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39 minutes ago

Transfer news LIVE! Arsenal learn Sesko decision, record Cunha bid, Man Utd set for Dorgu agreement

The transfer window is approaching its final week as clubs in the Premier League and across Europe seek to close out deals

Chris Wilson,Miguel Delaney,Richard Jolly
Friday 24 January 2025 02:00 GMT
"We're maybe the worst Manchester United team in history" - Amorim

Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United are among those to watch in the finals days of the January transfer window as clubs in the Premier League and across the world look to wrap up deals before the deadline.

The Gunners are desperate to sign a striker but a move for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko looks unlikely this month, with Mikel Arteta’s side chasing Matheus Cunha as an alternative.

Elsewhere, Manchester City announced the signing of Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush, while Chelsea could enter talks with Juventus for striker Dusan Vlahovic, with the Blues also considering an approach for Alejandro Garnacho.

Manchester United have opened talks with Lecce for defender Patrick Dorgu as Ruben Amorim prioritises signing a left back. But the club need to sell to buy, with Garnacho and Antony set to leave.

Marcus Rashford is also looking for a move away from Old Trafford, with his representative having met Barcelona executives, though a move away is not currently looking likely.

Follow all the latest news, rumours and deals below, plus analysis on the done deals and where new signings will fit into the starting line-ups:

39 minutes ago

Rashford's Barcelona hopes 'dwindle'

Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy reported yesterday that Marcus Rashford’s hopes of joining Barcelona this month are “receding by the day”.

The Catalan clubs need to “create salary space” in order to sign Rashford, but they are “having issues trimming the squad”, with Eric Garcia having decided to stay and Ansu Fati not wanting to leave.

Reddy does not rule out a move though, saying it would be “opportunistic” and late in the window if it were to happen.

Chris Wilson24 January 2025 02:00
1 hour ago

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City got what they deserved in damaging PSG defeat

Pep Guardiola offered no excuses after his Manchester City side’s dramatic capitulation at Paris St Germain on Wednesday.

City surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 at the Parc des Princes and are now in danger of crashing out of the Champions League at the first hurdle.

The costly defeat left them outside the top 24 in the league phase of the competition and needing to beat Club Brugge – one of the teams above them they can still catch – next week to scrape into the play-off round.

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City got what they deserved in damaging PSG defeat

City led 2-0 but were well-beaten 4-2 in the French capital.

Chris Wilson24 January 2025 01:00
2 hours ago

Celtic book place in Champions League knockout rounds as Real Madrid thrash Salzburg

An own goal five minutes from time gave Celtic a 1-0 victory over Young Boys in the Champions League and took the Scottish side past the competition’s group stage for the first time in 12 years.

The ball rebounded into the net off the shin of Young Boys captain Loris Benito after Celtic substitute Adam Idah had an effort save by goalkeeper Marvin Keller, ending a frustrating night for the Scottish side who missed a penalty and had two efforts ruled out for offside.

They are now guaranteed a place in the knockout round playoffs. Celtic looked headed for a draw that would have severely dented their hopes but their fortunes turned dramatically to the delight of the Celtic Park crowd.

Celtic book place in Champions League knockout rounds as Real Madrid thrash Salzburg

Round-up: Brendan Rodgers’s side and the defending champions are both through to the play-off round at least with one more matchweek of fixtures in the league phase

Chris Wilson24 January 2025 00:00
3 hours ago

Matchday revenue for Europe’s 20 highest-earning clubs tops two billion euros

Matchday revenue for Europe’s 20 biggest-earning clubs surpassed two billion euros for the first time last season amid fan protests over ticket pricing.

Data published by Deloitte on Thursday showed the top 20 clubs in its Football Money League earned 2.1 billion euros (£1.8bn) from matchdays in 2023-24, making it their fastest-growing revenue area – up 11 per cent compared to the previous season.

Matchday revenue also accounted for a greater share of clubs’ total revenue – 18 per cent – than it had since the 2014-15 season, Deloitte found.

Matchday revenue for Europe’s 20 highest-earning clubs tops two billion euros

Deloitte found earnings from matchdays were up 11 per cent on average across the 20 clubs in its Football Money League.

Chris Wilson23 January 2025 23:00
4 hours ago

Arsenal avoid the pitfalls of European rivals with cruise through Champions League

Arsenal do as much as they can, which means it is close to impossible for anyone else to do enough to prevent their safe passage into the Champions League last eight. Uefa are hoping for what might be a satisfyingly wild night next Wednesday, but some of it does sound a little absurd.

If Arsenal fail to get a point in Girona, all of Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, AS Monaco, Lille, Brest and Feyenoord would have to win by massive margins to have any chance of forcing them into the play-offs.

In short, they’re there, as was always expected before this 3-0 victory over a dogged Dinamo Zagreb. The game really became about correcting a few ongoing issues in the team, and the only thing Mikel Arteta could really have had any quibble with was that they could have taken more chances given recent goal-shyness. The manner of the goals – by Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and a first in months for Martin Odegaard – was nevertheless encouraging.

Arsenal avoid the pitfalls of European rivals with cruise through Champions League

Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb: It was smooth sailing for Mikel Arteta’s men against mismatched opposition

Chris Wilson23 January 2025 22:30
4 hours ago

Wolves determined to keep Matheus Cunha at the club amid transfer interest

Wolves are not expected to sell star player Matheus Cunha during the January transfer window, despite reported interest from a host of Premier League clubs.

The 25-year-old has been a standout performer for Wolves in a miserable season, scoring 10 goals and assisting four more in 21 Premier League appearances.

That has seen him attract interest from a number of Premier League clubs during the current transfer window, with Nottingham Forest and Arsenal said to be considering bids.

Wolves determined to keep Matheus Cunha at the club amid transfer interest

The 25-year-old has been a standout performer for Wolves in a miserable season.

Chris Wilson23 January 2025 22:00
5 hours ago

Seering pace and plenty of goals: Can Omar Marmoush fill the Man City void left by Julian Alvarez?

Around 36 hours before Omar Marmoush was announced as Manchester City’s third signing in four days, the case for him had never seemed stronger. There was more than one dramatic comeback in the Champions League this week and, as they prepared for what proved a shellacking at Paris Saint-Germain, City may have noted the scoreline from Spain: Atletico Madrid 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen, with both of the victors’ goals by Julian Alvarez.

They took his tally to 16 goals for the season, nine in his last 12 outings. Pep Guardiola has a policy of letting players leave if they want to and Atletico’s £82m offer was persuasive, but the Argentinian was a favourite of the City manager. He left a void that Marmoush will be charged with filling, of being a Swiss army knife of an attacking option: starter and substitute, striker and No 10 and player who can come inside from a starting berth on the sides, a sidekick for Erling Haaland or a deputy for him. Full of pace and goals, Marmoush may be better equipped than Alvarez for the job of a quasi-winger; that never suited the World Cup winner, but his work rate was such that Guardiola even employed him as a No 8 on occasion.

Can Omar Marmoush's pace and goals fill the Man City void left by Julian Alvarez?

Man City have spent £59m on their new attacking star, but an ageing midfield and defensive vulnerabilities leave Pep Guardiola with more questions than answers

Chris Wilson23 January 2025 21:30
5 hours ago

Man City complete signing of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush

Manchester City have taken their spending past £120m in a week by bringing in forward Omar Marmoush for €70m (£59m).

The Egypt international has joined from Eintracht Frankfurt to give City three signings in four days, after Abdukodir Khusanov on Monday and Vitor Reis on Tuesday.

Marmoush, who is the second highest scorer in the Bundesliga this season, passed a medical in Manchester and has signed a four-and-a-half year contract.

Man City complete signing of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush

The club have taken their spending past £120m for Pep Guardiola’s mid-season rebuild

Chris Wilson23 January 2025 21:00
6 hours ago

When is the Europa League draw? Date, start time and how to watch on TV ahead of new knockout format

With tonight’s games now underway...

The Europa League format will see its new play-offs format in action for the first time in February, to decide which teams enter the last-16 knockout round.

The top eight teams in the final Europa League league-phase table will automatically go through to the last-16. They will be joined by the play-offs: a set of eight two-legged ties between those clubs who finished between ninth and 24th in the league standings.

There are three British sides in the Europa League, with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers all hoping to go far in the competition.

Here is all you need to know about the Europa League play-offs draw.

When is the Europa League draw? Date, start time, TV and new format

Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers all harbour ambitions of a deep run the Europa League this season

Chris Wilson23 January 2025 20:30
6 hours ago

Ruben Amorim admits he went too far with ‘worst Manchester United team’ comments

As United kick off at Old Trafford...

Ruben Amorim admitted frustration got the better of him when he described his Manchester United side as perhaps the worst in the club’s history in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s 3-1 home defeat by Brighton.

Amorim knew he was making headlines when he said during his post-match press conference at Old Trafford that his side are “the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United”, having just watched them suffer a sixth home defeat of the season to remain stuck in 13th in the Premier League.

The 39-year-old’s frustration was such that he reportedly broke a television in the home dressing room.

Ruben Amorim admits he went too far with ‘worst Man Utd team’ comments

Amorim had described his squad as the worst in the club’s history after a 3-1 defeat to Brighton

Chris Wilson23 January 2025 20:00

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