Liverpool wonderkid Giovanni Leoni sent out a positive message after undergoing Anterior Cruciate Ligament surgery. Leoni suffered knee ligament damage when making his competitive debut for the club in a Carabao Cup clash with Southampton last week and will not remain out of action for almost a year. The teenage defender only moved to Anfield over the summer from Parma.
Nottingham Forest are keen to strengthen the ranks before the window shuts and have now opened talks with an experienced international over a move to the City Ground, according to a report.
Creating a backdrop of intrigue, the furore over Crystal Palace’s expulsion from the Europa League that led to Nottingham Forest taking their place fanned the flames of an entertaining 1-1 draw between both sides at Selhurst Park last weekend.
Furthermore, Nuno Espirito Santo’s uncertain future and links with Ange Postecoglou replacing him at the City Ground haven’t quietened things down, albeit the Portuguese boss appeared to cool talk that he is set for an imminent exit.
He told Match of the Day: “I am a person that thinks a lot before saying anything. I say because I believe that things can improve but now is a moment to ignore the noise and focus on what I have to do. My job is clear.
“Of course, there will be resolution. Everything is going to be OK, for sure. It is the moment to sit down and talk. More important is how we play football and I think we are improving, trying to adjust some things and that is where my focus is.”
Speculation is rife over potential additions and AS Monaco midfielder Soungoutou Magassa is on Nottingham Forest’s radar to strengthen their midfield amid competition from West Ham United for his signature.
Matty Cash could also pitch up at the City Ground to provide competition for Ola Aina at full-back, and many suspect there will be more signings to come as Espirito Santo looks to build a squad capable of challenging for continental qualification once again.
According to The Guardian, Nottingham Forest have opened talks to sign Fenerbahce goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic and he is open to a Premier League move before the window draws to a close.
The Croatia international, who has been capped 66 times by his country, is wanted to provide competition for Matz Sels between the sticks and his current employers would be willing to let him leave Istanbul should the correct fee be put on the table.
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Praised by Luka Modric for his role in Croatia’s penalty shoot-out victory over Japan at the 2022 World Cup, the 30-year-old kept nine clean sheets in 32 appearances last season, maintaining a save percentage of 66.2%.
Ante Budimir also lauded Livakovic’s “absolutely unbeliavable” contribution on that famous night in Qatar, though he has now fell out of favour under Jose Mourinho and could be set for an exciting new challenge.
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have made their interest known over the last few years. However, Livakovic would provide genuine competition for Sels and Angus Gunn as the Tricky Trees juggle domestic and European endeavours.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are now looking to sign an attacker who has scored 51 Premier League goals, in an out-of-window free transfer.
Vitor Pereira oversaw quite the turnaround at Molineux last season, leading his once relegation-threatened side to comfortable safety, but it would be fair to say the manager has made a disappointing start to the new campaign.
Indeed, Wolves are the only Premier League side yet to pick up a single point, most recently suffering a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Everton, which is arguably their most disappointing result up to this point.
The only respite for the Old Gold came in the EFL Cup, with Jorgen Strand Larsen bagging a brace to help them progress past West Ham United, and there has since been encouraging news about the striker’s future, with it being revealed talks have been opened over a new deal.
However, the Norwegian may need some support in attack if the Wanderers are going to avoid relegation this season, and they have now joined the race for a new attacker.
That is according to a report from Spain, which states Wolves are now looking to sign Dele Alli, who is available on a free transfer after recently being released by Serie A side Como.
The Old Gold could sign Alli in an out-of-window move, given that he is out of contract, and it appears as though they want to get a deal done soon, with the report stating they are looking to strengthen their midfield at this ‘critical point in the season’.
However, Pereira’s side are not the only English club to have expressed an interest, with it being revealed that Ipswich Town are also in the race for his signature.
It would not be a huge risk to sign the 29-year-old, given that Wolves would not be required to pay a transfer fee, but it would still have to be considered a gamble, considering the attacking midfielder has struggled ever since leaving Tottenham Hotspur.
During his time in north London, the former Spurs man established himself as a Premier League star, bagging 51 goals and 35 assists in 194 top-flight appearances, but he has since found it difficult to hit those heights.
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In his most recent stint in the Premier League, the ex-Everton man was unable to make an impact at Goodison Park, failing to provide a goal or an assist in 13 outings for the Toffees.
As such, it would perhaps be best to avoid a move for Alli, unless he is willing to join on a pay-as-you-play deal.
Jose Mourinho has piled the pressure on Roberto Martinez as the Benfica boss insisted that Portugal must aim to win the World Cup next year. The Selecao boast one of the best squads in Europe with players like Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva in midfield and an attack spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal are also fresh from winning the Nations League this year.
Elyaz Zidane, son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, is emerging as one of the brightest revelations of the U-20 World Cup in Chile. Playing at the heart of France’s defence, the 19-year-old has logged the most minutes in Bernard Diomede’s side, displaying composure and maturity that go beyond his age and the immense weight of his surname.
Tennis star Taylor Fritz has now revealed he is a “massive fan” of a Manchester United and Premier League legend.
The eighth edition of the Laver Cup is set to get underway at San Francisco’s Chase Center this Friday, with Team Europe looking to retain their title, after defeating Team World in a thrilling encounter on home soil in Berlin last year.
Team Europe seemingly have a good chance of getting a sixth Laver Cup victory on the board, given that ATP World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz will be heading out to the USA, alongside Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Jakub Mensik and Flavio Cobolli.
However, it must be noted that Team World also have a strong line-up, which features Reilly Opelka, Joao Fonseca, Alex Michelsen, Francisco Cerundolo, Alex de Minaur and Fritz.
With a current ATP ranking of No.4, the American is undoubtedly the stand-out player for Team World, and he heads into the competition off the back of a relatively strong showing in the most recent singles Grand Slam, reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open.
The 27-year-old is yet to win a Grand Slam, coming closest in the 2024 edition of the US Open, when he was defeated by Jannik Sinner in straight sets in the final.
Not only is the 2024 US Open finalist one of the best tennis players in the world, but he is also a big football fan, and he has previously named Manchester United and Premier League legend Cristiano Ronaldo as one of his inspirations.
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As pointed out by the tennis star, Ronaldo has faced accusations of arrogance throughout his career, but his mentality has led to great success, winning five Ballon d’Ors, three Premier League titles and five Champions Leagues.
The 40-year-old is also way out in front as the top goalscorer in Champions League history, scoring almost double the amount of Raul, who is fifth on the all-time list.
|
Player |
All-time Champions League goals |
|
Cristiano Ronaldo |
141 |
|
Lionel Messi |
129 |
|
Robert Lewandowski |
105 |
|
Karim Benzema |
90 |
|
Raul |
71 |
The Portuguese forward is showing no signs of slowing down, scoring 95 goals in 109 games for Al-Nassr, and Fritz will be well-positioned to lead Team World to Laver Cup glory if he is able to replicate Ronaldo’s mentality.
Former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti believes that Kylian Mbappe's departure to Real Madrid did not play a role in Les Parisiens' historic 2024-25 campaign, which ended with Champions League glory. The Italian midfielder defended the 26-year-old Frenchman's accomplishments in Paris and reflected on the team's failure to win the European crown with Lionel Messi and Neymar.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have built their season on defensive solidity.
Heading into their clash with Arsenal, the Magpies boasted the lowest expected goals conceded (xGA) in the league at 2.5, highlighting just how compact and resilient they had been.
That statistic shifted after Arsenal generated 2.04 xG at St James’ Park, pushing Newcastle down to second-best in the league.
Even so, Howe’s side have only conceded five goals all season while keeping four clean sheets, with only Liverpool and Arsenal managing to find the net against them.
Against the Gunners, Newcastle were disciplined and well-drilled, often forcing Mikel Arteta’s side into less threatening areas.
Yet all that hard work was undone in the 96th minute, when Gabriel Magalhães rose highest to score the winner.
It was a bitter pill to swallow given how well Newcastle had restricted Arsenal, but Gabriel’s decisive intervention underlined the fine margins at this level.
The Brazilian’s influence was evident beyond his goal. He disrupted Nick Woltemade and marshalled the defensive line with authority.
His performance earned him a man-of-the-match rating of 8.6 – a reminder of just how important he is to Arsenal’s title push.
Even if there was that one blemish with Woltemade, it’s safe to say he’s become a force in the Premier League in recent years.
Gabriel’s journey at Arsenal since arriving from Lille in 2020 has been one of steady progression.
Now 27 years old and valued at around £70m by Transfermarkt, he has cemented his reputation as one of the Premier League’s most commanding centre-backs.
His partnership with William Saliba has been the bedrock of Arsenal’s recent success.
Together they have anchored a backline that has kept 29 clean sheets over the last two seasons, while goalkeeper David Raya has claimed consecutive Golden Glove awards.
Beyond his defensive qualities, Gabriel provides a consistent goal threat.
His headed winner against Newcastle was his 21st goal for Arsenal, a remarkable tally for a central defender.
That ability to contribute at both ends makes him invaluable to Mikel Arteta’s side. Statistically, he remains a well-rounded force.
|
Gabriel – 2025/26 |
|
|---|---|
|
Matches Played |
6 |
|
Minutes |
540 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Tackles |
8 |
|
Blocks |
12 |
|
Source: FBref |
|
He completes just over 56 passes per match with a 90.2% accuracy rate, while also contributing 4.79 progressive passes per 90 minutes.
Defensively, he averages 0.95 tackles, 0.46 challenges, and 1.6 blocks per 90, illustrating his balance of proactive interventions and last-ditch defending.
His dominance in the air, as demonstrated against Newcastle, adds yet another dimension to his game.
Having also earned 15 caps for Brazil, Gabriel is now a figure of experience and consistency on the international stage.
If Arsenal are to go one better than last season, his blend of physicality, set-piece threat, and defensive nous will be central to their challenge.
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While Gabriel left St James’ Park with the headlines, Malick Thiaw walked away with plenty of admirers after what has been described as an “outstanding” performance.
The 24-year-old German, a £30m signing from AC Milan, is only a handful of games into his Newcastle career but already looks like a player with huge potential.
Thiaw’s numbers against Arsenal painted the picture of a defender unfazed by one of the toughest attacking units in Europe.
He won four of his six aerial duels, cleared his lines eight times, and registered one interception.
Crucially, he was not dribbled past once, underlining his ability to stand his ground in one-v-one situations.
On the ball, he attempted 23 passes, completing 20, showing the composure that made him such an attractive signing.
He sits in the 95th percentile for pass completion among centre-backs in Europe (93.1%), completing almost 59 passes per match.
He averages 4.43 progressive passes per 90, nearly identical to Gabriel’s 4.79, and also attempts more progressive carries, at 0.60 per 90 compared to Gabriel’s 0.38.
Defensively, Thiaw’s 1.19 tackles per 90 outstrip Gabriel’s 0.95, while he also makes 0.70 blocks per 90.
These numbers highlight subtle differences in style. Gabriel excels in last-ditch defending and aerial duels, while Thiaw appears more proactive in stepping out to intercept and more comfortable driving play forward.
Both are commanding presences, titans at the back, but Thiaw’s on-ball security may give Newcastle an edge in building from the back once Eddie Howe’s attacking system clicks.
The prospect of the summer arrival forming a long-term partnership with Sven Botman is tantalising.
Botman’s anticipation and positional discipline, combined with Thiaw’s composure, could provide Newcastle with a defensive pairing to rival Arsenal’s Gabriel-Saliba axis.
Against Arsenal, Thiaw didn’t just look like a stopgap in Fabian Schär’s absence – he looked like a centre-half ready to shape Newcastle’s future.
His performance against the Gunners suggested he has the physicality, intelligence, and technical quality to become one of the Premier League’s standout defenders.
If Newcastle’s rise continues, Thiaw could be at the heart of it.
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Guglielmo Vicario joined an elite club after bailing Tottenham out in the Champions League draw as the Monaco boss, Sebastien Pocognoli, accused the goalkeeper of time-wasting. The keeper turned into an immovable wall as Spurs clung on for a gritty 0-0 draw against a dominant Monaco side. The Italian shot-stopper produced a string of outstanding saves to rescue his side from what could have been a humiliating defeat.
Chelsea will be in the market come January to further their bid for silverware and could now be set to land a heavy discount on a target they have identified at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have been affected by their fair share of injury news lately, and their lack of depth in central defence was highlighted against Liverpool last weekend – a fixture that Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill missed due to various issues.
Josh Acheampong ended up starting in the pivotal victory over the Reds, though he had to be subbed off himself after picking up a knock during proceedings. David Ornstein doesn’t believe his misfortune is as serious as first feared.
He stated via The Athletic’s Youtube Channel, also offering an update on Benoit Badiashile:
Trevoh Chalobah, returning from suspension, will also be a boost for the Blues, who have an away Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest to contend with before quickfire home fixtures against Ajax and Sunderland.
Signing a defender is a major priority in January for Chelsea, and that has only been heightened by the fact that Colwill has torn his ACL, so there will be no shortage of rumours on that front between now and the window opening for business.
With that in mind, attention will soon turn to potential mid-season solutions, and the Blues may now have identified a centre-back who they feel can make an instant impact at Stamford Bridge, should a deal materialise.
According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea could land a heavy discount in their attempts to sign RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba, who has a release clause of just over £78 million.
Nevertheless, this stipulation is believed to be largely symbolic, and Leipzig are ‘ready to accept’ a potential bid in and around the £52 million mark.
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Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Real Madrid are also keen on the France Under-21 international, who has also registered one assist in seven matches across all competitions this season.
In light of their injury problems and frustration at relying on the likes of Wesley Fofana to be available, a discounted move for Lukeba, who’s been called a “very unique” defender, may be a way to solve fitness issues that have plagued Stamford Bridge this term.
Predominantly left-sided, Lukeba has won 26 duels already this term and carried the ball out successfully six times, per Fotmob, illustrating his suitability to Enzo Maresca’s high-octane style of play.
Now, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea can push a deal over the line amid serious interest from elsewhere in the French defender.