JANUARY HIJACK: SEE WHY WEST HAM AND SUNDERLAND ARE OFFICIALLY FIGHTING FOR ARTEM DOVBYK
Roma has reportedly offered Artem Dovbyk to Sunderland and West Ham for £19m as AC Milan closes in on striker Niclas Füllkrug.
AC Milan might make a move that kicks off a £19m transfer thing that could mess with Sunderland this January.
Word is, Sunderland's in the mix to grab Artem Dovbyk. Apparently, Roma's trying to ship him out during the January transfer window.
Orazio Accomando, an Italian journalist, mentioned West Ham was interested, but Gazzetta dello Sport is saying Sunderland's seriously looking at him now. The Italian paper's saying Roma's not sure about Dovbyk's future and would sell the 28-year-old if they get good offers.
They're saying West Ham might want Dovbyk to take Niclas Füllkrug's place, since he might be heading to AC Milan. Also, Roma's sporting director, Ricky Massara, has supposedly offered the striker to Sunderland, giving them another option.
The report says Sunderland's sporting director, Florent Ghisolfi, could be involved in talks, since he used to work at Roma. His ties inside the Italian club might help if Sunderland wants to chase this.
Roma's supposedly looking for buyers; someone will bite. But Dovbyk apparently doesn't want to go to Turkey, which cuts down his options. Sunderland and West Ham would need to cough up around €22 million (£18.8 million) for the Ukraine guy, who's scored a couple of goals in Serie A this season.
He's been hurt a bit this season, so he hasn't been scoring as much. Roma tried to get rid of Dovbyk this past summer, but AC Milan was really interested. With the Premier League a possibility again, January might sort things out for him.
What did Régis Le Bris say after the Brighton game?
Le Bris thought Sunderland deserved their point against Brighton because they held strong when Brighton put on the pressure at the end. Sunderland was in charge for a while, despite missing some players who were called up for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Brighton was also missing some folks due to injuries, suspensions, and sickness, and they got stronger as the game went on. Sunderland couldn't score when they had chances earlier, but Le Bris was happy with how his players defended to keep a clean sheet.
A draw was probably fair, Le Bris said. The guys in the locker room were a little bummed [that we didn't win], which is a good sign for later. We had two parts to the game. We were in control until about 65 or 70 minutes, which is impressive for an away game.
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We showed some good stuff, real grit. We had the ball and could have scored then. But if you don't score away from home when you get those chances, you know the other team's going to push hard at the end.
They did well for the last 20 or 25 minutes. We stayed tight and kept that clean sheet. They crossed a lot, like we thought they would, so we were ready for that. We have guys who really want to defend the box and the goal, and they did. They defended well.
PULISIC HITS BACK: MILAN STAR SHUTS DOWN 2026 GOAL DROUGHT CONCERNS
"I haven't stopped dreaming." Christian Pulisic addresses his goal drought and the frustration of missing out on the Gold Cup squad.
Christian Pulisic isn’t holding back. When critics started questioning his recent form and worried about his 2026 goal drought, he shut them down, calling those concerns “bad questions". The AC Milan forward, fresh off his Time magazine cover, still trusts his ability to step up for the USMNT as they gear up to co-host the World Cup.
All eyes are on him.
The U.S. is set to share the stage for the 2026 World Cup, and Pulisic is set to become the go-to guy for the national team. Landing on the cover of Time isn’t something soccer stars from America get every day, and it just shows how big a deal he’s become, especially after proving himself in Europe. But right as people are finally giving him mainstream recognition, he’s under the microscope for not putting up his usual numbers in front of the goal.
He’s not fazed by the dip.
When Time asked about his goal drought and how he’s handling not scoring for club or country this year, Pulisic didn’t mince words; he’s not sweating it. “I plan on scoring goals. Such bad questions. I’m not concerned about it, man.” You can hear the confidence in his voice.
Dealing with the noise
Pulisic admits this stretch feels extra tough. Missing out on last June’s Gold Cup squad hurt him, mostly because he’s used to shutting people up with his play. “Normally, I just go out there and score, and that quiets everybody. Right now, I’m in my offseason, so everyone’s talking, and I can’t do anything about it. That’s what’s frustrating.”
For Pulisic, attacking is everything. “Going at the goal, creating attacks, that’s what I live for. Sure, you have to do all the other stuff: defend, run, whatever. That’s fine. But what really gives me joy is finding ways to score and actually scoring.”
Chasing the dream
The U.S. opens their World Cup run against Paraguay at the SoFi Stadium on June 12, and Pulisic will lead the team right here at home. He doesn’t like making big public predictions, but at 27, he keeps that childhood dream alive. “That’s just not how I work. But I’ll lie in bed and imagine myself holding the World Cup trophy. I did that when I was a kid, and I haven’t stopped. You need to believe. Why not?”
WHY DID LAUTARO MARTINEZ REJECT A CAREER-DEFINING MOVE TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE?
"I love Milan." Read why 28-year-old Lautaro Martinez rejected Manchester United and Arsenal to stay at the San Siro in 2026.
Inter captain Lautaro Martinez has clearly put an end to any speculation about leaving San Siro, making it known that he has no plans to entertain offers from Europe’s top clubs. Even with regular links to teams like Barcelona, Manchester United, and Arsenal, the Argentine forward is fully committed to what’s happening in Milan.
Martinez has been quite vocal about his dedication to Inter amid constant rumours about his future. Despite frequent connections to some of the biggest clubs on the continent, he insists there’s no reason for him to move on from the current Serie A champions.
Media reports have often tied him to Barcelona, PSG, Arsenal, and Manchester United. But through various transfer windows, Martinez has consistently pushed back on the idea of leaving Inter. At 28, he remains a key figure in the team’s current setup and has stepped up as the club’s captain and on-field leader.
In an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio, Martinez expressed his loyalty to Inter’s project. He made it clear that he isn’t interested in changing clubs despite the speculation.
He said, “No, because I am faithful to the Inter project, I feel at home here. My family is happy, we have a restaurant in the city, and we love Milan. From the first day, everyone treated me in a way I didn’t think possible. I achieved so many personal and team goals here.”
Success on the pitch seems to deepen his connection to the club. Inter recently secured another league title and continues to chase trophies, including the Coppa Italia. On an individual level, Martinez is eyeing the Capocannoniere prize as Serie A’s top scorer. His steady performances underline why he’s considered one of the most reliable forwards in European football.
Since his move from Racing Club in 2018, Martinez has become the defining presence in Inter’s modern lineup. With 173 goals over 372 competitive games, it’s clear how vital he is to the team.
Looking ahead, the club sees Martinez as a central piece in their long-term plans. His leadership and scoring ability make him hard to replace. Settled both on and off the field in Milan, he seems set on continuing his story at the Giuseppe Meazza, despite ongoing interest from Europe’s elite clubs.
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