Former Manchester United and Chelsea star Juan Mata has confirmed he will not return to Melbourne Victory for the 2026-27 A-League Men season. While the veteran playmaker is stepping away from the pitch in Australia, he has notably stopped short of announcing his formal retirement from professional football.
Sydney FC have completed the signing of highly rated teenage defender James Overy from Manchester United on a three-year contract. The 18-year-old right-back returns to Australian football for an undisclosed fee, with the Premier League giants inserting a buy-back clause as he targets regular senior minutes to boost his senior international ambitions.
Juan Mata has completed a formal agreement to purchase a minority stake in A-League giants Melbourne Victory, further cementing his ties to Australian football. The deal also sees the ex-Man Utd star appointed as the chair of a newly established football committee, though he is yet to confirm if he will hang up his boots for good.
New Zealand defender Tim Payne has seen his social media presence explode after a viral stunt transformed him into an internet sensation ahead of the World Cup. Orchestrated by a prominent Argentine influencer, the online campaign has rapidly propelled the veteran full-back's Instagram follower count to a staggering 2.5 million users.
Former Manchester United and Chelsea star Juan Mata turned back the clock with a sensational free-kick for Melbourne Victory on Saturday. Despite the Spaniard's individual brilliance, a late collapse saw his side surrender a two-goal lead in a frantic A-League encounter.
Football can be a cruel game, but few will experience a Saturday as nightmarish as former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi. The 24-year-old shot-stopper, who once walked the halls of the Spurs training ground under the watchful eyes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, found himself at the centre of a sporting catastrophe during Wellington Phoenix’s 5-0 thrashing at the hands of rivals Auckland FC.
