Mikel Arteta promises spending to aid Arsenal’s title defence

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says the Gunners will not “sit still” and are looking to bolster squad competition with “ambitious” transfer plans this summer. The Spaniard led the London club to their first Premier League title in 22 years last season and is aiming to “improve and evolve” his squad as they aim to defend their crown. Arsenal have added goalkeeper Illan Meslier and forward Christos Tzolis to their ranks this summer, while turning defender Piero Hincapie’s loan move into a permanent switch.

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Danny Welbeck joins Chelsea from Brighton

Chelsea have signed Brighton’s veteran striker Danny Welbeck in a deal worth a reported £5m. Welbeck has agreed a two-year contract and will link up with Xabi Alonso’s squad on their pre-season tour. The 35-year-old’s move to Stamford Bridge is a break from Chelsea’s policy of signing younger players with the potential to be developed. It is the first time they have paid a transfer fee for a player over the age of 26 since they signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona in 2022 when the striker was 33.

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Franco Baresi, iconic Milan and Italy legend, dies aged 66

Franco Baresi has died at the age of 66, with AC Milan saying their former captain’s “example and integrity will be forever etched into the club’s DNA”. Baresi spent his entire 20-year playing career with the club from 1977 until he retired in 1997, winning six Serie A titles and three European Cups/Champions Leagues. Regarded as one of the greatest defenders to play the game, Baresi captained Milan for 15 seasons, making 719 appearances and scoring 33 goal.

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UEFA vows World Cup boycott as Concacaf rejects FIFA private equity plan

UEFA has said no European nation will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as proposals to create a company to run the World Cup remain alive. FIFA is planning to sell a significant minority stake in a new commercial entity with a valuation of about €17.5 billion ($20 billion). The plan would see FIFA establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a wholly-owned subsidiary consolidating the organisation’s commercial and event operations.

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Welsh Rugby Union confirms Ospreys or Scarlets will be cut

The Welsh Rugby Union has outlined how it plans to cut from four professional teams to three by 2028, with Ospreys and Scarlets set to fight to be the side in south west Wales. The governing body confirmed in April it intended to press on with plans to go down to three men’s teams from the 2028-29 season, with one in the capital, one in the east and one in the west.

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