Sports
Sean Dyche ‘Expected’ to Sign Everton Star Dwight McNeil for Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has been tipped to raid his former club Everton for a deal to sign Dwight McNeil, according to transfer insider Keith Wyness.
Dyche was in charge at Goodison Park between January 2023 and January 2025, and McNeil was one of the top players in his side as they avoided relegation twice during his time at the club.
But this season, McNeil has struggled for regular game time under manager David Moyes, with Illiman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish becoming the first-choice pair on the wings, and now the 26-year-old has been tipped to leave Merseyside and reunite with his former boss once again.
Wyness: I Expect Dyche and McNeil Reunion
McNeil, who has been described as ‘wonderful’, joined Everton in July 2022 from Burnley, where he was managed by Dyche at Turf Moor, before they reunited at Everton.
It has been reported that Dyche has identified McNeil as a potential option to take to the City Ground in January as he looks to put his stamp on the squad at Forest, and while speaking to Football Insider, former Toffees CEO Wyness has revealed that he expects a deal to happen sooner or later.
“Well, look, Sean is a very loyal manager to some of these players, like [James] Tarkowski, and we’ve seen him from the Burnley guys that have always done well for him, that understand him, respond to him, and Dwight McNeil played a very key role for him at Everton in terms of fighting for relegation, and he doesn’t get a lot of the credit he deserves for some of the performances he put in for Everton,” he said.
“He was a really key player at that time, and I think he would suit Forest very well. I would expect him to link up with Sean because I don’t think he’s been in favour with Moyes that much. And I think he just seems to click with Sean Dyche. And so I wouldn’t be surprised for him to move.
“But it’s going to be a case of when. I don’t see it necessarily being in January because of the shortage of injuries in Everton, and also the AFCON. So I think it would be the summer. But I would expect that to happen, yes.”
McNeil Not Needed at Nottingham Forest
While Dyche clearly has a style of play and player that he likes best, McNeil simply isn’t needed at the City Ground right now.
Out wide is arguably where the team is strongest. Callum Hudson-Odoi, Omari Hutchinson, James McAtee, Dilane Bakwa, Morgan Gibbs-White and Dan Ndoye are all capable of playing there and are all better and more productive than McNeil, so spending money in that position seems pointless.
Even in central midfield, the current options are much better than McNeil and a deal would feel like a waste of money. If you consider that he can’t get into the Everton team right now, and most Forest fans would say their squad is stronger on paper, then that should say it all.
David Ornstein Issues Update on Newcastle Re-Signing Elliot Anderson
Newcastle United would welcome the return of Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson next year.
Sports
Man Utd Offered David Raum as Carlos Baleba Deal Edges Closer
Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign RB Leipzig left-back David Raum in the summer transfer window, according to GIVEMESPORT correspondent Ben Jacobs.
United are in the market to sign a new left-back during the summer transfer window, and it looks set to be their next priority after they sign a third midfielder.
Fabrizio Romano previously confirmed that bringing in a new left-back will be next on their list after they complete a deal to sign Brighton’s Carlos Baleba.
Luke Shaw is United’s primary option as the left-back heading into the new season, while Patrick Dorgu is also a back-up for Michael Carrick.
One player who is a key target for United is Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, but Jacobs has previously confirmed that he could cost over £75 million.
With Hall looking like an expensive deal to complete, as the Magpies don’t want to lose him, we could see United move on to alternative targets.
One player the Red Devils have been offered is RB Leipzig left-back Raum, according to GIVEMESPORT correspondent Jacobs.
“They [Manchester United] have been offered Raum and Salinas”
Jorge Salinas of Racing Santander is another left-back target that United have been given the chance to sign, but it remains to be seen which direction they will go in.
Raum has entered the final year of his contract with Leipzig, meaning the Bundesliga side could look to cash in to avoid losing him on a free transfer.
Raum a ‘dangerous’ option
Interestingly, Raum is someone known incredibly well by Manchester United’s director of recruitment, Christopher Vivell.
Vivell was previously with RB Leipzig and has waxed lyrical about Raum in the past.
“David has developed brilliantly in the past two years and established himself as a regular for club and country during his first season in the Bundesliga. He’s quick, dynamic, can strike the ball and is extremely dangerous from set pieces and crosses.”
The 28-year-old is a creative wide player who is also capable of playing further forward in left midfield.
He would certainly add experience and creativity to the United side, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise if they went for a younger option due to Luke Shaw’s age.
What route United look to go down remains to be seen, but it does appear a left-back could be next on their list after Baleba.
Sports
25 Most Followed Clubs in World Football Ranked in Study [2026]
Summary
- Some of the biggest football clubs from across the world can command more than 100 million followers across X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
- Only one team from outside of Europe features.
- Five of the 10 clubs with the largest social media followings play in the English Premier League.
Football is nothing without fans. The best-forgotten COVID-19 era, when games were conducted in empty stadiums across the globe in adherence with health guidelines, turned this cliché into an undeniable truth.
In the modern age of globalisation and improved technology, a club’s fanbase is no longer restricted to the surrounding area. Social media is the root of many evils, namely the abhorrent abuse to which players are subjected after each match, but it does offer a rough guide to the size of each team’s wider group of supporters.
The distribution of users across each social network can also be revealing. While more than a quarter of Facebook’s database is over 45, the largest demographic of TikTok users are aged between 18 and 24. Here are the football clubs with the largest combined social media presence and how many followers they boast on each platform.
|
Football Clubs With the Most Social Media Followers (2026) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Club |
League |
Combined Following (millions) |
|
16. |
Al-Nassr |
Saudi Pro League |
66 |
|
17. |
Borussia Dortmund |
Bundesliga |
60 |
|
18. |
Al-Ahly |
Egyptian Premier League |
54 |
|
19. |
Galatasaray |
Turkish Super Lig |
54 |
|
20. |
AS Roma |
Serie A |
43 |
|
21. |
Inter Miami |
MLS |
43 |
|
22. |
Corinthians |
Brazilian Serie A |
43 |
|
23. |
Fenerbahce |
Turkish Super Lig |
39 |
|
24. |
Al-Hilal |
Saudi Pro League |
36 |
|
25. |
Persib Bandung |
Indonesia Super League |
35 |
15
Flamengo – 71 million
Brazilian Serie A
The only side in the top 15 from outside of Europe, Flamengo usurped Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr who previously held this spot. An increase of 7.8% to their following across all social media platforms helped push them into the top 15. The majority of their following comes from Instagram, with over 25m users.
Despite their status as the most popular club in Brazil, Flamengo hadn’t won the Serie A title for five years until lifting their eighth back in 2025. They have also won a record 40 Campeonato Carioca titles, including the last three on the bounce.
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
13.9 |
|
|
25 |
|
|
13.6 |
|
TikTok |
11.1 |
14
AC Milan – 81 million
Serie A
Christian Pulisic has become one of the superstar names at AC Milan and while he’s been influental on the pitch he’s also opened up access to millions of new eyeballs on the other side of the Atlantic for the Rossoneri. One of Italy’s most successful clubs have fallen from grace but remain extremely popular in world football.
Milan’s fanbase in the US increased by 50%, according to one study, and general interest in Serie A climbed 27% across America. In terms of tangible social media users, the seven-time European champions gained more than seven million followers across all social media platforms in the last year.
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
8.4 |
|
|
18.1 |
|
|
29 |
|
TikTok |
23.3 |
13
Inter Milan – 82 million
Serie A
Inter Milan were born as an offshoot of AC Milan in 1908 to appeal to a wider audience. The second club in the fashion capital of the world was formed without any restrictions on foreign players, which existed in the red and black half of the city. “It shall be called Internazionale because we are brothers of the world,” the founding members declared.
Fittingly, it was under an Argentine coach born to Spanish parents who grew up in Casablanca – which was under French rule at the time – that Inter’s popularity exploded. Mastering the controversial catenaccio style, a typically physical and defensive approach, Helenio Herrera steered the Nerazzurri to three Serie A titles and a pair of European Cups in the 1960s.
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
4.2 |
|
|
14.5 |
|
|
36 |
|
TikTok |
20.7 |
12
Atletico Madrid – 91.4 million
La Liga
It may be for the best that Atletico Madrid’s former owner, Jesus Gil y Gil, passed away before the social media age. One can only imagine what this character – who celebrated the 1996 double win by riding around the pitch on an elephant and was once caught on live TV fighting the director of another club – would have posted to the world.
Diego Simeone is a combustible character on the touchline but pales in comparison to Gil’s outbursts. While his online output is reliably tame, the former club captain is the transformative force behind Atletico’s unprecedented period of success, leading his team to two titles and a pair of Champions League finals, which has spawned more than 90 million social media followers.
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
6.8 |
|
|
17.7 |
|
|
24 |
|
TikTok |
32.7 |
11
Tottenham – 112 million
Premier League
Before their Europe League triumph, the last time Tottenham Hotspur won a trophy, Twitter – as it was then known – was less than two years old and neither Instagram nor TikTok had launched. Despite the absence of any silverware for over a decade and a half, Spurs have fostered a swollen following through a cleverly targeted approach.
Many point to the influence of Son Heung-min and the hordes of South Korean fans he attracted while at the club. There’s no doubt that Son’s popularity helped – Spurs probably wouldn’t have embarked upon a pre-season tour of Southeast Asia without one of the greatest players in the continent’s history in their squad – but Tottenham’s online support is not restricted to South Korea. The club’s official Korean X page has less than 60,000 followers.
Spurs have made an enormous dent in the youthful market of TikTok. More than 40 million users follow the club’s official account, which is clearly run by a group of creative content creators, producing topical and genuinely humorous clips that feature the players. No Premier League club has more TikTok followers than Tottenham.
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
9.4 |
|
|
17 |
|
|
37 |
|
TikTok |
43.9 |
10
Arsenal – 118 million
Premier League
Arsenal may have a nine-digit fanbase on social media, but the club are not immune to viral blunders. Mikel Arteta often inspires widespread ridicule for his eccentric motivation techniques. Few have been able to forget the manager’s elaborate team talks laced with props or when he hired pickpockets to teach his team about the value of alertness.
Arteta was at the epicentre of a fierce social media storm in January 2024, when a video emerged of the controversial celebrity chef Nusret Gokce – better known as Salt Bae – feeding Arsenal’s head coach a slice of steak directly off his knife. The ill-fated dining experience sparked outrage but offered little lasting impact on the team. They finally got their hands back on the title last season and after reaching the Champions League final, their following should only grow.
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
21.5 |
|
|
31.5 |
|
|
48 |
|
TikTok |
21.5 |
9
Chelsea – 156 million
Premier League
Shortly after Chelsea were forcibly extracted from Roman Abramovich’s ownership, falling under the stewardship of the BlueCo consortium in 2022, the most intriguing social media activity involving the historic west London outfit didn’t concern the club’s official account. Todd Boehly acted as the face of the takeover, prompting newfound scrutiny regarding every tap and click he made online.
The outspoken US investor has taken part in Twitter polls and unwisely liked a tweet promoting an article in which former Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella was heavily criticised. The club’s manager at the time, Graham Potter, was forced to address his boss’ online activity and sighed: “It’s nothing that I would say is a reflection of Todd in any way, but I don’t know how social media works.”
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
25.4 |
|
|
44.1 |
|
|
58.5 |
|
TikTok |
22.2 |
8
Bayern Munich – 165 million
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich’s popularity across Germany and the wider world is not only evident through the virtual platform of social media. The Bavarian behemoths boast almost 4,000 official fan clubs, scattered everywhere from China to Canada.
Club-record signing Harry Kane visited the small Kirchweidach branch of this international dynasty during his debut season at Bayern. Unlike some past stars who half-heartedly mumbled through the commitment, the club’s new talisman got stuck in. If his mountain of goals hadn’t already done it, Kane firmly won the hearts of the villagers in this rural slice of Bavaria by enthusiastically playing local pub games and answering questions posed by school children all while a life-sized cardboard cutout of himself watched on.
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
14.4 |
|
|
44.5 |
|
|
71.3 |
|
TikTok |
29.5 |
7
Juventus – 178 million
Serie A
Juventus’ former president, Gianni Agnelli, put his team’s appeal across the width and breadth of Italy down to the branding of the Turin-based club. “Not having the name of the city has brought us great popularity. It makes us national,” he once explained. At the start of the 21st century, Darwin Pastorin tried to capture Juve’s widespread support in La Repubblica:
Juventus is a team which unites everyone: from intellectuals to workers…
It is a universal team, a footballing Esperanto…
And then there are the fans, the real fans, from Sicily to the Aosta Valley.
Aside from the neutral name – which is Latin for ‘youth’ – Juventus owe their hulking fanbase to the club’s abundant success and the family which funded it. Over the last century, the Agnellis have been intertwined with Juventus, pumping the millions generated by FIAT – the motoring giant they also own – into the club. The first flux of Juve fans from outside the city were descendants of factory workers who temporarily moved to Turin to work for FIAT before returning home with plenty of gold, silver and black-and-white.
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
14.3 |
|
|
58.8 |
|
|
46.4 |
|
TikTok |
44.2 |
6
Liverpool – 179 million
Premier League
Liverpool’s popularity across social media is not thanks to any single individual. The 20-time English champions have also conquered Europe on six separate occasions – more than any other domestic rival. However, boasting one of the most followed footballers on the planet hasn’t hurt the club’s brand expansion.
Mohamed Salah’s unrelenting torrent of goals and friendly demeanour made him one of the most popular figures in the world, particularly in the region surrounding his native Egypt. The actively apolitical winger, who left Merseyside earlier this summer, appeals to the entire cross-section of society. “Salah is really important because he is a symbol,” Mohamed Farag Amer, head of Egypt’s parliamentary youth and sports committee once said, “like Tutankhamun, like the pyramids.”
|
Social Media Following |
|
|---|---|
|
Network |
Followers (millions) |
|
X (Twitter) |
30.5 |
|
|
48.4 |
|
|
59.1 |
|
TikTok |
28.9 |
Sports
Tottenham ‘Agree’ £86m Deal to Sign Savinho From Man City
Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a £86m deal to sign Manchester City winger Savinho, according to reports coming out of the winger’s home country.
Tottenham have been pursuing the Brazil international all summer, having failed to land him 12 months ago, but they have struggled to make a quick breakthrough in negotiations with their Premier League rivals.
Fabrizio Romano told GIVEMESPORT’s Market Madness podcast on Wednesday that Roberto De Zerbi wants to add three attacking players to his squad before the September 1 transfer deadline, with Savinho one of three names on their priority list.
David Ornstein also revealed on Wednesday that Spurs are also in talks with City over a move for striker Omar Marmoush, as the north London outfit look to wrap up a double raid on the eight-time Premier League champions.
|
Savinho (Premier League 2024-25) |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
29 |
|
Starts |
21 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Assists |
10 |
Even if they sign both Savinho and Marmoush, Tottenham also want to add Liverpool attacker Cody Gakpo to their frontline as well, as they look to soar up the standings after finishing 17th in successive seasons.
According to Brazilian outlet Ge Globo, Spurs are now closing in on a record-breaking deal to sign Savinho from City in a deal worth €100m (£86m).
The deal is expected to go through this week, with Tottenham now facing a race against time to register the 22-year-old in time for him to face Brentford in their opening league match of the season on Saturday.
The fee is a record sale for City, whose current highest is the €75m they got when they sold Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid.
The report adds that the expectation is that the Brazilian will soon get the green light to travel for a medical, while Spurs also hope to wrap up a deal for Marmoush.
Huge Fee, but Savinho Might Just be Worth it
While Savinho is yet to show up in the Premier League on a consistent basis, there is something about him that suggests he could explode at any minute at this level of football.
There is a reason why City signed him in the first place, why Pep Guardiola was often glowing in his admiration for the young Brazilian, and why Tottenham have tried to sign him for more than 12 months.
Speaking about Savinho in August 2025, Guardiola said:
I am only concerned right now that Savinho will be with us for the rest of the season and hopefully many years, because of the potential he has at 21. He has to improve in final positions but he is an extraordinary player.
Guardiola clearly knows a player when he sees one, and injury issues certainly didn’t help Savinho last season as he looked to make a big breakthrough in City’s first team.
Nevertheless, the Brazilian did register 13 assists in his first campaign in the Premier League, and if he can begin to reproduce that form for Spurs he could be a huge addition to their frontline.
A speedy dribble who can play on either flank, the versatile forward looks to be the perfect player for De Zerbi’s system, and shows why Spurs have pushed for so long to get a deal over the line.
£86m seems like a lot right now, but if Savinho fulfills his potential it could be seen as a great deal in a few years time.
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