Manchester United have completed the signing of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa on a five-year deal.

United have met a release clause of £35m for the 29-year-old midfielder, who has just helped Belgium reach the World Cup quarter-finals.

Tielemans has spent the past three seasons with Villa, having initially moved to the Premier League to join Leicester City in 2019.

“It’s hard to describe just how proud I am to join Manchester United,” he said. “Signing for such a special club feels incredible.

“It is the culmination of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football.”

Tielemans will wear the number 18 shirt vacated by fellow midfielder Casemiro, who left Old Trafford when his contract expired at the end of the season.

A former team-mate of United’s current first-team coach Jonny Evans, Tielemans is noted for scoring Leicester’s winner against Chelsea in the 2021 FA Cup final and for Aston Villa in their Europa League final triumph over Freiburg in May.

He made his senior debut for Anderlecht aged 16 years and 82 days, and left for Monaco in 2017, just after his 20th birthday.

Despite still being in his 20s, Tielemans has already played 668 games for club and country, scoring 79 from 578 club appearances.

United’s director of football Jason Wilcox said: “Youri has consistently been one of the most outstanding midfielders in the Premier League throughout the past seven years.

“He has all of the technical qualities, as well as the ambition and mentality, to thrive at Manchester United.

“Youri’s consistency is exceptional, and he will add further composure, creativity and leadership to our squad.”

Last season, Tielemans suffered separate calf and ankle problems that restricted him to 35 appearances in all competitions for Villa, the lowest number in a campaign during his time in England.

He scored a memorable 89th-minute equaliser at the World Cup for Belgium against Senegal, and then converted an extra-time winner from the penalty spot for his 15th goal from 90 caps as they won 3-2.

But his tournament came to a premature end when he was injured in the warm-up before Belgium’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat by Spain.

Tielemans’ signing follows that of fellow midfielder Andrey Santos and goalkeeper Karl Darlow, while a move for Atalanta midfielder Ederson has been put on hold.

Ex-Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand vented his thoughts live on the BBC

Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand jokingly called for fellow studio pundit Ashley Williams to be ejected from the BBC studio four years ago. While England have progressed to the semi-finals at this summer’s World Cup, this moment came after the ex-Welsh international overlooked the Three Lions in his forecasts for the tournament in 2022.

As the World Cup in Qatar entered the knockout stages, Ferdinand was discussing the potential pathways to the final with Williams, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer. “If Spain play Portugal, then you’ve got Brazil vs Argentina in the semis,” the former England centre-back said, “It’s unbelievable.”

Former Swansea City defender Williams was then invited to evaluate the opposite half of the draw, which included England’s eagerly awaited quarter-final clash with France, a match the Three Lions eventually lost 2-1.

“Then you’ve got France vs Spain,” Williams said, entirely disregarding England, before Ferdinand quickly interrupted. “What? What are you talking about?”

“This is why Ashley shouldn’t be in here,” he joked, demanding Williams be escorted out. “He should be gone now, take him out.”

England have surpassed their performance from four years ago, reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup following a 2-1 triumph over Norway on Saturday evening. Jude Bellingham was the match-winner with two goals.

At the beginning of the competition, Ferdinand predicted that France or Spain would triumph. However, he has revised his opinion following Thomas Tuchel’s side reaching the final four.

Asked whether he believes England can go all the way and lift the World Cup trophy, Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “I think we do. When the chips are down and things aren’t going well, England are working things out. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle and we’re showing we’re able to find the right piece at the right time.

“I think that’s one of the things we have over the others. Argentina have managed to do that a couple of times but they’ve looked closer to going out than we have.”

While Bellingham has established himself as one of the standout performers at this summer’s tournament, Ferdinand was reluctant to award him man of the match against Norway, despite the Real Madrid star’s brace.

“Yeah, I thought Anderson,” Ferdinand said on his choice. “Elliot Anderson, I thought, was great. I can make very good arguments that you might not win the game without either of their [Elliot and Bellingham’s] performances and impact moments, so you need the blend of both.

“I’ve played in many games where, I don’t know, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored two goals but then Paul Scholes walks off with the man of the match or a defender does because they have moments in that game that aren’t as match-defining, but you know that without them moments or the bits of play that person had or contributed, we may not get to win the game.”

He added: “But listen, there’s no doubt in my mind, if Jude gets man of the match then he deserves it. He’s a match-winner… I’m saying it with my chest, yes, Jude Bellingham is the best England player that we’ve had in tournament football since 1966, any tournaments.”

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Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Dr Leon Moosavi, Sociologist of race and religion, and Reader in the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool. Racism directed at the French national football team is often framed as a problem of sport, yet Dr. Moosavi argues that football merely provides a highly visible stage upon which much deeper political and social conflicts play out. Rather than viewing racist abuse against players such as Kylian Mbappé as isolated incidents or the actions of a few extremists, our guest describes these attacks within wider debates over national identity, immigration, belonging, and the normalization of extremist rhetoric and exclusionary political discourse across many Western democracies.

Champion trainer Peter Snowden’s bid for a record-extending seventh Ramornie Handicap (1200m) win in 2026 has encountered a setback, with Fire Star drawing the outermost barrier for the Listed $200,000 feature event at Grafton on Wednesday. Fire Star was allocated barrier 14 in the Ramornie, which has drawn a full complement of 16 runners plus five emergencies. Snowden’s sprinter might shift inwards to barrier 11 depending on scratchings.

Snowden has an impressive record in the Ramornie Handicap, achieving six victories over the past 16 years with notable horses including Ka Bling (2024), Ranges (2022), Signore Fox (2020), Calanda (2017), Jerezana (2011), and Pinwheel (2010). TAB Fixed Odds assessors are mindful of Snowden’s Ramornie history and have Fire Star priced at $10 in the early betting, placing it behind the Tony Gollan-trained Perielle, the current $4.80 favourite.

The Clarence River Jockey Club’s midweek racing schedule also includes the Listed $200,000 Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday, attracting a quality field of stayers. The Tom Charlton-trained King Pedro, fresh off a win in the Stayers Cup at Rosehill, is the $2.40 favourite in initial markets, followed by Pounding and So You Are at $6.

Michael Beattie, the CRJC chief executive, expressed his delight with the calibre of fields for both the Ramornie Handicap and the Grafton Cup. “The Ramornie is a bit of a stand-alone for the genuine 1200m horse, it’s like we are the only show in town at this time of year,” Beattie commented. “But that is not the case for the Grafton Cup so I am especially pleased with the field we have for Thursday’s race. The handicappers have come up with a good weight scale for the Cup and that has virtually ‘invited’ all the better horses to come for the race.”

Beattie indicated that the Grafton track raced favourably during the recent South Grafton Cup meeting, where the Charlton stable secured a potential feature race double with Mr Chaplin’s win in a Big Dance qualifier. He confirmed, however, that the rail will be returned to the true position for the Wednesday and Thursday race meetings.

For those interested in betting on the Ramornie Handicap, exploring the racing betting markets at various sports betting platforms could offer competitive odds.

Declan Rice is fit and available to start England’s World Cup semifinal against Argentina.© AFP

If you care about the Madden video game franchise — some do, some don’t — that outfit showed Justin Jefferson some rare disrespect recently, announcing NFL wide receiver rankings and plopping the Minnesota Vikings’ best player lower than usual.

Accustomed to a score in the high-90s, Jefferson is evidently only good enough for a ’94.’

QB Turmoil Helped Drag Down the Final Number

Madden WR Ratings Are In — and Jefferson Is a 94

As the Vikings’ best player and a frequenter of the prestigious “99 Club,” most didn’t expect a dip for Jefferson, who remains squarely in a physical prime.

But that was not the case. Here are Madden’s WR ratings for 2026:

• Ja’Marr Chase (CIN) — 99
• Puka Nacua (LAR) — 97
• Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) — 96
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA) — 95
• Justin Jefferson (MIN) — 94
• CeeDee Lamb (DAL) — 93
• Drake London (ATL) — 92
• Tyreek Hill (MIA) — 92
• DeVonta Smith (PHI) — 91
• Mike Evans (TB) — 91
• Davante Adams (LAR) — 90
• Terry McLaurin (WAS) — 90
• A.J. Brown (PHI) — 89
• Nico Collins (HOU) — 89
• George Pickens (DAL) — 88
• Tee Higgins (CIN) — 88
• Zay Flowers (BAL) — 88
• Chris Olave (NO) — 87
• Courtland Sutton (DEN) — 87
• Stefon Diggs (NE) — 87
• Garrett Wilson (NYJ) — 86
• Jaylen Waddle (MIA) — 86
• Malik Nabers (NYG) — 86

If there’s any solace, Lamb from the Dallas Cowboys took a hit, too.

So … What Happened

Jefferson’s slight fall from grace can be attributed to one thing: the Vikings’ quarterback play.

The 27-year-old never had problems with production — at all — before 2025, and during that campaign, Minnesota cycled between J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. Together, that trio created the league’s fifth-least-efficient passing attack, and Jefferson’s numbers dipped.

In fact, one of the main storylines down the stretch of 2025 was whether Jefferson would hit 1,000 receiving yards, keeping his career streak alive. He ultimately did, but Jefferson should never be in that situation. It may sound like an “excuse,” but Jefferson’s quarterbacks did him no favors.

Jefferson, like most wide receivers, needs quarterback stability. It’s why the Vikings signed Kyler Murray in March.

ESPN’s Mina Kimes recently noted on Jefferson’s predicament, “You know, for me, it’s not just about the quarterback. It’s about the entire team. Justin Jefferson should never have a season like the one we saw last year.

“He is one of the, if not the best receiver in football, and he was really limited by quarterback play. To put it in perspective, throwing to Justin Jefferson, J.J. McCarthy had an off-target rate of 28%. That is about twice what Sam Darnold’s off-target rate was throwing to Jefferson.”

Finding a sturdy quarterback could also persuade Jefferson to stick around the Vikings for the long haul. For example, if they don’t win a playoff game soon, the man could request a trade before his prime expires.

“And the same with Kirk Cousins. It was mostly not his fault. And frankly, you could see him get frustrated as the season went on. So if Kyler Murray brings even average quarterback play, which I think he is capable of, whether or not that ceiling looks more like it did in 2020 has to do with a variety of factors, including his deep ball coming back.”

“To me, that’s a massive upgrade. And it’s so important for this group of talented wide receivers to play with a competent quarterback.”

It’s Just Fuel

Let’s face it: this is just a video game. Jefferson’s rating will not determine his future performance; instead, it reflects the current opinion of his talent. If he cares, Jefferson can browse articles like this or turn on his PlayStation and instantly learn that Chase, Nacua, St. Brown, and Smith-Njigba are evidently better football players than him.

For guys like that, it’s often fuel. Athletes are different creatures, finding fuel to motivate themselves. If you need evidence, turn on the 2020 docuseries about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

Other Notable Vikings Rankings

Interested in Madden’s perspective on other Vikings? We’ve got them. Here’s the Madden leaderboard from a Minnesota perspective:

• Christian Darrisaw (LT) — 90
• Brian O’Neill (RT) — 87
• Byron Murphy Jr. (CB) — 84
• Jordan Addison (WR) — 84
• Andrew Van Ginkel (EDGE) — 83
• T.J. Hockenson (TE) — 83
• Josh Metellus (SS) — 82
• Will Reichard (K) — 82
• Andrew DePaola (LS) — 81
• Blake Cashman (MLB) — 81
• Jauan Jennings (WR) — 81
• Jordan Mason (HB) — 81
• Aaron Jones (HB) — 80
• Isaiah Rodgers (CB) — 80

Murray, the Vikings’ prospective QB1, pulled down a mediocre 75. He, too, will have the aforementioned fuel.

Vikings training camp is about two weeks away.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

President Donald Trump has tried his hand at helping college sports, and if it were up to him, he’d probably do the same for Major League Baseball.

The league’s current collective bargaining agreement expires in December, and with the sides perhaps as far apart as they’ve been since 1994, the 2027 season is in limbo.

Many may remember the 2022 season was delayed because of an owners’ lockout after the expiration of the previous CBA that December. However, the sentiment at the time among baseball experts was, if you thought that was bad, wait until 2026.

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Rob Manfred is not yet ready to have President Donald Trump get involved in Major League Baseball’s CBA negotiations. (Kevin Dietsch, Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Well, 2026 is here, and they weren’t kidding. The owners, for the first time since 1994, have formally proposed a salary cap, which players have said is nonnegotiable.

Ahead of Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke to reporters, and one asked whether he thought Trump would intervene in the negotiations.

Manfred did not want to “speculate” about Trump’s potential involvement.

“Look, I think it would be wildly, wildly inappropriate for me to speculate what the president of the United States might do or not do in a hypothetical situation,” Manfred said. “We know this. He’s a great sports fan, and he is really knowledgeable about the business of sports, so it doesn’t surprise me.”

Manfred did say, however, that Trump is “interested,” but it doesn’t yet seem he wants his help.

“Behind that, I’m going to pass,” he said.

Last month, Trump said it is “shocking” the league does not yet have a salary cap.

Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred speaks during the 2026 All-Star Legacy Veterans Multi-Service Center renovation at Veterans Multi-Service Center on Monday, July 13, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsvlvania. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

MLB PLAYERS, OWNERS AT ODDS OVER POTENTIAL OLYMPIC PARTICIPATION, INCLUDING PUNISHMENT FOR DECLINING: REPORT

“If you don’t have a salary cap, you don’t have a sport. They can’t help themselves. In sports, they can’t help themselves. Football has a salary cap. They should have done it a long time ago. I know so much about sports, they should have done it a long time ago…

“Major League Baseball — it’s shocking, frankly, that they didn’t put a cap on many years ago. They had a chance to do a cap, and they blew it.”

The White House did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

Major League Baseball is in serious danger of losing games, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season, for the first time since the 1995 season was reduced to 144 games as the players’ strike stretched into the following year. The 1994 postseason was even canceled, and the sport was hanging by a thread.

Now, baseball is seeing another boom, as rule changes implemented by Manfred have helped games move more quickly, bringing more fans into ballparks. Attendance could increase for a fourth consecutive year for the first time since 2004-07. It is not currently on pace to do so, but the summer is still young.

“The best way to lose momentum is to stand still,” Manfred said.

It was a tough start to the MLB Draft for Commissioner Rob Manfred when he butchered first-overall pick Roch Cholowsky’s name. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Earlier this year, Trump held a college sports roundtable and signed an executive order focused on “saving college sports.” Unlike the NHL, NBA and NFL, MLB has never had a salary cap.

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The gameplay experience of the upcoming League of Legends Classic mode will transport players to the early seasons while including modernized systems for new players. Although it’s mostly based on Season 3 (2013), plenty of mechanics and Summoner’s Rift elements will be merged from several patches. It’s neat that players will have a choice of 60 champions, and many of them will have kits from before their recent reworks.

With that said, here are the important details about League of Legends Classic mode and when you can play it.

When will League of Legends Classic mode release?

It is confirmed that players can start playing LoL Classic from LoL patch 26.15, which releases on July 29, 2026. That said, the game mode will only support a single PvP draft queue, Co-op vs AI, and custom games at launch.

Also read: LoL patch release schedule for 2026

Which champions will be available at the League of Legends Classic mode launch?

Riot Games has revealed that a total of 60 champions will be playable at launch, including 40 early-released champions, as well as 20 more champions that should feel viable in Classic mode. Here are the available champions for League of Legends Classic:

If you have the champions unlocked in the main title, you will have automatic access to them in Classic mode. Otherwise, you need to level up or buy them from the in-game shop. A free champion rotation system will also be included.

How does the League of Legends Classic progression system work?

As for the progression system, you can increase Classic Levels by playing matches. As a reward, you will obtain the following:

• Runes
• Masteries
• IP (Influence Points)
• BE (Blue Essence)
• Cosmetics

When you get to level 10, you can start your progression from Salt tier to Legend.

Will there be champion skins in League of Legends Classic?

Yes, LoL Classic will have the iconic look of the earlier champions, with skins (and chromas) released from 2009 to 2013. You can unlock them via Seasonal Pass using Classic Skin Tokens. That said, they can be purchased from the in-game shop as well. Furthermore, many skins will be free to use during launch.

On a different note, a new system called The Council will be implemented with the release of LoL Classic, where players can vote and suggest improvements for the future. For instance, you can influence the decisions regarding next skin releases, along with champion inclusions and gameplay adjustments.

Check out more LoL news and updates: