The Friedkin Group is already a lender to the club after injecting £200m, though this could be converted to equity as part of any deal.

BBC Sport was told a major stumbling block in their initial purchase attempt was the legal action 777 Partners faced in the US, but this version of events has been disputed by the involved parties who said the filing was made public well in advance of their takeover bid.

In June, American businessman Friedkin, who has a reported net worth of £5.7bn, wanted Roma and Premier League club Everton to sit at the top of a multi-club model.

Last week, the Italian club sacked boss Daniele de Rossi just four games into the new season and on Sunday supporters displayed their anger at the decision to dismiss the club legend, while chief executive Lina Souloukou stepped down from her role.

Sean Dyche’s Everton side are joint-bottom of the Premier League and yet to win this season, collecting just one point from their opening five games.

After a week off, the UFC is back for its latest visit to the “City of Lights” with ranked lightweights at the top of the lineup.

Here’s how to watch UFC Fight Night 243 with 155-pounders in the headlining spot, plus middleweights in the co-feature in Paris.

Broadcast and streaming info

John Gooden, Dominick Cruz, Michael Bisping

UFC Fight Night 243 has a main card that starts at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The preliminary card streams on ESPN+ at noon ET.

Stay tuned to MMA Junkie for further broadcast details this week.

Main event: Renato Moicano

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Renato Moicano (blue gloves) fights Jalin Turner (red gloves) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 19-5-1 MMA, 11-5 UFC
Opponent: Benoit Saint Denis (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Key wins: Jalin Turner, Drew Dober, Brad Riddell, Alexander Hernandez, Cub Swanson, Calvin Kattar
Misc.: Moicano, a Brazilian who trains at American Top Team in Florida, has not fought outside the U.S. since just before the pandemic – a 44-second submission of Damir Hadzovic in Brazil.

Main event: Benoit Saint Denis

Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Matt Frevola (red gloves) fights Benoit Saint Denis (blue gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

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Record: 13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC
Opponent: Renato Moicano (19-5-1 MMA, 11-5 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Key wins: Matt Frevola, Thiago Moises, Ismael Bonfim, Gabriel Miranda
Misc.: This is Saint Denis’ favorite time of year: UFC Paris week. The promotion’s first two visits to his capital city resulted in $50,000 stoppage bonuses for him.

Co-main event: Brendan Allen

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 06: (L-R) Brendan Allen punches Chris Curtis in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 06, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Record: 24-5 MMA, 12-2 UFC
Opponent: Nassourdine Imavov (14-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Key wins: Chris Curtis, Paul Craig, Bruno Silva,
Misc.: Allen has been an RNC machine during his current streak. Five of his seven straight wins have been by rear-naked chokes, including three for $50,000 bonuses.

Co-main event: Nassourdine Imavov

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 03: (L-R) Nassourdine Imavov of Russia punches Roman Dolidze of Georgia in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 03, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

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Record: 14-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC
Opponent: Brendan Allen (24-5 MMA, 12-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Key wins: Jared Cannonier, Roman Dolidze, Joaquin Buckley, Edmen Shahbazyan
Misc.: It’s a home game for Russia’s Imavov, who lives and trains in France. Remarkably, Imavov has been favored against eight straight opponents (including a bout with Kelvin Gastelum that was canceled twice) – and three have been future champions or former or future title challengers.

UFC debut: Ivan Erslan

Record: 14-3
Opponent: Ion Cutelaba (17-10-1 MMA, 6-9-1 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Misc.: 32-year-old Croatian has 11 of his 14 wins by stoppage.

UFC Fight Night 243 main card betting odds

Sep 2, 2023; Paris, France; William Gomis (red gloves) fights Yanis Ghemmouri (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

• Renato Moicano (+220) vs. Benoit Saint Denis (-270)
• Brendan Allen (+175) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (-210)
• Joanderson Brito (-260) vs. William Gomis (+210)
• Bryan Battle (-150) vs. Kevin Jousset (+125)
• Morgan Charriere (-550) vs. Gabriel Miranda (+400)
• Matt Frevola (-125) vs. Fares Ziam (+105)

UFC Fight Night 243 prelim betting odds

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 01: Ailin Perez of Argentina celebrates defeating Joselyne Edwards of Panama in their bantamweight bout during UFC 302 at Prudential Center on June 01, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

• Ion Cutelaba (-125) vs. Ivan Erslan (+105)
• Da Woon Jung (+350) vs. Oumar Sy (-450)
• Ludovit Klein (-700) vs. Roosevelt Roberts (+500)
• Taylor Lapilus (-355) vs. Vince Morales (+280)
• Ailin Perez (-260) vs. Darya Zheleznyakova (+210)
• Victor Altamirano (+115) vs. Daniel Barez (-145)
• Jacqueline Cavalcanti (-195) vs. Nora Cornolle (+155)
• Chris Duncan (+160) vs. Bolaji Oki (-190)

UFC Fight Night 243 preview videos

Alex Callender has been voted the Welsh Rugby Writers’ Association women’s Player of the Year.

The 24-year-old edged out Wales captain Hannah Jones, who won back-to-back English Premiership titles with Gloucester-Hartpury, and three-time Olympian Jasmine Joyce.

Callender was without a club for the 2023-2024 season after the collapse of Worcester Warriors Women, but has signed for Harlequins Women for this term.

She captained Brython Thunder in the 2024 Celtic Challenge, scoring three tries.

Callender was also a standout player for Wales in what was otherwise a disappointing Women’s Six Nations, with Wales finishing bottom of the table.

“To follow in the footsteps of all the amazing rugby players who have won it before me is very surreal,” said Callender.

“I looked at Alisha Butchers and Sisilia Tuipulotu winning this in the last couple of years and I never thought it would happen to me. It’s really exciting and I’m very honoured.”

Shrewsbury’s Croud Meadow Stadium is 22 miles from Saints original village base of Llansantfraid and under 20 miles from Oswestry, where they have played home matches over the English border since the redevelopment of Park Hall in 2007.

In 2003 The New Saints played a Uefa Cup qualifying game against Manchester City at what was then named the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, but Harris had already ruled out the possibility of staging this season’s European ties at Cardiff City Stadium.

“Places like Cardiff are three hours away from where we are, so our fans and stakeholders can’t really get there,” Harris had said after beating FK Panevezys in the play-offs to qualify for the group stages.

“It’s got to be somewhere more local.

“Wrexham and Shrewsbury would be most ideal for us, but I’m not sure the Racecourse is available, so it’s our priority to get the games in a stadium that can cater for the games, but also giving the people around us a chance to go and watch.”

Their first match at Croud Meadow will be on Thursday, 24 October (20:00 BST), when they host Astana of Kazakhstan.

Djurgarden, from Sweden, will travel to Shrewsbury on Thursday, 28 November (17:45 GMT) before the visit of Greek team Panathinaikos on Thursday, 12 December (20:00 GMT).

Liam Dooley, Shrewsbury Town chief executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome The New Saints to the Croud Meadow. A lot of work has been completed behind the scenes on this by both clubs working together and we are really happy to get this over the line.

“It gives us the chance to showcase our stadium around Europe, as well as providing additional revenue for the club, and supporting TNS on their journey.”

Emma Raducanu has pulled out of this week’s China Open in Beijing because of a foot injury.

The 21-year-old Briton had to retire injured from her Korea Open quarter-final in Seoul on Saturday because of the issue.

Raducanu’s name appeared in the Beijing draw when it was released on Monday before she withdrew shortly afterwards.

She was due to face a qualifier in the first round, with Chinese fifth seed Zheng Qinwen potentially waiting in the next round.

In Seoul, Raducanu took a medical timeout after five games against Russia’s Daria Kasatkina and decided to stop after losing the opening set.

The British number two, who famously won the 2021 US Open as a teenage qualifier, is next scheduled to play in Wuhan, China on 7 October.

After beating Yue Yuan in the last 16 in Korea, Raducanu said she had been “nursing a few niggles” in the past couple of months but added she had more “trust” in her body.

“I’ve been working hard – especially at the start of the year and the mid part of the year – physically,” Raducanu, whose highest ever world ranking is 10th, said.

After missing the bulk of last season because of wrist and ankle injuries, Raducanu has made a steady climb back up the rankings this year.

Winning two matches in Seoul against American Peyton Stearns and China’s Yue – both inside the world’s top 50 – moved her up to 54th.

It is Raducanu’s highest position since August 2022 – when the points from her New York triumph were wiped off.

Raducanu has played 33 matches on the WTA Tour this season, which is three short of her tally in 2022 – the most she has played in a single season.