Wayne Rooney watched on incognito as his son, Kai, made his first Old Trafford appearance for Manchester United. The Red Devils' Under-18s took on Derby in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup at the Theatre of Dreams on Friday night and claimed a 2-1 win to book their place in the next round. Darren Fletcher's side are one of the favourites to go the distance in the competition this season.
Three years on from his seismic arrival at Chelsea after one of the most dramatic transfer sagas in recent memory, Enzo Fernandez is facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge. Supposedly growing disillusioned with life under BlueCo, the midfielder has been linked with some of Europe's biggest clubs - and his current employers are said to be willing to do business.
Michael Carrick’s first game back in charge of Manchester United was a euphoric occasion, with his side’s dominant win over Manchester City bringing a smile to every person present at Old Trafford. Well, almost every person. Benjamin Sesko did not get on the pitch during the 2-0 win, raising questions about his place in Carrick’s thoughts and his team for the rest of the season.
Inter Miami CF have signed goalkeepers Rocco Ríos Novo and Luis Barraza on permanent deals, terminating the contract of veteran Óscar Ustari in the process. Ríos Novo spent last season with the club and started in the MLS Cup final. Separately, defender Tomás Avilés will join CF Montréal on loan for more playing time.
U.S. Men's National Team striker Patrick Agyemang scored another goal on Friday to continue his recent hot streak with Derby County. Agyemang, who joined Derby this past summer, helped earn his side a 1-1 draw with West Brom. The 25-year-old now has eight league goals in 24 matches this season. The Rams now sit eighth on the table.
Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have been told to "go for it" in the January transfer window as they bid to secure a Premier League promotion. The Red Dragons were the Championship's biggest spenders over the summer and they are now within touching distance of the play-offs. As a result, ex-defender Curtis Davies thinks they should "double down" and invest again this month.
Michael Carrick has hailed Kobbie Mainoo's "quality" and admits he is enjoying working with the young Manchester United midfielder. The 20-year-old was relegated to being a fringe player under former Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim as he did not quite fit into his 3-4-3 system. However, it appears that the England international will get more of a chance under interim boss Carrick.
Liverpool will reportedly recall on-loan Roma defender Kostas Tsimikas if Andy Robertson joins Tottenham this month. The Scotland international is out of contract at Anfield this summer and has struggled for game time following Milos Kerkez's arrival. As Spurs begin talks with the 31-year-old, the Reds may bring back their Greek full-back as cover.
Manchester United were reportedly 'stunned' to learn that a deal for Arsenal-linked Benjamin Sesko was on last summer. The Slovenian international looked set to swap RB Leipzig for the Gunners, but Mikel Arteta's men swooped for prolific Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres instead. That left the door open for United to sign Sesko and now the two strikers will face one another this weekend.
Liam Rosenior says he has spoken to Cole Palmer about his Chelsea future amid talk of the playmaker being homesick. The 23-year-old grew up in Manchester and reports emerged earlier this week claiming he misses his hometown. However, Blues boss Rosenior insists that the England international is "very happy" at Stamford Bridge and that "every player has problems".
Everton have announced Jack Grealish has suffered a stress fracture to his foot, which could reportedly sideline the winger for around two months. The 30-year-old joined the Toffees on a season-long loan from Manchester City at the start of the season in the hope of earning more regular game time. However, this latest injury has put his dreams of being named in the England squad for the 2026 World Cup in jeopardy.
Pep Guardiola insists he knows why Manchester City are struggling after a wretched week of results. City were flying high heading into the Manchester derby, but a convincing loss at Old Trafford, followed by a chastening defeat against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League, has changed the mood around Etihad Stadium. Despite that, Guardiola is staying calm and says they have time to turn things around.
FIFA has raised the bar for women’s club football by unveiling a record-breaking prize pool for the first-ever FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. The 2026 champions will earn USD 2.3 million, the highest single payout in the history of the women’s club game, as the new intercontinental tournament makes its debut in London.
Manchester United appear to have taken the next step in their Old Trafford regeneration plan. In 2025, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe announced a bold initiative to build an ambitious new 100,000-seater stadium on the same site as the current ground. After months of silence on this topic, the Red Devils have provided an update on this gigantic operation.
Chelsea have been slapped with a £150,000 fine by the Football Association after a water bottle was thrown towards the Aston Villa dugout in their Stamford Bridge clash. The object was hurled at Villa's coaches during their 2-1 win at the Blues in late December. The west London team decided against contesting the charge and now they have received a hefty punishment for this "dangerous act".
Michael Carrick has confirmed he played no role in Manchester United's decision to release Casemiro at the end of the season. The Brazilian's contract with the Red Devils will expire at the end of the campaign and the club has confirmed he will not extend his stay at Old Trafford. Speaking in a pre-match press conference before United's clash with Arsenal, interim manager Carrick admitted Casemiro is "desperate" to finish on a high.
The man who rained on Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac's Wembley parade has spoken about his winning goal for Bromley against Wrexham in the FA Trophy. Before the Welsh side's three straight promotions, they were battling it out in the National League and not everything was going their way. Phil Parkinson's side were the favourites to lift the trophy but a certain player had other ideas.
Arsenal have confirmed Ethan Nwaneri's loan move to Marseille for the rest of the season. The 18-year-old has been limited to 12 appearances for the Gunners this term, leading to speculation he would move elsewhere in search of game time. Now, the Hale End graduate will link up with Roberto De Zerbi's side until the summer in the hope of finding his feet again.
Trinity Rodman returns to club and country roster, Gisele Thompson has a chance to solidify herself as an outside back, goalkeeper pool gets clearer, and five keys for the USWNT as they take on Paraguay to open up play in the new year.
Brooklyn Beckham’s former youth team coach at Queens Park Rangers has added his voice to the debate regarding how controlling ex-England captain Sir David and Spice Girls star Victoria can be when it comes to their children. Brooklyn has taken to speaking out against his famous parents following a family feud, with a “strange dynamic” admission now being made.
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has confessed that the club’s ongoing contract standoff with Vinicius Junior is completely out of his hands, despite expressing his desperate hope that the Brazilian superstar remains at the Bernabeu. The future of the Ballon d'Or contender remains uncertain, with the forward’s representatives currently in the capital, yet fresh speculation over a lucrative exit refuses to disappear.
Former Arsenal star Bacary Sagna has told GOAL, during an exclusive interview, that Arsenal can win both the Premier League and Champions League this season. The north London giants are hoping to make history in 2025-26, but Sagna - who also represented Manchester City in his playing days - has warned that Pep Guardiola “will not let go” in a bid to chase the Gunners down.
Arsenal have reportedly begun exploring a sensational summer swoop for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, less than a year after breaking the bank for Viktor Gyokeres. Sporting director Andrea Berta is leveraging his deep connections at the Spanish club to gauge the possibility of bringing the Argentine World Cup winner back to the Premier League, despite the Gunners’ current record signing still finding his feet in north London.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has dampened excitement regarding potential January arrivals, admitting he expects the winter window to remain quiet at Anfield despite a mounting injury list. While the Reds boss confirmed the club remains open to "opportunities" if the right profile becomes available, he conceded that the squad is likely to remain unchanged as they push for Champions League qualification in the second half of the campaign.
Aston Villa playmaker Morgan Rogers has revealed how he took inspiration from the “no-care attitude” of former Manchester United stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba. The 23-year-old is now an enigmatic playmaker in his own right, capable of match-altering brilliance, and has a regular role with England at the 2026 World Cup in his sights.
Arsenal defender Ben White has expanded his portfolio off the pitch by becoming a key investor in a high-end luxury travel company. The 28-year-old, who is currently battling to reclaim his starting spot in Mikel Arteta’s side, has put his money into London-based executive chauffeur business OUNO.
USMNT star Brenden Aaronson is considered to be enjoying the best spell of his career, as the American playmaker finally cracks the Premier League at Leeds. He is, however, approaching the final year of his contract at Elland Road and Brad Friedel has explained to GOAL why a World Cup summer will deliver some huge transfer decisions in West Yorkshire.
Alvaro Arbeloa has navigated a turbulent start to life in the Real Madrid dugout, with details emerging of a significant tactical and cultural shift from the Xabi Alonso era. Reports from the Spanish capital reveal that the dressing room has responded positively to Arbeloa’s "direct" methods, while a hostile reception from the Bernabeu has had the unexpected consequence of uniting a fractured squad following their Copa del Rey humiliation.