The Athletic FC Podcast

On Tuesday, Manchester United announced that they intend to build a 100,000-capacity new stadium rather than redevelop their existing Old Trafford home. The news came shortly after Sir Jim Ratcliffe stated the club could run out of money by Christmas without cost-cutting. So, with concerns around Manchester United’s finances, how would this development be paid for, and how will it affect their on pitch ambitions? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Matt Slater and Mark Critchley Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Jay Beale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s clear that Nottingham Forest are the real deal this season.. So can they hold on and qualify for the Champions League next season? And is their success down to the system or their raft of standout players? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Paul Taylor, Nick Miller, Ahmed Walid Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producers: Guy Clarke & Nick Thomson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not for the first time Manchester United have proven they still have glimpses of class in the team - as shown by Bruno Fernandes in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal. Despite sitting 14th in the Premier League, the Europa League still offers a backdoor into next season’s Champions League. So how crucial is European qualification to Ruben Amorim’s plans for an Old Trafford overhaul? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Manchester United writer Laurie Whitwell and Phil Hay to discuss the Ruben Amorim 'project' at Old Trafford to date while Mark Critchley also drops in to explain the financial need to secure European qualification to help finance a summer overhaul of the playing squad. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Laurie Whitwell, Phil Hay and Mark Critchley Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Online searches for fake football shirts have gone up by over 500% since 2021, with the Premier league counterfeit market worth over £180m. But what damage could they be causing you and others? Adam Leventhal has spent the last nine months investigating the illicit trade of counterfeits, and uncovered some shocking details along the way. Host: Adam Leventhal Mixing: Jay Beale Executive Producer: Abi Paterson Featuring footage from: Sky News, Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa, sdpeasyy, Culture Force Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arsenal face Manchester United on Sunday, looking to win consecutive away games at Old Trafford for the first time since 1979.  This week, Mikel Arteta’s side thumped PSV 7-1 in the Champions League, meaning there will be no distractions as they look to build on an impressive attacking display.  After a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad, Ruben Amorim will not be afforded that luxury. Manchester United’s hopes of silverware and Champions League qualification rest on their Europa League campaign, will the United boss have one eye on Thursday’s second leg?  Arsenal writer Art de Roché and Manchester writer Mark Critchley join Adam Leventhal to preview Sunday’s tie.  Plus we check in with the club podcasts across The Athletic FC, setting you up for the big fixtures elsewhere. Host: Adam Leventhal With: Art de Roché, Mark Critchley Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Jay Beale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexander Isak is one of Europe’s most prolific strikers having scored 17 goals in his last 17 games since the start of December. The Swede has helped fire Newcastle United to Wembley and has also put them in the mix for Champions League qualification. But the question is can they deliver the success needed to keep him at St James’ Park? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Chris Waugh and Jacob Whitehead to explore what it is that makes Isak the player he is as well as the cult hero he's become on Tyneside before exploring how difficult, or not, it may be to keep hold of him this summer. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Chris Waugh and Jacob Whitehead Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a new wonderkid on the block, and his name is Florian Wirtz.  He has established himself as the man to carry the creative responsibility for Bayer Leverkusen. But how does he measure up against the world’s best in his position?   And is there a danger in becoming over-reliant on one player to make things happen? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Phil Hay & Mark Carey Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter where he’s managing, Jose Mourinho simply cannot stay out of the headlines. His time managing in the Turkish Super Lig has seen more of the same. So is this ‘typical Jose’? Or is he a victim of the chaos that surrounds him? Host: Adam Leventhal With: Rory Smith & Andy Mitten Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou & Nick Thomson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, David Ornstein reported that Arsenal are looking to conclude their search for a new Sporting Director by the end of March. So, with the search set to conclude this month, who is the ideal candidate for the role and could this appointment be the missing link to help Arsenal finally end their wait for a Premier League title? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic’s football correspondent David Ornstein and lead writer for The Athletic FC newsletter Phil Hay to analyse what the Gunners are looking for and who could be the man to replace Edu in trying to help Mikel Arteta bring silverware to the Emirates Stadium. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: David Ornstein and Phil Hay Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With just six points separating Nottingham Forest in 3rd and Aston Villa in 10th, European football is up for grabs in the Premier League. Adam Leventhal is joined by The Athletic's football writers Tim Spiers and Nick Miller to discuss which side needs European qualification the most. After wins midweek, Manchester City and Chelsea sit 4th and 5th respectively, are any of the chasing pack consistent enough to earn Champions League football? With Manchester United and Tottenham languishing in the bottom half of the table, which clubs are eyeing up the Europa and Conference League? Host: Adam Leventhal With: Tim Spiers, Nick Miller Featuring: Paul Taylor, Sam Lee, Liam Twomey, Chris Waugh, Jacob Tanswell Editor: Nick Thomson Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Jay Beale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a week in which they were dumped out of the Champions League and given a dose of reality by Liverpool, Man City got back to winning ways, beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 courtesy of Erling Haaland on his return from injury. So, with Haaland back from injury and their new recruits bedding in is the City rebuild not as big a job as we thought it might be? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Man City correspondent Sam Lee as well as Jack Pitt-Brooke to analyse City's performance at the Tottenham Hotspur season before assessing the state of their squad rebuild. New signings Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez are all discussed as well as the ageing spine of Guardiola's dynastic team before questioning whether the Spaniard can return City to their previous standards? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Sam Lee and Jack Pitt-Brooke Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio couldn’t save Aston Villa last night as they lost 4-1 away at Crystal Palace. The two marquee signings were brought in to boost Unai Emery’s side at the business end of the season. But are Rashford & Asensio the solution to Villa’s problems right now?  Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Jacob Tanswell & Rory Smith  Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last season marked the first time since 1998 that all three promoted Premier League teams were relegated. It looks like history may repeat itself this season, after another miserable weekend for Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton. So will all three go down?  And if so, what does it say about the gap between the Premier League and the Championship? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Stu James & Phil Hay Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou & Nick Thomson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liverpool have moved 11 points clear in the Premier League title race with Mohamed Salah leading the way in their 2-0 win over Manchester City. His goal and assists are edging him towards records set by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. Mohamed Salah is one of the Premier League’s Greatest but could he be THE greatest? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by Oli Kay, who was at the Etihad on Sunday for The Athletic as well as Simon Hughes, author of Chasing Salah: The Biography of Mohamed Salah. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Oli Kay and Simon Hughes Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever thought about how elite football clubs actually go about using data to analyse and recruit players? Well, The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast has the answers you need. Paul Power from sports data company, Skillcorner, joins the show to chat about how clubs really use data in recruitment and analysis. Plus… what the future could hold in terms of football’s relationship with AI? Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Paul Power Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manchester City host Liverpool on Sunday in what could be a decisive game in this season’s title race.  Pep Guardiola will be hoping to fix Manchester City’s out of possession problems, that contributed to them being dumped out of the Champions League midweek.  After consecutive draws away from home in the Premier League, can Arne Slot’s side make a statement at a ground they have won just once at in their previous 15 attempts?  The Athletic’s senior data analyst Mark Carey and data writer Thom Harris join Matt Davies-Adams to preview Sunday’s clash.  Plus we check in with the club podcasts across The Athletic FC, setting you up for the big fixtures elsewhere.  Host: Matt Davies-Adams With: Mark Carey, Thom Harris Featuring: James Pearce, Sam Lee Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Jay Beale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a night Man City had no margin for error, Kylian Mbappe took away any hope scoring his first hat-trick at the Bernabeu for Real Madrid. With his treble, the Frenchman became just the fourth player to score a Champions League knockout hat-trick for Madrid following in the footsteps of the likes of Ronaldo Nazario, Karim Benzema and of course Cristiano Ronaldo. So can Mbappe reach Cristano Ronaldo's levels at Real Madrid? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Real Madrid writer Guillermo Rai and Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero to analyse the win over Man City and how fair Carlo Ancelotti's side can go in this season's Champions League. Plus, French football writer Tom Williams drops by to discuss Mbappe's evolution and his use of speed through his career. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Guillermo Rai, Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero and Tom Williams Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Defeat at Spurs last weekend left Manchester United in 15th place in the table  Next up they take on a resurgent Everton managed by the first person challenged with bringing back the good times at Old Trafford. So from David Moyes to Ruben Amorim, United seems to be stuck in a cycle of underperformance.  So what is preventing them from moving forward? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Adam Crafton, Oli Kay, Carl Anka & Charlotte Harpur Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Premier League’s financial rules will still be in place for next season despite plans to change them. Teams like Manchester United, Aston Villa and Newcastle blame these rules for stopping them spending heavily on new players. So why the delay for the new rules? And how exactly do they impact clubs and their summer transfer plans? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Matt Slater & Jacob Whitehead Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou & Nick Thomson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Friday night Chelsea suffered a fourth defeat in eight Premier League games, going down 3-0 away to Brighton & Hove Albion. Having slipped from fourth to sixth, frustrations have come to the fore including from star player Cole Palmer. So, has Maresca ball gone flat? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by Chelsea writer Liam Twomey and senior football writer Oli Kay to analyse Chelsea's recent shortcomings, discuss the form and contributions of Palmer as well as assess whether or not Chelsea are improving under Maresca. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Liam Twomey and Oli Kay Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices