Manchester City Target Bouaddi as Liverpool and Spurs Reshape Attacks

The summer market is still finding its rhythm, but the first big moves are already being lined up across Europe.

At Lille, Davide Ancelotti has confirmed that Manchester City are in talks to sign teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. The Premier League champions have stepped up their interest, yet Ancelotti made no attempt to hide his feelings: he wants the deal to collapse, at least for now, and keep one of his brightest prospects in France a little longer.

North London and Merseyside are tangled in the same story. Cody Gakpo is understood to have agreed personal terms with Tottenham, a significant step in a move that would reshape Spurs’ frontline and force Liverpool into a bolder reset. Liverpool are already preparing for a revamp of their attack, and Gakpo’s potential departure would only accelerate that process.

The reshaping is not limited to the forward line. Curtis Jones’ future is also in play. After prolonged talks with Inter Milan, Liverpool have quietly lowered their asking price for the midfielder. It is a subtle shift, but one that signals a growing openness to a deal if the Italian side can now match the revised valuation.

Arsenal’s pursuit of Victor Osimhen remains stuck in limbo. Asked about links to the Premier League champions, the Napoli striker offered a guarded “wait and see” response, doing just enough to keep the speculation alive without committing himself to any move. For Arsenal, it keeps the door ajar, but only just.

In Scotland, Celtic face a fight to keep one of their key men. Reo Hatate has emerged as a target for Panathinaikos, with the Greek giants ready to tempt him with a significant pay rise. Celtic have grown used to interest in their stars; holding on to Hatate could be one of the defining calls of their summer.

Power struggle around Club World Cup

Away from the transfer market, Europe’s biggest clubs have flexed their muscles against FIFA. According to reports, leading sides threatened to boycott future Club World Cups unless Gianni Infantino scrapped his FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme. The ultimatum landed just hours before the plan was abandoned, underlining the tension between club powerbrokers and the game’s global governing body.

Back in England, one of the domestic game’s most colourful figures is heading for the big screen. Harry Redknapp is set for a cameo in a film telling the story of the West Ham fan he famously pulled from the Upton Park stands in 1994. It is a moment that has long lived in Premier League folklore; now it will be immortalised in cinema.

At Chelsea, Mykhailo Mudryk has been speaking about the grind behind his attempts to revive his career at Stamford Bridge. The winger says he trained “like a mad man” to stay permanently ready for his return, determined to prove he can still be a central figure in the club’s new era.

Alun Wyn Jones steps upstairs as Ospreys fight on

In rugby union, a giant of the game is moving into the boardroom. Alun Wyn Jones, the most-capped international in rugby history, is set to join the Ospreys board. His appointment comes as the Welsh region battles for its long-term survival, and his presence at the top table signals a serious push to steady the club’s future.

Questions over London 2029 and a missing coach

Athletics is wrestling with its own storylines. Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, has played down fears that swathes of empty seats at the European Championships could damage London’s bid for the 2029 World Championships. Concerns over optics and atmosphere linger, but Coe insists they will not derail the capital’s ambitions.

More troubling is the mystery surrounding Leon Baptiste. The highly regarded British Athletics coach has not been heard from since travelling to Morocco around two months ago. With little clarity and growing unease, the situation has moved far beyond routine concern, leaving the sport waiting for answers that so far have not come.