The game never stops — and neither do we. Welcome to the SDH Network, Around the Corner from Everywhere.

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Arsenal closed the calendar year with their most authoritative performance of the season, a ruthless 4–1 dismantling of Aston Villa that felt less like a result and more like a declaration. Mikel Arteta called it “a great way to end the year,” but the significance went well beyond timing. This was the kind of night that shifts perception, inside the dressing room and across the title race.

Villa arrived on an 11-match winning streak and controlled long stretches of the first half, but Arsenal’s response after the break was devastating. Gabriel Magalhães opened the scoring from a corner, a familiar weapon that has become a defining edge, before Martín Zubimendi doubled the lead minutes later. From there, the Emirates tilted sharply. Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus added clinical finishes, turning a tight contest into a statement win before Ollie Watkins’ stoppage-time goal served only as consolation.

The result moves Arsenal five points clear at the top of the Premier League, ahead of Manchester City, who have a game in hand. City can narrow the gap, but the pressure has shifted. After weeks of grinding out narrow wins, Arsenal produced a performance marked by control, efficiency, and confidence, their sharpest display in several weeks against one of the league’s most in-form sides.

Context matters here. Arsenal have fallen short in recent title races, finishing runners-up three straight seasons, and landmark victories have occasionally eluded them. This one did not. Ending Villa’s run, dominating the second half, and doing so with key players returning to fitness all reinforced the sense that this group is more complete, and more resilient, than before.

Arteta, characteristically, refused to look too far ahead. The schedule remains demanding, injuries linger, and Bournemouth awaits next. But as 2025 closes, Arsenal have placed themselves exactly where contenders want to be: leading the table, answering questions with performances, and heading into the new year believing that this time, the path might finally be theirs to finish.

Botafogo have been placed on FIFA’s registration ban list after failing to pay Atlanta United the agreed $21 million transfer fee for Thiago Almada, a deal struck in the summer of 2024. The three-window ban, which takes effect on December 31, prevents the Brazilian club from registering new players until the debt is resolved, marking a significant escalation in a case that has dragged on for more than a year.

Atlanta has not received any portion of the fee or accrued interest, despite Almada featuring for Botafogo in the second half of 2024 before moving on to Lyon and later Atlético Madrid. FIFA records showed Botafogo was due to make two $3 million installment payments in mid-2024, both of which were missed, prompting MLS to issue default notices. Botafogo appealed the ruling, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld FIFA’s decision, noting the club had requested more time rather than disputing the amount owed.

Owned by American businessman John Textor, Sergio Santana of Globo in Brazil reports that Botafogo have since opened negotiations with Atlanta to restructure the payments, acknowledging the club cannot settle the full amount upfront. Until an agreement is reached and acceptable financial guarantees are provided, the ban remains in place, leaving recent signings unable to be registered and reinforcing a broader warning across the global game: transfer fees are not optional accounting entries, and FIFA is increasingly willing to enforce that reality.

South Africa manager Hugo Broos’ criticism of MLS as an unsuitable development environment says far more about the coach than it does about the league. In dismissing Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s move to Chicago Fire, Broos leaned on a decades-old development model that no longer reflects how elite players actually progress. MLS is not a holding pen; it is a competitive league with modern infrastructure, strong coaching, and increasing tactical and physical demands. Success there does not close European doors. It often opens them wider.

The argument that players must bypass MLS to face “better opponents” ignores reality. Players who perform in MLS are regularly tested against international competition, developed in high-resource environments, and sold onward to top leagues in stronger negotiating positions. Thiago Almada is a clear recent example: he arrived, dominated, grew, and moved on as a World Cup winner and a more complete professional. He is far from alone.

Broos would be better served focusing on South Africa’s persistent defensive issues rather than publicly undermining one of his own players for choosing a legitimate pathway. MLS may not look like Hamburg in the early 2000s, but frankly neither is Hamburg of 2025. That is the point. Player development has evolved. The game has globalized. Clinging to outdated assumptions does nothing to help Mbokazi, the national team, or Broos’ own credibility in a rapidly modernizing sport.

Football’s lawmakers are edging closer to a potentially significant change in how offside is judged. Speaking this week at the World Sports Summit in Dubai, Gianni Infantino confirmed that FIFA is actively considering a proposal long championed by Arsène Wenger, aimed at making the game more attacking and reducing marginal, technology-driven decisions.

Often referred to as “Wenger Law,” the proposal would redefine offside so that an attacker is only penalized if their entire body is ahead of the defender. If any part of the body capable of scoring is level with the last defender, the attacker would be deemed onside. The idea is simple in theory and deliberate in intent: eliminate microscopic calls that are invisible to the naked eye and tilt the balance back toward attacking play.

The International Football Association Board will formally review the proposal at its annual meeting on January 20 in London, with further discussion scheduled for its general assembly in Wales in February. Wenger, now FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, has already overseen positive trials in youth competitions in Italy and Sweden, strengthening the case for broader adoption.

Whether implemented next season or not, the debate itself signals a shift. FIFA and IFAB are no longer merely refining technology around offside; they are questioning the principle itself. And this is the correct step, because the spirit of the law used to be “even is on” and now that we can better define the decision using technology, let’s get back to that spirit that governed the game for decades.

USL labor talks reach a critical moment
Negotiations between the USL Players Association and the United Soccer League have continued since August, but the current CBA covering USL Championship players expires Wednesday without a new agreement in place. Players say they accepted sub-professional standards in the league’s first CBA to help USL survive and grow, but with 43 men’s pro teams planned for 2026 and a Division One launch on the horizon, the USLPA argues that vision must now be matched by meaningful improvements in pay and working conditions.

D.C. United reshapes its roster with ambition
D.C. United are closing in on a club-record deal for Romanian forward Louis Munteanu, with a fee that could reach $10 million including add-ons. After finishing last in MLS, D.C. have moved aggressively, adding Tai Baribo, Sean Johnson, Sean Nealis, and Keisuke Kurokawa, while declining Christian Benteke’s option, signaling a full reset built around designated players and a younger attacking core.

Ricardo Pepi’s market continues to grow
PSV Eindhoven have rejected a £26 million bid from Fulham for U.S. striker Ricardo Pepi, with further offers expected in January. Pepi’s scoring efficiency, long-term contract through 2030, and continued production for club and country have strengthened PSV’s negotiating position as European interest builds.

SDH AM is live this morning at 9:05am on YouTube, Twitch, and X, as we keep the conversation moving to close out the year. Jon will take tomorrow morning off and return Friday with another live show.

If you missed last night’s Atlanta Soccer Tonight, you can catch the full episode on the Audacy app or wherever you get your Off the Woodwork podcasts, with a year-end look back and an eye firmly on what 2026 will bring.

Also, be sure to check out yesterday’s feature story on Tomás Jacob, a deep dive into his journey and what comes next as he comes to Atlanta United for 2026 and beyond.

Nigeria cruise, Tanzania make history
Nigeria national team finished the AFCON group stage perfect after a 3–1 win over 10-man Uganda national team, with Raphael Onyedika scoring twice and Paul Onuachu netting his first international goal since 2021. Meanwhile, Tanzania national team reached the AFCON knockout stage for the first time, advancing as a best third-placed side after a 1–1 draw with Tunisia.

Chelsea tension grows around Enzo Maresca
Pressure continues to mount on Enzo Maresca after Chelsea were booed following a damaging draw with Bournemouth. Results have dipped, relationships with ownership appear strained, and while no immediate change is planned, another poor showing could accelerate a situation already moving toward a summer reckoning.

Celtic stumble as Motherwell impress
Celtic FC missed the chance to draw level with Hearts after a deserved defeat at Motherwell, reigniting scrutiny of manager Wilfried Nancy. Motherwell’s sharp, composed performance pushed them closer to the top three and underlined Celtic’s continued inconsistency.

Manchester City close on Semenyo
Manchester City are closing in on a £65m move for Bournemouth and Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo, having agreed to meet his release clause. Bournemouth want him available for upcoming league fixtures, but all signs point toward a January move.

Roma dream big, plan pragmatically
AS Roma are exploring the idea of a sensational reunion with Mohamed Salah, though finances make it unlikely. More realistic talks are advancing for Giacomo Raspadori, while Joshua Zirkzee remains a longer-term option.

Crystal Palace agree deal for Brennan Johnson
Crystal Palace have agreed a £35m fee with Tottenham Hotspur for Brennan Johnson, pending the player’s decision. If completed, it would be one of Spurs’ biggest sales and a major attacking addition for Palace.

Atlético Madrid succession timeline emerges
Club president Enrique Cerezo confirmed that a handover of power is planned within three to four years following Apollo Sports Capital’s takeover. The current leadership intends to see out its mandate, potentially alongside a contract extension for Diego Simeone.

De Arrascaeta crowned King of America
Giorgian de Arrascaeta was named South America’s Footballer of the Year by El País after a dominant, trophy-laden season with Flamengo. He becomes the first Uruguayan to win the award in a decade, capping a year of extraordinary individual and team success.

By the numbers
FC Barcelona scored 169 goals across all competitions in 2025, the most ever by a LaLiga side in a calendar year without Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. A staggering total.

2025 did not whisper. It spoke clearly, sometimes loudly, and often without waiting for permission.

This was a year where the game stopped pretending. About money. About development. About who actually benefits when big ideas are rolled out. Clubs chased ambition and learned that coherence still matters. Players showed there is more than one road to the top. The people in charge finally began asking better questions, not because it was comfortable, but because the sport demanded it.

And the good news is this: the momentum is real.

2026 is not a distant promise. It is already taking shape. The choices being made now are about building something that lasts, something connected, something that reflects how the game is actually lived and loved. Atlanta is not waiting for soccer to arrive. It is helping define what the next chapter looks like.

Thank you for spending your mornings with us in 2025. We head into 2026 with optimism, clarity, and purpose, ready for a year that has every chance to be unforgettable.

See you next year…

Jason