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Joe Lewis, the British billionaire and long-time majority stakeholder in Tottenham Hotspur, pleaded not guilty in New York on Wednesday to charges of insider trading. The previous day, federal officials said the investor “abused his access to corporate boardrooms” and carried out a series of “brazen” instances of financial misconduct, sharing insider information with friends, employees, and former romantic partners. He’s charged with 16 counts of securities fraud and three counts of conspiracy, Reuters reports. “That’s classic corporate corruption,” US attorney Damian Williams said in a video statement on Tuesday. “It’s cheating, and it’s against the law.” Attorneys for the billionaire said he plans to fight the charges. “The government has made an egregious error in judgment in charging Mr Lewis, an 86-year-old man of impeccable integrity and prodigious accomplishment,” David M Zornow said in an email statement to The Independent on Tuesday. “Mr Lewis has come to the US voluntarily to answer these ill-conceived charges, and we will defend him vigorously in court.” In a hearing on Wednesday before US magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo in Manhattan following Mr Lewis’s early-morning arrest by the FBI, new details about the case against the businessman came to light. As part of a $300m bond, Mr Lewis was ordered to surrender his mega-yacht, the Aviva, as well as his private aircraft. He will now be barred from international travel as the case proceeds. Officials also accused two of his pilots, Patrick O’Connor of New York and Bryan Waugh of Virginia, of profiting off illegal tips from Mr Lewis. Both men have pleaded not guilty, and their lawyers declined requests to comment from Reuters. Prosecutors allege Mr Lewis lent the men $500,000 each in 2019, encouraging them to buy stock in an oncology company in which the billionaire had invested. Mr O’Connor allegedly texted a friend “the Boss has inside info”, a seeming reference to a tip that the billionaire allegedly passed on that the company was about to announce promising clinical results. After the company announced the news, the shares the pilots allegedly bought leapt by 16.7 per cent, and prosecutors allege one of the men labeled a payment to Mr Lewis “loan payback” and listed the company’s stock symbol. In an accompanying civil case, the Securities and Exchange Commission accused Mr Lewis, the pilots, and the billionaire’s former girlfriend Carolyn Carter of insider trading. Officials allege that in 2019, Mr Lewis told Ms Carter about a biotech company that was about to raise capital and potentially increase its share price, even though he was bound by a confidentiality agreement. She then allegedly bought $701,000 in the company, earning a $172,000 on her investment. The Independent has contacted Ms Carter for comment. “When insiders like Lewis take advantage of their access to such information, it erodes public trust and confidence in the fair and efficient operation of our markets,” SEC enforcement director Gurbir Grewal said in a statement. “That’s why we will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to hold accountable those who abuse their positions for personal benefit and the unlawful enrichment of others.” Tottenham Hotspur told The Independent, “This is a legal matter unconnected with the club and as such we have no comment.” Mr Lewis ceased to be a "person with significant control" of the Premier League club last year, following a "reorganisation of the Lewis Family Trusts,” the club said, according to Sky News. He bought a controlling stake in the Premier League club from Lord Alan Sugar in 2001 for £22m. Mr Lewis owns the Tavistock Group, which owns more than 200 assets across 13 countries, including Tottenham Hotspur and UK pub operator Mitchells & Butlers, according to Sky News. The 86-year-old is worth an estimated $6.1bn and lives in the Bahamas, according to Forbes. Read More Who is Joe Lewis? The secretive billionaire Tottenham owner charged with insider trading UK billionaire Joe Lewis, owner of Tottenham soccer team, charged with insider trading in US Football rumours: Tottenham owner tells chairman to sell Harry Kane

The Women’s World Cup continues as the Republic of Ireland fight to keep their hopes alive against Olympic champions Canada in a pivotal Group B clash. Defeat would put Ireland on the brink of elimination following their opening loss to co-hosts Australia, while Canada are looking to bounce back from their draw against Nigeria. Elsewhere today, both Spain and Japan qualified for the last-16 with a match to spare as they continued their impressive early form in Group C. Japan cruised to a 2-0 win against Costa Rica before Spain thrashed Zambia 5-0, with both teams moving to six points to advance to the knockout stages. Monday’s meeting between Spain and Japan will decide who goes through as group winners, while Zambia and Costa Rica are already out with a match left to play. On Tuesday, co-hosts New Zealand were stunned by debutants Philippines, who claimed their first ever victory at the tournament with a 1-0 win in Wellington. The result blew Group A wide open and all four teams are still able to advance after Norway were held to a goalless draw by Switzerland in the day’s late kick-off. Follow the latest World Cup scores, updates and news in today’s live blog Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? When do England women play next? World Cup fixtures and route to the final

The Women’s World Cup continues as the Republic of Ireland fight to keep their hopes alive against Olympic champions Canada in a pivotal Group B clash. Defeat would put Ireland on the brink of elimination following their opening loss to co-hosts Australia, while Canada are looking to bounce back from their draw against Nigeria. Elsewhere today, both Spain and Japan qualified for the last-16 with a match to spare as they continued their impressive early form in Group C. Japan cruised to a 2-0 win against Costa Rica before Spain thrashed Zambia 5-0, with both teams moving to six points to advance to the knockout stages. Monday’s meeting between Spain and Japan will decide who goes through as group winners, while Zambia and Costa Rica are already out with a match left to play. On Tuesday, co-hosts New Zealand were stunned by debutants Philippines, who claimed their first ever victory at the tournament with a 1-0 win in Wellington. The result blew Group A wide open and all four teams are still able to advance after Norway were held to a goalless draw by Switzerland in the day’s late kick-off. Follow the latest World Cup scores, updates and news in today’s live blog Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? When do England women play next? World Cup fixtures and route to the final

Chelsea are leading the race for Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus, having so far put together a more convincing package than Arsenal. The 22-year-old midfielder has attracted a lot of interest from the Premier League as the Dutch club face up to the sale of a series of key players Having almost joined Everton last season, Kudus’ value has only increased after an impressive World Cup with Ghana, and there is a feeling that Chelsea are able to price Arsenal out of any prospective deal. One of the issues for Mikel Arteta’s side is that, although they want another midfielder - preferably Kudus - and a right-back, they need to sell to buy due to earlier expenditure. While the club could yet raise up to £70m on sales of players such as Kieran Tierney and Falorin Balogun, that is expected to take time. This has allowed Chelsea to move ahead, especially as they have already hugely trimmed down their squad with a series of exits this window. It is even possible the Stamford Bridge side bring in two midfielders, as negotiations continue over Brighton’s Moises Caicedo. As it stands, Chelsea have been in a position to offer more clarity on a price to Ajax and potential wages for Kudus. The Ghana international could go for around £40m. Read More A wasted year – but Kylian Mbappe’s Saudi transfer could bring him everything he wants Manchester United make ‘progress’ in transfer search for new striker Tottenham consider Brazil striker with Harry Kane’s future in the balance

Joe Lewis, the UK billionaire and owner of the Tottenham Hotspur football club, has been indicted in the US for what officials called a “brazen” set of insider trading schemes. “He used inside information as a way to compensate his employees or shower gifts on his friends and lovers,” US Attorney Damian Williams said in a video statement on Tuesday. “That’s classic corporate corruption,” he added. “It’s cheating, and it’s against the law.” The Independent has contacted Tottenham for comment, as well as Tavistock Group, the investment office founded by Mr Lewis. This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information.

Arsenal have already made three headline moves in the transfer window, spending over £200 million on Declan Rice, Kai Harvertz and Jurrien Timber as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his title-challenging squad. Further incomings have not been ruled out but those will likely be funded by outgoings which is the focus now for the North London club. Former captain, Granit Xhaka, has already moved back to Germany in a £21m deal with Bayer Leverkusen while fringe players, Pablo Mari and Ainsley Maitland-Niles have also departed the club. Squad players Cedric Soares, Rob Holding, Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga are all said to be surplus to requirements at the Emirates but have so far failed to attract interest. Other outgoings are also rumoured as Arteta aims to further improve his side and build upon an extremely promising 2022-2023 season, during which they led the Premier League for 248 days. Here’s all the latest on the potential comings and goings at the Emirates Stadium this summer. Francis Balogun Francis Balogun, a newly capped United States international, could be seeking a move after an impressive loan spell at French club Stade Reims. With the new signing of Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah most likely locked as the club’s two top centre-forwards, Balogun may want out of the Emirates. Balogun has made it clear that he is unwilling to go on another loan spell, raising the question of whether Arsenal are prepared to allow the talented 21-year-old attacker to leave permanently. According to Sky Sports, Arsenal have set a price tag of £50m on Balogun, who has been training alone at points during the club’s US pre-season tour, with Inter and AC Milan as well as French clubs Monaco and Marseille showing significant interest in the attacker. Nicolas Pepe Arsenal’s record signing, Nicolas Pepe, seems highly likely to depart from the Emirates this summer. Due to his high wages and underwhelming performances, the Ivorian winger has failed to live up to expectations, prompting Arsenal to seek a way to move on from what has been regarded as a very poor transfer decision. Although Pepe appears guaranteed to leave the Emirates, his next destination remains unclear at this point. The Telegraph have reported that Nice, the club where Pepe spent last season on loan, are not interested in a deal to bring the 28-year-old back to the club. Additional reports from football.london suggest that the north London club may well consider terminating Pepe’s contract, should a deal not materialise by the start of the season. Kieran Tierney With the Scottish left-back losing his place in the starting eleven after the arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko last season from Manchester City, Tierney is a player that Arsenal are considering letting go as they look to raise funds for additional signings. The 26-year-old joined Arsenal from Celtic in 2019 but started just six games last season due to injuries and the aforementioned form of Zinchenko. According to The Evening Standard, Tierney is attracting interest from a host of clubs, most notably Newcastle, with the left-back recently saying that he is “happy” at the club while on a pre-season tour in America. Mohammed Kudus Playing for Ajax, Kudus can play in a more attacking central midfield role as well as out on the right wing and could be the latest player to leave the Dutch club as they continue their cost-cutting measures having failed to qualify for the Champions League. The Ghanaian international could cost up to £40m, according toThe Daily Mail, but the north London club could face competition from Chelsea with David Ornstein reporting that the west London club have made contact with the Dutch side about a move for the 22-year-old. Read More Tottenham transfer news: Harry Kane, Giovani Lo Celso, Conor Gallagher, Tosin Adarabioyo and more Liverpool transfer news: Romeo Lavia, Joshua Kimmich, Cheick Doucoure, Thiago and more Chelsea transfer news: Michael Olise, Marc Guehi, Moises Caicedo, Callum Hudson-Odoi and more Manchester United transfer news: Rasmus Hojlund, Dean Henderson, Sofyan Amrabat, Eric Bailly and more Erik ten Hag happy with display in Manchester United’s victory over Arsenal Emile Smith Rowe ready to bounce back from injury-plagued season MLS All-Star boss Wayne Rooney struggles to take lessons out of Arsenal thumping

After Chelsea experienced their worst season since the establishment of the Premier League, American owner Todd Boehly has taken significant measures to bring about change at Stamford Bridge. The Blues went through a revolving door of three managers last season, including Thomas Tuchel (now at Bayern Munich), Graham Potter, and interim manager and club legend Frank Lampard. Now, Mauricio Pochettino, who previously led London rivals Tottenham to a Champions League final, will take over the reins and attempt to restore stability to a club that won the Champions League as recently as 2021. This summer, the club has witnessed an astonishing number of departures already, with several key players leaving who played pivotal roles at Stamford Bridge over the past few seasons. Among those having exited are Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly, N’Golo Kante, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, and Christian Pulisic. These departures mark the beginning of a new era at Chelsea and may be the transformative change required for the club to regain its place in Europe. Here are the latest transfer rumours regarding the Blues: Michael Olise After a summer of outgoings so far for the west London club, Chelsea now appear to be turning their focus to incomings as they look to assemble a squad that can improve on last season’s miserable campaign. One player reportedly being eyed up is Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, with RMC Sport suggesting that the Blues have tabled a bid for the French winger. Olise is said to have a £35m release clause in his contract, which runs until 2026, with Chelsea willing to pay above the buyout clause to secure preferable terms of payment for the 21-year-old. Chelsea are not alone in their interest in the playmaker, with Arsenal, Manchester City and PSG also said to be interested in Olise. Elye Wahi Another position Chelsea are keen to strengthen is the striker position. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has departed for Marseille while Romeulu Lukaku appears to not be in Pochettino’s plans. Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku have already arrived but Chelsea are also keen on French youngster, Elye Wahi. According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have reached advanced negotiations with Montpellier for a deal to bring the 20-year-old to the club. The Frenchman scored 19 goals in 33 games in Ligue 1 last season with Chelsea reportedly keen to loan out the striker this season before bringing him into the first-team picture the following season. Moises Caicedo With Kovacic, Kante and Mount departing, Chelsea will look to bring in some central midfield replacements. One such player that the Blues may target is Brighton’s Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian was a key player as Brighton finished sixth but has been the subject of much interest from the league’s biggest club. The Guardian has reported that a £70m bid has been rejected, with the club holding firm on their £100m valuation. It is thought that Brighton would be willing to accept a deal that also involves Levi Colwill returning to the Amex on a permanent basis after his successful loan spell last year, but Chelsea are keen to keep the 21-year-old at Stamford Bridge having rejected a £30m bid from Brighton for the defender earlier in the window. Mohammed Kudus Playing for Ajax, Kudus can play in a more attacking central midfield role as well as out on the right wing and could be the latest player to leave the Dutch club as they continue their cost-cutting measures having failed to qualify for the Champions League. The Ghanaian international could cost up to £40m and has attracted interest from Arsenal, according to The Daily Mail. Despite this, Chelsea are also said to be interested in the player with David Ornstein reporting that Chelsea have made contact with the Dutch side about a move for the 22-year-old. Callum Hudson-Odoi Chelsea’s outgoings are not done for the summer, however, with Callum Hudson-Odoi the latest to be linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge. The 22-year-old had an unsuccessful loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen last season and is reportedly training with the Under-21’s currently. Hudson-Odoi only has one year left on his contract with The Evening Standard reporting that the winger has agreed personal terms with Fulham ahead of a move to the Premier League side. Lazio are another team said to be interested in the winger but the Serie A club are yet to table a formal bid. Conor Gallagher The Chelsea midfielder has featured during the club’s pre-season tour to America but reportedly is being offered out to clubs as the west London outfit continue their clearout after a hugely disappointing season last year. Gallagher has been at Chelsea since he was six but has just two years left on his current deal. Tottenham are said to be interested but they will also face competition from West Ham who have made a move for the Englishman as they look to fill the void left by Declan Rice’s record-breaking move to Arsenal. According to Sky Sports, the Hammers’ initial bid of £40m which has been rejected with Chelsea wanting £50m for their 23-year-old midfielder. Marc Guehi After Wesley Fofana picked up a second long-term knee injury, Chelsea are said to weighing up a move for a centre-back in this window. Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah remain on the books but, according to The Evening Standard, the club is said to be weighing up a move for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. The 23-year-old left Chelsea for Crystal Palace for £18 million in 2021 with no buy-back clause inserted into the deal. A fee of around £50m is said to be required to bring the English defender back to west London after a couple of impressive seasons for the Eagles. Read More Arsenal transfer news: Record Declan Rice bid, Jurrien Timber and Granit Xhaka latest Manchester United transfer news: Mason Mount bid accepted, David De Gea and Andre Onana latest Tottenham transfer news: Harry Kane latest after Bayern Munich bids and trio on centre-back list Mason Mount’s sale is one part of Chelsea’s ‘masterplan’, but what comes next? Dybala or Vlahovic: Which Serie A striker should Chelsea sign? Women’s World Cup LIVE: Today’s results and latest news

Women’s World Cup co-hosts New Zealand were stunned by debutants Philippines, who claimed their first ever victory at the tournament with a 1-0 win in Wellington. Sarina Bolden’s historic goal midway through the first half was enough to secure a seismic upset, with Jacqui Hand’s equaliser disallowed for offside as New Zealand failed to back up their opening victory over Norway. The result blows Group A wide open, with Norway looking to bounce back from their opening defeat when they take on Switzerland in an all-European clash. Earlier on Tuesday, Catalina Usme and 18-year-old star Linda Caicedo scored to give Colombia a 2-0 victory over South Korea in their opening game. Monday saw Brazil kick things off with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Panama as Ary Borges scored a hat-trick, while Italy beat Argentina 1-0 in the first game of the day with veteran striker Cristiana Girelli coming off the bench to grab the winner. Germany thrashed Morocco 6-0. Follow the latest World Cup scores, updates and news in today’s live blog Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? When do England women play next? World Cup fixtures and route to the final

US Women’s National Team (USWNT) striker Alex Morgan, 34, is one of the biggest stars in women’s football, already an Olympic gold medallist and a two-time World Cup winner. The American is heading into her fourth FIFA Women’s World Cup and ranks in the top 10 in USWNT history in goals, assists and multi-goal games. Morgan first caught the eye a decade ago at the 2011 World Cup in Germany when she was the youngest player in the American squad but, undaunted by the international spotlight, scored in both the semi-final and final as the US finished runners-up to Japan. Since then, she has gone from strength to strength, shrugging off her old nickname of “Baby Horse” to be described as a “full-on stallion” by her international teammate Megan Rapinoe. Morgan has become an icon and an inspiration to young girls around the world and is also a New York Times Best-Selling author and film star, playing herself in Alex and Me (2018), even serving with the US State Department on a diplomatic mission to Tanzania in 2017. She has not entirely avoided controversy, however, having been kicked out of the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World resort in Bay Lake, Florida, in October 2017 along with a group of friends said to be “highly impaired” and “verbally aggressive”, an incident for which she swiftly apologised. Morgan also raised eyebrows at the 2019 World Cup in France when she scored against England in the semi-final and celebrated with a tea-sipping celebration, appearing to mock her opposition, although she has since claimed the gesture was misunderstood. Born in the California suburb of Diamond Bar near San Dimas on 2 July 1989, Morgan was a multi-sport athlete known for her speed at high school and did not begin playing football exclusively until she was 14 and joined local club side Cypress Elite. She was soon playing for the Olympic Development Program’s regional and state teams as well, which she credits as integral to her development, and was called up to the US under-20 women’s team at 17, only for an anterior cruciate ligament injury to set back her progress. Morgan subsequently attended UC Berkeley, taking a degree in Political Economy while playing for the California Golden Bears from 2007 to 2010, finishing her college career with an impressive haul of 46 goals. Turning professional in 2011, the same year she announced her arrival at the World Cup, Morgan played for Western New York Flash, before moving to Seattle Sounders for a season, where she played with international teammates Hope Solo and Rapinoe, before being transferred again and spending two years with Portland Thorns FC. In 2015, she joined Orlando Pride in Florida, where she has been even since, barring short spells with Lyon in France in 2017 and Tottenham in England in 2020, where she made just four appearances but scored twice as she continued her return to match fitness after taking time away from the game to give birth to her first child, a daughter, Charlie Elena Carrasco, on 7 May 2020. She subsequently returned to Orlando Pride before signing for San Diego Wave in 2022, scoring an impressive 20 in 28 games so far. Her husband, Servando Carrasco, whom she met at university and married in 2014, is also a footballer, currently playing as a defensive midfielder for Fort Lauderdale FC. Morgan helped Team USA capture gold at the 2012 London Olympics highlighted by her goal in the semi-final win against Canada and subsequently picked up a bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Games, winning the 2015 and 2019 World Cups with the USWNT either side of those honours. Read More FIFA Women’s World Cup fixtures and full schedule Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Who is USWNT striker Alex Morgan? World Cup updates and final score from USWNT and Vietnam Rice makes Arsenal debut and Crawley hits Ashes ton – Thursday’s sporting social

As eye-watering as the Al Hilal offer to Paris Saint-Germain for Kylian Mbappe may be, it is itself not a blind bid. The Saudi Pro League club have for weeks been sounding out what it would actually take to bring him over. The Al Hilal president Fahad bin Nafel has been talking about the star to anyone who will listen - including in negotiations for other targets. The Mbappe camp have let a few conditions be known, but they are still considering everything. The 24-year-old himself is said to still be almost single-minded about joining Real Madrid next summer and countenancing nothing else, but there may be a few complications before then. That is the case with the entire transfer market right now, and this is finally a situation that brings the two major factors driving - or, really, halting - it together. One is Saudi Arabian money, which has caused everyone to rethink their plans. The other is the striker market, which currently has a lot of interlinked interests. The feeling is that one big deal will release everything, but the two biggest are log-jammed. It only adds to the intrigue that they are log-jammed for totally opposite reasons. Tottenham Hotspur do not want to sell Harry Kane. PSG are now desperate to sell Mbappe. The potential chain reaction, according to those working on many of the deals, goes like this. If PSG do sell Mbappe, they will go even bigger for Kane. “Whatever they were going to offer the player before, they’d double it,” in the words of one involved figure. Such a bid would almost certainly meet the £100m valuation that Daniel Levy is understood to see as a minimum to even consider a sale, but would also force a response from Bayern Munich. The German club are extremely confident they can get the player and that he wants to come, although one source quipped that “they have no experience of dealing with Daniel”. While PSG are among the few parties that believe the Qatari project can themselves get a deal for Kane done, the general feeling is he will not go there and has little interest, but that he would instead see Manchester United as a first priority. They are currently negotiating for Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund and pressing on with that. If it did come to a situation where Spurs were willing to sell Kane and openly negotiating with rival clubs, however, United would have to consider acting. It is even believed that the Old Trafford hierarchy would be prepared to set aside separate funds for the England international, such is the value of the signing. The thinking within the market, meanwhile, is that nothing else happens until the Kane decision is made. After that, if PSG do not get him, they will press ahead for Randal Kolo Muani or Dusan Vlahovic. If Vlahovic goes, Juventus will finally make a concrete move for Romelu Lukaku, who himself has an offer from Al Hilal. Which brings us full circle. There may now be another layer with Mbappe. PSG have been sounding out most of Europe’s major clubs, with the response so far mixed. Manchester United are currently not interested this summer, and do not expect that to change. Barcelona and Chelsea have at least explored the possibility. The latter might appeal to Mbappe, especially due to a good relationship with Mauricio Pochettino, but it is understood that his first preference in the Premier League would actually be Arsenal. That is down to reasons like the romance of Thierry Henry's history there, as well as the idea of making history himself and delivering a first title in 20 years. As one figure close to the player’s camp said amid the flurry of activity on Friday, “if ever there was a window for that, it’s now”. Mikel Arteta is another who doesn’t have that kind of budget, though, as he now needs to make sales to bring in another midfielder and potentially a right-back. It is one of the ironies of Mbappe’s situation, and another sign of the direction the game is headed. The 24-year-old is so good, and his horizons as a footballer so vast, that he actually has very limited options. There are only about three or four clubs that could afford him. Lionel Messi found the same in 2021 and this summer. Long gone are the days when an upwardly mobile side in Serie A or La Liga might offer an exciting possibility, as was the case with even Ronaldo before the turn of the millennium. As it is, most major clubs are reluctant to move for other reasons beyond the budget. They think Mbappe only wants the traditional kingpins of European football: Real Madrid. Both the Spanish club and the player are currently willing to hold their nerve. That has increased pressure on PSG but numerous sources insist there is even more to it than just seeing such an asset go for free next summer, and to a club they have an increasingly tense relationship with. There is constant talk of a “loyalty bonus”, with Mbappe set to earn £35m if he is still at Parc des Princes on 31 July. This would of course bring further Financial Fair Play costs for PSG, and that for a player of immense value they will get no money for anyway. Spurs may similarly see their megastar walk away for nothing and have so far come at it from the opposite perspective, although there are murmurs that is changing. Monday brought reports that club owner Joe Lewis has told Levy to sell if Kane will not sign a new deal. The industry view has long been this by far makes the most sense, especially as the club will have to adjust for a future without the striker sooner rather than later. A new tactical approach under Ange Postecoglou even offers something different. For now, everyone is monitoring what everyone else does, without making a decisive move. That’s the nature of the market. A further aspect is that there are almost as many political complications within the Saudi Pro League as there are with the two main summer sagas. While Al Hilal are giddy at the prospect of signing Mbappe, that excitement is not shared within the wider division and not just for reasons of competition. Most of that is due to this idea that the player could do a year in the Saudi Pro League before decamping to the Bernabeu. It is not as neat a compromise for everyone as is being claimed - before you even get to the idea of such a footballer playing in a developing division for a season. One argument put forward is that for all the immediate focus Mbappe would bring, it could actually be damaging to the reputation of the competition if he were to just leave so quickly. The point of the wider project is to build for the long term and gradually create a luxurious but sustainable home for those outside the Premier League. The state does not want it to be somewhere where players are just parked. An immediate departure for Madrid could also create a precedent where the higher-profile players arriving this summer could demand clauses allowing them to leave if Champions League clubs come in. Most of all, though, an immediate Mbappe departure would leave a vacuum. The league would suddenly feel that bit more hollow again, with a move to Madrid instead confirming football’s supposed natural order. The offer still stands, though. For now, it’s only adding to the stand-still in the wider market. Read More World-record bid made for Kylian Mbappe as PSG exit looms PSG attempting to hijack Bayern Munich’s bid to sign Harry Kane Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe plan revealed after PSG declare intent to sell forward

ADELAIDE (Reuters) -Ary Borges scored a hat-trick on her Women's World Cup debut to help Brazil thrash debutants Panama 4-0

Liverpool entered the 2022/23 campaign on the backs of heartbreak as they lost out on both the Champions League and Premier League on the last day of each competition. Liverpool began the season with high expectations but nothing seemed to go as planned as the club flamed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 to Real Madrid and found themselves finishing fifth in the Premier League en route to missing out on the Champions League for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. Klopp’s club entered the transfer window with a clear emphasis on bolstering their midfield, particularly considering the confirmed departures of James Milner, Fabio Carvalho, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as well as rumoured exits for Jordan Henderson and Fabinho. The club has been proactive in pursuing this objective, having already secured the signatures of two quality midfielders and surpassing the £100 million spending mark for the first time since 2018. Still, Liverpool may not be done yet, as they aim to potentially complete a midfield trio of signings, with the highly sought-after defensive midfielder Romeo Lavia being a potential addition. Here are the latest news and transfer updates around Anfield: Romeo Lavia Liverpool have entered the Romeo Lavia sweepstakes in a bid to bolster their already much-improved midfield. The Southampton player has attracted strong interest from London clubs Arsenal and Chelsea, but neither appear willing to secure the services of the 19-year-old. With Arsenal spending a record transfer fee on Declan Rice and Chelsea focusing on trying to sign Moises Caicedo, Liverpool appear to be the front-runner for Lavia’s services. The Daily Mail reports that the Saints have placed a price tag of approximately £50 million on the Belgian, who would be the ideal addition to complete a trio of midfielders set to join Anfield. Klopp entered this transfer window with the intention of revamping an aging and struggling midfield, and he has achieved precisely that. With the acquisitions of attack-minded midfielders Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for £35 million and recently-signed Hungarian Dominik Szoboszli for £60 million from RB Leipzig, Lavia would provide Liverpool with a defensively-minded midfielder to finalize an extremely talented group. Cheick Doucoure Another central midfielder that is generating interest from Liverpool is Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure. The 23-year-old midfielder joined the Eagles from French club, Lens, last season and enjoyed a superb first season in the Premier League, winning the club’s end-of-season Player of the Year award. According to The Evening Standard, the Mali international is one of the players on the Merseyside club’s shortlist to replace Jordan Henderson and Fabinho who both look set to complete moves to Saudi Arabia. A fee in the region of £50 million is set to be required by Crystal Palace, who is also said to be attracting interest from Paris Saint-Germain. Thiago Earlier in the window, Thiago became a prime target of interest from Saudi Arabia, with the Spaniard reportedly rejecting a lucrative offer from a team in the Saudi League, according to reports from The Athletic. The 32-year-old midfielder currently has one year left on his contract and intends to fulfil it at Anfield in the upcoming year. Despite this Fichajes is reporting that La Liga clubs, Real Sociedad and Sevilla, are still said to be monitoring the availability of the Spanish midfielder with Liverpool perhaps keen to cash in on the midfielder before his contract expires if they can bring in suitable replacements. Joshua Kimmich If Thiago was to leave Liverpool, one midfielder that Jurgen Klopp might have his eye on is the experienced German international, Joshua Kimmich. According to Fichajes, Liverpool are considering a bid for the Bayern Munich midfielder who has two years left on his deal. The 28-year-old has won 11 Bundesliga titles with the club and would provide plenty of experience at the heart of the Liverpool midfield, especially given the likely departures of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson. Liverpool might have to fend off interest from other clubs, though, with both Manchester United and Manchester City said to be considering a deal for Kimmich. Bradley Barcola With the departure of Roberto Firmio, there may well be a vacancy in Liverpool’s forward line. Jota, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez will all contend for the two other spots alongside Mohamed Salah but the Merseyside club are also said to be looking to the future and a replacement for their Egyptian superstar. According to journalist Jacque Talbot, that man could be French youngster Bradley Barcola. The 20-year-old, who plays for Lyon, scored five times last year and has attracted interest from Liverpool as well as Manchester City, who potentially see Barcola as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez who is set to move to Saudi Arabia. Read More Chelsea transfer news: Michael Olise, Marc Guehi, Moises Caicedo, Callum Hudson-Odoi and more Ange Postecoglou ‘not relaxed’ by uncertainty over Harry Kane’s Tottenham future Manchester United sign Andre Onana in £43m transfer from Inter Milan England’s Lotte Wubben-Moy begins Doodle Diary again – Friday’s sporting social Jordan Henderson risks tarnishing Liverpool legacy after career built on character Liverpool agree £12m deal to sell Jordan Henderson to Saudi club Al Ettifaq