Kick Off: Mbappé excelled as RM claimed a La Liga victory; Tottenham beat Charlton to progress

Welcome to All Football's Kick Off, we bring you all important news in the past 24 hours. Make sure you do not miss out.

Top Headlines

Real Madrid 4-1 Real Sociedad: Mbappe scores hat-trick in Mourinho's homecoming

Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad 4-1 in Jose Mourinho's first competitive match back at Estadio Bernabeu.

Tottenham 5-1 Charlton Athletic: Five different scorers send Spurs into next round

Tottenham responded to their opening-day defeat in the Premier League by booking their spot in the third round of the EFL Cup following a 5-1 thrashing of Charlton Athletic.

These Things Happen

26/27 Champions League all qualified clubs confirmed as draw will begin on 27th August

All playoff matches for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League concluded, confirming all 36 qualified teams.

Carabao Cup third-round draw: Liverpool host Tottenham with as many as six all-Premier League ties

Liverpool will host Tottenham in the third round of the Carabao Cup, while Manchester United face Brighton as one of a potential six all-Premier League ties.

Here we go! Romano: Watkins to join Al-Hilal for up to €60M

Here we go! According to exclusive news from renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa striker Watkins is set to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.

OFFICIAL: Nico Gonzalez joins Newcastle from Man City in £52M deal

Manchester City midfielder Nico Gonzalez has officially joined Newcastle United in a transfer deal worth £52 million.

OFFICIAL: Chelsea defender Disasi joins Crystal Palace on loan without purchase option

Crystal Palace officially announced that Chelsea defender Axel Disasi has joined the club on a one-year loan. According to transfer expert Romano, the loan does not include a buy-out clause.

Romano: Arsenal hope to land Alvarez in the final moments; Liverpool pushing for Barcola deal

On August 27, Romano updated his podcast, reporting on transfer developments at the end of the summer window involving players such as Jackson, Alvarez, Barcola, and Balde. The following is the full content of this podcast episode.

Surpassing Yoro: Bouaddi becomes the most expensive U18 player in history

On August 26th, 18-year-old Moroccan midfield prodigy Bouaddi completed a blockbuster transfer, joining Manchester City from Lille for a total fee of €100 million and signing a five-year contract. 

DO: Nicolas Jackson will join Aston Villa for £47.5m fixed fee + £17.5m for add-ons

According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, Jackson's move to Villa is worth a fixed £47.5 million plus £17.5 million in add-ons, for a total package of £65 million.

Champions League: Why Liverpool vs Real Madrid will be outlawed under new UEFA rules

Liverpool are unable to draw Real Madrid at home in this season's Champions League league phase due a little-known new rule introduced by UEFA.

Man City target Fernandez to feature in EFL Cup for Chelsea

Xabi Alonso confirmed Enzo Fernandez is set to be involved in Chelsea's EFL Cup tie against Luton Town, despite interest from Manchester City.

Enzo Fernandez transfer news: Man City considering bid for Chelsea midfielder

Manchester City are considering making a bid for Enzo Fernandez before the deadline.

Chelsea considering late move for Aston Villa and E. Martinez

Chelsea are considering a late move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez. 

Marmoush transfer news: Tottenham agree deal to sign Man City forward on loan

Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign Omar Marmoush from Manchester City.

Grealish transfer: Sunderland explore move for Man City winger with Everton still interested

Sunderland are exploring a potential late deal for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish.

Man City and Chelsea eye Scott as Enzo replacement

According to Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett, both Man City and Chelsea are interested in AFC Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott as a potential replacement for Enzo.

Why Zinedine Zidane’s time as France manager will be different from other footballing legends

You won’t find too many football fans who aren’t excited about the appointment of Zinedine Zidane as the national team manager of France. We’ve known it’s been coming for a while and there’s understandably a lot of optimism that Zizou can take Les Bleus back to the top of the mountain on the world stage.

Man City's O'Reilly lauds Guardiola influence after scooping PFA award

Nico O'Reilly credited former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola as key to his meteoric rise with the club after he was named the Young Player of the Year at the PFA awards. 

What They Say

Fernandes looking forward to linking up with 'young and exciting' Baleba at Man Utd

Bruno Fernandes believes Manchester United fans will love "young and exciting" new signing Carlos Baleba.

Shearer: If Arsenal sign Alvarez, the Premier League title race is over

On the "The Football Ramble" podcast, Premier League legend Alan Shearer stated that if Arsenal were to sign Alvarez, the suspense in the Premier League title race would effectively disappear.

Cucurella: Vinicius is fully committed; playing alongside Mbappé would be an honor

On August 26th, in the first round of La Liga, Real Madrid secured a dominant 4-1 home victory over Real Sociedad. After the match, Cucurella said in an interview that he could clearly feel Vinicius was "completely focused" and specifically highlighted Vinicius's significant contributions defensively.

Scholes: Howe could take over at Man United if Carrick fails

According to The Sun, Paul Scholes believes Eddie Howe could take over at Man United if Michael Carrick experiences a "complete disaster" this season.

Atletico claim Barcelona have '0% chance' of signing Alvarez

Atletico Madrid insist there is a "0% chance" of selling Julian Alvarez to Barcelona after club president Joan Laporta said they remain interested in signing the Argentine. 

Flick 'eager to see' Rodri and Pedri play together at Barcelona

Hansi Flick revealed Rodri will make his Barcelona debut on Thursday against Athletic Club, as he expressed his excitement at the prospect of seeing the midfielder feature alongside Pedri.

Van Dijk wants 'reaction', not panic at Liverpool ahead of Forest test

Virgil van Dijk insists Liverpool will not panic after their opening-weekend draw at Newcastle United, but says a "reaction" is needed based on last season's failings.

Sarr 'is with us', says Palace boss Sage amid Liverpool links

Pierre Sage insisted Ismaila Sarr "is with us" amid rumours of the Crystal Palace winger being linked with a move to Liverpool in the summer transfer window. 

Fixtures of the Day

Europa League

Ferencvarosi TC VS Trabzonspor 2026/08/27 18:30 UTC

EFL Cup

Chelsea VS Luton Town 2026/08/27 18:30 UTC

La Liga

Barcelona VS Athletic Club 2026/08/27 19:00 UTC