Chris Burton

Mikel Arteta found himself caught up in an awkward encounter with an autograph-hunting supporter following Arsenal’s FA Cup fourth-round win over Wigan. The Gunners boss was looking to head home with his family after that encounter, but was spotted in his car by eagle-eyed fans. Despite making it clear that he had no intention of granting shirt-signing requests, one individual persevered.

Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford admits that he was blindsided by Pep Guardiola’s swoop for Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the England World Cup hopeful leaving the door open to another transfer 12 months on from making his way back to the Etihad Stadium. The 23-year-old is desperate for regular game time, but finds himself stuck behind the revered Italian shot-stopper.

Marseille suffered more frustration, in what has become a difficult period for the club, when throwing away a two-goal lead in their 2-2 draw with Strasbourg. The contest was their first since seeing Roberto De Zerbi relieved of his managerial duties. Inspiration is required from somewhere, as OM try to restore some stability, and Mason Greenwood is doing his best to provide that.

Lionel Messi is well versed in the art of goal celebration, but the Argentine GOAT struggled to crack a smile after watching son Mateo find the back of the net for Inter Miami’s youth team. The youngster is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his famous father by becoming a professional footballer, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner on hand to offer words of advice.

Neymar experienced mixed emotions when making his return to action with Santos. The Brazil international, who is clinging to his 2026 World Cup dream, is back on the field after recovering from knee surgery. He is looking to play his way towards full fitness, with an eventful cameo appearance being taken in when stepping off the bench in a meeting with Velo Clube.

Vinicius Junior has revealed how he helped Real Madrid to sign Kylian Mbappe, with the Brazilian claiming to have acted as the French forward’s “agent”. World Cup winner Mbappe finally became a ‘Galactico’ at the Bernabeu in 2024, following several years of speculation regarding a move to Spain, and has become a prolific presence for Los Blancos.

Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus is “convinced” that Harry Kane will remain at the Allianz Arena and sign a contract extension as “money isn’t his top priority”. The prolific England international striker has seen a transfer speculated on, as there are release clauses in his current terms, but discussions regarding an extended stay with the Bundesliga champions are being lined up.

Wayne Rooney has named the two clubs that he would join as an assistant manager, with the Manchester United legend not ruling out a return to the dugout in a head coaching capacity. The former England captain endured a tough time across his last two stints at Birmingham and Plymouth, but he has not lost the bug and is ruling nothing out at this stage.

Harry Kane is thinking about Robert Lewandowski's Bundesliga goal record, with the Bayern Munich striker admitting that “anything is possible”. Prolific Polish frontman Lewandowski once found the target on 41 occasions across a single Bundesliga campaign. Nobody has been able to raise that bar, but 2025-26 could see Kane could claim another entry in the history books.

Aymeric Laporte admits that “everyone is afraid” of Spain international team-mate Lamine Yamal, with the Barcelona wonderkid having rivals running scared. At just 18 years of age, the teen sensation continues to see his stock soar. He has earned another comparison to Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi, with their dribbling ability considered to occupy a similar talent pool.

Ruben Dias would be advised to stick to his day job, with Maya Jama sharing some of the Manchester City defender’s attempts at artwork. The Love Island presenter, who has been filming in South Africa, got to spend Valentine’s Day with her Portuguese partner. They headed out for a romantic meal, with that dining experience including opportunities to put their drawing skills to the test.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has explained why he is more Cristiano Ronaldo than Lionel Messi, with the NBA superstar adding his voice to the long-running GOAT debate. The Milwaukee Bucks talisman is hoping to form part of those discussions in basketball circles and sees himself being cut from similar sporting cloth to Portuguese icon CR7 - while being a huge admirer of magical Argentina international Messi.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has broken his silence on the future of “good friend” Mohamed Salah, with the Egyptian superstar continuing to see a move away from Anfield speculated. Interest from the Saudi Pro League refuses to go away, heading towards the summer transfer window, but those on Merseyside are hoping to see a talismanic presence stay put.

Harry Kane has been rewriting the history books again, becoming the first Englishman to reach 500 career goals. That is some achievement from the prolific Bayern Munich striker, as he has bettered the exploits of iconic figures such as Sir Bobby Charlton, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney. The 32-year-old frontman has revealed his next target.

England and Scotland games at the 2026 World Cup are under threat, with Gillette Stadium in Foxborough yet to be granted the license required to stage FIFA fixtures. The iconic venue on the outskirts of Boston, which is home to the New England Patriots franchise in NFL circles, is due to host seven matches at this summer’s global showpiece.

Patrice Evra has been reflecting on his time at Manchester United, admitting that youngsters of today would consider boot cleaning to be a form of “slavery”. In his era at Old Trafford, the opportunity to make sure that Cristiano Ronaldo graced the field with sparkling footwear was a “reward”. Times have changed quickly, with CR7 now in charge of organising his own scrubbing.

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the appointment of their fourth permanent manager in the 2025-26 campaign. Premier League history has been made there, with Vitor Pereira taking over at the City Ground. He follows in the immediate footsteps of Sean Dyche, with Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou having previously been relieved of their duties on Trentside.

A turbulent period for Marseille has delivered more drama, with disgruntled supporters trying to storm presidential suites at Stade Velodrome. A furious stampede took place following a 2-2 draw with Strasbourg in Ligue 1. Said contest saw Mason Greenwood among the goals again, but Marseille threw away a commanding lead to drop two points in dramatic fashion.