Liverpool Signs Arthur Melo from Juventus

Arthur Melo is ready to Live(rpool) it up…

Liverpool has signed the 26-year-old Brazilian professional footballer and midfielder from Juventus on a season-long loan deal.

Arthur MeloLiverpool will pay a loan fee of €4.5 million and have the option to make the transfer permanent for a fee of €37.5m, Juventus said in a statement.

“I’m really, really happy to be here wearing this great shirt with this famous badge that represents so much in world football, it’s a dream,” Arthur told Liverpool’s website.

“We talked a lot, and our ideas and visions were a good fit so I’m sure it was the right choice. I’m really happy and highly motivated to continue living my dream on the pitch and giving my all in a Liverpool shirt.”

Arthur’s move to the Premier League side accelerated late on Wednesday after Jordan Henderson was injured in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Newcastle.

Jurgen Klopp‘s side were already short in midfield for that game with Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara among those sidelined.

Klopp confirmed earlier in the week that Liverpool were open to signing another midfielder if the right opportunity came up.

Arthur joined Juventus from Barcelona for around €70 million in 2020. He has spent just two seasons at Barcelona, where he made 72 appearances after signing from Gremio.

Chelsea Reportedly Submit €50 Million Bid for Ajax’s Edson Alvarez

Edson Alvarez could be heading to

Chelsea have made a €50million bid for the 24-year-old Mexican professional footballer, a midfielder for Ajax and Mexico, according to ESPN sources.

Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel is thought to be concerned about the club’s midfield options in the wake of Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Southampton and nagging injury concerns over key midfielder N’Golo Kante, who is set to be sidelined for around a month with a hamstring problem.

Sources have told ESPN that Ajax are under no pressure to sell having already allowed AntonyLisandro MartinezSebastien HallerRyan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui to leave the club in the summer transfer window.

Chelsea were keen on a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong but the Dutchman has so far shown no interest in leaving Camp Nou.

The Blues are mindful that both N’Golo Kante and Jorginho, who has endured a difficult start to the season, have less than a year remaining on their current deals and believe Alvarez could be a long-term solution.

The transfer window in the Netherlands also closes 24 hours earlier than most of Europe due to an administrative error made by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) meaning less time is available to complete a deal.

Manchester United Agrees on Fee to Sign Antony

Antony is putting on a United front…

Manchester United has agreed on a fee to sign the 22-year-old Brazilian professional football player from Ajax.

AntonyThe deal is worth an initial €95 million with another €5m in add-ons, which will make it the second-most-expensive transfer in United’s history behind Paul Pogba, who joined from Juventus for a then-world-record £89.3m (€105m) in 2016.

The deal is subject to a medical, player terms being finalized and international clearance.

Antony will be reunited with his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, who will complete his fifth signing of the summer after bringing in Tyrell MalaciaChristian EriksenLisandro Martinez and Casemiro.

He will give United another option in attack after Anthony Martial suffered an Achilles tendon injury in the 2-1 win against Liverpool last week.

Antony signed for Ajax from Sao Paulo in 2020 and has made 82 appearances for the Eredivisie giants, scoring 25 goals.

He has also been capped nine times for Brazil, scoring twice.

Ten Hag’s side have responded to back-to-back defeats to Brighton and Brentford with victories against Liverpool and Southampton, lifting them off the bottom of the Premier League table.

Paris Saint-Germain Signs Fabian Ruiz to Five-Year-Contract

Fabian Ruiz is headed to The City of Light

Paris Saint-Germain has signed the 26-year-old Spanish professional footballer, a midfielder, from Italian side Napoli with the Spain international signing a five-year contract, the Ligue 1 club has announced.

Fabian Ruiz 

Financial details were not disclosed but media reports said PSG paid an initial fee off €21.5 million ($21.5m).

Ruiz has 15 caps for Spain since making his debut in 2019 and has even scored once on international duty. He had seven goals and five assists for Napoli in all competitions last season, helping them to a third-placed finish in Serie A.

Ruiz is PSG’s sixth signing since the close season after midfielders Vitinha and Renato Sanches, defenders Nuno Mendes and Nordi Mukiele, and forward Hugo Ekitike.

PSG are top of Ligue 1 with 10 points and next play Toulouse on Wednesday.

Daniel Elahi Galan Upsets Stefanos Tsitsipas in First Round at US Open

Daniel Elahi Galan is celebrating a massive upset…

The 26-year-old Colombian tennis player, currently ranked No. 94 in the world, shocked fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas on Monday’s first day of the US Open, winning 6-0, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 in an epic first-round showdown.

Daniel Elahi GalanGalan pulled off the win on his ninth match point.

Playing in the main draw for the first time, Galan appeared right at home on tennis’ biggest stage, claiming the first 11 games as Tsitsipas struggled to find any of his usual finesse and won just five of his service points in the first set.

Tsitsipas had a trainer tend to his right arm before the sixth game in the second set, when he finally got on the board, and again during the break before the third set, when he broke Galan in the second game.

Tsitsipas, who has never gotten past the third round in New York and had hoped to do better this year after reaching the Cincinnati final, dropped only four of his first-serve points in the third set and looked as though he had the momentum when he broke Galan again in the opening game of the fourth set.

But Galan never lost his composure, sending across 41 winners throughout the entire contest and refusing to give into his heavily favored opponent.

“I just stayed calm. I lost the set but I felt I was doing better and better,” said Galan, who broke back in the eighth.

Galan next faces Australian Jordan Thompson in the second round.

Edinson Cavani to Join Valencia on Free Transfer

Edinson Cavani is headed to The Capital of the Turia

The 35-year-old Uruguayan professional footballer and former Manchester United striker will join Valencia on free transfer, the Spanish club has announced.

Edinson Cavani,The Uruguay team forward was available after his contract expired earlier in summer after spending the last two seasons at Old Trafford.

Cavani has agreed to sign a two-year contract and will be the reference up-front to Italian manager Gennaro Gattuso.

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker was at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium to see his new team’s loss to Atletico Madrid 1-0 in the Spanish league on Monday.

Valencia won the race to sign the veteran against Real Sociedad, who are still in the market looking for a replacement for Swedish forward Alexander Isak who was sold last week to Newcastle for a 70 million-euros transfer fee.

Cavani arrived on Monday afternoon to Valencia and talked to the local media before passing medical exams with club doctors and signing his new deal.

“I am happy to be here. I wanted to play in Spain and Valencia were willing to bet on me,” Cavani said.

“I like to be where I’m wanted, where I’m loved because you live off the strength of the fans and the club’s love.

“I talked to coach Gennaro Gattuso and Valencia have given me a lot of confidence, so I hope I can give them my best and leave a good image here.”

Cavani began his career at Danubio in Uruguay before making the jump to Europe in 2007, signing with Palermo.

After four seasons in Sicily, he left for Napoli where he scored 104 goals in 138 matches, being Seria A top-goalscorer in 2012-13.

In 2013 he was signed by Paris Saint-Germain where he played for seven seasons and became the top scorer in the club’s history.

He joined Manchester United in 2020, where he played for the last two seasons.

West Ham United Signs Lucas Paqueta from Lyon for Club Record Fee

Lucas Paqueta is Ham-ming it up…

West Ham United has signed the 25-year-old Brazilian professional footballer, whose full name is Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima, French side Lyon for a club record fee, the Premier League club announced.

Lucas PaquetaFinancial details were not disclosed but British media said West Ham paid an initial fee of £36.5 million ($42.76m) with a potential £14.4m in add-ons for the transfer of Paqueta, who signed a five-year deal with a one-year option.

That fee would eclipse the £45m West Ham paid for French striker Sebastien Haller in 2019.

“I am extremely happy to be here. I hope it’s the beginning of an enjoyable journey. I hope my time here is successful,” Paqueta said in a statement.

“Last season, West Ham had a very good season and I hope they continue to enjoy more and more good seasons in my time at the club. I am excited to pull on the West Ham shirt and show the fans what I can do, to help my team mates and the club.”

West Ham finished seventh last season under manager David Moyes but have struggled to get going in the new campaign to sit 16th after four games.

“He’s a player I’ve admired from afar for a very long time and of course, we saw him close up in our Europa League campaign last season,” Moyes said.

“He’s a very talented footballer and whilst he will need time to adapt to the Premier League, we’re excited about adding another proven international to our squad.”

West Ham next host Tottenham Hotspur in the league on Wednesday.

Julio Rodriguez Agrees to Massive Long-Term Deal with Seattle Mariners that Could Max Out at $470 Million

Julio Rodriguez has finalized a historic payday…

The 21-year-old Dominican professional baseball player, nicknamed “J-Rod,” has finalized a massive long-term extension deal with the Seattle Mariners that guarantees him $210 million and could max out at $470 million, which would be the richest deal in American sports history, sources told ESPN on Friday.

Julio RodriguezThe Mariners announced the deal on Friday before Rodriguez’s at-bat in the sixth inning of Seattle’s 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians, and he received a standing ovation from the crowd of 39,870. In a news release announcing the agreement, the team called it a “historic day for Julio and Mariners fans.”

“This is a great day for my family and me,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “I have always wanted to spend my whole career here, in Seattle, with this team and with these fans. I want to win here, in Seattle. That was what I told my agents, and what I told [president of baseball operations] Jerry [Dipoto]. I am so happy to be here.”

The base deal is for $120 million and lasts through the 2029 season, sources said.

Following the 2028 season, the Mariners can exercise an option for an additional eight or 10 years, depending on where Rodriguez finishes in MVP voting in the preceding seasons.

If the Mariners turn down the option, Rodriguez can exercise a five-year, $90 million player option after the 2029 season or hit free agency just shy of his 30th birthday.

The Mariners’ option is where the potential money can grow into a historically large figure. If Rodriguez maxes out his MVP escalators, Seattle’s option would be for 10 years and $350 million, taking the total value of the deal to $470 million through 2039. The lowest level would be for eight years and $200 million on top of the original $120 million, keeping Rodriguez tied to the Mariners through 2037.

“Julio is among the most exciting players in the game and has only scratched the surface of what’s to come,” Dipoto said in a statement. “We feel the uniqueness of this deal befits the person. His infectious personality and ability on the field are only surpassed by his character away from it. We are thrilled that generations of Mariners fans will have the privilege of watching him play in T-Mobile Park for many years to come.”

Rodriguez, a powerful and fast center fielder, became one of the most exciting players in baseball when he made the Mariners’ Opening Day roster. His dynamic skills and big personality endeared him to a Seattle community that hasn’t seen the Mariners make a postseason in two decades.

With an MLB All-Star Game selection, an epic Home Run Derby performance and a .267/.326/.467 line with 20 home runs and 23 stolen bases, Rodriguez has made perhaps an even bigger impact than anticipated.

“He’s learned a lot over the last 4½, five months about Major League Baseball and things he needed to work on and continue to improve upon,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said Friday. “Really good teammate. I mean, you can go on and on describing where he’s at. But there’s a lot of baseball, really good baseball ahead of him, and I know that’s what excites me and the organization.”

Signed as an amateur out of the Dominican Republic for $1.75 million in July 2017, Rodriguez was seen by scouts as a prototypical corner outfielder who could hit for power. What he has blossomed into, particularly over the past two years, is a true five-tool player with elite speed and the range for center field without sacrificing any of the power that remains one of his calling cards.

The Mariners broke camp with Rodriguez in center field. He struggled in April, striking out 30 times in 73 at-bats without a home run. Since then, Rodriguez has been one of the top players in baseball and the best on a Mariners team that is 69-57 and 2½ games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for the final American League wild-card spot.

His deal, which was first reported by MLB.com, guarantees him the most money for a player with less than one full year in the major leagues. San Diego signed Fernando Tatis Jr. to a 14-year, $340 million contract after his second season, and the Tampa Bay Rays guaranteed $182 million over 11 seasons to shortstop Wander Franco last winter.

Rodriguez is seventh this season in Baseball-Reference wins above replacement and 16th in FanGraphs’ version. Provided he finishes high in MVP voting in future seasons, his deal is likelier to resemble that of Tatis.

While the 10-year version of Seattle’s option would necessitate consistently high MVP finishes, an eight-year, $280 million version — which would guarantee Rodriguez $400 million — is very attainable.

The potential record-setting nature of the $470 million ceiling could soon be eclipsed. Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani is set to reach free agency after the 2023 season. A year later, Padres star Juan Soto, who turned down a guaranteed $440 million from the Washington Nationals before they traded him, could be a free agent right after he turns 26.

Alexia Putellas Wins UEFA Women’s Player of the Year Award

Alexia Putellas is this year’s soccer star…

The 28-year-old Spanish professional footballer and Barcelona midfielder has won the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year award, beating England’s Beth Mead and Germany’s Lena Oberdorf to the top prize, while England head coach Sarina Wiegman was crowned coach of the year.

Alexia PutellasPutellas, who won award last year along with the Ballon d’Or Feminin, netted 34 goals for Barca last season as the club won all the domestic trophies and reached the Champions League final.

However, Putellas did not play at the Women’s Euro 2022 after tearing her knee ligaments in training and faced stiff competition in Mead, who won player of the tournament as well as finishing top scorer with six goals.

Meanwhile, Mead’s international boss Wiegman picked up another award on Thursday as she won coach of the year for her role in guiding England to their first major title in 56 years.

“It’s really nice to receive this great award, I’m very honored and humbled,” she said.

“This award is really for everyone involved with the England team, the FA, the staff and of course, most of all, the players. Thank you very much.”

The Football Association is planning to hold contract talks with Wiegman, who has been in the role since September 2021, over a contract extension as England hope to extend their success at next summer’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Brian Rodriguez Signs with Club America from LAFC

Brian Rodriguez has joined the Club

The 22-year-old Uruguayan soccer player has officially signed with Club America from LAFC, the MLS club announced.

Brian Rodriguez Club America will pay $6 million, with LAFC also receiving a percentage of any future sale, according to ESPN sources.

“Brian has been an important piece of our attack and a huge reason for all of our success since his arrival in 2019,” LAFC president & general manager John Thorrington said in a team release. “He is a player who is capable of special things, and this move will be a great opportunity for him to continue to develop in a competitive environment.”

Rodriguez, a winger, arrived at LAFC in August of 2019 with big expectations after the MLS side spent around $8 million to secure him from Penarol and make him a young designated player.

Rodriguez, a three-time member of the league’s 22-Under-22 list, helped push his team to the Supporters’ Shield in his first season. In 2021, he had a brief stint on loan with Almeria in Spain’s second division.

He has found his place threatened, though, by the summer arrivals of forwards Gareth Bale and Denis Bouanga.

Rodriguez told TUDN earlier this month that he would be open to a move to Club America, noting that it “would be a great leap.”

The winger will look to regain the attention of Uruguay‘s national team after being left out of World Cup qualifiers and friendlies in 2022.

Rodriguez first debuted with Uruguay in 2019, but has failed to earn international minutes since late last year. Later this year, Uruguay will kick-off their World Cup run with group stage matches against South Korea, Portugal and Ghana.

National team manager Diego Alonso previously coached in Liga MX with Pachuca and Monterrey, as well as with Inter Miami in MLS.

At Club America, Rodriguez will join fellow Uruguayans Jonathan RodriguezSebastian Caceres and Federico Vinas.

The giants from Mexico City currently sit third in the 2022 Apertura standings after winning its last five games

LAFC, along with Rodriguez, recently met Club America in a friendly on August 3 at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. In a double-header friendly that began with LA Galaxy defeating Chivas 2-0, Club America narrowly beat LAFC on penalties after a 0-0 draw in regulation time.