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GOAL brings you the lowdown on how British players are doing away from home, with many footballers now taking their talents abroad in search of prosperity. Despite the riches and the glamour of the Premier League, it's far from the be all and end all. You can still carve out a fantastic career even while out of the intense spotlight of the English media.

Lionel Messi's former World Cup-winning Argentina team-mate, Alejandro Gomez, has finally returned to action for an Italian second-tier club after serving a two-year doping ban. Gomez, who was part of Argentina's triumph in Qatar three years ago, has not touched a football since October 2023 after testing positive for a banned substance. He last played for Monza in Serie A.

Former Manchester United player Zidane Iqbal has been banished from the Utrecht squad and will be absent for the game against Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday. Utrecht coach Ron Jans has publicly criticised the midfielder following his return from international duty with Iraq, saying that he needs "a reset" before he will be brought back into the team.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says he will put the club first when it comes to potential January transfers. Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee are both yet to start for the Red Devils this season and have been linked with winter exits in a bid to play regularly in the second half of the season ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Amorim has previously suggested both players will not be allowed to leave but has now offered a fresh update.

The Glamour Boys suffered a defeat in their first Group C game, and the tactician believes the loss is a harsh result. To him, a draw would have been a far better outcome given how his Chiefs went toe-to-toe against the Egyptian outfit. Next, Amakhosi will play another Egyptian side, but this time around, the challenge is expected to be even huge because Zamalek are not only heavyweights at home but are also continental giants.

Como and Switzerland star Alisha Lehmann named a Chelsea star as the toughest-ever opponent she has contested against, while also revealing whether she would rather win the World Cup with the Switzerland national team or the Ballon d'Or. Lehmann left Aston Villa for Italy to join Juventus in the summer of 2024 after spending six years in England and joined Como in the summer.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has adamantly denied that his team have "fallen apart" despite a recent string of disappointing results, culminating in a 2-2 draw against Elche. While admitting that they "can't be happy" with their latest setback, Alonso insisted that the connection between his coaching staff and the players is "improving" and that the team spirit remains good.

While the November international break was one for the ages as teams around the globe kept their World Cup dreams alive in dramatic circumstances, the return of club football marks a magic time in the calendars of many fans, as it means we are now at the beginning of four uninterrupted months of club action. This is when narratives truly take form, with teams able to build momentum and set off on potentially season-defining runs.

Stuttgart are bracing for a decisive summer as interest intensifies in Angelo Stiller, with Real Madrid, Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund monitoring his situation. Stuttgart director Fabian Wohlgemuth accepts that there is growing interest in the midfielder, but insists there have been no concrete proposals from other clubs.

Arne Slot's future is in the spotlight after Liverpool's 3-0 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday at Anfield plunged the Reds deeper into crisis. The loss was Liverpool's sixth in seven Premier League matches and means Slot's side are in the bottom half of the table after 12 games played. Questions are now being asked of the Dutchman and his methods, particularly after a big-spending summer that saw costly stars such as Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike arrive.

The Western Cape side pulled out all the tricks in the book when they took their Congolese opponents, AS Otohô to Polokwane due to stadium unavailability in the Mother City. The move ultimately worked in Stellies’ favour, as they walked away with maximum points at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, securing a one-nil victory in the dying minutes. It was the perfect start to their continental campaign, especially after falling short in the semi-finals of the previous competition.

Como winger Assane Diao is in line to be called up to the Senegal national team for the Africa Cup of Nations, but Cesc Fabregas wants him to stay at the Serie A side for the time being. The 20-year-old has been limited to just four appearances in the Italian top-flight this season, sparking the coach to claim his involvement at AFCON is "illogical".

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted after his team's north London derby win over Tottenham that he prevented Leandro Trossard from leaving the club in the summer transfer window. Trossard was linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners invested heavily in their squad, but Arteta did not want him to depart. The Belgium international has been in good form so far in the 2025-26 season and shone again in the win over Spurs.

Elche’s 2-2 draw against Real Madrid erupted into controversy after Vinicius Junior collided with goalkeeper Inaki Pena in the build-up to Jude Bellingham’s equaliser. Pena was left bleeding after the incident and furious that no foul was given. What began as a brave Elche performance turned into a storm of complaints, shifting focus from their impressive display to referee decisions.

Amakhosi's CAF Confederation Cup group stage campaign started with disappointment after going down 2-1 to Al Masry of Egypt. Despite showing determination to fight back while playing away from home, Chiefs were undone by poor defending as Al Masry grabbed the advantage to strike the winning goal. After the loss in Suez, three players have been singled out, and Inacio Miguel was specifically blamed for his mistake that handed the Egyptian side a glorious chance to punish Amakhosi.

Lionel Messi made MLS Cup playoffs history with a dominant individual display as Inter Miami thrashed FC Cincinnati 4-0 to progress to the Eastern Conference finals. The World Cup-winning Argentina legend was involved in every goal, contributing one of his own and three assists for his team to leave the David Beckham-owned club just two games away from winning their first-ever MLS Cup.

Hans-Joachim Watzke has been elected as the new president of Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, succeeding Dr. Reinhold Lunow after serving as the club's chief executive for over 20 years. The 66-year-old was voted in with 59 percent of the votes during a marathon annual general meeting that lasted over 13 hours and vowed to create history for the football club.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness is convinced Jurgen Klopp will not remain in Red Bull’s boardrooms for long, arguing the former Liverpool manager is “made for the touchline” and destined to return to coaching. Klopp, now Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull, continues to dismiss immediate rumours of a comeback, but speculation grows as pressure mounts on top jobs in Europe.

Pundit Jamie Carragher has issued an apology to Eberechi Eze after seeing the Arsenal star bag a hat-trick for the Gunners in a 4-1 north London derby victory over Tottenham. The Liverpool legend admits he has "undervalued" the transfer and now feels the former Crystal Palace man has the ability to make a real impact for Mikel Arteta's side as they bid to land the Premier League title.

Former Bayern Munich star and Germany legend Lothar Matthaus believes 17-year-old Lennart Karl is in the perfect environment for his growth. The World Cup winner is impressed by Karl's performances at the club level and has accused Germany national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann of being afraid to call him up to the camp for the upcoming quadrennial event.

An angry Leeds United fan who tried to confront manager Daniel Farke following the defeat to Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday has been arrested. The incident occurred midway through the Premier League clash, as Unai Emery's side came back from behind to beat the hosts 2-1. With the loss, the Whites now sit in the relegation zone with 11 points from 12 matches.

Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw at Elche delivered drama on the pitch and controversy off it, with a late equaliser following Vinicius Junior’s collision with goalkeeper Inaki Pena sparking fierce criticism from Elche coach Eder Sarabia. The result extends Madrid’s winless run to three matches and exposes deeper issues in Xabi Alonso’s side.

Inter manager Christian Chivu refused to blame goalkeeper Yann Sommer following a disappointing derby defeat to AC Milan, instead praising his team's overall performance and spirit. The Romanian coach also strongly defended his decision to substitute captain Lautaro Martinez early in the second half of the 1-0 loss, insisting the call was tactical and within his rights as manager. Inter now sit fourth in Serie A after their fourth defeat of the season.

William Saliba could not resist taking aim at Tottenham star Richarlison following Arsenal's thumping 4-1 win over Spurs in the north London derby on Sunday. Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick as Mikel Arteta's side claimed the bragging rights and moved six points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Saliba celebrated the victory on social media after the game, with Declan Rice quick to join in.

Despite being snubbed by the national team head coach, the former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns player continues to prove his worth for the Moroccan giants. The Mzansi star played a crucial role as Wydad Casablanca managed a 3-0 win over Kenya's Nairobi United on Sunday at Laribi Zaouli Stadium. The win propelled the Moroccan heavyweights to the top of the table, while Nairobi United, who made it to the group stage in their debut season, are at the bottom.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a sensational overhead kick on Sunday night in the Saudi Pro League as table-toppers Al-Nassr maintained their perfect start to the 2025-26 season with a ninth win from nine games. The 40-year-old rolled back the years with an eye-catching acrobatic effort in stoppage time and promptly set a challenge for fans on social media after the victory for his side at Al-Awwal Park.

The former Bucs coach is in South Africa as a brand advocate for Carling Black Label, the sponsors of the Carling Knockout Cup, and spoke to the media about his time at the Sowetan giants and his desire to see the club be successful.

U.S. international Christian Pulisic said AC Milan’s 1-0 win over Inter Milan underlined the team’s determination and showed they can be serious contenders in Serie A this season. He also praised goalkeeper Mike Maignan, calling the France international’s display “one of the best goalkeeper performances” he has seen in his career.

Monterrey have reportedly opened formal negotiations with Sergio Ramos to extend his contract beyond December 2025. While no agreement has been reached, both parties are interested in continuing the partnership as Rayados enter a decisive stretch of the Apertura. Ramos’ leadership and experience have made his renewal a priority for the club as it plans for the 2026 project.