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Breaking down the prize money and Fortinet Championship payout distribution for this week at Silverado in Napa, CA with Sahith Theegala eyeing his first PGA Tour win.

One of the stranger jinxes in English football may be over. Arsenal had lost on their previous three trips to Goodison Park, twice to horribly out-of-form Everton teams. Maybe logic intervened on Mikel Arteta’s fourth visit back to his former club. Or perhaps Leandro Trossard did, the substitute’s wonderfully precise finish giving Arsenal a fourth victory in five league games this season. There was a sense Arsenal avenged February’s 1-0 defeat in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge of Everton, not merely reversing the scoreline but showing their skill to take the same method – a set-piece – to find a very different way of deciding a match. Not a thumping James Tarkowski header from a corner, but a well-worked routine that culminated in Martin Odegaard slipping in Bukayo Saka, whose cutback brought a deft finish from Trossard, angled in off the far post. If some of Arteta’s recruitment in 2023 has a contentious feel, Trossard is the sort of signing who can simply be celebrated: a £20m bargain, a creative force last season who has two goals already in this, a player whose versatility makes him an ideal substitute but who has the quality to be decisive. When Gabriel Martinelli went off injured in the first half, Arteta summoned Trossard rather than the benched Kai Havertz; his decision was richly rewarded. Another of his transfer-market gambits mattered less: while David Raya may depose Aaron Ramsdale more frequently, the goalkeeper’s debut was an inconclusive affair. Everton scarcely tested the on-loan Spaniard. If the game’s best saves, one before the goal and one after, came at Odegaard’s expense, with Pickford parrying two fine efforts, they reflected the growing influence of the captain after the break. And that, in turn, was a sign of his stature. As Arsenal demonstrated more urgency, much of the excellence came from the Norwegian. It is a recurring theme: many a time in Arteta’s reign, victory has stemmed from flair players – often Odegaard or Saka – showing their substance. As the game opened up, Odegaard seized the initiative. Which was welcome. A first half of dismal drabness brought back unwanted memories of a stalemate in December 2019 in Arsenal’s last game before Arteta and Carlo Ancelotti took charge of the respective clubs; Everton are on their fourth supposedly permanent manager of the Spaniard’s time in north London and, should 777 Partners complete a takeover, a second owner as well. Whether that entails visiting English football’s second tier remains to be seen. Everton’s start has produced a solitary point in five games. They have had three matches at Goodison Park and lost all without scoring. A relegation six-pointer beckons when Luton visit later this month. Their gameplan was to defend diligently in a narrow block and they were largely untroubled before the break. The one exception came when Martinelli latched on to Fabio Vieira’s perceptive pass and placed a shot past Pickford. A VAR check later and Eddie Nketiah was spotted offside in the build-up; it meant Martinelli’s wait for a first goal of the season continues, with injury bringing his departure soon after and perhaps extending his drought further. The 22-year-old headed straight down the tunnel before reappearing on the bench shortly afterwards, and there was concern in the voice of the Gunners boss afterwards when he told Sky Sports: “He [Martinelli] felt something, he felt it in his hammy [hamstring] so he will need to be assessed.” For Nketiah, meanwhile, it summed up an ineffectual display. If Arteta got other decisions right, perhaps he should have preferred Gabriel Jesus, a regular tormentor of Everton in his Manchester City days. His choice of Raya was both instructive and irrelevant; Ramsdale, in the PFA Team of the Year for last season, watched on. His new rival had a lone shot on target to field, a tame effort from Idrissa Gueye from long range. He held it. Everton were passive before conceding. They failed to launch an onslaught after going behind, in part because they just saw too little of the ball. They have no passer of the calibre of Arteta himself when he graced their midfield for six seasons. They eschewed possession at times, having just 22 per cent of the ball before the break. That figure rose to a meagre 25 per cent by the end. Throwing on centre-forwards, in Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Youssef Chermiti, made little difference when Arsenal controlled the game and, for Everton, other numbers make for miserable reading. They have failed to score in four of five league matches this season and failed to keep a clean sheet in any of them. These two clubs are on the longest unbroken stretches of top-flight football but there is no guarantee they will meet again after this season. Not after a limp display by Everton. It became a question of whether Arsenal had the wherewithal to break them down. Thanks to Trossard and Odegaard they did and the Goodison curse was lifted. Read More Mikel Arteta claims Gabriel Jesus ‘changed Arsenal’s world’ when he joined the club Everton sale to American firm agreed Everton savour Sean Dyche effect to stun Premier League leaders Arsenal Mauricio Pochettino shares Chelsea fans’ frustrations after goalless stalemate Everton v Arsenal LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Erik ten Hag wants to see ‘how strong’ Manchester United are after Brighton loss

Arsenal look to maintain their unbeaten start to the Premier League as they travel to take on struggling Everton on Sunday. Mikel Arteta’s side snatched a late victory over Manchester United before the international break to make it ten points from a possible twelve in their opening four games as they look to keep pace with Manchester City at the top of the table. LIVE! Follow Arsenal vs Everton with our live blog Sean Dyche’s side, meanwhile, picked up their opening points of the season prior to the international break with a 2-2 away draw against Sheffield United. The Merseyside club won this fixture 1-0 last season in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge and will be hoping for a repeat performance to kickstart their league campaign. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game; get all the latest football betting sites offers here. When is Everton vs Arsenal? The match kicks off at 16:30pm BST on Sunday 17 September at Goodison Park. Where can I watch it? Everton vs Arsenal will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. It will be streamed live on the Sky Go app and desktop website for subscribers. What is the team news? Everton continue to grapple with a host of injuries to key players with Dele Ali and Seamus Coleman long-term absentees. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jack Harrison and Andre Gomes could all make a return to the starting XI following their various injuries, while James Tarkowski is expected to recover from a facial injury sustained against Sheffield United. Arsenal, by contrast, have few injury concerns. Summer-signing Jurien Timber is set for a long spell on the sidelines, while Sunday’s game may well come too soon for Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny who are recovering from groin and knee injuries respectively. Predicted lineups Everton - Pickford, Patterson, Tarkowski, Godfrey, Young, Onana, Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, Danjuma, Beto. Arsenal - Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli. Odds Everton: 21/4 Draw: 7/2 Arsenal: 1/2 Prediction Arsenal should prove to have too much quality for an Everton side that is yet to click into gear this season. Everton 1-3 Arsenal If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Read More Everton v Arsenal LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Erik ten Hag wants to see ‘how strong’ Manchester United are after Brighton loss Mikel Arteta claims Gabriel Jesus ‘changed Arsenal’s world’ when he joined the club Gabriel Jesus ‘changed Arsenal’s world last season’, says Mikel Arteta Erik ten Hag unsure whether Jadon Sancho will play for Manchester United again Mikel Arteta keen to end Arsenal’s Everton hoodoo despite ’emotional connection’

In a sense, Erik ten Hag is back to where he began at Old Trafford with a loss to Brighton. In others, it is far worse than that. On and off the pitch, the problems are multiplying for Manchester United. A troubled start to the season has already encompassed three defeats and, with Bayern Munich next and the prospect of a fourth, it threatens to become a terrible one. A disastrous result was accompanied by dissent in the stands. Ten Hag had carried the Old Trafford crowd with him when he won his power struggle with Cristiano Ronaldo. But when he substituted his new £72m forward Rasmus Hojlund for Anthony Martial, the decision was met with whistles and boos. It was a rare public rebuke of a manager who has been popular but United have faced three probable top-half sides this season and lost to them all. On this evidence, Brighton look likelier to get a top-four finish. Given the ease with which Roberto De Zerbi’s wonderfully incisive Albion eviscerated United, it was hard to argue that the absence of Jadon Sancho, last spotted watching the Under-18s as he is punished by Ten Hag, was the reason for defeat; nor that of Antony, the Dutchman’s costliest signing who is on a leave of absence while he addresses serious allegations of assault by three women. But for a manager who had talked on Friday of setting standards, those on the field of play have been too low in an increasingly shambolic beginning to the campaign. Ten Hag had also lost his first game in charge to Albion. But, 13 months on, with £400m spent in his reign, with an initial 11 who arrived for £347m, defeat to a patched-up Brighton side whose starting 11 cost a mere £20m was more damning. For all United’s trials and tribulations, their injuries and absences, this ought to have been a fine time to face Brighton. For various reasons, none of Evan Ferguson, Solly March, Joao Pedro, Billy Gilmour or Pervis Estupinan began at Old Trafford. Instead, Simon Adingra marked his first Premier League start with one assist, Tariq Lamptey his first in six months – and when playing out of position on the left – with two. There was a certain predictability to two of their scorers: Danny Welbeck, sold by Louis van Gaal, has found the net against United under their last four permanent managers and Pascal Gross, whose seventh goal against them continued his status as their unlikely scourge. Pedro came off the bench to add the third, completing another act of catalytic brilliance by De Zerbi. United, though, had another day when plans backfired. Lacking a right winger, Ten Hag switched to a midfield diamond, using Hojlund and Marcus Rashford as wide strikers. The Mancunian was dynamic, bringing everything but the goal, but the narrow shape left United’s full-backs exposed. Brighton, brimming with counter-attacking menace, created all three goals on the flanks. For the first, the debutant Sergio Reguilon, an emergency signing on deadline day, was found wanting. For the other two, Diogo Dalot was afforded too little protection. The centre-backs were fooled by dummies for goals, Victor Lindelof for the first, the similarly out-of-form Lisandro Martinez for the second. United ended up playing with Lindelof as a lone central defender and required an injury-time save from Andre Onana to stop Ansu Fati from adding a fourth Albion goal. It was still Ten Hag’s heaviest home defeat. His more chastening days had tended to come on the road while United went 20 league games unbeaten at Old Trafford. Now, home and away, Brighton have four consecutive league wins against United; virtually every Albion supporter can recall a time when that would have sounded inconceivable. Not now. They were deserving winners and showed the clinical touch United lacked. First Welbeck completed a one-two of sorts with Adingra, releasing the winger and meeting his cutback with a neat finish. The other crucial contribution came from Adam Lallana, who dummied Adingra’s cross. On his first start since January, the veteran’s footballing intelligence was apparent. On the first start of his Premier League career, the youngster had an assist. Then Gross had latched on to Lamptey’s pass and fooled Martinez before beating Onana. Pedro found the top corner after another Lamptey pass. United’s response came from a rookie. Hannibal Mejbri, brought on with Martial, rifled in United’s only goal from 20 yards. Another should escape the harshest of the criticism. Rashford was electric, if unable to apply the final touch. He had one shot saved by Jason Steele, another deflected onto the bar by the sliding Joel Veltman. A third flew just wide, a fourth was rifled into the side netting. Hojlund celebrated a first United goal, prodded in from Rashford’s low cutback, until VAR ruled the ball was out of play before the Mancunian crossed. If it was the first decision involving Hojlund, who showed a couple of promising touches, to irritate the majority at Old Trafford, it was not the last. His departure brought jeers. It may not be a tipping point for Ten Hag just yet. But United, no strangers to a crisis over the last decade, could soon find themselves teetering on the brink of another. Read More Erik ten Hag says he inherited Manchester United with ‘no good culture’ Erik ten Hag unsure whether Jadon Sancho will play for Manchester United again Liverpool leave it late to come from behind and beat Wolves Erik ten Hag wants to see ‘how strong’ Manchester United are after Brighton loss Pep Guardiola hails impact of Jeremy Doku in Man City’s win at West Ham Roy Hodgson ‘feeling better’ after missing Crystal Palace defeat at Aston Villa

A body has been found in the search for a former British soldier who went missing while fighting in Ukraine. Ex-paratrooper Daniel Burke, 36, of south Manchester, was reported missing by his family on 16 August after he had travelled to join the fighting in 2022. Greater Manchester Police said on Saturday that officers were working with Mr Burke’s family and the Ukrainian authorities to identify the body found and to bring him back to the UK. Mr Burke’s mother Diane Sniath told the BBC that “this is the moment I have been dreading”. His family told the broadcaster that the body was found in Zaporizhzhia, which lies about 27 miles from the front line. Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes who is GMP’s Lead for Disaster Victim Identification said: “This is an upsetting time for Daniel’s family, we have family liaison officers in contact with the family and offering support. “My team and I are working with the Ukrainian authorities to make formal identification with a view to repatriating Daniel following that process. “Daniel’s family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.” Mr Burke, who previously served with the Parachute Regiment, told the BBC on 6 August that he planned to join a Ukrainian army unit to fight against Russian forces. In 2019 he spent eight months in prison accused of terror offences after going to Syria to fight with Kurdish militia against the Islamic State group. All the charges against him were dropped in 2020, the BBC reported. At least 10 other British men have died in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began last February, according to the Foreign Office. Last week, tributes were paid to former Scots guard Jordan Chadwick, 31, from Burnley, who left the UK to travel to the country in early October 2022 to “support freedom”. And in August, Sam Newey, 22, died while serving on the front line in Eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, according to his brother, who said he was “proud” of his sibling. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin’s forces suffer ‘significant losses’ as Kyiv vows more drone strikes Kim Jong-un shown Russia’s nuclear capable bombers and hypersonic missiles UK officially bans Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group as terrorist organisation Unesco adds two locations in war-ravaged Ukraine on its list of historic sites in danger American XL Bullies amnesty to come before ban as breed ‘linked to half of attacks’ How will American XL bully ban work and what happens if you own one? Russell Brand denies ‘very serious allegations’ related to ‘promiscuous’ past

Daniel Burke, from Manchester, had been fighting for Ukraine in the war against Russia since 2022.

Liverpool are taking on Wolves at Molineux today as the Premier League returns following the international break. Jurgen Klopp’s side enjoyed an impressive start to the season, winning three and drawing one of their opening four games to find themselves third in the early table, including a stunning 10-man victory over Newcastle at St James’ Park before despatching Aston Villa 3-0. “We would’ve loved to have carried on after the Aston Villa game, which was a really good game,” Klopp said this week, ruing the two-week gap. Wolves manager Gary O’Neil has endured of baptism of fire after suddenly taking charge before the start of the season. A 1-0 win at Everton brought the only points from their first four games, and he has warned his Wolves players they will have to be at their very best to beat a Liverpool side he is tipping to challenge for the title. “I’ll be very surprised if they’re not right at the top this year,” O’Neil said. Follow all the latest from the Premier League match below. Read More Is Wolves vs Liverpool on TV today? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Premier League fixture What Mohamed Salah’s dressing room speech says about Liverpool future Erik ten Hag says he inherited Manchester United with ‘no good culture’

Valentina Shevchenko will try to regain the UFC women’s flyweight title from Alexa Grasso this weekend, nine months after the Mexican took the belt from her. Shevchenko, 35, was on a nine-fight win streak and seen as one of the most dominant champions in the UFC, until Grasso shocked the Kyrgyzstani fighter in March. Grasso, 30, submitted Shevchenko in the fourth round to become Mexico’s second undisputed UFC champion, and she is now her nation’s only reigning title holder. She will bid to retain the gold against Shevchenko on Saturday, as the pair headline a Fight Night event in Las Vegas – marking a rare move for the UFC, which typically saves title bouts for pay-per-views. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the event? This week’s UFC Fight Night will take place on Saturday 16 September, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The prelims are set to begin at 12am BST on Sunday 17 September (4pm PT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET on Saturday), with the main card following at 3am BST (7pm PT, 9pm CT, 10pm ET on Saturday). How can I watch it? The card will air live on TNT Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Odds Grasso – 13/10 Shevchenko – 8/13 Full odds via Betway. • Get all the latest UFC betting sites’ offers Full card (subject to change) Main card Alexa Grasso (C) vs Valentina Shevchenko 2 (women’s flyweight title) Kevin Holland vs Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight) Raul Rosas Jr vs Terrence Mitchell (bantamweight) Daniel Zellhuber vs Christos Giagos (lightweight) Fernando Padilla vs Kyle Nelson (featherweight) Prelims Loopy Godinez vs Elise Reed (women’s strawweight) Roman Kopylov vs Josh Fremd (middleweight) Edgar Chairez vs Daniel Lacerda (flyweight) Tracy Cortez vs Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight) Natan Levy vs Alex Reyes (lightweight) Josefine Knutsson vs Marnic Mann (women’s strawweight) Read More Sean Strickland shocks Israel Adesanya and MMA world with title win at UFC 293 Israel Adesanya’s coach reveals strange request after shock loss to Sean Strickland Two fighters apologise for using homophobic slurs at UFC 293 GB Taekwondo to pick ‘best person’ as Olympic selection dilemma looms Khabib coach predicts Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler outcome What is TKO? The UFC and WWE merger explained

Alexa Grasso will defend the UFC women’s flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko this weekend, nine months after dethroning the longtime champion. Grasso submitted Shevchenko in the fourth round in March, ending the Kyrgyzstani fighter’s five-year reign atop the division – as well as her nine-fight win streak. In doing so, 30-year-old Grasso became just the second Mexican champion in UFC history, and she is now her nation’s only reigning title holder. Can Shevchenko, 35, reverse the result on Saturday? Fans will find out as she and Grasso headline a Fight Night event in Las Vegas – marking a rare move for the UFC, which typically saves title bouts for pay-per-views. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the event? This week’s UFC Fight Night will take place on Saturday 16 September, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The prelims are set to begin at 12am BST on Sunday 17 September (4pm PT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET on Saturday), with the main card following at 3am BST (7pm PT, 9pm CT, 10pm ET on Saturday). How can I watch it? The card will air live on TNT Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Odds Grasso – 13/10 Shevchenko – 8/13 Full odds via Betway. • Get all the latest UFC betting sites’ offers Full card (subject to change) Main card Alexa Grasso (C) vs Valentina Shevchenko 2 (women’s flyweight title) Kevin Holland vs Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight) Raul Rosas Jr vs Terrence Mitchell (bantamweight) Daniel Zellhuber vs Christos Giagos (lightweight) Fernando Padilla vs Kyle Nelson (featherweight) Prelims Loopy Godinez vs Elise Reed (women’s strawweight) Roman Kopylov vs Josh Fremd (middleweight) Edgar Chairez vs Daniel Lacerda (flyweight) Tracy Cortez vs Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight) Natan Levy vs Alex Reyes (lightweight) Josefine Knutsson vs Marnic Mann (women’s strawweight) Read More Sean Strickland shocks Israel Adesanya and MMA world with title win at UFC 293 Israel Adesanya’s coach reveals strange request after shock loss to Sean Strickland Two fighters apologise for using homophobic slurs at UFC 293 GB Taekwondo to pick ‘best person’ as Olympic selection dilemma looms Khabib coach predicts Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler outcome What is TKO? The UFC and WWE merger explained

Harry Maguire’s mother has hit back on social media and defended her son after the centre-back received more criticism in the wake of his latest performance for England. Maguire came off the bench at half-time as England won 3-1 against Scotland on Tuesday but the former Manchester United captain came under fire once again after scoring an unfortunate own-goal. The 30-year-old has endured a tough spell in recent months but remained in Gareth Southgate’s England squad despite falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford. The England boss came to his defence in the post-match press conference, with Maguire’s mother, Zoe, now also voicing her opinion in a social media post that criticised the abuse he has received. “As a mum seeing the level of negative and abusive comments in which my son is receiving from some fans, pundits and the media is disgraceful and totally unacceptable to any walk of life never mind someone who works his socks off for club and country,” she said on Instagram. “I was there in the stand as usual, it’s not acceptable what’s been created, over nothing. I understand that in the football world there are ups and downs, positives and negatives but what Harry receives has gone far beyond ‘football’. For me seeing him go through what he’s going through is not ok. “I would hate to have to see any other parents or players go through this in the future, especially the young boys and girls breaking through the ranks today. Harry has a massive heart and it’s a good job he’s mentally strong and can handle it as others might not be able too. I wish this sort of abuse on nobody!” Maguire started England’s first game of the international break - despite not starting a game for his club so far this season - as Southgate’s side drew 1-1 with Ukraine in Poland. The defender has been a mainstay in Southgate’s England side throughout his tenure in charge of the national team and the England boss issued an impassioned defence of Maguire after the Scotland game, labelling the constant criticism of him “ridiculous” and “a joke”. “It is a consequence of ridiculous treatment of him for a long period of time, frankly,” Southgate said. “I’ve never known a player treated the way he is – not by the Scottish fans, by our own commentators, pundits, whatever it is. “They’ve created something that’s beyond anything I’ve ever seen. He’s been an absolute stalwart for us in the second-most successful England team for decades. He’s been an absolutely key part of that. “I’ve talked about the importance of our senior players. He’s been crucial amongst that. Every time he goes on the field, the resilience he shows, the balls he shows is absolutely incredible. He’s a top player and we’re all with him and our fans were brilliant with him tonight.” Read More Harry Maguire says he can deal with pressure after ‘banter’ from Scotland fans Bale shows his golf skills and Stokes goes big – Wednesday’s sporting social Criticism has not affected Harry Maguire, says England team-mate Aaron Ramsdale Maguire’s latest challenge is to rise above being a part-time player ‘Top-level’ England are the benchmark for improving Scotland – Lewis Ferguson Gareth Southgate says Harry Maguire criticism ‘beyond anything I’ve ever seen’

As with so much in modern football, a moment that could transform the entire game is set to come far away from the pitch, and probably in court. Fifa is currently in a battle with most of the game’s agents, although the global governing body would not characterise it as that. Officials insist they are simply engaging in a reform of the industry that “everyone except some agents consider absolutely necessary to address widespread abuses and a system currently fuelled by speculation”. That extends to all of the game’s major stakeholders and the primary European institutions – from the European Commission to the Council of Europe – who have long asked Fifa to “do something”. The position on the other side, most notably the Association of Football Agents [AFA], is that this does indeed come down to European law - but not in the way people at Fifa think. They are strident that the federation has no legitimacy to regulate on this. The view is that representing players is a business outside of the running of the game, and that the provisions for the forthcoming Fifa Football Agent Regulations [Ffar] go against European Union anti-trust law - especially as regards forbidding payment to a supplier above a certain level. The Court of Arbitration for Sport did rule in July that Fifa has legitimacy here, but a referral from a District Court in Germany has brought the case before the European Court of Justice [ECJ]. If this already seems a dry back-and-forth of legal claims, it will all have significant influence on how the very sport is played. Not exactly a new Bosman ruling, but a potentially transformative case all of its own that does come down to far bigger issues such as sport versus business and what any cultural model of football should be. Fifa’s entire position is that it is addressing what is good for the game rather than actually taking on the representative industry. “Good agents are hugely important,” says Jan Kleiner, Fifa’s Director of Football Regulatory. “But since agents act at the very centre of the international football transfer system, Fifa has the authority and responsibility to regulate their activities within that system.” The root motivation of the reform is that the current transfer ecosystem incentivises the movement of players, primarily through the focus on commissions, which accelerates the market and concentrates increasing money at the top end of the game so affecting competitive balance. As justification for this, Fifa relates a few key figures. Every year, players move more quickly and more often between clubs. Every year, 10 times more money is paid to agents than paid to grassroots clubs. Every year, the money spent on transfers grows, as do service fees paid to agents. A 400% increase in the latter over the last decade saw a record of $696.6m (£557.3m) in this window, representing nearly 10% of the total spending on transfer fees. That has gone hand in hand with the growth of so-called “super agencies” and conglomerations, the largest of which is CAA Stellar. The current conditions are seen as perpetuating their domination. Pointedly, as regards big agency domination, even smaller agencies and independents dispute that. They say Fifa’s plans will merely strengthen the power of the “supermarket model”, since the larger companies will be able to weather the greater costs. There is also an insistence one of many unintended consequences will be the entry of more unscrupulous agents due to a willingness to offer what other representatives won’t. The view of one lawyer working with the AFA is that the idea it is agent commissions driving the market is “beyond making any sense”. All of the demand comes from the clubs. They are willing to pay the players so much as part of what has become a financial arms race, and agents merely mediate this. There is also a belief that many of the economic issues that Fifa describe also come from systemic dysfunctions and inequalities in football’s ecosystem, that any problems with agents are only a symptom of. “People read cartoon descriptions of agents from rare transfers that bear no relation to the actual reality of the industry,” one prominent agent privately argues. The fact that the AFA’s legal challenge against the regulations takes place in the last 10 days of September has limited the ability of many involved to speak openly on this. That comment still points to one of the many tensions at the core of this. There are then separate but bigger concerns about how the current system has brought reports of unethical and criminal behaviour, as well as cases of abuse and even human trafficking. With the matter going before the ECJ, Fifa is confident the European judges will understand the specificities of the football industry. The agents are concerned Fifa doesn’t understand their business. “They don’t know the specifics because they only see the surface,” was one response. This is a shared view even among agents who despise each other – a common enough theme – although some recognise a need for reform. This is where Fifa would rebut the idea it is ignorant to the business. It points to a five-year consultation process that involved FifPro, the European Club Association, the World Leagues Forum as well as member associations and confederations, and “a large number of agents and agent representative organisations”. Fifa insists that feedback is overwhelmingly positive, even from agents and agent organisations. The head of one major football body insists the requirement for better agent regulation is “inarguable” and unanimous, and many would point to how all of the major American sporting associations have the same rules that Fifa is trying to introduce, including almost identical caps on commission. Against that, high-profile agents say there was “a lack of invitation” and that there has “never been any public disclosure of these consultations”. Fifa expressly states this is factually wrong, and that there was both invitation and disclosure as illustrated on their website. Sources within the global body argue that all representative organisations were invited but some of the biggest agents just refused to engage, and that this is now seen as a litigation strategy to delegitimise the entire process. Either way, if Fifa has succeed, their reforms will bring the following: The establishment of a licensing system, involving an exam A requirement for agents to provide full transparency towards clients about payments they receive The payment of agent service fees via the Fifa Clearing House, as a measure against financial crime and to protect financial integrity The prohibition of multiple representation, so an agent can only work for any one party in a transaction Stricter regulations for the representation of minors The establishment of a mandatory service fee cap, to avoid excessive financial incentives and conflicts of interest It is the last of those that has provoked the fiercest dispute from agents, beyond the opposition to the basic premise of Fifa regulating. The cap is being described by lawyer Philip Wehler as a “hard-core, anti-competitive measure fixing purchase prices” that represents a “violation of EU anti-trust laws”. Fifa’s position is that to protect the functioning of its transfer system in line with its 2001 agreement with the European Commission, a cap is necessary to reduce existing financial incentives which promote player movement. It is also said that the cap is a pro-competitive measure, because lump-sum commissions have such a destabilising effect on the economic make-up of the game. Aside from how they incentivise movement, only a handful of clubs can pay the £20m minimum commission required for most top talent, further concentrating that talent among six to eight teams. There is also the argument that the very nature of modern football ensures that the more money that swirls around the more player wages at a narrowing top end in an escalating arms race. Fifa wants to reduce transfer incentives and nuance how service fees are paid, so they are proportionate to salary. This would in essence mean the interests of player and agent are more aligned, increasing transparency regarding what footballers pay for. As it stands, Fifa posit, commission on fees cover a wide range of service that agents otherwise tell their players is “for free”. A series of agents spoken to for this article say that reflects Fifa’s misunderstanding of the business. For one, they argue, service fees aren’t just for transfers. They’re also for contract extensions, and the majority of good agents would never push a move their client doesn’t need, since this would be bad for everybody in the long term. What’s more, all modern agents right down to independents are expected to have office premises, player care staff, media, social media and scouts, not to mention a lot of expenses on travel. All of this is to serve the player and “has a direct correlation to performance”. Fifa admits it’s a “cultural shift” to charge players for this at base, but that it’s a more “transparent and fair” way of doing business. “It is difficult to understand why agents would not be able to issue transparent invoices to their clients for all additional services, which are not subject to the cap,” Kleiner says. Agents would respond that the cultural shift would be agent income being restricted at the exact point players expect greater service. That could also lead to the unintended consequence of further incentivising transfers since some agents would instead just seek more commissions. “It’s like a streaming service saying if artists aren’t happy with their royalties they can do more concerts,” one agent says. “Could they do it? Yes. Is it a solution or even rational? No.” The argument is again that super-agencies could more easily absorb this. Fifa would also point out that the cap wouldn’t apply to sponsorship or any endorsement deals. The agents say that the vast majority of players – right up to mid-table clubs in even the Premier League – don’t have commercial appeal so would end up being the ones punished. As regards the question of representing multiple or all parties in the same transfer, the motivation behind this is pure transparency and to avoid a conflict of interests. The argument on the other side is that it’s simply what the relevant parties agree. Fifa would say it is important because it could theoretically mean players don’t have the same level of information as their agents. There is also pushback on the point of how more money goes to service fees than grassroots since they are seen as two unrelated areas. Agents say they only take a percentage of a player’s salary, and that has nothing to do with money coming from or going to grassroots. It is viewed by one representative as a false comparison to further a caricature. Fifa would counter that it is highly corrosive for the game’s solidarity if so much money leaves its ecosystem, and that it is necessary for redistribution mechanisms to function. The argument there is to ensure less money goes to off-shore accounts or impenetrable tax havens, with that increasing financial transparency and integrity. Agents based in England argue there is already a workable clearing house in the country. Fifa would respond they have to take a “global perspective” and create a level playing field, which would consequently mean the changes for those in England wouldn’t be that dramatic. One argument outside England, however, is that amounts to control of a money-flow that further facilitates uncompetitive price-fixing. Even on the issue of minors, agents would dispute Fifa’s position, insisting they require representation the most. The reality will still be that clubs want to sign the most promising young players. An absence of representation could just lead to more unscrupulous actors or illegal payments. Fifa’s position is that the rules do not prohibit representation of minors, but set a reasonable and proportionate framework. If all this sounds like the “wild west” on a market that Fifa says is a description from an agent, another counterpoint is that this description only arose after 2015. That was when the global governing body decided to deregulate the agency business, which agents argued against, and points to why they should be listened to now. Fifa actually admits that was “a mistake by the old administration”. “But we could have continued to do nothing,” one source says. “Those agents who want to work in a transparent manner have nothing to fear.” The issue of licensing is the one area where there is common ground. Otherwise, differences abound. Many will be laid out in the legal challenge in England, where some high-profile agents will be cross-examined. A decision on that will come at some point before the new regulations are implemented as planned on 1 October. The one country that could be exempted is Germany, due to a successful provisional injunction and an appeal by Fifa that won’t be heard until 24 January. That could bring a “scattered landscape” that the governing body would have to work around, and could create loopholes, before a potential hearing in front of the ECJ and regional courts. Petros Mavroidis, a Greek-Swiss professor who has worked on football issues right up to Financial Fair Play, believes the entire case is “going to be instructive” for the future of the game. “It went before CAS and it was decided that Fifa has the right to regulate football agents. Now is the similar case before a German court that will end up before the European Court of Justice. “If I go by past evidence, the European Court of Justice doesn’t pay too much heed to CAS. “If this happens, I would expect the court to start and ask who has the right to regulate agents. Have member states transferred this right to Uefa/Fifa? And if yes, let’s assume yes, does Fifa observe European law when regulation agents? If no, it’s the end of the story. Fifa cannot regulate, and leave it at that. “It’s very difficult to predict what will happen but, no matter what, even if the court says Fifa can regulate, it will say it has to observe EU law. That means observing competition law, so the question will be can Fifa impose price regulation.” Fifa says it comes down to a simple motivation for them. “Ultimately, you always have to look at the counter-factual,” one source says. “What would happen if you didn’t implement these rules? Inequality increases in the game, existing problems become worse and worse, and regulation becomes inevitable.” Read More Sarina Wiegman wants focus on Spain’s World Cup winners and not Luis Rubiales Sarina Wiegman ‘worried’ about schedule as England prepare for Nations League Luis Rubiales refuses to apologise to Jenni Hermoso over ‘consensual’ kiss Luis Rubiales resignation has to be ‘the start of something’, says Georgia Stanway Jenni Hermoso complaint against Luis Rubiales filed with Spain’s high court Stephen Kenny refuses to bemoan luck following Evan Ferguson injury

The hesitation was telling, the first word something of a filler. The question may well have been one Gareth Southgate also asked. Why, when there was the chance of a move to West Ham, the prospect of first-team football and the opportunity of something equating to a new start, did Harry Maguire opt to stay at Manchester United? “Erm,” he began. “Well, I think it was a bit of both. Erm… how can I put this? We just didn’t come to an agreement and they were happy for me to stay and I was happy to fight for my place. I want to do that and every time I train or play I will give everything.” Which scarcely felt the most convincing of explanations, even if it hinted at a hold-up. The bare facts are that United accepted a £30m bid from West Ham; there was agreement there. Where the three parties could not all concur, then, was on the issues of remuneration and recompense. Maguire’s wages actually went up this summer, as a result of United’s qualification for the Champions League. West Ham were unlikely to pay him at a rate commensurate with a status as the world’s most expensive centre-back. The sense is that a pay-off was required but not agreed. It is not the only factor, as Maguire suggested. Erik ten Hag has demoted the 30-year-old, first from the team, then from the club captaincy. But he has never forced him out. The United manager wants two players for every position; he sees Maguire as one of his centre-back options. Admittedly, he often seems fifth in line: Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez became established as the preferred pairing last season, with Victor Lindelof a reasonably reliable deputy. Ten Hag is reluctant to use Maguire on the left and would rather field Luke Shaw there. To the outsider, the prognosis for Maguire looks bleak. Yet he has confounded expectations before: playing in League One at 21, he was a World Cup semi-finalist four years later. Footballers require a belief in their ability; there have been times on the pitch in the last two years when Maguire has looked to be suffering from a crisis of confidence but he sounded positive. “At club football, I want to play games, I want to play football,” he said. “The first four weeks were hard because it was one game a week and the manager didn’t select me but we have lots of games coming up now and I am sure I will play lots of games.” His first appearance of the campaign came as a substitute at Arsenal; with Shaw and Varane injured, his next outings may depend on whether Martinez, who came off at the Emirates Stadium, is also sidelined. His last game brought an own goal, benefitting Scotland. Southgate came to the centre-back’s defence after an evening of mockery at Hampden Park when it seemed as though Scotland’s new national sport is taunting Maguire. Nevertheless, his job would be easier if Maguire had joined West Ham, just as it would be had Jordan Henderson not signed for Al-Ettifaq. Leaving Old Trafford would have been a way of protecting his international place. “Of course, my England career is a big priority,” Maguire countered. “And so is my club career. I considered everything and I know, at the moment, when I have not started a game in the first four games of the season, the story comes to me. I finished off last season with two very strong performances for England and I have played in all five matches to help put us where we are in qualifying, so I need to keep performing when I get chosen.” And yet he can feel a part-time footballer, playing for country more than club. Maguire denied rustiness was a problem against Scotland, saying Southgate was very happy with his performance against Ukraine. His night in Glasgow, however, was notable for the reaction of the Scotland supporters and the goal he dispatched past Aaron Ramsdale. “Obviously, I am disappointed with the own goal but that is football,” Maguire said. “You are a centre-back and you put yourselves in those positions. I am really pleased with how I performed in the second half and how I dealt with it. Little things can go against you and one moment went against me. That is part and parcel of a defender.” Sadly for Maguire, he was already ridiculed at Hampden even before he accidentally converted Andy Robertson’s cross. He found an advantage among the ridicule. “It pretty much takes the pressure away from my teammates and puts it all on myself,” he said. “I would not say I am a person who struggles with pressure mentally, I have been through a lot in the last couple of years.” If anything, that felt an understatement. The next year assumes an importance, too. Southgate’s faith in Maguire appears unyielding, but a season on the sidelines at United could test it anyway. By opting not to leave, Maguire risked his place at Euro 2024. “It is way too far away to consider,” he argued. “I take everything as each week goes by.” But he could do with some good weeks at the club he perhaps should have quit. Read More Harry Maguire says he can deal with pressure after ‘banter’ from Scotland fans Bale shows his golf skills and Stokes goes big – Wednesday’s sporting social Criticism has not affected Harry Maguire, says England team-mate Aaron Ramsdale ‘Top-level’ England are the benchmark for improving Scotland – Lewis Ferguson Gareth Southgate says Harry Maguire criticism ‘beyond anything I’ve ever seen’ Maguire’s humiliation is complete — Southgate must save him from himself