Sports
Saudi Crown Prince ‘Considering €10 Billion Barcelona Offer’
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reportedly preparing an astronomical €10 billion bid to take over one of European football’s biggest clubs. The Middle Eastern nation has become an increasingly important force in global sport in recent years, and while it appears to have cracked the code in Formula 1 and boxing, the beautiful game remains just out of reach.
Despite the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2023 – an eye-catching move that set the wheels in motion for a mass exodus of superstars from Europe to Asia, including Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane and N’Golo Kante – the Saudi Pro League has still only just about manages to creep onto a list detailing the 30 best football leagues in the world.
With South America and Europe continuing to dominate the sport, wealthy Saudi suitors have found greater appeal in investing where the foundations are already firmly in place. Salman, who serves as the nation’s prime minister and heir to the throne, is now reportedly turning his attention to taking over a well-known Spanish club.
Saudi Crown Prince Plots €10bn Takeover of European Giant
According to reporter Francois Gallardo of Spanish publication El Chiringuito, the Saudi Crown Prince is considering making an offer worth €10bn to buy current La Liga leaders Barcelona. The Catalan giants are ranked as the third most valuable football club on the planet with an estimated worth of £4.1 billion.
That figure pales in comparison to the wealth of their potential new owner. Salman is often cited as being worth around £18.7bn, while his family’s overall wealth – including vast holdings in Saudi Aramco – is estimated to reach as high as £1 trillion.
Barcelona, by contrast, are largely owned and operated by their fans and members, with club president Joan Laporta himself boasting a net worth of only a few million pounds. As a result, the club has rarely benefited from the kind of financial muscle enjoyed by rivals such as Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester City.
Should Salman decide to step in as Barcelona’s new benefactor, the club would almost instantly become the richest in the world, eclipsing even the likes of Paris FC and Newcastle United’s mega-wealthy backers.
The Complications Salman Would Face at Barcelona
Barcelona also generate some of the highest annual revenues in world football, but those figures are offset by the scale of the club’s debt. The La Liga giants currently owe more than £2.2 billion, a major factor the Saudi Crown Prince would need to consider before making any move for the Camp Nou outfit.
Another significant complication lies in the club’s ownership model. Barcelona are owned by their socios, or members, who would be unlikely to sanction a full foreign takeover or allow day-to-day control by an external entity – such as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which already owns Premier League side Newcastle United.
But with the club’s potential to become a dominant force like they were under Pep Guardiola in the early 2010s being stunted by financial turmoil, now could be the perfect time to reluctantly reassess their structure and seek a route to the very pinnacle of European football once again, with the latest summer transfer window seeing them only manage to fork out £23 million to fund their Champions League-winning mission.
Sports
World’s Richest Tennis Player Refuses to Stay at Same Hotel as Other Players
A billionaire tennis player has chosen not to share a hotel with her Wimbledon competitors, previously claiming that she needs better facilities to help her recover efficiently and effectively.
Staying at the official Wimbledon hotel is the default expected choice for many of the tournament participants. It serves as a financial necessity for many lower-ranked players, juniors, and doubles specialists who rely on the tournament’s organisers to cover the expensive costs of hotels during their time competing.
This does rule out those that can afford to prepare for the tournament while prioritising comfort over free accommodation.
World’s Richest Tennis Player Chooses Her Own Hotels
From Monday, as the tournament gets underway, the widely considered world’s richest tennis star will be staying in a premium, independent hotel of her own choosing, and will be looking to improve on her best-ever run to the quarter-finals in 2023.
She will enter the prestigious tournament as fourth seed, but has still yet to reach a major championship, with her run to the US Open final in 2024 being the closest she has ever come.
She believes that choosing her own hotel room, away from the other players, could lead to success, explaining that as she has become older, the small details matter, like having a better pillow and a quiet space to relax, with both being vital for recovery.
Why She Chooses Her Own Hotels
“We’re either on the court or we’re in the hotel room,” she said. “It’s such a big part of our lives, and as I’ve gotten older, a good hotel has become more of a priority.
“When you’re 20, and you’re just starting to travel, you’re not complaining that much: you’re more out there grinding and embracing life on tour. Once you hit 30 and kind of need a better pillow, that stuff honestly becomes really important.”
During last year’s French Open, Jessica Pegula, the daughter of the NFL Buffalo Bills owner, Terry Pegula, first decided to take this approach before realising how mentally draining it had become to share her space with her direct rivals.
“Oh my gosh, being away from everyone else is a massive thing for me,” Pegula admitted. “I think that’s what maybe sparked this, as well. I just felt like, ‘I can’t do [player hotels] anymore.’
“When you’re staying at a tournament hotel, I feel like it’s so mentally draining. It’s not like anyone is a problem.”
The American star is scheduled to come up against unseeded Czech Darja Vidmanova at 11am on Monday.
The 32-year-old has amassed over $2 million worth of prize money so far in her career and has really highlighted the importance of her recent decision.
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“If you were going to work with someone, you would necessarily want to eat breakfast with them, practice with them, have lunch, go to the locker room, and the physio room with them, and see them in the elevators and the hallways.
“I don’t think people realise that shouldn’t happen, not with the people you’re working and competing with every single week. We play pretty much every week together, and so, all of that together, you’re ready to lose it.”
Sports
Chelsea Submit £26m Bid for Sunderland Midfielder Granit Xhaka
Chelsea have reportedly submitted a £26m offer to sign a Chelsea star in the summer transfer window, as personally requested by Xabi Alonso.
The Blues will be looking to back their new manager after he took over earlier this year.
It’s been a difficult period for Chelsea, who won’t be competing in the Champions League next season, and they did superbly to attract a manager of Alonso’s calibre.
The club now needs to back him with new additions in order to suit his style, while the squad also needs a refresh after their disappointing campaign.
GIVEMESPORT sources have confirmed that Chelsea are set to sign Atalanta wing-back Marco Pelestra, kick-starting their summer spending.
Chelsea Submit £26m Bid
According to a report from journalist Luca Cerchione, Chelsea have submitted a £26m bid to sign Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka in the summer transfer window.
The potential signing is believed to have been personally requested by Alonso, who managed Xhaka during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.
It feels unlikely that Sunderland would be willing to accept a bid of just £26 million for Xhaka, considering he was their ‘best‘ player last campaign and won their player of the season award.
Alonso knows the midfielder well, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that they are targeting that profile of signing.
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Chelsea Need to Add Experience
Chelsea have heavily focused their recruitment on bringing in young talent from around the world over the last few years.
Although it could be an effective method in the long term, they do lack experience in all positions.
The Blues are one of the most ill-disciplined sides in the Premier League, getting more red cards last season than any other team.
The signing of someone like Xhaka won’t only offer experience in himself. He’s also the type of leader who can help get the best out of other players.
Sunderland managed to qualify for European football last season, despite only being promoted the previous campaign, and Xhaka was a key reason behind that.
Sports
Man Utd Miss Out on Signing Goncalo Ramos
Manchester United look set to miss out on a potential new signing as he’s now agreed a deal to join another club in a record-breaking move.
The Red Devils have been incredibly busy in the summer market already, looking to strengthen their squad ahead of a season in the Champions League.
United showed they have a squad capable of finishing in the top four last season, but they were without the distraction of European football.
They are heading in a new direction under manager Michael Carrick, who was appointed as permanent boss earlier this year.
There’s no doubt they’ll need new additions in order to compete on all fronts next season, and they are working on multiple deals at the moment.
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Man Utd Miss Out on ‘Elite’ Star
Manchester United look set to miss out on one of their summer transfer window targets as he’s now agreed to join a different club.
According to a report from Team Talk, AC Milan have agreed a club record deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos.
Manchester United held talks with intermediaries representing Ramos earlier in the transfer window, and he was firmly on the radar of the Premier League club.
United didn’t make a formal offer for Ramos, who has been described as ‘elite’, and he is now set to join AC Milan for a fee in the region of £60m, eclipsing their previous record when they signed Rafael Leao for around £43m.
United were among a number of Premier League clubs to have held talks with Ramos, but it’s no surprise that PSG have accepted such a big offer from AC Milan.
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Man Utd in Market for New Striker
Manchester United do appear to be in the market for a new striker in the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils are looking to bring in an experienced forward to help develop and provide cover and competition for Benjamin Sesko.
Reports have suggested that their dream target for this position is Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, but a deal could be difficult due to the finances involved.
United need to ensure that they do not ruin the pathway of development for Sesko. They also need to ensure he has strong competition and cover, especially as they prepare to compete in the Champions League.
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