Soccer (FIFA)

Soccer (FIFA)

Image source, Getty Images Raphinha has been described as a "hero" and a "game-changer" by Spanish press after his two goals helped Barcelona beat Real Madrid on Sunday to earn a fourth consecutive Super Cup win. It marks a shift in perception for a player whose first years at the club were defined by uncertainty. When the Brazilian arrived from Leeds United in July 2022, he delivered flashes of quality but his play was inconsistent.

Richards was surprised with the news during an interview on "The Pat McAfee Show," which aired on ESPN Wednesday. In addition to fan voting, votes for U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year are collected from national team coaches, USMNT players who earned a cap in 2025, members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, U.S. Soccer Athletes' Council, professional league head coaches and sporting directors, select media members and former players and administrators.

"Morocco is a strong team, and there will be pressure in front of the host nation,"

Cancelo, 31, was due to be presented as a new Barça player early in the afternoon, but with the media waiting to meet him, the scheduled time for his unveiling came and passed. In the meantime, the club deleted the official announcement of his signing from their website and social media channels. Club sources were quick to confirm it was a bureaucratic issue; Barça had jumped the gun, arranging the presentation without having all the documents signed off.

"I know that Feyenoord tried to sign him in the summer but ended up going for a different left-back. "Feyenoord are historically very good at recruitment. They tend to take a lot of top talents from Belgium and bring them into the Dutch league."

Rangers have agreed a loan fee with Wolfsburg for Andreas Skov Olsen, with the winger on his way to Glasgow to complete the deal. (Tipsbladet - in Danish), external Rangers are increasingly confident they will land Andreas Skov Olsen on loan and that they can strike a deal to make it permanent by negotiating an option to buy for much less than the 12m Wolfsburg paid Club Brugge a year ago. (Daily Record), external

The European market is stirring amid growing interest from Bayern Munich in Elliot Anderson , the midfielder currently dazzling at Nottingham Forest . Bayern Munich is considering a major signing next summer, believing the 23-year-old represents the ideal evolution for their current German tactical system. Competition for the England international is fierce, placing the Bavarian giants in a direct race against financial powerhouses like Manchester City and Manchester United.

Aside of being an insanely productive player for one of the biggest, best clubs in the world, Karl is also trying to learn how to, well, live like an adult (which he will soon be). In between playing a starring role in Chanpions League or scoring goals in the Bundesliga, Karl is attending classes in school and learning how to drive.

All indicators suggest that Rashford is determined to remain at Camp Nou, while Barcelona are increasingly convinced he should stay in La Liga on a permanent basis, sources close to the agents industry have informed CaughtOffside. Rashford's performances, professionalism, and attitude have been widely praised inside the Barcelona dressing room. The forward has delivered crucial goals, added pace and directness to the attack, and demonstrated a level of maturity that has surprised even the club's technical staff.

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche is understood to be keen to sign a striker in the January transfer window. Forest are one place above the Premier League relegation zone and have scored fewer goals than anyone in the division with the exceptions of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland. Dyche, who replaced Ange Postecoglou who replaced Nuno Espirito Santo, has steadied his team but their tactical approach throughout the festive fixture programme was regarded as a little on the conservative side.

I'm super happy for Guirassy. I came all the way up the pitch to congratulate him. I think he's an amazing player. When you're a striker, sometimes just scoring a goal is all you need, so I was extremely happy for him. And also [Sabitzer] scored an amazing goal. I know him for taking these types of shots [at goal]. He likes these shots, which can be really dangerous.

The Jose Earthquakes are reportedly close to a deal to acquire German forward Timo Werner of RB Leipzig, according to The Athletic. Should the signing take place, Werner would become a designated player for San Jose, offering the 29-year-old a fresh start in Major League Soccer. He saw only 13 minutes of Bundesliga action for Leipzig this past season. Werner will be a welcome addition to the Quakes' attack after the departure of Josef Martinez to Tijuana.

Embarking on what has become a famous Premiership fairytale, Hearts have only continued to shatter a string of records. In the midst of an iconic purple patch and riding a major wave of momentum, Derek McInnes' men can once again widen their buffer at the top of the table to six points here. With the mood around Tynecastle at a red-hot high, the Jambos will be smelling the chance to make another title statement on Wednesday night.

AS Roma have reached an agreement in principle to sign Aston Villa forward Donyell Malen on loan, with a conditional obligation to buy for around 25 million, according to journalist Ben Jacobs. The structure of the deal has been approved by all parties, with only final formalities remaining. The 26-year-old Netherlands international has made it clear that he wants the move, driven by a desire for consistent minutes and a guaranteed role as a central striker.