Lion Links: 11/25/25

Good morning, everyone. I hope you’re all geared up for Thanksgiving in a couple of days’ time. I’ve got family traveling to stay with me, so I’m in full preparation mode. That said, the soccer world never rests, and that means we’ve got a lot of things to talk through this morning. Let’s have a look at the links.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of American players who will be taking the field during the week of Thanksgiving, and the UEFA Champions League once again takes center stage. Things get going later today when Malik Tillman and Bayer Leverkusen play away against Manchester City, while Weston McKennie and Juventus head north of the Arctic Circle to play Bodo/Glimt. Wednesday sees Folarin Balogun’s Monaco side hit the road to play Pafos, with Sergino Dest, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV Eindhoven taking on a tough road test against Liverpool. Things then wrap up on Friday when Joe Scally, Gio Reyna, and Borussia Monchengladbach host Red Bull Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

Wilfried Nancy Reportedly Set for Celtic

The rumors surrounding Wilfried Nancy becoming the next coach of Celtic are starting to pick up some steam, with reports saying that the Scottish powerhouse has formally reached out to the Columbus Crew about the possibility of hiring the French manager. The talks between the two clubs are also said to concern which of Nancy’s backroom staff will join him at the reigning SPL champions. Nancy is said to have been clear with the Crew about his desire to eventually manage overseas, and with Brendan Rogers resigning his post with Celtic on Oct. 27, his opportunity seems to have come knocking. If the deal comes to pass, it will mark a well-earned step up for Nancy after successful stints in charge of the Crew and CF Montreal.

Copa America Organizers Settle Lawsuit

CONMEBOL, Concacaf, Best Security, and South Florida Stadium LLC have agreed to settle a class action lawsuit that was brought by fans in regards to the chaotic 2024 Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium. In the wake of a chaotic entry process, crowd trouble, and overcrowding inside the stadium, some fans with tickets weren’t able to actually enter the venue, while others who made it inside left early because of safety concerns. The listed defendants will collectively pay $14 million into a fund that will pay out to fans who were negatively impacted by the crowd issues at the stadium. The start of the match was delayed by 82 minutes and 27 arrests were made, while 55 people were ejected from the premises.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The January transfer window will be here before we know it, and that means that the rumor mill is churning at full speed. We begin with Vinicius Junior, who has reportedly told Real Madrid that he does not want to renew his contract due to a strained relationship with head coach Xabi Alonso. In England, Federicho Chiesa is still struggling for minutes under Arne Slot despite Liverpool’s poor form, and as a result, he’s said to be drawing interest from AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Roma with regards to a potential January move. On the flip side, Newcastle is reportedly ready to make a January bid for Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi, who is struggling for playing time under Cristian Chivu. Finally, Tottenham is reportedly interested in signing Samu Aghehowa from Porto, as he’s scored nine goals in 15 games this season and the London club needs more production from the striker position.

Free Kicks

• Despite Everton going down to 10 men early in the first half due to a very weird red card, the Toffees managed to eke out a 1-0 win over Manchester United.

• Midfielder Jess Fishlock has signed a one-year contract to remain with the Seattle Reign.
• Pep Guardiola says he is “embarrassed and ashamed” after his clash with a cameraman following Manchester City’s loss to Newcastle over the weekend.

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!