Inter Miami's Uruguayan forward addressed a potential reunion amid links to the Brazilian at MLS Media Day
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Inter Miami have been linked with potential move for Neymar
Brazil star out of contract in six months
Suarez says reunion would be 'exciting', Javier Mascherano insisted MLS salary cap makes move "impossible"
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WHAT HAPPENED?
MIAMI – Inter Miami star Luis Suarez addressed a potential reunion with former Barcelona teammate Neymar, saying at MLS Media Day on Thursday that it "makes you excited to have a player like him and the quality he can bring to the team."
The comments come amid links to the Brazil star is out-of-contract at Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in six months. Neymar revealed to CNN Sport earlier this week that he is open to playing with Suarez and Lionel Messi again, but that he is an Al-Hilal player at the moment, and is happy in Saudi Arabia.
“Obviously, playing again with Messi and Suarez would be incredible," the 32-year-old said. "They are my friends. We still speak to each other. It would be interesting to revive this trio. I’m happy at Al-Hilal, I’m happy in Saudi Arabia, but who knows. Football is full of surprises."
Suarez told reporters he would love to play with his former teammate again, but that nothing is certain.
"Everyone knows what Neymar is as a player, what we generated, the era we were together, today we are in another era, much older than we were at that time," Suarez said. "Well, as he and everyone else said, anything can happen, but well, these are expectations and illusions that can be generated, but to make them concrete is difficult."
Manager Javier Mascherano insisted that a move for the player is impossible due to MLS salary cap rules.
"We cannot talk about Ney because we have nothing. Obviously, Ney is a great player. Everyone or every coach in the world wants him, but at the moment, you know the MLS rules about the salary cap. For us, in this moment, it's impossible," he said.
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Neymar and Suarez played together at Barcelona from 2014 through 2017, forming the famed "MSN" trio with Messi up top in their front-three formation. During that stretch, the trio scored a stunning 364 goals across all competitions, creating one of soccer's most dynamic attacks. Alongside Neymar, Suarez recorded 180 goal-contributions while the Brazilian added 138, and Messi with a staggering 219.
Since the Uruguayan's move to South Beach at the start of the 2024 MLS season, Suarez helped Miami to the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield while being a finalist for MLS MVP and MLS Newcomer of the Year. His debut campaign saw him score 20 goals and record nine assists across 27 regular season matches.
Neymar, meanwhile, has struggled to stay healthy since his move to Saudi Arabia in 2023. The Brazilian tore his ACL on international duty just months after his arrival, being sidelined for 330 days with the Saudi side before returning this past fall – only to fall victim to a hamstring injury in November, 2024.
His contract expires in June 2025.
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Neymar has made just seven appearances across all competitions for Al-Hilal since his blockbuster move to the Saudi Kingdom in 2023. In total, he's played just 428 minutes of soccer for the club since signing his two-year contract worth a reported $300M.
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WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?
With MLS preseason set to begin shortly, the are getting ready to prepare for the 2025 campaign. They take on Liga MX side Club America on Jan. 18 as part of their preparation.
The last couple of years have been a dream for Aston Villa football club, especially considering the precarious position they found themselves in just a couple of years ago.
They only secured survival on the final day of the 2019/20 season away at West Ham United, with the club undergoing a huge overhaul in recent years.
Significant investment into the playing squad has allowed for a huge turnaround, with Unai Emery’s side qualifying for the Champions League during the 2023/24 campaign after finishing in the Premier League’s top four.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Emery has been the man at the helm for their recent success, providing the supporters with memories to last a lifetime – with European football a distant dream before his arrival in November 2022.
He’s formed a fantastic squad with the help of President of Football Operations Monchi, with the pair working together to form a squad without one of the club’s most high-profile academy graduates.
Jack Grealish’s time at Aston Villa
After joining the club as a six-year-old, Jack Grealish rapidly developed through the club’s academy setup, before making his first-team debut back in 2014 following a successful loan spell at Notts County, where he registered 12 goal involvements in 39 games.
Manchester City's Jack Grealish
The forward is the definition of a modern-day club legend, staying at the club after relegation from the Premier League in 2016, and becoming a spearhead in the squad that eventually claimed promotion three years later.
He was named as club captain during the promotion-winning campaign, producing numerous moments of magic – including against bitter rivals Birmingham City after he was attacked by a supporter.
It was fitting that Grealish scored the goal to keep Villa in the Premier League back in 2020, with the boyhood fan going on to join Manchester City in a record-breaking deal 12 months later, departing Villa Park with 213 appearances to his name.
The attacker joined Pep Guardiola’s side in a £100m deal – the most expensive transfer for an English player at the time, before Declan Rice's £105m move to Arsenal last summer.
1. Jack Grealish
2021/22
£100m
2. Moussa Diaby
2024/25
£50.5m
3. Douglas Luiz
2024/25
£43.3m
4. Christian Benteke
2015/16
£39m
5. Stewart Downing
2011/12
£19.2m
Whilst it was a big call to let such a talented player leave Villa Park, the fee was too good to turn down, with the club currently having a player who is worth more than the English international in 2024.
Jack Grealish’s market value in 2024
Villa star Ollie Watkins enjoyed his best top-flight goalscoring campaign last season, bagging 19 goals in his 37 appearances – helping the club finish in the top four.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins
The 28-year-old “nightmare”, as described by Conor Coady, has been a constant source of goals for Villa after his £28m move from Brentford back in 2020, with Dean Smith's signing going on to register double figures in every campaign he’s featured in for the club.
His excellent form last season saw him receive a call-up to the England squad for Euro 2024, scoring the winning goal off the bench during the semi-final victory over the Netherlands.
Watkins’ superb showings over the last 12 months has seen his market value soar, with the striker now valued at £55m as per Transfermarkt – a figure that is higher than former fan-favourite Grealish, who’s now only valued at £50m just three years after his record-breaking move.
The striker is just one example of the club’s excellent recruitment in recent times, with his goalscoring abilities allowing the club to reach heights that were unimaginable just a couple of years ago.
The supporters and Emery will desperately be hoping that he can replicate his sensational form from last season in 2024/25 as the club embark on an unforgettable European adventure in the coming months.
Aston Villa struck gold on free signing who's now worth more than Martinez
Respected Manchester United journalist Andy Mitten says that every club boss has had an issue with exiled forward Marcus Rashford.
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Rashford exiled under Amorim at Man UtdForward has had issues with other managersRed Devils expected to sell 27-year-oldFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Rashford appears to be on his way out of Manchester United after being left out of new manager Ruben Amorim's last four matchday squads. The forward has responded by claiming he is "ready for a new challenge" in an interview that does not appear to have impressed Amorim, who has suggested Rashford should have spoken to him first.
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Amorim is not the first manager to take issue with Rashford. Previous boss Erik ten Hag dropped Rashford for being late to a team meeting, while the forward also attracted criticism for a boozy trip to Belfast last season. Respected United journalist Mitten has offered some insight into the latest saga and says that Rashford has caused issues for managers throughout his career at Old Trafford.
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID
He told talkSPORT: "I do think that the manager has had a big say here, I think he is doing it his way. He's a smiling assassin. He's a disciplinarian. Every previous manager has had issues with Marcus Rashford. I’ve spoken to them, I know them. They’ve told me in confidence going back years and years and years. And then, Marcus confounds those opinions because he has a really good season.
"From his perspective – and he does have a perspective here – there's not a lot of support for him I've got to say among Manchester United fans. They played at Wolves a couple of days ago, it was thoroughly miserable there but if I go back to Wolves at the start of February, I was outside that away end and couldn't find a single Manchester United fan that wanted him to stay. When he scored after three or four minutes, those very same fans were singing Marcus Rashford's name. Marcus Rashford is not celebrated by United fans as he was. His stock is clearly very, very low."
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Rashford's name is expected to be missing from the United squad again on Monday when Amorim names his team to face Newcastle in the Premier League. An exit appears to be on the cards but it remains to be seen when, or indeed where, he will move on from Manchester United.
Lionesses star Alex Greenwood was stretchered off in serious pain on Thursday night as Manchester City took on St Polten in the Champions League.
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Greenwood stretchered off on Thursday night
Lionesses star in serious pain after tackle
City face European champions Barca next week
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WHAT HAPPENED?
At the half hour mark of Thursday's game, Greenwood stepped in to tackle an onrushing opponent around the halfway line and was left in serious pain in the aftermath, eventually needing to be stretchered off. It was difficult to tell just what part of her left leg the defender injured in the process.
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Greenwood is a massively important player to City and was named their club captain this season following the retirement of former England star Steph Houghton in the summer. When she left the pitch on Thursday, it was just the fourth time this season she'd been subbed off in a match, such is her near ever-presence in the team.
DID YOU KNOW?
If this injury forces Greenwood to have a lengthy spell on the sidelines and thus impacts her England chances, that would be a particularly untimely blow too, as the centre-back has just started to get more game time in a very competitive area of Sarina Wiegman's squad. The Lionesses do not play again until February at least, so any setback there would depend on the timeline of her return.
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WHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD AND MAN CITY?
City have two more games before the winter break, facing Everton in the Women's Super League on Sunday before paying Barcelona a visit in their final Champions League group stage match next Wednesday. They will then not be in action until January 11 or 12, when they play Ipswich Town or Bournemouth in the FA Cup fourth round.
Over the years, Glasgow Rangers have dipped into the loan market with varying degrees of success.
Ibrox flops such as Florian Kamberi, Umar Sadiq, Jon Toral and, most notably, Aaron Ramsey, have all failed to live up to the expectations upon arriving at Rangers, all four leaving Scotland behind with their tail between their legs.
There have been many more stretching over the decades, but the loan market is useful if the right player is brought in.
rangers-ryan-kent-everton-premier-league-transfer
Who remembers Vladimir Weiss? The Slovakian winger who shone for Rangers during their double-winning 2010/11 campaign.
Ryan Kent arrived on a temporary deal under Steven Gerrard ahead of the 2018/19 season. 12 months later, he had scored six goals, registered nine assists, punched Scott Brown and secured a permanent move to the Glasgow side, endearing himself to the Ibrox faithful.
When the Gers get it right, they get it right. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen very often, especially in recent years.
Michael Beale bucked the trend last summer, however, when he agreed a deal to bring Brighton and Hove Albion winger Abdallah Sima to Scotland for a season-long loan spell.
Ryan Kent
42
6
9
Abdallah Sima
39
16
2
Jermain Defoe
52
25
8
Vladimir Weiss
35
5
15
It turned out to be one of the best things Beale did during his dismal ten-month stint at Ibrox, as Sima was sublime for the club.
Abdallah Sima’s statistics at Rangers
The Senegal international certainly took no time at all to justify his signing, scoring against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League qualifiers while also netting in just his second Premiership match of the season.
Despite a managerial change and injury issues which saw him miss several key games during the second half of last season, Sima still finished his loan spell with 16 goals and two assists, which included a stunning effort against Celtic during the 3-3 draw between the teams.
Abdallah Sima
Such was his impact that, among his teammates, Sima ranked third for goals and assists (13) in the top flight, along with ranking third for shots per game (2.9) and third for successful dribbles per game (1.2) during his single season in Glasgow.
As yet, the club have failed to sign him on a permanent deal as it looks like Clement could well be priced out of a move, but there are still a few weeks left in the window to perhaps negotiate with Brighton.
The Belgian coach has already signed Vaclav Cerny on a temporary deal, with the Czech winger impressing already, netting a superb goal against Motherwell on the weekend.
There are still more transfers to be made before the end of the month. Could Clement repeat the club’s Sima masterclass in a deal for a current Premier League talent?
Rangers looking to repeat Sima masterclass
Last month, insider Dave Ockop claimed that Rangers were keen on making a move for Liverpool youngster Bobby Clark during the current transfer window.
It looks as though the player is set for a move away from Anfield ahead of the new season. The question is, will it be a permanent deal? Or just a loan spell?
According to Paul Gorst, the Liverpool Echo’s chief Liverpool writer, there are a few clubs in for the midfielder.
He said via Redmen TV last week: “I don’t think Liverpool are actively looking at selling Bobby Clark. Celtic and Rangers are in the mix and obviously Salzburg, too. Almost half of the Championship are interested too, Leeds, Norwich, Derby.”
The Light Blues certainly face some stiff competition if they wish to make a move for the teenager before the window closes. If they do, it could go down rather well with the supporters given his rapid trajectory.
Bobby Clark’s Liverpool statistics
Clark has worked his way up from the U18 side to gain minutes for the senior side in just two seasons during his spell at Anfield.
For the U18s during the 2021/22 campaign, the youngster scored 13 goals and grabbed five assists in the U18 Premier League, which gave him plenty of confidence as he moved up to the U21s the following season.
He made his debut that season, appearing once in the Premier League and once in the EFL Cup, while registering four goal contributions in the Premier League 2, setting him up nicely for the 2023/24 campaign.
It was clear Jürgen Klopp saw plenty of potential in Clark and rewarded him with 12 appearances for the first team. He even scored and grabbed an assist in the Europa League.
Not one to be fazed, Clark showcased his talents on the continent during the Reds' Europa League campaign.
Bobby Clark for Liverpool
Across his two matches in the competition, Clark not only scored and provided an assist, but the teenager also created a big chance, averaged one key pass per game and succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts.
Furthermore, the youngster averaged a 90% pass success rate during his games, proving that he has the required tactical and technical skills to dictate the play at this level, which could be a bonus for Rangers.
Journalist Lee Ryder dubbed Clark as “exciting” following his move to Liverpool back in September 2021, and he has since gone from strength to strength.
What he now needs is a steady stream of first-team action next season in order to continue his development.
Clement has shown he is keen on signing players who have a wide range of talents between the ages of 20 and 23, giving them plenty of game time in the squad.
Bobby Clark for Liverpool.
If the Liverpool starlet does agree a move to the Light Blues in the coming weeks, could he have the same sort of impact as Sima did last term?
Only time will tell, but he looks far too wonderful a prospect to let slip through the net, even if it were to be for a solitary season. It's now over to you Clement and Co.
No need to sign Hannibal: Rangers already have dream Cantwell replacement
Philippe Clement may have a player under his nose who could star in his first team
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hit back at the Anfield crowd after they chanted he should be "sacked in the morning" in the 2-0 Liverpool loss.
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Liverpool beat Man City 2-0Chants of "sacked in the morning"Guardiola responds to Anfield crowdFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Towards the end of City's 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, the home crowd repeatedly joked that the Spaniard was getting "sacked in the morning" as their winless-run stretched to seven matches. In response, a smiling Guardiola repeatedly raised six fingers to signify the six Premier League titles he has won with City. When he had a bit more time to reflect, Guardiola admitted he expected better from the Liverpool supporters.
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He told Sky Sports: "All the stadiums want to sack me, it started at Brighton (in a 2-1 loss at the Amex)! Maybe they are right with the results we've been having. I didn't expect that at Anfield. They didn't do it at 1-0, but at 2-0. Maybe they should have sung it in the past. I didn't expect it from the people from Liverpool but it's fine, it's part of the game, and I understand completely. We've had incredible battles together. I have a respect for them."
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These are unprecedented times for Guardiola and his City side. A run of seven games without a win, six of which have been losses, and an 11-point deficit behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race makes for bleak viewing if you're a City fan. They are in a crisis by their lofty standards and they need to turn their fortunes around – and fast.
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WHAT NEXT?
Guardiola's City will seek to end their winless drought when they host high-flying Nottingham Forest, who are just a point behind them in sixth, at the Etihad on Wednesday night.
Celtic have over a month left in the summer transfer window to do any business that they want to do to bolster Brendan Rodgers' squad for next season.
A new goalkeeper appears to be on the horizon for the Hoops as veteran shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel is reportedly set to undergo a medical this week ahead of joining on a free transfer.
The 37-year-old titan is poised to arrive as Joe Hart's replacement between the sticks to provide experience and, hopefully, quality on the pitch.
Celtic are also said to be in the market to add a new defender to the group and The Daily Record have claimed that the club have made an approach to sign versatile Burnley ace Dara O'Shea.
The Hoops, though, already have a fantastic right-back option – in Alistair Johnston – who they have hit the jackpot with since his arrival at Parkhead.
How much Celtic paid for Alistair Johnston
Former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou brought the full-back in from MLS outfit CF Montreal for a reported fee of £3.5m in his last transfer window at the club in January of last year.
The Canada international did not need much time to settle as he immediately became the first-choice right-back option for the Australian head coach during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.
Appearances
14
Starts
14
Duel success rate
52%
Big chances created
5
Key passes
17
Assists
1
As you can see in the table above, he started all of his appearances in the Scottish Premiership and showcased his attacking quality down the right flank.
Johnston, who was lauded as "brilliant" by Canada assistant Ewan Sharp, followed that up with 32 starts, with zero outings as a substitute, as he helped the Hoops to win another league title last season – lifting two in his first 18 months at the club.
Alistair Johnston's soaring market value
At the time of writing (15/07/2024), Transfermarkt has his market value at a whopping €8.5m (£7.3m) and that is significantly higher than the £3.5m the club splashed out on him less than two years ago.
This shows that the Hoops hit the jackpot with the Canadian dynamo as his value has skyrocketed off the pitch alongside his fantastic performances on it, which shows that he has become a valuable asset for the club who they could potentially sell for a profit in the future.
Meanwhile, reported target O'Shea, who can play at right-back or centre-back, is currently valued at €7m (£6m) by Transfermarkt, which is less than Johnston is currently worth.
Appearances
33
32
Big chances created
3
11
Assists
4
5
Tackles won per game
1.2
1.7
Duel success rate
60%
58%
As you can see in the table above, the current Celtic star appears to offer far more from a creative perspective, whilst they are not too dissimilar in their actions defensively.
However, O'Shea is often deployed as a central defender, rather than a right-back, and that would explain why he does not provide as much in the way of chance creation.
This also means that Celtic could sign the Ireland international without there being any threat to Johnston's position, and they could – in fact – thrive alongside each other on the right side of Rodgers' defence.
Paris Saint-Germain have again refused to pay Kylian Mbappe €55 million (£46m/$59m) in unpaid wages and will take the matter to court.
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PSG ordered to pay Mbappe huge sumFrench club refuse orderWill explore legal optionsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
On Friday, PSG were ordered to pay Mbappe €55m in unpaid wages after the French league's appeals commission ruled against the capital club. However, a PSG spokesman has told that they intend to contest the ruling through the courts, having previously insisted they do not owe their former striker anything.
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Mbappe joined Real Madrid in the summer in one of the most long-awaited transfers of recent memory. He has previously rejected the offer of mediation between himself and PSG and is seeking the full amount he believes he is owed. PSG, by comparison, believe he waived the payment after agreeing to return to the first-team squad last season.
WHAT PSG SAID
PSG's spokesman said: "Now that the appeals committee has confirmed the opinion of the legal committee, PSG has decided to take the case to the appropriate courts, while continuing to try to find an amicable solution with the player.
"In law and in fact, the player has made clear and repeated public and private commitments that the club is simply asking him to honour and respect in view of the unprecedented advantages he has enjoyed from the Club for 7 years in Paris.
"The club hopes that its word will be respected, knowing that if the player unfortunately decides to pursue this dispute, the club will be obliged to have it judged by the competent courts and to have the prejudice it has suffered and continues to suffer as a result of the incomprehensible position of its former player recognised. It is a question of good faith, honesty, upholding values and respect for the institution of Paris and its supporters."
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A resolution is not likely for some time given how backlogged most courts are. This is likely to rumble on for some time. In the meantime, Mbappe will play for Madrid in El Clasico against Barcelona this weekend.
As Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's future in North London continues to be thrown into doubt, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly leading the race to sign a midfielder who would be an ideal replacement for the Dane.
Tottenham transfer news
The Lilywhites are yet to complete their first move of the summer, but Ange Postecoglou will be well aware of the need for reinforcements after his side missed out on a place in the Premier League's top four last season, with Aston Villa causing the shock of the season by qualifying for the Champions League. With that said, the Lilywhites have already been linked to a number of names.
Postecoglou green-lights Tottenham move for £50 million man as Lange pushes
The Australian has given his personal approval.
ByEmilio Galantini Jun 29, 2024
Among those includes Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. The England international is currently away on international duty in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad but may have arguably the most important decision of his career so far when he returns to club action later this summer. The Lilywhites could certainly do with the added creative spark that Eze would bring, especially in an impressive partnership with James Maddison.
That said, before the attacking midfielder, the North London club could first turn their attention towards a replacement for Hojbjerg, who has been linked with a summer exit.
According to TuttoJuve, Spurs are now leading the race to sign Youssouf Fofana this summer in a deal that could be worth a reported €30m (£25m). The AS Monaco midfielder has also attracted the interest of Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester United but all three top clubs coulld lose out to Spurs, who may well get an ideal replacement for Hojbjerg and a player who could slot in next to Rodrigo Bentancur next season.
France midfielderYoussouf Fofana.
For just £25m too, Fofana may quickly become one of the summer's bargain buys as Spurs look to bridge the gap between themselves and Champions League qualification.
"Magnificent" Fofana could be a major upgrade on Hojbjerg
Replacing Hojbjerg with a player of Fofana's calibre is the type of deal that should take Spurs up to the level that they so desperately need to be at under Postecoglou. The Australian already showed glimpses of what he is capable of building in North London last season and with players who suit his system, he should only build on the foundations put in place during his debut campaign.
Minutes
2,697
1,311
Tackles Won
39
18
Progressive Passes
249
134
Ball Recoveries
230
121
Fofana's ball recovery ability would be his most important trait under Postecoglou, with the former Celtic boss often asking his players to press high and excel in transition – something a player like Fofana knows exactly how to do.
Earning plenty of praise during his time at Monaco, Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig previously dubbed Fofana "magnificent" in 2022.
Now, it's Spurs who could benefit from Fofana's magnificence, reportedly leading the race to secure their first signing of the summer.
Opener says he is mentally and physically refreshed after tough home season and ready for action
Andrew Miller25-Nov-2020It’s tough at the top, as Jason Roy knows only too well after a tricky summer in England’s white-ball bubble, and it’s only set to get tougher still in the build-up to next year’s T20 World Cup, given what he describes as the “frightening” array of talent lining up to challenge for a starting berth in the format.However, after withdrawing from the recent IPL to get himself mentally and physically prepared for the year ahead, Roy has declared himself refreshed and ready to return to the fray, and says that his only focus is on winning the series against South Africa, rather than worrying about whether his place in the side is under threat.”It’s mad, the amount of batters is quite frightening (battling) for our top six or top seven,” Roy said during a Zoom call from South Africa. “It’s a great position to be in. I’m not fussed who I open with, whether I open, or what dynamics they go with, but it’s a good position leading into a World Cup.”Sam Billings touched on it the other day, about it being one of the hardest sports teams to infiltrate,” he added. “The amount of players out here – Tom Banton and Tom Helm sitting here as reserves … it’s a beautiful position to be in, we are spoilt for choice.”That wealth of options is no luxury when you are the incumbent, however, and Roy recognises he will be under some scrutiny this week after a fallow run of scores in the summer. He managed just 49 runs in six ODIs against Ireland and Australia, with a side strain in between whiles ruling him out of the T20I leg of the summer.But at the age of 30, and having thrived in the pressure of England’s build-up to the 50-over World Cup, he’s confident of getting into the right head-space to succeed in the coming weeks.”Playing for places is quite a hard thing to do,” Roy said. “You’ve got to concentrate as an individual on the next performance. If there’s players on this tour who are like ‘I need to play for my place’ then that’s not what we’re here to do. We’re here to win the series. Some players will be feeling the pressure but you’ve just got to go out there and express yourself in T20.”ALSO READ: Five things that England need to learn from their T20Is in South AfricaSpeaking to PA earlier in the week, Chris Silverwood, England’s head coach, appeared to confirm that Roy and Jos Buttler would resume their status as England’s first-choice openers for Friday’s opening fixture at Newlands, but the competition for a top-order berth is intense.Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan, the world’s top-ranked T20I batsman, are also in the running for an opener’s slot, as well as Banton, who deputised for Roy in the summer but is only a reserve batsman for this trip. And while Ben Stokes and Sam Curran are more likely to feature in the middle order than the top, both of them opened with notable results for Rajasthan and CSK in the IPL last month.”I would 100% be lying if I said you were not under pressure for your place,” Roy said. “With the amount of talent that is around us, there is not one person, everyone is getting pushed to their limits. No one can rest on their laurels. It’s one of those amazing squads. But I have got to do what I have got to do, right? I have got to get myself physically fit, mentally fit and then I’ve got to score some runs. It’s as simple as that.”Such were the reasons why Roy opted to withdraw from his IPL deal with Delhi Capitals, after a disjointed English summer in which his rhythm as a batsman never quite came together, even though he played a strong hand in Surrey’s late-season run to the final of the T20 Blast.”It was a mixture of a few things,” Roy said. “Physically and mentally I probably wasn’t where I wanted to be at that stage, especially going into quite a big year and a half. The decision wasn’t taken lightly but, due to the amount of bubbles we’ve been in, what’s to come up and the uncertainty over what’s to come, it was the right decision.”I’m feeling the benefits. We’ve had a good week here, quite a few training sessions,” he added. “I’ve put my hand up to face quite a lot of our bowlers at all the net sessions, to get myself in a good place to play.”The best thing is I’m really excited for my cricket. I’m excited for my training, excited to keep learning, so it’s a good place for me mentally. Not having game-time is something, but being mentally refreshed is just as important.”South Africa, however, is just the starting point for Roy in his push towards the goal of the T20 World Cup. He has also committed to a full stint with Perth Scorchers at this year’s Big Bash – including the likelihood of spending Christmas Day in quarantine ahead of his opening fixture on December 27 – before England’s planned but un-finalised trips to India and Sri Lanka in the new year.”The fact that I hadn’t played much cricket during the summer, and I chose to opt out of the IPL, meant [the BBL] was a bit of a no-brainer for me and my family,” he said. “It’s a big 12 months of me getting fully prepared with my batting. Mentally and physically, I am in one of the best places I have been. Now it’s just a case of getting my runs on the board, and as much cricket as possible between now and the World Cup.””We know how tense these tournaments are, we have played in a World Cup final in T20s before,” he added. “We know the pathway to that is very physically and mentally demanding. We know what we are in for. Now it’s a case of going out and having some fun.”