Month: January 2023

8:46 AM ET Manchester United’s Antony was one of 2022’s most expensive signings. Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images) English football clubs spent over $2 billion (£1.61bn) on new signings in 2022 for the first time, FIFA’s Global Transfer Report revealed on Thursday, with the number of international transfers of male and female players reaching record

7:03 AM ET Adriana Garcia Former Mexico coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said Liga MX clubs’ transfer policy is preventing football from growing in the country. Martino’s four-year stint as coach of El Tri ended after Mexico’s elimination at the group stages of the World Cup in Qatar. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

5:24 AM ET Associated Press Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic hit out at Serge Gnabry’s trip to Paris Fashion Week. Markus Gilliar – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has criticised forward Serge Gnabry for an “amateurish” trip to Paris Fashion Week between games as the Bundesliga champions endured a mixed start to

6:02 AM ET Alex Kirkland Moises Llorens LaLiga has rejected Barcelona’s request to register Gavi as a first-team player with a new, improved contract, sources have told ESPN. The 18-year-old midfielder, agreed terms in September on a new deal to keep him at Camp Nou until 2026, including a €1 billion release clause. – Stream

1:05 AM ET LOS ANGELES — In the team’s first game since the 2022 World Cup, the United States men’s national team got an early goal from debutant Brandon Vazquez before conceding twice in a 2-1 loss to Serbia at BMO Stadium. JUMP TO: Best/worst performers | Highlights & notable moments | Postgame quotes |

7:27 PM ET Sam Marsden Moises Llorens Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez lauded “lethal” Ousmane Dembele after the France forward’s goal downed Real Sociedad in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal at Camp Nou. Dembele sealed a scintillating performance with his third goal in six games as Barca beat 10-man La Real 1-0 to book their place

NOTTINGHAM, England — Manchester United are just 90 minutes away from the Carabao Cup final after sealing a 3-0 semifinal first-leg win against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. – Report: Nottingham Forest 0-3 Man United Goals from Marcus Rashford, Wout Weghorst and Bruno Fernandes were enough to give United a commanding lead going into

5:06 PM ET Ousmane Dembele‘s second-half strike gave Barcelona a 1-0 win over 10-man Real Sociedad in their Copa del Rey quarter-final on Wednesday, stretching their unbeaten streak to 12 games. Real Sociedad came into the match on the back of nine consecutive wins in all competitions and almost scored in the 29th minute when

4:26 PM ET Associated Press The late Grant Wahl will be honored with this year’s Colin Jose Media Award, given to journalists who made long-term contributions to soccer in the United States. Wahl died at age 49 on Dec. 10 after collapsing while covering the World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and the Netherlands at Lusail,

4:01 PM ET Arsenal are top of the Premier League at the midway point of the season and are on pace to reach 100 points, equalling the highest-ever points total in the league. At the rate they’re going, they’ll pass last year’s points total before the end of March. It’s a remarkable feat for a

1:53 PM ET Sam Marsden Moises Llorens Barcelona beat Levante Las Planas 7-0 at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Wednesday to extend their winning run in Liga F to 50 games. Asisat Oshoala struck a hat-trick, Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic scored two, Mariona Caldentey was also on target and 16-year-old Vicky Lopez scored her first goal for

10:37 AM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — When fans arrived at the King Fahd International Stadium to watch the Italian Super Cup between Milan and Inter last week, they were each handed an LED wristband that was programmed to flash red or blue (the colours of the two teams) whenever a goal went

10:31 AM ET Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said the club’s Premier League title race with Manchester City this season will not affect his friendship with Pep Guardiola. Former midfielder Arteta served as assistant to Guardiola at City from 2016 to 2019 before Arsenal appointed him as manager following the exit of Unai Emery. –

9:51 AM ET Former Toronto FC and New York Red Bulls coach Chris Armas will join the coaching team of fellow American Jesse Marsch at Leeds United. Armas, 50, who was an assistant under Marsch from 2015-2018 at NYRB, was most recently an assistant coach at Manchester United, working under Ralf Rangnick last season. The