August 4 – Amidst the wave of reaction emanating from Neymar’s blockbuster transfer from Barcelona to Paris, the international players’ union FIFPro has called on the European Commission to do something to stop the game rapidly being destabilised by the deep pockets of a select few clubs.
By Paul Nicholson
August 4 – He might be the most expensive player of all time, but €222 million Brazilian money machine Neymar does not even make it to the UEFA shortlist of best players for their 2016/17 club competition awards. His former club colleague Lionel Messi does make it.
By Mark Baber
Albania’s Football Federation (FAA) has issued a statement of support for Ismail Morinaj, the man who famously flew a drone with a nationalist banner into a Belgrade stadium during a Euro 2016 qualifier, sparking riots around the Balkans, igniting nationalist fervour and, thanks to the reaction of some Serbian fans, greatly assisting in Albania’s qualification for their first major international tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 4 – No more rumours, no more speculation. Just global disbelief. The protracted €222 million world record transfer of Brazil forward Neymar to Paris St Germain from Barcelona has finally been completed, with the Brazilian forward telling anyone who will listen that he needed a new challenge rather than the record-shattering move being just about the money.
August 4 – Former Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner has completed his £5.67 million takeover of Portsmouth via his Eisner’s Tornante Company.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 4 – The closed shop system in the United States which prevents promotion and relegation has long been a source of controversy, but usually only outside the country where traditional fans are bemused by a practise that differs totally from the rest of the world.
August 4 – Hosts the Netherlands sent England crashing out of Euro 2017 in the semi-finals with a 3-0 victory. In the final they face Denmark, who eliminated Austria after a penalty shoot out.
August 4 – Masked hooligans attacked staff members travelling with an Israeli team following a friendly match in Poland on Wednesday in what the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw described as an “anti-Semitic incident.”
August 4 – EA Sports has signed on to become an Official Partner of the English Football League (EFL), in a six-year agreement to become the league’s on-screen data partner and the first sponsor of the new digital streaming service, iFollow, that launches with the season kick-off tonight (Friday).
August 4 – The United Soccer League (USL), the second tier of US professional football, has announced an expanded 31-week season for 2018, with clubs playing 34 games.
August 4 – Leicester City have renewed motor and travel insurance provider DirectAsia for a second year as an Official Partner. No value was put on the deal that focus on south-east Asia.
August 3 – With Europe’s transfer deadline now less than 30 days away and the start of the Premier League season just eight days off, how much more activity can be expected in what has already been a financially explosive window?
By Samindra Kunti
August 3 – Brazil’s highest court the Federal Supreme Court, the STF, is to probe the corruption inquiry targeting CBF president Marco Polo Del Nero and his predecessors José Maria Marin and Ricardo Teixeira. José Hawilla, owner and founder of sports marketing agency Traffic, is also a defendant in the case.
August 3 – Adidas has signed a record breaking six year renewal with Major League Soccer reckoned to be worth more than $700 million, according to reports.
August 3 – As the football world awaits the official unveiling of Neymar’s world record €222 million move from Barcelona to Paris St Germain, reaction to the deal is coming in thick and fast led by Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp who has slammed the fee as flying in the face of UEFA’s attempt to cut down excessive spending.