‘Important to Me’—Chelsea New Boy Sends Xabi Alonso Message, Signs Until 2033
‘Important to Me’—Chelsea New Boy Sends Xabi Alonso Message, Signs Until 2033
A new era is underway at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea look to revive their fortunes. Toby Cudworth|
Chelsea’s newest signing Marco Palestra has spoken of Xabi Alonso’s influence on him joining on a seven-year deal from Atalanta.
The Blues are understood to have agreed an initial €57 million ($64.9 million, £49.2 million) deal with the former Europa League winners, which could total €60 million once add-ons are into taken account.
Serie A champions Inter had been looking to sign Palestra, but Chelsea muscled their way in last week to agree a deal for Palestra, who is the first arrival of the Alonso era.
“It was very important,” Palestra told Chelsea’s club channels of Alonso’s significance in him joining. “I feel a lot of energy from him. Also, he is one of the best managers in the world [as you can see when] he won at Bayer Leverkusen. It’s important for me to have Xabi Alonso as the manager.
“I have had two conversations with him and I’m very happy because he told me what he wanted from me. I’m very happy to know him and to start training with Chelsea.”
What Palestra’s Signing Means for Chelsea
Chelsea have been very successful in the past deploying three center backs and wing backs. Antonio Conte arguably revolutionized English football when he employed the tactic during his time at Stamford Bridge—a decision he made after watching his side get torn apart 3–0 by rivals Arsenal, at a time when the Gunners were not the team they are now.
Conte won the Premier League following that change, and many others looked to imitate the system while employing minor tweaks of their own. Thomas Tuchel was also a proponent of the formation, and ended up winning the Champions League, against the odds in many people’s eyes, while using it.
A stock four at the back has been the favored system of managers that have followed, most recently Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. But the appointment of Alonso, who won the Bundesliga using a 3-4-2-1 formation, suggests a rolling back of the clock is underway.
Palestra has predominantly played as a right wing back for Atalanta in a similar system, but he’s equally as comfortable playing on the left. That’s terrific news for Chelsea fans in the wake of Marc Cucurella’s sudden departure to Real Madrid.
“If I have a choice, I obviously prefer the right, but I’m equally comfortable on the left and have no problems,” Palestra previously told DAZN of his versatility..
What Business Chelsea May Look to Do Next
If Alonso is planning to use three center backs, it’s likely Chelsea will dip into the market in order to strengthen their hand. It’s also likely that some of their current options—namely Trevoh Chalobah—will be moved on to freshen things up and get the club back on the front foot.
They won’t have the distraction of playing in Europe next season—similar to how Manchester United operated last year—so this first year under Alonso could represent somewhat of a transitional period. New central midfielders may be required, but moving players in and out freely will be difficult, as will attracting the caliber of player to take Chelsea forward.
Other outgoings may determine just how many players Chelsea are able to sign, and they’ll hope that Alonso’s reputation, like it did for Palestra, is enough of a draw to convince players that their long-term futures lay in west London.
READ THE LATEST CHELSEA NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
Published 3 minutes ago | Modified 3 minutes ago
TOBY CUDWORTHToby Cudworth is Lead Editor for SI FC. A Premier League, EFL and UEFA accredited journalist, Cudworth is a graduate of the University of Gloucestershire, where he studied Broadcast Journalism. He previously worked for 90min as a writer, academy manager, editor and eventually content lead, before joining Sports Illustrated in May 2025. A lifelong supporter of West Ham United, he still can’t quite believe they won a European trophy and feels nature is healing now that results have slipped back into the yo-yo patterns of the last 30 years.
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Sydney Sweeney Struts in Micro Shorts in New 4th of July American Eagle Campaign After Controversy
Sydney Sweeney is back and better than ever in a new American Eagle ad.
Sweeney, 28, stunned in an all-denim look while posing on the beach for a 4th of July campaign, which launched on Wednesday, July 1. The Euphoria star rocked a denim Bow-Front Vest, which retails for $54.95, featuring adjustable halter straps, a plunging neckline and straps that tie in the front.
Sweeney paired the look with low-rise Micro Shorts ($49.95), which were complete with a dark wash and distressed finish.
For glam, the Anyone But You star stunned with dewy skin, sun-kissed cheeks, long lashes and lined, pink lips. Her blonde bob was parted down the middle and styled in beachy waves.
In one pic, the It Girl closed her eyes and beamed for the camera while sitting in the sand. She also looked over her shoulder in another pic, with her hands in the back pockets of her cheeky bottoms.
Sweeney also looked her best in a promotional video. In the clip, she danced on the beach while lighting sparklers. “Syd for Short,” a message across the screen read.
This isn’t the first time Sweeney has posed for American Eagle. In July 2025, she went under fire for modeling a denim jacket and pants with the double entendre, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
The statement quickly sparked debate about race and beauty standards for the double play on “genes.”
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Related: Sydney Sweeney Stuns in 2nd American Eagle Campaign Following Controversy
Sydney Sweeney has teamed up with American Eagle again for a sexy summer campaign following her previously controversial ad with the company. Sweeney, 28, posed for the brand’s “Syd for Short: American Eagle Jean Shorts” ad, which launched on Wednesday, April 15. In the campaign, the Euphoria actress looked her best in a pair of […]American Eagle responded to the backlash in August 2025, writing via Instagram, “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
At the time, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that “Sydney thinks this whole thing has been blown out of proportion.”
The insider added, “She’s focusing her energy on work, including being back on set with her Euphoria family.” (The Euphoria season 3 finale aired on May 31.)
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Trump's Annual Earnings Skyrocketed to $2.2 Billion in 2025 ... for Some Reason
July 1, 2026
Making money is hard. Just ask Donald Trump. Back in 2022, House Democrats released years of the then-former and now-current president’s tax returns, which showed that Trump the entrepreneur was significantly less successful than The Art of the Deal would have you believe. They painted a picture of a floundering businessman who was doing his best to dodge taxes and scrape together income, something Trump mastered throughout his long career.
But now, it appears that Trump has finally found an industry that works: open corruption, crypto scams, and nepotistic crony capitalism that siphons off wealth, rakes in gifts, and feeds them into his personal coffers. He just needed to become president of the United States.
Trump revealed in financial disclosures this week that he has made $2.2 billion in 2025, up from $622 million in 2024, the year before he returned to the White House. The astronomical sum includes a diverse portfolio of investments and businesses, but is mostly comprised of one brazen cryptocurrency scam: World Liberty Financial, a crypto company that offers the $TRUMP memecoin. Trump made a staggering $1.4 billion on crypto last year, fueled both by getting his supporters to buy into $TRUMP and a massive private deal in which a UAE-linked investment firm paid almost $500 million for a 49 percent stake in World Liberty Financial.
But let’s break down what that means in simple terms. One: Trump sells a memecoin to his followers, using his personal social media channels to boost it. This is basically the same scam Trump has been running for years. If you’ve been on his mailing lists since 2016, you’ve been inundated with ads for physical Trump coins, digital trading cards, and all sorts of commemorative and allegedly collectible memorabilia. Crypto is essentially the same grift, with the added flavor that Trump can pass it off as an “investment” opportunity, something that may pay dividends for the everyday Americans who are duped into buying it. Trump has also taken a host of actions benefiting the crypto industry — and thus, his and his family’s finances — since retaking office, while touting the industry publicly.
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Trump claims that he isn’t “involved” in the running of these businesses, which is about as flimsy of an excuse as you can get. “We have funds that run that money,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
Q: Your financial disclosure shows you had a very lucrative year last year. What message does this send to average Americans?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 1, 2026
TRUMP: Well, you know, I don't get involved. We have funds that run my money
Q: But you are benefitting. We're talking billions of dollars
TRUMP: Well… pic.twitter.com/y0CVPXc4NB
In reality, Trump and his family are the only ones getting rich. But it’s the other half of that windfall that’s even more concerning. While garden-variety crypto-grift is bad, the dark money investment in a Trump-owned company by a firm that is linked to the government of the UAE suggests that foreign influence could be playing a large role in the growth of Trump’s personal fortune. In other words, he’s basically getting a payout from the government of another nation.
This isn’t the first time Trump has engaged in open corruption with members of a foreign nation. His comments about his financial disclosure on Wednesday came on the tarmac in front of his new private plane, also known as Air Force One, which was paid for and gifted to him by the Qatari government, and retrofitted with hundreds of millions of taxpayer money.
“You want a Pulitzer Prize? A picture of the plane.” Trump joked.
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Trump took his first flight on the Qatari-gifted jet shortly after. “Frankly, we couldn’t build a plane like this because we wouldn’t be willing to spend the kind of money necessary,” Trump said. “They spent top dollars.”
The plane is valued at roughly $400 million. The government will not retain ownership of the plan after Trump leaves office. It will instead be gifted to his presidential library.
New on Pluto TV in July 2026 — The Full List of Free Movies and TV Shows
Like Tubi, Pluto TV is one of streaming’s best deals. It offers tons of new content each month, all for the low, low price of absolutely nothing. Now that’s a deal I’ll gladly accept.
The ad-supported platform has outdone itself in July, offering an array of classic movies and shows as well as live events, from sports ot Grand Ole Opry concerts.
Watch With Us recommends you check out fan-favorite movies like Clueless with Alicia Silverstone and Sleepless in Seattle with Tom Hanks. If you’re a Big Brother fan, you must tune into Big Brother Live, which has dedicated channels showing pretty much everything that happens inside the Big Brother house.
Editor’s note: All the movies listed below are now available to stream unless otherwise noted.
Action and Adventure
Three Kings
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
XXX
Tango & Cash
Parker (2013)
Tears Of The Sun
Top Gun
Driven
Vantage Point
The Commuter
The Expendables 2
The Expendables 3
The Expendables 4
The Expendables
Danger Close
Sabotage (2014)
Colombiana
Cinco De Mayo: La Batalla (2013)
Civil War
Platoon
Walking Tall (2004)
Contract To Kill
Everly
Forces Speciales (2011)
The Last Man (2019)
Muay Thai Fighter
Salvable
The Stranger (2010)
Stratton
The White Storm
Free Fire
A Prayer Before Dawn
Walking Tall: The Payback
Hercules (2014)
Navy Seals
Related: Netflix's New Movies and Shows in July 2026 – The Full List
July is the heart of summer, which usually means 4th of July fireworks, delicious BBQs and record heat waves. It also means a month full of great streaming content, at least on Netflix. The popular streamer is set to drop some of its highest-profile original movies and TV shows of 2026, plus classics like A […]Sci-Fi and Fantasy
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix
Gravity
After Earth
Hollow Man
Big Fish
Flatliners (1990)
Johnny Mnemonic
Moon
The Time Machine
Light Of My Life
Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts
Ex Machina
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Transformers: Age Of Extinction
Warchief
Area 51
Judgment Day
Escape From New York
Survival Code
Timeline
High Life
Under The Skin
The Green Knight
Stargate (1994)
America 3000
Drama
The Right Stuff
Awakenings
The Fisher King
The People Vs. Larry Flynt
Drumline
Do The Right Thing
Amistad
The Cider House Rules
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
The Four Feathers (2002)
The Queen
Salmon Fishing In The Yemen
The Virgin Suicides
Dead Again
Frida
Nico, 1988
Margot At The Wedding
My Life So Far
Nebraska
O (Othello)
American Dreamer
Filly Brown
Lady Macbeth (2016)
Moonlight
20th Century Women
Weightless
Jayne Mansfield’s Car
Philomena
Submarine
This Must Be The Place
Where’d You Go, Bernadette? (2019)
American Honey
Mississippi Grind
The End Of The Tour
The Last Black Man In San Francisco
The Last Movie Star
The Sea Of Trees
Not Without My Daughter
A Good Person
All These Small Moments
Evelyn
Fool For Love
Jinn (2018)
Maine
On The Count Of Three
A Few Good Men
Crime and Thrillers
Angels & Demons
Collateral
Zodiac
Inferno (2016)
Money Train
The Net (1995)
Premonition (2007)
Snatch (2000)
Trapped (2002)
Wild Things
Black Rain
Ride
The Night Listener
Girls In Prison
Nightcrawler
The Substitute 2: Schools Out (1998)
Affairs Of State
Beast
The Bedroom Window
Burn
Confidence
Escape From Pretoria
Every Secret Thing
Knock Knock (2015)
Love Lies Bleeding
Thelma & Louise
Like Minds
Manhattan Night
Stone
The Super (2018)
Tenderness
Skiptrace
Blaze You Out
Blood Out
Catch Hell
Free Ride (2013)
Legendary Assassin
Lucky Number Slevin
The Pursuit Of D.B. Cooper
Senorita Justice
The Substitute 3: Winner Takes All
The Substitute (1996)
Thief Of Hearts
Enemy
Remember
The Bling Ring
Dark Places
Cut Bank
Hot Summer Nights
Low Tide
Zola
Mojave
The Eternal Daughter
The Adderall Diaries
Under Fire (1983)
Cop
Dangerous Game (1993)
Romance and Musicals
Clueless
Sleepless In Seattle
Steel Magnolias (1989)
You’ve Got Mail
Across The Universe
Breakin’ All The Rules
First Knight
Marie Antoinette
The Sweetest Thing
While You Were Sleeping
Adore
The Back-Up Plan
Bride & Prejudice
The Fighting Temptations
Kate & Leopold
Sidewalks Of New York
Southside With You
Flashdance
Hear My Song
Last Night
My Boss’s Daughter
Playing By Heart
Sirens
50 First Dates
Maid In Manhattan
Bella
La Boda De Valentina
In The Mix
Jackie & Ryan
The Sun Is Also A Star
My Days Of Mercy
Dr. T And The Women
Stage Mother
A Ghost Story
The Souvenir
Tommy’s Honour
Related: What's New on Peacock in July 2026 — The Full List of Movies and TV Shows
Peacock is having a quiet month in July compared to other streamers like Netflix and HBO Max, but that doesn’t mean it’s not offering must-see content. Watch With Us has been a huge fan of Jennifer Garner since Time of Your Life (remember that Party of Five spinoff?), and we’re pumped for her newest streaming […]Comedy
Friday
The Friday After Next
Next Friday
National Lampoon’s European Vacation
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Kingpin
Code Name: The Cleaner
Adaptation
Real Genius
Ashby
Crocodile Dundee
The Foot Fist Way
Gambit
I Got The Hook-Up
A Night At The Roxbury
The Weather Man
Crocodile Dundee II
Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Dysfunktional Family
Like A Boss
Mother (1996)
Superstar
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
Barbershop (2002)
Barbershop 2: Back In Business
Barbershop: The Next Cut
Beauty Shop
All Of Me
Best Of Times
Dummy
Highway
What’s Cooking
Never Goin’ Back
A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charles Swan III
Funny Pages
Men At Work
Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert
Horror
Christine (1983)
Disquiet
Pet Sematary II
The Uninvited
Darkness
Pet Sematary (1989)
After.Life
American Carnage
The Cabin In The Woods
Fear Of Rain
Ginger Snaps
The Witch
The Blackcoat’s Daughter
Lamb
You’re Next
The Messengers
The New Daughter
Parents
Dead End (2003)
247 Degrees Fahrenheit
After Darkness
Aftershock
Alone In The Dark
Among The Shadows
Barrens
Blood Creek
Bloodline
Boy Eats Girl
Candyman III
Chained
Children Of The Corn: Runaway
Day Of The Dead: Bloodline
Demonic
The Dentist 2
The Dentist
Dracula 3000
Dreamkatcher
Embrace Of The Vampire
Fangoria: Blood Drive
Fangoria: Blood Drive II
Fear Clinic
Fertile Ground
The Fog
Ginger Snaps 3
Gothic
Grace
Hatchet
House Of The Dead (2003)
In Fear
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
Jack Goes Home
Kill Theory
La Nina De La Mina
The Little Mermaid (2024)
Martyrs (2015)
Night Of The Demons
Night Of The Living Dead 3D (2006)
Open Your Eyes
Patrick: Evil Awakens
The Possession (2012)
Pulse III: Invasion
Rambler
Shivers
Speak No Evil
Spectre
Strangeland
Summer Camp (2016)
Tamara
To Let
Toolbox Murders
The Vatican Tapes
Los Visitantes (2014)
Waxwork
Waxwork II: Lost In Time
Witch Hunt (2019)
Yakuza Apocalypse
The Monster
Woodshock
Too Scared To Scream
After Midnight (1989)
Asylum (2008)
Classics and Westerns
American Outlaws
Blue Hawaii
The Disorderly Orderly
The Family Jewels
Hatari!
The Gambler (1974)
Real Life (1979)
Cinderfella
Daisy Miller
Last Of The Red Hot Lovers
Lifeguard
Murder On The Orient Express
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Plaza Suite
The Great Escape
The Ballad Of Lefty Brown
Ulysses
The Producers
Park Row
Visit To A Small Planet
First Cow
Woman Walks Ahead
Tom Sawyer (1973)
Apache
The Charge Of The Light Brigade (1968)
The Jackie Robinson Story
Kids and Family
Hook
Kicking & Screaming
Bon Voyage Charlie Brown (And Don’t Come Back)
Bandslam
Golden Shoes
Merlin And The Book Of Beasts
The Secret Garden (2020)
Touchback
Wonder Park
Napoleon (1997)
New Channels
Big Brother Live
This July, Pluto TV brings back its Big Brother Live category to coincide with the premiere of Big Brother season 28 on CBS on July 9. Fans can tune in 24/7 to five dedicated live channels streaming straight from inside the Big Brother house, including four room-specific feeds and a quad-view channel that captures every angle. From whispered alliances to shocking blindsides, no moment is off-limits. Plus, the Big Brother single-series channel streams past seasons around the clock, making it easy to relive iconic moments or catch up before the latest drama unfolds.
Live Events
MONSTER JAM WORLD FINALS — Monster Jam Channel
July 2–4.
Three nights of live coverage from Salt Lake City, including Qualifying, Day 1 and Championship action from the Monster Jam World Finals.
WNBA — ION
Live games on Fridays in July.
July 3: Minnesota Lynx at New York Liberty; Chicago Sky at Las Vegas Aces
July 10: Dallas Wings at Toronto Tempo; Chicago Sky at Los Angeles Sparks
July 17: Seattle Storm at Indiana Fever; Connecticut Sun at Phoenix Mercury
July 31: Dallas Wings at Washington Mystics; Indiana Fever at Portland Fire
Related: New on Hulu in July 2026 — The Full List of Movies and TV Shows
Are you ready to return Runway? Not the runway, but Runway, the fictional magazine where Meryl Streep‘s Miranda Priestly reigns supreme? The Devil Wears Prada 2 finally arrives on Hulu in July, and you’re invited to the fashion movie event of the year – as long as you have a subscription. Miranda isn’t the only […]BOXING — DAZN Ringside
July 16: Live Press Conference — Eubank vs. Papot
July 17: Live Weigh In — Eubank vs. Papot
July 18: Live Prelims — Eubank vs. Papot
July 22: Live Open Workout — Joshua vs. Prenga
July 23: Live Press Conference — Joshua vs. Prenga
July 24: Live Weigh In — Joshua vs. Prenga
July 25: Live Prelims — Joshua vs. Prenga
GRAND OLE OPRY — Live Music Channel
Live performances every Saturday in July.
July 4: Kelsea Ballerini
July 11: Keith Urban
July 18: Blake Shelton
July 25: Reba McEntire
WOMEN’S SPORTS — AWSN
Live events throughout July.
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GREAT AMERICAN BLOCK PARTY 250 — CBS News 24/7
Live coverage of the Great American Block Party 250 Independence Day celebration on July 4.
Just For You
In this article
Alicia Silverstone
Charlie Sheen
Timothée Chalamet
Tom Hanks
