Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: August 10, 2026, 3:14 PM ET

Major Transfers Shake Up the Window

Liverpool completed the season-long loan signing of Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo, with a €55 million option to buy, as the Uruguayan seeks regular minutes after a difficult spell at Camp Nou. The deal – which Araújo from Barcelona finally confirmed on Monday – had been prematurely announced by former Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez before the club made it official, adding a layer of intrigue. Beyond the transfer itself, a consortium including Jeff Bezos is advancing talks to buy about a 30% stake in Liverpool, with Sky News understanding the Amazon founder is closing in on a deal for roughly one-third of the club. Across London, West Ham United signed winger Manor Solomon from Tottenham on a three-year contract, while Crystal Palace are finalizing the transfer of USMNT prospect Zavier Gozo from Real Salt Lake and also poised to sign 21-year-old midfielder Anan Khalaili from Union Saint-Gilloise. In a rare straight swap, Everton and Crystal Palace have agreed a deal that will send Dwight McNeil to the Eagles and Brennan Johnson to Goodison Park, a practice governed by distinct Premier League swap deal rules that have been used successfully in the past. The swap deal was later confirmed by both clubs, marking a creative solution for two sides seeking change.

Liverpool's New Era Under Iraola Starts with Concerns

New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has admitted his side are struggling to maintain his desired intensity for 90 minutes after a 3-2 preseason defeat to Monaco, comments that have left some supporters worried about fitness levels with the season approaching. The Basque manager has been clear about his high-press, aggressive philosophy, and Victor Munoz is emerging as a symbol of that change, but early results have been mixed. A deeper look at how the Reds are shaping up under Iraola shows a squad still adapting to his demands, with four preseason games providing a small sample but clear tactical shifts.

Arsenal Slip in Preseason as Arteta Chases Reinforcements

Arsenal suffered a second successive preseason defeat, losing 3-2 at the Emirates to Borussia Dortmund, and have now conceded seven goals across three friendlies – raising questions about a new defensive vulnerability after their strength at the back last season. Mikel Arteta is still trying to bring in players to improve his squad after Vinícius Jr. opted to stay at Real Madrid, while the club has also made contact for Bradley Barcola according to Monday's gossip. Across north London, Chelsea's preseason under Xabi Alonso has offered insights into Mykhailo Mudryk's emotional return and Cole Palmer's leadership, while the club will host Jack Wilshere's Luton Town in the Carabao Cup second round, with Tottenham facing Charlton Athletic in a London derby.

Man City, Manchester United and Aston Villa Pursue Targets

Manchester City are in ongoing talks with Lille for Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, while Enzo Maresca expects Rodri back at the Etihad by next week despite speculation about his future, with Barcelona reportedly stepping up their pursuit of the World Cup winner. The race for Rodri is also attracting interest from Real Madrid, though a summer move remains unlikely. Manchester United are targeting Club Brugge left-back Joaquin Seys and Leicester youngster Louis Page, as transfer rumors suggest a youth-focused approach, while both United and Arsenal are chasing Seys. Aston Villa are in talks to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha and are also interested in a loan for Endrick, while Ipswich Town's global transfer approach – moving from a Championship all-star model to international gambles – will be tested in their Premier League return.

Crystal Palace, Wrexham and Rangers Bolster Squads

Palace are also in talks for a Ligue 1 forward as they continue to reshape their squad. Wrexham are closing in on a deal for Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, with the fee reportedly around £8m according to Sky Sports. Rangers chairman Andrew Cavanagh expects up to five more signings before the window closes, admitting the club has become used to finishing second and that failure had seeped through the culture. In a separate development, Rangers midfielder Mohamed Diomande is reportedly heading to Turkey for £4.5m, with links also to Aston Villa's Kosta Nedeljkovic.

Carabao Cup Draw Brings Premier League Clubs In

The Carabao Cup second-round draw takes place tonight, with 11 Premier League teams – including Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle – entering the competition. The draw details, including seedings and regionalization, have been published by the EFL, with ties scheduled for late August.

Women's Football: Gotham FC Top NWSL; WAFCON Decides World Cup Spots

NJ/NY Gotham FC have risen to No. 1 in ESPN's NWSL Power Rankings as their unbeaten streak continues, while at the international level four African teams – Algeria, Morocco, Cameroon and Malawi – secured their places at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil by reaching the WAFCON semi-finals. Nigeria, on the other hand, suffered their worst-ever WAFCON performance after a 1-0 loss to Cameroon, with keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie insisting the team must go "back to the drawing board." The 2027 World Cup will feature 32 teams in Brazil, and the qualification drama continues across confederations. In Scotland, SWPL managing director Fiona McIntyre believes the player drain to England can still be a positive for the domestic game, while Jordan Nobbs says helping Newcastle United gain promotion to the Women's Super League would be "job done" in her career. Arsenal's women are featured in a BBC podcast with Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle and others.

Scottish Premiership: Celtic Thrash Kilmarnock, Rangers Frustrated

Celtic romped to a 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock, with new striker Kasper Hogh scoring his first hat-trick for the club and earning rave reviews from fans who are tipped to "fall in love with him." Meanwhile, Rangers manager Derek McInnes is still waiting for his first win after a loss to Hibs, adding to frustrations at Ibrox. Hearts secured their first win under Wouter Vrancken, with statistics suggesting early losses hid underlying improvement. The Scottish Football Podcast examines the contrasting fortunes of Celtic and Rangers, while BBC Wales will broadcast Cymru Premier games live for the next three years under a new deal.

Off-Field Drama: Forest Owner Sues Palace; Derby Takeover Collapses; Mourinho Reveals Ferguson Snub

Evangelos Marinakis is suing Crystal Palace over a banner depicting him holding a gun to Morgan Gibbs-White's head, while the proposed takeover of Championship club Derby County by Saudi official Turki Alalshikh has collapsed, leaving the club "off the market." In a revealing documentary, Jose Mourinho claims he agreed to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013 before the club chose David Moyes, a sliding-doors moment that has been detailed in an inside story. Mourinho also criticised Bernardo Silva's fitness at Real Madrid. Elsewhere, Barcelona's push for Rodri, the UEFA letter slamming FIFA's "deception" over World Cup stake sales, and LaLiga president Javier Tebas declaring the "Infantino era is over" all add to the administrative intrigue.

Other Football Notes

The USMNT's Zavier Gozo move to Crystal Palace is part of a broader transfer window that has seen several American players find new homes, including a B+ grade for Arfsten's Boro move. Mexico beat the United States 2-0 in the Concacaf U20 final at Estadio Azteca, a match marked by a controversial red card. Soccer's global nature was also visible in a lighthearted story: a Brazilian player fell down a tunnel during a goal celebration, getting "carried away" after Coritiba's 2-1 win. And false reports of Cristiano Ronaldo's wedding sent hundreds of fans to the wrong couple's ceremony in Funchal, a prank Ronaldo found hilarious. Finally, the Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan – barred from entering the United States – has spoken about his "very tough period" and his gratitude for a Super Cup opportunity.