Former England and Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has returned to Bath as head academy coach.

He will also work as contact coach with the first team and will take charge of Bath's Premiership Rugby Cup side.

He was forwards coach with England before succeeding Sir Clive Woodward as head coach for two years in 2004.

After a spell in charge at Edinburgh, Robinson became Scotland head coach from 2009 to 2012 before taking on head coach roles with Bath's local rivals Bristol, followed by Romania.

"I'm glad to be back at Bath and I'm looking forward to making a change on the pitch," said Robinson, who made 249 appearances for Bath as a player.

"There's a great group of players here and I'm excited to see what I can achieve with the team."

Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan told the club website: "I'm excited to have Andy with us and I couldn't think of a better man to coach here at Bath.

"Andy has achieved a tremendous amount in both his playing and coaching career and is a well-known face in the city.

"It'll be great for all of us here to have someone so deeply connected to Bath's professional rugby history."

Bath have also announced the appointment of former Scotland hooker Stevie Scott as their new scrum coach.

Scott has worked with Edinburgh and Sale and was an assistant coach with Scotland.

The Montreal Canadiens are retaining forward Sean Monahan on a one-year, $1.985 million contract.

Monahan, 28, could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Canadiens acquired Monahan and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft in an August 2022 trade with the Calgary Flames for future considerations.

In his first season in Montreal, Monahan appeared in 25 games and registered 17 points (six goals, 11 assists). His season ended Dec. 5 because of a lower-body injury.

The Flames selected Monahan with the No. 6 overall draft pick in 2013. In 681 regular-season games with the Flames and Canadiens, he has scored 479 points (218 goals, 261 assists).

In the NHL, one thing always leads to another. Trades, signings and draft picks are never made in a vacuum. One move has reverberations leading to others, like a stone tossed in the water or dominoes tumbling into each other.

Please recall last summer, when the Pittsburgh Penguins traded defenseman John Marino to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Ty Smith and a 2023 third-round pick. That was to open up a roster spot and salary space so GM Ron Hextall could trade for 34-year-old Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry.

The dominoes kept falling. Marino was great for the Devils, helping to make Damon Severson expendable, who then signed a deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets after the Devils traded him there earlier this month. Hextall, who made the Petry deal, is now the Penguins' former GM.

This offseason will bring more chain reactions, some in close proximity to each other and others down the line.

The following five scenarios are presented for maximum chaos. Take them under consideration as possible outcomes in the multiverse of madness that is the NHL offseason, rather than firm predictions. In each case, the fallout will be as interesting as the catalysts.

Here are some offseason dominoes we'd like to see fall in the NHL:

Tom Watson has some questions. Lots of them. In a lengthy open letter to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, the Tour's policy board and Tour players, the eight-time major winner posed question after question, most of which remain unanswered after the Tour's announced alliance with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund to create a new, for-profit entity.

"What does acceptance of this partnership mean to the Tour? What do we get? What do we give up? Why was this deal done in such secrecy and why wasn't even one of the players who sits on the Tour's policy board included?" Watson asked.

He also brought up Saudi Arabia's ties to 9/11 and its human rights abuses, writing, "I ask the Tour, how is a non-negotiable point for us one day one we negotiate around the next?"

The Tour announced a "framework" deal with the PIF on June 6, shocking the golf world. Last Friday, it was announced that a motion to dismiss all legal cases between the two (and LIV Golf) had been filed with prejudice, meaning they could not be reopened.

A player meeting is slated for Tuesday at the Travelers Championship.

Here is the full, unedited version of Watson's letter:

An open letter to Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour's Board, and to my fellow players:

First, I wish Jay Monahan a complete and speedy recovery. I respect the leadership he has shown in the past for our Tour. It can't be an easy job. With the recent high hurdles in dealing with LIV poaching Tour players and the legal battles presented as a result, I have a sense of the complexity of the issues which he presently faces as a leader.

Unfortunately, in the wake of recent news, I also understand the cries of hypocrisy. Because he is a smart man, I know Jay does too. In my opinion, the communication has been mishandled and the process by which the Tour agreed on a proposed partnership with PIF was executed without due process. As a group of players and stakeholders who represent the face and the brands of the Tour, what are our choices?

Clearly, the Tour's traditional business model was threatened by LIV. The upstart tour created unprecedented obstacles and battles of both moral and financial consequence.

While I wasn't in the player meeting on Tuesday, June 6th (ironically on the anniversary of D-Day), for Jay's PIF partnership/Tour announcement, I've watched enough to know that it was certainly unlike any of the player meetings I've been involved with in my 50 plus years as a member of the Tour. The Commissioner and the PGA Tour Board, on which five Tour players sit, are going to have to do a lot of firsthand explaining to comfortably coax acceptance with our membership on this partnership with the PIF. The Tour's stakeholders: the Players themselves, the broad span of global media, as well as the tournament sponsors and independent Tour partners, require an explanation of the benefits of forming this partnership.

There are many unanswered questions to date, which I hope will be addressed with the players by Tour management at this week's Traveler's Tour event. What does acceptance of this partnership mean to the Tour?

What do we get? What do we give up? Why was this deal done in such secrecy and why wasn't even one of the players who sits on the Tour's Policy Board included? A matter this profound deserves thorough vetting by a representative group of stakeholders which include those, who in the end, define the public image and emotional connection with the PGA Tour.

I have a basic understanding of the role Saudi Arabia's PIF plays in the world's economy and that PIF money is invested in US brands and businesses which are part of our everyday lives. I realize the United States has diplomatic relations with the Saudis and they have occasionally been allies of ours in the Middle East. It is my further understanding that many businesses, including some professional sports leagues have strict guidelines on the percentage of investment they will accept from sovereign funds. Before this agreement is finalized, I wonder, does the PGA Tour have guidelines?

Have we, as a body, defined an acceptable percentage of PIF funding in the proposed partnership?

These questions are compounded by the hypocrisy in disregarding the moral issue; a position which for a long time was publicly highlighted by Tour leadership. While it is accepted that players on all levels would value the opportunity to make more money, it has also been illustrated that not all of our players are in search of money at all costs. Those who stayed true to the Tour for whatever personal reason or position of moral conscience are more than a few outliers. There are widespread rumors on the Tour offering financial reparations to these players who rejected offers from LIV and remained loyal to our Tour. Surely, that alone misses the larger issue of context here? And in a related question, what if any, are the plans to reinstate Tour players who defected and now want to return to the PGA Tour?

I still await Saudi acknowledgement of their role in the attacks of 9/11, which resulted in the loss of the innocent lives of 3000 of my fellow American citizens. I support 9/11 Families United and their efforts to release supporting exculpatory US Government documents (See 9/11Families United.org/KeyDocuments). That day, forever among the darkest in our nation's history, is sadly not alone among the human rights violations we have seen employed by Saudi Arabia. I ask the Tour, how is a non-negotiable point for us one day one we negotiate around the next?

The reversal does appear to indicate a more desperate financial situation than has been previously revealed by the Tour. While last week I learned the significant news that litigation around the Tour/LIV conflict would be terminated with prejudice, that only solves one significant financial problem. It is important to understand how all of this has impacted the Tour's Reserve Fund and the Tour's overall financial solvency.

Have funds been depleted to the point where the Tour needs an unprecedented capital injection to remain solvent now or for the future? Policy Board independent director Jimmy Dunne, (who helped broker the deal), has said the PIF is not investing money into PGA Tour, Inc. but rather into a newly formed for-profit commercial entity under the banner, PGA Tour Enterprises. Will PIF funds be invested only in PGA Tour Enterprises, not PGA Tour, Inc? What does that mean? What present and/or new assets go into this new partnership? What assets will be sold?

My overarching questions remain. Is the PIF the only viable rescue from the Tour’s financial problems? Was/is there a plan B? And again, what exactly is the exchange? We need clarity and deserve full disclosure as to the financial health of the PGA Tour and the details of this proposed partnership.

My loyalty to golf and this country live in the same place and have held equal and significant weight with me over my lifetime. Please educate me and others in a way that allows loyalty to both and in a way that makes it easy to look 9/11 families in the eye and ourselves in the mirror.

I am very grateful for our country, its abundant opportunities, and the wonderful life made possible by the PGA Tour.

Sincerely,

Tom Watson

Wyndham Clark broke out of his shell to become a major champion last week, but the Tour is quickly firing up another designated event. 

The large-purse events are coming rapid-fire this season. 

Next on the docket is the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands. It will be quite the trek for players that competed at Los Angeles Country Club last week, going coast to coast. 

The cutline will return to normal PGA Tour rules this week, low 65 and ties making it to the weekend, with a full field of 156 starting the week.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Rory McIlroy

He's found his groove again with four straight top-10s while also sporting four top-20s in four tries at TPC River Highlands. He's yet to turn any of those into top-10s, though. His comments after Sunday's round at LACC implied that he's playing this week but really has his eye on The Open. Of course, he'd love to maintain his momentum to big finishes ahead of the season's final major.

Patrick Cantlay

Similar to McIlroy, Cantlay has a pile of steady finishes at TPC River Highlands but no top-10s. Cantlay has top-25s in six of eight tries at the Travelers. "It's a course I love coming back to and a place I love coming back to and a course that suits my game as well," he said. "I've played well." He arrives with 10 straight finishes of T-30 or better on his recent-form log.

Kevin Streelman

He's delivered the goods at this event over the years, boasting a win and four other top-10s on his tournament resume. He's second on the tournament's all-time money list. He's been slumping this season but did manage to snap out of that recently with a T-18 at the Wells Fargo Championship and T-9 at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Jon Rahm

Got off to a slow start last week but stormed home over the weekend to steal a spot inside of the top 10. He said he found something on the range that worked well for him so it will be interesting to see if that carries over after a coast-to-coast flight. Rahm has underperformed at TPC River Highlands over the years with no top-20s.

Scottie Scheffler

His incredible run of consistency continued last week, posting a third-place showing at Los Angeles Country Club. He now has four straight podium finishes (without a win) and top-12s in every event dating back to the CJ Cup in October. The Texan has played the Travelers Championship three times with improving finishes upon each return visit (MC-47th-13th). 

RANKING THE FIELD

1. Scottie Scheffler
2. Jon Rahm
3. Patrick Cantlay
4. Rory McIlroy
5. Xander Schauffele
6. Tony Finau
7. Viktor Hovland
8. Collin Morikawa
9. Matt Fitzpatrick
10. Tommy Fleetwood
11. Max Homa
12. Wyndham Clark
13. Rickie Fowler
14. Jason Day
15. Russell Henley
16. Sungjae Im
17. Sahith Theegala
18. Tom Kim
19. Denny McCarthy
20. Si Woo Kim

LOS ANGELES – Mike Whan watched quietly behind the ninth green Sunday as the day’s final group played up, basking in the Southern California sun and the idyllic stage of Los Angeles Country Club.

Unlike the towering hedges that separate the thunderous world on Wilshire Boulevard from the manicured oasis that is the North Course, Whan – the CEO of the USGA – was acutely aware of the noise this year’s venue created.

Whan and the USGA heard the push back regarding the unique course hosting its first U.S. Open and an onsite vibe that was a bit too chill for some.

“I'm not a huge fan of this place,” Brooks Koepka said on Friday. “I'm not a huge fan of blind tee shots, and then I think there's just some spots that no matter what you hit, the ball just ends up in the same spot. I think it would be more fun to play on just like a regular round than it would be a U.S. Open. I mean, there's, what, two 8s yesterday. That doesn't happen.”

While hardly isolated, Koepka’s criticism falls in line with a curious theme for the week. Across fandom, complaints crashed down on Whan and the USGA when the field scorched the North Course on Day 1. The marine layer never lifted on Thursday and a relatively soft layout with little wind yielded 37 rounds in the 60s and a 71.37 scoring average, the lowest in U.S. Open history.

Social media spoke and it wasn’t happy, although – to be fair – nearly every player cautiously and correctly warned that tougher times were coming.

Despite Thursday’s scoring assault, which included a pair of record-setting 62s, the par-70 North Course’s 71.77 average for the week ranks as the second-most difficult on Tour this year, just behind Oak Hill and the PGA Championship, and Wyndham Clark’s 10-under total was in line with most recent U.S. Open champions.

You didn’t need to be a fan of golf-course architecture to appreciate the North Course’s nuances. The short, par-4 sixth hole provided a compelling mix of risk and reward with a 44 percent “going for the green” rate, and the layout’s collection of par 3s delivered both difficulty and drama. There were three aces, the 15^th hole brilliantly played just 81 yards on Day 3 (to a 2.92 average), and three of the layout’s five par 3s ranked among the Tour’s 10 toughest par 3s this season.

But then, player complaints are as much a part of the U.S. Open as player “arrival” videos and merchandise tents. According to various players, there’s nothing wrong with the North Course that a few elevated tee boxes and some softened fairways can’t fix.

The more tangible criticism focused on the crowds that braved L.A. traffic and a landscape that was not at all user friendly.

“I wish it would have been louder. I wish it was a few more people. But, yeah, I'm surprised there's not been as many people out as I thought this week,” last year’s U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick told a couple of reporters. “Very poor ... It’s disappointing on the USGA side.

“They want a great tournament, from what I’ve heard a lot of members bought tickets and that’s why there’s so many less people. Hopefully it’s not the same for other U.S. Opens going forward.” 

The Beverly Hills Open had a limited footprint because of traffic concerns and the layout’s routing challenges, and officials limited daily attendance to roughly 23,000. By comparison, 30,000 a day were allowed on The Country Club last year and in 2016 at Oakmont that number climbed to nearly 50,000 per day.

Adding to that lack of buzz was a distribution model that had the majority of those 23,000 tickets going to corporate hospitality and LACC members. It all added up to a typical LA crowd – late arriving and early exit. It’s what you’d expect at a Lakers game or the Golden Globe Awards, which is annually held at The Beverly Hilton located just beyond the North Course’s first green, not the national championship.

There’ll be a good amount of pearl clutching about LACC’s lack of vibe and the North Course’s quirky brilliance in the coming weeks, but what will be lost in the handwringing is the obvious fact that the course is now firmly rooted in the U.S. Open rotation.

According to one USGA official, corporate hospitality – including the sprawling skybox that spanned nearly the full length of the par-5 opening hole – produced record revenues and even with a limited fan footprint, the premium on anything in Los Angeles more than compensated for the smaller crowds.

There’s also the dreamy combination of a primetime finish on the East Coast and countless beauties of Beverly Hills, Sunset Boulevard and the Hollywood hills, which is what television executives live for.

There’s a “suggestion box” fixed some 30 feet up in a tree between the 18^th green and the club’s pro shop, the subtext is obvious – keep you opinions to yourself.

In true Hollywood fashion there are plenty of nip/tucks needed before the U.S. Open returns to the North Course in 2039, but Los Angeles Country Club is here to stay.

Rarely do we understand the struggle of Korean players.

Each have equally significant journeys to the LPGA Tour, yet their individual stories are obscured by a curtain of monolithic success.

Last year, In Gee Chun shot a 64 in the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, bewildering everyone due to the severely wet, windy and cold conditions at a lengthy Congressional Country Club.

She went on to win the tournament, although many of the headlines focused on Lexi Thompson’s collapse the final day when she lost a two-stroke lead.

If Thompson had won, it would have been her second major victory. For Chun, it was her third.

Eight months after her win, I met Chun at an art gallery in Palm Springs, California.

It wasn’t long ago when the 28-year-old took up painting after visiting an exhibition in Seoul, South Korea. Chun found herself standing in front of a carrot painting by South Korean artist, Sun-mi Park, for over an hour. Eventually, the artist walked over to meet the inquisitive mind. Chun asked Sun-mi if she would teach her how to paint, and a year later, in December 2022, she hosted her own art exhibition alongside her teacher.

On the LPGA Tour, people refer to Chun as a modern Renaissance woman. As a child, she was an autodidact, a math prodigy with a genius level IQ. She graduated from Korean University (Korea’s version of Harvard), to develop skills outside of golf, “just in case.” During her senior year, she created In Gee Chun’s Student Social Responsibility Activities Program, which she donates $100,000 to each year.

Steve Eubanks, the LPGA Tour’s resident writer, described her as “one of the most incredibly talented and fascinating people you’ll ever be around. The kind of person you can talk to about books, music and anything outside of the game.”

Beneath all her accolades, Chun’s past lies in a working-class upbringing in the rural countryside of South Korea. Growing up, Chun’s parents ran a small restaurant, but when she was 15, her mother, who worked as the head chef, broke her ankle. Soon after, the restaurant was forced to shut down.

Seeing her parents lose everything was the moment Chun decided she wanted to pursue golf professionally.

“I thought to myself that I wanted to become a famous golf player, make money and provide for both of my parents,” said Chun.

Her determination led her to become a national athlete in Korea and turn professional at 17. A few years later, she flew to the U.S. for the first time to compete in the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

One of the most profound moments of the week came after the third round when she was driving back to her hotel; outside her window a swarm of fireflies lit up the darkness.

“Seeing that, I thought about wanting to become someone that could shine light in the midst of darkness,” Chun said.

Heading into the final day, Chun trailed the leader by four strokes, but after making seven birdies, she fired a 66 and won the championship by one stroke over Amy Yang, another South Korean.

A year later, Chun won her second major, the Evian Championship, and finished runner-up at the Chevron Championship.

On the outside, Chun was another successful Korean reinforcing the nation’s image of dominance in women’s golf — the type viewed in the West for their machine-like consistency and emotional control. In 2016, six Korean players won on the LPGA Tour, and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who was born in South Korea, reigned as world No. 1.

However, on the inside, Chun was struggling.

“All my family and friends were in Korea. I felt lonely instead of thankful. I had to take depression medication while on tour,” said Chun.

Since Se Ri Pak’s victory at the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open, a trickle-down effect had created a golf boom in South Korea. Everyone was taking their daughter to the driving range, and women’s golf became one of the country’s most popular sports.

Chun was 4 years old when Pak won. Twenty years later, she had matched the icon as the only other Korean player to win major championships as her first two LGPA titles.

She was feeling the effects of becoming a superstar.

“When In Gee wins a big tournament and flies into the airport in Seoul, cameras flash everywhere,” said her coach, Dr. Won Park.  “She has to do a lot of interviews at the airport, and she spends about two or three hours until she finally makes it to her car.”

On the streets of Korea, Chun became accustomed to being recognized. As her rockstar status grew, her fans and the Korean media expected results. Chun felt pressure to deliver.

“She grew up from a poor family and needed support from people around her. She knew how precious that help was. She feels all the time that she owes something to everyone,” said Park.

In 2018, Chun won the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship in Korea. Fans lined the fairways with photos of her face on posters, chanting her name as she walked by to high five them. In her post-round interview, Chun broke down, relaying that she was finally able to pay back the people who supported her.

“People told me that since I was an athlete, I would feel better if I performed well and succeeded. But I didn’t. I wondered if it was the right choice to quit if I was at a point where I didn’t feel better, even after winning,” said Chun.

She came to the decision that if she could win once more and feel good about it, she would get the personal validation that she truly wanted to pursue professional golf.

Four years later, Chun stepped onto the first tee at Congressional for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, not knowing what was about to unfold.

“There’s a saying where if you hit the ball and it sticks to the pin, you’re in the zone. At that time, I was in the zone,” said Chun.

Chun opened with an incredible 64, earning her a five-stroke lead. Records began to be brought up by golf media and whispers began circulating: how could a tournament be lost with such a large lead?

“This is not the golf anymore. This is fight against the pressure,” remembered Coach Park.

Over the next two rounds, her lead shrank to three as she battled through mental stress. On the final day, Chun found herself two down to Thompson at the turn, but after a series of errors by Thompson, Chun had a chance to win if she could sink a 5-foot putt on the 18th green.

"I kept on telling myself, 'In Gee you’ve succeeded in countless of putts before and put in all of my focus to it,'" Chun relayed.

Chun sank the putt, waved to the crowd and broke down as she hugged her caddie. At the trophy ceremony, she thanked her team for never giving up on her.

Back in the Palm Springs art gallery, Chun picked up a brush and began to paint for me. I told her to pick any subject that was important to her.

She dipped her brush into a light blue paint and began outlining the shape of an elephant. An hour later, she presented a colorful interpretation of Dumbo, her nickname on tour because she has great hearing.

“Painting allows me to express my emotions and relieve stress. Through that, I have fun and continue to make artwork,” she said.

As I stand in front of Chun’s painting, I ponder… perhaps Dumbo’s curiosity and heart made him more special than his ability to fly.

SPRINGFIELD N.J. — There was only one way Rose Zhang could become eligible for September's Solheim Cup in Spain. 

She needed an LPGA win before then, and in her first professional start three weeks ago at the Mizuho Americas Open, the 20-year-old emerged victorious, becoming the first woman to accomplish that feat since Beverly Hanson in 1951.

That caught the U.S. Solheim Cup captain's eye. 

"I've texted with Rose a little bit since her win, just needed her to try some clothes on and stuff like that," Stacy Lewis told GolfChannel.com at KPMG Women's PGA media day, June 12. "I was letting her get over last week before I started bugging her. Yeah, the (assistant) captains and I already started talking about (Zhang making the team)."

Earlier than expected. 

"Rose was more on my radar for 2024," said Lewis, who will also captain next year's Solheim Cup squad as the biennial event moves back to an even-year rotation, "because I knew she was going to be turning pro after two years (at Stanford)."

Zhang, who had one of the greatest amateur careers ever, didn't earn any Solheim Cup points for her maiden LPGA victory, as she wasn't a tour member yet. However, she now can, having accepted membership following her win. 

It helps that Zhang already has a relationship with Lewis. The two-time major champion captained Zhang at the 2021 Spirit International Amateur, in which Zhang helped lead the U.S. to victory while also capturing the individual championship.

That could be of benefit in the former No. 1 amateur in the world receiving a captain's pick, however, Lewis believes Zhang could automatically qualify for the team in the next three months. The top two players in the Rolex Rankings that don't make the U.S. squad off points will earn a spot on the team. Zhang is currently No. 61 in the world. 

"She's moving up the Rolex Rankings so fast that I think she could potentially end up sneaking into the Rolex spots and not even need a pick," Lewis said. 

And Zhang's rapid rise is not a shock to Lewis. 

"That's just how good she is," Lewis said, "anyone who's followed college golf knows that's not a surprise."

Heading into the thick of major championship season, this time of year can make or break a player's Solheim Cup hopes. 

"Now it's so important just because it's so close (to the Solheim Cup), it's about who's trending in the right direction," Lewis said, "but your majors is your best example for, 'How do they play under pressure?'"

Though the two-time NCAA individual champion burst onto the professional scene in Jersey City, overcoming nerves on Sunday to defeat major champion Jennifer Kupcho on the second playoff hole, there's still a lot of golf to be played between now and September — and nobody's made Lewis' 12-player roster yet. 

"There's a lot of points, there's a lot of things to play for these next three months," she said. "So, I just want [Zhang] to know we're paying attention, but she's got to go earn her spot just like everybody else."

Zhang, however, is ready for the task at hand. 

"I think this is just the start," she said after notching the victory at Liberty National. "This is just a stepping stone. It's crazy that this is my first win, first professional win already, but no doubt there is going to be a lot more things happening down the road."

Maybe, that includes helping Team USA to its first Solheim Cup win in six years. 

Arsenal have submitted a second offer for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice but still remain short of the player's £100 million ($127m) valuation, sources told ESPN.

The North London club had an opening bid rejected last week and have now returned with a revised bid totalling around £90m ($115m).

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

Although the overall package is a similar amount, sources suggest more of the initial £75m ($95.5m) payment would be paid up front while the proposed £15m ($19.1m) in add-ons are viewed as more attainable than previously indicated.

It remains to be seen if West Ham accept Arsenal's bid or continue to hold out for a higher fee. Given they value Rice in excess of £100m, the expectation is it will be rejected.

Manchester City hold an interest in Rice, but as yet, they have not chosen to enter the running with a formal offer.

For the time being, City continue instead to finalise a move for Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic, who is keen on a move to Etihad Stadium.

West Ham chairman David Sullivan confirmed Rice, 24, will leave the club this summer, saying Rice "has his heart set on going."

Chelsea have completed the signing of forward Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig, the club announced on Tuesday.

The France international has put pen to paper on a six-year deal at Stamford Bridge after his four-year spell in the Bundesliga.

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

"I am incredibly happy to be joining Chelsea," Nkunku told the club's website. "A big effort was made to bring me to the club and I am looking forward to meeting my new coach and teammates and showing the Chelsea supporters what I can do on the pitch.

"Having played in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga, I now want to play in the Premier League, one of the strongest leagues in the world. I am very excited for this challenge and will be proud to wear the Chelsea shirt."

Nkunku, 25, has been one of the standout performers in Germany for a number of years and was named Bundesliga Player of the Season and German PFA Player of the Season in the 2022-23 campaign.

He also helped Leipzig win back-to-back German Cups and contributed 23 goals in all competitions last season.