Tom Brady will not commit to playing beyond 2022, though said it is not a certainty that the upcoming NFL season will be his last.

Brady, who retired after last season but swiftly changed his mind, will turn 45 in August, and in May he acknowledged he is near the end of one of the most accomplished careers of any athlete.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback also said he believes he's still got something left, however, as he approaches his 23rd training camp and third with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"My body feels really good," Brady told Variety. "I've had a lot of traumatic injuries over the years, but if things go really smoothly and we win, that'd be great."

Brady also touched on his decision to temporarily announce his retirement in February, as well as his rationale for reversing course and returning to the Buccaneers.

"I made the decision in the moment, and I felt it was the right thing for the team to let the Bucs know," he said.

"You need time to plan. And then through conversations with Bruce [Arians], [general manager] Jason [Licht] and my wife, I felt like I could still play and compete.

"I would have preferred to un-retire in July if I wanted to play, but I couldn't. If I said I'm not playing, they'd make plans. So, I felt there was a lot of pressure to make a decision quickly. And then ultimately, I just decided, 'yes, let's do it.' Once I said that, it was like – 'OK, here we go'."

Shortly after Brady declared his intention to come back for another season, Fox Sports announced it had signed the future Hall of Famer to a 10-year, $375million contract to serve as the network's lead analyst for its NFL Game of the Week broadcasts once he does retire for good,

Whether that will be after the 2022 season, Brady said nothing is yet set in stone.

"Could this be my last year? Absolutely," he said. "Could I change my mind? Absolutely. I've realised I don't have five years left.

"I want to do it my way. I want to give it everything I got and see where I'm at."

Brady did acknowledge that winning another Super Bowl would make it easier to call it quits after this season, while also admitting that the Buccaneers' playoff loss to the eventual 2021 champion Los Angeles Rams influenced his choice to come back.

"I think that would obviously be the greatest way to end," he said. "I just have a competitive fire that got the best of me."

Farhad Moshiri has insisted Everton are not for sale, amid reports that several parties are interested in taking over the Premier League club.

Everton finished 16th last season, their lowest Premier League placing since the 2003-04 campaign, when they came 17th.

Frank Lampard – appointed midway through the season after Rafael Benitez was sacked – managed to secure safety with a game to spare, thanks to a 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park.

However, Everton's reckless spending during the Moshiri era, which began in 2016 and has seen six permanent managers lose their jobs prior to Lampard taking charge, means they were on the brink of breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

As such, a large sale was required ahead of the new campaign, with Richarlison sold for a reported £50million, rising to £60m including add-ons, to Tottenham at the end of June.

With a new stadium on Liverpool's waterfront under construction, widespread reports over the off-season have claimed that multiple parties are interested in purchasing Everton.

The most prominent, an American consortium fronted by former Chelsea and Manchester United executive Peter Kenyon, was said to be close to agreeing a deal, with reports even going as far as to say the group were confident of buying the club ahead of the start of Everton's pre-season tour of the United States.

That tour is now under way and with no deal having been completed, Moshiri has now insisted the club has not been up for sale, though he acknowledged he is hoping to find additional investors.

In a statement issued on Everton's official website, he said: "There has been much talk of investment in our football club recently – even takeovers – but I want to clarify that there is no 'for sale' sign currently hanging outside Everton Football Club.

"It will always be pragmatic to explore all potential investment opportunities and, as I have been transparent about, I am focused on completing the financing for our fantastic new stadium as well as strengthening the playing squad and that might include a minority investment. That will continue. But I want to reassure all of you that Everton Football Club is not for sale."

While Richarlison has been sold and Fabian Delph, Jonjoe Kenny, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Cenk Tosun have all left on free transfers, with loan deals for Donny van de Beek and Anwar El Ghazi expiring, only James Tarkowski – on a free from relegated Burnley – has joined Everton so far.

But Moshiri is adamant the squad will be added to, despite Everton's financial constraints.

"My commitment to the club remains strong and focused and [director of football] Kevin Thelwell and the chairman [Bill Kenwright] are currently working hard to bring in new players to improve Frank Lampard’s squad," the statement continued.

"There will be new signings and I would ask supporters to judge us at the end of the transfer window – not now – and to listen to official club channels for information."

Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome has "no regrets" after he fought to finish third on stage 12 up the Alpe d'Huez.

The stage was won by fellow Brit Tom Pidcock on his Tour de France debut, but Froome's third-place finish was a brilliant side story in another engaging day.

After a huge crash at the 2019 Criterium du Dauphine, Froome was left in intensive care with multiple serious injuries.

The incident threatened to end his career, but after a long recovery Froome has now achieved his best Tour de France stage finish since 2018.

Having been part of a five-man breakaway over the penultimate ascent, Froome managed to stick with the lead group right the way up the famous final climb of Thursday's stage.

Despite finishing over two minutes behind Pidcock, the Israel-Premier Tech rider was understandably proud of his performance, and told reporters: "No regrets today.

"Naturally, I would have loved to have put my hands up and tried to win the stage.

"But I gave it absolutely everything I had today and I don't have any regrets.

"I think where I've come from the last three years, battling back after my accident, to finish third on one of the hardest stages on the tour, I can be really happy with that.

"I'm going to keep pushing, I don't know where my limits are. I'm going to keep trying to improve and hopefully get back to winning ways again."

Yulia Putintseva recovered from a set behind to overcome Laura Pigossi and keep her Budapest Grand Prix title defence alive.

The Kazakh player took time to get going but eventually prevailed 4-6 6-1 6-2 against her Brazilian opponent in the last-16 clash to make it seven wins in a row in the competition.

While the third seed was able to bounce back, there was no such luck for Chinese sixth seed Zhang Shuai as she was soundly beaten 6-1 6-0 by Serbian Aleksandra Krunic.

China's Wang Xiyu awaits Krunic in the quarter-finals after beating Romanian Ana Bogdan 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (12-10) in a match lasting two hours and 43 minutes.

Elisabetta Cocciaretto was also victorious on Thursday, the Italian seeing off Wimbledon doubles champion Katerina Siniakova 7-5 4-6 7-5 in the final match of the day.

At the Ladies Open Lausanne, surprise Wimbledon singles quarter-finalist Jule Niemeier made it through to the last eight of another tournament, enjoying a 6-4 6-2 triumph against fellow German Eva Lys.

Caroline Garcia made it through to her fourth quarter-final of the year with a 6-1 6-4 win over French compatriot Leolia Jeanjean.

Qualifier Olga Danilovic saved a match point before going on to beat Anna Kalinskaya 6-3 3-6 7-5, while Belinda Bencic advanced from an all-Swiss battle with a 6-3 6-4 win over Susan Bandecchi.

Eddie Jones implored his England side to be "even better" in the Test series decider against Australia, where he insisted the mindsets of his players will be vital.

England ended a four-match losing streak by defeating Australia 25-17 in Brisbane to level the three-Test series, teeing up a winner-takes-all decider in Sydney on Saturday.

The tourists have won four of their past five games in Oceania, having done so just once in their previous 12 away matches against teams from that continent.

Jack van Poortvliet impressed in the second Test but has been replaced by Danny Care, though coach Jones suggested the decision is tactical.

"We've got to be even better. And it's all about the mindset of the players," Jones told Sky Sports.

"Physically we're really good, but the players have got to attune themselves to how important the start is. We're aiming to get that right with our boys.

"We've had a really good week. We were pretty battered after the Brisbane Test, so we didn't train until Tuesday but we had a good session and an even better session on Wednesday.

"We've got a younger team again, but they're all up for the challenge, and some of our old players have come back, like the Vunipolas, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jonny Hill are coming back to their best, so it's a good team we've got in place and we're looking forward to the challenge of winning the series.

"It's a tactical decision [Care for Van Poortvliet]. We feel that JVP will handle the latter part of the game really well, and that's where the game's going to be won and lost.

"And the first part of the game with the New Zealand referee Paul Williams is probably going to be a lot of quick ruck ball, and that's where Danny is at his absolute best.

"So we're just trying to maximise the strengths of each of those two players – JVP was magnificent last week."

England will be without Sam Underhill and Maro Itoje after the pair suffered concussions in the second Test, while Tom Curry has returned home after sustaining the same injury.

Ollie Chessum and Lewis Ludlam have been introduced to replace Underhill and Itoje, and Jones has little concern the pair will slot straight into the team.

"[Ludlam] has energy. He works really hard on and off the ball, and he's also a very good communicator on the field, so whilst we'll miss Sam and Tom Curry, we won't lose anything with Lewis," Jones added.

"Maro's been one of those guys that has been in nearly every Test team I've picked in the time I've been here.

"So we'll miss him but Chessum's a good young player, he's been training really well, he was part of the very successful Leicester Tigers team and he'll enjoy the opportunity."

Tom Pidcock marked his Tour de France debut with a stunning ride on stage 12, while race leader Jonas Vingegaard held off Tadej Pogacar.

Up the famous Alpe d'Huez, on Bastille Day, Olympic gold medallist Pidcock stormed to a remarkable, record-setting triumph – his first Grand Tour stage win.

Having attacked with 10 kilometres of the climb remaining, approaching the culmination of a 165.5km ride on Thursday, the 22-year-old Yorkshireman saw off Louis Meintjes to claim a remarkable triumph.

In the process, Pidcock – who was part of a five-man breakaway that took a six-minute time gap to the foot of the final ascent – became the youngest stage winner up the Alpe d'Huez in Le Tour history, breaking the record held by Lucho Herrera since 1984.

Yet Pidcock's tale was not the only incredible story of a quite sensational stage, with four-time champion Chris Froome claiming third, having planted himself in the breakaway group. While the yellow jersey is far out of the 37-year-old's reach, his performance echoed the form he was able to show in the years prior to his serious crash in 2019.

Behind the lead group, the fascinating general classification tussle between new leader Vingegaard and two-time defending champion Pogacar unfolded, hinting at the drama that is sure to come over the coming stages.

Pogacar twice attacked late on, yet Jumbo-Visma's Vingegaard kept pace.

The GC rivals pushed on for a sprint finish, with Pogacar nosing ahead to claim fifth place, though he was unable to damage Vingegaard, while Pidcock's INEOS Grenadier's team-mate Geraint Thomas, who conquered the mountain while wearing yellow in 2018, put himself into the top three in the overall standings.

But the day belonged to Pidcock, who after ploughing on to victory through thousands of vociferous spectators, said: "That was unbelievable, one of the craziest experiences ever. I can hardly hear anything, I've probably got hearing damage!

"That was ridiculous, at many points I thought I was going to get taken out."

Team GB's golden boy a speed demon

Pidcock is a star on the mountain bike, and those technical skills came in handy on the descent of the Col du Galibie, which preceded the climb up Alpe d'Huez. He clocked a top speed of 100km/h on the way down, while he averaged 19.7km/h on his way up to the summit finish.

"That is a record, I've never been over 100k before. It helps when there's a race to go for, doesn't it?" he said. 

"I'm lucky that I can descend or I wouldn't have won today. I don't think there was any way of me getting away at the start of the stage but I knew if the break was close enough at the top, I could go across on the descent because it was pretty twisty. I'm lucky Froomey was in front, we worked well together."

Froome, who won his first Tour de France when Pidcock was just 13, said: "He was flying down the descents today. His bike handling probably came in handy, there were a few times where I held back a bit because I was definitely at the limit."

STAGE RESULTS

1. Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers) 4:55:24
2. Louis Meintjes (Intermarche–Wanty–Gobert Materiaux) +0:48
3. Chris Froome (Israel–Premier Tech) +2:06
4. Neilson Powless (EF Education–EasyPost) +2:29
5. Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates) +3:23

CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS 

General Classification

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 46:28:46
2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates) +2:22
3. Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) +2:26

Points Classification

1. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) 313
2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates) 159
3. Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) 155

King of the Mountains

1. Simon Geschke (Cofidis) 43
2. Louis Meintjes (Intermarche–Wanty–Gobert Materiaux) 39
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 36

Serena Williams will compete at the Canadian Open among a host of star-studded names as she ramps up her preparations for the US Open.

Williams returned to Wimbledon in June in what was her first singles match since suffering injury in last year's competition at the All England Club.

The 23-time grand slam champion succumbed to a first-round elimination at SW19, though, falling to Harmony Tan on Centre Court.

While Williams, 40, could offer little assurances she would return to the British major, she suggested she would play at the US Open, stating "there's always motivation to get better and play at home".

Williams will be joined in Canada by world number one Iga Swiatek, four-time grand slam winner Naomi Osaka, French Open finalist Coco Gauff and reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu as 41 of the top 43-ranked players descend on Toronto, with the tournament starting on August 6.

It will also mark Williams' first appearance at the event since she finished runner-up to Bianca Andreescu in 2019.

"When you read over that star-studded list, it's hard not to get excited about the WTA Tour making its return to Sobeys Stadium," said tournament director Karl Hale.

"Not only is this one of the strongest, if not the strongest, player list we've ever submitted, but it's also the first time in three years that the [Canadian] Open returns to a full capacity.

"We're thrilled that these players will have a chance to play in front of a packed house, and we're even happier for our fans who will get to watch tennis' very best at the 2022 edition."

Rory McIlroy was thrilled with his first-round 66 at the 150th Open Championship and is determined to back it up with another strong showing on Friday.

The four-time major winner sat two shots behind clubhouse leader Cameron Young after a superb opening round at St Andrews, with only one blemish on his scorecard.

McIlroy came close to an eagle on the last but settled for a birdie that left him six under and firmly in the mix.

"That was just sort of what you hope will happen when you're starting off your week," he said.

"I did everything that you're supposed to do around St Andrews. I birdied the holes that are birdieable and I made pars at the holes where you're sort of looking to make a par and move to the next tee. I didn't really put myself out of position too much.

"So, overall, really pleased. It's another good start at a major. Three in a row for me now. And looking forward to the next few days.

"Everything feels very settled. No real issues with my game. Everything feels like it's in good shape. Everything feels just sort of nice and quiet, which is a nice way to be."

Despite his evident satisfaction, the 2014 Champion Golfer of the Year, who was injured and unable to defend that title at St Andrews in 2015, knows he cannot rest on his laurels.

"I need to go out and back up what I just did," he said. "I think that's important to do.

"But again, this golf course isn't going to change that much, I don't think, in terms of conditions.

"I've seen the golf course now in tournament play and tournament conditions and know what to expect. I've just got to go out and back up what I've done."

While McIlroy enjoyed a fine start, the same could not be said for 15-time major winner Tiger Woods, who was four over through six holes and facing an uphill struggle to make the weekend.

Reigning champion Collin Morikawa signed for an even-par 72, while English amateur Barclay Brown made a name for himself with a 68.

World number one Scottie Scheffler looms large on four under after 11 holes.

Albania goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha has joined Brentford following his departure from Lazio.

Strakosha has signed a three-year deal, which contains the option of a further 12 months, and follows Aaron Hickey and Keane Lewis-Potter in joining Brentford ahead of their second season in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old made more than 200 appearances for Lazio, but he did not sign a new deal with the Serie A side and became a free agent at the start of July.

He will link up with his new team-mates on the German leg of their pre-season tour in the coming days.

"I am pleased that we have managed to sign a top goalkeeper," Brentford boss Thomas Frank told the club's official website. 

"He has been number one at Lazio for a long time, which is very impressive. He has played in Serie A and European competition and will bring that experience with him. 

"He fits our goalkeeper model and comes into a good environment with David Raya and Matthew Cox pushing each other every day."

Greek-born Strakosha has been capped 19 times for Albania and was also touted as a possible target for fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Fulham. 

Brentford, who twice broke their transfer record in signing Hickey and then Lewis-Potter over the past week, begin their new campaign at Leicester City on August 7.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer offered his support to Erling Haaland after his compatriot joined Manchester City, though the Manchester United great told the striker he has joined "the wrong side of Manchester".

Old Trafford favourite Solskjaer spent the majority of his career with United, before taking his first role in senior management as the coach of Molde in 2011.

But it was not until a second spell in Norway with Molde for Solskjaer that he crossed paths with Haaland, managing the youngster for two years before returning to coach United in 2018.

Haaland subsequently earned a move to RB Salzburg, where he thrived before joining Borussia Dortmund, who beat away interest from United to sign the Norway striker.

The draw of Solskjaer was not enough to convince Haaland to choose United over Dortmund, where he scored 86 goals in 89 appearances in all competitions during his two-and-a-half-year spell.

That tally was bettered by only Robert Lewandowski (123 in 108 games) and Kylian Mbappe (93 in 111 games) of players from Europe's top five leagues across that time period.

City swooped in to sign Haaland earlier this year and Pep Guardiola's new arrival revealed Solskjaer was quickly in contact.

"When I signed with City he congratulated me and wrote to me 'good luck on going to the wrong side of Manchester'," Haaland told the Manchester Evening News. 

"We talk sometimes. As you know, he had a huge impact on my career when I was at Molde. He's a good guy."

Haaland moves to the Etihad Stadium with significant expectations on him, none less so than to fill the void left when Sergio Aguero left City in 2021.

The 21-year-old may contrast the diminutive figure of Aguero with his tall stature, but Haaland's finishing is no different, with the Norway international scoring a goal every 3.6 attempts last season in all competitions and converting 65.8 per cent of his big chances.

"Three years ago City didn't want me because they had [Sergio] Aguero up front so then there was no choice about coming to Man City," he added.

"Basically, my feeling was I felt more going to the other place than coming here to England. I could have come here a lot of times in my career but I felt the other place and I think it was a really good choice.

"I have made perfect choices ever since I went to Molde, then Salzburg and Dortmund. I'm not complaining about that."

Haaland will hope to get his first taste of Premier League action when City open their campaign at West Ham on August 7.

Luka Jovic labelled Cristiano Ronaldo as "the greatest of all time" and hopes to emulate the Portugal forward's achievements in Italy after leaving Real Madrid for Fiorentina.

Ronaldo ended a nine-year spell with Madrid in 2018 to join Juventus, where he won two Serie A titles in three seasons before returning to Manchester United ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.

Jovic has followed a similar path, leaving the Spanish capital to move to Fiorentina on a two-year deal as part of a free transfer that will see Madrid take half of any future fee the Viola receive.

While Ronaldo left having taken LaLiga by storm with Los Blancos, Jovic departs after a largely unsuccessful spell in which he scored just three goals in 36 league games.

Madrid paid €60million in 2019 for the Serbia international after he impressed for Eintracht Frankfurt, but Jovic is aiming to put the past behind him as he referenced Ronaldo as one of his idols.

"I am inspired by Cristiano, he is the greatest of all time and I hope I can do what he did in Italy," Jovic told reporters on Thursday.

Jovic will wear Ronaldo's iconic number seven shirt, though the Fiorentina signing insists it was "the only one available that I liked", and believes a different system with the Viola will help him thrive.

"I've never played in this competition, but I have experience in Europe and I think we have the qualities to go far," he added.

"I always played better with two strikers, but in Frankfurt we played with three and in Madrid also with one. I'm just saying that I have to help, the rest is the coach's job.

"I've been training all summer and I think I've come here fit – I just have a little calf problem that doesn't bother me."

Jovic will not be the only Serbia striker operating in Serie A, with international team-mate and former Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic playing up top for Juve.

Vlahovic and Dejan Stankovic share the record for the most goal scored by a Serbian in Serie A (51), but Jovic insists he will put international friendships aside with the Juve attacker now becoming a rival.

"Dusan did great in Italy and I will try to do the same," he continued. "In the national team we are team-mates and here rivals. He spoke to me greatly about the championship and about this club."

Barcelona have announced the appointment of former player Rafael Marquez as the new head coach of their B team.

The 43-year-old won LaLiga four times and the Champions League twice during his seven years at Camp Nou during his playing days.

Barca president Joan Laporta revealed earlier this month an agreement was in place for Marquez to return in a coaching capacity, and that was officially confirmed on Thursday.

The Catalan giants tweeted "Welcome back home, Rafa" when announcing the appointment on their Twitter account.

Marquez, who appeared at five consecutive World Cups with Mexico between 2002 and 2018, follows in the steps of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique in managing Barca B.

He will begin his new job on Friday and has agreed a contract that runs through until the end of the 2023-24 season.

Sergi Barjuan was in charge of the Blaugrana's second side last season, but a failure to earn promotion from the third tier of Spanish football led to his departure in June.