Palmeiras midfielder Luis Felipe Pacheco could be the subject of interest from two European clubs, according to reports by Brazilian outlet Terra.

The 18-year-old defensive midfielder has attracted the attention of French club Paris Saint-Germain, while Ukrainian side Shakhtar are also reported to be targeting him.

Palmeiras are not currently keen to part with Pacheco. The Brazilian club believe the youngster can continue to develop in Brazil before making a move to Europe.

Pacheco has made 11 appearances this season but has not registered a goal or an assist.

PSG could make significant changes for their sixth Ligue 1 match of the season against Le Mans, with the most substantial adjustments expected in defence.

Foot Mercato believes Matvey Safonov is set to start the game, while the defensive unit may be reshaped in an attempt to strengthen it.

The potential rotation is linked to the condition of players returning from international duty. PSG head coach Luis Enrique could therefore make widespread changes to his team, according to the report.

Lucas Chevalier could leave Paris Saint-Germain during the winter transfer window after failing to make an appearance for the club this season.

Manager Luis Enrique has continued to select Matvey Safonov, leaving the 24-year-old French goalkeeper without any playing time. According to L’Equipe, Chevalier could depart as early as January as he seeks to revive his career after spending eight months on the substitutes’ bench.

Chevalier joined Paris Saint-Germain with a contract that runs until mid-2030. Transfermarkt values the goalkeeper at 22m euros.

Monaco must sell players for a combined €100m to cover a budget deficit, with owner Dmitry Rybolovlev having provided no personal funding for the club’s development or running costs during the past two years.

According to L’Equipe, the Russian businessman began looking for potential buyers for Monaco in 2024 as he explored the possibility of selling the club. That process was suspended in 2025.

Rybolovlev continues to receive reports on Monaco’s financial performance but is no longer allocating funds to the club. He has valued Monaco at €300m.

To maintain its budget at a consistent level, Monaco need to generate €100m from outgoing transfers. The figure is required to help the club meet its financial shortfall without additional investment from its owner.

Monaco have already sold Maghnes Akliouche to Paris Saint-Germain. The club also attempted to negotiate Aleksandr Golovin’s transfer with Zenit and Spartak Moscow, but the Russia international chose to remain with Monaco.

Brice Samba’s sequence of selections for France has come to an end after the Rennes goalkeeper was left out of the squad for the national team’s upcoming matches.

Samba had been called up 48 times in a row, with the run beginning in March 2023. His omission brings to a close more than three years of regular involvement with the national side.

The decision marks a significant change for Samba, who had established himself as an important part of the France set-up in recent years. He will now miss out after a prolonged period of consistent selection.

Zidane’s decision also provides a clear indication of the head coach’s intentions. He is determined to place greater emphasis on new generations of players and build the future of the national team in a planned and gradual way.

Brice Samba’s sequence of selections for France has come to an end after the Rennes goalkeeper was left out of the squad for the national team’s upcoming matches.

Samba had been called up 48 times in a row, with the run beginning in March 2023. His omission brings to a close more than three years of regular involvement with the national side.

The decision marks a significant change for Samba, who had established himself as an important part of the France set-up in recent years. He will now miss out after a prolonged period of consistent selection.

Zidane’s decision also provides a clear indication of the head coach’s intentions. He is determined to place greater emphasis on new generations of players and build the future of the national team in a planned and gradual way.

Brice Samba’s sequence of selections for France has come to an end after the Rennes goalkeeper was left out of the squad for the national team’s upcoming matches.

Samba had been called up 48 times in a row, with the run beginning in March 2023. His omission brings to a close more than three years of regular involvement with the national side.

The decision marks a significant change for Samba, who had established himself as an important part of the France set-up in recent years. He will now miss out after a prolonged period of consistent selection.

Zidane’s decision also provides a clear indication of the head coach’s intentions. He is determined to place greater emphasis on new generations of players and build the future of the national team in a planned and gradual way.

Former Romania international Florin Raducioiu has spoken about wasting money during his time as a Monaco player, saying he had begun to live beyond his means even in the final stages of his career.

Raducioiu spent the 2001/2002 season in Monte Carlo, where he later admitted that his spending habits had spiralled.

Clubs in France’s top flight want to end their agreement with Ligue 1 Plus, the league-owned broadcaster, as soon as possible, according to L’Equipe.

Ligue 1 Plus was launched after DAZN terminated its agreement to broadcast Ligue 1, just one year into a five-year contract. The replacement broadcaster is now in its second season, but payments to clubs have remained minimal.

Those limited revenues are understood to have become the main factor behind the current financial crisis affecting French football.

A new tender for Ligue 1 television rights is expected to begin as early as November. Any new agreement would come into effect from the 2027-28 season.

Canal+, RMC Sport, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video could all show interest in acquiring the rights. The tender is expected to become more attractive after a legislative amendment allows the rights to be sold as a single package.

In the sixth round of Ligue 1, Lens host Lyon with the two clubs separated by seven points in the table. Lens are 15th with four points, while Lyon sit second on 11, two behind leaders Monaco.

Lens have had a difficult start to their domestic campaign despite securing Champions League football and winning their opening match in that competition with a late goal. They now need an immediate improvement in Ligue 1 to avoid becoming drawn into the relegation battle.

Their latest result was a 2-0 friendly victory over Standard. Before that, Lens were beaten 2-1 away by Monaco in the league.

The home side face a Lyon team that has lost only in Champions League qualifying this season and remains unbeaten in the domestic competition. Lyon can move closer to Monaco by taking all three points, while Lens will need to find a way to exploit their opponents’ current situation at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

However, the international break may have affected the momentum and condition of both squads.

Lyon’s most recent league match ended in a convincing 4-0 home win against Rennes. Before that, they defeated Anderlecht 2-1 in the Europa League.

Betting odds

Pinnacle888 lists Lens at 2.45 to win, with a draw priced at 3.75. Lyon are available at 2.7.

Four of Lens’ past six matches have ended with both teams scoring. Lyon, meanwhile, have avoided defeat in their last four away games.

Lens have won two of their previous five meetings with Lyon, suffering one defeat in that sequence.

Match prediction

The suggested selections from Pinnacle888 are a Lens victory at 2.45 and more than three goals in the match at 1.82.

Monaco will host Toulouse in the sixth round of Ligue 1 on Saturday, 10 October 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 21:45 Moscow time.

The home side go into the fixture at the top of the French league after taking 13 points from their opening five matches. They have scored eight goals and conceded only three, remaining unbeaten in the process.

Monaco began the season with a 2-1 victory over Lens and followed it with a 2-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain. They then defeated Marseille 2-0 before recording a 1-0 success against Le Havre. Their only dropped points came in a 1-1 draw with Strasbourg.

That run has established Monaco as the clear favourites with bookmakers for the meeting with Toulouse. The club have also won seven of their past eight matches, underlining the strength of their current form.

Toulouse, by contrast, have collected five points from five games and sit 13th in the Ligue 1 table. They have scored seven goals while conceding nine, leaving them with a negative goal difference.

Their campaign started with defeats by Lyon and Lille, losing 2-0 and 1-0 respectively. Toulouse then drew 2-2 with Brest and 2-2 with Lorient before securing their only victory so far, a 3-2 win over Le Havre.

The visitors have won just one of their last eight matches. Their recent record is also weaker than Monaco’s, although the most recent meeting between the two clubs ended level.

That game finished 2-2, giving Toulouse reason to believe they can compete with the league leaders despite the difference in their respective starts to the season.

Monaco remain unbeaten after five rounds and have conceded fewer goals than any other side across the results listed. Toulouse, meanwhile, have taken only one win and have allowed nine goals.

Prediction

Monaco are considered the stronger team and are expected to claim victory at home. The predicted final score is Monaco 2-0 Toulouse.

Ousmane Dembele has not yet resumed training with Paris St-Germain after returning from international duty with France, with the midfielder given additional time to rest by the club.

PSG also confirmed that Portugal defender Nuno Mendes has not rejoined full-team training. Dembele is expected back on 10 October, while Mendes will return on 11 October.

The Paris club’s next match is against Le Mans in the sixth round of Ligue 1. The game will be played in Paris on 10 October, with kick-off scheduled for 21:45 Moscow time.

PSG have taken eight points from their opening five league matches and sit sixth in the table. They are five points behind leaders Monaco.

PSG will welcome Le Mans to Paris on Saturday, 10 October, in the sixth round of the French championship. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:45 Moscow time, with the home side expected to take all three points.

PSG have made an uneven start to the new campaign and currently sit outside the leading group. After five matches, the Paris club have collected eight points and occupy sixth place in the Ligue 1 table.

Their record so far includes eight goals scored and seven conceded. PSG’s most recent league matches brought victories over Marseille and Brest, winning 2-1 and 1-0 respectively. Before those results, they lost 2-1 away to Monaco.

Luis Enrique’s side have also produced a high-scoring result in the Champions League, defeating Slovan 6-1. That victory came amid a run in which PSG have won their past three matches.

Le Mans have taken six points from their opening five fixtures and are ninth in the standings. The newly promoted Ligue 1 club have scored nine goals and conceded nine during that period.

Their recent form has included a 2-1 win against Lorient, followed by draws with Lens and Nice. Le Mans drew 2-2 with Lens and 1-1 with Nice, leaving them positioned in mid-table ahead of the trip to the capital.

PSG are regarded as clear favourites by bookmakers. The hosts’ home advantage, their stronger position in the table and their recent sequence of three consecutive wins all point towards them controlling the contest.

Le Mans, by contrast, have won only one of their past nine matches. The visitors will also be facing a PSG team that won the most recent meeting between the clubs, claiming a 2-0 victory.

The previous head-to-head result is another factor favouring the Paris side, who are expected to create the greater number of chances and put sustained pressure on the newly promoted team.

The prediction is for PSG to win comfortably, with a 3-0 scoreline forecast in favour of the hosts.

Former Manchester City and Spain player David Silva has revealed who he would choose to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with his selection not being Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi, Harry Kane or Kylian Mbappe.

The prestigious award ceremony will take place in London, England, on 26 October.

Last year’s Ballon d’Or was won by France international Ousmane Dembele.

Newcastle United are preparing to challenge Nottingham Forest for the signature of Lyon midfielder Tyler Morton in 2027.

The 23-year-old has continued to make an impression in Ligue 1 since moving to France, and Newcastle United have identified him as a possible target for next summer as part of a broader overhaul of their squad.

Nottingham Forest’s interest is more established. They have been monitoring Morton for some time and tried to sign him from Liverpool in 2025, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Newcastle United’s interest comes after a significant midfield reshuffle. Former captain Bruno Guimaraes and Italy international Sandro Tonali both left the club over the summer, while manager Matthias Jaissle completed deals for Nico Gonzalez and Sean Steur.

Morton would offer a different option to the players already brought in, with his possession-based style seen as something that could add a new dimension to Jaissle’s midfield.

Despite the growing interest, Lyon are not prepared to consider offers for Morton during the January transfer window, according to Football Insider.

The French club are understood to value the midfielder significantly higher than the €15M they paid Liverpool to sign him before the 2025/26 season. Lyon could seek almost double that amount if Morton becomes available.

Morton’s contract situation is also a factor in any potential pursuit, although the report does not specify the date on which his current deal in France expires. His form has nevertheless placed him on the radar of both Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest ahead of the proposed 2027 battle for his services.

Monaco manager Filipe Luis has spoken about the football coaches whose work provides him with inspiration.

After five rounds of Ligue 1, Monaco lead the table with 13 points. Russian midfielder Aleksandr Golovin plays for the club.

AS Monaco manager Filipe Luis has credited Pep Guardiola, Unai Emery and Luis Enrique among the figures who have influenced his approach to coaching after making an immediate impact in the Principality.

The Brazilian moved to Europe this summer following a successful spell in charge of Flamengo, and his start with Monaco has been impressive.

Monaco went into the international break at the top of Ligue 1, having also secured a notable victory over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.

In an interview with L’Equipe, Filipe Luis described Luis Enrique as the best manager in the world at present, while explaining that several coaches had helped shape his managerial outlook.

“I have quite a few sources of inspiration, like Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery, whom I visited in March, but I have my own approach,” he said.

Filipe Luis added that Monaco’s tactical development was still incomplete and that he expected the team’s physical levels to improve as the season progressed.

“We haven’t yet reached where I want us to be tactically. With matches, bodies will adapt to the effort,” he said.

“We will run more in November and then again in Decembermore and better, I hope. That is the only way to do big things.”

Monaco will look to protect their position at the top of the French championship when they host Toulouse at Stade Louis II on Saturday, 10 October.

The match, part of the sixth round, will be refereed by Ruddy Buquet.

Monaco have taken 13 points from their opening five matches and are the only unbeaten side mentioned in the fixture’s form comparison. They have won four games and drawn one, scoring eight goals and conceding three for a goal difference of +5.

That record leaves the home side first in the table, and they will start as favourites to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.

Toulouse, by contrast, sit 13th with five points from five games. They have recorded one win, two draws and two defeats, scoring seven goals and conceding nine. Their goal difference is -2, while their two losses represent 40% of their matches this season.

The teams have met 10 times during the past six years. Monaco have won five of those games, giving them a 50% victory rate, while Toulouse have claimed two victories, or 20%. The remaining three fixtures ended in draws.

Their most recent meeting, on 25 April 2026, finished 2-2.

The historical figures give Monaco a clear advantage, although the two sides’ latest encounter ended without a winner. Monaco’s unbeaten start and home advantage also strengthen the case for the league leaders in this fixture.

Toulouse have shown enough to suggest they can compete, but their current league position and results leave them behind Monaco in both form and standings.

The prediction is for a Monaco victory.

PSG will host Le Mans at Parc des Princes on Saturday, 10 October 2026, in the sixth round of the French championship, with Matthieu Vernice appointed as referee.

Paris Saint-Germain have the clear advantage in the history of this fixture. The teams have met 10 times, with PSG winning seven games, drawing once and losing twice. That record gives the Paris club a 70% win rate in the fixture, compared with 20% for Le Mans, while 10% of the matches have ended level.

The most recent encounter came on 4 February 2025 in the Coupe de France. PSG won 2-0, continuing a run which has seen them avoid defeat to Le Mans in each of their past four meetings.

The sides also met in the last 16 of the Coupe de la Ligue in 2019, when PSG recorded a 4-1 victory. Their 2-0 success in the last 16 of the 2025 Coupe de France is the latest result in the series.

Le Mans have therefore won only two of the 10 matches between the clubs and were beaten in the most recent meeting. The historical record, as well as the teams’ comparative level, points towards another difficult test for the visitors.

Playing at home, PSG are expected to take the initiative and will be targeting victory. Le Mans are regarded as a strong side, but the club from Le Mans trail PSG both in the head-to-head record and in the history of the contest.

The prediction is for a PSG victory.

AS Monaco striker Folarin Balogun says he remains open to returning to the Premier League after deciding against a summer move to Everton.

A proposed £40M transfer from Monaco to Merseyside fell through on transfer deadline day when the USMNT international changed his mind and withdrew from the deal.

Sources close to Balogun said he was unhappy with the way Everton conducted his medical and handled the negotiations that followed. The former Arsenal player did not feel comfortable continuing with the transfer discussions.

Monaco chief executive Thiago Scuro has suggested the club could be prepared to sell Balogun during the January window, while the 25-year-old has not ruled out a move back to England.

Asked whether a return to the Premier League remained possible, Balogun said: “Yes, potentially I could move back to England.

“Football has many twists and turns as we saw after the World Cup.

“I was close to a transfer, it didn’t materialise, but for sure it’s definitely an option.”