Manchester United are growing increasingly confident of finally securing Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba as part of a major summer overhaul. Despite a quiet January expected under newly-appointed boss Michael Carrick, club chiefs are already plotting a massive midfield restructure for the next permanent manager, with the Cameroonian ace identified as a top priority to replace outgoing stars at Old Trafford.
Morgan Rogers is being tipped to complete a stunning £80 million ($107m) transfer to a Premier League powerhouse at some point in the not too distant future. Former Villans striker Stan Collymore has explained to GOAL why the England international will likely be on the move in upcoming windows and which teams will be leading the chase for his signature.
Andy Robertson has cast serious doubt over his Liverpool future, admitting he needs to "sit down with my family and decide" his next move as his contract ticks down. The Scotland captain, who has lost his starting spot to Milos Kerkez this season, insisted he is "a player who wants to play" and hinted that his reduced role under Arne Slot could force him to look elsewhere after almost nine trophy-laden years at Anfield.
Roy Keane has taken aim at Manchester United’s new coaching team, with Steve Holland, Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate being drafted in alongside interim boss Michael Carrick. Keane has pointed out that certain members of that backroom unit were “on the beach a week ago”, with more questions being asked of the direction in which the Red Devils are heading.
Bradz, BtecBurn, Geordie Josh, Harri Kanot, Jonathan Morley, Lil Jr, JFTV Luca, Nayeem UTD, Peak Fighter and Wolus FCB all battle it out for the cash prize in GOAL FanZone's ultimate football quiz!
Birmingham City are closing in on a sensational transfer for Danish striker August Priske. The Championship side, partly owned by NFL legend Tom Brady, have reportedly leapfrogged Besiktas and Lille to lead the race for the Allsvenskan top scorer. With personal terms nearly agreed, the towering ace could be the marquee signing to push for the Premier League.
Barcelona’s sporting director Deco has explained why an emotional return to Camp Nou for Lionel Messi remains “complicated”. He has also addressed the speculation surrounding the respective futures of prolific Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, head coach Hansi Flick and German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, with there always a lot going on in Catalunya.
Tottenham have raided champions Manchester City to secure a key piece of their boardroom puzzle, appointing Carlos Raphael Moersen as their new director of football operations. The move marks a major step in the club's restructuring under Johan Lange, as the north Londoners seek to modernise their hierarchy and close the gap on the elite.
USMNT star Christian Pulisic has formed part of a Ronaldo comparison on the back of the chances that he squandered in AC Milan’s frustrating 1-1 draw with Fiorentina. The Rossoneri snatched a point late on in that Serie A contest, but could have been out of sight. No finger of blame is being pointed in the direction of their 10-goal American forward.
Enzo Fernandez has explained how Lionel Messi is allowing him to live out a “PlayStation” dream. The Argentine midfielder looked up to an iconic countryman when seeking to forge his own professional career. Fernandez could never have imagined at that point what the future would have in store - with World Cup glory being savoured alongside Messi at Qatar 2022.
Sol Campbell has backed Unai Emery as a potential solution to Man Utd’s crisis, labelling the Spaniard a "proven" option who understands big-club pressure. As Michael Carrick steps in following Ruben Amorim's sacking, Campbell insists United need a steady hand to break their "loop" of failure, identifying Emery as someone who can finally appease the board.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is facing fresh scrutiny over his treatment of Federico Chiesa, with the winger's former mentor branding the Dutchman's selection policy a "mystery." As the Italian international closes in on a sensational return to Juventus this month, questions are being asked about why a player perfectly suited to the Premier League was left in the cold at Anfield.
Manchester United have been urged to consider Carlo Ancelotti when identifying candidates to become the club’s next permanent manager. The Red Devils are back in the market for a new head coach after taking the decision to part with Ruben Amorim. A man who knows all about life at Old Trafford believes that current Brazil boss Ancelotti would return a “winning culture” to Premier League heavyweights.
Manchester United and Atletico Madrid are set for a heavyweight transfer tussle over Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes, with the Spanish giants desperate to find a successor for Conor Gallagher. The England international completed his £35 million switch to Tottenham this week, leaving a gaping hole in Diego Simeone’s engine room that the Brazilian ace has been identified to fill.
Enzo Fernandez is reporting “considering his future” at Chelsea following the departure of Enzo Maresca as manager. The Blues took the decision to part with the Italian tactician on New Year’s Day, with Liam Rosenior now calling the shots at Stamford Bridge. It is being suggested that World Cup winner Fernandez could be lured away from west London, with Paris Saint-Germain among his many suitors.
Radu Dragusin has made his intentions crystal clear to Tottenham chiefs, with reports from Italy suggesting the defender is desperate to seal a permanent exit from London this month. The Romanian international has his heart set on a move to Roma and is reportedly willing to snub interest from the Bundesliga to ensure he never has to return to the Premier League club.
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has explained to GOAL how Jurgen Klopp could make a sensational return to Anfield. The German coach left Merseyside in the summer of 2024, and saw successor Arne Slot savour Premier League title glory in his first season at the helm. A stunning retracing of steps for Klopp has been speculated on, with it impossible to rule anything out.
Manchester United legend Jaap Stam has identified his "dream" January signing, urging the Red Devils to finally secure the services of Barcelona playmaker Frenkie de Jong. The former defender believes the Dutch maestro, who has long been on the club's radar, is the missing piece to transform United's midfield, while also tipping a Brighton star for a move to Old Trafford.
It is reported that Ruben Amorim was ready to resign a matter of days before Manchester United brought his testing 14-month spell as Red Devils boss to a close. Having struggled to make the desired impact at Old Trafford, the Portuguese tactician was prepared to fall on his sword and walk away. With the decision eventually being taken to sack the 40-year-old, he has cost Premier League heavyweights £12 million ($16m) in compensation.
West Ham icon Carlton Cole has issued a stark warning to his former club, admitting they need "the luck of the gods" to survive the drop this season. In a candid assessment of the turmoil at the London Stadium, Cole backed current boss Nuno Espírito Santo but expressed fears that the current squad overhaul might be too little, too late to save the Hammers.
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has made the startling admission that he came perilously close to retiring from professional football during his recent injury nightmare. The Argentine star revealed he felt he was "no longer a football player" during the darkest moments of his rehabilitation, confessing that the mental and physical toll of a serious knee injury left him on the brink of walking away from the sport entirely.
Sportico have released their annual highest-paid athletes list, with Cristiano Ronaldo sitting at the top of that chart. The Portuguese GOAT earned double what eternal rival Lionel Messi pulled in over the course of 2025, with the Al-Nassr forward making $260 million (£194m). There are 13 football players in the top 100, with Brazilian icon Neymar tumbling down the standings.
Bayern Munich’s teenage sensation Lennart Karl has left fans baffled and amused after a video surfaced showing him wearing custom shinpads adorned with an image of Lionel Messi. The 17-year-old, who recently sparked controversy by publicly declaring his desire to play for Real Madrid, seems to have forgotten the fierce rivalry between his "dream" club and the Barcelona legend he apparently idolises.
Arne Slot can't catch a break right now. Barnsley at home in the FA Cup should have made for a comfortable Monday evening for the under-pressure Liverpool boss. Dominik Szoboszlai had other ideas, though. Having earlier broken the deadlock with a thumping strike from distance before Jeremie Frimpong netted his first goal at Anfield with an equally emphatic finish, the Hungarian gifted Liverpool's third-tier opponents a goal just before the break with one of the most inexplicable errors you'll ever see on a football field.
While effectively ruling himself out of the running to take over at Real Madrid, Jurgen Klopp pointed out that "the coaching market is being reshuffled" right now - because Xabi Alonso isn't the only manager to lose his job at an elite European club since the turn of the year. On January 1, less than six months after lifting the Club World Cup, Enzo Maresca was fired by Chelsea after publicly criticising his employers. Just four days later, Manchester United also got rid of Ruben Amorim for speaking out of turn.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revealed that he once “literally sh*t” himself while working through an injury rehabilitation programme, with the legendary Swedish striker enduring an unfortunate toilet mishap while running on a treadmill. The former Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and AC Milan forward considers that story to be another example of how he would never “cheat” when it came to giving his all.
FIFA says it received more than 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup during its month-long Random Selection Draw application window, highlighting unprecedented global demand for the first-ever 48-team tournament across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The window ran from Dec. 11 through Jan. 13 following December’s World Cup draw and schedule release.
Fans were left puzzled after Arsenal's opening goal against Chelsea in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final was allowed to stand on Wednesday night, despite Manchester City having a strike disallowed the day before for a similar infraction from Erling Haaland against Newcastle United. Robert Sanchez flapped at a corner which allowed Ben White the simplest of headers, but Viktor Gyokeres appeared to be in an offside position as he tangled with Marc Guiu, who was defending on the line. The Gunners ended up claiming a 3-2 victory at Stamford Bridge, handing Mikel Arteta's side a strong advantage as they bid to reach the final at Wembley.
Liverpool will have to wait a little while longer to welcome Mohamed Salah back at Anfield despite Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations exit at the hands of Senegal. The Pharoahs suffered semi-final heartbreak in Morocco on Wednesday night as Salah's former Reds co-star Sadio Mane fired home a clinical late winner to send his country to the final.
Arsenal took a big step towards the Carabao Cup final by edging past Chelsea 3-2 in this dramatic, all-London semi-final first leg, but Mikel Arteta's side will be left feeling they probably should have put the tie to bed having twice seen a two-goal lead pegged back at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Ben White, Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi had the Gunners in control throughout this topsy-turvy contest, but a second-half brace from substitute Alejandro Garnacho ensured Chelsea have something still to play for at the Emirates in three weeks' time.