campaign but Ange Postecoglou's summer appointment scrubbed away the blanket of rust that had latched onto the club's engine.

Blitzing into life with a freshly instilled philosophy and renewed offensive verve, Spurs were flying before injuries and suspensions ravaged the progress, with a five-match winless run ending the stunning start.

But that was snapped with a statement win over Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon, with Postecoglou's side returning to form after a slick performance of free-flowing style overpowered Eddie Howe's weary side.

The result means that Tottenham maintain their credible pursuit of Champions League football by chasing Manchester City and remaining just three points behind the fourth-placed treble winners.

Spurs are still nursing multiple injuries, with James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur among the myriad players to remain sidelined until after the new year, but the London club can take much solace from the fact that the overall level of performance has been sustained, albeit seeing the confidence, cohesion and resilience take something of a blow.

Most pleasing was the display of Richarlison, whose goals either side of half-time crowned a talismanic match that underscores the threat that has not been for the majority of his time at the club, since signing from Everton in a £60m transfer in 2022.

Richarlison's game vs Newcastle in numbers

Richarlison's brace was a relief for all of a Tottenham persuasion after languishing for so much of his time in London – before Sunday's contest, the 26-year-old had only scored twice in the Premier League since the start of last season.

But he was at his menacing best against the Magpies, with The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare remarking on the "perfect" second strike, and will now be ravenous to build on the match and cement a starring role as the arrowhead.

As per Sofascore, the Brazilian only took 35 touches but made good use of his time on the ball, unleashing six shots, attempting four dribbles, completing 81% of his passes, winning four ground duels and making a tackle and interception apiece.

Football.london's Alasdair Gold was effusive in his post-match player ratings and handed Richarlison a 9/10 score, highlighting the energy and zest that played a pivotal part in the return to winning ways.

He said: 'Back in the centre of the attack and he saw an early shot deflected over the crossbar. Battled away and got his reward with his first goal with his feet for Spurs before the break and then added another in the second half with a low effort through the keeper's legs. Never stopped working and was an important aerial presence from defensive set pieces as Kane used to be.'

The contribution means that Richarlison has now racked up four goals and three assists from just nine starts across all competitions this season, matching the seven direct contributions he clinched from 35 matches during his maiden campaign.

But as the table depicts above, he is far more effective and could be on the cusp of a prominent position of strength under Postecoglou's wing, who has already entrusted him with regular roles from the outset and has described him as a "constant nuisance for defenders", such is his innate ability.

Despite his two-goal display, the £90k-per-week forward's return to form did not surpass the importance of Pape Matar Sarr's return to the starting line-up, with the rising midfielder proving his worth as the batteries for the engine, charging his side toward an excellent victory.

Pape Sarr's performance vs Newcastle

Sarr started 11 of the opening 12 Premier League matches of the campaign but missed recent games against Aston Villa and Manchester City due to injury, returning off the bench in midweek against West Ham United.

His absence has been felt, and against Newcastle, he spectacularly offered a range of abilities to improve the midfield efforts and belied his inexperience and 21 years of age with a convincing and commanding performance.

Withdrawn after 73 minutes with Spurs in control and his boss managing his fitness levels, Sarr took 63 touches and completed 87% of his passes, made two key passes, completed his sole attempted dribble and won seven duels, also winning four tackles.

Handing him an 8/10 match rating on his return to the starting line-up, Gold wrote: 'Missed a great chance from Johnson's pass soon after Udogie's first half goal but his performance showed why Spurs have missed him during this recent run of games. His energy and composure give others confidence around him, including the more experienced Bissouma.'

Sarr's energy and enthusiasm in the centre of the park have been missed over the past several weeks, and while he is young, the all-encompassing nature of his craft facilitates the success of those around him, with Yves Bissouma, for example, winning ten ground duels and making eight tackles, spurred on by the security that Sarr provides alongside him.

Against West Ham on Thursday night, the Malian midfielder made just two tackles and also won only three ground duels; with Sarr not yet ready for a starting berth, Bissouma's partner was Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who won zero ground duels and failed to make a tackle. Ineffective.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 16% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and progressive passes and the top 13% for assists per 90, showcasing the ball-playing skill that complements the bulk of his midfield game.

Noting Sarr's significance in the team, reporter Ben Haines said: "Ridiculous how much of a difference Sarr makes. Reads dangerous situations so well, covers so much ground and makes everyone around him even better as well."

With hopes that the recent demise is now out of the way, Postecoglou will rest easier knowing that his tenacious talent is fit once again, with his display against Newcastle evidence of the remarkable improvements he suffuses across his team when deployed.

Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni is hopeful he will be fit to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final despite having a foot issue.

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• Tchouameni suffers foot injury
• Madrid face Dortmund in UCL final
• Frenchman hopes he will be fit

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The French international sustained a stress injury to his left foot in Madrid's 2-1 win over Bayern Munich last week, casting doubt on if he would make the final against Dortmund on June 1. However, the 24-year-old seems optimistic he will be ready for that showdown at Wembley.

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  WHAT AURELIEN TCHOUAMENI SAID

  The defensive midfielder, who turned up on crutches to Madrid's La Liga title celebrations over the weekend, told Spanish publication Marca: "I think I'll make it to the final. I will be ready."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reports in Spain suggested the former Monaco man, who joined Madrid for an initial £68.8 million ($86m) in 2022, had a 20% chance of making the Champions League final. If he isn't fit, that will be a big loss for Madrid, who are bidding to win a record-extending 15th title in this competition.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Before that Champions League final in London, Madrid take on Alaves on Tuesday, followed by Villarreal on May 19, and then they round off the league season on May 25 at home to Real Betis.

Wrexham Women will play three pre-season games in the United States this summer, dubbed by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney the 'Wrex Coast Tour'.

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• Wrexham Women set for U.S. tour

• Games announced by co-owners

• Ryan Reynolds pokes fun at

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The tour was announced with a video shared by McElhenney on social media. Co-owner Reynolds featured in the clip too, with the Canadian taking the opportunity to aim a playful dig at his close friend.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• WHAT ROB McELHENNEY SAID ABOUT THE 'WREX COAST TOUR'

  McElhenney said: "You now have a chance to witness history being made. The Wrexham AFC Women are playing right here in the U.S. for the very first time."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After a perfect league record in 2022-23 (12 wins from 12 games) secured promotion, Wrexham finished a respectable third in the Adran Premier, the highest level of women's football in Wales, in the recently concluded 2023-24 campaign. It was their first season of top-flight action since withdrawing from the league during 2015-16. Reynold's and McElhenney have previously made clear that their stewardship of the club doesn't just extend to the men's team.

Everton manager Sean Dyche is reportedly keen on completing the permanent signing of a "phenomenal" player, according to a fresh transfer update.

Everton signings impressing

The Blues could only have dreamed of being in their current form a few months ago, with Dyche completely turning around their fortunes of late, improving in his role all the time. Incredibly, Everton have won their last four Premier League games in a row without conceding a single goal, including a 2-0 win away to Burnley on Saturday evening.

There are so many players who are performing at a much higher level than they were previously, whether that be individuals who have been at Goodison Park for some time or those who have only joined the club recently.

There are a number of new additions who are currently doing well, with Jack Harrison steadily improving since arriving on loan from Leeds United in the summer transfer window, overcoming a slow start to register three assists in the league so far this season.

Fellow loanee Arnaut Danjuma has admittedly made less of an impact to date, but Beto has added more firepower to the attack, netting twice in all competitions. Meanwhile, Jarrad Branthwaite has caught the eye since returning from his loan spell at PSV Eindhoven.

Dyche wants permanent Harrison signing

According to a new update from Leeds Live, Dyche personally wants to make Harrison's Everton loan move a permanent one in the near future, although there is no option to buy in the current loan deal.

"LeedsLive understands there is no option-to-buy clause in Harrison’s loan agreement but Sean Dyche would be keen on making the deal permanent."

In the same report, former Leeds and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson admits that Harrison will be mulling over whether to move to Everton for good, or return to Elland Road at the end of the season:

"Everton are a hard-working team and Jack’s a big part of that. I can understand why he’s non-committal on his future because he probably doesn’t know. There’s a lot of ifs and buts for him in the next six to 12 months, depending on what Leeds do.

"If Leeds stay in the Championship, I don’t think there’s a conversation about, ‘Is it Everton or is it somewhere else?’ There will be a lot of Premier League suitors for him. It’s only an option or a discussion to have if Leeds come into the Premier League. Then it’s between the player and the club."

It is clearly a tough call for Harrison to make, but so much points towards Everton being on the rise at the moment, with Dyche looking like an impressive appointment.

The Blues should avoid relegation Premier League based on current form, and the move to their Bramley Moore Dock stadium is happening in 2025. Harrison could like the idea of being a part of such an exciting venture, as there is also the takeover of the club that could happen sooner rather than later.

Everton eyeing star who “plays as if he’s dancing” after failed summer interest

He’s a top talent who “does things you can’t coach”.

By
Henry Jackson

Dec 18, 2023

The 27-year-old has been hailed as "phenomenal" by YouTube Conor McGilligan, and given his age, he could be a mainstay of the team for another four or five years, so it makes complete sense for Everton to retain his services, making this one to watch.

Liverpool progressed through to the semi-finals of the League Cup with an emphatic 5-1 win over West Ham United at Anfield on Wednesday night.

It was a clinical display from the Reds as they dispatched the Hammers with relative ease to secure their clash with Fulham in the last four of the competition.

This was a much-needed result and performance after the disappointment that came from their 0-0 draw with Manchester United on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp's side had 34 shots and racked up 2.38 xG but failed to come away with all three points as their finishing, and shot selections, left a lot to be desired.

One change that the German boss made for the cup clash was to move Darwin Nunez out to the left flank, instead of through the middle as a centre-forward, and he thrived in that position.

Liverpool could now unleash the Uruguay international on the wing on a permanent basis by securing a deal for a player to lead the line.

Liverpool transfer news – Karim Adeyemi

It was reported during the summer transfer window that the Reds were looking at Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi as a possible target to bolster their attack.

The outlet also named Federico Chiesa and Leroy Sane as targets if the club lost Mohamed Salah, who was being pursued by Al Ittihad at the time.

Calcio Mercato claimed that Klopp likes Adeyemi 'a lot' and that is why the Germany international was on the list of players to possibly replace the Egypt international.

However, Liverpool could reignite their interest in the £32m Dortmund attacker and look to revive his career as a centre-forward, rather than viewing him as a winger.

This would then provide Klopp with a number nine to spearhead his attack, which would then allow Nunez to be permanently moved to a wide role.

Nunez's performance against West Ham in numbers

The former Benfica star lined up on the left of the attack, with Cody Gakpo as the number nine, and caught the eye with a fantastic performance.

Nunez created an eye-catching four chances for his teammates and registered one assist as he teed up Curtis Jones for the second goal.

Klopp's "superb" Liverpool star looked as good as Curtis Jones vs West Ham

Anfield returned to winning ways with a sumptuous attacking performance to advance to the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 21, 2023

No player on the pitch produced more key passes than the Liverpool whiz, who also completed one of his two attempted dribbles in 90 minutes.

He was able to use his physicality and pace to be a constant threat to the Hammers defence to create chances for others, rather than being there to get on the end of passes from others, which is where the forward has struggled this season.

Nunez has been far too wasteful in front of goal as a centre-forward in the Premier League and moving him out wide to be a creative outlet could be a fantastic piece of management by Klopp.

Nunez's Premier League record in numbers

The 24-year-old dynamo joined the Reds from Benfica in the summer of 2022 and has failed to prove himself to be a reliable scorer in the top-flight.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Uruguay international produced nine goals and three assists in 29 league appearances for Liverpool.

In that time, Nunez missed a staggering 20 'big chances' but was able to create 11 'big chances' for his teammates. This suggests that he did not make the most of the opportunities that came his way and the same could be said for the players he was setting up.

His finishing has not improved since the end of last season as the forward has produced four goals and spurned a whopping 15 'big chances' in just 16 Premier League outings this term.

He has, once again, been a solid creative outlet for the Reds, though, with five assists and six 'big chances' created in his ten league starts.

This means that Nunez has missed 35 'big chances' and created 17 of them for his teammates since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, which suggests that creating for others is a bigger strength of his than finishing off opportunities.

As you can see in the chart above, the Liverpool ace is an outstanding creator who can cause constant problems for opposition defences.

Therefore, a wide role could be perfect for the chaotic attacker as the team would rely on him to create for his fellow attackers rather than the other way round.

In order to make Nunez a winger on a permanent basis, Liverpool could need to sign a centre-forward in January and this is where Adeyemi comes in.

The statistics that show why Liverpool should sign Adeyemi

The German ace has spent the majority of his career at Dortmund so far playing as a winger and it has not brought the best out of him.

Adeyemi has produced 11 goals and eight assists in 50 appearances for the club since his move from Salzburg in 2022, with two of those outings coming as a number nine.

He has not been a consistent performer as a scorer or a creator of goals whilst playing on the left or the right flank and has not been given a fair opportunity to prove his worth down the middle.

Whereas, the 21-year-old marksman was mainly deployed as a number nine throughout his time in Austria with Salzburg and it allowed him to thrive in the final third.

The £83k-per-week finisher racked up 32 goals and 19 assists in 67 competitive appearances as a striker for the club before his move to Dortmund.

During the 2021/22 campaign, Adeyemi, who was once dubbed a "nightmare" for defenders by talent scout Jacek Kulig, plundered 19 goals and only missed 14 'big chances' in 29 Bundesliga matches for Salzburg.

These statistics suggest that the Germany international has the potential to be a prolific centre-forward for the Reds if they are able to get the best out of him, rather than being wasted out wide at Dortmund, due to his impressive finishing and goal record as a striker.

This would then free up Nunez, who is currently being wasted through the middle when his creativity could be harnessed out wide week-in-week-out, to play on the wing on a permanent basis.

Barcelona are plotting a surprise bid to sign former Newcastle and Leicester star Ayoze Perez in the summer transfer window, a report says.

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• Barcelona looking to sign new winger
• Summer transfer options limited by budget
• Could pursue €4m Betis star Perez

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Catalan side are looking to invest in a new winger and sporting director Deco has identified the Real Betis star as an option ahead of the summer window, reports. The 30-year-old could be snapped up on the cheap as he has a €4 million release clause in his contract.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Barca have recently been linked with a host of attacking options, with the likes of Bernardo Silva, Xavi Simons, Nico Williams and Dani Olmo all said to be on their list. However, the club's terrible financial position likely puts those stars out of their reach due to budget constraints.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Perez spent five years playing for Newcastle after joining the Premier League team from Tenerife. He left the Magpies to join Leicester in 2019, and ended up joining Betis four years later. Overall, he made 223 Premier League appearances and scored 45 goals.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  Perez is enjoying a good season with Betis, having scored 11 goals in all competitions to help them to a seventh-place finish in La Liga. He could be due for a step up this summer, though, if Barca act on their reported interest.

When Erik ten Hag fielded Jonny Evans alongside Willy Kambwala in Manchester United's 2-0 defeat against West Ham last month, he reached double figures in an unfortunate category. Even before the halfway point of the season, Ten Hag had used ten different centre-back partnerships (TNT Sports), a reflection of the extent of United's injuries in that area. Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire have all had spells on the sidelines.

While some may argue that Ten Hag and United will be fine once his options return, the club's woes may also indicate the need to invest in more reliable players going forward, and they've seemingly identified a serious target in Lille's Leny Yoro.

A product of the club's youth academy, teenager Yoro made his Ligue 1 debut at the end of the 2021/22 season and then truly broke into the side last term, playing 15 games in all competitions (Transfermarkt). Now he's managed to play his way onto the radar of 20-time Premier League champions United.

United enter talks for Yoro

French outlet Le10Sport reports that, alongside fierce English rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, United are one of three clubs to 'formalise discussions' with Lille in the last month. United has tried to "speed up" the process by asking what kind of offer will be required to launch negotiations.

They've been told that they'll have to table a bid in excess of £60.4m, and while that's £77.6m less than Lille have demanded from PSG, United will "never" consider meeting the demands. Jim Ratcliffe, who recently acquired 25% of the club from the Glazers and owns Lille's French rivals Nice, has apparently ruled out any "major investment" into the squad during this month's transfer window.

The stats show Yoro could pay off the fee in the long term

You can certainly see why Yoro has caught the eye of so many elite clubs. Under-23 scout Antonio Mango has described him as "immense" and likened him to a young version of Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, while journalist Zach Lowy believes he's already "one of the best defenders in France" despite his youth. His inclusion in SofaScore's under-21 team of the year for 2023 would appear to support that assessment.

Yoro has started 15 of Lille's 17 Ligue 1 games this season, indicating the unique level of trust he's earned from manager Paulo Fonseca. Indeed, he's played a higher percentage of his team's minutes so far in 2023/24 than any other 18-year-old in Europe's top-five leagues (FBRef).

Part of the reason for his continued involvement is no doubt his excellent contribution on the ball. He sits 11th in the league for passes completed (891) and he's doing so with the 10th-best success rate (90.7%). He could be invaluable to Ten Hag as a tool to play out from the back, in a similar vein to how Martinez was before his injury.

Yoro is now a France under-21 international, having made his debut in October, and already looks destined to represent his country at the senior level. While you can perhaps understand why United are reluctant to part with so much money for a player in his first season of weekly starts, he clearly has the potential to pay off that investment – and then some – long-term.

Austin FC have completed the signing of Ghana international Osman Bukari from Red Star Belgrade, it has been reported.

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• Austin complete signing of Bukari
• Winger signs three-and-a-half-year deal
• Can play for MLS side from July 18

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Texan club have completed the signing of the winger from the Serbian side in a deal worth $7.5 million (£6m), Tom Bogert reports. He has agreed to put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year contract with the MLS side that includes the option to extend for another season.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 25-year-old will not be eligible to play for Austin until the transfer window opens on July 18. The former Gent star could have left Red Star earlier this year when Chicago Fire offered around $11m (£8.5m), according to .

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Bukari joined Red Star in 2022 and thoroughly impressed with the as they won back-to-back doubles in Serbia, winning both the SuperLiga and Serbian Cup in each of his two seasons. In 78 matches, he scored 25 goals and made 20 assists.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BUKARI?

  Bukari will soon join up with his new club, which is part-owned by Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey before he can make his debut for them in July. Austin are currently fifth in the Western Conference and seven points behind leaders Real Salt Lake.