… One of the main talking points around selection before England’s first group game against Croatia was whether boss Thomas Tuchel would select Real Madrid’s Bellingham or Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers in the number 10 role behind captain Harry Kane. …
… is such an integral part of our team and helped lay the foundations of this success.” With an estimated 20,000 fans present to turn the Turkish city into ‘Astonbul’, Villa secured their first Europa League title with goals from Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia and Morgan Rogers …
Big-money summer transfers create immediate betting market expectations that football rarely delivers in the opening weeks of the season, creating potential opportunities for those who can distinguish genuine improvement from excitement surrounding new arrivals.
Big-money summer transfers create immediate betting market expectations that football rarely delivers in the opening weeks of the season, creating potential opportunities for those who can distinguish genuine improvement from excitement surrounding new arrivals.
England international Ollie Watkins marked his Saudi Pro League debut with a goal as Al-Hilal beat Al-Ahli 3-0. The 30-year-old, who joined from Aston Villa for £51m, was introduced at half-time and headed home Sultan Mandash's cross near the end of the match.
Manchester City completed the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for £125m, a joint-British transfer record. The deal takes City's spending to a Premier League record £458m for a single transfer window, though the club has also achieved around £300m from player sales.
Manchester City have agreed to pay £125m for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, a joint-British transfer record fee. Fernandez will undergo a medical and sign a long-term deal with City, reuniting with manager Enzo Maresca.
Aston Villa have signed Senegal winger Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain for €55 million and English defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Southampton in a deal reaching £29 million, as manager Unai Emery strengthens the squad.
Manchester City have signed midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for £125m, a joint-British transfer record that takes City's spending to a Premier League-record £458m this window. Fernandez, who joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 for £107m, had requested to leave after becoming unsettled at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester City have agreed to pay £125m for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, matching a British transfer record. Fernandez will undergo a medical before signing a long-term deal with City, reuniting him with manager Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea maintained their perfect Premier League start with a 4–2 victory over Brighton at Stamford Bridge. Romeo Lavia scored his first Chelsea goal within four minutes, and further goals from Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro, and Cole Palmer secured the win despite Brighton's second-half rally.
Chelsea have agreed a deal worth up to £40m to sign 18-year-old Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor, who has permission to complete a medical and has agreed personal terms. The left-back, who made 28 Serie A appearances for Atalanta last season, may be loaned to another Premier League club rather than immediately involved in Xabi Alonso's squad.
Chelsea have agreed a £7.5m fee to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, with the 33-year-old Argentina international set to undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge. The move follows concerns over Robert Sanchez's recent performances and comes days before the transfer deadline.
Danny Welbeck scored on his debut as Chelsea defeated Luton Town 2-0 in the Carabao Cup third round, with Enzo Fernandez left out of the squad amid reports of talks with Manchester City. Manager Alonso stated the omission was his decision, citing the specific fixture and upcoming Brighton match.
Aston Villa are near agreement to sign striker Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea for up to £65m (£47.5m initial plus £17.5m add-ons), with Jackson expected to reunite with Unai Emery. His arrival would likely trigger England international Ollie Watkins' move to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal.
Xabi Alonso marked his first match as Chelsea manager with a 3-2 victory over Fulham, with Joao Pedro scoring within 31 seconds and Morgan Rogers adding a goal on his debut. Despite two errors from Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez, Alonso's side held on in a chaotic west London derby.
Cole Palmer scored and assisted as Xabi Alonso's Chelsea debut as manager ended with a 3–2 Premier League win at Fulham, their first opening-day victory since 2022–23.
Aston Villa have agreed to sign West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka on an initial loan with an obligation to buy at the end of the season. The DR Congo right-back will travel for a medical in the Midlands, with West Ham previously seeking a £25m fee.
Enzo Fernandez was booed by sections of Chelsea supporters when he appeared as a substitute in a 3-1 pre-season win against Real Sociedad, a day after Chelsea's transfer deadline passed with failed moves to Real Madrid and Manchester City. Manager Xabi Alonso showed backing for Fernandez by having Reece James pass him the armband when leaving the field, though the crowd reaction remained mixed.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, a 19-year-old Arsenal left-back, has been offered to Manchester United as a potential signing, with Arsenal seeking to recoup funds from their £75m purchase of Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle. Chelsea have also been made aware of his availability, and Lewis-Skelly's prospective price is thought to be around £45m.
Jordan Henderson, 36, has joined Chelsea on a two-year deal after his contract with Brentford was mutually terminated. The former Liverpool captain made 32 Premier League appearances for Brentford in 2025-26.
Jordan Henderson, 36, has joined Chelsea on a two-year contract after leaving Brentford, where he made 32 top-flight appearances in 2025–26. The former Liverpool captain, who won the Premier League title and Champions League at Anfield, said he was excited to work with manager Xabi Alonso and the quality of players at the club.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso says the 25-year-old Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who was provisionally suspended for a doping case since November 2024, will rejoin the squad on their pre-season tour and that his reintegration "will take time" as he rebuilds fitness.
Chelsea have completed the signing of Strasbourg midfielder Valentin Barco on a seven-year deal, making him the sixth summer signing. The 21-year-old Argentine midfielder is the second player Chelsea has recruited from Strasbourg this summer, part of a pattern of 13 deals between the clubs since last season.
Chelsea have signed France defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52m on a contract until 2032. The 26-year-old, capped seven times by France, made 55 appearances for Palace last season as they won the UEFA Conference League.
Chelsea have signed France international Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52m on a contract until 2032. The 26-year-old defender, who made 55 appearances for Palace last season as they won the UEFA Conference League, is Chelsea's third summer signing under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Bruno Guimaraes has made clear his desire to join Premier League champions Arsenal, with multiple sources telling BBC Sport that a move is increasingly likely. Arsenal, who made an initial £70m bid, are aiming to agree a deal worth around £80m in the coming days.
Xabi Alonso's first match as Chelsea manager ended in a 6-4 victory against Western Sydney Wanderers, with Joao Pedro scoring a nine-minute hat-trick. The performance highlighted contrasting striker form: 17-year-old Dastan Satpaev impressed with the opening goal, while Liam Delap again struggled and could be sold as Chelsea pursues talks with Danny Welbeck.
Chelsea are negotiating with Brighton to sign 35-year-old striker Danny Welbeck, who scored 13 league goals in 37 games for Brighton last season. The move reflects Chelsea's shift toward signing experienced players alongside their existing model of acquiring young talent.
Chelsea are negotiating with Brighton to sign 35-year-old striker Danny Welbeck, who scored 13 league goals in 37 games for Brighton last season. The move reflects Chelsea's shift toward signing experienced players rather than relying solely on their traditional model of acquiring young talent.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso says he has a "plan" to play club record £117m signing Morgan Rogers alongside Cole Palmer, and believes the England international will make an "instant impact" despite not yet taking part in pre-season training.
Chelsea are negotiating with Brentford for England midfielder Jordan Henderson, 36, available on a free transfer, and with Brighton for ex-England striker Danny Welbeck, 35, as the club seeks experienced players to refine its strategy of signing young talent.
Chelsea are negotiating with Brighton to sign 35-year-old striker Danny Welbeck, who scored 13 league goals in 37 games for Brighton last season. The Blues are seeking experience as part of a shift in their recruitment strategy, though Welbeck's current contract runs until the end of 2026-27.