Liverpool midfielder Luca Stephenson is nearing a £700,000 transfer to Bolton Wanderers as new manager Andoni Iraola continues his sweeping summer rebuild.
The 22-year-old is entering the final year of his Anfield contract following a two-year loan spell at Dundee United.
Despite a second campaign in Scotland hindered by injury, the young prospect was named Young Player of the Season by both fans and the club.
He departs Merseyside without making a senior competitive appearance, having originally joined the academy from Sunderland in 2018.
Jacquet begins Liverpool career
Meanwhile, £60m defender Jeremy Jacquet has officially arrived at the club following a loan spell back at former side Rennes.
The 20-year-old Frenchman agreed his blockbuster move in January but remained in Ligue 1 for the remainder of the campaign.
After recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in France, the promising centre-back has now been cleared to commence pre-season training.
Iraola’s squad transition
Iraola is marking his first month in charge after replacing Arne Slot in the dugout.
The Spanish head coach has already secured his first summer arrival in Victor Munoz.
This period of significant transition follows the pre-agreed departures of key stalwarts Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate.
Sights set on silverware
Upon arriving at the club’s training facilities, Jacquet expressed a strong desire to contribute to the illustrious history of the Reds.
“I saw all the cups and trophies, just how many there are, and I thought ‘wow, I really want to be part of the history of this club’.”
The new arrival revealed that the footballing philosophy of the Premier League giants immediately appealed to him.
“It’s a legendary club and the football philosophy appealed to me directly, and with my family I believe we made the right choice and we feel really happy here.”
The United States men’s national team have advanced to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup after securing a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara.
Folarin Balogun opened the scoring before his second-half red card forced Mauricio Pochettino’s side to defend a fragile lead.
Malik Tillman then sealed the victory late on with a spectacular curling free-kick.
The win at Levi’s Stadium sets up a challenging knockout clash against Belgium on Tuesday.
Balogun strikes before seeing red
Tim Ream initiated the opening goal by brilliantly intercepting a poor clearance from the opposition goalkeeper.
The veteran defender’s quick thinking allowed Balogun to confidently finish and put the hosts ahead.
However, the goalscorer was dismissed with over half an hour remaining in regulation time.
The sending-off dramatically shifted the momentum of the tie.
Pochettino’s men were forced to abandon their attacking rhythm and desperately protect their slender advantage.
Defensive resilience pays off
Goalkeeper Matt Freese was repeatedly called into action as the European side mounted consistent pressure against the 10 men.
Chris Richards and Ream marshalled the backline superbly to deny any clear equalising opportunities.
The American squad held their shape to absorb wave after wave of opposition attacks.
Their disciplined approach eventually yielded a decisive counter-attacking opportunity.
Tillman stepped up and beautifully curled his set-piece past the wall to confirm their progression.
Belgium await in Seattle
The tournament hosts will now travel to Lumen Field to face a formidable Belgian team.
This upcoming fixture offers an immediate chance for redemption following a heavy defeat earlier this year.
The European heavyweights outclassed the Americans during a 5-2 friendly loss in Atlanta back in March.
Pochettino will now need to find a tactical solution to cope without his suspended star striker.
Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic could finally join Arsenal on a free transfer following the expiration of his Juventus contract this week.
The 26-year-old forward is available for nothing after spending four years in Turin.
Mikel Arteta’s side previously attempted to secure his services in 2022 with a reported £60m bid.
However, the highly coveted goalscorer opted to leave Fiorentina for the Bianconeri in a £66m deal instead.
A sensational mistake?
At the time of his initial move, former Italy international Antonio Cassano heavily criticised the transfer.
“In my opinion, [his decision] is sensationally wrong,” Cassano stated on Christian Vieri’s Twitch channel.
“For the type of player I think he is, he needed to make an intermediate step to a team like Arsenal, Tottenham, or Sevilla.”
Despite Cassano’s assessment of the north London club as merely an intermediate step, the Gunners have since ended their 20-year wait for a Premier League title.
Attacking depth for the champions
Arsenal’s recent domestic success was spearheaded by Viktor Gyokeres and a fully fit Kai Havertz.
Arteta may now look to add another physical frontman to his squad to build upon their top-flight triumph.
The Serbian international previously dismissed the notion that he had directly rejected the English champions.
“Maybe my agent knows [about Arsenal’s offer], but I never talked to anyone about it,” he previously explained to The Telegraph.
“I just had one club in my mind because Juventus is Juventus, and there is nothing else to say.”
Belgium fought back from a two-goal deficit to force extra-time against Senegal in their World Cup clash after Premier League duo Leandro Trossard and Youri Tielemans were involved in a heated on-pitch altercation.
Rudi Garcia’s side were trailing 2-0 midway through the second half in Washington following goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr.
Frustrations boiled over just before a hydration break when a dangerous delivery into the penalty area failed to attract any attackers.
The Arsenal winger and the Aston Villa midfielder exchanged angry words before being physically separated by substitute Nicolas Raskin and veteran striker Romelu Lukaku.
Dramatic turnaround spares Belgian blushes
The European nation had flattered to deceive for much of the contest, staring at an early tournament exit against an African side positioned below them in the FIFA world rankings.
However, the internal confrontation appeared to galvanise the 2018 semi-finalists completely against the run of play.
The Napoli forward sparked the revival in the 86th minute, converting a loose ball from Thomas Meunier at the near post with a clinical first-time finish.
Premier League duo combine for late equaliser
With just four minutes remaining on the clock, the previously arguing team-mates combined perfectly to rescue their nation.
The former Brighton attacker delivered a looping cross towards the far post, allowing his midfield compatriot to rise highest and power a header past Senegalese goalkeeper Mory Diaw.
The pair immediately buried the hatchet, sharing an embrace as they returned to the halfway line having successfully dragged the match into extra-time.
England were wrongly denied a crucial World Cup penalty against Congo DR after Harry Kane was brought down by goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
The controversial incident occurred in the 43rd minute of the pivotal group-stage clash.
The Three Lions captain burst through on goal and rounded the advancing keeper before being aggressively tripped.
Referee Adham Mohammad Tumah Makhadmeh immediately waved away strong appeals from the European side.
VAR protocol comes under scrutiny
Video assistant referee Khamis Al Marri subsequently checked the on-field decision from the booth.
The Qatari official ultimately cleared the ruling without requesting a pitch-side monitor review.
Officials determined that contact by the goalkeeper was not the primary reason for the striker going to ground.
Slow-motion replay blamed for error
Former Premier League referee Andy Davies believes the non-intervention cost the national side a guaranteed spot-kick.
“I have no doubt this should have been a penalty, and England should feel unfortunate,” said Davies.
“When an attacker shifts the ball wide of a keeper while moving at pace, the responsibility is on the keeper to either win the ball or avoid contact.”
The former Select Group official noted that the African side’s stopper failed on both fronts by making zero contact with the ball.
Review speed questioned
Davies also highlighted a major procedural error in the technical review process.
“The VAR amazingly checked this challenge in slow motion, which was odd,” he added.
Reviewing high-speed collisions at reduced speed often creates unwarranted doubt regarding an attacker’s genuine intentions.
Elite officiating guidelines dictate that such dynamic situations must be evaluated in real time to determine true culpability.
The expanded 104-game format of the 2026 tournament is placing unprecedented scrutiny on match officials across the board.
Nottingham Forest have sacked manager Vitor Pereira and agreed a deal to appoint former Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner ahead of the new season.
The dramatic managerial change comes after club owner Evangelos Marinakis exercised a termination clause in Pereira’s contract just two minutes before it expired late on 30 June.
It ends a chaotic but ultimately successful brief tenure for the Portuguese coach at the City Ground.
Ruthless midnight dismissal
Pereira originally guided the East Midlands club to safety during a turbulent 2025-26 campaign and remarkably led them to the Europa League semi-finals.
He had been heavily involved in planning a pre-season training camp in his homeland and attended transfer meetings on the very day of his dismissal.
However, the Forest hierarchy opted to trigger their release option via a late-night email, paving the way for a highly-rated successor.
Glasner brings winning pedigree
Glasner arrives in Nottingham possessing a formidable recent CV following a trophy-laden spell in south London.
The Austrian tactician lifted the FA Cup, Community Shield and Europa Conference League during a sensational 12 months with the Eagles.
A proposed move to Italian giants AC Milan recently collapsed for the 49-year-old after they unexpectedly pivoted to hire Ruben Amorim.
Ambitious rebuild funded by Anderson exit
Marinakis is understood to be demanding domestic silverware and views his new managerial acquisition as the catalyst for sustained success.
The incoming boss will be heavily backed in the summer transfer window to reshape the playing squad.
His war chest will be significantly boosted by the impending £116m departure of midfielder Elliot Anderson to Manchester City.
Brighton have agreed a deal worth up to £50m to sign centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham Hotspur as the Croatia international seeks regular first-team football.
The transfer comprises an initial £46m fee alongside £4m in achievable performance-related add-ons.
Tottenham have also negotiated a 20% sell-on clause and matching rights for the highly-rated defender.
This agreement follows a previously rejected £45m approach from the south coast side.
Spurs reshape defensive ranks
The impending switch highlights a busy summer of business between the two Premier League clubs.
In June, Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi completed a £52m move for Seagulls defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
The arrival of the Netherlands international, alongside fellow new signing Marcos Senesi, significantly altered the defensive hierarchy in north London.
With Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven already established at the club, the young defensive prospect was pushed down to fifth choice.
World Cup focus and loan success
The coveted centre-half spent last season impressing during a successful loan spell at German side Hamburg.
Despite establishing himself as an elite young talent in the Bundesliga, he reportedly had no interest in undertaking another temporary move.
He is currently representing his country at the World Cup, where the national team will face Portugal in the round of 32 on Friday.
Comparisons to Arsenal’s Saliba
There is a prevailing belief within the Tottenham hierarchy that the departing player possesses the potential to become world-class.
Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge drew parallels to a similar developmental situation across north London.
There are parallels to the situation Arsenal had with William Saliba.
The France international required multiple loans in Ligue 1 before finally integrating into the Premier League.
However, with an uncertain pathway at Spurs, the promising stopper will now look to fulfil his vast potential at the Amex Stadium.
Aston Villa have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after world governing body Fifa blocked the registration of 17-year-old forward Brian Madjo.
The Premier League club invested £10.2m in January to secure the north London-born prospect from French side Metz.
However, they have been entirely unable to field the highly rated attacker since his lucrative winter arrival.
Fifa regulations strictly prohibit international transfers for players under the age of 18, which has prevented the teenager from officially joining the senior squad.
Brexit regulations complicate deal
A crucial element of this ongoing dispute centres around a specific exemption within the international transfer framework.
Governing rules currently permit the movement of 16 and 17-year-old players strictly within the territory of the European Union.
This regulatory pathway is no longer accessible to British clubs following the United Kingdom’s formal departure from the EU.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) confirmed that an appeal hearing proceeded on Wednesday to examine the intricacies of the case.
Looming deadline for Champions League
A final ruling date has not yet been established by the independent sporting tribunal.
The Midlands side will be desperate for a swift resolution as they prepare for a highly anticipated return to the Champions League.
Uefa enforces a strict squad registration deadline on 2 September for all upcoming European competition.
This crucial cut-off arrives just 24 hours after the domestic transfer window closes, which concurrently serves as the Premier League’s squad submission deadline.
International pedigree
The former Metz youngster has not featured in a competitive senior fixture since a Ligue 1 outing last December.
Despite his youth, the versatile attacker boasts a highly unique international profile on the global stage.
He previously represented the Luxembourg senior national team in friendly fixtures before ultimately switching his allegiance.
The promising forward now turns out for England at Under-17 level, further highlighting his considerable long-term potential.