LISBON (PORTUGAL) (ITALPRESS) – Negotiations for Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal have stalled again. The agent’s waiver of his approximately €7 million commission seemed to have unblocked the deal, but “A Bola” reports that Sporting Lisbon has rejected the Gunners’ latest offer of €63.5 million plus €10 million in bonuses.

The issue revolves around the variable component, as the Portuguese club wants the entire €10 million to be tied to easily achievable targets, compared to the €3 million offered by Arsenal. So, the deal is still open, although other aspects remain to be ironed out, such as the payment schedule.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

TURIN (ITALPRESS) – Juventus has officially announced the appointment of François Modesto, who will take on the role of technical director of the club from today, reporting directly to general manager Damien Comolli.

“He will turn forty-seven in just over a month – August 19th – François Modesto was born in Bastia and, after a career as a footballer that lasted about twenty years, from 1997 to 2016, he decided to immediately embark on a career in management, holding senior positions in Greece, England, and Italy. […] In the summer of 2022, he arrived in Italy, to Monza, newly promoted to Serie A, where he took on the role of Technical Director, remaining in the role until the end of 2024. His vision, his path, and his transversal ability will be a fundamental added value for our club,” adds Juve.

“Joining such a glorious club is both an honor and a great responsibility for me,” said François Modesto. “This club boasts an extraordinary history and a culture of victory that I deeply admire. I am thrilled to embark on this new journey, working closely with Damien, coach Igor Tudor, and the entire staff to build an ambitious, modern, and winning project. I will make all my experience and commitment available to contribute to Juventus’ success, both in Italy and in Europe.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – “No thanks.” This is the response that, according to “The Athletic,” Liverpool reportedly gave to Bayern Munich regarding the €67.5 million offer that was reportedly presented for Luis Diaz.

The 28-year-old player, whose contract expires in 2027, has already made it known that he wouldn’t mind a change of scenery; for the English champions, he’s not unsellable, but Bayern’s offer has reportedly been rejected. At Anfield, the Colombian striker is valued at €100 million, but according to The Athletic, a deal could be finalized for around €92 million. And, Sky Deutschland emphasizes, Bayern is ready to raise the stakes, considering Diaz a priority signing.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Tourist spending in Malta continued to rise sharply in May, with new data from the National Statistics Office (NSO) showing a 17% increase in per-head expenditure compared to May 2024.

Over 347,000 tourists visited Malta during the month, a 6.3% rise from the same period last year. Their total spending exceeded €363 million, up by 16.9%, marking the fifth consecutive month of growth in both arrivals and expenditure.

The average stay reached six nights, contributing to more than 2.2 million overnight stays—an 8.6% increase year-on-year. Tourists spent an average of €165 per night.

The UK remained Malta’s largest source market with over 93,000 visitors, although declines were noted from Germany, France, and Italy. In contrast, arrivals from Poland increased.

Tourist activity extended beyond Malta, with over 222,000 visitors also heading to Gozo and Comino—accounting for 60% of all arrivals.

Looking at the broader picture, tourist arrivals for the first five months of 2025 have surpassed 1.4 million, up 14.3% from the same period last year. Expenditure in that time rose by 21.9% to over €1.16 billion, with spending per tourist climbing to €823.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Manchester City and Puma have announced an extension to their partnership, which began in 2019. This agreement has set new sales records commercially, co-creating iconic and highly successful kits. “We joined forces with Puma with the ambition to challenge ourselves and exceed expectations,” said Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Football Group.

“We have experienced many historic moments together, engaging fans around the world. Today’s renewal and extension consolidates our relationship and propels it towards an even brighter future.” According to The Guardian, the partnership is worth over €1 billion (a record for the English league), approximately €100 million per season. Puma is also a partner of other City Football Group clubs: Melbourne City, Girona, Lommel, Mumbai City, Montevideo, Palermo, Bolivia, and, more recently, Bahia and Troyes.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta is holding up the European Union’s latest sanctions package against Russia, citing concerns that a proposed price cap on Russian energy could harm its shipping industry.

The proposed sanctions, which would be the EU’s 18th package since 2014, include a measure to cap Russian energy exports at 15% below market value.

While Malta agrees with the cap in principle, diplomatic sources told Times of Malta the country is urging the EU to simplify the “complex mechanism” and ensure it does not disproportionately affect EU shipping hubs like Malta.

Sources say Malta is particularly alarmed by what it sees as uneven international enforcement. While EU members would be bound by the cap, other G7 countries such as the US are not under the same obligation—raising fears of a competitive disadvantage for Maltese and EU-flagged vessels.

Concerns about enforcement and the wider impact on maritime trade have also reportedly been raised by Greece and Cyprus, though neither country has taken as strong a stance as Malta. Slovakia, meanwhile, is separately vetoing the sanctions due to concerns over its energy security and existing contracts with Russian supplier Gazprom.

Talks at Sunday’s EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) meeting stretched for hours as diplomats attempted to bridge the divide. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has pledged to raise the issue at a recent G7 summit, but for now, the proposal remains blocked. Unanimity is required among EU states for the sanctions to proceed.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Jordan Henderson returns to the Premier League and officially restarts to Brentford. The 35-year-old English midfielder, who recently released himself from Ajax, has signed a two-year contract, which now ties him to the London club until 2027. After a long stint at Liverpool, from 2011 to 2023, and brief stints at Al-Ettifaq and the Netherlands, Henderson will once again be a key figure in his homeland.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Ibrahima Konaté could leave Liverpool. The 26-year-old French defender has recently rejected the Reds’ contract extension offer, with whom he is tied until June 2026.

According to Spanish media, Real Madrid are reportedly on his trail. The player would like to move to Spain immediately to play for Los Blancos, but Liverpool are asking no less than €50 million to part with Konaté this summer.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MILAN (ITALPRESS) – Luka Modric is officially a new AC Milan player. The Rossoneri club announced the signing of the Croatian midfielder, born in 1985, on a free transfer. He has signed a one-year contract with the option for a further season, until 2027.

Modric arrives after 13 seasons at Real Madrid, where he made 597 appearances, scoring 43 goals, winning six Champions League titles, five Club World Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, five European Super Cups, four Spanish league titles, two Copa del Rey titles, and five Spanish Super Cups. The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner and record holder for appearances for the Croatian national team (188), he will wear the number 14 Rossoneri shirt.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Espanyol has changed its majority shareholder, and a new multi-ownership is born in Europe. As officially announced by the Catalan club, the current owner, Chen Yansheng, has reached an agreement for the sale of the club to Velocity Sport Limited (VSL), a British company led by Alan Pace, former owner of Burnley.

The Rastar Group, the majority shareholder of RCD Espanyol, has reached an agreement in the last few hours with Velocity Sport Limited (VSL), a group based in England that also has American shareholders,” the statement reads. Under this agreement, VSL will become a shareholder of the holding company and will participate in a strategic alliance that will bring RCD Espanyol to the same level as Burnley FC, the only club previously belonging to this group. With this agreement, Espanyol and the English club “will be part of this investment group,” but the company specifies that each entity “will remain independent.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews