FootXtra – Football News & Updates FootXtra brings you the latest football news, live updates, match previews, transfer stories, and in-depth analysis from leagues and tournaments around the world. Stay connected to the beautiful game every day.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing two Crystal Palace players as among their top transfer targets at the moment – Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s not done, far from it. At 40, with a trophy room most players can’t even dream about and a legacy that’s already set in stone, he’s still chasing numbers. Forget retirement parties or coaching courses. Ronaldo’s only thinking about one thing: Hitting the insane target of 1,000 career goals.

Former Juventus defender Danilo will be in the stands for the Serie A game against Lecce, finally able to salute the fans a year after his controversial departure.

Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane kept an admirably consistent position on penalty appeals in the defeat to Milan. ‘I must be honest, that’s not a spot-kick for me.’

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has now opened up on the situation of Eberechi Eze, who has not played too much in recent weeks. 

Rafael Leao admits he must ‘sense the goal more’ as a centre-forward and is full of praise for Milan teammate Davide Bartesaghi in a new role against Cagliari.

Max Allegri feels Rafael Leao works better as a centre-forward because he’s less likely to ‘fall asleep’ and sees defenders being ‘less frenetic’ in their 1-0 win away to Cagliari.

Rafael Leao is the MOTM in Milan’s 1-0 win over Cagliari, the first game of 2026 in Serie A, but two other Rossoneri players received the same rating.

Rafael Leao scored the first Serie A goal of 2026 to give a reshuffled Milan the victory away to Cagliari, with Niclas Fullkrug making his debut.

New signing Frank Awere is expected to make his official debut for Swedru All Blacks this Sunday in a crucial Ghana Premier League clash against Asante Kotoko.Awere, whose registration is set to be finalised ahead of the match, could provide a timely boost for a Swedru All Blacks side sitting in 11th place. His arrival comes as the team seeks to move higher up the table to at least secure a spot in the top flight for next season.The debut is set against a significant backdrop, as their opponents, the Porcupine Warriors, are themselves second and aim to mount pressure on top-place Medeama. Asante Kotoko are just a point behind Medeama and are determined to claim all three points against the newly promoted side.The match at Swedru Park now carries heightened importance, with both clubs desperate for points to reverse their faltering seasons. Awere's potential introduction adds a compelling subplot to what has become a high-stakes survival battle.

Sport Mediaset reports that Inter have an agreement in principle with Al-Hilal for Joao Cancelo’s six-month loan, but the Portuguese defender is waiting for an offer from Barcelona.

Sudan captain Mohamed Abdelrahman believes Senegal are a strong and experienced team and that facing them will demand focus, courage and unity from his side.

The struggles for Heart of Lions deepened on Friday with a goalless draw against Hohoe United Chelsea, extending their winless run in the Ghana Premier League to seven matches.The club, which showed promise earlier in the season, is now in a severe slump. Their form of four defeats and three draws in this stretch has seen them fall to sixth place on the league table. The sequence of results—two draws, four losses, and another draw—underscores a team that has lost its way and is unable to secure victories.The pressure is mounting on the technical team as the club's performance keeps declining. The January transfer window offers a critical period for Heart of Lions to regroup and address the persistent issues, particularly a defence that has conceded frequently during this poor run.Their next fixture will be a major test of whether they can halt this decline and begin a fight for survival as they face an inconsistent Dreams FC side on January 11.

Quick take: Big picture: the update fits broader trends across the league with schedule pressure and tight tables. Supporters will watch for clarity from training ground reports and official briefings. We’ll keep an eye on confirmed details as the story develops from official sources.

Heart of Lions head coach Bashir Hayford has shared his satisfaction with the teams draw against Hohoe United in the Ghana Premier League on Friday.The team from Kpando played away to the team based in Hohoe today in their Week 17 fixture of the 2025/26 league campaign.In what was the first Volta derby of the season, Hohoe United squandered a penalty kick that could have secured all three points from the contest.Heart of Lions also had their fair share of chances but failed to convert and had to settle for a stalemate at full-time.Speaking in his post-match interview, Bashir Hayford admitted that the game was tough, adding that picking a point from the match was fair.I think it was a very tough game because both sides didnt want to lose. The home side played aggressively, and we matched them boot for boot. They had a penalty they couldnt convert, we also had a clear chance, and we couldnt score.I think both sides are happy because the friendship between Hohoe and Kpando, maybe God didnt want one to be happy and one to be sad, so all of us are sharing the points, and then we go home, Bashir Hayford shared after the match.The draw leaves Heart of Lions sixth in the Ghana Premier League table with Hohoe United sitting in the 15th spot.