Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) looks on before the 2026 NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Sam Darnold just completed the ultimate reclamation this past weekend, winning the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.
It’s a far cry from where his career stood just a couple years ago when he was mostly known for “seeing ghosts” with the New York Jets before becoming a primary backup QB for both the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.
Now, after starting his comeback with the Minnesota Vikings last season with a 14-3 record and a playoff berth, Darnold is now standing on the football mountaintop. But could there be other QBs set to follow a similar trajectory in the next few years?
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Mac Jones
Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) warms up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Mac Jones feels like the most obvious choice of this bunch right now. He is heading into free agency this offseason after spending a season with the San Francisco 49ers; the exact position Darnold was in before he headed to Minnesota.
After being selected with the 15th overall pick in 2021, Jones had one solid season with the New England Patriots, which just so happened to be his rookie year. Since then, Jones has not surpassed thresholds of 3000 yards or 20 touchdowns in a season.
However, we may have seen a bit of a turning point with Jones with the 49ers this year. In eight starts, San Francisco went 5-3, and he completed a career high 69.6% of his passes while averaging nearly 269 passing yards per game in those starts. Stretched to 17 games, that pace would have given him about 4571 yards, which would have ranked second in the NFL behind only MVP Matthew Stafford.
Now Jones is set to hit free agency to try and get a full-time starting job somewhere. If he lands in a competent organization with a solid structure in place, he could easily be the next QB to follow the Darnold path.
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Tua Tagovailoa
Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) takes the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Miami Dolphins seem to be on the verge of giving up on Tua Tagovailoa after another losing season in which the offense scuffled mightily. Or, maybe new faces on the coaching staff could be what Tua needs to revive his career with the Dolphins.
There certainly is talent within Tua, especially when we think back to that 2023 campaign in which he led then NFL with 4624 passing yards, threw 29 touchdowns, and completed 69.3% of his passes while leading Miami to a playoff berth.
It’s been a long fall since that point, and in 2025, he was benched for Quinn Ewers.
The problem with projecting a ton of success with Tua moving forward is his concussion history. The QB managed to stay clean in 2025, but he has suffered at least four documented concussions to this point in his career. If he is able to stay injury free moving forward, there is a decent chance that he can put together strong football seasons either in Miami or elsewhere, but that is no guarantee at this point.
Zach Wilson
Jul 29, 2025; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Zach Wilson (0) throws the football during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The ties between Darnold and Zach Wilson are undeniable. Both were top five picks by the New York Jets, and both were stuck with a franchise that offered little to no support. Furthermore, Wilson was brought in immediately after the Jets decided they were done with Darnold.
After three failed seasons with the Jets, Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos in the spring of 2024 where he spent the season as a backup in Sean Payton’s offense behind Bo Nix. He was then released last spring and signed by the Miami Dolphins.
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Now, Wilson is hitting free agency for the second straight year looking to find his chance to get real reps at the NFL level again. Perhaps two years of being able to sit back and learn have him in a better head space than he was in while with the Jets.
Malik Willis
Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) on the sideline following an injury against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Ravens defeated the Packers 41-24. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
There’s been some growing hype around Malik Willis’ future in 2026 after filling in for a game against the Chicago Bears and starting against the Baltimore Ravens.
It was for good reason as the former 2022 third-round pick put together some very strong games in those two weeks, completing a ridiculous 27-of-32 passes while throwing for 409 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions. He also added 19 carries for 104 additional yards and two rushing touchdowns.
That came after a 2024 campaign in which he started two games and played a chunk of the Week 18 game against the Chicago Bears. He was equally sniper-esque with his passing, completing 74.1% of his passes during the year for 550 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also added 20 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown.
Willis comes from a 2022 QB class that is remembered as being one of the worst over the past decade, but maybe he can glimmer of hope that someone from that year’s draft can remain a solid starter after a failed stint with the Tennessee Titans.
Apolon De Charnie followed in the hoofprints of last year’s winner, Poniros, to provide Willie Mullins with another big-price winner of the Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Poniros was 100/1 in 2025, but Apolon De Charnie was half that price (50/1) this afternoon, as Mullins teamed up with his son, Patrick, in the opening race on the Boodles Gold Cup Day card.
The winner travelled strongly into second position before the final flight of hurdles and was soon ridden clear by Mullins Jnr to run out a one-and-a-half length victor over the Skelton’s Maestro Conti (5/1).
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Minella Study (7/1) from the Adam Nichol yard and ridden by Ryan Mania was a further short-head back in third.
Earlier this morning a bet of £20,000 each-way was placed on the eventual third-placer.
That victory saw the American become a four-weight world champion, having also previously reigned at featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight in his career.
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It’s currently unknown if Stevenson’s next fight will be at 135lbs or 140lbs, but one potential fight could come against a man who has competed in both of those weight classes.
Lamont Roach is the fighter in question, who gained prominence last year after a controversial majority decision draw against Gervonta Davis, with a lot of people believing he had done enough to win that fight.
Stevenson is one of them, after he revealed on the Nightcap Show that he thinks Roach should have beaten Davis, even without the controversy in round nine where ‘Tank’ voluntarily took a knee but no knockdown was scored.
“Yeah, I do [think Roach beat him]. I thought without the knee he won that fight.”
Stevenson also explained his willingness to share the ring with Roach.
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“I would love to fight Lamont Roach. Me and Lamont Roach is an amazing fight. The best vs the best.”
Team Dominican Republic are heading into the 2026 World Baseball Classic quarterfinals after winning four consecutive pool games. They are up against Team Korea in Quarterfinal 1 on Friday.
New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who is participating in his second WBC, shared the motivation behind his goal to win the tournament. Soto dedicated it to his family for standing beside him.
“It’s got to be for my mom and dad,” Soto said. “They’ve been there since Day 1. My sister, my brother, both. I mean my family, they just been there every time. They’ve been pushing me, they’ve been right there to my side every time, so, I’m doing this for them.
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The Dominican Republic are three wins away from clinching the tournament for the first time since 2013. Soto reflected on his dream of winning the World Series and the WBC as a kid.
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“I think it’s gonna means a lot to them,” Soto said. “It’s something that we all dreamed about since I was a little kid. My dad dreamed about winning a World Series, and now when I was growing up, seeing the Dominican team winning in 2013, it was a dreamofor me to come here and try to win it for them.
Mets star Juan Soto praised “special” Dominican Republic team
Juan Soto was an integral part of the Dominican Republic’s 2023 WBC roster. The All-Star slugger has been in similar form in this year’s tournament. Soto was among the four Dominican players to hit a home run against Venezuela in their 7-5 win.
“We know what kind of talent we have in the team,” Soto said. “It’s great. We have guys that can [hit home runs]. Guys that can have power and do all these [things], but we gotta get it done. At the end of the day, I’m a little bit impressed with these guys, with this group. It’s really special.”
The Dominican Republic are on pace to break Team Medico’s record of most home runs (14) in a World Baseball Classic campaign.
1 min read Last Updated : Mar 13 2026 | 4:11 PM IST
Chelsea winger Pedro Neto was charged by UEFA on Thursday for pushing a ballboy during the Champions League loss at Paris Saint-Germain.
Neto faces a one-game ban for the charge UEFA said was “unsporting behavior,” with a disciplinary decision to follow “in due course.”
Chelsea trails the defending champion 5-2 after the first leg on Wednesday in the round of 16. The return game is on Tuesday in London.
Neto shoved the boy in the chest for appearing to hold onto the ball instead of giving it back to the player late in the game when Chelsea trailed 4-2.
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Neto later apologized to the boy and gave him his game jersey.
“With the emotions of the game, we were losing, I wanted to pick up the ball,” Neto told British broadcaster TNT Sports. “I gave him a little push. I saw that I hurt him and I am sorry, as I’m not like this.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kolkata Knight Riders have added Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani to their squad for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League 2026.The franchise confirmed the signing on Friday as they look to bolster their pace attack ahead of the new campaign. Muzarabani, a towering 6 ft 8 in right-arm fast bowler, has built a reputation in the shortest format for extracting steep bounce and picking up wickets during crucial stages of an innings.The Zimbabwe international brings significant experience in T20 cricket. In more than 80 T20 Internationals, he has taken over 90 wickets at an average of around 21, with best bowling figures of 3 for 8. His performances across international cricket and various franchise leagues have established him as one of Zimbabwe’s leading fast bowlers in the format.Muzarabani was also in impressive form in the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The pacer finished among the top four wicket-takers in the tournament, claiming 13 wickets in just six matches and playing a key role in helping Zimbabwe reach the Super Eight stage.The Zimbabwe pacer is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on March 17 as he prepares to link up with the squad ahead of the tournament.Kolkata Knight Riders – First 4 Matches in Indian Premier League 2026:
Bangladesh vs Pakistan 2nd ODI LIVE Updates: The match has been halted due to the thundering and lightning in Dhaka. The match officials have asked the played to return to their respective dressing rooms. Currently, Bangladesh’s score read 27/3 with Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy standing unbeaten. Earlier, Maaz Sadaqat and Salman Agha struck half-centuries as Pakistan posted 274 against Bangladesh in the second ODI of the three-match series in Dhaka on Friday. After being asked to bat first, Pakistan started well, with openers Maaz and Sahibzada Farhan stitching together a solid partnership. Maaz smashed 75 off 46 balls, while Salman contributed a steady 64 off 62 deliveries. Mohammad Rizwan chipped in with 44, and Sahibzada Farhan added 31 at the top. For Bangladesh, Rishad Hossain was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed two. Pakistan will need to defend their total strongly to keep the series alive, having suffered a heavy defeat in the opening ODI. (Live Scorecard)
The United States and Canada have had some epic hockey games in recent memory, but I can’t recall a substantial baseball game between the countries. That changes tonight in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic. Team USA is -4.5 on the run line with a total of 9.5 for the 8 ET first pitch from Daikin Park in Houston. We are now in the knockout rounds.
It would almost be fitting for Canada to advance because we took the Canadians’ lunch in their national sport of hockey, with Team USA’s men and women beating Team Canada in the Olympics gold-medal match in both. I’m not sure that baseball is America’s pastime these days – that would be football – but it’s our sport.
Team USA was the WBC favorite entering the tournament and remains so at +130 despite almost not advancing out of pool play. After being stunned by Italy, 8-6, in their final pool-play game, the Americans needed the Italians’ help Wednesday vs. Mexico and got it. Italy prevailed 9-1, thanks largely to the first three-home run game in WBC history by captain Vinnie Pasquantino, who plays for the Kansas City Royals. There had been 25 two-homer games in the tournament’s history entering Wednesday.
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This has been a homer-happy event with 92 thus far, most in a single tournament, and we are only through pool play. The previous record was 85 dingers in both 2023 and 2009. There also have been a record eight individual multi-homer games this WBC. There have been six games where a team hit at least four home runs, also a record.
Ernie Whitt has been the Canadian manager in every World Baseball Classic — he was born in Detroit but is is a revered former Blue Jays catcher (1977-1989) — and has the country in the quarterfinals for the first time. Canada (+3000 to win tournament) clinched its berth with a 7-2 victory at Cuba in a win-or-go-home matchup; it’s the first time in WBC history that the Cubans did not advance past pool play. Canada already has won more games this year (three) than in any other WBC.
“We’re not here for a participation ribbon,” said pitcher Cal Quantrill, a key part of the win over Cuba. “We’re here to compete and play ball and win against the best countries in the world.”
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Canada has several major-leaguers on the roster and is expected to start one Friday in Arizona Diamondbacks righty Michael Soroka. The former touted Braves prospect allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out two over three innings in Team Canada’s tournament-opening win over Columbia. Soroka threw 54 pitches, 30 for strikes, and averaged 94.7 mph with his four-seam fastball.
The 28-year-old former top Braves prospect was 3-8 with a 4.52 ERA last MLB season with the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. He made two Cactus League appearances this spring for Arizona and allowed four earned in 3.2 innings before leaving for the WBC. Canada will have former MLB lefty James Paxton available out of the bullpen. “The Big Maple” came out of retirement to compete and threw a dominant 2.2 innings in the win vs. Cuba.
Whitt pulled Paxton with two outs and two strikes in the ninth inning to keep him eligible for the quarterfinals because he was at 49 pitches. Team Canada’s bullpen allowed just three earned runs over 21.1 innings in pool play. The Marlins‘ Owen Cassie (.500, one HR, five RBI, 1.458 OPS) and Royals’ Abraham Toro (.467, one HR, five RBI, 1.529 OPS) have been the best Canadian hitters.
San Francico Giants righty Logan Webb will start for the USA. He was very good in two Cactus League outings and then dominated in the WBC-opening rout of Brazil in four innings, retiring 12 batters in a row with only one ball hit out of the infield to go along with six strikeouts. The lone run he allowed was a homer by Lucas Ramirez, the son of former All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez. Webb threw 33 of 52 pitches for strikes.
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Clubs are allowed to make roster changes after pool play and the United States has dropped pitchers Tarik Skubal, Michael Wacha and Ryan Yarbrough (7.71 ERA in 2.1 innings in this WBC) for relievers Will Vest (Tigers), Tyler Rogers (Blue Jays) and Tim Hill (Yankees). Hill is a funky throwing southpaw who likely would be called upon to face Canada’s top lefty in the late innings.
Team USA is 4-1 all-time against Canada in the WBC, with all five games taking place in pool play. The loss came in 2006 in the inaugural Classic. The most recent game was in 2023 and the U.S. won 12-1, ending in seven innings because of the run rule.
The winner faces either Korea or the Dominican Republic in Sunday’s semifinals in Miami, and I expect that to be the DR. That quarterfinal is at 6:30 ET tonight, also from Miami in their first-ever matchup in this event. The other two quarterfinals are Saturday, and I like Italy over Puerto Rico and Japan over Venezuela in those.
On the updated MVP odds, Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the +550 favorite followed by the USA’s Aaron Judge +600. No one else is below +1400. Judge is hitting .250 with two homers and five RBI in the WBC. Ohtani is at .556 with two homers and six RBI.
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Pick: The USA has played two good teams in this event in Mexico and Italy, and it didn’t cover +4.5 in the first and lost the latter. So with plenty of big-league guys on the roster, I like Canada +4.5.
Details for the FA Cup quarter-finals have been confirmed, with two of the four ties set to be shown free-to-air on the BBC and all four live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
HBO Max is set to replace streaming service discovery+ within the UK from 26 March, with TNT Sports moving platforms accordingly.
Manchester City take on Liverpool in a heavyweight clash for a place in the last four, while Arsenal have once again been given a favourable draw as they take on the only Championship side left in the tournament, Southampton.
Elsewhere West Ham host Leeds in another all-Premier League clash and minnows Port Vale, the lowest-ranked side remaining, are rewarded for their giant-killing of top-flight Sunderland with a trip to Stamford Bridge.
The quarter-final ties will be played over the weekend of 4 April.
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Here’s everything you need to know.
FA Cup quarter-final TV schedule
Saturday, April 4
12:45 – Manchester City v Liverpool, live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max
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17:15 – Chelsea v Port Vale, live on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max, BBC One and iPlayer
20:00 – Southampton v Arsenal, live on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max, BBC One and iPlayer
Sunday, April 5
16:30 – West Ham United v Leeds United, live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max
RBC Canadian Open tournament director Ryan Paul was in Ponte Vedra, Fla., this week with plenty of the PGA Tour’s key stakeholders.
And he liked what he heard.
Paul, who became the lead of Canada’s lone PGA Tour stop in 2024 after seven years of running the CPKC Women’s Open, knows a lot remains unconfirmed after new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp’s address Wednesday. But as far as the RBC Canadian Open is confirmed, he feels good.
“When you’re a tournament director, you take (the update) back and what it means for your own event. There are a lot of reasons to be satisfied with where the RBC Canadian Open is and where it’s going as we look forward to the future,” Paul told Sportsnet.ca in an exclusive conversation.
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Rolapp announced this week six key themes that the Tour would be working through and toward as it inches closer to a whole-hog changeover of its business model and schedule structure. But while nothing is set in stone — and it’s likely there won’t be any aggressive changeover until 2028 — there’s reason for optimism from the Canadian camp.
One theme was Rolapp wants to play more golf in bigger markets in the United States (Toronto is the fourth-largest city in North America), and with the Canadian Open being a national championship — and sponsored by a key business entity in Canada — it seems like it is all systems go.
“He did bring up the markets a few times and in the conversations we’ve had — Toronto is an important market to the PGA Tour. That part does feel promising for us,” Paul said. “We’re also a national open, which feels promising. We’ve got a great title sponsor with RBC, who have supported our event since 2008 and Canadian golf.
“Our event has been strong and growing every year, so there is a lot of positives going forward for this event if you look at it as a who’s-in and who’s-out type of thing.”
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As an organization, Golf Canada has been riding the wave of record-setting participation numbers in golf since the COVID-19 pandemic. At its annual general meeting this week, the National Sport Organization announced an increase of 3 per cent in total operating revenue year-over-year, reaching an “organizational record” of $62.7 million last year, which included an increase in positive financials on the national-championships side as well.
In his address this week, Rolapp stated how the PGA Tour could trend toward having a two-track system, where the upper track would include Signature Events, the majors, and the Players Championship, whereas the lower track would be aspirational and an opportunity for good play to be rewarded.
While most of Rolapp’s comments on the future were well received, he and the Future Competitions Committee will bring these specific details to the PGA Tour’s board later this year and another announcement is set to come June 22.
One thing that gave one multi-time Canadian PGA Tour winner pause was the likelihood of the decrease in tournament field size to just 120. Mackenzie Hughes told Postmedia at TPC Sawgrass that if the RBC Canadian Open’s field was trimmed there may not be enough room for it to be considered truly open.
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The current field size of the Canadian Open is 144, with 16 of those spots being given out to sponsor exemptions — most of whom are Canadian.
“If you go 120, all of a sudden you don’t have the space to put the (16) Canadians. And, obviously, I got to play it twice as a Canadian Amateur champ, so obviously I benefitted from that. So, we’ll see how it all shakes out,” Hughes said.
Paul, however, said the answer to the question about sponsor invites was more so wrapped in the Signature Events, where a big-name player was essentially gifted FedExCup points just because of who they were and not on merit. Jordan Spieth is the most consistent example of this.
Paul believes that Rolapp, an outsider coming to golf — he’s spent almost his whole career with the NFL — merely wondered why the sponsors were responsible for populating the field when the events are part of the PGA Tour schedule. That seemed different, Paul explained, than any other sport.
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“(Rolapp thought), let’s put it on us to put forth the best product and that’s what our sponsors are going to get — they’re going to get the best fields that we can (give them),” Paul said.
The unique thing about the RBC Canadian Open is that there are two levels of cross-country qualifying and, technically, any Canadian has the opportunity to tee it up at the Canadian Open as it stands now.
“There is a place for sponsor exemptions, and it has to make sense. I don’t know what changes are coming, (but sponsor exemptions have) been reduced for a lot of events. As a national open, we still have more than other tournaments. I don’t think this would be a one-policy-fits-all,” Paul said. “We’re 144 with 16 sponsor invites and another event would be 144 with four sponsor invites.
“The Tour has been respectful of the RBC Canadian Open and its history as a national open to retain exemptions for qualifying and for our Team Canada players.”
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There won’t be any changes to how things operate for the 2026 edition at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, but updates will likely filter through come summertime. The Canadian Open does not have a venue for 2027, but RBC announced in 2025 it would be extending its title sponsorship in a “multi-year agreement.”
“The PGA Tour will aim to put the best product on the golf course and that’s what the new model is supposed to do,” Paul said. “There was nothing shared that we didn’t already know but it laid out the framework which was appreciated by all groups.”
With fewer than three months of the campaign remaining as United battle to secure Champions League qualification, we examine the latest developments on Maguire’s contract situation, the assessment from his colleagues and potential moves overseas.
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Contract update
In his seventh campaign at Old Trafford, Maguire’s career in Manchester appeared finished merely two months ago, with only four league starts to his name under Ruben Amorim. Yet the appointment of Carrick has revitalised the England international, who has played a crucial role in United’s climb up the Premier League standings.
Whilst a decision is still pending on whether Maguire, 33, will be offered a new contract, The i Paper suggests a proposed deal with reduced wages is under consideration. This would require the defender to cut his £190,000-per-week salary to around £100,000. The report further indicates that Maguire is open to considering these new terms.
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Dressing room stance
As the third-longest serving United player in the current squad and former captain, he commands significant respect among his team-mates, who reportedly want the club to reward the defender with a new contract.
Per The Sun, the general consensus is it would be “madness” if the Englishman didn’t extend his career in Manchester due to his form and the guidance he’s providing to the club’s younger players.
The source stated: “The players think it would be madness if he was not offered a new deal. Harry has endured plenty of ups and downs at United but has come through all that and is playing really well.
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“He’s very well-respected in the dressing room and is passing on a lot of knowledge to some of the younger players like Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro. Everyone likes him and respects him and the majority of the players want the club to give him a deal.”
Transfer offers abroad
Having spent his entire 15-year senior career in England, a move overseas could present an enticing opportunity for Maguire, particularly given his uncertain contract situation with United.
As his contract expires in the summer, Maguire is entitled to negotiate a pre-contract arrangement with overseas clubs and according to The Athletic, the defender’s representatives have conducted discussions with clubs in Turkey and Italy.
These have not yet progressed beyond initial enquiries and whilst it remains uncertain whether the 33-year-old would even consider a move abroad, it appears Maguire will have numerous options when deciding the next stage of his career.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
