For the first time since 2003, neither Argentina’s Lionel Messi nor Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo feature as nominees for the Ballon d’Or, while Olympic champions Spain and Champions League winners Real Madrid headline the list of players vying for football’s most prestigious individual award.
Lionel Messi will not win another Ballon d’Or this year after being left out of the nominees revealed by organisers on Wednesday, as stars of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning team and Real Madrid’s Champions League victors feature heavily.
Messi claimed the eighth Ballon d’Or of his glittering career last year. Now aged 37, he is not among the 30 contenders this time despite winning another title with Argentina at the Copa America in July.
The former Barcelona superstar, now playing club football in MLS for Inter Miami, was also missing from the nominees in 2022 when Karim Benzema took the honours.
However, he returned to win last year after leading Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Qatar.
His rivals include Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Spain’s Luis de la Fuente.
Leicester have won their appeal against a decision that an independent commission had jurisdiction to consider an alleged breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
The Premier League said it was “surprised and disappointed” by the move to uphold the Foxes’ appeal.
An independent appeal board found that Leicester’s accounting period – after it was claimed the club had exceeded the maximum permitted £105million loss over a three-season period – ended on June 30th 2023, after the club were relegated from the top flight.
The Premier League said that the appeal board’s decision “effectively means that, despite the club being a member of the (Premier) League from seasons 2019-20 to 2022-23, the League cannot take action against the club for exceeding the relevant PSR threshold in respect of the associated accounting periods”.
Leicester welcomed the decision, adding the verdict supported their “consistently stated position that any action against the club should be pursued in accordance with the applicable rules”.
The club could have faced a points deduction had they been found to have breached the financial rules.
Arsenal have turned down a bid from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad for Leandro Trossard, the PA news agency understands.
The offer for the 29-year-old was an initial £4million to take him on loan with an obligation to make the move permanent next summer for £25m.
However, it is understood that Arsenal did not entertain the bid and see Trossard as a key member of Mikel Arteta’s side as they seek to build on consecutive runners-up finishes in the Premier League and end their 20-year wait for the title.
The club added Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling to their squad in the final hours of the transfer window on Friday but the club do not deem him to be a replacement for Trossard.
The Belgium international came off the bench to score his side’s opening goal in their 2-0 win away at Aston Villa but gave a low-key celebration seemingly in response to having been left out of the starting XI.
He played from the start as Arsenal were held 1-1 at the Emirates by his former club Brighton – whom he left in January 2023 to move to north London – on Saturday.
The transfer window for clubs in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League closes on Monday.
Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada has insisted Erik ten Hag has his and the club’s full backing and remains the right man to take the club forward.
United triggered a one-year contract extension for Ten Hag in the summer, but only after considering alternatives in the wake of an eighth-placed finish in the Premier League and unexpected FA Cup success, beating Manchester City in the final.
Ten Haag
But there were fresh questions over the amount of progress United have made under Ten Hag following Sunday’s poor 3-0 home defeat to rivals Liverpool, already United’s second league defeat of the fledgling campaign after they lost 2-1 at Brighton last weekend.
Speaking alongside new sporting director Dan Ashworth shortly before kick off against Liverpool, Berrada said it would take more than a couple of bad results to shake the club’s belief in their manager.
“Do we still believe in Erik? Absolutely,” he said. “We think Erik is the right coach for us and we’re fully backing him.”
Ten Hag’s contract was extended before either Berrada or Ashworth had taken up their positions this summer but both said they were happy with the decision.
Ashworth said: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Erik for the last eight weeks.
“I see my job is to support him in every way I possibly can and whether that’s operationally, whether that’s with recruitment, whether that’s with medical, whether that’s with psychology, whether that’s training ground flow, it’s just to take as much of that off him to allow him to fully focus on the training pitch and the match tactical plan to deliver success for Manchester United.”
Ashworth’s first few weeks in the job were dominated by the transfer window, in which United signed Matthijs De Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, and Noussair Mazraoui.
But just as notable were the departures of players including Scott McTominay and Jadon Sancho.
After a falling out with Ten Hag early last season Sancho returned to former club Borussia Dortmund on loan in January.
The pair appeared to have made up as Sancho took part in United’s pre-season and played in the Community Shield, but on deadline day he joined Chelsea on loan with an obligation to buy.
Asked what had changed, Ashworth said it had been down to the player’s wish to move on.
“We felt we had enough depth in that particular position to be able to cover it, we’ve got four really good wide players – Jadon was a fifth – and it just enabled us to make that decision that if it was good for him and good for us it was something we were willing to consider,” Ashworth said.
“He wanted to explore the opportunity at Chelsea, like Scott wanted to explore the opportunity at Napoli, like Aaron (Wan-Bissaka) wanted to explore the opportunity at West Ham. We’re not in a position where we’re kicking players out of the club.”
McTominay’s move to Napoli saw the Scot end a two-decade long association with United after coming through the club’s academy from an early age.
Ten Hag expressed his regret at losing the midfielder but it is a reality of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) that selling homegrown players is hugely beneficial on the accounting side.
Ashworth said that was an “unintended consequence” of the rules but added that McTominay had wanted to go.
“Scott’s been fairly open that maybe he needed a change,” Ashworth said. “He’s been in Manchester United for 21 years, I think. He’s been a brilliant, brilliant servant.
“But sometimes in life you fancy a change and do something different. So we have to respect what those human beings, what they want for their career and their life as well.”
Luton winger Chiedozie Ogbene has completed a move to Premier League newcomers Ipswich for an undisclosed fee.
The 27-year-old Republic of Ireland international, who scored four times in 30 appearances for the Hatters in last season’s top flight, has signed a four-year contract.
Ogbene told Town TV: “I’m very excited and feel lucky to have this opportunity to play in the Premier League again.
“It’s an opportunity I had to grab with both hands and I can’t wait to be involved as soon as possible.”
Ogbene began his career in Ireland with Cork City and Limerick before spells at Brentford, Rotherham and Luton.
Burnley have continued their squad overhaul by signing Hannibal Mejbri on a four-year deal from Manchester United.
The Tunisia attacking midfielder, 21, joins for an undisclosed fee and is the eighth new arrival at Turf Moor this summer.
“I’m very excited. Very happy to be here and I can’t wait to see the fans,” he said.
“After speaking to the coach (Scott Parker), the project sounded good to me and hopefully we can make it a success.”
Mejbri joined United in 2021 – the same year he made his Tunisia debut – and spent loan spells at Birmingham and Sevilla.
Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo has joined Al Hilal on a permanent deal.
Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (C) speaks to Manchester City’s Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo (R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 13, 2022. -. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
It is understood Cancelo moves to the Saudi Pro League in a deal worth 25million euros (£21.1m), ending the Portugal international’s five-year stay with City after arriving at the club in a £60m move from Juventus.
“I would like to wish everyone at City continued success in the future,” Cancelo, 30, was quoted as saying on the Premier League club’s website.
“I had many very special moments during my time here at this great club.
“I would like to thank my team-mates, the coaches, all the staff at City and the fans for everything during my time here.”
Cancelo made 154 appearances for City and was part of three Premier League title-winning sides at the Etihad Stadium.
He went out on loan to Bayern Munich in January 2023 and spent last season at Barcelona.
Cancelo represented Portugal at this summer’s European Championship in Germany.
But he did not feature in City’s first two Premier League games this season, against Chelsea and Ipswich.
City director of football Txiki Begiristain said: “I would like to thank Joao for his contribution during a remarkable period at City.
“He made a big impact in title-winning campaigns and was a huge influence on the pitch.”
Chelsea have completed the signing of Danish goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal on a seven-year deal.
Jorgensen, a Denmark Under-21 international, is the Blues’ eighth summer signing under new boss Enzo Maresca and will provide competition for current goalkeepers Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic.
Chelsea said on their official website: “The 22-year-old has signed a seven-year contract with the Blues and joins up with his new team-mates during our summer tour of the USA.”
Filip Jorgensen in action for Villareal
Jorgensen, born in Sweden, progressed through Villarreal’s youth set up and made 37 appearances for the Spanish club in all competitions last season after making his LaLiga debut in January 2023.
He added: “This move is a dream come true. I am very excited to have signed for Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world
“I can’t wait to get to know everyone and to start playing with all my new team-mates.”
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Omari Kellyman, Tosin Adarabioyo, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley and Estevao Willian have all arrived at Stamford Bridge since the end of last season.
Former Leicester boss Maresca was appointed as Chelsea’s head coach in June following the departure by mutual consent of Mauricio Pochettino.
Arsenal have completed the signing of Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna as Emile Smith Rowe appears set to depart the Emirates Stadium.
Calafiori, 22, was highlighted as a priority target for the Gunners this season and they have landed their man for a fee of £42million.
Calafiori has signed a five-year deal at the Emirates having played for Italy during their Euro 2024 campaign.
“We welcome Riccardo and his family to Arsenal. He is a great signing and gives us huge strength to reinforce our defence,” said manager Mikel Arteta.
“Riccardo is a big personality and character, with specific skills which will make us stronger as we push to win major trophies.
“He has already shown great development in recent seasons with his performances for both Bologna and Italy, with his progression and development in the past year being really impressive.
“We’re looking forward to working with Riccardo, integrating him into the squad, and supporting him in the years to come.”
Calafiori, who can also operate at left-back, becomes Arsenal’s second major summer acquisition after David Raya’s loan move from Brentford was made permanent.
St Patrick’s Athletic have put themselves in a commanding position in their Europa Conference League tie against Vaduz with a 2-1 win at Richmond Park.
Jake Mulraney scored twice in the first 17 minutes to give Stephen Kenny’s side the advantage in the first half.
The Liechtenstein side pulled a goal back, before Joe Redmond restored the two goal advantage in the 77th minute.
By contrast, Shelbourne’s second round qualifier with Zurich looks to be over after this evening’s first leg.
Damien Duff’s side were beaten 3-0 in Switzerland, having conceded inside 28 seconds.
Shelbourne will need a miracle ahead of the second leg in Tolka Park.
Argentina’s match against Morocco at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard was suspended for over an hour following a reaction from the crowd when Cristian Medina scored a late equaliser.
Morocco led the Group B clash 2-1 and in the final stages of the game Argentina hit the frame of the goal twice before midfielder Medina struck in the 16th minute of stoppage time to level the match.
However, his equaliser sparked objects being thrown onto the pitch and players were taken off for their safety.
Fans were then asked to leave the stadium with a message being projected on screens that read: “Your session has been suspended, please leave the stadium.”
After over an hour without play, the game resumed behind closed doors with three minutes left on the clock and Medina’s 106th-minute leveller was chalked off for an offside in the build-up.
The game finished 2-1 to Morocco thanks to Soufiane Rahimi’s brace.
