Report: Juventus, Ajax agree to €70 million Matthijs de Ligt deal

As the Italian daily sports papers rolled out their Friday editions earlier this morning, the general message regarding Juventus’ chase to sign Matthijs de Ligt was pretty much in unison: These next few hours are going to be crucial in terms of closing the deal once and for all.

They knew something was up.

Because, according to reports out of de Ligt’s native Netherlands, we’ve got action.

Refreshing, very good kind of transfer action.

According to De Telegraaf, Juventus and Ajax have, finally, reached an agreement on the deal that will see de Ligt come to the Italian champions this summer. The final total, according to De Telegraaf, will be €70 million, which with bonuses will get oh-so-close to the €75 million figure that multiple outlets have been stating is the price Ajax will not budge from over the course of these negotiations.

Regardless if it’s a straight €70 million transfer fee or €70 million plus another couple more when you throw in performance-related bonuses, the result is still the same: Matthijs de Ligt is basically, now, a medical and a contract signing away from officially being a Juventus player.

So, if you were worried, you can relax a little — or a lot — now. Or maybe you won’t relax at all until you see de Ligt getting out of a Jeep Cherokee, waving to what is likely to be a huge crowd waiting for him and then strolling into J Medical for his exams prior to signing his new contract.

It’s been a rather lengthy and interesting road to get to this point, one where we’ve known for weeks that Juventus and de Ligt have agreed to a five-year contract worth €12 million net a season. The negotiations between Juventus and Ajax were never going to be simple because of the amount of money being thrown about, especially so considering that other European giants were likely lying in wait just in case something happened and the expected deal was thrown off course.

But what started with a bid in the low €50 million-plus range was quickly upped to €67 million and now, with Juventus three days into preseason training, a deal between the two clubs has been struck. The goal, according to many reports in both the Netherlands and in Italy, was to have a deal wrapped up by the end of the work week so that de Ligtcould be presented as a Juventus player come Saturday.

Well, de Ligt isn’t part of Ajax’s traveling squad to Austria. Instead, his next destination is almost certainly Turin — which, no matter what the price is, has to make you pretty happy.

Sean Longstaff open to Manchester United transfer but fears Newcastle United will price him out of a move

Sean Longstaff is open to joining Manchester United this summer but is concerned that Newcastle United are pricing him out of a move to Old Trafford, according to reports. United have held talks with Newcastle over a deal for the 21-year-old and are willing to submit a £20 million offer. But United were left stunned as Newcastle demanded in excess of £50m for the midfielder. According to The Times, Longstaff would be keen on a switch to United but ‘fears’ Newcastle’s high valuation will scupper any potential deal. Longstaff is currently in pre-season training with Newcastle United (Getty Images) The report claims that United are unwilling to meet the price tag set by Newcastle’s managing director Lee Charnley. Longstaff has made just nine Premier League appearances for Newcastle while his breakthrough season was cut short in March after he suffered a knee ligament injury.

The 21-year-old is currently in pre-season training with Newcastle, who remain without a manager following the departure of Rafa Benitez at the end of last month. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, meanwhile, wanted United to get the majority of their business done before the start of their pre-season tour but so far only Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have been signed. United will begin their pre-season campaign with a match against Perth Glory on Saturday.

Hakim Ziyech wants Arsenal transfer but Unai Emery not interested in Ajax star

Arsenal will not pursue a move for Ajax star Hakim Ziyech after the club carried out a detailed analysis of the player and will focus on alternative targets. The Morocco international played a pivotal role in the Dutch side’s success last season as an exciting young side came within seconds of reaching the Champions League final after landmark wins over Real Madrid and Juventus. Ziyech scored 19 times and registered 16 assists in all competitions and would offer the creativity and versatility Unai Emery appears to be seeking to bolster a midfield and forward line which will not be able to call upon the services of Aaron Ramsey this season following his move to Juventus. According to David Ornstein, via the Arseblog podcast, however, Emery is not interested in the 26-year-old, who reportedly has a £25million release clause in his contract, and will pursue alternative targets.

Apple to begin selling high-end India-made iPhones in August

The BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) certification for Foxconn to produce the iPhone XR has been obtained by Dealntech. This explicitly certifies that Foxconn's Banglore plant will be manufacturing the Apple-branded A2105, which is the iPhone XR's model number. It is still believed that the India-made iPhone XR could go on sale as early as next month.

 

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India could see lower-cost iPhones hit retail shelves according to the latest report. Reuters cited an unnamed source that claimed India-made iPhone XR and iPhone XS could become available in the market as soon as next month.

Apple already manufactures lower-cost India-only versions of its phones including the iPhone SE,6S, and iPhone 7. According to the source, approvals are pending before the alleged higher-end iPhones can hit the market.

Apple iPhone XR

Back in May, India was actively marketing the iPhone 6S as a phone “made in India” despite its age (it was released back in 2015). The most recent iPhone that is produced in India is the iPhone 7 – it started producing them in April of this year. The higher-end models were long-rumored to eventually be produced as well, but it was not known exactly when.

India is a huge smartphone market, but one that Apple does not do well in. Import taxes keep iPhone prices relatively excessive and Chinese competitors dominate the lower-income market. Producing Apple devices in India reduces the need to pay import taxes and Apple desperately needs to sell cheaper hardware if it wants a larger piece of the pie.

We wonder if Apple will suddenly drop the price of the iPhone XS and XR in India once it starts to sell them locally made or if Apple will try to wait until the next iPhone is announced before “dropping” their price.

Barça sign Antoine Griezmann

FC Barcelona has paid the 120 million euro buyout clause to release Antoine Griezmann from Atlético Madrid.

The player will sign a contract with his new club for the next five seasons, through to 30 June 2024, with a buyout clause of 800 million euros.

We will shortly be publishing the full schedule for the presentation of Antoine Griezmann as a new member of the Barça first team.

Griezmann, a star for the Barça forward line

Born on 21 March 1991 in Mâcon, France, Antoine Griezmann is one of the best players in the world. The striker comes to Barça after consolidating himself as one of the top footballers in La Liga after spells with Real Sociedad and Atlético Madrid.

Scouted at an early by Basque club Real Sociedad, he headed for San Sebastián in 2005 at the age of just 14 after beginning his career with local side Charnay-lès-Mâcon. In Doností he made his first team debut at the age of just 18 in 2009.

Griezmann was one of the key figures in the return to the First Division of Real Sociedad a spell in the Second Division. In the Basque Country he played 202 games for the txuri urdin, scoring 52 goals. The Frenchman’s outstanding performances led to a €30 million move to Atlético in the summer of 2014.

Entering the elite of world football

In Madrid, Griezmann’s progress led him to be considered as one of the best players in the world. The striker was part of the squad that were runners-up in the Champions League in 2016, a year in which he also finished amongst the top three in the battle for the Ballon d’Or.

In fact, he was the star of the French team that reached the final of the 2016 European Championship played in France, where he won the Golden Boot as top scorer (six goals). He was also outstanding for France's World Cup winning side in 2018 in Russia, where he was the MVP of the final against Croatia.

The Frenchman can play anywhere in the front three although his usual position is on the left wing. Griezmann is a very mobile player who can score and also create goals. He is also very quick on the counter attack and dangerous with his shots from distance and from set pieces.

With his arrival at FC Barcelona, the Frenchman takes another step forward in his career with the goal of consolidating his place as one of the best players in the world.

530K people want to raid Area 51 to 'see them aliens'

Are UFOs real? Over 530,000 have pledged to find out. AFacebook event named Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Ushas become an internet sensation. At the time of writing, 537,000 users have signed up to attend the event, located in the deserts of Nevada, and another 525,000 are "interested" in attending (read: cowards).

Here's the plan, as per the creator of the event: "We will all meet up at the Area 51 Alien Center tourist attraction and coordinate our entry. If we Naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets. Let's see them aliens."

"Naruto run" refers to the main character in the eponymous Naruto anime, as seen below. So, that's it. After decades of mystery, humanity will Naruto run its way to unravelling alien life.

Naruto run. 

Viz Media

It's not going to happen. Unfortunately, the event is fake. Fortunately, the memes are real. In an instance of the internet unifying over a key issue of our time, Twitter, Facebook and Reddit really gave us the goods.

Reddit/AnonEnigma

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Facebook/Darion Griffith

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Area 51 is a highly classified zone around 150 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada, part of the Edwards Air Force Base. No one really knows what the base is used for, though it's speculated to be for aircraft development, and as such Area 51 has become synonymous with alien conspiracies. The most popular ones involve alien spaceships or aliens themselves, all allegedly housed within the classified zone.

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Report: Juventus want to present Matthijs de Ligt on Saturday

Ajax will be departing for a preseason training camp in Austria in a matter of days. Whether Matthijs de Ligt is on the Ajax flight to Austria is something that will be a wait-and-see kind of proposition.

When it comes to Juventus’ point of view, the goal is to make sure de Ligt doesn’t join his current Ajax teammates.

According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the goal from Juventus’ end of the negotiations is to have a deal for de Ligt completed and the possibility of presenting him as the club’s latest signing on Saturday. The two clubs are getting closer and closer on an agreement for the 19-year-old defensive starlet, with Juventus reportedly offering €67 million this week, very much closer to the €75 million asking price Ajax has held firm on ever since negotiations began.

There is even the possibility, De Telegraaf points out, that Ajax could accept the current €67 million bid from Juventus.

At this point, all that we’re waiting on is for word from the Dutch or Italian press that a deal has been struck and the subsequent reports of when de Ligt will roll into Turin to arrive.

That’s it.

That’s the list.

Juventus and de Ligt have already agreed to personal terms, which was never going to be an easy task because the defender’s is the notorious Mino Raiola. But, as of last weekend, we’ve known that the only thing remaining was business between the two clubs, with Raiola saying “All that’s missing is an agreement between Juventus and Ajax on the fee.” The Dutch teenager, one that was crucial in Ajax eliminating Juve from the Champions League quarterfinals last season, will reportedly earn €12 million a season plus bonuses when he does in fact sign his shiny new five-year contract in Turin.

So, basically, now we wait. And if de Ligt is a Juventus player come this weekend, then he will be able to head out to Asia with the rest of his new teammates and take part in Juventus’ International Champions Cup games against Tottenham and Inter later this month.

Mina from K-pop group Twice quits world tour due to ‘extreme anxiety, insecurity’, will miss KL stopover

PETALING JAYA, July 12 — Twice member, Myoui Mina will be absent from the K-pop group’s upcoming world tour Twicelights due to mental health concerns.

A statement from the nonet’s record label JYP Entertainment revealed that Mina is “struggling with sudden extreme anxiety and insecurity toward performing onstage”.

While no official diagnosis has been confirmed, the company said they are currently consulting medical professionals.

“The health of our artistes is our top priority... we will do our everything to provide proper and best medical treatment and sufficient rest for Mina’s recovery. 

“We sincerely ask for fans’ support so that Mina can get well soon,” read the statement.

The label later warned of legal action against those spreading “malicious” posts and comments regarding the 22-year-old’s condition, saying that such rumours could result in “damage (to) the artiste reputation and character”.

Twice’s global tour is set for a stopover in Malaysia on August 17, but it looks like local Onces (the official fandom name for the group) will have to wait a little bit longer to see Mina in person.

The group was originally slated to perform in Kuala Lumpur last year in July but the gig was cancelled at the eleventh hour following safety issues at the venue.

transfer football: Sami Khedira linked with Fenerbahçe

Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira has been linked with a move to Turkish club Fenerbahçe.

The German international still has a year left on his Juventus contract but may struggle for a place in the squad following the arrival of Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey.

A previous suggestion in the Italian press hinted at both player and club agreeing to mutually terminate his contract so he could make a lucrative move to MLS.

Sky Sport Italia now report that Turkish side Fenerbahçe have made an important offer for the 32-year-old and negotiations may take place in the weeks ahead.

West Ham interested in Gonzalo Higuain

According to Sky Sport Italia, West Ham are interested in Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain and could sign him for €40m.

Pipita is considered surplus to requirements this season and despite a suggestion that he wants to stay and fight for his place, Juve are keen to sell him this summer.

Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio reports that the Hammers are keen on Higuain after missing out on Maxi Gomez and Sebastien Haller.

West Ham would initially look to take Pipa on loan with an option to sign outright, should certain performance related conditions be met.

Roma are also keen on the Argentine but he is reportedly not keen on the idea of a switch, hoping instead to play his way into coach Maurizio Sarri’s new Juventus.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 render leaks w/ red accent button, leather band

Samsung currently makes some of the best smartwatches for Android, and it seems like its next attempt is going to be even better. Today, a new render of the Galaxy Watch Active2 has hit the web, and it confirms some previous leaks.

Obtained by Android Headlines, today’s leaked render of the Galaxy Watch Active2 shows off the watch in its black color variant. As seen in a previous hands-on leaked image, there’s a red accent color on the bottom button of the device. It’s speculated that this is to signify LTE connectivity, but there’s nothing in this image to back that up.

One thing that’s new here too is the leather band on the Watch Active2. All variants of its predecessor shipped with a silicone band, with leather bands and alternate designs costing an extra $30 or more. From the looks of it, this is the Braloba Active Leather Band which Samsung offers in its store.

Beyond these couple of tidbits, there’s not much else confirmed by today’s render, but the timing hints that we’ll be seeing the Galaxy Watch Active2 debut sooner rather than later. The Galaxy Watch Active2 is also tipped to offer ECG, Fall Detection, and possibly other new features.

Indonesia plans to start building 7km sea bridge linking Batam and Bintan next year

JAKARTA (BLOOMBERG) - Indonesia plans to start building its longest sea bridge next year to connect two islands near Singapore and boost growth and trade with the neighbouring hub.

The 7km bridge connecting Batam and Bintan will cost as much as 4 trillion rupiah (S$385 million) and construction is set to take three to four years, the country's Cabinet secretariat said in a statement on Thursday (July 11).

President Joko Widodo, who has secured his second term in office, is embarking on a more than US$400 billion (S$542 billion) infrastructure push.

The government wants to reposition Batam as an alternative shipping and manufacturing hub to Singapore with a potential to draw US$60 billion in new investment.

The ministry in charge of public works is preparing a feasibility study and analysing engineering designs, and is aiming to complete these by year end, according to the statement.

Indonesia is developing the Batam area to attract opportunities potentially arising from trade tensions between the US and China, according to Mr Edy Putra Irawady, head of Batam Development Body.

The bridge would also complement Singapore's effort to boost air-passenger traffic by building a fifth terminal for its Changi Airport.

Indonesia wants the bridge to reduce logistics costs, improve connectivity and boost tourism in the area.

I've done nothing wrong – Perak exco member Paul Yong clocks in

IPOH: Paul Yong Choo Kiong says he will continue his work as a Perak executive council member despite calls for his suspension or for him to take leave from work.

Yong said he had done nothing wrong, but was ready to face any action.

"I've done nothing. Why can't I work?

"I'm still a state exco (man)," he told reporters outside his office after clocking in for work at the state secretariat building here on Friday (July 12).

"MB only said he would probably advise me to go for a break if the investigation is prolonged.

"We don't know how long the investigation will take," he said.

"The police is still investigating the matter, and it's not for me to comment on it. I will cooperate fully and I believe in the police's professionalism.

"If (I'm) wrong, (I'm) wrong. If not, that's it. Only time will tell," he added.

On Monday (July 8), Yong was accused of raping his Indonesian maid.

Yong, who is Tronoh assemblyman, in a statement on Wednesday (July 10) said he unequivocally and categorically denied the "unfounded allegation" made against him.

Neil Bantleman released from Indonesian prison, returns to Canada S

Canadian teacher had maintained he was innocent of child sex abuse charges

A Canadian teacher imprisoned in Indonesia since 2014 after being convicted on charges of sexually assaulting students at a school in Jakarta has returned home, CBC News has confirmed.

Neil Bantleman said in a media statement today that he has been granted clemency by the Indonesian government. He's been back home in Ontario since the end of June. His family has requested that media outlets respect his privacy.

"Five years ago, I was wrongfully accused and convicted of crimes I did not commit and furthermore never occurred," Bantleman said in the statement. "I applied for clemency, which I am pleased was granted by Indonesia last month, upholding essential justice and human rights."

Bantleman thanked his brother Guy "for the tremendous amount of time, effort and love that he poured into campaigning for my return." He also expressed "deep appreciation to the Government of Canada for their steadfast commitment to seeing us home.

"Most of all, I want to thank my wife Tracy. I have no doubt that without her love and commitment, this day would not have been possible. Her tireless efforts with the coordination and communication between our legal team, school, embassy and family in Canada was the key to securing my freedom."

 

Guy Bantleman told CBC News today the experience of hugging his brother after such a long separation was "almost surreal."

"It's going to take some time. All of us just spending some time together and ... getting reacquainted, I guess," he said, laughing.

"We're relieved, obviously. There are some things that we know we're going to have to work through. It's moving on to a different phase. You just don't close the door and settle back in. You've got to deal with it and move it forward."

Bantleman was convicted along with Indonesian teaching assistant Ferdinand Tjiong in 2014 on charges of sexually assaulting young students at the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS), where the children of many expatriates, diplomats and wealthy Indonesians are enrolled.

He and his co-accused were sentenced to 10 years in prison. Bantleman's conviction was overturned in August 2015. Indonesia's Supreme Court reinstated his conviction in February 2016 and added another year to his sentence.

Bantleman, who taught in Calgary as well, has maintained his innocence and the Canadian government has been lobbying hard for his release, arguing he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. An investigation by CBC TV's The Fifth Estate found that critical pieces of the evidence used to convict were seriously flawed.