Gary Neville blasts Wirtz and Isak after Newcastle draw
“He [Florian Wirtz] needs to sort himself out. Enough’s enough now, we’ve talked about him enough. He’s young and he’s come to a different country – and I’m all for willing him on,” Gary Neville stated on the Gary Neville Podcast.
He went on to speak about both Wirtz and Alexander Isak adding: “The big thing for Liverpool is they’ve got this quarter-of-a-billion-pound front two, Isak and Wirtz and bloody hell, we’ve been kind to those two.
“They’re going to have to start playing sooner or later or else, to be fair, they’re going to get quite a lot of criticism. I think they are going to have to start delivering.
“They have both had a bit of a free ride. Obviously Isak was injured last season but Arne Slot loses his job, and Wirtz has played like that, so let’s be clear, this has got me to start some real focus now.”
Mike Jones24 August 2026 15:40
Manchester City are being linked with Palmerias winger Allan and his current manager, Abel Ferreira, has spoken about the rumours.
“These teams want a player like Allan because 90% of wingers don’t do what he does: attack and defend. They’re going to have to pay,” he said.
“I know how Man City plays. At Chelsea, there’s a player named Pedro Neto: if they want to go after him, they’re going to have to pay €100M. Top teams don’t buy half a player, they buy players who attack and defend. When one comes along who can track back, play right-back, slot into a back three out wide and drift inside for rotations, everyone wants that kind of player.
“But you have to educate them, develop them and, if necessary, lose a few games along the way…”
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Mike Jones24 August 2026 15:20
Di Gregorio heading to Bournemouth
Sky Sports News report that Bournemouth are set to sign Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.
He’ll join on a season long loan with an option to buy at £12m plus add-ons.
If Bournemouth decide against triggering the option an additional loan fee of £1.3m will be applicable for the Premier League side.
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Mike Jones24 August 2026 15:00
Chelsea’s Jamie Gittens stance after Roma approach
Chelsea have ruled that Jamie Gittens will stay at the club this season after rejecting an approach from Roma to take the winger on loan, according to TalkSport.
Gittens was a £51m signing from Borussia Dortmund last summer but opportunities could be limited this season, with no European football under Xabi Alonso, and with Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto all competing for places alongside Joao Pedro.
Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson and Mykhailo Mudryk are among the attacking players that Chelsea will try and move on before the deadline, but Gittens, who scored one goal in 27 appearances last term, is set to and fight for his place.
Mike Jones24 August 2026 14:46
The Michael Carrick question sparked by Man United’s dismal Premier League start
“They hire me to be kind and calm with the players, and then at the first sign of trouble along the way, that’s the very characteristic they point to as the problem.”
Carlo Ancelotti had only won three Champions Leagues when he argued he could be fired for the same qualities for which he was hired. Ancelotti could afford to be philosophical about it, which underlined his innate calmness, and Real Madrid, having sacked him once, rehired him and he won a further two Champions Leagues, before they sacked him again.
Richard Jolly24 August 2026 14:27
Spalletti wants more from Kolo Muani
Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti has demanded more from new signing Randal Kolo Muani.
Kolo Muani is back for his second spell at Juve after a lacklustre season on loan at Tottenham.
“We went out and signed him (Kolo Muani), we’ve looked after him and we know his worth, but he needs to realise he hasn’t played for two years and there must be a reason for that,” Spaletti told DAZN.
“Sometimes you think you’re at an exceptional level, but then you’ve left something behind and you have to go and get it back.
“Kolo knows how to hold onto the ball, find space and is physically strong, but these are the sort of matches where he needs to score goals.”
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Mike Jones24 August 2026 14:07
Andoni Iraola’s frustration in Liverpool’s search for winger
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola admitted he is short of wingers ahead of the new Premier League season.
The Reds had a new bid of £60m for Yankuba Minteh rejected by Brighton on Friday night and remain far apart in Paris Saint-Germain’s valuations of Bradley Barcola, with the Champions League winners wanting £145m for the France international. They also reportedly enquired about the availability of Real Madrid’s Endrick.
Liverpool have brought in one winger this summer, in Victor Munoz from Osasuna, but are yet to replace Mohamed Salah, while there are no plans to replace Curtis Jones after he was sold to Inter.
“As a manager, it’s an easy one for me,” Iraola said. “I wanted the players from the first day on July 13, I wanted everyone here, all the positions doubled with top-level players. But you understand how the competition works and the market is open when you start the competition, we have to adapt as coaches to this situation.
“I hate these two weeks or 10 days that we have because there is a lot of uncertainty but not (just) in Liverpool but everywhere. You are asking what we need, there are certain situations that for me are clear, especially on the wing because we don’t have enough players specifically to play in those positions.”
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Mike Jones24 August 2026 13:47
Pierre Sage wants Ismaila Sarr to stay at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage wants Ismaila Sarr to stay at Crystal Palace amid interest from Galatasaray.
The Turkish giants made an offer for the Senegal winger which was rejected by Palace, who deemed it far below their valutation.
“We don’t want him to leave, he is under contract with us for three years and he will be with us on Monday,” Sage said.
“That’s the most important information for me and for you.”
Sarr was left out of Palace’s squad for the defeat to Everton at the weekend, due to injury.
The Eagles aim to get £50m out of any potential deal and TEAMtalk report that Manchester United are also monitoring the situation.
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Mike Jones24 August 2026 13:27
Early contender for signing of the season?
While most focussed on Spurs being Spurs, Mamadou Sangare proved exactly why Brentford spent the big bucks on him in Saturday’s curtain-raiser at the Gtech.
An absolutely scintillating performance, picking up two assists as he dazzled the Bees fans.
Club-record signing for a reason, it looks like – could he be this season’s breakout superstar?
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Mike Jones24 August 2026 13:09
Newcastle closing in on move for Gonzalez
Sky Sports News says that Newcastle are making progress in their talks for Manchester City midfielder Nico Gonzalez.
City value the midfielder at £50m and there is optimism that a deal could be arranged between all parties.
Gonzalez was named in City’s squad for the win over Bournemouth but remained an unused substitute with Marc Guehi and Rico Lewis taking turns in midfield instead.
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Mike Jones24 August 2026 12:47