UEFA loses confidence in Infantino as World Cup sell-off collapses: Football News Roundup, 2 August 2026

Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a stake in international football has fallen apart, and UEFA says it's lost confidence in him because of it. That's the story of the day, a genuine crisis for the man running the game. Elsewhere it's preseason business as usual: Mourinho's back, Maresca's lost his first match, and Salah's transfer saga has taken another twist.

Bundesliga

Salah close to Trabzonspor move, Sunday's gossip

Mohamed Salah is reportedly edging towards a Trabzonspor move, despite having apparently verbally agreed to join fierce rivals Besiktas already. If true, that's some way to end up on the wrong side of a Turkish derby before you've even kicked a ball. Take the whole thing with a pinch of salt until pen hits paper.
Source: BBC Sport

La Liga

Barça's Flick will 'miss' Rashford after Utd return

Marcus Rashford is back at Manchester United after his loan spell at Barcelona ended, and Hansi Flick admits he'll miss having him around. The question now is whether United actually want him back in the fold or whether this is just a stopover before another move. Either way, Rashford's next chapter is worth watching.
Source: ESPN

Arteta coy on Vini Jr. links, expects Arsenal moves

Mikel Arteta laughed off questions linking Arsenal with Vinícius Júnior, but the noise around a move for Real Madrid's Brazilian forward hasn't gone away. Arsenal weighing up a genuine move for one of the world's best wingers would be seismic business. Believe it when you see the medical, not the press conference.
Source: ESPN

Mbeumo brace sees Man Utd rally to beat Atlético

Bryan Mbeumo scored twice as Manchester United came from behind to beat Atlético Madrid in a preseason friendly in Stockholm. It's only July football, but United fans starved of good news will take it. Mbeumo up front looks like exactly the kind of directness this side has been missing.
Source: ESPN

Premier League

New boss Maresca is perfect for Man City, says Gvardiol

Josko Gvardiol has backed Enzo Maresca as the perfect man to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, after his trophy-laden decade in charge. Big words for a manager yet to win a game. Filling Guardiola's shoes was always going to be the toughest job in club football right now.
Source: BBC Sport

Celtic to make new bid for Gineitis

Celtic are preparing a fresh bid for Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis, with the Italian side wanting around £12m for the Lithuanian. That's a decent chunk of change for a player who's yet to properly break through, but Celtic clearly rate him as one for the future in that midfield.
Source: BBC Sport

Saudi Pro League

Football transfer rumours: Jack Grealish to make Saudi switch to Al-Hilal?

Al-Hilal are reportedly eyeing a move for Jack Grealish, after he was left out of Manchester City's pre-season tour. It's the classic pattern of a player frozen out before a Saudi move surfaces. Whether it's a fresh start or a career exile depends entirely on how you want to spin it.
Source: The Guardian

Serie A

Endrick scores, Madrid draw in Mourinho's return

Endrick scored as Real Madrid drew two-two with Fiorentina in José Mourinho's first game back in management. A goal on his manager's return is exactly the kind of moment a young striker needs to nail down a starting spot at a club that doesn't hand them out easily.
Source: ESPN

Maresca suffers shootout loss in first Man City game

Enzo Maresca's first game in charge of Manchester City ended in defeat, a two-two draw with Inter Milan lost three-one on penalties. Not the ideal start, but preseason results rarely mean much. The bigger question is whether City trust their academy graduates enough under the new regime.
Source: ESPN

World Cup

Why Infantino's plans to sell off World Cup made no sense

Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a stake in international football has collapsed under pressure. Handing part ownership of the World Cup to outside investors was always a strange idea for a competition built on national pride rather than private equity. Good riddance to a plan that never should have got this far.
Source: ESPN

UEFA 'lost confidence' in Infantino after failed plan

UEFA says it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino after his World Cup investment plan was scrapped following widespread backlash. That's about as blunt a statement as European football's governing body makes. Whether it goes any further than words remains to be seen, but Infantino's grip on the presidency looks shakier than it has in years.
Source: ESPN

Oshoala revives Nigeria's Wafcon and World Cup bid

Asisat Oshoala's early goal gave Nigeria a nervy win over Zambia at Wafcon 2026, despite finishing the match with ten women. The Super Falcons keep their qualification hopes alive, and Oshoala remains the player this squad leans on when it matters most. Proper big-game pedigree, as ever.
Source: BBC Sport

Governance chaos at the top, chaos on the touchline at City, and a transfer market that never sleeps. Fancy building a side that could handle all that noise and still go unbeaten? Draft your XI and find out.