Bayer Leverkusen and NK Celje clash this Wednesday at the BayArena of the UEFA Europa League. Bayer Leverkusen, who have already won this tournament, mark their 21st participation in the competition, whilst NK Celje go into their 2nd.
In their last game, Bayer Leverkusen drew 2-2 with FC Augsburg (1. Bundesliga 2026/27). Last time out, NK Celje slipped to a 2-1 defeat against NK Bravo (Slovenian League 2026/27).
Montrell Culbreath - Foot Injury
Bayer Leverkusen ( vs FC Augsburg 2026-09-12): Mark Flekken, Jarell Quansah, Edmond Tapsoba, Facundo Medina, Miguel Gutiérrez, Aleix García, Equi Fernández, Moussa Diaby, Ibrahim Maza, Afonso Moreira, Christian Kofane
NK Celje ( vs NK Bravo 2026-09-12): Zan Luk Leban, Pijus Sirvys, Leonardo Koutris, Artemijus Tutyskinas, Papa Mustapha, Mark Zabukovnik, Darko Hrka, Mario Kvesić, Benjamin Verbic, Matic Ivansek, Blaz Kramer

#bayer #bayarena

The Manchester City squad is "buying into the idea" of new manager Enzo Maresca, says new captain Ruben Dias.
City spent a Premier League record £458m during the recent transfer window, with incomings including midfield trio Enzo Fernandez, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi.
But there weren't only major changes to the playing squad. Maresca replaced the legendary Pep Guardiola, who stepped down at the end of last season after 10 years in charge.
Maresca was previously ******* istant to the Spaniard at Etihad Stadium, before spells at Leicester City and Chelsea.
Dias said Guardiola's departure was not an "easy moment for the club", while Maresca was the "perfect person for the job" as he "knew the house so well".

#dias #ruben

After Scott McTominay of Napoli, it was announced that Udinese and Poland international midfielder Jakub Piotrowski will also have heart surgery to correct a benign arrhythmia.
With the improvement in testing and focus on spotting cardiac problems early, Serie A clubs are increasingly able to identify potential issues in their players.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – JUNE 5: Scott McTominay of Scotland warms up during a training session at Florida Blue Training Center on June 5, 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)
Scotland international McTominay was diagnosed with a mild, benign arrhythmia and Napoli medical staff recommended ablation surgery to correct it.
That was performed this morning in Manchester, and he is expected to be out of action for around two months, following an initial two-week complete rest period.

#lauderdale #june #training

Jessica Pegula has advanced to the U.S. Open quarterfinals after winning back-to-back matches over the holiday weekend.
The Buffalo native rallied past Canada's Leylah Fernandez in the third round on Friday, overcoming a slow start to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens.
Pegula acknowledged she is never comfortable facing Fernandez but credited her ability to dig deep after dropping the opening set.
"I knew today, especially the way that I started, I was going to have to dig deep," Pegula told U.S. Open reporters. "I had to find something in the second set to turn it around, but she's a great player, so that was very hard."
Pegula then secured her spot in the quarterfinals on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Romania's Sorana Cirstea. The match featured some early struggles, but Pegula closed it out on her third match point when Cirstea sent a forehand long.

#match

Manchester City begin their 2026-27 Champions League campaign at Porto on Tuesday, the first night of the new league phase and a landmark occasion for Enzo Maresca, who takes charge of a Champions League match for City for the first time since succeeding Pep Guardiola.
Both sides arrive with perfect domestic records, setting up the fifth competitive meeting between two clubs who have never previously finished on the losing side against each other. Porto return to the Champions League proper for the first time since 2023-24 having reclaimed the Primeira Liga ****** le last season, and they arrive full of confidence after seven straight wins in all competitions.
City, by contrast, head to Portugal having laboured to a narrow 1-0 win over Coventry City at the weekend, a game in which club-record £125m signing Enzo Fernandez was thrust into the starting XI earlier than planned following an injury to Nico O'Reilly. Maresca's side have won all three Premier League matches so far this season, though their away form in Europe has been notably shakier than their home record.
Date: Tuesday, 8 September 2026Kick-off: 20:00 BSTVenue: Estádio do Dragão, PortoReferee: Szymon Marciniak (POL)Last meeting: Porto 0-0 Manchester City, 1 December 2020, Champions League (Group Stage)
Jan Bednarek serves a one-match ban having been sent off in last season's Europa League quarter-final defeat to Nottingham Forest, meaning Nehuen Perez is set to partner Jakub Kiwior in central defence. Victor Froholdt, who was knocked unconscious and hospitalised during last weekend's win over Moreirense, remains sidelined along with Vasco Sousa, Oskar Pietuszewski, Gabriel Mec, Zaidu Sanusi and Samu Aghehowa. Diogo Costa continues in goal behind a defence that has conceded only once in six matches this season.

#champions

Manchester City open their Champions League campaign at Porto on Tuesday, with Enzo Maresca taking charge of a European fixture for the club for the first time.
City arrive on the back of three straight Premier League wins, though a three-day turnaround before Sunday's Manchester derby is likely to shape his selection.
Porto have never beaten City in a competitive meeting, but their unbeaten start to the season and vociferous home support make the Estádio do Dragão an awkward opening ******* ignment.
Nico O'Reilly is a serious doubt for Tuesday's trip to Portugal after suffering a back injury in the warm-up before Saturday's win over Coventry City, forcing Enzo Fernandez into an unplanned full debut. Jeremy Doku remains sidelined with the calf problem that has kept him out of City's opening three Premier League fixtures.
Iliman Ndiaye was withdrawn in the 87th minute of his own debut with cramp, though the issue is not considered serious and he should be available for selection. With O'Reilly a doubt and Doku out, Maresca's options in wide areas are reduced to Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Antoine ******* yo.

#three #manchester #Porto

Newcastle United travel to Millwall in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday, looking to book a place in the last 16 as they continue an unbeaten start to life under Matthias Jaissle.
A place at The Den is never straightforward for visiting Premier League sides, and the German head coach has already been warned about the hostile reception awaiting his side in Bermondsey.
Jaissle's side head into the tie sitting seventh in the Premier League after four games without defeat, though a place in the fourth round would offer a first taste of cup progress under the new head coach following last month's win over West Bromwich Albion. With a decent gap before Newcastle's next league fixture, Jaissle has options over how far he rotates his side.
Newcastle will be without Dan Burn, Joelinton and Will Osula for the trip to south-east London. Ewen Jaouen is a doubt in goal after rolling his ankle in training on 4 September, with Jaissle saying a decision on his availability will not be made until closer to kick-off. Tino Livramento, who made his first appearance since April off the bench against Bournemouth, is also not yet ready to start; asked directly if he'd be ready, Jaissle replied simply, "No."
Deadline-day arrival Matias Fernandez-Pardo is in line for his first start for the club after joining from Lille. Jacob Murphy, Jacob Ramsey, Bazoumana Toure, Aladji Bamba and Fabian Schär are among those pushing for involvement having had limited game time so far this season, while Sean Steur is likely to return to the side after a positive cameo against Bournemouth. Jaissle said of his selection: "There's always a fine line to make these decisions."

#league #start #head #bournemouth

Chelsea are working on an early deal to sign Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott in a bid to avoid competition for the midfielder next summer.
Bournemouth turned down a £64m offer from Chelsea during the summer transfer window and made clear that any further approaches would be rejected. The Cherries had hoped to tie Scott down to a new deal, but talks so far have failed to find an agreement.
Chelsea are keen to capitalise and want to secure Scott's future ahead of next summer. TEAMtalk are reporting that the Blues are exploring whether a transfer could be agreed in advance of next summer, to avoid a bidding war with Premier League rivals. Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester United have all tracked Scott's progress at the Vitality Stadium.
Scott has emerged as one of the most promising midfielders in the Premier League at Bournemouth and is expected to make his England debut in the coming months, having trained with Thomas Tuchel's squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Chelsea are prepared to bide their time and wait for Scott next summer. Xabi Alonso has identified the midfielder as a primary target, as Chelsea look to replace Enzo Fernandez.

#Chelsea #premier #league #deal

On Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz beat Tommy Paul in straight sets to reach the quarterfinal of the US Open. His most formidable opponent awaited him after the match, however.
Live television.
Alcaraz joined Andy Roddick, Mary Joe Fernandez, and Rece Davis at the desk for ESPN's live coverage. Roddick asked Alcaraz for "a quick word" on Ben Shelton and Stefanos Tsitsipas and "the challenges that both of them could bring." Alcaraz looked completely dumbfounded and asked Roddick to repeat the question.
"You're either gonna play Shelton or Tsitsipas," Roddick said. "Maybe just a word on both of them."
"Oh, really? I thought…," Alcaraz interjected, leaning over to look at Roddick's copy of the men's draw. "Oh my god! I thought I was playing Daniil Medvedev [or Frances] Tiafoe. Oh my god. Thank you."

#alcaraz #roddick #asked #carlos

Chelsea's interest in Lamine Camara has not gone away, and his latest display for Monaco has only intensified the feeling that this is a story with plenty left to run. According to TeamTalk, scouts from Chelsea and Liverpool were among a number of Premier League clubs in Paris on Friday night as Monaco claimed an eye-catching win over Paris Saint-Germain, with Camara playing a central part.
The backdrop made the performance even more significant. Camara had only just seen what was described as his "dream Deadline Day move to Chelsea collapse", after Monaco withdrew late despite an agreement having been reached. It left both player and buying club stunned, and it also left Chelsea needing to reassess after Enzo Fernandez's move to Manchester City earlier that same day created a major midfield vacancy.
Photo: IMAGO
There are moments when recruitment departments want to see a player's technical quality, and others when they want evidence of temperament. This appearance appeared to provide both. Camara returned to action under considerable emotional pressure and still delivered what was described as "a performance of real quality against one of Europe's strongest sides".
Against a PSG midfield featuring Fabian Ruiz, Joao Neves and Vitinha, "arguably one of the finest midfield trios in club football", Camara "was able to more than hold his own and play a significant role in Monaco's victory". That detail matters. Clubs at the top end of the Premier League are not only buying talent, they are buying resilience, personality and the ability to cope with elite opposition.

#buying #midfield #league

Nico O'Reilly was set to start in midfield for Manchester City for their match against Coventry City yesterday at the Etihad Stadium. However, the England international suffered a minor back injury in the warm-up. Due to the injury he sustained, Nico O'Reilly was withdrawn from yesterday's match. Manchester City's club record signing Enzo Fernandez replaced O'Reilly in the starting lineup. By the time that Enzo Fernandez was taken off in the 76th minute of City's 1-0 win over Coventry City, he had shown exactly what he will bring to Enzo Maresca's side and how he will fit in. All told, Enzo Fernandez played well after being thrust into his first start for Manchester City.
When Nico O'Reilly went down injured in the warm-up yesterday, Enzo Fernandez didn't have a lot of time to prepare for his Manchester City debut. The Argentinian midfielder had barely trained with his new team and had barely featured for Chelsea this season before being signed by Manchester City. He was thrust straight into the thick of it due to circumstances outside of his control. By the time that Enzo Fernandez was replaced by Ayyoub Bouaddi in the 76th minute he had put in an impressive performance in midfield.
Enzo Fernandez played on the right of Manchester City's midfield. He got himself into great positions in the final third and he was already ready and willing to receive possession all over the pitch. As per SofaScore, Enzo Fernandez completed 71/78 of his passes as his composure on the ball stood out. He was always offering himself to his teammates and helped City dominate possession throughout the first half.
As an attacking threat, Enzo Fernandez offered plenty for Enzo Maresca's side. His late runs into the Coventry City box were a constant threat. He saw two shots blocked in the first half and if it wasn't for some desperate Coventry City defending he would have gotten on the scoresheet as he could've gotten on the end of several very good crosses. It was Enzo Fernandez who played Antoine ****** yo in on the right to set up Erling Haaland's header in the 26th minute.
Enzo Fernandez put in a promising debut for Manchester City yesterday. He slotted into Manchester City's midfield well and showed more than enough while he was on the pitch.

#enzo #city #manchester

Looking at the top 20 of the past two Ballon d'Or votes, one name is conspicuously missing: Enzo Fernández.
So far, the Argentine has never really played a major role in the World Player of the Year vote, and yet Manchester City paid Chelsea around €145 million for the midfielder just a few days ago. Have they made a huge mistake?
Okay, ever since Robert Lewandowski failed to win the Ballon d'Or in 2021 at the latest, we've known that things do not always go entirely fairly in that vote. Even so, there have recently been quite a few players who clearly performed better than Fernández.
Chelsea's chief orchestrator led the Blues to a disappointing tenth-place finish last season. In the Champions League, the London club crashed out heavily against PSG in the round of 16 (2:8 on aggregate). And now he is supposed to lead the Sky Blues to **** les on both the domestic and international stage?
Of course, City did not sign Fernández entirely without reason. The 25-year-old possesses enormous playmaking qualities. His vision, passing ability, and finishing quality in particular are in some ways strongly reminiscent of City legend Kevin De Bruyne.

#city #ndez #ballon #entirely

Man City moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League after squeezing past Coventry 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium, although Enzo Maresca's side were made to work considerably harder than they might have expected.
Erling Haaland scored the decisive goal, his third of the season, while Elliot Anderson produced another commanding midfield display. Coventry remained within touching distance throughout and came close to stealing a point late on.
City had already received a warning before taking the lead, with Gianluigi Donnarumma required to intervene as Coventry threatened.
A late change had brought Enzo Fernandez into the starting XI after Nico O'Reilly suffered an injury during the warm up, and Fernandez quickly settled into proceedings.
His pass released Antoine ****** yo, whose delivery was met by Haaland. The Norwegian produced a powerful header to put Man City ahead and seemingly establish the platform for a more comfortable afternoon.

#city #haaland #late #premier

New-look Manchester City overcame a spirited challenge from Coventry on Saturday courtesy of an Erling Haaland goal to stay perfect in the Premier League, as blunt Tottenham were held to a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest.
Enzo Maresca is now the man in the Etihad hotseat after the emotional departure of long-serving Pep Guardiola, while there has been significant churn among the playing staff.
One of the new arrivals, Enzo Fernandez, played a major part in City's first-half goal, feeding Antoine ******* yo, who crossed for Haaland to head home his third of the season.
Table-topping City have won all three of their Premier League matches ahead of next week's Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
Former Chelsea boss Maresca said teams needed "ugly moments" as well as free-flowing football after the stodgy win, in which newly promoted Coventry squandered chances.

#coventry #haaland #saturday

Manchester City have won 1-0 today against stubborn Coventry City side at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon. A Erling Haaland header in the 26th minute was just enough for City make it three wins from three matches to start the new Premier League season.
When the starting lineups were announced, Enzo Maresca had made only one change to the starting lineup which dispatched Crystal Palace 4-1 last weekend. Iliman Ndiaye replaced Phil Foden in the starting lineup as the Senegalese international made his Premier League debut from the start today. Enzo Fernandez was on the bench for today's game. However, that changed 15 minutes before kickoff. Nico O'Reilly suffered an injury in the warm up and Enzo Fernandez replaced him in Manchester City's starting lineup.
Manchester City began the game dominating possession, however it was Coventry City who should have taken the lead inside the opening eight minutes. First, Abdukodir Khusanov played a ball back to Gianluigi Donnarumma on his own goal line. The Italian had a poor first touch which almost trickled over the goal line to give Frank Lampard's side the lead in the 6th minute.
However, two minutes later, Coventry City should have taken the lead. Antoine ****** yo played a dangerous ball from the right into midfield which Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi intercepted. Awoniyi surged clean through on goal with only the keeper to beat. But he fired his shot wide of the post with Gianluigi Donnarumma rushing out to save his team's blushes. Taiwo Awoniyi's chance was a clear warning shot to Enzo Maresca's side that today's match wouldn't be a walk in the park.
Manchester City's first shot on target would arrive in the 16th minute. Elliot Anderson was fouled in midfield and he quickly took the free kick and set free Rayan Cherki. Cherki surged into ****** e and played in Erling Haaland with a quality through ball. Haaland fired in a powerful low drive from inside the Coventry penalty area across goal which Coventry City keeper Carl Rushworth got down well to save.

#city #haaland #first #side

It was full steam ahead at the CFA as City prepare to host Coventry on Saturday afternon.
New signings Iliman Ndiaye and Enzo Fernández trained ahead of our game against the Premier League's other Sky Blues with City looking to extend our 100% winning start.
TICKETS: CITY V COVENTRY
Enzo Maresca revealed only Jeremy Doku is unavailable with Matheus Nunes returning to training on Friday.
Here are the best pictures from today's session....

#coventry #enzo #premier #blues

Xabi Alonso says it is time for Chelsea to "move forward" following the departure of Enzo Fernandez and failure to sign Lamine Camara as his replacement.
The drawn-out saga surrounding the Argentine midfielder's future ended on Transfer Deadline Day when he reunited with Enzo Maresca at Manchester City.
The Blues sold the 25-year-old for £125 million, equalling the British transfer record set by Liverpool last year when they signed Alexander Isak from Newcastle United.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's Premier League meeting with ****** nal, Alonso admitted that Chelsea allowed Fernandez to leave the club because it was "best for the team".
"We take all the decisions together," the Spaniard said in his pre-match press conference. "We work together with big ones, small ones. We knew ultimately the goal is to have the best for the team. We want to build a good spirit, a good team."

#alonso #Chelsea #ones

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso hopes everyone can now "move forward" following the protracted sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City which was finally confirmed late on transfer deadline day.
The Argentina midfielder left Stamford Bridge to join City in a British record-equalling £125 million ($168.9 million) deal ahead of the window closing on Tuesday night.
Chelsea had initially set their own deadline of August 14 for clubs to make offers for Fernandez. But with that having come and gone, City then made another late move which saw intense negotiations over the fee before a settlement was eventually reached close to the 11pm cut-off.
The Blues had hoped to be able to bring in midfielder Lamine Camara from Monaco, but that deal collapsed when the Ligue 1 side backed out having not signed a deal sheet before the window closed.
Alonso, though, insists everything must now all be considered water under the bridge as he looks to refocus the squad for Sunday's trip to Premier League champions ****** nal, when Chelsea will be bidding to maintain their own 100% start to the new campaign.

#late #deadline

Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland have already been confirmed as two of the Manchester City captains for the 2026-27 season. All that was unknown was who would be joining them in City's captaincy group. Enzo Maresca has revealed who will be joining Haaland and Dias in City's captaincy group. On first glance, Maresca has made two obvious and quality choices when naming the other two players who will complete Manchester City's captaincy quartet.
Enzo Maresca faced the media earlier today ahead of Manchester City's upcoming Premier League fixture against Coventry City at the Etihad Stadium. The Manchester City manager was asked what new signing Enzo Fernandez would bring to Maresca's squad and if the Argentinian midfielder would be in Manchester City's captaincy group for the upcoming season. While answering what Fernandez adds to City's squad, Maresca also revealed who Manchester City's four captains would be. He said: "I know Enzo quite well, I know what he can bring. He's a winner, he has a winning mentality, World Cup, Club World Cup. The main thing is that he's a winner." Captain? "No, the captain is Ruben, Erling, Marc Guehi and Gigi Donnarumma."
Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland were obvious choices to be two of Manchester City's captains for this season. They were in City's leadership group last season and were two clear stand-out candidates to return to their posts under Enzo Maresca. The question was who would join them. Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marc Guehi are the players who claimed that ***** le.
Both of Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marc Guehi are quality leaders. Marc Guehi was Crystal Palace's captain before he joined City. Guehi leads by example in a quiet and unassuming manner and his leadership style do combine well with Haaland and Dias. Gianluigi Donnarumma is a pillar at the back for City. He is a vociferous character and he does set the tone in goal. It is often Donnarumma who celebrates his teammates defensive contributions and his is key pillar of this City side.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marc Guehi, Erling Haaland, and Ruben Dias will form Manchester City's captaincy group for the 2026-27 season. Each player brings their own strengths to the role and they will be hoping to lead Manchester City to success this season.

#maresca

Money, money.
Elliott Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Enzo Fernandez & co.: Manchester City pulled off this summer the most expensive transfer window in football history, with 526 million euros spent. Quite simply.
The Everest of the spendthrift trend in English football in recent years.
Proof with this top 10 of the most expensive transfer windows in history, by club:
10) Newcastle - Summer 2026 transfer window - 301 million euros spent

#euros

The scene in Bilbao, in 2024, foreshadowed the change that would come. Michele Kang, the owner of OL Lyonnes, strode around the edge of the pitch in the San Mames to greet the travelling supporters of the women's football powerhouse, who were buoyed by her ambition and intent to invest. Barcelona won 2-0 to lift their third Women's Champions League **** le in four years, thanks to goals from their two Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas. But while Kang, the South Korean-born American billionaire and philanthropist, vowed that Lyonnes would return stronger, her sphere of influence was also primed to have an impact elsewhere.
As well as the French champions, Kang owned two other teams as part of her multi-club Kynisca group, the US side Washington Spirit and the London City Lionesses, based out of Bromley and playing in the second tier of English women's football. Two years on, driven by Kang's vision and fuelled by her deep pockets, London City have secured promotion and undergone a remarkable makeover. From that Champions League final alone, they have signed not just Putellas, making the Spain international and World Cup winner the biggest overseas signing in Women's Super League history, but two of her Barcelona team-mates in Mapi Leon and Jana Fernandez. From sister club Lyonnes, London City have signed two of their starting forwards in Kadidiatou Diani and Delphine Cascarino, as well as midfielder Danielle van de Donk.
Michele Kang celebrates London City's promotion to the Women's Super League in 2025 (Getty)
Within two years, London City have disrupted women's football and have now set their sights on challenging for the WSL **** le. It has not come cheap: Putellas was a free transfer but is one of the highest-paid women's footballers in the world at around £1m per year. Before the new season, London City have also signed former England goalkeeper Mary Earps from Paris Saint-Germain and have built a team set on challenging **** nal and Chelsea's dominance in the capital. In terms of transfer fees within the WSL, only **** nal and Chelsea have come close to matching the £1m London City paid PSG for midfielder Grace Geyoro last summer. Their position is also a unique one. Of the 14 teams in this season's expanded WSL, London City are the only independent outfit with no affiliation to a men's club, yet their spending comfortably exceeds that of Manchester United and Liverpool, despite the riches that flow from the Premier League.
Kang is the driving force. The 67-year-old, who made her fortune through healthcare technology in the US, is an investor in the true sense of the word, believing in the untapped value and potential of women's sports. Her philanthropy has extended to making $30m and $4m donations to US Soccer and USA Rugby respectively, the latter just hours after watching the US women's rugby sevens team win bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. London City are likely to make a financial loss in their second season o

Kris Boyd has delivered a brutal verdict on the £2.5m Rangers centre-back after a shaky display against Falkirk, arguing that his uncertainty spread through the Rangers defence during Wednesday's 2-1 Premiership win.
The Glasgow Times reported Boyd's comments, made during Sky Sports coverage, after Emmanuel Fernandez endured a difficult night despite his side taking all three points. Boyd focused on the opening half incident that led to Falkirk's equaliser. Fernandez followed an opponent too far, went down looking for a foul and left ******* e behind him. Ethan Ross then delivered the cross, with Kosta Nedeljkovic turning it into his own net.
Boyd saw little excuse for Fernandez's decision-making. He pointed to a loose square pass after the interval, when Jacob Murrell intercepted inside the penalty area before Ivor Pandur rescued Rangers with a save.
He said: "There's a tug, but I'd be more disappointed that my centre-back goes in and attempts to tackle like that.
"It summed up Emmanuel Fernandez's first half. He was really, really sloppy with the ball. You speak about good players making the people around them better — he's the opposite.

#really

Chelsea have moved quickly in the free-agent market, opening discussions with Georginio Wijnaldum after an abrupt and damaging end to their midfield plans. According to Caught Offside, the Blues have made contact as they search for a short-term solution following Enzo Fernandez's £125m move to Manchester City.
The timing is what gives this story its edge. Chelsea had been working to reshape their midfield before the deadline, but those plans fell apart. Fernandez was sold, while a move for Monaco's Lamine Camara broke down late on. That sequence has left Xabi Alonso looking for experience and immediate availability, and Wijnaldum fits both requirements.
The key line from the report is clear, Chelsea have "formally contacted Wijnaldum's representatives to discuss a possible return to the Premier League." For a club that has largely built around youth, this is a notable shift. Wijnaldum, now 35, has been without a club since departing Al-Ettifaq and remains eligible to sign despite the transfer window being shut.
There is logic to that. He offers Premier League pedigree, European-level experience and a calm profile in a position that now looks thinner than Chelsea expected. The report describes him as "an attractive short-term option for Xabi Alonso", particularly in the context of losing Fernandez and missing out on Camara.
From Chelsea's perspective, the attraction is obvious. Wijnaldum has won the Premier League and Champions League, and his 96 Netherlands caps underline the level of know-how he would bring into the dressing room. The article also notes that Chelsea need "experience, reliability and leadership in midfield", which feels a fair reading of the current squad balance.

#Chelsea #premier #midfield

Rayo Vallecano and Racing Santander clash this Saturday at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque for round four of the La Liga.
Rayo Vallecano have 1 point to their name this season and occupy 18th position in the table. Last time out, Beñat San José's team slipped to a 5-2 defeat against Barcelona (La Liga 2026/27).
Racing Santander have won 4 points to date and are placed in 10th position. Last time out, José Alberto López 's team triumphed 3-2 against Elche CF (La Liga 2026/27).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Rayo Vallecano winning 2-1.
Rayo Vallecano: Dani Cárdenas, Iván Balliu, Pathé Ciss, Florian Lejeune, Pelayo Fernández, Gnangoro Bouare, Jorge De Frutos, Óscar Valentín, Unai López, Álvaro García, Sergio Camello

#racing #santander #time

Chelsea are approaching the final weeks of the transfer window with an unresolved question at their centre. Enzo Fernandez has been linked with a move to Manchester City throughout August, and the commercial logic of selling is not difficult to construct. What is considerably more difficult is justifying strengthening a direct rival at a moment when that rival's most glaring weakness is precisely the position Fernandez occupies.
Fernandez cost Chelsea €120 million in January 2023. He was bought to be the deep-lying conductor of a new-look midfield – the replacement for Jorginho, the organiser around whom creativity would flow. That vision has never been fully realised at Stamford Bridge, and the reasons why are well-documented.
Every manager Chelsea (7.04) has appointed since his arrival has struggled to make a Fernandez-Caicedo double pivot function out of possession. Fernandez is not physically built to cover large central ***** es. His defensive awareness is sharp enough for international soccer, where Lionel Scaloni's Argentina have found ways to manage around his limitations, but has never been sharp enough at club level to survive without significant structural support.
Enzo Maresca's solution last season was to move Fernandez into the left pocket, push a fullback deeper into the midfield beside Caicedo and slow Chelsea's possession game to keep the team compact. It improved the collective structure and allowed Fernandez to play his best soccer at Chelsea, scoring 15 goals across all competitions. But it came at a notable cost, most visibly, the significant dip in Cole Palmer's form.
Xabi Alonso is not going to replicate that approach. His 3-4-2-1 system places Morgan Rogers and Palmer as dual attacking midfielders behind the striker. That is precisely where Fernandez would be best utilised. But Chelsea paid £117 million for Rogers this transfer window to fill that exact role. The positional arithmetic does not work in Fernandez's favour.

#caicedo #rogers #window #difficult

The summer transfer window has shut, and it could be time for new signings to take to the stage in week three of the Premier League - and you can keep across all the action on the BBC.
It was a record-breaking year for spending - so how will high-profile transfers like Manchester City's Enzo Fernandez and Liverpool's Bradley Barcola fare if they make their first outings for their new club?
Throughout the 2026-27 season, you can watch highlights from every game on Match of the Day, get live updates in our text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app and keep across all the goals as they go in on Final Score.
You can get live score updates on your phone lock screen simply by following your favourite teams.
And you can listen to match coverage wherever you are in the UK via BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sounds app.

#match #enzo

Rangers and Motherwell clash this Saturday at the Ibrox Stadium for round six of the Scottish Premiership.
Rangers have 7 points to their name this season and occupy 5th position in the table. In their last game, Derek McInnes's team won 1-2 against Falkirk (Scottish Premiership 2026/27).
Motherwell currently have 8 points and lie in 3rd position. In their last match, Alfred Johansson's team prevailed 3-0 against Dundee United (Scottish Premiership 2026/27).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Motherwell winning 3-2.
Rangers ( vs Falkirk 2026-09-02): Ivor Pandur, Kosta Nedeljkovic, Olwethu Makhanya, Emmanuel Fernandez, James Penrice, Cammy Devlin, Nicolas Raskin, Findlay Curtis, Kim Min-su, Djeidi Gassama, Lawrence Shankland

#scottish #points #team #saturday

Enzo Fernandez has said he has joined a club built for success after signing for Manchester City in a £125m deal.
Fernandez completed his move from Chelsea on deadline day, in a transfer that equals the British transfer record fee.
The 25-year-old reunites with Enzo Maresca at the Etihad, having worked with the Italian at Chelsea. Together, the duo won theEuropa Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, with Fernandez now setting his sights on more silverware. At international level, Fernandez won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina and 2024 Copa America.
The midfielder hailed City as 'the most successful club in England in recent times' and said it is a club that is set up to win trophies.
"Manchester City are the most successful club in England in recent times," Fernandez toldmancity.com.

#club #manchester #Chelsea #successful

The night before the transfer window shut, it seemed it would close with Enzo Fernandez still at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea were asking for £135m. It was more than Manchester City were prepared to pay. It took negotiations on 1 September to bring the price down to £125m, still a joint British transfer record and a deal that took the amount committed to buying players either to or from City this summer to around three quarters of a billion.
Had Chelsea not reduced their demands – which may be seen as an indication of their willingness to get rid of Fernandez, especially when their attempt to replace him with Monaco's Lamine Camara broke down – City might not have signed a third midfielder.
Instead, they completed a £326m revamp in the centre of the pitch. There were several pertinent elements. The £116m buy Elliot Anderson was always their first choice to replace captain Bernardo Silva, who was leaving when his contract expired and who then joined Real Madrid. City took added satisfaction from knowing some of their rivals wanted Anderson, including Manchester United.
Enzo Fernandez completed a £125m move to Manchester City on deadline day (Reuters)
The £85m arrival Ayyoub Bouaddi is seen as a player with the attributes to be world class and who, despite being only 18, is expected to play a lot of games this season. The Morocco international, who is studying for a maths degree, is regarded as belonging to the tradition of intelligent midfielders at City. Significantly, perhaps, City feel he is the only specialist No 6 in their squad.

#fernandez #took #Chelsea #anderson

MOOSIC, PA(WBRE/WYOU)— The RailRiders pulled to within two games of first place with a 9-2 win on Wednesday night over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre put up four runs in the first inning, never trailing in the win over the I-Pigs.
Jasson Dominguez started the scoring in the first with a single to right field, bringing in Jarred Kelenic. The next batter J.C. Escarra continued the hit parade with a single to shallow right. That brought in Anthony Volpe, putting runners on the corners for Marco Luciano. The SWB second baseman drove a ball to the wall to bring in Dominguez. Oswaldo Cabrera ended the merry-go-round with a fielder's choice, and a fourth run for the RailRiders.
Yanquiel Fernandez matched Double-R's first four runs, with four runs driven in of his own. Fernandez hit two home runs on Wednesday, his team leading 23rd and 24th of the season. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre DH went 3-for-4 on the night, with two home runs and four RBI.
New York Yankees pitcher Clark Schmidt started the game for the RailRiders. The start was Schmidt's second rehab start since having elbow surgery last July. Schmidt pitched 0.2 innings last Saturday for the Yankees Double-A team.
Schmidt tossed 2.0 innings for SWB on Wednesday night. He struck out three batters, while also allowing one run on three hits.

#first #scranton #barre