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Summary
Pre-season: Arsenal 1-1 Bournemouth in Los Angeles, US - Arsenal win on penalties
Pre-season: Chelsea 2-2 Wrexham in Santa Clara, US in Maresca's first match
Transfers: Latest on Smith-Rowe, Diaby joins Al-Ittihad and Cantwell files transfer request
Olympics football: All the reaction & fall-out from France 3-0 USA & chaotic Morocco 2-1 win over Argentina.
Get Involved: #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Live Reporting
Craig Nelson & Tasnim Chowdhury
Join us again soonpublished at 15:00 25 July
15:00 25 July
Thank you for joining us today.
Click on the links in the summary points to revisit today's main stories.
And if you'd like to read more:
- Arsenal fans judged price tag, not my football - Pepe
- Hops and dreams - the former pub team aiming to shock Europe
- 'Circus' football opener 'pathetic' - Mascherano
We will be back tomorrow to take you through the latest football news.
Take care.
Hops and dreams - the former pub team aiming to shock Europepublished at 14:58 25 July
14:58 25 July
Nick Mash*ter
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Neil WilsonIf Nathan Rooney's FCB Magpies pull off one of the biggest-ever European shocks, they know where the party will be.
The 'pub team' formed at Bruno's bar in Gibraltar for just £500 in 2013 now find themselves mixing with Europe's best.
On Thursday they face 15-time Danish champions FC Copenhagen in the first leg of their Europa Conference League second-round qualifying tie.
Last season FC Copenhagen beat Manchester United at home in the group stage of the Champions League on their way to the last 16 of Europe's premier club competition.
Now they are facing a side from a footballing nation with a population of just under 33,000 - less than the Faroe Islands - which means everyone in Gibraltar could fit in Copenhagen's 38,000-capacity Parken Stadium.
Despite the odds again his side, Magpies boss Rooney wants to keep raising the bar.
Read more here.
MLS ready for the soccer invasionpublished at 14:57 25 July
14:57 25 July
Simon Stone
BBC Sport in Los AngelesMajor League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber gave his annual mid-season state of the game address ahead of the All-Star game in Columbus last night.
He was asked how MLS will cope with having the expanded Club World Cup, the 2026 World Cup and - potentially - competitive league matches being played in the United States over the next couple of years.
Garber was in typically bullish mood.
"Theeyes of the world are turning to the United States and this part of the worldmore and more," he said.
"Internationalfootball has the US in their focus, less from a competitive onfield perspective and more from a commercial one.
"Over the next three-and-a-half weeks, 25 internationalsoccer friendlies will be player here and many will do well. We are just coming off Copa America that had over 1m tickets sold.
"But weare here every day. We have teams the fans care about and players they care about andan in-house experience you won’t get if you go to the Big House for a game.
"There is so much activity going on but competition is good."
Hammers sign France's Belloumoupublished at 14:56 25 July
14:56 25 July
West Ham United have signed Bayern Munich's France Under-23 international Ines Belloumou on a three-year deal.
The 23-year-old will immediately join SS Lazio on loan for the 2024-25 season.
"I’m someone with a lot of determination. I give everything on the pitch and I’m a big competitor. Iwant to win", she told the West Ham website.
Image source, Getty ImagesCeltic pushing to take Hugo Bueno from Wolvespublished at 14:50 25 July
14:50 25 July
Nick Mash*ter
BBC Sport football news reporterCeltic have made a renewed attempt to sign Hugo Bueno on loan from Wolves.
The Scottish Premiership champions still want the left-back, having failed to bring him to Glasgow in January.
The clubs are in talks over the move but currently there is no agreement in place.
Bueno, who signed a five-year deal at Molineux in November, is behind Rayan Ait-Nouri at Molineux with the Algerian international first choice under Gary O'Neil.
Celtic are looking to add players for their title defence having only signed goalkeepers Viljami Sinisalo and Kasper Schmeichel this summer.
The had a bid rejected for Norwich striker Adam Idah earlier this month after the striker spent the second half of last season on loan at Celtic Park, scoring the late winner against Rangers in the Scottish Cup final, which sealed a league and cup double.
Spain Under-21 international Bueno has made 49 appearances for Wolves, scoring once, since joining the club's academy from Areosa in 2019.
The 21-year-old is currently on Wolves' pre-season tour in the United States, where they face West Ham in Florida on Saturday.
Celtic are also in the States and play Chelsea in Indiana on Saturday before their Scottish Premiership opener against Kilmarnock on 4 August.
Image source, Getty ImagesI can't wait to get to work - Roseniorpublished at 14:45 25 July
14:45 25 July
Liam Rosenior said that he "can't wait to get to work" after returning to football management as head coach with Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.
The 40-year-old was sacked by Hull City in May after failing to guide them into the Championship play-offs.
He had agreed a three-year deal with Hull in December before steering them to seventh place – their first top-half finish in the Championship since 2016.
Hull’s 1-0 defeat by Plymouth on the final day of the season meant they missed out on the play-offs by just three points.
“I am happy to join Racing, a historic French club, with supporters renowned for their passion and loyalty,” said Rosenior after agreeing a three-year-deal with Strasbourg, who finished 13th in Ligue 1 last season under previous boss Patrick Vieira.
“I will do everything to make the Meinau proud of its team and its players. I can’t wait to get to work.”
Strasbourg appoint Rosenior as head coachpublished at 14:42 25 July
14:42 25 July
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Hull City manager Liam Rosenior has been appointed as the head coach of Strasbourg on a three-year deal.
The 40-year-old, who also played for Hull, takes over at the Ligue 1 club following the departure of previous head coach Patrick Vieira earlier this month.
Strasbourg are owned by BlueCo, which also controls Chelsea.
Winger Diaby joins Al-Ittihad from Aston Villapublished at 14:33 25 July
14:33 25 July
Image source, Getty ImagesIn case you missed it, France winger Moussa Diaby has joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad from Aston Villa.
The 25-year-old leaves Villa Park just one season after joining on a five-year deal for a club record, reportedly £51.9m, from Bayer Leverkusen last July.
Diaby made 54 Villa appearances, scoring 10 goals, and helped them finish fourth in the Premier League to qualify for the Champions League.
"Villans, thank you for everything. It's time to say goodbye," Diaby said on X.
"I've always given my best to help the club and the team, and we've had some great moments that will stay in my memory. We've had a fantastic season, with moments of joy and happiness."
Read the full story here.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 14:28 25 July
14:28 25 July
#bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)
As a Fulham fan, selling our best defensive midfielder (Paulinha) and buying another attacking one with the money, even if Smith Rowe is better than current options, is not really what we need. Worrying injury record too. Might make for a lot more goals in Fulham games!
Luke
'Things are happening' - Arteta on Smith Rowe Fulham linkspublished at 14:23 25 July
14:23 25 July
Image source, Getty ImagesIn case you missed it earlier, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said that "things are happening" with regards to the future of Emile Smith Rowe.
The 23-year-old English forward has been linked with a reported £35m move to Fulham - which would be a record fee paid for the west London club and a record sale by Arsenal.
Smith Rowe was an unused substitute as Arsenal beat Bournemouth following a penalty shootout in Los Angeles overnight.
"Things are happening in the background and we decided the best thing to do was leave him out,” said Arteta.
Postpublished at 14:22 25 July
14:22 25 July
Speaking of transfers - past and present - let's bring you up to date with the latest...
'Arteta didn't have full confidence in me'published at 14:17 25 July
14:17 25 July
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporterDespite his disappointing time at Emirates Stadium, Nicolas Pepe says he is grateful for how his 2023 exit was handled in north London and that he still "respects" manager Mikel Arteta.
"They helped me when leaving, which wasn't easy because I was injured, so my recovery wasn't easy... they helped me find a club quickly," he explained. "So, I definitely left the club on good terms.
"I have always had a great relationship with Arteta. It's just that he didn't have full confidence in me, which is a shame.
"He put together a winning team, and sadly, I wasn't in that player turnover. But he's someone I respect, and I know he respects me too. And I wish him all the best."
Pepe now feels the difficult time will make him mentally stronger.
"With the pressure I went through at Arsenal, I'm in a pretty good headspace now," he said.
"It's something I no longer pay attention to because when you get a lot of criticism, you develop thick skin. So, now I'm prepared for any eventuality. I feel like I'm in a great headspace."
'If Arsenal bought me for £20m maybe it'd be different'published at 14:12 25 July
14:12 25 July
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporterImage source, Getty ImagesIt had been Nicolas Pepe's childhood dream to join Arsenal having been gifted a Thierry Henry shirt by his brother.
He still managed 24 goals and 15 assists in 91 matches during his first two seasons in English football, which he believes shows that he is only labelled a 'flop' because of the 2019 fee.
"If Arsenal bought me for £20m, maybe it'd be different," he said. "It's not the player's fault.
"They don't ask for £100m or £90m. But that's how it is in the football world and it's something that people can't understand.
"There are also players like [Mykhailo] Mudryk and Antony who don't perform at their best all the time, and yet they're not bad players."
Arsenal fans judged price tag, not my football - Pepepublished at 14:05 25 July
14:05 25 July
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporterNicolas Pepe has come to terms with his Arsenal exit and the price tag that warped perceptions around his performances, but admits "it wasn't easy".
When people mention the Ivory Coast international, now 29, the then club-record £72m fee to sign the winger from Lille soon follows.
And it is a number, Pepe admits, he struggled to handle.
"It wasn't easy at all. And the fans weren't happy with how I was performing," he told BBC Sport.
"When I first joined, the fans weren't really judging my performances, they were judging the price tag. But I think I did some great things while at Arsenal. I don't regret my time there.
"But my transfer fee to the club was the highest one they'd signed, so they expected me to score in each match."
Arsenal signed Pepe in 2019 after a sensational season with Lille, during which he scored 23 goals and managed 12 assists, but he never approached the same strike rate in England.
He played his last game for Arsenal in 2022 and, after a season-long loan at Nice, is now without a club after leaving Turkish side Trabzonspor in the summer, having only joined them on a free transfer from Arsenal last September.
Image source, Getty ImagesWatch: Italy v Spain in U19s Euros semi-finalpublished at 13:51 25 July
13:51 25 July
If you can't wait until tonight's Olympic matches, then why not watch the men's Under-19s European Championship semi-final.
Click here to watch Italy v Spain.
Rangers boss reveals Cantwell transfer requestpublished at 13:48 25 July
13:48 25 July
Birmingham City 2-1 Rangers
Image source, PA MediaRangers midfielder Todd Cantwell has made a transfer request, manager Philippe Clement has revealed.
Clement had left a news conference following Wednesday's 2-1 friendly loss away to Birmingham City, but returned shortly afterwards to clarify why 26-year-old Cantwell did not feature at St Andrew's.
"A while a go, Todd came to my office to say he wanted to look for another adventure and to make another step," he said of Cantwell, who joined Rangers from Norwich City in January 2023.
"We had a long talk, because we have a good relationship. I told him to think really well about that because Rangers is a fantastic club and that I would give him time.
"But he's come back to say that that's what he wants, so I need to focus on the moment, all the players who are here in the building with their minds to play in August, to play the [Champions League] qualifying games and the league games."
With Cantwell training with Rangers' B team until he finds a new club, Clement added: "We need to find solutions at the number 10 position."
Read more on this story here.
Postpublished at 13:44 25 July
13:44 25 July
Right, we are going to move away from the Olympics now and look at some of the transfer stories circulating, starting with an unusual turn of events in the Rangers camp...
Watch: 'That's a typical Spanish goal'published at 13:34 25 July
13:34 25 July
Spain 2-1 Uzbekistan
Spain continued their all-conquering summer with a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan in their opening game of the men's Olympic tournament.
In the Olympic men's tournament, the squads are made up of under-23s players, as well three over-age players, but Spain still looked pretty good.
Watch the highlights below...
Watch: Captain Lacazette 'does it for France'published at 13:25 25 July
13:25 25 July
France 3-0 USA
Former Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette, 33, who is captain of the France men's team at the Olympics, opened the scoring in a 3-0 win over the United States in the hosts opening game of the Paris Olympics.
It was far from plain sailing for Thierry Henry's France team, but a curling strike from former Crystal Palace player Michael Olise made things more comfortable and a third from Sevilla defender Loic Bade sealed the three points.
Click on the play icon below to watch the highlights...
Paris 2024: Goals of the daypublished at 13:18 25 July
13:18 25 July
Watch all the goals of the opening day from the men's football tournament at the Paris Olympics...
