Hull City manager Steve Bruce says Southampton's £12m bid for striker Shane Long was too good to turn down.

According to the Hull Daily Mail, Southampton's initial bid was close to the £7m Hull paid to sign the 27-year-old striker from West Bromwich Albion in January, but when that was rejected the offer rose to £9m and then on to the figure which was accepted by the club on Tuesday night.

"We'd not been looking to sell Shane but it's a fantastic offer and we've decided to accept it," Bruce tells the newspaper. "The challenge is always to become bigger and better and this money will be put towards strengthening again. Whether you are Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, everyone in football has got their price. Myself and the owners didn't want to lose Shane but we accept it's a very good offer, especially when you consider what we paid in January. I've got no issues."

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Sunderland complete the signing of winger Will Buckley from Brighton on a three-year contract.

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Denmark's Thomas Bjorn makes a very strong start at the Made in Denmark tournament in Aalborg.

The 43-year-old currently shares the first-round clubhouse lead with Chile's Felipe Aguilar on five under.

A good result for the Dane in this event would all but assure him of an automatic place in Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Managers often speak about wanting to build a football club from the ground up, but one boss taking charge of a side in the FA Cup this weekend took it a step further...

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Richie McLoughlin is manager, founder, chairman, treasurer and groundsman at Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community Association FC, positions he has held since 1987...

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McLoughlin built the ground from scratch, including stands, dugout and clubhouse, using material from an old mining pit. Read more about his story here.

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Does your club have an interesting FA Cup story to tell? Let us know on social media using #myfacupstory, external

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A strong fightback from England women in their one-off Test against India as they dismiss the tourists for 114. Jenny Gunn finishes with 5-19, while Kate Cross mops up the tail to take 3-29.

England still have plenty of work to do though as they only made 92 in their first innings, so they trail by 22 runs heading into the second part of the match.

Norwich winger Anthony Pilkington is having a medical at Cardiff before moving to the Championship side.

Pilkington, who scored 15 goals in 62 starts for the Canaries, could make his debut against his former club Huddersfield on Saturday 16 August.

Cardiff are also understood to be interested in Reading centre-back Sean Morrison.

Disappointment for Great Britain's Jack Burnell in the 10km open-water event at the European Swimming Championships as he can only finish sixth.

Ferry Weertman of the Netherlands takes gold, with defending champion Thomas Lurz of Germany second.

Here is today's #QSTeaser from Question of Sport: Which six current Championship clubs have never played in the Premier League?

Send your answers to #QSTeaser and we will reveal the six around 14:00 BST.

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London Broncos have signed French international half-back William Barthau from Catalan Dragons on a two-year contract.

"I'm pleased we've secured William as he will fit into one of our key positions on the field," said Broncos coach Joey Grima.

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Arsenal are weighing up a surprise move for former QPR midfielder Stephane Mbia, the Daily Star reports., external

The 28-year-old midfielder is available on a free transfer after being released by the Hoops. He impressed during a loan spell at Sevilla last season, helping the Spanish club to win the Europa League.

Newcastle, West Ham and Crystal Palace are also said to be interested in the Cameroonian.

Barry Dunne:, external Tony Cottee's hat-trick for Everton against Newcastle in 1988. I thought he'd go on to score over 30 goals that season.

Don't forget to keep letting us know about your favourite #openingdaymoment on Twitter. Whether it's a blockbuster start or a first-day mauling, we want to hear from you about the moment that sticks in your mind from opening days gone by.

Here are a selection of your favourites so far:

Phil Slattery:, external Zola's chip to Poyet & him connecting with a jumping mid-air volley against Sunderland in 1999/00

Barry Dunne:, external Tony Cottee's hat-trick for Everton against Newcastle in 1988. I thought he'd go on to score over 30 goals that season.

Dublin Journos:, external Crespo's wonder strike to win it for Chelsea against Wigan

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It's been an excellent morning for Great Britain's sprinters at the European Athletics Championships in Zurich. The three-strong 200m contingent of Adam Gemili, James Ellington and Danny Talbot have all cruised through their heats.

Gemili was the fastest of all the qualifiers, just ahead of France's Christophe Lemaitre, strolling his heat in a time of 20.39 secs.

The semi-finals take place this evening.

Defender Chico Flores and midfielder Pablo Hernandez leave Swansea for moves to to Qatar, joining Lekhwiya and Al-Arabi respectively.

Flores' move means he will be reunited with former Swansea boss Michael Laudrup, who is in charge of Lekhwiya.

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Defender Eric Abidal has become the latest French player to announce his retirement from international duty.

"It's over," the 34-year-old said. "I have not held a press conference or said anything. I am saying it for the first time today but I am more than certain that I will no longer join the national team."

Abidal, who underwent a liver transplant in 2012, won 67 caps but was left out of the 2014 World Cup squad.

It's been a bad week for France manager Didier Deschamps, who has already seen midfielders Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery turn their back on Les Blues.

As goal-scoring celebrations go, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's was pretty special...

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...the Borussia Dortmund striker headed in his side's second goal in Wednesday's German Supercup win against Bayern Munich...

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...Dortmund won the game 2-0, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan scoring the first.

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Chelsea winger Andre Schurrle could be set for a move to Spanish champions Atletico Madrid, according to the Daily Mail.

The Mail reports, external that the two clubs have opened talks, with World Cup winner Schurrle having failed to command a regular starting place at Stamford Bridge last season.

Don't bet on this one happening though, as Jose Mourinho would apparently prefer to sell another foreign player rather than the versatile German.

Forward Ezequiel Lavezzi turns down a new contract at Paris St-Germain opening up the possibility of a move to Liverpool, reports The Metro., external

Lavezzi has struggled to hold down a regular slot in the PSG team since his arrival from Napoli, but amid growing speculation over his future he was offered a new contract this week.

But reports say that Lavezzi's agent Alejandro Mazzoni turned it down during a meeting in Paris and now an angry PSG are ready to offload him, with Liverpool in pole position.

Dan Roan
BBC Sport

"1. Liverpool, 2. Chelsea, 3. Man City, 4. Arsenal, Bottom three: Southampton, Burnley, Leicester.

"Most people will understandably write Liverpool off having lost their best player & with the added burden of Europe again. But last season was no fluke. The runners-up have reinvested the Suarez cash wisely, and for the first time in years have proper strength in depth and a solid defence.

"In Sterling, Coutinho and Sturridge they also possess the kind of young, attacking talent that will only improve, and which can compensate for the departure of their former talisman. Liverpool can go one better than last year, and be the surprise champions the premier league so desperately needs. There will be life after Luis, just you watch."

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Back to the European Athletics Championships in Zurich, and a terrific performance from Great Britain's trio of female 200m sprinters. Bianca Williams, Jodie Williams and Dina Asher-Smith all win their heats comfortably, and world junior champion Asher-Smith was arguably the most impressive of the lot, making light work of 100m silver medallist Myriam Soumare of France.

And it's a double celebration for the 18-year-old, who breathlessly tells the BBC's Phil Jones that she's got the A-level results she wanted today.

100m champion and event favourite Dafne Schippers of Holland is also safely through.

Meanwhile, women's high jump favourite Blanka Vlasic of Croatia has withdrawn from the Championships due to a painful knee.