List of All Articles with Tag 'al'

The Minnesota Vikings opened preseason Week 1 with a loss to the Seahawks. But three players earned their roster spots, while one is now a cut candidate.The Minnesota Vikings opened up the preseason on Thursday night, traveling to the Pacific Northwest for a date with Drew Lock -- a lot of Drew ...

MLB standings since the All-Star break have set the stage for the most important stretch of the season. Who is taking their chance and who has missed it?We're about a third of the way through the second half of the MLB season and rolling towards a dramatic September finish.With the All-...

Chelsea are expected to match Liverpool's British-record £111m offer for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo over the next 24 hours.

How Real Madrid have fared with and without Thibaut Courtois in their starting lineup following his ACL injury.

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

ESPN's Damien Woody is a big believer in Bryce Young coming out of the Alabama program.The Carolina Panthers appear to have drafted someone special in quarterback Bryce Young out of Alabama.Carolina traded up from No. 9 to No. 1 to select the 2021 Heisman winner out of Tuscaloosa. Young...

Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales is convinced eye-watering Saudi Arabian investment in domestic football will not derail their mission on Tyneside. The Gulf state’s Public Investment Fund, which owns an 80 per cent stake in the St James’ Park outfit, bought majority holdings in four of the nation’s biggest clubs – Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad – in June, sparking a transfer flurry which has taken some of the game’s biggest names to the Saudi Pro League in return for vast pay packets. Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and French counterpart Karim Benzema are among those to have headed for the Middle East, while the Magpies have themselves benefited – to raised eyebrows in some quarters – with Allan Saint-Maximin’s move to Al-Ahli, having unlocked a Financial Fair Play conundrum with what is understood to have been a £30million cash injection. Asked to explain the difference between that and the more modest approach adopted on Tyneside, where the total transfer spend over the four windows since the new owners took charge currently amounts to around £350million, Eales said: “An investment was made and Financial Fair Play is the regulation, so within those parameters everybody knew what the guard rails are in terms of what you can spend and how you can spend it. “Our job is to try to now grow Newcastle United to where we want it to be within the regulations which every club has to follow.” While Newcastle’s spending has been huge in comparison to that under previous owner Mike Ashley, PIF’s investment in the club, which has prompted repeated accusations of sportswashing, has been relatively modest for a sovereign wealth fund worth in the region of £514billion. However Eales, who admitted the success or otherwise of the Pro League could spark pressure for a change to spending regulations in Europe, insists the owners are not frustrated by their inability to throw money at the Premier League club as they have been able to do at home. He said: “The reality is they came in and it has been incredible, fighting relegation to finishing 11th, then finishing fourth. We have very shrewd operators in our ownership group. “We have got a great skill-set and set of people who have experience in various businesses. They understand it is a long-term plan not short-term.” Summer swoops for Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento had bolstered Eddie Howe’s squad for a campaign in which the club will look to build upon last season’s top-four finish while at the same time renewing their acquaintance with the Champions League after a 20-year absence. However, the arrivals of Barnes and Livramento were eased by Saint-Maximin’s departure amid questions over a PIF-backed club buying from another within the fund’s sporting portfolio. We are trying to build the plane while we are flying it Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales However, sporting director Dan Ashworth, who confirmed there was no other formal bid for the Frenchman despite interest elsewhere, insisted the undisclosed fee represented the player’s market value. Ashworth said: “We are absolutely convinced it is fair market value and without going into the actual price it was, there is plenty evidence of players of similar age, similar position, similar ability, similar CV that are moving for similar amounts outside the Saudi league.” The trajectory since Amanda Staveley’s consortium took up the reins at St James’ in October 2021 has been inexorably upwards, and the plan is to continue that resurgence both on the pitch and off it, where £10million has been invested in the training ground and a feasibility study commissioned to look into ways in which the 52,000-capacity stadium could be expanded. Commercial revenue and global supporter engagement are also major focuses for a club which has high hopes for sustained success. Eales said: “We are trying to build the plane while we are flying it. We won’t always get everything right. For us, it’s about getting Newcastle United rightfully back to where it should be.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 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 Roberto De Zerbi insists Brighton retain their ‘soul’ despite star departures

Spain and Sweden became the first sides to reach the World Cup semi-finals on Friday. The two sides will meet in the last four after Spain beat the Netherlands 2-1 and Sweden overcame Japan by the same margin. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at a tense day of action and what is in store in the remaining two semi-finals. Spanish history A controversial game in Wellington saw Spain reach the last four for the first time. VAR was a main talking point with Esther Gonzalez’s effort for Spain disallowed for offside on review. Referee Stephanie Frappart then overturned her decision to give Netherlands a penalty before VAR intervened again to give Spain a spot-kick for Stefanie van der Gragt’s handball. After all the controversy, teenage winger Salma Paralluelo came off the bench to score Spain’s 111th-minute winner. Super Sweden Sweden outplayed Japan to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the fifth time. Amanda Ilestedt’s close-range finish and Filippa Angeldahl’s penalty put them in full control six minutes into the second half. Japan did mount a late revival with Riko Ueki sending a penalty against the crossbar and fellow substitute Honoka Hayashi firing home three minutes from time. But a Japan equaliser would have been an injustice and Sweden rightfully took their place in the last four once again. First-time winners guaranteed The exit of 2011 World Cup winners Japan means a new name will be carved on the trophy. Four-time winners the United States were also beaten by Sweden in the previous round, while two-time champions Germany failed to make it out of the group stage. Norway, the only other country to win the Women’s World Cup back in 1995, were beaten in the last 16. As well as Spain and Sweden, Australia, France, England and Colombia are still in the hunt for a first World Cup triumph. England – and Becks – expects The Lionesses head into their quarter-final clash against Colombia with the pre-tournament words of former England captain David Beckham ringing in their ears. Forward Alessia Russo revealed how “heartthrob” Beckham had boosted Sarina Wiegman’s squad before their departure for Australia and New Zealand. “He was really nice. It was a pinch-me moment in terms of what women’s sport nowadays has done,” Russo said of the pre-World Cup chat. “It was amazing actually. He has been one of my idols – and heartthrobs – ever since I was a little girl.” Post of the day Quote of the day It was a pinch-me moment in terms of what women’s sport nowadays has done England's Alessia Russo on meeting David Beckham What next? Quarter-final: Australia v France (0800)Quarter-final: England v Colombia (1130) Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Dewi Lake puts injury troubles behind him to lead out Wales at Twickenham Roberto De Zerbi insists Brighton retain their ‘soul’ despite star departures David Moyes: Man City bid for Lucas Paqueta was nowhere near our valuation

As if the New York Yankees' season couldn't be worse, their prospect pipeline took a dip in the MLB.com rankings.The New York Yankees were in a weird position. Even though they were playing bad baseball and sitting in last place in the AL East heading into the trade deadline, they were...

Cubs Rumors: Dansby Swanson kept Jed Hoyer from sellingJust a few weeks prior to the MLB trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs looked like surefire sellers, and it was tough to blame Jed Hoyer and Co. Chicago sat 7.5 games back in the NL Central and 6.5 games back in the NL Wild Card race as of early J...

Everton are hoping to secure a deal for wantaway Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto, who is valued by the Championship club at around £30m.

Chelsea's move for Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams has broken down.