Real Madrid signs France defender Ibrahima Konaté to 4-year deal

By The Associated Press
June 18, 2026 | 5:32 AM

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid says it has reached a deal with Ibrahima Konaté to sign the France defender to a four-year contract.

The Spanish powerhouse announced the deal on Thursday while the central defender is with his national team at the World Cup.

Konaté was a free agent after his deal with Liverpool expired.

The 27-year-old Konaté joined Liverpool in 2021 from Leipzig. He helped it win the Premier League in 2025 and the FA Cup in 2022.

His contract was a campaign promise of Florentino Pérez before he was re-elected as Madrid club president this month.

Konaté did not leave the bench in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal to open their World Cup campaign on Tuesday.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Cue the trumpet: Edwin Díaz returns to earn save for the Dodgers after 85-game absence

By The Associated Press
July 30, 2026 | 1:58 AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cue the trumpet. Edwin Díaz is back to close out games for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 32-year-old right-hander came off the injured list Wednesday after missing 85 games, having had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow in April. “We just got a lot better,” manager Dave Roberts said. Fans were on their feet cheering when Díaz entered in the ninth to Timmy Trumpet's “Narcos.” He gave up two hits and one run while earning his fifth save of the season in a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. His four-seam fastball touched 98 mph.

Related Stories

Athletics' Nick Kurtz leaves game vs. Red Sox with bruised left forearm after HBP, getting MRI

Baseball Glance

Gray and Reese lead the Dream past the Wings

Red Sox beat the A's 4-2 on Monasterio's 2-run homer in the 10th

Gray and Reese lead the Dream past the Wings, 82-81