Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Image source, PFA

In all but a handful of countries - Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece and Turkey among them - the summer transfer window is closed.

The opportunity to strengthen squads is over until January. Almost.

Players can still be signed. But they had to be out of contract and not registered at a club when the deadline passed.

It was something being discussed at the Professional Footballers' Association's pre-season training camp in Leicestershire last week.

"A lot of the boys are excited for next week," said Saleem Akanbi, a 20-year-old striker released by Cambridge at the end of the season when he was still a little way off making a full recovery from a major knee injury.

"The deadline has closed, teams have played again and some might have midweek games. Managers have seen what is in the building, there is no waiting on ifs, buts and maybes until January. Free agents could become gold dust."

• Click here to read Simon's full story.

Want to know about the free-agent market? Let BBC Sport's chief football news reporter Simon Stone bring you up to speed...

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I know what you are thinking, the transfer window closed on Friday, didn't it?

Well, yes and no. It remains open in a handful of European countries, including Turkey, while clubs can also sign free agents outside the summer and winter windows.

With that in mind, here are some of the top lines from today's gossip column:

Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Eyupspor are all interested in signing Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier after Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad also tried to sign the 33-year-old former England international. (Sky Sports), external

West Ham are interested in former Cameroon international Joel Matip, 33, and Republic of Ireland international John Egan, 31, as they look to the free-agent market for a new centre-back. (Sky Sports), external

Manchester United are unlikely to let 32-year-old Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen leave this month. (Football Insider), external

• Want more transfer news? Click here for today's full gossip column.

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From two legendary forwards nearing the end of their careers to an in-demand striker at a crossroads in his.

Galatasaray last night confirmed they are in talks with Napoli to sign Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen on loan.

The 25-year-old had been a target for Premier League Chelsea before the English transfer window closed on Friday and also Saudi club Al-Ahli - but he looks set to move to Istanbul instead.

Osimhen has scored 76 goals in 133 games for Napoli and played a key role in their 2022-23 Serie A title win with 26 goals.

But he failed to maintain the explosive form that made him one of the most coveted strikers in Europe, scoring 15 times in Serie A last season.

Antonio Conte's Napoli signed Chelsea and Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, 31, for £30m last week.

A message from Galatasaray on social media read: "Official negotiations have begun with the football player and his club SSCN Napoli SPA regarding the temporary transfer of professional footballer Victor James Osimhen."

Image source, Getty Images

Luis Suarez may be calling time on his journey with Uruguay, aged 37, but Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo says he has no plans to retire from international football just yet.

The 39-year-old did say, however, that it "won't be a difficult decision to make" when the time comes.

Ronaldo has more caps and more goals than anybody else in men's international football history, with 130 strikes in 212 games.

He is in Portugal's squad for Nations League games with Croatia and Scotland.

But the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward, who now plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr, comes into these games after a hugely disappointing Euro 2024 campaign where he failed to score and many felt he held the team back.

"When the time comes, I'll move on," he said. "It won't be a difficult decision to make.

"If I feel like I'm no longer contributing anything, I'll be the first to leave."

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner added that he "never considered leaving the national team" despite the post-Euro 2024 criticism.

• Read more here.

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Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from international football.

The 37-year-old fought back tears as he confirmed Uruguay's World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Saturday (00:30 BST) will be his last appearance for his country.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward is Uruguay's all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 appearances, having made his debut for Uruguay against Colombia in February 2007.

"I’ve been thinking about this and analysing this. I believe this is the right time," said Suarez, who played in nine international tournaments for Uruguay.

"I want to be relaxed when I play my last game with the national team. I'll be just as excited to play as I was in 2007 when I played for my national team for the first time.

"That 19-year old kid is now a veteran player, an older player - however you want to call it - with an incredible history with the national team, that will give his life for the team."

• Click here to read the full story.

We will delve into exactly what the Manchester United chiefs said in a moment, and look at analysis of the issues facing Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

But first, let's catch up with some of the other stories that broke overnight...

So what do you think? Are the Manchester United chiefs right to give Erik ten Hag their backing?

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BBC Sounds

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The subject of Erik ten Hag's future at Manchester United was a key talking point in the Monday Night Club, with former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton saying that the club's new hierarchy had to give their manager "at least another two months" after a summer review led to the Dutchman being given a new contract.

Sutton said: "They still seem miles off and, let's get it right, in two months we will still be having the same conversation about Ten Hag, nothing is really going to change at Manchester United in terms of their identity or lack of identity."

On whether he expects Ten Hag to still be at Old Trafford in two months' time, Sutton added: "That's probably about the time when they will sack him, isn't it? They can't sack him now, Ineos would look idiotic because they had that show of faith - they will have to give him a bit longer."

• Click here to listen to the latest episode of Monday Night Club on BBC Sounds

The Daily Telegraph

The Telegraph also includes a word of caution in its story on the Manchester United chiefs' backing of manager Erik ten Hag, adding comments from former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher that it is a "matter of time before the Dutchman is axed".

Image source, Daily Telegraph

The Daily Star

In a reference to Erik ten Hag's post-match quotes after Sunday's defeat to Liverpool, when the Dutchman responded to criticism by saying he was "not Harry Potter", the Star reports that "he will be given time to find his magic touch" at Old Trafford.

But the story adds that Ten Hag remains favourite to be the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season.

Image source, Daily Star

The Sun

The Sun leads with quotes from Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada who, when asked if he still believes in Erik ten Hag, replied: "Absolutely!"

Berrada added: "We think Erik is the right coach for us and we are fully backing him."

Image source, The Sun

Daily Mirror

The Mirror reports that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will be "given time to turn the club's season around" as they head into the international break on the back of consecutive defeats, including Sunday's "humiliating" loss at home to Liverpool.

Image source, Daily Mirror

But first, let's have a look at those back-page headlines on the future of Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag...

The summer transfer window may be closed across most of Europe, but it remains open in Turkey.

Napoli's Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen is in talks with Galatasaray over a potential loan move, while Newcastle's former England defender Kieran Trippier is being linked with a handful of Turkish clubs.

We will bring you the latest on those transfer stories, as well as other football news, including a tearful goodbye from Luis Suarez after Uruguay's former Liverpool and Barcelona striker announced his retirement from international football overnight.

Image source, Getty Images

We are supposed to be changing tack to the Uefa Nations League as the Premier League heads into a first international break of the season, but all of the national newspapers this morning are focusing on one man - Erik ten Hag.

The future of the Manchester United manager came under the spotlight again after Sunday's 3-0 defeat at home to rivals Liverpool left his side 14th in the table after three games.

But even before that defeat, Ten Hag was given full backing by two of the key men in the new Old Trafford hierarchy - chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth.

BBC Sport's chief football news reporter Simon Stone sat down with Berrada and Ashworth and we will bring you the key lines from his interview shortly.

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