Manchester City are reportedly ready to break the world-record transfer fee for a full-back to secure the services of Newcastle United star Tino Livramento. After a period of transition in the defensive wide areas, Pep Guardiola has identified the former Chelsea academy graduate as the essential piece of his tactical puzzle heading into the next campaign.

Legendary football manager Neil Warnock has dramatically come out of retirement once again at the age of 77. The veteran boss has answered an SOS call from seventh-tier side Torquay United after the dismissal of Paul Wotton. Warnock, who holds the record for the most promotions in English football, will take interim charge as the Gulls push for promotion.

Manchester United’s senior stars have reportedly delivered their verdict on the club's managerial future, with the majority of the squad throwing their weight behind Michael Carrick. The former Red Devils midfielder has enjoyed a sensational start to life in the Old Trafford dugout since taking over on an interim basis following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim. After a period of significant instability, the 44-year-old has seemingly unified a fractured dressing room, leading the side to five wins from his first six Premier League matches in charge.

Micky van de Ven has been accused of "shrinking" just when Tottenham Hotspur need him most, with warnings that his lack of leadership could scupper a dream move to a European heavyweight. The Dutchman, who has been linked with Real Madrid and Liverpool, has seen his performances come under intense scrutiny as Spurs continue their dismal slide down the Premier League table.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have been sent a “yo-yo” warning as Wrexham take aim at promotion into the Premier League, but are being backed to help make the funds available that would allow the Red Dragons to be competitive among the top-flight elite. Frank Sinclair has explained to GOAL why a £50 million ($67m) transfer may not be far away at SToK Racecourse.

Bruno Fernandes was instrumental yet again as the Red Devils secured a 2-1 comeback victory over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, a result that further cements Michael Carrick’s impressive start as interim manager. Despite a sluggish start for the team, Fernandes took control of proceedings to ensure United moved up to third in the table. His relentless output has seen him earn rave reviews from pundits, who believe he is the driving force behind United's recent resurgence in the post-Ruben Amorim era.

Robinho Jr only turned 18 in December, but he has already broken into the senior team at Santos, where he is now rubbing shoulders with Brazil's all-time record goal-scorer, Neymar. The teenager is already attracting transfer interest from a host of top European clubs, partly because of his ability, but also due to the footballing legacy of his father.

Honest Ahanor is just 17 years old - and yet on Sunday he started his fifth successive game for Atalanta, against Como. Unfortunately, Ahanor's afternoon came to an abrupt end - and quite literally by his own hand. Just eight minutes into the game at Sinigaglia, the defender was involved in an innocuous, off-the-ball clash with Maxi Perrone, who shamelessly collapsed to the ground as if Ahanor had struck him in the face.

Another transfer window and another highly-rated prospect is on their way to Chelsea. The club's youth policy has struck again, with the west Londoners landing 17-year-old full-back Yisa Alao from financially troubled Sheffield Wednesday. Despite his very limited experience at senior level, the teenager provoked a transfer tug-of-war between three Premier League giants, but it is the Blues who have emerged victorious.

Jose Mourinho has sensationally threatened to end Gianluca Prestianni’s career at Benfica if allegations that the young Argentine racially abused Real Madrid star Vinícius Jr. prove to be true. While the former Blancos boss preached the importance of the presumption of innocence, he made it crystal clear that there is a zero-tolerance policy for any form of prejudice under his watch.

Real Madrid are sweating on the fitness of star striker Kylian Mbappe as the Spanish heavyweights prepare for a season-defining Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City. The French superstar has been dealing with a knee problem, leading to intense speculation regarding his availability for the upcoming European showdown at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Paris Saint-Germain have been handed a slight advantage over Chelsea ahead of the meeting between the sides in the Champions League round of 16. The French champions successfully requested to have a Ligue 1 fixture postponed which will allow Luis Enrique’s team to recover fully between legs against the Blues, who will have to face Newcastle.

Michel Platini is undoubtedly one of the greatest footballers of all time. Playmaker, assister, goal-scorer: Platini was a complete player, capable of leaving an indelible mark on world football between the late 1970s and mid-1980s. He was the perfect No.10, embodying the true essence of the shirt number both then and now.

Modernising the role of a full-back 30 years ago, Roberto Carlos undoubtedly set the benchmark. A tactical genius and a physical specimen, the Real Madrid and Brazil legend won countless trophies at club and international level, contributing bucket loads of goals and assists. No one in the past, present or future can ever claim to be his equal - he was that good.

One of the best midfielders of his era, perhaps the greatest crosser of a football ever and a free-kick taker to rival the best the game has ever produced, David Beckham was a special player to say the least. And yet due to his off-field impact, one of the sport's great champions of the past 30 years is generally forgotten when it comes to referencing the true legends of the game.

Teddy Sheringham. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. "Football, bloody hell!" The 1999 Champions League final is one of the greatest dramas in the history of Bayern Munich. The German giants led for a long time in Barcelona before Manchester United snatched the trophy they thought was theirs in stoppage time. But according to one member of the Bayern team, he actually won that final. "Actually, I'm a Champions League winner," claims the latest member of GOAL's Rebel United, Mario Basler.

In 1969, at the age of 23, George Best wanted to focus solely on the essentials. Just football, just his job. So he turned his back on his two other great passions, alcohol and women. His sobering conclusion: "It was the worst 20 minutes of my life." A Manchester United legend, that quote sums up Bet's rebellious attitude towards football, and life in general.

Rebel United introduces players who prefer to swim against the tide, such as Barcelona and Spain legend Gerard Pique, who has achieved great significance beyond the pitch thanks to his Catalan pride and innovative spirit...

Robin Roefs' story reads like a fairy tale. The 22-year-old goalkeeper is only in his second season as a first-choice shot-stopper, and yet he is already considered one of the better No.1s in the Premier League. A place in the Netherlands' starting line-up at the World Cup is now not out of the question for the latest of GOAL's Hidden Gems.

On September 15, 2018, N'Golo Kante walked off the Stamford Bridge pitch, satisfied. As was often the case, the Frenchman had just covered every blade of grass over the course of the 90 minutes. And, as was so often the case, he was not one of the major speaking points at full-time. Not right away, at least.

Anyone that manages to carve out a career for themselves in professional football is ridiculously talented. The standard at the highest level is just so high that it is simply impossible to 'fake it 'til you make it'. However, not everyone is as prodigiously gifted as Lionel Messi or Lamine Yamal. Your average player will require some time to get to grips with the rigours of the elite game.