VfB Stuttgart have officially confirmed the signing of Feyenoord attacker Leo Sauer. The Swabians edged out regional Baden-Württemberg rivals Hoffenheim to obtain the 20-year-old's signature. Kicker and all other reputable German footballing media sources confirm a base transfer fee of approximately €12.5m. Moreover, all sources corroborate the existence of performance bonuses tacked onto the deal.
Sauer's new contract in the BaWü capital runs through 2031. Sauer already possesses a profile in Germany, courtesy of the fact that he made Nnamdi Collins' life a nightmare during Slovakia's September 2025 upset of Germany. The young Slovak international will now receive a chance to further enhance his career in the Bundesliga.
"Leo has repeatedly demonstrated his qualities in the Dutch Eredivisie, in the Europa League, and while playing for the Slovak national team," VfB Board Member for Sport Fabian Wohlgemuth noted in a club statement. "He is a player with great potential for us—not just because of his age. We've signed him with the firm conviction that we can further strengthen and expand our [team] attacking approach within our playing culture for the coming years."
It feels great to now be part of such a prestigious club." the player himself added. "VfB has a strong reputation, a rich tradition, and a huge fan base. I can't wait to get to know all my teammates and play for my new club for the first time. My goal is to be as successful as possible with VfB in all three competitions."
GGFN | Peter Weis

#slovak

Jul. 29—CHAMPAIGN — Matt Leskis has a unique perspective on the football rivalry between Champaign Central and Centennial.
He grew up playing in the battle for Champaign.
Albeit for Centennial, where he graduated from in 1986. The Chargers went 2-2 against the Maroons during his time as a player.
Leskis has served as the Central coach, however, for the last two seasons. When those annual matchups happened the second week of the season.
That won't be the case this year, though. The Maroons and Chargers will meet in Week 9 at Tommy Stewart Field with the regular-season finale scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 16.

#central #maroons #week

Paris Saint-Germain are not expected to attempt to sign AFC Bournemouth's Éli Junior Kroupi (20) this summer, according to reports from RMC Sport.
Whilst seeking an attacking reinforcement to compensate for the departures of Gonçalo Ramos (24), Lee Kang-in (25) and Randal Kolo Muani (27), the Rouge et Bleu management have not, for the time being, opened the door to the young striker's arrival in the capital, although he is reportedly interested in the project and has supporters within the club.
However, given the Cherries' determination to keep him and the potential cost of prising him away, the Kroupi deal is not currently a priority. A sum in excess of €100m is said to be the minimum required for any club wishing to secure his services.
Meanwhile, Barcelona's Ferran Torres (26) and Atalanta's Charles de Ketelaere (25) – whose names have already been linked with the two-time European champions – are on Paris's shortlist. So too is a third player, whose identity has not yet been revealed.
GFFN | Léo Aschi

#Paris #sport

Wide receiver River Cracraft is back with the Commanders.
Cracraft played two games for the team last season and the Commanders announced his signing on Wednesday morning. They also confirmed the signing of punter Matt Haack.
Cracraft returned a pair of punts during last year's stint in Washington. He had 32 catches for 374 yards and three touchdowns in 53 games for the Dolphins, 49ers and Broncos before landing with the Commanders.
The Commanders released linebacker Andre Carter and tight end Anthony Firkser to create **** e on the roster for the new arrivals. They also announced that they have activated cornerback Fred Davis from the non-football illness list.

#cracraft #games #announced

Memory-chip stocks Micron Technology (MU) and SK Hynix (SKHY) fell Monday after Chinese rival ChangXin Memory Technologies, known as CXMT, rocketed in its initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
CXMT shares soared 466% in an IPO on Monday, giving the company a market capitalization of $484 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported. CXMT makes dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips, competing with Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix.
Another Chinese memory-chip maker, Yangtze Memory Technologies, is expected to conduct an IPO later this year, the Journal said. Yangtze, also known as YMTC, makes Nand flash memory chips and competes with Sandisk (SNDK) as well as Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix.
On the stock market today, Micron slid 2.3% to close at 900.20. SK Hynix dropped 7.5% to 143.02. Sandisk stock plunged 11% to 1,278.23.
In a client note, Wedbush Securities ******* yst Matt Bryson questioned how successful CXMT's business could be outside of China. Because of U.S. export restrictions, CXMT doesn't have access to ASML's (ASML) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography gear so it can't make faster, higher-capacity chips to compete with Micron and its South Korean peers.

#micron #Stock

As we slowly approach the start of the new season, there is much anxiety among Barcelona fans surrounding the attacking department.
The departure of Robert Lewandowski coupled with the potential exit of Ferran Torres means Barcelona are in desperate need of a new centre forward.
But their pursuit of Julian Alvarez has not progressed, with Atletico Madrid still determined not to sell their star player to a direct rival.
All eyes on Alvarez's future. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona will exhaust every possible avenue to bring Alvarez to the club, though they will not go beyond the €100 million already offered.

#torres #madrid

Bayern Munich are hoping the arrival of Nathaniel Brown will motivate Alphonso Davies to return to his best form, according to Sport1.
A club source told the outlet: "Thankfully, the competition for places here is brutal."
The Bayern hierarchy reportedly expects Davies to respond positively to the increased competition and consistently improve his performances, provided he can stay injury-free.
Although the Bundesliga champions would be prepared to listen to exceptional offers for the Canadian this summer, Sport1 reports that a departure currently appears unlikely.
Instead, Bayern expect Davies to remain at the club and use the added competition from Brown as an opportunity to prove his critics wrong with consistent displays throughout the season.

#davies #sport1 #munich #nathaniel

Weird things happen when the Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres get together, and tonight's game was one of many such occasions in the history of this rivalry. The first of two in San Diego had it all. Terrible defense, many different pitchers, chair interference, multiple ejections from the Padres' bench—including manager Craig Stammen—and finally a walk-off loss after more than three hours.
"We all kept going," manager Warren Schaeffer **** sed after the game. "Back and forth ballgame, really good big-league ballgame in terms of back-and-forth. Some big offensive moments. Two big at-bats for [Ezequiel Tovar] today. Big homer from [Mickey Moniak], Willi [Castro] — a couple of good walks from Willi, and Cole [Carrigg] just moving the line.
"Scoring 7 runs on the road, that's pretty good," he continued. "[We] scored against their bullpen a little bit, it's a really good bullpen. But then on the other side of the ball, we had four errors. Errors and walks, walks and errors. You're not going to win in the big leagues if you walk guys, especially late in the game and then you make errors in big moments."
Right-handed starter Michael Lorenzen was the first of many pitchers utilized by the Rockies in tonight's… let's call it "interesting" affair against the Padres. Lorenzen, despite a string of solid starts in recent memory, was looking to rebound after getting hammered hard by the Washington Nationals his last time out.
Instead, Lorenzen gave up a lot of contact in an inefficient start. He threw 93 pitches in just four innings while also giving up eight hits with a walk and only two strikeouts.

#good #Rockies

JonJones remains highly confident in his ability.

In a recent interview, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight and lightheavyweight **** leholder weighed in on how he believes a fightagainst fellow former two-division king AlexPereira and a wrestling match against longtime rival DanielCormier would unfold, backing himself in both scenarios.
Jones and Pereira were seemingly on a collision course when thelatter announced his move up to heavyweight for UFC Freedom 250. However, with Jones' ongoing stalemate withthe UFC regarding his future, a fight against "Poatan" has fallenthrough.

Nevertheless, Jones cites size as a key factor at heavyweight,claiming his former opponents StipeMiocic and Ciryl Ganeare bigger than Pereira, who previously competed at 185 pounds.

"I watched Pereira train," Jones said in an interview with AFLGlobal. "I see his level of wrestling and it's way behind. I feelas if Stipe Miocic is a true heavyweight. He's a big, big boy.Ciryl Gane, when you see him in person, he's a big, big boy. AlexPereira is not a big, big boy. He's a lean guy. I think right nowhe weighs maybe 250."

Jones believes his size and grappling would have overwhelmedPereira, predicting a submission win had they collided inside theOctagon.

"I feel as if my physical strength would have been too much forhim," Jones said. "I felt as if the moment I would have gotten himto the ground, my submissions would have come pretty quickly. Imean, everyone knows that. I think that's the clearest path tovictory for me against Alex Pereira. But we're not fighting. I am afan of him. I support him, and I want to see him do well."

"Bones" also discussed his approach towards a potential wrestlingmatch with Cormier, who he's already shared the cage withtwice.

"I think I would have beat D.C. in a wrestling match," Jones said."It wouldn't be easy, but I think I would beat him in wrestling. Ihear that he has problems with his back, so my strategy would be tojust try to wear on him. Not shoot, not go for the takedown, butjust hand fight, hand fight, hand fight and see if I could wear onthat back."

#pereira #hand

Travis Etienne is ready to ignite the Saints' offense at training camp originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When the New Orleans Saints begin training camp, one of the most intriguing storylines will be the arrival of running back Travis Etienne Jr. and the impact he can make in the team's revamped offense.
After signing with the Saints in free agency, Etienne brings explosive playmaking ability and versatility to an offense looking to become more dynamic under offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Although veteran Alvin Kamara remains a major part of the Saints' plans, the team's decision to restructure Kamara's contract has opened the door for Etienne to carve out a significant role.
Etienne's ability to contribute as both a runner and a receiver makes him an ideal fit for Moore's offensive system. Throughout his career, he has shown the speed to turn short gains into explosive plays while also serving as a reliable target out of the backfield. Moore is expected to utilize Etienne's quickness by getting him involved on outside runs, screens, swing passes, and mismatches against linebackers in the passing game.
Last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Etienne totaled 13 touchdowns, once again proving he can be a productive weapon near the goal line while also generating big plays in the open field. His combination of acceleration and versatility gives New Orleans another offensive threat that defenses must account for on every snap.

#etienne #travis #sporting #orleans

Texans expect David Montgomery to fix their biggest offensive weakness originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When the Houston Texans report for training camp, one of the biggest storylines will be the arrival of veteran running back David Montgomery and the impact he can have on an offense looking to establish a more consistent ground game.
Houston made Montgomery a priority this offseason after its rushing attack struggled throughout 2025. The Texans averaged just 3.9 yards per carry last season, ranking fourth-lowest in the NFL, and the organization believes Montgomery is the physical runner capable of changing that trend.
Known for his toughness, vision, and ability to break tackles, Montgomery brings a downhill running style that fits Houston's desire to become more balanced on offense. He has built a reputation as one of the league's most dependable power backs, consistently finding tough yards between the tackles while wearing down opposing defenses.
Beyond his ability to move the chains, Montgomery has been one of the NFL's most productive goal-line runners. During his three seasons with the Detroit Lions, he rushed for 33 touchdowns, proving to be a reliable finisher in the red zone. That production is exactly what the Texans hope to add to an offense that left valuable points on the field last season.

#david #running

Our ***** ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Boring wins again. Italgas, the pipe company ***** ody talks about at parties, just posted a record 81% margin and 25% EBITDA growth by doing something shockingly simple: buying a rival and actually integrating it well.
Italgas, Europe's largest gas distributor, posted first-half adjusted EBITDA of €1.07 billion, up 25% year over year. Total adjusted revenue climbed to €1.32 billion, up 17.5%, and adjusted net profit rose 27.3% to €398.6 million. CEO Paolo Gallo called the margin the highest in company history.
The engine behind all of it is last year's acquisition of 2i Rete Gas. Italgas has already banked roughly 42% of its 2032 synergy target, capturing about €130 million in savings in just six months, against €35 million for all of 2025 combined. Total operating costs fell 6.4% even after absorbing the new company's cost base, and dropped more than 20% on a like-for-like basis. Full-year guidance and the long-range strategic plan both stayed intact.
There's no oil-price guessing game here, no battery race, no app anyone needs to fall in love with. Italgas owns pipes under regulated contracts and gets paid to keep them running. The 2i Rete Gas numbers prove something specific: this deal wasn't just about scale, it was about actually finding the overlap in networks, contracts, IT systems, and procurement, and squeezing real money out of it, faster than the integration playbook usually allows.

#italgas #total #company #posted

Counting Stars has been shining bright during her three-year-old season
During the Spring and Summer, most of the Thoroughbred racing focus is on events like the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes, and Travers Stakes. All these races are restricted to three-year-olds and mostly males run in them. For every race that has colts contending for greatness and notoriety, there is a sister race for those wonderful three-year-old fillies. During the 2026 racing season, a fantastic filly named Counting Stars has been quite celestial and is shining as bright as any three-year-old currently, regardless of gender.
The grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks has long been a summer showcase for the three-year-old girls. Inaugurated in 1917, this mile and an eighth dance over the New York dirt has seen its fair share of fantastic fillies. The 2026 edition was a showdown between Kentucky Oaks (opening leg of the Triple Tiarra) winner Always A Runner and Acorn Stakes (third leg and sister to the Belmont Stakes) champ Counting Stars. As the race unfolded, it became more of a showcase for a fabulous female.
Breaking alertly under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Counting Stars immediately ******* umed the lead and rolled through some solid early fractions (23.86 opening quarter mile, 47.60 half mile). Sashaying to the top of the stretch in an almost effortless fashion, this daughter of Honor A.P. was suddenly challenged by her rival and Oaks winner Always A Runner. With an eighth of a mile to go, the two were running side by side and separated by a whisker. Suddenly, the Stars aligned and with an amazing comet-like burst of speed, this mercurial filly trained by Mark Casse left her rival eating kickback as she whisked towards the wire. At the sixteenth pole the race was over and Counting Stars cruised past the finish an emphatic 4 ¼ lengths ahead in Stakes record time (1:48.98).
"Coming into the race I was about as confident as you can be in this filly", says trainer Mark Casse. "At the eighth pole, I wondered if perhaps I was wrong and she's not as good as I think. Always a Runner is a very good horse so naturally I was a little concerned, but then she responded to the challenge with a huge effort down the lane".

#stakes #year #always #runner

CHICAGO — USC will be put through the wringer this season. The Trojans will play Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana. They also have to hit the road to take on Penn State and Wisconsin back-to-back games.
As much of a gauntlet as USC's schedule is, it possesses a glaring omission: Notre Dame.
The news broke last winter that USC and Notre Dame had failed to reach an agreement to play what would be the 97th game in the historic series between the rival programs during the 2026 season. They have faced off in 78 consecutive seasons, excluding the COVID-19-affected campaign.
That streak is coming to an end this year. Previously, the series had only been paused for a three-year period that coincided with World War II and, as mentioned above, briefly for the pandemic.
When word got out about the newest hiatus in December, USC head coach Lincoln Riley blamed Notre Dame. He's not backing away from the sentiment he expressed back then.

#notre #back #season #Chicago

Caroline Dubois spends some time talking about her disappointment in not being able to secure a ****** le unification fight just yet as she aims to go undisputed, and keeping busy in the meanwhile rather than sitting around and waiting for the big fights to come her way. Dubois would also call out some rivals who she believes to be ducking the smoke.
"It's very disappointing. The goal was to fight either Elif Turhan or Stephanie Han. Unfortunately the Elif Turhan fight fell apart and unfortunately the Stephanie Han fight is something that has to wait, she just fought recently. So, she's resting or recovering and hopefully we can get that fight end of the year, that's the plan. I'm disappointed with Elif. We sent her an offer, she turned it down and, yeah, at the end of the day you can't force someone into the ring."
"There's a few reasons, I'm not going to go into them. At the end of the day, all I can say is the facts. I'm so happy with what we've achieved, I'm so happy for where I'm at, and I'm so excited for the future. And I know another fact is I want to be better…I want to dominate. You have to train to dominate. You have to train, you have to push yourself and I think the definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result. So if you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done.
"Working with Manny Robles now, I've been with him for three weeks now and it's been really good, really positive, great sparring, the work is good…I'm just happy to be in an exciting, booming gym."
"I think she's a coward. At the end of the day I think she knew I was going to be here, she knew that Mikaela Mayer was going to be here — she probably just thought 'nah, I don't want it'. She doesn't want it and I think it's a lame move. You come all the way out to the UK and you don't turn up? You don't want to be in the mix of some big fights? You got a table full of opponents that could possibly be in [with], you're not about it?! I think it's real disappointing and it shows her character."

#going #don 't

The Seattle Seahawks have inarguably the best uniform wardrobe in the entire NFL. Their rotation is versatile for every day usage, and also include some of the best alternates in the sport. Now, the 12th Man can mark their calendars for when they can expect to see some of their favorite threads in action.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Seahawks announced two games that will feature the beloved royal blue throwbacks, and one game that will feature the brand new Nike Rivalries grey and green uniform. They are as follows:
Week 7 - Sunday Night Football vs Kansas City Chiefs (throwbacks)
Week 13 - Monday Night Football vs Dallas Cowboys (throwbacks)
Week 16 - Christmas Day vs Los Angeles Rams (Rivalries)

#throwbacks #night #best #Seattle

The Philadelphia Eagles are back together, and preparations for the 2026 season have officially begun.
Players reported to the Jefferson Health Training Complex on Tuesday for the opening of training camp. The Eagles' social media team released photos and a video offering fans their first look at the team's arrival. Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith were among the offensive stars shown entering the facility. Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley and Andy Dalton were also included in the team's arrival gallery.
The defensive group featured Jalen Carter, Cooper DeJean, Nolan Smith, Marcus Epps, Moro Ojomo and offseason addition Riq Woolen. Carter reported on the same day Philadelphia announced his four-year extension through the 2031 season, providing another significant development as camp opened.
The arrivals also offered an early glimpse at newcomers preparing for their first training camp with Philadelphia, and were buoyed by Jalen Carter's historic contract extension. Saquon Barkley, Jake Elliott, Hurts, Andy Dalton and Cooper DeJean were among the players photographed entering the facility.
Reporting day marks the transition from offseason projection to on-field evaluation. The Eagles must begin installing Sean Mannion's offense while determining how the receiving targets will be distributed around Smith. Philadelphia also has competitions to resolve throughout the secondary and at several depth positions.

#Eagles

CHICAGO – When the House settlement took effect last year, schools could directly share revenue with athletes with a cap in place. That limit doesn't include third-party NIL deals, though, and roster costs continue to increase in college football.
Speaking Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days, USC coach Lincoln Riley spoke in favor of a "true salary cap" in college sports. While he said the landscape is beginning to stabilize a bit, that would make things even better.
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Riley noted the discussions around the state of college sports as the NIL era continues to evolve. He doesn't see the craziness being as much of an issue as others on the outside, though. Instead, he argued things are getting better, though he said a salary cap would further help.
"I've always been one, like, I don't want to have less than somebody has," Riley told reporters at the Hilton Chicago. "But I don't necessarily have to have more. I just don't want to be at some massive, massive disadvantage, if you're trying to win a championship. I will say this, despite the perception outside, it has normalized a lot in the last few years.

#riley #salary #sports

Brooks Koepka will not be playing in Detroit after all.
The PGA Tour announced on Tuesday, July 28, the five-time major champion has withdrawn from the 2026 Rocket Classic after committing to the tournament on July 13.
Ben Silverman will take his place in the 147-player field that is now finalized (see full field and tee times below).
Koepka has had a unique schedule this year for a player as accomplished as himself. He had to earn his status back on the PGA Tour after leaving for the start-up rival LIV Golf from 2022-25.
Part of that has included stops at tournaments he has not typically played in to try and earn FedEx Cup points, such as playing the final Rocket Classic in Detroit, where he had never played before.

#field #earn

Matt Campbell has a chance to become an even bigger name in college football circles after his arrival at Penn State. He was already one of the more respected head coaches in the nation thanks to his performance in his 10 seasons with Iowa State.
Campbell became the winningest coach in Cyclones history and has the best winning percentage in the school's modern history. Now, he'll be facing a much tougher challenge with the Nittany Lions, prompting people at the Big Ten's media day to question what was the motivation to leave Iowa State.
Campbell was asked about why he left for Penn State when he wouldn't even leave for the Detroit Lions' head coaching gig back in 2021. "If I were ever going to leave Iowa State, it was going to have to be a school and an institution that really fit how I believe and what I believe," said Campbell.
He clearly believes the Nittany Lions align with those ideals, telling reporters, "What Penn State football has stood for really resonated with myself… it really had to be a perfect fit."
Whatever fans may feel about former coach James Franklin — they can't say that he wasn't a man of high character who transformed the culture at Penn State during one of the most turbulent periods in school history. Now, they hold the reputation of being a stable program again with a strong culture that Campbell is looking to build and expand on.

#history #really

Chicago — Conference realignment has thrown a wrench in many of college football's traditional rivalries. At least one Big Ten coach says he feels a new one brewing with Michigan.
Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days, USC head coach Lincoln Riley said that the past two season's games against Michigan have taken on the air of a rivalry. And though the Wolverines aren't on the schedule this season, he's looking forward to building more history with the Big Ten's traditional teams.
"This has got a little bit of juice behind it," Riley said. "Whether it's at the Big House or at the Coliseum, those two programs walk on the field, those two helmets walk on the field, it's like, ***** , you know. This is real. It's pretty cool, and I think everybody kind of feels that."
Michigan's Kalel Mullings ran in a 1-yard, fourth down touchdown with 37 seconds left to beat USC, 27-24, in a ranked clash at Michigan Stadium in 2024. The next year, USC pounded Michigan 31-13 in Los Angeles.
No, this quote-unquote rivalry isn't replacing the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh for Southern Cal, or surpassing The Game in importance for Michigan. The Trojans will always have beef with Notre Dame and UCLA — no matter what scheduling drama there may be with the Irish. And the Wolverines' rivals of Ohio State and Michigan State carry a certain regional animosity that is as hot as ever these days.

#michigan

Atlético Madrid star Julián Alvarez has been advised by sources close to him to take into consideration issuing a personal apology to his employers.
This comes after the Argentine went public with his desire to depart the Metropolitano amid interest from La Liga rivals Barcelona.
The name of frontman Alvarez has of course positioned itself centre stage in the media headlines throughout Spain across the summer to date. After Robert Lewandowski was allowed to depart the aforementioned Barcelona on a free transfer, the 26-year-old was identified as the ideal replacement.
Desperate to secure a Camp Nou switch, Alvarez therefore confirmed whilst on international duty that:
"I spoke with people at the club, with those I had to speak with and the best thing for everyone is ‌a transfer. I want to fulfil my dream."

#Barcelona #juli #metropolitano

The Red Sox made an initial strike on the trade market this weekend when they made the 1-for-1 deal that sent lefty starter Connelly Early to the Nationals for breakout star Curtis Mead. It appears they aren't done, either. Here's what we're hearing on Boston's plans ahead of the trade deadline, which is Monday (August 3) at 6 p.m. ET.
º The Red Sox are keeping an open mind ahead of Monday, but according to major league officials, they're targeting three main needs. First, the club — like every contender this time of year — is interested in adding pitching depth, not just at the back end of the rotation but also in the bullpen. Secondly, catching upgrades remain on the table. Lastly — and perhaps most surprisingly — the club is in the shortstop market.
The addition of Mead at second base hasn't stopped Breslow from continuing to look for an infield bat and one rival evaluator said the belief is that the Red Sox are looking for a "long-term" option at shortstop. The market is rich with big-name candidates who may or may not move, including the Angels' Zach Neto, Houston's Jeremy Peña, the Mets' Francisco Lindor and Washington's C.J. Abrams. Considering the potential pending lockout — and a very poor position player class in free agency this winter — Boston may be looking at this deadline as an opportunity to settle that position.
That search comes with its complications. Landing a shortstop would signal the Red Sox waving the white flag on Trevor Story, whose Red Sox tenure has been defined by injuries but also a massive amount of respect for the leadership he brings. Adding Mead and a shortstop makes the pathway to regular at-bats much less clear for Marcelo Mayer moving forward. And perhaps most strikingly, it further clogs the pipes ahead of the arrival of top prospect Franklin Arias, who was just promoted to Triple-A.
"Not sure why (they're in that market) with Arias coming," said one rival scout.

#market #mead

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

The defensive line is often plentiful with blue-chip prospects. The 2027 recruiting cycle features 44 four and five-stars at the position, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.
That's the most blue-chip DLs in a class since the 2023 cycle. Of those 44 D-linemen, all are committed, as of July 28, and they've dispersed among 29 schools.
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Headlined by the nation's No. 1 overall prospect, Rivals breaks down where the top defensive linemen in the 2027 cycle are currently committed ahead of football season:
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1 NATL.
School:Cedar Hill (Texas)
Committed Since: Oct. 4, 2025

#industry #blue #chip #recruiting

Walsall have made their 10th signing of the summer transfer window with the arrival of Harrogate Town winger Reece Smith on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
The 24-year-old featured in all but one of Harrogate's League Two games last term, having joined from non-league Maidenhead United where he came through the academy and spent four and a half seasons in the first team.
Smith, who played in Harrogate's 2-0 win at the Pallet-Track Stadium in the penultimate game of last season, said his move to Walsall felt like "a big step up" and added boss Lee Grant's plan to use him on the left or as a number 10 was "music to my ears".
Grant, who is putting the finishing touches to his first pre-season at the club having taken charge in May, described the deal for Smith as "another coup" for the Saddlers having been keen to sign him for "a very long time".
Walsall begin the new campaign in the Carabao Cup at Bristol City on 6 August before opening their League Two programme away to Gillingham the following Saturday.

#year

Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho has held talks with Blancos transfer target Yan Diomandé, with a view to the Ivorian's predicted role with the club.
This of course comes ahead of what is viewed as an imminent announcement regarding Diomandé's arrival in Spain's capital.
The young winger has taken his place centre stage in the media headlines surrounding Real Madrid for several days now, after the brass at the Santiago Bernabéu made the call to go all-in on their pursuit of his signature.
An agreement on the personal terms of a contract is now in place between the parties, with just the final details of an accord being sought with RB Leipzig before Los Merengues can make their latest big-money signing official.
And as alluded to above, playing a central role in this process has been none other than José Mourinho.

#diomand #blancos

Three cryptocurrency investors filed a federal lawsuit against Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) on July 24. They allege they lost a combined $1.8 million in Bitcoin through a fake wallet app listed on the App Store.
The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. It accuses Apple of failing to adequately review and monitor apps distributed through its platform.
Apple recently overtook Nvidia to become the world's largest public company by market capitalization. Its valuation stood at about $4.989 trillion at the time of writing.
Related: Cheaper Amazon cloud rival files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The plaintiffs said they trusted the fake app because Apple markets the App Store as:

#Apple #store #filed #Bitcoin

Jalen Brunson, Knicks make a statement in rankings alongside LeBron James, 76ers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It is October yet? Not quite, but since a lot of changes have already taken place in the NBA, early rankings are starting to come out. For the New York Knicks, things are looking good, at least at first glance.
When the Philadelphia 76ers signed veteran LeBron James to their roster, it definitely changed things for the Knicks. The 76ers are a key rival, and now, they have one of the greatest NBA stars of all time on their roster. Not only that, but James is motivated to win.
But, that's not stopping the Knicks from still inching ahead of the 76ers in an early ranking.
John Schuhmann of the NBA's official website has released his offseason power rankings for 2026. In it, he names the Knicks No. 1 in the Eastern Conference. Nice. That's even after losing Mitchell Robinson. He has the 76ers at No. 2.

#sporting #jalen

The New York Jets are back... practicing, at least.
The Jets have kicked off the start of their 2026 NFL training camp journey by welcoming their entire 90-man roster back to Florham Park.
On Tuesday, veteran players appeared at training camp for the first time this offseason. They join their rookie teammates, who got an early start getting their feet wet in the NFL--The rookies have been in town since Saturday.
Knowing the full roster would be back in NJ for the first time, the Jets were prepared for their arrival.
A roundup of clips shared to social media of players arriving to One Jets Drive on Tuesday can be found below:

#back #tuesday