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GM football fans. It’s Wednesday, Jan. 08 – The world’s oldest football fan, Musk’s interest in Liverpool FC and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.

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FIXTURES

English League Cup, semi-final first leg: Tottenham vs Liverpool, 20:00 / 15:00. Liverpool (20) and Tottenham (18) have featured more often than anyone else in the final four of the League Cup. Meanwhile, the Reds have lost just one of their last 19 games in the League Cup.

Results…

• English League Cup, semi-final first leg: Arsenal 0-2 Newcastle (Match Report)

• Copa Del Rey: Eldense 0-2 Valencia

TOP TALKING POINTS

Musk’s Liverpool Interest

Errol Musk, father of the richest man in the world Elon Musk, told a radio station that his son “would love to buy Liverpool [FC]”. He also joked that he doesn't want to disclose too many details in case Liverpool owners FSG raise the asking price. The story originated in the Friday edition of the British newspaper Weekend Sport, but there is little evidence to substantiate Errol’s claims.

Musk’s father claims he has an affinity for Liverpool as his grandmother, Cora Robinson, was born in the suburb of Mossley Hill in 1923. Yesterday, Musk incidentally Tweeted a short passage about his grandmother in England.

According to Forbes, Liverpool FC is valued at $5.37bn (£4.3bn) as the fourth most expensive football club in the world—behind Real Madrid, Manchester United and Barcelona. Meanwhile, Elon Musk is estimated to have a net worth of $425.2bn (£339.3bn). In 2023, reports suggested that FSG did not think it was the right time to cash in on their £300m investment but it did sell a minority stake in the club in the same year.

World’s Oldest Fan

A devoted supporter of Brazilian Serie A side Inter de Porto Alegre has been recognised as the oldest person in the world. Inah Canabarro, 116 years old, was born on 8 June 1908, becoming the oldest person following the death of a woman from Japan on 29 December.

As a fan of Inter, she enjoys festive celebrations from the club on each of her birthdays. During these celebrations, the team decorates with red and white balloons and prepares a cake for her. "Whether you are black or white, rich or poor, whoever you are, Inter is the people’s team," Canabarro remarked in a social media post shared by the club.

For her 110th birthday, she was honoured by Pope Francis. She is the second oldest nun ever documented, after Lucile Randon, who was the world's oldest person until she died in 2023 at 118.

Chinese League Fears

Guangzhou FC, China’s most successful club, have been denied permission to play during the 2025 season. The eight-time Chinese Super League winners are unable to pay off their debts and did not meet the Chinese FA’s (CFA) requirements to compete.

Guangzhou’s financial troubles have raised fears about the future of the league’s most successful teams. The club was at the forefront of the transfer spending spree during the 2010s, while other clubs also offered huge sums of money for players and their wages. Shanghai SIPG paid ex-Chelsea player Oscar around $26.5m a year, while his former teammate Ramires earned just under half that figure at Jiangsu Suning. The latter club dissolved in 2021 owing to financial issues.

By 2019, CFA were concerned that the league would become a get-rich-quick scheme for ageing players, so it limited the number of overseas players allowed on the pitch from four to three. It also capped overseas players' wages so that they’d earn no more than €3m a year.

Corruption issues have also plagued the country’s football league. Last September, the CFA banned 43 people for life after an investigation uncovered match-fixing.

POLL

ON THE BALL

Europe

> Manchester United will reluctantly consider the sale of homegrown talents like Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho to help comply with financial rules (More) | Tottenham have triggered Son Heung-min’s contract extension, ruling out a free summer transfer (More) | Manchester City are reportedly pushing to sign Egypt No 10 Omar Marmoush for £50m from Eintracht Frankfurt (Player Profile)

> Borussia Dortmund are reportedly among several clubs considering a move to sign Marcus Rashford (More) Matheus Cunha has reduced his match ban to two games because he offered to pay for replacement glasses for the Ipswich Town staff member that he elbowed (More)

> Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho has criticised refereeing in Turkey and said there is a "toxic" environment in the Super Lig (More)

> Chelsea women trigger a one-year extension in Guro Reiten's contract which keeps her at the club until 2026 (More)

Americas

> MLS newcomer San Diego FC are reportedly getting close to signing Kevin De Bruyne (More / paywall) | They have also acquired winger Emmanuel Boateng from the New England Revolution (More) | New York City FC named Pascal Jansen as its new head coach, replacing Nick Cushing, who was fired in November (More)

> USMNT coach, Mauricio Pochettino, has called up 24 players for the nation’s January Training camp; January’s camp is traditionally filled with rising talents and seven players will earn their first call-up to a USMNT camp (Squad List)

> The Northern Super League, Canada’s first professional women’s league, kicks off in less than 100 days (More)

Rest of the World

> Neymar, who currently plays for Al-Hilal, has told American outlet CNN that it would be “incredible” to play with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami (More)

> Pavel Nedved is set to become the new director of Al Shabab in the Saudi Pro League (More / via X)

> The Zambia coach accused of sexual misconduct at the 2023 Women’s World Cup has been replaced but will remain part of the national team setup “in an advisory role” (More)

ROUTERS’ VOICE

Yesterday, we asked you: Should academy-grown players remain at their clubs for as long as possible?

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 ⬜️ ✅ Absolutely... (80%)

🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅 Nope... (17%)

⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!)... (3%)

Your punditry takes:

• ✅ D.C: “Too many small clubs have their young talent snapped up by the bigger clubs for hardly any money.”

• ✅ M.K: “Academy players play an important part in building a good squad and can be a great basis for a youngster to believe in themselves and produce good footballing ability. If they move on at a later date, they have been an asset to the club and can bring in good finances when they move on.”

• 🙅 W.T: “My initial response is yes, but not all systems are the same. Chelsea are notorious for investing in talented young players, and then treating them with no respect once they've actually worked their way into the first team. Depends on the club.”

EXTRA TIME

Live transfer window updates across Europe. (Interactive guide)

Mark Hughs on regretting his transfer to Barcelona.

How to wash your football shirt without ruining it.

The BBC’s Premier League team of the week.

Aston Villa unveil 150-year anniversary shirt inspired by the classic 1878-1880 jersey…

… and Portugal ditch Nike for Puma.

The story of when fans rejected white balls.

Everyone’s loving AC Milan head coach’s celebrations. (via X)

Mourinho launches into referee rant in Turkey.

The Premier League’s best partnerships this season.

GAME FACE ON

Question: Six teams have never been relegated from the Premier League. Can you name them?

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

English League Cup

• Tottenham vs Liverpool (20:00)

Scottish Premiership

• Celtic vs Dundee Utd (19:45)

• Kilmarnock vs Motherwell (19:45)

Spanish Supercopa

• Athletic Club vs Barcelona (19:00)

*All time in UK. ET -5. CST -6. PST -8. MST -7. CET +1.

Answer

Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham, and Chelsea.

Some might include Brighton in this list, as they haven't been relegated since their promotion in 2017. However, they weren't one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992.