European Super Football

Title 21 guaranteed for Liverpool? They entered the season as clear favourites to retain the Premier League title, following a comfortable march to their 20th championship last spring Author | William G Arne Slot’s first campaign as head coach saw the team largely unchallenged from Christmas onwards, securing the title with four games to spare and finishing ten points clear at the top. Their response was a summer spending spree unprecedented in European football, totalling £415 million to assemble a remarkable array of talent. The previous British record had been set by Chelsea’s £400 million outlay in 2023, and Liverpool would have spent even more had a deal for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi not fallen through as the window closed . If Liverpool were already tipped as champions before this investment, title number 21 now seems all but assured. It is early in the season to make such a definitive judgement, but the scale of their recruitment makes it harder than ever to see past...

Manuel Akanji has joined Italian club Inter on a season-long loan deal. The Swiss international moved to City from Borussia Dortmund in September 2022 and has made 136 appearances for the Blues. Author | Peter Jobes A closer look at his City career During his time at the Etihad Stadium, he won seven trophies, playing a central role in the club’s historic Treble in his debut season and in the following campaign, when City became the first English men’s side to secure four successive league titles. In total, Akanji lifted two Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League , the FIFA Club World Cup, the FA Cup, the Community Shield and the UEFA Super Cup during his spell in Manchester. The defender featured 48 times in the 2022/23 season, scoring in the emphatic 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final at the Etihad. He also started the FA Cup final win over Manchester United and was heavily involved in the build-up to Rodri’s decisive strike in the Champions ...

Luxembourg v Northern Ireland preview Northern Ireland will begin another World Cup qualifying campaign with an away game in Luxembourg. Author | Mark Lee Stadium | Stade de Luxembourg The 2026 World Cup will arrive 40 years after Northern Ireland last graced football’s biggest stage, and a decade since their memorable run at Euro 2016 . In the years since, progress has been limited, but the introduction of younger players and a recent Nations League group victory have injected fresh belief. Qualification rules may also work in their favour, with Nations League winners who do not finish in the top two of their groups handed another route into the finals. READ MORE |  Wales resume their attempt to reach the World Cup Michael O’Neill’s side have taken seven wins from their last 15 matches, including a 1-0 friendly victory over Iceland in June, a sign of steady progress under the manager who guided them to France in 2016. While qualifying began for most of Europe back in March,...

Kazakhstan v Wales preview Wales resume their attempt to reach a second successive World Cup when they meet Kazakhstan in Astana. Author | Stephen Chadwick Stadium | Astana Arena The stadium that will host the match Wales have made an encouraging start under Craig Bellamy . After earning promotion to the top tier of the Nations League at the end of last year, they have taken seven points from their opening four World Cup 2026 qualifiers . They are also the leading scorers in Group J with ten goals. An opening victory over Kazakhstan was followed by a stoppage-time equaliser in North Macedonia, when David Brooks rescued a point. A 3-0 win at home to Liechtenstein then set the stage for an eye-catching performance in Brussels . Wales fought back from three goals down against Belgium, only for Kevin De Bruyne ’s late strike to seal the points for the hosts. READ MORE |  Heartbreak for Wales in Belgium READ MORE |  Wales snatch dramatic draw in North Macedonia That result...

Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens The deal is said to be worth an initial 21m euros (£18.1m) plus add-ons. Author | Olivia T This United's fifth signing of the window. Has it been a successful summer for them? Who is Senne Lammens? Lammens moved to Antwerp on a free transfer from Club Brugge in 2023 and has since made 64 appearances, lifting the Belgian Super Cup in his first season. The Belgian youth international has yet to win a senior cap, though he received his first call-up in March 2025 and is widely viewed as the natural successor to Thibaut Courtois . He featured 30 times in the Belgian Pro League last season, recording seven clean sheets. His recent absence from Antwerp’s squad for consecutive matches against KV Mechelen and KVC Westerlo came as speculation over his future intensified. How did United get here? Rúben Amorim began the season with uncertainty over his preferred goalkeeper. Altay Bayindir’s mistake against Arsen...

Liverpool have finally signed striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United. It is believed that the deal is worth as much as £130m with add-ons and Isak signed a six-year contract. Author | Peter Jobes Newcastle United Isak display They had an original £110m offer for Isak rejected in August, but finally landed their first-choice target of the summer. The protracted saga came to an end on the final day of the transfer window, and it follows Newcastle signing striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart last week. Liverpool have already broken their club transfer record this summer by signing Germany attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz in a deal worth an initial £100m, with a further £16m in add-ons. Isak's arrival would top that outlay. After also bringing in Guehi, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Giovanni Leoni, the deal would take the club's spending to about £451.2m without add-on fees - the highest total in Premier Leagu...

A long-running saga is over until January... Liverpool's attempt to sign Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day has fallen through. Author | Peter Jobes A deal was agreed after the clubs reached a compromise on the fee for Guehi, with Liverpool having originally tabled an offer of £35m, plus a 10 percent sell-on clause. How the saga unfolded He was meant to be one of two Liverpool signings on transfer deadline day, after the Reds also bid for striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United.  Following the arrivals of Isak (still to be confirmed), Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Giovanni Leoni, the signing of Guehi takes Liverpool’s spending will still be around £419 million, excluding add-on fees, setting a new record for the highest total in Premier League history. Guehi captained Palace to a 3-0 win at Aston Villa in was was originally meant to be the last of his 162 games for the London club.  Why were Live...