As co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, Canada can be proud of their efforts. They came into the tournament having never won a game in the FIFA competition, but beat the likes of Qatar and South Africa as they made it all the way to the Last 16.

This was where Jesse Marsch’s men met Morocco, who proved too strong to overcome. Canada dominated the first half but couldn’t open the scoring, as their African opponents took control as the game wore on.

In the end, a brace from Azzedine Ounahi and a late effort from Soufiane Rahimi saw Morocco win the game 3-0. Manager Marsch insisted his team were the better side despite the loss, and things were certainly tighter than the final result suggests.

As Canada struggled in the second half, having conceded in the 50th minute but then not again until the 80th, many watching on wondered why Alphonso Davies was not used. A full explanation of his absence has now emerged.

Marsch Explains Why Alphonso Davies Did Not Play vs Morocco

Davies is very much the star man for Canada, having established himself as one of the best left-backs in the world during his time at Bayern Munich. Sadly, though, he entered the World Cup with a hamstring injury.

As such, the defender played in just one game out of five for his nation this summer, and that appearance came as a substitute. That outing, however, came in the Last 32 win over South Africa, with his lively 15-minute cameo suggesting he could be involved against Morocco.

This was not to be the case, though, as he was left on the bench as his team lost 3-0 and exited the World Cup. As quoted by BavarianFootballWorks, Marsch has since told Sportsnet why the Bayern star did not play:

Davies Was Working With Specialist

Piroschka Van De Wouw via Reuters

With his injury issues widely known throughout the tournament, Davies was working with independent specialist Matthias Blankenburg across the entire World Cup. As per The Athletic, this was agreed upon by the player, as well as Bayern Munich and Canada.

As such, it’s unclear whether or not manager Marsch made the final call on Davies being able to play or not, or if the decision was taken out of his hands. The Canada coach’s comments suggest some frustration around the inability to play the left-back vs Morocco, and it seems odd that they wouldn’t take a risk with so much on the line.

That said, if Davies simply wasn’t fit, there would be no point in playing him. It appears as though this was the case, with the defender’s injured hamstring ultimately ending his World Cup dream.

Liverpool could miss out on Bradley Barcola if Arsenal make a concrete move for the Paris Saint-Germain winger this summer, according to Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele.

Barcola has emerged as Andoni Iraola’s top target as the club look to replace Mohamed Salah. The Frenchman’s club future has been thrown into doubt after Yan Diomande made a move to the Parc des Princes his priority.

Liverpool cooled interest in Diomande after learning of his preference and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Barcola is the Reds’ first-choice alternative. He’s enjoying a superb World Cup campaign with France following an impressive season with PSG.

Why Barcola might prefer Arsenal over Liverpool

Gonzalo Fuentes via Reuters

While Liverpool have placed Barcola at the top of their wishlist, they may face competition from Arsenal for his signature. The Frenchman has been on Mikel Arteta’s radar since the transfer window opened and the Gunners apparently hold an advantage.

Steele gave an update on Barcola’s situation and suggested that a move to the Emirates is more appealing. He told Anfield Index: “It’s going to be very, very hard for Liverpool to get Barcola. He’s probably looking at Arteta. He might want to live in the capital city of London. Liverpool aren’t as glamorous an option as they may have been 12 months ago.”

Barcola helped PSG win the Champions League for the second consecutive season and put in excellent displays throughout. He appeared 49 times across competitions for Luis Enrique’s Parisians, registering 13 goals and seven assists.

That said, the 23-year-old isn’t an undisputed starter given the star-studded attacking options at the French capital club. Should the Ligue 1 champions swoop for Diomande, it will likely be Barcola who makes way.

The issue Arsenal and Liverpool both face is that PSG are reportedly demanding £116m. He has two years left on his contract but the Parisians want a huge fee for their French winger.

Liverpool can still win Barcola race

via Reuters

Liverpool fans will undoubtedly feel that the club still has enough pull to entice the likes of Barcola to head to Anfield. While Diomande preferred a move to PSG, it came down to the chance to play under Enrique, whom he feels gives him a better chance of winning the dream Ballon d’Or.

There’s no certainty that Arsenal will move for the attacker, as they are also exploring other options, including Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz. The North Londoners are reportedly open to selling Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, paving the way for a new winger to arrive.

Iraola and his transfer chiefs need to quickly find out Barcola’s stance on a move before getting dragged into another lengthy transfer saga. He’d be a perfect addition to the squad and help deal with Salah’s exit.

Newcastle United have learned how much it will cost to sign Burnley midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu, according to Chronicle Live.

The Magpies are in the market for new midfielders ahead of Sandro Tonali’s impending move to Tottenham Hotspur. A whooping £100m deal will take the Italian from Tyneside to North London.

Switzerland’s World Cup standout, Johan Manzambi, is among the names on Eddie Howe’s shortlist of potential Tonali replacements. They also appear to admire Burnley’s Ugochukwu, who is expected to depart following the Clarets’ relegation.

Newcastle want Burnley’s Ugochukwu

The report claims that Newcastle are linked with Ugochukwu, but Turkish giants Galatasaray have made a proposal for the former Chelsea man. He could be on the move for £24 million, which is a decent fee for a player with Premier League experience.

Ugochukwu joined Burnley from Chelsea last August in a £25m deal, making him the club’s record signing. He appeared 38 times for the Clarets, registering three goals and two assists.

There were huge expectations of the 22-year-old when he arrived in England back in August 2023. As is the case with most youth signings who head to Stamford Bridge, he had few first-team opportunities to showcase his abilities.

Ugochukwu, dubbed “fantastic”, got that chance at Turf Moor, and he was one of only a few players who impressed for the Lancashire outfit. He’ll undoubtedly not want to be playing EFL Championship football at this stage of his career.

Howe needs Ugochukwu and Manzambi

There is a real opportunity for Newcastle to sign a young holding midfielder with plenty of promise. While he failed to win over Chelsea and endured a disappointing loan spell at Southampton, he earned plenty of praise at Burnley.

The Magpies are no longer in the market for marquee signings and are instead targeting young players who can develop into top talent. The French midfielder may view a move to St James’ Park as a perfect place for him to grow and live up to his potential.

What the Tyneside outfit mustn’t do is view Ugochukwu as a direct replacement for Tonali. Ideally, Howe looks at signing both the Frenchman and Manzambi to add two new options in a much-needed midfield refresh.

The same report claims that the club are also eyeing AS Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara. It’s a good sign that the Magpies are weighing up several options rather than making a knee-jerk signing.