Transfer news latest, done deals, analysis and gossip
New: Newcastle striker Alexander Isak wants to explore option for move away
Earlier, Newcastle announced that he was missing their Asia tour with a minor thigh injury
Wolves sign Arias in deal worth £19m | Brighton's Estupinan joins AC Milan on loan | Newcastle complete signing of teenage winger
New Liverpool signing Hugo Ekitike, who's joined for £69m from Eintracht Frankfurt, links up for tour of Hong Kong
Football tactics writer Alex Keble: 'This is not Jurgen Klopp's team anymore'
Chelsea have opened talks with Ajax over a move for centre-back Jorrel Hato while pushing ahead with interest in RB Leipzig forward Xavi Simons
Marcus Rashford unveiled by Barcelona in an intimate presentation, says Guillem Balague
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I’m with you Sam it’s draining supporting a club everyone hates. It’s been going on even pre-Abramovich when all I heard about is the number of foreign players we had in the 90s. I wouldn’t change a thing but it’s nice to be liked!
Tom Batten, Worthing
Hugo scored 15 goals in 31 starts as Eintracht Frankfurt finished third in the Bundesliga last term.
However, the 23-year-old is a provider as well as a scorer, with his eight assists ranking him within the top 6% among forwards for creating chances in Germany last season.
Ekitike registered 117 shots on goal in the Bundesliga last term - more than any other player.
His expected goals figure of 21.6 was the league's second highest.
Image source, Opta
Joe Rindl
BBC Sport
Sorry, Sam. I guess we're not ready to move on from the "Chelsea have loads of players" narrative just yet...
If it makes you feel better I once handed over to Ben Ramsdale who immediately posted "Where my Ram Stans at?" and he got 500 thumbs down in five minutes.
He's grown since.
Didn't realise that comment would be so unpopular! Quite daunting picturing over 400 people giving me a thumbs down... Anyway, Hato is a CB who can fill in at LB if needed, and Simons will be a replacement for Nknunku and Felix. I think it's smart business so far!
Sam, Bournemouth
The signing of Hugo Ekitike has put Liverpool back at the top of this summer’s Premier League spenders, and it’s probably no surprise that the ‘Big Six’ are also the top six at splashing the pre-season cash.
They have all spent a minimum of £120m, while Sunderland are the only other club to have edged over the £100m mark.
At the other end of the scale are Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, who have so far spent £6.4m and £2m respectively, while Fulham are yet to spend anything.
Image source, BBC SportJoe Rindl
BBC Sport
Delayed due to overcrowding.
The way things are going at Chelsea, they won't need a team bus... they'll need a team train.
Simon Black, Cheltenham
Boehly just getting ready for when the prem introduces attacking XI and defensive XI, he knows his football.
Theo, London
Joe Rindl
BBC Sport
By the way, Newcastle are in a really strong position PSR-wise, and don't need to sell Alexander Isak if they don't want to.
Earlier this month BBC Newcastle's Matthew Raisbeck told me: "Very much the message around Isak is he’s not for sale. They are determined to keep him.
"They have no desire to sell. There’s also no financial need to sell Isak or any big stars.
"In fact Newcastle want to extend his contract which has another three years to run. They’re in a strong position with Isak despite rumours."
New signing Anthony Elanga is in Newcastle's 30-man squad that will leave for Asia today, while Lewis Hall is also included after a lengthy lay-off.
Alexander Isak was not part of the squad that lost 4-0 to Celtic on Saturday but speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle after the game, manager Eddie Howe said he expected him to make the trip to Singapore.
"Yes, absolutely," Howe said when asked if Isak will travel.
"He's part of our squad. At this moment in time, I expect him to come."
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle United have announced the first team squad that has departed for the club’s 2025 Asia Tour and there is one glaring omission...
Striker Alexander Isak hasn't been named in the 30-man squad with the club announcing he misses out with a "minor thigh injury".
Defender Lewis Hall is back involved after missing the second-half of the 2024-25 season with a foot injury.
"Eddie Howe has an almost fully-fit squad to choose from, however Alexander Isak misses out with a minor thigh injury," say Newcastle.
As things stand, this is how Liverpool could be lining up when they face Bournemouth in the opening game of the Premier League season on 15 August.
With over one month left of the summer transfer window, they could improve even further.
But even if they don't - is this a squad worthy of retaining the title?
Oh wait, panic over. From the man himself on Manchester United's social media channels...
Bryan Em-Boom-O
Joe Rindl
BBC Sport
That's the problem, Christian, we can't ask him because then he'll know we don't know. And that'll look rude.
Like when you forget someone's name at a party and have to wait until somebody else says it.
Joe, its not the spelling of Mbeumo that's hard, it's the pronunciation. In recent weeks I've heard it as Em-boomo, Em-Bwemmo, and Em-Bermo. Can someone please ask the man himself and clear this up?
Christian, Liverpool
Alex Keble
Football tactics writer
Hugo Ekitike scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 31 Bundesliga games last season, totalling the fifth-most goal involvements in the division. He was also involved in the fifth-most 'attacking sequences' in the Bundesliga.
That can be interpreted as showing the quality of Ekitike's all-round game, whether holding up the ball, running into channels, or bursting in behind.
In that respect – in most respects, in fact – he is very similar to Alexander Isak, albeit with considerably more flair to his game and a penchant for taking players on in the dribble.
He is particularly adept at setting up team-mates, too, creating more chances from open play (44) in 2024-25 than any other Bundesliga forward.
Image source, OptaThe only slight concern is that Ekitike is a little raw in front of goal. He took 117 shots in the Bundesliga last season, more than anyone else, but converted a disappointing 12.8%, leading to an xG under-performance of 6.6 goals – a bigger gap than any other player in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.
But that just means Ekitike needs a little tuning up.
It's worth nothing that when Isak was the same age, playing for Real Sociedad in 2021-22, he scored just six goals in 32 league games, under-performed his xG by 3.8, and converted just 8.2% of his shots.
Image source, OptaWhat we are forgetting regarding Chelsea, we have had incoming £100M from selling players and another near £100M from the CWC and also look at how the injuries derailed us last season - do need to sell a few more though
James, Devon
Joe Rindl
BBC Sport
So I was speaking to football finance expert Kieran Maguire the other day and he said one of the big things that goes under the radar is just how good Chelsea are at selling.
Few do it better.
