Rio Ngumoha has downplayed the strength of transfer links to Arsenal, amid a series of dominant individual performances being delivered by the 18-year-old at Liverpool.

Arsenal, Bayern Munich and even RB Leipzig have all emerged as contenders to try and lure the English wonderkid away from Anfield; however, Ngumoha has now insisted that such transfer talk is “all with my agent now.”

The 18-year-old appeared off the bench in Liverpool’s comeback 2-1 win versus Brentford at the Gtech on Saturday, then discussed his future on Merseyside post-match.

Rio Ngumoha tells Liverpool fans transfer talk is “in the back of my mind” amid Arsenal and Bayern Munich links

Ngumoha has appeared in five of Liverpool’s first seven Premier League outings this term, looking to turn a corner with new boss Andoni Iraola after a torrid final season under Arne Slot.

The 18-year-old has also appeared in two Champions League matches versus Atletico Madrid and LASK, and started in Liverpool’s 3-1 Carabao Cup win against Spurs.

Ngumoha is yet to open his account for the season, after two three goals and notching an assist under Slot in 2025-26, playing 19 Premier League games for a total 582 minutes.

Links to Arsenal arrived through David Ornstein, who claimed in an article for The Athletic last month that the 18-year-old is “well-liked” at the Emirates.

After his 38-minute cameo versus Brentford, during which both of Liverpool’s comeback strikes arrived, the England international said: ‘To be fair, that is all with my agent now. I think it is all going well. I am not too sure. I just let my football do the talking at the end of the day.

Ngumoha further downplayed the possibility of an Arsenal transfer, claiming: “‘I enjoy playing, and all of that stuff is in the back of my mind really. I just play for the club, and hopefully I can carry on doing well.

‘I am enjoying the challenge and to be able to play off both sides is important,” continued the 18-year-old, who has appeared on both the right and left flanks at Liverpool after the club lost Mohamed Salah last summer to Super Lig contenders Trabzonspor.

“Do I have a favourite position? No, not anymore. I am getting to grips with the right wing now, and I am liking it. It gives me a bit more unpredictability. I have been working hard on the training pitch.

‘I went away with England and I was playing on the right, so I learned a lot there as well. Watching the likes of Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka. I took on board some of the stuff they told me, and it’s really helpful.

Ngumoha then sung the praises of new manager Iraola, revealing that his received directive has been to take on players more frequently in one-v-one duels.

“I am enjoying working with him and enjoying improving,” said the England international. Whether I start or come off the bench, I have the same mentality. I know the club is just trying to look after me. We have some of the best attackers in the world, so competing for places is not easy.

"It is all about healthy competition and we all just want to make the team win at the end of the day. So whatever minutes we get, we can’t be sulking, we just have to go out and show what we can do."

Ngumoha’s current Liverpool contract runs through until 2028; for now, talk of transfers elsewhere appear to be out of sight and out of mind for the 18-year-old.

Former Manchester United boss, and current AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim has confessed that he blocked Pervis Estupinan’s move to Aston Villa after the Unai Emery-led side made a summer swoop for the Ecuadorian.

Estupinan joined the Serie A side in the summer of 2025, after spending five years at Brighton in the English top-flight.

The left-back was largely overlooked by then-manager Massimiliano Allegri in Italy; however, his new boss, Amorim, has revealed why he never had any intention of letting the Ecuadorian leave amid concrete interest from Aston Villa.

Ruben Amorim explains blocking of Pervis Estipinan from attempted Aston Villa swoop

Aston Villa made serious efforts to attempt to bring Estupinan back to England, in need of a new left-back after Lucas Digne’s exit to PSG this summer.

Sport Witness reported in July that the Ecuadorian had agreed on certain terms to set up a Villa Park move; however, Amorim never wanted Estupinan to leave.

The Serie A side coughed up nearly £17 million to secure the left-back’s services from Brighton, and Amorim was far from happy when he heard of Aston Villa’s approach.

Under Allegri, the 28-year-old averaged under 60 minutes per game during the 2025/26 Serie A term. With Amorim as his leader, Estupinan has played 340 minutes in seven Italian top-flight matches, averaging even fewer minutes played at just 48 per match.

Despite using the left-back even less than his predecessor did, Amorim has explained why letting Estupinan depart was never on his mind.

“At the end of the transfer window, we had a list of clubs that wanted Estupinan. But I said no. So, I want the fans to know that it was my responsibility,” claimed the Portuguese coach, who then acknowledged that a section of AC Milan fans aren’t overly keen on the Ecuadorian.

“Even at other clubs, sometimes the fans don’t like certain players too much. We have to help Estupinan, we have to help the fans understand who Estupinan is: and I can assure you that Estupinan works really hard.

“So, I want the fans to know that it was my responsibility. He’s playing because I chose Estupinan, because I believe in him and I’m convinced he'll be truly important for our team.”

“But I understood that feeling from the first game. We simply have to help Estupinan, because we are a team: if one of our teammates suffers because of this, the whole team suffers with him and stands by him,” Amorim concluded.

Unai Emery’s men instead welcomed Aaron Wan-Bissaka to their line-up; however, an injury against Newcastle on Saturday has left the Villans shortchanged at left-back. They return to action against Viking in the Champions League on Wednesday.

According to reports, Barcelona are pushing strongly to sign club captain and Manchester United record-breaker Bruno Fernandes in the winter transfer window.

The Portuguese superstar, who broke the Premier League assist record in 2025-26 under Michael Carrick, is reportedly frustrated with Man United's current direction and open to a January departure.

Galatasaray are also in the picture, as they gun for an unprecedented fifth successive Super Lig title; however, Barcelona’s emergence could spell trouble for Carrick’s side.

Barcelona emerge as strong contenders in hunt for Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes’ signature

Should Fernandes make the move, he would trade in life at Old Trafford for the chance to win major silverware in Spain, and possibly the Champions League.

Aged 32, the Portuguese star’s hopes of winning football’s biggest prizes appears likely to die in Manchester, and his time to secure such trophies elsewhere in Europe is running out.

According to Fanatik, the 32-year-old has become unhappy at Manchester United, who are currently placed 13th in the Premier League standings, and is pushing to leave Old Trafford in January.

Galatasaray, long-time admirers of Fernandes who previously tried to sign him, are pushing again for the 32-year-old, but will face serious competition from reigning La Liga champions Barcelona.

The Super Lig side, pursuing a fifth consecutive Turkish top-flight title, were beaten 4-0 by Trabzonspor in September, after their rivals secured the services of Mohamed Salah following the World Cup.

The Egyptian, who won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year trophy a year prior to Fernandes’ victory in 2025-26, bagged a hat-trick and notched an assist in that clash. Now, Galatasaray are aiming to bring a PFA victor of their own to Turkey.

However, should Barcelona’s interest remain, it is likely that the 32-year-old will instead opt for a La Liga move, with Hansi Flick’s men displaying clear Champions League-winning potential.

For now, Manchester United face a crucial decision, with Fernandes’ contract expiring next summer ahead of the 2027-28 Premier League season.

The Red Devils do hold an option for another year; however, should their captain wish to depart, it is unlikely that Manchester United will be able to prevent Fernandes from departing to Barcelona in January.

After Lisandro Martinez’s flame-stoking post-match comments, directed at unnamed executives in the Red Devils’ hierarchy, tensions at Old Trafford are boiling over, and things could soon go from bad to worse for Manchester United.

Lisandro Martinez’s long-term future at Manchester United appears to be dead in the water, with the Argentine planning a swift exit from Old Trafford.

The 28-year-old made headlines for incendiary comments made after the club’s defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, in which he aimed harsh words at the Manchester United hierarchy.

Martinez’s contract with the club expires at the end of the 2026-27 Premier League season; however, the Red Devils do hold an option to extend for a further 12 months.

Lisandro Martinez planning swift exit from Manchester United after incendiary post-match Champions League comments

Following his public criticism of unnamed members of the Manchester United hierarchy, Martinez’s long-term future at Old Trafford is in serious doubt.

As a result, questions have been raised as to whether both the Argentine and Manchester United want their relationship to continue beyond 2027.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Martinez has suggested that he does not see a long-term future at Manchester United beyond the expiration of his contract.

The defender criticised recruitment from the Red Devils this summer, implicitly questioning the work of technical director Jason Wilcox, after a strong first season under Michael Carrick in 2025-26.

The Red Devils finished third under their former player, and secured their return to the Champions League. In Europe, they were played off the park at the Wanda, provoking Martinez’s words.

The Argentine later took to Instagram to clarify that his comments were made out of frustration, and that unity must be achieved at Manchester United going forward.

Elsewhere, Carrick suggested that the matter between the club and Martinez had been handled internally, and that the conflict wouldn’t affect the Red Devils going forward.

Despite this, uncertainty still remains regarding Martinez’s future at Old Trafford - in fact, the possibility of Manchester United extending the Argentine by an additional 12 months is more unlikely than ever.

If the 28-year-old is set in his ways, and does not want to remain a Red Devil, then it is likely he will depart from Old Trafford next summer.

In terms of player options, it is rumoured that Martinez would prefer a move to Spain, with, ironically, Atletico Madrid closely linked to the Argentine.

Liverpool are hoping to plug their centre-of-the-park holes by securing the services of Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, setting up a potential reunion with new Reds boss Andoni Iraola.

Currently positioned fifth in the Premier League standings, Liverpool’s midfield, which contains the likes of chronic under-performers in Florian Wirtz and Alexis Mac Allister, remains an issue.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, fans of the Reds should “save the name" ahead of the winter transfer window, claiming: "I'm maintaining Alex Scott for 2027."

Liverpool’s pursuit of Alex Scott intensifies ahead of winter transfer window: report

Elsewhere in the Reds’ midfield, Dominik Szoboszlai, the club’s best-performing player in Arne Slot’s dismal last season at Liverpool, is at risk of breaking down, having missed clashes with LASK in the Champions League and Manchester City in the Premier League.

Ryan Gravenberch, once a guaranteed starter in Liverpool’s title-winning 2024-25 unit, is also experiencing reduced minutes, with Trey Nyoni stepping in for the Dutchman.

As relayed and added to by TEAMtalk, various clubs are in pursuit of Scott, with Chelsea believing they are in pole position to sign the Englishman.

According to transfer expert Romano, the 23-year-old’s club are open to selling in January, with his departure being a “genuine and serious possibility.”

“After a number of meetings between his agents and Bournemouth, the decision of the club is to change their stance in the January transfer window,” began Romano.

“In the summer, Chelsea tried twice to sign Alex Scott. Arsenal called before signing Bruno Guimaraes. Liverpool called to understand the situation without sending any bid. All the English top clubs [were] trying to understand the situation.

“Chelsea were the more aggressive and Bournemouth told all these clubs that the player is not for sale. The player is going nowhere. Then they wanted Alex Scott to sign a new contract but there was no agreement. Now Bournemouth are open to selling Alex Scott already in the January window.

“So, Scott leaving in January is a genuine and serious possibility, [but] this depends on the proposal. Sources close to Bournemouth believe it has to be, at minimum, £100 million.

“It has to be big money in order to open doors. Let me clarify, Bournemouth could be open to selling if the bid is a good bid, an important bid, and if the player wants to go. So these have to be the conditions.”

It appears that Scott’s exit in January is now a firm possibility, with the Bournemouth table having been reset ahead of approaches from the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea this winter.

Should Iraola’s men look to march on in the Champions League, or alert their rivals to a future Premier League title charge, then the Reds’ activity in relation to Scott will be one to monitor.

Sergio Ramos is exploring the possibility of a return to Europe, journeying back to La Liga with Getafe keen to sign the Spaniard.

If he does so, the 40-year-old would reunite with recent Getafe signing Dani Carvajal, whose time at Real Madrid overlapped with that of Ramos.

The club’s president, Angel Torres, has confirmed that the Spaniard’s name remains on the table, having held talks with the 40-year-old’s brother and representative, Rene Ramos.

Sergio Ramos set to make surprise La Liga return and reunite with Real Madrid team-mate

Ramos’ time with Mexican side Monterrey ended in December 2025. His final match, in which he struck a penalty versus Toluca, arrived in the Apertura Playoffs semi-final, which the Spaniard’s side lost 3-2.

The 40-year-old has been without a club since; now, according to Sport, Ramos is in contention to make a La Liga return, with Getafe interested and a reunion with Carvajal possible.

President Torres insisted that the club’s interest in Ramos is not new, then stressed that a move from Getafe would require manager Jose Bordalas’ sign-off.

“It's a topic that we've been chasing for a long time,” revealed Torres. “But it was not the priority. Now, we have that position well covered.

"It's not a position that, right now, needs [reinforcement]. The manager wanted [reinforcement in other positions]. But it's not too late yet. I mean, it's on the list for the future,” concluded Getafe’s president.

His comments explain Carvajal’s signing, with positions on Getafe’s flanks being high transfer priorities. The ex-Real Madrid man has signed for the La Liga side until June 2027, and could soon be joined by Ramos.

Torres clarified that, should the needs of Getafe and Bordalas change, then the 40-year-old would be considered for a transfer in 2027.

The La Liga side’s president confirmed that talks have been held with Rene Ramos, and that Getafe would be ‘willing to study the signing, if circumstances were favourable.’

Getafe are currently placed 15th in the La Liga table, having taken just eight points from eight matches in the Spanish top-flight.

Should the club’s dire form continue, Torres’ comments suggest that Ramos would be viewed as a solution making his potential La Liga return a reality.

After his side’s 2-1 victory at the Gtech on Saturday, Liverpool star Florian Wirtz has reached a decision regarding his future on Merseyside.

The 23-year-old has started in all nine Premier League and Champions League matches played by Liverpool this term, notching three assists in a total of 739 minutes.

Amid relentless transfer speculation, the German midfielder is, according to reports, determined to remain at Anfield, despite suggestions of an exit to Chelsea or Bayern Munich in 2027.

Florian Wirtz wants to stay at Liverpool, but can he turn a corner?

According to TEAMtalk, Wirtz, who arrived at Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million in 2025, has attracted interest from former boss Xabi Alonso in London.

The report relayed a tweet from German football-centric X (formerly Twitter) account ‘Space,’ who wrote: “Despite Bayern representatives seemingly being unable to go a single day without entertaining the fantasy of bringing Florian Wirtz to Munich, neither the player nor his father and agent, Hans-Joachim Wirtz, have the slightest intention of indulging their delusions.

“Both remain unequivocally committed to [Liverpool] and the mystique of Anfield, where Florian intends to carve his name into the history of football’s greatest institution. Any hopes of a potential move are firmly misplaced, with neither the player nor his representatives entertaining the possibility of a departure.

“Florian remains fully committed to [Liverpool] and a move to Stamford Bridge is simply not on the agenda,” concluded ‘Space.’

Wirtz assisted Victor Munoz for the club’s equalising strike versus a 10-man Brentford; he has no intention of departing from Liverpool, during a prolonged period of English top-flight woes.

That contribution marked the German’s second assist of the 2026-27 Premier League term, and was complimented by an additional eight chances created at the Gtech.

Many have claimed this performance as a corner turned for the 23-year-old; however, those key passes arrived against a 10, then nine-man Brentford, and were largely devoid of quality.

In the Premier League, the German midfielder is yet to create a single Opta-defined big chance, and his nine created chances combined for a total 0.19 xA.

While the xA metric isn’t always the fairest judge of pass quality, the bulk of Wirtz’s chance creation came through back passes to fellow Liverpool midfielders launching edge-of-box rockets.

If the 23-year-old is to improve, his ‘Big Chances Created’ tally must increase. In 2025-26, the German created five such chances, behind Cody Gakpo’s 10, Mohamed Salah’s 11, and Dominik Szoboszlai’s 14.

For now, Wirtz’s career appears set to continue at Anfield, despite interest from Alonso in London, and Vincent Kompany in Germany.

Manchester United legend has delivered both barrels to Bruno Fernandes – again – in the wake of another Red Devils defeat.

After defeat in the Champions League this week, Manchester United have won just two of their nine games since Michael Carrick was appointed as permanent manager over the summer.

With the club in crisis once more, Lisandro Martinez criticised the club's hierarchy in an explosive post-match interview – and Keane has had his say on the state of the mentality at Old Trafford.

Michael Carrick given Manchester United future update

When asked about the leaders at Carrick's disposal, The Overlap regular Keane took a pop at club captain Bruno Fernandes and his predecessor, Harry Maguire, suggesting that the former isn't “a happy lad” at the club and that he struggles with criticism himself.

“Bruno, Maguire... They're probably busy doing podcasts, I can't imagine them pulling him [Martinez],” Keane began. “Bruno's body language, he doesn't seem a happy lad at the moment.

“They're pulling nobody. This reflects where Manchester United are and where this dressing room is. Maguire gets left out of the England squad: he's all upset with that. Instead of rolling his sleeves up during the summer, ‘I'm going to go to New York and do a podcast for a few weeks.’

“That's his mindset. I made a mistake with Bruno on this programme [criticising the Portuguese in a previous podcast]. Bruno goes on a podcast with [Steven Bartlett] this is the Man United captain, he goes on there, has a little dig at me, no problem, he's entitled to respond.

“"That's the mindset of a Man United player, I'm going to start doing these little gigs instead of getting Man United competing at the very top. So this idea, when I see a player have a little b**** the last few days, I'd be more annoyed at Maguire and Bruno for getting things off their chests on podcasts. You get your priorities in place as a footballer.”

Keane went on to compare the difference between the modern-day and his own playing career, noting that he was more likely to feature on a magazine cover instead – as he does on the current issue of FourFourTwo – but said that United currently lack players to hold each other to account.

“Back in our day it was more magazines than podcasts, but if a player went off and said something, even silly, he'd come in the dressing room, and lads would say: 'What are you talking about?'

“You'd put him in his place in that sense, not a big bust-up. Man United is a circus. If you can, try and do your talking on the pitch. If you have to let off a bit of steam, ok, but try and do it on the back of some victories, or when you've won a league title or something like that.

“These players have done nothing for the last few years at Man United. Two years ago we were finishing [15th] or whatever, getting knocked out by Grimsby, and they're coming up with all these comments.”

United travel to in-form Leeds United this weekend, as Premier League action returns.

Liverpool have been given an indication that another nine-figure move is on for January.

Florian Wirtz – the first of three £100 million signings that Liverpool have made in the last 18 months – could well make way in manager Andoni Iraola's line-up, too, with the German struggling to adapt to English football since his arrival last summer, despite an excellent performance in Europe last night, signalling a potential return to form.

In 57 appearances in a red shirt, Wirtz has managed just seven goals and 12 assists, with fans expecting a little more from such a high-profile signing.

Liverpool ready for yet another £100m signing

According to a new report from TEAMtalk, Iraola is prepared to bring Dominik Szoboszlai forward to his preferred No.10 role, after a spell of using the Hungarian in a double-pivot deeper in the team.

This could pave the way for a new midfielder, with the Reds needing more bite and defensive presence in the engine room at the start of this season.

According to journalist Nizaar Kinsella of the BBC, Bournemouth are open to offers for Alex Scott in January, with Liverpool leading the way for his signing alongside Chelsea.

According to influencer Fabrizio Romano in a post on X (formerly Twitter), the price tag is expected to be £100m.

The Guernsey-born schemer has enjoyed a positive start to the season, making his England debut and establishing himself as the Cherries' standout player in the opening five fixtures of the campaign, with new manager Marco Rose still yet to taste victory in Dorset.

Scott missed out on the trip to Chelsea at the weekend, however, with his side thrashed 5-1 in his absence.

The 23-year-old has a contract at the Vitality Stadium that runs until 2028, and despite attempts from the club to persuade him to commit his long-term future to the seasiders, Scott has resisted, with a move becoming ever-more likely.

The midfielder played all but one game in the Premier League last season under Iraola on the south coast, as Bournemouth recorded a record finish of sixth and qualified for Europe for the first time in their history.

Scott is worth €70 million, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool travel to LASK tonight, as Champions League action returns.

Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi could make a move to Real Madrid, with the “door open” for a move.

The midfielder signed for Arsenal last summer as a replacement for the ageing Jorginho and lit up the Premier League in the first half of last season alongside Declan Rice in midfield – but after his form tailed off in the second half of the campaign, manager Mikel Arteta introduced academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly to the midfield.

The teenager started in most of the run-in and last term's Champions League final, with Zubimendi struggling to win back his spot even this season, as rumours persist that he could be about to leave North London.

Martin Zubimendi's Arsenal career appears to be hanging by a thread

Arsenal beat stiff competition to convince Zubimendi to depart his hometown club of Real Sociedad after six years and over 200 appearances.

Manchester City and Liverpool were both vying to bring the 27-year-old to English football, with Real Madrid insistent that they could offer the perfect environment, too, with links with Los Blancos long after reports had surfaced that the Gunners had actually struck an agreement with the player.

That Real Madrid interest hasn't subsided either, with Sport Witness now relaying comments from the Spanish media that the World Cup winner is still a “perceived opportunity” for Jose Mourinho's side.

Defensa Central have reported that Cadena SER's Javier Herraez says he “wouldn’t close any door” on the transfer happening.

“Real Madrid aren’t doing well right now and they’re worried about how the team is playing,” he said, “I don’t think they’ll go for him now, but I wouldn’t rule anything out, especially in football: above all, in that position.”

The Galacticos have failed to replace the control of Toni Kroos in their midfield since the German's surprise retirement from the game at the age of just 34, with Rodri a serious target for the club before rivals Barcelona poached him over the summer.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have stacked their central midfield to add Bruno Guimaraes over the summer, with the Brazilian having scored twice in the Premier League from limited appearances already, completing an impressive first 90 minutes in a red-and-white shirt last night in the Champions League victory over Lille.

FourFourTwo understands that Zubimendi is one of the more likely departures for the summer of 2027, given the promises that Arsenal must have made to him when he signed and the adjustment that he could well spend the season as fourth-choice in his position – but with Arteta's side competing on four fronts, the Spanish international may well find his importance increase as the season continues.

An injury to Piero Hincapie has already seen Lewis-Skelly return to left-back this season, perhaps paving the way for Zubimendi to compete with just Guimaraes when he himself returns from his recent knock.

The Basque is worth €65 million, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal host Nottingham Forest at the weekend, as Premier League action resumes.

Manchester United fans have received an update on manager Michael Carrick's future, following another defeat away to Atletico Madrid last night.

The Red Devils were comfortably beaten 2-0, before Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez delivered an extraordinary post-match interview in which he singled out technical director Jason Wilcox for the shortcomings at Old Trafford over the summer transfer window.

It leaves the club with just two wins since the start of the season, heaping further pressure on Carrick.

Michael Carrick given Manchester United future update

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Manchester United's owners are “right behind” Carrick – despite the former midfielder being “under pressure” in his role as manager.

“You are under pressure constantly at Manchester United, from ownership, executives, managers, staff, players, and so on,” Ornstein wrote. “That’s testament to the expectations. Carrick knows that better than anybody.

“He will be aware of what comes with that territory. It’s a results business. However good the intentions are of United as a hierarchy, and the goodwill given to him by the fanbase, he’ll be judged on how he does.

“And ultimately, those that have gone before him have paid the price when they’ve gone on a poor run. So he needs to improve things.

“I don’t know of any desire to get rid of Carrick. On the contrary, they are right behind him and want him to succeed. But you’re right behind somebody at any club until you’re not. And there will be concern about the results and certainly the performances.”

The former England international was given the managerial job on a permanent basis over the summer after taking over from Ruben Amorim for an interim stint last season that saw United's fortunes soar, with a third-placed finish in the league and wins over Manchester City and Arsenal.

But after just six points from his first six fixtures in the league, the Red Devils were booed off the pitch at Old Trafford at the weekend, after dropping two more points to bottom-placed Tottenham Hotspur – who were down to 10 men.

“What we saw against Tottenham wouldn’t have been deemed acceptable by Carrick or the powers that be,” Ornstein continued. “The support were really unhappy. We heard it, we’ve seen it, we’ve read about it. I know a lot of United fans and I’ve detected it, too.

“There will also be questions about the people around the structure at United: recruitment, executives, owners. We’ve been in this position so many times before and the one who pays the price is the manager. I do think the goodwill gives him time and faith. But at a club of this stature, if you don’t deliver, you’ll pay the price.”

United travel to in-form Leeds United this weekend, as Premier League action returns.

Former Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold could be about to enjoy a huge homecoming, with a transfer back to Anfield on the cards.

That's according to a stunning new report, which suggests that the right-back's difficult time since leaving the Reds could draw to a close just two seasons after he made the move from Liverpool to Real Madrid.

Alexander-Arnold signed for Los Blancos on a free transfer after making over 350 appearances in red – but has failed to establish himself as a leading star at the Bernabeu, with his future now uncertain.

Real Madrid's Trent Alexander-Arnold replacement shaping up, with Liverpool ready to pounce

According to Cadena SER in Spain, Tottenham Hotspur full-back Pedro Porro is weighing up his future, with interest from Barcelona.

The World Cup winner was on the shortlist for Real Madrid, however, before they signed Denzel Dumfries over the summer to compete with Alexander-Arnold – and with Porro more interested in Madrid than Catalonia, journalist Pacojo Delgado has claimed that, “If Real Madrid comes calling, knowing that Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t convincing at full-back, there might be an option”.

With TEAMtalk claiming that Liverpool would be interested in re-signing their former No.66, the possibility could arise that the England international returns to Merseyside, where he won two Premier League titles and a Champions League in 2019.

Alexander-Arnold was adored by Reds fans after breaking into their senior set-up under Jurgen Klopp, becoming one of the best right-backs in the world and redefining the position as one that a playmaker could operate in.

The manner of his departure, however, led to certain sections of Anfield to boo him – both in his final days as a Liverpool player and during his return for Madrid in the Champions League last season.

Some fans were disappointed that the 28-year-old left on a free transfer with Liverpool unable to receive any substantial fee, while others suggested that Real were “rivals”, given the number of times that the two sides have faced one another in European competition over the last few years.

While Liverpool may well welcome the opportunity to strengthen in a position that has been a weak spot ever since Alexander-Arnold's departure, however, opting not to sign him next summer – if they really do feel he burned bridges with them – would open the door to give rivals a chance to.

Arsenal and Manchester City have both been linked with the Englishman, with former perhaps more likely, given that right-back Ben White almost left over the summer.

FourFourTwo understands that Real Madrid have no current plans to sell the full-back midseason.

Alexander-Arnold is worth €60 million, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool travel to LASK tonight, as Champions League action returns.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya is a target for a club he holds dear in his heart.

The World Cup winner has been in fine form once again this season, off the back of winning the past three Golden Glove awards in the Premier League.

But with the stopper now 31, it appears that Arsenal have competition in keeping Raya for the rest of his prime.

Real Madrid want to sign David Raya from Arsenal

With Real Madrid no.1, Thibaut Courtois, 35 years old next summer and available on a free transfer, plans are already being made on the succession plan between Los Blancos' sticks.

That's according to a new report from Fichajes, which claims that David Raya is heading up the shortlist at the Bernabeu.

Portuguese stopper Diogo Costa and Frenchman Guillaume Restes complete a three-man shortlist – though Gooners will be no doubt be worried that the lure of Real to a Spanish international may prove to the tipping point in a move that takes arguably the best goalkeeper in the world away from the Emirates Stadium.

Raya himself has just two years left on his Gunners deal, and despite growing up a stone's throw from Camp Nou in Barcelona, is a lifelong Madridista – meaning that he may well find it difficult to turn down a move back home to Spain.

On the flipside, Real's reluctance to part with Courtois just yet may well give Arsenal time to persuade Raya to commit for a little longer at London Colney.

“Real Madrid's sporting management wants to prepare for the Belgian goalkeeper's departure without rushing him,” the report notes. “Courtois remains the starting goalkeeper, and his continued presence would allow the club approximately two seasons to evaluate alternatives before making a potential investment.”

The Spaniard arrived in England as a teenager, joining Blackburn Rovers' academy and going on loan to non-league Southport before establishing himself as the first-choice at Ewood Park, where he won promotion in 2018 and earned a move to Brentford a year later.

FourFourTwo understands that Raya has a very close relationship with Arsenal goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana, who pushed to first sign his protege in 2021 – and then succeeded two years later, as Raya ousted fan favourite Aaron Ramsdale as the No.1 keeper in N5.

Arsenal signed another goalkeeper over the summer in the form of former Leeds United man Ilian Mesilier, with the Frenchman acting as another backup to Raya alongside Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Raya is worth €30 million, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal host Lille tonight, as Champions League action returns this week.

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka could be set for a big change, with a superstar in his position on the Gunners' radar.

The England international has been a talismanic figure at the Emirates Stadium almost since his breakthrough, starting life as a left-back before making the move further forward to lead Arsenal to a first Premier League title in 22 years this summer.

But with a succession of injuries having taken their toll on Saka, manager Mikel Arteta appears to be alert to the opportunity of bringing in a superstar to take the right-wing slot for the Gunners – and create a dynasty in North London.

Arsenal monitoring superstar right-winger - so what does it mean for Bukayo Saka?

With 300 appearances under Arteta, Saka is his manager's most-used player by a distance since the Basque boss took the reins from Unai Emery in 2019.

The Hale End graduate appears to have lost a burst of pace and explosiveness out on the right flank, however, with some questioning the workload that Arteta has put on the 25-year-old's shoulders – and now, Fichajes in Spain have reported that the champions are in for an A-lister in that role.

The report states that Arsenal are “closely monitoring” Michael Olise's contract situation at Bayern Munich, with Mia San Mia relaying that “informal contacts” between the Bavarians and the Frenchman have begun, from German journalist Florian Plettenberg.

FourFourTwo understands that Saka is unsellable under any circumstance, with the winger having signed a long-term deal just this year – but that any arrival of Olise could see Arteta evolve the Ealing-born winger's game.

Last term, Saka featured as a No.10 for the Gunners in the absence of Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino at times, and with Noni Madueke supplying the width outside of him, Saka impressed in a more central role, pulling the strings.

In fact, this may well be where Arteta sees his No.7 in the long-term, with 16-year-old wonderkid Max Dowman a candidate to play on the right flank, too, and Madueke featuring on the left in the weekend's win against Leeds United.

Arsenal are not alone in their pursuit of Olise, though they can offer plenty to the French international that other suitors can't.

The London-born attacker began his career in the Arsenal academy and may well relish the opportunity to return to his home city – alongside former Crystal Palace team-mate Eberechi Eze, with whom he struck a fantastic bond while at Selhurst Park.

With uncertainty and transition hanging over some of the Gunners' closest Premier League rivals, too, Olise may see the opportunity to come to Arsenal as the most likely way to win a Premier League title in the next couple of years – and potentially a Champions League, if Arteta's side can go one further than they managed last season.

Olise is worth €130 million, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal host Lille tonight, as Champions League action returns this week.

Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer has addressed plans to sign Erling Haaland as a replacement for Harry Kane.

Joint all-time England appearance-maker Kane is 34 years old next summer, and with the Bayern frontman having been linked with a move to the United States, there have been suggestions that perhaps his time in Bavaria could be coming to a close.

Now, in comments relayed by Sport Witness and Sport1, Die Roten have publicly addressed the chances of bringing Manchester City's talisman to the Allianz Arena as a direct replacement in the coming years.

Erling Haaland's Manchester City career is uncertain - with Bayern Munich a candidate to sign him

With City waiting to find out their punishment for over 100 breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations of a near-decade-long period, their stars' futures are up in the air.

Bayern have been long-term admirers of Haaland, meanwhile, with FourFourTwo understanding that the serial Bundesliga champions have been at the forefront of the interest the past two times that the Norwegian has changed clubs.

Over the weekend, BILD TV asked Bayern president Herbert Hainer about the possibility of adding Haaland to the riches of Vincent Kompany's attack, with Hainer diplomatically playing up the current frontline at the Belgian's disposal.

“With Michael Olise, Harry Kane, and Luis Diaz, we have an excellent attack,” he responded. “We scored over 100 goals last season and are very well positioned offensively.

“If we were talking about a timeframe in a few years, we would reassess the situation.”

The 72-year-old former Adidas CEO referenced the charges currently facing City, but noted that he didn't want to be drawn into speculation about how the Premier League would choose to punish its six-time winners.

“I don’t know the details and have no insider knowledge,” Hainer said. “That’s why I don’t want to speculate about it.

“The fact is: if that’s what happened, consequences must be drawn.”

Kane is currently out of contract next summer, as FourFourTwo understands that Bayern are working on talks to extend the England captain's deal.

Haaland is worth €220 million, according to Transfermarkt. City face Paris Saint-Germain as Champions League action returns this week.

Spanish football's governing body LaLiga has stepped in to block Dani Carvajal’s proposed move to Getafe over concerns regarding his declared salary, according to a report from Spanish radio show El Larguero.

The experienced full-back, who departed Real Madrid at the end of his contract over the summer, had reached an agreement in principle to join Getafe, who are situated in the southern Madrid suburbs.

However, the league's financial control committee has refused to validate the signing on the grounds that the agreed wage is artificially low.

Dani Carvajal's Getafe move on hold due to finance concerns

According to El Larguero, Getafe submitted documentation proposing an annual salary of approximately €400,000 for the 34-year-old defender.

LaLiga’s economic regulators have reportedly rejected the valuation, deeming it wildly unrealistic given that Carvajal was supposedly earning €10 million per year during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Under LaLiga's Squad Cost Limit rules, the league assigns its own baseline valuation to high-profile players to prevent clubs from under-reporting playing costs, determining that a decorated international of Carvajal's standing cannot logically see his official remuneration fall by 96 per cent without bringing regulatory scrutiny.

The reasoning behind LaLiga’s veto is to prevent "under-the-table" payments across Spanish football. LaLiga's financial framework requires every contract to reflect realistic market values to preserve competitive balance.

Clubs could theoretically get around salary cap restrictions by supplementing a player's income through off-the-books commercial deals, undisclosed image-rights agreements, or third-party sponsorship arrangements that do not appear in club accounts.

The timing of this decision draws parallels with the financial charges currently surrounding Manchester City. Among the 114 alleged breaches of financial rules brought by the Premier League, a major element involves secret secondary payments.

Specifically, the Manchester club is accused of supplementing former manager Roberto Mancini’s official Etihad Stadium salary with a secondary contract for consultancy work with Abu Dhabi-based side Al Jazira, effectively offloading a substantial portion of his true earnings off the club’s official accounts.

LaLiga aims to ensure that Spanish clubs cannot utilise similar side-agreements to bypass domestic squad spending limits.

While Getafe manager Jose Bordalas had been eager to add a six-time Champions League winner to his squad, the transfer remains on hold unless Getafe can restructure the deal to satisfy LaLiga’s economic rules.

For now, Carvajal’s future remains in limbo as an example of Spanish football's uncompromising stance on toeing the financial line.

Liverpool are prepared to raid Bournemouth once again for their biggest deal yet.

The Reds have poached from the south coast on a number of occasions in recent times, most notably hiring Andoni Iraola over the summer, following his fantastic tenure at the Vitality Stadium.

While Richard Hughes has now left Liverpool after also serving the Cherries, another Bournemouth player now appears to be on the radar, as Iraola's revolution continues on Merseyside.

Liverpool looking to another Bournemouth player, following Milos Kerkez move

Liverpool currently only have one former Bournemouth player in their ranks in Milos Kerez, who shone after his move to Dorset in the Premier League and was snapped up in 2025.

The Hungarian has been criticised during his time at the Reds, however, and has struggled to replace Andrew Robertson at left-back, with the veteran Scot preferred to Kerkez at times last season.

Fichajes in Spain now report that Liverpool are prepared to repeat the Kerkez experiment and sign his Bournemouth replacement, Adrien Truffert.

The Frenchman has been exceptional in succeeding Kerkez at left-back, first for Iraola last season and now for new boss Marco Rose, earning a call-up to Zinedine Zidane's France squad for the recent international break.

The report states, however, that “The shortage of specialists on the left flank in the European market has increased the firmness of the [Bournemouth] board to retain the defender”, with a £60 million fee slapped on the 24-year-old's head.

Bournemouth's record sale is around this figure, with Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo both leaving for around this figure to Big Six rivals and Ilya Zabarnyi for just under the £60m mark to Paris Saint-Germain.

Kerkez's exit fee, meanwhile, was reported by the BBC to be around £40m – meaning that Liverpool would be spending 150 per cent on his replacement.

FourFourTwo understands that Bournemouth have no financial pressure to sell major assets right now – but that they could be about to contend with a few departures.

Junior Kroupi is a target for big clubs, while Alex Scott has turned down a number of contract extension proposals in the last few months.

Transfermarkt values Truffert at €35m. Liverpool host Manchester City when Premier League action returns this weekend.

Nick Pope has emerged as a target for Bayern Munich, in their quest to replace veteran Manuel Neuer.

Neuer retired from international duty after Germany's ignominious World Cup exit at the hands of Paraguay over the summer, and at the age of 40, he may not have much longer left in the tank for Bayern either.

According to a new report, Die Roten have identified six potential replacements for the Gelsenkirchener – with Newcastle United's third-choice keeper on the list.

Nick Pope could go from Newcastle United's bench to Bayern Munich

After competing with Aaron Ramsdale for the No.1 spot last season on Tyneside, Pope hasn't played a single minute this season for new manager Matthias Jassle, following the signing of Lukas Hornicek – who even started the League Cup victory against Millwall last month.

A report from Fichajes in Spain says that Celtic, Leeds United and Hull City are all monitoring the England international, with Bayern perhaps the most surprising link.

Die Roten's own shortlist between the sticks consists of five other players.

Rui Silva of Sporting, Lukas Hradecky of Monaco, Frederik Ronnow of Union Berlin, Kevin Trapp of Paris FC and Juan Musso of Atletico Madrid are all on the radar, as the Bavarians look to ensure a smooth transition for their next first-choice after Neuer.

“Bayern's board [are prioritising] signing a specialist with international experience to avoid tactical imbalances while Jonas Urbig establishes himself,” the report states, with the 23-year-old having played 23 times in the league for Bayern since joining from Koln last year.

Several high-profile stoppers have competed with Neuer over the years for a No.1 jersey, with Bayern looking to a new goalkeeper six years ago, only for the succession plan to fail.

In 2020, the club signed highly-touted Alexander Nubel from Schalke, with Neuer describing the young keeper's transfer as “irrelevant” to him.

Nubel, in turn, didn't work out at Allianz Arena, while Neuer captained his team to six trophies that same year.

Yann Sommer and Daniel Peretz have both been understudies to the legendary German  – with the former used as an emergency option following Neuer breaking his leg in a freak skiing accident – but neither could oust the veteran from his position for long.

Transfermarkt values Pope at €3 million. Newcastle travel to newly-promoted Coventry City when Premier League action returns this weekend.

Arsenal star Mikel Merino is a shock target to revitalise the fortunes of Real Madrid.

Los Blancos have stuttered this season under the returning Jose Mourinho and are already chasing in La Liga, as the Special One looks for a way to get the best out of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr in attack, along with Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande in supporting roles.

After yet another fruitful few weeks of international duty with Spain, Arsenal star Merino has emerged as the answer – and he could end up getting more game time at the Bernabeu than he currently enjoys in North London.

Mikel Merino wanted by Real Madrid, after Arsenal and Spain heroics in front of goal

Arsenal originally signed Merino as cover for Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice in midfield – but after an injury crisis in February 2025 saw Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz both suffer long-term injuries, the Basque midfielder filled in up front away to Leicester City and scored twice.

An extraordinary return followed with Merino netting against Real Madrid in the Champions League, registering five goals and assists during an injury to Viktor Gyokeres last term, and starring at the World Cup, with two goals in five-minute cameos in the knockout stage for eventual winners, Spain.

With Merino having recorded another four goals and assists during the recent international break, Spanish outlet Fichajes have noted that the star could become a major target for Real Madrid in future transfer windows.

“His potential fit at Real Madrid stems primarily from this lack of consistent playing time,” the report states, noting, “Mourinho would be bringing in a player accustomed to playing as an attacking midfielder or central midfielder, with the ability to compete physically and arrive in the box from deep.”

While Merino is primarily a midfielder – and even played as a centre-back for Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund – the interest almost certainly comes from the return of 13 goals in his last 24 internationals.

The 30-year-old has carved a niche as a target man for Gunners boss Mikel Arteta who can replicate the hard graft that Havertz gets through when Arsenal go long – but he clearly also has the movement and eye for goal to play up front, too.

With Havertz potentially injured for the return of domestic football this weekend, it remains to be seen as to whether Merino's playing time will increase.

Gyokeres has also enjoyed a strong couple of weeks with Sweden – and though he doesn't offer the same kind of hold-up play as his rivals in attack, Arteta has often preferred him to Merino in attack when the pair have both been fit.

Merino is valued at €25 million by Transfermarkt. Arsenal host Leeds United this weekend when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

Liverpool talks for Kylian Mbappe have resumed, with the Real Madrid star's future somewhat uncertain.

The Frenchman has been on a mammoth PR campaign ahead of next week's Ballon d'Or ceremony in London – but despite Mbappe's belief that he is deserving of the award, he is yet to win a major trophy at the Bernabeu since his move two years ago.

With Los Blancos in somewhat of a tactical rut and Liverpool having previously opened talks with Mbappe over moving to the Premier League, the Reds have emerged once more as a potential future destination, should the superstar leave Real Madrid.

Liverpool have opened Kylian Mbappe talks, with the star neither 'loved or supported' at Real Madrid

Real Madrid last won the Champions League in 2024 under Carlo Ancelotti, with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo in a front two ahead of Jude Bellingham at No.10 – but the introduction of Mbappe has had an adverse effect on all three and Madrid as a whole.

Vinicius has looked a shadow of himself alongside the French forward, Bellingham has had to play a deeper role, while Rodrygo has dropped out of the side through injuries and form, leading Los Blancos to sign another left-winger in the summer, in Yan Diomande.

According to Spanish journalist Francois Gallardo, something has to give.

“Several Premier League teams are interested in Kylian Mbappe, but the player’s priority is Liverpool,” Gallardo told outlet Defensa Central, adding, “They have already contacted [Mbappe's mother and representative] Fayza Lamari in recent weeks.”

Defensa Central note that, “Real Madrid have no intention of letting go of one of the most important players in their squad, and any negotiation would have to reach extraordinary figures” – though Gallardo says that the fee would reach around €200-250 million.

“He has made the decision to leave the club in the summer of 2027, and Real Madrid is not going to stand in his way,” the Spaniard claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“His next destination is in the Premier League. And if not, prove me wrong.”

Liverpool have been previously linked with Mbappe throughout the course of his career – but given that the Merseysiders are well-stocked with plenty of left-sided attackers, it would be a bold move to sign another.

Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, Victor Munoz and Rio Ngumoha all favour that side of the pitch – though Mbappe may play up front – with FourFourTwo understanding that the deal could perhaps be a nonstarter for this reason alone.

Mbappe is valued at €200m by Transfermarkt. Liverpool face Manchester City in the first game back after the international break, as Premier League action resumes.

Arsenal are readying a midseason move to improve their attack, after defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion highlighted weaknesses in their squad.

Before leaving for international duty, the Gunners suffered their first defeat of the season at the Amex in emphatic style, losing 3-0 to a Seagulls side who outplayed them

With Arsenal looking to retain the Premier League title and go one further in the Champions League, plenty of pundits have questioned the club's reserves in attack – and it would appear that a new winger is the priority for manager, Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal looking to another forward to improve the squad

Arsenal don't often move for January signings, opting to keep their powder during their last two title races and enjoying bigger summer windows as a result.

But it wouldn't be unheard of for the North Londoners to bring in an attacker to bolster their attacking threat, with Leandro Trossard a standout example in 2023.

According to German outlet Fussball News, Antonio Nusa is on the radar for Arsenal this winter, with the Premier League champions working on formalising an offer.

Nusa enjoyed a breakout World Cup alongside Emirates Stadium captain Martin Odegaard for Norway, and has become one of the most exciting left-wingers in Europe over the last couple of years, having come close to a move to Brentford in January 2024.

The Bees reportedly flagged back and knee issues – with the forward suffering a knee injury that ruled him out for two months shortly after.

But since moving to RB Leipzig, Nusa has managed to put together a consistent run in the Saxony outfit's side, establishing himself as one of the Bundesliga's better attackers and courting the attention of top Premier League sides once more.

As a hard-working, intelligent winger who can hug the touchline or cut in to create or score, Nusa is exactly the type of forward that Arteta has made his name working with during his tenure in N5.

The 21-year-old has a contract until 2029, however, and FourFourTwo understands that Die Roten Bullen have no interest in letting one of their best players leave midseason.

Nusa has struck two goals and registered two assists in just four Bundesliga fixtures this term.

The Norwegian is valued at €45 million by Transfermarkt. Arsenal host Leeds United this weekend when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

Tottenham Hotspur's relationship with a big-money star has broken down completely, with the player potentially never playing for the club ever again.

The Lilywhites have finished 17th in the last two seasons, and despite heavy investment over the summer, it seems as though they could be candidates for the drop once more, with manager Roberto De Zerbi overseeing an underperforming squad.

Tottenham are currently bottom of the Premier League after five matches, without a win on the board and with only two goals scored.

Tottenham Hotspur reach breaking point with star

Now, one striker has reached the point where his relationship is “completely broken” with his employers.

That's according to influencer Fabrizio Romano on the Here We Go podcast, who describes the standoff as a “crazy situation”.

“De Zerbi wasn’t lying and isn’t lying when he said that at the beginning of the new season [he] went to Richarlison [and] told him ‘let’s discuss a new contract, I want you here,’” Romano explained.

“Richarlison wanted to go and then in the final days of the window, Tottenham were not happy [that] Richarlison was not taking the opportunity to go back to Everton: Tottenham in that case were going to sign Iliman Ndiaye, so the two deals were linked, Ndiaye to Tottenham and at that point Richarlison to Everton.”

Ultimately, Manchester City signed Ndiaye, while Richarlison agreed terms with Trabzonspor – who Spurs rejected an offer late in the window.

“My expectation is absolutely for the parties to part ways as soon as possible, so it could be already in the next months,” Romano continued, adding, “I think around January we will see Richarlison leaving Tottenham: the intention of Tottenham is not to integrate Richarlison as part of their project.

Spurs signed Richarlison back in 2022 after pipping Arsenal to the Champions League, spending a whopping £60 million on the Brazilian – but after netting 10 times to save Everton from relegation in 2021/22, Richarlison scored just once in the league for his new club and was branded “selfish” by manager Antonio Conte.

The 29-year-old has managed to register double digits in two of his four Premier League seasons since, but Brazil omitted him from the World Cup 2026 squad over the summer in a huge blow, perhaps reflecting his diminishing reputation.

Richarlison is valued at €25m by Transfermarkt. Spurs face Manchester United in the first game back after the international break, as Premier League action resumes.

This summer's World Cup produced its usual share of memorable moments, stunning goals and breakout players.

And as is usually the case, the end of the tournament brought about a transfer market frenzy as clubs across the globe fought to bring in the tournament's best performers.

From a teenage £86million sensation to a World Cup-winning midfielder, via a cult hero 40year-old goalkeeper, plenty of players are settling into a new start. FourFourTwo takes a look at those hoping to make a success out of their big moves...

Ayyoub Bouaddi - Manchester City, £86m

Bouaddi was Morocco's breakout star this summer, but he really didn't need to become a footballer. Had the 18-year-old been born with no athletic skills whatsoever, he'd have been a huge success in some other field.

Born in northern France to Moroccan migrants, Bouaddi showed enormous academic promise from an early age, becoming fluent in English and passing all his school exams a year early. By that stage, however, he was already training with Lille's academy – the club fought off interest from bigger clubs thanks to their track record of developing talents including Carlos Baleba and Leny Yoro.

Yet even after signing professional terms at 15, Bouaddi continued to show a thirst for knowledge. He won a public speaking competition for young players, delivering a speech on the subject ‘Are results more important than the manner they're delivered?' in front of first lady Brigitte Macron at the Elysee Palace.

“On the bus, while everyone was watching YouTube videos or listening to music, he'd play chess for one or two hours,” Lille's former head of academy recruitment Mathieu Frison has since said. “In the evening, when all the others played FIFA or were on their phones, he studied mathematics, physics, science. His parents didn't need to push him to do it – he wanted to learn.”

Just like at school, Bouaddi the footballer was fast-tracked, making his senior debut in a Conference League game against Faroese outfit KI, three days after his 16th birthday. In doing so, he became the youngest ever player in a UEFA men's club competition.

On his 17th birthday, Bouaddi played the full 90 minutes as Lille beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League. He completed 43 of 44 passes and was given a standing ovation at full-time. “I was almost pinching myself,” he smiled afterwards. “I couldn't believe it.”

Yet his arrival on the global stage came during this summer's World Cup. Bouaddi made only his fourth Morocco appearance in their tournament opener against Brazil – receiving FIFA permission to represent the country in May, after previous appearances for France's youth teams – but earned widespread praise for his composure, strength and close control at the base of midfield. Against the Selecao, the 18-year-old completed more than 90 per cent of his passes, and he was a mainstay in the Atlas Lions' run to the quarter-finals.

Bouaddi's performances at the World Cup played a major part in Manchester City's decision to sign him in an £86m deal this summer. The youngster now faces the biggest task of his career: helping his new club thrive without 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri. Just to make life harder, he'll do that while remotely studying for a mathematics degree. You'd be foolish to bet against him succeeding in either endeavour.

Djed Spence - Inter, £26m

It has been a busy summer for England's World Cup stars, with Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon among those moving clubs.

It might be argued, though, that no player put himself in the shop window better than Spence, who played an ever more impressive role in England's run to the semis.

That convinced Inter to pay Spurs around £26m for a player who had mixed fortunes in north London. He's also been joined by fellow Englishmen Curtis Jones and John Stones at his new club – the latter probably panicked the Nerazzurri by pretending he had a bad shoulder during his medical…

Jonathan Dave - Atletico Madrid, loan

A World Cup held partially in his homeland of Canada offered David a chance to let off some steam following a frustrating maiden season at Juventus.

The striker moved to Turin with high expectations, having notched 109 goals in 232 appearances for Lille, and even scored on his Serie A debut against Parma. Sixteen goalless league games followed.

A treble in Canada's 6-0 World Cup thrashing of Qatar reminded everyone of his talent – no player had scored a World Cup hat-trick on home soil since Geoff Hurst in 1966. Impressed, Atletico Madrid offered him a shot at redemption, albeit on a season-long loan.

Rodri - Barcelona, £65m

If there were any doubts whether Rodri should still be considered the greatest midfielder on Earth going into the World Cup, he'd silenced them by the end of the tournament.

Spain's captain, shirt always tucked in, led his team to a first World Cup since 2010, while also scooping the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player. The latter was fully deserved, and the numbers prove it.

He completed an average of 94 passes per 90 minutes, with a whopping 93 per cent finding a team-mate. The latter stat hit 95 per cent in the final victory against Argentina, after he'd run the show in the semi-final with France – Les Bleus had looked unbeatable up to that point, but suddenly had the rather sizeable issue that they couldn't get hold of the ball at all, let alone move it to Kylian Mbappe & Co up top.

Rodri remains capable of controlling any event he's involved in – even trophy presentations, having subtly ushered Donald Trump out of the way before lifting the World Cup, seemingly keen to avoid the US president being in the middle of all the photos, as he had been for Chelsea's celebrations at the Club World Cup final 12 months earlier.

Rodri led the World Cup for passes completed in the final third (204) and line-breaking passes (122), but it wasn't just his ability to dictate play that stood out – he topped the standings for tackles (26) and distance covered (96km), too.

He was as devastatingly effective without the ball as he was with it.

None of that came as any surprise to Premier League fans, who'd long witnessed the midfielder's elegance and destructive qualities. But they'll witness it no more after his seven seasons at Manchester City ended.

A return to La Liga had looked on the cards for some time – he'd been wanted by Real Madrid, before one last directive from Pep Guardiola reportedly saw him choose Barcelona instead, having been advised that their style of play would suit him much better.

Either way, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente is just thrilled to have the 30-year-old playing back home. “I'm delighted that these great footballers are in La Liga, because it makes the league even greater,” he beamed following Rodri's unveiling. “It truly means that the best players in the world, who are our footballers, are competing here in Spanish clubs.”

The World Cup winner walked into a champion team ready-made to make the most of his skillset, with a clutch of talented players – from Pedri and Gavi, to Marc Bernal and even Lamine Yamal – certain to benefit from his leadership. If ever there was a fitting successor to Sergio Busquets, it's Rodri.

Ferran Torres - PSG, £43m

There's no better way to force yourself into the shop window than scoring the winning goal in a World Cup final, so it's no wonder Torres was snapped up by PSG after his heroics.

After clinching the trophy, a switch to France followed, having hinted at being open to a move away from Barcelona in interviews after the tournament. His 21 goals bettered Robert Lewandowski last season – the Pole's summer exit seemed to leave the way clear for Torres, but he had just one year left on his deal and didn't get the new contract he'd hoped for, with Barça still trying to balance their various financial restrictions.

Yan Diomande - Real Madrid, £120m

Two years ago, Diomande was in Leganes' B team after a trial at Rangers didn't lead to a deal.

It didn't take long, though, for the winger to progress to the club's first team, earning a move to RB Leipzig that totally changed his trajectory. In Germany, he won plaudits for jaw-dropping dribbling and creative output, finishing last season with 23 goal involvements, and went on to start every game for Ivory Coast at the World Cup. Those displays persuaded Real Madrid he was worth a hefty fee.

His idols? “Cristiano Ronaldo and R9,” Diomande said ahead of the World Cup. “But also Mbappe and Vini Jr.” It's almost as if he knew.

Bradley Barcola - Liverpool, £123m

Barcola waved au revoir to PSG this summer with two Champions League winners' medals, three Ligue 1 titles and the slightly strange feeling that he's never quite gotten to be the main character in his own story.

He certainly seemed destined for superstardom from the very beginning. A product of Lyon's academy, Barcola made his senior debut as a 19-year-old in a November 2021 Europa League game. But his real breakthrough arrived during the following campaign, when his combination of scorching speed and direct running made him one of French football's most feared young attackers.

PSG were impressed enough to spend around £39m on him in August 2023 – while his first season was promising rather than spectacular, he became a serious attacking force in 2024-25, scoring 21 times and assisting 21 more. Among them, Barcola bagged a brace as PSG beat Reims to win the Coupe de France, then laid on Senny Mayulu's goal as the Parisians thrashed Inter 5-0 to clinch their first ever Champions League title seven days later.

Last season brought Barcola another European crown, but he didn't start a game in the Champions League after the last 16, and there was always a nagging sense that he was more of a supporting actor. For all his productivity, Barcola was often the victim of PSG's extraordinary attacking riches, with Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia favoured by manager Luis Enrique in the biggest matches. While Barcola brought raw athleticism, the other trio appeared to offer a higher technical skillset.

Despite that, Barcola did start four times for France at this summer's World Cup – after coming off the bench to score in the opener against Senegal, he played the full 90 minutes when he netted against Sweden in the last 32, also making the starting XI against Paraguay in the last 16, then Spain in the semis. Like Dembele, he scored after coming on as a half-time sub in the chaotic third-place play-off against England, when France were hopeless in the first half but nearly recovered from 4-0 down after the interval.

Yet there's still a feeling that he can achieve even more, particularly after Liverpool forked out £123m for him – just £2m short of the club-record fee they finally paid after Alexander Isak's transfer debacle a year ago.

Brought in to add dynamism to the left of Andoni Iraola's attack, the winger will aim to provide the speed, movement and goals that the departed Mo Salah was once famed for on the opposite flank. With the Egyptian having left for Trabzonspor, an opening has emerged for a new leading man in the Anfield frontline – if Bradley Barcola is ever going to become the main character, the time needs to be now.

Zion Suzuki - Aston Villa, £30m

Filling the gloves of World Cup winner Emi Martinez would be a tough task for any goalkeeper, let alone a 24-year-old who'd never played in England before. It helps, then, that Suzuki is scared of absolutely nothing.

The Japan international started all four of his nation's fixtures at his debut World Cup this summer and has been labelled a “tiger” by Dennis Rudel, his former keeping coach at Belgian side Sint-Truiden.

A move to PSG collapsed prior to his summer switch to Villa Park – he'd spent the past two years at Parma. “He was immediately one of the top keepers in Serie A,” Rudel said. “I don't see any weaknesses.”

Johan Manzambi - Aston Villa, £51m

Villa also signed two more young World Cup stars – the last came on deadline day when £47m got them Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG.

Two months earlier, the Senegal winger had become the youngest African World Cup goalscorer ever, at 18 years and 143 days old.

Villa spent even more to recruit Manzambi from Europa League final opponents Freiburg – aged 20, the Swiss registered three goals and two assists in four World Cup games, and may have done more had he not then got injured. The attack-minded midfielder's speed, strength and potential make the £51m fee a steal, especially with Newcastle chasing their own move.

Vozinha - Colo-Colo, Free

The transfer of a 40-year-old keeper to a South American club would barely raise an eyebrow, 99 times out of 100. But when Cape Verde shot-stopper Vozinha joined Colo-Colo, thousands of fans excitedly greeted him at the airport, then his shirt was delivered by a parachutist during an elaborate unveiling at the club's stadium.

It marked the latest chapter in the heart-warming but entirely unexpected story of the man officially named Josimar Jose Evora Dias. Born during the 1986 World Cup, Cape Verdean authorities wouldn't let his dad call him Valdano, after the Argentine striker who'd just scored twice against South Korea, so instead he was named after Brazilian full-back Josimar, who netted against Northern Ireland and Poland.

As a child, the youngster was jokingly nicknamed Vozinha (‘Little Granny') by other kids, because of the key role his grandparents played in raising him – his father was away in the military by that point, and his mother was often working to provide for the family.

After starting his club career in his native land, he had spells in Angola, Moldova, Cyprus and Slovakia, before eventually arriving at Chaves in 2024, for a second stint in Portugal. Already 38 and competing in the second tier, his career seemed to be winding down to an unremarkable end before Cape Verde qualified for the World Cup for the first time in their history.

The opening game against eventual winners Spain changed everything, with a string of saves that ensured a surprise 0-0 draw. “I worked hard all my life for this moment, for this dream,” he told reporters after the final whistle. “Now the dream has come true.”

The dream wasn't over, either. More saves bagged further draws against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, as Cape Verde finished second in their group, then took Argentina to extra-time in the last 32 – they didn't lose a single game in 90 minutes. Having begun the tournament with fewer than 50,000 Instagram followers, that number has since grown to more than 29 million.

He did it all despite not knowing where he'd be playing this season, with his contract expiring at Chaves. By August, he'd joined the biggest club in Chile – Colo-Colo have previously won the Copa Libertadores and 34 domestic titles.

“Despite playing in smaller leagues for clubs that weren't exactly giants, deep down I always told myself I was a ‘big club' player,” the 94-cap keeper said after the move. “When Colo-Colo came calling, there was no doubt.”

The 20,000 people inside the stadium for his unveiling were equally delighted. Few things can transform a person's life quite like the World Cup.

Sidny Lopes Cabral - Trabzonspor, £8m

In 2022, Vozinha's Cape Verde team-mate was playing in the German fifth tier for Rot-Weiss Erfurt – earning around £850 a week, the full-back used bin bags as curtains and was regularly in tears due to homesickness.

This summer, he was curling home the best goal of the World Cup against Argentina. He'd joined Jose Mourinho's Benfica in January – but days before the World Cup, Trabzonspor agreed a fee to sign him. By the time he arrived for his debut, he'd been joined by Mo Salah, although things didn't start brilliantly – Lopes Cabral was sent off as they lost 4-0 at Ferencvaros in a Europa League qualifier.

Kerim Alajbegovic - Juventus, £28m

The Bosnian ran Lopes Cabral close in the competition for the World Cup's best goal – and has since bizarrely been purchased by not one, but two clubs.

At 18 years and 276 days old, he became the eighth-youngest scorer in the tournament's history when he smashed home from outside the box against Qatar, having just had a breakout season at Red Bull Salzburg, scoring nine goals in 28 league appearances.

The Bayer Leverkusen youth product returned to the German side in July via a £7m buyback clause. Just 32 days later, Juventus snapped him up for £28m, giving Leverkusen a handy profit.

Manchester City star Erling Haaland may have just become the most coveted footballer on Earth.

It's safe to say that the Norwegian striker has been a success in English football, netting 117 goals in his first 137 matches in the Premier League and starting the 2026/27 season with seven goals in seven matches for Manchester City.

But should anything happen to the Sky Blues, would he be available for a set fee?

Erling Haaland's Manchester City contract revealed

City were this week found guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, as a Premier League statement confirmed that they had “arranged ‘sham’ contracts” and “concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators”.

According to previous reports, Haaland had a £150 million release clause inserted into the contract that he originally signed when he arrived at Eastlands from Borussia Dortmund, though that reportedly increased to £200m for English rivals.

Since then, the Scandi robot has actually renewed with City, signing a whopping nine-and-a-half-year extension in January of last year that kept him in Manchester until 2034.

According to Sky Sports, Haaland saw a pay rise from the original £400,000-per-week deal he was previously earning – making him the highest-paid player at the club – while removing any previous release clauses and giving the 26-year-old the longest contract of any player in the division, surpassing Cole Palmer's deal at Chelsea, which expires in 2033.

A new report by Marca, meanwhile, says that there is no relegation clause in Haaland's current deal and that “any potential departure would have to take place through a negotiation between the parties or through some contractual condition that has not been made public”.

This could therefore open a can of worms, should City be forcibly relegated – with City feasibly asking Haaland to see out his contract in the lower leagues, rather than selling their prize asset – and speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, leading sports barrister Paul Gilroy KC addressed the issue.

“Every contract of employment, whether it's a footballer or someone who works in a shop, has got an implied term in it: in other words, it's not written down,” Gilroy said. “And the implied term we're talking about here is the term of trust and confidence.

“So if I work for you, you and I must have sufficient trust and confidence in each other to enable that relationship to work. If you don't trust me, or I don't trust you, or if you call me a liar and a thief on Tuesday, I can't work for you on a Wednesday - trust and confidence.

“Now, a player could say, ‘You have breached the implied term of trust and confidence. You are my employer, you have acted in breach of that term, and that entitles me to say I'm ripping up my contract and I'm walking out’.”

Haaland is worth €220m, according to Transfermarkt. City head to Liverpool when Premier League action resumes.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has opened up about his chances of leaving the Gunners, following a summer of speculation.

The Swede played 36 times in the Premier League last term, as Arsenal won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years – but manager Mikel Arteta hasn't granted him a start in the competition this term, with Kai Havertz preferred up front.

Despite scoring 21 goals in all competitions for the Gunners last term, Gyokeres was heavily linked with an exit after just 12 months over the summer – and speaking now, he hasn't closed the door on departing, should he continue on the bench.

Viktor Gyokeres: 'I am fully focused on Arsenal - of course you expect more playing time'

Gyokeres arrived at Arsenal last summer with high hopes after scoring 97 goals in 102 games at Sporting, firing the Lisbon outfit to back-to-back league titles.

The 28-year-old has struggled somewhat, however, with Arteta's demands to hold the ball up, with his aerial ability and link-up play paling in comparison to both Havertz and auxiliary centre-forward Mikel Merino.

Speaking while on international duty with Sweden, Gyokeres has now addressed rumours that he was close to leaving North London over the summer.

"Of course, there was a lot of speculation,” he said, “But I had a full pre-season, and it felt good. I was fully focused on Arsenal. For me, staying was a given. I'm extremely happy at the club.”

The striker was quick to point out, though, that while he enjoys being a member of a competitive squad, he would prefer to be starting more often than he has been.

"It's clear that I want to play football as much as possible,” he continued. “Hopefully that will come, too. You always want to be on the field as a football player.

“Of course, you expect more playing time, but we have an extremely good squad with a lot of good players and have been doing well here at the start."

FourFourTwo understands that Gyokeres was a candidate to leave over the summer – potentially to Atletico Madrid – but ultimately, the club decided to cash in on Gabriel Martinelli, given that he would command a higher transfer fee.

Fellow forwards Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard also left N5, along with Ethan Nwaneri on loan to Borussia Dortmund, leaving Arteta short of numbers in attack.

Gyokeres is valued at €65 million by Transfermarkt. Arsenal play Leeds when the international break ends and Premier League action resumes.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland could leave following an independent commission finding the club guilty of all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules.

Yesterday, the Premier League confirmed the verdict, noting that “Manchester City failed to accurately report its income and expenditure for the purposes of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules and UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Rules” in a damning statement that used the word “sham” five times.

It leaves the future of the Citizens in doubt – with Erling Haaland, in particular, the highest-profile star who could well push for an exit.

Erling Haaland has given the nod to Barcelona - with Manchester City in disarray

According to Football Insider, it is “inconceivable” that the Norwegian superstar remains at the Etihad Stadium, should they be forcibly relegated from the Premier League.

Haaland has scored 117 goals in 137 fixtures for the Sky Blues and won two league titles since joining in 2022 from Borussia Dortmund – but Barcelona have had previous talks with the star about him moving to Catalonia.

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo have previously claimed that Barça intended for the Scandi striker to replace Robert Lewandowski, opening talks with then-agent, the late Mino Raiola, in April 2021.

According to the report, Haaland was “very excited” to join the club and indicated he would be happy to sign for the Blaugrauna in 2022.

“In fact, in March 2022, [then-manager] Xavi Hernandez travelled to Munich to meet with him in person and finish explaining the project,” the report notes, adding, “However, the Norwegian said ‘yes’ to Barça for the following season” – meaning that he would have joined in 2023.

Another Spanish outlet, Sport, has since insisted that Haaland would prioritise moving to Barcelona – which would put the 26-year-old opposite Kylian Mbappe in El Clasico clashes.

Whether or not Barcelona would still explore a deal remains to be seen: over the summer, the Catalan giants refused to pay big money for Haaland's former team-mate, Julian Alvarez, given that they didn't see the need to invest in attack – and that's certainly not changed, with Raphinha reborn as a No.9.

But Haaland is a very different prospect, and a gilt-edged opportunity to sign arguably the best player on the planet is one that president Joan Laporte is unlikely to pass up.

With City potentially needing to sell their best player, too, FourFourTwo believes that Barça would be at the front of the queue alongside the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

The Norwegian is valued at €220 million, according to Transfermarkt. City play Liverpool when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

Liverpool have been given fresh hope of landing Alex Scott next summer from Bournemouth.

The Reds have started the season positively and are yet to lose a game under new manager Andoni Iraola, but the midfield remains a concern, with Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister all forward-thinking players in the centre of the park.

While youngster Trey Nyoni has featured in central midfield for Liverpool in recent weeks, it may well take a new signing to regenerate the engine room – and Iraola may get to reunite with Scott, following the pair's time together at Bournemouth.

Bournemouth working on conditional clause for Alex Scott, that would see Liverpool able to sign him

According to TEAMtalk, the Cherries have sent numerous proposals to Scott to renew his contract, with his current contract – signed in 2023 – set to enter its final year next summer.

While Bournemouth have collected big fees over the last couple of years for Antoine Semenyo, Dominic Solanke, Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Ilya Zabarnyi, they run the risk of having to sell the Guernsey schemer for a reduced price, and are keen to sign him to a deal that ensures a release clause has to be met in order to sign him.

According to the report from TEAMtalk, this has alerted Liverpool, who have joined Chelsea in the race for the 23-year-old.

The Blues were particularly interested in Scott over the summer but were rebuffed, as Bournemouth didn't want to lose one of their key players ahead of playing European football this term on the south coast.

The midfielder has continued the excellent form he displayed in the second half of last season under new manager Marco Rose, and has been rewarded with a second call-up to the England national team, where he is yet to feature for Thomas Tuchel.

FourFourTwo understands that Bournemouth see January as a target to get Scott signed up by, as they look to avoid a scenario like last year.

The Dorset outfit lost Semenyo to Manchester City in the winter transfer window – though did manage to remain unbeaten for the rest of the Premier League campaign and record their highest-ever finish of sixth under Iraola.

With the Basque's new squad currently learning his specific methods and demands out of possession, it is unlikely that the Merseysiders will challenge for the Premier League crown, with the squad in transition and adapting slowly – but Scott may well help with that, should he arrive in January, or even next summer.

The midfielder has plenty of experience working with Iraola, understands his methods, and still under 25, can learn further and develop into a complete midfielder at Anfield.

Scott is worth €50 million, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool face Man City when the international break concludes and Premier League action returns.

Talks for a Manchester City player to leave have begun, following last week's bombshell that the club have been found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League rules.

Although Manchester City are expected to appeal the Premier League's decision, speculation and uncertainty hang over the club, with the Citizens' future remaining unclear.

In the meantime, City have received an offer for one of their players – in what the club hope will not be the start of an exodus.

Manchester City star could leave in January on loan

On the field at least, new manager Enzo Maresca has started brightly despite a Community Shield loss, seizing 15 points from 15 in the Premier League securing passage to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and winning their first came in the Champions League.

The Italian has gotten to grips with his new squad and stamped his authority on the team – but just two senior players left at the club have failed to make a Premier League appearance thus far, with one of them being backup goalkeeper, Geronimo Rulli.

The other is Rayan Ait-Nouri, who joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer and made just 15 league appearances in Pep Guardiola's final season, with academy graduate Nico O'Reilly taking the left-back spot ahead of him.

With Maresca claiming earlier this season that “I see him more as a winger than full-back,” the Algerian international has a tough task fighting his way into his new boss's plans, with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that he is a target for Juventus.

Sport Witness have relayed the news, noting that the Old Lady have spoken to the player's entourage and that, “They would like to offer an option to buy, with Ait-Nouri desperate to become a key player.”

FourFourTwo understands that part of Maresca's initial reluctance to seriously integrate Ait-Nouri was down to his profile, with the former Chelsea manager preferring full-backs capable of inverting.

The 25-year-old may not be the first-choice option should he move to Turin either, though, with Andrea Cambiaso likely to feature ahead of him in the pecking order.

Signing for City for a reported £31 million, Ait-Nouri went to the Club World Cup with his new club last summer and looked set to hold down the left-back spot, with Josko Gvardiol moving centrally.

While a Wolves player, the France-born defender had an almost unblemished injury record, but an ankle injury ruled him out for almost two months last autumn, and he never recovered his place as Guardiola's starting left-back.

Ait-Nouri is worth €40m, according to Transfermarkt. City face Liverpool when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is to leave the Reds on a free transfer after nine years of service at Anfield.

That's according to a new report, which says that the Dutchman is set to swap Liverpool for Milan “sooner rather than later” – and that a big replacement is already being lined up to take his place at the heart of manager Andoni Iraola's defence.

Van Dijk became the most expensive defender in the world when he swapped Southampton for Anfield, but now 35, his current contract expires at the end of the season.

Liverpool launching move for Premier League rival to replace Virgil van Dijk

Van Dijk has started the season strongly under Iraola alongside new signing Jeremy Jacquet, who is 14 years his junior.

According to veteran Italian journalist Carlo Pellegatti, via Football Italia, the Dutch captain is set to move to Milan next summer, noting, ““Every now and then, people make fun of me for saying Van Dijk would join, but then they [did] the same the January before Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrived.”

“[Milan owner] Gerry Cardinale made clear: ‘Either we get him now by paying or next year for free,’” Pellegatti added, “I said that Van Dijk will arrive at Milan sooner or later.”

According to CaughtOffside, meanwhile, Liverpool are looking at bringing in Tottenham Hotspur captain Micky van de Ven as Van Dijk's replacement.

The 25-year-old plays alongside the Liverpool man for the Netherlands and not only is he capable of playing at left-back – a problem position for the Reds of late – he possesses the kind of recovery pace that could help Iraola to implement his high-risk high press.

Despite back-to-back 17th-placed finishes, Van de Ven is one of Spurs' better players and with the Lilywhites struggling again this season – finding themselves winless after five fixtures – the skipper may look to pastures new this summer.

FourFourTwo understands that Liverpool have admired the defender for a while, while CaughtOffside adds Manchester United to the mix as another Premier League rival interested in the star.

Van de Ven will surely not come cheap, however: the former Wolfsburg man is contracted in N17 until 2031, having signed an extension to his deal over the summer.

Both the Spurs man and Van Dijk are currently on international duty with the Oranje under new boss Xavi Hernandez.

Van de Ven is worth €50 million, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool host Manchester City when Premier League action returns following the international break.

Liverpool are monitoring the availability of Atletico Madrid star Marcos Llorente, whose Anfield goalscoring exploits have terrorised the Reds on many Champions League occasions.

His latest strike arrived in the 17th minute during Liverpool’s league phase match-up with the La Liga side in early September, sending Atletico Madrid 1-0 ahead.

Last term, Llorente bagged two in a 3-2 defeat at Anfield; now, the Reds are exploring the possibility of bringing Atletico Madrid’s man to Merseyside, with two other Premier League clubs also interested.

Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea explore move for Anfield nightmare Marcos Llorente

According to TEAMtalk, the Spaniard is attracting interest from Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, as he enters the final months of his Atletico Madrid contract.

Llorente has made over 300 appearances for Diego Simeone’s side, and his ability to operate in both midfield and at right-back has attracted potential Premier League suitors.

Liverpool and Chelsea are two such clubs assessing their options in both areas of the pitch, with Llorente’s versatility appealing to both English top-flight sides.

Elsewhere, Manchester City are looking to expand their veteran core under Enzo Maresca. In this case, the Spaniard’s age, 31, is attractive to the Cityzens.

Similarly, neither Andoni Iraola’s side or the Blues are put off by Llorente’s birthday, who turns 31 in January, with it being described as “not significant” to their Premier League transfer pursuits.

Beyond the Premier League, both La Liga and Bundesliga champions Barcelona and Bayern Munich are believed to be keeping close eyes on the Spaniard.

The now 31-year-old, who stepped away from World Cup winners Spain this summer, joined from Real Madrid in 2019 for a fee of €30 million.

A transfer for Llorente will likely be difficult to pull off, with Atletico Madrid being determined to secure his future in Spain.

There is belief internally that he will sign a new contract, however, the 31-year-old’s camp are aware of growing interest in Llorente across Europe.

Whether Simeone’s side can tie the 31-year-old down remains to be seen, however, the club has entered fresh talks with the Spaniard.

He has scored ten Champions League goals across his career, five of which have arrived against Liverpool, and four at Anfield.

Former England midfield man Dele Alli has been a free agent for the last year but has been aiming to keep himself fit in an effort to revive his career.

Alli left Serie A upstarts Como last autumn after making a single appearance under Cesc Fabregas, the latest in a string of abortive moves since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in 2022.

The 30-year-old spent seven years at Spurs after joining from Milton Keynes Dons in 2018 as one of the most exciting young prospects in English football.

Dele Alli is training at Barnet

He recently shared a video of himself training alone at the facilities of League Two outfit Barnet, where manager Dean Brennan has unexpectedly raised the possibility of the unsigned star taking his programme a step further.

Speaking to Alan Brazil and Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT, Brennan extended an offer to Alli that he might very well be interested in taking up.

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

"Our facilities are available to rent," explained the Bees boss when asked about Alli training at The Hive.

"We don’t live in Disneyland down at our level so our lads have to pay their bills, pay their mortgage and we don’t get 10,000, 20,000 [on the gate] a game. So renting our facilities out was part of the business process at our place and it looks like Dele’s done just that.

"I’ll take him all day long. You would be mad not to take him. He’s a serious footballer and look, he’s going through a real tough time. There’s obviously some kind of issue why people haven’t taken him on. Everyone deserves a second chance in life.

"At our football club we have lots of lads that train with us that are out of contract and if Dele wants to come train with us the doors are open. He can use us to get fit and train with the group."

Barnet are the unbeaten leaders of the fourth tier after seven matches. Their games against Crawley Town and York City over the next two Saturdays have both been postponed due to international call-ups.

Alli hasn't played competitively since he was sent off on his single, brief appearance for Como against AC Milan in March 2025.

The former Everton midfielder, who has 37 senior caps for England, had signed for Fabregas' side two months earlier on what was originally an 18-month contract.

He was released and left the Italian team last September, and has yet to secure a new club.

Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White is reportedly open to leaving the club next summer.

Gibbs-White secured a belated call-up to the current England squad after a number of players withdrew through injury. The 26-year-old was widely considered the most unjustified omission from the original 27-player selection.

He's been in impressive and productive form for Forest both in the calendar year overall and in the early part of the new season. As a player in demand, it was by no means certain he'd still be playing for Forest in 2026/27.

'Several leading clubs' are interested in Morgan Gibbs-White

Interest in the former Wolverhampton Wanderers youngster is plentiful, and Football Insider has claimed anew to have been told that Gibbs-White could push to leave Forest at the end of the season.

"The attacking midfielder is understood to be happy to stay at the City Ground if they can secure European football again, but is likely to look elsewhere if not," reports Pete O'Rourke.

"Sources say that several leading Premier League clubs are keen to offer him a move within the next 12 months, and an opportunity to play at the elite European level would be "hard to ignore" for the player.

"Gibbs-White is currently the highest-paid player in Forest's squad, but there is an element of uncertainty surrounding his contract situation.

"His current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2028, after Forest were only able to get him to commit to a three-year deal last summer."

Gibbs-White's 2025/26 performances were produced in the wake of a dramatic summer at the City Ground, where Forest were bumped up to the Europa League after Crystal Palace were demoted, but had to dig in to keep their captain.

Tottenham Hotspur triggered a £60 million release clause in his previous contract, sparking an angry reaction from Forest and owner Evangelos Marinakis, a threat of legal action and, ultimately, a shocking non-departure.

Gibbs-White helped Forest to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League despite working their way through four managers last season, and has hit the ground running this time around.

He started all five Premier League matches before the international break, scoring once and assisting two of Forest's four league goals.

After making his first two senior international appearances under interim boss Lee Carsley, Gibbs-White collected his next four caps on Tuchel's watch but hasn't played for the Three Lions since last October.

Manchester United have been handed a boost in their long-standing pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

United have been linked with De Jong for years and could finally have their chance to take the 29-year-old to Old Trafford.

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona sporting director Deco plans to bolster Hansi Flick's defence in the January transfer window. Consequently, the Catalan giants will need to make a big concession.

Barcelona 'need to sell' in January

"The club finished the summer having invested €174 million in signings and generating €104 million in revenue from transfers and economic rights," reports Fichajes.

"Planning is not yet complete, and defence has become a key focus in the analysis for the second half of the season.

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

"The economic situation will dictate any move. La Liga has set a squad cost limit of €582 million for FC Barcelona for the 2026/27 season, compared to the €432 million limit after the previous winter transfer window."

Barcelona's position, therefore, is that they need to sell to buy. If Deco is to be able to bring in a defender of the kind of quality required to improve a team still on a perfect start seven games into the season, they need to sell big.

De Jong is yet to play this season and will face a battle to win his place back in a winning side. He is nearing a return from a knee ligament injury he sustained during his World Cup campaign with the Netherlands, and will be assessed by Barcelona after the international break.

Man United and De Jong has seemed like a destined romance at times over the years. The Red Devils are understood to have tracked him throughout his time at Ajax and have repeatedly been credited with an interest in signing him from Barcelona.

The Dutch midfielder was in United's sights in 2024, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2026. He has since signed an extension that ties him to the Catalan club until 2029.

De Jong joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019 and has played for them almost 300 times, winning three league titles and establishing himself as a senior figure in the national team.

He played 38 club matches in all competitions in 2025/26 and started all six of the Netherlands' matches at the World Cup, where they were ultimately eliminated on penalties – after he'd been substituted in extra time – by Morocco.

De Jong has now played 70 times for his country but will miss the start of their Nations League campaign this month and next.

Alejandro Garnacho is facing an Aston Villa exit already.

That's according to a new report, which says that the Argentine isn't favoured by manager Unai Emery, and has been offered an exit route from the Midlands already.

Aston Villa signed Garnacho on loan from Chelsea with a £43 million buy clause over the summer, but with the winger limited to just half an hour in claret-and-blue so far, it appears his Premier League career is spiralling.

Alejandro Garnacho given Aston Villa exit route already

Garnacho broke through at Manchester United as a teenager, but signed for Chelsea last summer in a cut-price deal, and failed to establish himself under either Enzo Maresca or his successor, Liam Rosenior.

While the Blues signed Morgan Rogers for a club-record fee in the summer, Villa took Nicolas Jackson and Garnacho off new manager Xabi Alonso's hands – but fellow Basque boss Emery has instead favoured youngster George Hemmings on the left flank.

The Mail have reported that Spanish clubs are already eyeing a move for the 22-year-old, who is already considering his future after a lack of opportunities thus far.

The situation has clear parallels with another signing that didn't work out in the shape of Harvey Elliott, who joined the Villains on loan from Liverpool with an option to buy last summer.

When it became clear that the eventual Europa League winners would have to fork out £35 million to make the move permanent, the Reds midfielder made just four Premier League appearances and was frozen out of Emery's plans – somewhat controversially, to some fans, given his clear potential.

While the conditions of Garnacho's move to Villa are undisclosed, it appears as if history is repeating if Emery has no intention to play the winger – though the situation differs slightly from Elliott's.

Given that Elliott had already appeared for Liverpool by the time he made the move to Villa, he was ineligible to play for a third club when the January transfer window came around.

Garnacho, however, hasn't played for Chelsea this season – meaning that a January move is still possible.

The Madrid-born forward is worth €28m, according to Transfermarkt. Villa host Brentford when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

Arsenal star Jurrien Timber has missed group training on international duty with the Netherlands.

The news may come as a concern to Arsenal fans, who have only just welcomed the full-back back to the fold in the last few Premier League matches.

Timber even missed the midweek Carabao Cup clash away to Ipswich Town last week, as he steps up his return from injury.

Mikel Arteta has a problem with Arsenal right-back workloads

After picking up an injury in the run-in of Arsenal's Premier League-winning season, Timber returned to the bench for the Champions League final, but wasn't fit enough to go to the World Cup with the Netherlands.

The Dutchman has been stepping up his recovery at the start of the season, with Ben White featuring at right-back – but now, White has picked up another injury on the cusp of the international break.

As reported by Voetbal International via Sport Witness, Timbers' native Netherlands, the Gunners have been liaising with new Oranje coach Xavi Hernandez over a modified schedule for Timber, with the defender sitting out of group training recently.

This individual programme suggests that the star won't be risked against Germany this week, after completing an hour against Brighton & Hove Albion – a fixture in which Declan Rice moved to right-back.

Now, however, Rice has also been sidelined through injury, pulling out of Thomas Tuchel's England squad.

This leaves the Gunners short on cover at right-back, with Cristian Mosquera still out with a knee problem and William Saliba's back injury meaning that new signing Ezri Konsa has played exclusively in the centre since joining over the summer.

Bruno Guimaraes, meanwhile, has had a slow start to his career in N5 after picking up a knock in the first Premier League fixture of the season at home to Coventry City.

The champions have picked up 12 points from a possible 15 after defeat at the Amex on Saturday afternoon, with this three-week break giving Arteta a chance to get players back from injury.

Timber is worth €65 million, as per Transfermarkt. Arsenal take on Leeds United when Premier League action returns after the international break.

Arsenal star Viktor Gyokeres is edging towards a January exit.

The Swede signed for the Gunners last summer as a long-awaited focal point in attack to spearhead manager Mikel Arteta's side – and his first season back in English football was, on paper at least, a success.

But though Gyokeres netted 21 goals in all competitions and was Arsenal's top scorer, as they won a first Premier League title in 22 years and reached just a second-ever Champions League final, it hasn't all been plain sailing.

Viktor Gyokeres' Arsenal exit gathers pace, as Milan plan 'expensive' move

Despite his healthy goal return as Emirates Stadium no.9, Gyokeres has been criticised at times over the last 12 months for his all-round game, with his hold-up play and aerial threat severely lacking.

FourFourTwo understands that the 28-year-old was touted for sale over the summer – and with Arteta opting not to bring Gyokeres off the bench in the Premier League before the transfer window closed, Kai Havertz has been preferred in attack.

PianetaMilan reports that Milan are weighing up a move for the centre-forward, with exploratory contact explored.

The Rossoneri signed Goncalo Ramos over the summer but the Portuguese has struggled to hit the ground running – and new manager Ruben Amorim can certainly unlock the best of Gyokeres, as proven during his stint at Sporting.

The Swedish international struck 97 times in 102 matches in Lisbon, with a league return in Portugal of better than a goal-a-game, prompting Arsenal to secure him as a much-needed killer in attack.

Gyokeres' poor appearances in Europe and the Carabao Cup, however, have suggested that Havertz is the undisputed first-choice centre-forward at Arsenal, while Mikel Merino also offers presence in attack.

FourFourTwo understands that Arsenal are still keen to improve in attack, with Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard all departing over the summer – and only Christos Tzolis replacing the trio.

This new report suggests that Milan would like a loan deal, with the 28-year-old unhappy with his lack of playing time – and FourFourTwo believes that the player himself would rather play elsewhere than sit on a bench for the Premier League champions.

Arteta is still interested in Julian Alvarez, who has yet to be fully reintegrated at Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona have cooled their interest.

Gyokeres is worth €65 million, as per Transfermarkt. Arsenal take on Leeds United when Premier League action returns after the international break.

Arsenal have been given fresh optimism of signing a striker in the January transfer window.

After winning all six of their opening fixtures of the season in all competitions, Arsenal came unstuck at the Amex at the weekend, with a 3-0 loss to a rampant Brighton & Hove Albion, highlighting some of the underlying issues that the Gunners have had despite great early-season form.

While not solely the reason for the defeat, manager Mikel Arteta had a distinct lack of pace in his frontline and from the bench, while Kai Havertz missed a one-on-one late on to salvage a consolation goal.

Arsenal could be back in for Julian Alvarez

Arsenal keenly pursued Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid over the summer, but the Argentine chose to remain in Spain, after practically burning bridges with his employers to force a move to Barcelona, which never materialised.

With Atleti flat-out refusing to sell to Barça, the Catalan giants pivoted and have fielded Raphinha as a centre-forward instead, to spectacular effect: the Brazilian has 14 goals in just eight games this season, with the Blaugrana having netted 31 times in seven La Liga fixtures.

According to Fichajes in Spain, Hansi Flick's side have moved on from the idea of signing Alvarez with pressing concerns elsewhere in the team – especially in defence, with a lack of options at centre-back.

The former Manchester City striker, meanwhile, has started just once for Diego Simeone since the World Cup – the opening Champions League loss to Liverpool – with Los Colchoneros winning the Madrid Derby at the weekend with summer signings Kang-in Lee and Jonathan David paired in attack.

The situation certainly gives Arsenal hope that a midseason move could suit all parties: with Alvarez clearly unhappy at the Metropolitano and Raphinha on fire, Arsenal may well represent a sensible option, even on loan.

With Alvarez's value seemingly tanking by the week and Arsenal keen to add firepower, even a short-term move could help rehabilitate the 26-year-old's fortunes ahead of a potential summer move.

Arteta, meanwhile, appears to have lost confidence in Viktor Gyokeres, with the Swede yet to start a Premier League match this term and disappointing in his appearances in Europe and the Carabao Cup.

FourFourTwo understands that Arsenal are evaluating all options ahead of the winter transfer window, with Max Dowman's status within the squad a possible knock-on effect for any move.

The teenager was preferred off the bench to Noni Madueke on Saturday afternoon, but while a loan move of his own could provide him with significant minutes in his development, he may well grow in importance to a team who lost Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard in attack over the summer, replacing the trio with just Christos Tzolis.

Alvarez is worth €120 million, as per Transfermarkt. Arsenal take on Leeds United when Premier League action returns after the international break.

A Liverpool offer for a defensive midfielder has been revealed, with the Reds seemingly overrun in the engine room at the start of the season.

New manager Andoni Iraola has enjoyed an unbeaten start to his Anfield tenure – and hasn't lost in the Premier League since January – but there are huge concerns over his squad and the inbalance of profiles at the Basque's disposal.

With several big-money talents on the left and in attack, there are no qualms about Liverpool's attacking talent – but questions have been raised about how swamped the Merseysiders are in midfield.

Liverpool DO want a defensive midfielder - and have made a move

This weekend, Iraola fielded a double-pivot of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, in a 1-0 win over his former club Bournemouth.

Seeing Szoboszlai in a two-man midfield has become a fixture of the start of the season, with Reds one-club man Jamie Carragher critical of the club's set-up early in the Premier League season.

A new report from Tuttomercatoweb claims that the Reds made an offer to Aleksandar Stankovic over the summer, with the Inter Milan star having impressed last season at Club Brugge.

Stankovic – son of Inter legend Dejan – was apparently on the table as part of the deal that took Curtis Jones to San Siro, but with the Serbian wanting to remain at Inter, the move never materialised.

The Milan-born Serbian international midfielder has been on the periphery of the Nerazzurri's team this season, however, with a move for more playing time a possibility for January.

Liverpool currently have just Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister as their most senior defensive-minded central midfielders, with Trey Nyoni having impressed in glimpses this season, and FourFourTwo understanding that Iraola is keen to give him plenty of opportunities this term.

Despite bringing in the likes of Bradley Barcola, Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet this summer to strengthen the first XI, Liverpool didn't land every target they set out to acquire.

Yankuba Minteh was high on the wish list to replace Mohamed Salah – but a move was difficult to navigate with the Gambian winger missing the start of the campaign through injury.

Liverpool also have concerns at full-back with 2025's marquee buys Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong both struggling in the early stages of the season.

Stankovic is worth €32 million, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool take on Manchester City when Premier League action returns after the international break.

Arsenal are reportedly in talks with the camp of Real Madrid superstar Rodryo. The 25-year-old is back running after enduring an ACL tear in March.

Prior to his sidelining, the Brazilian was among the Gunners’ firmest targets for left-sided attackers. His return date has been tentatively pencilled in for January 2027.

Mikel Arteta’s side also entered talks with the 25-year-old’s fellow countryman and team-mate, Vinicius Junior, in the summer. Now, Arsenal appear to have been brought full-circle — back to Rodrygo.

Arsenal in talks with Rodrygo’s camp ahead of injury return and January window

If pursuing two of Real Madrid’s attacking Brazilians wasn’t enough, the Gunners also enquired previously about blossoming youngster Endrick. Now, it appears that only Rodrygo remains a realistic Arsenal target.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, the Gunners are in talks with the 25-year-old's camp ahead of his projected January 2027 return date; however, the Brazilian believes he can return sooner.

Real Madrid’s medical staff are behaving cautiously in their treatment of Rodrygo, with a ‘New Year’ return being targeted, but the 25-year-old is determined to beat that timeframe.

The Brazilian aims to be back on the pitch before Christmas, with Arsenal retaining strong interest in the La Liga star for his quality and versatility.

Merely two seasons ago, the 25-year-old recorded 13 goals and nine assists in 50 appearances for the Spanish club. Two terms prior, he bagged 30 contributions in 51.

Rodrygo is under contract until 2028, however, should the Real Madrid man return from injury prior to Christmas, Arsenal are set to make a move for the Brazilian as early as January.

The Gunners reinforced their left flank this summer by securing Christos Tzolis’ services, who has since recorded four assists in seven Arsenal appearances.

Elsewhere, the club allowed Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli — both left-sided attacking options — to depart from London, for the Super Lig and Saudi Pro League respectively.

Only Tzolis and Eberechi Eze stand out as clear options for Arsenal on the flank, as Mikel Arteta’s men pursue an unprecedented Premier League title defence.

Should they move in January, which appears likely, Rodrygo stands tall on the list of transfer options. Arsenal return to English top-flight action against Brighton on Saturday.

Manchester United have been rocked by a major off-field setback after 15-year-old prodigy JJ Gabriel submitted a formal request to leave the club, according to a report by the Telegraph.

Carrington’s standout academy talent has reportedly left the Old Trafford hierarchy in shock by seeking to cut short his development at one of English football's best youth setups.

The news follows a strong start to the 2026/27 campaign for Gabriel, who recently netted a debut hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League against Sabah FK's Under-19 side.

Manchester United set to lose star academy prospect

The teenage forward has built on an excellent season with Man United's U18s - in which he scored 28 goals in 35 matches - before making the transition to the U21s this term.

He has already pitched in with two goals and two assists in his first two outings in Premier League 2.

Gabriel's progress had put him on the cusp of first-team history, until this latest bombshell.

Having met Premier League age requirements by turning 15 prior to August 31, he is officially eligible for senior squad selection this season.

First-team manager Michael Carrick has routinely integrated him into senior training sessions, leading some fans to speculate on the possibility of a record-breaking senior bow before his 16th birthday in October.

However, that no longer looks as though it will be the case with Gabriel reportedly seeking an exit from the club.

The forward will not be short of suitors and there have in the past been rumours that Barcelona made overtures towards the player's family.

Under FA regulations, players cannot sign professional contracts until they turn 17, making Gabriel's connection to Manchester United one which is founded upon schoolboy academy registration terms.

Gabriel's camp has formally requested the cancellation of his registration, bypassing the usual procedures involved with football transfers.

It leaves Man United at risk of losing him for tribunal-set compensation rather than a lucrative fee.

Manchester United have been recruiting aggressively at youth level lately but what could be their next capture has a first-team feel to it.

The Red Devils are in initial talks for boyhood Man United supporter Louis Page, who currently represents Leicester City in League One, FourFourTwo understands.

Page, 18, has registered three assists in four league matches so far this term, including two in the Foxes' recent 4-3 win over Stockport County.

Man United eye Leicester wonderkid

The teenager has been one of the more redeemable aspects of Leicester's poor start to the 2026/27 campaign in the third tier, producing a series of standout performances for Russell Martin's ailing side.

Leicester climbed to 13th with victory at Edgeley Park last weekend but their record of two wins from six matches has them five points off the pace of league leaders Sheffield Wednesday.

Page is an England Under-19 international and has started four of Leicester's six league matches this term.

A creative, holding midfield player, Page signed a contract extension with the Foxes last September tying him to the club until June 2029, however, Leicester's financial situation may necessitate a sale in the near future, particularly if he continues his early season form.

It was rumoured that Page and family were guests of Manchester United for the recent 5-2 win over Ipswich Town, although that has not been confirmed by either club.

The left-footer has links to Manchester with father Don having spent much of his lower and non-league career representing clubs in the area.

Should Man United be successful with a formal approach in the coming months, it is likely Page will be loaned back to Leicester where he will continue his development in a familiar environment at the Foxes' state-of-the-art Seagrave training facility.

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.

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.

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.

The only place to start this week is to reflect on the summer transfer window. It was a crazy deadline day, and the stand-out deal was undoubtedly Enzo Fernandez’s £125 million move from Chelsea to Manchester City.

No matter what you want to say about Fernandez, he's still a good footballer, and Chelsea would be devastated to lose him. He's not a Rodri replacement, because he's not a number six — I think he's a number eight, or someone who can play higher up that can get forward and get you goals.

Clinton was speaking courtesy of Free Bets, home of the best betting sites in the UK.

'Deadline day disappointment but a good window on the whole for Chelsea'

They’ve also brought in Ayyoub Bouaddi, who’s a fantastic young player. And we all know Elliot Anderson’s qualities in the centre of midfield.

It leaves Man City with a very strong squad, especially when you consider that they’ll have either Rayan Cherki or Phil Foden in the number ten role. There’s lots of competition for places, and it’ll be fascinating to see how Enzo Maresca fits them all into his team.

Meanwhile, it was a disappointing deadline day for Chelsea, but they’ve had a very good window overall.

They’ll be gutted not to have got in a replacement for Fernandez, as I know they were trying to sign Manu Kone from Roma and their manager didn’t want to let him go.

And then you look at Lamine Camara, who's a good player from Monaco. It seemed like they only wanted to sell one of Folarin Balogun or Camara, and both of them have ended up staying at the club.

Chelsea have still got Moises Caicedo and Jordan Henderson who play in that position, but I feel like they've left themselves one player short in that position.

A player like Camara would have added the energy that they need in midfield. These are all good footballers, but he gives you that energy going from box-to-box.

Looking elsewhere, and the situation surrounding Malick Fofana was crazy. I know Sunderland’s owner went out to Lyon to convince the player to join. In that situation, I wouldn’t say he was forced to choose Sunderland over Crystal Palace, but I think it was inevitable that he would make that decision in those circumstances.

But I do think that if Palace wanted him, why didn't they just go in earlier? Why are you waiting until the last minute? That's what annoys me with clubs. If you want someone and you think that's your number one target, go and get them earlier in the window. It's crazy how clubs just wait until the end of the window.

Fofana is someone I’ve seen play a lot for Lyon. He’s an exciting player and is a good signing for Sunderland. It is what it is - it was a crazy situation watching it unravel.

If I’m looking at who I think has been the best signing of the summer in the Premier League overall, I’d have to pick Bruno Guimaraes’ move to Arsenal for £75 million. I think he'll be a fantastic signing. That’s closely followed by Youri Tielemans move to Manchester United for £35 million, which seems like the cost of a cup of tea in transfer terms these days!

But I still Man United have left themselves short after this window, and they ultimately failed to bring in a left-back. Crystal Palace brought in Ben Chilwell, and that would’ve been a great option. But he’s only a couple of years younger than Luke Shaw, and they probably wanted a young and hungry left-back.

The one they really wanted was Lewis Hall at Newcastle United and were desperate to get him, so that was a big disappointment for Man United.

I still feel they need to make improvements right along that backline with a new right-back, left-back, and probably a new centre-half too.

In previous windows, they've focused on attackers first and looked at their midfield in this window. I think their focus in the next window has to be in the defensive positions.

Those defensive weaknesses are probably why they won't challenge to win the Premier League at this moment in time.

But the transfer window will soon become a distant memory, as we turn our attention back to the games on the pitch.

The stand-out Premier League game this weekend has to be between Arsenal and Chelsea, which will be the first big test for Mikel Arteta’s side this season.

It will be a massive game, because Chelsea's front three will cause Arsenal's defenders a lot of problems, but Arsenal's attackers will cause Chelsea's defenders problems. So it's an interesting game.

I'm not working, I'll be sat in front of the TV, chilling and relaxing, watching the game. I think it'll be a fantastic match.

We will see where Chelsea really are against the champions, and see whether they are ready to make a title challenge this season.

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.

If it wasn't enough for Manchester City to break the British transfer record on ex-Chelsea man Enzo Fernandez, willingly handing him Kevin De Bruyne's shirt number rather than retiring it, even just temporarily, tells you everything you need to know.

Premier League fans have had it easy when it comes to making that claim, yet the Cityzens keep giving them ammunition.

If being the defining figure across six English top-flight title wins isn't enough for a statue, a temporarily-retired shirt number, or a dedicated wing at the training ground, what is?

Enzo taking De Bruyne's shirt number so soon is wrong

There will be a section of angry Man City fans that will argue De Bruyne's legacy is not being tarred, and that he will forever be respected, regardless of whether his shirt number is in another player's possession.

But it's the principle: if you secure two PFA Players' Player of the Year awards, six Premier League titles, four Playmaker Awards, all as the cornerstone of City's golden era, that number belongs to you.

Whether De Bruyne himself minds or not, it's a show of respect that any serious clubs should offer to the legends that define them.

And before the question is raised: yes, Manchester City are different to other clubs that didn't retire the shirt numbers of other defining legends, such as Wayne Rooney's '10', or Steven Gerrard's '8'.

That is because, in the grand scheme of history, De Bruyne is more akin to icons at Liverpool and Manchester United in the 20th Century. Besides, '17' is far easier to retire as a number than the aforementioned pair.

The club does not possess the same history as its closest rivals, and it is De Bruyne who will go down as one of the first-ever Manchester City legends that raised the club to its ever-growing present.

But to give his number away within two years, to the first player that asked for it? Not even a buffer period, or to a player who has earned the right to 'stand where he stood'?

Nobody is asking for the Belgian's '17' to be withheld indefinitely — although, it's not the worst idea — but to give it to Enzo?

The same Enzo disciplined for singing homophobic and racist chants with his national team, who wielded an anti-Falklands banner in the summer after beating England, and got himself sent off by turning Pau Cubarsi into Simone Biles in the World Cup final?

The same Enzo who practically begged for a Real Madrid move while at Chelsea, and was removed from the squad ahead of an FA Cup quarter-final?

What has always held Manchester City back from being taken as seriously as their Premier League peers, is the idea that players who arrive there do so for money, not for the badge.

It's the idea that Manchester City, more so than their rivals, pay to see success, rather than breed it by creating a culture and environment that superstars would virtually pay to join.

And it's why the Manchester club time and time again are branded by opposition fans as soulless.

But one thing is for certain, the Cityzens have failed to honour one of the few players that nobody doubts adored their club.

If the Belgian's statue is being constructed behind the scenes, they better start carving the stone quicker.

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.

The Premier League’s transfer window is now closed, with various high-profile transfers being made in the dying embers of Tuesday’s deadline day.

English top-flight clubs are still able to pursue free transfers, however, their window to purchase players is closed. Across the globe, various windows remain open, notably Saudi Arabia.

The following football leagues remain able to sign players, the first of which’s deadline strikes at midnight, in the United States of America.

Major Soccer League (MLS) - Closes 2 September

The MLS is currently experiencing deadline day, with the American league still able to operate in the market and make club-to-club signings.

In recent hours, The Athletic reported that Houston Dynamo were finalising a loan deal for Lyle Foster with Burnley, as MLS sides look to strengthen before the deadline.

They also reported that the Colorado Rapids have signed a club-record transfer of Morgan Whittaker from Middlesbrough, in a deal worth over $10 million.

Saudi Pro League - Closes 12 October

Unlike its American peer, the Saudi Pro League has over a month left yet before its transfer deadline, which is set to close on October 12th.

Transfers to the league have exploded in recent times, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in January 2023. Players are increasingly being enticed by the competition’s financial promise, with many of the world’s highest-paid footballers residing in Saudi Arabia.

Ollie Watkins and Crysensio Summerville are two Premier League players that traded competition for money this summer — both the ex-Aston Villa striker and the Dutchman transferred to Al-Hilal.

Super Lig - Closes 4 September

The Turkish top-flight is another league that has made headlines in recent times, although, never more so than when departing Liverpool legend joined Trabzonspor in early August.

As a free agent, the Egyptian opted against servicing the trio of Istanbul clubs who stake the strongest claims to future Super Lig titles, despite almost joining Besiktas weeks prior.

Notable transfers this window include Romelu Lukaku to Fenerbahce, Rafael Leao to Galatasaray, Leandro Trossard to Besiktas, and perhaps now Richarlison to Trabzonspor.

The clock is ticking slightly quicker in Turkey — their window ends on Friday, September 4.

Other leagues with open transfer windows: Scottish Premiership, Eredivisie, etc

Time is passing even faster in Scotland, with the Scottish Premiership’s transfer deadline falling on Thursday, September 3 at 5pm BST.

Celtic recently welcomed the arrival of Shumaira Mheuka on a season-long loan from Chelsea, hours after seeing Wolves shot-stopper Sam Johnstone join on an identical-length loan.

Even sooner, the Eredivisie’s transfer window will close at midnight on September 2, while the Portuguese top-flight will continue being able to make club-to-club transfers until September 15.

In Mexico and Brazil, the deadline is September 11 for both leagues; the Swiss Super League will see its window close on September 8.