Chris Burton

Former Manchester City and Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of wounding following an alleged fight at a golf club. The incident in question is said to have taken place on the evening of Sunday, March 8 at a sporting facility on Merseyside. It is claimed that Barton was taken into custody by local police.

Legendary former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has questioned why fans that marred the latest Old Firm derby, those “wearing masks and punching police”, are being allowed to dictate how long managers spend in any given post. Wilfried Nancy lasted just 33 days in charge at Parkhead this season, while ex-Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou was given only 39 at Nottingham Forest.

Wayne Rooney has been making unfortunate headlines again, with it being reported that the Manchester United legend is “really irritating” wife Coleen. The former England captain was recently spotted drinking until the early hours of the morning at a pre-Brit Awards party in Manchester. He was joined by two mystery women, leading to patience among friends and family of his long-term partner “wearing thin”.

It has been claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo was once looking to construct a mansion, during his first spell at Manchester United, that would have included a “jacuzzi at the foot of his bed”. Said project never got off the ground, following discussions with planners, and the Portuguese icon - who now owns several luxury houses - left England for Real Madrid in 2009.

Bayern Munich reportedly have a plan up their sleeve that will bring the transfer talk raging around Harry Kane to a close. They have seen the England captain pass 500 career goals this season, with 130 of those being recorded since moving to Germany in 2023. Exit clauses in his current deal are said to have expired, with an update being delivered on extension plans.

Weston McKennie admits that the USMNT will be under “pressure” to deliver at a home World Cup, but considers that level of expectation to bring with it “extra motivation”. The United States is counting down the days to another major tournament on American soil, with McKennie explaining to GOAL how Mauricio Pochettino’s squad will handle the demands of heat and travel.

Manchester United have been told that they made a huge mistake in allowing “phenomenal” David de Gea to leave the club in 2023. That is the opinion of former Red Devils striker Giuseppe Rossi, who returned to Old Trafford to train alongside De Gea and Co in 2019. He has told GOAL why it has taken so long for Premier League giants to get back on the “right path” in the goalkeeping department.

Arsenal will be “annoyed” at failing to win the Champions League, GOAL has been told, but that does not mean that the Gunners will “smash up” Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 of this season’s competition. Former ‘Invincibles’ squad member Jeremie Aliadiere has warned Mikel Arteta’s side against complacency after being handed a supposedly favourable European draw in 2026.

Grok, the AI tool available on the X social media platform that is owned by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, is facing action from the UK government after allowing users to generate “sickening and irresponsible” posts. The most shocking content relates to the Hillsborough and Heysel tragedies, the death of former Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and the Munich air disaster.

Jurgen Klopp continues to see a return to management speculated on, and Gary McAllister has told GOAL that a second spell at Liverpool cannot be ruled out. The enigmatic German walked away from Merseyside in the summer of 2024, but questions are being asked of his Anfield successor Arne Slot and an emotional retracing of steps to a spiritual home is being mooted.

A revelation regarding a new “three-season story” for Ted Lasso has been made ahead of Jason Sudeikis and Co delivering Series 4 of the Emmy Award-winning production. With an initial run coming to a close in 2023, fans across the globe are readying themselves for a return to the world of AFC Richmond. One of the show’s co-creators has hinted at there being many more stories to tell.

Cruzeiro’s trophy-clinching victory over arch-rivals Atletico Mineiro descended into chaos as ugly in-game scenes saw players and coaching staff from both teams caught up in an unsightly scuffle. The fuse was lit during second-half stoppage-time, following a coming together between Everson and Christian, with a mass brawl breaking out that saw kicks and punches thrown.

Paul Pogba is looking to rebuild his career at Monaco, with the World Cup winner being brutally informed that he has “only had three good years in his entire career”. That is the opinion of Radja Nainggolan, who once lined up against the Frenchman in Serie A. Pogba has endured a tough time of late, with the ex-Manchester United and Juventus midfielder serving a doping ban.

USMNT star Weston McKennie was bizarrely slapped by his own manager after seeing Juventus score a goal in their 4-0 victory over Pisa. The United States international midfielder played the full 90 minutes of that contest, having lined up at wing-back, but may have been left sporting a sore head afterwards after being clipped on the cheek by Luciano Spalletti.

Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds has responded to reports suggesting that he is preparing to expand his football empire by acquiring a team in Brazil. Santa Cruz are the club in question, with it claimed that they could become the latest side to welcome A-list investors through the doors. Deadpool actor Reynolds has sought to calm that speculation.

Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel is being backed to make his Premier League breakthrough in the 2026-27 campaign. The exciting youngster is just 15 years of age, but will be cleared to grace top-flight competition in England from next season. The talented teenager has been likened to Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, who is now a global superstar.

Lionel Messi is poised to be rested by Inter Miami at some stage in the not too distant future, with the MLS Cup winners eager to avoid making a “big mistake” while chasing down multiple trophies. The Herons are eager to successfully defend their domestic crown in the United States, while continental silverware is up for grabs in Champions Cup and Leagues Cup competition.

The reasons why Manchester City “could accept” a 60-point penalty in their long-running Financial Fair Play (FFP) case have been explained. Since early 2023, at least 115 charges have been hanging over the Etihad Stadium. No verdict has been delivered as yet, and the expectation is that any punishment - especially a hefty points deduction - would be appealed.