Chelsea
Tosin Adarabioyo Leaves Chelsea Fringes for Tottenham Move
Tosin Adarabioyo leaves Chelsea after a difficult spell, with Tottenham moving to strengthen their back line.
Chelsea’s reduction of its fringe group continued on deadline day, with Tosin Adarabioyo moving across London to bolster Tottenham Hotspur’s defence.
The switch arrives after Tottenham were left short of centre-back options, particularly following Kevin Danso’s departure and the concerns created by conceding five goals in their first two league defeats of the season. Roberto De Zerbi had wanted added strength at the back, and Tosin becomes the latest addition to a position that had been stretched by several exits.
In the club announcement, Tosin set out why the move appealed to him: “I’m in an important part of my career and speaking to the head coach and knowing the type of football he wants to play, I think it’s a very good fit,” Tosin said in the club’s announcement . “He wants the team to play with courage and that’s something that I always look to do.
“I want to achieve the absolute best, to push this team and this club as much as possible to where we deserve to be. That’s something that has to be done every single day, especially on the training pitch, and I will be bringing that mentality to the club.”
The 28-year-old had been the oldest player in a very young Chelsea group since arriving two years ago. He featured regularly under Enzo Maresca, but never fully established himself at the heart of the back line, with errors, lapses in concentration and questions over his ceiling repeatedly surfacing.
A year ago he made only 16 Premier League appearances and had already slipped down the order. A difficult preseason under Xabi Alonso then pushed him closer to the exit, especially with Chelsea not facing the added demands of European football this season.
Alonso left him out of Chelsea’s squad for the opening three matches of the campaign, including the first two league games when he used a three-centre-back setup. At that stage, a route back into the team looked remote.
Tottenham offered that exit. With Cristian Romero, Luka Vušković, Radu Drăgușin and Danso all leaving this summer, and with Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke arriving, the shortage in central defence remained clear after the Austria international’s untimely departure.
Arsenal
Ballon d’Or 2026: club-by-club breakdown of the leading nominees
Club-by-club guide to the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees, led by PSG, Barcelona, Arsenal and Bayern.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or will spotlight the game’s biggest prizes across the men’s and women’s competitions, with several of Europe’s leading clubs heavily represented on the shortlists.
Paris Saint-Germain headline the men’s field with a remarkable 10 nominations for the Men’s Ballon d’Or, while Barcelona lead overall with 20 nominees across the available categories. Bayern Munich stand alone as the only club to be nominated for both the Men’s and Women’s Club of the Year award. Arsenal, the defending English champions, appear in every men’s category except the Kopa Trophy.
PSG’s list is stacked with Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabián Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Vitinha all named for the Men’s Ballon d’Or. Warren Zaïre-Emery is in line for the Kopa Trophy, Matvey Safonov is on the Yashin Trophy list, Luis Enrique is nominated for Men’s Coach of the Year, and PSG are up for Men’s Club of the Year.
Arsenal’s nominations are more concentrated, with Gabriel, Declan Rice and William Saliba all shortlisted for the Men’s Ballon d’Or. Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo are both in the running for the Women’s Ballon d’Or, David Raya is up for the Yashin Trophy, Mikel Arteta is nominated for Men’s Coach of the Year, and Arsenal are in the Club of the Year conversation.
Barcelona’s nominations span both squads, with Pau Cubarsí, Rodri, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal among the men’s names, while their women’s representatives include Esmee Brugts, Cata Coll, Caroline Graham Hansen, Patri Guijarro, Mapi Leion, Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina and Alexia Putellas. Vicky López and Clara Serrajordi are on the Women’s Kopa Trophy list, Joan García is nominated for the Yashin Trophy, Pere Romeu is in the Coach of the Year race, and Barcelona are favourites for Women’s Club of the Year.
Bayern’s strongest men’s nominees are Harry Kane, Luis Díaz, Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano, while Klara Bühl, Pernille Harder and Momoko Tanikawa feature on the women’s side. Lennart Karl is on the Kopa Trophy shortlist and Vincent Kompany is up for Men’s Coach of the Year.
Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City also have notable representation across the awards, underlining how widely the nominations are spread among Europe’s leading clubs.
Aston Villa
2026 Kopa Trophy shortlist announced as Yamal seeks another win
Yamal leads the 2026 Kopa Trophy shortlist after another huge Barcelona season.
The 2026 Kopa Trophy nominees have been confirmed, and Lamine Yamal is once again the leading name on the list as he targets a third straight success.
Barcelona’s Yamal arrives at the ceremony after a season that underlined his growing status. He produced 24 goals and 18 assists in 45 matches for Barcelona during the 2025-26 campaign, helping Hansi Flick’s side secure La Liga. That form is expected to place him near the top of the Ballon d’Or conversation when the final ceremony is held on Oct. 26.
He is joined by club and international teammate Pau Cubarsí, who continues to build on a strong rise of his own. The centre-back finished seventh last season and now returns after winning La Liga with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain. He also collected the FIFA Young Player Award at that tournament.
The shortlist also includes Yan Diomande, following a season that ended with a $161.6 million (€140 million) move to the Bernabéu, while Ayyoub Bouaddi has been named after Manchester City’s $111 million signing. Warren Zaïre-Emery remains a familiar figure among the nominees, having tied for eighth in 2024.
There are several first-time challengers too. Lennart Karl of Bayern Munich and Ibrahim Maza of Bayer Leverkusen represent the Bundesliga, while Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi and Aston Villa’s Johan Manzambi bring Premier League representation to the list. Juventus’ Kerim Alajbegović completes the men’s shortlist.
The women’s Kopa Trophy, introduced in 2025, also features a strong field. Barcelona and Spain’s Vicky López, the inaugural winner, is back in contention. She is joined by teammate Clara Serrajordi, Chelsea’s Veerle Buurman, Real Madrid’s Felicia Schröder and OL Lyonnes’ Lily Yohannes.
Al Ahli
Yashin Trophy 2026 shortlists reveal established names and fresh contenders
The 2026 Yashin Trophy shortlists are out, with new contenders joining familiar goalkeeping names.
The 2026 Yashin Trophy race has taken shape, with 10 men and five women named on the latest shortlists for football’s top goalkeeping honour.
There will be a new men’s winner this year after Gianluigi Donnarumma, who led the rankings in 2025, was not included among the nominees. That opens the door for a wide-open contest featuring several familiar figures and a few first-time entrants.
Thibaut Courtois is again in the mix, underlining the standing he has built over several years. Barcelona’s Joan García has also earned a first nomination after a season that put him firmly among the leading candidates. Arsenal’s David Raya, last season’s Premier League Golden Glove winner, is on the list too, while Emiliano Martínez returns to the spotlight after being nominated for his work with former employers Aston Villa and later joining Chelsea this summer.
The men’s shortlist also includes Matvey Safonov and Gregor Kobel, plus the Saudi Arabia-based pair of Yassine Bounou and Édouard Mendy. Unai Simón is recognised after helping Spain to World Cup glory, while Vozinha completes the lineup after another notable campaign at 40 years old.
Courtois and Martínez have both lifted the prize before, with Martínez a two-time winner in 2023 and 2024.
On the women’s side, Hannah Hampton is back after becoming the first winner of the Women’s Yashin Trophy last year. She is joined by Ann-Katrin Berger and Cata Coll, who finished second and third in the inaugural edition. Manchester City’s Ayaka Yamashita and Kansas City Current’s Lorena complete the women’s shortlist.
The full lists confirm a competition that mixes proven pedigree with new challengers, and the final outcome now depends on which goalkeeper can turn nomination into the highest honour.
