Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is fit to face Stoke this Saturday and Real Madrid in midweek, according to The Daily Mail.
The Italy international has been on the sidelines after requiring laser surgery on one of his eyes, with suggestions that the temperamental attacker could be unavailable for as long as a month.
However, Balotelli has been back in training with his team-mates over the last couple of days and it is believed that the Etihad Stadium club’s medical staff have passed the striker as fit to play against Tony Pulis’ men this weekend.
The news will be a boost for Roberto Mancini’s side, who also have had Sergio Aguero unavailable over the last month after the Argentina international picked up an injury on the first day of the season against Southampton in August.
City take on Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, in what should be a real test of the Premier League champions’ resolve.
By Gareth McKnight
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Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio, with the La Liga giants considering selling him this summer.
The Lowdown: Asensio carving out impressive career
The 26-year-old has enjoyed a brilliant career to date, earning a huge amount of success and once being described as a player with an ‘unlimited ceiling’ by Bernabeu great Guti.
Asensio has won two Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles, scoring in the final of Europe’s flagship club competition against Juventus back in 2017, also bagging seven league goals in 13 starts this season.
It could be that the Spaniard moves on this summer, though, with his current deal expiring at the end of next season.
The Latest: Liverpool keen on move for Asensio
According to Sport [via Sport Witness], ‘Asensio is for sale’ once the current campaign comes to an end, despite his good form.
Liverpool are even described as the ‘main bidder’ for the forward, with Real Madrid willing to let him leave for €50m-€60m (£42m-£50.4m).
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The Verdict: Do Liverpool need him?
While Asensio’s CV and goal return speaks for itself, there is an argument to say that the Reds now have more than enough quality in attacking areas moving forward.
In Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino, Liverpool have five top-class options, not to mention the likes of Divock Origi, Takumi Minamino and Kaide Gordon also waiting in the wings.
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Transfer funds could be better spent elsewhere in the summer, with Asensio likely to demand regular playing time but not guaranteed to get it at Anfield, given the depth that already exists.
In other news, a pundit is thrilled at Liverpool’s reported pursuit of one player. Read more here.
Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhrost has been handed a big injury boost over Ibrox midfielder Aaron Ramsey…
What’s the latest?
The Gers manager has provided a positive update on the Wales international’s situation and when he will be able to return.
The 31-year-old is among a number of first-team players who are unavailable tomorrow night, alongside Amad Diallo, Ryan Jack, Filip Helander and Steven Davis.
The club’s Twitter account quoted the head coach as saying: “Hopefully he (Ramsey) will join the team very soon, he is already working out on the pitch again. He is very disappointed and looking forward to a return.”
Delighted
Van Bronckhorst will surely be delighted with the prospect of Ramsey’s impending return to action, as it has been a frustrating time in Glasgow for the Juventus loanee so far.
He has only started one match in all competitions and is yet to make his full debut in the Premiership, with two substitute appearances to his name so far. The midfielder has been battling his own fitness and continues to do so, which has left Rangers fans with little to get excited about in terms of what he has offered on the pitch since his move to Ibrox.
However, this latest update suggests that he is on the right path and could start showing what he is capable of in the near future, as he is close to returning from his latest body blow. His track record suggests that he will provide a major boost to the team if he is able to remain fit and enjoy a run of games in the side.
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Ramsey has played more than 400 games for Arsenal and Juventus combined and it seems unlikely that he would be able to do that without possessing immense quality. His 142 direct goal contributions for those two clubs show that he has the quality to make a real difference at the top level, as he has demonstrated his ability to make a big impact in the final third over the years.
Therefore, Van Bronckhorst will surely be eager to have him fit and available for selection, as the Welshman has the quality to be a huge player for Rangers. The head coach will be buzzing to finally be able to call upon him in his starting XI and hopefully this update means that he will be able to do so sooner rather than later.
AND in other news, Forget Roofe: Van Bronckhorst can save Rangers millions in “big talent” who scores every 41 minutes…
Manchester United are struggling this season, and are becoming less likely to qualify for the Champions League next season at the rate they are going in their Premier League campaign.
They have dropped out of the top four after losing to Manchester City on Sunday, and now a fresh perspective on the future of the club has been shared following the disappointing result.
What’s the word?
Gary Neville was a pundit on Sky Sports following the Manchester United defeat at the Etihad Stadium where the side lost 4-1 in a shocking display from the team of his former club.
The Red Devils legend made many comments about the state of the club and the problems of the present, as well as going into the future plans he expects that Manchester United will carry out to make big changes this summer, including a theory on the manager search that is currently underway at the club.
Neville told his fellow pundits in the Sky Sports studio:
“They didn’t want Conte, they want to appoint Ten Hag or Pochettino, a young, up and coming manager for the long-term.
“I suspect they’re favouring Ten Hag for what they want moving forward, but they won’t appoint Rangnick, he’ll hand over his report and move into a consultancy role next season.”
Supporters will be elated
The former Premier League defender has good connections to the club, so his insights into the future plans at Manchester United are usually held in high regard and treated as trustworthy by the supporters, and if his comments about Erik tag come from an informed perspective, the fans of the club will be absolutely over the moon.
Ten Hag is an extremely popular choice and the Ajax boss has become the reported front runner for the position at Old Trafford this summer alongside PSG manager, Mauricio Pochettino, who is also in contention to become the next permanent manager.
The Dutch coach’s achievements with Ajax and the way he has nurtured and developed his players is hard to ignore, with his visionary approach to football and his commitment and direction something a very lost Manchester United is in desperate need of.
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Winning five trophies since he joined the Eredivisie at Ajax Amsterdam, winning two league titles, two Dutch cups and one Dutch Super Cup since he joined the club in 2017, there is no doubt that the Dutchman knows what it takes to win. Again, a winning mentality is something Old Trafford has been without for many years now.
Manchester United are set to go on the longest trophy drought in four decades if they don’t win the Champions League, which is the only honour they are still competing for this season. Also if they don’t win the European competition they could find themselves out of the tournament next season too, as they are no longer in one of the four qualifying places in the Premier League with just a few months remaining.
In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops huge claim on Rashford’s future
The situation surrounding Romain Saiss and Joao Moutinho’s Wolves deals expiring is ‘not ideal’, admits journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The Lowdown: Saiss and Moutinho out of contract
Wanderers have had a number of key players hit top form this season, as Bruno Lage’s side continue to push for a European finish, despite their recent dip.
Saiss and Moutinho have been the two experienced heads of Wolves’ team, making 48 Premier League starts combined and producing consistently strong performances.
Both players are out of contract at the end of this season, however, and there is no news over whether or not they will extend their stays at Molineux.
The Latest: Journalist bemoans situation
Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke admitted the situation regarding the two Wolves heroes is not the healthiest:
“It’s an interesting one. Wolves have let their contracts run down, which is not ideal.”
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The Verdict: Short-terms offers?
At 31 and 35, respectively, there is no denying that Saiss and Moutinho are in the autumn of their respective careers, but they have shown how influential they remain this season.
For that reason, offering both players a short-term extension on their current contracts makes perfect sense, with their experience invaluable in and around the squad.
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To lose both Saiss and Moutinho at the same time would feel like a big blow to Lage, especially if European football does come to Molineux next season, when nous and knowledge of top-level football will be required.
In other news, a journalist has talked up the future of one Wolves player. Find out who it is here.
Anthony Gordon ‘fumed’ at Ben Godfrey during Everton’s 1-0 win at home to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Thursday night.
The Lowdown: Vital win
It was such a vital win for Frank Lampard and the Merseyside club at Goodison Park, with Alex Iwobi bailing them out deep into stoppage time after a protestor had tied himself to one of the goalposts early on in the second half, which in truth were the only two real moments of note in the match.
Nonetheless, it was also a very nervy game at times for the hosts, especially after Allan found himself given a controversial red card with a few minutes to go.
The Latest: Gordon fume
Taking to Twitter, the Liverpool Echo journalist Adam Jones noticed Gordon’s anger towards Godfrey late on in the first half, after did not receive a pass from his teammate:
“Gordon has just fumed at Godfrey there for not receiving a pass in space.
“It’s all a bit frantic and panicked from EFC.”
The Verdict: Not at his best
Despite the win, even Godfrey would admit that he was not at his best.
Playing as a makeshift left-back, the Englishman lost out on six of his duels, and also failed to record any dribbles, interceptions, key passes or accurate crosses, giving possession away 13 times (SofaScore).
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His versatility as a central defender certainly makes him a good option in the squad, but Lampard will want to see more from him as the Toffees aim to stay up in the Premier League, perhaps moving him into his more comfortable central role next time out.
In other news, find out what ‘dangerous’ Blues update has now emerged here!
Eddie Howe has been dealt a huge blow over Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka’s fitness.
What’s the latest?
The Magpies shot-stopper has been pulled out of his country’s squad for their international matches and will now return to St. James’ Park.
He is now set to deal with a heart problem and has become a major worry for Eddie Howe ahead of the club’s clash with Tottenham.
Slovakia boss Stefan Tarkovic told futbalsfz.sk, via The Mag: “Martin Dubravka suspects angina. Our doctors started antibiotic treatment for him.
“He is in isolation and will definitely not be part of the team in Norway and Finland. Ivan Schranz came together with an untreated member after a club match with Linz.
“Since he still doesn’t have it right, after talking to the doctors and the player, I decided that he wouldn’t travel with us and return to the club.”
Livid
First and foremost, everyone will be hoping that Dubravka is okay and that there are no serious implications for him as he attempts to recover from these heart problems.
However, supporters will be livid because his absence will significantly weaken the team in the Premier League.
Karl Darlow is the current number two at St. James’ Park and his displays in the early parts of the campaign were extremely worrying. He started eight league matches and failed to keep a single clean sheet as he averaged a dreadful SofaScore rating of 6.43.
The ex-Nottingham Forest man was unable to grasp his opportunity to impress as he failed to show that he is capable of putting in reliable performances in the top-flight. He was nowhere near good enough, as he made one direct error leading to a goal and gave away a penalty, and supporters will not want to see him lining up between the sticks in a Premier League match.
Dubravka, meanwhile, has averaged a strong score of 6.84 and kept four clean sheets in 17 outings in the division so far. This shows that he has been putting in consistently solid displays between the sticks and has been a reliable option for Howe, whereas his backup has not been able to fill his gloves at any point.
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Therefore, fans will be frustrated at the prospect of the Slovakian missing any of Newcastle’s upcoming games as it would likely mean that Darlow plays in goal. They will be hoping that the Toon number one is able to make a speedy recovery as losing him will be a huge blow.
AND in other news, Sold at £108k, now worth £10.8m: NUFC had howler on gem who proved Benitez “all wrong”…
A big update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their pursuit of Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford.
What’s the talk?
Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that the Magpies are one of two clubs set to be at the front of the pack for the England international this summer. He has revealed that PIF are ready to go head-to-head with Arsenal to land the Red Devils ace, with the attacker potentially on his way out of Old Trafford at the end of the season.
Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I think as soon as Rashford’s future came into doubt, we did a story on the fact that Arsenal and Newcastle would be the two teams expected to lead the chase for Rashford, and I think that is the case.”
Joy to watch
Manchester United reporter Rich Fay once dubbed Rashford a “joy to watch”, and that is what the 24-year-old would be to the Newcastle faithful next season if the club can reach an agreement for him.
He is a proven Premier League performer who has the ability on the ball to get fans off their seats with excitement. In 293 games for the Red Devils, he has scored 93 goals and provided 58 assists, including 59 goals and 39 assists in the top flight.
Rashford is reportedly valued at €100m (£84m) by Manchester United, and it may be justified by his age and his form from last season.
Whilst he has only scored four times in the league this term, he managed an outstanding 11 goals and 11 assists in the Premier League in the 2020/21 campaign. This shows that he does have the ability to score and create goals on a regular basis at the top level, even if he is not showing it at the moment.
He also led Europe in completed nutmegs that season, with 18 in the top flight. This was after he also topped the charts in 2019/20 with 13 nutmegs, which suggests that he will be a joy to watch for supporters as he makes defenders look silly with his impressive dribbling.
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At the age of 24, he also has plenty of time left to develop and improve even further. He is not at the end of his career and lacking the time to develop his game, which means that Howe can work with him to help the English forward to fulfill his potential and become a major player for the Toon.
It is now down to PIF to ensure that they win the race between themselves and Arsenal to bring Rashford to St James’ Park.
AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Newcastle United transfer update, fans will be buzzing…
Wolves are reportedly eyeing up the possibility of bringing in Rennes manager Bruno Genesio this summer.
The Lowdown: Genesio impressing at Rennes
The 55-year-old has been in charge of the Ligue 1 side since arriving last year, having previously enjoyed stints with the likes of Lyon and Beijing Guoan.
Genesio’s impact at Rennes has been immediate, inspiring them to third place in the table currently and within one point of second-place Marseille, all with a net spend across the summer and January transfer windows of just £30m.
Now, a shock update has emerged regarding his future, with Wolves part of the story.
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The Latest: Wolves linked with surprise move
According to RMC Sport [via Sport Witness], Wanderers have ‘shown an interest’ in bringing Genesio to Molineux this summer, as have Tottenham and Everton.
He is believed to be happy where he is currently, but the very fact that Fosun and co. are even interested is a shock considering Bruno Lage’s season so far.
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The Verdict: Why sack Lage?
While Genesio deserves undoubted credit for the job he is doing at Rennes, there is surely no need to get rid of Lage at this point in his Wolves career.
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The Portuguese is enjoying an excellent first season at Molineux, guiding his side into the European places and even looking like mounting a genuine top-four challenge at one point.
It would be extremely harsh to move on from Lage so quickly, and frankly, it is extremely difficult to see it happening in the summer. If it did, Wolves could regret it, with their current boss the right man for the job.
In other news, a Premier League club is ‘interested’ in signing one Wolves player this summer. Read more here.
The Saudi PIF have changed Newcastle United forever, with their investment handing a generation of supporters memories that will no doubt last a lifetime.
Their spending in the transfer market may have been excessive in certain stages, but it’s handed Eddie Howe the platform he’s needed for success on Tyneside.
He led the side to the Carabao Cup last season, subsequently winning their first trophy in 56 years, something which would have been unthinkable under the previous ownership group.
Their consistent finishes in the top five of the Premier League have led to numerous Champions League campaigns, which has seen the Magpies come up against the best Europe has to offer.
However, the January transfer window could present another opportunity for the board to flex their muscles and invest once again into the first-team squad.
Newcastle enter talks to sign former PL sensation
Ahead of the January transfer window, Newcastle have no doubt been targeting added defensive reinforcements amid the recent injury struggles facing the Magpies.
Tarik Muharemovic, who plays for Serie A side Sassuolo, has been firmly on their radar over the last few weeks, but a transfer battle for his signature could well be on the cards.
Juventus are also said to be interested in the 22-year-old’s services, but it’s currently unclear how much the Bosnian youngster could cost in the winter window.
However, the midfield department could also be subject to investment, with Ruben Neves a player who the Magpies are interested in completing a move for.
According to TEAMtalk, Howe’s men have already reached out to Al Hilal over a move for the Portuguese international who wants a return to the Premier League.
The report also states that the Magpies could hold an advantage in the race for the 28-year-old’s signature, given their links to the Saudi Pro League through their current owners.
Why Neves could be Newcastle’s next Guimaraes
Spending big money on a midfielder in January hasn’t been alien to Newcastle, as seen by the £40m move to land Bruno Guimaraes back in the winter window in 2022.
Such a move was one of the first pieces of huge business conducted by the hierarchy after their takeover, with the deal still standing as one of their best to date.
The Brazilian has now racked up 178 appearances for the Magpies in the last four years, often being the shining light in the club’s recent success across various competitions.
Guimaraes has also been in fine form throughout the early stages of 2025/26, as seen by his tally of five goals and two assists in his first 15 league games of the season.
However, the board could replicate a move for the 28-year-old with a move for Neves in the weeks ahead – a deal that could prove to be a really shrewd piece of business.
The former Wolves star has previously spent five years in England’s top-flight, subsequently having the tools to provide a superb experienced option at the heart of the side.
His stats from his current season in Saudi Arabia showcase his talents, with the Portuguese international undoubtedly a man who would improve the options at Howe’s disposal.
Ruben Neves – stats in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
9
Goals scored
4
Passes completed
91%
Chances created
1.4
Touches per game
97
Times dispossessed
0
Duels won
67%
Recoveries made
5.1
Stats via FotMob
He’s currently boasting a 91% pass completion rate in the Middle East, whilst averaging 71 passes per 90 – with both ranking him in the top 5% of all players in the division.
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Both tallies highlight his incredible ability with the ball at his feet, something which Guimaraes has become known for during his own spell at St James’ Park.
However, out of possession, Neves has been just as impressive, as seen by his tally of 1.1 tackles won and 59% duels won – subsequently offering a dominant presence.
Other tallies, such as 67% aerials won and 5.1 recoveries made per 90, also showcase his all-round talent – leading to huge praise being directed his way as a result.
Football Doctor Raj Chohan has previously been singing his praises, even claiming that the former Wolves star is now “the most underrated player in world football”.
It’s unclear how much a deal for the midfielder could cost this winter, but it’s certainly a move that would bolster the squad and strengthen the club’s chances of success.
If he can get anywhere near the levels produced by Guimaraes on Tyneside, he will certainly become a fan-favourite and have the chance to add further silverware to his resume.
Not just Willock: Howe must drop Newcastle star who lost the ball 25 times
Newcastle United secured their place in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup with a win against Fulham last night.