Micky van de Ven
January 2026
Spurs lost 2-1 to Villa and tempers flared late; van de Ven backed teammates’ reaction but warned the team cannot only show fight when trailing. Spurs went 2-0 down before half-time, improved after the break and scored through Wilson Odobert, then tensions rose after Villa celebrations. Van de Ven said Spurs must bring second-half intensity from kickoff to fix inconsistency.
Ricardo Pepi
January 2026
Pepi scored but suffered a forearm fracture in the 23rd minute, will have surgery, and is expected to miss roughly two months. He finished a back-post chance, landed awkwardly on his arm during the slide, and was substituted immediately. PSV confirmed the fracture and timeline, halting his scoring run that has taken him to 11 goals this season.
Jorrel Hato
January 2026
Chelsea won 5-1 at Charlton, with Hato scoring his first Chelsea goal and saying Rosenior’s style suits the squad after a short prep window. Hato struck just before half-time, then Chelsea pulled away after the break with goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto, and Enzo Fernandez, following multiple tactical meetings to absorb Rosenior’s ideas.
Marc Guehi
January 2026
Palace, last season’s FA Cup winners, were dumped out 2-1 by sixth-tier Macclesfield, then Guehi approached angry travelling fans while Glasner said he had no explanation. Macclesfield led through Paul Dawson’s header, doubled it via Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, and survived a late scare after Yeremy Pino’s 90th-minute free-kick. Palace’s half-time triple change failed to complete the comeback.
Trae Young
January 2026
Young was introduced to Wizards fans during a loss but did not play due to knee and quadriceps issues, with his return date unclear. Washington acquired him without giving up draft picks, sending CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to Atlanta. The Wizards say the long-term rebuild continues, with Young expected to help organize and elevate their young core once healthy.
Jason Wilcox, Ruben Amorim
January 2026
A reported internal split with Wilcox worsened before Amorim’s Leeds press conference, with the “manager not coach” issue becoming a flashpoint. Reports claim Wilcox presented himself as “like a manager” while casting Amorim as the coach, aggravating Amorim’s demand for more control and transfer support. Disputes over recruitment and Amorim’s rigid 3-4-3 intensified pressure.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
January 2026
Guardiola said Donnarumma’s short passing and composure are better than his reputation, while conceding he cannot match Ederson’s long passing. Guardiola highlighted first touch, decision-making, and tempo in short build-up as key strengths, framing Ederson’s range as an outlier few keepers can replicate.
Karim Benzema
January 2026
Planes said he expects Benzema to extend beyond his June 2026 contract, despite mixed reports and Benzema’s own non-committal stance. Planes claimed Benzema wants to stay for the “serious project” and strong squad. Benzema previously said he is focused on football with six months left and left contract decisions to others.
Noussair Mazraoui and Bryan Mbeumo
January 2026
Morocco beat Cameroon 2-0, ending Mbeumo’s tournament and extending Mazraoui’s run to at least the semi-finals. Brahim Diaz scored first from close range after a corner sequence, then Ismael Saibari finished low into the corner after a free-kick fell kindly. United regain Mbeumo quickly, while Mazraoui remains away for at least another week.
Anthony Davis
January 2026
Davis reportedly has ligament damage in his left hand after being hurt late against Utah, raising the likelihood of a longer absence. He left the bench in visible pain for further evaluation, with subsequent testing indicating ligament damage. The injury hits a struggling Mavericks team still dealing with fallout from the Luka Doncic trade and their poor record.
