BBC iPlayer

The BBC's search to find a new football expert is under way, with 12 content creators competing in Last Pundit Standing to win a role as BBC Sport's next football content creator.

The first two episodes of the show - co-hosted by former Watford captain Troy Deeney and YouTuber and football presenter James Allcott - are available to watch on iPlayer, as well as BBC Sport's YouTube channel and TikTok account, with new episodes every week until 11 August.

The contestants, who were chosen from more than 400 applicants, will be whittled down through a series of tasks staged at iconic football locations as the creators are challenged by some of the biggest names in the game.

Deeney said: "I'm absolutely buzzing to co-host Last Pundit Standing. There's something really special about the energy that surrounds an exciting new show like this.

"We're bringing together some amazing creators in incredible locations, with some huge special guests. I can't wait to dive in and have some fun over the series."

Watch the first two episodes of Last Pundit Standing here.

They have to qualify first Ben. Sweden are in a World Cup qualifying group with Kosovo, Slovenia and Switzerland but have not yet played a game. They failed to reach Euro 2024 after finishing third in their qualifying group - 10 points behind group winners Belgium and nine behind second-placed Austria.

Nottingham Forest are targeting PSV Eindhoven's £30m-rated Belgium winger Johan Bakayoko, 22, as a replacement for Anthony Elanga, should his proposed £55m move to Newcastle go through, according to reports in the Telegraph, external.

Image source, Getty Images

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

Well Tez, it certainly seems that transfer speculation is gathering pace away from Old Trafford.

We are going to return to the day's first big story now, which does at least have Manchester United links.

Newcastle United have agreed a £55m fee with Nottingham Forest for the sale of former United winger Anthony Elanga.

And reports suggest that Forest will be looking to quickly reinvest that money on a replacement...

Sunderland

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Sunderland target Chemsdine Talbi has Champions League experience with Club Brugge and scored two in his side's 3-1 away win against Atalanta last season.

The Black Cats have been busy in the transfer market as they prepare for their first season back in the Premier League since 2016-17.

Sunderland have already signed French midfielder Enzo le Fee, 25, on a four-year deal from Roma after a successful loan spell with the club, Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra, 21, in a reported club record £30m deal from Strasbourg and DR Congo midfielder Noah Sadiki, 20, from Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise for a reported fee of £15m.

Sky Sports have also reported today that former Atletico Madrid left-back Reinildo Mandava has completed a medical in Madrid, and has agreed to join Sunderland on a two-year contract.

The 31-year-old Mozambique international is a free agent after his contract at Atletico Madrid expired last month.

The Black Cats' first match of the season is at home to West Ham on Saturday, 16 August (15:00 BST).

Here's some more news on another potential deal nearing completion - Club Brugge winger Chemsdine Talbi to Sunderland.

The Wearside club have already spent big this summer after winning promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

Numerous reports - including from Sky Sports and football transfers journalist Fabrizio Romano - suggest that 20-year-old Belgian winger Talbi has had a medical on Wearside today before of confirming a 23m euros [£19.9m] move.

Image source, Getty Images

Today's main transfer news has been met with contrasting emotions, as you can see from Mark [Everton], Ross [Newcastle] and Doug [Tottenham].

• Everton fans have been in touch to say they believe the club need to make further signings to bolster their attack, after reports that they are closing in on the signing of Villarreal's young France striker Thierno Barry.
• Newcastle supporters, meanwhile, seem largely positive after it was revealed that the club has agreed a £55m fee with Nottingham Forest for Sweden winger Anthony Elanga.
• But Tottenham fans have been nonplussed by their £5m signing of 20-year-old Japan defender Kota Takai. One for the future perhaps, but Spurs supporter Doug wants signings ready to challenge for a first-team place.

What do you think?

Get in touch using the contact details above.

Everton

Thierno Barry will switch from the yellow to blue if he completes his move to Everton from Villarreal.

Two years ago Nicolas Jackson moved from Villarreal to Chelsea after scoring nine goals in his final eight La Liga appearances for the Yellow Submarine - a feat that earned him the league's player of the month award.

Barry managed 11 goals in La Liga last season.

Since leaving Villarreal, Jackson has scored 24 goals in 65 Premier League appearances.

Will Barry, 22, adapt quickly to life in the Premier League should he complete his move to Everton?

Image source, Getty Images

A lot has happened this morning, so let's have a brief recap of all the top stories.

• Newcastle have agreed a £55m fee with Nottingham Forest for Sweden winger Anthony Elanga. The 23-year-old scored six goals and provided 11 assists for last season. Should this deal go through, it would be the Magpies' first major summer signing this transfer window.

• Sticking with signings, and Tottenham Hotspur have added to their squad, signing Japan defender Kota Takai for £5m. The 20-year-old is joining from J-League side Kawasaki Frontale on a five-year contract subject to international clearance and work permit.

• Moving from the capital and up to Merseyside now, where Thierno Barry is expected to land. The France striker is looking to complete his medical today for Everton before signing in a £27m deal.
• Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, held face-to-face talks with Sporting as the Premier League side edge closer towards a deal for striker Viktor Gyokeres. The Gunners have been monitoring Gyokeres for some time now and are looking to make a deal worth around £70m.
• Staying on Arsenal, and they're looking to unveil Christian Norgaard "in the coming days". The club are in the final stages of completing the deal after agreeing with Brentford for a fee up to £15m for the Denmark international.

Stay tuned for the latest breaking news. As always we want to hear from you so please do get involved by sending your messages via WhatsApp or text.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Thierno Barry’s 6ft 5in frame makes him a huge threat in the air and he ranked second of all forwards in Europe’s major leagues (and top of anyone in La Liga) for aerial duel success in 2024-25, winning 66.7% of his 153 challenges (minimum 100 aerial duels).

It is a facet of Barry’s game that has undoubtedly attracted Everton boss David Moyes, whose sides typically get lots of crosses into the box.

The Toffees ranked seventh for open-play crosses in the Premier League in 2025-25, although they struggled to convert crosses into goals, scoring just three times from such situations – the fewest of any club other than Chelsea (2).

What do you think Everton fans?

Would the arrival of Thierno Barry be enough to supplement the club's current attacking resources, or do you need more signings before the end of the summer transfer window?

Get in touch via WhatsApp or text using the contact details above.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport

Thierno Barry, 22, was in an elite group of players aged under 23 to score 10 or more goals in Europe’s top five leagues this season, sitting alongside the likes of RB Leipzig’s in-demand Benjamin Sesko, Paris St-Germain’s Bradley Barcola and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

A Premier League move at the age of 22 would cement Thierno Barry’s rapid rise in European football in recent seasons.

Only three years ago, he completed his first season of senior football in France’s fifth tier before moving to Belgian second-tier side Beveren in July 2022.

A haul of 20 goals in 28 starts was enough to earn a move to Swiss Super League side Basel a year later and he subsequently finished as the club’s top scorer on 12 goals in his first campaign of top-flight football.

A flurry of eight goals in the first four matches of 2024-25 convinced Villarreal to pay 15m euros [£12.9m] for his services in August.

The 6ft 5in striker was an instant success, scoring 11 goals to help the Yellow Submarine finish fifth with their highest points tally in 17 years and qualify for the Champions League.

Should Everton complete a deal for Villarreal's Thierno Barry, the France striker would add to the club's attacking resources after Dominic Calvert-Lewin left at the end of his contract.

Forward Armando Broja also exited when his loan ended, returning to Chelsea without the deal being made permanent.

Barry was born in Lyon and left French club Sochaux aged 19 to play in the Belgian second division with Beveren.

The following season he moved to Swiss Super League club Basel, before joining Villarreal in August 2024 in a deal worth about £13m.

Image source, Getty Images

Everton

Thierno Barry would be Everton's second major signing of the summer so far.

The Toffees triggered the option to sign Flamengo's Argentine midfielder Carlos Alcaraz, 22, on a permanent basis when his loan spell at the club concluded.

Everton have released six players since the end of last season - Ashley Young, Asmir Begovic, Joao Virginia, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Mason Holgate and Neal Maupay.