Liverpool have opened talks in recent days over a summer deal to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi, but they face stiff competition for his signature, according to TEAMtalk.

It is already looking like Liverpool could be one of the busiest Premier League clubs in this summer transfer window, with a squad refresh needed after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, not to mention that FSG will be keen to back new manager Andoni Iraola with the signings he wants.

They have already done that after quickly hijacking Newcastle United’s move to sign Spain international winger Victor Munoz, with the 22-year-old already confirmed as the first arrival of the Iraola era.

Having lost Mohamed Salah, along with Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate, this summer, Reds chiefs are also currently working on a big-money move for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande.

The Merseysiders see the 19-year-old as their number one target to be Salah’s long-term successor at Anfield, and while they are confident that the player would like to join them, according to GIVEMESPORT sources, agreeing a fee with Leipzig is proving more difficult with the German club demanding up to €130m to sell now.

Liverpool are also looking at their midfield situation too, with at least one new signing expected.

Liverpool Hold Talks With Bouaddi’s Agents

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According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool and Real Madrid have now made fresh enquiries over a deal to sign Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi in recent days.

The Reds have stepped up their interest in signing the ‘superstar in the making’, who has been one of the stars of the World Cup so far at just 18 years of age.

Liverpool officials have now held talks with the Morocco international’s camp to confirm their interest in signing him, but they aren’t the best placed team in the race to sign one of the most sought-after young players in Europe.

According to the report, Arsenal remain in the driving seat to sign Bouaddi, having tracked the teenager for years – something the player is aware of.

Lille are said to value the talented youngster at £60m which, after seeing his performances on the world stage and the fact he has made almost 100 senior appearances for the Ligue 1 club, could prove to be a future bargain.

Which Other Midfielders are Liverpool Targeting?

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It isn’t just Bouaddi who Liverpool are considering signing in this summer transfer window.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Reds made contact earlier this month over a move for West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, but the Portugal international currently looks more likely to join either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur.

GIVEMESPORT sources have also revealed that the Merseysiders have a big appreciation for Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, who has just helped his club qualify for the Europa League by winning the Europa Conference League.

Wharton missed out on a place in England’s World Cup squad and would be able to link up with the Reds at the beginning of pre-season, much like another target, according to GMS sources, in £80m-rated Bournemouth star Alex Scott.

Having not qualified for a FIFA World Cup since 1998, Scotland‘s 4-2 win over Denmark didn’t just secure them a place in the biggest tournament in world football, but reignited a spark that had been lost over almost 30 years of heartache and misery for fans of the Scottish national team.

But with the Tartan Army in full voice, taking over the streets of Boston and Miami, those who are stateside will be hoping to extend their trip, provided that Scotland can edge through their group and into the round of 32.

Given that eight of the best third-placed teams will earn a place in the knockout stages, every point matters in the quest for their first-ever taste of knockout football.

What Results Scotland Need to Qualify

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Following the conclusion of the second round of fixtures, Scotland currently sit third in Group C, on three points and a zero goal difference, with both Brazil and Morocco above with four points.

Steve Clarke’s side will face five-time tournament winners Brazil in their final group stage match as they aim for a top-two finish in order to cement automatic qualification to the round of 32. However, given that Brazil entered the tournament sixth in FIFA’s world rankings, it looks increasingly likely that Scotland will have to turn to the alternative route into the knockout stages.

As this tournament has been expanded from 32 teams to 48, only those at the bottom of each group, plus the four worst third-placed teams, will be sent home at the conclusion of the group stage, giving Scotland their best-ever chance of getting out of the group.

As things stand, Scotland are the second-best of the third-placed teams, with Sweden topping the pile thanks to their 5-1 victory over Tunisia. A draw in their final group stage game could be all that Scotland need in order to progress to the knockout stages, depending on how other fixtures play out elsewhere.

The real threat would come if Scotland suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Brazil, with goal difference being the deciding factor for third-placed teams who are equal on points.

Stats company Opta believes that third-placed teams with a neutral goal difference have a 95 per cent chance of progression. A 1-0 loss would present an 84% likelihood, whilst a loss of three goals would offer a 42% chance of knockout football.

Have Scotland Ever Reached the World Cup Knockouts?

The 2026 World Cup has played host to Scotland’s ninth expedition at the tournament, including a stint of five successive qualifications between 1974 and 1990, with their first ever participation coming in 1954.

Despite their frequent qualification during the 70s and 80s, the Scots are yet to make it past the group stage, with their best-ever return achieved at the 1974 tournament in West Germany.

During that campaign, Scotland opened their tournament with a 2-0 victory over Zaire, before a goal-less draw with Brazil was followed by a 1-1 stalemate against Yugoslavia.

Equal on points with both Yugoslavia and Brazil, the Tartan Army narrowly missed out, with Brazil’s three and Yugoslavia’s nine goals against Zaire ensuring that Scotland were knocked out by the tightest of margins after going unbeaten.

Scotland at World Cup 2026

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Scotland’s return to the biggest stage was made even greater after John McGinn’s deflected strike against Haiti saw the Scots leave the Boston Stadium with all three points, their first points at a World Cup tournament since their 1-1 draw with Norway in 1998.

And whilst the Tartan Army were doing their bit in supporting their side, Ismael Saibari’s goal in just the second minute of their match against Morocco has left the Scots with work to do in their final game against Brazil if they want to make it to the knockout stages.

Aside from the action on the pitch, the Scottish fans have left a lasting impact on their host city of Boston. The Boston Globe newspaper left a heartfelt message for the Tartan Army, saying “For a week, you turned train stations into sing-alongs, Fenway into a football ground and an ordinary June into something we’ll be talking about for years.

And it’s not just the Scottish spirit that has left a lasting impression. In recognition of their extensive festivities, the governor of Massachusetts, Maura Healy, ‘legalised’ the Scottish delicacy of haggis after offal was made illegal in the US in the 1970s. And whilst the beloved dish hasn’t actually been legalised, the event would suggest that the Scots are more than welcome in Boston.

World Cup on GIVEMESPORT

Yet another kit infraction was spotted at the 2026 World Cup, this time in England’s match with Ghana on Tuesday.

The Three Lions were left frustrated by a rigid and defensive Ghana side that sat deep for long periods and gave Thomas Tuchel’s men little room to work with in the final third.

England struggled to fashion clear openings throughout, with Ghana happy to defend their point all the way to a goalless draw. It was a match that also saw Jude Bellingham narrowly avoid a red card.

Amid the chances and near misses, however, a sharp-eyed fan spotted something else entirely: a potential breach of FIFA’s kit regulations involving Ghana and Manchester City winger, Antoine Semenyo.

What Rule did Antoine Semenyo Break?

REUTERS/Peter Cziborra

Semenyo was wearing white socks during the match, and he’s not the only player doing it. Grip socks, which are designed with rubber patches on the soles, to keep a player’s foot from moving inside their boot, are very common among footballers at all levels.

Section 2 of the IFAB’s Law 4 states that “any tape or material applied externally to a sock must match the colour of the part of the sock it covers.” Ghana wore mostly yellow socks for the fixture, meaning the white of the grip sock was visible on Semenyo’s ankle and breached that requirement, with officials seemingly failing to intervene during the match.

Former PGMOL Boss Keith Hackett Wades in

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The post soon caught the attention of Keith Hackett, a former Premier League referee and PGMOL chief. Responding directly to the fan on X who’d pointed it out to him, Hackett wrote: “Well spotted Pat clearly law not being applied,” backing their claim that match officials had overlooked the infraction.

Hackett also made comment on Keito Nakamura’s apparent lack of shin pads during Japan’s clash with the Netherlands. Both incidents have raised similar questions about consistency in enforcement.

Hackett has made little secret of his frustrations with refereeing standards throughout the World Cup, and this latest episode involving Semenyo’s socks has kept the record spinning.