Some words from Sonia Bompastor, the Chelsea manager, her team struggling to keep up with Manchester City in the WSL.

Our mentality is to fight until the end, no matter what happens. The only thing is right now we are not in control, and the most important thing is we need to focus on what we can control. Man City are top of the table and in control. We need to make sure we put the focus on how we want to perform going into the next games to make sure we have a better chance to win.

Fermín López have agreed to extend his Barcelona contract until June 2031, the Spanish Fermín was close to a move to Chelsea last summer, the 22-year-old Fermín is one of the club’s top young talents, along with Lamine Yamal and Pedri.Fermín has scored 10 goals and registered 10 assists in all competitions this season.

Milan want Mateta on a loan deal, with £35m obligation to buy.

Ahead of that Monday transfer window, here’s one of the deals taking shape, and it’s more bad news for Crystal Palace.

Thanks, Niall. Back in the saddle….

Time to hand back to your very own John Brewin for the home straight. I’ll leave you with Football Daily, where I look ahead to Panic Monday …

Staying in Italy, where Antonio Conte is under pressure at Napoli after the team’s early Champions League exit. The home defeat to Chelsea left Napoli 30th in the final table, and their Serie A title defence has stalled after costly draws and a 3-0 loss at Juventus.

Hitting out at his side’s busy schedule, Conte said: “I’d like to know who the genius is that makes the schedules. We play on Sunday, then Wednesday at 9pm, and then Saturday at 6pm. They talk about injuries and other things, but totally don’t give a damn.”

Napoli host a big name in even bigger trouble on Saturday – Fiorentina are stuck in the relegation zone after three wins from 22 games so far.

Remember Lorenzo Insigne? The former Napoli winger and Euro 2020 winner has spent the last three years outside of Italy, joining Toronto FC in January 2022.

Insigne ended his contract with the MLS club in June and has been a free agent since then – but he’s now rejoined his former club, Pescara, who are bottom of Serie B.

Celtic assistant manager Shaun Maloney is hoping the club can add up to three more signings before Monday’s deadline. Czech striker Tomas Cvancara and Mexican right-back Julian Araujo have already arrived on loan this month.

“I think if we bring in another two or three, it would be a massive, massive help, but they have to be the right ones,” Maloney said. “There is no need to bring in numbers. It has to be the right type of player for what we need and what probably the team’s lacking.

“The two that we brought in, I really like, but hopefully we can do two or three more.” Celtic are in a three-way title race with Hearts and Rangers, and face Stuttgart in the Europa League playoffs.

Sign up for the Recap and get the best of our coverage, fresh in your inbox on Sunday to enjoy with your morning coffee.

Here are 10 things to look out for in the Premier League this weekend, from Brighton to Sunderland.

If you’re after some free-to-air football tonight, you can watch Cologne v Wolfsburg on iPlayer – but my pick is over on BBC Scotland, where St Johnstone host Partick Thistle. Wait, come back!

It’s first against second in the Scottish Championship, and the winner will be in pole position for promotion. Last week’s Friday game saw third-placed Arbroath draw with Morton in a North Sea gale so strong, it blew one goal kick out of the stadium.

Chelsea may be searching for a centre-back, but Rosenior had a positive update on Levi Colwill’s knee injury. “I spoke to him this morning. He’s really good, he’s working so hard. It’s been brilliant to see him back on the pitch running.

“He’s itching to get back. But we need to make sure he feels 100% perfect. He could return this season, but it’s step by step. I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep.”

Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba was Aston Villa’s hero last night against Salzburg, and the teenage playmaker could get a loan move before Monday’s deadline.

According to BBC Sport, West Brom are keen to bring him in to boost their attacking options. Eric Ramsay’s side have already signed Crystal Palace defender Danny Imray on loan today.

Rosenior bristles at one reporter’s use of the term “bomb squad”, and says Axel Disasi isn’t close to finding a new club. If Chelsea need another centre-back, is Disasi really such a bad option?

On Cole Palmer: “He came through with two assists and an outstanding performance. [Physically] he’s fine, he’s ready to start tomorrow [against West Ham]. Was he happy after the Napoli game? He’s always happy.”

On Enzo Fernández: “He’s a winner, he wants to learn and asks tactical questions, so I know he’ll keep improving. He’s a magnificent guy and a top player – I’m really excited to see what we can get out of him.”

Time to check in with Liam Rosenior. “Things can change very quickly in the January market, and it’s about being prepared for any development. [A new centre-back] is a possibility, but we want to make the squad as strong as it can be, in every area.”

“Different players come up, and if we see someone who can improve the team, I know the guys will try to make it happen. It could be busy on Monday … it could be quiet.”

That’s an interesting tactic from Thomas Frank, perhaps trying to calm fan anger about a lack of signings. Semenyo’s release clause meant any ‘big six’ team could make a move in January but Spurs weren’t heavily linked, as far as I can tell. But at the end of the day, they didn’t sign him – and to add insult to injury, he scored his last Bournemouth goal to consign Frank’s side to a 3-2 defeat.

On transfer dealings, Frank says: “The club worked relentlessly to try and improve the squad, we can’t be too obsessed with short-term fixes. I will go against my rule, hopefully only once, that there’s no doubt the club wanted to sign [Antoine] Semenyo.

“They did everything – I think that’s a clear signal that the Lewis family is very committed. That’s a big signing with finances and all that. So that’s the quality of players we’re looking for to improve the squad, and if we can’t find that, then it’s definitely better to take the right decisions.”

Thomas Frank says “Micky [van de Ven] will be touch and go for Sunday” but there are no further injury updates.

Can he bring Spurs’ Champions League form to their domestic games? “Full focus on the next game, Man City on Sunday. Not everything has been perfect, but things are more consistent, we are improving.”

Did he think Spurs would be 14th in the table at this stage? “No, I didn’t – I’m very aware that this season, like any other, is one where we should be ambitious, but it’s a transitional season.”

Is your Friday afternoon dragging a bit? Why not try our sport quiz of the week, featuring goals by goalies, Adama Traoré and plenty more football teasers …

Here’s Unai Emery on Aston Villa’s injury issues: “Ollie Watkins has had a scan, he’s not clearly injured but he has felt tired so we will give him time and assess tomorrow.”

Emery adds that Ross Barkley could feature in his squad to face Brentford on Sunday, but Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Andrés García and new recruit Alysson are all out injured.

Elsewhere, Morecambe have agreed an early end to their kit deal with Terrace Teamwear, who were very popular among fans for supporting the club through their financial turmoil. Morecambe have also parted company with their manager, Ashvir Singh Johal, today – the Shrimps sit second-bottom of the National League.

Not one, but two stories about football kit trouble today: firstly, Blackburn are being sued by their kit maker, Macron, according to court records. The claim was filed on Wednesday over an alleged “breach of contract”, but no other details are currently available.

A Blackburn spokesperson said: “We confirm that the club has been served with court papers by its technical kit supplier, Macron S.p.A., in relation to a contractual dispute. The claim is being handled by the club with the support of its legal team, and it would be inappropriate to comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing.”

Blackburn, who are third from bottom in the Championship, signed a five-year kit deal with Macron in May 2021.

More from Oliver Glasner: “I can confirm JP [Mateta] won’t be in the matchday squad [on Sunday] … it’s not to do with a transfer, he’s just not in the right place to play now. I can also confirm no new players will be in the matchday squad. Everything else, we’ll have to wait and see.

“We need every player at his best, and JP isn’t at his best right now, with all the noise. He can’t play at his top level, so we all lose. There is no clear decision – it could be that he stays, it could be that he leaves the club and a replacement striker comes in.

“The club is working almost 24 hours a day [on transfers]. Marc [Guéhi] left two weeks ago and nobody is in – it’s not easy to get players in but the club is working hard. I can’t praise the players enough for how they are handling things, it’s a very challenging situation.”

Plenty for Lijnders to discuss; he says Jérémy Doku should be fit in two or three weeks, and understands Jack Grealish must be “very disappointed” after a foot injury cut short “an excellent season” on loan at Everton.

Lijnders is “really looking forward” to facing Spurs – “a fluid, high-pressing team, good at set-pieces” – and says City will “support” Ruben Dias “as a club” after the defender’s house was burgled this week.

Regis Le Bris says Granit Xhaka is getting closer to a comeback from injury but is still “two or three weeks” away from starting games. Sunderland face Burnley at the Stadium of Light on Monday.

A different Pep in the Manchester City hot seat today, as assistant Pep Lijnders stepped in for Pep Guardiola. “It is a personal matter, he will arrive back here in Manchester today,” said Lijnders. “The manager is good, as always. Full of ambition and passion.” Guardiola was in Barcelona on Thursday, where he gave a speech supporting Palestinian children at a charity event.

Wolves host Bournemouth tomorrow, and Rob Edwards has confirmed Jørgen Strand Larsen will be in his squad as things stand. “It’s pretty clear, he has trained and will be part of the squad tomorrow,” Edwards said. “That is as much as I can say on it at the moment.” The striker looked set for a move to Palace before the move stalled unexpectedly on Thursday.

Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Jean-Philippe Mateta will not be part of Crystal Palace’s squad for Sunday’s trip to Nottingham Forest. The striker is subject of a bid from Forest, and has also attracted interest from Aston Villa, Milan and Juventus.

Here’s Marco Silva on signing Oscar Bobb: “I’m very pleased, because I think it’s a very good move for us. Oscar was one of our targets, a clear replacement for Adama [Traoré]. He has great qualities, he’s coming here to have game time and give us options in attacking positions. He’s a very, very talented young player, he’s going to the World Cup and he can help us this season.”

Carrick brushes off a fairly speculative question about Bruno Fernandes and a possible move this summer. “That’s not really on my agenda. I’m just focusing on playing Fulham on Sunday, but there are no issues at all with Bruno.” He sees facing Fulham as home as “a great challenge – taking anything out of granted is bang out of order, really.”

Michael Carrick is concise on Manchester United’s possible transfer plans. “Never say never,” says the interim manager on January moves, while playing down speculation that Joshua Zirkzee might return to Serie A before the window closes.

Sean Dyche has admitted Nottingham Forest adding Premier League experience before Monday’s transfer deadline would be “helpful”, as they await an answer from Crystal Palace regarding their bid for Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Forest are thought to have made a renewed bid for the wantaway Palace striker, who also has serious interest from Serie A sides Milan and Juventus, closer to the London club’s valuation of £40m.

Asked about the value of signing players with experience of the league, Dyche said: “If you can, that’s helpful, because I’ve got a lot of young players in there [in the squad], not necessarily young in age but in their learning about the Premier League.

“If you can bring experienced players into your group to strengthen it in terms of your understanding of the league, then of course that helps. But it’s not easy in January. Not many Premier League teams want to lose their own players, that’s for sure.”

Forest saw a £20m bid for Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari rejected this week, while they saw an inquiry for the Seagulls’s longstanding captain Lewis Dunk dismissed. They are also pursuing a deal for the Wolves goalkeeper José Sa.

Dyche laughed off talk of a growing rivalry between Forest and Palace, as the teams prepare to reunite on Sunday at the City Ground. “I’ve never heard about it, I don’t know where that’s come from, apart from the obvious … wrangles over Europe,” Dyche said.

“I don’t think it’s a derby game, that’s for sure,” he added, with a smile. “That’s nothing to do with me. I’ve got good people I know at Palace, a good club, well run, and they had brilliant success last season. They’re in a tough period at the moment but that happens, football’s not easy.”

Thanks, Dominic. Busy is the word – right now, six Premier League managers are settling in for their pre-game press conferences. Carrick, Frank, Rosenior. Glasner. Silva. Le Bris. But let’s start with a bit of Forest news …

And with that I shall hand the reins to Niall McVeigh to steer you through the afternoon.

It’s a busy one, Niall!

Bayern Munich have announced that Leon Goretzka will be leaving the club in the summer after eight seasons.

The German midfielder is still only 30 and has been linked with a move away this month. But it now seems he will stay until the summer before a mutual parting of ways.

Taking to Instagram, Goretzka said: “The last few days have been more turbulent than expected. At the same time, they’ve brought clarity: As much as I’m honoured by the interest from top international clubs, I’ve made a clear decision that I want to stay with Bayern until the end of the season, with a team that’s incredibly fun to be around, both on and off the pitch, and a coach who has moulded our squad back into a true unit. I feel a deep commitment to this team and the club.

“At the same time the club and I have decided, after good and constructive discussions, that our successful time together will come to an end this summer. It’s the right time for me to start a new chapter: as a footballer and as a person. But there’s still a lot to do before then.

“Let’s all give it our all to achieve maximum success this season and at the World Cup with the national team! I’m looking forward to it!”

About that Tottenham versus Manchester City game… rivals fans joke about ‘Dr Tottenham’ – and my word West Ham certainly benefitted from that effect a couple of weeks ago, a win away at Spurs jumpstarting the Hammers back into form. But if Spurs could choose anyone to play to snap out of their own struggles, weirdly it may actually be Man City.

They have won three of their last four games against Pep Guardiola’s side and eight of the last 15 dating back to 2020.

Considering Spurs have never finished ahead of City in the league during that run, and it coming during City’s four successive titles, it is quite remarkable.

The only fly in the ointment for Tottenham fans on Sunday would be how a victory would/could give Arsenal a boost in the title race. Yes, we are back there.

Pep Guardiola is missing miss Manchester City’s press conference today for “personal reasons” with assistant boss Pep Lijnders to take his place. Lijnders will be asked about Sunday’s clash away at Tottenham.

Bad news for Everton. David Moyes says he expects Jack Grealish to require surgery on a fractured foot, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

That would surely vanquish Grealish’s lingering hopes of making England’s World Cup squad and effectively bring his loan spell with the Toffees to a close. A final decision will be taken in conjunction with the 30-year-old’s parent club, Manchester City.

“We believe he’s probably going to need surgery but that’s still not absolutely confirmed, but it probably rules him out for the rest of the season,” said Moyes. “It’s really disappointing for the player, the club, for all of us here. He’s such an important part and he’s a big character with big experience for us and we’ll miss him, he’s done a lot of really good things for us.”

Read more here.

Mikel Arteta has likened Max Dowman to a young Lionel Messi after the teenager committed his future to Arsenal.

Dowman, now 16, in November became the youngest player to play in the Champions League at 15 years and 308 days. He has signed a pre-agreement for his first professional contract when he turns 17 in December.

“Certainly one of the best,” said Arteta of the youngster. “What he’s done with us at the age of 15, me personally, I haven’t seen it before. Only with a guy that used to play in Barcelona but maybe not even that. He has a certain charisma as well and personality that he doesn’t get overwhelmed, whether it’s by the situation or the stadium or the opposition, and that’s a huge quality to have. Now it’s down to him and us to build an amazing career with him.”

No pressure, Max.

Manchester City are marching towards the WSL title – seemingly. Putting an end to Chelsea’s sheer dominance of that league is/would be a mighty feat for anyone, so how is Andrée Jeglertz managing it?

(They are nine points clear with nine games to go).

Thanks John. What do you make of those draws, then? Benfica meeting Real Madrid again is quite delicious isn’t it? José Mourinho will be smelling another shock.

And in the Europa League, Fenerbahce v Nottingham Forest should be really tasty.

And with that, for reaction to that Bobb move, and more, here’s Dom Booth.

The Norwegian winger is reported to have signed for a fee of £27m, and Marco Silva seems to have charmed him into the move.

A club statement reads: “The club is delighted to confirm the signing of Oscar Bobb from Manchester City for an undisclosed fee.

A Premier League champion, Bobb has agreed a five-and-a-half-year deal, keeping him at Fulham until the summer of 2031. He will wear the number 14 shirt.

The 22-year-old said: “It feels great to be here. I had a great day meeting everyone and I’m very excited. “I’ve always known Fulham to be a good club, with good players and a great stadium. I spoke to Sander, my good friend, and I spoke to the manager, and he explained what the system’s like, and how the lads are, and how the club is.

“He seemed lovely, so it was an easy decision basically.”

A note on Newcastle’s schedule. Eddie Howe’s men will travel to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag on 17-18 February. They are due to play Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, 21 February at 12:30 pm. There’s a reason they are calling it the “punishment round”.

So, Forest will get an earlier look at Istanbul than the final, and Celtic have a trip to Germany.

The draw for the round of 16 will be held on 27 February 2026.

We now run through the unseeded clubs being allocated to silver and orange, the latter being the colour of the Europa League. Blue for the Champions League, of course.

Mick McCann gets in touch: “Amazing, before Wednesday night Benfica hadn’t played Real since 1965 and now another 2 matches straight away! Talk about waiting for a bus.”

Uefa are running through their procedures, silver and blue sides and all that.

Guest of honour is Ilhan Mansiz, Turkey’s World Cup star in 2002. “As a player you dream of those European nights.” Istanbul will host the Europa League final at Besiktas’s ground.

Here’s Pedro Pinto again, and soon enough here’s Giorgio Marchetti, the true master of ceremonies. He offers condolences to those associated with PAOK, who lost seven fans in a road crash in Romania.

The Europa League play-off format is similar to the Champions League, and here’s the teams competing:

• 9th: Genk

• 10th: Bologna

• 11th: Stuttgart

• 12th: Ferencvaros

• 13th: Nottingham Forest

• 14th: Plzen

• 15th: Crvena Zvezda

• 16th: Celta Vigo

• 17th: PAOK

• 18th: Lille

• 19th: Fenerbache

• 20th: Panathinaikos

• 21st: Celtic

• 22nd: Ludogorets

• 23rd: Dinamo Zagreb

• 24th: Brann Bergen

And we now go live – in five minutes – to the Europa League draw. More pathways to come…