Chelsea are willing to offload strikers Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu as new manager Xabi Alonso reshapes his attacking options ahead of the new season.
The Stamford Bridge club recently bolstered their forward line by signing veteran Danny Welbeck from Brighton and Emmanuel Emegha from Strasbourg.
Those high-profile arrivals have cast further doubt over the futures of several existing fringe players in west London.
Delap struggles to impress
Delap is attracting strong interest from Everton and Nottingham Forest after enduring a remarkably difficult debut campaign.
The 23-year-old managed just two goals across all competitions while providing cover for first-choice frontman Joao Pedro.
Despite a fierce desire to stay and fight for his place, the former Ipswich Town signing has received little encouragement regarding future playing time under Alonso.
The newly appointed Spanish coach is widely expected to continue trusting Pedro as the focal point of the team’s attack.
Complications in Jackson departure
Aston Villa are actively monitoring Jackson following the conclusion of his temporary stint with German giants Bayern Munich.
Any potential switch to the Midlands outfit is heavily complicated by strict Premier League loan regulations.
Villa have already borrowed Alejandro Garnacho from the Blues, meaning they can only pursue a permanent transfer for the Senegalese international.
Securing a permanent deal presents its own administrative hurdles because of Uefa’s stringent swap rules.
Chelsea recently finalised a club-record £117m swoop for Morgan Rogers from Villa, raising concerns that a corresponding move for Jackson could be classified as an illegal linked transaction.
Guiu and youth exits
Spanish youth international Guiu is another prime candidate for a summer departure, either on loan or via a permanent transfer.
The 20-year-old has featured sparingly since arriving from Barcelona in 2024 and is desperate to secure regular first-team football.
He briefly joined Sunderland on loan last year before being hastily recalled to cover a sudden striker shortage.
Meanwhile, highly-rated academy winger Ryan Kavuma-McQueen is currently locked in negotiations over a season-long loan switch to Championship side Portsmouth.
Major League Soccer is investigating Inter Miami’s signing of Casemiro after Los Angeles Galaxy claimed the Brazilian midfielder previously promised to join the Californian club.
The 34-year-old left Manchester United on a free transfer in July to sign a contract with the Florida-based franchise running until 2027.
However, the move immediately sparked a tampering probe regarding the league’s complex discovery rights regulations.
Discovery rights dispute explained
Under rules established in 1996, MLS teams can hold priority signing rights for up to five players at any given time.
LA Galaxy held these exclusive rights for the five-time Champions League winner before his eventual move to the East Coast.
Inter Miami announced they had acquired those rights from the Galaxy, but the league launched an immediate investigation into how the deal was conducted.
Conflicting claims emerge
LA Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz stated that the player had initially committed his future to the Western Conference side.
“It is true that Casemiro called and said that he always wanted to play for Inter Miami,” Kuntz said.
“It’s also true that came two months after he told us that he only wanted to play for the Galaxy.”
The veteran enforcer has strongly defended his decision to link up with former rival Lionel Messi.
“When I spoke to them, I made it very clear which team I wanted to join in the MLS and that is Inter Miami because of the project, the hope and of course to play with the best player of all time,” Casemiro said.
Investigations and on-pitch struggles
A financial settlement regarding the discovery priority has been reached between the two American clubs.
The specific terms of that agreement will remain confidential until the league’s tampering investigation concludes.
On the pitch, the former Real Madrid star recently scored an own goal during a 2-2 draw against Columbus Crew.
BBC Sport has approached representatives for both the player and his current employers for further comment.
Mauricio Pochettino has signed a new contract to remain as the United States men’s national team manager through to the 2030 World Cup.
U.S. Soccer confirmed the agreement on Monday morning, keeping the Argentine at the helm alongside his established backroom staff.
Assistants Jesus Perez, Miguel D’Agostino and Toni Jiménez will stay on, joined by Sebastian Pochettino and Silvia Tuyà.
The renewal follows positive discussions that began prior to the recent World Cup and intensified over the last few weeks.
Financial backing and future ambitions
The lucrative reappointment is being partly funded by a philanthropic gift from Citadel founder Kenneth C. Griffin.
Additional financial support has been secured from Scott Goodwin, Adam Freede and various commercial partners.
U.S. Soccer chief executive JT Batson highlighted the broader goals of the federation moving forward.
“We know we have a lot of work to do to achieve our clear ambitions, including competing to win Men’s World Cups.”
Batson added that the ultimate aim is to make football the most played sport in every American community.
Building a trusted culture
The 54-year-old tactician was originally appointed in September 2024 following a disappointing group-stage exit at the Copa America.
Despite enduring some initial inconsistent results, the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss successfully guided the Americans to the last 16 of the 2026 tournament.
U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone praised the transformative impact the manager has had on the squad’s mentality.
“Mauricio has built a culture where players trust the group, trust the process and trust each other.”
Cone emphasised that this strong internal culture is exactly what the federation wants to continue investing in for the future.
Unlocking American potential
The extended deal allows the coaching staff to further develop pathways for players and teams across the entire national federation.
Speaking on the announcement, the South American coach expressed his eagerness to continue building the programme.
“The passion we experienced from the fans throughout the World Cup only strengthened our belief in what is possible here.”
He concluded by noting the tremendous potential to make the men’s national team even stronger on the global stage.
Mounting pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino has sparked intense speculation regarding his future, with potential successors already emerging to lead world football’s governing body.
The 54-year-old has faced increasing scrutiny following a highly controversial World Cup commercial rights proposal.
His departure is now widely considered to be a matter of time by senior administrative figures within the sport.
Early frontrunners emerge for presidency
Victor Montagliani, the current president of CONCACAF, is viewed as the leading candidate to take charge.
The 60-year-old Canadian could face competition from FIFA general secretary Mattias Granstrom and Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.
Sheikh Salman previously ran against the incumbent leader during the 2016 election, suffering a narrow defeat.
A legacy of controversy
The Swiss-Italian administrator originally assumed office in February 2016 after replacing Sepp Blatter.
Former Football Association chairman Greg Dyke praised the incoming leader at the time of his initial election.
“He is not a politician and he is not an ego. He is the type of person who will just get on with the job.”
However, critics argue the current regime has ultimately mirrored the autocratic style of previous administrations.
Calls for a footballing figurehead
There is a growing movement suggesting the organisation should move away from career administrators in favour of a former player acting as a figurehead.
The current president did establish the FIFA Legends scheme to integrate renowned former professionals into promotional activities.
However, previous attempts to install ex-players in global governance roles have yielded mixed results.
Michel Platini’s tenure as UEFA president famously ended in scandal, highlighting the potential risks of appointing high-profile sporting figures to complex executive roles.
Scottish champions Celtic will face Austrian counterparts LASK in the Champions League play-off round, with the vital first leg taking place in Glasgow on 18 or 19 August.
The return fixture will be played in Austria the following week as the Glasgow giants look to secure their spot in Europe’s elite club competition.
Having been seeded for the crucial draw, the Premiership title holders avoided several potentially tricky ties against opponents from Norway, Slovenia, and Denmark.
Rangers and Hearts face complex European routes
Elsewhere, four other Scottish clubs are closely monitoring the upcoming Europa League and Europa Conference League play-off draws.
If Rangers can overcome Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok in their third-round qualifier, they could face Norwegian outfit Lillestrom or the winners of Larne and Iberia 1999.
Defeat for the Ibrox side would drop them into the Conference League play-offs, opening up a raft of potential opponents including Czech club Jablonec or Croatia’s Hajduk Split.
Meanwhile, Heart of Midlothian face a demanding clash against Portuguese heavyweights Benfica following their elimination from Champions League qualification.
Motherwell and Hibernian await formidable opponents
Should the Edinburgh club brilliantly progress past Benfica, they could meet Greek side OFI Crete, while Motherwell face a similar path if they defeat Finland’s HJK Helsinki.
A loss for either side could result in glamorous Conference League ties against Serie A club Atalanta or Bundesliga representatives Freiburg.
Across the capital, Hibernian must conquer Macedonian side Shkendija to keep their European dreams alive.
Success for the Easter Road outfit could earn them a blockbuster fixture against Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion or French giants Monaco.
Japan international goalkeeper Zion Suzuki is set to join European champions Paris Saint-Germain from Italian side Parma following a stellar 2026 World Cup campaign.
The 23-year-old had been heavily linked with a lucrative move to the Premier League this summer.
However, the highly-rated shot-stopper has instead opted to further his career in the French capital.
A rapid rise to the summit
The impending transfer marks the completion of a remarkable ascent to the top of the European game.
After warming the bench for Urawa Red Diamonds in his homeland, he was identified as a player of immense potential by renowned Dutch coach Frans Hoek.
Hoek was tasked with modernising the nation’s coaching structure to help them achieve their ambition of winning a global title by 2050.
Standing out on the global stage
I saw him in a camp and said, ‘this guy has to go to Europe as soon as possible’. It does not matter what league it is, he has to play.
Frans Hoek
Following a successful initial stint in Belgium with Sint-Truiden, the agile prospect spent two impressive seasons in Serie A with Parma.
His reputation skyrocketed internationally after emerging as one of the standout performers at the recent World Cup.
World Cup heroics and trademark saves
The former Belgian league star earned widespread praise for his defiant display against the Netherlands.
He then delivered another eye-catching performance during a narrow defeat to Brazil, pulling off a trademark low save to deny Vinicius Junior.
Dennis Rudel, his former coach at Sint-Truiden, previously highlighted the Japanese star’s phenomenal physical attributes.
Off-the-chart physical tests
It is like his body is just made of muscles. And I have never seen in my life a goalkeeper who can jump higher.
Dennis Rudel
Rudel noted that his physical test results were completely off the charts during his debut season in European football.
For a player boasting such an immense frame, the incoming Parisian is uniquely capable of extending his long arms low across the ground.
With those low power saves, his arms are so strong. Sometimes when goalkeepers go down fast and get their fingers to the ball, it still goes backwards.
That never happens to him, he has crazy power in his hands.
Newcastle United have completed the signing of Czech Republic goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek from Braga in a deal worth £25.7m.
The Premier League club activated the release clause of the 24-year-old, who arrives at St James’ Park on a five-year contract.
He has been brought in to serve as the new first-choice stopper ahead of the upcoming campaign.
The Czech international becomes the Magpies’ fifth acquisition of a busy summer window following the arrivals of Ewen Jaouen, Bazoumana Toure, Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba.
‘An emotional rollercoaster’
The former Braga goalkeeper expressed his delight at securing a move to the English top flight, praising the warm welcome he received upon arrival.
“The last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster from when I first heard about the move and now I’m so happy to be here,” Hornicek said.
“It’s a brilliant opportunity in a new league, which I’m very excited about.”
The new arrival also acknowledged the reputation of his new fanbase, noting the incredible atmosphere regularly created by the 52,000 supporters inside St James’ Park.
Beating the competition
Newcastle sporting director Ross Wilson revealed the club faced stiff competition for the highly-rated keeper’s signature.
“His progress in recent years has been remarkable and he has firmly established himself as one of Europe’s top young goalkeepers,” Wilson stated.
“We knew there would be no shortage of clubs interested in acquiring Lukas this summer after everything he achieved last season, but it quickly became evident how keen he was to be a part of what we are building here.”
The swift conclusion of the transfer allows the imposing stopper to join his new team-mates immediately at their pre-season training camp in Spain.
The £25.7m investment follows a period of major squad restructuring on Tyneside, funded in part by the lucrative departures of key figures Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon earlier in the window.
Newcastle United have appointed 38-year-old German Matthias Jaissle as their new manager to succeed Eddie Howe ahead of a massive squad rebuild.
The double Asian Champions League winner arrives at St James’ Park with a strong reputation for high-pressing football.
He becomes only the second managerial appointment since the Saudi-led takeover of the Tyneside club.
Star departures create massive void
The young tactician faces an immediate challenge as he inherits a squad stripped of its most recognisable stars.
Influential midfielder Sandro Tonali has completed a £100m transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.
Meanwhile, England winger Anthony Gordon has sealed a £69m switch to Barcelona.
The exodus is expected to continue with club captain Bruno Guimaraes heavily linked with a probable move to Arsenal.
Veteran defender Kieran Trippier has also left the north-east club following the expiration of his contract.
Focus shifts to next-generation talent
Part of the new manager’s immediate remit will be preventing a wider rush to the exits.
He must convince promising domestic talents like Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento to commit their futures to the project.
The club hierarchy has clearly pivoted towards a youth-driven recruitment strategy.
Recent arrivals include 20-year-old Aladji Bamba and 18-year-old Sean Steur to help reconstruct a depleted midfield.
However, both teenagers possess limited senior experience and represent long-term investments rather than instant fixes.
Leadership concerns remain
The departure of multiple senior figures leaves a significant leadership vacuum in the dressing room.
Defender Dan Burn stands out as the most logical successor for the captain’s armband.
The long-term defensive vision involves pairing Sven Botman with Malick Thiaw, but the current squad is undeniably short on seasoned skippers.
With Joelinton the only remaining senior component of their once-feared midfield, Jaissle must quickly forge a cohesive unit.
Homegrown prospect Lewis Miley is expected to feature heavily, though uncertainties surround the futures of Joe Willock and Jacob Ramsey.