Chris Burton

Dele Alli’s downfall remains “difficult” to understand, with Roberto Di Matteo - who saw the ex-England international taking his first steps towards senior stardom - urging the former Tottenham midfielder to “enjoy life”. Dele finds himself at another important career crossroads after seeing his contract surprisingly terminated by Serie A side Como.

Inter Miami have reportedly got the answer they wanted after putting various contract questions to Lionel Messi, with the Argentine GOAT ready to sign a “multiyear” extension with the MLS outfit. His current deal is due to expire at the end of the 2025 campaign, but the South American superstar is poised to end any speculation regarding his future.

Steven Gerrard could become a future star of ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, with Bryan Robson claiming that the opportunity to work with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney “would interest” the Liverpool legend. Gerrard has been out of management since severing ties with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in January, but is leaving himself open to enticing offers.

Harry Kane has been warned off a future career in NFL, with the England international told that “monsters” will be waiting to “hit” him in a different form of football. The Bayern Munich striker has been advised to focus on playing soccer until his 40, allowing him to score “a million goals” and retire in peace without having to put his body on the line again.

The Liverpool fan who went viral for winding up Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, to the point that the Argentine ended up being shown a red card for clashing with the home support at Anfield, insists that nothing racist or overly antagonistic was said during a dramatic Champions League fixture on Merseyside that saw the hosts claim a 92nd-minute winner.

Peter Schmeichel admits that Antony was “never good enough for Manchester United” but the Red Devils legend has questioned why Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund were allowed to leave Old Trafford. The Scotland international midfielder and Danish striker are now team-mates again in Italy at Napoli after surprisingly being deemed surplus to requirements.

Jose Mourinho is heading home, with the Portuguese tactician returning to his roots at Benfica on a two-year contract. The self-anointed ‘Special One’ has been out of work since seeing his spell at Turkish giants Fenerbahce brought to an abrupt halt. It has not taken long for a new position to be found, with the enigmatic 62-year-old linking up with a club that he knows well.

Harry Kane admits to being in the form of his life, with the Bayern Munich superstar feeling better than ever. That is because goals have continued to flow at a remarkable rate for the England international, with his stunning tally at the start of the 2025-26 campaign being taken into double figures with a brace against Chelsea in the Champions League.

Heung-Min Son is loving life in the United States after bidding farewell to Tottenham, with the South Korean superstar netting his first MLS hat-trick for LAFC. After 10 years in north London, the 33-year-old forward now finds himself in California. He has made an immediate impact there, with another match ball being added to his collection against Real Salt Lake.

Ange Postecoglou was left “frustrated” after seeing Nottingham Forest exit the Carabao Cup in dramatic fashion at Swansea, with complacent players being blamed for an embarrassing defeat in South Wales. The Reds led a second-round contest heading into stoppage-time, but suffered a stunning late collapse that ultimately left them on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline.

Phil Parkinson has been told when he could “lose his job” at Wrexham, with there already talk of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney preparing to wield the axe. Speculation regarding a change in the dugout at SToK Racecourse has surfaced following a slow start to the 2025-26 campaign that sees the Red Dragons perched just outside the Championship relegation zone.

Jamie Vardy is embracing a new challenge in Serie A, with it revealed that the ex-England international is living in a £2 million villa on Lake Garda while Italian lessons are teaching him “colourful swear words”. The veteran frontman has stepped out of his comfort zone after reaching the end of his contract at Leicester City and becoming a free agent.

Harry Kane has delivered an update on how his German lessons are going, with the Bayern Munich superstar still in the process of becoming bilingual. The England captain stepped out of his professional comfort zone in 2023 when completing a move to the Allianz Arena. His communication skills are improving, but there is still work to be done on the linguistics front.

Dele Alli has been told why it will be “tough” for him to land a working relationship with NFL legend Tom Brady at Birmingham City. Ex-England international Dele finds himself in the free agent pool again after being released by Como. A return to his homeland has been speculated on, with ambitious teams in the Championship among those said to be keen.

Cavan Sullivan is considered to be the closest thing to an “American Lamine Yamal”, but ex-USMNT star Brad Friedel wants to see the teenage wonderkid left alone to focus on his football. The highly-rated youngster, who already has a move to Manchester City lined up, has made history in MLS and would appear to occupy a similar talent bracket to a fellow sensation at Barcelona.

Como sensation Nico Paz admits to watching Lionel Messi videos on YouTube as he attempts to “replicate” what the Inter Miami superstar is capable of. Paz is now an Argentina international team-mate of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, but continues to use his illustrious fellow countryman as a source of inspiration when it comes to enhancing his own game.

Facundo Buonanotte has been added to Chelsea’s Champions League squad following an injury blow to another of the Blues’ summer signings. Highly-rated midfielder Dario Essugo has been forced to undergo surgery on a thigh problem. That has left the door open for Buonanotte to be drafted into Enzo Maresca’s plans ahead of a return to elite European competition.

Harry Kane has dismissed claims that the 2025-26 campaign will result in a “boring” procession from Bayern Munich towards the Bundesliga title. The reigning German champions have started the new season in spectacular style, picking up a maximum haul of nine points from three games - with Vincent Kompany’s side scoring 14 goals while conceding just two.