Liverpool and Manchester United are interested in Barcelona and Spain left-back Alejandro Balde, 22, who is also wanted by Juventus. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external
🎧'Anfield will be electric - it will be one for the ages'published at 15:50 BST 5 October
15:50 BST 5 October
Media caption,
On the latest The Red Kop podcast, BBC Radio Merseyside's Carl Woodward, Ian Kennedy and Mike Hughes discuss the build-up to the hotly anticipated tie at Anfield between Liverpool and Manchester City, Bradley Barcola.
Take in a clip above, listen to the podcast below or on BBC Sounds here
Neville expects 'brutal day' for Citypublished at 09:07 BST 5 October
09:07 BST 5 October
Image source, Getty Images
The countdown for the return of the Premier League is on.
In the midst of the international break, Manchester City's charges have dominated the headlines, but Liverpool fans will be eagerly anticipating their match against Enzo Maresca's side on 11 October at Anfield.
Journalist and author, Brian Reade told Radio Merseyside that the match will "become one of the great afternoons" in the Reds' history as a hostile atmosphere is expected.
"I started going to Anfield in the mid-sixties at the Anfield Road End and even then I was in awe of The Kop," said Reade, who has released a new book called 'The Kop, A Fan's History of Football's Most Famous Stand'.
"To me, it is the heart and soul of Liverpool. It is what made Liverpool a global force really. Obviously, the football has helped, but the magic comes from The Kop.
"It is a connection. Virgil van Dijk said that. He said it is a unique connection.
"You sense the history there, and it comes through in those big moments and really gives you a lift."
Sunday will be the first time Manchester City will be in action since their guilty verdict - which they have appealed.
Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville suspects it will be a "brutal day".
Speaking on The Overlap podcast, Neville said: "If they want an understanding of how angry the game is going to be, then Anfield will tell them. Like you would never believe.
"I suspect there may be banners, there will certainly be chanting. There will be a reception for them like you have never seen. It will be a brutal day."
Liverpool and Chelsea have joined the race to sign Nottingham Forest'sBrazilian defender Murillo but the 24-year-old will not be allowed to leave the City Ground in January. (Football Insider), external
From positivity to limbopublished at 16:08 BST 2 October
16:08 BST 2 October
Image source, Getty Images
Speaking about Liverpool's start to the 2026-27 campaign, content creator and Liverpool fan Nahyan Chowdhury said: "Now Andoni Iraola has come in, we have to look towards the future. We have seen him develop Rayan, Eli Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott at Bournemouth and I do think Andoni will thrive at Liverpool in the fact that we have great young talent in abundance.
"Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha and Will Wright - I do think Andoni will have a field day in developing these players to become star talent.
"Talking about star talent, we have lost a lot. Although we have brought in replacements, I do think we are slightly lacking in the right-wing position.
"Going into the season, I thought we were not going to challenge for the league title.
"I do think coming into the season the expectations should have been reduced a little bit [from supporters].
"Ipswich Town came, and we looked fantastic away at Portman Road. My concern was whether we could go away to Portman Road and then play Champions League football?
"The fact Iraola got the job done winning against Atletico Madrid meant the signs of positivity were there.
"Then we draw at home to Fulham... Liverpool expect to beat these teams at home.
"There is a bit of limbo over where Liverpool's season could go."
🎧 A-Z: Nicol, Nunez and 'immaculate' Nealpublished at 16:07 BST 2 October
16:07 BST 2 October
Image source, Getty Images
A panel of Paul Salt, Ian Kennedy, Mike Hughes and Carl Woodward have been discussing three former Liverpool players - Steve Nicol, Phil Neal and Darwin Nunez - as part of BBC Radio Merseyside's A-Z series.
Full-back Neal played 649 times for the Reds between 1974 and 1985 and is one of the most decorated players in English football history, winning eight First Division titles, four League Cups, four European Cups and one Uefa Cup.
"I'd put him right near the top with the very greats," Hughes said. "It might sound like damning him with faint praise but he was a very efficient footballer.
"There were absolutely no frills but there was a guarantee he would perform at the high level required if you played for Liverpool week in, week out.
"He would do it, and from the word go. He never really put foot wrong. His standards were immaculate. He was a great reader of the game; he not only had the reading with the right central defender, his relationships down that right-hand side allowed Liverpool to flourish at the top end of the pitch."
'I don't know what he has to do to make everyone happy' - Klopp backs Wirtzpublished at 09:57 BST 2 October
09:57 BST 2 October
Image source, Getty Images
"Everyone in Liverpool should be happy today," said former Reds manager Jurgen Klopp after Florian Wirtz's "exceptional" performance inspired Germany's 2-0 win over Serbia in the Nations League.
The 23-year-old, who has struggled for consistency at Anfield since his £116m move in June 2025, set up Tom Bischof's first-half opener after striking the woodwork, before netting a second-half goal himself at Allianz Arena on Thursday.
It is a stark contrast to the attacking midfielder's club form, with Wirtz having recorded no goals and just one assist across six appearances so far this season.
"He was bursting with joy and worked incredibly hard," said new Germany head coach Klopp. "That was exceptional; he played a fantastic game. Our style of play suits him.
"I don't know what he has to do to make everyone happy, but everyone in Liverpool should be happy today."
Gossip: Reds monitor teenage star Morapublished at 07:24 BST 2 October
07:24 BST 2 October
Mexico starlet Gilberto Mora, 17, is a target for Liverpool, though Borussia Dortmund and Benfica are also keen on the Club Tijuana midfielder. (Teamtalk), external
Armstrong and Nyoni called-up to England Under-21spublished at 15:20 BST 1 October
15:20 BST 1 October
Image source, Getty Images
Everton and Liverpool youngsters Harrison Armstrong and Trey Nyoni have been called-up to the England under-21s squad to replace Dortmund's Jobe Bellingham and Newcastle United's Lewis Miley.
Armstrong will join Toffees team-mates Tyler Dibling and Tyrique George for his first call-up to the under-21s squad.
Nyoni, 19, has been capped by England up to under-20 level but has not played for the under-21s.
He started in the U20 Euro Elite League 2-1 victory against France on Tuesday, as Armstrong, 19, replaced the Reds' midfielder in the second half.
Lee Carsley's sideplay their final two games of European Championship qualifying campaign against Slovakia on Friday (19:45 BST) before facing the Republic of Ireland 6 October (18:00 BST).
Titles back? Expulsion? Erase the Gerrard 'slip'?published at 13:10 BST 1 October
13:10 BST 1 October
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool fan and podcaster, Abigail Rudkin, has been speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside about the Premier League's charges brought against Manchester City.
The Reds are set to host Enzo Maresca's side next on Sunday 11 October.
Rudkin said: "I think I was overthinking it as a Liverpool fan, that's gone up against them for titles. I'm obviously thinking 'give us our titles back' and then I'm thinking, 'oh, do you really want them'?
"You don't want to be celebrating things that you didn't really win and, you know, all these things start going through your mind, but I wasn't surprised that they've done these things.
"To use the word 'sham' as much as they did throughout these statements. It's very damning, isn't it?
"I think in my mind, if there's any way to sort of undo that Steven Gerrard slip, you know, just a way for that to not be a thing that's used against us, you know, there's always that.
"I think I'd rather see them be expelled from the league and be told, 'right, you've cheated, you've been found guilty of cheating against all of us in the Premier League'. I don't see why they should be allowed to then continue to play against us."
'I know what I said, but it doesn't feel like that anymore' - Klopppublished at 09:45 BST 1 October
09:45 BST 1 October
Image source, Getty Images
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said his respect for Pep Guardiola and the Manchester City sides that battled Liverpool in some of the Premier League's closest title races has left him reluctant to comment on the fallout from City's financial rules case.
City were found guilty of serious financial breaches by an independent commission on Tuesday, though the club have denied wrongdoing and are expected to appeal, with sanctions yet to be determined.
The 59-year-old, whose Liverpool side twice finished a point behind City, had previously joked that he would attend a parade if Liverpool were retrospectively awarded titles but said he no longer felt that way.
"I haven't given it much thought, even though I've seen it of course," Klopp told reporters on Wednesday.
"I also know what I said about it in the past and how if there's ever a parade I'll be there, but it doesn't feel like that anymore.
"My respect for Pep Guardiola and the football played at City during the time we played against each other... plus what an opponent they proved to be for us at the very highest level is far too great for me to be able to say anything now."
Klopp, who led Liverpool to the Premier League and Champions League titles during his nine-year spell at Anfield before departing in 2024, said he remained comfortable with the club's achievements regardless of any future developments in the City case.
The German added that he would rather allow the process to run its course than speculate about the potential consequences for City.
Liverpool's ahead-of-the-curve approach to youth recruitmentpublished at 09:12 BST 1 October
09:12 BST 1 October
Aadam Patel Liverpool reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool's global talent department - led by Matt Newberry - is responsible for deciding which young talents from overseas should be targeted for a transfer move.
Using their wealth of contacts across the world, including dedicated regional scouts, Liverpool are becoming increasingly aggressive in the space - and it helps that new sporting director Julian Ward is well known for his global network.
After the Under-17s World Cup, Liverpool made a £1m move for Senegalese Mor Talla Ndiaye and a £2.6m move for fellow centre-back half Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who was representing Austria.
Ndukwe, who was impressive in pre-season, has gone on loan to Levante in La Liga as he looks to obtain a UK work permit.
The moves for Martinez and Ndiaye showcase Liverpool's willingness to spread beyond Europe and into areas they may not have explored before.
This summer, Liverpool also confirmed moves for Belgian goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans and French forward Djylian N'Guessan, both 18 and set to move to Anfield permanently in 2027.
In the modern game, most talents are known and not many hidden gems exist - but Liverpool believe that by digging deeper and wider they can get ahead of the curve, using their global network and their reputation as a club which will help players develop.
When will the charges be resolved? What is the most likely punishment?published at 18:19 BST 30 September
18:19 BST 30 September
Media caption,
Football finance expert Kieran Magiure, has been answering your questions after Manchester City were found guilty of all charges related to breaches of financial rules.
Gary: Is there any chance this could be resolved by the end of the season?
Kieran: There is a very high chance it will be resolved by the end of the season. Because if it is not, we could end up in another situation very similar to that of Burnley and Everton where a club could be relegated and Manchester City are not given a deduction. And next season, a club that finished in 18th could say had that deduction been applied earlier, we wouldn't have been relegated. So that would add to the complications.
Certainly looking at the Premier League's press release itself, it does seem that it is very keen to resolve it as quickly as possible. If you take a look at the length of time that it took the commissions in respect to Nottingham Forest and Everton, once they have heard the evidence, applying the sanctions is the quickest part. It's listening to evidence that is the torturous process.
Dappy: Based on everything you read, what is the most likely punishment going to be for Manchester City?
Kieran: I agree that it could be a very hefty points deduction and a transfer embargo at the very least. On top of that, I believe there will be a very significant financial penalty added into the equation. The logic behind having a transfer embargo is that it then becomes a multi-season issue.
If we go back to 2013 when City were in breach of Uefa rules, they had a transfer ban, wage and squad caps, it did impact the club in the subsequent season.
Rehan: If Manchester City get a huge fine, what would the FA do with that money? Where would it go?
Kieran: It would be shared by the Premier League clubs, including Manchester City. And it will be offset against the league's legal bill. Discussions with lawyers suggest they think City could be liable for about two-thirds to three-quarters of Premier League's legal costs, which is estimated to be in the region of £50-60m.
Bournemouth to resist interest in Scott until the summerpublished at 14:23 BST 30 September
14:23 BST 30 September
Sami Mokbel and Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport
Image source, Getty Images
Bournemouth are not willing to entertain offers for midfielder Alex Scott during the January transfer window.
The 23-year-old made his senior England debut in Wednesday's 2-0 Nations League win away to Czechia but will be into the final 18 months of his contract come January.
The Cherries have had two contract renewal talks rejected before a summer window in which Scott pushed to leave the Vitality Stadium.
However, they remain steadfast that they have warned interested clubs that they will not welcome any contact over a move until their league objectives have either been achieved or are no longer attainable.
Similarly, Bournemouth would not entertain offers for other key players, including striker Eli Junior Kroupi, who remains sidelined through injury, and winger Rayan.
The club are competing on four fronts this season, including their first-ever European campaign in the Europa League.
Scott has performed well on the south coast and shown no signs of discontent but is known to ultimately want to join one of England's biggest clubs.
Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are among the Premier League clubs known to hold an interest in Scott.
Manchester City and Manchester United, meanwhile, strengthened their midfield options during the summer and are not expected to revive their interest.
Chelsea remain keen to sign a midfielder after seeing a £64m bid for Scott rejected during the summer.
They also missed out on Monaco's Lamine Camara on deadline day, held talks over a move for Roma's Manu Kone and expressed an interest in Fulham's Sander Berge.
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola is also thought to have a positive relationship with his former player Scott. The Anfield club are known to be targeting a midfielder in future transfer windows and retain an interest in Camara.
Ndiaye's 'incredible story' from Senegal to Anfieldpublished at 11:03 BST 30 September
11:03 BST 30 September
Aadam Patel Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool may have made three £100m-plus signings over the past two summers in Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola, but internally there is a realisation that a significant amount of young talent was sold last summer.
Since 2020, Liverpool have made more than £230m from selling players who have represented them at youth level. It has been a major part of Fenway Sports Group's self-sustaining business model, with the funds reinvested into the club.
There has been "a premium on young English players" since Brexit - and that's why Liverpool's global talent department - led by Matt Newberry - now have a major role to play.
"The impact of Brexit on the English market is quite significant," Liverpool's academy director Alex Inglethorpe told BBC Sport. "Time will tell if the premium is worthwhile, but it is definitely a change.
"So it is fairly natural for a club like Liverpool to look within Merseyside in the first instance and then broaden that out. National recruitment happens at 14 years old and, after that, you look at global recruitment."
Mor Talla Ndiaye's journey began in the Senegalese village of Sandiara, where he played football in the streets. He progressed through the ranks playing for Bousports Academy before joining Amitie Football Club.
Liverpool fended off interest from other European clubs and signed the 18-year-old for about £1m plus add-ons in January 2026.
Ndiaye, who is a left-footed centre-half, featured in pre-season under Andoni Iraola and was an unused substitute in three games last season under Arne Slot.
"He is an incredible story, isn't he?" said Liverpool Under-21s boss Rob Page. "From where he has come from to where he is now. He is such a humble kid and an unbelievable lad to work with.
"There are exciting times ahead but he has a lot of work to do. He is nowhere near the finished article, but he is on the right path."
Liverpool opened discussions with Ndiaye's academy and agency after scouts spotted his performances at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar last winter.
After that, video calls were arranged, representatives travelled to Senegal to see where he trained, the vision was presented to him directly and a round-table meeting was organised with his family.
Ultimately, there was optimism regarding Ndiaye and a genuine belief that, if he makes it to the top, it could be one of the great football stories.
Boxed into a corner?published at 09:17 BST 30 September
09:17 BST 30 September
Pat Nevin Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty Images
The Premier League has opened a Pandora's box of problems which cannot be closed. However well-intentioned, however morally upright they mean to be, the way the product is perceived around the planet by fans will be negatively affected.
This looks like a gigantic mess, but could also become a bit of a joke, especially if they attempt to rewrite history, and change the winners' names on the Premier League and cup trophies over these past 15 years. I wouldn't want the engraver's job.
I believe financial rules brought in to prioritise financial sustainability were also aimed at limiting the money being spent by the clubs, especially the staggering, ever-inflating sums spent on sometimes fairly average players. It could lead to a de facto salary cap, which many fans would approve of.
The long-term problem for the league is easy to see here: if the top players are then offered significantly more money to play elsewhere, they will be off before you can say 'man on'.
I always thought the Premier League had taken a huge risk going down this regulatory road. As with Manchester City's future, nobody knows what the real long-term ramifications will be.
I have a suspicion it could end up being the greatest own goal in the sport's entire history.
The big take: If City are cast out of England's top leagues, what might the owners do – hang around the lower reaches, or find something else? Wasn't there the idea of a Super League? Keep that thought in the back of your mind.
Pat Nevin writes weekly in the Football Extra newsletter. If you're outside the UK and would like to receive it, sign up here.
International break can take your mind away from a bad defeatpublished at 08:42 BST 30 September
08:42 BST 30 September
Pat Nevin Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty Images
Most of the time it is not that big a deal if you go into the international break having just lost a club game if I am honest, as teams lose games frequently.
That is just the life of a professional footballer. You have to be able to cope with disappointment as an individual and as a team.
Admittedly, players will sometimes say that they want another domestic game quickly, but it is almost always specifically after a 'bad' defeat as opposed to just a run-of-the-mill loss.
However, if the team has genuinely played terribly, or lost a game they were expected to win comfortably, you will commonly hear the phrase "we want to have a chance to get back out there and put it right quickly".
Players who have had a stinker, even if their team won, might also want to get out again as soon as possible to put it right in front of their fans, or 'reset'. The 'reset' argument is just current football jargon to say, "we will try to get it right next time, and we blew it this week, sorry".
The international break can also have the beneficial effect of taking your mind away from a bad defeat. This is not to say that you don't care, it is just that you must compartmentalise your thoughts and feelings. Footballers are among the best at this.
You simply cannot go to play for your national team and spend the time brooding about what happened against Brentford last week. That way lies madness and another poor performance, only this time in front of the entire nation.
Pat Nevin writes weekly in the Football Extra newsletter. If you're outside the UK and would like to receive it, sign up here.
Gossip: Real show interest in Reds' Van Dijkpublished at 08:19 BST 30 September
08:19 BST 30 September
Real Madrid are considering a move for Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, 35, as the Dutchman will become a free agent at the end of the season. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external
Man City found guilty of all chargespublished at 18:45 BST 29 September
18:45 BST 29 September
Image source, Getty Images
Manchester City arranged "sham contracts" with a number of its commercial partners as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m, the Premier League says.
The League confirmed that City have been found guilty of all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
An independent commission found that, during that time period, the club arranged the "sham contracts" as well as "relying on sham agreements to artificially inflate the club's revenues and reduce its costs".
The club continues to deny any wrongdoing and has until Friday to appeal.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: "The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade.
"It also vindicates the Premier League's decision to pursue this case against Manchester City. While the process to date has been both long and difficult, the League has remained determined that the facts be established independently.
"It is a key responsibility of the Premier League to ensure that the Rules, approved by the clubs themselves, are upheld to protect the integrity of the competition. It is paramount that the League remains competitive and fair for all clubs and for the fans. We take that role extremely seriously.
"This disciplinary case, and this decision, are the most significant in Premier League history. There are elements of the case that remain to be decided, including, importantly, what sanction must follow for these breaches. Now we have the Commission's decision, we are committed to moving swiftly through the remainder of the process, to provide certainty for the League, our clubs and fans."
