Harry Kane is about to board a plane to Munich, according to Sky Sports News. Tempting though it is to track his entire journey, it’s 5pm on a Friday and there is at least one better thing to do.
Don’t forget to join Scott Murray in a couple of hours for live coverage of Burnley v Manchester City, the first game of the 2023-24 Premier League season. Bye!
Here’s latest on Harry Kane from your friend and mine, Jacob Steinberg
This season’s Premier League kits
Any favourites? Crystal Palace have had some very stylish kits in the past few years.
A reminder of this weekend’s Premier League fixtures
Friday
Burnley v Manchester City (8pm)
Saturday
Arsenal v Nottingham Forest (12.30pm)
Bournemouth v West Ham (3pm)
Brighton v Luton (3pm)
Everton v Fulham (3pm)
Sheffield United v Crystal Palace (3pm)
Newcastle v Aston Villa (5.30pm)
Sunday
Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur (2pm)
Chelsea v Liverpool (4.30pm)
Monday
Man Utd v Wolves (8pm)
Australia is France is tomorrow’s other World Cup quarter-final. You can read all about that here.
Colombia will play their first Women’s World Cup quarter-final tomorrow. Carl Worswick reports on the impact they have made at home.
“Was gazumping invented in the 1980s?” wonders Charles Antaki. “Something like that. I imagine the practice existed before then, but the word itself seems to be something very much to do with Thatcherism, loadsamoney, house prices ‘in telephone numbers’ (when telephone numbers were only seven digits long). Anyway, many thanks Liverpool and Chelsea for ramping up prices in an entertaining bun fight, hopefully to further to ludicrous levels – all making Arsenal fans happily content and complacent about Declan Rice. A snip.”
I just checked the Guardian archive and the first result for ‘gazump’ is in December 1971.
The Incorporated Society of Valuers and Auctioneers is to warn its members not to encourage gazumping – the raising of the price of a house after an offer to buy has been made.
Good times.
Ange Postecoglu is such a grown-up
Thomas Tuchel is too, but it’s Ange’s turn for some love.
England play Colombia in their World Cup quarter-final, and Sarina Wiegman has an important decision to make.
Today’s Football Daily has landed. Truthfully, I wouldn’t.
“Is it a sign?” writes Sheelagh Smith. “I’ve just lost me entire collection of Spurs matchday programmes due to a burst hot water tank, including Harry Kane’s first-team debut.”
My sources in the plumbing world have confirmed that the two incidents are entirely unrelated, but I still feel sad on your behalf. I hope some of them are salvageable. Maybe not the Bayern Munich 2019 game.
“I’m just about to set off on a two-and-a-bit hour drive,” writes Matt Dony, “so if anything nuts/frustrating/entertaining (delete as applicable) happens in the Caicedo Affair, could you hold it off until about 6.30pm?”
I think you can embark on your journey, safe in the knowledge he’ll be wearing blue this season.
Harry Kane is at Stansted Airport, ready to fly to Munich. There hasn’t been this much excitement about a flight to Germany since England’s World Cup Winners departed Luton Airport for Baden Baden in June 2006.
Thanks Dom, hello everyone. Better hurry up with that Fantasy team; we’re less than four hours away from the new Premier League season.
Right, I’m handing back over to Rob. It’s been one of those classic exhausting days of transfer tos and fros. Two deals worth £100m plus are in the pipeline, transfers are getting hijacked and clubs are getting gazumped.
It’s all too familiar, isn’t it? But, as the Arctic Monkeys said, you just cannot get angry in the same way.
Liverpool fan Graeme Neill hasn’t enjoyed his Friday.
He writes: “Where now for Liverpool after the Caicedo deal seems like it is collapsing in the most hilarious way imaginable (although Nabil Fekir’s was even more nuts)? Surely every club will whack a £20m desperation tax on prospective transfer fees. Will they now meet Leeds’ release clause for Adams and make this saga even crazier? Yours, a Liverpool fan shaking his head at the past 18 hours …”
You have my sympathies, Graeme. A bit.
Gary O’Neil is a Premier League manager, quickly back in the game after his harsh dismissal from Bournemouth. And it’s fair to say he didn’t expect the buzz from Wolves JUST DAYS BEFORE the start of the season.
The phone call just over a week ago was obviously a surprise but once we spoke and I found out something might be available at Wolves, it didn’t take me long to make my mind up.
Some rumours doing the rounds this afternoon to make you aware of:
Fulham are in talks to sign Adama Traore (that’s comfortingly predictable)
Tyler Adams isn’t going to Chelsea anymore (Caicedo money! Caicedo money!)
Gustavo Hamer is on his way to Sheffield United (sensible)
Andy Brassell on how Kane’s arrival will be greeted in Munich. Stick the kettle on and enjoy.
Robert Hiller asks on email: “Hi Dom, I need an update on Kane. Is he in Bavaria? Is he having his medical? Will he soon speak English with a German accent or German with an English accent?”
Well, Robert, here’s the latest according to Twitter’s experts. Hope he remembered his passport.
Please go to the gate, mister Kane https://t.co/y0wkcWXlZB
— Jan Aage Fjørtoft 🏳️🌈 🇳🇴 💛💙 (@JanAageFjortoft) August 11, 2023
An email from James Boyce.
Interesting to see [new Chelsea captain] Reece James is a role model, “He’s a leader, he has presence, he is the future of the club. He’s a perfect player and person to be captain.”
So obviously no possibility that Lauren could have learned any of her latest ‘tricks’ from him?
I think Lauren just had a moment of madness in the pressure-cooker of a World Cup knockout game. Stupid, but we all make mistakes.
Thomas Frank isn’t too concerned about losing David Raya to Arsenal, by the sound of things.
He’s not here at the moment and won’t be involved on Sunday.
[New signing] Mark Flekken was one of the best keepers in the Bundesliga last year. I like his personality; he is a leader. I like his distribution and dominance in the area.”
Tonight will be a special occasion at Turf Moor for Vincent Kompany against his old club, but realistically the Clarets’ chances of a result are slim to nothing, so say the betting beasts, at least.
Burnley: 17/2
Man City: 4/11
Draw: 9/2
Odds via BestofBets.com
Updated
Mikel Arteta almost slipped through the net. He’s been talking (ish) about David Raya. The goalkeeper’s move from Brentford is virtually signed and sealed.
Should eccentricity’s Aaron Ramsdale be worried? Or should Arsenal fans be worried that Raya looks likely to be their club’s final summer signing?
Mikel Arteta on Raya: “We have no news on any incomings.” #afc pic.twitter.com/6WEiNxNMQx
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) August 11, 2023
Updated
Moyes on Maguire and Paquetá transfers
James Ward-Prowse is already en route. One more in and one out at West Ham, Moyesy?
We’ve had a [Maguire] bid accepted from Manchester United, but while he’s not our player I’m not in position to discuss him, really.
We’ve had an offer from Manchester City [for Paquetá], but at the moment it’s not anywhere near meeting our valuation.
Updated
I will accept debate along the Everton transfer lines (see Kevin Wilson’s email) but this is the very last bit of Burnley/Manchester City/club size chat in today’s blog, I promise.
I agree with David Crowther that Burnley are not the grandchild of City but would it be true to say they are trying the Arsenal/Arteta route to trying to challenge City?
— Barry Edwards (@Barry_Edwards) August 11, 2023
Ligue 1 is also back this weekend. And it should be slicker, quicker and more streamlined than ever before, with 18 teams and dizzying goings-on at PSG. Le preview is here.
Let’s pivot to Erik ten Hag and Manchester United.
There was no further update on the Mason Greenwood situation with the manager instead fielding questions about Harry Maguire (available to face Wolves despite talks with West Ham), Rasmus Hojlund (out injured with a “small issue”) and missing out on Harry Kane.
“We’re happy with our choice of striker,” said Ten Hag.
Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo and Tom Heaton join Hojlund on the treatment table for United’s opening game at Old Trafford on Monday night.
Updated
Whether it’s Chelsea or Liverpool, it certainly won’t be Brighton for whom Caicedo lines up this season.
Roberto De Zerbi has just said, rather pointedly, that he’s “already forgotten Moises” – ouch.
🎙️Roberto De Zerbi🇮🇹: "Big clubs can buy players but they can't buy our soul and our spirit. That's not on the market." #BHAFC
— Owen (@owen_bhafc) August 11, 2023
Via @Brian__Owen pic.twitter.com/oiVw7jQhFq
Oh crumbs.
Moisés Caicedo just started to follow Chelsea on Instagram. 🔵📱🇪🇨 #CFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 11, 2023
He’s been very clear as revealed 1h ago: he only wants Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/AZt5ZEP5OX
Away from Kane now, and Kevin Wilson is dubious about Everton’s acquisition of Youssef Chermiti.
He emails in to say: “If Everton had £12m burning in their pockets, wouldn’t they have been wiser spending it on players with experience and know-how of a relegation scrap (which they will be in) rather than a Portuguese teenager who’s played barely a dozen matches?”
It’s a solid point he makes.
Postecoglou: I didn't convince Kane to stay
I didn’t see the point in that. Whatever I was going to say was going to be irrelevant. While it would have been great to have it sorted earlier I always through it was going to be borderline. The one thing I was clear on was going into the first game with stuff undecided. It has happened, hopefully we’ll have confirmation over the next couple of hours.
Postecoglou is up next! Searing honesty from the Spurs boss, as we’re becoming very accustomed to. Now it’s all about how swiftly Tottenham can replace Kane.
We’ve been planning for this, it’s fair to say, for a while.
It doesn’t take too much investigative work to realise this was going to happen. A lot of our business so far has been with this in mind. It doesn’t change my plans dramatically.
There’s still movement in the squad and it’s a big squad with players we need to move out. There are three or so weeks to go in the window.
I had a conversation with Harry on day one and we were both up front. I got an indication there that if both clubs agreed he would go.
Updated
Tuchel trails Kane to Bayern transfer
Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel stopped short of announcing Harry Kane as his new player, but trailed the move in a set of new comments about the incoming Tottenham talisman.
“We are working with full pressure on this deal,” Tuchel said. “We can confirm this but as we speak there is no agreement yet and if there is no agreement yet then the coach cannot talk about someone who is not their player.
“I understand there are a lot of ifs and whens. All options are open. The first is to have him as a player and at the moment he is not yet that.
“This is a big deal. We are trying to take the England captain away from the Premier League.”
Updated
Cheers Rob. My pasta was a bit underwhelming.
Plenty going on this afternoon, isn’t there?
Dom’s back from lunch so I’m going to hand over to him for a few hours. Bye!
Mauricio Pochettino on Moises Caicedo (and other business)
[On making Reece James captain] He’s a leader, he has presence, he is the future of the club. He’s a perfect player and person to be captain.
[On Caicedo] I never talk about players that don’t belong to us. It’s important to me to be respectful. I can tell you we are working really hard to try to add more players to the squad. It’s obvious that we are looking for a midfielder, because so many have left the club.
[On an eventful transfer window] There’s a new market which is good for players and also coaches. In football you have to improve and evolve. It looks like a drama – but come on, it’s football, we need to enjoy it.
Also on this day in 1999… Mark Kennedy scores twice as second-tier Manchester City beat Burnley 5-0 in the League Cup.
Alex Scott out until October
Here’s some news about Bournemouth’s exciting new signing from the news wires.
New Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott will miss the first couple of months of the season through injury.
The Cherries completed the £20m signing of England Under-20 international Scott from Bristol City on Thursday despite a scan showing up a “significant” knee injury sustained in training.
And new Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola revealed on Friday that Scott, 19, may not be available to make his debut until October.
“It’s a great signing for the club, the first impressions are really nice,” Iraola said at his pre-match press conference.
“For the start of the season, the first couple of months he’ll be out. We have to take these weeks for him to settle in, for him to get to know more about the team and for him to see how he can help us in the season.
“He is a player of his age who had a fantastic season in the Championship last year and he can definitely help us.”
Updated
The last of our Premier League previews – West Ham and Wolves – were published today. They’re not entirely full of positivity.
On this day in 1999, Michael Bridges scores a charming hat-trick for David O’Leary young Leeds side at Southampton. Ach, what a player he could have been.
It’s the first day of a new Premier League season. Great.
On this day in 1996… Alan Shearer’s Newcastle debut doesn’t quite go to plan.
Updated
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day…
A lot will change over the next nine months, including our blood pressure and dignity levels. And a lot will change as of… well, now, as David Hills reports.
Updated
Quiz! Quiz! Quiz!
“Please pass on to Dominic that I got 10/15 and am well happy with that,” writes Shaun Tooze. “I don’t think 8/15 is ‘risible’ either - he’s being too harsh on himself. Cheers.”
I got 12/15, though at least four were barely educated guesses, so I too claim risibility.
Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel has been talking about his new 30-goal-a-season toy*
We’re working on it. that’s no secret. As of now there is no agreement so the coach isn’t going to talk about it because it isn’t his player. All these ifs and buts leave lots of options, but at the moment he isn’t our players. My job is to concentrate on the players that we do have.
Kane is due to fly to Munich later today, but don’t tell Thomas Tuchel because Bayern are playing RB Leipzig in the DFL Supercup tomorrow.
On 2 May 1992, Notts County beat Luton 2-1 at Meadow Lane, with Rob Matthews scoring twice after Julian James has given Luton the lead. Both teams had already been relegated from Division One, meaning they would miss out on the new Premier League, and neither team has played a top-flight game since.
That will change at the Amex Stadium tomorrow, when Luton take on Brighton. We’re keen to hear from Luton fans about how you’re feeling ahead of the big day.
Thanks Dom, hello everyone. Let’s start with a scientific study of Chloe Kelly’s ferocious winning penalty against Nigeria on Monday.
Right, I’m handing over to Rob Smyth for an hour while I grab a bite to eat. There’s plenty of press conference goodness for Rob to get his teeth into, as well as the latest transfer rumblings.
Do keep him company.
Re: the previous post.
Our statement in full. pic.twitter.com/4oBjirfAEa
— Female Fans Against Greenwood's Return (@FFAGR2023) August 11, 2023
Manchester United to delay Greenwood decision
Full story from our man in Manchester, Jamie Jackson, ahead of Ten Hag’s news conference today.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is next up. He’s been asked about the Cherries’ two latest additions, Alex Scott and Max Aarons, from Championship clubs Bristol City and Norwich respectively. The former will have to wait a while for his debut because he's carrying a knee injury.
On Scott: “He had a fantastic season in the Championship last year, the first impressions are really nice.”
On Aarons: “I think for his age, he has already got a lot of Premier League games under his belt. He has been playing at this level and he has international experience.”
Staggeringly, there are 10 more Premier League press conferences to come this afternoon, many of them starting at 1pm. Ange Postecoglou, Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino are among the managers we’ll hear from.
Done deal alert: Arsenal midfield prodigy Charlie Patino has joined Swansea on loan for the season. He did well at Blackpool last year.
𝙃𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙤... 🎶
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) August 11, 2023
Croeso Patino! 🦢 pic.twitter.com/a5XmiPtz4Z
Talking of Manchester City and Burnley (as we have been doing, extensively), Nick Smith has weighed in on email:
Funny how they [Burnley] seemed to get condescending comments from the southern press when lesser clubs without even a league title get a free pass.
NB: I’m from the North West!
Updated
Key event
Pep Guardiola did his presser yesterday, in preparation for tonight’s BIG ONE against Burnley. He’s not entertaining thoughts of back-to-back trebles, understandably.
Updated
Quiz time! The perfect accompaniment for your Friday lunch break.
(I got a risible 8/15 on this, please do better than that)
Luton’s return to the top flight, Kai Havertz in new surroundings and a heavyweight showdown at Stamford Bridge are among our things to look forward to on the opening weekend of the season.
I appear to have stirred a fair amount of debate around the merits of Burnley and Man City, as David Crowther weighs in via email:
Burnley shall never be the grandchild of Manchester City. As one of the founding members of the football league, Burnley were laying it down on the hallowed turf before City were a twinkle in the eye.
All comments welcome.
Fulham in Hudson-Odoi swoop
Fulham are hopeful of clinching a deal to sign Callum Hudson-Odoi after making a new bid for the Chelsea winger.
Hudson-Odoi has been waiting for permission to leave his boyhood club and wants to join Fulham, who have already had one offer turned down. The 22-year-old was not involved in Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the USA and has not been training with the first team. It is understood that Chelsea have been looking for around £8m for Hudson-Odoi, who has a year left on his deal.
The size of Fulham’s bid is unknown and there has been no confirmation on whether it has been accepted. Two other clubs are interested in Hudson-Odoi but Fulham are favourites. Hudson-Odoi was targeted by Bayern Munich in 2019 and 2020. His development stalled after he suffered a serious Achilles injury in 2019 and he spent last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen.
Howe also revealed Newcastle want one more summer signing. *Inserts googly eyes emoji*
“I’d love one more player, then we would have the ideal depth” 👀
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 11, 2023
Eddie Howe reveals he wants one more addition to his Newcastle side to bolster the clubs squad depth. pic.twitter.com/qW0LQv2NL8
Newcastle’s Eddie Howe is the latest to face the media’s glare as press conferences return to numb our brains with footballspeak.
On his new boy Tino Livramento: “He’s very athletic, incredibly quick, dynamic, he’s got really good endurance levels and is technically very good. He’s back after a long injury but he’s done all of pre-season with Southampton so he looks in a good physical condition but we need to look after him. A really exciting player.”
On his other new boy Sandro Tonali: “When you’re bringing players in from abroad I think it’s really important you try to get them early. There’s a settling-in period you need to navigate, so I have to compliment Sandro on how he’s handled the move and how he’s adapting to those changes.”
7/10 banter from Shearer here.
Come on Harry it’s time to go! 🤪 pic.twitter.com/rm284IXOXR
— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) August 11, 2023
An email from Stephen Anniss who is pumped for a Premier League season that won’t just be about the big boys.
It’s also true Dominic that there are more teams than just the so-called top 6 or 7 in the Prem. Surely it’s of interest to see how Burnley adapt themselves to life back in the top flight. Good luck to them, I say.
Everton announce Youssef Chermiti deal
The 19-year-old Portuguese prodigy becomes Sean Dyche’s third summer signing – and look how happy he looks about it. “It’s a new beginning, I want to embrace it,” beamed Chermiti.
There will be a new name on the Women’s World Cup trophy in 2023 following Japan’s defeat to Sweden this morning. The Japanese have won many friends at this tournament thanks to some eye-catching football and a glut of goals, but they are going home after a 2-1 defeat.
Another boost for the Lionesses? Maybe, but they’ll have to be improved against Colombia tomorrow.
A tweet that makes a good point, after my dismissive swipe at Burnley v Man City:
@DomBooth19 "Burnley versus Manchester City doesn’t truly whet the appetite as a dramatic curtain-raiser"
— Thomas McConaghie (@thisthomas) August 11, 2023
Granted, not a clash of titans. But surely there's some sauce in the fact Burnley are now the grandchild (?) of Pep with VK at the helm?
More from Klopp, on his ‘reloaded’ Liverpool side. He’s in bullish mood this morning:
We have a new start with this Liverpool FC reloaded - it’s an exciting thing.
People wanted changes because we’d been together for a long time. Did it happen at the right moment? That’s difficult to answer. But now it happened and that’s good.
We have a new leadership group and if you look at the players not in that group then they also offer a lot, they are exceptional. Cody [Gakpo] is great, Dom [Szoboszlai] is 23 and the captain of Hungary, Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] is also outstanding.
We all share responsibility, let’s take that responsibility and see where we go. Don’t try to be like someone just be the best version of yourself.
Chelsea to answer Caicedo raise
Jacob Steinberg has the latest on the Moisés Caicedo transfer saga, with Chelsea set to raise their offer in a last-ditch attempt to snatch the midfielder from under Liverpool’s noses. The Reds want to wrap things up swiftly after having an enormous bid accepted and booking the player’s medical … but it’s not quite done and dusted yet.
Updated
Away from the Kane and Caicedo stories, there’s plenty of alternative transfer hustle and bustle to keep you occupied while you skive work this Friday. Here’s today’s Rumour Mill, for a start, with Tottenham eyeing some attacking signings. Can’t think why.
Jürgen Klopp likes to do his press conferences nice and early. And there’s only one thing the journalists want to know from the Liverpool manager today and that’s the C word … Caicedo.
Klopp said: “I can confirm that the deal with the club is agreed. With the player, we will have to see. Let’s see.”
No word yet on a medical for the £111m man from Brighton.
Preamble
As Fridays go in football, this is a fairly big one. The Women’s World Cup semi-final lineup is taking shape, Harry Kane is finally on his way to a club that wins trophies, Liverpool are gazumping Chelsea to snatch Moisés Caicedo … and all of this happening on the eve of the big Premier League kick-off. Although, admittedly, Burnley versus Manchester City doesn’t truly whet the appetite as a dramatic curtain-raiser.
Stick with me throughout the day for all the big build-up, transfer titbits, latest from the managers’ press conferences and whatever pre-weekend chat floats your boat. Send in your tweets and emails as and when you like.
