Soccer: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Chelsea handed triple blow for Man City clash as Calum McFarlane confirms side

Three key Chelsea players are absent from the matchday squad to face Manchester City, and the reasons have been revealed. Chelsea head to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday evening looking to claim their first win over Pep Guardiola's side since May 2021.

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Watch – Lazio See Red Once More as Napoli Run the Show – The Highlights

The official Serie A YouTube channel uploaded the highlights from the early Sunday kickoff, which saw Lazio suffer a 0-2 defeat to Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico.

Chelsea FC News / Chelsea News / January 4

Why Robert Sanchez and Wesley Fofana aren’t in Chelsea squad today – and when they could be back

Chelsea’s team for today’s game is out, and right away there were some very notable things in it. We knew that there would be changes – we played in midweek for one thing, so there’s a need to rotate.

Soccer News / Football Italia / January 4

Kean: ‘Fiorentina always helped me, now it’s my turn’

Moise Kean came off the bench after a tough week to score the Fiorentina winner against Cremonese. ‘The club always helped me, now it’s my turn.’ The Viola had been frustrated at the Stadio Franchi with a series of opportunities, including a controversial penalty that was first awarded, then revoked following a nit-picking VAR review.

Soccer News / Caught Offside / January 4

Aston Villa ready to listen to January offers for experienced star to fund January signings

Aston Villa are reportedly prepared to part ways with midfielder Ross Barkley this month, as the club looks to navigate financial constraints while sustaining a surprise Premier League title charge.

Celtic FC News / The Celtic Star / January 4

Leading Celtic supporters group issue statement calling for change

The Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters Clubs have released a statement amid the ongoing crisis at the club. The Scottish Champions were beaten yesterday after Rangers came from behind to go level on points with Wilfried Nancy’s side.

Chelsea FC News / Chelsea News / January 4

Man City vs Chelsea – Team News: Chelsea make unexpected change in goal and on the wing

Chelsea face Man City at the Etihad Stadium in just over an hour, and the teams are in! Calum McFarlane is in temporary charge of Chelsea after Enzo Maresca’s departure this week, and this is the team he’s gone for – although it’s not clear just how much influence he actually has on proceedings.

Liverpool FC News / Empire of the Kop / January 4

'Crying out for a spark' – reporter sums up Liverpool concern at Craven Cottage

Liverpool’s afternoon at Craven Cottage was shaped less by the scoreline and more by a familiar lack of incision. Despite seeing plenty of the ball against Fulham, we struggled to turn control into genuine threat by the half time whistle.

Soccer News / Absolute Chelsea on SI / January 4

Man City vs Chelsea: Starting XIs, confirmed team news for Premier League clash

Calum McFarlane has named his Chelsea side to face Manchester City in the Premier League. The Chelsea Under-21s boss leads the first-team for their opening game of 2026 following the departure of head coach Enzo Maresca earlier this week.

RB Leipzig News / Football Italia / January 4

What Fenerbahce need to convince Milan into selling Nkunku after six months

Fenerbahce are reportedly plotting a January move for Milan forward Christopher Nkunku just six months into his Rossoneri tenure, but an official offer

Soccer News / Just Arsenal / January 4

'He’s captain material' Glenn Murray praises 'cool' Arsenal man

Pundit Glenn Murray was full of praise for Declan Rice following Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Bournemouth, highlighting both his performance and his leadership qualities.

Soccer News / Caught Offside / January 4

Report: Leeds United eye major January boost with attacker signing from Serie A

Leeds United are interested in signing the AS Roma striker Artem Dovbyk. The player has been linked with a move away from the Italian club in recent weeks, and it will be interesting to see if Leeds can bring the Ukrainian to the Premier League in the coming days.

Espanyol News / Football Espana / January 4

Espanyol risk stadium closure after bottles thrown at Barcelona players

Espanyol fell to an unlucky defeat at the hands of Barcelona on Saturday, with the visitors winning 2-0 at the RCDE Stadium. It was two late goals that made the difference, and for some home supporters, their frustration boiled over in the aftermath of Robert Lewandowski’s strike in stoppage time.

FC Barcelona News / Football Espana / January 4

Hansi Flick expresses doubts about possible Barcelona signing

Barcelona are hoping to secure the signing of a new defender before the winter transfer window closes at the end of the month. A centre-back is needed to cover the absences of Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, although the club has widened their search due to the options that have been made available to them.

Soccer News / Football Italia / January 4

Sarri: ‘Lazio made mistakes, should be better prepared’ for Castellanos sale

Maurizio Sarri was again critical of Lazio for not being ‘better prepared’ for the Taty Castellanos sale, warning they also ‘made mistakes’ against Napoli.

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Real Betis News / Football Espana / January 4

Real Madrid defender turns down 'dizzying' offers amid contract uncertainty

Real Madrid have a number of first team players whose contracts are due to expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign. Much has been said about the uncertainty surrounding centre-back pair David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger, but the future of club captain Dani Carvajal is also far from guaranteed.

Soccer News / Stretty News / January 4

‘Head in hands moment’: BBC journo reacts after Man Utd man squanders potentially game-winning moment

Benjamin Sesko has squandered a golden opportunity to potentially win the game for Manchester United against Leeds United. The two arch-rivals remain tied heading into the final 10 minutes of regular time at Elland Road following two quickfire goals from Brenden Aaronson and Matheus Cunha.

Soccer News / Stretty News / January 4

Joe Hart says Amorim has a player at his disposal who ‘gets people on the edge of their seats’, he brings that ‘spark’

Joe Hart heaped praise on Matheus Cunha ahead of Manchester United’s clash with Leeds United this afternoon. The two fierce rivals meet for the first time since Leeds returned to the top flight this season, with the first instalment of the Roses derby taking place in West Yorkshire at Elland Road.

Soccer News / Chelsea News / January 4

Report: Chelsea eye January move for highly rated Championship star

Chelsea are interested in Othmane Maamma with the 20-year-old Moroccan winger on their radar according to reports. The Blues once again heavily invested in their squad last summer, and made five new attacking signings as they totally revamped their frontline.

Soccer News / Just Arsenal / January 4

Declan Rice reveals whether he will watch the Man City game

Arsenal have done what was required this weekend by widening the gap between themselves and Manchester City, although attention now turns to how the champions respond later today.

Tottenham Hotspur News / the Boy Hotspur / January 4

Winter warmer: Spurs in for Udinese’s 25-year-old centre-back

The Boy Hotspur’s Substack understands that Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a winter move for Udinese’s 25-year-old centre-back Oumar Solet. The club want fresh competition for the Micky van de Ven/Cristian Romero pairing, and speculation around a possible Radu Dragusin exit is pushing Spurs to add depth at the back.

Soccer News / Just Arsenal / January 4

Arteta says Bournemouth game was different from Aston Villa game

Mikel Arteta has guided Arsenal to consecutive victories over Aston Villa and Bournemouth following their win against the Cherries last night. The result underlined the Gunners’ ability to sustain momentum during a demanding period and reinforced their status as one of the strongest teams in world football this season.

Leeds United News / Caught Offside / January 4

Leeds and Newcastle join battle for Brazilian prodigy tipped for stardom

Leeds United are interested in signing the Internacional striker Raykkonen. The 17-year-old centre forward has impressed with the club’s youth team, and his performances have attracted the attention of multiple clubs.

Soccer News / Caught Offside / January 4

Leeds eye goal-scoring defender who’s outperforming Europe’s best

Lead United are interested in signing the Union Berlin defender Danilho Doekhi. The 27-year-old Netherlands international has done quite well for the German club, and he has attracted the attention of the Premier League club now.

Soccer News / Empire of the Kop / January 4

'Too much of a risk' – Arne Slot lifts lid on Liverpool call that raised eyebrows

Liverpool’s first away trip of 2026 comes with familiar questions lingering beneath the surface, even if the table still keeps us firmly in the mix. We travel to Craven Cottage this afternoon knowing that squad management, rather than form alone, is becoming an increasing theme of our season.

Soccer News / Caught Offside / January 4

Tottenham scouts convinced 16-G/A target is the real deal, £35m would get deal done

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the Greek international attacker Christos Tzolis. According to a report from TEAMtalk, the 23-year-old is highly rated by Tottenham, and the club’s analytics and scouting department believes that he is a quality player who could develop into a star in future.

Tottenham Hotspur News / Yardbarker / January 3