AC Milan have confirmed the signing of forward Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea, who are also reported to have agreed a “record” loan deal with Bayern Munich for Nicolas Jackson.
The Blues are once again looking to transform their forward line this summer, having already recruited Liam Delap, João Pedro and Jamie Gittens alongside the long-awaited arrival of Estêvão. A deal to sign Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United is also on the cusp of completion.
Making space for Garnacho, Chelsea have agreed to send Nkunku to Milan, who confirmed the Frenchman’s arrival on a permanent basis on Saturday. The deal is believed to be worth as much as €42 million (£36.4 million, $49.1 million).
“We thank Christo for his efforts throughout his time at the club and wish him well as he begins a new chapter in his career,” Chelsea said in a statement.
Jackson is set to follow Nkunku out the exit door after Chelsea shook hands with Bayern over a loan deal for the Senegal international.
Jackson will join Bayern Munich on loan. / Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Fabrizio Romano was the first to confirm the news, revealing Bayern have agreed to pay a loan fee of €15 million, with an optional purchase clause set at €65 million. Chelsea will also retain a sell-on clause if Jackson completes a permanent switch to Munich.
According to Sky Sports News, €15 million represents a record fee for a one-year loan deal—a key demand from Chelsea to soften their stance away from an obligatory purchase clause.
Former Blues striker Álvaro Morata has twice commanded higher loan fees, but over longer deals. Juventus paid €10 million for his temporary arrival from Atlético Madrid in 2020 and then triggered an option to pay the same fee for another one-year loan 12 months later, while his departure from Chelsea in 2019 began with an 18-month loan worth a total of €18 million.
Whether Jackson’s €15 million fee is truly a record remains up for debate, however, due to conflicting reports on the true value of Giovani Lo Celso’s loan move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2019, with some claiming Spurs paid as much as €16 million to finalise that deal.
Jackson’s exit will trigger the surprise arrival of Facundo Buonanotte, who is due to join Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion on a straight one-year loan.
READ THE LATEST CHELSEA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE
Cameroon boss Marc Brys has torn into Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike after he missed out on France’s latest squad.
Ekitike chooses France over Cameroon
Liverpool man left out of France squad
Cameroon boss tears into striker
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Ferrari driver Maya Weug returned to the top of the timesheets in Zandvoort as she secured pole position in a remarkably competitive and eventful F1 ACADEMY Qualifying session.
Weug triumphed in the ever-changing conditions to finish just 0.039s ahead of Red Bull’s Alisha Palmowski, who came within touching distance of claiming her first pole. McLaren driver Ella Lloyd was the next to narrowly miss out as she rounded out the top three around the Dutch circuit.
Earlier rainfall had left the track damp, but the clear skies indicated that the drivers’ decision to start on wet tyres wouldn’t last for too long. With lap times initially 10 seconds adrift of those recorded in practice, Aiva Anagnostiadis was the first to fall victim to the challenging conditions as she skidded into the gravel after making contact with her Hitech TGR team mate Nicole Havrda.
Once Anagnostiadis’ car was recovered, the surface rapidly dried out and Williams’ Lia Block was the first to make the gamble of switching onto slick tyres, but it would take a while before she saw any drastic improvement.
As the transition away from wet tyres continued, plenty of drivers took time to get used to the slippery track, with many taking the escape road at Turn 1 while others tapped the barriers and locked up. This came to a head with the session’s second red flag, caused by Aurelia Nobels driving wide and beaching her car in the gravel.
With just a handful of minutes remaining, it was impossible to predict who would finish in pole position as the times tumbled dramatically, but it was ultimately Weug whose final effort of 1m 38.834s was enough to seal the top spot.
Behind Palmowski and Lloyd, three-time polesitter Chloe Chambers was fourth, with Mercedes’ Doriane Pin in P5. Block ended in sixth position ahead of Aston Martin’s Tina Hausmann, and Nina Gademan will start on reverse pole position in Race 1 for Alpine after taking P8 – this will get underway at 1705 local time.
You can read an in-depth report of the F1 ACADEMY Qualifying in Zandvoort and catch up on any reactions on the official website.
NEW YORK — Under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Taylor Townsend delivered one of the biggest surprises of the US Open, ousting No. 5 Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-2 in the third round.
Constantly moving forward and attacking, taking Andreeva out of her rhythm and serving impeccably, Townsend cruised to her third career Top 10 win, the first in more than two years.
It was over in 76 minutes.
US Open: Draws | Scores | Order of play
The postmatch handshake — it was really just a meeting of hands — passed quickly without incident.
“This feels good,” Townsend said in her on-court interview, clearly meaning it. “All I’m going to say is welcome to the show.
“I’m really just proud I kept amazing amazing.”
The 29-year-old American is more celebrated for her doubles play — she’s ranked No. 1 and is the reigning Australian Open champion with Katerina Siniakova.
But Townsend pulled off her first Top 10 win here six years ago, upsetting Simona Halep en route to the fourth round (losing to eventual champion Bianca Andreescu). She has impressed with her singles play this summer, advancing to the quarterfinals in Washington, D.C., as a qualifier and the third round in Cincinnati. In New York, Townsend beat Antonia Ruzic and No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko to reach the third round before notching her third career Top 10 win over Andreeva.
To Townsend, the circumstances this year were totally unlike her 2019 breakthrough.
“In 2019 I felt like I was climbing, and I was trying to get over the hump,” she said. “There were so many opportunities where I almost got there and didn’t get it, almost got there and didn’t get it. I felt like that match, when I played Halep was a turning point for me where I got over that hump of finally just, I got one, you know what I’m saying?
“I just felt like it helped validate me as a player, and then I was able to continue, and then I ended up losing to Bianca in three sets and she ended up winning the tournament.
“This time it just feels completely different. I wasn’t searching for anything, I wasn’t looking, trying to find answers; I had all the answers in here. I was so confident and so sure of myself and what I was doing and how I was executing, that it didn’t matter if I hit the back fence, hit the bottom of the net, it didn’t matter. I just kept going.
“So it just felt completely different. I’m a totally different person than I was in 2019, and I think that that showed. That’s what’s really cool about tennis in these moments, you’re able to reflect and look even at the mannerisms and how I carried myself then and now, you’ll be able to see it’s a different woman.”
Townsend will play two-time major champion Barbora Krejcikova, a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 winner over No. 10 Emma Navarro in a fourth-round match on Sunday. They’re frequent rivals on the doubles court — Krejcikova and Siniakova defeated Townsend and Caty McNally in the 2022 US Open final, and Krejcikova leads the doubles head-to-head 4-1 — but have only met once in singles. That was all the way back in 2017, in the first round of an ITF W60 in Launceston, Australia. Krejcikova won 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-2.
On Wednesday night, after losing to Townsend 7-5, 6-1, Ostapenko confronted her at the net, clearly agitated and questioning her conduct and character.
Townsend, to her credit, took the high road.
“There’s no beef on my side,” she said. “It’s competition. People get upset when they lose. But you’re not going to insult me, especially after I carried myself a certain type of way with nothing but respect. If I show respect to you, I expect respect as well.”
And after defeating Andreeva, she said she had moved on.
“I had doubles the next day,” Townsend said. “So I had to get right back on the page, because at the end of the day, I would never allow any drama or anything on the outside to deter me from what my goal is when I step into the lines on the court. When I step into those gates, nothing that’s happening on the outside matters …
“I also really took the time to be intentional. To, like, shut it off. When I got to the hotel I said, ‘OK, I’m done.’ I put my phone down and I put it on ‘do not disturb.’ I stopped. In the morning I cut it off. So when it’s time to do the job, it’s time to do the job. And that’s what I think is a testament to being professional, being able to block out what’s on the outside and when you step in the lines you handle business.”
It was the third incident of the fortnight regarding a breach of sportsmanship.
Daniil Medvedev was fined $42,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct and racket abuse following his first-round loss. Stefanos Tsitsipas confronted Daniel Altmaier about his underarm serving after a second-round loss.
After moving into the fourth round, No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula was asked about the unusual rash of post-match outbursts.
“Lots of drama,” she said, laughing. “My matches have been pretty no drama, so I’m not really sure what’s going on with everybody else. It’s just New York City tends to bring out just a lot of drama, I guess.
“I feel like the crowds, they’re pretty crazy. They kind of get everyone riled up. Everyone is tense. It’s the last slam of the season. Your last chance to go deep at a slam for a while. I think people maybe just get stressed out, and you’re out there competing and fighting and trying to win.”
On Friday, it was Townsend who competed stronger.
The first set, a rollicking affair, featured two early breaks of serve and, at 5-all, a third by Townsend. She served it out, finishing with a 109 mph serve that was not returned.
Andreeva came out fast in the second, breaking Townsend for a 2-0 lead, but just as swiftly it was 2-all. Townsend converted her second break point for 3-2 when Andreeva dropped a backhand into the net.
With Townsend leading 4-2, for the third straight time, Andreeva fell behind love-40 on her serve. But after clawing back to deuce, Townsend took advantage of a double fault and stroked a forehand pass for her fifth straight game that gave her an insurmountable 5-2 lead.
Afterward, Townsend thanked her coach John Williams and four-year-old son Adyn Aubrey. She had warm words for those who have supported her in the 48 hours since the Ostapenko incident.
“It’s bigger than me,” Townsend said. “It’s about the message, about the representation. You guys saw the real Taylor Townsend tonight.
Rasmus Hojlund could reportedly join Scott McTominay at Napoli after Manchester United agreed a deal with the Serie A giants. The deal is said to involve a season-long loan, with a €44million (£38m/$51.4m) obligation to buy, coupled with a loan fee, should Napoli secure Champions League qualification. However, the young striker, still 22, has not yet committed to the move.
RIGA (Latvia) – We are only a few days into FIBA EuroBasket 2025, but some teams can already look ahead to securing their place in the Final Phase.
The top four teams in each of the four groups will advance to the Round of 16 with the battle for spots set to intensify in the coming days across the cities of Riga, Tampere, Limassol and Katowice.
In the action on Saturday, August 30, there are some teams in Groups A and B that can be the first to qualify.
Group A
Schedule
Saturday, August 30
Czechia vs Estonia – 13:45 CET
Latvia vs Serbia – 17:00 CET
Türkiye vs Portugal – 20:15 CET
Who can qualify?
Serbia would qualify for the Round of 16 with a win against Latvia;
Türkiye would qualify for the Round of 16 with a win against Portugal;
Portugal, Latvia, Czechia and Estonia cannot qualify on August 30.
Group B
Schedule
Saturday, August 30
Lithuania vs Germany – 12:30 CET
Great Britain vs Sweden – 15:30 CET
Montenegro vs Finland – 19:30 CET
Who can qualify?
Germany would qualify for the Round of 16 with a win against Lithuania;
Lithuania would qualify for the Round of 16 with a win against Germany;
Finland would qualify for the Round of 16 with a win against Montenegro;
Sweden, Great Britain and Montenegro cannot qualify on August 30.
DISCLAIMER: The above analysis has been prepared solely for the purpose of improving the experience of fans. It is not to be understood as advice or as binding information on FIBA EuroBasket 2025 for competition purposes.
The Hero Asia Cup 2025 kicked off in spectacular fashion at Rajgir, Bihar, with four thrilling encounters that set the tone for what promises to be a blockbuster tournament. Fans were treated to a feast of goals, drama, and nail-biting action from the very first whistle. Malyasia defeated Bangladesh 4-1 stamping their authority in the opening match of the tournament. Fast-paced attacks and clinical finishing ensured the Malaysians started their campaign on the right foot. Bangladesh fought hard but couldn’t match the flair of their opponents, leaving Malaysia with early momentum in Pool B.
Korea thrashed Chinese Taipei imparting a masterclass in a 7-0 victory. They Korea produced a commanding performance, dismantling their opponents with slick passing, precision, and ruthless goal-scoring left no room for doubt . Korea played thier opening game announcing themselves to be serious contenders in Rajgir.
Samurai power on display as the afternoon clash saw Japan deliver a powerful statement of intent with their own 7–0 demolition of Kazakhstan. The Japanese side blended speed and sharpness to leave their opponents chasing shadows. It was a textbook performance that underlined Japan’s ambitions in Pool A.
A dramatic finish for the hosts. The highlight of the day came in the final match, as hosts India took on arch-rivals China in a pulsating encounter. With the home crowd roaring in Rajgir, India edged out China in a dramatic 4–3 thriller. The contest swung both ways, keeping fans on the edge of their seats until the very last second. The atmosphere was electric, and India’s hard-fought win ensured a perfect ending to Day 1 of the Hero Asia Cup 2025.
India’s Anirudh Chandrasekar and Vijay Sundar Prashanth pulled off a huge upset against American eighth seeds Evan King and Christian Harrison in the first round of the men’s doubles event of the US Open 2025 tennis tournament on Friday.
Anirudh Chandrasekar and Vijay Sundar Prashanth fought back from a set down to beat the semi-finalists from this year’s French Open 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The Indian duo dropped the first set after losing their serve in the eighth game but broke the Americans in the sixth game of the second to stage a comeback and force a decider.
Anirudh Chandrasekar and Vijay Sundar Prashanth then carried their momentum into the third set by breaking Evan King and Christian Harrison in the opening game and holding serve for the rest of the match to stun the home favourites.
The Indian pair, who entered the draw as last-minute alternates, will take on Brazil’s Fernando Romboli and Australia’s John-Patrick Smith in the second round.
However, Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli and N. Sriram Balaji, India’s other duo in action in the men’s doubles draw, failed to make it past their opening round match.
Squaring off against the Dutch-American duo of Bart Stevens and Vasil Kirkov, the Indian tennis players began positively by winning the opening set.
They could have won the contest in the second set but squandered three match points before losing the tie-break.
In the third set, Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli and N. Sriram Balaji lost serve in the opening game and failed to recover as they went down 3-6, 7(10)-6(8), 6-4 and endured an early exit from the final Grand Slam of the year.
India have three more representatives in the men’s doubles draw at the US Open. Veteran Rohan Bopanna is pairing up with Monaco’s Romain Arneodo, while Yuki Bhambri has teamed up with New Zealand’s Michael Venus and are seeded 14th.
Arjun Kadhe and his partner Diego Hidalgo of Ecuador are also a part of the draw. All three Indians will be in action on Saturday in their respective first round matches.
Both Nkunku and Jackson signed for Chelsea in 2023, but have seen their opportunities limited by the arrivals of summer signings Joao Pedro, from Brighton, and Ipswich’s Liam Delap.
Joao Pedro, 23, scored three goals for Chelsea at the Club World Cup and got off the mark in the Premier League with a goal in their 5-1 win at West Ham on Friday.
Delap, 22, also got on the scoresheet in the summer’s Club World Cup and has featured in Chelsea’s opening three games of the league season, but pulled up feeling his hamstring in Saturday’s match at home to Fulham and was immediately substituted.
Jackson was a regular in the starting line-up in his two seasons at Chelsea, but has not played for the club since a substitute appearance in their semi-final victory over Fluminense in the Club World Cup in July.
The former Villarreal forward has a solid scoring record of 24 goals from 65 Premier League appearances.
But he has under-performed his expected goals total by seven over the past two years, the second-most of any player in the top flight.
A key factor has been his record in what Opta define as ‘big chances’.
Jackson has scored just 18 of 61 such opportunities (29%), a relatively low conversion rate compared to other top forwards.
He was an unused substitute in Chelsea’s victory over Paris St-Germain in the Club World Cup final and did not figure in either of their opening league games – a goalless draw at home to Crystal Palace and 5-1 victory at West Ham.
Chelsea went into Saturday’s early game at home to west London rivals Fulham fourth in the table, on four points.
