Football news LIVE: Liverpool boss Slot on Isak and Ekitike, Nuno sounded out by West Ham, Strand-Larsen signs new Wolves deal

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It's not just Chelsea, it's any club in the world, I can promise you, Italy, Spain, England, France, USA, Brazil, any club in the world, when for any reason the player and the club doesn't find any solution and you give the player all the tools to do training sessions and to do everything but if you are not involved in the squad you are not involved in the squad.

"Again, I know that it's something that you like to talk about, but it's not about Chelsea, it's about any club in the world."

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Today, 11:05By Joe Brophy

Graham Potter is facing a crunch clash at home to Crystal Palace, with West Ham actively sounding out potential replacements.

TalkSPORT understands Hammers officials have spoken with former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

As reported on Thursday, former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is also a contender to return to replace the under-pressure Potter.

Ex-Hammers midfielder Gary O’Neil, now a client of agent Will Salthouse, who has a close relationship with David Sullivan, would also be keen.

Potter has won just six of his 24 games in charge, and next month’s international break is viewed as a key landmark in the final decision on his future.

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Today, 10:58By Joe Brophy

Russell Martin has opened up on his decision to send his Rangers team to Loch Lomond despite their poor season start.

Appointed in June, the pressure is already mounting on the English coach with the Gers languishing in 10th place in the Scottish Premiership.

The Glasgow outfit are yet to win a single league game under Martin, and currently boast just four points from a possible 15.

Some fans have begun to turn on their boss, who made their feelings known at Ibrox at the weekend.

Chants of 'Martin, get to f***', rang around the stadium during their 2-0 defeat to Hearts at Ibrox on Saturday.

Two days later, the Rangers squad were seen hiking Conic Hill and cold water swimming for team bonding.

At a press conference, Martin said: "To step away from the city and for the lads to take a breath is good.

"It's always been the plan, I've done it at every club I have been at.

"I think it was good, the lads enjoyed it, and it's good for them as young men.

"It set us up for a really good week of training."

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Today, 09:51By Joe Brophy

Jose Mourinho has already been warned by Benfica bosses that he needs to deliver to see out his deal through to the summer of 2027.

The 2010 European treble winner has returned to his first-ever club, signing a two-year deal with a get-out clause after the first season.

Benfica president Rui Costa said: "There's a clause at the end of the season that leaves the club the option of continuing with the coach or not.

I think Wirtz has put a lot of shifts in without settling into the way he plays and Liverpool plays at the moment but that will come.

"His first touch is sublime and he's absolutely everywhere as well."

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18th Sept 2025, 14:22By Connor Andrews

A further clamp down on time wasting could hit throw-ins and corners.

The Press Association report that senior figures are considering whether to put forward a trial in an effort to improve fan expereince.

A new rule has already come into place this season which sees goalkeepers punished with an opposition corner if they hold onto the ball for more than eight seconds.

Stats Perform claim the average time a ball is in play has decreased by 133 seconds this season, with some attributing it to the number of teams implementing long throw-ins as set-piece opportunities.

Any rule change would have to be ratified by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) who hold their next annual meeting in February.

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18th Sept 2025, 13:35By Joe Brophy

Michael Duff has been named the new Wycombe manager after Mike Dodds became the first League One manager sacked this season.

The Chairboys announced earlier today that they had parted company with Dodds and first-team coach Pete Shuttleworth.

The 39-year-old had been at Adams Park for seven months, having been hired in February.

Wycombe have endured a tough start to the League One season, winning just one of their eight games.

Less than two hours after confirming Dodds' departure, the club have announced Duff as his replacement.

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18th Sept 2025, 12:57By Connor Andrews

Jose Mourinho is set to take his first Benfica training session this afternoon.

Reports from leading Portuguese outlet A Bola claim the former Chelsea boss is ready to prepare his new team for this weekend's match against AVS after signing a two-year contract.

A deal is yet to be announced, but Benfica have claimed it will be in a statement to their shareholders.

"Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol, SAD informs that negotiations are underway for the hiring of coach José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix, which are expected to be concluded soon," the club wrote in a memo.

Mourinho touched down in his home country yesterday evening and told the media waiting for him why he's returning to Benfica just weeks after being sacked by Fenerbahce.

"My return to Portugal wasn't planned, but that what was in my mind as a natural consequence for my career would be to return to Portugal one day to coach the national team," he said.

I look at Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

"I don't really look at Manchester City's centre halves and think there's enough in there to win the Premier League and it's the same with Chelsea.

"They've spent £220million on defenders and their best defender is a player that came through the academy in Levi Colwill who's injured and they miss him.

"They spent £35m on Benoit Badiashile and it's not worked out with a seven-year deal.

"Axel Disasi is in the bomb squad and they spent £40m on with a six-year deal and now they can't get rid of him.

"Wesley Fofana - they paid £70m and he's injury prone and even when fit he's not been at the elite level.

"Most of this season it's been Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo, but they're only decent centre halves."

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18th Sept 2025, 08:18By Connor Andrews

Despite needing another late goal to win, Arne Slot is happy with his side's progress against Atletico Madrid.

The Reds gave up a 2-0 lead in their Champions League opener, but captain Virgil van Dijk won the game with a stoppage time header.

It was Liverpool's fifth winning goal after the 80th minute already this season, but Slot saw this one as different to the others.

"Maybe I am even disappointed we scored in the last minute," he said.

"I would have liked it more if we scored earlier when Florian (Wirtz) and Alex (Isak) combined and it almost led to Jeremie (Frimpong) scoring.

"Everyone will talk about the late goal, which I understand, but for me it is a different game to the ones we played before.

"We had numerous moments to score the third one and that is different to Burnley or Newcastle or Arsenal.

"It is not the first time we give away a 2-0 lead as well, which is not what we were known for last season."

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17th Sept 2025, 17:54By Jake Lambourne

Jose Mourinho is weighing up whether to go for the Portugal job after the 2026 World Cup, talkSPORT understands.

Final negotiations are taking place with Benfica and the Special One.

Mourinho has asked for a one-year deal with the option of a further 12 months.

The legendary Portuguese manager could take Benfica training as early as Thursday.

If all goes to plan, Mourinho's first match back at Benfica, who he managed in 2000, will be away at AVS Futebol SAD.

And his first Champions League match will be away at former club Chelsea on September 30.

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17th Sept 2025, 17:43By Jake Lambourne

Matt Hobbs has now started work as Crystal Palace's sporting director, talkSPORT understands.

Hobbs had worked in the same role for the Eagles' Premier League rivals Wolves.

He has spent ten years at Molineux, where he also worked as the club's chief scout and head of recruitment.

But he has now linked up at Selhurst Park having replaced Dougie Freedman.

Freedman departed south London in March to become the sporting director of Saudi second-tier side Al–Diriyah.

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17th Sept 2025, 17:17By Jake Lambourne

Yoane Wissa will have to wait until after the October international break to make his debut for Newcastle.

The Magpies completed a deadline day transfer with Brentford worth £55million as they saw Alexander Isak join Liverpool.

Wissa missed their 1-0 Premier League win against Wolves due to a knee injury, with fellow new signing Jacob Ramsey also absent.

Howe recently admitted that the 29-year-old could see a specialist after going off with a knee knock during the international break.

And speaking before their Champions League clash against Barcelona, live on talkSPORT, he said Wissa won't play until next month.

He said: “Yoane will - we hope - be back after the next international break, so that's the plan.

“That can always change, it's always flexible.

But I think that's what I've been told.”

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17th Sept 2025, 16:45By Jake Lambourne

Robbie Savage and Forest Green Rovers made use of a loophole in the National League Cup on Tuesday night.

Savage's Forest Green had just kicked off against Wolves U21s in their cup tie before he made a strange decision.

The non-league side made four substitutions after just one minute of the game in which they went on to win 3-2.

Savage took off Tom Knowles, Kyle MacAllister, Neil Kengni Kuemo and Abraham Kanu just seconds after the first kick.

It was Yahya Bamba, James Balagizi, William Merrett and Akai Bonnick who took their place.

But as bizarre as this seemed at the time, the Forest Green boss had a perfectly good reason to make the changes.

He was taking advantage of a loophole to avoid breaking the National League Cup rules.

Rules state that each team in the competition must field a team that includes at least four players who started their last league game.

Knowles, MacAllister, Kuemo and Kanu did just that - and it appears they were chosen to start just to fulfil that requirement.

But then as soon as the game started, Savage opted to save their legs for a future fixture, replacing them with others from the squad who have had fewer minutes this season.

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17th Sept 2025, 16:15By Jake Lambourne

Gianluigi Donnarumma has stressed he only had eyes on joining Manchester City amid rumours linking him with Manchester United in the summer.

The goalkeeper linked up at the Etihad from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day for £26million.

And he has quickly endeared himself to the Citizens faithful after keeping a clean sheet on his debut in the 3-0 win over rivals United last time out.

Speaking ahead of City's Champions League opener with Napoli, Donnarumma said of his transfer: "Before the summer I knew that City were very interested in me.

"And then the relationship strengthened after the Club World Cup and I knew the coach was pushing for my arrival here, everyone wanted me here.

"That really spurred me on.

I hope to do it for many more years to come."

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17th Sept 2025, 15:44By Jake Lambourne

Crystal Palace have been fined £8,693 by UEFA following a banner they displayed last month.

During their first leg Conference League play-off first leg against Fredrikstad at Selhurst Park, Palace supporters aimed a stinging jibe at Europe's governing body.

Showcasing UEFA logo's, the words inside the crest read 'UEFA Mafia'.

The middle of the logo contained a Euro symbol as they hit out at UEFA's decision to demote them from the Europa League.

Similar banners were also seen during their Community Shield win over Liverpool, and in their Premier League opener away at Chelsea.

And Palace have now been dished punishment for bringing the governing body into disrepute and transmitting a message that is not fit for a sports event under articles 16(2)(e) and 11(2)(d) of UEFA regulations.

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17th Sept 2025, 15:16By Jake Lambourne

Manchester United have released their financial results for the year ending June 30, 2025.

Despite suffering their worst-ever Premier League season, the club achieved record revenues in a boost for Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The Red Devils ended last season in 15th as they missed out on European football for the first time in 11 years.

Meanwhile, their points tally of 42 was their lowest in a top-flight campaign since suffering relegation in 1974.

However, those on-field woes did not prevent United from achieving £666.5million in revenue.

It is the highest annual revenue in the club's 147-year history despite not competing in the Champions League last term.

Responding to the financial results, chief executive Omar Berrada explained: "To have generated record revenues during such a challenging year for the club demonstrates the resilience which is a hallmark of Manchester United.

"As we settle into the 2025-26 season, we are working hard to improve the club in all areas."

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17th Sept 2025, 14:47By Jake Lambourne

Phil Jones has received a Diploma in Sport Directorship after graduating from the PFA Business School.

The former Manchester United defender was presented with his diploma at a ceremony on Tuesday.

Jones was a member of the latest graduating class after completing a course with the Professional Footballers' Association.

He was amongst the current and former players to be recognised at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

Newcastle's Yoane Wissa and five-time Premier League winner Ilkay Gundogan were also amongst the graduating class.

Jones, who retired aged 32 last year, is looking ahead to putting his Diploma to use in the future.

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