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GOAL's writers analyze three big decisions in football, as Enzo Maresca, Ruben Amorim, and Wilfried Nancy all parted ways with major clubs in the last week.

Unai Emery has revealed Aston Villa signed Victor Lindelof on a free transfer following a glowing recommendation from his former Manchester United team-mate Juan Mata. Lindelof left United after an eight-year stay last summer and decided to stay in the Premier League with a switch to Emery's Villa, where he has become a key figure in defence.

Bruno Fernandes is set to return from injury when Manchester United face Burnley on Wednesday in their first game since head coach Ruben Amorim was sacked. Former United midfielder Darren Fletcher is taking charge of the game as interim coach and he confirmed that the captain is in contention to play for the first time after suffering a muscle injury at Aston Villa on December 21.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has broken his silence on reports linking him with the now-vacant Manchester United job, insisting that he is "not allowed to bet" and that it makes "no sense" for him to discuss the prospect of swapping Selhurst Park for Old Trafford.

New Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has been convicted of speeding after a delay to his flight prevented him from taking part in a speed awareness course, per a new report. Rosenior admitted speeding in July, and has now learned of his punishment after returning to England from France.

Antoine Semenyo is set to make his final appearance for Bournemouth before joining Manchester City when the Cherries host Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night, with a medical reportedly booked for the following day. The winger has been heavily linked with a move away this transfer window, with a £65 million ($87.7m) release clause set to expire on January 10.

In the end, Ruben Amorim could not handle being told what to do by other people. Despite being the first man in Manchester United's history to be appointed under the title of 'head coach' rather than 'manager', he decided that he wanted the latter role. What he ultimately meant is that he wanted control, and he certainly did not want others meddling in his business.

Wrexham have been urged to launch a January transfer swoop for Matheus Pereira, the Cruzeiro attacking midfielder who has experience of playing in the Premier League. The Welsh club are continuing their rapid ascent up the leagues and are now setting their sights on the Premier League.

With the 2026 World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at the state of Canada's goalkeeper position.

Morgan Rogers has been warned he may lack the character required to succeed at Manchester United by club legend Dwight Yorke amid intense speculation linking the Aston Villa forward with a move to Old Trafford. The Treble winner suggests the 23-year-old is merely the "flavour of the month" and questions if he possesses the soul to handle the magnitude of representing the Red Devils.

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has been informed of the “real hurdle” that he needs to clear in order to scale the same heights as all-time greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The talented teenager is already a global superstar, but a Champions League-winning former Manchester United striker has told the youngster that he must avoid off-field distractions in order for legend-making longevity to be enjoyed.

Enzo Maresca has finally broken his silence following his shock departure from Chelsea, delivering a dignified message to supporters just hours after his successor was confirmed. Despite guiding the club to Club World Cup success, the Italian has been ruthlessly cut adrift. As Liam Rosenior steps into the west London pressure cooker, Maresca insists he leaves with "inner peace", having restored the team to their rightful status amidst the chaos.

Alisha Lehmann inadvertently fired a wayward shot into an unsuspecting cameraman while recreating Ronaldinho’s iconic crossbar challenge. The Switzerland international, who now plays her club football in Italy for Como Women, is a clean striker of the ball. Not every effort can be struck perfectly, though, meaning that the odd apology and comforting hug has to be handed out.

Manchester City’s title defence has been plunged into chaos following a devastating triple injury blow that leaves Pep Guardiola with a threadbare defence. The City boss has confirmed that Ruben Dias will miss up to six weeks with a hamstring injury, while Josko Gvardiol is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a leg fracture. To compound matters, Guardiola admitted he has "no idea" when John Stones will return.

Joao Felix considers fellow Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo to be a “unique” talent and credits the five-time Ballon d’Or winner with helping to make him a better player. Former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea forward Felix joined CR7 at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in the summer of 2025. They are now in the process of chasing down major honours together.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has offered his sympathy to Ruben Amorim following his sacking by Manchester United. The Catalan coach insisted that margins in the Premier League are incredibly fine and pointed to significant injury crises as key factors, while labelling the departing Portuguese boss as a 'top manager' who deserved more time to implement his process at Old Trafford.

The grieving family of Maddy Cusack have expressed their fury after the inquest into her tragic death was delayed yet again. Their lawyer accused Sheffield United of submitting a massive document just days before Christmas, making it impossible to proceed. The club strongly denies the claims, but the hearing has now been pushed back until June, prolonging the family's agony.

Wayne and Coleen Rooney have been warned that their £10 million ($14m) Disney+ documentary could end up doing more harm than good. The Manchester United legend is, alongside his wife and four sons, preparing to welcome cameras into his home. Plenty of entertainment is expected, but life under the spotlight could also lead to the odd divide forming.

Real Madrid have suffered a massive blow ahead of the Spanish Super Cup as Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out of the entire tournament with a knee injury. The French superstar will not travel to Saudi Arabia as the club adopts a 'zero risk' policy, though there is a major boost for Xabi Alonso with Trent Alexander-Arnold returning to the squad after injury.

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly pushing Al-Nassr to launch a stunning raid for Antonio Rudiger. The experienced German defender is seeing his contract at Santiago Bernabeu run down and will become a free agent in the summer of 2026 if no extension is agreed. It is claimed that CR7 wants to see the former Chelsea centre-half join him in the Saudi Pro League.

Gerard Pique was subjected to a ruthless prank by fans in Ceuta this weekend, with the Barcelona legend forced to endure Shakira’s brutal 'diss track' blasting from a passing car moments after watching his FC Andorra side slump to a painful defeat.

Robin Roefs' story reads like a fairy tale. The 22-year-old goalkeeper is only in his second season as a first-choice shot-stopper, and yet he is already considered one of the better No.1s in the Premier League. A place in the Netherlands' starting line-up at the World Cup is now not out of the question for the latest of GOAL's Hidden Gems.

Frustrated Strasbourg fans have called out the club’s “humiliating subservience to Chelsea” after seeing head coach Liam Rosenior take the reins at Stamford Bridge. The highly-rated 41-year-old has signed a long-term contract in west London after seeing his stock rise while working with one of the Blues’ sister clubs in Ligue 1. Those left behind in France are unimpressed at how that managerial merry-go-round played out.

Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl caused a stir this weekend by admitting his ultimate career dream is to join Real Madrid, despite currently developing at the Allianz Arena. While such comments often irritate the Bavarian faithful, club legend Lothar Matthaus has surprisingly defended the 17-year-old, drawing parallels with Robert Lewandowski and Florian Wirtz while revealing his own failed move to the Bernabeu.

Explosive details regarding the final weeks of Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United have emerged, with reports revealing that the Portuguese coach and defender Lisandro Martinez "squared up" to one another during a heated training ground confrontation in December. The Argentine World Cup winner reportedly confronted his manager in an "intense" manner over a lack of playing time, though the incident ultimately earned him the captain's armband.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has responded to the speculation suggesting that he could be one of the names being considered by Manchester United to succeed Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. The Red Devils find themselves in the market for a new boss and are expected to wait until the summer before making a permanent appointment. Howe does not consider himself to be in the frame.

Kobbie Mainoo appears to have mocked Ruben Amorim’s dismissal as Manchester United manager, with the England international midfielder having struggled for game time under the Portuguese coach. Amorim was relieved of his duties on January 5 and while many players at Old Trafford have wished him well, Mainoo’s activity on social media has raised a few eyebrows.

Liam Rosenior has been confirmed as the new manager of Chelsea, bringing an emotional end to his successful tenure at Strasbourg. The 41-year-old described the move to Stamford Bridge as an "honour" he simply could not refuse, citing the allure of the Club World Cup champions and a desperate desire to return home to his family.

Victor Osimhen marred Nigeria's commanding 4-0 victory over Mozambique with a shocking display of petulance that stunned spectators. The striker squared up to team-mate Ademola Lookman mid-game before demanding to be subbed off and storming onto the team bus alone, leaving his colleagues to celebrate reaching the Africa Cup Of Nations quarter-finals without him.