Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: August 14, 2026, 11:43 AM ET

Transfer Activity and Rumors

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed that Belgium midfielder Arne Engels is undergoing a medical ahead of a potential transfer to West Ham United. Meanwhile, free agent Jadon Sancho is reportedly favoring a move abroad, despite receiving offers from English Premier League clubs. Rangers are said to have made an offer for striker Kelsy and have agreed to a loan deal for left-back Penrice, while also being linked with Couhaib Driouech from PSV Eindhoven. Arsenal has reportedly expressed interest in signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah, with talks ongoing. In a significant development, Galatasaray has submitted a €45million ($51.8m) bid for Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli. Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders is reportedly on the verge of a £52m move to Saudi Pro-League side Al-Qadsiah, while Jérémy Doku has signed a new five-year contract with the club. Inter Milan has agreed to a £30m deal to acquire Djed Spence from Tottenham. Barcelona forward Ferran Torres is nearing a move to Paris St-Germain for approximately £43m. Chelsea has set a Friday deadline for any clubs wishing to meet their £120million valuation of Enzo Fernández, with Manchester City also reportedly interested. Chelsea is also considering Arsenal's Martín Zubimendi as a potential replacement should Fernández depart for Manchester City. Arsenal expresses interest in Quansah, and Arsenal invite offers for Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri. Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa is reportedly Arsenal's preferred central defender target.

Club News and Preparations

Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk is hoping to play their Champions League home matches at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge this season. The English Football League (EFL) chief executive Trevor Birch has warned that current levels of losses in football create a "systemic insolvency risk" for the sport. Manchester City's Enzo Maresca aims to "close the gap to Arsenal" in his first season as manager, having finished seven points behind the Premier League champions last term. The 2026-27 season will introduce a significant number of new laws aimed at improving the pace of the game. BBC Sport correspondents have provided club-by-club previews for the Championship, and League Two seasons. West Ham's Jarrod Bowen stated his indifference to the method of return, as long as the club gets back into the Premier League. Michael Carrick, Manchester United's head coach, believes the club "want" and "need" to make more signings before the transfer window closes. Celta Vigo was forced to postpone their LaLiga opener due to a fungus outbreak on their pitch. Fulham's preseason friendly against Málaga CF ended controversially when the English club walked off the pitch, and coach Álvaro Arbeloa received a red card. Chelsea's journey under Wesley Fofana has been marked by challenges, including online abuse, but he remains optimistic about the club's future.

Player and Tournament News

Former European Cup winner and goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer has passed away at the age of. In the New Zealand Darts Masters, Stephen Bunting was eliminated in the last 16 by Raymond Smith. Iga Swiatek secured her first title of the season by defeating Elena Rybakina 6-2, 6-3 in the Canadian Open final. Jack Draper was defeated in the first round of the Cincinnati Open by Martin Landaluce, failing to convert six set-point opportunities. The panel on Weekend Winners discussed Sunday's Prix Jacques Le Marois from Deauville. In horse racing, Efsixteen is set to return in a competitive race at Newbury, and jockey Hollie Doyle provided her tips for races at Newbury and Ripon. Australian rookie professional golfer Jessica Bang has died at the age of 18 following a brain haemorrhage.

International and League Updates

New Zealand has withdrawn its support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, breaking rank with the Oceania Football Confederation. Six Arab football federations have publicly expressed their "full support" and "confidence" in Infantino amidst his ongoing challenges. South Africa and Ghana have advanced to an inter-confederation qualifier for the 2027 Women's World Cup, but Nigeria will miss the tournament for the first time. England head coach Lydia Bedford has been advised to "continue as usual" regarding the Under-20 Women's World Cup, despite a potential Uefa boycott stemming from a dispute with Fifa. The Community Shield's historical record offers little predictive value for the upcoming Premier League season. LAFC has signed forward Armindo Sieb from Bayern Munich through the 2028-29 MLS season. A bidding war has emerged for the debut shirt of New Zealand player Tim Payne. Bangladesh holds a 153-run lead over Australia in the Darwin Test, with Tanzid Hasan scoring his maiden century.

Women's Football and Other Sports

Manchester City has strengthened its squad for the upcoming Women's Super League season, but questions remain about their ability to defend their title against increasingly competitive rivals. Man City women must act like champions as WSL rivals grow stronger.

General Football News

The Premier League season is approaching, and BBC Sport has identified 20 people who could significantly influence their respective clubs' fortunes. A quiz testing knowledge of football nicknames is available. A guide to Fantasy Premier League (FPL) assets for the 2026-27 season offers analysis of the best and worst picks from each of the 20 Premier League teams. Who to pick, who to avoid - your team's FPL assets analysed.