European Super Football

Interesting and potentially exciting news from the WSL The Women’s Super League is set to grow from 12 to 14 teams from the 2026–27 season Author | Lauren W It has also been confirmed that relegation will remain part of the structure in the Women's game.  Under the revised format, the top two teams from the second-tier Championship will gain automatic promotion at the end of next season. The side finishing third will face a play-off against the team that finishes bottom of the WSL, with a place in the top flight at stake. The changes were confirmed on Monday after a vote by clubs, bringing clarity after months of uncertainty. READ MORE | How Arsenal Women won the Champions League  READ MORE |  WSL news and stories from European Super Football Speculation had intensified in March amid suggestions that relegation could be suspended temporarily as part of the expansion. That idea sparked criticism across the game, but league officials maintained that no formal proposal h...

Will the former AC Milan legend get Italy back to their best? They have turned to former midfielder Gennaro Gattuso as their new head coach, following the abrupt departure of Luciano Spalletti. Author | Jack L Gattuso, a World Cup winner in 2006 and a key figure in AC Milan’s golden era, steps into the role two decades after helping Italy lift the trophy in Germany. The 47-year-old won 73 caps for the Azzurri during a combative international career and will now be tasked with guiding them back to the top of the global game. His appointment follows a dismal 3-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Norway earlier this month, which ultimately brought an end to Spalletti’s tenure. The outgoing coach announced his own dismissal in a tense press conference last week. Italy, who were crowned European champions in 2021, have since struggled to recapture their former heights. They failed to qualify for last summer’s Euros and have now missed the last two World Cups. READ MORE |  World Cu...

Russell Martin to Rangers has been confirmed The former Scotland international, 39, has signed a three-year deal as part of the first wave of appointments in a new chapter at Ibrox. Author | Mark Lee Rangers v Celtic during the 2024/2025 season A US-based consortium fronted by Andrew Cavenagh, and including the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, finalised its takeover of Rangers last week. Martin, who previously managed Southampton and Swansea City and had a brief spell as a player at Ibrox, is understood to have been the preferred candidate to take the club forward. He achieved a promotion with Southampton in 2024 but was sacked this season after the Saints struggled for form in the Premier League.  Rangers ended last season without silverware under Philippe Clement, who was succeeded on an interim basis by Barry Ferguson. READ MORE | Latest Rangers news and stories   READ MORE | News from across Scotland  They trailed far behind Celtic in the Premiership, l...

What next for Michael Carrick? Middlesbrough have parted company with the former Manchester United midfielder after two and a half years at the helm. Author | Kieran M The former England international, 43, was appointed in October 2022, taking on his first permanent managerial role. He led Boro to the Championship play-offs in his debut season, but the club failed to reach the top six in the following two campaigns. Carrick’s coaching staff, including Jonathan Woodgate and his brother Graeme Carrick, have also left the Riverside Stadium. READ MORE | Latest Middlesbrough news and stories Boro remained in contention for a play-off spot for much of the 2024–25 campaign but faltered in the closing stages, managing just one win from their final six matches. A final-day defeat at Coventry consigned them to a 10th-place finish. Carrick’s departure means that 17 of last season’s 24 Championship clubs have changed manager since the start of the campaign. Carrick failed to build on a success...

What next for Jadon Sancho? Chelsea have decided against signing Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal, choosing instead to pay a £5 million penalty to send the winger back to Manchester United. Author | Lauren W Sancho joined Chelsea on loan last summer following a breakdown in his relationship with then-United manager Erik ten Hag.  Although the 25-year-old had shown flashes of form, the Blues and the player’s representatives failed to agree terms over a long-term contract, with Sancho expected to take a pay cut from his current £300,000-a-week deal at Old Trafford. READ MORE | Chelsea news and stories READ MORE | Latest transfer news and rumours Chelsea had not paid a loan fee for the England international and had only covered half of his wages during the season. The loan agreement included a clause obliging Chelsea to buy Sancho for around £25 million if they finished above 14th in the Premier League. Having comfortably achieved that, the club will now instead pay to withdraw f...

A sign that Real Madrid are taking the Club World Cup seriously? Trent Alexander-Arnold will officially become a Real Madrid player on Sunday 1 June after Liverpool agreed to an early termination of his contract in exchange for a fee. Author | William G Liverpool sources suggest the Spanish club has paid €10m (£8.4m) in a single up-front payment, although figures close to Madrid claim the fee is lower. The payment allows Alexander-Arnold to complete his move in time to feature in the expanded Club World Cup next month. The 26-year-old England international had been due to leave Anfield on a free transfer when his contract expired on 30 June, but had already made clear his intention to depart this summer. He has now signed a six-year deal with Madrid that includes a €1bn (£840m) buy-out clause. Fifa has approved a special transfer window from 1 to 10 June for clubs competing in the month-long Club World Cup, which begins on 14 June in the United States. READ MORE | News from across ...

Thomas Tuchel has named his squad for the next set of England matches The highlight includes a return for the former Brentford striker Ivan Toney Author | Jamie P Picture of England v Latvia Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham has also been selected, despite the midfielder's upcoming shoulder surgery. He is set to have an operation following the Club World Cup to resolve an issue that has troubled him since 2023. The Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden is a notable absentee, while there are no representatives from Manchester United. Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah has received his first senior call-up which is deserved afterwards a decent season in the Premier League. The squad in full Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Burnley) Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal...

Where does Modric rank among Real Madrid greats? The former Spurs midfielder has announced he will leave Real Madrid this summer following the conclusion of their Fifa Club World Cup campaign.  Author | Jack L Modric playing for Real Madrid back in 2013 Source | Paul Stephens Flickr The 39-year-old Croatia international, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, will make his final appearance at the Santiago Bernabéu when Real host Real Sociedad in their last La Liga fixture of the season on Saturday. Modric joined Real from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 and has enjoyed a glittering 13-year spell in Spain, collecting 28 trophies including six Champions League titles and four La Liga crowns. Real Madrid begin their Club World Cup campaign on 18 June against Saudi side Al-Hilal, with group stage matches also lined up against Pachuca of Mexico and Austria’s RB Salzburg. READ MORE | News from across Spain This season, Modric has made 34 league appearances, contributing two goals and six assist...

Will there be new owners for Rangers? Rangers have confirmed for the first time that they are in active discussions with a group of American investors, including the San Francisco 49ers, regarding a possible takeover of the club. Author - Mark Lee Speculation around external interest had emerged earlier this year. The Ibrox club has now said that "productive conversations" are taking place, with a joint statement noting that the group is seeking a controlling stake in the Scottish side. No timeline has been given for a potential agreement, though those familiar with the situation previously suggested that a deal could be finalised between April and June. Among the key figures involved is Paraag Marathe, chairman of Leeds United and a leading executive behind 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the NFL franchise. He is understood to be playing a central role in the discussions. READ MORE:  Rangers Europa League adventure ends in Bilbao READ MORE:  End of the road for ...

The United Kingdom is set to host the 2035 Women's World Cup  It has been reported via FIFA that the UK bid is the sole valid bidder for the tournament. Author - Craig H Will the UK World Cup build on the growing popularity within women's football Source | European Super Football Flickr England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland submitted a joint expression of interest in March to hold the World Cup across the home nations. Under Fifa rotation rules, the tournament must be in Europe or Africa. Straight away, this made the UK bid one of the favourites to win. The Spainish federation president Rafael Louzan had apparently said last week that they were working on a joint bid alongside Portugal and Morocco. However, the deadline for expressions of interest passed on Monday and FIFA officials have said the UK's bid is the only one received for 2035, while the United States are set to host the 2031 edition. Source | Daniel on Flickr Formal bids for the 2035 World Cup...

Some reaction to Manchester United’s proposed new stadium They have announced plans to build the biggest stadium in the country. Author - Liam C Source | Man United YouTube account   This will be an iconic new £2bn 100,000-seater ground close to their current stadium. Once construction is complete, the "current"  Old Trafford is likely to be demolished. United's decision follows a thorough consultation on whether to renovate Old Trafford or construct a brand-new stadium. Old Trafford has been Manchester United's home since 1910, and the club would remain there until any new stadium is completed. The stadium will form part of a wider regeneration of the Old Trafford area, predicted to be the biggest such project in the United Kingdom since the transformation of the Stratford area that accompanied the 2012 Olympics in London. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already given government backing to the plans. Jim Ratcliffe said the following in a statement that was publishe...

Rangers turn to a familiar face as they look to end their season positively They have appointed former captain Barry Ferguson as head coach on an interim basis until the end of the season. Author - Mark Lee He will be joined by ex-teammates Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor , who all return to Ibrox in coaching roles. Issame Charai, who was only brought in as Philippe Clement’s assistant last month, will also remain part of the backroom team. The club has confirmed that a permanent managerial appointment will be made in the coming months as their football review continues. Ferguson enjoyed a glittering playing career at Rangers, winning five league titles, five Scottish Cups and five League Cups across two spells in Glasgow. His appointment follows the dismissal of Philippe Clement on Sunday , just 16 months into his tenure. The Belgian’s departure also saw coaches Alex Rae, Colin Stewart and Stephan van der Heyden leave the club. A Rangers fan responds Jim, a lifelon...

It was an historic night for Everton fans. Nearly 10,000 Evertonians got their first taste of life at their new stadium as they watched the club’s academy side fall to defeat against Wigan’s youngsters. Author - Sarah W Wigan’s Harrison Rimmer – a lifelong Liverpool fan, no less – etched his name into the history books by scoring the first-ever goal at the new ground. And he didn’t miss the chance to wind up the home crowd, celebrating by holding up six fingers in reference to Liverpool’s six Champions League titles. Cole Simms doubled Wigan’s lead shortly after, before Everton pulled one back late on through a penalty from 16-year-old Ray Robert. Regardless of the defeat for their side, this was an incredible opportunity for those young Everton players. It will be interesting to see how many of them end up playing for the first team at the stadium. Read more | The last Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park The ground in an earlier stage of construction . What do Everton fans think o...

Luke Williams has departed Swansea City after an awful run of form that saw them lose seven of their last nine matches. Williams leaves after just over a year in charge, with the Swans sitting 17th in the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone with 13 games remaining. His departure is accompanied by the exits of assistant head coach Ryan Harley and first-team coach analyst George Lawtey. Author - Mark Milward Assistant head coach Alan Sheehan has been placed in temporary charge for a second time, with the club confirming that the search for Williams' successor is "already under way."  Sheehan will be supported by coach Kristian O’Leary and goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson as Swansea prepare for Saturday’s home clash with Blackburn Rovers. Williams was interviewed after that recent defeat to Stoke A dramatic decline Williams’ exit comes after a dramatic downturn in form since the start of 2025. At the turn of the year, Swansea looked well positioned for a p...

Will the former Liverpool player make a difference to Burnley? Burnley have secured the services of former Newcastle United and England midfielder Jonjo Shelvey on a deal running until the end of the season. Author - Jack L Shelvey playing for Newcastle United back in 2016 The 32-year-old joins as a free agent after his contract with Turkish Super Lig side Eyupspor came to an end. A five-cap England international, Shelvey also had a stint in Turkey with Caykur Rizespor. He arrives at Turf Moor after spending time on trial with the Championship club earlier this month. EFL: 2024/2025 Shelvey began his career in Charlton Athletic’s academy before moving to Liverpool, where he made 65 appearances. He left Liverpool in the summer of 2013 to sign for Swansea City, where he went on to play all but six games in the top-flight during his first season in South Wales. After three years with Swansea, scoring 10 goals in just under 100 appearances and gaining an additional five England caps, S...

It has been an interesting few days at the London Stadium West Ham have parted ways with manager Julen Lopetegui after just six months at the helm, with reports suggesting Graham Potter is in discussions to replace him. Author - William G   The former West Ham boss after a defeat to Villa earlier in the season The 58-year-old former Wolves boss was appointed in May after David Moyes’ departure but only officially began his tenure on 1 July. During Lopetegui’s time in charge, the Hammers managed just six Premier League wins. Saturday’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City marked their ninth loss in 20 league games this season, leaving the club 14th in the table, just seven points above the relegation zone. Talks have reportedly taken place with Graham Potter, the ex-Chelsea and Brighton manager, over taking the job on a short-term basis. How did we reach this point? West Ham's next match is an FA Cup third-round clash against Aston Villa on Friday. The pressure on Lopetegui began to mou...

It's going to be the end of another era at Anfield Mohamed Salah has declared that he expects to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.  Author - William G Salah's first 200 goals for Liverpool. Mohamed Salah has ended speculation about his future, confirming that this will be his final season as a Liverpool player. The 32-year-old Egyptian forward announced his decision to leave the club at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, closing what has been an historic chapter at Anfield. This announcement cements the clues Salah hinted at earlier. Back in September, following a match against Manchester United , Salah implied that this season would likely be his last with the Reds. Today’s statement brings an end to the speculation. Despite the prospect of his departure, Salah continues to demonstrate why he’s regarded as one of the Premier League’s finest. He’s currently the league’s top scorer with 17 goals and has also contributed 13 assists, remaining an indispensable player f...

What next for an English football legend? Head coach Wayne Rooney has parted ways with Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle by mutual consent. Author - Peter Grainger The video below shows Rooney’s reaction after a recent defeat against Norwich City. The 39-year-old former England captain managed only four league victories while suffering 13 defeats in 23 Championship matches since taking charge of the Pilgrims in May. His departure leaves the club rooted to the bottom of the table. Rooney arrived at Home Park just four months after being sacked by Birmingham City, where his short 83-day tenure saw nine defeats in 15 games. Sunday's 2-0 loss to Oxford United , which extended Plymouth's winless run to nine matches, was met with boos from the crowd. It marked their sixth defeat in that run, which began in early November. Under Rooney’s leadership, Plymouth have struggled at both ends of the pitch. They’ve scored the joint-fewest goals in the Championship and conceded mor...

Stoke City have made a big decision as they head into 2025 They have parted ways with head coach Narcis Pelach just 19 games into his tenure. Author - Lee Poxen Pelach, who replaced Steven Schumacher on 18 September with a three-year deal, managed only three Championship wins, the most recent coming on 6 November. Stoke currently sit 19th in the table. Interesting news. More reaction coming up on https://t.co/CizyD3ifp5 https://t.co/mackj7PU3C — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) December 29, 2024 The Potters suffered a 2-0 defeat to Leeds United on Boxing Day , a match that saw the 36-year-old face criticism for his frequent tactical adjustments. Former Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross will step in as caretaker manager for Sunday’s home fixture against Sunderland, supported by Alex Morris, Dean Whitehead, and Darren Behcet from the backroom staff. Goalkeeper coach Paul Clements and performance analyst Harrison Glew have also left the club. Both Clements and Whitehead joined ...

Will this announcement mark an end to some of the uncertainty? The club have confirmed Omer Riza as their manager on a deal lasting until the end of the season. Author - Jamie P Riza, previously a coach at Watford, stepped in as interim boss after Erol Bulut was dismissed in September following the club’s worst start to a league campaign. Since then, Riza has guided the team to a noticeable improvement, collecting 16 points from 12 games and adopting a more attack-minded approach. However, the Bluebirds have struggled recently, failing to win any of their last five matches, leaving fans concerned about the ongoing uncertainty around the managerial role. Riza initially joined Cardiff as an assistant coach at the start of the season but was promoted to interim manager on 22 September when Bulut was sacked. He made an encouraging start, winning four of his first seven games, but the club's leadership took over two months to settle on a permanent appointment, drawing criticism from...