Chris Burton

Wayne Rooney has continued his back and forth with under-fire Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, pointing out that the Portuguese should “expect to be criticised” given how desperate the situation has become at Old Trafford. Amorim continues to see his future called into question after just 50 games in charge of the Red Devils, with positive results proving hard to come by.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri is reportedly on Real Madrid’s radar once more, with the Spanish giants prepared to part with €150 million (£130m/$175m) in order to bring the midfielder onto their books. The Ballon d'Or winner is, however, considered to be a priceless commodity at the Etihad Stadium and the Premier League heavyweights have no intention of parting with a prized asset.

Chelsea wonderkid Estevao Willian, who continues to make an impressive contribution during a productive debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, has been urged to replicate a key quality that Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal possesses. The Brazilian teenager is being tipped to reach the very top after making an immediate impact in English football, with there still plenty of potential for him to unlock.

Chelsea’s defensive injury crisis continues to deepen, with Reece James being forced to withdraw from the latest England squad. The Blues captain had been called upon by former Stamford Bridge boss Thomas Tuchel for upcoming clashes with Wales and Latvia. James will play no part in those fixtures after picking up a knock, with his place in the Three Lions’ ranks going to Manchester City full-back Nico O’Reilly.

Former Brentford and West Ham United star Said Benrahma faces a court appearance and the threat of jail or a fine over an alleged attack by one of his XL bully dogs. If found guilty, the 30-year-old forward could be handed a custodial sentence. The charges in question relate to Benrahma’s spell in English football, with the alleged incident taking place in July 2023 when the ex-Hammers winger was based in Hornchurch, east London.

Rasmus Hojlund continues to make Manchester United question their decision to let him leave Old Trafford during the summer transfer window, with the Red Devils outcast netting another crucial goal for Napoli in what is quickly becoming a productive loan spell. The Denmark international grabbed a match-winning effort for the reigning Serie A champions in their clash with Genoa.

Pep Guardiola has delivered an injury update on Rodri after seeing the Spaniard forced out of Manchester City’s Premier League clash with Brentford. The Ballon d’Or winner has been handled with care this season, but he limped away from the clash in west London and is facing another spell on the sidelines - although the man himself remains upbeat.

Christian Pulisic remains a hero to AC Milan supporters, but he briefly became a zero after skying a potentially match-winning penalty for the Rossoneri in their Serie A clash with old adversaries Juventus. The United States international was given a golden opportunity to break the deadlock in that contest early in the second half, but proceeded to fluff his lines from 12 yards.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is reportedly in line for a return to Rangers, with the Scottish Premiership giants in the market for a new coach after parting company with Russell Martin. Disgruntled supporters in Glasgow finally got their wish when seeing Martin’s disastrous reign brought to a close after just 17 games. The Gers could now turn to a familiar face in a bid to get the club back on track.

Jamie Carragher claims Erling Haaland has become the “greatest goal-scorer to ever play in English football”, with the Manchester City striker being ranked above the likes of Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Ian Rush. The Norway international has been in blistering form this season, taking his goal tally for club and country to 18 when netting another match-winning effort against Brentford.

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is backing Kylian Mbappe to prove that he can be “the best in the world”, with the French forward already showing that Real Madrid made no “mistake” in making him another ‘Galactico’. The World Cup winner moved to Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2024 but has been unable to break his Champions League trophy duck and been overlooked in another battle for Ballon d’Or recognition.

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that he will be holding talks with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis after seeing his winless start as Reds boss extended to seven games. Sack calls have been mounting at the City Ground, but the former Tottenham manager insists he has never been one to back down from a fight and believes that he can deliver a reversal in fortune.

Arsenal have revealed details of the injury suffered by Martin Odegaard in their Premier League win over West Ham, with the Gunners’ club captain sustaining medial collateral ligament damage. He will not be heading off with Norway during the international break, as medics in north London get to work, with no timeline being put in place for his recovery - after seeing fitness setbacks become an unfortunate theme in 2025-26.

Manchester City have seen Rodri suffer another injury setback, with the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder forced off after just 20 minutes of their Premier League clash with Brentford. The Spain international was able to walk from the field, but was clearly in some discomfort and could be facing up to another spell on the sidelines after struggling to recover form and fitness on the back of a devastating ACL injury.

Sergio Busquets has revealed that he could have continued playing alongside Lionel Messi at Inter Miami in MLS, but has chosen not to. Instead of prolonging a remarkable playing career, the legendary former Barcelona midfielder has announced that he will be retiring at the end of the 2025/26 season. A break from football is being planned, but he could return to the dugout at some point in the future.

Barcelona legend Xavi has explained why Lamine Yamal was beaten to the 2025 Ballon d’Or by Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele. One exciting forward that used to grace the books at Camp Nou pipped one that is starring in the present to the title of best player on the planet. Dembele fended off the challenge of teenage wonderkid Yamal to collect the first Golden Ball of his career.

Lionel Messi joined Carlos Vela in an exclusive MLS club after posting a hat-trick of assists for Inter Miami. The Argentine GOAT was at his brilliant best once again as the Herons eased to a 4-1 victory over the New England Revolution. When it comes to combined goals and assists in 2025, Messi has burst beyond 40 - a mark that only one other player has passed at the highest level of North American soccer.

USMNT star Christian Pulisic has explained the quality that he shares with Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi. The United States international occupies a similar area of the field to eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi, with coaches and team-mates often looking to them for attacking inspiration. Pulisic has embraced that role down the years and believes that he has learned - much like an all-time great - how best to impact proceedings.