Another transfer window has seen another huge outlay on fees, but not all great signings have to come at such a cost.
Paulo Dybala, Paul Pogba, Angel Di Maria, Antonio Rudiger and Boubacar Kamara have already moved as free agents in this window.
With just a couple of days to go before the deadline, there remain some notable names looking for clubs.
Let s take a look
Marcelo (34 years old – last club: Real Madrid)
It is not often the Champions League-winning captain of the previous campaign is without a club at the start of the new season, but that has been the case for Marcelo.
Admittedly, the left-back – a five-time European champion – was firmly behind Ferland Mendy in the pecking order last term, starting only seven games in all …
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is focusing on returning to action as soon as possible and feels fortunate his injury is not worse than it is.
Odegaard injured his ankle while on Norway duty two weeks ago and has missed Arsenal s three matches since, including Wednesday s EFL Cup tie with Bolton Wanderers.
Mikel Arteta confirmed this week that the midfielder will be out for a while , but no timeframe has been given for his recovery.
Addressing his lay-off for the first time, Odegaard admits he was scared by the severity of the damage when first sustaining the injury.
It was a bad twist to my ankle, and I damaged some ligaments there, but it’s part of football and now I m just trying to recover as quickly as I can, he wrote in his programme notes for th…
Understanding betting odds is the gateway to informed betting choices in Nigeria. It s not a game of chance; it requires knowledge and analysis. Comprehending odds formats like decimal, fractional and moneyline is essential to grasp the implied probabilities and potential payouts. But knowledge alone isn t enough; bettors must factor in various elements like team form, player injuries, and weather conditions.
On the other hand, , statistical analysis and prudent bankroll management. Under the same, responsible gambling is paramount; knowing when to stop and setting limits ensures a balanced approach. Although no strategy guarantees consistent wins, informed choices increase the odds of success. By embracing data-driven decisions, staying disciplined and having kn…
Winning LaLiga this season would show Barcelona s recovery process is on the right track , according to president Joan Laporta.
Barca have suffered from poor finances and disappointing performances on the pitch in recent years.
They last won the league title in the 2018-19 campaign, while a group-stage exit in this season s Champions League means their seven-year wait to claim Europe s top club prize for a sixth time goes on.
Barca are, however, enjoying a domestic resurgence under Xavi, who returned as coach after a legendary playing career with the club.
Boss.
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
Xavi is Barca s eighth head coach since Pep Guardiola left in 2012 and his team led LaLiga heading into the World Cup break.
The priority…
Gareth Bale insisted Major League Soccer is not a retirement league , and he hopes his move to Los Angeles FC will allow him to stay in contention for Wales at least until Euro 2024.
While his initial deal with LAFC is only a one-year agreement, it could be extended through to 2024, when Wales will be hoping to compete in the European Championship.
Bale left Real Madrid at the end of June after his contract was allowed to expire, with the forward – who was once the most expensive player of all time – enduring a difficult final few years at the Santiago Bernabeu.
His attitude and commitment to Madrid were often called into question by supporters, who routinely voiced their frustration towards him in recent years.
But Bale has continued to be worship…
Barcelona s nightmare has continued after it was confirmed Sergio Aguero is likely to be out until mid-October due to a calf injury.
Already having to contend with the unexpected departure of talisman Lionel Messi, Barca are in a dire financial situation heading into the new season.
They will now also be without one of their new arrivals for up to 10 weeks, though LaLiga s salary restrictions have meant Barca have not yet been able to register Aguero, who joined on a free transfer from Premier League champions Manchester City.
The 33-year-old left City after 10 years with the club, but his final season was hampered by injury and COVID-19 lay offs.
He managed only eight starts in 2020-21, playing 720 minutes in total across 20 appearances in all competiti…
Gareth Bale s unwanted piece of Premier League history has been taken by Oliver Burke after Sheffield United lost again at Burnley.
Tottenham winger Bale, a four-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, previously held the record for the longest wait for a first Premier League win.
After his initial move to Spurs from Southampton in 2007, the Wales superstar went 24 matches without ending on the winning side.
Not until September 2009 did Bale play a part in a top-flight triumph, making a late cameo at left-back in a 5-0 defeat of Burnley.
The Clarets were the opposition again on Tuesday as Sheffield United s Burke attempted to avoid topping Bale s miserable mark.
But a 1-0 reverse courtesy of Ben Mee s header meant Burke, a 63rd-minute subst…
Jose Mourinho s words of advice to Dele Alli have been well publicised ever since the release of the Tottenham-focused All Or Nothing documentary series in 2020.
I am 56 now and yesterday I was 20. Time flies. One day I think you will regret it if you don t reach what you can reach, the former Spurs boss told Alli, who for the first time in his rough career was, at the start of the 2019-20 season, enduring a rough patch of form.
I am not expecting you to be the man of the match every game. I am not expecting you to score goals every game. I want just to tell you that you will regret it. You should demand more from yourself.
Less than 18 months after the documentary aired, Alli s Tottenham spell was over, moving to Everton on what was initially a free transfe…
Whenever Manchester United come up against a team managed by David Moyes, it provides the perfect opportunity to look back on the Red Devils rather turbulent recent history.
Moyes was, of course, the original successor to Alex Ferguson. The Chosen One , as the infamous banner read, and, to many, a harbinger of mediocrity.
That s slightly unfair on Moyes as although United won the title just before he ascended the Old Trafford hot seat, he was left with an aging squad that needed replenishing, plus the club s deep reverence for Ferguson ultimately stopped them moving with the times.
For years, Ferguson essentially operated as a head coach, recruitment director and sporting director rolled into one. The Scot was so effective and influential that, once he d left, Un…
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola wants more from Kevin De Bruyne who he says is not playing at his top level despite a stunning goal in Saturday s 3-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
The two-time Premier League Player of the Season fired in City s third goal with a curling right-foot shot from just beyond the box to seal the points in the 75th minute.
Since De Bruyne s Premier League debut for City in September 2015, he has scored more goals from outside the box than any other player in the competition in this period (24).
The goal was the 31-year-old Belgian s second of the Premier League season while he has also contributed nine assists, yet Guardiola is expecting more.
He can be better. He s not playing at his top level, not yet, Guardiola told r…