Category Other

Why hiring the right director of football for your club is so hard

Until the past decade, most English clubs did not have a director of football or its equivalent. This was long after they were a staple not just at every football club, but just about every professional team in every professional sport everywhere in the world. (For convenience, let’s call the gig director of football (DOF) in this column, though depending on where you are it might be head of recruitment,…

April viewing guide: Finding Champions League final four, more

Georgia qualified for the Euros. Bayern Munich’s title streak all but ended (and they didn’t even steal the coach responsible for it). Manchester City did the opposite of seizing control of the Premier League race. We got ourselves a lopsided Champions League quarterfinal draw (and another “Dos a Cero” between the U.S. and Mexico). March was a lot, and it gave us a lot to keep track of as we…

Transfer Talk: Barca hope Haaland bid will convince Xavi to stay

The summer transfer window won’t reopen in Europe for a while yet, 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! Barcelona have mapped out a plan to sign Manchester City striker Erling Haaland in 2025, according to Mundo Deportivo. The Blaugrana see the 23-year-old as a future replacement…

Source: Man Utd want Wilcox as technical director

Manchester United have made a formal approach to Southampton for director of football Jason Wilcox, a source has told ESPN. Wilcox is United’s top target to become their new technical director as part of the recruitment shake-up being led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The club have made a formal offer of compensation for the former Blackburn Rovers…

Transfer Talk: Man Utd, Bayern target Leverkusen ace Frimpong

The summer transfer window won’t reopen in Europe for a while yet, 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! Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong is on the radar of Bayern Munich and Manchester United, according to Sky Sports Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg. The clubs are said to be…

Arsenal show resolve to lift Conti Cup, deny Hayes quadruple on Chelsea exit

The celebrations were already emphatic after Stina Blackstenius calmly slotted home for Arsenal in the 115th minute of the Conti Cup final, sealing a 1-0 win against Chelsea. They became unequivocal once the final whistle had been blown at Molineux in Wolverhampton, England. You could see what it meant to Jonas Eidevall, the Gunners’ manager, along with his players and fans; elation and relief were written across their faces. Given…

Pep admits title no longer ‘in Man City’s hands’

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City are now “third” favourites to win the Premier League title after a 0-0 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad on Sunday. The result leaves City third in the table, a point behind Arsenal in second and three points adrift of leaders Liverpool. With nine games remaining, the title is out of their hands and Guardiola said his team are now underdogs to claim the trophy…

Sevilla condemn racist abuse in Getafe game

Sevilla have condemned “racist and xenophobic abuse” aimed at defender Marcos Acuña and coach Quique Sanchez Flores during their 1-0 LaLiga win at Getafe on Saturday. The game was stopped in the 68th minute, with a warning issued over the stadium tannoy — following LaLiga’s anti-racism protocol — after shouts of “Acuña, monkey” were heard from the crowd, referee Javier Iglesias Villanueva said in his match report. Sevilla manager Sánchez…

Transfer Talk: Chelsea, Arsenal eye Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres

The summer transfer window won’t reopen in Europe for a while yet, but there are plenty of moves in the works and there is plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals! Sporting CP will require €80m this summer to part ways with forward Viktor Gyökeres, amid Arsenal and Chelsea interest, according to the Mirror. The…

Mead: Chelsea loss will fuel Arsenal in final

Beth Mead has said she believes Arsenal can bounce back from their defeat to Chelsea in the Women’s Super League (WSL) earlier in the month and retain the Conti Cup when they face the same opponents in the final on Sunday. The two teams have one of the longest-running rivalries in women’s football and their meeting at Molineux is a repeat of last year’s Conti Cup final, in which Arsenal…