This comes via a report from Fabrizio Romano, who outlines that the clubs have agreed a one-year loan deal worth €2million.
The final details are still to be resolved, but a deal is said to be close.
The agreement is also said to include an option for Como to make the transfer permanent for €20m at the end of the 2026/27 campaign.
Couto joined BVB last summer and remains under contract at Westfalenstadion until 2030, but now looks set to continue his career in Serie A after falling down the pecking order under Niko Kovac.
Since his 2024 arrival, the Brazilian has made 62 appearances for Die Schwarzgelben.

#kovac #since

Manchester City have embarked on a rebuild of their midfield this summer. So far, Elliot Anderson has joined the club from Nottingham Forest. Anderson figures to be a prominent player for Enzo Maresca's side. Watching Manchester City's midfield perform in the first half of their first preseason friendly against Inter Milan, you could see what role Anderson will play in Manchester City's midfield. However, Manchester City's midfield rebuild isn't yet complete. It was easy to see why City are so keen to further bolster their midfield based on how the first half unfolded in their 1-1 draw and subsequent penalty shootout defeat to Inter Milan.
Enzo Maresca started Tijjani Reijnders, Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden in midfield against Inter Milan at the Kai Tak Stadium on Saturday. None of those three players are what you would term a number six or a defensive midfielder. Foden played an advanced role in midfield and helped Manchester City's four-man high press. Reijnders and Kovacic were tasked with shielding City's backline.
This duo had mixed results in this role. On occasions, especially in the game's first half-hour, Inter did have success playing through Manchester City's high press and they also succeeded in bypassing Manchester City's midfield. Kovacic and Reijnders are not suited to the role they were tasked with fulfilling against Inter. It isn't their strong suits. Reijnders is suited to getting forward from midfield and Kovacic is a number eight who does his best work with a player like Rodri behind him.
The answer as to why Manchester City want to bolster their midfield was evident in the first half against Inter Milan. You could picture Elliot Anderson and Rodri playing the roles that Reijnders and Kovacic were asked to play, provided of course that Rodri doesn't leave City this summer. Also, the Ayyoub Bouaddi links make sense as he could also fill the same role. This was clear to see in the opening 45 minutes at the Kai Tak Stadium.
At halftime of Saturday's friendly, Enzo Maresca brought on Nico Gonzalez and moved Rico Lewis from right-back into midfield. Inter Milan also made a series of substitutions at halftime of the friendly in Hong Kong which did alter the match. However, it was impossible to ignore how much better City looked with Nico Gonzalez playing his familiar holding role in midfield. He had Rico Lewis for support with Rayan Ait-Nouri inverting from left-back and at times Vitor Reis stepped into midfield. This system gave City the control they need and also showed why City are so eager to rebuild their midfield this summer.

#kovacic #role #anderson

Mateo Kovačić has not forgotten Inter, and speculation over a return to San Siro has been rekindled after the Croatian caught up with old friends during Manchester City's visit to face the Nerazzurri.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, the contact came on the fringes of the two sides' pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.
Inter themselves posted a video on social media showing the 32-year-old deep in conversation with compatriot Petar Sučić and warmly greeting the likes of Federico Dimarco and ****** istant coach Aleksandar Kolarov, a reunion that has only fuelled talk of a possible homecoming.
(From L) Italy's midfielder #18 Nicolo Barella and Croatia's midfielder #08 Mateo Kovacic collide during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Croatia and Italy at the Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig on June 24, 2024. (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP) (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Those whispers are not new. In recent weeks it emerged that Kovačić's entourage had offered him to the Inter hierarchy, who made clear that departures would be required before any deal could be considered.

#midfielder #croatian

As Manchester City ramp up their preparations for the 2026-27 season in Asia, it remains to be seen what changes Enzo Maresca will implement that differ from Pep Guardiola. The principles of possession football will remain at City despite Maresca replacing Guardiola in the dugout. What was worth keeping an eye out during Manchester City's first preseason friendly against Inter Milan was whether any of Enzo Maresca's tactical adjustments could be seen. Come the final whistle of Manchester City's 1-1 draw with Inter Milan and subsequent penalty shootout defeat, the answer was clear. Yes, the tactical tweaks by Maresca were evident, especially in the second half at the Kai Tak Stadium.
Manchester City made a bright start in the first half against Inter Milan. Antoine ****** yo was wreaked havoc on the left wing. It was ****** yo who created Manchester City's first goal when he surged down the left to the byline to play the ball back for Divin Mubama to open the scoring in the 14th minute.
While City took the early lead, Inter Milan did look dangerous on the break at the Kai Tak Stadium. Enzo Maresca's side employed a high four-man press which did disrupt Inter's buildup play. However, when Inter did play through the press they did have ****** e to drive at Manchester City's defence. Tijjani Reijnders and Mateo Kovacic were tasked with playing in midfield to shield City's backline. It isn't a role that either player is particularly suited to which was impossible to ignore. Speaking after the match, Maresca said: "We struggled a bit in the first-half and we know the reason why, but we were much better in the second-half. We will get better and better."
You do wonder if Maresca's comments were about how Manchester City's midfield was bypassed in the opening half-hour of yesterday's match.
Also, Rico Lewis and Stephen Mfuni were caught out by Inter Milan's overlapping wing-backs and by the flighted ball from midfield to either flank. Enzo Maresca wants one, or both, of his full-backs to invert into midfield and this was exploited by Inter Milan in the opening 45 minutes.

#Inter #maresca #half

Dortmund have high hopes for the highly rated attacking prospect, who has already caught the eye during the club's summer preparations. Although the 17-year-old made only one brief Bundesliga appearance last season, he has looked sharp in pre-season and even found the net against Fortuna Düsseldorf.Kovač was quick to highlight the youngster's qualities.
"You can see what abilities he has. He's fast, strong in the air, and I have to say he put in a lot of effort," the Dortmund coach said after the match.Known for demanding a high level of defensive discipline from his players, Kovač has clearly been pleased with Albert's willingness to improve without the ball.The teenager admitted that the increased tactical and physical demands have helped take his game to another level.
"It has helped me take a certain aspect of my game to a new level. Before, I wasn't the best in some areas, but this has motivated me to work much harder. There are higher demands, such as the work rate and the **** e that needs to be covered, especially in the new, more central position. This has definitely helped my game a lot."
Albert, who regards Kylian Mbappé as his role model, is not lacking in ambition. Looking beyond pre-season, the American youngster has set himself lofty goals at the club.
My dream is to become an important player for the club and to stand out, to be a true leader and help the team win games. I don't want to reduce my game to just statistics. My main goal is to get better every day and develop as much as possible," he told Sky.Reflecting on his rapid rise, Albert admitted that the past six months have flown by."Training with the professionals every day and improving as a player was fantastic,"he said.

#game #demands

Enzo Maresca says he will give his all to help duo Mateo Kovacic and Jack Grealish – while they are still at the club.
Kovacic played against his former club Inter Milan as City suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat following a 1-1 draw against the Italian side in Hong Kong.
But the Croatian is another who could depart the club this summer, and asked about his situation, Maresca said: "Mateo is our player, so the days he's here I will try my best because I think it's my duty to try to help players to give their best.
"So if Mateo is here, I'm happy and we're going to continue to work with him."
Stay up to date with all the latest Manchester City news by joining our Man City WhatsApp channel.

#Help #here #best

Borussia Dortmund lost the first match of their ******* an pre-season tour 1-0 at Cerezo Osaka in the absence of many regular players on Wednesday.
Solomon Sakuragawa scored an early winner for the J-League club whose line-up included former Dortmund player Shinji Kagawa.
Dortmund's team mainly featured youth team players as a large number of others are on holiday after the World, led by Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck who is also injured, Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and Norway full back Julian Ryerson.
But Jobe Bellingham and Fábio Silva are part of the squad in ******* an along with Maximilian Beier, Felix Nmecha and Waldemar Anton, who could feature in the second match on Saturday against FC Tokyo.
Coach Niko Kovac has said there will be "less training than some may have expected" and that the date for the ******* an trip in the third week of the pre-season was chosen "so that we just play."

#dortmund #season #players

And all in four languages: Cerezo's Spanish coach answered in Spanish, Niko Kovac in German and English, and the ******* anese players in their native language. It was a multilingual affair in ******* an—yet one with a touch of home. Because as the four protagonists entered the room, "Heja BVB" blared over the loudspeakers.
The focus of attention was former Borussian player and current Cerezo player Shinji Kagawa, who had already faced BVB with his home club two years ago. "It's a great opportunity to play against Borussia Dortmund again—for me personally and also as the team. I want everyone—every fan, the Dortmund fans, the Osaka fans—to enjoy this game," said Kagawa, who was a player for Borussia Dortmund from 2010 to 2012 and from 2014 to 2019. But even seven years later, the connection hasn't been lost. "I'm very proud that the relationship continues, and I still think about the ******* les and memories from my time in Dortmund. The older I get, the more it means to me. The players and coaches I worked with will also remain in my heart forever. I really hope this relationship will continue."
"It's a pleasure for us to play against Shinji here because he's a former BVB player. That's certainly something special for all of us," emphasizes Niko Kovac, who also highlights the sporting significance of the match. "We're here to compete and prepare for our first competitive match against Bayern Munich. I hope everyone stays healthy, that we see a good game, and that the fans enjoy the match." Even though Osaka is already further along in his preseason preparation: "We're athletes. And athletes always want to win, whether it's a friendly, a cup match, or a competitive match."
For Takato Yamamoto, this match is a very special one, as he only joined BVB's U23 team a few weeks ago from his youth club and Cerezo's local rival, Gamba Osaka. "I really don't want to lose to Cerezo. I also want to show the fans in ******* an that I've grown as a player. That's my goal for tomorrow." Yamamoto was also asked about Kagawa, who was sitting next to him: "I know he's a legend. When people in Germany find out I'm from ******* an, they ask me, 'Do you know Shinji Kagawa?' Wherever I go, I hear his name."
After the joint press conference, the next reunion will take place on Wednesday on the soccer field. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. ******* an Standard Time (12 p.m. CEST) at Yanmar Hanasaka Stadium and will be broadcast live on BVB-TV, Sky, and DAZN.Christina Reinke

#fans

Borussia Dortmund will play their second pre-season fixture on Saturday afternoon as they face 3. Liga side Fortuna Düsseldorf at Merkur Spiel-Arena. The hosts are well ahead in their preparations for the 2026/27 season since their league campaign will start on August 7th.
World Cup participants Felix Nmecha, Waldemir Anton, Maximilian Beier and Daniel Svensson started their first pre-season steps after their return to the club on Friday. However, Niko Kovac's side will be without those four players, while Ecuadorian Justin Lerma and ****** anese Takato Yamamoto will be in the spotlight.
Fortuna Düsseldorf: Rieß, Heintz, Bouchama, Hendrix ©, Hottmann, Consbruch, Schleusener, Zimmermann, Risch, Arden, E. Egouli
Subs: Lord, Van der Sloot, Eixler, Oberdorf, Benger, Goncalves, Meiser, Paulina, Sauck, Slimani, Mentzel, Amaniampong, N. Egouli, ****** o
Borussia Dortmund: Meyer, Gadou, Mane, Albert, Kabar, Yamamoto, Duarte, Azhil, Riedl, Mirza, Guirassy ©

#season #borussia #dortmund #fortuna

A member of the midfield ranks at La Liga champions Barcelona has made his way firmly onto the transfer radar of Premier League giants Manchester City.
The Blaugrana star in question? Marc Bernal.
Man City, for their part, are currently working on something of a revolution in the club's engine room ranks. Both Mateo Kovačić and Nico González are understood to have been placed on the market, with World Cup winner Rodri also being heavily linked with a potential Real Madrid switch.
Those in a position of power at The Etihad are therefore on the hunt for reinforcements with a view to next season.
And as alluded to above, amid this ongoing search, the gaze of those in the boardroom on the blue half of Manchester has this week turned towards Barcelona.

#ranks #liga #bernal

The first water break, which BVB **** istant coach Robert Kovac called after about 45 minutes of training, was gratefully received by the 22 field players. After all, the Black and Yellows were on the training field in Dortmund-Brackel in summery 28-degree weather and bright sunshine.
Two days earlier, the Borussians had already undergone the mandatory performance testing; on Tuesday, they finally took to the field for their first training session.
In addition to injured captain Emre Can, head coach Niko Kovac’s roster was missing the World Cup participants, who are currently still on vacation. Julian Ryerson, who had to be substituted due to injury during Norway’s quarterfinal match against England, has not suffered a more serious injury and is expected to return to Dortmund fully fit after his vacation.
In place of the World Cup players, Kovac called up not only the established players—including Serhou Guirassy, Fabio Silva, Jobe Bellingham, Yan Couto, and others—but also eleven young talents from BVB’s youth teams to the first-team training squad.
Summer signings Joane Gadou and Justin Lerma demonstrated their skills in team training for the first time. The 19-year-old center back and the 18-year-old midfielder showed great motivation and enthusiasm right from the start.

Borussia Dortmund want to take the next step after their best Bundesliga season in seven years but will have to start the campaign without centre back Nico Schlotterbeck who will remain sidelined until at at least late September.
Schlotterbeck suffered an ankle injury at the World Cup playing for Germany, and managing director Lars Ricken said as the squad gathered for pre-season training on Tuesday that more patience is required.
"It will take a few more weeks. We have to say that honestly. Whether that will be before or after the first international break, we'll see how the healing progresses," Ricken told reporters.
The first international break of the new season is at the end of September.
Dortmund were a distant second behind Bayern Munich last term but their points tally of 73 was the best since 2019 as coach Niko Kovač has steadied the ship after a difficult 2024-25 campaign in which they came fourth.

Even before BVB coach Niko Kovac donned his coaching gear, he held his first meeting with Nico Schlotterbeck on Sunday morning. The injured center back (medial ligament injury in his left ankle) wasn't yet part of the group that completed the first phase of performance diagnostics on Sunday. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old showed up in his workout clothes in the BVB first team's fitness area and went through an individual rehab session while his teammates worked up a sweat on the treadmill.
Captain Emre Can, who is also in rehabilitation training following the cruciate ligament tear he suffered in the spring, suddenly appeared in good spirits among his Black and Yellow teammates in the weight room. He greeted new signings Justin Lerma and Joane Gadou, who were meeting their Dortmund teammates for the first time, and was delighted to be reunited with old acquaintances.
The BVB first team—including Serhou Guirassy, Fabio Silva, Jobe Bellingham, and others—got down to business on the training area in the weight room and on the ergometers. Karim Adeyemi and Kjell Wätjen were absent; both players have been granted leave to hold talks with other clubs. The players who were still competing with their national teams at the World Cup until the very end were also not yet in Dortmund-Brackel due to vacation and will make up the performance diagnostics later. Julian Ryerson and Gregor Kobel were the last two Dortmund players to be eliminated from the World Cup in the quarterfinals with their national teams on Saturday night.
Under the guidance of Mathias Kolodziej, Head of Performance and Sports Science at Borussia Dortmund, the professional squad gradually underwent the various health checks and performance tests. As usual, the testing program was supervised by a team of medical professionals, athletic trainers, and sports scientists.
At the BVB training facility, the focus on the first day of performance diagnostics was initially on sports medicine. The first team underwent physical therapy checks and various internal medical examinations one after another. Finally, they completed the grueling stepwise lactate test along with a stress ECG. On Monday, the focus will shift to athletic training.

Borussia Dortmund are in no rush to enter talks with head coach Niko Kovac over a new contract, says club CEO Carsten Cramer.
Kovac is entering the final year of his contract with Dortmund. and although Cramer underlines that the management is happy with his work, the club's immediate focus lies elsewhere for now.
"The basic message remains: We are extremely satisfied with Niko. But, without wanting to reveal too much: we are still in the process of finalising the squad," Cramer told Kicker.
"Then we will begin pre-season and, just like last year, we will start the discussions at the right time. That was not the priority task during the seven weeks of holiday," Cramer added, emphasising that Kovac is also "completely relaxed" about his future.
"Niko hasn't been constantly sending WhatsApp messages or using his agent to send messages on his behalf."

Henry Patten knows only victory in the men's doubles final at Wimbledon on Saturday will get him and partner Harri Heliovaara on the ATP Tour Instagram page amid the sport's ongoing civil war.
The four-man format at the All England Club has been overshadowed after a proposal was presented at an ATP Player Council meeting last week that would mean from 2028 doubles draws would be halved and prize money reduced in favour of singles players.
It has sparked outrage in the doubles community and British left-hander Patten has been one of the most outspoken, but not let it distract the world number one pair from another deep run at a grand slam.
Patten and Heliovaara progressed into Saturday's showpiece on Centre Court against Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo with a 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (10-8) victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis and Aleksandar Kovacevic in front of a packed Court One crowd on Thursday.
The thrilling triumph has not made it onto the ATP's Instagram page yet and nor did Patten and Heliovaara after they finished runners-up at Roland Garros.

Borussia Dortmund has fended off competition and won the race to sign one of Europe's highly rated talent Liam Claude Kanté.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the central defender will join the Black and Yellows and his contract has already been signed.
Kanté is transferring from Croatian club NK Lokomotiva Zagreb to Strobelallee, but won't be fast tracked into Niko Kovač's squad.
In Dortmund, Kanté is initially destined to link up with the U-19 team, and then gradually integrated into the first team.
In the race for the Croatian U-16 international, who is already being described as a wonderkid, BVB prevailed against numerous rivals.

F.C Barcelona are currently closing on on 24-year-old forward, Karim Adeyemi in a quickly developing transfer saga. Influencer and Barcelona shill, Fabrizio Romano, was the first to post the news earlier this week that Adeyemi would not be signing a new contract with Dortmund and instead looks set to join Barcelona.
Adeyemi joined Dortmund in 2022 and has been a divisive, but promising, player across his four seasons. He scored 36 goals across 146 games for Borussia Dortmund and was a key member in Dortmund's heartbreaking Bundesliga and Champions league pushes in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Pundits and club officials earmarked Adeyemi as the 'Next Wunderkid' throughout his time here but he failed to hit the heights as his predecessors. He had several games where it felt like he announced himself to the world only for it to be a hot-streak. The German forward missed out on the World Cup squad after only racking up 1,196 domestic minutes this season and doesn't appear to be a good fit for how Niko Kovac wants to play.
That being said, he's undoubtably a good player. Despite the limited minutes, Adeyemi averaged .83 goals + **** ists per game in the league this season. His ability to defend from the front, win aerial duels, and win fouls has been a key resource for Borussia Dortmund in hotly contested games. Most importantly, however, is that the Borussia Dortmund social media manager will lose 90% of their content after spamming everyone with Adeyemi memes for four years.
The final price is yet to be confirmed but Patrick Berger is currently reporting that Dortmund should only expect to get between €20m to €40m due to only having 1 year left on his contract. This price is far from the €80m that was touted seasons ago but unfortunately is better than seeing him leave on a free next season.
At least we'll always have that goal against Chelsea!

Manchester City are not drifting through this summer, they are remaking themselves. That is the clear takeaway from the latest The Athletic DealSheet, and when you strip out the noise from the rest of the market, the City picture is sharp enough. Players are arriving, several more could leave, and the squad that starts 2026-27 may look very different from the one that ended the last campaign.
That matters because this is not a routine refresh. It is a squad management exercise with teeth. Bernardo Silva has gone. John Stones has gone. Nathan Ake is heading to Fenerbahce. Mateo Kovacic is “also considered likely to leave”. There are doubts over others too, from James Trafford to Savinho, from Nico Gonzalez to Omar Marmoush. Even Rodri, one of the few names you would normally pencil in without thinking, comes with uncertainty after The Athletic reported that he “has not yet signed a new deal and may not sign one at all”.
When turnover reaches that level, every incoming matters more. Every missed target matters too. And every line about squad planning deserves to be read carefully, because City are balancing short-term needs with the usual long-term instincts that have shaped their recruitment for years.
The headline move is Elliott Anderson. The report states that “Elliot Anderson’s move from Nottingham Forest was announced”, with fuller club content to follow once the 23-year-old returns from England duty. That is a major signing by fee and by implication. Aston Villa’s stance on Morgan Rogers, elsewhere in the same report, frames the scale of it neatly, they would want more than the “British record £116million” City paid for Anderson.
Photo IMAGO

Mateo Kovacic could become the next high-profile player to leave Manchester City this summer
Croatia star and four-time UEFA Champions League winner reportedly free to find new club
More midfielders could follow club record signing Elliott Anderson to compete for playing time
Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic has been told he is free to find a new club this summer, according to reports.
The former Inter, Real Madrid and Chelsea player was signed by Pep Guardiola in June 2023 for an initial fee of £25m and has gone on to make 97 appearances for the club.

Portugal vs. Croatia live score, result, highlights from 2026 World Cup knockout game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Croatia has quietly emerged as a soccer superpower over the past decade, following up its runner-up finish during the 2018 World Cup with a third-place showing in the 2022 edition of the competition.
Four years on, the Checkered Ones' spine remains the same — Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Ivan Perisic continue to provide contributions to Zlatko Dalic's bunch, helping the nation of less than 4 million punch above its weight.
They'll get a chance to try their luck against one of Europe's heavyweights on Thursday night, taking on Portugal and its headlining striker, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Roberto Martinez's side has looked a bit underwhelming thus far, drawing with DR Congo and Colombia. Ronaldo struck twice against Uzbekistan, but he has failed to inspire confidence in international colors as of late — especially when compared to the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and others.

PHILADELPHIA - Age proved to just be a number to Croatia as it continued its World Cup journey with a 2-1 defeat of Ghana on Saturday, June 27 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Nobody typified that more than 40-year-old midfielder Luka Modric, who spent more than 90 minutes running up and down the pitch in an effort to extend his illustrious World Cup career.
After a loss to England and listless win against Panama, the possibility of elimination was the harsh reality facing Croatia. The European nation with population of 3.9 million has consistently punched above its weight in the biggest tournament in soccer, reaching the final in 2018 and finishing third in 2022.
But a minimum of at least one point against Ghana was required in its final group stage match to ensure passage to the knockout round of 32.
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić turned to three of his stalwarts with more than a 100 caps — Luka Modrić (200), Mateo Kovačić (111), Ivan Perišić (156) — and a combined age of 109 to shoulder much of the responsibility.

Argentina are set for their final challenge of the FIFA World Cup group stage.
Already **** ured of first place in Group J and aware that they will face Cape Verde in the first knockout round, they will take on already-eliminated Jordan later today (11 p.m. Brasília time).
The match will be played at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
Romanian referee István Kovács will be in charge.
CazéTV will broadcast it.

Borussia Dortmund are potentially in the market for an attacking midfielder this summer, and AS Roma’s Matias Soulé features on the Bundesliga side’s shortlist, Sky Germany understands.
Initial talks have already taken place between Dortmund and the Argentine’s representatives regarding Soulé, who scored six goals and provided five ***** ists in 33 Serie A games as Roma secured a return to UEFA Champions League football for the upcoming season.
The 23-year-old reportedly has a release clause between €25m and €30m, although the Ruhr club face competition from Premier League clubs.
With Julian Brandt departing Dortmund upon the expiry of his contract after seven seasons, Carney Chukwuemeka slowly working his way into Niko Kovač’s plans and Samuele Inácio still developing, Dortmund’s interest in Soulé isn’t too far fetched. Additionally, reports originating from Italy suggest that Roma are open to selling Soulé as they look to raise funds before 30 June.
GGFN | Daniel Pinder

Borussia Dortmund are looking to extend Karim Adeyemi’s (24) current deal, which expires in the summer of 2027, however, the German is hesitant, Bild understands.
A contract extension, reportedly until 2030, plus an increase on his €5.5m salary is ready to be signed, but Adeyemi and his representatives are reserved on accepting the terms offered. Per Bild, they also want to include a release in the player’s contract with Adeyemi one day wanting to play in the Premier League.
Adeyemi has played a bit-part role under Niko Kovač in 2025/26, scoring seven goals and providing four ******* ists in 28 Bundesliga games – of which he only started 15. If the German decides against extending his contract beyond the summer, then BVB would try to sell the player this summer for around €40m. Should Adeyemi fulfil his contract, he is set to receive a significant signing on fee, reportedly up to €15m, should he leave the Ruhr club on a free transfer in 2027.
GGFN | Daniel Pinder

The 14th year of the WAGNH Community Ratings is in the books, and the highest rated player throughout the course of the season is thus automatically declared the WAGNH Player of the Year.
Admittedly, this methodology is not without its flaws, but I think there’s some intrinsic value in using the immediate reactions after each match to determine who actually was the best performer across the entire campaign. (Or at least the most consistently good.) Most years (9 of 14, to be exact), the player on top has been the same who also won the public vote for Chelsea Player of the Year. This year is one of the exceptions. (Also, there’s little added value in doing the same exact popularity contest on the blog as is done on the official website.)
So instead of João Pedro, our Player of the Year is none other than Captain Reece James!
I should note that Reecey just barely qualifies. He made 39 appearances (of 59 possible), but started only half of our games. Those numbers probably would’ve been higher had he not missed most of the last two months with injury of course. (It’s a similar situation to 2019-20, when Christian Pulisic was WAGNH Player of the Year despite missing a good chunk of the season; Mateo Kovačić won the official vote.)
I suspect a not insignificant factor in James’ win is just the fact that he largely managed to stay healthy for the first time in years. But his win is also a testament to consistency: he didn’t win the most Man of the Match awards nor did he have the most top-three finishes (João Pedro led both categories). He didn’t earn the highest single-game rating of the season (JP again). But he was below the overall team average for a given game only seven times (of his 39 appearances), and he didn’t get a single rating below 5 at all. And in a season that was defined by inconsistency and some truly wild swings in performance levels (sometimes within just one game, let alone from game-to-game), it was great to see at least one player deliver consistently solid, often good, and occasionally great performances. Hopefully Reecey can build on this season and be able to deliver more often, and at an even higher level going forward (like we know he can).