#playing-time

#playing-time

Arriving at Milan at 19 is a good starting point, but considerations must be made taking all the factors into account. On the one hand, there's the aura of an international club fighting for the Scudetto, there's Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Milanello, there's Luka Modric setting standards in training, and a trophy room unmatched in Italian football. Then there's a coach like Massimiliano Allegri, who loves to explain football throughout the week, especially from a defensive perspective.

January 31st: The White Sox have agreed to a deal with outfielder Austin Hays, ESPN's Jesse Rogers reports. The one-year deal will pay Hays $6MM, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, and the contract will be official following a physical. Hays will earn $5MM in salary in 2026, and there is a $1MM buyout on a mutual option for 2027, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal writes. Another $375K is available for Hays in incentive bonuses based around plate appearances.

The midfielder, who's been tipped for big things at Barca, is now expected to sign for Paris Saint-Germain. Fernandez's decision comes as he wants more game time, with his decision to leave cemented after Barcelona's Copa del Rey win over Guadalajara, according to Sport. The teenager had been expecting to play in the game but didn't see a single minute, leaving him "hurt and angry" and ready to call time on his Barcelona career.

In the Gunners' past six league games, Eze has played a total of 23 minutes. He was an unused substitute in four of those matches. The England international was signed from Crystal Palace in August for 67m to add creativity to Arsenal's attack - he shoots freely, while his ability to open a defence in a flash means he adds an element of flair to the forward line that not many others in the squad have.

Leeds United defender Sebastian Bornauw is reportedly keen on leaving the club. The player has struggled to secure regular opportunities at the Premier League club and has expressed his desire to leave due to a lack of playing time. It will be interesting to see if Leeds United are prepared to sanction his departure. The Belgian defender was given an opportunity to showcase his qualities against Liverpool and Manchester United recently, and he did quite well against them.

When a reporter inquired whether there was a particular reason for his decision not to use Agbaji, Toronto's head coach simply replied, " No. I just made the decision to go with other guys." The exchange didn't end there, as the reporter followed up with, " How come?" Rajakovic responded, " That's how I decided to give opportunity [sic] to other guys. Coach's decision." Now, there's no more point-blank answer than that from Coach Darko, who has a knack for replying in this blunt tone.

With the Toronto Blue Jays being one of the more active teams this offseason, they have been able to make various moves to bolster their roster ahead of the 2026 MLB season. So far, the Blue Jays have added notable players in Kazuma Okamoto, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers, and of course rotation stalwart Dylan Cease and many believe that they are not done just yet.

Ethan Nwaneri had a breakout season last term when the Arsenal forward deputised so impressively for the injured Bukayo Saka. He played mostly on the right wing and scored nine goals in 37 appearances in all competitions to mark himself out as one of England's most talented young players. Nwaneri, now 18, also became the second-youngest goalscorer in Champions League history when he netted against Girona last January at 17 years and 314 days old - only Jude Bellingham did so at a younger age.

After the win over Athletic Club, Hansi Flick has openly acknowledged that there is no clarity yet over whether Lewandowski will remain at the club beyond the end of the season, when his current contract expires. "I don't know where Robert Lewandowski will be next season. I'm really happy with him, but I am honest too. I spoke with him," he said, as quoted by MARCA. "We'll see what happens and we'll decide at the end of the season."

The 22-year-old has struggled for regular opportunities at the Premier League club, and he needs to leave in order to play more often. Sitting on the bench at Newcastle will not benefit him. The 22-year-old is a talented player with a bright future. However, he has made just 14 appearances for Newcastle this season, mostly as a substitute. He has found the back of the net three times for them, and there is no doubt that he could be a very useful player.

To do so, he will need to play more frequently than he is at the moment. At Milan, he has played 15 official matches this season, scoring one goal (against Lecce in round two) for a total of 715 minutes. Massimiliano Allegri has used him in various roles, both from the start and during the match, placing him as a centre-forward, a midfielder and even as a wing-back against Torino on Monday.

David Odogu remains perhaps the most mysterious signings AC Milan have made in recent times, as he continues to struggle for minutes. La Gazzetta dello Sport recall how after winning the U17 World Cup with Germany two years ago, some German media dubbed Odogu 'the future Beckenbauer'. This accolade is currently hanging in the balance, awaiting confirmation, and perhaps risks being a bit too heavy on the shoulders of a 19-year-old.

It hasn't been an easy ride for keeper Daniel Peretz ever since he was signed by Bayern Munich from Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer of 2023. He has also been on loan at Hamburg SV this season, where he has struggled to get regular minutes behind keeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes, who is favored by manager Merlin Polzin. Essentially, the whole idea of Peretz's loan spell with HSV has collapsed on itself as the whole point was for him

If there's one silver lining from Liverpool's deeply disappointing 3-3 draw against Leeds United on Saturday, it's that Hugo Ekitike has firmly established himself as the striker who should feature in Arne Slot's Starting XI whenever he's fit. Following a first half marked by wasted chances and the Reds' ongoing lack of clinical edge, Ekitike scored twice in quick succession after halftime to give Liverpool a 2-0 lead that should have set them on course for three points. It would have been a result that would have lifted them to fifth place, a position supporters would've gladly taken given this season's horrid form.