Sport Updates
Same-day match highlights, records, team news and results from across the sports you follow.
Man United's Carlos Baleba Out Up to Three Weeks With Ankle Injury, Amad Diallo Also Unavailable
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has confirmed that new signing Carlos Baleba is set to be sidelined for up to three weeks with an ankle injury, delaying his debut following his £70m move from Brighton. "He's got a little ankle issue, so maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks," Carrick told reporters. "We knew that before, so it's no major issue but it'll be great to have him back when we can." The injury means Baleba, unveiled as a United player earlier this week, could be in line to make his bow against his former club after the international break. Amad Diallo also remains unavailable, with Carrick unable to put a firm timeline on his return. "Amad won't be involved this week. He'll be out for a little bit longer," Carrick said, though he added that Mason Mount has returned to training after being forced off during pre-season, offering some positive news amid the fresh injury concerns. The setbacks come as United look to bounce back from a 2-0 opening-day defeat at newly promoted Hull City, with Carrick keen to build momentum before the international break disrupts the early-season schedule.
West Ham Confirm Exits of James Ward-Prowse and El Hadji Malick Diouf
West Ham have confirmed the departures of two first-team players in one day, with James Ward-Prowse returning to Southampton and El Hadji Malick Diouf joining Brentford. Ward-Prowse , who left Southampton for West Ham in a £30m deal back in 2023, returns to St Mary's for a nominal fee reported at under £1 million , three years on from his original departure. The 31-year-old spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and Burnley, and was frozen out of Nuno Espirito Santo's plans at the London Stadium, missing out on selection even for a heavily rotated Carabao Cup squad against Southampton this week. He returns to the club where he made 409 appearances and scored 55 goals, and could feature again as soon as Millwall's visit to St Mary's this weekend. Diouf , meanwhile, completes a move to Brentford worth a reported £35 million plus £5 million in add-ons, having previously been given permission to undergo his medical. The Senegalese full-back becomes another significant sale for West Ham as Nuno continues to reshape his squad heading into the final days of the transfer window. Both exits reflect a busy end to the window at the London Stadium, with West Ham balancing squad rebuilding against raising funds through player sales.
Aston Villa Agree €55m Deal in Principle for PSG Winger Ibrahim Mbaye
Aston Villa have reached a €55 million agreement in principle with Paris Saint-Germain to sign 18-year-old winger Ibrahim Mbaye , adding another major piece to Unai Emery's reshaped attack. The deal comes just hours after Villa lost out on Rafael Leao, who instead gave Galatasaray the green light for a move. According to reports, the relationship between Villa owner Nassef Sawiris and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi proved decisive in getting the transfer over the line, with Liverpool having stepped aside from the race earlier in the window due to the cost involved. Mbaye holds the record as the youngest player to start a competitive match for PSG and has since become a regular for Senegal, having switched allegiance from France. He started three of Senegal's four matches at this year's World Cup, scoring against France in the opening fixture to become the youngest African player to score at a World Cup. The move would be Villa's ninth signing of a hugely active summer, arriving alongside Nicolas Jackson's move from Chelsea as the club looks to replace the goals and creativity lost with Morgan Rogers' British-record £117m departure to Chelsea and Ollie Watkins' expected exit to Al-Hilal.
Bradley Barcola Set for Liverpool Medical as €140m PSG Deal Nears Completion
Bradley Barcola is set to fly to England this Saturday to complete his medical, with Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain having agreed a deal worth around €140 million (£120m) for the French winger. According to French outlet L'Equipe, the package breaks down to roughly £98.5m fixed plus £21.4m in add-ons, with the exact bonus structure only finalised in the last few days. Barcola is expected to sign a five-year contract through to 2031, and could feature for Liverpool as soon as their trip to Ipswich on September 4 if the move is completed in time. The move ends a protracted saga that has run through most of the summer, with the fee reportedly talked down from PSG's initial valuation more than once. Liverpool have made just three signings so far this window in Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz and Ronald Araujo, and Barcola would represent their marquee addition, arriving fresh off a World Cup with France. The 23-year-old finished PSG's treble-winning 2024-25 campaign as the club's second-highest scorer, though he found himself behind Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue in Luis Enrique's pecking order for the biggest games. A move to Anfield now gives him the fresh start and regular football he has been seeking.
Liverpool Continue Ismaila Sarr Pursuit After Crystal Palace Reject £50m Bid
Liverpool remain keen on signing Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr despite an initial £50 million offer being rejected by the Eagles, with the Reds continuing their pursuit of attacking reinforcements before Tuesday's transfer deadline. Palace made clear they had no intention of selling Sarr this summer, having already turned down two separate approaches from Galatasaray earlier in the window. The Senegal international, who has three years remaining on his contract, enjoyed an outstanding 2025/26 campaign, scoring 21 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions and playing a starring role in Palace's Europa Conference League triumph, where he was named both the tournament's top scorer and best player. Sarr has also proven a persistent threat against Liverpool specifically, with seven goals in ten appearances against the Merseyside club across his time at Watford and Palace. The interest in Sarr comes as Liverpool continue searching for a new right-sided attacking option following Mohamed Salah's departure this summer. The club had previously pursued Brighton's Yankuba Minteh, but walked away after the Seagulls demanded £80 million for the Gambian winger, having already seen two lower bids rejected. Liverpool are also continuing to negotiate a separate deal for Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, with sources suggesting an agreement worth around £120 million has been reached for the Frenchman, leaving head coach Andoni Iraola still hopeful of adding further attacking depth alongside that deal. Sources close to the situation have indicated that reaching personal terms with Sarr would not be a stumbling block should Liverpool return with an improved offer, with the player himself said to be keen on the move. With the transfer deadline fast approaching, Liverpool face a decision on whether to test Palace's resolve further or turn their attention elsewhere in the market.
Enzo Fernandez Agrees Personal Terms With Manchester City as Move Advances
Enzo Fernandez's move to Manchester City has advanced significantly, with the midfielder reported to have agreed personal terms on a contract at the Etihad as City work to finalise a club-to-club deal around Chelsea's £120 million valuation. According to multiple reports, Fernandez has given the green light to a move, with sources indicating the World Cup winner has already agreed terms on a long-term contract with City. The remaining hurdle is now a fee agreement between the two Premier League clubs, with City expected to submit a formal bid before the transfer window closes on September 1, potentially making Fernandez the most expensive signing in Premier League history. The developments follow Fernandez's continued absence from Chelsea's matchday squad, including Thursday's Carabao Cup win over Luton Town, despite head coach Xabi Alonso initially suggesting he expected the midfielder to be involved. City are believed to be exploring ways to help fund the deal, including through the potential departures of Rodri, who has been in talks with Barcelona, and Tijjani Reijnders, linked with a move to Saudi Arabia's Al-Qadsiah. Fernandez, who joined Chelsea from Benfica for a then-club-record fee in January 2023, has grown increasingly frustrated with the club's recent struggles, including missing out on European football entirely this season. He has previously been linked with a move to Real Madrid, though that switch failed to materialise. Should the move to City go through, it would reunite Fernandez with former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, who has already overseen a significant midfield rebuild at the Etihad following Rodri's own summer exit.
Danny Welbeck Scores on Chelsea Debut in 2-0 Carabao Cup Win Over Luton
Danny Welbeck marked his Chelsea debut with a goal as the Blues eased past League One side Luton Town 2-0 in the Carabao Cup second round at Stamford Bridge, booking a third-round tie against Leeds United. Xabi Alonso named a strong side for his first competitive home game in charge, with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Reece James all starting. Luton, unbeaten in 15 matches across all competitions coming in, frustrated Chelsea for a goalless first half, with Rogers striking the crossbar and Estevao also going close. The breakthrough arrived five minutes into the second half, when Malo Gusto delivered an inviting cross for the 35-year-old summer signing from Brighton to rise above the Luton defence and head home his first goal for the club. Estevao doubled Chelsea's lead in the 70th minute, driving into the box and sending a dangerous low ball across goal that deflected in off Luton defender Hakeem Odoffin for an own goal. The result extended Chelsea's unbeaten start under Alonso to two matches from two, following Monday's 3-2 Premier League win over Fulham, and ended Luton's long unbeaten run, the longest in England's top four divisions at the time. Welbeck, who arrived at Stamford Bridge on a free transfer after his Brighton contract expired, had remained an unused substitute in the Fulham win before getting his chance here. "Really special to score on my debut, more importantly to get through to the next round," Welbeck said afterward, adding that he was excited about the project under Alonso and eager to contribute wherever called upon. The result came with the added subplot of Enzo Fernandez's continued absence from the matchday squad, amid swirling reports of an imminent move to Manchester City.
Rangers Crash Out of Europe on Penalties Against Jablonec
Rangers are out of Europe entirely for the first time since 2017, losing on penalties to Czech side Jablonec in the Europa Conference League play-off round after a wretched display in the second leg. Derek McInnes' side travelled to the Czech Republic holding a slender 1-0 aggregate lead from the first leg at Ibrox, but were unable to protect it as Jablonec fought back to level the tie through Vakhtang Tchanturishvili in the 73rd minute. Neither side could find a winner across the remaining normal time or extra time, sending the tie to penalties. The shootout proved decisive in Jablonec's favour. Rangers goalkeeper Ivor Pandur saved from Filip Zorvan to give the Scottish side a way back in, but Findlay Curtis fired over and James Penrice was denied by Jan Hanus, leaving Jan Chramosta to convert the decisive spot-kick and send Jablonec through 4-3 on penalties. The exit means Rangers will be without European group-stage football for the first time in almost a decade, having already been eliminated from Europa League qualifying by Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok earlier in the summer. It marks another setback for McInnes as his rebuild at Ibrox struggles to gain traction.
Chelsea Close In on Double Deal for Honest Ahanor and Emiliano Martinez
Chelsea are closing in on a double signing before the transfer window shuts, reaching verbal agreements for Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez . Chelsea have struck a deal with Atalanta worth around £40 million for the 18-year-old Ahanor, a versatile defender who can play centre-back or full-back. Personal terms are in place on a long-term contract, with the player given permission to travel for a medical. Chelsea are expected to decide on the best pathway for him, with a loan to another Premier League club considered a real possibility before he returns to Stamford Bridge. Martinez , meanwhile, has given the "green light" to a move after being offered to Chelsea following Aston Villa's signing of Zion Suzuki as their new number one. A club-to-club agreement worth £7.5 million for a permanent transfer has been reached, with the Argentina international expected to sign a two-year deal with the option of a third season. The 33-year-old would provide an immediate upgrade in goal as Chelsea look to move on from Robert Sanchez. Both deals are expected to be finalised before next week's transfer deadline, continuing an active summer at Stamford Bridge that has already brought in 11 signings under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Enzo Fernandez Left Out of Chelsea Squad as Manchester City Interest Intensifies
Enzo Fernandez was left out of Chelsea's Carabao Cup squad for Thursday's tie against Luton Town, adding fuel to Manchester City's long-running interest as the transfer deadline approaches. The decision came as a surprise after head coach Xabi Alonso had said a day earlier that he expected the Argentine to be involved. "We assessed situations, individual and collective, and we have decided he is not in the squad for today," Alonso told Sky Sports before kick-off. Fernandez had featured off the bench in Chelsea's Premier League opener at Fulham. City missed an informal deadline earlier this month to bid for the World Cup winner but are now expected to return with a formal offer before the window closes on September 1. Chelsea are holding out for a fee in the region of £120 million , which would make Fernandez City's record signing, surpassing the fee paid for Elliot Anderson this summer as part of a midfield rebuild that has already cost the club close to £200 million. Fernandez has six years left on his Chelsea contract but has been repeatedly linked with a move away, having previously admitted he would welcome living in Madrid. Chelsea are reportedly prepared to move for Bournemouth's Alex Scott as a replacement should the Argentine depart.
Barcelona Beat Athletic Club 2-0 as Rodri Makes Long-Awaited Debut
Barcelona made it two wins from two at the start of their La Liga title defence, beating Athletic Club 2-0 at Camp Nou in their first home match of the season, with goals from Raphinha and Fermin Lopez either side of a much-anticipated debut off the bench for new signing Rodri . Barcelona dominated for long spells but were repeatedly denied by a superb performance from Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon , who made a string of important saves to keep the visitors in the contest. The breakthrough eventually came in the 37th minute, with Pedri splitting Athletic's defence with an outrageous through-ball to send Raphinha clear, and the Brazilian rounded Simon to finish confidently for his third goal in Barcelona's opening two league matches of the season. Chances continued to fall Barcelona's way after the break, with Lamine Yamal hitting the crossbar and Fermin twice denied by Simon, before the hosts finally wrapped up the win eight minutes from time. New signing Karim Adeyemi supplied a low cross from the left that caused chaos in the Athletic box, with Fermin pouncing to smash home the second and settle the contest. The result stretched Barcelona's home winning streak in La Liga to 20 matches , their longest such run since a 25-game streak between November 2012 and January 2014. The night's headline moment, however, arrived in the 63rd minute, when Rodri was introduced from the bench to make his long-awaited Barcelona debut following his move from Manchester City. The World Cup winner slotted into a deep-lying midfield role, showing neat distribution and a calming defensive presence that added stability as Barcelona saw out the win. With two wins from two and maximum points to open the campaign, Hansi Flick's side head into Monday's clash with Rayo Vallecano in ominous early-season form, with Rodri potentially in line for his first start.
Emery Confirms Ollie Watkins' £51m Al-Hilal Move as Villa's Record PL Scorer Departs
Unai Emery has confirmed that Ollie Watkins is leaving Aston Villa for Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in a deal worth £51 million , ending a six-year spell that saw him become the club's all-time leading Premier League scorer. Watkins departs with 91 Premier League goals for Villa and 108 in all competitions across 278 appearances since his £28m move from Brentford in 2020. He is now expected to travel to Riyadh to complete a medical and sign terms in Saudi Arabia. Emery also addressed Watkins' apology for making himself unavailable for Villa's opening-day defeat to Brighton. "He told us after the Brighton match he was sorry and that he had made a mistake," Emery said. "He was wrong, but we accepted it. His commitment and his behaviour was fantastic. He's a fantastic guy, even more than a player." Villa have moved quickly to address the gap up front, with Nicolas Jackson's £65m arrival from Chelsea already finalised as Watkins' direct replacement. Emery framed the sale as part of a necessary squad rebuild after a summer that has also seen Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne depart Villa Park. "We took decisions because it's good for the club," he said. "We have to rebuild the team as fast as possible."
Barcelona Officially Sign Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic From Fenerbahce
Barcelona have officially confirmed the signing of Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic from Fenerbahce, adding a proven international presence to Hansi Flick's goalkeeping options. The 31-year-old has signed a four-year contract running until June 2030 . Barcelona are paying an initial fee of €2 million , with a further €2 million available in add-ons. Livakovic passed his medical and completed the formalities in Barcelona earlier this week before the club made the move official. Livakovic is expected to serve as backup to first-choice keeper Joan Garcia , with veteran Wojciech Szczesny also in the squad following Marc-Andre ter Stegen's loan move to Ajax earlier this summer. His exact role for the season, including whether he stays at Camp Nou or heads out on loan, is still being worked out. The Croatia international impressed at this year's World Cup and returns to La Liga for a second spell, having previously spent time on loan at Girona. He becomes Barcelona's sixth signing of a busy summer window, following the arrivals of Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Rodri and Joao Cancelo among others, with the club still weighing a further move for Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez before the window shuts.
Champions League 2026/27 League-Phase Draw: Arsenal Get Real Madrid and Bayern, Man City Draw PSG
The 2026/27 Champions League league-phase draw took place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday, throwing up a set of blockbuster fixtures for England's five representatives. Arsenal face two of the tournament's traditional heavyweights, drawn against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich among their eight opponents. Manchester City also get a glamour tie, paired with holders Paris Saint-Germain . Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool make up the rest of England's contingent in the 36-team field, with Celtic missing out this year after a play-off exit to LASK. Under the format introduced two seasons ago, each of the 36 clubs plays eight different opponents across a single league table, two from each of four seeding pots, rather than the old group-stage format. Every club plays four matches at home and four away. The league phase runs across eight matchdays, kicking off with matchday one on 8-10 September 2026 and concluding in late January 2027, before the top eight advance directly to the round of 16 and the rest head into a knockout play-off round. With the pots finalised only after this week's play-off round, the draw brought together the last of the 36 qualifiers, including newcomers LASK and Sabah , who reached the league phase for the first time following dramatic play-off wins over Celtic and Hapoel Be'er Sheva respectively.
Savio Scores on Tottenham Debut as Spurs Thrash Charlton 5-1 in Carabao Cup
Tottenham booked their place in the Carabao Cup third round with a comfortable 5-1 win over Charlton Athletic , with new signing Savio scoring on his debut after coming off the bench in a much-needed feel-good night for Roberto De Zerbi's side. Spurs, still smarting from Saturday's 3-0 opening-day defeat at Brentford, took control before the break through Mikey Moore , who cut inside and crashed a left-footed strike through the hands of goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks in the 41st minute. Dominic Solanke doubled the lead three minutes later, rifling home after Charlton failed to deal with a corner, sending the sides in 2-0 up at half-time. Charlton's afternoon had already been disrupted by injury before then, with defender Collins Sichenje stretchered off with a potentially serious knee issue and Billy Koumetio also forced off inside the first 15 minutes. Tottenham eased through the second half, with substitute Kevin Danso heading home his first touch off the bench to make it 3-0. Spurs then completed the club's £85 million signing of Savio from Manchester City on transfer deadline day, and the Brazilian winger marked his introduction in style, coming on in the 71st minute and getting off the mark for his new club with a fizzing low finish into the bottom corner in the 82nd minute. Three minutes later, another Savio effort deflected in off Ben Davies to make it five, before Lloyd Jones grabbed a late consolation for Charlton in the 87th minute. The result gives De Zerbi his first win in charge of Tottenham and offers an immediate reason for optimism around Savio, whose lengthy pursuit finally came to fruition on deadline day. With no European football to distract from this season, a strong run in this competition would be a welcome boost for a Spurs side eager to put their difficult start to the Premier League campaign behind them.
Bradford City Stun Burnley on Penalties in Carabao Cup Upset
Bradford City pulled off one of the night's biggest Carabao Cup upsets, eliminating Championship side Burnley on penalties after a goalless draw at Valley Parade, continuing the League One side's impressive unbeaten start to the season. Burnley, who made nine changes from their weekend defeat at West Brom, started the brighter of the two sides, forcing an early save from Bradford goalkeeper Jon McCracken , who tipped over a well-struck effort before denying another shot from 25 yards. Bradford, who had not conceded a goal in their first three games of the season, defended solidly throughout, with defender Reece Welch making a crucial block to deny Zeki Amdouni from close range. Both sides created half-chances as the game wore on, but neither could find a breakthrough across the 90 minutes. The tie went to penalties, where Bradford held their nerve. Amdouni struck the post with Burnley's first spot-kick, and McCracken then saved from Jacob Bruun Larsen, as Bradford converted their remaining kicks to seal a 4-2 shootout win and book their place in the third round. The result compounds an uncomfortable start to the season for Burnley under head coach Nicky Hayen, who guided the club back to the Championship after relegation from the Premier League last season. It marks the second successive round the Clarets have needed penalties just to stay level, having also required a shootout to see off fellow League One side Notts County in the previous round, before falling this time to Bradford's resilience on home turf.
Thierno Barry's First Everton Hat-Trick Sends Toffees Past Preston 4-0
Everton cruised into the third round of the Carabao Cup with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Preston North End at Deepdale, with striker Thierno Barry scoring his first hat-trick for the club and adding an assist for good measure. Barry, who opened his account for the season in Saturday's Premier League win over Crystal Palace, wasted no time adding to his tally, opening the scoring before doubling Everton's lead in the first half. He completed his hat-trick after the break, capping a man-of-the-match display with eight goals in 41 games during the 2025/26 season already halfway matched in just his first few matches of the new campaign. The French forward's afternoon wasn't done there, as he turned provider for a fourth goal, teeing up new signing Brennan Johnson to net his first goal in 35 games, a welcome return to form for the Wales international. Preston, who have lost their opening two Championship fixtures this season, offered little going forward beyond a smart overhead kick from substitute Callum Lang that was well saved by Jordan Pickford, with Everton dominant and in control throughout. The win extends what looks to be a breakthrough run of form for Barry, who had endured a difficult adjustment period to English football since his big-money move from Villarreal. Manager David Moyes, back at the club where he made his name as both player and manager, will take real encouragement from the growing understanding between Barry and his new teammates. Everton, who have not progressed beyond the third round of the Carabao Cup since 2023/24, have been drawn to face Wolves in the next round as they look to build on a promising start to the season.
Newcastle Complete £52m Signing of Nico Gonzalez From Manchester City
Newcastle United have officially completed the signing of Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez from Manchester City on a long-term deal, in a package reported to be worth up to £52 million . The 24-year-old, a product of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, will wear the number six shirt at St James' Park and becomes the seventh senior addition to Newcastle's squad this summer. Newcastle are paying an initial £48 million, with a further £4 million in potential add-ons, for a player City themselves signed from Porto for a similar fee back in January 2025. Gonzalez's time at City lasted 18 months and yielded 59 appearances and 4 goals, but his path to regular football became increasingly difficult following the arrivals of Elliot Anderson for a club-record £116 million and, separately, City's continued pursuit of further midfield reinforcements. He was an unused substitute in City's Premier League win over Bournemouth and played just 11 minutes in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, form that ultimately convinced him his future lay elsewhere. For Newcastle, the signing addresses a pressing need in midfield following the high-profile departures of club captain Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon over the summer. Head coach Matthias Jaissle described Gonzalez as a proven winner who is still young and hungry to develop further, while sporting director Ross Wilson said the club had worked patiently on the transfer for several weeks, calling it the one they wanted. "I love the black and white shirt already and I can't wait to start wearing it on the pitch for this club," Gonzalez said following the move, adding that he had already experienced the intensity of playing at St James' Park as an opponent and was excited to do so as a home player.
Mbappe's Hat-Trick Powers Real Madrid Past Real Sociedad on Mourinho's Bernabeu Return
Kylian Mbappe struck a brilliant hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed Real Sociedad 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, marking Jose Mourinho's first home match in charge of the club since his previous spell as manager more than 13 years ago. Mbappe opened the scoring in the 40th minute, latching onto a fine defence-splitting pass from Federico Valverde and firing into the top corner. Real Sociedad hit back almost immediately, with Luka Sucic capitalising on a goalmouth scramble to level the score four minutes later, sending the sides in level at half-time despite a tense opening period for the hosts. The second half belonged entirely to Madrid. Mbappe restored the lead in the 60th minute, combining with Jude Bellingham for a slick one-two before finishing low past Alex Remiro. Bellingham then turned provider eight minutes later, his pressing winning back possession before setting up Vinicius Junior to make it 3-1. Mbappe completed his hat-trick in the 80th minute, latching onto another delightful pass from Vinicius to seal a dominant win and cap the perfect night for Madrid's front three. The victory made it two wins from two for Mourinho's Madrid, following their late 2-1 win at Espanyol in his first match back in charge last Saturday. Before kickoff, Spain World Cup winner Marc Cucurella, now a Real Madrid player following his summer move from Chelsea after helping Spain lift the trophy, presented the World Cup to the Bernabeu crowd, adding to the occasion of Mourinho's emotional homecoming. With Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham all firing in the same match, Mourinho's men have sent an early warning to the rest of La Liga, including rivals Barcelona, who themselves made a strong start to the season with a 5-0 win over Elche. The result suggests Mourinho may already be finding a way to get his three biggest attacking talents firing together, something he had flagged as tricky but not impossible before the match.
Manchester City Complete Record £86m Signing of Teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi
Manchester City have completed the signing of 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille in a deal worth £86 million , making the Morocco international the most expensive teenage signing in Premier League history. City are paying a fixed fee of £81.3 million plus a further £4.3 million in potential add-ons for the highly-rated midfielder, who has signed a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2031. The move surpasses the £58.9 million Manchester United paid Lille for Leny Yoro in 2024, underlining just how highly Bouaddi is regarded across Europe. Bouaddi made his Lille debut in October 2023, just three days after turning 16, and went on to make 88 appearances for the French club, helping them finish third in Ligue 1 last season. He further enhanced his reputation with a standout showing for Morocco at this year's World Cup, drawing particular praise for his performance against Brazil in the group stage. The teenager arrives at City as a direct response to Rodri's departure to Barcelona, with head coach Enzo Maresca overseeing a significant rebuild of his midfield options this summer, which has already included the club-record £116 million signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. "Manchester City are, for me, the best club in the world," Bouaddi said following his move. "I grew up with Manchester City under Guardiola, and what he did was just amazing. I have spent most of my life working hard to become the best player I can be, and I know I still have plenty of improving to do. This club demands trophies, and I will give everything to make sure we are challenging for every title." Despite the marquee arrival, City remain in the market for further midfield reinforcement, with reports continuing to link the club with a move for Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez before the transfer window closes. For now, though, the capture of one of European football's most exciting young talents gives Maresca a genuine statement signing to build his new-look midfield around.
Leeds Beat Forest Again in Carabao Cup, Brentford Thrash Birmingham 6-1
Leeds United beat Nottingham Forest for the second time in four days, winning 2-0 in the Carabao Cup second round at the City Ground, while Brentford produced the night's standout scoreline with a 6-1 demolition of Championship side Birmingham City . Leeds followed up Saturday's 1-0 Premier League win at the same venue with another victory over Oliver Glasner's Forest, with Dan James breaking the deadlock in the 50th minute before a Neco Williams own goal sealed the tie. It continued a remarkable turnaround for Daniel Farke's side at the City Ground, a venue where Leeds had not won at all since 1972 before this week, and made Forest the only Premier League club eliminated on the night, with Glasner's tricky start in interim charge showing little sign of improving domestically. Brentford , fresh off their own eye-catching 3-0 win over big-spending Tottenham at the weekend, were similarly ruthless at St Andrew's. Callum Wilson opened the scoring just six minutes into his full debut for the club, and although Birmingham hit back through Demarai Gray to briefly level things, Brentford took total control before half-time through quickfire goals from Aaron Hickey and captain Nathan Collins . Mikkel Damsgaard added a fourth, before Collins completed his brace and Igor Thiago rounded off the rout to make it 6-1. Elsewhere on a busy night of Carabao Cup action, newly-promoted Hull City followed up their shock weekend win over Manchester United by edging past Stoke City 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, while League One side Peterborough pulled off the upset of the round, thrashing Championship outfit Watford 5-1 away at Vicarage Road. With the second round now largely complete, attention turns to the third-round draw as the competition heads towards its business end later in the season.
LASK Complete Stunning 5-4 Comeback Over Celtic as Sabah and Bodo/Glimt Also Qualify
The Champions League play-off second legs delivered one of the great European comeback nights, with LASK staging a stunning turnaround against Celtic , while Sabah and Bodo/Glimt both booked their places in the league phase for the first time and second time running respectively. The night's headline story came from Linz, where LASK beat Celtic 5-1 after extra time to complete an extraordinary 5-4 aggregate win, having trailed 3-0 from the first leg. Celtic looked to have the tie wrapped up when Callum McGregor's deflected effort extended their aggregate lead to four goals early on, but LASK responded with a three-goal salvo through Moses Usor, Robert Ljubicic and Samuel Adeniran to level the tie on the night, before a stoppage-time header from substitute Florian Flecker forced extra time. Adeniran struck again in the second period of extra time to complete the turnaround, sending Celtic crashing out of the competition and into the Europa League instead, in one of the most dramatic collapses in the Scottish club's European history. Sabah also required extra time to get the job done, beating Hapoel Be'er Sheva 5-2 to seal a 6-4 aggregate win and reach the Champions League league phase for the very first time in the Azerbaijani club's history. In Norway, Bodo/Glimt made home advantage count in more routine fashion, beating a 10-man NEC Nijmegen 3-0 through goals from Fredrik Andre Bjorkan, Sondre Auklend and a Deveron Fonville own goal, sealing a 6-1 aggregate triumph to reach the league phase for a second consecutive season. With three of the seven play-off ties now decided, the remaining four second legs take place on August 26 , before the Champions League league-phase draw is held on August 27 once all the qualifiers are confirmed. LASK, Sabah and Bodo/Glimt now await to discover their opponents in a revamped format that promises a fascinating group of newcomers alongside Europe's traditional heavyweights this season.
Frattesi's Early Strike Gives Gattuso Winning Lazio Debut Against Bologna
Lazio made a winning start to the Gennaro Gattuso era, edging out Bologna 1-0 away at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara thanks to an early strike from summer signing Davide Frattesi , handing the new head coach his first competitive victory in charge. It took just four minutes for the breakthrough, as Boulaye Dia sent Frattesi through with a clever flick around the corner, and the Italy international made no mistake, finishing first-time past Lukasz Skorupski for his maiden goal in Lazio colours. It proved to be the only real moment of quality in an otherwise scrappy, tightly-contested affair at the Dall'Ara. Bologna, under new head coach Domenico Tedesco, had the ball in the net through Boulaye Dia's opposite number on the night, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside, and pushed hard for an equaliser throughout the second half. Roberto Piccoli, handed his first league start up front, went close on more than one occasion, while a well-worked move late on saw Dovbyk turn goalward off a deflection, only for goalkeeper Christos Mandas to produce a superb save with his legs to preserve the clean sheet and see out the win. The result erases the disappointment of Lazio's shock Coppa Italia exit at the hands of second-tier side Mantova last weekend, and gives Gattuso the perfect platform to build on as he begins life in Rome. For Bologna, the defeat means Tedesco is still searching for his first win in charge, with the club having now won just one of their last ten Serie A opening-round fixtures, and attention turning to a tricky away trip to Atalanta next.
Malen Hat-Trick, All Set Up by Dybala, Sends Roma Top With 4-0 Win Over Fiorentina
Roma opened their Serie A campaign in ruthless fashion, thrashing Fiorentina 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico as Donyell Malen struck a hat-trick with every goal set up by Paulo Dybala , sending Gian Piero Gasperini's side top of the early standings. Roma broke the deadlock after 27 minutes when Dybala drove into the box and squared for Malen, who beat Dodo before squeezing a finish into the bottom corner. The Dutch forward doubled the lead seven minutes into the second half, again teed up by Dybala, before completing his hat-trick on the hour mark when Dybala burst into the box down the right and laid the ball on a plate. Substitute Niccolo Pisilli added a fourth late on, converting after a fortunate ricochet off Rolando Mandragora to round off a one-sided contest. It was the first hat-trick of assists for a single teammate in Serie A since Emanuel Vignato did so for Rodrigo Palacio in May 2021, fittingly also against Fiorentina. The performance underlined Roma's dominance throughout, with the hosts finishing with 61% possession, 17 shots to Fiorentina's nine, and 39 touches in the box compared to just four for the visitors. It capped a difficult opening-day experience for new Fiorentina head coach Fabio Grosso, who endured a tough Serie A managerial debut having replaced Paolo Vanoli over the summer, with the Viola offering little going forward beyond isolated moments from loanee Franco Mastantuono. The result extends Roma's fine recent form, with the club now unbeaten in their last six Serie A matches, scoring at least two goals in each and keeping five clean sheets over that stretch. Off the pitch, the club were also busy finalising a loan deal for Fenerbahce's Jayden Oosterwolde, continuing an active summer as Gasperini looks to build on last season's return to Champions League football.