Chris Burton

Harry Kane’s future beyond the summer of 2026 may have already been decided, with a huge update being delivered on the release clause that existed in his contract at Bayern Munich. There were suggestions that the England international striker could be on the move this summer, but Bundesliga title holders appear confident that an extended stay at the Allianz Arena will be agreed.

Jude Bellingham has handed England a pre-World Cup selection headache, with it reported that the Real Madrid superstar’s hamstring injury is worse than first feared. It is being suggested that the 22-year-old midfielder will sit out the Three Lions’ final camp before Thomas Tuchel settles on his 26-man squad for a shot at global glory in North America this summer.

USMNT star Haji Wright hit a stunning hat-trick for Coventry against fellow promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough, firing Frank Lampard’s side back to the top of the Championship table. The Sky Blues have thrown away a commanding lead at the summit of the English second tier, but remain on course to reach the Premier League.

Wayne Rooney has outlined how Thomas Tuchel’s new England contract, which is due to take him through to the summer of 2028, will impact international stars such as Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden. The former Three Lions captain believes that the demanding German tactician is now less likely to make contentious decisions in his World Cup squad selection.

Jarrod Bowen may be poised to break Danny Dyer’s heart in 2026, former West Ham striker Bobby Zamora has told GOAL, with it impossible to rule out a transfer to another Premier League club. Hammers-mad Dyer has previously stated that he would begrudgingly accept Bowen joining Manchester City or Real Madrid, but he could be left disappointed in the next window.

Ivan Toney has sent a World Cup message to England manager Thomas Tuchel, reminding the German tactician that he is still “hungry” for goals and international recognition after leaving the Premier League for a stint in the Saudi Pro League. The former Brentford striker has been competing with Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo for Golden Boot honours in the Middle East.

Inter star Alessandro Bastoni has been branded a “cheat” after contributing significantly to Juventus rival Pierre Kalulu being shown a “clearly wrong” red card during a dramatic Serie A encounter at San Siro. The Bianconeri finished that game with 10 men and on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline, with the head of officiating in Italy offering an apology to the Turin-based giants.

Tottenham have been warned that bringing Mauricio Pochettino back to north London may not be the best option this summer, with the USMNT disrupting the plans of the Premier League strugglers. Spurs are in the market for a new head coach after sacking Thomas Frank, with Bobby Zamora in an interview with GOAL about what happens next.

Mikel Arteta found himself caught up in an awkward encounter with an autograph-hunting supporter following Arsenal’s FA Cup fourth-round win over Wigan. The Gunners boss was looking to head home with his family after that encounter, but was spotted in his car by eagle-eyed fans. Despite making it clear that he had no intention of granting shirt-signing requests, one individual persevered.

Marseille suffered more frustration, in what has become a difficult period for the club, when throwing away a two-goal lead in their 2-2 draw with Strasbourg. The contest was their first since seeing Roberto De Zerbi relieved of his managerial duties. Inspiration is required from somewhere, as OM try to restore some stability, and Mason Greenwood is doing his best to provide that.

Lionel Messi is well versed in the art of goal celebration, but the Argentine GOAT struggled to crack a smile after watching son Mateo find the back of the net for Inter Miami’s youth team. The youngster is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his famous father by becoming a professional footballer, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner on hand to offer words of advice.

Neymar experienced mixed emotions when making his return to action with Santos. The Brazil international, who is clinging to his 2026 World Cup dream, is back on the field after recovering from knee surgery. He is looking to play his way towards full fitness, with an eventful cameo appearance being taken in when stepping off the bench in a meeting with Velo Clube.

Vinicius Junior has revealed how he helped Real Madrid to sign Kylian Mbappe, with the Brazilian claiming to have acted as the French forward’s “agent”. World Cup winner Mbappe finally became a ‘Galactico’ at the Bernabeu in 2024, following several years of speculation regarding a move to Spain, and has become a prolific presence for Los Blancos.

Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus is “convinced” that Harry Kane will remain at the Allianz Arena and sign a contract extension as “money isn’t his top priority”. The prolific England international striker has seen a transfer speculated on, as there are release clauses in his current terms, but discussions regarding an extended stay with the Bundesliga champions are being lined up.

Wayne Rooney has named the two clubs that he would join as an assistant manager, with the Manchester United legend not ruling out a return to the dugout in a head coaching capacity. The former England captain endured a tough time across his last two stints at Birmingham and Plymouth, but he has not lost the bug and is ruling nothing out at this stage.

Harry Kane is thinking about Robert Lewandowski's Bundesliga goal record, with the Bayern Munich striker admitting that “anything is possible”. Prolific Polish frontman Lewandowski once found the target on 41 occasions across a single Bundesliga campaign. Nobody has been able to raise that bar, but 2025-26 could see Kane could claim another entry in the history books.

Cristiano Ronaldo has always been a bad loser, former Manchester United and Portugal team-mate Nani has revealed, with the all-time great breaking down in tears if things did not go his way. CR7 has spent his record-shattering career chasing perfection, with any stumbles endured when heading down that path leading to an outpouring of emotion.

Aymeric Laporte admits that “everyone is afraid” of Spain international team-mate Lamine Yamal, with the Barcelona wonderkid having rivals running scared. At just 18 years of age, the teen sensation continues to see his stock soar. He has earned another comparison to Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi, with their dribbling ability considered to occupy a similar talent pool.