Rasmus Hojlundâs revival in Italy has gathered pace after another decisive display for Napoli, prompting Antonio Conte to explain why the striker is now thriving following his Manchester United exit. The Napoli boss praised the Daneâs growing understanding of the role, while stressing that his side are still chasing the elite standard set by Serie Aâs top contenders.
A lot of leagues and competitions take the festive period off but there was no break for players in England, Italy and Portugal over the weekend, while the action at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco resumed on December 26. The Premier League's top two, Arsenal and Manchester City, both picked up hard-fought wins on Saturday but Aston Villa remain very much in the title race after a massive win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Nicolas Jacksonâs future is once again under the spotlight after his agent dropped a telling hint about the strikerâs next move, with doubts growing over a permanent stay at Bayern Munich. The Senegal internationalâs loan spell in Germany appears to be nearing its natural end, opening the door to a new destination as interest builds elsewhere in Europe.
The January transfer window is fast approaching, and clubs will once again be scrambling to strengthen for the second half of the season. In the 2025 winter market, ÂŁ1.2 billion ($1.4bn) was spent across Europe's top leagues and the English Championship, the highest mark in seven years, with Manchester City accounting for ÂŁ191 million ($256m) of that amount alone.
Manchester United star Joshua Zirkzee is set to push for an exit from Old Trafford in the upcoming January transfer window despite Ruben Amorim's attempts to block his move to Serie A. The striker has found minutes hard to come by this season, sitting firmly down the Old Trafford pecking order as summer signings Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha have been preferred as the team's No.9 by Amorim.
Christian Pulisic has broken his silence on if there is any truth behind dating rumours linking the AC Milan and USMNT star with American actress Sydney Sweeney. News broke earlier this week that the former Chelsea winger and Sweeney had struck up a romantic relationship and had been dating for some time, with 27-year-old Pulisic coming forward to give his take on the rumours after helping fire Milan to the top of Serie A on Sunday.
Rasmus Hojlund continued his impressive start to life with Napoli with a brace in Sunday's 2-0 win over Cremonense to remain on the coattails of league leaders AC Milan. The Dane departed Manchester United for the Scudetto winners on loan over the summer having struggled to adapt to the speed and physicality of the Premier League following his move to Old Trafford in 2023.
Christopher Nkunku pulled off his trademark celebration after finally scoring his first goal in Serie A. The France international left Chelsea for AC Milan over the summer, penning a five-year contract in a deal worth ÂŁ36m having failed to make an impact in west London. And while Nkunku has taken time to find his groove in Italy, celebrated his first league goal in style on Sunday.
Christian Pulisic continued his remarkable form for AC Milan, scoring the opening goal in a convincing 3-0 victory over Hellas Verona at San Siro. The American winger's first-half strike helped propel the Rossoneri to the top of the Serie A standings, two points clear of city rivals Inter Milan and extends Milan's unbeaten league run to 17 matches.
Scott McTominayâs career has taken an unexpected yet glittering turn since leaving Manchester United, but speculation is now mounting that the Scotland midfielder could yet find his way back to the Premier League. Reports suggest the door to an Old Trafford reunion has not been firmly shut, with McTominay said to be weighing his long-term future after a remarkable spell in Italy.
The Christmas period is upon us, which means we are somehow already more or less at the midway point of the 2025-26 football season. As many of Europe's leading leagues pause for the winter break, it's time to take stock and reflect on four scintillating months of action. It's also the opportune moment to assess those players who completed transfers across the continent in the summer, now that they have a decent sample size of games under their belts.
Manchester United will only allow players to leave in the January transfer window if replacements can be found, says head coach Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese has delivered the update ahead of the winter market opening on New Yearâs Day, with Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee believed to be keen on departing Old Trafford in search of more playing time.
With the halfway stage of the season upon us, the time has come to shine a spotlight on the players who have made the biggest impact across Europe's major leagues. But first, let's run through the lay of the land.
Xabi Alonso is struggling to maintain order in the Real Madrid dressing room because it is full of big-name players who believe they "deserve" to start every game, according to his former Spain team-mate Cesc Fabregas. The Como head coach has laid bare the reason why he believes his compatriot has found himself under pressure at the Bernabeu this season.
AC Milan's clash with Como will no longer be played in Australia in February, Serie A have confirmed. The ambitious proposal by Lega Serie A to stage a historic league fixture between Milan and Como in Perth, Australia, in 2026 has now been called off due to unacceptable terms and conditions laid down by the Asian Football Confederation and the Australian FA.
Manchester United have decided to delay a decision on whether to sell Joshua Zirkzee during the January transfer window. The striker has found minutes hard to come by this season, sitting firmly down the Old Trafford pecking order. Summer signings Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha have been preferred as the team's No.9 by head coach Ruben Amorim.
Liverpool cult hero Divock Origi has reportedly agreed to terminate his contract with AC Milan and will be free to sign for a new club when the transfer window opens in January. The Belgian striker has not played for the Rossoneri in two-and-a-half years, and is considered one of the worst signings in the recent history of the club.
Rasmus Hojlund has aimed a brutal dig at Manchester United after winning the first trophy of his loan spell at Serie A title holders Napoli. The 22-year-old striker departed Old Trafford over the summer after enduring two testing campaigns in England. He is now enjoying his football again alongside Scott McTominay, with Supercoppa Italiana success being savoured.
U.S. men's national team star Weston McKennie says he'd like to stay at Juventus, but his future is in the hands of his agent and the club. The American midfielder's contract expires in June, but having carved out a big role once again in Turin, McKennie is open to staying. Without an extension in place, rumors have been swirling since the summer about McKennie's future.
It's that time of year where leagues around Europe begin to wind down for their winter breaks. Some countries allow their top-flight teams an extended period off around Christmas, while others will only be missing from the schedules for a week or so. All the while, the Premier League will continue throughout the festive period as the title race continues to hot up.
A transfer update has been delivered on Christian Pulisic, with the USMNT star generating exit talk at AC Milan. A return to the Premier League has been speculated on for the former Chelsea forward, with Manchester United said to be one of his many suitors. It is, however, being claimed that there has been âzeroâ contact from England regarding the United States international.
Scott McTominay has once again been billed as the standout performer in Serie A. Said standing was recently made official when landing the divisionâs Player of the Year award for 2025 - with the history books being rewritten. A club colleague at title holders Napoli, Sam Beukema, has now explained what makes the former Manchester United midfielder special.
Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pulled no punches after his sideâs defeat to Juventus, openly questioning Evan Fergusonâs impact and admitting the Republic of Ireland striker is not convincing him. The blunt assessment has intensified scrutiny on Romaâs January plans, with Gasperini hinting at attacking reinforcements while insisting his selection calls were the right ones.
Serie A side Fiorentina are eyeing a shock deal to appoint Spurs' director of football Fabio Paratici. Following a change in their ownership, Tottenham announced the arrival of Italian transfer guru Paratici, who formed part of a new leadership group alongside Johan Lange. Since then, the pair has been working together across the club's transfer strategy, with Paratici's 30-month ban coming to an end.
GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including Richards taking on Aaronson and what the French Cup could mean for Ligue 1's USMNT quartet.
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