“Friday evening brings the return of the Premier League and, with it, nine more months of twists and turns, quality and controversy, and, for fans of the 20 clubs involved, more ups and downs than a FIFA president’s private jet during a World Cup. Eyes will be focused on the pitch but plenty of attention will be spared for matters off it too, and not only because there’s a summer transfer window with a week and a half left to run. Football’s richest, most-watched league will resume proceedings with its clubs subject to new financial rules, ones set to shape events in the 2026-27 season — and well beyond. Profit and sustainability rules (PSR), first introduced in 2013, are out; squad cost ratio (SCR) rules are in. So too, to less fanfare, are sustainability and systemic resilience (SSR) rules. At a vote by Premier League clubs in November 2025, the shift to an SCR regime was passed — barely. Fourteen clubs, the minimum needed to approve rule changes, voted in favour: Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leeds United were the dissenting six. …”
NYT/ATH
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish thinks the rules impede aspirational clubs
Daily Archives: August 21, 2026
Barcelona’s striker shortage: Where is Alvarez pursuit at? How do Arsenal factor in?
Julian Alvarez in Atletico Madrid training Julian Alvarez in Atletico Madrid training last week
“Barcelona begin their title defence of La Liga on Sunday with a trip to Elche. They travel with no senior striker in their squad. After the end of last season, it was decided that Robert Lewandowski’s contract would not be renewed, and he eventually joined Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire. Last week, Ferran Torres moved to Paris Saint-Germain for €50million (£42.8m; $58.3m). It leaves the 18-year-old Egyptian Hamza Abdelkarim, who spent the second half of last term with the under-19s, as Flick’s sole recognised ‘No 9’. …”
NYT/ATH
Premier League sides have finally realised goalkeepers need to save shots
Robin Roefs makes a save for Sunderland in a Premier League game Robin Roefs’ form for Sunderland in 2025-26 played a big part in their Premier League survival
“One key lesson from recent Premier League seasons is something so basic that it probably shouldn’t need spelling out: If you want to avoid relegation, it’s helpful to have a goalkeeper who can keep the ball out of the net. You’ve probably worked this out already, but there is a genuine point here. As technical, possession-based build-up play has come to dominate professional football, there has been an increasing emphasis upon a goalkeeper’s distribution above traditional aspects of the position. One Arsenal academy goalkeeper was recently interviewed in the matchday programme about his style of goalkeeping, and said his main strength was ‘reading the opposition press’. This would once have been considered an exotic add-on to the standard goalkeeping skill set. But young goalkeepers came to base their game around playing out through pressure. …”
NYT/ATH
