Liverpool are about to welcome a new signing. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the star is on his way right now.
Liverpool are pushing hard on a few deals right now as they attempt to get Andoni Iraola's squad ready. Better late than never.
Their first deal is imminent, though, and a medical is now booked for Ronald Araujo to join Liverpool from Barcelona. This would only be a loan deal - though, there's reportedly an option to buy of around €55m.
Liverpool need cover at centre-back as both Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni are currently injured. Leoni should be back relatively soon, while it's unknown how long Gomez will be out for.
But even when everyone is fit, Liverpool only have two experienced defenders in Virgil van Dijk and Gomez. Van Dijk, though, is 35 and Gomez's injury record means he can't be a reliable option.

#Liverpool #leoni #back

Liverpool have agreed a season-long loan deal to sign Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo as Andoni Iraola moves to address his shortage of defensive options.
The 27-year-old Uruguay international is set to provide cover at centre-back and right-back, with Liverpool facing a number of injury problems across their defence.
According to The Athletic, Araujo's versatility is particularly valuable to Liverpool, with Conor Bradley expected to miss the opening months of the season with a knee injury. Joe Gomez is also recovering from a muscular problem, while Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined following an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Ibrahima Konate left Liverpool at the end of his contract to join Real Madrid, further reducing Iraola's options. Jeremy Jacquet, meanwhile, has yet to feature in pre-season after a serious shoulder injury and a subsequent minor issue.
The defensive shortage was evident during Liverpool's recent tour of the United States, with teenage defenders Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye featuring heavily. Full-back Luke Chambers was also used in central defence, while Iraola acknowledged that his squad was "thin" in the position.

#season

Liverpool have moved quickly, and with good reason. A defensive crisis has a habit of wrecking plans before a season has properly begun, so the push to bring in Ronald Araujo on a season-long loan feels like a piece of sensible business rather than a gamble.
Andoni Iraola has a problem at the back. Joe Gomez is out after limping off in pre-season and is expected to miss around a month, which leaves him absent for the start of the campaign. Giovanni Leoni is still recovering from an ACL injury, Conor Bradley may yet be sidelined for a while, and the departure of Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid has left a sizeable hole in the squad.
That is where Araujo comes in. The Barcelona defender has been lined up as the answer, a player capable of operating at centre-back and right-back, which matters when injuries are piling up and flexibility becomes priceless.
Araujo is 27 now, an age where a defender should understand the game and still have enough power to dominate it. Last season he made 24 La Liga appearances as Barcelona won the ***** le, and over the course of his time at the club he has built up 213 first-team appearances and scored 14 goals since arriving from Boston River in January 2019.
Photo: IMAGO

#season

Liverpool are set to finalise the signing of Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona.
Andoni Iraola's side havereached an agreement to sign the Barcelona captain on a season-long loan deal, with a non-mandatory option to make the move permanent for an undisclosed fee.
Liverpool have targeted Araujo to add depth to their centre-back options, following the loss of Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid on a free transfer.
Araujo will add an experienced option alongside Virgil van Dijk, helping to ease the adaption of summer signing Jeremy Jacquet and 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni, who is returning from an ACL lay-off.
Araujo will hope to rebuild his career at Liverpool after a frustrating couple of seasons in Catalonia. The Uruguay international has struggled for form and fitness in recent campaigns and took a break from football to focus on his mental health last season, amid fierce criticism.

#ibrahima

Liverpool have agreed a loan deal for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Reds desperately needed a new centre-half as they are dangerously short-manned at the back following the departure of Ibrahima Konate.
Liverpool signed Giovanni Leoni last summer, but he picked up a long-term injury before he could even find his footing. He is still getting up to speed.
The Merseyside outfit purchased Jeremy Jacquet in January, but soon after, he also picked up an injury that sidelined him for months.
Joe Gomez has suffered an injury in pre-season, too, leaving Liverpool light in the rearguard ahead of the resumption of the Premier League.

#Liverpool #ronald #ibrahima

Giovanni Leoni is eager to get back on the field for Liverpool as he nears the conclusion of an extended rehabilitation. The Italian sustained an ACL injury during his Reds debut last September, entering late in what had been a promising first appearance in a League Cup victory against Southampton.
Nearly 10 months on, the 19-year-old is now working outdoors. He made the trip with the senior squad to the United States to continue his rehabilitation, although he's not yet prepared to rejoin the main group.
While currently unable to address Liverpool's defensive shortage as a result, the youngster is in positive spirits as he begins to target his comeback, via the Liverpool Echo.
-Credit:Nikki Dyer, Liverpool FC via Getty Images
"Now I feel really good," he said. "After 10 months, I'm back on the pitch alone. But I feel really good, in the last weeks I felt really good on the pitch.

#Liverpool #rehabilitation #last

Liverpool have no plans to bring Jarell Quansah back to Anfield despite facing a defensive injury crisis ahead of the new Premier League season, talkSPORT reports.
Liverpool have an option to re-sign the 23-year-old defender from Bayer Leverkusen through a £70 million buyback clause, but they've decided against pursuing the deal.
Interestingly, this comes at a time when Liverpool are dealing with several defensive concerns.
Liverpool stalwart Joe Gomez is expected to miss the start of the season after sustaining an injury in the Reds' 4-2 victory over Sunderland in their pre-season curtain-raiser.
Highly rated youngsters Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni are both still working their way back to full fitness after lengthy injury setbacks.

#quansah

Liverpool's planning at centre-back has taken an uncomfortable turn after Joe Gomez suffered an injury in the pre-season friendly against Sunderland, a development that further narrows Andoni Iraola's options before the new season begins.
As reported by BBC Sport, Gomez went off after only eight minutes and was then absent from training in Chicago on Sunday. There is still no confirmed timescale on the issue, but the immediate picture is clear enough. Liverpool are short in a key area of the pitch, and that shortage is sharpening the focus on both recruitment planning and existing contingency measures.
Photo IMAGO
At present, Virgil van Dijk stands as the only fit senior centre-back available. For a side preparing for another demanding campaign, that is far from ideal. Van Dijk's status as captain and defensive leader remains central, but relying so heavily on one established figure at this stage of pre-season leaves little margin for error.
The problem has been compounded by the unavailability of summer arrivals Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni. Jacquet's issue is understood to be minor, yet the timing leaves Iraola with an undeniably thin group in central defence. It is the sort of situation clubs prefer to avoid in July and August, because even short absences can disrupt rhythm, partnerships and tactical work.

#season #centre #short

Good Vibes in the Kitzbühel Alps: Head coach Markus Högner painted a positive picture of the BVB Women following their week-long training camp: “The conditions here are excellent. We’ve developed a playbook and are working on our principles both offensively and defensively.” On the well-maintained training fields in Austria, Markus Högner noted the team’s exceptional dedication, and he added that they were also having plenty of fun during recreational activities—which are especially important for integrating the seven new signings.
After just two training sessions, the BVB Women kicked off their summer preparations with a 5–2 friendly win against Eintracht Frankfurt II. Three new signings—Lara Schmidt, Ramona Maier, and Jacqueline Meißner—all scored in their first appearance for the Black and Yellows. Ahead of the friendly against Bundesliga promoted side Mainz 05, the head coach explained: “During the first week of training, there was still too much initial frantic activity in some situations. We’re improving from session to session and are looking forward to a hard-fought test against the Mainz women.”
A perfect start for the Black and Yellows: Markus Högner’s team came out determined and started energetically at the Hopfgarten sports field. The early stages were dominated by a confident BVB Women team, which was awarded its second corner kick as early as the seventh minute. After a set piece taken by Rita Schumacher, the ball found its way to Alex Popp, who clinically headed home her first chance of the game to give BVB a 1-0 lead (7th minute)—her debut goal for the Black and Yellows! Just three minutes later, the BVB Women were awarded a penalty kick. Rita Schumacher, last season’s top scorer, stepped up and slotted the ball into the right corner to make it 2–0 (10th minute).
There was no sign of the pace slowing down: The early one-two punch served as a wake-up call for the Mainz women, who pulled one back in the 21st minute after a long ball found striker Fetaj’s head. And the action continued in quick succession. On one end, goal-scorer Alex Popp was in exactly the right spot on a set piece, but her second header hit only the crossbar. In the immediate counterattack, Mainz 05 shifted gears and tied the game at 2–2 (28th minute) through Leonie Stöhr, who tapped in a cross from two meters out.
In the back-and-forth offensive exchange between the two teams, the BVB Women found another answer. Sixty seconds after the equalizer: Ramona Maier finished off a pinpoint through ball from Noreen Günnewig with a one-touch finish into the left corner to regain the lead—3–2 in the 29th minute. For Maier, who joined BVB from SGS Essen this summer, it was already her second goal in her second game for the BVB Women.

#minute #ball

Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has outlined the club’s transfer plans for this window and pinpointed one position on the pitch that they “definitely need” to address with incoming players.
Liverpool have already signed defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, although that deal was agreed back in January, and forward Victor Munoz from Osasuna this summer.
However, Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate have all left the club, while the likes of Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are sidelined through injury. Transfer guru Michael Edwards has also left Anfield this summer, throwing a lot of their plans up in the air.
Iraola was reticent to commit to an exact number of signings when he spoke to reporters in Chicago as part of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States but acknowledged that a Salah replacement on the wing was a non-negotiable addition.
“I think it is difficult to say a number,” said Iraola. “When the market is open, you have to be always open to new options to improve the squad.

#iraola #salah #plans

FIFA worried about expanding the World Cup to 48 teams. Those fears were totally misplaced. The competition never felt watered-down at all. Instead of cutting back to 32, the tournament looks ready for 64 teams. Gianni Infantino has already pushed for this massive expansion. He told Swiss media outlet Bluewin that the format works perfectly. The result is a thrilling final four that fans wanted to see.
Neutral fans will love the upcoming matchups. Spain and France meet deep in the heart of Texas. England faces Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta. These games promise to be huge box office draws. The 48-team structure delivered exactly what the sport needed.
Spain has slowly grown into itself over the course of the tournament. They allowed just one goal the whole way. This defensive dominance reminds fans of their 2010 champions. That squad was led by Vicente del Bosque. Spain dominated the ball in that same serial winner style. Their growth was steady and impressive throughout the weeks.
France has been Napoleonically imperial throughout the entire event. They mowed through every challenger with ease. Every game looked simple for the French side. They made it all look easy against tough opponents. Both teams have been the two best in this World Cup. Now they face off in what looks like the game of the tournament.
The semifinals and final promise to be thrilling box office. This success proves the expansion was the right call. The relative lack of jeopardy on the last day of group stage did not hurt the quality. It seems a reason to expand to 64 teams instead. FIFA could hardly have imagined a better outcome than this.

Liverpool have begun to shake up their centre-back department.
Giovanni Leoni arrived last summer on a £26m deal from Parma. And over the course of the last few transfer windows Richard Hughes has been busy adding to his stockpile.
Mor Talla Ndiaye was acquired in January and deals were also put in place for Jeremy Jacquet and Ifeanyi Ndukwe. Hopes are high for Jacquet in particular following his £60m signing from Rennes in Ligue 1.
Like Leoni, 19, the Frenchman has been injured but looks set to feature in preseason following his arrival on Merseyside.
Those two are among the top candidates to replace Ibrahima Konate alongside Virgil van Dijk in the centre of Andoni Iraola’s defence.

France dispatched a what had hitherto been a stout Morocco side 2-0 in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals. Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Démbélé were the goalscorers in the labored victory, but more bonus for Kylian who just set a new record for most World Cup knockout stage goals ever scored:
Here’s the rest of the list of the most prolific scorers of the knockout stage, taken from Guinness World Records’ official website:
2nd) Leonidas – 8 goals in 5 games
2nd) Ronaldo – 8 goals in 10 games
4th) Just Fontaine – 7 goals in 3 games

Liverpool are reportedly among numerous clubs to have dispatched scouts to watch a teenage defender who caught the eye at the 2026 World Cup.
FSG have implemented a clear strategy to invest in long-term potential at centre-back, with several young signings in that position over the past year, including Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet for the first team, and the likes of Dara Jikiemi and Mor Talla Ndiaye for the academy.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY
The defensive recruitment drive mightn’t have finished, either, judging by a report which has emerged on Wednesday afternoon.
According to Graeme Bailey for TEAMtalk, Liverpool are among several Premier League clubs to have ******* igned scouts to keep a close watch on Lucas Herrington, who plays for Colorado Rapids in MLS and represented Australia at this year’s World Cup.

Only one golfer finished in red, and another dropped an ace to highlight the first day of the 120th Vermont Amateur at Ekwanok Country Club on Tuesday, July 7.
Alex Leonard, a 2021 Champlain Valley Union High School graduate, was the lone golfer to finish his opening round under par, firing a 69 to seize a one-stroke lead over 2024 Amateur champion Lucas Politano and Austin Giroux. Meanwhile, Nick Trottier holed the par 3 11th hole for the day's signature shot.
Evan Russell, a two-time Amateur winner, and Luke Russell are tied for fourth at 1-over. Garren Poirier, who won this tournament in 2020, and Bryan Smith, the 2016 champ, are tied for sixth along with Stephen Goodridge and Jay Zanleoni at 2-over.
Taylor Bellemare and Jacob Lowe share 10th through 18 holes at 3-over.
To sit atop the leaderboard, Leonard, who was a multi-sport athlete at CVU, drained three birdies to go along with two bogeys. He shot a front-9 34.

Liverpool are reconstructing their centre-back line.
Last summer the Reds signed Giovanni Leoni for £26m from Parma. This week they announced the capture of Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes for a fee that could top £60m.
Other promising young defenders like Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe have also arrived - safeguarding the position long into the future.
The outgoing Premier League champions require numbers and quality in the position for several reasons.
Ibrahima Konate, 27, has joined Real Madrid on a free transfer. And other senior options - Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez - are out of contract in 2027.

Liverpool's defence is one of their main areas that need upgrading this summer.
Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were about the only defenders who had decent seasons for the Reds last term and, since the latter of the two has already left, there's clearly a lot of work to be done.
Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet are obviously two options that the Reds have at their disposal but, since neither of them have played Premier League football and are both still young, there's a lot of worry about whether they have what it takes to be Van Dijk's partner.
This has led to rumours emerging left, right and centre about the future of the club and now, it feels like Richard Hughes and Andoni Iraola may have stumbled across the perfect player for them.
Jacobo Ramon is one of the many reasons why Como find themselves in the Champions League next season.

LAS VEGAS, NV – The New York Liberty defeated the Las Vegas Aces, 87-76, in a WNBA game at Michelob ULTRA Arena on June 23, 2026 and The Sporting Tribune's DJ Cabanlong was there to capture the following TST Images.
DJ Cabanlong - The Sporting Tribune
Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) dribbles the ball up the court during a WNBA game between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty, Tuesday June 23, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nev.
DJ Cabanlong - The Sporting Tribune
Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) dribbles the ball upcourt as New York Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (13) follows her during a WNBA game between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty, Tuesday June 23, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Justice Department on Friday refused to issue a signed declaration from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche verifying that it no longer intends to pursue President Donald Trump's "Anti-Weaponization Fund."
The DOJ's refusal comes after a federal judge last week gave the administration seven days to verify in a declaration that it wouldn't create the controversial fund.
"Such declarations are unnecessary and the compelled testimony of senior officials from the Executive Branch implicates serious separation of powers concerns," the DOJ said in a court filing Friday to U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who last week issued an injunction indefinitely blocking the administration from creating the fund.
Judge issues injunction blocking administration's 'Anti-Weaponization Fund'
Brinkema had given the Trump administration seven days to verify in a declaration from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that it wouldn't create the fund, which she said would likely lead to the dismissal of the lawsuit she was overseeing against the fund.

Liverpool’s summer is beginning to look less like a transfer window and more like a statement of intent. According to Mike Verweij of the Telegraaf, the Reds have made contact over Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Micky van de Ven, with Barcelona also said to be “knocking on the door”.
For Andoni Iraola, this would be a significant move. Liverpool have already added Victor Munoz from Osasuna, but the possible pursuit of Van de Ven points to a wider rebuild.
The Dutch defender has been described as “world-class”, and it is easy to see why. His recovery pace, composure and ability to defend large **** es would appear tailor-made for a Liverpool side expected to press high and play with aggression.
Ibrahima Konate’s move to Real Madrid has changed the picture. Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni may be talented, but neither has played a Premier League minute. That makes Van de Ven a different type of target, proven, powerful and already adjusted to English football.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is willing to get his hands dirty to get a job done. That was clear on June 18 as the longtime executive was tasked with spreading mulch and cutting down tree branches.
"Any job you get involved with, you try to do it right," Cashman said. "I've been doing mulching, so I want to be the best mulcher I can possibly be for them."
Cashman joined Yankees players, coaches and employees to team up with a North Jersey-based non-profit to clean up the lawn at a family home in Leonia.
As part of the team's 17th edition of HOPE Week, members of the Yankees collaborated with Wayne native Brian Schwartz and his nonprofit company "I Want To Mow Your Lawn", providing lawn care for older adults, veterans and those with financial hardships.
"It's bigger than lawn care," Schwartz said. "It's a byproduct of our mission to spread kindness with a simple thing like yardwork. Helping out neighbors in my community, I didn't think it was anything groundbreaking. I never thought 'Hey, one day I'll be mowing with the Yankees.'"

Last year, Liverpool saw right back Trent Alexander-Arnold run down his contract and join Real Madrid in a move that soured a lot of fans on the boyhood Red. At the same time, centre half Ibrahima Konaté was expected to follow him a year later.
Whether Konaté watched the acrimony around Alexander-Arnold’s move and decided he wanted none of it, or whether he genuinely had a change of heart and was seeking to extend his stay at Liverpool, over the past year the story became one of Konaté actually wanting to sign a new Liverpool deal.
In the end, though, that didn’t happen. And today Konaté has officially completed a free transfer to Real Madrid that for much of the past year seemed to have been shelved.
While Konaté is coming off a down year for Liverpool, losing the 27-year-old for nothing is a blow. There are good reasons based on talent and ability, after all, that he’s signing on with Real Madrid and not, with apologies to any MLS truthers, Real Salt Lake City.
Confirmation of his departure leaves Liverpool with 35-year-old Virgil van Dijk, an injury **** e Joe Gomez, and a pair of teenagers coming off serious injuries in Giovanni Leoni and Rennes signing Jérémy Jacquet as options, which will have many a little nervous heading into 2026-27.

NEW YORK (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 14 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks to help the New York Liberty beat the Washington Mystics 86-64 on Sunday and clinch a spot in the Commissioner's Cup championship game.
Jonquel Jones scored 17 of her 20 points in the second half to lead the Liberty (10-4), who have won seven straight games.
The Liberty have made the finals of the mid-season tournament three times, winning once and losing once. Now, New York must wait to find out its finals opponent and whether or not it will host the **** le game. That will come down to whether the Liberty or the Western Conference representative has a better overall record.
The game marked the return of Sabrina Ionescu, who missed the last seven Liberty games with back soreness. Playing just her second game after she had an ankle injury to start the season, Ionescu checked in midway through the first quarter and received a loud ovation from the crowd.
She had a trio of stellar passes in the first quarter, the third of which led to an open 3-pointer for Leonie Fiebich, which gave New York a 20-13 advantage. The Liberty were up 36-28 at the half as Stewart had 11 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in the opening 20 minutes. She's only the second player to have at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a half in WNBA history, joining Brittney Griner.

Liverpool are facing a centre-back shakeup this summer.
The outgoing Premier League champions will wave goodbye to Ibrahima Konate once his contract officially expires on June 30. And there could be bids incoming for Joe Gomez - who is out of contract in 2027.
The process of renewal has already begun with the signings of Giovanni Leoni, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Jeremy Jacquet.
And one might ****** ume that keeping Virgil van Dijk around until the end of his contract in 2027 would be integral to Liverpool’s plans given the lack of experience in the players mentioned.
But that stance is going to be tested imminently.

Liverpool are reportedly monitoring one of the biggest talents in European football. What a signing this could be.
Liverpool have set about securing some of the best young talents in European football over recent years. Florian Wirtz is the headliner there, but the Reds also brought in Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet.
Perhaps there's another one, too. Caught Offside claim Liverpool are monitoring Luka Vuskovic as they continue their centre-back hunt.
Ibrahima Konate's exit forces them to consider a new signing and there really aren't any better than Vuskovic right now. His sensational season with Hamburg has him as one of the very best talents across the top five European leagues.
It would be a sensational signing. Though, it's a difficult one. Vuskovia was only on loan with Hamburg last season - he's actually contracted to Tottenham Hotspur.

We've already seen some beautiful astronomical phenomena this year, from the northern lights to the Leonid meteor shower that's about to peak. Add the December full moon, the final supermoon of the year, to the mix.
When is the December full moon? What makes it a supermoon? How did it get its name? Here's more on the December full moon.
The December full moon, known as the cold moon, will reach peak illumination on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 6:14 p.m. ET, according to **** e.com.
There are three supermoons in 2025, with two already visible in October and November.
December's full moon will be th

Some of the fastest meteors will streak across the sky on the night of Nov. 17, as the Leonid meteor shower reaches its peak.
According to NASA, the bright, colorful meteors travel at speeds of 44 miles per second. The annual event, which typically peaks in mid-November, is considered one of the major meteor showers of the year.
Active from Nov. 3 to Dec. 2, 2025, the Leonids are famous for their fireballs, larger, more brilliant bursts of light and color that lingers longer than typical meteors, and Earth-grazers, which skim the horizon with long, colorful tails.
Here’s everything to need

A giant spiderweb in ****** e?

Not quite – this image from Hubble's 32nd year shows CW Leonis, a dying red giant star.

The orange-red "cobwebs" are dusty clouds of sooty carbon, created from the outer layers of CW Leonis being thrown out into ****** e: https://go.nasa.gov/4lD9tv...

https://go.nasa.gov/4lD9tv...

A giant spiderweb in ****** e?

Not quite – this image from Hubble's 32nd year shows CW Leonis, a dying red giant star.

The orange-red "cobwebs" are dusty clouds of sooty carbon, created from the outer layers of CW Leonis being thrown out into ****** e: https://go.nasa.gov/4lD9tv...

https://go.nasa.gov/4lD9tv...