🚨 Monaco close to 'finalising' deal for Barcelona forward
Ligue 1 side Monaco are closing in on a deal to land Barcelona attacker Ansu Fati.
As reported by RMC, the 22-year-old would join Monaco on an initial loan with a further option to buy, and Barcelona would include a buyout clause in any deal.
Fati has struggled to hold down a regular first-team spot in Hansi Flick's LaLiga-winning side and made just six appearances this season.
La signature d'Ansu Fati à Monaco semble se concrétiser. L'opération se ferait sous la forme d'un prêt avec option d'achat, avec une clause de rachat pour le FC Barcelonehttps://t.co/UKOaul15Qn pic.twitter.com/VHNYPVNgJf
— RMC Sport (@RMCsport) May 24, 2025
Will a move to Monaco help Fati rediscover his best form?
📸 LLUIS GENE - AFP or licensors
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New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
The weird and wonderful world of Real Madrid presentations: The keepie-uppies, the medical photos and when it goes wrong
After signing for Real Madrid and before making their debut, every new arrival faces one last step. Madrid have long been renowned for their elaborate player presentations, where players are sometimes presented to tens of thousands of people at their Bernabeu stadium, perform keepie-uppies in front of the crowd and receive a welcome. Advertisement Their latest recruits, Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold, have had to settle for the quieter surroundings of Madrid's Valdebebas training ground as work continues on the Bernabeu's extensive revamp. But it does not make the day any less special for those players. Here, The Athletic takes a look at when the tradition of these presentations began, what goes into them and those times when they have not gone quite to plan… Madrid's tradition of presenting new signings in this way can be traced back to the 1950s, when they won the first five European Cups in a row between 1956 and 1960. Players such as Alfredo di Stefano and Raymond Kopa were unveiled to the public before friendly matches in 1953 and 1956 respectively. However, according to historian Alberto Cosin of the online outlet La Galerna, you have to go back to the 1970s to find the first examples of signings receiving individual presentations. West Germany international Paul Breitner's Bernabeu unveiling was attended by 5,000 people in 1974, while the now-legendary forward Juanito and Breitner's compatriot Uli Stielike received a similar reception three years later. A photograph of Breitner published in the AS Color sports magazine shows the 1974 World Cup winner posing with his foot perched on the ball during his presentation on the Bernabeu's pitch. The turning point came with Florentino Perez's 'galacticos' policy during his first spell as club president from 2000-06, when Madrid brought in a host of top international players such as Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham. This approach to recruitment was not a huge success in terms of trophies, but it did bring the club plenty of financial opportunities. Madrid sources, who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, say Zidane's presentation in 2001 was the first to follow the modern format. Even so, few have been as high-profile as Beckham's arrival from Manchester United two years later. Advertisement That took place at the club's then training complex, La Castellana — in the north of the city, where five skyscrapers now stand — with around 2,000 fans and the presence of 544 journalists and 46 TV cameras. The ceremony was broadcast live on CNN in the United States and the BBC in the UK. Beckham took to the pitch wearing the No 23 shirt, chosen as it was one of the few available at the time and also because of its link to NBA icon Michael Jordan, who made it famous playing for the Chicago Bulls. It also reflected the club's new and expanding commercial strategy. 'Mr Di Stefano (the club icon was in attendance as honorary president), Mr Perez, ladies and gentlemen. Being part of Real Madrid is a dream come true. Thank you very much and Hala Madrid,' were the England international's first words as a Madrid player. A shirtless boy even jumped onto the pitch and dodged security to greet Beckham. There were similar wild scenes when Cristiano Ronaldo was unveiled, in front of 80,000 fans, at the Bernabeu in 2009 — a record only matched by Kylian Mbappe when he joined last year. That coincided with Perez's second spell as president, starting that year. In his first summer back in office, Madrid invested €254million (£215m/ $291m at current rates) in players, including Ronaldo from Manchester United, Milan's Kaka, Karim Benzema from Lyon and Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso. Such was the enthusiasm for the 'second' galacticos era that 50,000 supporters turned up to Kaka's unveiling, and more than 20,000 welcomed a 21-year-old Benzema. Before his death in 2014 at age 88, Di Stefano was usually present at those events, with his trusty walking stick under his arm. Other legends have attended, such as Portugal great Eusebio for countryman Ronaldo's 2009 presentation. It is a tradition which has continued to this day: the original Ronaldo was present for fellow Brazilian Vinicius Junior's 2018 unveiling and French compatriot Zidane played a role in Mbappe's. Players usually start the day of their unveiling by going to the Sanitas hospital in the upmarket La Moraleja district of the Spanish capital (the health company is among the club's sponsors), where they undergo their medical and awkwardly pose for what has become something of a traditional photo. REAL MADRID TRADITION 🩺 — Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) June 10, 2025 They then travel by car through Madrid, sometimes passing by its biggest tourist attractions and ending up at the club's offices to sign their contract, alongside relatives and Perez. Often, their family will give the club photos of the player wearing a Madrid shirt as a child. These are then incorporated into a video montage showing their rise and the best moments in their career so far, which gets played during their presentation. Dean Huijsen's full presentation — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) June 10, 2025 The players are not always the protagonists. When Asier Illarramendi joined from Real Sociedad in 2014, his presentation was considered a historic event back in his village of Mutriku in the Basque Country. Thirty-one of his friends travelled down to Madrid by bus to see his unveiling and posed for a photo with Perez in the Bernabeu's presidential box to mark the occasion. Illarramendi later said he and his friends were invited by Perez to have lunch at the restaurant inside the stadium, Puerta 57. Advertisement Not every presentation has gone according to plan, either. In 2019, Ferland Mendy was unable to string together more than a few keepie-uppies in front of the cameras. 'It was the first time in my life I'd felt stressed. I arrived, I saw the fans and I thought, 'Oh, what if.…?',' he told Canal+ that year, as reported by Marca. 'My friends told me I was going to fail… and in the end I failed.' Later that summer, Eder Militao's first news conference as a Madrid player ended abruptly because he was struck by a bout of dizziness. The Brazil centre-back had to pause, then took a drink of water, before holding his head and explaining he could not continue. 'It's a huge emotion,' he said. Jude Bellingham's 2023 presentation took place at Valdebebas, with work continuing on the Bernabeu, and it was the same for Arda Guler that same year. There was an awkward moment for the 18-year-old Turkey forward, who did not speak any Spanish then, when he mistakenly rose from his seat before the end of Perez's speech. He then had to wait several more minutes, looking confused, while the president finished his address. In fact, most presentations have taken place at the club's training complex since work costing at least €1.76billion began at the Bernabeu in 2019 and following the pandemic. Ordinary fans don't tend to be present for these events any more with only a few members of the club's official supporters' groups allowed in, though the club's directors, executives and coaches are usually in attendance. The Bernabeu tradition was revived last year with Mbappe and Endrick's arrivals, when they were presented to crowds of 80,000 and 45,000 respectively. Both players gave speeches in which they were visibly emotional, before spending several minutes kicking balls into the stands. That connection with the fans has been lost again this summer, given continued work to soundproof the Bernabeu. Madrid had to postpone all concerts scheduled for their stadium after the neighbourhood's local residents complained about noise pollution from previous shows there. Regardless, there is a reason Madrid's new signings look forward so much to this day — as Alexander-Arnold will find out on Thursday. 'It's the best day of my life,' Huijsen told reporters at his presentation on Tuesday. 'It's a dream to be here, and I'm going to give everything for the team.' (Top photos: Huijsen and Cristiano Ronaldo at their presentations, Getty Images)
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Five of the stars missing at the Club World Cup
FIFA's inaugural expanded Club World Cup in the United States has one billion dollars of prize money on the line but will be missing some of the game's star names. AFP Sport highlights five players who will not be lighting up stadiums across the United States once it gets underway this weekend: Advertisement Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) Liverpool finished as English champions, but like Spain's Barcelona and Italy's Napoli, will not be at the Club World Cup, because of the convoluted qualification process. That means Egyptian winger Salah, who broke the Premier League record for goal involvements, with 29 strikes and 18 assists, misses out. After a tiring season in which he faded in the latter months Salah might not be too upset about having a summer off. The winger posted a photo of himself sunbathing by the beach on Instagram. However it will be a shame that African football icon Salah, captain Virgil van Dijk and others miss out on the chance of a potential rematch against their Champions League conquerors Paris Saint-Germain. Advertisement Liverpool transfer target Florian Wirtz will also be absent, as his side Bayer Leverkusen did not qualify. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) No player in world football this season has offered more excitement than Barcelona's 17-year-old star Lamine Yamal. The Spain winger has been in sensational form for his club this season and is one of the candidates to win the Ballon d'Or. Yamal's thrilling dribbling and penchant for the spectacular make him one of the biggest draws in world football at the moment. He is often compared to former Barcelona great Lionel Messi, but because of the Spanish champions' absence, may have missed out on his only chance to face the Argentina star, who will be there with Inter Miami. Advertisement Barcelona's Raphinha, midfield maestro Pedri and veteran striker Robert Lewandowski are others who will be missed. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) Messi will also not go up against his long-time rival Ronaldo in the US. The Portuguese striker, 40, was reported to be looking for a way to play in the tournament. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had suggested Ronaldo might move from Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr to a team who had reached the event, saying that "discussions" were being held over it. Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo, who won the Nations League with Portugal last weekend, indicated after the game however he was set to stay at Al Nassr. Advertisement "Some teams reached out to me," the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star revealed last Saturday on the eve of the Nations League final. "Some made sense and others did not, but you can't try and do everything. You can't catch every ball." Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) Champions League semi-finalists Arsenal are another team to miss out and after finishing the season trophyless, the Club World Cup would have been a chance to win some silverware. England international Saka's only club trophy, excluding the FA Community Shield, was an FA Cup win with Arsenal in 2020. Mikel Arteta's side showed this season they have improved to the point where they are in contention for major honours, including knocking out Real Madrid in the Champions League, but came up just short. Advertisement For a player of his quality, who has spent six seasons playing regularly at the top level, Saka could do with expanding his medal collection. Arsenal will be disappointed to miss out on the prize money too, as they try to overhaul Liverpool and Manchester City, who have dominated the English game in recent seasons. Neymar (Santos) Brazilian icon Neymar struggled with injury at Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia and returned to Santos in January 2025, hoping to get fit and firing ahead of next summer's World Cup. The 33-year-old forward, despite fading with age, is still one of the biggest names in the game and his absence is also a blow in a commercial sense. Advertisement "Neymar, what can I say about him? He's an outstanding player, who, for me, in my football cycle, is in the top three, with Cristiano and Messi," said Brazil midfielder Casemiro. With organisers struggling to sell tickets, Neymar's presence would have been a boon. rbs/pi
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Forbes
Why LVMH's $1.5B Formula 1 Bet Is No Average Luxury Partnership
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing during the Formula 1 pre-season testing at Sakhir Circuit in ... More Sakhir, Bahrain on February 26, 2025. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) When my favorite Cashmere Wolf, Bernard Arnault, chairman of luxury behemoth LVMH Group, watches Max Verstappen navigate treacherous corners at 180 mph during the Formula 1® Bahrain circuit, he does so with an eye towards his calculated $1.5 billion, 10-year investment into a competition rapidly growing in popularity. Like the Group's 2024 Paris Olympic Games sponsorship, this unprecedented partnership, announced in late 2024 and aligned with the sport's 75th anniversary and season, represents far more than logo placement on fast cars. Three distinct LVMH maisons—TAG Heuer, Louis Vuitton, and Moët & Chandon — each now play carefully choreographed roles in what amounts to luxury's most ambitious sporting investment in Arnault's latest exercise of strategic narrative layering. Arnault orchestrated TAG Heuer's takeover from Rolex the role of official timekeeper for Monaco's Grand Prix; integrated Louis Vuitton's bespoke trunks as carrying cases for Formula 1 trophies; and ensured Moët & Chandon's omnipresence across newly rebranded races, Formula 1 TAG Heuer Monaco GRAND PRIX; Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Australian GRAND PRIX 2025; and Formula 1 Moët & Chandon Belgian GRAND PRIX 2025. These LVMH brands will peacock on 24 global stages across nine months—stages that drew 1.5 billion cumulative TV viewers last year with an average viewership of 70 million per race—reaching a sundry audience that may never have entered a Louis Vuitton boutique or considered a TAG Heuer timepiece. With these spectators skewing younger and more diverse than traditional luxury consumers, Arnault clearly has his eyes set on future customer cultivation, something many luxury brands often eschew in favor of those who can afford their products today. With Formula 1 now making scheduled Grand Prix stops in my Miami backyard for the next 15 years, I ventured onto the tracks last month to understand the sport's growing entanglement with luxury. What I discovered were strategic partnerships navigating a balance between a rich motorsport tradition, a lifestyle signature, and a technologically savvy fanbase increasingly led by women. KEITH, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 30: (EDITORS NOTE: This image is a composite, and has been digitally ... More retouched) The Aston Martin AMR24 is showcased inside the historic Still House at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Keith, Scotland, on October 30, 2024. This unique setting celebrates the newly announced global partnership between Glenfiddich and Aston Martin Formula One® Team. (Photo by Guidofor Glenfiddich) 'Formula 1 is really having a moment,' Rob Bloom, CMO of Aston Martin Formula 1, told me over a dram of Glenfiddich 50YO Simultaneous Time, part of the single malt scotch whisky brand's Time Re:Imagined collection, and the rarest of the scotches Bloom and I would taste that evening. 'There are still new people discovering Formula 1 today. [This growth is attracting] After racing McLarens at the McLaren Track Driving Event, followed by a MIAMI GRAND PRIX® Track Preview Experience & Paddock Tour, both courtesy of Chase Sapphire Reserve, I traded my track day sneakers for heels and a Donna Karan silk dress as I headed to the Mandarin Oriental for an exclusive dining experience with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One TeamTM to sample Glenfiddich's impressive lineup. The dinner was part of Aston Martin F1's multi-year partnership with the scotch brand, announced at the November Las Vegas Grand Prix, where Glenfiddich unearthed a rare cask from 1959 – the very year Aston Martin debuted in Formula 1 – to create a commemorative single bottle expression. In aligning origin stories, both brands enlisted the marketing strategy of borrowed equity from each brand's legacy to augment their respective audience. In this well curated pairing, an Aston Martin enthusiast and a Glenfiddich connoisseur both share a love of the artisanal, of precision engineering, and a deep appreciation for heritage, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of distinction. 'The growth mindset that exists in the team is that we'll never settle,' Bloom said. 'There is that ongoing pursuit of excellence and betterment. Even when we win a race, the only thing we're thinking about is the next race and the next win. Which in a way is addictive. It feeds you and everybody in the organization lives with this growth mindset.' Under Bloom's marketing leadership, the brand is leveraging F1's burgeoning popularity by actively engaging with new audiences through lifestyle integrations and collaborations, such as with Glenfiddich. Beyond just winning races, Aston Martin F1's marketing strategy is towards continuously exalting the brand's image to an impassioned community. He continued, 'The sport itself is having a real moment. It's not just about that amazing tech racing story and the growth mindset and the competitive nature of the sport. It's actually about an extension into culture and lifestyle, and the fact that F1 shows up in everyday currency.' This cultural expansion has fundamentally changed how luxury brands approach Formula 1 partnerships. 'Aston Martin's brand is ultimately a lifestyle brand,' Bloom stated, 'and what we want to do as a brand in F1 is to make sure that we show up in a way that is more than just the sport.' Aston Martin F1 has recently collaborated with The Rolling Stones and DJ Dom Dolla to extend racing culture into the music, fashion, and nightlife territories luxury consumers inhabit. 'We want to get measured on how we bring people into the sport and our brand image,' he added. 'Whether you're wearing The Rolling Stones hoodie or drinking a glass of Glenfiddich, you should be able to experience and enjoy that as an extension of your celebration of two brands coming together.' Globant Co-Founder Guibert Englebienne interviews Jonny Haworth, F1's director of commercial ... More partnerships at the Globant and F1® Miami Garage Event 'What's really interesting is that as fans come in, they're younger, they're more diverse, they're more female and the challenge we have is that their interest in the sport spans everything,' Jonny Haworth, F1's director of commercial partnerships discussed during the Globant and F1 Miami Garage Event panel at the Miami Autodrome Paddock. 'The deep technology, the cars, everything that goes on the track all the way through to the culture and the lifestyle that goes on with drivers. And our role is to try and engage each of those audiences in a completely different way.' This diversification challenge is precisely where technology partners become essential to luxury brands' F1 strategies. Globant, through its multi-year Official Partner agreement with Formula 1, is using engineering and data to lean into human emotions. F1 has now gone from a niche automotive competition watched mostly by enthusiasts into an immersive experience accessible to global onlookers. 'Technology was getting into our pockets and therefore was changing the way we could connect 7 by 24 with the brands that we love, creating an emotional bond,' Guibert Englebienne, Globant's co-founder said. 'You need to make it memorable. It's a big investment for people to come here. So our vision is that technology can be used to improve that, to expand, to bring some gravity to the sport, and the combination of engineering with data with a very human oriented company. ' Formula 1's fundamental marketing objective, according to Donna Birkett Baida, the organization's director of marketing, is to 'make people fall in love with it, with our sport and with our brand.' She likened this to the complexity of human love, aiming for both 'incredible highs and passion' and 'a level of comfort.' The ultimate goal is to create 'moments that are so memorable' and drive engagement, 'really bringing people... from just being aware of our brand and that latent interest in our brand to actually genuinely falling in love with it.' Globant is now developing a Formula 1 customer-facing app to enhance fan experience while providing data to devise continued engagement opportunities. 'What I love about the app—and we're still in the conceptual stages—is that it's going to move us from being reactive,' Baida shared. 'Which is really important because we have to be with our fans – react to their behaviors, requirements, and needs – but moving us much more towards being proactive and trying to anticipate what their requirements are and give them the best possible Formula 1 experience.' Tag Heuer clock during the Formula 1 pre-season testing at Sakhir Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain on ... More February 26, 2025. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Shifting from efficiency to intimacy was exactly what Formula 1 needed to court new audiences, particularly the female demographic reshaping the sport's identity. This growing female F1 fanbase is inspiring entirely new forms of artistic expression within the circuit. Take Samantha Zimmermann, a fine artist whose motorsports realism captures both the technical precision and emotional sensations evoked in racing. Working primarily in oil paint and graphite pencil, Zimmermann has found her niche painting live at major IMSA and HSR events. 'Lyn Hiner, Anita Lewis, and I were invited to display our work within the Paddock Club,' Zimmerman shared with me in email. 'In addition to having art on display, we are also doing live painting demonstrations throughout the weekend! Guests who visit the marketplace space within the Paddock Club will also be invited to participate in the paint-by-numbers feature.' LVMH was undoubtedly betting on this demographic shift when structuring their billion-dollar F1 investment. TAG Heuer has been actively cultivating the sport's female future through its partnership with F1 ACADEMY™, the all-female single-seater racing series designed to propel women toward motorsport's highest levels. 'We have a unique opportunity to fundamentally change our industry, driving female participation at every level of motorsport,' Susie Wolff, a former F1 test driver and managing director of F1 ACADEMY™, said in TAG Heuer's brand magazine. Since becoming F1's official timekeeper, TAG Heuer CEO Antoine Pin reports traffic in stores has increased by double digits, forcing the brand to increase production on the car-related models. The timepiece manufacturer's position jumped from 15th to 11th among top Swiss watch brands by sales in 2024. With Formula 1 now attracting over 800 million viewers annually—40 percent of whom are women—the sport's unique combination of technological sophistication, global reach, and cultural expansion creates opportunities for luxury brands to access passionate communities where, as with the pursuit of luxury, precision, innovation, and excellence are already expected. The racing platform serves as both scientist and laboratory in teaching brands how to win over consumers prioritizing experiences over products, authenticity over exclusivity, and emotional connection over transactional relationships. MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 04: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing ... More RB20 leads the field into turn one at the start during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 04, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by) Baida's F1 mission to 'make people fall in love with our sport and our brand' represents a seismic shift from luxury's once pragmatic exclusivity to a now fervently passionate inclusivity. When TAG Heuer reports double-digit store traffic increases and jumps from 15th to 11th in Swiss watch rankings because of the Formula 1 partnership, particularly at a time when tariffs are upending the Swiss watch industry, it reaffirms emotional connection as luxury's most recession-proof currency.
