Sports Updates

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp used to his first press conference in America to seemingly leave the door to Melwood ajar. The Reds boss, fresh from watching his side win the Champions League in Madrid, was back under the media's glare in the United States last week. The European champions, as had been anticipated for much of the calendar year, are reluctant to dive deep into the market for replenish their squad with big-money additions this summer. After a 2018 that saw them spend close to £250million, the Reds are much better placed to merely tweak their playing staff ahead of the upcoming season.   So far, just 17-year-old Sepp van den Berg has arrived at the club, with a modest £1.3million deal being sealed with Dutch side PEC Zwolle. Repeated links to high-profile players across the continent have proven to be inaccurate, but Klopp posed something of a teaser when speaking to the assembled press in Indiana last week. Indeed, it was the subtext rather than the manager...

Manchester United will not be Philippe Coutinho's next destination, according to his agent, due to his strong affinity for Liverpool. Philippe Coutinho will only consider returning to the Premier League to play for Liverpool and a potential move to Manchester United would be near impossible, according to agent Kia Joorabchian. Liverpool love lingers for Coutinho Coutinho moved to Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018, the Reds receiving a transfer fee that could hit €160million (£142m) with add-ons. He initially appeared to be a good fit, producing some solid performances in his first few months at Camp Nou as he finished the 2017-18 season with eight goals in 18 LaLiga matches. But he flattered to deceive last term, netting only five times in 22 league starts as he failed to live up to expectations. He has been linked with a transfer to United, with Barca said to be eager to free up funds to sign Neymar , but his agent effectively ruled out such a m...

   No NBA games. No NFL games. No NHL games. What is there to talk about? How about Mike Trout . How great is Mike Trout? Andy McCullough spent some time asking a few All-Stars about that. Here’s what he turned up: “The best baseball players in the world gathered in Cleveland on Monday for All-Star game media day. The rosters feature participants from three different continents, an assembly of differing philosophies, ideologies and agendas. Among this disparate collection, finding a consensus can be difficult. “Except, of course, when it comes to determining the best player in the sport. “Trout, the 27-year-old, eight-time All-Star outfielder for the Angels, stands alone at the top…. “Trout, in the eyes of his fellow players, plays without a visible weakness. That raises a question, which The Times asked of the other All-Stars on Monday: What one skill of Trout’s do you most envy? The answers revealed both the depths of his peers’ admiration and the breadth of his skills. ...

https://freshsportsupdates.blogspot.com Leicester City Football Club have agreed terms with AS Monaco for the transfer of midfielder Youri Tielemans for an undisclosed fee, subject to Premier League and international clearance.

Brazil Beats Peru to Win Its First Copa América Title Since 2007 Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro holds the trophy as he celebrates with Brazil players after they won 3-1 the final soccer match of the Copa America against Peru at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, July 7, 2019.   RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil didn’t need Neymar to win another Copa América title at home. With its injured star watching from the stands at a packed Maracanã Stadium on Sunday, Brazil beat Peru 3-1 to win its first South American title since 2007. It was Neymar’s replacement, Everton, who led the team to victory, scoring a goal and setting up another to give Brazil its ninth Copa América trophy, and fifth at home. G...

Congrats @ Phil_Coutinho & @ arthurhromelo on winning Copa America  

Atletico Madrid confirm Joao Felix has joined the club

Nine major international tournaments, nine times Lionel Messi has tasted disappointment with Argentina. Tuesday's 2-0 defeat to Brazil in the 2019 Copa America semifinal is the latest in an ever growing list of heartbreaks with the national team that could leave arguably one of the greatest players of all time without a trophy for his country. The latest disappointment wasn't enough to force Messi into international retirement -- as he did after defeat to Chile in the 2016 final -- but, uncharacteristically, he didn't hold back in his criticism of the referee. "They were not better than us," Messi told reporters after the game in Belo Horizonte. "They found the net early and the second goal came from a penalty they didn't award," added the 32-year-old Barcelona star, referring to a challenge on Sergio Aguero in the prelude to Roberto Firmino's strike that made it 2-0. "The officiating was crazy. There were clear penalties, on Nicolas Otamen...

BELO HORIZONTE: Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino scored the goals as Brazil beat arch-rivals Argentina 2-0 on Tuesday to qualify for the Copa America final. Played in a white-hot atmosphere and with tempers threatening to boil over, Argentina came close to scoring themselves but both Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi hit the woodwork. Hosts Brazil will play the winners of Wednesday second semi-final between champions Chile and Peru in Sunday’s final. It was the first time these age-old rivals had met in a major competition since Brazil beat Argentina 3-0 in the 2007 Copa final. English-based Jesus and Firmino were the stars, each creating the other’s goal, although captain Dani Alves had a major say in the opener. Defeat meant Barcelona great Messi’s hopes of landing a major international honour with Argentina became even more remote. He will get another opportunity next year, though, with the fourth Copa America in the last five years, due to be played in Argentina and Colo...

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli, their first arrival of the summer, for a fee that is thought to be around £6 million.  

Tanguy Ndombele becomes most expensive player in Tottenham's history as midfielder completes £65m switch from Lyon on six-year deal  

Frank Lampard will be confirmed as the new Chelsea manager in the next 48 hours, after seeking assurances about Roman Abramovich’s expectations, and the club’s future plans once FIFA’s transfer embargo has expired.

Transfer Centre: Maguire, Zaha latest LIVE! The latest news and rumours, including updates on the futures of Harry Maguire, Wilfried Zaha, Marko Arnautovic and more!  

According to @ WSJ , Nike will not release its Fourth of July flag-themed shoes after speaking with Colin Kaepernick, who says he and others see the Betsy Ross 13-star flag as an "offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery.  

A teen from Florida who became the youngest player to ever qualify for Wimbledon just beat her idol, Venus Williams, in the first round of the ladies' singles