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.

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(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.

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(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

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – A storm has erupted over Lamine Yamal and the party for his 18th birthday held on Saturday night. The Association of People Affected by Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias with Dwarfism (Adee) denounced in a statement the hiring of people with dwarfism to entertain the young Barcelona star.

“They were employed exclusively for entertainment purposes,” it read. Adee considers this practice intolerable, as it perpetuates stereotypes, fuels discrimination, and damages the image and rights of people affected by achondroplasia or other skeletal dysplasias, as well as all disabled people.”

ADEE announces that it will take legal and social action “to preserve the dignity of people with disabilities” and recalls that in Spain it is prohibited “to organize shows or recreational activities in which people with disabilities or other conditions are used to provoke mockery, derision, or ridicule from the audience in a manner contrary to the respect due to human dignity.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Arsenal are close to signing Christian Mosquera, Valencia‘s central defender, who is entering in the final year of his contract with the Spanish club. As reported by Sky Sports UK, contacts between the two clubs are continuing, but there is optimism for a successful transaction.

Mosquera has rejected offers of a contract renewal and wants to join Arsenal, who are meanwhile working to finalise negotiations related to Noni Madueke (Chelsea) and Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting). This transfer window, the Gunners have already confirmed the arrivals of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, and Christian Norgaard.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works Chris Bonett has launched a national call for innovative ideas to improve Malta’s public transport system. The initiative, part of the Reshaping our Mobility strategy, invites individuals, companies, and academics to submit proposals aimed at making mobility more efficient and sustainable.

Eligible applicants can receive up to €20,000 for individual or academic proposals, while startups, SMEs, and companies can benefit from up to €50,000 per project. The minister encouraged ideas that tackle practical issues such as parking, traffic management, road safety, and multi-modal transport integration.

“I urge everyone, especially young people, to step forward with bold ideas that can simplify daily life and transform how we move,” Bonett said. Transport Malta Executive Head Kurt Farrugia called the initiative a “national challenge” to harness AI and digital technologies for smarter mobility. “This is not a regular funding call — it’s an open door to the future of transport,” he said. Suggested concepts include intelligent parking systems, car-pooling platforms, integrated mobility networks, and digital tools to enhance safety and connectivity.

– Photo Information department of Malta –

Source: medNews

NEW YORK (USA) (ITALPRESS) – “We are very, very proud of what we’ve achieved this season. It’s magnificent. We won’t forget it.” NasserAl-Khelaifi, president of PSG, said after the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final. “We wanted to win this Club World Cup, but that’s football,” he added. “The players gave everything, but they were tired. This season is the club’s best. I’m proud of the players, the coach, and the entire club.”

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews