Cristiano Ronaldo is set to return in Saudi Arabia, a change in Barcelona’s boardroom might determine whether Marcus Rashford stays in Spain, and Zinedene Zidane may be heading back to Real Madrid.

Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to end his strike at Al-Nassr and play again for the Saudi Pro League club on Saturday. The 41-year-old Portugal forward has missed two games because he is unhappy with the way the club are run. (Sky Sports), external

England international Marcus Rashford’s Barcelona future hangs on the club’s presidential election next month. A £26m deal for the on-loan Manchester United forward, 28, is the centrepiece of Joan Laporta’s re-election bid. (Times – subscription required), external

Manchester United will target Everton‘s 25-year-old Senegal forward Iliman Ndiaye if Rashford moves to Barcelona in a permanent deal. (Caught Offside), external

Bournemouth are planning to offer 19-year-old French forward Eli Junior Kroupi a lucrative new contract in a bid to ward off interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain. (Sun), external

Manchester City are preparing a £100m summer move for Nottingham Forest‘s 23-year-old England midfielder Elliot Anderson. (Teamtalk), external

Bayern Munich are not looking at Atletico Madrid’s Argentina forward Julian Alvarez, boosting Arsenal‘s hopes of signing the 26-year-old. (Christian Falk), external

AC Milan are confident Fulham will exercise a £21m option-to-buy for 26-year-old Nigeria winger Samuel Chukwueze, who is on loan at the Cottagers. (Gazzetta – in Italian), external

Manchester United are keen on Borussia Monchengladbach’s 23-year-old German midfielder Rocco Reitz, who is valued at about £35m. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Another Manchester United midfield target, Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United, is likely to have a price tag of up to £100m. The 25-year-old Italy midfielder is also attracting attention from Arsenal, Manchester City and Juventus. (Talksport), external

The managerial merry-go-round might bring changes at a number of major clubs in the coming months, but Spaniard Luis Enrique says he is “so happy” at Ligue 1 PSG. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Among those looking for a big name are Real Madrid, who may make an approach for German Jurgen Klopp. France World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane is more likely to return for a third spell in the dugout though. (ESPN), external

The Liverpool board will consider the future of Dutch manager Arne Slot if the club fail to qualify for the Champions League this season. (Football Insider), external

Daichi Kamada, 29, is set to leave Crystal Palace at the end of the season. The Japan midfielder’s contract expires in the summer and there are no extension talks. (Sky Sports), external

John Cross, the Mirror’s chief football writer, believes Manchester City star Phil Foden has an uphill task to land a place in the England World Cup squad for this summer, coming up against former City ace Cole Palmer.

Is it a straight shoot-out between Phil Foden and his former Manchester City team-mate Cole Palmer for a place in the England squad for this summer’s World Cup?

Foden, 25, was named on the bench once again by Pep Guardiola when his side completed an impressive comeback to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

While it was an eventful game, there was no place for Foden to make an impact, as he wasn’t even brought on to try and kickstart the fightback, as Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush were named alongside the ever-present Erling Haaland.

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When Man City needed to shake the game up, Guardiola turned to summer signing Rayan Cherki rather than the academy graduate, which should be his biggest worry ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

The lack of minutes and impact won’t help Foden’s chances of making Thomas Tuchel’s squad, not least due to the quality available in the attacking positions, especially as a number 10, with former Man City star Cole Palmer starting to show signs of his quality again.

As part of a weekly series ‘England Player Ratings’ counting down to this summer’s World Cup, The Mirror’s chief football writer John Cross gave his thoughts surrounding Foden’s position in the squad, after watching Man City’s 2-1 win over Liverpool.

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“This is the bigger worry. He has been eased out by Antoine Semenyo. When City needed something extra, they brought on Rayan Cherki. That has to be a worry,” he said, giving his current form a 6/10 rating, while unable to give a match rating due to the lack of time on the pitch.

“One big name is going to miss out. Will it be Bellingham, Rogers, Foden or Palmer? They cannot all go. One who is either not playing well or just plain unlucky will not go. Foden remains in danger. It might be between Foden and Palmer,” he added, giving his chances of making the World Cup squad a 7/10.

The problem for Foden surrounds the form of those he will be competing with.

While Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers have shown their form earlier on this season, it may be time for someone like Cole Palmer to make a run towards the squad with some late momentum.

The playmaker, who left Man City for just £40million in 2023, has begun to show his quality again, scoring a hat-trick for Chelsea in their 3-1 win over Wolves this weekend.

While injury issues have plagued him for most of the season, Cross gives Palmer a 7/10 chance of making the squad, stating: “If he stays fit and also plays and gets minutes, then he is hard to resist. Especially when you consider he was so influential – albeit as a substitute – in the last Euros. It’s a big call but it may be a straight choice between Foden and Palmer.”

With Foden struggling for minutes with City, it may well highlight the transformative move away for Palmer if he can pip him to a spot in the World Cup by landing more opportunities on the pitch.

Marc Guehi’s England chances

While Foden may be struggling for opportunities to break into the England squad, the same cannot be said of Marc Guehi, who looks almost certain to be on the plane this summer, barring an unfortunate injury.

His performance at Anfield landed an 8/10 from Cross, who said: “He was so good at Anfield. Yes, he got booked for a pull back but he looked calm, composed and so strong. He is a Rolls Royce of a defender.

“He makes City’s defence look so much better and they saw out long spells of pressure. He will be one of the best defenders at the tournament.”

His chances of making the England squad were rated 9/10, with every chance that he starts the World Cup alongside Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa.

Nico O’Reilly position change

Nico O’Reilly may well be down as the left-back option for England, but he once again started in midfield for Manchester City in their win over Liverpool.

The return of Rayan Ait-Nouri has pushed him out from full-back, but into the midfield role, due to his form and performances as of late.

O’Reilly has also been given a strong chance of making the final squad with a 9/10 rating, as Cross said: “He is in pole position for the left-back slot and, unless anything dramatic happens, he is nailed-on for the first game against Croatia.

“His versatility playing midfield and left-back gives him another string to his bow.”

You can have your say and choose your England squad below…

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior says he is not “bothered at all” by memes comparing him to television characters.

The 43-year-old has won seven of his first nine games in charge of the Blues but fans online have poked fun at his mannerisms.

Rosenior says he is not on social media so his teenage children have informed him of the comparisons to popular TV characters that are being made, which include Inbetweeners character Will McKenzie and David Brent from the Office.

“I’m not afraid to be myself,” said Rosenior.

“If I wear glasses, if I sound a little bit over the top when I speak, or articulate myself in a certain way, or I don’t look like a manager, it doesn’t bother me at all.”

Former Strasbourg boss Rosenior says the memes affect his family but he is not troubled by them because he expected the reaction from the moment he took the Chelsea job.

Rosenior was a surprise appointment for the role after Enzo Maresca’s departure in January following a breakdown in his relationship with the owners.

“The reason I know is because I’ve got teenage children,” added Rosenior

“They’re on social media. It affects them, it affects my parents and my family. But I knew walking in to this job it was going to happen. It’s normal.

“When you’re prepared for it, it makes you smile. I’m a confident person. If you’re affected by things like that, you shouldn’t be in this job.”

Since joining Chelsea, Rosenior has become just the second English manager to win his first four Premier League matches.

Last month he also guided Chelsea to the last 16 of the Champions League following a 3-2 win at Napoli.

The Blues sit fifth in the Premier League – one point behind fourth-placed Manchester United – and host 16th-placed Leeds on Tuesday.

Trent McDuffie has developed into a star cornerback under the direction of Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

With his rookie contract set to expire after the 2026 season, should Chiefs general manager Brett Veach consider extending McDuffie’s deal in the coming months?

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Here’s a look at McDuffie’s current contract:

Trent McDuffie 2026 salary

The Chiefs have already exercised McDuffie’s fifth-year option for 2026. Next season, the star defensive back will earn a base salary of $13,632,000 with no signing proration, roster bonus, or workout bonus.

In total, his 2026 earnings are set to amount to $13,632,000, which will take up 4.6% of Kansas City’s cap space.

How much money could K.C. save in 2026 by extending Trent McDuffie?

OverTheCap.com projects that the Chiefs could save $9,933,600 in cap space by extending McDuffie’s contract during the 2026 offseason.

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Should Brett Veach extend Trent McDuffie’s contract?

Given that the Chiefs could save nearly $10,000,000 by extending McDuffie’s contract — and that the veteran cornerback is among Kansas City’s most valuable defenders — it seems likely that general manager Brett Veach will consider giving the former Washington Husky a new deal this year.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs cap space: Should Brett Veach extend Trent McDuffie in 2026?

What’s to come for J.J. McCarthy after the Minnesota Vikings’ ownership fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah? All bets are off, says ESPN.

ESPN’s reporting paints McCarthy as less secure than expected, which drags veteran options, trade chatter, and summer competition into the spotlight.

The Worldwide Leader in Sports painted McCarthy’s future in a cloudy light late last week, and there’s no clear path for him to the QB1 job in 2026, the gig he held undisputedly last year.

ESPN Report Creates Fresh Doubt around J.J. McCarthy’s Vikings Outlook

Change may be on the way.

ESPN on McCarthy

Kevin Seifert examined the purple team’s offseason in the wake of Adofo-Mensah’s termination, and noted on McCarthy, “The best way to put this, based on what sources have said, is that all bets are off. The general manager who drafted McCarthy No. 10 in 2024 has been fired, and the coach who was in full agreement with that decision is now under considerably more scrutiny.”

“In the big picture, McCarthy is a talented player who just turned 23 and has a total of 10 NFL starts. Few NFL teams would give up on a quarterback with that profile, and many team builders are particularly enamored with optimizing a quarterback’s rookie contract.”

Minnesota basically controls McCarthy’s affordable deal for two more years — three if he turns out to be good-good and the Vikings don’t mind paying about $40 million in 2028.

“Adofo-Mensah was one of them, but his departure is a reminder of the range of outcomes that approach can lead to. If anything, these events increase the chances that the Vikings will take a big swing at finding a veteran quarterback who could start in 2026,” Seifert continued.

“The only thing more damaging than making the mistakes the Vikings made last season would be to repeat them this year.”

The key takeaway? All bets are off.

Expect Competition

The Seifert reporting didn’t expressly say that McCarthy would be jettisoned from the Vikings’ roster via trade, but it did imply someone else is on the way — and that guy won’t be another Sam Howell or Carson Wentz-type.

Because of McCarthy’s already lengthy injury history, plus his ranking as the NFL’s worst quarterback in 2025 by almost all efficiency metrics, Minnesota may not have time wait out his development. The current regime faces win-now stakes, and to hedge their bets, it probably needs a quarterback who can win football games if McCarthy falters — or someone to take his job based on better summer performance.

How High to the Stars Do the Vikings Shoot?

The question quickly becomes: in the wake of the ESPN reporting, what type of quarterback will the Vikings seek?

Some are holding out hope that Minnesota could finagle a blockbuster trade for Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson, but those theories are predicated on the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, respectively, selling their Top 5 quarterbacks, which just doesn’t seem likely.

If Minnesota wants a veteran passer to push McCarthy to the limit this summer, the options might look like this:

• Davis Mills (trade)
• Drew Lock (trade)
• Gardner Minshew
• Jake Browning
• Jameis Winston (trade)
• Jimmy Garoppolo
• Joe Flacco
• Kenny Pickett
• Marcus Mariota
• Mitchell Trubisky
• Russell Wilson
• Teddy Bridgewater
• Tua Tagovailoa (trade)
• Tyrod Taylor

Suppose they want a young passer with upside who could still salvage his career and eventually latch on as the full-time starter. That list looks like this:

• Anthony Richardson (trade)
• Davis Mills (trade)
• Jalen Milroe (trade)
• Malik Willis
• Spencer Rattler (trade)
• Will Levis (trade)
• Zach Wilson

And then there are the players who would probably take McCarthy’s job, somewhat easily:

• Aaron Rodgers
• Daniel Jones
• Kyler Murray (trade)
• Mac Jones (trade)

That’s the mystery right now: which path does head coach and de facto team CEO Kevin O’Connell prefer? With all bets are off lingo, it sure sounds like the splashiest method is on the table, whether that’s landing Kyler Murray or prying Joe Burrow away from Cincinnati.

McCarthy in 2025

McCarthy put some wonderful moments on tape; don’t forget those. Against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants, the second-year passer played phenomenally and even looked the part of a Pro Bowler in those contests.

But aside from those games, McCarthy battled two things: persistent injuries and poor performance. He finished 2025 ranked dead last in EPA+CPOE, and since joining the Vikings in 2024, McCarthy has missed 24 of 34 eligible games.

If the Vikings prefer free agency for the “other” quarterback, well, that process kicks off in one month. Trades can be negotiated and agreed upon at any time.

McCarthy turned 23 a few weeks ago.

A potential groundbreaking decision was made in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Monday that could change NCAA eligibility forever.

A judge denied Charles Bediako’s motion for a preliminary injunction that would allow him to continue playing basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide after he returned despite declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft.

So, after just five games, Bediako’s season is over, per AL.com’s Nick Kelly.

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Charles Bediako of the Alabama Crimson Tide waits to enter his first collegiate game in two years during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Coleman Coliseum on Jan. 24, 2026 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

“Common sense won a round today,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement, per Yahoo Sports. “The court saw this for what it is: an attempt by professionals to pivot back to college and crowd out the next generation of students. College sports are for students, not for people who already walked away to go pro and now want to hit the ‘undo’ button at the expense of a teenager’s dream.

“While we’re glad the court upheld the rules our members actually want, one win doesn’t fix the national mess of state laws. It’s time for Congress to stop watching from the sidelines and help us provide some actual stability.”

Bediako filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in order to return to his Crimson Tide squad, where he last played during the 2022-23 season. The 7-foot center declared for the NBA Draft after that year, but he went unselected in the two rounds.

JOHN CALIPARI RIPS NCAA AFTER NBA PLAYER ENTERS COLLEGE MID-SEASON: ‘WE DON’T HAVE ANY RULES’

Bediako eventually spent time in the G League over the past three seasons, which includes six games for the Motor City Cruise this season.

However, he was granted a temporary restraining order in January, allowing him to return to Alabama to play for his old team despite the NCAA initially denying the Crimson Tide’s request to have him on the roster.

Bediako isn’t the first player who has tried to head back to college after going pro hasn’t gone swimmingly.

James Nnaji, who was actually taken in the same draft as Bediako, shocked everyone when he committed to Baylor. While he hadn’t played in an NBA game, Nnaji was the first former draftee to be cleared to play in college.

Charles Bediako of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts during the second half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at KFC YUM! Center against the San Diego State Aztecs on March 24, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

It started a wave of similar commitments, which include G League players Thierry Darlan and London Johnson heading to Santa Clara and Louisville, though it is for next season.

Alabama head coach Nate Oats told The Athletic that Bediako will remain on scholarship even if he can’t play.

“Charles has done nothing wrong. I will stand by our guys every single time, no matter what the outside says when they’ve done nothing wrong, and Charles has done everything right,” Oats told the outlet.

Meanwhile, Arkansas head coach John Calipari unloaded on the current state of college basketball for allowing players to head back into college.

“Does anybody care what this is doing for 17- and 18-year-old American kids?” Calipari questioned in his nearly seven-minute monologue in December 2025. “Do you know what this opportunity has done for them and their families? There aren’t gonna be any high school kids. Who, other than dumb people like me, are gonna recruit high school kids? I get so much satisfaction out of coaching young kids and seeing them grow and make it, and their family’s life changes, that I’m gonna keep doing it. But why would anybody else, if you can get NBA players, G-League players, guys that are 28 years old, guys from Europe — do we really know their transcript? Do we have somebody over there? Do we really know their birth certificate? Or don’t we?

“If you put your name in the draft, I don’t care if you’re from Russia and you stay in the draft, you can’t play college basketball. ‘Well, that’s only for American kids.’ What? If your name is in that draft, and you got drafted, you can’t play college because that’s our rule. ‘Yeah, but that’s only for American kids.’ OK. OK.”

But Alabama feels that it has been done wrong by the NCAA considering players have been allowed in other programs to play this season despite going pro, Nnaji being an example.

“I respectfully ask the Court to uphold the NCAA eligibility rules challenged in this case, which are essential to the integrity of college sports, to the educational mission they serve, and to the opportunities they provide for current and future student-athletes,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a four-page affidavit filed last week.

Charles Bediako of the Alabama Crimson Tide makes his return to the college court during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Coleman Coliseum on Jan. 24, 2026 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

The university added a statement following the court’s ruling, per Yahoo Sports.

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“While we understand the concern around competitive and developmental implications of former professional athletes participating in college, it is important to acknowledge reality,” the statement read.

“The NCAA has granted eligibility to over 100 current men’s basketball players with prior professional experience in the G League or overseas. Granting eligibility to some former professionals and not to others is what creates the havoc we are currently in and why consistency from decisions-makers is so desperately needed.”

The Crimson Tide went 3-2 with Bediako back on their bench.

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Man Utd face West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday as Michael Carrick looks to make it five wins in a row since being appointed head coach until the end of the season.

Teenager Tyler Fletcher is in the Manchester United squad for the trip to West Ham on Tuesday after coming off the bench to make his debut in the win against Tottenham at the weekend. United took the train from Stockport to London on Monday afternoon ahead of the fixture at the London Stadium tomorrow night, when Carrick will be looking to continue his perfect start to life as the club’s latest head coach.

Saturday’s 2-0 win against Tottenham was a fourth successive win for United under Carrick and Fletcher, 18, followed in the footsteps of twin brother Jack by making his first-team debut this season, coming off the bench in the 89th minute.

Carrick had already ruled Mason Mount and Matthijs de Ligt out of the trip to the capital, although Mount is expected back when United face Everton in two weeks. Patrick Dorgu is out for a couple of months with a hamstring injury.

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Photographers snapped 20 players boarding the train, and the only member of the squad from Saturday who wasn’t seen was Leny Yoro, although that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t be involved. Three of the 20 were goalkeepers and with Tom Heaton likely to drop out of the matchday squad, it would still leave United one player short of naming nine substitutes.

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United will face a West Ham team who have just started to find some form. Although they remain in the relegation zone they have won three of their last four Premier League games and will present a different kind of test for Carrick, who is looking to continue a perfect start since being appointed head coach until the end of the season.

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“I think you’ve got to go into the game understanding the situation of both teams,” he said. “We’ve tried to paint that picture to the players in every game we’ve played so far and it’ll be the same come Tuesday night.

“The type of game, the feel of the game, what kind of skills we’re going to have to try and draw on. Different games throw up different things. Teams towards the bottom of the league are really fighting for things, but so are we, and we’ve got a lot to fight for, so you’d like to think that balances out in some ways and it’s who can come out on top at the end of it.”

Confirmed travelling squad members: Senne Lammens, Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Tyler Fletcher, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, Amad, Joshua Zirkzee, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko.

Errol Spence Jr. finally appears to have an opponent for his long-awaited comeback.

Former unified welterweight champion Spence hasn’t fought since a stoppage defeat to Terence Crawford in their undisputed showdown back in July 2023.

In the time that has passed, he has been linked with bouts against the likes of Sebastian Fundora and Jermell Charlo, but nothing has materialised. Those who want to see ‘The Truth’ back in the ring, however, will be glad to hear a deal now may be over the line.

According to The Ring, Spence is set to take on Australian star Tim Tszyu, provided that Tszyu first comes through a warm-up bout beforehand.

“Errol Spence Jr will return to the ring vs. Tim Tszyu this summer, sources tell @ringmagazine. Spence hasn’t fought since his July 2023 loss to Terence Crawford. Tszyu will first take a tune-up fight in Australia prior to their bout, per sources.”

Tszyu became WBO super welterweight champion in 2023, defeating the likes of Tony Harrison and Brian Mendoza on his way to accumulating a 24-0 record, before he lost his belt to Fundora in a bloody battle that was also for the vacant WBC strap.

A brutal third round stoppage defeat to IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev then followed, before a seventh round retirement loss to Fundora in their rematch. The Aussie fighter has since changed his team around and bounced back with a unanimous decision win against Anthony Velazquez in December.

If the report is correct, Tszyu will have his interim bout at some point in the next couple of months, before then turning his attention to the showdown with Spence in the summer, who will be competing for the first time in three years when he returns.