When José Mourinho talks, the world listens. Or so the Portuguese thinks. Out of work since being sacked by Manchester United in December, he’s had plenty of time to share his pearls of wisdom. “If I speak [about players] I think that their agents will be very happy,” Mourinho told French radio station RMC last month. “But, for example, I like [Nice winger] Allan Saint-Maxi...

Hatem Ben Arfa can do wonderful things with a football. So let’s take a moment to remember the time he single-handedly eviscerated Bolton Wanderers while at Newcastle United. That turn… we could watch it all day. Then there was the time he led Blackburn Rovers on a merry chase; professional players becoming a bunch of kids hopelessly trying to retrieve the ball from their uncle in the...

Football fans always appreciate a good dribbler. The players who are capable of taking on a defender, beating him with skill or pace, are always popular in the stands. They get supporters off their seats, bring excitement to even in the dullest of games. Most commonly, wide players complete the most take-ons in their respective teams, although there are exceptions. Gone are the days when wingers w...

Ismaïla Sarr is building a compelling case to be considered one of the hottest prospects in Europe. The 20-year-old winger was instrumental in Rennes securing a fifth-place finish in Ligue 1 last season. He then carried his fine form into the 2018 World Cup in Russia, providing verve and impetus from the flanks in an exciting Senegal side. And Sarr has maintained his momentum in the current campai...

While it doesn’t possess the glitz of the Champions League, the Europa League can often contain more excitement and drama than its glamorous cousin. It can also be a breeding ground for young talent, as managers opt to give high potential players an opportunity to shine while resting established stars. Harry Kane, for instance, got his big break at Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League, and once...

Since they lifted the World Cup on home soil in 1998 and followed it up with the Euro 2000 triumph over Italy, France have done well in international tournaments, but they’ve not emerged victorious in the last 18 years. However, when it comes to youth development, there are not many countries that can stand toe-to-toe with Les Bleus. Their under-20 side, with Paul Pogba, Florian Thauvin and Samuel...

Despite their exit from the Champions League at the hand of Real Madrid, only a disaster can stop Paris Saint-Germain from clinching the Ligue 1 title. Monaco and Marseille, 14 and 18 points behind respectively, will fight it out for the second automatic Champions League group stage place, with Lyon falling behind, five points adrift of OM in fourth. However, with last season’s champions, Monaco,...

Wahbi Khazri moving to Sunderland in 2016 was Sam Allardyce doing what he does best. A January signing tasked with picking the team up and guiding them towards survival. Making an instant impact can bring mixed long-term results. Coming on against Manchester City at the Stadium of Light handed the Tunisian a chance to start against Liverpool and the former Bastia youngster provided an assist as th...

The profile of Ligue 1 is continuing to grow. For once, this summer was headlined by players joining the league, rather than leaving, but that hasn’t stopped an influx of talent departing for the Premier League. Nothing will ever stop English scouts scouring France for the next big thing, not while they are still producing the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Manchester United tra...

After the early excitement caused by the club-record capture of Mo Salah from Roma, it has gone a little quiet for Liverpool in the transfer market. The £10million addition of Andrew Robertson from Hull City was shrewd and much-needed; the Scot will give James Milner competition for the left-back slot which has been missing for the last year. But the Reds are not lacking ambition. RB Leipzig midf...

Each morning, Football Whispers pore over Europe’s major transfer news outlets in search of the latest transfer reports relating to your club. We then assess the reliability of the rumours, determine the likelihood of the moves, and analyse where the potential signings would fit in. Today’s edition of the European round-up includes reports of Everton looking to continue their summer spending, Crys...

With only the Scottish Cup standing between Celtic and a first domestic treble since 2003, Brendan Rodgers will already be looking at improving his squad for next season and a centre-back is sure to be high on his agenda. Kolo Touré, at 36, is unlikely to be too heavily involved next season. Dedryk Boyata, another former Manchester City player, only made two starts before the end of January but ha...

This felt like a very significant weekend in Ligue 1 as far as the race for UEFA Champions League places are concerned. The chasing pack all dropped points and the top three all managed to keep their distance. The positions are far from decided, but it’s going to be very hard for the peloton to find a way back to the league leaders. AS Monaco 5-0 FC Metz Leonardo Jardim’s Monaco were the big winne...

We’re all guilty of it. As soon as the feeding frenzy of Christmas is over, we look to go on a health kick, make resolutions, look to improve ourselves. Premier League clubs are no different. They will all be looking for that new signing come January, some more desperate than others. Here Football Whispers’ Ligue 1 expert Andrew Gibney looks at who each team could sign from across the channe...

Paul-Georges Ntep first rose to prominence when he was playing for AJ Auxerre in Ligue 2. After scoring a couple of exception goals, he was linked with a move to Arsenal, most likely due to the fact he played for the same club as Yaya Sanogo. Now 24 years old, Ntep is just recovering from injury and is trying to find his feet back in the Stade Rennais starting XI. His contract is up in the summer...