Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has backed Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian to emulate Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal but warned against comparisons ahead of the Champions League showdown between the European giants. Although his minutes have been carefully managed and he is not yet a guaranteed starter, Estevao has made an impressive start to life at Stamford Bridge, making five goal contributions already.
Claudio Echeverri’s loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen has taken a difficult turn, with the Manchester City teenager struggling for minutes and growing increasingly frustrated with his situation in Germany. Pep Guardiola, when asked about the Argentine’s lack of game time and the possibility of a January recall, offered a blunt response, leaving the player’s future wide open amid rising uncertainty.
Juventus face fresh uncertainty as contract talks with Kenan Yildiz hit a standstill, with the highly-rated forward demanding a pay rise far beyond the club’s current offer. His dip in form, ongoing knee issues and the team’s faltering attack have complicated negotiations, while top European clubs circle and Yildiz weighs his long-term future amid Juventus' struggle for stability.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has offered an optimistic injury update on talisman Cole Palmer. The 23-year-old had been on the brink of a return after two months out with a groin problem when he suffered a broken toe in a freak accident at home. Maresca says that the Chelsea star is now training on the grass and is hopeful he will be able to make a first-team return shortly.
Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni was left stunned by AC Milan's derby victory despite them failing to create sufficient chances throughout the game. While the 26-year-old believes his team registered a good display against Massimiliano Allegri's side, he sounded critical of the opposition securing just one clear chance through Christian Pulisic, which decided the fate of the fixture.
Tottenham are finally looking to "fill the void" left by club legend Harry Kane's departure to Bayern Munich as they target a new striker. Kane left his boyhood club in the summer of 2023 in search of a new challenge as he joined the Bundesliga giants for a record fee. The England international has enjoyed a purple patch since moving to Germany and also won his maiden trophy of his career when Bayern lifted the Bundesliga title in 2025.
Vinicius Junior's relationship with Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso is described as "strictly professional" amid growing discontent from the Brazilian winger over his role this season. The forward reportedly misses the close bond he shared with former manager Carlo Ancelotti after finding himself on the bench once again for the La Liga draw against Elche.
Memphis Depay’s season has taken another difficult turn as the Netherlands forward is ruled out for Corinthians with a knee sprain, suffering his sixth injury of the year. With many days already lost to physical setbacks in 2025, Depay’s availability once again becomes a concern at a crucial moment in the Brasileirao run-in and ahead of the Copa do Brasil semi-finals.
Arne Slot is not only facing an uphill battle to save Liverpool's season, but also his job. That is a sentence no Liverpool supporter would have imagined reading barely six months on from seeing the Dutchman deliver the club's second Premier League title, and yet it is no exaggeration. The Reds have plummeted to 11th in the table after losing six of their first 12 games in the 2025-26 campaign, which leaves them a whopping 11 points behind early pace-setters Arsenal already.
Barcelona defender Eric Garcia is making a huge leap in his career as he is close to finalising a long-term contract extension, reportedly snubbing an offer from the current Champions league holders Paris Saint-Germain. The 24-year-old has become a key player under coach manager Hansi Flick this season, accumulating the most minutes in the squad.
Arne Slot's Liverpool are reportedly once again in pole position to land Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace in the January transfer window. The Reds narrowly missed out on the defender last summer but Palace are now considering a sale in the winter window to avoid losing the England international for free in summer 2026. Bayern Munich are also admirers, but the Reds are leading the race to finally land Guehi for a fee of around £35 million ($46m).
Mainz defender Dominik Kohr deserves a massive 12-match suspension following his red card for a brutal tackle on Hoffenheim's Max Moerstedt, according to World Cup winner Olaf Thon. The defender was shown a straight red card for his challenge in the late stages of the 1-1 draw in the Bundesliga, the ninth time he has been sent off in his professional career.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been told to drop struggling superstar Mohamed Salah by Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney. The Reds slipped to their sixth defeat in seven Premier League games on Saturday against Nottingham Forest and sit in the bottom half of the table. Rooney feels it's now time for Liverpool to drop their talisman if they want to get back on track.
Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has lavished praise on head coach Vincent Kompany, describing him as "a mother hen" who protects his players while simultaneously teaching and improving them. This comes as Bayern enjoy a flawless start to their Champions League campaign and sit top of the Bundesliga, with Hoeness crediting Kompany's management style for the club's current success and unity.
GOAL brings you the lowdown on how British players are doing away from home, with many footballers now taking their talents abroad in search of prosperity. Despite the riches and the glamour of the Premier League, it's far from the be all and end all. You can still carve out a fantastic career even while out of the intense spotlight of the English media.
Lionel Messi's former World Cup-winning Argentina team-mate, Alejandro Gomez, has finally returned to action for an Italian second-tier club after serving a two-year doping ban. Gomez, who was part of Argentina's triumph in Qatar three years ago, has not touched a football since October 2023 after testing positive for a banned substance. He last played for Monza in Serie A.
Former Manchester United player Zidane Iqbal has been banished from the Utrecht squad and will be absent for the game against Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday. Utrecht coach Ron Jans has publicly criticised the midfielder following his return from international duty with Iraq, saying that he needs "a reset" before he will be brought back into the team.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says he will put the club first when it comes to potential January transfers. Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee are both yet to start for the Red Devils this season and have been linked with winter exits in a bid to play regularly in the second half of the season ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Amorim has previously suggested both players will not be allowed to leave but has now offered a fresh update.
Como and Switzerland star Alisha Lehmann named a Chelsea star as the toughest-ever opponent she has contested against, while also revealing whether she would rather win the World Cup with the Switzerland national team or the Ballon d'Or. Lehmann left Aston Villa for Italy to join Juventus in the summer of 2024 after spending six years in England and joined Como in the summer.
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has adamantly denied that his team have "fallen apart" despite a recent string of disappointing results, culminating in a 2-2 draw against Elche. While admitting that they "can't be happy" with their latest setback, Alonso insisted that the connection between his coaching staff and the players is "improving" and that the team spirit remains good.
While the November international break was one for the ages as teams around the globe kept their World Cup dreams alive in dramatic circumstances, the return of club football marks a magic time in the calendars of many fans, as it means we are now at the beginning of four uninterrupted months of club action. This is when narratives truly take form, with teams able to build momentum and set off on potentially season-defining runs.
Stuttgart are bracing for a decisive summer as interest intensifies in Angelo Stiller, with Real Madrid, Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund monitoring his situation. Stuttgart director Fabian Wohlgemuth accepts that there is growing interest in the midfielder, but insists there have been no concrete proposals from other clubs.
Arne Slot's future is in the spotlight after Liverpool's 3-0 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday at Anfield plunged the Reds deeper into crisis. The loss was Liverpool's sixth in seven Premier League matches and means Slot's side are in the bottom half of the table after 12 games played. Questions are now being asked of the Dutchman and his methods, particularly after a big-spending summer that saw costly stars such as Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike arrive.
Como winger Assane Diao is in line to be called up to the Senegal national team for the Africa Cup of Nations, but Cesc Fabregas wants him to stay at the Serie A side for the time being. The 20-year-old has been limited to just four appearances in the Italian top-flight this season, sparking the coach to claim his involvement at AFCON is "illogical".
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted after his team's north London derby win over Tottenham that he prevented Leandro Trossard from leaving the club in the summer transfer window. Trossard was linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners invested heavily in their squad, but Arteta did not want him to depart. The Belgium international has been in good form so far in the 2025-26 season and shone again in the win over Spurs.
Elche’s 2-2 draw against Real Madrid erupted into controversy after Vinicius Junior collided with goalkeeper Inaki Pena in the build-up to Jude Bellingham’s equaliser. Pena was left bleeding after the incident and furious that no foul was given. What began as a brave Elche performance turned into a storm of complaints, shifting focus from their impressive display to referee decisions.
Lionel Messi made MLS Cup playoffs history with a dominant individual display as Inter Miami thrashed FC Cincinnati 4-0 to progress to the Eastern Conference finals. The World Cup-winning Argentina legend was involved in every goal, contributing one of his own and three assists for his team to leave the David Beckham-owned club just two games away from winning their first-ever MLS Cup.
Hans-Joachim Watzke has been elected as the new president of Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, succeeding Dr. Reinhold Lunow after serving as the club's chief executive for over 20 years. The 66-year-old was voted in with 59 percent of the votes during a marathon annual general meeting that lasted over 13 hours and vowed to create history for the football club.
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness is convinced Jurgen Klopp will not remain in Red Bull’s boardrooms for long, arguing the former Liverpool manager is “made for the touchline” and destined to return to coaching. Klopp, now Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull, continues to dismiss immediate rumours of a comeback, but speculation grows as pressure mounts on top jobs in Europe.
Pundit Jamie Carragher has issued an apology to Eberechi Eze after seeing the Arsenal star bag a hat-trick for the Gunners in a 4-1 north London derby victory over Tottenham. The Liverpool legend admits he has "undervalued" the transfer and now feels the former Crystal Palace man has the ability to make a real impact for Mikel Arteta's side as they bid to land the Premier League title.