Enzo Maresca is facing growing criticism over his handling of teenage sensation Estevao Willian, with claims that Chelsea’s head coach is mismanaging the Brazilian through stop-start appearances. Former Brazil and Tottenham midfielder Sandro has questioned Maresca’s approach, arguing that Chelsea risk damaging a rare talent whose potential he likened to Gareth Bale’s early days in north London.
Cristiano Ronaldo will, much like eternal rival Lionel Messi, want to be "the number one" when the day comes to retire. Former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo admits as much, with Portuguese GOAT CR7 not ready for the "last word" just yet. He still has targets to chase down, with the plan being to compete for World Cup glory in the summer of 2026.
Jamie Carragher has risked incurring further wrath of Chelsea supporters by reiterating his opinion that Enzo Maresca will not be the club’s manager next season. The Italian is being mooted as a successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Carragher believes that goings on behind the scenes in west London will lead to another change in the Stamford Bridge dugout.
Arne Slot’s position as Liverpool head coach is not under immediate threat, even if the Reds suffer what has been described as a "horrendous" defeat away to struggling Tottenham. Former midfielder Don Hutchison believes patience will be shown, though he warns that continued inconsistency could still derail Liverpool’s season and leave Champions League qualification out of reach.
Thierry Henry has urged Arsenal not to look for excuses in their latest Premier League title bid, with the Gunners legend pointing out that "everyone has problems". Injuries have started to pile up for Mikel Arteta at Emirates Stadium, while seeing a lead at the top of the table cut to two points, but collective focus must remain locked on the ultimate end goal.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has escalated tensions with Real Madrid after launching a furious public attack that accused their rivals of breaching ethical and moral standards. Speaking at a club event, Laporta claimed Barcelona are victims of smear campaigns, singling out Real Madrid’s media output and insisting Barca will not tolerate what he described as lies and institutional intimidation.
Transfer fees have been creeping up for some time, with Neymar blowing the doors off that particular market when joining Paris Saint-Germain for €222m (£195m/$261m) in 2017. It appears to be only a matter of time before a defender moves for nine figures, with Marlon Harewood telling GOAL of why Nottingham Forest star Murillo could be the man to make history.
Micah Richards has backed Manchester City to take the Premier League title race with Arsenal to the wire largely thanks to the efforts of Erling Haaland, while he also claimed to have predicted former team-mate Vincent Kompany becoming a leading manager amid the Belgian's fine work with Bayern Munich. Richards was speaking exclusively to GOAL as part of Specsavers' Best Worst Team campaign.
FIFA has been left facing scrutiny after unprecedented scenes at the Arab Cup, with the third-place playoff abandoned because of severe lightning storms and never restarted. Instead of finishing the match, football’s governing body handed responsibility to a committee, which ultimately decided the outcome away from the pitch, leaving both teams sharing third place in a chaotic conclusion.
Enzo Maresca has addressed the speculation suggesting that he is being lined up for a potential return to Manchester City as successor to Pep Guardiola. The Italian has previously taken in two coaching spells at the Etihad Stadium, but is currently committed to Chelsea and has stated with "100 percent" certainty that he will still be in charge at Stamford Bridge next season.
Scott McTominay has delivered his verdict on why certain players have improved after leaving Manchester United, with the Scotland international saying there is no obvious "excuse" as to why that has happened. McTominay is, as a Serie A title winner with Napoli, one of several stars to have flourished since severing ties with Premier League heavyweights at Old Trafford.
Dele Alli has hinted that a return to the professional ranks may be pending, with the former Tottenham midfielder continuing his search for a new club. The ex-England international has been a free agent since seeing his contract at Serie A side Como terminated. He has been working on an individual fitness programme, allowing him to stay sharp while waiting on offers.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has opened up on his turbulent spell at Old Trafford, revealing he rejected two opportunities to leave the club despite personal frustration and uncertainty around his future. The Portugal international admitted his time at United has not unfolded as he hoped, but insists his belief in winning trophies remains the driving force behind staying put.
With all the data and all the video footage you could ever hope for, there really shouldn't be many secrets left in the world of youth football. Sure, progress isn't linear and some players' attributes translate better to the adult game than others, but for most teams, picking and finding the best young talent still feels like a bit of a lottery, at least from the outside looking in.
Erling Haaland is being tipped to snub any future interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona as he is already at a club that will allow him to land major silverware and smash countless records on the goalscoring front. Ex-Premier League forward Marlon Harewood has told GOAL why the prolific Norwegian is likely to honour an extraordinary 10-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.
Gary Lineker has responded to reports of his World Cup deal with Netflix, and the potential to front future Premier League programming, being a "revenge" mission against former employers at the BBC. The ex-Tottenham and England striker has a reported £14 million ($19m) agreement in place to front The Rest Is Football podcast on American soil next summer. He insists talk of getting one over on the Beeb is "utter nonsense".
The life of a professional footballer is a dream for most people. You get paid handsomely to play the most popular sport in the world. The fame and notoriety are to die for. Yet even this high of highs isn't enough to completely satisfy the one percent who actually make it to the top of the game, and Nicklas Bendtner is walking, talking proof of that.
After Chelsea's hard-fought Carabao Cup win in Cardiff on Tuesday, Enzo Maresca went to applaud the travelling support. They responded by singing the Italian's name. At most clubs, there would be nothing remotely remarkable about a pretty perfunctory display of mutual affection between a fan base and a trophy-winning manager. Chelsea are not most clubs, though.
Viktor Gyokeres has capped a remarkable year by being crowned Sweden’s best striker for the third season running, edging out Liverpool’s Alexander Isak for the honour. Following his high-profile move to Arsenal, the 26-year-old reflected on an "eventful year" that included trophies in Portugal, a major summer transfer and personal recognition back home.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta admits the long-running Lionel Messi saga, which started in 2021 when the Argentine GOAT left for Paris Saint-Germain, has made him "sad". He does, however, hope that a crossing of paths will take place at some stage, saying: "Hopefully we meet again." A fitting tribute to Messi, be that an exhibition game or statue, is still being planned.
Manchester United have reportedly softened their stance on Kobbie Mainoo ahead of the January transfer window, with the club now prepared to listen to offers after previously shutting down all interest. While Ruben Amorim still wants to keep the midfielder at Old Trafford, reduced game time and growing outside noise mean United are no longer ruling anything out.
Lennart Karl the 17-year-old attacking midfielder, has experienced a remarkably rapid ascent at Bayern Munich, quickly transitioning from the academy to the first team and earning significant praise from superstar team-mate Harry Kane who has hailed the youngster’s positive impact with the Bavarian giants. The England captain has also offered some advice to his young colleague.
Selected first overall by D.C. United in Thursday’s MLS SuperDraft, the imposing center back joined GOAL Convo to explain why a rebuild doesn’t intimidate him.
Chelsea have been offered some advice on potential signings ahead of the January transfer window. Enzo Maresca's side spent heavily once again in the summer but currently sit down in fourth place in the Premier League table and already eight points behind current leaders Arsenal. The Blues have been told to strengthen their defence and that it may be wise to bring a familiar face back.
Gabriel Jesus has insisted he wants to stay at Arsenal and fight for his future, sending a clear message to Mikel Arteta amid speculation over his long-term role and future at the club. The Brazilian says he has unfinished business in north London, stressing his desire to win titles and help “wake up the sleeping giant” rather than seek a move elsewhere.
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