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U.S. President Trump suggested to reporters this week that he could move matches for next summer’s 2026 men’s World Cup away from U.S. host cities that are “even a little bit dangerous.” It is unclear how feasible it would be to change sites for World Cup games at this point in the process, as the event begins next June. 

• Trump speculates on venues

  Trump suggested that he has the power to move World Cup fixtures out of cities with safety concerns. He highlighted San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles as cities that could fall into that category.

  "If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the Olympics, but for the World Cup in particular, because they're playing in so many cities, we won't allow it to go. We'll move it around a little bit," he said.

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• Logistics of moves unclear

  For the 2026 World Cup, 11 cities in the U.S. are set to host matches. Five other cities in Canada and Mexico will also host games. All have been preparing for for the World Cup, and the responsibilities that come with hosting, for years.

  Along with Seattle and San Francisco, the other host cities are Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, New York/New Jersey and Philadelphia. Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey will host matches in Mexico. Vancouver and Toronto will host matches in Canada.

  It isn't clear if Trump could exercise presidential powers to move games from city to city. 

  The administration recently allocated $625 million in federal funds to World Cup security. That money will be split proportionally – not equally – among the 11 U.S. host cities.

• Tensions around the tournament

  Trump speculated in March that the rising political tensions between the U.S., Canada and Mexico could lead to better competition on the pitch. He also claimed that the opportunity to play at the World Cup could be an "incentive" for Russia to end the war in Ukraine. 

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  World Cup clock ticking

  Preparations for the World Cup are already well underway. The tournament mascots were revealed earlier this week, while numerous NFL stadiums have undergone significant modifications as they look to prepare themselves for the highest level of international soccer.

  The draw is set to take place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 5. 

Jamie Carragher claims Erling Haaland has become the “greatest goal-scorer to ever play in English football”, with the Manchester City striker being ranked above the likes of Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Ian Rush. The Norway international has been in blistering form this season, taking his goal tally for club and country to 18 when netting another match-winning effort against Brentford.

• Haaland's record: Goal numbers for Man City & Norway

  Haaland has found the net on nine occasions through seven Premier League appearances in 2025-26, moving him clear of the chasing pack in the race for a third Golden Boot. The 25-year-old’s overall output for City stands at 136 strikes in 155 games, while his record-setting tally for Norway has moved on to 48 from 45 caps. His numbers are similar to those once posted by all-time greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

  Haaland appears to be on course to rewrite the history books, with a 10-year contract being committed to at the Etihad Stadium that is set to take him through to the summer of 2034. If that deal is to be seen out, then a place in English football folklore will be safely secured. Carragher believes the powerful frontman will go down as the best to grace the English game.

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  Carragher claims Haaland is English football GOAT

  Former Liverpool and England defender Carragher told when assessing Haaland, who displayed more brute strength and unerring finishing ability when seeing City to a 1-0 victory over Brentford: “I think we're watching the greatest goal-scorer to ever play in English football. I honestly can't remember Jimmy Greaves, Dixie Dean and all those players from years ago. But I think of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Ian Rush for my club Liverpool. There's a difference for me between a great centre-forward or striker and a goal-scorer. I think what we're witnessing now is something we've never seen before in our game and don't forget, this is a club where the goal-scorer beforehand was Sergio Aguero, one of the greatest we'll ever see. This is on a completely different level to Aguero. He's the best.”

• Family life helps to make Haaland even better

  Haaland is showing no sign of slowing down, despite all that he has already achieved, with the birth of his son in December 2024 giving the formidable Norwegian even more to play for. He told when asked if he is in the best form of his career: “You can say so, I’ve never felt better than I do now. I think it’s about preparation first of all, getting ready for the games and I spoke so many times about it before, you can be physically ready but you need to be mentally ready as well.

  “To be honest with a kid I think it makes me even better because I actually disconnect more than ever, I don’t think about football at all. Sometimes when you’re younger you think of this and that and maybe worry a little bit about things. But now when I go home I relax even more so I think I need to give a shout out to my son.”

  City boss Pep Guardiola, who has distanced Haaland from any transfer talk, said when giving the Blues’ fearsome No.9 his own big billing: “I said one month ago he is the best and that year we won the treble, I don’t know how many goals he scored – maybe 50 million goals. But now he signed a contract for many years – we have to find him more, but he is more involved in the game, not just in the finishing, he is more on the ball and he work a lot his ethic, pressing and I am really pleased and I hope this week with Norway he can score more and come back fit for the Everton game.”

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  World Cup target: On course for first international tournament

  Haaland will form part of the Norway squad that is set to face Israel in a World Cup qualifier next weekend. They sit top of their qualification group at present, with Haaland looking to grace the first major international tournament of his career when FIFA’s flagship event heads to the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

A senior Liverpool official has been holding secret hotel meetings in recent days in order to get a significant piece of transfer business over the line.

Slot coy about Liverpool signings ahead of Arsenal

The Reds have been boosted in their efforts to sign Newcastle United star Alexander Isak in the last 24 hours, due to the Magpies closing in on the signing of Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart, and also still eyeing a move for Brentford attacking Yoane Wissa.

Speaking in his pre-Arsenal press conference on Friday, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot rather cheekily said it is “very nice” for Eddie Howe that Woltemade is off to St James’ Park, but remained coy about how it could impact his side’s business leading up to deadline day.

Hugo Ekitike may have made an excellent start to life at Liverpool, scoring three goals in as many games this season, but signing another forward is still a must given the tragic loss of Diogo Jota and sales of both Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.

Real Madrid winger Rodrygo has emerged as a serious option in recent days, with reports FSG will bid for the Brazil international if they cannot complete a deal for Isak.

However, it appears the Reds’ owners have been making moves in the shadows to get their top target.

Liverpool hold secret meetings with Newcastle

According to Caught Offside, officials from Liverpool and Newcastle have held “secret meetings” over the signing of Isak this summer. The report adds that the pair have “been talking over breakfast, lunch, and dinner, just the two of them, away from the prying eyes of the media”, with FSG making good use of their positive relationship with Newcastle’s owners, the Saudi PIF.

A new bid which is closer to the £130m mark has now been submitted according to this report, after an offer of around £110m was rejected earlier in the window.

This feels like one of the most positive updates yet regarding Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak, with the Reds now feeling more likely to sign him than not this summer.

The Telegraph‘s Mike McGrath also reports that a British transfer record £130m bid is expected to be tabled by the Premier League champions “over the weekend”, so whether Caught Offside have jumped the gun or not will become apparent in the coming hours and days.

It would now arguably be a surprise if Isak wasn’t a Liverpool player next week, and if they can sign him and Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, it would complete an incredible summer of transfer business.

Liverpool submit bid to sign £40m Premier League hero who is "exceptional"

This is a big step in the right direction.

By
Henry Jackson

Aug 29, 2025

Saudi sports promoter Turki Al-Sheikh, who has helped to bring major boxing events to the Middle East, has sensationally claimed that Manchester United are up for sale once more and are “finalising a deal” that will see the club passed on to new owners. The Red Devils were involved in a protracted takeover saga throughout 2023 that ended when Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group acquired a 25 per cent stake in the club and took control of football operations at Old Trafford.

• Ratcliffe & INEOS acquired stake after protracted takeover saga

  Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani formed part of that process prior to walking away from discussions once it became apparent that an agreement would be impossible to reach with the Glazer family. Ratcliffe went on to claim: “Still nobody’s ever seen him (Sheikh Jassim), actually. The Glazers never met him… he never… I’m not sure he exists!” 

  Joe Ravitch – who formed part of discussions as co-founder and partner at Raine Group, the company that mediated talks – told : “We met Jassim. He was in New York. He’s a lovely guy; a very smart guy. The Qataris were very real. They were very smart guys, very thoughtful. I don’t know why they didn’t appreciate the value [of the club] but we were not their adviser. We tried as the seller to explain the value to them, and they put what they thought was a series of very serious bids on the table.”

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  Takeover claim amid Man Utd's bid to arrange friendlies

  A major player may be back at the negotiating table, with Al-Sheikh saying in a cryptic post on social media: “The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor – I hope he’s better than the previous owners.” Said comments are being considered a dig at Ratcliffe and the Glazers, with it unclear whether there is any substance to the claims, with no sale noises coming out of Old Trafford.

  When it comes to Middle Eastern money, United’s focus at present is locked on lining up potentially money-spinning friendly fixtures. They have gaps in their calendar to fill, and a £100 million ($134m) shortfall to make up, after missing out on qualification for European competition. They also tumbled out of the 2025-26 Carabao Cup at the hands of League Two side Grimsby.

  They have midweek windows that could be filled by arranging games outside of England. The Red Devils earned £8m ($11m) in May from a post-season trip to Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. It is being suggested by the that they could pull in £10m ($13m) from a visit to Saudi Arabia.

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  Riyadh Cup or Saudi All-Stars: Options for Man Utd

  The General Entertainment Authority, who are responsible for bringing some of the world’s highest-profile sports events to Saudi Arabia and have Al-Sheikh at the helm, have released a schedule that includes space for a prominent football event.

  It has been suggested that United could be absorbed into the Riyadh Season Cup, allowing them to line up against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal – with Inter Miami having formed part of that event in February 2025. The Red Devils would earn £5m ($7m) per game from the three-team tournament – with even more funds on offer if they were to emerge victorious.

  Another option said to be up for consideration is to arrange a glamour friendly against a Saudi All-Star team. Paris Saint-Germain – who still had Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe on their books at the time – were involved in a similar fixture back in January 2023. An exhibition match would land United around £5m.

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• Amorim admission & questions of Man Utd sale claim

  Under-fire Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim has admitted that United are exploring warm-weather training and friendly options. There has, however, been no word out of Manchester regarding potential sale talks – despite serious questions being asked of the Glazers and INEOS – with Al-Sheikh seemingly stirring the pot as he generates more buzz around major sporting attractions heading to the Middle East.

Glasgow Rangers ended the summer transfer window with a flourish on Monday night, as they confirmed their final two signings to bolster the squad.

Derek Cornelius signed on loan from Marseille with an option for the club to make it permanent next summer, and he will compete with John Souttar for the left-sided centre-back role.

The Canada international will be hoping to slot into the defence to improve the team’s fortunes at the back, as Rangers have already conceded 17 goals this season in all competitions.

Rangers also swooped to sign Youssef Chermiti from Everton in a permanent deal that could rise to a staggering fee of £10m, and is worth an initial £8m.

This makes the Portugal U21 international the most expensive signing made by the Scottish Premiership giants since they signed Tore Andre Flo from Chelsea in 2000 for a fee of £12m.

The investment in the squad will place even more pressure on head coach Russell Martin and his position at Ibrox, after a dismal start to his time in charge in Glasgow.

The case for Russell Martin's sacking

It is fair to say that the former Southampton boss was not the most popular appointment when he was unveiled as the new manager at the start of the summer.

Martin had a less-than-impressive loan spell at Ibrox as a player back in 2018, which may not have helped some fans to warm to him, and he endured a horrendous time in the Premier League as a manager last season.

The former Scotland international lost 13 of his 16 Premier League matches in charge of Southampton, winning once, before being sacked by the English club, per Transfermarkt.

Martin had won promotion to the top-flight with Southampton in the 2023/24 campaign, though, and Rangers may have hoped that he would be able to bring some of that experience to Ibrox to fire the team back to glory this season.

As you can see in the table above, however, the Gers have not performed particularly well in their opening four games in the Scottish Premiership, despite underperforming their xPTS by two, with four draws.

This shows that the Gers have not played brilliantly, creating loads and not conceding many big chances, and that they cannot complain too much with their disappointing start to the campaign.

As you can see in the post above, some supporters were also left incensed by the 6-0 defeat to Club Brugge last week, leading to some fans making it very clear that they want the club to sack Martin.

A hammering in the Champions League, leading to the club dropping down to the Europa League, and the underwhelming performances and results in the Premiership do not paint a pretty picture for the Gers head coach.

It does not feel like supporters have bought into his style of play or the performances that his team have produced so far, and, given the nature of the results, the board may not be unjustified if they decide to wield the axe and part ways with him.

There is no suggestion that the club are going to do that. However, the start to the season is a huge concern and the Ibrox crowd felt as flat, as an onlooker, as it has been in an Old Firm clash for some time on Sunday.

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This is why Rangers must ruthlessly sack Martin to pursue a move for long-term club target Kjetil Knutsen, who was first linked with a move to Ibrox back in 2021.

Why Rangers should appoint Knutsen

Since that initial interest in the Norwegian head coach in 2021, Rangers were linked with him to replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst in 2022, to replace Michael Beale in 2023, to replace Philippe Clement in 2024, and to replace Barry Ferguson earlier this year.

This shows that the 56-year-old manager has never been too far away from the club’s thinking in recent years, which is why they must finally formalise their interest with a move to bring him in to replace Martin, should they decide to part ways with the Scottish boss.

Knutsen, whose former captain Ulrik Saltnes described his playing style as “kamikaze”, has enjoyed an incredibly successful spell with Bodo/Glimt, recently beating Sturm Graz to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history, whilst Celtic and Rangers both dropped down to the Europa League.

He also led his team to the semi-finals of the Europa League in the 2024/25 campaign, which made Bodo/Glimt the first Norwegian side to reach the last four of any European competition.

As you can see in the table above, Knutsen has proven himself to be a perennial title-winner during his time with Bodo/Glimt, winning four of the last five league titles, whilst being on his way to a fifth in six seasons.

This shows that the former Rangers target has proven that he can manage a team to be incredibly successful and dominant in domestic matches when his team is expected to be on the front foot.

Meanwhile, his incredible achievements in Europe, relative to the club he is managing, show that he can also manage in underdog situations, which is why he could be perfect for Rangers and what they need.

Bringing in an experienced title-winning head coach who also has a proven track record in European competitions could be exactly what Rangers need to get Ibrox rocking and backing the manager once again, after what has been a failed experiment with Martin thus far.

Martin cost Rangers the win by playing star who was worse than Aasgaard

Russell Martin may look back on this tactical decision with regret after his underwhelming display.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 31, 2025

It wasn’t the start to their Champions League campaign Chelsea would’ve been looking for last night.

The Blues travelled to the scene of their greatest European achievement, but instead of getting another one over Bayern Munich, they were comfortably beaten.

Now, there were several starters who put in a good showing, like Cole Palmer and Robert Sanchez, but there were more who let themselves down.

One of those was Enzo Fernández, and since he’s not really been at it this season, Enzo Maresca should look to drop him for the Premier League clash against Manchester United in two days.

Fernandez's slow start to the season

Now, there is no doubting Fernandez’s quality; he’s a World Cup winner after all and played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s success last year.

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However, as was the case at the beginning of last season, the former Benfica gem has not started the campaign in particularly impressive form.

For example, while he managed to bag a goal and assist in the win over Fulham, he’s only created one big chance in five appearances.

Moreover, in the Premier League, he has averaged just 1.5 key passes per game, been accurate in 20% of his crosses, completed 41% of his long balls, and been accurate in just 76% of his passes when in the opposition’s half.

Last night was probably the Argentine’s most underwhelming display yet, as even though he was moved further up the pitch, he offered practically nothing in attack while also lacking off the ball.

In fact, he amassed an expected assists figure of just 0.01, failed in 100% of his crosses and long balls, failed to have a single shot on target and missed a huge chance created by Palmer.

It was a performance that saw the Standard’s Simon Collings award him a 5/10 match rating at full-time, which was probably rather generous.

In all, it feels like Maresca should do what he did last season and take Fernandez out of the team for a little while, especially when he already has a player who could be the ideal replacement.

The player Maresca should start in place of Fernandez

While there are a few options Maresca could pick from, the player we think he should start against United is Andrey Santos.

Now, there is certainly an argument to be made that handing the 21-year-old his first Premier League start at Old Trafford, a ground Chelsea haven’t won at for over a decade, is a little foolish.

However, the young Brazilian does not seem like the sort of player to be overawed by that sort of thing, and his overall play from last season warrants him getting this chance.

He’s more than comfortable playing in a couple of midfield roles and has shown himself to be just as effective at breaking up play as he is at scoring and creating goals.

For example, in 34 appearances for Strasnourg last year, totalling 3024 minutes, the Rio de Janeiro-born ace scored 11 goals and provided five assists.

In other words, he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.12 games, or every 189 minutes.

Moreover, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won, the top 4% for goals per shot and tackles in the middle third, the top 10 for tackles plus interceptions and more, all per 90.

These numbers help to back up the claim made by analyst Ben Mattinson that the youngster is a “duel monster” who is “brilliant at screening the backline.”

Going even further than that, talent scout Jacek Kulig called him a “one-man war machine in midfield” due to his ability to seemingly do it all and constantly dash from one box to another.

Ultimately, there would be an element of risk in starting Santos over Fernadez on Saturday, but the Argentine hasn’t looked anywhere near his best this season, and based on his performances last year, the Brazilian could be just what Chelsea need.

Maresca must drop Chelsea dud who was as bad as Chalobah vs Bayern

Chelsea lost to Bayern Munich in their first Champions League game of the season.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 18, 2025

USMNT midfielder Malik Tillman opened up about how the upcoming 2026 World Cup influenced his $40 million summer transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, stressing the importance of playing at the highest level in Europe to secure his place in Mauricio Pochettino's squad. Tillman transferred to Leverkusen in July after a standout season at PSV.

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  World Cup ambitions shape career decisions

  The 23-year-old midfielder's transfer to Bayer Leverkusen represents one of the most significant moves for an American player in recent years. Tillman, who scored 16 goals for PSV Eindhoven last season, joined the club following Xabi Alonso's departure to Real Madrid. 

  “Obviously if you want to be at the World Cup you have to play as much as you can and be in the best shape possible,” Tillman told Sports Illustrated. “And then obviously it plays a role in coming to [Leverkusen], the surroundings I have here. The system we play, the coach. But then, yeah it’s not my decision if the coach picks me for the World Cup. I just have to give my best to be basically ready for the call up if it comes. I mean obviously that’s the big goal, but I’m here now, it’s about the club now.

  "It’s a long season and as I said, we want to be successful. And want to win titles. And we have to or I have to focus on this first and then the World Cup comes in eight months now, so it’s still a long time to go."

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• Building connections within USMNT setup

  Tillman's journey with the USMNT began with a unique challenges as he transitioned from Germany's youth setup to representing the national team at the senior level, especially now under manager Mauricio Pochettino.

  “New team, new surroundings, everything’s new,” Tillman said. "I'd never been to the U.S. before my first camp, so it was also quite special. But yeah, by now I made some good connections there. I was lucky that I knew some guys from a time before, so this also helped me integrate in the team. And we have a new coach now. I have a good connection to him as well.

  “I think we’re very very close compared to other national teams also outside of the pitch, because a lot of guys play together since they’re pretty young. And every one is the same age, this helps connecting to the other guys."

• Gold Cup breakthrough strengthens team

  The 2025 Gold Cup proved transformative for Tillman. His performances in the competition, in which he scored three goals – including one in a crucial group stage win against Haiti – cemented his position as a key figure in Pochettino's plans.

  “If we are one team, if we have close connection and we fight for each other, then we can really achieve things,” Tillman said. “If you look at the squad that we had, maybe some people didn’t expect us to go this far. But as I said, we were very close. We had a lot of fun together, and then in the serious moments, we were serious enough. Also this was the last competitive matches that we had before the World Cup, so this was also very important for us.”

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  Tillman poised for World Cup impact

  Returning to Germany with Leverkusen represents a significant step in Tillman's career trajectory just months before the World Cup arrives on American soil.

Wayne Rooney has revealed that he loves watching Manchester City star Erling Haaland, but the striker has one key flaw that “frustrates” him.

Rooney reveals he wants "more" from Haaland

Although Man City haven’t started the Premier League campaign in their usual dominant fashion, Haaland has been fantastic on a personal level, reminding everyone why he is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world.

The Norwegian was at his best in the 3-0 victory in the Manchester derby, scoring a brace in what was a comfortable victory for City against their rivals, who simply couldn’t cope with the towering centre-forward, who has continued to set new records this season.

As such, it will come as no surprise to learn that Rooney is a keen admirer of the 25-year-old, with the former Manchester United striker naming him as the striker he loves watching, on a recent podcast with Rio Ferdinand.

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City are looking to beat their major rivals to the signature of a midfielder.

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 25, 2025

However, the 39-year-old was also quick to point out that he feels the Man City star has a key flaw, saying: “I do like watching Haaland, but also frustrates me as well. If you watch his movements in the six-yard box, it’s incredible, but then you just want a little bit more from him.

“I want him to be more commanding.”

Haaland can still make improvements to his game

The Leeds-born striker has been an absolute revelation in the Premier League, retaining an astounding goal record ever since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund back in the summer of 2022.

However, just like any player, the 45-time Norway international can still make improvements to his game, and at just 25-years-old, he still has plenty of time on his side.

City may not be at their best, but the former Borussia Dortmund man has proven he is still a big game player, who is at the top of his game, most recently reaching an insane top speed before opening the scoring in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal.

Man City have proven time and time again that they are capable of hunting Liverpool down, so they certainly shouldn’t be too disheartened by the start they’ve made, but Haaland will be crucial to their chances of winning the Premier League title.

Per a new report from The Sun, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight could involve himself in Birmingham City's plans to build a sparkling new stadium in the middle of the city. The Championship club want to build a 62,000-seater ground, which could cost in excess of £3 billion ($4bn), under the stewardship of NFL legend Tom Brady.

• St Andrews plans

  Birmingham have unveiled plans to build a new, 62,000-seater stadium in the centre of Birmingham. The club announced their expansion project while they were still in League One but they have since won promotion to the Championship and are now targeting a spot in the Premier League. The new stadium is designed to be the centrepiece of a Birmingham Sports Quarter, and rival Aston Villa's Villa Park. Now, Knight has outlined his own plans to get involved.

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  Knight to lend his ideas

  Knight, the mastermind behind Peaky Blinders and SAS: Rogue Heroes, said during a regional investment summit at Edgsbaston Stadium: “I wanted to offer the architects some words of advice about what supporters will like and won’t like.“This stadium is a reflection of the past 150 years and hopefully it will be something that’s still around in 150 years from now.

  “I think we’re going to do something internationally special.”

  Tom Wagner, the club's owner, added: “We don’t have designs on becoming a national stadium. But we would certainly want it to be a place that hosts national level and international level events. 

   “The design will be worthy of that. It will be one of the most talked about stadium designs ever when we reveal it in about a month’s time.”

• 'Super exciting' future

  Birmingham CEO Jeremy Dale said upon the announcement of their plans: "The centrepiece of this £3billion project is a 60,000-seat multi-purpose stadium, the like of which will not have been seen before.

  “The world’s leading architects are competing for the contract to design the stadium, which will include a retractable pitch, to allow non-sporting events like concerts to take place.

  “The vision is that it will become an iconic ‘sporting coliseum’, respectful of local heritage, and provide an all-year location for sport, culture, leisure, entertainment, retail and education.

  “We have been on this for a year, with 75 consultants working on the project already, the master plan and business plan. It is super exciting.”

  Heatherwick Studio has been appointed to design the new stadium, with Thomas Heatherwick, the company's founder, saying: “This is going to be an incredible piece of city built around the passions of the Blues fans and the community. Not another spaceship dropped in a car park which feels dead when there’s not a match, but somewhere that’s alive, connected, grown from the site and from the history of Birmingham itself. We couldn’t be prouder.”  

  David Manica, president and owner of Manica Architecture, added:  “We’re thrilled to partner with Heatherwick Studio to design an extraordinary new home for
  Birmingham City Football Club. This new stadium will not only usher in a new era for Birmingham fans
  but will honour the Club’s passionate supporters and storied history.” 

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  What comes next?

  Birmingham are currently 12th in the Championship and take on Bristol City this weekend. They come into the game on the back of a 1-0 victory over Preston North End, and are just three points off the play-off spots, while also sitting 10 points behind early pace-setters Coventry City.

  At the start of the season, they were given just a "15 per cent" chance of winning promotion by pundit Don Goodman. 

  He said: “What we do know, is that Birmingham are a super ambitious club, the recruitment certainly reflects that ambition. They very much remind me of Ipswich, the project. With every passing signing, I find myself giving them a slightly better chance of a top-six finish, but I couldn't give them more than a 15 to 20% chance of promotion at this stage.

  “The main reason for that would be the style of play that they had last season, which was complete domination of teams in League One. They won't be able to average 66% of the ball – they're simply not going to be having that in the Championship."

West Ham manager Graham Potter could be sacked just nine months after taking over from Julen Lopetegui, and former Hammers boss Slaven Bilic is a top contender to replace the Englishman.

While credible reports suggest that Nuno Espírito Santo is in pole position for the potential West Ham job after talks with both David Sullivan and Karren Brady (ExWHUemployee), Bilic is said to be another firm favourite.

Potter has recorded one of the worst win percentages of any West Ham manager in Premier League history, second only behind Avram Grant, who infamously guided the east Londoners to relegation at the end of 2010/2011.

A 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace last Saturday, with Tyrick Mitchell the unlikely Eagles hero after his sensational winning goal on the volley, has piled even more pressure on Potter, who is now facing two career-defining games against David Moyes’ Everton and title-chasing Arsenal.

Nuno is said to be considering West Ham’s offer, if they do indeed sack Potter, while it is reported elsewhere that Bilic is open to returning to West Ham after a solid spell in charge from 2015 to 2017.

The latter guided West Ham to one of their highest ever Premier League finishes at the end of his debut campaign (7th), which earned the club a place in the Europa League qualifying rounds, only for Bilic’s men to be dumped out by Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu.

Sullivan and co sacked Bilic early on in 2017/2018 with West Ham sitting 18th in the table, but his return could be on the cards if they pivot away from Nuno.

What Slaven Bilic's "first move" at West Ham would be if appointed

Club insider ExWHUemployee has now shared that Bilic is already making some interesting plans, in the event he is appointed to replace Potter.

After speaking to the tactician himself, Ex claims that Bilic’s “first move” at West Ham would be to bring Mark Noble in as an assistant coach, and he’s plotting a few other backroom hires already.

Noble, a West Ham legend and their current sporting director, exemplifies exactly the type of spirit needed to lift the club from their ongoing slump and resurrect some much-needed positivity around the London Stadium.

The move would make sense, but the jury is out on whether Bilic really is the right man to move West Ham forward.