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Newcastle United will look to inject some experience and know-how in the final 40 days of a recruitment drive that has already transformed Eddie Howe’s squad.

The i Paper understands that Newcastle are close to completing additional signings after agreeing a deal for Monaco’s Aladji Bamba.

The highly-rated midfielder is set to join for £30m, with the transfer potentially finalised before Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Gateshead.

A first-choice goalkeeper is a priority while full-backs and a right-sided forward are also on the agenda.

Not everyone will necessarily follow the age profile of the four summer signings so far, however.

“We believe we’re making some intelligent bets – but we know there needs to be a balance,” a source said.

Why Newcastle have signed Bamba

Although he can play as a No 8, Bamba is being signed as the defensive-minded No 6 that Newcastle have coveted all summer to give Howe’s side a new dimension next season.

There is real satisfaction inside St James’ Park at the deal and how Newcastle managed to keep it under wraps until the player was on a private jet flying over Leeds en route to the club’s training ground.

Insiders have stressed the move is not related to Bruno Guimaraes’ future.

While not a like-for-like replacement, Bamba is viewed as a successor to Sandro Tonali in a squad overhaul that has seen Newcastle sign four players with an average age of 19.5.

Sources stress that both Bamba and Sean Steur, the Ajax midfielder they beat off competition to sign earlier this month, are “ready to go” and will be expected to rack up plenty of first-team minutes next season.

But at the same time, an element of patience may be required.

What happens next

There is a consistent message coming from the club that they still want another “three or four” in the remaining days of the transfer window and are working on a “multitude of deals”.

Despite frustration among some supporters over Newcastle’s summer business, the club appears to be sticking to a clear recruitment strategy.

As previously revealed by The i Paper, the Magpies have been working on four or five deals simultaneously from a broad list of targets.

Although moves for Victor Munoz and Johan Manzambi ended in disappointment after they joined Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively, Newcastle have been able to pivot quickly to alternative options.

Bamba is one of those and, according to sources, has been “on the radar from day one”.

He is regarded as a player with significant potential and is expected to join up with the squad in time for the club’s training camp in La Manga next month.

The latest on Guimaraes

Doing business early was a priority for Newcastle, but there are still several key positions to strengthen.

They must also fend off interest in Guimaraes, who remains a target for Arsenal.

With Newcastle set to field a younger squad next season, the club see the 28-year-old captain as a key figure.

However, Guimaraes is unsettled and ideally wants the chance to move to the Emirates.

The Premier League champions have been informed Newcastle would seek a fee close to the one received for Tonali, but have yet to make a formal offer.

Newcastle’s next priority is a goalkeeper, but it won’t be James Trafford, who is now close to joining Leeds United.

As The i Paper reported on Tuesday that possibility was dialled down in recent weeks, with Newcastle claiming that the only contact came when Manchester City mentioned him during talks over Tonali’s future.

Potential exits

The Magpies are also open to departures, with Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock available.

Besiktas have been linked with Willock, although their interest is understood to be at an early stage.

With just a year of his contract left, the club would ideally like to move him on.

Another addition will help shift the narrative around Newcastle as they begin their pre-season schedule this weekend.

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While there is lots of work to do to bring them to the level required they have secured good prices for Anthony Gordon and Tonali, brokering a £92.5m fee with Tottenham Hotspur that “surpassed expectations” for the Italy midfielder.

That they have added four players, lowered the wage bill and added legs and energy is encouraging.

But signing those with so little experience is clearly a risk, which is why retaining Guimaraes and adding more seasoned pros in the last days of the transfer window feels critical.

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An already fractious relationship is now at breaking point, on the eve of a new season that was supposed to represent the perfect opportunity to start afresh.

Instead, hundreds of Manchester United supporters, some of whom have been attending games for decades, have been contacted by the club as they are suspected of being a ticketing tout.

The social media backlash has been vitriolic, to put it mildly. A club, who have done much to irk their own since co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos came on board, are now targeting their most loyal.

For the first time, influential fan groups have joined together to call for an end to the ongoing process and the retraction of any unproven suspensions.

“It is diabolical,” one disgruntled season ticket holder of 25 years tells The i Paper after receiving the dreaded email.

“We know why they are doing it: drive us season ticket holders out, then day-trippers, who spend all their money in the club shop and on food, replace us.

“As ever with Ratcliffe, money comes first.”

The issue is much more complex than many supporters realise, however.

A flawed system from the off

When contacting supporters, with two rounds of emails already sent out, United are seeking an explanation from fans who have given their login credentials to more than six different people, where their e-tickets can be accessed and shared.

This appears as unusual and isn’t going to flag someone who is just logging into their dad’s account, despite claims on social media to the contrary.

The club, however, allow supporters to forward on away tickets to other season ticket holders, for example, at an unlimited rate.

So those who have been flagged for multiple account logins are often regular matchgoers who are doing nothing wrong.

“I manage all our groups’ applications, so we can coordinate,” Steve, a season ticket holder, tells The i Paper.

“We’re not doing anything against what the club says. We’re using the official forwarding system they state. They should be going after the people that log in on the app because that’s where the tickets are.

“We might be forwarding tickets from multiple account logins, but the club have got the data where the ticket is going and can see it is for other season ticket holders. I don’t see why they think what we are doing is touting, because surely they would then look and see if that ticket is being forwarded or it’s acquired from logging into the app by someone else.”

Despite supporters taking it upon themselves to warn the club, the system of adding season tickets to your own in the app could not be more susceptible to fraud.

All you need to do is get the season ticket number and name of another holder, and you are then free to use that to attend matches.

“Someone could get my number and then beat me to the turnstile the next match, simple as that,” another anonymous fan says. “We have told United there needs to be some form of two-factor authentication, a password or something, but no. And then they try blame us?”

‘If they have nothing to hide, why are they worried?’

United are not the only club trying to crack down on touts.

This week, Liverpool have issued over 400 lifetime banning orders relating to illegal sales of tickets at their matches.

The club feel well within their rights to attempt to stamp out such activity. Sources added that no formal sanctions have been issued yet, United are simply restricting accounts and requesting information from supporters to prove they are not up to no good.

“They’ve not been banned, the club just want more information,” one supporter, who wished to remain anonymous, told The i Paper.

“If they have nothing to hide, why are they worried? Maybe other supporters with 10 years’ worth of loyalty points who follow the rules might get a better chance at away tickets now.”

The distribution of away tickets has been a controversial topic among United supporters for some time. Many of the people contacted are in the loyalty scheme and are almost guaranteed to get tickets for every away game, having been present and applied for everything for a prolonged period of time.

Some of these, so say some naysayers, are in the scheme as a result of sharing their tickets out with numerous others or even selling them on, for inflated fees, while keeping the loyalty points.

Going about it the wrong way

What has caused the most consternation is how United are going about this process.

“They didn’t even tell us on this first wave of emails what it was, just that it was a suspicious activity on your account,” Steve adds. “Now you have to plead your innocence. Plead your innocence for what? They always come up with this ‘you’re guilty before proving yourself innocent’ approach.

“There has been pressure from MUST [Manchester United Supporters Trust] to change the sanctions process, but I know they are struggling with that. When United have done some data analysis to identify problems that have happened in the past, they’ve got it wrong. And it is happening again.”

United are aware that some rule-abiding supporters are being caught in the crossfire but remain resolute in their attempts to eradicate touting.

Sources insist restrictions are necessary because if they didn’t restrict the accounts while investigating, then touts with tickets for all games could just sell them on and profit from it.

Is this all a ruse for something entirely different?

The club are adamant this is not a revenue-driving scheme and that any revoked season ticket will be resold as another season ticket.

Supporters, angry at recent ticket price rises and other controversial Ineos cost-cutting measures, are rather sceptical.

“I believe this is directly related to simply raising prices and attracting non-season ticket revenue,” Professor Rob Wilson, a football finance expert and programme director at the University Campus of Football Business, tells The i Paper.

“While some call them sport tourists, ad hoc attendees are becoming a crucial revenue stream for clubs. They spend more on their ticket and spend more on a match day. It’s an uncomfortable truth about modern football economics.

“It’s fair to say an average season ticket holder probably spends £20-30 at the stadium, at most. A one-off visitor will spend five times that amount. And then if we look at hospitality ticket goers that number is likely £750-1,000 per person, including the ticket for bog standard corporate. Hence they are trying to squeeze in more.”

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Old Trafford regulars will take some convincing otherwise. Even if United do reallocate any season tickets taken away from those deemed to be touts, going to war with long-standing fans acts as a deterrent, putting off others from continuing to part with thousands of their hard-earned pounds.

And who will fill those free seats – big-spending tourists.

Just last year, season ticket holders behind the dugouts in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand were informed their seats would be converted into premium hospitality seats and they would be relocated, leading to mass protests at several games.

It is understood all emails calling for more information have been sent out. The question the club have to consider now is: was it all worth it?

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Everton are prepared to wait until the end of the transfer window to make their move for Jack Grealish, with the club looking to get a better deal this summer if they re-sign the Manchester City winger.

Once again, it is proving a complex transfer window at Hill Dickinson Stadium – where this summer’s priority is to strengthen the first XI rather than the entire squad overhaul that was required in 2025.

With Everton’s short-term aim to establish themselves in the category of clubs competing to be the “best of the rest” – think Aston Villa and Newcastle – improvement is clearly required.

CEO Angus Kinnear’s claim that he was “happily dissatisfied” with 13th place did not quite chime with the view among the fanbase that last season was an opportunity missed.

One way to remedy that is in the transfer market. But that is not easily achieved and in the background there remain two different agendas to satisfy.

Manager David Moyes is happiest working with proven quality while Everton’s influential transfer committee has one eye on the future and a recruitment profile that leans towards players with a high potential ceiling aged between 18-25.

We have completed the signing of Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee.

Welcome to Everton, Hayden!

— Everton (@Everton) July 2, 2026

Marquee signing Hayden Hackney – of whom much is expected next season after the club sold him a pivotal role in their tilt to return to Europe – ticked both boxes.

But juggling competing priorities with a budget that may have to be supplemented by sales to protect their position under financial fair play rules in this transfer window is a challenge.

Grealish is a player Everton would make an exception for and there is certainly a desire to bring him back to Merseyside, where he enjoyed a fruitful loan spell last season. That transfer cost in the region of £12m and Everton do not want to commit that kind of money to another loan, which is the most likely path for him to return.

Grealish is also recovering from a serious injury and Everton would want to see how far along his recovery is before resuming talks with Manchester City, who are open to letting him leave again.

With Grealish in the final year of his contract, though, they want to maximise their return on the 30-year-old before he can leave on a free transfer.

It all points to some tough negotiations ahead, and potentially a decision in the later stages of next month about whether Grealish returns.

Everton’s transfer priority

In the meantime, the priority for Everton is to sign a new right-back. The club have considered a move for long-term target Brooke Norton-Cuffy, the 22-year-old Genoa full-back, but that deal does not have universal support among the club’s transfer power brokers, so they are looking at alternative targets.

Spurs defender Djed Spence had admirers at Everton but his excellent World Cup performances may now put him out of the club’s reach and Toffees’ sources indicate that they are prepared to play the waiting game for the “ideal” candidate to fill the right-back slot.

Jake O’Brien, who filled in towards the end of the season, and Merlin Rohl may end up deputising during pre-season.

Elsewhere, Everton are spinning plates on recruiting another midfielder, winger and a No 2 goalkeeper who can push Jordan Pickford.

A new striker does not appear to be on the cards. The club are “open to market opportunities” later in the transfer window but at the moment the plan is to continue into the new season with Thierno Barry and Beto.

Time will tell whether that gives them the sort of firepower required to improve on last season’s underwhelming 13th-placed finish.

Who could leave Everton?

There are varying degrees of uncertainty around the futures of Charly Alcaraz, Tim Iroegbunam and Mark Travers – who all have interest – while Idrissa Gueye is unlikely to accept fresh terms on offer from Everton.

Iroegbunam is well thought of and Everton would not let him go on the cheap – especially considering the midfield market this summer – but they have to have one eye on keeping their squad cost ratio as low as possible.

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While they will not have a problem complying with the Premier League’s 85 per cent squad cost rule for clubs not in Europe, Everton’s aspiration to return to those competitions means they are trying to extract value from deals this summer.

So far they have done that in the backdrop of extortionate fees being paid elsewhere. Tyrique George, Hackney and Rohl all seem like the right age and price but there is clearly more work to do.

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A decade on from leaving the iconic Boleyn Ground for the unloved London Stadium, and a mere three years after winning the Europa Conference League, a major reality check now swirls around relegated West Ham United.

The Hammers’ history is, of course, feted with reassuringly grand tales of glamour. One suspects that sense of history is front and centre of the brochure to attract new talent amid a bleak transition to the Championship.

Inevitably, departures of key players and a significant round of recycling is under way. Now, transfer ingenuity is vital for head coach Nuno Espirito Santo and new director of player recruitment Nils Koppen.

From a supporter perspective the hope is that, for prospective targets, West Ham will trade heavily on their name and, arguably, aura, as opposed to the humdrum potential of life in the Championship. They will also contend that the disappointment of relegation is offset slightly by the departures of unpopular directors Karren Brady and David Sullivan, although the latter remains the club’s largest single shareholder. Nevertheless, despite uncertainty over prospects a short-lived residence in the second tier is still expected.

With Koppen arriving at the Hammers earlier this month, it suggests a least a note of forward thinking for a club busy putting out fires. And the job facing the Belgian, who previously worked at Rangers, FC Copenhagen and PSV Eindhoven, includes bringing value in terms of both experienced players and uncut diamonds with healthy sell-on value.

Who could leave?

Enforced change is part of the current landscape for West Ham. No player is off limits as a consequence of the drop. The sale of Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham Hotspur for £85m is excellent business, although the imminent exit of talisman Crysencio Summerville appears a harsher blow.

The winger and fan favourite is on the brink of moving to Roma for around £45m, despite interest from Aston Villa. Summerville’s impressive World Cup performances with the Netherlands have boosted both his marketability and a fee which Nuno can reinvest on more prosaic operators capable of settling into the earthy demands of the Championship.

While West Ham sources suggest there is no rush to sell Konstantinos Mavropanos, the reality is that the Greek stopper has his price. Valued at around £18m he is on the radar of clubs at home and abroad. The new “sell high, buy low” policy needs to kick in immediately, with the Hammers posting a loss of £104.2m last year.

James Ward-Prowse was loaned out to Burnley last term. Nuno would not be against allowing the 31-year-old to leave, although his vast experience might still tilt the head coach’s thinking as the ex-England international enters the final year of his contract. Similar consideration surrounds Tomas Soucek, in the same situation. Should West Ham lean on their know-how to get out of the Championship at the first attempt, or cash in for fairly modest fees?

Niclas Fullkrug struggled upon arrival in east London and the German forward’s career stagnated further with a disappointing loan spell at AC Milan in the second half of 2025-26. With two years left on his West Ham deal, even relatively modest offers will be welcomed. Meanwhile, winger Maxwel Cornet, on loan at Genoa last term, will be allowed to depart too.

Who could stay?

With the understandable temptation to retain Ward-Prowse and Soucek for the time being, Jarrod Bowen’s decision to remain at West Ham represents the best news of the summer to date for fans. Such rare sense of loyalty by the Hammers’ captain and role model, who has signed a revised contract, is to be absolutely admired.

Bowen narrowly missed out on an England World Cup squad place and has been reassured by West Ham’s short term plans following discussions with key shareholder Daniel Kretinsky and board member Jiri Svarc.

Similarly, Taty Castellanos appears more likely at this point to remain than leave the London Stadium, despite interest from Everton. The Argentine forward netted seven goals in 22 appearances, only arriving at West Ham in January from Lazio, and appears to be on board for the Championship assault.

Who could come in?

With various positions requiring reinforcement, the east Londoners could look north of the border for squad-boosting value.

The Hammers have struggled to find an attacking creator since Lucas Paqueta left in January. Celtic’s Reo Hatate has made his wish to leave the Scottish champions clear – and the 28-year-old’s precise passing sensibilities and versatility across midfield is an attractive package. Koppen will have close up knowledge of the Japanese player’s qualities across Glasgow from his spell as Rangers sporting director.

Koppen’s time at Ibrox may also yield a strong centre -half in the shape of John Souttar. The Scotland international is a siege defender with deep European experience too. It would come as no surprise if Koppen recommends the Gers centre-half to Nuno. Souttar currently interests Leicester City, but a fresh start at a higher level would have greater appeal.

Ironically, Souttar’s brother, Harry, has been linked with a move to the Hammers from Leicester, his stock rising since featuring at the World Cup for Australia. However, West Ham face competition from Championship rivals Sheffield United and Stoke City.

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Time is of the essence for Leeds United and the club’s hierarchy.

Having survived last season by the skin of their teeth, Daniel Farke’s side cannot rest on their laurels.

Newly-promoted teams have struggled to retain their Premier League status in recent years, but that trend has to end at some point.

Leeds have made a promising start to the summer window.

Former Fulham midfielder Harry Wilson was a much-coveted free agent before being persuaded to move to Elland Road, while executives moved fast to secure the £34m capture of Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo as Pascal Struijk’s replacement at the back.

The i Paper has been told that, while the club are aware they need to focus on signing some younger players, given several new arrivals have been approaching 30, market opportunities like Wilson’s made his arrival a “no-brainer”.

Money is still pretty tight, with a stadium revamp to pay for and the new squad cost ratio (SCR) rules limiting the club even more than its predecessor, profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR), did.

A new striker and a full-back are also needed – these will be identified later in the window.

In the meantime, three prime targets will be pursued in the coming weeks before those other key areas are addressed.

Julian Brandt

Another market opportunity, where Leeds can get a player worth “upwards of £20m” for free, even if he is the wrong side of 30, that is proving irresistible to turn down.

Sources have told The i Paper that Julian Brandt’s agent and father, Jurgen, has held talks with the club over a free transfer after the attacking midfielder’s contract with Borussia Dortmund expired at the end of last season.

Talks are ongoing, with Leeds hoping to beat several European clubs to Brandt’s signature.

The Whites are particularly short in this position and feel Brandt could add a new dimension to their attack.

Shea Charles

Leeds’ interest in Southampton midfielder Shea Charles is long-standing.

It is understood that two bids have already been rejected, thought to be in the region of £25m.

Reports that Leeds are set to walk away from the deal are wide of the mark, however.

Sources indicated talks remain ongoing, as is the case with any negotiation, with the hope a deal can be struck.

Charles fits several of the profiles Leeds are looking for.

While the club are aware they need to add youth to their ageing squad, the 22-year-old has plenty of gametime for one so young, including 35 international caps for Northern Ireland. 

Experience is seen as a crucial facet in Farke’s squad, given Leeds are likely to be in another relegation battle, where knowhow could be invaluable.

James Trafford

How long can James Trafford sit on the Manchester City bench, if he is ever going to usurp Jordan Pickford as England’s No 1?

Leeds are huge admirers of Trafford and see him as the ideal signing between the sticks.

Sources indicated the club are looking to upgrade on current goalkeeper Lucas Perri, who they signed last summer.

The Brazilian has interest from Torino in Italy after a mediocre first season in England.

Trafford has admirers up and down the land, given his situation at the Etihad.

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City are understood to be willing to listen to suitable offers for the England keeper, but the 23-year-old will not be allowed to leave on the cheap.

Leeds would likely have to move Perri on to help fund any move for Trafford.

Karl Darlow has left to become understudy to Senne Lammens at Manchester United, so signing another keeper this summer is a must.

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Despite plenty of interest from across Europe, Marcus Rashford is most likely to get the chance to resurrect his Manchester United career next season, as the most appealing exit options for the England forward have failed to materialise.

Rashford has two years left on his £325,000-a-week United contract. With Champions League football to contend with next season, there will be plenty of opportunities to play, should he be reintegrated.

There is no ill-will from Rashford’s side towards the club over his treatment when part of the so-called “bomb squad”. He is still a fan of his boyhood club and retains a good relationship with several team-mates. Rashford also, crucially, has an ally in manager Michael Carrick.

Another claimed that he would be “very surprised” if Rashford was playing anywhere other than Old Trafford next season.

Another loan the only route

Had it not been for Rashford’s wages, he would have likely secured an Old Trafford exit already. Even coming close to matching his salary rules out most of even the biggest clubs. The conduct of senior United executives has not helped the situation, insiders said.

They have been vocal about their desire to get his salary off their wage bill – a big part of Ineos’ manifesto after taking a minority stake in the club.

As a result of their palpable desperation, no club is going to be willing to pay anything like the £26m option Barcelona had to make last season’s Rashford stay permanent.

Sources believe suitors will return with further loan offers to test whether United feel they can challenge on multiple fronts without the academy graduate or not.

Man Utd against Spurs move for Rashford

A host of Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea, have been keeping tabs on the 28-year-old, with Spurs plotting a £40m move last month.

However, The i Paper has been told there is a reluctance among senior United figures to sell to another English top-flight club, given it could lead to humiliation should Rashford start scoring elsewhere.

Galatasaray and Fenerbahce both tried to sign Rashford this summer, sources said, but he was not interested. A top Champions League team remains his priority, the identity of which is becoming clearer.

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Dangerous domestic deal

There are plenty at Old Trafford who feel there is too much water under the bridge for Rashford’s return to be a success. There is little doubt for many, however, that the talent is still there. There was evidence of that ability, fleetingly, at the World Cup.

Tottenham were prepared to make a big play for Rashford this summer, and were even willing to pay a fee, rather than a loan. While shifting the England forward was preferred, the potential PR disaster if goals flowed elsewhere made such an option much less appealing.

If Rashford were to leave, United would need another wide forward, one that does not appear forthcoming. Another midfielder is priority, and with little generated from player sales, there is not the money to splurge on other big-money arrivals.

As it stands, Rashford will join up with his United teammates at their six-day training camp in Dublin, scheduled around their friendly clash with Leeds on 12 August.

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NEW YORK — Far from the eyes of the World Cup’s major cities, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have arrested thousands of people since the tournament began.

The uneasy “truce” which was promised by Trump officials for the duration of the tournament did not hold. Before a ball was kicked, migrant communities feared raids would take place in and around the stadiums and the streets where they came out to support their teams. Instead, beyond the World Cup’s reach, it is estimated that more than 10,000 people have been taken into custody. One man has been fatally shot.

Three days after Houston, Texas hosted its final game between Morocco and Canada, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican who had lived in the US for 35 years, was killed by agents while he was driving his van, in a raid of which he was not the intended target. Agents say that he attempted to ram their vehicle; bystanders and his family dispute this account and say he was close to obtaining legal status in the US.

He is at least the eighth person to be shot dead by ICE agents in Trump’s second term; across the border, President Claudia Sheinbaum estimates that 17 Mexicans have now died during raids or while being held in the custody of immigration authorities in that time.

Here in New York, the state’s major cities host World Cup festivals while games have taken place across the Hudson River in New Jersey. Three-hundred miles upstate, in the shadow of the Adirondack Mountains, migrants at Lake Placid spoke of a climate of fear after raids targeted seasonal workers on temporary visas.

Along Broadway, I visited the ominous 34-storey courthouse, now the centre of a battle between activists and ICE agents, who have been accused of monitoring the door and arresting people showing up to court to have their immigration cases heard.

The vast majority of those detained have been Latinos. Tribal leaders also say Native American communities have been targeted. In Los Angeles, anti-ICE campaigners told The i Paper that ICE agents had been seen in the vicinity of the SoFi Stadium, where the USA played its opener, but that they had not made any arrests. There have been more calls to immigration helplines in the city across June than in previous months.

“There has been a marked surge in detentions during the World Cup,” US academic and former footballer Jules Boykoff tells The i Paper.

“It wasn’t happening around the vicinity of World Cup stadiums with foreign tourists who were here for the game, but it was happening far away from these venues where the international tourists and journalists are not based.

“This actually was the fear of a lot of people who follow immigration in the United States, that Trump would proceed in a quieter way. By that, I mean quieter than the sort of brutal shootings of US citizens in the streets of Minneapolis, and do it much more quietly, behind the scenes, far from the international journalists and cameras. And that appears to be what they’re doing.

“They’ve been going to rural areas at the same time that there’s been an uptick in unaccompanied minors being sent away.”

Over 4 July weekend, as the nation marked 250 years of American independence, the Department of Homeland Security said it had “celebrated Freedom 250 by arresting criminal illegal aliens from American communities”.

Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said ICE agents had spent the weekend “arresting the worst of the worst, including multiple murders, paedophiles, rapists, kidnappers, drunk drivers, drug traffickers and other dangerous public safety threats,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.

“Thanks to President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers who will continue delivering on the American people’s mandate to make our nation safe again.”

Data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) suggests around 70 per cent of detainees across the US –42,722 of the 60,000 in custody – have no criminal convictions or pending charges. At its peak during the World Cup, the ICE operation has been detaining up to 2,000 people a day. Raids on workplaces have increased, as have detentions via traffic stops. Texas, Louisiana and California are the states with the most detainees.

In the final days of the tournament, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “The men and women of ICE are doing a GREAT job, one that has to be done. CRIME IS WAY DOWN IN AMERICA, in many cases with numbers that haven’t been seen in decades. The Open Border Policy of Sleepy Joe Biden allowed 25,000,000 people to pour into our Country, unchecked and unvetted.

“Many were Criminals, and we have to get them out. In order to do this, we must be strong, tough, and smart, and we CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP! Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal’s hands. The Radical Left Dumocrats [sic] would like to see this done, but it won’t happen on my watch. I.C.E., be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job. Keep those Crime Stat Records coming!”

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In May, as tournament preparations were being finalised, there was another spike in detentions. Mexicans, Hondurans and Guatemalans were the most affected. Even on the day the World Cup began, a major raid took place on a construction site in Bemidji, Minnesota.

Now the legal status of around 1.3 million more migrants has been called into question after the Supreme Court ruled that the President could overrule the Temporary Protected Status programme, which offers protections for migrants for countries affected by war or natural disaster.

The promise that there would be no “civil immigration enforcement” at matches has been kept; beyond the reach of the World Cup, ICE are more powerful than ever.

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