The summer transfer window is still a way from reopening in Europe, but there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
Cristiano Ronaldo faced a flurry of criticism after appearing to make an obscene gesture following the end of Al Nassr’s 3-2 win over Al Shabab in an exciting Saudi Pro League game on Sunday. The Portugal forward opened the scoring with a 21st-minute penalty, but Al Nassr needed a late goal from Brazilian Talisca, who struck twice, to settle the game with four minutes left. After the final whistle, social…
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United started the week with new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe declaring that he has arrived to “knock Manchester City off their perch” and ended it with a defeat at home to a team with one of the worst away records in the Premier League. If ever there was a day to remind Ratcliffe, the 71-year-old British billionaire, how big a job he faces as United’s…
Sevilla have filed a complaint with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) accusing Real Madrid TV of a “campaign of persecution and harassment” against the referees due to take charge of the two clubs’ LaLiga match on Sunday. Real Madrid’s official television channel has broadcast criticism of referee and VAR decisions before and after the club’s matches this season, leading opponents to accuse them of attempting to influence officials. – Stream…
Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund has been ruled out for up to three weeks with a muscle injury which is set to keep the striker sidelined for the derby against Manchester City. Højlund, who has scored in his last six games, could miss as many as five matches, starting with Fulham’s visit to Old Trafford on Saturday. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The 21-year-old is also unlikely…
Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel on Friday said he was not the only one responsible for his team’s bad form, adding that the club’s decision to part ways with him at the end of the season would give him “more freedom” in his decision making for the rest of the campaign. Bayern this week decided to cut ties with Tuchel at the end of the season, despite his contract running…
Remember the MLS days of plain white shirts with a crest and sponsor? Kits so bland that even copywriters could do little else than call them “clean”? Thankfully, those days are gone as the league is delivering us some surefire heat now. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) MLS teams and Adidas have opted for bold designs and lots of color in 2024, giving us kits that will…
PORTO, Portugal — Mikel Arteta believes his Arsenal side are detached from the club’s historical catalogue of UEFA Champions League round-of-16 exits, but another one beckons if they cannot embrace the occasion better than this. The Gunners will back themselves to overturn a 1-0 deficit from Wednesday’s first-leg defeat against Porto, but to do so they must rediscover the poise and purpose that made them heavy favourites before kickoff. Before…
The German Football League (DFL) said Wednesday it is abandoning plans to sell a stake in its media rights income to an outside investor after months of increasingly disruptive protests by fans. In December, Germany’s first- and second-tier football clubs voted in favour of letting a financial investor take a stake of the DFL media arm in a deal valued at between €900 million ($973.2m) and €1 billion ($1.08bn). –…
It’s been over five years since former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu boarded a flight to the Netherlands to close the signing of Ajax Amsterdam midfielder Frenkie de Jong. De Jong, now 26, was one of Europe’s most in-demand midfielders. He had fielded phone calls from Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, leaving Barça afraid they would miss out on the prodigious Dutch international. In the…