Manchester United has signed Carlos Baleba, a 22-year-old midfielder from Brighton, for an initial £65 million, potentially rising to £70 million. Baleba has joined United on a five-year contract and will help strengthen their midfield after recent player signings.
Key Facts
Manchester United paid £65 million upfront for Carlos Baleba, with possible add-ons of £5 million.
Baleba is a 22-year-old midfielder from Cameroon with 16 international appearances.
He previously played for Brighton and joined them from Lille in 2023.
Baleba has made 112 appearances for Brighton, including 31 in the Premier League last season.
He is currently recovering from an ankle injury sustained during Brighton’s preseason.
The contract length is five years, with an option to extend for one more year.
United’s summer spending has now reached £153 million as they prepare for the Champions League.
Baleba is known for his physical strength, speed, and ability to regain possession, complementing United’s midfield needs.
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The Minnesota Lynx lost 80-66 to the Golden State Valkyries, with rookie Olivia Miles having a below-average game. Coach Cheryl Reeve said these tough games are important for Miles’ growth as a player. Despite this loss, the Lynx remain the top team in the WNBA and favorites to win the championship.
Key Facts
The Lynx lost 80-66 to the Golden State Valkyries.
Olivia Miles scored 8 points on 3 of 12 shooting, below her usual performance.
Miles had 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 turnovers in the game.
Coach Cheryl Reeve said disappointing games help Miles learn and improve.
The Lynx shot a low 35.6% as a team and had 17 turnovers.
Olivia Miles is leading Rookie of the Year candidates with averages of 19.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game.
The Lynx have the best WNBA record at 31-8 and are favored to win the championship.
Their next game is on Sunday against the Atlanta Dream.
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Ukrainian basketball player Kate Koval is leaving LSU’s women’s basketball team for personal reasons, shortly after the team signed a young Russian player. LSU’s coach said they respect Koval’s decision and hope both players can promote peace through sports despite the conflict between their countries.
Key Facts
Kate Koval, a Ukrainian center born in Kyiv, is leaving LSU women’s basketball team.
Koval’s father serves in the Ukrainian military.
LSU signed Anna Minaeva, a 17-year-old Russian player, earlier this month.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey discussed Minaeva’s signing with Koval before it was announced.
Mulkey said she could not avoid recruiting players who help the team because of conflicts between countries.
Koval played high school basketball in New York and represented Ukraine in international competition.
The coach hopes both players can act as “ambassadors” for peace through sports.
Russia and Ukraine have been at war since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
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A Louisiana judge allowed some NFL rookies to return to college football for a fifth year, despite having played professionally. The Big Ten conference has banned players who appeared on NFL rosters from playing for its teams, and the SEC is considering a similar rule that could affect LSU coach Lane Kiffin’s recruiting.
Key Facts
A judge issued a temporary order letting NFL rookies return to college football for a fifth year.
Players who appeared on NFL rosters or signed professional contracts can play college football again under this order.
The Big Ten conference passed a rule banning these players from joining its teams.
The SEC is discussing adopting a similar rule that would prevent these players from competing in its schools.
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin recruited two NFL rookies cut from their teams to join LSU, but they could be banned if the SEC rule passes.
Other NFL rookies from various schools were also granted fifth-year college eligibility by the court order.
This rule change could affect recruiting and player transfers in college football conferences.
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The Big Ten conference will create a new rule banning players who have been on NFL teams from returning to play college football for Big Ten schools. This follows a court decision allowing some NFL rookies to return to college football for an extra year, but Big Ten coaches believe this is unfair to current college players.
Key Facts
The Big Ten will not allow players who declared for the NFL Draft, appeared on an NFL roster, or signed a pro contract to play college football for Big Ten schools.
A Louisiana judge issued a temporary order letting some NFL rookies return to college football for an extra year of eligibility.
Several players who spent time on NFL rosters after college have received fifth-year eligibility to play again.
Big Ten coaches Dan Lanning (Oregon) and Ryan Day (Ohio State) oppose allowing players back after joining the NFL.
Coaches argue returning players create unfair roster problems and competitive advantages for some teams.
They believe once a player goes to the NFL, their college eligibility should end.
The new rule aims to protect current college players who worked all year to prepare for the season.
Teams have limited roster spots, and adding returning NFL players means some current players could lose their place.
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England cricket captain Joe Root is upset that Brydon Carse’s nightclub incident and arrest have overshadowed England’s strong recent win against Pakistan. Carse has been dropped from the team and referred to the cricket regulator after being seen in videos handcuffed by police following a nightclub incident.
Key Facts
Brydon Carse was filmed being led away in handcuffs after an incident at a nightclub in Derby.
Carse was dropped from England’s squad for the second Test match against Pakistan.
Joe Root returned as England’s Test captain and led the team to a big win over Pakistan.
There have been several recent problems with England players involved in alcohol-related incidents.
A curfew for players going out was introduced after a troubled tour in Australia and New Zealand, but Root does not support continuing it.
Root wants to build a strong, player-driven culture in the England cricket team that reflects well on the players and fans.
Previous England players involved in off-field issues include Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Ben Stokes, and Gus Atkinson.
Ben Stokes retired from international cricket shortly after a disciplinary incident earlier this year.
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The article describes a planned trip to watch college football games featuring every team in the preseason AP Top 25 rankings. It outlines a 17-game journey with careful scheduling to manage travel times and includes notable rivalry and key games early in the 2025 season.
Key Facts
The trip aims to see every team in the AP preseason Top 25 at least once.
Travel between games includes flights and drives but must allow enough time between games.
The journey starts with the Apple Cup rivalry game between Washington State and Washington on September 6, 2025.
Other early games include SMU at Florida State on September 7 and Missouri at Kansas on September 11.
The trip covers major SEC games such as LSU at Mississippi and Oklahoma at Georgia.
Ohio State plays Iowa on October 3, which is an important game for the top-ranked Buckeyes.
The article highlights that the college football offseason challenges, like legal issues and player eligibility questions, are ending soon, allowing fans to focus on games.
The roadmap is described as the AP’s annual “dream college football road trip.”
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The article discusses early predictions for the 2026 College Football Playoff, a tournament to determine the national champion in college football. It explains the playoff system with 12 teams competing, starting with games on campus, leading to a final championship game in Las Vegas.
Key Facts
The College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams, starting its third season in 2026.
The playoff begins with four games held on college campuses starting December 18, 2026.
The final championship game will be played in Las Vegas on January 25, 2027.
Notre Dame is predicted as the top seed for the 2026 playoff, partly due to new rules ensuring their inclusion if ranked in the top 12.
Ohio State is predicted as the second seed, despite losing 11 players to the NFL.
The system can be confusing because teams’ win-loss records and timing of losses affect their rankings differently.
Teams like Miami and Duke are also discussed as contenders in the upcoming season.
The playoff aims to determine one national champion, following champions Indiana and Ohio State from previous years of the 12-team format.
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Golfers who played on the LIV Golf tour might need to start over to rejoin the European-based DP World Tour, says golf champion Sir Nick Faldo. The DP World Tour is discussing how to handle players leaving LIV, which recently ended its 2026 season.
Key Facts
LIV Golf’s 2026 season ended last Sunday after cancelling a team event in Michigan.
Some players, like Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, and Adrian Meronk, are still competing on the DP World Tour by special agreement.
Sir Nick Faldo suggests LIV players who want to return may have to go through qualifying again and prove themselves.
The DP World Tour’s tournament committee is working on rules for players who want to leave LIV and rejoin.
PGA Tour has banned members who played on LIV for one year, but DP World Tour wants a more flexible approach.
High-profile players like Jon Rahm have exemptions that could allow an easier return.
Some top LIV players, like Joaquin Niemann and others, are currently not eligible to play on PGA or DP World Tours.
Younger and less established LIV players have started trying to qualify again through DP World Tour’s qualifying school.
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The PGA Tour will change its postseason format starting in 2028. The Tour Championship will expand to two weeks, use match play instead of stroke play, and take place at two different golf courses.
Key Facts
The current Tour Championship is a 72-hole stroke play event for the top 30 players.
The winner of the Tour Championship becomes the FedEx Cup champion and wins $10 million from a $40 million total prize pool.
Starting in 2028, the BMW Championship will include the top 90 players on the points list.
After the BMW Championship, the top 32 players will be divided into eight groups of four for match play.
The top two players from each group will move on to a final match play event lasting four days.
All players will continue playing until Sunday to determine final rankings, even if eliminated early.
Three trophies will be awarded at the BMW Championship event, but the second-week final does not offer a trophy.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp announced these changes ahead of the current Tour Championship.
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A new study looked at the brains of 1,712 former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2021. It found that at least one in four of these players may have had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to repeated head injuries.
Key Facts
Researchers examined 1,712 former NFL players who died from 2008 to 2021.
Brain donations from 338 players were studied, with 315 showing signs of CTE.
This means 93.2% of brain donors had CTE, a disease caused by repeated head trauma.
The study estimates that about 24.5% of all former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE.
Nearly 60% of the brain donors had dementia, and 90.4% with the worst form of CTE had dementia.
Players with the most severe CTE had a 44% higher risk of dementia.
Researchers say the actual number of players with brain damage might be higher because dementia is not always recorded on death certificates.
The NFL states it is working to make football safer and to provide health resources to players.
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Mohamed Salah has become the highest-paid football player in Turkey, joining a league where many clubs owe a lot of money. The article explains how Turkish football teams manage to pay their expensive players despite their financial problems.
Key Facts
Mohamed Salah signed a contract that makes him the top-paid player in Turkish football.
Turkish football clubs collectively have large debts, meaning they owe a lot of money.
Despite owing money, these clubs still spend big to attract star players like Salah.
The article explores the reasons and methods Turkish clubs use to stay financially active.
Payment for star players comes even though clubs face financial challenges.
The Turkish football league aims to remain competitive by signing famous footballers.
Financial debt is a common issue in Turkish football, affecting multiple teams.
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Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream set new WNBA records by grabbing 26 rebounds in one game and surpassing the season rebound record with 458. Her performance helped the Dream win 78-71 against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Key Facts
Angel Reese grabbed 26 rebounds in a single game, setting a WNBA record.
Reese broke the season rebound record with her 452nd rebound, finishing the game with 458 rebounds.
The previous season rebound record was held by A'ja Wilson.
Reese is in her third WNBA season and already achieved two of the top three rebounding seasons ever.
The Atlanta Dream won the game 78-71 against the Los Angeles Sparks.
The Dream have a 25-13 record and are in the top five teams for playoff spots.
Sparks player Nneka Ogwumike, who is retiring, had 16 rebounds in the game.
Reese credits her mindset and learning from WNBA greats like Tina Charles for her success.
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Jed York, the owner and CEO of the San Francisco 49ers football team, was arrested in Ohio related to a prostitution case. He pleaded no contest to changed charges and might face discipline from the National Football League (NFL).
Key Facts
Jed York owns and leads the San Francisco 49ers.
He was arrested in Ohio over the weekend.
The arrest involved a prostitution-related charge.
York pleaded no contest, which means he did not admit guilt but accepted the penalty.
The original charges were modified before he pleaded.
The NFL may consider punishing York for his arrest.
The case received coverage from CBS News.
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Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho says he is very happy with his team even though they missed signing midfielder Rodri, who went to their rival Barcelona. The team signed six new players this summer and Mourinho believes the squad is complete for now, but he is open to changes if needed.
Key Facts
Real Madrid signed six new players this summer, including Yan Diomande, Bernardo Silva, and Marc Cucurella.
The club tried but failed to sign midfielder Rodri, who joined Barcelona instead.
Mourinho feels the current squad is complete but the transfer window is still open.
Midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric will leave Real Madrid in 2024 and 2025.
Real Madrid won their La Liga opener 2-1 against Espanyol with Silva and Valverde playing midfield.
French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni was rested because he was not fully recovered from his holiday break.
Mourinho trusts Federico Valverde to play in midfield despite his experience in other positions.
Mourinho explained that in modern football, player positions are flexible and change during games.
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Serena Williams is playing mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz at the 2026 U.S. Open, her first match at this Grand Slam since 2022. They face Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool in the first round, with the mixed doubles final offering a $1 million prize.
Key Facts
Serena Williams returned to the U.S. Open in 2026 to play mixed doubles, not singles.
Her partner is Carlos Alcaraz, the defending men’s singles champion.
They play against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool, one half of the reigning women’s doubles champions.
The mixed doubles event is in its second year with a new format.
Another notable mixed doubles team includes Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic.
Serena Williams has won 10 U.S. Open titles: six singles, two doubles with Venus, and one mixed doubles.
Carlos Alcaraz has won the men’s singles U.S. Open twice.
The semifinals and final take place Wednesday night, with the winners earning $1 million.
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A new study by Mass General Brigham found that nearly 25% of NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a brain condition linked to repeated head injuries.
Key Facts
The study focused on NFL players who died during 2016 to 2021.
About one in four of these players showed signs of CTE.
CTE is a disease caused by repeated hits to the head.
The study was conducted by Mass General Brigham, a healthcare organization.
CTE has been linked to memory loss, mood changes, and other brain problems.
The research highlights health risks for football players due to head injuries.
The findings may help improve safety measures in football.
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Tottenham Hotspur signed Brazilian winger Savinho from Manchester City, increasing their summer spending to over 300 million pounds. The deal was confirmed by both clubs, but the exact financial terms were not officially disclosed. Savinho is expected to strengthen Tottenham's team after they finished 17th last season.
Key Facts
Tottenham Hotspur signed winger Savinho from Manchester City.
Media reports suggest the transfer fee is 75 million pounds, with possible add-ons of 10 million pounds.
Savinho is 22 years old and has played 13 times for Brazil’s national team.
He previously played for Atletico Mineiro, Troyes, Girona, and Manchester City.
Last season, Savinho scored 11 goals in 41 games on loan at Girona.
Tottenham has spent around 322 million pounds on new players this summer.
Other recent Tottenham signings include Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, and Jan Paul van Hecke.
Tottenham lost their first Premier League game 3-0 to Brentford and will face Charlton Athletic and Newcastle United next.
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England cricket captain Joe Root expressed his disappointment about an incident involving fast bowler Brydon Carse, who was seen in handcuffs outside a Derby nightclub and was briefly arrested. As a result, Carse was removed from the squad for the upcoming second Test against Pakistan.
Key Facts
Brydon Carse, a 31-year-old English fast bowler, was involved in an incident at a nightclub in Derby.
Images on social media showed Carse in handcuffs outside the nightclub on Saturday night.
Carse was briefly arrested but later released without further action.
Because of the incident, Carse was dropped from England’s squad for the second Test match against Pakistan.
England captain Joe Root said he felt "hacked off" and "disappointed" about the situation.
Root noted that the team wanted to focus on cricket after last week’s performance but had to address this off-field issue.
The incident does not relate to the team’s recent match or performance.
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A new study found that at least 25% of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to repeated head injuries. The study also showed that many players with CTE experienced dementia, especially in severe cases.
Key Facts
CTE is a brain disease caused by repeated hits to the head and can only be diagnosed after death by examining brain tissue.
The study looked at former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021, with 878 deaths during this period.
Out of 235 players who donated their brains, 215 (91.4%) showed signs of CTE.
Researchers estimated that between 24.5% and 97.7% of all deceased players in that period may have had CTE, with the true number likely in the middle.
About 61.3% of players with CTE met the criteria for dementia, a decline in memory and thinking skills.
The NFL stated it is working to make football safer and encourages former players to use health resources.
The study suggests more research is needed, especially focusing on recent players and preventing repeated head injuries, not just concussions.
The study was done by Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation and published in The British Medical Journal.
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