Chelsea have signed 18-year-old Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel from Santos for an undisclosed fee.

In October 2020, aged 15 years and 308 days, he became the youngest player in the history of the Brazilian top flight when he made his debut against Fluminense in the Maracana Stadium.

Angelo has gone on to score five goals in 129 games for Santos.

He became the youngest goalscorer in the Copa Libertadores when he netted in April 2021, aged 16.

A left-footed attacker, Angelo represented Brazil at under-15, under-17 and under-20 level, but is yet to receive a senior international call-up.

He is Chelsea’s third signing of the transfer window, with France forward Christopher Nkunku, 25, arriving from RB Leipzig for £52m and 22-year-old Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson moving to Stamford Bridge from Villarreal.

The Blues are also keen to reduce their squad size.

Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic has signed for Manchester City, Kai Havertz for Arsenal and Mason Mount for Manchester United, while goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and defender Kalidou Koulibaly have moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.

N’Golo Kante has made the switch to fellow Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, while midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek and winger Christian Pulisic have departed for AC Milan.

Midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has left the club as a free agent and defender Cesar Azpilicueta has moved to Atletico Madrid on a free transfer.

Manchester United are on the brink of completing the signing of Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana for almost £50m.

The Cameroonian, 27, will replace long-time number-one David de Gea, who left the club last month after 12 seasons.

Following a further meeting between United and Onana’s representatives on Sunday, it is understood an agreement was reached for a five-year contract, with the option of a further year.

Negotiations between the clubs have not yet been completed.

But it now seems certain Onana will complete the transfer in time to be on United’s tour of the United States when they leave later this week.

Manager Erik ten Hag knows Onana well from their time together at Ajax and is convinced he can give United the goalkeeping option he has wanted since he arrived at the club just over a year ago.

Onana spent seven and a half years at Ajax before moving to Inter in July 2022.

He kept eight clean sheets in 24 Serie A games as Inter finished third and also kept eight clean sheets in 13 matches in the Champions League last season – the most of any goalkeeper in the competition.

He played against Manchester City in the Champions League final in June as Inter lost 1-0.

Onana will be United’s second signing of the summer after the arrival of midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea for an initial £55m.

Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets has signed a contract with Inter Miami that will see him reunited with Argentine superstar Lionel Messi through the 2025 season, the Major League Soccer club said Sunday.

Completion of the deal comes a day after Messi, who sparked Argentina to a World Cup title last year in Qatar, signed his own contract with the club.

Inter had announced last month that they were acquiring Busquets, who will be reunited with his former Barcelona teammate Messi.

The one-time World Cup champion, nine-time LaLiga winner and former Barca captain will occupy a Designated Player slot and is expected to join the team “in the coming days,” Inter said.

“I am excited to welcome Sergio Busquets to Inter Miami,” managing owner Jorge Mas said in a statement.

“Since day one we have set out to bring the world’s best players to Inter Miami. Sergio’s repertoire speaks for itself.”

Busquets, 34, said in May that he would leave Barcelona this year at the end of his contract.

He made 134 appearances for Spain before announcing his retirement from the team in December.

Busquets has been a central part of Barcelona’s successes in the past 15 years, including three Champions League triumphs.

Busquets played as pivot behind Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez in an iconic midfield trio, and the three of them also won the World Cup with Spain in 2010.

“He is one of the smartest players to ever play the sport,” Inter’s sporting director Chris Henderson said. “He reads the game at an unprecedented level and impacts every facet of play.”

‘SPECIAL AND EXCITING OPPORTUNITY’

Busquets said the move offered a “special and exciting opportunity.”

“I was impressed by the cub when I came with Barcelona last year and now I’m happy and ready to represent the club myself. I can’t wait to help bring the success that this ambitious club strives for.”

The signing comes a day after Messi inked the contract that has energized football fans in Miami and beyond, and on the same day that Inter planned to officially present him at an “unveiling” at the club’s ground.

Messi and Busquets arrive as Inter Miami have sunk to the very bottom of Major League Soccer.

The club’s winless run extended to 11 games with a 3-0 defeat at St. Louis City on Saturday – their 14th defeat in 22 games.

Miami are bottom of the Eastern Conference and their latest loss also left them in last place in the overall standings – 29th of 29 clubs.

Messi has been expected to make his debut on Friday against Cruz Azul in the new Leagues Cup, a tournament featuring all the top-flight teams from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.

Inter said Busquets will first be available for the same game.

Not even the pouring rain could spoil Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami welcome party on Sunday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where the new face of Major League Soccer (MLS) was introduced to a packed stadium of adoring fans.

Messi, seven months removed from leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, was presented to fans during a glitzy event called ‘The Unveil’ at Miami’s home stadium.

After being introduced, the seven-times Ballon d’Or winner walked toward midfield along a spotlight-lined catwalk wearing a T-shirt and jeans and was presented with his No 10 shirt before addressing the crowd with a few brief remarks in Spanish.

“I am very happy to have chosen to come to this city with my family, to have chosen this project and I have no doubt that we are going to enjoy it very much,” said Messi.

“We are going to have a good time and great things are going to happen. Thank you very much, thank you all for this day.

“I can’t wait to start training to compete. I feel the same desire I’ve always had to compete, to really want to win and to help it (Miami) continue to grow.”

After his remarks, a video compilation of well wishes was played on the stadium’s big screen and included messages from the likes of former NFL quarterback Tom Brady and NBA player Stephen Curry.

Messi, 36, was then joined on the field by his wife and three children where they posed for photos before more fireworks lit up the night sky.

The event was being held a day after Inter Miami announced that Messi signed a contract that will keep him with the club through 2025. Messi will be available to make his debut on Friday in a Leagues Cup fixture against Mexico’s Cruz Azul.

‘THE NEXT CHAPTER’

Messi’s arrival is a huge boost for the profile of soccer in the United States, which will co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada.

He joins a Miami side co-owned by another global soccer great in David Beckham.

“Like all of you, I cannot wait to see Leo take the field in our colours,” Beckham told the crowd moments before Messi was introduced.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the next chapter of our story starts here.”

Messi has his work cut out to make the next chapter a successful one.

Miami are winless in 11 MLS matches and sit dead last in the Eastern Conference with 18 points after 22 games.

Messi’s next destination after leaving Paris St Germain had been the subject of much speculation.

A source close to Messi had told Reuters he received a formal offer to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in a deal reportedly worth around $400 million a year.

PSG suspended him for making a trip to Saudi Arabia and missing a training session as a result, and the visit fuelled speculation that he would be joining Cristiano Ronaldo in the desert kingdom.

Portugal captain Ronaldo joined Al Nassr last December on a lucrative 2-1/2 year contract.

Messi had also been linked with a return to Barcelona, the Spanish club he helped claim 10 league titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups.

But in early June Messi announced his decision to join Inter Miami in an interview with Mundo Deportivo and Sport newspaper even though a contract had not yet been signed.

Harry Maguire says he has been stripped of the Manchester United captaincy by manager Erik ten Hag.

Maguire was appointed skipper by Ten Hag’s predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January 2020 – five months after signing for £80m from Leicester City.

The England centre-back says he is “extremely disappointed” but will “continue to give my all” in the shirt.

The 30-year-old made eight starts in the Premier League last season and is linked with a move to West Ham.

United said Ten Hag will announce a new captain “in due course, after he has informed the players”. The new captain is unlikely to be confirmed until United arrive in New York on Thursday morning for their pre-season tour.

“Everyone at Manchester United thanks Harry for his contribution as captain over the past three and a half years,” the club added.

Maguire played in 31 of the club’s 62 matches in all competitions during the 2022-23 season, with Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes wearing the armband in his absence.

His contract at Old Trafford runs to 2025.

“After discussions with the manager today he has informed me he is changing captain,” Maguire posted on social media.

“He outlined his reasons to me and whilst I’m personally extremely disappointed, I will continue to give my all every time I wear the shirt.

“I wanted to say a massive thank you to the Manchester United fans for all their brilliant support whilst I’ve been wearing the armband.

“Since the day I took on the role, three and half years ago, it’s been a huge privilege to lead Manchester United and one of the proudest moments of my career to date.

“I’ve done everything I possibly could to help United be successful – on and off the field. I will always be grateful to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for first giving me the responsibility and I wish whoever now takes it on every success.”

Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez were favoured over Maguire at the heart of United’s defence last season, and when the latter was injured, Victor Lindelof deputised.

England left-back Luke Shaw was also deployed as a centre-back on several occasions by Ten Hag.

Former United boss David Moyes is keen to make additions to his West Ham squad following the sale of skipper Declan Rice to Arsenal, which could generate £105m.

Moyes is interested in Ajax’s Mexican midfielder Edson Alvarez as a possible replacement for Rice, but Maguire could prove to be a useful addition at the back, where both members of West Ham’s first-choice pairing – Kurt Zouma and Nayed Aguerd – suffered injury issues last season.

Carlos Alcaraz won the Wimbledon men’s singles title for the first time by ending Novak Djokovic’s recent dominance with a stunning victory.

Spain’s Alcaraz, 20, fought back from a nervy start to win 1-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 3-6 6-4 against the defending champion.

Djokovic was going for a fifth straight win, an eighth men’s triumph and a 24th major – all record-equalling feats.

But the 36-year-old Serb was outlasted by top seed Alcaraz, who underlined his class by winning a second major title.

“It is a dream come true for me,” Alcaraz, who was playing in only his fourth grass-court tournament, said.

“Even if I lost, I would have been proud of myself. To be able to play in these stages of these occasions – as a boy of 20 years old – is really fast.

“I’m really proud of myself.”

Alcaraz, who won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open last year, celebrated by falling flat on his face after taking his first match point and kicking a ball into the crowd.

The majority of a packed Centre Court, which included the Prince and Princess of Wales, actor Brad Pitt and two-time winner Andy Murray, rose to their feet to acclaim the All England Club’s newest champion.

As tradition now dictates, Alcaraz ran up the stairs from the court to his box and embraced coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, along with his family and friends.

Alcaraz is the third youngest man to win the Wimbledon title in the Open era after 17-year-old Boris Becker in 1985 and 20-year-old Bjorn Borg in 1976.

“You never like to lose matches like this but I guess when all the emotions are settled I have to still be very grateful,” said 23-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who broke down in tears during his on-court speech.

“I won many tough matches here. Maybe I have won a couple of finals I should have lost so maybe this is even-steven.

“It is a tough one to swallow when you are so close. I lost to a better player, I have to congratulate him, and move on – stronger hopefully.”

Fantastic final proves to be a feast

Before an eagerly anticipated men’s final between the top two seeds, Djokovic further ramped up the excitement by predicting a “feast” between a pair with equally “hungry” appetites for success.

A compelling contest – full of quality, drama and momentum swings – lived up to the hype.

The pair have been two of the leading players on the ATP Tour this year and jostled for position as the world number one.

Djokovic won the Australian Open and French Open this year to move ahead of Rafael Nadal’s tally of 22 major titles, knowing another victory would equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 victories.

At the opposite end of the career scale, Alcaraz was aiming to prove not all of the younger generation can be overawed by Djokovic’s greatness.

The Spaniard had already been dealt a chastening experience when facing Djokovic, having suffered body cramps during their French Open semi-final last month because he was so overcome by nerves.

One of the plotlines going into the Wimbledon final centred on Alcaraz’s state of mind.

Alcaraz was confident that fear was out of his system going into Sunday’s showpiece – but that did not look to be the case in a one-sided first set, which Djokovic won after just 34 minutes.

Djokovic suffocated his opponent with his deep and consistent returning, forcing Alcaraz into hurrying his shots and making too many mistakes.

Alcaraz slowly grew into the contest, finding more rhythm with his groundstrokes and introducing an increasing number of the drop shots for which he is becoming known.

After turning the deficit into a lead, helped by edging a mammoth 27-minute game early in the third set, Alcaraz produced two loose errors at a crucial time in the fourth and Djokovic went on to level.

However, Alcaraz’s composure returned in the decider.

He broke for a 2-1 lead which led to Djokovic smashing his racquet on the net post and, continuing to play with power and variety, served out a stunning victory after four hours and 42 minutes.

Djokovic still well-placed to create further history

The tears from Djokovic after the match were indicative of the physical and mental effort he puts into creating even more history.

The defeat meant he was unable to equal Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight Wimbledon titles and Court’s all-time record of 24 major wins.

Djokovic also saw two mind-boggling runs – 34 successive match wins going back to 2017, and 45 straight victories on Centre Court stretching back to 2013 – ended by Alcaraz.

Despite the disappointing manner of the loss, there was plenty to suggest the veteran is still well placed to at least equal Federer’s and Court’s tallies.

His game, physicality and elasticity remain as good as ever.

“I hope this will be the beginning of a rivalry for some time – for my sake,” said Djokovic on the prospect of more duels with Alcaraz.

“He’s going to be on the tour for quite some time. I don’t know how long I’ll be around.

“I hope we get to play at the US Open. I think it’s good for the sport, one and two in the world facing each other in a five-hour, five-set thriller.

“It couldn’t be better for our sport.”