Chris Burton

Liverpool have been told that they have “one hell of a player” on their hands in Federico Chiesa, with the Reds yet to see the Italian forward’s “true qualities”. The European Championship winner was heavily linked with a move elsewhere in the summer transfer window, but the deadline passed with no deal done and he remains part of Arne Slot’s plans at Anfield.

Nick Woltemade has been discussing his living arrangement since completing a transfer to Newcastle, with the German striker being joined on Tyneside by one of his best friends. Neither has an issue with their shared accommodation as they remain single and ready to embrace an exciting new challenge with Premier League giants in the north of England.

Lionel Messi’s presence at the 2026 World Cup has been called into question, but Argentina team-mate Cristian Romero claims the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will “easily” make it to that event. The all-time great has, at 38 years of age, conceded that fitness concerns could lead to him missing out on the defence of a global title in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Manchester City have shockingly been branded an “amateur team” by Premier League cult hero Paolo di Canio. The ex-West Ham star believes that another of his former clubs, Serie A title holders Napoli, are capable of claiming a notable scalp when heading to the Etihad Stadium for an intriguing opening clash in their 2025-26 Champions League campaign.

Cristian Romero has welcomed the arrival of an “organised” coach at Tottenham, which could be considered a swipe at former boss Ange Postecoglou. Spurs are now working under the guidance of Danish tactician Thomas Frank, with a change in the dugout being made over the summer after stumbling to a 17th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Carlo Ancelotti admits that Endrick’s development at Real Madrid stalled due to the presence of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, with the Italian tactician having to decide whether the teenage forward is deserving of a place in his Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup. Spots in that selection remain up for grabs less than a year out from the tournament itself.

Erling Haaland has reportedly become an “obsession” for Joan Laporta, with Barcelona’s president confident that the Norwegian striker can be prised away from Manchester City. The Blaugrana will find themselves in the market for a new No.9 during the summer of 2026 as prolific Polish frontman Roberto Lewandowski is seeing his contract run down towards free agency.

Cristiano Ronaldo will play on with Portugal for “as long as he wants”, says Ricardo Carvalho, with the 40-year-old frontman expected to lead his country at the 2026 World Cup. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has earned 223 caps, remains available for international duty after signing a two-year contract extension with Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr.

Ed Sheeran is set to become the latest musical artist to feature on the front of Barcelona shirts when the Liga giants take in a Clasico clash with old adversaries Real Madrid. That rivalry is set to be rekindled on October 26, with Sheeran - who recently released his new album ‘Play’ - forming part of the long-term sponsorship agreement that Barca have in place with Spotify.

Neymar was less than impressed with the artificial pitch used by rivals Atletico Mineiro following his latest appearance for Santos. The Brazil international has spoken out against such surfaces in the past and, after suffering another injury that forced him to play through the pain, the veteran forward claims to have delivered more proof that synthetic pitches are "sh*t".

Christian Pulisic has been urged to take as many lessons as possible from legendary AC Milan team-mate Luka Modric. USMNT star Pulisic is now working alongside a Ballon d’Or winner at San Siro. That is considered to be a good thing for his ongoing development, both as a football player and one of the most marketable performers in the global game.

The Red Devils may have work to do in Europe, but they have been full of goals during a faultless start to the new WSL season.

Ex-USMNT ace Brad Friedel says a star in America's second tier was "better than Harry Kane", with caution being urged when it comes to Cavan Sullivan.

Michael Owen has doubled down on his Harry Kane transfer claim, saying the England captain will “regret” his move to Bayern Munich.

USMNT star Gio Reyna has sent a “do great things together” message to the new fan base that he is hoping to impress at Borussia Monchengladbach.

There is supposedly a “good chance” that Dele Alli heads to Wales as a free agent, with Wrexham and Swansea both being credited with interest.

Ronaldinho’s son, Joao Mendes, is poised to join Championship side Hull City on a free transfer after severing ties with Burnley.

Neymar’s wife Bruna Biancardi has explained the “horrible” reason she wore a facemask when attending an NFL fixture in Sao Paulo.