Football

Steven Gerrard has departed from his position as manager of Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq through mutual agreement, despite recently signing a contract extension until 2027. The 44-year-old former Liverpool and England midfielder joined the club in July 2023, but the team's performance this season has been disappointing, with only five victories in 17 league matches. This poor run of form has left the club precariously positioned just five points above the relegation zone in 12th place of the 16-team league. Reflecting on his departure, Gerrard maintained a positive outlook: "Football is unpredictable and sometimes things don't go the way we want. However, I leave with great respect for the club and the country. I have no doubt that the work being done will bring success in the future and I wish the team the very best for the rest of […]

Brazilian football star Neymar is in negotiations to rejoin Santos, his boyhood club, following the mutual termination of his contract with Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal. The 32-year-old Brazilian national team player is anticipated to secure a short-term agreement with the club where he first emerged as a professional. Sources close to Neymar indicate that ending his Al-Hilal contract was the crucial development that enabled this potential return. His time in Saudi Arabia was plagued by injuries, with only seven appearances following his £77.6m transfer in August 2023. His final game came as a substitute in November. Al-Hilal released a brief statement acknowledging Neymar's contribution: "The club expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided at Al-Hilal, and wish the player success in his career." While Chicago Fire tried to bring Neymar to Major League Soccer, holding […]

Kylian Mbappe scored his first hat-trick for Real Madrid, leading the LaLiga champions to a comfortable 3-0 victory over bottom-placed Real Valladolid on Saturday. The French forward opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a clever one-two with Jude Bellingham, beating the offside trap and firing past goalkeeper Karl Hein. He doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a precise left-channel counter-attack, curling a low strike inside the far post. Mbappe completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Mario Martin's red card for a dangerous tackle on Bellingham in added time. The victory extended Real Madrid's lead at the top of LaLiga to 49 points, four ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid, who drew 1-1 with Villarreal earlier that day. Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao follow, level on 39 points with a game in hand. "Happy for the hat-trick […]

Manchester City captain Kyle Walker has agreed to a loan move to AC Milan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy included in the deal. The 34-year-old right-back, who has made 316 appearances for City, will travel to Italy for a medical after expressing his desire to explore opportunities abroad. Walker previously spoke with manager Pep Guardiola about potentially moving, preferring an Italian destination over earlier links to the Saudi Pro League. Walker's transfer comes after a distinguished career at Manchester City, where he has been part of all six Premier League title wins since joining from Tottenham in 2017 for £50m. Named joint captain in 2023, he was part of a five-player leadership group elected by his teammates. The move will occur during an active transfer window for Manchester City, which has already spent approximately […]

Manchester City have signed Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt for 70m euros (£59m), agreeing to a contract until June 2029. Marmoush, 25, has impressed with 15 goals in 17 Bundesliga games this season, second only to Harry Kane's 16 for Bayern Munich. "Manchester City is one of the biggest clubs in the world," Marmoush said, expressing his excitement about joining the team. The versatile player, who can play as a striker, number 10, and winger, described himself as fast, good with the ball, and always wanting to win. City's director of football Txiki Begiristain praised Marmoush's "outstanding pace and awareness" and his versatility. Marmoush's career began with Wadi Degla in Egypt before moving to VfL Wolfsburg in 2020. He had loan spells at FC St Pauli and VfB Stuttgart before joining Frankfurt, where he scored 37 goals and […]

Kylian Mbappe has attributed his recent improvement at Real Madrid to a mental transformation, following initial struggles after his high-profile transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. The French forward, who experienced inconsistent form in his early months at Madrid, has recently rediscovered his peak performance. "You always have to be calm and focus on your game and what you can improve," Mbappe stated at a press conference before Madrid's Champions League match with RB Salzburg. After missing crucial penalties against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao in late 2024, Mbappe acknowledged hitting "the bottom." However, he has since rebounded impressively, scoring eight goals in his last ten appearances across all competitions. "It was more of a mental thing... I knew I was good physically, good with the team, but I had to do more," Mbappe explained. "I didn't come to Madrid to play badly. […]

Marcus Rashford maintains hope of returning to Manchester United's first team despite his ongoing absence from the squad. The 27-year-old forward hasn't played since being taken off during United's Europa League win against Viktoria Plzen on December 12. Following that match, head coach Ruben Amorim questioned Rashford's training performances. Since then, Rashford's only inclusion in a matchday squad came as an unused substitute during the 3-0 home loss to Newcastle on December 30. After United's 3-1 defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford on Sunday, Amorim's comment that "it's his choice" sparked speculation that Rashford had requested not to be considered for selection. However, club sources indicate this was a misinterpretation of Amorim's words, suggesting the former Sporting manager was simply stating that Rashford's future depends on his own actions. Sources close to Rashford emphasize that he remains committed to playing […]

Manchester United honored legendary striker Denis Law, who passed away at 84, before their Sunday match against Brighton with a moving ceremony at Old Trafford. Law, who netted 237 goals in 404 appearances during his remarkable tenure from 1962 to 1973, left an indelible mark on the club's history. His legacy was commemorated as flags flew at half-mast and players donned black armbands, while the traditional sound of bagpipes playing "Flower of Scotland" accompanied the teams onto the field. The stadium fell into a respectful silence as a poem was read, with notable United figures in attendance including Sir Alex Ferguson, Pat Crerand, Alex Stepney, and Brian Kidd. Stadium announcer Alan Keegan captured the sentiment with poetic words: "Beyond the goals the man stood tall, a heart of gold who inspired all. He's still the King of the Stretford End." […]

Former England international Dele Alli is poised to join Serie A side Como following successful completion of his medical examination. The 28-year-old midfielder has been training with the Italian club for the past month, during which time Como has prepared an 18-month contract offer. The proposed deal includes a performance-based extension option for an additional season. Alli has been unattached since departing Everton in June. Following his exit from the Merseyside club, he continued training under then-manager Sean Dyche before undertaking his trial period at Como. The former Tottenham and MK Dons midfielder's last competitive appearance came for Besiktas in February 2023 during a loan spell with the Turkish club. In a candid July 2023 interview with Gary Neville, Alli discussed personal challenges including childhood trauma of sexual abuse at age six and involvement in drug dealing at eight. He […]