Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones has been suspended for the 2017 season opener for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, the league announced Friday.

Jones’ suspension stems from his January arrest at a hotel in downtown Cincinnati. He allegedly pushed a security guard, poked him in the eye and refused to comply with law enforcement officers.

He had faced misdemeanor charges of assault, disorderly conduct and obstructing official business and a felony count of harassment with a bodily substance for allegedly spitting on a nurse in jail, but most of the charges were dropped at the request of a Cincinnati prosecutor, who said the incident was just “drunken foolishness.”

Jones pleaded guilty in May to the obstruction charge. He was sentenced to two days in jail, which had already been served.

The NFL told Jones in a letter that it watched video “of the tone, tenor and nature of your interactions with law enforcement at the site of your arrest, during transportation to the jail, and during the booking process.” The league also said his actions reflected poorly on him, his family, the Bengals and the NFL.

“While it is our understanding that appropriate apologies have been publicly extended, they do not completely negate your behavior and admission of culpability for the underlying conduct,” the NFL wrote.

In a statement, the Bengals said they had anticipated the suspension and were looking to move on.

“Our focus is on getting ready for the upcoming season,” the Bengals said. “Adam will participate in training camp, and we are counting on him to help our team when he returns from suspension.”

The Bengals host the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, and Jones would be allowed on Cincinnati’s active roster the day after the game. He will be allowed to participate in preseason practices and games.

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool’s not prepared to sell off its greatest assets, and therefore spurned a reported approach from Barcelona for Philippe Coutinho.

The Catalonian giant’s impending bid for Coutinho was one of football’s worst-kept secrets over the previous 24 hours, and the Reds were apparently unmoved when it arrived, although the Guardian’s Andy Hunter reports the offer was worth €80 million (£72 million).

“Yes, that’s what we can say,” Klopp replied Friday when asked if Coutinho wasn’t for sale. “But that’s not since this morning or yesterday, I’m not sure if it was different at any time. So, yes.

“I’m not surprised that any club is interested in players, if it is like this. A few people obviously see that Liverpool has a few good players. That’s how it is.

“But a very important message, maybe – we are not a selling club.”

Coutinho, 25, features highly on a list of players to potentially succeed 33-year-old midfield wizard Andres Iniesta at Barcelona. The Brazilian’s adeptness at slotting into a deeper position in the lineup was evident in one of his standout performances of last term: May’s 4-0 win at West Ham United.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Some personalities behind the scenes at the Camp Nou could be egging on the club brass to table lucrative offers for Coutinho. The Rio de Janeiro native regularly partners friend Neymar in Brazil’s attack, and also counts Luis Suarez – with whom he played with at Liverpool for two seasons before the Uruguayan moved to the Mediterranean coast – as a close ally.

But Klopp isn’t keen on having one of his standout ranks pilfered before Liverpool ends a two-year exile from Champions League football, and tries to establish itself as a force in the domestic title race.

“We believe in working together, we believe in development together,” the German manager continued. “We believe in using the basis. We want to work together, we want to make the next step together and for this we need to stay together. That’s how it is.”

Referring to the 10 matches Coutinho missed last season due to injury, Klopp added: “Phil is a very, very important player but we need to react better when he’s not on the pitch, that’s how it is.”

The former Borussia Dortmund boss was addressing the media in Hong Kong before taking on Leicester City on Saturday. Liverpool won the first match of its East Asian programme 2-0 against Crystal Palace, with goals coming from new boy Dominic Solanke and Divock Origi.

LOVELOCK, Nev. — Former football star and convicted felon O.J. Simpson is appearing before a parole board Thursday, pleading for his freedom on live TV.

Simpson was convicted in 2008 of an armed robbery involving two sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room. The 70-year-old is asking the parole board to release him in October after serving the minimum nine years of a 33-year sentence.

He is seated at a plain wooden table and is appearing before the parole board from Lovelock Correctional Center via closed-circuit video. Appearing as inmate No. 1027820, Simpson is being accompanied by lawyer Malcolm LaVergne, prison caseworker Marc La Fleur, close friend Tom Scotto, sister Shirley Baker and daughter Arnelle Simpson.

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  Follow along as O.J. Simpson, who has spent the last eight years in a Nevada prison, hears whether he will be granted parole.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu attempted to swat away rumours that Neymar will leave to become top dog at Paris Saint-Germain, allegedly telling BBC Sport that he’s going nowhere.

Bartomeu’s insistence followed reports that PSG had met the Brazilian’s €222-million release clause at the Camp Nou, which could incredibly be a cut-price fee. The amount that clubs will have to stump up to pry Neymar from Barca is set to rise with each of year of his contract that expires in 2021.

Bartomeu’s warning to PSG backed the words of his colleague at Barcelona, vice-president Jordi Mestre, who insisted Neymar is “200 percent” staying with the Blaugrana on Tuesday.

Although a transfer for such an exorbitant amount – comfortably over double the cost of the world’s most expensive player, Manchester United’s Paul Pogba – would seem unlikely to materialise, there are several aspects that make it feasible.

PSG is desperate to re-establish itself as France’s great force after Monaco took its Ligue 1 crown and reached the semi-final of the Champions League last campaign. Backed by Qatari owners, no player is beyond Les Parisiens’ financial means, as evidenced by the acquisitions of Javier Pastore, Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani, David Luiz, Angel Di Maria, and Julian Draxler in each of the past six seasons. This term has yet to see its expensive marquee purchase.

Then there’s Neymar’s status in Catalonia. He could’ve been unsettled by the Spanish investigation related to financial irregularities surrounding his 2013 transfer from Santos, but there are also on-field matters. He’s blessed to be part of one of the most frightening attacking triumvirates in club history – the 25-year-old regularly partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez – but it’s perhaps Barca’s embarrassment of riches up top that prevents him from winning the greatest individual prizes.

“You can’t be FIFA World Player of the Year if you’re not even the outstanding player in your own team,” South American football expert Tim Vickery told BBC Sport.

“I think it’s absolutely no coincidence that this speculation has emerged shortly after the news that Messi has signed a new contract with Barcelona.”

Neymar himself was quoted Tuesday declaring he’s content at Barca and claiming that last season – when he scored his lowest amount of league goals (13) since the 2013-14 term – was his most fruitful.

“The last one was my best season in Barcelona. I am very adapted to the city, the club and I am happy here. That is reflected on the performance of an athlete,” Neymar told Goal in response to a question initially sent to him the previous week.

“It was the season where I felt more comfortable, even though we did not win the titles we would have wanted. We played great games and lived incredible moments. Now, we need to work for the 2017-18 season so it will be even more positive individually and as a group.”

In a transfer window that’s closely followed the futures of Antoine Griezmann, Alexis Sanchez, and many other huge names, it’s the potential next step of Neymar’s career that appears likely to dominate the back pages for some time yet.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)