🔮 Happy New Year! OneFootball predicts 2025 in the world of football | OneFootball

Happy New Year!

We’ve gone to the back of the cupboards in the OneFootball office, found our crystal ball, and given it a good polish.

Here, our writers tell you exactly what's going to happen in 2025…

Let us know your predictions in the comments!

Let’s kick off with a fun one...what is your wildest football prediction for 2025?

📸 GLYN KIRK - AFP or licensors

Adam Booker: Everton will finish higher than Manchester United.

Ben Browning: Marcus Rashford ends up at Manchester City.

Richard Buxton: Manchester United to get relegated.

Alex Mott: Manchester City will win the Premier League title.

Andrew Thompson: Enzo Maresca wins the Premier League in his first top flight season.

Pádraig Whelan: By the time we're ringing the bells for 2026, Pep Guardiola will be back on the Barcelona bench.

Before we get into trophies and the like, can you tell us what will be the biggest transfer story of 2025?

📸 Jan Kruger - 2024 Getty Images

AB: Neymar will move to Inter Miami and reunite the MSN front-three.

BB: Barcelona desperately trying to pay for a £50m+ signing with marbles and chocolate coins.

RB: It's already started but Trent Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid.

AM: Vinicius Jnr joins a Saudi Pro League club for a world-record fee.

AT: Alphonso Davies turns down Real Madrid for a Premier League destination.

PW: This may be hedging the bets somewhat but Liverpool's key trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are all out of contract. Surely at least one will decide to depart and maybe more. Whoever does, it will be captivating.

And what’s the biggest headline the managerial merry-go-round will throw up?

📸 Alex Pantling - 2024 Getty Images

AB: Thomas Frank will replace Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham boss.

BB: Both Barcelona and Real Madrid looking for a new manager in the same summer.

RB: Jürgen Klopp tending to some unfinished business in frontline management.

AM: José Mourinho makes a sensational return to the Premier League.

AT: Vincent Kompany heads to the unemployment line after Bayern stumble to another trophyless campaign.

PW: I'll add some specifics to Alex's shout. The Friedkin Group have previous working with Mourinho and will want a marquee name in place for their Everton revolution. If they decide to patch their Roma differences and the Toffees stay up, he will lead them to their new home.

Right, silverware. Will we get any surprises at the top or bottom of Europe’s big five leagues?

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AB: Atlético Madrid will win LaLiga, and they will do so by more than five points.

BB: Napoli will regain the Scudetto before another horror season, while Liam Delap fires Ipswich to safety in the Premier League.

RB: Atalanta's remarkable story will extend to winning Serie A.

AM: Atalanta will keep on winning in Serie A and claim their first ever Scudetto.

AT: Atlético de Madrid claim the La Liga crown. Valencia will be unable to arrest their slide and drop down to the second tier for the first time since 1986.

PW: I can only echo the sentiments about Atalanta winning a first ever title against all odds. Manchester United and Roma are struggling badly but have too much to go down. Valencia, on the other hand, show no such signs of encouragement and will stumble to the Segunda.

And who do you see winning the Champions League?

📸 DAMIEN MEYER - 2010 AFP

AB: After a domestic fall-off in the spring, Real Madrid will ride their star-studded attack and a bit of magic fairy dust to another European crown.

BB: It's hard to look past Liverpool right now, but I'm still holding out hope for Arsenal.

RB: Real Madrid have an innate knack for going the distance but feel the stars could align for Liverpool in the same way as they seem to be in the Premier League.

AM: I think the new format will throw up a surprise winner this time with Inter claiming the crown come May.

AT: Like Ben, I'm praying for a magical Arsenal run. However, unlike Ben, I think Liverpool regresses to the mean and Barcelona goes on to win it.

PW: Inter will right the wrongs of 2023. That team is built for the Champions League.

We'll also have the Women's European Championship to look forward to in the summer. Who will be victorious in Switzerland?

AB: You just can't look past this Spain side.

BB: Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses will bring it home again.

RB: Spain remain the benchmark so it has to be them.

AM: Germany to beat Spain in the final.

AT: It's hard to look past Spain here. A first European Championship to add to all their recent success.

PW: It feels like England aren't getting the credit they deserve and I can see them defending their crown, perhaps with a measure of World Cup final revenge against Spain en route.

Rodri and Aitana Bonmatí claimed the men’s and women’s Ballons d’Or in 2024. In 2025, the awards will go to…

📸 FRANCK FIFE

AB: Mo Salah and Alexia Putellas.

BB: Mo Salah (Sorry Real Madrid) and Keira Walsh.

RB: Mohamed Salah and Aitana Bonmatí.

AM: Lautaro Martínez and Aitana Bonmatí.

AT: Mo Salah and Caroline Graham Hansen.

PW: Mo Salah and Alessia Russo.

Do you have a tip for a breakout young player we will all be talking about in 12 months?

AB: He may already have broken out (no injury pun intended), but after missing all of the Premier League campaign so far, Oscar Bobb will eventually return for Manchester City and show why he was in the running for a starting role this season.

BB: Max Dowman may make his Arsenal debut before the end of 2025, and Elisse Ben Seghir at Monaco is another to keep a close eye on.

RB: Jofre Torrents looks like he could be Barcelona's next La Masia gem and has already played alongside Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí et al.

AM: Ajax teenager Jorrel Hato has been ever-present in the starting XI since he was 17 and will earn a big-money move in the next 12 months.

AT: Hammarby's Bazoumana Touré is the real deal. Don't be surprised if he heads directly to one of the top three leagues in Europe in the very near future.

PW: Como's acquisition of young midfielder Nico Paz from Real Madrid last summer has already proven a masterstroke and he looks destined for the top.

Lastly, can you give us the one thing you are most looking forward to this year?

📸 Stu Forster - 2024 Getty Images

AB: Mauricio Pochettino's growth as United States boss.

BB: Watching elite clubs scramble over each other to pick apart Bournemouth and Brighton's talented sides next summer.

RB: The Premier League finally introducing semi-automated offside technology to reduce the lengthy hold-up over basic decisions during games.

AM: My continued vindication that VAR is the worst thing that's happened to football.

AT: Scandinavian football at large receiving more flowers regarding entertainment and its quiet ability to produce talent.

PW: Ange Postecoglou continuing to entertain in the face of continued criticism. Let's face it, the Premier League (and Tottenham) have been anything but boring since his arrival.

📸 Carl Recine - 2024 Getty Images