This week on Ted Lasso: Zava, a top player, is relocating to England. Trent Crimm, a journalist who is no longer associated with The Independent, but is still independent himself, is also making a move. Upon hearing of Zava's potential availability, all football clubs are vying for a chance to sign him. Initially, Rebecca and her team were not pursuing him, but when they learned that Rupert was interested in having him join West Ham, they decided to make a play for the "mercurial" player.
Meanwhile, Trent Crimm is joining Richmond to cover the team's journey, but he encounters resistance from the players after Roy instructs them not to speak in front of him. Although it was not a warm welcome, Roy has no choice but to share his office with him. The news of Trent's breakup with Keeley quickly spreads throughout the team, and they express their sympathy, as Jamie calls it, with a collective "Aww" face.
Trent Crimm's presence as a journalist at Richmond serves as a constant reminder of Roy's long-standing hurt, which is so significant that he still carries a newspaper clipping about it in his wallet. Additionally, Roy's return to Chelsea, a team where he was once beloved, now reminds him of the passing of time. These issues are already a lot to handle, and coaching Richmond as they make a return to the Premier League, despite widespread skepticism about their ability to compete, only adds to the stress.
Keeley, on the other hand, is attempting to maintain a positive and fun atmosphere at KJPR, but she is not receiving much support from her colleagues, particularly Barbara. As Keeley prepares for the company's first major commercial shoot, Barbara lectures her about being sensible and keeping costs low. Although this is not the first time they have had this conversation, Barbara's urgency implies that she really wants Keeley to listen. Keeley desires for the job to be enjoyable, for her coworkers to bond and form friendships, and even suggests having picnics in the conference room. However, Barbara shuts down the idea and even lies about it, indicating that she is not onboard. Despite the lack of enthusiasm from her colleagues, Keeley remains undaunted.
Keeley is occupied with various tasks, including Isaac's desire for a shoe deal, and Shandy Fine's unexpected appearance at the ad shoot. They reconnect and catch up, where Shandy reveals that most of Keeley's old friends have married footballers, and Keeley is admired for her success. Shandy suggests a production trick to avoid adding extras to the budget, which sparks an idea in Keeley's mind: to hire Shandy as a consultant for affiliate management and client relationships.
However, Barbara, in HR, is not pleased with the hire and expresses her dissatisfaction, citing Shandy's lack of experience, education, and qualifications. Nonetheless, Keeley believes that Shandy would be an excellent addition to the team and confronts Barbara about her rudeness. They have a conversation that slowly chips away at Barbara's skepticism, but she remains doubtful. Additionally, Keeley learns about Barbara's "massive" snow-globe collection, which leads to a discussion that somewhat eases the tension.
Trent Crimm's upcoming book is expected to be filled with drama, particularly concerning new hot-shot player Zava. However, if West Ham is interested in signing him, Rebecca is willing to go after him, despite his expensive price tag and diva reputation. The possibility of signing Zava excites Beard, who considers him a "living legend" for his football skills and viral video of him being a "veggie-dog vigilante." Unfortunately, Richmond won't get a chance to meet with him as he plans to sign with Chelsea instead. Nonetheless, it's a preferable outcome than Rupert obtaining him.
However, Rupert has different intentions. He arrives at the match with Chelsea to intercept Zava. Rebecca tells Keeley that when Rupert wants to be, he is "charming" and will attempt to steal Zava from Chelsea. He used his charm to win Rebecca over years ago, despite her initial lack of interest in him. But he was persistent, and he eventually broke down her barriers. (Romantic? Not quite.)
Rebecca knows a thing or two about persistence herself. After a contentious encounter with Rupert, Rebecca goes all-out to sign Zava. She tracks him down in the men's bathroom mid-stream and tells him that he would be a coward to sign with West Ham, as he already knows he'll win with them. If he wants to prove he's "truly great," he needs to sign with a club like AFC Richmond that will actually challenge him. She then leaves. Just as he's about to sign with Chelsea, Zava switches - not to West Ham (as Rupert thinks he's arranged), but to Richmond.
This episode is mostly focused on Roy, who is dealing with the emotional fallout of his breakup with Keeley. Isaac picks up on Roy's body language and tells Jamie about the situation, which leads to an awkward conversation between the two. Roy just wants everyone to keep quiet about it, but the news eventually spreads throughout the locker room and beyond, causing a scene. Beard screeches, Ted faints and the rest of the boys are heartbroken for Roy. Later, Roy reflects on his life in a conversation with Ted.
In his final season with Chelsea, Roy came to the realization that his abilities were declining and that they would only worsen with time. He departed mainly because he didn't want to be a fading athlete who was "just taking up space." However, now he wonders if he made the right choice and should have stayed to "enjoy himself." "But that's not who I am," he remarks, prompting Ted to reply, "Not yet."
After Roy departs, Trent observes, "Sport, it's quite the metaphor." Ted deflects the comment by cracking a joke and giving Trent a new nickname. Using sport as a metaphor isn't a new idea for Ted; he contemplates it frequently. The final shot before the credits implies that he is considering it once again, perhaps in the context of Roy's advice about knowing when to exit. Could Ted be headed home to Kansas in the final episode? Time will tell.
