Soccer

8:21 AM ET Romaare in talks to sign Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan during the January transfer window, sources have told ESPN. It is understood the Italian club’s sporting director Tiago Pinto has made contact with Arsenal to explore the possibility of signing the midfielder, who is open to the move. Sources have told

6:37 AM ET Burnley‘s home match against Everton on Boxing Day has been postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak and injuries in the visitors’ squad, the Premier League has said. It becomes the third Boxing Day fixture to be postponed in the Premier League after Liverpool‘s match against Leeds United and the meeting between Wolves

9:05 AM ET Chris Kirchner has withdrawn his bid to buy Derby County. Nathan Stirk/Getty Images American businessman Chris Kirchner has withdrawn his offer to rescue Championship club Derby County. The team, which is managed by former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, have been docked a total of 21 points after the club entered

4:27 PM ET Caitlin Murray Jaelene Daniels refused to wear a USWNT call-up over rainbow-themed gay pride jersey. Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The North Carolina Courage have apologized to fans upset by the recent signing of Jaelene Daniels, the player who made headlines for refusing a U.S. women’s national team call-up over rainbow-themed gay

9:29 AM ET Steven Gerrard is worried, and so are his players. The Aston Villa manager is taking almost hourly bulletins on how badly his squad has been affected by positive COVID-19 cases and whether he will have enough players — 13 outfield players and a goalkeeper — to meet the minimum requirement to fulfil

4:07 AM ET It’s been a tough season for Newcastle United fans, even though they became the richest club in the world following their Saudi Arabia-led takeover earlier this year. The Magpies remain marooned in the relegation zone, level on points with rock-bottom Norwich City. And with 11 goals conceded, and just one scored, in

12:55 PM ET Possession is an extremely common topic in soccer discussion. It’s almost a written arrangement: The best (and richest) teams in Europe — think Manchester City, for one — will dominate the ball and take it back the moment they lose it, while the lesser (and/or less monied) teams will have to make

4:56 AM ET The transfer window opens on Jan. 1 in the Premier League, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 (find out about the rest of Europe here) and clubs have been planning their business amid the ongoing financial uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. ESPN writers have everything you need to know about the top teams’ hopes

4:00 AM ET Dave Kelly is an Everton supporter, but whenever Liverpool play at home, he spends hours at Flagpole Corner, just outside The Kop at Anfield, collecting donations of food from fans on the way to the game. Kelly’s van is adorned by images of a handshake — red shaking blue — and the

9:00 AM ET Bruce Schoenfeld BARCELONA — There’s nothing nou about Camp Nou, Barcelona‘s iconic stadium. The red grandstand seats, meant to evoke the stripes on the Catalan flag, have faded to a flamingo pink. The concrete floors are mottled and scarred. It’s a fitting symbol for the vertiginous decline of a great football club.

7:15 AM ET Sam Marsden Moises Llorens United States international Sergino Dest is one of the players Barcelona are prepared to listen to offers for in January to help fund other signings, sources have told ESPN. Barca have made strengthening their attack next month a priority but must move on players before they can even

4:58 PM ET On Monday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, speaking at a global summit of FIFA member nations, revealed that a biennial men’s World Cup would likely generate an additional $4.4 billion in revenue (an increase of around 60%) over a four-year cycle compared to the current quadrennial tournament. He said that there was probably

5:30 PM ET Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has warned against starting “a hunt for non-vaccinated people” as English football battles to continue its schedule over Christmas with COVID-19 cases rising in the United Kingdom. The UK recorded 90,629 new cases on Tuesday, a day after the Premier League and English Football Leagues vowed to

3:07 PM ET Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez won’t be popular at Sevilla, and that has nothing to do with whether he inspires his squad of talented youngsters and downbeat senior pros to a slightly unlikely looking victory over Los Rojiblancos at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Tuesday (3 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+).

6:00 AM ET Manchester City took pole position in the Premier League title chase this weekend with another comprehensive victory, this time over struggling Newcastle on Sunday afternoon. 2 Related Pep Guardiola’s side scored their 11th unanswered goal in the space of just two matches as they galloped to a 4-0 victory at St James’

2:55 PM ET Ian DarkeESPN.com writer Close Darke, who called games for the network during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, is ESPN lead soccer voice in the United States. He has covered the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League since 1982, and has one of the world’s most recognizable soccer voices.

4:24 AM ET Less than 18 months have passed since Mikel Arteta played a pivotal role in convincing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to sign a contract extension with Arsenal. The striker was coveted throughout Europe at the time, with Barcelona, Inter Milan and even London rivals Chelsea sensing an opportunity to snatch away the Gunners’ prized forward

6:40 PM ET It was another weekend full of talking points around Europe, as the Premier League grappled with postponements due to coronavirus cases and the Bundesliga kicked off again behind closed doors. Beyond that, Barcelona wrapped up a dramatic win, Arsenal surged into the top four for Christmas thanks to Gabriel Martinelli, and Borussia