Manchester United have appointed Michael Carrick as their caretaker manager from now until the end of the season to clean up the mess caused by Ruben Amorim’s sudden departure. And now the real work begins: searching for a long–term successor who can bring lasting success. Of all the available candidates out there, Thomas Tuchel is by far the most convincing.

January is a notoriously bad time for buyers because nobody ever wants to sell top talent midway through the season. There are, however, exceptions to the rule. Some clubs need to raise funds to balance the books, while others can be left with not option but to unload an unhappy player who has made it clear that he wants to join a stronger side.

Arsenal are showing no willingness to loan out wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri in January, despite transfer interest from the likes of West Ham United. The 18-year-old attacker has made just four starts in all competitions this season, prompting speculation that the Gunners might consider letting him leave on a temporary basis in the winter window. However, the north Londoners are yet to entertain any enquiries for the highly-rated teenager.

GOAL breaks down the five big reasons the central defender was American soccer's standout in 2025.

Roy Keane has been tipped to make an extraordinary return to management by taking over at former club Manchester United. The tenacious Irishman has been a vocal critic of the Red Devils during their struggles in recent years, with the club lurching from manager to manager without success since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013. United have most recently sacked Ruben Amorim and placed Michael Carrick in charge for the rest of the 2025-26 season.

Chris Richards has been named U.S. Soccer's Male Player of the Year after a standout 2025 calendar year with both Crystal Palace and the U.S. Men's National Team. The central defender's award win comes in the first time he was nominated for the award, as he beat out Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman, Matt Freese, and Malik Tillman to this year's honors.

Manchester United have confirmed key attackers Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo have returned to training after the pair were eliminated from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The Red Devils have been without the duo since a 4-4 draw with Bournemouth in mid-December, when previous manager Ruben Amorim was still in charge. United won only one of the six games where Mbeumo and Amad were absent after they went away with Cameroon and the Ivory Coast respectively, but both look to be in contention to play in the upcoming local derby with Manchester City.

GOAL continues its Meet the USMNT series by examining Folarin Balogun’s path to the USMNT and the expectations that follow him into a World Cup year.