Defenders 50m Real Madrid clause active this summer in spite of renewal agreementReal Madrid are planning to sign a new central defender this summer, as they prepare for the expected departure of David Alaba and the possible one of Antonio Rudiger. Both are out of contract in June, and they will need to be replaced if their place in Alvaro Arbeloas squad is freed up.But at this stage, Real Madrid are running out of targets. They missed out on Marc Guehi and Dayot Upamecano, while Ibrahima Konate is also poised to slip away as he nears a new contract agreement with Liverpool. Also on their radar has been Nico Schlotterbeck, but he has now extended his stay at Borussia Dortmund, as was confirmed earlier this week.But interestingly, that does not mean the door is closed on him signing for Real Madrid this summer. As per Diario AS, Schlotterbecks new contract contains a release clause valued between 50-60m, which is only available to a select few European clubs and one of them is Los Blancos.Schlotterbeck had not looked likely to sign a new Dortmund deal, which would have opened the door for him to be available for a significantly-reduced fee in the summer, given that his contract was due to expire in 2027. His renewal keeps him at the Bundesliga giants until 2031, although this release clause means that the possible is there for him to leave at any time.Renewal dents Schlotterbecks chances of Real Madrid moveWhile it is appealing for Real Madrid that Schlotterbeck will still be available to them, the fact that he will no longer be available for a cut price means that they are unlikely to move for him in the summer. At 26, he does not fit the clubs transfer policy of recent years, which means that he would only have joined if it was for below his market value, which will no longer be the case.It remains to be seen who Real Madrid opt to sign in the summer, but the chances of Schlotterbeck being their top target has surely reduced compared to a few days ago.

Aaron Schatz uses his QBASE 2.0 model to project NFL career ceilings and floors for the 2026 draft class' QBs.

The six-year-old was put down on the course after suffering abroken near-hind fetlock, a joint in the rear left leg.

Great Britain has booked their place at September's Billie Jean King Cup finals in Shenzhen following a commanding triumph over Australia on Melbourne's hard courts.Harriet Dart and Jodie Burrage sealed the victory in the doubles rubber, overcoming Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez 6-3 6-4 to establish an insurmountable 3-0 advantage in the best-of-five qualifying encounter.The British pair, partnering together for the first time, fell behind early after losing their opening service game and trailing 3-1.However, they responded emphatically, winning five consecutive games to secure the opening set.TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour SayA scrappy second set saw four successive breaks of serve before Britain made the crucial breakthrough in the ninth game, with Burrage serving out the match.The foundation for Saturday's success was laid on Friday when Britain claimed both singles rubbers at John Cain Arena, one of the Australian Open's premier venues.Mika Stojsavljevic, just 17 years old, produced a remarkable performance on her competition debut, defeating Talia Gibson in straight sets despite being ranked more than 200 places below her opponent.Dart then completed the singles sweep by battling back from a set down to overcome Kimberly Birrell.Australia's teenage talent Emerson Jones, also 17, salvaged some pride for the hosts by beating Katie Swan 7-5 6-3 in a dead rubber, reducing the final margin to 3-1.Britain entered the tie as underdogs, missing four players ranked inside the world's top 100 in singles.Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter, Fran Jones and Sonay Kartal were all unavailable, yet the depleted squad overcame significant disparities in both ranking and experience.The victory marks Britain's third consecutive qualification for the finals, where they have reached the semi-finals in each of the past two editions.LATEST SPORT NEWSFootball match postponed after fire destroys stadium locker room as statement issuedTyson Furys Russian opponent wrestled 10ft bear in training for heavyweight showdownRory McIlroy breaks Masters record as defending Champion storms to largest 36-hole lead in historyAnne Keothavong's side became only the second nation to secure their Shenzhen berth, joining hosts China, while defending champions Italy later confirmed their spot by completing a 3-0 victory over Japan.Australia must now contest November's play-offs rather than competing at the main event.Captain Keothavong was delighted with her team's performance against higher-ranked opposition. she said: "We are overjoyed. I have to credit the players on my team for going out there and being able to execute the way they did, hold their nerve the way they did, and perform the way they did."The British captain made clear her ambitions extend beyond mere participation when the finals commence.Keothavong added: "[Winning the title is] always the ultimate goal. "I know we've got players, and strength and depth in the UK, to do something special in this competition."When we head to the finals, whoever is on my team, we are not there to make up the numbers, that's for sure."Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

Defending champion Rory McIlroy says he plans to keep "my foot on the gas" after building a record six-shot halfway lead with a devastating second-round 65 at the Masters.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen ist am 29. Spieltag bei Borussia Dortmund gefordert. Fr den VfL Wolfsburg geht es gegen Eintracht Frankfurt schon fast um Alles.[mehr]

Courtesy of outstanding pitching and a late-inning balk, the Lakeland Flying Tigers (7-0) remained perfect on Saturday night, coming away with a 2-1 w... - FSL Lakeland Flying Tigers

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