Tottenham have announced the signing of Atletico Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher, with the former Chelsea man signing a long-term contract with the club. Spurs saw off competition from Premier League rivals Aston Villa to secure the 25-year-old's signature, with his arrival a major boost for manager Thomas Frank especially after Rodrigo Bentancur was ruled out of action for three months through injury.
Alvaro Arbeloa has made a bold statement in his first squad selection as Real Madrid manager, opting to leave superstars Jude Bellingham and Thibaut Courtois at home for the Copa del Rey clash against Albacete. With Kylian Mbappe already ruled out through injury, the new boss has turned to La Fabrica to fill the void, calling up five academy starlets to plug the gaps in a depleted squad for the crucial round of 16 tie.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has offered a sympathetic but guarded response to the dismissal of his Real Madrid counterpart Xabi Alonso, insisting that while he maintains a "very good relationship" with the Basque coach, the ruthless nature of the decision is simply "part of football." Alonso was sacked this week midway through his debut season in charge following the Spanish Super Cup defeat to Flick's team.
Virginia Fonseca, the girlfriend of Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior, has angrily shut down rumours of an impending marriage to the Brazil international. The pair are reported to have been dating for around three months, and Fonseca insists there are no plans afoot for a wedding just yet.
Marcus Rashford has been brutally told that his Manchester United career is finished, with former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy insisting there is no way back for the forward at Old Trafford. Despite the sacking of Ruben Amorim and the arrival of Michael Carrick as interim boss, the 28-year-old has been warned that the bridge with his boyhood club is burned, even if his current loan spell at Barcelona does not result in a permanent transfer.
The explosive details behind Xabi Alonso’s shock departure from Real Madrid have been revealed, with the manager reportedly losing patience with his squad months before his sacking. In a moment of pure frustration during a training session, the Basque tactician screamed at his stars: "I didn’t know I was coming to coach a nursery," marking the point of no return for his tenure at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez wants to appoint Jose Mourinho as Xabi Alonso's long-term successor, according to a theory floated by Spanish journalist Alfredo Relano. Los Blancos have sacked the former Liverpool midfielder and appointed Alvaro Arbeloa as interim head coach, with Relano branding him a "snitch".
Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hit a setback in plans to push through a new offside revolution. The 76-year-old has proposed a radical change to current rules which would benefit attackers but is now facing opposition from both UEFA and the British FAs. The governing bodies believe Wenger's plans are "too drastic" and would have too much of an impact on how the game is currently played.
Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham has hit back angrily at reports that he did not support manager Xabi Alonso during his tenure at Real Madrid. Alonso parted company with Los Blancos in the wake of their Spanish Super Cup defeat to Barcelona after just eight months in charge. There has been speculation about problems in the dressing room at Madrid but Bellingham insists he is not involved.
Barcelona want to extend Marcus Rashford's stay at Camp Nou but are unwilling to use the £26 million (€30m) buy option in his loan deal due to the club's ongoing financial difficulties. The Catalan giants have made contact with Manchester United to try and either negotiate a lower price or a second loan for the 2026-27 season which would include a mandatory purchase option.
Real Madrid's new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has played down the prospect of replicating the managerial style of his former boss Jose Mourinho. Arbeloa has been placed in charge of the first-team squad at the Bernabeu following Xabi Alonso's surprise exit from the club on Monday, departing after only 34 matches at the helm.
Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham has been branded a "snake" for posting a delayed response to Xabi Alonso's exit. The former midfielder has left his role as manager after just eight months in charge, with Bellingham taking his time before posting a farewell message to the coach. The move has not gone down well with some supporters who have expressed their feelings on social media.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp would reportedly "seriously consider" replacing Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid if they come calling. Alonso has left the Bernabeu after just eight months in charge, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking charge of the team. Klopp is currently working as the Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull, but it has been claimed he could be tempted back into football management by Real Madrid.
Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Joao Cancelo on loan from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. Cancelo's move back to Catalunya, where he spent the 2023-24 season, was initially announced earlier on Tuesday, but the club had to delete all traces of this unveiling as the transfer had not actually been completed yet.
Kylian Mbappe defied medical advice and risked a serious knee injury in a desperate bid to save Xabi Alonso’s job at Real Madrid. The French superstar played through the pain barrier in the Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona, knowing that a loss would likely spell the end for the Basque coach, with whom he shared a close bond despite their short time together at the Bernabeu.
UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov has unleashed a furious tirade against Real Madrid's stars following the shock dismissal of Xabi Alonso. The undefeated fighter did not hold back in his assessment of the situation at the Bernabeu, branding the squad "spoiled brats" and insisting that the club should have cleared out the dressing room rather than sacking one of the world's best tactical minds.
Barcelona fans were left confused on Tuesday after the club announced the return of Joao Cancelo only to immediately wipe all evidence from their social media channels. The Portuguese full-back had been pictured signing a contract to seal his loan move from Al-Hilal, but a delay in paperwork led to a hasty retreat by the club's media team as they wait for the final green light.
Barcelona still consider Robert Lewandowski’s future to be “open”, with the door to an extended stay at Camp Nou not being “completely closed” as yet. The prolific Polish striker, who is now 37 years of age, has entered the final few months of his contract. With free agency beckoning in the summer, it has been suggested that the veteran frontman could head to MLS or the Saudi Pro League.
Barcelona have confirmed the return of Portuguese star Joao Cancelo, who has rejoined the Catalan giants on a loan deal until the end of the season from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. The versatile full-back, who impressed during the 2023-24 campaign, was unveiled on Tuesday alongside president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, where it was revealed he will wear the No. 2 shirt for his second spell at the club.
Kylian Mbappe played no part in Real Madrid’s first training session since taking the decision to part with head coach Xabi Alonso. He was relieved of his duties in the wake of a Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona, with the axe falling within 24 hours of that setback in Saudi Arabia being suffered. Reins have been passed to Alvaro Arbeloa on an interim basis, but he is not yet working with French superstar Mbappe.
Xabi Alonso has broken his silence following his abrupt departure from Real Madrid, issuing a dignified statement that addresses his time in the dugout. The Basque tactician was relieved of his duties just a day after a painful Super Cup defeat to Barcelona, but he refused to show bitterness, instead sending a clear message of gratitude to his squad and the Bernabeu faithful.
Jurgen Klopp has responded to speculation suggesting that he could be a contender to succeed Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid. The Blancos have made another change in their dugout early in 2026. Klopp is “genuinely surprised” that the Liga giants wielded the axe at this stage, with the former Liverpool boss seeking to distance himself from a now vacant post.
Despite only linking up with Lyon at the start of the January transfer window, it has been revealed that Endrick could be returned to parent club Real Madrid within a matter of days. The Blancos have parted company with head coach Xabi Alonso, meaning that clean slates are on offer at Santiago Bernabeu, and they hold a recall option when it comes to Endrick.
The final image of Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid manager - and one that tells the story of his time in charge at the Bernabeu - was of someone else telling him what to do. After Sunday's Supercopa de Espana loss to Barcelona, Alonso gestured to his players that they should give a guard of honour to their victorious opponents as they went to collect the trophy. Kylian Mbappe, though, was having none of it, and insisted his team-mates follow his lead. They did just that - and so too did Alonso.
Kylian Mbappe was the first high-profile Real Madrid star to address Xabi Alonso’s sudden departure as the club’s manager. It was announced on January 12, less than 24 hours after a Super Cup defeat to Clasico rivals Barcelona, that a change in the dugout was being made at Santiago Bernabeu. Mbappe, who is said to have clashed with Alonso, has posted a message on social media.
Xabi Alonso has been bluntly told following his sudden departure why he was never going to succeed as Real Madrid's manager. The Spaniard swapped Bayer Leverkusen for his former club last summer but his time at the Spanish giants was abruptly brought to an end on Monday. Now, a legend of La Liga has given his take on the 44-year-old's short stint at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Tottenham appear primed to hijack Aston Villa's proposed move for Atletico Madrid star Conor Gallagher. Unai Emery's side have been on the lookout for more strength in depth as they try to keep touch in the Premier League title race, while also competing for cups this season. But it seems Spurs may pip them to the post on one recruit, days after losing to the Villans in the FA Cup.
Real Madrid have announced the departure of manager Xabi Alonso following their Spanish Super Cup final loss to rivals Barcelona. Speculation has not gone away about the ex-midfielder's position at Los Blancos, with reports suggesting the 44-year-old is not an entirely popular figure among the dressing room. Now, Madrid state Alonso has left by "mutual consent".
Joao Cancelo has been spotted arriving in Barcelona ahead of a loan move from Al Hilal. The Portugal international spent the 2023-24 season with the Catalan outfit after falling out of favour at Manchester City. More than two years later, the experienced full-back is temporarily pausing his time in the Middle East to head back to the defending La Liga champions.
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