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Who England could play next in the World Cup after winning Group L

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By:Mark Brus

England have beaten Panama 2-0 to seal top spot in Group L after two wins and a draw in their World Cup 2026 campaign so far.

Thomas Tuchel’s side were not at their best but managed to find a breakthrough eventually thanks to second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.

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There will surely be some concerns from an England point of view, with Tuchel making a few changes to the line up, but with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford not making the impact many would have hoped.

Reece James was also missed at right-back and his injury looks a real concern, but at least England are through and can start looking ahead to their next game.

England’s potential opponents in the World Cup last 32

As group winners, England are now preparing to play one of the eight of the best third-placed teams who will qualify for the next round in this expanded edition of the World Cup.

As it stands, England are set to take on Senegal, but it seems likely that will change as DR Congo prepare to take on Uzbekistan later tonight.

Congo will be the favourites to win that game, but a draw or a defeat could still mean England play Senegal next.

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An even less likely scenario could see England play Portugal if Cristiano Ronaldo and co. lose to Colombia and there’s also a seven-goal swing.

All in all, it’s looking like a pretty favourable draw for England, though if they do come up against Senegal then they’ll be facing a team that did beat them 3-1 in a recently friendly.

What else happened in Group L?

Croatia beat Ghana 2-1, meaning Luka Modric’s team ended up in second in the group, though Ghana’s tally of four points seems likely to mean they’ll go through as one of the best of the third-placed sides.

Results later tonight will determine who Croatia and Ghana come up against next, but it will be someone from Group K.

Croatia would play the second-placed team from that group, which is currently Portugal.

Ghana finishing third means they’d take on the group winners from that group, so currently Colombia.

The post Who England could play next in the World Cup after winning Group L appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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“Crime against football!” – Fans slam “pathetic” England as they struggle against Panama

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By:Mark Brus

England have been really poor against Panama so far this evening in their final group game at the World Cup 2026.

The Three Lions are earning a fair amount of criticism on social media at the moment as they edge closer to half time with the score still at 0-0.

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As you can see in our World Cup live blog, the best chance so far has come from a pretty tame effort from Marcus Rashford, with Thomas Tuchel’s side struggling to open up a pretty weak opponent.

This really isn’t good enough from England, who beat Panama 6-1 in their previous meeting, and who should really be able to look a lot more dominant given the gulf between the two teams.

England slammed on social media

See below for just a few of the posts on X as fans and journalists alike react to this poor England performance so far…

Tuchel should be done for crimes against football.

This is pathetic

— • dave ellis • (@fullback03) June 27, 2026

This is outright bad at the moment from England.

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) June 27, 2026

England really are a bore, aren't they? ??

— Anfield Edition | æ (@AnfieldEdition) June 27, 2026

Have no connection with this England side at all. What’s the gameplay or the identity under Tuchel, pass it until we bore the other team to death. ?

Rubbish.

— W?s? H?? S????? (@WestHamSocial) June 27, 2026

Where are all the people who thought Gareth Southgate was the main problem with England’s ‘unentertaining’ style of play?
That 45mins against Croatia 2nd half is the only bit of football I’ve enjoyed under Tuchel so far… ?? #England

— David (@Swanny1882) June 27, 2026

This is certainly worrying for England, who may now find they’re not even going to win this group as Croatia are 1-0 up against Ghana in the other game at the time of writing.

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England were making great progress under Gareth Southgate, but Tuchel was hired to replace him as manager to help take the team to the next level.

So far, it’s not clear if that’s actually happening, with some of the selection decisions and tactics looking pretty uninspiring.

At least England have a lot of options on the bench, so perhaps we’ll soon see some changes to this side as the players who’ve started just aren’t doing the business at the moment.

The post “Crime against football!” – Fans slam “pathetic” England as they struggle against Panama appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Fabrizio Romano’s latest “behind scenes” update could be major transfer boost for Liverpool & Arsenal

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By:Mark Brus

Liverpool and Arsenal will likely be impacted by Fabrizio Romano’s transfer update this evening on Paris Saint-Germain targeting Maghnes Akliouche.

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The context: Romano has just posted on X about PSG looking likely to move for the Monaco attacking midfielder as they’ve been working behind the scenes to win the race for his signature.

This comes amid doubts over Bradley Barcola’s future at PSG, while the Ligue 1 giants have also been linked with RB Leipzig winger and Liverpool target Yan Diomande.

See below for Romano’s post about PSG pursuing Akliouche, whose arrival could surely mean it’s more likely there’s no room for Barcola, freeing him up to leave, while it would likely also mean they couldn’t also fit Diomande in…

? More on Maghnes Akliouche and Paris Saint-Germain exclusive story from today.

Talks on with exit anticipated this summer as PSG lead the race after pushing behind scenes to get ahead of PL club. ????

Deal on.

? All the latests: https://t.co/sClzVpMMRX pic.twitter.com/8u4QZa9dei

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 27, 2026

It remains to be seen precisely how Akliouche would fit in at the Parc des Princes, but he can play out wide, and that kind of role perhaps seems most likely for him given Luis Enrique’s tactics and options in central positions.

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Is this good news for Liverpool and Arsenal?

We’ll have to see, but the early signs are pretty promising, as it shows that PSG seem to be prioritising Akliouche over Diomande.

This follows Media Foot reporting in the last few days that LFC seemed to be ahead of PSG in the running for Diomande, so this could be the result of that development.

That obviously doesn’t mean Diomande to Liverpool is now a 100% guaranteed done deal or anything like that, but it makes it that bit easier for the Reds to land the talented young Ivory Coast international without the worry of a super-rich club out-bidding them.

As for Arsenal, we’re aware of Bradley Barcola being a target for them this summer, and the arrival of an attacking player like Akliouche could be preparation to replace Barcola.

The France international is an exciting talent, but had already been in and out of Enrique’s starting line up, so this could be a signal that he’s not in the club’s long-term plans.

The post Fabrizio Romano’s latest “behind scenes” update could be major transfer boost for Liverpool & Arsenal appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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“Manager on the pitch” – Fabrizio Romano explains how important Chelsea signing would be for Xabi Alonso

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By:Mark Brus

Fabrizio Romano has provided further insight into the surprise Granit Xhaka to Chelsea transfer story that has broken today.

The experienced Switzerland international is not the typical kind of signing Chelsea have made in recent years, with the current Blues ownership focusing a lot on recruiting the best young players in the world.

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Still, Xhaka is 33 years of age and so clearly wouldn’t be a particularly long-term signing for Chelsea, though it seems new manager Xabi Alonso was eager to work with him again.

The pair enjoyed a lot of success together at Bayer Leverkusen, and Romano has spoken on his YouTube channel about why Alonso felt it was important to add him to his new team.

Granit Xhaka can be Xabi Alonso’s manager on the pitch for Chelsea

Discussing the Xhaka story, Romano made it clear that the former Arsenal midfielder has communicated that he’s really keen for this move to go through.

Alonso also seems to have been a major driving force, along with Xhaka’s desire to live in London again.

See below as Romano has given some insight into what Chelsea fans can expect from Xhaka under Alonso…

“The relationship (between Xhaka and Alonso) is fantastic – they were together at Bayer Leverkusen, winning together, showing a perfect match,” Romano said.

“Granit Xhaka was the manager on the pitch for Xabi Alonso and so to have Granit Xhaka for Xabi Alonso is absolutely considered as a priority in this summer transfer window.

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“Now it depends on club to club, it depends on what’s going to happen between Chelsea and Sunderland in terms of conversations, but Granit Xhaka already told Chelsea that he wants to go back to London and he wants to make this move happen.”

Granit Xhaka can lift Chelsea out of their rut

Xhaka was a key part of Arsenal’s revival under Mikel Arteta, and he also clearly clicked really well with Alonso at Leverkusen.

In short, this is a special character who can surely have a big impact on a Chelsea team that has found itself out of sorts and lacking leaders for a while now.

CFC fans might have reservations about Xhaka because of his age, and it’s true that he won’t be the most long-term addition to this squad, but he’s also still playing at a very high level and can be important for what he does off the pitch as well as on it.

This will surely be seen by many Chelsea supporters as a very welcome change of direction that means it’s not all about throwing together a bunch of talented young players and hoping something happens.

The post “Manager on the pitch” – Fabrizio Romano explains how important Chelsea signing would be for Xabi Alonso appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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“Advanced talks” held as Man United & Tottenham transfer saga should be resolved soon

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By:Mark Brus

Manchester United and Tottenham reportedly both remain in active talks over the potential transfer of West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes.

Spurs’ talks have reached an advanced stage, but it seems Man Utd have also been at the table for some time now, with no clear indication yet of the player showing a preference to one club over the other.

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That’s according to transfer expert Ben Jacobs, who has posted on X about the latest on the situation, playing down talk that Fernandes has picked between United or Tottenham at this stage.

See below for details in Jacobs’ X post…

Manchester United and Spurs both in talks with Mateus Fernandes and West Ham.

Suggestions the player has decided on a club are premature as of this morning.

Spurs have held advanced talks with the player, while Manchester United discussions ongoing since May.

Both clubs are… pic.twitter.com/8tpvlxPJLB

— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) June 27, 2026

“Manchester United and Spurs both in talks with Mateus Fernandes and West Ham. Suggestions the player has decided on a club are premature as of this morning,” Jacobs said.

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“Spurs have held advanced talks with the player, while Manchester United discussions ongoing since May. Both clubs are in active talks with West Ham. A £90m cash injection, plus multiple suitors, mean West Ham have to date stuck to their asking price.”

He added: “Further clarity expected soon. Not a saga the clubs or player want to drag out beyond July.”

Mateus Fernandes transfer and the alternatives for whoever misses out

Fernandes is one of many top class midfielders on the market this summer, with some movement already taking place.

Elliot Anderson looks set to join Manchester City, as per the Athletic and others, while United also already have a deal in place to sign Ederson from Atalanta, according to BBC Sport.

Fernandes looks like he could be another good addition for MUFC, but Spurs will no doubt hope they can get there first.

Then again, the north Londoners have also been linked strongly with Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali by the Daily Mail and others.

Other names to watch will surely be the likes of Adam Wharton and Alex Scott, while there’s also been a lot of buzz about Lille and Morocco wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi.

The post “Advanced talks” held as Man United & Tottenham transfer saga should be resolved soon appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Arsenal coach leaves as club continue revamp of title-winning staff

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By:Mark Brus

One of Arsenal’s coaches, Sam Wilson, is reportedly leaving the club as there continue to be changes made to Mikel Arteta’s staff.

According to BBC Sport, Wilson seems to be content to try a new challenge, with the expectation being that he’s already in line for a more senior role at another club.

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Wilson was Arsenal’s ‘lead performance coach’, and the BBC note that there have been some links with Juventus due to the presence of another former Gunners coach there.

It seems Wilson may have been largely behind this decision to move on, but it comes as Arsenal make other changes to their staff and medical team.

Sam Wilson
Sam Wilson

Mikel Arteta keeping things fresh at Arsenal

As well as Wilson, we’ve also seen Arsenal sack their head of sports medicine Dr Zafar Iqbal after a number of injury problems in the last two seasons.

The Premier League champions don’t seem content to sit still after their success in 2025/26, with the team finally ending a 22-year wait to win the title again, while they also reached only their second ever Champions League final, losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.

This success also followed other changes at the Emirates Stadium last summer, when former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze joined Arteta’s coaching staff, while Andrea Berta also took over from Edu as sporting director.

In general, it seems like the policy at Arsenal is to keep freshening things up to avoid any resting on laurels so that the club can continue to be competitive and unpredictable.

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The post Arsenal coach leaves as club continue revamp of title-winning staff appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Cole Palmer likes Fabrizio Romano’s post about major Chelsea transfer target

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By:Mark Brus

Chelsea star Cole Palmer seems to be a fan of the idea of his club bringing in Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka as he liked Fabrizio Romano‘s post about it.

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The Blues have been linked with a surprise move for the experienced Switzerland international, who notably played under new manager Xabi Alonso when they were at Bayer Leverkusen together.

See below as Romano has now re-posted Chelsea account Pys on X, who highlighted that Palmer had been seen liking the original story about CFC targeting Xhaka…

? Cole Palmer is a fan ? (@FabrizioRomano) pic.twitter.com/RhKxGSxbyj

— Pys (@CFCPys) June 27, 2026

This story has some slightly out of the blue today, and it represents an exciting change of approach from Chelsea in the transfer market.

Xhaka is 33 years of age and so will clearly not be a long-term signing for the west London giants, but he brings the kind of experience and know-how that this youthful squad is lacking.

Chelsea’s current owners perhaps now seem to be recognising the need to balance their approach of recruiting the best young players in the world with also having some old heads around who can help them in their development.

Granit Xhaka to join the long list of those who’ve played for Arsenal and Chelsea

Xhaka is well known for his time as an Arsenal player, and one imagines he remains popular with most Gunners fans for the way he bounced back to rebuild his career there after some difficult moments.

Still, it now looks like he’s going to join a long list of players who’ve represented both of these major London clubs.

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In just the last few years we’ve seen Arsenal sign Jorginho, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, and Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea, while they’ve also raided the Blues for Petr Cech, David Luiz, and Willian if you go a bit further back.

Meanwhile, big names like Ashley Cole and William Gallas also moved directly between these two clubs, and others such as Emmanuel Petit, Cesc Fabregas, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all played for Arsenal first before later ending up at Chelsea, coincidentally all playing for Barcelona in between.

The post Cole Palmer likes Fabrizio Romano’s post about major Chelsea transfer target appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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“Deal on” – Fabrizio Romano says “surprise” target ready to accept Chelsea transfer

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By:Mark Brus

There’s some slightly bizarre Chelsea transfer news emerging this evening as Fabrizio Romano says Granit Xhaka could be ready to accept a move to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues seem to be genuinely in the mix for the signing of veteran Sunderland midfielder Xhaka, who is well known by the club’s new manager Xabi Alonso.

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Xhaka played superbly under Alonso when they were together at Bayer Leverkusen, and also notably shone during his time at Arsenal.

The Switzerland international is now 33 years of age, so it’s perhaps a bit of a gamble for Chelsea, but he still looked like he was fully capable of doing the business in the Premier League last season.

?? BREAKING: Granit Xhaka can be Chelsea surprise signing in midfield. ??

The midfielder wants to re-join Xabi Alonso and has expressed desire to return to London…

…accepting any contract condition just to join #CFC, reunite with Xabi and go back to London. Deal on. pic.twitter.com/foPfmSyspd

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 27, 2026

“BREAKING: Granit Xhaka can be Chelsea surprise signing in midfield,” Fabrizio Romano posted on X.

“The midfielder wants to re-join Xabi Alonso and has expressed desire to return to London… …accepting any contract condition just to join #CFC, reunite with Xabi and go back to London. Deal on.”

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Granit Xhaka transfer could signal a welcome change of direction by Chelsea

Xhaka is not the kind of signing anyone could really have seen coming, but it looks like a sensible bit of business from Chelsea.

The veteran Swiss ace may only realistically come in for a year or two for CFC, but in that time he could play a key role in helping this squad of young players.

And who knows, perhaps Xhaka can end up doing something similar to Luka Modric and play on until the age of 40.

For the time being, he’ll likely be key for Alonso on the pitch as he helps the new manager get his message across to these players.

There’ll likely be a few Arsenal fans wishing they’d never let Xhaka go, so he can surely help raise standards at Chelsea next season.

The post “Deal on” – Fabrizio Romano says “surprise” target ready to accept Chelsea transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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