🚨🚫 Arsenal blocked major player exit, major Man United U-turn, Liverpool preparing for life after Salah, Xavi Simons GOLAZO & more UCL highlights
Today's headlines and Champions League goal clips.
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Today’s top stories:
Arsenal
Arsenal believe their club record fee for Declan Rice has been well invested - the England midfielder has settled down well and Mikel Arteta’s also very happy with him. Another top performance against Sevilla this week, with Rice continuing to influence the big games.
What did you make of Rice’s performance against Sevilla? Take a look at his impressive individual highlights in the clip above as he drove the Gunners to a 2-1 win in Spain to take them top of their Champions League group [Pictures courtesy of TNT Sports]
Arsenal blocked *this* player from moving to Inter Milan this summer!
Barcelona
Ferran Torres has scored his second goal in Champions League this season in two starts — excellent moment for the Spanish winger. He also has three goals in La Liga so far this season.
Joao Felix on his injury ahead of El Clasico: “I am fine, it only was a knock. I’m already preparing for next game.”
Chelsea
Ghanaian top talent Fatawu Ganiwu will be traveling to train with European clubs very soon. He looks set to attend RC Lens first in November, but Chelsea are also among the names monitoring him.
Could Chelsea be set to sign a new striker and new centre-back this January?
A big name from Barcelona has been linked with the Blues - full info here.
Good news for Chelsea as Liverpool are NOT in the race for Victor Osimhen - more info here.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt believe they signed a future star in Hugo Larsson. The 19-year-old midfielder is doing excellent after joining in the summer from Malmo. Eintracht just paid €11.5m to sign Hugo despite strong competition - top clubs are now following him for the future.
Feyenoord
Santiago Gimenez again on fire for Feyenoord this season! He has scored 15 goals in his last 9 games! He got a brace last night on his Champions League debut - he now has a total of 15 goals and three assists this season.
Inter Miami
Lionel Messi is set to win his eighth Ballon d’Or - more info here.
Josef Martinez is now available as a free agent as Inter Miami have confirmed he’s set to leave the club with immediate effect.
Juventus
Official, confirmed: Federico Gatti has signed a new deal at Juventus valid until June 2028.
Lens
Elye Wahi has scored two goals and provided one assist in his first three games in Champions League. RC Lens did well to beat many clubs to this signing during the summer, and they’re being rewarded now with his fine form in Europe.
Liverpool
Liverpool are already working on replacing Mohamed Salah - full details from Neil Jones here!
Manchester City
Erling Haaland has now scored his first Champions League goal of the season — back to business, and what a finish this was! FT Young Boys 1-3 Manchester City [Pictures courtesy of TNT Sports]
Pep Guardiola on Jack Grealish: “No doubts over his quality and what he’s done for us. Arrived a little bit late this season, needs rhythm... he will be back and we’ll use him. He’ll help us. He knows there is competition.”
Manchester United
Erik ten Hag: “Andre Onana showed personality. Andre knows he didn’t match his skills and he could do better, and here we are. Saturday was a very good performance, and yesterday as well. Don’t forget that brilliant save second half. He is a very good penalty saver.”
Andre Onana: “We are Manchester United, a very big club. We have to keep going, we have to win. I have no doubt we'll make it to the next UCL stage. I am sure.”
Harry Maguire: “Manchester United is the scrutinised club in the world. I’m really proud how I’ve reacted over the last 12 month, we have to keep going. I’m so happy.”
Maguire’s Man Utd situation could now change - latest details here.
Newcastle United
Sandro Tonali will be banned for ten months — sources confirm final indications, waiting on statement. He won’t be able to play for ten months due to gambling addition scandal. There will be additional months of participation in gambling rehab plan, same as Nicolo Fagioli.
Could Newcastle be set to sign a replacement for Tonali this January?
Pete Graves’s essential book on Eddie Howe’s NUFC is OUT NOW!
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PSG
Kylian Mbappe has now scored or assisted nine goals in his last six Champions League group-stage games - and this was a typically brilliant piece of play by the Frenchman! FT PSG 3-0 AC Milan [Pictures courtesy of TNT Sports]
Warren Zaire-Emery will sign a new long term deal at Paris Saint-Germain soon. He’s a key part of the project, wanted as face of the new era by the club — and especially by Nasser Al Khelaifi.
PSV
Johan Bakayoko scored his first Champions League goal this week - and it was dedicated to his mother on her birthday. Top clubs keep monitoring him after he rejected Brentford in August despite a €40m deal being agreed. He said: “Even if they offer €100m… I wanted to stay with PSV — and play UCL here.”
RB Leipzig
Xavi Simons - take a bow! The young Dutch midfielder just gets better and better with every passing game. FT RB Leipzig 3-1 Red Star Belgrade [Pictures courtesy of TNT Sports]
Real Betis
Real Betis president Angel Haro confirms plan to sign a new centre-back as soon as possible. Talks have now restarted in order to reach an agreement with free agent Sokratis Papastathopoulos — deal is on and increasingly expected to happen today.
Real Madrid
Vinicius Junior: “New couple and new generation. It’s Real Madrid. I see myself winning as many UCL as Luka Modric, Marcelo, Benzema, also Casemiro ... great players who became Real Madrid legends. I want to be like them at Real Madrid.”
Roma
Jose Mourinho: “I wasn’t expecting Lukaku to be that important for Inter…It’s interesting. Lukaku from Inter to AS Roma to help the manager it’s a drama, Calhanoglu from AC Milan to Inter it’s wonderful. Same for Vieri, Cannavaro and many others. It’s surprising, no?”
Shakhtar Donetsk
First Champions League goal for Heorhiy Sudakov, 2002 born talent — with Shakhtar Donetsk already set to request huge fee for their new gem. Top European clubs keep following him including Juventus scouts recently.
For all the very latest transfer news, read caughtoffside.com
Glad we kept Tomiyasu, very impressed with him recently and he's probably first choice over Zinchenko now.