BBC
Tottenham Hotspur have made Everton's Senegalese winger Iliman Ndiaye, 25, a prime target, but Newcastle United, Juventus, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid are also keeping tabs on the player. (TeamTalk), external
Chelsea and Tottenham are weighing up a January move for Juventus and Canada striker Jonathan David, 25 (TuttoMercatoWeb), external
Everton could move for Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju, 21, in January but face competition from Bologna for the Guinea-Bissau international. (Sun), external
Liverpool are ready to offer 100m euros (£88m) to sign Italy international Alessandro Bastoni, 26, from Inter. (Il Giorno - in Italian), external
Real Madrid would be prepared to spend 250m euros (£220m) on Arsenal and England midfielder Declan Rice, 26, and Paris St-Germain's France winger Bradley Barcola, 23. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external
Barcelona are interested in Crystal Palace and Colombia full-back Daniel Munoz, 29 (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external
Levante striker Etta Eyong, 22, is being tracked by Real Madrid and Barcelona, but the Cameroon international says it would be "a dream" to one day play for Chelsea in the Premier League as he watched the team growing up. (Givemesport), external
Atletico Madrid have identified Real Madrid defender Ferland Mendy, 30, as a leading transfer target, with the Frenchman out of favour at the Bernabeu. (El Nacional.cat via GetFootballNewsSpain), external
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim may look to bolster his attack in January if 22-year-old Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko's knee injury proves serious, as he already faces losing Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo, 26, and Ivory Coast's Amad Diallo, 23, on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. (Mirror)
Sky Paper Talk
Premier League
A Premier League footballer has allegedly been swindled out of more than £800,000 - as police launch a manhunt for his accused fraudster - Daily Mail
Bayern Munich have entered the race to sign Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool with the French defender available to move on a free transfer next summer as things stand - Sunday Mirror
Adam Wharton has candidly addressed the speculation linking him with Manchester United ahead of the January transfer window - Sunday Express
Manchester United's young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo did not be take to the pitch against Tottenham due to an injury - Sunday Express
European football
Jamie Carragher wanted to join Borussia Dortmund fans in the away end at their Champions League clash with Manchester City - but was stopped from doing so amid concerns the move could prove incendiary - Mail on Sunday
Crystal Palace have been dealt a fresh blow by UEFA in their quest to find a suitable date for next month's Carabao Cup quarter-final tie against Arsenal - Sunday Mirror
Scottish football
Celtic's next manager could be Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen or Columbus Crew's Wilfried Nancy - Scottish Sun
Former Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas insists UNAM Pumas are in good hands under Efrain Juarez after he was linked with a return to Celtic - Daily Record
Cricket
England seamer Ollie Robinson believes his personal life has cost him a place in the England side - The Sunday Telegraph.
Olympics
Taylor Swift and Olympics inclusion is fuelling growth of flag football in UK - The Sunday Telegraph
Boxing
Chris Eubank Jr has been told by his father to retire just over a week before he faces long-time rival Conor Benn for a second time - Sunday Mirror
Anthony Joshua has spoken with Jake Paul over a shock short-notice showdown - The Sun on Sunday
Chris Eubank Sr believes Eddie Hearn is trying to damage his son - The Sunday Times
Formula 1
Oliver Bearman has edged dangerously close to a Formula 1 race ban after receiving a penalty at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The British driver now sits just three penalty points away from an automatic suspension following his punishment for "potentially dangerous" driving in a clash with Liam Lawson during Saturday's Sprint race - Sunday Mirror
WWE
WWE star Brian Mackney has died aged 77 as tributes pour in for the star who “won the hearts of the fans" - The Sun on Sunday
Tennis
New WTA Tour Finals champion Elena Rybakina declined a photo with WTA Tour chief executive Portia Archer during Saturday’s trophy ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the wake of the tour’s investigation into her coach, Stefano Vukov - The Athletic
The Athletic
Illegal streaming: Research reveals rise in piracy and desire for scrapping of 3pm blackout
Adam Leventhal
Illegal streaming of football is on the rise in the UK and most fans want the Saturday 3pm blackout lifted, a new podcast released by The Athletic has revealed.
The Underground World of Illegal Streaming — a special episode of The Athletic FC podcast that looks at the culture, crime and crisis associated with illegal streaming — outlines that almost five million people in the UK consumed pirated sports coverage over the past six months.
As part of the audio documentary, The Athletic commissioned market research company YouGov Sport to poll the consumption of illegal streams, the devices people use and whether they are concerned about the risk of cybercrime and data theft. We would also like to hear specifically from subscribers to The Athletic on this topic, so have included a survey form at the bottom of this article.
The key finding was that nine per cent of the UK’s adult population had watched sport via an illegal stream in the six months up to October 2025, equating to 4.7m people. On top of those figures, 9.7 per cent (equivalent to 5m people) said they did not know or preferred not to say. The research also does not include anyone younger than 18.
The results represent a rise of approximately 200,000 people compared to the last running of the poll two years ago, when 8.7 per cent of respondents admitted to consuming an illegal stream. The data was generated from a representative sample size of 2,000 people.
“It’s very difficult to know the full scale of illegal streaming,” says Kieron Sharp, chairman of the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), one of many people to feature in the podcast. “We have an idea and we know where to look, but the actual scale of the problem in its entirety, we can never be completely certain.”
The poll focused on sport as a whole, but the vast majority (78 per cent) of respondents highlighted they had watched illegal football streams, with boxing (31 per cent) the second-most popular sport. As with the overall consumption figure, football’s share is up from 73 per cent in 2023.
Unauthorised websites remain the most common way (42 per cent) of watching sports illegally. Firesticks — which applies to Amazon Fire TV Stick devices, but is also a catchall phrase that includes other internet-based TV options — was the second-most prevalent consumption method, with 31 per cent. Social media streams (20 per cent), pubs and bars (16 per cent), and VPNs (15 per cent) were other options people chose.
“It has become very acute and that has really been a position that’s developed, mostly for the worse, over the past few years,” says Gareth Sutcliffe, from tech and media researchers Enders Analysis. “If there are better services available elsewhere and there is more innovation and more choice, then consumers are going to move in that direction, even if that includes piracy.”
The Premier League shut down or blocked a combined 660,000 social media and website live streams last season alone.
“Those who choose to consume Premier League matches through illegal streams risk more than just poor viewing quality,” a league spokesperson told The Athletic. “They expose themselves to serious threats, including malicious viruses that can steal personal data, hijack devices and lead to identity theft and financial fraud. Investigations and prosecutions have also repeatedly uncovered the links between piracy operations and wider serious criminal activity.”
Crimestoppers — an independent UK charity — says five million users experienced a virus, fraud or personal data theft as a result of watching illegal streams last year. However, two-thirds of a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults said they were not concerned about the threats.
“There’s a real concern that despite the illegality and the links to organised crime, it’s been normalised in a way,” said Sky’s chief sports officer Jonathan Licht at a season launch event in August. “That’s dangerous for everyone. That’s dangerous for the industry.”
The Saturday 3pm blackout — which prevents the live UK broadcast of games between 2:45 and 5:15pm — is widely regarded as a contributory factor to illegal streaming, and 57 per cent of fans polled would like it scrapped. The majority vote is up five per cent from 2023, with only 26 per cent in support.
The blackout, first devised in the 1960s to protect lower-league crowds and enforced in the UK since the mid-1980s, means anyone who wants to watch a Saturday 3pm kick-off has to either go to the game or watch via an illegal stream. Eighteen per cent of fans say they are more likely to attend games in person because of the blackout. That figure rises to 42 per cent of regular match-going fans.
In general, 77 per cent of football fans would be interested in watching Saturday 3pm kick-offs live on TV, with 83 per cent of match-going fans in agreement.
“The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), on behalf of match-going supporters, has long had a position that the 3pm blackout is justified,” says FSA chair Tom Greatrex. “But it is also the case that many fans are starting to adjust their views, particularly fans of larger clubs who may find it difficult to be able to get to games themselves.”
Greatrex believes many people turn to illegal streams because subscription prices have “become prohibitively expensive” and because they need more than one. In the UK, fans require subscriptions to both Sky Sports and TNT Sports to watch live Premier League action, with further Champions League matches streamed on Amazon Prime.
“You don’t see one episode of Breaking Bad on Netflix and another on Apple TV, and another again on Prime the week after,” says Greatrex. “That has a cumulative impact and there is opportunity for some rebalancing with the way that product is offered to supporters that may well actually help (the piracy issue).”
Guardian
West Ham lift gloom with win over Burnley as fans fume at ownership
John Brewin at the London Stadium
Kyle Walker-Peters makes it 3-1 to West Ham against Burnley. Photograph: Simon Dael/Shutterstock
Despair and rancour stalk the concrete corridors of the place that still feels nothing like home for West Ham. Though hope is not yet extinguished. A second home win in succession for Nuno Espírito Santo’s team, with old faithful Tomas Soucek key in defeating a fellow relegation contender in Burnley.
Three points wrested from a contest low on proficiency may prove vital in the fight against the London Stadium staging Championship football next season. “It means everything,” said Nuno.
Once Soucek had scored the Hammers’ second, before his shot was spilled into fellow sub Kyle Walker-Peters’ path for the third, home fans were singing lustily. They had already made it known once again, and in no uncertain terms, what they think of those running the club. Following protests against Crystal Palace, the boycotting of the Brentford game, a sit-in against Newcastle, a pre-match march had been staged.
A banner declared: “15 years of denying West Ham United.” The entrance for club directors’ luxury cars was blocked off by thousands of protesters as black balloons floated and a coffin was carried. That West Ham had “sold our soul” by moving to the former Olympic stadium was the loudest chant.
West Ham fans hold a protest against the club’s owners before kickoff. Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA
Saturday’s victory is highly unlikely to dim dissatisfaction with co-owner David Sullivan and vice-chair Baroness Brady. Though hardly the first dissent of their stewardship, a critical mass is being reached. “We are giving small steps in our relationship with our fans,” said Nuno, one of football’s leading diplomats. “I think we are giving them something and they are returning a thousand times more.”
More positive signs: Freddie Potts, home-grown star of beating Newcastle, again exhibited the look of the archetypal West Ham midfielder before coming off injured after an hour: upright, strolling, capable of picking a pass, with bite in the tackle, as evidenced by an early challenge on Loum Tchaouna.
The Burnley manager, Scott Parker, was such a player for West Ham, the one-man team of their 2010-11 relegation season. Before this fixture, his side had taken – with 7.4 – the lowest ever average shots per Premier League game as yet recorded, and he may learn a lesson that West Ham’s goals came once he had gambled on taking the three points. “We’ve fallen short in moments of concentration,” Parker said. “This is a big boy league. I can always accept a loss. I can also accept conceding a goal but certain boxes need to be ticked.”
Despite nine efforts on goal and 56% of possession, his team headed back north empty-handed. Had Zian Flemming connected with Quilindschy Hartman’s cross, Burnley might have taken an earlier lead than they did. “We were exceptional, everything we wanted to be,” said Parker of the first half. He agonised that a “massive opportunity” had been squandered in the second half. “I thought the game was there, I felt really comfortable.”
Flemming got to live twice by scoring, beating Max Kilman far too easily to nod in; Burnley’s shot-shyness is levelled out by a high conversion rate. Only then did West Ham lift themselves, Jarrod Bowen’s shot deflecting wide, Callum Wilson at last involved. After Crysencio Summerville skated into the box, the No 9 equalised on half-time.
Despite a taped Ray Winstone rallying cry in the concourses, home fans were slow to return to their seats after the break. Potts pulling up with a dead leg was a sad sight though it was Soucek who replaced him. “I would love to be starting but I do for the team whatever,” said the Czech. “Everyone is fighting.”
Callum Wilson scores West Ham’s first goal against Burnley. Photograph: Tony O Brien/Reuters
“I have played against West Ham many times and every time Tomas was a nightmare,” said Nuno. Souceck’s portfolio of crucial goals are almost all as untidy as his bundling home of a Lucas Paquetá shot, the Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka fumbling fatefully. “We’re not set up right, and we switched off,” said Parker, refusing to blame Dubravka.
Burnley’s previous poise had long departed as Walker-Peters wrapped up the points following Soucek’s driving run forward and grubber shot. Lancashire’s Clarets were dead level with West Ham for the final relegation spot in the table until Josh Cullen’s dying-seconds goal, another bundle home following another goalkeeping mistake, this time from Alphonse Areola.
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Areola 6.5; Wan-Bissaka 7, Kilman 6.5, Todibo 7, Diouf 7; Fernandes 7 , Potts 6.5 (Soucek 62 7); Bowen © 6.5, Paqueta 7.5 (Julio 83), Summerville 8 (Walker-Peters 83); Wilson 7 (Magassa 71 6.5)
Subs not used: Hermansen, Guilherme, Rodriguez, Irving, Golambeckis
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo 8
Booked: Paqueta
Goals: Wilson 44, Soucek 77, Walker-Peters 87
Burnley (4-2-3-1): Dubravka 5.5; Walker 6, Tuanzebe 6.5, Esteve 6, Hartman 6.5(Pires 81); Florentino 7, Cullen 7; Tchaouna 6 (Bruun Larsen 67 6), Ugochukwu 7(Hannibal 71 6), Anthony 6.5 (Edwards 81); Fleming 7 (Broja 71 6)
Subs not used: Weiss, Foster, Ekdal, Laurent
Manager: Scott Parker 6
Booked: Flemming, Walker
Goals: Flemming 35, Cullen 90+6
Referee: Michael Salisbury 7
The 4th Official
West Ham United Remain Optimistic Of Signing This 26-Year-Old Spanish Defender: Will It Be A Good Deal?
By Rohit Sarkar
West Ham United continue to look at ways to strengthen key areas of the squad. There is a growing feeling inside the club that the right side of defence might need strengthening.
The Hammers have shown some improvement in structure and discipline under Nuno Espirito Santo, but they still need to address the depth issue in their squad. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has brought stability, although the manager appears keen on introducing a different profile who offers more variety in build-up play and progression down the flank.
West Ham remain optimistic about signing Óscar Mingueza
That’s where the Fichajes report comes in, which clearly stated that the club have set their sights on Oscar Mingueza of Celta Vigo, as they monitor how his situation develops before January. Celta have not resolved his contract situation, which means negotiations could lean in favour of the interested teams if talks continue to stall.
Mingueza has a release clause of around €20 million, but reports suggest the Spanish club might accept a lower figure to avoid losing him for a reduced fee later. West Ham view the defender as someone who can bring energy, composure on the ball, and the willingness to move forward at pace, which differs from what Wan-Bissaka offer. The Hammers remain confident they can strike a workable deal. Meanwhile, the Hammers are also dealing with other issues as Niclas Fullkrug is now exploring a January exit.
Do the Hammers need Óscar Mingueza?
Óscar Mingueza offers qualities that feel useful for a side like West Ham, and the move makes sense on a practical level. He has shown at Celta Vigo that he can push forward with confidence, link with attackers, and work in tight channels on the right side.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old has also kept enough defensive responsibility to step back into a back three when required. This ability to shift between roles gives managers breathing room when creating their match plans. Moreover, his comfort in possession helps when a team wants to play out from deep rather than simply clear their lines.
However, the link becomes more interesting when one measures it against West Ham’s patterns under Nuno. They tend to sit deep, invite pressure, and force opponents to try their luck from wide zones. Because of this, a defender who can stay composed in one-versus-one duels and win aerial battles has real value.
Mingueza’s record suggests he can manage those duties with consistency. However, the question of concentration still remains, as lapses have cost his sides before. Even so, coaches can address this flaw. If Nuno trusts his attitude and fitness habits, Mingueza could settle well in London and offer reliable cover across the defence.
