Bowie makes loan switch to Serie A side Sassuolo

Scotland international Kieron Bowie has completed a loan move from Hellas Verona to Serie A side Sassuolo.

The striker moved to Verona in January from Hibernian after starring for the Easter Road club, going on to score four times in the Italian top flight.

However, following his club’s relegation, the 23-year-old has made the season-long switch.

Sassuolo also has the option to buy, which could also turn into an obligation if terms are met.

“Verona - Hellas Verona FC announces that striker Kieron Bowie has joined Unione Sportiva Sassuolo Calcio on loan with an obligation to buy upon the fulfilment of certain conditions,” said a club statement.

“The Gialloblù Club bids farewell to Kieron and thanks him, wishing him all the best for the next chapter of his career.”

Bowie made his Scotland debut in June 2025 against Liechtenstein.

Leicester sign Cullen from Swansea on three-year deal

Leicester City have made their fourth signing of the summer by bringing in attacking midfielder Liam Cullen from Swansea City.

Wales international Cullen, 27, has signed a three-year deal with the League One outfit for an undisclosed fee.

Cullen joined the Swans’ youth academy as an eight-year-old and has gone on to make more than 200 appearances for the club since his debut against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup in August 2018.

He scored in the South Wales derby for the Swans in their 3-2 victory over Cardiff City in April 2023 before repeating the feat in a 2-0 win a year later and in a 1-1 draw in August 2024.

Cullen made 40 Championship appearances last season, scoring five times. His last goal for the club was in a 2-0 win over Stoke City in March.

He joins Conor Chaplin, Manchester City loanee Christian McFarlane and goalkeeper Alex McCarthy in moving to King Power Stadium this summer and is reunited with new Foxes boss Russell Martin, with whom he spent two years at Swansea.

On Leicester’s website, Cullen said: “I am buzzing to be here and I can’t wait to get started.

“When this opportunity came about - and with the size of the club and the project they’re getting started with now - I thought it was the perfect fit for me.

“The way we want to play football suits me really well. Keeping the football, playing in the opposition half, creating chances and scoring lots of goals.”

Sheffield Wednesday bring in keeper Maynard-Brewer

Maynard-Brewer made 12 appearances for Dundee United last season after joining in January

Sheffield Wednesday have signed goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer on a one-year deal.

The 27-year-old was a free agent after leaving Dundee United earlier this summer.

He started his career with Charlton and made 70 league appearances for the Addicks before joining the Scottish Premiership side on a short-term deal in January.

“We believe he will be a great addition to our squad and add important competition to our goalkeeping ranks as we prepare for the challenges ahead,” sporting director Simon Wilson told the club website.

Maynard-Brewer is the second goalkeeper to join the Owls in as many days after Connal Trueman signed on Thursday.

Defender Stones joins Inter Milan on free transfer

John Stones made his debut for England in 2014

England defender John Stones has joined Italian champions Inter Milan on a free transfer and signed a two-year contract.

The 32-year-old left Manchester City when his deal expired at the end of June after 10 successful years at the Premier League club.

Stones said he had “lived all my dreams out” after helping City win six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups, five League Cups, three Community Shields, the Club World Cup and the Uefa Super Cup.

Since he became a free agent, the centre-back has attracted interest from clubs across Europe, including Chelsea and Juventus.

Inter Milan were crowned Serie A champions for the 21st time last season and will start their title defence against newly promoted Monza on Saturday, 22 August.

Former Barnsley defender Stones made 295 appearances for City, scoring 19 goals, after joining from Everton for £47.5m in 2016.

He has won 93 caps and was part of the England squad who finished third at this summer’s World Cup, starting the quarter-final victory against Norway and 2-1 semi-final defeat by Argentina.

Four pointers to most open Premier League title race in years

Is the Premier League due a wide open title race?

Three of the traditional “big six” have new managers, the defending champions have a key injury and Tottenham and Chelsea are breaking transfer records.

After years of Manchester City dominance followed by Liverpool and Arsenal winning titles by at least seven points, the Premier League is due a wide open, unpredictable, multi-club title race.

Here are four reasons why 2026-27 could be that season.

How do you replace the irreplaceable?

Manchester City are often title favourites having won six of the past nine Premier League trophies, but they start this new season without their greatest ever manager, Pep Guardiola.

The 55-year-old led City to 17 major trophies in 10 years, but left at the end of last season and has since been replaced by his former assistant Enzo Maresca.

Maresca has been out of work since stepping down as Chelsea boss in January.

The Blues also have a new gaffer. They replaced Maresca with Liam Rosenior in January but he was let go before the end of the season and now former Liverpool player Xabi Alonso is at the helm.

Alonso won the Bundesliga with an invincible Bayer Leverkusen team two years ago but last term had a difficult spell in charge of Real Madrid.

Many thought he would replace 2024-25 title-winner Arne Slot at Liverpool but the Reds instead have appointed Andoni Iraola, who finished sixth with Bournemouth last season.

That’s three huge clubs with three new managers.

What’s more, Manchester United’s Michael Carrick and Tottenham’s Roberto de Zerbi only took charge part way through last season.

So five of the traditional big six will start to the new campaign with a different manager to the one they had at the start of last season.

Only Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, appointed in 2019, remains.

As defending champions and with an experienced manager, Arsenal are favourites for the Premier League title.

But a lengthy injury to a key starter could affect their title chances.

The club have said defender William Saliba is set to miss an “extended period” after suffering a back injury while at the World Cup with France.

Saliba, 25, made 50 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal last season and his formidable partnership with team-mate Gabriel was a big factor in them conceding fewer goals than anyone else in the division.

Arsenal have a tricky start to the season, facing Aston Villa and Chelsea in two of their first three matches.

Since Saliba’s debut in 2022, Arsenal have won 68.7% of their Premier League matches when he has been in the team (131 games).

When he has been sidelined, that win percentage drops to 47.6% (21 games).

Last season, Manchester United played just 40 matches in all competitions, their fewest in a single campaign since 1914-15, and finished third.

Chelsea played 59 matches in all competitions and finished 10th.

Tottenham played 52 matches in all competitions and avoided relegation on the final day, finishing 17th.

Playing more matches does not always correlate with a lower league finish. Arsenal, for instance, won the Premier League title last season while reaching both the Champions League and Carabao Cup finals.

But fewer matches in other competitions does mean a team can rotate less, often have a full week of preparation between games and be less susceptible to injuries.

Spurs had a staggering 27 different players sidelined at some point last season.

Next season Chelsea and Tottenham are not playing European football whereas Manchester United and eight other Premier League clubs are.

United have responded by targeting midfielders in the transfer market, having bought Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectfully.

But will those two additions be enough to cover the club’s increased workload?

Chelsea and Tottenham both underperformed last season, but the pair could pick up this term after going big in the transfer window.

Chelsea made England midfielder Morgan Rogers the most expensive British player in history this month by signing him from Aston Villa for a fee of £117m.

They’ve also spent £47m on full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta and are close to deals for Danny Welbeck, Jordan Henderson and Maxence Lacroix.

Tottenham have almost matched Chelsea’s spending, parting with a club record £237m this summer.

In July, Spurs broke their transfer record twice in two days, first signing midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85m before bringing in Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for £100m.

They’ve also picked up Jan Paul van Hecke, for £52m from Brighton, Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson and Martin Dubravka.

With so many new signings and different managers, who knows what to expect?