Traction Engine Football Podcast

⚽️ New Premier League podcast - Unfiltered. Powered by fans ⚽️ Listen Here 👉

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Great. They’ve done this for years anyway.

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: Keir Starmer says the Government will allow pubs to serve outdoor pints and screen matches in their beer gardens for the World Cup

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

“Van Dijk’s only had a few good seasons”

[WhoScored @WhoScored]

Highest-rated centre-back in each season since Virgil van Dijk made his Premier League debut:

🇳🇱 Virgil van Dijk - 2015/16 ⭐️
🇳🇱 Virgil van Dijk - 2016/17 ⭐️
🇩🇪 Shkodran Mustafi - 2017/18
🇳🇱 Virgil van Dijk - 2018/19 ⭐️
🇳🇱 Virgil van Dijk - 2019/20 ⭐️
🇫🇷 Kurt Zouma - 2020/21
🇨🇲 Joel Matip - 2021/22
🇯🇲 Ethan Pinnock - 2022/23
🇳🇱 Virgil van Dijk - 2023/24 ⭐️
🇳🇱 Virgil van Dijk - 2024/25 ⭐️
🇧🇷 Gabriel Magalhães - 2025/26

Virgil van Dijk has finished as the highest-rated centre-back in six of the 11 seasons since his Premier League debut. 🤯💪

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

One of the main problems with Slot was his squad management and reluctance to trust the youth in big moments.

Klopp was very much the opposite. And it seems like Ireola will be more akin to this approach.

[barry @BackseatsmanLFC]

Iraola in his first interview saying he's excited about senior players being at the World Cup because it means he gets a chance to work with the young players at the start of pre-season. I love him already.

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

I think most people wanted Palace and Villa to win their finals

This Arsenal team don’t have any particularly likeable qualities at all

[Oliver Holt @OllieHolt22]

What does it say about the way football has changed that English supporters don’t support English clubs in Europe any more? https://t.co/Wdgbb84lz2

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Has anyone got this table from 24/25? Intrigued to see it.

[DailyAFC @DailyAFC]

If EVERY VAR call was changed to the correct decision, Arsenal still would have won the Premier League ahead of Manchester City, with 81 points. [@TheAthleticFC] 🏆 ✅

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Another heavy defeat for @JordanLavin9’s relentless campaign to try and label Liverpools title victory in 24/25 as the PGMOL title… when in fact the actual PGMOL title came a year later

[The New York Times @nytimes]

From @TheAthleticFC: If referee calls had been correct, the Premier League title race would have entered the final match round with Manchester City two points clear of Arsenal, according to our analysis of key match decisions. https://t.co/FSWGZMMBRL

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Not had the best season, but that is a big loss for Liverpool

[Ben Jacobs @JacobsBen]

🚨 Liverpool confirm Ibrahima Konate will leave upon the expiry of his contract this summer, as exclusively reported.

Konate made a total of 183 appearances and scored seven goals in five years at Anfield.

Contract talks stalled due to a gulf over terms with Liverpool now intent on utilising the budget on squad reinforcements. There is faith in both Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet.

🗣️ "Konate will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for the contribution he made and everyone at the club wishes him the best for the future."

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Is that a ‘finished’ Van Dijk I see there as the highest performing defender in the Champions League this season? 👀

[Sofascore Football @Sofascore]

🌍 | Team of the season

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League came to a thrilling end last night, which can only mean one thing: our #UCL TOTS is in 🤩

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Boss 🍻

[Prime Video Sport UK @primevideosport]

Luis Enrique becomes only the fourth manager this century to win 𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙀𝙀 UCL titles 🏆👔

Legends 👏

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

They’ll probably win it next season

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

226 - Arsenal remain the team with the most games in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history to never lift the trophy (226). Agony.

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

❤️🤍🫵🏼 Mikel Arteta on if he’ll look to emulate PSG’s style of play in the future: “Yes”.

“The individual action that they have for sure”.

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Would low key be a good signing

[CentreGoals. @centregoals]

🚨🚨| JUST IN: Al Hilal 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃 Darwin Núñez to Barcelona during João Cancelo negotiations. 👀🇺🇾

[@mundodeportivo]

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

🚨 NEW POD EPISODE 🚨

➡️ Who have been the great winners and losers from the 2025/2026 Premier League season?

➡️ Was Bruno Fernandes the only obvious candidate for POTY?

➡️ Flop of the season, story of the season + more.

Listen 👉 https://t.co/oOlyTCfBnk

#EPL #MUFC #AFC

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

20% posession and 1 shot on target in a Champions League final is a disgrace

[Piers Morgan @piersmorgan]

That was a blatant penalty on Madueke. This referee is a disgrace.

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Touch of class this

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

In a joint statement, Liverpool’s ownership underlined its appreciation for the success Arne brought to the club and also the leadership displayed in his two years in charge ❤In a joint statement, Liverpool’s ownership underlined its appreciation for the success Arne brought to the club and also the leadership displayed in his two years in charge ❤In a joint statement, Liverpool’s ownership underlined its appreciation for the success Arne brought to the club and also the leadership displayed in his two years in charge ❤In a joint statement, Liverpool’s ownership underlined its appreciation for the success Arne brought to the club and also the leadership displayed in his two years in charge ❤In a joint statement, Liverpool’s ownership underlined its appreciation for the success Arne brought to the club and also the leadership displayed in his two years in charge ❤️

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Came in, won a Premier League and secured Champions League for the next manager.

Feels like the right time to leave. He’ll get another good job at a big club.

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

Liverpool FC can confirm Arne Slot is to depart his role as head coach with immediate effect and that the process to appoint a successor is under way.

He leaves with a Premier League title to his name and our deepest gratitude and appreciation.

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

A good stylistic fit.

But we’ve seen good managers swallowed up by the big club effect.

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

🚨💣 Andoni Iraola, set to become the next Liverpool manager as revealed earlier today!

The negotiations will move forward quickly to get it done with formal steps but #LFC decision made…

…Iraola will be the next manager. 🛑🔜

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

@ade_oladipo1 Man United went and signed a pure shin kicker in Ugarte. There aren’t many pure destroyers about that are also capable of playing in a top team on the ball.
But there are more ‘combative’ options on the market than the current options they currently have.

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

Reluctantly swerved right back to give Jones and Jaquet minutes there (needs most).

Attack unrealisitc... but does need heavy investment. Barcola the versatile option.

Fernandes is an all rounder that brings bite back to midfield and is more of a passer than current options too.

[Traction Engine Football Podcast @TEFootballPod]

@TheRedmenTV @mrbloodred @DistanceCovered DOF Challenge (175m start)
RETAIN - Woodman, Konate

IN - Diomande, Barcola, Kroupi, Fernandes (320m)
OUT - Mac Alister, Elliot, Bajcetic, McConnell, Koumas, Chiesa, Endo, Ramsay (142m)

(Balance Sheet: -3m)