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While team officials have given no indication that Chris Bosh will be available to play this season, Miama Heat owner Micky Arison appears confident that his star big man will be ready for training camp.
Arison tweeted his support to Bosh via Twitter on Wednesday night, letting the 6-foot-11 big man know that he’s looking forward to seeing him at camp next month.
The Miami owner already hinted at Bosh’s return in an open letter to Heat fans earlier this summer, making it appear that the 32-year-old would be ready by the time the 2016-17 season commenced.
Reference:BBC Sport
By:Mohammad Ali Ghazzawi
After the close of the transfer window on Wednesday, we takes a look at the five biggest incoming deals of the transfer window in Spain.
Alvaro Morata
Juventus to Real Madrid, €30 million
Fresh from winning a second Champions League in three years, Real Madrid resisted the temptation to go for a new Galactico, but did strengthen an already fearsome forward line with the return of Spanish international striker Alvaro Morata
The 23-year-old improved markedly in his two years since leaving Madrid for Juventus, where he won two Serie A titles and played a huge part in knocking Real out of the Champions League in 2015 with a goal in each leg of the Italian giant’s semi-final win over the 11-time European champions.
Morata also scored three times in four games for Spain at Euro 2016, but won’t be guaranteed to start as he will battle Karim Benzema for the central striking role with the superstar talents of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale occupying the flanks.
An early season injury to Benzema offered Morata the chance to stake his claim and he duly did so by scoring the opener in his second home debut in a 2-1 win over Celta-Vigo on Saturday.
Sami Nasri
Manchester City to Sevilla, loan
Sevilla’s 11th and highest profile recruit of the summer arrived on Wednesday when out-of-favour Manchester City playmaker Samir Nasri arrived on loan to bolster an already burgeoning collection of creative midfielders at the Sanchez Pizjuan.
Nasri had been sidelined by new City boss Pep Guardiola early in pre-season for arriving back at training overweight, but fought his way back into connection to play the final 15 minutes against West Ham United on Sunday.
The Frenchman has had a controversial career, but even Guardiola described his quality as “on another level”.
Samuel Umtiti
Lyon to Barcelona, €25 million
Barcelona has spent big on a number of occasions to find the perfect partner for Gerard Pique since former captain Carles Puyol retired, but the likes of Jeremy Mathieu and Thomas Vermaelen haven’t been up to the task of supplanting Javier Mascherano.The Argentine hardman has been rewarded with a new three-year contract, but is expected to face a stiffer test from Samuel Umtiti, who shone in France’s 2-0 Euro 2016 semi-final win over world champions Germany, on just his second international appearance, having replaced the injured Mathieu in Didier Deschamps’ squad.
He has continued that form with two composed performances in his opening two La Liga starts, leaving Mascherano on the bench for Sunday’s 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao
Kevin Gameiro
Sevilla to Atletico Madrid, €30 million
Atletico Madrid search for a star striker to partner Euro 2016 top scorer Antoine Griezmann saw it land the hero of Sevilla’s third consecutive Europa League triumph last season in Gameiro.
However, it has been far from a perfect start for Gameiro as Atletico has been held by newly-promoted Alaves and Leganes to already fall four points behind Real Madrid and Barcelona in the title race.
The Frenchman fired home his first goal from the penalty spot against Alaves, but also missed a host of other chances and was hauled off as Diego Simeone looked for a winner in the closing stages at Leganes at the weekend.
Kevin-Prince Boateng
Free transfer to Las Palmas
Having snapped up the former Ghana international on a free transfer, Las Palmas can already claim to have gotten more than its money’s worth as Boateng has struck twice in two games to take Las Palmas to the top of the table for the first time in 38 years.
A powerful header in a famous 4-2 win at Valencia to open its campaign was followed up by another towering headed effort as Las Palmas smashed Granada 5-1, leaving it looking down on Barcelona and Real Madrid in the early-season running.
Reference:Daily Mail/BBC Sport
By:Mohammad Ali Ghazzawi
After years of interminable rain delays, washed-out sessions, and Championship Sundays postponed until Monday, the 2016 US Open came armed with a new, retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The pride and joy of the United States Tennis Association cost some $150 million to construct, but it promised to be worth the expense, given the hassle it will inevitably save for years to come. The only issue: through nearly three full days of action at the tournament, there’d been not a drop of rain, and thus, no reason to use the roof.
That all changed during Wednesday’s marquee night match between Rafa Nadal and Andreas Seppi. With a light sprinkle coming down, organizers sprung into action, and closed the roof for the first time ever during match play.
Reference:Facebook(Arthur Ashe)
By:Mohammad Ali Ghazzawi
World Wrestling Entertainment may not be willing to let Daniel Bryan step back inside the squared circle, but the former three-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion certainly thinks he’s capable of doing so.
“If you were to ask me nine days out of 10, I would say, ‘Absolutely,'” Bryan said about his desire to return during a Wednesday appearance on SportsCentet. “I keep trying to convince people that I’m OK to wrestle, and I think that’s probably the hard part. A lot of times I’m trying to convince myself, too, that I can wrestle. It’s really hard, because the concussion issue is very subjective, and that’s the part that a lot of people don’t understand.”
The 35-year-old was forced to retire from in-ring competition back in February due to medical reasons, including post-concussion seizures that he later admitted to having for years.
Bryan had undergone testing outside of WWE’s jurisdiction in an attempt to be cleared to wrestle once again, but at the end of the day, unless the company’s medical staff give him the thumbs up, there’s nothing he can do.
“I was cleared by a lot of concussion specialists,” he said. “There was one test that kind of flagged me, but then the more I learned about that test, the more I learned, ‘Hey, maybe that shouldn’t have stopped me.'”
“There’s a lot more than meets the eye to this situation. I feel great, and I feel like every day that I can wrestle. I’m doing jiu-jitsu and kickboxing and stuff like that, and I feel 100 percent.”
He currently appears on weekly programming as the on-screen general manager of SmackDown Live, while also providing color commentary during the Cruiserweight Classic on the WWE Network. Bryan’s passion for the business and love for the WWE Universe keep him motivated to stick around, even though it’s immensely frustrating not being able to perform when he feels he should be on the roster.
“When I go out there, the whole arena is like, ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ and then I just sit in a chair, and I just watch the match,” Bryan said. “And then I go home to Brie (Bella, his wife) and say, ‘I’m going to quit. I’m going to go wrestle somewhere.’ And then she talks me down off the ledge, and I’m just like, ‘OK.’ I’ve got to think about her, and we are trying to have a family and that sort of thing. But that part of it is tough.”
Reference:Facebook (Daniel Bryan page)
By:Mohammad Ali Ghazzawi
Nike finally reclaimed the Bay Area with the instillation of Kevin Durant, but Under Armour isn’t going down without a fight.
At least, not while Stephen Curry is still around.
Durant isn’t coming to take over the Golden State Warriors – rather, he’s joining Curry’s team.
“KD made a decisive choice to go to Golden State. So going to Golden State and saying, ‘Great, now give me the keys,’ that’s Stephen Curry’s team,” Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank told Donald Dell of CSN Mid-Atlantic.
“KD knew that when he went there, and I think that’s something that will continue to work itself out.”
As it happens, Under Armour and Durant have history. In 2014, the Maryland-based company launched an all-out push to sign the hometown hero before Durant eventually re-signed with Nike for upwards of $280 million. Under Armour had designs to make Durant their signature athlete.
The consolation prize wasn’t so bad, as Under Armour pivoted towards making Curry the face of its basketball brand. That happened to coincide with Curry skyrocketing into superstardom.
According to Plank, Curry was part of the failed push to sign Durant in 2014. But two years later, with Curry’s ascent raising the Warriors into perennial championship contention, the two-time MVP was finally able to recruit Durant.
Only this time around, it’s Curry who’s the bigger name, and Durant’s will have to fall in line.
“Without question, that’s Stephen Curry’s basketball team,” Plank said
Reference:BBC Sport/Daily Mail
By:Mohammad Ali Ghazzawi
David Luiz is on his way back to Stamford Bridge
Chelsea comfirmed the signing of the Brazilian minutes after the transfer window closed,the defender making a stunnig return to the Blues two years after he departed West London for Paris-Saint-Germain.
Neither club disclosed a transfer fee thought reports suggesr Chelsea paid something in the realm of £34 million to £38 million.
“Im delighted to return to Chelsea.We had a fantastic story during my first time at the club and i want to help the team and Antonio Conte achieve a lot of success”said Luiz,who signed a three-years contract.
“I always had a wonderful relationship with the fans and i am looking forward to wearing the blue shirt at Stamford Bridge once again”
The unforeseen move,which seems to have materialised entirely on Wednesday,is Chelsea second marquee defensive signing in a matter of hours,as the Blues announced earlier in the day that left-back Marcos Alonso has made the move from Fiorentina.
Reference:The Gardian
By:Mohammad Ali Ghazzawi
In his going battle against leukemia broadcaster Craig Sager was the recipient Wednesday of his third stem cell transplant in as many years.
His son,Craig Sager Jr.,tweeted photos of his father,who expressed “everlasting thrill”during the treatment:
That’s one strong man.
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After spndimg much of a Tuesday cavorting aroung Turin and showing off his new threads,Joe Hart officially left Manchester City on Wednesday for a season-long with Torino.
England’s No.1 goalkeeper for the past six years was benched at his parent club upon the arrival of new manager Pep Guardiola,and has sought pastures new rather than potentially be third choice behind Claudio Bravo and Willy Caballero at the Etihad Stadium.
The widely regarded season for Hart’s demotion under Guardiola was for a supposed lack of ease with the ball at his feet.
Reference: BBC Sports
By:Mohammad Ali Ghazzawi
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David Luiz is on his way back to Stamford bridge.
Both Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain confirmed on deadline day that an agreement has been brokered for the Brazilian defender to make a stunning return to the Blues,two years after departing for the French capital.
“The move is now subject to him agreeing personal terms and passing a medical”Chelsea announced.
Reference: BBC Sport
By: Mohammad Ali Ghazzawi.
The Offside Blog 