Qatar's sovereign wealth fund is buying a roughly 5% stake in the parent company of the NBA's Washington Wizards, NHL's Washington Capitals and WNBA's Washington Mystics as part of a $4.05 billion deal, a person with knowledge of the sale said Thursday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement between the Qatar Investment Authority and Monumental Sports & Entertainment had not been announced.

It is believed to be the first time the government of Qatar is investing in U.S. professional sports. Sportico first reported the transaction, saying it is the first time any sovereign wealth fund has bought into ownership of an American team.

It is not Qatar's first big foray into major sports. The Middle Eastern country last year hosted soccer's World Cup for the first time, helping FIFA reach a record revenue level because of booming ticket and hospitality sales.

Qatar Sports Investments, a subsidiary of the state-run fund, has owned majority control of French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain since 2011. The same group agreed in October to buy a 22% stake in Portuguese club Braga.

Getting into a top U.S. market, even as a minority partner, is further expansion of Qatari reach into the sports world.

NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said the league's board of governors decided in November to allow "passive, non-controlling, minority investments in NBA teams by institutional investors, including university endowments, foreign and domestic pension funds and sovereign wealth funds, subject to a set of policy guidelines adopted at that time." All investments fitting that bill require league review and NBA board approval.

"The NBA Board is currently reviewing a potential investment by QIA in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the Washington Wizards, among other sports properties," Bass said. "In accordance with the policy, if approved, QIA would have a passive, minority investment in the team, with no involvement in its operations or decision-making."

An expert in such transactions said sports are part of Qatar's nation-branding and public diplomacy strategy and that this move aligns with that strategy.

"Part of that strategy includes purchasing, sponsoring or buying equity in international sports organizations in Western markets, especially in central cities," said Dr. Yoav Dubinsky, Instructor of Sports Business in the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon. "From a political standpoint, it means further legitimizing Qatar as a business partner in the West, including in the heart of American politics."

Dubinsky added in an email to the AP that the size of the stake would likely limit the impact Qatar can have on the teams, unlike the control of Paris Saint-Germain. That would fit with the NBA's definition of a passive, minority investment.

Ted Leonsis, who has owned the Capitals since 1999 and been majority owner of the Wizards since 2010, is the founder, managing partner and CEO of Monumental. The company lists 20 other partners on its website, including Laurene Powell Jobs and Washington Nationals owner Mark Lerner.

Monumental also owns the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League and Capital One Arena in Washington and recently took over the media outlet formerly known as NBC Sports Washington, now Monumental Sports Network.

Several days after agreeing to send Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for a package including Chris Paul, the Washington Wizards agreed to send the future Hall of Fame point guard to the Golden State Warriors Thursday for Jordan Poole, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Wizards are also receiving a protected 2030 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick from Golden State in the deal, sources said.

Washington began its complete roster overhaul under new president of basketball operations Michael Winger on Sunday, when Beal agreed to waive his no-trade clause to be sent to the Suns. That deal was officially completed Thursday, with the Wizards receiving Paul and Landry Shamet; first-round pick swaps in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030; second-round picks from 2024 through 2028, plus 2030; and cash from the Suns in the deal. Phoenix also received Jordan Goodwin and Isaiah Todd from the Wizards. Then, in a separate deal, Paul was sent to Golden State in exchange for Poole plus the draft compensation from the Warriors.

The two sides agreed to wait to officially complete the Beal trade so the Wizards would have time to relocate Paul to a third team in a deal to recoup additional assets as part of the deal.

That team turned out to be Golden State, where Paul winds up after spending the past decade facing the Warriors in the playoffs over and over again, as Golden State's new general manager, Mike Dunleavy Jr., makes the first significant move of his tenure after officially taking over for Bob Myers last week.

Paul, 38, averaged 13.9 points and 8.9 assists for the Suns last season across 59 games, and he gives the Warriors a different way to attack defenses when Stephen Curry is off the court, although -- after starting every single game of his career thus far, 1,214 regular-season games and 149 postseason contests -- Paul is likely to be ticketed for a reserve role in what will be his 19th NBA season.

Paul also has a $30 million expiring contract, compared with the four years and $140 million left on the extension Poole signed before the start of last season, removing a significant chunk of money from Golden State's future books as the Warriors navigate the harsher penalties on big-spending teams imposed by the league's new collective bargaining agreement. The Warriors have to sort out the possibility of a new contract with franchise cornerstone Draymond Green after he opted out of his contract earlier this month and became a free agent.

Washington will get Poole, who will step into the starting shooting guard spot vacated by Beal in the trade, and as part of a newly formed starting backcourt for the Wizards that has come together in the past 24 hours. Washington had previously agreed to send Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics late Wednesday night -- shortly before his midnight deadline to pick up his $36 million player option for next season -- in a three-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies that saw the Wizards land point guard Tyus Jones.

During his time with the Warriors, Poole -- the 28th pick in the 2019 NBA draft -- developed into a dynamic scoring guard, one who averaged 24.6 points and 4.6 assists as a starter in 43 games this season.

But Poole's season was overshadowed by Draymond Green punching him during a preseason practice, and after playing well in Golden State's run to the 2022 NBA title -- averaging 17.0 points on 50.8% shooting overall and 39% from 3 -- his numbers slumped to 10.3 points on 34% shooting overall and 25.4% from 3.

Meanwhile, sources told Wojnarowski on Tuesday that Washington forward Kyle Kuzma, one of the more intriguing free agents on the market this summer, has declined his player option and will be an unrestricted free agent.

The Chicago White Sox activated right-hander Lance Lynn from the bereavement list on Thursday, while right-hander Jimmy Lambert was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.

Lynn, 36, had been placed on the bereavement list Monday. He is expected to start Saturday at home against the Boston Red Sox.

In the veteran's most recent outing Sunday against the Seattle Mariners, Lynn recorded a career-best 16 strikeouts while also matching the franchise record. But he ended up with the loss after giving up three runs over seven innings. Lynn is 4-8 this season with a 6.51 ERA.

Lambert, 28, is 2-1 with a 6.85 ERA in 24 outings (one start) this season. Over the past four seasons with the White Sox, Lambert is 4-4 with a 4.59 ERA over 72 outings (six starts). He has 28 appearances at Charlotte over the past three seasons.

WASHINGTON -- Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez was ejected in the fifth inning of Thursday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, then kicked dirt near the plate and crouched in response to being tossed by crew chief Doug Eddings.

"I'm going to protect my players, and that's all there is to it," Martinez said after the Nationals' 5-3 loss. "In that moment, it's crucial. He takes a pitch and does a good job, and maybe he gets the next pitch. Who knows? Maybe he gets a base hit and we're back in the ballgame. It's just a tough situation."

Washington has lost 14 of 17 and just completed a 1-6 homestand.

Martinez was irked when shortstop CJ Abrams took a called third strike ending the fourth on a pitch that replays showed was low. The strikeout came with runners on first and second and the Nationals trailing 2-1.

The Washington manager was then angered when Eddings called a ball on starter Jake Irvin's first pitch to Carson Kelly with one out in the fifth.

"They're not perfect," Martinez said. "Neither is anybody else, and those things will happen. It's when it happens. That's the thing that really frustrates me a lot. In crucial situations, you have to bear down. Nobody's perfect. I don't expect anybody to be perfect. In situations where it's meaningful, you really have to bear down and get it right."

Eddings appeared to respond to shouting from the Nationals' dugout, prompting Martinez to come out and argue. Martinez then left to go back to the dugout.

"Get it right!" Martinez said on the way back, adding a profanity.

"All right, you're done," Eddings replied as Martinez stormed back toward the plate.

Martinez, who was ejected for the first time this season, then kicked dirt away from the plate and got down on the ground to illustrate his view of Eddings' strike zone.

"That's Davey standing up for guys that have been working really, really hard to right this ship," Irvin said. "He's our leader, man. When a guy comes out and battles for us like that, it's motivational. We see how much he cares, and we're going to keep working hard, that's for sure."

Martinez said his greatest concern in the moment was the effect the initial call could have on Abrams, a second-year player who struck out looking three times.

"I'm more worried about him because he's doing everything right," Martinez said. "That's what kind of got me heated. I screamed for a little bit there beforehand, and when it was over, the next inning started and I was good. I was like 'Hey, let's play baseball, we're still in the game.' Then, as you guys could see, things got a little bit heated up, and that led to me doing a plank on the field."

Arizona watched from its dugout.

"I love Davey," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "The guys were giving me a hard time, that I need to get on the field and belly up to the dirt. I don't think I ever will. But he's passionate. And I think that showed up today."

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been benched by manager Kevin Cash for the way he has handled frustrating situations this year.

Franco will not play in at least games Thursday and Friday against the Kansas City Royals, Cash said.

"Wander is a really good kid, really good person," Cash said before Thursday night's game with the Royals. "He's a young player that is learning and dealing with the challenges of being a major league player, and some of the frustrations that come with it.

"Over the course of this season there's been probably multiple times that the way he has handled his frustrations have not been the way that we ask our players to uphold being the best teammate."

Cash declined to give specifics about any incidents, but the 22-year-old has not run out grounders at times and has had some baserunning lapses.

Also, Franco has thrown his bat after striking out, and last Sunday declined to talk to reporters after making two errors on one play.

"We're going to continue to support Wander as he works through this," Cash said. "I'm personally going to [help], this organization will, this staff will. We look forward to having him back."

Franco is hitting .287 with eight homers and 34 RBIs and has stolen 24 bases.

Saracens have signed former London Irish prop Ollie Hoskins.

He played 164 times in seven years for the Exiles but was available after Irish went into administration.

"The last month has been chaotic, emotional and stressful for me and my wife, so I am really grateful for the opportunity to represent Saracens," Hoskins told the Saracens website.

"Everyone I have spoken to throughout this process has been super supportive, and I'm motivated to throw myself into pre-season and become a better player, it is an exciting challenge.

"Lastly, I want to thank London Irish for the last seven years. It's been heartbreaking to go through this period, as the club was filled with genuinely incredible people both on and off the field.

"They shaped me into the player and man I am today, and I wouldn't be in this position without them."

He is the latest player to find a new club after Irish became the third Premiership side in less than a year to be forced out of the top flight because of financial issues.

Fly-half Rory Jennings has joined Newcastle, prop Lovejoy Chawatama and back-row Chandler Cunningham-South have moved to Harlequins while Northampton have signed Tom Pearson, Chunya Munga and Tarek Haffar in recent weeks.

Early in his time in the NHL, Darnell Nurse says he did not notice a lot of players talking about what to do after hockey. Going into his ninth season, the chatter is now normal.

"People are curious as to what there is outside the game and what you can do to prepare yourself," Nurse said.

Plenty of players have taken it upon themselves to prepare for the future, like Zdeno Chara getting his real estate license and others finishing college degrees or exploring business opportunities. The NHL Players Association on Thursday launched a program that gives its members the chance to do a personality analysis and delve into real estate, business or other avenues while still in the league.

The hope is to ease the transition to life after playing.

"It's something that's been missing a little bit," veteran center Lars Eller told The Associated Press. "It's kind of well known that one of the struggles for a professional athlete is the transition on to the next thing once he's done with his professional career. And this platform helps you with that transition, and it's something you can start even while you're still playing so you can sort of hit the ground running once you're done."

New union boss Marty Walsh made helping former players one of his top priorities. His arrival in March coincided with a process two years in the making, after player feedback indicated the desire for more assistance outside of hockey.

The result is the UNLMT program. Retired defenseman-turned-psychologist Jay Harrison is available to do an assessment, and players can get involved with companies such as Money Management International and The Second City comedy and improv theater and institutions like the University of Florida and Stanford's graduate school of business.

"When they played, they gave it their all, and a lot of them didn't really have anything after that. They didn't make big contracts. They really didn't have a strong pension system. A lot of them, even going back further than that, lost stuff. We can't let that happen again." NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh

Former goaltender Rob Zepp, who is leading the program as the union's director of strategic initiatives, said an extensive survey provided the building blocks for something that was designed to be 1-on-1 and customized for players to figure out what might interest them.

"What we've seen so far, it really runs the gamut: anything from enhancing one's personal brand to starting a podcast to taking these certificate-level courses in real estate, in entrepreneurship, in business, in leadership, communication skills, networking skills," Zepp said. "We have players that are interested in or are currently pursuing commercial real estate avenues or farming ventures or construction."

Eller, Nurse and Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo are among the players who have tried UNLMT. Okposo has graduated from Stanford's business leadership program, while Eller has spoken with Harrison and taken some of the courses offered.

"They're not waiting until people's careers are over," said Nurse, who is still in his prime at 28. "It's something that you can dip your feet into and grab a hold of while you're still playing and giving you resources and opportunities to kind of figure out what you want to do."

Zepp got a degree from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from the University of Liverpool the old-school way -- tapes and textbooks sent by mail and tests taken in front of a proctor -- while playing mostly in the minors and Europe before 10 games with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2014-15. He felt like having something to study made him a better goalie and understood there was plenty of idle time on the road.

Eller, who is a silent partner involved with helping start-up businesses, thinks the same way.

"We, as players, we have -- not a lot of freedom once the season is starting -- but we do have a lot of free time," said Eller, who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the Washington Capitals in 2018 and is a pending free agent at 34. "It's a huge positive if you have something else that you can take your mind off of hockey and do something productive with that time."

Walsh got to know several Bruins alumni when he was mayor of Boston and has since talked to other former players and come away with a mandate to protect guys beyond their time on the ice.

"When they played, they gave it their all, and a lot of them didn't really have anything after that," Walsh said. "They didn't make big contracts. They really didn't have a strong pension system. A lot of them, even going back further than that, lost stuff. We can't let that happen again."

Selling the Ottawa Senators generated more drama than an episode of Netflix's "Selling Sunset."

For months the Senators' saga played out like a reality series cliché: billionaire bidding wars, high-stakes negotiations, celebrity cameos and, in the end, one clear winner.

In Ottawa's case, it was transportation tycoon Michael Andlauer -- heading a group of additional investors -- who emerged victorious, offering a reported $950 million earlier this month to successfully sign a purchase agreement for the Senators. That deal remains subject to NHL approval.

Andlauer, 58, had been involved with the sale process in Ottawa from its start last November. The Canadian businessman is a self-made billionaire with long-term, winding roots in the hockey community. Born in France but raised in Montreal, Andlauer grew up loving the Canadiens, a passion that would set the table for future investments.

In 2003, Andlauer became a part owner of the Hamilton Bulldogs -- Montreal's then-American Hockey League affiliate -- and in 2004 purchased a majority stake in the club. By 2009, Andlauer had graduated to the big leagues by buying a minority share of the Canadiens as part of a collective helmed by Geoff Molson (if Andlauer's bid for the Senators gets over the line, he will have to divest all interests in the Habs moving forward).

Andlauer wasn't the only candidate eagerly pursuing Ottawa, either. Sources confirmed to ESPN that Andlauer's was one of four final bids for the Senators at the agreed-upon May 15 deadline. The other pitches came from California-based businessman Neko Sparks (who was supported in part by musical recording star Snoop Dogg), entrepreneurs Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, and billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos. Canadian real estate corporation The Remington Group -- backed in part by actor Ryan Reynolds -- had also been in the mix much of the way before bowing out in early May.

Now, some seven months after the Senators' "For Sale" sign went up, there is pending stability for the franchise -- at least when it comes to ownership. Ottawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe tweeted Tuesday that it was "great to meet" with Andlauer and that they had a "great conversation about the future of Ottawa and the Senators."

Once Andlauer is, as expected, anointed into his new role, there are plenty of questions to be answered about the team's present and future that will set it up for a kind of success that Ottawa has been lacking -- but that former owner Eugene Melnyk had always envisioned for his beloved Senators.

How the Senators came up for sale

Melnyk was a standout businessman in his own right.

His passion, though -- as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman often stated -- was tied up in Ottawa.

Melnyk purchased the Senators in 2003 for $130 million and fronted the organization until his passing on March 28, 2022, after a long illness. Under Melnyk, the Senators made one Stanley Cup Final appearance, in 2007, and again reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2017. Ottawa also weathered its share of lean seasons in between and after those highlights; the Senators haven't been back to the postseason since that run to the conference finals six seasons ago.

After Melnyk's death, the franchise passed to his daughters, Anna and Olivia. They, along with the Senators Sports and Entertainment board of directors, made the "necessary and prudent step" to place Ottawa on the market in November, with an included caveat that anyone attempting to purchase the Senators would not be able to move the team away from Ottawa. Seeing the Senators stay put in Canada's capital was important to Melnyk and to Bettman.

Despite Ottawa's standing as a lower-revenue club by league standards, there was never any desire on Melnyk's part to see his franchise go to another town. That portion of his legacy will be protected now under Andlauer's leadership.

If the Senators are to remain in Ottawa, it won't be without some projected changes -- on and off the ice. Andlauer and his investors will have to wait to get started, but once they have approval to move ahead, their schedule should be jam-packed giving Ottawa the makeover it has long needed by answering some hard-hitting questions about the franchise's next steps.

Where will the Senators play?

When Melnyk bought the Senators in 2003, his transaction included taking control of the team's arena in Kanata, Ontario, a suburb about 30 minutes outside of Ottawa. The Senators had been housed in the arena now named Canadian Tire Centre since it opened in 1996. That location became increasingly at odds with the Senators' ability to fill their rink for every home game. During his ownership tenure, Melnyk tried to build Ottawa a new home closer to the city's downtown in the hopes it would not only be a strong business investment but also give the Senators a greater spotlight (and produce higher profits).

When the National Capital Commission began requesting proposals in 2015 to redevelop the downtown LeBreton Flats, Melnyk quickly got involved. By 2016, Melynk and the RendezVous LeBreton Group partnership (with Trinity Development Group) pitched the NCC on a project that included not only the site of a new arena but also housing, parking and recreation facilities to benefit the entire community. Their plan ultimately came apart in 2018 when dueling lawsuits between Trinity and Melynk's camp put development plans on hold, and the NCC's subsequent attempt to put the sides through mediation to work out their differences failed.

The NCC again asked for bids in 2022 on the LeBreton Flats space. The Senators went back to the well with another pitch, and in June 2022 the NCC announced that Ottawa's proposal had been selected for the site; a memorandum of understanding was signed by the Senators-led Capital Sports Development Inc. at the time, and a lease agreement was expected to be produced by fall of this year.

That, of course, all took place before Andlauer took over. Capital Sports has continued working with NCC on the LeBreton redesign, but it will fall to Andlauer how -- or if -- he wants to proceed with what the group had originally proposed for the LeBreton land.

The NCC has yet to confirm that it has spoken with Andlauer about his plans -- that conversation is likely pending NHL approval of his purchase anyway -- but in a statement, the NCC declared, "we look forward to working with Mr. Andlauer and his partners on a lease agreement for a future major events centre at LeBreton Flats."

Time will tell whether Andlauer & Co. like what they hear or whether their ears are bent elsewhere.

Will Andlauer overhaul Ottawa's front office and coaching staff?

There's no timeline on when, exactly, the Senators' sale will (or won't) be finalized. It might not be until September. What we do know is that Andlauer and his group will have nothing to do with Ottawa's business at the NHL draft in Nashville next week, or when free agency opens July 1.

Let's fast-forward. We'll continue to assume that Andlauer's business is handled without a hitch and his deal is formally accepted. When the ink is eventually dry, what will Andlauer make of the Senators' front office and coaching personnel?

Pierre Dorion was hired as general manager by Melnyk in 2016; he is signed through the 2024-25 season, with an option for the club to extend him one additional year. Dorion, in turn, hired coach D.J. Smith in 2019; he's signed until the end of this coming season, and Ottawa has the option to extend him through 2024-25.

The Senators have reached the postseason only once under Dorion (on that run to the Eastern Conference finals) and haven't been at all since Smith stepped behind the bench. Will the lack of success by his GM-coach combination spur Andlauer to hire replacements?

Andlauer has ties to Steve Staios, who was president and general manager of the Bulldogs when Andlauer owned that team, and they won two Ontario Hockey League championships together. Staois is currently employed in hockey operations for the Edmonton Oilers, but he might easily be wooed to Ottawa if Andlauer made room for him as GM.

If Andlauer opted for a change in that position, it would likely fall on the incoming executive to decide Smith's fate behind the bench. Again, given the uncertain timeline for the sale to get pushed through and Smith's limited time remaining under contract, there could even be a mutual parting of the ways in the coming months.

Another situation to monitor involves Senators legend Daniel Alfredsson. The club's former captain suited up for Ottawa from 1994 to 2013 and, after his retirement, was briefly a senior adviser for the Sens from 2015 to 2017. Alfredsson has recently stated his desire to hold a "meaningful role" in Senators hockey ops again under the team's new management. Andlauer reportedly met with Alfredsson earlier this week, too.

Will the Sens' prospective new owner take Alfredsson up on his desire for an expanded position with the club?

How will the Senators' new ownership affect players?

Ottawa hasn't seen the playoffs in six years, but the Senators are closer than ever to returning.

Ottawa has drafted well in recent years, bringing captain Brady Tkachuk, forwards Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson, and defensemen Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson -- among others -- into the fold. That group is poised to carry the Senators back into contention. In fact, Ottawa might have surged into a playoff spot last season if injury troubles -- including losing top forward Josh Norris for most of the season -- hadn't piled up.

That's all in the past. Andlauer will be focused on assessing the Sens' next chapter.

Naturally, any management and coaching decisions will impact what Ottawa does with its roster. The Senators do have some key choices to make before the 2023-24 campaign kicks off, though.

Dorion swung for the fences bringing in forward Alex DeBrincat via trade last summer; the pending restricted free agent isn't expected to re-sign long term in Ottawa, and attempting to broker a deal that benefits the Senators in some way has to be a priority. Then there's the team's goaltending. Cam Talbot is headed to unrestricted free agency. Anton Forsberg ended last season on injured reserve but was playing well beforehand. Can Forsberg be anointed the Sens' next starter? Or will they look elsewhere for help on that front?

In the bigger picture, what will Ottawa's identity be? Andlauer has experience in the hockey world and will no doubt arrive with opinions on team structure. Those thoughts will clearly have an effect on whom he wants to populate those personnel roles; his vision for the team must match that of whoever is in charge of setting the team up for on-ice success.

All we can do at this stage is speculate on how many alterations Andlauer will see fit to make and how quickly he'll want to make them. However, given that Andlauer has been a minority owner in the league for years -- with another Atlantic Division club, no less -- he's going to be intimately familiar with where Ottawa has failed and thrived during its six-season postseason drought. That potentially cuts down on how long it will take Andlauer to put the wheels of change in motion for Ottawa that directly affect how the Senators look on the ice in the years to come.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to meet in the first Clasico of the 2023-24 LaLiga season on the weekend of Oct. 29 after the fixture list was published on Thursday, with Xavi's side facing an away trip to Getafe on the opening weekend while Carlo Ancelotti's men travel to Athletic Club.

Atletico Madrid -- who finished in third, just a point behind Real Madrid, last season -- begin the season hosting Granada. Real Sociedad, who came in fourth to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in a decade, will play Girona.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

The first Clasico of the season, on matchday 11, will take place in Barcelona, with the return fixture in Madrid taking place on the weekend of April 21.

The calendar was released in a draw at the headquarters of the Spanish football federation (RFEF) in Las Rozas, outside Madrid, with the fixture list being picked at random from a set of possible alternatives.

The 2023-24 LaLiga season will get underway on the weekend of Aug. 13 and conclude on the weekend of May 26, 2024.

Most matches will be played on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, with some rounds being played in midweek. Kickoff times will be chosen by LaLiga at a later date.

Champions Barcelona will play their home games for 2023-24 at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic, with Spotify Camp Nou stadium being rebuilt.

They will start the season playing Getafe, Cadiz and Villarreal, while Madrid face Athletic Club, Almeria and Celta Vigo in their opening fixtures, all taking place away from the Bernabeu as work continues there.

Madrid will travel to Atletico in the first Madrid derby of the season on the weekend of Sept. 24, with the return game at the Bernabeu being played on the weekend of Feb. 4.

Barcelona finished 10 points ahead of Madrid last season as coach Xavi Hernandez led the Catalans to their first league title since 2019.

They were unable to bring Lionel Messi back to the club this summer after he chose to join Inter Miami, but sources told ESPN that they are close to beginning their business with the signing of midfielder Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City on a free transfer.

Madrid have already signed midfielder Jude Bellingham, forward Joselu, playmaker Brahim Diaz and defender Fran Garcia as they look to close the gap on Barca, but lost Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, who has joined Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad.

Atletico will look to continue the form which saw them pick up the most points of any LaLiga team in the second half of last season, while Real Sociedad, Villarreal, Real Betis and Europa League winners Sevilla all hope to compete for the top four.

Promoted teams Granada, Las Palmas and Alaves will form part of next season's First Division, getting underway with games against Atletico, Mallorca and Cadiz respectively.

Manchester City are preparing to rival Arsenal in the race to sign Declan Rice by making a formal offer for the West Ham United midfielder, sources told ESPN.

City have been monitoring developments as Arsenal had two bids rejected earlier this month for the 24-year-old, the latest of which totalled £90 million ($114.9m) comprising £75m ($89.3m) and a further £15m ($19.1m) in add-ons.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Sources have told ESPN that City were waiting for Ilkay Gundogan to decide his future before moving for a new midfielder, and now that he has chosen to turn down a new deal to join Barcelona, Pep Guardiola's side are ready to act.

West Ham value Rice in excess of £100m ($127.6m), and Arsenal are expected to return with a third offer. It remains to be seen how much City are willing to bid but the Premier League champions signalling their interest will likely drive up the fee.

Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal were confident that Rice wanted to move to Emirates Stadium but City will test that confidence, especially given they can tempt West Ham with a player-plus-cash deal.

West Ham boss David Moyes is thought to be a fan of City midfielder Kalvin Phillips. If Rice decides to join City, Phillips would be behind both him and Rodri in the pecking order to start.

Phillips is reluctant to leave and would have to be convinced he has no future at the club in order to continue his career elsewhere.

Arsenal have made Rice their top midfield target and believed talks were progressing well with personal terms not thought to be an issue.

However, it is possible City's pedigree -- having just secured a Treble success of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup -- may tempt Rice into a change of heart.

Manchester United are also interested in Rice with reports suggesting they were considering a player-plus-cash proposal of their own which may include Harry Maguire or Scott McTominay.

West Ham enquired about Maguire, 30, in January but were told he wanted to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford.