Soccer

12:11 PM ET The summer transfer window closes at midnight (CET) on Oct 5 and the final days of the market promise to be hectic, with clubs all over Europe aiming to plug holes in their squads. There are also a growing number of players who are running out of time to kick-start their careers

6:00 AM ET Tor-Kristian Karlsen In April, I looked at the next generation of football stars; the top talents, aged 21 or under, who have shown the promise and ability to become the next household names. Tor-Kristian Karlsen is a Norwegian football scout and executive and is the former chief executive and sporting director at

8:01 AM ET Manchester United’s pursuit of Jadon Sancho headlines this week’s ESPN’s Insider Notebook. Plus: The latest gossip from the grapevine ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday. Jump to: Inside Barca’s battle with Bayern for Dest | Barca avoid Messi situation with Fati | Mourinho’s Sorloth smokescreen | City beat United to

2:35 PM ET The Champions League is back, and back with a bang, after the draw for the 2020-21 group stage concluded on Thursday in Geneva, Switzerland. The top line? A head-to-head between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as Juventus and Barcelona were paired together in Group G, in a game that could also see

5:31 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent LIVERPOOL, England — Eventually, both teams probably got the result their seasons needed. It took 90 goalless minutes and a penalty shootout but Arsenal booked their place in the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup at Liverpool‘s expense. Joe Willock’s spot kick — the Gunners’ sixth — only just squirmed over

7:48 AM ET Barcelona have completed the signing of USMNT right-back Sergino Dest from Ajax. The 19-year-old joins Barca on a five-year deal, with Ajax receiving a fee of around €21 million plus a potential €5m in add-ons. – Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)– Transfer Q&A: How will summer transfers work? Dest,

1:02 AM ET The San Diego Loyal walked off the field in protest Wednesday night, saying a Phoenix Rising player used an anti-gay slur directed at midfielder Collin Martin in the first half of their USL Championship league match. Martin is an openly gay player. The game, played at Torero Stadium in San Diego, was

4:47 PM ET Nick JuddTransfer writer Manchester United scored three times without reply and enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday to ease into the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup. There was little between the two sides in the first hour and in a match of

9:18 AM ET Manchester United’s Old Trafford has been empty since football shut down in March, and there’s no timetable yet as to when the UK government will clear fans to return up and down the country. CATHERINE IVILL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images English football is teetering on the brink of an abyss. By Christmas, some of

6:08 PM ET The hasty exit spoke volumes. Jose Mourinho had no desire to spend a second longer than necessary on the touchline alongside his former player and now Chelsea manager Frank Lampard. The 57-year-old — and it serves us well to be reminded of his age sometimes given the antics that are his trademark

11:28 AM ET Tom Hamilton Close Senior Writer • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 Stephan Uersfeld On the opening weekend of the 2021-21 Bundesliga season, there were six Americans in action. Gio Reyna scored

3:33 PM ET Jeff Carlisle Close U.S. soccer correspondent Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Austin Lindberg There is a new No. 1 in this week’s edition of MLS Power Rankings, with Columbus’ stumble against Toronto clearing the path for the youthful Philadelphia Union to become kings of the

6:23 PM ET LIVERPOOL, England — So much for Liverpool’s “nightmare” start to the season. Three games in and the reigning champions have aced it so far by beating last season’s Championship winners (Leeds United), Europe’s biggest summer spenders (Chelsea) and a resurgent Arsenal side — 3-1 on Monday at Anfield — that only last

5:36 PM ET Tom Fenton Arsenal slipped to a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Liverpool on Monday, despite having plenty of chances to steal a point. The Gunners took a surprise lead after 25 minutes, when Alexandre Lacazette capitalised on an Andrew Robertson mistake, converting well with a slightly scuffed scissor kick. However, Liverpool soon rallied,

5:30 AM ET There was a time when Arsenal‘s success hinged almost exclusively on the partnership of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Although some connected to the club wish to airbrush the Unai Emery era from history, it was the maligned Spaniard who first enabled the duo to flourish. So much so, in fact, that

4:50 PM ET Barcelona kicked off the Ronald Koeman era in style with an impressive 4-0 win against Villarreal in La Liga on Sunday. Koeman, who has overseen the departures of several established names at the club this summer, named a starting XI that included Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho. But it was

3:26 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent MANCHESTER — Manchester City are fortunate they have already agreed a deal for Ruben Dias because Benfica might have been tempted to put the price up after Jamie Vardy ran riot in Leicester’s 5-2 victory at the Etihad Stadium. Dias is set to move to Manchester in a deal that

5:15 AM ET Barcelona have had a bid of €20 million plus add ons accepted by Ajax for USMNT defender Sergino Dest, sources have told ESPN. Dest, 19, and his representatives are discussing personal terms as Ronald Koeman closes in on his first signing as Barca boss. – Stream FC Daily on ESPN+– Exclusive: Why