Van Dijk unavailable for Saints' first game
LONDON • Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk will miss their Premier League opener at home to Swansea City today with a virus, manager Mauricio Pellegrino has said.
The 26-year-old Dutch footballer handed in a transfer request on Monday after expressing disappointment at the club's refusal to listen to offers for him.
Pellegrino, however, was expecting him to return to training and hope that the defender can "change his point of view".
REUTERS
Fosu-Mensah heads to Palace on loan
LONDON • Crystal Palace signed Manchester United defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah on a season-long loan on Thursday.
Fosu-Mensah will link up with new Eagles boss and fellow Dutchman Frank de Boer ahead of the new Premier League season. The 19-year-old has made 21 appearances for United and appears to have a future at Old Trafford after being given a new contract in October.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Neymar finally in line to make PSG debut
BARCELONA • Neymar could make his Paris Saint-Germain debut at Guingamp tomorrow after Barcelona confirmed yesterday the €222 million (S$355 million) cheque used to pay his buyout clause had cleared.
The Spanish LaLiga giants must now deliver his transfer certificate to the Spanish Football Federation, who will then pass it to the French Football Federation for the Brazilian to be registered.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Super Rugby axe to fall on Western Force
SYDNEY • The Australian Rugby Union announced its intention to axe the Perth-based Western Force from Super Rugby yesterday, but the protracted saga may not be over yet with Rugby Western Australia pondering a legal challenge to the decision.
The ARU said in April that it would cut either the Force or the Melbourne Rebels from Super Rugby next season, with the competition to be slashed from 18 to 15 teams.
RugbyWA responded almost immediately with a statement saying it would pursue "every possible means", including legal action, to ensure the Western Force remained in the competition.
REUTERS
US police charge Randolph for drugs
LOS ANGELES • Sacramento Kings forward Zach Randolph was arrested on a charge of marijuana possession with intent to supply after a late night disturbance in Los Angeles, reports said on Thursday.
Randolph, 36, was detained by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department after a crowd gathered at a public housing estate in the gritty Watts neighbourhood on Wednesday.
The National Basketball Association player was cited for intent to supply because of the large amount of marijuana found at the address, reports said citing law enforcement.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
