Tottenham have raided champions Manchester City to secure a key piece of their boardroom puzzle, appointing Carlos Raphael Moersen as their new director of football operations. The move marks a major step in the club's restructuring under Johan Lange, as the north Londoners seek to modernise their hierarchy and close the gap on the elite.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is facing fresh scrutiny over his treatment of Federico Chiesa, with the winger's former mentor branding the Dutchman's selection policy a "mystery." As the Italian international closes in on a sensational return to Juventus this month, questions are being asked about why a player perfectly suited to the Premier League was left in the cold at Anfield.

Manchester United and Atletico Madrid are set for a heavyweight transfer tussle over Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes, with the Spanish giants desperate to find a successor for Conor Gallagher. The England international completed his £35 million switch to Tottenham this week, leaving a gaping hole in Diego Simeone’s engine room that the Brazilian ace has been identified to fill.

Sol Campbell has backed Unai Emery as a potential solution to Man Utd’s crisis, labelling the Spaniard a "proven" option who understands big-club pressure. As Michael Carrick steps in following Ruben Amorim's sacking, Campbell insists United need a steady hand to break their "loop" of failure, identifying Emery as someone who can finally appease the board.

Manchester United have been urged to consider Carlo Ancelotti when identifying candidates to become the club’s next permanent manager. The Red Devils are back in the market for a new head coach after taking the decision to part with Ruben Amorim. A man who knows all about life at Old Trafford believes that current Brazil boss Ancelotti would return a “winning culture” to Premier League heavyweights.

Enzo Fernandez is reporting “considering his future” at Chelsea following the departure of Enzo Maresca as manager. The Blues took the decision to part with the Italian tactician on New Year’s Day, with Liam Rosenior now calling the shots at Stamford Bridge. It is being suggested that World Cup winner Fernandez could be lured away from west London, with Paris Saint-Germain among his many suitors.

With all the data and all the video footage you could ever hope for, there really shouldn't be many secrets left in the world of youth football. Sure, progress isn't linear and some players' attributes translate better to the adult game than others, but for most teams, picking and finding the best young talent still feels like a bit of a lottery, at least from the outside looking in.

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.

Here’s how you can watch the Champions League pacesetters in action this season

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.

A modern remake of the iconic adidas FINALE 1 has been launched to mark 25 years of adidas and the UEFA Champions League, blending heritage design with elite match-day performance.

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...

"La France, c'est vous." Translated as 'France, is you', that was what French president Charles de Gaulle told footballer Rachid Mekhloufi in 1968. Mekhloufi had just led his Saint-Etienne side to the double, and the reward was an audience with the most powerful man in the country. For Mekhloufi, this sentence brought things full circle. Now he was both Algerian and French; 10 years earlier, he had - in a sense - been neither.

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

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.

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.