Attorneys representing lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a court motion on Wednesday that alleges that a Nike employee at least approved under-the-table payments to former Duke star Zion Williamson and ex-Indiana star Romeo Langford when they were still in high school in February 2017.
The alleged offers -- $35,000 or more for Williamson and $20,000 for Langford -- were purportedly discovered among "text messages, e-mails and other documents from 2016-17 ... proving that Nike executives had arranged for and concealed payments, often in cash, to amateur basketball players and their families and 'handlers,'" according to the motion filed in U.S. District Court in New York.
There is no evidence that the offers or payments were made to Williamson, Langford or their families. Williamson played one season at Duke and was the No. 1 pick by the New Orleans Pelicans in this year's NBA draft. Langford also was one-and-done at Indiana and was the No. 14 pick by the Boston Celtics.
"Nike will not respond to the allegations of an individual facing federal charges of fraud and extortion," Nike said in a statement. "Nike will continue its cooperation with the government's investigation into grassroots basketball and the related extortion case."
Avenatti was arrested and charged by federal prosecutors in March with attempting to extort up to $25 million from Nike by threatening to expose the shoe company's alleged improper payments to high-profile players in its grassroots basketball league, the EYBL.
Avenatti has pleaded not guilty, and on Wednesday his lawyers asked a federal judge to dismiss the charges on grounds of vindictive and selective prosecution.
"The evidence shows I should have never been arrested, let alone charged," Avenatti told ESPN on Wednesday. "I was targeted. Nike, Zion, Duke and many others have a lot of explaining to do."
Among the allegations included in Avenatti's motion to dismiss:
• Nike EYBL manager Jamal James texted EYBL director Carlton DeBose and Nike recruiting coordinator John Stovall in February 2017, asking whether they would be "willing to do ... whatever may be needed for the Zion/Romeo situations as well as the money we're now going to do for the [unnamed] kid in Michigan."
According to the motion, Stovall responded:
"Langford - 20 Zion - 35 plus [Unnamed minor player] - 15"
"Debose allegedly responded that he was willing to pay Langford, Williamson and the unnamed player a total of $70,000 and that they should 'stay aggressive' while he got 'creative' with the budget," according to the motion.
Stovall later informed James and DeBose that they had "not presented our new offer" to Williamson but agreed that it was not a good idea "to put it in print."
• An EYBL coach expressed concern to Nike executives about players and family members being paid by the shoe company and said he couldn't "see how this ends well for Nike or the EYBL. Some of us will be deemed guilty by association; others will be found guilty of failure to supervise."
• DeBose told Nico Harrison, Nike's vice president of North America basketball operations, that he was "willing to bet that 38 of the 40 teams in the EYBL had to pay a moderate to considerable ransom to families just to play in the EYBL. Of these approximate 38 teams these arrangements are being viewed as a contract by the families and players."
• Rachel Baker, a Nike executive who led event strategy for the EYBL, allegedly expressed concern to a colleague about carrying large amounts of cash through airport security and indicated that she would lie and "just say I just sold my car" if she was stopped by security.
• Debose acknowledged in an exchange of text messages with an unnamed assistant coach at Kentucky that Nike was "funneling payments to high school players through at least 10 different EYBL coaches."
The motion included references to emails, text messages and other documents, but those were not attached to the motion to dismiss. A footnote said they would be filed "as soon as the parties resolve any possible redactions to the exhibits pursuant to the protective order."
According to the federal complaint, Avenatti threatened to hold a news conference on the eve of Nike's quarterly earnings call and the start of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, at which time he would announce allegations of misconduct by Nike employees.
The motion alleges that DeBose directed Franklin to make multiple payments to people associated with amateur players, including $30,000 to Ayton's handler, Mel McDonald; $15,000 to former UNLV star Brandon McCoy's handler, Shaun Manning; $10,000 in cash and travel expenses to Ayton's mother and family; and more than $42,000 to McDonald once he was working with Bol.
"Nike executives directed Coach Franklin to submit false invoices to Nike to disguise the payments as travel expenses and sponsorships for 501 (c) (3) organizations," the motion says. "Coach Franklin was forced out by Nike executives when he no longer felt comfortable going along with their scheme."
In early 2018, according to the motion, Franklin sought advice from Jeffrey Auerbach, an entertainment industry executive and consultant in California.
On Feb. 6, 2019, Auberbach allegedly contacted Nike executive vice president John Slusher and advised him that there were "ongoing corruption and illicit schemes being carried out by DeBose and James." Slusher referred Auberbach to Nike's outside counsel given the "seriousness of the matters you raised and how serious we take these situations," the motion says.
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Franklin retained Avenatti on March 5, 2019, and Avenatti and attorney Mark Geragos met with Nike's attorneys in New York two weeks later.
According to prosecutors, Avenatti demanded Nike pay Franklin $1.5 million to remain silent regarding any claims the coach might have about Nike's alleged payments to top players and their families and said Nike had to hire Avenatti and Geragos to conduct an internal investigation, with the stipulation that if the company hired another firm to conduct the inquiry, it would have to pay Avenatti and Geragos "at least twice the fees of any other firm hired."
"At the end of the meeting, Avenatti and [Geragos] indicated that Nike would have to agree to accept those demands immediately, or Avenatti would hold his press conference," the complaint said.
In the motion Wednesday, Avenatti's attorney wrote that he proposed a settlement that included Nike paying $1.5 million to Franklin for damages and the shoe company conducting a thorough internal investigation led by Avenatti and Geragos.
"Mr. Avenatti told Nike's counsel that, 'whatever the investigation costs, it costs,'" the motion said. "At no point did Mr. Avenatti promise to 'cover up' Nike's misconduct in exchange for payments."
In October, a federal jury in New York convicted former Adidas executive James Gatto, Adidas consultant Merl Code and aspiring business manager Christian Dawkins on felony charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their roles in pay-for-play schemes to influence recruits to sign with Adidas-sponsored schools, including Kansas, Louisville and NC State.
When Curacao takes center stage in Williamsport for this year's Little League World Series, you will encounter a familiar name: Profar. That would be Judrick Profar, a player for the Pabao Little League team from Willemstad, Curacao. And yes, he's related to that Profar.
In 2004, Jurickson Profar, now the starting second baseman for the Oakland Athletics, took a star turn in helping Curacao win the LLWS title alongside future big leaguer Jonathan Schoop. The Jurickson-led Pabao club returned to Williamsport in 2005 and fell in the title game to Hawaii.
But that's not all: In 2007 and 2008, another Profar -- Juremi -- played on LLWS entrants for Curacao. With Judrick completing the familial hat trick this year, the Profars become the second trio of brothers to play in the LLWS, according to littleleague.org.
Curacao, a tiny island off the coast of Venezuela, is roughly 171 square miles in size. For context, consider that the smallest state in the continental United States, Rhode Island, is about 1,034 square miles. Nevertheless, a steady stream of talent has flowed from Curacao into professional baseball in the U.S. in recent years. That group currently includes Jurickson and Juremi (currently playing at Triple-A in the Texas Rangers' system), Schoop, Kenley Jansen, Andrelton Simmons and Ozzie Albies.
The first player from Curacao to break into the majors was current San Francisco Giants coach Hensley Meulens. But the biggest star from the island is former MLB center fielder Andruw Jones, whose emergence for the Atlanta Braves in the 1990s played a big part in the growth of baseball in Curacao.
Make no mistake: Curacao has become a powerhouse in Caribbean youth baseball. This year's LLWS entrant is the 13th team from the island to earn a trip to Williamsport.
We caught up with Jurickson Profar recently in Chicago.
BRADFORD DOOLITTLE: You've got to be excited for Judrick.
JURICKSON PROFAR: He's come a long way, and now he's doing very well. I'm very proud of him.
BD: Do you offer him advice, or does he ask you, as he goes through this? I mean, this is a pretty big event.
JP: No. I just leave him alone so that he can enjoy it. He's in the Little League World Series. As a little kid, that's the best thing that there is. I want him to enjoy himself. And compete.
BD: The spotlight on this event has become so bright. How is it for the kids? How much are they able to just enjoy it?
JP: When we went there, we just enjoyed baseball. We didn't even know how big it was. We just won in the Caribbean and then went over there and just played. And then we won it.
BD: Not that this is any news to you, but Curacao is not that big of an island. Still, in recent years, you and a number of others have not only entered Major League Baseball but also become impact players. How would you describe the baseball culture at home?
JP: We grew up watching Andruw Jones play, and when I was little, I didn't even think about playing baseball overseas. I was just in Curacao and having fun with friends and just playing. Then, after that Little League World Series, then I could say, "I can make it."
BD: I think Bam-Bam [Hensley Meulens] was the first player to break into the majors from there, but who were the heroes for you growing up? Just Andruw Jones?
JP: Only Andruw Jones. He was it for us. I played for him in the WBC and got to know him, too, before. We met him when we won the Little League World Series and stuff.
BD: Is there a special bond for you guys from the island who have attained so much success in this country?
JP: There is. We played on the same team, even if it was different levels, they were older. We'd see each other at practice every day. And now we are in the big leagues.
BD: A big issue with youth baseball in the U.S. is that some think it has become too structured. What is it like for youth baseball players in Curacao?
JP: We'd just get together and play baseball. We didn't have to pay anything. We'd just go and play, and that's it. It's still like that there, but it's a little bit different because we have a lot of big leaguers now, and kids want to be like us. They know what they want to be already. They want to be Major League Baseball players. Me, I didn't know that. I was just playing baseball and enjoying it with friends. I didn't even know I could make the big leagues. But now, they see it.
BD: For Curacao, or any team from that region, it's quite an accomplishment to win that region, right? The competition your brother has encountered has already been pretty amazing.
JP: Oh, yeah. You have to play the Dominican, you have to play Puerto Rico. Those teams are very good. But he's pretty good, too. He's a big guy, so I thought he could make it. They have a really good team. But the world series is always very difficult. You have to play the U.S., you have to play Japan and all those teams. They are good too, so let's see.
BD: What was your favorite LLWS memory on the field?
JP: Everything. Pitching. Hitting. Hitting a home run in the final.
BD: What about off the field?
JP: Coming to the U.S. for the first time and enjoying playing on grass for the first time. Playing in front of thousands of people for the first time.
BD: And playing on ESPN?
JP: (laughs) Yes, ESPN.
BD: A lot of clips and such from those series are still on YouTube, with the very young Jurickson Profar in action and talking on camera. Do you ever watch any of those?
JP: I have to. I have a little son, and all he wants to do is watch videos of me on YouTube.
A selection of track and field stars poised to make a big impression at the IAAF World Championships in Doha
The countdown to Doha 2019 is well and truly on. With the 50 days to go landmark passed and athlete selections starting to be confirmed, the climax to this year’s outdoor track and field season is getting tantalisingly close.
Event: 100m PB: 9.79 Country: USA Age: 23 Achievements: 100m world silver medallist in 2017, 60m world indoor champion, 60m world indoor record-holder Current form: The young American is the fastest man in the world so far this year thanks to his run of 9.81 in June. Memorably won silver behind compatriot Justin Gatlin and ahead of Usain Bolt at the World Championships in London two years ago and is now fully focused on taking the next step up to the top of that global podium.
Noah Lyles
Event: 100/200m PBs: 9.86/19.50 Country: USA Age: 22 Achievements: 2016 world U20 100m champion Current form: The second-fastest man over 100m this year (9.86) will focus solely on the 200m in Doha and his personal best of 19.50 from Lausanne last month puts him out in front of the competition. He won the recent US championships, taking his first national outdoor title over 200m, and the colourful sprinter looks on course to secure what would be his first senior global crown, too.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen
Event: 1500m/5000m PBs: 3:30.16/13:02.04 Country: Norway Age: 18 Achievements: European 1500m and 5000m champion Current form: The teenager destroyed his European under-20 record last month, not to mention breaking the Norwegian record for 5000m at the Müller Anniversary Games in London. He won his national title over 1500m and only Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot has gone faster so far in 2019.
Dalilah Muhammad
Event: 400m hurdles PB: 52.20 Country: USA Age: 29 Achievements: Olympic champion, two-time world silver medallist, world record-holder Current form: Muhammad’s form could not really be any better, given that she broke the world record for her event when winning at the US Championships. World U20 record-holder Sydney McLaughlin will also feature on the American team but the odds appear to favour Muhammad upgrading her silver medal from London.
Abderrahman Samba
Event: 400m hurdles PB: 46.98 Country: Qatar Age: 23 Achievements: Asian champion Current form: There will be a lot of attention on this home favourite in Doha in what will be one of the most keenly fought races of the championships. Samba has raced sparingly this season but the Asian champion won that title at the Khalifa Stadium this year and can rely on plenty of support in the face of opposition such as world leader Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin.
Laura Muir
Event: 1500m PB: 3:55.22 Country: Great Britain Age: 26 Achievements: European champion, European indoor champion Current form: A calf problem means she won’t run in Birmingham, but her previous Diamond League run in London brought victory. After fourth place at London 2017, hopes are high that she can reach the podium.
Kevin Mayer
Event: Decathlon PB: 9126 points Country: France Age: 27 Achievements: World champion, world record-holder, 2016 Olympic silver medallist Current form: The French world record-holder has not competed in a full decathlon yet this year but has been showing fine form in a number of events and looks set to retain his world title.
Hellen Obiri
Event: 5000m PB: 14:18.37 Country: Kenya Age: 29 Achievements: World champion, Olympic silver medallist, world cross country champion Current form: The Kenyan who landed world cross gold is looking good on the track, coming close to her PB when winning in London last month.
Mutaz Essa Barshim
Event: High jump PB: 2.43m Country: Qatar Age: 28 Achievements: World champion, Olympic silver medallist Current form: As with Abderrahman Samba, Barshim will have a huge amount of home pressure and expectation to deal with during the world championships. The reigning champion is making his way back from injury, and had to settle for second place at the Anniversary Games, but expect him to rise to the occasion in his home city.
Armand Duplantis
Event: Pole vault PB: 6.05m Country: Sweden Age: 19 Achievements: European champion Current form: This hugely talented teenager, who only turned professional at the start of this outdoor season, has already enjoyed some memorable tussles with the likes of Poland’s Piotr Lisek and American world champion Sam Kendricks. Can he can find his European championship winning – and world U20 record-breaking – form from Berlin when he lands in Doha?
Nick Kyrgios left court to smash two racquets in a bad-tempered Cincinnati Masters defeat by Karen Khachanov after which he called the umpire "a tool".
The Australian, 24, walked off court after losing the second set against the wishes of Irish umpire Fergus Murphy.
He slammed two racquets on the floor in a corridor and in the third set engaged in repeated disputes with Murphy.
Russia's Khachanov, 23, dominated the deciding set to win 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 and reach round three.
Khachanov, who plays Lucas Pouille in the last 16, said Kyrgios has "great talent" but "sometimes the head is not in the right place".
Kyrgios clashed with Murphy at the Washington Open two weeks ago and also swore at the official at Queen's in June.
During the second set in Cincinnati, Kyrgios made clear he felt the shot clock - which counts down the seconds allowed between points - was being started too early, and visibly lost composure.
He delivered an expletive-laden rant at Murphy, stating the umpire was "the worst, hands down".
He was handed a court violation at the end of the second set, when he walked off court for less than a minute to smash two of his racquets.
When Khachanov closed out the decider, Kyrgios told Murphy he was "a tool" and chose not to shake the official's hand.
Kyrgios, who won his sixth career ATP singles crown two weeks ago in Washington, also complained last week in Toronto in an apparent dispute over why he could not have a white towel during a match.
The world number 27 was fined in May after he kicked a bottle, threw down his racquet and hurled a chair before defaulting in the final set of a match at the Italian Open.
He was fined £13,766 for unsportsmanlike behaviour at Queen's in June.
In 2016 he received an eight-week ban for his behaviour at the Shanghai Masters when his efforts were questioned during defeat by Mischa Zverev.
With China’s star players not travelling to eastern Europe, the question on everyone’s lips is whether this will be the time for different countries to stake their claim on the 2019 ITTF World Tour winners’ list or if China’s second string will rise to the challenge and continue the powerhouse nation’s imperious record in this year’s competition.
Let’s take a look at who is gunning for glory as the main draw of the Bulgaria Open gets under way today lasting until Sunday 18 August.
MEN’S SINGLES: HARIMOTO & OVTCHAROV LEAD THE LINE
World no.5 Tomokazu HARIMOTO (JPN) is top seed in Bulgaria, the 16-year-old star kicking off his campaign today against ZHU Linfeng (CHN) with a possible meeting in the second round against 9th seed JEOUNG Youngsik (KOR) on the cards, while Vladimir SAMSONOV (BLR) and Sathiyan GNANASEKARAN (IND) are the highest seeds amongst Harimoto’s potential quarter-final opponents.
According to ranking, Harimoto could be in line for a semi-final clash against Japanese compatriot Koki NIWA. The 3rd seed however will need to navigate his way past a number of exciting European opponents in his quarter of the draw: Marcos FREITAS (POR), Liam PITCHFORD (ENG), Jonathan GROTH (DEN) and Tomislav PUCAR (CRO) are all fighting the corner of the host continent.
2nd seed Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) begins his journey in Bulgaria against Masataka MORIZONO (JPN). Thereafter an all-German clash with Ruwen FILUS could follow, while LEE Sangsu (KOR) and Simon GAUZY (FRA) are amongst those battling in a competitive quarter of the draw.
4th seed JUN Mizutani (JPN) and 7th seed WONG Chun Ting (HKG) will have their sights set on reaching a potential semi-final, but watch out for the winner of today’s first round match between MA Te (CHN) and the recently crowned ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open champion, Quadri ARUNA (NGR), while Kazuhiro YOSHIMURA (JPN) has also stated his intent after reaching the main draw, as his brother Maharu fell in the qualification rounds:
“My aim is to be even more successful than my brother. I want to compete at the Olympic Games for Japan. My brother’s and my own position in the world rankings are similar and sometimes there is a fierce rivalry between us. Our family expects us to win every time and I am trying to comply with this! My aim is to be among the top eight here in Bulgaria. The organisation here is very good and the competition is unbelievable.” Kazuhiro YOSHIMURA
WOMEN’S SINGLES: JAPAN FAVOURITES FOR TITLE
Japan’s women will be strongly tipped to bring home what would be their first gold medal in singles competition on the 2019 ITTF World Tour. Kasumi ISHIKAWA, Mima ITO and Miu HIRANO are the top three seeds, Saki SHIBATA and Hitomi SATO occupy the 6th and 7th positions, while the likes of Miyu KATO, Honoka HASHIMOTO and Hina HAYATA also provide plenty of strength in depth for the nation.
Korea Republic’s top candidates come in the form of 4th seed SUH Hyowon and 8th seed JEON Jihee, while 15-year-old SHIN Yubin – who performed so admirably at this year’s Korea Open – has qualified for the main draw and faces Mima Ito in the first round.
Chinese 5th and 11th seeds, HE Zhuojia and CHEN Xingtong, will do their best to maintain the nation’s grip on this year’s ITTF World Tour titles, while Europe’s main hopes come in the form of 9th and 10th seeds, Bernadette SZOCS (ROU) and Sofia POLCANOVA (AUT), who share the same quarter of the draw. Elizabeta SAMARA (ROU) and Georgina POTA (HUN) also join them in the main event.
DOUBLES: THE PARTNERS IN CRIME
The Mixed Doubles competition is set to be highly intriguing with a number of exciting partnerships on show: LEE Sangsu and JEON Jihee (KOR) are top seeds and favourites for the title, but the draw could see them face a titanic final battle against one of Japan’s deadly duos: Tomokazu HARIMOTO links up again with Kasumi ISHIKAWA, while Jun MIZUTANI and Mima ITO continue their quest for a debut gold medal together. Both pairs are bidding to represent the host nation in Mixed Doubles at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Europe too is providing plenty of seasoned pairings in the form of 2nd seeds Stefan FERGEL and Sofia POLCANOVA (AUT), 4th seeds Adam SZUDI and Szandra PERGEL (HUN), 5th seeds Tristan FLORE and Laura GASNIER (FRA) and 6th seeds Ovidiu IONESCU and Bernadette SZOCS (ROU).
In the Women’s Doubles, Barbora BALAZOVA (SVK) and Hana MATELOVA (CZE) represent Europe’s best chance of glory as 3rd seeds, while JEON Jihee and YANG Haeun (KOR) and Miyuu KIHARA and Miyu NAGASAKI (JPN) start as favourites.
Meanwhile, HO Kwan Kit and WONG Chun Ting (HKG) and JEOUNG Youngsik and LEE Sangsu (KOR) are the outstanding candidates for the Men’s Doubles title.
THE BEST FROM BULGARIA!
Stay tuned on all the action as it unfolds by following these links:
Belgian pair of Martin Allegro and Florent Lambiet progressed to the quarter-finals as their opponents from Italy Mihai Bobocica and Niagol Stoyanov were sadly injured in the third set.
Over at Table 1, the Japanese and Hong Kong athletes were involved in an intense encounter, as Yukiya Uda and Kazuhiro Yoshimura came out on top in five games against Ho Kwan Kit and Wong Chun Ting (10-12, 11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7).
Indian pair cannot upset Korean seeds
In a hotly contested match, Indian pair Manika Batra and Archana Girish Kamath came very close to upsetting top Korean pairing of Jeon Jihee and Yang Hauen (8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 13-11).
Winning the first game, Batra and Kamath were looking like they could do something special. However, Jihee and Hauen hit back with three straight games, keeping a strong hold on the match.
Japan’s having good day
Following on from their mixed doubles’ success, Japanese double’s pairing for women continued with strong performances. Miu Hirano and Saki Shibata won in straight games against Singaporean Lin Ye and Yu Mengyu (11-7, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7).
Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki had to work slightly harder versus Belarus’ Daria Trigolos and Nadezhda Bogdanova, with the European pair constantly pushing them into the corner of the table for returns. Eventually, Miyuu and Miyu came out on top winning 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 12-10).
Sun rises in time for Japan
Japanese pairings started with aplomb in Panagyurishte, as Tamakuzu Harimoto and Kasumi Ishikawa saw off Serbians Izabela Lupulesku and Aleksandar Karakasevic 3-1 (11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-3).
Harimoto and Ishikawa were very strong on the serve, meaning Lupulesku and Karakasevic never really got going. Over at Table 4, Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito did not need to serve as their opponents Hungarian Nandor Ecseki and Dora Madarasz withdrew.
Contrasting start for Korea
It was a morning of polarities for the Koreans at Asarel Arena as one pairing of Lee Sangsu and Jeon Jihee could not match the winning start of their compatriots Cho Daesseong and Shin Yubin.
Top seeds Sangsu and Jihee were up against the effervescent Chinese pairing of Ma Te and Wu Yang, losing two games straight. Despite their best efforts, the Korean pair could not make it count, losing 3-1 (11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 11-6). Meanwhile, Cho and Shin won against Hungarians Adam Szudi and Szandra Pergel in an intense encounter (8-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6).
Dan Biggar starts at fly-half for Wales in their second World Cup warm-up game against England in Cardiff on Saturday.
First-choice fly-half Gareth Anscombe was ruled out of the Rugby World Cup with a knee injury following last week's defeat at Twickenham.
Scarlets pair James Davies and Jake Ball replace the injured Adam Beard and Justin Tipuric, both suffered minor injuries last week and are not risked.
Jarrod Evans is given the chance to deputise for Biggar over Rhys Patchell.
Flanker Josh Navidi also returns on the bench after dislocating his elbow in March 2019 but there is still no place for Cardiff Blues scrum-half Tomos Williams who had a scan on a shoulder injury this week.
James Davies will join older brother Jonathan in a Wales team for the first time. The Scarlets duo will be the first brothers to play alongside each other for Wales since Jamie and Nicky Robinson in 2006.
"This weekend is another opportunity for us to take the field, test ourselves and continue our preparation for Japan," said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.
"It is a little over five weeks until we kick off our campaign in Toyota against Georgia and it is important we are fully prepared and rugby-ready by then.
"We were disappointed to get the loss last weekend so it is important we step it up on Saturday and put in a big display in front a of a packed Principality Stadium.
"The squad are looking forward to getting back out there, taking another step towards the RWC and putting in a big performance."
Wales team: Liam Williams (Saracens, 56 Caps); George North (Ospreys, 84 Caps), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets, 74 Caps), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets, 16 Caps), Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues, 11 Caps); Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, 71 Caps), Gareth Davies (Scarlets, 42 Caps); Nicky Smith (Ospreys, 29 Caps), Ken Owens (Scarlets, 65 Caps), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs, 41 Caps), Jake Ball (Scarlets, 33 Caps), Alun Wyn Jones (C) (Ospreys, 126 Caps), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons, 9 Caps), James Davies (Scarlets, 3 Caps), Ross Moriarty (Dragons, 32 Caps)
Former Liverpool player Daniel Sturridge is edging closer to a move to Turkish club Trabzonspor, sources have told ESPN FC.
The Black Sea-based side have made Sturridge an improved offer worth approximately €2-3 million including bonuses.
Sturridge's mother and uncle -- who also acts as his agent -- travelled to Istanbul on Thursday and will arrive to Trabzon on Friday where club officials will show them around the region and hold advanced talks.
The club had trouble convincing the England international into relocating to Trabzon in their last round of talks but feel they are in a stronger position following the end of the Premier League transfer window last week.
The "Black Sea Storm" are confident that they will be able to sign Sturridge and expect the move to go ahead over the next few days unless he receives a better offer elsewhere. Sturridge,29, was holding out for a Premier League side to make a move but he received no offers from England.
Trabzonspor face competition Super Lig rivals Basaksehir, but the Istanbul-based side are only prepared to pay Sturridge €1 million per year due to his injury record and off-the-field issues. Sturridge picked up a short ban for a breach of betting regulations but is able to play football again after serving his suspension.
Sturridge has also held talks with MLS team D.C. United but the club also has had concerns over his injuries.
Sturridge has spent his entire career on the books of Premier League clubs, playing for the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool. He has also had loan stints with Bolton Wanders and West Bromwich Albion.
He has been part of two UEFA Champions League-winning sides, the first in 2010-11 with Chelsea and then last season with Liverpool. He was also part of Chelsea's league-winning campaign in 2009-10. All told he has made 306 appearances at club level, scoring 105 goals.
At the international level, Sturridge has made 26 appearances for England, scoring eight goals. He was part of England squads at the 2012 Olympics, the 2014 World Cup, and Euro 2016.
Manchester United ended their interest in Bruno Fernandes because of concerns the midfielder loses possession too much, sources have told ESPN FC.
United looked at Fernandes as a potential option to boost their midfield after an impressive season that saw the Portugal international score 31 goals for Sporting Lisbon.
However, the club's recruitment team voiced concerns about the 24-year-old's passing statistics -- highlighting that he gives the ball away too much -- before deciding he did not fit in with the possession-based style of football favoured by Solskjaer.
Sources have told ESPN FC that United also became frustrated at the amount of speculation in Portugal about a possible move for Fernandes.
Privately, Old Trafford chiefs believed Sporting tried to drive up the price by over-stating interest from the Premier League. Tottenham and Liverpool were also linked with moves.
United did not replace Marouane Fellaini or Ander Herrera during the summer transfer window and Solskjaer is set to make signing a new midfielder his priority next summer.
Sean Longstaff remains a target despite United being put off by Newcastle's £50 million valuation.
The 21-year-old is set to open talks over a new contract to extend his stay at St James' Park.
Meanwhile, sources have told ESPN FC that the club are ready to open contract talks with Victor Lindelof.
The 25-year-old defender has two years and a year's option left on his deal but is set to be rewarded with a new contract for establishing himself as one of Solskjaer's first-choice centre-backs.
Lindelof struggled in his first year at Old Trafford following a £31m move from Benfica in 2017 but was one of the stand-out players last season, making 40 appearances in all competitions.
LA Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said new signing Cristian Pavon is "too good" for Major League Soccer and will not stay in the United States for long.
"He is very good," Ibrahimovic said of Pavon after the win over Dallas. "He is too good for MLS."
Pavon was involved in the move which led to Ibrahimovic's 68th-minute opener and the ex-Manchester United forward said it showed his new teammate's quality.
"I think MLS will not have him for a long time," he added. "We should enjoy him while he is here."
At 37 years of age, Ibrahimovic is 14 years Pavon's senior, but said he does not need to offer the ex-Boca man any advice as he is already a difference maker.
"When you have a player like that, you don't need to say much," he said. "You just communicate in the game and try to make the best of it.
"He knows what he is doing. This is his second game and he was the best on the field and today he made a difference.
"I have played with many players and I see when a player is the difference, and he is the difference."
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