Football News

Raheem Sterling charged with dangerous driving and nitrous oxide possession

Guardian Football

Former England forward crashed on M3 in late MaySterling is also accused of failing to provide a specimenRaheem Sterling has been charged with dangerous driving and possession of nitrous oxide after a crash involving a Lamborghini on the motorway, police have said.Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary said the charges followed a single-vehicle collision on the M3 southbound, near Minley interchange, on 28 May. The 31-year-old former England forward is accused of dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a specimen. Continue reading...

Newcastle v West Brom, Tottenham v Charlton, Preston v Everton: Carabao Cup – live

Guardian Football

Updates from Wednesday’s second-round matchesGet in touch: email John and follow us on BlueSkyLooks like Spurs fans will get to see some of Savio(inho), he’s on the bench. Maybe a last look at Mikey Moore before he goes on loan to Köln for the season.Tottenham v Charlton teams Continue reading...

Palace attempt to hijack Villa move for Ordonez

BBC Football

Crystal Palace have had Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez as a long-term target, while Villa made a move after struggling to agree a fee for Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

'0% chance' - Atletico hit back at Barca over Alvarez transfer row

BBC Football

Barcelona have again restated their desire to sign Julian Alvarez, prompting another angry response from Atletico Madrid.

Another season, another failure - where did it all go wrong for Celtic?

BBC Football

Celtic have now faltered in Champions League qualifying on six occasions in eight years. What are the ramifications this time?

Liverpool turn attention to Sarr after Brighton reject Minteh bids

BBC Football

Liverpool are exploring a move for Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr after Brighton reject their two bids for Yankuba Minteh.

Men’s transfer window summer 2026: all deals from Europe’s top five leagues

Guardian Football

All the latest Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A deals and a club-by-club guideWomen’s transfer window interactive guide Continue reading...

After Dom Ballard’s backheel, what is the earliest goal of the season? | The Knowledge

Guardian Football

Plus: player-managers earning international caps, out-of-position goalkeepers sent off and footballers called up to jury serviceMail us with your all of your questions and answers“After watching Dom Ballard’s backheel volley for Bristol City against Birmingham in game week two of the Championship, it begs the question: what’s the earliest in a season a goal has gone on to win goal of the season?” asks Ricardio Sentulio.There is no doubting Dom Ballard’s outrageous flick for Bristol City at Birmingham City should be a Puskás contender, especially with his finish kissing the crossbar on its way in, and has a very good chance of being the best goal scored in the 2026-27 Championship season, even though there is a long way to go. Continue reading...

Football transfer rumours: Jean-Philippe Mateta to Aston Villa?

Guardian Football

Today’s fluff is splashing out regardlessLiam Delap may not have broken any records during his time with Chelsea but he is setting one on his way out the door. The England youth international is thought to be breaking Nottingham Forest’s transfer fee record with Oliver Glasner bringing him in for an expected £50m. The fee comes despite a disappointing 2025-26 season with the 23-year-old striker scoring only one Premier League goal.Injury problems with his shoulder and hamstring did not help but the lack of return means the Blues were open to selling the striker and Forest have taken the bait. If Delap does sell for £50m it also means Chelsea will make a £20m profit on the player after buying him from Ipswich for £30m in 2025. Continue reading...

Women’s Super League 2026-27 preview No 5: Charlton Athletic

Guardian Football

Karen Hills’s side are a blend of knowhow and young talent and are ready to compete 20 years after their disbandmentGuardian writers’ predicted position: 14th (NB: this is not necessarily Sophie Downey’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)Last season’s position: 3rd (WSL2) Continue reading...

Forest in talks with Celta Vigo over Javi Rueda as Axel Disasi joins Palace on loan

Guardian Football

Forest likely to end summer spending with right-backBrentford agree deal to sign El Hadji Malick DioufNottingham Forest are in talks over the €15m (£12.8m) signing of the Celta Vigo right-back Javi Rueda, which would probably be their final incoming of the window after Liam Delap from Chelsea.Oliver Glasner has been seeking someone who can play right wing-back and the 24-year-old former Real Madrid academy player fits the desired profile. Continue reading...

Bristol City ready to ‘supercharge growth’ and prove women’s clubs can fly solo

Guardian Football

After a split from the men’s team, CEO Hannah Buckley is overseeing an ambitious rebuild with WSL promotion firmly in sightAs radiant, August sunshine glistens around a peacefully silent Ashton Gate before Bristol City Women’s pre-season media day, Hannah Buckley takes a seat, pitch side, with a gleam in her eye, surveying the scene. The sight of a top-class venue makes her beam in a way that perhaps only somebody whose CV includes job titles such as regional facilities manager and head of infrastructure, safety and sustainability can. Nice stadiums, particular ones used by women’s sports teams, give her a kick.But after more than 20 years in football, the past eight at the WSL, Buckley is working on building something rather different: a club capable of thriving independently from the auspices of a men’s club. She was appointed as the Women’s Super League 2 side’s chief executive in May, starting her role in June, at a fascinating time in the team’s history, after they were taken over by the investment group Mercury13 last year to break away from the Bristol Sport group that oversees Bristol City’s men’s team and the city’s rugby union and basketball sides. Continue reading...

Chelsea in talks with Emiliano Martínez’s camp and braced for Enzo Fernández bid

Guardian Football

Experienced goalkeeper wants to leave Aston VillaManchester City expected to push for midfielderChelsea have been offered Emiliano Martínez and are considering making an offer for the goalkeeper. The club are in talks with Martínez’s camp and are braced for a bid from Manchester City for the World Cup winner’s Argentina teammate Enzo Fernández.Martínez has told Aston Villa he wants to leave but a move to Juventus collapsed last week after Villa had signed his replacement, Zion Suzuki, from Parma for £30m. Continue reading...

Football Daily | Celtic raise the bar for calamitous capitulations in Europe

Guardian Football

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!When Celtic opened the scoring against Lask courtesy of a low Callum McGregor shot after 21 minutes on Tuesday night, the Scottish champions looked to have exorcised their Bigger Cup demons from 12 months ago. Four goals ahead of their Austrian hosts on aggregate, it seemed utterly inconceivable that Martin O’Neill’s side could emulate, let alone eclipse, their humiliation at the hands of Kairat Almaty last August and the match commentator intoned as much. “And with that moment, this tie surely moves beyond the grasp of Lask,” soothed Bill Leslie, as the Celtic skipper’s deflected daisy-cutter fizzed past the home goalkeeper and rippled the Austrian champions’ net. While one could argue Bill has commentated on enough fitba over the years to know better than to count unhatched chickens, not even the combined forces of Mystic Meg and Nostradamus could have foreseen the calamitous capitulation that was about to unfold. From a position of apparent indomitability, Celtic proceeded to ship five goals without reply to endure what is arguably the Grand Old Team To Play For’s greatest European embarrassment yet.I gave up trying to understand football finances long ago, but even so I’m staggered by how many clubs have been able to get shot of underperforming recruits recently, for a price way more than they paid for the (now unwanted) player in the first place. Oh, and while I’m here, anyone interested in buying a second hand telly? The sound doesn’t work and I’ve lost the remote; I paid £50 for it but I’ll take £100” – Phil Taverner.Noble Francis’s letter about Chelsea’s game-winning arithmetic tactics (yesterday’s Football Daily letters) is so reminiscent of Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle. Who cares if the other side score nine, we’ll score 10, seemed to be the mindset. As for Chelsea against the rest of the Premier League, for the sake of my fantasy team, I’ll love it if they beat them” – Ken Muir.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...

Ayyoub Bouaddi: maths student, chess fan and Manchester City’s new Rodri

Guardian Football

The £85m midfielder passed his exams a year early, is studying for a degree and is ready to tackle Premier League learning curve“He’s like a computer,” the former Lille head of academy recruitment, Mathieu Frison, says of the €100m (£85.7m) Manchester City recruit Ayyoub Bouaddi. “You teach him something, he learns it and can do it immediately.” Bouaddi has the mountainous challenge at his new club of replacing the world’s best central midfielder. It would be difficult for anyone but at 18 it feels monumental, although those who know the Morocco international best would not bet against him.Bouaddi has known only Lille and Ligue 1 but is entering one of the biggest clubs in the world where a season without a trophy is deemed a failure. For someone so young, however, he has plenty of experience. He made his European debut three days after his 16th birthday and has played three full seasons in the first team, culminating in a place at the World Cup this summer. Continue reading...

Uefa poised to lift boycott threat after Fifa promises no World Cup sale repeat

Guardian Football

Uefa has received guarantees after ill-fated Infantino planEuropean sides likely to go to under-20 Women’s World CupUefa is poised to drop its threatened boycott of Fifa competitions after receiving concrete guarantees that the global governing body will never attempt a repeat of Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.The Guardian understands European teams are likely to be cleared for participation in the upcoming Under-20 Women’s World Cup, along with subsequent tournaments, after Fifa provided the binding assurances that no equivalent of its president’s ill-fated scheme will be put on the table. Continue reading...

Sterling charged with dangerous driving after crash

BBC Football

Raheem Sterling will appear in court next month to face charges of dangerous driving after crashing his car into motorway barriers in May.

Celtic deficiencies laid bare on another night of Champions League pain

BBC Football

When Callum McGregor eviscerated his own team-mates in the wake of Celtic's stupefying Champions League collapse against LASK, he delivered their one coherent moment of a spineless night, writes Tom English.

Newcastle agree £52m deal for Man City's Gonzalez

BBC Football

Newcastle United agree a deal worth up to £52m for Manchester City midfielder Nico Gonzalez.

Coventry sign defender Pinnock from Brentford

BBC Football

Coventry City have signed Jamaica centre-back Ethan Pinnock from Brentford for an undisclosed fee, reported to be around £6m.