Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) takes the field during pregame moments, locked in and scanning the stadium atmosphere ahead of kickoff against the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 18, 2019, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: Ben Ludeman-USA TODAY Sports.
As the NFL draft approaches, Minnesota Vikings-themed rumors and misconceptions are circulating, as they always do this time of year. It’s important to address some of the speculation promptly, so here’s a look at the rumors that simply aren’t true.
Three Vikings rumors made noise this week, and each one needs context.
Each week, this column debunks dubious narratives surrounding the Vikings, as well as ideas that never had a chance of becoming reality — or stuff that just didn’t work out as planned.
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Breaking Down the Week’s Shakiest Minnesota Talking Points
These are the Nopedy Nopes with the NFL draft about 3.5 weeks away.
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) breaks up a pass intended for Atlanta Falcons receiver Russell Gage (83) during the first quarter, Sep. 8, 2019, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as Smith closes quickly and disrupts the play in tight coverage early in the contest. Mandatory Credit: Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports.
The Nopey Nope: The Bears will sign Harrison Smith.
DaWindyCity.com‘s Ernesto Cova thinks Smith, a lifelong Viking, is a real free-agent option for the Bears.
He wrote this week, “The Bears should make a run at Harrison Smith. Smith is still a free agent, and the Bears could certainly use some help at strong safety. Given Smith’s age, he’s obviously not going to be a long-term solution at the position. That said, the Bears’ Super Bowl window is wide open right now, and he’s the type of proven veteran who can help this young team push through in the second year of the Ben Johnson era.”
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“The Chicago Bears already lured a former divisional rival to the Windy City. And even though the addition of WR Kalif Raymond may not be as impactful, bolstering the team while hurting an NFC North rival is a double win. Now, GM Ryan Poles might repeat that approach, this time to bolster the defense with a Minnesota Vikings star.”
A six-time Pro Bowler, Smith has never indicated interest in playing elsewhere, despite speculation that he could, in theory, find a new team. Smith’s situation this offseason has never been about exploring free agency, an opportunity that passed years ago without his pursuing it.
In 2026, his decision will be straightforward and personal: retire or return for a 15th season in Minnesota. The Vikings and their fans recognize this reality, even staging a retirement ceremony for him at U.S. Bank Stadium in January following the season finale against Detroit.
While longtime teammates like Adam Thielen and C.J. Ham have moved on, Smith remains undecided. His choice is imminent and hinges on a single question: should he return for a 15th year, or retire?
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One thing is for certain: he won’t sign with a Vikings rival on his way out the door.
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on Smith signing in Chicago. Like really?
The Nopey Nope: Jonathan Allen adds a major boost to the Bengals’ defensive trenches.
ESPN’s Seth Walder didn’t hold back on Cincinnati’s move for Allen, grading it harshly and questioning the payoff.
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He explained, “Grade: D. A year ago, I handed the Vikings a D+ for signing Allen to an expensive contract shortly after he had been cut by the Commanders, a deal that called for him to make $16.2 million in 2025 and fully guaranteed $8 million of his $17 million in cash due in 2026. Now this year, the Vikings cut Allen after a lackluster first season in Minnesota, and the Bengals are going to pick up some of the tab and then some.”
“Cincinnati needs to improve its defense, and I understand wanting more pass rush from its interior. B.J. Hill, T.J. Slaton and Kris Jenkins Jr. all had below-average pass rush win rates for a defensive tackle last season. But this is too much to pay for what will likely be too little.”
Washington defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (93) lines up during action against the Dallas Cowboys, Dec. 26, 2021, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as he prepares to engage at the line of scrimmage in a divisional matchup late in the regular season with playoff implications on the line. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.
The Vikings also parted ways with defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who quickly landed in Green Bay, earning a ‘B-‘ from Walder for that signing.
Walder continued, “Allen was a very good defensive tackle earlier in his career. But the numbers clearly paint a picture of a 31-year-old player who is well into his decline. And I think the Bengals are overpaying him based on what he did several years ago. There’s another wrinkle here that affects Allen’s old team.”
“Though the Vikings had guaranteed $8 million of Allen’s 2026 money, the defensive tackle had offset language in that deal. Which means that the Vikings could receive a cap credit at the end of the season for whatever the Bengals pay Allen in 2026. While we don’t know the structure of the deal yet, that could be a nice break for Minnesota.”
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Both Allen in Cincinnati and Hargrave in Green Bay will get fresh opportunities to reset their careers. Walder isn’t buying the upside on Allen.
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on Allen as the Bengals’ big offseason DT fix.
The Nopey Nope: LSU CB Mansoor Delane will be on the board for the Vikings at pick No. 18
Delane put real speed on display Monday at his Pro Day, and it showed up in a big way.
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SBNation’sDale Altman wrote, ‘Mansoor Delane ran a blazing 4.35 40-yard dash today at the LSU Pro Day. The LSU cornerback was already considered to be the top prospect at the position for the 2026 NFL Draft. All he did by running that time was solidify himself as the top guy, and potentially another step closer to going in the top 10.”
“Delane was tremendous in 2025 with a 90.7 coverage grade. He allowed just a 40.0% completion rate against him this past season. He was a shutdown corner for the Tigers. He isn’t just a cover corner either, Delane is a more than willing participant against the run.”
LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane (4) reacts after forcing a fourth-down stop against the Arkansas Razorbacks, Nov. 15, 2025, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as the defense celebrates a key moment in the second half during an intense SEC matchup with momentum swinging. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images.
That speed turned heads across the league, and teams hunting for rookie cornerback help took notice quickly. He now looks firmly in line to be the first cornerback selected, wiping him off the board for the Vikings all the way down at No. 18.
In January, he was a popular mock-draft selection for Minnesota. Not anymore.
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on Delane to Minnesota; he’s too good and too fast.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo will not be retiring anytime soon.
The 71-year-old head coach was asked what he would be doing in five years after his team’s 67-63 loss to UConn in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, and he brushed off the possibility of retirement.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts during the first half against North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, N.Y., March 19, 2026.(Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)
“We all talk about retirement,” Izzo said. “Why? What the hell am I going to do? The minute I don’t feel good, the minute I don’t feel like I’m giving my AD or president or school every ounce of energy I have every day or that energy drops, you don’t have to worry about it. I don’t steal money. I won’t steal anybody’s time.”
Izzo said he still has some things that he wants to accomplish before calling it a career. He said he would be going into the portal the day after the team’s loss.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts during the second half against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, N.Y., March 21, 2026.(Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP Photo)
“Tomorrow I’m going to the portal,” Izzo said. “The only difference is the portal at Michigan State is different than the portal at most places. I’m going right to my frickin’ locker room, and I’m going to talk to each and every player right there. I’m going to make some decisions about what we’re going to do that I feel very comfortable with.”
The Iron Mountain, Michigan, native said he has seven or eight guys returning next season and a recruiting class he feels good about.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo yells during the second half of a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA Tournament against UConn in Washington, D.C., March 27, 2026.(Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo)
Izzo began coaching at Michigan State in the 1995-96 season and has been the team’s head coach ever since. He has amassed a 764-310 record, including a 61-27 record in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State went 27-8 this season.
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“I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I’m just not lucky enough to be playing on Sunday,” Izzo said. “I’ll get to play on another Sunday. Hang around.”
Minnesota Vikings defensive back Harrison Smith (22) looks on from the sideline prior to kickoff against the Seattle Seahawks, with the scene unfolding on Aug 18, 2019 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, as Smith surveys the field and prepares mentally for preseason action at home. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports.
April is three days away, which means it’s draft month for the Minnesota and 31 NFL teams, one of the most suspenseful months on the football calendar — perhaps even more than some regular season months. Accordingly, let’s get some Vikings-themed predictions on record.
April could swing a few major Vikings storylines into focus.
The club is expected to win eight or nine games next season, which is pretty much what oddsmakers say every year about Minnesota.
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Projecting the Vikings Developments Most Likely to Hit Next
Ranked in no particular order, these are Vikings predictions for April and beyond.
Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald (DL21) appears on the SiriusXM NFL Radio set during Combine week, Feb. 25, 2026, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, as prospects rotate through interviews and media sessions while teams gather information ahead of the upcoming NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
5. If Not Dillon Thieneman, the Vikings’ First Draft Pick Is a DT
There is a ghost going around, a ghost that changes every mock-drafter’s mock draft before it publishes on the internet. That ghost ghosts into the network and connects Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman to the Vikings, and the ghost is undefeated.
Yes, Thieneman to Minnesota is all over the place in late March, thanks to Thieneman’s fantabulous Combine showing.
It just seems to good to be true that every ghost has it right, so let’s predict this: if the Vikings buck the Thieneman trend, they will pick a defensive tackle in Round 1 or early in Round 2, depending on a trade, either Peter Woods (Clemson), Kayden McDonald (Ohio State), Caleb Banks (Florida), or Lee Hunter (Texas Tech).
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4. The Vikings Sign DT Christian Wilkins or D.J. Reader
Brian Flores worked with Wilkins down in Miami to start Wilkins’s career, and in fact, the very first draft pick of the Flores era was Wilkins in 2019.
ESPN reported last week that “26 teams” have called Wilkins’s agent about a 2026 contract, though that feels like agent-driven fluff. If remotely true, Minnesota has an inside track to Wilkins based on the Flores connection. Flores spoke glowingly about Wilkins as recently as last summer.
The Vikings will add Wilkins and showcase him next to Jalen Redmond this fall. If it’s not Wilkins, nose tackle D.J. Reader will be the choice because of his more affordable price tag.
The Viking Age‘s Lior Lambert noted on the prospect of Reader to Minnesota this week, “Reader is one of the biggest names left on the open market. He’d be a legitimate difference-maker for the Vikings (or any club that signs him). Plus, his arrival in Minnesota would be even sweeter knowing it comes at the expense of their NFC North rivals, the Detroit Lions.”
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“After spending the past two seasons with the Lions, Reader can remind them of what they’re missing and go over to the enemy. The Vikings present him with a unique opportunity to step into a meaningful role and exact revenge on Detroit twice annually. The Vikings can kill two birds with one stone by signing Reader.”
Reader is 6’3″ and 335 pounds. He’s a unit.
Lambert continued, “As a fifth-round pick in 2016 with a decade of experience in the league, Reader has seen it all. His knowledge and steady presence could do wonders for an incoming rookie. However, perhaps more notably for the Vikings, he also has plenty left in the tank from an on-field standpoint.”
“Turning 32 in July, there’s a possibility Father Time comes for Reader. Be that as it may, his 2025 efforts suggest that age shouldn’t be a problem yet, as he was PFF’s 30th-highest-graded interior defender out of 134 qualified options (68.9).”
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3. Jordan Addison’s 5th-Year Option Is Locked In
Minnesota isn’t making this mysterious.
It let Jalen Nailor leave in free agency, refusing to match the Las Vegas Raiders‘ offer of $35 million over the next three years.
The Vikings signed zilch for free-agent wide receivers.
Had the front office used just one of those maneuvers, there might be real uncertainty about Addison’s fifth-year option. But they didn’t, and it’s wildly apparent that the Vikings believe in Addison. Hell or high water.
2. Jonathan Greenard Gets an Extension — Not Traded
After signing Kyler Murray two weeks ago, the Vikings, through their actions, showed they’re “in it to win it” in 2026. If they were not, they would’ve let J.J. McCarthy run the show and let the chips fall on his development.
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) is brought down by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58), Jan. 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, during a playoff matchup as Greenard closes quickly to limit yardage in a high-stakes postseason game. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Rondone-Imagn Images.
“In it to win it” teams don’t sell premium EDGE rushers; they actually go out of their way to hoard them. While Greenard wants a handsome extension, Minnesota will realize he is not easily replaceable and pay the man.
Unless Greenard had fundamentally soured on the Vikings as an organization, it never made any sense whatsoever to trade him.
Greenard stays.
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1. Harrison Smith Returns
These are the clues to indicate Smith’s return for Year No. 15:
He hasn’t retired yet; most retirees announce it by this point in the offseason.
Smith played his strongest ball in the final six weeks of 2025; he’s not washed.
Adam Thielen and C.J. Ham sent in retirement paperwork; Smith did not.
Kyler Murray is in the house, renewing the Vikings’ playoff and Super Bowl hopes.
The Vikings signed no safeties in free agency.
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) prepares on the field before kickoff, Oct. 20, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ahead of a divisional matchup against the Detroit Lions as the veteran defender readies for another NFC North contest. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Perhaps Smith will stick around in 2026 to cross paths with the aforementioned Thieneman, the mock-draft favorite to be chosen by the Vikings at No. 18 in 25 days.
The Formula 1 community held its collective breath during the Japanese Grand Prix when Haas F1 driver Ollie Bearman was involved in a violent 50G crash. After limping away from his destroyed 2026 challenger at the notoriously fast Suzuka Circuit, fans and pundits alike were deeply concerned about the 20-year-old’s condition.
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Now, just hours after medical evaluations confirmed he escaped with only a severe right knee contusion, Bearman has released a personal audio message to reassure his supporters, apologize to his team, and look ahead to the rest of the season.
Bearman’s Message to the Fans
In a direct address to his followers, a winded but optimistic Bearman broke down the incident and praised the Haas garage for their efforts. Here is exactly what the young British driver had to say:
“Hey everyone, it’s Ollie here. Happy to report that everything is okay. Really sorry to the team for what happened. It’s been a bit of a freak accident with such a huge closing speed. So we need to go back and understand everything. But on the other hand, I’m really happy that Esteban has scored points today, even if my safety car was very poor timing for him.
“But now, you know, we have a month off to come back. I’m going to use this time to rest up and feel better before the next race in Miami. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world, and see you all soon.”
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The “Huge Closing Speed” Explained
Navigating the ultra-fast Spoon Curve, Bearman rapidly caught the Alpine of Franco Colapinto, who was heavily harvesting electrical energy.
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The massive speed differential forced Bearman to take immediate evasive action onto the slick grass, resulting in the violent, broadside impact into the tire barrier. As Bearman noted, the team will use their downtime to analyze the telemetry and better understand how to navigate these dangerous harvesting speed differentials in the future.
A Silver Lining for Haas and a Road to Miami
Despite the multimillion-dollar repair bill Haas will face to replace Bearman’s pulverized chassis, the team didn’t leave Japan empty-handed. As Bearman graciously mentioned, his teammate Esteban managed to fight through the chaotic, strategy-scrambling Safety Car period, caused by Bearman himself, to secure vital World Championship points for the American outfit.
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The Formula 1 calendar now offers a much-needed reprieve. With a four-week spring break before the Miami Grand Prix, the young driver has a full month to ice his bruised knee, undergo physical therapy, and mentally reset before getting back behind the wheel under the Florida sun.
Two rounds into his title defense at the Golfweek Senior Division National Championship, Bryan Hoops has begun to pull away. Hoops began the tournament at Desert Willow Golf Resort’s Mountain View Course in Palm Desert, California, with a round of 4-under 68. In Saturday’s second round, Hoops had a 1-under 71 that left him at the top of the board as his chasers shuffled behind him.
Hoops, of Scottsdale, Arizona, began Saturday with a one-shot lead and by the end of the day, he was ahead by three shots. The 57-year-old has 11 total birdies this week and at 5 under for 36 holes, leads Chris Bailey of Rochester, Michigan, and John Wright of Oswego, Illinois, by three shots. Both Bailey and Wright had second-round 69s.
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While Bailey had a clean card that included only one bogey, Wright’s wild back nine included just one par. He also had five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.
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A year ago, Hoops won the Golfweek Senior Division National Championship before logging two more tournament wins in the following days in the California desert. He is currently the top-ranked player aged 55 and over in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Only seven players remain under par for 36 holes at Desert Willow, including four players tied for fourth at 1 under: John Adams of San Clemente, California; Todd Doss of Mandeville, Louisiana; Trae Cassell of Riverdale, Georgia; and Randy Haag of Orinda, California.
Scott Stevens of Encinitas, California, had the only other sub-70 round for the day – a 69 that moved him into a tie for eighth at even par.
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The 54-hole event concludes Sunday before the Golfweek Senior Amateur begins at Desert Willow’s Firecliff Course on March 30.
Mar 28, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) celebrates with team mates after the Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 in a shoot-out at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Dylan Strome scored the tying goal in the third period and the game-winner in the shootout to give the Washington Capitals a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Strome, who hit the post on the first shot of the game, tied it at 4-all midway through the period with a power-play tally, one-timing a shot from the middle of the right circle to snap a 17-game goal drought. He then scored the only goal of the shootout at the start of the first round, roofing a backhand shot past Adin Hill.
Justin Sourdif had a goal and an assist, Cole Hutson had two assists and Hendrix Lapierre and Anthony Beauvillier also scored goals for Washington (37-28-9, 83 points), which is four points back of the second and final wild card in the Eastern Conference. Logan Thompson finished with 25 saves and stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout.
Jack Eichel scored a goal and had two assists, Rasmus Andersson had a goal and an assist and Nic Dowd and Mitch Marner also scored for Vegas (32-26-16, 80 points), which lost its third straight game and its sixth in the last seven. Hill made 17 saves for the Golden Knights, who fell three points behind second-place Edmonton in the Pacific Division.
Washington took a 1-0 lead at the 6:06 mark of the first period when Lapierre fired a wrist shot past Hill’s blocker side.
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Sourdif made it 2-0 early in the second period with a power-play goal. Connor McMichael set up the score with a pass from the right goal-line to Sourdif cutting down the slot where he one-timed a shot past Hill’s blocker side.
Less than four minutes later, Beauvillier deflected a spinning wrist shot from the left circle by Ryan Leonard to increase Washington’s lead to 3-0, the eighth time in the last 16 games that the Golden Knights fell behind 3-0 in a contest.
But Vegas rallied to tie it later in the period with three goals, including two short-handed, in the span of 2:40.
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Dowd, acquired by Vegas on March 5 from Capitals, started the comeback with his fifth career short-handed goal, stealing the puck from Leonard in the slot in front of the Washington net and then snapping a shot by Thompson’s stick side.
Andersson followed with another short-handed goal just 25 seconds later, driving through the Capitals defense and tucking in a forehand shot around Thompson’s left pad. It marked the second time in team history that Vegas scored two short-handed goals on the same penalty kill. Brayden McNabb and Eichel also performed the feat on Dec. 27, 2024, against San Jose.
Eichel tied it at 3-all with his first goal in eight games when he snapped a rebound of an Andersson shot past Thompson’s glove side at 13:18.
Vegas took the lead 31 seconds into the third period on a power-play goal by Marner, who fired a point shot from inside the blue line past Thompson’s blocker side.
Sol Ruca is a top star in WWE NXT right now. On a house show in Allen, Texas, she got into a brawl with her former tag team partner. She’s heading into Stand & Deliver 2026 to face her ally-turned-rival, and things recently got heated between them.
Ruca and Zaria engaged in a scuffle and took the Allen crowd by storm. In a video posted by WWE NXT on X, the two can be seen taking their brawl backstage. The duo seemingly locked horns, but the contest ended in a double countout after Zaria took things too far.
Thanks for the submission!
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Later in the video, they got back inside the ring, where referees separated them.
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NXT general manager Robert Stone announced that the duo will face off again at Stand & Deliver. However, for now, they need to be away from each other. In the end, Sol Ruca taunted Zaria while the latter was taken away by WWE officials.
What other matches are scheduled for WWE NXT Stand & Deliver?
Johnny Garagno is back in NXT and will be challenging for Myles Borne’s North American Championship. The main event of the show will see Joe Hendry put his NXT Championship on the line in a Fatal-Four-Way Match. Ricky Saints, Ethan Page, and Tony D’Angelo will go up against Hendry for the coveted gold.
The go-home episode of NXT before Stand & Deliver will likely confirm more matches for the show. Jacy Jayne will put her NXT Women’s Championship on the line against the winner of Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey. The Vanity Project will battle either Birthright or Los Americanos, depending on which duo wins the tag team contest on Tuesday.
As of this writing, Tatum Paxley’s Women’s North American Championship match is up in the air. However, Blake Monroe is widely expected to challenge for Paxley’s title.
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Keith Thurman was stopped inside six rounds by towering WBC super-welterweight world champion Sebastian Fundora this weekend in Las Vegas.
The champion, who stands at 6-foot-5½, used his significant height and reach advantage from the off, making it hard for Thurman to settle and land any sustained attacks.
‘One Time’ showed impressive resilience as Fundora peppered the body and landed cleanly up top, but a steady decrease in output saw him, bloodied and bruised, stopped on his feet by referee Thomas Taylor.
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Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Thurman criticised Taylor for stepping in and waving the fight off.
“Fundora’s a tremendous champion, but whoever the f**k that referee was, don’t hire him for f***ing main event s**t again, real talk.”
“I never got dropped in the whole fight. I’m getting caught on the back end of punches. The referee told me in the locker room, ‘show me something, move your feet, duck your head – I won’t stop the fight.’ … The fight was getting fun. People were getting on their feet. We were just getting into the grind.”
As for his future, the 37-year-old former unified world champion made it clear he intends to fight on.
“I’ll be back, man. I want to do great things in boxing once again, and I’m gonna come back hard, I’m gonna come back strong.”
Fundora’s latest successful title defence opens the door to several high-profile match-ups in the division, with the likes of Vergil Ortiz Jr and a returning Jermell Charlo likely to be calling for a shot. There is also the prospect of a three-belt unification against the winner of Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis.
Manchester City have regenerated their squad in the past 18 months and decisions now loom on four senior players
Manchester City’s squad evolution gathered pace last weekend as the Blues won their first trophy since the 2024 Premier League title when they beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.
While the silverware absence was not even two years, the Wembley win reaffirmed the trajectory this squad is on after a trophyless 2024-25 campaign.
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City have a plethora of emerging talent alongside a core of experience and while there remain questions over Pep Guardiola’s future beyond the summer, the playing squad is in good shape.
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This summer will likely see the departure of two long-serving City players in John Stones and Bernardo Silva when their contracts expire. Skipper Bernardo said earlier in the campaign that he already knew what the future holds and there is little to suggest he will pen fresh terms at the Etihad even though Guardiola would happily hand a new deal to a player he values so highly.
For Stones, it’s injuries that look set to preclude a new City contract. The defender has suffered with fitness issues this term and pulled out of the England squad this week with a groin problem. Guardiola has spoken of how a decision on Stones would need to take into account what he has shown over the last two years and sadly for the centre-back, injury has prevented him from showing too much.
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The departures of Stones and Silva would see a huge amount of experience leaving the building but City are in a position to cope with both exits. A summer transfer move for a new midfielder, with Elliott Anderson at Nottingham Forest of interest, would certainly help offset the departure of Silva, while Abdukodir Khusanov, Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias mitigate the loss of Stones.
It’s what might happen with two more City stalwarts that will carry plenty of intrigue over the coming months and potentially impact the Blues’ summer transfer plans.
Rodri and Phil Foden both see their contracts expire in 2027 and just now it’s difficult to confidently predict both will be here past that date.
Rodri spoke of his admiration for La Liga and Real Madrid this week, and while he then suggested people listen to the entire interview before jumping to conclusions, it’s difficult to ignore the prospect of Real signing the midfielder.
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The 29-year-old is beginning to show his best again having suffered a serious knee injury and a couple of setbacks. Guardiola doesn’t feel his star man will be back to full throttle until this summer’s World Cup but City and Rodri will need to make a decision on whether a new deal is offered sooner rather than later.
City will not stand in any player’s way if they do want to depart, and would potentially rather obtain a fee for Rodri this summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer in 18 months.
The same would be true of Foden, although his future is more likely to be at City than not. The 25-year-old has struggled for form in recent months but remains a player capable of being among the best in the country and the hope at the Etihad is that he can return to the peak of his powers.
A probable World Cup and the uncertainty surrounding Guardiola’s future will play a part in any contract talks over the next few months but the feeling is club and player will come to an agreement for the boyhood Blue to extend his Etihad contract.
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City’s summer transfer business will offer a further indication as to what the future holds as we wait for answers.
Many observers view the highly touted heavyweight as a natural successor to Usyk, and the emphatic win over the durable American in Manchester last night has only intensified talk that the 21-year-old could be ready to dethrone the Ukrainian champion.
Franklin entered the bout having never been stopped in 26 professional fights, including decision defeats to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was expected by some to provide valuable time in the ring for a rising contender who had only gone a total twelve rounds in his previous nine contests.
Focus now shifts to what comes next. When asked whether he would be willing to face the unified champion before the end of the year, the rising star did not hesitate in his response.
“No, I’m not going to fight with Itauma because he’s a young guy. I don’t want to break this guy.”
The Ukrainian is set to return to the ring on May 23, where he will face kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven. Beyond that, the champion announced that he will target the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, followed by a potential trilogy bout with Tyson Fury before bringing his career to a close.
Kolkata Knight Riders player Manish Pandey (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)
Indian batter Manish Pandey, one of only four players to have featured in every edition of the Indian Premier League since its start in 2008, describes his 19-year IPL journey as having “flown by in a flash.”Pandey will don the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) jersey in IPL 2026, as the three-time champions face five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. Across 174 IPL matches, Pandey has scored 3,942 runs at a strike rate of 121.52.
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Greenstone Lobo predicts IPL 2026 winner
“It’s been an incredible journey for me – 19 years, and now going into my 19th season. I started with MI in the very first year after the U19 World Cup. That was a special memory, but honestly, it all feels like it just passed in a moment. From 2008 to now, 2026, it’s been a lot,” Pandey said in a video released by the IPL on Sunday.He added, “Overall, it’s been a fantastic experience. I’m glad to be among those few players who’ve been part of every IPL, and I always try to do justice to myself and the game. I’m here purely for the passion and love of cricket.”Reflecting on his landmark century for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2009, Pandey said, “Absolutely. We were just young, 18-19-year-olds, discovering the game and ourselves. In my second season, I scored a hundred in South Africa for RCB, and it felt amazing. I wasn’t expecting to open the innings and get that opportunity, but it helped me a lot. Being the first Indian to score a hundred and the youngest at the time is a great memory, even though someone else now holds that record.”On the IPL’s growth, Pandey noted, “This tournament has taught us so much. We were still understanding the dynamics back then. Over 19 years, IPL has evolved massively – for players, sponsors, and fans. The joy it has given to so many is unbelievable. It’s now one of the biggest platforms for young talent to shine.”Pandey also spoke about how the game itself has changed: “Back then, 160 was a good total, and 140 could be defended. Now, everything is faster, with high-scoring games and new bowling variations. IPL is at the centre of world cricket today, testing players who’ve been here one year or many. It has made the game bigger and helped cricket grow.”He added, “We always dream of playing for India, and tournaments like IPL are crucial. Selectors watch closely, and performing here is key to staying in the game. I’ve been lucky to do that over time.”Pandey concluded by recalling his pivotal knock in the 2014 final for KKR: “That innings of 95 in the final was life-changing. It helped me break into the Indian team, where I went on to play 29 ODIs and 39 T20Is. IPL has been very kind to me, giving me the chance to handle pressure while enjoying the game.”
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