Saudi Arabia reportedly prepared to pay Vinícius’ €1 billion release clause.
Real Madrid star, Vinícius Júnior is the latest star being pursued by the Saudi Pro League, with reports suggesting that Saudi Arabia is preparing a record-breaking offer for the Brazilian forward. According to reports, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has approached Vinícius with a potential five-year contract worth over €1 billion, including around €200 million per season plus bonuses. The deal may also feature a separate 10-year contract for Vinícius to serve as an ambassador for the 2034 World Cup, set to be held in Saudi Arabia. Vinícius, who played a key role in Real Madrid’s Champions League and La Liga victories last season, is reportedly open to hearing the offer, and PIF has been granted permission to approach Real Madrid about the potential move.
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Vinicius Jr's representatives have discussed an annual salary of up to $382.5m.
Real Madrid would also expect to receive Vinícius' buyout clause, which stands at €1 billion. pic.twitter.com/P4F87mfOFn
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 13, 2024
Luiz Díaz reportedly agrees a 5-year contract to join Manchester City.
Manchester City has reportedly agreed to a five-year contract with Colombian winger Luis Díaz, who is said to be ready to move to the Etihad Stadium. City is prepared to pay a transfer fee of £60 million (€70m/$76m) for Díaz, though they have yet to enter direct talks with Liverpool. This potential move comes after City sold Argentine forward Julián Álvarez to Atlético Madrid for £82 million (€95m). However, with Pep Guardiola already having strong options on the left wing— including new signing Savinho, Jeremy Doku, and Jack Grealish—there is speculation about whether this transfer will materialize. Despite the rumours, Díaz is expected to play for Liverpool as they kick off their Premier League season against newly promoted Ipswich this weekend. The 27-year-old recently returned from an extended break after helping Colombia reach the Copa America final and scored in Liverpool’s 4-1 friendly win over Sevilla.
🚨🚨| JUST IN: Man City has reached an AGREEMENT with Luis Diaz on a 5-year deal and is willing to pay €70M for him, reports @marcosbenito9.
❗It’s worth noting that this Journalist was the first to report the collapse of the Chelsea-Samu Omorodion deal. pic.twitter.com/uPx4Exw0eD
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) August 13, 2024
Letsile Tebogo gets a grand celebration after his Olympic milestone.
Botswana gave a hero’s welcome to Letsile Tebogo on Tuesday as the sprinter returned home with the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal. The 21-year-old made history as the first African to win the men’s 200m, securing victory over Americans Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles with an African record time of 19.46 seconds at the Paris Olympics on August 8. Tebogo also earned a silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay, bringing Botswana’s total Olympic medal count to four. Over 30,000 people gathered in the country’s largest stadium to celebrate his return, with Botswana even declaring a second public holiday in a week to honour this historic achievement. Tebogo is only the second African athlete to win an Olympic medal in the men’s 200m, following Namibian Frankie Fredericks’ silver in 1996.
Over 30,000 people gathered in Botswana's biggest stadium to welcome home Letsile Tebogo after winning the countries first-ever gold medal 🙌🇧🇼
Botswana got a second public holiday in a week to celebrate this historic moment 🥇 pic.twitter.com/2CroMScq92
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 13, 2024
Cole Palmer signs an improved contract extension with Chelsea.
Chelsea star, Cole Palmer has been rewarded with a new contract and increased wages after a standout debut season. Palmer, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City last summer on an initial eight-year deal, has had two more years added to his contract, now extending it until 2033. The 22-year-old enjoyed a stellar first campaign, scoring 25 goals and providing 15 assists in 45 appearances, earning him nominations for the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards. After scoring for England as a substitute in the Euro 2024 final, Palmer expressed his excitement about the long-term commitment. “I achieved a lot in my first season here,” Palmer said, “and hopefully I can continue to experience great things at this club, both on a personal level and in terms of bringing success and trophies to Chelsea.”
🚨🔵 Cole Palmer signs new deal at Chelsea with higher salary as reward after excellent first season.
New contract valid until June 2033 now, two more years for Chelsea star as club wanted to get it done before start of new season.
Paperwork signed, as @David_Ornstein reports. pic.twitter.com/HnXGBmwNF0
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 13, 2024
Luke Shaw to miss Man United’s opening games due to a new calf injury.
Manchester United have announced that Luke Shaw has suffered an injury setback, ruling him out for the first three games of the season. The England full-back reportedly sustained a calf injury during United’s preseason training that will side-line him until the international break next month, according to a statement from the club. Shaw, who struggled with injuries last season, managed only 15 appearances across all competitions, missing the final three months of the campaign due to a hamstring problem. Despite that, he made a timely recovery to represent England in the latter stages of Euro 2024. Unfortunately, this new injury adds Shaw to the growing list of unavailable United players. As a result, the 28-year-old is expected to miss Manchester United’s upcoming matches against Fulham, Brighton, and Liverpool. His absence presents a significant challenge for manager Arne Slot as the team navigates a challenging start to their Premier League campaign.
🚨⛔️ OFFICIAL: Luke Shaw will miss the opening games of the Premier League season due to a calf injury sustained at the start of pre-season training.
He is working on his rehabilitation with a view to being available after the first international break, #MUFC confirm. pic.twitter.com/FKospvKU4e
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 13, 2024