📝Bio: Soham has been living and breathing football stories for almost a decade, carving his path as a news and SEO writer with an instinct for the big moments. Armed with an MA (Honours) in Sports Journalism from Symbiosis International University, he knew early on that his future wouldn’t be on the pitch but behind the pen, shaping narratives about the game he adores. He joined GOAL in 2017 and has since made his mark covering the Indian Super League, I-League, and the Indian national team. Based in Kolkata, where football is a religion, he grew up watching Bhaichung Bhutia scoring goals for fun in India, before falling head over heels for Real Madrid, a club that now dictates the rhythm of his everyday life.⚽My Football Story: It all began back in 2002. A cricket bat in hand, ready to step out, but then the skies opened up. The rain kept me indoors, and that twist of fate led me to the sofa, beside my father, who had a football match on TV. Little did I know at the time but it was the World Cup final: Brazil vs Germany. Forget the goals – what grabbed my imagination was Ronaldo’s haircut and his iconic celebration. From there, cricket slowly faded and football fever took over. By my teenage years, I was sneaking out of bed at 1am to watch the Champions League - fair to say I was hooked for life.
🎯Areas of Expertise:
Social media-specific content
Premier League, Champions League, European & Indian football coverage
Tactical analysis on the Indian national team
World Cup & European Championship tournaments
🌟Favourite Footballing Memory: The day Mohun Bagan demolished East Bengal 5-3 in the Kolkata Derby, with Chidi Edeh scoring four - a moment when the city turned maroon and green. But nothing beats the spine-tingling sight of Sergio Ramos’ 93rd-minute header in Lisbon, the goal that crowned Real Madrid’s La Decima and etched itself into footballing history.📝My All-Time XI: Iker Casillas; Phillip Lahm, Sergio Ramos, Fabio Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos; Claude Makélélé, Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane; Cristiano Ronaldo, Raúl, Lionel Messi.
Noni Madueke has revealed he wants to "win it all" and help Arsenal "take that next step" to silverware. The Gunners shelled out £52 million (€60m/$69.9m) for the winger, who has signed a five-year contract at the Emirates Stadium. The transfer was finalised on Friday, sending a clear message about the Gunners' ambitions for the upcoming season.
Chelsea have unveiled their latest group of first-year scholars for the 2025-26 campaign and among the standout names are Reggie Walsh and Isago Silva, the son of veteran defender Thiago Silva. In total, 16 academy players have committed to the next stage of their football development at the west London outfit, reaffirming the club’s ongoing commitment to nurturing young talent.
Ashley Young has been tipped to be a "really good acquisition" by Stuart Pearce as the Premier League legend has hit free agency after ending his contract at Everton. The English defender finds himself on the lookout for a new club and Wrexham have been tipped as a potential destination, as he is not entertaining retirement just yet.
Wrexham CEO Michael Williamson is burning the midnight oil Down Under as the Red Dragons are working aggressively behind the scenes to build a super-squad ahead of plying their trade in the Championship. Currently on tour in Oceania, the Welsh side have already made headlines with their pre-season outings, but the more significant action may be happening off the pitch, particularly in hotel rooms, meeting rooms and late-night phone calls.
Manchester City have reportedly been approached by Galatasaray with a €3 million (£2.6m/$3.5m) offer for goalkeeper Ederson as the Turkish giants are interested in luring the experienced Brazilian away from the Etihad. The Super Lig title holders believe Ederson is the right fit as they are searching for a long-term successor to Fernando Muslera.
Noni Madueke penned a heartfelt farewell message to Chelsea as his transfer to London rivals Arsenal is set to be completed. The England international is preparing to trade Stamford Bridge for the Emirates Stadium as he looks to reignite his career after an inconsistent spell with the Blues.
Kyle Walker-Peters is poised to join West Ham United on a free transfer following a dramatic breakdown in talks with Ole Gunner Solskjaer's Besiktas. The 28-year-old defender had been in advanced talks with the Istanbul-based side after his contract with Southampton expired, but the move collapsed in controversial fashion after the defender requested additional time to evaluate his future, a gesture that did not sit well with Besiktas.
Former England international Emile Heskey has suggested Chelsea to stop their pursuit of Morgan Rogers as he thinks that the player will be an "overkill" for the west London side. Their transfer activity this summer has shown no signs of slowing down, with the club already welcoming a host of fresh faces including Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Brazilian wonderkid Estevao.
Erik ten Hag opened the door to a potential reunion with Antony at Bayer Leverkusen as the Brazilian winger seeks an escape route from Manchester United. The Brazilian arrived at Old Trafford in 2022 amid great expectations, having made a £86 million ($115m) switch from Ajax to join his former manager. However, his performances failed to live up to the hype.
England's hopes of progressing to the semi-finals of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 took a major hit after a nightmare first half saw them go two goals down to a sharp and clinical Sweden side. Supporters were left stunned as the reigning champions struggled to deal with the early intensity from the Scandinavians, who capitalised on two defensive errors from Jess Carter to establish control.
West Ham United have reportedly stepped into the mix to secure the services of Manchester City’s Jack Grealish. The midfielder's future with City appears to be over and his exclusion from the Club World Cup squad served as a reminder that his services are no longer required at the Etihad.
Manchester United icon David May has offered unwavering support to manager Ruben Amorim as the Portuguese tactician takes bold steps to reshape the club’s culture. The Red Devils boss has taken a no-nonsense approach ahead of the 2025-26 season by barring five superstars, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrrell Malacia, from rejoining the squad for pre-season training.
Manchester City have announced the arrival of highly rated Norwegian midfielder Sverre Nypan, completing a long-anticipated transfer from Eliteserien side Rosenborg for £12.5 million ($17m). City's scouting and recruitment staff were able to fend off interest from several top clubs across Europe, including Premier League rivals Arsenal and Aston Villa, who had also dispatched representatives to Norway in a bid to lure the midfielder.
Anthony Elanga, Newcastle United's new £55 million ($74m) recruit from Nottingham Forest, has expressed his admiration for international team-mate Alexander Isak, labelling the striker among the world’s elite. However, Elanga also made it clear that speculation surrounding Isak’s future at St James Park is part and parcel of being a top player, referring to the transfer chatter as little more than “noise.”
Chelsea's stunning victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup shocked much of the football world, as few expected them to overcome the reigning European champions in such emphatic fashion. Now, Italian legend Christian Vieri has backed them to build on that momentum and, under Enzo Maresca's inspiring guidance, win the Premier League in the 2025-26 campaign.
Manchester United supporters were responsible for the highest number of football-related arrests in England and Wales during the 2024–25 season, according to the latest data published by the UK Home Office. Over the 10-month reporting period, 121 arrests were linked to fans of the Old Trafford club, more than any other team in the top flight, as revealed by The Athletic.
Barcelona's long-serving goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is reportedly considering going under the knife, which could have huge transfer implications for Manchester City. With the new season approaching, the 33-year-old German shot-stopper has been informed he will start the campaign as Barcelona’s third-choice goalkeeper behind Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny. Hence, the keeper has been advised to seek a fresh challenge.
Cristiano Ronaldo has once again proven that age is just a number, sweeping major honours at the Saudi Pro League's end-of-season awards ceremony following a record-breaking campaign with Al-Nassr. At 40, the Portuguese icon was officially named the 2025-26 Fans' Player of the Season, a title awarded to the player who earns the most man-of-the-match selections across the campaign.
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer found himself in the spotlight with his recent heroics in the Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain making waves far beyond the pitch. The 23-year-old Englishman was filmed snapping a selfie with a New York Police Department officer outside the Peninsula Hotel on Monday, a day after Chelsea’s emphatic victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Fulham have reportedly initiated formal discussions with Arsenal over the prospect of bringing Reiss Nelson back to Craven Cottage for the upcoming season. The 24-year-old winger, who progressed through the Gunners’ youth ranks, could rejoin Marco Silva’s side on a temporary deal, with the precise structure of the proposed move still under negotiation.