Chris Burton

Erling Haaland has offered a blunt "I am British" response to questions on social media of why his accent has "turned". The prolific Manchester City striker, who has smashed another Champions League goal record, is a proud performer for Norway at international level. He was, however, born in the UK during his father Alf Inge's time in the Premier League.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has responded to the threat of PFA action over the Blues' treatment of exiled senior stars such as Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi. The aforementioned duo find themselves in the fabled 'bomb squad' at Stamford Bridge, with the organisation in charge of player welfare eager to ensure that Premier League giants are acting professionally.

Harry Kane is being backed to become a transfer stopgap for Barcelona, with the Liga giants expected to make a play for Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland at some stage. If England captain Kane could be lured away from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2026, then Barca would have time in which to generate the funds required to make their Haaland dream a reality.

Lionel Messi has been sent "it's done" advice after choosing to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and extend his remarkable playing career. With CR7 extending his Al-Nassr contract at 40 years of age, Argentine icon Messi is expected to tread a similar path by agreeing fresh terms with Inter Miami in MLS. Neither of the all-time greats are ready to consider retirement any time soon.

Bryan Robson has lifted the lid on Manchester United's transfer pitch to Jude Bellingham, with Sir Alex Ferguson and Eric Cantona making pleas to the exciting midfielder. Bellingham was a hot prospect on the books of Birmingham when the Red Devils made their play for his signature, with the Premier League giants eventually left disappointed as they lost out to Borussia Dortmund.

Nick Woltemade has delivered a new twist in Newcastle's rivalry with Liverpool, as the German striker considers a player at Anfield to be "one of the best" that he has "ever played with". The star in question is Florian Wirtz, who now lines up on Merseyside alongside Alexander Isak - who caused quite a stir when leaving St James' Park in the summer of 2025.

Manchester United’s £2 billion ($2.7bn) redevelopment of Old Trafford has been billed as a "project of a lifetime" by the architect that drew up ambitious plans for the stunning new ground. The Premier League giants have revealed that they intend to build a new 100,000-seater stadium that will more than deliver on Sir Jim Ratcliffe's dreams to construct a "Wembley of the North".

Alexa Melton has sent a "love you" birthday message to Christian Pulisic, with the USMNT star's golf pro girlfriend reflecting on "all our mems". AC Milan forward Pulisic, who welcomes his partner to Italy on a regular basis, has turned 27 and is hoping to enjoy a productive 12 months - in what is a World Cup year - before another personal celebration rolls around.

Jose Mourinho has already been warned of the sack threat he faces at Benfica, with the Portuguese a matter of hours into the two-year contract that he has signed at Estadio da Luz. The enigmatic former Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter boss is aware that he needs to deliver positive results in order to see out a deal through to the summer of 2027.

Marcus Rashford admits it has been "difficult" for him to settle quickly at Barcelona, after completing a loan move from Manchester United, but he is up and running on the competitive goal front. That account was opened when netting a stunning brace for the Liga giants in their first fixture of the 2025-26 Champions League campaign away at Newcastle.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s one-time Manchester United team-mate Giuseppe Rossi has great admiration for the Portuguese superstar, but admits that he prefers to talk about Lionel Messi. American-born Rossi - who spent time in England, Spain and the United States during his playing days - has offered a slightly different take on the long-running GOAT debate.

Paul Mullin has been told that a reunion with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at Wrexham should not be written off, with there still a chance that he will be offered a shot at redemption. A cult hero from the Red Dragons’ historic run of three successive promotions is currently out on loan at Wigan Athletic, but he remains under contract in North Wales.

Gio Reyna has been told what he must do in order to make the USMNT World Cup squad, with the highly-rated playmaker determined to grace a major tournament on home soil in the summer of 2026. Questions are still being asked of his involvement after suffering “injury after injury after injury”, but Brad Friedel is among those backing the 22-year-old to come good.

Dele Alli’s downfall remains “difficult” to understand, with Roberto Di Matteo - who saw the ex-England international taking his first steps towards senior stardom - urging the former Tottenham midfielder to “enjoy life”. Dele finds himself at another important career crossroads after seeing his contract surprisingly terminated by Serie A side Como.

Inter Miami have reportedly got the answer they wanted after putting various contract questions to Lionel Messi, with the Argentine GOAT ready to sign a “multiyear” extension with the MLS outfit. His current deal is due to expire at the end of the 2025 campaign, but the South American superstar is poised to end any speculation regarding his future.

Steven Gerrard could become a future star of ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, with Bryan Robson claiming that the opportunity to work with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney “would interest” the Liverpool legend. Gerrard has been out of management since severing ties with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in January, but is leaving himself open to enticing offers.

Harry Kane has been warned off a future career in NFL, with the England international told that “monsters” will be waiting to “hit” him in a different form of football. The Bayern Munich striker has been advised to focus on playing soccer until his 40, allowing him to score “a million goals” and retire in peace without having to put his body on the line again.

The Liverpool fan who went viral for winding up Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, to the point that the Argentine ended up being shown a red card for clashing with the home support at Anfield, insists that nothing racist or overly antagonistic was said during a dramatic Champions League fixture on Merseyside that saw the hosts claim a 92nd-minute winner.