Barcelona (AFP) – Lionel Messi missed a coronavirus test at Barcelona's training ground on Sunday morning, club sources have confirmed to AFP, raising the possibility he will now boycott pre-season to force a transfer. Without passing a coronavirus test, Messi will be unable to join team-mates for new coach Ronald Koeman's first training session on […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham on Sunday announced the signing of defender Matt Doherty from Premier League rivals Wolves for an undisclosed fee reported to be £15 million ($20 million). The 28-year-old Ireland right-back has signed a four-year deal with Spurs and becomes Jose Mourinho's third signing of the transfer window following the arrivals of Pierre-Emile […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Lionel Messi was not seen attending Barcelona's training ground for coronavirus tests on Sunday morning, raising the possibility he will boycott pre-season to force his way out of the club. Barca's new coach Ronald Koeman and first-team players entered through the front entrance to the Ciutat Esportiva but Messi was not among […]

Madrid (AFP) – The first indication of how determined Lionel Messi is to leave Barcelona and how ugly this dispute could become will be gauged at the club's training ground on Sunday. Barca's greatest ever player is due at the Ciutat Esportiva on Sunday morning for coronavirus tests, which must be taken and passed if […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Nike said Saturday it had parted ways with Neymar, ending one of its most high-profile sponsorship deals a decade and a half after signing the star striker as a 13-year-old prodigy. "I can confirm Neymar is no longer a Nike athlete," a spokesman for the US sportswear giant, Josh Benedek, […]

Milan (AFP) – Weston McKennie has joined Juventus on a season-long loan from Schalke and will become the first American to play for the Italian champions, the Serie A club announced on Saturday. McKennie, 22, will move to Turin for an initial fee of 4.5 million euros (5.4 million), Juventus said in a statement. The […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Wolves defender Conor Coady received their first England call-ups on Saturday. England manager Gareth Southgate named his squad for September's Nations League matches against Iceland and Denmark on Tuesday. But Southgate was forced to withdraw Manchester United's Harry Maguire from the group hours later following the defender's […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands and Cape Town City forward Fagrie Lakay starred when helping their clubs to victories Saturday in the South African Premiership. Sandilands, who turned 37 this month, saved two penalties within nine minutes as Pirates edged SuperSport United 2-1 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. Later, Lakay […]

Brighton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Brighton manager Graham Potter hailed the return of fans as a "fantastic" step forward after his team drew 1-1 with Chelsea in a pre-season friendly on Saturday. Spectators were allowed into a Premier League ground for the first time in almost six months, with about 2,500 watching the match at […]

London (AFP) – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang underlined his value to Arsenal with a superb goal and the winning spot-kick as the Gunners beat Liverpool 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Community Shield on Saturday. Aubameyang put Mikel Arteta's side ahead in the first half at Wembley with a typically eye-catching strike. Japan's Takumi […]

Paris (AFP) – Rennes teenager Eduardo Camavinga celebrated his first France call-up with a terrific solo goal in Saturday's 2-1 victory at home to Montpellier in Ligue 1. Camavinga, 17, was included this week in Didier Deschamps' squad for Nations League games against Sweden and Croatia next month as a replacement for Paul Pogba who […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Cricket behind closed doors may have its drawbacks, but it should at least spare Australia's Marcus Stoinis from being pelted with fruit again if he makes a return to international action in England next month. The 31-year-old batting all-rounder has not featured for his country since their World Cup semi-final […]

London (AFP) – Leeds announced on Saturday they had signed Spain international Rodrigo from Valencia for a club-record fee. The forward has penned a four-year deal at Elland Road, reportedly costing the Premier League newcomers around £30 million ($40 million). The 29-year-old said he was excited to join the club and was looking forward to […]

Sydney (AFP) – Sydney FC coach Steve Corica believes his "big-game players" will give the team a key advantage over Melbourne City on Sunday as they gun for back-to-back A-League Grand Final titles. The Sky Blues have been dominant this year, winning the domestic premiership with four games of the coronavirus-interrupted regular season left, to […]

Lyon (AFP) – Memphis Depay scored a hat-trick including two penalties as Champions League semi-finalists Lyon began the new French season with a 4-1 victory over Dijon on Friday. Dutch forward Depay bagged his first Ligue 1 goals since December, having missed the coronavirus-shortened second half of last season after rupturing knee ligaments just before […]