Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: August 13, 2026, 3:10 AM ET

Transfer Window Heats Up

Atlético Madrid have agreed a €40 million deal with Tottenham for Cristian Romero, with the Argentina defender expected to complete his move after sources confirmed the agreement. Meanwhile, Chelsea have set Manchester City a Friday 5pm deadline to bid for Enzo Fernandez and are actively looking to sell several first-team players, including Nicolas Jackson and Malo Gusto. Romelu Lukaku has sealed his move to Fenerbahce from Napoli for an undisclosed fee, while Youri Tielemans completed a £35m dream move to Manchester United, admitting he did not expect to leave Aston Villa this summer. Arsenal have held further talks over Ezri Konsa, while Mikel Arteta confirmed the club is actively chasing more signings after Bruno Guimarães’ debut. Galatasaray have submitted a bid for Gabriel Martinelli, and Chelsea have completed the signing of left-back Pep Chavarría from Rayo Vallecano for £16m. Hull City have signed Nobel Mendy for a club record fee and Lucas Herrington, while Ipswich agreed a deal for Paraguay forward Julio Enciso. Wrexham are set to sign Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson in a potential record deal. Crystal Palace have re-signed Evann Guessand on loan from Aston Villa, while their bid for Lamine Camara has been rejected by Monaco. Aston Villa are closing in on Matteo Ruggeri from Atlético Madrid, and Celtic have signed winger Haissem Hassan from Real Oviedo. Manchester City have signed goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Marseille, and CF Montréal have signed Alexis Sánchez as a Designated Player. Chucky Lozano is set to join the LA Galaxy after being pushed out of San Diego. Meanwhile, Paul Pogba is expected to have his Monaco contract terminated. Diego Simeone and Julián Álvarez have held talks at Atlético Madrid amid the star forward’s transfer request. Chelsea are also the Premier League’s top spenders this summer, with attention now turning to sales of players like Nicolas Jackson and Malo Gusto. Bruno Fernandes continues to be the centre of attention at Manchester United, with speculation over his captaincy and future.

Pre-Season Friendlies & Super Cup

Paris Saint-Germain beat Aston Villa 2-1 to win the UEFA Super Cup, with Désiré Doué scoring the winner and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia impressing on his return. Villa’s 17-year-old striker Brian Madjo scored on his debut, ending an eight-month wait. Noussair Mazraoui kept his cool amid pitch invaders as Manchester United beat Leeds United 5-4 on penalties in Dublin, with Marcus Rashford absent but still part of the plans. Everton breezed past a lacklustre Newcastle 3-1 at Murrayfield. Arsenal were held 1-1 by Como but won 4-3 on penalties, with Myles Lewis-Skelly scoring amid transfer speculation and Bruno Guimarães making his debut from the bench. Real Madrid beat Deportivo 1-0 in a friendly courtesy of Brahim Díaz. Barcelona will play Montpellier during a solar eclipse in Spain, with players advised to keep their eyes on the ball. The UEFA Super Cup preview explained why three Villa stars would not play, but Espn’s report confirmed Doué’s goal sealed a second straight Super Cup for PSG. Youri Tielemans credited FIFA’s decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s red card as inspiration for Belgium’s World Cup win.

Managerial Moves & Club News

The Netherlands have appointed Barcelona great Xavi Hernández as head coach through the 2030 World Cup. Jose Mourinho is back at Real Madrid, aiming to restore former glory. Mikel Arteta welcomed speculation around Lewis-Skelly and said Arsenal are actively looking for signings. The Chicago Stars fired coach Martin Sjögren, bringing back Lorne Donaldson. Birmingham City manager Chris Davies is changing his approach after selling over 20,000 season tickets. The EFL season is back with play-off changes, new managers, and star players. Sunderland face a challenge to defy Premier League doubters again with added European commitments. West Ham, Burnley and Wolves will navigate the Championship after relegation. Derry City interim manager Mark Connolly reiterated that James McClean remains at the club. Real Madrid’s summer signings have been criticised as a muddle, while ESPN’s top 30 managers list ranks the best in Europe. Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari will leave at the end of the season. Everton’s Martin Sherif was charged with 61 alleged bets on matches. La Liga will inspect Celta Vigo’s pitch after a fungus outbreak. The South Korean FA apologised amid a sexual favours scandal and police raid. Barcelona and Real Madrid released new third kits for the Clásico rivalry. The Tennent’s Soccer Sixes returns with a legends edition. Lionel Messi returned to the Inter Miami bench after his father’s death, and paid tribute on Instagram. BBC Sport looked back at Messi’s iconic moments as retirement looms. South America is lukewarm on a 2030 World Cup on home soil. The Community Shield is debated as a major trophy. Transfer add-ons are explained by Ask Me Anything. One U21 player from each Premier League team is highlighted.

Women’s Football & International

Cameroon upset Morocco to reach the Wafcon final, with Michaely Bihina saving four penalties in a shootout. Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga fired Malawi into the final with three goals against Algeria. Olivia Moultrie is out for the season with an ACL injury. The UEFA Super Cup also featured a breakout performance by Brian Madjo, who scored on debut despite defeat.

Off-Pitch Stories & More

Guess the Premier League star in the latest quiz. Celtic are linked with full-backs as a Spanish club joins the chase for a Rangers midfielder. Kimi Antonelli is on course to become F1’s youngest champion, but that is not football. (https://headlinesbriefing.com/sports/skysports-champions-league/everton-3-1-newcastle-commentary-69db3d7c) for more updates.