European Super Football

There has been some interesting nominations for the Ballon d’Or Scott McTominay has been shortlisted for the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Scot to be nominated for the award since Ally McCoist in 1987. Author | Josh D The 28-year-old midfielder joined Napoli from Manchester United last summer in a £25m deal and played a central role in their Serie A title triumph. He scored 12 goals in 34 league appearances and was named Serie A’s player of the year . His inclusion among the 30 nominees caps a remarkable rise for the Lanarkshire-born player, who left his boyhood club after a decade at Old Trafford in search of more regular first-team football. The winner will be revealed on 22 September. Conte turns McTominay into a superstar Scott McTominay has thrived since joining Napoli , but his resurgence can be traced back to a key tactical change introduced by Antonio Conte. During his time at Manchester United, McTominay was typically used as a defensive midfielder, of...

England fans have a new idol Forward Michelle Agyemang has been named Euro 2025’s young player of the tournament following a series of decisive cameos during the Lionesses’ successful title defence. Author | Olivia T The 19-year-old Arsenal striker featured for just 138 minutes in Switzerland and did not start a single game, yet made a vital impact in key moments.  Her late equalisers against Sweden in the quarter-finals and Italy in the semi-finals proved instrumental in taking England to a dramatic final, where they retained their European crown with a penalty shootout victory over Spain in Basel. Who is Michelle Agyemang? Just a few months ago, Michelle Agyemang was largely unknown to the wider public. At 19, she had been drafted from the England under-19s to step in for Alessia Russo during a Nations League match against Belgium in Leuven. To many reading the headlines when the news was announced, Michelle Agyemang appeared to come from nowhere. A 19-year-old called u...

This is a developing story. What are your thoughts on this Crystal Palace fans? Anger? Author | Lewis W The Selhurst Park club have beem demoted to Conference League after breaching Uefa ownership rules They will play in the Europe's third tier competition next season instead of the Europa League after Uefa ruled that the club had breached its multi-club ownership regulations. The decision follows an investigation into the role of American businessman John Textor, who holds a stake in Palace and is also the majority owner of Lyon. The French side have also qualified for the Europa League, prompting concerns over potential conflicts of interest. READ MORE | Latest Crystal Palace news and stories READ MORE | How Crystal Palace won the FA Cup  READ MORE | Visit London Super News for more reaction to this story Uefa regulations prevent clubs under the influence of the same individual or entity from competing in the same European competition. A deadline of 1 March 2025 was set for c...

Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has signed a new three-year deal at the City Ground. The Portuguese guided the club to seventh in the league last season to qualify for Europe for the first time since 95/96. Author | Kieran M Nuno replaced Steve Cooper in December 2023 and kept Forest up, the club surviving on the final day of the 2023-24 season. They suffered a four-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules but finished 17th. Last season, Nottingham Forest was the surprise package as they competed for Champions League spots, remaining in the top four for most of the campaign. However, they fell out of contention after winning only two of their last seven games, although they did qualify for the Europa Conference League play-off stage. The former Wolves and Tottenham head coach also led them to the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1991, where they were defeated 2-0 by Manchester City. Best reaction In a statement on Forest's website, the Forest bos...

Crystal Palace are looking to build on last season's success The FA Cup holders are in negotiations with Sporting Lisbon over a potential deal for centre-back Ousmane Diomande. Author | Peter Grainger They are aiming to strengthen their defence this summer due to ongoing uncertainty over the future of captain Marc Guehi, who has just 12 months remaining on his contract. Diomande, 21, is a key target for Palace, although it is not yet clear whether the two clubs will be able to reach an agreement. The Ivory Coast international is valued at around £40 million, a figure that would break Palace’s current transfer record of £32 million paid for Christian Benteke in 2016. READ MORE |  Transfer News and Rumours With Guehi's future unresolved, bringing in a new central defender has become a priority. Palace are considering selling the England international in this window rather than risk losing him for free next summer. What are Crystal Palace reportedly signing? After joining Dani...

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...