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Rodri: Man City open to selling midfielder for £60m

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Manchester City are open to selling midfielder Rodri but would demand more than £60m as Barcelona accelerate their interest in signing the Spain captain, sources have told BBC Sport.

The 30-year-old enters the final year of his contract at Etihad Stadium and is yet to sign a new deal, with speculation rife about his future this summer.

It looked like Real Madrid would be his next destination but La Liga rivals Barcelona now seem to be leading the race after sources told BBC Sport on Thursday that the club had the player’s approval to open negotiations with City.

Barca sources had initially told BBC Sport there were no guarantees any deal would be made but the situation now looks to be developing.

The club said on Friday they are in ongoing conversations with the player’s representatives.

BBC sources say talks with Real have now ended.

Rodri missed much of the 2024-25 campaign after sustaining a serious knee injury, and parts of last season were disrupted by a hamstring issue.

However, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner was back to his best at the World Cup in the summer, leading Spain to their second title and being named player of the tournament.

He is currently out of action after undergoing back surgery last month and is scheduled to link back up with his City team-mates in Manchester early next week.

Approaching the second week of August in the transfer window, City will be aiming to resolve Rodri’s future swiftly in order to sign a replacement.

Talks are ongoing to sign 18-year-old Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, but the French club’s £86m asking price appears to be a sticking point.

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How to watch Guardians vs. White Sox: TV channel and streaming options for August 7

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The Cleveland Guardians hope to stop their three-game losing run against the Chicago White Sox, on Friday at 7:40 p.m. ET. Parker Messick (8-6, 2.57 ERA) will start for the Guardians, who are 57-59 this season and third in the AL Central. Noah Schultz (3-8, 5.82 ERA) is expected to start for the White Sox, who are 59-55 and first in the AL Central.

How to watch Cleveland Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox

Guardians vs. White Sox odds

  • Favorite Moneyline: Guardians -143
  • Underdog Moneyline: White Sox +118
  • Total: 7.5
  • Total Over Odds: -115
  • Total Under Odds: -105

Injury reports

Guardians

Shawn Armstrong: 60 Day IL (Leg)

White Sox

Kyle Teel: 10 Day IL (Ankle), Tanner Murray: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Prelander Berroa: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Ky Bush: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Mike Vasil: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Jordan Leasure: 60 Day IL (Flexor), Brooks Baldwin: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Drew Thorpe: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Joey Bart: day-to-day (Hand)

Stats to know

  • Cleveland’s Chase DeLauter has hit 12 home runs this season. He has also tallied 56 RBIs and has scored 44 runs. In 414 plate appearances, he has recorded a .279 BA, .355 OBP and .440 SLG with a 10.9% walk rate and a 14.3% strikeout rate. He has been effective on the base paths, recording seven steals on nine attempts.
  • In 364 plate appearances, José Ramírez has slashed .234/.333/.388 this season. He has hit 10 long balls and driven in 35 runs with a strikeout rate of 12.6% and a walk rate of 12.9%. He has 27 stolen bases on 29 attempts. He has come around to score 50 times.
  • Miguel Vargas has hit 24 home runs this season, which ranks 15th in MLB. He has also tallied 67 RBIs and has scored 76 runs. In 496 plate appearances, he has recorded a .236 BA, .341 OBP and .471 SLG with a 12.7% walk rate and an 18.1% strikeout rate. He has been effective on the base paths, recording 12 steals on 14 attempts.
  • In 466 plate appearances, Chase Meidroth has hit 11 long balls, tallied 44 RBIs and scored 67 runs. He is batting .275/.352/.405 and has posted a 22.7% strikeout rate and a 9.9% walk rate.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Ishika Samant, Scott Taetsch, Alika Jenner / Getty Images

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James Harden has misdemeanor gun charge dropped

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James Harden of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on against the Detroit Pistons.

James Harden agreed to an “alternative resolution” with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, and the misdemeanor gun charge against him were subsequently dropped. Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

The Harris County (Texas) District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to dismiss the misdemeanor charge against James Harden on Thursday after the 11-time NBA All-Star “completed an alternative resolution agreement,” according to a court document obtained by The Athletic. The 36-year-old Harden was previously facing charges for unlawfully carrying a gun inside a motor vehicle in June.

It is not known what the “alternative resolution agreement” entails. The Athletic has reached out to the district attorney’s office for clarification and will update the story upon a response.

The Athletic has also reached out to Harden’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, and will update the story if he responds.

Harden, 36, was arrested in the morning hours on June 13 and booked at the Harris County Jail but was released on a $100 bond. His bond terms, according to a court document, prohibited him from possessing any firearms. He was also required to submit to a random urinalysis and was prohibited from consuming alcohol, controlled substances, drugs or marijuana unless prescribed by a doctor.

Harden, a 17-year veteran, began his career in Oklahoma City before spending nine seasons in Houston, with subsequent stops in Brooklyn, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Clippers before joining Cleveland via trade this past season. He declined his $42.3 million player option in late June and remains an unrestricted free agent as he and the Cavs negotiate a deal that is expected to bring him back to Cleveland.

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Conor McGregor hints at comeback after successful knee surgery

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Conor McGregor has reiterated his desire to return to fighting after undergoing surgery on the knee injury sustained during his UFC comeback.

The 38-year-old’s return to the octagon against Max Holloway at UFC 329 last month lasted just 69 seconds because of the injury.

The Irishman’s knee appeared to give way when he missed with his first attempted roundhouse kick in the opening seconds of the fight.

“Surgery done. Knee repaired,” McGregor wrote on Instagram., external

“The doubters can keep talking. I didn’t run from the pain – I walked straight into it.

“Now the real work begins. Comeback season starts now. No shortcuts. No excuses. Just the will to rise again.”

In the video that accompanied the post, McGregor spoke of other athletes who have made successful returns from serious injuries, including two-time UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, two-division champion Georges St-Pierre and seven-time Super Bowl-winner Tom Brady.

“These are my motivation here, especially the fighting boys,” he said. “My mindset is unstoppable, unbreakable.”

Last month’s fight, in which Holloway was declared winner by technical knockout, was McGregor’s first UFC appearance since he broke his leg in a defeat by Dustin Poirier in 2021.

Critics have questioned whether McGregor still deserves the spotlight after a series of controversies in recent years, including court cases and missed drugs tests.

In November 2024, Nikita Hand, who accused McGregor of raping her, won her claim against him for damages for assault by rape in a civil case.

Last year, McGregor also accepted an 18-month ban for violating the UFC’s anti-doping policy after missing three drugs tests within a 12-month period in 2024.

The ban, which was backdated to the third missed test in September 2024, concluded in March.

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