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Manchester United have finalised the signing of 13-year-old defender Socrates, a rising prospect who rebounded from failed trials at Arsenal, Tottenham and Crystal Palace before earning a place at Old Trafford. The Elite London Academy product has impressed scouts with his maturity and intelligence, completing a move that highlights United’s renewed focus on youth recruitment under INEOS.

Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future remains shrouded in uncertainty after a dramatic public outburst intensified his feud with manager Arne Slot, but the Egyptian has received unexpected support from his first-ever coach. Ivica Todorov has spoken out to defend Salah’s professionalism and commitment, urging observers not to rush to judgment as the transfer storm grows louder.

Former Chelsea and England star and current England Under-21 assistant coach Ashley Cole has revealed that his journey into coaching has made him a "better person", as he has been able to learn more about the human side of football and how to manage the people behind the players, and what they may be going through behind the scenes on a day-to-day basis. He also revealed some of the inspiration he has taken from his former managers in his playing career.

Talks are underway between Manchester United and Wrexham for the two clubs to take part in a headline-grabbing friendly next summer in pre-season ahead of the 2026/27 season. Scandinavia has been touted as a possible destination but nothing is yet confirmed, as discussions continue. The two clubs last faced each other in a friendly in July 2023 in San Diego in the United States, with Wrexham coming out 3-1 winners against a youthful Red Devils side.

The USMNT will play Senegal on May 31 in its second-to-last World Cup warmup friendly, U.S. soccer announced Thursday morning. The 19th-ranked African side will travel to Charlotte, North Carolina to face off Mauricio Pochettino's side, a week before the U.S. host Germany in Chicago. The two teams have never played in an international competition.

MLS commissioner Don Garber has publicly encouraged Mohamed Salah to consider a move to the United States amid escalating uncertainty over the Liverpool star’s future. With his relationship with manager Arne Slot fractured and interest growing across the Atlantic, Garber urged the Egyptian to speak directly with Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller to learn how transformative MLS life can be.

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has named a key area that the Reds "got wrong" during their massive summer transfer window outlay. The Premier League champions spent more than any club in world football during the 2025 window with an unprecedented outlay of £446 million ($598m) on seven new signings. Yet, almost halfway through the season, the squad appears disjointed, the performances inconsistent and some new signings are already under the scanner.

Juventus legend Claudio Marchisio has explained why he would always urge youngsters to follow the “example” of Cristiano Ronaldo over that of Lionel Messi. The two all-time greats have reached the very top of their chosen profession, but took different paths en route to the summit. Portuguese icon Ronaldo has always been about hard work, while Argentine GOAT Messi is more naturally gifted.

In a bombshell seven-and-a-half-minute interview after Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Leeds United last weekend, Mohamed Salah accused the club of throwing him "under the bus" and claimed he no longer has any relationship with head coach Arne Slot. The 'Egyptian King', who has scored 250 goals for Liverpool over the last eight years and was the driving force behind the 2024-25 Premier League title success under Slot, didn't see a single minute of action at Elland Road after being named on the bench for the third game in a row, and decided to go public with his grievances.

Eric Garcia has committed his long-term future to Barcelona, signing a new deal that keeps him at Camp Nou until 2031. The defender, who has established himself as a key starter since his return from a successful loan spell at Girona, admitted his "dream" is to spend his entire career at the club after overcoming a difficult start to life in Catalonia.

Bruno Fernandes has been brutally compared to a “one-year-old”, with the Manchester United captain being told that high energy, goals and assists mask his flaws. Ex-Red Devils defender Paul Parker has been discussing the Portuguese playmaker with GOAL and believes that a talismanic presence at Old Trafford can both help and hinder the collective cause.

Former Premier League striker Tomasz Radzinski has thrown up the name of a shock winger as a potential replacement for Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah. Salah’s public outburst last week, in which he accused the club of mishandling him and hinted at tension with manager Arne Slot, has intensified the speculation about his future. At 33, and with three consecutive games spent on the bench, the Egyptian superstar suddenly appears closer than ever to ending his decorated Anfield tenure.

Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac has publicly backed Nico Schlotterbeck after the defender launched a scathing attack on his teammates following their disappointing Champions League draw against Bodo/Glimt. The manager admitted the collapse was "completely unnecessary" and insisted the centre-back had every right to voice his frustration.

Lionel Messi has been caught on camera speaking English. The Argentine superstar has been plying his trade in the United States since 2023. He forms part of a large Spanish-speaking community in Miami, but has clearly been working on becoming bilingual. He was captured putting his language skills to the test in footage obtained by the match referee during the 2025 MLS Cup final.

Boca Juniors have publicly confirmed their ambitious interest in signing Roma forward Paulo Dybala, sparking a frenzy of speculation in Argentina. Club director Marcelo Delgado described the potential transfer as a complex mix of "dream and reality" but insisted the Buenos Aires giants are prepared to make a significant effort to secure the World Cup winner.

Gabriel Jesus is "happy" after making a return from his devastating ACL injury during Arsenal's victory over Club Brugge in Belgium. The Gunners had plenty to celebrate as they registered a sixth consecutive Champions League win, got another clean sheet and put in a performance that instilled hope among the fans.

Manchester United and Bayern Munich have reportedly locked horns in a battle to sign Liga de Quito’s 16-year-old sensation Ederson Castillo. The midfielder has attracted serious interest from the European heavyweights after dazzling displays at youth level, though they face stiff competition from Atlético de Madrid and Anderlecht who are also tracking his progress.

Manchester United have been warned off a £100 million ($134m) move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, with ex-Red Devils defender Paul Parker explaining to GOAL why such a swoop would be “foolhardy”. Transfer plans at Old Trafford are being drawn up heading towards 2026, but they are being advised to steer clear of a highly-rated England international.

Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim has been warned by Patrice Evra that missing out on Champions League football would be regarded as a failure. United failed to qualify for Europe's elite competition for successive seasons for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and Evra highlighted the importance of getting back into it, both financially and in terms of prestige.

Noni Madueke has sent a stern warning to Arsenal's Champions League and Premier League rivals as the Gunners maintained their perfect European record with a 3-0 victory over Club Brugge. The forward stole the show with a devastating double, becoming the first player in the club’s history to score his first three goals in the Champions League. It is a rare feat that has vaulted him into the spotlight at a time when Mikel Arteta’s side are chasing silverware on multiple fronts.

Everything was looking rosy for Xabi Alonso after a thumping 4-0 home win over Valencia on November 1, which was Real Madrid's 13th victory out of 14 games across all competitions in the first few months of the season. Los Blancos were top of La Liga by five points ahead of Clasico rivals Barcelona, who they beat 2-1 at the Bernabeu seven days earlier, and they'd racked up nine points out of a possible nine in the Champions League, with Juventus among their victims.

Sunderland stars Wilson Isidor and Noah Sadiki were left in hysterics after seeing a Black Cats fan deliver a brutal one-liner at the expense of former Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. The Sweden international left Tyneside during the summer of 2025, with his transfer wishes finally being granted - after going AWOL at one stage - when a £125 million ($167m) move to Liverpool was completed.

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner has explained the thinking behind leaving the Lionesses duo of Ella Toone and Jess Park on the bench for Wednesday's Champions League defeat to eight-time winners Lyon. Although already assured of a play-off berth, the Red Devils needed a positive result to improve their seeding and to push for automatic qualification. Skinner's starting XI raised plenty of questions before his side were given a 3-0 thumping.

The fiery spectacle unleashed by Bayern Munich’s ultras during their Champions League victory over Sporting CP was not merely a display of passion, but reportedly a calculated strategic manoeuvre designed to manipulate UEFA’s disciplinary timeline. By triggering an inevitable stadium ban now, the supporter groups aim to serve their punishment during a low-stakes fixture, thereby ensuring a clean slate for the crucial knockout stages of the competition.

Erling Haaland admits that the absence of Kylian Mbappe in Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid handed Pep Guardiola’s side a “psychological boost”, but insists they were “not happy” at seeing the French superstar remain benched. Mbappe saw no game time as City left Santiago Bernabeu with a morale-boosting 2-1 win in elite European competition.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has issued a passionate defence of under-fire manager Xabi Alonso following the club's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Manchester City. The Belgian shot-stopper insisted the squad remain "united" behind the coach and pledged that the players will support him "wholeheartedly" as they look to end a poor run of form.

Jose Mourinho has revealed the hilarious reason he took Scott McTominay's shirt after the Champions League tie between Benfica and Napoli. After Benfica’s impressive 2-0 win, a result crafted through goals from Richard Rios and Leandro Barreiro, the Portuguese coach amused reporters by revealing an unexpected keepsake hidden inside a small bag he carried into the press conference.

Liverpool legend John Arne Riise has identified the man he considers to be the “perfect” successor to Mohamed Salah at Liverpool. An imminent transfer away from Anfield for the Egyptian superstar is being mooted on the back of his recent explosive outburst. Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo is among those considered to be registering on the Reds’ recruitment radar.

Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti has delivered a scathing assessment of his side’s performance following their 2-0 victory against Pafos in the Champions League, labelling parts of their first-half display as "embarrassing". The Italian tactician lamented that his players missed "easy balls" and struggled defensively, necessitating a tactical reshuffle involving Weston McKennie to shore up a fragile backline.