Newly-promoted Coventry City have made enquiries over a move for Olympique de Marseille midfielder Angel Gomes (25), who is hoping to return to the Premier League this summer, according to L'Équipe.
Frank Lampard's side are among the clubs to have sounded out Gomes' situation, with Marseille prepared to allow the England international to leave before the end of the transfer window.
Gomes featured regularly during OM's pre-season preparations and was used as a No.10 by Bruno Genesio during Wednesday's 3-0 friendly victory over Al Shahania, operating ahead of the Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Tochukwu Nnadi in a midfield pairing.
However, the former Manchester United midfielder's priority is to secure another opportunity in England. Gomes spent the second half of last season on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers, although his spell at Molineux proved difficult.
Despite that experience, the 25-year-old remains keen to establish himself in the Premier League. Coventry, promoted to the top flight this summer, have now emerged as one potential destination.

#coventry #season #newly

A Coventry City fan who moved more than 100 miles away from his beloved team ended up in Dorset living on Highfield Road before relocating to Coventry Close.
"I can't get rid of the Coventry connection," said Sky Blues-mad John Lovegrove.
Highfield Road was the name of City's original home ground, and his address there on the south coast had been pure coincidence, he said. But he addmitted to being more conscious of what he was doing when choosing his Coventry Close abode.
The supporter has lived in Dorset since 1998, making a round trip of more than 300 miles for every Sky Blues home game.
"There's actually a lot of Coventry fans down here, mainly in Bournemouth," the 76-year-old said. "But as far as I'm aware, I'm the only Sky Blues fan on Coventry Close."

#close #road #miles #john

The opening day of the season is a day which is hotly anticipated across the globe as Premier League stars return to the pitches and screens.
In August 1993 - the late Freddie Mercury was at the top of the UK charts, John Major was the Prime Minister, and Micky Quinn was Coventry's hat-trick hero at Highbury.
Former ****** nal striker Bobby Gould was in the dugout for the Sky Blues as they visited Highbury for their opening game of the 1993-94 season.
It proved to be a game many Coventry fans will always remember and one ****** nal fans will want to forget.
Liverpool-born, Quinn scored all three goals in the 3-0 victory.

#quinn

You can hear a pin drop as these contests take place - we are at the British Chess Championships, held at the University of Warwick this month.
The sport, once thought to be the domain of intellectuals and "not cool" by most, has been getting a lot more interest in recent years - and attracting those from young to old.
Riyaan was three years old when he first moved a chess piece. Now, aged six, he is competing at a national chess tournament.
The Coventry schoolboy is the youngest competitor at this year's championships and is already Britain's highest-ranked player in his age group, ninth in the world for under sevens.
He was introduced to chess by his older sister three years ago, and within weeks was holding his own against his father, Robert.

#british

Arsenal continue to prepare for their Premier League ***** le defence with a friendly against Real Betis.
Mikel Arteta is still welcoming players back from international duty at the World Cup.
But with less than two weeks remaining until the Community Shield against Manchester City, a key test against La Liga side Betis awaits.
Confidence is high after a 4-1 win over Girona, thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus, Max Dowman and Christos Tzolis.
Here's how Arteta's side could line up and how you can follow along as the Gunners take shape before the Community Shield next week and that first Premier League outing against Coventry on Friday, 21 August:

#side #real #arteta

A lot of clubs have been after a keeper; Leeds, Newcastle and Coventry City.
It is a bit like dominoes. Once one has gone, that sends speculation to another.
It feels like it has been going on for so long because Rushworth obviously teased the fanbase that he was going to sign the contract on top of the bus [during the Sky Blues' Championship trophy parade].
Maybe people thought it would get done a lot quicker. I don't think personal terms were ever going to be an issue. He fell in love with the club last season, but it's all the bits behind the scenes which we don't get to see.
It is an undisclosed fee, but from what we are hearing it is around £22.5m, which means Coventry City have broken their club transfer record fee three times now in this window alone.

#city #club

Coventry City have signed 25-year-old goalkeeper Carl Rushworth from Brighton & Hove Albion following his successful loan at the CBS Arena.
The deal is reportedly worth a club record £22m but neither club has made the fee public, nor has the length of his "long-term contract" been revealed.
Rushworth played in all 46 of Coventry's league games last season, keeping 17 clean sheets as they won the Championship to end their 25-year wait to return to the Premier League.
"I'm really happy, there's so many emotions that I've got," said Rushworth.
"There's excitement, I can finally relax knowing it's done and that I'm back with the boys and at a club I loved being at."

#club #hove

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has admitted that star player Gustavo Hamer is still drawing interest from other clubs.
The Blades drew 0-0 with German side Vfl Bochum in their final pre-season match. Despite continuing speculation on his future, Hamer played the full 90 minutes.
The midfielder has been heavily-linked linked with a return to newly-promoted side Coventry City. Hamer had previously played for Coventry before moving to Sheffield United for £15 million when they were promoted to the Premier League in 2023. The 29-year-old could make the switch from the Championship to the Premier League again this summer.
"I don't know if you realise, but I've just walked off the pitch," Wilder answered on Hamer's future. "I've had five minutes with my team and walked up to the media room. We'll check in, but Gus had a red and white shirt on today.
"You've seen his actions, you've seen his attitude towards the game, you've seen the positions he got in. You saw his reaction when a couple of things didn't come off.

#premier #i 've

Well folks, it's that time again. August is here and so begins ******* nal's slate of preseason matches. Today, the Gunners face Girona to cap off a week of training in Spain. They take on Real Betis (and Hector Bellerin) in Dublin on Wednesday, August 5th, Dortmund next Sunday in the Emirates Cup, and Como on August 12th before the Community Shield on August 16th. The Premier League season kicks off in less than three weeks — the 21st home to newly promoted Coventry.
Arsenal – Kepa, White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Havertz, Nwaneri, Dowman, Tzolis, Gyokeres
Everyone should be prepared to overreact wildly to a lineup several players off the first XI. Because that's what you do in the preseason, after all. None of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice, Ebere Eze, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, David Raya, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, nor William Saliba are in today's squad.
The Brazilians rejoined the team in the last day or two. Gabriel Martinelli got married a few days ago in Greece but is back with the squad. Martin Ødegaard is due back next week. The England players after that and the Spanish contingent last of all. William Saliba will miss a fair bit of time recovering from the back injury he played through at the end of the season and during the World Cup.
The Gunners are also expected to do a fair bit of business before the start of the season. A move for Bruno Guimaraes seems close. The rumors are swirling around a massive move for Vini Jr. The club intends to sign a CB to cover during Saliba's absence. They may also sign a right back — Jurrien Timber is still recovering from the groin problem that kept him out of the World Cup.

#gabriel #season #saliba

Arsenal have reportedly been monitoring Jurrien Timber closely after he underwent a minor operation on a groin issue weeks ago. ******* nal manager Mikel Arteta already has fitness headaches to deal with at the Emirates Stadium club ahead of next season. The Gunners boss will be without William Saliba when the 2026-27 campaign kicks off, and Timber will be desperate to return to action for the North London club before the end of pre-season.
The Netherlands international defender missed the World Cup as a result of the injury but has been training with the ******* nal team so far. However, he has yet to make a full return and it is unknown if he will be available for their first pre-season fixture against Girona on Saturday. Timber missed most of the ******* le run-in last term due to the longstanding issue and will hope to be fully fit when the new season starts.
Arsenal also take on Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund and Como in pre-season before facing Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 16. They kick off their ******* le defence at home against newly-promoted Coventry City on August 21.

#arsenal #season #city #ISSUE

West Ham have turned down a bid for reported Brentford target, right-back El-Hadji Malick Diouf, and want the 21-year-old to help them return to the Premier League. (Football Insider)
The Hammers are also interested in a move for Coventry City's USA international striker Haji Wright and Senegal international forward Habib Diallo, 31, of French club Metz. (Football Insider)
Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.
[BBC]

#Football

Belgian international forward Loïs Openda (26) is nearing a loan move to Lyon from Juventus, according to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport. The former Lens attacker looks set to join Les Gones on a season-long loan with an option to buy.
The 26-year-old has been deemed surplus to requirements in Turin and the Serie A club are looking to move the forward on before the end of the summer transfer window. That could be about to happen as Lyon progress in negotiations with Juventus over a potential deal.
As part of the potential deal, OL will pay €4m of the striker’s annual salary with his parent club paying the rest. This development may come as a blow to Coventry City and Lens who are also interested in signing Openda from Juventus this summer.
GFFN | Liam Wraith

#openda

Juventus' Loïs Openda (26) is reportedly open to the idea of joining Olympique Lyonnais this summer, according to Foot Mercato.
So much so that the Belgian is said to have sent positive signals to the Rhône-based club in recent hours, a move that would allow him to return to Ligue 1 – where he shone with RC Lens, though it is proving difficult for them to re-sign him – as well as to compete in the Champions League, with OL set to face Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round in early August.
However, Les Gones' management will have their work cut out to convince their Turin counterparts, who are reportedly more keen to send the striker to the Premier League, where recently promoted Coventry City are said to have expressed particular interest in Openda.
In doing so, the Bianconeri hope to offload their striker's hefty salary, as he remains under contract with Juve until 2030. After a difficult season (two goals in 34 matches), the time seems to have come for the Liège-born player to pack his bags… with the aim of bouncing back straight away.
GFFN | Léo Aschi

#league #juventus #belgian

Burton Albion have signed goalkeeper Corey Addai from League One rivals Stockport County on a season-long loan.
The 28-year-old, who spent time on the books at **** nal and Coventry as a youth player, has featured 68 times for Stockport across all competitions since moving to Edgeley Park from Crawley in the summer of 2024.
Addai featured in back-to-back League One play-off campaigns for the Hatters, which culminated with him playing in their Wembley defeat by Bolton Wanderers in May as they missed out on promotion to the Championship.
Burton's sporting director Richard Dorman described Addai, who also counts Danish side Esbjerg among his former clubs, as "a top quality shot-stopper" who will be a "big presence" in the box for the Brewers.
All done deals in July 2026

On the latest episode of BBC CWR's Sky Blues Fancast, Coventry supporter Heather Mills spoke about a "watchable" playing style as the newly promoted side prepare for their first season in the Premier League for 25 years.
"The way we played last season was incredible. We surpassed any expectations that any of us had. Now it's a whole different ball game," said Mills.
"We're in the Premier League and teams aren't going to know what we are about to begin with. In some ways, it is quite good that we have got Manchester City and ****** nal early.
"They will do their homework but I still think we have got the ability and opportunity to maybe surprise them a little bit with our playing style, which was very watchable last year and got us the results we needed in the Championship.
"Will it do the same in the Premier League? I don't know. We've got an opener at home against Hull City which I would like to think is three points and we kick on from there."

Everton have stepped up their pursuit of Genoa right-back Brooke Norton-Cuffy. Representatives and intermediaries connected to the Italian side are already locked in fresh talks. Genoa look ready to sell the 22-year-old this summer if someone meets their valuation. They want around €20 million, which pans out at roughly £17 million.
It is a price tag that sits comfortably within the current budget at Goodison Park, and club chiefs view it as a highly realistic target. The player is keen too. A return to the Premier League holds massive appeal, especially with the guarantee of regular top-flight minutes on the table. Settling into the dressing room should be a breeze. He already knows several faces in David Moyes’s squad, having shared pitches with Tyrique George, Tyler Dibling, and Hayden Hackney during his time with the England Under-21s.
Born in Pimlico and polished in the ***** nal academy system, Norton-Cuffy built his reputation the hard way. He ground out dirty minutes in the Championship during loan spells at Lincoln, Rotherham, Coventry, and Millwall. Then Genoa called. Moving to Serie A is usually a daunting leap for a young British defender. He handled it. Last season, Brooke Norton-Cuffy racked up 2,216 minutes across 27 appearances, starting 25 times after making a debut against Atalanta. Two goals and an ***** ist across the campaign showed his attacking intent, even if a couple of red cards and discipline issues showed he still has a bit of rawness.
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA – JUNE 28: Brooke Norton-Cuffy of U21 England celebrates with the UEFA European Under-21 Championship trophy after his team’s victory in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2025 Final match between England and Germany at National Football stadium on June 28, 2025 in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Photo by Christian Hofer/Getty Images)
That brings us to the real question. Does Moyes actually need him? The right-back spot is already looking incredibly crowded, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka is still the primary target for that role. Rico Lewis and Djed Spence are hovering on the radar, too. Bringing Norton-Cuffy into that mix feels less like strategic squad building and more like a club struggling to make a definitive choice.

Juventus have identified Fikayo Tomori as a potential replacement for Federico Gatti, with the Milan centre-back now open to making the move to the Bianconeri, according to Get Italian Football News, citing La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Tomori's position at Milan has become uncertain following the club's signing of Mario Gila from Lazio, which has effectively reshuffled the defensive hierarchy at San Siro. Coventry City had been tracking the England international, but that option – a return to the Championship with a newly promoted club offering no European football – has not appealed to him.
A key factor in Juventus's thinking is sporting director Ricky Massara, who was the architect of Tomori's original move from Chelsea to Milan and is now operating from the Continassa. That existing relationship gives Juve a meaningful advantage in any approach. Tomori had rejected a transfer in January 2025 and turned down Tottenham around the same period, but the source reports his stance has shifted.
Gatti, meanwhile, is set to leave in search of regular starts, with Napoli the reported destination. The Partenopei need to offload a player before they can formalise that deal, which is currently stalling the entire chain – but Tomori represents a ready-made safety net for Thiago Motta's successor Luciano Spalletti as Juve reshape their backline. The club has been active in that area already, pursuing centre-back reinforcements through multiple avenues this window.
Tomori's current deal at Milan runs until 2027, meaning the Rossoneri hold real leverage and any departure would require a negotiated fee rather than a discounted exit. With defensive turnover already a theme at Juventus this summer, and Lloyd Kelly also a candidate to leave, Tomori could expect a significant role rather than squad cover. At 28, with four-plus years of Serie A experience, he fits the profile Juve are targeting – a proven defender comfortable at the top end of the table and in European competition.

Bristol City have signed goalkeeper Brad Collins on a two-year deal after he was released by Coventry City earlier in the summer.
The 29-year-old was out on loan in League One with Burton Albion last season.
While he did not feature for the Sky Blues in their Championship ****** le-winning campaign to return to the Premier League last term, he did make 46 appearances for the club before that.
Collins, who was on the books at Chelsea as a youth player, moved to Coventry in the summer of 2023 from Barnsley.
Bristol City manager Michael Skubala said Collins would come in to add competition to the goalkeeping department.

Coventry City have completed the signing of Loum Tchaouna from Burnley on a five-year deal.
The French forward first joined the Clarets last summer from Lazio having initially began his football journey with Rennes.
The 22-year-old featured 32 times in total in first season in English football, chipping in with three goals and making a single ******* ist.
Now, Tchaouna will stay in the Premier League after signing for newly-promoted Coventry City for a reported £20 million.
"I'm so excited to start this new season in the Premier League, I'm feeling good and ready for the challenge," Tchaouna said on his arrival.

In the final part of Rob Gurney and Will Oelrich's Coventry Q&A, they focus on the benefit of few Coventry players featuring at the World Cup and away-day experiences.
Gareth asked: Do you think the fact so few City players were involved in the World Cup compared with other Premier League teams could give us a real edge at the start and perhaps at the end when fatigue may set in for other teams who have players who have had little rest?
Will: I get your point and to an extent I agree. But the fitness levels required to play in the Premier League now are miles above what they used to be.
Players are such elite athletes that they can build sharpness quickly, and most keep themselves in top condition throughout the off‑season. It might affect the opening couple of games and especially for those returning late from the World Cup where we might see reduced minutes for some rather than full 90s but with the standards as high as they are, it won't take long for them to catch up.
Where it may play a part is later on in the season. Teams juggling Europe and cup competitions, playing three times in a week, will have to rotate and that's where the Sky Blues could capitalise. It all depends on the club's focus: is it purely about staying in the Premier League, or is there appetite to chase something in the cups?

Eastleigh have signed former Millwall defender Ben Drake.
The 20-year-old arrives at the Spitfires after two years with the Lions. He was an unused substitute in Millwall's 2-1 victory over Coventry City in the EFL Cup at the beginning of last season.
Last season, Drake joined Braintree Town on loan and made 22 National League appearances.

GENEVA (AP) — FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino is being referred to Olympic ethics investigators for a possible breach of political neutrality, a human rights group said Wednesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump helped block a World Cup player’s ban.
Trump took credit Monday for FIFA’s decision — unprecedented in modern World Cup history — to let United States forward Folarin Balogun play Monday against Belgium despite getting a red card in the team’s previous game. A Belgium team clearly fired up by the furor won 4-1 in Seattle.
The IOC cites neutrality among “fundamental principles of Olympism” for sports bodies like FIFA, and has jurisdiction over Infantino since he joined its exclusive group of 100-plus invited members in 2020.
“FairSquare will file a complaint to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s repeated breach of political neutrality rules,” the London-based sports and human rights NGO said in a statement Wednesday.
The pledge to file a formal complaint to the IOC Ethics Commission came one day after the Olympic body’s president Kirsty Coventry told reporters none had yet been received.

Rangers Hall of Fame inductee Allan McGregor has returned to Ibrox as lead goalkeeping coach, the Scottish Premiership club have confirmed.
The 44-year-old replaces Sal Bibbo, who left last month to join Coventry City.
McGregor made more than 500 appearances for Rangers before retiring in 2023 and is "really excited" to be back.
"Everyone knows what this club means to me, so to have the opportunity to return and help the club in the present and future is a real privilege," he told Rangers' website.
"Rangers is a club that demands the very highest standards and I'm looking forward to getting started, working with the players and staff, and seeing what we can achieve together in this next chapter."

Exeter have signed Worcester Warriors lock Obinna Nkwocha for the 2026-27 Prem season.
The 23-year-old moved to Sixways a year ago after a two-year spell with Champ side Coventry.
The former Saracens academy player has been brought in after Rusi Tuima left the Chiefs to join Newcastle.
Nkwocha scored two tries in 17 appearances for Worcester as they won the Champ ****** le last season - he came off the bench in their win over Bedford Blues in the play-off final.
"We've had numerous players who have dropped out of academies, gone to play with Championship clubs and have had that time growing up, both mentally and physically, and that's what I'm really seeing when I watch Obinna play," Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter said.

We asked your views on which free agents Coventry City could target this summer.
Here are some of your comments:
Freddie: First, I would push to sign John Stones on a free. He would be an excellent addition with bags of experience to that backline. Secondly, I would avoid trying to bring in someone like Lois Openda, who is neither worth the price tag nor the kind of number nine we need.
Joanne: I would have loved CCFC to sign Kieran Trippier, but it looks like he'll stay at Wolves, even though he didn't seem pleased that they sacked Rob Edwards! So thinking I'd like Stones.
Paz: Yves Bissouma all day! The others are a bit old and the wage demands wouldn't justify it, whereas Bissouma is still in his 20s and has a lot too offer. His standards dropped last season during a very poor campaign for Spurs, but put him in the right environment with the right manager and I think he can do really well. Obviously he'd be back-up to Super Matty Grimes.

Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard says he wants to build on the "spirit and togetherness" of the Championship ***** le-winning campaign and that's why he has signed a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2029.
"After the incredible work of everybody to get promoted and win the Championship, it was important to enjoy the moment, and we certainly did as a city," said Lampard.
"Our job then as staff, and for the players of course, is to firstly recharge but also focus on what we want to do and what we need to for next season.
"There's a lot of work to do on and off the pitch as a football club, so those things have been on going.
"I'm looking forward to getting back with the players, to see them all and get ready for the new season.

Cesc Fabregas is set to step back into The Emirates with his Como side, who will take on Premier League champions **** nal in a pre-season friendly on August 12, the clubs have confirmed.
This will be the first ever meeting between Como and **** nal, competitive or otherwise, but will be a return for Fabregas who spent eight years in North London and made his professional debut with the Gunners back in 2003.
This pre-season clash comes as Como prepare for their first ever season in the Champions League, having beaten both Milan and Juventus to a top-four finish in a dramatic end to the 2025-26 Serie A season.
The game will take place at The Emirates Stadium, kicking off at 19.30 BST on August 12, a Wednesday evening. This falls 10 days before Como begin their 2026-27 Serie A season away against Udinese and nine days before **** nal begin their Premier League **** le defence at home against newly-promoted Coventry City.
“Como 1907 will travel to Emirates Stadium this summer to face **** nal, the reigning English champions and European runners-up, in a preseason friendly scheduled for Wednesday, August 12, at 7:30 p.m. BST,” a statement confirmed.

Blackburn Rovers have brought in former Wycombe boss Mike Dodds as their new ****** istant head coach.
Dodds leaves Oxford United, where he worked alongside former head coach Matt Bloomfield, to link back up with Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray.
The 40-year-old began his career as a youth coach at Coventry before spending 12 years within Birmingham's set-up.
He left Blues in 2021 for Sunderland where he worked alongside Mowbray as head of individual player development.
He took charge of 18 games as caretaker manager of the Black Cats, winning four matches, during 2023-24 before being appointed Wycombe head coach in 2025.

International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah marked International Olympic Day by extending support to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) global initiative aimed at promoting health, well-being, and community engagement through sport.

Highlighting the unifying power of sport, Shah underlined cricket’s global reach and its ability to bring people together across borders.

“On the International Olympic Day, we are fully behind the initiative by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to harness the power of sport to promote health, well-being, and community engagement. With more than 2 billion fans around the world, Cricket has the ability to unite, inspire and empower at an unparalleled scale. Wishing everyone a happy Olympic Day and look forward to celebrating with all of you the Olympic spirit that motivates us to move, play, and thrive,” ICC Chairman Jay Shah shared on X.
— JayShah (JayShah)
International Olympic Day is observed every year on June 23 to commemorate the founding of the International Olympic Committee and the revival of the modern Olympic Games. First introduced in 1948, the day promotes physical fitness, inclusivity, and the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect.

The celebration has grown into a worldwide movement, with National Olympic Committees, International Federations, and organising committees hosting events to encourage participation and active lifestyles across communities.

IOC president Kirsty Coventry, in a video message for Olympic Day, urged people around the world to take part in physical activity, aligning with this year’s theme.

Her message supports the “Let’s Move” campaign and its central idea, “You Can Do This”, which encourages young people to overcome self-doubt through sport and movement.
The occasion also carries added significance for cricket, which is set to return to the Olympic stage at Los Angeles 2028 after more than a century. The sport last featured at the 1900 Paris Olympics and will now be played in the T20 format at LA28.

Former Coventry City winger Jodi Jones says his three anterior cruciate ligament operations made him a better person, just as former manager Mark Robins said it would.
Jones was sidelined for a total of 897 days during a spell at the Sky Blues, which meant missing 130 games, between November 2017 and August 2021.
He went more than five years between starting league matches, from the day he was first hurt playing for the Sky Blues in League Two, to featuring for Notts County in the National League after being sent out on loan by Oxford United in January 2023.
"Being a footballer is the best job in the world as you get up, you go to training and you play football, but you take it for granted at the time," said Jones on the Sky Blues Fancast.
"When it happened, it was really tough at the time. I remember Mark Robins saying to me 'it will make you a better person and you will be so strong after this,' but at the time you don't really listen.