Liverpool are officially stepping up their succession planning for Mohamed Salah, with the Egyptian king set to turn 34 this year. As the forward enters the autumn of his illustrious career at Anfield, the Reds have identified two high-profile Bundesliga targets to fill the void. According to reports from Sky Sport in Germany, the reigning Premier League champions are closely monitoring Bayern Munich superstar Michael Olise and RB Leipzig’s breakout sensation Yan Diomande as they prepare for life after Salah.

Bayern Munich are already intensifying their efforts to reshape the squad for the upcoming season, despite the current campaign reaching its most critical stage. The perennial Bundesliga champions have identified the right-back position as a priority area for reinforcement, leading them to scour European football for the brightest defensive talents. While the club have been linked with several high-profile names, the focus is now shifting toward youth and potential longevity at the Allianz Arena.

Cristo Fernandez, who played Dani Rojas in the hit Apple TV series Ted Lasso, appeared in a preseason friendly for USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive on Saturday, a club source confirmed. They are expected to make a decision on a professional contract early this week. Fernandez, who appeared in the first three seasons of the show, played youth soccer in Mexico until he was 15.

How to watch the Premier League match between Everton and Burnley, as well as kick-off time and team news

Chido Obi’s evening ended in distress at Leigh Sports Village as the Manchester United starlet was forced off following a worrying head injury just seconds into a U21s clash with Chelsea. The encounter, watched by first-team manager Michael Carrick, saw the young Dane receive extensive medical treatment on the pitch. It proved a bruising night for the Red Devils, who lost two key players to concussion protocols.

Tottenham have significantly stepped up their efforts to appoint a new sporting director, as they look to finally fill the long-standing leadership vacuum in the club’s football department following the departure of Fabio Paratici. Spurs have been operating without a permanent global head of football since Paratici’s exit, with internal structures managing recruitment on an interim basis. However, the London side are now determined to install a long-term specialist capable of shaping the club’s strategic direction both on and off the pitch.

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.

The long-standing tension between Spanish football's biggest rivals has reached a critical point. Real Madrid are confident that UEFA will soon hand down severe sanctions to Barcelona regarding the "Negreira Case." While Spanish courts move slowly, Madrid believe European football's governing body is ready to take decisive disciplinary action against the Catalan club in the near future.

Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot has issued a rallying cry to his team-mates, warning them never to take European football for granted again. As the Red Devils endure their shortest competitive season in over a century, the Portuguese full-back believes the emptiness of missing out on the Champions League must serve as a permanent lesson for the squad. While domestic rivals prepare for the business end of continental competition, United find themselves observers after a 2024-25 campaign that was well below the standards expected at Old Trafford.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has claimed that players who cover their mouths during verbal altercations that are racist in nature should be shown a straight red card. The proposal comes after Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni allegedly subjected Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior to racial abuse. Infantino believes there should be a "presumption" of guilt, arguing that the act of hiding one's lips should be considered sufficient evidence of offensive intent.

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.