After five LaLiga matches, Elche are creating more attacking threat than last season, with npxG created at 1.13 per 90 compared with 0.97 across last season's 38 games. At the other end, they are allowing 1.37 npxG per 90, up from 1.34. They are scoring 1.13 goals and conceding 2.45 per 90, compared with 1.21 and 1.41 respectively last season.
2025-26's leading chance creator was Germán Valera with 42 chances created (1.27 per 90), 11 of them big, and 4.60 xA. He leads again in 2026-27, now on 8 chances (1.68 per 90) from 429 minutes.
The 2026-27 most-used starters include five of the 11 players in the 2025-26 selection. Gonzalo Villar, Fer Niño, Buba Sangaré, Federico Redondo, Facundo Buonanotte and Tete Morente are now in that group. The centre-backs are receiving the ball deeper than last season. They are winning 5.6 second **** per game, down from 6.2.
Their main source of passing threat remains the left flank in the final third, which accounts for 33%, up from 26% last season. Passes from the right flank in the final third contribute 27%, up from 21% last season.

#flank

The Clasico Regio ended in a 0-0 draw as neither team was able to find that breakout goal. The match was supposed to be one filled with excitement and passion, as is every rivalry game, but this one fell short of that by miles. Now Monterrey will prepare for a difficult game against current champions Cruz Azul while Tigres will face 18th place Juárez.
The beginning of the game seemed to set the tone for the game as Monterrey spent the first 10 minutes pressing high. They were not giving Tigres any room to breathe. This high pressure led to frustrations for the visitors who committed fouls left and right. Joaquim even went as far as committing an unnecessary reckless foul and he was awarded the first yellow card seven minutes into the game. In the 10th minute that high pressure paid off with a dangerous opportunity as the Rayados made their way up the right flank. The ball was crossed into the box but Mauro Lainez was there to kick the ball out of danger. A few minutes later and the home side had another opportunity as Orbelin Pineda beat his mark on the left wing and made his way into the box. Unfortunately he did not shoot as he tried to find the perfect angle and in the process he was dispossessed.
By the 30 minute mark the game had hit a stalemate as both teams attempted to break the other down but the defenses stood strong. Monterrey weren't pressing with the high intensity as they had at the beginning of the game meanwhile Tigres were just trying to make their way forward but were unable to make any real threats. A few minutes later Monterrey had a big chance at goal as Lucas Ocampos received a cross in the box that he sent towards the net but Nahuel was there to make the save. This seemed to awaken Rayados who picked up the intensity but were stopped short by Tigres who started to foul again. Mauro Lainez even picked up a yellow for a foul. The half ended with both teams pushing but unable to find anything.
The second half started like the first with Monterrey putting pressure on Tigres who had trouble moving the ball forward. They then had a dangerous chance in the 55th minute when Juan Brunetta stole the ball at the halfway line and made a run towards his opponents box. Instead of making his way into the box he shot from distance but the ball went over the crossbar. Brunetta seemed to be the only one on Tigres who was attempting to make any breakthroughs while his teammates did little to help him. In the 60th minute the visitors had a big chance as they were awarded a free kick outside of the box due to a Rayados foul. The ball made its way inside the box where Alan Franco headed the ball towards the net but Andrada collected the ball.
It wasn't until the 65th minute that either team made substitutions as Monterrey struck first as Matias Almeyda decided to put fresh legs in at striker. A few minutes later Victor Vucetich also brought in two players with fresh legs looking for a spark his team needed. These changes didn't work for eith

The Oklahoma Sooners dropped to 1-1 in the 2026 season after a 17-10 loss on the road against the Michigan Wolverines. OU failed their first test of the season and played poor, sloppy football in a bad loss.
Expectations were sky-high entering the season, but just two games into Year 5 under head coach Brent Venables, the Sooners saw their season crumble in Ann Arbor. All of the offseason talk and hype that surrounded Oklahoma fell flat in the Big House.
Firstly, though the defense was much better in the second half, the Sooners did not look like a Venables-led defense in the first half. After riding the defense to 10 wins and a spot in the College Football Playoff last season, this year's defense isn't nearly as good, at least not yet. In addition to a loss on their record, the OU defense will also be without their heart and soul for a large chunk of time, as linebacker Kip Lewis was injured in the loss.
Despite only giving up 17 total points, Oklahoma's defense tackled poorly, didn't force any turnovers, and was outflanked often in the first half. The second half was far better on that side of the ball, but the Sooners still lost because of their anemic offense.
All offseason, the Sooners talked about being better at running the ball and more committed to it. That lasted one game, as Oklahoma actually looked worse on offense on Saturday than they did last year. They abandoned the running backs in the running game, and the multiple-look structure-wise largely went out the window.

#defense

Real Madrid are all set to take on Rayo Vallecano in their fifth La Liga match of the 2026/27 season in a little over an hour at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Having lost their previous league game to Real Betis, the Merengues will be eager to get things back on track and close the gap to leaders Barcelona, who are three points clear.
With kickoff not far away, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has announced the starting lineup that will take the field against Rayo Vallecano.
And the biggest headline is that marquee summer signing Yan Diomande makes his first start for Real Madrid.
The €140 million arrival from RB Leipzig has been drip-fed minutes off the bench so far by the manager, but has been thrust into the team tonight, replacing Brahim Diaz on the right flank.

#madrid #take #betis

Franco Mastantuono's time at Real Madrid was anything but memorable as he suffered with poor form and fitness and never really got going as many expected him to.
The youngster thus left the club in the summer transfer window, just one season into his Real Madrid stint, and is currently on loan at Fiorentina for one season.
Los Blancos, meanwhile, have brought in Yan Diomande as a record signing to strengthen the left flank – the same position Mastantuono used to play while at the club.
Last night, Mastantuono started Fiorentina's Serie A clash against Venezia which ended a 4-1 win for his side, and it was the young Argentine who played the pioneering role.
Lionel Messi held the record for decades. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

#real

NEW YORK – Ready or not, here she comes.
Just when you think you know Tory Burch's next move, she subverts expectations and continues her reign as one of the most interesting American designers today.
The designer brought out a cadre of stars for her New York Fashion Week show Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Sunken Garden by Isamu Noguchi in downtown Manhattan. Though far from an underground designer, Burch took her show to subterranean levels before she reached new heights with her collection and her front row, which included a fashionably timely Lauryn Hill, flanked by daughter Sara Marley and niece Kymora Marley, as well as actress Amanda Seyfried, "Saturday Night Live" alum Chloe Fineman and fashion power broker Anna Wintour.
Alex Eala, the young newcomer who dominated at the US Open until her defeat by best friend and fellow young star Iva Jovic, also joined along with emerging talent Ravyn Lenae and established celebrities like Padma Lakshmi and director Janicza Bravo.
Hill, in oversized sunglasses and an olive-green cinched top and tiered skirt with a silk scarf draped delicately over her head, garnered camera flashes from every angle. Perched atop her lap (and on the arms of everyone in the front row) was Burch's newly released Bunny Knot bag, with Hill's in a ****** er yellow color with the dark knot detailing looking like polka dots.

#front

It appears the Minnesota Vikings lit a top 10 draft pick on fire by selecting J.J. McCarthy. Remarkably, it might not matter.
Like in 2024, head coach Kevin O'Connell has a high profile reclamation project ready to lead his offense. Sam Darnold got his team to 14 wins that fall. Now Kyler Murray gets the opportunity to do the same. He'll be flanked by the league's best wide receiving corps and a defense stuck on "shaken hornets nest" at all times.
Murray is playing on a one-year prove-it deal. He'll test himself against one of the toughest and deepest divisions in the NFL. Let's take a look at how Minnesota got here and what its 2026 might look like.
There's still time for JJ McCarthy to embody the potential the Vikings saw in him when they made him the 12th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But, uh, hoooo buddy, it doesn't look good. His 66.5 percent on-target throw rate ranked 33rd of 33 qualified quarterbacks, nearly three full points below No. 32 Caleb Williams. Since Pro Football Reference began charting that stat in 2019, only one player has been worse: Anthony Richardson in 2019. Ooooof.
That leaves Murray with a path to redemption after his Arizona Cardinals career flamed out. He's been a nest made of vacated promise after his Pro Bowl 2021 season. His 0.097 EPA per dropback since then ranks 20th out of 33 quarterbacks to play at least 1,000 snaps, just behind a diminished Kirk Cousins. But this is his age 29 season. But he was a useful dual-threat presence as recently as 2024 (where, admittedly, Arizona went 8-9) and now gets the most talented supporting cast of his career.

#minnesota #Vikings #mccarthy #since

With the Yankees looking to track down the Rays in the AL East while also maintaining the cushion they have on the Red Sox, this interleague matchup against the Rockies was a couple of must win games. Colorado is closing in on 100 losses and is as beatable an opponent as there is right now, sorry to them. Well so far, so good for the Yankees as they've taken the first two games of the series. Tonight, they'll go for the sweep.
To try and accomplish that sweep, the Yankees will give the ball to Max Fried. This will be Fried's third start since returning from the IL, and he's been decent enough so far, allowing two runs in 9.1 combined innings. He still hasn't gone over 72 pitches yet, so it's still unlikely that he'll be airing it out for 100 or anything tonight, but we'll see.
As for the rest of the lineup, the big news is the return of Anthony Volpe. With Jazz Chisholm Jr. going on the IL, Volpe has been recalled and will play second base. He has been hitting decently since getting sent back to the minors, so we'll see if there's any correlation now that he's back in the bigs. Aaron Judge will get a planned day off, his first since being reinstated from the IL on Tuesday as Aaron Boone will take it slow with his superstar outfielder especially after Judge returned without a rehab ***** ignment. Jasson Domínguez will start in right field instead and bat third, flanked by Cody Bellinger and Luis García Jr.
Meanwhile, Ryan Feltner will take the mound for the Rockies. Feltner has a 5.91 ERA and a 5.27 FIP in his 106.2 innings on the season. The 30-year-old right-hander was having a decent year by Rockies pitchers standards until about mid-July, when a 2.1 inning eight-run disaster outing against Cincinnati ballooned his ERA north of five and he's stayed there ever since. His latest start was a mediocre one, where he lasted five innings and gave up four runs to the Cardinals, but he's got some seven-run outings in recent memory as the Dodgers and Nationals took him to task a couple of weeks ago.
Here's all the information to know on how to catch tonight's action, and we hope you'll come join us in the game thread!

#yankees #Rockies #volpe

Manchester United have completed the signing of Isaac Konde from Liverpool, with Fabrizio Romano on X reporting the deal. For Liverpool, it is a frustrating departure. For United, it is another example of a clear academy recruitment strategy focused on securing elite teenage talent before pathways become more established elsewhere.
Konde is highly regarded in youth circles and has built a strong reputation as an explosive attacking player. He is most effective from the left, although his flexibility across the front line is understood to be a major part of his appeal. He can play from either flank and also through the middle, which makes him a valuable profile for any academy structure looking to develop adaptable forwards.
The 16-year-old featured for Liverpool Under-18s last season, but his next step will now come at Manchester United, where he is expected to begin with the Under-18s setup. From United's perspective, the move aligns closely with the wider approach being shaped at academy level, an area viewed internally as central to both sporting progress and long-term value creation.
That context matters. United have placed increasing emphasis on attracting top prospects from around the country, and Konde's arrival fits squarely within that model. He joins a system that already contains major young attacking talent, including JJ Gabriel, and his addition is likely to raise standards and competition in the age group immediately.
For Liverpool, losing a promising young attacker to a domestic rival will sting. Academy football can be unpredictable, and not every prospect reaches senior level, but clubs still work hard to retain the ones viewed as having genuine upside. Konde clearly falls into that category, and this is the kind of move that will be noticed closely by those tracking youth development at both clubs.

#Youth #move

Lane Kiffin's first stadium entrance at LSU went about as we all expected.
Kiffin always finds a way to make himself the center of attention, and that wasn't too difficult with College GameDay in town and the eyes of the college football world descending on Baton Rouge for Saturday night's game against Clemson.
In classic Kiffin fashion, he was flanked by several celebrities from the state of Louisiana as he entered Tiger Stadium, including former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, comedian and podcaster Theo Von and model Brooks Nader. They likely won't be the only celebrities we see on the sideline Saturday night.
LSU signed up for a circus when it hired Kiffin, and they're certainly getting what they paid for. Kiffin's track record at Ole Miss speaks for itself, but he has also introduced plenty of potential distractions.
We'll see if the star-studded stadium entrance is just a corny moment before a big win or a sign of a lack of focus.

#kiffin #saturday #college #celebrities

Texas State football begins its 2026 season Saturday, visiting Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium to take on the Texas Longhorns.
The Bobcats are heavy underdogs in their second-ever matchup against the burnt orange. Texas has one of the nation's most talented rosters led by quarterback Arch Manning, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate who could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
MORE: What the Pac-12 learned from past failures
Texas State has some firepower of its own. Starting quarterback Brad Jackson enters his second year starting under head coach GJ Kinne with two top wide receivers flanking him: Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks. The Longhorns paid proper respect to their opponent throughout the week; head coach Steve Sarkisian even called the Bobcats a potential College Football Playoff candidate.
Sarkisian's offense will be a difficult test for Texas State defensive coordinator Will Windham to solve. The Bobcats are fielding a new scheme and have to go toe-to-toe with one of the best offensive play-callers in the nation.

#texas #Football #second #Potential

There are performances that deserve applause, and others for which even a standing ovation falls short. That was the level of the symphony Natalia Mauleón conducted on the field at Estadio Jalisco, leading and executing the red-and-white attack in the 0-4 win over Atlas in the Clásico Tapatío.
Wearing No. 14, the Michoacán native hit the ground running in the fold as a signing for this Apertura 2026. Mauleón had already shown glimpses of her quality in her first appearances, but what she did last night was simply extraordinary.
Starting as an attacking midfielder, she supported Alicia Cervantes and Denise Castro in the Rebaño's attack, with width provided by Joseline Montoya and Jasmine Casarez down the flanks. From that advanced midfield role, thanks to the peripheral vision with which she reads moments, ****** es, and movements, 'Mau' became the undisputed focal point of the match, as every Guadalajara goal went through her feet.
On the first goal, she orchestrated the high press by staying close to the ball at all times so that, after Eva González won it back, a quick touch on the reception opened the inside lane for 'Jas' to burst through and finish for the goal.
The second goal was just as brilliant: it was Natalia herself who once again started the press, winning the ball in the final third and creating a textbook 3-on-2 at the edge of the box. Patiently, she waited for Denise to drift wide before slipping the ball to her at the perfect moment, leaving her to bury it first time.

#natalia

Manchester United looked very good in the second half against Ipswich Town on Sunday, but the side's goals did not come from the forward line. Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo were the driving force behind the three goals, with the captain recording his first hat-trick in five years.
The front three of Matheus Cunha at striker and Marcus Rashford and Bryan Mbeumo on the flanks did not look poor. Cunha **** isted Bruno's first goal and Mbeumo finished an odd chip for the fifth and final goal, meanwhile Rashford had two excellent chances denied by the goalkeeper and last-ditch defending. There was balance, but it was still evidently a solution to a personnel problem.
Amad's preseason injury made the right wing options limited to Mbeumo, despite the Cameroonian's emergence as a good No. 9 option this season. Benjamin Sesko missed the entire preseason but has been fit enough to make appearances off the bench. Cunha, who typically played on the left last season, played as a No. 9 for Brazil at the World Cup and fit there with Rashford as a natural option on the left.
The options aren't bad for Michael Carrick to choose from. All three players have been flexible positionally in their careers and offer a balance of qualities. Rashford looked particularly comfortable playing with Luke Shaw again and he made a good effort out of possession to stay involved as well. He didn't get the goal his performance might have deserved, but overall it was a good homecoming.
Cunha was the only real odd fit, operating similarly to Bruno Fernandes and dropping into similar areas. It allowed the No. 10 to make good runs beyond the striker, but Cunha's lack of striker presence was felt at times, especially in the first half.

#striker

After their 4-0 opening-day victory against Fiorentina, Roma are eager to confirm their form at 6:00 PM at the Via del Mare against Eusebio Di Francesco's Lecce.
Gian Piero Gasperini will certainly start with the Dybala-Malen pairing, with Mora ahead of Soulè for the third-choice attack. The other contender is on the right flank: Lulli or Molina?
The 2007-born player, who trained in the Giallorossi youth system, is expected to be retained, with the former Atletico Madrid player possibly coming on during the match.
In fact, Roma could take the field in Lecce with the same team that won 4-0 against Fiorentina.

#roma #player #gian

Well, this is something to wake up to. According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, overnight Tottenham Hotspur and Everton reached an agreement to essentially swap attackers — bringing Ilman Ndiaye to Spurs, with Richarlison returning to Everton heading the other direction. This is NOT a true swap deal; these will be treated as separate transfers.
In yesterday's post-match press conference, Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi essentially told us that Richarlison asked to leave Spurs for a new challenge. I just didn't realize it would all go down so quickly. According to Paul Joyce of The Times, Ndiaye will cost Spurs about £60m, with Richarlison heading the other direction for a fee of £35m, making the outlay a lot lower than most transfers that Spurs have brought in this summer.
Ndiaye, 26, is a French fooballer who has declared for and plays international football for Senegal. He's been used primarily on the left wing for Everton, but can also play centrally or on the right. He's NOT a striker but could be implemented as a #10 if needed. Ndiaye likes to be on the ball and frequently prefers to take on and dribble past his defenders, which frequently turns into touches in the penalty area and shots. He likes to cut inside from the flank and is also comfortable receiving the ball deeper as a ball progression outlet. His acquisition means that Spurs will essentially only have three first team strikers on the books — Omar Marmoush, Dominic Solanke, and Dane Scarlett — but Ndiaye will fortify Spurs' attacking midfield options. His preferred position at Everton will put him in competition with Mathys Tel and Savinho, but his positional flexibility means he could be an ***** et elsewhere as well. He's also a willing presser and capable of putting in defensive work to make tackles. Despite maybe hinting otherwise yesterday, I'm kind of a fan of this deal.
As for Richarlison… well, I'm sad. He's probably my favorite Spurs player (non-Sonny edition) of this era. He's a vibes guy who always seemed to lift the mood, and it's clear he loved Spurs. But it's just as clear that he's not happy here anymore, and as his career starts to wind down a return to the club that lifted him to stardom feels like the closing of the circle. Everton fans love him as much as we do, and I can't begrudge them, or him, this move. It feels like the right choice.
What do you think of this deal? Can Spurs get it across the line before the window closes on September 2?

#everton #ndiaye

Ever since the great Claude Rains first uttered the immortal line "Round up the usual suspects!" in Casablanca, the phrase has been ingrained in the popular lexicon — so much so that it inspired the ****** le of an entirely different movie nearly 50 years later. You hear it everywhere, in any context where you can expect to see a predictable set of participants.
On Saturday, a struggling Juventus were buoyed by a pair of very unusual suspects — guys most fans figured would be gone, or at least on their way out the door, by this point in the transfer window. Unable to penetrate a deep-lying Parma defense, it was Nico González who gave a moribund attack an instant shot in the arm, forcing a magical save before scoring a deflected goal off his own rebound to open the scoring. Then, with two minutes left, the game was sealed by another unlikely goalscorer: Teun Koopmeiners, who had just come on after an injury to Andrea Cambiaso and finished off a quick attack with a beautiful finish.
The unlikely redemption arcs from players most ****** umed were out of the team's plans, or at least on the very fringes, were welcome developments for a team that learned this week that their talisman, Kenan Yildiz, would miss two to three months once he undergoes surgery on a broken metatarsal. After a first half that seemed to be crying out for his creativity, it was the transfer-listed González who gave the Bianconeri the necessary spark to take Parma down 2-0 as they began to look forward to next week's big match against AC Milan.
Apart from Yildiz, Luciano Spalletti was also missing Weston McKennie (muscle fatigue), Edon Zhegrova, and Khéphren Thuram, who suffered a setback in his knee recovery and could now require surgery. Jeff Ekhator came back to make his first Juve squad in a competitive game. Spalletti's 4-2-3-1 was therefore shuffled a bit. Guglielmo Vicario started in goal after getting over the cramp that forced him off late against Frosinone. Pierre Kalulu and Zeki Çelik played on the defensive flanks, while Bremer was partnered with new signing Jhon Lucumí in the middle of defense. Manuel Locatelli and Douglas Luiz played in the midfield, while Francisco Conceição, Jonathan David, and Jérémie Boga supported Randal Kolo Muani in attack.
Carlos Cuesta lost his first Parma match last week against Cagliari, and were looking for something better here. His only missing player was former Juve prospect Hans Nicolussi Caviglia, who had to have a surgery of his own this week. Edoardo Corvi started behind a 4-4-2. Enrico Delprato, Mariano Troilo, Dominik Drobnic, and Emanuele Valeri arrayed themselves in front of him. Sascha Britschgi and Mandela Keita bookended Christian Ordóñez and Adrían Bernabé in midfield. El Bilal Touré and Simone Lontani started up front. Drobnic and Lontani were both teenagers, and the former was making his debut.

#juve #drobnic

Wingers come in different guises and at different prices. On the day Liverpool agreed to pay up to £123m for Bradley Barcola, the man signed for rather less, and with rather less fanfare, again spared Andoni Iraola a first defeat of his reign. On Sunday at Newcastle, Victor Munoz won the penalty that produced Dominik Szoboszlai's 99th-minute equaliser. On his Anfield bow, the £34m Spaniard delivered a devastating equaliser.
That both contributions came from the right flank, though he had started on the left against Nottingham Forest, may be pertinent. The presumption is that Barcola will be used on the left. While Liverpool are yet to replace Mohamed Salah, they got two equalisers from the men stationed in his old spot here, with Cody Gakpo affording Alexander Isak a tap-in. The Dutchman is scarcely a right winger and faces an uncertain future at the end of the window. If Munoz had a fine introduction, this could prove Gakpo's goodbye, and his was a valiant effort.
An encouraging element for Liverpool is that Iraola has exerted an impact with his changes in each of his first two games. Munoz, who came on at St James' Park, swapped flanks at Anfield, took Florian Wirtz's pass, span and unleashed a vicious shot, even if a deflection off Murillo helped. It may not have been the first example of fine decision-making by Iraola: he pushed for Munoz's signing when Newcastle were closing in on his signature. "Victor has been very good both games," said Iraola. "Everything hasn't been perfect but he tries again and again and again and I like this from the wingers."
And so his tenure has begun with twin 2-2 draws. If it promises to be fun, at times his Liverpool can be both fast and flawed. Yet this underlined the size of his task if Iraola is to succeed his way. Liverpool had more defensive difficulties, with a susceptibility to the counter-attack again apparent, but with variations on a theme. Newcastle had scored twice by running straight through the heart of Iraola's team. Forest struck twice courtesy of ******* in behind, the first punted 80 yards by goalkeeper Matz Sels; both involved throw-ins, too, the second a quick one by the debutant Liam Delap.
After the Forest striker added to the family tradition of Delap throw-ins, Alisson upended Neco Williams and Morgan Gibbs-White, an increasingly regular scourge of Liverpool, converted the resulting penalty. "It could and probably should have been a win," said Oliver Glasner. "Very proud of the performance but frustrated and disappointed about the result." So both new managers remain winless.

#first #munoz #anfield

Hamburger SV continue to pursue the signing of KRC Genk right-back Zakaria El Ouahdi as sporting director Claus Costa seeks to resolve one of the squad's most obvious remaining deficiencies before the transfer deadline. According to the Hamburger Abendblatt, HSV have already reached a basic agreement with the 24-year-old Moroccan international.
Belgian transfer reporter Sacha Tavolieri reports that the Bundesliga club are now preparing a third offer for Genk after their first two approaches failed to produce an agreement. El Ouahdi himself reportedly favors the move. Kicker identifies the defender as Hamburg's preferred solution and reports that a deal could cost approximately €13m plus bonuses.
The Morocco international offers substantial attacking production from the right flank. El Ouahdi registered eight goals and five **** ists in 34 league appearances last season, adding another four goals across nine Europa League outings. His potential arrival would also address a weakness that Get German Football News' 2026/27 Hamburger SV tactical preview identified as one of the club's principal unresolved personnel issues.
Following the departures of William Mikelbrencis and Giorgi Gocholeishvili, Bakery Jatta currently stands as the only established option for Merlin Polzin on the right wing-back position. HSV have consequently been seeking a player capable of moving ahead of Jatta in the hierarchy.
Bayer Leverkusen full-back Arthur remains the alternative should HSV decide that El Ouahdi's overall package is too expensive. Florian Plettenberg previously reported that Hamburg had reached a basic verbal agreement with the 23-year-old Brazilian over a season-long loan without a purchase option. GGFN covered Arthur's potential departure as part of Leverkusen's extensive late-window restructuring. Die Werkself are themselves attempting to sign Strasbourg right-back Guéla Doué and are prepared to sanction Arthur's temporary departure.

#agreement #genk #jatta #league

Roma may decide not to replace Jayden Oosterwolde.
After the failed Fenerbahçe deal, the Giallorossi had left open the possibility of another move for a winger, but with the transfer window closing just days away, the situation appears to have changed.
According to today's newspapers, Gian Piero Gasperini's evaluation has also been influenced by the growth of Emanuele Lulli, who made a convincing debut against Fiorentina.
The youngster could provide an additional option on the right flank alongside Nahuel Molina, while on the opposite flank, the coach can count on Wesley and Devyne Rensch.
Roma could therefore decide to stick with the current wingers in the squad, possibly postponing the investment to further complete the midfield until January.

#oosterwolde #gian

Lazio are facing an uphill challenge in their quest to sign Juventus winger Edon Zhegrova, as Matteo Cancellieri has reportedly rejected his most keen admirers.
Earlier this week, the Kosovar international emerged as a target for the Biancocelesti, who would like to bolster their flanks after sorting out other departments by signing Alfonso Pedraza, Danilho Doekhi, Davide Frattesi, Josip Sutalo, and most recently Andrea Pinamonti.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), Lazio are hoping to acquire Zhegrova on loan with an option to buy from Juventus. The 27-year-old's current net salary is €2.5 million per year, so the Biancocelesti should be able to cover it. However, the pink newspaper insists that the arrival of the former LOSC Lille player would only be plausible if Cancellieri were to leave.
Over the past few days, the Roman winger has been linked with several Serie A clubs, with Genoa making the most concrete offer. But according to Italian journalist Damiano Er Faina, Cancellieri is refusing to join Daniele De Rossi's team.
The 24-year-old might be holding out for a more prestigious destination, like Fiorentina or Bologna, who have more ambitious projects and are aiming to fight for European slots. Perhaps he would end up reconsidering his decision if no other offers arrive, as he risks spending his campaign on the bench, since Gustav Isaksen is reportedly ahead of him in Gennaro Gattuso's pecking order.

#lazio #year #zhegrova #biancocelesti

Liverpool have Bradley Barcola all but signed. Now a Real Madrid star is in a brilliant position to follow him.
Liverpool have been pushing to sign Bradley Barcola for months. Now they seem to have finally got it over the line as news broke on Thursday that they'd struck a massive deal with Paris Saint-Germain.
The Athletic are among those reporting that a £100m initial deal has been agreed in principle, potentially rising to around £120m with add-ons. Liverpool are going all-in on Barcola to be their star on the left, joining Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz as a nine-figure signing.
But here's the thing: they won't stop there. Liverpool haven't actually replaced Mohamed Salah, after all, and the Egyptian has left a void on the right flank that must be filled.
The squad actually lacks right-wingers entirely and while the club will hope to have replaced Salah's quality with Barcola, they still need someone to actually play his position. Finding that player has been incredibly difficult, however, as the market on that flank is genuinely awful.

#left

The Brooklyn Nets are about one month away from their training camp that will prepare them for a 2026-27 season that they hope will be better to watch than the previous campaign. Heading into the 2026 NBA offseason, Brooklyn made various moves to improve the roster, including trading for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle to bolster the starting lineup.
Now that the Nets are done with the 2026 NBA Draft, summer league circuit, and free-agency, the focus now is making sure everyone is ready to put their best foot forward next season. Randle will be joining sharpshooting forward Michael Porter Jr. as the main offensive engines while being flanked by young guards Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Demin along with center Day'Ron Sharpe.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez and general manager Sean Marks are heading into the third year of their partnership and both are likely hoping for more wins and more development for the youngest players on the team. This article will be a crossover between Nets Wire and Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire to discuss the Nets and how they stack up against the Philadelphia 76ers:
Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire: That should be the goal for next season given that the Nets won't have their pick for next year, but the Eastern Conference has gotten better as a whole this summer. It's entirely possible that Brooklyn wins more games next season than they did this past season and still finish the year as one of the worst teams in the league. There is too much talent and experience in the Eastern Conference.
Ky Carlin, Sixers Wire: I think it's fair to see the Nets be a bit more competitive in the coming season. They've won 20 and 26 games in the previous two seasons, respectively, and it's time for this franchise to take another step forward. The front office has gathered some nice, young pieces, and it will be on coach Jordi Fernandez and the veterans to help them grow, but Brooklyn has to take a step forward at some point, and this year feels like that year.

#next

Bayern Munich have vowed to pick up where they left off last season, targeting the treble, while their outclassed Bundesliga rivals have undergone a reboot to try and cut the gap.
Bayern host German Cup runners-up Stuttgart in Friday's opener after a successful 2025-26 campaign, winning the double and chalking up the fourth-best points tally in Bundesliga history.
Flanked by Michael Olise and Luis Diaz, Harry Kane helped barnstorming Bayern score a record-breaking 122 goals in 34 Bundesliga games.
Double winners thanks to a Kane hat-trick in the Cup final against Stuttgart, Bayern lost just one of 40 domestic matches.
The Bavarian giants only met serious resistance in the Champions League, where they lost 6-5 on aggregate to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.

#winners

Leeds United Women begin their FA WNL Cup campaign with a visit to rivals Halifax Women in Group T on Thursday evening.
The two sides meet in the cup for the second season running, after a 1-0 win for the Whites at Garforth last term where Darcie Greene's incredible solo goal proved the difference.
Last time out for Leeds was a convincing 3-0 win on the road at Chester-le-Street Town Ladies with Amy Woodruff netting a hattrick to guarantee the three points and take home the match ball.
The centre-forward had the Whites in the driving seat at the break after converting instinctively from Darcie Greene's mazy run down the left flank, before bagging two more in the closing stages of the match - another Greene cross tap-in and a glancing header.
The hosts are coming into the clash off the back of a 4-2 win over Norton and Stockton Ancients on home turf, having three first half goals complimented by a stoppage time fourth.

#darcie #three #match

Liverpool have been told that Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Yankuba Minteh is worth £80 million, according to Jacobs Ben.
The Reds have made two offers for the Gambian forward, both rejected, including a £60m bid.
However, Liverpool will have to offer more to land Minteh, which, per the report, the Merseyside club isn't willing to do.
Liverpool will only come back to the negotiating table if they lower their fee.
The Reds are desperate to bolster the right flank following the departure of Mohamed Salah.

#yankuba #gambian

Everton are ready to listen to offers for Jake O'Brien, according to The Athletic, with the Republic of Ireland defender attracting interest from clubs in England and across Europe as the transfer deadline looms.
The 25-year-old started 35 Premier League matches last season, playing 3,124 minutes. There was a catch, though. Almost all of that work came at right-back rather than his preferred centre-back role. That could now have a bearing on his future.
David Moyes has used O'Brien as a makeshift right-back for much of the campaign, but it has never looked like a natural fit. Everton's right-sided build-up was among the least adventurous in the division, with only 22.9% of their passes going down that flank.
O'Brien isn't suddenly a poor defender. Far from it. But asking a centre-back to provide the attacking thrust expected from a modern full-back was always going to have its limitations. There were few overlaps. Crosses were hardly flying into the box. Everton's right side often felt predictable.
O'Brien, meanwhile, wants to play in the middle again. At 25, he needs regular football in his best position, not another season spent filling a hole. And that is where the numbers inside Everton's squad become awkward.

#going #everton

Captain Siya Kolisi is set to be recalled to the South Africa side bidding to hit back in the second Test against New Zealand, with Handre Pollard preferred to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half.
The Springboks had a 12-match winning run ended by the All Blacks in a heavy defeat at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, to fall 1-0 behind in the four-match Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
Kolisi was left out for the opener but is primed to take the place of Paul de Villiers, provided he makes it through training this week. Fellow flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit – who captained in Kolisi's stead in Johannesburg – will win his 100th cap as part of an experienced back row.
Pollard is called in to start at No 10 as Feinberg-Mngomezulu drops to the bench. Scrum-half Grant Williams and wing Cheslin Kolbe are ruled out due to injury, with Cobus Reinach and Ethan Hooker starting.
Kurt-Lee Arendse is cleared to feature in the back three despite an early withdrawal from the 33-16 defeat at Ellis Park.

#ellis #park #match

Liverpool's opening day defeat at Newcastle raised a few obvious concerns, and the most glaring one sat on both flanks. In a difficult first half at St James' Park, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong struggled badly, with Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo putting it plainly: "Both Kerkez and Frimpong have been particularly shocking at left and right-back respectively."
That is strong language, but it fitted what unfolded. Newcastle scored early through Anthony Elanga after slicing through Liverpool's midfield far too easily, and from there the visitors never looked secure. The issue was not only the goal. It was the general sense of disorder. Liverpool had shots before the break, nine of them, but they barely tested Lukas Hornicek. For all the possession in spells, the attack looked loose and the defending looked looser.
Doyle added, "Each is on a booking, which is surely something Newcastle will look to expose as the game progresses. Might we see Tsimikas and Araujo in the second half?" That felt like the natural question. Once both full-backs were booked, every duel became risky and every Newcastle transition looked dangerous.
Frimpong's first half summed up the problem. There was little attacking thrust, his delivery was poor, and he kept giving the ball away. Kerkez fared no better. He was exposed for the opening goal, struggled with Elanga's pace and then wasted the few moments he had going forward. If your full-backs are meant to provide width, recovery pace and control, Liverpool got none of the three.
Photo: IMAGO

#kerkez #Liverpool #looked #half

After earning a cameo in the Coppa Italia defeat to Mantova, Davide Frattesi is expected to make his full Lazio debut against Bologna.
The Biancocelesti travelled to Emilia-Romagna for their first match of the Serie A campaign. The contest will take place on Monday, 18:30 local time. Gennaro Gattuso's squad has been boosted by the returns of Alessio Romagnoli, Gustav Isaksen, and Nuno Tavares, while Danilo Cataldi, Samuel Gigot, Patric, and new signing Josip Sutalo are unavailable.
According to the most reliable sources in the Italian media, Frattesi will earn his first start, dropping Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to the bench. The Nigerian was arguably the best of a poor bunch against Mantova, but he will be the one to make way, as Gattuso is unlikely to chop Kenneth Taylor at this early stage of the season, despite his unconvincing summer displays.
Nicolo Rovella is the only natural option for the Regista role, while the backline should remain intact, with Adam Marusic, Danilho Doekhi, Oliver Provstgaard, and Alfonso Pedraza starting in front of Christos Mandas.
According to La Lazio Siamo Noi, Matteo Cancellieri will keep his place in the attacking trident alongside Boulaye Dia and Mattia Zaccagni. On the other hand, Sky Sport Italia believes Tijjani Noslin will replace the Italian winger on the right flank.

#mantova #according #italian

Formula 1 returns from its August break on Sunday for Round 12 of the championship at the Dutch Grand Prix.
McLaren's Lando Norris starts on the pole alongside fellow Briton George Russell of Mercedes. Championship points leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes starts third, flanked on the second row by Norris' McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
Hometown man Max Verstappen will start seventh behind the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Follow the action along with Yahoo Sports:

#norris #starts #grand