Premier League team news, tracked daily

Arteta said of the three World Cup returnees: "They will be available, they trained with us today, they will train tomorrow and if they are in the condition that we expect them to be, they will be involved." On Saka and Rice's physical issues he added: "We haven't noticed anything... over the last two or three days it was really good." All three are absent from Arsenal's injury list as of 15 August, though none has played a pre-season minute.

FPL: The trio are back in contention a week before the Coventry opener, so the availability doubts we carried should ease sharply. Expect managed minutes at Cardiff rather than full games — treat GW1 starts as likely but not guaranteed.

Jarrad Branthwaite started alongside Tarkowski in the final pre-season fixture on 15 August and made a key clearance from a dangerous Lille delivery. It follows the club's line that his absence at Newcastle in midweek was planned rather than a fitness problem.

FPL: Confirms the first-choice centre-back pairing is intact for the opener, which supports Everton's clean-sheet chances and makes Branthwaite and Tarkowski credible defensive picks.

Everton lined up Pickford; Röhl, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Hackney, Armstrong, Dewsbury-Hall; Dibling, Ndiaye, Barry. Ndiaye scored from the spot on 41 minutes after Dewsbury-Hall was fouled, before Hákon Haraldsson equalised in stoppage time. Moyes made a bank of substitutions on 64 minutes, introducing O'Brien, Keane, Patterson, George, Beto, Alcaraz, Travers and Brennan Johnson.

FPL: Ndiaye taking the penalty in the final warm-up strengthens the case that he is on spot-kicks, which lifts his points ceiling. Thierno Barry leading the line ahead of Beto in the dress rehearsal is a mild nod in the striker battle.

Christian Nørgaard was again omitted from the matchday squad for the Lille friendly on 15 August. Signed from Arsenal on 5 August, he has now missed all of Everton's remaining pre-season fixtures while building fitness at Finch Farm and has yet to play for the club.

FPL: A cheap midfield option whose starting role is unproven — hold off until he actually features, because he may be eased in rather than starting the opener.

James Garner was absent from the Lille squad on 15 August, still recovering from surgery on a groin issue picked up in pre-season. Everton have targeted a return to first-team training around the opening week of the season, meaning he is expected to miss the 22 August visit of Crystal Palace.

FPL: Garner should be avoided for the opening games; his absence also opens midfield minutes for Hackney and Röhl, both of whom started against Lille.

Jordan Pickford started in goal at Hill Dickinson Stadium on 15 August, his first appearance since England's third-place finish at the World Cup, having only rejoined training on the Thursday. He completed the outing without issue, though he was penalised under the new eight-second rule for holding the ball, conceding a corner that Branthwaite headed clear.

FPL: The doubt over his readiness for the 22 August opener is now resolved — he is available and expected to start, so he can be treated as a normal premium goalkeeper pick again.

Leeds confirmed Gelhardt has joined Hull City permanently for an undisclosed fee on a four-year contract, ending a six-year stint at Elland Road. He scored 15 goals on loan at Hull last season as they won promotion from the Championship; the package is reported to be worth up to around £8m with add-ons.

FPL: Gelhardt is no longer a Leeds asset and should be removed from consideration. It marginally tidies the forward depth behind Calvert-Lewin, Nmecha and Piroe.

Developing the earlier scan story: Farke confirmed ahead of the Augsburg friendly that Gudmundsson remains sidelined and might miss the season opener at Nottingham Forest. The timeline reported after the Leipzig friendly put him at roughly three to four weeks from early August.

FPL: Gudmundsson looks unlikely for GW1 and possibly GW2, so he is not a viable early-season defensive pick. Justin is the direct beneficiary at left wing-back.

Bijol, listed as a doubt with a hip flexor issue in pre-match team news, started at centre-back in the back three against Augsburg and played 67 minutes before being replaced by Okafor. It was his first appearance after missing a run of friendlies.

FPL: Bijol's availability doubt is resolved ahead of GW1; he should be treated as a normal starting Leeds centre-back again.

Leeds closed pre-season beating Augsburg 4-0 at Elland Road: Trafford; Rodon, Bijol, Muharemovic; Bogle, Ampadu (C), Stach, Justin; Wilson, Aaronson; Calvert-Lewin. Stach, Muharemovic (bicycle kick), Justin and substitute Nmecha scored. Local reporting framed it as Farke's strongest available team and a clear hint at his Forest line-up.

FPL: Calvert-Lewin, Wilson and Aaronson starting the dress rehearsal points to them featuring at Forest. Justin deputising at left wing-back makes him a cheap short-term route into a Leeds defence while Gudmundsson is out.

Gnonto was left out of the squad entirely for Saturday's final friendly against Augsburg after picking up a hamstring injury against Manchester United at Croke Park on Wednesday 12 August. Leeds have declined to put a timeframe on his return, but reports indicate he is not expected to be available at Nottingham Forest on 22 August.

FPL: Gnonto owners should plan for him to miss at least GW1. His absence also opens the wide/attacking-midfield slot for Aaronson and Okafor.

Liverpool completed a season-long loan for the 27-year-old Uruguay centre-back and former Barcelona captain, with an option to buy next summer. He took squad number 33 and joined first-team training on Aug 10, and is in direct contention to partner Van Dijk at Newcastle with Gomez injured.

FPL: A fit, experienced centre-back arriving with Gomez out and Jacquet yet to play a minute makes Liverpool's back line more settled, but it splits the Van Dijk partner role between Araujo and Jacquet — treat neither as a locked-in defensive starter yet.

Liverpool confirmed the 21-year-old left-back signed a new long-term contract before returning to Cardiff on loan for the 2026-27 season. Scanlon made eight appearances for Cardiff in the second half of last season and has two senior Liverpool appearances.

FPL: No FPL relevance for the senior squad — Scanlon was not in the matchday picture. Tsimikas remains the only recognised backup to Kerkez at left-back.

Iraola confirmed Alexis Mac Allister reported to the AXA Training Centre on Monday as the last World Cup returnee: "we now have all of our players back after the World Cup, which is of course hugely beneficial." Liverpool play Como twice on Aug 16 (11.30am behind closed doors, 6pm at Anfield) with Ekitike, Bradley, Leoni and Gomez the confirmed absentees.

FPL: Mac Allister and the other World Cup returnees are available a week out from Newcastle, so no fitness cloud over their opening-weekend involvement beyond normal load management.

City officially confirmed on Friday evening that the 21-year-old defender has joined newly-promoted Burnley for the 2026/27 season. It is a straight loan with no option to buy, and follows a spell at Watford last season before a January recall during City's defensive injury crisis.

FPL: Removes an emergency depth option from City's back line but has no bearing on the first-choice defence. Alleyne cannot feature for City this season.

Asked about Haaland missing part of training, Maresca said: "He just had some small things behind his heels but he's okay." Haaland is available for the Community Shield, though previews expect him to be eased in off the bench having only recently returned post-World Cup with no friendly minutes.

FPL: No fitness concern for GW1 — the heel issue is resolved and Maresca declared him available. A reduced role in the Shield is workload management, not a doubt.

Maresca confirmed Rodri is back at the City Football Academy but has not resumed group training: "He's now in rehab... when he's ready to start training session with us." He is out of the Community Shield, and reports differ on whether the 23 August opener vs Bournemouth is realistic.

FPL: Rodri should not be trusted for GW1 — he has not trained with the squad and no return date is set. Nico González and Kovačić are the likely beneficiaries in the holding role.

Nottingham Forest and Coventry City reached a club-to-club agreement on 15 August for a permanent transfer of Taiwo Awoniyi, with the medical reported as ongoing. The Athletic described Forest as "finalising the sale"; no official club announcement from either side had been published at the time of writing. Awoniyi joined for a then club-record £17.2m in 2022 and made 103 appearances.

FPL: Awoniyi was already deep in the pecking order behind Igor Jesus, Kalimuendo and Wood, so this barely moves Forest's attacking projections. It marginally tidies the striker rotation but is not a reason to buy any Forest forward.

The Tottenham captain's £34.2m switch was finalised on 15 Aug, with Romero signing a contract until 30 June 2031 and being unveiled by Atletico. The package is an initial €33m plus around €7m in add-ons. He leaves after 156 appearances and the 2025 Europa League win.

FPL: Spurs are not expected to sign a replacement, having already added Van Hecke and Senesi, so this locks in the new centre-back hierarchy rather than opening a fresh battle.

The move announced as agreed earlier in the week was formally completed on 15 Aug, with Spence signing a five-year contract at Inter after passing his medical on the Friday. Spurs retain a 10 per cent sell-on clause. He leaves after 44 appearances in 2025-26.

FPL: Confirms the right-back role belongs to Pedro Porro when fit, with Archie Gray the deputy — Gray started there and captained the final friendly. Spence can be removed from squad lists entirely.

Middlesbrough completed the permanent signing of the 21-year-old centre-back on a five-year deal on 15 Aug. Tottenham receive an initial fee of around £7m with add-ons and bonuses that could take the package to £13m. Phillips never made a competitive senior appearance for Spurs.

FPL: No direct FPL consequence, but it thins Spurs' centre-back cover to Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Senesi, Danso and Davies, raising the floor on Senesi's and Danso's minutes if injuries bite.

Van de Ven was again absent on 15 Aug, having played no part in any pre-season fixture; De Zerbi has cited fatigue after the defender led the squad for minutes last season and played three World Cup games. Solanke was unavailable for the final friendly with ankle pain, the second friendly he has missed with the issue. Reports tip Van Hecke to partner Senesi or Davies at Brentford.

FPL: Van de Ven now looks unlikely to start the opener, which weakens Spurs' clean-sheet profile and makes Senesi the cheap route into this defence. Solanke owners need a contingency for GW1 rather than assuming a managed cameo.

De Zerbi named Kinsky; Gray (c), Van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson; Tonali, Bergvall; Moore, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison for the 15 Aug home friendly, with youngsters on the bench. Van de Ven, Solanke, Kudus, Pedro Porro, Maddison, Udogie and Fernandes all took no part, seven days before the Brentford opener. Moore scored twice from Tel assists and Richarlison opened the scoring.

FPL: The only outfielders with a guaranteed opener start on this evidence are Van Hecke, Robertson, Tonali and Tel; several premium picks go to Brentford with no pre-season minutes at all. Senesi starting at centre-back alongside Van Hecke is the clearest read on the post-Romero back line.

Everton confirmed Pickford has rejoined the group to prepare for 2026/27 after his extended post-World Cup break, having missed the Newcastle friendly on 12 August when Travers deputised. Preview coverage on 14 August had him expected to start today's final warm-up against Lille at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

FPL: The main doubt over his readiness for the 22 August opener has eased considerably, though he still has no pre-season minutes on the board. Worth softening, not removing, any damp until he is actually seen on the pitch.

The club published its senior list on 14 August: Johnson takes 22, Nørgaard 23, Hackney 30, George 19, Dibling 20, while Branthwaite moves to 4 and Dewsbury-Hall from 22 to 8. McNeil is absent following his Crystal Palace move, and the club stated it hopes 3, 7 and 14 can be filled by new signings before the 1 September deadline.

FPL: Confirms Johnson, Nørgaard and Hackney are registered and available for selection from GW1. The deliberately vacant numbers signal Everton still intend to add, so hold off on committing to their fringe midfield and full-back assets.

All three are in the party for Wroclaw after returning from World Cup duty, confirming the earlier plan to hold them back from Leeds. Carrick said: "Marcus, Licha and Kobbie only came back a couple of days ago so they're not quite ready but we can have them for the weekend... we'll get the balance right of minutes." Rashford is in line for his first United appearance since December 2024.

FPL: Expect managed substitute cameos rather than starts — none of the three has a full pre-season behind him, so early-season minutes are likely to be rationed. No change to their roles on this evidence alone.

Mount was not among the 26 players named to travel to Poland, having already missed the Leeds friendly and two training sessions with the foot injury sustained against PSG. Pre-match previews had expected him back for Milan; he has instead sat out the entire closing stretch of pre-season.

FPL: Our earlier doubt is not resolved — it has hardened. Mount goes into the opener with no recent minutes and an unresolved fitness question, so he is not a viable early-season option even at his low price.

Sesko stayed behind at Carrington rather than travel to Wroclaw for Saturday's final friendly against AC Milan. The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell reported the shin problem "has gone on longer than anticipated", though the striker is now back on the grass with teammates for a couple of sessions.

FPL: United's first-choice striker enters the season having played no pre-season football at all; the club hope he can be involved at Hull on 22 August, but that is a hope rather than a plan. Treat him as a genuine doubt for GW1 rather than a nailed starter.

The 14 August Spurs injury round-up lists Xavi Simons — ACL rupture against Wolves in April 2026, surgery in May — as not due back in competitive action until early 2027, and Wilson Odobert, who ruptured his ACL in February 2026, as targeting a return around the end of 2026.

FPL: Neither player should be considered for squads in the opening months of the season; any listed price is irrelevant until winter.

Kudus has rejoined full team training after seven months out with the quad injury he suffered in January and a further setback in April, and could feature in the Hoffenheim friendlies. De Zerbi called him "another important player" but admitted the club rushed him back the first time and are managing this return.

FPL: A significant attacking asset moving back into contention, but with zero pre-season minutes his GW1 start and minutes load are not yet secure.

A 14 August injury round-up says Micky van de Ven has not played a single pre-season minute since returning from extended post-World Cup leave and is unlikely to feature in the 22 August opener at Brentford. He signed a new five-year contract on 10 August, and De Zerbi had hoped to involve him in the Hoffenheim double-header.

FPL: A genuine GW1 doubt for one of Spurs' key defenders — worth waiting until he is actually seen on the pitch before committing.

Hull announced the signing of 18-year-old right-sided centre-back Lucas Herrington from Colorado Rapids on a five-year contract running to 2031, for a fee reported at roughly €14.8m — a record outbound fee for an MLS defender. It is Hull's second-biggest outlay of the window and came alongside the Mendy announcement.

FPL: A long-term project rather than a day-one starter; treat him as squad depth behind Egan, Ajayi and Mendy until team selections say otherwise.

Hull City confirmed the signing of Senegal defender Nobel Mendy, 21, from Rayo Vallecano on a five-year deal with an option for a further 12 months. The fee, reported at around €25m, is a club record and exceeds the £20m paid for Tzolakis a week earlier. Mendy can play centre-back or left-back and started the Conference League final for Rayo in May.

FPL: With Charlie Hughes sidelined, a club-record defender should walk into the back line, making Mendy the Hull defensive asset to track once he is priced and registered.

Jack Butland has had an operation on the elbow injury he picked up in training and confirmed on his own channels that he flew to Belgium for the procedure before starting rehab. Sergej Jakirovic had already described it as a long-term arm problem, and Butland will not be involved for the opener against Manchester United on 22 August.

FPL: Konstantinos Tzolakis is now the uncontested No.1 with no senior competition, so his minutes are as secure as they get for a promoted side.

Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Rayan Cherki, Marc Guehi, Elliot Anderson and Nico O'Reilly all rejoined full first-team training on Wednesday 12 August after extended World Cup breaks, giving Maresca close to a full squad for the first time. None has played a minute of pre-season, and reports suggest Haaland and Anderson may be limited to bench roles on Sunday.

FPL: This resolves the availability doubts we held on Cherki, Guehi, Anderson, O'Reilly and Doku ahead of the 23 August opener. Expect managed minutes in the Community Shield, but all should be in contention for the league opener.

Rodri returned to Manchester on 14 August following his 27 July back operation and is described as the one guaranteed City absentee for Sunday's Community Shield against Arsenal in Cardiff. He has done no pre-season work with the group, and his future remains unresolved amid unconsummated interest from Barcelona.

FPL: Rodri is a major doubt for the 23 August opener too, having rejoined only nine days beforehand with zero pre-season minutes. Avoid until he is seen training fully or starts a match.

City and Al Qadsiah reached a full verbal agreement on 13 August for Tijjani Reijnders at £52m (c.€61m), with both clubs exchanging documents and signatures expected imminently. ESPN reports personal terms close and the move finalised once he completes a medical; Reijnders skipped City training. Not yet officially announced by either club.

FPL: Reijnders should be treated as leaving and removed from squad plans despite no official confirmation yet. His exit frees central midfield minutes at a time when Rodri is short of fitness, which helps Anderson and Foden.

Developing the earlier 'travelled to Girona but short' line, Arteta said on the record: 'He's on the pitch and doing quite a lot right now but is still weeks away - I cannot tell you how much.' Timber and Saliba are both confirmed out of the 16 Aug Community Shield and the 21 Aug league opener v Coventry City. Timber was again absent from the Como squad on 12 Aug.

FPL: Timber should not be in GW1 squads at all despite carrying no FPL flag yet; his minutes go to White, Mosquera and Hincapié. Saliba remains a months-long absentee.

All three were left out of the Como squad entirely on 12 Aug, having only rejoined training on 8-10 August after England's and Spain's World Cup runs. Unlike Raya, Eze, Merino and Madueke, none of the trio was given any minutes in the last match before the season.

FPL: None of the three has played a pre-season minute, so a bench role or reduced minutes in the Community Shield and possibly GW1 is live. Keep existing doubts on Saka and Rice rather than clearing them.

In their final pre-season friendly at the Emirates on 12 Aug, Arteta started a youth-heavy XI (Kepa; Salmon, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Hincapié; Julienne, Nwaneri, Eze; Dowman, G.Jesus, Martinelli) and emptied the bench at half-time. Ødegaard came on at 46' for Dowman and played 45 minutes; Raya played the second half and saved two penalties in the shootout; Eze started; Merino and Madueke made their first pre-season appearances. Bruno Guimarães debuted at half-time after only three training sessions.

FPL: Raya and Ødegaard are through their build-up and should be fit to start the Community Shield and the 21 Aug opener. Eze starting a full first half puts him ahead of the pack for a front-line role.

Club-record summer signing Johan Manzambi was ruled out of the PSG final with the knee injury he picked up at the World Cup. He is completing rehabilitation in Spain with specialist Jurdan Mendiguchia. Villa hope the layoff is weeks rather than months, with a possible return during the opening weeks of the campaign.

FPL: Manzambi is a major doubt for GW1 at Brighton and should not be counted on as a nailed starter yet. His absence keeps Kamara, Gomes and McGinn as the central midfield base.

Garnacho was omitted from the matchday squad in Salzburg. Reports attribute this to concussion protocols following the head/facial injury he suffered in the friendly against BG Pathum United in Thailand, when he was forced off bloodied after a collision. He was filmed training on 11 August, so accounts of his current status conflict.

FPL: A watch item rather than a confirmed absence: he has missed a competitive final 11 days before GW1 but has been training. Seek confirmation from Emery's pre-Brighton press conference before committing to Garnacho.

Villa lost the UEFA Super Cup 2-1 to PSG in Salzburg on 12 August. Now registerable after Villa won their CAS appeal against FIFA, 17-year-old Brian Madjo started up front and scored a 45th-minute equaliser to become the youngest goalscorer in Super Cup history. The XI was Bizot; Cash, Lindelof, Pau Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Gomes; Buendia, McGinn, Hemmings; Madjo — with 19-year-old George Hemmings also starting.

FPL: Madjo is now genuinely available and is the most likely deputy if Watkins is eased in, though this XI was distorted by three rested World Cup players and three absentees, so it is weak evidence for league roles. McGinn came through 90 minutes after a knee scare.

All three missed the Super Cup entirely, having been given four weeks off after finishing the World Cup on 19 July. Emery post-match: 'They are joining us after this match. They are not going to be there on Saturday but they will start training with us now.' The stated plan is to have them ready for the Premier League opener at Brighton on 23 August.

FPL: This is scheduled rest, not injury, so all three should be available for GW1 — but they will miss Saturday's Gladbach friendly and start the season with roughly one week of team training and no pre-season minutes. Treat as managed rather than doubtful.

Villa officially confirmed on 12 August that Evann Guessand has rejoined Crystal Palace on a season-long loan containing a conditional obligation to buy (Palace describe it as an option). He completed his medical on the Wednesday morning and was already omitted from the Super Cup squad to finalise the move.

FPL: Guessand is no longer a Villa asset and should be removed from all Villa plans. His exit thins the forward line behind Watkins and slightly strengthens the case for Madjo and Buendia as rotation options.

Chelsea's last World Cup internationals reported back on Tuesday 11 August, with Reece James, Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez returning from delayed breaks after reaching the semi-finals and beyond. New signings Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco linked up with team-mates for the first time. Alonso now has effectively his full squad ahead of Saturday's Real Sociedad friendly, though Henderson is still being assessed after breaking his forearm in England's World Cup celebrations and Emegha is completing his return from a hamstring problem.

FPL: The main pre-season doubts over James, Rogers and Lacroix are resolved — all three are in full training with 13 days until the Fulham opener. Henderson remains a genuine doubt and is not an FPL consideration.

The pre-agreed move for Kazakhstan forward Dastan Satpaev from Kairat Almaty completed on his 18th birthday, 12 August, for a reported £3.3m. The deal had been agreed as far back as February 2025 and could not be registered until he came of age.

FPL: No immediate FPL relevance — he is a squad-filling teenager widely expected to go out on loan rather than feature for Alonso this season.

Chelsea confirmed the signing of 28-year-old Spanish left-back Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano on a contract to 2031, for a reported £16.3m (€19m plus £2m add-ons). He replaces Marc Cucurella, who joined Real Madrid in June, and trained with the group at Cobham on arrival.

FPL: A specialist senior left-back arrives to compete directly with Jorrel Hato, whose grip on the left-back slot is now genuinely contested. Hato may shift to left centre-back if Alonso uses a back three.

Chelsea have told Manchester City and any other suitor they must lodge a £120m net bid by 5pm UK on Friday 14 August. If no acceptable offer arrives, Chelsea say Fernandez will not leave this window. City have made contact but are reported unwilling to meet the asking price.

FPL: Enzo's future should be settled by Friday and the club's stated position is that he stays; he is back in training and available for the Fulham opener. Treat him as a Chelsea asset unless a bid lands.

Coventry officially confirmed Hamer's return on 11 August on a long-term contract, fee reported at roughly £6m (c.€7m) after two earlier bids were rejected. The 29-year-old made 132 appearances in his 2020-23 spell and was Player of the Year in both 2021-22 and 2022-23. Hamer said: "I'm buzzing, it's the move I wanted to make."

FPL: A first-choice-calibre central/attacking midfielder arrives who was Lampard's top target — he should start regularly and is a set-piece and creativity candidate. Squeezes the minutes of Torp, Rudoni and Sakamoto in the midfield rotation.

In an interview published 12 August, Frank Lampard said of Wright: "I felt quite quickly that he's a No. 9 and he prefers to be in that position too... with his speed, size and ability to run in behind defenses." Wright scored 18 goals in 40 games in the promotion season and has been linked with West Ham, but Lampard has told the hierarchy he wants to keep his key players.

FPL: Reinforces Wright as the lone central striker rather than a wide/rotational option, and lowers (without eliminating) deadline-day exit risk. No change to his existing role — he stays the primary Coventry attacking asset.

Johnson, 25, completed a move to Everton on 11 August as the other half of the McNeil swap, signing a four-year deal. He had joined Palace from Tottenham in January 2026 for a then-club-record £35m but failed to score in 26 appearances.

FPL: Remove Johnson from all Palace projections — he is now an Everton asset and faces his old club on the opening weekend. His exit frees up a wide starting berth that McNeil is the obvious candidate to fill.

McNeil, 26, completed a move to Selhurst Park on 11 August in a rare straight swap that took Brennan Johnson to Everton, signing a four-year contract. Fees were undisclosed. He made 114 appearances for Everton and had come close to a Palace move in January before the deal collapsed on deadline day over paperwork.

FPL: A proven Premier League wide man arriving 11 days before the opener and stepping straight into the role vacated by Johnson — a viable cheap midfield option if he starts at Everton on 22 August. Watch the Freiburg friendly (15 Aug) for confirmation of his role.

Palace officially announced Guessand's return on 12 August on a season-long loan from Aston Villa. Villa describe the deal as carrying a conditional obligation to buy, Palace as an option to buy. The Ivory Coast forward spent the second half of last season at Selhurst, playing 14 times and scoring twice, and featured in the Conference League final win. Steve Parish: "We're thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome Evann back to Crystal Palace."

FPL: Adds another body to a crowded Palace front line alongside Mateta and Strand Larsen, so treat him as a rotation forward rather than a nailed starter until Sage's opening XI is seen. Slightly dampens the case for Palace forward minutes generally.

Mount was withdrawn after 18 minutes of the 1-1 draw with PSG on 8 Aug and subsequently missed training on the Monday and Tuesday, ruling him out of Croke Park. Carrick said: "He got kicked. We just wanted to be careful and look after him." United describe the absence as precautionary.

FPL: Minimal direct impact given he is a bench option, but it further thins midfield cover behind Bruno Fernandes and Cunha for the opening weeks.

Šeško was absent from both the XI and the bench at Croke Park, extending a run of missing every pre-season friendly with the shin problem he aggravated against Liverpool in May. United believe there is a chance he features against Milan on 15 Aug and remain confident he is fit for the 22 Aug opener at Hull.

FPL: He is likely to enter GW1 with zero pre-season minutes, so a managed workload or bench start is a live risk even if declared fit. Treat early-season minutes as uncertain rather than assuming a full 90.

Carrick told MUTV pre-match: "Marcus, Licha and Kobbie aren't quite ready yet. We're preserving them for this weekend." All three are late World Cup returners rather than injured — Martinez played in the final. Post-match Carrick said of Rashford: "He's our player. He's come back great... he's trained only two or three days and it's all normal."

FPL: Confirms the three are fitness-ramping, not frozen out, and are due minutes vs Milan on 15 Aug. Martinez and Mainoo should be available for the Hull opener; Rashford's inclusion is now a role question, not a transfer one.

Carrick named Lammens; Dalot (c), Yoro, Heaven, Amass; T. Fletcher, Santos; Amad, Zirkzee, Dorgu; Mbeumo in the 12 Aug friendly in Dublin. Zirkzee scored from a Mbeumo assist; Aaronson equalised. Bruno Fernandes, Tielemans and Cunha were introduced together on the hour, with Mazraoui converting the winning penalty.

FPL: Low signal for GW1 shape — this was a deliberate rotation game with the Milan friendly (15 Aug) as the real dress rehearsal. Zirkzee's start and goal are cover-only while Šeško is absent, not a promotion.

Newcastle officially confirmed the 22-year-old defender has joined 2. Bundesliga side 1. FC Kaiserslautern on loan for the whole of 2026/27. Murphy had trained with the first team under Jaissle at La Manga before leaving the camp ahead of the Valencia friendly.

FPL: Removes a fringe defensive body from the squad and slightly thins Newcastle's full-back cover, reinforcing Jaissle's stated need for a right-back signing.

Newcastle's official team news confirmed Elanga was "stretchered off in Spain, but is fit enough to start here" — four days after a heavy Jose Gaya challenge at Valencia left him needing a stretcher. Lewis Hall, who had been training individually and was left out of the Valencia squad, also returned to the starting XI at left-back.

FPL: Newcastle's two most FPL-relevant defensive/attacking returnees are both back in the first-choice XI, so no GW1 doubt attaches to either.

Jaissle's first-half XI at Murrayfield on 12 Aug: Horníček; Shahar, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Joelinton (c), Bamba; Elanga, Touré; Osula, Wissa. All ten outfielders were replaced at half-time — Woltemade, Barnes, J.Murphy, Willock, Ramsey and Steur came on, with Barnes scoring the 84th-minute consolation. Horníček was the only player to complete 90 minutes.

FPL: Horníček looks nailed as the No.1 and Osula, not Woltemade, led the line in the strongest XI. Woltemade's second-half-only role is a mild warning for his GW1 minutes.

After naming eight starters aged 25 or under at Murrayfield, Jaissle said: "You are also smart enough to see the needs in the squad" and referenced the "vacuum" left by the exits of Bruno Guimarães, Tonali, Gordon and Trippier — "It's a really young team at the moment so there are vacuums where players need to step up." On transfers he added: "We handle these things internally, we are aware of what we need, and as you know, there's still some time."

FPL: More incomings are likely before 1 September, especially at right-back and in central midfield, which could quickly displace the young players currently starting.

Speaking after the 1-3 friendly loss to Everton on 12 Aug, Jaissle said of Schär: "He's on the way back now. Hopefully in the next days he will be included in the team training, and then we need to see if he gets some minutes already in the weekend." He said Livramento and Lewis Miley were "a bit of the same". All three were absent from the Murrayfield squad; Newcastle host Bayer Leverkusen (15 Aug) and Strasbourg (16 Aug) before the Liverpool opener on 23 Aug.

FPL: None of the three is in full team training 11 days out, so all are live doubts for GW1. Livramento in particular is a popular cheap defender whose start is no longer safe to assume.

Forest confirmed the signing of 22-year-old Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP on 11 August for a reported £34m, on a four-year deal with the option of a further year. He made 132 appearances for Sporting and played for Ivory Coast at the 2026 World Cup.

FPL: A club-record-level centre-back outlay who started the very next day — he is an immediate starter and pushes Jair Cunha and Morato further down the centre-back queue. Worth watching as a cheap defender only once his price and role are confirmed in the FPL game.

Dan Ndoye, who only rejoined Forest training in early August after a long World Cup with Switzerland, started and volleyed home Gibbs-White's cross in the 4th minute. Ola Aina, previously listed as carrying a knock, also started the game.

FPL: Both of our doubts are resolved — Aina and Ndoye are training and starting friendlies, so the hand-researched damps should come off ahead of GW1 at home to Leeds.

In their final home friendly on 12 Aug, Forest beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 with an XI of Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Diomande, Murillo, N.Williams; Sangare, Schlager; Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Igor Jesus. Five defenders started, with £34m signing Ousmane Diomande going straight in a day after signing; Kalimuendo came off the bench to score the 90+1 winner from a Netz cross.

FPL: Looks like Glasner's lead XI nine days before the Leeds opener: Sels, Gibbs-White, Milenkovic, Murillo, Aina and Ndoye all nailed-looking, and Igor Jesus is ahead of Wood/Kalimuendo up top. The five-defender selection hints at Glasner's back-three shape, which would squeeze Forest's fourth-choice centre-backs.

Le Bris described Alderete's World Cup knee problem as "just about stiffness. It's not major" and said of the pair: "probably both of them should be on the bench for Ipswich, I think." Neither was risked in the 2-0 friendly win at Lens on 8 August. Reporting on 11 August said Le Bris had not ruled either out but hinted they may not be ready to start, with Luke O'Nien in line to deputise at centre-back.

FPL: Both carry FPL's own 75% knock flag. Alderete's doubt is not resolved — he has played no pre-season minutes — so keep avoiding him for GW1, and note O'Nien is short-term injury cover rather than a promoted starter.

Adingra hurt his ankle after coming on as a substitute in the pre-season win over Wrexham. Le Bris said on 8 August: "Simon might be a bit longer, so we are still monitoring his ankle and we need to wait." Pictures on 9 August showed him in a protective boot on his left foot at the Academy of Light. No update has followed, and he was absent from the left-wing selection discussion on 11 August.

FPL: FPL currently has no flag on Adingra, so his price and projection look deceptively safe. Treat him as a genuine doubt for the GW1 opener at Ipswich and avoid him until the boot is confirmed off.

The 32-year-old left-back completed a free permanent move to Konyaspor on a two-year deal, with formalities finished on 10 August and FPL removing him on the 12th. With Dennis Cirkin's contract having expired in June and no replacement signed, Sunderland's €33m bid for Toulouse's Dayann Methalie was rejected.

FPL: Reinildo is now the only specialist left-back at the club and should be treated as close to nailed for GW1 at Ipswich. Watch the window to 1 September — a new left-back arriving would reverse this.

Sunderland confirmed on 11 August that the 22-year-old Norwegian defender has joined KV Mechelen permanently on a deal to 2029 with an option for a further year, with a sell-on clause retained. Note FPL has mislabelled this as a season-long loan.

FPL: Negligible in isolation — Hjelde was a fringe defender who spent last season's second half on loan at Sheffield United. It matters only as part of a wider thinning of Sunderland's defensive cover.

Announced by Wrexham on 11 August after a medical on the 10th: £8m initial plus performance add-ons that could exceed £10m, on a four-year deal to 2030. Sunderland posted a farewell piece on 12 August with tributes from director of football Florent Ghisolfi and head of goalkeeping Neil Cutler. FPL removed him on 12 August.

FPL: Minimal direct impact — Patterson spent last season's second half on loan at Millwall and Melker Ellborg was already the established No.2. Robin Roefs remains nailed; Sunderland have signed no replacement, with only reported interest in Ipswich's Alex Palmer.

Carvalho came on around the hour mark at Roazhon Park for his first first-team minutes since his season-ending ACL injury, hitting the inside of the post late on. Reports noted little sign of rustiness on his return.

FPL: Carvalho is available again but returns as midfield cover rather than a starter; not an FPL buy yet, though he adds competition in the attacking-midfield rotation.

Thiago led the line in the 4-2 win at Rennes on 8 August, heading in a Mathias Jensen corner on 19 minutes and assisting Dango Ouattara before being replaced by Callum Wilson at half-time. It was his first appearance of pre-season following his late return to the group from the World Cup.

FPL: The doubt over Thiago's readiness for the 22 August opener v Spurs is effectively gone; he is fit, scoring and back leading the line. Treat him as a full-price premium forward option again.

Alonso rotated his whole starting XI from the previous tour match, naming a second-string side: Sharman-Lowe (Slonina at half-time), Tosin, Anselmino, Gittens, Essugo, Nicoll-Jazuli, Quenda, Estevao, N.Jackson and Delap. Delap scored twice from the spot and Mudryk came on as an 87th-minute substitute, crossing for the late own goal that rescued the draw. Palmer, Caicedo, Enzo, Joao Pedro, Colwill, Hato, Neto and Sanchez did not feature.

FPL: Read this as squad rotation at the end of a two-week tour, not a pecking-order statement — treat the absences of the senior group as rest, not demotion. Delap's two penalties came with no established senior taker on the pitch, so it is not evidence against Palmer on spot-kicks. One friendly remains (Real Sociedad, Stamford Bridge, 15 Aug) before Fulham away on Monday 24 Aug.

Aaron Anselmino pulled up with an apparent hamstring problem on 29 minutes and was replaced by 16-year-old Reggie Watson, leaving the pitch in tears after Alonso insisted he come off. Mamadou Sarr was named in the starting XI but withdrew after picking up a knock in the warm-up, replaced by academy centre-back Olutayo Subuloye. No club timeline has been published for either.

FPL: Both are deep-squad defenders with negligible FPL relevance, so no direct points impact. The relevance is indirect: Chelsea have now lost three centre-backs from the group in 24 hours (Chalobah sold, two injured), and Sarr's planned loan exit is on hold pending scans.

Chelsea officially confirmed on 9 August that Chalobah completed a permanent transfer to Cesc Fabregas' Como, ending nearly two decades at the club. Reported at roughly €30m fixed plus €6m in add-ons and a sell-on clause, with the defender signing a five-year contract.

FPL: Chalobah is off the FPL radar entirely — remove him from any squad plans. It thins Chelsea's centre-back rotation behind Colwill and Lacroix, though no clear single beneficiary has been named yet.

Iraola said of the £60m Rennes signing: 'we were in doubt whether to pick him today, should be fine for next one.' Jacquet has still not made his Liverpool bow but is expected to face Como on 16 August.

FPL: A precaution, not a setback, but Jacquet has now missed another friendly and remains short of match minutes with the opener two weeks away. His GW1 start is less certain than his depth ranking implies.

Iraola confirmed Mac Allister 'will link up with us on Monday' (10 August) following a three-week holiday after Argentina's run to the World Cup final. He will face fitness tests before joining full sessions and is expected to be involved against Como on 16 August.

FPL: He returns under two weeks before the Newcastle opener with zero pre-season behind him, so a bench or reduced-minutes role in GW1 is a live risk even though he is not injured.

Iraola said Jones had trained every day but 'finished with some issues in his hip' the day before, and it 'didn't make sense to risk' him. The manager added it 'doesn't look like anything big' and hopes Jones is available for Como on 16 August.

FPL: A precautionary absence rather than a real injury, and Jones is a rotation option anyway. No action needed unless he also misses the Como friendly.

The summer signing from Osasuna came on around the hour mark for his first Liverpool appearance, cutting short his post-World Cup holiday to be available. It was his first game time since May, having not played a minute in Spain's World Cup win.

FPL: Removes the 'no pre-season, not yet back' doubt on Munoz — he is fit and in the matchday squad. Still a squad option rather than a nailed starter, so treat as a watch rather than a GW1 buy.

In Iraola's first Anfield match on 9 Aug, Liverpool led 2-0 through Isak (16') and Wirtz (29') before losing 3-2. XI: Alisson, Van Dijk, Frimpong, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo, Isak, Koumas, Ndukwe. Kerkez, Mamardashvili, Chiesa, Elliott and Ngumoha were among the subs.

FPL: Close to a first-choice shape two weeks from the Newcastle opener: Alisson, Van Dijk, Frimpong, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo and Isak all fit and starting. Isak and Wirtz scoring on their Anfield return is a green light for GW1 ownership.

In City's final pre-season match (Seoul, 9 Aug) Maresca started Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias (c), Vitor Reis, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Reijnders; Savinho, Foden, Semenyo; Marmoush. Semenyo set up both Marmoush goals and was man of the match, taking him to four assists in three tour games; Ait-Nouri added a late third. Haaland, Rodri, Cherki, Anderson, O'Reilly, Guehi and Doku all played no part. Maresca said the wingers' threat was the tour's standout feature and that "from tomorrow pre-season is finished and the real business starts".

FPL: Semenyo is being used as the focal supply line in Maresca's winger-heavy setup, reinforcing his premium-midfielder case. Marmoush's brace is stand-in No.9 output only — Haaland is back in training this week and remains the nailed striker.

Speaking after Sunday's 3-1 friendly win over Atletico Madrid in Seoul, Enzo Maresca was asked about Rodri's situation and said: "Yes, at the moment he will be in Manchester. There is no update. On Aug. 14 he will be back." Rodri missed the entire Asia tour while recovering from back surgery following the World Cup; Maresca gave no separate return-to-play date.

FPL: Rodri only rejoins the group two days before the Community Shield, so he is very unlikely to be match-fit for that and is a real doubt to start the 23 Aug opener v Bournemouth. Treat him as a bench/rotation risk for GW1 rather than a nailed starter.

Sesko has sat out all four pre-season fixtures (Wrexham, Rosenborg, Atletico Madrid, PSG) with a shin complaint he aggravated in the 3-2 win over Liverpool on 3 May. MEN's Steven Railston reports he has stepped up rehab at Carrington, will join the Ireland camp, and United hope he can play some minutes against AC Milan on 15 August.

FPL: Sesko is still expected to be fit for GW1 but will arrive with zero pre-season minutes, so early-season load management or a bench start is a real risk for anyone buying him for the opener.

Arsenal confirmed the signing on Saturday 8 August: a reported £75m (rising) deal, four-year contract with a one-year option, squad number 39, with Andrea Berta citing his 'mentality, quality and leadership'. He joins up with the squad immediately but is short of fitness after the World Cup and is not expected to play against Dortmund, where he will instead be paraded before kick-off.

FPL: A £75m 28-year-old central midfielder arriving as a win-now starter squeezes minutes for Merino, Nwaneri and the Ødegaard/Eze rotation. He is unlikely to be fully match-fit for the opening fixtures, so treat him as a wait-and-see rather than an early buy.

Palace lined up Benitez; Riad, Richards, Canvot; Cardines, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Nketiah, Strand Larsen. Sarr scored from a corner routine and Matheus Franca won it after half-time. Dean Henderson, Daniel Munoz, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Brennan Johnson and Yeremy Pino were not in the matchday squad, with no club explanation given.

FPL: Shape and midfield pairing look settled, but Henderson's and Munoz's total absence is unexplained and worth monitoring before GW1 at Everton on 22 August.

Chadi Riad started in the back three alongside Chris Richards and Jaydee Canvot, while Jorgen Strand Larsen started in attack after returning to training following the World Cup earlier in the week. Both were making their first appearances of pre-season.

FPL: Riad (£4.5m) and Strand Larsen (£6.0m) are both fit and integrated ahead of GW1; Strand Larsen looks set to lead the line.

Crystal Palace officially announced the free-transfer signing of Takehiro Tomiyasu, 27, after a successful trial period, making him Pierre Sage's second summer signing. He was named among the substitutes for the Fulham friendly and can operate across the back three.

FPL: Squad depth rather than an FPL asset; adds competition at centre-back and right-sided defence but is not a starter on arrival.

Adam Wharton made his first appearance of pre-season in the behind-closed-doors 2-1 win at Fulham's Motspur Park on 7 August, starting in central midfield alongside Daichi Kamada. He had missed the entire pre-season including the Como Cup with the ankle problem.

FPL: Wharton (£5.5m) is available and match-fit two weeks before the Everton opener; our earlier doubt should be removed entirely.

Scan results reported on 6 August confirmed Baleba suffered ankle ligament damage in a training session at Brighton's Vienna camp, ruling him out for 'a few weeks'. He missed the 4-3 friendly win over Strasbourg. David Ornstein reports he is doubtful for the start of the campaign, though Brighton do not anticipate a longer-term problem.

FPL: Baleba is a major doubt for the GW1 home game with Aston Villa; avoid until he is seen in training or a friendly. Opens extra central-midfield minutes for Ayari, Groß and Hinshelwood.

Tromso won 5-0 away at CFR Cluj in the third qualifying round first leg on 6 August, all but securing the play-off tie against Brighton. Brighton play the first leg away on 20 August with the return at the Amex on 27 August, meaning an Arctic Circle trip three days before their Premier League opener at home to Aston Villa on 23 August.

FPL: Raises GW1 rotation risk across the Brighton XI: a long northern-Norway away trip on 20 Aug sits three days before hosting Villa. Treat non-nailed Brighton assets with caution for GW1.

Adam Wharton was listed as a notable absentee for the behind-closed-doors friendly at Fulham on 7 August, still recovering from the ankle injury that has cost him the entire pre-season. He missed the Swindon opener on 18 July and did not travel to Italy for the Como Cup in late July. Palace open the league season away at Everton on 22 August.

FPL: Palace's key midfielder now has zero pre-season minutes with two weeks until the opener, so he is a genuine doubt for GW1 and likely to be eased in even if fit. Avoid until he is seen in a friendly — the 15 August Freiburg game is the checkpoint.

At the La Manga camp Fabian Schär and Lewis Hall worked away from the main group, Schär after tweaking his groin in the 4-1 defeat at Bristol City, though neither is thought to be carrying a major injury. William Osula remains a doubt with a minor groin complaint picked up in training, and Tino Livramento is still out with the calf problem that cost him the World Cup.

FPL: Keeps our existing doubts on Schär and Osula live going into the opener; Hall (a popular cheap defender pick) is worth watching — one report only so far, so no flag change yet.

Miley, who fractured his right fibula in training in May, is described as ahead of schedule and is now training with team-mates at the La Manga base. He is unlikely to feature at Valencia on Saturday, with his realistic target the Premier League opener at home to Liverpool on 23 August.

FPL: Miley is a live differential in a midfield stripped of Tonali and Bruno G., but he is not yet match-fit — worth monitoring for a role signal rather than buying now.

Jaissle brought his entire Al Ahli staff with him: assistants Alexander Hauser, Engin Yanova and Florens Koch, goalkeeper coach Alexander Bade and analysts Maximilian Fischer and Steffen Konrad. In his first media appearances he promised 'front-footed, intense, aggressive' football with three non-negotiables — trust, respect and commitment — and indicated further recruitment is planned, while CEO David Hopkinson warned the club had been 'living beyond our means'.

FPL: A brand-new coaching staff means last season's Howe-era role and set-piece assumptions should be treated as unreliable until the Valencia friendly (8 Aug) and the Liverpool opener (23 Aug) show his actual shape and selections.

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder signed from Real Madrid until summer 2031 with a one-year option, for a reported €10m as part of a combined €50m double deal with Garcia. He takes the No.8 shirt vacated by Harry Wilson. Palacios made seven first-team appearances under Arbeloa at Madrid.

FPL: A cheap-enfranchised midfielder to watch, but unproven in the Premier League — wait for friendly minutes before investing. His arrival further reduces the case for Fulham's incumbent creative midfielders.

The 22-year-old Spain international joined on a five-year deal to 2031 with a club option for a further year, for a fee of €40m (£34m). He takes the No.7 shirt vacated by Raul Jimenez. Club media ran his first interview and first-day content on 4 August.

FPL: Fulham's marquee signing and direct replacement for Jimenez — a genuine premium-forward candidate. He also converted 6 of 7 penalties for Real Madrid Castilla last season, so he is a live contender for spot-kicks.

At Garcia's unveiling on 4 August, head coach Alvaro Arbeloa praised the £34m signing's pace, physical strength, pressing intensity and technical quality, saying "I'm so happy to have him with us." Arbeloa coached Garcia at Real Madrid in the second half of last season.

FPL: Strong signal Garcia is being bought as the first-choice No.9, not squad depth. Treat him as the likely starting striker ahead of Rodrigo Muniz until a friendly XI proves otherwise.

Speaking after the Liverpool friendly, Daniel Farke confirmed Okafor will be back in training imminently: 'Noah Okafor will join us from next week, back in training.' Okafor was given extended time off following his World Cup involvement and did not travel on the US tour.

FPL: Okafor re-enters the winger rotation but has missed the entire tour, so he is unlikely to start GW1. Monitor rather than buy.

Calvert-Lewin was introduced at half-time for his first pre-season appearance after training alone, and scored in the 71st and 84th minutes as Leeds came from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at Soldier Field. Both goals came from long Ethan Ampadu throw-ins, the second headed in after a Bornauw flick-on. Bornauw also came through 56 minutes after replacing the injured Gudmundsson on 34.

FPL: Removes the fitness cloud over Leeds' first-choice striker three weeks before GW1 and flags a genuine set-piece/long-throw goal threat from Ampadu deliveries. Calvert-Lewin is now a live budget forward option.

Gabriel Gudmundsson limped off after 34 minutes of the 4-2 win over Liverpool in Chicago. Speaking to Swedish press on 4 August, he confirmed it is a hamstring problem on the opposite side to his previous injury, said he was 'sad' about the setback, and said scans were pending on the squad's return to England: 'It's a little feeling, so we'll see.' No club timeline has been issued.

FPL: Leeds' first-choice left-back and a £4.5m budget defender is now a real doubt for the GW1 trip to Nottingham Forest on 22 August. Avoid until scan results land; Bogle or Justin may cover the flank.

Alejandro Garnacho made his Aston Villa debut in the 3-1 win in Jakarta, starting in attack. He joined on 23 July on a season-long loan from Chelsea with an obligation to buy reported at around €50m triggered by performance milestones.

FPL: Confirms Garnacho is integrated and starting rather than easing in — relevant for anyone weighing a mid-price Villa attacker, though one friendly start is not yet proof of a nailed role.

Emery fielded his first-choice group for the first half against Indonesia All Stars: Lindelof and Pau Torres in defence, Buendia, McGinn and Barkley in midfield, Guessand and Garnacho ahead of them. He used 22 players in total, with 19 playing exactly 45 minutes, then introduced Mings, Cash and Maatsen after the break.

FPL: First clear read on Villa's post-Rogers attacking shape — Guessand and Garnacho look like the starting wide/forward pair, and Buendia's start plus a 4th-minute goal puts him back in the picture.

Oliver Dovin has not played competitively since rupturing an ACL in March 2025 and had a confirmed setback in February. Named on the teamsheet on 18 July but watched from the stands; Ben Wilson played all 90.

FPL: Dovin at £4.0 is a trap until he proves fitness — Wilson is the interim, Rushworth the intended #1.

Coventry agreed a fee of £22.5m rising toward £30m on 28 July, eclipsing the £17m Amenda record. Rushworth was their loan Player of the Season in 2025/26 with 17 Championship clean sheets. Not yet officially announced by the club.

FPL: Once completed, Rushworth is the intended first-choice keeper. Do not build around any current Coventry keeper until this resolves.