Luciano Spalletti is set to return to club management with Juventus after reaching an agreement to replace the sacked Igor Tudor. The 66-year-old, who guided Napoli to the Scudetto in 2023, will sign a deal until June 2026, with an automatic extension triggered by Champions League qualification. His official unveiling is expected after Juve’s clash with Udinese.
Nantes boss Luis Castro has jokingly put his side's name in the hat of potential destinations for Vinicius Junior should the Real Madrid star opt to leave the club in the summer. The Brazilian winger has been under the eye of the media in recent weeks, with reports suggesting he is unhappy at the Santiago Bernabeu. And after Vinicius' fiery reaction to being substituted by Xabi Alonso during El Clasico, Castro humoured the idea of signing the forward.
Vincent Kompany’s new Bayern Munich contract runs until 2029 without a release clause but with a Champions League bonus. The Belgian, who led Bayern to the Bundesliga title in his first season, has been rewarded for his rapid success as the club look to secure their long-term future under the 39-year-old tactician.
Vincent Kompany reserved special praise for Koln’s young starlet Said El Mala ahead of Bayern Munich’s DFB-Pokal clash with the Billy Goats. The 19-year-old midfielder, already attracting interest from Manchester City and Bayern, has become one of the Bundesliga’s brightest prospects, and Kompany has added to the growing hype.
Lucas Paqueta has spoken to clear the air amid reports he wants to leave West Ham in the January transfer window. It has been claimed that the Brazilian has been keen to leave the Hammers following his clearance from spot-fixing allegations in July. He was the subject of a long-running FA investigation and is now said to be eyeing a fresh start with a new club.
England's first camp since their second successive European Championship triumph was certainly a little up and down. Marred by injuries going into the window, with there already three notable absentees before Sarina Wiegman's squad was announced and four withdrawals after it was revealed, the Lionesses then suffered a 2-1 defeat to Brazil in their first game post-Euros, despite playing for over an hour against 10 players, but were able to bounce back on Tuesday against Australia, who also had a player sent off very early on in a rather strange couple of games.
Toni Kroos has criticised Hansi Flick’s tactical setup in Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid, questioning the German coach’s choice of centre-backs and failure to contain Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. The former Real Madrid star also highlighted the loss of Inigo Martinez as a key factor behind Barca’s defensive struggles at the Bernabeu.
Borussia Dortmund are ready to make rare contract compromises to keep Karim Adeyemi, with talks ongoing between sporting director Sebastian Kehl and super-agent Jorge Mendes. The German forward's new deal could include a release clause and a higher salary as Dortmund push to extend his stay beyond 2027.
Ange Postecoglou is reportedly in the running for the Celtic hot seat following Brendan Rodgers' resignation, as the Australian is looking to land himself in his third club in six months. In the wake of the Northern Irishman's acrimonious exit, the club has turned to a familiar face for temporary stability in the form of Martin O’Neill, the legendary figure who guided the Hoops through one of their most glorious eras in the early 2000s.
Real Madrid are winning on the pitch, but tension is brewing behind the scenes. According to The Athletic, several senior players are struggling with Xabi Alonso’s rigid approach and distant style, with some insiders claiming he "thinks he’s Pep Guardiola". Frustration is growing over the manager’s strict rules and intense methods, despite two big wins recently over Barcelona and Juventus.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has confirmed a "long-term injury blow" to Lewis Brunt as the Red Dragons continue to struggle following a dreadful start to the 2025-26 season. Brunt has already undergone surgery after he injured his thigh during the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough last Saturday and is staring at a lengthy rehabilitation before he regains match fitness.
Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo has doubled down on his defence of the controversial plan to stage the AC Milan vs Como clash in Australia. Despite backlash from fans, players and coaches, De Siervo insists the decision is vital for the league’s global growth and has urged FIFA to grant the final approval, claiming the move is an “unpopular but necessary” step for Italy’s football future.
Chelsea legend John Terry has found himself at the centre of social media ridicule after performing a rap with British artist ArrDee at the Baller League UK. The former Blues defender, who lifted 15 trophies with the club, was labelled "cringe" and "embarrassing" by fans following his appearance alongside the rapper during Monday night’s event.
Ex-Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez’s time at Club Leon is coming to an end, with the Mexican side deciding not to renew his contract beyond the 2025 Apertura tournament. The Colombian playmaker will soon be on the move again, in search of what could become the 13th club of his career, as he weighs up offers from Mexico and abroad.
Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez has been given time off and psychological support after being involved in a tragic road accident near the club’s training base that claimed the life of an 81-year-old man. The Spaniard was expected to be on the bench for Inter’s midweek game against Fiorentina, but will now take a week off to recover from the emotional trauma.
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has calmed fears surrounding Rafael Leao after the attacker was substituted early in the 1-1 draw against Atalanta on Monday. While the Portugal winger felt some discomfort during the game, Allegri insists his early exit was merely a precautionary measure following his recent fitness struggles.
Pep Guardiola sees the Stoke City model being followed "more and more" in the Premier League, as several teams are picking up Tony Pulis' old tactics. The Manchester City boss believes the English top-flight has fallen in love again with Pulis-style football, where long throws and set-piece chaos decide games more than skill or possession. However, the Catalan coach remains defiant and claims that he will not change his philosophy. Instead, he vowed to nullify that threat using his own methods, which will involve adopting an "aggressive response".
Brazilian forward Richarlison has reportedly "given the green light" to a potential move away from Tottenham, with Flamengo making the striker their top target for the January transfer window as they look to bring the national team’s No.9 back home. The Rio de Janeiro natives have been struggling with injuries this season and are keen to explore a blockbuster move this winter.
Paris Saint-Germain are targeting Barcelona’s 18-year-old prodigy Juan Hernandez, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season. The French champions, led by former Barca boss Luis Enrique, are monitoring the academy midfielder closely and believe he fits their strategy of building around Europe’s top young talents.
Things are starting to get serious in the EFL League Cup - also known as the Carabao Cup - and we'll soon have just eight teams battling it out for glory.
Paul Pogba is edging closer to his first game for Monaco, but head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has called for realistic expectations for the former Manchester United and Juventus star. The French midfielder has returned to full training after multiple injury setbacks since his arrival in June and is nearing his Ligue 1 debut in the coming weeks.
Radja Nainggolan has launched a scathing attack on Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez, accusing the former Belgium manager of wasting the country's golden generation and branding him a "terrible coach" with "bullsh*t" methods. Martinez managed Belgium between 2016 and 2022, resigning after their disappointing group stage exit at the Qatar World Cup.
Liam Rosenior has publicly apologised for his comments on Lyon winger Malick Fofana's injury after initially defending Ismael Doukoure following his red card in Strasbourg’s defeat to Lyon. The Strasbourg coach admitted he “reacted in the heat of the moment” after reviewing footage of the heavy tackle that left Fofana stretchered off with a serious ankle injury that could rule him out for months.
Cristiano Ronaldo sent an emotional eight-word message to his Al-Nassr team-mates after they crashed out of the King's Cup with a 2-1 defeat to 10-man Al-Ittihad. The Portuguese icon has urged his colleagues to brush off the disappointment and prepare for future battles, as they still have the Saudi Pro League and the AFC Champions League 2 to fight for.
While much of the early-season crisis talk has centred on Manchester United and Liverpool, Chelsea have quietly slipped below their biggest Premier League rivals, finding themselves ninth after nine games. Consistently inconsistent, Saturday's shock home defeat to Sunderland has left them at a crossroads, with plenty of issues to address if they are to avoid their season drifting into mediocrity.
Barcelona are finalising plans to play a friendly match in Peru this December to offset the financial loss from their cancelled Miami fixture against Villarreal. The proposed game, worth up to €7-8 million, comes after La Liga and organisers Relevent pulled the plug on the U.S. match, a blow to Barca’s global expansion and revenue strategy.
Michelle Agyemang worryingly left the pitch on a stretcher as England beat Australia 3-0 at Pride Park in Derby on Tuesday night. The up and coming teenage forward has made a huge impact since bursting onto the international scene for the Lionesses earlier this year, going on to play a decisive role at Euro 2025, but could now be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Liverpool's record signing Alexander Isak has been called out by a club legend, with the struggling striker told that he's doing a lot of 'huffing and puffing' but not making himself 'a menace' for the Reds. The Premier League champions signed Isak for a British record fee of £125 million ($169.3m) from Newcastle United in the summer but the Swedish forward is struggling for form at Anfield.
Manchester United supporters very much enjoyed Grimsby Town's downfall as the League Two side crashed out of the Carabao Cup after losing 5-0 against Brentford on Tuesday. Grimsby fans were on cloud nine only a couple of months ago after they dumped the Red Devils out of the competition following an epic penalty shootout win over the Premier League giants. Goalkeeper Andre Onana in particular had a nightmare outing and was later loaned out to Turkey.