loan

Manchester City have signed England goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse on a short-term loan from Orlando Pride.

The 31-year-old will join the Women’s Super League champions until January, subject to international clearance.

Moorhouse has established herself in the National Women’s Soccer League after joining Orlando Pride from French side Bordeaux in January 2022.

She helped them win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024 and earned herself a call-up to the England squad that year.

Oldham-born Moorhouse, who has two England caps and was part of the Lionesses squad that won Euro 2025, counts Arsenal and West Ham among her former clubs.

A Miami investor who pleaded guilty to making insider trades connected to the parent company of President Trump’s Truth Social platform helped fund a pro-Trump documentary film in hopes of securing a presidential pardon, according to a lawsuit by an L.A. studio that accuses him of threats and extortion.

Michael Shvartsman pleaded guilty in 2024 to insider trading associated with the Trump Media & Technology Group, which federal prosecutors said netted him $18.2 million in ill-gotten gains.

Four months later, Shvartsman helped fund the documentary “The Man You Don’t Know” in an effort to obtain a pardon, according to the lawsuit filed last month in Los Angeles. He denies the allegations.

A company controlled by Shvartsman provided a $425,000 loan in August 2024 to help fund the film, according to the suit. The film featured interviews with Trump’s sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. and painted a flattering portrait of the president.

Shvartsman attended the film’s premiere that October at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., where he revealed, according to the lawsuit, that he had provided financing for the movie and “was hoping his participation would enable him to get a pardon.”

The event featured a who’s who of Trump-world insiders, including former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, the late pro wrestler and media personality Hulk Hogan, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., as well as the former and soon-to-be president.

Shvartsman and his associates “arranged meetings” with “contacts and stars” associated with the movie in the hopes of achieving his goal of a pardon, the lawsuit said, though it doesn’t state specifically whom he targeted.

Shvartsman had good reason to seek their help.

Days before the event, he had been sentenced by a federal judge in New York to two years and four months in prison for insider trading connected to the announcement of a merger that would make Trump Media & Technology Group a publicly traded company.

Shvartsman, who is a Canadian citizen, also faced the prospect of deportation after his sentence.

Shvartsman said he “disputes all facts and allegations” in the lawsuit and plans to file a countersuit.

“We are not going to litigate this matter through the press,” he wrote in a message to The Times. “We intend to address the issues through the appropriate legal process, where the relevant facts and documentation can be properly presented and considered.”

Shvartsman’s efforts to mitigate his penalty weren’t limited to the documentary film. A day before his sentencing, the Aleph Institute, a Jewish criminal justice reform group, filed a letter to the federal court in New York laying out a proposed community service plan for Shvartsman to follow. The group had been instrumental in helping secure clemency during Trump’s first term for Philip Esformes, a south Florida man who was serving a 20-year prison sentence for his role in a $1.3-billion Medicare fraud scheme.

But Shvartsman’s story didn’t have a Hollywood ending: He failed to secure a pardon.

He went to prison in January 2025 and was held in federal custody until May 29, 2026, according to Bureau of Prison records. It isn’t clear whether he remains in the U.S.

Though Shvartsman was unsuccessful, dozens of other wealthy convicted individuals have been able to win clemency during Trump’s time in office by spending big bucks on influence campaigns to secure their freedom.

Many of them have ponied up millions of dollars to lobbyists and political insiders who have built a cottage industry out of helping monied convicts secure their freedom.

Some pardon chasers have also made big donations to pro-Trump super PACs as part of their efforts.

Scammers have even tried to get in on the action.

Trump’s pardon czar, Alice Marie Johnson, recently took to social media saying that people have been impersonating her and asking for a “processing fee” to help smooth the path to clemency. She said that neither she nor her office would ever ask for such a payment.

The lawsuit against Shvartsman, brought by the Los Angeles film production company Global Ascension Studios and its chief executive, Joshua Macciello, alleges that Shvartsman and his associates demanded immediate repayment of the loan the day after the 2024 Mar-a-Lago event — nine months before it was due — and threatened Macciello’s “physical safety” if the film company didn’t pay immediately or transfer control of the company to Shvartsman.

The lawsuit alleges that Macciello modified the loan agreement under duress and agreed to give Shvartsman and his company a greater share of the film’s potential proceeds.

It isn’t clear whether the loan has yet been repaid.

The proceeds from the film would prove to be middling.

The film was released days before Trump’s 2024 election victory, but its producers blamed political bias for the movie’s lackluster box office performance after fewer theaters than expected agreed to show it.

“In 37 years, I’ve never seen creative work get censored by theaters in this country,” Arthur Sarkissian, Global Ascension Studios’ former head of production, who was involved in the project, told Deadline at the time.

Sarkissian, best known as a producer of the “Rush Hour” franchise, is also being sued by Global Ascension and Macciello, who accused him of fraud and breach of contract in a lawsuit filed last year in Los Angeles.

Sarkissian has filed a counterclaim against Global Ascension, Macciello and others connected to the film production company, also accusing them of fraud and breach of contract.

The case is ongoing.

Meanwhile, Raskin has been consistently linked with a move away from Glasgow after impressing during the World Cup, but Besiktas’ offer was rejected.

The 25-year-old has missed Rangers’ past two matches amid transfer speculation, but manager Derek McInnes insisted Raskin has been “good as gold” during that period.

“Until an offer comes in that the club need to consider, Nico just has to knuckle down and train,” McInnes said earlier this week.

“I’ve no doubts that, if the window closes and Nico’s still a Rangers player, he’ll give brilliant service as he’s done previously.

“He’s getting interest because he’s a good player. I want to work with good players. We just needs to wait and see how things develop.”

Everton have agreed a deal for Jack Grealish to return to the club on a season-long loan from Manchester City while striker Beto has joined Serie A club Fiorentina in a £14.58m move.

Grealish, 30, is set for a medical at the Toffees, with his switch expected to be completed before Tuesday’s 23:00 BST transfer deadline.

The England international spent a large chunk of last term at Everton under a similar arrangement, scoring twice and providing six assists in 20 appearances, before sustaining a season-ending foot injury in January.

Grealish had been linked with other teams – including his boyhood club Aston Villa – but his preference was to return to Everton, whose chief executive Angus Kinnear told BBC Radio Merseyside had “remained in contact” with the winger.

Everton have also agreed a £3m deal to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles from French side Lyon.

The 29-year-old former Arsenal player has won five caps for England and can operate as a full-back or in midfield.

Meanwhile, Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson has completed a permanent move to Serie A club Torino.

Patterson, 24, joined Everton from Rangers in January 2022 and made 68 appearances across all competitions.

Guinea-Bissau international Beto, 28, leaves Everton after 25 goals in 113 appearances since joining from Udinese in 2023.

With Toffees winger Iliman Ndiaye, 26, also expected to complete a £65m switch to City, the Merseyside club want to bolster their attacking options before the deadline.

Everton also look to be closing in on the signing of Monaco and USA forward Folarin Balogun in a £40m deal.

However, their bid to re-sign Brazil striker Richarlison from Tottenham appears to have stalled over personal terms.

Grealish, who joined City from Villa for £100m in August 2021, has made two appearances for Enzo Maresca’s side this season.

He came on as a substitute in their Community Shield defeat by Arsenal before coming off the bench in a win against Bournemouth in their Premier League opener.

Grealish did not figure in a 4-1 victory at Crystal Palace on Friday.

Talks are under way between the clubs about a deal for the 24-year-old. It is not yet clear whether any transfer would be on loan or a permanent move.

For the second summer running Everton were also seemingly in the running to sign Dutch full-back Kenny Tete, 30.

However, it appears his proposed £9.4m move from Fulham had been dependent upon the Cottagers finding a suitable replacement.

Everton are next in action on Sunday, when they host Manchester United in the Premier League (14:00 BST).

Juventus have announced the arrival of Pape Matar Sarr from Tottenham on an initial loan while also agreeing a season-long loan deal for Newcastle forward Nick Woltemade.

The Serie A club will pay Spurs about 2.5m euros (£2.1m) for the loan of Senegal midfielder Sarr.

The club confirmed the deal includes an obligation to buy the 23-year-old for 27.5m euros (£23.6m) if certain conditions are met during the 2026-27 season.

Sarr, who joined Spurs from Metz in 2021, made more than 100 Premier League appearances for the north London club and also helped them win the Europa League in 2025.

He has made 42 appearances for Senegal since his international debut in 2021 and won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022.

The announcement comes after Luciano Spalletti’s side also agreed a loan move for Woltemade, though that deal does not include an option to make it permanent.

The Italian side had been one of a number of clubs from the continent interested in signing the 24-year-old before Tuesday’s deadline.

Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott is expected to join Valencia on loan for the rest of the season.

The 23-year-old spent last season on loan at Aston Villa but made only one Premier League start for them.

Valencia, who finished ninth in La Liga last season and did not qualify for Europe, had been working to find a financially viable way of making the loan deal work.

Elliott is yet to undergo a medical at Valencia. La Liga’s transfer window closes on Tuesday at 23:00 BST.

The Spanish club want Liverpool to cover half of the midfielder’s wages. It remains unclear what the exact wage split will be.

Sources indicate there is no option or obligation for Valencia to buy Elliott in the terms of the loan deal.

Elliott featured regularly during Liverpool‘s pre-season under new head coach Andoni Iraola but has subsequently been left out of the club’s first two Premier League squads.

The former England Under-21 international’s contract with Liverpool runs until 2028.

Elliott joined Liverpool from Fulham aged 16 in 2019 and spent the 2020-21 season on loan at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.

Meanwhile, Liverpool defensive midfielder Stefan Bajcetic has joined boyhood club Celta Vigo on a permanent deal.

A bipartisan package of bills aimed at punishing unethical attorneys and hedge funds that have flourished within California’s legal industry is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

The two bills would bar lawyers from prioritizing the desires of private investors who fund lawsuits, and ramp up penalties for lawyers who scout for clients at hospitals, jails and accident sites.

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles), one of the bill authors, said the legislation is intended to police the state’s bruised legal profession in response to “a wave of inappropriate attorney conduct” reported by The Times.

Times investigations last year found some clients within L.A. County’s $4-billion sex abuse settlement said they were paid to sue and, in some cases, fabricate claims.

“When attorneys are exploiting vulnerable people, including paying folks to file fraudulent claims, they’re not just breaking the law, they really undermine the credibility of the legal system and every attorney,” Zbur said.

Both bills were sponsored by the Consumer Attorneys of California, a powerful trial lawyer trade group that says it wants to beef up punishment for misconduct.

“If we are going to demand that corporations, government, and powerful institutions be held accountable, we must be — and we are — willing to hold ourselves to that same standard,” Doug Saeltzer, head of the association, said in a statement.

California law already bans a practice known as capping, in which non-attorneys directly solicit or procure clients to sign up for lawsuits with a law firm.

Zbur’s legislation, Assembly Bill 2039, would require that attorneys lose their license if they’re convicted of felony capping or a misdemeanor capping conviction in which they “acted knowingly and for financial gain.” The lawyers could also be fined $25,000 per violation.

The bill also creates whistleblower protections for law firm employees who report misconduct, and would enact new restrictions on loans that attorneys give their clients. California is one of the few states where lawyers can lend money directly to plaintiffs.

Lawyers who use the loans to sway the client’s decision-making around “legal strategy, settlement decisions, or continued representation” can be fined $15,000 per offense.

The second bill aims to bar private investors from influencing a case — for example, telling a lawyer how many clients to take on or when to settle — in lawsuits they fund.

California allows lawyers to take high-interest rate loans from investors, such as private equity firms or hedge funds, who expect to profit from the payout when a case is settled. Critics of this litigation funding claim investors sometimes exert themselves in legal strategy to the detriment of the clients, such as requiring a case to settle prematurely so the law firm can repay the loan faster.

“We don’t want them having any influence in the outcome of a case,” said Assemblyman Ash Kalra (D-San José), who authored AB 2305. “We want the lawyers to be able to represent their clients, and then not have those financial pressures play any role.”

A spokesperson for Newsom’s office said they don’t comment on pending legislation.

Lawyers already are barred under State Bar rules from allowing a third party to dictate case strategy. Kalra has said the goal of the bill is to provide additional “clear statutory safeguards.”

Law firms would also be barred from using money from private investors to market for cases, Kalra said. The State Bar would be tasked with disciplining lawyers that flout the rule.

A Times investigation last year found law firms that have filed thousands of sex abuse claims in California are funded by private investors, meaning an unknown chunk of the $4-billion settlement will go into the pockets of opaque funders.

It’s unclear how violations of the law would come to the attention of the State Bar. Litigation funding agreements are typically private between the funder and the law firm, and clients often don’t know their cases are being funded by private investors.

Jaime Huff, the head of the Civil Justice Assn. of California, which advocates for lawsuit reform on behalf of business interests, said her group — a frequent foe of California trial lawyers — ultimately pulled their support from the bill because they found it toothless.

“I don’t trust the State Bar to tie their own shoes in the morning, much less govern this stuff,” said Huff. “It’s basically gaslighting the public into thinking, ‘Yes, they’ve done something.’”

“It’s like the mall cop of self-policing,” she added.

Kalra said the point was to send a blunt message to the state’s legal bar.

“There may be loopholes that folks find in this one, and they have to follow up and close those loopholes,” he said. “But ultimately, it makes a very clear rule as to how that funding can be used. Once that rule is in place, it’s the law. And lawyers have to follow the law.”

Aston Villa have completed the signing of West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka on a season-long loan deal.

The deal for the DR Congo right-back includes a “conditional obligation to buy”.

The exact terms are not known, with the Hammers having previously asked interested clubs to pay a £25m fee.

The 28-year-old missed Championship club West Ham’s first two matches of the season during negotiations for a return to the Premier League.

Wan-Bissaka joined West Ham United on a seven‑year contract from Manchester United in 2024. He has made 65 appearances across his two seasons at the club, including 25 last season when the Hammers were relegated to the Championship.

He previously played 190 times for Manchester United, winning the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.

More recently, Wan‑Bissaka started all four of DR Congo’s matches at the 2026 World Cup, helping them progress to the round of 32.

The new signing may feature in Villa’s first game of the Premier League at Brighton on Sunday (14:00 BST) and will also compete in the Champions League after the Villans finished fourth and won the Europa League under Unai Emery last season.