Ekitike, Wirtz, Kerkez and Frimpong make Anfield debuts to reveal a new side to Arne Slot’s Liverpool
Anfield got its first glimpse of what the best part of £300m gets you. Quite a lot, it seems. Which, given the numbers involved, it really should. But the Anfield bows of five lavish arrivals offered an insight into Arne Slot’s remodelled Liverpool. The goals came from the old, with Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo scoring to defeat Athletic Club 3-2, the intrigue from the new.
Giorgi Mamardashvili, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike made Anfield bows, albeit in an unofficial outing and after each has featured further afield in preseason. Even as the £110m bid for Alexander Isak indicated Liverpool did not necessarily intend their business to stop with those five, it is half a team. Jurgen Klopp called the side he left Liverpool 2.0. Perhaps this is 2.0 for Slot’s Liverpool, significantly different to the title-winning outfit.
Chris Wilson7 August 2025 02:00
Liverpool and England U21 midfielder Tyler Morton joins Lyon
Liverpool have sold midfielder Tyler Morton to Lyon for £15m, meaning they have brought in almost £150m in transfers this summer.
The England Under-21 international, who made 14 first-team appearances for Liverpool, joined the Ligue Un club after passing a medical.
Liverpool also have a 20 percent sell-on clause for Morton if the 22-year-old, who helped England win the European Under-21 Championships in June, continues to improve.
Chris Wilson7 August 2025 00:00
John Stones fires warning to Manchester City’s Premier League rivals
City surrendered the crown they won in the previous four seasons to Liverpool during an underwhelming 2024-25 campaign.
Defender Stones believes lessons have been learned and has detected a strong desire to put things right since the players have reported for pre-season training.
Chris Wilson6 August 2025 23:00
Newcastle United transfer news: Benjamin Sesko, Yoane Wissa, Marc Guehi and more
Having ended their trophy drought with Carabao Cup success last season, Newcastle United now have work to do in the transfer market.
With a return to the Champions League, the Magpies need to strengthen their squad to compete at the highest level, but despite boss Eddie Howe making it known that he is looking to work fast this summer, Newcastle have missed out on several of their top targets so far.
Newcastle have been without any major recruits over the past two seasons due to PSR rules, and started the summer with a big move for Anthony Elanga – with the Nottingham Forest winger joining in a deal worth £55m – but have been thwarted in attempts to sign Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and James Trafford since then too.
And it means that there are a big three weeks ahead for the Magpies ahead of the start of the 2025/26 season and the transfer deadline on 1 September, with the club needing to strengthen in several key positions.
Here’s everything you need to know about Newcastle United’s summer transfer plans:
Chris Wilson6 August 2025 22:30
Newcastle make offer for Milan defender
Newcastle have made an offer of €30m for AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw, according to Sky in Germany.
Sources in Italy say the first bid for the 23-year-old has been rejected though, and it is not known whether the Magpies will return for the defender.
Chris Wilson6 August 2025 22:00
Arsenal transfer news: Eberechi Eze, Rodrygo, Jeremy Jacquet and more
It was once again a case of close but not close enough for Mikel Arteta’s side in 2024/25. Finishing second fiddle to the Premier League champions for a third successive season, the Gunners endured another trophyless campaign after their Champions League push fell at the hands of eventual winners PSG.
A key reason for their failure to achieve was an attacking injury crisis that forced Mikel Merinoto take up a role of makeshift number nine, and despite their undeniable quality in the starting XI, Arsenal’s depth is far from good enough for a team hopeful of major titles.
With the transfer window having re-opened on 16 June, a striker was top of the club’s shopping list, and they’ve finally got their man after completing a move for Viktor Gyokeres, while the arrivals of Noni Madueke and Martin Zubimendi have strengthened the squad in other key areas.
Here’s everything you need to know about Arsenal’s summer transfer plans.
Chris Wilson6 August 2025 21:30
‘I want to be player of the year’: Phil Foden ready to be Man City’s talisman in the post-De Bruyne era
New season, new Manchester City. And, if it all goes well, old Phil Foden. The best season of his career was followed by the worst. And yet, in the curiosity of a tournament that belonged fully to neither one season nor the other, there were hints he was returning towards the kind of form that saw him named Footballer of the Year. The Club World Cup may offer a long-term benefit to City if it provides a shift in momentum for Foden.
“I wouldn’t say [my] absolute best but I was definitely feeling a lot sharper, I managed to score a couple of goals as well,” he said. Three, to be precise, the last his best; his 100th for City came in the 4-3 defeat to Al Hilal and was special.
Some 27 of that century came in 2023-24. If Foden could return to that brilliance, it may be particularly timely.
Chris Wilson6 August 2025 21:00
Liverpool transfer news: Alexander Isak, Rodrygo, Jean-Philippe Mateta and more
The summer months of 2024 hardly shaped the season that followed for Liverpool, and Slot has already proven that he doesn’t require overwhelming transfer activity to be successful. Last summer, he saw just two arrivals come through the door in the form of Giorgi Mamardashvili (who was immediately loaned back to Valencia) and Federico Chiesa, who played a total of just 104 minutes in the Premier League.
But with Trent Alexander-Arnold heading for the exit and a Premier League title to defend, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards are expected to engage in a substantial recruitment drive over the coming months.
Here’s everything you need to know about Liverpool’s summer transfer plans.
Chris Wilson6 August 2025 20:30
Chelsea set to step up Simons & Garnacho efforts
Chelsea are to step up attempts to sign Alejandro Garnacho and Xavi Simons as the Blues look to bring in additional attacking reinforcements.
Garnacho is thought to be available for about £50m, though Chelsea are understood to be reluctant to pay such an amount, with the club likely to make an official approach soon.
As for Simons, Chelsea are in talks with Leipzig over a move, with the 22-year-old understood to have agreed personal terms with the Blues. He would be available for around €70m.
(PA)
Chris Wilson6 August 2025 20:00
Spurs captain Son Heung-min set to seal Los Angeles FC move in MLS record deal
Tottenham captain Son Heung-min is expected to complete his transfer to Los Angeles FC on Wednesday.
Son revealed on Saturday, before playing in Sunday’s pre-season 1-1 draw with Newcastle in his home country of South Korea, that he would leave Spurs after a decade of service for the Premier League club.
After an emotional farewell, Son arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday and watched LAFC clinch a 2-1 win over Tigres at BMO Stadium.
A press conference has since been arranged by the Major League Soccer club for 1400 local time (2200BST) on Wednesday, when Son’s arrival is set to be officially announced.
Chris Wilson6 August 2025 19:30