Arsenal are looking to make their squad even stronger after a successful season, and talks have been opened over a major deal.

The Gunners secured the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years, finishing seven points ahead of Man City, while they also reached the Carabao Cup and Champions League finals, losing to City and then PSG on penalties.

Mikel Arteta is keen to keep pushing the team to its limits and has identified several positions in the squad he wants to bolster during the transfer window, including left wing.

Arsenal Open Talks for Rafael Leao

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign AC Milan Rafael Leao in a bargain deal.

The Portugal international, who has been described as a ‘superstar’, has spoken out publicly about his wish to leave the Serie A club this season as he enters the final two years of his contract, after they missed out on Champions League football.

A move away from Milan is expected, with the club open to a sale, and they have put a £50m transfer fee on his head as they look to cash in.

Leao’s representatives have been in touch with a number of clubs to see where his next destination could be, and Arsenal are understood to be one of those clubs.

The Gunners are not currently actively pushing for a deal, but they are looking to strengthen at left-wing this summer and a deal could materialise later in the window. Leao is very open to a move to the Premier League, and it’s believed that Milan could even accept a fee of around £42m plus add-ons to ensure he gets his transfer wish.

World Cup Could See Leao Price Rise

Leao is ready to shine at the World Cup this summer for Portugal, having been selected as part of Roberto Martinez’s 26-man squad, and that could be something that a lot of clubs are waiting to see.

The winger, who will turn 27 next week, knows that there will be a lot of attention on his performances, with Portugal being one of the favourites for the tournament, and if he is able to perform under that kind of pressure, it could make clubs stand up and pay even more attention.

Arsenal will already have a good idea of what type of player Leao is, but they’ll be paying closer attention to him now, and it’s possible they make a move quickly to get a deal done to ensure they’re not caught out by any price rise that may come with it.

Liverpool have begun a new era at Anfield after confirming the appointment of Andoni Iraola as their new manager, replacing Arne Slot in the dugout.

The Spaniard has arrived after the Reds decided to change the manager, following a difficult season where they finished 5th in the Premier League and trophyless after 13 defeats and more than 50 goals conceded, just 12 months after they won the title under the Dutch coach.

All the noise coming out of Liverpool in the final weeks of the season was that the board would stick with Slot for next season, which led to much shock around his departure. But it has now emerged that it seems the club had a real change of heart, as they were in talks over transfers while he was still in charge.

According to a report by Dutch outlet VI, Liverpool were one of the clubs to make contact over a deal to sign defender Jan Paul van Hecke.

The defender, who has been described as ‘incredible’, is entering the final 12 months of his contract at the Amex Stadium and has attracted the interest of several top clubs in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur have seen a formal bid rejected, with the Seagulls valuing the Dutch international at around £70m, despite his contract status.

While Liverpool have made contact with the player’s representatives about a deal, it’s unclear if the club will proceed with any deal, as it has emerged that the contact was made while Slot was still the manager, and he was the driving force for any deal.

A new central defender is likely to be signed after Ibrahima Konate left at the end of his contract, with a move to Real Madrid now confirmed by club president Florentino Perez. Virgil Van Dijk will be 35 when the season starts, while youngster Jeremy Jacquet is set to arrive after signing from Rennes in January.

Liverpool Move for Van Hecke Would be Sensible

Liverpool are in need of a new central defender, and someone who is Premier League proven would be a huge boost to the squad as they could come in and immediately make an impact, rather than needing to adapt for too long.

Van Hecke has good quality on the ball, is strong in the air, fast and physically imposing. All of those attributes fit well with top level football, and at 25 there is still plenty of room for him to improve too.

£70m would be a huge price to pay, and Brighton are notoriously tough negotiators. A move would be sensible, but it now looks unlikely with all the moving parts, and Spurs having already moved to agree personal terms.

With the real 2026 World Cup kicking off in North America this summer, EA Sports has wasted no time tapping into the excitement.

The World’s Game update for EA Sports FC 26 brings a brand-new international tournament mode to the game, the closest thing to a fully-fledged World Cup experience that EA can offer without the official FIFA license.

Here’s everything you need to know.

FC 26 World’s Game — The ‘World Cup’ Mode

The World’s Game is a free update for FC 26, introducing a 48-team international tournament mode that mirrors the format and scale of the real World Cup taking place this summer. The update launched on the 4th of June, with teams being able to play out a full group stage, followed by a round of 32 knockout bracket that runs through to a final.

There’s one important caveat, though: Because EA Sports and FIFA parted ways following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, EA no longer holds the rights to have the official tournament in their game. That means you won’t find the official FIFA World Cup trophy, branding, or visual identity within the mode. It is an unofficial recreation, but they have managed to keep some elements authentic. New stadiums have been added to the game, including real-world World Cup venues like Gillette Stadium and BMO Field.

Beyond the tournament itself, the update also introduces international-themed Manager Live Challenges and new international ICONs and Heroes in Player Career mode.

Which Teams Are in FC 26 World’s Game Mode?

The World’s Game update brings 53 fully licensed and playable national teams to FC 26 in total, with 41 of those being qualified nations competing in the real 2026 World Cup. The roster spans all confederations and includes global heavyweights like England, Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany and Spain, alongside less-expected additions such as Cape Verde and Uzbekistan.

That said, the licensing picture isn’t entirely clean across the board. Five teams, Algeria, Curacao, Iran, Iraq and Jordan, appear with entirely generic kits, badges and generated squads rather than real players. Egypt and Japan sit in a middle ground: Their actual players are in the game, but the national kit and badge branding isn’t officially licensed. Bosnia & Herzegovina and DR Congo launched with generic kits, though EA has confirmed authentic versions will be added in a future update.

FC 26 World’s Game in FUT

For Ultimate Team, the most popular mode in the game by some distance, the World’s Game update arrives wrapped in the Festival of Football, a six-week content event running from the 5th of June to the 24th of July that’s built around the real tournament’s progression.

The headline reward is a free 93-rated Festival of Football ICON Pele, handed to anyone who simply logs in and plays FC 26 during the event window. Over 100 new international players are being added to the FUT item pool across the summer, alongside a dedicated Event Hub, where players can keep up to date with everything that goes on.

Five themed campaigns run throughout the Festival of Football. ‘Path to Glory’, which runs from the 5th until the 19th of June is the standout. It features live player items that upgrade in rating as their national team advances through the real World Cup. If you’re lucky enough to own a player that gets to the latter stages, you could be in possession of one of the game’s most overpowered cards.

‘Greats of the Game’ comes next and lasts until the 26th of June. Introducing two brand-new ICONs, the World Cup’s first Golden Ball winner, Mario Kempes, and Brazilian legend Rivellino. ‘Glory Hunters’ takes over from Greats of the Game until the 10th of July and brings PlayStyle customisation to selected items and is followed by ‘Phenoms’. Until the 17th of July, Phenoms will shine a light on the tournament’s most impressive young stars. It all wraps up with ‘Summer Stars’ from the 17th until the 24th of July, a celebration of the biggest performers of the tournament. Almost like a World Cup-themed Team of the Season event.

Useful World Cup links