Leeds United have completed the signing of Spain forward Rodrigo from Valencia for a club record fee.
The 29-year-old has penned a four-year deal at Elland Road after Leeds reached an agreement with the Spanish club to pay £27 million (Dh132m).
Rodrigo, who scored 59 goals in 220 games for Valencia after he joined from Benfica in 2014, bolsters Marcelo Bielsa's attacking options ahead of Leeds United's first season back in the top flight for 16 years.
"For me I'm really happy and very excited to join the club, this is an important season for all of us, coming back to the Premier League," Rodrigo told the club's website.
"Leeds have been working for almost two weeks on this deal with Valencia and from the first time [Leeds sporting director] Victor Orta talked to me, I knew I wanted this new challenge.
"Of course Marcelo Bielsa is one of the best coaches in football at this moment, he has done important things at different clubs and I'm excited to learn from him, improve my football with hard work and teamwork and I hope we can do important things this season."
Rodrigo, who can operate as a winger or striker, Rodrigo spent time at Celta Vigo and Real Madrid during his youth career, before being snapped up by Portuguese giants Benfica.
He is no stranger to the Premier League, having spent time on loan with then top-flight side Bolton Wanderers during the 2010/11 season, making 17 appearances.
On returning to Benfica he scored 27 goals in 67 league outings and in the 2013/14 season helped the club win the treble, by securing the Primeira Liga, Taca de Portugal and Taca da Liga.
Rodrigo also helped Benfica reach the Uefa Europa League final in 2013 and 2014, playing in both finals against Chelsea and Sevilla.
Ahead of the 2014/15 season, Rodrigo joined Valencia for the campaign on loan, before his stay became permanent.
Rodrigo has won 22 caps for Spain and will have an opportunity to add further to that during the upcoming Nations League matches against Germany and Ukraine.
Leeds' previous record transfer was former England captain Rio Ferdinand, who cost £18m from West Ham in 2000.
They won the Championship by 10 points last season to secure their return to the top flight for the first time since 2004, and visit champions Liverpool in their opening match on September 12.
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PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2
Watford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 0
Crystal Palace 0 Swansea City 2
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 1
Chelsea 2 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Burnley 1
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Canada |
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Singapore |
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South Korea |
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
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How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
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Kareem Shaheen on Canada
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
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What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
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Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
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What is an ETF?
An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
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“Safeguarding, not just in sport, but in all walks of life, is making sure that policies are put in place that make sure your child is safe; when they attend a football club, a tennis club, that there are welfare officers at clubs who are qualified to a standard to make sure your child is safe in that environment,” Derek Bell explains.
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