Weekend Football Warm-Up: Transfers, Highlights & Top Fixtures

Greetings friends,

Early September international breaks are always such a grind, and this one feels like endless. Just as we start figuring out what teams are actually playing like, how transfers are settling in, suddenly everything pauses. Thankfully, we’re back to normal life this weekend, and with the Champions League starting next week, a busy period of football awaits us.

Let’s warm up with the week’s standout stories, but first, a headline from home we’re pretty excited about! We are pleased to announce that Hasan Arkadas has joined SC Berliner Amateure as the assistant coach for the U-19 team! The club, founded in 1920, has been a well-known presence in Kreuzberg for over a century and currently competes in Berlin’s amateur league. If you’re ever looking for a weekend football activity in Berlin, you know which club (and coach) to support. Wishing Hasan and the team all the best for this new chapter!

SC Berliner Amateure U-19 team photo, 2025/26 season

Quick Hits

🔹 Nottingham Forest has appointed Ange Postecoglou as their new head coach following Nuno Espírito Santo’s departure. First game: Arsenal (away) 👀.
🔹Chelsea striker Liam Delap is expected to return to training in November, and no surgery is needed after his hamstring injury.
🔹 Steve Cooper is back in management, taking over Danish side Brøndby IF. His first match? A derby against FC Copenhagen. Cooper’s been out of work since being sacked by Leicester City in November 2024.
🔹In line with expectations, Fenerbahçe has named Domenico Tedesco as their new head coach, replacing José Mourinho.
🔹 Lionel Messi played his final game for Argentina in Buenos Aires, scoring twice in an emotional farewell against Venezuela.
🔹Barcelona confirmed their home game against Valencia will be played at Estadi Johan Cruyff instead of the Camp Nou.
🔹 French striker Wissam Ben Yedder (35) has signed with Turkish second-division side Sakaryaspor.
🔹 Liverpool’s third kit for 2025/26 is out and it’s gorgeous.

🔹Omar Marmoush has sustained a knee injury whilst on international duty with Egypt, and he will miss the Manchester derby this weekend.

🔹Former Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen (33) has joined Bundesliga club Wolfsburg.

🔹Sports Interactive announced that Football Manager 26 will be released across platforms on November 4.

🔹Manchester United’s Andre Onana has joined Trabzonspor on a season-long loan.

🔹The FA has charged Chelsea with 74 rule breaches dating back to 2009–2022, mostly from the Abramovich era between the 2010–11 and 2015–16 seasons.

🔹UEFA has postponed its decision on allowing European leagues to play regular-season matches abroad. La Liga hopes to host December’s Villarreal vs. Barcelona match in Miami, while Serie A is eyeing a February Milan vs. Como game in Perth. No European league fixture has ever been held outside the continent.

🔹The new 25/26 Third Match Kit, unveiled by adidas and Juventus, is simply brilliant.

🔹Atletico Madrid's Estadio Metropolitano has been selected as the host for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League final.

🔹The EFL is discussing adding an extra round to the Championship play-offs, expanding them to six teams.

🔹Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos ventures into music, teases debut single. Ramos is still playing with Mexican team Monterrey at 39 years old and scored three goals in 12 appearances.

🔹Nottingham Forest’s Jota Silva is joining Beşiktaş on loan for around €3m, with a €17m buy option that could become mandatory.

📺 Weekend watchlist

12 September Friday

Bayer Leverkusen vs Eintracht Frankfurt 20.30 (CET)

Marseille vs Lorient 20.45 (CET)

13 September Saturday

Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest 13.30 (CET)

Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid 16.15 (CET)

Juventus vs Inter 18.00 (CET)

Bayern Munich vs Hamburger SV 18.30 (CET)

Fiorentina vs Napoli 20.45 (CET)

Atletico Madrid vs Villarreal 21.00 (CET)

14 September Sunday

Roma vs Torino 12.30 (CET)

PSG vs Lens 17.15 (CET)

Manchester City vs Manchester United 17.30 (CET)

Milan vs Bologna 20.45 (CET)

Rennes vs Lyon 20.45 (CET)

Barcelona vs Valencia 21.00 (CET)

15 September Monday

Como vs Genoa 20.45 (CET)

Prediction Corner

We’ll finish with our Prediction* Corner, where Hasan and Oktay go head-to-head on this week’s Premier League fixtures. Some of our calls line up, but there are a few where we’re backing different outcomes, so bragging rights are definitely on the line for GW4. Let’s see whose predictions hold up once the dust settles.

*Those are just fun predictions, enjoy them as a light weekend activity, just like we do!

That’s all for this week. Have a wonderful weekend, and we’ll catch up with you soon!