Manchester City
Vinicius Junior: Contract Stalemate at Real Madrid and Reported Talks with Manchester City
Vinicius remains without a new Real Madrid contract and has held secret talks with Manchester City.
Vinicius Junior has spent the last year at the centre of transfer speculation following reported interest from Saudi Arabia. The 25-year-old remains without a new contract at Los Blancos after months of stalemate. The two parties had reportedly reached agreement on terms, but more recently Vinicius has requested to be paid either the same or more than Kylian Mbappe.
Saudi Arabia were widely cited as the main potential destination, but they have reportedly eased away from a move. Few observers have considered an alternative pathway inside Europe, yet fresh reports suggest that option is under consideration.
According to indykaila, Vinicius has held talks in secret with Manchester City. The same reports state City are exploring a move for teammate Rodrygo Goes, while Vinicius is said to be open to leaving the Santiago Bernabeu. He reportedly has concerns about Manchester City’s court case with the Premier League for financial breaches, but is nonetheless weighing his options. Those reports indicate a transfer could be pursued either this summer or next.
Manchester City’s principal domestic rivals — Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea — are all named as clubs keeping close tabs on Vinicius, who is described as “very keen” on a move to the Premier League.
From Real Madrid’s perspective the calculus is complex. It is not clear whether Los Blancos would sanction a sale to another European side. The club have made it plain the team will be built around Kylian Mbappe, and there are questions over compatibility should both remain. A move to Saudi Arabia would involve a fee in the hundreds of millions and a transfer to another continent. By contrast, selling Vinicius to a Champions League rival for a more modest figure would present a different commercial and sporting equation for Real Madrid to consider.
Manchester City
How Nike’s Mind Footwear Is Linked to Erling Haaland’s Current Form
Nike Mind footwear, used by Erling Haaland, uses underfoot sensors to enhance sensation and recovery
Erling Haaland has reached new heights this season as he leads Manchester City’s push to recover from a difficult 2024–25 campaign. The striker’s goals have drawn attention not only for their volume but for the unusual technology behind part of his preparation and recovery.
Haaland is one of Nike’s signature athletes and has been benefitting from the sportswear brand’s brand new neuroscience-based footwear designed to help athletes feel “calm, focused and present” both before and after competition. The fresh Mind 001 and Mind 002 sneakers incorporate sensory receptors underfoot that are intended to access key areas of the brain, assist recovery and activate awareness.
Nike places 22 foam nodes on the bottom of the shoe to impart the feeling and even texture of the ground, allowing athletes to feel more connected to their surroundings. The Mind 001 is flexible and water-resistant, while it also offers “easy-on, easy-off convenience.” The Mind 002 “anchors the foot to the footbed for increased sensation and support.”
The two models are the result of more than a decade of work inside Nike’s Sports Research Lab, with Haaland credited for debuting the technology. The neuroscience-based footwear is the opening project on the Nike Mind platform curated by Nike’s Mind Science Department. It was unveiled as one of four major projects revealed by the sportswear giants on Thursday, Oct. 24 alongside Aero-fit, Project Amplify and Therma fit.
“Nike Mind is a new sensory-footwear concept that helps reawaken the foot, the body and the mind,” revealed Eric Avar, Creative Director at Nike. “It represents a new paradigm of performance and how we can potentially make athletes better in the future.”
“Focus is everything in football,” said Haaland, who has been regularly testing Nike Mind footwear over the past five years. “Every step I take, I think of the shoe and what I feel in my feet—which is a good thing. It helps me to bring balance to my game.”
Manchester City
Haaland Moves Past Ronaldo’s Longest Scoring Streak
Haaland’s Villarreal goal extended a 12-game streak across club and country, surpassing Ronaldo. ’25
Erling Haaland extended a run of consecutive games with a goal to 12 after his latest strike against Villarreal. The sequence combines City appearances and international fixtures for Norway.
At club level Haaland has scored in each of his last nine outings for City, one shy of his personal club record of 10. Including his Norway goals, the list below shows the full 12-game run.
Aug. 31, 2025 — Brighton — 1
Sept. 4, 2025 — Finland — 1
Sept. 9, 2025 — Moldova — 5
Sept. 14, 2025 — Man Utd — 2
Sept. 18, 2025 — Napoli — 1
Sept. 21, 2025 — Arsenal — 1
Sept. 27, 2025 — Burnley — 2
Oct. 1, 2025 — Monaco — 2
Oct. 5, 2025 — Brentford — 1
Oct. 11, 2025 — Israel — 3
Oct. 18, 2025 — Everton — 2
Oct. 21, 2025 — Villarreal — 1
The previous best for combined club and country was an 11-game run by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013–14. Ronaldo opened that sequence with two goals against Atlético Madrid and followed with 13 goals across the next 10 appearances to register his longest scoring streak. He did not score in the first leg of that season’s Champions League semifinal, a 1–0 home win over Bayern Munich, but returned to score five times in the three appearances that followed, including two in the return fixture in Germany.
Feb. 11, 2014 — Atlético Madrid — 2
Feb. 26, 2014 — Schalke — 2
March 3, 2014 — Atlético Madrid — 1
March 5, 2014 — Cameroon — 2
March 9, 2014 — Levante — 1
March 15, 2014 — Malaga — 1
March 18, 2014 — Schalke — 2
March 23, 2014 — Barcelona — 1
March 26, 2014 — Sevilla — 1
March 29, 2014 — Rayo Vallecano — 1
April 2, 2014 — Borussia Dortmund — 1
Haaland already sits ahead of Lionel Messi in this specific measure; Messi’s runs ended at 10 in 2010–11 and 2012–13. Messi does hold a separate record of 21 straight La Liga appearances with a goal, but international results prevented a similar combined streak.
Attention now turns to the Premier League mark for consecutive appearances with at least one goal. Jamie Vardy holds that record at 11. Haaland is currently on six and has a best top-flight run of seven games, which he will match if he scores next against Aston Villa. To surpass Vardy he would also need goals in subsequent matches against Bournemouth, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Leeds United and Fulham.
Arsenal
Ranking the Premier League’s Current Top 15 Defenders
A concise look at the Premier League’s current defensive elite and what defines each player in 2025
The Premier League places constant demand on defenders, and only a handful sustain the form and influence that mark the league’s elite. This piece presents a concise assessment of the current top 15 defenders based solely on the traits and milestones noted in the original draft.
Pedro Porro remains one of the most attack-minded full backs, excelling down Tottenham Hotspur’s right flank with an excellent eye for a pass and growing leadership responsibilities under Thomas Frank. Micky van de Ven returned to full fitness after missing a large chunk of last season to injury; his recovery pace, composure on the ball and strength in the tackle make him a standout central option.
Reece James has endured lengthy injury battles but, when fit, offers a sensational two-way athleticism capable of locking up attackers and delivering dangerous crosses; he is comfortable in central defence and in more advanced midfield roles. Murillo, following his 2023 move to Nottingham Forest, combined relentless defending with a willingness to drive from the back and play line-breaking passes, prompting expensive links to Europe’s elite.
Tino Livramento demonstrated his potential after bouncing back from a devastating injury, contributing both in attack and defensively for Newcastle United. Daniel Muñoz, signed by Crystal Palace in January 2024, is praised for elite athleticism and devastating bursts down the right wing.
Cristian Romero blends composed defending with aggressive intensity, backed by experience that includes World Cup and Copa América wins plus the 2024–25 Europa League. Ibrahima Konaté developed through French and German football and now anchors Liverpool with added intelligent positioning and movement to complement his physical attributes.
Marc Cucurella’s route from Barcelona’s academy through Getafe and Brighton & Hove Albion has led to a revival at Chelsea under Enzo Maresca, often deployed in an inverted role. Jurrien Timber overcame a devastating ACL injury suffered 50 minutes into his Premier League debut and has returned to provide versatile defensive cover for Arsenal, reflecting his Ajax education.
Marc Guéhi pairs aerial presence and defensive basics with uncommon composure on the ball and remains Crystal Palace’s captain as his contract situation draws attention. Rúben Dias, a standout in 2020–21, remains a Manchester City mainstay with four Premier League title spines to his name. Gabriel’s understated aggression and set-piece threat have made him indispensable at Arsenal, while Virgil van Dijk’s wider reputation endures despite a less favourable 2025–26 campaign.
