I have a theory as to one reason (of many) the England National Team tends to underperform in major tournaments: the players all play in the same league. Every England international plays in the Premier League. One might argue this breeds familiarity and is therefore good for the national team, but I think it leads to a lack of stylistic variety in the team and makes the payer pool stagnant. It's basically like inbreeding, is what I'm saying.
Real Madrid have signed Trent Alexander-Arnold on a six-year deal, the LaLiga club said on Friday, paying Liverpool a fee to release the England defender from his contract a month early to allow him to join before the Club World Cup.
Alexander-Arnold, who joined Liverpool when he was six and made 354 appearances for the Premier League side since his senior debut in 2016, said earlier this month he would leave the club once his contract expired on June 30.
Argentine forward Ángel Di Maria will return to his homeland to play for his boyhood club Rosario Central, the Argentine Primera Division club announced on Thursday.
"Our history together has more pages to write. Welcome home," the Rosario-based club said alongside a video posted on Twitter.
Di Maria transfer
Luka Modric will leave Real Madrid after the Club World Cup, the Croatian midfielder said on Thursday as the club's most successful player and the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner prepares to end a trophy-laden stint in Spain.
Modric, who arrived at the club from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, has played almost 600 games for Real and won nearly 30 trophies including a record six Champions League titles and four LaLiga trophies.
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso will leave his role at the end of the season, with the Spaniard saying on Friday the time was right after a fruitful three-year spell, as media reports link him to the Real Madrid job for next term.
Alonso took charge of Leverkusen in October 2022 and guided them to the double last season as they lifted their first Bundesliga title, without losing a game, while they also won the German Cup and reached the Europa League final.
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy will leave the Premier League club at the end of the season following their relegation, bringing the curtain down on an era where he established himself as one of the greats in a team that punched above their weight.
Vardy, who was signed from fifth-tier side Fleetwood Town for $1.33 million in 2012, became the club's greatest player of the modern age, scoring 198 goals across all competitions.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has ended months of speculation about his future by signing a two-year contract extension at Anfield, the Premier League leaders said on Friday.
The 32-year-old, who joined the club in 2017 from AS Roma, could have left the club for free in the summer with his contract previously set to expire in June.
Mohamad Salah contract extension
Bayern Munich crowd favorite Thomas Müller will leave the German record champions at the end of the season after 25 trophy-laden years because he was not offered another contract, he said on Saturday.
In a message on social media, the 35-year-old attacking midfielder, who started as a youth player and won a record 12 league crowns with Bayern - the most by any Bundesliga player - said he would have liked to stay on.
Thomas Müller leaving Bayern
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will leave the Premier League club at the end of the season, the 33-year-old Belgian announced on Friday.
De Bruyne has lifted 16 trophies since joining City from German side VfL Wolfsburg in 2015 — a haul that includes six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023. He has also been named the Premier League Player of the Season twice.
Kevin De Bruyne leaving Man City
Premier League clubs agreed to open the transfer window early for a 10-day period in June, ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, before it reopens again on June 16, the league said on Thursday.
The decision comes after world soccer's governing body FIFA decided member associations of participating clubs would have the option of opening an "exceptional registration window" in June before the event begins to sign players.
2025 EPL transfer window