St. Louis City extend F Simon Becher through June '28

St. Louis City SC extended forward Simon Becher's contract through June 2028 with an option for 2028-29, the club announced Thursday, Reuters reported. 

Becher, 26, has recorded nine goals and six assists in 48 appearances across all competitions since joining St. Louis on loan from Denmark's AC Horsens in 2024.

"We are pleased to extend Simon's contract and keep him in St. Louis," sporting director Corey Wray said. "Simon's movement, work rate and willingness to fight for the team make him a constant threat in the final third and an asset to our attacking group. He has embraced the group and the culture we are building, and we look forward to continuing to support his growth and seeing his impact on the team moving forward."

Ronaldo buys 25% stake in Spanish second-tier club Almeria

Cristiano Ronaldo has acquired a 25% stake in Spanish second-tier side Almeria, the club said on Thursday, Reuters reported. 

The Portuguese forward, who spent nine years at Real Madrid and is the club's all-time top goalscorer, invested in Almeria through his company CR7 Sports.

Almeria, who were relegated from LaLiga in 2023-24 and were taken over by Saudi-based SMC Group in 2025, did not disclose the financial terms of the deal, according to Reuters. 

English Premier League to debut streaming service in Singapore, FT reports

The world’s most popular club football competition, the English Premier League, is set to launch its own direct-to-consumer streaming service in Singapore this year, with plans for potential expansion to other countries, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, Reuters reported. 

Speaking at the FT Business of Football Summit in London, Premier League CEO Richard Masters said the new service, called Premier League +, would be available for the 2026-2027 season, according to the report.

The service has been developed in partnership with StarHub, the league's broadcast partner in Singapore, FT said, according to Reuters. 

Arsenal look for back-to-back London derby wins with City breathing down their neck

The last time Arsenal beat Chelsea three times in the same season was also the last time they won the Premier League, in 2003-04. And while one may not necessarily lead to the other, Arsenal are going into Sunday's clash desperate for a win to keep Manchester City at bay, Reuters reported. 

Arsenal, who finished second in the last three seasons, have struggled with the pressure of the title race in the current campaign as well, settling for back-to-back draws at Brentford and bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers this month.

Last weekend, leaders Arsenal bounced back with a commanding 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, but anything less than three points against Chelsea on Sunday will put them at risk of City, five points behind with a game in hand, closing the gap at the top, according to Reuters.