Dribble Diaries

With only a week left in the January transfer window, clubs are trying to obtain new signings before the deadline. Who might be the busiest clubs as the deadline approaches? We looked at five Premier League clubs that sorely need new players before the window closes. Arsenal – Forward Arsenal's refusal to sign a forward in the summer has been used as a stick to beat them with after each disappointing performance this season. The Gunners have remained a powerful set-piece threat and a solid defensive unit, but the absence of a standout goalscorer has been noticeable. Mikel Arteta has kept Kai Havertz as his central forward, despite the fact that Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka's injuries have decreased his team's remaining goal threat. Six teams, including Brentford and Fulham, have scored more open-play goals than Arsenal, indicating a lack of inventiveness and ruthless touch. Arsenal have little room for error in the latter stages of the season, trailing leaders Liverpoo...

It appeared that Atletico Madrid would have a quiet transfer window, but Colchoneros could witness Director of Football Carlos Bucero in solitary action in the final week of the January market. Bucero previously shared transfer choices with Sporting Director Andrea Berta, but with the Italian's departure in early January, he is now solely responsible for that department. Marca claims that Bucero is actively trying to get rid of Thomas Lemar, a French midfielder. The former Monaco player has been healthy for almost a month, but aside from a cameo against Real Betis, he has not yet seen action in La Liga or the Champions League. However, with a contract that is still in effect until 2027, Lemar's high salary and inaction are significant barriers to finding a new home. Bucero, on the other hand, will hunt for a natural 'number 5' in the window's last week. Bucero is eager to provide Diego Simeone with someone who can direct proceedings from the base of the midfield, ...

According to the Daily Mail, Wembley Stadium is a surprise contender to host Barcelona's prospective La Liga title match against Real Madrid on May 11. Barcelona is attempting to find a location for this season's second La Liga El Clasico. Their iconic Camp Nou is still under reconstruction, with delays in the €1.5 billion redevelopment project making the arena inaccessible. Their temporary home at the Olympic Stadium is likewise not viable. Their contract with the stadium officials expires at the end of April, and the facility has been reserved for a Rolling Stones event. Barcelona's board is gathering to discuss options, one of which is to play this high-stakes match elsewhere. Wembley has surfaced as a possible location. In 1992, Barcelona's first European Cup victory took place there. In a historic first for Spanish domestic football, La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) are apparently amenable to hosting the match in England. Although league game...

According to reports, Arsenal have made a hefty bid for long-term striker target Benjamin Sesko. Spanish news outlet Fijaches claims Arsenal has made an offer of €70 million to RB Leipzig for the 21-year-old. Hayters TV understands, however, that a deal for Sesko is unlikely to be completed this month due to RB Leipzig's high demands. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reports that midfielder Sverre Nypan arrived in London on Sunday night for negotiations with Arsenal. Manchester City is also reportedly interested in the 18-year-old prodigy, who now plays for Rosenborg in his home Norway. According to Sky Sports, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund remain interested in buying Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko this week. According to Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle will not sell Alexander Isak this month, despite the fact that he is still Arsenal's "dream" striker acquisition. According to Sky Sports, Chelsea defender Renato Veiga has reached Italy in preparation for finali...

Manchester City has announced the signing of Juma Bah, a talented young defender. The Sierra Leone centre-back has joined the Citizens from Real Vallodolid, where he lasted only half a season after being signed from Sierra Leone club AIK Freetong. The teenager has signed his contract with the Etihad and will spend the rest of the season on loan at RC Lens, whom City already raided this month to recruit Abdukodir Khusanov. Bah becomes Manchester City's fourth acquisition of the January transfer window, after Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, and Vitor Reis. However, the deal has not been without controversy, with Valladolid threatening City with legal action over how they handled the transaction. Nonetheless, there has been some controversy around the agreement, with Valladolid threatening to sue City over their negotiations. After a stint on loan, Bah formally joined the Spanish team earlier this month, but it has been alleged that he declined to practice when he found out City was int...

Spain has announced a new contract for Luis de la Fuente, two years after he took over from Luis Enrique. After nearly a decade of coaching in the Royal Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) youth ranks, de la Fuente assumed control of the senior team in January 2023, following the 2022 World Cup. During his first six months in charge, his hiring was heavily questioned due to his lack of senior football experience and a crushing defeat to Scotland in his second game. However, a Nations League victory that summer silenced critics and sent La Roja on a journey that would culminate in a European Championship. Last summer in Germany, fueled by a passionate dressing room culture and a surge of fresh talent entering the club, de la Fuente's side outperformed every opponent, winning the trophy in the final against England with a late Mikel Oyarzabal goal. The Basque forward, like many of the senior team's current players, is someone de la Fuente knows from his experience coaching...

Arsenal have named interim manager Renee Slegers as their new permanent head coach until 2026, bringing the three-month search to a close. Former manager Jonas Eidevall stepped down in October and is now in charge of the NWSL's San Diego Wave. Since the departure, Slegers has served as temporary manager, and the Gunners' improved record has placed them third in the WSL table, seven points behind leaders Chelsea. Arsenal has won ten of their eleven games under Slegers, drawing once against Manchester United. The stunning comeback also meant they finished first in their Champions League group, beating Bayern Munich 3-2 before Christmas. Slegers represented Arsenal as a kid. The manager's tenure at Arsenal did not begin in September 2023, when she came as Eidevall's assistant. In reality, she was on the club's roster as a 17-year-old in 2006 and 2007. She resided and studied at Oaklands College in Hertfordshire, which is the club's main further education provider....

Eight talking themes for the Premier League weekend, including top-four shootouts and prospective transfer targets. Overachievers compete in an unexpected top-four shootout. Few would have predicted in preseason that Nottingham Forest's trip to Bournemouth in January would have an impact on Champions League positions, yet here we are. Forest drew level with second-placed Arsenal last Saturday with a 3-2 victory over Southampton, while Bournemouth made a statement by beating in-form Newcastle at St James' Park. This weekend's showdown on the south coast is one of the most intriguing of the weekend, pitting the division's top performers against one another. Bournemouth are just three points behind the top four and have gone unbeaten in ten Premier League games, while Forest have won seven of their past eight. This weekend's winners will have a strong confidence that European evenings are just around the way. Mitoma is back to his best at Brighton. Kaoru Mitoma's o...

Kyle Walker has left Manchester City to join AC Milan on loan for the remainder of the season. The Rossoneri will have the option to buy the right-back in the summer, which means his City career might end after 319 games and seven-and-a-half seasons. Walker, who was named City captain last season, has missed the club's last four games after requesting to be removed from the squad in order to pursue a move abroad. And Milan have named him the fourth England international in their squad, joining Fikayo Tomori, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Tammy Abraham, as they attempt to turn around a season in which they are only eighth in Serie A. Walker has not started a match since the Manchester derby in December, and City has only won two of his starts this season. His departure leaves them without a specialist right-back, with Rico Lewis and Matheus Nunes both playing there, and boss Pep Guardiola is doubtful whether City would recruit a replacement for the 34-year-old. However, when he remin...

The January transfer market is expected to heat up in the following days, as clubs hurry to recruit players before the deadline. There is anticipated to be a lot of activity before the window closes, and a number of Premier League players could yet swap teams. We looked at five famous names who are now at the center of speculations. Five high-profile Premier League players who may still change teams this month Alejandro Garnacho. Manchester United may contemplate making large offers for Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, according to reports earlier this month. The revelation stunned the club's faithful, who saw the two players as potential stars. However, Garnacho's possible departure should come as no surprise. He was dropped for the Manchester Derby last month and has struggled to establish himself as a regular in Ruben Amorim's squad. The 20-year-old is clearly talented, but questions about his suitability for the new manager's techniques suggest a sale could occ...

According to German transfer specialists Florian Plettenberg and Philipp Hinze, RB Leipzig and West Ham are negotiating a loan deal for Portuguese attacker André Silva. The German Red Bulls have long sought to offload their pricey transfer fail, and outgoing transfer speculations have swirled around the 29-year-old for quite some time. This season, RB trainer Marco Rose has used Silva 15 times across all competitions. Silva scored a penalty in a matchday 13 victory over Kiel. Silva's move from Eintracht Frankfurt to the Saxon capital reportedly cost RB €23 million. The attacker's failure to thrive at his current club has reduced his predicted market value from €45 million in 2021 to €5 million now. Plettenberg and Hinze indicate that discussions with the Hammers revolve around a six-month loan with the option to buy. It is unclear whether the East London club is willing to absorb some of Silva's expensive compensation.

Man City might face new legal challenges following complaints from Spanish club Real Valladolid over how they handled the acquisition of 18-year-old defender Juma Bah. The Sierra Leonean star, who has been a standout player at Valladolid, is at the center of a disagreement that might land City in legal trouble. Real Valladolid accuses Manchester City of "tapping up" the youngster Valladolid believes that Manchester City influenced Bah's decision to activate his €6 million release clause, which they believe violates transfer laws. According to The Telegraph, the Spanish club accuses City of "tapping up" Bah, which is the practice of approaching a player without the approval of his current club. Valladolid claims that City's alleged intervention caused Bah to quit early, resulting in a legal headache. Bah, who joined Valladolid on loan from Freetonians SLIFA in August 2024, started out in the reserve squad but rapidly moved up to the first team. The Sierra...

Five of the best football matches to watch this weekend, including an unexpected top-four clash in the Premier League and Antonio Conte's reunion with his former club. Bournemouth versus Nottingham Forest. Few predicted a Champions League shootout in preseason, but the Premier League's surprise packages will face off this weekend. Forest have won seven of their previous eight games and are level on points with second-placed Arsenal, while Bournemouth are undefeated in ten and soaring under Andoni Iraola. Will the Cherries' high-intensity football triumph? Or will Forest find delight on the counter? It's an enthralling matchup between two teams dreaming of European evenings. The fact that it is set at 3 p.m. on Saturday is criminal. Do better, broadcasters. Atletico Madrid versus Villarreal. Atletico Madrid lost first place in La Liga last weekend after a shocking defeat against Leganes. Though their winning streak was broken, Atleti rebounded in Europe to defeat Bayer L...

Real Sociedad are still in danger of missing out on the Europa League knockout rounds after losing 3-1 to Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico. Imanol Alguacil chose his strongest lineup for the encounter in Rome, but La Real struggled from the start, falling down within the first five minutes. Taty Castellano sent the ball to former Real Madrid defender Mario Gila after a set piece, and the Spaniard blasted past Alex Remiro and into the goal. Later in the first half, Javi Lopez received a second yellow card for a clumsy foul, making things even worse for La Real. To make matters worse, Lazio will score again in a row just moments later. First, Mattia Zaccagni scored after Gustav Isaksen set him up, and then Castellanos, who was on loan at Girona during the 2022-23 season, added to his first assist. At that moment, Imanol and La Real were focused on limiting their damage. Brais Mendez, Mikel Oyarzabal, Martin Zubimendi, and Takefusa Kubo were all substituted before the second half began so ...

Randal Kolo Muani, a Paris Saint-Germain striker, has joined Juventus on loan till the season's finish. The 26-year-old joins the Bianconeri after 18 underwhelming months with the French club. The former Eintracht Frankfurt striker joined PSG on the final day of the 2023 summer transfer window, but struggled for form right on, dropping down the pecking order at the Parc des Princes. As a result, the France international was allowed to leave this month, joining Juventus on a six-month loan. Kolo Muani had been linked with Tottenham and Manchester United, but the forward has chosen to join Thiago Motta's side.

Barcelona's defender Ronald Araújo has signed a contract extension until 2031, according to the club. The Uruguayan was highly linked with a move to Serie A club Juventus in the January transfer window, but chose to stay with the Blaugrana and has now demonstrated his dedication with a new contract. After recovering from a hamstring injury, Araújo is expected to play a crucial role for Hansi Flick's team in the second half of the season.

Nottingham Forest have signed experienced striker Chris Wood to a new contract following his outstanding performance for the Garibaldi. Since Nuno Espírito Santo's arrival at the City Ground, the 33-year-old has emerged as one of the Premier League's most dangerous marksmen, propelling an unexpected bid for Champions League football next season. And, with his current contract about to expire at the end of the season, he has now signed a new two-year deal at the City Ground that will keep him with the club until June 2027. While Forest looks for a long-term replacement, Wood continues to shine for the Tricky Trees.

Riccardo Orsolini was distraught after limping off during Bologna's Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund and will be out for around a month. The winger was in the starting lineup at the Stadio Dall'Ara on Tuesday, but he injured a muscle in his right thigh and was in tears as he hobbled away during the first half. The club's medical staff confirmed today that Orsolini has a Grade I lesion to the femoral bicep in his right thigh. The same release says that he will be out of play for around 3-4 weeks. Orsolini limped off during Bologna's victory. Bologna had trailed 1-0 after an early Serhou Guirassy penalty but Thijs Dallinga and Samuel Iling-Junior scored twice in 60 seconds to complete the comeback. Although it was their first victory of the season, it was insufficient to keep the squad from being mathematically eliminated from the playoff race.

Aston Villa have named Natalia Arroyo as their new WSL Head Coach. Arroyo comes from Real Sociedad, where she served four seasons as manager, guiding them to a Copa de la Reina final and second place in Liga F. "We are delighted to welcome Natalia to the football club," said Villa's Head of Football Operations, Monchi. "Natalia struck us with her enthusiasm for football and attitude to coaching. "We believe she has all the necessary tools to succeed at Aston Villa." The Spanish coach has signed a three-year contract and will take charge of the squad before next weekend's Barclays WSL match against Chelsea, pending visa permission.

This was a huge game in the penultimate week of the 2024-25 Champions League league phase. Both Manchester City and PSG were in danger of being eliminated from the league phase, since they were at the bottom of the standings. Man City earned eight points from six games, while PSG had seven and stood outside the knockout stages. There was a real possibility that one of these teams would be eliminated if they lost. And that may be Manchester City. The 2022-23 European champions have underperformed in all tournaments this season, including the Champions League. That trend continued in the first half, with Erling Haaland getting only ten touches and completing three passes. Man City appeared to be back on track inside 10 minutes of the restart, with Jack Grealish and Haaland putting Pep Guardiola's side ahead 0-2. Then the wheels fell off. And we should not be surprised. Following halftime, there was a lack of concentration. Manchester City may have gone two goals ahead in the first te...

Manchester City have spent more than £120 million in a week, signing striker Omar Marmoush for €70 million (£59 million). The Egypt international joins from Eintracht Frankfurt, giving City three signings in four days, following Abdukodir Khusanov on Monday and Vitor Reis on Tuesday. Marmoush, the Bundesliga's second highest scorer this season, completed a medical in Manchester and signed a four-and-a-half-year contract. The 25-year-old is a late developer, and Eintracht is profiting handsomely after signing him on a free transfer in 2023, with his fee potentially rising by another €5 million in add-ons. Marmoush has scored 20 goals and provided 13 assists for Eintracht this season, and City believes he possesses the qualities of a top forward. Marmoush stated, "This is a day I will never forget." Signing with Manchester City, one of the top teams in the world, is an incredible feeling. My family and I are overjoyed to be here in Manchester. "Pep, his coaching tea...

Atletico Madrid's 2-1 comeback triumph over Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday was a historic moment for the hosts, but it was also a tense match. Several flashpoints occurred during the 90-minute match at the Metropolitano, one of which occurred soon before halftime when the visitors took the lead. As the Leverkusen players celebrated Piero Hincapie's goal, Jeremie Frimpong kicked Margarita's bouquet of flowers, which had been placed in the corner of the pitch as a tradition at home games for the past 30 years. Atleti supporters were outraged by the Dutch defender's actions, which they saw as extremely disrespectful. Immediately following the celebrations, defender Jose Maria Gimenez, a Los Colchoneros returnee from injury, approached him aggressively. However, he has now stated that he was unaware of this and apologized to the club and its followers via his X account. "After yesterday's game, I learned about the Metropolitano's flower bouquet tradition. I was...

Following Tuesday night's exciting Champions League matches, there was another complete round to digest on Wednesday. Another defeat from the jaws of victory for Manchester City. Much of the pre-match buzz focused on Manchester City's ability to regain control after a prolonged crisis. 14 goals against Ipswich Town and Salford City, as well as a 4-1 win over West Ham in the Premier League, led many to believe that business as usual had resumed. There was no evidence to suggest otherwise after PSG's goal was called out for offside, allowing City to take charge with two goals in as many minutes. However, it appears that the cracks were just papered over, as PSG increased the pressure after taking a 2-0 lead and smashed four goals past Ederson. Let's not underestimate PSG's performance on the night. João Neves (20) and Bradley Barcola (22) were standout performers. From a City standpoint, however, there is a trend here, as Guardiola's club has been defeated nine t...