All posts by n8rngtd.top

Jobe Bellingham has been among the best players in the Championship this season, and Real Madrid have apparently been keeping an eye on his progress.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Jobe Bellingham enjoying fine season at Sunderland
• Championship star has caught Madrid's eye
• Younger Bellingham could unite with brother Jude

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jobe Bellingham and Jude Bellingham could feature for the same club team in the near future. According to a report from the Sunderland star has impressed Real Madrid, with the Liga side now keeping an eye on the younger Bellingham. A possible link-up between the Bellingham brothers could become a reality in the Spanish capital, should Jude's employers make a move for Jobe.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jobe Bellingham has made 39 appearances in the Championship this season, scoring four times and assisting thrice. He has been one of the pillars of a Sunderland side who will be featuring in the playoffs for a place in the Premier League next season. His dominant displays from midfield were rewarded, as Jobe won the Championship's Young Player of the Season award.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Madrid are not the only team to be keeping an eye on Jobe. Reports in recent weeks have given rise to speculation that he could follow in the footsteps of his elder brother by making a switch to the Bundesliga. Indeed, RB Leipzig have made it a 'priority' to bring in the Sunderland sensation ahead of the 2025-26 season, while Jude's former team, Borussia Dortmund, have also been credited with an interest in Jobe.

  Meanwhile, Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea have reportedly also joined the race to acquire the young midfielder's signature.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR JOBE BELLINGHAM?

  Sunderland are due to play their final Championship game of the season this Saturday, May 3, as they take on Queen Park Rangers. Sitting in fourth place currently, the Black Cats are yet to learn their opponents for the two-legged play-off semi-final. The first leg will take place next Friday, May 9.

Cristiano Ronaldo missed an easy goalscoring chance in the final minutes as Al-Nassr faced elimination from AFC Champions League.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ronaldo squandered an easy late chance
• Al-Nassr out of Champions League
• Went down 3-2 against Kawasaki Frontale in semis

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo and Al-Nassr crashed out of the AFC Champions League semi-final as they went down 3-2 against J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale on Wednesday. Al-Nassr were trailing 3-1 at one point in the second half before Ayman Yahya pulled one back for the Saudi giants in the 87th minute. The Portugal icon then got the easiest chance of the match to restore parity but failed to convert it. Mohamed Simakan sent a long ball into the Kawasaki penalty box that was headed down by Aymeric Laporte to set up Ronaldo one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The veteran forward went past the custodian with a delicate touch, but failed to push the ball into the net with his left foot.

Advertisement

• WATCH THE CLIP

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star has yet to win silverware in Saudi Arabia since moving to the Middle Eastern country in January 2023. With their elimination from the continental competition, Ronaldo is all set to experience yet another trophyless season. In the Saudi Pro League, Al-Nassr are trailing league leaders Al-Ittihad by eight points with five matches to go in the season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR AL-NASSR?

  Stefano Pioli's side will be next seen in action on May 7 as they host Al-Ittihad in a crucial league clash. Ronaldo and Co have to win the game to keep their title hopes alive.

After bidding farewell to Kyogo Furuhashi, Celtic have now reportedly turned their attention towards a fresh attacking option in a deal worth £8m for Brendan Rodgers ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.

Celtic transfer news

Having initially been on course for a quiet transfer window, Celtic have enjoyed a frantic final couple of weeks, resulting in the shock return of Jota. The Portuguese winger officially completed his return less than two years after swapping Scotland for Al-Ittihad and arrives with plenty of making up to do at Celtic Park.

Meanwhile, as one attacking star arrived, another headed for the exit door with Kyogo completing a mid-season switch to Ligue 1 side Rennes, where he will replace Jota. In a swap that suits all parties, it’s Jota who Celtic hope will hit the ground running and pick up where he left off.

Speaking for the first time since returning, the winger told Celtic’s official website: “It’s very nostalgic for me because it was such an amazing feeling and all the moments that I felt through my two seasons here, and I’m just delighted to be back. I’m really excited and I just can’t wait to start.

“The best thing in Glasgow, besides Celtic obviously, is the people, and I feel like I need a place with soul, where I feel at home. This is definitely something I was looking for, and I think there is no better match than Celtic.”

Imagine him & Jota: Rodgers plotting Celtic swoop for £75k-p/w "pitbull"

Celtic need to strengthen in one key position before the deadline

1

By
Ben Gray

Jan 31, 2025

However, the returning star may not be the final incoming through the door ahead of Monday. According to Daily Record, Celtic are now plotting a last-minute move to sign David Strelec from Slovan Bratislava, who value their forward at £8m in the remaining days of the window.

"Excellent" Strelec would be a gamble

If reports are anything to go by, it seems that if it won’t be Mathias Kvistgaarden arriving in the current window, it may well be Strelec. But the 23-year-old would certainly be a gamble at £8m.

Whilst he has enjoyed a clinical campaign for Slovan Bratislava, scoring 15 goals in 35 games, it wasn’t so long ago that he was struggling at Serie B side Spezia, which should perhaps send alarm bells ringing for Celtic.

At this stage, whether Strelec is worth the gamble is a question that only Celtic can answer. After bidding farewell to Kyogo, there’s no doubt that they could do with an attacking addition, but if they are to splash out, it must be on a guaranteed goalscorer.

Meanwhile, despite his Serie B failure, Strelec earned the praise of football talent scout Jacek Kulig for his “excellent” work for Slovakia at Euro 2024 last summer, as he created his side’s goal against England.

With a matter of days remaining until the transfer window slams shut, Celtic must either take a gamble or look elsewhere for attacking options.

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal were "super short" when it came to having a squad capable of mounting a Premier League title challenge this season.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Liverpool ease to Premier League title
• Arteta says Arsenal's squad was "super short"
• Didn't have right "ingredients" to win league

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After Liverpool romped to the Premier League title late last month, Arsenal boss Arteta has admitted his squad did not have the right "ingredients" to challenge Arne Slot's men. The Spaniard added that the Gunners had several players at risk of injury – with Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, and more, all having spells on the sidelines – but "couldn't do anything about it."

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT ARTETA SAID

  He told reporters: "We knew from the beginning of the decision that our squad was super short and being super short we had some players that had a high probability of getting injured, because that’s what they had in the last few seasons. So we knew that and we cannot do anything about it. But that (availability) is a big thing to win trophies, you know, and Liverpool did that extremely well. They managed to maintain that consistency, that level of players, a system, a coach, a stadium that has created again, and consistently, an incredible atmosphere for them. So you need a lot of ingredients or you don't win the Premier League. That's the difficulty of it, and it's true that this season we never found that consistently because of the issues that we had."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  report that Arteta chose to have a smaller squad at Arsenal because he likes a tight-knit group but that gamble has backfired as they stare a fifth-straight trophyless season in the face. The Gunners had the chance to strengthen more last summer and in January, but didn't do so – something Arteta was frustrated about earlier this year. But it seems they won't make that mistake again this summer.

  Arteta added: "We will do everything that we can to improve the team and especially improve the players that we already have and whatever the market offers to give us a better chance to win for sure we will try to do it."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• WHAT NEXT?

  Arteta's Arsenal, who are 15 points behind champions Liverpool with three games to go, travel to Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday.

Chelsea are set to include a new teenager in Enzo Maresca’s first team squad, with the player even drawing comparisons to Moises Caicedo.

Chelsea prepare for FA Cup fourth round tie with Brighton

Fresh off the back of an important win over West Ham in the Premier League on deadline day, Maresca’s side travel to Brighton and take on Fabian Hurzeler’s side in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday evening.

Chelsea held "a lot" of January talks to sign star who'll "become an idol"

This news comes from a club’s former president.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 5, 2025

Having crashed out of the Carabao Cup to Newcastle United, whilst sitting 13 points behind league leaders Liverpool, the FA Cup represents Maresca’s golden opportunity to win a domestic trophy and their first since 2018.

After a tough start to life at Stamford Bridge, club-record signing Caicedo has become a pivotal player for Chelsea, and he’ll undoubtedly play another important role against his former club this weekend.

“I knew him at Brighton as well, as we were team-mates there,” said left-back Marc Cucurella on Caicedo’s importance.

“He is very important, he is very relaxed. He shows everything on the pitch, he’s very hard-working and he’s a very important piece for us. I think he’s one of the main talents of the team, and he shows every game what he can give to us. We’re really happy for him and I’m really happy because I know his first games here were tough as well, but he worked really hard and now he deserves all these moments.”

The Ecuadorian has started all 24 of Chelsea’s Premier League matches this season, earning mainstay status and standing out as the club’s third-best performer overall according to WhoScored.

He also averages more tackles per 90 than any other Chelsea player (WhoScored), which highlights his crucial role breaking up play in Maresca’s midfield.

Luckily for the Blues, Chelsea have sealed the signing of Mathis Amougou in a £12 million deadline day deal from Saint-Étienne, and the 19-year-old has drawn comparisons to Maresca’s star man.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, an expert on world football’s brightest young talents, called Amougou “similar” to Caicedo – with the teenager possessing great passing ability, mobility, ball carrying, tackling, work rate, athleticism and bravery.

Mathis Amougou set for Chelsea first-team role under Maresca

There were suggestions that the midfielder was set for Strasbourg, and he’s more a signing for the future.

However, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano says that Amougou will be heading straight into Chelsea’s first-team fold – sharing the exact plan for him from now until the end of the season and onwars.

In the meantime, before his loan back to Ligue 1 in the summer, Maresca will be hoping that the France Under-19 international can indeed come as a young, exciting alternative to Caicedo in the engine room.

Manchester United have been told that they are stuck with Andre Onana, with there no "video game" transfer option for the under-fire goalkeeper.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Keeper signed for big money in 2023
• Time in England littered with costly errors
• Struggling Red Devils urged to keep faith

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Questions continue to be asked of whether Onana is the right option for underperforming Premier League heavyweights at Old Trafford. The errors of his debut campaign in England have been replicated during a difficult second season with the Red Devils.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United are languishing 16th in the top-flight table, with continental action off the agenda for 2025-26 after suffering defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final. It has been suggested that every player in Ruben Amorim’s squad is now up for sale.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  There have been suggestions that United could target a new No.1, as Onana is potentially moved on, but Wes Brown believes faith has to be shown in the Cameroon international as finding a buyer and identifying a replacement will not be easy.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  WHAT WES BROWN SAID

  Quizzed by on whether United need to stick with Onana, former Red Devils defender Brown said: "Yeah, I think you have to. Listen, he's made some mistakes this season and you don't want that from a goalkeeper. But at the same time, I feel sometimes the pressure has been immense. Maybe he's not handled it the best way, but at the same time, he still comes back, the manager still puts him in.

  "Plus, I don't think he can just sell somebody like that anyway. These players cost a lot of money. Fans need to understand, it’s not like a video game where you press one button and the player is sold. There's a lot of factors. And I get these questions. I mean, we all do. I have talks with my mates all the time and they’ll say ‘yeah, you should do this’. But it doesn't work like that. I get what they’re saying, but it actually doesn't work like that.

  "So, yeah, he will be there next season and you can just hope he steps up and that's all you can do. Because if he does, then all this talk goes out the window. It's as simple as that. But you do have to give the lads some support, if they have had some bad games, you need to let them see that they’re still good enough, even after a bad game. Otherwise, it only gets worse.

  "But you definitely also have to trust going forward that he's going to give more, he's going to get better and be more consistent, because he's a great shot stopper at times. He's let in some silly goals. I think everyone admits that, but I think you need to give him the chance.

  "Next season as we go forward, obviously there'll be new players there as well, and then it's up to him. At times it’s been rough, but it's the case for every player this season. At times, they’ve not been good enough. You can see it all over the pitch sometimes, and the standard needs to raise a little bit."

There is no denying it: this season has been nothing short of a disaster for Tottenham Hotspur, at least on the pitch.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have been dreadful in the Premier League, and following last week’s double cup exit, the only hope of silverware rests on their Europa League campaign.

With all that said, there have been some positives, such as the young players coming through and stamping their authority on the first team.

Moreover, despite the poor results, some of the first-team squad have seen their valuations grow, including someone signed by Nuno Espírito Santo during his short spell in the hot seat.

Nuno's Spurs signings

While he’s currently flying with Nottingham Forest, Nuno’s time in North London was far less successful.

In fact, with seven losses and one draw in his first 17 games, the Portuguese coach was sacked in November 2021, just four months after getting the job, and while he didn’t have much time to impact the club, he was responsible for some good and some not so good signings.

One who certainly falls into the latter camp was Emerson Royal, who moved from Barcelona in August 2021 for a fee of around £26m, which, according to a later report from the Telegraph, was a fee the Catalan club couldn’t believe the North Londoners were willing to pay.

Unfortunately, it didn’t take too long for fans to understand Barça’s shock, as while the Brazilian full-back wasn’t dreadful, he was not up to scratch, as demonstrated by the fact he was limited to just 1335 minutes of action in his final campaign with the club before being sold to AC Milan for just £13m.

Fortunately, Nuno did make a couple of good additions to the squad, with Cristian Romero being one of them.

The Argentine joined the Lilywhites on a season-long loan with an option to buy for around £46.7m in August 2021. While he endured a somewhat slow start to life in London thanks to injuries, isolation and the team’s overall poor form, he has since become one of the best players at the club.

In all, the World Cup winner has made 112 appearances for the North Londoners, in which he’s managed to rack up a fairly impressive haul – for a centre-back – of seven goals and one assist while also being named one of the club’s co-vice-captains in 2023.

The 26-year-old’s commanding presence has been sorely missed for much of this season, which further indicates his importance to the team, but he still isn’t the Nuno signing whose valuation has soared in recent years.

Market Movers

The Nuno signing whose valuation has soared

Aside from the likes of Archie Gray, Djed Spence, Mikey Moore, Lucas Bergvall and maybe Dejan Kulusevski, it would be hard to say anyone in the Spurs first team has had a particularly good season this year, so it’s hard to imagine anyone’s valuation skyrocketing.

However, a lacklustre campaign does not suddenly mean a talented player has no future or upside.

In Pape Matar Sarr’s case, there is clearly a belief that as he progresses, he’ll become a genuinely superb midfielder.

The Senegalese international signed for Tottenham from Ligue 1 side FC Metz for around £15m in August 2021 and, according to the CIES Football Observatory, is now worth an astounding €70.7m, which converts to about £59m.

That means that 22-year-old dynamo is now worth around 293% more than the fee paid by the club just three and a half years ago, and while that might sound like too much to some of you, it’s probably not.

For example, despite still being relatively young, the “unplayable” midfielder, as dubbed by Spurs fan and podcaster Lee McQueen, has already racked up 86 appearances for the Lilywhites, in which he’s scored eight goals and provided six assists from central and defensive midfield positions.

Moreover, he has also won 24 senior caps for Senegal, so has plenty of experience marshalling the midfield domestically and internationally.

Ultimately, Nuno may not have left much of an impact on Spurs with his management, but he did at least sign two quality players in Romero and Sarr, the latter of whom could be set for a bright future in North London.

He's outscoring Solanke: Spurs almost signed unreal PL Golden Boot winner

The free-scoring forward would have been incredible for Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 12, 2025

Raheem Sterling's son Thiago has signed for Arsenal's academy but his dad faces an uncertain future after a disappointing loan spell with the Gunners.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Sterling's son joined Arsenal's Under-9s
• Set to start his journey with the Gunners
• His dad's career remains uncertain

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Thiago has officially been welcomed into Arsenal’s prestigious Hale End academy, joining the under-9 team and marking the beginning of what could be a promising football career. The news was shared on social media by Sterling’s partner, Paige Milian, who posted a heartfelt message celebrating their son's accomplishment.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT MILIAN SAID

  In a touching Instagram post, Paige expressed overwhelming pride in her son's achievements, noting the hard work he has put in to reach this milestone.

  She wrote: "Beyond proud of my firstborn son Thiago for signing with @officialarsenalacademy U9’s. The growth, dedication, and hard work you’ve shown over the past year have been incredible to watch; you’ve earned this. This is just the beginning, so keep your feet on the ground, stay humble, and keep grinding, the journey doesn’t stop here. Let’s go TT❤️".

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Thiago is taking his first steps with the Gunners, his father Raheem Sterling finds himself at a career crossroads. After being sidelined by Chelsea’s current manager Enzo Maresca at the start of last season, Sterling made a surprise switch to Arsenal on deadline day, joining on a season-long loan deal.

  Sterling’s time at the Emirates failed to live up to expectations. Despite early optimism, he managed only seven starts in the Premier League and struggled to make a significant impact. Over the course of the entire campaign, he found the back of the net just once across all competitions.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Although Thiago is only just officially joining Arsenal’s youth ranks, he’s already had a taste of the club’s first-team environment. Last October, he had the honour of walking out as a mascot for Bukayo Saka during a Champions League match at the Emirates Stadium, when Arsenal secured a win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl has revealed that his side may be missing several players through injury when they face Sunderland on Friday night.

Sheffield Wednesday injury news

The Owls will be looking to right the wrongs of their 4-0 defeat to Burnley last weekend when they welcome the Black Cats to Hillsborough on Friday. A win, and it could keep the Owls’ faint hopes of a top six spot alive, but they will have to do it without one key attacker.

Boost for Rohl as "brilliant" Sheffield Wednesday star returns to training

Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has provided an update on one of his injured players.

By
Brett Worthington

Feb 26, 2025

Leading up to this game, Rohl revealed a fresh blow as winger Anthony Musaba suffered an injury setback, meaning he will miss the game against Sunderland and likely a few more.

“At first it looked good; he trained on Sunday (after the Coventry game), but he got a small reaction. Now he has had two rejections,” Rohl said.

“I hope it is this week, then next week, and then before Plymouth he is back. Sometimes at first an issue starts in one part of the body, and then maybe with some different movements it goes into another part. It is a shame, but he is positive, and I think he will be available for the end of the season, maybe the last eight or nine games. We are working on it; he is still positive. It is harder, of course, to have him out of the squad.”

However, in positive news, Rohl did reveal that defender Dominic Iorfa is close to a return, although he won’t be available for the game against Sunderland, but could be back in the matchday squad after the March international break.

Wednesday may have several undisclosed injuries vs Sunderland

But they are not the only players to possibly miss the match on Friday, as Rohl has revealed that Michael Smith is a doubt for the game and there may be many more who are missing through injury.

Smith, who has been dubbed a “game-changer” by former Owls boss Darren Moore, has featured in 31 Championship games this season, scoring eight goals in the process, but Wednesday may have to do without him and many more for the game against Sunderland, as Rohl has revealed it’s been a “tough week” with injuries and “you’ll see” for when it comes to who is available on the night.

As quoted by the Daily Star, Rohl said in his pre-match press conference: “In general, I won’t speak about names. But I can just say that it’s been a tough week for us – and you’ll see tomorrow why… There could be players missing. Michael Smith is one of the question marks.

“Ibi was ill during the week, so let’s see on him – today he trained. Ryo has trained for a full week. Some players are coming closer, Dom is coming closer, but we have three or four big question marks this week. We have to find solutions, but I’m convinced the team on the pitch will be on fire.”

Rangers could now be without an “important” 17-goal player for a chunk of the rest of the season, according to a new update that will concern Barry Ferguson.

Rangers starring under Ferguson with wins over Fenerbahce and Celtic

The Gers are still basking in the glory of their 3-2 win away to rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday afternoon, following Hamza Igamane’s late winner at Parkhead, having initially blown a 2-0 lead.

While the result may not necessarily make a huge difference to the grand scheme of things in the title race this season, it was further proof that Rangers are heading in the right direction under Ferguson, who remains in temporary charge for the time being.

The Scot has guided his side into the quarter-finals of the Europa League, following last Thursday’s penalty shootout win over Fenerbahce at Ibrox, and he will now be dreaming of getting the job on a permanent basis.

Should Rangers go all the way in Europe this season, there will only be increased calls for Ferguson to take charge in the long term, in what promises to be an exciting end to the campaign. A fresh blow has now emerged regarding a key player, however, which the boss won’t want to hear.

Rangers could lose Cerny for 8 matches

According to The Daily Record [via Ibrox News], Rangers attacker Vaclav Cerny could miss as many as eight matches for squirting water at Celtic fans after the winning goal on Sunday.

A ban appears to be coming the 27-year-old’s way, and while it may only be as short as two games, there is no guarantee that it won’t be more. He would only miss domestic fixtures, however, not Europa League outings.

Cerny has been such a key player for Rangers throughout this season, so Ferguson will be sweating over not having him available for a string of league matches.

The Czech has scored 17 goals in total – 11 in the league and six in the Europa League – also registering four assists, and Philippe Clement was complimentary of him during the time working together at Ibrox, saying:

“Vaclav showed a lot of composure in his moments, and it’s those moments that I want to see more and more from the team. He’s been working hard for the team and the club. He’s a player who is just in the building and people forget that; some players need six months to adapt to a new environment. In that way, he has already done some really good things and he will only grow in the future to become more important for the club.”

"Pathetic" – Pundit slams Sutton's comments following Rangers win at Celtic

He is just trying to get a rise out of Gers supporters.

By
Henry Jackson

Mar 18, 2025

Hopefully, the authorities don’t feel that Cerny’s behaviour at Parkhead is worthy of a long ban – it could be argued that what he did wasn’t overly malicious – but if not, other attackers will need to step up in his absence.