Man City Closes in on Replacement for Mahrez After Reportedly Reaching Agreement to Sign Jeremy Doku 

Belgium's Jeremy Doku in action during the Euro 2024 group F qualifying soccer match between Belgium and Austria at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, June 17, 2023. (AP)
Belgium's Jeremy Doku in action during the Euro 2024 group F qualifying soccer match between Belgium and Austria at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, June 17, 2023. (AP)
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Man City Closes in on Replacement for Mahrez After Reportedly Reaching Agreement to Sign Jeremy Doku 

Belgium's Jeremy Doku in action during the Euro 2024 group F qualifying soccer match between Belgium and Austria at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, June 17, 2023. (AP)
Belgium's Jeremy Doku in action during the Euro 2024 group F qualifying soccer match between Belgium and Austria at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, June 17, 2023. (AP)

Manchester City looks to have found a replacement for Riyad Mahrez with only a few days left in Europe’s summer transfer window.

City and French team Rennes have reportedly reached agreement on a fee for the transfer of Belgium winger Jeremy Doku, who will cost the English and European champions 65 million euros ($71 million) if he passes a medical examination.

Neither club has commented officially about the potential transfer.

The 21-year-old Doku is a fast and skillful winger who has played for Rennes since 2020. Before that, he was at Anderlecht.

City has been searching for an extra attacker to add to the squad after selling Mahrez to Saudi Arabian team Al-Ahli last month.

Defender Josko Gvardiol and midfielder Mateo Kovacic are City’s two signings so far in this transfer window, which closes on Sept. 1.



Sinner Given Rest Time and Won't Compete in Davis Cup for Italy Next Week

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Jannik Sinner of Italy returns a shot against Jack Draper of Great Britain during their Men's Singles Semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.   Luke Hales/Getty Images/AFP
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Jannik Sinner of Italy returns a shot against Jack Draper of Great Britain during their Men's Singles Semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Luke Hales/Getty Images/AFP
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Sinner Given Rest Time and Won't Compete in Davis Cup for Italy Next Week

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Jannik Sinner of Italy returns a shot against Jack Draper of Great Britain during their Men's Singles Semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.   Luke Hales/Getty Images/AFP
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Jannik Sinner of Italy returns a shot against Jack Draper of Great Britain during their Men's Singles Semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Luke Hales/Getty Images/AFP

US Open finalist Jannik Sinner needs time to rest after Sunday’s final against Taylor Fritz in New York and will not compete in the Davis Cup Finals group stage next week in Bologna, Italy captain Filippo Volandri announced on Saturday.

“As far as Jannik goes, who told us he was available for the latter stages of the competition in Bologna, in accordance with the federation leaders and his staff, we decided to relieve him of his call-up and allow him a full recovery,” Volandri said in a team announcement.

The top-ranked Sinner was exonerated in a doping case less than a week before the US Open began. He beat Jack Draper in the US Open semifinals on Friday.

Defending champion Italy will instead be composed of Matteo Berrettini, Matteo Arnaldi, Flavio Cobolli, Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli. Olympic bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti also needs rest and asked not to play, The Associated Press quoted Volandri as saying.

Sinner led Italy to the title last year, posting wins over Novak Djokovic in both singles and doubles in the semifinals against Serbia and then earning the decisive point in the final against Australia by beating Alex de Minaur.

Italy opens against Brazil on Wednesday then faces Belgium on Friday and the Netherlands on Sunday.

Group play will also be contested in Valencia, Spain; Zhuhai, China; and Manchester, England.
The top two teams in each group will advance to the final eight in Malaga, Spain, Nov. 19-24.

Sinner was widely criticized when he opted out of the group phase in Bologna last year. The criticism was then quickly drowned out by praise when he led Italy to the title and then won his first Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open in January.