Peter McVitie

Josh Cavallo, the first openly gay active professional male footballer, has launched a scathing attack on his former club Adelaide United. The 26-year-old alleges that "internal homophobia", not footballing reasons, was the true cause behind his lack of playing time and eventual departure from the A-League side. In a deeply personal statement, he also revealed that teammates mocked his relationship.

Manchester United are set to accelerate their pursuit of Ruben Neves after reaching an agreement in principle with Michael Carrick to take over as interim manager. With the 44-year-old winning the race against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to succeed Ruben Amorim, INEOS are preparing to release funds immediately to land the £20m-rated Al-Hilal star in the January transfer window.

Arsenal legend Robert Pires has heaped huge praise on Declan Rice, insisting the midfielder belongs in the "same circle" as club icons Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira. With the Gunners currently sitting six points clear at the top of the table and chasing their first Premier League title in over two decades, the Invincible believes Rice is the vital piece of the puzzle needed to finally end the long wait for silverware.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has moved to quell fears surrounding Rio Ngumoha after the teenage sensation was forced off during the FA Cup victory over Barnsley. The 17-year-old winger produced another dazzling display at Anfield before limping off in the second half, but the Dutch boss insists the issue is nothing more sinister than fatigue as the youngster adapts to senior football.

Liverpool’s passage to the fourth round of the FA Cup was marred by a moment of controversial flair from Dominik Szoboszlai, who has been fiercely criticised by Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane for a "disrespectful" piece of skill inside his own penalty area. The Hungarian’s casual backheel gifted the visitors a route back into the game, sparking anger from the opposition dugout and earning a stern rebuke from his own manager, Arne Slot.

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has refused to criticise his players despite suffering a shock elimination from the Coupe de France at the hands of local rivals Paris FC on Monday night. The Spaniard insisted the 1-0 defeat was "unfair" given his side's dominance, though the result has officially ended the capital club's hopes of securing a historic back-to-back treble this season.

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has issued a public apology to Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior and club president Florentino Perez following a heated touchline altercation during the Spanish Super Cup semi-final, admitting his behaviour "was not appropriate" while stopping short of asking for forgiveness.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has formally opened disciplinary proceedings following a series of ugly incidents that marred the quarter-final stages of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Officials have confirmed that investigations are underway regarding "unacceptable behaviour" from players and staff during the high-profile clashes involving the hosts, Cameroon, Algeria and Nigeria.

Eddie Howe has taken aim at a rule change allowing Manchester City’s £65 million signing Antoine Semenyo to face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. The forward played for Bournemouth earlier in the tournament, but new regulations have scrapped ‘cup-tied’ rules. It leaves Howe rueing his luck as he battles a severe defensive injury crisis ahead of the semi-final first leg at St James' Park.

Manchester City are pushing to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi immediately, opting not to wait for his contract to expire in the summer. Pep Guardiola’s side have opened talks and are ready to meet the £35 million valuation to fend off heavy interest from Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid. The champions are moving quickly to capitalise on the defender’s situation following a chaotic weekend for the Eagles.

Manchester United’s turbulent season has taken yet another dramatic twist with the sacking of Ruben Amorim, a decision that has inadvertently handed a massive lifeline to Kobbie Mainoo just as the midfielder appeared destined for a January exit. As the dust settles on Amorim’s departure, club legend Dwight Yorke has issued a stark warning to the young midfielder, urging him to reject any potential loan moves and prove his worth at Old Trafford.

Arsenal have confirmed that club legend Per Mertesacker will step down as academy manager at the end of the current campaign. The former captain, who has overseen the club's youth development for eight years since retiring in 2018, leaves a lasting legacy and will assist with a seamless transition before departing to explore new challenges elsewhere.

Joan Laporta has launched a scathing critique of Kylian Mbappe following the Real Madrid star's controversial refusal to engage in a guard of honour after the Spanish Super Cup final. The Barcelona president branded the Frenchman's decision to urge his team-mates to leave the pitch as "surprising" and lacking in sportsmanship, suggesting the dramatic 3-2 defeat in Saudi Arabia left Los Blancos "really upset" as they came to terms with their rivals' superiority.

Marcus Rashford has poured cold water on speculation linking him with a shock return to Manchester United following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, insisting his focus remains firmly on winning more silverware with Barcelona. The England international, who lifted his first trophy for the Catalan giants on Sunday night, admitted he "hopes not" to see his time in Spain cut short as he revels in a "perfect" new lease of life.

Real Madrid’s misery in Saudi Arabia was compounded by a moment of viral humiliation for Arda Guler, who was left red-faced after a furious attempt to kick a water bottle backfired spectacularly following the 3-2 Supercopa de Espana defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona. The Turkish playmaker, who had endured a difficult cameo off the bench, became the subject of social media ridicule as footage emerged of him slipping and landing on his back while his opponents celebrated their trophy triumph.

Danny Welbeck has joked that revealing the secrets behind his incredible longevity might attract the attention of "drug testers" after he returned to haunt Manchester United once again. The 35-year-old striker rolled back the years to score a stunner as Brighton dumped his former club out of the FA Cup, sparking fresh talk of a shock England World Cup recall.

Rui Faria, the long-time assistant coach to Jose Mourinho, has posted a scathing critique of modern football club structures just days after Manchester United sacked Ruben Amorim. In a social media post featuring a Manchester United background, Faria argued that managers are now powerless scapegoats for business-oriented hierarchies.

Jobe Bellingham’s high-profile move to Borussia Dortmund has threatened to spiral into a nightmare, but reports from Germany suggest the former Sunderland star is fighting back to save his Bundesliga career. The 20-year-old, who followed in his brother Jude’s footsteps by swapping the Championship for the Signal Iduna Park last summer, has been branded a "training champion" by club staff as he undergoes a radical physical transformation to rediscover his best form.