Author: Joe Soriano

Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.

Liverpool have two highly exciting dream winger transfer targets in mind
2Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Liverpool have two highly exciting dream winger transfer targets in mind

Liverpool were the biggest spenders in the summer 2025 transfer window, bringing in Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak, and Florian Wirtz to revamp their attack while adding two new fullbacks to the lineup. But heading into the summer 2026 transfer window, Liverpool still have pressing needs to address in the attack. Mohamed Salah is going to be as good as gone, as he is clearly no longer capable of leading the Liverpool attack due to his declining explosiveness and downturn in goals. Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo is also someone who will be removed from the starting lineup due to his own lack of dynamism. Liverpool are missing Luis Diaz more than they thought they would, as the Colombian is having an even better 2025/26 over at Bayern Munich. So Liverpool need new wingers to fortify their squa...
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Martin Zubimedi quietly proved why Arsenal want Sandro Tonali
2Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Martin Zubimedi quietly proved why Arsenal want Sandro Tonali

There have been a lot of unfair takes about Arsenal star defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi recently, many of which miss the point. Because as Mikel Arteta and upper management predicted, the former Real Sociedad star has been a rousing success, offering the Gunners a sense of control even they did not enjoy last season. Zubimendi has been one of the better defensive midfielders in the Premier League this season, forming a fearsome axis with the world class Declan Rice. His ability to win possession has added another dimension to this team, and his off ball positioning is nearly peerless in European football. But he wasn't at his best against Chelsea over the weekend. Arsenal won and Zubi played excellently defensively, but he struggled to accurately move the ball against Moises C...
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Manchester City interested in flipping the script with surprise reunion transfer
2Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Manchester City interested in flipping the script with surprise reunion transfer

Manchester City always have their pulse on the best players in the world and often do a brilliant job of signing superstars just before they are known to everyone, as in the recent cases of Julian Alvarez, Rayan Cherki, and Jeremy Doku. Next on their wish list appears to be another center midfielder as Man City look to rebuild the middle of the park, especially with continued speculation regarding Real Madrid's dreams of Ballon d'Or winner Rodri. According to a report from German journalist Patrick Berger of Sky Sports, Manchester City are interested in signing a former academy prospect of theirs in Borussia Dortmund center midfielder Felix Nmecha. Per Berger, Man City have actually already contacted the representatives of the 25 year old German international. Nmecha reportedly wa...
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Arsenal fans can’t be mad at Riccardo Calafiori’s transfer wish
2Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

Arsenal fans can’t be mad at Riccardo Calafiori’s transfer wish

Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has been as good as advertised since joining in summer 2024 after a sensational breakout season with fairytale Serie A side Bologna and the Italian national team at the European Championships, and while he has gotten along perfectly well in North London for the new title favorites, he is still dreaming of a return to the Italian top flight. As relayed by Italian transfer reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, Calafiori admitted that he feels there is unfinished business at his first club, the historic AS Roma in the capital, as he never got to celebrate with the ultras due to COVID-19, "I want to return to Roma at some point. I can't predict the future but it's unfinished business for me. I was 18, it felt like a dream at Roma. But then COVID happened, I couldn...
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Liam Rosenior delivers major Cole Palmer injury news before Chelsea vs. Aston Villa
2Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Injury News

Liam Rosenior delivers major Cole Palmer injury news before Chelsea vs. Aston Villa

Chelsea were unable to take a point off a stingy Arsenal side in a hard fought rivalry matchup in their last Premier League weekend, and they now face another stiff challenge in another top four hopeful in Aston Villa on Wednesday night. There were initially fears that Cole Palmer, who has been held back by a number of injuries this season, had suffered another injury in the loss to Arsenal, but Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior confirmed that this is not the case. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the next big game for the Blues, via Fabrizio Romano, Rosenior had this to say about the status of his team's best player: “Cole Palmer is absolutely fine to start the game on Wednesday”. “He took a knock. He was absolutely fine. He is looking really good”. That is exactly the inju...
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Liverpool confirm more disappointing injury news for Florian Wirtz
2Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Injury News

Liverpool confirm more disappointing injury news for Florian Wirtz

Although his season started out slowly, the Liverpool fans who believed in Florian Wirtz from the beginning deserve to poke fun at the doubters for all eternity, as the slam dunk signing from Bayer Leverkusen has been brilliant. But he has also been missed, suffering a back injury in late February that has cost him two games so far. According to Arne Slot in a press conference after Liverpool's big 5-2 win over West Ham United, the injury will cost him yet another two more games out of action for the Reds. Via Fabrizio Romano, the Dutch manager confirmed that in addition to missing Tuesday night's Premier League clash against a suddenly sneaky dangerous Wolves side, Wirtz will also be out for Liverpool's following matchup against Wolves on Friday, Mar. 6 in the FA Cup. As Wolves s...
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Manchester United have picked out their top 3 Casemiro replacements
2Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

Manchester United have picked out their top 3 Casemiro replacements

Manchester United are going to be one of the biggest buyers of midfield talent in the summer 2026 transfer window, and nobody would be surprised if they landed two top class options to bolster their squad this year. According to a report from Edu Burgos of Diario AS, Manchester United have a budget of 200 million euros prepared to address their midfield, and they are specifically looking to replace the legendary Casemiro, who may be ready to move on to the final stage of his career this summer. Burgos says that Man United have narrowed down their list of five candidates they are interested in to a top three. Newcastle United stars comprise the majority of the list in Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, who are the two biggest dream names for Premier League clubs looking for a new midf...
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Chelsea have to take advantage of Joao Pedro’s elite trait
2Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Chelsea have to take advantage of Joao Pedro’s elite trait

Chelsea made a number of splash signings in the summer 2025 transfer window, but the only new attacking star who has worked out is center forward Joao Pedro. While he may not be the goal-scoring maven Blues fans dreamed of, his elite hold-up play is something this club needs to start taking advantage of. And honestly, Chelsea could be doing a better job of taking advantage of Pedro's ability to maintain possession, draw out defenders, draw in defenders, and run the channels. The players who can create havoc and bring others into the game are able to define offenses, and we are seeing more top clubs like Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and PSG competing at the highest level of the Champions League value these players. What Pedro is missing is another striker or a left wing...
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Riccardo Calafiori might have already lost his starting job
2Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Riccardo Calafiori might have already lost his starting job

Arsenal survived another tough challenge in the Premier League this weekend, maintaining their status as league leaders by taking down rivals Chelsea 2-1. In the win, left back Piero Hincapie delivered another great performance, increasing the rumblings that he could usurp Riccardo Calfiori as the starter going forward. Calafiori was actually playing well at the left back position before suffering a muscular injury, and even though he should be healthy enough to return to the starting lineup, the Italian international has remained benched in favor of Hincapie. The Ecuadorian international has made his permanent signing from Bayer Leverkusen a mere formality at this point. Wanted by literally every other club in the Premier League Big Six, Hincapie's brand of athleticism and hard-nose...
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There is only one outcome for Mohamed Salah and Liverpool
1Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

There is only one outcome for Mohamed Salah and Liverpool

Mohamed Salah has not scored in his last 10 Premier League outings for Liverpool, and as the goals fail to come out of a ketchup bottle that is starting to look a little bit dodgy, people are starting to realize that now is the best time for legend and club to part ways. Just a year ago, Salah was the unquestionable best player in the Premier League, guiding Liverpool to the title with an insane 29 goals and 18 assists. His goals were his highest total since netting 32 in his first season at the club in 2017/18, and the assists set a new higher water mark for the player. But even then, you could see Salah tailing off in production towards the end of the season, the second half not quite as brilliant as the first, with Salah ceding Ballon d'Or contention to Lamine Yamal and eventual w...
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