Preston North End attacker Milutin Osmajic has been handed a nine-game ban after being charged with racially abusing Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri. The incident took place during Preston's goalless draw with Burnley in February and now he will be out of action until late December. The forward denied the allegations but he has been fined £21,000.
Everton’s 2025/26 season has opened with a sense of both transition and promise.
After five matches, the Toffees sit in 10th place in the Premier League with seven points, though they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup this week by Wolves.
The club’s summer business has been shaped by significant departures and bold moves in the transfer market, signalling a shift in strategy under David Moyes.
Veterans Ashley Young, Abdoulaye Doucouré, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all departed, leaving gaps in leadership and experience.
In their place, Everton turned to proven top-flight quality in Jack Grealish from Manchester City and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea.
Both players add flair and creativity to the midfield.
Perhaps more importantly, Moyes has overseen a clear push towards youth development.
Alongside 22-year-old Thierno Barry, the club added highly rated teenagers Tyler Dibling from Southampton and Adam Aznou from Bayern Munich.
Everton were also linked with the likes of Abdul Fatawu (21) and Omari Hutchinson (21), highlighting the direction of travel.
With Goodison Park increasingly becoming a platform for emerging stars, Moyes appears determined to blend youthful exuberance with established quality.
Tyler Dibling is a prime example of Everton’s youth drive
At just 19 years old, Tyler Dibling has become the poster boy for Everton’s summer recruitment.
The winger was one of Southampton’s most promising prospects last season, making 33 Premier League appearances.
Matches Played
33
Minutes
1,874
Goals
2
Progressive Carries
69
Progressive Passes
64
Though he scored just two goals and registered a single assist in 1,874 minutes, his impact extended beyond statistics. Dibling’s direct dribbling style drew admiration from scouts across the country.
Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Bayern Munich were all credited with interest before Everton secured his signature in a deal worth up to £42m – the club’s biggest signing of the summer.
For Moyes, who had grown frustrated with the lack of activity earlier in the window, Dibling’s arrival marked a decisive statement of intent.
The England U21 international has already been trusted with minutes for the Toffees. He came on in the Merseyside derby, replacing Iliman Ndiaye – a significant moment for a player tipped to play a long-term role in Moyes’ plans.
His signing was also strategically important, filling the right-wing berth vacated by Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom.
What sets Dibling apart is his well-rounded statistical profile.
He ranks in the 92nd percentile for fouls drawn (2.49 per 90) and an incredible 98th percentile for penalty kicks won (0.10 per 90), per FBref.
Defensively, he is remarkably diligent for a teenager, ranking in the 88th percentile for tackles in the midfield third (0.86) and in the 98th percentile for percentage of dribblers tackled (61.5%).
He also excels in blocking shots (96th percentile, 0.24 per 90) and consistently challenges defenders, ranking in the 87th percentile for attempted take-ons (5.28) and 81st percentile for successful take-ons (2.16).
This blend of defensive tenacity, attacking ambition, and technical flair makes Dibling one of the most intriguing prospects Everton have invested in for years.
His presence offers fans hope that the club’s commitment to youth will produce tangible results in the seasons to come.
Kieran Dowell was the one that got away
For every Dibling, however, there is a cautionary tale.
Kieran Dowell is one name that still lingers in Evertonian memory, though not for the reasons once hoped.
A product of the club’s academy, Dowell made his debut in 2014 at just 16 years old during a Europa League group stage.
His talent was evident early on, and he became part of the U23 squad that won the inaugural Premier League 2 title. Yet Dowell’s path never truly took flight at Goodison Park.
A series of loan spells followed, including stints at Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United, as Everton searched for the right environment for his development. Ultimately, he was unable to establish himself as a first-team regular, and in 2020, he departed permanently for Norwich City for £1.5m.
Now 27, Dowell is playing for Rangers in Scotland, where he has made six appearances this season, including three in Champions League qualifying.
During his time at Norwich, though, the left-footed attacking midfielder, who has a similar profile to Dibling, had some moments of pure quality, including the wonderful link-up with Emi Buendia in the clip below.
Journalist Alex Dicken once remarked that he “offers something different in the final third,” and indeed, Dowell’s creativity has been valued previously, with that creativity also on display in that strike against Huddersfield.
He also enjoyed a strong international youth career, representing England at every level up to the U21s, for whom he made 17 appearances, his last cap coming in 2019.
The hope will be that young Dibling’s trajectory ends differently, as another talented, young, left-footed playmaker, cementing Everton’s gamble on youth as the foundation for lasting progress.
Dowell showed great potential as a youngster and went on to showcase his quality with Norwich, winning the Championship in the 2020/21 campaign, which is why the Toffees may feel that they messed up by selling him for just £1.5m in 2020.
Tottenham Hotspur star James Maddison has nominated a Chelsea icon for the Premier League Hall of Fame, ahead of Jermain Defoe and Teddy Sheringham.
2025 Premier League Hall of Fame vote underway
Voting for the 2025 inductees into the Premier League Hall of Fame is now underway, with the fan vote now closed, and the results have been shared with the existing 24 members, who for the first time will get the final say in who joins them.
The likes of Alan Shearer, Steven Gerrard and Sir Alex Ferguson are among the current members, with all the legendary former players and managers allowed to choose who else is inducted, ahead of the big reveal in early November.
Cesc Fabregas, Sol Campbell and Jermaine Defoe are among the players that have been shortlisted this time around, with the ex-Tottenham striker sitting 10th on the all-time top scorers list, which should stand him in good stead to be inducted.
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Fellow former Tottenham striker Teddy Sheringham is also among the nominees, having found the back of the net 146 times across a very successful career in the Premier League, but Maddison has snubbed both former Spurs players in favour of a Chelsea legend.
In a video on the Premier League’s TikTok account, the former Leicester City man said: “Eden Hazard, got it! For me, one of the best players to ever play in the Premier League. Got his shirt on my wall and probably my favourite one on there. So I’ll go with Edwin (van der Sar) and Eden Hazard, I’m happy with that.”
Hazard undoubtedly among the Premier League's greatest players
2024 inductee John Terry has previously spoken fondly about playing alongside Hazard, describing the Belgian as an “absolute superstar” and praising his ability to take games by the scruff of the neck, despite showing little interest in pre-match tactical instructions.
The enigmatic Chelsea legend is well-known to not have been the best of trainers, but he certainly came alive on match day, chipping in with 85 goals and 57 assists in 245 games, during a highly successful spell with the Blues.
Season
PL appearances
Goal contributions
2012-13
34
22
2013-14
35
21
2014-15
38
24
2015-16
31
8
2016-17
36
21
2017-18
34
16
2018-19
37
31
The 34-year-old won two league titles and the 2014-15 Premier League Player of the Season award during his time at Stamford Bridge, so there can be no denying that his Hall of Fame nomination is fully merited.
As such, it is no surprise that Maddison has suggested Hazard should be inducted in 2025, but Tottenham fans will no doubt be hoping that Defoe can win the battle, given the Englishman’s exploits in north London.
Martin Odegaard is reportedly set to spend several weeks on the sidelines at Arsenal with a knee injury, with it unlikely that he will be ready to return until after the next international break in November. The Gunners captain suffered his latest fitness setback during a Premier League outing against West Ham, with it later being revealed that he had picked up medial collateral ligament damage.
2025 US Open winner Carlos Alcaraz has weighed in on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate, revealing which football ‘GOAT’ he is inspired by.
Alcaraz wins sixth major title in New York
Alcaraz picked up the sixth major title of his career with a victory in the US Open final against long-time rival Jannik Sinner on Sunday, winning the competition for the second time.
The Spaniard defeated Sinner 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4 in the presence of Donald Trump, with the US president’s attendance causing the final to be delayed, before eventually starting in front of thousands of empty seats due to ramped-up security measures outside.
The 22-year-old may have a rivalry with the Italian on the court, but he took the time to praise the runner-up after clinching the victory in New York City.
Away from tennis, the World No.1 is well-known to be an avid supporter of Real Madrid, with the Spanish giants taking the time to congratulate the star on his recent success in the USA.
As such, it is no surprise Alcaraz’s list of the top five footballers of all-time may be considered a little Real Madrid-centric, with Ronaldo making the list, alongside Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Ronaldinho and Neymar, with Messi being omitted entirely.
The tennis star also said: “I love Cristiano Ronaldo. The confidence he has is unbelievable. He always believes in himself. When I hear he is the first player to go to training and the last one to go home, that shows the hard worker he is and that inspires me a lot.”
Ronaldo has one last chance to reignite GOAT debate
In many people’s minds, the GOAT debate was already settled prior to the 2022 World Cup, given that the Inter Miami star eclipses the Portugal legend in terms of Ballon d’Ors, but Argentina’s triumph out in Qatar arguably ended the conversation.
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With the Al-Nassr star now 40-years-old, the 2026 World Cup will almost certainly be his last, meaning he has one final opportunity to lead Portugal to glory, which would perhaps mean there is a debate there to be had once again.
Albeit in Saudi Arabia, the record-breaking 222-time Portugal international is showing few signs of slowing down, despite his age, maintaining a fantastic goal-scoring record throughout the three previous seasons he has spent with Al-Nassr in the Gulf state.
Ronaldo in Saudi
League appearances
Goals
2022-23
16
14
2023-24
31
35
2024-25
30
25
However, given that Messi led Argentina to 2022 World Cup glory, and has three more Ballon d’Ors to his name, it has become much more difficult to make a case for Ronaldo, and Alcaraz’s preference is likely due to the fact he is a Real Madrid supporter.
Celtic are in a strange position heading into the final few days of the summer transfer window, having just been knocked out of the Champions League.
The Hoops may have been hoping to have the extra funds to target bigger signings before the deadline, but they may have to find other ways to raise money for new additions, including cashing in on their current stars.
According to Anthony Joseph, Adam Idah had a medical at Swansea on Friday ahead of a £7m move to Wales, 12 months on from his £9.5m switch to Celtic from Norwich.
Allowing the Ireland international to move on, though, could provide the Scottish Premiership champions with a chance to reinvest in Brendan Rodgers’ squad in the next few days.
Celtic preparing bid for new winger
Whilst Idah’s exit will create the need for a new striker to arrive at Parkhead, the Scottish giants are also looking to bring in another winger on top of Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic are still pursuing a last-gasp deal to sign Hammarby forward Sebastian Tounekti.
The reporter claims that the Hoops have made a second offer for the winger after they already had a first proposal of around £2.6m turned down by the Swedish side.
He reveals that the Scottish giants have offered a deal worth up to £4.7m for the wing wizard, who is said to be valued at £5m, and it remains to be seen what their answer will be.
The winger was recently quoted saying: “You get to know some of what’s going on and I’ve heard that there’s interest. Of course it’s great that a big club (Celtic) that often plays in the Champions League wants me. It’s a top club in Europe. It’s great that there’s that kind of interest and it shows that you’ve done something good.”
What Tounekti could bring to Celtic
One player who could benefit from the club getting a deal over the line for the Swedish attacker is Daizen Maeda, who could love the creative forward.
The Japan international scored a staggering 33 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions last season, per Transfermarkt, but his only goal in six outings this term came against Falkirk in the League Cup.
Tounekti predominantly plays on the left wing and could free Maeda up to play through the middle as a striker, particularly with Idah’s impending exit, and the 23-year-old star has the creative quality to be a dream for the current Celtic marksman.
2025 Allsvenskan
Sebastien Tounekti
Percentile rank vs wingers
Goals
2
Top 37%
Chances created
22
Top 16%
Dribbles completed
41
Top 3%
Pass accuracy
85%
Top 15%
xA
4.53
Top 3%
Assists
5
Top 9%
Stats via FotMob
In 19 league starts this year, as you can see in the table above, the £3m-rated attacker has been one of the most creative players in his home country’s top-flight.
These statistics suggest that he has the potential to be an incredibly creative figure out wide for Celtic, as a player who can consistently beat opposition players as a dribbler whilst also creating high-quality chances for his teammates on a regular basis.
This is why Maeda, who has yet to replicate his goalscoring exploits from last season, may love to play alongside Tounekti at Parkhead this season for the Hoops.
The Celtic target could be the creative spark out wide that Maeda needs to rediscover his shooting boots and hit the goal trail on a regular basis for Rodgers once again, which is why this is a potentially exciting signing for the club for multiple reasons.
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The esteemed Golden Ball has been elusive to so many great footballers down the years, but who deserved it the most?
Back in 1995, the Ballon d'Or became eligible to non-European players for the first time, which helped it to become the most sought-after award in the sport. A grand total of 17 players have won it since then, including African icon George Weah, Brazilian quartet Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka, and Argentine maestro Lionel Messi, who has dominated the vote over the last 16 years with a record haul of eight wins.
Meanwhile, Portuguese goal machine Cristiano Ronaldo has brought the Golden Ball back to Europe on five occasions, and Mathias Sammer, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Michael Owen, Pavel Nedved, Andriy Shevchenko, Fabio Cannavaro, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Rodri have each claimed the prestigious prize once. All of those players were deserving winners, too, but so were many of the superstars they beat to the top of the podium.
As we edge closer to the 2025 winner being crowned, GOAL has ranked the top 10 greatest footballers to never win the Ballon d'Or, starting with a man who scored a whopping 573 career goals on his way to lifting 34 trophies…
Xabi Alonso called Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal’s battle for Real Madrid’s right-back spot “healthy competition”.
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Madrid boss Alonso addressed the competition between Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold ahead of Los Blancos’s return to La Liga action against Real Sociedad. The head coach described their battle for the right-back spot as a case of “healthy competition” and confirmed that team selection will depend on merit. The remarks came in his pre-match press conference as he prepared for an emotional first return to San Sebastian since leaving Real Sociedad B for Bayer Leverkusen in 2022.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT ALONSO SAID
During his recent pre-game press conference Alonso addressed the situation in defence: “Fortunately, we have healthy competition within the team, and they're challenged internally because there are teammates who are ready… It also happens in other positions, like centre-back or winger. Whoever deserves it will play; it's going to be very repetitive all year.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Carvajal, the captain and long-standing figure at the club, has been Alonso’s preferred starter in the opening games. But Alexander-Arnold, signed from Liverpool this summer, offers attacking flair and has already shown flashes of his quality in comeback wins. Alonso’s public insistence on meritocracy reflects his approach to building a competitive squad where no position is guaranteed. The balancing act will define Madrid’s right flank across domestic and European campaigns.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MADRID?
Madrid head into a crunch September run with seven games before the international break, including the Champions League opener and the Madrid derby. Alonso will be forced to rotate, meaning both Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold are set to share opportunities. How he manages that competition could shape not only Madrid’s defensive solidity but also their attacking balance on the right. For Alonso, Saturday also carries a personal weight as his return to San Sebastian since his coaching days at La Real, a reminder of where his managerial journey began.
The former USMNT star raised concerns about Mauricio Pochettino's squad's readiness for the World Cup
Howard casts doubt on any USMNT optimistismSays team struggles against top-25 opponentsSquad lacks necessary nastiness as a unitWHAT HAPPENED
Assessing the USMNT's 2-0 loss to South Korea and the state of the squad, former national team star Tim Howard discounted any sense of optimism around the program ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
“There's an optimism around this team because there's a World Cup and it's coming to our country," Howard said on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast. "And we just simply as soccer fans, get excited. But when you begin the dissect some of these numbers and stats, there's not a ton to get excited about… but there's there's something with this team that they don't have. I don't know, the moxie, they don't have something to win the big games.
"That like that's not an opinion, that's what they're showing us. And, and so much of this exercise is the build up to the World Cup. Sometimes we picked the bones of it too much, or sometimes it's fluff. But ultimately the World Cup is about winning big games.”
He specifically highlighted the USMNT's struggles against higher-ranked opponents, noting their inability to compete with teams ranked in the world's top 25. Under Mauricio Pochettino, the team has lost to the likes of Mexico, Turkey, Switzerland and South Korea.
“I mean, if you look back on all your World Cups and all my World Cups, I would say, the one takeaway was, how do we get through difficult moments? One how do we persevere in difficult moments? And if you can't persevere, or how the hell do you hang on for dear life, right?" he said. "That's essentially What we do. And this team just hasn't really quite shown the ability to do that in the bigger games. I'll blanket that by just saying top 25 teams in the world, right? The teams that are that are really going to matter, and they haven't shown that ability.”
AdvertisementWHAT LANDON DONOVA SAID
Former national team star Landon Donovan said the current generation of USMNT players lacks the guidance to get them where they need to be.
“After the 2018 failure to qualify for the World Cup, you said U.S, soccer made a decision that basically all of you guys were old, couldn't cut it anymore,” Donovan said. “And we're just gonna bring in all young players and let them grow and develop. On the surface interior, like, ‘OK, I can see that like we need to reboot.' But what happened was massive void in leadership.
"And when I was coaching for a while you realize quickly that when a team has avoid in leadership chaos, or anybody thinks about countries around the world when there's a void in leadership, chaos ensues. And there was a void in leadership. Now, I'm not talking about the coach, [Gregg] Berhalter, necessarily. I'm talking about the players… Of course, they had no guidance. And it's not their fault because they didn't know.”
Donovan said that he hopes US Soccer has learned from those decisions.
“I really do hope that we don't have another reckoning like this in '26," he said. "But I think it could happen, right? It's definitely a possibility. And I just hope you learn from that and don't throw everything out the window."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
With World Cup success ultimately determined by performance in high-pressure situations against quality opponents, the USMNT’s current pattern of results against nations ranked inside FIFA's top 30 rankings represents a concern.
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Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?
The USMNT and Pochettino will face Japan Tuesday night.
A new update has claimed that Sunderland are now thought to be planning a new offer for a player who has been praised for having a “big heart”.
Adingra wants to "achieve greatness" at Sunderland
The Black Cats have completed their latest piece of transfer business this summer, with Brighton winger Simon Adringra arriving at the Stadium of Light.
The 23-year-old has spoken of his excitement about the move, with Manchester United’s Amad Diallo talking Sunderland up after his loan spell there.
“I spoke to the gaffer and the owner, and they showed me interest, so I decided to come and be part of the project. The Premier League was my dream since I was a kid – I am living my dream. Today, I’m here in Sunderland. It’s a big challenge to face big teams and players, and it’s a great league. I’m about dribbling, speed, scoring goals and getting assists.
“I know Amad very well from the national team and he told me how big this club is. Now, I’m looking forward to getting to know my teammates and getting started. It’s a pleasure to be here and I can’t wait to get started – I hope we achieve greatness together.”
Sunderland will still be looking to complete further signings before the window slams shut on September 1st, however, and a new update has now emerged regarding a primary summer target.
Sunderland planning new bid for international star
According to Sky Sports Germany, Sunderland are now set to submit a new offer for Xhaka, who finds a move to the Stadium of Light appealing.
The Black Cats’ opening bid for the 32-year-old was rejected, but the Premier League newcomers’ interest hasn’t gone away, with Fenerbahce also mentioned as an option in the report. Meanwhile, Leverkusen would like to keep hold of him.
Since then, David Ornstein has added that the Black Cats have an agreement with Xhaka, who only wants to move to the north East. Xhaka would be a signing of such intent by Sunderland this summer, so it is extremely encouraging that they are continuing to pursue a move for him.
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The former Arsenal man has been a key player for Bayer Leverkusen, winning the Bundesliga title in 2023/24 and being hailed by ex-boss Xabi Alonso for the “big heart” that he possesses. The Swiss also has quality on the ball, though, with Joe Cole an admirer of his.
“He’s a good finisher, he’s a lovely technician. We’ve seen him score some worldies in his career. He’s a leader in the dressing room, he’s so important for the team.”
Granit Xhaka’s international career
Caps
Goals
Switzerland
137
14
Switzerland Under-21s
5
0
Switzerland Under-19s
10
3
Switzerland Under-18s
3
2
Switzerland Under-17s
13
1
The experience that Xhaka would add to Sunderland’s team would be invaluable, considering he has won an incredible number of caps for Switzerland, and while his very best days may soon be behind him, there is no reason why he couldn’t enjoy two or three excellent years in a Black Cats shirt.