Alexander Isak is unlikely to attend PFA's award night, despite being nominated for the main award, as his stand-off with Newcastle United continues. Isak is determined to join Liverpool this summe,r but the Magpies are unwilling to let him leave. The striker is not training with the first team and was left out of Eddie Howe's matchday squad for their season opener against Aston Villa.
Barcelona director Xavi O’Callaghan opened up on the departures of six crucial squad members this summer from their women's team. The Blaugrana lost the players due to their ongoing financial troubles, which forced them to offload some important players to reduce their wage bill. The Catalan giants, who begin the new season in three weeks, are currently left with only 17 first-team players.
Real Madrid are among a host of top European clubs that are pushing for more changes to the Club World Cup format. The revised 32-team competition was held for the first time in the US this summer and Chelsea won the title, beating Paris Saint-Germain in the final. The next edition of the tournament is scheduled to be held in 2029 and after which FIFA might consider hosting it even more frequently.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel was spotted at Manchester City's training centre as he shared a warm embrace with old adversary Pep Guardiola and was also seen sharing a chat with City and Three Lions defender John Stones. Tuchel is keeping an eye on the Premier League matches ahead of the September international break, where England will play two of World Cup qualifying matches.
Lothar Matthaus questioned Harry Kane’s Bayern claim that the current squad is too small, insisting the striker had ignored the club’s new signings and key players returning from injury.
Liverpool have made Alexander Isak their clear transfer priority this summer, with talks confirming they will not pursue both the Newcastle striker and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola. While the Reds admire the Frenchman, all focus remains on the Swede, who has told Newcastle he no longer wants to play for them. Liverpool’s £110 million ($149m) bid was rejected last week, but the saga is far from over.
Aston Villa stars Tyrone Mings and John McGinn have spoken out following Jacob Ramsey’s £44 million ($60m) move to Newcastle United, with both players making emotional statements about the homegrown midfielder’s departure. The transfer was undertaken as the Villans struggle with Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR) and the move sparked strong reactions inside the dressing room.