No. 16 Kansas State begins a season of big expectations on Saturday night when Southeast Missouri State visits Bill Snyder Family Stadium

Liverpool have agreed a British record transfer fee with Brighton for Moises Caicedo, but the Reds face a battle to land the Ecuadorian amid fierce competition from Chelsea. Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Friday morning a deal has been struck which could see Liverpool pay in the region of £110million for the midfielder, who has attracted intense interest from Chelsea this summer. Chelsea’s third and most recent offer for Caicedo was £80m, substantially below Brighton’s valuation of a player who they signed for £4m from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle in February 2021. However, while Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is resigned to losing Caicedo, Chelsea are not yet out of the running and will be mulling over whether to make a fresh bid as it is understood the 21-year-old Ecuador international would prefer a switch to Stamford Bridge. Klopp wants to reinforce his options in the middle of the park with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho going to the Saudi Pro League last month while Naby Keita and James Milner also recently left the club. They signed Caicedo’s ex-Brighton team-mate Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig but missed out on Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in June in a deal that could rise to £115m. “I can confirm the deal with (Brighton) is agreed, whatever that means because we want the player and not any kind of agreement, we will see,” Klopp said. “We are a club that doesn’t have endless resources, we didn’t expect a couple of things happening in the summer, like Henderson and Fabinho (leaving), stuff like this. “We didn’t think about that before the summer, to be honest, and then it happened. We gave (attempting to sign Bellingham) a go and the club was really stretched. We will see (what happens with Caicedo).” As for whether Caicedo will undergo a medical in Merseyside on Friday or if signing the youngster would be Liverpool’s final business of the summer window, Klopp was tight-lipped. “I’ve said what I know,” he added. “Let’s do it step by step, let’s see what happens in the next hours or days.” The Caicedo fee is upwards of the previous British record of £107m that Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez in January and dwarfs Liverpool’s own highest transfer payment of £75m for Virgil van Dijk in 2018. De Zerbi said on Friday: “I would like to answer only one time (on Caicedo). I’ve already forgotten Moises. Moises is leaving and is not important for me now.” Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino was coy when asked about Caicedo but the tug-of-war between the Blues and Liverpool is an intriguing subplot ahead of their showdown on the opening weekend of the Premier League season on Sunday in west London. “I never talk about players that don’t belong to us,” the Argentinian said. “I am so respectful. “What I can tell you is we are working really hard to try to add more players to the squad, to add quality. When we have some update to be made for you, the club will do. “It’s obvious, when you look at the squad compared with last season, too many midfielders leave the squad. We have different options, we are working hard to try, to see.” Klopp, whose side missed out on Champions League qualification after finishing fifth last season, was reminded of his critical comments on paying nine-figure sums for players six years ago. After Manchester United signed Paul Pogba for a then-world record £89m, Klopp said: “If you bring one player in for £100m and he gets injured, then it all goes through the chimney. The day that this is football, I’m not in a job anymore, because the game is about playing together.” However, Klopp accepted he was mistaken for questioning the wisdom of such fees on Friday and admitted prices for players will only increase with Saudi Arabia muscling in as a rival to Europe’s top leagues. “Everything changed,” Klopp said. “Do I like it? But did I realise I was wrong? Definitely. That’s the way it goes, it will not go the other way around again, Saudi Arabia will not help with that. “I’m not blaming anybody, it’s just the market with a lot of money. “In the end, we as a club have just to try to make sure that with our resources, we get the best possible team together. We really try everything to get the best squad for us. “We are not in a dreamland so we can’t just point on players and bring them in, there’s a lot of work to do these kinds of things. Sometimes one door closes then the other door opens up. “If people want to throw my quotes from five or six years ago, absolutely no problem. I realise now I was wrong, it’s easy to admit that.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Saudi spending won’t compromise owners’ aims for Newcastle, says Mapgies CEO Today at the World Cup: Spain and Sweden set up semi-final clash Dewi Lake puts injury troubles behind him to lead out Wales at Twickenham

Connor Joe homered against his former team and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat San Francisco 2-1 to snap a five-game losing streak against the Giants

US Open picks and best bets for the 2023 tournament at Los Angeles Country Club as we have outrights, Top 10s and more PGA Tour expert picks for the third major.US Open week is finally here as we head to Los Angeles Country Club for the first time in the history of this event and, truly, for com...

Kole Calhoun hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning to cap Cleveland’s late comeback against the Minnesota bullpen as the Guardians beat the Twins 5-2 to trim their deficit in the AL Central to five games

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Cleveland Guardians fans brawled in the stands on Saturday.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been accused of a second doping offense by the International Tennis Integrity Agency

England Under-21s got their Euro 2023 finals campaign off to the perfect start with a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in Georgia. Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey broke the deadlock at the start of the second half, with substitute Emile Smith Rowe adding another in stoppage time to seal victory. There was a lively start to the Group C opener at the Batumi Arena, with Chelsea forward Noni Madueke seeing his early effort from the edge of the penalty area clip the crossbar, while at the other end Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford saved from Vasil Kusej. England, who beat the Czech Republic home and away in qualifying as they topped their group, remained on the front foot, with Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon close to converting a cross from Morgan Gibbs-White. A defensive mix-up when trying to play out from the back against a high press saw Vaclav Sejk gifted a chance on the right of the England area, but his angled shot flew into the side-netting. There was another major let-off for England in the 18th minute when Kusej was sent racing clear down the right and he charged into the area, only to fire wide as Trafford came out. England created another opening in the 25th minute when Gordon clipped the ball across the six-yard box and Ramsey’s header dropped on to his boot and wide at the far post. Madueke continued to carry a threat and he cut in from the right to curl a shot just wide as England again came close to breaking the deadlock. The Czechs, though, should have taken the lead five minutes before half-time. Sejk surged forward down the left, holding off England captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis before cutting back inside the area and clipping a low drive towards the far corner, which Trafford tipped wide at full stretch. Instead England took the lead two minutes into the second half when Gordon combined with Ramsey on the edge of the area and the Villa midfielder carried the ball on before coolly slotting into the far corner. The Czechs immediately went on the offensive as Pavel Sulc got clear of Harwood-Bellis, but Trafford was out quickly to smother the danger. England, who face reigning champions Germany and Israel next week, had the ball in the net again with 20 minutes left, but the goal was disallowed. After Gibbs-White blocked a quick free-kick, the ball bounced out to Madueke on the right and his low cross was swept in by Gordon. England’s celebrations were cut short as the referee ruled the goal out and showed Gibbs-White a yellow card for not having retreated 10 yards at the free-kick. After the let-off, the Czechs pressed for an equaliser and substitute Krystof Danek headed over from Adam Karabec’s floated free-kick. However, Smith Rowe made sure of victory in stoppage time when he slotted in a pass from fellow substitute Cameron Archer after a break down the left. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Tom Davies to leave Everton after turning down new contract I’d go back and play Stokes’ way – no regrets for Joe Root over England approach A wedding, a work-out and the Women’s Ashes – Thursday’s sporting social

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