Erling Haaland has already conquered most Champions League records, but Manchester City's trip to Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday offers him a chance to break new ground by becoming the first Norwegian player to score against a Norwegian team in the competition's history. Even though Bodo is a 24-hour drive from Haaland's hometown of Bryn and way up in the Arctic circle, this is still a homecoming for the nation's most famous athlete.
Manchester United legends Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes have snapped back at Lisandro Martinez in their surprising war of words, with the Red Devils defender being advised to “f*cking grow up”. The World Cup-winning Argentine, who has not taken kindly to criticism from former Old Trafford favourites, has also been told that he “shouldn’t be at a big club”.
Tottenham star Destiny Udogie has been hit with another crushing blow after thieves broke into his £150,000 Range Rover. The defender was an unused substitute in Spurs' 2-1 home defeat to West Ham at the weekend, and when he came back to his car, he saw the back window had been smashed, and glass was everywhere. This comes months after he was allegedly threatened with a gun by a football agent.
Gabriel Jesus has urged Arsenal to extend his contract, while opening up on his injury struggles at Emirates Stadium. The Brazilian forward is out of contract at the Gunners in 2027, and as his contract ticks down, he has been credited with interest from Palmeiras. But it seems the former Manchester City ace wants to stay with Mikel Arteta's team in a bid to win big trophies.
Kobbie Mainoo is reportedly no longer considering a January exit from Manchester United following Michael Carrick's arrival as interim boss. The England international fell out of favour under former Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim but started in Carrick's first game in charge at Old Trafford in the Manchester derby. And following that 2-0 win over Manchester City, it appears the midfielder is going nowhere for now.
Jack Grealish has been told he would be "perfect" in Major League Soccer despite impressing on loan at Everton. The winger's career looked to be on the decline as he struggled for game time at Manchester City but he has looked rejuvenated this season at the Toffees. Amid speculation over whether or not he will join David Moyes' side permanently, the England international has been backed to head to North America.
“He’s a joke,” says Arsenal youngster Charles Sagoe Jr when asked to describe what it’s like working with Bukayo Saka. “What you see on the TV is how he's applying himself every day in training. It’s very inspiring.” And when it comes to inspirational figures, there are few better around for Sagoe Jr to learn from and work alongside than Saka.
Fulham have made a $35 million (€30 million) offer for U.S. men's national team star Ricardo Pepi, GOAL can confirm, and, despite seeing that bid rejected, several English clubs remain interested in the forward. The offer comes despite Pepi's recent arm injury, which hasn't prevented Premier League clubs from making a push to sign the striker this January.
Tottenham have confirmed that defender Ben Davies is set to undergo surgery after fracturing his ankle in his side's 2-1 loss to West Ham. Pressure is mounting on Spurs boss Thomas Frank after a damaging home defeat to the relegation-threatened Hammers at the weekend. To make matters worse, Wales international Davies picked up the injury in the derby defeat and now he faces a lengthy lay-off.
Marc Guehi has officially signed for Manchester City after completing a £20m ($27m) move from Crystal Palace. The England defender has penned a contract with City until 2031 and immediately boosts the team's injury-ravaged defence, with Pep Guardiola's side having lost Josko Gvardiol for the rest of the season while also missing Ruben Dias and John Stones.
Former West Ham and England striker Carlton Cole has lifted the lid on a hilarious but painful dressing room prank that left him writhing in agony on a bathroom floor. The cult hero revealed how mischievous international team-mates tricked him into trying 'snus' for the first time, assuring him it would "settle him down" before the nicotine pouch caused a severe physical reaction that had the rest of the squad "laughing their heads off".
Gianluigi Donnarumma’s agent has dropped a stunning transfer bombshell, admitting that the Italy captain would jump at the chance to return to Serie A despite only joining Manchester City six months ago. While Enzo Raiola insists his client is currently finding "serenity" in England, he revealed that they would "seize" the opportunity to head home if a suitable offer arose, putting long-term admirers Juventus and Inter on red alert regarding the goalkeeper's future.
Manchester United have dealt a blow to Roma’s hopes of signing Joshua Zirkzee, with the Italian club’s director confirming Old Trafford chiefs have issued a firm "no" to any deal. Despite the injured Dutch forward’s desire to leave in search of regular game time to boost his international prospects, United are refusing to sanction an exit, leaving caretaker boss Michael Carrick with an unhappy player as he prepares for a crucial trip to Arsenal.
It has been revealed when Xabi Alonso will look to get back into management following his shock sacking by Real Madrid. The 44-year-old lasted just seven months, taking in 34 games, at the Bernabeu before being relieved of his duties. He is already being linked with other clubs, including a few in the Premier League, but will not be rushing into another role.
Chelsea have received a major boost regarding Levi Colwill's recovery from a devastating knee injury, with optimism growing that the defender will return before the season ends. However, the Blues are refusing to stand still, accelerating plans to sign a £60m-rated replacement this month to address the defensive crisis that contributed to Enzo Maresca's mid-season exit.
It has been revealed that Tottenham midfielder Pape Matar Sarr was rushed to hospital after falling ill during the Africa Cup of Nations final. The 23-year-old had been named among Senegal’s substitutes for a meeting with hosts Morocco. He never made it onto the field and missed post-match celebrations, following a chaotic contest, after requiring medical assistance.
The O2 Arena was packed with Premier League royalty this week as the NBA returned to London for a heavyweight clash between the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic. Arsenal duo Declan Rice and William Saliba were joined by Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk courtside, while legends Thierry Henry and Marcelo added global stardust to a night where football met basketball in the capital.
442oons presents highlights from Manchester United's 2-0 derby win over rivals City at Old Trafford on Saturday. Featuring cameos from Arne Slot, Mikel Arteta and Arsenal's first-team squad and a booing Ruben Amorim - this one's not to be missed!
While goals were hard to come by in the Premier League over the weekend, there were still plenty of intriguing narratives that emerged in England's top-flight, while elsewhere around Europe there was plenty of entertainment to be had ahead of the return of the Champions League this midweek.
Thomas Frank remains under intense pressure at Tottenham, but the Dane is reportedly set to remain at the helm for a Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. Disgruntled supporters have aired their frustration at recent performances, leading to uncomfortable questions being asked of the man in the dugout, but Spurs bosses have no immediate plans to pull the trigger.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has addressed Xabi Alonso’s shock sacking by Real Madrid, which may yet impact his own future at Anfield, with the Dutchman claiming to have “no clue” if a modern penchant for sporting directors is to blame for big clubs being so quick to part with head coaches when times get tough. Real, Manchester United and Chelsea have all made changes in their respective dugouts early in 2026.
Chelsea have softened their stance on Enzo Fernandez, with reports indicating the Blues are willing to sanction a blockbuster exit in 2026 for the 'right price'. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are now on red alert, preparing to test the waters for the World Cup winner as they look to capitalise on this unexpected development at Stamford Bridge.
Unai Emery conducted a “weird” interview after seeing Aston Villa suffer a disappointing home defeat to Everton, with the Spaniard claiming that his high-flying team are “not top-five contenders” in the Premier League. His comments, and behaviour, raised eyebrows with Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp.
Arne Slot reportedly still has the backing of Liverpool owners FSG despite a downturn in results. The Reds were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday afternoon, which extended their winless run to four matches. The pressure continues to mount on Slot, with the defending Premier League champions now 14 points off league leaders Arsenal.
Vinicius Junior making a move to Chelsea remains a ”fairytale shout”, says former Blues midfielder Jody Morris, with the Real Madrid superstar considered to be “too old” for owners at Stamford Bridge that prefer to focus on youth and potential. A ‘Galactico’ at Santiago Bernabeu is, however, generating talk of a Premier League transfer being made in 2026.
Unai Emery has explained why Jadon Sancho was not included in Aston Villa's squad to face Everton on Sunday evening. Sancho joined the Villans on loan from Manchester United in September but has struggled for regular game time at Villa Park. Indeed, he has started just two league matches this season, with the majority of his minutes coming in the Europa League.
Patrice Evra has called out Manchester City star Rayan Cherki for "not respecting" Manchester United following Saturday's derby clash at Old Trafford. In their first game under Michael Carrick, United eased to a 2-0 home win over the Cityzens to further derail their rivals' Premier League title bid. Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu both netted in the second half to wrap up the victory.
Chelsea have taken a major step forward in their bid to sign Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, having agreed personal terms with the defender. Jacquet is reportedly close to joining the Blues, who are looking to bring in a new centre-back during the January transfer window. The 20-year-old has also been linked with Liverpool, but Chelsea are now in pole position to secure his signature.
Niclas Fullkrug's nightmare start to life in Italy continued last week after the striker had €500k worth of valuables stolen from his hotel room. The German moved to the Rossoneri on loan for the rest of the season at the start of January, having been deemed surplus to requirements by Premier League side West Ham.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has reacted to jeers from the home support at Anfield by stating that he “doesn’t like boos”. The Reds have not faced too many of those in recent times, with Jurgen Klopp building them into perennial challengers for the most prestigious of honours. Arne Slot has delivered another Premier League title, but the 2025-26 campaign has tested collective patience on Merseyside.
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