Latest Sports Stories

Football News

Trepy, 20, was airlifted to hospital after being pulled from a swimming pool at a villa on Sunday afternoon.His club Cagliari shared a statement on Tuesday from the Santissima Annunziata Civil Hospital in Sassari, where Trepy is being treated.The statement said Trepy was "fever free" and his "respiratory function" has improved compared to his severe condition when he was admitted.Should he continue to improve, there will be a "gradual reduction in sedation"."The prognosis remains guarded," the statement said.BBC Sport has been told the player was in the swimming pool with friends and it is thought he got into difficulty after reaching an area of the pool where he could not touch the bottom.Cagliari players had the weekend off after they beat Arezzo 1-0 in the Coppa Italia on Friday, in which Trepy played 54 minutes.Trepy scored once in eight Serie A appearances last season after being a Cagliari youth player.He joined the club's academy in 2022, having started his youth career with Parisian side US Creteil-Lusitanos.Listen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone

Football News

Those who followed Morocco's recent World Cup campaign will recognise the name Ayyoub Bouaddi. Perhaps those who only took a passing glance will remember him, too. He tends to stand out.Aside from his throwback curly mop of hair, the way he dominated the big stage with effortless grace over the summer got people talking. The Lille midfielder excelled in his fledgling role at his first major international tournament, particularly noticeable in a group-stage bout with Brazil.But this was not the first time Carlo Ancelotti found himself ruminating over an opposition player who was "better in the duels" than his own.Ancelotti's Brazilian midfield was comprised of the experienced Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes, and yet somehow it was Bouaddi that beamed brightest. It struck a familiar chord.The French-born youngster made his competitive debut for Lille in 2023, just three days after his 16th birthday. On the day he turned 17, he embarked on his full Champions League debut to help his side beat then-European holders Real Madrid. Ancelotti's Real.That result ended the European giants' 14-game unbeaten run in the competition, as Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and Jude Bellingham were contained by an "incredible" performance from a player barely anyone outside of France had heard of. He covered more ground than any player on the pitch.That was the night, as Lille manager Bruno Genesio described it, the precocious young talent "made a name for himself". Ancelotti's praise since has extended as far as to call him "one of the best young players in the world".Stream the Premier League with no contractBouaddi's radar has been steadily sounding from then. Scouts have flocked from afar to watch him; Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich among his admirers. But the race appears to have been won by Manchester City as they seek to soften the blow of Rodri's exit.Bouaddi, still only 18, has proved beyond doubt that his raw potential is somewhat more rarefied than his teenage years suggest. He out-ranked every club team-mate for possession wins (151) last season. His recovery wins per 90 (5.8) were top, too.As it's understood, Enzo Maresca wants to integrate the Morocco international into his squad immediately, believing firmly in his Premier League readiness given he has already made close to 100 competitive appearances for Lille.

Football News

Former Manchester United footballer Paul Scholes has been handed a six-month road ban after he racked up two driving convictions in the space of two days.The 51-year-old was caught speeding in a Range Rover on the evening of 3 March while on a late-night drive through Cleckheaton in West Yorkshire.In the second case, Scholes's Mercedes broke the speed limit on Mossley Road near Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, on the morning of 14 November last year.On 12 August at Bradford Magistrates' Court, he was handed a six-month driving ban for the first offence, along with fines. The next day at Manchester Magistrates' Court he received six penalty points on his licence, and further fines.Fines, costs, and court fees for the criminal cases totalled £1,472.A court official said Scholes, who was prosecuted in private hearings under the Single Justice Procedure, did not enter pleas to either of the charges he faced and was convicted in his absence.Court documents obtained by the Press Association news agency show Scholes's Range Rover was caught speeding at just after 23:30 BST on 3 March on the A649 Halifax Road near Cleckheaton.Police said the former footballer replied to a notice of intended prosecution, confirming he had been the driver.And the court papers noted that Scholes could not be offered the chance of an out-of-court settlement with a speed awareness course as he is a "totter" – meaning he already had penalty points on his licence and was now in line for an automatic ban.In the second case, Scholes's Mercedes broke the speed limit on the A670 Mossley Road near Ashton-under-Lyne at 11:10 BST on 14 November last year.Police said two letters were sent to his home and "no reply has been received".At court, the force dropped the speeding allegation but continued to prosecute Scholes for failing to reply to the letters.Scholes played 499 times for Manchester United and won 66 England caps in a trophy-laden career which included 11 Premier League titles, three FA Cup wins, and two Champions League triumphs.Tell us which stories we should cover in Greater ManchesterContact formContact formListen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, external, X, external, and Instagram, external. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.

Football News

Six-a-side football tournament Baller League will no longer show matches on Sky Sports.The UK edition of the competition, launched in March 2025, features star managers, including England footballer Chloe Kelly and YouTubers KSI and Angry Ginge.The league will continue to broadcast matches on Twitch, YouTube and TikTok, but BBC Newsbeat has confirmed its contract with the broadcaster has not been renewed, as first reported by the Guardian, external.In a statement, Baller League chief executive Felix Starck said Sky Sports was "always framed as an add-on to our strategy, not the centre of it".Starck pushed back against any suggestion the event had been "dropped" by Sky."We're not dependent on a traditional broadcaster to deliver an audience to us; we reach our audience directly," he said in a statement.Starck further claimed that more than 90% of Baller League's audience watches online, and that viewing figures had increased by two-thirds "season-on-season".Baller League UK's second season attracted a total of about 9.1m YouTube livestreams, while its most recent third season reached about 12m.This represents an increase of about 32% on one platform, but does not take into account live viewing figures on TikTok or Twitch, which are not readily available.Although Sky is the biggest UK sports broadcaster, Baller League boss Starck said "the audience we're built for isn't the audience they're reaching".Baller League, first launched in Germany, brings together ex-pros, creators and rising players in 30-minute games with twists on traditional football rules.Starck previously told BBC Sport the format was more popular with 16 to 28-year-olds than the Premier League, although it's difficult to double-check the claim.The chief executive has also pointed to the lower cost of tickets and the ability to watch matches without a paid subscription as plus-points for the brand.Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.How much work do Baller League UK managers actually do?From heartbreak to Baller League and Angry Ginge's YanitedBaller League's 'nonsense' rules bridge sport and entertainmentA 'new sport' with 'room to improve' - how is Baller League doing?

Football News

Andoni Iraola and Milos Kerkez of Liverpool Photograph: Becky Oliver/LFC/Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesAndoni Iraola has his hands full – replacing Mo Salah and restoring faith at Anfield – and will hope big name investors bring stability not disharmonyGuardian writers’ predicted position: 4th (NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunter’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)Andoni Iraola did not have to be sold on Liverpool when they came calling for a coach courted also by Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Crystal Palace after his sterling work at Bournemouth. This is just as well as the sales pitch did not come with bells and whistles attached. “When I came here, the owners told me everything is not perfect,” the new head coach revealed at his unveiling. “They said we would have some challenges, we would have to replace important players leaving, we have some injuries, but we are here to solve these kind of problems.” Validating last summer’s expensive recruitment strategy, restoring the faith of the Anfield crowd and rebuilding in an impatient environment can be added to that list.Liverpool were enticed by Iraola’s style of play, but his ability to step back and problem-solve – taking Bournemouth into Europe last season despite losing most of his defence in the summer and Antoine Semenyo in January, for example – will have also appealed. Arne Slot was assailed by unprecedented challenges last season, including the death of Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah’s attempts to undermine his manager in public, and lost his way as a result. How much of last season’s regression can be pinned on the former head coach will become apparent in the months ahead.Similarly to Slot in 2024, Iraola has been bequeathed a rich inheritance in terms of individual talent. Unlike his predecessor, however, he is starting from a lower base in terms of constructing a team. With Salah gone and no replacement installed, as yet, responsibility has increased on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak to produce after their underwhelming debut seasons. Wirtz has been deployed just behind Isak in pre-season and the early signs have been promising. Central midfield options are strong and Dominik Szoboszlai’s new five-year contract removes one distraction. Questions remain over Liverpool’s threat from out wide, their defensive resources and leadership within the team, but having worked towards this moment throughout his coaching career Iraola will be confident of finding answers.In contrast to last summer there has been more upheaval behind the scenes with a change of head coach, Michael Edwards departing as chief executive of football for the owners, Fenway Sports Group, and the sporting director, Richard Hughes, expected to follow suit once the transfer window closes. But one issue dominates: the arrival of the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin and Amit Bhatia, son-in-law of Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, as part of a consortium that has bought 30% of Liverpool for £1.65bn. That several of the world’s richest people have bought into Liverpool underlines the attractiveness of the club, commercially and otherwise, but beyond Bhatia becoming vice-chairman on an expanded board it remains to be seen what the deal truly means for the club and its fans.FSG’s habit of annoying and then appeasing the Liverpool fanbase returned last season when it abandoned plans to lock in ticket prices rises over a three-year period. The owners were thanked for engaging with supporters, after widespread protests , but there are now weightier conversations to be had in light of their deal with the 1892 Holdings consortium. As the supporters union, Spirit of Shankly, asked in an open letter: “Is this part of a planned wider sale, or a one-off? What due diligence is being done on the potential investors/owners? This is about their plans, reasons for purchase and involvement in sports or business elsewhere.” FSG insist the deal is not an exit strategy from a club they purchased for £300m in 2010 but will increase global business, technology and investment opportunities.After sacking Slot it was no surprise Liverpool turned to a coach who promises the kind of aggressive, front-foot style Anfield openly pined for last season. Iraola, who was lured from Rayo Vallecano by Hughes when the Liverpool sporting director worked for Bournemouth, was the only candidate Liverpool spoke to in their quick transition from the Slot era. The 44-year-old Basque has no silverware, or even European experience on his CV, but his record of consistently improving attractive teams, which resulted in Bournemouth qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history last season, made him one of the most coveted coaches available this summer.Liverpool had a weird, erratic campaign in 2025-26. Only Aston Villa and Manchester City had a longer run of Premier League wins yet only four teams (including Chelsea and Tottenham) had a worse losing streak. Their four-draw stretch in January was only topped by Bournemouth and Brentford. Iraola was unbeaten in his final 18 league matches last season and will need to bring similar consistency to Liverpool.Liverpool would love the answer to be Bradley Barcola (and for Paris Saint-Germain to lower their asking price for the France international) but as that pursuit continues it is another arrival from Ligue 1 who could prove their most important recruit so far, Jérémy Jacquet. A £55m deal rising to £60m was completed with Rennes in February, just days before the 21-year-old sustained a shoulder injury that ended his season, after Liverpool had been in the market for a young central defender with vast potential for some time. Jacquet’s recovery has affected his first pre-season at Anfield, but he is considered an immediate, if inexperienced, solution to a problem position and impressed on his first outing against Como.There may be more opportunities for Rio Ngumoha depending on how Liverpool’s winger chase goes, but, of all the young talents on display this summer, no one pushed their claims further than Trey Nyoni. Nyoni and Ngumoha were part of Slot’s stretched first team squad last season, but the former’s involvement was limited to six substitute appearances in the Premier League plus eight cup outings. The 19-year-old looked immediately at ease in pre-season with Iraola’s instructions for quick, forward passes from his central midfielders and embraced responsibility. Nyoni faces fierce competition to establish himself, but appears ready to make the step up.The first pre-season is hugely important to a new coach, but post-World Cup holidays deprived Iraola of eight players when Liverpool reported back. He will have had a full squad together for three weeks by the time the season starts at Newcastle, injuries excluded. The tournament brought deflating exits for several Liverpool players, including Virgil van Dijk, Alisson and Florian Wirtz, but also a welcome reminder of Alexis Mac Allister’s talents as the midfielder helped Argentina reach a second successive final. Mac Allister was not alone in struggling last season, but showed this summer just how influential he can be.

Football News

Chelsea agreed with the Argentina midfielder's agent Javier Pastore in late May that Fernandez could leave the club for £120m - but put a deadline of 14 August for any bids.Now that last Friday's deadline passed without any formal offers, the Blues have told Fernandez's camp that the player is not for sale in this transfer window.But, as last summer's Isak saga showed, it is rarely that simple. The Sweden striker finally clinched his British record transfer move to Liverpool on transfer deadline day after weeks of Newcastle United insisting he was not for sale.Twelve months on, the Fernandez uncertainty is not going away.Manchester City, managed by Fernandez's former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, are still keen to sign the 25-year-old and believe the London club still want to do a deal.City, who are also in advanced talks about a £85m deal for Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, want to bolster their midfield after Rodri agreed a move to Barcelona and Bernardo Silva left when his contract expired.They have already signed midfielder Elliot Anderson for a club-record £116m from Nottingham Forest, winger Jeremy Monga from Leicester City for £12.5m and goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Marseille for £1.7m.If Fernandez and Bouaddi join, it means Maresca will likely to have overseen a total spend of more than £330m.A chunk of that outlay will be funded by the sales of Rodri and James Trafford as well as the likely departures of Tijjani Reijnders and Savinho. The exits of Silva, John Stones and Nathan Ake have reduced the wage bill too.Reports from Spain suggest Chelsea remain privately open to selling Fernandez and that the club have appointed high-profile agent Jorge Mendes, who also represents winger Pedro Neto, to resolve the situation.Fernandez tried and failed to secure a move to Real Madrid earlier in the summer - despite the club later denying any interest - and the situation is further complicated by his relationship with Chelsea's fans.There were audible jeers when he came on in Saturday's 3-1 friendly win over Real Sociedad, although others responded with cheers. There was a similar mixed reaction every time he touched the ball.Chelsea remain confident the midfielder can be reintegrated back into the squad and made a show of intent by giving him the captain's armband when he replaced Reece James last weekend.However doubt remains over whether Fernandez will stay, and there is concern about the disruption such a late transfer would create, not least if new manager Xabi Alonso wanted to recruit a replacement.Fernandez wants Chelsea exit but club would demand £120mIt continued throughout the summer and only came to a conclusion when Liverpool announced the deal two-and-a-half hours after the transfer window closed.The Magpies had already signed attacking reinforcements, bringing in Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart for a club-record fee of £69m and Yoane Wissa from Brentford for £55m. Neither signing performed as hoped though, and Newcastle endured a disappointing season.Alonso has used a 3-4-2-1 system in pre-season and it has been successful. It largely mirrors the set-up he used when guiding Bayer Leverkusen to an historic league and cup double in 2024.Moises Caicedo and James were the midfield pair at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with Jordan Henderson sidelined by injury.Romeo Lavia came off the bench, with Valentin Barco and Dario Essugo remaining unused substitutes.Chelsea are well stocked in midfield, especially in a season without European football, and could cope in terms of numbers without signing a replacement for Fernandez if he left.In fact, they know they need to move on a significant amount of players before the window closes.However, earlier this summer they made a £64m bid for Bournemouth's Alex Scott and were reportedly offered Arsenal midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly. They have also been linked with Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Monaco's Lamine Camara.Bournemouth say Scott is not for sale at any price and it's also understood that Lewis-Skelly, who set up the first goal in the Community Shield win over City, is keen to remain at Arsenal.Whether Chelsea resist City's interest and fully reintegrate Fernandez to the squad or whether they sell the midfielder is likely to be one of the themes of the final two weeks of the transfer window.Fernandez booed by Chelsea fans as Alonso offers glimpse of blueprintChelsea say no Fernandez move as deadline passes - but is it really over?

Football News

Our cartoonist on the nine fresh faces in club dugouts and their potential impact as they begin workBuy a cartoon | Some of David’s favourite worksAnd his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...

Football News

From new managers and new signings to pre-season form and emerging talents, here's the lowdown on how the top 20 are looking...A lot of Arsenal's transfer talk has surrounded Vinicius Junior and Bradley Barcola this summer, but has Christos Tzolis given Mikel Arteta a reason to think differently?There was not a great deal of fanfare when the Greek winger moved for £34m from Club Brugge early in the window, but Tzolis has shown quite a lot of threat since arriving.July 25: Arsenal 3-0 MK Dons - Arsenal training ground August 1: Girona 1-4 Arsenal - Girona August 5: Arsenal 1-3 Real Betis - Dublin August 9: Arsenal 2-3 Borussia Dortmund - Emirates Stadium August 12: Arsenal 1-1 Como (4-3 pens) - Emirates Stadium August 16: Arsenal 3-0 Man City, Community Shield - CardiffIn six pre-season games, Tzolis has six assists and one goal - including making two in the Community Shield against Man City. He is by no means flashy - he completed none of his dribbles in the win over Cardiff, for example - but he is very effective.That pre-season form mirrored his form last season - getting 51 goal contributions in 52 games for Club Brugge. A set-piece threat too; if he gets anything close to those numbers in the regular season, then Arsenal have found themselves a £34m bargain.Sam BlitzThe doom and gloom mood of pre-season following the departures of Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans was momentarily lifted with the performance of Aston Villa against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup final.Not got Sky? Get instant access with no contractNew signing Joao Gomes and 17-year-old Brian Madjo have impressed in pre-season and stood out once again against PSG, despite the loss.July 21: Walsall 0-5 Aston Villa - Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium July 25: Porto 2-1 Aston Villa - Estadio Do Dragao July 28: Aston Villa 2-4 Real Sociedad - Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium August 1: Indonesia All-Stars 1-3 Aston Villa - Jakarta August 4: BG Pathum United 1-3 Aston Villa - Pathum Thani August 7: Aston Villa 1-2 Bayern Munich, Hong Kong August 12: UEFA Super Cup - PSG 2-1 Aston Villa, Salzburg August 15: Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 Aston Villa - Borussia-ParkHowever, Unai Emery was dealt another blow when reports emerged of injuries for both players as they approach the season opener against Brighton. They will now join both Amadou Onana and new signing Johan Manzambi on the sidelines.It has been a summer of change at Villa Park and navigating key player exits is difficult enough. Injuries and the absence of any form of pre-season for Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins due to their extended World Cup breaks now mean both the line-up and performance itself could throw up a few surprises at the Amex Stadium.Pat RoweAfter a free-scoring pre-season under new head coach Marco Rose there are hopes that life after Andoni Iraola can be just as bright for Bournemouth despite a first season in Europe to contend with.The Cherries' succession plan is as strong for players as it is for managers and Rose will tinker with rather than overhaul Iraola's work and getting their transfer business done early has helped his squad settle ahead of their most testing season.July 24: St Pauli 1-4 Bournemouth - Saalfelden July 30: Augsburg 2-5 Bournemouth - Saalfelden August 4: Bournemouth 10-1 Genoa - Bournemouth training ground (behind closed doors - 120 minutes) August 8: Real Betis 2-2 Bournemouth - Seville August 15: Mainz 2-1 Bournemouth - Mewa ArenaAn injury to Eli Kroupi Junior's foot injury will stop him from carrying on his superb form from last season for the foreseeable but there is already intrigue about the prospect of Alvaro Rodriguez, a summer arrival from Elche.There are concerns over a lack of depth in central defence, especially with 22-year-old Antonio Silva expected to slot straight in to replace Marcos Senesi. But the ex-Benfica man has plenty of pedigree, making 20 appearances for Portugal already and 41 in the Champions League.Ron WalkerGoal difference alone prevented the Bees from qualifying for Europe in May, but that's been forgotten now.They've spent over £60m this summer, breaking their transfer record to sign Mali international midfielder Mamadou Sangare from Lens, while also adding proven Premier League players Callum Wilson and Jaidon Anthony to bolster the attack.July 15: Brentford 3-2 AFC Wimbledon - behind closed doors August 8: Rennes 2-4 Brentford - Stade Rennais August 15: Brentford 7-0 Eintracht Frankfurt - Gtech Community StadiumKeith Andrews' side blew Eintracht Frankfurt away with a 7-0 win at the Gtech last Saturday, which set tongues wagging about what might be possible this term. Reaching Europe is sure to be the target internally - and this could well be the campaign they go one better.Dan LongIt was a blow to Brighton to lose Danny Welbeck in the summer - but few fans will begrudge him the move at this stage of his career after he gave a lot to the club. Likewise, Brighton will feel they got brilliant money in for Jan Paul van Hecke and Carl Rushworth - the latter of which could be challenging James Trafford for the England jersey in the coming years.In terms of incomings, it's the usual case of 'trust the process' with Brighton's recruitment team. The incredible hit rate has slowed a little in recent times, but the club have generally rebuilt pretty well year on year.July 18: Brighton 4-1 Wycombe - Brighton training ground July 25: Annecy P-P Brighton - France August 1: Strasbourg 3-4 Brighton - Austria August 8: Brighton 3-0 Roma - The Amex August 15: Brighton 1-0 Bologna - The AmexAims for the season? Nothing matters other than winning the Conference League. Having watched Crystal Palace lift the trophy last season, anything other than victory in Istanbul in June would be disaster.Simeon GholamXabi Alonso appears to be replicating his successful 3-4-3 formation, which delivered the Bundesliga title for Bayer Leverkusen, at Chelsea after testing the system in pre-season.Alonso had fielded a 4-2-3-1 in their first three friendlies, but after switching to a back three against AC Milan - their best performance of the summer in a 3-0 win - it seems he could stick with it heading into their opening match against Fulham on Monday Night Football.July 28: Chelsea 6-4 Western Sydney Wanderers - Sydney August 1: Chelsea 1-2 Tottenham - Sydney August 5: Chelsea 0-1 Juventus - Hong Kong August 8: Chelsea 3-0 AC Milan - Jakarta August 9: Johor Darul Ta'zim 3-3 Chelsea - Johor August 15: Chelsea 3-1 Real Sociedad - Stamford BridgeMaxence Lacroix was at the heart of the back three in their final pre-season game against Real Sociedad while Morgan Rogers started on the left of a dangerous frontline including Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer. Marco Palestra struggled at left-wing back with Pedro Neto operating on the other side. It remains a work in progress.David RichardsonA friendly win over Monaco was an encouraging way to finish pre-season and a clean sheet for 'keeper Carl Rushworth, who has signed on a permanent deal after his impressive loan last year, will add confidence to the backline which was the meanest in the second tier.That belief could be tested with an extremely difficult opener at Arsenal on Friday night but after 25 years away expect Coventry and their fans to relish their Premier League return.July 11: AFC Wimbledon 3-2 Coventry - behind closed doors July 18: Northampton 0-0 Coventry - Sixfields August 8: Coventry 3-1 Espanyol - Coventry Building Society Arena August 14: Coventry 2-0 Monaco - Coventry Building Society ArenaThey'll hope the creative Gustavo Hamer and powerhouse Taiwo Awoniyi can give Frank Lampard's side threat at the other end to cheer. But can they continue their front-foot approach at the highest level?Peter SmithCrystal Palace started pre-season with a new manager in Pierre Sage, but the Frenchman's attempts to implement a new playing style have been hampered as a host of first-team players were focused on the World Cup, rather than an opening 5-1 win over Swindon Town.The reappearance of Matheus Franca, a forgotten Brazilian youngster, has been one of the rare positives as he scored a hat-trick against Swindon and has featured regularly.July 18: Palace 5-1 Swindon - Palace training ground (behind closed doors) July 25: Bromley 3-0 Palace - Hayes Lane July 28: Palace 0-3 Lens (45-minute match) July 28: Palace 0-0 Famalicao (45-minute match) July 31: Palace 3-1 Al Ula - Giuseppe Sinigaglia August 7: Fulham 1-2 Palace - Fulham training ground (behind closed doors) August 15: Freiburg 3-0 Crystal Palace - Europa-Park StadionA 3-0 loss to Bromley would not have offered much optimism to Sage, who then had to endure a stinging defeat by the same scoreline to former club RC Lens in a swift reunion at the Como Cup. Palace defeated FC Famalicao on penalties before scoring their first goals of the tournament, albeit in a consolation 3-0 victory over Saudi side Alula SC.The returning Ismaila Sarr should be a key player for Sage, and he was on target with Franca in a 2-1 win over Fulham, but a 3-0 loss to Freiburg has left the new Palace boss to admit that he needs to temper his desire to tinker.Richard DamerellEverton's summer business has been steady with the addition of highly-rated Hayden Hackney plus Christian Norgaard from Arsenal offering extra bite and quality in midfield.But strength in depth remains an issue elsewhere with the potential requirement of Jake O'Brien or even James Garner to cover at right-back for another season unless the Toffees can add some more quality at right-back.July 18: Dundee 0-4 Everton - Dens Park July 25: Bolton 0-0 Everton - Toughsheet Community Stadium July 28: Stoke 1-0 Everton - bet365 Stadium August 1: Hamburg 1-2 Everton - Volksparkstadion August 8: Stuttgart 3-1 Everton - MHP Arena August 12: Everton 3-1 Newcastle - Murrayfield August 15: Everton 1-1 Lille - Hill Dickinson StadiumThey were linked with Daniel Munoz and expressed an interest in Djed Spence before his move to Inter Milan, but have yet to get a new face through the door. That has not been a problem on the right of their attack, where Brennan Johnson has added some extra pace which the counter-attack minded David Moyes will look to exploit at every opportunity.Can Everton put their end-of-season drop behind them to reach Europe this time around? Moyes might not always be flavour of the month at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but you can never rule it out with him around.Ron WalkerAlvaro Arbeloa's arrival from Spanish giants Real Madrid has injected some Castilian culture into Craven Cottage. Rather than looking to the domestic market to fill the void left by Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez, Arbeloa tapped into La Fábrica, Real Madrid's renowned youth academy.In a stunning, double-transfer, Fulham completed a €50m deal for two of Real Madrid's brightest young players: striker Gonzalo Garcia and attacking midfielder Cesar Palacios. In behind them, £30m signing Shea Charles will provide a solid anchor in midfield. Fulham are evolving their squad nicely.July 28: Al Ahli 1-1 Fulham - Portugal August 7: Fulham 1-2 Palace - Fulham training ground (behind closed doors) August 15: Fulham 1-0 Stuttgart - Craven CottageArbeloa has also looked to put his Spanish stamp on the team's tactical identity. In pre-season, they've adopted a high-intensity, high-pressing approach. This new style of play has excited Fulham fans. But with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United among their early opponents, Los Blancos will need to settle into their new identity pronto.James ColeHull were shock play-off winners in the Championship last season, defying the odds and a transfer embargo to seal a return to the Premier League.Once again, they have their doubters this summer but predicting how they will fare has been further complicated by a flood of new arrivals - and with more expected in the final days of the window.July 25: Hull 3-0 Konyaspor - Slovenia July 28: Hull 2-1 Caykur Rizespor - Slovenia August 1: Hull 1-1 Kasımpasa - Istanbul August 8: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 Hull - Germany August 15: Hull 0-0 Nice - MKM StadiumAn injury to one of those new additions, goalkeeper Jack Butland, is a major blow, with the former England stopper likely out until Christmas due to arm surgery.But the Tigers will hope they have secured some savvy buys, a la Sunderland last season, with Nobel Mendy, Konstantinos Tzolakis and 18-year-old Aussie centre-back Lucas Herrington ones to watch. Goals, though, could be an issue - they hit the net just once in their final three friendlies.Peter SmithIpswich return to the top flight looking a very different entity to the one which was relegated in May 2025. Victories in their last three pre-season fixtures have featured encouraging displays from new additions and a hint at how they will potentially set up with a back three under new boss Gary O'Neil.Experienced Premier League players rather than upcoming domestic and Championship talent have been targeted, while Daizen Maeda's arrival from Celtic arrives after goalscoring feats north of the border.July 29: Ipswich 1-2 Osasuna - Colchester August 1: Oxford 2-0 Ipswich - Kassam Stadium August 1: Wycombe 1-2 Ipswich - Adams Park August 4: Ipswich 1-0 Le Havre - Portman Road August 8: Ipswich 3-0 Rayo Vallecano - Portman Road August 15: Union Berlin 2-4 Ipswich - Stadion An der Alten ForstereiBrazilian striker Emersonn is still largely an unknown quantity despite two goals in his last two pre-season starts. There are potentially more additions to come before Sunderland visit Portman Road on Saturday.Adam WilliamsDominic Calvert-Lewin has been on fire in pre-season, with three goals and two assists - is he set for an even better season than he had last term?The Leeds striker had a pretty good campaign last time out with 14 Premier League goals - but it was even more impressive because he didn't have a pre-season, as he completed his Elland Road move on the eve of last term.July 26: Leeds 2-3 Wrexham July 31: Sunderland 0-1 Leeds - New Jersey August 2: Leeds 4-2 Liverpool - Chicago August 8: Leeds 2-0 RB Leipzig - Elland Road (120-minute game) August 12: Leeds 1-1 Man Utd (4-5 pens) - Dublin August 15: Leeds 4-0 Augsburg - Elland RoadHaving had a relatively full pre-season and with his injury woes behind him, plus the likes of Harry Wilson now in the team to support Leeds' attacking threat - is Calvert-Lewin going to lead Daniel Farke's wish for the Whites to be more competitive?Sam BlitzAndoni Iraola has probably been under more scrutiny during pre-season at Liverpool than in three years in charge of Bournemouth. From recruitment to the balance of the squad, from the style of play to the ability to maintain it for 90 minutes, eyes are on him.July 25: Liverpool 4-2 Sunderland - Nashville July 30: Liverpool 1-0 Wrexham - New York August 2: Liverpool 2-4 Leeds - Chicago August 9: Liverpool 2-3 Monaco - Anfield August 16: Liverpool 2-0 Como - AnfieldAlexander Isak and Florian Wirtz will surely improve, but it still feels like a rebuild. The Liverpool fans are ready to embrace his rock and roll football. But can Iraola, coaching in Europe for the first time in his career, deliver the results that will sustain that support?Adam BateMuch of Man City's tactical approach under Enzo Maresca will mirror that of predecessor Pep Guardiola. They share similar philosophies. But a key change can be seen in how the Italian wants to use his wide players as more traditional wingers. Throwback to a bygone era of Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane and it's something close.Maresca has got two of the best wide ball carriers in the league in Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku; the intention is to use them as such. But an issue has arisen. Does Maresca have a midfield capable of servicing this system?August 1: Man City 1-1 Inter Milan (1-3 on pens) - Hong Kong August 5: K-League All Stars 1-3 Man City - Seoul August 9: Man City 3-1 Atletico Madrid - Seoul August 16: Arsenal 3-0 Man City, Community Shield - CardiffIt was clear against Arsenal in the Community Shield that they do not. Semenyo landed five assists in pre-season but cut an isolated figure in that palling 3-0 defeat. With Bernardo Silva gone and Rodri's exit close, City's midfield reshuffle needs some serious work in order to get the team functioning and flowing as Maresca wants.Laura HunterManchester United ended their Premier League preparations with a 4-2 defeat to AC Milan, but the good news for Michael Carrick and United is that two players, in particular, have stood out in pre-season.Having perhaps looked a bit tired towards the end of last season, Carrick will be purring to see Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo back to their electric selves.July 18: Man Utd 0-1 Wrexham - Helsinki July 24: Man Utd 5-0 Rosenborg - Trondheim August 1: Man Utd 2-1 Atletico Madrid - Stockholm August 8: Man Utd 1-1 PSG - Gothenburg August 12: Leeds 1-1 Man Utd (4-5 pens) August 15: Man Utd 2-4 AC Milan - WroclawIt was quite clear last season that United would largely defend on the edge of their own box. What we've seen in pre-season has been a deviation - or, perhaps, progression. United are pushing higher and working harder to press and counter-press the opposition.The game was a perfect illustration of why United need to invest seriously in a left-back: not just because Luke Shaw will need to be rotated with the increased number of games that comes with European competition, but also due to the way United clearly want to play going forward.Danyal KhanEddie Howe called for this summer to be different for Newcastle. It certainly has been, though not quite how he intended.The now ex-head coach had hoped for early incomings and strong investment in a side which suffered after a messy transfer window 12 months ago but instead the loss of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali left the Magpies playing catch-up again while Bruno Guimaraes' departure was the final straw for Howe to walk.July 18: Newcastle 3-0 Darlington - Newcastle training ground (behind closed doors) July 25: Gateshead 1-1 Newcastle - Gateshead International Stadium July 29: Bristol City 1-4 Newcastle - Ashton Gate August 8: Valencia 1-2 Newcastle - Mestalla August 12: Everton 3-1 Newcastle - Murrayfield August 15: Newcastle 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen - St James' Park August 16: Newcastle 1-1 Strasbourg - St James' ParkMatthias Jaissle, another graduate of the Red Bull franchise, replaced him with an expectation of attractive, attacking football but his more pressing concern will be that four of his five new signings, costing almost £140m combined, are aged 20 or under.That loss of experience on the pitch and in the dugout suggests another season of transition on Tyneside, but with the club still maintaining aims of a Premier League push within four years Jaissle and his players will have to come good sooner rather than later.Ron WalkerOliver Glasner arrives at Nottingham Forest having won three trophies in two seasons with Crystal Palace and is looking to put his stamp on things at the City Ground. Forest have switched to his favoured system and are quietly reshaping the squad to his needs.July 18: Notts County 0-2 Forest - Meadow Lane July 22: Forest 3-0 Blackburn - Estadio da Nora (Portugal July 26: Vitoria 1-1 Forest - Portugal (behind closed doors) July 31: Portimonense 1-2 Forest - Algarve July 31: Sporting 4-1 Forest - Estadio Algarve August 8: Udinese 1-0 Forest - Udine August 8: Barcelona 1-0 Forest - Udine August 12: Forest 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen - City Ground August 16: Forest 2-0 Brest - City Ground, 2pmOusmane Diomande appears to be the standout signing and - for now at least - the key men remain. Forest fans would settle for Premier League progress after their European adventures but do not rule out fireworks from owner Evangelos Marinakis late in the window.Adam BateSunderland spent over £180m revamping their squad for their return to the Premier League last summer - and there was method in the madness. The Black Cats stepped up admirably and qualified for the Europa League, qualifying for Europe for the first time in over half a century.A year on, the only first-team signing they've made so far is that of 34-year-old Belgian right-back Thomas Meunier on a free from Lille, though Dayann Methalie is also set to join and become their record signing for £25.7m. That has been more than paid for already, with in excess of £30m recouped from the sales of fringe players.July 18: York City 1-5 Sunderland - LNER Community Stadium July 25: Sunderland 2-4 Liverpool - Nashville July 31: Sunderland 0-1 Leeds - New Jersey August 2: Sunderland 1-0 Wrexham - Philadelphia August 8: Lens 4-1 Sunderland - Lens training ground (behind closed doors) August 8: Lens 0-2 Sunderland - Stade Bollaert-Delelis August 15: Sunderland 2-1 Rennes - Stadium of LightThe most significant moment of the summer, however, was when Granit Xhaka opted to stay at the club despite interest from Chelsea, who tabled an £8m bid for him to reunite with his former Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso. Their captain was pivotal in 2025/26 and will be going forward, too.Dan LongAn unbeaten pre-season for Tottenham has maintained optimism around Roberto De Zerbi's side after a big summer of spending.The six new arrivals have all impressed in pre-season, with the new £185m midfield pairing of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes both scoring.New defenders Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke looked a solid centre-back pairing in Saturday's clean-sheet win over Hoffenheim - and their display was even more encouraging considering Micky van de Ven did not play a pre-season minute, raising concerns he might not be for the Brentford trip.Pedro Porro, Mohammed Kudus and Destiny Udogie also failed to feature in pre-season, meaning new left-back Andy Robertson, who impressed against Hoffenheim, should start this weekend.July 22: Tottenham 1-0 MK Dons - Spurs training ground July 26: Tottenham 2-0 Auckland FC July 29: Tottenham 1-1 Sydney FC (4-2 on pens) - Sydney August 1: Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea - Sydney August 8: Tottenham 1-1 Getafe - Spurs training ground (behind closed doors - 70-minute game) August 15: Tottenham 3-0 Hoffenheim - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium August 16: Tottenham 2-2 Hoffenheim - Spurs training ground (behind closed doors)With Porro's late World Cup-winning arrival, Archie Gray is set to start at right-back where he has played all of pre-season.The 20-year-old has also been captain in pre-season after Cristian Romero's exit, so it will be interesting to see who De Zerbi gives the captaincy to for their first competitive match of the new campaign.Declan Olley

Football News

Wales goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel has joined Watford on loan from Manchester United for the duration of the 2026-27 season.Middleton-Patel spent the second half of the 2023-24 campaign on loan with the Hornets but is now poised for a full season with the club in Women's Super League 2.The 21-year-old made her senior bow for the Red Devils against Newcastle United in December 2024.She made three appearances under Marc Skinner last season, including in her side's Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford.A Manchester United statement read: "We will be tracking Saf's progress closely and wish her the very best of luck."'I love my fans, but also dread meeting them' - life as an autistic elite footballerShe will bid to retain the number one jersey as Rhian Wilkinson's side face Albania in a double header in October in the play-off first round.The winner of that tie will take on either Romania or Norway in the second round.

Football News

The summer transfer window will close for Premier League and EFL clubs at 23:00 BST on Tuesday, 1 September.The window opened for a second time this year on Monday, 15 June.Last season, the transfer window for clubs in the Premier League and English Football League closed at 19:00 to move it in line with the working day. However, it has returned to its usual 23:00 slot this season.The windows in Spain, Germany, Italy all close on the same day, but earlier in the evening. In Ligue 1, the window shuts a day earlier.Clubs in Scotland have until 17:00 on Thursday, 3 September to complete their business.The Women's Super League transfer window also closes on Thursday, 3 September.This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.Contact formContact formMore questions answered...What has changed in FPL for 2026-27 season?

Football News

It is one of three measures brought in by the Premier League, external to improve transparency, alongside the publishing of direct explanations of officials, and broadcasting RefCam with audio of a referee talking to players.The five members of the KMI Panel have met since the 2022-23 season, but until now the results have been kept private - though there was a tendency for clubs to leak the information.Every major incident is assessed and voted on, with feedback provided to clubs and officials.The Premier League believes releasing the document will give full transparency about the evaluation of decisions.Selected direct quotes of the referee and/or the video assistant referee will be published on the Premier League's Match Centre account on X, on the Premier League website and the Premier League app to try to provide the rationale behind a decision.Previously, the account published a general summary of an incident rather than the real-time explanations and thought processes of officials.This will include a referee's description of why they have given a decision, or the VAR's direct reasoning for why they have not intervened.The expansion of the use of RefCam will for the first time allow the broadcast of audio between the referee and the players.This will not be live, nor will it include any of the conversation between the referee and the VAR, but it will be used in-game one or two times in each round of fixtures.The Premier League and Pro Ref are trying to take steps to increase the transparency over decisions while still being limited by the International Football Association Board's (Ifab) refusal to permit the live broadcast of VAR discussions.The Premier League is to continue discussions with Ifab about allowing more VAR communication to be shared with the public.The KMI Panel meets every week to dissect each decision, from goals to penalties to red cards.It has five members: three former players and coaches, plus one representative each from the Premier League and referees' body Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO).The KMI Panel was created by the Premier League clubs in 2022 to take performance stats out of the hands of the refereeing body.It is not intended to look at each incident like any fan or manager would. It takes into account the laws of the game and, crucially, how the Premier League expects its games to be refereed.That is why the list of errors is not as extensive as supporters would expect.The KMI Panel first looks at the decision of the on-field referee team, and then of the VAR.As the VAR is operating to a higher threshold - clear and obvious - there are times when the KMI Panel will say the referee was wrong but the VAR was correct not to intervene.The KMI Panel also considers situations which are not reviewable by VAR, such as second yellow cards missed.A simple majority is then required to determine if the decision was correct or not.Last season's judgements, seen by BBC Sport, show there were 25 VAR errors, up from 18 in the 2024-25 campaignIt was still a marked improvement on previous years, with 31 errors in 2023-24 and 38 in 2022-23.The results also come with comments from the members of the panel to explain the reasoning for their decision.It is also used to create the performance-related payments to referees at the end of each season.

Football News

Right-back worked with Matthias Jaissle at RB SalzburgSunderland to announce signing of Dayann MethalieThe chance to be reunited with Matthias Jaissle convinced Amar Dedic to swap Benfica for Newcastle in a £29.5m transfer. Dedic becomes Newcastle’s sixth signing of a turbulent summer on Tyneside and the 24-year-old Bosnia and Herzegovina international is likely to start at right-back at home to Liverpool on Sunday.“Working with Matthias again was a big factor for me,” said Dedic who previously played for Newcastle’s new manager at RB Salzburg. “We know each other well; he knows what I can bring to the pitch and I’m really happy to play for him again. It’s a special feeling and a real honour to join Newcastle.”With Tino Livramento still recovering from a calf injury, Newcastle’s lack of senior right-backs has been highlighted in pre-season and, soon after replacing Eddie Howe earlier this month, Jaissle advised club executives that Dedic could fill the void. It helps that a defender also comfortable at left-back understands the German’s playing philosophy.Sunderland, meanwhile, are set to announce the acquisition of a new left-back on Tuesday after fending off competition from Roma and Newcastle to sign the 20-year-old Toulouse defender Dayann Methalie for £25.6m.The France Under-21 international made 28 Ligue One appearances last season and will compete with Reinildo for a place in Regis Le Bris’s team. Methalie, who has signed a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light, is also comfortable operating as a left-sided central defender or at wing back.