Scotland

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Scotland will get their World Cup qualifying campaign under way on Friday with a tough trip to Group C favourites Denmark.

Steve Clarke's side are joined by Greece and Belarus in the group.

They lost to Greece 3-0 in their last competitive match, a Nations League play-off in March, going down 3-1 on aggregate to suffer relegation from the top tier of the competition.

Scotland have since played two friendlies, winning 4-0 at Lichtenstein after a 3-1 loss at home to Iceland in June:

September's World Cup qualifiers:

• 5 September - Denmark (A)
• 8 September - Belarus (H)

That will do us for the Q&A today. Thank you so much to everyone who submitted questions to Sami.

We now turn back to international football, and what the next week has in store for the home nations...

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Lucas: Do you think Manchester City are still in the title race?

Yes. We are only three games in and Rodri is back playing again. His influence, once fully fit, will grip this City side. Erling Haaland has already scored twice. Yes, two defeats from three is worrying – but never write City and Pep Guardiola off.

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Alan: Hiya, with Liverpool not starting with one English player against Arsenal and so many teams with foreign players, is it time to restrict number of foreign players as they do in cricket and what is going to be long term impact on England World Cup and Euros for England youngsters?

I’ve often asked myself this question but can never find a definitive answer. The explosion of overseas players during the Premier League era has certainly raised the standard of the game in this country. For a homegrown player to make the grade at senior level nowadays, they have to be top quality. And when you’re in the first team, your level improves because your training and playing with some of the best players on the planet. But the concern is that the influx of foreign players is restricting the progress of young homegrown footballers – that they are not getting the opportunities to shine that they would if the market was closed to just domestic players. In my opinion there are pros and cons to both arguments.

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

While Alexander Isak’s British record £125m move to Liverpool hogged the headlines on transfer deadline day, Sunderland were also making history as they wrapped up three more signings.

In addition to a loan move for RB Leipzig’s Lutsharel Geertruida, the Black Cats paid an initial £17.4m to Ajax for Brian Brobbey, with Bertrand Traore also joining from the Dutch side for a reported £2.5m. The purchases of Brobbey and Traore mean the Wearsiders have spent £161.7m on transfer fees this summer, almost £20m more than any other newly promoted club in Premier League history.

The previous record was Nottingham Forest’s £142m outlay in 2022. Aston Villa are the only other top flight newcomers to spend significantly north of £100m, having splashed out £127m in 2019.

Both Forest and Villa stayed up so their gambles proved successful but consolidating top-flight status is harder than ever, with the gulf between the Championship and Premier League continuing to widen. In each of the previous two seasons, the three sides that came up went straight back down.

Sunderland, Burnley and Leeds have been undeterred, spending in excess of £350m this year, and the early signs suggest they may have invested a little more shrewdly.

The trio already have 13 points on the board, which represents the best start by promoted sides since 2016-17. Last season’s newboys - Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton - were still pointless at this stage despite shelling out a combined £276.5m, indicating it’s not just a case of how much clubs spend but how wisely they do it.

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Brian: What do you think of the promoted clubs transfer windows? I'm a Sunderland fan and I don't think we had any choice but to have a massive overhaul. It has given us a chance, although when the African Nations Cup comes around we will lose a few players.

Such a massive overhaul of players always comes with its dangers and difficulties. Building a unity and pattern with new players takes time, but in the PL you have to hit the ground running or you’ll be cut a drift very quickly. But credit to Sunderland they’ve made an excellent start to the season. The signing of Granit Xhaka, in particular, is a shrewd piece of business. Top level Premier League experience with Arsenal and a Bundesliga title winner with Bayer Leverkusen – his pedigree speaks for itself.

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Alan: Hello, would you agree that the top six or seven teams in the Premiership are spending vast sums of money to buy their positions in the League and whilst teams below them cannot do this, it is inevitable that the teams below them will face relegation battle?

Aren’t all the clubs spending money to buy their positions in the league, Alan? It’s just some clubs have more money than others. That’s just life, I guess. But I don’t believe those outside the top seven are just in relegation battles. It does mean you have to be smarter with your recruitment. Just look at Crystal Palace for example, perennial low spenders but were brilliant under Oliver Glasner last season, finishing comfortably in mid-table and winning the FA Cup.

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Joe: As a Bournemouth fan I think we've had a great transfer period. Again we have bought some cheap mostly unknown young and hungry players, but is it bad that I just think "I wonder who we'll sell them to for £60million in two seasons." Is this who we are now?

Great question, Joe. Bournemouth’s rise to the top division as been one of English football’s greatest underdog stories of recent times. That success has been built on talent identification. I understand it is worry losing your best players; this summer alone you’ve sold Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen, Dango Ouattara and Illia Zabarnyi – but unfortunately it is what it is. That’s Bournemouth’s model. Sign and sell for a profit. It’s frustrating for supporters. It’s probably frustrating for the manager Andoni Iraola. But don’t knock it. It’s a worked a treat so far.

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Robert: What do you make of Everton’s transfer window and how will they do this season?

They have recruited excellently. Grealish we have already mentioned but the signing of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea is a shrewd capture. He was stifled at Stamford Bridge last season but he is a midfield player bags of potential and will thrive playing regular football under David Moyes. Tyler Dibling’s arrival is also a major coup. If ever there was a teenager who is nailed on to make a top level player – it is Dibling. Signing key centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite to a new contract is also an important piece of business.

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Nick: How were Man City able to confirm the Donnaruma signing after deadline? All the reports indicated it could only be confirmed once Ederson was out the door. Turkish window was still open but EPL window had closed.

Good question, Nick. Well the deal for Donnarumma was clearly completed in time for Monday’s deadline but just wasn’t officially confirmed. The timing of the announcement coincided with confirmation of Ederson’s move to Turkey so there is a communicative synergy in terms of when the club decide to release the news.

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Peter: I can't figure out why Tuchel has picked Rashford over Grealish. How can this be justified on the basis of recent form?

Peter, Tuchel has clearly taken a shining to Rashford hasn’t he. Indeed, one of his very first decisions as England boss was to recall Rashford to the senior squad following a time in the international wilderness. Tuchel believes in the threat Rashford poses out wide. In terms of Grealish, I don’t think it will be before too long that he will get a recall if he continues performing at the level he has started the new season. An issue maybe that Tuchel, as I understand it, views Grealish as a central attacker of which the German has options – Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham among others. But Tuchel won’t be able to ignore Grealish if his early season form continues.

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Paul: It is doubtful that West Ham will be in the title race but have they made it more open by signing Igor Julio under the noses of Palace thereby ensuring Mark Guehi did not move to Anfield?

I don’t think so. Liverpool will certainly be the team to beat and while not signing Guehi arrived as a clear disappointment, it’s not like they are weak in central defence. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are two excellent central defenders who laid the foundations for last season’s title victory. If either – particularly Van Dijk – gets injured then it becomes an issue, but even then Joe Gomez is hardly a dud is he? Gomez came on versus Arsenal on Saturday and was excellent. Much is anticipated, too, of summer signing Giovanni Leoni, although at just 18 you wonder how much he will play.

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Mike: Lots of clubs are spending stupid money. For example Liverpool spending half a billion on front men, but what is your opinion of Spurs’ quiet grab of quality players?

Tottenham have had a productive window in my opinion. The signings of Mohamed Kudus, Joao Palhinha, Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani are all top-level acquisitions that will add to the squad. Kudus and Simons are particularly exciting. They could maybe have added an extra central defender, but you can’t win them all. They remain in a healthy position regarding FFP, too, so can continue to spend – within reason – in future windows.

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Matt: I understand Mainoo not getting a senior call up due to lack of game time. But to not even getting an U21 call up is baffling. Is there a reason why he has been completely overlooked?

It’s a fair point, Matt. But while he is only 20 and eligible for U21s, we have to remember Mainoo is deemed a full international. He started in the Euro 2024 final, let’s not forget. There has been players who have flittered between the senior and U21 squad in recent years; Adam Wharton for example has been named in both squads in recent months. But given his pedigree at international level, there seems little to be gained for Mainoo to drop back down to junior level international football at this stage of his England career.

Right, let's get back to our Q&A. Our senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel has been answering your questions.

We resume with a query about an England star whose future is up in the air...

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Tottenham remain hopeful of selling Mali midfielder Yves Bissouma, external, 29, to a club in a country where the transfer window has yet to close. (The i)

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Manchester United looked to re-sign Danny Welbeck, external from Brighton for the second year running this summer, but co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe did not sanction a move for the 35-year-old former England forward. (Athletic)

The Red Devils are also still open to selling 29-year-old Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana, external in the coming days, with transfer windows in Turkey and Saudi Arabia among those still open. (Teamtalk)

BBC Radio 5 Live

Former England footballer Nedum Onuoha speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live about Lauren James' criticism at Euro 2025: "You could see a change in how Lauren was as the tournament went on. She did suffer with an ankle injury but it is important to remember that players are doing the best that they can. They may not always be at their best fitness.

"People will support what she has come out and said but the downside for me is this gives people chance to criticise her even more. I am happy that Lauren has spoken out because whether we like it or not, she has spoken out on behalf of a lot of people who have thought what she said, but were too scared to say anything.

"Speaking about it makes people who have never had to think about it, think about it. There are a lot of thoughtful people out there and when you see things like racial abuse, it is a minority of people who are doing it. Unfortunately the people on the minority are very loud and can affect people on a large scale."

BBC Radio 5 Live

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Former England footballer Nedum Onuoha speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live about Lauren James' criticism at Euro 2025: "It is really sad hearing this from Lauren James. She has almost been too honest, as she is giving people a perspective that they will not have heard before.

"Listening to her makes you realise the pressure that there is, not just playing football but the pressure of playing for your country and the worry of what could go wrong. That is a really sad position to be in.

"As fans you feel sickness watching a penalty shoot-out but there are no consequences apart from the result. But for those women stepping up with the weight of the nation on them and knowing what is going to come next - I don't envy that position at all."