Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 9:18 PM ET

Transfer Window Heats Up

Atlético Madrid have agreed a €40 million deal with Tottenham for Argentina defender Cristian Romero, according to sources. The move was later confirmed as a deal in principle. Meanwhile, Arsenal are actively searching for more signings, with Mikel Arteta admitting there's a small pool of players who can elevate the squad. The Gunners have held further talks over Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa and are reportedly eyeing Barcelona's Jules Koundé. Arsenal also received a bid from Galatasaray for Gabriel Martinelli. Chelsea have set Manchester City a deadline of 5pm this Friday to make an offer for Enzo Fernandez, with the Blues also looking to sell other stars including Nicolas Jackson and Malo Gusto. Chelsea have completed the signing of left-back Pep Chavarría from Rayo Vallecano for £16m. Fenerbahce have confirmed the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Napoli for a reported €6 million. The Belgium striker called the move "emotional". Crystal Palace had a bid rejected for Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara, but re-signed Evann Guessand on loan from Aston Villa. Ipswich Town agreed a fee for Paraguay forward Julio Enciso from Strasbourg. Wrexham signed Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson in a potential club-record deal. Hull City confirmed the signing of Nobel Mendy from Rayo Vallecano for a club-record fee and also added Lucas Herrington from Colorado Rapids. Celtic signed winger Haissem Hassan from Real Oviedo on a four-year deal. Rangers are in talks with Brentford over a loan return for Jayden Meghoma. Paul Pogba is expected to leave Monaco after contract termination talks. Liverpool have signed Barcelona captain Ronald Araújo on loan with a €55 million option. Arsenal are also reportedly looking at a possible move for Barcelona's Jules Koundé. Chelsea have told Manchester City they have a deadline to bid for Enzo Fernandez. Manchester City have signed goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Marseille. Crystal Palace re-signed Evann Guessand on loan. Aston Villa close in on Atletico Madrid defender Matteo Ruggeri. CF Montréal signed Alexis Sánchez as a Designated Player.

Pre-Season Friendlies and Super Cup

Paris Saint-Germain beat Aston Villa 2-1 to win the UEFA Super Cup, with Désiré Doué scoring the winner. Teenager Brian Madjo scored on his Aston Villa debut in the Super Cup defeat, ending an eight-month wait. Three Villa stars were absent from the Super Cup due to selection reasons. Arsenal were held 1-1 by Como before winning 4-3 on penalties, with Myles Lewis-Skelly scoring amid transfer speculation. Bruno Guimaraes made his first Arsenal appearance in that match. Manchester United beat Leeds United 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Dublin, with Noussair Mazraoui keeping his cool amid pitch invaders. Joshua Zirkzee and Brenden Aaronson scored for the sides. Real Madrid beat Deportivo La Coruña 1-0 with a Brahim Diaz goal. Everton beat Newcastle 3-1 in a friendly at Murrayfield, with Matthias Jaissle given a hint of the task ahead. Barcelona will play Montpellier during a solar eclipse in Spain, with players advised to keep their eyes on the ball. Fans in Britain also witnessed a partial solar eclipse at sporting events like cricket.

Managerial and Coaching Changes

The Netherlands have appointed Barcelona great Xavi Hernández as national team coach through the 2030 World Cup. The Chicago Stars fired head coach Martin Sjögren with the club bottom of the NWSL. Jose Mourinho is back at Real Madrid 13 years after leaving, with BBC Sport asking if he can restore former glory. The collapse of Craig Bellamy's proposed move to Burnley has put Wales in a hard position, says Nathan Blake. Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari will leave his role at the end of the season.

Player News and Tributes

Lionel Messi returned to the Inter Miami bench after his father's death, and later paid tribute to his father on Instagram. BBC Sport looks back at Messi's iconic moments as he ponders retirement. Youri Tielemans gave an extended interview on his £35m dream move to Manchester United, saying he owes Villa the world but that United are above them. He admitted he did not expect to leave Aston Villa this summer. Bruno Fernandes is the centre of attention at Manchester United, with questions over his future. Memphis Depay accused Corinthians of "unacceptable behaviour" after his contract was not renewed. Georgia Stanway explained why she wasted no time getting an Arsenal tattoo after moving from Bayern Munich. Chucky Lozano is a "perfect football fit" for the LA Galaxy after his San Diego fallout. Everton's Martin Sherif has been charged with 61 alleged bets on matches. Portland Thorns and USWNT midfielder Olivia Moultrie is out for the season with an ACL injury.

Match Reports and Competition News

Malawi's fairy tale run at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations continues as sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga scored in a 3-1 semi-final win over Algeria. MI London's Hundred title defence ended despite a narrow win over Birmingham Phoenix; they could not claim a fourth straight title. Birmingham Phoenix won the battle to avoid the wooden spoon in the women's competition. The 2026/27 EFL season is here, with changes to the Championship play-offs and new managers. Birmingham City have transformed under Chris Davies, with over 20,000 season tickets sold. West Ham, Burnley and Wolves were relegated from the Premier League; BBC Sport looks at how they will navigate the Championship. The Tennent's Soccer Sixes returns with a legends edition featuring all 12 Scottish Premiership clubs.

Other News and Analysis

Mikel Arteta said he welcomes speculation around Myles Lewis-Skelly, adding that there is more the club wants to do in the transfer market. Diego Simeone and Julian Alvarez held talks at Atletico Madrid to discuss the forward's situation. Youri Tielemans credited FIFA's decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's red card for inspiring Belgium's World Cup win over the United States. La Liga officials will inspect Celta Vigo's pitch after a fungus outbreak. The South Korean FA has apologised amid a scandal involving sexual favours for referees. ESPN has ranked the top 30 men's managers in European club football. Real Madrid's latest moves have been described as a complete muddle if they want to win. Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have released new third kits for the 2026-27 season. South America is lukewarm on the 2030 World Cup due to limited hosting role. Joe Root has removed the curfew from England's Test setup, calling for players to act like grown adults. Sky Sports has agreed a deal to show the Laver Cup from London's O2 arena. Rory McIlroy returns to PGA Tour action for the FedExCup Playoffs. Ronnie O'Sullivan's poor start to the season continued with a China Open loss. Rafael Jodar is on course to break the record for fastest rise into the top 10 of men's tennis after winning at the Canadian Open. Arthur Fery returns as British No, feeling no added pressure. Caroline Dubois could face Elif Nur Turhan after the Turkish world champion signed for Most Valuable Promotions. Sky Sports Racing will cover Ffos Las live. Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali says drivers can have their opinion on regulations. Cadillac sacked team principal Graeme Lowdon and replaced him with Marcin Budkowski. NRL legend Daly Cherry-Evans is reportedly in advanced talks to sign for Hull FC. James McClean remains a Derry City player, says interim manager Mark Connolly. The Minnesota Vikings have confirmed Murray as starting QB for the season. Cristiano Ronaldo has married long-time partner Georgina Rodríguez. The Community Shield is debated as a major trophy by BBC Sport. Transfer add-ons are explained by BBC Sport. One U21 player to watch from each Premier League team is highlighted by ESPN. John McGinn's rise is discussed in a BBC podcast. The UEFA Super Cup preview noted why three Villa stars wouldn't play. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia returned for PSG in the Super Cup after a stellar season. Unai Emery chases his first Super Cup for Aston Villa, but does it matter? PSG aim to do a three-peat and win six trophies this season.