WORLD

LIONEL MESSI has penned a public tribute to PSG-bound Neymar. The Brazil superstar is set to seal a world-record £199million transfer from Barcelona to PSG in the coming hours. Neymar made a brief visit to Barca’s training ground today to inform them of his wish to leave the club, departing before their training session began. And Barcelona team-mate Messi has ...

The US government is not seeking a regime change in North Korea, the secretary of state says, amid tensions over Pyongyang’s weapons programme. “We’re not your enemy,” Rex Tillerson said, adding that the US wanted a dialogue at some point. But a Republican senator said President Donald Trump had told him there would be a war with North Korea if ...

UEFA Champions League third qualifying round second leg result on Tuesday: Sheriff (MDA) 1 (Badibanga 90+4-pen) Qarabag (AZE) 2 (Ndlovu 45+3, Michel 86) Qarabag win 2-1 on aggregate Playing Wednesday (kick-offs GMT): CSKA Moscow (RUS) v AEK Athens (GRE) (1700) CSKA lead 2-0 from first leg APOEL (CYP) v Viitorul (ROU) (1700) Viitorul lead 1-0 from first leg BATE (BLR) ...

ANTHONY MARTIAL has already agreed to leave Manchester United for Inter Milan amid talk of a transfer for Ivan Perisic. Manchester United are chasing a move for Croatia international Perisic but Inter are playing hardball. The Serie A side are holding out for around £48million and want Martial on loan as part of any potential deal. Jose Mourinho does not ...

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo said Tuesday his “brilliance” annoys people, a day after he was quizzed by a Spanish judge investigating whether he evaded paying millions of euros in taxes. “What bothers people is my brilliance, insects only attack lamps that shine!!!!” the Portuguese wrote in an Instagram message that received over a million likes within an hour of ...

BARCELONA have contacted Angel Di Maria over a possible move for the Argentine if Neymar joins PSG, according to reports. Barcelona are desperate to keep Neymar but cannot stop PSG if they trigger his £196million release clause. Neymar is receptive to the deal and reports in France today claim a move could be wrapped up within a week. But Spanish ...

DIEGO SIMEONE has remained tight-lipped about Atletico Madrid’s striker situation as speculation over the club’s intentions continues. Simone wants to re-sign Diego Costa, who is free to leave Chelsea. Costa has been told he has no future at Stamford Bridge and is also keen to return to his former club Atletico. Meanwhile, Barcelona are eyeing a swoop for Atletico’s Antoine ...

Liberia’s 20 presidential candidates, including a former warlord, footballer George Weah and a former fashion model, started campaigning Monday to succeed Africa’s first female head of state in October’s election. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is stepping down and there is no obvious front-runner to lead the fragile west African state. The Nobel Prize-winning Sirleaf was elected to run in 2005 following ...

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports headed by Alex Agyekum is set to summon the Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi and his vice George Afriyie over a purported bad blood between them. The alleged tension came to bare when Nyantakyi allegedly snubbed his second in command during the launch of the WAFU Nations Cup Tournament last week in Accra. ...

JOSE MOURINHO is in regular contact with Barcelona star Sergi Roberto over a proposed transfer. The Manchester United boss has already splashed the cash this summer in midfield with Nemanja Matic arriving from Chelsea in a £40million move. But the Portuguese boss isn’t stopping there as he knows he needs to add quality and depth to his squad with the ...