SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2017 SPORTS Records tumble in Europe’s transfer ‘madness’

PARIS: Ousmane Dembele’s transfer to Liverpool’s Brazilian playmaker Philippe England international defender Kyle a time that it is locked in a feud with its more the domain of a select group of Barcelona in a deal worth up to 147 mil- Coutinho before the transfer window Walker for £50 million as part of their regional rivals. rich, mostly European-based clubs”. lion euros ($175 million), making him slams shut within days. summer spending spree. In the space of August, records set The sum paid for Neymar is however the world’s second most expensive play- PSG, determined to mount a serious last year have been swept away, with “an exception”, Caillet argued. er after Neymar, is the latest dizzying challenge for the Champions League, ROCKING THE BOAT the £89 million deal that took Paul “He is one of the three best players in move fuelled by TV money and Gulf- are also reportedly about to secure the PSG and City and their Gulf-based Pogba to Manchester United in 2016 the world and he is only 25, while the based club owners. signature of Monaco’s teenage starlet owners “have shaken up the established more than doubled by PSG’s swoop for others (Messi and ) are The deal agreed Friday to bring 20- Kylian Mbappe for another stratospheric order”, said Virgile Caillet, a marketing Neymar that broke up Barcelona’s “MSN” in their thirties.” year-old French striker Dembele to the fee. In England, Manchester City’s expert who heads the French federation trio of the 25-year-old Brazilian, Luis And in splashing out on Dembele Spanish giants from Borussia Dortmund Emirati owners have snapped up two of of sport and leisure industries. Suarez and Lionel Messi. and his 18-year-old France international was a direct consequence of Neymar’s Mbappe’s French title-winning Monaco “For years a handful of clubs have Dembele’s move for a fee of 105 mil- teammate Mbappe, clubs are investing shock 222-million-euro move to Qatar- teammates. shared out the best players, without crit- lion euros with add-ons worth another in the future. owned Paris Saint-Germain that obliter- City paid £52 million (58 million icising the system, and now they are fac- 42 million euros, following Neymar’s “These are investments in future ated the world transfer record. euros, $67 million), a world record fee ing a handful of new rivals and a bid- Barca exit, comes as footballers’ union superstars who have a high potential To further fill the gap left by for a defender, for full-back Benjamin ding war that they weren’t prepared for.” FIFPro has blasted “transfer market mad- resale value. It mustn’t be forgotten that Neymar’s departure, Barcelona are Mendy and another £43 million for mid- In the case of PSG, Qatar also appears ness”. Neymar’s move, it said, “is the lat- clubs are commercial entities with expected to make a final push to sign fielder Bernardo Silva. They also added to be seeking to exert its “soft power” at est example of how football is ever investment strategies,” Caillet said.—AFP Swansea keep De Boer in Palace purgatory

Crystal Palace 0 Matches on TV (Local Timings)

Swansea 2 ENGLISH West Bromwich v Stoke City 15:30 beIN SPORTS HD 3 LONDON: ’s miserable start Chelsea FC v Everton FC 15:30 to life as Crystal Palace manager contin- beIN SPORTS HD 2 ued yesterday as his side lost 2-0 at home Liverpool v Arsenal 18:00 beIN SPORTS HD 2 to Swansea City in the Premier League. beIN SPORTS HD 11 EN Tammy Abraham’s first Swansea goal since Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley1 8:00 he joined on loan from Chelsea and a beIN SPORTS HD 1 effort gave Paul Clement’s Swansea their first victory of the cam- SPANISH LEAGUE paign. RCD Espanyol v CD Leganes 19:15 beIN SPORTS HD 7 After defeats against Huddersfield SD Eibar v Athletic de Bilbao 19:15 Town and Liverpool, De Boer is still wait- beIN SPORTS HD 3 ing for his first point and his first league Getafe CF v Sevilla FC 21:15 goal as Palace manager. The former beIN SPORTS HD 3 Netherlands defender was appointed in beIN SPORTS HD 1 FR June after retired. Real Madrid v Valencia C.F 23:15 beIN SPORTS HD 3 Swansea gave a debut to new signing beIN SPORTS HD 1 FR Sam Clucas and flew out of the traps at , going close in the fourth ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE minute when Ayew headed just wide from Torino FC v Sassuolo Calcio 19:00 Abraham’s right-wing cross. James beIN SPORTS HD 4 McArthur menaced for Palace, but ACF Fiorentina v UC Sampdoria 21:45 beIN SPORTS HD 2 Swansea remained on top and after AC Milan v Cagliari Calcio 21:45 NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United’s , left, and West Ham United’s Pablo Zabaleta battle for the ball during the English Premier Abraham had tested beIN SPORTS HD 4 League soccer match between Newcastle United and West Ham United at Saint James’s Park Stadium, Newcastle, England, yesterday. — AP and Alfie Mawson had headed off-target beIN SPORTS HD 11 EN from the ensuing corner, they went ahead SSC Napoli v Atalanta 21:45 SOCCER in the 44th minute. An injury to James beIN SPORTS HD 1 Tomkins brought Martin Kelly into the AC Chievo Verona v SS Lazio 21:45 beIN SPORTS HD 7 Palace defence and he had been on the Crotone v Hellas Verona FC2 1:45 pitch for less than two minutes when beIN SPORTS HD 9 Relief for Benitez as Abraham stole in front of him to volley in Spal v Udinese Calcio 21:45 ’s cross. beIN SPORTS HD 8 It was Swansea’s first shot on target of GERMAN the . Palace were booed off at half- Newcastle crush Hammers RB Leipzig v SC Freiburg1 6:30 time and despite De Boer sending on Lee beIN SPORTS HD 5 Chung-Yong for at the beIN SPORTS HD 2 FR break, the home side fell even further v Schalke 04 19:00 behind within three minutes of the restart. beIN SPORTS HD 5 Kelly was once again at fault as he was FRENCH LEAGUE Newcastle 3 robbed on halfway by Kyle Naughton, EA Guingamp v RC Strasbourg 16:00 Huddersfield continue fine beIN SPORTS HD 6 who freed Ayew to round Hennessey and beIN SPORTS HD 1 FR score. SCO Angers v LOSC Lille 18:00 West Ham 0 start to top-flight life A perfectly timed sliding challenge by beIN SPORTS HD 6 Mike van der Hoorn prevented Palace sub- beIN SPORTS HD 1 FR for a point. Mauricio Pellegrino’s men are also stitute Yohan Cabaye halving the arrears, AS Monaco v Olympique Marseille 2:00 unbeaten three games into the new Premier beIN SPORTS HD 6 NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United put a smile Huddersfield 0 while dragged narrowly back on Rafael Benitez’s face as new signing League campaign with five points to their wide of the Swansea goal late on. — AFP Joselu inspired their first win of the season in a name. 3-0 success against West Ham United yesterday. Meanwhile, Brighton and Hove Albion col- lected their first Premier League point yester- Frustrated by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley’s Southampton 0 BOXING failure to back him in the transfer market, day as Watford held on for a 0-0 draw at home Magpies boss Benitez hinted this week that he despite the first-half dismissal of Miguel Britos. doesn’t see his long-term future at St James’ Brighton had failed to register a goal or a McGregor vows knockout Park. Benitez has had to make do with a series of HUDDERSFIELD: Huddersfield Town contin- point in their first two matches this season low budget deals, prompting suggestions the ued their excellent start to life in the Premier and twice hit the post at Vicarage Road as moment of truth nears former Liverpool and Real Madrid manager is on League as David Wagner’s side drew 0-0 at through Anthony Knockaert and Tomer the verge of quitting. But, with the transfer win- home to Southampton yesterday. After win- Hemed. Knockaert was fortunate to escape ning their opening two matches of their first serious injury when Britos was sent off for a LAS VEGAS: Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor with suggestions that he was dow closing next week, Benitez received some much-needed evidence that his squad are capa- top-flight season in more than 40 years, reckless lunge on the Frenchman on 24 min- McGregor vowed to knock out boxer Floyd struggling to make the weight. But Huddersfield lost their 100 percent record utes, but Brighton were unable to convert Mayweather on Friday as a horde of Irish McGregor’s chiselled physique drew a line ble of competing in the Premier League. Joselu scored Newcastle’s first league goal of here but remain unbeaten and are still to con- their man advantage into victory. fans descended on Las Vegas for the trash- under lingering doubts about his training cede a goal. , who in midweek talking rivals’ cross-combat super-fight. regime. “I’m a professional, I make weight - the season in the first half and late efforts from and Aleksandar Mitrovic wrapped They dominated the first half without being became the first Hornets player since John McGregor, 29, will carry a substantial it’s sacrifice, dedication, focus, but I make able to find a way through a Southampton Barnes in 1987 to receive an England call-up, weight advantage into Saturday’s 12-round it. I’m ready,” McGregor said. “I’m going to up the points. While Benitez finished the after- noon with his spirits lifted, West Ham manager defence again deprived of want-away Dutch flashed a drive just wide for Watford while boxing contest at the T-Mobile Arena after be a lot bigger than him tomorrow night, defender Virgil van Dijk and for whom new club-record signing Jose Izquierdo came off a raucous weigh-in that saw him face-off maybe closer to 170.” Slaven Bilic was down in the dumps after his side’s third successive league defeat left them signing Wesley Hoedt was an unused substi- the bench for his Brighton debut. with Mayweather for the final time before A nonplussed Mayweather shrugged off tute. Looking to bounce back from a midweek Knockaert forced Heurelho Gomes to tip a fight-night. With waves of green-shirted his weight disadvantage and once again bottom of the table. Benitez had warned Ashley in pre-season that League Cup defeat to second-tier low shot behind with 15 minutes to play and fans in a crowd of around 6,000 roaring vowed to stop McGregor inside the dis- Wolverhampton Wanderers, the visitors had Izquierdo went close to a dream start with his their support for the Irish superstar, tance. “Weight doesn’t win fights, fighting Newcastle needed a major overhaul to turn last season’s Championship winners into a team chances in the second half through Nathan new club when his 25-yard effort brushed the McGregor tipped the scales at 153 pounds, wins fights,” Mayweather said. “It won’t go Redmond and but had to settle roof of the net. — AFP well inside the 154-pound limit. the distance. Mark my words-I’m not wor- capable of surviving in the top flight. Joselu Former welterweight champion ried about the scales.” McGregor mean- hardly seemed the answer after a disappointing Mayweather, 40, who has emerged from a while basked in the adulation of his Irish two-year spell at Stoke, but the Spanish striker, two-year retirement to take on MMA star fans who have poured into the Nevada signed for £5 million ($6.4 million) earlier this McGregor, weighed in at 149.5 pounds. desert gambling capital this week. “You month, made the most of his first start. The naturally bigger McGregor-who can’t beat us-we’ve already taken over,” A midweek League Cup exit against second- screamed into Mayweather’s face as the McGregor bellowed. “Las Vegas is Ireland tier Nottingham Forest had piled further pres- two men went nose-to-nose-said he now.” An army of Irish fans poured out sure on Newcastle and Joselu couldn’t lift the expects to enter the ring at closer to 170 onto the Las Vegas strip following the gloom early on when he shanked a half-chance pounds. weigh-in, dancing and singing in blazing well wide. But, after a predictably nerve-ridden Saturday’s one-off bout is projected to hot sunshine. Tonight’s bout has appalled opening, Joselu broke the deadlock in the 36th be the richest fight in history, with boxing traditionalists, who have rubbished minute. West Ham’s teenage Declan Mayweather poised to earn as much as the event as a meaningless, money-grab- Rice squandered possession and Mikel Merino $200 million and McGregor potentially bing, mismatch which owes more to the pounced, setting Christian Atsu free for a cross pocketing around $100 million. McGregor, pantomime traditions of WWE wrestling that Joselu poked home under pressure from who has never fought in a professional than the noble art. two defenders. boxing contest, is a massive underdog for Boxing pundits, coaches and fighters Suddenly there was a spring in Newcastle’s a fight, which is expected to beamed live have lined up to dismiss McGregor’s hopes step and Merino’s stinging strike tested West to around 200 countries and territories of succeeding where 49 others in Ham goalkeeper . Hart had to be alert across the globe. Mayweather’s 21-year career have failed. again to deny Ayoze Perez before Hammers But the former apprentice plumber “Would a ping-pong player have a chance striker Javier Hernandez, already on a booking, from Dublin, who was unemployed four of scoring a point against Roger Federer?” escaped a red card after fouling Javier years ago, defiantly predicted he was was the withering verdict of veteran train- Manquillo. ready to spring a monumental upset on er Teddy Atlas. “It’s going to be like walking West Ham almost equalised when the skilful Mayweather, one of the finest through a really bad neighbourhood late kept out Aaron Cresswell’s drive before boxers in history who boasts a perfect 49-0 at night. McGregor’s going to get Hernandez’s follow up was cleared off the line by record. mugged.” Clark. led the Newcastle response, “That’s the worst shape I’ve ever seen The hard-nosed heavy-hitters of the forcing Hart to save his low shot before provid- him,” McGregor said of Mayweather. “He gambling world agree. Today’s fight is set ing the assist for his side’s second goal in the looks blown out, out of shape. I’m going to to smash records as the most bet-upon 72nd minute. Racing past Manuel Lanzini, HUDDERSFIELD: Southampton’s , centre, in action with Huddersfield Town’s breeze through him, trust me on that.” bout in Las Vegas history. But while Ritchie whipped over a pin-point cross and Clark Christopher Schindler, left, and Chris Lowe during the English Premier League soccer McGregor, a long-odds underdog, has was perfectly placed to score with a header. match between Huddersfield Town and Southampton at the John Smith’s Stadium, ‘FIGHTING WINS FIGHTS’ attracted most wagers, the majority of the Mitrovic ensured there was no late sting in Huddersfield, England yesterday. — AP Mayweather this week taunted money is on Mayweather.— AFP the tale for Benitez, the Serb rounding Hart to slot home in the 86th minute. — AFP