List of All Articles with Tag 'sports'

A UK chain of Italian restaurants backed by owners of Chelsea Football Club is in a legal battle

A handful of teams spent the eve of free agency clearing salary cap space with big money buyouts

The major leagues have seen a marked increase in catcher interference calls this season

Chelsea will be looking to put a disastrous Premier League campaign behind them as they continue their summer clearout. Having spent nearly £600 million on transfers last season, Chelsea went through three different managers as they slumped to a disappointing 12th place in the league. Thomas Tuchel, who now manages Bayern Munich, was sacked in September but his replacement, Graham Potter, was shown the door just seven months later despite having signed a five-year deal. Frank Lampard returned to the Blues on an interim basis but endured a torrid spell in charge of his former club. New manager Mauricio Pochettino begins his stint with the west London club on July 1 but the club has been busy behind the scenes already this summer. Mateo Kovacic has joined Manchester City while Kalidou Koulibaly, N’Golo Kante and Edouard Mendy have completed their moves to clubs in Saudi Pro League with Chelsea continuing to target more outgoings and incomings before the window shuts. Here are the latest news and transfer updates from Stamford Bridge: Hakim Ziyech Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech looked set to become the latest Chelsea player to make a summer move to Saudi Arabia after Chelsea had agreed a deal with Al-Nassr. Chelsea were set to recoup an £8m transfer fee with Ziyech, himself, set to earn £9m. However, the deal now appears to have collapsed after the 30-year-old was unable to finalise terms on his three-year contract. According to The Daily Mail, there were also complications with a knee injury in the medical. Ziyech also saw a January deadline-day move to Paris Saint-Germain scuppered after paperwork was submitted late. It remains unclear if he will remain with Chelsea by the end of the window with the winger having featured just 24 times last season and appearing surplus to requirements. Mason Mount One transfer that does appear to be nearing its completion is that of Mason Mount to Manchester United. According to The Athletic, the Red Devils have seen a bid worth £60m accepted after three bids up to £55m were rejected earlier in the week. The 24-year-old has two years left on his current deal but had been unable to agree terms on an extension, with Chelsea, therefore, looking to sell the England midfielder this summer. He will sign a contract until 2028 at Old Trafford with the option for a further year once he completes his medical. Moises Caicedo With Kovacic, Kante and Mount departing, Chelsea will look to bring in some central midfield replacements. According to The Evening Standard, one such player that the Blues may target is Brighton’s Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian was a key player as Brighton finished sixth but has been the subject of much interest from the league’s biggest club. Brighton turned down a £70m bid by Arsenal in January and look set to demand £100m for their prized asset. Reports suggest that a £60m bid has already been rejected but the London club believe that a fee in the region of £80m could be agreed with Brighton. Gabri Veiga Another central midfielder that is on Chelsea’s shortlist is young Spaniard, Gabri Veiga. The Celta Vigo player has caught the interest of several Premier League clubs after an impressive season in LaLiga which saw the 21-year-old score 11 times in 36 games. Veiga has a £34m release clause with a bid expected soon according to The Guardian, although the Blues may have to move fast with Newcastle another club set to be monitoring the young midfielder having already agreed a deal to sign Milan’s Sandro Tonali. Marc Cucurella The former Brighton left-back was one of Chelsea’s most expensive signings last year, having completed a £62m move from the south coast 12 months ago. The Spaniard endured a difficult first season at the club as he found himself asked to play a number of different positions in the Chelsea back line. Reports in Spanish newspaper, Marca, had suggested that Chelsea were looking to offload the left-back, with Atletico Madrid offered the chance to buy the left-back. However, such claims have been refuted by Cucurella’s agent Alvaro Dominguez who claimed the reports were “fake news” on social media. Read More Nesta, Totti and the original Chelsea transfer targets under Abramovich revealed Harry Kane builds new family home near Chelsea training ground Havertz transfer leaves Chelsea fans conflicted: ‘You won’t be missed’ Football rumours: West Ham delay Declan Rice deal as Pau Torres set for Villa James Maddison swayed by Ange Postecoglou promise of a new Tottenham Tottenham transfer news: Harry Kane latest after Bayern Munich bids and trio on centre-back list

Austin FC announced Friday the hiring of top Manchester City assistant manager Rodolfo Borrell as the Major League soccer club’s sporting director

A new women’s pro hockey league will begin competing in North America as early as January

Savannah Marshall will bid to reclaim her status as a world champion this weekend, as the former middleweight title holder moves up a division to challenge Franchon Crews-Dezurn for her undisputed belts. Marshall was unbeaten until she suffered a decision loss to Claressa Shields last year, a result that saw the Briton lose her WBO middleweight title as Shields became undisputed in the division. Now, the Hartlepool fighter takes on another American in Crews-Dezurn, who will put all four of her super-middleweight belts on the line against Marshall in Manchester. Marshall will take encouragement from an amateur victory over Crews-Dezurn, whom she outpointed in 2011. The event marks another big night in women’s boxing, with Natasha Jonas also in action and seeking to become a two-weight world champion. Here’s all you need to know. When is it? The fight will take place on Saturday 1 July at the AO Arena in Manchester. The main card is scheduled to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET), with ring walks for the main event due at approximately 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? In the UK, the event will air live on Sky Sports and on the broadcaster’s website and Sky Go app. In the US, ESPN+ will air the fights live. Odds Marshall – 1/4 Crews-Dezurn – 16/5 Draw – 14/1 Full odds via Betway. Full card (subject to change) Franchon Crews-Dezurn (C) vs Savannah Marshall (WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF women’s super-middleweight titles) Natasha Jonas vs Kandi Wyatt (vacant IBF women’s welterweight title) Zak Chelli vs Mark Jeffers (super-middleweight) Ben Whittaker vs Vladimir Belujsky (light-heavyweight) Callum Simpson vs Boris Crighton (super-middleweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Dillian Whyte reveals why Anthony Joshua rematch is being delayed Carl Froch criticises Tyson Fury legacy — and outlines what he needs to become ‘the best of a generation’ The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings Savannah Marshall and Franchon Crews-Dezurn trade barbs before huge title fight Savannah Marshall looks to move on from Claressa Shields defeat What time does Marshall vs Crews-Dezurn start in UK and US this weekend?

Frances Tiafoe heads into Wimbledon on the heels of his first title at a grass-court tournament and his first appearance in the Top 10 of the ATP rankings

Manchester United are hoping to build on an impressive debut season for manager Erik ten Hag which saw them finish third in the Premier League and claim their first silverware since 2017 after a triumph in the Carabao Cup. The Red Devils also reached the final of the FA Cup but were beaten by local rivals Manchester City who equalled United’s 1998/99 record of winning the treble. Ten Hag is now looking to rebuild this summer in order to better challenge for the league title as well as forming a squad worthy of competing in the Champions League. Here’s the latest news and updates concerning any transfers to and from Old Trafford: Mason Mount Manchester United have reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign Mason Mount in a deal worth a reported £60m according to The Athletic. The Red Devils had made Mount their main focus after three bids (up to £55m) were rejected last week. It was believed that the club would not be moving above their third offer but a deal has been struck for an initial fee of £55m plus £5m in difficult add-ons. Mount has been given permission to undergo a medical and finalise personal terms, with the clubs set to put the finishing touches to paperwork in good time. He will sign a contract until 2028 at Old Trafford with the option for a further year. Goncalo Ramos Erik ten Hag is also prioritising signing a centre forward in this window. A rumoured name for this position is Benfica star Goncalo Ramos. Local Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha says that Benfica president Rui Costa believes United are willing to match Ramos’ release clause but face competition from Paris Saint-Germain over his signature. Costa has reportedly already turned down an offer of €50 million plus €10m in add-ons from an unnamed club for Ramos though this is unlikely to be United. Benfica want at least €80m for the 22-year-old with his release clause thought to be in the region of €100m. David De Gea No. 1 goalkeeper David De Gea is out of contract on Saturday and has been named on United’s released list while talks over a new deal continue. It is understood the Spaniard and United are considering their options with a heavy pay cut expected if the 32-year-old is to remain at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag has publicly backed De Gea but says he cannot guarantee that he will be No. 1 next season even if he does remain at the club. Andre Onana With a deal for De Gea still yet to be agreed, Manchester United look set to dip into the transfer market as they look for their first-choice keeper to start the season. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, that man could be Inter’s Andre Onana with United set to submit their first official offer in the coming days. The Serie A club are reportedly willing to accept a bid of £50m for the Cameroonian international who they signed from Ajax last summer. Mason Greenwood Greenwood has not played for, or trained with Manchester United since January 22, 2022 due being charged with attempted rape, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour and assault. Greater Manchester Police announced on February 2, 2023 that Greenwood “no longer faces criminal proceedings” and the Crown Prosecution Service dropped all charges against him. United have since been conducting their own process as they “determine the next steps” for the 21-year-old’s future. They have spent five months debating how to proceed without minimal backlash and according to the Manchester Evening News they hope settle on an outcome before the next season begins. Greenwood is contracted to United until 2025 and the club are leaning towards loaning him out this summer with Erik ten Hag against selling the forward who he believes could be useful addition as a striker. Greenwood was recently photographed training individually which hints towards a return to football. Read More Liverpool to apply for a safe standing licence as Anfield rail seating expanded Football rumours: West Ham delay Declan Rice deal as Pau Torres set for Villa Arsenal winning race for Rice but Bayern face uphill struggle to capture Kane Rumours: New Harry Kane bid and Hammers target trio including Maguire Roma boss Jose Mourinho handed 10-day Serie A ban for referee comments Alessia Russo fully focused on England after ‘tough’ summer of transfer talk

Arsenal are wasting no time in capitalising on their progression from the last Premier League campaign, where they tied the club record for most wins in a single season at 26. The team secured an impressive second-place finish in the top flight, just behind Manchester City, with a remarkable 85 points - marking their highest point total since the historic invincible season in the 03/04 campaign. The Gunners have also recently finalised the £65 million signing of German national Kai Havertz from Chelsea and show no signs of slowing down in the transfer market. Arsenal are currently linked with several players, including Declan Rice, who could be a new British transfer record if he signs. Here’s all the latest on the potential comings and goings at the Emirates Stadium this summer. Declan Rice With Manchester City making a late push in the race for Rice, Arsenal fans had grown increasingly nervous after months of speculation had strongly linked the West Ham player to the Gunners. However, Manchester City have now ended their pursuit of the talented defensive midfielder, reopening a clear but costly path for Arsenal to secure West Ham’s signature. The Gunners’ bid for Rice is rumored to have reached a staggering £105 million, potentially making him the most expensive British transfer of all time. According to Sky Sports, a deal between the two clubs has been agreed with the payment structure the only detail holding up the deal from being finalised. Jurrien Timber Beyond Declan Rice, the 22-year-old Jurrien Timber seems to be the top target on Arsenal’s wishlist. The Dutch national, who featured in all 34 matches of the Eredivisie for Ajax in the past season, would bring immense versatility and much-needed depth to Arsenal’s back line. During the previous season, Arsenal’s form suffered greatly following the injury of their star French centre-back, William Saliba. Signing a player like Timber who can also play right-back would hopefully prevent a similar crisis from occurring. Negotiations between Ajax and Arsenal are progressing, though, with De Telegraaf reporting that a £40m deal has been agreed between the two clubs. Personal terms do not appear to be an issue, as the young Dutchman is eager to make the move to North London. Thomas Partey While there has been much discussion about potential new arrivals at Arsenal, the club will also witness the departure of a few key players from the Emirates. Thomas Partey, the 30-year-old Ghanaian captain, could be leaving Arsenal to join Serie A side Juventus. Initially, there was speculation of Partey moving to Saudi Arabia, but the defensive midfielder reportedly turned down the opportunity in order to continue playing European football, albeit outside the Champions League. Juventus, who had shown interest in signing Partey two years ago, believes that a fee in the range of £15-17m would be more than enough to finalise the deal. According to Sky Sports Italia, personal terms are not an obstacle between Partey and the Italian club, with only the transfer fee left to be settled. Arsenal are eager to complete the deal to avoid losing Partey on a free transfer next summer, claim the reports. Granit Xhaka With the impending arrival of Rice and Havertz already signed from Chelsea, Granit Xhaka is set to join Partey as another Arsenal midfielder leaving. Despite earlier speculation about his departure during the January transfer window, Xhaka was persuaded to stay and complete the season by Arteta. However, the Swiss international man now aims to make a move to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, with The Telegraph reporting that the two clubs have agreed on a fee in the region of £13m. The deal appears to be all but finalised, with Arsenal temporarily putting it on hold to ensure they can secure their midfield with the new signing of Declan Rice. Romeo Lavia The prospects of the highly talented 19-year-old midfielder from Southampton joining Arsenal have significantly diminished. Lavia impressed in his 29 appearances for the Saints, attracting attention from several clubs including the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City. Despite especially strong links to Lavia as reported by Fabrizio Romano, with Arsenal recently acquiring Havertz for £65m and the potential arrival of Rice for a substantial nine-figure fee, the club’s budget appears to be constrained. Lavia’s reported price tag of £40m or more has allowed other clubs, including Liverpool, to pursue the deal instead, leaving Arsenal looking on from the sidelines. Ethan Nwaneri Arsenal may already be building for the future with the potential incomings of Timber and Rice but they have also made moves in recent days to secure the long-term future of one of their brightest academy prospects. Last season, Ethan Nwaneri broke the record for the youngest player ever to appear in a top-flight English match when he came on as a substitute aged 15 years and 181 days. Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, a scholarship deal has been agreed between Arsenal and the midfielder with a professional deal to be signed when he turns 17. That contract will reportedly last two and a half years and will make Nwaneri the highest-paid academy player in Arsenal history.

Spain will head to the Women’s World Cup with two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas and three of the 15 players who had renounced the national soccer team after a spat with coach Jorge Vilda

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg’s promised cage fight could take place in Rome’s Colosseum. Mr Musk suggested that the mixed martial arts bout could happen in the historic arena, which long ago served as the home of gladiatorial contests. Now it could see the two billionaires face off in a battle that could see the two revive some of that history, according to Mr Musk. He tweeted that there was “some chance” that the fight happened in the Colosseum, joking that he would need to work on his endurance as he shared a clip from The Life of Brian. The minister of culture has reached out to Mr Zuckerberg to propose the location, TMZ reported. Both the billionaires are said to be intrigued by the idea, the site said. That request was passed on to Dana White, the head of the UFC who has expressed an interest in co-ordinating the fight. The three have been negotiating about the details of the fight daily, TMZ reported. It is not clear where in the Colosseum the fight could actually take place. While it could once hold tens of thousands of people, it can no longer host more than a few hundred people inside special temporary seating, and it has hosted few large events in recent times. The fight between the two billionaires originally appeared to begin as something of a joke, after rumours that Mr Zuckerberg was looking for a competitor and Mr Musk tweeted that he was “up for a cage match”. Mr Zuckerberg replied to that tweet in a post with the caption “send me location”, and the fight appears to now be moving forward. That has led to much speculation over how the two men would fight, and suggestions that it would be the biggest face-off in history. The details of any such event are far from agreed – but that has not stopped speculation about who would actually win such a battle. Read More Elon Musk vs Mark Zuckerberg: Who would win a cage fight? Elon Musk’s sparring partner says he’s ‘extremely impressed’ by his strength Elon Musk picks UFC legend to train him for Mark Zuckerberg fight