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Latest within football transfers and Olympics

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By Timothy Akintola

Read more on Martin Zubimendi, João Felix, Kevin Durant, Barcelona and Team USA.

Martin Zubimendi rejects Liverpool’s offer to remain at Real Sociedad.

Real Sociedad midfielder, Martin Zubimendi has chosen to remain with the Spanish club despite interest from Liverpool, who were eager to bolster their midfield under new manager Arne Slot. Zubimendi, a key player for Spain in their Euro 2024 victory, was reportedly Liverpool’s top target for the defensive midfield role, with a £51 million release clause in his contract. Although the 25-year-old was initially expected to leave Real Sociedad this summer, the club, having already lost Robin Le Normand to Atlético Madrid, were determined to retain their key players. Their efforts have paid off, with Zubimendi now considering a new contract with Sociedad. The proposed deal would likely increase his release clause and extend his stay beyond 2027, when his current contract is set to expire.

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Chelsea exploring João Félix after Samu Omorodion’s deal falls through.

After talks for striker Samu Omorodion collapsed, Chelsea are considering re-signing forward João Félix from Atletico Madrid. Despite agreeing on a £34.5 million fee, discussions over personal terms with Omorodion broke down. Atlético, who recently signed Julián Álvarez from Manchester City, have also agreed on a deal to sign Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher. However, Gallagher’s move to Madrid depends on Omorodion heading in the opposite direction. With that deal faltering, the clubs are now working on bringing Félix back to Chelsea, where he spent six months on Loan in 2023. The Portuguese international is reportedly eager to return to Stamford Bridge and is willing to take a significant pay cut to fit Chelsea’s wage structure. Félix’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is currently in talks with Chelsea to finalize the move.


Kevin Durant becomes a minority stake holder of Ligue 1 champions, PSG.

NBA star, Kevin Durant has become a minority shareholder in Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning three-time Ligue 1 champions, the club announced. The recent Olympic gold medalist with Team USA invested several million dollars through Arctos Sports Partners, the American Investment fund that acquired a 12.5% stake in PSG in 2023, valuing the club at $4.6 billion (€4.25bn). Durant’s involvement aims to enhance PSG’s brand in the U.S., focusing on marketing and sponsorship opportunities, especially with the 2025 Club World Cup and 2026 World Cup set to take place in America. Durant joins a growing list of American athletes investing in European soccer, including LeBron James with Liverpool F.C., and J.J. Watt and Tom Brady with Burnley F.C. and Birmingham City F.C. Durant is reportedly excited and serious about his investment in PSG.

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Monaco defeats Barca in final preseason game ahead of the new La Liga season.

Barcelona’s final preparation for the new La Liga season ended in a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Monaco in the Joan Gamper Trophy at the Olympic Stadium on Monday. Under new coach Hansi Flick, Barça had a mixed preseason, with wins against Manchester City and Real Madrid followed by a loss to AC Milan in the U.S. Monaco took the lead early in the second half through Lamine Camara, and Breel Embolo quickly added a second. Despite the introduction of Euro 2024 star Lamine Yamal, Barcelona couldn’t turn the tide. Christian Mawissa sealed the win for Monaco with a late third goal. As Barça aims to reclaim the Spanish title from Real Madrid, they face a challenging start to their La Liga campaign on Saturday against Valencia.


Team USA leads the medal table in the just-concluded Olympic Games.

In the recently concluded 2024 Olympic Games, the United States clinched the top spot in the medal table, all thanks to their women’s basketball team who secured a thrilling victory over host nation France to capture the final gold medal in Paris. With this win, the US matched China’s total of 40 gold medals. However, with 44 silver medals compared to China’s 27, the US led the overall medal count with 126 medals, surpassing China’s 91. Japan exceeded expectations by securing third place with 20 golds among 45 medals. Australia finished fourth with 18 golds and 53 medals, while France, the host nation, took fifth with 18 golds and 63 medals. Britain, despite winning more medals than in Tokyo (65), fell to seventh place behind the Netherlands due to fewer golds.

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