Premier League Football - Latest news, results, stats & transfers - BBC Sport (2024)

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Complications in renovating the 74,310-capacity Old Trafford, which has been Manchester United’s home since 1910, include a railway line at the back of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and having to significantly reduce capacity during building works, causing inconvenience to fans and a major loss of revenue.

Unlike Tottenham, who played at Wembley while their £1.2bn stadium was being completed, United have no obvious alternative ground to use.

The club want something in keeping with their roots in an industrial city and it is anticipated the statues around the current stadium would be relocated to any new ground.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants local and national government to play some part in funding the overall project although, realistically, that is likely to involve transport links.

Exactly how the stadium would be financed is one of the subjects still under discussion.

At current exchange rates, United’s present debt is £647.5m, excluding outstanding transfer fee payments, made up of $650m (£504.5m) historic debt as a legacy of the Glazer family takeover in 2005 and £143m from a rolling credit facility.

Read more on the club's stadium plans here

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

There was some good news on the injury front for Manchester United on Sunday as Victor Lindelof returned to training.

The Sweden defender is yet to play a match during United's pre-season campaign due to what was described as a "slight niggle".

The 30-year-old made 28 appearances last term and his return may be well timed given the injury that left new signing Leny Yoro limping badly as he was substituted during the first-half of Sunday's defeat by Arsenal in Los Angeles.

United said on Sunday they were still assessing the extent of the problems for Yoro and striker Rasmus Hojlund, who was also forced off through injury.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler is confident that winger Kaoru Mitoma will be fully fit at the start of the 2024-25 Premier League season.

Mitoma missed the final three months of last season because of a back problem, but the winger has returned to action during Brighton's pre-season tour of his native Japan.

Speaking after Sunday's 4-2 win against Tokyo Verdy, Hurzeler told the club website:, external "Kaoru Mitoma is not 100% but he has now played two very good games and he was training every session.

"He is trying to improve his physical condition. On the pitch we saw that he has unbelievable skills. We still have three weeks to go, so I think it will be improved day-by-day.

"I'm convinced and I'm sure that Kaoru will be 100% when the season starts."

The Seagulls comfortably won both of their friendly matches in Japan, scoring nine goals in the process.

Hurzeler added: "We've had a really good week's training, working very hard in tough conditions. The players have put a lot into training and we've had two good matches against good opponents.

"It's been great for team bonding and we've also been able to enjoy much of what Tokyo has to offer, and the players have embraced the Japanese culture."

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter at Peninsula Stadium

It could be a breakthrough season for Everton striker Youssef Chermiti.

The Portuguese joined as a 19-year-old from Sporting Lisbon for £15m last summer and made 21 appearances, mostly off the bench, scoring just once in the Football League Trophy win at Mansfield.

But Chermiti has been in fine form so far this pre-season, scoring twice late on to spare Everton's blushes in their 3-3 draw at Sligo Rovers last week.

And he was effective when appearing as a second-half substitute against Salford on Saturday, winning a free-kick with a darting run which was coolly converted by James Garner.

Chermiti looked sharp with some threatening runs in behind the Salford backline, and linked up well with his team-mates but was unable to salvage a draw this time in the 2-1 defeat.

He is vying for a starting place with Portuguese compatriot Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but only if his impressive performances continue.

Manager Sean Dyche told BBC Sport: "He has got to grips with it after last season and getting all the bit-parts, he's realised the physicality and looks stronger this season. He's come back fitter. I'm pleased with him.

"We're not judging anything yet but will do as pre-season builds."

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg says his "open" and "honest" relationship with new manager Arne Slot can help him as he decides his club future.

The defender, 22, is still expected to leave Anfield this summer despite starting the 1-0 win against Real Betis in the United States on Friday night.

After a successful loan spell at Mainz last season, Van den Berg said: "I spoke to him in the first day, he gave his opinion and I gave mine.

"It was nice to speak directly and be open on both sides. I will show myself in the games and training and we will hopefully be honest and then we will see what happens."

He was then asked whether a Dutch manager could secure his future, adding: "No, it doesn't matter if he's Dutch or I am Dutch. If I am not good enough, I won't play. I just have to prove myself and show myself so I can do it."

The likes of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahim Konate remain away after competing at the Euros, offering the defender, who has also spent time on loan at Preston and Schalke, another chance when Liverpool face Arsenal in a sold out Lincoln Field Stadium on Wednesday.

"I'm still a Liverpool player, I enjoy it here, really," he continued. "It's a new era, under a new coach, I really like the style of play.

"For me, it's about gametime and I am getting it at the minute. For me, the most important thing is playing.

"If I can do it here, there is no better place, to be here is my dream."

Simon Stone in Los Angeles
Chief football news reporter

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana believes the experiences of last season will ensure he does better in the new campaign.

Onana’s debut campaign after completing a £47.2m move from Inter Milan last summer was scarred by mistakes.

They proved costly as United exited the Champions League at the group stage and raised questions of manager Erik ten Hag, who had released four-time club player of the year David de Gea in order to bring the Cameroon international to the club.

Onana improved after the African Cup of Nations, although he was blamed by some for what proved to be Manchester City’s consolation goal in the FA Cup final last May.

“Last year will help, 100%,” said the 28-year-old from United's pre-season training camp in the United States. “When you move to a new country some people need time to feel good and play good.

“Mistakes are part of life. Who doesn’t make mistakes? I am old enough to accept this kind of responsibility.

“This club is one of the biggest in the world and you need a lot of personality and character to play here and that is what you have to show on the pitch.”

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has played down concerns around midfielder Curtis Jones’ fitness and praised his young replacement Trey Nyoni.

Jones went down the tunnel in the 30th minute with a muscle injury during Liverpool’s 1-0 win against Real Betis in Pittsburgh, United States.

When asked about whether Jones going off potentially marred his first match in charge, Slot said: "I think it's too early to tell [how bad it is]. He maybe could have played on, but I think maybe you could see he was not at 100 per cent.

"In a friendly game, with so many days coming up in our tour, it was best to take him off. Hopefully he can recover from [it] really fast, but we have to wait and see."

Nyoni, 17, replaced Jones having made one previous appearance for the Anfield club.

Slot added: "That was the positive thing of Curtis going out for Trey, but of course for Curtis it's a pity that he couldn't play on.

"Trey did well, he was involved in the goal with a spot on pass between the lines and he was involved in our biggest chance in the second half.

"But he's only just turned 17 and his body still has to grow. We are really careful with him. He doesn't join every session. You can see his quality. He needs some time to grow to play at Premier League level but he's an interesting player."

Liverpool next face Arsenal in Philadelphia and then take on Manchester United in Columbia.

Simon Stone in Los Angeles
Chief football news reporter

Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United to continue the search for new players until the transfer window closes.

United have already committed £90m on young defender Leny Yoro and forward Joshua Zirkzee.

However, they have had two bids for Everton’s England international Jarrad Branthwaite turned down and they have also been negotiating with Bayern Munich for Matthijs de Ligt, who captained Ten Hag’s Ajax team that reached the Champions League semi-final.

“We work continually,” said Ten Hag.

“It’s good thing we already signed two players, but a club like Manchester United needs to look if there are opportunities to be better and there is time until 31st August.”

Simon Stone in Los Angeles
Chief football news reporter

There was a show of strength from Manchester United’s hierarchy at the opening training session at UCLA on Friday.

Club director Sir Dave Brailsford was present, along with sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.

They had a group chat with manager Erik ten Hag at one point.

One other familiar face was Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has returned to the club as assistant manager, 18 years after his stint as a player ended, with the Dutchman scoring 150 goals in five seasons.

Van Nistelrooy has been out of the game since leaving PSV Eindhoven in 2023 and was speaking to a couple of clubs, including Burnley, about becoming their manager.

However, when Ten Hag got in touch, he felt he had to accept and Van Nistelrooy has no issues working for a boss rather than being one.

Simon Stone in Los Angeles
Chief football news reporter

Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien is on the brink of returning to Major League Soccer on loan with LAFC.

O’Brien spent the first half of the 2023 MLS campaign with DC United after a proposed deadline day move to Blackburn fell through and there was no room in Forest’s first-team squad.

The 25-year-old former Huddersfield man spent last term at Middlesbrough.

However, as he is not part of new Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo’s plans either, O’Brien has taken up the option of another stint in MLS and sources confirmed O’Brien has flown to the United States to complete the move.

LAFC are currently second behind city rivals LA Galaxy in the western conference of MLS and are looking to secure a second title in three years.

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

At Fabian Hurzeler's unveiling as Brighton manager last month, technical director David Weir spoke about the club's pre-season trip to Japan and how it was a chance to grow the club's brand.

The venue is no coincidence given Kaoru Mitoma's popularity in the country.

The sight of Tokyo-based Brighton fans decked out in club colours is evidence of how far the club has come since the dark days of two decades ago, when it appeared it might go out of existence.

Brighton have an open training session tomorrow with 3,000 tickets sold.

They conclude their trip with a clash against J League side Tokyo Verdy on Sunday.