€1 billion in 18 months: Enzo Fernandez deal means Enzo Maresca has no excuses in first Man City season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
No amount of transfer outlay can make Enzo Maresca's Manchester City task straightforward. Following greats is hard, even for very talented coaches.
Some of the pre-season conversation saw the likes of Unai Emery and David Moyes mentioned alongside Maresca. They succeeded ******* ne Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson at ******* nal and Manchester United respectively and never really had a chance. How on earth can Maresca hope to follow Pep Guardiola successfully?
Emery and Moyes will be mentioned again after any moments of turbulence at the Etihad Stadium this season. Their cautionary tales were cited after ******* nal swept past City 3-0 in the Community Shield. There was a gulf, an unbridgeable chasm.
Of course, part of that was overreaction after a glorified friendly. The narrative of ******* nal being a stable and ******* ured force while half of the Premier League is in flux also appeals to purists' instincts. Other teams are spending hundreds of millions of pounds and sacking managers, just to try to catch up with a team that charted a steady course, trusted the process and finally won the league.

#city #moyes

When thinking of the greatest managers of the Premier League era, ******* ne Wenger, Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola are names that belong high on the list.
They are three of the rare breed to have managed 250 games with a single Premier League club, and Mikel Arteta is now the 10th member of that elite group.
Monday's 1-0 win over Aston Villa was the 250th top-flight game in charge for Arteta with the Gunners, and his champions delivered a trademark performance.
At full-time at Villa Park, the travelling supporters sang about how they are going to win the league again with Arteta in charge.
With ******* nal coming into this season as trophy holders, and with transition affecting rivals Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United, it is hard to see how the fans' partisan prediction is going to be proved wrong.

#premier #manchester #charge

There are two new No. 1 teams in this week's USA TODAY Network Indiana high school football poll.
New Palestine's 14-6 loss to East Central on Friday knocked the Dragons from the top spot in Class 5A. Bloomington South replaced New Palestine at No. 1 in 5A; the Dragons dropped to No. 2 but still did receive as many first-place votes (six) as the Panthers. East Central leapfrogged Bishop Chatard and Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger to the No. 1 spot in Class 4A.
The full USA TODAY Network Indiana poll going into Week 3 of the season:
Ranking
Team

#central #class #bishop

Patrick Vieira has named the hardest player he faced while playing for ******* nal as one of their main players during the Premier League era.
The Frenchman played a key role for ******* ne Wenger's side, which dominated the English game across several seasons, and was on their books between 1996 and 2005, winning three Premier League ******* les among several other honours.
The former midfielder enjoyed a superb career in England and, in many matches, was the dominant midfield player. However, he faced several opponents who challenged him in different games.
Vieira went on to become one of the best midfielders in the game during his spell at ******* nal and gave the best years of his career to the Gunners before eventually leaving the club.
There were opponents who always gave him a tough time in matches, and the most notable of them all was Roy Keane. It is therefore no surprise that Vieira picked the Manchester United icon as his toughest opponent in club football.

#vieira #several #league #matches

When it comes to ranking managers, ****** les are a good place to start.
Only four bosses have won more than one since the Premier League era began in 1992. So if you do some quick maths, you'll probably not be surprised by the names that top this list.
But there is a debate to be had around where they should rank, and who else makes it into the top 10. So let's have it.
You can rank your greatest managers of the Premier League era below too.
Longevity deserves a mention here. Take David Moyes, for example, racking up 755 games in Premier League dugouts - only ****** ne Wenger (828) and Sir Alex Ferguson (810) have more.

#david #arsene

Martin Keown believes **** nal have **** embled a squad capable of going after the Premier League **** le and the Champions League after finally ending their 22-year wait to become English champions.
The **** nal legend says Mikel Arteta's next challenge is to ensure last season's success becomes the beginning of a period of sustained success rather than the culmination of the project.
"I hope the club can build on that," Keown said.
He believes the first priority after winning the **** le was to retain the core of the squad that delivered it, something he remembers **** ne Wenger placing huge importance on after **** nal's successes in the 1990s.
"You secure the futures of those players, and then you build upon that," Keown said.

#success

Rivalries between managers often generate plenty of debate in professional football.
Most managers have mutual respect for each other, but some are incapable of hiding their disdain for their rivals. Here are some of the greatest managerial head-to-heads.
Brian Clough vs Don Revie
Arsene Wenger vs Jose Mourinho
Jock Stein vs Helenio Herrera

#managers #rivalries #here

David Bentley left ***** nal just a few months after signing a new long-term contract in a shocking move, despite already being tipped to become a hero at the club. Looking back, however, the former winger regrets his decision to leave.
Bentley came through the ranks at ***** nal, where he was considered one of the top young players in the country. There were high expectations surrounding him as he developed, and after several loan spells, ***** nal were ready to give him more opportunities in the first team.
He subsequently signed a five-year contract with the club, but only a few months later, he asked to leave. His impatience stemmed from a lack of belief in the plan ***** ne Wenger had for his career. The Frenchman wanted to ease him into the first team, but Bentley did not trust that approach and eventually secured a move to Blackburn.
Bentley would later move to Tottenham, while many believe he could have achieved more during his career if he had been patient and remained at ***** nal instead of leaving when he did.
He has now explained the decision behind his departure and acknowledged that he may have made the wrong choice. As quoted by Football London, Bentley said:

#arsenal #leave #first #team

Gianni Infantino's nightmare has just gotten worse, with his and FIFA's apology for their proposed stake sale in the World Cup, among other ******* ets, not proving enough for players worldwide.
The FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) quickly drew the ire of governing soccer bodies worldwide, with UEFA the most outspoken in its anger at the plan, while both CONCACAF and the AFC also denounced it.
As such, FIFA President Infantino was relatively quick to act as his support collapsed from under him like quicksand less than a year out from another election. The plans were pulled and, following a crisis meeting on Wednesday, an apology was made public.
Infantino and FIFA published an apology letter on Wednesday -Credit:Marvin Ibo Guengoer - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images
But by this point, the damage was already done, with one of his ******* istants having resigned in protest against the plan, fellow FIFA colleague ******* ne Wenger having spoken out against the plans, and soccer icon Luis Figo penning a strongly worded letter calling for change.

#worldwide #plans #letter

Confidence in Fifa is being restored. How do we know? Because Fifa has told us. And Fifa's integrity is such that attacks on it cannot be tolerated... Fifa, in between plotting to sell off the World Cup, has said it wasn't doing that. Not that many people in Fifa knew for sure, as Fifa didn't bother consulting them.
But then, as Fifa said a statement about a "constructive and positive meeting held in Rabat, Morocco", its only official elected by the 211 member ******* ociations is the president. Although, admittedly, many of those ******* ociations are calling for Gianni Infantino to go and plenty of others came out in opposition to what – according to the governing body, anyway – was called the "Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal".
And now that is off the table, again in Fifa's words, a statement that tested the boundaries of Orwellian doublespeak, the only remaining issues, in Fifa's world, are the horrible "attacks" on it.
Gianni Infantino showed minimal remorse in his letter after the Fifa crisis meeting (Getty Images)
A global sport was plunged into crisis by one man, Infantino, who either had an idea he forgot to fully communicate with virtually everyone – Fifa's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, its chief of global football development ******* ne Wenger, the various confederations, clubs, national ******* ociations, players, fans... – or tried to stage a coup against the sport as a whole.

#World #statement #meeting

A groveling Gianni Infantino has issued an apology for attempting to sell the FIFA World Cup, confirming that the controversial proposal has been SCRAPPED. Infantino has faced fierce backlash since FIFA announced last week — following media reports breaking the story — a plan to sell its competitions to private investors, igniting fury across the soccer community at every level.
UEFA members unanimously voted to boycott FIFA tournaments if the proposal moved forward, while FIFA chief ******* ne Wenger publicly opposed it. An emergency meeting was convened in Morocco on Wednesday amid relentless criticism and continuous leaks surrounding the plans, as per The Mirror.
Infantino has now conceded defeat with a formal apology — though he intends to fight on and retain his position as FIFA President, despite widespread demands for his resignation. A letter co-signed by Infantino and FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafstrom states: "We acknowledge that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.
Donald Trump sparks outrage with Harry Kane World Cup comments
Donald Trump addresses Gianni Infantino's World Cup sale plans, amidst Kushner links

#World #gianni

The transfer market is reaching boiling point while institutional football goes through turbulent times. This August 5 comes loaded with top-level meetings in Madrid and Morocco, tensions in Vallecas, moves involving young South American prospects heading to Serie A, and an emotional tribute that has broken the hearts of both Barça and Milan fans alike.
FC Barcelona sporting director Deco has urgently traveled to Madrid to hold a summit meeting with Julián Álvarez's camp. The Blaugrana club is looking to draw up the final strategy and try to sign the Argentine striker before the market closes, with the player's own approval to push for his departure.
Franco Mastantuono's move to Fiorentina is on the verge of being unblocked. Real Madrid views a loan or a transfer with an option to buy for the Argentine gem to a top-level Serie A club very positively, in order to guarantee his development in a highly competitive league.
Milan turned out in force for the final and emotional farewell to legend Franco Baresi. Thousands of fans packed the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio for a funeral where historic figures such as Maldini, Van Basten, and Baggio said goodbye through tears and applause to the eternal Rossonero captain.
Gianni Infantino has called an emergency meeting in Rabat alongside top FIFA executives and figures such as Arsène Wenger. Pressure is mounting on the organization's president following disagreements with member ****** ociations over commercial plans and the global calendar.

#madrid #franco #market

Gianni Infantino has called an emergency meeting of FIFA staff in Rabat on Wednesday following comments by ***** ne Wenger that ramped up the pressure on the president, the Press ***** ociation understands.
Former ***** nal manager Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development, issued a statement saying he was "not involved" in the plan to seek private investment in a company to run the World Cup but that the decision to withdraw it was "absolutely necessary and beyond question".
PA understands the meeting in Morocco was called after the weekend and is also to include secretary general Mattias Grafstrom and the FIFA management board, which includes the organisation's chief of staff Daniel O'Toole, chief legal officer Emilio Garcia Silvero, chief of member ***** ociations Elkhan Mammadov, HR chief Kimberly Morris, media director Bryan Swanson and communications director David Farrelly.
Grafstrom, the second most senior figure in the organisation after Infantino, is also understood to have contacted FIFA staff addressing the "sad and reproachable series of events" of the last week "which thankfully concluded with the project being permanently abandoned".
The plan to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company to run the commercial and operational aspects of FIFA's tournaments, first emerged in reports by The Times and the Financial Times last Tuesday, before FIFA issued confirmation of some of the details. The most controversial aspect was the idea to sell 20% of FFE to private investors.

#wenger #grafstrom #understands

Arsene Wenger has sought to separate himself from Gianni Infantino as the World Cup investment controversy threatens to bring down the embattled FIFA President.
UEFA is actively working to engineer Infantino's removal from his role at the helm of world soccer's governing body. Infantino finds himself at the center of significant opposition following his announcement of contentious plans to sell ownership shares in competitions like the World Cup to external investors.
He was compelled to reverse course after UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation joined forces to oppose the confidential proposal. There is now a coordinated push to oust Infantino, who had been prepared to pursue a fourth presidential term, as per The Mirror.
Donald Trump sparks outrage with Harry Kane World Cup comments
Donald Trump addresses Gianni Infantino's World Cup sale plans, amidst Kushner links

#infantino #gianni #Trump #plans

Arsene Wenger says FIFA made the right decision by abandoning its controversial proposal to allow private investment in the governing body's flagship competitions.
The former ******* nal manager, now FIFA's chief of global football development, said scrapping the plan was "absolutely necessary and beyond question" following widespread opposition from across the football world.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had proposed creating a commercial subsidiary to manage major tournaments, including the men's and women's World Cups, with external investors able to buy stakes. The plan reportedly included an offer of $40 million (£30m) to each of FIFA's 211 member ******* ociations in exchange for their backing.
However, the proposal was withdrawn after fierce criticism, including the threat of a boycott of FIFA competitions by UEFA's 55 member ******* ociations.
In a statement released through FIFA, Wenger distanced himself from the proposal and stressed he had no involvement in its development.

#competitions #member

Arsène Wenger has publicly distanced himself from FIFA's abandoned plan to open part of its commercial operations to private investors, revealing that he only discovered the proposal through media reports, according to RMC Sport.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has faced growing opposition since the proposed creation of a new commercial company, which would have allowed private investors to acquire a stake in the governing body's activities.
Although Infantino announced over the weekend that the project had been definitively abandoned, criticism has continued from both UEFA and senior figures within FIFA.
"The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and indisputable, because I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our sport with commitment, transparency and integrity," Wenger said in a statement relayed by RMC Sport.
"I was not involved in this project, which I learned about through the press."

#fifa #project #infantino #private

Pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino intensified on Tuesday, with opposition emerging from within world football's governing body as well as from external critics over his since-abandoned proposal to open the World Cup to private investment.
Former **** nal manager **** ne Wenger, appointed in 2019 by Infantino as FIFA's chief of global football development, said in a statement on Tuesday that "the decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question".
His remarks followed hot on the heels of an extraordinary internal email to FIFA staff, seen by AFP, in which secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom appeared to distance himself from Infantino on the issue.
Previously seen as close to Infantino, Grafstrom describes the fiasco surrounding the plan as "a sad and reproachable series of events".
He adds: "Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go. The institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue."

#fifa #Football #pressure

Fifa's chief of global football development ****** ne Wenger says scrapping the plan to have private investment in Fifa competitions was "absolutely necessary and beyond question".
Fifa president Gianni Infantino planned to create a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, including its World Cups, with external investors able to buy stakes.
Infantino had offered Fifa's 211 member ****** ociations $40m (£30m) each if they backed the proposal.
But after days of criticism - including Uefa's 55 nations threatening to boycott all Fifa tournaments - Infantino was forced to withdraw the plan.
Wenger has been in a role which encompasses data ****** ysis of the game, Fifa's online training and youth competitions since 2019.

#infantino #gianni #cups

Gianni Infantino has come under more pressure from within Fifa after the governing body's secretary general Mattias Grafstrom described the abandoned World Cup sell-off plans as a "sad and reproachable series of events" in an internal email to staff.
Swedish official Grafstrom, who is one of Fifa's top bosses, did not mention the embattled Fifa president by name but said in his email that while the turmoil surrounding Fifa is "difficult to comprehend and accept.... individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go". Grafstrom's email to Fifa staff was first reported by Sky News.
Mattias Grafstrom has warned that 'individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go' (David Davies/PA Wire)
It comes after ***** ne Wenger, Fifa's chief of global football development, said Infantino's decision to abandon his sell-off plan was "absolutely necessary and beyond question".
The former ***** nal manager claimed to have no knowledge of the plans before reports of Fifa selling off stakes in its tournaments to private investors emerged in the media. He said that Fifa has to serve the game with "commitment, transparency, and integrity".

#fifa #mattias #sell #individuals

Former ***** nal manager ***** ne Wenger said the decision to scrap FIFA president Gianni Infantino's controversial plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup was "absolutely necessary and beyond question".
Wenger works as FIFA's chief of global football development -- he was appointed in 2019 -- and the Frenchman became the latest high-profile figure to criticise Infantino's scheme on Tuesday.
Infantino wanted to sell a 20 per cent stake in the World Cup to private equity investors through his FIFA Forward Enterprise.
The plan sparked a barrage of criticism for Infantino and has been rejected by three continental confederations, forcing the Italian to ditch his divisive idea.
UEFA, European football's governing body, threatened to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions if Infantino pressed ahead with his plan.

#fifa #infantino #plan #gianni

Arsene Wenger, Fifa's chief of global football development, has publicly endorsed Gianni Infantino's decision to abandon a controversial plan to sell stakes in a World Cup company to private investors, describing the move as "absolutely necessary and beyond question."
The former ****** nal manager's statement on Tuesday follows a week of intense scrutiny over Infantino's proposal to establish Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) and offload a 20 per cent share to private equity firms.
The initiative faced significant opposition, with three continental confederations rejecting it outright, and Uefa going as far as threatening to boycott the World Cup and other Fifa competitions if the plan proceeded.
Wenger, who clarified he had no intention of following senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro in resigning, distanced himself from the FFE scheme. He ****** erted his belief in Fifa's role in serving the game with "commitment, transparency, and integrity."
Wenger has backed the decision to scrap the World Cup sell-off plan (Reuters)

#wenger #plan #private

Akbar Majeed takes a deep breath as he considers the legacy of the 2026 World Cup and, in particular, the effect of the US team's collapse against Belgium for a last-16 exit.
"Unfortunately, that performance in the last game did not help at all," he says.
"You have to be careful what you ask for, right?" he says. "You want people to watch the sport. You got the most people in America to watch that game and that is the product we put out there? It reinforced a lot of the thoughts about soccer."
Related: Arsène Wenger: US soccer development will depend on 'consistency' and 'education'
Majeed has a lot of thoughts about soccer. As the director of Can We Kick It?, a feature documentary released this summer, he has also heard the thoughts about soccer from a cast of players, coaches, administrators, parents and fans. The project explores how the sport has engaged – and often not engaged – with Black communities in the United States.

#majeed #people #engaged

The 2026 Indiana high school football season begins on Aug. 21. Six schools (Brownsburg, New Palestine, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Cascade, Andrean and South Putnam) are looking for a second consecutive state championship on Thanksgiving weekend.
IndyStar has no shortage of preseason coverage. Kyle Neddenriep reveals the best players statewide and in Central Indiana, and teams that shouldn't be dismissed. Also, if you're looking for a game to attend in Week 1, Neddenriep offers a lot of possibilities.
A lot of Big Ten recruits, coveted quarterback prospects and tremendous skill position players on the list of players of watch for the No. 1 jersey. A few of them meet in Week 1 matchup. Check out the favorites.
We counted down the top 25 high school football recruits of the first quarter century of the 2000s from Indiana. There were the four- and five-star prospects that came out of high school with a lot of promise, pressure and expectations.
Here's the countdown: Nos. 6-10 | Nos. 11-15 | Nos. 16-20 | Nos. 21-25

#neddenriep #recruits

Christos Tzolis became the most expensive transfer in Greek football history, when he signed for ***** nal this week.
To welcome the 24-year-old to the Premier League champions, let's take a look at the other Greek Gunners…
It's fair to say Giannis Tavlaridis doesn't have the legacy in England that he does in France.
Lille supporters affectionately nicknamed the defender 'Taureau' ('The Bull'), but ***** nal fans only caught brief glimpses of him, mostly in the League Cup.
Arsene Wenger became more willing to hand opportunities to young players after the move to the Emirates, so perhaps Tavlaridis was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

#league #became #christos #gunners

Matthew and Elijah Upson made history this week by becoming the first father and son to sign professional contracts with **** nal.
Matthew Upson made 57 appearances for the Gunners, playing his part in the club's memorable domestic Double-winning campaign in 2001/02.
What are the odds of your child not only making it to the professional game in the same position, but also signing his first professional contract with the very club his father represented?
Upson senior must have felt incredibly proud walking back into London Colney.
Interestingly, the 47-year-old was also 18 when **** ne Wenger brought him to **** nal.

#matthew #made #father #elijah