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Real Madrid and England superstar Jude Bellingham has revealed his desire to stay at Santiago Bernabeu for the "next 10 to 15 years".

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• Bellingham opens up on Real future
• England star hopes to stay for '10-15 years'
• Real Madrid hunting treble this season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bellingham has turned into the superstar everybody had expected him to become when he moved to Real Madrid in the summer of 2023 from Borussia Dortmund. The England international helped Los Blancos secure a La Liga and Champions League double in his first season as their second top scorer behind Vinicius Junior. Bellingham is on course for more silverware with Real this term, and has spoken out on his future with the Spanish giants.

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  WHAT BELLINGHAM SAID

  Speaking to , Bellingham opened up about his move in 2023, and said: "Real Madrid was the perfect club for me."

  The 21-year-old added: "I'm happy in Madrid and I think I'll be playing in white for the next 10 or 15 years"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite a slow start to the 2024-25 season, Real Madrid and Bellingham have picked up pace in the second half of the season and are now in the hunt for a historic treble. Carlo Ancelotti's side are sitting just three points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, have one foot in the final of the Copa del Rey and have booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM?

  Real Madrid are set to be in action next when they take on Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie. They will be hoping to make quick work of La Real on Tuesday, having already secured a 1-0 win at Anoeta in the first leg.

The FIFA Club World Cup ball continued its rounds around the MLS, visiting New York, Philadelphia and even Cincinnati

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• FIFA Club World Cup ball visits NYCFC vs Minnesota United among other stops
• Fans given chance to take photos with the ball
• Event marks third stop on ball's MLS tour

• WHAT HAPPENED

  The official FIFA Club World Cup match ball made an appearance at Yankee Stadium during New York City FC's home game against Minnesota United FC. Fans were given the opportunity to see and take photos with the ball, which is on a tour of MLS cities ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The social media post captured and uploaded by FIFA showcased a catalog of fans posing with the ball on it’s third stop across MLS.

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• WHAT FIFA POSTED

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The FIFA Club World Cup ball's tour of MLS cities comes as the United States prepares to host the expanded 32-team tournament in 2025. This tour not only promotes the competition but also emphasizes the increasing role of MLS and North American soccer on the global stage. Not only that, the ball was also spotted in Philadelphia and Cincinnati as it continued making it’s tour across the MLS.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The FIFA Club World Cup ball will continue its tour of MLS cities, giving more fans the chance to see and interact with the official match ball. As the tour progresses, it will likely generate increased interest and discussion around the 2025 tournament, which will feature 32 teams, including Manchester City, Chelsea, and Inter Miami. The tournament will begin on June 14 and continue until the final takes place on July 13.

Newcastle United have conducted a scouting mission on a “stunning” Sunderland star ahead of the January transfer window, according to a report.

Newcastle looking to sign a defender

Back in November, Alan Shearer gave an overview of the positions he feels Newcastle need to strengthen this winter, saying: “I would definitely be targeting a centre-forward, a right-sided forward and probably a centre-half. Those are the three priority positions.”

Since then, the Magpies have stepped up their interest in a number of centre-backs, with Lens’ Abdukodir Khusanov becoming their top target in that area of the pitch, in light of his impressive performances in Ligue 1 this season.

Eric Garcia has also emerged as a target for Eddie Howe, with Barcelona willing to let the defender leave in January, should a potential suitor be willing to stump up a fee of around €25m (£21m) for his services.

Newcastle United now leading the race to sign £30m "special talent"

The Magpies have their sights set on a new winger.

By
Dominic Lund

Dec 21, 2024

Newcastle are looking at a number of options from players across the continent, however there are now indications they could make a move for a player from much closer to home, much to the discontent of their local rivals.

According to a report from The Boot Room, the Magpies are one of a number of that have scouted Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard, but there will be significant competition for his signature.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now pushing to sign the centre-back, while Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and Fulham have also conducted scouting missions, which displays how impressive his performances have been so far this season.

As such, it may be difficult to win the race for Ballard’s signature, and the rivalry with Sunderland will certainly do Newcastle no favours when it comes to potentially entering transfer negotiations.

Ballard impressing for the Black Cats

Sunderland are pushing for promotion back to the Premier League and Ballard has emerged as an important player, particularly in the last couple of months, cementing himself as a consistent starter and even providing a goal in the 3-2 win against Swansea City.

Lauded as “stunning” by journalist Josh Bunting, it is clear to see why so many top-flight clubs are keen on signing the 25-year-old, but a move to St. James’ Park seems an unlikely scenario, given the circumstances.

It would be extremely unusual for Sunderland to sanction Ballard joining their main rivals, particularly when they’re in a promotion race and there are a number of other interested parties who they could sell him to.

As such, Newcastle may be better off prioritising the signing of more realistic targets, such as Khusanov or Garcia, particularly considering the latter player will be allowed to leave Barcelona in January, making negotiations a lot easier to conduct.

As the January transfer window swings open, Liverpool have reportedly set their sights on signing a new fullback who has a release clause worth just £29m this month.

Liverpool transfer news

Of course, away from incomings, it’s another fullback in the form of Trent Alexander-Arnold who’s been stealing the headlines this week with Real Madrid seemingly making their intentions clear. At this moment in time, it looks as though Liverpool will be able to fend off any interest from the Spanish giants regarding any January sale, but whether Alexander-Arnold signs a pre-contract agreement that will see him complete a summer move is now out of their hands.

Whilst it looks as though Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah could yet stay put and sign fresh Anfield deals, all signs are pointing to Madrid for Alexander-Arnold in what would be a major blow for Arne Slot’s side.

As one fullback prepares to leave, however, another could arrive this month. According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now willing to make a strategic move to sign Miguel Gutierrez, who has a release clause of just €35m (£29m) at La Liga side Girona.

Liverpool battling Madrid to sign £52m star who could usurp Gravenberch

Liverpool could be in for a tough battle to land this star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 1, 2025

Although the left-back would not solve Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold problem, he would put an end to their struggles down the opposite flank which have seen Andrew Robertson begin to fall away from his best form. Just 23 years old, Gutierrez would instantly make that role his own for years to come and solve what remains the only major issue in Slot’s side.

"Phenomenal" Gutierrez would replace Robertson

With Real Madrid and Manchester United also reportedly interested in Gutierrez, there’s no doubt that Liverpool will have to act fast if they want to secure the fullback’s signature as early as this month. Dubbed “phenomenal” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, the Girona star very much looks like a player destined for the top of European football, which could yet end in a winter switch to Anfield.

Replacing Robertson at this stage should be among Liverpool’s priorities too. The last thing that either party should want is for the Scot’s struggles to become further exposed in similar fashion to Kyle Walker’s at Manchester City.

Phasing an ageing player out of the side for the fresher Gutierrez should be the way forward for the Reds. With January underway, the Girona man will certainly be one to watch.

Swindon Town celebrated their 5-4 win over Bradford City by getting in the face of Bantams defender Jack Shepherd after his last-minute own goal.

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• Bradford took 3-1 lead in dramatic game
• Swindon fight back against ten men
• Own goal celebration goes viral

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Shepherd's mistake was the final act of a scintillating affair at the County Ground. The defender turned a Miguel Freckleton cross past his own keeper in the 97th minute. With tensions running high, a number of Robins players surrounded the prostrate Shepherd, sparking some fisticuffs between both sets of players.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bradford had taken a two goal lead as Calum Kavanagh bagged twice in the opening ten minutes. The game turned after Richie Smallwood was shown a straight red for a reckless lunge on Swindon's Paul Glatzel. That set the tone for a fractious back-and-forth affair. Kavanagh completed his hat-trick in the first half, and Bradford were leading 4-3 entering injury time. A far-post header for Harry Smith, his second goal of the game, levelled things at 90 minutes, before Shepherd's error gave Swindon, now managed by Ian Holloway, all three points.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Bradford's loss drops them from the top of League Two. Port Vale have now leapt to the top of the table. Sitting in second place on 73 points, the Bantams will be looking over their shoulder at Doncaster in fourth. Donny can overtake them if they win their game in hand. Three teams are automatically promoted to League One, but Bradford will be ruing this missed opportunity to solidify their promotion push.

Manchester City are now ready to pay £33 million to sign a 23-year-old midfielder as a long-term replacement for Rodri, according to a recent report.

Man City transfer news

It has all the makings to be a busy month for the Blues, as Pep Guardiola will want to make some fresh additions to his squad as they try to climb the Premier League table and get back to their best.

Guardiola must now sell Man City flop who earns more than Foden & Rodri

Manchester City could wave goodbye to some notable high earners this month.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 8, 2025

The transfer rumours involving City started long before the transfer window opened, and in the last week they have continued to be mentioned with moves for all sorts of players. Signing a defender appears high on the agenda for Guardiola, and it was reported this week that City are ready to make a move for Juventus defender Nicolo Savona. The Premier League side are ready to make a move for the player this month, as he’s seen as a possible replacement for Kyle Walker, who they are willing to let go at some point this year.

It has also been recently claimed that City are willing to go all out and sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad after holding internal talks over a potential transfer. Zubimendi was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool in the summer, but that didn’t work out, and now City look keen to land the player but will have to trigger his £52 million release clause to do so.

Man City ready to pay £33 million to sign 23 y/o midfielder

Zubimendi is not the only midfielder on City’s transfer radar, as according to Italian outlet Messaggero, Man City are ready to make a move to sign Nicolo Rovella from Lazio in this transfer window.

Rovella, who has won two caps for Italy, is currently in the middle of a two-year loan deal at Lazio from fellow Italian side Juventus. The midfielder joined the Old Lady in January 2021 from Genoa, but he has only featured three times for the club as he’s had a loan spell at Monza as well as Lazio.

This report states that City are now interested in signing Rovella after scouring the transfer market for a new defensive midfielder after they suffered a blow earlier in the campaign with Rodri picking up a season-ending injury.

The 23-year-old has emerged on City’s radar, and the Blues are now willing to pay 40 million euros, which is roughly £33 million, to bring the midfielder to the Etihad this month. It is unclear how this transfer would work due to Rovella being on loan at Lazio, but if City make an offer Juventus can’t refuse, his loan will likely come to an end, and he will join the Premier League side.

The Brazilian has won three Liga MX titles in his three seasons in charge of América

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• Reyes discusses what has led Jardine to overall success
• Las Águilas led the Clausura 2025 with 30 points
• They will face La Máquina again next Saturday in Matchday 15

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Israel Reyes is now in his fifth tournament with Club América — one more than head coach André Jardine, who arrived ahead of the Apertura 2023 after a stint with Atlético de San Luis. In Reyes’ first semester with Las Águilas, the team was eliminated in the Clausura 2023 semifinals under then-coach Fenando Ortiz.

  Ortiz had led América to three straight semifinal appearances but was unable to deliver a title, despite managing one of the league’s most talented squads. That prompted the board to part ways with the Argentine and bring in Brazilian manager Jardine — and the rest is history: three consecutive Liga MX titles.

  In an interview with El Universal, Reyes reflected on Jardine’s arrival and the culture shift he inspired.

  “When he arrived, he gave us a short talk where he laid out his goals for us… They seemed unreachable at the time,” Reyes said. “Today, we’ve achieved them — and the biggest one was unity and humility.”

  He added, “We had to build a family — and now, it’s more than that. The locker room has played a huge role in what we’ve accomplished… It’s all been worth it.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  André Jardine's era has become historic in Mexican football, as América became the first-ever three-time champion in the history of Liga MX's short tournaments. The Brazilian coach turned down offers from clubs in his home country to continue building his legacy with Las Águilas. In the Clausura 2025, América sit atop the standings, having already secured a place in the final phase as they aim for a fourth straight league title. The only thing that's eluded him is the Champions Cup, with another disappointing exit this season.

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  WHAT ISRAEL REYES SAID

  “We believed in André from the moment he arrived—in what he laid out for us, in his words, and the project he brought… It was something very appealing. He made it clear that this was the plan,” confessed the defender. “He told us that whoever was ready should join him. If not, then you don’t fit in, and you can step aside. We believed in his words and changed our mindset. He got fully involved and managed to control the egos,” concluded the América center back.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AMÉRICA?

  América and Cruz Azul will meet again following their Champions Cup clash, which Cruz Azul won, this Saturday in Matchday 15 of the Clausura 2025.

Real Madrid are reportedly in danger of losing captain Olga Carmona on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.

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• PSG want Real Madrid's Carmona
• French side offer 'irresistible' deal
• Spaniard set to become a free agent

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Carmona has been with Madrid since 2020, but after more than four and a half successful years, the Spain international is in the last months of her contract. According to , the 25-year-old has received an 'irresistible' offer from the Paris outfit, with her departure seeming increasingly likely.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report adds that not only is the offer financially appealing, but the chance to compete for trophies at PSG is very tempting. Madrid are a distant second to the dominant Barcelona in Liga F, so a move to France may be too good to turn down for the 2023 World Cup winner.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Former Sevilla star Carmona, who can play at left-back, wing-back, and on the wing, has scored 28 goals in 181 appearances for Madrid so far.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While uncertainty reigns over Carmona's future, her Los Blancos side host Madrid CFF in the league on Friday.

Blackburn manager John Eustace has now confirmed that his team are interested in signing a “special” Leeds United player.

Leeds transfer news

Given the fact that the Whites sit at the top of the Championship table, it may not be a surprise to see that they are yet to do any transfer business this month. However, that doesn’t mean the club or Daniel Farke are not looking at players, as reports keep emerging of potential targets that they have in mind.

Leeds scouts watching "pacey" versatile wide player during transfer window

Daniel Farke wants to strengthen his backline and Leeds have their eye on a familiar face.

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By
Brett Worthington

Jan 13, 2025

A report has recently claimed that Leeds are looking to sign a new goalkeeper in this transfer window, given the mistakes that Illan Meslier has made throughout this campaign, even though Farke has publicly backed him. As well as looking for a new goalkeeper, Leeds scouts watched Bali Mumba in action for Plymouth Argyle this weekend, as they took a closer look at him.

The defender is known to Farke, as he is the one that gave him his Premier League debut with Norwich City, and given the German wants to improve his full-back options, they could be set for a reunion. Aside from potential arrivals, Leeds are set to see a player leave Elland Road, as Joe Gelhardt closes in on a move to Hull City. The forward is set to join the Tigers on a six-month loan deal as he searches for more football.

Eustace confirms January transfer interest in Leeds player

Gelhardt may not be the only player to leave Leeds, as when speaking to The Lancashire Telegraph, Blackburn Rovers boss Eustace confirmed that Patrick Bamford is on a list of potential targets for this month.

Bamford, who was dubbed “special” by former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa, has been at Elland Road for seven seasons now after joining the club from Middlesbrough in 2018. The forward has been an important player for the club, but recent reports have suggested that his time at Leeds could be coming to an end, despite being under contract until 2026.

It was reported in December that the Whites could let the £70,000-a-week man leave this month, and it now seems that Blackburn are one side interested in his services.

Eustace has revealed that he believes Bamford is a good player and went on to admit that he is on their list of players they have looked at: “Patrick is a very good player. I played with him at Derby a long time ago when he started out.

“He’s a consistent performer at this level; he plays for a huge club in Leeds. But there will be lots of names thrown towards me, and I’ll just say they’re good players. You’d have to ask the club. He’s a player on a long list that we have looked at, and we’ll have to see.”

The Togolese forward launched himself in the air for the overhead kick with what became the game-winner

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• FC Cincinnati defeat Sporting KC 2-1
• Kevin Denkey scores bicycle kick winner
• Togolese DP is adapting to life well in MLS
• Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  FC Cincinnati striker Kevin Denkey scored a goal of the season contender on Saturday as FCC defeated Sporting Kansas City 2-1 in MLS action. The Togolese forward leapt into the air for a stunning bicycle kick in the 79th minute, doubling FCC's lead late in the match, and scoring the eventual winner.

  He scored their first of the day as well, opening the scoring in the match in the 43rd minute. SKC earned a late goal back in the 89th minute through Zorhan Bassong, but it was too little, too late.

  Signed as a Designated Player in a $16.2M transfer from Belgian club Cercle Brugge, the 24-year-old is now up to six goals in his debut season.

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  FCC are now up to 22 points on the season, and sit atop the Eastern Conference after their victory. However, the standings could change come the end of Matchday 11, as Wilfried Zaha's Charlotte FC trail them by three points and have a higher goal-differential than them heading into their match against the New England Revolution on Saturday.

  Cincy, meanwhile, are in red-hot form and have won five-straight matches.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FCC?

  Cincy return to the pitch on Sunday, May 4 against NYCFC on Matchday 11.