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Ipswich Town have completed the signing of midfielder Abdoul Ouattara from French club Strasbourg.The Ivorian, 20, joins on a five-year contract for a reported fee of £17m to reunite with manager Gary O'Neil, who was in charge of the Ligue 1 club last season."The Premier League is the best league in the world and as soon as I knew the opportunity was there, to play in England under a manager I have already enjoyed working with, I jumped at it," Ouattara said."I am still young but have had some good experiences already and I can't wait to meet the fans and my team-mates and get started."Ouattara made 45 appearances for Strasbourg in the French top flight and was part of the side that reached the Uefa Conference League semi-finals last season.O'Neil added: "Abdoul is a talented young player who can play in different positions, so is a very good addition to our squad."We enjoyed working with him in France last season and are delighted to have the opportunity to do so again at Ipswich."Since securing promotion from the Championship last season, Ipswich have spent £124m with Ouattara their 11th major signing.Ipswich begin their Premier League campaign at home to Sunderland on 22 August.Pre-match, post-match and topical Blues contentListen on SoundsSubscribe and listen for everything you love about IpswichLatest Ipswich Town news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Ipswich Town - what do you want to know?

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When Berti Vogts was unveiled as Scotland’s first foreign manager, back in 2002, he had a simple instruction. “When we are playing,” he said, “you can call me Berti McVogts!” Scotland fans preferred a slightly courser sobriquet when, six months later, Scotland went 2-0 down to the Faroe Islands before scrambling a 2-2 draw. Vogts left after two-and-a-half ultimately unsuccessful years, and since then Scotland have preferred homegrown managers. But it’s good to try everything twice, except maybe Gigli, and the Scottish FA has appointed one of European football’s most interesting young managers: Sébastien Pocognoli, who was unveiled at a press conference on Monday.It’s 2026, not 2002, and the way to win people over is with a PowerPoint presentation rather than a cheesy pun. So even though Pocognoli’s middle name, Jean, gave him a bit of a portmanteau open goal, he didn’t ask to be called Jockognoli. Pocognoli, 39, is a former Belgium international who played for West Brom and Brighton. He had a glorious start to his senior coaching career in 2024-25 when he led Union Saint-Gilloise to their first Belgian title since 1935. His head was soon hunted by Monaco, who dispensed it in the summer after a disappointing season. Although Monaco finished seventh, their lowest position since 2019-20, Pocognoli’s win percentage of 42 wasn’t a complete affront to the memory of Tim Sherwood.“I’m very proud to be here,” roared Pocognoli. “Scotland is a passionate country and I think also, regarding the strong foundation that Steve Clarke and his staff did, that I can use this heritage to put the next accent in the style of play while also developing players for the future.” Pocognoli looked the part: sharp suit, art-dealer haircut, beard that has been through at least three focus groups to find the optimum length. He looked a bit like a cross between Diego Simeone and Gerard Piqué, which would be a helluva style of play to master.“Since negotiations began, I have been doing a lot of research, asking a lot of questions and looking at areas that we can build on,” continued Pocognoli, who confirmed that Barry Can’t Swim and Limmy would be joining his coaching staff. Craig Mulholland, the SFA’s chief football suit, said Pocognoli “will bring an aggressive, front-foot style of play that will excite supporters”. For all the Scotland fans who wanted to feel their pulse while watching Clarke’s side, the next few years will provide either told-you-so validation or football’s latest reminder that you should be careful what you wish for.“FIRST TIME EVER. Game delayed due to a child who’s scootered their way on to the pitch. Fair play to the Rangers manager for stopping the game and Charlie Elliott taking her back to her parent” – Montrose FC’s live updates on their SPWPL opener against Rangers – a 4-1 win for the Glaswegians – were briefly interrupted by news of a rogue fan with absolutely zero respect for the rules.double quotation markWatching Manchester City under new management for the first time, it’s kind of spooky how much Enzo Maresca channels the ghost of Pep Guardiola on the touchline. Except they are losing” – Chris Jersan.double quotation markDave Hill’s letter [Friday’s Football Daily] made me feel old. My immediate reaction was: ‘Too much money sloshing around at the top; there should be a salary cap.’ Then I realised that I could just about remember the campaign for a minimum wage for footballers. All in the span of one lifetime” – Trevor Townson.double quotation markRe: your mention in Friday’s Football Daily of Graeme Souness being sent off in the first half of his first game as Rangers player-manager v Hibs. This event led to pubs popular with Celtic fans in the east end of Glasgow being inundated with requests for a new drink: ‘I’ll have a Souness please … mine’s a half and then I’m off’” – Danny Sullivan.If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Danny Sullivan. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed here.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

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The 33-year-old Argentine has become a World Cup winner while playing for Aston Villa, and has twice been voted the world's best goalkeeper.Yet as Villa prepare to start the new Premier League season at Brighton on Sunday, Martinez finds himself in limbo again, with his replacement about to arrive.Zion Suzuki is due to join from Parma for about £30m to become Villa's new No 1, despite Martinez's move to Juventus collapsing.Juve turned their attention to Tottenham's Guglielmo Vicario, who is moving on loan with a non-mandatory £8.6m option to purchase.That makes him slightly cheaper than Martinez, with Villa holding out for closer to £10m.Sources in Italy told BBC Sport the only reason the deal did not happen was because the clubs could not agree a fee. There were no doubts over Martinez's fractured finger, which he sustained in the warm-up before Villa's Europa League final win over Freiburg in May.That is despite the goalkeeper, who has a contract at Villa Park until 2029, admitting at the World Cup he had been struggling with the injury.Villa have been open to selling Martinez, who joined from Arsenal for £17m in 2020, but it was not down to any doubts about his ability.The club were eager to lower the average age of their squad, and - with Martinez one of the top earners - also needed to address their finances.The need for Villa to sell this summer - with Morgan Rogers leaving for Chelsea for £117m, and Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne also sold - has been well documented as they look to comply with the financial rules of both Uefa and the Premier League.Martinez's departure would have ticked two boxes, especially with Suzuki due to turn 24 on Friday. Villa view him as someone who can be their No 1 for 10 years.The developments come a month after director of football operations Damian Vidagany said he expected Martinez to stay."The goalkeeper's future is settled. He is staying with us, and we have no intention of letting him go this summer," Vidagany told 365 Scores."The team needs his efforts and extensive experience, and he is a very important element in our project for next season."All the news published by the media about his departure to Juventus does not reflect the club's true position. Martinez is a very important player for us, and we expect him to continue delivering his outstanding performances alongside his team-mates."Yet Villa now must find a route out for Martinez, or leave an expensive asset out of the team.The Premier League's transfer window closes on 1 September but Martinez has had previous interest from Saudi Arabia, where the window is open until 12 October. The deadline in Turkey is 4 September.This, of course, is not the first time Martinez has been close to leaving Villa, after interest from Manchester United last summer.Ruben Amorim wanted Martinez but was overruled by the United hierarchy who opted to spend more money on their forward options - including £62.5m on Matheus Cunha and £65m on Bryan Mbeumo - feeling it was a better long-term investment.Goalkeeper Senne Lammens was signed instead from Royal Antwerp for about £18m.Martinez stayed and helped Villa lift the Europa League, ending a 30-year trophy drought. But that famous night in Istanbul could have been his last for Villa.Villa close in on Suzuki with Martinez future in doubtFresh talks over Arsenal move for Aston Villa's Konsa

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Larne defender Dan Bent has played in two European competitions this summer and now faces a former team in a Conference League tie that could earn his club vital fundsLarne, the champions of Northern Ireland, began their European crusade on the day Argentina beat Egypt in the World Cup last-16, Dan Bent’s penalty in the second leg a week later helping them overcome Tre Fiori of San Marino in the Champions League. Larne’s reward was a meeting with former European champions Red Star Belgrade. They were beaten 9-0 on aggregate by the Serbian giants, but it is an experience Bent will treasure for ever.“Red Star was probably the biggest game in the club’s history,” says the centre-back. “When the draw came out, we were ecstatic. You want to play those games in those stadiums. Everyone tells you about how long the tunnel is and how intimidating it is, and then you’re there and a part of it. There were 27,000 fans and the funny thing is, for them, that’s a medium-sized crowd. The stadium was only half-full.” The population of Larne could have fit into the rest of it with room to spare.“Red Star were just another level,” he says. “You don’t realise until you’re in amongst it. You do your best, but sometimes there are gaps that are hard to bridge. But to play in that competition, at that ground, against a team as big as that, was amazing. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”The European qualifiers move fast, with teams given little time to prepare or analyse opponents. “It’s a privilege to play in Champions League qualifiers but a lot of uncertainty comes with that,” says Bent. “In early June you know your first Champions League game would be around the first week of July, so you can gear up for that. But after that, each week will just change depending on results.“One minute, we could be heading to Rangers or Slovakia, the next we’re going to Gibraltar or Cyprus. You might be playing one team who could play in a totally different way to the other, or we might want to play in a different way against them. You need to pick up things quickly. It’s a quick turnaround. Logistically, it is pretty crazy. You have to plan for all eventualities.”If players find it unnerving, imagine the stress for the clubs’ operations managers and the players’ families. “I’ve got a partner and two children and it is hard for them,” says Bent. “She’s very supportive and understands, but it doesn’t get any easier knowing I’m away for three days, then the week after I could be flying out again to another country. It helps when you have a good family around you who understand the demands of football. They know it’s a positive thing because not many people are able to play in Champions League qualifiers.”Bent is used to living out of a suitcase and jumping on a plane every few days. He grew up in Kent and started his career at Gillingham. After being released in 2015 when he was a teenager, he took a scholarship in America. He played college and semi-professional soccer in Georgia, Ohio and South Carolina before moving to Gibraltar to play for Magpies, Manchester 62 and then Lincoln Red Imps – who are Larne’s next European opponents.After losing to Red Star in the Champions League, Larne dropped into the Europa League qualifiers where they were narrowly beaten in extra time by Georgian club Iberia 1999. Now they face the Gibraltan champions over two legs for a place in the Conference League group stage, the first leg on Thursday seeing an emotional return for Bent, who spent long enough in Gibraltar to become eligible for the national team and earn 17 caps.The tie is a huge opportunity for both clubs. Larne beat the Red Imps at this stage two years ago and booked their place in the Conference League group stage, securing €2.6m in prize money. Considering that clubs are awarded around £50,000 for winning the league in Northern Ireland and just £20,000 for winning the cup, that is transformational money for the club and players – who earn hefty bonuses for European victories.“There’s a big core of boys who were here when they got to the group phase, so they talk about that,” says Bent. “They played games all the way up until Christmas. They’ve been there and they want to go back.” The group stage is also a prominent shop window. It’s not just Bodø/Glimt players who are earning transfers off the back of repeated impressive performances in European competitions.Being able to drop through Uefa’s three tiers can be a gamechanger for players’ careers. “That’s where the hard work of winning the league previously comes to fruition,” says Bent. “You go through the whole year to win the league, to make sure you’ll have a summer of European football. If you go out of the Champions League, you’re going to be dropping down and having a few games. I do enjoy that.”These second and third chances mean a lot of players are racking up considerable European records. “I’m probably up there in terms of European experience,” says Bent, who will play in Europe for the 21st time when Larne visit Gibraltar on Thursday night. “Our goalkeeper, Rohan Ferguson, has something like 40 appearances in Europe. We have boys who’ve been great servants in the league but haven’t played a lot of European football, and young lads with that fresh hunger, wanting to play in it. It’s a well-balanced group.”Larne kicked off their title defence with a hard-fought goalless draw at Coleraine over the weekend and the second leg of their tie against Lincoln Red Imps next week will be their 10th match in five competitions this season. But you won’t hear them complaining. They are having life-enriching experiences on their European expeditions.This is an article by Gavin Willacy for Playing in the Shadows

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Manchester United reporterPublished4 minutes agoManchester United intend to reject any offer for Bruno Fernandes before next month's transfer deadline.BBC Sport was told last week that Turkish club Galatasaray, plus Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan, were considering whether to test United's resolve to keep their captain.It is thought Galatasaray had a deal they were intending to put to United, which would reach a final fee of 50m euros (£42.7m).However, the message from senior sources at Old Trafford is that Galatasaray would be wasting their time.Although last summer they told Fernandes it was his call whether to accept the mammoth offer put to him by Saudi Pro-League outfit Al-Hilal, with the Portuguese later admitting he felt "hurt" by that stance, this time around United have made their position clear.Club sources say, as yet, there have been no bids for the 31-year-old, but add that he is not for sale at any price.Fernandes has one year left on his current deal, with an option for an additional season. It is known he would prefer to stay.A £57m release clause in the Portugal international's contract has now expired.So far, there has been no agreement over an extension.While United are in a strong negotiating position, the enthusiastic reception for Fernandes in Dublin for last week's pre-season encounter with Leeds would have left the club in no doubt supporters would react badly if it was not clear they are doing everything possible to keep their talisman.Fernandes recorded a Premier League record 21 assists last season and is favourite to be crowned PFA Player of the Year for 2025-26 in Manchester next week.Fernandes the centre of attention - but what next for Man Utd captain?Pre-match, post-match and topical United contentListen on SoundsSubscribe and listen for everything you love about the Red DevilsLatest Manchester United news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Man Utd - what do you want to know?

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The average cost of a top-end signing in the Premier League has exploded. The £100m-plus player is no longer an outlier, but becoming increasingly commonplace.A trend started by Jack Grealish's £100m move from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021 has created a domino effect, establishing a new benchmark for elite Premier League talent that continues to send records tumbling.Fees since have begun to accelerate far beyond general market inflation, with the average price for dipping into the premium player pool doubling over the past decade.This clear acceleration has been particularly apparent over the past three years. Between 2016-2023, average top-end costs held relatively steady. They fluctuated to a degree but not with the disparity we see now.Following on from Grealish, the idea of a £100m-plus investment became more normalised.Top-end signings are defined as the most expensive 25 per cent of disclosed permanent transfers to Premier League clubs in each season.His sale, and to an extent that of Romelu Lukaku (£97.5m) around the same time, marked a clear tipping point in the sharp rise of the top-end market.Those transfers helped pave the way for subsequent nine-figure deals involving Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, as well as Declan Rice to Arsenal - all in 2023.Follow transfer news on the Sky Sports AppSuch deals effectively reinforce one another, made more possible because Premier League clubs are richer and more greatly resourced than ever before.Broadcast income, sponsorships and commercial revenues continue to dwarf most other European leagues.Even mid-table Premier League clubs often generate more revenue than Champions League clubs elsewhere in Europe, thus increasing spending power but also strengthening negotiating positions.Most Premier League clubs are no longer under pressure to sell their best players to balance the books.The idea that the so-called 'top six' can force sales out of smaller clubs is less applicable in an era of high-wealth owners and greater financial gains, albeit this summer has witnessed somewhat of a resurgence of 'big clubs' raiding 'small clubs'.Still, the strength of bargaining power has also been leveraged to drive prices higher.Last summer saw moves for Florian Wirtz (£116.5m) and Alexander Isak (£125m) to Liverpool, while this window has witnessed major sums spent on Elliot Anderson (£116m), Sandro Tonali (£100m) and Morgan Rogers (£117m).Those moves have sent top-end averages soaring, up from £36.6m in 2024-25 to £60.9m in 2026.Contextually, Barcelona's £65.4m fee for Rodri is bang on trend for a top-end player in this current market, but his age and remaining contract length would suggest the Spanish club have overpaid against the average.In short, yes, albeit there is a criteria to be met. The most obvious metric being a Premier League proven player. Wirtz and Fernandez are the only two exceptions to that rule. Peak age (23-26) is also a major consideration.Paul Pogba was signed by Man United for £93.25m in 2016 but that transfer, for the time, was a complete anomaly.The Premier League now has a growing list of deals in the £100m region, despite there being revenue-linked spending rules. Those clubs with huge incomes are still free to invest heavily.Often, the terms of such deals allow clubs to spread payments over multiple financial years, making the accounting more manageable. And therefore more likely to reoccur.£100m-plus fees might be the reserve of the Premier League's top clubs for now, but they have become far closer to the norm than the exception.

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"I will be one of yours, and I will do my best to make the supporters smile."Sebastian Pocognoli is determined to do all he can to take Scotland to the next level after being overwhelmed by his "incredible" welcome.The 39-year-old has been appointed as the nation's new head coach, succeeding Steve Clarke after he stepped down at the end of the World Cup after eight years in charge.The former Belgium defender left Monaco at the end of last season and previously led Union Saint-Gilloise to their first league title in 90 years in 2024-25.He is the second foreign boss of Scotland, coming 22 years after German Berti Vogts' failed spell in charge, and he believes he can build on Clarke's success."I will be one of yours and I will do my best to make the supporters in the stadium smiling and enjoying," he told Sky Sports News."I would like to bring a good structure on the pitch and give some emotion to the supporters."What was done previously with the previous staff, with Steve Clarke, because when you think about Scotland, you think that they are back on the map with World Cup and big tournaments."That's a strong foundation that I have to use to combine with my ideas and to find the right balance between this and a new style of play or some new ideas."I think that we have to combine the result to be successful. To bring this winning mentality that is already there to be part of a tournament, which is the most important."But also to bring a front-feet mentality on the pitch and try to be dominant on and off the ball. I think that we have the players to do it."The past is also the DNA of the Scotland football style. I hope I can do a good mix and use all the profile and all the good players that we have to bring this on the pitch."It is Pocognoli's first step into international management, something he does not believe puts him at a disadvantage."The dynamic from a club is very different than an international team," he added."You have to bring your concept and your ideas in a very short period of time."For that, you need to manage each minute that you have in the camp without overloading the information to the players."But to try to find the right balance with the staff and with the players to be the most clear and to have the most open communication through the style of play that I would like to bring on the pitch."Pocognoli's appointment comes 50 days after Clarke's decision to walk away after leading Scotland to back-to-back European Championships and a return to the World Cup after 28 years.SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell insists they took time to ensure they made the right appointment."We are absolutely sure that Seb's the right fit to progress the next evolution of the squad and to build on the success of the foundations laid by Steve and the squad over the last seven years," he said."It's an appointment that nobody saw coming, which is a positive. It's been really well received. The Scottish football fans seem to be really looking forward to watching Seb's teams play."Things change. Steve was in post for a number of years. When he made the decision that he had to step away following the World Cup, it's right that we review and look at and analyse and understand what we can do slightly differently going forward to see that gradual improvement"We're sure that Seb's the guy to do that for us on the pitch."It's about progress. We're not coming out of this from a place of, it's been a disaster and we need to rip everything up and start again."It's about the next stage in the evolution of the team."Craig Mulholland was appointed by the SFA as chief football officer in May, with his first big challenge to lead the search for the next national head coach."The process was long, we met with many people and we were delighted obviously when we ended up with Sebastian," the former Rangers football academy director said."For us, there was the data bit so we clearly looked at metrics around playing style, we looked at metrics about what makes a winning Scotland and Sebastian's metrics hit all of that."But beyond the data was important as a person because we've got a great group of players, they never call off coming to camp, they love the environment so we had to look the person in the eye and make sure that they would add to what we already have in terms of our culture around the group."When we met with Sebastian it was very clear straight away."One, he had a massive passion for us becoming a really high performing nation that achieves our objectives but also his own experience as a player, his own experience with different groups both at USG and Monaco means that we think he'll connect well with our group."We spent hours talking football, talking players and the work that he's already done leading into the camps is quite incredible."It is straight into the Nations League for Pocognoli, with four games played over two weeks.The extended international break at the end of September and start of October has been introduced to cut the number of breaks during the club season.It will give the new head coach an extended period with the Scotland players to get any new ideas across.His first Scotland game will be away to Slovenia on September 26, with a game against Switzerland at Hampden Park three days later.Scotland then fly to North Macedonia on October 3 before returning to Glasgow to face Slovenia again on October 6.It means the Tartan Army will not have to wait too long for his first Scotland squad announcement as a new era for the national side officially gets under way.Scotland were demoted from Nations League A after a play-off defeat by Greece last year and return to the second tier for this year's competition.The new boss will then hope to lead Scotland to the UK and Ireland co-hosted Euros in 2028, and then the World Cup in four years.Pocognoli is familiar to British audiences from his spells at West Brom and Brighton.At the Baggies, the left-back made 21 appearances for the then-Premier League club in two years, before dropping down to the Championship to play on loan at Brighton.Before his time in England, he was part of AZ Alkmaar's title-winning team in the Netherlands in 2009, while he also featured for Belgian clubs Genk and Standard Liege.During a second spell at Liege after leaving England, he won the Belgian Cup in 2018, but retired three years later in his early 30s.His final club Union Saint-Gilloise - owned by Brighton owner and Hearts minority stakeholder Tony Bloom - offered him the Under-21s head coach role at the club.After one season, his first club Genk took him on as Under-18s head coach, while he also worked for Belgium's U16 and U18 youth teams.USG then offered him the head coach role in the summer of 2024, where he guided the Belgian side to their first league title in 90 years.Pocognoli was taken to Scotland during his one season at USG, where his team were beaten 2-1 by Rangers in the Europa League.After winning Belgian Coach of the Year in 2025 and managing USG's first-ever matches in the Champions League, Pocognoli took up the Monaco head coach role in October of last year.Despite qualifying for Europe with Monaco, he was replaced as head coach on June 1.

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BBC Scotland is again looking for Scotland fans to send us in their footage, audio and pictures - this time capturing the memories from Boston during the World Cup.Thousands of Tartan Army supporters descended on the city and a relationship to last well beyond the World Cup was born.We are looking for Scotland fans to send us their videos, audio and memories of that magical week or so in Boston.We'll use your footage to make a programme about lifelong bonds and friendships formed in Massachusetts, told from the perspective of Scotland fans and Bostonians.Send formSend formBBC Scotland previously used your footage to capture the memories of Scotland's World Cup qualification-clinching 4-2 win over Denmark.Through the Eyes of the Fans: Scotland v DenmarkWhat awaits new Scotland head coach Pocognoli?

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You only need to look at the England defender's career to see how the 27-year-old managed to fulfill his dream of playing for Chelsea while also overcoming plenty of setbacks.He went from crying in the car because he did not feel good enough while playing alongside Mason Mount and Declan Rice during his childhood at the Cobham academy, to being left out of first-team training as a member of the so-called "bomb squad" under former boss Enzo Maresca in 2024, before being made available for transfer and sent out on loan.Each time, Chalobah bounced back to become a regular starter for Chelsea.He was recalled from a loan spell at Crystal Palace in January 2025 and ultimately made 151 appearances for the Blues before completing a £31m move to Italy to join Serie A side Como under manager Cesc Fabregas last week.Chalobah was brought in to provide leadership and demonstrate what he believes is his footballing superpower - being "very, very resilient"."That's one of my attributes and one of my skills that I have, bouncing back from things and not allowing anything to get to me," Chalobah reflects from Como's pre-season camp in Teddington in south west London."Not just in football, in life, things are going to happen which are sometimes out of your hands and out of your control."It was the change in ownership in 2022 from Roman Abramovich to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital which saw almost every player sold and new ones signed in a chaotic first two years.There is no sense of bitterness or regret as Chalobah achieved his highest total of appearances for Chelsea in a single season last term with 47 before leaving his boyhood club."I always wanted to play for Chelsea no matter what the circumstances were, I always believed that I could do it," Chalobah continued."I'm grateful for every setback, every challenge, every trophy I've won. I've won a few things there and it's a club where I've improved and I've learned a lot."Stepping in as a young boy and then leaving as a man, I'm really happy with my career there. I will always keep the blue flag flying. I'll be supporting them, I'll be watching them this season and they'll always be in my heart."This is not Chalobah's first spell with a club overseas, having spent part of the 2020-21 campaign on loan with Lorient in the French top flight.It was there that he emulated his older brother Nathaniel, who played for Napoli, by taking the less-trodden path of moving to Europe as an English player, a route that has since become more commonplace.The younger Chalobah says it was "not a coincidence" that Tuchel, whom he had faced while at Lorient after the German joined Paris St-Germain, picked him out and gave him his Chelsea debut.Five years later, Tuchel promised him that if a defender dropped out of England's World Cup squad, Chalobah would be first in line for a call-up.While on holiday in New York, Chalobah received the call to join Tuchel's squad at his first World Cup in place of the injured Tino Livramento."The story's already written before I was born," Chalobah said."He's the one that gave me my debut for Chelsea and he's the same manager that called me up for the World Cup last minute."I think certain things are meant to happen and I'm grateful for that. Obviously all thanks to him and I'm really happy."The tournament ended in a semi-final defeat by Argentina before the team secured the bronze medal with a 6-4 victory over France in their final match."No one wants to come third. You're just one step away from the final," he said."It was definitely hard for the players. It did hit us for a couple of days. You know how hard the boys worked, how they believed that we could win it."And yeah, we were so close. But we learn from this and be proud of what we've done and achieved."It is now another manager with whom Chalobah's destiny intertwines.Fabregas was one of Chelsea's stars when Chalobah was in the academy and taking part in training sessions with the first-team squad."I remember how demanding he was with the younger players. So yeah, I know him really well," Chalobah explained, recalling those early sessions.Fabregas has overseen Como's remarkable rise from Serie B to the Champions League in just two seasons and convinced Chalobah to join amid interest from Inter Milan."He was a massive part," Chalobah added. "He explained what he wanted, the way he sees the club and how he sees me fitting into this club and how I can help - having a lot of experience, physicality as well, the leadership."It wasn't an overnight thing, it was a very thoughtful and hard decision. But I thought, as I said, the trajectory of this club and the direction it's going in, and speaking to the manager, and wanting to be part of this story."I'm really excited for this new chapter in my beautiful story that I've had so far."These eight players will help you win FPLFernandez booed by Chelsea fans as Alonso offers glimpse of blueprint

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That total is already higher than the full summer outlay in 2024 (£1.98bn), 2022 (£1.94bn), 2021 (£1.13bn) and 2020 (£1.32bn), according to figures provided to BBC Sport by Paul Macdonald, founder of FootballTransfers.com.Only 2023 (£2.36bn) and last summer's record £3.14bn currently sit above it.Another record-breaking window therefore remains possible. But the more revealing story may be not simply how much Premier League clubs are spending, but where that money is going.The financial gap between England and the rest of Europe is stark.That means England's top flight has already spent more than those four other major European leagues combined.Chelsea are leading the way, having committed £348m so far this summer, comfortably ahead of every other Premier League club. Tottenham are next, on £228m, with Arsenal and Manchester City both on £151m. Chelsea, Tottenham and City have all broken their club transfer record during the window.But the spending is not confined to the elite. Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton and Leeds United have also made their most expensive signing ever this summer. Coventry City, Hull City and Ipswich Town, the three promoted clubs, complete the list, underlining how widely spending power now stretches across the division.Taking the whole of 2026 into account, and including Crystal Palace's signing of Jorgen Strand Larsen in January, 11 of the 20 Premier League clubs have broken their transfer record during the calendar year.One of the clearest features of this summer's window has been the amount of business taking place between Premier League clubs.Almost £785m has already been spent on intra-league transfers - players moving between one English top-flight club and another - with eight of the 12 biggest Premier League signings so far this summer falling into this category.It's a trend that extends beyond a single summer. Intra-Premier League spending reached £1.29bn last season, the highest summer figure since 2016. This summer's in-house outlay so far represents almost a third of all Premier League transfer expenditure.The proportion is not unprecedented - 35.9% of spending stayed within the league last season and 37% did so in 2017-18 - but the cash sums involved are now substantially larger.The so-called Big Six - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham - have been central to that spending.They have already paid £546.5m this summer to recruit players from non-Big Six Premier League clubs. Last season, that figure reached a record £647m, while the Big Six have paid almost £3bn has moved from the Big Six to other Premier League sides in transfer fees since summer 2016.Chelsea have been the most active club in the Premier League's internal market since 2016-17, spending £867m and receiving £683m in deals with fellow top-flight sides.Some of those moves have dramatically reshaped individual careers and rivalries. Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson, both England internationals and members of the Three Lions squad at the 2026 World Cup, have joined new clubs. Rogers has left Aston Villa for Chelsea, while Anderson has departed Nottingham Forest for Manchester City.Former Newcastle midfield partners Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes have gone their separate ways too, joining opposite sides of the north London divide at Tottenham and Arsenal.Of the seven £100m-plus transfers to a Big Six side from another Premier League club since 2016, three have taken place this summer: Rogers, Anderson and Tonali.There is a sporting and financial logic to that kind of recruitment. Players who have already performed in the Premier League offer buying clubs evidence that they can handle the competition, reducing some of the uncertainty that can accompany moves from overseas.For the selling club, a major domestic transfer can be equally significant. Large fees can create greater flexibility under squad-cost and profitability rules, allowing clubs to reinvest elsewhere in the squad.Gross spending tells only part of the story. Premier League clubs have received £1.28bn in transfer fees this summer, leaving the division with a net spend of £856m.That still dwarfs the other major leagues. Serie A's net spend stands at £320m and La Liga's at £185m, while the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 are currently net sellers.Within England, Chelsea have the biggest negative balance at £209.5m, followed by Arsenal at £111.6m and Manchester City at £92m.Chelsea's position is part of a longer-term pattern. Across the past five seasons, their cumulative net spend stands at about £977m, the highest among the clubs examined.At the other end of the market, Newcastle have received £226m in fees this summer, Aston Villa £199.5m and Nottingham Forest £123m. Crystal Palace and Sunderland have also recorded a positive transfer balance.Villa currently have the biggest positive net balance among those clubs at £109.8m, followed by Newcastle at £88.5m and Forest at £71.8m.The figures highlight how differently clubs are operating in this summer's market, with some among the biggest net spenders while others have generated considerable income from player sales.Last summer's £3.14bn remains some way ahead of the current £2.14bn total, so another record cannot yet be assumed.But the window still has time to run, and Premier League clubs are already spending at a level unmatched anywhere else in Europe.Whether £3.14bn is eventually surpassed or not, this summer has already demonstrated two things: transfer records are falling across the division, while many of the window's biggest deals are being conducted between Premier League clubs themselves.

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Enzo Maresca spoke of his desire to "close the gap" between Manchester City and Arsenal before watching his side suffer a painful 3-0 defeat in the Community Shield on Sunday. Perhaps the gaping holes through the spine of his team should be more of an immediate area of focus.The manner of that loss has raised qualifying questions, the only real clarity offered by the Premier League champions. Mikel Arteta's side brutally exposed a series of City shortcomings: defensively disorganised, missing a midfield and lacking leadership, to name but a few.Under a week from the start of their campaign proper, City appear worryingly incomplete."We have it quite clear what we need to do, and for sure we are going to do something before the transfer window closes," Maresca reassured after the game, before it was confirmed later the same evening that Rodri would be departing for Barcelona. Not sure that was exactly what he had in mind.City's trust in Maresca is such that defeat in the Community Shield will not cause a huge internal stir. There does, however, need to be a period of introspection. Does the Italian have the tools he needs to play the system he intends to? Sunday suggests not.Beyond being schooled by a slicker side in possession, all three of Arsenal's well-worked goals scored from open play, City's lack of imposition should be a major concern. Maresca's XI was packed with creators and scorers but none were effective. They played 200 more passes in the opposition half than Arsenal, yielding one big chance to Arsenal's four. That was missed by Erling Haaland.Given Nico O'Reilly, Elliot Anderson and Haaland only returned from their post-World Cup breaks a few days prior, it's a wonder they were involved at all. None of that trio were particularly productive, albeit their underperformance comes with caveats and will rank low on Mareca's list of misgivings.Much higher on his evolving catalogue of to-dos will be addressing how disconnected City's units are, all playing individually, much to Arsenal's aid. Mateo Kovacic's role as the central rotator did not work. Nor, for the most part, did O'Reilly's progression into midfield to create the 3-2 shape Maresca favours in build-up.All O'Reilly succeeded in doing was leaving huge voids of space for Noni Madueke to run into. At one point Ben White was even playing like a winger. The talented 21-year-old, for all his many strengths - and he has great potential to thrive in a de facto central midfield role - was swamped by the class and nous of Arsenal's enforcers. He cannot yet do what Bernardo Silva or Rodri can do.When the Gunners did arrive with numbers and intent to threaten, City held such a high defensive line it almost bated the obvious opening. No player engaged. And so Martin Odegaard's mind was made up for him. He used the generosity of his time and space to measure a cross for Christos Tzolis to tee up Kai Havertz. Child's play.Maresca drew criticism for a similar tactical failing while in charge at Chelsea. A high line with a passive press is an accident waiting to happen in the Premier League.City obviously have work to do between now and the close of the transfer window on September 1. Enzo Fernandez remains a target but comes with baggage. He's a player that often splits opinion - booed by sections of his own fanbase at the weekend - despite striking up a good working relationship with Maresca during their time together at Chelsea.He is not a Rodri replacement. Albeit no one is.The Argentine does offer two things City's midfield currently lacks, though: goals and guile. Fernandez is a fighter and while that trait sometimes lands him in hot water, it is also necessary to add presence in an area of the pitch that needs it most. City were so lightweight on Sunday, Arsenal had carte blanche control.Tijjani Reijnders is another set to move on, further weakening midfield options and piling responsibility on relatively young shoulders. Anderson is only 23. Key transfer target Ayyoub Bouaddi just 18. Kovacic, at 32, is perhaps too far the other side of peak. Where is the balance?A percentage of these problems can of course be attributed to rustiness. It was only game one, and not a consequential game at that. Haaland will get sharper. Anderson will learn how to better anchor midfield with some help. And the misshapen back four will iron out with a bit of time and work on the training pitch, as well as a better understanding of pressing distances in this system.City are not required to play Arsenal every week, remember.Sunday will have revealed plenty of uncomfortable truths for Maresca, not least how the gap to Arsenal appears to be widening rather than narrowing. He has three-and-a-half months' worth of soul-searching to do before their next bout in late November.But he should also take comfort in the timing of such a revealing performance, perhaps a blessing in disguise in terms of evolution under his new rule, still with the means and support to do something about it.

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The Scottish Football Association has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino and will not be voting for his re-election as president of Fifa, chief executive Ian Maxwell has told BBC Sport.Infantino is under increasing pressure over his attempt, later abandoned, to create a new company to manage the commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including the World Cups, with 21% to be sold off to a private investment company."The position of the SFA has been clear since the 55 Uefa associations met," said Maxwell, speaking as he announced Belgian Sebastian Pocognoli as the new Scotland head coach."We have aligned ourselves with the Uefa position and 55 nations are stronger than one voice."Their statement since then has talked about a lack of confidence in the Fifa leadership and the Scottish FA agree completely with that decision."The SFA will not be voting for Gianni Infantino come the re-election in early 2027."Maxwell rejected the suggestion that the SFA had previously failed to publicly state it no longer supported Infantino because its president, Mike Mulraney, heads up the Fifa finance committee.The Football Associations of England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have already declared they have withdrawn support for Infantino, who is scheduled to stand for a fourth term as president in March.Last week, Fifa and Infantino were accused of breaking trust "through deception", in an open letter issued by Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation.The letter, signed by the presidents and general secretaries of the three regional governing bodies, said recent controversy over the FFE proposal was fundamentally about "the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it".While the statement did not name Infantino, sources have told BBC Sport that it should be seen as an opportunity for him to resign and leave his position with dignity.The three confederations said this failed to "recognise that proper governance in the face of such a profound lack of judgement would require that such a review be conducted by a fully independent third party".It also underlined a legal warning made by Uefa that Fifa should not delete or destroy any documents related to the abandoned plans.BBC Sport understands that there have been preliminary discussions between the three confederations over breakaway competitions, should Infantino remain in situ. However, substantive talks are yet to begin, according to others.At present there is no candidate who has put their name forward to stand against Infantino, before a 18 November deadline.The football world appears to have been split down the middle by the issue, with the confederations of Africa, South American and Oceania having backed Infantino.But even within confederations, there is disagreement and it makes it very difficult to predict whether Infantino or his opponents have the upper hand in this battle.In Oceania, which has 11 member associations, New Zealand has said it will not follow the confederation and vote for him.Mexico, Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis have broken away from the other 32 Concacaf nations to support the Fifa president.Of the 46 Asian confederations members, so far eight countries have split to champion Infantino's cause - the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Kuwait, Mongolia, the Philippines and Bhutan.The Fifa Council, on which there are 36 confederation and national association heads plus Infantino, seems similarly split.It raises questions about whether Infantino has the political power to govern Fifa, even if he wins an election of the 211 member associations.The first test of Uefa's threat is just over three weeks away, when the Fifa Under-20 Women's World Cup is set to kick off. It is being hosted by Poland and features five other European nations, including England.The map showing world's division over InfantinoPoliticians, private jets and power - the life of a Fifa presidentNorway call for Infantino to resign as Mexico and Conmebol chief back president