Football News

A dressing room stripped of its leaders Barca lost two big voices this summer. Ronald Araujo wore the armband and helped run the group. Robert Lewandowski brought the experience and kept the youngsters on the straight and narrow. Both have gone. The effect is obvious in the current squad. Wojciech Szczesny is now thought to…

Weah made captain, Hojbjerg left out in the cold The armband changed hands on Friday night at the Velodrome. Timothy Weah wore it against Atletico Madrid. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Marseille’s appointed captain, watched it disappear from the pitch. OM lost that final warm-up game 1-2. Igor Paixao scored Marseille’s only goal. The defence fell apart after…

The scalp kiss, version 2.0 : Fabien Barthez joins Zidane’s gang with France The story was almost too good to sit on the shelf. Now officially appointed as head coach, Zinedine Zidane keeps hauling in his most trusted men. The latest? Fabien Barthez, handed the goalkeeper coach job. A move of the heart, a huge…

Back in the dugout, a long way from Catalonia Out of work since he left Barcelona in 2024, Xavi Hernandez (46) has a job again. The Netherlands handed him the head coach role on Wednesday, tying him to a deal that runs until 2030. That window covers Euro 2028 and the next World Cup. He…

Gourna-Douath heads for England Transfer windows have a way of handing out fresh starts. According to Foot Mercato, Lucas Gourna-Douath is set to leave RB Salzburg for Hull City in the Premier League. The 23-year-old defensive midfielder is reported to be on the verge of a four-year deal, barring a late twist. Nothing is signed…

Chavarria signs for Chelsea Chelsea have got their left-back. The Blues confirmed the signing of Pep Chavarria on Friday, with the Spaniard arriving from Rayo Vallecano on a deal through to 2031. At 28, Chavarria is stepping up. He swaps a mid-table La Liga side for one of the heavyweights of English football. His first…

Malonga makes the leap Eighteen years old. A deal through 2031. And a grown-up decision already made. Hermann Malonga is leaving Paris Saint-Germain for RC Strasbourg. The centre-back, out of contract as an apprentice in Paris, has officially joined the Alsace outfit. Manchester City had come calling. He turned down England. Racing have landed one…

Guessand back among the Eagles Crystal Palace have brought back a familiar face. The London club confirmed the return of Evann Guessand, on a season-long loan from Aston Villa with a conditional obligation to buy. The 25-year-old Ivory Coast forward already wore Palace colours in the second half of last season. This is hardly a…

A right-back Roma badly needed Thirteen million euros, plus five in add-ons. That is what it took for Roma to end weeks of uncertainty down their right side. The club confirmed the signing of Nahuel Molina on Tuesday. The Argentina international arrives from Atletico Madrid, has put pen to a four-year deal, and takes the…