Vesper

Wolves should have scored there

Andoni Iraola rapidly becoming one of the best young managers in Europe

3 nil now VAR will not overrule this one

VAR chalked it off

3 nil Kluivert again what a goal

2 nil Bournemouth over Forest

I am stressed AF about this game I feel we may well get crushed 😕

Isak on a hat trick

https://www.vipleague.pm/football-sports-stream https://redditsoccerstreams.org/ https://soccer-100.com/ England. Premier League / 25 January at 16:00 Brіghtоn – Еvеrtоn England. Premier League / 25 January at 16:00 Bоurnеmоuth – Nоttіnghаm Fоrеst England. Premier League / 25 January at 16:00 Wоlvеrhаmрtоn – Аrsеnаl England. Premier League / 25 January at 16:00 Sоuthаmрtоn – Nеwсаstlе Unіtеd England. Premier League / 25 January at 16:00 Lіvеrрооl – Ірswісh Tоwn England. Premier League / 25 January at 16:00

I have been reading the same thing for the past year. It is meaningless. Forest will never sell him this January. Spansh papers are absolute bollocks-mongers.

We turned down £30+m for him Said 40m or no deal Ignorant cunts

Denmark “In Crisis Mode” After Terrible Trump Phone Call on Greenland Donald Trump has fully freaked out the Danes after a phone call with the country’s prime minister. https://newrepublic.com/post/190698/denmark-crisis-trump-phone-call-greenland-prime-minister-fredericksen Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredericksen Trump reportedly doubled down on his threat to seize Greenland in a phone call with Denmark’s prime minister, sending the country’s government into a panic. Trump spoke to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on the phone for about 45 minutes last week. While neither leader has commented specifically on the call, officials close to the situation said it went poorly, as reported by The Financial Times. They stated that Trump was “aggressive and confrontational” on the call. “It was horrendous,” one official said. “He was very firm,” another added. “It was a cold shower. Before, it was hard to take it seriously. But I do think it is serious, and potentially very dangerous.” “The intent was very clear. They want it. The Danes are now in crisis mode,” another official told the publication. “The Danes are utterly freaked out by this.” “It was a very tough conversation. He threatened specific measures against Denmark such as targeted tariffs,” said a former Danish official. Trump has threatened to buy Greenland since his election victory, along with vows to take back the Panama Canal and make Canada the 51st state. And while many took his comments in jest, the recent phone call shows that he is seriously interested in seizing Greenland, perhaps due to its unique geopolitical position, its significant U.S. air base, or its potential real estate development.

Gusto is awful for offence on the left

Mid-March 2026

you 😀

RB off the board: Brentford sign Michael Kayode from Fiorentina Brentford complete loan signing of right-back Michael Kayode from Serie A side Fiorentina, subject to international clearance; the deal includes an option to make the transfer permanent in the summer; director of football Phil Giles: “Michael is a player we think will suit Brentford and the physical nature of the Premier League very well” https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/first-team-michael-kayode-fiorentina-brentford-transfer

Trump and Infantino: Two presidents and a sporting political bromance that isn’t slowing down https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6085431/2025/01/24/trump-infantino-fifa-world-cup/ President Donald Trump has long had a tendency to namecheck high-profile figures in concise terms of affection or derision. It is clear how much he likes allies such as UFC president Dana White and Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, and how much he dislikes others — his White House successor/predecessor Joe Biden and California’s governor Gavin Newsom included. Add soccer’s most powerful statesman to the bromance list. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been singled out repeatedly by Trump as he has retaken office, with a new eagerness to celebrate the 2026 men’s World Cup coming to North America. He attended Trump’s inauguration on Monday and has this week posted nine times about the new U.S. president on Instagram, even wearing a red tie to Sunday’s pre-inauguration rally. Infantino’s support crystallized in early 2020, when Trump, in the final year of his first term as president, was faced with the United States Senate laying its ground rules for his initial impeachment trial. Back then, while introducing him to a dinner of CEOs in the Swiss ski resort Davos, Infantino lauded Trump as a “sportsman” and a “competitor.” This week, Infantino was rewarded for his unstinting loyalty. Inauguration invites are largely for family members, administration officials, Supreme Court Justices, other world leaders and the inbound president’s most trusted associates. Representing sports, Infantino was joined by staunch Trump supporters including White and Miriam Adelson, owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team and the incoming president’s third-largest campaign donor. In a statement, FIFA said neither “FIFA nor the FIFA President contributed to the Inauguration Committee.” As for that 2026 World Cup, Trump has taken a cheerleading role, touting it as an example of significant events coming to the United States in the next few years. But it is potentially awkward. As soccer’s worldwide governing body, FIFA represents 211 national associations. The U.S. will co-host the tournament with Mexico and Canada, both neighbouring countries Trump has threatened with hefty import tariffs. During the inauguration, Infantino was filmed laughing animatedly as Trump stated that the Gulf of Mexico would be renamed the Gulf of America. With Trump and Infantino, it may be a special relationship — or, as FIFA pointed out Thursday, consistent with the FIFA head regularly accepting invitations from world leaders. FIFA staged its men’s World Cup in Russia in 2018, despite Vladimir Putin’s first incursions into Ukraine four years earlier. Then in 2019, Putin awarded Infantino the Order of Friendship for his “enormous contribution” to that tournament. Infantino receives the ‘Order of Friendship’ from Putin in May 2019 (Evgenia Novozhenina/AFP via Getty Images) Ahead of the 2022 edition in Qatar, Infantino wrote to the 32 competing federations and implored them to “focus on the football” and avoid political and social disputes such as labour conditions for migrant workers and the rights of women and the LGBTQ+ community. He also made multiple visits to 2034 World Cup host Saudi Arabia as the Gulf country became the sole option for that edition. But even for a sports leader reliant on political diplomacy, Infantino’s bond with Trump appears unusually close. In some respects, Trump’s level of engagement may be a positive for FIFA. Infantino visited Washington last May but was not granted photo opportunities or meetings with Biden or Vice-President Kamala Harris. He did, however, meet the homeland security secretary to discuss visas. FIFA had been struggling to make progress with Biden’s administration on the speed of visa processing, raising concerns that visitors from some of the 2026 World Cup’s 48 competing nations may be unable to attend. As of Thursday evening, wait times for a visitor visa appointment at a U.S. embassy in Bogota, Colombia, were 700 days. With the World Cup 500 days away next week, some supporters would already be too late. Other concerning wait times include Casablanca (Morocco, 332 days) and Ankara (Turkey, 560 days). As Trump pursues deportation policies, it remains to be seen how willing his administration is going to be to swing open the doors for the six weeks of the tournament, particularly if that means facilitating thousands of Central and South American visitors. Contrasted with Russia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, FIFA may have hoped a World Cup held across the U.S., Canada and Mexico would have fewer public relations headaches, with the added boon of $14billion (£11.3bn) in projected revenues. Infantino and Trump in the White House’s Oval Office in 2018 (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) However, the shared nature of 2026 presents challenges, and Trump’s policies could test FIFA’s ability to manage relationships. FIFA has a four-year agreement with the World Health Organisation (WHO) “to promote healthy lifestyles and equal access to health services worldwide”. Trump has this week withdrawn his country from the WHO. In his first week back in office, Trump described Mexican cartels as foreign terror organizations and replied “could happen” when asked if he would send U.S. special-forces troops to Mexico to target them. He has also warned his administration will impose 25 per cent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, starting February 1. Addressing the World Economic Forum on Thursday, Trump told Canada it could avoid tariffs by becoming a U.S. state. And that’s all before we get onto the president of Panama, a contender to compete at next year’s World Cup, being asked this week if he worries about the possibility of the U.S. invading his country, or possible tensions with Denmark over Greenland’s future. The closeness between the Trump family and Infantino originated in Trump’s first term, when the so-called ‘United bid’ defeated Morocco for 2026 World Cup hosting rights. During and after that process, Infantino visited the White House three times, golfed with Trump in New Jersey and lunched with him at the 2020 World Economic Forum. There was a need for personal involvement by Trump, most notably in providing federal guarantees essential to the hosting requirements of a showpiece global event: FIFA requires visa access for competing players, staff from federations and fans who may wish to visit. Trump’s presidential guarantees — albeit not binding — were an important signal of intent during a presidency in which he’d signed an executive order banning foreign nationals from several predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States for 90 days. FIFA also required assurances regarding certain tax exemptions. The touchpoint for all of this became Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. When Trump left office, Kushner remained a go-to contact for Infantino, organizing a lunch of New York City business and political leaders to help swing the World Cup final to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, a few miles from Manhattan. Infantino visited Trump at the White House in 2019 (Win McNamee/Getty Images) In Davos, as Trump dismissed the 2020 charges against him (abuse of power and obstruction of Congress) as a “total hoax” — he was acquitted weeks later — he was introduced for his own speech by Infantino. “President Trump is definitely a sportsman,” Infantino gushed. “I am lucky enough in my life to come across some of the most talented athletes in soccer. And President Trump is made of the same sort of fibre. He is a competitor. He wants to compete, he wants to win. He wants to show who is the best.” Now, Infantino’s ongoing support appears to have put him in a prized position within Trump’s circle of trust. It wasn’t just an inauguration ticket. Infantino had almost a week of cosying up to the incoming administration. He visited Trump at the latter’s Florida home Mar-a-Lago last Friday, revealing on Instagram that the meeting centred on the World Cup, plus this summer’s U.S.-hosted Club World Cup. On the day Infantino donned his red tie and attended Trump’s rally, the Swiss soccer executive got publicly name-checked (although Trump initially appeared to mix him up with the president of the International Olympic Committee). After Trump’s mention, Infantino posted a video thanking him. In a FIFA press release, Infantino said: “I would like to thank President Trump, with whom I have a great friendship, and to assure him that, together, we will make not only America great again, but also the entire world, of course, because football — or soccer — unites the world.” Trump gave a recorded video address at the Club World Cup draw in December (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images) It is just the latest episode of recent bonhomie. At December’s draw for the group phase of the Club World Cup draw, Trump delivered a recorded video address, described Infantino as a “winner” and claimed he (Trump) was “very responsible” in bringing the World Cup to North America. Trump’s daughter Ivanka, Kushner and grandson Theodore all attended the event in Miami, with the latter even making the draw’s ceremonial first pick. While Trump trumpets the World Cup, one obscured aspect is how, as previously revealed by The Athletic, those behind the 2026 bid actively downplayed concerns about his rhetoric. Where once they attempted to persuade voters he did not reflect the bid, or he did not mean exactly what he said, or to reassure them it was unlikely he would be president in 2026, now he feels very much front and centre. Infantino will surely hope the closeness, and Trump’s positive attention, lasts through the tournament. As the president’s second term began, Infantino was once again mentioned by Trump at Davos. On Thursday, he said: “Here in America, we have big events coming up. Next year we have the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. We also have the World Cup, and I understand Gianni — Gianni is in the room — Infantino. He was very instrumental in helping us get it — he’s there with you someplace, I think — and I want to thank him for that.” And by that night, Infantino was back on Instagram, saying “Thank you, Mr. President” and, repeating once again, that #footballunitestheworld — as soccer’s political bromance continued at full speed.

he also plays at RW

Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho ‘improving in every aspect’ – Ruben Amorim https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6084706/2025/01/23/alejandro-garnacho-manchester-united-future/ Ruben Amorim has said Alejandro Garnacho is “improving in every aspect of the game” amid speculation over his Manchester United future. The Argentina international played the full 90 minutes as United defeated Rangers 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday, a week after Napoli approached United over his availability — an offer which was not entertained by the Premier League club. Chelsea have also made an enquiry over the 20-year-old, who United would reluctantly consider selling as part of their efforts to comply with football’s financial rules. The club are not actively looking to sanction the exit of Garnacho but the reality of their situation means the possibility cannot be discounted if suitable offers arrive. GO DEEPER Mainoo and Garnacho's futures will test INEOS' strategy - and trust with supporters “I think he’s improving in every aspect of the game,” Amorim said after the game against Rangers. “He was better today playing inside, also outside, changing positions, he’s improving the recovering position. You can see it until 90 minutes he’s always there recovering and helping, sometimes showing some frustration and that is good because he wants more. “I think he has potential to be so much better in every situation in the game. What I can say is he understood what I was trying to do, was really clear, I just want to help them but in the end it’s them that do the job.” United are next in action on Sunday with a trip to Fulham in the Premier League.

Why Renato Veiga is joining Juventus on loan six months after Chelsea transfer https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6083712/2025/01/24/renato-veiga-Chelsea-transfer-loan-juventus-analysis/ For those wondering why Renato Veiga wanted to leave Chelsea on loan for Juventus in January only six months after arriving at Stamford Bridge from Basel in a €14million deal, part of the answer can be found with a glance at the fixture list. Chelsea play 10 matches between Saturday’s trip to take on Manchester City and the March international break. Seven of those 10 are currently slated to be in the Premier League — the competition in which Veiga has started just once this season and played 177 minutes in total. His last league appearance was at Tottenham seven weeks ago — and was only as a substitute in the 89th minute. Realistically, only the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Brighton on February 8, the FA Cup fifth round — if Chelsea get there — and the two-legged Conference League round-of-16 tie in early March offered Veiga a chance of significant first-team minutes before Roberto Martinez picks his Portugal squad for the Nations League quarter-final against Denmark. That is a critical consideration for Veiga, who started for Martinez as a left-sided centre-back in both of Portugal’s group matches in the Nations League, against Poland and Croatia, in November. According to sources close to the player, who spoke anonymously to protect relationships, he is keen to give himself the best possible chance to establish himself in the position ahead of the Nations League knockout stage and the 2026 World Cup. Events in January crystallised the reality that Veiga would not get that particular opportunity at Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca. Significant injuries to Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile left Chelsea’s squad worryingly light at centre-back. But after checking on Crystal Palace’s valuation of Marc Guehi, the club instead opted to recall Trevoh Chalobah from his loan spell at Selhurst Park to provide the Italian with another experienced option. Veiga has been trialled by Maresca at left-sided centre-back only twice, in Conference League victories over Panathinaikos and Shamrock Rovers, while Levi Colwill has established himself as one of Chelsea’s most consistent starters in the position in the Premier League. The bulk of the Portugal international’s minutes have come as an inverted left-back in the Italian’s system, as well as a couple of starts in defensive midfield. Veiga wants to establish himself for Portugal (Damir Sencar/AFP via Getty Images) “I had a chat with Renato,” Maresca said when asked about his use of Veiga in a press conference earlier this month. “In terms of playing in the position that he is playing with us, that gave him the chance to join the national team and also probably the chance to get this speculation around him. That means clubs are looking for him. Clubs look for players that are doing well, not that are doing badly. “If there is a player who just wants to play in just one position, they are going to struggle. They have to adapt, they have to learn to play in different positions, which is a good thing for the team.” There is no suggestion of any issues between Veiga and Maresca, who cited a “technical decision” to omit the 21-year-old from his matchday squad against Wolves on Monday as his loan move to Juventus gathered momentum. Nor is Veiga unhappy at Chelsea. On the contrary, he has settled well into life in London, enjoys working at Cobham and still believes Stamford Bridge is where his long-term future — his contract runs until June 2031, with a club option to extend for a further year — ultimately lies. But once major European clubs signalled an interest in taking him on loan as a regular starter, Veiga’s short-term thinking began to change. Borussia Dortmund were the first to make a strong push, but the landscape then shifted with the sacking of Nuri Sahin. Marseille were also loan suitors, while other clubs made proposals to buy him. GO DEEPER With Sahin gone, what next for Borussia Dortmund? Chelsea’s initial position was that only a sale would be sanctioned in January, but Veiga made it clear he did not want to leave the club permanently or as part of any loan agreement that included an option to buy. After several conversations between the parties, the club’s stance softened to consider a straight loan if certain playing and economic conditions were met. Juventus made the most compelling pitch: a loan fee of €5million ($5.21m) with a possible €1m in bonuses, regular game time between now and May, and a return to Chelsea in time for the start of the Club World Cup, which begins in mid-June. Thiago Motta also spoke to his camp to explain the role he’d play in his squad. Veiga has featured infrequently in the Premier League (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Veiga will most likely fill a void in the heart of Juventus coach Thiago Motta’s defence created by the ACL injury suffered by Brazil international Bremer in October and the imminent departure of Danilo. He will have a chance to learn and prove himself at a club and in a league with a formidable defensive tradition. He’ll also get the opportunity to test himself in the Champions League. The aim is for him to complete a medical and be registered in time to make his Serie A debut against Napoli on Saturday. Juventus’ willingness to pay the sizeable loan fee did not just satisfy Chelsea, it also helped reassure Veiga that he will have a big role to play in Turin — a message that was reiterated to him after the loan deal was verbally agreed on Wednesday. He hopes to be picked primarily at centre-back but will happily play wherever he is needed. Game time is his top priority and he appreciates Chelsea’s decision to allow him to leave on loan to get it. A source close to Veiga said he is fully aware of how fortunate he is to play for two of Europe’s biggest clubs in less than a year. Chelsea have no plans to sign an alternative left-back in January despite Veiga’s departure. Reece James and Malo Gusto have both started on the left of Maresca’s back four in the Premier League this season and with Marc Cucurella firmly established as the first choice for the games that matter, there is no shortage of viable options in that area of the pitch. The hope on all sides is that Veiga will return to Chelsea this summer as a more experienced and well-rounded player, capable of playing a bigger role for Maresca. But even if the Juventus loan is less than a resounding success, there is a fair chance it will increase the value of a footballer whose relative obscurity back in July was reflected in his low transfer fee.

Enzo Maresca says Chelsea do not need midfield signings despite Romeo Lavia injury https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6085734/2025/01/24/Chelsea-january-transfers-update/ Enzo Maresca believes Chelsea do not need to sign another midfielder in this window despite Romeo Lavia being ruled out with injury for the third time this season. Lavia sustained a muscular injury against Bournemouth last week and as reported by The Athletic, is going to be on the sidelines for weeks. The 21-year-old has also had two spells out with hamstring problems this campaign and has yet to play a full 90 minutes since moving to Chelsea in the summer of 2023 from Southampton for an initial £53million. In 2023-24, he played just 32 minutes. Renato Veiga, who can play in midfield, is expected to join Juventus on loan today to further cut down Maresca’s options, while Cesare Casadei, Carney Chukwuemeka and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could all leave before the deadline closes on February 3. When asked if the club could do with another midfielder, he replied: “No. I think we have enough players to cover that situation with Moi (Caicedo), with Enzo (Fernandez), and in the last game Kiernan [Dewsbury-Hall] played there. So in this moment, the intention is not to go for one more midfielder.” GO DEEPER Do Chelsea have a problem to resolve in midfield? Fernandez, who missed the win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night, is in line to return from a muscular injury against Manchester City on Saturday. Chelsea have also been linked with a move for Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho but Maresca has downplayed that too. He added: “No, no, I’m happy with the ones we have in this moment. I have said many times, on the right side is Pedro [Neto] and Noni [Madueke] and on the left side is Jadon [Sancho]. Misha [Mudryk] was with us but now he is not with us, Tyrique [George] is a young profile that can help us. In this moment, we are okay.”