Northampton chairman Kelvin Thomas said: “This has been a detailed and rigorous process, involving significant scrutiny of the proposed investment, the ownership structure, financial sustainability, and the suitability and financial standing of those involved.

“The successful completion of both the IFR and EFL processes represents an important milestone for the club and should provide supporters and stakeholders with further confidence in the proposed investment and the foundations being put in place for the club’s future.

“We would like to thank both the EFL and the IFR for their professionalism, diligence and thoroughness throughout their respective processes.

“As supporters will see from their varied backgrounds, there is a genuine passion for football within the group. A number of the investors have already visited Northampton, spent time at the club and attended matches.

“They will bring a strong blend of football, corporate and financial expertise to the club and with significant Brazilian representation within the group we also hope they might bring a little Brazilian excitement and flair with them.

“Now the regulatory processes have been completed we move towards completing the remaining documentation and finalising the investment. Full details regarding the investment, structure and the principal investors involved will be announced upon completion.

“We thank the fans for their patience, but it is reassuring that these in-depth processes are in place for football.”

Federico Gatti has been in limbo throughout the summer, and his future continues to be uncertain, even though Juventus repelled a late attempt to lure him by Porto. The market is still open in such a country, but the deadline to submit the UEFA Champions League lists is the same and has lapsed.

According to Alfredo Pedullà, the Bianconeri had more issues with the formula and the figures rather than with the notion of parting ways with the defender altogether. The center-back is open to moving, as he has further tumbled down the pecking order following the acquisition of Jhon Lucumi.

Advertisement

Gatti could still leave Juventus to head to places where there’s still time to do business. He could even accept a transfer to the UAE to resume playing consistently.

One destination has likely fallen through, as Al-Sadd have finally been able to strike a deal with Lazio and Alessio Romagnoli. The Italian center-back has flown in with the medicals. They had been trying to sign him for a year. The Biancocelesti had already replaced him and Mario Gila with Danilho Doekhi and Josip Sutalo.

Our Take on Juventus and Gatti

While he’s not at the same level as their other contributors, perhaps he deserves a little more consideration, and they should manage Gleison Bremer more carefully, given his injury history. They have a better fullback, Zeki Celik, than in the past, so they could use Pierre Kalulu as a center-back more frequently if they wished to, but the offer would have to be really worthwhile to lose a piece without being able to substitute for it.

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable holds high hopes for Zambardo, acknowledging that the galloper must ascend to a new level.

With entries for both the Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup, Zambardo is scheduled to make his return in the So You Think Stakes (1500m) at Sandown on Saturday.

Zambardo is a lightly raced New Zealand-bred gelding with four wins from his 12 starts.

The five-year-old arrived from New Zealand as a maiden, breaking through at his second start for Price and Kent Jnr on the Pakenham synthetic track over 1600m before recording successive victories at Sale, Sandown, and Caulfield.

His last win was in a 2000m benchmark 78 race on the middle day of the Caulfield Cup Carnival.

In a leap of faith, Price and Kent Jnr entered Zambardo into the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on the final day of Melbourne Cup week, where the gelding finished behind the champion mare Via Sistina.

The handicapper significantly raised Zambardo’s rating following that placing, which earned connections $540,000, from a 78-rater to 103.

This meant Zambardo was weighted out of easier contests and was forced to race at a higher grade, which he did during the autumn, starting in Sydney before concluding his campaign in Brisbane.

Price and Kent Jnr still intend to target ‘some nice races’ with the gelding this spring.

“We’re keen to be ambitious with him, until proven otherwise,” Kent Jnr stated.

“The Cox Plate will certainly be considered, but he has to prove he is at that level.

“His form went a bit sideways last preparation, for a variety of reasons. He was getting a long way back, he had bad barriers, that Q22 was a funny race, they went no gallop and it wasn’t a test of anyone’s ability.

“I think we judge the horse on his first couple of runs back here in Melbourne, but what I can say, he is flying, going particularly well.”

With the Cox Plate this year being run at Flemington as Moonee Valley undergoes a rebuild, Kent Jnr is looking forward to seeing Zambardo kick off his campaign at Sandown.

“I think that is one of the keys to him as he’s raced there before and I think he will enjoy being back Sandown,” Kent Jnr commented.

Explore online bookmakers for the latest racing betting markets on the upcoming Sandown meeting.

The Washington Commanders added plenty of new faces to their roster during the offseason. Many of their additions were to the defensive side of the ball, but there were notable offensive additions to the team, too. Tight end Chig Okonkwo and wide receiver Stefon Diggs lead that charge, but rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams can’t be left out either.

The Commanders are excited about their offensive additions, and Pro Football Focus recently named Okonkwo as one of five fantasy football breakout stars in 2026.

Advertisement

After discussing Okonkwo’s time with the Tennessee Titans, reviewing some of his stats, and mentioning that the Commanders invested more in Okonkwo than any skill player outside of Terry McLaurin, the article says:

Expectations for Okonkwo will be higher than they were for (Zach) Ertz at ages 34 and 35. He played 12 of the first 14 snaps in the second preseason game, suggesting he will have a larger role than he did in Tennessee and that Ertz had in Washingotn. Given the uncertainty at wide receiver outside of McLaurin and recent free-agent addition Stefon Diggs, Okonkwo is third on the team in targets. That gives him a solid floor as a low-end TE2.

His ability to turn into a TE1 will largely depend on the quality of the Commanders’ offense in general. It’s unlikely Okonkwo becomes a frequent target near the goal line, given his lighter size for a tight end, but a few more touchdowns than usual are a possibility.

Okonkwo is one of the ideal targets at tight end for someone who wants to focus entirely on running backs and wide receivers earlier in the draft and punt on the position.

One thing you need to remember is that Tennessee did not use Okonkwo as effectively or as efficiently as they could have. David Blough may be a first-time coordinator, but he will have people in his ear about the best way to use the receiver-turned-tight end. There may be a bit of a learning curve, but once they figure it out, Okonkwo will become quite valuable.

Think about it. Jayden Daniels is going to be under serious pressure in 2026, especially with the questions around his offensive line. Having a target like Okonkwo on the field as a safety net, especially with his ability to get yards after the catch, is going to give Daniels a much-needed outlet when the pocket is collapsing around him.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders’ Chig Okonkwo is a top breakout fantasy football candidate

Defending champions Sri Lanka moved to the top of Group B in the Women’s Asia Cup after beating Indonesia by 75 runs in Dubai on Thursday, thanks to captain Chamari Athapaththu’s record seven-wicket haul and Nilakshika Silva’s half-century.

Sri Lanka were defending a modest target of 125 on a slow-paced pitch, but Athapaththu turned the match around with one of the best bowling performances in women’s T20 internationals.

She came on to bowl in the fourth over and struck with her fourth, seventh and eighth deliveries. Although she missed out on a hat-trick in that over, she completed it later by taking three wickets in three balls across two overs.

Athapaththu finished with 7/5 in 21 balls, becoming the first bowler from a Full Member nation to take seven wickets in a women’s T20I. The previous best figures in women’s T20Is belonged to Zimbabwe’s Esther Mbofana, who took 6/11 against Eswatini in 2021.

Indonesia were bowled out for 49. Rahmawati Pangestuti scored 10, while Ni Made Putri Suwandewi remained unbeaten on 12. No other Indonesian batter reached double figures.

Earlier, Sri Lanka were in trouble at 62/6 before Nilakshika Silva scored 50 off 35 balls to lift them to 124/7.

For Indonesia, Ni Luh Dewi was the pick of the bowlers with 3/32.

The win took Sri Lanka to the top of Group B in the Women’s Asia Cup.

In Group A, India remain on top of the standings, with Pakistan in second place.

Meanwhile, India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana also made history during India’s Group A match against Hong Kong in Dubai. The 30-year-old went past Mithali Raj to become the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket across all formats.

133754343

Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Image: X)

Sanju Samson is back in India’s T20I squad for the upcoming series against Afghanistan, giving the wicketkeeper-batter another chance to reclaim his place at the top of the order.Samson was left out of the squad for the Zimbabwe tour after being dropped from the playing XI following three failures. His omission came despite being named Player of the Tournament during India’s T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year.Since India’s World Cup triumph, the team management has continued to experiment with its batting combinations, particularly in the opening slot. Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was fast-tracked into the senior side after a remarkable IPL season and has already been given opportunities to open alongside Abhishek Sharma.With Samson now returning, former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta believes the Afghanistan series could be an opportunity to test another combination, with Samson and Sooryavanshi yet to open together for India.

‘We haven’t seen the Sanju-Vaibhav combination yet’

Dasgupta pointed out that India have already tried Samson alongside Abhishek Sharma and Sooryavanshi alongside Abhishek, but have not yet seen what Samson and the teenage batter can produce together at the top.“Straight away, if you think about the last match (England T20Is), it was Sanju and Abhishek. Leave Zimbabwe aside. When all three were available, Sanju and Abhishek were there. I think we haven’t seen the Sanju-Vaibhav combination yet. So far, we’ve seen Abhishek-Vaibhav and Abhishek-Sanju, right? It’s not a bad idea to even try and see what kind of combination Sanju and Vaibhav can make,” Dasgupta said on his YouTube channel.

Sooryavanshi strengthens case for opening spot

Sooryavanshi has given the selectors another reason to consider him as a regular option at the top after an impressive series against Zimbabwe.The 15-year-old finished as the leading run-scorer with 151 runs in three innings, averaging 50.33 and striking at 196.10. His performances included a match-winning 81 and two half-centuries, earning him the Player of the Series award.His contribution also played a role in India securing their first series victory under newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer. India had previously suffered series defeats against Ireland and England.

Dasgupta doesn’t want Abhishek to be dropped

While advocating for a possible Samson-Sooryavanshi combination, Dasgupta stressed that he was not calling for any of the three players to be left out.Instead, he wants India to use the matches leading into the T20 World Cup to assess different combinations and ensure players get sufficient opportunities before the final decision is made.“Again, I’m not saying, please don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about dropping anyone here. I’m just saying, reiterating again, that the idea is that before the World Cup, you want to give every combination and every individual a proper chance and proper game time to understand what works,” he added.With Samson back and Sooryavanshi making a strong case for himself, India’s opening combination is likely to remain one of the key talking points during the Afghanistan series.

Andoni Iraola Explains Bradley Barcola Talks as Liverpool Close £123m Deal

Liverpool have spent big, gone early and, by the sound of it, got the player they wanted without needing the usual sales pitch. Bradley Barcola has arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth a guaranteed £106m, with a further £17m in add-ons, and Andoni Iraola has made one thing clear, this was not a transfer that required persuading.

Advertisement

The Liverpool head coach has been direct about the first conversations he had with the France international. “I always had the feeling with Bradley that I didn’t need to convince him to come,” said Iraola. “I didn’t ever think I would need to convince him but sometimes when you talk to players, you feel that you have to sell your idea and sell the club.

“I think because he has had the experience of facing Liverpool in the last two seasons, he felt the stadium, he felt the club and he was really convinced.

“All the questions he was asking were about football, tactics. The position he was going to play.

“He was very open, also, about playing on the right, of playing up front, of giving us chances so we can work better as a team. It wasn’t just about the individual or Bradley saying ‘how am I going to shine?’. It was about the collective. I liked it.”

Image: @LFC

Advertisement

Bradley Barcola arrival fits Liverpool plan

That matters. A lot. Liverpool are bringing in a player with elite-level experience, two Champions League titles and a fee that puts him in the premium bracket. When you pay that kind of money, you want certainty about character as much as talent. Iraola clearly believes he has both.

He even admitted Barcola’s approach caught him slightly off guard. “Yes, a little bit. He is someone who has won the Champions League the last two seasons and been very important (for PSG).

“But he was thinking collectively, not just about his position. It’s nice to hear those things. It’s true that he doesn’t speak perfect English and things were being translated. Sometimes we survived in English! But from the beginning, I had a good feeling. It was nice.”

Advertisement

That is the key point. Liverpool have signed a wide player with pedigree, but the attraction for Iraola seems to be flexibility and buy-in. Barcola can operate off either flank or through the middle, and for a coach who wants movement, pressing and tactical discipline, that is worth plenty before a ball has even been kicked.

There is also no issue with fitness. Barcola has not featured since scoring for France in the 6-4 World Cup bronze medal defeat to England on July 18, but he completed pre-season work as normal and has already trained with his new team-mates this week. That leaves him in the frame for a full debut against Ipswich Town on Friday night.

Liverpool transfer strategy shaped by long-term thinking

Barcola was Liverpool’s fourth and final addition of the summer, following Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz and Ronald Araujo, who joined on loan. It has still been a market of major churn. Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate and Curtis Jones have all moved on, and Liverpool have ended the window with the biggest net spend around.

Advertisement

Even so, Iraola has backed the club’s restraint in the final days of the market. There were more deals available. Liverpool chose not to force them.

“As a manager you need the players for today but if they (the club) explain to you the vision and the long-term project, you also have to understand the club,” said the Basque.

“I think sometimes it doesn’t make sense to pay crazy money, the market was the market, for players who maybe in the long-term you don’t need. Then you will need this money to solve other problems in that position.

“Sometimes it’s better to look a little bit further than the next game and the next month. I think that’s what has happened in some position in this market.”

Advertisement

There is no mystery here. Liverpool looked at the numbers, looked at the prices, and decided panic buys were bad business. That is usually the correct call, even if it leaves short-term gaps.

Injuries leave Andoni Iraola short in key areas

The obvious issue is availability. Iraola has three long-term absentees he referenced directly, and that has affected the squad build from the start of pre-season.

“The issue we have is that we have three players with long-term injuries since I’ve been here at the start of pre-season. Giovanni Leoni is already going to be out for a year and Conor (Bradley) and Hugo (Ekitike) are both long-term as well. They are players that we trust in the long-term and want them to be our players.

Advertisement

“Sometimes we decide not to think more in the mid or long-term and just a solution for these three months. But at the end, we want them to be players for Liverpool in their positions.

“The club has decided not to sign someone because we need them for these two or three months and instead trust the players we have, us working with the players we have and thinking of the long-term.”

Add Joe Gomez and Federico Chiesa to the unavailable list and the challenge becomes clearer. Liverpool are not overloaded, particularly in the wider and defensive areas. They are gambling, if you want to call it that, on coaching and patience over another quick fix.

Ipswich test could offer immediate Bradley Barcola debut

That brings the focus straight back to Barcola. He arrives with expectation, cost and a tactical brief that appears broader than simply hugging the touchline. Victor Munoz and Cody Gakpo impressed in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest last weekend, while Ryan Gravenberch is pushing for a recall in midfield, so Iraola has options. Barcola gives him another one, and probably the most dangerous of the lot.

Advertisement

What matters now is translation from theory to output. Good conversations are useful. So is enthusiasm for the collective. At Liverpool, the judgement comes quickly. Ipswich may be the first real look at whether Barcola can turn all of that promise into something concrete.

For more Liverpool updates and team news, see the latest coverage here.

A Louisiana judge has ruled in favor of LSU in a Thursday hearing on the eligibility of former professional athletes.

With its preliminary injunction against the conference, LSU can continue the process of bringing two ex-NFL players — tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris — back to the college ranks without the SEC enforcing its ban on former professional athletes.

The SEC issued a statement and isn’t giving up.

In courts around the country, including Louisiana, athletes from the Class of 2022 won temporary restraining orders against the NCAA to gain an extra year of eligibility. When the SEC voted unanimously to approve its own ban on former professional athletes, the lawyers for the affected athletes added the SEC and Greg Sankey to those lawsuits, leading to Thursday’s hearing.

Just because LSU won this latest battle, it does not mean the fight is over. On Wednesday, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr called on the SEC member institutions to take matters into their own hands if the Tigers allow former professional athletes to play. Carr said the conference should use “all measures available,” including suspension or expulsion.

Sources told CBS Sports’ John Talty that other SEC schools have pondered a legal challenge in federal court and possible forfeiture of games. In a statement to CBS Sports, the conference said it will comply with the order while continuing to fight to enforce its rules.

“The order entered against the SEC and Commissioner Sankey is a temporary restraining order, not a final ruling on the merits,” the SEC said. “The SEC and Commissioner Sankey are prepared to contest the allegations in the plaintiffs’ petition at Thursday morning’s hearing and defend the SEC’s rights as a voluntary association to fulfill its mission to its member institutions.”

With the path cleared for eligibility, at least for the moment, Wright and Harris can be added to the LSU roster just over 48 hours before Saturday’s showdown against Clemson in Baton Rouge.

What will Wright, Harris bring to LSU?

Regardless of how you feel about letting former NFL players return to college, the reality is that it’s about to happen. So, we may as well analyze what Wright and Harris can offer the Tigers this fall.

In the case of Wright, he joins a tight end room already occupied by athletic freak Trey’Dez Green, but that doesn’t mean the former Ole Miss standout will have to play second fiddle. According to 247Sports, Wright posted a 74 percent route-run percentage while averaging 9.9 yards per route, which is three yards more than the SEC average.

That means Wright will be yet another weapon for Sam Leavitt in the LSU passing game, and it will free up Kiffin to get more creative on offense. More two tight end sets are now a very real possibility for the Tigers.

Throughout much of the offseason, the interior defensive line was a big question for the Tigers. They are poised to feature a couple of true freshmen, Deuce Geralds and Richard Anderson, at that position.

Big Ten open to meeting SEC scheduling demand for CFP expansion: Key concession could help birth 24-team field

Brandon Marcello

Advertisement

Geralds and Anderson are tremendous talents, but they lack college experience, and Harris fixes that problem. With his 6-foot-8 and 330-pound frame, Harris can serve as a cement pillar in the middle of the line, and he played 66% of the defensive snaps while totaling nine tackles for loss and three sacks for the Rebels last year.

Will Kiffin continue to add players?

Will this ruling open the gate for more last-minute additions for LSU? Kiffin may as well make hay while the sun shines.

Former Utah cornerback Blake Cotton recently got a temporary restraining order, and “intends to seek a roster spot at a D-I University in Louisiana,” per The Advocate. It doesn’t take a private investigator to determine which university that might be.

Prior to the 2025 season, Cotton transferred from UC Davis to Utah, and he started eight games for the Utes. He started in eight games and tallied 30 tackles, two tackles for loss and seven passes defended.

Cotton signed an NFL contract with the Denver Broncos in the offseason, which meant he would have been ineligible under the SEC’s ban on former professional athletes. Now, Cotton is free to join an SEC squad, and he should provide reliable depth in the secondary.

Alexandra Eala, of the Philippines, competes against Oleksandra Oliynykova, of Ukraine, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

MANILA, Philippines — They’ve had their fun on the court in New York to kick off the US Open, and now it’s time for the real battle.

Alex Eala and Iva Jovic hurdled separate opponents in straight sets Friday and set up a clash in the third round of the US Open.

The two rising tennis stars shared the court with their fathers days before the main draw in the “Stars of the Open” exhibition at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Since then, Eala has had a dominant run in her second US Open main draw, beating Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2, in the opening round before following it up with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Oleksandra Oliynykova.

The 18-year-old Jovic, meanwhile, labored against Magdalena Fręch, 7-5, 6-3, in the first round before dispatching Francesca Jones, 6-4, 6-4.

Head-to-head

Alex Eala vs Iva Jovic: Head-to-head information.

Advertisement

Eala, the No. 17 seed, expects a grind-out showdown against the higher-ranked Jovic, seeded 14th in the tournament. After all, she has yet to win a set against the American in their two meetings.

“She [Iva Jovic] is an amazing player, young, very talented and very intelligent. Of course, she’s a high-ranking player and very accomplished. And I’ve encountered my fair share of challenges against her this year,” Eala said.

Eala fell to Jovic in the first round of the French Open in late May, 6-4, 6-2, then again at the HSBC Championships in London just 15 days later, 6-2, 6-2.

But they have not battled on hard courts, where Eala has been thriving, bolstered by her first WTA title at the Mubadala DC Open.

Eala and Jovic have also paired up in a couple of doubles runs, reaching the semifinal of the ASB Classic in January but bowing out in the first round at Indian Wells.

Jovic said she is looking forward to facing Eala much deeper in a Grand Slam tournament than in their first meeting.

“I’m super excited. The atmosphere is going to be amazing. She’s been playing some great tennis. It’s nice to be playing each other third round, deeper into the Slam. Hopefully we can all keep going on runs like this,” Jovic said.

No information on the scheduled time or venue has been released yet for their match.