Jean-Philippe Mateta
January 2026
Mateta has reportedly informed Palace he wants to leave, believing the club no longer matches his ambitions. He is unhappy that recruitment assurances and proposed contract terms were not met, and he wants regular European football. Reports say he wanted to go last summer and stalled in late-2025 contract talks hardened his stance. Juventus proposed a loan with conditional purchase, Palace rejected it and set a higher valuation, while Villa and Chelsea have also contacted his camp.
Federico Chiesa
January 2026
Chiesa’s former mentor questioned Slot’s limited use of the winger as reports suggest Chiesa is negotiating a return to Juventus. Romei says Slot’s selection choices are hard to understand given Chiesa’s profile for English football, noting he has had limited starts despite multiple appearances this season.
Enzo Maresca
January 2026
Alan Shearer says Enzo Maresca will not struggle to land another high-level job despite leaving Chelsea after one win in seven. Shearer argues Maresca’s Chelsea spell should still be viewed as successful because of trophies and Champions League qualification. The view is that Maresca’s reputation remains strong from work at Chelsea and Leicester, even after the exit was linked to breakdowns with ownership and reports of outside discussions about future roles.
Cristiano Ronaldo
December 2025
Paul Pogba received the Globe Soccer Awards 2025 Best Comeback Award after returning to football with Monaco following a reduced doping suspension. He used his speech to thank his family and specifically referenced Cristiano Ronaldo for support during the period. Pogba’s four-year ban for an adverse test was reduced to 18 months after an appeal, allowing a return to training in January 2025 and a summer move to Monaco following Juventus terminating his contract. He has since made three appearances and described the time away as personally testing.
Cristiano Ronaldo
December 2025
Marlon Harewood says Cristiano Ronaldo’s longevity and numbers were signposted as early as his Manchester United days, arguing that his current output at 40, plus his ambitions to reach 1,000 goals and play with Cristiano Jr, are the product of extreme professionalism. Reflecting on facing Ronaldo in England, Harewood highlighted his work ethic, physical standards and mentality, describing him as the blueprint to show young players. With titles and goals across United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr, he believes nobody should be surprised by Ronaldo’s sustained dominance.
Evan Ferguson
December 2025
Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini publicly questioned Evan Ferguson’s impact after a narrow defeat to Juventus, saying the Republic of Ireland striker has not convinced him yet and that attacking wastefulness, rather than overall structure, cost his side in a tight top four showdown. Gasperini criticised poor final passes and said starters such as Dybala and Soule currently offer superior technical quality, challenging Ferguson and others to adapt faster and influence matches as Roma explore attacking upgrades ahead of a potentially important January window.
Fabio Paratici
December 2025
Fiorentina are exploring a move to appoint Tottenham transfer chief Fabio Paratici as their new Head of Football following their ownership change. The Italian only recently returned to an official role at Spurs after a 30-month ban tied to accounting irregularities during his Juventus spell. The Serie A club view Paratici’s recruitment track record and structural expertise as central to a new long-term project and are reportedly in negotiations over a multi-year deal. Any exit would reshape Tottenham’s leadership setup, where Paratici currently works alongside Johan Lange as sporting director.
Mason Greenwood
December 2025
Mason Greenwood’s revival at Marseille is under threat as Juventus prepare a move for midfield general Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, whose controlling displays and defensive balance have underpinned the club’s Ligue 1 title charge and allowed the English forward to thrive in attack. La Gazzetta dello Sport report Juve see Hojbjerg as the ideal deep-lying organiser for Spalletti’s system despite already having Manuel Locatelli, targeting his blend of physical presence, leadership and vertical passing as a “Christmas gift” signing, leaving De Zerbi battling to protect his core spine.
