Jose Mourinho faces one major obstacle to hiring preferred director of football candidate for Manchester United

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho reportedly has one favoured candidate to become the new director of football at Old Trafford.

That man is Luis Campos, who worked with Mourinho at Real Madrid and who did a superb job at Monaco and who has been put forward behind the scenes at United, according to the Daily Record.

MORE: Arsenal transfer target reluctant to commit to Manchester United

However, the report states executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is proving a big obstacle in the deal, with Campos yet to be interviewed and with the position perhaps looking unlikely to be filled while Mourinho remains in charge of the club.

It seems all continues to be not entirely well between Mourinho and Woodward, with speculation surrounding the mood at United dominating headlines for much of this season so far.

The Red Devils could really do with major structural change after some poor recent work in the transfer market, with big-name signings like Alexis Sanchez, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku not really working out as planned.

Ian Poulter feeling his confidence rising at The Open Championship

SOUTHPORT, England — Ian Poulter walked up to the 18th green at the Open Championship and heard rousing applause for another solid round at Royal Birkdale. He stood tall, a pose not seen from him on a big stage since flags were waving at the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles.

And to think just three months ago, Poulter was at a low point in his career.

"The large confidence tank that was empty a few months ago is starting to fill up," Poulter said. "And I like it when it gets full. I play some of my best golf when I'm pretty confident. And I'm excited for this weekend. I can't wait."

In the nasty conditions of wind and rain, Poulter opened with 11 straight pars. His lone birdie on the par-3 12th was negated by a poor approach on the 16th that led to his only bogey. The numbers on the card — 16 pars, one birdie, one bogey — suggested a boring round.

THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Leaderboard | Round 2 Photo Gallery

That's what excited Poulter, because it was anything but.

The wind came out of an opposite direction and was such a severe change that on holes where he had been hitting a fairway metal and sand wedge, Poulter had to hit driver and a long iron off the tee.

Most pleasing of all was his position on the leaderboard on a course where he had his best chance in a major. Poulter was at 3-under 137 and will be in the penultimate group Saturday along with U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka.

He is in weekend contention at a major and said, "It feels absolutely marvelous. It really does."

"Walking up 18, just walking from greens to tees, was really pretty special today," Poulter said. "Huge galleries, and they were really pulling for me. So it was really nice to be in position, keep churning out decent scores and keeping myself on the board. It was great."

Poulter has been showing signs of improvement. He shared the 54-hole lead a week ago in the Scottish Open until closing with a 74. But he looks all the way back to the spring, when he was on the verge of losing his card.

MORE: Sergio battles back

He missed the middle of last season with a foot injury, reducing him to a vice captain's role in the Ryder Cup, and was trying to earn enough money or FedEx Cup points on a medical extension to keep his PGA Tour card. Only when he thought he fell short did the tour realize a clerical error that saved him. Among other things, it got him into The Players Championship, where he tied for second.

The tank started to fill.

"TPC was huge," he said. "I can't explain how big a week that was for me mentally to be able to come over and play a stretch of tournaments like I'd just played leading in, and qualifying for this week."

He also can draw on his last time at Royal Birkdale, though the circumstances were slightly different. Poulter was never really in the mix until the final, blustery round, when he closed with a 69 and thought he had a chance to win with a clutch par on the 18th — until Padraig Harrington finished strong with a birdie and eagle to win by four.

"Every moment I'm on the golf course right now I'm thinking a lot about Sunday's round of golf in 2008," he said. "And the fans are great. I'm playing hard for them, as well, because they're giving me a lot of energy on the course."

He might need it.

Poulter hasn't even played in a major since the 2016 Masters. He wasn't sure he would make it back to Royal Birkdale. So the thought of chasing down Jordan Spieth, for starters, didn't feel as daunting.

"I'm in a bonus week. I qualified for the Open. I'm loving it. I really am," he said. "This is a massive bonus for me to be in this position. I haven't played a major for a little while. And I can't wait. I'm excited. I'm pumped up. I feel my game's coming back to form. So, yeah, I mean I'm ready to go out there toe to toe with anyone."

This article was written by Doug Ferguson from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

Two Serie A giants poised for bidding war to acquire Real Madrid superstar in 2019

AC Milan and Napoli are preparing to do battle in next summer’s transfer window, with Real Madrid midfielder Isco up for grabs. 

Since the appointment of Santiago Solari as head coach at the Santiago Bernabeu last month, things have gone downhill for the Spanish superstar and he has found himself out of the starting XI.

Los Blancos have won four successive games under Solari, who was rewarded with the manager’s job on a permanent basis on Tuesday, but Isco has only played 53 minutes in total so far under his stewardship.

According to Diario Gol, the 26-year-old has threatened to leave the club if he is not offered a renewal on his current contract and with his situation in the team at the moment precarious, to say the least, Madrid may cut their losses on him next year.

Diario Gol reports that Serie A giants Milan and Napoli are poised to pounce on the uncertainty surrounding Isco’s situation in Madrid, by launching respective bids for his signature at the end of the current season.

The Spain international is a supremely gifted footballer with a superb eye for defensive splitting passes and exceptional dribbling ability, however, there is some suggestion that he has yet to reach his full potential in the game, which is more down to a lack of effort than anything else.

The Italian top flight is arguably a more competitive league than La Liga, with the emphasis more on defending and giving little away in midfield rather than free-flowing attacking football, but Isco certainly has the talent to add great quality to the ranks of either club in question.

That being said, after losing Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus over the summer Madrid will surely be reluctant to lose any more of their best players, particularly given their inconsistent form domestically and in Europe over the last three months.

Isco’s future might remain in doubt between now and the end of the campaign, but if he can turn around his attitude and reproduce his best form on the pitch, there is every chance that he still has a future at the Bernabeu.

2017 KPMG Women's PGA Championship: Tee times and pairings

Here is the complete television schedule, tee times and pairings for the final round of the 2017 KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club in Illinois.

TV SCHEDULE (Eastern time)

Sunday, July 2
3:00-6:00 p.m., NBC
 
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MORE: KPMG photo gallery
 
RELATED: KPMG, LPGA, and PGA of America reach extension for tournament 
 

FINAL ROUND TEE TIMES (Central time)

(Tee Time, Players)

6:58 AM — Klara SPILKOVA, CZECH REPUBLIC; Sandra CHANGKIJA – Kissimmee, FL
7:07 AM — Laura GONZALEZ ESCALLON, BELGIUM; Dori CARTER – Valdosta, GA
7:16 AM — Dani HOLMQVIST, SWEDEN Paula CREAMER – Pleasanton, CA
7:25 AM — Lee LOPEZ – Whittier, CA; Eun-Hee JI, SOUTH KOREA
7:34 AM — Mirim LEE, SOUTH KOREA; Lee-Anne PACE, SOUTH AFRICA
7:43 AM — Jeong Eun LEE, SOUTH KOREA; Bronte LAW , ENGLAND
7:52 AM — Jenny SHIN, SOUTH KOREA; Caroline HEDWALL, SWEDEN
8:01 AM — Holly CLYBURN, ENGLAND; Minjee LEE, AUSTRALIA
8:10 AM — Lydia KO, NEW ZEALAND; Karine ICHER, FRANCE
8:19 AM — Ryann O'TOOLE – San Clemente, CA; Alison LEE – Valencia, CA
8:28 AM — Joanna KLATTEN, FRANCE; Min LEE, CHINESE TAIPEI
8:46 AM — Amelia LEWIS – Jacksonville, FL; Katherine KIRK, AUSTRALIA
8:55 AM — Mi Jung HUR, SOUTH KOREA; Cydney CLANTON – Rockwell, NC
9:04 AM — Marina ALEX – Wayne, NJ; Belen MOZO, SPAIN
9:13 AM — Su OH, AUSTRALIA; Gaby LOPEZ, MEXICO
9:22 AM — Ally MCDONALD – Fulton, MS; Karen CHUNG – Livingston, NJ
9:31 AM — Brittany ALTOMARE – Shrewsbury, MA; In Gee CHUN, SOUTH KOREA
9:40 AM — Wei-Ling HSU, CHINESE TAIPEI; Carlota CIGANDA, SPAIN
9:49 AM — Lindy DUNCAN – Plantation, FL; Jaye Marie GREEN – Boca Raton, FL
9:58 AM — Aditi ASHOK, INDIA; Georgia HALL, ENGLAND
10:07 AM — Angel YIN – Arcadia, CA; Haru NOMURA, JAPAN
10:16 AM — Ashleigh BUHAI, SOUTH AFRICA; Kelly SHON – Port Washington, NY
10:25 AM — Alena SHARP, CANADA; Stacy LEWIS – The Woodlands, TX
10:34 AM — Ai MIYAZATO, JAPAN; Austin ERNST – Seneca, SC
10:43 AM — Brittany LINCICOME – Seminole, FL; Jodi EWART SHADOFF, ENGLAND
10:52 AM — Nelly KORDA – Bradenton, FL; Emily PEDERSEN, DENMARK
11:01 AM — Jessica KORDA – Bradenton, FL; Jane PARK – Woodstock, GA
11:10 AM — Sarah Jane SMITH, AUSTRALIA; Lizette SALAS – Azusa, CA
11:19 AM — Suzann PETTERSEN, NORWAY; Inbee PARK, SOUTH KOREA
11:28 AM — Moriya JUTANUGARN, THAILAND; Mi Hyang LEE, SOUTH KOREA
11:46 AM — Michelle WIE – Honolulu, HI; So Yeon RYU, SOUTH KOREA
11:55 AM — Kim KAUFMAN – Clark, SD; Gerina PILLER – Roswell, NM
12:04 PM — Candie KUNG, CHINESE TAIPEI; Lexi THOMPSON – Coral Springs, FL
12:13 PM — Madelene SAGSTROM, SWEDEN; Sung Hyun PARK, SOUTH KOREA
12:22 PM — Amy YANG, SOUTH KOREA; Sei Young KIM, SOUTH KOREA
12:31 PM — Jiyai SHIN, SOUTH KOREA; Brooke HENDERSON, CANADA
12:40 PM — Chella CHOI, SOUTH KOREA; Danielle KANG – Las Vegas, NV
 
             
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Manchester United priced for ambitious forward transfer following comments on future

Manchester United look to be contenders for the transfer of Chelsea forward Eden Hazard amid doubts over his future at Stamford Bridge.

The Belgium international is due to be out of contract at the end of next season, and seems no closer to committing his future with the Blues.

Hazard appeared on French television this week ruling out a January transfer away from the club, though he could not give much in the way of assurances beyond then.

Ladbrokes have now been in touch with odds on Hazard’s future, with the 27-year-old most strongly linked with Real Madrid in recent times.

The bookies made the Spanish giants the clear favourites, with odds of 1/3, followed by Paris Saint-Germain at 5/2, even though he ruled out a move back to Ligue 1 in the interview above.

United are 11/2, while Manchester City are also in the running at 10/1, so it could be that there’s some possibility of Hazard remaining in England even if he leaves Chelsea.

Lexi Thompson's mom hopes to attend U.S. Women's Open following cancer surgery

BEDMINSTER, N.J. — When world No. 3 Lexi Thompson tees off Thursday in the opening round of the U.S. Women's Open, Judy Thompson hopes to walk nine holes with her daughter.

That's the goal. There is no guarantee she will make it. She might do more.

At an event where the focus of the biggest tournament in women's golf has been its location — on a course owned by President Donald Trump — there are other stories.

There is one about Judy and Lexi Thompson. It's a mother-daughter tale. The daughter is looking to win her first Open.

Judy Thompson's story is about life, and the fight for it, again.

"She's the strongest woman I know and I always say I want to be half the woman that she is when I grow up and she's been a role model of mine and, like I said, she's my best friend and great to have her out here supporting me," Lexi Thompson said.

The past few months have been hard for the family.

Two months ago, the 59-year-old mother of three professional golfers was diagnosed with uterine cancer.

With the help of fellow golfer Morgan Pressel's Foundation, robotic surgery quickly followed.

Last week, Judy Thompson finished her fifth and final session of an aggressive internal radiation treatment. Next week, she will return to Florida to talk to doctors about her prognosis.

Physically, Judy Thompson is tired. It's one of the biggest side effects of radiation. She is fighting through it and looking forward to this week.

MORE: Heck, 15, youngest in U.S. Open | Katherine Kirk's journey

"I appreciate it and I am grateful for what I have," Judy Thompson said of life. "When people aren't dealt cards like we are dealt, they take things for granted. I treasure every moment I have and I enjoy it."

Judy Thompson has dealt with cancer before. She had breast cancer 11 years ago and was treated with a drug that can cause other forms of cancer.

Like last time, Judy doesn't want her children, Curtis, Nicholas and Lexi, to stop playing golf because of her illness. They have been there for her, whether it was through a visit or a telephone call.

"That was enough," Judy Thompson said.

The mother-daughter bond is special for Judy Thompson. She talks with her daughter daily, sometimes more than once. Her eyes well with tears when she talks about it.

Entering the first round, Judy Thompson is just hoping her daughter has a good week.

"I just want her to have fun and enjoy herself," she said. "What happens, happens. Try your hardest, and it is what is it. I would be very proud of her (if she won). I would love it, but just play, have fun. It's day to day."

This article was written by Tom Canavan from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
 

Chelsea to battle Manchester United and City for surprise £50million transfer

Chelsea are reportedly set to step up their transfer spending this January and are making Juventus left-back Alex Sandro one of their prime targets.

The Blues are keen to battle the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City to sign the £50million-rated Brazil international, according to the Express.

Sandro is undoubtedly one of the finest players in the world in his position, though this report comes as a bit of a surprise as he’d strengthen an area that’s already pretty strong for Chelsea.

CFC have the excellent Marcos Alonso as first choice in that role, and the highly dependable Emerson Palmieri as backup.

Of course, all clubs want to improve as much as possible and Chelsea have the money to do that, but Sandro seems a surprise player to go after as a priority when they could probably do with strengthening up front much more.

The Express reports of other targets for the west London giants, but Borussia Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic is the only attacking player in there, with Maurizio Sarri linked strongly with bolstering his defence.

Alex Sandro to Chelsea in January?

Liverpool and Chelsea given huge potential transfer boost from club president

Liverpool and Chelsea may want to take note of some promising transfer news emerging from Spain today involving Marco Asensio and his future at Real Madrid.

It’s not been a great season for the Spain international, and it seems Madrid president Florentino Perez is running out of patience with him, according to Don Balon.

It’s suggested in the report that Perez will look to replace Asensio with a big name like Eden Hazard or Neymar if things don’t improve.

Given that Los Blancos lost Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer without really landing the big-name replacement required, it makes sense that Asensio may now be under pressure.

The 22-year-old has long been considered an exciting talent, but isn’t quite living up to his full potential at the Bernabeu at the moment.

Still, another Don Balon report recently linked Asensio as a target for Liverpool and Chelsea, so it seems big clubs could still be ready to take a gamble on him.

It remains to be seen who will win this transfer battle, but it does seem increasingly likely that the player is edging ever closer to a move away from Real.

WATCH: Danielle Kang chip in to save par at KPMG Women's PGA Championship

Danielle Kang has had a tournament to remember at Olympia Fields. Kang started the 2017 KPMG Women's PGA Championship bogey free in her first two rounds, jumping out to an early lead.

RELATED: Bogey-free through 36-holes, Kang sticking to game plan at KPMG

Kang's incredible streak came to an end on the third hole in Saturday's action, when she bogeyed a par-4. She was in danger once again of going over par on the 12th hole, clinging to a one-stroke lead over Chella Choi. 

It was no easy shot for Kang, staring down par. The announcers felt it was her biggest test of the tournament.

As they said shortly after, "she passed the test with flying colors."