Growing up in Glasgow during the 1950s, just a few square feet of grass could feel like Hampden Park. Not far from his family home in the impoverished neighbourhood of Milton, a young Kenny Dalglish would spend countless hours kicking a football around one such tiny patch with his father Bill.

An engineer by trade, Bill would take his son to his two places of worship at weekends – the Protestant church and Ibrox. When Kenny was 14, his family moved home, to his great delight, into the shadow of the latter. “My dad took me to Rangers from an early age – that never caused me any bother later on, you have to support someone when you’re a kid,” Dalglish tells FourFourTwo, looking back on his childhood. This year a documentary about his life was released, created by Asif Kapadia, the maker of documentary films Senna, Amy and Diego Maradona.

Dalglish’s kickabouts as a youngster paid off. By the time he’d left school to work as an apprentice joiner, he was being touted as a rising talent in Scottish football. Turning out at weekends for Glasgow United, scouts from West Ham and Liverpool visited. His next stop lay in his home city – but not at the stadium he could see from his bedroom window.

“One day we played Celtic’s young boys,” Dalglish remembers. “Among those watching was their first-team manager, Jock Stein. He liked the wee No.4 – thankfully, that was me.”

Stein’s assistant, Sean Fallon, paid a visit to the Dalglish family home and, surrounded by Rangers memorabilia all over the walls, asked Bill and wife Cathy if their son would be interested in joining the Catholic juggernauts. “I told my dad, ‘I thought you’d have wanted me to play for Rangers,” Kenny would later recall. “He said, ‘Son, the best place for you right now is at Celtic.’”

It wasn’t hard to see why. Only a few weeks later, Stein’s side were crowned European champions in Lisbon. “I can remember watching that game,” says Dalglish. “Jock became the first British manager to win the European Cup, and he did it all with a group of players that came from a 25-mile radius around the city. Those scenes and the celebrations in Glasgow sparked a lifelong ambition to get my hands on a European Cup. This was the club I was joining.”

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Dalglish soon emerged as part of a talented crop of youngsters at Celtic – which also included Lou Macari, George Connelly and Danny McGrain – dubbed The Quality Street Gang. “Jock had the desire to come over regularly and coach some of the younger players, myself included,” Dalglish recalls. “What he did for us was fantastic. The education he gave us, the desire to get us through and make us better footballers, it just spoke volumes for the man.”

Soon, Dalglish and the other young prodigies began training with the likes of Jimmy Johnstone, Billy McNeill and the rest of the Lisbon Lions. “Those heroes of mine were who we went to train with,” says Dalglish. “They were so humble and helpful. It was a fantastic team, and I mean as people as well as a brilliant group of footballers.”

Dalglish – moulded from a midfielder into a deep-lying forward by Stein – made his first-team debut aged 17 in 1968, but it wasn’t until the 1971-72 season that he became a regular. His first competitive goal came at the start of that season – a penalty that secured a 2-0 victory over Rangers at Ibrox, the club he’d grown up supporting. That was the first of his 29 goals in 53 first-team appearances that season, as Stein’s side won their seventh straight league title. After being handed his first Scotland caps by boss Tommy Docherty in 1971, Dalglish showed his breakout campaign had been no fluke by hitting 39 goals in the following season. He’d quickly become the star of Scottish football, dazzling crowds with his footwork and vision, despite rough treatment from opposition players on muddy pitches.

“You learn to look after yourself,” says Dalglish, when asked if rivals ever tried to kick him off the park. “I don’t know how a team-mate is supposed to look after you, you’ll have to do that yourself. It was a more physical game than it is now, but I still feel fortunate to have played when things were slightly better. “I played after George Best’s era – you see the treatment that he used to get. Football has moved on a lot now, but it’s always been a competitive sport. You’re going to get challenged – sometimes people mistime things.”

Dalglish soon won his third league title, although Stein’s team lost out to Atletico Madrid in a European Cup semi in 1974, following a first-leg stalemate at Celtic Park that saw three Spaniards sent off for violent challenges. “They were a disgrace that night, an absolute disgrace,” recalls Dalglish. “The most brutal game I ever played in. Their manager believed that style could take them to the final. He’d pick two different teams – a more defensive one for away games and a more attacking one for home games. They went on to lose the final 4-0 [against Bayern Munich] after a replay. Seeing that was satisfying.” Despite being named Celtic captain in 1975, their increasing struggles in Europe meant Dalglish grew restless. “I was desperate to get my hands on a European Cup and felt I needed a new challenge,” he says. “After winning a league and cup double in 1977, I told the manager that I wanted to leave. He reluctantly accepted that.

“I’m still hugely grateful to Celtic. People may say, ‘Well, Kenny wanted to move away’, but that’s where it all began for me. I’ll forever be indebted to them. Especially to Jock, who did so much for me, but also for Celtic. He said, ‘Have it your way, you wee bastard, I might know somebody that would be happy to meet you.’”

That man was Bob Paisley. After hitting 173 goals in 338 appearances, Dalglish was heading to Liverpool.

Bah Hamburg!

On Merseyside, the Reds were dealing with the loss of their own talismanic forward – Kevin Keegan had departed Anfield for Hamburg immediately after lifting the 1977 European Cup. Again, Dalglish was joining the kings of Europe. “I’ve been told to go out and get the best, and Kenny is what I see as the best,” Paisley said of his £440,000 British record signing.

For Liverpool’s new No.7, the feeling was mutual. “He was a great man, Bob,” Dalglish recalls. “He’d been right through the club, from player, to physio, to coach, to manager. He reminded me of Jock in that he was very close to his players and very knowledgeable about the game. He was brilliant and so humble, he never gave himself enough credit. People often wondered if Liverpool had some kind of secret to success, even before I joined them. Well, if there was a secret, nobody was going to be told it.”

In November, Liverpool came up against Hamburg, the winners of the European Cup Winners’ Cup, in the first leg of the Super Cup. That tie meant a head-to-head with Keegan. “I spoke to Kevin before that game – he and his family were staying in the same hotel,” the Scot recalls. “It was very amiable. He’d made a similar decision to me – he wanted to go off and play in Europe, and I wanted to play in England. I knew I was replacing an absolute superstar and he had that aura. But the only thing that I had to do was be myself – not try to replace or emulate Kevin, but be me.”

After a 1-1 draw in Germany, Dalglish rounded off the scoring as Liverpool smashed their guests 6-0 in the return leg at Anfield, on a night that midfielder Terry McDermott hit a hat-trick. “We had a good chat after that game as well,” Dalglish recalls. “He wished me luck and I did the same with him. We were always friendly, Kevin and I. He’s a great man.” Despite that resounding win, Paisley knew more was needed if Liverpool were to secure further silverware in the latter half of the season. Another young Scot, centre-back Alan Hansen, had been signed from Partick Thistle at the end of the previous campaign, with Graeme Souness brought in from Middlesbrough midway through Dalglish’s first season at the club. The trifecta of recruits would affectionately come to be known as the Scottish Mafia around the club, as they spent endless time socialising with one another away from the pitch.

“Alan signed first, then I arrived in August and Graeme joined us in the January,” Dalglish remembers. “The dressing room was a fantastic place for us to be, in terms of camaraderie and our relationship, and that would play a huge role in the success we’d go on to have at Liverpool together.”

The trio wouldn’t be the last Scots signed by Paisley, either. “Stevie Nicol joined in 1981 – I think the intelligence of the dressing room fell back a wee bit!” laughs Dalglish affectionately. “His brain matter was a bit different from the rest of us. But it was no coincidence we were so successful with that dressing room.” Dalglish’s first term at Anfield finished without domestic pots – Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest pipping them to the First Division title – but his move down south would be immediately justified in European competition. Liverpool ousted Dynamo Dresden, Benfica and Borussia Monchengladbach to tee up a Wembley showpiece against Club Brugge in the 1978 European Cup Final.

During the match, Dalglish noted that opposition goalkeeper Birger Jensen had a habit of going to ground early to smother shots. “I knew what I had to do,” he’d later recall. “No point hitting it along the floor. I’d need to chip it.” His chance came in the 64th minute, when Souness chested down a ball on the edge of a crowded Brugge box and slipped a pass through to Dalglish, who gently dinked a finish over Jensen into the far corner from a tight angle. There was no reply from their rivals. At the age of 27, he’d finally emulated the Lisbon Lions. “Every time you win a trophy, it’s a great achievement,” he reflects now. “But to win European trophies is even more special. Celtic had done it back in 1967, but I’d never achieved it. Going to Liverpool had given me the best possible chance of doing that.”

The Scot got his hands on an English crown the following season – with his 21 league goals essential in delivering the title and earning him the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year award. “He had the perfect touch and control to find a team-mate,” Souness later said of Dalglish. “Kenny was just the perfect player.”

Liverpool successfully defended their title in 1980, before beating Real Madrid to win another European Cup a year later. “A magical night,” recalls Dalglish of the Paris celebrations. The following campaign marked the breakthrough of a player who’d take Dalglish’s game to the next level – a young Welsh striker called Ian Rush. “Rushie was the one I found most compatible with myself, and he brought the best out in me,” Dalglish looks back. “I used to say to him, ‘You get in a position – don’t get anxious, I’ll find you.’”

Dalglish’s instructions worked a treat, as Rush would score 30 goals across all competitions, delivering another league title. When they teamed up to make Liverpool champions once more the following season, Dalglish won another Football Writers’ Association award – only Tom Finney, Danny Blanchflower and Stanley Matthews had previously claimed the honour twice. The Scot finished second in the Ballon d’Or too, behind only Michel Platini.

By that stage, Kennymania was at its peak, as superstars from all walks of life lined up to offer him praise. “I don’t have any idols in music, but I do in football,” the former Beatle Paul McCartney said. “Kenny Dalglish is pretty good.”

For Liverpool’s reluctant hero, the adulation and the awards belonged to those around him. “Well, that just goes to show you that even great men like Paul don’t know what they’re talking about sometimes,” laughs Dalglish. “I’ve always said I wouldn’t have been successful had it not been for the two brilliant football clubs that I was lucky enough to play for. Any of the praise I received really belongs to the brilliant team-mates, managers, coaches, supporters and everyone else around me or behind me. I never got carried away with any of that.”

The 1983-84 campaign would be Dalglish’s first without Paisley at the Liverpool helm, as he retired after winning 20 trophies in nine years as manager. “Bob and Big Jock were similar in terms of the number of trophies they won,” Dalglish says. “I was very lucky in that my career spanned across two of the most successful managers in the history of British football. Bob won six league titles in nine years. If you throw in three European Cups as well, what he achieved is enormously impressive.” Paisley’s assistant Joe Fagan kept up the success, as Liverpool claimed the First Division and another European Cup crown, toppling Roma on penalties in their own Stadio Olimpico backyard. “I think the best European Cup win was that one,” Dalglish reflects. “Scoring the winner in the first one was special, but it didn’t really matter to me who scored those goals. Success is the most demanding thing, but also the most enjoyable. Those European trophies mean an awful lot to me, but so does every trophy we won together.”

A Roy of the Rovers moment

For Fagan, the success wouldn’t last. The 1984-85 campaign ended without silverware, as an ageing team finished second to neighbours Everton, before the European Cup final with Juventus ended in tragedy – a crush killed 39 spectators, amid fan violence at the crumbling Heysel Stadium in Brussels.

Both teams wanted the game to be postponed, only for officials to order it go ahead. Juventus won in a subdued affair. “They should have called it off, but they never did,” lamented Dalglish years later. “You’re never the same after witnessing something like that. We were asked to play and we played. We lost, but not as much as some people.” Fagan stepped down, with Liverpool again looking to promote internally. This time it wasn’t an assistant who would get the job, but the 34-year-old Dalglish named player-manager. “Well, it was a surprise,” he says. “The way that I saw it, I was just going to give my best, and if my best transpired not to be good enough, then I’d hold my hands up and say, ‘This isn’t for me – it’s not fair on the club, so get somebody else in.’”

Reluctant to field himself, Dalglish started just two of his side’s opening eight league games and found it tough to adapt. “My biggest challenge, I found, was coming out of that dressing room dynamic I’d been a part of for so long and picking a team,” he says. “That meant leaving players out that you’d befriended. I hated making decisions that affected them adversely.”

Dalglish felt forced to create clearer boundaries with his players. “One of my favourite things about being a footballer was that camaraderie in the dressing room,” he explains. “But suddenly, you become the manager and feel things clam up when you enter the room. If they were in there having a laugh and a joke when I walked in, I’d show them some respect and let them know that I’d be back in five minutes, because I knew how important it was for the lads to have that time together – sharing some jokes without the manager being about. But it was very tough not to feel a part of that any more.”

The new boss began to rely on the advice and influence of an old mentor. “Bob Paisley still held a position upstairs,” Dalglish says. “He was a great help to me. He’d sometimes ask me if he could have a word with so-and-so, before the game or whatever. I didn’t mind that, because he was 100 per cent behind me. He was doing things that were useful. He was helpful.”

Things on the field weren’t yet clicking, though – Liverpool were sat eight points behind Everton with 11 games left to go. Ahead of a home clash with QPR in March, Dalglish made a crucial decision.

“We were struggling with injuries and form,” he says. “So I thought it was time I start picking myself. I didn’t have much choice in the matter, to be honest.”

He set up two as the Reds triumphed 4-1, before assisting three times in a 6-0 victory over Oxford. With Dalglish playing regularly, Liverpool went unbeaten for the remainder of the season – drawing only once, when Dalglish didn’t play – to reel in Everton. It all came down to the last match of the campaign – victory away at Chelsea would see Liverpool crowned champions once again.

Some stories feel too outlandish to be real – too far-fetched even for a Roy of the Rovers comic strip – but Dalglish’s 23rd-minute winner at Stamford Bridge is one of those fantastical moments. “I know that I made a contribution and I’m proud of that, but there were so many other people who were doing their bit, too,” he says, modest as ever. “Everyone played their part and that was how we were so successful.” A week on, Dalglish started himself again as Liverpool beat Everton in the FA Cup final.

The following months would mark the last of Dalglish’s 102 appearances for Scotland, during which he netted 30 times. No player has ever surpassed either number – he shares the scoring record with Denis Law. “We made four World Cups in a row, which isn’t bad for a country of five million people,” recalls Dalglish, who appeared at the 1974, 1978 and 1982 editions, all group-stage exits, before helping his country qualify for the 1986 World Cup, only to miss the tournament through injury. “We’d have wanted to have done even better, but we were a really good team.”

Back at club level, when Liverpool went without a trophy in 1987 and Rush left for Juventus, Dalglish knew that he’d have to rebuild. “We needed some new faces,” he remembers. “I had to get a replacement centre-forward and we needed a few more as well.”

That year saw the arrival of John Aldridge in January, followed by John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and finally Ray Houghton. “Aldridge proved brilliant for us,” says Dalglish of a player who struck 29 times in his first full Anfield season. “You talk about me coming in to replace Kevin Keegan. Well, John replaced Ian Rush – that was no easy task. But what a season he had. He was fantastic when he came in. But if you’ve got somebody up there, you have to feed him – you need the creative players to make their contribution. John Barnes was nothing short of a pleasure to watch and wee Peter was fantastic as well. So creative and hard-working.” The new-look side won the 1987-88 title at a canter.

The day everything changed

What happened at Hillsborough in April 1989 would affect Dalglish deeply, when a total of 97 people would eventually lose their lives as a result of the crush that occurred at the start of Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest. As the awful events unfolded and panic spread, cameras repeatedly turned on Dalglish, frantically awaiting news of his son Paul, who was among the crowd. The youngster would return safely to his parents. Other mothers and fathers weren’t as fortunate.

In the days that followed, Dalglish, still just 38 at the time, was thrust into the spotlight of a grieving community. He led his players through hospitals and homes, meeting with mourning families and coma-bound patients, personally attending funerals and offering his unwavering support. “All of a sudden Kenny wasn’t a football manager or player any more, he became a social worker for the families,” said Margaret Aspinall, who lost her 18-year-old son James during the tragedy. “It must have been so difficult to have the bereaved families coming in to talk to him, but he gave them all a great deal of comfort, which shows the calibre of the man. If I need something I can still phone him now and he’ll do anything to help the families, even to this day.”

“There was no way we were going to step back and not be as helpful as we possibly could be,” said Dalglish. “For me, as a person, that was simply what I needed to do.”

Five weeks after the tragedy, Liverpool defeated Everton 3-2 to win the FA Cup, but Heysel and Hillsborough had taken a huge toll on the Scot. He led Liverpool to a final title in 1990, before resigning in February 1991. “It’s a decision many people will find difficult to understand, a decision that only I could have made,” Dalglish said at the time. “It would have been wrong to mislead people that everything was fine with me.”

Many thought his time in football had ended, but eight months later, he was ready for a new challenge, returning to the dugout as manager of second-tier Blackburn, just taken over by wealthy supporter Jack Walker. “I wasn’t trying to prove myself, but I was very fortunate that I was asked to become manager at a time when Jack was throwing his heart into the job, as well as his finances,” says Dalglish. “His finances and his support were both 100 per cent genuine. He was born and bred Blackburn.”

Dalglish guided Rovers to the play-offs, where they overcame Leicester 1-0 at Wembley. The spending immediately went up a notch – Blackburn broke the British transfer record to sign a young Alan Shearer from Southampton for £3.6 million that summer. “We spent Jack’s money quite well, if you gauge it in terms of success,” Dalglish reflects. “We got promoted in that first season, then we finished fourth in our first year back in the top flight.”

Rovers improved again in 1993-94, finishing second behind Manchester United. The following summer, they broke the British transfer record for a second time, signing Chris Sutton from Norwich for £5m. Forming the famous ‘SAS’ strike partnership with Shearer, the duo scored 49 Premier League goals that season to put Blackburn in control of the title race going into the final day.

Fittingly for Dalglish, his side would face Liverpool at Anfield. Blackburn lost 2-1, but Manchester United’s failure to win against West Ham meant they were champions. With the triumph, Dalglish had become just the fourth manager to win the English title with two different clubs, after Brian Clough (Derby and Nottingham Forest), Herbert Chapman (Huddersfield and Arsenal), and Tom Watson (Sunderland and Liverpool).

“Jack was the person most responsible for everything that Blackburn achieved,” Dalglish insists. “We hardly blinked our eyes in the second tier, then suddenly we were champions of England. It was all done over a period of just a few years. It was done because Jack was 100 per cent genuine and very generous. All of the players that came in were a credit to themselves. They could have just taken the money, taken it easy and we would have achieved nothing. But fortunately, they were a credit to themselves and the town of Blackburn.”

That was arguably Dalglish’s last great hurrah in British football. After Blackburn, he had a mixed spell as Newcastle boss, then returned to Celtic as director of football operations and had a stint as interim manager. He was parachuted back in as Liverpool boss in 2011 and led the club to a League Cup triumph the following year, although the Reds were in a much different place to his first spell at the wheel.

Sir Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish was knighted in 2018 for his services to football, charity and the city of Liverpool, particularly his work in the aftermath of Hillsborough. Dalglish believes he owes a far greater debt to Liverpudlians than they owe to him. “The more we get to know the people of the city, the stronger our connection becomes, even still,” he smiles. “It’s nearly 50 years we’ve been here now. We’ve always been made to feel welcome. Our children grew up here and loved it – they’ll always appreciate the way they were looked after by the people of Liverpool. It’s a great city and it’s just got even better.”

Looking back over his unparalleled career, King Kenny remains his humble self. “No individual brilliance has ever won a trophy on its own,” he muses. “Football is a team game and I’d rather have been a small part of a great team than a great player myself. I’m just very proud to have represented two of the most successful clubs in history.” Then you catch that unmistakable twinkle in his eye. “I didn’t half enjoy myself, though,” he adds. “And that’s the most important thing.”

Heads bowed, the Bournemouth players were visibly distraught. Trudging back to the Goodison Park dressing room, they knew their 3-1 victory over Everton wouldn't be enough to save them.

Aston Villa's draw with West Ham had consigned the Cherries to relegation, after five campaigns punching above their weight in the top flight. Six days later, Eddie Howe stepped down, ending a 26-year association with the club as player and manager. In the dugout, he had overseen a remarkable escape from relegation out of the Football League, a trio of promotions and a record-high Premier League finish of ninth. It felt like the fairy tale was falling in on itself, the death knell ready to toll at the end of Bournemouth's golden era.

Six years on, those painful memories of July 2020 were merely the end of the first act. A return to the Premier League, a sought-after recruitment model, a sixth-placed finish and Europa League qualification have more than calmed the distress of relegation.

Anfield and out

There was no guarantee it would reach this point. In their first campaign back in the second tier, a play-off semi-final defeat to Brentford had left the club at a significant sliding doors moment – fail to win promotion again and the story could easily have been about their fall from grace rather than the upward trajectory they have since enjoyed.

“The second season was really big for us as a club,” vice-captain Lewis Cook says, having joined the Cherries in 2016. “The pressure behind the scenes was significant. The players probably didn't realise at the time, but if we hadn't gone up that year, it would have been tough.”

That summer, after Jason Tindall and Jonathan Woodgate had both had spells in charge during the previous campaign, Scott Parker arrived to take over a squad that still included several players who had featured in the top flight, including Jefferson Lerma, Dominic Solanke and Philip Billing. The new boss made them harder to beat – Parker didn't lose a league match until November and, propelled by Solanke's 29 league goals, his side finished as runners-up behind champions Fulham.

Regaining Premier League status not only provided a financial boon, but made them a more investable prospect. Owner Maxim Demin had been exploring his options to sell, with talks of a takeover between him and long-term admirer Bill Foley running throughout the summer after promotion. Demin had been involved since 2011 and overseen the rise from League One to the top tier, but felt the time was right to step aside.

A rocky start to the top-flight return might have scuppered those discussions. An opening day 2-0 win against Aston Villa was a great way to kick things off, although heavy defeats to Manchester City and Arsenal followed, before a 9-0 thumping by Liverpool at Anfield. Cue an ill-advised post-match interview from Parker, as he declared the team “underequipped at this level” and admitted that throughout pre-season there was a “fear of where we are as a squad” without “help” from above.

“That season was hard,” admits Cook. “We just needed to settle the ship after a few big defeats. It goes back to the lads not having any fear and being able to bounce back from bad situations. Ever since I came to Bournemouth, everyone has always written us off as a small club, but we showed fight.”

Parker exited, replaced by first-team coach Gary O'Neil, charged with saving a team that most pundits had already decided were heading straight back down. His influence had the desired effect and an undefeated six-match run – including a 2-1 home win against Leicester with Foley watching from the stands – provided hope. By the time the Premier League took a mid-season break for the World Cup, the Cherries were clear of the relegation zone.

As the world turned its attention to Qatar, Demin and Foley struck a deal – with the American's investment group, Black Knight Football Club, completing a takeover of more than £100m. With it came a mission statement from Foley – to “move forward with an ‘always advance, never retreat' approach”. The new ownership's initial aim was to invest in a state-of-the-art training centre, enhance player development and bolster the first team, while also pledging more money to the Cherries' women's side. Black Knight also bought into the strong family feel that had worked so well previously.

“The club has to be run properly from top to bottom,” says record appearance maker Steve Fletcher, who scored the crucial goal that retained Bournemouth's Football League place in 2009. He now works as a club ambassador. “Everyone has to buy into what we're all about. It doesn't matter how big or small your department is, or how significant or insignificant you think your role might be, everyone is made to feel like they have a big part to play.

“Whether you're a chef, groundsman, accountant, in media or marketing, part of the first team or a masseur, everybody is pulling in the same direction – for the club to do well and for the players to be at their best. The players performing on the grass is the most important thing, but the feeling of unity right across the club is incredible.”

While that may be true, one thing that has undoubtedly changed since the takeover is the ambition to kick on beyond merely treading water in the Premier League. “Different owners have tried to elevate the club in certain areas that you can see – the hospitality, the stadium and the training ground,” says Cook. “But the club has kept its identity of buying really good people and really good players. That's helped us climb the table and grow. Previously, me and the older lads who've been here for quite a while would say it was always about staying in the league. There were a few times we finished higher, but staying in the league was always the ambition.”

The Black Knight triumphs

Staying up was still the priority in the remaining months of Black Knight's first season – achieved relatively comfortably as O'Neil's men won six out of nine matches in the spring.

There was already evidence of a crucial recruitment strategy too, with Dango Ouattara, Antoine Semenyo and Illia Zabarnyi all arriving in the January transfer window. The trio would go on to make a combined profit of more than £105m when they were sold last term.

That approach has become a theme in the Cherries' more recent development – purchasing raw, talented players from around the globe and selling them on for big money. While it wasn't a reset in transfer policy, the takeover provided an existing scouting network with a larger reach and greater spending power to land their targets.

Unlike Brighton and Brentford, who Bournemouth are regularly bundled in with as examples of smart recruitment, theirs isn't run on the same data-led model. They sit within Foley's multi-club group that includes French side Lorient, Portugal's Moreirense and New Zealand's Auckland FC, sharing intelligence and analytics among them to identify players ready to be part of the first team immediately.

That meant former chief executive Neill Blake and technical director Richard Hughes remained key following the takeover, only departing later down the line – Blake taking a job overseeing Black Knight's entire estate, with Hughes exiting for Liverpool in 2024. Tiago Pinto, formerly of Roma and Benfica, joined Bournemouth as president of football operations that same summer.

Since the takeover, the likes of Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen have come and gone from the Vitality Stadium after brief spells, while Solanke joined Spurs in 2024 in a £65m deal. It's all added to Bournemouth's reputation, making them an attractive club to join.

“When I first came to the club and even now, I can see how it's constantly progressing,” defender James Hill tells FFT. “It's an incredible place for players to come and develop their game – look at the players who've come and gone, how they've developed and pushed on to greater heights.

“For some players, this might not be the end point, it could be the beginning of their journey towards bigger things. The talent that has come through the door has been frightening.”

Hill joined the club from Fleetwood in 2022 as a 19-year-old. He enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2025-26, becoming a regular fixture in the team following loan spells away at Hearts and Blackburn, and being around the first-team squad in recent years.

His journey is a prime example of how the club's conveyor belt of talent keeps on producing replacements for departed teammates. When Zabarnyi, Huijsen and Kerkez all left, it opened the door for Hill to stake his claim to become part of a remodelled backline.

“There was no-one saying, ‘Yes, it's your spot now, go and play', but there were opportunities for me to play during the season – I was at right-back at the start, before slowly building my way up,” Hill explains, having later established himself in the centre of defence.

“We're such a good group. Whoever has the shirt and starts is supported by everyone else. Even if you're left at home and not in the squad – and I've been there plenty of times – it's about being ready to support the team and take your opportunity, because it may come. When players leave, there's an opportunity for others to step in.”

The forever-evolving nature of the Bournemouth squad has also extended to the bench. When O'Neil was replaced by Andoni Iraola in the summer of 2023, weeks after keeping them up, eyebrows were raised – even more so when the Spaniard had failed to win any of his first nine league games in charge.

But after winning 2-1 against Burnley in match number 10, the new manager never looked back, finishing 12th with a club record Premier League points tally. That total was beaten again as they came ninth the following season, with a brand of modern, high-pressing football that impressed many onlookers and realigned aims within the squad.

“Europe was what we were pushing for last season, that was the main goal at the start of the year,” says Hill. “We'd missed out the season before, so we knew what the target was and where we could get to.”

Semenyo's parting gift

A 4-2 opening night loss to champions Liverpool showed flashes of brilliance at the start of last term, before eight games without defeat pushed Bournemouth into the higher reaches of the table. But just as fans began to dream, a run of 11 without a win had the doubters chirping.

“I can remember us drawing a lot of games and everyone having opinions about us not winning,” Cook recalls. “But if you draw five or six games in the Premier League, it's not the worst thing at all. I felt we were in a great spot.”

For all the optimism within the camp, that run was paired with the impending departure of Semenyo, who had scored nine goals by the start of January and was the main attacking thrust. Despite the Ghanaian's move to Manchester City being in the final throes, he continued to play, turning out for the Cherries in a critical home match with Tottenham that would be his south coast swansong.

What followed was Roy of the Rovers stuff. With the game lurching towards a 2-2 draw and another winless match, the forward received the ball on the left flank with a crowded penalty area in front of him. With seconds left to play, Semenyo let the ball run onto his right foot, before firing a low, 25-yard drive across goal and into the far corner of the net. It would be his last kick in the red and black of Bournemouth, and gave his teammates the perfect gift to remember him by.

“It was an incredible night,” says Hill. “You couldn't write it for him to score that goal as well. It was such a relief to win, because we hadn't won a game for a while. But even before that, despite not winning, our performances had been improving.

“The boys were incredible when that moment came and Antoine left us. We were so happy because he deserved his big move – the lads understood that we needed to step up and you could already see it happening in the performances.”

Semenyo's goal had more than just personal significance. As well as ending the winless run, it was the spark for another unbeaten streak. Bournemouth didn't lose again all season – 18 games in total – while clocking up impressive victories at home to Liverpool, and away at Arsenal and Newcastle en route.

As the end of the campaign neared, the prospect of European qualification loomed ever larger – with Champions League football even remaining a genuine possibility until the final week.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Getting over the line is so often more difficult than fighting into contention, although there was very little sign of a wobble. “We went into every game thinking that we could get three points because we were full of confidence,” adds Hill. “We did very well at keeping the noise out of the camp and just concentrating on our performances. Over the last three games, we knew what we needed to do. We actually performed better under pressure.”

Victory at Fulham all but guaranteed European qualification, but it wasn't until the penultimate match, against Manchester City, that it was sealed. Pep Guardiola's men needed to win to keep their title hopes alive, but another stirring Bournemouth performance stifled them. Eli Junior Kroupi's strike appeared to be sending them on the way to all three points, until Erling Haaland poached a 95th-minute equaliser for the visitors.

While the draw meant reaching a top-five spot was highly unlikely going into the final day, there was no sense of bittersweetness at the final whistle, as players, fans and staff celebrated reaching Europe for the very first time in the club's history.

“To finish in a Europa League place and celebrate on the pitch with the staff, players, everyone associated with the club and all the fans was incredible,” says Cherries legend Fletcher, who had the North Stand at the Vitality Stadium named in his honour in 2010. “I don't think it properly sank in until a couple of days later when I started going out on the streets, and into supermarkets and restaurants, and people came to talk to me about it. The magnitude of what the club and that team achieved will live on forever.”

The size of that feat will be clear for all to see when Bournemouth kick off their debut Europa League campaign alongside fellow Premier League sides Sunderland and Crystal Palace on Thursday, with the first of eight games in the league stage, which runs until late January. Four of the Cherries' continental outings will be played at their 12,000-capacity stadium, thought to be the smallest home ground of any English club ever to play in a major European competition.

It's part of the story's charm and an important reminder of their past, even if things continue to change at pace. Iraola has since left to become the new Liverpool manager and been replaced by former Borussia Dortmund boss Marco Rose, while centre-back Marcos Senesi joined Spurs this summer.

The challenge of regularly playing two matches a week will also place a new strain on the squad, but the players are used to change by now. “It's similar to what happened last season – players have left, others come in, and you have to adapt and be ready to go,” Hill says. “With the new gaffer as well, the rate we're learning has been really good.

“We don't need to worry about the challenge of playing more games, either. We need to enjoy every moment – the excitement of playing in Europe and having those fixtures is an incredible problem to have, because the success of last season brought us to this point.”

Those who go even further back will see those European nights as more than just a celebration of last season. For Fletcher, whose association with the club dates all the way to 1992, it's a continuation of a fairy tale that refuses to end. “There will be a lot of emotion when we play that first European game,” he says. “Personally, I'll probably shed a tear and try to capture the moment as much as I can.”

On Thursday, in Sociedad, everyone connected with Bournemouth will be able to watch on with their heads held high.

Lewis Hall has signed a contract extension at Newcastle United, with the Englishman, who has made 107 appearances for the Magpies since arriving in 2023, tied down until 2031.

Manchester United attempted to secure the left-back’s services this summer, having achieved Champions League football under Michael Carrick, and looking to go from strength-to-strength.

But as Hall’s message to Newcastle supporters inferred: “There’s never been a moment where I doubted how much I love being here,” — the Red Devils never stood a chance.

Hall tied down to Newcastle until 2031, after summer Manchester United pursuit

The Magpies released a video to X (formerly Twitter) this morning, in which Hall described his connection to Newcastle. In doing so, his rejection of Manchester United’s pursuits revealed its motivation.

“So, my Dad was born up here,” began Hall. “It just sort of embedded it into - that’s who we supported. I didn’t have a choice, really.

“There’s never been a moment where I doubted how much I love being here, and how much I love playing for Newcastle,” the Englishman continued.

“It means so much to play at St. James [Park] every week, it’s obviously a massive thing for me. Every time I step on the pitch I want to do my best…. I never really take it for granted.

“I want to do well for the football club, for the city,” concluded the 22-year-old. In his own words, Hall is a born-and-bred Toon fan, albeit having grown up in the South, and his future with Newcastle was never in doubt.

Shortly after his opening performance of the Premier League season versus Liverpool, in which Hall delivered a typically strong performance but also gave away an added-time penalty to Dominik Szoboszlai, new boss Matthias Jaissle was quizzed about Manchester United’s pursuits.

Speaking to Viaplay after the match, Jaissle was fast and firm in his response. “No chance, no chance,” repeated the Newcastle boss.

Now, with Hall tied down until 2031, it appears clearer than ever, hearing his extension interview with the Magpies, why Manchester United never stood a chance in bagging their £35 million transfer target.

“I obviously have a family connection with the club… [and] one of the main reasons I play is to make my family proud. I know how much it means to them to watch me playing for Newcastle,” revealed Hall.

“The fanbase and the support… it’s the best in the league. To be able to bring joy to their faces, it’s a big thing for me.

“I think we can go on to achieve really big things,” concluded the Englishman. Newcastle are currently placed seventh in the Premier League table, four points above the Red Devils. And so, while Carrick’s men have failed to get their target, they’ve also failed to show him what he’s missing out on.

Enzo Maresca has revealed that Nico O’Reilly is “100% available” for the Manchester derby, after being withdrawn from Premier League action last weekend versus Coventry.

The Cityzens won that clash 1-0, but O’Reilly was rendered absent in their following fixture, away at Porto in the Champions League, on Tuesday.

Ahead of the Manchester derby this weekend, Maresca’s men will see O’Reilly return to action, with Maresca confirming the Englishman’s fitness.

Enzo Maresca provides injury update ahead of Manchester United clash: Jeremy Doku, Nico O'Reilly

New signing Iliman Ndiaye was also withdrawn against Coventry, but made it back in time for Manchester City’s 2-0 mid-week victory in Europe.

Jeremy Doku remains sidelined after picking up an injury against Arsenal in pre-season, when the Cityzens were defeated 3-0 in the Community Shield.

The Belgian, who stood out as one of City’s best players during the Premier League run-in last term, endured a calf injury versus the Gunners, and won’t be available for selection against Manchester United.

“Jeremy, I think he needs some more days,” confirmed Maresca, who then lifted Cityzen spirits by revealing O’Reilly’s return.

“Nico’s 100% available,” stated the City boss, plainly. With the majority of his squad cleared to play, he turned his attention to the Manchester derby.

"It is very important for different reasons. We know how important a derby is, especially here," he said.

"A special game. The most important thing we can do is try to be ourselves, and then we see the final result."

Manchester City will travel to Old Trafford this weekend — commentators, pundits and presenters for this weekend’s Super Sunday battle can be found here.

Cody Gakpo is a doubt to face Fulham this Saturday, as the Reds look to build on their first Premier League win since April, which arrived in their recent clash versus Ipswich Town.

The Dutch forward assisted both of Alexander Isak’s goals — the game’s only strikes — as Liverpool secured three points in a 2-0 victory at Portman Road.

Gakpo was subsequently ruled out of Liverpool’s mid-week battle versus Atletico Madrid, which his side won 2-1, with adductor issues on both sides, and the Dutch star is uncertain to return for Fulham.

Cody Gakpo injury latest, as Liverpool prepare for Fulham

The 27-year-old was also stellar in his two Premier League matches prior to Ipswich, having scored a long-range screamer in Liverpool’s 2-2 opening day draw at St. James Park.

In the following game, his nifty movement opened space for an inch-perfect cross to Isak against Nottingham Forest, in another 2-2 draw.

Gakpo recorded four goal involvements in his first three Premier League matches; only Mohamed Salah has bagged more whilst opening a league campaign (six contributions, in 2024-25) for Liverpool this century.

Bradley Barcola, who started in the Dutchman’s absence on Wednesday, also caused concern, after exiting the pitch during the Reds’ Champions League victory.

Andoni Iraola has since confirmed the status of both players in a pre-Fulham presser, with Barcola’s issues considered insignificant, but Gakpo’s sidelining potentially being prolonged.

The Basque manager said: “Barcola was just cramps. We have to evaluate how he is today, but there is no injury. I think he should be available if everything goes normal.

"Cody, we will see,” he continued. “We will try today and see if he is ready for tomorrow, or if we need to wait until the next one."

Iraola’s side, having lost star forward Salah last term, have fared well as an attacking unit, scoring at least two goals in each of their Premier League and Champions League fixtures.

On the defensive side, his men have conceded five goals in four. In their sole Premier League clean sheet this term, versus Ipswich last Friday, the newly-promoted club recorded a higher xG than the Reds.

Liverpool return to English top-flight action against Fulham this weekend, with Gakpo potentially set to remain absent.

Turkish media are reporting that Super Lig side Trabzonspor have held talks with Pep Guardiola, as the club look to go from strength-to-strength after signing Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.

The pair faced off for almost 10 years in the Premier League, with Salah taking the English top-flight title from Guardiola’s Manchester City twice in that period.

Now, it appears that the Egyptian and the Spaniard could join forces in the Super Lig, with Turkish media reporting that Guardiola has been offered a €13 million salary to manage Trabzonspor.

Pep Guardiola could join forces with Mohamed Salah in shock Super Lig move

Despite a productive start to the season from Salah — striking four goals, and claiming an assist, in three Super Lig starts — Trabzonspor endured a devastating Europa League crash-out.

That arrived through Ferencvaros, who decimated Salah’s side 5-0 (agg.) in their Europa League two-leg qualifier. In the aftermath, then-manager, and former Trabzonspor player, Faith Tekke resigned on the spot.

The board rejected Tekke’s resignation, who lost 2-1 in his following fixture versus newly-promoted side Amed, away from home. He was then allowed to leave; now, according to Turkish news bulletin Gusholder Haber Bulteni, the Super Lig side has held talks with Guardiola.

In Trabzonspor’s first match since Tekke’s departure, they dismantled Genclerbirligi in a 5-0 romp at Papara Park. Goals came through Paul Onuachu, Ernest Muci, Salah, and new signing Franculino Dju.

In their pursuit of the Super Lig trophy — which Trabzonspor have additional motivation to achieve this term, with Galatasaray gunning for an unprecedented fifth successive Turkish top-flight title — Salah’s men appear to have turned, stunningly, to Guardiola.

The report from Gusholder Haber Bulteni has since been relayed online by Trabzonspor media, and other Turkish outlets.

In FourFourTwo’s view, the Spaniard is exceedingly unlikely to make the Super Lig move; however, it could be one to keep an eye peeled for. Having won virtually everything there is to win, and Trabzonspor emerging as a serious economic power in Turkey that could, under the right guidance, dominate the Super Lig in coming years, their project might appeal to Guardiola.

In 2022, Trabzonspor won their first top-flight title since 1984. A total of 78 clubs have competed in the competition, with only six winning it, and Salah’s side have claimed the fourth-most, with seven.

Galatasaray have 26, Fenerbahce hold 19, and Besiktas have lifted 16 Super Lig trophies. If any club is capable of disturbing this Istanbul-based dominance, it is likely to be Trabzonspor, and they are currently well-positioned to do so.

With Guardiola having taken Manchester City from relative Premier League minnows, to winning the second-most titles in the competition’s history, he could be enticed by a similar story playing out in Turkey, under his leadership.

The salary offered could pose issues, with the Spaniard reportedly having earned over £20 million annually in England. In contrast, €13 million to manage in Turkey appears drastically less appealing.

While this remains a vastly distant possibility, who wouldn’t like to see Guardiola and Salah work together, if just for a season, with their footballing legacies already stamped?

The English top-flight has scheduled seven festive fixtures to be played on Boxing Day, the Premier League announced on Thursday.

Last term, the sole Boxing Day fixture played in the Premier League was between Manchester United and Newcastle, with the former prevailing 1-0; seven games were scheduled for December 27.

That appears to have flipped for the 2026-27 Premier League season, with Aston Villa versus Leeds, Hull hosting Liverpool, Newcastle against Manchester City, and more, having been scheduled for December 26.

Premier League release statement confirming seven Boxing Day events

The English top-flight have released the scheduling earlier than in previous terms, with the Premier League and its broadcasting partners having “agreed to bring the selection process [forward].”

A statement on the official League website read: “This fixture announcement gives supporters more than three months’ notice to plan and make travel arrangements for a particularly busy time of the year.

“It follows consultation with the Football Supporters' Association and representatives from club Fan Advisory Boards… [and] after the League and our broadcast partners agreed to bring forward the selection process for live UK matches."

The English top-flight’s early scheduling agreement pertains to match-weeks 17 to 20, which run from 26 December to 7 January.

The Premier League confirmed that clubs will have at least a 60-hour break between fixtures held over the Christmas and New Year period, to address backlash from congested scheduling.

“This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested festive schedule - in the context of an expanding European and international fixture calendar,” said the League.

Broadcast selections in November will be announced by week commencing September 21, and by w/c October 19 for December fixtures.

On Boxing Day, TNT Sports will host Aston Villa v Leeds for the 12:30pm BST kick-off, while Sky Sports have taken Hull vs Liverpool and Newcastle vs Manchester City in the evening.

On December 27, Sky Sports will broadcast all three of Coventry vs Chelsea, Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest, and Crystal Palace vs Arsenal.

The seven festive fixtures set to be played on Boxing Day are:

Aston Villa v Leeds (TNT Sports, 12:30pm BST)

Everton v Sunderland

Fulham v Brighton

Ipswich v Brentford

Spurs v AFC Bournemouth

Hull v Liverpool (Sky Sports, 5:30pm BST)

Newcastle v Man City (Sky Sports, 8pm BST)

Fulham are facing the prospect of losing their opening four Premier League games of the new season this weekend, which would spell bad news for Alvaro Arbeloa.

The Spaniard is fast emerging as the frontrunner to become the Premier League's first managerial casualty of the new season.

A winless start to the campaign has plunged Fulham into crisis, leaving the former Real Madrid interim boss fighting to salvage both his authority and his job ahead of a weekend trip to face Liverpool.

Alvaro Arbeloa on the brink at Fulham

Having replaced Marco Silva over the summer, Arbeloa was heavily backed by the club's board during the transfer window.

The 43-year-old tapped directly into his former employer to reshape the squad, securing moves for Real Madrid trio Cesar Palacios, Gonzalo Garcia, and Manuel Angel.

However, due to Arbeloa’s tactical tweaks and, on the surface at least, a clear preference for his ex-Bernabeu recruits, he has alienated established figures within the squad.

Alex Iwobi has found himself displaced from his natural wide role and redeployed into central midfield, a move widely understood to accommodate Palacios on the wing.

Meanwhile, £34 million midfielder Emile Smith Rowe has seemingly been marginalised, featuring off the bench for a combined total of just 25 Premier League minutes across Fulham's three opening defeats.

Internal friction is growing with Brazilian winger Kevin, too. As reported by Saturday White Fever, Fulham find themselves with an ultimatum just four weeks in to the new season.

Kevin, the club's record signing, and Arbeloa are believed to have fallen out over the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk man's playing time. He has accumulated a mere 24 league minutes this term, and was left as an unused substitute during last weekend’s loss to Crystal Palace.

The immediate aftermath of that Palace defeat saw Kevin take to social media to post a cryptic message which read: ‘no speak, no hear, no see’. This post has been universally interpreted as a protest against Arbeloa’s team selection and possibly his management style, too.

It is now understood that Kevin is expected to seek an exit from Craven Cottage during the January transfer window unless the board opts to dismiss Arbeloa before then.

Alarmingly, the discontent is not isolated to one individual, either. In what appears to be a coordinated effort, both Iwobi and Smith Rowe have scrubbed their official Instagram accounts clean, wiping all historical posts depicting them in Fulham colours.

With a dismal record heading to Anfield, Arbeloa's gamble and squad management has backed him into a corner.

Should Fulham suffer another damaging defeat against Liverpool, or if the team produces another lifeless display, the board may be forced to act.

The manner of performance on Merseyside could well prove terminal for the manager's brief tenure in West London.

In 2013, Tottenham Hotspur were targeting the joint-purchase of Croatian duo Alen Halilovic and Tin Jedvaj, negotiating with then-Dinamo Zagreb director Zdravko Mamic.

Daniel Levy and Mamic shared history — in 2008, they ironed out a joint-club record deal for eventual Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric — and their latest negotiations were set to cost Spurs €25 million.

Levy’s financial ruthlessness had previously emerged in negotiations for Modric, but Mamic confessed in a 2019 interview, exclusively with FourFourTwo, that their boardroom exchange was far testier for Halilovic and Jedvaj.

‘I told them go f*** yourself’

At the time, a teenage Halilovic was touted as the next Modric, while Jedvaj was believed to be a defensive game-changer.

The latter sealed a move to Roma in 2013, while Halilovic attracted Barcelona — although, after their transfers,neither enjoyed top-level careers in Europe — and Mamic confirmed how close Spurs came to bagging the duo.

The ex-Zagreb director revealed: "I negotiated with [Levy] over the transfers of Alen Halilovic and Tin Jedvaj to Tottenham. My son was their agent and translator, and I represented the interests of Dinamo.

Mamic then revealed how Spurs’ lowball offer provoked fury: “We sat in Levy’s office with the sporting director, Franco Baldini, and Levy offered us around €10m as his secretary served us tea. After hearing their offer, I told my son to thank Levy,” Mamic continued.

"[I also told him] to ask if ‘I should drink my tea, or just go straight home?’ My son did not want to translate that!

"Levy and Baldini realised that I had become a little more aggressive, then I told them ‘Idite vi svi u picku materinu’ [the Croatian equivalent of ‘go f*** yourself’].

"They stood up and asked me to stay, because €10m was not their final offer for the players. After that we continued the negotiations and agreed a fee of €25m,” Mamic told FFT.

On why the deal later collapsed, the ex-Zagreb director revealed that demands from one player’s side of the table scuppered the agreement.

“Unfortunately, the deal eventually fell through, partly because of crazy new demands from Halilovic’s side,” claimed Mamic. The midfielder would eventually play in England nearly a decade later — for Birmingham City, then Reading, in the Championship.

Jedvaj, whose top-flight career played out predominantly with Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, is currently at Al-Shabab, while Halilovic, just 30-years-old, is club-less after leaving Fortuna Sittard.

Still, it appears that Mamic nearly manufactured the perfect heist in shipping them to Spurs, even with Levy’s testy boardroom antics… and he would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for that meddlin’ Halilovic.

Fifteen-year-old prodigy JJ Gabriel arrived on the continental stage with a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut against Sabah FK U19, who were beaten 5-0 at Leigh Sports Village.

The forward delivered a three-goal performance to spearhead Manchester United’s youth side to victory, underlining yet again why he is considered one of the brightest talents in Carrington's academy.

Gabriel’s ascent has fuelled speculation over whether he can feature for Manchester United’s senior squad in the Premier League this season.

JJ Gabriel hits Euro hat-trick for Manchester United

Top-flight regulations dictate that a player must turn 15 on or before August 31 of a given season to be eligible for league selection.

Having met the league's academic year age requirement prior to the start of the 2026/27 campaign, Gabriel is legally eligible to make his Premier League debut this term, which was not the case last season.

Should manager Michael Carrick hand him a senior bow before he turns 16 in October, Gabriel would become Manchester United’s youngest-ever first-team player.

Carrick has been keeping a close eye on the teenager, regularly drafting him into first-team training sessions. Addressing Gabriel’s trajectory, the Red Devils boss commented last season: "JJ is a big talent, it's pretty obvious to know that and he's had a really good season for the Under-18s.

"We obviously think an awful lot of him, but patience is important in managing everything that comes with that and working with him in development as we do with all the different younger players and picking the right moment to step up."

Gabriel’s latest goalscoring heroics build on exceptional numbers at youth level. The attacker bagged 28 goals across 35 appearances for Man United’s U18 side last season.

Moving up to the U21s in Premier League 2 this term, Gabriel hit the ground running with two goals and two assists in his first two outings before taking his goalscoring form into Europe.

The 45-year-old revealed on Rio Ferdinand Presents: The Debrief that he was recommended to watch Kylian Mbappe at youth level. Despite Giggs being impressed, Manchester United’s scouting team were reportedly not sold on the Frenchman.

The former Wales international told Ferdinand he was in the south of France in 2015, when a man named ‘Lionel’ approached him to discuss Mbappe.

Giggs claimed that the man had been following him, but listened to his suggestion for Manchester United to keep tabs on the Frenchman.

Giggs reveals how Manchester United were alerted to Mbappe and why they rejected him

Giggs explained that ‘Lionel’ asked for his email address, to send additional details regarding Mbappe after his initial recommendation for the then-Monaco youth team player.

He claimed that while initially hesitant, ‘Lionel’ followed through on his promise, and sent the Welshman an email with information on Mbappe.

“We got to go to a few youth games [where he played] with Monaco. We saw him and went ‘Wow’ - he looked exceptional, obviously,” revealed the ex-Manchester United man.

Giggs, who was coaching at Manchester United in 2015, then advised the scouting team to watch Mbappe in action.

“We told the scouting team, [so] someone went to watch him in Paris,” explained the Welshman. “It was actually Monaco versus PSG.

“Later, [someone] told me, ‘Yeah, they weren’t too sure about him.’” Giggs said. The 45-year-old then revealed additional recommendations from ‘Lionel’ in the years since.

“The same guy, in 2018, I went through my phone and he’s telling me about a player, U-14s but he’s playing with the Under-17s: Rayan Cherki,” the Welshman said, leaving Ferdinand stunned.

“Next message: ‘There’s a player at Saint-Etienne, [William] Saliba, I think he’d be a good player at Manchester United,'" continued Giggs.

The 45-year-old clarified that suggestions from ‘Lionel’ weren’t always “superstars” and that he had recommended other players below the calibre of Mbappe, Cherki and Saliba.

Head to the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel now to watch the full interview.

Lionel Messi is set to expand his football ownership portfolio, with the 39-year-old having agreed to buy Spanish second-division side Eldense.

The Argentine also acquired fifth-division club UE Cornella shortly before the 2026 World Cup. Now, Messi is set to purchase a 100% stake in Eldense - which will see him clash with Cristiano Ronaldo.

There is not expected to be a conflict of interest between both Messi's teams, with Eldense and LaLiga2 separated from Cornella by three divisions. However, Eldense will face off against a Ronaldo-owned club.

Messi and Ronaldo-owned clubs to battle in LaLiga2

Messi’s Portuguese rival recently acquired a 25% stake in fellow Spanish second-division side Almeria - a Saudi-owned club that Ronaldo was able to partially opt into.

In early August, the 41-year-old watched as Almeria beat his current team Al-Nassr 2-0 in a pre-season friendly. Soon, he’ll watch them take on Eldense.

With the announcement of Almeria’s new ownership, Ronaldo said: "It has been a long-held ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch.

"UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth,” he concluded. His side are currently placed 12th in the LaLiga2 table.

Eldense are in the drop zone, having taken just two points from their opening four matches. To begin the Spanish second-division season, Messi’s new club travelled to Almeria, and lost 3-0.

Should the Argentine successfully purchase Eldense, his side will face off against Ronaldo’s club in match-week 37 of the LaLiga2 season, on May 2, 2027.

That game will be played on Eldense’s turf, and could mark the first official face-off between Messi and Ronaldo-owned clubs.

The Argentine’s portfolio extends beyond Europe, having formed Deportivo LSM with former Barcelona and current Inter Milan team-mate Luis Suarez.

The club competes in Uruguay’s fourth-tier, and is currently third in the Serie B 2026 table, with 18 points from nine matches.

Should Ronaldo hang up his boots in 2027, his rivalry with Messi could still continue for many years.

Liam Gallagher had a good 2025. At the end of it, he rewarded himself with a big purchase – a 12,000 sq ft country house near Cirencester.

Eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms, five reception rooms, a tennis court, a swimming pool and a detached two-bedroom cottage (in case any siblings wish to stay), all set in approximately 5.39 acres of stunning Cotswold countryside.

It also has a famous former owner. Tony Adams bought it in 2002, reportedly for half the 2025 sale price.

"Liam's lovely, and Debbie's great"

The thought of Adams, 66 caps for England, 672 appearances for Arsenal, four top-flight league winners’ medals, three FA Cup Final wins, two League Cup Final wins, showing off his seven bathrooms to a British rock icon is a curious one.

"Liam’s lovely”, explained Adams to FourFourTwo “and Debbie’s great," referring to the singer's partner, Debbie Gwyther. "She’s an Arsenal fan. Stevenage girl. Her sister Katie as well. They’re great Arsenal fans."

It made for a handy ice-breaker when Adams proudly showed them some exterior decor he had installed at the property near the front door. A pair of cannons, mirroring the ones stationed outside the Emirates Stadium.

Unfortunately, it sparked a disagreement between his prospective buyers. "Liam went, ‘They’ve got to go,’" Adams grins. "But Debbie said, ‘No, they’re staying here.’" There was only one problem: "I said, ‘They’re not staying,’" Adams continues. "They were coming with me!"

Adams' reason for selling the property was so he and his wife could move back to London, where his wife is returning to university to study for a Master's in early modern history.

Oasis summer 2025 reunion tour meant the Gallagher brothers' every move was shared in the media, and Liam’s relocation to the countryside was no exception. The tiny village where the property is situated has a population of roughly 500, but Liam took to his X account to reassure any neighbours who might’ve been nervous that a former hell-raising rock star was moving into their quiet part of the world.

"To all the BEAUTIFUL people from the Cotswolds, I come in peace. You won’t even know I’m there. I’m not like all those divvy celebrities who like to show off. I’m LOFI" he tweeted.

This summer he tweeted again, saying that his new neighbours were "absolutely incredible" and that "they have not stopped baking me cakes and scones."

The high-profile sale led to an amusing encounter for Adams at a recent event. "I was at a do recently," he smiles. "We’d been talking for an hour and 10 minutes about Arsenal and addiction, and all this serious stuff. Then this 12-year-old lad comes up to me and says, ‘Oh… you sold your house to Liam Gallagher,’ and I thought, ‘Is that what I’m known for now?!’” He laughs at the idea that, for one young fan, that property deal is his defining achievement.

Ironically, Adams greatest achievement probably isn’t his medals and England caps, or doubling his money in a property deal with the frontman of Britain's biggest rock and roll band.

This year marks 30 years since he quit alcohol. He wrote a best-selling book called ‘Addiction’ about overcoming his struggles and used proceeds to set up the charity Sporting Chance in 2000 to support current and former athletes battling mental health and addiction issues.

More than a quarter of a century later, the charity continues to provide specialist treatment for sportsmen and women. What began as one footballer’s recovery has become a support network for thousands of others.

Read our in-depth interview with Tony Adams in issue 396 of FourFourTwo magazine, on sale September 24th. Adams’ new book ‘1996: Reflections on the Year that Changed My Life’ is available now

The ex-Wales international revealed on Rio Ferdinand Presents: The Debrief that he attempted to convince Elliot Anderson to join Manchester United, and got “in trouble.”

The former Nottingham Forest midfielder joined Manchester City rather than the Red Devils, in a £116 million deal that was initially rumoured to have broken the British transfer record.

Ryan Giggs, a 13-time Premier League winner with Manchester United, confessed that Anderson was not receptive to his attempted persuasion, and told him: “Will you just let me play golf, please?”

Giggs reveals Anderson’s frustrated response to talks of Manchester United transfer

The 45-year-old revealed that he met Anderson just days prior to the England international travelling to North America, in a period when he was “probably the most-talked about Premier League player.”

While the pair played golf in separate parties, Giggs seized the opportunity, attempting to persuade Anderson to join Man United.

Ferdinand confessed to the Welshman that he also attempts to “sell the club” to certain players he meets, stating: “The club’s the best. That’s what I do when I see [desirable] players, I don’t care.”

Giggs revealed that his efforts were shut down after “four or five holes,” with Anderson soon growing frustrated by the attempts.

“[I saw him] a few days before he went to the World Cup. I peppered him. He didn’t know how to take it at first, and then he relaxed a little bit,” claimed the 45-year-old.

“For the first four or five holes, we were literally crossing. And at the end of it, he went, ‘Will you just let me - leave me alone. Will you just let me play my golf, please?’ You’re in trouble,” continued Giggs.

The pair then shared their thoughts on deals that rise to the financial heights of Anderson to Manchester City, with Ferdinand claiming “you’ve got to try all sorts” to see such approaches succeed.

“You’ve got to try all sorts to get these deals over. It’s mad, though. Obviously, the price tag was crazy,” said the Englishman.

“It’s just like astronomical money,” affirmed Ferdinand, to which Giggs agreed. The former Manchester United centre-back then invoked the club’s financial situation, and its link to Anderson.

“Manchester United haven’t got the budget to pay for that,” confirmed Ferdinand, plainly. The pair then agreed that Anderson is a good player, despite his decision to join their Manchester rivals.

Head to the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel to watch the full interview.

This season's League Cup Third Round fixtures are taking place a week apart due to English clubs' participation in European competition.

This means the likes of Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Newcastle and Bradford have all already progressed to the competition’s Fourth Round.

The draw for the Fourth Round will take place shortly after the final Third Round fixture scheduled to be played next week.

Carabao Cup draw: Fourth Round details

Manchester United will face off against Brighton on September 16 at 8pm BST, with the draw then expected to take place at around 10:20pm BST.

It remains possible that this clash will see Carlos Baleba make his Red Devils debut. If the Cameroonian is absent, he would be expected to appear in the club’s next Premier League match, versus Fulham.

Everton host Wolves in a rescheduled showdown that was initially set to take place on Wednesday, September 9, meanwhile Sheffield United travel to Fleetwood, and newly-promoted Coventry City are hosts to fellow top-flight side Aston Villa.

The draw will be made live to watch on Sky Sports, with ex-Liverpool and Everton men Jamie Redknapp and Ashley Young picking the teams out.

A day prior to the draw, on September 15, a further five Carabao Cup matches will be played, including Liverpool versus Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, with Andrew Robertson likely to appear back on Merseyside.

West Ham supporters will witness the return of what was recently a Premier League derby, as they welcome Fulham at the London Stadium.

Arsenal, who were defeated in last year’s Carabao Cup Final by Manchester City, will visit Ipswich Town, and Peterborough United will host Barnsley.

Lastly, Reading will welcome Brentford, meaning that all but three Carabao Cup Third Round clashes will have been decided by 10pm BST next Wednesday evening, with Coventry-Villa and Man United-Brighton scheduled to kick-off at 8pm, and the possibility of penalties to follow.

The final Third Round match, between Manchester City and Norwich, will take place on Thursday, September 17, after the draw.

Fourth Round matches are scheduled to take place in the week commencing October 26, then w/c December 14 for Fifth Round clashes.

Nineteen-year-old Kendry Paez is back in London after a loan period with River Plate, which the Argentinian club terminated.

Now, Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Paez will not play a role in Chelsea’s first-team plans this season, after the Blues failed to secure another loan in England for the Ecuadorian.

Paez played just 469 minutes for River Plate in 2026, recording two goal contributions. He last featured for the club in late May, in what was a 13-minute cameo.

Alonso on plans for Paez at Chelsea

When questioned whether Paez would play a role in Chelsea’s first-team before January, the Spaniard quickly rejected the idea.

Alonso said: “No, no. He is not part of the plans. At the moment, he is not part of the first team squad,” according to a report from The Athletic.

The 19-year-old was expected to depart on loan again for the 2026/27 season, but Chelsea were unable to finalise a deal prior to the British transfer window closing.

Judging by Alonso’s comments, it appears that Paez will be prioritised for a loan move, but one that sees him remain in England, in January.

The Ecuadorian has not played for the club since the Blues signed him in July 2025, in a deal worth over £17 million.

Since then, he has played for both River Plate and Ligue 1 side Strasbourg on loan. With the latter club, he appeared 20 times, for a combined 711 minutes, scoring one goal.

Recently, the 19-year-old received minutes in Ecuador’s Round of 32 loss versus Mexico at the 2026 World Cup. He did not feature during all three group stage matches.

Alonso’s intention to keep Paez separate from the Blues’ first-team has arrived at a time when both Moises Caicedo and Premier League veteran Jordan Henderson are out injured.

The Spaniard refuses to rush Paez’s fellow Ecuadorian back into action, despite having resumed training with Chelsea, while Henderson remains sidelined with an injury he sustained in North America.

Alonso’s men return to action in the Carabao Cup, as they take on Leeds United this evening at 8pm BST.

The 60-year-old offered his verdict on Manchester United’s £70 million man, surmising that Baleba will require a lengthy adjustment period under Michael Carrick.

Sheringham stated that the Cameroonian will have to reckon with a newfound pressure at Manchester United, having never played previously for a club of the Red Devils’ stature.

The 22-year-old arrived from Brighton as a replacement for the club’s recently departed veteran midfielder Casemiro, and is anticipated to make his Manchester United debut in the coming weeks.

‘I’m not sold on Carlos Baleba, we’ve not seen him play at a club with the pressure of Manchester United’

Carrick revealed last week that Baleba’s debut is anticipated within 10-14 days — making his first match for the Red Devils likely to be either a Premier League or Carabao Cup fixture.

His last competitive game came against Manchester United in matchweek 38 of the Premier League season, in which Brighton lost 3-0. Last term, he made 31 top-flight appearances for the Seagulls.

Sheringham expects Baleba’s settling-in period to be the inverse of that experienced by another midfield signing for the Red Devils — Youri Tielemans.

The ex-Aston Villa man has started all three of Manchester United’s fixtures to open the season, with his stand-out performance arriving versus Ipswich in the club’s 5-2 home win.

Sheringham confessed: “I’m not sold on Carlos Baleba — we’ve not seen him play at a club with the pressure of Man Utd yet, so it’ll take six months or so before we can get a real idea.

“When you bring in two or three signings, they’re expected to be playing. With someone like Tielemans, everyone talks highly of him and you expect him to go straight into the side, which has been the case.”

Sheringham introduced England international Kobbie Mainoo into the discussion, as a possible foil for the Cameroonian.

Despite the former Brighton man’s considerable price tag, Sheringham believes that he could “have to bide his time” until an opportunity arrives, with Mainoo likely to serve as a roadblock in Baleba’s attempts to break into the side.

“Someone like Baleba, with Kobbie Mainoo playing, [he] might have to bide his time. When that chance does come, they’ve got to grab it with both hands,” he said.

Sheringham also discussed the ‘huge’ pressure faced by former player, now permanent manager, Carrick in the coming seasons at Manchester United.

The Red Devils return to Premier League action — after their Thursday showdown in the Champions League versus Sabah FK — in the Manchester derby on Sunday, at Old Trafford.

This interview was conducted by BetVictor Online Casino.

Liverpool have agreed a deal with Turkish Airlines that will see the travel company become principal sponsor of the Reds' iconic shirts for the next five seasons.

Turkish Airlines will be emblazoned across the Anfield club's men's and women's shirts between June 2027 and June 2032 as part of a £300 million sponsorship agreement.

It has been described as the most lucrative in Premier League history and sees Liverpool surge to the top of the Premier League's front-of-shirt sponsorship earnings table. How does this new deal compare to Liverpool's Premier League peers, though?

Liverpool's new shirt sponsorship deal is worth £60m per season

At £60m per season, Liverpool's new partnership brings them alongside Manchester United’s league-topping agreement with Snapdragon. The extra £10m per year over their current £50m arrangement with Standard Chartered represents a 20% revenue jump alone.

While Manchester City (Etihad) and Arsenal (Emirates) record overall commercial packages in similar or higher ranges, those figures bundle stadium naming rights and training facility branding into their totals. Liverpool’s £60m Turkish Airlines annual income is exclusively from matchday kit exposure, keeping things like Anfield’s naming rights untouched and available for separate monetisation, if the club so wish to explore that as a potential avenue.

The financial scale becomes clear when comparing the upgrade to mid-table Premier League figures.

The £10m increase per season that Liverpool have secured in this single negotiation matches the entire front-of-shirt sponsorship income of established Premier League clubs such as Fulham and Everton who, according to reports, were bringing in £10m each from their betting partner shirt sponsors last season.

Such deals only serve to underscore the widening economic divide within English football as mid-table sides like Crystal Palace (£6.5m) and Brighton (£6m) earn roughly a tenth of Liverpool’s incoming fee, whereas clubs like Ipswich Town (£3.5m–£4m) would require up to 15 years of kit sponsorship to match what the Reds will earn in a single season.

Premier League clubs are no longer permitted to advertise gambling companies on the front of their shirts after collectively voting to ban such sponsorships to mitigate growing concerns over gambling harm and public health. The league has taken measures to reduce exposure to impressionable audiences, particularly children and young supporters.

The self-imposed ban, which has taken full effect for the 2026/27 season, aims to break the strong association between football kit identity and betting culture. Although, gambling brands are still permitted on shirt sleeves, advertising hoardings and on screen by broadcast partners.

The 60-year-old has revealed that he anticipates Manchester United fans to be unhappy with anything less than major silverware success under Carrick.

The Red Devils made impressive strides last term under their former player, now permanent manager, ascending from 15th-position in 2024/25, to third in the Premier League standings.

That finish enabled Manchester United’s return to the Champions League — they will play Sabah FK on Thursday evening — but Sheringham believes that expectations will not be tempered this term.

‘It’ll be interesting to see how long his hair stays nice, dark and flowing’ — Sheringham on pressure faced by Carrick

The Red Devils are currently positioned 11th in the Premier League table, having taken a loss, draw and win from their opening three matches.

Their campaign began with a 2-0 defeat on the road at Hull, which they followed up with a 5-2 Old Trafford victory against Ipswich Town. Last weekend, they fell to an Everton equaliser in added time.

Sheringham, who once won the treble with Manchester United, believes that Carrick will soon be under significant pressure by the Red Devils faithful, with expectations of major silverware.

“The pressure is huge at Manchester United,” he confessed. “The expectation may not be there right this minute, but within the football club and among the supporters over the years, they won't be happy with fourth, third, or second.

“Within the club and around it, the pressure is huge, [even] without outside interest playing the part of saying Manchester United are not good enough.

“Anyone within Manchester United who has been involved with Manchester United knows the pressure of what it's like to play for Manchester United. Everywhere you go, people want to beat you. And Michael knows that, he's been a player,” he continued.

Sheringham expressed optimism for the club’s future under Carrick, but admitted that he anticipates the pressure will take a significant toll on the 45-year-old.

“It'll be interesting how long his hair stays nice and dark and flowing on the touch line. That pressure brings the grey hairs or the baldness at some stage for these managers,” said Sheringham.

“And all of sudden you look and go, blimey. He's got old, and that's what that pressure does. [That’s] being involved in football in general, but Man United even more so.

“But Michael knows that. I love his character. I wish him well and I think he will come good,” concluded the 60-year-old.

This interview was conducted by BetVictor Online Casino.

The Como president has decided to relinquish the board of directors' VIP seating area and hand the tickets over to the club's oldest and most devoted supporters for the fixture.

When the Italian side welcome their German opponents to the newly redeveloped Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Thursday evening, the executive box will not be occupied by corporate dignitaries or billionaire owners.

Instead, Suwarso and key board members have surrendered their seats to lifelong fans born in 1950 or earlier, honouring those who stood by the club through its lowest ebb and non-league football long before their fairytale rise to Europe's elite.

Como president announces new seating plan for Champions League opener

Since 2019, Como have been owned by the Indonesian conglomerate Djarum Group.

Recognised as the wealthiest owners in Italian football, the family appointed Suwarso as president to oversee operations, building a corporate structure that has been supremely successful in recent years.

Suwarso posted a message on his official social media channels which read: "The stadium is completely sold out. With reduced capacity and a limited number of tickets available, unfortunately, we cannot accommodate everyone who would have liked to be there.

"However, several club directors and I have decided to give up our seats for this match. We want them to be allocated to the fans who have waited the longest: supporters born in 1950 or earlier, who have followed Como through every division and every era.

"If you know a long-time Como fan born in 1950 or earlier who deserves to be at the stadium on Thursday, write to us at Community@comofootball.com.

"We will be honoured to give them our seat."

Former Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas is head coach and holds a minority stake alongside high-profile investors which reportedly includes Thierry Henry and former defender Raphael Varane, who sits on the board.

Reborn in Serie D following bankruptcy in 2017, Como steadily climbed the Italian league pyramid after their 2019 takeover, earning promotion back to Serie A in 2024 following a 21-year absence.

Under Fabregas, Como punched above their weight in Italian football last term by finishing in the top four to secure automatic qualification for the Champions League.

Thursday's match represents uncharted territory for the club. Prior to this campaign, Como had never competed in a major UEFA tournament, with their sole international experience dating back to the 1980/81 Mitropa Cup.

Now, fans who endured fourth-tier obscurity will watch from the finest seats in the house as Como do battle at Europe's top table.

No European fixtures beyond those played in the Champions League are scheduled for this match-week, and games will feature a minute’s silence prior to kick-off.

As relayed by Henry Winter, the silence, in remembrance of the lives lost after a series of devastating flash floods in Nepal will be accompanied by banners reading: "You are not alone, Nepal."

On September 7, Nepal held a national day of mourning for those who had died in the floods. It is estimated that at least 1355 people were killed, with more than 5000 still missing.

Champions League to feature minute’s silence for Nepal

Candlelit vigils were held on Monday evening, as rescue teams continued in their efforts to locate survivors.

The floods are believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse. It has now been two weeks since the disaster, with Monday marking the final day of the traditional 13-day Hindu mourning period.

The news arrives after Premier League and EFL fixtures this weekend were confirmed to not feature a minute’s silence for the victims of 9/11.

67 British people died as a result of the terror attacks on the United States of America, back on September 11, 2001.

Conversely, the Champions League matches this week will commemorate those that lost their lives across the Nepal-Tibet border region.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin confirmed: "The entire European football family will stand together before this week's matches to express our deepest condolences and our support to the people of Nepal.

“We wish them strength and resilience as they continue to recover from this tragedy and its aftermath,” he concluded.

The minute’s silences and raised banners are intended to help sustain international awareness for Nepal, aiding in the location of missing flood survivors.

Last Saturday, a 64-year-old Nepali woman was recovered alive by rescuers from her buried house in the Nuwakot district, more than 10 days after it had been submerged.

In Nepal, at least 5000 missing are people, while over 500 are unaccounted for in Tibet. All 36 teams, in 18 Champions League matches, will play this week, with a minute’s silence observed in each clash.

Manchester United appear keen to boast the country's best youth talent once again, with the Red Devils on the brink of completing a triple signing from their two biggest rivals.

The club is reportedly putting the finishing touches on an agreement for Liverpool's 16-year-old attacker Isaac Konde, in addition to signing Manchester City pair David Eze and Karim Cassim, according to the BBC.

Konde, 16, made six appearances for Liverpool’s Under-18 squad last term and is said to be known for his speed and ball control. It is expected he will be integrated into Darren Fletcher’s Under-18 setup upon arrival.

Man United poach three players from Liverpool and Manchester City

Across town, Man United's pursuit of City duo Eze and Cassim is reportedly close to reaching a conclusion.

Both 16-year-olds are nominally central midfielders and have been on their soon-to-be employer's radar for some time, as per the BBC's Simon Stone.

The club are clearly making a concerted effort to steal away top-rated talent from Premier League rivals having previously secured striker Chido Obi and defender Ayden Heaven from Arsenal.

In both cases, the ex-Gunners quickly made their first-team debuts with Heaven now considered a senior option under Michael Carrick.

Man United have historically been regarded as a club with rich academy history and a consistent pathway to first-team opportunities.

The revered 'Class of 92' are the preeminent example of this with several members of that FA Youth Cup-winning side going on to play central roles under Sir Alex Ferguson in the decades that followed.

Manchester United retain one of the most remarkable records in world sport, having had at least one homegrown academy graduate included in every single first-team matchday squad for over 88 years.

On Thursday night, six Champions League matches will be played, on an evening traditionally known for hosting Europa League action.

On their return to Europe, Manchester United welcome Sabah FK — the champions of Azerbaijan, making their Champions League debut — this Thursday.

The Red Devils, accustomed in recent years to hearing the Europa League anthem on Thursday, will instead hear the Champions League composition, but why?

Why are Champions League sides playing on a Thursday?

The tournament is not hosting matches on Thursday to accommodate scheduling issues for league phases teams. Simply, the Champions League has been given its own week to shine.

With the Europa and Conference League tournaments yet to commence, the Champions League has been cleared to set up showdowns on Thursday.

This is a one-off, exclusive week - going forward, the Champions League will only schedule games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

These exclusive weeks, in which one of the European competitions is freed from the shackles of its tournament peers’ scheduling, have been implemented since 2024/25.

Each year since, the Champions, Europa and Conference League competitions have received a single week that allows their tournament to take centre stage.

Last term, it was also staged for the Champions League during the tournament’s opening match-week. Dates for the Europa and Conference League competitions’ exclusive weeks have not yet been revealed.

Outside of Old Trafford, five additional games will be played this Thursday. Last year's semi-finalists Bayern Munich host Bodo/Glimt, while Como welcome RB Leipzig.

Eredivisie champions PSV take on Shakhtar Donetsk, Slavia Prague face Lens, and Super Lig contenders Fenerbahce - who knocked out Lyon during qualification, and caused a chain of events leading to Malick Fofana’s Premier League transfer - play Roma.

League phase teams stand to benefit from a lengthy list of incentives that increases the higher they finish in the Champions League table, with the tournament getting underway this Tuesday evening.

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has opened up on his summer departure to Juventus, as well as admitting the dressing room was 'not aligned' last season.

The 29-year-old Italian spent three seasons in North London after making the switch from Empoli in 2023. During his spell with the club, Vicario established himself as Tottenham's No. 1, making 81 appearances across all competitions.

However, his general level of consistency could not shield the team from a dismal 2025/26 campaign. Tottenham endured one of the most damaging seasons in their recent history, finishing 17th in the Premier League and narrowly escaping relegation to the Championship.

Vicario: 'Spurs dressing room was not aligned last season'

As part of an extensive summer overhaul aimed at resetting the culture, Vicario was allowed to return to Serie A by head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who had chosen not to field the goalkeeper during the final stretch of the 2025/26 campaign.

Speaking to Sky Italia, the goalkeeper has expressed his gratitude towards De Zerbi, revealing that the manager acted with transparency when the opportunity to join Juventus materialised.

“I thank him, I did it personally the day I signed with Juventus,” Vicario said. “With me he was a real person, direct and above all a man of his word. He gave me the opportunity to take this step that I had in mind, he supported me and I will always be grateful to him.”

While Vicario held no grudges against De Zerbi, his comments regarding the wider team environment shed light on the deeper issues that undermined Tottenham’s league campaign.

Whispers of squad divisions, cliques, and conflicting agendas had lingered throughout their fight for survival, and the goalkeeper's reflection effectively confirms that key figures inside the building were pulling in opposite directions.

Acknowledging the dysfunction without going into detail, Vicario admitted: “There have been some dynamics that have not aligned, probably for several reasons that make no sense to mention now.”

Vicario’s departure was symbolic of a broader summer clear-out under De Zerbi, who actively dismantled a squad that proved unfit for purpose last term. As Vicario embarks on a fresh chapter in Turin, Tottenham face a significant rebuilding task, particularly after their start to the new league season, sitting third from bottom in the Premier League after three matches.

Kane's comments follow what was an intense summer at the 2026 World Cup with England, where the Three Lions were knocked out in the semi-final by Argentina.

The Bayern Munich striker believes his dedication to recovery and physical conditioning will allow him to emulate the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luka Modric by extending his career at the highest level deep into his late 30s.

Having spent the summer leading the line in North America, Kane has reflected on how his personal perspective towards longevity has transformed as his career has progressed.

Harry Kane: 'I still want to be at the top level in my late 30s'

The 33-year-old says he feels more energised than ever to maintain his standing among Europe's elite goalscorers, using modern footballing legends as inspiration.

"I’ve said before that [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo they were just still getting better into their 30s and into their mid 30s," Kane explained during an interview with ex-Bayern midfielder and TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves. "I think I'm at that peak right now. I feel physically in a great place, mentally."

The England talisman stresses that entering his 30s has brought a newfound perspective on the finite nature of his professional career, prompting him to savour each and every milestone while paying closer attention to his body.

"I think at this stage you just try and cherish these moments," Kane added. "The moment I'm in right now, I feel so good - I'll say how can I just sustain this and just make sure that this lasts forever. As we know it, it won't - but when I see players like Messi and Ronaldo and Luka Modric and these players playing until late 30s or Ronaldo's in his 40s now, Luka is in his 40s, it gives me the motivation to be able to do that."

Central to Kane’s durability and goalscoring output is his commitment to off-pitch preparation. Far from relying strictly on natural talent, the Bayern frontman has detailed the work required behind closed doors to ensure he is fit for selection week in week out.

"I do a lot of work behind the scenes on recovery, on being fit, on making sure I'm available every game and I think that's a big aspect of scoring this amount of goals," Kane said, having bagged 73 times across all competitions last season. "I'll probably say the last six, seven years have been a big part of my career - I think as you get to kind of late 20s, you start to realise this career isn’t going to last forever."

Kane maintains that constant physical readiness is one of his main duties for both club and country, allowing him to stay sharp in front of goal and execute the roles asked of him on the pitch.

"I think availability is a really important thing for any team, any coach, and I try to make sure I'm there for my team and that allows me then to perform to the level where I do and score the goals that I score."

Bayern Munich are gunning for Champions League glory this season, and hope to be fired to victory by Kane's goals.

'The Breakdown: Harry Kane' premieres on TNT Sports 2 from 17:15 BST on Tuesday, September 8 and will be available on-demand via HBO Max

Reports in Germany indicate Michael Olise is set to sign a massive new contract at Bayern Munich that will completely price Liverpool out of a move.

After breaking through the youth ranks and making his professional debut at Reading in the Championship, Olise earned himself a move to Crystal Palace. At Selhurst Park, his performances and creative output in the Premier League caught the attention of Europe’s elite.

Since arriving in Germany, Olise has taken his game to another level, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous attackers in world football, reportedly drawing the gaze of Liverpool's recruitment department.

Liverpool to look elsewhere after Michael Olise development

However, a return to English football now looks increasingly unlikely.

According to recent reports, Bayern are preparing to hand Olise a lucrative contract extension, one that includes an eye-watering release clause designed to deter potential suitors.

Historically, the Bavarian giants prided themselves on a refusal to include release clauses in player contracts, ensuring they held all the cards over any potential departures.

However, the shifting landscape of modern football has forced a change at boardroom level. Much like the agreement recently struck for Jamal Musiala, buyout clauses are becoming the new normal in Munich.

For Olise, Bayern are reportedly planning to insert an exit clause ranging anywhere from €150 million to €250 million (£126m–£211m), according to journalist Christian Falk.

Such an astronomical figure represents an insurmountable hurdle, even for a team like Liverpool. Under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the club operates with a strict financial model.

While they are certainly capable of making statement signings - evidenced by their recent captures of Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola, all for in excees of £100m - obliterating their transfer record for Olise doesn't align with their financial reality.

Liverpool’s financial situation in the wake of recent arrivals dictates that they must be efficient with their remaining budget, finding value in the market rather than triggering world-record release clauses.

For many fans, the ex-Palace man would have been the dream acquisition but with Barcola now in the building, the requirement for a player of Olise's calibre has somewhat lessened.

Furthermore, the numbers required to pry him away from Germany are no longer viable given the Frenchman looks set to commit his prime years to Bayern, too.

If the main reason is that Odegaard is free of the injuries that saw him miss 30 games last season for Arsenal and Norway, there can be no doubt that the No. 8 has a more determined mindset now. He seizes games more now.

At 27, Odegaard has come of age as a heavyweight footballer. He arrived at the top of the table with Arsenal in May and now at the top table with the world’s elite players.

For lovers of historical echoes there are reminders of the blossoming of Dennis Bergkamp’s talent in 1998. Arsenal had just narrowly won an FA Cup fourth-round tie at Middlesbrough in the January. Bergkamp was already on the coach outside the Riverside when Tony Adams strode down the aisle. Arsenal’s forthright captain stared at this supreme technician who adorned games but never imposed himself fully.

Martin Odegaard is having his Dennis Bergkamp moment at Arsenal

Adams challenged Bergkamp. “You’ve been two and a half years, Dennis,” he said. “Isn’t it time you won something? It would be a shame not to with your ability.” Suitably challenged, Bergkamp responded. He helped Arsenal to the Double, himself to Footballer of the Year honours and the Dutch to the semi-finals of the World Cup with that sumptuous strike against Argentina in Marseille.

There was no similar lightning strike of realisation in Odegaard’s career, no decisive home truths from a team-mate. But the change is still seismic. It’s a transformation that Odegaard has undergone under his own direction. Escaping the inhibiting clutches of knee and shoulder injuries has helped. The main change is psychological. He’s toughened up.

Odegaard is hurting opponents more now. When Ezri Konsa overwhelmed Morgan Rogers in a robust challenge, Odegaard responded quickest to the loose ball. He’s more decisive now, more progressive. Rather than circulating the ball, Odegaard went for the jugular, launching the move that climaxed with his well-timed run into the box, and emphatic finish.

So far this season, Odegaard has now beaten Chelsea’s Emi Martinez and Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who share the last three Yashin Trophies as world’s best keeper in Ballon d’Or voting. (Odegaard has also scored past Coventry City’s highly-regarded Carl Rushworth).

That goal against Martinez showed the level of understanding in Arsenal’s attack. Their new left-winger, Christos Tzolis, has quickly learned Odegaard’s movement and now twice picked him out for goals. Odegaard also benefits from Kai Havertz’s vision, notably in that dummy to ensure Tzolis’ cross reached him. The Norwegian’s connection on the right with Bukayo Saka (and Ben White) is well-established.

Odegaard’s influence is now felt all over. He’s taking more risks in his possession. Playing safe less. He found Havertz, Saka and Martin Zubimendi in quick succession during one period of particular control in the second half.

He’s pressing more assiduously, again helped by that superior fitness. He’s more robust physically and mentally, shrugging off a foul from Reece James.

As Gary Neville pointed out during Sky Sports' coverage, Odegaard needs more goals and assists. He has 37 of each in 179 Premier League appearances. Odegaard was legitimately criticised last season. Arsenal were more reliant on Declan Rice to drive them to the title in May. Odegaard still contributed, making six assists but scoring only once in 24 games. He’s graced seasons before, delivering impressive numbers, notably 15 goals and seven assists in 37 appearances in 2022/23. But never threatened being Footballer of the Year. He must surely look at Bruno Fernandes, see the numbers he generates, and realise the levels.

Being captain of the champions has changed many people’s view of him. It must have changed his view of himself. Nobody can say he’s not elite now. The summer helped, too. Odegaard’s performances against Ivory Coast and Brazil were immense, dragging Norway through some difficult moments in those knockout games (before losing to England).

There are elements to improve. He didn’t challenge Jorrel Hato strongly enough in the lead-up to Rogers’ goal. But his transformation is undeniable. Odegaard’s contract expires in two years and there will inevitably now be talk of an extension. On this form, he’s worth it.

Carlos Baleba's Manchester United debut date has been revealed by Michael Carrick, ahead of his side's trip to Everton this weekend.

Manchester United have won one, and lost one in their two opening Premier League games this term, defeating Ipswich Town 5-2 last Sunday.

Prior to that, another newly-promoted side in Hull City served the Red Devils a 2-0 opening day defeat at the MKM Stadium

Michael Carrick reveals Carlos Baleba's Manchester United debut date

Manchester United signed Baleba in late August, in a deal worth £70 million, from their Premier League peer Brighton.

The Red Devils lost veteran midfielder Casemiro in the summer, and shelled out an initial £65 million, with a further five in add-ons, to secure the services of the Cameroonian as a replacement.

Baleba made 31 English top-flight appearances last season, playing almost 1700 minutes.

He recovered the ball just over three times per game, while winning an average of six duels; Baleba also made one interception and one tackle per match for the Seagulls.

Before revealing the his likely debut date, Carrick provided updates on the injury status of Mason Mount and Luke Shaw.

The former seems to have had a positive week on the training pitches, as relayed by Ben Dinnery, while the latter was pictured alongside club captain Bruno Fernandes in training on Thursday.

Baleba is now 10-14 days out from making his debut appearance for the Red Devils, as Carrick's men prepare to play Champions League football in the coming weeks.

In relation to Manchester United's schedule, the Cameroonian will likely make his first appearance in red versus Fulham at Craven Cottage.

That match will be played in the Premier League on September 20, however, if Baleba becomes available at the mid point of the range provided, he could face off against his former team in the Carabao Cup, on September 16.

If that is to be the case, bizarrely, Baleba's previous and last game would be against Manchester United, then Brighton respectively.

The 22-year-old last featured in a football match versus the Red Devils during a 3-0 loss with Brighton, in the final game of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Ex-Chelsea and West Ham manager Graham Potter has branded an unnamed former club of his "dysfunctional" in the comments of an Instagram post.

The current head coach of the Sweden national team is rebuilding his managerial career after disappointing spells at both Chelsea and West Ham United.

Potter posted an image of himself doing pilates to Instagram yesterday, and dug out one of his former clubs in reply to a fan.

Graham Potter digs out 'dysfunctional' club in Instagram post

The Englishman made a name for himself as boss at Brighton, where he lasted three years in the job and led the Seagulls to their highest-ever top-flight finish in 2022.

He made the move to Chelsea, where, after losing 11 games in his 31 at the helm, he was sacked inside eight months.

After almost two years away from management, Potter returned to the Premier League to coach West Ham.

In London once more, he lasted even less time, managing the Hammers from January to September of 2025.

The Englishman's side finished 14th in the 2024/25 Premier League standings, but was sacked after leading the club to a 19th-placed position after the next term's first five games.

Now manager of the Sweden national team, Potter led his side out of the groups in North America this summer, before exiting in a 3-0 defeat to previous tournament edition finalists France.

The 51-year-old posted an image of him in a pilates pose to Instagram on Thursday afternoon, which prompted one fan to jokingly respond: "Hopefully you are better at Pilates then you were a football manager."

Potter replied: "I'll try not to do Pilates in a dysfunctional place and I will be ok," with a flexed bicep emoji.

It is unclear which club the Englishman was referring to, however, the Hammers were relegated in the same season that Potter left them, while the Blues finished just 13 points clear of the drop zone in 10th last term.

Since Potter joined, Chelsea have now resorted to their eighth manager in three years, with Xabi Alonso at the helm.

Another fan commented in response: "Didn't mind the money though, did you?" to which Potter replied "absolutely not."

And when a West Ham fan wrote: "You got us relegated, you mug," the Englishman replied with two laughing emojis.

An injury-stricken Aston Villa have received a triple boost ahead of the club's clash with Hull City on Saturday, with updates being heard in a pre-match press conference regarding four injured players.

Unai Emery's side have lost both of their two Premier League matches so far this term, with Brighton serving his men a 4-0 defeat in their opening match.

That was followed up by a 1-0 loss at Villa Park to reigning champions Arsenal; now, they'll head on the road to face newly-promoted Hull with three fresh players in tow, set to make appearances.

Aston Villa receive triple boost

Emery provided updates on four injured players in a pre-match press conference ahead of the club's clash with Hull.

On Johan Manzambi, the Villa boss revealed: "He's training with the group, and he's progressively getting better.

"But he will need some more days for Tuesday in the Champions League, or for our next match against Nottingham Forest.

Elsewhere, Joao Gomes misses the trip through suspension, and Brian Madjo will remain sidelined for another couple of weeks, as relayed by Ben Dinnery.

Amadou Onana is recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, and will not appear for the Villans any time soon.

However, the club does expect to see three of its new signings make appearances on Saturday, or at least travel for the trip, in a needed triple boost.

Those players are Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Leon Goretza and Ibrahim Mbaye, all of whom are expected to make the trip.

Emery revealed: "I think the players are ready, and some players after we signed in the last week.

"They are going to be progressively better and better, understanding better our way to play.

"Tomorrow, hopefully we can do one step forward," concluded the Villa boss.

His side face Hull City tomorrow, which kicks off at 5:30pm BST and will be broadcast on Sky Sports - the presenters, pundits and commentators for that clash can be found here.

When Hull City won the play-off final and reached the Premier League 18 years ago, Dean Windass was the hero.

Windass struck a sensational volley for his local club to down Bristol City at Wembley, then was part of the squad that went into the top flight for the 2008-09 campaign.

Hull were tipped for instant relegation, but shocked everyone by winning six of their first nine games – following up an opening day win over Fulham with triumphs at Newcastle, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

Hull City: fast starters

History has been repeating itself in the opening weeks of the current campaign – after victory over Middlesbrough in May’s play-off final, the Tigers beat Manchester United in their first game back in the Premier League, then won at Coventry City to make it six points out of six, ahead of this Saturday’s home match with Aston Villa.

“The best thing you can do is play a top team at home in the first game,” Windass tells FFT. “Everyone has a clean slate, but nobody expected Hull City to win.

“The pressure was on Man U, who didn’t know what Hull City were like. I was at the game and Man U were very poor – you could tell that they were trying to gel together with Youri Tielemans and their new signings.

“To have a great start like that was fantastic. I knew that Coventry would be a harder game, but they came through it and won 1-0.

“But my advice to Hull City fans and all my mates when they go to the gym is it’s a long season. Villa will be a tough test – every game is a tough test in the Premier League.

“When I went up with Bradford, I remember Paul Jewell saying to us ‘If we finish fourth from bottom in the Premier League this year, it’s a massive achievement, anything above that is a bonus, and we’ve got to win the majority of our home games’.

“I know Lewie Coyle, Oli McBurnie and Matt Crooks there now, and I’ve heard on the outside as a supporter that they’ve got a good changing room.

A famous teamtalk

“They’ve brought a lot of players in, but it doesn’t matter about the price tag, they’re not proven Premier League players, so they’re going to find it hard.

“But Stuart McCall at Bradford used to say ‘We’ve got a good changing room, we’ve got a good chance of staying up’.”

Bradford did indeed stay up in their first year in the Premier League, as did Hull in 2008-09, prompting Phil Brown to grab a microphone and sing to the fans on the pitch.

Windass went out on loan to Oldham in the second half of that campaign – 39 by then, his game time proved limited in the Premier League – but he saw enough to know that the Tigers’ unity played a big part in their survival that season.

That was tested by a poor run of form, then a 5-1 defeat at Manchester City on Boxing Day – Hull were 4-0 down at half-time and Brown responded by keeping the players on the pitch at the interval, giving them a dressing down in front of the away supporters.

If there was perhaps a perception that the manager lost the dressing room by doing that, Windass doesn’t think that was the case. He was subbed at half-time and it would turn out to be his last appearance for the club, but the players stuck together and the club ultimately stayed up.

“He kept us out on the pitch, and that was his choice,” says Windass, speaking in association with betTOM. “He’d given Christmas Day off because it was a Boxing Day game, and we were fifth in the table, something like that, I can’t remember.

“You’re playing Man City, Robinho was playing for them, Vincent Kompany, they had a decent team. You put your hands up, you’re getting beat by a quality team, and what Phil did was his choice.

“It didn’t dampen the changing room. The lads stuck together. I was coming to the end of my career anyway, I knew that I wouldn’t be playing, they’d bring me on every now and then.

“Phil got the last laugh, by singing on the pitch and staying up, and we had a good changing room.

“We had George Boateng, Paul McShane, Ian Ashbee, Nick Barmby, good pros. No matter what division you’re in, if you’ve got a good changing room, you’ve got a great chance of success.”

Liverpool target Yankuba Minteh could make the move to Anfield in January, Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has revealed.

The Reds saw deadline day to its conclusion without securing the replacement for recently-departed Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.

Andoni Iraola's men saw Victor Munoz and Bradley Barcola join in the attack; however, neither are natural right-wingers. Now, the Brighton manager has revealed that Minteh may secure his move in the next transfer window, should he and the team be successful.

"Maybe he can fulfil his dream in the next transfer window," reveals Hurzeler

Liverpool were also in the market for Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr, however, that deal never materialised either, leaving him requiring time to recover emotionally.

Veteran attacker Cody Gakpo was linked closely to Manchester City in the window's final days, but the Reds opted to keep the winger to provide additional right flank coverage.

In a pre-match match press conference ahead of Brighton's clash this weekend versus Leeds United, Hurzeler revealed that Minteh may get his move in January.

"[Minteh] wears the Brighton colours, he wears the Brighton badge - he's been here for two years now," the German told reporters.

"We've achieved great things together. Therefore, it's also about him now to commit.

"In the end, we always say we want to be successful as a club, but then you can [also] shine as individuals. If we achieve things together, then attention will come to those players.

"This will be the case this season; if the whole team is successful, then Yankuba will maybe fulfil his dream in the next transfer window," Hurzeler concluded.

Replacing Salah was always going to be a tall order for Liverpool, but Minteh's Premier League-proven ability was clearly appealing to Iraola's side this window.

The Brighton attacker bagged seven goal involvements in 34 English top-flight games last season, and 10 in 32 the season prior.

Richarlison's future at Tottenham Hotspur is hanging in the balance, as the 29-year-old's transfer to Super Lig side Trabzonspor edges nearer.

The Brazilian previously rejected an Everton homecoming earlier this week, taking to social media to reveal that negotiations had broken down with the Toffees.

Now, Richarlison could join forces with Liverpool royalty in Mohamed Salah, as time ticks down on Super Lig deadline day.

Richarlison on verge of move to Trabzonspor, reveals Turkish transfer expert

The Brazilian was recently axed from Spurs's 25-man squad list, with boss Roberto De Zerbi confirming Richarlison had "said too many times that he wants to leave."

Earlier this week, it was reported by Turkish transfer expert Yagiz Sabuncuoglu that Richarlison had verbally agreed to move to Trabzonspor, and the deal has since progressed further.

September 4 is the Super Lig's deadline day, with hours remaining for the Turkish top-flight side to secure the Brazilian's services.

Sabuncuoglu provided an update via X (formerly Twitter) yesterday evening that clarified how close Trabzonspor are to pulling off the move.

"Trabzonspor will finalise the Richarlison transfer if they can send one foreign player from their squad before the transfer window closes," he wrote.

"Otherwise, the transfer will be cancelled," Sabuncuoglu concluded. The Super Lig's deadline day ends this evening at 11:59pm BST.

Trabzonspor recently signed another striker in their efforts to prevent Galatasaray from securing an unprecedented fifth-consecutive Turkish top-flight title.

That player is Franculino Dju, who moved from Danish Superliga club Midtjylland in a deal worth almost £15 million.

Trabzonspor appear to quietly be assembling a solid attack, led by Liverpool legend Salah who has scored three-in-three for the club domestically this term.

According to ESPN Brazil, the Egyptian even called Richarlison to convince him to join the Turkish top-flight side.

In that report, it is stated that Spurs have rejected a €20 million offer for their Brazilian forward, meaning that it is possible a fee has not been agreed upon, as of yet.

Richarlison, who is currently training with Tottenham Hotspur's Under-21s side, is pushing hard for the move.

The Athletic reported yesterday that Spurs had rejected a bid from Trabzonspor, claiming there was no guarantee that the Turkish club would try their luck again.

According to Sabuncuoglu, it appears that the deal has progressed since, as the hours tick down on Super Lig deadline day.

Last term, Liverpool endured a torrid season under now-sacked boss Arne Slot, but were still able to secure Champions League football with one of the lowest points tallies ever to do so in the Premier League era.

Liverpool will move forward in the competition, led by new manager Andoni Iraola, with their first group phase match versus Atletico Madrid next Wednesday at home.

It appears that the Reds may have solved their right-back issues going forward in the competition, amid intense scrutiny from within the fanbase towards an underperforming Jeremie Frimpong.

Liverpool solve their right-back issues, submit squad list, ahead of upcoming Champions League campaign

Frimpong has been subject to intense scrutiny since joining Liverpool, with the Dutchman's performances being branded too lacklustre, should the Reds wish to compete for major silverware.

In his opening two Premier League matches, both draws, Frimpong has won just six of sixteen duel or tackle attempts, with Liverpool conceding four goals in that period.

Ahead of Champions League nights returning to Anfield, the club has released its squad list for the competition, and given potential insight into attitudes internally regarding Frimpong.

Among those absent are Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo, with their positions being taken by a currently-injured duo in Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni.

Chiesa recently picked up a muscle injury, while Leoni and Ekitike have been sidelined since the 2025-26 season - the latter getting injured in his debut Liverpool start last September.

Andoni Iraola also opted to include another injured defender in Conor Bradley, who left the pitch versus Arsenal with a severe knee injury in January. The Irishman is expected to return to action shortly after Leoni, who is set to return to training with the Reds during the international break.

Bradley would be a natural choice to displace Frimpong in Liverpool's line-up on European nights, should the right-back's recovery encounter no additional hitches, and continue steadily.

His inclusion in Iraola's squad list speaks to two things: Liverpool's lack of options at right-back, and an internal expectation that he will soon return to health.

It also raises questions about attitudes regarding Frimpong internally, with a possibility being that Bradley's recovery is now an even more immediate priority, given the current issues in the position.

The Irishman will play a role in Champions League proceedings later down the line, but fans struggling to bear the weight of Frimpong's performances can take solace in the knowledge that the Reds are including his replacement in their squad list for European nights.

Richarlison has been dumped by Tottenham Hotspur, failing to appear in their submitted 25-man Premier League squad list.

The news arrives days after Richarlison was reportedly asking the club to allow him to leave, with Super Lig side Trabzonspor entering the equation and gunning for his signature.

The Brazilian was also close to an Everton homecoming, however, he ultimately turned the Toffees down after unsuccessful negotiations.

Richarlison dumped by Tottenham Hotspur

Richarlison was a foundational player in Spurs' relegation survival last term, bagging 11 goals, and recording four assists, in 32 Premier League appearances.

His sole appearance so far this campaign came from the start versus Brentford, where he played 61 minutes in a 3-0 loss.

Last Saturday, before Spurs were beaten for a second successive game, losing 2-0 at home to Newcastle United, De Zerbi was brief and blunt in his assessment of the Brazilian's future.

"Richarlison has said too many times that he wants to leave," the Italian revealed.

"I love these players, and these are great guys - but if they want to leave, they have to bring the economic solution to the club.

"Then they can go, and we'll find other players [to replace them]," concluded De Zerbi.

Days later, Richarlison's name was omitted from Spurs' 25-man squad list, amid rumours of the Brazilian making the move to the Super Lig.

The 29-year-old was linked by two Turkish transfer experts to the current club of Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah: Trabzonspor.

That news arrived days after Richarlison took to Instagram to reveal a breakdown in negotiations between himself and former club Everton.

“My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes," wrote the 29-year-old. "“But the negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted.

"It will no longer be like that. I am under contract at Spurs and will remain at the club’s disposal," he concluded, before links to the Turkish top-flight emerged.

Pierre Sage has revealed that Ismaila Sarr will need time to recover from his failed transfer to Liverpool, and addressed whether the Senegalese forward will move to Anfield in January.

The Reds approached Sarr in an effort to locate their Mohamed Salah replacement, with Brighton's Yankuba Minteh also considered.

Neither forward was signed by Liverpool, and Cody Gakpo, who was on the verge of transferring to Manchester City, has stayed on Merseyside to provide additional right wing coverage.

Ismaila Sarr must recover emotionally and Palace have no intention to sell in January, reveals Sage

The Reds oversaw a mixed transfer window, completing the signings of La Liga youngster Victor Munoz and PSG superstar Bradley Barcola.

Neither of these signings were deemed adequate to cover the gaping hole left by Salah on the right flank, leading the club to enter the market in late plunges for Sarr and Minteh.

Ultimately, both deals failed, and Liverpool will likely play until January without a natural right winger of the quality they need.

Crystal Palace boss Sage has revealed that the Senegalese forward will need time to recover from the transfer falling through, and clarified that the club have no intention to sell Sarr in January.

"He has to digest for sure because it's a dream for a lot of players to play with this kind of club," confessed Sage.

"He had a good opportunity but in the end it didn't work. If he wants to continue, you have to have a good season with us as he did last year.

"We know he needs time. Like every bad situation, time does the job and we need time for that," he concluded.

On whether the Senegalese attacker will make an Anfield move in January, Sage quickly dispelled the thought.

I don’t think [he will leave]," confessed the Palace boss. "I don’t think so, because all the clubs are in their season.

"We have a decision to take about the European list. It's difficult to move the team when you are in this competition," he concluded.

As Jurgen Klopp’s swansong, he hoisted Liverpool into one final Premier League title race, finishing third behind Arsenal and Manchester City, and lifted the Carabao Cup.

The last trophy he brought back to Anfield came courtesy of ‘Klopp’s Kids’ — a unit of youngsters that took to the pitch in Wembley cameos and secured victory against Chelsea — and was, undoubtedly, one of the German’s finest feats as manager of the Reds.

Liverpool, back then, were different. Stefan Bajcetic drawing the curtain on an injury-plagued, but once highly-anticipated Reds career, proves it. And it could be a long journey back to the summit.

Bajcetic leaving Liverpool should remind fans how deep the rot spread under Arne Slot, and how much work rests on Andoni Iraola’s shoulders

'But he was injured! That’s nobody’s fault,' some might claim. But it isn’t Bajcetic’s departure in total isolation that should sting, it’s what his exit should remind Liverpool fans of. And that is the sheer number of developing talents that have been discarded, loaned, sold, and forgotten about since Klopp’s time on Merseyside.

From future club captain Trent Alexander-Arnold choosing Real Madrid — after the Reds lifted their first Premier League title in front of fans for 35 years, no less — to Harvey Elliot’s recent La Liga loan departure. After a torrid year at Aston Villa, the look on the Englishman’s face as he fielded questions from the Valencia media was… not pleasant to witness.

Young players once deemed to be Liverpool’s future, talents that the German was able to extract the very best from, have gone from a Carabao Cup-winning unit, and making reliable cameo appearances in both European competitions and the Premier League, to being spread around here, there and everywhere.

Instead, the Reds have spent big in their two previous transfer windows - their total expenditure on attackers alone exceeds £500 million - and lost the heart and soul that made Klopp’s reign so special, and so successful.

Is it a surprise that Slot was able to win a Premier League title? He inherited a team whose muscles and minds had been ruthlessly shaped by the German — one that also included a career-best and still-hungry Mohamed Salah — and rode that wave to English top-flight glory.

But, depressingly, the cost of that victory has likely set Liverpool back by years. To win it, Slot decided against using the German’s youngsters in any meaningful capacity, going full-throttle on extracting the last dregs of mentality and fitness that had been instilled in the core Reds by Klopp.

But a once wise decision — or at least one that felt wise, at the time — continued into the 2025-26 season, and questions surrounding Liverpool’s mentality quickly surfaced. When Reds legend Salah told the press last December that he felt he was being forced out of the club, tensions reached their boiling point.

If the club’s hierarchy could make an all-time superstar feel this way, an individual that had lifted Liverpool onto his shoulders and dragged them to the previous term’s Premier League-winning finish line, how was it making ‘Klopp’s Kids’ feel, behind the scenes?

Jarell Quansah? A lacklustre game to start the season versus Ipswich Town in 2024-25, and few opportunities after. Now, he’s at Bayer Leverkusen, and receiving England call-ups. Bobby Clark? He once ran riot for the Reds during their Europa League campaign in 2023-24. Now, he’s at Derby County, with three goal involvements in his first four Championship matches this term.

Jayden Danns? A scouser through-and-through, one who bagged twice versus Southampton in the FA Cup, no less, during Klopp’s swansong season. He’s back in the Liverpool Under-21s, and last appeared for the first team 12 months ago, again versus Southampton — for 15 minutes.

James McConnell? He’s in the Under-21s, too. And, finally, Bajcetic, who appeared in 27 games across the German’s final two seasons at the helm, even delivering a Man of the Match-worthy performance in 2023’s Merseyside derby at Anfield?

He’s gone, and wrote today on Instagram: “I never planned to write a goodbye message, because I was where I always wanted to be.

“I fought all the injuries and adversities with the motivation of paying back the love and trust you showed me… We will never know what could have been.”

And perhaps the Spaniard is a slightly different case — a talent thwarted by injuries, and dealt an unfair hand throughout his Premier League career.

But maybe seeing his fellow Carabao Cup-winning youngsters be loaned elsewhere, and denied first-team minutes, witnessing the standards drop on Merseyside, weaker training sessions, weaker performances, weaker mentality, weaker leadership, all in the aftermath of Klopp’s departure… perhaps that also played a role in Bajcetic’s recovery, or lack thereof.

Under the German, Liverpool became a family. Under his successor, that family became estranged. Can Iraola turn back the clock? That remains to be seen, but the damage cannot be reversed. As the saying goes, it’s all up from here — but is it? Let's hope so.

Mike Dean appeared on ‘Jamie Vardy’s Having A Party’ — the former Leicester City striker’s YouTube show — and revealed he used to bring off-pitch games into the Premier League “as a laugh.”

The ex-referee enjoyed a 28-year-long professional career, and retired from on-field officiating in 2022. He assumed full-time VAR responsibilities during the 2022-23 season.

Dean has remained a continuous source of controversy, with his post-retirement revelations fuelling theories of match-fixing and corruption among Premier League officials.

Dean admits he used to play games in the Premier League “as a laugh”

“There used to be games we had, as a laugh. We’d say, ‘We’ll kick off now, and see how long we can go without blowing a whistle,’” revealed Dean.

“I’ve done that a few times in the Premier League - before VAR, obviously. Went 20-25 minutes without blowing the whistle, [I would] let it go, let it go, let it go.

“And I used to do another thing - I used to see how long I could stay in the center circle, before I had to leave. That was just me joking about.

“The lads said, ‘You can’t’ - but I got about 15 minutes once, in one game,” Dean concluded, as Vardy and his co-host laughed.

During his final season as a VAR official, Dean claimed headlines for failing to send referee Anthony Taylor to the monitor during a 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

The latter's Cristian Romero pulled the hair of Marc Cucurella, but Dean did not instruct Taylor to approach the monitor as, in the words of Dean himself, “he is a mate, as well as a referee.”

In the 2024/25 season, shortly after Dean retired from officiating, he again fuelled rumours of corruption among Premier League referees by refuting claims for a penalty during the Manchester derby.

Gary Neville believed Manchester United should have received a penalty for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund, but Dean refuted the argument, claiming: “Not in a game like this, mate,” on Sky Sports.

The former official’s latest words on Vardy’s podcasts have prompted social media outrage, with fans questioning the impact of Dean’s “games” on the actual events.

“Disgusting, how many games did that affect negatively?" asked one user. “Is this not borderline match fixing?” questioned another.

“It’s just not what you want to hear, is it?” said one fan, amid pile-ons calling Dean a “clown” and “arrogant.”

Arsenal are protecting their long-term interests in teenage midfielder Ethan Nwaneri.

The Gunners have reportedly inserted a recall option into Nwaneri's season-long loan move to Borussia Dortmund.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, writing for CaughtOffside, the Gunners have the right to break the loan agreement early and bring the 19-year-old back to North London during the January transfer window should they choose to exercise it.

Clarity on Ethan Nwaneri's Arsenal future

The deal is also structured as a straight loan with no option or obligation for the Bundesliga club to buy.

Consequently, Dortmund will not likely have the resource, or opportunity, to sign Nwaneri on a permanent basis at the end of the season, in contrast to other loan agreements that feature purchase clauses.

The inclusion of the January recall clause is another clear indication that Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy still see a future for Nwaneri at the Emirates Stadium.

However, both the manager and the board acknowledge that the player was unlikely to receive the regular minutes required to further his development at his parent club during the 2026/27 campaign.

To avoid a scenario where the midfielder's progress stalls on the bench, Arsenal have opted to sanction a temporary departure to Germany. And having seen previous young loanees suffer from a lack of minutes, the Gunners wanted to ensure they retained full control of the arrangement, allowing them to step in if Nwaneri's game time in Germany does not meet expectations.

A serious knee injury to Dortmund's new, creative midfielder Giannis Konstantelias on his debut motivated the Bundesliga club's late-in-the-window pursuit of Nwaneri.

The Arsenal hierarchy's hope is for Nwaneri to perform at a high level in the Bundesliga, using the experience to prove he can handle first-team demands in the Premier League. If all goes according to plan, the England youth international will return to the Emirates next summer to stake a claim for a far more involved role in Arteta's first-team squad.

Manchester City have made their stance clear regarding competitiveness under Enzo Maresca during his first season as boss at the Etihad.

The Cityzens began their campaign with a 3-0 Community Shield final loss at the hands of Arsenal, who finally pipped Guardiola’s men to the Premier League title last term.

Maresca’s side recovered well, taking six points from their opening two fixtures versus Bournemouth and Crystal Palace in the English top-flight — but that must continue for the Italian to avoid scrutiny.

Manchester City set high standards and threaten scrutiny for Maresca

Manchester City finished second in the 2025-26 Premier League table, seven points behind Mikel Arteta’s Gunners who prevailed at the fourth time of asking.

Guardiola’s men pipped Arsenal’s 84 points with 89 in 2022-23, and claimed 91 points to the Gunners’ 89 in 2023-24; Arteta’s side then fell to Liverpool in 2024-25: 84 points to 74.

The Cityzens also prevailed against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup last year, then edged Chelsea in the FA Cup to secure a domestic double in Guardiola’s swansong season.

After two Premier League games, Manchester City top the table, with an identical points tally and goal difference to Arsenal, ahead only on goals scored.

Internally, the message isn’t solely one of appreciation for the strong performances that Maresca has been able to extract from his group, but a reminder of the Cityzens’ expectations.

Manchester City journalist Simon Bajkowski has revealed that the club anticipate an even stronger season than the one delivered by Guardiola prior to his departure in May.

“There is confidence at Man City that the recruitment is good enough to expect Enzo Maresca to fight across all four competitions,” he claimed.

“With depth cited in every position despite wholesale changes, there is even an internal belief that Man City are in better shape for this season than last year.”

That is to be expected, considering the financial force of Manchester City’s transfer activity — breaking the British record to secure ex-Chelsea man Enzo Fernandez’s services.

Elsewhere, they brought in World Cup breakout talent Ayyoub Bouaddi for little under €100 million, and almost broke the British record for another midfielder, before securing Enzo’s signature.

That was for former Nottingham Forest talent Elliot Anderson, who arrived at the Etihad for a staggering sum of £116 million. He has since started all three of the club’s opening clashes.

Whether Maresca will be able to compete for the Premier League and Champions League trophies remains to be seen, but the message is clear. That is the expectation, and with failure will come scrutiny.

UEFA have begun a disciplinary investigation involving Mason Greenwood and former Arsenal man Matteo Guendouzi following alleged provocative behaviour.

The incident in question came during August’s Champions League play-off game versus Lyon, which finished 1-2, and 2-3 on aggregate in the pair’s favour, as Super Lig side Fenerbahce advanced to the competition proper.

The Turkish top-flight club have released a statement via X (formerly Twitter) confirming their intention to challenge the proceedings brought by UEFA.

UEFA launch investigation into Greenwood, Guendouzi and Fenerbahce

The statement read: "Following the UEFA Champions League Play-Off Round second leg match, UEFA has initiated disciplinary proceedings against our players Matteo Guendouzi and Mason Greenwood, as well as against our club.

"Our club will present the necessary defenses before the relevant UEFA bodies in order to protect the rights and interests of our players and Fenerbahçe during this process.

Fenerbahce concluded: "The necessary information, documents, and defenses regarding the process will be submitted to UEFA, and developments are being closely monitored by our Club. We inform the public accordingly.”

It is alleged that both Greenwood and Guendouzi clutched their groins in an attempt to provoke the Lyon fans; the latter also raised his middle finger to them.

Guendouzi, who played two-and-a-half seasons for rival club Marseille, was involved in a further fracas after knocking the Ligue 1 side out of the competition in late August.

Fights broke out on the pitch and in the tunnel, with players and staff from both clubs reportedly involved. Guendouzi ran across the pitch performing karate kicks, which prompted members of Lyon’s squad to confront him. The former Gunner was, in turn, protected by his Fenerbahce team-mates.

The Frenchman's antics continued to anger the home fans as he exited the pitch, as he allegedly smiled and gestured at them, before being shoved angrily by a member of Lyon’s team or staff.

Guendouzi later defended his actions: "You know, you've got 60,000 people insulting your family, your mum, your children, even before the match, and nobody from the refereeing team tells the stadium to be quiet.

"I know that in France, when this sort of thing happens, there comes a point where they'll speak to the supporters and the match might be stopped. For 90 minutes - even longer if you count the warm-up - they were insulting my family. If you want to banter, then it goes both ways,” he concluded.

Fenerbahce boss Ismail Kartal defended his player post-match, claiming 'we all stood together' and 'this is what teamwork is all about.' Greenwood is also under investigation for his role in the post-match antics, after joining the Super Lig side on a four-year deal back in July.

The specifics of Greenwood’s role in the post-match clash aren’t yet clear, although reports suggest an obscene gesture was made by the Englishman. Fenerbahce referenced both he and Guendouzi by name upon revealing the proceedings initiated by UEFA against the club.

Lyon's Champions League loss had another unintended consequence: forcing the French top-flight to sell superstar Malick Fofana. That spiralled into one of the greatest Premier League deadline day sagas in history.

Liverpool have received a lift following deadline day frustration in the transfer market.

Big money summer signing Bradley Barcola has been confirmed fit and available for selection ahead of tomorrow night's Premier League fixture against Ipswich Town.

Manager Andoni Iraola confirmed that the 24-year-old French winger is in line to make his competitive debut at Portman Road.

Bradley Barcola set for Liverpool debut against Ipswich

Speaking ahead of the match, Iraola expressed his delight at securing the attacker.

"We are very happy with Bradley. It was our priority to sign a very good player in that position. I like the fact he wanted Liverpool a lot. He comes with the willingness to help us. He has trained and will be available for tomorrow."

The boost comes following a turbulent end to Liverpool’s 2026 summer transfer window.

Barcola's arrival provides added firepower to the Reds' attack, but supporters were left frustrated by the club's failure to secure a central midfielder before the deadline.

After agreeing the sale of Curtis Jones to Inter Milan and seen late moves for targets like AS Monaco's Lamine Camara fall through, the Reds enter the autumn with little room for injury or suspension in the middle of the park.

Barcola’s inclusion, however, offers an immediate injection of quality and dynamism to Iraola's frontline.

The winger developed in Olympique Lyonnais' renowned youth academy before enjoying a breakout 2022/23 campaign which ultimately earned him a €45 million (£38m) move to Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023.

During three seasons in the French capital, the line-breaking forward established himself as a key part of PSG's attack.

He won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles and played a pivotal role in back-to-back UEFA Champions League triumphs in 2025 and 2026.

While midfield concerns continue to linger among the Anfield faithful, Barcola’s availability gives Iraola a much-needed boost following a winless start this season's domestic campaign.

A busy summer of transfer business is over for Tottenham Hotspur, but injuries to James Maddison and Xavi Simons have left the Lilywhites short in one area.

It seems Spurs have bolstered pretty much every area of their squad apart from central attacking midfield (or the No.10 role). Jan Paul Van Hecke and Marcos Senesi are new faces in defence, Matheus Fernandes and £100m man Sandro Tonali are the fresh midfield pairing, while Savio and Omar Marmoush add quality to Roberto De Zerbi’s attack.

However, with the passing of deadline day, De Zerbi may be left wishing he had added a playmaker to his roster. Still, the solution could be right under their nose.

James Maddison 2.0

Tottenham fans waited a long time to see James Maddison return to the field after a spate of injuries last season. They got their wish when the 29-year-old came on as a substitute in the opening day defeat to Brentford, but it wasn’t long before he was causing concern once again.

After the game, De Zerbi confirmed (via London Evening Standard) that Maddison had “suffered a small injury in his shoulder,” and it’s thought he could be out for a couple of weeks at least. Speaking to the club website, the Spurs boss added: “I think with James, we have to find the right plan… We have to work consistently for three, four weeks, and then he's a different player - a different player on the pitch, outside the pitch.”

It says it all that Maddison has completed just five full 90-minute games for Spurs since signing for the club in 2023. That’s a real problem, especially considering Tottenham’s other option in that position, Xavi Simons, is out of action until at least early 2027, having suffered the same ACL injury as Maddison, only seven months later.

There is one positive to take from the current Tottenham injury list, however, with Dejan Kulusevski finally back in full training after more than 15 months on the sidelines. Spurs will have to be patient with the Swedish ace, but he could well fill that number 10 role when he’s back to his best.

In the meantime, it looks like Matheus Fernandes will be filling the gap, but that’s far from ideal and not where he has been signed to play.

Ten regrets

After signing so many players this summer and rebuilding the squad to De Zerbi’s liking, many had expected that a number 10 would be among the new additions. It wasn’t to be.

Morgan Gibbs-White has long been linked with Tottenham, but he stayed at Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, the likes of Cody Gakpo and Iliman Ndiaye were strongly mooted as potential signings, and they could have eased the pressure in the space behind the striker, but the Liverpool man stayed at Anfield while Ndiaye ended moving to Man City at the last minute.

It could be that Tottenham go for a playmaker in January instead, but by that point, will it be too late? Spurs have the potential to challenge at the top this season given the quality of the squad, but not having adequate options in the number 10 role will limit them.

In Luca we trust

But Tottenham could already have a solution to their problem, and it’s staring Robert De Zerbi right in the face. While the Italian coach clearly favours experience over everything, particularly Premier League pedigree, he’s also taken a liking to Tottenham’s teenage sensation, Luca Williams-Barnett, who plays centrally as an attacking midfielder/forward.

Fans in N17 are already raving about the 17-year-old, and rightly so. He’s already flown through the youth ranks and has found himself on the fringes of the first team since the second half of last season. A strong pre-season with plenty of minutes has seen Williams-Barnett’s stock rise further, while he’s already made an appearance for the Lilywhites this term in the 5-1 win over Charlton in the Carabao Cup, coming off the bench after 78 minutes.

Spurs have pedigree for producing highly-rated youngsters. Harry Kane is a prime example, but the likes of Alfie Devine, Dane Scarlett, Troy Parrott, Harry Winks, and Oliver Skipp have all tried and failed to make the necessary impact in North London. Mikey Moore and Jamie Donley could still do that, but they’re now out on loan, leaving Williams-Barnett as the most promising prospect in the building right now.

Giving the teen substantial minutes this season would not be a token gesture. He absolutely has the quality needed to finally become the next big academy graduate at Tottenham. Williams-Barnett’s skillset includes dazzling dribbling, incredible vision, and an unbelievable level of swagger and flair for someone so young. He’s the kind of maverick Tottenham – and indeed, any club – dream of producing. To let him tread water in the reserves this season would be criminal.

Spurs cannot let another exciting young talent stagnate until he decides to move on in search of first-team football. Instead, De Zerbi needs to embrace the vitality and fearlessness Williams-Barnett brings and allow this rough diamond to flourish. Adding a splash of youth could be the perfect way to balance what is a very experienced team.

Williams-Barnett is the kind of player who can produce moments of magic, something Spurs have been severely lacking in the last couple of years. While Maddison and Simons are injured, it would surely make sense to give a homegrown talent his chance, rather than shoehorning other midfielders into a role they’re not comfortable in.

The supporters would love to see Williams-Barnett get an opportunity; the player himself would almost certainly rise to the challenge, and it could well be the kind of decision that ends up saving Tottenham tens of millions of pounds.

Richarlison has reportedly reached an agreement with a suitor club, and is pushing to exit Tottenham Hotspur, days after rejecting an approach from former side Everton.

The Spurs striker bagged 11 Premier League goals last term, as the North London club fought tooth and nail to avoid final day relegation.

In all competitions, he tallied 12 goals and five assists in 42 appearances, and has now set his sights on the Super Lig in a transfer that will see him join forces with Liverpool royalty.

Richarlison reaches verbal agreement with Trabzonspor, will play alongside Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah

According to Turkish transfer expert Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, Richarlison has verbally agreed to an offer made by Trabzonspor, and is now pressuring Tottenham Hotspur to allow him to depart.

The news arrives mere hours after Trabzonspor were revealed to have made an offer to the North London club in exchange for the Brazilian’s services, also reported by Sabuncuoglu.

Richarlison publicly denied rumours of returning to Everton, who also failed to sign USMNT striker Folarin Balogun before yesterday's deadline, clarifying that he remains in charge of his own future and “never again will anyone decide my future for me.”

“If they reach an agreement between Spurs and Everton, I will return to my beloved club,” he continued. “My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes.

“But the negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted, and it will no longer be like that. I am under contract at Spurs and will remain at the club’s disposal,” concluded the Brazilian.

Trabzonspor expert Hasan Tuncel supported the claim that Richarlison is on the verge of moving to Turkey, claiming on X (formerly Twitter) that “serious efforts are being made to get him out of Tottenham” shortly after Sabuncuoglu’s exclusive was posted.

The Super Lig side have made headlines in recent months for securing the services of Liverpool legend Salah, who has bagged three-in-three for Trabzonspor domestically this season.

The Turkish top-flight side also paired the Egyptian with Richarlison’s fellow Brazilian, and Salah’s former Reds team-mate, Fabinho, with both players starting versus Amed on Monday evening and combining for the game’s opening goal.

The Super Lig club have prioritised an additional forward since the Egyptian signed, with rumours circling that Darwin Nunez could reunite with Salah, but that move did not materialise.

FourFourTwo suggested that Trabzonspor approach free agent Wilfried Zaha as a wing partner for the Egyptian, but it now appears that Richarlison will make a Papara Park arrival, and possibly fill that flank.

The Super Lig side’s current striker, Paul Onuachu — who hit 22 top-flight strikes last term — has endured a goal-less start to the season, with fans rallying to see greater depth in the position.

Richarlison would also act as a natural replacement for Onuachu in the starting line-up; only time will tell whether Spurs allow the Brazilian to leave, as the 29-year-old pushes for his move.

AS Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro has revealed the extraordinary sequence of events behind Folarin Balogun’s deadline day transfer collapse to Everton.

Speaking to Get French Football News (GFFN), Scuro detailed how medical doubts raised by the Premier League club ultimately provoked the striker to reject the move at the final minute.

Scuro explained that Monaco had established a clear financial strategy entering deadline day, combining player sales with wage relief.

'I don't want to sign after the way they treated me'

"During the day, we had a clear agreement for Balogun to go to Everton," Scuro said. "Balogun flew yesterday morning to go for medicals and sign a contract.

"Balogun, besides the salary, was also an important source of income for the club, which would help us also to balance the season."

Folarin Balogun medical dispute

While Monaco held firm against Chelsea's late-in-the-window advances for Lamine Camara, Balogun arrived in Liverpool for tests. Four hours before the deadline, Everton’s medical staff raised concerns that Scuro and the player's own medical team strongly rejected.

"At 4pm, Balogun was in Liverpool undergoing his medical. Everything was going pretty well. Around 7pm, we were contacted by Everton, raising questions about Balogun’s medical, which, for our medical staff, as well as for the player’s personal medical staff, made no sense at all.

"The explanations were not enough to justify or to bring concerns regarding the future of the player, which there aren’t. This discussion started between medical departments from here and there. It took Everton around two-to-three hours to go deep into the assessment and check with other doctors. This is a normal situation when the doctor of the club raises concerns. It’s quite normal that clubs will look for other specialists, share the images and discuss the case. This was ongoing."

Reports that Balogun had failed his medical surfaced in the media while consultations continued.

"I would say around half an hour after we were contacted. It was already in the media that Balogun has failed his medical.

"What happened was that around 10pm (9pm BST), in our time here, maybe a bit earlier, Everton realised that, OK, there is no problem. We are ready to do it. Let’s sign the contract."

"Five minutes to close the transfer window there, I signed the contract, Everton signed the contract. At the last moment, the player decided not to sign. And basically, Balogun’s allegation is that I’m not feeling well because of the way the club treated me. 'I’m not feeling well because Everton’s medical department raised doubts about my future or my health. I have nothing [wrong with me], so I’m not comfortable signing a long contract here.' And that’s the way we finish our transfer window.

"On Everton, I was not there. We have to respect [Balogun's] decision. We tried to do the work on the club side. We found solutions.

"The reality is that when 'Balo' mentioned to us this feeling that he was not comfortable, he didn’t want to sign, we didn’t see ourselves in a position to push him. We had to respect."

Manchester United are close to completing a deal with a club in the Netherlands that will see one of the Red Devils' most highly-rated youngsters spend the season out on loan.

Michael Carrick's higher-ups have negotiated some shrewd incoming business this summer, adding the likes of Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to the squad.

However, the club have not been as adept at getting unwanted and unused players off the wage bill and out of the door, particularly in recent years.

Manchester United teenager to sign for Dutch club on loan

Dutch outlet Voetbal International are reporting that 18-year-old wonderkid Chido Obi is close to joining Willem II on loan for the 2026/27 season.

Last month, reports in the Netherlands claimed Feyenoord were taking a keen interest in the youngster's immediate future, but it now appears Obi will be playing his football in Tilburg this term.

Obi came to attention in Arsenal's Hale End academy, making his under-21 debut at the age of just 15 and making international headlines when he netted 10 goals in 14-3 win against Liverpool, at under-16 level.

The Danish youth international made the move to Manchester United in 2024, along with Ayden Heaven, in search of more playing time.

Obi was handed a Premier League debut by Ruben Amorim in February 2025, and against Brentford a few months later, became the youngest player to start a Premier League game for Man United at just 17 years, 156 days. On the whole, though, he has found a pathway into the first-team hard to come by and has made a meagre seven Premier League appearances to date.

Obi's task at Old Trafford is not an easy one by any means, having to try and oust the likes of £200m trio Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

FourFourTwo understands that the club still value Obi highly and prefer a loan move – though wouldn't be opposed to selling if an offer deemed acceptable came their way.

While the English transfer window closed at 11pm on Tuesday, September 1, Dutch clubs are still able to do business until 11pm BST on Wednesday, September 2.

Willem II were promoted from the Eerste Divisie last season and are currently winless in three Eredivisie matches in 2026/27.

Obi is worth €5m, according to Transfermarkt.

It is that time of year again. The world of football in the UK is ready to explode into life, with leagues open and down the country returning after a long summer of international football. While the World Cup had its fair share of thrills and spills, nothing beats club football, and the Premier League looks set to have one of its most thrilling seasons of all time.

The Big Six - or however many clubs now belong to the club - are breaking transfer records left, right, and centre. Clubs experiencing their first forays into Europe - or first in a long while - are preparing to find out whether their squads can cope with the rigours of dual focus. Newly-promoted teams are assessing if they will be strong enough to survive amongst the big boys.

So, with the Premier League in the early stages of the season, who are the favourites and what is it that’s driving experts and fans alike to back them in great numbers?

Arsenal

For Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, as has been the case for a number of years now, consistency appears to be what is keeping them high in the betting consideration. At one online casino in the UK that offers sports odds, they are currently favourites to go back-to-back.

After the Spaniard’s first title as manager in 2025/26, the club has largely been conservative in the market. Piero Hincapie’s loan move is now permanent, and Christos Tzolis has arrived from Club Brugge. Aside from a mooted blockbuster move for Vinicius Junior, Arsenal appear to be sticking and not twisting.

Manchester City

The now Pep Guardiola-less City are second favourites to win their first Premier League title since 2024. They may still have edged Arsenal as favourites had it not been for the Spanish legend’s departure, but they may also have dropped further down the list had it not been for their early transfer business.

It may only be one player that stands out, but getting Elliot Anderson for a record-breaking English fee means that Enzo Maresca now has one of the World Cup’s breakout performers on the books. His performances for England have shown that he can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Declan Rice, which is key given Rodri’s potential departure and increasing injury issues.

Liverpool

For the red side of Merseyside, it’s not a transfer on the player front that has them third-favourites to reclaim the title that they so timidly surrendered last season. They may not be expected to romp to a title with ease, but their new manager could be what they need to reinvigorate them.

Arne Slot has been replaced by Andoni Iraola, and his impressive spell at Bournemouth bodes well for the Reds. His aggressive style of play has been likened to Jurgen Klopp’s already this summer. However, it is the case that his preferred playstyle mirrors the rock-and-roll football that earned Liverpool a Champions League and Premier League title under the German.

Manchester United

It has been a while since United were considered within the top four favourites for the title. This year highlighting that they may have improved but that they still sit some way off the quality needed to challenge at the very top.

For the Red Devils, much of the early hype - if you can call it that - is based on whether they will be able to continue the impressive form that Michael Carrick oversaw to earn them Champions League football. The results were exactly what was needed at Old Trafford and, if the club legend can keep it going, United will continue to be favoured.

The Best of the Rest

Elsewhere, both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have had an impressive summer window, signing top performers for nearly £100 million and more in the form of Morgan Rogers and Sandro Tonali, respectively. Of course, when the fixtures start to come thick and fast, everything will change, but there’s a lot to be excited about as the season returns.

Everton are closing in on a dramatic deadline day loan deal for Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee after their proposed move for Monaco forward Folarin Balogun appeared to collapse.

The Toffees had been on the verge of finalising a move for Balogun to spearhead their attack, but negotiations have ground to a halt following the player’s medical, according to reports.

Everton’s medical staff reportedly identified issues during Balogun's screening tests on deadline day.

Everton chase late Zirkzee loan deal

As a direct consequence of those results, the club hierarchy have seemingly taken the decision to pull the plug on the transfer, unwilling to commit significant financial resources to a deal with potential underlying risks.

Left scrambling for an alternative goalscorer in the final hours of the window, Everton have pivoted toward Manchester United’s outcast Dutchman Zirkzee.

According to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Everton have been in contact with Man United directly to negotiate a late loan deal, in response to Balogun’s medical falling through.

The 25-year-old forward has found himself sidelined at Old Trafford for months, failing to log a single minute of action across either of the club's opening two Premier League fixtures of the 2026/27 season.

Zirkzee’s standing at Old Trafford has plummeted, too, following last summer's additions of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

His last goal in a competitive fixture for Manchester United came at the end of 2025 during a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he has struggled to play any sort of consistent role ever since.

Having fallen completely out of favour under manager Michael Carrick, Zirkzee is clearly not in the head coach's long-term plans, making a deadline day exit the ideal resolution for all parties.

For Everton, bringing in Zirkzee serves as a salvage operation following the disappointment of the Balogun collapse.

While the Dutch forward arrives as a secondary fallback option rather than the club's primary target, his arrival provides much-needed depth and competition upfront for the Toffees following Iliman Ndiaye's exit for Manchester City.

The transfer deadline in England is at 11pm.

Arsenal are sweating over the fitness of midfielder Declan Rice after the England international limped off at Villa Park during the Gunners' 1-0 Premier League victory against Aston Villa.

Bukayo Saka’s 59th-minute goal ultimately secured all three points for Mikel Arteta’s side, but the win came at a cost.

In the 85th minute, Rice was forced off while visibly limping, with Martin Zubimendi taking his place to see out the closing moments. Just six minutes prior to Rice's departure, centre-back Cristhian Mosquera went down holding his thigh and was replaced by Ezri Konsa, handing Arteta a worrying double injury blow.

Declan Rice limps off after summer of injury discontent

While Arsenal are yet to clarify whether Rice’s substitution was a precautionary measure following a knock or indicative of a muscle strain, his departure did set alarm bells ringing.

Rice had persistent fitness issues over the summer while representing England at the 2026 World Cup, where he reportedly suffered from neural pain affecting his lower back and hamstrings.

Those physical issues were likely the byproduct of a demanding 2025/26 campaign for Arsenal, during which Rice featured 55 times for the club and made 49 starts.

Adding to the concern is the short turnaround Rice had between international duty and returning to club action.

Following England’s final World Cup match on July 18, Rice was granted less than four weeks of rest before joining Arsenal's pre-season preparations and featuring in the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16.

With William Saliba already ruled out for the foreseeable future after suffering a back injury during the World Cup, losing Rice would be a major blow.

Arteta will hope the midfielder's issue proves minor as Arsenal evaluate his condition ahead of their upcoming fixtures.

Liverpool are attempting a last-minute transfer raid, targeting VfB Stuttgart in their efforts to sign a replacement for departed superstar Mohamed Salah.

The Reds have overseen a transfer window of mixed outcomes — on the one hand, they experienced a mass exodus of veterans in Salah, Andrew Roberton and Ibrahima Konate this summer, and nearly lost Cody Gakpo to a strong Manchester City bid; on the other, they recently secured the services of PSG superstar Bradley Barcola.

The Frenchman will join Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, a soon-to-be-fit Hugo Ekitike and summer signing Victor Munoz in a revamped Liverpool attack, but Andoni Iraola’s men are looking to see another forward join their ranks, now targeting the Bundesliga.

Liverpool target electric Bundesliga winger Jamie Leweling

According to Sky Germany, both Liverpool and Everton are after Stuttgart forward Jamie Leweling, with the former deeming him a potential Salah replacement.

The 25-year-old is contracted to the Bundesliga side until 2029, meaning he will not come for cheap, or easily, however, his contributions during the 2025-26 season could make the late plunge worth it.

Leweling bagged 11 goals in all competitions for Stuttgart during his latest campaign, seven of which came in the Bundesliga, and recorded 12 assists, nine of which were in the German top-flight.

The German was clinical in his finishing, missing just one Opta-defined Big Chance in the Bundesliga season, and scoring his seven strikes from an xG of 4.31.

He also created the joint second-most Big Chances for Stuttgart, tied for ten with Angelo Stiller and Maximilian Mittelstadt.

Outside of goal contributions, Leweling proved underwhelming from a take-on perspective, recording just one dribble p/90. His physicality was a level above, recording nearly seven duels won p/90, at a success rate just shy of 50%.

Roma have displayed significant interest in recent hours regarding Leweling, however, no deal has yet been completed, with both Everton and Liverpool retaining interest.

Should the 25-year-old join in a last-minute transfer to Anfield, he would operate as a natural replacement for Salah on the right flank. Additionally, he brings left wing experience.

Conversely, new signings Munoz and Barcola favour the left flank; in the absence of Leweling, it is Gakpo who would likely be turned to in times of need, should Liverpool fail to fill Salah’s vacant position.

The Reds have also exhibited interest in Ismaila Sarr and Yankuba Minteh, both Premier League-proven talents, however, neither deal appears likely at this stage. If they are to obtain Leweling, it is near certain to cost a significant premium.