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Aston Villa have reportedly slapped a hefty price tag on striker Jhon Duran amid transfer links with Arsenal and Barcelona.

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• Duran wanted by Chelsea in summer
• Arsenal and Barcelona linked with striker
• Aston Villa set hefty price tag

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Colombia international was wanted by Chelsea earlier this summer but the forward stayed put at Villa Park and that decision has proven to be a shrewd one. Off the back of his strong goalscoring form, Colombian publication Antena 2 claims Villa 'said no' to a €55 million (£45.6m) offer from Arsenal for the 20-year-old. The report adds the Villans want €85m (£70.5m) for his services.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Duran has scored eight goals in 16 matches in all competitions this season and has become a key player for Unai Emery's side. He signed a new deal until 2030 last month and if his form continues, a potential suitor may try and bid £70m or so to secure his signature. For the time being, Duran will be vital towards Villa's success this season.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  According to AS in Colombia, Arsenal and Barcelona contacted Villa in October to ask about the conditions needed to sign Duran during the January transfer window. They also reportedly rejected multiple bids for the Colombian over the summer.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Aside from transfer speculation, Duran is likely to feature in Villa's crunch clash with Premier League table-toppers Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday night.

Arsenal are thought to be seriously pushing to sign a £21 million player, and manager Mikel Arteta is said to personally want him at the Emirates.

Edu and Arteta target new midfielder for Arsenal this summer

Sporting director Edu Gaspar and the wider recruitment team are believed to be targeting a new midfielder this summer, coming after Mohamed Elneny's departure from London Colney and the uncertainty surrounding Thomas Partey's future.

Arsenal have submitted opening bid for ex-player who "works his socks off"

Edu and the recruitment team have gone in with their first bid.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 11, 2024

The Ghanaian's contract expires next summer, so he could be sold in the coming weeks as Arsenal consider making some money back off the £45 million spent on him from Atletico Madrid in 2020.

Partey made just 14 Premier League appearances last season, largely due to fitness issues, and Arsenal would be saving some money off his £200,000-per-week salary if they can find a suitable buyer for the 31-year-old.

Saudi have expressed an interest in signing Partey, as have clubs from Turkey, according to various reports. Arsenal extended Jorginho's contract by a further year to provide support for star man Declan Rice in midfield, but it is believed that the north Londoners want another body in that area.

Everton's Amadou Onana is a transfer target for Arsenal in that respect, as is Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi. Arsenal are even willing to pay Zubimendi's entire release clause, but the roadblock is whether he'll choose to leave Sociedad this summer.

“Midfield is still a high priority, and we know that Arsenal have had a long-standing interest in Martin Zubimendi," said journalist Ben Jacobs to GiveMeSport.

“And the challenge there is about persuading the player to leave Real Sociedad because he's very much in love with the club and the culture, lifestyle, so he's settled. But because he's in his mid 20s, not early 20s or a teenager, it's kind of a crossroad, because once you turn 26, even though that's your peak, a lot of clubs like to buy a little bit younger. So we wait and see whether Arsenal move in that direction.”

Luckily, a far cheaper alternative to Zubimendi, and someone who could be more willing to make a Premier League move, is the Spaniard's teammate Mikel Merino.

Sociedad expecting Merino exit as Arsenal push to sign him

Spanish news outlet El Diario Vasco, relayed by Sport Witness, have shared an update on this, claiming Arsenal are "bidding the most" to sign Merino and Arteta personally wants him.

This somewhat echoes other reports that Arteta is personally trying to get Merino to Arsenal, but El Diario Vasco believe that Sociedad are fully expecting the Spaniard to leave this summer. He hasn't responded to their latest contract offer, which has caused concern over his future.

Merino's current deal expires in 2025, meaning he could also be available for a cut-price £21 million and over half the value of his release clause. The former Newcastle midfielder has been a hero for Spain at Euro 2024 as well, scoring the winner against Germany in their quarter-final tie.

He could be Arsenal's most astute option to succeed Partey, considering other midfield targets like Onana and Zubimendi will come at a much higher premium.

Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke has opened up on the conversation he had with Pep Guardiola after his side's win against Manchester City.

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• Brighton beat Man City 2-1 in the Premier League
• Guardiola and Van Hecke seen in heated discussion
• Defender has explained what was said

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The City manager and the Dutch centre-back were seen having an animated discussion following the final whistle of the Premier League clash on November 9, which the Seagulls won 2-1.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Guardiola was asked about the exchange, and explained that he praised the Netherlands international's strength against star striker Erling Haaland and gave him some advice. A week later, Van Hecke has given his recollection of the encounter.

• WHAT VAN HECKE SAID

  "After the game, City manager Pep Guardiola came to me. It was a nice conversation: he congratulated me on the win and said we had played well," he told . "Then he talked about my last duel with Haaland, where he thought I should have stayed on my feet. I replied that I went down but I got up again straight away – and that was it. We continued talking quietly in the players' tunnel.

  "Because the conversation on the pitch was in full view, everyone asked about it. Fellow players made jokes about it, everyone wanted to know what exactly had been said. But Guardiola was also very complimentary, he said I was a good player. So I thought it was fine."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  While Haaland scored the opening goal, he was unable to provide a result for his side as Brighton fought back to steal the three points, and Van Hecke's Netherlands team-mates were looking for the Norwegian forward in his pockets days later.

  "A few guys at Oranje looked in my pocket on Monday night as a joke, to see if Erling Haaland was supposedly still in it," he added. "But I have to be critical. We won against City, but Haaland did score, so he wasn't completely in my pocket. It went really well on Saturday. I played well, and when you win 2-1 against Manchester City, you automatically get a lot of compliments."

Liverpool are bracing themselves for a late flurry of transfer activity this summer as they look to hand new manager Arne Slot a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League come the end of the season.

Transfer rumours persist at Anfield

As it stands, Liverpool are one of two Premier League sides yet to make a permanent signing this summer, with Fulham the other. But with the Craven Cottage outfit in advanced talks over a move for Arsenal man Emile Smith-Rowe, the Reds could soon be the only side with the same squad as last season.

So far, the club have waved goodbye to Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip, while Adrian has also departed for first-team football in his native Spain.

Liverpool could land Jones upgrade with swoop for £60m PL star

The Reds have been linked with an interest in the Premier League maestro this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 25, 2024

Meanwhile, speculation has surrounded plenty of their stars with Mohamed Salah persistently linked with Saudi Arabia once more, and the Pro League sides now also thought to be keen to take Alisson as well.

Captain Virgil van Dijk has sounded less than assured about his own future too as the 33-year-old centreback heads into the final 12 months of his Anfield deal. After his side's semi-final loss at EURO 2024, the Dutchman admitted he “hasn't the slightest idea right now”. “I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international player,” he added. “Then we'll go for it again, but first recover from this."

Another concern has been Real Madrid's rumoured interest in Trent Alexander-Arnold, though the Englishman is keen to stay for at least another season, according to reports. It all paints something of a potentially messy picture for Slot, and with Liverpool yet to welcome any fresh faces in, there is a fear that their ageing side may be left behind by those around them.

Now, those fears may have been eased.

Liverpool set for late transfer window blitz

That comes as a report from Football Insider, who claim that Liverpool are "set for a late-window signing blitz" as they look to bolster their ranks before the transfer deadline on 30th August.

It is claimed that the Reds and by extension, FSG, have "talks advancing on multiple deals", with the club looking to bring in a "wide forward, centre-back and defensive midfielder" ahead of the end of the summer.

Slot's side missed out on Leny Yoro, who opted to move to Manchester United earlier in the window for a fee in excess of £50m, something that the Reds weren't willing to match.

The Reds have been linked with free agent Adrien Rabiot, as well as Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes and Atalanta's Ederson as they look to bolster their midfield just 12 months on from signing four new midfielders.

In defence, they have been reportedly chasing a left-footed centre-back but there have been no recent updates on who that could be, while there have also been links with Andriy Lunin should Alisson depart. All in all, it promises to be a busy few weeks for the Liverpool hierarchy, and they could find themselves going from the least busy side in the division to one of the most following this new update.

With big talent and bigger ambitions, the 18-year-old Campbell has become American soccer's next one up

Cole Campbell is still adjusting to it all, and he's had to do so on the fly. Life has been one big change lately. All for the better, he'll tell you, but even good change can be challenging to navigate – especially as an 18-year-old.

The young dual-national is already thriving with a giant club, recently making his debuts for Borussia Dortmund in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. He's playing at one of the world's best talent factories, which is a pretty damn good place to be, isn't it?

But the most unexpected adjustment of all? The attention. It can be overbearing. It hasn't quite reached that point for Campbell, but it has been … different. The social media posts, the Instagram highlight reels, the interviews, the hype – he sees it, he knows it, he feels it. Six months ago, he was a rising Iceland youth international. Now, he's something very different.

Very suddenly, Campbell has become American soccer's next one up.

Across all sports, the U.S. is a country continuously looking to anoint its next young star. We've seen it happen time and time again, including multiple times at Campbell's own club. Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna have ridden their own hype machines straight to U.S. men's national team stardom, and the expectation is that Campbell is next. The eyes of American soccer are now fixed on a player with just 74 senior minutes for Borussia Dortmund.

"I've been training for such a long time with no one watching, and now that everyone is, I'm just confident in my abilities," Campbell tells GOAL. "Even if there are people watching, it doesn't really make me nervous. Obviously, it is so much different now, where I'm being followed and everything, but as far as that, I don't really feel much pressure. Obviously, I now have to perform and do well when I step on the field, but really, I just feel joy whenever I step on the field. I don't really feel too much pressure, I just enjoy it."

For several of his predecessors, such pressure has proven too much. For others, it's been what's sharpened them to push the game further than those that came before. Pulisic is the model case. Like Campbell, he arrived at Dortmund as a kid with big dreams and, in the years since, he's become a world-renowned star unlike any American before him.

Now, it's Campbell's turn. He's living with that pressure well, largely because Campbell expects even more from himself than others do. Everything that American soccer fans are dreaming of, well, he's dreaming of it, too.

"My goal was to debut in the Bundesliga and eventually the Champions League," he says. "Now that I've done that, I'm just trying to work hard and obviously earn more minutes throughout the rest of the season. That's my short-term goal. As far as long-term goals for my career, I want to win a Ballon d'Or. That's something that I want to do in my career. I want to win the Champions League and I want to win a World Cup as well. That's something that would be absolutely amazing and I think that, in the future, I think it's all possible."

Campbell is still new to this and, as good as he's been so far, it remains almost impossible to predict the future of an 18-year-old. He's still far from a finished product and he still has a lot of learning and growing to do before he reaches the expectations that those on the outside have thrust upon him, let alone the ones he's now putting on himself.

He's still adjusting, but Campbell truly believes anything is possible.

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  Beginnings at Dortmund

  It's easy to see why Dortmund made the move to sign Campbell from relative obscurity. Watch him for just a few seconds and you see it. There's a different skill level and, more importantly, a different speed to his game. He's been compared to Pulisic and Leroy Sane due to his ability to dart through defenses. He has the type of pace you can't teach, and the type of ruthlessness needed to make the most of it.

  Since arriving at Dortmund, Campbell has thrived at every level he's played at to earn his first-team place. He scored a brace in his U17 debut, adding four more in the following 10 games, too. He scored 10 while assisting 11 for the U19s in 2023. Campbell's rise may seem meteoric, but it's also been carefully crafted by the Dortmund system.

  "Cole is a very young and extremely exciting player, who took huge strides in the past year," Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl said of the American forward. "We see so much potential in him."

  Campbell's Dortmund move was announced in the summer of 2022. At the time, he'd made just two senior appearances for Icelandic side FH. He made two further appearances for Breidablik before heading to Germany. He wasn't signed for his resume or experiencd – he was signed for potential.

  Dortmund have moved him along slowly. He was called up to a January camp last season and has been in and around first-team training. It was in those moments that Campbell learned what it takes at that level, and just how much work he still had to put into get there.

  "I started training with the first team a few times last year," Campbell recalls, "and, to be honest, Marco Reus was just amazing. His touch on the ball and everything, there were so many little things that he did. He's just an amazing player, and that made me like, 'Wow, OK'. I remember we were playing four against four, and he told me to just run. There were three players standing there, and I was like, 'How's he going to get me the ball?' He put it through all of their legs. That's crazy.

  "When I was younger and coming up, you see the quality and what is expected. Every pass has to be perfect, every touch, everything."

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  Big adjustments

  Reus provided that on-field lesson. There were also the off-field ones. Campbell moved to Dortmund at just 16. There were things he had to learn, about himself and his career. He was thrust into a new environment in a new country with a new language.

  That led to moments of solitude in which Campbell says he leaned on his faith to figure things out.

  "Football is not all easy," he says. "You see it from the outside world and it looks like everything's just a smooth road, but my path was definitely not that way. It was ups and downs, and it was definitely very difficult at times. Jesus has been with me and carried me through those hard times, and that's something that is a part of me that I want everyone to know."

  His German's getting better, too. That'll help as he continues to adjust to life at Dortmund.

  "I can understand everything [in training] now," he adds with a smile. "That was the most important thing. All the trainings were in German, everything, and I didn't understand a word. It was difficult, but after about eight to nine months, I started to understand what they were saying, and now I can speak pretty well, too."

  Heading into the 2024 season, Campbell's chance was coming. And it arrived in a big way.

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  The breakthrough

  By the time a player hears that Champions League anthem in person for the first time, they've likely heard it a million times in their dreams. Campbell was no different. And it came with a sense of accomplishment.

  Campbell heard that anthem for the first time on Oct. 22 ahead of Dortmund's clash with Real Madrid, a match in which he remained an unused substitute. He made his Bundesliga debut four days later against Augsburg, thrown in to help Dortmund chase down what ended as a 2-1 defeat.

  “We want to get the young players as close to the team as possible, because they are the future of the club," Dortmund boss Nuri Sahin said of Campbell after that match. "Of course, there are more ideal scenarios than making your debut in Augsburg when you're behind."

  His Champions League debut came a few days later as he came on for the final 13 minutes in Dortmund's 1-0 win over Sturm Graz. It was during those anthems that Campbell took a moment to sit back and think about it all.

  "It made me realize how far have I've come from when I was just a little kid playing and dreaming about this moment, you know? It was just a surreal moment," Campbell says. "It doesn't feel real. You're like, 'Wow, I'm here, I'm actually in a Champions League game.' "

  In the month or so since, Campbell has hovered around the Dortmund first team while also thriving for the club's second. After sitting on the bench in this past weekend's 4-0 win over Freiburg, he went on to score one day later in Dortmund II's win over Erzgebirge Aue in the third division.

  "Coming in [to the first team], I was just feeling mostly just excited to come in, " he said. "I know I just have to work hard and do my best with what I'm given."

  Campbell finds himself fighting for more minutes in the Borussia Dortmund attack, and he'll now be fighting against another American star.

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  Following in footsteps

  Dortmund's reputation as one of the game's best at developing talent is well-earned. Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Robert Lewandowski all arrived and reached superstar status at BVB. So, too, did Pulisic, who emerged as the first in what is now a legacy of American stars.

  "As far as when I was deciding which club I should go to," Campbell says, "obviously with the other players who have made it through, you see that there's a path through the academy to the first team, and that was a big thing for me. They really prepare you, not just what you can do, but also mentally, and that's something that has helped me a lot."

  That preparation helps reduce the pressure, and keeps Campbell calm. Well, mostly.

  "It's just preparing and not being too nervous," he says. "It's always good to have a little bit of excitement but if you're too nervous, you won't perform at your best, best potential. The mental side of things was something that I didn't have before I came here, and when I came here, that was a big switch. It took me some time to get used to everything, but in the end, the mental aspect, that's helped me a lot with getting me to where I am today."

  With his ascension to the Dortmund first team, Campbell has joined up with another American in Gio Reyna, who is now looking to rebuild his own career after some difficult moments. Just 22, Reyna is now the elder American at the club compared to Campbell. Due to Reyna's recent injury woes, the two haven't gotten to spend much time on the pitch together, but Campbell does see the USMNT midfielder as a role model.

  "He's a great guy, Campbell said. "I've talked to him every now and then. Obviously, it really sucks that he's been injured these last last few months, but I've talked to him and he's helped me. It's just here and there, but I'm glad that I also have another American on the team that I can talk with."

  They'll have plenty more to talk about going forward, as Campbell looks to carve out his own USMNT career.

Leeds United are reportedly looking at signing a Champions League defender who could end up replacing Junior Firpo.

Leeds’ summer signings so far

The Whites and Daniel Farke are preparing for another season in the Championship and have been relatively active in the transfer market, even if the departures have significantly outweighed the number of arrivals.

Joe Rodon, Joe Rothwell and Alex Cairns have joined from Tottenham, Southampton and Salford City respectively, with the figure for Elland Road exits hitting double figures.

There could be plenty of more incomings and outgoings before the season gets underway on August 10 against Portsmouth, with Rasmus Kristensen set to become the next player to leave for Eintracht Frankfurt on loan with an option to buy next summer.

Now, a new target has emerged for the 49ers Enterprises and Leeds.

Leeds eyeing move for Champions League defender

According to reports abroad, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds are one of a number of clubs eyeing a move to sign AC Milan left-back Fode Ballo-Toure.

It is claimed that the Italian giants are looking to move on the 27-year-old this summer and actually have an agreement with Turkish side Besiktas. However, Ballo-Toure isn’t sold on a move to Istanbul and would prefer to look elsewhere, with Leeds, Championship rivals Watford and La Liga clubs Celta Vigo and Sevilla all credited with an interest.

The Whites may well view Ballo-Toure as a replacement for Firpo, who has reportedly agreed terms over a return to Real Betis, following in the footsteps of Diego Llorente and Marc Roca who have also signed for Betis this summer in permanent transfers.

Ballo-Toure, a Senegal international, began his career on the books of Paris Saint-Germain but failed to make a senior appearance for the Ligue 1 giants. He went on to gain first-team experience in France with Lille and Monaco, resulting in a move to AC Milan in 2021, where he has played six times in the Champions League.

The left-back actually moved to Fulham on loan last season but made just eight appearances at Craven Cottage under Marco Silva. Now looking for a new home, Elland Road appears to be a potential destination, making this one to watch.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot does not expect goalkeeper Alisson to be fit to face Real Madrid next week despite his return to training.

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• Alisson out with hamstring issue
• Liverpool goalkeeper back in training
• Slot says he won't be fit for Madrid tie

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Brazilian suffered a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace last month, with Caoimhin Kelleher deputising in his place for Liverpool. Despite resuming individual training, head coach Slot stressed the 32-year-old won't be rushed back, seemingly ruling him out of their crunch clashes with Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester City in the coming week or so.

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  WHAT ARNE SLOT SAID

  He told reporters: "We are careful with everyone, especially when it comes to muscle injuries. But [Alisson] is back in training with the goalkeeper coach. He is not training with the team yet, but that is expected to be done soon, and then let’s wait and see where he is in terms of match fitness. But he is getting better and better, but not ready to play [on] Sunday."

  He added: "With Alisson and [Diogo] Jota, I don’t expect them to be available for that game [against Madrid]."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Alisson is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world and his presence will be missed but Kelleher is doing an admirable job in between the sticks in his absence. But getting him back fit for the long season ahead, rather than rushing him back, is key.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Slot's table-topping side return to Premier League action on Sunday away to lowly Southampton, before hosting Madrid at Anfield next Wednesday. They then face a huge encounter at home to City on December 1.

The Commissioner, who celebrated 25 years at the league, has agreed to a three-year extension that will keep him in charge of the league until 2027

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• Don Garber signs contract extension at MLS
• Commissioner has been in charge since 1999
• MLS Cup final between LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls set for this weekend

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber has signed a contract extension, approved by the MLS Board of Governors, that will keep him in the role through Dec. 31, 2027, the league announced Wednesday.

  The commissioner, who has been in place since 1999, has overseen a tenure of unprecedented growth for the league, which will officially expand to 30 teams next year. Financial terms of his contract were not disclosed.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  MLS has changed exponentially since Garber took over. The league had just 12 franchises when the former NFL executive became Commissioner. And although a few folded in the early 2000s, Garber has overseen vast expansion. Crucial moments of his tenure include the arrival of David Beckham in 2007, Lionel Messi moving to Miami, and the subsequent securing of a bumper Apple TV deal for the league's global broadcast rights.

• GARBER IN RECENT HEADLINES

  The Commissioner has speculated that the MLS model could be a valuable point of learning for global soccer clubs: "If you were to ask the people that are running some of the big European leagues, they'd say, 'Boy, MLS has got it right."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GARBER AND MLS?

  The Commissioner will be in charge for three more years. His immediate focus is MLS Cup, where New York Red Bulls and LA Galaxy will play this Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Enzo Maresca and his new Chelsea side have been underway on their US pre-season tour, as they prepare for the upcoming Premier League campaign, which opens for them on the 18th of August, facing last season's champions, Manchester City.

Recruitment to equip Maresca with a squad worthy of Champions League football is currently underway, with the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Leicester's POTY last season, new goalkeeper option Filip Jorgensen, and Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo all significant squad reinforcements so far.

However, one area Chelsea continuously seems to be linked with is the striker department, looking to add to their options of Nicolas Jackson, who managed 14 Premier League goals in his first season for the Blues, and Christopher Nkunku, who struggled through injury last season, only managing 14 appearances, and 516 minutes of football.

Chelsea's hunt for a new striker

According to reports from Simon Phillips, Chelsea could turn their attention to RB Leipzig forward, Loïs Openda if talks for Victor Osimhen from Napoli do not progress any further.

Fabrizio Romano reported that Napoli were open to discussing Osimhen in their talks for Romelu Lukaku. However, in the past few days, nothing seems to have progressed on that front, but it is believed Lukaku remains Napoli's priority target upfront, as Antonio Conte "only wants Lukaku".

Openda made 45 appearances for Leipzig in all competitions last season, scoring 28 goals, providing seven assists, and totalling 3,449 minutes of football.

Openda vs Osimhen comparison

Now both forwards offer quite different skill sets, with the smaller 5 foot 9 Openda being able to cover multiple positions, including upfront and out wide, with his quick burst of pace.

However, Osimhen standing at 6 foot 1, has a very powerful frame, making him a real box threat, especially in the air.

The Nigerian striker made 32 appearances for Napoli last season in all competitions, scoring 17 goals, providing four assists, and totalling 2,476 minutes. But his most impressive campaign came the season prior, scoring 31 goals in 39 appearances.

The "terrifying" Openda, as described by Seb Stafford-Bloor, shows his class with a higher non-penalty Goals metric, proves himself as a more efficient shooter with stats such as 1.86 shots on target per 90, and his playmaking abilities with 0.19 assists per 90.

Whilst Openda doesn't pose the same aerial threat as Osimhen, who averages 1.81 aerials won per 90, compared to Openda's 0.66 per 90. It doesn't stop the Belgian being a box threat, still averaging 7.01 touches in the penalty area per 90, which is actually higher than Osimhen, who averages 6.82 per 90.

The 24-year-old Leipzig man would also offer a fix to the Chelsea left-wing scenario, with Fabrizio Romano often referring to the Blues' desire to acquire a right-footed winger this summer, and Openda could prove to be a solution to both the striker and winger scenarios.

Chelsea could land a bigger talent than Osimhen in £75m "nightmare"

The Blues are still on the hunt for a new centre-forward.

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 2, 2024

The former USMNT and Toronto FC striker has invested in NFL franchise Buffalo Bills after long-time interest in professional sports ownership

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• Jozy Altidore joins Buffalo Bills ownership group
• Purchased minority stake with Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady
• Long time Bills fan

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former U.S. international star Jozy Altidore had joined the Bills ownership group, he announced on social media. The former Toronto FC, Sunderland, AZ Alkmaar forward is a lifelong NFL fan, and has invested in the franchise alongside NBA legends Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Altidore joins an ever expanding field of NFL and soccer interlocking. Over the past few years, former football stars such as JJ Watt and Tom Brady have invested in lower league English clubs. Meanwhile, long-time soccer veterans like Harry Kane have made their NFL interest clear – with the England captain alluding to his desire to finish his athletic career as a kicker in the NFL.

• WHAT ALTIDORE SAID

  Altidore expressed his excitement to be joining the ownership group: "Having played and won an MLS championship in nearby Toronto, I've been a huge Bills fan for many years. it's always been a goal of mine to become part of professional sports ownership, so this opportunity to join the Buffalo Bills family is an incredible honor and dream come true."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ALTIDORE?

  The ex-USMNT striker, who scored 42 goals for his country, will join the Bills ownership, effective immediately.