Liverpool have reportedly been in contact with Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior’s representatives as speculation grows over the Brazilian’s future.

David Ornstein revealed on Saturday that Arsenal are exploring a potential move for Vinicius, who has a year left on his contract. Madrid don’t want to lose the player for free and could be forced to cash in on him this summer.

Vinicius has been a talisman at the Estadio Bernabeu over the years but hasn’t always had the best relationship with fans. Jose Mourinho’s appointment caused a stir following a race row between the attacker and Mourinho’s former Benfica star Gianluca Prestianni.

Liverpool Reaffirm Interest in Vinicius

Danilo Fernandez / Fotoarena/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

While Arsenal appear to be the club mostly pushing to sign Vinicius, Liverpool are also in the race should the player decide to leave Madrid. A report from TEAMtalk claims that the Merseysiders have reaffirmed their interest along with Manchester City.

Andoni Iraola is keen to add an elite attacker to his squad following Mohamed Salah’s departure. They had set their sights on Yan Diomande but the Ivorian prioritised a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Madrid are now working on a deal for Diomande which has led to talk of the RB Leipzig star replacing Vinicius. The Brazilian has been in talks over a new contract but they haven’t reached a positive conclusion.

The 26-year-old earns around £21.3 million annually and Los Blancos are believed to have proposed a new deal worth £34.1m per year. Should he be on the move, it will be interesting to see whether Premier League suitors are willing to exceed their wage budgets to match or even increase that proposal.

Vinicius Makes Liverpool Title Favourites

REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo

Liverpool have been linked with Vinicius, dubbed “the best player in the world”, for a number of years, and he has a storied history with the Reds. He’s come up against the Anfield outfit in two Champions League finals, scoring the winner in the 2022 final.

Vinicius is a bona fide superstar who would immediately take Iraola’s side back into the title race. That said, his salary demands will probably be an issue and that might be the biggest stumbling block.

If the Brazilian does head for the Bernabeu exit door, a move to Merseyside could be an ideal destination for him. He’d be Salah’s heir, taking the Egyptian’s throne as the Kop’s new hero.

Whenever it’s a World Cup year, the best players that summer tend to put themselves into the front-running for the Ballon d’Or race. Lionel Messi, for example, won it after his success with Argentina at Qatar 2022, while Luka Modric won the prize in 2018 when Croatia made it all the way to the final in Russia.

In 2026, Spain won the World Cup, meaning key players Rodri and Lamine Yamal will win plenty of votes this year. Beyond the tournament winners, the likes of Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane also would have helped their causes after impressing the summer.

However, one English pundit has claimed that nobody from the World Cup in North America deserves to win the award, naming an alternative pick for the 2026 Ballon d’Or instead.

Gabby Agbonlahor Dismisses Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or Hopes

England’s Harry Kane via REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Speaking on talkSPORT, former England international Gabby Agbonlahor has explained why he doesn’t think Kane will get the award. He began:

“Listen, Harry Kane: fantastic season at Bayern Munich, done very well at the World Cup… six goals, two assists, 72 goals in total [for club and country]. But I don’t think he’s going to get it.”

“I just think, you know, Champions League disappointment, World Cup disappointment… it’s normally a player, if there’s a World Cup in that year, that gets [the Ballon d’Or]. For instance, Rodri won it in 2024 after winning the Euros, and obviously success with Manchester City.”

The ex-Aston Villa striker then explained that Barcelona and Spain star Yamal has a good chance of winning, due to the success he’s had this summer, noting: “I look at Lamine Yamal. Listen, won the Euros before; won the World Cup this year; won LaLiga; 45 appearances, 24 goals, 18 assists last season with Barcelona. “I think he’s my standout of all the players because he won domestically, he played a lot of football and he won the World Cup.”

Agbonlahor Names His Ballon d’Or Favourite

Although Agbonlahor suggested that Yamal was probably the strongest contender right now, saying “I see Yamal picking it up,” he claimed that somebody who didn’t play in the World Cup would be his personal pick. After insisting that Mbappe and Messi hadn’t done enough to secure the award, he said:

When it was put to him that Kvaratskhelia didn’t play in the World Cup, Agbonlahor replied:

Finally, when asked who he’d choose if he had a vote for the Ballon d’Or, Agbonlahor answered: “Kvaratskhelia. I’d pick him. I think he’s the player that I’ve just enjoyed watching.”

Those of a certain generation will remember Alan Shearer as a relentless goalscorer in his pomp. Although these days he is best-known for his punditry, the Newcastle United legend still holds the record for the most Premier League goals scored (260).

He also bagged 30 goals for England in 63 caps, a fine record which leaves him joint-seventh on the list of all-time men’s goalscorers for the Three Lions. Having done so well for his country, it’s interesting to learn that his daughter has just married another international sportsman.

Indeed, Hollie tied the knot with her new husband this week. However, he is known for playing a different sport.

Hollie Shearer Marries England Sports Star

Shearer was on co-commentary duties as Spain beat Argentina in the World Cup final in New Jersey last Sunday, but quickly rushed back to England to watch his daughter Hollie marry Joe Marchant. Rugby fans will be familiar with that name, as he has represented England 28 times in the sport.

Marchant currently also plays as a centre for PREM Rugby club Sale Sharks, having left Stade Francais earlier in 2026. Born in Winchester, the 30-year-old made his debut for England in 2019, having played for his country at U18 and U20 level.

Shearer’s daughter confirmed her romance with the former Harlequins star back in April 2022, as she later moved to France with him. They then got engaged in 2024, before getting married this summer in Winchester.

They took to social media to share photos outside local pub The Royal Oak, which has stood, in part, for more than a thousand years after being built in 1002.

How Shearer Feels About Joe Marchant

Shearer has already given an indication of how he feels about the marriage, and the good news is that he seems delighted for his daughter. After Hollie announced her engagement on social media, he reacted with a series of heart-eyes and clapping hand emojis. Adding to this, he also later joked:

Shearer appears to have a good relationship with his new son-in-law, having also had a laugh at his expense in another past social media post. When the couple vacationed on Naxos Island in Greece in 2023, one photo showed Marchant in particularly revealing swimwear, prompting Shearer to comment: “WTF are the smugglers you have on?”

Shearer isn’t the only football pundit to see his child marry and England star of late. Indeed, Taylor Harwood-Bellis married Roy Keane’s daughter Leah this year. The Southampton star – with one cap for the Three Lions – explained what it’s like to have the Manchester United legend in his life, saying:

“He’s one of the people, barring my immediate family, who I know for a fact has only my interests in mind The advice he gives me, I know he’s got my full interests at heart, so he has helped me with decisions. He shows me lots of support and he doesn’t say well done too often, unless I’ve done something special.

“Maybe if we [Southampton] beat [Man] City, I might get a well done.”