Man City Chase Fernandez, Arsenal Eye Alvarez on Deadline Day

01 September 2026, Spain, Madrid: Atletico de Madrid's Julian Alvarez in action during the team's training session at Atletico de Madrid Training Complex ahead of the Spanish Primera Division soccer match against Athletic Club. (dpa)
01 September 2026, Spain, Madrid: Atletico de Madrid's Julian Alvarez in action during the team's training session at Atletico de Madrid Training Complex ahead of the Spanish Primera Division soccer match against Athletic Club. (dpa)
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Man City Chase Fernandez, Arsenal Eye Alvarez on Deadline Day

01 September 2026, Spain, Madrid: Atletico de Madrid's Julian Alvarez in action during the team's training session at Atletico de Madrid Training Complex ahead of the Spanish Primera Division soccer match against Athletic Club. (dpa)
01 September 2026, Spain, Madrid: Atletico de Madrid's Julian Alvarez in action during the team's training session at Atletico de Madrid Training Complex ahead of the Spanish Primera Division soccer match against Athletic Club. (dpa)

Manchester City hope to seal a blockbuster move for Enzo Fernandez, while Arsenal have their sights set on Julian Alvarez in the final hours before the transfer window closes.

With Premier League clubs unable to sign players until January once Tuesday's 2200 GMT deadline passes, City, Arsenal and company have one last chance to improve their squads.

Frantic last-minute spending is on the agenda as City try to finally seal a swoop for Chelsea midfielder Fernandez.

Chelsea value Fernandez at around £120 million ($162 million) and City have yet to match that hefty price tag.

A reunion with City's former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca might suit Fernandez, who had angered the Blues last season by expressing interest in joining Real Madrid.

Maresca is keen to land the Argentine after the recent sale of influential World Cup winner Rodri to Barcelona, as well as the departures of fellow midfielders Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders.

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has left Fernandez out of his squad for the last two games as speculation swirls over his potential switch to the Etihad Stadium.

City are also expected to announce the signing of Senegal midfielder Iliman Ndiaye from Everton in a deal worth £65 million.

Tottenham had been linked with Ndiaye, but City appear to have won the race for the 26-year-old's signature.

Champions Arsenal can make a major splash if they can land Argentina striker Alvarez.

Alvarez reportedly prefers a move to Barcelona but, while Atletico do not want to sell to their La Liga rivals, they could be persuaded to do a £128 million deal with Arsenal.

- Statement of intent -

Alvarez has missed several training sessions and was not part of the Atletico team that beat Sevilla last weekend.

Landing the former City star would be a significant statement of intent from Arsenal, who are looking to win the club's first back-to-back English titles since the 1930s.

Meanwhile, Arsenal striker Ethan Nwaneri is lined up for a season-long loan at Borussia Dortmund.

Liverpool splashed out on France forward Bradley Barcola on Monday, spending £123 million to lure him from Paris Saint-Germain.

But Reds boss Andoni Iraola still wants another winger as the club adjusts to life without Mohamed Salah, who joined Trabzonspor in August after ending his iconic Liverpool career.

Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh are on Iraola's wanted list.

If Liverpool sign either of those targets, it could clear the way for Dutch forward Cody Gakpo to leave Anfield amid interest from City and Tottenham.

Harvey Elliott is due to leave Liverpool, with a loan at Valencia lined up for the playmaker after his disappointing stint at Aston Villa last term.

Tottenham are keen to bring in Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk on loan after missing out on Ndiaye.

City winger Jack Grealish is set to rejoin Everton on loan after spending last season with David Moyes's men.

Grealish has fallen out of favor at City over the last two years, but impressed at Everton before suffering a season-ending foot injury in January.

Everton are also on the verge of signing United States forward Folarin Balogun from Monaco in a £40 million deal.

Newcastle striker Nicolas Woltemade is set to join Juventus on loan.



Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
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Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)

The Portugal football team is making a change to how the No. 7 is written to honor the recently-retired Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, who wore the number and went on to make it his own as “CR7,” retired from international soccer last week, ending a remarkable career that spanned six World Cups, a European title, and the men’s all-time international scoring record.

“Time to debut a new 7. Because there’s one that will be eternal,” the Portuguese national team wrote on social media on Saturday. The post included a goat emoji to signify “Greatest Of All Time.”

It also included a video that showed a horizontal crossed line through the No. 7 as it’s commonly written in Europe, suggesting that Ronaldo’s successors will all have that cross to bear when they wear the number.

Portugal, already assured of reaching the quarterfinals, was hosting Denmark in the Nations League later Saturday.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo quit on Nov. 5 after falling out with coach Jorge Jesus. His last appearance with Portugal was Sept. 24 in a 1-0 home win over Wales in the Nations League.

Jesus kept him on the bench for the following match and said he didn’t plan to start him in the next one, so the superstar forward decided to leave the team’s training camp.

Jesus later said Ronaldo would be welcome back and the decision to return was up to him.


Ronaldinho Poised for Ravenna Start and, Perhaps, One Last Goal

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
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Ronaldinho Poised for Ravenna Start and, Perhaps, One Last Goal

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)

Ronaldinho will roll back the years this weekend when the 46-year-old Brazilian starts his first competitive match in over a decade, and in the unlikely setting of an Italian third-tier derby the World Cup winner may realize his dream of scoring one last time.

The Brazil great and Ballon d'Or winner signed for Ravenna in June, also taking a stake in the club, but because he had not played since his final appearance for Fluminense in 2015, doubts remained over whether fans would ever see him in action.

Ravenna revealed ‌three weeks ago ‌that the former Barcelona and AC Milan player ‌would ⁠make his return ⁠in Sunday's home clash with local rivals Forli, and on Friday, manager Andrea Mandorlini told reporters that Ronaldinho would start the match.

"He will play from the start, there's no doubt," Mandorlini said.

"Then together we will decide how long he plays. He is one of the greatest players of the modern era. And we have to get a ⁠result. We always play with three forwards. He will ‌be one of the three."

Ronaldinho was ‌welcomed by the Ravenna fans in August, without committing to a return ‌to the pitch. He returned to Italy on Friday afternoon and ‌will have just one training session with his teammates on Saturday before making his club debut.

A temporary stand has been erected at the Stadio Bruno Benelli to cater for the crowd, and if this does turn out ‌to be one last hurrah for Ronaldinho, he may well get the chance to score his 300th ⁠professional goal.

"I ⁠scored my first Italian goal in the derby," Ronaldinho told Corriere della Sera, referring to his first official goal for AC Milan, which came against Inter Milan.

"It was a special evening that will remain in the memory of all AC Milan fans. It was September 28, 2008. I scored with a header, which is not my specialty. Who knows if I'll be able to repeat that feat tomorrow."

"... Returning to the pitch at 46 is the best move of my career."

Simone Rabbi will play alongside the Brazilian up front for Ravenna, and in Friday's press conference he said that if his side are awarded a penalty on Sunday, Ronaldinho will take the spot kick.


Andreeva Says She Is Learning to Move on Faster from Defeats After WTA Finals Sweep

Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Andreeva Says She Is Learning to Move on Faster from Defeats After WTA Finals Sweep

Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Mirra Andreeva said she has learned to recover more quickly from setbacks after the Russian teenager completed an unbeaten run through the WTA Finals round-robin stage on Friday.

Andreeva won her third group-stage match in straight sets after a late opponent change, having already secured a semi-final berth. The 19-year-old said the match against tournament alternate Diana Shnaider presented a new mental challenge because her progression was guaranteed, but she still wanted to preserve her momentum.

"Before the tournament started I was afraid ‌that I ‌wouldn't win a match in the group," ‌Andreeva ⁠told reporters. "Now you ⁠see how it turned out."

The victory set up a first career meeting with American Jessica Pegula on Saturday. Andreeva described Pegula as one of the calmest players on tour and said coach Conchita Martinez would help prepare a detailed tactical plan.

Andreeva's poise in the desert marked a contrast with her emotional ⁠exit from Indian Wells in March, when ‌she lost her title defense ‌to Katerina Siniakova. Frustrated by the defeat, Andreeva launched into a profanity-laced ‌tirade toward spectators and was booed as she left ‌the court.

The French Open champion said her response to losses has changed significantly over the course of the season.

"Before it was super bad. I was very dramatic," Andreeva said. "It would take me a ‌good two, three days. I wouldn't talk to anybody. I would just sit in the ⁠room locked ⁠up, not wanting to practice."

Now, she said, disappointment generally lasts a day at most before the demands of the tour force her attention back to training or the next match.

Andreeva said the Indian Wells setback came while she was trying to incorporate changes made in practice into her match play, which produced inconsistency and frustration. She said continued work on court, along with sessions with psychologists, helped her make progress.

The results have followed. Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros this year and arrived at the WTA Finals for her singles debut after a 50-win season.