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Szoboszlai joins RB Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg for reported €25M fee

Dominik Szoboszlai, one of Europe’s most exciting midfield prospects, moved from Red Bull Salzburg to sister club RB Leipzig, the teams announced Thursday.

The deal cost €25 million, according to The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano.

Szoboszlai, who signed a four-and-a-half-year contract to make the leap to the Bundesliga, snubbed reported interest from Arsenal and AC Milan. He’ll be eligible to make his Leipzig debut Jan. 9 against Borussia Dortmund.

“With the signing of Dominik Szoboszlai, we’ve been able to further strengthen our squad,” Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff said. “With the positive net spend in the summer as well as reaching the knockout round of the Champions League, we’ve been able to use the revenue to make a transfer of this size even in these financially difficult times.”

The 20-year-old routinely made the headlines for club and country over the last two seasons. He scored an unbelievable goal from distance to open Salzburg’s Champions League campaign and earned Hungary a berth at Euro 2020 with a sensational match-winning effort in the 92nd minute of his country’s playoff against Iceland.

A central attacking midfielder who can also operate on the left flank, Szoboszlai will give Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann another weapon in the final third.

Szoboszlai racked up 26 goals and provided 34 assists in 82 matches with Salzburg, who discovered him as a teenager and signed him in 2017.

“Dominik came to us as a young and highly talented player who knew exactly what he wanted from the start,” Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund said. “He has developed in his four years at FC Red Bull Salzburg into an absolute professional who has improved in all areas. He has matured from a talent with extraordinary ability to a great personality, and has shown what he can do not only in the Austrian Bundesliga but also in many European matches.”

Szoboszlai leaves Austria with three league titles and two domestic cup victories. He finds Leipzig in third place in the Bundesliga.

NFL

Giants' Bradberry on COVID list, out vs. Browns

New York Giants cornerback James Bradberry is being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and will miss Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

The move is believed to be unrelated to offensive coordinator Jason Garrett’s positive test for the coronavirus.

Bradberry, the Giants’ top corner, is a close contact to an individual who tested positive. That person is not a member of the organization.

The Giants (5-8) will now be without one of their most important defensive players, their offensive coordinator and possibly their starting quarterback. Daniel Jones is dealing with hamstring and ankle injuries that leave him in doubt for Sunday’s critical contest.

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New York is one game back of Washington in the NFC East.

The Bradberry loss is troubling, as the Giants are not especially deep at cornerback. It took until midway through the season for them to even find a suitable starter opposite Bradberry.

The key free-agent acquisition is tied for the NFL lead with 17 passes defended. He also has three interceptions.

Bradberry is eligible to be activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday should he continue to test negative and remain symptom-free.

Soccer

FIFA Awards: Lewandowski beats CR7 and Messi to top prize, Son wins Puskas

World football’s top players and managers of 2020 were recognized on Thursday at The Best FIFA Football Awards show. Below, theScore runs down all the winners of the various trophies that were handed out.

Best Men’s Player

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland)

In an unparalleled 2019-20 season, Lewandowski finished as top scorer in the Bundesliga, Champions League, and German Cup, leading Bayern to the treble with 55 goals in all. The 32-year-old would’ve been a favorite for the Ballon d’Or had it not been canceled due to COVID-19. Lewandowski, who was already named UEFA’s Player of the Season, beat out former winners and generational greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Best Women’s Player

Lucy Bronze (Manchester City and England)

Bronze, 29, returned to Manchester City after winning all there was to win with Lyon over the last three seasons. The accomplished full-back outshined former teammate Wendie Renard and Chelsea’s Pernille Harder to claim this year’s award. Bronze was also named the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year in March.

Best Men’s Coach

PAUL ELLIS / AFP / Getty

Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Klopp defends his title as FIFA’s Best Men’s Coach. The affable German led Liverpool to their first top-flight title in 30 years, steering the Reds to first place with 32 wins out of 38 matches. Klopp also helped turn Anfield into a fortress – even without the presence of fans. Liverpool are currently unbeaten in their last 66 league matches at their home ground.

Best Women’s Coach

Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands)

Wiegman led the Dutch national team to the final of the 2019 Women’s World Cup, where they bowed out against the United States. But the trip to FIFA’s showpiece event galvanized the public in the Netherlands and increased interest in the women’s game. Wiegman is now set to take over as manager of England’s national team in 2021.

Best Men’s Goalkeeper

Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich and Germany)

Neuer enjoyed a remarkable comeback in 2020. Once at risk of losing his No. 1 status on Bayern Munich and the German national team, the World Cup winner reclaimed his place as one of the game’s best shot-stoppers. Neuer won the treble with Bayern and played every minute of their triumphant Champions League campaign.

Best Women’s Goalkeeper

Sarah Bouhaddi (Lyon and France)

Bouhaddi clinched a seventh career Champions League title in August, backstopping Lyon to a 3-1 victory in the final. The 34-year-old was named UEFA’s Goalkeeper of the Season, having kept five clean sheets in the tournament.

Puskas Award (best goal)

Heung-Min Son: Tottenham vs. Burnley (Dec. 7, 2019)

Mark Leech/Offside / Offside / Getty

Tottenham’s Son, who beat out Flamengo’s Giorgian De Arrascaeta and Luis Suarez for the Puskas Award, earned worldwide acclaim for his spectacular solo effort against Burnley. The 28-year-old skipped past several defenders before streaking on goal and finding the back of the net.

Men’s FIFA FIFPro World11

Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Sergio Ramos, Alphonso Davies; Joshua Kimmich, Kevin De Bruyne, Thiago Alcantara; Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo

Women’s FIFA FIFPro World11

Christiane Endler; Lucy Bronze, Wendie Renard, Millie Bright; Tobin Heath, Veronica Bouquet, Barbara Bonansea, Megan Rapinoe; Delphine Cascarino, Vivianne Miedema, Pernille Harder

NFL

Raiders rule out 4 defensive starters vs. Chargers

HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders will be without four defensive starters for their crucial Thursday night home game against the Los Angeles Chargers, a less-than-optimal start for new interim defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.

Defensive end Clelin Ferrell (shoulder), linebacker Nicholas Morrow (concussion), cornerback Damon Arnette (concussion) and safety Johnathan Abram (concussion) will all sit out, Raiders coach Jon Gruden announced Wednesday.

With rookie receiver Henry Ruggs on the reserve/COVID-19 list, four of the Raiders’ five first-round picks over the past two years will be unavailable for Las Vegas (7-6) as it tries to keep alive its flagging playoff hopes against the Chargers (4-9). The fifth first-rounder, running back Josh Jacobs, is dealing with an injured right ankle.

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“We’ve just got to have guys step up,” Gruden said. “Carl Nassib will come back in the lineup [at defensive end]. I’m sure he’ll play good. We’re anxious to see [safety] Dallin Leavitt play. [Defensive back] Daryl Worley’s back; he’s been a quick study.

“So, it’s the next-man-up mentality. I know you’ve heard it a lot from me and a lot of coaches in this league, but that’s the truth.”

Gruden said recently signed defensive end Takk McKinley would not be elevated for the Chargers game. Gruden hopes to have him active for the Raiders’ game against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 26.

Marinelli, who replaced the fired Paul Guenther, said Tuesday he wanted to see “discipline” from his defense.

“Knowing exactly what we’re doing,” Marinelli said. “… I want to see great energy and great tackling. And gang tackling. Guys are hustling to the ball, and I think when you see that, they enjoy it. And I just want to see that part of it — that we really enjoy this game. And you can’t enjoy it, just one or two guys; it’s got to be a team defense.

“And defense is about team — quick fast and physical. Quick, fast and physical. That’s what I keep preaching, and we’ll see.”

In Sunday’s 44-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Raiders defense was only able to muster one QB hit — no sacks — on Philip Rivers, who was dealing with turf toe.

Getting a pass rush going against Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert and keeping him in the pocket is paramount for the Raiders. Herbert passed for 326 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 24 yards against the Raiders in Las Vegas’ 31-26 win in Inglewood, California, on Nov. 8.

“Everybody responds well to Rod,” Gruden said of Marinelli, who was elevated from defensive line coach. “They have before. It’s not like he’s a new guy coming in here. He gets the correct response, a lot of respect. I think people trust him. He’ll do a good job. It will be a tall order for him, obviously, in our defense, but I know we’re looking forward to the challenge. We’ve got a lot of respect for the Chargers.

“We’re not going to go in the tank. We’re going to stay strong mentally here, and we’re going to keep getting better and better and better and do the best we can every single time out.”

Marinelli, 71, brushed aside questions about his age and if he wanted to have the defensive coordinator job in Las Vegas beyond this season.

“All I do is work right now,” he said. “Me coaching, people bring this age up. … I want to see them step in my shoes and have my juice, OK? And I love it, so I don’t ever look past it right there. I just want to go do a great job right now, and our job is to help these men. That’s my job. That’s what we lock in at and go.”

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