Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo said he was close to signing for bitter rivals Manchester City last year but former manager Alex Ferguson asked him not to. Ronaldo said Ferguson persuaded him to re-join United for a second spell at Old Trafford when he moved from Juventus in August, 2021 on a two-year deal, returning to the club where he won eight major trophies from 2003-2009. "...Full Story »

Hartlepool secured a second round FA Cup spot thanks to a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout win over Solihull Moors.Pools were second best for most of the game against their National League opponents, but forced extra time with a late leveller to make it 1-1 and then triumphed on spot kicks.Home goalkeeper Ben Killip was their hero, giving an outstanding performance and saving a key penalty in the s...Full Story »

Manchester City have received a cheeky month-long loan for Erling Haaland to keep the striker fit during the World Cup - from a non-league club. The 22-year-old is effectively on holiday for over a month with the Premier League on halt as the Qatari competition goes on. But that does not mean that all football has come to an end. Deep down in the football pyramid away from the six-figure con...Full Story »

Barcelona willing to let Depay leave in January Barcelona would be open to letting Memphis Depay leave the club for free in January, with his contract up next summer, according to Relevo. Depay has failed to make an impact since heading to La Blaugrana and firmly fallen out of favour since the arrival of Robert Lewandowski. Noah Okafor available for January transfer (Sky Germany) As some o...Full Story »

Hartlepool will be without Alex Lacey for the FA Cup replay with Solihull Moors.The centre-half suffered a dislocated shoulder in the original tie, which finished in a 2-2 draw, and faces a spell on the sidelines.Rollin Menayese and Jamie Sterry are still missing to add to manager Keith Curle’s defensive problems.David Ferguson filled in at centre-back against Stevenage at the weekend on h...Full Story »

Roma star Rick Karsdorp has reported left the city after Jose Mourinho left him out of the squad for his side's clash against Torino. Mourinho made the headlines after Roma's match with Sassuolo last week. The Portuguese openly blamed one of his players for the goal his side conceded. Although he did not name the player, many assumed it was Karsdorp. Italian news outlet Corriere Dello Sport ...Full Story »

Inter eyeing Vazquez and Thuram Inter are hoping to strengthen their squad and want to sign Valencia's left-back Jesus Vazquez in January and Marcus Thuram in the summer, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Italia). Vazquez has only played four times so far this season and will be allowed to leave on loan with an option to buy in the winter window. Meanwhile, Thuram is out of...Full Story »

Paul Ince accepted his side got lucky after Reading ended a bad run of form with a dramatic 2-1 victory at Hull.The Royals had won just once in nine Sky Bet Championship games but left East Yorkshire with three points after Ryan Longman was adjudged to have scored an own goal deep into injury time.Ince said: “We didn’t deserve to get the three points – a point for each team wou...Full Story »

Daniel Bachmann’s outstanding second-half save from Andreas Weimann earned Watford a point from a goalless Championship draw at Bristol City.The goalkeeper managed to claw out a 68th-minute header, diving full length to get his right hand to the ball and prevent the home side taking a deserved lead.City dominated for long periods without coming up with a finish, while the out-of-sorts visi...Full Story »

Reading claimed a much-needed 2-1 win at Hull following Ryan Longman’s injury-time own goal.With the game meandering towards a draw, Longman was adjudged to have put into his own net after substitute Andy Carroll tried his luck with a header off Tom Ince’s free-kick from the left.Jacob Greaves’ ninth-minute header appeared to have put the Royals, who had won just once in nine p...Full Story »

Matt Robinson scored twice on his birthday as Dagenham & Redbridge secured a 3-0 win at Solihull Moors in the Vanarama National League.Robinson’s deflected strike gave the visitors an early lead and he added his second after Josh Walker had notched his  sixth league goal of the season.Solihull, who slipped to back-to-back home defeats, hit the woodwork in the first half when Dagge...Full Story »

Ivan Toney responded to his World Cup omission by scoring both goals as Brentford claimed a stunning 2-1 win at Premier League champions Manchester City.The Bees forward, left out of Gareth Southgate’s squad for Qatar this week, netted a stoppage-time winner at the Etihad Stadium to condemn City to a shock loss in their final match before the break.Toney, outstanding throughout, had put Br...Full Story »

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has told national team managers hopeful of having their World Cup players rested this weekend: "Don't call me!" There is one last round of Premier League fixtures before the tournament starts but Guardiola has rejected the idea that he could give a helping hand to the countries heading to Qatar by rotating his squad when he picks his team to play Brentford a...Full Story »

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will miss Saturday's Premier League clash with Southampton after being given a one-match touchline ban by the Football Association for clashing with the assistant referee during last month's win over Manchester City. Klopp was shown a red card for confronting the official after forward Mohamed Salah was denied a free kick late in the second half at Anfield durin...Full Story »

Manchester City are again without right-back Kyle Walker for the visit of Brentford in the Premier League.The England international is still recovering from groin surgery last month but fellow full-back Joao Cancelo returns from suspension.Aymeric Laporte was withdrawn against Chelsea on Wednesday as a precaution but the problem is not thought to be serious. Erling Haaland could be fit to start ...Full Story »

Liam Rosenior will be without top-scorer Oscar Estupinan as he takes charge of his first home game as Hull manager.Estupinan will miss the visit of Reading as he serves the second of a three-match ban.Ryan Longman could get another chance to deputise up front but there could be changes elsewhere if Rosenior opts to freshen things up.Brandon Fleming, Callum Elder, Ozan Tufan and Dogukan Sinik are...Full Story »

Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson is still without key players for the visit of his former club Watford.Full-back George Tanner, sent off against Sheffield United earlier this month, completes a three-match ban in the Sky Bet Championship fixture.Defenders Kal Naismith (calf) and Tomas Kalas (knee) will not return until after the World Cup break.Midfielder Ayman Benarous and right-back Kane Wilson...Full Story »

And they are now also allegedly the favourites to snap-up the teenage sensation ahead of transfer rivals Liverpool and Real Madrid. Speculation is mounting over Man City's pursuit of Jude Bellingham Cedit: Getty The 19-year-old England international midfielder has emerged as one of the best talents in the continent and continues to gain admirers with performances at Dortmund. Bellingham has e...Full Story »

Pep Guardiola declared himself “more than pleased” after Manchester City claimed their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 2-0 victory over Chelsea on Wednesday.On a night when Kalvin Phillips returned to action to stake his claim for a World Cup place, City prevailed at the Etihad Stadium with second-half goals from Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez.Manager Guardiola said: &l...Full Story »

Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez struck early in the second half as Manchester City began their latest Carabao Cup quest with a 2-0 win over Chelsea.Mahrez gave City the lead with a fine free-kick after 53 minutes of Wednesday’s third-round tie before Alvarez tapped in the second five minutes later at the Etihad Stadium.Chelsea’s impressive youngster Lewis Hall twice brought good save...Full Story »