Champions League
Szoboszlai Commits to Liverpool With Champions League Ambition
Szoboszlai has signed through 2031 and says he is ready to chase the Champions League.
Dominik Szoboszlai has ended speculation over his immediate future by signing a new Liverpool contract that runs until the summer of 2031. The agreement gives the midfielder a long runway at the club and underlines the confidence Liverpool are placing in him.
His message at the announcement was direct. “I want to win everything that is possible in this country,” Szoboszlai told Liverpool’s official website at the announcement of his fresh terms, “also let’s say the Champions League. I’m ready to go for it.”
That ambition is notable given how last season unfolded for the club, when they spent much of the campaign close to missing out on the competition altogether. Szoboszlai had already reflected the frustration of that period when he said Liverpool “should be happy with the Conference League” after the difficult level of performance that marked Arne Slot’s final year.
There has, however, been a change in tone. The arrival of Andoni Iraola has brought talk of a new direction, with the expectation that his approach can help Liverpool recover the standards they have shown in recent years. Whether that progress reaches the Champions League summit is uncertain, but keeping Szoboszlai in place strengthens the club’s hand.
The midfielder was careful to stress how much the extension meant to him personally. “It’s maybe my biggest day,” Szoboszlai gushed. “There are a couple in front of it—probably when I signed for Liverpool the first one and when I got my baby, of course. But in my football career, I can say this is in the top three.
“Very happy. [I] can’t wait to go again and again and again. I’m just happy to be here, as I said many times.”
The new deal removes the uncertainty that can surround major contract talks and gives Liverpool a clear commitment from one of their leading players. After a season of doubts and difficult comparisons, Szoboszlai’s extension is a sign of stability, and of a player willing to attach his future to the club’s bigger aims.
Champions League
Iraola sets out Ekitiké recovery outlook after Champions League call
Iraola says Ekitiké could return by January 2027, after a surprise Champions League squad call.
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola says there is hope that Hugo Ekitiké can return to action by the end of January 2027, despite the forward still being some way from full fitness.
His inclusion in Liverpool’s Champions League roster for the league phase raised eyebrows, especially with Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endō left out, but Iraola explained that the decision was made with the medical department after assessing the squad list for Europe.
“I think it’s difficult with these long-term injuries, I think he’s still far [away],” Iraola revealed.
“But we had a meeting with the medical department to analyze when we completed the [squad] list for the European games. There is a reasonable chance that he could help us in the last two games of the group stages.
“But it’s still very early to say. It’s very early because it’s a long-term injury [and] a big part of the rehab [he] is still to meet. But if we decide to put him there, it is because there is a hope and there is a realistic chance that he could help us in January.”
The issue of how to fit Ekitiké and Alexander Isak into the same side has been discussed for more than a year. Liverpool had already spent $106 million (£79 million) on Ekitiké when Isak became the most expensive player in Premier League history.
Former boss Arne Slot was left to solve the problem, although Isak’s early fitness issues and later leg break meant the pair only shared the pitch for 186 minutes across eight appearances.
When Ekitiké does return, he is expected to be eased back as Isak’s deputy. Even so, once fully fit, the 24-year-old is unlikely to be content with a backup role for long.
Slot also suggested another route, saying Ekitiké could operate as a winger alongside Isak. The Frenchman made one appearance on the right side of Liverpool’s attack last season.
Arsenal
Ballon d’Or 2026 coach shortlist: Emery, Kompany and Arteta in contention
Emery, Kompany and Arteta headline a strong 2026 Coach of the Year shortlist after major seasons.
Five managers have been named on the shortlist for the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year award, also known as the Johan Cruyff Award. It is only the third year the honour has been presented, after Carlo Ancelotti and Luis Enrique collected the first two trophies.
Enrique is on the list again, joined by three other Spanish managers, while the previous two winners both came from Champions League-winning campaigns. That pattern may not continue this time, with the field shaped by very different achievements across domestic and European football.
Unai Emery stands out after steering Aston Villa to their first major trophy in 30 years. Villa won the Europa League, a competition Emery has now claimed for a record-extending fifth time in his career and with three different clubs. He had already taken Villa back into the Champions League for the first time since 1982 in the previous season, and he then added a fourth-place Premier League finish to go with the club’s trophy breakthrough. It was enough to confirm his place among the most important managers in the club’s history.
Vincent Kompany also made a strong case in his second season at Bayern Munich. The German side won the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the German Super Cup, losing only once in a 34-game league campaign. Bayern scored 122 Bundesliga goals, averaging 3.5 per game, as Kompany’s team combined power with control. Their Champions League run ended in a narrow semifinal defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, though they did end their long struggle against Real Madrid by beating them in the quarterfinals.
Mikel Arteta’s case is built on a long-awaited breakthrough for Arsenal. After 22 years, the club finally won the Premier League, with Arteta rewarded in his sixth full season in charge. Arsenal also went unbeaten throughout the Champions League until the final, where they lost on penalties to PSG. Even without the European crown, it was a season that showed clear progress, both at home and abroad.
Arsenal
Ballon d’Or 2026 club nominees confirmed as PSG, Arsenal and Bayern lead the way
PSG, Arsenal and Bayern Munich headline the 2026 Club of the Year shortlists.
The nominees for the 2026 Club of the Year awards have been revealed, with Paris Saint-Germain aiming to retain their place at the summit after last season’s success.
PSG won the 2025 prize after establishing themselves as European champions, and they return to the frame once more after holding onto their Champions League crown last season. The French side will go into the ceremony in London on Oct. 26 among the leading contenders for Men’s Club of the Year.
Arsenal are also in the running after a season that brought their first Premier League title in 22 years under Mikel Arteta. They were denied in the Champions League final by PSG on penalties, but remain in strong form and are expected to be challengers for another domestic title while continuing their push for European success.
Bayern Munich complete the European heavyweight presence on the men’s shortlist. The Bundesliga champions impressed with their attacking play, driven by England striker Harry Kane, who is also among the leading Ballon d’Or contenders. Vincent Kompany’s team were involved in a Champions League semifinal with PSG that is already being spoken of as one of the standout ties in the competition’s history.
The list is completed by Bodø/Glimt, whose wins over Atlético Madrid and Manchester City marked them out as major overachievers, and Flamengo, who added the Copa Libertadores to their Campeonato Brasileiro triumph.
The Women’s Club of the Year award, first presented in 2023, has also produced a strong field. Barcelona, winners of the first two editions before Arsenal took the trophy in 2025, return after a season that brought them Europe’s top prize and a domestic treble.
They are joined by Bayern Munich, Manchester City, OL Lyonnes and Club América on the women’s shortlist.
