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You know 2020? That utterly absurd year in human history that we’d rather had never happened? Yeah, it’s just got even more bizarre.

Over in Wales, there is a football club called Wrexham that play in the National League. Formed in 1864, they are the third oldest club in the professional game.

SGM | Name of potential investors revealed following vote.

More here ? https://t.co/Hi26BlfoKl

?⚪️ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/Ec5zdu4oeQ

— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) September 23, 2020

While they’re a familiar name to many, they’re perhaps not as familiar as Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds and co-creator of hit comedy TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Any idea where this is going? Nope, didn’t think so.

As confirmed by Wrexham on their official website, the duo are in the running for a takeover of the club after a vote was held over whether they should accept new investment. You can’t write this stuff.

A statement read: “The Wrexham Supporters Trust Board would like to thank all members who took part in the Special General Meeting yesterday (Tuesday September 22) and took the time to vote.

“As confirmed this morning, 97.5% of voters (1,223 members) voted in favour of the Resolution. As a result, talks with the proposed bidders will now continue and we are in a position to confirm the two people interested in investing in Wrexham AFC.

The gang (and Deadpool) attempt to buy Wrexham! @VancityReynolds @RMcElhenney
⚽ https://t.co/gyWM0jTy7J pic.twitter.com/Fb6OZVMHx7

— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) September 23, 2020

“Rob McElhenney is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter, best known as the creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Ryan Reynolds is an award-winning Canadian actor, writer, producer and business entrepreneur whose credits include Marvel’s Deadpool.

“In due course, Mr. McElhenney and Mr. Reynolds will put forward their vision for Wrexham AFC and proposal for members to vote on at a second Special General Meeting.”

Now the vote has been complete and the investors named, we can proceed with scratching our heads and pinching ourselves to conduct a true and fair assessment over whether the above is actually true. Spoiler: it is.

For more from Ross Kennerley, follow him on Twitter!

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As another gameweek comes to a close, it’s time to prepare your squad for gameweek three.

As the next round of games rapidly approach us, you are probably wondering who to select in your lineup, as well as who to steer clear of, right? Well, look now further.

Here are 90min‘s tips on who to select and who to avoid.

Who’s Hot

Alisson: Despite collecting just the one fantasy point in gameweek one due to three goals conceded against Leeds United, Alisson stepped up his game to keep a clean sheet and bloody save a penalty too. If you want to spend big on a goalkeeper, there’s no better than Liverpool’s number one.

Emiliano Martinez: The dream debut for a goalkeeper? A victory, a clean sheet and a penalty save – it just doesn’t get much better than that. Fantasy players may have been reluctant to pick Martinez while he was Bernd Leno’s back-up at Arsenal, but his new first choice status at Aston Villa should see his popularity among players start to rise. With Fulham next for Villa, another clean sheet could be on the cards.

Who’s Not

David De Gea: The Manchester United goalkeeper conceded three goals as Crystal Palace ran riot at Old Trafford, earning fantasy players who selected De Gea one measly point. With a trip to Brighton up next in the Premier League, will United keep a clean sheet? Just 4.4% think so…

Who’s Hot

Ezri Konsa: A clean sheet and a goal undoubtedly put a smile on the faces of the 1.3% of players who had selected Konsa in their fantasy teams. Aston Villa go to Fulham next, with Dean Smith’s side looking for back-to-back clean sheets.

Timothy Castagne: After a goal on his debut in gameweek one, Castagne bagged two assists for his Leicester City teammates in the Foxes’ 4-2 win over Burnley. Leicester will have to make their chances count if they are to take anything from Manchester City in gameweek three.

Who’s Not

Jack Stephens: With five goals conceded to a ruthless Tottenham side, as well as picking up a yellow card in the process, the defender ended up on minus points after the 5-2 defeat. Avoid at all costs.

Who’s Hot

Heung-min Son: Heung-min Son left St. Mary’s with the match ball in his arms after bagging four goals, and players who selected the South Korean would have been delighted with the 24 points he racked up. Spurs host Newcastle next, and you wouldn’t bet against Son working his magic once more.

Kevin De Bruyne: Last season’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year started the new campaign as you would him expect him to with a tidy goal and an assist in Manchester City’s 3-1 win at Wolves. City host Leicester next, with De Bruyne, as always, set to influence City’s attack.

Who’s Not

Kai Havertz: With no assists in his opening two games in English football, Havertz is yet to stamp his mark on the Premier League. Although this may come with time, at £8.4m on Fantasy Premier League, it’s not a risk that is worth taking just yet.

Who’s Hot

Dominic Calvert-Lewin: A hat-trick for the Everton striker saw fantasy players earn 17 points if they had selected the Englishman. 24.4% of players now have Calvert-Lewin leading the line in their teams, and they’ll be confident that he’ll continue to bang in the goals this coming weekend against Palace.

Harry Kane: Selected by players for his ability to, you know, score goals, Kane was a top performer in gameweek two for his assists. Kane assisted all four of Son’s goals and even scored himself to rack up a whopping 21 points.

Who’s Not

Anthony Martial: No goals for the Frenchman in Manchester United’s opening day defeat to Crystal Palace. At £9m and with just under 15% of players selecting him, perhaps hold fire on the Frenchman until he starts to find his form.

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Looking back, it’s all a bit mad to think just how close Milan were to replacing Stefano Pioli with Ralf Rangnick at the end of last season.

Perhaps Pioli can count himself a little fortunate, but the truth is, he was the man that spearheaded the side’s turnaround in form following his planned ‘short-term’ appointment in October 2019. The 2019/20 season looked set to be yet another forgettable, but a resurgence in form following the turn of the new year saw Milan finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League ahead of Napoli – seemingly out of nowhere.

The recovery saw the plug pulled on any pre-contract deal with Rangnick and subsequently saw Pioli rewarded with a two-year deal. It’s precisely this reward and willingness to stick by a manager – complimented by a strong transfer window – that has put the the club in the most promising position it’s been in for years. Although that isn’t that difficult at this point…

Nabbing Sandro Tonali from relegated Brescia is one of the signings of the summer. While reports suggested all summer that the battle to sign the 20-year-old was between Inter and Juventus, it was Milan who managed to swoop in and complete a deal. Not only is it a shrewd acquisition on the pitch, but it does wonders for Milan’s pulling power in the future as they are seemingly, once again, slowly becoming a destination for some of Europe’s brightest talents.

It’s a monumental beacon of hope for the club and its fans, but their business around his signing is what makes it better. As well as Tonali, Milan have loaned in young Brahim Diaz from Real Madrid, who has it all to prove after losing his way since signing for Los Blancos. They also made the loan deals of both Ante Rebic and Alexis Saelemaekers permanent, while securing Zlatan Ibrahimovic for another season.

This blend of new faces and requiring successful loanees gives the squad balance and stability. Consider that Milan also have the likes of Franck Kessie, Ismael Bennacer, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Theo Hernandez on the books too, they now have a quietly strong squad for the present and the future.

With all these names comes a sudden pressure to perform, however.

The standard has been jaw-droppingly low on the red side of Milan over the last decade, finishing as low as 10th in 2014/15. Watching the giants of Italian football fall was like watching ECW’s drop in the early 2000s; once the hottest commodity in their industry and undeniably entertaining, recent iterations have been nothing short of embarrassing.

The Milan board putting their faith in Pioli puts weight on his shoulders to deliver, but with time and patience, the rewards will come.

The Rossoneri kicked off the 2020/21 Serie A season at home to Bologna and eased their way to a convincing 2-0 victory. By no means is the result one that sets the world on fire, but it’s a positive start with signs that suggest things are moving in the right direction. Their first true test comes in the form of the Milan derby next month; until then, it’s up to Pioli’s side to pick up as many points as they can against favourable opposition.

Look, we’re not saying that this season is the year that Milan rise from the ashes like a peak Undertaker and storm to a Scudetto, but there certainly is the potential for genuine progress.

Milan finally have the tools to make strides forward and prove that there’s a sleeping giant ready to be awoken. The squad looks refreshed, the manager has been backed and there’s a newfound positivity around the club. A consistent campaign is a must, and might just see them sneak into the top four for the first time since the 2012/13 season.

Let’

Wolves have seemingly decided to become the Portuguese national team. Just look at their third kit for this season, they have adopted effectively the same colour scheme as the national side.

It isn’t quite that there are resemblances of the Portugal kit, but rather that the only minute difference is the badge, which…well, has to be there.

The sudden sale of Diogo Jota to Liverpool recently saw the number of Portuguese players at Nuno Espirito Santo’s disposal decrease, but Wanderers fans had no reason to be fearful because they have only gone and bought themselves yep, another Portuguese player in Nelson Semedo.

? @_nelsonsemedo_ pic.twitter.com/ipFrfcDSm7

— Wolves (@Wolves) September 23, 2020

As well as bringing in Semedo, Wolves have also done a pretty good job of raiding Porto this summer, signing teenager Fabio Silva and Vitor Ferreira from the Portuguese giants. Quite frankly, at this stage, it comes as quite a shock if Wolves are linked with a player who isn’t Portuguese.

Wolves now have as many or more Portuguese players in their first team squad than ten (yes, ten) of the 18 teams currently in Liga NOS. That’s quite some achievement.

With the number of Portuguese players at the club continuing to increase seemingly by the second, we rank them based on their ability and impact/potential impact on this Wolves side…

Who?!

Well, I’m glad you asked. Miranda made the switch to Molineux back in the summer of 2017, but he was quickly offloaded on loan when the club gained promotion to the Premier League. Not really the best sign, is it?

The 29-year-old spent the 2018/19 season at Olympiacos before then joining Famalicao for the 2019/20 season. While he may now be back with Wolves, it very much appears as though his future lies well away from Molineux.

After all, he last made an appearance for the club back in May 2018.

In all honesty, Vitor Ferreira – or Vitinha – doesn’t deserve to be this far down the list – but such is the level of Portuguese talent at Wolves that, well, he just has to be.

The 20-year-old – who recently joined on loan from Porto with the option to buy – has drawn comparisons with fellow countrymen Joao Moutinho as well as Bruno Fernandes due to his vision on the ball. Vitinha enjoys finding pockets of space and spreading the play with excellent cross-field passes – which will suit Wolves’ style of play.

Well, this all sounds fantastic, doesn’t it?

The signing of Vitinha is a very shrewd one, especially considering the fact they can make the move permanent for just £18m.

However, he takes up this position on this list because regular first team opportunities are going to be hard to come by for him initially, while he will also require time to adjust to the Premier League.

£35m? For an unproven teenager? Some would call it risky, while others have labelled it somewhat ridiculous.

But what isn’t up for debate is Fabio Silva’s quality and potential.

There was an obvious need for Nuno to strengthen up front this summer in order to take some of the pressure off Raul Jimenez and Silva could be a very smart long-term addition – even if they did overpay…by a lot.

Tall, powerful and a real eye for goal, Silva can play as a sole striker or alongside another forward as well. But like Vitinha, he will have to be patient and wait for his opportunities.

The curious case of Ruben Vinagre.

The 21-year-old largely played second fiddle to Jonny last season, but it appeared as though he would now be given his chance to shine on a more regular basis due to the injury suffered by the Spaniard.

With Nuno keen to strengthen at the back this summer, the club decided to bring in Marçal from Lyon – the defender’s ability to play as part of a back three being a particularly appealing attribute.

Yet, he has ended up occupying the left wing-back slot for the first two Premier League games of the 2019/20 season, with Vinagre on the bench. As a result, talk of a move away for the Portuguese has increased.

Pedro Neto is quietly becoming a very important squad player at Wolves.

Sure, he may not be scoring week-in, week-out or providing assist after assist at this moment in time, but his energy and direct running makes him a nightmare to defend against.

The 20-year-old has benefited from the departure of Jota this summer and is beginning to show more finesse and composure in front of goal as well.

Neto may not be the ‘star’ name at the club, but he is continuing to quietly develop into a very promising player.

Wolves’ signings this summer could turn out to be excellent additions…but this shouldn’t take away from the fact that they have paid over the odds for some players…Nelson Semedo being one of them.

The Portugal international completed his move on Wednesday, with the Wanderers paying an initial €30m for his services – although this could rise to as much as €40m.

That’s a lot of money.

But putting his price tag to one side, Semedo could actually thrive in Nuno’s setup. Often caught out defensively, Semedo will be unleashed as a wing-back, with the license to use his pace to get forward and support the attackers.

Sure, people will allude to the hefty amount Wolves forked out for his services – but in terms of quality and what he could add, Semedo is exactly the type of player Nuno required.

‘He’s too small’.

“He won’t cut it in the Prem’.

‘It’ll be too physical for him’.
You get the gist. It’s taken Podence some time to settle at Wolves, but he began to show real glimpses of what he can do towards the end of the 2019/20 campaign.

Having been eased into life at the club, Podence has stepped up at the start of the current campaign, registering two assists in two league games. Quick, agile, excellent awareness and a real end product, Podence could be just the man to replace the departed Jota.

Adama Traore and Podence in the same team? Try and stop them if you can.

An unsung hero in this Wolves team.

Sure, the limelight might not always be on him and he may not dominate the headlines, but he continues to consistently deliver top display after top display. Not only that, Patricio has proven to be a leader both on and off the pitch.

The signing of Patricio for free back in 2018 was a simply outstanding piece of business by the club.

How is Joao Moutinho 34 years of age? How?

While he acts as the metronome in the centre of the park, effortlessly keeping his side ticking over with cross-field passes, his work rate often goes largely unnoticed. Constantly pressing and closing down as well as showing his quality on the ball, Moutinho is a manager’s dream.

He made 57 appearances last season, with 51 coming from the start. Moutinho’s ability to never let his performance levels drop even in the latter stages of the season only further highlights his dedication and application.

Moutinho is criminally under-appreciated.

Ruben Neves is just phenomenal to watch, isn’t he?

And no, it isn’t just because of his 30-yard screamers – although those do help.

It is the versatility he has in his game that makes him so special. As well as being more than capable of playing a long ball directly into a teammate’s feet, he also has no problem slowing the game down before spotting an eye-of-the-needle pass and playing it without hesitation.

This, mixed with his tenacity and hunger to retrieve the ball when out of possession as well as his eye for goal, makes him the complete central midfielder.

The best part? He’s still only 23.

For more from Adam Aladay, follow him on Twitter!

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The centre-back. Without doubt, the hardest, toughest man on the pitch. The central defender may not get the plaudits and headlines that the flashy, superstar striker receives every week, but that’s okay – he wouldn’t want them, anyway.

This guy turns up to work, does his job and goes home. No thrills. No fancy accessories. Just plain black boots, earring-less plug-holes and un-dyed hair. A man’s man. Richard Keys’ fantasy. When we think of mental centre-backs, every Briton is immediately teleported back to Terry Butcher’s blood-stained, mad-eyed stare against Sweden in 1989.

This was Terry Butcher at the end of Sweden – England (1989): pic.twitter.com/b6WNx0KweO

— Football Pics (@SoMuchFootball) November 5, 2013

Unfortunately, Butcher never featured in the newly-formatted Premier League, whose inception arrived at the beginning of the 1992/93 campaign. But we have been treated to some of the finest defenders in football history over the past three decades, and plenty of them have washed up on Great Britain’s glorious shores.

And this got us thinking: Who are the best 25 centre-backs – ranked – to have ever graced the Premier League? After banging our heads together for several weeks, dozens of in-office scraps and exactly seven broken friendships, we have come to our conclusions.

Without further ado, let’s dive two-footed into this elite list of defensive supermen.

No striker has ever relished a battle with Robert Huth.

Possibly the scariest man on this list, Huth won the league title twice with Chelsea, spent nine years battling relegation with Middlesbrough and Stoke City, before completing the unlikeliest of reunions with the Premier League trophy at Leicester City. A history-maker and an all-time great. The Huth? You can’t handle the Huth!

On his way to becoming a Premier League legend. Toby Alderweireld began his English journey with Southampton in 2014, and after one year, it was evident he was too good for mid-table obscurity. Five years later, and he has proven everyone right, becoming a regular in Tottenham Hotspur’s (previously) reliable defence.

Happy 43rd Birthday to Chelsea legend William Gallas. ?

What I would do to have a defender like him again! #CFC

— CFC-Blues (@CFCBlues_com) August 17, 2020

Best remembered for throwing a hissy fit and sitting down on the pitch after his teammate conceded a last-minute penalty, William Gallas was actually a celebrated defender during his time at Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs. An excellent London tourist.

Steady, unspectacular, but Mr. Reliable. Southgate’s career enjoyed a wonderful rise, arriving in the top flight with Crystal Palace, leading Aston Villa to League Cup success and an FA Cup final, before eventually ending his career in a Europa League final against Sevilla. Currently bringing football home – slowly.

The Batman to Alderweireld’s Robin, Jan Vertonghen has spent the last eight years wowing White Hart Lane with his superman heroics (and celebration). A figure of authority and leadership at the back, the Belgian will be sorely missed.

Gary Cahill was truly Chelsea’s unsung hero. pic.twitter.com/i7WrcURykO

— JR (@JRcentre) August 26, 2020

If his name was Garyo Cahillinho, he’d have been one of the most hailed centre-backs in football history! Well, maybe not. But Cahill epitomised what it meant to be a full-blooded, heart on sleeve defender. A warrior for Chelsea over seven years, and still going strong at 34 years of age.

Kolo, Kolo Kolo, Kolo Kolo, Kolo Kolo Toure! Yep, before the song, there was a man. An invincible man. A man who took no prisoners, in training or on the pitch, and led Arsenal to some of the greatest triumphs in their illustrious history. He has a brother too, apparently. If only there was a song to remember his name…

A Finnish legend (see caption for joke). Sami Hyypia was a regular at the heart of Liverpool’s defence for almost a decade, and all at the price of £2.6m. Part of the famous cup treble winning side. A Red through and through.

Premier League winner with Blackburn Rovers. Treble winner with Rangers. Tough as old boots. Played for 20 years. A proper warrior. A shoe-in for our list. Nice one, Colin.

Solid defender, once physically and emotionally assaulted Ruud van Nistelrooy in one of the worst acts of poor sportsmanship that football has ever seen. Solid defender, though.

The finest centre-back we hardly ever saw. Injury ruined the vertical trajectory of the Tottenham Hotspur legend’s career, and yet, Ledley King is still considered one of the greats. What might have been, but what still was.

Spent seven excellent years at Man Utd, then going onto Aston Villa to defy his physical capacities and recurring injuries to cement his place in Premier League folklore. FA Cup and double League Cup winner. Bosh.

One of the best centre-backs never to have won a Premier League title? Probably. Consistency and reliability were the name of the game for Jamie Carragher, and he rarely let the side down.

An OG Chelsea legend. Not one of these new money heroes. Nicknamed The Rock, Marcel Desailly could turn his hand to anything on the pitch. Could probably be a top box office actor if he fancied, too.

Voted in the Premier League Team of the Year four times. Just as many Premier League titles too. You can’t argue with the people, and he is the people’s champion.

Half of one of the best central partnerships in Premier League history, Ricardo Carvalho had the hair and sharp looks of a sexy, mysterious foreigner, but the spirit and fight of a 90’s British defender.

The critics sharpened their knives when Liverpool splashed £75m on Virgil van Dijk in January 2018, but he has gone on to become a club legend. One league and one Champions League title later, the doubters have been forced to withdraw their unbloodied weapons.

One of Sir Alex Ferguson’s only major regrets was allowing Jaap Stam to leave Man Utd too soon – that says it all really. Hard as nails and a striker’s nightmare. No one fancied coming up against Stam.

The greatest player in English football history – never to have played for England. A no-nonsense, passionate and commanding defender, Steve Bruce threw his body on the line countless times to claim all three points – and it shows. In all seriousness, a quality, quality defender – and a top bloke.

Started at the bottom now we’re here. Vincent Kompany is Man City. The Belgian defender joined the Citizens at the beginning of their ascent, and carried them all the way to the summit. Rock solid in defence, a leader off the field and scorer of the odd vital goal in title winning seasons. Couldn’t ask for more.

The heir to Stam’s throne. Nemanja Vidic produced eight of the most consistent and terrifying years of football at the heart of Man Utd’s defence, winning it all with the Red Devils. How the Theatre of Dreams misses a presence like this man in their side.

Sol Campbell made the unforgivable move across north London, but in the long run, it was the right decision. He became an icon of the game for Arsenal and England, as a graceful, bullish and speedy centre-back.

If Tony Adams could rip his beating heart out of his chest to show you how much Arsenal, England and football meant to him, then he’d probably give it a go. An uncompromising, full-blooded, committed, talented defender. Had his iconic moment with the title-winning goal against Everton in 1998. Deserved.

One of the best ball-playing defenders in football history, Rio Ferdinand was always destined for the top. Six league titles in 12 years, the better half of some of the greatest partnerships the game has seen, and a wonderful, classy operator. The game is still missing a Rio.

Say what you want about the guy off the field, but on it, he was the very best the Premier League has ever witnessed. A leader, an inspiration, reliable, evergreen: a legend. The heartbeat of Chelsea for 20 years, we might never see another defender quite like John Terry.

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