Is Liverpool entering a new era in terms of full-backs? | Ronaldo's 'unprecedented' new contract
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Welcome to Back Pages, bringing you everything you need to know about the biggest sports stories making the headlines in the morning's newspapers. I'm David Garrida. Joining me are the Guardian sports writer Jonathan Liu and the Independence Chief Football writer Miguel Delaney. Welcome along to your boat.

OK, welcome along once again, Jonathan and Miguel. Right, let's start off then with Manchester City. So resounding winners against Juventus by five goals to two. Haaland getting a goal, Foden, Sevilla with an absolute stunner. What did you make of the performance and how they're sort of progressing and getting into this tournament, Jonathan? Yeah, very impressive win. I think, you know, it's hard to tell too much at this kind of stage,

of the summer against the Juventus team, which I think looked distinctly underpowered, to be honest. But you can tell from some of the new players, particularly who came in, who have come in, Ait Nouri looked pretty good. I think Reinders came on, looked very comfortable. I mean, I kind of have a theory about this, that one of the reasons that

new players come into City and very often look quite comfortable quite early on is the fact that so many other teams are essentially trying to play a City template style of football. So when new players come into that City side, they're already kind of familiar with what they're trying to do. It wasn't totally without clout on the horizon. I think Edison made quite a big mistake in

early in the game, a few question marks over that defence again, Akanji, particularly in the second half. So, you know, it wasn't a perfect performance, but I think that the way that they're gelling, the way that those attacking combinations are sort of being drilled, that will give Guardiola quite a lot of confidence. We ought to mention Rodri. Miguel, how comfortable did he look? 66 minutes? You know, a big day for him to return and start for the first time in quite some time.

Yeah, I think even that is psychologically important, maybe as much as physically important, just to get that going, to essentially get him back accustomed to full fitness, to feel the rhythm of the game again, and just to... I suppose just to...

in terms of leadership role in what is a new team because I think that's one of the most striking elements with this city at the moment. It does have, I said on the show two weeks ago, it does have a slight feel of the summer of 2017 again just in the sense that they've obviously made a lot of signings. A few of them will obviously be trying, will be discovering how Guardiola works

how the system works. So it makes Rodri's role in that all the more important, given he is essentially the senior voice in the squad now, especially now that De Bruyne has gone. And yeah, for him just to kind of, I suppose, feel grass again and feel comfortable again is absolutely crucial. Just wondering in terms of this tournament as a whole, we mentioned before Manchester City are the only team that have won

three out of three in the group. And in terms of their last 16 opponents, well, what we do know is it could be Real Madrid, it could be...

RB Salzburg, sorry, RB Leipzig. It could be a big focus, a big game in that last 16. There are some real interesting ties there. You've got Benfica-Chelsea, you've got PSG into Miami, which obviously will draw attention to Messi, to Dembélé, etc.,

What do you make of how this tournament is sort of at this stage, given the naysayers, given the context and the noise around it earlier on, Jonathan? Yeah, I mean, it's an interesting question. I mean, I'm not going to...

sit here and pretend that I've watched every single minute of every single game or even every single minute of one game or even, you know, more than a few minutes of indeed any game. I think, I think Dortmund might've been on in the pub last night. I think it's one of those slow burn tournaments that I think once you get the big guns, you know, facing up against each other towards the end,

That will, I think, feel a little bit more meaningful. You will start to get a slightly more focused attention on the latter stage of the tournament. I think the first couple of weeks have been just so mired in discourse and controversy, I guess, and the political element of it, the football politics element of it, the heat element.

clubs at various stage of their preparation, some in post-season, some mid-season, some pre-season. And I think, you know, it's been hard to get a handle on what any of it means, whether is it good that Bayern Munich are beating Auckland 10-0? Is it good that four Brazilian teams are in the knockout stages? Is it good that the stadiums are half empty or is it good that, you know, that they're actually people, you know, turning up for these games, even if they're not filling the stadiums? These are all the sort of questions that

that I think remain unanswered. I think having a little bit of clarity, a little bit of focus towards the end of the tournament, I think we'll get a few answers. Can I ask you, Miguel, about the heat? I mean, it has really drawn the attention in the last couple of days, these record-breaking temperatures over at the Club World Cup. This...

This from an expert basically calling on FIFA to update their 20-year-old heat guidelines that have not been updated since then. They said, the reality is FIFA's protocols are increasingly inadequate in the face of climate change-driven extreme heat. And in order to maintain the spectacle, most importantly, the safety of players, officials, spectators, significant changes may be required to where, when and how soccer matches are played in the future. What do you opine on that?

I mean, that's absolutely spot on. From what I gather from sitting here at the moment in London, the weather and the conditions have been one of the elements in this tournament that the squads themselves have talked about and taken on the most. I mean, whatever about all the discussion about whether the tournament can work, its success, Gianni Infantino's grander plans, what seems to most be driving discussion within it is actually...

these are really difficult conditions to play in and it's something that the players themselves would want to rethink about I know that the two major player representative bodies PFA and FIFPro the international one you know obviously a lot of talk has got back to them and I think there could be some movement on that next week but I mean it does feel absolutely absurd I mean

A lot of games are being played at midday at 12pm. As you can tell from the Irish accent, I have particular memories of this because

USA in 94, remember Ireland played Mexico in what was then the Citrus Bowl in Florida. And I mean, we had all these kind of enduring images of a lot of the Irish players, particularly Steve Staunton, Tommy Coyne, looking like really, like they were really struggling with the heat. And it's incredible, 31 years on, that they're still doing this when it's completely needless, really. Even for some games, they're on at kind of 5pm European time. And

And for a European audience, that is Jonathan's, I suppose, alluded to there, of all the global audience, it feels like the European audience is the least interested right now in this tournament. And it does just feel like it's putting players through unnecessary difficulties at a point when obviously the calendar as a whole is such a live discussion and has been one of the main controversies of this competition, given the

a lot of other quote-unquote football stakeholders criticise FIFA for unilaterally imposing this on them. And just one other point in the weather as well, I mean, because it has led to something else which could actually lead to sporting integrity issues, which is that a few games have been...

because of severe storms. Now, that is obviously right, but it's interesting that might happen in games where matches obviously have to be played simultaneously because they're the final group games. So next summer, if that happens again, will FIFA be under pressure, say?

If one game is paused because of a storm, a game being played in fine conditions will actually have to be paused as well to maintain sporting integrity. I think that's one other issue that this tournament has thrown up. Yeah, but this is it. It compounds and compounds and compounds, doesn't it? Yeah, well, Manchester City will play whoever's second in Group H, whether it be Real Madrid, RB Salzburg or potentially Al-Halal. They could get through if Salzburg lose and say they jump above or Madrid lose, they jump above Fabrizio Pachuga.

But they will play in the late game on Tuesday, the 1st of July. So that will be certainly, I think, a relief to Pep Guardiola. Let's move on to Milos Kirkes, who is joining Liverpool. I mean, no big surprise. We know they've been after him, Jonathan. But I wonder, you know, is this now the new era in terms of Liverpool's full-backs? So especially with Jeremy Frimpong on the other side, as opposed to, you know, the immense platform that's been set by Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Yeah, very much so. I think it is the end of an era in a way. Obviously, Andy Robertson staying for the time being, but I think a lot of Liverpool fans, certainly over the last season, have been, I guess, noticing that he hasn't been hitting his stellar level quite as often as he was at his peak. And obviously at his peak, you know, in tandem with Trent Alexander-Arnold.

on the other flank. Liverpool's fullbacks, you know, they were possibly the most feared fullback pairing in the game. Very contrasting styles, you know, obviously relentlessly attacking, but with, you know, Robertson's ability to get to the byline and swing in crosses and what Alexander-Arnold brought in terms of, you know, his playmaking ability, his ability to cross from deep, his ability to control the tempo of a game as well.

It really was one of the factors that most underpinned that great Jurgen Klopp side. And I think the fact that they're reinventing it now, Frimpong, you know, while again, relentlessly attacking as a fullback, potentially even a right winger is...

You know, a very different kind of player to Alexander-Arnold Kierkegaard. Again, different to Robertson stylistically. And I think, you know, there's a case for saying that, you know, Robertson potentially has another season or two in him. But I think the great sides, they almost try and make these transitions slightly before you have to make them. And I think that that's what Liverpool are trying to do here with Frimpong and Kierkegaard.

When you look at the money that's been spent by Liverpool early in this summer window, Miguel, more than £200m already, does that make them strong favourites for the Premier League next season? Well, the champions are a team that now you can almost say was slightly past its best.

and sort of reading from a position of strength. They have spent a lot, but obviously that comes from barely spending anything last summer. So I think we, I mean, we said on the show before they went into this window with a lot of PS or headroom as the phrase is now, and it has allowed them to maybe undertake the overhaul that they're

from what I gather, actually, Slott wanted last season but was willing to wait. And it means, actually, they can make that overhaul again, and not just from the strength of being champions, but also from, like, without kind of... With the manager actually there a year and with his own authority strengthened even further. So, yeah, I mean, it's... They've really gone into this summer...

making statements, I suppose looking to put the foot down as well. And I think we can probably expect some more business as well. If Cristiano Ronaldo was on this show, in the course of the show, he would have earned...

£10,166, according to his new contract with Al Nasser. And Backpage of the Sun calls it a Ronaldo exclusive. See what they've done there. Miguel, I mean, these numbers are, I mean, to say staggering is putting it so mildly. What do you make of it?

I mean, yeah, I mean, another huge number in there is his age. I mean, this must be, whatever about the figure for a footballer, it must be unprecedented in sport for an actual ongoing athlete as opposed to a coach or a manager to get anything like this sort of contract this far into his career. I have to say, one of my immediate thoughts, given that Ronaldo is obviously the marquee name for the Saudi Pro League, the Saudi World Cup is eight years away, or sorry, nine years away.

I'm going to see some sort of push to keep him around. Then if he's just kind of standing relatively stationary or powering in a header. I mean, you can't rule it out given the will is still there. And, you know, evidently the potential contracts are still there. You can see it. It's bizarre, like some sort of weird fever dream. You can absolutely see it. But...

Jonathan, I mean, is this about the pursuit of the 1,000 goals? Is that one of the main motivations? It's easy to score goals in this league. He's proven that already, even in his advancing years. Yeah, but I mean, it doesn't matter who he scores them against, right? You could probably put him in the back garden and have him play a kid's team. It's all about bulking up the numbers. You know, he plays 1,000 so-called 1,000 goals or 1,200 goals. I mean, any cursory research will tell you that most of them were scored against.

pretty substandard opposition, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how many goals he scores in the Saudi pro league. It doesn't matter how many trophies he wins for his... Al Nasser, is it? And the fact that

Like there is no business, like there is no sporting business case for a contract like this. I think the prize money in the Saudi pro league is like, it's a few million to the winner, maybe a few million more to the Kings cup, you know, Asian champions league. You're not going to, you're not going to make this money. You're not going to make this outlay back on the field. So what are they getting for this half a bit, half a billion? You're getting his, his,

essentially. You're paying for the idea of Ronaldo. It's the ultimate luxury purchase. You're paying for his clout, his social media numbers, the ability to sway the conversation, the ability to get a 40-year-old washed-up striker on the back page of a leading daily newspaper for doing very little. That's what they're paying for. And I think it's

It's a deal that just doesn't really make any sense on a sporting level until you consider the fact that Saudi aren't really making this sort of investment for sporting reasons. Yeah, the idea of Ronaldo. That's a thesis paper in itself, isn't it? What about this 15% stake in Al Nasser? What do you make of that, Miguel? I mean, is there anything there that sort of makes you think there could be

something semi-strategic, Ronaldo investing in this country, the sport, what's going on, that longer-term play, 2034, etc.? It does feel a natural evolution. And also, actually, let's not forget, mirrors a little bit of his great rival Messi's deal in MLS. I mean, we're already in an era in football where

A certain strand of elite player makes so much money that they're actually involved in the purchase of clubs that are in the same pyramid as their own clubs. I mean, you can even see it in, say, Modric at Swansea. You know, there's been talk of some modern players getting involved in purchases for lower French clubs. So that is something that's happening already. And it does feel like a natural evolution from that is obviously for the greatest stars to give them a stake in the game. And through that, of course, it would only deepen Ronaldo's own investment and interest in

in the Saudi pro league that it wouldn't just be a case say when he eventually retires despite what I just said a few minutes ago about maybe playing until 2034 it is something he eventually has to think about but that then a stake like this just keeps him there as a face maybe almost becoming a little bit like what David Beckham has become in the sense like when Beckham is almost famous for being David Beckham and

you know, lends that wattage to anything he's involved in now. And that might be the same of Ronaldo's post-career, in which, given everything that Johnny has just said there about, you know, what Saudi are actually paying for, it actually makes all... Sorry, it's more logical from the Saudi Pro League point of view to actually, yeah, to go further and go, once the goals have finished, to, yeah, get him actually involved in the...

I suppose, the promotion, the running of the league. Yeah, more and more embedded, I guess. In the same paper in The Sun, Migs, I'll stay with you. Arsenal taking on North London rivals Tottenham in the race for £68m. Crystal Palace star Eberece Eze writes, Jake Sanders, any intel on this?

Arsenal really like him. I mean, that's not essentially news, I suppose, because a lot of clubs like Eze. It's the issue of whether you can get to the next point and actually buy him from Crystal Palace. And we know he has a release clause. There is maybe some... A little bit of an emotional pull with Palace, given that they will have this first European campaign, and there is at least a danger that they might lose a few of the stars out of that. Arsenal do have interest, though. At the moment, Arsenal are interested basically in...

I mean, I know there's been a lot of talk about wide forward and now an attacking midfielder. Ideally, Barca would get a player like Eze who can actually fit in on both, who can play in the centre and go out wide. But from what I understand, Arsenal probably need to make one or two more sales...

before they actually went big on a purchase like Eze. We all know, and we've spoken about on the show, that their priority is a striker. A budget is set aside for that. I still think it's going to be Sesco, although there's still a long way to go in that deal. And then I think it's after that that they'll maybe have a clear idea of exactly the sort of wide forward they can go for. We know they're interested in Rodrigo as well. The one thing I would say right now is that Rodrigo and Eze, unless there was some sort of massive sale

that probably the club wouldn't otherwise countenance. I don't think they're going to get both of them. Yeah, and also remember that Arsenal have renewed Marcelo Scali, five-year deal for a talented young full-back. So, yeah, good to see him. And it was a very, very nice way of presenting it as well with his friends and his family surprising him at the Emirates. Let's go to the back page of the mail. Jonathan, Joffre Archer, will he play at Edgbaston? What would you do if you were Brennan McCollum?

uh i would get him into the camp and you know put a sports bra on him check out his his uh physical statistics and see how he bowls in the nets see how he is around the group and make a call on it same as you do with any other player there's something about joffre archer that that just seems to i don't know he's like the third rail of english cricket people just seem to have incredibly polarizing opinions on him people get very angry and very protective of him you know he's um

I've been watching the West Indies Australia Test match on one of the other channels. You could basically roll up in Australia and knock over their top order with a folded newspaper at the moment. So the question, first of all, is whether they actually need Joffre Archer. But more seriously, the point being, we talk about the huge step up from Sussex in the county championship to test cricket. So then what is served by having him back?

play another game for Sussex. You know, if he can physically bowl, he is a bowler, let him bowl. You assess him like you would any other player. He's not some sort of precious ornament. He's not some treasured family heirloom. He is ultimately a fast bowler and you judge him on

whether he can physically do it and whether he's in form and where his mental state is. And if they judge that he's ready to play, then let him play. Yeah, yeah. I guess it's just that judgment call, isn't it? With these four remaining tests against India and then, of course, the Ashes away in Australia. OK, let's move on to Lions. Front page of the Telegraph sports section.

So, Henry Pollock handed the starting spot at eight. I wonder, Jonathan, I mean, you know, there's been a lot of talk around this young man. A real chance, isn't it, to stake a claim? Obviously, there are changes after the Argentina defeat. Obviously, there are changes because the first test is coming up. So, what's your sort of read on those kind of movements at the moment? Yeah, it was an interesting team selection, wasn't it? I mean, because...

Lions tours, obviously you've seen quite a firm division between what they call Saturday team and the midweek team. Here, I think because of the number of selection issues that are still almost kind of up in the air a little bit, we might not see that divide emerge immediately. So Pollock at number eight is another one. Obviously, Farrell wants to have a proper look at it. Number eight is one of those areas where the Lions have, they do look a little bit

a little bit, not thin in terms of depth, but still a little bit unsure as to which way they want to go. So Farrell wants to have a look at Pollock, maybe give him 50, 60 minutes to see how he goes. I mean, the other interesting call is that OJ obviously not, you know, not captaining the side in the first game as is traditional. But I think this is another one of those areas where you want to...

You also want to manage the workload of these players after such an incredibly long season with club and country and getting them ready for the first test. That's got to be the main priority. Just a brief thought for you on Lions as this tour starts to build now with this first match on Australia and Saw. Miguel, we've got roughly about 30 seconds if you can.

Yeah, for me, the main story, I suppose, actually touches on what Johnny said there with Otoje, which is obviously a huge chance for Sheehan. Quite a nice story, I suppose, given what happened to him last summer. And I suppose the selection illustrates the amount of faith that the coaching team has in him, Farrell has in him. So, yeah, I think it's a huge opportunity and adds, I think, yeah, a bit of an edge to a warm-up game.

We look forward to it. Thank you very much indeed, guys. We'll leave it there. Jonathan and Miguel, we'll see you very, very soon, I am sure.