The transfer window may be closed, but Newcastle are still looking to do transfer business lead by Ross Wilson, who was recently appointed as the club's new sporting director. Specifically, signings for the academy are being worked on, which is an area that they have put a lot of focus in recent years. In the PSR era, it has proven valuable to sell academy players, which Newcastle did in 2024 when Elliot Anderson joined Nottingham Forest in a deal worth 35m.
The market for players as young as 14 has turned wild, according to industry figures. Some wages are astronomical, one agent says. A sporting director at a top-flight club struggling to keep their best youngsters away from the richest teams in England says: It's a nightmare. We have to offer 14-year-olds scholarship contracts just to protect ourselves. It is a ruthless business.
The government have been urged to target young adults to volunteer for the NHS in a bid to tackle NHS waiting lists. A high-profile volunteer recruitment drive targeting young people could have a transformative impact on hospital efficiency, a charity has said, as it pushed the government to invest in the biggest hiring campaign since the pandemic. It comes as a YouGov poll found a third of 18 to 24-year-olds would consider giving up their time to volunteer in the NHS.
Two teenage boys were arrested in the Netherlands over suspicions of spying for pro-Russian hackers, Dutch authorities announced. The two 17-year-old boys were allegedly approached by the hackers on Telegram, a messaging application popular among cybercriminals and state-sponsored threat actors. According to local media, one of the boys was allegedly seen walking by Europol and Eurojust headquarters, and the Canadian embassy, while carrying a Wi-Fi sniffer, which is used to map Wi-Fi networks and intercept data.
Manchester United are looking to build for the future, and they are interested in one of the brightest young prospects in Scotland. According to a report via United in focus, Manchester United have joined the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool in the race to sign the Hearts youngster Keir McKeekin. According to the latest reports, Manchester United are among multiple clubs that have made offers to sign the teenage midfielder from Hearts.
Liverpool have officially confirmed the signing of 17-year-old striker Will Wright from Salford City, continuing their aggressive push to secure both immediate and long-term talent under manager Arne Slot.
Johan Forssell expressed shock and horror upon learning about his teenage son’s involvement in far-right extremist groups, indicating deeper societal issues regarding youth and social media.