Today’s rumours are just so not Rainbow Rhythms Let’s start with a disclaimer: today’s Rumour Mill may contain some Manchester United. Because, as has been the case for at least 11 years now, everyone knows United are just two or three signings away from being a real force – promise! Except, if Big Sir Jim Ratcliffe is to sanction any more incomings this summer, they will be very late additions, as shipping players out of Old Trafford is an urgent priority. Rasmus Højlund looks to be en route to Napoli where he will, no doubt, channel his inner Scott McTominay and emerge as Ballon d’Or-contending world-beater. RB Leipzig, Atalanta and Milan are also lurking with intent around the Dane, but Naples on a loan-with-option-to-buy style deal is the likeliest destination. We are all told Alejandro Garnacho will join Chelsea but time is running out for him to actually join Chelsea. Antony has long been expected to return to Real Betis, but apparently Bayern Munich are mulling over a shock swoop for the Brazilian. And Kobbie Mainoo is the latest of United’s hitherto hyped youngsters to be linked with the exit, with some reports claiming at least 10 clubs have been alerted to the midfielder’s situation. Mainoo has played zero minutes so far this season and is considering his next move. Continue reading...

The Bundesliga favourites thrash RB Leipzig 6-0, while Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund endure setbacks Remember when Harry Kane never scoring in August was a curio that felt like it needed an exorcism? Nobody in Germany remembers, and an era when Bayern Munich’s centre-forward seemed even vaguely stoppable seems like a very long time ago. The optics of his imperious second-half hat-trick in this opening game were very welcome, particularly in the light of the Bundesliga’s groundbreaking new TV deal which meant viewers in the England captain’s home country could see Kane do his thing on the BBC or on a choice of two different YouTube platforms. Yet the remarkable thing about Bayern’s first-night salvo is that they still would have destroyed RB Leipzig, one of their more challenging domestic hurdles of recent years, had Kane not showed up to the party. It was the dictionary definition of ruthlessness but Ole Werner, the new Leipzig coach, could have done nothing in his half-time team talk to change the course of events. By the interval, Michael Olise’s double and a brilliant Luis Díaz debut strike in between already had Bayern home and hosed. Kane’s contribution was merely extra cream and cherry if you were Bayern, or salt if you were Leipzig. Continue reading...

Manchester United are in discussions to sign Germany forward Giovanna Hoffmann from RB Leipzig.

Manchester City could rival Chelsea for RB Leipzig forward Xavi Simons, Brighton want more than £100m for Manchester United target Carlos Baleba, Roma are in talks to sign Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey, plus more.

RB Leipzig's sought-after striker Benjamin Sesko addressed the hot topic of his future.

After winning over Bayern’s hardcore support, the prolific Engländer has led the charge to the Bundesliga title One has often wondered what Harry Kane could do to upset his adoring public in Germany and in the days before he won the Bundesliga – his first major career trophy at last after final heartbreaks with Tottenham and England – we almost found out. After Kane received the yellow card against Augsburg that kept him in the stands for Bayern Munich’s title-clinching victory at RB Leipzig on Saturday, a Bild editorial told him off (though a visibly annoyed Kane suggested the referee, Bastian Dankert, had been “trying to make a name for himself” after the harsh booking, issued when the striker did not return the ball quickly enough after being whistled for a foul). Yet if the feeling may be that it could only happen to him, time will render it a minor detail. Kane’s Bayern destiny has been fulfilled, and no apparent jinx could get in the way this time. Bayer Leverkusen’s draw at Freiburg on Sunday put them out of reach. On the day he signed in August 2023 Munich was balmy, in terms of weather and mood. It was the morning of Bayern’s DFL-Supercup game against RB Leipzig and as the thermometers crept above 30C, hot and bothered fans queued outside the multiple Bayern fan shops in the city centre with the aim of getting their hands on one item: the new, white-with-red-trim home jersey with “Kane 9” on the back. The red-on-white, multi-lined font of name and number – a throwback to the figures adorning the backs of Bayern’s 1974 European Cup winners – hinted at a new era of glory. Continue reading...

Writer Q&A, fan views, plus the latest news and previewsToday’s fixtures | Latest tables | And email matchday live De Bruyne sinks Wolves to move City up to third Five teams fighting for Championship survival Government to back plan for ban on games abroad Negative Spurs narrative can change, says Postecoglou Hello and welcome to live coverage of another super soccer-filled Saturday. This is our home for all the latest news and previews ahead of today’s action, which begins at 12.30pm with Aston Villa v Fulham and the last day of the regular Championship season. Then we have the final round of fixtures in Leagues One and Two, plus Bayern Munich’s chance to win back the Bundesliga after a shocking one-season drought. Aston Villa v Fulham (12.30pm) Everton v Ipswich (3pm) Leicester v Southampton (3pm) Arsenal v Bournemouth (5.30pm) Bristol City v Preston North End Burnley v Millwall Coventry v Middlesbrough Derby v Stoke Norwich v Cardiff Plymouth v Leeds Portsmouth v Hull Sheff Utd v Blackburn Sunderland v QPR Swansea v Oxford Utd Watford v Sheff Wed West Brom v Luton RB Leipzig v Bayern (2.30pm) Huddersfield v Leyton Orient Reading v Barnsley Accrington v Chesterfield Bradford City v Fleetwood Carlisle v Salford Colchester v Barrow Crewe v Walsall Grimsby v AFC Wimbledon Notts County v Doncaster Port Vale v Gillingham Continue reading...

Dino Toppmöller’s side looked spent after they sold their top scorer but have a fine replacement, as Leipzig found out If they were on the verge of something special, the man in charge was hiding it well. It was not, insisted Dino Toppmöller, a final. Nor a playoff. Nor was it even the most important match of the season. All it was, according to the Eintracht Frankfurt coach when he spoke at his press conference the day before the game, was quite simply: “Matchday 31.” By the end, as Saturday night drew in, it was definitely Saturday night. It turned out that Toppmöller’s less-is-more approach suited his team perfectly. They had thrashed RB Leipzig, their significantly more moneyed rivals for a Champions League spot, and were now six points clear of their fifth-placed opposition with just three games left, staring a return to the promised land square in the eyes. Eintracht’s jubilant players celebrated as they deserved to after such an effort, though Toppmöller told Sky that “they had to turn [the music] off for a minute so I could say a few things.” Even he, though, was prepared to admit it is now close. “We’ve taken a huge step,” he continued, “[though] the job isn’t finished yet.” Continue reading...

Man Utd and Liverpool have learned how much they must pay RB Leipzig for Xavi Simons this summer.

Liverpool are set to holds talks about the futures of Luis Diaz, Ibrahima Konate and Diogo Jota, Liverpool and Manchester United keen on RB Leipzig winger Xavi Simons, Moise Kean could stay at Fiorentina despite interest from Premier League clubs, plus more.

RB Leipzig sack head coach Marco Rose three days before their German Cup semi-final against Stuttgart.

Leipzig sixth in table after early Champions League exitClub thought to be interested in Palace’s Oliver Glasner RB Leipzig have confirmed the sacking of manager Marco Rose amid a disappointing season in the Bundesliga and in Europe. “Marco Rose has been relieved of his duties as RB Leipzig head coach with immediate effect,” said a club statement. “The club will announce who will take over the head coach role on an interim basis in due course.” Continue reading...

RB Leipzig set a new asking price for Arsenal and Man Utd target Benjamin Sesko.

The details of Benjamin Sesko's release clause with RB Leipzig have been revealed.