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PHILADELPHIA — Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing fought to end his skid.

He held up on a curveball from Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola that clipped the bottom of the strike zone. He fouled off a changeup. And he stayed disciplined as Nola tried to get him to chase a fastball up and two breaking balls in the dirt.

In a full count, Rushing fouled off another changeup. And then, finally, Nola made a mistake.

Rushing hammered the grooved fastball to left-center field, just shy of the Citizens Bank Park concourse.

“It’s pretty obvious I’ve been fighting recently,” Rushing said after the game. “The more you try in this game to fight out of a hole, the deeper you dig yourself in a hole. So I think that’s what it’s been recently. And today it was, obviously, you get a good start to the day, and it’s kind of uphill. Yeah, I wouldn’t say it was anything different. I just trusted myself today.”

It was the Dodgers’ first run during a 9-5 win and Rushing’s first hit in more than two weeks. Over the course of nine hitless games, he went 0-for-19.

Rushing has been the Dodgers’ starting catcher since early June, when Will Smith was first sidelined with a neck injury. And the Dodgers will continue to rely on him, with Smith out indefinitely.

“What stood out is he’s learning on the run, learning on the job, thrust into it,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But I do think that the last couple weeks, some of the struggles have helped him, and I think they’ll help him down the road, whether it’s at bat, behind the plate, and staying with game plans and things like that. So yeah, there’s a learning curve, but this is going to be good for him.”

Rushing has embraced the defensive/pitcher-management side of his job as his top priority. But at his best, Rushing (.812 OPS this season) can impact games on both sides.

His performance Wednesday was another glimpse of that upside.

“I wasn’t used to the [backup] role last year, and by no means do I want to say I wished for this opportunity,” Rushing said. “But I was making sure if it was given, that I was going to do my best to show them that I could play, show them I’m going to be in this league and play down here for as long as I possibly can.”

Rushing provided the Dodgers with their first run of the game with a homer in his first at-bat. Then, in his second, he worked a 2-2 count, before roping a curveball up the right-field line for a go-ahead two-run double.

“I just saw less effort,” Roberts said. “For him to come out after a four-strikeout game [Monday] and take a day to reset, come back and take good at-bats, I just saw the downshift. I saw a controlled at-bat.”

In addition to the pair of hits that made for a three-RBI day, Roberts complimented Rushing’s at-bat against left-handed reliever Tim Mayza — a tough matchup for the left-handed batter — that ended in a lineout to third.

Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing celebrates with teammate Shohei Ohtani after hitting a solo home run against the Phillies on Wednesday in Philadelphia.

(Caean Couto / Getty Images)

“Certainly, having Will down, we need him right now,” Roberts said. “We need him to be the player that he expects, that we expect, and that comes with a mindset. And tonight was a clinic on how a baseball player should play a baseball game.”

The Phillies tied up the game in the bottom half of that fifth inning. Dodgers starting pitcher Eric Lauer, who had already given up a two-run home run to Alec Bohm in the first inning, surrendered a solo shot to Bryan De La Cruz to lead off the fifth. Those were the only runs he allowed in 5 ⅓ innings.

In the sixth, Dodgers veteran third baseman Max Muncy delivered a go-ahead solo home run, his second home run in as many games and 20th of the year. That blast was also Muncy’s 229th as a Dodger, moving him into sole possession of No. 5 on the franchise’s all-time list.

To put the final touches on the Dodgers’ offensive effort, Kyle Tucker hit a sacrifice fly and Tommy Edman hit a bases-clearing triple for a four-run Dodgers rally in the eighth inning. That gave them enough of a cushion to weather a ninth-inning comeback attempt from the Phillies.

Five Northern Ireland boxers are one win away from a Commonwealth Games’ medal following Wednesday’s draw.

Kaci Rock, Michaela Walsh, Jansseen Hill, Garyn McAllister and Willie John McCartan will all enter the competition at the quarter-final stage next Tuesday and Wednesday in Glasgow.

Defending featherweight champion Walsh will face Scotland’s Lara Brown in Wednesday’s afternoon session, as the Holy Family GG boxer seeks to return to the podium for a fourth-straight Games having won silver at the 2014 edition in Glasgow and again four years later at Gold Coast.

Welterweight Rock takes on Niue’s Karen Te Ruki Pasene on Tuesday afternoon, which will also see heavyweight McAllister take on Ghana’s Jibril Muntari.

In Wednesday’s evening session at the SEC Centre, light-heavyweight Hill faces 2025 World bronze medallist Chantelle Reid from England, while super-heavyweight McCartan will meet Ghana’s Daniel Plange.

The boxing tournament begins on Friday and bantamweight Louis Rooney is the first Northern Ireland boxer in action, taking on Lesthotho’s Mathealira Seholoholo in the opening round at bantamweight and should the Star ABC man prevail, he will meet Australia’s Jye Dixon on Sunday in the last 16.

Nicole Clyde begins her bantamweight challenge on Sunday against Ghana’s Nancy Bamfo, while welterweight JP Hale is also in action at the least 16 stage with his opponent to be determined.

On Monday, 2022 featherweight champion Jude Gallagher makes his bow when he boxes in the last 16 stage at lightweight with his opponent to be determined, while light-heavyweight Eoghan Quinn is a similar scenario,

Also on Monday’s last 16 bouts, flyweight Caitlin Fryers meets Bangladesh’s Zinnat Ferdous, while light-middleweight Jon McConnell is tasked with India’s Sumit Kundu.

All quarter-finals are scheduled for Tuesday, 28 July and Wednesday, 29 July with Thursday a rest day before the semi-finals on Friday, 31 July and finals on Saturday, 1 August.

Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare forced the cancellation of a training session after he refused to leave the pitch.

BBC Sport has been told the 25-year-old Nigeria international sat down and demanded the club let him move to Fiorentina.

Wolves have rejected a bid from the Serie A side, having accepted an offer from Turkish club Trabzonspor.

Arokodare’s actions led to new boss Cesar Peixoto terminating the session on Monday.

The striker was not involved in Wednesday’s friendly at Maidenhead United as Wolves continue their pre-season plans.

On social media on Wednesday evening, Arokodare wrote: “Throughout my career, I have always taken great pride in conducting myself professionally and maintaining the highest training standards.

“My commitment has always been to prepare myself as well as possible so that I can contribute to my team-mates and the club whenever I am called upon.

“I remain under contract with Wolves, and my only intention is to fulfil my responsibilities professionally by training, doing my job, and contributing to the team in accordance with that contract.”

The latest incident is another flashpoint in the forward’s career at Molineux after he was disciplined in April following a confrontation with young forward Mateus Mane.

Arokodare signed for £24m from Genk last summer but scored just three league goals as Wolves finished bottom of the Premier League and were relegated.

And the incident presents an early challenge for Peixoto just weeks into his reign after he replaced Rob Edwards in a surprise move last month.

The 46-year-old, capped once by Portugal in his playing career, moved from Gil Vicente and will be aiming to return Wolves to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Anthony Joshua says he is not ready for the loss of his two close friends and team members to “sink in yet” as he prepares for his first fight since their death.

Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele died when the vehicle they were travelling in, alongside heavyweight boxer Joshua and another passenger, collided with a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos, Nigeria, on 29 December 2025.

Joshua, who sustained minor injuries, is set to return to the ring against heavyweight Kristian Prenga on Saturday for his first contest since knocking out American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul 10 days before the crash.

The 36-year-old told BBC Sport: “It’s tough, every time I think about it, it hurts.

“Even talking about it now… pictures… it hurts but I keep my mind occupied you know.

“If I stop, you let it sink in and I’m not ready for it to sink in yet.”

Ghami was Joshua’s full-time sport and exercise rehabilitation coach and worked with him for more than 10 years.

Hours before the crash, Joshua posted a video on Instagram of him playing table tennis with his long-time friend Ayodele, a personal trainer.

Prenga will be Joshua’s first competitive fight since his knockout loss to IBF world champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024.

The former world champion admitted to feeling a “little bit nervous” before his return.

“It’s competition at the highest level,” he added.

“I want to perform for my team, I want to make them proud and make myself proud.

“It’s a balance of nerves but I understand what my job is. [I have] a lot of understanding and clarity on what I have to do.”

Liverpool are confident of signing Bradley Barcola, Alex Scott favours a move to Arsenal, Bruno Fernandes is ready to commit his future to Manchester United.

Liverpool are confident they can beat Arsenal and Bayern Munich to the signature of Paris St-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, after the 23-year-old impressed with four goal contributions at the World Cup with France this summer. (Sun), external

Arsenal are edging the battle with Manchester United for sought-after Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, 22 – but the England Under-21 international has concerns around how much game time he would get at the Emirates. (Mirror), external

Scott is keen on a move to Chelsea after the Cherries rejected a £64m bid from the Blues. (The Standard), external

Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes, 31, has decided to commit his future to Manchester United, with talks around a new deal ongoing. (Express), external

Besiktas are trying to sign English midfielder Joe Willock, 26, who is in the final year of his contract at Newcastle and will not be offered a new deal. (Telegraph), external

Arsenal are not ruling out the sale of their captain Martin Odegaard, and will listen to offers for the 27-year-old Norway midfielder. (Teamtalk), external

Manchester United are exploring a move for Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, 23, who missed out on a place in France’s World Cup squad this summer. (Nicolo Schira), external

Roma have asked about the availability of Chelsea centre-back Axel Disasi, 28 – and the Blues have set an asking price of around £17m for the Frenchman. (Footmercato – in French), external

Fulham have opened negotiations with Real Madrid over a potential move for highly-rated striker Gonzalo Garcia, 22. (The Athletic – subscription required), external

It just adds to what will be an especially special Games for Marshall, who is joined in the bowls team by his niece Beth Riva.

“It’s a bit nerve-wracking really,” 59-year-old Marshall told BBC Scotland. “It’s not very often I get a bit emotional, but I certainly had a tear in my eye when I came out the lift this morning and all the athletes were there. It’s just a huge honour.”

Resplendent in full kilt on a sweltering day, and proprietorially clutching the flagstick like a child would a favourite toy, the East Lothian bowler was in his element when talking about the news on Wednesday.

Marshall conceded he would have to let it go for the evening before having it returned before the big show.

But he might have to battle with Adlington for first shot of it when that time comes. “And I’d win that fight,” joked the 39-year-old heavyweight.

Adlington, who won judo gold in 2014 and 2022 and is looking to end her career by completing the treble, revealed the two of them have known the news for a few weeks but had been sworn to secrecy.

“That’s been really hard,” she told BBC Sport Scotland. “I was told I could tell my nearest and dearest but for everyone else it will be a massive surprise.

“I’m just so excited. I was so nervous when I woke up this morning, and I think I’ll be even more nervous tomorrow. I might not even sleep tonight but if it’s even half as good as it was in 2014, it will be amazing.”

Fox TV executives knew their telecast of Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Final would be big.

But bigger than every NFL game outside of the Super Bowl, the perennial ratings blockbuster, was not on their radar.

“I have to admit that I didn’t see it coming, that we and Telemundo would combine for almost 65 million viewers for the final,” Mike Mulvihill, executive vice president and head of strategy and analytics for Fox Sports. “That’s beyond what we could have hoped for.”

Spain’s World Cup victory over Argentina by a 1-0 score attracted the largest audience for any sports telecast outside of the Super Bowl since the 1994 Winter Olympics when Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding competed in the women’s figure skating short program.

The 38.9 million viewers who tuned in on Fox was enough to make the final the most-watched soccer telecast in history. Telemundo’s coverage set the record for a Spanish language soccer telecast with 23.9 million viewers.

It capped a month of massive viewing for the quadrennial tournament. In the United States,128.4 million people watched some portion of the World Cup across Fox’s broadcast network, its cable outlet FS1 and streaming platform Tubi. The 104 matches averaged a record high 7.7 million viewers, a 116% increase over the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Spanish language coverage on NBCUniversal’s Telemundo and the Peacock streaming platform combined to average 6.3 million viewers across the 104 matches, up 143% over the 2022 tournament.

Ad revenues for the tournament topped $1.2 billion, according to data from Guideline, which tracks media spending.

Having the tournament in the U.S. with games airing in daytime and prime time helped. Mulvihill noted the tournament came up at a fortunate time on the sports viewing calendar. The NBA Finals were over and Major League Baseball’s post-season and the NFL season are months away.

But even with that soft competition for sports fans’ attention, the World Cup demonstrated an ability to bring in viewers who don’t follow the sport. Fox data showed 53% of viewers who tuned into its coverage had not watched any soccer in the past year. The network’s research found that a majority of U.S. sports fans could name only two stars, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and their home countries.

What brought the audience in? Mulvihill credits social media, which tends to be an angry place during big sporting events. The lead up to the World Cup was no different, but the doom and gloom went away once the action began.

“There was a lot of negativity around this tournament on social as there always is about everything related to the cost of tickets and related to challenges that foreign visitors might face coming to the U.S.,” Mulvihill noted. “As soon as the ball was kicked, and the matches were in progress, that just completely pivoted to overwhelming positivity.”

Patrick Rishe, director of the sports business program at Washington University in St. Louis, said the global reach of social media made the international stars accessible to U.S. fans and created a “fear of missing out” effect that likely drove them to watch.

“There is a communal aspect of soccer, in particular, where you can be in a room with people wearing 10 different colored jerseys, and they all just kind of get into the camaraderie of it, and the highs and lows of it, and the drama of it,” Rishe said. “So even if you don’t have rooting interests, it’s just fun to be a part of it.”

The appeal of communal viewing showed up in the Nielsen data. Out-of-home viewing accounted for 27% of the audience. For Sunday’s final, the figure was 35%

People were having viewing parties or gatherings at home as well. An average of 1.955 viewers per home watched the World Cup. The figure for last year’s regular season NFL games was 1.685 viewers.

The question going forward is whether the World Cup will spur more interest in soccer in the U.S. Major League Soccer has reportedly seen significant increases in ticket sales. The league, which has most of its matches on Apple TV, launched an ad campaign with the tagline, “Thanks World, We’ll Take It From Here.”

Versant acquired the rights to carry 300 Bundesliga matches. The company’s USA Network will carry at least 30 matches from the German domestic league, with the rest streaming on the company’s free Fandango platform. The league was previously available on ESPN’s streaming service, which required a subscription.

Telemundo acquired the Spanish-language TV rights to the Union of European Football Assns. men’s club competitions, including the Champions League.

Fox paid $485 million for the rights to the 2026 World Cup, while Telemundo shelled out $600 million for the Spanish-language telecasts.

But the real prize is the rights for the 2030 World Cup, which both TV networks and streamers are expected to vigorously pursue, even though the time zones will not be as hospitable to the U.S. (The host countries are Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.)

During a recent appearance at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom Game Plan Summit in New York, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro made it clear where he stands.

“Of course we’re interested,” Pitaro said. “This has been a juggernaut. We’re not at all surprised by it.”

Captain Phil Salt led from the front as he finished unbeaten on 47 to guide Welsh Fire to a six-wicket victory against Southern Brave in a low-scoring match in Southampton.

READ MORE: Captain Salt leads Fire to victory against Brave

Available to UK users only.

“He can play in more than one position and his versatility will be a great fit in the side,” said Swansea head coach Vitor Matos.

“Elijah joins us after performing well in all aspects of our recruitment process, and after a brilliant performance at the World Cup and we are very happy to have him with us.”

Just joins fellow New Zealand international Marko Stamenic at Swansea.

He will also be reunited with summer signing Stephen Welsh, who spent last season on loan at Motherwell from Celtic.

A Portland teenager found a random old Lakers jacket in a Goodwill bin in January.

He paid $3.07 for it.

Seven months later, the item sold at auction for $89,600.

Turns out the old jacket wasn’t so random after all.

Verified by Sotheby’s auction house, it was a warmup jacket worn by NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain at least three times. That includes during the 1972 NBA Finals in which the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks in five games and Chamberlain was named the series MVP.

“This is Truly a once in a lifetime find,” Quinn Brown wrote on Instagram in January. “I am so grateful this jacket has landed in my hands.”

Brown, 19, has been reselling his thrift-store clothing finds online for the past three years. When he saw someone toss the short-sleeved Lakers jacket with “Chamberlain” on the back into a bin of clothes outside Goodwill, Brown grabbed it for his online shop.

Then he did some research. Brown found an online photo of Chamberlain wearing a jacket that looked very similar. He also discovered that the four-time league MVP’s jersey measurements closely matched those of the jacket.

This undated photo provided by Sotheby’s shows a warmup jacket worn by Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals that was found in an Oregon thrift store.

(Sotheby’s via Associated Press)

After he posted a photo of the jacket online, Brown was contacted by Sotheby’s about consigning it for auction. He took the auction house up on the offer, and the jacket was whisked away in an armored vehicle.

Sotheby’s photomatched the jacket to three images: an undated photo from the 1972-73 season, a photo from a January 1973 game and a photo from a 1972 home game against the Knicks that was determined to be from either Game 1 or Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Chamberlain had 12 points and 19 rebounds in Game 1, a 114-92 Lakers loss, and 23 points and 24 rebounds in Game 2, a 106-92 Lakers victory.

“I didn’t even think that finding something like this was possible,” Brown told the Associated Press. “I got very, very lucky.”

Sotheby’s estimated that the jacket could go for $150,000 to $250,000. While the final amount wasn’t quite that high, Brown told KIRO-FM (97.3) in Tacoma, Wash., that he’s “obviously happy” after making back 29,000-times his initial investment.

“$90,000 is pretty good,” he said. “I was hoping it would go higher. A little surprised, sitting there the last five minutes it didn’t really get any bids. So that was a little disappointing. But, still, a lot of money — especially since I only spent $3.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Major League Soccer says it is investigating allegations of tampering by Inter Miami after the club signed Brazil midfielder Casemiro.

On Wednesday, Miami announced they had signed the 34-year-old – who left Manchester United at the end of last season – on a deal that runs to the end of the 2027 MLS campaign, with an option to extend until June 2029.

But moments later, the MLS released a statement saying it was “reviewing a tampering allegation” against the club.

“The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete,” it added.

“While Inter Miami CF and the LA Galaxy have reached a settlement for the discovery priority [first rights] to sign Casemiro, the terms will be released upon conclusion of the tampering investigation.”

The investigation concerns Casemiro’s discovery rights, an MLS regulation that gives a specific club first refusal over a player should they want to join.

A club may have up to five players on their discovery list at any time and can add or remove players.

Los Angeles Galaxy held the discovery rights for Casemiro but in announcing the player’s signing, Inter Miami said they had acquired the rights from the Galaxy.

Casemiro announced in January that he would depart Old Trafford at the end of the 2026-27 season following a mutual decision not to renew his contract.

He won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid before moving to United in 2022, who played for Brazil as they reached the last 16 at this summer’s World Cup.

“What motivates me the most, and I think this is true for every player, is winning and continuing to grow,” he said.

Casemiro made 160 appearances for United, scoring 26 goals and providing 14 assists as he won one EFL Cup and one FA Cup.

In the wake of Casemiro’s departure, United have prioritised midfield reinforcements in this window, buying Andrey Santos for £50m from Chelsea, and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m.

Before the announcement of the investigation, Inter Miami co-owner Sir David Beckham said of Casemiro: “He is a winner who has achieved so much in the game and after such an incredible career with Real Madrid and Manchester United I’m delighted that he’s decided to make Miami his next home.”

At Miami, Casemiro is set to join former Real and Manchester United team-mate Sergio Reguilon as well as Argentina’s World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.

It is not the first time Inter Miami have been probed over transfer dealings.

In 2021 they were fined $2m after breaking MLS rules with the signing of France midfielder Blaise Matuidi from Juventus the previous year.

The MLS said Matuidi had been paid more than was allowed, effectively giving the team four “designated players” last season rather than the permitted three. Designated players’ wages do not count towards the MLS salary cap.

Known as the ‘Beckham rule’, it was introduced when the ex-England captain joined Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.

To put it simply, the testing could help to combat micro-dosing. This is where tiny amounts of performance-enhancing drugs are ingested but are in and out of the rider’s system within a few hours, leaving only a short window for detection.

If a rider knows they have a seven-hour window where they are not normally tested, some believe it could be an opportunity to micro-dose.

Vaughters said: “If you introduce a low enough dose of a peptide hormone, the clearance time can be four hours. If you take it at 11pm, it’ll be out of the system at 3am, so it makes a difference.”

He added testing technology is evolving quickly but, where riders and teams push the boundaries, doping is always going to be a risk factor.

On night testing, he added: “It sucks if it happened all the time – but it’s happening once or twice a year. Listen, it’s a great deterrent. One night of lost sleep; lose a little sleep – gain a lot of credibility.”

Generally, the days when riders boosted blood values using first EPO and then moved on to blood transfusions (which is why the night-time hotel room is such a taboo backdrop in cycling) are thought to have largely gone from the top of the sport.

Since the 1990s and decade from 2000, when the disgraced once seven-time winner Armstrong tricked the world into thinking he was clean when dominating the sport, the athlete biological passport (ABP) used by Wada is sophisticated enough to pick up seemingly all inconsistencies recorded.

There have been cyclists banned recently but no high-profile names.

The sport’s lower-tiers frequently has seen riders busted for being tempted back to EPO and human growth hormones.

The ITA told BBC Sport: “Due consideration has been given to minimise as much as possible the impact testing activities have on riders.

“However, the ITA, on behalf of the UCI, has the responsibility to ensure the effectiveness of the cycling anti-doping program and the integrity of cycling races.

“As such, effective testing must, in limited and justified circumstances, be capable to occur outside standard daytime hours.”

Rangers manager Derek McInnes has been given a four-game touchline ban, with one suspended, for calling the decision to award Celtic a late penalty at Motherwell “disgusting”.

The comments, made at the end of last season when McInnes was in charge of Hearts, related to a stoppage-time spot-kick given for handball that was converted by Kelechi Iheanacho.

Celtic’s 2-1 victory at Fir Park kept them one point behind Hearts, who they beat to the title a few days later in a final-day decider.

Speaking to Sky Sports after a win against Falkirk at Tynecastle, McInnes said: “When you heard Celtic got a 96th minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just assume what’s happened is they get the penalty.

“Having seen it again, it’s disgusting. It is.

“I don’t think it’s a penalty kick.

“But we’re up against it. We’re up against everybody.”

Following the late drama at Fir Park, referee John Beaton’s contact details were posted online, with police keeping his home under surveillance. A teenager was then charged “in connection with a data protection offence”.

SFA head of referees Willie Collum backed the call, citing “clear evidence” with Sam Nicholson’s hand and arm “in an unnatural position” and the resulting contact “a punishable handball”.

Motherwell and their former midfielder Elliott Watt have already been sanctioned over social media posts on the matter.

Watt, who has since joined Turkish club Samsunspor, received a four-match suspension, having described it as “the worst VAR decision in history”.

Motherwell were fined £5,000 for releasing a video with the caption: “As the world of football mocks our game, we simply have to draw a line in the sand and shift the focus.”

The Scottish FA compliance officer issued complaints to all three parties under disciplinary rule 72 stating that: ‘No recognised football body, club, official, team official or other member of team staff, player or other person under the jurisdiction of the SFA, shall in an interview, a ‘blog’ on the internet, on a social networking or micro-blogging site, or in any other manner calculated or likely to lead to publicity (i) criticise the decision(s) and/or performance(s) of any or all match official(s) in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official; or (ii) make remarks about such match official(s) which impinge on his character.”

The suspended ban for McInnes will be applicable if he is in breach of rule 72 again before the end of the 2026-27 season.

NEW YORK — The WNBA has grown at an exponential rate during Cathy Engelbert’s tenure as commissioner, a stewardship that at times has been tumultuous during her nearly seven years at the helm.

Engelbert, the second-longest tenured WNBA president or commissioner, helped negotiate a transformative collective bargaining agreement this past spring that gives the WNBA its first core of million-dollar player salaries.

“There’s not a lot of jobs where you can make over 30-plus millionaires instantly, right?” Engelbert said in a phone interview with the Associated Press heading into this weekend’s WNBA All-Star festivities in Chicago. “It just doesn’t exist in most companies, except if you’re like a stock-option company, and your stock does really well. Most of them are under the age of 30 and there are more to come.”

Even with the financial gains, the WNBA’s growth has come amid a strained partnership between the commissioner and players. Engelbert has been criticized for how she has handled various situations, including for being out of touch or not doing enough to help combat social media vitriol.

Engelbert will meet with the executive committee of the players’ union on Tuesday to discuss the recent uptick in online hatred and threats directed toward players.

New York Liberty All-Star Breanna Stewart, vice president of the WNBA players’ union executive committee, said there is a respect for Engelbert among the players, just not much of a relationship.

Her Liberty teammate, Sabrina Ionescu, said she talks more to NBA commissioner Adam Silver than Engelbert.

WNBA business is booming

While the commissioner continues to try and strengthen her relationship with players, the business of the WNBA has thrived.

Engelbert was involved in talks that led to a record media rights deal worth over $3 billion. The league has had record ratings, attendance and team valuations, and will expand to a record 18 teams by 2030.

“We’ve been in hypergrowth mode now for two or three years and companies, if you look back in time, you are not in hypergrowth mode forever,” Engelbert said. “We’re preparing ourselves now for the next version of ourselves, which probably isn’t as hypergrowth.”

From a business standpoint, though, the league has grown, including navigating the coronavirus pandemic that could have crippled the WNBA.

“Give Cathy credit, as she advocated for the season,” Seattle Storm owner Ginny Gilder said. “We had no idea what was going to happen. People had to make decisions. Cathy pushed the Board of Governors to not only have a shortened season, but to fully pay the players. Don’t bicker. We were going to figure out the finances.”

Expansion fees have gone up five-fold over the past few seasons. Golden State paid $50 million to join the league and Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia — all joining the league over the next four years — each paid $250 million.

“Look at the financial side in such a short period of time — Cathy with all the work she did and the staff she hired deserves a tremendous amount of credit for that,” Gilder said. “If you look around the league from 2015 to 2020 to now, you know it is a completely new day.”

Valuations of teams were around $5 million to $10 million a decade ago and now the average is around $460 million, Engelbert said.

“When you’re CEO, when you’re commissioner, you’re going to have good days and bad days. But if you just looked at the overall scorecard, you’d have to say we’re doing great,” Washington Mystics owner Ted Leonsis said.

More endorsements for WNBA players

It’s nearly impossible to turn on a major sporting event over the past few years without seeing a WNBA player featured in a commercial. From Gatorade to State Farm, Nike and CarMax, product ads feature some of the league’s top newsmakers, including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu.

Engelbert said when Clark was drafted, it created a “domino effect, because they started seeing the value of putting players in their ads and then separately endorsing the players. I’m really proud of that because when I came to the league, absent a few sneakers ads, I don’t remember any players in spots. Maybe there were a few.”

The commissioner has seen the trend continue with younger players coming into the league, including Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles.

“Everybody sees the W is here to stay,” the commissioner said.

The commissioner’s future and what’s next for the WNBA

Engelbert deflected questions about her future other than to say she’s turning 62 this year and that was the mandatory retirement age at her old job at Deloitte, where she was the president.

“I haven’t given it a ton of thought. We’ll think about it,” Engelbert said of how long she will stay in her current role, adding she is “focused on the whack-a-mole that is our season. I always tell people don’t focus on me, focus on the rest of my team.

“You always want to leave an organization better than you found it. Internally we’re proud of the team we’ve built.”

Silver said in Las Vegas that he supports what Engelbert is doing.

“I think Cathy continues to do a strong job building that league,” the NBA commissioner said. “We’ll have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like.”

With media rights stable for the next decade as well as labor peace achieved and expansion finished for the immediate future, Engelbert said her list of priorities includes a look at officiating, with WNBA referees finding themselves at the center of questions from frustrated players, coaches and fans. She also wants to help teams with lower attendance improve those numbers, and expand the league’s international footprint.

Feinberg writes for the Associated Press.

Dodgers beat the Phillies

From Maddie Lee: Left-hander Justin Wrobleski plans to give Clayton Kershaw a call.

Wrobleski has long spoken highly of Kershaw’s impact on him as a teammate. But as Wrobleski charts his way past his career high in innings at any level, he needs some extra advice from the three-time Cy Young winner.

“Trying to figure out how he did it for so long, throwing 200 a year,” Wrobleski said after holding the Phillies to one run through 6 ⅓ innings in the Dodgers’ 2-1 win Tuesday. “This is something I’ve been thinking about the past couple days. … I think it’s something that could be helpful moving forward.

Wrobleski’s workload is something manager Dave Roberts is thinking about, too.

Every year, teams across Major League Baseball claim that they have their sights set on the World Series. But the Dodgers have made that pilgrimage through October so routine, and have leveraged their financial might to assemble such a deep roster, that the extra month of play weighs more heavily on their midseason decisions than it does for any other club.

Yes, the Dodgers want to claim the best regular-season record in the majors. But they also know how vital it is to peak in health and performance at the right time. Part of that puzzle is managing workload for young pitchers who are poised to be major postseason contributors.

“[Wrobleski’s] obviously a huge piece of what we’re doing and what we’re going to be doing,” Roberts said before the Dodgers’ win.

The Dodgers pulled out the victory on a game-ending 5-2-6-4 double play when the Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto was thrown out running back to second base — instead of staying on third — after Justin Crawford was caught in a rundown.

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Dodgers box score

MLB standings

MORE DODGERS:

ESPN six-episode podcast to examine Shohei Ohtani-Ippei Mizuhara gambling scandal

Angels extend win streak to three games

Walbert Ureña pitched six innings of one-run ball, Jorge Soler and Jo Adell each drove in two runs in a five-run first inning and the Angels extended their winning streak to three games with a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

The Angels banged out five of their 10 hits in the first inning. Soler hit a two-run double and Adell added a two-run homer for the Angels, who have their longest winning streak since a four-game run from June 9-13.

Ureña (6-7) allowed up six hits, struck out five and walked one while lowering his ERA to 2.78 for the season and 2.49 in 14 starts since May 1. Making his first start since the All-Star break, the rookie right-hander threw 16 pitches of 100 mph or more, including hitting a season-high 101.5-mph sinker to Jordan Walker, in the first. He had thrown 16 pitches of 100 mph or more — total — in 81 1/3 innings of his first 17 games.

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Angels box score

MLB standings

Why are the Warriors on LeBron James’ list?

From Mirjam Swanson: Take all the time you want, LeBron. It’s your life.

Yes, it’s annoying to have to hear about it every day, but it’s your decision when to tell us where you’re going to play your 24th season of pro ball.

So, go ahead, keep NBA schedule-makers on pins and needles. Savor having workers at my local Trader Joe’s discussing your future on a Monday in the middle of July. Enjoy your twilight limelight.

But don’t tell us, on podcasts and in public appearances, that the factors you’re prioritizing are A) whether a team is built to win now; B) the proximity to your home in L.A.; and C) not money, but overall happiness — and then signal it might be the Golden State Warriors.

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MORE LAKERS:

Lakers release preseason schedule; opener is Oct. 5

World Cup: Messi returns to Argentina to recover

Lionel Messi arrived back in Argentina on Tuesday for a few days of rest following the World Cup final loss to Spain.

Messi’s private jet landed near his hometown of Rosario from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at 6:27 a.m. Although many fans were waiting with signs and flags, he did not make a public appearance.

“The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal,” he posted on his Instagram account. “I cherish all the good moments, memories that will last forever — and the support of an entire nation which, combined with this group’s hard work and effort, propelled us once again into the ranks of the world’s best.”

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Rodgers appears to have reconciled with family members

From Chuck Schilken: Aaron Rodgers recently shared photos of himself with his parents and one of his brothers on social media.

While that’s something that a lot of people do, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is a very private person who has never even posted a photo of his wife online.

Rodgers also has been estranged from his parents and brothers for quite some time now.

Those relationships appear to be on the mend, however, after the 22-year NFL veteran took to Instagram on Monday and posted several seemingly recent family pictures — including one of him with his arm around his father Ed, another with his arm around his mother Darla and others of him interacting with older brother Luke.

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This day in sports history

1921 — Jim Barnes wins the U.S. Men’s Open golf championship by edging Walter Hagen, Leo Diegel, Jock Hutchinson and Fred McLeod.

1962 — Gary Player of South Africa becomes the first non-resident of the United States to win the PGA championship.

1963 — Sonny Liston knocks out Floyd Patterson in 2 minutes, 10 seconds of the first round to retain the world heavyweight title. Liston took the title from Patterson with a first-round knockout in Chicago on Sept. 25, 1962.

1973 — Sue Berning wins the U.S. Women’s Open golf championship for the third time with a five-stroke victory over Gloria Ahret.

1984 — Kathy Whitworth becomes the all-time winner in professional golf tournaments by winning the Rochester Open. Whitworth, with 85 career wins, passes Sam Snead’s total of 84 PGA tournament victories.

1984 — Seve Ballesteros wins the British Open with a four-round 276, breaking the course record set by Ken Nagle in 1960 by two strokes. Tom Watson and Bernhard Langer finish two strokes behind.

1990 — Nick Faldo wins his second British Open crown in four years, defeating Payne Stewart and Mark McNulty by five strokes.

1996 — Naim Suleymanoglu of Turkey becomes first weightlifter in Olympic history to win three gold medals. Suleymanoglu wins the 141-pound division by hoisting 413¼ pounds.

1994 — Former NFL running back, broadcaster and actor O.J. Simpson pleads “Absolutely 100% Not Guilty” of murder.

1998 — Jackie Joyner-Kersee ends her brilliant heptathlon career with a victory at the Goodwill Games. It’s her fourth consecutive Goodwill title. Earlier, the 4×400-meter relay world record of 2:54.29, set by the 1993 U.S. World Championship team, comes crashing down. Michael Johnson, the anchor on that 1993 team, anchors this United States 4×400 team, which finishes in a 2 minutes, 54.20 seconds.

2001 — David Duval shoots a 4-under 67 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes to win the British Open title, his first major championship. He finishes at 10-under 274 for a three-stroke victory over Sweden’s Niclas Fasth.

2005 — Yelena Isinbayeva clears the 5-meter mark at the Crystal Palace Grand Prix in London for her latest world record. The Olympic champion easily clears 16 feet, 4¾ inches on her first attempt, barely nudging the bar.

2007 — Padraig Harrington survives a calamitous finish in regulation and a tense putt for bogey on the final hole of a playoff to win the British Open over Sergio Garcia.

2008 — Candace Parker scores 21 points and DeLisha Milton-Jones adds 19 before both are ejected after a scuffle in the final minute as the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Detroit Shock 84-81 at Auburn Hills, Mich. The WNBA game turns ugly in the final seconds as a collision between Parker and Detroit’s Plenette Pierson turns into a shoving match that has players and coaches from both teams leaving the bench.

2012 — Bradley Wiggins becomes the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France by protecting the yellow jersey during the final processional ride into Paris. Fellow Briton and Sky teammate Christopher Froome finishes second, 3 minutes, 21 seconds behind.

2012 — Ernie Els wins his fourth major championship in an astonishing finish, rallying to beat Adam Scott in the British Open when the Aussie bogeys the last four holes. Els, who starts the final round six shots behind, finishes off a flawless back nine with a 15-foot birdie putt for a 2-under 68. Scott was four shots ahead with four holes to play.

2018 — Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird plays in a record 500th WNBA game.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1905 — Weldon Henley of the Philadelphia Athletics pitched a no-hitter, defeating the St. Louis Browns 6-0 in the first game of a doubleheader. It was the highlight of Henley’s 4-11 season.

1906 — Bob Ewing pitched the Cincinnati Reds to a 10-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies without a single assist by teammates.

1923 — Washington’s Walter Johnson struck out opposing pitcher Stan Coveleski for his 3,000th career strikeout. The Big Train, the first player in MLB history to reach 3,000 strikeouts, struck out five and allowed one run to give the Senators a 3-1 win over Cleveland.

1926 — Cincinnati had four triples in an 11-run second inning as the Reds beat the Boston Braves, 13-1. Curt Walker hit two in the inning to tie an NL record for most triples in an inning.

1932 — Philadelphia’s Mickey Cochrane hit for the cycle and drove in four runs to lead the Athletics to an 8-4 win over the Washington Senators.

1962 — Floyd Robinson of the Chicago White Sox had six singles in six at-bats in a 7-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

1964 — Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell hit for the cycle, drove in three runs and scored four times in the Pirates’ 13-2 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals.

1967 — The Atlanta Braves used a major league record five pitchers in the ninth inning of a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. The pitchers were Ken Johnson, Ramon Hernandez, Claude Raymond, Dick Kelley and Cecil Upshaw.

1997 — Atlanta’s Greg Maddux turned in a masterful pitching performance, using 76 pitches in a complete game 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

2000 — Seattle’s 13-5 win over Texas was interrupted for 54 minutes when a rainstorm drenched fans at Safeco Field and the $517.6 million stadium’s roof wouldn’t close because of a computer problem. The roof finally began closing about 20 minutes later.

2006 — Alfonso Soriano had three doubles, a triple and scored two runs to lead Washington to a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

2012 — Seth Smith hit a tying homer in the ninth inning, Coco Crisp singled home the winning run in the 12th and the surging Oakland Athletics rallied from four runs down to stun the New York Yankees 5-4 and complete a four-game sweep. The Yankees had not been swept in a four-game series since May 2003 against Toronto.

2013 — Ryan Braun, the 2011 National League MVP, was suspended for the rest of the season and the postseason, the start of sanctions involving players reportedly tied to a Florida clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs. The Milwaukee Brewers star accepted the 65-game ban, 15 games more than the one he avoided last year when an arbitrator overturned his positive test for elevated testosterone because the urine sample had been improperly handled.

2014 — The Minnesota Twins turn a triple play against the Yankees.

2022 — In their first game after the All-Star break, the Blue Jays set a team record for runs in a 28 – 5 beatdown of the Red Sox.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

England’s record points-scorer Emily Scarratt has committed her long-term future to the Red Roses coaching team.

The 36-year-old joined John Mitchell’s side on an interim basis as the lead attack and backs coach for this year’s Women’s Six Nations.

Following England clinching their eighth successive Women’s Six Nations title in May, Scarratt returned to her role as assistant coach at Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) side Loughborough Lightning.

She will now leave her role with Loughborough after joining the Red Roses on a permanent basis.

“The Six Nations was challenging but hugely rewarding in equal measure,” Scarratt said.

“I’d spent so many years in the Red Roses environment as a player, so stepping into a coaching role in the same setting was a new experience and, at times, slightly unnerving.

“There was plenty of uncertainty, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity and learned so much already.

“There’s a huge amount of ambition within this team, and I’m proud to be part of the journey as we continue to grow and build towards the future.”

On leaving Loughborough after eight years as a player and coach, the two-time World Cup winner added: “I’ve been surrounded by incredible people who have challenged and supported me in every way possible.

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone connected with the club. I’ll always look back on my time with immense gratitude. Thank you for everything.”

Former England attack coach Lou Meadows left the set-up after helping England win the Rugby World Cup at a sold-out Allianz Stadium last September.

Scarratt, who retired from playing after the World Cup win, then helped the Red Roses’ attack score 27 more points in 2026 than in the 2025 Women’s Six Nations.

“Emily has already made a significant impact on our environment in a coaching capacity, and during the Six Nations she proved to be a huge asset with the insight, calmness and experience she brings every day,” Mitchell added.

Aaron Rodgers recently shared photos of himself with his parents and one of his brothers on social media.

While that’s something that a lot of people do, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is a very private person who has never even posted a photo of his wife online.

Rodgers also has been estranged from his parents and brothers for quite some time now.

Those relationships appear to be on the mend, however, after the 22-year NFL veteran took to Instagram on Monday and posted several seemingly recent family pictures — including one of him with his arm around his father Ed, another with his arm around his mother Darla and others of him interacting with older brother Luke.

“Another bonding week,” Rodgers wrote, adding the hashtag #fam.

It was only his fourth Instagram post in more than two years. Luke Rodgers responded in the comment section with two heart emojis.

Rodgers spent 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, winning Super Bowl and four league MVP awards before playing two seasons with the New York Jets. The upcoming season will be his second with the Steelers and, he has said, his final one in the NFL.

The rift with his family members was made public in 2016 when younger brother Jordan Rodgers was a contestant on “The Bachlorette.” On one episode, Jordan Rodgers told his now-wife JoJo Fletcher that his famous brother has chosen to live his life in a certain way, “I chose to stay close with my family and my parents and my [other] brother.”

On another episode featuring other members of the Rodgers family (with a conspicuous absence), Luke Rodgers said: “It pains both of us, like, not to have that relationship [with Aaron] — we miss our brother. I trust that God brings things full circle and that everything would just get back to us being a family.”

Weeks later at Packers training camp, Rodgers was asked about the subject.

“I’ve always found that it’s a little inappropriate to talk publicly about some family matters, so I’m just —I’m not going to speak on those things,” Rodgers said, “but I wish him well in the competition.”

He added: “I haven’t seen the show, to be honest with you, so it hasn’t really affected me a whole lot.”

Ed Rodgers confirmed to the New York Times in 2017 that Rodgers hadn’t spoken to his family since late 2014, soon after the quarterback started dating actress Olivia Munn (the couple broke up in 2017).

In the 2024 Netflix docuseries “Aaron Rodgers: Enigma,” the 10-time Pro Bowl selection said he had never been “super duper close” with anyone in his family, except for Jordan Rodgers earlier on. He attributed the rift to a number of things, including his parents’ religious beliefs, sibling rivalries and his family’s reaction to his fame.

“I don’t wish any ill will on them at all,” Rodgers said. “It’s more like this, we’re just different steps in the timeline of our own journeys.”

The ice seemed to have started to thaw between the family members in recent years. According to the 2024 biography “Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers” by Ian O’Connor, Ed Rodgers bought a ticket to a 2023 celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe with the hope of possibly coming face to face with his son, who was a participant in the event, for the first time in nine years.

Rodgers saw his father in the crowd and tracked him down. The two of them embraced and said, “I love you.”

“That was a special moment,” Aaron told O’Connor.

O’Connor wrote Tuesday on X that Rodgers invited his parents to his Pleasant Valley High (Chico) Hall of Fame induction in April, then introduced them to the crowd and thanked them for their support.

Take all the time you want, LeBron. It’s your life.

Yes, it’s annoying to have to hear about it every day, but it’s your decision when to tell us where you’re going to play your 24th season of pro ball.

So, go ahead, keep NBA schedule-makers on pins and needles. Savor having workers at my local Trader Joe’s discussing your future on a Monday in the middle of July. Enjoy your twilight limelight.

But don’t tell us, on podcasts and in public appearances, that the factors you’re prioritizing are A) whether a team is built to win now; B) the proximity to your home in L.A.; and C) not money, but overall happiness — and then signal it might be the Golden State Warriors.

The Cleveland Cavaliers? They check all the boxes. That’s “home” for real. And the Cavs are ready to win with a veteran difference-maker such as LeBron. Absolutely, it would be a happily-ever-after conclusion to the LeBron epic.

The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers? Nowhere close to home, but they check a box too: They’re both set up to win — and in the Eastern Conference, where they won’t have to go through the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder to reach an NBA Finals.

The Warriors, though?

They check no boxes. Not a one. Not in 2026.

That would be a … choice. But let no one act like this would be LeBron leaving the Lakers for a more competitive situation. It wouldn’t be LeBron landing in a more desirable locale.

Line up Cleveland, Philadelphia, Miami and Golden State and it’s like seeing three diamonds and a square on “Sesame Street.” A 3-year-old could tell that one of those is not like the others. But that’s the third-most likely destination, as of Tuesday morning, according to the DraftKings Sportsbook.

Sure, once upon a time, a starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis would have beaten almost anybody. But even those guys — besides 30-year-old Porzingis, they’re all in their late-30s or early 40s, with a ton of NBA mileage — aren’t beating Father Time.

Remember when the Lakers put together a roster awash in washed-up stars in 2021, and how disastrous that was? Turns out pairing Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, DeAndre Jordan and, yes, Russell Westbrook was a recipe for a truly awful 33-win team.

And the Warriors? They couldn’t get out of the play-in tournament last season, when Curry played only 43 games and Butler played only 38. Also, remember, for the first time in LeBron’s career, the now 41-year-old wasn’t available to start the season. He missed the first 14 games with sciatica.

Maybe Golden State could conjure up some magic in a playoff series — but over an 82-game regular-season marathon? No way, LBJ.

Former Lakers star LeBron James (23) and former Warriors forward Draymond Green, who opted out of his contract this summer, could team up with Golden State. Or maybe not.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

It could be that winning isn’t everything for LeBron. The man’s legacy is locked. He’s won four NBA titles, three Olympic gold medals, 1,229 NBA games and counting. And he’s winning this summer’s engagement game too.

Perhaps it’s come to a point that he just wants to play with his friends, and after earning $53 million with the Lakers last season, he’s willing to sign a deal with Golden State for between $3.9 and $6 million — which is what the Warriors could pay him, according to ESPN cap expert Bobby Marks — to do that.

That’s lovely, but it doesn’t change the fact that LeBron wouldn’t be happy losing.

And losing when he’s the addition to Steph’s team — and make no mistake, the Warriors are Steph’s team — really wouldn’t be fun.

The superstar wars that will be fought between both players’ infamously, uh, passionate fandoms wouldn’t be fun.

The daily drumbeat of criticism from talking heads who tuned into all of those televised games — not fun.

But the commute! It’s only 380 miles or so from Brentwood to Chase Center, and that’s much closer than Cleveland or Philly or Miami.

That makes sense — if you forget there are two NBA teams in the very city where LeBron’s family lives. And on paper, they’re both better than the Warriors. And his son plays for one of them!

But one of those teams is the Clippers and the other has moved on from LeBron.

Oh, the irony.

The Lakers, if they weren’t the ex-team, would check all the boxes. They’re going to be competitive. They’re a group LeBron enjoyed playing with. They are home. And LeBron would check a pretty big box for them too, if money really isn’t a deciding factor.

But the Lakers have replaced LeBron with Walker Kessler, the 24-year-old defensive center who is the perfect complement to Luka Doncic. They’ve put in place the pillars for their future, though they do still happen to have a LeBron-sized hole at forward that isn’t going to be filled by LeBron.

And that’s OK. The next chapter will start eventually, and likely it will be set in a location where LeBron can compete and have a good time, and that he and his family can feel good about.

Or in San Francisco.

As the fifth anniversary of the takeover approaches in October, Newcastle clearly have work to do on and off the field.

Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan set out to be “number one” while chief executive David Hopkinson’s aim was to be “in the debate about being the top club in the world” by 2030.

But Newcastle need the infrastructure to match.

An announcement is awaited on plans for a new state-of-the-art training ground after a site was identified in Woolsington near Newcastle Airport.

The club have stressed the importance of taking time to make the right decision when it comes to either expanding St James’ Park or building a new stadium, which will be key to boosting revenue.

To consistently compete, however, there is little margin for error.

Newcastle needed to see more of an immediate return from a £100m-plus net spend last summer, for example, but defender Malick Thiaw has been the only unquestioned success.

The club are also counting the cost of a bruising 12th-placed finish last season after missing out on Europe.

Most pertinently, after breaching Uefa’s financial sustainability regulations, Newcastle have entered into a three-year settlement with European football’s governing body.

Raising funds through the sales of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur respectively was therefore crucial in order for the club to have the ability to reinvest this summer.

Three key players have now left in less than 12 months, though, which has weakened the side considerably, following Alexander Isak’s painful £125m departure to Liverpool last summer.

Newcastle do not want to lose another big name in Bruno Guimaraes, but the captain’s future is uncertain after he intimated he wished to join Arsenal.

Whatever happens, trading will remain a key part of the club’s strategy in the coming years and there has been a shift in approach with incomings too.

Further reinforcements are sorely needed but all of the club’s arrivals this summer – goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, midfielder Sean Steur and winger Bazoumana Toure – have been aged 20 and under, and from the continent.

The trio have immense potential and, in the right hands, could flourish, but they will need time. It feels like the same could be said for the project as a whole right now.

Arsenal have brought in Spain goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez on a free transfer – their sixth signing of the summer.

The 27-year-old joins the Women’s Super League side after leaving Real Madrid at the end of last season.

Rodriguez will wear the number 16 shirt and will compete for minutes with Daphne van Domselaar and Anneke Borbe, both of whom struggled with injuries last season.

“I’m so proud to join this great club. Arsenal is one of the top clubs in the world and I’m really excited to be part of the team and take on this new challenge,” said Rodriguez.

“I want to help us compete for trophies and make more history, together with our supporters.”

In six years at Real Madrid, Rodriguez made 215 appearances – a club record – and was made captain last year.

Since making her senior international debut in 2021, she has earned 34 caps for Spain including three as her side won the 2023 Women’s World Cup, though she has since lost her starting role to Barcelona’s Cata Coll.

Arsenal have had a busy transfer window as they prepare for the 2026-27 Women’s Super League season, with Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Selina Cerci, Geraldine Reuteler and Lisa Baum all reinforcing Renee Slegers’ squad.

Last season, they finished second in the WSL and reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League.

The 41-year-old, who played in six FIFA World Cups, announces he will retire from both club and country.

Guillermo Ochoa, widely considered among the greatest Mexican goalkeepers in history, has announced his retirement from professional football, bringing an end to a distinguished 22-year professional career.

Ochoa, who turned 41 last week, had previously stated that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his last tournament although speculation had swirled about whether he might sign with a new club to extend his playing days.

He put those rumours to rest on Tuesday.

“I gave it my all; I left everything on the field for my clubs and the national team, and today I hang up my gloves,” Ochoa posted on social media. “Being a goalkeeper means knowing you might wait 90 minutes for a single moment when everything depends on you. And when that moment arrives, you cannot hesitate.”

Ochoa was on Mexico’s roster for six World Cups – a number shared only by icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He served as Mexico’s starting goalkeeper in three of them: Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

Ochoa made his top-flight debut with Mexico City’s Club America in February 2004. He spent his first seven seasons there before transferring to French club Ajaccio in 2011, becoming the first Mexico-born goalkeeper to play in Europe. His European career also included stints with Malaga, Granada, Standard Liege, Salernitana, AVS Futebol and AEL Limassol, punctuated by a three-year return to Club America from 2019 to 2022.

“I never imagined how far a dream could take me. Today, I can only look back with pride and say: Thank you,” Ochoa wrote. “I take with me the affection of millions and the peace of mind that comes with knowing I gave everything for Mexico.”

Although he served primarily as a backup to Raul Rangel in the recent World Cup in North America, manager Javier Aguirre brought Ochoa on for the final 13 minutes against Czechia in Mexico’s last group-stage match. After the final whistle, an emotional Ochoa kissed the goalposts at Azteca Stadium – the venue where his career began – before kneeling to accept an embrace from his teammates. Long after the stands had cleared, Ochoa walked out to the centre circle one last time to take in his final farewell.

At the club level, Ochoa captured a league title with Club America during the 2005 Clausura tournament and won the Belgian Cup with Standard Liege. On the international stage, he led Mexico to six CONCACAF Gold Cup titles and earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The 23-year-old Rogers, established as one of the Premier League’s top attacking talents, has signed a contract with the London team until 2033.

The England World Cup forward Morgan Rogers has completed his British transfer record move from Aston Villa to Premier League rivals Chelsea.

No fee was officially disclosed, but media reports on Tuesday said it is worth 117 million pounds ($156.5m), which surpasses England teammate Elliot Anderson’s 116 million pounds ($155m) switch from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City earlier this month.

The all-time record Premier League transfer is still Sweden striker Alexander Isak’s 125 million pounds ($167m) move from Newcastle to Liverpool last year.

The 23-year-old Rogers, established as one of the Premier League’s top attacking talents, has signed a contract with the London team until 2033.

“I’m so excited,” he told the club’s website. “For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I’ve always admired since I was a kid.

“I’m really excited about the project with the new manager, the players we’ve got and where the club is heading. That’s why I’m here, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Rogers is the third major off-season signing by new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso, following wing backs Marco Palestra and Geovany Quenda.

Rogers was part of the England team that finished third, beating France, at the World Cup last week. They had lost to Argentina 2-1 in their semifinal.

He scored 21 goals in 85 Premier League appearances for Villa, and last season helped guide the club to a top-four finish and to the Europa League title.

Rogers joined Villa from Middlesbrough in February 2024 for a reported fee of 8 million pounds (about $10.5m).

He made his England debut in November 2024 and has now won 22 caps for his country.

Chelsea’s previous record signing was Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion for 115 million pounds (about $150m) in 2023.

Chelsea, who finished 10th in the Premier League last season, begin their ‌league campaign away to Fulham on August 24.