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• Top Premier League coach says no to replacing Thomas Frank at Tottenham

  Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has reportedly rejected initial interest from Tottenham Hotspur to replace the recently sacked Thomas Frank. ​Andoni Iraola has dealt Tottenham a major blow by opting to stay at Bournemouth despite interest from North London. Spurs dismissed Thomas Frank on Tuesday following a dismal run that left the club 16th in the Premier League. While Iraola was a primary target, he reportedly views the current situation at Tottenham as a “systematic unravelling” and prefers to remain with the Cherries. ​With Iraola out, Spurs may turn to Fulham’s Marco Silva or appoint an interim coach to stabilize the squad during their five-day break. The club is reeling after Frank’s eight-month tenure ended in domestic freefall. Regarding the search, a source noted: “He is ambitious and recognises that Tottenham is a ‘big club’ compared to Bournemouth. But the systematic unravelling of the season proved Iraola was right.”

• Raphinha sidelined with thigh strain following Elche win

  Barcelona winger Raphinha will miss the match against Albacete and face a week on the sidelines after scans confirmed an adductor strain in his right thigh.

  Barcelona have confirmed that first-team star Raphael Dias, known as Raphinha, has suffered a strain in the adductor muscle of his right thigh.

  The injury follows his early withdrawal during the club’s recent victory over Elche.

  Despite the player’s initial optimism, medical assessments revealed the muscular issue, which will temporarily halt the Brazilian’s impressive run of form under manager Hansi Flick this season.

  The winger is set to miss the upcoming fixture against Albacete as a precaution, with a recovery period estimated at one week.

  Raphinha has been a vital component of the Barça lineup, contributing 13 goals in 22 appearances while spearheading the team’s high-intensity pressing game.

  Flick will now have to adjust his tactical setup without the forward’s trademark energy for the next match.

• How Ruben Amorim’s Man United era ended in turmoil and toxicity

  Ruben Amorim was sacked by Manchester United following a total breakdown in relations with club leadership over his refusal to abandon his back-three system and public challenges to the club’s executive authority.  

  Manchester United have sacked Ruben Amorim after a turbulent 14-month tenure, appointing Darren Fletcher as interim manager.

  The dismissal followed a “massive fall-out” on Friday between Amorim and director of football Jason Wilcox over tactical flexibility and recruitment.

  Tensions peaked when Amorim reportedly threatened to call his agent after Wilcox suggested the squad had lost trust in his rigid 3-4-2-1 system. Amorim leaves with a 38.1 percent win ratio, the worst in United’s Premier League history.  

  Internal friction extended beyond the pitch, involving disagreements with recruitment director Christopher Vivell and a training ground confrontation with Lisandro Martinez.

  While the club invested over £260 million in talent like Benjamin Sesko, Amorim felt his authority was eroded when his personal targets, such as Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez, were overlooked for younger profiles.

  Amorim eventually lashed out in his final press conference, insisting, “I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming.”  

  The club’s leadership, including Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Omar Berrada, ultimately decided Amorim was no longer a fit for their collaborative “ecosystem.”

   

  The hierarchy was particularly concerned by Amorim’s public criticism of players and his “bomb squad” treatment of stars like Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho.

  Berrada and Wilcox informed the squad on Monday that Amorim had changed, stating, “We don’t understand where the last 48 hours have come from,” following his defiant media outbursts.  

  United are now weighing their next move, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick under consideration for caretaker roles until the summer.

  The club faces a £10 million compensation bill for Amorim and his staff, a figure that sits awkwardly against recent staff redundancies.

  As the search for a permanent successor begins, the club aims for a manager who can balance tactical identity with the corporate structure, avoiding the “toxicity” that defined Amorim’s final days.

• The Briefing: Pressure mount on Amorim, Dyche, Santo, while Arsenal couldn’t be happier

  Ruben Amorim has hinted at a power struggle with Manchester United’s leadership while Arsenal extended their Premier League lead following Manchester City’s dramatic late draw with Chelsea.  

  Ruben Amorim has signaled growing tension with the Manchester United hierarchy following a 1-1 draw at Leeds United.

  Despite being appointed as a “head coach” under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s new sporting structure, Amorim pointedly asserted his desire “to be the manager of Manchester United” three times during post-match comments.

  The shift suggests a burgeoning power struggle over the club’s tactical direction, specifically regarding Amorim’s insistence on his signature 3-4-3 formation amidst a squad built for a back four.

  The dysfunction at Old Trafford contrasts with the clinical efficiency of Arsenal, who saw their Premier League lead extend to six points this weekend.

  Manchester City’s title defense stuttered after a 94th-minute Enzo Fernández equalizer earned managerless Chelsea a 1-1 draw at the Etihad.

  City appeared fatigued following a midweek stalemate against Sunderland, allowing Arsenal to capitalize on their rivals’ inconsistency as they prepare for a high-profile home clash against Liverpool this Thursday.

  Chelsea’s resilient performance under U21 coach Calum McFarlane provided a morale boost ahead of the expected appointment of Liam Rosenior.

  The incoming boss will be encouraged by the displays of Reece James and Josh Acheampong, who helped exploit City’s uncharacteristic sloppiness.

  Meanwhile, City boss Pep Guardiola must find solutions to his side’s sudden dip in form, having dropped four points in a week during the most congested period of the English football calendar.

  At the bottom of the table, West Ham United manager Nuno Espírito Santo faces a precarious future.

  After suffering a 3-0 defeat to his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nuno is at risk of becoming a statistical anomaly by struggling at two different clubs in a single season.

  Although the club insists his position is not under immediate threat, a looming “relegation six-pointer” against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday has placed the Portuguese coach under immense scrutiny.

  Nottingham Forest arrives at the London Stadium under the guidance of Sean Dyche, who is facing his own crisis after four consecutive defeats.

  The match represents a collision of two embattled managers at clubs currently mired in institutional turmoil.

  With Forest sitting just four points ahead of third-bottom West Ham, the result could dictate whether either board decides to implement further managerial changes before the January transfer window closes.

• La Liga adjust salary limit rules to incentivise further transfer activity

  La Liga is implementing several financial regulation changes, including increased investment allowances and flexible profit reporting, to stimulate transfer spending while maintaining club solvency. 

  La Liga has announced a series of strategic adjustments to its stringent salary limit rules to incentivize market activity.

  President Javier Tebas defended the regulations, noting they are achieving the goal of “preventing clubs from going out of business.”

  While the rules remain a point of contention for club chiefs, the league is gradually loosening restrictions to allow for greater financial flexibility following the pandemic’s economic impact.  

  Key changes for the 2026-27 season include allowing owners to invest an additional €2m in academy and women’s teams without affecting salary caps.

  Furthermore, the limit on owner investments relative to turnover has increased from €4m to €6m.

  The league also introduced stricter oversight on “economic levers,” stating that if clubs are not paid 75% of asset sale fees immediately, “La Liga will have the right to request an independence solvency report on the buyer.”

  Additional reforms impact player renewals and transfer profits. Homegrown players under 24 can now renew even if a club exceeds its limit, provided they have three years of service.

  Crucially, clubs can now carry over profits from winter player sales into the following summer’s budget.

  These shifts aim to balance financial sustainability with the need for Spanish clubs to remain competitive in the global transfer market.