Manchester City have completed the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for a joint-British transfer record £125m.

The Fernandez deal takes City’s spending to a Premier League record £458m for a single transfer window, surpassing Liverpool’s £415m from last summer.

However, City have also achieved around £300m from player sales this summer.

Fernandez joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 for a then-British record fee of £107m, with his latest switch matching the £125m that Liverpool paid for Alexander Isak also on transfer deadline day last summer.

The clubs negotiated over the past 24 hours and reached an agreement earlier on Tuesday.

Fernandez, who had been keen to join Real Madrid earlier this summer, was booed by Chelsea fans during their friendly against Real Sociedad and again when he came on as a substitute in their Premier League opener at Fulham.

The 25-year-old was not involved in Chelsea’s 4-3 Premier League win over Brighton on Sunday or their 2-0 Carabao Cup victory against Luton three days earlier, as reports in Argentina suggested he asked to be left out of the squad.

“I want you to know that these have not been easy days for me,” Fernandez wrote in an open letter on Instagram addressed to Chelsea.

“Writing this is not easy either. The truth is, I haven’t been in a good place.

“From the moment I arrived [at Chelsea], I became obsessed with winning and with bringing this club every trophy that its history deserves.

“We suffered, we cried, I got angry many times, but we also celebrated titles and unforgettable victories. Together, through the good times and the difficult ones.”

Fernandez added Chelsea would “always be in my heart” and while the decision to leave had been “difficult”, he would “probably be thinking the same way” as the fans if he were in their position.

Chelsea set a deadline of 17:00 BST on 14 August for clubs to make offers of £120m or more for Fernandez, in an attempt to end uncertainty before the start of the 2026-27 season.

The Argentina international worked with City manager Enzo Maresca during the Italian’s reign at Chelsea.

Maresca is keen to work with him again after losing a host of midfielders this summer.

“I could not be happier to be here, and I am ready for the challenge of helping City continue winning trophies. This is a club built for success,” Fernandez told the club’s website.

“If you look across the squad, City have quality in every area. I want to learn from my new teammates and become a better player.

“I give absolutely everything and I can promise Manchester City that will continue now I’m here.”

It is the second time in two months that City have broken their own transfer record, following the £116m arrival of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest in July.

Fernandez becomes the fourth player to move to a Premier League club for a fee of at least £100m this summer – following Morgan Rogers (£117m) to Chelsea, Bradley Barcola to Liverpool (£123m) and City’s signing of Anderson.

Gervonta Davis has fought just once since June 2024, but it seems as though the inactivity of ‘Tank’ could soon come to an end, as a timescale for his return has finally been unveiled.

Davis’ last win came against Frank Martin over 26 months ago, with the Baltimore knockout artist drawing to Lamont Roach Jr in his solitary outing since, retaining his WBA lightweight world title and undefeated record by the skin of his teeth. 

Since then, legal issues have kept Davis away from the ring and have seen him demoted from WBA lightweight world champion to champion-in-recess, with Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi now scheduled to compete for his old belt next month.

It remains to be seen whether Davis will utilise has position as champion-in-recess and return to the lightweight division against the victor of that vacant title bout in a bid to regain the 135lb throne, or if he will move up to the super-lightweight division in pursuit of a rematch with Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz.

However, Davis’ coach, Kenny Ellis, told FightHype of his expectations to see Davis remain at lightweight.

“If you go back and look at the fight where Tank went up to fight [Mario] Barrios at 140lbs, in the post-fight interview Tank said, ‘I am going back down, I don’t belong in this weight class,’

“He knows he was small, not that he is scared [of super-lightweight] but he knows that he is not big enough for the weight-class.”

Ellis also believes that Davis will return to action in early 2027.

“It looks like Tank will probably be back at the beginning of the [new] year. He has got to go through some things on his side, but right after that he will be back in the gym.”

Should he remain at lightweight, a showdown against the winner of Schofield-Bahdi looks to be the most obvious route back to the top. Meanwhile, a long-awaited clash with Vasyl Lomachenko could also become a possibility.

Manchester City have agreed a £125m fee with Chelsea for Enzo Fernandez but the deal has yet to be confirmed despite the summer transfer window closing at 11pm

Manchester City could have until 1am on Wednesday morning to complete the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea, despite the transfer window shutting at 11pm. City have agreed a £125m deal with Chelsea to sign the Argentina international.

Fernandez is understood to have completed a medical and is expected to become a City player this summer. However, the summer transfer window closed at 11pm and the Blues have still not announced his arrival.

However, from 9pm this evening, City could have submitted a deal sheet to the Premier League. This document allows City an extra two hours to complete a deal beyond the 11pm deadline. Deal sheets are only accepted by the Premier League if the necessary discussions and agreements have been made prior to the window closing.

There is confidence the deal will be completed before 1am, particularly after Fernandez posted a goodbye message to Chelsea on Instagram. He wrote: “Dear Chelsea, I want you to know that these have not been easy days for me. Writing this is not easy either. The truth is, I haven’t been in a good place.

“Three years ago, Cobham and Stamford Bridge became home for me and my family. I grew attached to the people, to the shirt, and to the badge of this incredible club.

“Believe me when I say that, from the moment I arrived, I became obsessed with winning and with bringing this club every trophy that its history deserves. We suffered, we cried, I got angry many times, but we also celebrated titles and unforgettable victories. Together, through the good times and the difficult ones.

“I live football the same way I live my life: with passion and with all my heart. That is why I want you to know that I understand you. I truly understand you, from the bottom of my heart.

“But life is about making decisions, and right now I find myself having to make one of those difficult decisions. I’ve said it before, but I want to say it again: I have grown incredibly fond of this club. Chelsea will always have a place in my thoughts and, above all, in my heart.

“But I also understand how football works. I know how passionate you are, because I am the same. And if I were in your position, I would probably be thinking the same way.

“I want to thank every single one of you: the staff, the coaching team, the medical team, the physios, and everyone who works at Cobham and throughout this great institution.

“To all my teammates over these years, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing so many moments with me. I was truly happy here, and I wish you nothing but the very best for the future. Thank you for all the love and support you have given me and my family throughout these years. I will never forget it.

“This group will give you many more reasons to be happy, and I will be happy for you too. Never doubt that. You will always be in my heart, Blues. I will always wish you, always, nothing but the very best. Always Blue. Thank you, Chelsea.”

Floyd Mayweather is regarded as the greatest fighter since the turn of the millennium by many boxing fans. However, three-time BWAA Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia believes that there is one active fighter who has had a more impressive career than ‘TBE’.

Mayweather ruled in five weight divisions and beat a host of fellow legends such as Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto, before retiring with a perfect 50-fight undefeated record.

The defensive master has, however, often been criticised for being too selective and business-minded during his career, accused of including clauses in contracts that aided his chances or picking opponents when they were vulnerable or past their best.

On the True Hustle Podcast, well-respected trainer Garcia discussed Mayweather swerving a lucrative showdown with Antonio Margarito back in 2006, as was reported by ESPN at the time. 

“Years ago, when Mayweather was in his prime and at welterweight, I never seen the contract but I was told and I know that the word is that Top Rank offered him eight-million-dollars to fight [Antonio] Margarito and he never wanted to fight Margarito, so he avoided Margarito.”

Continuing, Garcia then went on to declare that he is more impressed by Canelo Alvarez’s career than Mayweather’s, despite the fact that Mayweather defeated the Mexican superstar back in 2013.

“Canelo has that same kind of criticism where people could say that he has picked his opponents a little bit more, you could say that there is some truth there, but I think that he has taken more challenges [than Mayweather]. 

“He has moved up in weights, who the f**k goes up to light-heavyweight, you know what I mean? A 5’8” guy? He is not tall, he is 5’8” or 5’9” maybe.

“So, I would probably say that, at the end, I think that Canelo [had a more impressive career than Mayweather]. He took those chances, he didn’t have to go to light-heavyweight to fight [Dmitry] Bivol, he didn’t have to do it but he took those chances.”

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Canelo will have the chance to further improve his legacy when he attempts to regain the WBC super-middleweight world title against Christian Mbilli next month, off the back of the longest period of inactivity in his career to date.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are slowly getting back to full strength.

The Dodgers announced on Tuesday afternoon that they’ve activated catchers Will Smith and Dalton Rushing and left-hander Justin Wrobleski from the injured list. They also added infielder Alex Freeland to the MLB roster.

To make room on the roster for the aforementioned returnees, the Dodgers sent outfielder Alek Thomas and catcher Ben Rortvedt — whom they acquired from the New York Mets before the MLB trade deadline — to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Smith, an All-Star in each of the last three complete seasons (2023-25), hasn’t played for the Dodgers since June 5 due to a neck injury. Over the 52 games Smith has appeared in this season, he has totaled six home runs, 23 RBIs and a 101 OPS+, while sporting a .249/.338/.382 slash line.

Rushing, who took Smith’s place as the team’s everyday catcher in the wake of his neck injury, hasn’t played since Aug. 1 due to an arm injury. Across 74 games, Rushing has logged 12 home runs, 36 RBIs, a 123 OPS+ and 1.4 wins above replacement, while possessing a .253/.335/.475 slash line.

Wrobleski hasn’t made a start for the Dodgers since Aug. 15, as he dealt with a forearm injury. The left-hander was an All-Star this year and boasted a 2.62 ERA entering his July 28 outing before posting a combined 8.69 ERA over his ensuing four starts, with a stint on the 15-day injured list following. In all, Wrobleski has recorded a 3.56 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, a 114 ERA+ and two wins above replacement across 126 ⅓ innings pitched (20 starts/21 appearances).

The Dodgers could soon have their full starting rotation. Fellow left-hander Blake Snell is four starts back from elbow surgery, and right-hander Tyler Glasnow was activated last week after back spasms kept him off the mound for manager Dave Roberts for roughly 15 weeks.

The next piece in the puzzle for the Dodgers’ rotation could be Shohei Ohtani, as the two-way superstar hasn’t pitched since July 3 due to knee inflammation and is also dealing with a biceps issue. Granted, Ohtani has continued to be the team’s primary designated hitter.

Los Angeles is the No. 2 seed in the National League at 82-55, good for a half-game lead on the Atlanta Braves (82-56) for the second wild-card round bye and good for being 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (85-53) for the best record in the NL. The Dodgers also hold a 9.5-game lead on the San Diego Padres (73-65) for first place in the NL West.

Los Angeles opens a three-game series at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

Need to know

Jack Grealish has completed a season-long loan switch to Everton from Manchester City

All you need to know as Jack Grealish completes his season-long loan to Everton…

1. Grealish has left Manchester City to rejoin Everton on loan for the rest of the campaign
2. The 30-year-old spent last season with the Toffees and impressed before injury curtailed his campaign
3. But he has now linked up again with David Moyes’ side and could make his second Everton debut in the weekend Premier League clash with Manchester United
4. Grealish had interest from elsewhere with Sunderland keen on the England international but the winger had always prioritised a return to Everton if a deal could be done
5. On re-signing for the Merseysiders, he said: “It feels so good. I’m so happy. I think I’m at my best at everything in life, not just football, when I feel loved. That’s what the manager has given me, what my teammates have given me and especially what the fans have given me. Every time I see an Everton fan, it’s just pure love and the way they’ve welcomed me since that first game against Leeds, I’ll never forget that. It means a lot to me and hopefully I’ve made a few Everton fans happy. I had a perfect time here for the first six months, then I stayed around after I got injured. I’ve been watching all the Everton games in pre-season and since the season started. Now I feel ready to go. I’m ready to start training tomorrow and prepare for the games.”
6. Grealish is out of contract at City at the end of the season and could have played his last game for the club. He came off the bench in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal and again in the league opener against Bournemouth but was left out of the squad for Friday’s win at Crystal Palace
7. City boss Enzo Maresca has a strong relationship with Grealish but did not view the former Aston Villa man as part of his plans
8. Grealish played a key role in City’s Treble-winning season but has struggled to recapture that form and the Blues are not planning to offer him a new deal, meaning he will leave for free next summer, six years after joining for £100million.
9. Everton are seemingly in pole position to sign him permanently given the relationship the club have built up with the player.

Follow all the City transfer latest in our dedicated deadline day blog here

Representative image: Japan cricket team (Pic credit: JCA)

NEW DELHI: With concerns over accommodation and other logistical arrangements emerging ahead of cricket’s return to the Asian Games, Japan Cricket Association (JCA) CEO Naoki Alex Miyaji has sought to put the apprehensions into perspective, saying participating teams have been offered hotel accommodation but are free to make their own arrangements.At a recent Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting, leading cricketing nations reportedly raised concerns over the accommodation arrangements, with the designated hotel located around 20km from the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture, where the cricket matches will be held.The Asian Games begin on September 17.

Japan Cricket CEO clarifies accommodation arrangements

Miyaji stressed that the JCA is playing a limited role in the event’s organisation.“The Asian Games is being organised by the organising committee Aichi-Nagoya Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC) in collaboration with the ACC under the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA),” Miyaji told PTI.“The JCA has provided support in some areas but is not directly involved so I am not able to directly answer all of your questions. What I can say is that all parties are working hard to ensure the success of Cricket in the Asian Games.“I can also assure you that the ACC have been discussing accommodation options with AINAGOC for a long time. The participating teams in cricket are being offered hotel accommodation,” he said.Miyaji also pointed out that cricket is not the only sport facing logistical constraints at the Games.“Many other sports are being accommodated in much more limited facilities such as a cruise ship or container hotels. The teams are free to arrange their own accommodation if they chose to do so,” he said.

‘Toilets will be available within the player area’

Miyaji also sought to allay concerns over reports that team washrooms could be located at least half a kilometre from the playing arena.“Please note that toilets will be available within the player area. There are both temporary and permanent facilities at the venue. The facilities on the ground are temporary, but AINAGOC have worked very closely with the ACC for over a year now to ensure that the best facilities are provided within the limited timeline and facility restrictions,” Miyaji said.He also addressed concerns over the makeshift dressing rooms being prepared for the tournament.“Despite being temporary, the facilities will provide as comfortable a space as possible for the players and officials. There are also permanent facilities around the ground which will be available to the players,” he said.

Korogi Sports Park built from scratch

Miyaji explained that organisers had only 17 months to prepare the venue, which had to be developed from scratch because Aichi Prefecture did not have an established cricket facility.“They only had 17 months to prepare and had to start from scratch as there were no Cricket venues of any standard in Aichi Prefecture. Considering the limited time and resources available, AINAGOC and ACC have worked together to ensure that the playing facilities are suitable,” he said.Sri Lanka Cricket has also provided curators to work on the turf and hybrid pitches.“It will be a full size ground with turf and hybrid pitches prepared by the best curators which Sri Lanka Cricket should be credited for providing,” Miyaji said.“There are limits on what they can do within these tight limits, but from what I have seen, the playing surface and field will be the best seen in Cricket’s inclusion in the Asian Games.”The JCA, meanwhile, has concentrated largely on building local interest in the sport.“We have taken cricket to many school and shopping centres which have received great enthusiasm. Thanks to the full support of Nisshin City, we are confident that the local community will be 100% behind the Asian Games.”Miyaji remained confident that cricket would make a strong impression when the continental event is staged in Japan.“Cricket will be one of the largest sports in the Asian Games. It will also be the first time the top Cricket teams of Asia will be playing in Japan,” he added.