West Ham sit 17th as they prepare to face Brighton this weekend. So how have they ended up in this position, and how much is it down to the approach of manager Graham Potter? Host: Adam Leventhal With: Roshane Thomas, Liam Tharme Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Jay Beale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

At just 20 years old and with only 22 Premier League starts, Dean Huijsen is attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid. So what makes him so special, and who might trigger his £50m release clause? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by senior data analyst Mark Carey and lead writer for The Athletic FC newsletter Phil Ha…

After their Champions League exit, Carlo Ancelotti is expected to leave Real Madrid this summer So… when will it happen? And is Xabi Alonso the inevitable replacement? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Guillermo Rai & Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou & John Rogers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me…

On Monday, Leeds United reclaimed their seat at the top table after two years in the Championship So, what lessons can they learn from their Premier League relegation last time out? And how can they stay up for the long haul this time? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Phil Hay, Beren Cross Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou & Nick T…

They left it late, but Chelsea grabbed a crucial win in their bid to secure a top five finish, as Tyrique George and Pedro Neto saw the Blues come from behind to win 2-1 at Fulham. Victory at Craven Cottage keeps them in the mix for a return to European football’s elite competition next season. But with fan discontent growing, how important is Cham…

There are six games to go in the Premier League, so we’re focusing on the race for Champions League football as Aston Villa take on Newcastle United, while Manchester United and Spurs kept their dreams of qualifying for next season’s competition alive with victories in the Europa League. Mark Critchley joins us to talk about a ridiculous night at O…

Arsenal are through to the semi-finals of the Champions League for only the third time in their history - and they had to beat the holders to do it. So how far does that 5-1 win on aggregate propel Mikel Arteta’s project forward? And crucially, can they now go all the way in the Champions League? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Art de Roche, Guillermo R…

Through to the semi-finals of the Champions League, Barcelona are on course for a treble this season. So how has Hansi Flick imprinted his style on this team? And will he stay at Barca in the long term? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Pol Ballus, Thom Harris Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou & Simon Watts Learn more about your ad …

Has the Premier League been a little boring this season? Especially compared to a thrilling round in the Champions League knockout phase. Have Pep Guardiola’s complex systems killed creativity? Or is the entertainment just coming from different places — tighter mid-table races, smarter tactics, and more goals than ever? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: J…

Manchester United & Chelsea are just two of the clubs interested in Ipswich Town’s star striker Liam Delap. So with a summer transfer auction on the cards - where will Delap end up? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Laurie Whitwell & Simon Johnson Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm…

Mohamed Salah has signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool, while Virgil van Dijk looks set to do the same. With owners FSG usually reluctant to hand out lucrative contract extensions to ageing players, why have they made an exception and what does it mean for Liverpool’s summer transfer business? The Athletic's David Ornstein and Liverpool writ…

Since Chelsea’s takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake capital, the Blues have spent - unlike any other club bringing in the likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Joao Felix. Despite their massive outlays, Chelsea announced a £128.4m profit for the year to June 2024. So how have they done it - and have they found another PSR loophole? Ayo Akin…

European champions Real Madrid were rocked by a riveting Arsenal display in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie last night With Madrid facing an uphill task in both the Champions League and La Liga - will they bring in more superstars this summer to bolster their squad? And will Carlo Ancelotti still be the man to make it all …

Luis Enrique’s young and vibrant PSG side are turning heads with their exuberant brand of football. They’ve already wrapped up the Ligue 1 title with six games left to spare - and they face Aston Villa in the Champions League quarter-finals this week. So is Enrique one of the most underrated coaches of the modern era? And are PSG finally ready to w…

After 10 years, 13 major honours and six Premier League titles Kevin De Bruyne is leaving Manchester City. So where does he rank amongst the best to play in the Premier League and how do City go about replacing him? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's football correspondent David Ornstein and Man City writer Sam Lee as they share their react…

Manchester City travel to Old Trafford on Sunday, where Manchester United will be hoping to complete a league double over their city rivals for the first time in five years. With Ruben Amorim's side lacking a cutting edge up front and Pep Guardiola without the injured Erling Haaland, where will both managers look for solutions in attack? Adam Leven…

Despite running Liverpool close, it was a familiar feeling for David Moyes at Anfield, as Diogo Jota scored the only goal as Everton feel to defeat to their neighbours. Defeat to Liverpool makes it 22 visits to Anfield without tasting victory as a manager. But with upshoots of encouragement and the move to their new stadium on the horizon, do Evert…

With the contracts of key players up for renewal in the not too distant future, and a big summer window on the horizon, Arsenal’s new sporting director Andrea Berta has plenty to do. So where do Arsenal’s priorities lie this summer? And could Viktor Gyokeres be the answer to their number 9 dilemma? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: David Ornstein & James …

The days of Juventus winning Serie A season after season feel like they’re long gone. Last week, Thiago Motta was sacked with Juve languishing outside of the top four places. Add to that, they’re out of the Champions League and Coppa Italia as well. So… what has gone wrong at Juventus, and how do they rebuild? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Max Callega…

Tottenham Hospur have made Andoni Iraola their top target if they decide to make a managerial change. Having taken his side to the last eight of the FA Cup - and with a European finish still possible in the Premier League. What more can Iraola do at Bournemouth? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by football data writer Thom Harris who was at Bournemouth's F…

In Los Angeles, California, four nations collided in a football tournament with an inescapable geopolitical backdrop. Canada, Mexico and Panama have all found themselves in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump within his first 100 days in office, and they all met, with the US, in the Nations League finals. Adam Leventhal has been looking into w…

The summer transfer window doesn’t open until mid-June, yet Chelsea are not waiting around, having already agreed deals for Dario Essugo, and Geovany Quenda. So why are Chelsea doing their business so early, and should other clubs be following suit? Host: Adam Leventhal With: Simon Johnson, Tim Spiers Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Jay…

One of football’s worst kept secrets could soon be resolved as Real Madrid look to close a deal to sign Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold. So how did it get to this, the Reds losing a homegrown asset in the prime of his career on a free transfer and where will he fit at the Bernabeu? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic’s football corresponden…

This is the third and final part of our multi-club ownership series. We’ve learned how multi-club operations work and provided some practical examples from the world of football. Today - we answer your questions on the effectiveness and future of MCOs. So, can we say for certain multi-club ownership is here to stay? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Matt …

Yesterday we heard part one of our multi-club ownership eries, as we learned about how MCOs work - and their purpose. Today, we get some real-world examples, hearing from inside the operations whose clubs include sides from the Premier League and Major League Soccer. So what is it like to own and manage multiple clubs in different leagues and somet…