Football news

The chief correspondent of TBR Football, Graeme Bailey, shared information about the future of the Ukrainian defender of Everton, Vitaliy Mykolenko, whose contract with the English club expires in the summer of 2026.

«Let’s not beat around the bush. There are fears that Everton might lose him, that in six weeks he could sign a pre-contract with another club.

But nothing is known yet, so the coming weeks will play a key role in their plans. They want him to stay, but these weeks will be very telling.

I think his name will be appearing more and more in the future, and he really has a lot of fans on the continent. So they are working hard on it and hope to close this issue by the end of the year,» Bailey said in an interview with Everton News.

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler believes that Arne Slot’s team will not be able to compete for the title in the current English championship campaign.

«When the coach comes out, he will only say the right things. You can’t say 'we’re giving up,' because from the outside it would look terrible. But you need to be a bit realistic, because history shows that it seems only two teams have won the Premier League with six or seven losses.

For Liverpool to win the Premier League, they need to win almost every match. They can’t even draw — they need to win them all. Therefore, I think they are out of the race for the title,» Fowler is quoted by Liverpool Echo.

Head coach of Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, wants to acquire a midfielder in the winter transfer window, TEAMtalk reports.

According to the source, his priority option is Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace, but this transfer looks extremely difficult and expensive. A more realistic target for Chelsea could be Nico Paz from Como, and the Blues also have an interest in Kobbie Mainoo from Manchester United.

At the moment, Chelsea is experiencing some personnel shortages in the center of the field due to injuries to Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia, while Enzo Fernández is forced to play through pain.

Therefore, Maresca feels that his team needs another midfielder for a successful performance in the second half of the season. Enzo wants to acquire a player who does not require time for adaptation.

Arsenal’s head coach Mikel Arteta admitted that he uses artificial intelligence in his work.

“It’s a super powerful tool if you use it correctly and ask the right questions. It is already being used and can help in many things — not only with the team but also with organizational matters. It improves the situation, helps to understand or at least brings some thoughts. I’m not an expert, but it’s a valuable tool.

We have developed some things that we think can help us better understand and evaluate what we are doing and what we can improve. Next, we will consider the possibility of expanding its use in many other areas of the club,” Arteta is quoted by Daily Mail.

Former Tottenham and England midfielder David Bentley compared Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz to Milan player Luka Modric.

«He is an incredible player, very talented, fans and experts should support him. Yes, he is the same kind of player as Modric. When Modric came to Tottenham, he received the ball in the same way, scanned the field, he knew what to do. Wirtz is incredibly gifted technically, they can dictate the game, set the tempo of the match. So he should be kept,» Bentley’s words are quoted by Sky Sports on social network X.

Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson Moraes, who now plays for Fenerbahçe and previously played for Manchester City, has spoken about the reasons for his departure from the English club. The goalkeeper shared that he had the desire to leave Pep Guardiola’s team during the 2024/2025 season.

«All cycles end; players come and go, but the club remains. I spent eight wonderful years wearing the Manchester City jersey and won 18 titles, but I needed this change and a change of scenery. When Fenerbahçe appeared, I accepted the offer. I have maintained the same mentality, continuing to work off the field as I did before with my fitness coach. I have retained the same winning attitude as I had at Manchester City and Benfica, and I want to win at Fenerbahçe as well.

Last season I already tried to leave, but it didn’t work out. I think it somewhat affected my performance that season. I had five injuries and wasn’t at the highest possible level. I already made the decision with my family to discuss my departure with the club if they agreed. I needed these changes. There’s no point in playing for a winning big club if you’re unhappy,» Ederson was quoted by Goal.com.

Former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney continued his verbal war with Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

«My job is to express my thoughts. I’d like to think that I express my views directly and honestly about what I see and feel. In my podcast, I mentioned that maybe I went too far when I said that van Dijk has lowered his standards after signing a new contract. That’s a bold statement, and I might have been wrong about that.

"But judging by the level of play, I don’t think van Dijk is showing the level of last season. I’m sure, as a captain, he talks to the players and brings the team together. He himself said he did that. And if so, something is wrong.

Being champions, you cannot lose four matches in a row. If you lose one match, questions will already arise, and four consecutive losses mean something is wrong. I think creating a buzz is our job. Just focus on your game. If I were a young player, I would look at van Dijk and how he reacts to this. I just think you should concentrate on your game and discuss certain things within the team,» Rooney was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror.

Earlier, Wayne Rooney stated that van Dijk has lowered his standards after signing a new contract. To which van Dijk responded that it would be better for the expert to focus on his own work.

Aston Villa midfielder Ross Barkley has announced that he has stopped consuming alcohol.

«I haven’t had a drink since the summer. I plan to stay alcohol-free until the end of my career. Alcohol used to create situations that I no longer want to deal with. Now that I’m a father, I have more responsibilities. I may have four, five, six, or seven years left in football, so I want to make the most of it.

For most people, alcohol creates problems — now I understand that. Abstaining from it saves you from many situations. You have a clear mind every day, and it doesn’t affect you mentally. There are many benefits to a sober lifestyle,» Barkley told ESPN.

Manchester United is interested in Real Madrid forward Endrick, reports Goal.com.

According to the source, the Red Devils' attention to the Brazilian has intensified after forward Benjamin Sesko was injured last weekend.

The 19-year-old Brazilian footballer is considering the possibility of temporarily moving to another club. A potential loan could take place as early as the January transfer window. The main goal of such a move for Endrick is to gain match experience ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca highlighted the success of the Blues' midfielder Moises Caicedo.

«The goal we scored against Tottenham. He pressed in the penalty area because that’s how we try to press — high pressing as an immediate reaction to losing the ball. He is excellent. Currently, he and Rodri are the two best holding midfielders in the Premier League,» Maresca is quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

Chelsea captain Reece James has warned his England teammates about the heat they will face at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the USA next summer.

— You feel the heat as soon as you step out of the hotel. It’s extremely difficult to play in such heat, especially for us who play in England, because there is nothing like it. These are challenging conditions for playing football, and the fields there aren’t in perfect condition, which makes it a bit more difficult, but I hope they will work on this by the World Cup.

This is my message—the climatic conditions will be tough in America in the middle of summer. Everyone understands this. We are trying to prepare for it as best as possible. Training camps in such a climate would help us adapt to the specific weather conditions, said Reece James.

Manchester United shows a concrete interest in 22-year-old Nottingham Forest player Elliot Anderson, reports Sky Sport Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg.

According to the source, the Foresters are aware of the Red Devils' interest in Anderson, but they insist on selling the midfielder for a sum in the range of 114−134 million euros.

Previously, the internet portal Caught Offside reported that Nottingham Forest values the Englishman at 80 million euros.