Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font has spoken of his desire to bring Lionel Messi back to the club to give him a proper farewell. The Argentine legend left Camp Nou in sad circumstances back in 2021, with the Catalan giants unable to agree a new contract due to financial constraints. He left for Paris Saint-Germain and currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
New interim Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor says he has faith in the "enormous quality" of his squad and is "100%" certain they will avoid relegation. Spurs sacked Thomas Frank after a poor first half of the season, with the Lilywhites down in 16th in the Premier League despite progressing to the last 16 of the Champions League. Tudor will take charge of Spurs for the first time on Sunday against Arsenal.
Nicolas Jackson has gone viral on social media after the Bayern Munich loanee shared a video of himself walking through snow in the German city. The 24-year-old, who joined Chelsea in 2023, has scored five goals in 22 appearances for the Bundesliga giants this season after moving on a season-long loan, largely being reduced to a back-up role behind star striker Harry Kane.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has revealed he is still living in a hotel and that his living situation is not a "priority" at the moment. The former Hull City defender took over at Stamford Bridge after the departure of Enzo Maresca and has enjoyed a strong first month or so, winning eight of his 11 games in all competitions so far.
Declan Rice has revealed the message Bukayo Saka gave him about north London derbies when he first signed for Arsenal. The Gunners visit their local rivals on Sunday looking to reaffirm their Premier League title credentials after a disappointing 2-2 draw with Wolves on Wednesday. Arsenal are unbeaten in competitive meetings with Spurs since 2022 and Rice believes Sunday's clash is the "perfect game" for his side to get back on track.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has hit back at Wayne Rooney after the Manchester United and England legend claimed the Dutchman lacked "aura". The Reds won the Premier League title in Slot's first season in charge but have struggled in his second campaign, with the Merseysiders facing a battle to qualify for the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta has rejected the idea that his Arsenal side are in danger of becoming 'bottle jobs' after a disappointing 2-2 draw with Wolves on Wednesday. The Gunners remain in the driving seat at the top of the Premier League table but now face a test of character as Manchester City attempt to rein them in before the end of the campaign. Arteta also accepted his team must take recent criticism "on the chin".
Cristiano Ronaldo missed another Al-Nassr game on Wednesday as the Portugal international was left out of the squad for the 1-0 win in the AFC Champions League Two against Turkmenistan side Arkadag. The victory ensured the Saudi giants reached the quarter-finals of the competition, having won the first leg by the same scoreline. Manager Jorge Jesus named a weakened starting XI, with none of his big hitters playing from the beginning.
Arsenal slipped up again in the Premier League title race as a late Tom Edozie strike helped Wolves claim a dramatic 2-2 draw on Wednesday. Bukayo Saka headed the Gunners ahead early on before Piero Hincapie doubled their lead shortly after half-time. Hugo Bueno's stunner made it a nervy final 20 minutes for Mikel Arteta's side before a calamitous mistake from David Raya allowed Edozie to equalise courtesy of a ricochet off Riccardo Calafiori.
American billionaire Leon Cooperman has upped his stake in Manchester United to 2.9 million shares. The 82-year-old first invested in the Red Devils around the time Sir Jim Ratcliffe was planning his takeover at Old Trafford and has recently acquired shares from a British investment firm. He is also not thought to be mounting a takeover bid of his own any time soon.
Anthony Gordon has joined Harry Kane in an exclusive Champions League goal club after scoring four times during Newcastle United's 6-1 win at Qarabag in the Champions League. The Magpies winger struck his quadruple in the first half of the first leg of their knockout round play-off in Baku, effectively sealing Eddie Howe's side's place in the next round with more than a game still to play.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino says he is "shocked and saddened" by the allegations of racism from Vinicius Junior against Gianluca Prestianni. Real Madrid's Champions League clash with Benfica was paused for ten minutes after referee Francois Letexier initiated the anti-racism protocol before the fixture resumed. A strike from Vinicius proved to be the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win for Los Blancos.
Philippe Coutinho has reportedly asked to terminate his contract with Brazilian side Vasco da Gama. The former Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich star returned to his hometown club in 2024 after spending time back in England with Aston Villa. However, he is said to have been targeted by Vasco's fans and is keen to explore potential playing opportunities elsewhere.
Former Premier League striker Dave Kitson has revealed he was the 'Secret Footballer', a pseudonym he used to pen articles and books during his playing career without revealing his identity. The series focused on what goes on behind the scenes in elite-level football, with topics ranging from matchdays to transfers and contracts. Many punters attempted to unmask the author while he was still playing, but Kitson has now confirmed he was behind the phenomenon.
Benfica legend Luisao has criticised Gianluca Prestianni for lying about what he allegedly said to Vinicius Junior during Real Madrid's victory in Portugal on Tuesday night. The Champions League game was halted after the Brazilian reported racist abuse to referee Francois Letexier, but Benfica and manager Jose Mourinho have since defended Prestianni and accused Vinicius of inciting racism. Argentine midfielder Prestianni has also claimed Vinicius and his team-mates misheard the words he insisted he used.
Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the Al-Nassr squad and could feature in Saturday's clash with Al-Fateh. The Portuguese legend has missed his club side's last three games, having been frustrated by the Public Investment Fund during the January transfer window, but he now looks set to end his protest and return to the pitch.
Premier League legend Alan Shearer has claimed Arsenal forward Eberechi Eze looked "lost" in the 1-1 draw with Brentford as Mikel Arteta's side dropped points in the Premier League title race. With Manchester City applying pressure, the Gunners failed to beat the Bees on Thursday night, seeing their lead at the top cut to four points.
Liverpool are holding off from making a transfer move for RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande due to contractual complications. The Reds are thought to be keen on the 19-year-old Ivory Coast international, who has scored seven Bundesliga goals so far this season, but the Merseysiders will wait to make their play due to some uncertainty over his personal situation. RB Leipzig reportedly value Diomande at €100 million (£87.15m/$118m), with the German side not looking to sell him unless a truly lucrative offer arrives.
The president of Flamengo has revealed his club's stance on re-signing Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior as speculation continues to surround the future of the Brazil international. The forward's contract at the Santiago Bernabeu expires next year and he looked unlikely to pen an extension during Xabi Alonso's brief spell in charge of Los Blancos. Now, Luiz Eduardo Baptista has admitted his side can't commit to a deal with Vinicius any time soon.
Neymar and Santos have sent signed No.10 shirts to Lionel Messi and his sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, highlighting the two stars' favoured shirt number. The duo starred together at Barcelona and later linked up again at French giants Paris Saint-Germain and they have remained good friends ever since. A social post from Santos praised both Messi and Neymar alongside all-time Brazil great Pele.
