… plus plenty of other developments.

Catch up on all newsletters here
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🏃‍♂️ More updates soon

4/4

Previews of Sporting, Porto, and Benfica ahead of 25/26 🇵🇹

Major global decisions 🏆 shaping the game: Club World Cup, Nations League & more

3/4

Crystal Palace’s battle for Europa League, La Liga’s push to take games overseas, and Ligue 1’s fight for TV money 📉

A players’ lawsuit threatening the transfer market ⚖️, Bayern’s strategy in Rwanda, and the Premier League’s parachute problem 🪂

2/4

This is a rare move for FC Porto. Only a few players have joined the club at 34 or older than Luuk de Jong—nearly all goalkeepers:

— Casillas (34) in 2015/16
— Pedro Espinha (34) in 2000/01
— Silvino (36) in 1995/96

The only outfield exceptions?

— Pepe (36) in 2018/19
— Liedson (35) in 2012/13

On the pitch, Sporting and the Primeira Liga will miss him, of course, but financially, you don’t get much better at 27.

5/

Arsenal had to pay real money for him. So, no, I don’t think Gyökeres was a bad deal for Sporting.

Do you?

#Transfers #Arsenal #SportingCP #Gyokeres

4/

⚠️Of those, only Kane’s transfer made sense—and even that had risks.

Beyond a certain age, financial risk is higher, and that's why clubs usually don't spend big on older players.

3/

2020/21: 0️⃣
2021/22: 1️⃣ Lukaku (€113 M, 28)
2022/23: 1️⃣ Casemiro (€71 M, 30)
2023/24: 2️⃣ Neymar (€90 M, 31), Kane (€90 M, 30)
2024/25: 0️⃣
2025/26: 0️⃣

Source: Transfermarkt

Only 4 players aged 27+ cost more than Gyökeres in five years.

Gyökeres, the 74th most expensive signing ever (not inflation‑adjusted) and the 40th highest since the pandemic started, is 27 years old.

So here’s the key question: how many of those 40 signings costing over €65 M were aged 27 or older?

2/

👇

www.linkedin.com/pulse/footno...

A warm welcome to the new subscribers in the last month and a half from Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Egypt, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S.!

1️⃣0️⃣ Kane, Xabi and a stunning first half
1️⃣1️⃣ Can Arsenal end Barcelona’s dominance?

🧵

4️⃣ Did Raphinha surpass Ronaldo’s record?
5️⃣ How special was Liverpool’s season?
6️⃣ The battle for Champions League spots is still on
7️⃣ Harrydinho, the new Man United winger
8️⃣ Wrexham: Spoiler alert!
9️⃣ Napoli takes the lead in Serie A

🧵

And Brighton too

8️⃣ No relegation in the English women’s top tier?
9️⃣ New format for the Women’s Club World Cup postponed
1️⃣0️⃣ Platini and Blatter return to court
1️⃣1️⃣ Russia’s role in UEFA

3/3