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Carlos Cuesta has committed his future to Parma, with the club confirming via their official Instagram account that the Spanish coach will continue as head coach ahead of the 2026/27 Serie A season.

The announcement ends weeks of uncertainty over Cuesta’s future, with his position having been questioned despite guiding Parma to a comfortable survival in the top flight.

The two parties held positive talks in recent days before agreeing to continue together, with Parma confirming the squad will report back for pre-season on July 13.

Cuesta and Parma to continue for 2026/27

Cuesta originally joined Parma last summer on a contract running until June 2027, with an option to extend for a further season.

The former Arsenal assistant, who spent five years working under Mikel Arteta at London Colney before beginning his managerial career, earned widespread praise for his handling of a difficult relegation battle but faced some speculation over whether it was the ‘right style of football.’

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Igli Tare is facing a potentially turbulent summer beyond his recent dismissal from Milan, with the Albanian sporting director understood to have been placed under investigation by Albanian authorities on suspicion of money laundering and corruption.

According to MilanNews.it, Tare’s name has emerged in connection with an ongoing investigation by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption and Organised Crime Prosecution Office, known as SPAK.

The former Milan sporting director is alleged to have become a person of interest during a probe originally centred on former Albanian deputy prime minister Belinda Balluku, who faces accusations relating to violations in public procurement.

Tare faces double blow after Milan sacking as Albanian investigation emerges

The development represents a significant further complication for Tare, who was dismissed by AC Milan just ten days ago as part of owner Gerry Cardinale’s wholesale overhaul of the club’s leadership structure following their failure to secure Champions League qualification.

The sacking, which also claimed head coach Massimiliano Allegri, CEO Giorgio Furlani and technical director Geoffrey Moncada, came after a season widely described as an unequivocal failure by the club’s own statement.

The Albanian investigation adds a deeply unwelcome dimension to what is already a difficult period for the 52-year-old, who has not yet responded publicly to the allegations.

Juventus are on the hunt for a new striker after learning that Dusan Vlahovic will not sign a new contract, and reports on Thursday claim that the Bianconeri could pursue the signings of both Randal Kolo Muani and Alexander Sorloth this summer. 

Report: Juventus looking to bring in multiple strikers this summer

Vlahovic will be out of contract at the end of June, and despite Juventus’s attempts to negotiate a renewal on reduced wages for the vast majority of the 2025-26 season, the Serbian has recently informed the club that he will be moving on. 

Juventus were already short on options at centre-forward during the 2025-26 season, which became evident when Vlahovic picked up a major injury midway through the campaign. Despite the club’s signings of Jonathan David and Lois Openda during the summer transfer window, it soon became obvious that neither were natural options at no.9. 

So, with Vlahovic set to leave and the rarely-seen Arkadiusz Milik now the only out-and-out striker in the senior squad, Fabrizio Romano reports that Juventus could look to bring in two new centre-forwards this summer (via Calciomercato.com). 

There have been conflicting reports as to who Juventus might sign in attack this summer, but there have been suggestions from multiple outlets that former loanee Randal Kolo Muani is a strong option at a reported cost of around €30m. 

More recently, there have been reports claiming that Juventus are in discussions with Atletico Madrid’s Sorloth, who may soon be considered surplus to requirements in the Spanish capital. 

Calciomercato claims that Atletico will seek a fee in the region of €25m for the 30-year-old Sorloth this summer. 

Atletico are also keen to sign Nico Gonzalez from Juventus on a permanent transfer, having spent a successful season on loan at the Metropolitano in 2025-26, and there have been suggestions that the two clubs could look for a part-exchange deal involving the Argentine and the Norwegian centre-forward. 

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis says that it will be up to Napoli’s next head coach to decide what to do with Kevin De Bruyne, who said that he was ‘happy’ to see Antonio Conte leave the club, but has warned the Belgian that ‘there are plenty of footballers in the world’. 

De Bruyne joined Napoli on a free transfer at the end of his 10-year spell with Manchester City in the Premier League last summer, and though there was much excitement for the Belgian’s arrival in Serie A, he suffered a serious hamstring injury in mid-October, which kept him out of action until March. 

In the end, De Bruyne was only fit enough for 18 Serie A appearances in 2025-26, but even in that time, he did not enjoy the style of football that he and his teammates were being made to play under Conte. 

When asked in a recent interview whether he was ‘happy’ to see Conte leaving the club at the end of the 2025-26 season, De Bruyne said: “For me, yes. As far as I am concerned, he was not obliged to stay. There were promises made last summer on the way that we would be playing, but at the end of the day not much of it happened. 

“Obviously it was difficult for me because Conte has a very different vision of football to mine. In truth, I never had the opportunity to play in my preferred position. In any case, I always tried to give my all for the team.

“We played very defensively. If you try to win every game by a one-goal margin with a 4-5-1 formation, you play a certain type of football. At the start of the season, we sat back even deeper.

“Our centre-forward scored just 10 goals, so you know the statistics are not going to be great…”

What happens next for De Bruyne and what does De Laurentiis make of it?

De Bruyne’s statements have led to speculation over his future in Naples. Conte has now left, but he is set to be replaced by Massimiliano Allegri, who is famed for his defensive-minded approach which might not please the six-time Premier League winner. 

It also remains to be seen whether De Bruyne will face any form of punishment from his employers given the disruptive statements he made about the departing Conte, who had won Napoli their fourth ever Serie A title the year prior. 

De Laurentiis, speaking at a press conference on Thursday, insisted that it will be down to Napoli’s next head coach (widely expected to be Allegri, even though De Laurentiis couldn’t name him for legal reasons), to decide what to do with De Bruyne. 

De Laurentiis has not closed the door to De Bruyne, but warns that ‘if someone has to leave, they will leave’ and that ‘there are plenty of footballers in the world’. 

“They (De Bruyne and Conte’s assistant Cristian Stellini) have made statements that are either acceptable or unacceptable depending on your point of view,” said De Laurentiis. 

“We’ll see what happens when we all get back to work. We’ll see what the new coach thinks of it. If someone has to leave, they will leave. What’s the problem? There are plenty of footballers in the world.” 

Udinese are prepared to trigger the €9 million purchase option for Nicolò Zaniolo following an impressive season in Friuli, but wage negotiations represent the primary obstacle to making the deal permanent, with the Italian forward currently earning well above what the club are willing to offer long-term.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Udinese sporting director Gianluca Nani has already indicated his desire to retain Zaniolo alongside Keinan Davis, describing the pair as the foundation upon which the club wants to build next season.

The willingness to spend is there, but the salary gap is significant.

Zaniolo wage demands could force Udinese into compromise as Galatasaray option looms

Zaniolo is currently contracted to Galatasaray until June 2027 and earned in excess of €3 million per season in Turkey, a figure built on the back of his strong Roma years.

During his loan at Udinese last season his wages were over €1 million, already a notable commitment for the Friulian club.

The ideal outcome for Udinese would be to agree a figure of around €1.7 million per season across a four-year deal, a compromise that would give Zaniolo financial security and the club a manageable long-term asset should he maintain his current level of performance.

Should no agreement be reached, Zaniolo would return to Galatasaray, though the intention on both sides is to find common ground.

Tottenham Hotspur is prepared to provide Jonathan David with an exit route during the summer transfer window.

The 26-year-old Canadian International has not hit the ground running in Italian football and has been underwhelming for Juventus. They are prepared to sanction his departure, and a report from TuttoJuve claims that Tottenham are keen on him.

The striker has previously shown his quality in France with LOSC Lille. He scored 109 goals with the French outfit before his move to Italy, where he has picked up just six goals and four assists in 35 league matches.

David will be desperate to get his career back on track, and a fresh start would be ideal for him. Tottenham will be able to provide him with the platform he needs. Regular football in England could bring out the best in the Canadian International. It will be interesting to see if Tottenham can wrap up the move before the player heads out for the World Cup with his country.

The 26-year-old is at the peak of his career, and he has plenty of time to fulfil his potential. He moved to the Premier League would be ideal for him at this stage of his career. It remains to be seen whether the two can agree on a deal.

Juventus is unlikely to stand in his way if a suitable proposal is submitted. They signed the player on a free transfer, and they will be able to make a considerable profit on him. The report from the Italian publication claims that Juventus want to sign Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario, and it remains to be seen whether the two clubs can work out a deal that benefits all parties.

Tottenham need more quality in the final third, and the Canadian international would be ideal for them, especially if he manages to rediscover his form and confidence.

The post Tottenham plot transfer gamble on 109-goal forward, deal could involve two stars appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Alejandro Grimaldo during the summer transfer window.

Marc Cucurella has been linked with a move away from the club, and they need to replace him properly. Grimaldo could be an ideal acquisition.

The 30-year-old has played under Xabi Alonso at the German club, and he should be able to settle in quickly and make an immediate impact on the Spanish manager. The opportunity to join Chelsea will be exciting for him as well. He knows the way Alonso likes to play, and he will be able to hit the ground running.

As per TEAMtalk, Barcelona are also interested in signing Grimaldo. It remains to be seen whether Chelsea can get the deal done. They need to improve the team during the summer transfer window and properly replace key players like Cucurella.

Grimaldo is at the peak of his career, and this is the right time for him to join an elite club. It remains to be seen where he ends up. Barcelona will be able to offer him Champions League football as opposed to Chelsea, who have missed out on European football altogether after a disappointing season.

It remains to be seen whether the player is interested in joining the Spanish champions instead. He will look to compete at the highest level and fight for trophies regularly.

Chelsea have the financial muscle to get the deal done, and they might be able to pay more to the player’s club than Barcelona. It will be interesting to see where he ends up eventually.

Grimaldo scored 14 goals this past season and picked up 12 assists as well.

The post Chelsea eye move for 26-G/A Barcelona target who has worked with Alonso appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Samsung is reportedly planning a new strategy for its next foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 8. A recent leak suggests that the company could launch the phone with different processors in different parts of the world. This means that not everyone may get the same version of the device.

According to the new information, some Galaxy Z Flip 8 models could use Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 chip, while others may come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. Earlier rumors said Samsung would use the Exynos chip in all Galaxy Z Flip 8 units. However, the latest leak says the company may now use both chips.

Samsung has used Snapdragon processors in its Galaxy Z Flip phones since the first model launched in 2020. This continued up to the Galaxy Z Flip 6. In 2025, the company changed things by using its own Exynos 2500 chip in the Galaxy Z Flip 7. With the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Samsung may continue using Exynos but also bring back Snapdragon in some markets.

Customers in the United States, Canada, China, and Japan may get the Snapdragon version of the phone. People in India, Europe, and South Korea could receive the Exynos version. Even though the processors may be different, both versions are expected to offer strong performance for daily use, gaming, and multitasking.

The reason behind this decision could be cost. Reports say the Exynos 2600 chip is expensive to make. At the same time, Qualcomm has reportedly offered Samsung a better price for its Snapdragon chips. Using two processors could help Samsung reduce costs and manage supply more easily.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is expected to launch on July 22. Samsung has not officially confirmed these details yet, but more information about the phone is likely to appear in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

The post Galaxy Z Flip 8 may feature Exynos in some markets, Snapdragon in others appeared first on Sammy Fans.

The OnePlus Turbo 6X and Turbo 6X Pro were recently spotted on the Google Play Console and TENAA, giving us an early look at the upcoming devices. Now, OnePlus executive Li Jie has confirmed when the series will launch, and a new leak has shed light on the Turbo 6X's key specs. Replying to a user on Weibo, OnePlus China President Li Jie confirmed that the OnePlus Turbo 6X series will launch in China before June 18. With the launch window now confirmed, official teasers for the lineup are expected to begin rolling out soon. OnePlus Turbo 6X spotted on TENAA Meanwhile, tipster...

The Texas Longhorns suffered a second departure to the NCAA transfer portal since the current window opened on Monday with the announcement that right-hander Jadyn Furgason is leaving the Forty Acres after one season.

Furgason has four seasons of eligibilty remaining after redshirting during the 2026 season.

A 6’2, 175-pounder from Fenton (Miss.) St. John Vianney, Furgason committed to head coach Jim Schlossnagle in 2023 when he was at Texas A&M and then followed him to Austin after he took the job in Austin, pledging to Texas on July 2, 2024. Also an outfielder in high school, Furgason was the No. 109 right-hander pitcher and the No. 358 player overall in the Perfect Game rankings.

Part of a pitching-heavy class that Baseball America ranked No. 1 nationally, Furgason was unable to work into a crowded pitching rotation that ultimately featured classmates like Sam Cozart, Brett Crossland, Brody Walls, and, to a lesser extent, Michael Winter. And Furgason’s decision to leave the Longhorns program is a potential indication that he was set to head into the offseason behind other freshman pitchers like Kaleb Rogers, Cooper Rummel, and Jack McKernan.

Real Madrid are going through quite an awkward time where the club are working on bringing in new players for the season ahead, while the ongoing presidential election has witnessed the two candidates promising world-class signings.

While Florentino Perez has offered pragmatic solutions for Real Madrid – the club are expected to sign Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate – his rival Enrique Riquelme has made some wild claims.

Riquelme has already promised Erling Haaland and Rodri as his two big signings. But he is not done yet.

Riquelme planning to bring in Klopp

Riquelme wants to bring in Klopp. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

According to Fabrizio Romano, Riquelme, in addition to bringing in Rodri and Haaland, will also try to appoint Jurgen Klopp as the next head coach if he wins the election.

At least that is what he has promised the Real Madrid club members ahead of the presidential elections, where he is facing a tall order of beating Florentino Perez.

This comes on the back of Riquelme’s statement, where he suggested he will bring in a superstar coach if he wins the election.

That coach, according to Fabrizio Romano, could be Jurgen Klopp. The German tactician was linked with a move to Real Madrid prior to the Jose Mourinho move. But the move did not materialise.

Will Klopp leave Red Bull?

Jurgen Klopp might not leave Red Bull. (Photo by Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images)

It must be noted that Perez also admired Klopp and tried multiple times to convince the German to take up the coaching role at Real Madrid.

But that did not pan out well, as Klopp remained at Red Bull. As a key member of Red Bull’s football projects, he does enjoy an elevated role within the conglomerate.

Combined with the Red Bull franchise’s recent changes, including the exit of F1 head Helmut Marko, it appears Klopp is here to stay, at least in the short term, though there have been recent talks between the German and Riquelme.

The city of Monaco is geared up for the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend. But the football club have also had a busy week, trying to finalise the deal to sign Ansu Fati.

In addition to Fati, AS Monaco have also been linked with a move for another Barcelona star in the form of Marc Casado.

The Barcelona midfielder is not a part of Hansi Flick’s plans for next season and is expected to leave the club in the coming summer.

Monaco opt out of Casado race

Casado is expected to leave Barcelona this summer. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

However, a recent report fromMundo Deportivo has offered a fresh update on the future of Casado, suggesting that Monaco are already out of the race.

As per the report, Casado was offered to various clubs by his agent Jorge Mendes, including Monaco.

But it appears the Ligue 1 outfit have chosen not to enter the bidding for the young midfielder. They had no intention to do so in the first place.

The exact reasoning for Monaco’s decision has not been specified, but one can gauge that the midfielder might have simply been too expensive for the Monegasque outfit.

Casado has no shortage of options

Casado has a lot of options to choose from. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Monaco opting out of the race to sign Casado this summer is a setback for Barcelona, who are hoping to sanction his exit as soon as possible.

But the midfielder has no shortage of suitors, with the report mentioning that various Premier League and Bundesliga clubs are also interested in his services.

Atletico Madrid, too, were interested in the Spaniard earlier in the year while the player has received offers from Saudi Arabia as well.

The onus is now on Casado to find a suitable outfit and carry on negotiations, as Barça wait to offload the La Masia product.

The World Cup is almost upon us. From June 11 til July 19, 48 countries will fight to become World Champions in the tournament held in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

The teams in the tournament have already been drawn into 12 separate groups. Group G contains Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand.

Here’s a preview of the teams hoping to make it out of the group:

Belgium

Eden Hazard has retired, Kevin de Bruyne is 34 and Romelu Lukaku is 33. It is widely thought Belgium missed their opportunity of the golden generation winning something, but they do have talented youngsters coming through.

Jeremy Doku has been one of the best wingers in the world this season for Manchester City, Charles De Ketelaere is beginning to find his feet in Italy, with a combined eight goals and assists in Serie A, and they still have the reliable presence in goal of Thibaut Courtois.

Belgium will be confident of topping a relatively weak group.

Player to watch: Jeremy Doku. The winger has lit up the Premier League this season, registering five goals and five assists, but it is his trickiness and directness that are too much for most defenders to handle.

Stage of elimination prediction: Quarter-finals

Egypt

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Mohamed Salah was to make the next World Cup in 2030 given he is 33 and his incredible fitness levels, but it does seem he has declined considerably this season and that this tournament is ripe for him to make his final mark.

He will be partnered in attack by Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush. Marmoush is the future of Egypt and will be hoping to fire his country into the knockouts.

The Egyptians will feel confident of their chances given that eight of the 12 third-placed teams will qualify.

Player to watch: Omar Marmoush. Salah’s performances for Liverpool this season were concerning, and given the heat in North America it would be a surprise if he was at his best. Marmoush is 27 and in his prime. He had a disappointing season, but Egypt don’t have a wealth of star quality so will need to rely on either him or Salah.

Stage of elimination prediction: Round of 32

Iran

Iran will be appearing in their seventh World Cup but have never progressed past the group stage. Interestingly they actually beat the USA in the 1998 edition, to pick up their first ever victory at a World Cup.

They are fortunate this time around to be in a weak group where Belgium aside, anyone can beat anyone. This should see Egypt and Iran pick up a decent amount of points and both qualify for the knockouts.

Player to watch: Mehdi Taremi – the only Iranian to ever score multiple World Cup goals.

Stage of elimination prediction: Round of 32

New Zealand

New Zealand have only ever been at two World Cups, and this edition will be their first since 2010. Famously they went unbeaten in the group stage at that tournament.

They were still knocked out in the group stage, but drew all three games and finished above Italy remarkably.

New Zealand have never won a World Cup game and if they are to do so, they won’t get many better opportunities than this year.

Player to watch: Chris Wood. The Nottingham Forest striker had a poor season, only scoring three league goals, but he managed 20 the year before. He is a capable forward, and if New Zealand are to have any chance, he will have to be right at it.

Stage of elimination prediction: Group stage

A new rookie class always holds some level of excitement. Conventional wisdom says at least several of these players won’t work out and some could even be cut before the season kicks off. Others will rise to the occasion and impress beyond expectations. The overall hope is that the Indianapolis Colts got things right. It will take some time to find out with the regular season kickoff being a long way away, but things are starting to ramp up. Which rookie are you most interested in watching this summer?

With no first round pick, the bulk of the excitement rests with C.J. Allen. Hopes are high for the man out of Georgia as he is tapped to be a leader on this defense. A position group that saw solid success and consistency was thrown into absolute upheaval last year with more question marks than we have witnessed in a long time. Bringing Allen, along with A.J. Haulcy, should go a long way to solidifying the defense as a whole.

Interest will be heavy with the top picks, but others might be focused on conferences. The Colts chose to pass on Indiana University guys, but they drafted heavily from the SEC and Big Ten. Bryce Boettcher out of Oregon piques interest because of his dual threat of football and baseball. Get ready to hear that brought up every day if he makes the roster and finds playing time. What about Caden Curry? The Ohio State product and Center Grove standout will garner fans’ attention for his local ties. Let’s not forget about Deion Burks. Occasionally, there is a late-round pick that carries high levels of intrigue and potential. Burks is that guy this year. Will he only rise to the level of a seventh-round selection, or will his draft position be the story of the NFL for years to come?

As always, there are plenty of choices; too many to dive into for this article. Rooting interest starts out more ferociously for the top picks. If those fifth, sixth, and seventh rounders start turning it on and look like steals of the draft, however, there will be plenty of eyes turning their direction too. The draft is a crapshoot. The only hope is that more players hit than not. Who are you most excited to see hit the ground running?

Michigan State football has beaten out a few of their conference peers for a safety prospect from Illinois.

Henry Sakalas of La Grange Park, Ill. has committed to Michigan State following his recent official visit with the Spartans this past weekend. Sakalas was scheduled to take official visits to Illinois and Nebraska in the coming weeks, but he has now locked in his commitment with the Spartans.

Sakalas is listed as a three-star safety, with a recruiting rating of 87 in 247Sports' system. He ranks as the No. 87 safety and No. 855 overall prospect in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports composite.

Along with offers from Michigan State, Illinois and Nebraska, Sakalas holds notable offers from Minnesota, West Virginia, Air Force, San Diego State, Toledo and New Mexico.

With official visits starting last weekend, the expectation is that we should be seeing commitments coming in for the Spartans in flurries during the next few weeks. Stay with Spartans Wire for all of the latest recruiting updates related to Michigan State football.

BREAKING: #MichiganState lands 2027 linebacker Henry Sakalas in a big win over multiple B1G foes.

The 6-foot-3 Illinois product canceled upcoming visits to Nebraska & Illinois to play for former Big Ten LBs Max Bullough & Pat Fitzgerald.

Read (FREE): https://t.co/v65CN6kmH5pic.twitter.com/h0SVIg16fE

— Justin Thind (@JustinThind) June 4, 2026

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Illinois 3-star S Henry Sakalas commits to Michigan State following official visit

Caleb Williams has already established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He has been amazing for the Chicago Bears ever since they drafted him in the 2024 NFL Draft as the No. 1 overall pick.

He had many memorable and iconic moments in the 2025 season, carrying them to their first playoff victory in 15 years. He recently achieved an important milestone, but one individual had a problem with him.

Rapper criticizes Caleb Williams’ painted nails on Madden 27 cover

Williams was recently announced by EA Sports as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 27. He made history as he became the first ever Bears player to appear on the game’s cover. The game is scheduled to be released on June 4, 2026, with a worldwide launch on August 13, 2026, across major platforms.

The video game cover’s standard edition cover depicts Williams throwing a jump pass with the Chicago skyline in the background. The deluxe edition of the game features Williams performing his signature “Iceman” celebration. In the deluxe edition, he can be seen with custom-painted fingernails displaying the Chicago flag, the Bears “C” logo, the NFL shield, and a silhouette of John Madden.

Despite all the praise, Louisiana rapper Boosie Badazz voiced strong displeasure with the painted nails. In a viral Instagram post, he wrote, “Fingernails painted on Madden. Young boys look up to you, bro, smh n Caleb Williams, this is the example u set for them.” He further wrote, “u want respect from your teammates n your hands look like they b-h nails at home smh whoever thought u would see this on a Madden cover. I feel sorry for these kids.”

Williams has not responded to the negative sentiment. He is known to wear painted nails previously during games as well, and there is a good reason for it.

Caleb Williams talks about painted nails on Madden cover

Williams has said that he painted his nails since high school, and still continues it in the NFL. He began this practice to honor his mother, who is a professional nail technician.

In an interview with PEOPLE, Williams talked about how EA Sports approved of his nails.

He said, “That’s what’s cool about Madden and EA and the cast that we had there. They wanted me to be myself, they wanted that energy. We want you to be you, we want you to do as you do. We want you to wear what you wear on game day, we want you to dress how you dress, we want you to do this because we want it to be the most real version. It’s nice, it’s freeing, and obviously, they were a great staff to work with.”

Caleb Williams will now have to prepare as the 2026 NFL season approaches.

The post Louisiana Rapper Goes Viral After Criticizing Caleb Williams’ Painted Nails on Madden 27 Cover appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.

The San Antonio Spurs got destroyed at home on June 3 when the New York Knicks came back from 14 points down to win Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals, 105-95. This win also gave the Knicks the home-court advantage, the Spurs were really beat up on their court. The Knicks made a comeback to take the first game. The Spurs are now under pressure, the Knicks have the edge now.

Despite the crushing defeat, Victor Wembanyama immediately owned up to his play and his squad’s flubs. Yet, he stays positive and isn’t sweating the 1-0 series shortfall.

Victor Wembanyama Sends Gritty Message Post Spurs’ NBA Finals Loss

At a press conference after the June 3 defeat, Wembanyama said he isn’t second-guessing the Spurs’ defense. He also isn’t doubting San Antonio’s playoff prospects. Instead, Wembanyama thinks the team just needs to fix the errors that cost them Game 1.

“It’s almost not like I have anything to figure out. It’s almost like I have to play normal, not even good. Just doing the right things is enough.”

Victor Wembanyama on what he has to do after losing to the Knicks

"It's almost not like I have anything to figure out. It's almost like I have to play normal, not even good…" pic.twitter.com/5gdCcPN7DB

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) June 4, 2026

The comment immediately caught everyone’s attention with how confident it sounded. Some saw it as a sign of faith in the Spurs’ method, while others thought it was a subtle jab at the Knicks, who’ve won twelve straight playoff games. Wembanyama racked up 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks in his first NBA Finals game. Still, he could’ve improved. He shot 6-for-21 from the field and 2-for-9 on threes, hitting a ton of turnovers, six, to be exact, all season highs. 

Wembanyama did not shy away from that reality, according to reports from Wednesday night’s postgame media session, he bluntly admitted that he was far from his best and accepted responsibility for the outcome.

The Spurs had problems that went beyond their player. They got outscored near the basket and gave up 23 second-chance points. Failed to get some big rebounds at the end of the fourth quarter. The Knicks made a comeback after they caught up and finished the game with 11 points in a row. This ended up hiding the fact that the Spurs had a start.

During most of the third quarter, the Spurs looked set for a win in Game 1. Yet, the Knicks surprised everyone, claiming victory and giving themselves a confidence boost for Game 2. Led by Jalen Brunson with 30 points, New York kept up their postseason momentum. This has helped the Knicks get to the Finals for the time, in almost thirty years.

The Spurs do not seem worried though. After Game 1 the Spurs said they do not need to make a lot of changes. The Spurs think that if they can just play a game and be more disciplined they can make this series look very different when Game 2 starts. The Spurs believe in the Spurs. Think the Spurs can do better.

Through the first round of the 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament, ESPN drew huge TV ratings. The network announced it scored the most-watched Regional on record.

Viewership increased 38% year-over-year as the tournament got underway late last week and through the weekend. Tennessee’s season-ending loss to VCU drew the highest viewership of the opening round with 804,000 viewers on Saturday. That made it the third-most watched Regional game on record.

[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]

In fact, Saturday’s games led the charge for ESPN. Auburn’s 17-13 win over NC State averaged 659,000 viewers, which was the second-highest TV ratings for the 2026 Regional and Top-10 viewership for the round on record. Arkansas vs. Kansas also brought 560,000 viewers in primetime on Saturday.

According to Programming Insider, Kansas’ win over Arkansas on Sunday also averaged 473,000 viewers in primetime. On Monday, West Virginia’s walk-off victory against Kentucky in the 10th inning brought 489,000 viewers on average, as well, per Programming Insider.

ESPN’s TV ratings surge through Regionals at the 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament followed a strong regular season. Across its networks, ESPN saw viewership increase 49% year-over-year as part of its best regular season since 2012.

Texas A&M vs. LSU held the top two spots during the regular season with 382,000 viewers on April 17 and 375,000 on April 15. Of course, it’s important to note the 2026 season is the first since Nielsen introduced its Big Data + Panel metric to measure viewership.

More on a historic NCAA Regional round

The Regional round was a historic one as the 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament got underway. UCLA became the second No. 1 overall seed in tournament history to be eliminated before the regional final with its loss to Saint Mary’s.

No. 2 overall seed Georgia Tech also fell in the Atlanta Regional. That means the top two teams are off the board entering Super Regionals.

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The 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament will continue with Super Regionals, which get underway Friday as the final 16 teams vie for spots in the College World Series. From there, the final eight teams will head to Omaha starting June 12.

OHSAA track & field state championship live results, updates, schedule in all 5 divisions in Ohio originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Ohio state track & field championships are back at Jesse Owens Stadium in Columbus for an extended weekend.

This year will be different, though, as the OHSAA expanded from three divisions to five divisions. That means a longer schedule, more events and more state titles.

There will be regular powerhouses doing their thing, plenty of upsets and surprises, and overall just a lot of glory for the athletes that will forever be known as a state champion.

As the event goes along, we'll be updating the results below, in all divisions.

OHSAA track & field state championship live results

Refresh for latest updates. Divisions will be added below as their finals begin. Most June 4 events are only prelims.

Division 4

Division 5

OHSAA track & field state championship schedule

The championships will now take place over four days due to the divisional expansion:

• Division 1: June 6 and 7
• Division 2: June 6 and 7
• Division 3: June 5 and 6
• Division 4: June 4 and 5
• Division 5: June 4 and 5

The full event schedule can be found here.

The Las Vegas Raiders have seen heavy usage from their 2024 rookie class through just their first two seasons, with their rookie class having already combined for 6987 snaps across offense, defense, and special teams with waiver claim Jonah Laulu adding another 1239 snaps for a grand total of 8136 total snaps across two seasons. The Raiders are expecting, yet again, a heavy workload from their 2024 rookies with Brock Bowers the focal point of their offensive passing attack, Jackson Powers-Johnson & DJ Glaze projected starters on the offensive line, and various others making an impact on special teams. Las Vegas will have a few rookies on the possible outside looking in, but they are shaping up well with quality depth, starters, and a strong workload of their 2024 rookie class which is among the highest in pure snap counts across the NFL.

TE Brock Bowers: Starting TE, Potential OPOY
2025: 12 games (606 snaps) | 64 rec, 680 yards, 7 TD, 4.6 YAC/reception, 65.2% contested catch rate (15/23), 4.5%drop rate

• Bowers missed 5 games in 2025 with an MCL sprain, and he also played through an MCL sprain as well. However, Bowers who won’t turn 24 till December, still was named a Pro Bowler and finished 4th for All-Pro honors. Bowers YAC/reception fell by 0.7 yards/reception in 2025, largely due to the knee injury. That said, he saw his contested catch rate skyrocket by nearly 14%, and he also worked well after the catch forcing 14 missed tackles compared to 8 the year before. Bowers will position to be the focal point of the offense again, and as the best receiver on the roster he’ll likely be able to push for nearly a similar stat line to that of his rookie season (112 rec, 1194 yards, 5 TD) but with more scoring. He’s likely to be used heavily in the slot, with Michael Mayer inline, as Bowers has spent 52% of his career in the slot, and just 29% inline.

OG Jackson Powers-Johnson: Starting Offensive Guard
2025: 8 games (354 snaps) | 210 PBLK snaps, 2 sacks, 2 hits, 10 pressure allowed, 3 penalties, 4.4 YPC lead block

• Powers-Johnson, who won’t turn 24 till after the 2026 season, is among the best lineman on the Raiders roster but he’ll need to stay healthy. The 6’3, 320-pound G can play all three spots on the interior but with Tyler Linderbaum in fold, that’s unlikely to happen. Powers-Johnson suffered a lower body injury in week 10, which held him out for the entire season, though he also has a severe concussion issue as well stemming back to college. Powers-Johnson is going to compete for both left and right guard, and he’s a mauler in the run game, which when shifting back to a zone system similar to 2024 will only help him get better. Powers-Johnson dropped in his pass protection, as did the entire Raiders OL, so I wouldn’t think into it too much.

OT DJ Glaze: Competition for Starting Right Tackle
2025: 17 games (992 snaps) | 639 PBLK snap, 10 sacks, 6 hits, 48 pressure allowed, 5 penalties, 4.2 YPC lead blocking

• Glaze was a standout rookie in his 2024 season where he allowed 3 sacks, 7 hits, and 51 pressures, with another 4.6 YPC lead blocking. He declined in 2025, where he gave up the 2nd most sacks in the NFL, but did see his efficiency rise (albeit by 0.4%), and he remained a quality run blocker. Glaze struggled to get depth in his pass protection, was an average mover in space, and he also needs to improve on some athletic traits that may not be possible. With all that said, Glaze will have competition for RT with Charles Grant, though the 23 year old, 6’5, 328-pound Glaze is likely the starter as well. Glaze is adjusting to the NFL, as most of the line was hampered by bad coaching in 2025, and does show good traits to be a possible long term starter at RT for the Raiders. Glaze certainly has his lost reps, but with a run focused offense, his ability to push the game in a wide zone system will be a noticeable advantage for Ashton Jeanty.

CB Decamerion Richardson: Release Candidate, possible 6th CB
2025: 15 games (13 snaps, 204 ST snaps) | 2 tackles, TFL, 12 ST tackles, 50% reception rate (1/2), 6 yards, 54.6 QBR allowed

• Richardson, who just turned 25, has all the athletic traits to be a CB in the NFL at 6’2, 195 with a 9.87 RAS score. He’s shown good understanding of zone coverage, has good instincts, and he played the run fairly well in his time starting during the 2024 season. Richardson did not see the field till week 18, where even then he played just 13 snaps. He was a standout special teams gunner for Las Vegas with 12 tackles and just one missed tackle, the 4th best rate in the entire NFL. Richardson had a rough rookie season with 47 tackles, a 66.7% reception rate allowed (28/42), 407 yards, TD, and 106 QBR allowed. That said, Richardson was a phenomenal tackler, took great angles, and he consistently contained the boundary while also showing adequate ball skills with 4 PBU and a dropped interception. Richardson has a shot to be a depth cornerback for Las Vegas this season, though he may also snatch a potential 7th round pick for a team wanting to bank on depth and athleticism at cornerback. Las Vegas has five cornerbacks set to make the roster, and Richardson will need to have a 6th roster spot at CB possible for him.

ILB Tommy Eichenberg: Depth Linebacker
2025: 17 games (89 snaps, 371 ST snaps) | 15 tackles, 2 TFL, PBU, 7 run stops, 100% reception rate (5/5), 27 yards, 89.2 QBR allowed, 20 ST tackles

• Eichenberg ranked 2nd in the NFL in special teams tackle at 20, while also forcing a fumble, and he’ll make the roster as a ST ace with the potential for him to even earn a shot as a Pro Bowler for his value on special teams. Eichenberg, 6’2, 240 pounds turned 25 recently, and in his time at linebacker did produce with good production in just 90 snaps. Eichenberg is an adequate athlete, he moves well in space, has instincts vs the run, and can be capable in coverage. Eichenberg is likely the first man off the bench for the Raiders should Dean/Walker get injured, or need rotation in snaps. He’s heading into his third season, and Eichenberg should have a long career ahead of him solely off his special teams value, and in year three he may see his highest workload at linebacker after just 167 snaps in two seasons.

RB Dylan Laube: Competition for 3rd running back
2025: 17 games (25 snaps, 202 ST snaps) | 7 attempts, 9 yards, 3 reception, 18 yards, 8 ST tackles, 33 KR, 855 yards (26 avg), 38 long

• Laube, 26 years old, is usually pushed aside for Raiders fans, but I don’t think his path to the roster is that hard. Las Vegas will carry three, if not four, running backs, and either way Laube is a favorite to make the roster. While he’s limited in his experience at running back, with just 8 career rushes, he’s more than likely a candidate to make the roster off his special teams ability. Laube was a functional kick returner, he did well as a gunner on kick returns, and with Las Vegas having two running backs in Jeanty/Washington the third spot will come down to mainly special teams. The largest competition for Laube will be Roman Hemby, who didn’t provide much on special teams, but he does have experience as a runner, and it’ll be a good pre-season battle to watch.

SAF Trey Taylor: Off Roster
CB MJ Devonshire: Off Roster

(Waiver Claim) DT Jonah Laulu: Competition for Starting DT
2025: 17 games (764 snaps) | 51 tackles, 8 TFL, 4 sacks, 7 QB hits, 6 PBU, 25 pressures, 22 run stops, 4.1% pass rush win rate

• Laulu wasn’t a Raiders draft pick in 2024, but the former 7th rounder has spent his entire career with Las Vegas after being waived by the Colts during the roster cutdown in 2024. Laulu has logged 1238 snaps for Las Vegas, with good production on the defensive line, though he’s very likely a rotational defensive tackle going forward. The 6’5, 292-pound 25 year old, will turn 26 in June, and he’s primarily a run defender. Laulu doesn’t provide much as a pass rusher, he’s not overly athletic, and he won’t consistently push the pocket or win many reps, though he’s also a very capable run defender. Laulu needs to clean up his missed tackles with a 14% rate over the last two seasons, and he tries too often to arm tackle. Laulu is stout, he’ll anchor well and does a good job taking on multiple gaps, Laulu has the ability to play 0, 1, 2, and 3 Tech but does best at 2i. He’ll likely be best in a rotational aspect, and with the Raiders limited depth on the defensive line, Laulu is in competition with Tonka Hemingway & Thomas Booker for the starting spot opposite Adam Butler.

(Waiver Claim) SAF Thomas Harper: Off Roster

• I don’t usually touch on the UDFA, but releasing Harper may have been Las Vegas worst decision last off-season. After a 2024 season with 26 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 PBU, and an INT while allowing just 3 receptions for 62 yards and a 14.8 QBR he was released for Tristin McCollum (who had way better size). Harper would go on to play nearly 500 snaps for the Lions logging 44 tackles, 2 TFL, 7 PBU, an INT, and allowing an 82.8 QBR, 1 TD, and 245 yards in coverage between NCB, FS, and SS. There’s a strong chance that Harper could be the odd man out in the Lions DB room this off-season, and I’d have to bank on Las Vegas being interested on a reunion as a waiver claim.

(Waiver Claim) EDGE Brennan Jackson: Competition for 5th EDGE Rusher
2025: 3 Games (47 ST snaps) | 3 ST Tackles, 1 missed tackle

• The Raiders claimed Jackson prior to the 2025 season after he was released by the Los Angeles Rams following a pre-season with 7 tackles, 2 TFL, and 3 sacks. Jackson suffered a season ending foot injury in week 3, and missed all of the remainder of 2025. Jackson, played well on special teams before his injury, and that will be a key push if he’s going to make the roster over other EDGE rushers Cian Slone & Jahfari Harvey, with Harvey having NFL experience and Slone an extremely high upside pass rusher as a UDFA. Jackson has a career 6 tackles, 1 start, and 2 PBU in his career though staying healthy will be a massive push for him as well after an injury in both 2024/2025. He’s an athletic run first pass rusher, and the former 5th rounder does show some traits but it’s hard to se a true ceiling for him in the NFL as anything more than a situational pass rusher with ST value.

C Will Putnam: Release Candidate
2025: 15 games (139 snaps) | 101 PBLK, 4 sacks, 4 hits, 12 pressures, 2 penalties allowed

• Putnam appeared in just 3 games for the Raiders as a starting center in place of injuries to Jordan Meredith, and it was not great to say the least. Putnam is going to have to push past Spencer Burford, Jordan Meredith, and possibly others to make the Raiders roster. He’s one of two true centers on the roster, but with Meredith, Powers-Johnson, Zuhn, and Rogers all having center versatility it’s tough to see Putnam pushing for a roster spot. He’s an adequate athlete, struggled with his technique, and his hand combat skills were poor as well.

Real Madrid will have Jose Mourinho as their new manager, barring a shock U-turn. The Portuguese manager is set to return to the Santiago Bernabeu 13 years after leaving the club, as he again seeks to intervene against a Barcelona that is coming off successive title wins.

For some time, Mourinho has been slated to take over from Alvaro Arbeloa, when it was first reported in late April that President Florentino Perez was pushing for his return. The matter has been delayed by Perez’s decision to call elections, but Perez has continued to make moves despite being midway through elections. On Wednesday night, his campaign channel confirmed Mourinho would be his new manager.

Benfica confirm Real Madrid will pay Mourinho release clause

Image via Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Had Perez decided to move for Mourinho before the 26th of May, he could have signed him for just €3m, yet his release clause has risen since to €15m. As Benfica are on the stock market, they are forced to declare their moves publicly, and have thus announced that Real Madrid have activated Mourinho’s clause. He is to join Los Blancos on a three-year deal.

What happens if Enrique Riquelme wins the elections?

It is expected that Perez will emerge victorious in the elections on Sunday, after which Mourinho will be appointed as the new manager. Yet presidential rival Enrique Riquelme has declared that he is not in favour of having Mourinho as manager, and has another option lined up. It has not been revealed whether that is the case, but it would be no surprise if Mourinho’s contract included a get-out clause in case Perez loses the elections. Were that not to be the case, it would certainly be an uncomfortable situation for both, and difficult to redirect.

Alas, for the Orioles, forward momentum has been hard to come by this season. After a tidy 4-2 Game 1 win on Tuesday behind seven strong innings from Shane Baz, on Wednesday night Chris Bassitt turned in another flawed outing, going three innings with three runs allowed before exiting with back tightness. It’s not clear whether he’ll have to miss any time with this. Meanwhile, the Birds couldn’t get much done against—yes, a lefty, in Peyton Tolle, who silenced them over six scoreless.

Bassitt himself, after the game, said he felt like it was just one of those things and he had “full confidence” that the team would bounce back tomorrow with Trevor Rogers on the mound. Let’s hope so, because last year’s ace hasn’t been very good this year. After starting the year with a seven-inning shutout, he’s thrown a duck in practically every outing since, with four runs-plus allowed in six of his last nine appearances, along with a 10.01 ERA over his last seven outings. I’m sure the Orioles are working hard to fix whatever this is. Hopefully Chris Bassitt’s confidence in Rogers is warranted.

The Sox are countering with fifth-year right hander Brayan Bello. After a strong 2025 season where he went 11-9 with a 3.35 ERA, the team expected Bello to be a rotation contributor this year. But the results have mixed, to say the least. For whatever reason, Bello has pitched poorly as a starter, but very well coming in late behind an opener: in the former role, he has a 9.68 ERA; behind an opener, he has a 0.71 ERA. It sounds like the Red Sox don’t really know why this is, and Bello is getting a shot as a proper starting pitcher today. He’s been allowing lots of hard contact and striking out few hitters. The Orioles need to take advantage.

Orioles lineup

1. Taylor Ward LF
2. Gunnar Henderson SS
3. Adley Rutschman DH
4. Pete Alonso 1B
5. Samuel Basallo C
6. Leody Taveras CF
7. Colton Cowser RF
8. Coby Mayo 3B
9. Jackson Holliday 2B

Red Sox lineup

1. Jarren Duran LF
2. Ceddanne Rafaela CF
3. Wilyer Abreu RF
4. Willson Contreras 1B
5. Isiah Kiner-Falefa SS
6. Andruw Monasterio 2B
7. Caleb Durbin 3B
8. Carlos Narváez C
9. Connor Wong DH

Questions surrounding Deion Sanders’ planned meeting with Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken have sparked plenty of debate over the past few weeks, while some critics see the move as a father becoming too involved in his son’s NFL career, others view it as a routine football conversation between two experienced coaches.

The Brown media personality falls firmly into the latter group. Speaking recently on “92.3 The Fan”, sports radio host Ken Carman pushed back on the criticism and argued that the discussion has been framed the wrong way from the start.

Cleveland Radio Host Dismisses Concerns Over Deion Sanders Todd Monken Meeting

Carman made it clear that he sees nothing unusual about Sanders wanting to share insight on Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. During “The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima”, he argued that college coaches regularly communicate with NFL staffs about players they have coached, especially QBs transitioning to the professional level.

“I know Deion Sanders is a major celebrity. His son is a major celebrity… It doesn’t mean he can’t talk to Todd Monken. Guys who are college coaches talk to NFL coaches about QBs and all the other positions all the time.”

"I know Deion Sanders is a major celebrity. His son is a major celebrity… It doesn't mean he can't talk to Todd Monken. Guys who are college coaches talk to NFL coaches about QBs and all the other positions all the time."

🏈@KenCarman tells @SportsBoyTony he doesn't see an… pic.twitter.com/OnJ2Iba0q2

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 4, 2026

The discussion stems from comments Sanders made on his YouTube show, The Barbershop, where he revealed his intention to meet Monken and discuss the best ways to coach Shedeur. Sanders explained that his perspective comes from years of working with the QB throughout high school and college, giving him firsthand knowledge of what helps him perform at his best.

That proposal immediately generated mixed reactions. Some observers questioned whether an NFL coaching staff should seek guidance from a player’s father. However, Carman believes that argument overlooks a key detail. In his view, Monken would not simply be speaking with a parent. He would be talking to a Power Four head coach and a Pro Football Hall of Famer with extensive experience developing the player in question.

Monken’s own comments suggest he shares a similar outlook. Speaking after the Browns’ OTA practice on June 3, the head coach mentioned how he looks forward to meeting Sanders when their schedules mesh. He also praised Deion and Shedeur, highlighting the respect he holds for their achievements and work ethic.

Initially, the meeting was set for May, but scheduling issues pushed it back. Still, nobody’s hinting that the talk’s off.

Carman says the recent controversy didn’t make sense. He thinks football’s all about building relationships and sharing info. This goes on between college coaches, NFL folks, scouts, and former players. With Deion’s coaching background and his history with Shedeur, Carman feels Monken should jump at the chance to hear whatever might benefit the team and young QB.

The post Ken Carman Dismisses Concerns Over Todd Monken’s Relationship With Deion Sanders appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.

June 4 (Reuters) - FIFA will release a new football video game, FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition, on ‌Netflix Games on June 11, timed to coincide with ‌the start of the 2026 World Cup, the soccer governing body said ​on Thursday.

The title will be available exclusively to Netflix subscribers at no additional cost, as world soccer's governing body looks to broaden fan engagement through its revamped digital strategy.

Developed in partnership ‌with Netflix Games and ⁠Delphi Interactive, the game is designed as an accessible football simulation, allowing players to take ⁠part in the tournament experience.

Players will be able to choose from all 48 teams competing in the World Cup and play ​matches across ​the tournament's 16 stadiums, with ​more than 1,200 players ‌included in the game.

The format uses smartphones as controllers, enabling users to connect to a television by scanning a QR code, according to FIFA.

Up to four users can play together.

FIFA said the launch forms part of a broader shift in ‌its approach to gaming following the ​end of its long-running partnership with ​EA Sports, moving instead ​to a multi-partner ecosystem aimed at expanding ‌its reach across platforms and audiences.

The ​governing body ​described the game as the starting point of a longer-term project, with additional features and broader platform support planned ​beyond the initial ‌release.

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, ​Canada and Mexico kicks off on June 11.

(Reporting by ​Lori EwingEditing by Toby Davis)

Staying true to its flair for spectacle, Nike has released its World Cup video: a six-minute piece packed with stars and nods to the past.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Jr., Erling Haaland, Virgil van Dijk, the fictional character Ted Lasso, and rapper Travis Scott are some of the names appearing in the video.

The ad draws directly from the tradition of Nike’s great World Cup spots, with explicit nods to the brand’s most iconic pieces. The new one features classics such as the Brazil airport from 1998, the secret tournament from 2002, and the presence of Eric Cantona as the common thread.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

Earlier this month, centre-back Fabian Schar signed a new one-year deal with Newcastle.

The Switzerland international is now the second-longest serving player in the current squad, having joined in July 2018 from La Liga side Deportivo La Coruna.

Swiss football expert Craig King spoke to BBC Newcastle about Schar and how he is regarded by his home nation.

"I think he is seen as one of the top defenders that has played the game in Switzerland. His career trajectory has been slightly unusual in that he left Basel, he did so well there, played a huge part in their Europa League semi-final run in 2013 and he was a big part of that successful side," King said.

"Then he moved on, and there was a time when he was at Deportivo in the Spanish league and he got relegated and you wondered what kind of level he would reach. But then of course he went to Newcastle and he has performed so consistently there for so long.

"I remember thinking when Newcastle got back in the Champions League whether he would be able to perform at that level still. He has done so. The period where he was at teams like Deportivo, you forget that he is good enough to still play at that highest level in the Champions League."

The 34-year-old played in three of Newcastle's Champions League League phase matches last season.

Schar has made 251 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies since his arrival. He has been out since having surgery on an ankle injury in January but is still a key squad member at St. James' Park, as shown by the contract extension.

King added: "He's obviously not getting any younger but I think he is still a fantastic player to have around. He was showing it for Newcastle that he is a quality player.

"Not just for his experience, but for the qualities that he brings, I think it is a no-brainer really. He'll generally be phased out over the next couple of years but I don't see why you won't still want to have him around your team."

Listen to the full interview by pressing play below or on BBC Sounds here

Subscribe to BBC Sounds content on Newcastle

New Bournemouth boss Marco Rose says he is looking forward to testing himself against the best teams in the world and believes the Cherries have a "beautiful opportunity" to showcase themselves on the European stage next season.

Speaking to the club's YouTube channel, it is Rose's first interview since being announced as Bournemouth boss in April, following Andoni Iraola's exit after a three-year spell at the Vitality Stadium.

"First of all, I want to say congratulations to everyone that is involved or connected with the club," he said. "It was an amazing, outstanding, special, incredible, historic season with a historic outcome.

"Everyone here did a great job - the employees, the lads, the staff, the fans of course, and now I'm looking forward to working together and to accomplish next season maybe other big things."

This will be Rose's first job in English football, with all his previous experience coming in Germany and Austria.

The German coach spoke highly of the English top-flight, saying: "The Premier League is the best league in the world. That's what I've heard, that's what I've seen and that's what I feel. So for me, it's really special to come here to join the Premier League with a top team and the Premier League is the most competitive league.

"The Premier League is the league with the highest individual quality, with the highest intensity, and I'm really looking forward to measure [myself] with the best teams in the world."

One of the main tasks on Rose's agenda this summer will be getting his side in the best shape possible to prepare for a season of balancing domestic football with European competition for the first time in the club's history.

On prospect of this, the new head coach said: "That's our challenge - to play Premier League, the toughest competition in the world, and European football. If you have to bring it together, it's really hard and really tough. We have to be smart.

"It's an exciting journey and I think it's a really big and beautiful opportunity for us to show our club, to show Bournemouth in Europe, but on the other side, it's a tough challenge."

Notre Dame football is looking for a top quarterback in the 2028 class, and one of them, Neimann Lawrence is set to commit at the end of the month.

Unfortunately, it does not look all that good for the Irish, as a new offer has signaled their confidence in landing the 4-star Floridian. On Thursday, one of the top recruiting insiders, On3’s Steve Wiltfong put in a prediction for Lawrence to land at Texas. While they are occasionally wrong, this isn’t a great sign.

Interestingly enough, Notre Dame isn’t going to be put in a bad position if they aren’t chosen, as it offered New Jersey quarterback Trey Tagliaferri on Wednesday.

The 6-foot, 1-inch and 190-pounder preps at a familiar high school to the Irish, Bergen Catholic, where former quarterback Steve Angeli, and transfer wide receiver Quincy Porter played. Tagliaferri isn’t quite at the same level of prospect as Lawrence, but he’s still pretty good in his own right. He’s currently ranked as the No. 203 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite, and has over 30 offers with teams like Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Ohio State after him.

With Notre Dame connections to Bergen Catholic, there could be yet another Crusader that ends up in the Blue and Gold.

Blessed to receive an offer from Notre Dame. @Marcus_Freeman1@GinoGuidugli@NDFootball@bccoachvito@BergenCathFBall@Tonyrazz03@samspiegs@ChadSimmons_@BillyEmbody@TomLoy247@DemetricDWarrenpic.twitter.com/4dvegogP03

— Trey Tagliaferri 2028 QB (@TagliaferriTrey) June 4, 2026

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame might land top 2028 QB, but another offer went out in case

Pep Guardiola threatened to quit Manchester City "100 times" during his decade-long reign as manager but chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said this time he knew the Spaniard "actually meant it".

Guardiola, 55, stepped down at the end of this season after leading the club to 17 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and a Champions League victory.

He had one more year remaining on his contract but said in his last news conference that the club needed a "new manager" and "new energy".

Speaking in his annual interview with in-house media, Khaldoon said he realised the exit was to become a reality, adding: "I knew it and that's why I didn't fight it.

"Throughout these years, I've always fought it and always brought him back because I knew that was always the answer.

"But in this particular one, I think he knew - and I knew that he knew - and that is why it was the right thing for him and it was the natural thing."

Before last month's FA Cup final victory over Chelsea, Guardiola was asked whether the visit to Wembley Stadium would be his last. He replied by saying "no way", and that he had "one more year [on his contract]".

But the playful way in which he delivered that line and his quick exit from the room raised a few eyebrows, adding to the mounting speculation.

Guardiola was asked after the draw at Bournemouth on 19 May whether he would still be in charge next season and he replied by saying he had to talk to Khaldoon. His decision was confirmed three days later.

"He's more than just the manager of the club," said Khaldoon. "To me, he's a friend. Over these years we have become close friends and I don't know if he will admit it, but I consider myself his psychiatrist.

"Inevitably we have had a lot of ups and some downs and in the downs, he must have quit 100 times over these 10 years.

"He never thought he would stay more than four years, then more than five years. So in his mind, even year four and five it was always 'OK, how much more time? How much more time?' And it always had to be done in the correct way.

"There was always going to be one moment where it was going to be real."

The Philadelphia Eagles enter the 2026 season with a new offensive coordinator, several new faces, and a growing number of young players positioned for expanded opportunities. Sean Mannion's arrival signals potential changes in philosophy and deployment, particularly as the Eagles continue reshaping portions of the offense around Jalen Hurts. With uncertainty surrounding A.J. Brown's long-term future and several veteran roles evolving, Philadelphia could lean more heavily on emerging contributors than at any point during the past several seasons.

Here are five offensive players poised for larger roles in 2026.

Makai Lemon

No offensive player enters the season with more momentum. The Eagles traded up to select Lemon in the first round after the former USC standout captured the Biletnikoff Award in 2025. Philadelphia believes Lemon can become an immediate contributor, and his route-running ability, football intelligence, and yards-after-catch skills fit perfectly within the type of offense Mannion appears to be building.

With the Eagles preparing for life beyond A.J. Brown at some point, Lemon could quickly become one of Hurts' primary targets.

Will Shipley

Shipley entered last season expected to secure the backup running back role, but never fully separated himself in the rotation.

Now he faces competition from Tank Bigsby and Dameon Pierce as he enters a critical stage of his development. Shipley's versatility as a receiver and return specialist gives him value, but Philadelphia would like to see him become a more consistent offensive contributor behind Saquon Barkley. A larger role remains available if he can earn it.

Eli Stowers

The rookie tight end may have one of the clearest developmental paths on the roster.

Dallas Goedert remains the starter, but Stowers arrives as an explosive receiving threat with intriguing long-term upside. Philadelphia views him as a player who can develop behind Goedert while gradually carving out opportunities in sub-packages and red-zone situations. His athletic profile gives Mannion another versatile weapon to work into the offense.

Dontayvion Wicks

Wicks may be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Philadelphia's offseason changes.

The former Packers receiver arrives with familiarity in concepts connected to Mannion's background and immediately enters the competition for significant snaps at wide receiver. Between Wicks, Hollywood Brown, and Lemon, the Eagles have several players competing for expanded opportunities.

If Wicks develops chemistry with Hurts, his role could grow quickly during training camp.

Markel Bell

Offensive linemen rarely generate headlines, but Bell is a player worth watching.

The massive third-round pick arrives as a developmental tackle with long-term starter potential. Philadelphia has consistently built through the offensive line, and Bell could eventually emerge as an important piece of the future alongside Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson.

Even if his largest role comes later, his development will be closely monitored throughout the season.

The player most likely to break out

Lemon stands alone at the top of the list. Philadelphia did not trade up in the first round to bring him along slowly. The Eagles believe he can become a foundational piece of the offense, and early indications suggest Mannion's scheme could create opportunities for him immediately. With Hurts adapting to a new coordinator and the offense evolving around younger playmakers, Lemon appears positioned to become one of the defining offensive storylines of the Eagles' 2026 season.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles young offensive talent could take major leap in 2026

Talking to the media about half an hour after a season-ending loss, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could hear the San Antonio Spurs roam around the Paycom Center hallways celebrating and cheering. They earned the right to do so as the Oklahoma City Thunder fell short in a Game 7 loss in the 2026 Western Conference Finals.

Now, the Thunder must go back to the drawing board. As the NBA's best team and reigning champion, they had their crown snatched by Victor Wembanyama and company. The entire summer will be about how OKC can avoid these same mistakes in the future.

Struggling to generate offense, the Thunder couldn't depend on the Gilgeous-Alexander and friends formula to get one last win. Instead, the two-time MVP's Superman heroics of 35 points and nine assists weren't enough in the do-or-die scenario. Jalen Williams was physically absent while Chet Holmgren might as well have been, too.

You're not going to beat the Spurs when two of your three All-NBA players give you nothing. And while Gilgeous-Alexander left it all on the floor in Game 7, it would've been nice for him to play like this earlier in the series. He averaged an awful 25.9 points on 40.9% shooting and 8.9 assists in seven games in their series — quite the drop-off from his usual 30 points on efficient shooting.

Pundits and fans everywhere expect the Thunder and Spurs to meet up at this stage in the future. They were the NBA's two best teams all year as 60-plus-win machines. And considering the runway and youth throughout their rosters, this is just the first of presumably several chapters.

If the Thunder hope to enjoy revenge in the future, Gilgeous-Alexander has to be better from the jump. You don't go 4-8 against a team in 12 combined matchups in the regular season and playoffs by accident. The 27-year-old will go back to the lab to figure out a prognosis.

"It's bigger picture, but it's no secret the team had success," Gilgeous-Alexander said about the Spurs. "We'll watch those games to figure out how to improve."

Not even 24 hours since their back-to-back championship hopes were shattered, emotions were pretty high at exit interviews. One Thunder player after the other were left dumbfounded at how the Spurs figured them out from the jump. Even though the series went the distance, it never felt like OKC was in firm control at any point.

Let's see if things change in the future. If the Thunder want to correct these mistakes, it starts at the top. Simply put, OKC's two All-NBA guys didn't play like All-NBA guys on a consistent enough basis against San Antonio. That eventually led to their downfall.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander addresses OKC's Spurs problem after playoff exit

The 2026 NBA Finals tipped off on Wednesday night with an intense back-and-forth affair between Jalen Brunson’s New York Knicks and Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs. On an evening where neither star was particularly efficient, Brunson willed the Knicks to a 105-95 victory, scoring 30 points on 12-for-31 shooting.

Wembanyama’s losing effort included 26 points on 6-for-21 shooting, and there’s rising concern that the 7’4″ Frenchman may be too fatigued after an intense seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder to turn things around and get San Antonio back in the series.

“Wemby looked tired. I don’t know if he shot his wad in the first half or what happened, but I just, I don’t know what the answer is,” The Ringer’s Bill Simmons told former NBA head coach Doc Rivers during a Game 1 recap on The Bill Simmons Show.

Bill Simmons and Doc Rivers think Wemby looked tired and sped up last night:

Bill: Wemby looked tired. I don’t know what the answer is

Doc: I texted you in first half and said Wemby looks sped up tonight. I think he had 6 or 7 turnovers Bill. A lot of them were putting the ball… pic.twitter.com/TarC2EVzrD

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) June 4, 2026

“I texted you in the first half. Wemby looks sped up tonight,” Rivers responded.

“And one of the things I would look at first is how many dribbles did he have? I know that sounds crazy, but it felt like he dribbled the ball way more than usual,” Rivers added. “The other thing is time of possession. How often did he hold the ball and have the ball in his hands? It, it looked like way more than usual. Yeah. And so I think that played right into the Knicks’ hands.”

Simmons and Rivers aren’t the only ones concerned with Wemby’s fatigue and approach. ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst said that he noticed a low energy level from Wembanyama as early as the first quarter.

“He might deny it, but I felt Victor Wembanyama was low on energy from the first quarter,” Windhorst said on SportsCenter after the game. “Now I know the game started out frenetic. I know when the stakes are high, you sometimes see players need their second wind. I saw Victor bending over and grabbing his shorts midway through the first quarter, and I didn’t think he was able to maintain a good energy flow for most of the game.”

“I felt Victor Wembanyama was low on energy from the first quarter.”@WindhorstESPN says Wemby’s energy level might play a factor in this series pic.twitter.com/6c4aMxv7lf

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 4, 2026

“I think Brunson smelled it down the stretch that he was moving quicker than Victor,” he added. “And that’s gonna be something to monitor. In the last series, I felt it went up and down. So he could just as easily come out Friday and have that more of a burst, but this is something that I think is going to be a story in this series. What is Victor’s energy level?”

For his part, Wemby doesn’t feel there are any underlying issues that need to be addressed and that it’s simply a matter of him playing better. He’ll have an opportunity to prove himself right and show that he has enough left in the tank to get the job done in Game 2 on Friday night.

The post Concern mounts around Victor Wembanyama fatigue: ‘Low on energy from the first quarter’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

One of the themes of Atlético Madrid’s 2025/26 season was the frequent absence of key players in critical matches. This was especially prevalent among Atleti’s midfielders, who missed a combined 47 matches this season.

While this was a huge challenge for Diego Simeone to navigate, longtime captain Koke put in one of his best campaigns in years, and Obed Vargas showed a great deal of promise when called upon late into the season.

In the second installment of Into the Calderón’s seasonal player ratings, we shift from defenders and goalkeepers and turn our attention to Atlético Madrid’s midfielders. Here, we’ll assess the performances of the players in the middle — and there are a lot of names to choose from.

Midfielder ratings

Koke: Often referred to as the director de la orquesta by the Spanish press, Koke provided so much experience and tactical control to a young and inexperienced group. You could argue that this was Koke’s best season this decade, such was the levels of consistency and maturity he conveyed amid the changes around him.

Many, including Koke himself, surmised that the longtime Colchonero captain would have a lesser role in Simeone’s system this year. But what ended up happening? Koke was El Cholo’s fourth most-used outfield player behind Dávid Hancko, Marcos Llorente and Giuliano Simeone.

Already at the very top of the club in terms of appearances with 740, Koke made history in LaLiga this season by registering his 500th Spanish top-flight appearance. This puts him in elite company with LaLiga legends like Raúl, Eusebio, Lionel Messi and Iker Casillas.

It does appear that Koke will stay as a Rojiblanco for at least one more year, so he can have a similar farewell to Antoine Griezmann. If that is the case, there won’t be a dry eye in the building for that goodbye.

Rating: 7.5/10

Pablo Barrios: “Frustrating” is the best way to describe Pablito’s 2025/26 season. The last time we saw Barrios was midway through the second half of a win over Athletic Club in April, when he ripped off his shirt as he walked down the Metropolitano’s tunnel, having sustained a third muscular injury in as many months. Just when he thought he had made it back to full fitness, all that progress was taken away from him in an instant.

When he was available, Barrios demonstrated that he is one of his team’s best players and is one of the best young midfielders in Europe. Despite playing only 23 league matches, he was still nominated for LaLiga’s Team of the Season Even with injuries disrupting his rhythm, he has an enormous future ahead of him…but only if he can stay fit.

Let’s hope his exclusion from Spain’s World Cup squad gives Barrios enough rest to return to full strength next season. If fully fit, he could make the case to receive an 8 or a 9 rating, but alas, due to the time he missed, he will fall short of that mark.

Rating: 6.5/10

Johnny Cardoso: There were high hopes around Cardoso, who arrived from Real Betis in a €30 million transfer last summer. But like Barrios, Johnny suffered from numerous injuries that left his season in a frustrating cycle: pick up an injury, return to fitness, show promising form, get hurt again.

Simeone rated the American almost immediately. He debuted against Espanyol in August as a starter and began to demonstrate the defensive capabilities that convinced Atlético to buy him from Betis. But just as Simeone’s long-awaited “5” was gaining momentum, he aggravated an ankle injury and began the pattern that ultimately defined his season.

Cardoso picked up further injuries in December, March and May before Atleti shut him down for the season. He opted to undergo ankle surgery last month, eschewing a chance to represent the United States in the World Cup.

When fit, Cardoso looked a great fit in the holding midfield role. His positioning and defensive discipline are backed up by elite metrics, and he demonstrated growth as a passer when his body allowed him to get in a good run of games during the springtime. He just has to show that he can handle the rigors of a long season in elite club football.

Let’s hope a full offseason of rest — and not too much partying at the Bad Bunny concert last weekend — will yield a successful 2026/27 season for Johnny.

Rating: 6.5/10

Obed Vargas: It was hard to know what to expect when Atlético signed Obed Vargas from MLS side Seattle Sounders in the final hours of the winter transfer window. Most knew of the Mexico international while following the 2025 Club World Cup, when Vargas revealed that he is a huge fan of Atleti — and especially of Griezmann.

In addition to the surprise surrounding the circumstances of his arrival, Vargas ultimately would not be loaned out and carved out a spot in the first team. However, when called upon, especially in the final weeks of the season, Vargas put in a string of solid performances that demonstrated his readiness to compete in LaLiga.

Similar to Barrios’ rise in the 2022/23 “lost” season, when Simeone thrust the young midfielder into action against top-flight competition, Vargas was able to get plenty of game time thanks to El Cholo’s heavy rotation amid prioritization of the cup competitions. The 20-year-old always seems to be in the right place at the right time, and he rarely makes positional mistakes. He went from doing “just enough” in limited minutes to becoming a reliable presence in midfield alongside Koke.

The sky is the limit for Vargas, and we’re watching with keen anticipation as to how he performs in his first World Cup. He may be loaned elsewhere in LaLiga to gain more experience, but he’s given Simeone and Mateu Alemany plenty to think about with his talent and professionalism.

Rating: 6/10

Rodrigo Mendoza: Mendoza arrived in February as Elche’s record sale, and with added hype relative to Vargas after he was dubbed the “new Pedri”… by Pedri himself.

Like Barrios and Cardoso, Mendoza suffered his share of injury setbacks. The Spaniard picked up a nasty ankle injury against Real Sociedad in a league game in March, which caused him to miss a month. A muscle injury in May against Osasuna ended his season.

The potential is clearly there with Mendoza. He is so calm and composed on the ball, though positionally he needs more experience at the top level. His technical ability though isn’t in doubt, but his fitness — and Atleti’s focus on the cups — didn’t allow fans to see him perform at his best.

Rating: 5/10

Conor Gallagher: It’s difficult to label Gallagher in binary terms like “success” or “failure.” His arrival from Chelsea in 2024 generated a lot of excitement, and he immediately received “El Pitbull” as a nickname due to his reputation in England. But one of Mateu Alemany’s first moves as sporting director was to sell Gallagher to Tottenham Hotspur — a decision driven as much by finances as it was his by his performance.

I will always have a soft spot for Gallagher because of the monstrous slide tackles he would make and the goal he scored in less than thirty seconds against Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 match in 2025.

Rating: 5/10

Nico González: You either love him or you hate him. Nico signed for Atlético on loan from Juventus on the last day of the summer transfer window, complete with a €32 million buy option that immediately made him a target of fans’ ire. That option would be triggered if he played at least 45 minutes in 21 league matches, and the inconsistency of his performances after a goal-scoring debut against Villarreal generated plenty of nerves that the clause would become obligatory.

Due to injuries, suspensions and strategic substitutions, the buy clause never was activated. However, Nico remains a “key objective” for Atleti this summer, and negotiations with Juve over a lower fee are continuing.

We all remember when Simeone shifted Nico to left-back against Barcelona in April, and Lamine Yamal promptly torched him for 45 minutes before his shift ended with a merciful red card. In a separate game against Barça, Nico completed only one pass before he was substituted at halftime.

Although the bad moments are tough to overcome, there were good moments from Nico as a Rojiblanco. Twice this season in LaLiga, he scored a brace in a match. The common factor from both of those matches was his positioning: on the right side of the field. Unfortunately, we did not get to see much more experimentation of Nico on the right as he picked up an injury in training just before the home match against Arsenal in the Champions League semifinals.

I know Giuliano Simeone is in a rough spell of form and needs competition from another right winger, but I think paying any more than €20 million for Nico would be a massive mistake.

Rating: 3/10

The Florida State are looking to improve their 2027 recruiting class. On Friday, one of their targets on the offensive line, three-star prospect Shavezz Dixon, will be making his decision.

"I will be COMMITTING tomorrow respect my decision. Watch it live on my instagram at 3pm EST!! Finalist- FSU, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Virginia & UNC," Dixon announced on social media.

Dixon was able to see Florida State during the spring, and he mentioned what made the Seminoles stand out.

"[Head coach Mike] Norvell, [Offensive Line Coach Herb] Hand. Coach Hand, very developing guy. He's gonna get after it with you. He's gonna develop you and push you to the limit, so that stood out to me," Dixon told Noles247.

247Sports composite rankings have Dixon listed as the No. 591 player nationally and the No. 37 interior offensive lineman in the nation. He's the No. 72 player in the state of Georgia as well.

FSU needs its first commitment from an offensive lineman in the 2027 cycle, and Dixon would be a good place to start.

I will be COMMITTING tomorrow respect my decision. Watch it live on my instagram at 3pm EST!!

Finalist- FSU, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Virginia & UNC@Rivals@ChadSimmons_@TomLoy247@Kelly_Quinlan@AnnaH247@jordansportsgrp@BrooksAustinBA@BSonnone@rockerlee229pic.twitter.com/30aewWnOhb

— Shavezz “SteamRoll” Dixon🚂 (@shavezz_dixon) June 4, 2026

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Football: Shavezz Dixon set to commit, Florida State in top five

Ups and downs. Twists and turns. Zigs and zags. There are endless ways to describe the odd year the Los Angeles Clippers went through in the 2025-26 season.

Superstar Kawhi Leonard and the franchise found themselves at the center of a major scandal. The Clippers began the season in total misery with a 6-21 record and stuck in the basement of the league standings. During this disappointing start, the team moved on from franchise icon Chris Paul, and it happened in not-so-great fashion.

Then months later, the Clippers turned it around and finished 42-40, but not without completing two blockbuster trades. The first saw L.A. deal veteran James Harden for the younger, but more injury-prone, Darius Garland. The other led to the Clippers parting with starting center Ivica Zubac, but in the end, they picked up one of the top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Now, the Clippers enter the offseason at quite an interesting time for the franchise, starting with the draft.

Clippers Draft Picks:

• Round 1 — No. 5
• Round 2 — N0. 36
• Round 2 — N0. 52

Clippers Draft Needs:

The biggest question L.A. needs to answer: where do they want to go from here?

Leonard remains on the roster. At the same time, they remain in a state of retooling with Harden and Zubac gone. The Clippers also don’t control their own first-round pick until 2030, further complicating matters.

Prioritizing the short-term makes little sense for the Clips. Unless something drastic happens, the Leonard experiment failed to bring a title to the team. The team should focus on life after his time in L.A. ends.

With the No. 5 overall pick, going with the “best/highest ceiling player available” option makes the most sense. 

The other challenge for the Los Angeles Clippers: there’s a clear top four in this year’s draft and out of L.A.’s reach. That list includesAJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, in whatever order. The next prospects projected to be available after the top four are all lead guards, even though the team already has Garland.

Clippers Draft Targets:

Keaton Wagler — Guard — Illinois

Wagler remains the best of all worlds for the Clippers.

His freshman year campaign was arguably one of the best in Illinois Fighting Illini history. Wagler became the first Illinois freshman ever to be an AP All-American. Wagler was also the best player for a program that made the Final Four. He doesn’t turn 20 until February.

Besides all that, Wagler brings plenty to the table.

Scoring is his best attribute. Wagler showed in college that he could do it all. Play on- or off-the-ball, drive inside or drill it from the outside, and attack for himself or look to create for others.

Wagler averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, filling up the stat sheet across the board. He shot almost 40% from three on six attempts per game. That also accounted for around half his total shot attempts in 2025-26.

The promising attribute about Wagler’s offense: if the Clippers keep Garland, there’s a case Wagler can play alongside him. At 6-foot-6, he at least has the size to defend bigger perimeter guards.

Kingston Flemings — Guard — Houston

Like Wagler, Kingston Flemings completed an AP All-American second team campaign in his collegiate season. Both put up similar stats, but Flemings brings a slightly different skill set to the table if the Los Angeles Clippers select him.

Flemings averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The Houston Cougars guard does way more with the ball in his hands than without it. When he does have it, however, he uses his speed to push in transition and make the right play. Defensively, he’s much more proven, especially after playing under Kelvin Sampson.

Based on the tape, Flemings also relies less on off-ball action and more on the pick-and-roll to either score or pass. If the Clippers draft him, it’s to add what they believe is the best player on the board and not who can fit the best next to Garland.

All that said, his two-way skill set and potential to be a lead creator are quite intriguing.

Nate Ament — Forward — Tennessee

To be clear, this is a total wild-card option for the Los Angeles Clippers. But Nate Ament remains a promising option.

Ament averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game with the Tennessee Volunteers. He stands at 6-foot-10 and over 200 pounds. Forwards continue to be a premium in today’s NBA, especially if they can score across the floor and defend multiple positions.

At No. 5, Ament would clearly be a reach. This would be a scenario in which L.A. moves down, restocks its future draft picks cupboard, and still lands a prospect it can develop.

Ament’s offensive ceiling is his biggest worry. He shot 40% from the floor and 33% from three on decent, but not great, volume. That said, there’s potential that Ament could be the next great wing in the league who can do it all.

The post Los Angeles Clippers 2026 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on The Lead.

Josh Hokit sees Alex Pereira as his ticket to UFC stardom.

Hokit (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has already made waves in a short amount of time with both his persona and performances. Outlasting Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 put him on the map, and he was immediately booked to face former title challenger Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 from the White House.

Also competing at UFC Freedom 250 is Pereira (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who meets Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event. Hokit already went at Pereira during the pre-fight press conference, which got him escorted out.

"Alex Pereira, I want to 'chama' on Alex Pereira's mama," Hokit told MMA Junkie Radio. "'Oh my God, he said mama. He said he's gonna chama on his mama.' What does chama mean? What if Alex was just playing all of us and chama means 'f*ck you' or something this whole time? Imagine that? Man, what a legend."

Hokit thinks former two-division UFC champion Pereira's rise was a product of timing.

"I want Pereira. He's a legend in the sport, or at least that's what everyone is saying," Hokit said. "And I just think he came into the sport at a right time with a bunch of strikers. I don't take away the whole rivalry with (Israel) Adesanya – that was great.

"But everybody else, it was all favorable matchups, all strikers. But at least he was able to perform a certain way and get all his opponents out of there, and his fights are pretty fun to watch. So I would also like to use his name to catapult my name. I think he's never faced a guy like me."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Josh Hokit wants Pereira's name to catapult his after UFC Freedom 250

On Thursday, the Detroit Lions announced they signed undrafted rookie wide receiver Kyre Duplessis to their active roster. This news follows Coach Dan Campbell’s announcement that rookie receiver Kendrick Law tore his ACL during OTAs (organized team activities) in the second week of non-contact practices.

Duplessis spent the first four seasons of his college career at Coastal Carolina, playing in 39 games but amassing just 23 receptions for 348 receiving yards and a single touchdown. However, in 2025, Duplessis transferred to Delaware and broke out, registering 60 receptions for 824 yards and five touchdowns, while also adding 19 yards on three rushing attempts. Additionally, Duplessis chipped in on special teams, returning three punts for 73 yards (24.3 yards per return), including a touchdown, as well as two kick returns for 33 yards (16.5 yards on average).

While Duplessis played nearly 90% of his snaps on the outside at Delaware, at 5-foot-10, 193 pounds, with 4.6 speed, he projects inside in the NFL. While his game film is limited and difficult to find, in his final collegiate season, Duplessis was utilized as a YAC (yards-after-the-catch) option, and the offense found creative ways to get the ball into his hands: quick slants, sideline shots, and snaps out of the backfield. He may struggle to separate at the NFL level, but he has positive instincts, contact balance, and body control with the ball in his hands. Special teams could be his best path to the field.

Duplessis joins a wide receiver room that features solidified starters in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Isaac TeSlaa firmly, while also containing solid depth options in Greg Dortch, Dominic Lovett, Tom Kennedy, Jackson Meeks, Malik Cunningham, and Cedrick Wilson.

On paper, the Yankees had a real pitching advantage in this series, tossing Cam Schlittler and Gerrit Cole in the first two games of the series before drawing one of Cleveland’s worst performing starters on Thursday.

But the thing about paper is that… It’s paper. The Guardians have put together two impressive offensive performances against two aces and kept the Yankees at bay to win the series at Yankee Stadium, a rarity. From 2022-25 (including playoffs), Cleveland was just 4-13 in the Bronx, but now has a chance to sweep in a Thursday matinee.

Carlos Rodón will look to help salvage the final game of this series, making his fifth start. It’s been a mixed bag for the All-Star left-hander, as he’s gritted his way through back-to-back strong starts after two poor ones to start the year, pitching to a 3.32 ERA (127 ERA+) and 3.89 FIP in 19 innings. He’s struggled with command, often falling behind in counts and already issuing 13 free passes through four starts, but he’s also been able to get outs despite not having his best strikeout stuff or velocity over the last two weeks. Rodón, if you remember, had the best postseason outing of his career in Game 1 of the 2024 ALCS at Yankee Stadium against this team.

The Guardians will counter with 26-year-old Slade Cecconi, who’s in his third year of being a full-time MLB starter. He was solid, if unremarkable, for Cleveland last year, but has struggled to the tune of a 5.25 ERA (79 ERA+) and 4.96 FIP in 61.2 innings across 12 starts. 364 days ago was his only previous start against the Yankees, where he allowed two runs in five innings, taking the loss.

He doesn’t allow too much hard contact and keeps the ball on the ground, but is well below average in strikeout, whiff, and chase rates, while being mediocre in keeping the ball off the barrel. He’s gotten unlucky in terms of batted ball outcomes, but not by much. Cecconi has a six-pitch mix, but throws some variation of fastball 76 percent of the time, while mixing in a curveball, sweeper, and changeup.

Aaron Judge is still out of the lineup as he gets more imaging on his rib injury, so it’s a similar top of the order with Trent Grisham, Ben Rice, Paul Goldschmidt, and Cody Bellinger. The top seven is identical, with only JC Escarra replacing Austin Wells and Max Schuemann replacing Anthony Volpe, playing right field as Caballero takes over at shortstop.

2024 ALCS Game 3 hero David Fry is leading off for the Guardians in front of José Ramirez, Rhys Hoskins, Travis Bazzana, and Angel Martínez. Stuart Fairchild slides in at sixth in front of Steven Kwan, while Austin Hedges gets his first start of the season, batting eighth. Brayan Rocchio rounds it out.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium — The Bronx, NY

First pitch: 1:35 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, Guardians.TV

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), WTAM 1100, Guardians Radio Network (CLE)

Online stream: MLB.tv (out-of-market only)

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Most days between April and September start with me waking up the kids, letting the dogs out, watering the plants, drinking some coffee, and then …

… and then spending about an hour going over PlateIQ at Rotogrinders, mostly looking at pitcher splits and batter ISO, though groundball and flyball percentage as well as barrel percentage get plenty of play, as well as K%, both for pitchers and batters. Walk percentage slips in there also, as well as a few other data points.

From there, I’m checking out Kevin Roth’s OVERCast app for the weather, then it’s off to Handigraphs, where I can more easily break down current form for the pitchers and batters. And all the while, I’m — pardon my Boomer status here (I’m fully Gen X, but after these next few words I’ll lose my credibility) — writing things down in a notebook to help organize my thoughts.

The above doesn’t include the bi-minute detours to Fangraphs and Baseball Reference, as well as some X and regular ol’ Google search work, and whatever else I stumble upon.

All told, the above take upwards of an hour. I’ve got some music playing in the background, it’s usually pretty fun, and by the end of it, I have a very good idea of how I want to allocate my DFS dollars for the day.

This is a far cry from the way I used to do my daily research, be it for baseball or NBA or NFL action — my two other DFS loves.

The way I used to do it was a little bit quicker: I’d be apprised of the news of the day by reading Rotoworld blurbs and then build my lineups. Took about five minutes.

And while I don’t keep day-by-day, sport-by-sport detailed records of my DFS play like I used to, I also know this: I’m not winning nearly as much, or as often, as I did 10 years ago. Sure, the games have gotten harder and the competition fiercer, but there’s been something nagging at me for a while now: Am I hurting myself by crunching every number? Is it possible that too much information is a bad thing? It feels counterintuitive, but …

Finding the edge

Adam Levitan, one of the co-founders of Establish The Run, which is the E.F. Hutton of fantasy sites (“When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen”) has a term for my former behavior: Phone shitter bros.

As in, people who make their DFS lineups on their phone whilst toileting.

It’s not a compliment.

And while Levitan knows that’s far from the best way to go about building quality lineups, he does recognize the challenge presented by the glut of data that has taken over the DFS industry.

“I think in the age of everything being so data-driven and model-based, what actually wins the most money is understanding and digesting the data,” he told me. “But also having contrarian takes based on soft-skill stuff.”

In short: Know the data, know what’s important in the data, and then use that data against your opponents.

This idea crosses over into regular ol’ sports betting, as Capt. Jack Andrews explains.

“Successful betting is about finding something the market hasn’t factored in, or at least hasn’t factored in enough,” Andrews said. “Conversely, if you and the market disagree, you should ask yourself ‘What does the market know that I don’t?’ That can be harder to answer, but making that exploration is a great way to avoid losing money.”

In today’s sports betting and DFS marketplace, it’s all too easy to find, understand, and use the data. The harder part, as Levitan and Andrews point out, is properly using the data against your DFS opponents or the house.

It’s all reminiscent of the Battle of Wits scene in The Princess Bride. Watch the clip. Replace “iocane powder” with “advanced metrics” and you’ll get the gist.

In short: Sometimes overthinking can be deadly.

Of course, I’m not the first person to come to this idea. Cue the academic studies.

Jam, NBA, and the horses

Back in 1973, a psychologist named Paul Slovic rounded up eight professional horse handicappers. He let each one ask for any five pieces of information they wanted on each horse, then had them predict the outcomes of 40 races. They hit at about 17%, comfortably above the 10% or so you’d get from blind guessing.

Then he gave them 10 pieces of information. Then 20. Then 40.

Their accuracy? Stuck at 17%. Didn’t move. A few of them actually got worse with more data. 

But as the information piled up, the handicappers got more and more confident. Same hit rate, but way more swagger. They weren’t any better at picking horses. They just felt like they were. 

So maybe I’m the modern version of those handicappers, drunk on barrel rate and ISO, dead certain I’ve solved the slate, and hitting at the exact same clip I would’ve when hitting Rotoworld blurbs for five minutes on the toilet.

Then there’s the jam.

In 2000, researchers Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper set up a tasting booth at a fancy grocery store. Some days they put out six jams, some days 24. The big spread drew the bigger crowd. But when it came time to actually buy something, the shoppers who saw six jams bought at roughly 10 times the rate of the ones who saw 24. Too many options didn’t light people up. It froze them. They walked off empty-handed, and the few who did choose felt worse about it afterward.

More choice, more paralysis, less satisfaction.

Then there’s this one, out of the University of Bath. Two researchers built NBA betting models and tested two ways of choosing which one to actually bet with. The first way picked whichever model called the most winners correctly. The second picked whichever model was the most honest about its own odds, meaning when it said a team had a 60% chance, that team really did win 60% of the time.

Both models were basically dead even at picking winners. But the honest one made about 35% profit over a season, and the cocky one lost about 35%. Same data, same games. The loser just trusted its own numbers more than it had any business doing, so it kept “finding” edges that weren’t really there and betting into them.

Sound like anybody you know? Some 7 a.m. guy with a notebook, maybe?

Carry on

So do I quit the morning routine? Burn the notebook, cancel the subscriptions, go back to building lineups in five minutes between Rotoworld blurbs?

Nope. I like the new way too much. The coffee, the music, the hour of feeling like a quant. 

What I’m going to try to quit is the thing all three studies are actually warning about. Not the data, but the certainty. That little voice that swears the hour of work bought me an edge, when most of the time it just bought me the (sometimes) false confidence to bet bigger on the same coin flip.

So: Know the data. Know what’s worth knowing in the data. And know when you don’t actually know anything.

To quote Levitan again: Easy game.

Sverre Nypan says he’s a better footballer now than he was at the start of the 2025/26 season.

Men's Team

City Magazine: June issue available to read now!

The 19-year-old Norwegian joined City last summer and spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Middlesbrough before returning to the CFA in the new year.

Since then, he’s played a starring role for our EDS side while training regularly alongside our first team stars.

Buy your Nypan shirt here

A central midfielder with a natural flair and eye for goal, Nypan’s talent is obvious to see.

However, he says it’s in his character on the pitch where he has improved most since arriving in England.

“The mindset and mentality you have is most important and I think I’ve developed the most there. It’s been tough but I’ve also learned a lot,” he said in the latest episode of the Official Man City podcast.

“I didn’t play regularly at Middlesbrough but dealing with that, I’ve learned a lot from and now coming back to training with one of the best teams in the world and trying to do your best, it’s also a good learning experience.

“I feel like I’m much more ready for doing the best I can now and I’m a better footballer than I was last year.”

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Having made his first team debut for boyhood club Rosenborg at 15 and then picked up his first senior national team cap last October, Nypan has attracted a lot of attention.

While he’s now focused on simply being better every day, the teenager says it took a while to adjust to being in that spotlight.

“It’s difficult but I have worked a lot on it,” he said.

“I think in the start you don’t really understand how big it is and when you hear big teams are looking at your games you don’t really think about it because you don’t really believe it.

“You just play how it is and you try to think you still have nothing to lose, just to go out there and have fun. That’s what you have to try and tell yourself but of course it is difficult.”

With so much hype around him while playing in the Norwegian Eliteserien, Nypan wasn’t short of offers for his next move.

However, he says it was clear very early on that City was the right place for him to develop.

“I felt like the connection was there and they really showed they wanted me a lot. That’s something you like to hear. You want to go to a team that really believes in you,” he said.

“The plan that we made together sounded really nice but just getting the chance to train with the best players in the world, it’s only positive.

“Having Erling here now is helping and it’s nice to feel like a bit of home when you talk to a fellow Norwegian.

“I remember the first time I met them and worked with them was pretty cool because I’ve been a fan and watched City games since I was really young.”

Buy your 2026/27 Home Kit

Manchester City’s new Home Kit for the 2026/27 season is now available to purchase.

Running through a full gradient of sky blue – darker at the shoulders and lightening as it falls – the shirt is finished with a striking metallic monochrome crest and sponsor details.

The overall effect is a kit that feels modern and distinctive while remaining unmistakably City.

It is available by clicking the link below.

It can also be purchased from Manchester City Official Stores. There’s 10% off for Members and Seasoncard holders.

If buying online, the discount will be automatically applied when logged in with your Member account. Free delivery over £90/US$100/130euros, or visit our Stadium, Arndale or Trafford Centre stores.

BUY YOUR 2026/27 HOME KIT

If Kalani Sitake and staff want to keep the momentum of a top-25 recruiting class in 2026, the coming weeks loom large as many four- and three-star recruits are making campus visits and deciding where they’ll play.

In this regard, BYU’s emphasis on signing high school athletes instead of reloading with a ton of portal transfers will be tested. Here is Jay Drew’s look at the importance of this summer recruiting cycle, which is featured in the archives label of this newsletter edition and involves an interview with national recruiting expert Brandon Huffman of On3.com.

Questions of the week

Cougar insider for 247Sports Jeff Hansen declared on BYUtv that the Cougars’ receiving corps has the most talent (star ranking) of any other position group. How do you see this and explain the relevance or lack of relevance for Fesi Sitake with departures, a retirement, and a suspension.

Jay Drew: Even before Cody Hagen announced that he was medically retiring from football, I expressed concern that the BYU receiving corps in 2026 lacked experience and depth. I’m sticking to those guns, even though experts such as Jeff Hansen of 247Sports and Casey Lindquist of Sports Illustrated have suggested otherwise.

Certainly, it remains a talented group — headed by JoJo Phillips, who has never quite lived up to expectations placed upon him on a yearly basis by offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick and passing game coordinator/receivers coach Fesi Sitake. If Phillips doesn’t break out in a big way in 2026, the Cougars are in trouble.

That said, Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper looked great in practice, and very well could become Bear Bachmeier’s go-to guy. Kasper didn’t do much at Oregon, but was highly recruited out of high school in Tucson, Arizona, and seemingly has all the stuff, on paper, at least, needed to thrive in Roderick’s offense.

As for this being the most talented position group of any at BYU, in terms of star rankings, I will take good ol’ fashioned experience and production over talent and potential any day of the week.

Tei Nacua, Tiger Bachmeier and Reggie Frischknecht have golden opportunities in front of them. But none of those guys showed much last year, in limited opportunities. Why worry about them when you’ve got Chase Roberts and Parker Kingston in the fold?

Hence, I remain skeptical. Is it too late to add to that group? Probably. But there’s no doubt about it — Fesi Sitake will earn his keep in 2026.

Dick Harmon: The departure of Chase Roberts, Parker Kingston and Cody Hagen cannot be dismissed as a small deal — it is a big deal. Their experience, playmaking and big-play capabilities are in the books and respected.

However, BYU football over the decades has been a story of receivers who have stepped up when called upon, and I believe Fesi Sitake is a talented coach who develops talent.

Remember the days when little-known receivers stepped up, guys like Jeff Frandsen with Ty Detmer, Dax Milne, Andy Boyce, Chuck Cutler, Dan Plater, Tim Nowatzke, Kelly Smith, Neil Pau’u, Talon Shumway and Kaipo McGuire? I’m not sure any of those guys have the star rankings that guys on next year’s team have brought to the roster, yet in BYU’s system they made a huge difference and were not only serviceable, but game winners.

BYU needs JoJo Phillips to step up. He shouldn’t be judged on anything from last year because of his broken collarbone recovery. He has the size, speed talent to be a game breaker if he can consistently bring the ball in. No drops should be his motto. Well, a motto for all.

This past spring there were moves to “hide” what certain receivers were doing on the field, including freshman Legend Glasker. I expect Nacua, Glasker, Bachmeier and Frischknecht to challenge Casper for quality playmaking. Also, don’t sleep on freshman Terrance Saryon as a speed option or Jaron Pula as a Roberts-type answer in time.

Cougar tales

Freshman golf sensation Kihei Akina finished No. 9 in NCAA Golf Championship. Jane Hedengren and Taylor Lovell led BYU’s contingent of West Regional NCAA prelims to the national championships.

In headlines with former Cougars, Yoeli Childs was named the Japan B.League Player of the Year and Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua met with the media to discuss his challenges off the field and what he’s doing to correct mistakes.

From the archives

From X-verse

BYU should be very concerned about Kevin Young's interest in Chicago's Head Coach vacancy. If the NBA comes calling, would Young pass up his chance?

✍️: https://t.co/mPSqHfae7Xpic.twitter.com/QQkSSfTdGK

— Lawless Republic (@LawlessRepublic) June 2, 2026

From a BYU walk-on to being on the CFB Hall of Fame Ballot

Big time for our guy Dennis Pitta 🙌 pic.twitter.com/cLBgW3VMMB

— BYUtv Sports Nation (@BYUSportsNation) June 2, 2026

Extra points

• Extending Sitake, pivotal moment (Deseret News)
• A look inside AD Brian Santiago ( Deseret News)
• SEC whining over TT, Utah, BYU (Deseret News)

Fanalysts

Comments from Deseret News readers:

I am not a BYU fan, however, I do agree with Yormark. BYU should have been in the playoffs. I know they had two poor showings against Texas Tech and I know Texas Tech got smoked by Oregon. When the final poll came out, it was all about Notre Dame and Miami. The committee got it right, Miami proved they belonged. I don’t think the same can be said about Alabama. BYU was penalized for their poor showing in the conference championship game, it was 13-7 at halftime although it felt worse. They end up losing by 27 points and drop out of the playoffs. Alabama doesn’t score until the fourth quarter and ends up losing by 21 and don’t move in the rankings after their third loss. BYU loses to one team twice. Alabama loses to three teams, including 5-7 Florida State. Alabama gets rewarded for their strength of schedule, yet the SEC ends up 4-10 in bowl games. Then to top that all off, the Texas coach claims they could go undefeated with their 2s and 3s in the Big 12. I make that point because that was not the case when you consider the SEC’s bowl recored since everyone’s 1s sit out of the bowl games. BYU might have gotten embarrassed in the playoffs, but they should have been in before Alabama. I think one could argue that BYU, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and Utah should have been in over a three-loss Alabama team. — Former_Coach

Let’s not get the cart before the horse here. I’m am quite sure that Kalani Sitake is a fantastic person, and a humble follower of Christ.

But, it is the students and student-athletes, past and present, and their collective commitment to what the world considers radical and illogical integrity, that are the main reason BYU is extraordinary. Without its students and student-athletes, BYU has no reason to exist.

Faculty, administrators and athletic coaches are the ones who are the huge (largely unmerited) beneficiaries of the opportunity to share the BYU campuses the finest group of young people (collectively) to walk the planet today. Kalani Sitake is no exception to this rule. It is Sitake that “hit the jackpot” in the lottery of life when BYU hired him, not the other way around. — Vermonter

Up next

• June 10 | 2 p.m. | track and field | NCAA Outdoor Championships, Eugene

Missing out on the World Cup is a soccer player’s worst nightmare.

The tournament only rolls around every four years and is seen as the pinnacle of the sport, with legends forged within its confines.

Sport, however, has a tendency to be very cruel indeed. Injuries are part and parcel of any sport and soccer is sadly no different.

The fixture schedule at club level has increased in recent years and players have had to carry the load as a result. Injuries, sadly, are an inevitable byproduct of that, even with top clubs having the financial power to build bigger squads.

Indeed, some of the biggest stars in soccer will be forced to miss the 2026 World Cup later this month, and here’s a look at them.

Group A

Mexico: Rodrigo Huescas, Luis Malagon

Group B

Canada: Marcelo Flores

Group C

Brazil: Vanderson, Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Estevao Willian

Scotland: Billy Gilmour

Morocco: Hamza Igamane

Group D

USA: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Patrick Agyemang, Johnny Cardoso

Australia: Riley McGree, Lewis Miller

Group E

Germany: Serge Gnabry, Marc-Andre ter Stegen

Group F

Netherlands: Xavi Simons, Matthijs de Ligt, Jerdy Schouten

Japan: Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma

Group H

Spain: Fermin Lopez, Samu Aghehowa

Group I

France: Hugo Ekitike

Group L

Ghana: Mohammed Kudus

Read more:

Why the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony won’t be held in the US

Why World Cup games could be stopped mid-game for at least 30 minutes in the USA

Every step of the USMNT’s potential route to the World Cup 2026 final

With the 2026 NFL offseason winding down, the focus on the season is taking shape as we inch closer to the start of training camps across the league. The lull between the draft and training camp can feel like an eternity for some, but it’s a great time to take a step back and zoom out on the offseason that was. In the NFC North, a tight four-team race promises to rekindle, even if none of the four teams within the division experienced high-impact acquisitions. 

In 2025, the NFC North was the lone division in football to finish with all four teams above .500, and while that is not an easy feat, it speaks to the highly competitive nature of this group. Each offseason brings changes, and while none of these teams made headlines during the acquisition period, there’s still plenty to evaluate heading into the season. 

With the table set, let’s dive into the first of our two-part series, ranking each offensive group within the NFC North. 

Quarterback

1. Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers)

The Packers have the top quarterback in the division again? Say it ain’t so… 

Unlike previous iterations of quarterback rankings with the likes of Aaron Rodgers, this race is much closer at all four spots. That said, Love has proven to have enough remaining upside (and established production) to be considered the top quarterback in the division. Following somewhat of a static year in 2024, Love returned to form in 2025, even if his numbers don’t reflect a big jump. 

Continued, albeit minor, injuries have somewhat limited the ability to see the full picture. Still, at his best, Love has enough of an established track record combined with physical upside to be a Top 7-10 quarterback in this league yearly. Most impressive, his turnover-worthy throws continue to take a dip, and even without an elite offensive line in front of him, he’s still not taking many sacks. Love isn’t Rodgers or Brett Favre, and for that, some will knock him. Yet, when it all boils down, the 27-year-old has still provided more than enough to keep the Packers offense in the Top 10 conversation. 

2. Jared Goff (Detroit Lions)

Although it might be hard to believe, Goff will be entering 11th at the age of 31. For such an experienced player, he’s still in the prime of his career, even if his athletic profile doesn’t exactly need it. Here’s the reality with Goff: he’s a good, not great, player who has now thrown for 4,000 yards in four straight seasons. He has averaged close to a 2.5:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, while averaging over 30 touchdown passes per season since 2022. By all accounts, he has far exceeded the expectations for most after essentially being dumped in Detroit during the trade of Matthew Stafford. 

While it’s true that Goff needs more “help” than any other quarterback on this list, his production has been steadier than any quarterback in the division since the departure of Rodgers. Similar to Kirk Cousins’ time with the Vikings, Goff is a player who will continue to give the Lions Top 5-10 production, even if there are parts to his game that limit his overall ceiling. The gap between Love and Goff is thin, but Love’s ability to create and his overall arm talent give him the leg up in these rankings. 

3. Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears)

Much is made about Year 2 jumps from NFL quarterbacks, and although the year didn’t start as planned, Williams’ growth in Year 1 of Ben Johnson’s system was fun to see. Purely based on talent, the former No. 1 overall pick is about as close to a “one-of-one” player as you’ll see at the position. That said, his lack of consistency can be maddening at times. 

Williams’ arm talent and improvisational skills are otherworldly. After a disappointing rookie campaign in which he showed few signs of the college quarterback he was, Williams’s magic shone throughout the 2025 season. His ceiling has never been in question, but the lack of accuracy and questions about his ability to play in structure were big concerns heading into last season. While it’s safe to say he quelled concerns about his fit in Johnson’s offense, his misfires and general wildness were a bigger issue in Year 2. 

There’s no question that there are still some valid concerns about Williams’ game, and those will need to be ironed out in Year 3 if he hopes to meet the high ceiling placed on him pre-draft. That said, his success under center, coupled with his historic pace of cutting down sacks, should give Bears fans hope that another big leap in his development is forthcoming. Following an offseason primarily focused on the defense, it’s clear the organization is putting all of its eggs in one basket and counting on Williams taking another big step forward in 2026. If he does, his standing on this list could be much higher next season. For now, he comfortably slots in at the No. 3 position. 

4. Kyler Murray/J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings)

Head coach Kevin O’Connell might be one of the better offensive minds in the league, but even the best coaches have their limits when it comes to poor quarterback play. McCarthy was always a project coming out of Michigan, even if for the simple fact that he didn’t throw the ball much during his college career. The arm talent is there, as is the athleticism, but everything else lacked in a big way. 

Heading into camp, the Vikings are touting a “true” quarterback competition, but barring a surprise, this feels like Murray’s job to lose. Even if Murray’s tenure in Arizona didn’t end in a positive light, the talent and ability to create are still very much there. Because of Murray’s old contract in Arizona, the cap-tight Vikings were able to sign the veteran on a one-year, veteran minimum deal. 

Financially, there’s little risk in this competition, and although it would best serve them moving forward to have McCarthy take the leap and win the job out of the gate, the more immediate reward would be getting Murray back to his old form. Minnesota finds itself in a tough spot heading into 2026, and while it’s fair to question Murray’s fit in this offense, better quarterback play could result in a return to the playoffs. 

Running Back

1. Detroit Lions (Jahmyr Gibbs/Isaiah Pacheco)

The days of “Sonic and Knuckles” might be over in earnest, but with Gibbs’ growing role, I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. Don’t get me wrong, David Montgomery is a good running back, and he was a perfect complement to Gibbs, but considering his growing role, maybe having a physical back on a cheaper contract in Pacheco will work out better for the Lions in the long run. 

Simply put, Gibbs is one of the league’s best backs and possesses the type of speed most players only dream of. Although his numbers were slightly down in 2025, much of that can be attributed to the lack of cohesion along the offensive line. For Pacheco, this is a second chance for him to carve out a role as a valued No. 2 and power back in an explosive offense. 

If all goes well, the Lions will save money without sacrificing much production by switching from Montgomery to Pacheco. That said, let’s make no bones about this: The offense (and running game) goes through Gibbs. We’ll see if he can take it up a notch under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who had a good running game in Detroit when his backs were healthy. 

2. Chicago Bears (D’Andre Swift/Kyle Monangai)

Heading into last season, most Bears fans felt like running back was a serious point of concern. After all, Johnson was in Detroit when the team ousted Swift, and Monangai felt like a consolation prize for missing out on the top names earlier in the draft. While it took a bit for the running game to get off the ground, the Bears finished the season ranked as the third-best rushing team in the league, averaging 144.5 yards per game. 

The Bears’ standing in these rankings might have less to do with name/talent value and more to do with the system they are running. Johnson has always been well known for his run-game design, and that showed in a big way last season. Even more impressive was that Swift set career highs in yards, yards per carry (minimum 100 carries), and touchdowns. Monangai ranked in the Top 5 for rookie running backs in most statistical categories, despite being one of the last in his class taken in the draft. 

Only time will tell how much impact the surprise retirement of center Drew Dalman will have, but with a strong scheme in place and both backs complementing each other well, there’s reason to believe that they can replicate their success in 2026.

3. Green Bay Packers (Josh Jacobs/Chris Brooks)

If we were just evaluating the first name on the depth chart, the Packers might be No. 2 on this list. The fact is, the depth behind Jacobs is questionable at best. Maybe MarShawn Lloyd gets healthy and makes an impact as RB2, but for the time being, this looks like Brooks’ job to lose. 

Jacobs was banged up in 2025, and as a result, his overall production suffered. Although he played in 15 games, his yards per carry dropped to his worst total in three seasons, and he once again continued an on-again, off-again trend in yearly production. While his red-zone production was still impressive (13 rushing touchdowns), the NFL has become a two-back league, even if only for depth and spell purposes. 

Assuming Jacobs can get back to his expected form, the Packers have plenty of questions on the depth chart behind him, which is why, despite Jacobs being a plus-player, they rank third on this list. With Jacobs’ late May arrest, including a domestic violence charge, this group has even more questions heading into training camp, pending the conclusion of that case. 

4. Minnesota Vikings (Aaron Jones/Jordan Mason)

Last offseason, the Vikings appeared to make one of the smarter, not-so-talked-about moves when they acquired Mason in a trade with the 49ers. Not only was Jones aging, but the mileage has become an issue in recent years. Unfortunately for Minnesota, Year 1 of the Mason experience did not pan out as expected. 

As a team, the Vikings ranked 23rd in the league, averaging just 108.3 rushing yards per game. Although that was still over 30 yards per game better than the Las Vegas Raiders, the team’s lack of rushing attack hurt an offense that struggled with its passing almost all season. For reference, Mason ranked 5th, and Jones followed at 6th in rushing yards within their own division. 

Mason’s peripheral numbers looked good on paper, but he wasn’t nearly as effective as he was in his breakout season in San Francisco. Jones, on the other hand, played in just 12 games, while totaling 548 rushing yards and three total touchdowns. Surprisingly, the Vikings opted to retain Jones in the final year of his deal. As a whole, this group doesn’t possess a ton of upside and will be counting on better play from the offensive line to improve their efficiency. 

Tight End

1. Chicago Bears (Colston Loveland/Cole Kmet/Sam Roush)

It might only be Year 2 of Johnson’s influence over the Bears’ offense, but one thing has become clear in his short time in Chicago: He values tight ends. Not only did the team spend a high first-round selection on Loveland in last year’s draft, but they followed up this April by taking another one in Roush. As with Sean McVay in Los Angeles, Bears fans can expect plenty of 12- and 13-personnel. Assuming Loveland takes the next step and Kmet maintains his value as a top-tier TE2, this is one of the better overall groups in the league with high upside. 

2. Green Bay Packers (Tucker Kraft/Luke Musgrave/Josh Whyle)

Ranking these groups, especially at the top, comes down to top-end talent and overall depth. While Kraft might be more established as an NFL player than Loveland, a torn ACL and lack of top-end production keep the Packers in the No. 2 spot here. Kraft has far exceeded expectations considering his draft slot in comparison to Musgrave, but he’s proven to be a Top 10 end with plenty more upside left to untap. Musgrave had a prime opportunity to establish an extended role last year, but simply couldn’t do it. Overall, this is a good group, and if Kraft can return healthy and as productive as before, it is a top-end group, similar to the Bears’. 

3. Detroit Lions (Sam LaPorta/Brock Wright/Tyler Conklin)

LaPorta burst onto the scene as a rookie, putting up impressive numbers (86 receptions, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns), but has yet to be able to replicate those numbers in the two seasons since. More concerning is the back issue that ultimately shelved him for the final eight games of last season. If healthy, there are plenty of reasons to believe he can get back on track, but his production, especially in the red zone, has dipped each year. Wright is a quality blocking tight end but offers little upside as a pass catcher. Conklin was a nice addition and should give this group a higher ceiling in the passing game. Much of Detroit’s standing in these rankings comes down to LaPorta’s health and his ability to get back to his rookie-form production level. 

4. Minnesota Vikings (T.J. Hockenson/Josh Oliver/Ben Yurosek)

Any time a team has a quality group of tight ends and ranks last on a list, you can rest assured this is simply a deep group across the division. While talent acquisition plays a big part, it also speaks to the progressive offensive minds in the NFC North. A few years ago, when Hockenson was traded from Detroit to Minnesota, many wondered why the Lions would do what they did. Quickly, LaPorta established himself as a good player, and although Hockenson has continued to produce at a quality level, his production and availability have dipped over the last two seasons. Oliver is a high-caliber blocking tight end with some receiving upside, and Yurosek is going into Year 2 with high hopes. Again, this is a quality group, but it’s also the oldest in the division and has the least production. 

Wide Receiver

1. Detroit Lions (Amon-Ra St. Brown/Jameson Williams/Isaac TeSlaa/Kendrick Law)

Looking around the league, it might be tough to find a better one-two punch than St. Brown and Williams. We already know that St. Brown is one of, if not the best, slot receivers in the league, but Williams’ development over the last two seasons has been scary for opposing teams to observe. Even in a “down year,” the Lions’ offense ranked in the Top 10 in most statistical categories, and much of that had to do with their pass-catching options. Teslaa wasn’t overly productive during his rookie season, but when he made catches, they were either touchdowns or highlight-reel-worthy. The Law pick might have been a little early, but with the talent in front of him, he can be brought along slowly. Overall, these two groups are about neck and neck, and you’ll see it’s more about preference than anything else.

2. Minnesota Vikings (Justin Jefferson/Jordan Addison/Jauan Jennings/Tai Felton)

Before the May acquisition of Jennings, I would have easily given the Lions the nod for the top spot, but it’s hard to argue against the Vikings’ Top 3 at this point. With quality quarterback play, Jefferson is a Top 3 receiver in the game. Although Addison may never consistently hit 1,000 yards, he’s an excellent complement to Jefferson and provides a change of pace as the team’s WR3. Jennings provides a high-end WR3 option and a reliable option on third down. Similar to the Bears’ last season, this is a well-rounded group with a high floor and enough upside to feel good about this unit as long as the quarterback play can match. This was more of a 1a./1b. Type of situation. 

3. Green Bay Packers (Christian Watson/Jayden Reed/Matthew Golden/Savion Williams)

The running joke in Green Bay about their handful of No. 1 receivers has been fun, but it’s hard to dismiss this group’s upside, even if they haven’t come close to reaching their ceiling yet. On paper, there’s truly no clear-cut No. 1 option, but it’s all about upside and speed here. Watson can become an elite wideout, but health and consistency have held him back. Coming out of 2024, it felt like Reed was destined for the top spot, but injuries and consistency plagued him last year, too. Golden was the highest pick of this group, but experienced a disappointing season in a crowded room. The Packers value speed, and a fully healthy season for this trio could lead to big things. Now, we’ll see if that happens. 

4. Chicago Bears (Rome Odunze/Luther Burden III/Kalif Raymond/Jahdae Walker)

The subtraction of DJ Moore in this group might look worrisome on paper, but anyone who watched this team last year knows that he wasn’t truly a factor in this offense until injuries played into the equation. Odunze, a former No. 9 overall pick, is heading into a critical Year 3. 2025 started strong, but a stress fracture in his foot and an inability to win 50-50 balls left a bad taste in most people’s memory. Burden’s ceiling is immense, but mental mistakes often overshadow his more flashy plays. Raymond is someone that Johnson clearly valued, but might be best suited for a lesser role. Walker’s emergence as an undrafted free agent was impressive, but a Year 2 leap is needed for this group to take the next step. Johnson will rely on multiple tight end sets plenty, but it’s fair to wonder, even with the upside of Odunze and Burden, if the Bears have enough depth to last the entire season. 

Offensive Line

1. Chicago Bears

Heading into their Wild Card matchup with the Packers, it appeared the Bears had their starting five for the next two to three years. Unfortunately for them, a ruptured patella for left tackle Ozzy Trapilo and a surprise retirement from center Drew Dalman have created some short-term questions. That said, this unit was playing at an extremely high level, and there’s little reason to believe that won’t continue in Year 2 with most key pieces back and their quality replacement options. There are some long-term questions with veterans like Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, but for now, this still should be a Top 5-7 unit in 2026. 

2. Minnesota Vikings

When healthy, the Vikings have one of the better tackle duos in the league. Unfortunately for them, 2025 was not one of those years. Assuming they come back healthy and Donovan Jackson takes a big step forward in Year 2, this group should get back to a well-above-average level. Questions remain at the center after Ryan Kelly hung the cleats up, but a bounce-back year from Will Fries could help ease any true concerns about the center position next to him. The Vikings have invested quite a bit in this group, and health permitting, it should pay off more in 2026. 

3. Detroit Lions

It wasn’t long ago that the Lions had an elite unit with no real holes to speak of. Johnson’s departure to Chicago hurt from a schematic standpoint, but this group was starting to age out. The retirement of Frank Ragnow was a huge hit to this unit, but with some added youth, the arrow should be pointing up for this season. Moving Penei Sewell to his natural position at left tackle and adding Blake Miller should help stabilize the tackle spots. The interior is the bigger question,n with development needed from young players like Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany. The hope is that veteran Cade Mays will stabilize this group from within and raise their overall floor. 

4. Green Bay Packers

For as long as I can remember, the offensive line has always been a strength for the Packers. That started to tail off last year, and somehow, they face more questions in 2026. When healthy, Zach Tom is a Top 5 right tackle, but outside of him, there are far more questions than answers. They’ll rely on a youth movement with former first-round pick Jordan Morgan earning the first crack at left tackle, while Anthony Belton will look to lock down a spot on the interior. They did well to extend Sean Rhyan after releasing Elgton Jenkins, but this group lacks proven players and quality depth. 

Cumulative Scores:

1. Chicago Bears (2.2)

Overall, the Bears finished tied for first with the Lions, the lowest cumulative score in the group. What gives them the tie-breaker in this scenario is their first-place finishes. On paper, this is the best offense we’ve seen in Chicago in as long as I can remember. Similar was said heading into Year 2 of Matt Nagy in 2019, so Johnson must prove that Year 1 wasn’t a fluke, and that he’s not only one of the best offensive minds in the game, but also a budding star as a head coach. A lot of that comes down to Williams’ ability to take another sizable step forward in Year 3. 

2. Detroit Lions (2.2)

On paper, the Lions still have a damn-good offense. While questions remain in the trenches, their skill positions should keep their floor at a very safe level. There will be plenty of pressure on first-year offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, but he’ll have much more to work with than he did in Arizona with the Cardinals. The talent is there, and assuming they can find some continuity on the coaching side, there should be real optimism that they can return to full form in 2026. 

3. Green Bay Packers (2.6)

Although Packers fans seemingly have a bone to pick with head coach Matt LaFleur, the positive influence he’s had on this offense since arriving in 2019 cannot be ignored. Love might not be Aaron Rodgers or Brett Favre, but he’ll have a quality supporting cast and one of the better offensive schemes in the league. Concerns may linger about this team’s ceiling for 2026, but it’s hard to imagine that the offense will be a primary reason for any failures they could experience. 

4. Minnesota Vikings (3)

Like the rest of the division, head coach Kevin O’Connell is a top-notch offensive mind and a very good head coach. He’s squeezed every drop of juice out of this team since taking over, but the quarterback position finally did them in last season. Assuming that is drastically improved, this is a group that could see a bounce-back year and is right in the mix as a Top 10 offense. 

How would you rank each offensive position group in the division?

Kingston Hall

True Freshman | 6-4 | 285 lbs. | Tahlequah, Oklahoma

• Position: Defensive Tackle
• Previous College: None
• Projection: Redshirt
• Status: On Scholarship

Kingston “King” Hall (b. May 8, 2008) is a promising young defensive tackle from northeast Oklahoma.

Hall prepped under head coach Brad Gilbert at Tahlequah (Okla.) High School, where he was viewed as the 99th-best defensive tackle in the Class of 2026 by ESPN. He recorded 105 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, one pass breakup and two fumble recoveries during his three-year career.

Hall also played running back as a sophomore and junior, rushing 12 times for 144 yards and a touchdown.

He was named to The Oklahoman’s Super 30 list for the Class of 2026, in addition to being on the VYPE Top 100 preseason list, and also competed in track for the Tigers — running the 100-meter dash and 800-meter run — in addition to basketball.

Hall, who plans on majoring in kinesiology, signed with Kansas State over offers from Baylor, East Central, Maryland, North Texas, Northeastern State, Rice, Texas State, Tulsa and UNLV. His lead recruiter was former defensive tackles coach Mike Tuiasosopo, assisted by former defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman.

Here’s what GoPowercat.com had to say about this impressive prospect:

“Hall is a disruptive presence on the interior, combining a quick first step with the strength to anchor against the run. His background at defensive end gives him agility for a tackle, while his motor and physicality stand out. With continued development, Hall projects as a player who could contribute in multiple roles at the next level.”

“I chose K-State because they were really recruiting me the hardest and they were the first ones to actually come down and talk to me and see me play,” Hall told Yahoo! Sports.

“I also built a good relationship with the coaches and recruiting staff. The coaches were really interested in what I did outside of football, and talking to them about anything really showed me they were 100 percent genuine.

“I’m looking to make an impact early by just perfecting my craft, being coachable, studying my playbook and being able to make plays anytime I get on the field, even if I’m on special teams. Having a high motor, knowing my role, being consistent and becoming a leader will also help me make an impact early.”

Check out this recruiting profile of Hall for more information and senior film at GoPowercat.com.

The UFC embarks on its most ambitious event in history with the upcoming White House card on June 14 and that includes the additional programming to be shown during the event.

Unlike typical UFC cards that feature promos, sizzle reels and hype videos for future fights or events, the promotion is changing its routine entirely for the UFC White House card, which takes place outdoors on the south lawn with only invited guests serving as attendees. Much like the Noche UFC event that took place inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, the UFC plans to show different vignettes during the event that celebrate America’s 250th anniversary rather than the typical promos that would usually play between fights.

“What this fight is really all about, and why we’re doing it at the White House, is it’s the 250th birthday of America,” UFC CEO Dana White told The Hollywood Reporter. “So from the first fight of the night until the main event, we will tell the story of America.

“You’ve got the far right, you’ve got the far left, and people thinking that this is going to be like some type of political thing. This is the 250th birthday of America. That’s the story that we’re going to tell. If you are American, this is relevant to you as an American. Everybody, no matter what your politics are, or any of that other bullshit.”

While further details about the programming weren’t revealed, Craig Borsari, the UFC’s head of production and chief content officer, echoed White’s comments that the UFC White House card will play out like a celebration of America throughout the televised event.

“This is a very patriotic moment for us to integrate a little bit about the history of this country, a little bit about celebrating our heroes and celebrating our independence,” Borsari said.

As of now, the UFC White House card is scheduled to air only on Paramount+ with the event kicking off at 8 p.m. ET with seven total fights taking place. Ilia Topuria battles Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout in the main event.

The rest of the broadcast plans, including the commentators working the event and other details are expected to be released in the coming days ahead of next Saturday’s card.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kickoff on June 11th, the historic and most watched sporting event globally is just days away from opening. This year’s World Cup will feature 48 national teams, making it the most countries ever to qualify. The tournament is spread across three countries, with the USA serving as the key nation, with games being played in both Canada and Mexico. 

Before the massive spectacle begins, let’s have some fun and compare the Dallas Cowboys starting roster with the best FIFA players at this year’s World Cup. We’ll explore the reasons why each player is a close comparison, and which nation each player is representing. Without further ado, let’s dive in and leave your thoughts in the comments about who you think best compares to Cowboys players and the stars of this year’s FIFA World Cup. 

Dak Prescott –Harry Kane, England

Prescott is a veteran captain and distributor, like Kane blending leadership, timing and finishing.

Javonte Williams – Viktor Gyökeres, Sweden

Williams runs through contact with balance, like Gyökeres powering through defenders as a striker.

CeeDee Lamb- Kylian Mbappé, France

Lamb is Dallas’ primary coverage-bending superstar, just as Mbappé is France’s defensive game-plan breaker.

George Pickens – Rafael Leão, Portugal

Pickens’ size-speed, contested-catch flair and vertical explosiveness match Leão’s tall, powerful, highlight-driven attacking style.

Jake Ferguson – Chris Wood, New Zealand

Ferguson’s big frame, physical strength, contested-area toughness, and dependable short-area finishing best match Wood’s classic target-man style.

Tyler Guyton – Theo Hernández, France

Guyton’s rare offensive tackle movement skills compare to Theo’s explosive, long-striding edge athleticism.

Tyler Smith – Virgil van Dijk, Netherlands

Smith’s massive frame, reliable week-to-week dominance, balance, hand usage, and technical control best match Van Dijk’s size, composure, elite positioning, and dependable command of the back line.

Cooper Beebe – Manuel Akanji, Switzerland

Beebe’s size, center-of-the-line dependability, processing, and quiet technical consistency best match Akanji’s sturdy, intelligent, mistake-limiting defensive style.

Tyler Booker – Joško Gvardiol, Croatia

Booker’s young, huge, physical, high-upside guard profile best matches Gvardiol’s young starting-caliber defensive presence, strength, composure, and long-term star trajectory.

Terence Steele – Julian Ryerson, Norway

Steele’s edge-protection value fits Ryerson’s physical, high-motor wide defending.

Quinnen Williams – N’Golo Kanté, France

Williams ruins blocking schemes from the interior, like Kanté ruins possession structures in midfield.

Kenny Clark – Casemiro, Brazil

Clark controls interior gaps with power, like Casemiro protecting the center of the pitch.

Rashan Gary – Antonee Robinson, USA

Gary’s edge explosiveness, size-adjusted athleticism, power, and ability to collapse space best match Robinson’s high-speed, physical, two-way dominance on the left flank.

Donovan Ezeiruaku – Achraf Hakimi, Morocco

Ezeiruaku’s bend, first-step burst, outside-track pressure and disruptive edge athleticism best match Hakimi’s explosive flank speed, recovery range and ability to turn the edge into a weapon.

Dee Winters – John McGinn, Scotland

Winters’ compact linebacker build, urgency, pursuit range, toughness, and contact-heavy disruption best match McGinn’s stocky, powerful, intelligent midfield style and relentless ball-winning work.

DeMarvion Overshown – Seko Fofana, Ivory Coast

Overshown’s long-frame athleticism, explosive pursuit, blitzing burst, and second-level disruption best match Fofana’s powerful box-to-box range, physical ball-winning, and ability to turn defense into instant pressure.

DaRon Bland – Cristian Romero, Argentina

Bland’s anticipation, coverage confidence, physical competitiveness, and takeaway instincts best match Romero’s aggressive, front-foot defending, timing, and ability to read danger early to turn a defensive play into a scoring opportunity are a great comparison. 

Shavon Revel Jr. – Ronald Araújo, Uruguay

Revel’s length, press-man physicality, size-speed profile, tackling willingness, and high-upside coverage tools best match Araújo’s powerful, athletic, aggressive defensive style.

Cobie Durant – Ko Itakura, Japan

Durant’s compact, smart, sticky coverage style and outside/nickel flexibility best match Itakura’s composed defending, positional intelligence, technical discipline, and ability to handle multiple defensive responsibilities.

Malik Hooker – Alisson Becker, Brazil

Hooker’s veteran deep-safety range, anticipation, back-end communication, and explosive-play prevention best match Alisson’s composed, space-controlling, last-line defensive presence for Brazil at goalkeeper. 

Caleb Downs – Pau Cubarsí, Spain

Downs’ young-star safety profile, elite instincts, range, calm processing, and defensive playmaking best match 19-year old Cubarsí’s rare maturity, intelligent reads, technical composure, and early-impact defensive role for Spain.

KaVontae Turpin – Jérémy Doku, Belgium

Turpin’s elite burst, return-man field-flipping ability, gadget explosiveness, and open-space elusiveness best match Doku’s sudden dribbling, short-area acceleration, and chaos-creating threat on the wing.

Brandon Aubrey – Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

Aubrey is Dallas’ dead-ball weapon, much like Ronaldo who remains a set-piece and clutch-shot threat.

Bryan Anger – Jordan Pickford, England

Anger’s booming punts, field-position control, and ability to flip the field best match Pickford’s huge left-footed distribution, long goal kicks, and counter-starting range.

For the second year in a row, the Diamond Heels of UNC will host a former PAC-12 member in a Chapel Hill Super Regional after the Southern California Trojans came out of Texas A&M’s College Station Regional as the #2 seed. UNC will be hoping that this time, they’re more successful than they were a year ago, as they try to make a return to Omaha. Beating the Trojans will be no easy task, though. Here’s a look at the team coming to Chapel Hill this weekend.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that USC weren’t regional hosts; they had a very good season. They finished the season with a 42-14 record and rank 8th in RPI. The Big Ten is not a great baseball conference, but they ran through everybody in it except for regional hosts UCLA, Nebraska, and Oregon the way that a good team should have, finishing with a 20-10 conference record that included getting swept at UCLA and Nebraska and losing a series at Oregon that featured two extra-innings games — they might have had a notably different season had any of those series been at home. They probably ended up not hosting despite the lofty RPI because metrics like DSR had them lower and they entered the tournament with just one win against Quad 1 opponents, but was more down to lack of opportunity outside of those top 3 teams in their conference than ability — as shown by their two-game sweep of Texas A&M to take the Regional.

Things start on the mound for USC, where they start arguably the best pitcher in the country in lefty Mason Edwards, who could be a first-round pick in July. Edwards’ 164 strikeouts are first in the country by a margin of 27 — that’s also the difference between #2 and #11. He’s also second in the country with an ERA of 1.85, and first with a batting average against of .153. Again, level of competition has a little bit to do with that, but he’s shown his stuff on the big stages, too — 6 innings of shutout ball against Oregon, and 4 shutout innings on 66 pitches in the Big 10 Tournament against Michigan State. He did get touched up in the 5th inning against Lamar in their first elimination game on Saturday, however. Edwards throws a low-90s fastball with a lot of ride, but the real weapons are his curveball and changeup, which both have insane (60+%, when 40% is well above average) whiff rates and make him hard to square up in any count. If he has a weakness, it’s his zone command — he’s allowed 43 walks in his 92.2 innings, which is slightly elevated compared to everything else he’s done. It’s a bit of a meme around Diamond Heels fans that UNC’s otherwise good lineups get shut down by crafty, off-speed heavy lefties — Edwards is kind of the platonic ideal of such a pitcher and this lineup is going to have to work at-bats deep and limit their swings to try and chase him early in their matchup.

The other Trojan starters are no slouches, either. Saturday starter Grant Govel was also First Team All-Big Ten after recording a 2.93 ERA in 84.2 regular season innings pitched. He’s a less overpowering pitcher than Edwards, with 96 punchouts in 98.1 total innings, but he’s also only walked 15 batters all year and that contributes to his unreal 0.88 WHIP, the best remaining in the tournament. He’s got a little bit more velocity than Edwards, running the heater up to 95 in-game, but like his Friday counterpart, his real weapon is his changeup, and figuring out both his off-speed as a righty and Edwards’ as a lefty has given opposing lineups fits all season. USC has had some adventures finding a consistent third starter, but freshman Diego Velazquez has been pretty good in that role lately, with an ERA right around 4 and a batting average against of .207. When he gets hit, he gets hit hard, but he can eat innings if hitters swing too freely against him.

USC’s bullpen isn’t as star-studded as the starting rotation, but they’ve got a few good options. Relief ace Sax Matson holds opposing batters under .200 and has 54 strikeouts in 42 innings; closer Adam Troy has 12 saves, and the first-year duo of Gavin Lauridsen and sometimes starter Chase Herrell have combined for 100 innings with ERAs under 5. As a team, the Trojans rank 3rd in staff ERA — and while that’s a little inflated due to their competition, they’re also 19th in xFIP and SIERA, stats that attempt to adjust for, among other things, quality of opposition. This is, in short, a very good pitching staff that will rank among the best top-to-bottom that the Heels have faced outside of practice — the only real counterpoint might be Clemson.

On the offensive side, the Trojans were pretty underwhelming in the regular season, with a team slash line of .282/.384/.485, all of which ranked around ~100th in the country. They’ve hit 88 home runs on the year, which is pretty solid and ranks in the nation’s top 40, but that power hasn’t been quite enough to offset below-average contact rates and zone control — they record 1.61 strikeouts for every walk, which ranks worse than 100th, and all of that adds up to a wRC+ (a stat that attempts to condense and normalize offensive effectiveness into one, context-adjusted number) of 106, or 6% above D1 average for a ranking of 79th.

That would be the story here, but USC got white-hot in their regional, though, scoring 55 runs in their 4 wins while batting .390 and hitting 8 home runs. That version of this Trojans team could be really dangerous, especially because they did it with offensive leader Jack Basseer (.341/.441/.629, 27 XBH) playing below his standard. Catcher Isaac Cadena (.305/.436/.524, 16 2B) and DH Augie Lopez (.279/.367/.605, team-leading 19 HR and the Regional MOP) stand out as the big threats after Basseer, while CF Kevin Takeushi fits the classic leadoff profile to a T with a 43:42 K-BB ratio and 14 stolen bases on 15 attempts.

While they haven’t been fantastic with the bat, this is an outstanding defensive lineup. The available defensive metrics for college baseball aren’t the most reliable, but it’s certainly not nothing that USC ranks first in the country in opponent BABIP (batting average on balls in play) and 15th in fielding percentage. They have a strong up-the-middle combination as well as an outstanding defensive third baseman in Kevin Tekeuchi, who has a .976 fielding percentage. Surprisingly to me, they’ve only turned 36 double plays all season — this could be because a lot of their innings are eaten by pitchers who don’t allow a lot of balls in play, or because they’re more sound than they are dynamic, or it could be both; I haven’t watched enough of them to say for sure. But I do know that this is not a team that you cannot expect to give away extra outs to a lineup.

This appears to be a matchup of strength on strength — two teams that have made their hay this season on pitching, defense, and at least enough offense to get by. UNC’s had the more consistent offense all season, ranking in the nation’s top 25 or so in most relevant categories, but USC might just have the caliber of arm barn to limit them — then again, the Trojans haven’t seen a lot of staffs like UNC’s, either. It’s a fascinating head-to-head, and it’s shaping up to be a weekend of good baseball. The Heels are at home and the higher seed, so they’ll be favored to win, but as I said at the opening, this is a serious opponent.

Arsenal possess one of the strongest squads in world football, which explains why so many of their players are regularly selected for international duty. Several members of Mikel Arteta’s team will also represent their respective countries at this summer’s World Cup in North America.

The United States, Mexico and Canada are hosting the tournament, and clubs across the world will be closely monitoring the fitness of their players throughout the competition. Major international events often place significant physical demands on players, making injury concerns unavoidable for managers preparing for the following campaign.

For Arsenal, maintaining the health of their squad will be particularly important as they look to build on recent success and prepare for the challenges of the 2026/2027 season.

Arsenal Stars Set for World Cup Duty

The Gunners have a strong chance of defending the Premier League title after ending their lengthy wait for the crown. They will also enter a new chapter in the competition, creating further optimism around the club’s prospects for the coming season.

A successful campaign could depend in part on how many players return from international duty fit and ready for the demands of pre-season preparations. As a result, Arsenal supporters will be paying close attention to developments throughout the tournament.

The club’s large international contingent highlights the quality and depth available within Arteta’s squad.

Sixteen Players Representing Their Nations

According to ESPN, Arsenal will have 16 players involved in the World Cup. The England contingent consists of Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze.

Spain will be represented by David Raya, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi, while Piero Hincapie will feature for Ecuador. Leandro Trossard has been selected by Belgium, Kai Havertz will represent Germany, Viktor Gyokeres will play for Sweden, and both Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel are included in Brazil’s squad.

Elsewhere, Martin Odegaard will represent Norway, William Saliba has been selected by France, and Jurrien Timber will feature for the Netherlands.

With so many key players involved, Arsenal will be hoping each of them enjoys a successful tournament and returns in good condition ahead of what promises to be another demanding season at club level.

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Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad raised a few eyebrows when it was announced a few weeks ago.

England head into this tournament without arguably three of their most talented players as the likes of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all being left at home.

However, perhaps the most surprising selection was the decision to call Ivan Toney back into the side.

Toney hadn’t been a favourite under Thomas Tuchel for the past 12 months, and many believed his move to Saudi Arabia had dashed his international hopes.

Surprisingly, Toney is now back in the fold, and speaking on TNT Sports, Owen Hargreaves has come up with a theory why Toney is in the team.

Ivan Toney is only in the England squad because of Arsenal

Ivan Toney may not be an Arsenal player, but according to Owen Hargreaves, the Gunners are the reason he is in the England side.

Indeed, Hargreaves claims Thomas Tuchel has been influenced by Arsenal’s set-piece prowess, and he thinks Toney is in the team to add that extra physical presence from set plays should it be needed.

“He’s gone for more of an Arsenal look, you have Saka and you have Declan Rice, you have great delivery,” Mertin Keown said.

“That’s why Ivan Toney is in isn’t he? Set pieces and pens, it’s like ‘I can throw him in.’ I think Thomas has looked at what Arsenal have done and thought ‘ok I can have a bit of that.’” Hargreaves added.

Toney is certainly a presence from set plays, a skill he harnessed to great effect at Brentford.

Indeed, under Thomas Frank, set pieces were vital for Brentford, and Toney was, quite often, the man on the end of them.

The striker will add that extra presence in the box if needed, and, of course, as one of the best penalty takers in the world, he’ll be crucial if any match heads to a shootout.

Toney may be England’s third-choice striker, but don’t be shocked if he has a big say on how this summer pans out.

White Sox are 'perfect fit' for Angels' 4.63 ERA starter at trade deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago White Sox are having a much better season than most could've expected, as they're sitting in a postseason spot at the moment, and are very much a contender.

While they might be in decent shape at the moment, the White Sox do have a few issues with the team that might be worth exploring upgrades for at the trade deadline. Outfield is a need, but the starting rotation is their top issue to resolve.

ESPN's Jeff Passan, amid such a need for the White Sox, linked them in a trade to the Los Angeles Angels' 4.63 ERA starter Reid Detmers in what would be a "perfect fit," according to Passan.

White Sox would be 'perfect fit' for Reid Detmers trade

"But a starter with multiple years of control, like Detmers -- who would be a perfect fit, and for whom the White Sox could dip into a system soon to be infused with the No. 1 pick in the draft..." Passan writes.

Detmers might not be the best starting pitcher available for trade this year, as his 4.63 ERA leaves a bit to be desired.

But the 26-year-old starter is under contract through the 2028 season, and that mediocre ERA mark might actually help diminish how costly it would be to add Detmers in a trade.

The White Sox need to improve the starting rotation and ideally, add someone who could be around for longer than just the 2026 season.

MORE: Ex-MLB GM projects White Sox to sell at trade deadline despite 2026 success

Someone like Tarik Skubal or Freddy Peralta, pitchers who are one-year rentals, would not make as much sense for the White Sox as someone like Detmers, who's under control for longer.

The 2026 season isn't the only year this team will be competitive. In fact, since this season is a bit of a surprise, it makes more sense to add someone who will be around longer than a rental.

Detmers had a 3.77 ERA in 25 starts back in 2022, and as a reliever in 2025, he had a 3.96 ERA. He's a bit of an unknown, but for the White Sox, such a pitcher would make for a "perfect fit" at this year's trade deadline.

More MLB news:

• 5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for Cardinals
• Tarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agency
• Cubs’ cost to trade for Tarik Skubal from Tigers revealed by ex-MLB GM
• Yankees’ Ryan McMahon problem has a $25 million release solution
• Phillies extending Cristopher Sanchez to his $107 million deal was genius

The Detroit Lions are coing off a rough season, missing the postseason entirely. They have a lot of talent remaining on the roster, but the rookies joining the team are expected to help take them back over the edge in a difficult NFC. However, one of their rookies suffered an apparant injury and the early prognosis does not look good. Let’s take a closer look at which Detroit Lions rookie it is and what it means for the team going forward.

Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver suffers a torn ACL in practice

The Detroit Lions are going to be getting tested with their wide receiver depth early on. During Thursday’s press conference, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell announced that rookie wide receiver Kendrick Law suffered a torn ACL and will miss the entire 2026 season. He suffered a noncontact injury earlier this week, and the results of the injury have confirmed what was expected. Law spent last season with the Kentucky Wildcats and the previous three years with the Alabama Crimson Tide before the Lions drafted him in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He finished last season with 53 catches for 540 yards (10.2 yards per reception) and three receiving touchdowns.

The Lions now have the following wide receivers on the roster:

• Amon-Ra St. Brown
• Jameson Williams
• Isaac TeSlaa
• Cedrick Wilson Jr
• Greg Dortch
• Jackson Meeks
• Tom Kennedy
• Dominc Lovett
• Malik Cunningham

According to Over The Cap, the Lions have $18.5 million remaining on this year’s salary cap, so they can sign one of the free agent wide receivers remaining to fill the void. It will be intriguing to see what the Detroit Lions decide to do now. Law will not have a chance to make his NFL debut until the 2027 season now, which stinks for him, but gives him a chance to learn the playbook from the sidelines while recovering from the injury.

The post Detroit Lions Rookie Suffers Season-Ending Injury During 2026 Practice appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.

I found myself outside a Walmart at 6 a.m. on a Wednesday, because sometimes being the father of a nine-year-old is like that. My daughter informed me the evening before, right as she was going to bed, that she had to have a plain white t-shirt they were going to decorate in class for the end of school — and naturally, I’m not organized enough to have checked the class email to have this prepared ahead of time. Instead of venturing out that evening I figured “I’ll go in the morning when nobody is there yet.”

Arriving just before six, there was a huddled mass of between 12 and 15 men, aged from their early-to-mid 20s. I figured it had to have something to do with sports cards, and I was right. This was a weekly ritual for the citizen dirtbags of my central North Carolina city, teeming outside the Walmart to buy up every card put on the shelves, not to open as collectors, but to turn around and flip them on Facebook marketplace for profit. I stood within enough of an earshot to hear them bragging about how much profit they made the week prior, then I heard something that absolutely floored me.

“I got all their Needohs last week,” a man exclaimed joyfully. “Just took them right off the stock cart. Dude working gave me shit, and I was like ‘touch grass, asshole.’ Flipped them all the same week for $40 each.”

For the uninitiated, Needohs are satisfying, squishy, sensory cubes that’s the fad among the under-10 set right now. You could walk into a Walmart or Target and get them for under $10 a few months ago, but there’s scarcity now — so adult vultures are tracking down the stock, buying them all, and flipping them online. At the time of writing every Needoh on Walmart.com is re-selling for 300-400% markup, capitalizing on the FOMO of children to line the pockets of the worst people around.

Cards and squishy cubes are one thing when it comes to social parasites, because at the end of the day it’s just stuff. Sure, it’s gross — but ultimately nobody needs these things, and so long as you can get away from the FOMO and social pressure of not possessing them, the whole process loses its power. What’s truly insidious is how resellers have gleefully and openly infiltrated the realm of sports, and how we’ve just accepted it to the point that we’ve normalized the expectation in 2026 is that you’re always going to have to pay a premium markup to see a team live. If you want to make memories, then you best give your pound of flesh to the scavengers.

Discussion around reselling and price gouging is making headlines this week in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup, the NBA Finals, and the NHL Stanley Cup Finals. Three marquee events, all suffering from the pains of parasitic resellers.

FIFA came under fire for instituting “dynamic pricing” for this year’s World Cup, which has resulted in exorbitant prices, ensuring only the most wealthy are going to games. In response to criticism, FIFA released a tranche of over 77,000 public tickets via their official website, only to see them disappear almost instantly. Newsweek is reporting that these tickets were bought out immediately and then placed on reseller websites.

The amount of excitement around the New York Knicks’ first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 is having a similar effect, with resellers purchasing every available seat over a month ago, banking on the possibility that the Knicks might make the Finals. Now that it has come to fruition, <a href="https://www.stubhub.com/new-york-knicks-new-york-tickets-6-8-2026/event/160286427/?backUrl=%2Fnew-york-knicks-tickets%2Fperformer%2F2742we’re seeing individual upper deck tickets sell at the lowest for $7,517 each. This experiential premium preys on the emotions of a fanbase desperate to see their team at the most important time of the season, and technology has enabled resellers to not even have the decency of standing outside the area with a hastily drawn sign screaming “I need tickets” in reverse code for scalping.

This isn’t simply a problem when it comes to global events like the World Cup, or big-market teams like the New York Knicks. Just this week both the Carolina Hurricanes and Ticketmaster had to release statements as fans in Raleigh grew furious that resellers had taken over the market for the Stanley Cup, where “Verified Resale Tickets” consumed the entire market, selling for over $1000 each for nosebleed seats that sell for between $40-60 during the regular season.

Every time this pops up both ticket platforms and teams share a similar refrain: There’s nothing we can do about it. Ticket price gouging has been normalized to the point where even those in charge of selling tickets accept that nothing can be done.

Something can be done, and it has been done in other countries — but not here. The Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act of 2016 was signed into law in the twilight of the Obama administration with the purpose of trying to end online resellers of live events, but the scope of the bill was hysterically naive. Instead of making it illegal to price gouge, the bill only banned using software to bypass control measures like Captcha, or use exploits inside the back-end of a sellers’ websites. Sophisticated online buyers still use bot farms to harvest their tickets, but stop short of crossing the line of the BOTS act, ostensibly making their entire racket legal.

That has brought us into the hellscape we’re in now, where it’s impossible for anyone but the wealthiest to attend the games that mean the most, and it is a uniquely American problem. Only 16 states have anti-scalping laws that would protect consumers from price gouging, but the majority of these laws are out of date. They address issues like reselling tickets within the radius of an arena, or selling for above face value — but there’s nothing stopping someone from selling online from a state without scalping safeguards.

Meanwhile, ticket vendors themselves act like there’s nothing that can be done, but that’s because of the enormous money they are bringing in. In a perfect world they would simply block reselling tickets purchased on their platform, but they have a vested interest in seeing these tickets sold two or more times. With service fees of 10-15% per transaction, they actively want to sell a ticket for $100 (pocketing $10-15), and then see a ticket sold again on their site for $1,000 (pocketing $100-150). The more times a ticket changes hands, the more money they make — and resellers allow for the perfect villain where platforms get to say “it’s their fault” and point at the price gougers, when in reality they’re benefiting just as much.

This is an issue other nations are solving. The United Kingdom has legislation on the books that will ban all ticket sales at prices above face value, which is expected to be enacted into law later this year. Canada is taking on FIFA directly, serving notice that they’re in breach of federal law banning sales above face value for the World Cup. In Australia, reselling is either banned entirely or limited so nobody can profit more than 10% over face value before they are breaking the law. Price gouging is also banned in France, Germany is passing laws to match them, with Spain following suit.

Meanwhile in the USA, nothing is happening. In March of 2025 the White House made a promise to better enforce the BOTS bill and protect consumers from price gouging, but over a year later, there has been no movement on the issue. The expectation was that the administration was doing this to get ahead of the 2026 World Cup, but the tournament is functionally here — and price gouging has taken center stage throughout the process.

The entire situation is rotten. Tens of thousands of fans are being robbed of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, so talentless vultures with no other marketable skills can claim they’re “on their grind,” profiting off the misery of others. A generation of children are unable to experience events like the World Cup, the playoffs, or a finals game unless they’ve been born into enormous wealth. We are fast approaching a time where no kids have seen a sports event live with their parents because tickets prices are so expensive that it’s impossible to justify a family night at a game.

This is more than making $30 profit on a squishy cube sold at Walmart, it’s ripping the heart out of something we hold so dear. We need our representatives to all step up and stop the practice of live event price gouging — and it’s something so easy to enact that it could be done within days.

Eighth-seeded Mirra Andreeva advanced to her first Grand Slam final on Thursday with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Marta Kostyuk in the semifinals of the French Open in Paris.

The Russian teenager recorded two aces and took advantage of four double faults by Kostyuk en route to ending the match in 76 minutes. Kostyuk, from Ukraine, saw her 17-match winning streak come to a halt.

"I am happy that I am in my first-ever Grand Slam final. All of these feelings combined, it is amazing," Andreeva said. "I just told myself, no matter what happens, I am going to fight and give my best. With this kind of mindset, I ended up winning."

Andreeva, 19, will square off against either countrywoman Diana Shnaider, the 25th seed, or Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska. The second semifinal was being contested Thursday.

The politically charged matchup involving Andreeva and Kostyuk did not feature a traditional pre-match picture of the two players or a post-match handshake.

In between, Andreeva won the first four games and cruised to victory in the first set.

Kostyuk lost serve in the second game of the second set and never threatened as Andreeva defeated Kostyuk for the first time in three tries.

"I'm still very nervous, very nervous coming to this match as she's had an amazing season, she hadn't lost on clay, so that put pressure," Andreeva said.

"Until this match she hasn't lost a match on clay, so of course that puts a lot of pressure. She's an amazing player, very tough opponent and I'm first of all super happy with the way I played today, then I'm happy that I got a revenge from Madrid final, and then as well I'm happy that I'm in my first ever Grand Slam final. All of these feelings combined … I've never felt anything like this before, and I'm very excited about the last match here in Paris."

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Russian teen Mirra Andreeva coasts into French Open final

Sale's top try-scorer Tom O'Flaherty has signed a one-year contract extension with the Sharks.

The prolific wing, 31, has been rewarded for a fine individual season in what has been a challenging campaign for the team, after scoring 12 Prem tries and 17 in all this season.

"Tom has consistently been one of our top performers, both in terms of his work rate and his quality, since he joined the club, but this season he's gone to another level," Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson told the club website.

"He scores a lot of tries and does everything you want from a winger, but more importantly I love how he energises the group, often in the really difficult moments.

"Tom is a really important part of the group – on and off the field – and we're all really pleased that he's staying."

O'Flaherty joined Sale from Exeter four seasons ago and has gone on to make 85 appearances for the club.

More than 22 years after Jason Koumas scored his first goal for Wales, his son Lewis followed in his footsteps this week against Ghana - grabbing a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

There have been many famous father-son duos to have played international football, such as Denmark goalkeeper greats Kasper and Peter Schmeichel, and Norway stars Alf-Inge and Erling Haaland to name just two.

Remarkably there are three generations of Maldinis who have all turned out for the Italian national team.

But just how many father-son footballers have both scored goals on the international stage?

BBC Sport takes a look at some of the families with the goal-scoring touch.

Lewis and Jason Koumas

Who else could we begin with after Tuesday?

No doubt Jason Koumas was beaming with pride as his son Lewis headed in a Neco Williams cross to salvage a 1-1 draw for Wales at home to World Cup-bound Ghana.

The 20-year-old came through the academy at Liverpool and, despite not making an appearance for the Reds, many have high hopes he could cement himself as a regular in Wales' starting XI in the future.

Donning Wales' 150th anniversary shirt, Lewis opened his Wales account on a memorable night for the Koumas family.

His father Jason was no stranger in front of goal himself, scoring 10 goals in 34 appearances for his national team.

Twenty-two years prior to Lewis' great header, Jason got off the mark for Wales when he scored in a 2-1 friendly win against Hungary in Budapest at the age of 24.

With Bellamy seeing Lewis' future as a centre-forward, and with time on his side, could we see the youngster surpass his father's tally in years to come?

Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ian Wright

When Ian Wright adopted the son of his then partner back in 1984, not many could have predicted the stellar careers they would go on to have.

Wright adopted Shaun Wright-Phillips seven years before he made his England debut in 1991, and the former Premier League Golden Boot winner went on to make 33 appearances for the Three Lions.

Ian scored his first goal in a 1994 World Cup qualifier away to Poland and would score nine for England across his international career.

Shaun did not have to wait as long as his father to make his mark on the international stage.

Under the management of Sven Goran Erikson, he burst onto the England scene as a half-time substitute during a friendly with Ukraine - scoring a fantastic solo goal in a 3-0 victory, the first of six for the former Manchester City winger.

Shaun's younger brother Bradley Wright-Phillips looked likely to become the third member of the Wright family to play for England after appearing at under-20 level, but the striker never earned a cap at senior level for the Three Lions.

Jordi and Johan Cruyff

Total football, the Cruyff Turn, a hatful of trophies; few footballers have influenced the game more than Johan Cruyff.

During his career the Dutchman transformed the way the game was played, as a player and as a manager for his beloved Ajax and Barcelona.

He also enjoyed a remarkable career at international level, scoring 33 goals in 48 games for the Netherlands as they dazzled opponents with their wonderful style of play.

A tough act to follow, and his son Jordi never quite lived up to his father's reputation despite boasting an impressive CV of his own.

The former Premier League winner made nine appearances for the Dutch national side and scored his only goal in a 2-0 win over Switzerland at Villa Park during Euro 1996.

Despite spells at Barcelona and Manchester United, he made the most appearances for Alaves and never appeared for the national team after 1996.

Johan left a legacy as a World Cup icon, Jordi was appointed technical director of Barcelona in 2022 and is currently working in the same role at Ajax.

Federico and Enrico Chiesa

Federico Chiesa made history during Euro 2020, when he emulated his father Enrico to become the first father and son pair to score in the European Championships.

Enrico played his whole career in his native Italy, turning out for historic clubs Sampdoria, Parma, Fiorentina and Lazio, and he scored seven goals in 17 appearances for the Azzurri.

The striker was selected by manager Arrigo Sacchi for Euro 1996, during which he scored Italy's only goal in a 2-1 loss to the Czech Republic before they crashed out in the first round.

His son Federico, while playing for Fiorentina, was called up to the Italian national squad for Euro 2020 and received the man of the match award in a 1-0 victory over Wales in Rome.

Then as if written in the stars, 25 years and 12 days after his father scored against the Czechs, Federico scored Italy's opener in a 2-1 win over Austria in extra time.

Italy advanced to the final where they dispatched England on penalties to lift their first trophy since winning the World Cup in 2006.

Jordan and Andre Ayew, and Abedi Pele

Many will remember the Ghanian Abedi Pele for his spell with Marseille, who he helped fire to their only Champions League triumph in 1993 when they defeated AC Milan.

The man dubbed the 'African Maradona' is an icon for the Black Stars, his speed and dribbling helping him dominate African football in the late 1980s and '90s.

Despite never qualifying for a World Cup, he made 73 appearances and scored 33 goals in a glittering international career.

Unlike the other inclusions on this list, Abedi has not one, but two sons who have delivered on the international stage.

His eldest son Andre, holds the joint record for the most appearances for Ghana with 120. He has scored 24 goals over that period including three at the World Cup.

It is a joint record because younger brother Jordan, the former Swansea City and Crystal Palace favourite currently at Leicester City, joined Andre on 120 caps in the draw with Wales. He has a goal return of 33.

Just as his father did at the age of 18, Andre opened his national team account in 2010 during an African Cup of Nations fixture against Burkina Faso.

Jordan followed their trajectory on 1 June, 2012 in a World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, completing the family trifecta of Ghana goal scorers.

Timothy and George Weah

George and Timothy Weah also share the father and son international goalscoring gene.

It is fair to say that George has gone down an unusual path for a footballer post-retirement.

One of African football's icons, the former Ballon d'Or and Fifa World Player of the Year winner enjoyed a stellar career playing for some of Europe's most historic clubs and made 75 appearances for the Liberia national team, scoring 18 goals.

After retiring from professional football, George began a career in politics and served as president of Liberia from 2018 to 2024.

Many Wales supporters will not hold fond memories of his son Timothy, the USA international.

During the first half of Wales' first World Cup match since 1958, he slotted past Wayne Hennessey to give the USA the lead, before Gareth Bale salvaged a draw for the Dragons in Qatar.

Despite not turning out for his father's beloved Liberia, Brooklyn-born Timothy has enjoyed a fine international career, scoring seven times in 50 games for the USA.

Andri and Sveinn, Eidur and Arnor Gudjohnsen

Former Anderlecht forward Arnor Gudjohnsen and his son Eidur hold a very unusual footballing record.

They are the only father and son to play for a national football team during the same game, when Iceland defeated Estonia 3-0 in 1996.

Arnor, who was 34 at the time, was replaced by his 17-year-old son in the second half making his international debut.

Former Chelsea, Barcelona and Bolton Wanderers forward Eidur would go on to play 88 times for his country, and his 26 goals put him third on the list of top scorers for Iceland.

Eidur's two oldest sons, Sveinn and Andri, have continued the family tradition of getting on the scoresheet for the national side, with Andri netting during the 4-1 defeat by Wales in 2024.

Their younger brother Daniel will be looking to join his siblings with a goal having made five appearances for Iceland already at 20 years old.

Honourable mentions

This list is not exhaustive.

There are plenty of father-son partnerships that have made their mark on the international stage.

Justin Kluivert and his father Patrick could soon be added to this roll of honour. Patrick bagged an impressive 40 goals during his 79-cap Netherlands career.

Bournemouth midfielder Justin is yet to score for the Oranje, but will be looking to change that at the upcoming World Cup this summer.

If Justin finds the net for the Netherlands, the Kluiverts will join the Gudjohnsens in having three successive generations score at international level, as grandfather Kenneth scored twice for Suriname in three appearances.

Sergio Conceicao scored a famous hat-trick for Portugal against Germany at Euro 2000, and 24 years later his son Francisco ensured they replicated the Chiesas as he scored for Portugal in the opening match of Euro 2024.

As Wales prepare for their friendly against Romania on Saturday, it is fitting that we discuss Welsh tormenter Georghe Hagi and his son Ianis.

Georghe was apart of the Romania side that qualified for three consecutive World Cups and scored 35 goals for his national team, while his son Ianis has scored eight times for his country.

As Argentina prepare to defend their World Cup triumph, Diego Simeone and his two sons deserve a mention.

Diego scored 11 goals in 106 appearances, while his eldest son Giovanni scored once, and the exciting prospect and youngest son Giuliano has 11 caps to his name and a goal against rivals Brazil in 2025.

Nintendo confirms Switch 2 redesign that complies with EU regulations Nintendo has officially confirmed that it is releasing a new version of its Switch 2 console that complies with upcoming EU battery regulations. These regulations state that devices should have batteries that are easily removable and replaceable. The EU’s new regulations come into force on […]

The post Nintendo confirms new EU Switch 2 model with replaceable battery appeared first on OC3D.

The most powerful console-sized gaming PC? At Computex 2026, ASUS has unveiled a new “Edition 20” version of its ROG NUC 16, elevating the system with higher-end hardware and an “Edition 20” black and gold aesthetic. This console-sized gaming PC includes an Intel Ultra 9 290HX PLUS CPU and an Nvidia RTX 5090 graphics card. […]

The post The Ultimate console-sized PC – The ROG NUC 16 Edition 20 has an RTX 5090 GPU appeared first on OC3D.

The 2026 World Cup is already shaping up to be a tournament filled with history, and few stories are attracting as much attention as the remarkable milestone awaiting Guillermo Ochoa, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo. The three veterans are all on course to achieve something no player has ever managed before, but a unique circumstance surrounding the tournament schedule could allow one of them to claim a place in the record books ahead of the others.

With excitement building across North America, the spotlight has naturally fallen on the legendary trio. Yet while supporters are focused on what may be their final appearance on soccer’s biggest stage, an unexpected development could give one of them a historic advantage before the competition has even properly settled into its rhythm.

FIFA confirmed that a record 1,248 players representing 48 national teams have been included in the final squads for the expanded tournament. Among those players are several familiar faces who have defined an era of international soccer.

Messi will once again lead Argentina, Ronaldo remains the focal point of Portugal, and Ochoa continues his incredible journey with Mexico. All three are preparing for what would be their sixth World Cup appearance, a feat that has never been achieved in the competition’s 96-year history.

The significance of that accomplishment becomes even greater when considering the longevity required to reach six tournaments. Generations of elite players have come and gone without coming close to matching such consistency at the highest level.

The veterans defying time

The upcoming tournament is expected to be one of the oldest World Cups ever in terms of experienced players. Ronaldo and Ochoa are both competing in their forties, while Messi will arrive at the tournament at 38 years old.

Several other veterans are also expected to feature. Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, for example, enters the competition at 43 years of age, while Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera could also join the list of players over 40 to appear on soccer’s grandest stage.

Historically, only seven players aged 40 or older have ever stepped onto a World Cup pitch. The 2026 edition could raise that number significantly, highlighting how advances in fitness, nutrition, and sports science continue to extend careers.

The historic twist revealed

While all attention has been focused on the prospect of Messi, Ronaldo, and Ochoa reaching six World Cups, the tournament schedule has created an intriguing twist. Mexico will play in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup on June 11, while Argentina does not begin its campaign until June 16, and Portugal follows on June 17.

That means if Ochoa takes the field for Mexico in the tournament opener, he would officially become the first player in soccer history to appear in six different World Cups.

Messi and Ronaldo would still reach the same milestone, but only several days later, when their respective national teams begin their campaigns. The scheduling quirk may seem minor, but in a tournament built on records and legacy, it could prove highly significant.

Reports suggest Ochoa could start

Recent reports from Mexico suggest that national team coach Javier Aguirre is strongly considering handing Ochoa the starting role in the opening match against South Africa. According to Azteca Deportes, the decision would serve as a tribute to one of the greatest careers in Mexican soccer history.

Ochoa is set to turn 41 shortly after the tournament begins and remains an iconic figure for supporters. While Aguirre has not officially confirmed the decision, speculation continues to grow that the veteran goalkeeper will be allowed to make history from the opening whistle.

With the 2026 World Cup now just around the corner, FIFA is facing fresh scrutiny over a controversial issue that could dramatically affect matches during the tournament. Players, spectators, broadcasters, and tournament organizers are all beginning to worry that matches featuring some of the world’s top national teams may be delayed for long periods of time.

The tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is expected to be the largest World Cup in history. However, attention is increasingly turning toward a regulation that could leave stadiums waiting for hours before matches are allowed to continue.

The expanded 48-team World Cup is expected to attract unprecedented global attention, yet organizers are facing scrutiny over how weather interruptions will be managed. Summer conditions across several host cities are known for producing intense thunderstorms, particularly in the eastern and southern parts of the United States.

The concern is not hypothetical. During recent international competitions hosted in the country, several matches were interrupted by severe weather, forcing players and supporters into lengthy waiting periods before games could resume.

FIFA has repeatedly stressed that safety remains the priority. However, the governing body has also acknowledged that extreme weather could become one of the biggest operational challenges during the tournament.

FIFA’s rule behind the controversy

The issue stems from a strict U.S. safety protocol regarding lightning strikes near stadiums, as per The Athletic. Any match must be suspended immediately if lightning or electrical activity is detected within an eight-mile radius of the venue. Once play is stopped, a mandatory 30-minute countdown begins before a match can restart. 

The complication arises when another lightning strike is detected during that waiting period. In those situations, the 30-minute timer is reset back to zero, meaning matches can remain suspended indefinitely until there has been a full 30-minute period without any nearby lightning activity.

Because FIFA cannot override local safety regulations, tournament officials would be required to follow the protocol regardless of scheduling pressures or television commitments.

Why delays could become extremely long

The biggest concern is that FIFA currently has no fixed regulation specifying how long a suspended match can remain delayed before it must be abandoned. Instead, every situation is assessed individually. While that flexibility allows officials to adapt to unique circumstances, it also creates uncertainty for teams, fans, and broadcasters.

A prolonged thunderstorm moving repeatedly through a host city could trigger multiple timer resets, potentially extending delays for several hours. Such scenarios have already occurred in American sporting events and international soccer competitions.

The possibility of these lengthy interruptions has sparked debate among supporters, especially given the expanded tournament schedule and the increased number of matches that must be completed within a limited timeframe.

What is FIFA’s response?

According to FIFA’s official statement: “FIFA’s emergency preparedness team meets regularly with national meteorological and emergency management authorities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as with partners across all 16 Host Cities.”

The governing body has emphasized that extensive planning has already taken place to address weather-related emergencies: “A comprehensive, tournament-wide preparedness exercise focusing on severe weather scenarios has further strengthened cross-agency coordination and operational readiness.”

FIFA also confirmed that host venues must maintain evacuation procedures and severe-weather protocols that comply with local regulations and international safety standards. In addition, officials will monitor conditions continuously using real-time weather surveillance systems and heat-monitoring technology throughout the tournament.

Argentina have two friendlies left before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The first comes against Honduras on Saturday, and with that match in mind, head coach Lionel Scaloni tested a lineup that did not include Lionel Messi or Julian Alvarez.

The Inter Miami forward was present at Wednesday’s training session in Kansas City, but he did not participate in drills with the rest of the squad. Instead, he trained separately as he continues to recover from the muscle issue he suffered on May 24 against Philadelphia Union in MLS.

Alvarez, meanwhile, is in the final stages of his recovery from an ankle problem, which kept him out of Scaloni’s plans during Wednesday’s training session. As a result, with his two usual starting forwards unavailable, the coach tested different options in the lineup.

According to Argentine outlet TyC Sports, Lautaro Martinez and Jose Lopez led the attack, forming a partnership never before seen with the national team. The Palmeiras striker has made just three appearances for Argentina, and in none of them did he share the field with Lautaro. In fact, on two of those occasions, one replaced the other during the match.

Other Argentina players unavailable against Honduras

With two days remaining before the friendly against Honduras at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, several Argentina players are dealing with physical issues that will keep them out of contention for Lionel Scaloni.

Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez are on that list, but they are not alone. Emiliano Martinez is also recovering from a minor fracture in his hand suffered before Aston Villa’s UEFA Europa League final. Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes and Nicolas Paz are also unavailable.

Argentina’s projected XI vs Honduras

Given the physical condition of those players, Scaloni is not expected to take any risks in the matches leading up to the World Cup. In fact, that is why he brought additional players to the United States who are not part of the final 26-man roster but are expected to feature in the friendlies against Honduras and Iceland.

The situation is clearest at right back. With Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel still recovering, Agustin Giay and Nicolas Capaldo are expected to get opportunities in the pre-World Cup friendlies. Both players were part of the preliminary 55-man squad but did not make the final cut.

The lineup Scaloni tested for Saturday’s match against Honduras was: Geronimo Rulli; Agustin Giay, Nicolas Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Thiago Almada; Lautaro Martinez and Jose Manuel Lopez.

Cristiano Ronaldo could see another iconic European superstar arrive in the Saudi Pro League. Robert Lewandowski is officially weighing up his next career move as a free agent, following his high-profile departure from Barcelona after contract extension negotiations with the Catalan club entirely collapsed.

With the veteran marksman now available on the open market, prominent Middle Eastern outlet 365Scores Arabic reached out to the player’s inner circle. Lewandowski’s long-time representative, Pini Zahavi, directly confirmed that the striker’s camp is currently exploring every available avenue. “All options are still on the table for now, and we’re still reviewing all the offers,” Zahavi revealed.

While there has been no official confirmation of formal contract proposals submitted by Ronaldo’s Al Nassr or any other state-backed Saudi Pro League clubs, Zahavi’s public comments send a clear signal to front offices that they are fully prepared to listen to incoming financial packages.

Before diving heavily into marquee player recruitments, Al Nassr’s immediate front-office priority is securing a new manager following the departure of Jorge Jesus, who recently parted ways with the club despite guiding them to the Saudi Pro League title.

The club’s search met a sudden roadblock this week; primary target Marco Silva removed his name from consideration after officially accepting an offer to return to his native Portugal to manage Benfica.

Lewandowski generating widespread global interest

Ever since it became clear that the 37-year-old goalscorer would leave the Camp Nou at the conclusion of the domestic season, clubs around the world showed interest in Lewandowski, with options spanning across North America, the Middle East, and elite European leagues.

Chicago Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter openly acknowledged his club’s concrete interest in the Polish international, revealing that the front office has been monitoring his contract situation for a significant period of time.

While Berhalter admitted that securement of a generational talent of this caliber remains an uphill battle, he emphasized that landing a star like Lewandowski would be a transformative milestone for the franchise.

Meanwhile, a return to another traditional European heavyweight remains highly viable. Rumors out of Italy strongly link Lewandowski to AC Milan. The Rossoneri are reportedly planning a massive roster overhaul ahead of the upcoming campaign, a restructuring process that is set to begin with the appointment of a new manager to guide the project.

Following the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri, AC Milan are preparing a rebuild of their sporting project in search of greater competitiveness. In recent weeks, Mauricio Pochettino appeared to be the favorite, reportedly reaching an agreement with the club. However, Oliver Glasner has reportedly overtaken him as the leading candidate. After a lengthy meeting with Zlatan Ibrahimović, the Austrian coach is moving ever closer to the Rossoneri.

According to Alessandra Gozzini, via La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gerry Cardinale and Zlatan Ibrahimović met with Oliver Glasner in Germany for six hours. After this meeting, the Austrian coach has become the leading candidate, as his spells at Eintracht Frankfurt and Crystal Palace FC were notably successful. In addition, the style of play he implemented at those clubs aligns with the sporting project’s vision.

While Bayer 04 Leverkusen had emerged as a strong contender for Glasner, they have already announced Carles Martínez Novell as their new head coach. As a result, the Rossoneri appear to have a clear path to reaching an agreement with Oliver. In addition, Oliver could take charge as soon as possible, something Mauricio Pochettino would not be able to do, as he must wait until the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.

If AC Milan fail to secure the arrival of Oliver Glasner soon, he could be tempted to remain in the Premier League. Following the reported departure of Marco Silva to SL Benfica, Fulham FC have reportedly identified the Austrian coach as their top priority, as per SportsBoom. Not only did he lead Crystal Palace FC to European competitions and trophies, but he also helped bring out the best version of several players, including Daniel Muñoz.

Ralf Rangnick’s arrival could be crucial in convincing Oliver Glasner

As one of the most impressive managers in the Premier League, Oliver Glasner may not be in a hurry to accept a new challenge. Instead, he could look to take on a more ambitious project, which is why he has reportedly not immediately accepted the proposal from AC Milan. Rather, he has supposedly decided to listen to the proposal presented by Cardinale and Ibrahimović. With this in mind, Ralf Rangnick’s arrival could be key to convincing Glasner.

Given the inconsistency of the sporting project, Glasner could have serious doubts about moving to Serie A. Therefore, Rangnick’s arrival would give the Rossoneri greater long-term direction, as he not only influences signings, but also the coaching staff and youth academy. With this duo, AC Milan could receive a major boost in competitiveness. However, if Ramon Planes is appointed as sporting director, the Austrian coach could have serious doubts.

got his hands on the WBO welterweight world title back in November but ‘The Dream’ has been unable to agree to a first defence. Now, it seems as though the American is willing to face an unbeaten former champion. Haney dethroned Brian Norman Jr back in November, registering one of the standout performances of the […]

The post Devin Haney accepts call-out from unbeaten former champion for world title defence: “Let’s do it” appeared first on Boxing News.

Samsung LSI sought to exploit Samsung Mobile over the past few months by repeatedly hiking the per unit price of its flagship Exynos 2600 chip. Well, Samsung Mobile now appears to be responding to these relentless price gouging tactics by reducing the share of the Exynos 2600 chip within the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8, while increasing its uptake of Qualcomm's more economical Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. Samsung's Exynos 2600 chip is reportedly falling a victim to the fairly myopic ongoing in-house feud that has rendered the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip a much more economical alternative […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/samsung-lsis-price-gouging-pushes-exynos-2600-to-270-unit-forcing-samsung-mobile-to-bank-on-qualcomm-for-the-galaxy-z-flip-8/

NVIDIA has officially embraced the Windows on ARM platform with the arrival of its RTX Spark, with the chipset expected to be found in a bevy of notebooks this fall. Perhaps the most advantageous aspect of this silicon is how it’ll enable the industry to push forth with lighter laptop designs thanks to its efficiency. No longer will manufacturers need to rely on a multitude of heatpipes to tame the CPU and GPU, with an example being Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra, whose TDP for the RTX Spark is just 110W. The lack of an elaborate cooling solution on the Surface […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/microsoft-surface-laptop-ultra-110w-tdp-target-rtx-spark-encouraging-lighter-laptops/

It's been almost six years since the announcement of State of Decay 3, but the long wait might soon pay off. In April, developer Undead Labs opened registrations for a limited Alpha test that took place in May; now, with three days left before the Xbox Games Showcase 2026, Windows Central's Jez Corden shared that the game will not only be featured there but will also showcase its newfound triple-A feel. It's almost certain we'll see State of Decay 3 at the showcase too, given that it's already in private Alpha testing with a small subset of the community alongside […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/state-of-decay-3-aaa-xbox-showcase-2026/

Earlier than most publishers do, Crystal Dynamics and Amazon Game Studios have revealed the Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis PC system requirements, and it's not good news for anyone playing on a mainstream GPU, though it's hardly surprising, considering the game is powered by Unreal Engine 5. The system specifications published on the game's Steam store page detail the minimum and recommended requirements early, but with a significant catch: there's no indication of target resolution and framerate. Requirement Minimum Specifications Recommended Specifications OS Windows 10/11 (64-bit) Windows 10/11 (64-bit) Processor Intel Core i5-8600 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Intel Core […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/tomb-raider-legacy-of-atlantis-pc-system-requirements/

DDR4 isn't going anywhere despite witnessing some temporary decline in popularity in some regions as we reported recently. DDR4 Memory and Motherboards Witness Significant Demand As DDR5 Memory Continues to Sell for 4-5 Times Higher In some regions, we see DDR4 platforms recording a decline in popularity, while most regions witness huge demand for DDR4 platforms. Soaring DDR5 and SSD prices have made it extremely difficult to build even an entry-level system for under $1000, and the rise in prices continues as we enter the second half of 2026. DDR4 memory is also quite expensive, but nothing compared to similar-capacity […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/several-vendors-are-reportedly-increasing-production-of-ddr4-platforms/

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Brezilya devi Vasco da Gama, sarı-lacivertlilerin 30 yaşındaki tecrübeli savunmacısı Rodrigo Becao'yu kadrosuna katmak için düğmeye bastı. İşte transferin perde arkası ve masadaki o dev risk...

Vasco da Gama, savunma hattındaki kronik eksiklikleri gidermek adına rotasını Türkiye’ye çevirdi. "Mario Coelho Vasco" internet sitesinin özel haberine göre; siyah-beyazlılar, Fenerbahçe forması giyen 30 yaşındaki deneyimli stoper Rodrigo Becao’yu kadrosuna katmak için ciddi şekilde ilgileniyor.

Kariyerinde Udinese ve Fenerbahçe gibi önemli kulüplerin formasını terleten Brezilyalı savunmacı için bu transfer, iki taraf adına da kader niteliği taşıyor. Teknik becerileri üst düzeyde olmasına rağmen, profesyonel kariyerinde yaşadığı sakatlık problemleri Becão’nun en büyük engeli olarak dikkat çekiyor. Vasco cephesinde bu durum bir endişe kaynağı olarak görülse de, fiziksel sorunların doğru bir tedavi ve yüklemeyle aşılması halinde Becão'nun yeniden eski elit seviyesine çıkabileceğine inanılıyor.

Mario Lemina ile dünyaca ünlü Belçikalı model ve şarkıcı Fanny Neguesha, uzun süreli mutlu birlikteliklerini evlilikle taçlandırma kararı aldı

Mario Lemina ve uzun süredir birlikte olduğu ünlü model Fanny Neguesha, ilişkilerini resmiyete dökmeye hazırlanıyor. Medya dünyasında ilk olarak İtalyan futbol yıldızı Mario Balotelli ile yaşadığı ve nişanlılığa kadar uzanan ilişkisiyle (2013-2014) geniş kitleler tarafından tanındı.

2018 yılından bu yana ise Mario Lemina ile birlikte. Lemina'nın Galatasaray'la sözleşme yenileyip yenilemeyeceği henüz bilinmiyor.

?? Mario Lemina - Fanny Neguesha çifti, evlenmeye hazırlanıyor. pic.twitter.com/SqvJF6Dydo

Galatasaray'ın yerli forvet listesinde Porto'dan Deniz Gül ve Başakşehir'den Bertuğ Yıldırım bulunuyor. Peki bu ikilinin geride bıraktığımız sezonda karşılıklı rakamları nasıldı?

Galatasaray Yönetimi bu yaz kadrosuna Türk bir santrfor katmak istiyor. Bu konuda öne çıkan isimler; Porto'dan Deniz Gül ve Başakşehir'den Bertuğ Yıldırım oldu. Düzenli bir şekilde iki isimle ilgili gelişmeler yaşanıyor. Peki fiziksel olarak benzer özellikler taşıyan iki golcünün karşılıklı kıyaslaması nasıl?

İŞTE İSTATİSTİKLER

Deniz ve Bertuğ Yıldırım'ın geçen sezonki istatistikleri şu şekilde oluştu (90 dakika başına lig ortalaması):

Gol: 5 Deniz/7 Bertuğ

Toplam Gol Beklentisi: 5.98 Deniz/3.68 Bertuğ

İsabetli Şut: 0.88 Deniz/1.29 Bertuğ

Rakip Ceza Sahasında Topla Buluşma: 3.39 Deniz/4 Bertuğ

Yakalanan Gol Pozisyonu: 1.76 Deniz/2 Bertuğ

Rakip Sahada Top Kazanma: 1.36 Deniz/1.14 Bertuğ

Kilit Pas: 0.34 Deniz/0.14 Bertuğ

Kazanılan İkili Mücadele: 6.17 (%31) Deniz/9.14 (%43) Bertuğ

ÇOK PARA İSTENİYOR

21 yaşındaki Deniz Gül'ün Porto ile 30 Haziran 2029'a kadar sözleşmesi var. Portekiz ekibi, 1.92 boyundaki futbolcu için 20 milyon euro bekliyor. 23 yaşındaki Bertuğ'un Başakşehir'le kontratı da 2029'a kadar sürüyor. İstanbul ekibinin bonservis beklentisi ise 10-15 milyon euro arasında değişiyor...

Beşiktaş yıllardır Sassuolo'dan Armand Lauriente'yi bitirmeye çalışıyor. Fransız futbolcu konusunda tekrar harekete geçildiği öğrenildi. Ancak 27 yaşındaki yıldız kısa süre önce sözleşmesini uzatmıştı.

Beşiktaş hem sağ hem de sol kanat bölgesini güçlendirmek istiyor. Konuyla ilgili çalışmalar da sürüyor. Siyah-Beyazlılar'ın daha önce defalarca gündeme gelen Armand Lauriente konusunda tekrar harekete geçeceği öğrenildi. Ancak ortada ciddi bir sorun bulunuyor!

EKONOMİK SIKINTILARI YOK

27 yaşındaki Fransız futbolcu, 15 Mayıs 2026 tarihinde Sassuolo Kulübü'yle olan sözleşmesini 30 Haziran 2029'a kadar uzatmıştı. Bilmeyenler için şu ayrıntıyı da belirtmek gerekiyor: Sassuolo, İtalya'da ekonomik problemleri bulunmayan az sayıdaki takımdan biri...

İHTİMAL SON DERECE DÜŞÜK

Yani Serie A temsilcisinin parasal sıkıntılar sebebiyle oyuncu satmasına gerek yok... Sadece planlamada düşünülmeyen isimler gönderiliyor. Armand Lauriente'yle yapılan yeni mukavele ise onun takımda kalacağı anlamına geliyor. Beşiktaş harekete geçse bile bu transferin gerçekleşme ihtimali düşük görülüyor.

Fenerbahçe, Futbol Akademisi'nde "Değer Yaratma ve Geliştirme Direktörü" olarak görev yapan kulübün efsane ismi Tuncay Şanlı ile yolların ayrıldığını resmen açıkladı.

Fenerbahçe Kulübü, Futbol Akademisi bünyesinde önemli bir idari değişikliğe gitti. Sarı-lacivertli kulüp, akademide "Değer Yaratma ve Geliştirme Direktörü" olarak görev yapan efsane futbolcusu Tuncay Şanlı ile yolların ayrıldığını duyurdu.

- Futbol Akademimiz bünyesinde Değer Yaratma ve Geliştirme Direktörü olarak görev yapan kulübümüzün efsane isimlerinden Tuncay Şanlı ile yollarımız ayrılmıştır. Verdiği tüm emekler için kendisine teşekkür eder, kariyerinde başarılar dileriz.

Fenerbahçe formasıyla futbolculuk döneminde sayısız başarıya imza atan ve taraftarın sevgilisi olan Tuncay Şanlı, genç yeteneklerin keşfedilmesi ve kulübe kazandırılması amacıyla kurulan bu özel direktörlük görevine büyük umutlarla getirilmişti. Kulüpten yapılan bu ani açıklama, spor kamuoyunda sürpriz etkisi yarattı.

Fenerbahçe'nin transferi için haftalardır yoğun mesai harcadığı Borussia Dortmund'un dünyaca ünlü golcüsü Serhou Guirassy için sarı-lacivertlilere kötü haber geldi!

BILD, Fenerbahçe transfer gündeminin bir numaralı maddesi olan Borussia Dortmund'un yıldız golcüsü Serhou Guirassy hakkında çok konuşulacak bir iddia ortaya attı.

Haberin detaylarına göre, Premier Lig ekiplerinden Aston Villa, 30 yaşındaki Gineli santrforu kadrosuna katmak için ciddi şekilde devreye girdi.

İngiliz ekibinin oyuncunun durumunu çok yakından takip ettiği ve kısa süre içinde resmi adımları atmaya hazırlandığı belirtildi.

BILD'in aktardığı bilgilere göre; Fenerbahçe'nin haftalardır kadrosuna katmak için yoğun uğraş verdiği ve başkanlık seçimi sürecinde de adı sıkça anılan Guirassy, Premier Lig'den gelen bu ilgiye oldukça sıcak bakıyor. Yıldız golcünün, kariyerinde yeni bir sayfa açarak İngiltere'de oynama fırsatını değerlendirmek istediği ifade ediliyor.

Rizespor'un gerçekleştirdiği 95. Olağanüstü Genel Kurulu'nda, Ali Zeki Saruhan delegelerin oy birliğiyle yeşil-mavili kulübün yeni başkanı oldu; mali ve idari açıdan ibra edilen kongrede camiaya birlik ve istikrar mesajı verildi.

Çaykur Rizespor Kulübü’nün gerçekleştirdiği 95. Olağanüstü Genel Kurulu’nda, tek liste ile seçime giren Ali Zeki Saruhan, delegelerin oy birliğiyle yeşil-mavili kulübün yeni başkanı oldu.

Genel kurulda, kulübün mali ve idari faaliyet raporları ibra edilirken, gelecek dönem bütçesi de delegelerin onayına sunularak kabul edildi. Karadeniz ekibinde kan değişimi getiren bu olağanüstü kongre, camiada birlik ve beraberlik mesajlarıyla sahne oldu.

Saruhan, genel kurul sonrası yaptığı teşekkür konuşmasında şunları vurguladı:

- Çaykur Rizespor’u hak ettiği noktalara taşımak için yönetim kurulumuzla birlikte gece gündüz çalışacağız. Bu bir bayrak yarışıdır ve hedefimiz kulübümüzü hem mali hem de sportif açıdan istikrarlı bir yapıya kavuşturmaktır.

Trabzonspor potada büyük bir bomba patlattı. Bordo-mavililer, Türkiye ligini çok yakından tanıyan 27 yaşındaki Birleşik Amerikalı yıldızı kadrosuna kattığını resmen duyurdu.

Basketbol Süper Ligi ekiplerinden Trabzonspor, transfer piyasasında ses getirecek bir hamleye imza attı. Bordo-mavili kulüp, ülkemiz basketbolseverlerinin yakından tanıdığı Birleşik Amerikalı uzun forvet Brady Manek’i kadrosuna kattığını resmen açıkladı.

Pota altını hem atletizmi hem de dış şut tehdidiyle güçlendirmek isteyen Karadeniz fırtınası, 27 yaşındaki oyuncuyla anlaşma sağlayarak yeni sezon öncesi taraftarına büyük bir transfer müjdesi verdi.

Kolej kariyerinde Oklahoma ve North Carolina formalarıyla dikkat çeken, Avrupa kariyerinde ise daha önce önemli takımlarda boy gösteren Brady Manek, Türkiye kariyerine yabancı değil.

Manek, Süper Lig'deki yolculuğunda daha önce TOFAŞ ve Mersin Spor'da oynamıştı.

Beşiktaş, teknik direktör Vincenzo Italiano'yu takımın başına getirmek ve sözleşme imzalatmak için ikna turlarını sürdürüyor.

Beşiktaş’ta yeni sezon öncesi teknik direktör arayışları tüm hızıyla sürerken, İtalya’dan siyah-beyazlı taraftarları heyecanlandıracak bir iddia geldi.

Gianluca Di Marzio'nun haberine göre; Beşiktaş, İtalyan teknik adam Vincenzo Italiano'yu takımın başına getirmek için yoğun mesai harcıyor.

Oynattığı hücum futboluyla dikkat çeken 46 yaşındaki teknik adamı ikna etmek adına temaslarını sıklaştırdığı belirtildi. İtalyan çalıştırıcıya sunulan projeyle ikna turlarına devam eden Beşiktaş kurmayları, en kısa sürede imzayı attırarak yeni sezon yapılanmasına başlamayı hedefliyor.

Fenerbahçe Başkan Adayı Hakan Safi, seçilmesi durumunda Sporting Lizbon'un golcüsü Luis Suarez'i transfer edeceğini belirterek "İki defa buluştum kendisiyle. İyi bir skorcu, iyi bir profesyonel. Eşiyle de görüştük, konuştuk." dedi.

Finansçı Fenerbahçeliler Derneğinin (FFBDER) merkez Nilüfer ilçesindeki binasında konuşan Safi, sarı-lacivertli kulüp için yeni bir dönemin hafta sonu başlayacağını söyledi.

Hep beraber Fenerbahçe'de olmaya, Fenerbahçe'yi tutmaya, Fenerbahçe'ye gönül vermeye devam edeceklerini belirten Safi, kulübün eksiklerin ne olduğunu bildiklerini dile getirdi.

Hakan Safi, Fenerbahçe'nin bazı noktalarda geri kaldığını ifade ederek, şöyle devam etti:

"İkinciliğe alıştırılmış durumdayız. Uyutulmuş durumdayız. Uyuşturuluyoruz. Herkesin gözünde bir Fenerbahçe sevdası var ama o Fenerbahçe'nin bir şekilde ayağa kalkması lazım. Ortaya çıkartmamız lazım. Biz bunu ortaya çıkartmak istiyoruz. Ben de hem sevdalı hem de coşkulu bir kardeşinizim. Ben de tribüncüyüm. Tribünlerden geldim sizler gibi. Daha sonra yöneticilik yapmaya başladım. Sonra sponsor oldum. Sponsorluklarım var. Şimdi de başkan adaylıyla karşınıza çıkmış bulunuyorum. Sizin hissettiğiniz duygular neyse hepsi bende de var. Ben de hissediyorum. O yüzden Fenerbahçe'mizi en büyük yapmak için çıktım. Gittiğimiz bu yolda 'Dünya yıldızı lazım.' dedik. Yoksa 100 milyon avroluk oyuncu yerine 10 milyonluk oyuncu açıklardık. İlk önce takım kurgusunu doğru yapacağız. İyi maç iyi topçu ile oynanıyor. İyi topçu da parayla alınıyor."

- Seçim vaadi Luis Suarez değerlendirmesi

Hakan Safi, seçilmeleri halinde transfer edeceklerini duyurduğu Sporting Lizbon'un Kolombiyalı futbolcusu Luis Suarez ile ilgili değerlendirmede bulundu.

Aylardır futbolcuyu izlediğini anlatan Safi, "İki defa buluştum kendisiyle. İyi bir skorcu, iyi bir profesyonel. Eşiyle de görüştük, konuştuk. İstatistikler iyi söylüyor. Gol kralı. Rakamları inanılmaz. Adam leblebi gibi gol atıyor. Çok hareketli, çok striker modeli olan bir arkadaşımız. Çok daha başka strikerler vardı. Bizim formatımıza, bizim atak futbolumuza, bizim saldırgan futbolumuza uygun bir adam. Fenerbahçe'nin genlerinde her zaman saldıran futbol vardır, atak futbol vardır. Dolayısıyla bu topçu da öyle bir topçu. Yoksa başka topçuları da gittik, seyrettik. Şampiyonluk istiyor, başarı istiyor. Hem gol kral olmak hem de Fenerbahçe tarihine geçmek istiyor. İnşallah onunla beraber daha transferlerimiz devam edecek." diye konuştu.

- Aziz Yıldırım'a eleştiri

Hakan Safi, tek dertlerinin Fenerbahçe'yi ilk yılında şampiyon yapmak olduğunu söyledi.

Fenerbahçe'nin gelirlerini arttırmaları gerektiğini vurgulayan Safi, "Stadımızı kesinlikle 64 bin 500'e çıkartmamız gerekiyor. Bizim stat gelirimiz şu an 80 milyon avro. Galatasaray'ın 120 milyon avro. Biz her sene zaten o 120 milyon avronun 40 milyon avrosunu stattan yiyoruz. Fenerbahçe'yi en büyük yapmamız lazım. Kapasitemiz şu an 52 bin 500'den 45 bine düşmüş durumda UEFA kriterleri olduğu için. Galatasaray 55 binde, Beşiktaş 40 binde. O yüzden Fenerbahçe'mizin bir an önce stadını yapmamız lazım." şeklinde görüş belirtti.

Fenerbahçe'nin diğer başkan adayı Aziz Yıldırım ile ilgili eleştirilerde bulunan Safi, şöyle devam etti:

"Bizim adımızı bile söylemekten çekiniyor. Biz ne diyoruz? Yirmi sene önce stadımızı yapan kim varsa, Aziz başkan dahil, hepsinden Allah razı olsun. Bir tuğla kim koyduysa da hepsine teşekkür ediyoruz. Ben de bir tuğla koydum. Sizler de koymuşsunuzdur. İlla ki destek sağlamışızdır. O yüzden her amaç için kim savaşıyorsa, kim destek oluyorsa maddi manevi isimlerini söylemekten de çekinmemek lazım. Bu bizleri üzüyor. Hep geçmişin hesapları, artık camia yoruldu. Biz yorulduk. Makamlar, saltanat devam ettirmek için kendi adaylığını devam ettirmeye çalışıyor. Çok ikilem içerisinde. Bir 'Aday olacağım.' diyor, bir 'Olmayacağım.' diyor. 'Benden bu iş artık geçti.' diyor, tekrar çıkıyor. Yani anlamakta zorluk çekiyoruz. Allah uzun ömürler versin. Bu camiamız Aziz başkanımıza, kimseye gösterilmeyen nezaket ve saygıyı gösterdi. Aynı saygıyı biz ondan bekledik. Ama hiçbir zaman vermedi. Bunu hepimiz biliyoruz değil mi arkadaşlar? 2018'de seçimi kaybettikten sonra ne Ali Koç yönetimine ne Saadetin Saran yönetimine bir kere destek açıklayıcı bir şey söylemedi."

- "Bizler yeni bir nefessiz, iddialıyız, cesaretliyiz, iştahımız var"

Hakan Safi, önlerine bakmaları gerektiğini dile getirerek şunları aktardı:

"Artık Fenerbahçe isminin markasını doğru şekilde yukarılara taşıyalım. Rakibimizden çok geri kaldık artık. Hepimizi yaralıyor bu. Yaraladığı için artık ne yapmamız lazım? İleriye bakmamız lazım. Geçmişle artık uğraşamayız. Fenerbahçe kavgalardan sıkıldı artık. Önümüze bakmamız lazım, işimize bakmamız lazım. Bizler yeni bir nefessiz, iddialıyız, cesaretliyiz, iştahımız var, maddi manevi zaten kulübün yanındayız. Bizlere destek olup bize teveccüh gösterirseniz sizlerin adına bu emanet koltuğa oturmak istiyoruz. Ona göre de takımı da kendi bildiğim yöntemlerle şampiyon yapmak istiyorum. Bu konuda da iddialıyım. Yaparsam kalırım, yapmazsam da millet gibi de koltuğa yapışmam. Burası arka tarafta hizmet etmek isteyen milyonlarca Fenerbahçe'nin olduğu bir sivil toplum kuruluşu. O yüzden hepinizi sandıklara davet ediyoruz. Sandıklara sahip çıkın, lütfen gelin. Kimi istiyorsanız oyunuza atın. Biz eskiden yeni olmaz diyoruz. Bu bir saltanat savaşı değil. Fenerbahçe'yi, Fenerbahçelilere teslim etme dönemi. O yüzden sorumlu bir Fenerbahçeli kongresi olarak da hepinize büyük görevler düşüyor. Gelin Fenerbahçe'nin geleceğine sahip çıkın arkadaşlar. "

Finansçı Fenerbahçeliler Derneği Başkanı Fatih Fazlı Çığ da kendilerini ziyaret eden Safi'ye teşekkür ederek, günün anısına hediye takdim etti.

Gazeteci Loic Tanzi, Fenerbahçe'nin Mason Greenwood transferinde çok ciddi bir seçenek olduğunu söyledi. İngiliz yıldızın, yüksek maaş teklifini geri çevirmeyeceğini de ifade etti.

Gazeteci Loic Tanzi, L'Equipe TV'ye açıklamalarda bulundu. Tanzi, "Şu anda dikkatli olmak gerekiyor çünkü Fenerbahçe'de başkanlık seçimi yaklaşıyor. Başkan adaylarının bazı transfer vaatleri var. Özellikle adaylardan biri Greenwood ve Lewandowski'yi getirmeye çalışacağını söyledi. Şu an Marsilya ile resmi bir görüşme yok" dedi.

CİDDİ MALİ GÜCÜ VAR

Loic Tanzi, "Bu aday seçilmezse transfer tamamen kapanır mı? Diğer adayın farklı isimleri var. Hakan Safi bastırıyor. Eğer o başkan olursa Greenwood'u getirmeye çalışacak. Ardından Marsilya ile görüşmeler başlayacak. Roma şu anda önde mi? Bence Fenerbahçe devreye girerse, Safi'nin çok ciddi mali gücü var" ifadelerini kullandı.

FENERBAHÇE İŞİ YATARSA

Tanzi ayrıca, "Hakan Safi başkan olursa bu transfer için büyük bir bütçe ayırabilir. Ve Greenwood'un da buna hayır diyeceğini sanmıyorum. Mason Greenwood, diğer seçenekleri sadece Fenerbahçe transferi yatarsa değerlendirmeye alacak" yorumunda da bulundu...

Beşiktaş'ın golcü adayları arasına Rivadavia forması giyen Alex Arce'nin de girdiği öğrenildi. Paraguaylı santrfor, Dünya Kupası'nda Ay-Yıldızlı ekibimize karşı da mücadele edecek.

Arjantin ekibi Rivadavia forması giyen Alex Arce'nin adı ciddi şekilde Beşiktaş'la anılmaya başlandı. 30 yaşındaki santrfor, 2025 yazında LDU Quito takımından 2.55 milyon euro karşılığında transfer edilmişti. 1.88 boyundaki futbolcunun 31 Aralık 2028 tarihine kadar mukavelesi bulunuyor.

TRİBÜNDEN İZLEYECEKLER

Paraguaylı oyuncunun tahmini piyasa değeri 3.5 milyon euro civarında... Alex, Dünya Kupası'nda A Milli Takım'a karşı da mücadele edecek. Beşiktaş yetkililerinin, o karşılaşmada tecrübeli futbolcuyu tribünden takip edeceği belirtildi. Sonrasında konuyla ilgili resmi adımların atılması bekleniyor.

HAVA TOPLARINDA ÜSTÜN

Alex Arce bu sezon toplamda 16 karşılaşmaya çıktı. 11 gol üretti. 30 yaşındaki futbolcu, 1.88'lik boyu sayesinde hava toplarında üstünlük kuruyor. Oyuncu, sağ ayağını kullanıyor. Beşiktaş'ın onu fırsat transferi olarak gördüğü belirtildi. Listede farklı forvetler de bulunuyor.

2024 yazında Fenerbahçe'den Brighton'a transfer olan Ferdi Kadıoğlu'nun yuvaya dönüş ihtimali bulunuyor. Hakan Safi bu konuda bütün koşulları zorlayacak.

Ferdi Kadıoğlu, 2024 yazında 30 milyon euro karşılığında Fenerbahçe'den Brighton Kulübü'ne transfer oldu. Bonuslarla birlikte bu rakam 35 milyon euroya çıkabiliyor. Ayrıca, Sarı-Lacivertliler'in sonraki satıştan %10'luk pay hakkı var. Geride bıraktığımız sezon Premier Lig'e damga vuran milli futbolcuda sıcak gelişmeler yaşanıyor.

Başkan adaylarından Hakan Safi, Ferdi'yi geri getirmek için bütün şartları zorlayacak. Ancak Ferdi'nin şu anda tekrar Türkiye'ye dönme seçeneğine pek sıcak bakmadığı konuşuluyor. 26 yaşındaki futbolcunun Brighton ile 30 Haziran 2028'e kadar sözleşmesi bulunuyor. Kontratta ayrıca +1 yıllık uzatma opsiyonu mevcut (çift taraflı).

1.74 boyundaki sol bekle Premier Lig'den çok sayıda takım ilgileniyor. Brighton Yönetimi onu satmayı düşünmüyor. Ancak astronomik teklifler gelirse durum değişebilir. Ferdi şu anda tamamen Milli Takım'a konsantre oldu... Bu sebeple dev organizasyon bitene kadar transfer konularıyla ilgilenmeyi düşünmüyor.

Beşiktaş altyapısından çıkan genç forvet Mustafa Hekimoğlu'yla ilgili kritik bir karar alındı. Eğer kiralama teklifleri gelirse, bunlar değerlendirmeye alınacak.

Beşiktaş'ta Önder Özen ve yönetim arasında bir görüşme gerçekleştirildiği öğrenildi. Burada alınan kararlardan biri de Mustafa Hekimoğlu ile ilgiliydi... 19 yaşındaki forvetin yeni sezonda kiralanması bekleniyor. Altyapıdan çıkan 19 yaşındaki futbolcu, A Takım'da beklenen süreleri bulamadı.

DAHA DA SIKINTILI

Mustafa, geride bıraktığımız sezonda 17 Süper Lig maçına çıktı. Sahada sadece 375 dakika kaldı. 1 gol üretti. Bu süreçte bazı sakatlık problemleri de yaşadı. Beşiktaş, hücum hattına en az 1 yabancı santrfor ekleyecek. Bu durumda, genç golcünün durumu daha da sıkıntılı hale geliyor.

OYNAMA GARANTİSİ

Beşiktaş Yönetimi, bütün kiralama tekliflerine açık... Fakat genç futbolcunun belirli bir sayıda maça çıkması isteniyor. Bunu kabul eden bir talip çıkarsa, imzalar atılacak. Mustafa'nın, Kartal'la 30 Haziran 2028 tarihine kadar sözleşmesi var. Kiralık gideceği kulüpte gelişimi yakından takip edilecek.

TFF'nin önümüzdeki sezon için belirlediği 10+4'lük yabancı kontenjanına güncelleme gelmezse, Galatasaray Real Madrid'in kapısını çalacak. 18 yaşındaki sağ kanat oyuncu Franco Mastantuono ciddi şekilde konuşuluyor...

Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu, önümüzdeki sezon uygulanacak yabancı kontenjanının daha önce de açıklandığı gibi 10+4 olacağını açıklamıştı. Bu durumda genç yabancıların önemi ekstra arttı. Galatasaray cephesi, Kulüpler Birliği'nden gelecek hamle sonrasında kuralın değişebileceğini düşünüyor.

Ancak TFF geri adım atmazsa, buna göre de çözümler bulunuyor. Galatasaray bir süredir Real Madrid'in 18 yaşındaki sağ kanat oyuncusu Franco Mastantuono'yu izliyordu. 10+4'lük kontenjanda gidilecek adreslerden biri de Arjantinli yetenek olacak. Burada kiralama teklifi düşünülüyor.

Real Madrid onun için bu sezon başında River Plate Kulübü'ne 45 milyon euro ödemişti. 1.78 boyundaki futbolcunun 30 Haziran 2031 tarihine kadar mukavelesi var. Galatasaray, Franco Mastantuono'yu 1 sezon kiralamak istiyor. Madrid cephesi de tekliflere açık... Çünkü genç yetenek fazla forma şansı bulamıyor. Bu konuda ilerleyen haftalarda sıcak gelişmeler yaşanabilir.

Danimarkalı futbol mütəxəssisi Kasper Yulmann Almaniyanın “Bayer” komandasının baş məşqçisi vəzifəsində Karles Martineslə əvəzlənib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə Bundesliqa təmsilçisinin mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb.

Yulmann 2025-ci ilin sentyabr ayında “Bayer”də niderlandlı mütəxəssis Erik ten Haqın əvəzində baş məşqçi təyin edilmişdi. Həmin vaxt 53 yaşlı mütəxəssislə 2 illik (2027-ci ilin 30 iyununadək) müqavilə imzalandığını açıqlanmışdı. O, Leverkuzen təmsilçisini 48 oyuna çıxarıb, 24 qələbə, 12 heç-heçə, 12 məğlubiyyət görüb. “Bayer” 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünü 59 xalla 6-cı pillədə başa vurub və Avropa Liqasına vəsiqə qazanıb. Amma bu, klub rəhbərliyinin tam ürəyincə olmayıb. Bu üzdən də Yulmann istefaya göndərilib.

Kasper Yulmann “Bayer”dən öncə Danimarka millisinin baş məşqçisi olub. Məşqçiliyə 1998-ci ildən başlamış 54 yaşlı mütəxəssis “Nordsyelland”, “Lyunqbyu” və “Maynts” (Almaniya) klublarında da baş məşqçi kimi çalışıb. Yulmanın məşqçi kimi yeganə uğuru 2011/2012-ci illər mövsümündə “Nordsyelland”ı Danimarka çempionu etməsidir. O, həmin mövsümdə Danimarkada ilin məşqçisi də seçilib.

Artıq “Bayer”in yeni baş məşqçisinin də adına aydınlıq gəlib. Leverkuzen təmsilçisi bu postu “Tuluza”nın sabiq çalışdırıcısı Karles Martinesə həvalə edib. 42 yaşlı ispaniyalı mütəxəssislə 2 illik müqavilə imzalanıb.

Karles Martines 2023-cü ilin yayından “Tuluza”ya rəhbərlik edirdi. Komanda ötən mövsüm onun rəhbərliyi altında Fransa Liqa 1-i 10-cu pillədə başa vurub.

Qadın futbolçulardan ibarət Azərbaycan millisinin baş məşqçisi Siyasət Əsgərov Macarıstan yığması ilə oyundan öncə fikirlərini bölüşüb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, millimiz sabah – iyunun 5-də dünya çempionatının (DÇ-2027) seçmə mərhələsi çərçivəsində Sumqayıtda Macarıstan yığma komandası ilə üz-üzə gələcək.

Siyasət Əsgərov matçdan öncə təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:

“Bizim üçün Sumqayıtda oynamaq şərəfdir. Ümid edirəm ki, tribunada azarkeş də görəcəyik. Turnir cədvəlində ikinci pillədəyik. Rəqibdən bir xal geri qalırıq. Oyunun mahiyyətinin fərqindəyik. Matça maksimum hazırlaşmışıq. Bizim üçün qələbə önəmlidir. Bu oyuna fərqli planla çıxacağıq. Rəqibin harda boşluqlar verdiyini bilirik. Komandada psixoloji problemimiz yoxdur. Hər oyunda olduğu kimi, bu oyunda da, tək Sevincdən yox, irəli xətdəki hər kəsdən qol gözləyirik”.

Xatırladaq ki, Azərbaycan – Macarıstan matçı Mehdi Hüseynzadə adına Sumqayıt şəhər stadionunda təşkil ediləcək. Oyuna saat 18:00-da start veriləcək.

Qadınlardan ibarət voleybol üzrə Azərbaycan milli komandasının bu il təşkil ediləcək Avropa Liqası üçün yekun heyəti müəyyənləşib.

Arena.az bu barədə Azərbaycan Voleybol Federasiyasının mətbuat xidmətinə istinadən xəbər verir.

Bildirilir ki, baş məşqçi Faiq Qarayev heyətə 14 voleybolçunun adını daxil edib.

Hücumçular: Yelizaveta Ruban, Marqarita Stepanenko, Kseniya Pavlenko, Nərminə Musayeva, Ülkər Kərimova, İlhamə Əzimova;

Orta oyunçular: Ayşən Abduləzimova, Aynur İmanova, Mariya Kirilyuk;

Toppaylayıcılar: Kristina Besman, Raziyə Əliyeva;

Liberolar: Yuliya Kərimova, Bəyaz Quluyeva, Ceyran İmanova;

Qeyd edək ki, Azərbaycan milli komandası Avropa Liqasında ilk oyunlarını Bakıda keçirəcək. İyunun 5-7-də baş tutacaq qarşılaşmalarda komandanın rəqibləri İsveç və Estoniya yığmaları olacaq.

Peşəkar Futbol Liqası (PFL) tərəfindən təşkil edilmiş “Ayın qolu” layihəsi çərçivəsində 2026-cı ilin may ayının qalibləri müəyyənləşib.

Arena.az bu barədə Peşəkar Futbol Liqasının mətbuat xidmətinə istinadən xəbər verir.

Bildirilir ki, Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasında may ayının ən yaxşı qolunun müəllifi “Sabah”ın vingeri Xəyal Əliyev olub. O, Premyer Liqanın 33-cü turu çərçivəsində qarşılaşdıqları “Turan Tovuz”la səfər oyununda komandasının ikinci qoluna imza atmışdı. Bu oyun “Sabah”ın 2:1 hesablı qələbəsi ilə yekunlaşmışdı.

Birinci Liqada Elmin Bayramov (“Mingəçevir”), İkinci Liqada Taleh Hüseynzadə (“Göygöl”) birinci olub.

Qeyd edək ki, PFL Premyer Liqada, Birinci Liqada və İkinci Liqada “Ayın qolu” layihəsinin qaliblərini 11 nəfərlik münsiflər heyəti tərəfindən müəyyənləşdirir. Səsvermə nəticəsində bərabərlik olarsa, yekun qərarın verilməsi PFL-in səlahiyyətləri daxilindədir.

“Bayer”in yeni baş məşqçisi Karles Martines olacaq.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə Almaniya mətbuatı məlumat yayıb. Son klubu “Tuluza” olan mütəxəssis Leverkuzen təmsilçisi ilə anlaşıb. Təyinat yaxın zamanda açıqlanacaq.

“Bayer” Bundesliqada mövsümü 6-cı sırada bitirib və Avropa Liqasına vəsiqə qazanıb.

“Transfermarkt” portalı futbolçuların dəyərlərini yeniləyib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “Əl Nəsr”in və Portuqaliya millisinin hücumçusu Kriştiano Ronaldonun qiyməti 10 milyon avro göstərilib.

40 yaşlı hücumçu başa çatan mövsümdə “Əl Nəsr”lə Səudiyyə Ərəbistanı çempionu olub. O, liqada 30 oyunda 28 qol vurub.

“Sportinq”in hücumçusu Luis Suares karyerasını Türkiyədə davam etdirə bilər.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, kolumbiyalı futbolçu “Fənərbağça” ilə anlaşıb. Bu barədə Türkiyə mətbuatı məlumat yayıb.

Super Liqa klubunda prezidentliyə namizəd Hakan Safi hücumçu ilə şifahi razılığa gəlib. O, prezident seçiləcəyi halda, Suaresin transferini tamamlayacaq.

Kolumbiya millisinin də üzvü olan futbolçu başa çatan mövsümdə “Sportinq”də 53 oyunda 38 qol vurub.

“Karvan-Yevlax” qapıçı Pedro Mateusla yollarını ayırıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb. Qolkiperin müqavilə müddəti başa çatıb.

29 yaşlı qapıçı başa çatan mövsümdə komandanın heyətində 20 oyuna çıxıb.

Florentino Perez has declared that Real Madrid are not finished in the transfer market this summer, promising at least one more top defender after the signings of Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries, with Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori among the profiles under consideration.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Real Madrid president told AS: “I will bring more players. Everyone who knows me knows that great players want to play for Real Madrid and I want to bring them in. I will make it happen. Another top defender will join this summer.”

Calafiori and Gvardiol among complicated targets as Madrid pursue third defensive signing

With Konaté and Dumfries already confirmed as done deals, Madrid are now pursuing a third defensive reinforcement. Romano reports that both Calafiori and Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol are among the most appreciated profiles at the club, though both are described as complicated operations.

Calafiori’s potential departure from Arsenal would represent a major blow for Mikel Arteta, with the Italy international having established himself as one of the Premier League’s most impressive left-sided defenders since joining from Bologna in 2024.

A move to the Bernabeu would also represent a significant statement of intent from Perez, who appears determined to rebuild Madrid’s defensive options comprehensively following the exits of David Alaba, Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rudiger.

Whether Arsenal would entertain offers for a player considered central to their title ambitions remains another matter entirely.

Aurelio De Laurentiis has held a press conference discussing the club’s plans for pre-season and their upcoming centenary year, but has refused to comment on the imminent appointment of head coach Massimiliano Allegri: ‘You know the rules’. 

De Laurentiis talks all things Napoli ahead of 2026-27 centenary season

De Laurentiis sat down in front of reporters on Thursday, confirming that Napoli will hold two summer training camps in Trentino and in Abruzzo, despite multi-million offers to take part in international summer tours. He also said that the club plans to celebrate its centenary across the 2026-27 season, not just in the summer, and confirmed that the Stadio Maradona is in need of major redevelopment. 

“We are scripting the story of these 100 years. When we’re talking about a centenary, I believe that it should be celebrated for the full year. If we take August 1 as the date, it means that from August 1, 2026 until July 31, 2027, I want to celebrate,” De Laurentiis said when discussing the club’s upcoming 100th anniversary (via TMW). 

“We have an impressive series of celebrations, activities, appointments that, if we were to burn through all in one go, we would not be able to launch this great concept of ‘Napoli è, Napoli esiste, Napoli è filosofia e realtà di vita’. So please, follow us on this journey that will last a year.” 

De Laurentiis went on to discuss the infrastructure that Napoli have available to them. The club President is not concerned about the state of the training ground, but hinted that it might be more cost-effective to build a brand new stadium rather than to redevelop the Stadio Maradona. 

“We’re here to talk about my relations with the city, the local area and the municipality and the stadium issue. We want to be considered as a great team, but even when Ancelotti arrived I said that the Stadio Maradona was a dump. That opinion hasn’t changed. Even by spending €200m, the problems with the Maradona would not be solved.

“There are no problems with the training ground. We will have a separate conference about the stadium. These structures will be a recurring theme over the next five-year period.”

Napoli have recently confirmed that Antonio Conte has left his position as head coach by mutual consent, and whilst Allegri is widely expected to replace him on an initial two-year contract, De Laurentiis was unable to comment on legal grounds. 

“Napoli doesn’t even have a coach at the moment, and even if we did, we couldn’t announce it. You know the rules. It’s pointless to make a mess.” 

He later added: “I will introduce the coach when the regulations allow me to. I’m not one to go against the rules. I can disagree with them, because sometimes they were made at a certain time and become outdated. We agree to play in a competition that has rules, and so we respect them. When the time comes to announce the coach, we will announce it.” 

De Laurentiis assured the reporters present that parting ways with Conte does not mean that Napoli intend to give up on their fight for league titles: “I won the Scudetto with a coach who hadn’t even won it before, only the league title in Russia. So rest assured, as long as you see my face present (we want to win titles).” 

He later continued: “For many, the league isn’t important. For me, both the league and Champions League are important. After the first Scudetto, I said that we would aim for big things in Europe. It didn’t go well, but we got over it and finished second. Next year we hope to get back on track after these two training camps.”

De Laurentiis was also asked why Napoli tend to stay on home soil for their pre-season training camps, when so many other ‘top’ clubs across Europe take the opportunity to delve into new markets in North America or South-East Asia, for example. 

He replied: “There’s a gentleman I like very much called Charlie Stellitano, and he offers me four or five million every time to jet off around the world. He wrote to me again about a week ago, I replied saying they would have to pay for everything and for €15m, I would give them five days of availability. But, I never heard from them again, they left me alone.”

De Laurentiis also revealed why Napoli tend to play away from home during the first round of the Serie A season. 

“The first game will be away, because we need time to relay the pitch after these damn summer concerts. For years, I’ve been asking the league to let us play the first game away from home, and they have always politely accepted.” 

Lastly, De Laurentiis gave his response to the recent comments made by Kevin De Bruyne, who claimed that he was ‘happy’ that Conte was leaving. 

“They have made statements that are either acceptable or unacceptable depending on your point of view. We’ll see what happens when we all get back to work. We’ll see what the new coach thinks of it. If someone has to leave, they will leave. What’s the problem? There are plenty of footballers in the world.” 

Marc Cucurella could be on his way out of Chelsea during the summer transfer window, and they are already looking at a potential replacement.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, they are interested in signing Nathaniel Brown from the German club Eintracht Frankfurt.

Brown has been linked with Arsenal as well.

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Nathaniel Brown has been in impressive form

The German defender is in fine form, and he registered 10 goal contributions last season. He is equally good at both ends of the pitch, and he could be the ideal replacement for the Spanish International.

Cucurella has been an impressive performer for Chelsea, and former manager Enzo Maresca described him as a “phenomenal” player.

He has been linked with the move to Spain, and it remains to be seen where he ends up. Chelsea will need to properly replace a player like him. Brown certainly has the quality to succeed in the Premier League, and he could develop into a star for Chelsea.

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Chelsea needs quality players like Brown

It has been a disappointing season for the Blues, and they missed out on Champions League qualification. They need quality players to bounce back strongly. Brown is a young player with a lot of quality, and he could help Chelsea improve. If he manages to adapt to English football quickly, he could make a big difference for them next season.

The opportunity to join one of the biggest clubs in England will be exciting for the German defender as well. It would be a step up for him, and he would get to test himself against world-class players in the Premier League.

Chelsea are looking at multiple other options, and it remains to be seen who they end up signing eventually.

Meanwhile, Brown has also been linked with clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool.

The post Chelsea eye move for 10-G/A wide man to replace “phenomenal” first-team star appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Jeremy Monga has been linked with a move away from Leicester City during the summer transfer window.

The Foxes have been relegated to the third division of English football, and the 16-year-old attacker could look to move on. He will want to compete at a high level, and Arsenal is prepared to provide him with an exit route.

He is one of the finest young talents in English football right now, and Arsenal believe that he could be a star in the future. According to Fabrizio Romano, they are in advanced talks with the 16-year-old attacker, and they are ahead of the competition. They believe that he can be a special player for the future.

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Arsenal is closing in on Jeremy Monga

Fabrizio Romano said on YouTube: “Arsenal are advancing in talks to sign Jeremy Monga. Arsenal are ahead of all the other English top clubs interested in this boy. The negotiation is ongoing between all parties involved.

“Player side, club side, Leicester, Arsenal. So let’s wait for the next steps. But there is confidence, real confidence at Arsenal to sign Jeremy Monga. Obviously is one for the future.

“He’s a 16-year-old kid. But they believe at Arsenal this is a special talent and so Arsenal are pushing to anticipate the other clubs. There is a conversation ongoing. Let’s wait in terms of timing to see when, how things will move to the final stages, but Arsenal are confident of signing Jeremy.”

Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

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Chelsea eye move for 26-G/A Barcelona target who has worked with Alonso

Jun 4 2026, 17:30

Chelsea eye move for 10-G/A wide man to replace “phenomenal” first-team star

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