On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Jacob Feldman are joined by Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen to discuss Sportico’s recently published MLS valuations. The average team is now worth $72 million, up 6% from 2024, but there is a growing divide between MLS’ top franchises and the rest of the pack. Badenhausen explains what …
Transfer window verdict: how every Premier League club fared
Only one of the top six made a notable signing – and they spent £172m – in a frustrating window for several managers
Mikel Arteta’s hopes of strengthening his squad never materialised, no doubt to his frustration and that of every Arsenal supporter, despite the surprise bid for Ollie Watkins and interest in Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel. The feelgood factor generated by the famous thrashing of Manchester City will not last long if a lack of attacking options means they cannot sustain their challenge in the Premier League. Arteta, who would not allow Kieran Tierney or Jorginho to leave with their contracts expiring in the summer, will be hoping that some winter sunshine in Dubai next week can give his players extra spark when they return. Ed Aarons
Continue reading...Chelsea 2-1 West Ham: Premier League – as it happened
Chelsea boosted their push for a Champions League place after a fortunate win on Graham Potter’s return to SW6
More on the enigma that is Andy Irving.
Brendan Large gets in touch: “As a Chelsea fan I think dropping Sanchez was a no-brainer today. He hasn’t been as bad as his headlines (mostly) and has made some good saves. But all the noise around him would have made every touch a chance for West Ham fans to put him under pressure. Jorgensen doesn’t look spectacular but seems to be a safe pair of hands (mostly) from his Conference League/Cup appearances.
Continue reading...Arsenal’s rout of Manchester City shows how great empires end
Pep Guardiola was thought to have stabilised City’s form, but Sunday’s 5-1 demolition by Arsenal shows that the champions’ reign is now surely over
By the time Ethan Nwaneri whipped in Arsenal’s fifth, the mood at the Emirates was euphoric. The 17-year-old’s finish, arced into the bottom corner from that inside-right position through which so many of Arsenal’s attacks had come, felt like the perfect finale to a dominant 5-1 win over reigning Premier League champions Manchester City. And it was, in more ways than one.
Its youthful chutzpah seemed an appropriate way to round off a win in which 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly had been the most eye-catching player, having scored the third goal with an impudent shimmy into the box. Yet there was a strange realisation on seeing the replay. Nwaneri’s finish hadn’t nestled in that close to the corner of the goal; it wasn’t quite as good as it had initially appeared. And that felt emblematic of the game as a whole.
Continue reading...Walker and Tomori partnership shows promise as Milan hold firm in derby | Nicky Bandini
Draw in Milan derby suited nobody but the English duo showed they may be the answer to defensive frailties
Sérgio Conceição said last week that he was sick and tired of this transfer window. “A month is far too long,” he argued. “It has not been positive on an emotional level for many of our players.”
The counter-point arrived in the Milan derby on Sunday night. Starting at right-back for the Rossoneri was Kyle Walker, signed on loan from Manchester City a fortnight after he had informed the Premier League champions of his desire for a move. He was outshone on his debut by the man inside him at centre-back, Fikayo Tomori, who has spent this entire window being linked with transfers elsewhere.
Continue reading...Transfer deadline day: Rashford, Tel, Nkunku, Disasi, Félix news and latest moves – live
- Latest news and updates before 11pm GMT deadline
- The Rumour Mill: Tel to Arsenal? Félix to Milan?
- Men’s transfer interactive: deals from around Europe
- Get in touch: email Will with your thoughts
Manchester United would not be surprised if Chelsea make a cheeky late bid for Alejandro Garnacho though the early signs are the west London club may not. For United, after letting both Marcus Rashford and Antony go on loan (to Aston Villa and Real Betis) there would surely be serious uproar if Sir Jim Ratcliffe allowed another wide forward, who Ruben Amorim talked up last week, to depart.
Ruben Amorim left more than £100m of striker on the bench in yesterday’s 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace. Surely he wants the Manchester United hierarchy to invest in someone that guarantees goals. He also sanctioned the departures of Antony and Marcus Rashford, leaving them short of options in attack, not that either has done anything of note this season.
Continue reading...Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action
Arsenal relish City demolition as Sels shines while Liverpool carry on regardless at the top
Any successful title challenge needs a statement victory to install belief and reset previous concerns. Beating Manchester City must now be Arsenal’s foundation and not the zenith. Arsenal have played much of this season as if distracted by situations beyond their control – referees, their rivals’ dispositions and their relative luck with injuries. The second-half performance was a reminder of how Mikel Arteta previously took Arsenal to the verge of title wins, playing high-grade attacking football, pressing their opponents into mistakes. Has the high-quality football returned at the right time? Arteta’s team maintained discipline, not rising to provocations before taking advantage of City’s malfunctions to run in five goals. All without Bukayo Saka, whose loss was supposed to be the end of the affair. In Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, both on the scoresheet, the next generation made its contribution on a perfect Sunday for club and manager. One to celebrate and build on, not bask in. John Brewin
Match report: Arsenal 5-1 Manchester City
Match report: Brentford 0-2 Tottenham
Match report: Manchester United 0-2 Crystal Palace
Match report: Wolves 2-0 Aston Villa
Match report: Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool
Match report: Ipswich 1-2 Southampton
Match report: Everton 4-0 Leicester
Match report: Newcastle 1-2 Fulham
Match report: Nottingham Forest 7-0 Brighton
Continue reading...Arsenal 5-1 Manchester City: Premier League – as it happened
Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, and Ethan Nwaneri, 17, scored as Arsenal humiliated the champions in the last half hour at the Emirates
Here’s the Premier League table going into this afternoon’s game
Today’s Premier League results
Brentford 0-2 Tottenham
Man Utd 0-2 Crystal Palace
Continue reading...Manchester United punished by Mateta double in defeat by Crystal Palace
Ruben Amorim’s wish to “create some danger” flamed at the start of each half, then faded, as Manchester United were sucker-punched by Jean-Philippe Mateta’s second goal on 89 minutes that sealed a first defeat in four games.
United and Crystal Palace were becalmed in front of goal except for when the Eagles twice took advantage of the home side’s slipshod backline.
Continue reading...European football: Barcelona edge Alavés, Milan denied derby hat-trick
- Lewandowski goal earns Barça 1-0 home victory
- De Vrij pounces in stoppage time at San Siro
Barcelona closed the gap on La Liga leaders, Real Madrid, to four points, but were reliant on Robert Lewandowski’s second-half goal to beat struggling Alavés.
The home side dominated possession with Alavés, who sit in 18th place, happy to sit back and defend. Barça almost scored near the half-hour mark when Manu Sánchez’s attempt to clear Raphinha’s cross went to Lewandowski, but the Polish striker put his shot wide.
Continue reading...Brentford 0-2 Tottenham: Premier League – as it happened
An own goal Vitaly Janelt and a late strike from Pape Matar Sarr gave Spurs their first league win since mid-December
And another transfer line:
Postecoglou advises that Van de Ven is OK, they’re just trying to manage his minutes, while explaining that 17-year-old Moore has earned his go.
Continue reading...Manchester United seal €30m signing of Lecce wing-back Patrick Dorgu
- Denmark international signs deal until June 2030
- Dorgu ‘cannot wait to work with Ruben Amorim’
Manchester United have completed the signing of Patrick Dorgu from Lecce, subject to visa and registration. The Denmark international has signed a contract until June 2030, with the option of an additional year.
Dorgu, who can play as a left-back, right-back or further forward on the flanks, has played 57 games for Lecce, contributing five goals. United have paid an initial €30m fee (£25.1m) with up to €5m (£4.2m) payable in bonuses.
Continue reading...Potter goes back to Chelsea with point to prove in calmer West Ham waters
A win against Fulham and draw at Villa are early signs of a better fit at West Ham on manager’s return to his old club
Graham Potter’s return to Chelsea coming on deadline day feels symbolic. West Ham’s head coach does not look back fondly at the extravaganza of player trading when he was in charge at Stamford Bridge in January 2023. It was a time of chaos and unreasonable pressure. The new owners were spending like there was no tomorrow and by the time the window closed it was left to Potter to make sense of a squad so bloated there was not enough space for everyone in the first-team dressing room.
Good luck with that. Chelsea had crowed after beating Arsenal to Mykhaylo Mudryk. Negotiations with Benfica led to a British transfer record for Enzo Fernández. Noni Madueke, David Datro Fofana and Benoît Badiashile joined. A deal for Malo Gusto was confirmed for the summer. João Félix arrived on loan. Jorginho took his experience and nous to Arsenal. Hakim Ziyech’s loan to Paris Saint-Germain collapsed because of technical issues. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had to be cut from the squad for the Champions League knockout stages. Potter, who takes West Ham to Stamford Bridge on Monday night, watched it all unfold and knew that expectations were about to go through the roof.
Continue reading...Championship: ruthless Leeds crush Cardiff 7-0 as Burnley lose ground at top
- Leaders are unbeaten in the league since 30 November
- Sheffield United sink Derby, Pompey hold Burnley
Championship leaders Leeds thumped Cardiff 7-0 to claim their biggest win of the season and extend their unbeaten home run in all competitions to 14 games.
The Wales winger Dan James supplied Brenden Aaronson for a sixth-minute opener before crossing low for loanee Manor Solomon to tap home a second in the 13th minute. The outstanding James scored Leeds’s third five minutes into the second half to cap a fine performance as the visitors’ eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions was emphatically ended.
Continue reading...Wolves 2-0 Aston Villa: Premier League – as it happened
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Matheus Cunha got the goals as Wolves took advantage of Villa’s latest Champions League hangover
Not long now: Skippers Nelson Semedo and John McGinn lead their teams out on to the Molineux pitch with kick-off just a few minutes away. In a splendid piece of symmetry, the two clubs are separated by 21 miles geographically and the same number of points in the league table. Nice.
Fun fact: Aston Villa have failed to win any of the last six Premier League games they have contested following a midweek Champions League excursion, drawing three and losing three against West Ham (D), Nottingham Forest (L), Chelsea (L), Liverpool (L), Bournemouth (D) and Manchester United (D).
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