Gomez injury overshadows winning start for Iraola

Liverpool started life under Andoni Iraola with a 4-2 win over Sunderland thanks to goals from Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas.

But the Iraola era had initially got off to the worst possible start when Joe Gomez, who started the game as centre-back and captain, went down injured and was taken off in the eighth minute.

“Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe. We were happy because we were going through training without losing any players and unluckily for us we’ve lost Joe straight away,” said Iraola, who was also without new signing Jeremy Jacquet - who plays centre-half - for the opening friendly of Liverpool’s tour of the USA.

“With Jeremy we decided to take it easy with him. He’s had a lot of months without playing and he’s been training very well but we’re going to take it easy with him,” Iraola added. “He will play probably in the last game of this tour and he will have time to have minutes.”

With Virgil van Dijk given extra time off following the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign, it meant that two teenage centre-backs held the line until the 68th minute.

Mor Talla N’diaye, 18, and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, 18, made their debuts and both performed admirably given the situation but neither can be expected to feature regularly yet. Meanwhile, Giovanni Leoni, 19, is still undergoing individual training as he works his way back from a severe ACL tear.

Iraola said earlier in the week that his squad was “very thin” defensively. Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, was in Nashville for the game and if he wasn’t aware already, seeing Gomez trudge off must have underlined how they are desperately short when it comes to experience in the centre-back department.

Szoboszlai, who was among that group, certainly took some inspiration. Wearing the armband after coming on at half-time and picking up from exactly where he left off last season, the Hungarian scored a belter from outside the box to level the game at 2-2 after Sunderland had gone ahead through Timur Tutierov, having initially levelled through Enzo le Fee.

Seeing Harvey Elliott make a surging run on his first game back at the club, after his spell at Aston Villa, to assist Morrison for Liverpool’s opener was another positive. Morrison, 19, showed his quality with a lovely left-footed finish after cutting in from the right.

The 19-year-old Northern Ireland international was brilliant all evening and asked plenty of questions of the Sunderland backline. Liverpool still need a quality winger after losing Mohamed Salah but Morrison showed why he could be an option off the bench if he doesn’t go out on loan this summer.

Iraola was constantly out of his seat in the dugout and his side pressed well in phases but the manner in which they conceded both goals shows there is still plenty to be done. Le Fee was given the freedom of Nashville to fire his strike past Giorgi Mamardashvili and Liverpool were opened up far too easy for Tutierov’s goal.

For the 24,897 fans inside, who were primarily following Liverpool, it provided great joy to see fan favourite Chiesa make it 3-2, with a brilliant finish after a good ball from Calvin Ramsay, before Koumas capped off an impressive display with a goal to wrap up the game.

Earlier on in that move, Josh Abe played an important role carrying the ball up the pitch down the right flank. Abe only turned 16 last week and came on for his Liverpool debut in the second half. The England youth international is a highly rated prospect and there were glimpses here of why.

Iraola and co head back to their base in Chicago with a win under their belt but well aware that this is just the start. Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Ryan Gravenberch have already arrived in the Windy City and start training on Sunday.

“It doesn’t matter the result but keep pushing, don’t relax, get used to not playing too comfortable. We still have a lot of things to improve,” the Liverpool head coach said.

His side are next in action against Wrexham in New York on Thursday (00.30 BST). Sunderland face Leeds at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey at the same time.

Millwall sign Peterborough winger Lisbie

Millwall have signed winger Kyrell Lisbie from Peterborough United for an undisclosed fee.

The 22-year-old was previously under contract at Peterborough until 2030 having signed an extension in April but joins the Lions on a “long-term” deal, according to the Championship club.

Lisbie scored 14 goals in 51 games in all competitions last season after making the step up to League One from non-league Braintree Town in 2025.

Millwall director of football Steve Gallen said the club had tried to sign him during the January transfer window.

“Kyrell had a real breakout season last year at Peterborough, with an excellent goals and assists record that speaks for itself,” Gallen told the club website.

“He can play left or right-wing, he’s quick, direct, and he’s got a real hunger to score goals and create chances.”

Lisbie is the son of former Charlton Athletic, Ipswich Town and Leyton Orient striker Kevin Lisbie while his brother, Kyreece, joined Reading last month.

He is Millwall’s sixth signing of the summer transfer window so far.

Howe unsure over Guimaraes amid Arsenal interest

Bruno Guimaraes became Eddie Howe’s third signing at Newcastle United in 2022

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe says he has had positive discussions with Bruno Guimaraes but is unable to offer any guarantees on his captain’s future.

BBC Sport reported this week that Arsenal are set to make a £70m offer for the Brazil midfielder, but Newcastle do not want to lose their talisman.

“I’ve had some really good conversations with him before the World Cup, during the World Cup and after the World Cup,” Howe said after Newcastle’s 1-1 draw against Gateshead in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.

“What we speak about has to remain private, but he’s just a great player, a great person.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with Bruno’s future. That’s for other people to speculate about. They are conversations that I’m not part of.”

Guimaraes has been on holiday with his family following Brazil’s last-16 exit from the World Cup at the hands of Norway this month.

He is due to return to Newcastle on Friday and fly out with the squad for a pre-season training camp in Spain.

Comparisons have been made with Liverpool’s pursuit of Alexander Isak last summer - the striker ultimately pushed to leave Newcastle - but Howe said there is “nothing to say Bruno won’t be back training with us”.

“You’ve got to look at it in its own right,” he said.

“Bruno is the captain of our football club. He’s been an unbelievable player and person all through the time we have worked together.

“I speak on behalf of everyone at the football club. We absolutely love him and, of course, everyone will want him to stay.”

Newcastle’s midfield has been weakened by the departure of Sandro Tonali, who joined Tottenham this month in a deal worth up to £100m.

Young midfielders Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba have since arrived from Ajax and Monaco respectively.

Although Saturday’s game came too soon for Bamba, whose move was announced on Friday, Steur played 90 minutes.

“He played really well today,” Howe said. “He can be really pleased with his performance and first showing in Newcastle colours.”

It is rare for an academy graduate to leave Ajax at 18, and for a fee worth up to £23m.

However, Newcastle have to take calculated risks before potential signings like Steur potentially explode in value and are out of reach.

Dutchman Steur clearly has promise.

Willem Weijs, who managed Steur at Jong Ajax - the club’s reserve side - has described him as “one of the highest-rated” players in their academy.

There were glimpses of Steur’s technical ability, composure and vision against National League side Gateshead.

But he will need time to adapt to the physicality and intensity of the Premier League.

“He’s outstanding in his first touches and creating options when playing a possession game,” Weijs said.

“He’s good at scanning; really comfortable on the ball; really good in tight spaces.

“He’s a typical Dutch-type midfield player, but he should focus on his points to develop as well, which is for sure the defensive part.

“He should compete better in the duels, spending much more time in the gym. I know he’s working on that, but he can improve and he has to improve.”

Newcastle have shifted strategy this summer, targeting players aged 20 and under and based on the continent.

Steur, Bamba and fellow newcomers Ewen Jaouen and Bazoumana Toure will need patience.

It is one of the many reasons why Howe will desperately want to keep hold of Guimaraes, having lost Isak, Tonali and Anthony Gordon in the past year.

“We all need to be very supportive to the players that have come in,” Howe said.

“I don’t think we can put too much pressure on them. It’s part of my job to try and take the pressure off them and allow them to develop and to enjoy their time here.”

Albion re-sign Townsend after Ipswich exit

West Bromwich Albion have re-signed defender Conor Townsend on a one-year deal following his exit from Ipswich Town.

The 33-year-old left The Hawthorns to join Ipswich in August 2024 after six years with the Baggies.

But injuries limited him to 10 appearances for the Tractor Boys, with his most recent competitive game a Premier League match at Chelsea in April 2025.

Townsend sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury last summer, leading to him missing the entire 2025-26 campaign.

But after passing a medical with the Championship club, the left-sided player has agreed a deal to return to The Hawthorns.

Townsend made 213 appearances during six years in his first spell with Albion, which included promotion to the Premier League in 2020.

The Baggies are understood to be working on other deals as they remain light in certain positions, particularly in the wide areas following the departures of former skipper Jed Wallace and Karlan Grant, who returned to his former club Charlton earlier this week.

It is a surprise return in many ways, but it is a deal that makes a lot of sense.

Aged 33 and having made just 10 appearances in the two years since he left The Hawthorns, Townsend is not about to displace Callum Styles at left-back.

Despite a disappointing 2025-26 campaign for the team, the Hungary international was undoubtedly Albion’s player of the year and rightly received that award from his team-mates and the fans.

The 26-year-old also featured in all but one of the Baggies’ games in the Championship last season.

Townsend’s spell at Ipswich was marred by unfortunate injuries, but his game time at Portman Road was also limited by his role as back-up to Leif Davis.

Having made more than 200 appearances for Albion during his previous six-year stay, he adds some vital Championship experience to the squad both on and off the field. Having worked with him previously, head coach James Morrison knows he will not rock the boat.

It is a shrewd capture as it does not break the bank and Albion know exactly what type of player and, more importantly, what type of character they are getting.

By all accounts, he is a top professional and was vice-captain to Wallace before he left in 2024. His presence is likely to be felt more off the field than on it in the upcoming campaign, but Albion know he will do a reliable job when called upon.

Chelsea agree deal to sign Palace defender Lacroix

Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix is set to join Chelsea on a long-term contract after the clubs reached agreement on a deal for the player.

BBC Sport reported on Tuesday that both clubs had held positive talks over a move for the France international, with Palace seeking about £60m for the centre-back.

An agreement has now been reached between the two clubs, with personal terms not believed to be an issue.

Lacroix is expected to undergo a medical in the next 24 hours before signing a long-term contract, understood to run until 2032.

The agreement between the two London clubs has been negotiated at ownership level.

The 26-year-old was a regular under Oliver Glasner last season, making 55 appearances in all competitions as Palace won the Uefa Conference League, the club’s first major European trophy.

He also featured in Palace’s Community Shield victory over Liverpool and helped the Eagles secure another strong Premier League campaign.

Lacroix’s performances earned him a place in France’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. He made three appearances during the tournament, including starts against Norway and England in the third-place play-off, as Les Bleus finished fourth.

Palace signed Lacroix from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in August 2024 for an initial fee of £15.5m, with a further £2.6m in potential add-ons.

He has gone on to establish himself as one of the Premier League’s most consistent central defenders.

Chelsea have targeted Lacroix after two impressive seasons in English football.

During the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, he was the only player to record at least 50 tackles (60), 200 duels won (204) and 250 clearances (252).

At 6ft 4in, Lacroix combines aerial strength with exceptional recovery pace. Since arriving from Wolfsburg in 2024, he has ranked among the five fastest centre-backs in the Premier League, recording a top speed of 35.81km/h (22.3mph).

That athleticism is reflected in his defensive numbers. Across the past two Premier League seasons, Lacroix recorded the best success rate in one-on-one defensive situations among players to face at least 50 such duels, winning possession 50.5% of the time.

Lacroix is also tactically versatile. Comfortable in both a back four and a back three, he spent two seasons playing in Oliver Glasner’s three-man defence at Crystal Palace but has also shown he can operate effectively in a more conventional back four.

That adaptability offers Chelsea additional options, with head coach Xabi Alonso having used both systems during his coaching career.