Chelsea's Reece James has surgery for knee issue

Chelsea have announced captain Reece James has undergone successful surgery on a knee injury.

The defender, 26, was injured in training before Chelsea’s 5-1 win over Bournemouth last weekend, and the decision was taken for him to have surgery.

James is now undergoing rehabilitation with Chelsea’s medical staff, with no time-frame given for his return.

Chelsea next travel to Everton in the Premier League before hosting London rivals Tottenham and Manchester United in a difficult run of fixtures. A trip to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup is sandwiched between those two home matches.

James has suffered multiple injuries over the past few seasons, causing him to miss several international tournaments with England since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

His injury record improved significantly last season, allowing him to play a prominent role in England’s World Cup campaign, during which they reached the semi-finals before winning the bronze medal match.

James was among the players to withdraw from England duty during the most recent international break. The next international break begins at the start of November, when England are scheduled to face Croatia at Wembley Stadium.

Eastleigh sign defender Koiki on short term deal

Eastleigh have signed defender Ali Koiki on a short-term deal.

The 27-year-old left-back began his career at Burnley without making a first-team appearance.

He went on loan to League Two Swindon in 2019, making 15 appearances in a five-month spell. After a brief spell at Bristol Rovers, the defender joined Northampton Town in 2021.

He went on to spend four seasons at Sixfields making 93 appearances for the Cobblers, scoring twice.

Koiki’s final season was interrupted by injury, with his final game being March 2025.

He arrives as the National League club look to ease their growing injury list, and will be available for selection for Saturday’s FA Cup game against Brentwood.

Real Madrid demand Tebas resign over Goebbels comparison

Real Madrid have called for the “immediate resignation” of La Liga president Javier Tebas after he drew comparisons between the club’s management and Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels.

Tebas said Real Madrid’s communication and the use of its in-house TV channel “recalls propaganda mechanisms exploited by Goebbels”.

Real Madrid have called the statement “deeply offensive” and “morally repugnant”.

The club have also demanded Tebas steps down as both the head of the Spanish top flight and vice-president of the Spanish Football Association (RFEF).

“Real Madrid considers it absolutely intolerable and extraordinarily serious that someone holding two positions of utmost responsibility in Spanish football resorts to a comparison with the propaganda methods of the Nazi regime to discredit our club, its management and its television,” the club said.

In a lengthy post published on X on Friday, Tebas said: “Real Madrid’s management directs an orchestra of mouthpieces and Real Madrid TV leads the singing.

“Their score is always the same: select the plays that suit them, repeat the grievance, feed the suspicion, and point fingers at the enemies.

“That method recalls propaganda mechanisms exploited by Goebbels, Nazi Germany’s minister of propaganda: systematic repetition, construction of an enemy, and subordination of facts to the narrative.”

Tebas later said he was drawing comparison with “those propaganda techniques” and “not with an ideology”.

Real Madrid rejected this clarification, saying it did not mitigate the “institutionally unworthy nature of his statements”.

The club added: “These statements constitute yet another episode in the repeated attacks by Javier Tebas against Real Madrid, its president and its media outlets.”

Last month, Tebas criticised Real Madrid for claiming there was a refereeing conspiracy against the club.

He also has been critical of Real and its president Florentino Perez in previous years after disagreeing with their plans to join a European Super League in 2021.

In 2025 he said Real had “lost their head” after the club sent a formal letter of complaint to the Spanish FA about officiating in the league.

Barnsley bring in striker Adeyemo

Barnsley have signed former Watford striker Tobi Adeyemo on a one-year deal after a successful trial.

The 21-year-old came through the Hornets’ academy and scored on his league debut for the club against Blackpool in January 2023.

He ended last season on loan at Crawley, where he scored one goal in 12 League Two appearances.

Adeyemo could make his debut for Daniel Stendel’s men in Saturday’s home game against Cambridge United in League One.

Barnsley have the option to extend the deal by a further 12 months.

Getafe make offer to sign free agent Sancho

Jadon Sancho scored his only goal during his loan spell at Aston Villa against Fenerbahce in the Europa League last season.

Getafe have made a formal offer to sign former Manchester United attacker Jadon Sancho.

The 26-year-old winger is out of contract after his deal expired in the summer and has been exploring a number of options.

An agreement is said to be complicated but Spanish side Getafe, who are 14th in La Liga and playing in the Europa Conference League this season, are keen to find a resolution.

Sancho, who cost United £73m when he joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, is said to favour a move away from England but remains open to all options.

Earlier this week ex-Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal, who had been without a club since his deal at the Bernabeu expired in June, joined Getafe on a free transfer.

The 34-year-old Spain right-back, who won 27 trophies with Madrid, including six Champions League titles, has signed a contract until June 2027.

Sancho spent last season on loan at Aston Villa, making 39 appearances as Unai Emery’s team achieved Champions League qualification and Europa League success, coming on as a late substitute in the victory over Freiburg, his third European final in three seasons.

He also had loan spells with Dortmund and Chelsea during his five years at United.

His move to Stamford Bridge in the 2024-25 campaign included an obligation to buy. However, Chelsea paid a £5m penalty to send Sancho back to Old Trafford after he made 41 appearances.

Sancho has been posting training videos to his Instagram account while he continues his search for a new team, including his visit to non-league side Flixton, who had to clarify that the former England international was not on trial with the North West Counties club.