Struijk red card after VAR intervention overturned

The red card controversially shown to Brighton defender Pascal Struijk at Sunderland after an intervention by the video assistant referee (VAR) has been overturned.

Struijk was sent off after 57 minutes of Saturday’s match at the Stadium of Light when he was adjudged to have fouled Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor as he tried to run on to a through-ball.

Neither referee Thomas Bramall nor his assistant gave a foul initially, but VAR Neil Davies intervened and called the on-field official to the screen.

After watching the replay multiple times, Bramall showed Struijk a straight red card for denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

The decision, which was greeted with disbelief from the Brighton players, has now been reversed following a successful claim of wrongful dismissal.

The outcome of the appeal means Struijk will not have to serve a one-match ban and will now be available to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League this weekend.

Struijk joined Brighton from Leeds in a £20m move in the summer, and was making his second Premier League start for his new club.

Despite the red card, Brighton went on to win the match 2-0 and continue their strong start to the season.

The Seagulls are third, five points behind leaders Manchester City.

AFC Fylde sign Salford winger Malcolm on loan

National League side AFC Fylde have signed winger Kyrell Malcolm on a three-month loan from Salford City.

The 19-year-old has made 20 first-team appearances for the Ammies, and became the youngest player to play for the club in a league game, aged 16, when he started against Colchester in League Two in February 2024.

AFC Fylde head coach Craig Mahon told the club website: “We believe he has the qualities to make a big impact here.”

After 27 titles in 23 years at Real Madrid, Carvajal joins Getafe

Former Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal has joined Getafe on a free transfer.

The Madrid-born right-back has been without a club since his contract at the Bernabeu expired in June.

The 34-year-old spent 23 years with Real Madrid and is one of the most decorated players in the game’s history, with 27 titles to his name - including six Champions League wins.

He has signed a deal until June next year with Getafe, who sit 11th in La Liga and are based in the south of Spain’s capital city.

Carvajal made 51 appearances for Spain including the Nations League win in 2023 and the European Championships triumph in 2024.

But he has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, suffering a cruciate ligament tear in October 2024 then another serious knee injury a year later.

Injuries and the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer limited his appearances in his last season at Real Madrid but Getafe said they welcomed his “experience and leadership”.

Dani Carvajal’s decision to remain in the Spanish capital and join Getafe across the city adds an intriguing twist to the season.

It is a significant change of scenery for a player who became one of the most decorated defenders in Real Madrid history as he made 451 appearances for the club.

But rather than heading abroad or stepping away from the top level, Carvajal has chosen a fresh challenge little more than 10 miles south of the Bernabeu.

The move makes sense from a personal and sporting perspective. Carvajal has faced injury setbacks in recent seasons and needs regular football to prove he can still perform at the highest level. Staying in Madrid also allows the defender to remain close to home.

For a player so closely associated with Real Madrid, it will be unusual to see him on the opposite side of the city’s second derby, but it gives Carvajal the chance to keep playing football, take on a new challenge and show that his career at the top level is not over just yet.

Bournemouth open to selling Scott for £100m in January

Alex Scott has seven goals and seven assists in 95 appearances for Bournemouth in all competitions

Bournemouth are open to selling England midfielder Alex Scott in January under certain conditions.

The 23-year-old has been pushing to leave Vitality Stadium since rejecting two contract offers at the end of last season, but Bournemouth insisted he was not for sale throughout the recent international break.

However, after a final round of talks with his representatives, senior sources say the Cherries are willing to sanction Scott’s sale if an offer of about £100m arrives in January.

Another condition will be Bournemouth’s position in the Premier League table. If they are struggling towards the bottom of the league then the club may decide they need Scott to help secure survival.

It remains a significant shift in stance after a summer in which Bournemouth rejected interest from a host of clubs - with every member of the Premier League’s so-called “big six” believed to have made contact to varying degrees.

All clubs were told not to make an offer or approach the player, although Chelsea tested the water with an initial £60m bid rising to £64m in add-ons which was rejected.

Chelsea and Liverpool are believed to retain an interest, with Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham having moved on to other targets over the summer.

Liverpool would be in a strong position, with manager Andoni Iraola maintaining close relationships with his former club, both with Scott himself and figures in Bournemouth’s leadership.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have previously had encouragement from Scott’s representatives to pursue a deal.

Scott is currently out for at least a month with a thigh injury sustained during England’s 7-0 win over Croatia in the Nations League.

He remains on the same contract he signed when joining Bournemouth from Bristol City in 2023 for a fee of £25m, which expires in 2028.

The decision to consider Scott’s sale is a bitter-sweet one for Bournemouth.

The club entered the season insisting none of their prized assets, including Scott, Rayan and Eli Junior Kroupi, would be sold before the summer of 2027.

However, they have since reluctantly concluded they would be prepared to let Scott leave if their valuation is met.

Bournemouth can point to a market in which spending on midfielders has reached unprecedented levels across the Premier League.

Three players have commanded fees of more than £100m in the position and the Cherries are seeking a similar amount for Scott.

A TransferRoom report, released on Tuesday, shows spending on defensive midfielders rose by “191% to 1.38bn euros, while the average fee increased by 156% to 9.9m euros - the highest average fee of any position.”

There is also frustration within the club that Scott picked up an injury while away with England.

He entered the camp carrying tightness, only for the issue to worsen and leave him sidelined for about six weeks.

That came after Kroupi sustained a serious injury in pre-season, causing him to miss the entire season so far, with a return not expected until November.

New manager Marco Rose is yet to win a league match, with the 5-1 defeat by Chelsea representing the lowest point of his tenure so far.

There remains hope results will improve. Iraola endured an even longer winless run when he first took charge, while there is excitement surrounding Bournemouth’s Europa League campaign.

Their European adventure began with an impressive win against Real Sociedad and continues with a home game against Sturm Graz on Thursday.

Doncaster sign forward Keane on short-term deal

Will Keane scored twice in 14 League One appearances with Reading last season

Doncaster Rovers have signed former Wigan and Preston forward Will Keane on a short-term deal until January, subject to approval from the Football Association and English Football League (EFL).

The 33-year-old free agent - who won five caps for the Republic of Ireland - arrives after Rovers were granted special dispensation by the EFL to replace Frankie Okoronkwo on the 22-man squad list, with Okoronkwo now expected to be sidelined until the new year because of injury.

Keane, who began his career at Manchester United, spent the second half of last season on loan at Reading from Preston, whom he joined in 2023 after three successful years at Wigan, scoring 26 league goals to help the Latics to the League One title in 2022 and winning the division’s golden boot in the process.

Rovers boss Grant McCann told the club website: “Will is a proven goalscorer at this level and he’s also played in the Championship. He’s hungry to come in, play football and prove himself, and we’re really pleased to have him here.

“Will’s arrival gives us another option in attack. He’s a good character and a good footballer, and we believe he can make a positive contribution between now and January.”