Mike Dean appeared on ‘Jamie Vardy’s Having A Party’ — the former Leicester City striker’s YouTube show — and revealed he used to bring off-pitch games into the Premier League “as a laugh.”

The ex-referee enjoyed a 28-year-long professional career, and retired from on-field officiating in 2022. He assumed full-time VAR responsibilities during the 2022-23 season.

Dean has remained a continuous source of controversy, with his post-retirement revelations fuelling theories of match-fixing and corruption among Premier League officials.

Dean admits he used to play games in the Premier League “as a laugh”

“There used to be games we had, as a laugh. We’d say, ‘We’ll kick off now, and see how long we can go without blowing a whistle,’” revealed Dean.

“I’ve done that a few times in the Premier League - before VAR, obviously. Went 20-25 minutes without blowing the whistle, [I would] let it go, let it go, let it go.

“And I used to do another thing - I used to see how long I could stay in the center circle, before I had to leave. That was just me joking about.

“The lads said, ‘You can’t’ - but I got about 15 minutes once, in one game,” Dean concluded, as Vardy and his co-host laughed.

During his final season as a VAR official, Dean claimed headlines for failing to send referee Anthony Taylor to the monitor during a 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

The latter's Cristian Romero pulled the hair of Marc Cucurella, but Dean did not instruct Taylor to approach the monitor as, in the words of Dean himself, “he is a mate, as well as a referee.”

In the 2024/25 season, shortly after Dean retired from officiating, he again fuelled rumours of corruption among Premier League referees by refuting claims for a penalty during the Manchester derby.

Gary Neville believed Manchester United should have received a penalty for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund, but Dean refuted the argument, claiming: “Not in a game like this, mate,” on Sky Sports.

The former official’s latest words on Vardy’s podcasts have prompted social media outrage, with fans questioning the impact of Dean’s “games” on the actual events.

“Disgusting, how many games did that affect negatively?" asked one user. “Is this not borderline match fixing?” questioned another.

“It’s just not what you want to hear, is it?” said one fan, amid pile-ons calling Dean a “clown” and “arrogant.”

The Women's Super League is back for 2026/27 and there is plenty to get excited about. For the first time in 10 years, the defending champions aren't from the capital after Manchester City broke Chelsea's run of eight titles in nine seasons (Arsenal won it in 2019). That's not the only thing that's new, with two-time Ballon d'Or Feminin winner Alexia Putellas joining the ambitious London City Lionesses and two extra teams in the WSL this term, following the league's expansion to 14 clubs. FourFourTwo has all the broadcast information you need to watch every game live.

It will be fascinating to see if City can defend their title after an incredible season in which they won a league and cup double for the first time. Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw will surely have a big role to play, after winning the Golden Boot for the third successive campaign in 2025/26 and then picking up the PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year award. City will be pushed hard by Chelsea and Arsenal, who have both refreshed their squads and look well-placed to challenge.

London City Lionesses are also one to watch, with billionaire owner Michele Kang bankrolling a host of high-profile signings including Spain star Putellas and former England goalkeeper Mary Earps. There is a new face leading Manchester United, with Eva Olid replacing long-serving manager Marc Skinner this summer, while the league's expansion saw three sides promoted from WSL2 — Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic — with the Addicks back in the top tier for the first time since 2008.

In this guide, we'll show you how to watch Women's Super League live streams in the UK, US, and around the world — including for FREE - and how you can use a VPN to tune in while you're abroad.

• Read More: How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Free Streams & Fixtures

How to watch WSL from anywhere

Chances are you'll find yourself overseas when some Women's Super League games are taking place, but does that mean you have to miss the action? No, it doesn't... a VPN will ensure you get your coverage from anywhere.

WSL live streams are geo-restricted on all streaming services, but a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a neat way around this, unpicking the geo-locks by altering your device's digital location. It's great for accessing your usual streaming services while on the move, and it does wonders for your internet security, too.

NordVPN is the best, so say our good friends across the office at TechRadar.

How to watch WSL in the UK

Fans in the UK have plenty of options for their Women's Super League streams. Sky Sports is the primary destination to watch the action, with 163 matches live across the 2026/27 campaign, plus the end-of-season play-off. Select games will also be shown on the Sky Sports WSL YouTube Channel.

Sky Sports packages cost £35 per month for new customers, or £22 per month if you already have a new 24-month Sky TV contract. It is a great time to subscribe, with the new Premier League season also recently underway and at least 215 fixtures exclusively live.

The other 19 matches will be live on BBC TV and BBC iPlayer, as mentioned above — you just need a TV licence and a BBC iPlayer registration. Meanwhile, certain games will also be on the Women's Super League YouTube Channel.

If you're travelling outside the UK during the season, make sure you use NordVPN to access your WSL streams.

How to watch WSL in the US

CBS Sports is the new home of the Women's Super League in the US, with 183 matches set to be broadcast live on the Paramount+ streaming service across the 2026/27 season. Meanwhile, one game per week will be shown on CBS Sports Network and select fixtures will be live on the free CBS Sports Golazo Network.

The Paramount+ Essential package costs $8.99 a month or $89.99 a year, which also gets you access to hundreds of games in the Champions League, Europa League, EFL, Carabao Cup and more.

You can also access Paramount+ Essential for next to nothing if you take out a 30-day Walmart+ subscription for $1.

Outside the US during the Women's Super League season? Use NordVPN to access your usual streams.

How to watch WSL in Australia

As with the Premier League, Stan Sport has the rights to show every single Women's Super League game across the 2026/27 season.

Better still, it's now even cheaper to watch Down Under because Stan have introduced a new Basic tier with ads at AU$9.99. You'll also need the AU$20 Sport add-on, but you get every Premier League game, plus the Champions League, FA Cup, and more, all for AU$29.99 a month.

Not in Australia right now? You can use a NordVPN (try 100% risk-free) to watch all the action free of charge as if you were right at home.

Other WSL live streams around the world

The Women's Super League is becoming more and more popular around the world and you can now watch live coverage in several countries — here are a few providers in select locations:

Africa

The Women's Super League 2026/27 broadcast rights for Africa are largely split between Dubai TV, which shows matches in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) countries, and Azam TV, the broadcaster in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Canada

Sportsnet has the rights to broadcast the Women's Super League in Canada.

Mexico and Central America

FOX will show Women's Super League action in 2026/27 across Mexico and Central America.

Ireland

Sky Sports has the broadcast rights for the Women's Super League 2026/27 in Ireland.

South East Asia

Viewers in South East Asia can tune into the Women's Super League on bein SPORTS.

China

In China, the Women's Super League 2026/27 will be shown by Migu, Huya and iQiyi.

Japan

U-NEXT has the broadcast rights for the Women's Super League 2026/27 in Japan.

Pan-Regional

Dedicated women's channel W-sport will show the Women's Super League 2026/27 across multiple regions. The platform is available in several European countries, plus parts of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

What are the WSL 2026/27 key dates?

The Women's Super League 2026/27 season kicks off on Friday, September 4, with the final day of the campaign on Sunday, May 23, 2027.

The fixtures on the opening weekend are as follows: (all times BST)

• Friday, September 4: London City Lionesses vs Manchester United (7pm)
• Saturday, September 5: Chelsea vs Aston Villa (12.30pm)
• Sunday, September 6: Brighton & Hove Albion vs Arsenal (12pm)
• Sunday, September 6: Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United (12pm)
• Sunday, September 6: Crystal Palace vs Everton (2pm)
• Sunday, September 6: Charlton Athletic vs Liverpool (2pm)
• Sunday, September 6: Manchester City vs Birmingham City (2pm)

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Arsenal are protecting their long-term interests in teenage midfielder Ethan Nwaneri.

The Gunners have reportedly inserted a recall option into Nwaneri's season-long loan move to Borussia Dortmund.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, writing for CaughtOffside, the Gunners have the right to break the loan agreement early and bring the 19-year-old back to North London during the January transfer window should they choose to exercise it.

Clarity on Ethan Nwaneri's Arsenal future

The deal is also structured as a straight loan with no option or obligation for the Bundesliga club to buy.

Consequently, Dortmund will not likely have the resource, or opportunity, to sign Nwaneri on a permanent basis at the end of the season, in contrast to other loan agreements that feature purchase clauses.

The inclusion of the January recall clause is another clear indication that Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy still see a future for Nwaneri at the Emirates Stadium.

However, both the manager and the board acknowledge that the player was unlikely to receive the regular minutes required to further his development at his parent club during the 2026/27 campaign.

To avoid a scenario where the midfielder's progress stalls on the bench, Arsenal have opted to sanction a temporary departure to Germany. And having seen previous young loanees suffer from a lack of minutes, the Gunners wanted to ensure they retained full control of the arrangement, allowing them to step in if Nwaneri's game time in Germany does not meet expectations.

A serious knee injury to Dortmund's new, creative midfielder Giannis Konstantelias on his debut motivated the Bundesliga club's late-in-the-window pursuit of Nwaneri.

The Arsenal hierarchy's hope is for Nwaneri to perform at a high level in the Bundesliga, using the experience to prove he can handle first-team demands in the Premier League. If all goes according to plan, the England youth international will return to the Emirates next summer to stake a claim for a far more involved role in Arteta's first-team squad.

Manchester City have made their stance clear regarding competitiveness under Enzo Maresca during his first season as boss at the Etihad.

The Cityzens began their campaign with a 3-0 Community Shield final loss at the hands of Arsenal, who finally pipped Guardiola’s men to the Premier League title last term.

Maresca’s side recovered well, taking six points from their opening two fixtures versus Bournemouth and Crystal Palace in the English top-flight — but that must continue for the Italian to avoid scrutiny.

Manchester City set high standards and threaten scrutiny for Maresca

Manchester City finished second in the 2025-26 Premier League table, seven points behind Mikel Arteta’s Gunners who prevailed at the fourth time of asking.

Guardiola’s men pipped Arsenal’s 84 points with 89 in 2022-23, and claimed 91 points to the Gunners’ 89 in 2023-24; Arteta’s side then fell to Liverpool in 2024-25: 84 points to 74.

The Cityzens also prevailed against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup last year, then edged Chelsea in the FA Cup to secure a domestic double in Guardiola’s swansong season.

After two Premier League games, Manchester City top the table, with an identical points tally and goal difference to Arsenal, ahead only on goals scored.

Internally, the message isn’t solely one of appreciation for the strong performances that Maresca has been able to extract from his group, but a reminder of the Cityzens’ expectations.

Manchester City journalist Simon Bajkowski has revealed that the club anticipate an even stronger season than the one delivered by Guardiola prior to his departure in May.

“There is confidence at Man City that the recruitment is good enough to expect Enzo Maresca to fight across all four competitions,” he claimed.

“With depth cited in every position despite wholesale changes, there is even an internal belief that Man City are in better shape for this season than last year.”

That is to be expected, considering the financial force of Manchester City’s transfer activity — breaking the British record to secure ex-Chelsea man Enzo Fernandez’s services.

Elsewhere, they brought in World Cup breakout talent Ayyoub Bouaddi for little under €100 million, and almost broke the British record for another midfielder, before securing Enzo’s signature.

That was for former Nottingham Forest talent Elliot Anderson, who arrived at the Etihad for a staggering sum of £116 million. He has since started all three of the club’s opening clashes.

Whether Maresca will be able to compete for the Premier League and Champions League trophies remains to be seen, but the message is clear. That is the expectation, and with failure will come scrutiny.

UEFA have begun a disciplinary investigation involving Mason Greenwood and former Arsenal man Matteo Guendouzi following alleged provocative behaviour.

The incident in question came during August’s Champions League play-off game versus Lyon, which finished 1-2, and 2-3 on aggregate in the pair’s favour, as Super Lig side Fenerbahce advanced to the competition proper.

The Turkish top-flight club have released a statement via X (formerly Twitter) confirming their intention to challenge the proceedings brought by UEFA.

UEFA launch investigation into Greenwood, Guendouzi and Fenerbahce

The statement read: "Following the UEFA Champions League Play-Off Round second leg match, UEFA has initiated disciplinary proceedings against our players Matteo Guendouzi and Mason Greenwood, as well as against our club.

"Our club will present the necessary defenses before the relevant UEFA bodies in order to protect the rights and interests of our players and Fenerbahçe during this process.

Fenerbahce concluded: "The necessary information, documents, and defenses regarding the process will be submitted to UEFA, and developments are being closely monitored by our Club. We inform the public accordingly.”

It is alleged that both Greenwood and Guendouzi clutched their groins in an attempt to provoke the Lyon fans; the latter also raised his middle finger to them.

Guendouzi, who played two-and-a-half seasons for rival club Marseille, was involved in a further fracas after knocking the Ligue 1 side out of the competition in late August.

Fights broke out on the pitch and in the tunnel, with players and staff from both clubs reportedly involved. Guendouzi ran across the pitch performing karate kicks, which prompted members of Lyon’s squad to confront him. The former Gunner was, in turn, protected by his Fenerbahce team-mates.

The Frenchman's antics continued to anger the home fans as he exited the pitch, as he allegedly smiled and gestured at them, before being shoved angrily by a member of Lyon’s team or staff.

Guendouzi later defended his actions: "You know, you've got 60,000 people insulting your family, your mum, your children, even before the match, and nobody from the refereeing team tells the stadium to be quiet.

"I know that in France, when this sort of thing happens, there comes a point where they'll speak to the supporters and the match might be stopped. For 90 minutes - even longer if you count the warm-up - they were insulting my family. If you want to banter, then it goes both ways,” he concluded.

Fenerbahce boss Ismail Kartal defended his player post-match, claiming 'we all stood together' and 'this is what teamwork is all about.' Greenwood is also under investigation for his role in the post-match antics, after joining the Super Lig side on a four-year deal back in July.

The specifics of Greenwood’s role in the post-match clash aren’t yet clear, although reports suggest an obscene gesture was made by the Englishman. Fenerbahce referenced both he and Guendouzi by name upon revealing the proceedings initiated by UEFA against the club.

Lyon's Champions League loss had another unintended consequence: forcing the French top-flight to sell superstar Malick Fofana. That spiralled into one of the greatest Premier League deadline day sagas in history.

Liverpool have received a lift following deadline day frustration in the transfer market.

Big money summer signing Bradley Barcola has been confirmed fit and available for selection ahead of tomorrow night's Premier League fixture against Ipswich Town.

Manager Andoni Iraola confirmed that the 24-year-old French winger is in line to make his competitive debut at Portman Road.

Bradley Barcola set for Liverpool debut against Ipswich

Speaking ahead of the match, Iraola expressed his delight at securing the attacker.

"We are very happy with Bradley. It was our priority to sign a very good player in that position. I like the fact he wanted Liverpool a lot. He comes with the willingness to help us. He has trained and will be available for tomorrow."

The boost comes following a turbulent end to Liverpool’s 2026 summer transfer window.

Barcola's arrival provides added firepower to the Reds' attack, but supporters were left frustrated by the club's failure to secure a central midfielder before the deadline.

After agreeing the sale of Curtis Jones to Inter Milan and seen late moves for targets like AS Monaco's Lamine Camara fall through, the Reds enter the autumn with little room for injury or suspension in the middle of the park.

Barcola’s inclusion, however, offers an immediate injection of quality and dynamism to Iraola's frontline.

The winger developed in Olympique Lyonnais' renowned youth academy before enjoying a breakout 2022/23 campaign which ultimately earned him a €45 million (£38m) move to Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023.

During three seasons in the French capital, the line-breaking forward established himself as a key part of PSG's attack.

He won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles and played a pivotal role in back-to-back UEFA Champions League triumphs in 2025 and 2026.

While midfield concerns continue to linger among the Anfield faithful, Barcola’s availability gives Iraola a much-needed boost following a winless start this season's domestic campaign.

Sergio Aguero's winning goal against Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the 2011/12 season is perhaps the most iconic moment in Premier League history.

The Argentinian's injury-time strike earned Manchester City a 3-2 victory that took the title out of the hands of their cross-city rivals United and took it to the blue half of Manchester for the first time since 1968.

And Aguero has explained to FourFourTwo how he actually laid the groundwork for that goal with help from an unlikely accomplice.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

"It’s a memory I’ll never forget for the rest of my life"

Mario Balotelli was not noted for his assists record throughout his two and a half seasons at the Etihad Stadium; before that encounter with QPR, the Italian had only set up one Premier League goal in 40 appearances.

But Aguero had pulled Balotelli to one side before that famous goal and told him exactly what he wanted: a one-two playing into the box for him to finish off.

Aguero told FourFourTwo: "I made the decision to drop back to receive the pass from Nigel de Jong, then I tried to play a one-two with Mario Balotelli.

"That had been in my head already – I’d been planning that, to see if I could get a goal.

"Beforehand, I’d told Mario that I was going to look for him, that I was going to give it to him so that he could give me a one-two and an assist.

"Luckily, the plan I had with him worked out – it ended up being the perfect play. I did the one-two with Mario, I scored and we won the title."

Aguero went on: "Moments like that stay with you forever.

"It’s a memory I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.

"Now that I’m not playing anymore and I understand how that title is valued much more, it brings back very nice memories whenever I talk about it."

How well versed are you in Premier League comings and goings? Transfers are a big deal in top-level football, and we want to know how much you remember about top-level football's big deals. This FourFourTwo quiz is a test of your Chelsea chops.

Chelsea's Roman Abramovich era elevated transfer fees and the Blues signed a long list of top players, many of whom went on to become Premier League champions and Stamford Bridge legends.

All you need to do is name Chelsea's 50 biggest signings ever. The time limit is 10 minutes. Good luck!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has loads of football quizzes and they're all courtesy of Kwizly. One of the biggest we've ever had is another doozy for Premier League fans. Can you name every player to have scored a hat-trick in England's top flight since the start of the 1992-93 season?

Looking for something a little more leisurely? Try out these questions about the Premier League in 2006-07 or have a crack at naming every women's team in the top two divisions of English football.

If you'd rather stick with transfers but fancy casting your mind further afield, we also have a quiz that asks you to name the top 50 most expensive players ever signed by Barcelona or Real Madrid.

FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 67 features clues on shirt sponsors, EFL counties, and relegations. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

A busy summer of transfer business is over for Tottenham Hotspur, but injuries to James Maddison and Xavi Simons have left the Lilywhites short in one area.

It seems Spurs have bolstered pretty much every area of their squad apart from central attacking midfield (or the No.10 role). Jan Paul Van Hecke and Marcos Senesi are new faces in defence, Matheus Fernandes and £100m man Sandro Tonali are the fresh midfield pairing, while Savio and Omar Marmoush add quality to Roberto De Zerbi’s attack.

However, with the passing of deadline day, De Zerbi may be left wishing he had added a playmaker to his roster. Still, the solution could be right under their nose.

James Maddison 2.0

Tottenham fans waited a long time to see James Maddison return to the field after a spate of injuries last season. They got their wish when the 29-year-old came on as a substitute in the opening day defeat to Brentford, but it wasn’t long before he was causing concern once again.

After the game, De Zerbi confirmed (via London Evening Standard) that Maddison had “suffered a small injury in his shoulder,” and it’s thought he could be out for a couple of weeks at least. Speaking to the club website, the Spurs boss added: “I think with James, we have to find the right plan… We have to work consistently for three, four weeks, and then he's a different player - a different player on the pitch, outside the pitch.”

It says it all that Maddison has completed just five full 90-minute games for Spurs since signing for the club in 2023. That’s a real problem, especially considering Tottenham’s other option in that position, Xavi Simons, is out of action until at least early 2027, having suffered the same ACL injury as Maddison, only seven months later.

There is one positive to take from the current Tottenham injury list, however, with Dejan Kulusevski finally back in full training after more than 15 months on the sidelines. Spurs will have to be patient with the Swedish ace, but he could well fill that number 10 role when he’s back to his best.

In the meantime, it looks like Matheus Fernandes will be filling the gap, but that’s far from ideal and not where he has been signed to play.

Ten regrets

After signing so many players this summer and rebuilding the squad to De Zerbi’s liking, many had expected that a number 10 would be among the new additions. It wasn’t to be.

Morgan Gibbs-White has long been linked with Tottenham, but he stayed at Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, the likes of Cody Gakpo and Iliman Ndiaye were strongly mooted as potential signings, and they could have eased the pressure in the space behind the striker, but the Liverpool man stayed at Anfield while Ndiaye ended moving to Man City at the last minute.

It could be that Tottenham go for a playmaker in January instead, but by that point, will it be too late? Spurs have the potential to challenge at the top this season given the quality of the squad, but not having adequate options in the number 10 role will limit them.

In Luca we trust

But Tottenham could already have a solution to their problem, and it’s staring Robert De Zerbi right in the face. While the Italian coach clearly favours experience over everything, particularly Premier League pedigree, he’s also taken a liking to Tottenham’s teenage sensation, Luca Williams-Barnett, who plays centrally as an attacking midfielder/forward.

Fans in N17 are already raving about the 17-year-old, and rightly so. He’s already flown through the youth ranks and has found himself on the fringes of the first team since the second half of last season. A strong pre-season with plenty of minutes has seen Williams-Barnett’s stock rise further, while he’s already made an appearance for the Lilywhites this term in the 5-1 win over Charlton in the Carabao Cup, coming off the bench after 78 minutes.

Spurs have pedigree for producing highly-rated youngsters. Harry Kane is a prime example, but the likes of Alfie Devine, Dane Scarlett, Troy Parrott, Harry Winks, and Oliver Skipp have all tried and failed to make the necessary impact in North London. Mikey Moore and Jamie Donley could still do that, but they’re now out on loan, leaving Williams-Barnett as the most promising prospect in the building right now.

Giving the teen substantial minutes this season would not be a token gesture. He absolutely has the quality needed to finally become the next big academy graduate at Tottenham. Williams-Barnett’s skillset includes dazzling dribbling, incredible vision, and an unbelievable level of swagger and flair for someone so young. He’s the kind of maverick Tottenham – and indeed, any club – dream of producing. To let him tread water in the reserves this season would be criminal.

Spurs cannot let another exciting young talent stagnate until he decides to move on in search of first-team football. Instead, De Zerbi needs to embrace the vitality and fearlessness Williams-Barnett brings and allow this rough diamond to flourish. Adding a splash of youth could be the perfect way to balance what is a very experienced team.

Williams-Barnett is the kind of player who can produce moments of magic, something Spurs have been severely lacking in the last couple of years. While Maddison and Simons are injured, it would surely make sense to give a homegrown talent his chance, rather than shoehorning other midfielders into a role they’re not comfortable in.

The supporters would love to see Williams-Barnett get an opportunity; the player himself would almost certainly rise to the challenge, and it could well be the kind of decision that ends up saving Tottenham tens of millions of pounds.

It's time to test your trivia talents with a brand new FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz! Can you answer 10 football questions in just 90 seconds?

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has lots more football quizzes courtesy of Kwizly. We'll begin with the most indulgent and go from there, shall we? We shall. Can you name every player ever to have scored a Premier League hat-trick?

If you get into the hundreds on that one, these will be a walk in the park. We have 15 questions each on the Premier League in the 2016-17 season, the 2006-07 season and the 1996-97 season.

Sticking with England's top division, we want to know whether you can name the first goalscorer in every single Premier League season and whether you can arrange these players in order of their Premier League appearances from most to least.

Up to date with your women's football? Let's find out. Can you list out every team currently competing in the WSL or WSL2, the top two divisions of the women's game in England?

Finally, if you enjoyed listing out a bunch of football teams, we've got just the quiz for you. Can you name every club to have played in England's top flight, either the First Division or the Premier League, since 1945?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

The Wildcard debate has been raging since the season started, and for a growing number of FPL managers, Gameweek 3 is the answer.

Here is the case for pulling the trigger this week.

1. Sell Man United before the fixtures turn

Manchester United have had their fun. Hull and Ipswich in the opening two Gameweeks were as good as it gets, but Manchester City away in Gameweek 4 signals the end of the easy run.

It is tough to sell Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo on the back of what were mega hauls against Ipswich last Gameweek, but the best FPL managers are proactive rather than reactive. Selling at peak value before the fixtures turn is almost always the right call, even when it feels uncomfortable in the moment.

2. Load up on Chelsea, Man City and Newcastle at the right time

Gameweek 3 is the ideal entry point for three teams whose fixtures are about to turn very green.

Man City host Coventry this week and Sunderland in Gameweek 5, Chelsea have an appealing fixture against Hull in Gameweek 4 and Newcastle are coming into a much friendlier run after a tough opener against Liverpool.

Getting in before the bandwagon fully forms is always the smarter play.

3. Nail the captaincy with Haaland and Palmer

This is arguably the biggest reason of all to play that Wildcard chip. Haaland faces Coventry at home this week and not owning him is not for the faint-hearted.

Palmer is also perfectly set up with Chelsea's run, and owning both permanently from this point forward gives you genuine captaincy flexibility every single week.

4. Clear out the assets who have served their purpose

Alexander Isak, the Sunderland assets and Iliman Ndiaye, who is arguably a worse asset at Manchester City, all become harder to justify holding onto beyond this point.

Christos Tzolis is another name to address. He was picked up by over 22% of managers on the back of strong early signs, but his minutes have not been as reliable as initially hoped, making him another one who is better sold now rather than held in hope.

5. Exceptional value waiting to be unlocked

Ezri Konsa at £4.4m, Elliott Anderson at £6.4m, Mamadou Sangare at £5.6m and Pascal Gross at £5.5m are all gifts at their respective price points.

These are the kind of players who are difficult to fit in through normal transfers but become straightforward additions with unlimited moves available. Joao Pedro and Dominic Szoboszlai are already obvious long term holds, and Yoane Wissa alongside the Newcastle defensive options represent strong differentials to the broader template.

6. The transfer window is closed and the picture is clearer

One of the best reasons to Wildcard in Gameweek 3 is the information advantage it gives you. The transfer window has now shut, squads are settled, minutes trends are emerging and penalty takers are close to being confirmed. Building a team now is a far more informed exercise than it was earlier.

7. Wildcarding now beats a Free Hit in Gameweek 3

This is the chip logic that seals it. Using the Wildcard in Gameweek 3 means you own Haaland and Palmer permanently going forward, offload the bench spend that came with the early season structure and start building genuine team value.

A Free Hit in Gameweek 3 gives you one good week but leaves the underlying squad unchanged. More importantly, Wildcarding now keeps the Free Hit flexible for the rest of the season, while Free Hitting now likely forces and Early Wildcard anyway.

Gameweek 3 is the window. The case has been made.

The Premier League’s transfer window is now closed, with various high-profile transfers being made in the dying embers of Tuesday’s deadline day.

English top-flight clubs are still able to pursue free transfers, however, their window to purchase players is closed. Across the globe, various windows remain open, notably Saudi Arabia.

The following football leagues remain able to sign players, the first of which’s deadline strikes at midnight, in the United States of America.

Major Soccer League (MLS) - Closes 2 September

The MLS is currently experiencing deadline day, with the American league still able to operate in the market and make club-to-club signings.

In recent hours, The Athletic reported that Houston Dynamo were finalising a loan deal for Lyle Foster with Burnley, as MLS sides look to strengthen before the deadline.

They also reported that the Colorado Rapids have signed a club-record transfer of Morgan Whittaker from Middlesbrough, in a deal worth over $10 million.

Saudi Pro League - Closes 12 October

Unlike its American peer, the Saudi Pro League has over a month left yet before its transfer deadline, which is set to close on October 12th.

Transfers to the league have exploded in recent times, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in January 2023. Players are increasingly being enticed by the competition’s financial promise, with many of the world’s highest-paid footballers residing in Saudi Arabia.

Ollie Watkins and Crysensio Summerville are two Premier League players that traded competition for money this summer — both the ex-Aston Villa striker and the Dutchman transferred to Al-Hilal.

Super Lig - Closes 4 September

The Turkish top-flight is another league that has made headlines in recent times, although, never more so than when departing Liverpool legend joined Trabzonspor in early August.

As a free agent, the Egyptian opted against servicing the trio of Istanbul clubs who stake the strongest claims to future Super Lig titles, despite almost joining Besiktas weeks prior.

Notable transfers this window include Romelu Lukaku to Fenerbahce, Rafael Leao to Galatasaray, Leandro Trossard to Besiktas, and perhaps now Richarlison to Trabzonspor.

The clock is ticking slightly quicker in Turkey — their window ends on Friday, September 4.

Other leagues with open transfer windows: Scottish Premiership, Eredivisie, etc

Time is passing even faster in Scotland, with the Scottish Premiership’s transfer deadline falling on Thursday, September 3 at 5pm BST.

Celtic recently welcomed the arrival of Shumaira Mheuka on a season-long loan from Chelsea, hours after seeing Wolves shot-stopper Sam Johnstone join on an identical-length loan.

Even sooner, the Eredivisie’s transfer window will close at midnight on September 2, while the Portuguese top-flight will continue being able to make club-to-club transfers until September 15.

In Mexico and Brazil, the deadline is September 11 for both leagues; the Swiss Super League will see its window close on September 8.

Richarlison has reportedly reached an agreement with a suitor club, and is pushing to exit Tottenham Hotspur, days after rejecting an approach from former side Everton.

The Spurs striker bagged 11 Premier League goals last term, as the North London club fought tooth and nail to avoid final day relegation.

In all competitions, he tallied 12 goals and five assists in 42 appearances, and has now set his sights on the Super Lig in a transfer that will see him join forces with Liverpool royalty.

Richarlison reaches verbal agreement with Trabzonspor, will play alongside Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah

According to Turkish transfer expert Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, Richarlison has verbally agreed to an offer made by Trabzonspor, and is now pressuring Tottenham Hotspur to allow him to depart.

The news arrives mere hours after Trabzonspor were revealed to have made an offer to the North London club in exchange for the Brazilian’s services, also reported by Sabuncuoglu.

Richarlison publicly denied rumours of returning to Everton, who also failed to sign USMNT striker Folarin Balogun before yesterday's deadline, clarifying that he remains in charge of his own future and “never again will anyone decide my future for me.”

“If they reach an agreement between Spurs and Everton, I will return to my beloved club,” he continued. “My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes.

“But the negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted, and it will no longer be like that. I am under contract at Spurs and will remain at the club’s disposal,” concluded the Brazilian.

Trabzonspor expert Hasan Tuncel supported the claim that Richarlison is on the verge of moving to Turkey, claiming on X (formerly Twitter) that “serious efforts are being made to get him out of Tottenham” shortly after Sabuncuoglu’s exclusive was posted.

The Super Lig side have made headlines in recent months for securing the services of Liverpool legend Salah, who has bagged three-in-three for Trabzonspor domestically this season.

The Turkish top-flight side also paired the Egyptian with Richarlison’s fellow Brazilian, and Salah’s former Reds team-mate, Fabinho, with both players starting versus Amed on Monday evening and combining for the game’s opening goal.

The Super Lig club have prioritised an additional forward since the Egyptian signed, with rumours circling that Darwin Nunez could reunite with Salah, but that move did not materialise.

FourFourTwo suggested that Trabzonspor approach free agent Wilfried Zaha as a wing partner for the Egyptian, but it now appears that Richarlison will make a Papara Park arrival, and possibly fill that flank.

The Super Lig side’s current striker, Paul Onuachu — who hit 22 top-flight strikes last term — has endured a goal-less start to the season, with fans rallying to see greater depth in the position.

Richarlison would also act as a natural replacement for Onuachu in the starting line-up; only time will tell whether Spurs allow the Brazilian to leave, as the 29-year-old pushes for his move.

The Premier League’s transfer deadline has come and gone. For the clubs that were able to secure their dream signings, it’s time to go and compete for the title, for European silverware, Champions League qualification, whatever their hearts desire.

But for the clubs who didn’t? It might be time to pick up the reading glasses and peruse the annual list of free agents — typically chock-full of memorable names, now slightly past it, but still capable of producing at a high level in the correct environments.

This list once featured the likes of Mohamed Salah and Bernardo Silva, but there’s still a solid selection left. These are the strongest five players who Premier League clubs are still able to sign beyond the deadline, and where they should consider making one final stand.

Jamie Vardy

Fans might have written off Jamie Vardy, but they really shouldn’t have. After making the move to Italy last season, enjoying Serie A life with Cremonese, the former Leicester City striker bagged seven goals, and won the league's Player of the Month award in November 2025.

Unfortunately for his club, those strikes weren’t enough to avoid relegation to the Serie B. Fortunately for Vardy, the mere fact he was able to hit seven top-flight goals for one of the league’s worst teams provided concrete proof to onlooking clubs that the Englishman still has remnants left in the tank.

Since leaving Cremonese as a free agent in May, the 39-year-old has made headlines for securing the rights to seven Bundesliga games on his YouTube channel. No club, as of yet, has made the plunge for him.

But there’s a very clear option for Vardy, one that makes almost too much sense, to draw the curtain on his illustrious Premier League and FA Cup-winning career.

Where he should go: Vardy to Wrexham. One final Championship run, with the possibility of taking the club to the Premier League. High wages, adoring fans… and maybe he’ll finally get that Hollywood biopic made, with Ryan Reynolds starring.

Karim Benzema

Just five years ago, the Real Madrid man delivered one of the strongest Ballon D’or-winning seasons in recent memory, spearheading the La Liga giants to a treble.

In the Champions League, he was formidable, bagging hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea, as well as a brace versus Manchester City, en-route to lifting yet another European title for Madrid.

He ended that campaign with 15 goals and two assists in 12 Champions League matches, and added a further 39 goal involvements in 32 La Liga games to also secure that title.

Just over a year later, he was in Saudi Arabia, making the move to Al-Ittihad. He has since scored 67 goals throughout his time there, and departed from Al-Hilal as a free agent in August. He bagged 17 Saudi Pro League goals in his final term, and appears still capable of extracting just a little more.

Where he should go: Benzema, despite reportedly being unwilling to move back to Europe, should consider a Premier League side. FourFourTwo can picture the Frenchman at Everton, following their failure to secure the signature of Folarin Balogun. If Carlo Ancelotti could put pen to paper at Goodison Park, so can Benzema at the Hill Dickinson.

Paul Pogba

The former Juventus and Manchester United man, in comparison to the two aforementioned players, bizarrely looks to have little left in the tank, despite an expectation that he should have — just 33 years old and struggling to pick up the pieces following his doping ban in February 2024.

There was once a time, in football’s collective and not so distant memory, that Pogba stood tall as the finest on the pitch in a World Cup final, bagging a mid-range strike to extend his side’s slim lead.

As has often been the case with high-profile Manchester United transfers in recent years, that transfer appeared to destroy the Frenchman’s career — mere seasons after his Serie A exploits left jaws dropped.

For his most recent side, AS Monaco in Ligue 1, he played his first game in over two years back in December of 2025, appearing in a 4-1 loss versus Rennes.

He made just six appearances, playing 133 minutes, for the club during its 2026-27 season, and is now a free transfer. But where does he go from here?

Where he should go: Retirement, or offer to play for pennies at any serious side in Europe’s Top 5 Leagues. It’s make-or-break for Pogba: either pack it all in, or enter one final stand. FFT can picture the Frenchman deciding on the Bundesliga. A DFB Pokal trophy lift with Bayer Leverkusen sounds alright, doesn’t it?

Jadon Sancho

Another player, another once gob-smacking talent reduced to rubble by Manchester United. After back-to-back-to-back loan periods with former club Borussia Dortmund, then Chelsea, then Aston Villa, it appears the Red Devils, nor any of those other clubs, want him.

So where does the 26-year-old, who once registered 29, 39 and 34 goal involvements across three separate Bundesliga seasons in his near teenage youth, go from here?

The obvious answer is to traverse the Raheem Sterling path (another free agent) and fade out into obscurity outside of Europe’s Top 5 Leagues. Or depart to Saudi, and claim their life-changing payday.

But if Sancho is serious about his career, not just his wealth, he should go the Todd Cantwell route: except not to a Championship club, but to a current Premier League side anticipated to go down.

Where he should go: If he manages to keep Hull City or Ipswich Town up, his career would be saved at a Premier League level. And if his side goes down, but he successfully wins over the fans with his play and effort, then neither team can be counted on to remain in the Championship. In a few years, he could be captaining them back to the English top-flight.

Wilfried Zaha

Once referred to as ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’ by former boss Ian Holloway, Zaha has gone down the Lionel Messi route — but only by playing MLS football in his later years.

The 33-year-old bagged three goals, and recorded an assist, in 13 appearances for Charlotte FC last season. The term prior, he struck 10, and registered six assists, in 35 matches for the MLS side.

In 2023, he made the move from Crystal Palace to Galatasaray, where he recorded 14 goal involvements in his debut season at the Super Lig club.

Zaha moved to the MLS, and played for a period in Ligue 1 at Lyon, on loan from Galatasaray — now, he’s a free agent. And the Super Lig side that released him are gunning for an unprecedented fifth consecutive Super Lig title, during a campaign in which their strongest domestic rivals are strengthening.

Where he should go: Trabzonspor. The Super Lig leaders didn’t want him, and Zaha will have the chance to play alongside Salah in a side that will surely be expected to lift Turkish silverware, and perhaps string together a half-decent Conference League run, this season. High wages, the best wing partner a Turkish top-flight forward could ask for, and the chance to prevent Galatasaray from achieving their dreams, after being dropped by the club.

There is an argument that Chelsea are better at conducting transfers than they are at winning football matches. This summer's window has done nothing to redress that balance.

While rival fans mock and scoff at the volume of transfer activity at Stamford Bridge, the reality is they're quite good at it. Xabi Alonso’s side have emerged from the 2026 summer window stronger, more balanced, and the undisputed kings of the transfer market.

The marquee acquisition of Morgan Rogers is excellent business, even at a premium price. Signing Rogers gives Chelsea what could be the most lethal front three in the Premier League alongside Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, supported by enviable depth in reserve.

Chelsea's transfer window mastery

Equal significance lies at the opposite end of the pitch, where landing 2022 World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez provides an immediate upgrade on Robert Sanchez, and solves a problem position that has plagued the club for several seasons.

Chelsea finished the window £35 million in the black, despite signing £349m worth of players. The club recouped a staggering £384m in player sales, extracting significant fees for the likes of Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, and joint-British record man Enzo Fernandez.

Even in Alonso's brief tenure to date, Chelsea's recruitment has evolved, perhaps due to the Spaniard's influence, moving away from the rigid, youth-exclusive early iterations of the BlueCo transfer model.

Recognising that raw potential requires established leadership to properly flourish, the ex-Real Madrid manager sanctioned the arrivals of Jordan Henderson, Danny Welbeck, and the aforementioned Martinez. Inserting three seasoned campaigners into the dressing room provides the maturity, leadership, and also winning pedigree necessary to give the squad a more balanced feel.

But the youthful talent pipeline remains as vibrant as ever, too. The additions of Marco Palestra, Valentin Barco, and Geovany Quenda inject energy and genuine competition for places across the pitch. Paired with veteran guidance, Chelsea’s squad profile looks healthier than at any point in recent memory.

Perhaps most impressive was Chelsea’s execution in clearing out the periphery of their squad.

Unused players who faced exclusion from the Premier League’s 25-man squad list - including Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, and Mykhailo Mudryk - were successfully moved on, most for modest transfer fees.

Despite rival clubs knowing Chelsea needed to trim the edges of their first-team group, the Blues negotiated well. In doing so, they generated vital capital given their underlying financial situation, while avoiding contravention of FIFA and FIFPRO’s new anti-’bomb squad’ regulations, which grants powers to isolated players to demand free transfers.

Naturally, no transfer window is completely flawless and Chelsea's is no different. Missing out on deadline day midfield targets Lamine Camara and Manu Kone leaves Alonso slightly lighter in central areas than ideal following Fernandez’s departure to Manchester City.

Looking at the window from a big picture perspective, Chelsea have, somehow, pulled it off, again. Generating £384m in sales while leaving the squad demonstrably stronger, balanced, and stacked with depth is an achievement, make no mistake. With no European football to distract from domestic ambitions, Stamford Bridge is primed for a serious campaign.

AS Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro has revealed the extraordinary sequence of events behind Folarin Balogun’s deadline day transfer collapse to Everton.

Speaking to Get French Football News (GFFN), Scuro detailed how medical doubts raised by the Premier League club ultimately provoked the striker to reject the move at the final minute.

Scuro explained that Monaco had established a clear financial strategy entering deadline day, combining player sales with wage relief.

'I don't want to sign after the way they treated me'

"During the day, we had a clear agreement for Balogun to go to Everton," Scuro said. "Balogun flew yesterday morning to go for medicals and sign a contract.

"Balogun, besides the salary, was also an important source of income for the club, which would help us also to balance the season."

Folarin Balogun medical dispute

While Monaco held firm against Chelsea's late-in-the-window advances for Lamine Camara, Balogun arrived in Liverpool for tests. Four hours before the deadline, Everton’s medical staff raised concerns that Scuro and the player's own medical team strongly rejected.

"At 4pm, Balogun was in Liverpool undergoing his medical. Everything was going pretty well. Around 7pm, we were contacted by Everton, raising questions about Balogun’s medical, which, for our medical staff, as well as for the player’s personal medical staff, made no sense at all.

"The explanations were not enough to justify or to bring concerns regarding the future of the player, which there aren’t. This discussion started between medical departments from here and there. It took Everton around two-to-three hours to go deep into the assessment and check with other doctors. This is a normal situation when the doctor of the club raises concerns. It’s quite normal that clubs will look for other specialists, share the images and discuss the case. This was ongoing."

Reports that Balogun had failed his medical surfaced in the media while consultations continued.

"I would say around half an hour after we were contacted. It was already in the media that Balogun has failed his medical.

"What happened was that around 10pm (9pm BST), in our time here, maybe a bit earlier, Everton realised that, OK, there is no problem. We are ready to do it. Let’s sign the contract."

"Five minutes to close the transfer window there, I signed the contract, Everton signed the contract. At the last moment, the player decided not to sign. And basically, Balogun’s allegation is that I’m not feeling well because of the way the club treated me. 'I’m not feeling well because Everton’s medical department raised doubts about my future or my health. I have nothing [wrong with me], so I’m not comfortable signing a long contract here.' And that’s the way we finish our transfer window.

"On Everton, I was not there. We have to respect [Balogun's] decision. We tried to do the work on the club side. We found solutions.

"The reality is that when 'Balo' mentioned to us this feeling that he was not comfortable, he didn’t want to sign, we didn’t see ourselves in a position to push him. We had to respect."

Manchester United are close to completing a deal with a club in the Netherlands that will see one of the Red Devils' most highly-rated youngsters spend the season out on loan.

Michael Carrick's higher-ups have negotiated some shrewd incoming business this summer, adding the likes of Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to the squad.

However, the club have not been as adept at getting unwanted and unused players off the wage bill and out of the door, particularly in recent years.

Manchester United teenager to sign for Dutch club on loan

Dutch outlet Voetbal International are reporting that 18-year-old wonderkid Chido Obi is close to joining Willem II on loan for the 2026/27 season.

Last month, reports in the Netherlands claimed Feyenoord were taking a keen interest in the youngster's immediate future, but it now appears Obi will be playing his football in Tilburg this term.

Obi came to attention in Arsenal's Hale End academy, making his under-21 debut at the age of just 15 and making international headlines when he netted 10 goals in 14-3 win against Liverpool, at under-16 level.

The Danish youth international made the move to Manchester United in 2024, along with Ayden Heaven, in search of more playing time.

Obi was handed a Premier League debut by Ruben Amorim in February 2025, and against Brentford a few months later, became the youngest player to start a Premier League game for Man United at just 17 years, 156 days. On the whole, though, he has found a pathway into the first-team hard to come by and has made a meagre seven Premier League appearances to date.

Obi's task at Old Trafford is not an easy one by any means, having to try and oust the likes of £200m trio Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

FourFourTwo understands that the club still value Obi highly and prefer a loan move – though wouldn't be opposed to selling if an offer deemed acceptable came their way.

While the English transfer window closed at 11pm on Tuesday, September 1, Dutch clubs are still able to do business until 11pm BST on Wednesday, September 2.

Willem II were promoted from the Eerste Divisie last season and are currently winless in three Eredivisie matches in 2026/27.

Obi is worth €5m, according to Transfermarkt.

If transfer windows are meant to reflect a football club’s long-term vision, Everton’s summer 2026 recruitment was a masterclass in panic, indecision and dysfunction. The Toffees' window shows nothing less than a club all at sea: decades removed from their last trophy lift, and decades away from their next.

After years of walking the financial tightrope and navigating Profitability and Sustainability (PSR) penalties, this was supposed to be the summer where the club established a clear, modern direction in their new home.

Ending deadline day in a far more precarious position than when the window opened - desperately short on attacking options and publicly lacking strategic conviction - is not how anybody wanted things to go.

Everton have outdone themselves - and not in a good way

Nowhere was this misstep more glaring than in Everton’s handling of their forward line. Sanctioning the departures of both Beto and Iliman Ndiaye on transfer deadline day was always going to be a gamble. But, doing so without getting replacements through the door is nothing more than a whopping error.

To leave David Moyes with 23-year-old Thierno Barry as the club’s sole recognised senior striker is...errr...not good. A promising up-and-comer he may be, but Barry netted eight goals in 41 appearances across all competitions for the Toffees last season - not something to hang your hat on.

Why wait until the eleventh hour of transfer deadline day to conclude such important business, especially when Ndiaye’s eventual exit was predictable for weeks?

Moyes himself pulled no punches regarding the state of his squad. Speaking after Everton’s 4-0 Carabao Cup victory over Preston North End, the Scot gave a characteristically blunt assessment of the club's transfer progress.

“I still think we are short in the squad and I still think we are short in quality in some places.”

Moyes noted that, despite incoming signings, the squad was numerically thinner than last season's already depleted group. His post-match comments were a clear instruction for reinforcements that ultimately went unheeded, not by design, but that's by-the-by now.

A deal for Monaco’s Folarin Balogun was on the verge of completion before Everton’s medical staff identified issues during his medical, prompting the club to halt proceedings.

The Toffees immediately pivoted to Manchester United outcast Joshua Zirkzee. Perhaps upon witnessing the wave of negative supporter backlash, Everton’s leadership got cold feet. In an attempt to salvage face, they tried to revive the Balogun deal, only for the US international to turn down the move entirely.

Comically, the USA striker walked out of Everton's training base late into the night, returning to the principality.

The resulting collapse left Everton empty-handed - a terrible look that epitomises a club operating without internal alignment.

Their lack of conviction in decision-making was exhibited in the earlier saga surrounding 19-year-old midfielder Harrison Armstrong. Everton had agreed a reported £40m deal to sell the academy graduate to Nottingham Forest - a move most likely driven by executives eyeing financial compliance.

But, following furious dissent from the fanbase, the hierarchy executed a U-turn. While keeping a talented youngster is welcome, backing out of a massive sale purely due to public outrage demonstrates a boardroom lacking internal conviction. If the club genuinely needed the funds, capitulating at the first sign of supporter anger suggests they are making policy on the fly.

To cap off a rather unimaginative window, Everton opted to re-sign Jack Grealish, as well as adding Ainsley Maitland-Niles, but not another left-back. While Grealish possesses undeniable talent, committing a massive wage package to an expensive loan signing feels short-sighted, and a sticking plaster over the remainder of their window.

Everton enter the 2026/27 campaign with a paper-thin squad, an exasperated manager, and a fanbase utterly bewildered by the handling of the window. By waiting until deadline day, bowing to public pressure, and bungling negotiations, Everton have turned what could have been a transformative summer into months of clock-watching for the January sales.

At least doughnuts will be served for another year at the Hill Dickinson, right, Everton fans?

The Belgian attacker will call the Stadium of Light home this season, but life at Lyon wasn’t always so certain to end for Fofana. When his former side strove for qualification to the Champions League last season, the French top-flight side finished in fourth, narrowly outside of the automatic ascension spots.

Less than a week ago, the club’s second leg play-off match ended 1-2 to Super Lig side Fenerbahce, and 2-3 on aggregate. Despite Fofana converting what could have been a crucial strike in the 61st-minute, their competition crash-out was confirmed courtesy of Vedat Muriqi and Archie Brown.

In turn, as L’Equipe’s Hugo Guillemet wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “In the current context at Lyon, the bankers’ opinion carries more weight than that of the coach.” And so ended three-and-a-half years in France for the attacker — but how exactly did Fofana end up at Sunderland, with half of the Premier League knocking at his doorstep?

Lyon forced to sell, Arsenal low-balling, Palace hijacking, Roc Nation prowling — Fofana is a Black Cat

Yesterday morning, Fofana’s path to Sunderland appeared clear, despite perceived holes in Mikel Arteta's left flank. A statement cameo from Eberechi Eze in Arsenal’s 1-0 away victory versus Aston Villa made their offer for the Belgian, a London low-ball, make sense.

In 2025, before Lyon were forced to sell Fofana following their failure to achieve Champions League football, two other Premier League giants in Chelsea and Liverpool were floating on the periphery. Neither deal was made, with a valuation of €50 million placed upon the then 20-year-old’s head.

This summer, a similar saga played out initially. Lyon requested close to €40 million, but the Gunners were ultimately unwilling to part with their cash, despite seeing off Gabriel Martinelli to Saudi in late August. The breakdown of that deal allowed Sunderland to swoop in and, for a brief time, they appeared to be in pole position to make the Ligue 1 ace a Black Cat. Enter Crystal Palace.

The Eagles had previously contacted Lyon in an effort to sign the winger, after the flame of Fofana’s prospective transfer to Arsenal was snuffed out. Strangely, it was then reported that the 21-year-old was unwilling to join Crystal Palace, which made their later attempted hijacking of Sunderland’s proposed deal an even juicier development.

Ten hours remaining on deadline day: Fofana was now, somehow, tentatively pencilled in for a medical examination with the Eagles, with L’Equipe reporting that Palace was his preferred destination.

An hour before this? Fofana had been given the green light to travel to Sunderland for another medical, as revealed by transfer expert David Ornstein, in a deal worth around €35 million.

Less than 24 hours before that? With Arsenal travelling to Villa Park, L’Equipe reported that it was actually the Gunners who stood tallest in the Premier League race to secure Fofana’s services.

At 1:45pm BST on Tuesday afternoon, the 21-year-old was revealed to have spoken to Pierre Sage in the late morning, and been convinced by the Eagles boss to join Crystal Palace on a five-year deal. The transfer fee was quoted at €39 million, including bonuses, with both Sunderland and Arsenal retaining interest in the Belgian.

But Sunderland, who would later prevail in the heat of deadline day battle, flipped the script on Lyon, offering the player’s agents larger commission payments, and matching Palace’s slightly higher transfer fee, as reported shortly after 4pm BST.

Fofana decided to cease all contact with the Eagles despite, supposedly, being en-route to London for a medical examination. Moments later, news broke that the Belgian was waiting to board his plane, in the middle of a tug-of-war with two brawling English clubs determined to upstage the other.

So what did Palace do? They followed the playbook: offer the young talent’s agents higher payments. Perhaps the Eagles’ sporting director chucked a Jay-Z song on his Instagram burner’s story, we’ll never know — but Fofana’s agency is Roc Nation, and money is The Blueprint.

Finally, in a late twist that feels hilariously divorced from transfer saga reality, even in the Ramy Abbas Issa era, Fofana actually ended up completing a medical examination at Lyon… without knowing which club it was for.

At this point, it was reported that the 21-year-old could not settle on which Premier League destination was preferable — despite many assuming Sage to have a late-stage advantage, amid similar terms being offered, after managing Fofana previously at Lyon from 2023 to 2025.

In the end, it was the Belgian’s uncle, who works for Roc Nation, that stepped in and aided the player in his decision. Romain Molina reported, during the dying embers of deadline day, that an Uncle “Bouba” stood to benefit financially from his nephew’s choice, and directed him to pick Sunderland.

And so concluded one of the craziest deadline day sagas in Premier League history, with the Black Cats emerging victorious in a deal worth over €35 million, including add-ons. Fofana's contract is set to expire in 2031, with plenty of Premier League-playing days ahead.

His family and agents, who seemingly offered the Belgian greater direction in this decision than he offered himself, will enjoy a staggering payday.

And Jay-Z, whose agency appeared strapped for cash throughout this all, finally has the funds he needed to afford studio time, so we'll be seeing another album soon... right, Mr. Carter? What a day.

It is that time of year again. The world of football in the UK is ready to explode into life, with leagues open and down the country returning after a long summer of international football. While the World Cup had its fair share of thrills and spills, nothing beats club football, and the Premier League looks set to have one of its most thrilling seasons of all time.

The Big Six - or however many clubs now belong to the club - are breaking transfer records left, right, and centre. Clubs experiencing their first forays into Europe - or first in a long while - are preparing to find out whether their squads can cope with the rigours of dual focus. Newly-promoted teams are assessing if they will be strong enough to survive amongst the big boys.

So, with the Premier League in the early stages of the season, who are the favourites and what is it that’s driving experts and fans alike to back them in great numbers?

Arsenal

For Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, as has been the case for a number of years now, consistency appears to be what is keeping them high in the betting consideration. At one online casino in the UK that offers sports odds, they are currently favourites to go back-to-back.

After the Spaniard’s first title as manager in 2025/26, the club has largely been conservative in the market. Piero Hincapie’s loan move is now permanent, and Christos Tzolis has arrived from Club Brugge. Aside from a mooted blockbuster move for Vinicius Junior, Arsenal appear to be sticking and not twisting.

Manchester City

The now Pep Guardiola-less City are second favourites to win their first Premier League title since 2024. They may still have edged Arsenal as favourites had it not been for the Spanish legend’s departure, but they may also have dropped further down the list had it not been for their early transfer business.

It may only be one player that stands out, but getting Elliot Anderson for a record-breaking English fee means that Enzo Maresca now has one of the World Cup’s breakout performers on the books. His performances for England have shown that he can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Declan Rice, which is key given Rodri’s potential departure and increasing injury issues.

Liverpool

For the red side of Merseyside, it’s not a transfer on the player front that has them third-favourites to reclaim the title that they so timidly surrendered last season. They may not be expected to romp to a title with ease, but their new manager could be what they need to reinvigorate them.

Arne Slot has been replaced by Andoni Iraola, and his impressive spell at Bournemouth bodes well for the Reds. His aggressive style of play has been likened to Jurgen Klopp’s already this summer. However, it is the case that his preferred playstyle mirrors the rock-and-roll football that earned Liverpool a Champions League and Premier League title under the German.

Manchester United

It has been a while since United were considered within the top four favourites for the title. This year highlighting that they may have improved but that they still sit some way off the quality needed to challenge at the very top.

For the Red Devils, much of the early hype - if you can call it that - is based on whether they will be able to continue the impressive form that Michael Carrick oversaw to earn them Champions League football. The results were exactly what was needed at Old Trafford and, if the club legend can keep it going, United will continue to be favoured.

The Best of the Rest

Elsewhere, both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have had an impressive summer window, signing top performers for nearly £100 million and more in the form of Morgan Rogers and Sandro Tonali, respectively. Of course, when the fixtures start to come thick and fast, everything will change, but there’s a lot to be excited about as the season returns.

Southampton sold Taylor Harwood-Bellis to Aston Villa on transfer deadline day but their former defender created the emblem that will follow them around for the rest of the season.

The Harwood-Bellis binoculars will be adopted at grounds up and down the Championship, a gleeful reminder that Southampton sought an unfair advantage last term and ended up knocking themselves out of the play-offs instead.

Saints chairman Dragan Solak showed an extraordinary degree of faith in manager Tonda Eckert. His team lost their shot at promotion and were docked four points for 2026-27 but Eckert remains in his post and Southampton have a plan.

Eckert’s Southampton are playing on the front foot and outscoring Championship rivals

There were times last season when Southampton in the Premier League seemed extremely unlikely. Eckert turned those fortunes around and has been given the courtesy of a chance to prove where their results did and didn’t come from.

Not all ownership groups would have responded in the same way. It’s up to Eckert to show that he warrants the backing.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

It’s goals that are his weapon of choice in the wake of ‘Spygate’ and Southampton are delivering.

Saints’ 1-1 entertaining draw at Birmingham City might look at first glance like a quieter night at the office. Viewed from a certain angle, though, it’s evidence that a high-scoring team can go away to the division’s toughest grounds and eke out results.

Eckert’s team have scored 10 goals in their four Championship matches. Only Wolverhampton Wanderers – thanks to a Konstantinos Mavrapanos own goal – have scored more. Southampton’s expected goals (xG) value is the highest in the second tier, 1.5 goals higher than Wolves.

They’ve outscored their xG even so, and the player most responsible for putting away those chances is striker Cyle Larin, who scored twice against Millwall in the win that took Southampton into positive points and off the foot of the table.

The Canadian had two very presentable chances at St Andrew’s but failed to hit the target with either. Eckert was unmoved when asked about his number nine, saying that he’s put everything away so far.

On a night when it was their opponents who had the majority of the game’s big chances, Southampton’s goal came from another source. Defender Keven Schlotterbeck thumped them into the lead with a header from a corner in first-half stoppage time before August Priske equalised 10 minutes into the second half.

The visitors returned to the south coast with one point rather than three but moved up one more rung on the long ladder back, and Eckert can take encouragement from a set piece goal and the return of former captain James Ward-Prowse, whose free kicks at Birmingham drew a good save from James Beadle and led to a disallowed Kuryu Matsuki goal.

Ward-Prowse’s golf-club supply adds to the more fluid influence of Finn Azaz. The 25-year-old remains a crucial component in Eckert’s supply line, playing line-breaking passes from deep and creating at closer quarters higher up the pitch.

All these cogs and more are turning in the name of goals and firepower could be the essence of Eckert’s second promotion quest. Southampton will make mistakes at the back, will concede goals; they did both against Birmingham.

With Larin firing, set pieces producing, Ward-Prowse pitching and wedging, and Azaz’s artistry packing a punch, opposition managers will know that their first job is to keep Southampton out.

The ability of Eckert’s team to keep making chances and taking them at a clinical rate will be key if they’re to bounce back after the brutal heartbreak of a unique and self-inflicted setback at the end of last season.

Joao Gomes won’t forget his Aston Villa debut in a hurry. On his early return from injury, the midfielder started an awful performance with a yellow card and ended it with a straight red. He played 39 minutes and Villa were already 4-0 down.

Their first half at Brighton & Hove Albion in the first Premier League match of the season was reflected in Gomes’ display and was a brutal reminder that decimating a football team by ripping out its spine is going to make life difficult.

Playing Arsenal is its own challenge but Villa’s first game already had the feel of a season nadir. It could get worse for Unai Emery before it gets better. Fortunately for Villa, his very presence is their saving grace.

Can Villa shake it all about and avoid a decline?

It would be naïve to pretend that everything at Villa is hunky-dory and they’ll be cruising through to the latter rounds of the Champions League while maintaining a top-four spot, but the sheer heft of their incoming transfer business is a counterweight to the black clouds gathering over the early part of the season.

Emery and president of football operations Roberto Olabe have revolutionised Villa’s squad. Nicolas Jackson, Johan Manzambi, Alejandro Garnacho and the arrival of Ibrahim Mbaye add to a pacy attack at the front of a team younger and more financially future-proofed than the one they’re replacing.

Medium-term sellability is something Villa must take very seriously if they’re to avoid stumbling back into the trap that led to six of the players who started the Europa League final in May leaving before the end of August.

Villa’s new signings offer hope for tomorrow but today and yesterday have been bruising. There’s no getting away from it.

Lucas Digne. Youri Tielemans. Morgan Rogers. Ezri Konsa. Emiliano Martinez. Ollie Watkins. That list of names will be etched into the memories of Villa supporters, for better, for worse, forever.

The exodus has the potential to be a disaster. Unavoidable in isolation but bearing the fingerprints of poor decisions past, such drastic change has compelled various pundits to speak of doom and disarray.

They might have a case. At the very least, a decline in Villa’s fortunes on the field is likelier than not. That’s as much about the heights of 2025-26 as the pitfalls of 2026-27.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

The Emery model will be put to the test this season

Emery himself is the single reason why decline is likelier than disaster and neither is inevitable.

Speaking to the media before the Arsenal game, the Villa boss tossed away the word that’s been on the lips even of optimistic supporters.

“In football, if you are expecting a transition, then maybe you are not in the right way,” he said. “We must compete and win, rebuilding the team as fast as possible. We have to accept our way and our decisions and why we are taking some decisions. I am positive.”

Next time The T Word comes up in a Villa context, remember that the manager has no truck with the idea. It’s that attitude that encapsulates everything Emery has brought to the club.

Notwithstanding his evident annoyance over Watkins’ absence against Brighton, Emery has come across as more positive and more fired-up at the start of this season than ever before.

He’s clearly raring to go the moment the transfer window is closed – Emery hates the transfer window – and he can get back to the task he’s excellent at.

Something else that’s often overlooked is that Emery, while not immune to poor results, is embedded in a club where he has near-total control over football matters. There are few eggs laid at Villa Park these days that don’t drop straight into the Emery basket.

It’s a spectacularly risky strategy on the part of Villa’s owners in an era of head coaches and sporting directors, but their faith in the boss has proved rewarding thus far. The manager and the model are in the foothills of their greatest challenge yet, and this season will put them both to the test.

They’ve already made a big noise together. Now, Villa can start to see the quiet return of the club’s trust in Emery.

The next few months and maybe a few more beyond that are bound to be a difficult spell. Villa have rebuilt quickly in terms of personnel, but teams take longer.

They have a manager who’s both emotionally invested enough to be committed through the rough stuff and good enough to justify the patience of Nassef Sawiris while it happens.

Anything could happen at Villa this season. Upheaval is a destructive force in football, and continuity can go a long way. Villa have precious little of that, but the one sturdy pillar they do have is the most important of all.

Keira Walsh hopes her former Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas can make a major impact on the Women’s Super League, with the midfielder excited to see her friend and two-time Ballon d’Or winner take on the English game.

Putellas moved to London City Lionesses this summer after 14 years with Barcelona, winning three Champions League titles in that time, two of which Walsh won alongside her in 2023 and 2024 during the 29-year-old's three year stint there.

She is one of a number of high-profile arrivals and returning players in the WSL this summer, with Georgia Stanway and Ona Batlle joining Arsenal and Mary Earps and Kadidiatou Diani also joining Putellas at London City.

'It shows where women's football is at in England'

“Alexia’s a big name but she's definitely got all the talent to back that up,” Walsh said. “So first and foremost, I hope that she has an impact in the league.

“I think after seeing how hard she works and what she's about, that would be great for her. But in general, it's really exciting to have one of the best players in the world, if not the best player in the world, in our league.

“It's a really exciting time for the league. If you look at a lot of the signings that have come in the summer, a lot of teams have strengthened. Being an English player, and having played in this league for so long, I first played here when I was 17 - so 12 years ago.

“To know that people see it as the most competitive league and one of the most attractive leagues, with the likes of Alexia coming over and playing here now.

“It just shows where women’s football is at in England. Being in that space, it's really exciting to see that people are behind us and they're backing us.

“It’s the biggest difference in the league now, from when I first joined - seeing all the top players coming from abroad and playing here.

“It’s a really competitive league now and every team has an unbelievable squad. Seeing that squad depth and squad quality across most teams has improved so much.”

Chelsea chasing WSL glory again as they move to Stamford Bridge

But while Walsh is excited to see her former Barcelona team-mate in the WSL, her focus is firmly on helping Chelsea reclaim the title after Manchester City, Walsh’s former side, ended their remarkable run of six successive titles last season.

“The aim at Chelsea is always to win the WSL. Last year it went to City but the league was more competitive than it has been. In women’s football in general, we want that but obviously I would have preferred for the trophy to have come back with us.

“We need to control games better this season and when we're on top, we need to close out games and ride out the tough moments to make it hard for teams to come back. We made it difficult for ourselves last season.”

This season also marks a significant change for Chelsea, as they move their home from Kingsmeadow to Stamford Bridge after nine years at the 4,850-capacity stadium in Kingston upon Thames.

The Blues played four WSL games and all of their Champions League games at Stamford Bridge last season, but have now committed to host all of their home league matches at the 40,000-capacity stadium.

“I think it's an incredible move from the club,” Walsh said, on the move to the 40,000-capacity stadium. “Even just playing on a pitch of that quality in that stadium is an incredible feeling as a player.

“It makes you feel like you're being taken really seriously. And yeah, that's something that Chelsea have done. And I think to play in front of our fans at Stamford Bridge, you know, the place that we call home is really special.”

The latest FourFourTwo football quiz couldn't be simpler. If you're a Champions League expert with a grip on the full history of the competition, you'll be able to knock this one out of the park in seconds.

The Champions League replaced the European Cup in 1992-93 and the modern era is what we're focused on for the purposes of this quiz. That's a clue. We'll name some footballers. You just need to tap YES or NO on their Champions League involvement or otherwise.

There are 20 players in all and just 4 minutes on the clock. We're not including play-offs or qualifiers – that doesn't make a difference for any of these players – and we're looking specifically at the UEFA Champions League. You know the one.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has many more football quizzes and they're all courtesy of Kwizly. For starters, we want you to name every top-flight team in English men's football since 1945 and every club playing in the EFL Championship, League One and League Two right now.

If those long lists float your boat, these are for you as well. Can you name the first goalscorer of every Premier League season or every team in the top two tiers of women's football in England?

Continuing a domestic football quizzing kick? Answer all these questions about the Premier League's one-season wonders. Then, away from English football, can you name the 50 most expensive players ever signed by Barcelona or Real Madrid?

FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 67 features clues on shirt sponsors, EFL counties, and relegations. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

Last season, much was made of Hugo Ekitike, a standout striker in a faltering Liverpool attack, whose season tragically ended with an achilles tear versus PSG in the Champions League.

Erling Haaland won the Golden Boot (for the third time in four seasons, with only Mohamed Salah able to disrupt his streak) and the Frenchman hit 11 Premier League goals in 28 appearances.

For all the noise surrounding Ekitike, and Haaland’s Golden Boot procession, a certain Brazilian was quietly staking his claim as the Premier League’s next best striker. This season, he will realise it.

Joao Pedro will win the 2026/27 Golden Boot, here's why

Joao Pedro, like his French peer, was equally a standout in a failing Chelsea machine. He ended the season with the Blues’ Player of the Season award, and 15 Premier League goals in 35 appearances.

In all competitions, that total rose to 20, three more than Ekitike’s haul, and he equalled the Frenchman’s assist tally of six.

Despite his season-ending injury, Ekitike made just five fewer appearances than Pedro, and neither striker took penalties, with spot kick responsibilities falling to Salah and Cole Palmer.

Both attackers were clinical in their finishing: Pedro bagged 15 top-flight strikes from an xG of 14.96, and Ekitike struck 11 from an xG of 9.87.

But how will the Brazilian dethrone Haaland, who finished the Premier League season with a whopping 27 goals and was Manchester City’s penalty-taker?

To state the obvious, this isn’t the same Cityzens side that the Norwegian has played in since his debut campaign in 2022/23, when he broke the 38-game goal record.

To state the less obvious, and bear with, Haaland winning the Golden Boot would make for his fourth in five years, and tie him in the standings for most of all time alongside the Premier League’s greatest: Thierry Henry and Salah.

Will the football Gods allow him to tie that record? Both the Liverpool and Arsenal goalscorers played at least eight top-flight seasons to reach four Golden Boots, while Haaland is set to do so in virtually as many years as he has been in England.

FourFourTwo doesn’t believe so, and a historical rewind might just prove it. Many assumed a decade ago that Harry Kane would have broken the Golden Boot record with ease, so, why didn’t he?

The answer is, of course, Salah. The Egyptian steamrolled the league in his debut Liverpool season by, like Haaland, breaking the Premier League goal record. His tally of 32 denied Kane a third Boot, despite the Englishman hitting a staggering 30 Premier League goals — he even swore on his daughter’s life to have one of them recorded in his name.

Five seasons later, Salah was on track to achieve his fourth Golden Boot in 2022/23, so, why didn’t he? Again, the answer is obvious: a man named Erling Haaland arrived.

And when Haaland looked all but certain to three-peat in 2024/25, the Egyptian turned back the clock to claim his fourth, delivering the greatest individual season in Premier League history.

The point is, when goalscorers of Kane, Salah and Haaland’s calibre play in this league, it appears all but inevitable that the award will go to them. But when the Golden Boot record is on the line, someone, somehow, emerges out of nowhere to prevent it from being claimed so easily.

It is Pedro who will be the foil this season — a clinical, multi-faceted goalscorer playing in a Chelsea system that has begun the campaign in rock-and-roll fashion by winning games 4-3 and 3-2.

This is a high-scoring attack, with two top-tier creative players in Palmer and Morgan Rogers, and Pedro is the finishing centre-point. He already has two-in-two, as does Haaland, but this is the season in which the Brazilian won’t slow. The Norwegian, on the other hand, has entered mid-season slumps in each of his previous two campaigns, and life under Maresca won’t be as peachy as it was under Pep Guardiola.

Perhaps hitting 30 goals remains out of reach for the Blues forward, but Haaland will likely be kept in the low 20s as he adapts to a new Manchester City team and system. With Ekitike unlikely to return as the same player post-injury, and Alexander Isak certain to struggle in a Liverpool front-line that requires a season, at minimum, to adapt, Pedro’s path to the Golden Boot appears clear.

Chelsea might be a few seasons away from developing the class required to win a Premier League title, but their clinical Brazilian is already there.

Can you answer 10 football trivia questions in just 90 seconds? Let's find out with a brand new FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has many more football quizzes courtesy of Kwizly. Let's begin with our Big World Cup 2026 Quiz, which comprises 20 questions about 104 matches and more in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Closer to home, we want you sort these teams by the total number of league titles they've won in their histories. Up to the present day, can you name every team in the top two divisions of women's football in England?

If you're up for a serious continental football tester, try to name the 50 most expensive players ever signed by Barcelona or Real Madrid. If it's English football you want, how about naming every top-flight team in English men's football since 1945?

History a strong point? Perfect! You'll be able to name every player to have won both the World Cup and the Ballon d'Or during their careers. No excuses!

Let's stick with the Ballon d'Or for one more. Can you name every Premier League player to have picked up a Ballon d'Or nomination since 2000?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

Everton are closing in on a dramatic deadline day loan deal for Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee after their proposed move for Monaco forward Folarin Balogun appeared to collapse.

The Toffees had been on the verge of finalising a move for Balogun to spearhead their attack, but negotiations have ground to a halt following the player’s medical, according to reports.

Everton’s medical staff reportedly identified issues during Balogun's screening tests on deadline day.

Everton chase late Zirkzee loan deal

As a direct consequence of those results, the club hierarchy have seemingly taken the decision to pull the plug on the transfer, unwilling to commit significant financial resources to a deal with potential underlying risks.

Left scrambling for an alternative goalscorer in the final hours of the window, Everton have pivoted toward Manchester United’s outcast Dutchman Zirkzee.

According to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Everton have been in contact with Man United directly to negotiate a late loan deal, in response to Balogun’s medical falling through.

The 25-year-old forward has found himself sidelined at Old Trafford for months, failing to log a single minute of action across either of the club's opening two Premier League fixtures of the 2026/27 season.

Zirkzee’s standing at Old Trafford has plummeted, too, following last summer's additions of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

His last goal in a competitive fixture for Manchester United came at the end of 2025 during a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he has struggled to play any sort of consistent role ever since.

Having fallen completely out of favour under manager Michael Carrick, Zirkzee is clearly not in the head coach's long-term plans, making a deadline day exit the ideal resolution for all parties.

For Everton, bringing in Zirkzee serves as a salvage operation following the disappointment of the Balogun collapse.

While the Dutch forward arrives as a secondary fallback option rather than the club's primary target, his arrival provides much-needed depth and competition upfront for the Toffees following Iliman Ndiaye's exit for Manchester City.

The transfer deadline in England is at 11pm.

Even after relegation scares in back-to-back seasons, the most pessimistic of Spurs supporters probably wouldn't have predicted being rock bottom after two games, with a -5 goal difference.

Or perhaps they would have, from recent trauma build-up. Still, Tottenham Hotspur’s summer incomings have been impressive, and arrived with an expectation of achieving European football this season.

But the North London club, at best, could be considered slightly overzealous in regard to its expenditure this summer, and their haste in helping to solve Chelsea’s wage bill issue is worrying, to say the least.

Tottenham Hotspur secure services of Chelsea duo, but why?

Ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline at 11pm BST, Spurs look set to secure the services of Chelsea duo Mykhailo Mudryk and Tosin Adarabioyo.

Their London rivals are willing to shift the pair in an effort to solve their wage bill issues, and Spurs seem all too eager to aid them in this regard.

Mudryk will sign on a season-long loan, while Adarabioyo is expected to move on a permanent transfer for around £7 million — combined, they recorded zero goals and zero assists in 23 Premier League appearances last season.

Chelsea, in contrast to the North London club, are fourth in the Premier League table, having taken two wins from two against Brighton and Fulham — blockbuster 3-2 and 4-3 victories.

Last season, they finished in 10th, accumulating just nine additional points to Spurs’ tally of 41, which saw them capable of being relegated all the way until the Premier League’s final gameweek.

If you stare hard enough, you’ll find that there was likely an expectation for the two clubs to perform as peers this season, yet Tottenham Hotspur have, rather alarmingly, found themselves vacuuming the crumbs up off the floor in Chelsea’s kitchen.

And that should worry fans of the North London club — after an initially serious summer in which Spurs secured the services of Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Savio, Jan Paul van Hecke, Omar Marmoush, and further Premier League-proven talent, this is a concerning sign.

It’s one thing to take players from Manchester City; Enzo Maresca’s men will likely challenge for the Premier League title this season, and the Savio-Marmoush duo bring multiple top-level seasons of experience under Pep Guardiola’s wing to London.

But a pair of 'B squad' players from Chelsea with little observable Premier League impact? What benefits could this duo bring that outweigh the positive impact it will have on the Blues’ wage bill, and their rivals’ ability to compete?

How good can Mudryk and Tosin possibly be, for paying £7m and the pair’s wages, to prevent Chelsea from getting the last laugh here?

During a summer in which Spurs appeared determined to turn a page, their performances on the pitch have scarcely improved, and their transfer business will conclude on a sour note.

And while fans of the North London club will surely stay focused on seeing the likes of Fernandes, Tonali, Savio and Marmoush come good, they should keep a closer eye on the duo that Chelsea appear overwhelmingly likely to have fleeced them for.

Arsenal are sweating over the fitness of midfielder Declan Rice after the England international limped off at Villa Park during the Gunners' 1-0 Premier League victory against Aston Villa.

Bukayo Saka’s 59th-minute goal ultimately secured all three points for Mikel Arteta’s side, but the win came at a cost.

In the 85th minute, Rice was forced off while visibly limping, with Martin Zubimendi taking his place to see out the closing moments. Just six minutes prior to Rice's departure, centre-back Cristhian Mosquera went down holding his thigh and was replaced by Ezri Konsa, handing Arteta a worrying double injury blow.

Declan Rice limps off after summer of injury discontent

While Arsenal are yet to clarify whether Rice’s substitution was a precautionary measure following a knock or indicative of a muscle strain, his departure did set alarm bells ringing.

Rice had persistent fitness issues over the summer while representing England at the 2026 World Cup, where he reportedly suffered from neural pain affecting his lower back and hamstrings.

Those physical issues were likely the byproduct of a demanding 2025/26 campaign for Arsenal, during which Rice featured 55 times for the club and made 49 starts.

Adding to the concern is the short turnaround Rice had between international duty and returning to club action.

Following England’s final World Cup match on July 18, Rice was granted less than four weeks of rest before joining Arsenal's pre-season preparations and featuring in the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16.

With William Saliba already ruled out for the foreseeable future after suffering a back injury during the World Cup, losing Rice would be a major blow.

Arteta will hope the midfielder's issue proves minor as Arsenal evaluate his condition ahead of their upcoming fixtures.

Are you a transfer expert? Let's find out. The Premier League has become a game of investment and all of its teams are breaking their transfer records left and right, year after year. This FourFourTwo quiz is all about the Arsenal.

Managers Arsene Wenger and Mikel Arteta have both delivered the title in the Premier League era. While the Gunners have made a virtue of signing players who suit a style of play, they're willing and able to dig deep in order to get them.

This quiz asks you to name Arsenal's 50 biggest signings ever within a time limit of 12 minutes. Let us know how you do!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has loads of football quizzes, all courtesy of Kwizly. If you get a good score on these Arsenal signings, you might fancy your chances of naming every club to have won any one of England's top four tiers and placing each of these famous football statues outside the right stadium.

We also want you to show off your English football pyramid expertise, present and past, by naming every club in the Football League right now and every top flight club in England since 1945.

If it's the Premier League you know best, try our one-season wonders quiz and take on this challenge to sort these players in order of their total numbers of Premier League appearances.

FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 67 features clues on shirt sponsors, EFL counties, and relegations. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

Liverpool are attempting a last-minute transfer raid, targeting VfB Stuttgart in their efforts to sign a replacement for departed superstar Mohamed Salah.

The Reds have overseen a transfer window of mixed outcomes — on the one hand, they experienced a mass exodus of veterans in Salah, Andrew Roberton and Ibrahima Konate this summer, and nearly lost Cody Gakpo to a strong Manchester City bid; on the other, they recently secured the services of PSG superstar Bradley Barcola.

The Frenchman will join Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, a soon-to-be-fit Hugo Ekitike and summer signing Victor Munoz in a revamped Liverpool attack, but Andoni Iraola’s men are looking to see another forward join their ranks, now targeting the Bundesliga.

Liverpool target electric Bundesliga winger Jamie Leweling

According to Sky Germany, both Liverpool and Everton are after Stuttgart forward Jamie Leweling, with the former deeming him a potential Salah replacement.

The 25-year-old is contracted to the Bundesliga side until 2029, meaning he will not come for cheap, or easily, however, his contributions during the 2025-26 season could make the late plunge worth it.

Leweling bagged 11 goals in all competitions for Stuttgart during his latest campaign, seven of which came in the Bundesliga, and recorded 12 assists, nine of which were in the German top-flight.

The German was clinical in his finishing, missing just one Opta-defined Big Chance in the Bundesliga season, and scoring his seven strikes from an xG of 4.31.

He also created the joint second-most Big Chances for Stuttgart, tied for ten with Angelo Stiller and Maximilian Mittelstadt.

Outside of goal contributions, Leweling proved underwhelming from a take-on perspective, recording just one dribble p/90. His physicality was a level above, recording nearly seven duels won p/90, at a success rate just shy of 50%.

Roma have displayed significant interest in recent hours regarding Leweling, however, no deal has yet been completed, with both Everton and Liverpool retaining interest.

Should the 25-year-old join in a last-minute transfer to Anfield, he would operate as a natural replacement for Salah on the right flank. Additionally, he brings left wing experience.

Conversely, new signings Munoz and Barcola favour the left flank; in the absence of Leweling, it is Gakpo who would likely be turned to in times of need, should Liverpool fail to fill Salah’s vacant position.

The Reds have also exhibited interest in Ismaila Sarr and Yankuba Minteh, both Premier League-proven talents, however, neither deal appears likely at this stage. If they are to obtain Leweling, it is near certain to cost a significant premium.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a lift on transfer deadline day as Swedish international Dejan Kulusevski returned to full team training, 477 days after suffering a complex knee injury.

The 26-year-old forward has not featured in a competitive fixture since May 2025, when a challenge during a Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace left him with patella cartilage damage in his right knee.

While initial diagnoses suggested a minor knock, subsequent scans revealed significant cartilage damage requiring surgery.

Dejan Kulusevski returns to Spurs training after 477 days

His rehabilitation was heavily disrupted by setbacks and because cartilage lacks a direct blood supply, the joint failed to heal naturally under increased workloads, forcing Kulusevski to undergo a second surgical procedure to clean out the affected area.

In total, the Swede's 15-month ordeal has forced him to sit out well over 60 matches for club and country.

From the sidelines, Kulusevski has watched a turbulent chapter in Spurs’ recent history unfold. Former manager Ange Postecoglou departed, Thomas Frank arrived and left, then so did Igor Tudor.

New head coach Roberto De Zerbi has since taken the reins, but Kulusevski has been out of action for so long, he has missed Tottenham's 2025 Europa League title, as well as the entirety of last season's domestic struggles, including a 17th-place Premier League finish. He was also forced to miss Sweden’s 2026 World Cup campaign.

For De Zerbi, who has faced a frustrating start to the 2026/27 campaign following consecutive losses to Brentford and Newcastle, Kulusevski’s return provides a boost to Tottenham’s attacking options.

The versatile attacker’s ability to operate as a direct right-winger or more of a central playmaker offers De Zerbi the options his side has lacked for quite some time.

Given that Kulusevski has spent 477 days away from first-team action, realistic expectations must be maintained. Re-integrating into high-intensity Premier League football following two surgical procedures and a prolonged period of inactivity will require significant patience from Spurs supporters, and it will inevitably take time before he recovers full match sharpness and rhythm.

Nevertheless, stepping back onto the training pitch alongside his teammates is a significant milestone.

"After 477 days I came back to full team training," Kulusevski wrote on social media.

"Everything is impossible until is [sic] not. Want to see a miracle. Be one. See u soon."

The proposed move would see Nwaneri join Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund on loan, without an option to purchase, according to reports.

Arsenal, who will strive to retain the Premier League title for the first time in the North London club’s history this season, are willing to part ways with their 19-year-old prospect.

Borussia Dortmund’s interest in Nwaneri pre-dates the signing of Giannis Konstantelias; however, the Gunners youngster is expected to receive greater playing minutes after the Greek attacker sustained a recent injury.

Konstantelias suffers ligament injury, Nwaneri travels for medical to Dortmund

According to transfers expert David Ornstein, the 19-year-old is travelling today to Dortmund to undergo his medical exam.

Konstantelias is braced for a lengthy sideline spell after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his debut Bundesliga appearance versus Hamburger SV — in which he also hit his first goal.

Dortmund prevailed 2-0 on the day, with Konstantelias scoring his side’s second: a glorious right-footed effort from just inside the box.

Following the Greek’s injury, Dortmund reached out to Arsenal and made it clear that Nwaneri’s arrival had become a priority, before an arrangement was ironed out.

Prior to this heightened interest, the youngster was reportedly considering a loan move to Fulham, prioritising a stay in the Premier League. This will no longer happen.

The 19-year-old did not appear in the squad for the Gunners’ 3-0 pre-season victory against Manchester City in the Community Shield, missing out alongside Gabriel Martinelli.

The Brazilian has since departed for Saudi Arabia, and Nwaneri is now Bundesliga-bound, with Arteta’s side hoping that the 19-year-old is able to develop further with Dortmund.

The youngster spent the second half of the 2025/26 season on loan with Marseille in Ligue 1, scoring twice, and assisting once, in nine French top-flight appearances.

Nwaneri also scored against Dortmund for Arsenal in pre-season, during a 3-2 loss in the Emirates Cup — and converted his penalty in the post-match shootout.

Since making his Premier League debut for the North London club in 2022, aged just 15, Nwaneri has failed to break into a side that has competed for the English top-flight title in four successive seasons.

He has made 51 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 10 and assisting two, with Mikel Arteta confessing in August that he would like the 19-year-old to stay, but that he needs to receive further opportunities.

The club reportedly weighed up the benefits of selling their youngster outright, however, a loan period has been agreed. Should Nwaneri seize the chances he will receive at Dortmund, a sale or place in the first team are both possible for him upon his return to London.

At the fourth time of asking, Arsenal secured the Premier League title in their third race against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City last season.

Previously, they fell to the Cityzens in 2022/23 after leading for the campaign’s bulk, again in 2023/24, then to a Mohamed Salah-led Liverpool in 2024/25.

The Gunners, who secured the English top-flight crown with 85 points in May, have never retained the Premier League title, however, their quest to do so now appears slightly easier, and less expensive, following an accidental discovery versus Aston Villa.

Do Arsenal really need a left winger?

Mikel Arteta’s men emerged victorious on Monday evening, taking home three points following a 1-0 victory at Villa Park.

New signing Christos Tzolis, who began his Gunners career with two assists in Arsenal's Community Shield final victory versus Manchester City, was hooked at half-time against Villa, with the score tied at 0-0.

In came Eberechi Eze, who featured on the left wing for the second half’s duration, in which Arsenal took the lead, and then maintained it, through Bukayo Saka.

Arteta’s side are not short on attacking depth, despite the loss of youngster Ethan Nwaneri to Borussia Dortmund on loan, and the departure of Gabriel Martinelli to Saudi Arabia.

That was evidenced by both players being absent from the Community Shield final squad, in which the North London club ran riot from an offensive perspective, scoring three in under 50 minutes.

On the bench that day were Eze, Saka, Viktor Gyokeres and Declan Rice, with Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, Bruno Guimaraes and Tzolis handed starts versus Enzo Maresca’s side.

And with Eze’s appearance against Villa, it appears that any fears regarding reinforcement on the left flank have been alleviated, with the Englishman well-adjusted to challenge for the role.

The statistics painted a clear picture: 80% pass accuracy, three duels won, seven carries for a total distance of almost 100 metres, one of which being progressive, and six kilometres covered.

And, more importantly, three points for the Gunners after a dominant second half — limiting the chasing Villans to 0.24 Expected Goals (xG) while Arteta’s side racked up 0.7, and bagged the deciding goal.

Much has been made of Arsenal’s strength in the position, yet Eze’s appearance now certainly warrants consideration as an alternate to Tzolis.

The Gunners reportedly tried their luck with Malick Fofana at Lyon, but were rebuffed after low-balling for the player. That appears to have allowed Sunderland to sign the winger for a price the French club deem more acceptable, in one of the strongest deals of the summer transfer window.

Positioned second in the Premier League table, and yet to concede a goal, the future appears bright for Arteta’s side. And fans would be forgiven for interpreting Eze’s cameo as a firm statement — Arsenal can retain their top-flight title, and they already hold all the necessary keys to do so.

Liverpool have suffered another setback in the transfer market as Premier League rivals Chelsea appear to have won the battle to sign AS Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara.

According to Italian transfer reporter Nicolò Schira, the Blues are into the final stages of agreeing terms to sign the Senegalese international, successfully outbidding the Reds in the final stretch of the summer window.

It was reported last week that both Liverpool and Chelsea were actively weighing up moves for the coveted 22-year-old, whose performances in Ligue 1 had helped establish him as one of Europe’s best young central midfielders.

Liverpool double down on midfield squad depth high-wire act

While Liverpool hesitated to firm up their interest, Chelsea have moved decisively to advance discussions and seal an agreement.

Chelsea’s willingness to splash out substantial fees late in the window, simultaneously pushing for both Camara and AS Roma’s Manu Kone, points to a major outgoing at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues hierarchy must know they are on the verge of receiving a huge financial windfall from the sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City.

Knowing that City are prepared to pay a massive sum to secure Fernandez, Chelsea are reinvesting those projected funds, adding greater physicality and tenacity to their engine room before the Argentine’s exit is formally announced.

Failing to land Camara is a blow that exacerbates an already delicate squad situation at Anfield. The Reds' fixture schedule sees them competing across four competitions, with three first-team central midfield options in Dominik Szoboszlai - who may be required to fill in at right-back - Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.

Head coach Andoni Iraola’s tactical style is notoriously demanding, relying on high-energy pressing, vertical play, and off-the-ball work-rate. Attempting to implement this with a limited number of personnel in the middle of the park could leave Iraola with a difficult few months ahead.

Chelsea's capture of Camara also runs the risk of reigniting deep-seated frustration among the Liverpool fanbase.

Supporters remain concerned that the club have never truly replaced Fabinho since the Brazilian anchor departed three years ago. While temporary fixes and attack-minded central players have filled in, Liverpool have lacked an out-and-out defensive midfielder capable of breaking up counter-attacks and establishing balance.

Camara’s blend of tenacity and athleticism would have made him an ideal candidate to solve that lingering problem.

Instead, Chelsea have seemingly beaten their rivals to a top-tier target.

Few pundits or supporters could see anything other than Arsenal retaining the Premier League trophy this season before opening day.

Mikel Arteta has strengthened his squad in all areas of the pitch, whilst the managerial changes at their major rivals over the last eight months have left them not yet in a position to challenge.

The Spaniard’s side weren’t the most attractive title winners last term, as tension crept into their approach as they chased their first championship in 22 years, but they have started this campaign with renewed confidence.

Last season, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard all had their lowest goal contributions in the last three years, so ensuring those attackers stay injury-free will naturally make some improvement.

However, there are also clear indications that they are evolving stylistically, with new signings Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis adding more creativity.

The sample size for this season is still relatively small, but the midfield seems to be progressing the ball forward more quickly, as they show signs of greater variation in their attacks.

Arsenal have only added centre-back Ezri Konsa this summer, though their full-backs are another area where they can increase their output in the final third.

Arteta likes to purchase full-backs who are comfortable in central areas, with Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapie all having spent considerable time at centre-back throughout their careers.

This enables them to not only offer cover in the centre of defence, but also make runs inside their wingers, invert into central positions in possession and provide physicality from set-pieces.

Calafiori is perhaps the most interesting example, as he was one of the best centre-backs in Serie A during the 2023/24 campaign.

Under the management of Thiago Motta at Bologna, he illustrated his ability to carry the ball forward and make line-breaking passes, whilst simultaneously intercepting opposition attacks and winning duels against robust strikers.

After moving to the Emirates, he switched back to the role which he had predominantly played in his formative years at Roma.

At Villa Park on Bank Holiday Monday, Unai Emery had clearly devised a plan to nullify his influence, with John McGinn playing on the right-hand side directly against him.

The Scotsman was happy to track him more centrally, whilst Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash also took on the responsibility of monitoring the Italian as he glided into their area of the pitch.

However, just before the hour mark, substitute Eberechi Eze played a pass inside and Calafiori displayed his athleticism to wrap his foot around and scoop the ball into the path of Saka, who bundled it past Aston Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.

After a discussion with Arteta, Calafiori and Arsenal almost repeated the move when Eze played him in once more, only for the offside flag to be raised just after the left-back had cleverly dragged the ball past a trailing Alysson.

In the 97^th minute, he was the furthest Arsenal player up the pitch as his team went in search of scoring a second.

The Italian has been directly involved in a goal in his last three games, including his early finish in the Community Shield against Manchester City.

"It was very different," said Arteta after the match when reminded his team had lost on their last visit to the ground.

"That shows our maturity, and it shows we have players who can change the momentum and understand what is needed in the game."

Calafiori is one of those players, and it would be a huge surprise if he didn’t record a seasonal best for goal contributions in Arsenal’s pursuit of back-to-back titles.

Regis Le Bris' Sunderland have kept their powder dry for much of the summer transfer window but could be about to pull off one of the deals of the season.

Following Olympique Lyonnais' failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League last week, the Ligue 1 club are in desperate need to sell key assets in order to abide by French football's financial controls.

As a consequence, important first-team players must now be jettisoned before June 30, 2027, in order to comply.

Sunderland to pull off sensational transfer on deadline day

Sunderland have pounced to potentially land one of European football's most exciting young wingers, if a deal can be completed before the transfer deadline.

Lyon winger Malick Fofana has been given permission to travel for a Black Cats medical ahead of signing on the dotted line for the north east club.

Fofana, 21, is expected to sign a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light, according to The Athletic, which would represent one of the summer's marquee transfers.

In recent days, Arsenal were linked with a move for the Belgian international but the Gunners' apparent hesitancy has allowed Sunderland to make a more attractive proposal to the up-and-coming wide attacker.

Sunderland will compete in the UEFA Europa League this season, the same competition in which Lyon dropped into following their failure to negotiate a way through the Champions League play-off round.

Fofana is highly-rated in Europe but is yet to test himself on English shores. However, the dressing room at Sunderland is likely to ease his transition with plenty of French-speaking players and a young core that aligns with the incoming Belgium winger.

The Manchester City man is set to return on a season-long loan to Everton, after an initial period in 2025/26 was plagued by injury for Grealish.

The 30-year-old’s medical is booked, with the deal anticipated to be completed before the 11pm BST transfer deadline this Tuesday evening.

A Toffees fan favourite will head the other way, as Enzo Maresca’s men look to build on their two-from-two start and mount yet another Premier League title challenge.

Iliman Ndiaye heads to Manchester, Jack Grealish returns to Everton

Manchester City have struck a deal worth up to £65 million for Ndiaye, days after the 26-year-old was expected to complete a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur. His medical will be completed this morning, according to transfer expert David Ornstein.

The Senegalese winger has been a stand-out across his two seasons on Merseyside, scoring 17 goals, and recording three assists, in 74 appearances.

In the prior deal, former Toffees hero Richarlison was expected to return to Everton; however, the Brazilian has seemingly been unable to agree to a deal with his former club.

On Monday, Richarlison posted a message to his social media accounts that appeared to put an end to the homecoming buzz — and Ndiaye’s transfer to the North London side.

"My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes, but the negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted, and it will no longer be like that,” wrote the Brazilian.

"Despite all this turmoil, I am under contract at Spurs and will remain at the club's disposal,” he concluded.

As a result, it is Maresca’s men who will see the Senegalese forward among their ranks this season, having swooped in and found an agreement for £60 million, and an additional £5 million in add-ons, according to BBC Sport.

Instead of Richarlison returning, it will now be Grealish, who registered two goals and six assists for the Toffees in 22 appearances during the 2025/26 season.

The 30-year-old endured a foot injury in January, mid-way through his loan period from the Cityzens, playing in what appeared to be his final game for Everton versus Aston Villa on the 18th of that month.

Grealish has since made a recovery, making an appearance from the bench in Manchester City’s 3-0 Community Shield final loss versus Arsenal, and another in the club’s 2-1 win against Bournemouth.

The winger is set to return for another season-long loan period, according to BBC Sport, and Everton are also looking to make additional attacking signings, with USMNT star Folarin Balogun on their radar, before the transfer deadline.

Chelsea are reportedly locked in late transfer deadline day negotiations with AS Roma over a swap deal involving midfielder Manu Kone.

According to a report from Sky Italia, Chelsea have submitted a bid in the region of €60m (£52m) to sign the French international from Roma.

To smooth discussions and meet the Italian club's evaluation, the Blues are prepared to send 22-year-old winger Jamie Gittens to the Stadio Olimpico. The proposed arrangement would see Chelsea bolster their central options as Enzo Fernandez moves closer to a Stamford Bridge exit.

Chelsea transfer signals Enzo Fernandez deal is close to completion

Chelsea’s late push for Kone comes against the backdrop of upheaval in their own midfield department. World Cup winner Fernandez remains subject to transfer interest from Manchester City, with a big-money move to the Etihad Stadium looking increasingly likely before the deadline passes.

Knowing that Fernandez’s departure to City could materialise in the final hours of the window, Chelsea's recruitment team have proactively pursued Kone to ensure manager Xabi Alonso is not left short-staffed in central areas.

In Kone, Chelsea would acquire a physical box-to-box midfielder who has established himself as a key performer in Serie A.

The 25-year-old’s ability to break up play, press aggressively, and drive forward with the ball makes him a good fit for Alonso, particularly if tasked with filling the void left by Fernandez.

Meanwhile, sending Gittens to Roma is a practical solution for all parties, having found regular starting opportunities limited in West London.

Roma have held a long-standing interest in the ex-Borussia Dortmund winger, having previously explored a loan deal earlier in the window.

With the transfer deadline fast approaching, negotiations between Chelsea and Roma are reportedly progressing quickly. If Chelsea finalise Fernandez's exit to Manchester City, the path will be cleared for Kone’s arrival at Stamford Bridge.

At the start of the summer, most Liverpool supporters and observers would have identified three key areas of the team that needed addressing in the transfer market.

The obvious was a winger to effectively replace Mohamed Salah. In signing Bradley Barcola, Liverpool have done that but on the opposite wing.

Barcola, though, you could argue, is actually the replacement for Luis Diaz, who departed the year before.

Liverpool's glaring right-back issue

The next two positions that most supporters would have wanted to see addressed also revolved around the lack of replacing other previously departed legends.

Fabinho left Liverpool three years ago now, but still his role in midfield as a defence-first player hasn’t been replaced.

While Trent Alexander-Arnold left a year ago and no matter how hard he tries, Jeremie Frimpong simply isn’t a replacement, or even an actual right back.

Liverpool, though, have gone through the summer seemingly without any desire to add either a midfielder or a right-back, despite the clear need in each instance.

Arguably it’s at right-back which is the biggest issue, although both full-back positions are areas of major concern and this was highlighted in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest - Andoni Iraola's first home game in charge.

Frimpong and Milos Kerkez were hooked in the 72nd minute, with Liverpool 2-1 down at the time.

Now, there are potentially several other reasons (not least youngster Trey Nyoni's impressive cameo in midfield) why Iraola’s team enjoyed their best 20 minutes of the game from that point on, but certainly a contributing factor was the full-backs being replaced.

Szoboszlai can learn like Milner - and become a better midfielder

Dominik Szobsozlai, as he was regularly last season, moved to right-back, immediately giving Liverpool a player who can actually put in a cross and also be defensively stronger than the player he was replacing.

The Hungarian might not necessarily like playing there, but Iraola could do far worse than have the same conversation Jurgen Klopp had with James Milner in 2016 in explaining how he wanted the midfielder to be his left-back for the season ahead.

A year later, Milner explained what he learned in the new position: “But at times you have to curb that and adapt to the match situation and maybe sometimes hold back a bit if the time of the game suits that. I think sensing danger early is the biggest thing to learn. When you play in midfield you’re obviously always switched on to defending.”

Those words about “sensing danger early” are incredibly timely, with Iraola’s pre-Nottingham Forest press conference featuring a very similar message when discussing his midfield’s need to find a balance after being caught out twice by Newcastle in the opening fixture.

“There are players that are very good, they’re smelling, ‘OK, there is real danger, I can’t take the risk of going (forward),” explained Iraola. “Now I think I have to stay’. “Recognising those situations is the job we have to do now.”

A season at right-back, then, would actually help Szoboszlai learn that side of his game and make him a better midfielder in future. That should be the message Iraola gives him in order to get the Reds’ No. 8 to buy into the role.

Would Szoboszlai particularly enjoy it? Probably not, but it’s about what’s best for the team, as Milner succinctly explained: “It’s about whatever’s best for the team and ultimately I just want to be out there playing games, contributing and helping this football club.”

And if Szoboszlai has designs on becoming Liverpool captain after Virgil van Dijk departs, then a selfless season at right back would show he puts the team first and give him a new understanding of the team and overall patterns of play.

Liverpool solve two issues with Szoboszlai role change

For Liverpool, they’d be getting a far more reliable outlet on the right, who can produce crosses like the one Szoboszlai did for Alexander Isak against Forest, which the £125 million man couldn’t get on the end of.

No Liverpool player had more touches, created more chances or made more accurate crosses than Szoboszlai against Forest.

He made three stat-recorded accurate crosses, while Frimpong and Kerkez made none between them. The duo attempted six, with none of them finding their target. It was a similar story against Newcastle the week before.

Of course, stats on crossing is pretty flawed, a player can produce a wonderful cross but if the forward doesn’t get on the end of it, it’s recorded as a failed cross.

The eye test tells us that Szoboszlai’s crossing was significantly better than Frimpong’s versus Forest. Of that there is no doubt.

He can also move inside more to create numbers-up situations in midfield, again more akin to Alexander-Arnold did.

Liverpool’s focus on signing attacking wingers for Iraola this summer has neglected the right-back and midfield positions, but moving Szobsozlai fixes both, at least temporarily.

If Iraola is serious about getting the best out of his squad, and Szoboszlai is serious about being a team player, it’s a change that would significantly benefit Liverpool this season.

Vivianne Miedema helped Manchester City break Chelsea’s six-year Women’s Super League winning streak last season as they claimed victory under new manager Andree Jeglertz.

Manchester City claimed their first WSL title since 2016 last term, before going on to complete a domestic double by beating Brighton to lift the FA Cup.

Miedema, who joined from Arsenal in 2024, says the achievement represented the culmination of a period of change at the club and something she wanted to help the City achieve when she moved from WSL rivals Arsenal.

'People didn't expect City to do as well as we did'

Miedema claimed her second WSL title, having previously won with Arenal in 2019. She joined City in summer 2024 and after an injury-affected first season, last season scored 10 goals and made five assists to help City win their first league title in a decade.

“Every single league title is special for different reasons,” Miedema said.

“For me, after having left Arsenal after seven years and moving to City, I wanted to come here and help the club win things because they hadn't done that in a while.

“And my first year was tough personally with injuries, but also as a team with all the injuries we had and we didn’t get the result that we wanted to get.

“So coming back last season and doing what we did definitely felt like a full circle moment. It was really special to be part of it and to be able to celebrate the league and FA Cup win as well.”

After six years of dominance, it was going to take a lot to knock Chelsea off their pedestal. But new manager Jeglertz, aided by a lack of Champions League football due to a fourth-placed finish in the 2024/25 season, helped City do just that.

“Coming in last summer, there were a lot of changes, new people coming in and a new coach coming in. But I think we showed so much progress over the year.

“We always believed that we could do really well, but a lot of people didn't expect us to do as well as we did. Throughout the season, we adjusted and grew and that led us to win the league and the FA Cup too.

“For this year, regardless of if we are the champions or if we were chasing it, it doesn’t change our goals. Some of the girls haven’t been in this position before and it will be different.

“And looking at all the signings that other clubs are making, I think the league is going to be extremely exciting to see how it's going to pan out.”

'Isn't that why we love football?'

This year, the league has expanded by two teams to a field of 14 teams. A number of high profile players have also joined the WSL this season, something Miedema says speaks volumes of where the league is at.

“It’s amazing to see that so many big players want to come play in England and that the league has increased by two teams as well,” she added.

“It’s only going to get more exciting and more difficult to actually win it. To be in the league now and try to be successful again is going to be extremely difficult. But isnt’t that why we love football?

“That’s the reason every good player wants to come to England, because you want to measure yourself against the best.”

After a season away from Champions League football, City will be back competing against Europe’s best.

“I’m really excited to be back but it's going to be tough because you're going to be travelling a lot, you're going to be playing a lot of games.

“I think some of the girls will have to get used to it. But it's a competition you want to be playing and you want to measure yourself with the best in Europe.

“I can't wait to see how we do in the Champions League because it’s a completely different challenge to playing in the WSL.”

Are you an unstoppable football trivia machine? Let's find out. Take on these 10 questions in just 90 seconds in the new FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz. There's not a moment to draw breath.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has loads more football quizzes and they're all courtesy of Kwizly. Let's start by asking if you can name the three most expensive Premier League signings of every summer since 1992 and every team in the top two tiers of women's football in England?

We also want to test out your knowledge of the 50 most expensive signings ever made by Barcelona or Real Madrid. Closer to home? See whether you can answer these questions about the Premier League's most feted one-season wonders.

There are a two quizzes that simply ask you to put some groups of four into the correct order – one looks at players and their Premier League appearances, the other is all about teams and their titles.

If your trivia skills run a little deeper, try this one: Can you name every team in the Football League right now?

Lastly, our latest career paths quiz is a true beast. How many of those 100 career paths can you identify?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

Tottenham will be hoping that the 2025/26 season saw the club bottom out following a series of recent struggles.

The club only secured their Premier League status on the final day of last season, as they meandered to a second consecutive 17th-place finish, but did not have a cup win to fall back on this season, following their 2025 Europa League triumph.

The reasons for Spurs' recent struggles have been well-documented, with managerial upheaval and questionable recruitment two of the main issues the club have faced over the past few years.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Peter Crouch on Tottenham's need to rebuild

Former Spurs striker Peter Crouch has pinpointed last season's hire of Igor Tudor as a particularly poor decision, and also believes his old side are in need of a significant rebuild, in order to back new boss Roberto De Zerbi.

"Roberto De Zerbi has been amazing at Spurs," Crouch tells FourFourTwo. "The Igor Tudor reign was disastrous.

"No-one saw that appointment coming and it didn’t ever start making any more sense."

Crouch believes that for a club with Tottenham's ambitions, this decision was symptomatic of a wider problem that has impacted the club for some time.

“There’s been serious mismanagement for a while now,” he continues, adding that Tottenham's recruitment has also been below par.

“They haven’t bought well enough,” Crouch adds, backing their recent summer spending spree, which has seen the club spend more than £300million going into the final days of the window.

This has seen the likes of Savio, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes join, and despite an opening weekend 3-0 defeat to Brentford, Crouch insists it is now time for the club to kick on again.

"A club of that size can’t be trying to stay up by a couple of points," he insists, in a statement which also illustrates the size of the challenge facing De Zerbi and his side this year.

"I hope to see Spurs back to their best this season,” Crouch concludes.

It took 22 long years, but Arsenal returned to the summit of English football last season, when they eased to the Premier League title.

This title drought stretched back to the days of Arsene Wenger's Invincibles, and for former Gunners midfielder Ray Parlour - a member of that 2004 title-winning squad - the club's wait for the title only made this latest success all the sweeter.

And while Parlour admits he did not fathom the idea that the club would have had to wait that long when he celebrated that last success, he believes last season's title was a fitting reward for that at the club.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Parlour on Arsenal ending their title drought

"I was so over the moon that they’d done it," Parlour tells FourFourTwo as he reflects on the significance of last year's win.

"It was a big relief, because if you’d said to me 22 years ago, back in 2004, that they weren’t going to win it again for such a long time, I’d have said you were mad."

Arsenal had made a habit of near-misses in recent years, registering three consecutive second-place finishes before getting over the hump last season, adding to a prior 11 top-four finishes since that 2003/04 triumph.

For Parlour, this all underlines how difficult it is to consistently compete for English football's biggest domestic prize.

"It shows how hard it is to win it," he continues. "I was thrilled for the squad."

And while Parlour is quick to praise the playing squad for the victory, he believes the credit should be shared around the club.

"The owners and the people who run things behind the scenes deserve plaudits as well, because we all see how things work in football in this day and age," he continues.

Parlour is also keenly aware that patience has become increasingly rare in the modern game, with Arsenal bucking this trend and allowing Arteta to continue to build his squad despite repeated near-misses.

"Most of the time, when things go wrong, or when a manager fails to win something, they don’t stay in their job.

"But Arsenal really stuck by Mikel Arteta and they backed him all the way."

Watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal for free as Unai Emery's side take on the Premier League champions in a mouth-watering Monday-night clash, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

The two sides had contrasting opening weekends of the season, with the Gunners kicking-off their title defence with a 3-0 win over Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium.

It was a very different story for Villa, who were thrashed 4-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion to leave manager Unai Emery fuming.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal online and from anywhere, including for free, on the second weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season.

Watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal for FREE

Aston Villa vs Arsenal is free-to-air on USA Network thanks to cord-cutting free trials available on YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV.

Outside the US? Use a VPN to access your free Aston Villa vs Arsenal stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Aston Villa vs Arsenal.

The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

FourFourTwo’s tech-obsessed office-mates over at Tom's Guide know everything there is to know about VPNs, and they rate NordVPN as the best VPN you can buy.

How to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal in the UK

Aston Villa vs Arsenal is live on Sky Sports in the UK.

Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League will have live coverage of the clash at Villa Park, with kick-off at 8:00pm BST.

Outside the UK? Watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal on Sky Sports via NordVPN.

How to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal in the US

As mentioned above, USA Network is the place to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal in the US. Kick-off is at 3:00pm ET.

Not in the US right now? Use NordVPN to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal on USA Network.

How to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal in Australia

Viewers in Australia can stream Aston Villa vs Arsenal on Stan Sport. Kick-off is at 5:00am AEST on Tuesday.

Travelling outside Australia? NordVPN is your ticket to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal on Stan Sport.

Tickets

Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Preview

Villa manager Unai Emery has not been a happy man in recent weeks, having seen several members of last season's Europa League-winning squad leave the club, before his new-look side were humbled 4-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign.

It therefore feels like a visit from the champions comes at the wrong time for the Villans, who are still picking up the pieces of a volatile summer, and there will be relief at Villa Park when the transfer window closes tomorrow.

Emery has been able to reinvest some of the funds gained from those big-money sales, such as Morgan Rogers' £117m move to Chelsea, while on Thursday the club confirmed the free signing of experienced Germany international Leon Goretzka from Bayern Munich.

The midfielder's arrival is especially welcome considering Joao Gomes is suspended following his red card at Brighton, which could pave the way for Goretzka to make his debut against Arsenal.

SEE ALSO How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

One of Villa's high-profile summer exits was Ezri Konsa's move to Arsenal, and the England defender could make his Gunners debut against his former club.

However, manager Mikel Arteta may decide to stick with the same lineup that started the 3-0 win over Coventry City on the opening day of the season, particularly if midfielder Bruno Guimaraes loses his race to be fit.

That was the Gunners' second successive 3-0 victory, following their triumph over Manchester City in the Community Shield, which has only reinforced pre-season predictions that the Premier League champions will be the team to beat again.

A win at a ground where they have struggled in recent years would be another tick in the box for Arsenal, who have lost on two of their past three visits to Villa Park.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal

The Gunners look very strong, so expect them to compound Emery's misery.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Arsenal were finally able to end their two-decade wait for the Premier League title last season, in a campaign which threw up more than its fair share of subplots.

Among the new signings, the redemption arcs and moments of personal glory was the story of 16-year-old Max Dowman, who became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history when he netted against Everton, before becoming the competition’s youngest-ever winner.

Gunners icon Paul Merson has been particularly impressed by Dowman's emergence.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Paul Merson on Max Dowman’s rise

Dowman was just 16 years old and 73 days when he scored a late breakaway goal to seal a crucial win over the Toffees in March, ahead of a summer which saw him claim a Premier League winner’s medal before collecting his GCSE results.

And for Merson, the teenager’s rise is barely believable.

“Dowman, in football terms, is a freak, and I mean that in the utmost respect,” Merson exclaims to FourFourTwo. “If he was in a book, you'd throw the book in the sea.

“If you were sitting reading about a 16-year-old kid who plays for Arsenal in the Premier League and scores against Everton, you’d just go ‘Oh, that’s never happening, who could be that good at 16?’”

Dowman clocked up 13 appearances for the Gunners last season and has represented England up to under-19 level, becoming that side’s youngest-ever scorer when he struck in a 7-0 win over Wales in October 2025.

Naturally, Dowman’s meteoric rise has left fans wondering just how far he will go, with Merson daring to believe he could match some of the game’s very best.

“He could be a generational great like Gazza or Rooney, who come along once in a blue moon,” Merson continues.

But it’s not just Dowman who has caught Merson’s eye when it comes to the club’s Hale End academy pipeline.

“And Myles Lewis-Skelly,” Merson continues. “He got in the team at the start at left-back. To then play in midfield and play the way he did, I’m pleased for him because that takes a lot.

“I’m a big fan of his. I like him more in midfield, if I’m being honest.”

Rule one for owners: never kill hope, never ruin fans’ chance to dream. That’s what Harrison Armstrong represents to Everton fans: hope, a chance to dream. The 19-year-old midfielder is a local lad, hailing from West Derby, one of their own and fulfilling their own dreams by pulling on the famous royal blue shirt of the club they love. Rule two for owners: don’t sell cherished home-grown talent.

Evertonians gathered at the Vitality on Saturday made their anger about the proposed sale of Armstrong to Nottingham Forest for £35m very clear to their unthinking owners, The Friedkin Group (TFG). “Don’t sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, I just don’t think you understand,” they sang. “If you sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, you’re going to have a riot on your hands”.

Everton’s manager, David Moyes, was clearly against the sale. TFG saw and heard the backlash, woke up to the folly of the plan, and called off the sale of a player widely considered Everton’s best home-grown talent since Wayne Rooney. Armstrong’s definitely worth keeping and fighting for.

“The potential sale of Harrison Armstrong goes against everything our fanbase stands for, a young talented Scouser who is the future of our club,” the Everton fans’ group The 1878s, said in a statement. It threatened to stop organising the flags and tifo displays that contribute so much to match-day atmosphere. TFG was toying with the very fabric of Everton life.

Also: what’s best for the player’s own development? Moyes looks after young players well, handling the precocious Rooney as best as possible when the bullish teenager launched himself so memorably on the scene in 2002. Moyes tries to shield such prospects in almost a paternal, certainly a pastoral, way. Moyes knows they will leave the footballing family home at some point so tries to prepare them while getting the best out of them.

Moyes showed vital support for a teenaged Ross Barkley when the teenager suffered a double break of his leg in 2010, even ensuring a new contract for a kid in a hospital bed worried about his future.

Moyes will feed Armstrong in and out of the team, not putting too much physical or mental strain on the 19-year-old. Armstrong looks like he can handle the pressure. That is partly down to the learning acquired when sent by Moyes on loan to Preston North End last season.

A broader dynamic is at work here, one that affects all supporters. Financial sustainability regulations are not fit for purpose when it comes to the development of young talent. From FFP to PSR to SCR, a rethink is required on content as well as lettering. The “pure profit” element to sales of academy starlets is so tempting to the more short-sighted owners. It was one of the reasons why a frustrated Eddie Howe was forced to sacrifice Elliot Anderson in a hurried sale to Forest. It’s why TFG considered offloading Armstrong. The player becomes an accounting item not a sporting asset.

TFG needs to balance the books at a club which has recorded alarming figures in some recent years, and been punished for it, but there are other more acceptable ways, others who could be sold. From a Premier League perspective, it would make sense if clubs were more incentivised to retain “one of our own”. One way would be to allow the first few years – perhaps 50 first-team games - of an academy graduate’s salary to be offset against SCR calculations. There would then be a financial incentive to keep home-grown talents.

Evertonians rightly take great pride that a local player has featured in every league campaign since the Football League commenced in 1888. It actually predates that. The likes of Liverpool-born goalkeeper, Charles Joliffe, played for Everton from 1885 until he was eventually replaced by Robert Smalley, a recruit from Preston.

Armstrong is more than a player to Evertonians. He’s a symbol of the area, almost an antidote to the big-monied modern game.

Connection with the community matters hugely, especially in an era where the Premier League is so heavily populated by overseas players.

Everton’s owners must have known there would be outrage. If TFG wasn’t aware, then it needs better advisors – or better channels of communication with fans. This is one of the most concerning elements of the whole story: TFG’s lack of understanding in the first place. It’s almost arrogance. Everton Football Club are more than a business; they are a footballing institution, a community asset, a developer of local talent and a beacon of hope. The Armstrong story highlighted that. Owners take note.

During two trophy-laden spells at Chelsea, David Luiz turned out for the club almost 250 times, helping the Blues win the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League.

But shortly after signing a new contract in 2019 and just weeks after he started in Chelsea’s 4-1 Europa League final win over Arsenal, the Brazilian defender signed for the Gunners in an £8million deal.

The reason for making this bold move across the capital with the ink on his new deal still wet was a simple one - the hiring of his former teammate Frank Lampard as Chelsea boss.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Luiz on why Lampard’s Chelsea wasn’t for him

Luiz has recently turned 30 when Lampard, fresh from a stint on charge of Derby County, was handed the Stamford Bridge top job, but age was not a factor for Luiz, who is still playing as a 39-year-old for Cypriot side Pafos.

“I was already over 30 and had renewed my contract with Chelsea,” Luiz tells FourFourTwo. “No-one had ever broken the club policy of renewing for two years after the age of 30, and I renewed for two years.

“Then after two months, I went to Arsenal. It was down to the decision to bring Frank Lampard in as manager. In pre-season, I already could see the way he was going to play wasn’t going to leave me happy.

“At that age, I thought “I want to enjoy the game in the way I play it”, so it was better to leave.”

For Luiz, this was a decision made as a matter of principle.

“There are two kinds of workers in life,” he continues. “Those who work to protect themselves and the job, and those who want to do something different. In any company, 90 per cent protect the job, but I want to be part of the 10 per cent.

“It would have been easy to have stayed quietly at Chelsea, but I’m not like that. So I sat down with Frank Lampard and said ‘I want to leave – the way you’re going to play won’t be good for me, and the way I’d play in your system won’t be good for you either’.”

A year after playing his final match for Chelsea against Arsenal in the Europa League final, there was another twist of fate for Luiz.

“Life is so funny – later that season, the FA Cup final was between Arsenal and Chelsea. I leave, telling the manager I don’t think his philosophy would suit me, that maybe it wouldn’t work to win anything, then at the end of the season the final is against him.

“So if I won, in theory I was right. If I lost, I wasn’t. Thank God, we managed to win, and I was very respectful in the way I behaved, not celebrating, and respecting the history I built at Chelsea.”

Let's find out whether you can answer 10 football trivia questions in just 90 seconds with the latest FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has many more football quizzes courtesy of Kwizly. First up, let's dig into your knowledge of top-flight seasons past. Specifically, we want to know how much you can remember about the Premier League in 1996-97.

Next, can you name every team in the top two tiers of women's football in England and every team in the EFL right now from the tippy-top of the Championship to the very base of League Two?

You'll need to be a legitimate transfer expert to list the top 50 most expensive signings made by either Barcelona or Real Madrid in their entire histories. Let's see if you've got what it takes.

We also want you to arrange these players by their number of Premier League appearances and these clubs by how many domestic league titles they've ever won.

If football history is your thing, these two might be for you. Can you identify the authors of these football autobiographies from their titles alone and place each of these football statues outside the correct stadium?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

Sir Geoff Hurst will forever be at the centre of English football’s greatest-ever achievement.

The former West Ham striker’s iconic hat-trick saw the Three Lions conquer the world at Wembley 60 summers ago, but just months earlier, his place at the 1966 World Cup was far from assured.

It would take patience, preparation and an unfortunate injury to Jimmy Greaves for Hurst to get his opportunity under Sir Alf Ramsey.

Geoff Hurst on waiting for his England chance

As Hurst looks back on his rise into the England starting XI that summer, he admits that he was eager to keep his expectations in check in the run-up to the tournament,

“Well, you don't get too far ahead of yourself,” Hurst tells FourFourTwo. “You might find it surprising but, although we were successful at West Ham, it was never really on my radar."

Hurst’s approach of letting his club football at Upton Park do the talking would pay off, though, as the call did come just in time.

“It was quite a surprise when I received a letter from the FA in December ‘65 saying I was picked for the game in February against West Germany at Wembley. You come and play and do your best, and hopefully the manager sees enough in you.

“Thankfully, he did. It wasn’t just me, either. Martin Peters, my team-mate at West Ham and room-mate on England duty, played his first game in May that year. He went on to score the other goal in the final, of course. We were cutting it fine!”

While Hurst was named in Ramsey’s 22-man squad for the World Cup, he didn’t actually start a game until the quarter-final win over Argentina, after first-choice striker Jimmy Greaves injured himself in the final group game. But was that a source of frustration for Hurst?


“Not for one second,” he insists. “I was honestly just so ecstatic to be in the squad for a home World Cup.

“I often joke that Alf Ramsay picked two average players ahead of me, in Jimmy Greaves and Roger Hunt, before finally getting it right. But, of course, those two were phenomenal strikers and I was thrilled to support the team however I could.

“That was a good attitude because, when your chance comes in life, you have to be ready to take it and I did.

“Saying that, I was honestly so sad for the great Jimmy Greaves, who damaged his leg against France. He deserved to play on.”