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Derby County investment: Deal off as Turki Alalshikh shelves plans

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A deal for Alalshikh, the co-founder of boxing promotion company Zuffa, to take a stake in the Championship club had been on the table with the football regulator since May.

An IFR spokesperson said: “The IFR has a statutory duty to thoroughly test all prospective owners of a club in the top five divisions of men’s football.

“The assessment was completed in 55 days out of the 90 days allowed by law.

“The IFR had taken a ‘minded-to decision’ to approve the bid before the start of the 2026-27 season. This had been communicated to all parties last week.

“In every case, we must consider a broad but fixed list of matters, all set out in statute.

“This includes assessing all candidates against the IFR’s test on financial soundness, sufficient financial resources, source of wealth, and honesty and integrity – including a check on any criminal proceedings or convictions, civil actions and other regulatory investigations.”

The proposed deal had raised concerns among human rights campaigners, including Amnesty International, which said in June that the independent regulator faced a “defining test” over the investment.

Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority – and someone who is close to the Kingdom’s de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman – has been criticised by human rights groups for his role in alleged ‘sportswashing’.

Saudi Arabia has been accused of using sports to improve its image in the wider world to distract from its human rights record, treatment of women, use of the death penalty and its anti-LGBT stance.

As well as being the owner of Egyptian club Pyramids between 2018 and 2019, Alalshikh recently owned Spanish side Almeria but sold the club to an investment group from Saudi Arabia last May.

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Manor Solomon: West Ham United sign Israel winger from Tottenham Hotspur

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West Ham have completed the signing of winger Manor Solomon from Tottenham on a three-year contract.

The Championship club did not disclose the fee, but the Hammers are understood to have paid about £5m to make the Israel international their third permanent signing of the summer.

Solomon, 27, made 19 appearances for Italian side Fiorentina on loan last season.

He also spent time on loan at Leeds United and Spanish club Villarreal after joining Spurs in 2023.

“I know West Ham have a rich history both in the Premier League and in Europe,” said Solomon, who will wear the number 10 shirt for the side gearing up for their first season outside the top flight since 2011-12.

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Unique Michael Jordan signed card box from rookie year sells for $1.48 million

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The Michael Jordan autographed 1986 Fleer Basketball box on display.

The Michael Jordan autographed box of 1986-87 Fleer Basketball cards on display at the National Sports Collectors Convention. Brooks Peck / The Athletic

A sealed box of 1986-87 Fleer Basketball cards, signed and inscribed by Michael Jordan, sold for $1.48 million in an eBay auction Sunday night. It’s the only unopened box of ’86 Fleer Basketball — the set includes his iconic rookie card, as well as those of multiple NBA legends like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon and more — that Jordan has autographed, which he noted with an inscription reading “Rookie Card Box 1/1.”

Trading card and memorabilia company Upper Deck first announced the auction in July along with news that it had extended its long-term exclusive partnership with Jordan. The company also had Jordan autograph 23 sealed individual packs of 1986 Fleer Basketball cards that collectors can claim through a redemption program and will be part of its 2026 Goodwin Champions release. Ten percent of the proceeds from the auction will go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

The 1986 Fleer Basketball set was largely disregarded upon its debut, as the NBA and basketball card collecting were far less popular than they are today. Jordan, however, became a global superstar in the 1990s and fans began to collect anything and everything associated with him; his rookie card and the set it came in rose significantly in value. Today, a sealed box of ’86 Fleer not signed by Jordan is worth north of $100,000. Each box contains 36 packs and about three to four Jordan #57 cards on average.

What’s interesting about the final price of the signed box is that it’s considerably lower than the record $2.7 million that a single Fleer rookie card signed by Jordan sold for last fall, even though the box is a one-of-one while there are more than 100 authenticated ’86 Fleer Jordan autographed cards. It illustrates how scarcity isn’t always the ultimate factor in the collectibles market and how individual cards are often more desirable to collectors. For example, cards bearing a small piece of a player’s game-used jersey often sell for far more than a full game-used jersey of the same player.

Jordan collectibles, including his ’86 Fleer card, are arguably more popular than ever right now. According to GemRate, which tracks trading card sales and grading data, more than $68 million was spent on individual Jordan cards on eBay alone through the first half of 2026, second only to Shohei Ohtani ($85.6 million), rising from just over $8 million in January to almost $17 million in June.

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Endrick set to stay at Real Madrid despite interest from European clubs

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Endrick warms up for Real Madrid

The 20-year-old forward spent the second half of last season on loan at French club Lyon. Christian Bruna/Getty Images

Real Madrid forward Endrick is set to remain at the club for upcoming season, despite interest from several European clubs.

There is competition for minutes along Madrid’s front line, though the 20-year-old is expected to stay at Madrid and fight for his place. The decision was made by the player, the club and head coach Jose Mourinho.

The Brazil international had attracted interest from multiple top clubs across Europe.

Endrick is expected to have more opportunities on the right side of attack, as well as the chance to operate as a central striker, serving as a backup to Kylian Mbappe alongside new signing Carlos Espi.

His situation is expected to reviewed in January, in a similar fashion to earlier this year, when he joined French side Lyon on loan after receiving a lack of first-team opportunities at Madrid. Endrick recorded eight goals in 21 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 club.

In total, Endrick has featured 40 times for Madrid, scoring seven times.

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