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Manchester United and Dortmund struggle with Valuation of Sancho

Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund remain far apart in their valuation of England forward Jadon Sancho.

It had been reported United had agreed personal terms with Sancho, but BBC Sport understands that is not the case.

The Red Devils have made Sancho their number one transfer target this summer.

Dortmund want about £100m for the 20-year-old and say they want a deal to be done by 10 August so they can get on with their pre-season campaign with no distractions.

United feel that sum – which would be a record for a British player – is unrealistic and does not take into account the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has cost top-flight clubs in Europe an estimated £3.5bn during the 2019-20 season.

United remain keen on Sancho but are wary of repeating the mistake they made in giving Alexis Sanchez a contract worth £400,000 a week. The club are attempting to agree a deal that would allow the Chilean, who has two years left on his deal, to join Inter Milan.

Forwards Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood and goalkeeper David de Gea have all signed new deals in the past 13 months, and United would not want to put themselves into a position where they have to revisit them.

While this could be viewed as the start of hard negotiations on both sides, United do have the option of looking at alternatives.

And, although this seems unlikely, BBC Sport has been told they will do that unless Dortmund step back significantly from their current position.

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Liverpool Target Norwich defender, Jamal Lewis

Liverpool are interested in signing Norwich City left-back Jamal Lewis for £10m as back-up for Andy Robertson.

Northern Ireland defender Lewis, 22, made 28 Premier League appearances in 2019-20, scoring once, as the Canaries were relegated.

Norwich are thought to be keen on Reds left-back Yasser Larouci, which could help a deal be reached.

Algeria-born Larouci, 19, has one year left on his contract and is keen to get more playing time.

His only two first-team appearances for the Premier League champions came in the FA Cup, with 34-year-old midfielder James Milner usually covering for Scotland captain Robertson, 26, when needed.

Liverpool sold Croatia centre-back Dejan Lovren to Zenit St Petersburg for £10.9m in July.

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Rafael Nadal to miss US Open

Defending champion Rafael Nadal has decided not to play the US Open later this month because the coronavirus pandemic is “not under control”.

Spanish world number two Nadal, 34, has not entered the tournament, which takes place in New York from 31 August.

“The health situation is very complicated around the world with cases increasing and flare-ups,” said Nadal.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic leads the men’s entry list, while American great Serena Williams has indicated she will play.

Nadal added: “This is a decision I never wanted to take but I have decided to follow my heart this time and for the time being I rather not travel.”

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is hosting a double tournament at Flushing Meadows, having moved the Cincinnati Masters to New York.

The event will staged at the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre from 22 August, with the US Open taking place immediately afterwards.

Both tournaments will be held without fans and players will have to follow strict measures.

The USTA measures within the safety bubble include regular testing, mitigation measures and increased sanitisation. The organisation said on Friday it was confident the health and safety of everyone involved in the tournaments remained “on track”.

While the WTA Tour resumed in Palermo this week, the Cincinnati-US Open double header will be the first ATP events since March.

“We know that the reduced tennis calendar is barbaric this year after four months stopped with no play,” added Nadal, who will miss a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon in 2016.

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Fulham win promotion to the Premiership

Fulham beat Brentford in the Championship play-off final to secure an immediate return to the Premier League thanks to two extra-time goals from Joe Bryan.

The left-back caught Bees goalkeeper David Raya off guard with a free-kick from 40 yards in the 105th minute of the game at Wembley, with the Spaniard expecting a cross and then unable to scamper back and save Bryan’s skidding low effort.

With the Bees pouring forward in search of an equaliser, Bryan burst forward and combined with Aleksandar Mitrovic before stabbing past Raya to make the game safe with three minutes remaining.

Henrik Dalsgaard pulled a goal back with a header from eight yards out in the fourth minute of added time, but it was too late for the Bees to spark a comeback.

The goals from Bryan were two rare moments of quality and quick-thinking in an otherwise cagey encounter between the two west London rivals, which finished goalless after 90 minutes.

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Manchester City sign Ferran Torres from Valencia

Manchester City have completed the signing of Valencia winger Ferran Torres for 23m euros (£20.87m).

He is City’s first summer signing and replaces Germany forward Leroy Sane, who left on 3 July for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

The 20-year-old has signed a five-year contract.

“Every player wants to be involved in attacking teams and Manchester City are one of the most attacking in world football,” Torres said.

“I am so happy to be joining City.”

City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain added: “We have followed Ferran’s progress closely and have been very impressed.

“He is young and still developing, but his technical qualities are exactly what we are looking for in a winger. He is quick, direct, can create space with one movement and is capable of producing match-winning moments.”

City have also had a £40m bid for Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake accepted.

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Womens cricket world cup to be played behind closed doors

The 2021 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand could be played behind closed doors and in a bio-secure environment.

Organisers of the tournament, scheduled for February and March, are advertising for a “bio-security manager”.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is understood to be looking at a range of options, in consultation with stakeholders, national governments and health experts.

The tournament will be discussed at an ICC board meeting on Friday.

The men’s T20 World Cup, due to be held in Australia in October and November, was postponed last month because of the coronavirus pandemic.

If the Women’s World Cup is also postponed, the ICC would face a crammed schedule of global tournaments, with men’s T20 World Cups planned for both 2021 and 2022, and women’s T20 cricket set to be part of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Any plans to stage the Women’s World Cup on time also depends on the rescheduling of the qualifying event, which should have taken place in Sri Lanka in July.

The qualifying event – featuring 10 teams, including Ireland – will determine the final three of the eight teams which will take part in the tournament proper.

Australia, holders England, South Africa, India and hosts New Zealand have already booked their places.

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Marquez out through Injury

MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez will miss the Czech Grand Prix after a second operation on a broken arm.

The Spaniard, 27, broke his arm in a crash on the opening weekend of the season in Jerez on 19 July.

The Repsol Honda rider had surgery two days later but damage to the titanium plate used to fix his humerus prompted a second operation on Monday.

On Tuesday, the team announced Marquez would not ride in the Czech Republic “in order for him to recover more”.

Test rider Stefan Bradl will take his place at Automotodrom Brno on Sunday.

Marquez was expected to be discharged from hospital in Barcelona within 48 hours of the surgery.

“The titanium plate has been removed and replaced by a new fixation,” said doctor Xavier Mir.

“An accumulation of stress in the operated area has caused the plate to suffer some damage.

“Now we have to wait 48 hours to understand the recovery time.”

Frenchman Fabio Quartararo has won the opening two races of the Moto GP season and tops the driver standings on 50 points, with Marquez yet to register a point.

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Footballing LegendCassillas Retires from Football

Former Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has retired from football at the age of 39.

Casillas made 725 appearances for Real during a 16-year career at the Bernabeu, winning three Champions League titles and five La Liga crowns.

He also helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup and two successive European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

Casillas joined Porto in 2015 but has not played since suffering a heart attack during training in April 2019.

During his recovery he was given a role on the club’s coaching staff in July 2019.

He made 156 appearances for the Portuguese side, winning two Primeira Liga titles and one Portuguese Cup.

Casillas won 167 international caps for Spain between 2000 and 2016. Only former Real team-mate Sergio Ramos has made more appearances for the national side.

Announcing his retirement on Twitter, Casillas said: “The important thing is the path you travel and the people who accompany you, not the destination to which it takes you.

“I think I can say, without hesitation, that it has been the path and the dream destination.”

Real Madrid said Casillas, who joined the Spanish giants at the age of nine, was the best goalkeeper in the 118-year history of the club.

“Real Madrid wants to show its appreciation, admiration and love for one of the greatest legends of our club and world football,” read a statement on the club’s website.

“Iker Casillas belongs to the heart of Real Madrid and will be so forever.”

In February, he announced his intention to run for the presidency of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), before later withdrawing because of the “exceptional social, economic and health situation” the country was suffering during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Championship playoffs today

Brentford play Fulham on Tuesday for the chance to return to the English top flight for the first time in 73 years – and earn about £160m in the process.

The west London rivals, separated by just four miles, meet in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Fulham could seal an immediate return to the Premier League.

Victory in the match, often dubbed the richest game in football, would be worth £135m to Fulham and about £160m to Brentford over the next three years.

Brentford finished third in the table, one place above Fulham on goal difference, and won both league meetings during the regular campaign.

If they fail to win, the Bees will have taken part in more unsuccessful play-off campaigns in the English Football League than any other club, with this their ninth attempt.

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Dortmund give deadline for sancho deal

Borussia Dortmund have set a 10 August deadline to agree a deal for forward Jadon Sancho – who is Manchester United’s top summer transfer target – to leave the club.

The German club have told United they want in excess of £100m for the 20-year-old England winger.

There is no agreement yet on a fee, which would be paid in instalments.

Dortmund have set the deadline because they want undisturbed preparation for the 2020-21 Bundesliga season.

The new campaign starts on 18 September, with the transfer deadline for international deals on 5 October.

Sancho has been at Dortmund for three years, having signed from Manchester City in August 2017 for a fee of about £10m.

In July, Dortmund beat United to the signing of 17-year-old English midfielder Jude Bellingham from Birmingham City in a deal that could be worth over £30m.

They also bought Norway forward Erling Braut Haaland from Red Bull Salzburg earlier in the season – another player United tried hard to bring to Old Trafford.