"A BARGAIN!" Alex Crook BREAKS DOWN how Man Utd Agreed to SignYouri Tielemans!

Well, let's cross to New York finally today, shall we, and catch up with our Chief Football Correspondent, Alex Crook.Hi, Crooky.Oh, he's got the hat on.

Oh, of course he's got the hat.

Yeehaw.Just for you.I know.

Well, it could be Crooky's lucky hat.That could be the New England fanzine or podcast.I think maybe you're going to take us all the way to the final, win the final, thanks to your hat.

Well, I did wear it when I was in amongst the England fans for that last game, so yeah, perhaps it's going to have to stay on now.I am quite superstitious, so yeah, I'm going to have to keep it all the way until the final back here in New Jersey.

You'll have to wear it for four years.You'd look good with a red cross of St George on the front.That would cheapen it.That cost him $100.That wasn't a cheap hat.It doesn't want to look like something from a fairground.

No, don't mess with it.Just say it's the lucky hat.It's interesting to get your take on all the on all the fallout, the Bellingham, uh, twinkle stuff, crooky.

Do you know what?I don't mind either point of view, to be honest.I don't I don't join in with a Gabriel Clark pile on.I think he's one of the best around when it comes to those postmatch flash interviews, which can be quite tense situations.Bearing in mind, obviously, emotions are running high in the back of what was an incredible England victory.I think Thomas Tuchel calling out his players for underperforming was absolutely spot on because nobody watching that game can really make a case for the fact that England played well.

In fact, Norway were probably the better team and felt unlucky not to at least get the game to a penalty shootout.out.But Drew Bellingham, who obviously has been one of the star turns at this World Cup, if he's taken Humbridge with a manager, I think that would just probably spur him on for the next game.I think Thomas Tuchel's man management of Bellingham has been absolutely on point.When you go back to the squad where he was left out, we were all aghast at that.Then there was some debate over whether he would be the starting ten or it would be Morgan Rodgers.

Thomas Tuchel fuelled that really and said he wasn't guaranteed a starting place.And I think that's one of the reasons why Jude Bellingham has taken this World Cup by storm.

There was a slight medals on the table comment, wasn't it?Maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play against players like Erling.It was a little bit meow, wasn't it really?

Listen, I don't think they're best mates, but they don't need to be.If England are winning the World Cup next Sunday, I'm sure they'll have a little embrace after the game and then they'll go their separate ways at the end of the tournament.But we're not going to be complaining if star player and manager don't necessarily always see eye to eye.

So, a bit of transfer news.Uri Tielemans for Manchester United.Sounds like a really good bit of business.But Villa, I'm sure Gabby won't be happy about that.I mean, what's the story there?

Yeah, this one seems to have come from nowhere almost.There's been a lot of names attached to Manchester United in that midfield position.Uri Tillemans is one the club have managed to keep under wraps, seemingly right until it's almost a done deal.My colleague Ben Jacobs was reporting earlier, 35 million release clause in Tillemans' contract, so it looks a pretty straightforward one to do.And if you think about it, because Andre Santos has signed on the dotted line as well, we're just waiting for official confirmation there.They walked away, Manchester United, from paying 85 million for Mateus Fernandes.

million now combined for Santos and Tillerman's and I think with the Tillerman signing that looks a good piece of business because he's proven in the Can you go back to last summer?Yeah.Kunja and Bumo, two players who've been there, done it, got the t -shirt.It worked out well.I'm all in favor of Manchester United recruiting from within the league and 35 million for a player of the quality of Tillemans seems a bargain and he might not be the only departure from Aston Villa this summer because we're also hearing that Luka Dinja is wanted by PSG, has obviously been a regular starter for France over here at the World Cup and his release clause is under 10 million pounds.So difficult for Villa to replace players of that quality without a lot of money in the kitty.

I was about to say they're going to get get more money than they would have done.

Well, Newcastle always feared this hijack situation, which is why... they were never that optimistic of getting the deal done.They agreed a fee with Freiburg, where Manzambi plies his trade over in Germany.Personal terms were never fully agreed, and I think the longer it dragged on, they realised he was maybe holding out for a better offer, and that better offer has come now from Aston.But of the chance to play in the Champions League, I think he's a good player, Manzambi.He had a good season with Freiburg as well, and certainly had a decent World Cup.But it's the old cliche, isn't it?

Don't buy players off the back of a major tournament.I mean, I remember when Manchester United signed Karim Poborsky on the back of Euro 96 and he was brilliant for the Czechs in that tournament but didn't exactly pull up any trees at Old Trafford.

No, our one's Ili Dimitrescu.They're like holiday romances buying, buying when you know, when you know, you meet up with someone then a year later they come and visit you, you go and visit them.It's not quite the same magic when it's raining in Batley, is it, than it was when we were on the beach in Torremolinos.

No, very true.

Newcastle have to be a bit careful though, Crooky, don't they, because they're missing out on players.They've lost two key players already.Now it looks like Bruno wants to go to Arsenal, whether they'll let him go, whether they can stop him is a different matter.

I think at the moment what Arsenal would be prepared to pay is a lot lower than what Newcastle would want in terms of a fee, so this one is in a bit of a state of flux, but not an ideal situation.They've already lost Gordon, they've lost Tonali, there are other players there like Liveromento and Lewis Hawley.got interest as well.I think the frustration for Eddie Howe, if you go back to last summer, they lost out on Bruno, Brian and Bumo to Manchester United, Ekotike to Liverpool, big clubs in the Premier League.They lost out on one of their top targets earlier this summer to Brighton and I'm not saying that with any disdain or disrespect to Brighton, they're a club who I think have brilliantly run but I would be worried if I was a Newcastle fan that players would rather join Brighton than Newcastle.Let's hope the hat is coming home as well as football.

Indeed.Brilliant.Fantastic.There's Alex Crook there.I'm sure he'll be popping out and driving Andy and Benty a little bit later on.But that is us for today.

We reconvene tomorrow to continue the build -up.To uh, england argentina on wednesday, and of course france spain, which should be a cracker tomorrow night.Ignacio villarreal is the Vice president of river plate the top argentinian side.He's going to atlanta for the game Monumental their ground is where is that effectively argentina's wembley, isn't it?So that's a great connection.So be among our guests, uh tomorrow as we uh, we build up So I do hope you can join us from 10 coming up next it is jim and simon, uh with the lunchtime show