Manchester City have completed the signing of Josko Gvardiol, making the Croatia international the second most expensive centre-back ever. City have paid RB Leipzig £77 million for the 21-year-old, who passed a medical at the Etihad Stadium on Friday, and he has signed a five-year contract. The fee is just short of the world record for a defender, the £80 million Manchester United paid for Harry Maguire in 2019, and Gvardiol becomes City’s second summer signing, after his international teammate Mateo Kovacic. Gvardiol believes he can improve under Pep Guardiola, who he called the world’s outstanding manager, after agreeing to join the treble winners. He said: “I have always dreamed of one day playing in England and to be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honour for me. “Anyone who saw Manchester City play last season knows they are the best team in the world. To win the treble says everything you need to know about the quality this team has. “To be joining City is something very special for me and my family. To have the chance to work with Pep Guardiola, too, will be amazing for me. I know I am not yet the finished article and I am sure my game will progress under the best coach in football. To be linking up with Mateo Kovacic will also be special. City director of football Txiki Begiristain added: “We are delighted. He is a player we have watched closely, and we feel he has a superb set of attributes. Top clubs all over Europe have been monitoring him, so to bring him here is great news for us. “Josko has so many qualities – everything you want in a centre-half. He is fast, competitive, combative, strong in the air, impressive in possession of the ball, with strong self-belief and a good character. He is left-footed, too, which offers us good options at the back. “He is still young but his progress in the game has been rapid. We feel confident his upward trajectory will continue here at City working with Pep and his staff.” Gvardiol is unlikely to make his City debut in Sunday’s Community Shield against Arsenal but could be in contention for their Premier League opener at Burnley on Friday. Read More Barcelona landed one Man City star for free - now Pep Guardiola won’t allow another Pep Guardiola keen to avoid ‘difficult’ transfer task after Man City lose ‘incredible players’ When is the Community Shield? How to watch Arsenal vs Man City online and on TV this weekend

Gamers, and investors, got the first look at Grand Theft Auto VI after a hacker posted early videos of the game in an online forum. The hotly anticipated game doesn't have a release date yet.

Roman Josi had a goal and two assists to help Nashville beat Winnipeg 3-2 on Sunday night, extending the Predators’ winning streak to five and ending the Jets’ run at five

Big-box retailer Target said Wednesday it removed products to commemorate gay pride month, citing threats to employees in the wake...

Ajax Amsterdam midfielder Steven Berghuis has apologized after he appeared to strike a fan following their 3-1 loss at FC Twente on Sunday that ended their dire season on a low note.

Aston Villa return to Europa Conference League action as they try to get their qualification hopes back on track against Bosnian champions Zrinjski Mostar. Playing European football for the first time in 13 years and having successfully negotiated Hibernian in the play-off round, Villa’s group stage started in disappointing fashion as they twice came from behind to equalise through Jhon Duran and Lucas Digne away to Legia Warsaw but eventually went down 3-2 in the Polish capital. That means victory over eight-time Bosnian title winners Zrinjski, who have climbed back to the top of the domestic game since Krunoslav Rendulic took over as manager last November, is a must and Unai Emery’s men are in good form since that defeat in Warsaw. They have beaten Chelsea and Brighton in the Premier League – the latter in a shock 6-1 thumping at the weekend – and will be heavy favourites to triumph on home turf, although Zrinjski are currently top of Group E after stunningly coming from 3-0 down at half-time to beat AZ Alkmaar 4-3 in their Europa Conference League opener. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the fixture; see all the latest Europa League odds and tips for tonight here. When is Aston Villa vs Zrinjski Mostar? The match kicks off at 8pm BST on Thursday 5 October at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 2, with coverage on the channel from 7:45pm BST. Subscribers can stream the action via discovery+, which is also available via Amazon Prime. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. What is the team news? Villa were hit by the news that Boubacar Kamara, Moussa Diaby and Jacob Ramsey would all miss the match earlier this week, while Alex Moreno is out until after the international break and both Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia are long-term absentees. Leon Bailey should be back in contention after a thigh strain, however. Krunoslav Rendulic normally favours a 4-3-3 formation with Tomislav Kis and Nemanja Bilbija in contention to lead the line and Zvonimir Kozulj pushing for a start after scoring twice in Zrinjski’s remarkable comeback against AZ last month. Predicted line-ups Aston Villa: Olsen; Cash, Konsa, Lenglet, Digne; Luiz, Tielemans; Traore, McGinn, Zaniolo; Duran Zrinjski Mostar: Maric; Corluka, Jakovljevic, Radic, Memija; Ivancic, Balic, Kozulj; Cuze, Kis, Ticinovic Odds Aston Villa win 1/10 Draw 10/1 Zrinjski Mostar win 30/1 Get the latest football odds here Prediction Villa to build on their impressive Premier League form and get their qualification hopes back on track. Aston Villa 4-1 Zrinjski Mostar Read More Unai Emery urges Aston Villa to adapt quickly to demands of European football Ollie Watkins scores hat-trick as rampant Aston Villa hit Brighton for six Unai Emery savours ‘special’ Villa Park atmosphere in rout of Brighton England boss Gareth Southgate hoping for positive news over Bukayo Saka fitness Arsenal renew Pedro Neto interest but face competition from two Premier League rivals Consistency the key for Vincent Kompany as he bids to lift Burnley

The federal indictment against Donald Trump accuses the former president of illegally hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate after leaving the White House in 2021, and then scheming and lying to thwart government efforts to recover them

Chinese stocks listed in Hong Kong began the week lower as persistent concerns about the health of the

Maryland visits No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday for the marquee matchup in the Big Ten

A UEFA Champions League 2022/23 team of the season including Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior and more.

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 16, 2023--

Forty-one migrants including three children are feared dead after being shipwrecked last week in the Mediterranean, UN agencies said, citing four survivors brought to the...