Mexico international Luis "Chaka" Rodriguez shared death threats that were directed at his wife and family on social media after Friday's World Cup qualifier defeat to the United States.

Ahead of Mexico's World Cup qualifier at Canada on Tuesday, the Tigres right-back, a devout Christian, sent a message to the account -- which was in the name of Miguel -- asking him to stop sending his wife intimidating threats on social media.

- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
- Don't have ESPN? Get instant access

"Miguel, I'm the husband of the wife you wrote to," Rodriguez wrote (in Spanish) on Instagram. "I understand that my work in the national team can be the cause of all of this in you. I don't justify it, but I understand it.

"I ask you please not to write anymore to my wife, to rape and kill are very cruel words. Miguel, we don't deserve this, least of all to include family. I hope this is over now. May God bless you."

The threatening messages were posted after Rodriguez started in Mexico's 2-0 loss against the United States in Friday's World Cup qualifier in Cincinnati.

The outcome saw Mexico lose top spot in the CONCACAF group on goal difference, with the two teams now level on 14 points after seven games.

With the threats continuing, Rodriguez decided to share the disturbing messages his wife received. Although it has been a difficult few days for Rodriguez, he has maintained an even keel.

"I honestly take into account the positives and negatives..." Rodriguez wrote. "Football is and will always be a dream come true for me. To leave the national team is not an option for me."

Justin Fuente, who had a 43-31 record in six seasons at Virginia Tech, is out as the Hokies' football coach, athletic director Whit Babcock announced Tuesday.

J.C. Price will serve as interim head coach while school starts a national search to fill the position.

"We sincerely appreciate the contributions that Coach Fuente made to our football program and the positive impact he made on our student-athletes during his time at Virginia Tech," Babcock said in a statement. "While it is never easy to make a change, I believe in order for our football program to attain the type of sustained success that is expected at Virginia Tech, the time was right for new leadership of our football program."

Including his four seasons as coach at Memphis, Fuente has a career record of 69-54.

The first NBA games in the United Arab Emirates will take place next preseason, sources told ESPN's The Undefeated on Tuesday.

The NBA and the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi have agreed to a multiyear partnership, starting with two preseason contests next year.

The two exhibitions will take place in Abu Dhabi in October 2022. The participating NBA teams and host venue will be announced at a later date.

This will not be the first time NBA games are played in the Middle East. Four NBA teams have previously played in six exhibition games in Tel Aviv, Israel, against Israeli professional clubs.

There are currently seven players from the Middle East in the NBA -- Turkey's Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets), Cedi Osman (Cleveland Cavaliers), Enes Kanter (Boston Celtics), Furkan Korkmaz (Philadelphia 76ers) and Omer Yurtseven (Miami Heat), Israel's Deni Avdija (Washington Wizards) and Egypt's Abdel Nader (Phoenix Suns).

The new partnership will also include appearances by former and current NBA players at interactive fan events, the launch of Jr. NBA Leagues for boys and girls at schools across the UAE, NBA FIT Clinics promoting health and wellness and an NBA 2K League exhibition event.

Be an example, be focused, think things through, keep working at home, have a purpose and don’t be overconfident

Be An Example

If you can be an example both to others and yourself, you will push yourself further and do more, even when you don’t think you can manage anything else. You need to believe it as well as do the mechanics though; if you want to achieve more, you have to know that you can before you start. This kind of positive mental attitude can really help you become a better athlete, but it will also help you in other aspects of life.

So on those days when you don’t want to get out of bed, and it’s too cold outside, or you’re aching from the hard work you put in the day before, get up and go for it anyway. Remember, you are an example, and you don’t know who has chosen you for their hero, but someone may have. It could be your partner, your children, friends and family, or a total stranger at the gym. Just keep going, and you’ll be able to prove to them what a great role model you are.

Be Focused 

Just turning up to the gym or your workout classes isn’t enough if you want to be a better athlete. You need to be completely focused and engaged if you’re going to get the most out of it – be alert and interact with your class instructor, the other people around you, your own thoughts, and how your body is working.

That is not always going to be easy. You might be distracted by something happening at work or a discussion you’ve had at home. You could be excited about heading off on vacation or worried about an interview that’s coming up. It’s essential that you put these thoughts, positive and negative, to one side for the duration of your workout; otherwise, you will never be fully present, and you will find it hard to reach your potential as an athlete.

Think Things Through

When you are an athlete, it’s important not just to follow what your coach or instructor says blindly without thinking about how you can take those instructions and turn them to your advantage. You might be able to make that workout or class even better for you by adding to what is being asked of you. Although it is best to be cautious and not go too far too soon – you could damage yourself.

At times, what your coach is saying will be enough, but if you don’t question and just do as you are told, you might be missing out – it can never hurt to analyze the situation and ensure that what is happening is best for you as an athlete. Be empowered enough to ask questions, make connections, and learn where you can.

Keep Working At Home

To be the best athlete you can be, you need to continue to work on your fitness at home and not forget about it as soon as you leave the gym or sports field. You might have a mini gym at home, or perhaps you use items around your home for an impromptu workout session (running up and down the stairs, for example, or using sturdy armchairs for bench presses). Keep topping up your fitness levels, and you’ll see a fantastic improvement at the gym.

Food also plays a big part in any health and fitness regime. To be a better athlete, you need to eat right. Healthy, nutritious food consisting of lots of vegetables and fruit, some lean meat, and pulses, for example, will give you more energy and allow you to burn more fat than a heavy meal of fried food. Eating well will also help you to lose weight, which will make you fitter and faster too.

Have A Purpose

It is vital to have a purpose for exercising if you want to be a better athlete. Having a purpose means you have somewhere to head towards, and the more invested you are in this goal, the more likely you are to keep working towards it. So for each aspect of your workout, make sure you know why you are doing it and how important it is to you. You might want to train to run faster so that you can play football with your children.

You might want to lose weight so that you can take your family to the beach and enjoy it without worrying about what other people are thinking. Maybe you want to strengthen your arms and shoulders because your job means you have a lot of lifting to do, or you’re studying for BLS certification and need to be able to perform CPR. Perhaps you even want to compete in competitions or become a professional athlete.

It shouldn’t need to matter to anyone else what your reasons are for doing what you are doing; you don’t even have to tell anyone what your goals are if you don’t want to. The point is that you know what they are, and you think they’re essential. This will push you onwards to success as an athlete.

Don’t Be Overconfident 

Confidence is a good thing. It will help you to believe in yourself and ensure that you reach your goals. Yet being over-confident is not such a good thing. In fact, when it comes to becoming a better athlete, being over-confident is a bad thing altogether.

If you see that you are better at some aspects of your workout than others are, be humble. Don’t brag. Don’t show off. Being better at something doesn’t give you the right to show off about it. Be proud, but don’t be a bad person. Also, even if you are the best, you need to keep working. If you stop, others will overtake you – this is a serious downside to over-confidence. Be humble and keep working, and you’ll not only be a better athlete but a better person too.

Harlequins and England prop Vickii Cornborough has become the first woman to be elected into a Rugby Players' Association (RPA) leadership role.

The Red Roses player, who has won more than 50 caps, will work alongside Worcester Warriors prop and RPA chair Ethan Waller.

"I am delighted to be stepping into the role of vice-chair," Cornborough said.

"I came into the role with the goal of protecting our player welfare, setting standards on and off the pitch and holding stakeholders accountable for making the right decisions for the players.

"Providing a voice for our members has never been more important, and I am looking forward to contributing to the support and protection of players in the professional game."

Cornborough was awarded a full-time contract in 2019.

RPA Group chief executive Damian Hopley added: "We are so excited to have Vickii elected as our vice-chair.

"Women's rugby has never been in such a strong position and it's a testament to her hard work and dedication both on and off the pitch that she has been recognised by fellow players to take on this leadership role."

Cornborough has been a part of the Red Roses' autumn campaign, in which England have extended their winning run to 17 games.

England will end their autumn internationals on Sunday when they play the USA.

Manchester United's Champions League game against Villarreal in Spain has been declared "high risk" by the country's anti-violence commission.

"The State Commission against violence, racism, xenophobia and intolerance in sport has declared the Champions League match between Villarreal and Manchester United on Nov. 23 as high risk," a designation issued by Spain's commission read.

- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
- ESPN+ viewer's guide: Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS, FA Cup and more

lt mean the home club will have to reinforce security measures while there will be an increase in the use of police officers at La Ceramica stadium, which has a 23.500 capacity.

The game is sold out, with United having been allocated 2,000 tickets for the game.

The showdown will see Group F leaders United take on Villarreal, who are second in the standings and level on seven points after four games.

United won 2-1 against Villarreal on Sept. 29 to avenge their painful penalty shootout defeat to the Spanish outfit in the Europa League final in May.

On Dec. 8, Villarreal, who are 12th in La Liga and are coached by former Arsenal manager Unai Emery, travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta in their final Group F game while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's United host Young Boys.

It feels like record transfer fees are creeping up with each passing season, especially in the Premier League.

Indeed, just a few months ago we saw the nine-figure fee mark being breached for the first time in England as Manchester City completed their £100 million deal to bring Jack Grealish on board from Aston Villa.

As the cost of signing players continues to swell, it's likely that top-flight clubs will have to spend more to stay competitive -- but are they getting value for their investment?

Here we have assessed every single Premier League club's current record incoming transfer and whether or not that player has provided a requisite amount of bang for the buck. Then we've ranked them from 20-1.

Taken into account is the size of the fee, their basic performance levels and success at the club from that date onwards. All stats are taken from the point the player in question made their permanent transfer to the club. Any previous stints or prior loan spells are not included.

You will almost certainly disagree with at least one player/club's position here, but don't worry, by this time next year this list could look very different.

- ESPN+ guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more (U.S.)
- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
- Don't have ESPN? Get instant access

20. Newcastle United: Joelinton

Fee: £39.6m from Hoffenheim, July 2019
Record (in all competitions): 91 games, 10 goals, 8 assists

It looked like a good fit on paper: a muscular, physical Brazilian target man with a respectable scoring record in German football, almost tailor-made for the rigours of the Premier League. Unfortunately, Joelinton has proved an exasperating disappointment at St James' Park and has returned just six goals in 79 Premier League appearances. He is yet to get off the mark this season.

19. Burnley: Ben Gibson

Fee: £15.2m from Middlesbrough, August 2018
Record: 6 games, 1 goal

Gibson is still Burnley's record signing despite having not played a single game for the team since August 2019 (90 minutes against Sunderland in the second round of the Carabao Cup, in what proved to be his only appearance of that season). Overall, the centre-back played just 62 minutes of Premier League football for Sean Dyche's side, though in fairness he did manage to score on his solitary top-flight appearance so therefore does technically maintain a 100% goal-scoring record. Since then, Gibson has spent the last two seasons at Norwich City, having initially joined on loan for the 2020-21 Championship campaign before making the move permanent last summer for a reported fee of £8m following the Canaries' promotion.

18. West Ham United: Sebastien Haller

Fee: £45m from Eintracht Frankfurt, July 2019
Record: 54 games, 14 goals, 3 assists

Often looking clumsy and unsure of his precise role, Haller never quite gelled at the Hammers despite arriving in East London as a record signing and ending his tenure with an adequate if unspectacular record. Offloaded to Ajax at a £25m loss in January 2021, Haller has since proved his capability by scoring 27 goals in his first 40 games for the Dutch side. He played a pivotal role in the second half of the club's double-winning 2020-21 campaign, and this term has continued his goal rush by scoring four in one Champions League game. West Ham, meanwhile, are third in the Premier League table after beating Liverpool 3-2 last time out. So it worked out well for everyone.

17. Norwich City: Christos Tzolis

Fee: £9.9m from PAOK Salonika, August 2021
Record: 7 games, 2 goals, 2 assists

Tzolis has barely had chance to feature for Norwich since arriving from the Greek league and has completed a full 90 minutes just once (against Bournemouth in the second round of the Carabao Cup) since he became the most expensive player ever to move to Carrow Road. The left winger -- who chipped in with 16 goals and 10 assists in 46 appearances for PAOK last season -- has played a mere 21 minutes of league football since the end of September. Perhaps the recent departure of head coach Daniel Farke might signal a fresh start for Tzolis under new manager Dean Smith, but as things stand it's all been decidedly underwhelming in his first three months as a Canary.

16. Wolverhampton Wanderers: Fabio Silva

Fee: £36m from FC Porto, September 2020
Record: 45 games, 4 goals, 5 assists

Aged just 18 at the time, Wolves signed Silva despite the youngster having made just 12 senior league appearances in his career. Since moving to Molineux, the Portugal under-21 international has impressed in isolated bursts. However, after extra pressure was heaped on his shoulders last season following Raul Jimenez's long-term absence with a head injury, even his most enthusiastic supporters would be hard-pressed to describe his presence for Wolves as anything more than "peripheral." There's still plenty of time -- Silva signed a five-year contract, after all -- but the forward has got a long way to go.

15. Aston Villa: Emiliano Buendia

Fee: £34.5m from Norwich, June 2021
Record: 10 games, 1 goal, 1 assist

Buendia emerged as a key creative force for Norwich in their last few years of yo-yoing between the Championship and Premier League, though the Argentine is yet to fully bed in at Villa since arriving to help plug the hole left by Grealish's departure. The attacking midfielder has found the net only once and, just as Villa themselves have struggled to tread water so far this season, the club's record signing has fallen some way short of recapturing the game-turning form he displayed in the second tier last term. Maybe new boss Steven Gerrard will get more out of him.

14. Brentford: Kristoffer Ajer

Fee: £14.1m from Celtic, July 2021
Record: 9 games, 0 goals

An assured presence at the back, Ajer appeared to be coping with the stresses of the Premier League rather well since moving south of the border last summer to join newly promoted Brentford. However, a promising start was disrupted by injury with the centre-back managing just two appearances for the Bees since the start of October. He is missed Norway's World Cup qualifiers in November, with coach Stale Solbakken speculating that Ajer's hamstring issue could sideline him for months rather than weeks following a secondary evaluation.

13. Brighton & Hove Albion: Enock Mwepu

Fee: £20.07m from FC Salzburg, July 2021
Record: 8 games, 2 goals, 2 assists

Mwepu hasn't had long to prove his mettle, but the versatile Zambia international has performed well in a variety of midfield roles for the Seagulls since arriving from Salzburg over the summer. The 23-year-old has even opened his goal-scoring account with a fantastic long-range strike to spark his side's recent comeback against Liverpool -- a 25-yard effort that earned his side a 2-2 draw at Anfield and also saw him win Brighton's goal of the month award for October.

12. Leeds United: Rodrigo

Fee: £27m from Valencia, August 2020
Record: 41 games, 9 goals, 2 assists

Impressive in flashes, Rodrigo scored seven Premier League goals for Leeds in his debut season for the then-newly promoted club, with four of those goals coming in the final four fixtures of the campaign. Despite finishing strongly last time out, the 30-year-old Spain international has been more sporadic in 2021-22, scoring just two goals in 10 league appearances so far. However, his 94th-minute penalty against Wolves last month did see him demonstrate the ability to kick a corner flag clean in half as Elland Road erupted in celebration around him.

11. Watford: Ismaila Sarr

Fee: £27m from Rennes, August 2019
Record: 81 games, 23 goals, 16 assists

Sarr was Watford's top goal scorer with 13 in 39 games as they secured promotion back up into the Premier League last season after one year in the Championship. Sure enough, the 23-year-old Senegal forward is topping the Hornets' charts again this season too, having scored four goals in his first 11 top-flight outings.

10. Crystal Palace: Christian Benteke

Fee: £28m from Liverpool, August 2016
Record: 158 games, 35 goals, 12 assists

He's hardly been a regular on the scoresheet for Palace, but Benteke has proved a dependable leader of the line for the Eagles over the past five years. The Belgian battering ram famously went 358 days across 2018 and 2019 without scoring a single goal for Palace, only to then go another 34 Premier League games without finding the net between 2019 and 2020. Regardless, he remains a regular in the team -- which is either testament to his utility or a damning indictment of Palace's alternative attacking options.

9. Tottenham Hotspur: Tanguy Ndombele

Fee: £54m from Lyon, July 2019
Record: 86 games, 10 goals, 18 assists

A mercurial figure who divides opinion among Spurs fans, Ndombele was openly criticised by former manager Jose Mourinho for his supposedly poor fitness and failure to adapt to the levels required in the Premier League. The France midfielder found himself in and out of the team under Mourinho, despite providing glimpses of ability as a combative ball-carrier in brief cameos. With Antonio Conte now at the Spurs helm, Ndombele must work with a coach famed for his zero-tolerance approach to stamina and conditioning work.

8. Arsenal: Nicolas Pepe

Fee: £72m from Lille, August 2019
Record: 98 games, 25 goals, 18 assists

Pepe has a tendency to perform in fits and starts and has amassed decent numbers since moving to Arsenal without ever fully winning over his doubters in the terraces. The skillful Ivory Coast winger scored eight goals in 42 games in his debut season, then doubled that to 16 in 47 as he ended as his sophomore campaign in England as the Gunners' second-highest goal scorer in all competitions. Still prone to fading out of games, at 26 it's probably time for Pepe to start delivering with a little more consistency if he's going to truly convince people he was deserving of such a gigantic outlay. It's hard to imagine Arsenal spending even close to that again for a while.

7. Everton: Richarlison

Fee: £35.2m from Watford (potentially rising to £50m), July 2018
Record: 126 games, 44 goals, 10 assists

Richarlison originally moved to Everton in a deal worth £40m but that fee was always set to rise to £50m once a certain amount of clauses were triggered, which would make the forward the club's all-time record signing. The Brazil international has been playing well at Goodison for three years and has signed a new and improved contract in that time, both of which are likely to have fulfilled several of said clauses.

6. Chelsea: Romelu Lukaku

Fee: £98m from Inter Milan, August 2021
Record: 11 games, 4 goals, 1 assist

Never afraid to spend big, Chelsea broke their transfer record for the fourth time in five seasons when they re-signed Lukaku from Inter Milan over the summer. The Belgium international kicked off his second stint at Stamford Bridge by plundering three goals in his first three games but things have slowed down dramatically since then. An ankle sprain has kept him out of action for the past few weeks so, despite Chelsea coping well without him thus far, coach Thomas Tuchel will have everything crossed that Lukaku returns from his injury layoff with both his physical condition and his eye for goal refreshed.

5. Manchester United: Paul Pogba

Fee: £94.5m from Juventus, August 2016
Record: 212 games, 38 goals, 49 assists

A young Pogba played a handful of games for United in 2011-12 before leaving for Juventus, where he swiftly became one of the most coveted central midfielders in world football while playing alongside Andrea Pirlo. The France international returned to Old Trafford in 2016 in a world-record transfer that was accompanied by a cacophony of hype, only to settle into a five-year groove that has been equal parts fantastic and frustrating. Capable of midfield domination and supreme technique, Pogba can often be a passenger for United despite his obvious talent, but there have been plenty of high points too..

4. Manchester City: Jack Grealish

A Champions League debut to remember for Jack Grealish ?@JackGrealish | @mancity | #UCL pic.twitter.com/TNcugOMRxt

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 21, 2021

Fee: £100m from Aston Villa, August 2021
Record: 15 games, 2 goals, 3 assists

It's early days but Grealish has made a pretty decent start to life at City as the most expensive signing in the history of British football. However, with more tactical responsibilities and positional intricacies to digest under Pep Guardiola, the former Villa star's form hasn't quite reached scintillating levels yet. So it's perhaps fair to suggest that City fans haven't witnessed the attacking midfielder at his fluid, creative best quite yet. Let's hope his Champions League debut goal against RB Leipzig -- a trademark cut-in and curling finish -- is a sign of things to come.

3. Southampton: Danny Ings

Fee: £22.5m from Liverpool, July 2019
Record: 75 games, 38 goals, 7 assists

After his time at Liverpool was plagued by injuries, Ings joined Southampton on a season-long loan for the 2018-19 campaign and proved an instant hit with fans while rediscovering his scoring touch. Ings chose to make the move permanent and became the Saints' record signing in the process, adding a further 38 goals to his tally over the course of the two seasons that followed and even playing his way back to England contention. The 29-year-old then brought his time on the south coast to an abrupt end in August 2021 when he agreed a shock move to Aston Villa for a fee around the £30m mark as part of the Birmingham club's post-Grealish recruitment, and has scored three goals in nine Premier League games since.

2. Leicester City: Youri Tielemans

Fee: £40.5m from Monaco, July 2019
Record: 112 games, 17 goals, 17 assists

Tielemans first joined Leicester on loan in January 2019 before making his switch the King Power Stadium permanent in a record-breaking deal six months later. The 24-year-old Belgium international (the third on this list) has cemented himself as a regular in Brendan Rodgers' side thanks to his versatile midfield skillset, which includes a healthy supply of goals and assists. Tielemans will forever be remembered for scoring the goal which won the 2021 FA Cup final against Chelsea. A great player and in the age of the £200m transfer, a relative steal at a sliver over £40m.

1. Liverpool: Virgil van Dijk

Fee: £76.1m from Southampton, January 2018
Record: 144 games, 13 goals, 7 assists

Few could argue against Liverpool having had exceptional value for money from their record signing, with Van Dijk proving integral to a side that won the Premier League, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup under Jurgen Klopp. The Netherlands centre-back has become one of the best in the world since arriving at Anfield: he has excellent judgement and leadership skills, and an elegance that belies his sheer size and strength. Van Dijk has perhaps not been quite the same player since suffering the anterior cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out for nine months last season, but at 30 years old he still has plenty of time to recover his best form and give Liverpool several years more service.

Conclusion

Given that Premier League clubs have collectively burned through almost £890 million (£889.17m to be precise!) on their record signings, it's perhaps a little jarring just how little true star quality we have populating the ranking.

It represents clear evidence that continually forking out huge transfer fees in an ever-inflating market doesn't necessarily guarantee value any more. Indeed, it could be argued that approximately half of the players on this list have not even begun to prove their worth at club level -- though of course, some still have time on their side in that regard.

Some record signings have come and gone in a flash, some have lingered, but a disconcertingly high number have objectively fallen short when it came to living up to their potential.

There's a sound fiscal lesson to be learned there, but whether the Premier League as an entity chooses to heed it is another matter entirely.