Chelsea are on the verge of completing a $69 Million for Crystal Palace center-back Maxence Lacroix. The 26-year-old French international is set to undergo a medical before signing a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge, while Palace actively seek a replacement ahead of the new campaign. Blues Close On Lacroix According to The Athletic, Chelsea are finalizing the transfer of Palace center-back Lacroix in a deal worth around $69 million. The French defender is scheduled to undergo a medical on Friday before committing to a contract that runs until 2032. Meanwhile, the Eagles have begun searching for his replacement, targeting Augsburg's Chrislain Matsima alongside Trabzonspor's Chibuike Nwaiwu as an alternative option. Premier League Rise Recognized Lacroix has emerged as one of Chelsea's primary transfer targets since June, alongside several other options, including Como defender Jacobo Ramon. The Blues opted to focus their pursuits on the imposing central defender following his rapid progression across two seasons in the Premier League. His sharp development is clearly reflected in his market valuation, which has surged from an initial 18m fee to a premium price tag. French Defender Shines Bright Standing at 190cm, the defender established himself as a cornerstone for Palace last season, racking up 55 appearances across all competitions while lifting the Community Shield and securing the Conference League trophy. His consistent displays since arriving from Wolfsburg in 2024 earned him a spot in France's 2026 World Cup squad. Lacroix's arrival at Stamford Bridge could trigger a reshuffle in the defensive hierarchy, directly impacting the futures of Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Mamadou Sarr. Alonso Reshuffles Defensive Options Once the transfer is formally completed, new manager Xabi Alonso must swiftly integrate Lacroix into his defensive setup throughout the remainder of pre-season. The Chelsea hierarchy will also need to resolve the futures of several fringe central defenders to maintain squad balance ahead of the new campaign. Meanwhile, Palace face pressure to secure a replacement before the transfer window closes to preserve their defensive stability.

Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise surprised local football enthusiasts in New York City by unexpectedly taking part in a public recreational match. Having recently concluded his international campaign with France at the World Cup, the 24-year-old was spotted playing in socks, earning widespread praise for his grounded love for the game. Olise Joins Street Match Just days after concluding his international duties with France at the World Cup, Bayern winger Olise surprised New York City residents by joining an amateur football match. He took part in a recreational game organized through the community platform GoodRec on a public pitch. Remarkably, the former Crystal Palace star played without wearing football boots, turning out in socks and loose-fitting trousers instead. Amateurs Praise French Star Despite playing purely in socks, Olise still showcased flashes of his technical brilliance on the pitch, including his trademark move of cutting inside from the right flank onto his left foot. Following the conclusion of the match, the Frenchman posed for photographs with all participants, prompting GoodRec to share the moment on social media: "He beats us even in socks. Thank you for coming to a GoodRec game in New York City!" Winger Shines At Tournament This spontaneous appearance capped an impressive period for Olise, who excelled throughout the World Cup by setting a new record with seven assists for Les Bleus. That achievement builds on his sensational stats for Bayern last season, where he delivered 22 goals and 31 assists across 52 appearances in all competitions. His presence on a public pitch in New York reinforces his reputation as a footballer who possesses a genuine, unadulterated passion for the game. Bayern Prepare For Pre-Season Restart Olise will now enjoy a period of holiday before reporting back to Bayern's headquarters for pre-season training. The Bundesliga giants are under pressure to swiftly manage the physical recovery of their core stars who reached the latter stages of the World Cup ahead of the upcoming domestic and European campaigns. Bayern supporters will naturally hope their winger's extraordinary form carries seamlessly into the new season.

The Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has appointed former Bayern Munich midfielder Mark van Bommel as the new head coach of the Red Devils. The 49-year-old Dutchman steps into the role following Rudi Garcia's departure after the World Cup, bringing in former Chelsea and Liverpool winger Boudewijn Zenden as part of his technical team. Van Bommel Takes Belgium Job Van Bommel has been officially appointed as the new head coach of the Belgium national team on a two-year contract running through to Euro 2028. Confirming the appointment on their official website, the Belgian FA stated: "The Royal Belgian Football Association is pleased to announce that Mark van Bommel (49 years old) will become the new head coach of the Red Devils from 15 August 2026." The former Bayern captain replaces Garcia, who parted ways with the federation after the Red Devils were eliminated in the World Cup quarter-finals. To bolster his coaching setup, Van Bommel has brought in three experienced assistants, including former Chelsea and Liverpool winger Zenden. Duo Excited For Venture RBFA sports director Vincent Mannaert warmly welcomed the arrival of the tactician and his backroom staff, stating: "I am very pleased that Mark van Bommel and his assistants have accepted our challenge. "They are hungry and ambitious, and I am convinced that, thanks to their international experience as coach and player, they will be able to perfectly help our Red Devils to continue growing, achieve results, and fully utilise their potential on an individual and collective level." Meanwhile, Van Bommel expressed his pride at being entrusted with the Belgian national job, saying: "It is a great honour to become the national coach of Belgium. I would like to thank the Royal Belgian Football Association for the trust they have placed in me. "Belgium has outstanding players and enormous potential. Together with my technical staff, we want to build a team that is disciplined, ambitious, and brave enough to compete with the very best. "Success is never guaranteed, but hard work, honesty, and dedication are. We will give everything to help this team improve every day and make the Belgian people proud. I look forward to meeting the players, the staff, and the supporters and starting this new chapter together." Antwerp Success Highlights Credentials The Dutchman's appointment underscores Belgium's ambition to remain competitive at the highest level of international football following Garcia's tenure, which yielded 12 wins from 20 matches. Van Bommel boasts an impressive track record in club management, most notably making history by leading Royal Antwerp to a domestic league and cup double in the 2022-23 season. His vast experience as an elite player with PSV, Barcelona, Bayern and AC Milan is viewed as a vital asset to lead Belgium's next generation. Nations League Fixture Awaits Van Bommel will officially assume his duties next month before guiding the team through their upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign. The former Wolfsburg manager is tasked with swiftly establishing a disciplined and competitive structure to maximise the squad's depth. His first stern test comes in an away fixture on September 25 against an Italy side recently turned down by Pep Guardiola.

The Brooklyn Nets began the 2026 NBA offseason with the goal of improving the team as much as possible following a 2025-26 season in which they finished with a lowly 20-62 record. Brooklyn likely had some lofty goals, such as hoping future Hall-of-Famer LeBron James would choose them to be his next team, but the good news is that the Nets will be seeing James more often anyway.ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Friday that James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with the second year being a player option. James, who left the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason as he was looking for a different team to potentially end his accomplished career after spending the past eight seasons with the Lakers.James, 41, is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game while shooting 51.5% from the field and 31.7% from behind the three-point line. While that was technically James' worst statistical season since his rookie season, he still finished the campaign with being named an All-Star for the 22nd straight time in his career.Throughout most of James' free-agency, the reporting around the league suggested that James was willing to consider any team given that he was looking for the best opportunity for him to win to end his career. While the Nets were likely far down the list for James given that Brooklyn is still in the early stages of its rebuild, there was some hope that he would spend the final days of his career playing at Barclays Center.With James signing with the 76ers, Brooklyn should be able to face James four times over the course of the 2026-27 campaign, meaning that Nets fans, along with all other fans, have at least two chances to see him play in person. In the end, James may have never been seriously considering the Nets, but even with his choice to join Philadelphia, Brooklyn will now have to prepare to face him more often than usual.BREAKING: LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option, Klutch Sports Group and Klutch CEO and Game Over show host Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ALOlTkgdAV Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 24, 2026This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets miss out on Sixers' LeBron James, but will face him more often

Prediction-market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket like to bill themselves as truth machines. But LeBron Jamess decision to sign with the 76ers shows there are some markets where the crowds consensus can be spectacularly wrong.On Kalshi, just prior to James announcing he would join Philadelphia, roughly $226 million had been traded on which team he would choose next. In the hours leading up to Jamess announcement, the 76ers were at 9%, trailing the two top contenders, the Heat and Cavaliers, as well as the Warriors. From July 2 to July 13, the Cavaliers were considered the most likely landing spot for James, although Clevelands chances began to dip on July 10, and Miami overtook the top spot on July 18. The Warriors odds were pretty low for most of the spring and summer, until a sudden spike June 30, when they shot up to almost 42%, before quickly plunging back down below 20%. In recent days, the Warriors saw another spike and sat just behind Cleveland, with Kalshi traders giving Golden State a 32.4% chance compared to the Cavaliers 33.7% chance.The 76ers were at 1% until July 1, when they started ticking up as a possible destination, although it remained below 10% until roughly 20 minutes before he actually signed.Online, it appeared as though there was a significant spike in Philadelphias chances, to 77%, just after 11 a.m. ET, about 20 minutes before ESPNs Shams Charania broke the news. However, a Kalshi spokesperson tells Front Office Sports that while its platform shows odds down the minute, they arent always completely accurate. Kalshi uses a smoothing algorithm, which can at times make certain market activity appear as if it happened slightly earlier or later than it did in reality, the spokesperson says.In this case, Kalshi says the 77% spike occurred at either 11:27 a.m. or 11:28 a.m., which is still just before Charania posted the news, but not as dramatic as it appeared on the platform to average users.The potential for insider trading on prediction markets is one of the key concerns from detractors. Kalshi prohibits insider trading, and this year has fined and banned traders who were found to have made bets using nonpublic information (those cases have not had to do with sports). The company also refers such people to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.There did not appear to be equivalent late market movement on Jamess next team on Polymarkets international platform; the platform shows changes in odds in five-minute increments, while Kalshi shows such changes down to the minute.Of the total amount of money put on where James would sign on Kalshi, $33 million was placed on Philadelphia, $27 million was put on Cleveland, $29 million was put on Golden State, and $33 million was put on Miami. Those totals account for both people who traded yes he would join those teams and no he wouldnt, meaning they dont indicate which team traders felt were most likely to win the James sweepstakes. But given the odds, anyone who wagered on the 41-year-old to join the Sixers likely received a nice payout relative to what they risked.Polymarkets international platform, which users in the U.S. can only access illegally using a VPN, saw more than $43 million in trading volume on Jamess next team. As of 8 a.m. Friday, users were giving the 76ers a 7.6% chance, far behind the Heat at 47.5%. For all of June and July, right up until James signed, Philadelphias chances were at less than 1%. The Heat, Cavaliers, and Warriors were all heavily favored ahead of r the 76ers until Friday.On Polymarkets U.S. app, the total amounts that were traded are less clear, and the order book for the 76ers wasnt available once James had picked them. Users were very vocal in the chat in the aftermath of the news. One user wrote, only way to win in this Polymarket game is to be an insider, while another wrote anybody with common sense won actually.One prediction-market industry source tells FOS that the unpredictability of the market for where James would sign shows that there are some markets where there simply isnt enough data for the average user to place an informed bet.Markets are machines that aggregate info, the person says. Markets like LeBrons next team just dont have a lot of data to go off of.The post Prediction Markets Had No Clue Where LeBron Was Going appeared first on Front Office Sports.

Like most college sports administrators, TCU athletic director Mike Buddie thinks there should be an enforceable salary cap for players in college sports.But he doesnt think they should be the only ones.I think athletic directors should make a capped salary. I think coaches should make a capped salary, Buddie said during an interview with Front Office Sports. And I think student-athletes should be in the room helping make these decisions.In college football, coaching salariesas well as coaching buyoutshave ballooned.Currently, the highest-paid coaches are Indianas Curt Cignetti, Georgias Kirby Smart, and LSUs Lane Kiffin, whose annual salaries all exceed $13 million per year. Athletic directors dont make nearly as much, butparticularly in the power conferencesthey can take home more than $1 million per year.At TCU, football coach Sonny Dykes makes more than $7 million per year (he recently signed a multiyear contract extension). Buddies salary isnt public.The concept of capping coaches salaries has been discussed over the past several years. And its also been a discussion in Congress, with lawmakers talking about the idea during hearings on college sports. In 2025, Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R., Wash.), introduced a bill to limit salaries for coaches (and potentially other athletics employees).But if Buddies plan were to be implemented, there would be legal hurdles. In 1992, a federal appeals court found that putting a cap on NCAA coaching salaries was a violation of antitrust laws in the case Law v. NCAA.But one mechanism could change that: collective bargaining. And thats something Buddie, a former MLB pitcher, knows well. In the pros, salary caps and/or luxury taxes are negotiated and policed because player unions negotiate and agree to certain compensation restrictions with the league.The post TCU AD Mike Buddie: Coaches, ADs Should Have a Salary Cap appeared first on Front Office Sports.

The Chargers are less than a week away from the start of training camp, and the anticipation is building.While most starting jobs and roster spots appear to be locked in at positions like quarterback, running back and safety, there are still several key roles that remain unsettled.Those battles will begin to take shape in the coming weeks. Heading into training camp, here are the four biggest postion groups still unclear.Left guardThe left guard position will be one of the more intriguing battles entering training camp.The players fighting for the starting spot are veterans Kayode Awosika, Trevor Penning and second-round pick Jake Slaughter. Slaughter enters his first training camp having only played center at Flordia. Awosika appears to have the upper hand, as he received most of the work with the first-team offense during the spring.Running backWhileOmarion Hamptonis locked in as the featured starter, who will secure the primary change-of-pace duties is a competition in its own. Free-agent acquisitionKeaton Mitchellbrings explosive, home-run speed that fits the scheme perfectly, but he faces a strong challenge fromKimani Vidal, who proved his reliability with a productive 643-yard season last year.SafetyDerwin James Jr. is arguably the best player at his position in the league, but he spends most of the time playing the Nickel role. Therefore, the Chargers need to identify the third safety alongside James and Elijah Molden. Tony Jefferson and R.J. Mickens got playing time next to Molden last season. But fourth-round pick Genesis Smith will also be pushing for the spot. Smith is coveted for his skills in coverage.LinebackerDaiyan Henley is locked in as a starter in the middle of the defense. Denzel Perryman, who was re-signed to a one-year deal, is presumed to be the other. However, there are a few players who will be vying to start, with those being Troy Dye, Marlowe Wax, Del'Shawn Phillips, and Junior Colson, who has struggled to find his way to the field after dominating for head coach Jim Harbaugh at Michigan.This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers training camp: 4 positional battles to watch

Tony Romo - Mary Kouw / CBS via Getty ImagesFormer Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS Sports analyst Tony Romo has been arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence in Wisconsin.Romo was pulled over at 6:18 CDT in Milwaukee on Thursday, July 23, according to NBC News, where he was arrested after allegedly failing a sobriety test. He was going southbound on Interstate 43. Taken into custody, Romo has since been booked and released with a court date currently scheduled for September 21, which would coincide with Monday night of the NFLs Week 2 slate.The top CBS matchup that weekend is expected to be the Pittsburgh Steelers visiting the AFC-champion New England Patriots. Romos arrest came just hours after hed wrapped an interview with NBCs affiliate WTMJ.For those who may need a refresher on Romos career, the quarterback played for 13 seasons in the NFL, all with the Dallas Cowboys, beginning in 2006. Romo has worked alongside announcer Jim Nantz as CBSs lead NFL broadcasting crew.Romo is originally from Wisconsin, having grown up in Burlington, and was visiting to play in the 2026 Wisconsin Amateur Championship golf tournament, which has become a yearly tradition for the athlete. It is as tough as you are going to play. I think in almost any golf tournament. You get the best guys around, the competition, and then the guys who work with the WSGA they are really special people, Romo told WTMJ.He added, This is a true test this week, each area of your game. It is going to show your weaknesses because you do have to use everything. Romo is an avid golfer and has also won three times at Lake Tahoes American Century Championship celebrity tournament.More to ComeRead the latest entertainment news on TV Insider.

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