Manchester United have confirmed the capture of Brazil international Antony from Ajax, with the Premier League club expected to pay an £81.3million (€95m) fee for the winger.

The Selecao star has been a long-term target of former boss Erik ten Hag following his move from the Eredivisie to Old Trafford, and now the 22-year-old will follow the Dutchman to rejoin him on a five-year deal.

The deal, which was struck earlier this week after Ajax turned down multiple offers from United, becomes the fifth major signing of the transfer window for the club.

"This is an incredible moment in my career to be joining one of the most iconic clubs in the world," Antony told United's official website.

"I'm thankful to everyone who has believed in me, especially my family, and all my coaches and team-mates, because I could not have got here without them.

"Playing under Erik ten Hag at Ajax was perfect for me and my development. His style of football brings out the best in me, and I am excited by what he has told me about his plans and ambitions in Manchester.

"My time at Ajax was fantastic and I will always be grateful for the trust they put in me, but now I am ready for the next challenge.

"I can't wait to join my new team-mates and play my part in bringing success to Manchester United."

Antony has 31 goals and 27 assists in 134 club appearances for Ajax and Sao Paulo, and was a two-time title winner with the former, as well as a gold medalist at Tokyo 2020 with the Brazil Olympic squad.

He joins former club-mate Lisandro Martinez and international team-mate Casemiro among the new faces at Old Trafford, with Christian Eriksen and Tyrell Malacia also signed under Ten Hag.

Following two opening league defeats, United have since responded with two victories, in which the Dutchman has benched both veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo and captain Harry Maguire.

The former's future at the club remains up in the air after reported attempts to force an exit to play Champions League football this term, with Antony's arrival potentially paving the way for the forward to get his wish.

Cameron Smith has been announced as one of the latest players to sign with LIV Golf.

The world number two has been linked with the controversial Saudi-backed series for a while, and was finally confirmed on Tuesday as one of six new players ahead of this week's event in Boston.

Smith, who won his first major, The Open, at St Andrews in July, becomes the highest-ranked player to join LIV Golf, led by fellow Australian Greg Norman.

LIV Golf also announced the additions of another Australian in Marc Leishman, as well as Joaquin Niemann, Cameron Tringale, Harold Varner III and Anirban Lahiri.

Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland will swiftly come toe-to-toe with their former teammates following Thursday's group-stage draw for the Champions League.

Fresh from his move to Camp Nou in the transfer window, Lewandowski will return to familiar surroundings with Barcelona and Bayern Munich – who boast 11 Champions League titles between them – drawn in a tough Group C along with Inter.

And another reunion will see Haaland come up against Borussia Dortmund, whom he left to join Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. They find themselves in Group G alongside Sevilla and Copenhagen.

Another heavyweight clash will take place in Group H, with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus set to lock horns.

Kevin Durant is set to stay with the Brooklyn Nets after franchise and the 12-time NBA All-Star "agreed to move forward with our partnership".

Durant's future has been shrouded in doubt after the 33-year-old superstar reportedly asked for a trade at the end of June.

Nets general manager Sean Marks on Tuesday released a statement making it clear Durant is going nowhere after a meeting in which team owners Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, and head coach Steve Kerr, were present.

"Steve Nash and I, together with Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, met with Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman in Los Angeles yesterday," the statement said.

"We have agreed to move forward with our partnership. We are focusing on basketball, with one collective goal in mind: build a lasting franchise to bring a championship to Brooklyn."

Tyson Fury has conducted another U-turn on his boxing future, announcing his retirement on social media just three days after appearing to confirm plans for a return to the ring.

On Tuesday, Fury revealed he had appointed a new trainer and urged Derek Chisora to accept an offer for a trilogy fight during a series of Instagram posts.

But on his 34th birthday, the WBC heavyweight champion announced plans to exit the sport.

"Massive thanks to everyone who had an input in my career over the years," he wrote on Instagram on Friday.

"After long, hard conversations I've finally decided to walk away and on my 34th birthday I say bon voyage."

Fury originally announced he would leave the sport following a sixth-round knockout of Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in April, and has won 32 of his 33 professional bouts, registering one draw against Deontay Wilder in 2018.

Tyson Fury has conducted another U-turn on his boxing future, announcing his retirement on social media just two days after appearing to confirm plans for a return to the ring.

On Tuesday, Fury revealed he had appointed a new trainer and urged Derek Chisora to accept an offer for a trilogy fight during a series of Instagram posts.

But on his 34th birthday, the WBC heavyweight champion announced plans to exit the sport.

"Massive thanks to everyone who had an input in my career over the years," he wrote on Instagram on Friday.

"After long, hard conversations I've finally decided to walk away and on my 34th birthday I say bon voyage."

Fury originally announced he would leave the sport following a sixth-round knockout of Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in April, and has won 32 of his 33 professional bouts, registering one draw against Deontay Wilder in 2018.

Marc Cucurella has left Brighton and Hove Albion for Chelsea, rather than Manchester City, in a reported £50million transfer.

The Spain left-back enjoyed an outstanding single season at Brighton, having joined from Getafe last August.

With City selling Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal, it appeared Cucurella was set to sign for the Premier League champions

However, it was widely reported Brighton were standing firm with their demands of a £50m fee while City were only willing to pay £40m.

Brighton head coach Graham Potter last week described the club as "confident and relaxed in our position" as they awaited a further bid from City.

Instead, it came from Chelsea, with the Blues moving quickly to sign Cucurella on a six-year deal. He follows Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly in signing for the London club ahead of the new season.

Teenage Blues defender Levi Colwill has moved in the opposite direction, joining Brighton on a season-long loan deal.

Cucurella's arrival comes as a big boost to Thomas Tuchel, who has seen top targets Matthijs de Ligt, Jules Kounde and Raphinha go elsewhere.

With Marcos Alonso – another Spain international – linked with a move to Barcelona, ex-Blaugrana academy graduate Cucurella appears set for a battle with Ben Chilwell for a starting spot, although it has been suggested the new recruit could play in a back three.

Injury restricted Chilwell to seven appearances in the Premier League last season, although he still scored three goals and provided an assist. Cucurella, in 35 matches, netted just once and could also only match Chilwell's single assist.

But Cucurella also showed why he would be a good fit for any team competing at the top end of the table.

The 24-year-old enjoyed 2,827 touches, ranking seventh among Premier League defenders; each of the six players above him played for either City (Joao Cancelo, Aymeric Laporte), Liverpool (Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk) or Chelsea (Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger).

Despite his sole assist, Cucurella finished sixth among defenders for chances created, with his 42 just behind Blues duo Reece James (48) and Alonso (43).

 

Cucurella ranked sixth among defenders for duels contested (323), winning a solid 59.1 per cent.

Listed at 1.72 metres tall, Cucurella is shorter than Lisandro Martinez (1.75m), the Premier League's smallest nominal centre-back, but he still won 52.6 per cent of his aerial duels last term, bettering the 44.7 per cent of James – another Chelsea star who switched between wing-back and centre-back roles.

Marc Cucurella has left Brighton and Hove Albion for Chelsea, rather than Manchester City, in a reported £50million transfer.

The Spain left-back enjoyed an outstanding single season at Brighton, having joined from Getafe last August.

With City selling Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal, it appeared Cucurella was set to sign for the Premier League champions

However, it was widely reported Brighton were standing firm with their demands of a £50m fee while City were only willing to pay £40m.

Brighton head coach Graham Potter last week described the club as "confident and relaxed in our position" as they awaited a further bid from City.

Instead, it came from Chelsea, with the Blues moving quickly to sign Cucurella on a six-year deal. He follows Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly in signing for the London club ahead of the new season.

His arrival comes as a big boost to Thomas Tuchel, who has seen top targets Matthijs de Ligt, Jules Kounde and Raphinha go elsewhere.

With Marcos Alonso – another Spain international – linked with a move to Barcelona, ex-Blaugrana academy graduate Cucurella appears set for a battle with Ben Chilwell for a starting spot, although it has been suggested the new recruit could play in a back three.

Injury restricted Chilwell to seven appearances in the Premier League last season, although he still scored three goals and provided an assist. Cucurella, in 35 matches, netted just once and could also only match Chilwell's single assist.

But Cucurella also showed why he would be a good fit for any team competing at the top end of the table.

The 24-year-old enjoyed 2,827 touches, ranking seventh among Premier League defenders; each of the six players above him played for either City (Joao Cancelo, Aymeric Laporte), Liverpool (Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk) or Chelsea (Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger).

Despite his sole assist, Cucurella finished sixth among defenders for chances created, with his 42 just behind Blues duo Reece James (48) and Alonso (43).

 

Cucurella ranked sixth among defenders for duels contested (323), winning a solid 59.1 per cent.

Listed at 1.72 metres tall, Cucurella is shorter than Lisandro Martinez (1.75m), the Premier League's smallest nominal centre-back, but he still won 52.6 per cent of his aerial duels last term, bettering the 44.7 per cent of James – another Chelsea star who switched between wing-back and centre-back roles.

Sebastian Vettel will bring an end to his illustrious Formula One career at the end of the season, he revealed on Thursday.

The four-time F1 champion has seen the current campaign shrouded by speculation on his future, with his deal with Aston Martin expiring at the end of the year – and he has now made the decision to step away into retirement.

"I have had the privilege of working with many fantastic people in Formula One over the past 15 years - there are far too many to mention and thank," he said in a statement.

"The decision to retire has been a difficult one for me to take, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about it. At the end of the year I want to take some more time to reflect on what I will focus on next.

"It is very clear to me that, being a father, I want to spend more time with my family. But today is not about saying goodbye.

"Rather, it is about saying thank you – to everyone – not least to the fans, without whose passionate support Formula One could not exist."

Vettel began his F1 career in 2007 with BMW, then moved to Toro Rosso for a two-year stint before stepping up to join Red Bull.

Finishing second in his first season with Red Bull, Vettel then won four consecutive world titles from 2010 to 2013 and left to join Ferrari in 2015, spending six seasons there.

Vettel finished 12th in the drivers' championship in 2021, his first season with Aston Martin, and lies 14th in the standings in 2022 – having picked up just 15 points.

Roma have completed the signing of free agent Paulo Dybala following the expiration of his contract with Juventus.

The Argentina international spent seven trophy-laden years in Turin, winning Serie A five times and being part of the side that were runners-up in the Champions League in 2016-17.

Dybala's departure was confirmed earlier this year and, despite links with a move to the Premier League, Inter appeared the frontrunners for the 28-year-old's services.

But Simone Inzaghi's side brought Romelu Lukaku back on loan from Chelsea, with their move for Dybala seemingly stalling as a result as Napoli and Roma began to show interest in the striker.

Head coach Jose Mourinho reportedly played a significant role in convincing Dybala to choose the Giallorossi, where the forward has signed a three-year contract.

Speaking to the club's official website following the announcement, Dybala said: "The days that have led up to me signing this contract have been filled with so many emotions.

"The speed and determination with which Roma demonstrated just how much they wanted me made all the difference.

"I am joining a team that is on the up, a club that continues to put in place strong foundations for the future, and a coach, Jose Mourinho, that it will be a privilege to work with.

"As an opponent, I have always admired the atmosphere created by the Roma fans - I now cannot wait for the chance to salute them while wearing this shirt."

Dybala's move to Roma sees him maintain his ties with Italian football, having now spent a decade in Europe following a move to Palermo in 2012.

He scored 103 goals in 299 Serie A appearances across his spells with Palermo and Juve, with his highest return in a single league season coming in a 22-goal haul for the Bianconeri in 2017-18.

Roma finished sixth in Serie A in 2021-22, but lifted their first major trophy since 2007-08 as they defeated Feyenoord to win the Europa Conference League.

Mourinho will be hoping Dybala can form a formidable duo up top with Tammy Abraham as the Giallorossi look to close the gap on Serie A's top four in the upcoming campaign.

Lisandro Martinez is set to become Erik ten Hag's third major signing at Manchester United after a deal was agreed on Sunday.

The versatile 24-year-old will follow his former Ajax coach to Old Trafford in a deal that will reportedly cost United €57million (£48million), potentially rising to €67million (£56.5million) with add-ons.

Martinez emerged as a primary target for United after Ten Hag's appointment was confirmed in April. Arsenal were among clubs rumoured to be rivalling United for the Argentina international, but seemingly Ten Hag's presence played a telling role.

Martinez is primarily a centre-back but has also been known to fill in at left-back and in defensive midfield, with this well-roundedness and his ability on the ball making him an attractive option to many potential suitors.

He joined Ajax ahead of the 2019-20 campaign and won two Eredivisie titles during his time in Amsterdam, including last season.

Ajax were reportedly reluctant to sell Martinez, but United made a breakthrough and are now poised to complete the deal.

United said in a statement: "Manchester United is delighted to announce the club has reached agreement with Ajax for the transfer of Argentine international defender Lisandro Martinez, subject to medical, to player terms being finalised, and to UK visa requirements."

Martinez will join United in the midst of a rebuild, having recorded their worst Premier League points total (58) ever last season. They have already recruited left-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord, and Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen on a free transfer after his Brentford exit.

The 2021-22 season was also the first league campaign in over 30 years that United did not end with a positive goal difference.

Ten Hag has been trusted with overseeing an improvement, and for many that means establishing a playing identity.

The Dutchman's Ajax team were regarded as one of the most entertaining sides in Europe as they played an attacking brand of football based on possession retention, and Martinez – as a ball-playing centre-back – is seen as a potentially vital acquisition in Ten Hag's quest to make United more comfortable on the ball.

As a left-footed player, Martinez's arrival could be bad news for the much-maligned United captain, Harry Maguire, who predominantly features as the left of the two centre-backs.

The England international will retain the captaincy, as confirmed by Ten Hag, but the signing of Martinez increases the competition in Maguire's area of defence.

Barcelona and Bayern Munich have struck a deal for the transfer of Robert Lewandowski in one of the biggest moves of the window so far.

Lewandowski scored 50 goals across all competitions last season but announced at the end of the campaign that he wished to leave Bayern and would not be signing a new contract with the Bundesliga champions.

With Bayern facing the prospect of keeping an unhappy player and then losing the Poland captain on a free transfer next year, they have elected to cash in and grant Lewandowski's wish to join Barca.

Lewandowski returned to Munich for pre-season training on July 12 but all parties were said to want an agreement to have been made prior to Bayern's tour of the United States.

The Catalan club have been hampered by financial difficulties but managed to put together a bid reportedly worth €50million which has been enough to convince Bayern to part company with the 33-year-old.

Barcelona announced on Saturday an agreement in principle had been reached for Lewandowski, with completion of the deal contingent on him passing a medical on contracts being signed.  

Lewandowski joined Bayern from Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer in 2014 and went on to become one of the world's most prolific goalscorers.

 

In the 2020-21 campaign, Lewandowski broke Gerd Muller's long-standing Bundesliga record by scoring 41 goals in a single season, while his 43 league goals in 2021 serve as the record for a calendar year in Germany's top tier.

Lewandowski's 312 Bundesliga goals are the second-most scored by any player in the history of the competition, behind Muller (365), while he leaves Bayern having accumulated 344 goals and 57 assists across 375 appearances in all competitions.

The forward will become Barca's fourth signing of the transfer window, following on from Raphinha, Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen, while the Blaugrana have also tied Ousmane Dembele down to a new contract.

Bayern, meanwhile, brought in Sadio Mane from Liverpool earlier in the window, in essence replacing Lewandowski already, while they are expected to sign defender Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus.

Chelsea have completed the signing of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for a reported fee of £33.8million (€40m).

The Senegal international centre-back had just one year remaining on his Napoli deal, and has now signed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Koulibaly has been continuously linked with a move away from Naples in recent years, having impressed since moving to Serie A from Belgian side Genk in 2014.

Defensive pair Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen have both left Chelsea for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively since the end of last season.

And the Blues have now moved to find replacements by adding Koulibaly, having previously been linked with deals for Nathan Ake, Jules Kounde and Matthijs de Ligt.

In the club's statement, Koulibaly called it a dream come true to be headed to the Premier League.

"I’m very happy to be here with this team at Chelsea," he said. "It’s a big team in the world and my dream was always to play in the Premier League.

"Chelsea came first to get me in 2016 but we didn’t make it. Now when they came to me I accepted it because they really wanted me to come to the Premier League to play for them. When I spoke to my good friends Edou [Mendy] and Jorginho they made my choice easier, so I’m really happy to be with you today."

Koulibaly helped Napoli to three second-place finishes in Serie A and to Coppa Italia success in 2020, as well as winning the Supercoppa Italiana shortly after he arrived in Italy.

He made 27 appearances for Luciano Spalletti's side in 2021-22, as they finished third in the table.

Since arriving at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, no defender in the Italian top flight has won more tackles than Koulibaly (344), or made more successful passes (14,528).

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