All posts by n8rngtd.top

Chelsea have held talks with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan over building a new stadium at Earl's Court as they plan a move away from Stamford Bridge.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Chelsea planning new stadium
• Exploring new site away from Stamford Bridge
• Talks held with Mayor of London

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea were recently urged by Khan to get in contact with his office to hold talks over their new stadium project. Now, report conversations have taken place between the two parties as they decide whether to redevelop current home Stamford Bridge or leave to build a new ground at Earl's Court.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Entertainment
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea are one of the biggest teams in the Premier League but Stamford Bridge currently holds only 40,341 supporters. Khan himself said the Blues have outgrown their current stadium, having won five Premier League titles alongside two Champions Leagues, and talks are still ongoing to decide where the best possible site would be.

• WHAT KHAN SAID

  While Chelsea declined to give an update of their own on talks with the mayor's office, a spokesperson for Khan said: "The mayor works closely with all Premier League football clubs in London across a variety of matters.

  "The mayor is unaware of any recent formal proposals from the club for the Earl’s Court site. The mayor and TfL can only form a view once they have seen the details of any potential proposals."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Chelsea are currently competing at the Club World Cup but will hope to soon sign off on a plan for a new stadium, having seen London rivals Tottenham, Arsenal and West Ham all move to new digs over the past 20 years or so.

Newcastle have confirmed that striker Callum Wilson has decided to leave the club after the expiration of his contract.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Wilson to search for new club
• Departs Newcastle after five years
• Scored 49 goals in total for Magpies

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Newcastle have confirmed that Wilson has left the club upon the expiration of his contract. The striker joined the club from Bournemouth in 2020 in a £20 million ($27m) deal and went on to make 130 appearances, scoring 49 goals and registering 11 assists. He failed to score a single league goal last season, however, and is now searching for a new club.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wilson, who has won nine England caps, has already been linked with both Leeds and Burnley, as the two promoted clubs seek more firepower ahead of a return to the Premier League. The Magpies have released a statement confirming the forward's exit, and they have claimed the decision was Wilson's.

• WHAT NEWCASTLE SAID

  Newcastle posted on X: "Callum Wilson has confirmed he will depart Newcastle United after five seasons at the club.    From scoring on his debut against West Ham in 2020 to wearing the iconic number 9 shirt, Callum has played a huge part in our success in recent years and we thank him for all his contributions.    Good luck for the future, CW9!"

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Wilson will hope to find a new club swiftly as pre-season training begins up and down the country. Newcastle, meanwhile, play Celtic in a friendly on July 19.

Marseille are set to release six episodes in a documentary format, capturing some fiery behind-the-scenes moments throughout the 2024-25 season.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Marseille set to release six-episode documentary
• Behind-the-scenes moments captured
• Bust-up between Greenwood and team-mate revealed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Marseille have released a trailer for the upcoming documentary, which will be spread across six episodes, with the premiere set to take place this Saturday. In the trailer, footage revolving a training ground bust-up between Greenwood and midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was included, hinting that the documentary will provide raw and uncensored content.

Advertisement

• Getty Images/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Greenwood was often scrutinised for his attitude throughout the 2024-25 season, which saw manager Roberto De Zerbi drop him to the bench for a number of games. In fact, at one point, there were even rumours of Greenwood being involved in a player mutiny against the Italian coach. In the aftermath of a 3-1 loss to Reims, De Zerbi allegedly told the squad, "I won’t train you today," to which the squad responded, "Then we won't train either."

• TELL ME MORE…

  The documentary also shows plenty of fiery exchanges in the dressing room, per RMC Sport. Adrien Rabiot is heard complaining: "We had a sh*tty warm-up. You saw it, there was no commitment, nothing. On the pitch, a different energy, guys, and we're going to do it all together.

  Hojbjerg also reveals his frustrations, saying: "We're talking, we're talking… Stop! Stop! 3-0! One guy down. F*ck off, guys, f*ck off."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Greenwood had a prolific debut season at Stade Velodrome, scoring 21 goals in 34 games to finish as the joint-top scorer of Ligue 1 alongside PSG's Ousmane Dembele. During the season, he broke Didier Drogba's feat of 19 league goals in his debut season at Marseille, while also overtaking Bafetimbi Gomis' all-time record of 20 goals in. His contributions played a huge role in Les Phoceens returning to the Champions League.

Carlo Ancelotti's son Davide is set to accept his first senior managerial role by joining Brazilian side Botafogo. The 35-year-old has been working as an assistant under his father since 2012 and was part of the veteran manager's coaching team at Bayern Munich, Everton and Real Madrid. After Ancelotti became the Brazil national team head coach, Davide had initially joined his staff.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Davide Ancelotti to manage Botafogo
• Will accept his first-ever managerial role
• Joined Carlo as his backroom staff in Brazil national team

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After Ancelotti left the Real Madrid job in May and took on the Selecao head coach role, Davide was in two minds about becoming a part of his dad's coaching staff, as Deportivo La Coruna reportedly had shown interest in the Italian, as well as Rangers. However, he eventually agreed to follow his father to South America.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  now reports that Davide has accepted an offer to become the manager of Brazilian Serie A side Botafogo. The young coach is set to formally join the club this week and start working in his first-ever senior managerial role. The 35-year-old could, however, continue to work as Ancelotti's assistant with the national team, as he does not have a fixed contract with the CBF and is not even obliged to live in Brazil.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Davide comes in as a replacement for former manager Renato Paiva, who stepped down from the position following Botafogo's exit from the Club World Cup after losing to Palmeiras in the last 16.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BOTAFOGO?

  Botafogo will be back in action on Saturday as they take on Vasco da Gama in the Brazilian league. However, Davide is unlikely to sit on the bench this weekend as assistant coach Claudio Cacapa will continue to manage the team as interim boss.

The LAFC star proved to be the spark in what could be his final MLS All-Star appearance, helping avenge 2024 loss

• Tai Baribo named MVP for winner MLS
• Bouanga proves to be catalyst in 3-1 win
• Ramos listless in start for Liga MX

• Getty Images
  

  TELL ME MORE

  AUSTIN, Texas – Major League Soccer roared back to the win column in its summer classic as its All-Stars pulled off a 3-1 victory over top players from Liga MX on Wednesday night at Q2 Stadium. It was an emphatic response by MLS, which endured back-to-back blowout losses in 2023 and 2024 to Arsenal and Liga MX, respectively.

  The Liga MX All-Stars dominated possession early and had an immediate chance to go ahead as Monterrey's Sergio Canales got into the box and launched a rocket towards MLS's goal. Fortunately, for the home side, local All-Star Brad Stuver leapt and stretched across the goal to block his shot.

  LAFC's All-Star starter Denis Bouanga would serve as the catalyst for the home side, as he charged up the pitch off of a counter to create the league's first chance. The winger powered ahead on the left-hand side and attempted a shot on Club América's Luis Malagón.

  The Mexico international goalkeeper blocked the shot, but Bounaga quickly raced for the rebound on the left flank. With Nashville SC striker Sam Surridge charging toward goal, Bouanga launched a curling cross that found the Englishman's head for MLS's opener. Bouanga almost scored just moments later, but it again was saved by Malagon. Surridge was near to pounce on the rebound, but couldn't finish.

  In the second half, with multiple substitutes introduced, the game opened up. Philadelphia Union star Tai Baribo scored thanks to a beautiful through ball from the Columbus Crew's Diego Rossi, but Liga MX responded just 13 minutes later.

  Tijuana and El Tri phenom Gilberto Mora scored unassisted after a defensive breakdown. MLS would put the game to bed after U.S. international and Vancouver Whitecaps striker Brian White scored off hockey assists from the Chicago Fire's Philip Zinckernagel and Cristian Espinoza from San Jose.

Advertisement

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite concerns about attendance due to Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi's decision to skip the game, MLS still managed a sellout in one of its most passionate markets. The league announced it sold 20,738 tickets for Wednesday's event.

• Imagn
  

  THE MVP

  MLS had plenty of strong performances, including that of official game MVP Tai Baribo, but Bouanga's relentlessness set the tone from the onset. The Liga MX All-Stars had no answer for his pace or size and he was unlucky to not get on the scoresheet.

  If his assist doesn't land with Surridge, the game could have had a very different outcome. Bouanga hinted this might be his final All-Star appearance as a member of MLS, with Liga MX powerhouse Club America continuing to be linked with the forward. In either case, he certainly made a strong impression.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Imagn
  

  THE BIG LOSER

  Hard to single out anyone on an All-Star roster, as these teams don't have time to really build cohesiveness or chemistry. But go with Sergio Ramos. The defender reportedly just arrived in Austin Wednesday, and it showed as he wasn't able to contain either Bouanga or Surridge on counterattacks.

  However, credit is due to the 39-year-old for showing up, which is more than what can be said for other stars on both sides of the match.

Pep Guardiola has emphatically claimed that it is "over" for him at Barcelona, with a professional return to Catalonia being ruled out.

• Enjoyed spells as player & coach at Barca
• Has no intention of returning to Camp Nou
• Committed to Premier League post for now

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Guardiola stepped out of Barca’s famed youth system to take in 382 appearances for the Blaugrana as a player, helping them to six league titles and a European Cup triumph. He then returned to familiar surroundings when entering the world of coaching.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He was promoted to first-team manager in 2008 and oversaw an era of tiki-taka-inspired success that saw the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta claim three La Liga crowns and a couple of Champions League triumphs. Guardiola severed ties with the club in 2012 after 247 matches at the helm.

• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  A return has been mooted ever since, but the current Manchester City boss insists that he has no plans to work with Barca again. He told : “It's over. It's over forever. It was very beautiful, but it's over now.”

  He added when pressed on a potential presidential post at Camp Nou: “Noooo! I'm no good at this.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Guardiola remains fully committed to his role in Manchester for now, with City rebuilding on the back of a 2024-25 campaign that delivered no major honours. Their 54-year-old coach said of supposed failures: “Look, one thing about sports is that you can't always win every competition you play. You know why? Because it's impossible. Impossible. So you lose sometimes, well yes, that's part of sports.

  “Michael Jordan was the greatest. He won six rings playing for 15 years. He lost more than he won. Tiger Woods was the greatest. He won 14 Grand Slams. Do you know how many he's played in his life? More than 100. He lost more than he won. In sports, you lose more than you win. I've played in 16 leagues and won 13. So, well, yes, I've lost some. But it hasn't gone badly.”

Former Blackburn Women's star Kelsie Burrows has been hit with a 16-match suspension for an alleged assault on a match official. Burrows was shown a red card after Cliftonville Women secured a 2-0 victory over Glentoran Women on July 25.

• Burrows receives 16-game suspension
• Incident occurred after a win over Glentoran
• Cliftonville will be appealing the decision

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As reports, the incident is alleged to have occurred after the game, with referee Simon Bickerstaff showing Burrows a red card, though the exact nature of the confrontation remains unknown. The win elevated Cliftonville to a strong position in Northern Ireland's Women's Premiership, putting them just six points behind current leaders Linfield with two games still in hand, but the controversy surrounding Burrows now threatens to overshadow their season.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The fallout from the Glentoran match wasn’t limited to Burrows, though. Cliftonville coach Brendan Lynch has also received a three-game touchline ban as punishment for "entering the field of play to confront a match official".

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Burrows' football journey includes two stints with Linfield and a spell in England with Blackburn Rovers in the Women’s Championship. She has been a central figure for Cliftonville since joining in July 2021 from Linfield. The 24-year-old, who is also a Northern Ireland international, played a pivotal role in helping the club secure its first-ever league title in 2022. More recently, Burrows captained the side through a historic 2024 season in which they completed a domestic treble, winning every single match in the league.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  The Irish Football Association has confirmed that Burrows' suspension is effective immediately and will span across all competitions. However, Cliftonville are actively appealing the decision, citing grounds they believe justify a review. Due to the appeal being lodged, Burrows remains eligible to feature in the Reds' next fixture against the Crusaders Strikers on Friday.

GOAL runs through the deals you might have missed amid a hectic summer of transfers for top-flight clubs in England

It feels like just yesterday that the curtain was pulled down on the 2024-25 campaign, and yet we're now just three days away from the opening game of the new Premier League season, which will see champions Liverpool begin their title defence with a home fixture against Bournemouth. Arne Slot's side are favourites to lift the trophy again after a busy summer that has seen the Reds invest almost £300 million ($404m) on new players, including British-record signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, but they are by no means the only club to have splashed the cash.

Arsenal have spent £190m ($256m) to bring in Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera and Kepa Arrizabalaga; Manchester City have signed Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Tijanji Reijnders, Sverre Nypan and James Trafford for a combined £153m ($206m); Chelsea's transfer outlay has hit £250m ($336m) after their captures of Jorrel Hato, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, Estevao Willian, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr and Kendry Paez.

Even fallen giants Manchester United have gone transfer crazy, despite Sir Jim Ratcliffe's claims the club is running out of money, by snapping up Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha for a combined total of £205m ($276m). Many more high-profile deals will likely be pushed through before the September 1 deadline, too, meaning the Premier League's record £2.4bn spree of 2023 could well be broken.

However, not all of the best transfers of the summer so far have been accounted for by the so-called elite clubs. GOAL has picked out the top 10 under-the-radar Premier League signings who will shine brightly in the 2025-26 campaign, starting with a Brazilian powerhouse making his first foray into European football…

• Getty Images
  

  Igor Jesus (Nottingham Forest)

  Described as the "Didier Drogba of modern times" by South American football expert Tim Vickery, Igor Jesus has enjoyed a meteoric rise since joining Botafogo from Shabab Al Ahli in July 2024. The physically-imposing frontman, ironically nicknamed 'The Little Frog', helped Botafogo clinch a league and Copa Libertadores double last season while also breaking into the Brazil national team.

  Nottingham Forest's £10m ($13.5m) investment in Jesus looks like a snip based on how he performed for Botafogo during their run to the last 16 at the Club World Cup. The 24-year-old scored winning goals against the Seattle Sounders and Paris Saint-Germain, and Botafogo were a constant threat on the counter because of his superb hold-up play.

  Jesus is a relentless ball winner with an incredible spring that more than makes up for his 5'10 stature, and should be equally as effective in a similar system at Forest.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Evann Guessand (Aston Villa)

  Aston Villa finally completed their first major transfer of the summer in the first week of August, bringing in Ivorian forward Evann Guessand from Nice. The 24-year-old has become the club's tenth-most expensive signing ever at £30m ($40m), but it looks like a shrewd move given he has the potential to add a whole new dimension to Unai Emery's attack.

  Guessand is versatile enough to operate as No.9 or on either of the flanks, and boasts the strength and speed to be an instant hit in the Premier League. The Ivory Coast international notched 12 Ligue 1 goals for Nice last term, with most of those coming from the right wing, and also laid on eight assists, which suggests he can also provide high-quality service for Villa's first-choice striker Ollie Watkins.

• Getty Images
  

  Antoni Milambo (Brentford)

  Brentford won the race for Antonio Milambo's signature ahead of a host of top European clubs, much to the delight of new head coach Keith Andrews: "I love the way that Antoni takes the ball and drives – he has the ability to go past players and he's a goal threat. He will complement the midfielders we have in the building."

  Milambo may even become the best midfielder at the club if he reaches the same level he did at Feyenoord. The supremely talented Dutchman, who broke into the Feyenoord senior team at 16, registered 16 goal contributions last season, with four of those coming in the Champions League. He's also a pressing monster who looks perfectly suited to Brentford's high-octane style of play and should help to offset the loss of Mbeumo.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton)

  Brighton have added nine new players to their squad this summer in response to losing key names like Pedro, Pervis Estupinan, Simon Adingra and Evan Ferguson as they continue to set the standard as the most efficient club in the Premier League when it comes to transfers. Maxim De Cuyper looks best placed to be the next success story at the Amex Stadium, having been signed from Club Brugge as a like-for-like replacement for Estupinan. 

  De Cuyper is an extremely creative full-back with an eye for goal, as Aston Villa found out to their peril in the Champions League last season. He could also provide a real threat for Brighton with his wicked set-piece delivery, and his defensive awareness is impressive for a 24-year-old. But most importantly, Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler believes he will bring a "winner's mentality" as his team aim for European qualification once again.

Former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been spotted in Greece enjoying a meal with a celebrity chief following his sacking by Spurs.

• Postecoglou currently out of work
• Spotted enjoying life in Greece
• Received healthy payout from Spurs

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Postecoglou was sacked in June following a season where he won the Europa League but oversaw a dismal Premier League campaign. Spurs reportedly ended up paying out around $8 million (£6m) to Postecoglou, and he has been enjoying himself over the summer in Greece following his exit.

Advertisement

• THE GOSSIP

  Stefanos Saratsis has uploaded a video on social media that shows the celebrity chef feeding Postecoglou some steak from his knife in the style of viral star Salt Bae. Postecoglou was dining at Sta Kala Kathoumena on the Greek isle of Paros and seemed to be enjoying the experience as he gestures his approval after taking a bite.

• WATCH THE CLIP

  @stefanos.saratsis

  Thank you mister #angepostecoglou #stakalakathoumena #steakhouse #restaurant #paros #thessaloniki #athens #europaleague

  ♬ πρωτότυπος ήχος – Stefanos.Saratsis

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• TELL ME MORE…

  Postecoglou is yet to return to work after his Tottenham exit. He's been linked with moves to Brentford and LAFC but remains available for work.

AC Milan have agreed a loan deal with Bayer Leverkusen for Victor Boniface, with only personal terms left to be agreed.

• Milan and Leverkusen agree Boniface transfer fee 
• Loan deal with €30m option to buy attacker 
• Vlahovic and Hojlund transfer didn't materialise 

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal to bring Boniface to Leverkusen included an option to buy set at €30 million (£25m/$35m). Milan and Leverkusen have started exchanging formal documents while Boniface’s agent is in Italy to agree personal terms with the Italian club.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Boniface was signed by Leverkusen from Belgian side Union SG for €22m (£19m/$26m). In his first season, he scored 21 goals and provided 10 assists, playing a key role in Leverkusen’s unbeaten Bundesliga title win and their run to the Europa League final. His 2024-25 campaign, however, was cut short by recurring injuries, preventing him from helping Xabi Alonso defend the title. In January, he came close to joining Al-Nassr, but the move fell through as the Saudi club chose to sign Jhon Duran instead. His move to Italy will see Leverkusen lose another key figure from Alonso’s title winning side, with Florian Wirtz joining Liverpool, Jonathan Tah moving to Bayern and Granit Xhaka signing for Sunderland, leaving new manager Erik ten Hag facing a complete rebuild.

• MILAN'S STRIKER PURSUIT

  With Santiago Gimenez committing his future to Milan, Luka Jovic leaving as a free agent, and Tammy Abraham returning to Roma after his loan, Milan were left with only one striker in their squad. Massimiliano Allegri tried to reunite with his former player Dusan Vlahovic, who is in the final year of his Juventus contract, but the Serbian is expected to stay in Turin. Milan also made an attempt to sign Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund on loan with an option to buy, but he could be on the way to Napoli instead.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BONIFACE AND MILAN?

  For Milan and Allegri, signing Boniface strengthens their attack and adds support for Gimenez. For the striker himself, a move to Italy offers the chance to revive his career after spending much of the 2024-25 season sidelined with injuries.