Lyon have reached an agreement with Real Madrid over a loan move for Brazil wonderkid Endrick. The Ligue 1 side were seeking a striker following the departures of Alexandre Lacazette and Georges Mikautadze during the summer window, and are set to reinforce their ranks for the second-half of the season with Los Blancos' young forward on his way to France.

Liverpool have opted against accelerating their interest in Antoine Semenyo, despite holding initial discussions with the player's camp, allowing Manchester United and Manchester City to move into stronger positions in the race for the Bournemouth forward. The Reds were keen to explore a move for the in-form Ghana international, but have now pulled out, simplifying matters for the forward.

Borussia Dortmund are facing the prospect of losing Aaron Anselmino as early as January after details emerged of a clause in his loan agreement with Chelsea. According to reports, Chelsea have the option to recall the 20-year-old defender during the winter window if he has not reached an agreed minimum number of playing minutes for Dortmund.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has jumped to the defence of Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven following his challenge on Alexander Isak during Saturday's Premier League clash at Anfield. Isak could not continue after being injured by the tackle and there are now concerns he has suffered a leg fracture and will be out of action for several months.

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has defended Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Benjamin Sesko following his side’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday. United left Villa Park without a point after Morgan Rogers scored twice to secure a seventh consecutive Premier League win for the hosts. The loss means the Red Devils missed out on the chance to creep closer to the Champions League spots.

Liverpool star Florian Wirtz has been warned patience may be starting to run thin at Anfield after a slow start to his career on Merseyside following his £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen. The Germany international is still yet to open his account for the Reds and former midfielder Didi Hamann says he really needs to start coming up with the goods for his new club.

Rennes are no strangers to producing some of the best players around, and Mohamed Kader Meite looks primed to become the next elite talent to step off the conveyor belt after the likes of Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Eduardo Camavinga. Still just 18, the towering striker is already said to be turning heads across Europe.

From Ibrahima Konate winning the title with Liverpool, to William Saliba anchoring Arsenal's charge to the top of the table or Leny Yoro's big-money signing for Manchester United, French centre-backs have had a massive influence in the Premier League's recent history. Now, the race to sign Les Bleus' next great defender is on as the top clubs from England and beyond circle Tylel Tati.

Barcelona's famed La Masia academy has long been the envy of every other top club in Europe, and for good reason. It has forged dozens of legends over the last 46 years, from Pep Guardiola and Albert Ferrer, to Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and a certain Lionel Messi. Every generation produces multiple superstars, with Lamine Yamal leading the current crop after bursting onto the scene as a 15-year-old.

Former Paris Saint-Germain No.1 Gianluigi Donnarumma, who now plays for Manchester City, has been named the 2025 Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper, with Lionesses star Hannah Hampton bagging the Women's prize. Donnarumma and Hampton were both part of treble-winning sides last season, while the latter also played a key role in England's successful European Championship defence.

Enzo Maresca has been urged to stay "quiet" if he wants to avoid being sacked after appearing to criticise the Chelsea board following Saturday's 2-0 victory over Everton. The Italian head coach described the build-up to the Premier League fixture as his "worst 48 hours" at the club, raising plenty of questions over who the comment was aimed at.

Sports presenter Laura Woods has revealed how she was left terrified and anxious after being targeted by a 'relentless' stalker. She suffered for three years before the perpetrator was eventually handed a 14-month jail term and a restraining order banning her from going near Woods' home. Woods has opened up on her ordeal in a candid interview and explained the impact it has had on her life.

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.

Romario moved around the penalty area with the stealthy gait and sly gaze of a panther, ready to suddenly accelerate as soon as the ball came his way, to disorient the opposing defenders with a couple of feints, to pounce on the ball, which inevitably ended up at his feet, as if magnetised, and finish with an unstoppable shot of pure technique or power, or alternatively serve up a perfect assist for one of his team-mates. He was a Hall of Fame striker if ever there was one.

Describing Roberto Baggio to those who did not experience him is a sort of generational challenge, an arduous attempt at conveying something that is too difficult to explain in words. But we will try - because Roberto Baggio was, especially for Italians, a symbol, a standard-bearer, an icon and an emotion.

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...

In the latest from our series focusing on players who swam against the tide during their careers, we take a look at one of Germany's great sporting rebels

The Brazilian was tipped to become one of the greats, but he ultimately succumbed to the pressures of sporting fame

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.

Player development in football follows many different paths. Some exceptional talents, such as Lamine Yamal and Estevao, make an impact at the highest level at a very young age. At the same time, countless players need more time before their qualities fully emerge.

'Baby Lukaku'. That is the nickname, coined by Romelu Lukaku's former team-mate Kevin Mirallas, that Belgian journalists love to use when they write about Promise David. It's easy to see why, too, with the Union Saint-Gilloise striker one of European football's most unsung talents, a true Hidden Gem.