The Three Lions' captain is one of the game's great goalscorers, but he might struggle to secure a summer move to a club worthy of his talent

England's Manchester City contingent turned up for international duty last week looking a little worse for wear but with three more titles to their names. Harry Kane arrived with commemorative, custom-made vinyl records for all of his team-mates to thank them for the role they had played in him becoming the Three Lions' all-time leading goalscorer.

It rather nicely summed up Kane's situation right now. In the two years since Daniel Levy refused to sell the striker to City, Pep Guardiola's side have continued to add to their impressive tally of trophies. Kane hasn't let up either, though. He remains trophy-less, but his reputation as one of the world's best centre-forwards has only been enhanced by the fact that he has continued to score freely for club and country – with his heroics at Tottenham particularly impressive.

After all, Erling Haaland won the Premier League Golden Boot, Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season after scoring a record-breaking 36 goals in his debut season in England – an undeniably outstanding achievement. However, was it really a more praiseworthy goalscoring feat than Kane netting 30 times for a terribly inconsistent Spurs team that finished eighth in the table having lost 14 of their 38 games?

It's hard not to wonder if Haaland would have enjoyed such a prolific campaign in north London – and whether Kane would have proven an even better fit for City's frontline than the Norwegian No.9. We'll never know, of course, and the worry now for Kane – and anyone that appreciates quality strikers – is that he may never get the chance to line-up for a club side truly worthy of his many talents.

Kane clearly remains one of the best attackers in world football, but recent developments in the transfer market appear to have significantly reduced the options available to him this summer…

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  Manchester United

  While Kane was scoring two goals and creating another in England's rout of North Macedonia on Monday night, many United fans couldn't help but admit online that they would be overjoyed to see him strutting his stuff at Old Trafford on a weekly basis next season. There no longer appears any chance of that happening, though – and for pretty much the same reason that Kane failed to force through a move to Manchester in 2021.

  Levy is still calling the shots at Spurs, which, let's be honest, is also a major source of frustration for the club's fans, who have seen their team go backwards since reaching the Champions League final four years ago through a combination of the chairman's parsimony and poor decision-making. The net result is that while the goals have continued to flow for Kane, his trophy drought shows no sign of ending anytime soon.

  United, of course, have their own boardroom issues, but have, at least, shown real signs of promise and progress under new manager Erik ten Hag, who reportedly viewed Kane as the perfect striker to lead his attack in 2023-22. However, United have reportedly already given up on signing the England star because they do not believe themselves capable of meeting Levy's asking price.

  Things could potentially change if a new owner arrives at Old Trafford this summer, but it's now understood that the Glazer family's sale of the club might not be concluded until next season – if at all. So, while it is believed that Kane favours a move to United above all other clubs, the deal looks dead in the water, with the club now looking at younger, more affordable alternatives.

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  Real Madrid

  The 'Kane-to-Madrid' story has been a real rollercoaster ride over the past few weeks. First, Karim Benzema suddenly put Florentino Perez on the look-out for a new No.9 after sensationally deciding to move to Saudi Arabia this summer – a decision so shocking that it reportedly raised both of Carlo Ancelotti's eyebrows. Talk of Kane transferring to the Bernabeu began in earnest.

  But then Kylian Mbappe dropped a bombshell of his own by publicly confirming that he has no intention of extending his stay at the PSG beyond 2024. Basically, they need to sell him this summer to avoid losing him for nothing next year.

  If Madrid are looking for the closest thing possible to a like-for-like replacement for Benzema, they should quite clearly pick Kane. They are both complete No.9s and share similar attributes. Kane would rather remain in his native England, but the presence of international colleague Jude Bellingham in the Spanish capital certainly would have made it easier for him to settle.

  However, the whole world knows that if it comes down to a choice between Kane and Mbappe, there is only one winner. Madrid want Mbappe, and Mbappe wants Madrid – it's been that way for years. A transfer was always going to happen and it really is only a matter of when at this point. If it's this summer, there is zero chance of Kane joining too.

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  Paris Saint-Germain

  But what about Kane moving to Paris to replace Mbappe – or even play alongside the 24-year-old? After all, we know that Mbappe's preference has always been to play off a quality striker. Certainly, with Lionel Messi having been dumped in rather unceremonious circumstances, and speculation still swirling around Neymar, there will be room for at least one more superstar in PSG's attack for next season.

  It's worth noting that this rumour is gaining serious momentum of late, with reporting on Monday that Nasser Al-Khelaifi has made Kane his primary transfer target. Their interest certainly makes sense, too. The Qatari-backed club are capable of paying a fee that is likely to be in excess of £100 million ($128m), and Levy would be open to selling Kane to an overseas club.

  However, Kane would have his doubts about joining PSG – and they wouldn't just be related to living in another country or trying to learn a new language. There is just so much uncertainty surrounding PSG right now, even beyond Mbappe and his incessant contractual drama. Christophe Galtier is still technically the head coach yet he is believed to be a dead man walking. What's worrying, though, is that no replacement has yet been lined up, with Luis Enrique the latest name being tipped to take over at Parc des Princes after the club failed to reach an agreement with Julian Nagelsmann.

  Given Kane knows all about the pain of playing for a crisis club, it's unlikely that he'd want to join another.

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  Chelsea

  With that in mind, what chance do Chelsea have of persuading Kane to join a free-spending club that makes PSG look relatively prudent by comparison?!

  One can certainly understand the Blues' interest. The idea of reuniting new manager Mauricio Pochettino with Kane is certainly appealing. The pair enjoyed an excellent working relationship and still speak very fondly of one another. Todd Boehly & Co. have also shown a willingness to spend mad money on players, meaning they could try to make Levy an offer even he couldn't refuse.

  But it just seems too far-fetched. As Ian Wright recently told , "It's the only thing Spurs fans wouldn't be able to deal with – Kane going to Chelsea." Levy would essentially be writing a resignation letter if he agreed to let Tottenham's beloved son join their second-most hated rivals.

  It wouldn't even make sense from Kane's perspective, either. Granted, he would get to remain in London and continue his pursuit of the Premier League's all-time goals record. However, Chelsea aren't even in the Champions League next season, and for all the talent they've stockpiled last summer, it's still impossible to say whether they'll become serious title challengers in 2023-24 just because they'll now have Pochettino at the helm.

The Premier League is set to have a match take place on Christmas Eve for the first time in 28 years this year, according to reports.

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Molineux match moved to Christmas EveOriginally scheduled for December 24Supporters groups angered by decisionWHAT HAPPENED?

The clash between Wolves and Chelsea at Molineux Stadium was originally scheduled to be played on December 23, but reports that it has been moved back by 24 hours as part of the Christmas programme.

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states that the decision has been made to fulfill the Premier League's broadcasting requirements.

The match will be the first since 1995 to take place on December 24, when Leeds beat Manchester United 3-1 thanks to goals from Brian Deane, Tony Yeboah and Gary McAllister.

WHAT THEY SAID

The Football Supporters’ Association has hit out at the move, saying: "It would be a huge kick in the teeth for supporters who have consistently made clear their opposition to games the day before Christmas – as it’s not the first time this has been proposed.

"Back in October 2017 there were reports that Sky Sports wanted to broadcast games on Christmas Eve which we said represented: 'a new low point in putting the interests of football broadcasters over those of matchgoing fans'.

"It would put many supporters in an impossible choice between going to the match or spending festive time with their families – and that’s before you factor in the added challenges of travelling on a Sunday (which Christmas Eve falls on this year)."

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The Premier League is yet to confirm the rescheduling of the fixture. In the meantime, Chelsea will take on Arsenal in the league on Saturday, while Wolves will visit Bournemouth.

Darwin Nunez stepped off the bench for Liverpool to make a stunning impact against Newcastle, with the Uruguayan hitting a match-winning brace.

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• South American frontman started among subs
• Reds had seen Van Dijk sent off
• Dramatic finish earned all three points

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Nunez has not always been the most reliable when presented with sights of goal since his big-money move to Anfield in 2022, but he showed Jurgen Klopp what he is capable of when helping Liverpool to take all three points from a game that was threatening to get away from them.

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  Liverpool endured a tough start to proceedings at St James’ Park, with a costly error from Trent Alexander-Arnold gifting Anthony Gordon an opportunity to open the scoring. The Reds were then reduced to 10 men when captain Virgil van Dijk was sent off for a reckless challenge on Alexander Isak.

• AND WHAT’S MORE

  Nunez was introduced in the 77th minute to try and rescue something from the fixture, but he did much more than that. After restoring parity within four minutes of his introduction, a second stunning strike that nestled into the bottom corner was delivered in the third minute of stoppage-time.

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Nunez’s double for Liverpool has seen him record his first goals since April – when he was on target in a 6-1 victory over Leeds. Klopp will be hoping that there is more to come from the £64 million ($81m) man as he begins to justify comparisons with Erling Haaland following their respective moves to the Premier League last summer.

GOAL charts the Americans' much-maligned ownership of the Red Devils, which has led to waves of fans protests over the years

When Avram and Joel Glazer announced in November 2022 that Manchester United were exploring "strategic alternatives" and were to begin a process to sell the club, fans were thrilled at the prospect that the family that has presided over a steady decline would soon be gone.

However, almost 10 months on, and the much-maligned American family remain at the helm of England's biggest and most successful club, barely seen or heard from. Protests are held at every United match but the family remain unmoved and unbothered by the dissent they are subjected to on a regular basis.

After months of speculation and reports about the intentions of INEOS and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim to buy the club, there is now serious doubt over whether the Glazers are still interested in selling United. Meanwhile, the team have made a worrying start to the new season and the club is lurching from one off-field crisis to another, beset by a lack of leadership from their absentee owners.

GOAL charts the Glazer family's 18 years in control of United, which has witnessed mass protests, institutional crises, the doomed launch of the European Super League (ESL) and the biggest drop in the club's share price in more than a decade…

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  March 2003 – Glazer buys his first stake

  On the same day that United are beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in the League Cup final in Cardiff, Malcolm Glazer, a Florida-based businessman who is also the owner of the recently crowned Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, spends £9m ($11m) to buy a 2.9 per cent stake in Manchester United. Glazer makes the purchase through a holding company called Red Football. By late November, he and his family has a 15% stake in the club.

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  May 2005 – Glazer closes in on ownership

  On May 12, Glazer takes his stake in the club to almost 57% of total shares after buying out major shareholders J. P McManus and John Magnier. The Irish businessmen, major players in horse racing, were acquaintances of Sir Alex Ferguson but fell out with the Scot over a disagreement over studding rights of Rock of Gibraltar, a horse the United manager co-owned with Magnier's wife.

  Four days later, Red Football increases its stake in United to 75%, allowing the Glazer family to end the club's status as a PLC and delist it from the London Stock Exchange. A number of United fans, who have been opposed to the takeover since February, wear black to the FA Cup final against Arsenal. United lose on penalties.

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  June 2005 – Takeover complete, fans intimidate new owners

  The sale process is complete on June 29 after Red Football's shareholding reaches 98%, meaning it is allowed to squeeze out the remaining shareholders. The club is plunged into debt for the first time in over 70 years, taking on debt of £660m (£824m), incurring interest payments of £62m (£77m) per year.

  The day after the sale is completed around 300 fans protest against the new owners outside Old Trafford and are pushed back by 100 police, leading to two arrests. United great Sir Bobby Charlton apologises to the new owners for the hostile reception they receive.

  Malcolm Glazer's sons Avram, Joel and Bryan are appointed as non-executive directors. His other sons Kevin and Edward and daughter Darcie are appointed to the club's board in 2006.

  Also in June, supporters distraught by the takeover launch a new club called FC United of Manchester, who are accepted into the non-league North West Counties Division Two.

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  January 2010 – Debt increases, unleashing more protests

  United are in rude health on the pitch, having won three consecutive Premier League titles, the 2008 Champions League and reaching the 2009 Champions League final. Despite all the success and relatively frugal spending in the transfer market after selling Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a world-record £80m ($100m) fee, the club's debt increases from £660m (£824m) to £716m ($894m).

  The announcement that United intend to refinance the debt unleashes a new wave of protests at matches. For the first time, fans start wearing green and gold, the colours of Newton Heath, instead of red to show their opposition to the owners.

  Mass protests take place before United's final game of the 2009-10 season against Stoke, when there is still a chance they can win the title. They eventually surrender their crown to Chelsea.

Andre Onana will not be changing his ways at Manchester United, with the confident Cameroonian goalkeeper saying he will continue to “take risks”.

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Big money invested in a new No.1Costly errors have sparked criticismProven performer believes in himselfWHAT HAPPENED?

The 27-year-old shot-stopper has endured a tough start to life in English football following his £48 million ($59m) transfer from Inter over the summer. A number of costly errors have crept into his game, leading to suggestions that United may be tempted to bring David de Gea back to Old Trafford a matter of months after releasing him as a free agent.

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Onana has sent a defiant message to his doubters, though, with the African ace eager to point out that he is “not afraid to make mistakes” as he seeks to become the modern day No.1 that United placed so much trust in. Onana has told the series on MUTV: “Now the goalkeeper is like [having] another player more, you know? And when you look at the way most of the teams want to play, now they use the goalkeeper as a plus one. I consider myself as a modern goalkeeper, so I'm not afraid to make mistakes. I'm not afraid to take risks and I would take risks because the way I play is what brought me to Manchester United, one of the best clubs in the world, and I will not drop. I will never drop. I will only go forward. I can make mistakes and mistakes are a part of life.”

WHAT THEY SAID

Onana has big boots to fill as the man chosen to succeed De Gea between the sticks in Manchester. He is also following in the footsteps of illustrious figures such as Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar – with the latter having helped to mould his game while working as chief executive at Ajax. Onana added on learning from all-time great Van der Sar: “He advised me a lot during the game, after the game, especially if I was making mistakes! He was coming through all the way to the dressing room or to the training session to speak with me and he helped me to build that personality, you know? I will always be thankful to him.”

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Onana helped United to a clean sheet in his latest Premier League outing – a 1-0 win over Fulham – and will be hoping to figure again on Wednesday when the Red Devils take in a Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen that they desperately need to take maximum points from.

The 33-year-old striker has made a strong impact at Santiago Bernabeu despite the pressure on him to step into Karim Benzema's shoes

Prior to the second half of Real Madrid's eventual 3-1 loss to Atletico Madrid on Sunday, Carlo Ancelotti surveyed his bench. He peered over an admittedly thin unit, but an elite one nonetheless. He could call on midfielder Aurelian Tchouameni, No.10 Brahmin Díaz, or the dynamic Dani Ceballos.

Instead, with his team trailing, and the need to change the game, Ancelotti introduced a gangly, 6’3, 33-year-old striker: Joselu. He is not the archetype of human, never mind elite footballer, to change a contest of such magnitude. But it wasn’t exactly a poor selection from Ancelotti, either. Madrid were markedly better with the big striker in the second half, creating more chances, registering more shots, and enjoying a larger percentage of possession in the Atletico defensive third. Joselu did little to change the result, but Madrid’s performance undoubtedly improved.

The presence of this anti-Galactico has bolstered Madrid on a number of occasions already this season. Joselu is not a big-money signing who will break any records, or sell many shirts. But he is, undoubtedly, a presence, a player who will at the very least make things awkward for the opposition. And for a Madrid side lacking an attacking focal point, it's an invaluable attribute, as well as a fulfilment of a lifelong dream for a former Madridista whose career threatened to careen off course along the way.

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  Fitting in at the top level

  Strikers like Joselu don't exist for big clubs anymore. All centre-forwards — regardless of size — have to bring more to their game than just finishing. Harry Kane, for example, is big, but passes like a No.10. Romelu Lukaku is lethal when rolling his defender. And Erling Haaland is some sort of hyper-athletic, deadly Nordic alien. There isn't usually room for the slow, gangly tall guy who likes to run.

  But Madrid have found it for Joselu. Ancelotti's systems are more tactically intricate than he gets credit for, but the legendary Italian manager has won a lot at Madrid because he puts 11 very good players on the pitch, who can all play together. It is, after all, inherently limiting to ask Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Vinicius Jr or Jude Bellingham to modify their role, or curb their footballing instincts.

  In the past, this all worked through the feet of Karim Benzema. The Ballon d'Or-winning striker was equal parts roaming forward and deadly finisher. He could both score in bunches and link play for others — sort of floating around as a false nine. His departure has left a hole — one that Bellingham has surprisingly filled this year with goals of his own. But the England midfielder does not offer the striker's presence that Benzema did.

  And that is where Joselu comes in. With Vinicius having missed a month of action through injury, the Spaniard has largely played alongside Rodrygo up front for Los Blancos, and generally lived in the box, taking on the opposing defence's biggest centre-back. He battles so Rodrygo can roam and Bellingham can ghost into the box. Joselu is effectively an elite facilitator — all without touching the ball.

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  Putting the ball in the net

  Joselu's signing was met by confusion for a lot of those outside Spain — and for good reason.

  But it's a largely unfair criticism. There are many elite footballers — especially Spanish ones — who simply do not make it in England. Iago Aspas, now a modern La Liga stalwart, flopped at Liverpool. Fernando Morientes, considered Spanish goalscoring royalty when he arrived in England in 2005, scored only eight times in 41 appearances. Alvaro Morata is remembered with chagrin by Chelsea fans, but has been a solid centre-forward for Atletico Madrid.

  Joselu fell victim to the same issue, and perhaps it was his stint in England that helped revive his career when he returned to Spain. Since arriving at Alaves in 2019, aged 29, he has scored double-digit goals every season, most recently bagging 16 for an Espanyol side that won just four games last campaign. This is a player who was handed his Spain debut at 32, and scored the winner in the Nations League semi-final to mark his second cap.

  At Madrid, on his return to his boyhood club, he has found the net on a couple of occasions. Two in six games doesn't jump off the page, but both have been in one-goal wins, and he assisted the winner against Celta Vigo, too. Madrid have won six games from seven in all competitions so far, and Joselu's contributions have been crucial in three of them.

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  Love of the club

  The smile on Joselu's face after scoring his first Madrid goal was one of those rare heartwarming things in football. It was May 21, 2011, and Madrid were thrashing Almeria. In the 86th minute, Joselu, introduced as a substitute, ghosted off the far shoulder of the last defender and met Cristiano Ronaldo's cross in stride, right as the ball pinged off the turf, striking it on the rise to make a very tricky finish look markedly easy. It was Madrid's eighth goal of the evening, but Joselu celebrated it like he had scored a last-minute winner.

  It took 12 years for him to bag his second for club, and that one was met with equal delight. This time, it was a rebound that fell kindly to the big Spaniard, who thrashed it home to equalise against Getafe. He needed a few seconds of an excited sprint towards the fans before realising that his team-mates were all returning to the centre-circle in the hunt for a winner.

  And perhaps those reactions are most emblematic of what Joselu brings. There are a lot of Madrid players who want to play for Madrid because of the name, the badge, the status. Bellingham, Madrid's other summer signing, said it himself: "Real Madrid is the greatest club in history and there aren't many players who get to play for such a magnificent and historic club. I'm very grateful to those who brought me here."

  Joselu, though, has a real connection. Although he came up through the Celta Vigo youth system, he was bought by Madrid as an 18-year-old, and impressed for Madrid's Castilla side, before being offered a chance at the first team two years later. And the energy of a 20-year-old trying to earn his spot at one of the world's biggest clubs still remains. The statistics tell some of the story — Joselu's numbers on clearances and interceptions are among the best in the world among strikers, per .

  But the eye test offers more. Joselu never stops moving. He presses the defensive line when Madrid push up. He drops into a deeper position when they soak up pressure. He makes the runs to the back post that don't matter. He offers himself in space for quick interchanges. These are all things that his predecessor was better at — of course Benzema was. But those gangly legs are always in motion, always for the badge of the club he loves.

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  Keeping Mbappe's seat warm?

  Real Madrid agreed to bring Joselu in on a loan deal with Espanyol, with a potential option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season. So far, it has seemed like a surprisingly shrewd signing for a team that didn't sign Kylian Mbappe — as many perhaps expected they would.

  But that will likely all change next summer. Mbappe has reportedly agreed on a deal to amicably exit Paris Saint-Germain in 2024. Madrid, by then, will presumably be able to pay whatever fees — to PSG or otherwise — are needed to make the deal happen. It's a presumptive move that will push Joselu further down the pecking order.

  For now, the Spaniard is a reliable fill-in for a side that is still growing into a new 4-4-2 formation. When Mbappe arrives, the system will likely change for him. It's hard to see Madrid needing a true No.9 in their squad as anything but an occasional cup option, or late sub to relieve one of their front three.

  So, Joselu effectively has his one season to make an impact. And maybe he hasn't picked the year made for the most success. Barcelona appear well poised to challenge Madrid for the title and there are undoubtedly more well-rounded teams in the Champions League. That this is likely Ancelotti's final season in club management won't help, either.

  Still, for Madrid's anti-Galactico, a player who has waited for his Bernabeu dream to come true, he might just have the kind of impact necessary to keep Madrid challenging on all fronts.

Everton have been hit with a 10-point penalty for breaches of Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

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Toffees considered to have broken rulesDrop to joint-bottom of the tableMerseyside outfit to appeal decisionGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Toffees have been plunged into the English top-flight relegation zone as a result of the ruling, with Sean Dyche’s side now sitting on four points alongside rock-bottom Burnley. Time is still on their side when it comes to staging a recovery, while an appeal is being planned at Goodison Park.

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Action has been taken against Everton after they posted financial losses of almost £372 million ($462m) over a three-year period, with those figures sitting more than £250m ($311m) above the threshold laid out in Premier League guidelines.

GettyWHAT THE PREMIER LEAGUE SAID

A statement from the Premier League read: “An independent Commission has imposed an immediate deduction of 10 points on Everton FC for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs). The Premier League issued a complaint against the Club and referred the case to an independent Commission earlier this year. During the proceedings, the Club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending Season 2021/22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute. Following a five-day hearing last month, the Commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR Calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5million, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105million permitted under the PSRs. The Commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.”

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HOW EVERTON RESPONDED

The Toffees’ response read: “Everton Football Club is both shocked and disappointed by the ruling of the Premier League’s Commission. The Club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction. The Club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the Club’s case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course. Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process.

"The Club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings. Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the Commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted. The Club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules. Everton cannot comment on this matter any further until the appeal process has concluded.”

Sir Elton John believes Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will be having “more fun” at Wrexham than any movie or television show they have ever made.

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Hollywood stars completed takeover in 2021Guided Welsh outfit back into the Football LeaguePop superstar a former chairman at WatfordWHAT HAPPENED?

The Hollywood superstars completed a stunning takeover at SToK Racecourse back in the spring of 2021. They have experienced an emotional roller coaster since then, with the pain of Wembley and play-off defeats being countered by the joy of a record-breaking promotion back into the Football League.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT SIR ELTON JOHN SAID

Sir Elton knows all about the stresses of club ownership from his time as chairman of Watford, but believes Reynolds and McElhenney will be loving the ride. The music industry icon has told : “It’s great and I phoned Ryan when they won and they got promoted and I just think it’s fantastic. They’re on the ride that I was on. It’s slightly different because times have changed but it’s no more un-exciting… it’s so exciting for them. I bet they have more fun doing that than any movie they’ve ever made.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Watford climbed into the top tier of English football during Sir Elton’s time at the helm, finishing as runners-up behind Liverpool in 1983, and reached the FA Cup final in 1984 – losing 2-0 to Everton at Wembley Stadium.

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Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Reynolds and McElhenney have never shied away from the fact that they want to see Wrexham become a Premier League side at some point, with considerable faith and funds being invested in a project that currently has the Welsh outfit sat fourth in the League Two table.

The Red Dragons' star striker has returned from injury, but he's received plenty of help in the goalscoring department from his team-mates

Wrexham's 2-0 victory away at Notts County on Saturday felt like a seismic moment in their season. After the game, Phil Parkinson ranked it among his best-ever days as a manager – and it's easy to see why.

Backed by a raucous, packed-out away end, his side secured a vital three points against one of their principle League Two promotion rivals, with whom they enjoyed a historic title race with in the National League last season.

Parkinson wasn't the only one who enjoyed himself either. Striker Paul Mullin was a very happy man too, describing the trip as the "perfect away day". Mullin made a telling contribution at Meadow Lane, providing the assist for Ollie Palmer's 76th-minute goal which sealed the result for Wrexham, after Elliot Lee opened the scoring just a few moments earlier.

It marked Mullin's fourth goal contribution in as many games, as his campaign gets back on track following an extremely difficult start to the season which forced his attacking team-mates to step up to the plate.

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  Mullin carried Wrexham to the title

  When Wrexham romped to the National League title, no player had a bigger role than Mullin. The Liverpool-born striker finished with a quite remarkable 46 goals in all competitions, with his closest challenger for the club's Golden Boot, Ollie Palmer, lagging behind on 16.

  It wasn't just the sheer volume of goals that was so astounding. Mullin brought plenty more to the table too, in terms of his link-up play, pressing and creativity – as former team-mate Jake Hyde reflected on recently.

  "He’d drop short, create chances and I thought ‘this lad is a proper player’," Hyde recalled. "Then he went on to prove how good he is in front of goal. When he first came in, the thing I remember is thinking ‘I’m going to like playing with this lad because he’s got that creative side’. He was better than I thought he would be."

  In other words, he was Wrexham's undisputed main man and was all set to continue in this pivotal role as the team made their long-awaited return to the Football League.

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  Disaster in the United States

  Before that, though, Mullin and Co. had to navigate a pre-season tour to the United States. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the squad, most of whom were lower-league plodders for whom a training camp in Cornwall would've been considered exotic.

  Wrexham made the most of their trip to America, taking in the adulation from their adoring Stateside fanbase and playing against some of the biggest teams in the world.

  It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, though. During the Red Dragons' penultimate pre-season game against Manchester United, Mullin suffered a horrific injury, colliding with opposing goalkeeper Nathan Bishop and coming away with a punctured lung.

  Parkinson was left seething at full-time, with his star striker forced to stay behind in the States to recover, while the rest of his team-mates flew home. Mullin would end up missing the first six games of the League Two season.

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  And Wrexham seemed to miss him

  As one might expect, it took a little while for Parkinson's charges to adjust to losing their best player. On the opening day of the season, they suffered a shock 5-3 defeat to MK Dons, a result that on the surface may seem to suggest more about the team's poor defence than their lack of firepower.

  However, on that day, Wrexham had 12 shots from inside the box, but only scored three times. Had Mullin been spearheading the Red Dragons' frontline, surely they would've converted a few more of these chances?

  A clinical edge was also lacking the following week against AFC Wimbledon, as well as in Carabao Cup ties against Wigan Athletic and Bradford City, and in a 1-1 draw with Barrow. Wrexham only gained nine points from the six league games Mullin was injured for, which speaks volumes about the impact of his absence.

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  Mullin returned – but Lee outshone him

  Mullin made his return against Doncaster Rovers in early September, receiving rapturous applause from the Racecourse faithful after being introduced as a second-half sub in a 2-1 win. However, Mullin did not find the scoresheet that afternoon, and also failed to make the net bulge in subsequent appearances against Grimsby Town and high-flying Stockport County.

  Fortunately for Wrexham, a new hero emerged: Elliot Lee. Lee had picked up the goalscoring slack when Mullin was out, netting five times during his team-mate's spell on the sidelines. And he came up trumps again when Mullin was getting himself back up to speed, scoring an 88th-minute winner in the Doncaster game before registering a goal and an assist as Parkinson's side secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Grimsby.

  Lee's contributions – from an attacking midfield role – were absolutely vital in keeping Wrexham in touch with the top three, with his excellent form earning plaudits from fans and his manager.

  "He's a little magician, Elliot," Parkinson said after his match-winning display against Doncaster. "He's got real magic in his boots and you see that time and time again with him. There won't too many that's got as many goals as Elliot, basically from a deeper position, which he's played for us, but you always feel that when he gets in and around the box something's going to happen."

England and Tottenham forward Beth England has opened up on the Lionesses' agonising World Cup run in Australia, including what she "hated" most.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• England opens up on World Cup experience
• Admits she "hated" flying
• Still hurt by final loss to Spain

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  England watched a large part of the tournament from the bench as the Lionesses made it all the way to the final, only to fall at the last hurdle to an impressive Spain side. But the Spurs star, who is currently out after a hip operation, reveals the worst thing about the showcase event in Australia and New Zealand wasn't the lack of playing time – it was the travelling.

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• WHAT ENGLAND SAID ON TRAVELLING

  England told : "I actually have a big fear of flying… I hated it. I loved Australia, loved every minute of it but all the internal flights in between, it was a bit heavy for me. There was one flight I was really unwell afterwards and the girls were all laughing at me but I just felt like I was going to be sick. Flying is not for me. They were together in that they were laughing at me in unison. It's part of the game though and it was a great experience for us to be out there and to do what we did."

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  WHAT ENGLAND SAID ON LOSING THE FINAL

  The 29-year-old also opened up on the disappointment of losing the final in Sydney, adding: "I probably feel the same now as I did at the time; we fell short. On the day we weren't good enough to win. We wanted to be better and bring it home like we did during the Euros but it just wasn't meant to be. I'm still proud of how we handled ourselves throughout the World Cup and how we did as a group. To say you're second best in the world is something not many can say. We still want to strive for more and hopefully there's an opportunity again for us to win it but we did the best we could on the day."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The forward joined Tottenham at the beginning of last season after spending six years with rivals Chelsea, and immediately hit the ground running. England scored 12 goals in 12 league matches as her new club could only manage a ninth-placed finish. However, she has missed the start of the current campaign with a hip problem. In England's absence, Spurs have risen as high as fourth, and will be hoping to climb higher still when she eventually makes her return.