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Tuesday’s reports claim that Milan are close to reaching a final agreement over an appointment for their vacant sporting director role, with former Lazio executive Igli Tare back as the favourite. 

Milan’s casting for a new sporting director has dragged on for several months, with former Juventus and Tottenham executive Fabio Paratici close to coming on board at one stage. Tony D’Amico of Atalanta, Giovanni Sartori of Bologna and Giovanni Manna of Napoli have also been considered for the role. 

Most recently, it was former Atalanta, Chelsea, Celtic and Leicester director/scout Lee Congerton dubbed as the ‘frontrunner’ for the Milan gig. The Welshman is currently employed by Al-Ahli of the Saudi Pro League

Tare back as frontrunner for Milan sporting director

However, the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Tare is back as the most likely recipient of the sporting director role in San Siro. The Pink Paper originally claimed that Congerton was leading the race first thing on Tuesday morning, only for Tare to become the frontrunner again by midday. 

Tuesday’s report claims that Milan and Tare have never lost contact after their first series of meetings. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gerry Cardinale met with Tare back in Fabruary, as did CEO Giorgio Furlani later down the line. 

The latest updates claim that the relevant parties have been in contact again over the last few days and that there is a possibility of a ‘handshake’ in the near future. 

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba suspended for skipping MLS All-Star Game
Soccer

Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba suspended for skipping MLS All-Star Game

Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba will be suspended for their upcoming Major League Soccer match against FC Cincinnati after both skipped the 2025 MLS All-Star Game without warning. "Per league rules, any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in their club’s next match," MLS said in a statement. Messi and Alba were both selected for the 2025 MLS All-Star team in the first round of voting. They remained on the All-Star roster until mere hours before the All-Star game kickoff, when it became apparent that neither had traveled to Austin for the match. The All-Star game was scheduled for July 23; Miami knew it had a crucial Eastern Conference clash against FC Cincinnati a few days later on July 26. Cincinnati's biggest stars, defender Miles Robinson and attacker Evander, were both slated to appear in the All-Star game. Haunted by its heavy defeat to Cincinnati earlier in the season and hungry for some advantage — any advantage — over its rival, Miami appears to have made a bet here. It kept its players out of the All-Star game, gave them an extra few days of rest, and gambled that MLS wouldn't dare punish its big-name stars. That gamble did not pay off. "I know Lionel Messi loves this league. I don’t think there’s a player – or anyone – who has done more for Major League Soccer than Messi. I fully understand, respect, and admire his commitment to Inter Miami, and I respect his decision," said MLS commissioner Don Garber. "Unfortunately, we have a long-standing policy regarding participation in the All-Star Game, and we had to enforce it. It was a very difficult decision." MLS has done the right thing here by hewing close to its own policy. If Cincinnati had pulled the same stunt with Evander and Robinson, MLS would've suspended them without question; Messi, Alba and Miami should not be granted an exception simply because of their global fame. But still, there are important questions to be asked here about fixture pile-up in the middle of the MLS season. The majority of teams in MLS had competitive matches scheduled four days before and three days after the All-Star Game, many in far-flung cities. Asking any soccer player to compete in, say, New York on Saturday, Austin on Wednesday and Miami on Saturday, as Inter Miami's All-Stars were expected to do, is pushing it. Asking 38-year-old Lionel Messi to do that is borderline unconscionable. It's hardly surprising that he and Miami conspired to skip the middle leg of their schedule. It's just too much travel — and too much action — for a player of Messi's age and caliber. Miami and its players deserve to be punished for breaking the rules, but the All-Star Game schedule needs a rethink, too. "We’re going to take a hard look at the policy moving forward," Garber said. "I’m committed to working with our players to determine how the rule should evolve." Inter Miami will face FC Cincinnati — its biggest rival in the Eastern Conference this season — without Messi and Alba on Saturday.

Naomi Osaka admits if she wants to face Emma Raducanu again after Washington Open defeat
Tennis

Naomi Osaka admits if she wants to face Emma Raducanu again after Washington Open defeat

Emma Raducanu brought Naomi Osaka’s Washington Open campaign to an end with a performance full of confidence. Raducanu, enjoying her best form in some time, has looked sharp since crossing over from Wimbledon to the US hard courts and is now putting together a strong run on both sides of the draw. Her timing couldn’t be better, with the summer swing in full flow and eyes already turning towards Flushing Meadows later in August. For Osaka, though, this was another frustrating defeat by a player she might have expected to beat. In the aftermath, she was even asked whether it was worth facing Raducanu again anytime soon. Naomi Osaka shares thoughts on Emma Raducanu after defeat at Washington Open After the loss, Osaka took time to break down her performance and also spoke about what impressed her about Raducanu’s game. Starting with her own play, she mentioned: “I think honestly I have been working on my return a lot, and ironically I don’t think it was that bad today. I think she served quite well. I guess just keep working on that, working on my serve. I know it’s one of my biggest weapons. “Today the percentages were off, so hopefully improving that. Then I guess just baseline tennis. I feel like from the baseline, like, I was doing pretty well. I think there are certain situations where she got one more ball back and I was kind of just looking and waiting. So kind of getting more accustomed to being comfortable being aggressive. When asked how facing Raducanu compared to watching her previously, Osaka said: “Oh. So when I say I watched her, it might not have necessarily been her tennis. Might have been like interviews and stuff like that. “Yeah, I mean, I watched her in Wimbledon, but I think it is different playing someone in real life than playing them or seeing them on TV. “So I think for me, honestly, it was really good to get the experience, to feel how her ball is. Yeah, hopefully we meet again.” Naomi Osaka comments on her relationship with fellow players Osaka didn’t just talk about the match itself – she also shared how she’s been interacting with other players off the court. For example, the Japanese star was asked if she’d like to get to know Raducanu or other players better, to which she replied: “I mean, yes, but I don’t know. “I don’t know if I’m, like, I look scary or something, but I have been saying hi to everyone for the past year and a half since I have been back, and I think they still think I’m kind of like extremely introverted and/or have RBF. So we haven’t really, like, proceeded past the ‘Hi, how are you doing’ phase.” Osaka admitted she felt confused after her defeat to Raducanu, having played much better than the scoreline suggested. It’s Raducanu who moves forward into the quarter-finals while Osaka once again finds herself reflecting on what comes next.

Yankees makes pair of roster moves following Phillies loss
MLB

Yankees makes pair of roster moves following Phillies loss

After a crushing 12–5 defeat to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night, the New York Yankees made a pair of roster changes aimed at strengthening a bullpen that surrendered 10 earned runs in the loss. Right-handed reliever Scott Effross and infielder Jorbit Vivas were both optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, clearing space for immediate reinforcements. Effross, 31, bore the brunt of the damage late in the game. Entering in the ninth inning with the Yankees trailing 8–5, he gave up four runs on four hits, failing to record the shutdown frame the team desperately needed. His ERA ballooned from 5.59 to 8.44 after the outing. Across 11 appearances in 2025, Effross has allowed 10 runs on 16 hits in 10.2 innings, striking out six and walking three. The outing proved costly, both in the game and for his place on the roster. Vivas, 24, didn’t fare much better this season. Used sparingly, he appeared in 29 games while slashing .161/.266/.250 with one home run and five RBIs. He entered Friday’s game as a late substitution at third base and flew out in his lone plate appearance. In their place, the Yankees activated third baseman Ryan McMahon, acquired earlier in the day from the Colorado Rockies. The 30-year-old 2024 All-Star brings experience and a needed defensive upgrade to the hot corner. Through 100 games this season, McMahon is hitting .217 with a .314 on-base percentage and .403 slugging percentage, while adding 16 home runs and 35 RBIs. Discussing McMahon’s fit with the Yankees, Paul Goldschmidt celebrated the addition, noting how exciting he fits within New York’s defensive identity. “He’s a really good player, great defender,” Goldschmidt said of McMahon. “He’s a good hitter, and he’s going to help us.” Manager Aaron Boone confirmed that McMahon would be active for Saturday’s matchup against the Phillies. The Yankees, currently 56–47, trail the Phillies, who improved to 59–44 with Friday’s win. Boone also acknowledged the bullpen’s ongoing struggles. The relief corps entered Friday ranked 20th in the league with a 4.07 ERA and has been thinned by injuries to Mark Leiter Jr., Fernando Cruz, and Ryan Yarbrough. With Clarke Schmidt out for the season and Luis Gil still recovering, reinforcements are expected before the July 31 trade deadline. The Yankees are expected to call up a fresh arm Saturday morning. Whether that move stabilizes the bullpen or not, more changes could be imminent.

Warriors' Stephen Curry believes NBA players are 'underpaid'
NBA

Warriors' Stephen Curry believes NBA players are 'underpaid'

Are NBA players underpaid? Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry argues yes. The greatest shooter in NBA history said Thursday on Complex’s “360 With Speedy” that because the league’s current CBA doesn’t allow for current players to invest in league and team equity, players are leaving money on the table. “I would say, yes, we are underpaid,” Curry admitted when asked, despite enormous salaries, if the players were getting short-changed, “because you wanna be able to participate in that rise [of equity].” “It’s a partnership with ownership, [and] it’s a partnership with the league,” the 37-year-old stressed, revealing that league salaries do not reflect players’ impact on team valuations. If anyone has the right to begrudge the current CBA on player participation in equity, it’s Curry. When drafted in 2009, the Warriors were worth $315 million. Current valuations in May of 2025 have the team at $9.4 billion, the most in the league. Curry’s been paid handsomely during his time in Golden State, and he doesn’t overlook it. “I know we’re blessed to be in a position where we’re playing basketball for a living, and these are the type of checks that people are earning,” he told Complex. However, when he signed his $62.6 million one-year extension in 2024 that would keep him in a Warriors’ jersey until 2027, many felt that no amount of money the franchise could offer him would represent his worth. Curry had an undeniable impact on the Warriors’ valuation increasing by nearly 3,000%. He’s benefited by being the most salaried player on the roster and plenty of endorsement deals. But is he getting his fair share? Something similar may happen with reigning NBA Finals MVP and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just signed the richest contract in league history with an average annual value of $71.25 million. According to Forbes, the Thunder’s valuation increased 20% from 2023 to 2024 and will likely take another jump after this year’s championship. Curry concedes that player participation in equity isn’t a simple concept and not all markets are created equal: “You got competitive advantage considerations…and want every market to have a fair chance, like I get all that.” He believes, however, that finding a solution is a “mutually beneficial proposition” for players, teams and the league. Even the most expensive people in the world need to find other investors to make owning an NBA team possible. The best example of Curry’s point is the Boston Celtics sale in March. The most-championed franchise in league history was sold to Bill Chisholm for $6.1 billion, the largest ever sports franchise sale in North America at the time. Chisholm needed Rob Hale, Bruce Beal Jr., and private equity firm Sixth Street, to afford the purchase. Because team ownership is already a multi-investor operation, the league could potentially come to an agreement with the players by the next CBA negotiation at the end of the decade. If not, the league's best players will continue to simultaneously earn a ridiculous amount of money, and it will not be nearly enough.

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