Scotland turns on Infantino: Football News Roundup, 17 August 2026

The transfer window is doing its usual late-summer madness, Man City are trying to sign half of Europe's midfield, and Barcelona fancy raiding Arsenal for a striker. But the story with legs is off the pitch: Scotland has joined the home nations in turning on Gianni Infantino, and that's a proper crack in FIFA's foundations.

World Cup

Scotland withdraws backing for FIFA's Infantino

Scotland's FA says it won't back Gianni Infantino for re-election, joining England, Ireland and Wales in pulling support over transparency concerns. That's all four home nations now against him. Infantino's grip on FIFA has looked untouchable for years, so a united British revolt is the kind of thing that actually moves the needle.
Source: ESPN

Men's transfer grades: PSG get B+ for World Cup winner Torres

Ferran Torres has left Barcelona for PSG in a deal worth around fifty million euros, four years after arriving at the Camp Nou. He's a World Cup winner walking into a squad that already has Dembélé ahead of him. Fair fee, tougher pecking order. We'd have graded it about the same.
Source: ESPN

Send us your Scotland World Cup memories of Boston

BBC Scotland is collecting Tartan Army memories from Boston, where thousands of Scotland fans packed out the city for the group stage. Good on them for asking. World Cups are remembered as much for the away days as the football, and Boston sounds like it delivered on both fronts.
Source: BBC Sport

Premier League

Man City move for £85m Bouaddi and still want Fernandez

Manchester City are in advanced talks to sign Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi for around £85m, and they haven't given up on Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez either. That's two top-drawer midfielders on the same shopping list. Landing both would be a serious statement, even by City's spending standards.
Source: BBC Sport

Juventus step up Vicario talks

Juventus have stepped up their pursuit of Tottenham's Guglielmo Vicario, pushing for a loan with an option to buy, while talks over an alternative target have collapsed. Vicario's been one of the Premier League's quieter successes in goal. Juve clearly rate him more highly than the market noise suggests.
Source: BBC Sport

Man City face Neto competition

City aren't just chasing midfielders. They're also in a scrap with Al-Hilal for Chelsea winger Pedro Neto this summer. Saudi money muddying a Premier League transfer is nothing new these days, but Neto's the kind of player City usually get when they really want them.
Source: BBC Sport

Ipswich sign Strasbourg duo Enciso & Ouattara

Ipswich have brought in Julio Enciso on a permanent deal and signed Abdoul Ouattara, both arriving from Strasbourg. Enciso's return gives Ipswich a bit of genuine quality in the final third. Whether it's enough to lift them clear of another relegation scrap is the real question.
Source: BBC Sport

Signings impress but squad issues remain at Man Utd

Michael Carrick's review of United's pre-season says the new arrivals have looked sharp, but the left-back problem is still unsolved heading into the season. Familiar territory for United fans: money spent, promising faces, and one glaring hole nobody's fixed yet.
Source: BBC Sport

La Liga

Transfer rumours: Barcelona eye Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres

Barcelona are reportedly eyeing Arsenal's Viktor Gyökeres as a replacement for Ferran Torres, who's off to PSG. Gyökeres has barely had a season at the Emirates. Whether Arsenal would even entertain cashing in this soon is another matter entirely.
Source: ESPN

Busquets begins coach role with Barça reserves

Sergio Busquets, 38, is back at Barcelona, this time as a coach with the club's reserve side in Spain's fourth tier. A proper start from the bottom for one of the great midfield brains of his generation. Worth watching where this one goes.
Source: ESPN

Serie A

From Chelsea bomb squad to new chapter at Como for Chalobah

Trevoh Chalobah has completed a £31m move from Chelsea to Como after 151 appearances for his boyhood club. Another academy graduate moved on as Chelsea keep reshaping the squad. Como get a Premier League-tested defender for a fair price.
Source: BBC Sport

Jacquet nets in debut as Liverpool take down Como

Jérémy Jacquet, Liverpool's £60m summer signing from Rennes, scored on his debut in a pre-season win over Como. A tidy way to introduce yourself to Anfield. Now he just needs to turn a good afternoon into a regular starting spot.
Source: ESPN

Plenty to argue about in the pub tonight, from FIFA politics to whether City can really land both Bouaddi and Fernandez. If you fancy building a midfield better than City's shopping list, draft your own and see if you can go unbeaten.