The Athletic FC Podcast

At just 20 years old and with only 22 Premier League starts, Dean Huijsen is attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid. So what makes him so special, and  who might trigger his £50m release clause?Ayo Akinwolere is joined by senior data analyst Mark Carey and lead writer for The Athletic FC newsletter Phil Hay to discuss the Spanish international.Football correspondent David Ornstein as well as James Pearce, Liam Twomey and Guillermo Rai also drop by with their insights to the level of interest held in Huijsen across the Premier League and beyond with the Bournemouth defender set to have his pick of a number of clubs this summer.Host: Ayo AkinwolereWith: Mark Carey and Phil HayContributions: David Ornstein, James Pearce, Liam Twomey and Guillermo RaiExecutive Producer: Adey MoorheadProducer: Guy Clarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After their Champions League exit, Carlo Ancelotti is expected to leave Real Madrid this summerSo… when will it happen? And is Xabi Alonso the inevitable replacement?  Host: Ayo AkinwolereWith: Guillermo Rai & Tomas Hill Lopez-MencheroExecutive Producer: Adey MoorheadProducer: Mike Stavrou & John Rogers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, Leeds United reclaimed their seat at the top table after two years in the ChampionshipSo, what lessons can they learn from their Premier League relegation last time out?And how can they stay up for the long haul this time?Host: Ayo AkinwolereWith: Phil Hay, Beren CrossExecutive Producer: Adey MoorheadProducer: Mike Stavrou & Nick Thomson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They left it late, but Chelsea grabbed a crucial win in their bid to secure a top five finish, as Tyrique George and Pedro Neto saw the Blues come from behind to win 2-1 at Fulham.Victory at Craven Cottage keeps them in the mix for a return to European football’s elite competition next season.But with fan discontent growing, how important is Champions League qualification for Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea future?Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Chelsea correspondent Liam Twomey to discuss the importance of the win as well as our football correspondent David Ornstein to analyse the pressure on Maresca and look ahead to the summer transfer window.Host: Ayo AkinwolereWith: Liam Twomey and David OrnsteinExecutive Producer: Adey MoorheadProducer: Guy Clarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are six games to go in the Premier League, so we’re focusing on the race for Champions League football as Aston Villa take on Newcastle United, while Manchester United and Spurs kept their dreams of qualifying for next season’s competition alive with victories in the Europa League. Mark Critchley joins us to talk about a ridiculous night at Old Trafford that saw Ruben Amorim's side score two goals in injury time of extra time, to beat Lyon 5-4 on the night and 7-6 on aggregate. We hear from Jay Harris who was in Frankfurt where a Dominic Solanke penalty saw Spurs win 1-0, so Ange Postecoglou isn't going anywhere quite yet. The Athletic's Newcastle writer Chris Waugh and Aston Villa writer Jacob Tanswell are with us to preview their respective side's clash at Villa Park on Saturday evening, in what could be a pivotal game in the race for Champions League football. Host: Matt Davies-AdamsWith: Chris Waugh, Jacob Tanswell, Mark Critchley, Jay HarrisExecutive Producer: Adey MoorheadProducer: Jay Beale Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arsenal are through to the semi-finals of the Champions League for only the third time in their history - and they had to beat the holders to do it.So how far does that 5-1 win on aggregate propel Mikel Arteta’s project forward? And crucially, can they now go all the way in the Champions League?Host: Ayo AkinwolereWith: Art de Roche, Guillermo Rai, Charlie EccleshareExecutive Producer: Adey MoorheadProducer: Mike Stavrou & John Rogers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Through to the semi-finals of the Champions League, Barcelona are on course for a treble this season.So how has Hansi Flick imprinted his style on this team? And will he stay at Barca in the long term?Host: Ayo AkinwolereWith: Pol Ballus, Thom HarrisExecutive Producer: Adey MoorheadProducer: Mike Stavrou & Simon Watts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has the Premier League been a little boring this season? Especially compared to a thrilling round in the Champions League knockout phase.Have Pep Guardiola’s complex systems killed creativity? Or is the entertainment just coming from different places — tighter mid-table races, smarter tactics, and more goals than ever?Host: Ayo AkinwolereWith: Jack Pitt-Brooke & Duncan AlexanderExecutive Producer: Adey MoorheadProducer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manchester United & Chelsea are just two of the clubs interested in Ipswich Town’s star striker Liam Delap.So with a summer transfer auction on the cards - where will Delap end up? Host: Ayo AkinwolereWith: Laurie Whitwell & Simon JohnsonExecutive Producer: Adey MoorheadProducer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mohamed Salah has signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool, while Virgil van Dijk looks set to do the same. With owners FSG usually reluctant to hand out lucrative contract extensions to ageing players, why have they made an exception and what does it mean for Liverpool’s summer transfer business? The Athletic's David Ornstein and Liverpool writer James Pearce join Matt Davies-Adams to discuss the latest on the Liverpool contract saga. Host: Matt Davies-AdamsWith: David Ornstein, James PearceProducer: Jay Beale Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.