Eric Lauer‘s time in Toronto may be coming to an end.
The team also placed slugger Addison Barger on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation while recalling outfielder Yohendrick Pinango and pitcher Yariel Rodriguez.
Lauer, 30, has struggled in his second season with the Blue Jays, posting a 6.69 ERA over 36.1 innings.
He has also been critical of Toronto manager John Schneider’s usage of him, going so far as saying he “hates” coming out of the bullpen following an opener.
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Lauer entered Sunday’s game as the bulk pitcher behind a pair of openers, but coughed up six runs over five innings in a 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Barger was scratched from Toronto’s lineup Sunday with right elbow soreness just one day after missing a month due to a left ankle sprain.
He’ll be replaced by Pinango, who is listed as the 10th-ranked prospect in the Blue Jays organization, according to MLB. In 10 games played with the big club this season, Pinango is slashing .423/.444/.462.
In 22 games with triple-A Buffalo this season, Pinango is batting .288/.370/.488 with three homers and 13 RBI across 92 plate appearances.
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Pinango will bat second when the Blue Jays open a three-game set at home against the Tampa Bay Rays Monday at 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet+.
Meanwhile, Rodríguez has posted a 2.63 ERA while recording 25 strikeouts and nine walks in 13.2 innings across 11 triple-A appearances this season.
Rodríguez was one of Toronto’s most relied-upon relievers in 2025, posting a 3.08 ERA over 73 regular-season innings.
Despite the strong full-season totals, the six-foot right-hander struggled in the second half and post-season and threw just 2.2 innings for the Blue Jays in October.
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Rodriguez will also be active for the series opener against the Rays.
Desmond Mason is back in the news, but this time for legal trouble instead of basketball. The former NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner was arrested in Oklahoma last week on a felony warrant linked to a Texas case, according to News 9 and local police reports. Police said Mason was taken into custody in Bricktown on Thursday before being transported to a local hospital because of a medical issue.
After treatment, he was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center, where he remained in custody as of Monday morning. Reports from News 9 stated Mason is currently being held on a “flight to avoid” charge, which is often used when someone crosses state lines to avoid prosecution. The case has quickly gained attention because of Mason’s history as a former NBA player and public figure.
According to News 9, the felony warrant connected to Mason comes from Collin County, Texas, and involves an alleged theft of sports memorabilia. Officials said a couple claimed they paid Mason more than $9,000 in March 2025 for custom framing work involving several sports collectibles.
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The couple reportedly told investigators they never received the framed memorabilia back after handing the items over to Mason. They also claimed Mason became difficult to contact afterwards and often gave reasons for delays instead of delivering the finished products to them.
Officials later confirmed the missing memorabilia involved in the case is valued at nearly $40,000. Mason was eventually arrested in Oklahoma following the investigation. The former NBA player also faced legal trouble in 2024 after being jailed in Oklahoma City on a contempt of court charge linked to his divorce case.
Desmond Mason Built A Second Career In Oklahoma After His NBA Retirement
Before this latest incident, Desmond Mason was widely known for his athletic NBA career and deep connection to Oklahoma basketball. The former Oklahoma State player entered the NBA as the 17th overall pick in the 2000 draft and later won the 2001 Slam Dunk Contest.
Mason spent nearly a decade in the NBA playing for teams including the Seattle SuperSonics, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Sacramento Kings. After retiring in 2009, he stayed in Oklahoma City and slowly built another public career outside basketball through artwork and business projects.
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According to News 9 and Oklahoma City civic records, Mason operated an art studio in Midtown and participated in several community and downtown projects over the years. Authorities have not yet confirmed when Mason could potentially be transferred to Texas as the legal process continues moving forward.
The Minnesota Vikings kicked off rookie minicamp last week, and along the way, the franchise signed a hybrid OLB-DT named Smith Vilbert. Yes, it’s the Vilbert the Viking this summer.
Minnesota’s latest roster flyer brings size, length, and a wonderfully obvious nickname.
Vilbert played with Bill Belichick at North Carolina, so the Belichick-to-Brian-Flores communication pipeline is evidently wide open.
Vilbert Adds Another Oversized Body to Flores’ Front
We have details on Vilbert.
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North Carolina defensive lineman Smith Vilbert closes in on Richmond running back Andrew King during second-quarter action on Sep. 13, 2025, at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. Vilbert later emerged as an intriguing NFL prospect because of his unusual size profile, offering teams the ability to deploy him as a heavy edge defender with occasional interior pass-rushing flexibility. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images.
Vilbert to MIN
Minnesota hosted dozens of rookies (and some veterans like quarterback Cooper Rush) last week, and Vilbert actually snagged a contract.
SI.com‘sWill Ragatz wrote, “After the conclusion of their rookie minicamp on Friday, the Vikings signed former Penn State and North Carolina defensive lineman Smith Vilbert to an undrafted free agent contract, according to his agent Brett Tessler. Vilbert was one of 21 rookie tryout players at Friday’s camp and must have impressed the coaching staff in a short time period.”
“Standing nearly 6’6″ and 290 pounds, Vilbert has 34-inch arms and brings some versatility. He lined up mostly as an edge defender in college but can also play on the interior of the D-line. A New Jersey native, Vilbert was a three-star recruit coming out of high school in 2019 and chose Penn State over several other big-time offers.”
Ever since Minnesota discovered defensive tackle Jalen Redmond two years ago, under-the-radar DL additions turn heads for Vikings fans.
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The Background
Vilbert embodies a classic “lottery-ticket” addition for the Vikings: a big, long, and experienced prospect who faces a steep climb to the 53-man roster.
Physically, he checks all the boxes, standing at an imposing 6-foot-6 and 282 pounds. His imposing frame gives Minnesota a rookie defensive lineman capable of fitting into various roles, from traditional defensive tackle to five-technique or a larger edge presence. Such versatility is crucial in Flores’ defense, which frequently demands front-seven players to move around, disguise formations, and take on multiple assignments.
However, his college production doesn’t exactly scream “instant-impact rookie.” Though older than the average first-year player, his collegiate resume is more intriguing than dominant. While he showed flashes at both Penn State and North Carolina, Vilbert enters the NFL more as a developmental project than a polished defender ready for immediate contributions. Hence the undrafted free-agent status.
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The Vikings have already invested significantly in the defensive line with Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, so Vilbert’s most realistic path involves showcasing flashes in training camp, earning preseason reps, proving himself on special teams, and potentially securing a practice squad spot.
Nevertheless, his combination of size, length, and positional versatility makes him precisely the type of undrafted or minicamp prospect Flores is keen to develop. Especially if Belichick brokered the deal.
Penn State defensive end Smith Vilbert waits before kickoff on Oct. 23, 2021, at Beaver Stadium in University Park ahead of a matchup against Illinois. Vilbert spent several seasons developing in the Big Ten before later transferring to North Carolina, where his size and athletic profile helped draw additional NFL interest as a versatile defensive lineman. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports.
The Viking Age‘s Adam Carlson on Vilbert: “Vilbert played 47 games in college, spending all but 12 of those with Penn State before transferring to North Carolina. His statistics at Penn State were not very impressive, but he got significantly more productive once arriving with ill Belichick at UNC.”
“In those 12 games at North Carolina, Smith Vilbert had 22 combined tackles, including six tackles for a loss and one sack. In addition, he accumulated two pass defenses and recovered two fumbles while forcing one fumble. A six-foot-six, 256-pound defender, Vilbert was projected to be a Day 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, with a comparison to Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jack Crawford by Brian Dohn at 247 Sports.”
Updated OLB Room
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The Vikings’ interior defensive line room has changed substantially since the club released Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. It also traded Jonathan Greenard during the draft.
If Minnesota uses Vilbert as an EDGE rusher, here’s the OLB group at the moment:
OLB1: Andrew Van Ginkel OLB2: Dallas Turner OLB3: Bo Richter OLB4: Tyler Batty OLB5: Chaz Chambliss OLB6: Cam’Ron Stewart OLB7: Jordan Botelho OLB8: Arden Walker OLB9: Smith Vilbert
For good measure, though Vilbert has an outside linebacker’s frame, here’s the DT unit:
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DE1: Jalen Redmond DE2: Caleb Banks DE3: Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins DE4: Elijah Williams DE5: Monkell Goodwine NT1: Domonique Orange NT2: Levi Drake Rodriguez NT3: Taki Taimani
Summer Trajectory
Vilbert, of course, is at the very bottom of the Vikings’ 90-man roster. It would actually be strange for Minnesota to strike oil twice in two years on stud defensive linemen out of nowhere: Redmond and Vilbert.
North Carolina defensive end Smith Vilbert wraps up Stanford running back Micah Ford during first-quarter action on Nov. 8, 2025, at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. Vilbert earned attention from NFL evaluators because of his combination of length, size, and positional versatility, traits that allowed him to contribute both on the edge and near the interior defensive front. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images.
Therefore, Vilbert will likely vie for a practice squad spot at training camp and in the preseason. There, he could bide his time and possibly claw his way up the depth chart.
Remember, though, Belichick helped refine his skill set at North Carolina. There’s a small chance that he could be a diamond in the rough.
Danhausen referred to a popular WWE Superstar as a legend in a recent social media update. He met the star backstage at the Backlash Premium Live Event.
The name in question is former WWE Women’s Champion Asuka. The Japanese star competed against IYO SKY at the PLE. Unfortunately, she lost the bout, and the two stars embraced after the match. The Empress of Tomorrow waved at the crowd at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, before walking to the back.
Thanks for the submission!
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Earlier today, Danhausen took to Instagram to post a picture of himself standing alongside Asuka, with both of the two stars doing his signature “curse” pose, pointing toward the camera. He called Asuka a legend in the caption.
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“The Legend @wwe_asuka 🤡👹,” he wrote.
Real Reason why Jacob Fatu lost at Backlash – Check Here!
You can check out the Instagram post below:
The 35-year-old wrestled his first premium live event match at WWE Backlash. He teamed up with Minihausen to take on The Miz and Kit Wilson in a tag team match. The chaotic contest ended with the former AEW star pinning The A-lister to secure a massive win and extend his undefeated run.
A WWE Hall of Famer defended Danhausen following WWE Backlash
Minihausen showing up as Danhausen’s tag team partner for the traditional tag team match at WWE Backlash garnered mixed reactions from the wrestling fans online.
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Speaking on the most recent edition of his The Phenomenally Retro Podcast, WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles opined that the SmackDown star was doing a great job. The veteran noted that WWE needed a bit of everything on the show, and the 35-year-old was filling the need.
“He’s doing a great job, and this is what we need. A lot of people don’t understand it. We need a little bit of everything. We want to make sure you get the entertainment from wrestling, but also we want to make you laugh, too, and we got the storylines. We want to give you a little bit of everything. Danhausen is definitely filling the need,” he said. [H/T: WrestlePurists on X]
Very Nice, Very Evil had been trying to get The Miz to mentor him. It will be interesting to see what’s next for him after the win at the Backlash Premium Live Event.
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NEW DELHI: A win over Delhi Capitals would have taken Punjab Kings to the top of the IPL 2026 points table. However, that was not to be as Punjab Kings slumped to their fourth consecutive defeat of the season, going down by three wickets to Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala.The frustration and disappointment were clearly visible on Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer’s face during the post-match presentation.
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Jamie Overton opens up on CSK comeback & bowling role
Asked to bat first by Delhi Capitals, Priyansh Arya smashed six sixes during his whirlwind 33-ball 56 before DC pacers adjusted their lengths smartly to restrict Punjab Kings to 210/5.In reply, aggressive half-centuries from David Miller (51 off 28) and skipper Axar Patel (56 off 30) powered Delhi Capitals to 211/7 in 19 overs – the highest successful chase at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.“(Where it went wrong) I won’t beat around the bush; I’ll just say fielding and bowling again,” Iyer said after the match.“(If he thought 210 was a good score) Absolutely, I feel that it was 30 runs more on this wicket considering how the ball was seaming and there was variable bounce,” he said.“(On bowling Chahal) There was absolutely a thought in my mind, but the way ball was seaming and the way it was helping seamers, I think if we would have executed our line and length precisely, we could have been able to extract wickets, but unfortunately again, we didn’t,” Iyer added.Explaining the ideal bowling strategy on the Dharamsala pitch, the PBKS skipper said:“(On how to bowl here) Still into the surface. I always say that the hard length – short of a hard length – is the best ball, especially when a new batsman is coming in. It’s not easy to hit because if you keep repeating those balls, at least one ball gives a chance of mis-hitting and you can get a wicket. We’ve been short of planning,” Iyer said.The win helped Delhi Capitals move up to seventh place in the IPL 2026 standings. DC have now played 12 matches, winning five and losing seven, with 10 points and a net run rate of -0.993.Punjab Kings, despite the loss, remain fourth on the table with 13 points from 11 matches, having registered six wins and four defeats, while one match ended without a result. Their net run rate stands at +0.428.Punjab Kings will next take on Mumbai Indians on May 14.
Monday’s winner-take-all Game 5 between the Montreal Victoire and Minnesota Frost has been postponed.
The postponement is due to an illness impacting multiple players on the Montreal roster, sources told Sportsnet.
“The decision was made following consultation with medical personnel and in accordance with the league’s commitment to the health and well-being of players, fans, staff and all those involved in the competition,” the PWHL said in a statement. “Medical assessment has determined that the symptoms are not consistent with hantavirus.”
A makeup date will be determined once “medical guidance determines it is appropriate to resume play.”
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The Victoire and Frost are tied 2-2 in their best-of-five series after the Frost won Game 4 on Friday in Minnesota.
The winner of the series will face the Ottawa Charge in the Walter Cup Final.
The Buffalo Bills signed free agent defensive end Mike Danna to a one-year deal on Monday.
Further terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Danna, 28, has spent his entire six-year career with the Kansas City Chiefs, who picked him in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
His best season came in 2023, when he started 16 regular-season games and all four playoff games for the Super Bowl champions. He totaled career highs of 50 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits in the regular season and added seven tackles in the postseason.
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Last season, he totaled 25 tackles, one sack and four QB hits in 15 games (14 starts).
He has totaled 194 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 21.5 sacks, 51 QB hits and six forced fumbles in 87 games (49 starts) in the regular season along with two Super Bowl championships.
In a corresponding move, the Bills released cornerback MJ Devonshire, who was signed to the practice squad in December and signed a two-year, $1.9 million reserve/future contract in January.
Xabi Alonso feels his football can fit the Chelsea squad, as the London club explore a deal to appoint the Basque as their next manager, according to sources with knowledge of the process.
There has been no serious contact from Liverpool, despite his playing connection to Anfield. Arne Slot is instead widely expected to stay in the job, despite current fan dissent.
Alonso is understood to be keen to return to work this summer, having left a very difficult job in Real Madrid after just seven months. The recent chaos at the Bernabeu nevertheless means that brief role has had no real impact on a burgeoning reputation having previously won a title at Bayer Leverkusen with an unbeaten season.
While there is still some distance to go until any actual deal is struck, contact between the camps has progressed over the past week, with increasingly positive noises.
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Aside from his reputation, Alonso is the kind of hands-on coach that the Chelsea hierarchy like. He is also said to see how his system can work with most of the existing players, give or take the few signings that Chelea are expected to make.
Chelsea also greatly admire Iraola, who is the subject of interest from a number of clubs. Manchester United have been monitoring his situation, but the expectation is still they will ultimately appoint Michael Carrick.
Officially, Reitan’s victory is credited to Ping’s PLD platform, their custom building program for putters that typically have milled faces. But according to Ping Principal Design Engineer Tony Serrano, the putter has all of the guts of the new Scottsdale TEC line.
“The putter he has now is, in my opinion, it is a TEC putter,” Serrano told GOLF. “We made it here in our machine shop for him. Same sole plate, same head, same insert, same hosel. The only thing different, he wanted a different sight line on it.”
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In February, Reitan visited the Ping PLD lab to work on his putting while the Tour was in Arizona for the WM Phoenix Open. It was the rookie’s first chance to visit HQ during a Tour week.
In testing, Ping engineers found that Reitan, who was at that time using a face-balanced putter, could do a lot better with something that had toe hang.
“We could see, and he saw the numbers, suggested that he needed some toe down,” Serrano said. “He didn’t really fit that great with a face balance putter.
“He needed something that would match his natural putting stroke.”
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Kris Reitan visited the Ping PLD putting lab in February when the Tour was at the WM Phoenix Open wanting to take a look at his putting.
Turns out he needed something very different from what he was using.
While the Ally Blue H isn’t available in the U.S. market, it is in other markets around the world and on the Ping Tour truck.
Reitan loved just about everything about the new putter, from the feel and roll of the PEBAX insert, to the white finish and the way the putter released with his stroke. However, he wanted one with a simple full sight line instead of the EyeQ version on the TEC that has a dot on the top line and then a full-length trailing line.
Rather than take an existing Scottsdale TEC head and mill away the sight dot into a complete line, Serrano built Reitan a PLD version of the Scottsdale TEC, just with a different sight line. It was easier to build a new putter from scratch while retaining every other feature of the Scottsdale TEC.
That includes the new PEBAX insert that is made from the material pioneered in the use of running shoes. It provides a feel on the softer side, but because of the lighter weight and increased energy transfer, is still quite responsive and lively.
Reitan received the putter, built to his specs at 37″ and 2˚ of loft, a few weeks ago and put it in play for the first time at Quail Hollow. He finished second in the field in SG: Putting, picking up 5.158 shots.
Reitan’s Putter specs
Putter: Ping PLD Ally Blue H Hosel: Plumber’s Neck Finish: White Alignment Aid: Full Line Insert: PEBAX Loft: 2˚ Length: 37″ Lie: 70˚ Grip: Ping Superstroke Tour 1.0P 17″
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is just one month away and the wait for squad announcements from all 48 qualified teams is now entering its most crucial phase. Football fans across the globe are eagerly waiting to see which stars will make the final cut for the tournament to be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
With national teams preparing for training camps and warm-up matches, FIFA has already laid out the official timeline for preliminary and final squad submissions, giving players one last opportunity to secure their places for football’s biggest event.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 squad announcement deadlines
FIFA has fixed strict deadlines for all participating nations regarding player submissions for the tournament.
The first major date is May 11, when all teams must submit a preliminary squad list consisting of 35 to 55 players. Each squad must include at least five goalkeepers.
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Another important deadline is May 25, which is the final day for clubs to release players called up for international duty ahead of the World Cup.
National teams will then have a short window between May 25 and June 1 to confirm their final squads for the tournament. Each team can register between 23 and 26 players, including three goalkeepers.
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Although final squads are usually locked in after submission, FIFA regulations allow teams to replace players in case of serious injury or illness up to 24 hours before their opening match.
FIFA World Cup 2026 format
The 2026 edition will be historic as it will feature 48 teams for the first time, expanding from the previous 32-team structure.
The competition begins on June 11 and concludes with the final on July 19. The new format will divide teams into 12 groups of four teams each. Every team will play one game against other three teams from their group.
The top two sides from every group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will qualify for the round of 32. The tournament will follow the single-game knockout format used by FIFA in previous editions.
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Still no broadcast deal for India
Despite the tournament being just weeks away, FIFA is yet to officially confirm a broadcast partner for India for the 2026 World Cup.
The uncertainty has raised concerns among Indian football fans, especially after reports suggested that broadcasting negotiations remain unresolved due to high monetary demands from FIFA.
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India represents one of the largest television and streaming markets for major sporting events, making the delay a significant issue ahead of the tournament.
FIFA is expected to finalise regional broadcast agreements soon as preparations intensify for the biggest World Cup in history.
Marcus Rashford is keen to extend his stay at Barcelona beyond the end of the 2025/26 season, after enjoying an impressive loan spell in Spain
Barcelona would “love” to keep Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford if they can do a deal within their financial restrictions. That is according to former United star and La Liga expert Terry Gibson, who has claimed that Barca hope to retain Rashford’s services but are trying to do a deal with United “regarding his salary”.
Rashford, 28, joined Barca on loan from United last summer and has impressed since his move to Spain, scoring 14 goals and providing 14 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions this season.
Post-match, Rashford revealed he would like to extend his spell at Barcelona, though he admitted he is unsure what will happen this summer. Barca boast a £26million option to buy Rashford, but the Spanish side are delaying on triggering the permanent clause in his contract.
And Gibson feels that Barca are keen to keep Rashford but want to make sure another deal fits into their spending structure, with the club operating under strict financial restrictions with La Liga.
Speaking to Sky Sports on Monday, Gibson, who made 23 league appearances for United in 1986, said on Rashford: “I think if Barcelona have their way, they would love to have Marcus Rashford next season.
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“I see Barcelona’s position as a bit of a bargaining tool at the moment. I mean, they’re looking at possibly needing a centre forward if Robert Lewandowski leaves the club, so they need money for that transfer.”
The La Liga co-commenator added: “I think they’re probably trying to do a deal with Manchester United and Marcus Rashford regarding his salary. The way he’s played, the way he’s performed this season, he’s been really important to Barcelona. Lewandowski’s been injured, Ferran Torres has been out of form, Raphinha’s had lots of injuries, Lamine Yamal is injured at the moment.
“Marcus Rashford has been fit all season. He’s been a really important part of the squad that has won the league title. He capped it off last night with a really good performance and a spectacular free kick to open the scoring.
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“I think it’s clear Marcus Rashford wants to stay and I totally get that. He looks like he’s enjoying his football. He looks like he’s enjoying living in Barcelona. As I say, he’s a popular team-mate, a really important part of the squad. But I think Barcelona, we know what their financial implications are and I think if they can do a deal with Manchester United, I think they would love to keep him.”
Rashford has been in stellar form for Barca in recent weeks, scoring four goals and adding one assist in their last six La Liga matches. Has played a key role in Hansi Flick’s side retaining the Spanish top-flight title for a second successive season, and claimed he would remain at Camp Nou if he was a “magician”.
The Wythenshawe-born ace has reiterated that signing for Barca was his dream move and he would stay at the club if it was his choice. “I don’t know. I am not a magician, but if I was, I would stay. So we will see,” Rashford said in the mixed zone, following Barca’s El Classico win against Real on Sunday.
Rashford and Barcelona are next in action when they face Alaves on Wednesday. The Catalan outfit then host Real Betis before making the trip to Valencia to end the season.
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