Sports
Liverpool Make Contact to Sign Mateus Fernandes
Liverpool are said to have dropped a major transfer hint after making a phone call to one of their Premier League rivals recently. The Reds are expected to make a number of signings this summer to allow Andoni Iraola to put his own stamp on his new squad.
The Merseyside giants are already expected to sign Victor Muñoz from Osasuna, and that will only be the beginning of their recruitment drive as they look to back up a big summer of spending this time last year.
Iraola will want to tweak several areas of the squad, especially having lost Mo Salah and Ibrahima Konate, employing a very different style from that of Arne Slot.
Liverpool drop midfielder search hint
According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool called West Ham around two weeks ago to discuss midfielder Mateus Fernandes and to see what it would take to get a deal done.
The conversations did not progress beyond that, and it now appears likely Fernandes will join either Manchester United or Tottenham, with the former being the favourites to get the Portuguese ‘superstar’.
But what the phone call does tell us, assuming the information is accurate, is that Liverpool are indeed exploring midfield options this summer. The Reds will have been well aware that Fernandes, described as ‘playing like a young Steven Gerrard’ by one ex-head analyst, is likely to cost £80 million or so this summer, although Romano claims the Irons ideally wanted £100m.
While they were not willing to pay that amount for the player, it can also be gleamed that the Reds are expected and willing to pay significant money to improve their midfield this summer.
Ryan Gravenberch currently leads the Liverpool midfield options, while there is also Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo, and Alexis Mac Allister, who plays a more attacking game.
Many Liverpool fans did want to see an alternative to Gravenberch at times last season, while Jones has been linked with a move away.
Collymore on Liverpool needs
Speaking to Empire of the Kop, former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore detailed the Reds’ needs for the summer, and he believes the midfield does not need too much investment.
“Central defender – Virgil is not getting any younger,” he said. “I think they’re alright in midfield and for the 10. Hopefully [Florian] Wirtz comes in and adds something in that area, and they should be OK for forwards because they’ve got [Hugo] Ekitike, [Alexander] Isak, etc.
“I would say they don’t need major surgery, just one or two tactical signings. I haven’t got a name off the top of my head – Ezri Konsa was definitely a Liverpool target and he’s won the Europa League and will be playing in the Champions League with Aston Villa.
“[They need] a really good central defender, the next Virgil van Dijk for the next six or seven years as the main man at Liverpool to gradually succeed Van Dijk and to make sure that Liverpool – especially off the back of last season when they conceded so many goals – start to keep more clean sheets and defend much better.”
Sports
Footage Emerges of UFC Legend Shortly Before Arrest
Footage has emerged of UFC legend Dustin Poirier shortly before he was arrested for public drunkenness in Georgia on Sunday evening. ‘The Diamond’ was formally charged with the offence on Monday morning after making an appearance in a local court.
If found guilty, the 37-year-old could be jailed for 12 months and be fined $1,000.
Poirier last competed in the Octagon at UFC 318 in July 2025, where he unsuccessfully challenged Max Holloway for the symbolic ‘BMF’ championship. After the fight in his home state of Louisiana, Dustin laid his gloves in the centre of the cage, letting the world know that he was calling time on his career.
Dustin Poirier’s UFC Career Explored
A former interim UFC Lightweight Champion, Poirier never managed to become a full titleholder. He challenged for the honour on three occasions, but came out on the losing side against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev.
Dustin does, however, hold the distinction of being the last man to beat Irish superstar Conor McGregor, having beaten ‘The Notorious’ twice in back-to-back fights in 2021.
After defeating McGregor for a second time in July 2021 at UFC 264, Poirier would go 2-4 in his next fights, prompting him to hang up his gloves.
In a post on social media last year, Poirier told a fan that he felt like a part of him “had died” after he stepped away from the cage. Dustin has frequently appeared as an analyst for UFC events, although that work doesn’t seem to have fulfilled him in anywhere close to the same way as fighting did.
Footage had now emerged of Poirier at a bar on the night of his arrest. In a clip posted by former top UFC welterweight contender Ben Askren to social media, Poirier can be seen grappling with fans in an airport bar.
Askren captioned the footage by declaring: “He was having a good time at the airport. Wrestled some of my friends!”
While the footage shows a good-natured tussle between Poirier and the fan, it’s clear that things escalated shortly afterwards. Poirier took to his Instagram story in the wake of his arrest, where he made a seven-word vow to become a better man. Details have yet to emerge on the exact circumstances behind the fighter’s arrest.
On the morning of his arrest, Poirier reposted a Father’s Day tribute shared by his wife on Instagram, which showed him smiling next to his two children. The UFC has yet to make any public comment on the matter.
Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo Sent Rio Ferdinand Angry Texts About Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has all but wrapped up the debate when it comes to the greatest players in football history. After breaking the record to become the World Cup’s top goalscorer, the Argentine has just cemented his status at the very top further.
Following the 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar, the 39-year-old had virtually completed the sport. There’s very little for him to prove, but the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is proving he’s still the best on the biggest stage.
What Miroslav Klose Said About Lionel Messi Breaking His World Cup Goalscoring Record
Messi smashed Klose’s tally on Monday evening…
One man who would argue against Messi’s reputation as the best to ever grace a football pitch is Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese forward has always been vocal in his opinion that no one is better than him. His messages to ex-teammate Rio Ferdinand suggest he doesn’t enjoy the comparisons, though.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Obsession’ to Be World’s Best
Speaking at Euro 2020, Ferdinand explained what separated Ronaldo from the rest in terms of his mentality. “He was an obsessed human in terms of becoming the best,” he said of his old Manchester United colleague (per The Mirror).
The retired England defender then went on to wax lyrical about Ronaldo’s ability to play well beyond the age of 30, which is when others begin to slow down. He continued:
“After 30, we all sit in here, went down. He has gone on. Accelerated. Defies logic really.
“It’s down to commitment, a little bit of luck genetically as well. But he’s just a phenomenal football player, somebody who thinks of every little detail, aspect of the game to try to get every ounce of ability out of himself.”
“It’s not just about physically but mentally. His touches have gone down since he was a young kid in 2004, but obviously the touches in the box where he’s going to affect games have gone up,” Ferdinand concluded.
Ronaldo’s Messages About Lionel Messi
Gary Lineker was present on the show and Ferdinand explained how the ex-England striker managed to wind up Ronaldo. Lineker has always been vocal in his support of Messi in the debate between the two icons.
But the Man Utd legend wasn’t best pleased when hearing Lineker openly backing his long-term foe. He made sure to let Ferdinand know through some angry text messages.
“It’s a great example to young players and he uses negativity as fuel. You’ve [Gary Lineker] said some things like your preference would be Messi out of the two,” Ferdinand told Lineker.
Ronaldo uses the negativity to fuel his own performances, according to Ferdinand. He’ll certainly need to do that if he’s to catch up at the World Cup. Nonetheless, Rio added:
“He will send me a text saying ‘I can’t believe he said that, can’t believe he’s done that’. He just uses anything [as fuel].
“You think, he’s done so much in his life, ‘Why do you care about what anyone says about you. You know you’re the guy’. It’s the competitive nature. That’s all it is. And you need that.”
Sports
Lionel Messi’s Record-Breaking World Cup Goal ‘Should Not Have Stood’
Lionel Messi moved ahead of Miroslav Klose to become the highest-scoring player in World Cup history during Argentina’s 1-0 win over Austria.
The 39-year-old was given the opportunity to break the record from the penalty spot when Lautaro Martinez was fouled inside the area. However, Messi missed the 33rd spot-kick of his career, firing comfortably wide from 12 yards out.
It didn’t take him long to get over that miss, as the diminutive Inter Miami superstar struck with his left foot in the 38th minute. He swept the ball home after Argentina moved the ball from back to front in rapid fashion. But should it have counted?
Messi Told First Goal Should’ve Been Overturned
Messi is now the leading scorer in the competition’s long history, ahead of the likes of Klose, Ronaldo Nazario and Gerd Muller, with 18 strikes in total. His late second gave him breathing space ahead of his nearest competitor.
However, there is a belief that his first goal vs Austria – the record-breaking strike – should’ve been ruled out. According to Peter Schmeichel, at least.
The Manchester United icon was working on FOX Sport’s coverage of the game, and gave his thoughts at half-time. He believed the referee and VAR should have taken the goal away from Messi due to a foul by Alexis Mac Allister in the build-up.
“Think about how they get the penalty; this is a kick from behind through Xaver Schlager,” Schmeichel said. The retired goalkeeper then added that it was a ‘clear and obvious’ mistake, saying:
“This is a free-kick, Mac Allister has kicked the player down. That should have been a free-kick. VAR should have taken that back. That is a clear and obvious mistake by the referee.”
Schmeichel even said: “And for that I feel a little bit frustrated.” Messi may have netted a second and broken the record anyway, but the slight doubt over the goal that pushed him ahead of Klose could annoy some.
Messi Creates Unwanted Record at World Cup
Of course, Messi broke the goalscoring record, regardless of how Schmeichel or anyone else feels after netting a second goal. However, there is one statistic from the same game that the greatest footballer ever will want to forget as soon as possible.
After stepping up and missing his first-half penalty, Messi became the player to have missed the most from the spot in World Cup history. He’s been unmatched when it comes to finding the net, so it seems hard to believe that he struggles from 12 yards out. But Messi has now missed three penalties on football’s biggest stage.
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