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Barcelona looked into the possibility of signing Josko Gvardiol last season, but the Manchester City defender was not interested in leaving the Premier League champions.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan club identified Gvardiol as a preferred defensive target and made an enquiry about his situation towards the end of 2025. Barcelona’s sporting department and head coach Hansi Flick were attracted by the Croatia international’s ability to play both centre-back and left-back.

However, Barcelona quickly discovered that a deal would be difficult to complete. Gvardiol was not looking to leave City, particularly with the club preparing an improved contract for him.

City also regarded the 24-year-old as an important part of their squad. Gvardiol had established himself as a regular under Pep Guardiola and has continued to play a prominent role under new manager Enzo Maresca.

Barcelona explored move for Man City defender Josko Gvardiol

Barcelona subsequently turned their attention elsewhere, with Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni among the alternatives considered, according to the report.

Gvardiol ultimately ended any immediate uncertainty over his future in July by signing a new five-year contract with City. The deal keeps him at the Etihad until June 2031 and includes an improved salary.

City confirmed that Gvardiol had made 122 appearances for the club by the time of his renewal, scoring 13 goals and winning six major honours. His versatility has been a particularly valuable asset, with the Croatian capable of operating centrally or at left-back.

Barcelona’s previous interest could become relevant again if City are forced to reshape their squad following the Premier League’s financial verdict. However, Gvardiol’s new long-term contract and his previous reluctance to leave suggest any future approach would face significant obstacles.

For now, the Croatian remains firmly part of Maresca’s plans, with his new deal securing his position at City for the foreseeable future.

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Liverpool have intensified their interest in Club Tijuana teenager Gilberto Mora, with the Mexico international attracting a growing list of European suitors ahead of his 18th birthday.

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder has emerged as one of the most sought-after young players in the game following his breakthrough for Mexico at the 2026 World Cup. TEAMtalk reports that Liverpool have made direct contact with Mora’s representatives and are currently the leading Premier League club in the race.

Borussia Dortmund and Benfica are also among the clubs understood to have been most proactive, with both having held preliminary discussions with Mora’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta. Real Madrid and Barcelona are continuing to monitor his development, while several other leading European clubs remain interested.

Mora cannot complete an international transfer until he turns 18 on 14 October, with FIFA regulations preventing a move to a foreign senior club before then. That restriction means the immediate focus is likely to be on January rather than an instant move after his birthday.

Liverpool step up interest in Mexico wonderkid Gilberto Mora

Liverpool’s interest is not new. The Reds made contact with Mora’s representatives earlier this year to establish the conditions of a potential deal, while Arsenal and several other Premier League clubs have also been tracking the teenager.

Mora renewed his Tijuana contract earlier this year until 2029, giving the Mexican club a strong negotiating position. TEAMtalk’s latest report puts the potential transfer fee at around €20-25 million, although previous reports from the same outlet have suggested a higher valuation, so the eventual price remains uncertain.

The teenager’s representatives are also understood to be prioritising his development when considering his next club. Regular first-team opportunities and a clear pathway into senior football are reportedly important factors, rather than simply joining the biggest club interested.

Liverpool therefore face competition from across Europe if they decide to push ahead with their interest. With Mora’s eligibility for an international transfer approaching, the coming months could determine whether the Reds turn their long-standing interest into a formal move.

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Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah, with the England international attracting interest after his impressive development in Germany.

According to Bild, Madrid are closely following the 23-year-old and see him as a potential defensive addition ahead of next summer. The report says the Spanish giants could need to strengthen their defence and have been watching Quansah closely.

Quansah moved to Leverkusen from Liverpool in 2025 after helping England win the European Under-21 Championship. He signed a long-term contract with the Bundesliga club and has since established himself as a versatile option capable of playing both centre-back and right-back.

His performances have also attracted attention from the Premier League. Arsenal reportedly made a €65 million offer for Quansah in the summer, which Leverkusen rejected, while Chelsea have also made an enquiry about the defender.

Real Madrid join race for Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah

Liverpool remain another important part of the picture. The Reds negotiated a buy-back option when Quansah left Anfield, with Bild reporting that they could bring him back for €70m next summer.

Quansah’s ability to operate across the back line has added to his appeal. He has featured regularly for Leverkusen this season, while his progress has also earned him opportunities under England manager Thomas Tuchel. He started against Spain before dropping to the bench for the subsequent Nations League victory over the Czech Republic.

Real Madrid’s interest therefore adds another major European club to an increasingly competitive situation around the former Liverpool academy player. However, there is no indication of a formal offer from Madrid at this stage.

With Quansah under contract at Leverkusen, any potential move next summer would depend on whether Liverpool activate their buy-back clause or another interested club reaches an agreement with the Bundesliga side.

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Jürgen Klopp claimed his first victory as Germany head coach at the third attempt as his side beat Serbia in the Nations League, with Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz producing one of the standout performances.

Germany had drawn with the Netherlands before losing to Greece, but Klopp made wholesale changes for the meeting with Serbia and saw his new-look side respond with a convincing performance in Munich.

Tom Bischof opened the scoring after Wirtz had struck the post, before the Liverpool midfielder doubled Germany’s advantage with an excellent finish. Wirtz’s first touch inside the box created the space for him to find the net and cap an impressive display.

The goal will also be welcomed at Liverpool after a difficult spell since Wirtz joined the club from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported £116 million in June 2025. He has registered seven goals and 11 assists in 55 appearances for the Reds.

Klopp was particularly pleased with Wirtz’s contribution and believes Germany’s approach allows the 23-year-old to play to his strengths.

Wirtz shines against Serbia as Klopp earns first Germany win

“He was bursting with joy and worked incredibly hard,” Klopp said. “That was exceptional; he played a fantastic game. Our style of play suits Flo Wirtz. I don’t even know what Flo has to do right to make everyone happy. Everyone in Liverpool should be happy today.”

Klopp had selected a 44-man squad for Germany’s four matches during this international period, with significant changes planned between fixtures. That approach continued against Serbia, giving several players an opportunity to impress.

Celtic midfielder Mika Baur also made history by becoming the 1,000th player to represent Germany’s men’s national team when he came off the bench.

For Klopp, the victory finally ended the wait for his first success in international management. Asked how he would celebrate, however, the former Liverpool boss admitted he had little experience of marking such an occasion.

“I have no idea. I’ve never won a game as national team coach,” Klopp said. “Do we have any beer on the bus? There won’t be any celebrating, though. We’re all tired and need to recover.”

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Nico O’Reilly has withdrawn from the England squad after suffering an injury and will miss the remainder of the Three Lions’ Nations League fixtures during the international break.

The Manchester City left-back played the full 90 minutes in England’s 3-2 defeat by Spain but was absent from the squad that defeated the Czech Republic 2-0 in Prague on Tuesday. He has now returned to City for further assessment.

England have confirmed that no replacement will be called up for O’Reilly, meaning Thomas Tuchel will have to work with his existing squad for Saturday’s trip to Croatia and next Tuesday’s return meeting with the Czech Republic.

Lewis Hall started at left-back against the Czechs in O’Reilly’s absence and impressed as England kept their first clean sheet in seven matches. The Newcastle defender also combined effectively with former Magpies team-mate Anthony Gordon on the left flank.

O’Reilly had established himself as an important option for Tuchel after making his senior England debut earlier in 2026. The 21-year-old was also part of England’s World Cup squad and started their opening match against Croatia.

The extent of O’Reilly’s injury has not been disclosed, with his return to Manchester intended to allow City’s medical team to assess the problem further. The Standard reported that Tuchel had previously described the issue as minor, although the defender was unable to feature in Prague.

England travel to Rijeka to face Croatia on Saturday before hosting the Czech Republic at Wembley four days later.

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Arsenal have been handed another international-break injury concern after Christos Tzolis was forced off early in Greece’s 2-2 Nations League draw with the Netherlands.

Tzolis, who has started all five of Arsenal’s Premier League matches this season, pulled up during an attack and was replaced by Giorgos Masouras in the 18th minute. The winger had earlier seen a goal ruled out for offside.

The full extent of the injury is not yet known, although reports indicate that Tzolis appeared to be struggling with a hamstring problem. He remained on the bench after being substituted, with further assessment expected to determine the severity of the setback.

Greece took control of the contest despite losing Tzolis, with Masouras immediately making an impact. Fotis Ioannidis opened the scoring in the 23rd minute before Masouras doubled the hosts’ advantage in first-half stoppage time.

Arsenal handed Christos Tzolis injury concern in Greece draw with Netherlands

Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernández responded by making three changes at the interval, bringing on Ryan Gravenberch, Tijjani Reijnders and Noa Lang. The changes helped transform the visitors’ performance after the break.

Virgil van Dijk reduced the deficit in the 59th minute, heading home to mark his 99th international appearance. Reijnders then completed the comeback in the 89th minute, firing in the equaliser and rescuing a point for the Netherlands.

The result leaves Greece unbeaten in Group A2, while the Netherlands also maintain their unbeaten start under Xavi.

Tzolis’ injury will now be a concern for Arsenal, particularly after Kai Havertz suffered a setback while on international duty with Germany last week. The club will await further medical information before knowing whether Tzolis will be available for their next fixture.

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Northern Ireland are aiming to keep their perfect record intact in the UEFA Nations League as they head to Trnava on Friday to take on Ukraine at the City Arena.

The visitors arrive with the same unbeaten run as their hosts in Group B. They began their campaign in style with a 1-0 win away to Georgia, then followed it up with a disciplined, hard-fought 0-0 stalemate against Hungary. Like Ukraine, they sit on four points and share top place in the section, so this meeting is effectively a decider for who leads the group alone.

Northern Ireland team news

Manager Michael O’Neill faces a major concern at the back, with Dan Ballard a serious doubt for the fixture. Ballard picked up an injury in the Georgia game and is considered unlikely to feature, with his status remaining uncertain right up to kick-off.

Even so, O’Neill has said the remainder of the squad are in “good shape” after their recent showings. Because of that, he is widely expected to name the same starting XI that held Hungary earlier in the week.

Keeping the same core unit and tactical setup should help Northern Ireland preserve their defensive organisation and overall cohesion.

In midfield, the youthful duo of Shea Charles and Ethan Galbraith are set to provide the platform, breaking up play and controlling the rhythm while the team operates on Slovak soil.

Northern Ireland predicted lineup

Possible Northern Ireland starting XI: P Charles; Atcheson, McConville, Brown; Hume, Galbraith, S Charles, Devenny; Price, Donley, Kelly

When will the match kick off?

The match will kick off at 7:45pm BST on Friday, 2nd October.

How to watch Ukraine vs Northern Ireland?

The match will be shown live on free-to-air television in the UK on BBC Two and BBC Two NI.

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Northern Ireland will look to continue their unbeaten start to their UEFA Nations League campaign when they travel to face Ukraine on Friday at the City Arena in Trnava.

Ukraine vs Northern Ireland – Match preview and team news

Date: Friday, 2nd October.
Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
Venue: City Arena, Trnava.

Ukraine team news

Andrea Maldera will be without the services of defender Vitaliy Mykolenko, who has been ruled out of the clash after reporting that he is not feeling well.

Maldera opted to rest the full-back to prevent any further aggravation of an existing minor issue. After executing ten wholesale changes to the starting squad in their previous goalless draw against Georgia, the Blue and Yellow are expected to implement mass rotations once again.

This time, Ukraine will likely bring back the bulk of their primary first-team regular starters to the lineup. Among the anticipated changes, experienced forwards Roman Yaremchuk and Danylo Sikan are both heavily pushing for recalls to spearhead the frontline.

The duo is expected to inject much-needed attacking potency as Ukraine looks to field a highly competitive, full-strength side to secure three crucial points in this Nations League encounter.

Northern Ireland team news

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill is dealing with a significant defensive setback as Dan Ballard remains a massive doubt for tonight’s match.

Ballard is expected to miss out due to an injury he sustained in the previous fixture against Georgia, leaving his availability highly touch-and-go right up until kick-off.

Despite this potential absence, O’Neill noted that the rest of his squad is in “good shape” following their recent performances.

Consequently, the manager is heavily tipped to field an unchanged starting eleven from the team that fought out a gritty 0-0 draw against Hungary earlier in the week. By sticking with the same core tactical framework, Northern Ireland aims to maintain defensive stability and continuity.

They will rely on the young midfield partnership of Shea Charles and Ethan Galbraith to anchor the team and dictate the tempo in Slovakia.

Form

Ukraine

Ukraine enters the match in strong form, remaining unbeaten in their opening matches of the Nations League B campaign. They kicked off their group stage with a narrow 1-0 victory over Hungary. Following that up, a heavily rotated Ukrainian side secured a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Georgia. With four points from their first two fixtures, the Blue and Yellow currently sit level at the top of the Group B standings.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland matches their opponents’ momentum with an identical unbeaten start in Group B. They opened their campaign with an impressive 1-0 away victory against Georgia. Michael O’Neill’s side then backed up that performance by grinding out a structured 0-0 draw against Hungary. Also sitting comfortably on four points, they are tied for the top spot, making tonight’s clash a pivotal battle for sole group leadership.

Predicted lineups

Ukraine: Trubin; Bondar, Sarapii, Mykhavko; Zubkov, Pikhalionok, Nazaryna, Khlan, Mykhailichenko; Sikan, Yaremchuk

Northern Ireland: P Charles; Atcheson, McConville, Brown; Hume, Galbraith, S Charles, Devenny; Price, Donley, Kelly

How to watch Ukraine vs Northern Ireland?

You can watch Ukraine vs Northern Ireland live on free-to-air TV on BBC Two and BBC Two NI.

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Turkiye will be hoping to earn their first point of the campaign as they travel to face Belgium on Friday at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

Their start to life in League A has been difficult, with the team currently rooted to the bottom of the table having collected no points so far. Vincenzo Montella’s side began with a narrow 1-0 defeat on home soil against France. The situation deteriorated sharply in their second fixture, when a shaky first-half defensive display led to a heavy 4-1 loss to Italy. After shipping five goals across two matches, Türkiye are under pressure to halt this downward trend.

Turkiye team news

Vincenzo Montella is widely expected to make several changes to his starting XI following back-to-back defeats against France and Italy.

The squad gets a significant boost at the back as first-choice goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır returns after completing his suspension. In addition, key defenders Abdülkerim Bardakcı and Ferdi Kadıoğlu have fully recovered from injury and are available to rejoin the back line, having been rested during the 4-1 reverse against Italy.

Further up the pitch, Real Madrid’s promising youngster Arda Güler is anticipated to operate in his favoured advanced midfield position, where he will be tasked with creating chances.

He will look to supply lone striker Barış Alper Yılmaz, while another emerging talent, Can Uzun, is also pushing for a place in the starting lineup as Montella seeks to bring in new energy and guide his team to a much-needed win in Group 1.

Turkiye predicted lineup

Possible Turkiye starting XI: Cakir; Celik, Bardakci, Kabak; Aydin, Ozcan, Kokcu, Kadioglu; Guler, Yilmaz, Uzun

When will the match kick off?

The match will kick off at 7:45pm BST on Friday, 2nd October.

How to watch Belgium vs Turkiye?

For viewers in the UK, the Belgium vs. Turkiye clash can be watched live tonight on Amazon Prime Video.

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Turkiye will be looking to get their first point when they travel away from home to face Belgium on Friday at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

Belgium vs Turkiye – Match preview and team news

Date: Friday, 2nd October.
Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
Venue: Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Luik.

Belgium team news

Mark van Bommel faces key selection dilemmas ahead of tonight’s crucial clash against Türkiye.

Diego Moreira is officially unavailable due to a suspension picked up during the narrow 1-0 defeat to France. This open slot on the wing will likely be filled by Dodi Lukebakio.

In midfield, Roméo Lavia remains a doubt and faces a late fitness test, alongside young goalkeeper Mike Penders, who is carefully returning from a quadriceps injury.

Although veteran forward Romelu Lukaku is healthy and available in the squad, the manager offered no guarantees of a starting spot, meaning Charles De Ketelaere could lead the line instead.

Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne is fully fit to captain the side from midfield, while prominent stars Thibaut Courtois and Jérémy Doku remain entirely absent from this international window’s roster.

Turkiye team news

Turkiye manager Vincenzo Montella is heavily expected to shake up his starting lineup following consecutive losses to France and Italy.

The squad receives a massive defensive boost with the return of first-choice goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, who has successfully served his suspension.

Furthermore, vital defenders Abdülkerim Bardakcı and Ferdi Kadıoğlu are fully recovered and ready to slide back into the defensive line after being rested during the heavy 4-1 defeat against Italy.

In the attacking third, Real Madrid’s young starlet Arda Güler is set to pull the creative strings in his preferred advanced midfield role.

He will provide service to lone forward Barış Alper Yılmaz, while young talent Can Uzun also pushes for a starting role as Montella looks to inject fresh energy and secure a desperately needed victory in Group 1.

Form

Belgium

Belgium enters this fixture seeking consistency after mixed results in Group 1. The Red Devils launched their Nations League campaign with an impressive 2-0 away victory against Italy. However, they failed to maintain that momentum, suffering a narrow 1-0 home defeat to France courtesy of a late 88th-minute strike. Prior to this tournament, Belgium enjoyed strong World Cup form, but they are now desperate to bounce back on home soil.

Turkiye

Turkiye has endured a rough introduction to League A, sitting at the bottom of the table with zero points. Vincenzo Montella’s squad opened with a tight 1-0 home loss to France. Things grew significantly worse in their second outing, where a first-half defensive collapse resulted in a bruising 4-1 thrashing by Italy. Having conceded five goals in two games, Turkiye urgently needs to arrest this slump.

Predicted lineups

Belgium: Lammens; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, Seys; Tielemans, Lavia; Lukebakio, De Bruyne, Godts; De Ketelaere

Turkiye: Cakir; Celik, Bardakci, Kabak; Aydin, Ozcan, Kokcu, Kadioglu; Guler, Yilmaz, Uzun

How to watch Belgium vs Turkiye?

In the UK, you can watch the Belgium vs. Turkiye match live tonight via Amazon Prime Video.

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