The hunt to find Bruno Guimaraes’ replacement at Newcastle United is on.

An influential figure in the Newcastle team since his transfer from Lyon in January 2022, the Brazilian is set to bid farewell to Tyneside with a £75m transfer to Premier League champions Arsenal.

Guimaraes’ departure will be the latest high-profile exit from St James’ Park following Eddie Howe’s decision to step down as head coach and the transfer exits of Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.

Guimaraes contributed so much to the team in his four-and-a-half years on Tyneside and Newcastle officials have a huge task on their hands when it comes to replacing him for new boss Matthias Jaissle.

Sucic one of three players linked

Real Sociedad midfielder Luka Sucic is one of three players Newcastle have asked about as they try to find a solution to Guimaraes’ departure, according to the Daily Mail.

As well as Croatian international Sucic, Felix Nmecha of Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller are the other two midfielders mentioned.

A potential move for Sucic, who was previously linked with Fulham, would see the 23-year-old midfielder reunited with Jaissle following their time together at RB Salzburg.

Sucic was a mainstay under Jaissle in his two years in charge and his form resulted in a move to Real Sociedad in the summer of 2024.

Since moving to San Sebastián, the ‘very powerful’ player has featured regularly for the LaLiga club and has contributed with seven goals in his 68 appearances in all competitions.

Primarily a central midfielder, the Austrian-born ace can also operate slightly further forward as an attacking midfielder if Jaissle wants to play him in a more advanced role at St James’ Park.

Midfield targets

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Newcastle fans may well be familiar with Nmecha after his performances at the World Cup this summer and also his showings against the Magpies in the 2023/24 Champions League.

Drawn against Borussia Dortmund in Group F, Nmecha scored the winner in a 1-0 victory at St James’ Park and then played the full game in the reverse fixture in Germany.

The powerful midfielder, who can carry the ball forward well and contribute on the goal front, was on the scoresheet for Germany at the World Cup as he netted in their 7-1 rout of Curacao.

Stiller is another player who has caught the eye in Germany following his displays for Hoffenheim and Stuttgart.

The defensive midfielder, who is excellent on the ball and has an eye for a pass, was a member of the Germany squad at the World Cup, featuring in the 2-1 defeat to Ecuador.

Liverpool’s pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola continues, with reports suggesting an improved offer is set to be lodged, while a journalist from L’Equipe has backed the Premier League giants to land the wide man.

Barcola was productive in the minutes he received last season, scoring 13 goals and providing eight assists across all competitions, despite largely operating on the periphery of Luis Enrique’s squad. This lack of prominence in the key games has proved the catalyst for the Frenchman to reportedly reject a contract extension proposal and push for an exit.

Arsenal have shown interest in the player, but Liverpool have emerged as the frontrunners while the Gunners have found themselves entangled in a protracted saga for Vinicius Junior.

PSG’s excessive price demands remain the stumbling block in a deal materialising, although the Reds are expected to make a fresh bid which will test the Champions League winners’ resolve.

Liverpool Backed to Sign Bradley Barcola

Liverpool lost Mohamed Salah at the end of last season, and they could yet sell Cody Gakpo this summer, as the Dutchman continues to be linked with Tottenham.

Thus, it’s imperative for Andoni Iraola that the Anfield hierarchy acquire firepower before the end of the window; otherwise, the Spaniard’s squad will look seriously short on attacking options.

Barcola, described as ‘elite‘ by journalist James Pearce, is the priority target, and both L’Équipe and BBC Sport believe a new proposal is set to be submitted by the Merseysiders to PSG.

The French giants are said to be holding out for £145 million – a fee Liverpool are understandably reluctant to pay.

The Reds have already had a verbal bid worth less than £100 million rejected, but a new offer worth around this figure is expected to be lodged soon.

Writing for L’Equipe, journalist Loic Tanzi tipped Liverpool to secure their man.

“It’s a difficult question because the deal is far from being finalised. But I like to take chances and make predictions,” Tanzi said.

“This isn’t information I’ve already shared, but I’m inclined to say yes, even though the two clubs’ positions are still very far apart. Paris are hoping for €150m, excluding bonuses. Liverpool don’t want to go above €120m.”

Liverpool Must Be Cautious in Bradley Barcola Pursuit

via Reuters

Barcola is an outstanding talent. He boasts frightening pace, intelligent movement and is excellent at executing his final ball or shot in the crucial moments.

That said, there are question marks around him and how he’d adapt to the Premier League. Most of his dangerous moments come in transition, when he has space to run into, and this space often isn’t there in the English top flight, particularly for a team like Liverpool. It’s unclear how well Barcola would do having to try and break down a physical low block, and not playing in a super team within its league.

While these question marks aren’t huge, they shouldn’t be there when opting to make an investment worth well over £100 million. If PSG refuse to fold on this valuation, then the Reds ought to pull out and explore alternatives.

For dedicated EA Sports FC players, the Companion App and Web App aren’t optional extras — they have become a core part of the ritual.

The season doesn’t begin when EA Sports FC 27 launches; for many, it begins the moment these apps go live. For the most committed Ultimate Team fans, early access is everything: it’s the chance to start building a squad, trade on the market and complete early Squad Building Challenges days before a ball is kicked.

By the time the full game arrives, they’re already logging in to a club that’s up and running — its a head start that goes hand-in-hand with the main release and has become a hugely popular part of how fans experience each new FC.

Here’s what both tools do, who can access them, and when they’re expected to launch for FC 27.

When Do Companion & Web App Go Live for FC 27?

EA Sports

EA has not yet confirmed exact dates for the FC 27 apps, but the release pattern is now firmly established. For FC 26, the Web App came online on September 17, 2025, with the Companion App following a day later on September 18 — both landing roughly a week ahead of the game’s worldwide launch.

With FC 27 confirmed for Friday, September 25, 2026, and early access beginning September 18, the apps are expected to follow the same pattern. That points to a Web App launch in the region of Wednesday, September 16 or Thursday, September 17, with the Companion App expected to arrive on mobile the following day.

EA typically brings the apps live in the early evening UK time — FC 26’s Web App went live around 8:00pm CET — meaning a similar late-afternoon or evening BST window looks likely. None of these FC 27 dates are official yet. EA usually confirms the exact timing in the days leading up to launch, often alongside the first gameplay deep dive, so treat the above as projections based on previous years rather than nailed-on fixtures.

What Are the Companion & Web App?

Both apps are free tools that let you manage your Ultimate Team club away from your console or PC, and for serious FUT players they’ve become as essential as the game itself.

The difference between the two is purely the platform: the Web App runs on any desktop or laptop browser via EA’s official site, while the Companion App is the mobile version, available on iOS and Android — putting your entire club in your pocket wherever you are. Functionally, they’re essentially the same.

You can’t play matches, but almost everything else is on the table. The excitement of opening packs, buying and selling on the Transfer Market, completing SBCs, managing Evolutions, adjusting tactics and formations, and claiming objectives and rewards are all available.

Many dedicated traders effectively run their entire club through the apps, dipping into the market throughout the day without ever loading the game. It’s this depth that makes the Companion App a must-have for anyone who wants to hit the ground running when the full game unlocks.

There is one important quirk to note: the Web App won’t function while you’re logged into Ultimate Team on your console or PC. You’ll need to exit UT and return to the main FC 27 menu before signing in on the browser.

How to Access the Apps Early

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Early access has plenty of perks, but it isn’t open to everyone. Based on EA’s long-standing eligibility rules, returning players will need to meet a set of conditions to log in before launch.

For FC 27, that is expected to mean you must have created an Ultimate Team club in FC 26 and logged in on your platform before August 1, 2026. Your FC 26 account must still exist — if you deleted your club, you lose the early start — and it must be in good standing, with no active bans or restrictions.

Players who qualify can start building their club and trading on the market as soon as the Web App goes live, days before the game itself unlocks. That window is gold dust for the most dedicated fans, who use it to complete starter SBCs, claim welcome rewards and make early market moves before prices climb. If you don’t meet the criteria, you’ll gain access once you’ve logged into FC 27 Ultimate Team on console or PC at launch.

How to Download the Companion App

EA Sports

The Companion App is available to download for free from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. If you already have the FC 26 version installed, you won’t need a fresh download — EA rolls out an update that switches the app over to FC 27 automatically once the new cycle begins.

To connect your account, you’ll typically need to load FC 27 on your console or PC, head into Ultimate Team, create your club, and set up a security question before signing in on mobile. From there, your club syncs in real time across the app, Web App and your main platform.