iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The US politicos have now weighed in. Which means we’re now at saturation point.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Man City Twitter reacting calmly to the news…

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I’ve never once woke up pondering any of those questions, Mr AI overlord. Which makes me question whether you’ve been paying attention at all during the last 10 years of me using your web browser, email and a dozen other services…

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Why didn’t Christopher Nkunku work out at Chelsea? Here’s what he had to tell Transfermarkt…

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

One of my favourite parts of the Transfermarkt website is going on the homepage on a Saturday afternoon to see which lower league players are making a name - either famously or infamously - for themselves.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Are we absolutely sure Jürgen Klopp wasn't a Dortmund sleeper agent at Red Bull?

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I don’t know if anyone knows this, but at Les Machines de l'Île in Nantes they’ve got a bloody oliphant walking the streets!

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Augsburg flying the flag for Bavaria. As it should be.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Says a lot about the summer transfer window that this felt like “light reading” in comparison, when I was looking for a book to take on holiday…

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

In the Bundesliga, this kind of fiscal discipline is celebrated as much as a German Cup.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

An exciting stat for Tottenham fans: No manager has gotten more goals and assists per 90 out of Mykhailo Mudryk than Robert De Zerbi

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I'm a hipster Augsburg fan. And I'm not afraid to admit it...

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I mean, aside from their immediate talent or potential, surely the mentality of the player is very much the main thing you’re paying for on the transfer market?

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Matthias Jaissle strolling the Premier League with a disheveled, half-built Newcastle squad:

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Eleven of the 20 clubs in this season's Premier League have broken their transfer records this summer:

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

All of our Bundesliga club-by-club previews are now online. Over 4000 words looking at club expectations, best signings and players to watch. Enjoy! Part 1: tinyurl.com/37dhxbvz Part 2: tinyurl.com/5yrme2z8 Part 3: tinyurl.com/25bc78ww

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Said El Mala isn't going to Dortmund. He's now probably going to RB Leipzig. And that's maybe for the best...

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Enzo Fernández and Ayyoub Bouaddi moving to Man City will almost certainly make Man City's midfield trio for this season the most expensive in the history of the sport. Based on reported fees and Elliot Anderson's transfer fee, their new midfield trio could cost a combined €375m...

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Even without El Mala, Dortmund's new-look team is full of a number of young players who could make a huge difference this season:

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Which leagues have lost or gained the most market value is an interesting way to look at where football talent flows in the summer window. Serie A, Premer League and - interestingly - Turkish Süper Lig buying. France - by a considerable distance - is doing most of the selling:

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

New season. New logo. We’ve gone for a pretty bold new look for the Gegenpressing podcast (and newsletter). Hope everyone likes it!

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

The players that had the highest points-per-game average for each Premier League club last season: - Had to start 50% of league games - Had to play at least 70% of league minutes - Relegated teams excluded

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Why Arsenal were happy to break records to sign Bruno Guimaraes:

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

I’ve just finished “Empire of AI” by Karen Hao. It’s hard to keep pace with the world of AI but this is a really fantastic origins story of OpenAI and a pretty comprehensive take on how one of the most valuable companies in the world is a house of cards waiting to fall.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Good rule of thumb, if the company is named after a character in Tolkien’s books then they’re almost certainly evil:

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Spread the word: www.Transfermarkt.com

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Why have Premier League clubs spent 38% of their transfer budgets on players from OTHER Premier League clubs? I think there are three main reasons why:

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

New Dortmund signing Konstantinos Karetsas is joining a club in desperate need of a playmaker:

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

First game of the season. Lovely summer’s evening watching a preseason friendly at Dulwich Hamlet.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

RB Leipzig will hold out for €130m in the sale of Yan Diomande. Which will make the winger the second biggest profit on a player in one season or less in the history of football:

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Forgive me father, for I have sinned…

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

So far this summer, Premier League clubs have spent 82% of their transfer fees on players from other English clubs. That's more than the next nine countries combined.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Newcastle? Dortmund? HSV? Julian Nagelsmann will need to be VERY careful about his next job...

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Two news reports on the same day, which show how broken modern media is. The internet doesn’t work anymore. We’ll all be back using physical media - CDs, books, even newspapers and magazines - within the decade.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Scenes in the village high street when the guy who flies a Scotland flag outside his house every day decided to make a change today…

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

England fans having a totally normal reaction to last night’s game on Reddit…

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

I wrote about this back in 2024, in regard to the new UCL format leading clubs like BVB to prioritise qualification each season over anything else. From a financial perspective, winning the Bundesliga just isn't worth the trouble for a club like Dortmund: tinyurl.com/yc5es2wk

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

On the left is France’s shots against Morocco. On the right is France’s shots against Spain. Notice how France didn’t get a single shot away in the centre of the pitch against Spain. Doesn’t take a genius to know why.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

In a similar strategy to their new UK deals, the Bundesliga are foregoing short-term revenue for (hopefully) more overall exposure. I’m not sure how the US market works, but already seeing quite a lot of fans upset at needing another subscription. And bafflement at the niche broadcasters chosen.

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

RIP to every millennial’s first leading man and perfect role model: - Academic - Hero - Child carer - Environmentalist

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

For anyone wondering how @transfermarkt.co.uk market values are impacted by player performances at the World Cup, my colleague @blittlemore10.bsky.social was on the BBC a few days ago to explain it all: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...

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Stefan Bienkowski @sbienkowski.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Newcastle's age problem... The squad's average age has consistently been over 26. Which means it has been in the top six oldest in each of the last five Premier League seasons under the Saudi ownership.

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