Premier League

Teams in the Saudi Pro League are reportedly expected to shell out significant money during the summer transfer window in an effort to lure big names from the English Premier League.

According to ESPN's Rob Dawson, some of the stars the SPL is targeting include Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Álisson, Manchester United's Raphaël Varane, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, and Fulham's Andreas Pereira.

Dawson noted that Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Nassr and Al Hilal, which are all owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, are expected to attempt to address needs by shopping for Premier League players.

The same is reportedly true of Al Qadisiyah—who are owned by the Saudi Aramco oil company—should they qualify for the SPL. They are currently in first place in Saudi Arabia's second division.

Last summer, SPL teams spent $957 million during the transfer window, which was surpassed only by the $1.39 billion spent by EPL teams.

Dawson reported that while sources are not expecting SPL teams to to hit the $957 million mark in spending again this summer, they are still expected to be aggressive in their pursuit of top players.

Over the past two years, the SPL has landed two of the biggest stars in soccer in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2022 and Neymar in 2023.

Despite the fact that Neymar tore his ACL after just three league matches, Al Hilal sit atop the SPL this season with 59 points. Al Nassr, who are led by Ronaldo's 22 goals in 20 league matches, are second with 52 points.

De Bruyne is a 32-year-old veteran from Belgium who has starred at Manchester City since 2015. Along with scoring 98 goals during his City career, De Bruyne has won five EPL titles and one UEFA Champions League title, plus he has been the Premier League Playmaker of the Season on three occasions.

Salah, 31, has Liverpool atop the EPL standings this season with 60 points, which is just one ahead of Manchester City.

The Egyptian star has spent seven seasons at Liverpool, scoring 205 goals in 333 matches across all competitions, while winning the EPL and Champions League titles one time each, plus three EPL Golden Boots and one Premier League Player of the Season Award.

While De Bruyne and Salah are the biggest names reportedly on the SPL's radar, they are far from alone. Arguments can be made for van Dijk being the best defender and Álisson being the best goalkeeper in the league.

According to Dawson, Al Ahli are in search of a striker, Al Nassr want a goalkeeper and Al Ittihad are hoping to land a center-back and a central midfielder.

In addition to trying to sign established stars from the EPL, Dawson noted that the SPL is looking to sign up-and-coming young players from around the world, including 20-year-old Juventus forward Matías Soulé.

Also, the SPL reportedly has some high-profile coaches on its radar, such as lame-duck Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel, FC Porto's Sérgio Conceição and Chelsea's Mauricio Pochettino.

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp will leave the club at the end of the 2023-24 season, he announced on Friday.

"I can understand that it's a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it, or at least try to explain it," Klopp said.

"I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.

"It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again."

LeBron James, who owns a stake in Liverpool through Fenway Sports Group, sent a message of appreciation to Klopp on Friday:

Klopp joined Liverpool in 2015 after a successful stint at Borussia Dortmund. He led the club to a Champions League title in 2019 and won the Premier League in 2020. Liverpool currently has a five-point lead in the EPL table.

Before Klopp's arrival, Liverpool had not won a league crown since 1989-90.

Klopp is not calling his decision to step away a retirement, though he said he does not anticipate managing again at this time. He said he will never coach a different English club.

"If you ask me now if I will ever manage again? I would say no," Klopp said. "But you don't know obviously as I've never had this situation. But I do know definitely I will never manage a different club in England than Liverpool. It is impossible.

"I will find something else to do. But I will not manage a club or country for at least a year."

Klopp first informed Liverpool management of his decision in November because he did not want to blindside the club as it was preparing for next season. He said he was motivated to return after a "difficult" 2022-23 campaign in order to get Liverpool "back on the rails" so he could leave the team better than he found it.

Liverpool finished no worse than third in the EPL table in four straight seasons before a fifth-place finish last year.

Klopp's contract was set to end in 2026. Liverpool's ownership, Fenway Sports Group, released a statement saying the club will wait until the end of this season to begin a coaching search and it will be "business as usual" for the remainder of the campaign.

Over the last 12 months, soccer's biggest stars have been making their case to be included in EA Sports FC 24's Team of the Year, and now we finally know which players are eligible to be selected for the squad.

The 2024 Team of the Year is special as it will include a Women's Team of the Year for the first time ever.

While the full list of nominees will be announced at 11 a.m. ET, here's a look into the Premier League and Women's Super League nominees.

Men's Team of the Year Nominees

• Alisson, GK, Liverpool
• Ederson, GK, Manchester City
• Virgil van Dijk, DEF, Liverpool
• Rúben Dias, DEF, Manchester City
• Trent Alexander-Arnold, DEF, Liverpool
• John Stones, DEF, Manchester City
• William Saliba, DEF, Arsenal
• Kevin De Bruyne, MF, Manchester City
• Rodri, MF, Manchester City
• Bernardo Silva, MF, Manchester City
• Martin Ødegaard, MF, Arsenal
• Declan Rice, MF, Arsenal
• Bruno Guimarães, MF, Newcastle
• Kaoru Mitoma, MF, Brighton
• Jack Grealish, MF, Manchester City
• Jarrod Bowen, FW, West Ham
• Erling Haaland, FW, Manchester City
• Mohamed Salah, FW, Liverpool
• Son Heung-min, FW, Tottenham
  
• Bukayo Saka, FW, Arsenal

• Gregor Kobel, GK, Borussia Dortmund
• Mike Maignan, GK, AC Milan
• Jan Oblak, GK, Atlético Madrid
• Brice Samba, GK, Lens
• Wojciech Szczęsny, GK, Juventus
• Marc-André ter Stegen, GK, Barcelona
• Alessandro Bastoni, DEF, Inter Milan
• Gleison Bremer, DEF, Juventus
• Jonathan Clauss, DEF, Marseille
• Dante, DEF, Nice
• Giovanni Di Lorenzo, DEF, Napoli
• Federico Dimarco, DEF, Inter Milan
• Jeremie Frimpong, DEF, Bayer Leverkusen
• José Gayà, DEF, Valencia
• Álex Grimaldo, DEF, Bayer Leverkusen
• Theo Hernández, DEF, AC Milan
• Mats Hummels, DEF, Borussia Dortmund
• Jesús Navas, DEF, Sevilla
• Kim Min Jae, DEF, Bayern Munich
• Jules Koundé, DEF, Barcelona
• Marquinhos, DEF, Paris Saint-Germain
• Lucas Martínez-Quarta, DEF, Fiorentina
• Nicolás Otamendi, DEF, Benfica
• Aleix Garcia, MF, Girona
• Nicolò Barella, MF, Inter Milan
• Jude Bellingham, MF, Real Madrid
• Julian Brandt, MF, Borussia Dortmund
• Federico Chiesa, MF, Juvenus
• Aleksander Golovin, MF, Monaco 
• Vincenzo Grifo, MF, Freiburg
• İlkay Gündoğan, MF, Barcelona
• Toni Kroos, MF, Real Madrid
• Riyad Mahrez, MF, Al-Ahli
• Sergej Milinković-Savić, MF, Al-Hilal
• Luka Modrić, MF, Real Madrid
• Jamal Musiala, MF, Bayern Munich
• Pedri, MF, Barcelona
• Adrien Rabiot, MF, Juventus
• Leroy Sané, MF, Bayern Munich
• Aurélien Tchouaméni, MF, Real Madrid
• Federico Valverde, MF, Real Madrid
• Florian Wirtz, MF, Bayer Leverkusen
• Granit Xhaka, MF, Bayer Leverkusen
• Karim Benzema, FW, Al-Ittihad
• Domenico Berardi, FW, Sassuolo
• Cristiano Ronaldo, FW, Al-Nassr
• Ousmane Dembélé, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
• Gerard Moreno, FW, Villarreal
• Antoine Griezmann, FW, Atlético Madrid
• Serhou Guirassy, FW, Stuttgart
• Harry Kane, FW, Bayern Munich
• Randal Kolo Muani, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
• Takefusa Kubo, FW, Real Sociedad
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, FW, Napoli
• Lee Kang In, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
• Robert Lewandowski, FW, Barcelona
• Lautaro Martínez, FW, Inter Milan
• Kylian Mbappé, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
• Lionel Messi, FW, Inter Miami
• Álvaro Morata, FW, Atlético Madrid
• Loïs Openda, FW, RB Leipzig
• Victor Osimhen, FW, Napoli
• Rafael Leão, FW, AC Milan
• Mehdi Taremi, FW, Porto
• Vinícius Júnior, FW, Real Madrid

The highlights of the Premier League nominees include Manchester City's Erling Haaland, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Tottenham's Heung-min Son and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka.

Haaland has been one of the best players in the Premier League since making his debut with The Citizens during the 2021-22 season following a transfer from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.

The Norwegian has appeared in 15 Premier League matches for Manchester City this season. He's tied for the league lead in goals with 14 tallies and has also notched four assists.

In part thanks to Haaland, Manchester City is third in the Premier League with a 12-4-3 (W-D-L) record and 40 points.

Additionally, Haaland has notched five goals and one assist in five UEFA Champions League matches this year, helping Manchester City clinch a berth in the tournament's round of 16 against Superliga club Copenhagen.

Salah has also been one of the league's top strikers this season and is tied with Haaland for the Premier League lead in goals with 14. He also ranks first in the league with eight assists.

The Egyptian has helped Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table with a 13-6-1 record and 45 points.

Additionally, Salah has tallied three goals and one assist in five UEFA Europa League matches, helping The Reds clinch a berth in the round of 16 in March.

Son, who has been with Tottenham since 2015, ranks third in the Premier League with 12 goals in 20 matches. He has also tallied five assists to help the Spurs to fifth in the table with a 12-3-5 record.

As for Saka, he has notched six goals and six assists in 19 Premier League matches, helping Arsenal to fourth in the table with a 12-4-4 record.

The 22-year-old has also tallied three goals and four assists in five Champions League matches, helping the Gunners clinch a berth in the round of 16 against Liga Portugal's Porto.

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham has emerged as perhaps the best player in the world in his first season with the Spanish club.

The 20-year-old leads La Liga with 13 goals in 17 league matches and he has also added two assists to help Real Madrid to the top of the league table with a 15-3-1 record.

Bellingham has also been brilliant in the Champions League, tallying four goals and three assists in five games to help Los Blancos secure a berth in the round of 16 against Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

With how Bellingham has performed, he has etched his name alongside the likes of Haaland, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé as one of the world's most elite soccer players.

Considering he's only 20, there's likely nothing but great things in store for his future.

Women's Team of the Year Nominees

• Mary Earps, GK, Manchester United
• Katie McCabe, DEF, Arsenal
• Millie Bright, DEF, Chelsea
• Amanda Ilestedt, DEF, Arsenal
• Niamh Charles, DEF, Chelsea
• Frida Maanum, MF, Arsenal
• Guro Reiten, MF, Chelsea
• Sam Kerr, FW, Chelsea
• Lauren Hemp, FW, Manchester City
• Rachel Daly, FW, Aston Villa
• Khadija Shaw, FW, Manchester City
• Chloe Kelly, FW, Manchester City 
• Bethany England, FW, Tottenham

• Jane Campbell, GK, Houston Dash
• Christiane Endler, GK, Lyon
• Merle Frohms, GK, Wolfsburg
• Chiamaka Nnadozie, GK, Paris FC
• Selma Bacha, DEF, Lyon
• Ellie Carpenter, DEF, Lyon
• Naomi Girma, DEF, San Diego Wave
• Irene Paredes, DEF, Barcelona
• Sakina Karchaoui, DEF, Paris Saint-Germain
• Mapi León, DEF, Barclona
• Jenna Nighswonger, DEF, NJ/NY Gotham
• Olga Carmona, DEF, Real Madrid
• Ona Batlle, DEF, Barcelona
• Wendie Renard, DEF, Lyon
• Fridolina Rolfö, DEF, Barcelona
• Glódís Viggósdóttir, DEF, Bayern Munich
• Aitana Bonmatí, MF, Barcelona
• Alexia Putellas, MF, Barcelona
• Estefanía Banini, MF, Atlético Madrid
• Sam Coffey, MF, Portland Thorns
• Debinha, MF, Kansas City Current
• Barbara Dunst, MF, Eintracht Frankfurt
• Grace Geyoro, MF, Paris Saint-Germain
• Kerolin Nicoli, MF, North Carolina Courage
• Clara Matéo, MF, Paris FC
• Janina Minge, MF, Freiburg
• Lena Oberdorf, MF, Wolfsburg
• Patri Guijarro, MF, Barcelona
• Leicy Santos, MF, Atlético Madrid
• Georgia Stanway, MF, Bayern Munich
• Gaëtane Thiney, MF, Paris FC
• Keira Walsh, MF, Barcelona
• Caroline Weir, MF, Real Madrid
• Alba Redondo, FW, Levante, 
• Linda Caicedo, FW, Real Madrid
• Tabitha Chawinga, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
• Kadidiatou Diani, FW, Lyon
•  Caroline Hansen, FW, Barcelona
• Melissa Kössler, FW, Hoffenheim
• Racheal Kundananji, FW, Madrid CFF
• Eugénie Le Sommer, FW, Lyon 
• Ewa Pajor, FW, Wolfsburg
• Alexandra Popp, FW, Wolfsburg
• Trinity Rodman, FW, Washington Spirit
• Salma Paralluelo, FW, Barcelona
• Lea Schüller, FW, Bayern Munich
• Sophia Smith, FW, Portland Thorns
• Lynn Williams, FW, NJ/NY Gotham

The highlights of the Women's Super League nominees include Manchester United's Mary Earps, Chelsea's Sam Kerr and Manchester City's Khadija Shaw.

Earps is considered one of the best goalkeepers in women's soccer as she's allowing just 1.10 goals per 90 minutes this season in the WSL and has helped Manchester United to fourth in the league table with a 5-3-2 record.

Kerr has also long been considered one of the best striker's in the sport. She has notched four goals and two assists in eight WSL matches this season and has added five goals and one assist in four Champions League matches.

In part thanks to Kerr, Chelsea sit atop the WSL standings with an 8-1-1 record. The Blues are still competing in the group stage of the Champions League.

Shaw has been the top goalscorer in the WSL this season as she leads the league with nine goals in nine games for Manchester City, in addition to notching two assists.

Man City sits second in the WSL with a 7-1-2 record.

Much like Bellingham, Alexia Putellas has made her mark on the soccer world and has emerged as one of the best female players in the game.

The 29-year-old has tallied three goals and one assist in eight games for Barcelona this season and the club sits atop the Primera División with a 12-0-0 record. She has also notched two goals in one Champions League match.

Sophia Smith is another women's player that has had a phenomenal year. During the 2023 season with the Portland Thorns, she tallied 11 goals and five assists in 17 games to help the club finish second in the NWSL with a 10-5-7 record.

Team of the Year Voting Information

Team of the Year voting begins Jan. 8 at 11 a.m. ET. For more information, visit EA.com.

Luton Town FC announced Saturday that defender and captain Tom Lockyer was responsive after suffering cardiac arrest during an English Premier League match against Bournemouth.

The club confirmed that Lockyer went into cardiac arrest, but it noted that he was responsive by the time he was taken away on a stretcher, and he is currently in stable condition at a local hospital:

"Our medical staff have confirmed that the Hatters captain suffered cardiac arrest on the pitch, but was responsive by the time he was taken off on the stretcher. He received further treatment inside the stadium, for which we once again thank the medical teams from both sides.

"Tom was transferred to hospital, where we can reassure supporters that he is stable and currently undergoing further tests with his family at his bedside. We would like to thank everyone for their support, concern and loving messages for Locks."

According to Reuters (h/t ESPN), Lockyer collapsed during the 59th minute with the score tied 1-1, and the decision was made to abandon the match as both teams left the pitch.

Bournemouth also issued a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, taking solace in the fact that Lockyer was responsive: "We're relieved to hear Tom is responsive. Our thoughts will continue to be with Tom and his family at this time. We'd like to thank all the medical staff for their quick action as well as everyone inside the stadium for their support and unity during a difficult moment."

Lockyer, 29, is a Welsh centre-back who has been with Luton Town since 2020 after previous stints with Bristol Rovers and Charlton Athletic.

After playing in lower leagues throughout his career, this season is Lockyer's first in the EPL, as Luton Town qualified for promotion by finishing third in the EFL Championship last season.

In over 100 career appearances for Luton Town, Lockyer has five league goals and seven goals across all competitions to his credit.

He has also played in 16 matches for the Welsh national team since 2017, including playing for the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad.

Lockyer's collapse Saturday was reminiscent of a scary moment that occurred during Euro 2020, which was held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Denmark's Christian Eriksen collapsed during a match against Finland, and it was determined that he too went into cardiac arrest.

Eriksen underwent surgery to have a heart-starter device implanted, and he returned to play in February 2022 after signing with Brentford.

Eriksen has spent the past two seasons with Manchester United.

Luton Town, who are 18th in the EPL this season, are scheduled to return to action next Saturday as the hosts for a match against Newcastle United.

Rebecca Welch will become the first woman to officiate a Premier League match when she serves as the referee for a Dec. 23 clash between Fulham and Burnley.

The league confirmed its Matchday 18 assignments, with Welch on duty at Craven Cottage.

Three days later, meanwhile, Sam Allison will be the first Black referee for a Premier League fixture since 2008 when he's on the whistle for Sheffield United's match with Luton Town.

Welch broke new ground this past January when she was the referee for Preston North End's 2-1 victory over Birmingham City, making her the first woman in the lead role for an English Championship match.

Last month, she was the fourth official as Manchester United earned a 1-0 win over Fulham, becoming the first woman in that category as well.

Welch is well established within the women's game. In addition to working three matches at Women's Euro 2022 and the 2023 Women's World Cup, she has officiated Women's Super League contests along with the Women's FA Cup finals in 2017 and 2020.

Allison was playing the sport in a non-league capacity and working full time as a firefighter before he embarked on his officiating career.

"I don't hide that I want to reach the top," he said in a March interview with the EFL's official site. "I want to be a role model within my community and show representation as a Black man in football and being a referee at the same time. My desire has to be to reach the top just to show people that you can do it."

The EFL promoted Allison into its Select Group 2 of referees ahead of the 2023-24 season, which meant a move up to regularly working Championship matches.

Everton suddenly finds itself in danger of relegation after a 10-point deduction for breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules dropped the club to 19th in the table on Friday.

In a statement from the Premier League, an independent commission imposed a 10-point deduction on the Toffees for a breach of the rules during the 2021-22 season:

"The Premier League issued a complaint against the club and referred the case to an independent commission earlier this year. During the proceedings, the club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending Season 2021/22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute.

"Following a five-day hearing last month, the commission determined that Everton FC's PSR calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5 million, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105 million permitted under the PSRs. The commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect."

In response to the punishment, Everton said in a statement it was "shocked and disappointed by the ruling" and will file an appeal:

The Times' Martyn Ziegler reported in May 2022 that Leeds United and Burnley submitted a joint letter to the Premier League threatening to bring a legal claim against the league and Everton.

The clubs also demanded to see details "of what—if any—action or investigation the league" has started after the Goodison Park club recorded financial losses totaling £371.8 million over the previous three years.

Per ESPN's Mark Ogden, the Premier League's profit and financial stability rules allow clubs "to register losses of up to £105m over a three-year period or risk the prospect of financial penalties or, in serious cases, a points deduction."

Everton, Leeds and Burnley were all fighting to avoid relegation at the end of the 2021-22 season. The Toffees' 3-2 win over Crystal Palace in their penultimate game gave them 39 points overall, finishing one point ahead of Leeds and four better than Burnley in the table.

Per The Athletic's David Ornstein and Patrick Boyland, other potential punishments that could have been levied against Everton included a fine or transfer embargo.

Instead, the 10-point deduction dropped the Merseyside club from 14th place in the Premier League standings with 14 points to a tie with Burnley for fewest points this season.

Manager Sean Dyche's team is in the midst of a three-match unbeaten streak after a 2-1-6 start. There are still 25 matches left in the Premier League season for the club to dig itself out of this hole, but this is a much more difficult task if the appeal is denied.

Everton has been a member of the Premier League since it launched in the 1992-93 season. Its best finish was fourth place in 2004-05 and most recently finished in the top 10 in 2020-21. It has not been outside of the English top tier since 1954.

The Blues' next Premier League match is against Manchester United at Goodison Park on Nov. 26.

The Colombian Football Federation announced Thursday the father of Liverpool star Luis Díaz was released from kidnappers.

Díaz's parents were kidnapped 12 days ago by the National Liberation Army, a guerrilla group in Colombia. While his mother was quickly rescued, his father remained in captivity.

The Colombian government opened negotiations to secure the release of Luis Manuel Díaz, while police offered a reward for information on his whereabouts.

As the story gained worldwide attention, ELN commander Eliecer Herlinto Chamorro called kidnapping the elder Díaz a "mistake."

"Lucho is a symbol of Colombia—that is how we in the ELN feel about him," he said, referencing the national team winger, per the Telegraph's Harriet Barber.

"We hope that the operational situation on the ground can be resolved, this is the guidance that the commanders have to expedite the release."

Ahead of his team's match against Nottingham Forest on Oct. 29, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said Díaz had been removed from the squad to attend to a "private situation." Diogo Jota scored the first goal in a 3-0 victory and held up Díaz's No. 7 shirt in a show of support.

Díaz returned to the pitch for Sunday's 1-1 draw with Luton Town. He scored the equalizer in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time and lifted up his shirt to reveal a message that read, "Freedom For Dad."

The 26-year-old then released a statement personally asking for his father's release.

According to the BBC, Luis Manuel Díaz was transported by military helicopter to Valledupar, Colombia. He'll be released to his family after undergoing a physical examination.

Police are investigating after the parents of Liverpool forward Luis Díaz were kidnapped in his native Colombia, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Saturday, per ESPN.

Díaz's parents were reportedly kidnapped while they were driving home in northern Colombia. According to authorities, gunmen pulled up to their vehicle on motorbikes before getting in the vehicle and driving them away.

The 26-year-old's mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued in Barrancas—a municipality in Colombia's northern La Guajira province. The search for his father, who is still missing, remains ongoing.

The Colombian Football Federation expressed solidarity with the Díaz family in a statement and called on local authorities to act quickly to rescue his father.

Díaz has appeared in 43 international matches for Colombia. He was signed by Liverpool from Portuguese club Porto in January 2022 and has quickly become one of the club's biggest faces, scoring 14 goals in 58 games for the Premier League side.

The Colombian most recently appeared for Liverpool in the club's 2-0 win over Everton on Oct. 21. It's unclear if he'll be available for Sunday's match against Nottingham Forest.

Díaz also recently played for Colombia in their CONMEBOL qualifiers against Ecuador and Uruguay earlier this month.