Lewandowski leaves Europe after 20 years

The Macedonian football club GRK Ohrid has reached an agreement with Japanese midfielder Kosuke Yasuhira, but the deal will not take effect immediately. Instead, the player will remain on loan with Ohrid for one more season before officially joining the club permanently. This decision came after negotiations between Ohrid and Yasuhira's current club, Kuwaiti side Burgan, failed to reach an agreement on the compensation required for his permanent transfer. Despite these challenges, the two parties have already signed a contract, which will become effective starting from the 2027/2028 season.

Yasuhira joined Ohrid on loan earlier this year and quickly made an impact, earning a promotion to the role of first-choice goalkeeper for the team. His performances during the loan period impressed both the coaching staff and fans, leading Ohrid to make multiple attempts to secure his long-term commitment. However, the financial terms set by Burgan proved difficult to meet, forcing Ohrid to delay the official signing until next year.

In a statement released by the club, they expressed their satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing that the agreement reflects their long-term ambitions. "Although the management of GRK Ohrid did everything possible to keep this jewel of the Ohrid public for this season, they managed to achieve this goal for the 2027/2028 season! Kosuke will play for GRK Ohrid for at least two seasons," the announcement read. The club also highlighted that this move underscores their commitment to building a strong and sustainable future.

Yasuhira himself expressed happiness about returning to Ohrid, where he had previously won his first European trophy. In a press release, he stated, "I am happy that I will return to the club with whom I won my first European title. Fishermen and Ohrid fans, we will see each other again soon and together we will attack many more titles." His comments reflect a deep connection with the club and its supporters, reinforcing the significance of this return.

Meanwhile, in another major sports development, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has taken significant steps toward acquiring young winger Jean Diomandé from Leipzig. According to reports from transfer insiders David Ornstein and Fabrice Hawkins of RMC Sport, Diomandé has agreed to a five-year contract with PSG. Despite serious interest from Liverpool, who attempted to convince Leipzig with a bid worth €100 million, the German club rejected the offer. Now, PSG is taking the initiative, aiming to finalize the deal with Leipzig regarding the buyout clause.

Leipzig acquired Diomandé from Leganés last summer for €20 million and signed him to a contract lasting until 2030. Initially, there were plans for Diomandé to stay at least one more season, but the interest from European giants could change the situation. According to French media, Leipzig is asking around €130 million for the transfer, while PSG does not plan to go as high as that. Nevertheless, negotiations are expected to continue, and if successful, Diomandé could become the most expensive sale in Leipzig’s history, surpassing the previous record held by Josko Gvardiol, who was sold for €90 million.

Diomandé has had an outstanding season with Leipzig, scoring 13 goals and providing 10 assists in 36 matches across the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal. If the transfer goes through, he would significantly strengthen PSG’s already impressive attacking lineup, which includes players such as Usman Dembélé, Desiré Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Bradley Barcola.

In international football, Canada made history by advancing to the Round of 16 of the World Cup after defeating South Africa 1:0 in their opening match. The decisive goal came in the 92nd minute from captain Cyle Larin, who scored from around 17 meters out, hitting the far post. This victory marked Canada's first-ever appearance in the knockout stages of the World Cup. They will face the winner of the match between Holland and Morocco on July 4.

On the motorsport front, Ai Ogura achieved a historic milestone by securing his first win in the premier class of MotoGP at the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen. The 25-year-old Japanese rider became the first Japanese driver to win in the top category since Makoto Tamada's victory at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2004. Ogura's win was particularly notable as he defeated his teammate Raoul Fernandes by eight tenths of a second, marking a double triumph for the Trekhaus team.

Ogura had previously secured six victories in the Moto2 category, winning the championship two years ago. His performance in Assen completed a historic double for Trekhaus, which had not previously achieved such success. Additionally, Jorge Martin of Aprilia claimed third place, completing a triple victory for the Italian manufacturer, marking the second time in history that Aprilia has achieved such a feat.

However, the race was marred by an incident involving Marco Beccari, who crashed in the second lap and was taken to the medical center for checks. Three hours after the race, Beccari's team confirmed that he suffered no injuries and was released to return home. The next race in the MotoGP calendar will be the Spanish Grand Prix.