RELIANCE

BARCELONA: Barcelona have shifted their attention to Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus after failing to secure their preferred target, Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, as the Catalan club looks to strengthen its attack during the summer transfer window. According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have agreed to release the Brazil international for around €10 million, plus additional performance-related terms . Jesus has reportedly travelled to Spain to undergo his medical as the final stages of the transfer move forward. Alvarez had been Barcelona’s primary attacking target throughout the summer. However, Atletico Madrid maintained that the Argentina international was not available for transfer, forcing Barcelona to explore alternative options. The move for Jesus now appears to provide Barcelona with an experienced attacking option at a considerably lower cost than the deal they had initially pursued for Alvarez. Jesus joined Arsenal from Manchester City in 2022 and i...

MADRID: Real Madrid have moved to secure one of Spain’s promising young midfielders, signing 19-year-old Sergio Martinez from Racing Santander as part of their long-term plan to develop the next generation of talent. Martinez had attracted interest from several major clubs, with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal among those monitoring the midfielder. A number of Premier League clubs and teams from Saudi Arabia were also reportedly interested in securing his services. Real Madrid ultimately won the race, agreeing a deal worth slightly more than $3.5 million for the teenager. The agreement will keep Martinez at the Spanish giants until 2030. The youngster is not expected to become part of Real Madrid’s senior squad immediately. Instead, the club plans to develop him through Castilla, its reserve side, where he will gain regular competitive experience and continue adapting to the demands of elite-level football. There are also plans for Martinez to divide his time during the curr...

BUENOS AIRES: Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes has criticised the 10-match suspension imposed on him by FIFA following a confrontation after the World Cup final, describing the punishment as excessive. The Boca Juniors midfielder also questioned the disparity between his sanction and the one handed to Spain midfielder Gavi, who received a one-match ban over the same incident. Speaking after Boca Juniors' match against Lanus, Paredes expressed his frustration with the length of his suspension. “I think it is excessive,” Paredes said, while pointing to what he considered an inconsistency in FIFA's disciplinary decisions. He also referred to Gavi's punishment, claiming that the Spanish midfielder had struck him in the chest during the confrontation. FIFA hands down multiple suspensions FIFA imposed lengthy sanctions on several members of the Argentina delegation following the post-match confrontation. Paredes received the most severe punishment, with a 10-match suspension...

LONDON/MADRID: Arsenal's hopes of signing Julian Alvarez appear to have suffered a setback, with the Argentina forward reportedly reluctant to move to the north London club and instead keeping Barcelona as his preferred destination. Transfer specialist David Ornstein has reported that Alvarez spoke directly with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta about the possibility of joining the Premier League club. During their conversation, the forward reportedly made clear that he was not keen on making the move. According to Ornstein, Alvarez's preference for Barcelona is currently a major obstacle to any potential transfer to Arsenal. However, the situation could still change before the transfer window closes. Barcelona interest continues Alvarez has been at the centre of transfer speculation throughout the summer, with Barcelona repeatedly exploring the possibility of bringing the former Manchester City forward to Camp Nou. Atletico Madrid, however, have resisted Barcelona's approaches...

DARWIN — The first Test between Bangladesh and Australia in Darwin has entered a dramatic final phase, with the visitors firmly in control but the hosts refusing to concede. Australia ended the third day on 161 for four , still 67 runs behind Bangladesh's imposing first-innings total of 426 . With six wickets remaining, the hosts face a difficult challenge—but Australia still believe a victory remains within reach. At the centre of Australia's fightback is all-rounder Cameron Green , unbeaten on 43, alongside wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey , who was 19 not out at the close. Their unbroken partnership has kept Australia's hopes alive heading into the fourth day. For Josh Hazlewood, however, the immediate priority is not his own remarkable achievement but Australia's position in the match. Hazlewood Reaches 300-Wicket Milestone Hazlewood produced one of the standout individual performances of the match, taking six wickets for 89 runs in Bangladesh's first innings. I...

DHAKA — Bangladesh's national football team is beginning to look like a very different side from the one seen in previous years, with greater confidence, resilience and a willingness to compete against stronger opponents. Head coach Thomas Doley believes the team has developed the ability to challenge established sides and could produce surprises against even more highly rated opponents—provided the players are physically prepared and the team gets the right competitive exposure. Bangladesh's recent performances in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign have strengthened that belief, with the national side showing greater competitiveness against stronger opposition. For Doley, however, the next challenge is not simply producing an occasional impressive performance. It is building a team capable of competing consistently at international level. Bangladesh Ready to Embrace the Underdog Role Doley expects Bangladesh to enter matches against stronger regional opponents as the und...

AL-BIREH, West Bank: Palestinian club football is set to resume on Sept. 4 after a nearly three-year interruption, with 226 teams from the West Bank, Gaza and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon scheduled to take part in a tournament created to honour athletes killed during the conflict. The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has named the inaugural competition the “Thousand Martyrs Cup” , describing it as the first step toward restoring organised football after years of disruption. PFA President Jibril Rajoub announced the tournament on Monday at the Joseph Blatter Academy in Al-Bireh in the occupied West Bank. He said the initiative was intended to revive Palestinian sport and provide a source of hope and community life for Palestinians at home and abroad. Rajoub also called for support from FIFA and other international football organisations to help clubs cope with financial and security challenges. 226 clubs from three regions The tournament will bring together 146 clubs from...

Egyptian Forward Set for Medical as Turkish Club Moves Closer to Completing High-Profile Transfer Istanbul — Turkish Super Lig club Trabzonspor has confirmed that it has entered formal negotiations to sign Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah, with club officials expressing confidence that the transfer could be finalized later this week. In a statement released late Tuesday, Trabzonspor announced that discussions had officially begun with the 34-year-old, who became a free agent after bringing his nine-year spell at Liverpool to an end this summer. Club president Ertugrul Dogan later told local broadcaster A Spor that negotiations were progressing positively. He said Salah is expected to travel to Türkiye for medical examinations before completing the move, although the agreement has not yet been formally signed. If all remaining details are finalized, the transfer could be completed within days, marking one of the biggest signings in the club's recent history. End of a Histor...

Veteran Goalkeeper Says World Cup Success Confirmed His Belief That He Belonged at a Major Club Santiago, Chile — Cape Verde international goalkeeper Vozinha has completed a move to Chilean football powerhouse Colo-Colo, describing the transfer as the fulfillment of a long-held belief that he was destined to play for one of the sport's historic clubs. Speaking shortly after his unveiling on Tuesday, the 40-year-old said his performances on football's biggest stage reinforced the confidence he had carried throughout his career, despite spending much of it in smaller European and African leagues. "Throughout my career, I always believed I had the quality to represent a major club," Vozinha said. "Even when I was playing outside the spotlight, I never lost that conviction. When Colo-Colo expressed interest, my decision was immediate. There were other opportunities, but this was the destination I wanted most." World Cup Breakthrough Vozinha became one ...

UEFA and several national federations raise concerns over proposed private investment in FIFA commercial operations  ZURICH, Switzerland, July 29 — FIFA's proposal to open part of its commercial operations to private investment has triggered growing opposition across the global football community, with several European football authorities warning that the plan could fundamentally alter the governance of the sport's most valuable competitions. The controversy follows FIFA's announcement that it intends to establish a new commercial entity, FIFA Forward Enterprises , to manage the business operations of major tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. Under the proposal, up to 21% of the new company's shares could be sold to private investors, a move expected to generate approximately $4.2 billion in fresh capital. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has presented the initiative as a long-term strategy aimed at strengthening football develop...