Micky van de Ven
January 2026
Elia backed Van de Ven to move to a top-tier European contender, with Spurs’ poor season and lack of elite competition driving transfer speculation. The claim is that Van de Ven’s individual level remains high while Tottenham’s results under Frank have underwhelmed, making it harder to retain top players without Champions League football.
Virgil van Dijk
January 2026
Slot said Liverpool’s planning is long-term, and he believes Van Dijk can remain at the club beyond his current deal if he stays fit, even as Liverpool invest in younger centre-back succession. Slot framed Jacquet’s recruitment as deliberate succession planning, not panic. He stressed Van Dijk’s durability at his age and noted the club is preparing for eventual life without him while still expecting near-term continuity.
Marc Guéhi
January 2026
The EFL rejected City’s push to change eligibility rules, meaning Guéhi remains ineligible for the Carabao Cup final despite joining City in January. EFL rules prevent a player from featuring for a second club in the competition if they join after the semi-final first leg. Guéhi signed after City’s first-leg win over Newcastle, so he could not play the second leg and cannot play the final. Semenyo remains eligible because he joined before the semi-final first leg.
Paul Pogba
January 2026
Monaco removed Pogba from their Champions League squad, with the midfielder limited to three brief Ligue 1 appearances and still battling recurring fitness issues after his ban and long layoff. Reports say Monaco also dropped Salisu and Minamino due to injuries, replacing them with Diatta, Faes and Adingra for the two-legged tie.
Liam Delap
January 2026
Gullit said Delap looked unhappy and ineffective playing right wing, and argued Chelsea lacked creativity in a cautious approach that ended with a 4-2 aggregate exit. Rosenior set up to control the psychological momentum and avoid early concession, using Delap for long-ball outlets, then introducing Palmer and Estêvão later. Gullit said the team only became braver after those subs, partly because Arsenal dropped off.
Erling Haaland
January 2026
City beat Newcastle comfortably to reach the final vs Arsenal, but some fans targeted Haaland after he started on the bench and remains on a poor scoring run (one goal in eight games). City protected a 2-0 first-leg advantage, then extended the tie with a Marmoush brace and a Reijnders goal. Haaland came on in the second half but did not score.
JJ Gabriel
January 2026
Carrick invited 15-year-old attacker Gabriel into first-team training twice, alongside other academy promotions, reinforcing his fast-rising status as a standout prospect. He first trained on a reduced-number day, then again with the full squad. The report highlights Gabriel’s “Kid Messi” viral profile, Nike boot deal, and Under-18 output (11 goals in 16 games), including a hat-trick vs Liverpool and an FA Youth Cup goal at Old Trafford.
Harvey Elliott
January 2026
Elliott’s loan at Villa cannot be terminated early because Liverpool would not waive the required termination fee and Villa would not pay it, leaving him unable to return and effectively sidelined. The loan reportedly lacks a standard unilateral recall clause; ending it required Villa to pay a cancellation fee. With no compromise, Elliott remains at a club where he is not being used, reportedly to avoid triggering a mandatory £35m clause.
Didier Deschamps
January 2026
Deschamps rejected criticism focused on Mbappe’s running metrics, saying he will not cover “11 kilometres per match” but can still be a true captain and decisive match-winner. He framed it as a tactical trade-off: you do not demand high-volume defensive running that drains the explosiveness Mbappe needs in the final third.
Scott McTominay
January 2026
Napoli’s Giammarioli said he is worried about keeping McTominay long-term and suggested the midfielder “deserves” a future move to a higher level, highlighting Serie A’s financial disadvantage against the Premier League. He argued that when huge offers arrive and the player wants to go, Italian clubs struggle to resist, using Newcastle’s cited big-money deal for Woltemade as an example of market pressure.
