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Ten of the Best Value-For-Money Signings Around Europe This Summer

Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir, Parma’s Matteo Darmian and Milan’s Ismaël Bennacer could prove to be astute additions. Composite: Getty Images
Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir, Parma’s Matteo Darmian and Milan’s Ismaël Bennacer could prove to be astute additions. Composite: Getty Images
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Ten of the Best Value-For-Money Signings Around Europe This Summer

Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir, Parma’s Matteo Darmian and Milan’s Ismaël Bennacer could prove to be astute additions. Composite: Getty Images
Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir, Parma’s Matteo Darmian and Milan’s Ismaël Bennacer could prove to be astute additions. Composite: Getty Images

Nabil Fekir (attacking midfielder), Lyon to Real Betis, £17.8m
The Lyon playmaker almost signed for Liverpool last summer, only for fitness concerns to scupper a £53m deal. Fears over Fekir’s durability may have reduced his price but he was still expected to attract interest from Europe’s elite after impressing in the Champions League. Instead, mid-table Real Betis lured him, in the summer’s biggest shock move. At 26, Fekir is approaching his prime – and if he can help Betis break the top four, he will have handsomely repaid his fee.

Kasper Dolberg (forward), Ajax to Nice, £18.2m
Ajax’s team of young talents took Europe by storm last season, but Dolberg flew under the radar. The Denmark international failed to score in the Champions League and lost his place to Dusan Tadic, a revelation in the false nine role. Domestically, Dolberg was far more impressive, with 11 goals and five assists. Nice, recently taken over by UK-based company Ineos and managed by Patrick Vieira, may be the perfect place for the 21-year-old to develop. Don’t be surprised if his next move comes at a far bigger price.

Matteo Darmian (defender), Man Utd to Parma, £1.3m
There are few assets that depreciate faster than a Manchester United footballer. Darmian joined Parma on deadline day for a minuscule fee – less than 2% of that paid for Harry Maguire. The full-back never really looked up to United’s level but will surely improve a mid-table side, still rebuilding after financial meltdown. The 29-year-old is a versatile defender who brings World Cup, European Championship and Champions League experience back to Serie A.

Efthymios Koulouris (forward), PAOK to Toulouse, £3.1m
Last season PAOK Salonika won the Greek title unbeaten. Koulouris was the league’s top scorer with 19 goals – while on loan at another club, Atromitos. The youth product looked set to bolster the champions’ options but Toulouse swooped for a player with one extraordinary scoring season (25 goals in 35 games) behind him. The 23-year-old, dubbed the “Greek Benzema”, has started well in France, scoring on his debut and adding a memorable counterattacking goal against Amiens.

Bas Dost (forward), Sporting to Eintracht Frankfurt, £6.3m
Frankfurt, having sold Luka Jovic to Real Madrid and Sébastien Haller to West Ham, let Ante Rebic leave for Milan on deadline day, and three players with 57 goals between them last term were gone. Adi Hütter has reinvested Jovic’s €60m fee to bolster all areas of his squad, with André Silva (on loan) and Dost the key attacking recruits. The Dutch forward may not be a glamour signing, but he scored 76 goals in 84 appearances in Portugal. The 30-year-old is such a natural finisher he went a calendar year scoring exclusively with his first touch.

Daley Sinkgraven (defender), Ajax to Bayer Leverkusen, £4.5m
Part of the Ajax team that reached the Europa League final under Peter Bosz, Sinkgraven found his opportunities limited by injuries before Bosz, now Leverkusen’s manager, brought him to the Bundesliga. Primarily a left-back, Sinkgraven can also play in midfield and as a winger, and completes a useful summer for the Champions League returnees, who also recruited PSG winger Moussa Diaby and Hoffenheim midfielder Nadiem Amiri at reasonable prices.

Victor Osimhen (forward), Charleroi to Lille, £10.8m
After Lille’s surprise second-place finish last season, Europe’s big spenders began circling, with Arsenal signing Nicolas Pépé and Rafael Leão joining Milan. The Ligue 1 side have replenished their squad with the next wave of young talent, including Bayern outcast Renato Sanches and Turkish playmaker Yusuf Yazici. Osimhen was allowed to leave Wolfsburg last summer but a 20-goal season in Belgium with Charleroi earned him a chance in Ligue 1 – and the 20-year-old has four goals in his first four appearances.

Ismaël Bennacer (midfielder), Empoli to Milan, £14.4m
From Lionel Messi to N’Golo Kanté via Serge Gnabry, Arsenal have a history of letting superstars slip through their fingers. Bennacer didn’t make the grade there and left for Empoli in 2017 – with a buy-back clause allowing Arsenal to match any bids. When Milan offered €16m after he shone at the Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria, Arsenal got their chance – and politely declined, instead paying a rumored £12m to loan Dani Ceballos for one season. Bennacer, a holding midfielder capable of creative bursts, could prove to be the latest star that got away.

Tomas Koubek (goalkeeper), Rennes to Augsburg, £6.4m
As a Czech international keeper at Rennes, Koubek drew inevitable comparisons with Peter Cech. Although the 27-year-old has not reached those heights, his heroics helped Rennes stun PSG in this year’s Coupe de France final, and drew interest from Porto. It was a surprise, then, to see Koubek shown the door weeks later, after reportedly falling out with the club’s hierarchy. He has landed with Augsburg, where a safe pair of hands are urgently required – they conceded a Bundesliga-high 71 goals last season.

Ryan Kent (winger), Liverpool to Rangers, £6.5m
The deadline-day deal for Kent is Rangers’ biggest outlay since their financial collapse. Hardly a cut-price fee, then, but the 22-year-old could be crucial if Rangers are to maintain a title challenge. Kent made 43 appearances on loan last season, earning the PFA Scotland young player of the year award. His swashbuckling style earned praise from Jürgen Klopp in pre-season, but he left Liverpool minutes before the window shut.

How last year’s picks have fared:
William Carvalho (M), Sporting–Betis, £13.3m: The holding midfielder made 43 appearances in a quietly impressive first season in Spain.

Alban Lafont (GK), Toulouse-Fiorentina, £6.75m: The highly-rated young keeper failed to settle at Fiorentina and has returned to France, joining Nantes on loan.

Juan Bernat (D), Bayern-PSG, £13.5m: The versatile Spaniard featured regularly in Ligue 1 but made the biggest impact in Europe with three Champions League goals.

Robin Olsen (GK), Copenhagen-Roma, £7.6m: Sweden’s No 1 failed to fill the gap left by Alisson and has been loaned to Cagliari after the arrival of Pau López.

João Moutinho (M), Monaco-Wolves, £5m: Played a pivotal midfield role as Wolves finished seventh in the Premier League, securing a return to Europe.

Danny Ings (F), Liverpool-Southampton, loan with £18m obligation: Scored eight goals in his first season but continues to struggle with injury problems.

Paco Alcácer (F), Barcelona-Dortmund, loan with £21m option: The striker has been reborn in Germany, his goalscoring form convincing Dortmund to seal a permanent deal early.

Hamza Mendyl (D), Lille-Schalke £6.3m: Struggled for first-team chances and has been loaned to Dijon by Schalke’s new manager, David Wagner.

Fabian Schär (D), Deportivo-Newcastle, £3m: Became a key member of a reliable defense under Rafa Benítez, and chipped in with goals, too.

Saman Ghoddos (F), Östersund-Amiens, £3.4m: The Iranian was signed from under the noses of Huesca, but spent several weeks out with appendicitis, and has been banned for four months after the Spanish side complained to Fifa.

(The Guardian)

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Refugee Team for Paris Olympics Has 36 Athletes from 11 Countries across 12 Sports

The logo of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is pictured in front of the National Assembly in Paris, France, May 2, 2024. (Reuters)
The logo of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is pictured in front of the National Assembly in Paris, France, May 2, 2024. (Reuters)
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Refugee Team for Paris Olympics Has 36 Athletes from 11 Countries across 12 Sports

The logo of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is pictured in front of the National Assembly in Paris, France, May 2, 2024. (Reuters)
The logo of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is pictured in front of the National Assembly in Paris, France, May 2, 2024. (Reuters)

The Refugee Team for the Paris Olympics will feature 36 athletes from 11 countries in 12 sports.

They were picked from more than 70 scholarships, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said at the team announcement on Thursday.

Instead of competing under the Olympic flag, the refugees have their own emblem featuring a heart at its center, surrounded by arrows symbolizing how lost refugees can find their way back. The team will be known under the acronym EOR from the French name Équipe Olympique des Réfugiés.

"Having our own emblem creates a sense of belonging, and empowers us to also stand for the population of more than 100 million people who share this same experience," said Masomah Ali Zada of Afghanistan, the team chef de mission who competed in women’s cycling at the Tokyo Games. "I cannot wait to wear it proudly."

A total of 23 men and 13 women will compete in athletics, badminton, boxing, breaking, canoeing, cycling, judo, shooting, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling at the Games starting on July 24.

Boxer Cindy Ngamba and Ethiopian runner Farida Abaroge are among the women. Kasra Mehdipournejad, an Iranian taekwondo athlete living in Germany, and shooter Edilio Francisco Centeno Nieves from Venezuela are among the men.

"My Olympic dream is coming true," Mehdipournejad said.

On Tuesday, a third runner on the team was suspended for a positive doping test.

The refugee team was created by the IOC for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro to allow athletes to keep competing, even if they have been forced to leave their home countries.

There were 10 athletes in Rio, with Syrian swimmer Yusra Mardini becoming the first to compete. Three years ago in Tokyo the number was 29 across 12 sports.

Sports

Tottenham Manager Postecoglou Jokes He’s Moving to Sweden for a Life without VAR 

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou looks on during his teams 3-2 loss against Arsenal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal FC in London, Britain, 28 April 2024. (EPA)
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou looks on during his teams 3-2 loss against Arsenal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal FC in London, Britain, 28 April 2024. (EPA)
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Tottenham Manager Postecoglou Jokes He’s Moving to Sweden for a Life without VAR 

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou looks on during his teams 3-2 loss against Arsenal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal FC in London, Britain, 28 April 2024. (EPA)
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou looks on during his teams 3-2 loss against Arsenal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal FC in London, Britain, 28 April 2024. (EPA)

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou joked Wednesday that he would move to Sweden because of its refusal to adopt VAR technology.

Most soccer leagues around the world use video assistant referees to determine offsides and other key calls. But Sweden is an outlier as the only one of Europe’s top-30 ranked leagues in holding out.

“Yeah, I’m moving there,” Postecoglou said. “I don’t have a job, I’m just moving there.”

VAR calls continue to be a contentious issue and despite Postecoglou’s concerns, his Tottenham team benefited from a major error earlier this season when Liverpool erroneously had a goal ruled out in a 2-1 loss to the Londoners.

The referees’ governing body in England quickly introduced changes to VAR after reviewing the errors that led to Luis Diaz having a goal disallowed, despite replays clearly showing he was onside.

But Postecoglou believes more reform is needed.

“I’d change a hell of a lot on it, but again I’ve said before that I think it’s changed the game materially, which I don’t think was the intention when it was brought in,” he said ahead of Spurs’ game against Chelsea in the Premier League on Thursday.

Sports

F1 Champion Senna Remembered on Imola Track 30 Years After His Death During San Marino GP 

People lay flowers at the grave of Brazilian F1 driver Ayrton Senna in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 1, 2024, during the 30th anniversary of his death. (AFP)
People lay flowers at the grave of Brazilian F1 driver Ayrton Senna in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 1, 2024, during the 30th anniversary of his death. (AFP)
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F1 Champion Senna Remembered on Imola Track 30 Years After His Death During San Marino GP 

People lay flowers at the grave of Brazilian F1 driver Ayrton Senna in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 1, 2024, during the 30th anniversary of his death. (AFP)
People lay flowers at the grave of Brazilian F1 driver Ayrton Senna in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 1, 2024, during the 30th anniversary of his death. (AFP)

The 30th anniversary of three-time F1 champion Ayrton Senna’s death was commemorated Wednesday with a memorial on the Imola track where he crashed during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali was joined Wednesday by hundreds of fans, politicians from Brazil and Italy, plus a representative from Austria to also recall fellow Formula One driver Roland Ratzenberger, who died a day earlier during qualifying.

At 2:17 p.m. (1217 GMT), a minute of silence was held and flowers laid down at the Tamburello curve to observe the exact time and place that the 34-year-old Senna crashed into a concrete wall at about 300 kph (185 mph).

Then flowers were also laid down at the Villeneuve corner only slightly further down the track where the 33-year-old Ratzenberger crashed.

Senna, the Brazilian driver who won F1 titles in 1988, 1990 and 1991, was leading the race in Imola when he crashed.

Ratzenberger was an F1 rookie from Austria.

“They are part of sports history and history in general for what they represented,” Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.

The attention around Senna’s death brought about safety improvements at the Imola track and throughout F1, resulting in shorter straights, more room around dangerous turns and less powerful engines.

Sports

Fiery Rublev Keeps a Cool Head to Move on in Madrid 

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - May 1, 2024 Russia's Andrey Rublev celebrates winning his quarter final match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. (Reuters)
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - May 1, 2024 Russia's Andrey Rublev celebrates winning his quarter final match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. (Reuters)
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Fiery Rublev Keeps a Cool Head to Move on in Madrid 

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - May 1, 2024 Russia's Andrey Rublev celebrates winning his quarter final match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. (Reuters)
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - May 1, 2024 Russia's Andrey Rublev celebrates winning his quarter final match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. (Reuters)

Andrey Rublev surprised himself by managing to stay calm during an intense battle with Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid quarter-finals on Wednesday and the fiery Russian said his work on the mental side of the game was starting to pay off.

Rublev, who fought back from a set down to beat world number three Alcaraz 4-6 6-3 6-2, has struggled to keep his temper under control at times on tour.

The 26-year-old was defaulted in the Dubai Championships in March after a Russian-speaking official said he uttered an obscenity while screaming at a line judge, an accusation that the player denied.

In another match against Alcaraz in the ATP Finals last year, Rublev drew gasps from the Turin crown by repeatedly smashing his racket into his leg before wiping blood off his knee during a changeover.

He destroyed another racket after his shock defeat by Brandon Nakashima in Barcelona last month and had heated arguments with the chair umpire in Madrid last weekend, but the seventh seed said he was making efforts to address the issue.

"I can't believe I was able to stay calm throughout the match," Rublev told Sky Sports after downing defending champion Alcaraz. "I didn't say a word. Even I'm impressed by that."

Coming into Madrid on a four-match losing streak after early defeats in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona, Rublev looked back to his best against Alcaraz.

He said he had been working hard at staying cool in the heat of battle.

"I want to believe that I've been working on this because if not then I'm stupid," he added.

"After so many years, to not improve on this would mean that something is wrong with my head."

Rublev faces American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals as he targets a second Masters title heading into the French Open that begins on May 26.

Sports

Bundesliga Pressure off Dortmund After Win over PSG 

Dortmund players celebrate with their supporters after winning the UEFA Champions League semi final, 1st leg match between Borussia Dortmund and Paris St Germain in Dortmund, Germany, 01 May 2024. (EPA)
Dortmund players celebrate with their supporters after winning the UEFA Champions League semi final, 1st leg match between Borussia Dortmund and Paris St Germain in Dortmund, Germany, 01 May 2024. (EPA)
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Bundesliga Pressure off Dortmund After Win over PSG 

Dortmund players celebrate with their supporters after winning the UEFA Champions League semi final, 1st leg match between Borussia Dortmund and Paris St Germain in Dortmund, Germany, 01 May 2024. (EPA)
Dortmund players celebrate with their supporters after winning the UEFA Champions League semi final, 1st leg match between Borussia Dortmund and Paris St Germain in Dortmund, Germany, 01 May 2024. (EPA)

The storm clouds that had been gathering for weeks over Borussia Dortmund lifted suddenly following their 1-0 Champions League semi-final first-leg win over Paris St Germain on Wednesday, with a spot in next season's top European club competition in the bag.

Coach Edin Terzic and his team had faced mounting criticism for weeks for their erratic domestic form, but they can now breathe a sigh of relief. They will go into next week's return leg with a slim advantage but equally importantly having earned Germany a fifth place in the competition for next season.

With three league games left to play, Dortmund are fifth, five behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig and 12 ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt in sixth, ensuring they are the beneficiaries of the additional spot.

Their domestic form this season has not matched their European success and with only one win in their last four Bundesliga matches, they looked set to miss out on next season's Champions League, especially after last week's 4-1 demolition by Leipzig.

They sensationally lost last season's league title on the final matchday.

But the atmosphere at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday will be anything but subdued when they host Augsburg, with the prospect of a Champions League final and a spot in next season's competition enough to put a smile on every Dortmund fan's face.

"We covered up a miserable Bundesliga season with a good Champions League campaign," said Dortmund defender and Wednesday's man-of-the-match Mats Hummels.

"We are not shutting our eyes to this Bundesliga season but obviously we now want to go to Wembley."

The Champions League final in London could be a repeat of the 2013 edition when Dortmund lost to Bayern Munich in an all-German clash. The Bavarians on Tuesday drew 2-2 against Real Madrid in Munich in their first leg.

Bayern, who saw their 11-year league reign come to an end when Bayer Leverkusen secured the title last month, are in second place but also preoccupied with an ongoing search for a successor to coach Thomas Tuchel, who will leave at the end of the season.

They face in-form VfB Stuttgart, who are third five points behind, and in high spirits after securing their Champions League participation for next season following Dortmund's win that earned the fifth spot.

"Our VfB will play on European football's biggest stage next season," said club chairman Alexander Wehrle. "Qualifying for this event which promises magical European Cup nights for all fans is the result of excellent work from all involved."

Sports

Austria Coach Ralf Rangnick Becomes the Latest to Turn Down Bayern Munich 

Austria's coach Ralf Rangnick looks on during the UEFA Euro 2024 group F qualification football match between Belgium and Austria at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, on June 17, 2023. (AFP)
Austria's coach Ralf Rangnick looks on during the UEFA Euro 2024 group F qualification football match between Belgium and Austria at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, on June 17, 2023. (AFP)
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Austria Coach Ralf Rangnick Becomes the Latest to Turn Down Bayern Munich 

Austria's coach Ralf Rangnick looks on during the UEFA Euro 2024 group F qualification football match between Belgium and Austria at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, on June 17, 2023. (AFP)
Austria's coach Ralf Rangnick looks on during the UEFA Euro 2024 group F qualification football match between Belgium and Austria at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, on June 17, 2023. (AFP)

Ralf Rangnick became the latest high-profile coach to turn down the vacant Bayern Munich job on Thursday.

Rangnick has decided to remain in charge of Austria beyond this summer’s European Championship.

“I am the Austrian team manager with all my heart. This job gives me incredible joy and I’m determined to continue successfully on the path we’ve chosen,” Rangnick said in a statement on the Austrian Football Association website. “I would like to expressly stress that this is not a rejection of FC Bayern, but a decision in favor of my team and our common goals.”

Rangnick’s decision is an embarrassing blow for Bayern, whose officials had been praising the 65-year-old former Leipzig and Manchester United coach in recent days.

“He has huge skills in developing players and teams. Everything I hear from people around the Austrian national team is very, very positive. And we ourselves have players who work under him,” Bayern president Herbert Hainer said this week. “If he were to come, he would be a very good choice for us.”

Rangnick had emerged as the favorite to take over from the departing Thomas Tuchel as other candidates ruled themselves out.

Xabi Alonso stayed with Bayer Leverkusen, former Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann extended his contract with Germany, and Unai Emery opted to stay with Aston Villa.

Tuchel is leaving Bayern at the end of the season following a mutual agreement in February to end their collaboration after a run of three games without a win. Leverkusen went on to win the Bundesliga, ending Bayern’s 11-year reign as champion, but Tuchel could yet lead the club to Champions League glory.

Bayern faces Real Madrid for the second leg of their Champions League semifinal next week after a 2-2 draw in the first leg on Tuesday.

Rangnick may have had cause to reconsider after club powerbroker Uli Hoeneß harshly criticized Tuchel last week.

“We're extremely happy about his decision,” Austria sports director Peter Schöttel said. “We understood he had two very attractive options and gave him the time to weigh everything up carefully. We're proud that he has chosen Austria.”

Sports

AlUla to Host Arab Cup and World Championship for Camels

The event is part of their broader initiative to establish AlUla as the premier destination for traditional sports in the region. (SPA)
The event is part of their broader initiative to establish AlUla as the premier destination for traditional sports in the region. (SPA)
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AlUla to Host Arab Cup and World Championship for Camels

The event is part of their broader initiative to establish AlUla as the premier destination for traditional sports in the region. (SPA)
The event is part of their broader initiative to establish AlUla as the premier destination for traditional sports in the region. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia's Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate announced on Wednesday its plans to host the inaugural Arab Camel Cup and the World Camel Endurance Championship, in collaboration with the Arab and International Camel Federations.

The event is part of their broader initiative to establish AlUla as the premier destination for traditional sports in the region.

The Arab Camel Cup is scheduled to take place on May 3 at the Mughira Heritage Sports Village. Elite camels from 15 countries will compete in 13 rounds for prizes exceeding SAR3 million.

The World Camel Endurance Championship will kick off on May 4, featuring camels and jockeys from various corners of the globe, vying for prizes totaling SAR2 million.

The race consists of two stages, spanning a distance of 16 kilometers. Both men and women will participate in two categories, utilizing the riding techniques of Hail, Thanaya Bakkar, Zamoul, and Thanaya Qadan.

Each first-place winner in the two categories will be awarded a prize of SAR500,000, while the remaining prizes will be distributed among the winners of the other categories.

Sports

Newey Confirms 2025 Exit in Blow to Red Bull

Technical chief Adrian Newey of Red Bull Racing watches the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, Spain, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (AP)
Technical chief Adrian Newey of Red Bull Racing watches the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, Spain, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (AP)
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Newey Confirms 2025 Exit in Blow to Red Bull

Technical chief Adrian Newey of Red Bull Racing watches the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, Spain, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (AP)
Technical chief Adrian Newey of Red Bull Racing watches the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, Spain, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (AP)

Formula One's most sought after designer Adrian Newey will leave Red Bull in the first quarter of 2025, after 19 years at the F1 team, Red Bull said in a statement on Wednesday.

The BBC and Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reported last month that the Briton had told Red Bull he wanted to move on following allegations about team principal Christian Horner.

Horner was cleared in February of alleged misconduct towards a female employee, who has lodged an appeal against the outcome.

"For almost two decades it has been my great honor to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing's progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning Team," Newey said in a statement.

"However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself."

Newey cars have won 25 drivers' and constructors' championships for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull. His 2023 car was the most dominant in the sport's history with 21 wins from 22 races.

Red Bull said the 65-year-old would step back from Formula One design duties but would continue to attend specific races until the end of the current season.

"All of our greatest moments from the past 20 years have come with Adrian's hand on the technical tiller," Horner said. "His vision and brilliance have helped us to 13 titles in 20 seasons.

"For me, when Adrian joined Red Bull, he was already a superstar designer. Two decades and 13 Championships later he leaves as a true legend."

Red Bull are currently dominant with triple world champion Max Verstappen but Newey has been a regular target for top teams.

He has been reluctant to leave England, where most of the teams are based.

Ferrari, who will have seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton joining them next season from Mercedes, and British-based Aston Martin have been named as possible future employers and have made overtures.

Red Bull are finishing their partnership with Honda at the end of next season and making their own engine with backing from Ford when the sport starts a new power unit era in 2026.

The team have been going through turmoil since before the start of the season, with Horner in the spotlight and having issues with Verstappen's father Jos and Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko.

Formula One veteran Marko and the Verstappens are close, with Max linking his future at the team to the Austrian remaining.

Newey is regarded as equally vital to Red Bull's success as Verstappen, even if the Briton is not a one-man band and has a team of highly-rated designers and aerodynamicists working with him.

Sports

Paris Olympic Athletes Will Feast on Freshly Baked Bread, Select Cheeses and Plenty of Veggies

Charles Guilloy, the executive chef for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, prepares one of the recipes that will be available at the athletes' village during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, during a press presentation in Paris, France, April 30, 2024. (Reuters)
Charles Guilloy, the executive chef for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, prepares one of the recipes that will be available at the athletes' village during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, during a press presentation in Paris, France, April 30, 2024. (Reuters)
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Paris Olympic Athletes Will Feast on Freshly Baked Bread, Select Cheeses and Plenty of Veggies

Charles Guilloy, the executive chef for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, prepares one of the recipes that will be available at the athletes' village during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, during a press presentation in Paris, France, April 30, 2024. (Reuters)
Charles Guilloy, the executive chef for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, prepares one of the recipes that will be available at the athletes' village during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, during a press presentation in Paris, France, April 30, 2024. (Reuters)

Freshly cooked bread, select cheeses and a broad veggie offer will be among the meals to be offered to athletes and visitors during the 2024 Paris Olympics — including, of course, gourmet dishes created by renowned French chefs.

About 40,000 meals are expected to be served each day during the Games to the more than 15,000 athletes from 200 different countries housed at the Olympic village.

Visitors, too, will be able to enjoy some specially created snacks at the different venues.

French food services company Sodexo Live!, which was selected to oversee the catering at the athletes’ village and 14 venues of the Paris Games, said it has created a total of 500 recipes, which will notably be offered at a sit-down eatery for up to 3,500 athletes at the village, meant to be the "world's largest restaurant."

"Of course, there will be some classics for athletes, like pasta," said Nathalie Bellon-Szabo, global CEO of Sodexo Live! But the food will have a "very French touch."

Athletes will also have access to "grab and go" food stands, including one dedicated exclusively to French cuisine cooked up by chefs.

Renowned French chef Amandine Chaignot, who runs a restaurant and a café-bistro in Paris, on Tuesday unveiled one of her recipes based on the iconic croissant.

"I wanted the recipe I suggested to be representative of the French terroir, but I wanted athletes to enjoy it at the same time," she told the Associated Press. "It was quite obvious for me to make a croissant that I could twist. So, you have a bit of artichoke puree, a poached egg, a bit of truffle and a bit of cheese. It’s both vegetarian and still mouthwatering."

Every day, during the July 26-Aug. 11 Games, a top chef — including some awarded with Michelin stars — will cook in front of the athletes at the Olympic Village, "so they’ll be able to chat and better understand what French cuisine is about — and to understand a bit of our culture as well," Chaignot said.

Daily specials will be accompanied by a wide range of salads, pastas, grilled meat and soups. Cheeses will include top quality camembert, brie and sheep’s milk-based Ossau-Iraty from southwestern France.

The Olympic Village will also feature a boulangerie producing fresh baguettes and a variety of other breads.

"The idea is to offer athletes the chance to grab a piping hot baguette for breakfast," said baker Tony Doré, who will be working at the Olympic Village's main restaurant.

Athletes interested in other than sports, will even be able to participate in daily bakery trainings, and learn to make their own French baguette, said Doré.

In an effort to provide as many options as possible, meals offered will revolve around four cuisines: French, Asian, African and the Caribbean and international food.

Paris 2024 organizers have promised to make the Games more sustainable and environment-friendly — and that includes efforts to reduce the use of plastic. To this effect, the main restaurant at the village will use only reusable dishes.

Additionally, organizers say all meals will be based on seasonal products and 80% will come from France.

Plant-based food will represent 60% of the offer for visitors at the venues, including a "vegetarian hot-dog," said Philipp Würz, head of Food and Beverage for the Paris 2024 Committee.

There's "a huge amount of plant-based recipes that will be available for the general public to try, to experience and, hopefully, they will love it," said Würz.

The urban park at the Place de la Concorde, in central Paris, will offer visitors 100% vegetarian food — a first in the Games’ history. The place will be the stage for Paris 2024’s most contemporary sporting disciplines: BMX freestyle, 3x3 basketball, skateboarding and breakdancing.

Sports

Nadal Plans to Play in Rome after a ‘Positive’ Week in Likely His Last Madrid Open

Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal reacts after his round of 16 match against Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 30 April 2024. (EPA)
Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal reacts after his round of 16 match against Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 30 April 2024. (EPA)
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Nadal Plans to Play in Rome after a ‘Positive’ Week in Likely His Last Madrid Open

Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal reacts after his round of 16 match against Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 30 April 2024. (EPA)
Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal reacts after his round of 16 match against Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 30 April 2024. (EPA)

Rafael Nadal left Madrid feeling better about his fitness than he did when he arrived, and is now planning to play in Rome while continuing his preparations for the French Open.

Nadal lost in straight sets to the 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at Madrid on Tuesday. But the Spaniard was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff.

Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way, and said his body held up well.

“I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with very positive energy.”

Nadal arrived in Madrid pessimistic about his physical condition, and he wasn’t even sure if he would be able to play. He said he only did it because it was an emotional tournament for him.

The 37-year-old Nadal is playing in his final year on tour. He had already bid farewell to Barcelona, where he lost in the second round. The 22-time Grand Slam champion hadn’t played a tournament since Brisbane in January.

“Today is unforgettable day in terms of saying ‘goodbye, Madrid,’” he said. “But my career keeps going, and I have my personal goals that I have got in the next couple of weeks, and I want to explore if I have any chance to achieve that.”

Nadal said Rome, where he won 10 titles and where the tournament starts May 8, was also emotional for him.

“That’s another very special tournament in my career,” he said. “I dreamed to play all these tournaments that I had success one more time. I missed Monte Carlo unfortunately, that is one of the most special for me, but Rome is one of these ones that I enjoyed a lot playing there.”

In Madrid, Nadal defeated American teenager Darwin Blanch in the first round and 11th-ranked Alex de Minaur in the second, both in straight sets. He needed three sets to edge Pedro Cachin in the third round.

“I want to play well there (in Rome). I want to be competitive,” he said. “I want to give myself a chance to play good tennis, and I’m gonna keep working hard to try to make that happen.”

Playing at the French Open, which begins May 26, is one of Nadal’s main goals during his farewell season. He has won the title at Roland Garros a record 14 times.