Game 1 heroes Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos during Game 1 of the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals between Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and TNT Tropang 5G. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Many see a different RJ Abarrientos in his return to the PBA Finals—a huge contrast from his two previous trips, when he was a rookie who often kept second-guessing things.
This time, Abarrientos looks more like a confident and secure sophomore who has emerged as arguably the team’s main man and, without doubt, one of the best in his position in the league.
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Abarrientos finished with 24 points and seven rebounds to help the Gin Kings to a 102-100 victory over TNT on Wednesday in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
But even he had a mature outlook on his late-game heroics, where he knocked down two huge four-point shots that paved the way for Justin Brownlee’s game-winner.
“Those two four-point shots that I made are not sustainable, so we need to be better,” Abarrientos said, while also admitting that he has a lot of things to tidy up if he and his teammates want to double their series edge in Game 2 on Friday.
On top of those things is his defense.
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“Coach Tim (Cone) got mad at me,” Abarrientos said, noting how TNT erased an 18-point Ginebra lead and even went ahead courtesy of Rey Nambatac, the Finals Most Valuable Player from last season’s Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
“My defense against Nambatac, especially in this Finals, is unacceptable. So I need to be better and I have to embrace that,” Abarrientos said.
Abarrientos hit two four-pointers late—the first gave Ginebra a one-point lead and the second put the Kings ahead, 100-97, with 20 seconds remaining.
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“He hit some huge shots, we were down both times and got the leads on both shots, which were gigantic,” Cone said.
The Tropang 5G again tied the game courtesy of a Roger Pogoy triple but Brownlee secured the win for the Gin Kings, hitting a jumper with six-tenths of a second remaining.
The midseason conference has become Abarrientos’ breakout campaign, one where the team and its faithful legion watched him knocking down big shot after big shot from Ginebra’s opening assignment all the way through the hard-fought semifinal series with Rain or Shine.
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He is the league’s top local scorer at 21.4 points per game, hitting 49-percent of his shots, on top of 3.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals through 19 games of the second conference.
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His rise in the ongoing conference has also made Abarrientos the front-runner for the Best Player of the Conference award, which could only be a mere formality given that other candidates from the early part of the tournament, NLEX’s Robert Bolick and San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo, were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson celebrates with wide receiver Justin Jefferson after a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium. During the Sept. 21, 2025, contest in Minneapolis, the Vikings leaned on two of their premier offensive playmakers as the passing attack continued producing points in an early-season matchup. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings don’t start training camp until the end of July, and until then, NFL-focused media outlets are making bold predictions about the purple team and its peers.
SI.com‘s Conor Orr publishes such prognostications every summer, and this go-around for Minnesota, he picked Carson Wentz to start more games than J.J. McCarthy and Minnesota to exceed its Vegas win total of 8.5.
McCarthy Pressure Builds around Minnesota’s Summer Plan
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) speaks during a media session at Sport Ireland Campus ahead of Minnesota’s international showcase. On Sept. 26, 2025, in Dublin, Ireland, Wentz addressed reporters as the Vikings continued preparations for their overseas appearance, drawing attention as one of the club’s veteran quarterbacks during a busy week abroad. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Orr’s Two Predictions
Orr began at quarterback, writing, “J.J. McCarthy will start fewer games than Carson Wentz. All three Vikings quarterbacks — Wentz, McCarthy and Kyler Murray — will play at some point this season. Murray will get the lion’s share of snaps while Wentz steps in during a critical two-game late-season stretch to keep Minnesota’s playoff hopes alive.”
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And for the win forecast, he opined, “The Vikings will surpass their current projected Vegas win total. Topping 8.5 wins feels manageable for a team that finished last year with nine wins despite a markedly worse quarterback situation. In fact, I’m bold enough to say that this team will have four wins by its Week 6 bye.”
It’s a pair of bittersweet, perhaps contrasting, theories.
An Awful Look for McCarthy
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If McCarthy plays fewer games than Wentz, something will have gone really, really wrong. Foremost, it could be that the Vikings elevated Wentz to the QB2 job, which would be an utterly terrible look for McCarthy’s career trajectory — if he can’t win a backup quarterback job over a guy who’s a few years from retirement.
Or — the prediction could insinuate that McCarthy gets hurt again after suffering a torn meniscus, high ankle sprain, concussion, and broken hand through two NFL seasons. McCarthy has missed 73% of Vikings games due to injury.
Even if Murray establishes himself as Minnesota’s QB1 in 2026, McCarthy’s endgame cannot be Wentz playing more snaps. It would put McCarthy on borrowed time in Minnesota.
Nine Wins or More Checks Out
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On the other hand, Orr’s second bold prediction is a little ironic and bittersweet. He expects the Vikings to win nine games or more — they finished 9-8 last year despite showcasing the NFL’s fifth-worst quarterback production per EPA/Play — while oddsmakers believe Minnesota will finish 8-9 or 9-8.
Having Wentz play more games than McCarthy but the Vikings still finishing with a winning record would either be a re-run of 2025 or feature a Minnesota club that is playoff-bound. Fans would prefer the latter.
Also, the Vikings boast one of the NFL’s top defenses, led by Brian Flores, who has marshaled a Top 3 defense since he arrived in Minneapolis three years ago. The working theory suggests that if that trend continues while Murray, McCarthy, or Wentz deliver average-or-better quarterback efficiency, the sky is the limit.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray answers questions from reporters following OTA practice at the TCO Performance Center. On May 27, 2026, in Eagan, Minnesota, Murray discussed his transition to Minnesota, collaboration with J.J. McCarthy, and developing chemistry with wide receiver Jauan Jennings as offseason workouts continued. Mandatory Credit: YouTube
Orr basically thinks the Vikings will be good, and very little McCarthy will be needed.
Essentially Sports‘ Luke Hubbard predicted the Vikings to finish with a 7-10 record last week and opined, “I don’t not like the Minnesota Vikings’ roster, but I don’t love it either. It all starts at quarterback. As fun as Kyler Murray could be, there’s a reason Arizona let him go.”
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“He’s dealt with a ton of injuries, and when he’s been on the field, he hasn’t been all that great. And we all know J.J. McCarthy isn’t the answer. If they had a quarterback, they would feel like a bubble team, but without above-average quarterback play, they’ll miss the playoffs by quite a few games.”
Other Bold Stuff from Orr
Orr, sadly, also picked the Detroit Lions to win the NFC North. He explained, “One of the most underrated aspects of a team’s schedule, in my opinion, is the runway with which to build momentum. That momentum overpowers the basic fact that many of those wins were against opponents that the team should have beaten. Those wins create a false confidence those teams carry with them into more neutral matchups or matchups in which a team should be considered an underdog.”
“I love the beginning of the Lions’ slate, even if Detroit has all of its road divisional games over the final weeks of the season. My thought: If the Lions can bank four wins from their opening stretch against the Saints, Bills, Jets, Panthers and Cardinals, they will be in a much better position to lose ground later in the season in Green Bay or Chicago.”
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) embraces Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) following a hard-fought NFC North matchup at Ford Field. On Nov. 2, 2025, in Detroit, Michigan, McCarthy celebrated the Vikings’ 27-24 victory after a competitive divisional contest that carried significant implications in the conference standings. Mandatory Credit: Junfu Han-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Sportsbooks agree, with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears fighting for second place in the division, but the Vikings stuck in last.
Vikings training camp, the next major step in the summer, is about eight weeks away.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Davido is set to perform at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles on June 10.
The Nigerian singer will take the stage at Crypto.com Arena as part of a special event connecting the three host nations of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The concert will also feature performances from Major Lazer in Los Angeles, Bryan Adams in Toronto, and Los Ángeles Azules in Mexico City.
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According to FIFA, the event will be broadcast simultaneously across the three cities and streamed live on TikTok beginning at 6 p.m. PT.
The appearance marks another World Cup-related event for Davido after his involvement in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In 13 career appearances at Big Jack’s Memorial Tournament, Rory McIlroy has five top-10 finishes and another four top-20s. It’s a record, on one of the game’s splashiest stages, that most players would embrace, but McIlroy is, of course, not most players. He’s a 30-time PGA Tour winner with six major titles and the career Grand Slam. He has arrived at a place where he’s not looking to win just any tournaments but the right kind of tournaments. Majors. National opens. Events hosted by or affiliated with legends.
“I would say here and Tiger’s event at Riviera, they’re the two that I would love to win,” McIlroy said Wednesday.
Tiger’s event is the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles, where McIlroy has gone winless in 10 attempts. “Here” is this week’s event, the Memorial, at Muirfield Village in Ohio, where McIlroy is 0-for-13. “I always thought it would be cool to win here and take that little walk up the hill off the 18th green and shake Jack’s hand,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy and Nicklaus go back nearly two decades: mentee and mentor, fellow GOATs and South Floridians, occasional lunchmates at the Bear’s Club. During one of those bread-breakings a couple of years back, McIlroy gave Nicklaus a shot-by-shot description of how he planned to attack Augusta National at that year’s Masters. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” Nicklaus told him. “I think it’s exactly the way you should play it.” Before this year’s Masters, Nicklaus spotted McIlroy during a range session and offered him more counsel. “I put my hands on his shoulders,” Nicklaus said, “and I said to him, ‘No effing double bogeys.’”
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McIlroy did card a couple of doubles, but Nicklaus’s message still was received: Don’t be a dummy out there. Heeding that strategy led McIlroy to his second straight green jacket.
Which brings us back to Muirfield Village. What wisdom has Nicklaus imparted to McIlroy about how to manage Nicklaus’s masterwork?
“He hasn’t asked me,” Nicklaus said Tuesday.
Reporters did, though — specifically, whether Nicklaus had any theories about why McIlroy had not yet triumphed at Muirfield. Nicklaus provided a thoughtful answer.
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“I think that this golf course is a golf course that really requires patience,” he said. “I didn’t design it for big hitters, didn’t design it for short hitters, didn’t design it for the middle. I tried to design it so we could take care of everybody and try to give a fair shake to every kind of player. And when you get that, you can’t just stand up and just whack away at it on every hole.”
That grip-it-and-rip-it approach is how a younger Nicklaus used to try and slay his own design (unsuccessfully), and it’s not hard to imagine a younger, bolder McIlroy coming into MVGC with the same mentality. In time, though, McIlroy, like Nicklaus, has learned that driver — at least with the distance he smashes his tee shots — is no good at Muirfield. That’s because the fairways pinch his landing zones.
“It’s frustrated me in a way that I feel like my biggest weapon is in some way neutralized here,” McIlroy said. “And then I have to play the golf course like most of the other guys in the field.”
That is, strategically — identifying the best leaves for the most optimal angles into the greens and then controlling the flight and spin of those approaches.
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The greens are no pushover, either, Nicklaus said, particularly for players who like to zip back their irons (see: most modern Tour pros). “Take 3, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, 17, and 18,” Nicklaus said. “If you spin the ball off of those greens, what happens? Not a good result.”
The alternative? Vary your trajectories, Nicklaus said. That’s what he learned to do, both at Muirfield and another ballpark with which he became synonymous, Augusta National. ”I think Augusta’s a trajectory golf course also,” Nicklaus said.
McIlroy is a traj maestro. Really, he can do just about anything he wants with a golf ball. At Muirfield, it’s just a matter of committing to the shots that the course demands. If McIlroy can follow that formula, a warm handshake from his Bear’s Club pal might be in his very near future.
“I would love to see Rory play well here,” Nicklaus said.
Having revealed several superstitions in his on-court interview – thanking the crowd in French, maintaining the same racquet tension no matter the conditions and keeping the same post-match routine – Cobolli was asked about them in his press conference.
“I’m a little bit [superstitious] but not crazy – this week I’m a little bit more crazy than the others,” he said. “I just go to the same restaurant, the same menu, the same shower.”
Cobolli then recalled a moment at a previous French Open when he was using the shower and Nadal knocked on the door asking him to hurry up because he was waiting to use that particular cubicle.
“He told me that it was his shower since 14 years,” continued Cobolli. “So I think the best thing that I’m doing is the shower.”
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Cobolli recovered from losing the first set to beat Auger-Aliassime 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 and he will make his top-10 debut on Monday if Jakub Mensik, who faces Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final, fails to win the title in Paris.
Arnaldi’s win in Wednesday’s night session means an Italian finalist is guaranteed, even after the shock second-round exit of overwhelming favourite Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti being ruled out of the tournament because of injury.
Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Vikings fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Minnesota.
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Vikings, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Vikings fans can be the most informed fans.
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So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.
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Film
Background Info
3-Star prospect according to 247 Sports
Top 3 rusher in Tennessee high school football history in yards and touchdowns
All-State honors in high school
Second-team All-SEC in 2025
Notable career stats heading into 2026
Received 44.9% of the carries out of the backfield in 2025
Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026
3.68 Yards per carry after contact
Strengths
Shows quickness at the line
Explosiveness getting to the second level of the defense
Vision to find running lanes
Speed to cut outside and turn up the field
Doesn’t shy away from contact
Player Summary
DeSean Bishop has some potential to be something based on the traits he flashed on film. The quickness is there, he is explosive as a runner getting to the second level. On top of it all, for someone with his speed, he showcases some serious power in his style, where he isn’t afraid to meet defenders in space. He has a chance to really showcase some new skills as the Vols have a change at quarterback, so they will need the run game to bring him along slowly.
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 02: Joao Fonseca of Brazil looks dejected as he leaves the court after defeat to Jakub Mensik of Czechia after their Men’s Singles Quarter Final match on Day Ten of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 02, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
João Fonseca may not be leaving Roland Garros with a trophy, but the 19-year-old Brazilian leaves Paris as one of the biggest stories of the tournament.
Over the past two weeks, Fonseca announced himself on one of tennis’ biggest stages, with performances that will be remembered long after this year’s tournament ends.
The teenager became the first player ever to defeat Novak Djokovic at a Grand Slam while still in his teens and only the second player in history to recover from two sets down against the Serbian legend.
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Fonseca also defeated two-time Roland Garros finalist Casper Ruud and became the first Brazilian man to reach the quarterfinals in Paris since Gustavo Kuerten in 2004.
This run has lifted him to a career-high No. 25 in the live ATP rankings and makes him one of the brightest young talents in the sport.
Speaking after his defeat, Fonseca reflected on the lessons he learned during the tournament.
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“Still the same guy. I just know my limits better. I didn’t know if I could handle a five-hour match. I never saw my limit yet. I know I can be confident with my physique. I’m more confident with my game.”
Fonseca arrived in Paris as a promising young talent. He leaves as a player who has shown he belongs among the best in the world.
At just 19 years old, the future looks brighter than ever.
Rising U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Diego Kochen is set to leave Barcelona on loan this summer, according to reports.
The 20-year-old shot-stopper is set for the next stage of his development with more playing time, and Danish side Lyngby Boldklub are currently the favorites to temporarily add the American goalkeeper.
What Happened
Kochen is highly rated at Barcelona and spent much of last season rotating between Barcelona’s first team and the reserves. While he did not see the field for the senior team, he did serve as the team’s third goalkeeper behind Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny, meaning he was part of 40 matchday squads for the Spanish giants.
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Meanwhile, he featured in 20 games for Barça Athletic in the fourth tier of Spanish soccer last season. He has made one first team appearance, albeit in a friendly game against Club América back in 2023.
According to ESPN, though, the club is open to letting Kochen leave on loan this summer to earn the playing time needed to further his development.
Kochen’s US Men’s National Team Hopes
Kochen has been a regular for the U.S. on the youth level and has played for the U-16, 17, 19, 20, and 23 teams. The goalkeeper is eligible for Venezuela and Peru, but Kochen has solely been focused on playing for the USA.
He’s gotten close. Kochen was called into the USA camp twice in 2024 and is spending this summer with the senior team as a training goalkeeper alongside Philadelphia Union rising star Andrew Rick, allowing the two youngsters an up-close look at the World Cup experience.
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A Potential Landing Spot
While Kochen’s future is not fully decided, Lyngby Boldklub are the reported favorites to sign him on loan this summer.
The club was promoted to the Danish Superliga after this most recent season. They are reportedly open to taking Kochen in on a season-long loan, while Kochen himself is also open to the opportunity. Kochen’s contract with Barcelona runs through 2028.
What Comes Next?
Kochen will remain with the U.S. throughout the team’s World Cup run, although he is not a member of the official roster and, as a result, is ineligible to play.
After a win over Senegal this past weekend, the U.S. will face Germany this weekend before facing Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey in the group stage of the World Cup.
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2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).
Kyler Murray left the Arizona Cardinals in March — they kicked him out — and now that franchise is embroiled in a contractual standoff with Jacoby Brissett, a man viewed by most as a decent backup quarterback in the NFL.
The Cardinals are no stranger to messy operations, but even this situation feels bizarre by their standards.
Cardinals QB Room Gets Stranger
Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing stands alongside quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during a home matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. On Dec. 7, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona, Petzing and Brissett worked through game situations as the Cardinals continued their NFC West schedule late in the regular season. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Brissett Holds Out
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss wrote late last month, “After months of negotiating, quarterback Jacoby Brissett and the Cardinals are still not close to reaching an agreement on a reworked deal for this season. A source told ESPN that the two sides are ‘significantly’ far apart. Brissett has not attended any of the Cardinals’ voluntary OTAs or the voluntary offseason program as he waits for a new contract for 2026, the second year of a two-year deal he signed in March 2025.”
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“His deal currently pays him $4.88 million, with the potential to grow to $5.39 million, of which just $1.5 million is guaranteed. By comparison, Gardner Minshew II, whom Arizona signed as a free agent in March, had $5.14 million guaranteed by the team for 2026.”
Fast forward to June, and Brissett wholly skipped the first week of organized team activities (OTAs), confirming the holdout. It’s ugly in the desert.
This Would Be Like Carson Wentz Playing Hardball
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To give you an example of how embarrassing this situation comes off for the Cardinals, consider a Vikings example. Pretend Carson Wentz was under contract on a two-year agreement for $6 million. All of a sudden, he tells the Vikings he wants $10 million. The Vikings’ front office and coaching staff would look at each other and say, “Who does this guy think he is? Do we even need him?”
That’s what’s happening in Arizona — except Brissett projects to be the Cardinals’ QB1 in 2026. And it’s worth noting that this is shaking out is because general manager Monti Ossenfort opted to conclude the Murray era.
Brissett is not among the league’s best quarterbacks, and for a guy who would be a backup quarterback on almost every other squad, it’s bizarre to witness a hardball holdout.
SI.com‘s Donnie Druin noted on the holdout, “Brissett, 33, is likely staring down at his last opportunity to earn more than slightly above minimum money. The Cardinals reportedly have known about Brissett’s desire for a raise through the offseason and have been willing to work with Brissett — though ESPN reported last week the two are significantly far apart in their negotiations.”
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“While Brissett’s contract doesn’t reflect that of a starting quarterback, it feels as if the veteran has little leverage with two other capable passers in the room with him.”
The World Nudging ARI toward Carson Beck
The Cardinals should tread carefully before handing Brissett a fat contract. He’s 33 and hasn’t been a consistent starter in his career. The odds of him forging a Rich Gannon-like career arc are low. That hardly happens to anybody.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) prepares for action during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. On Nov. 23, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona, Brissett led Arizona’s offense while attempting to guide the Cardinals through an interconference matchup during the closing stretch of the season. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Arizona did, however, draft Miami’s Carson Beck in Round 3 five weeks ago. He’s hungry and waiting for his marching orders. If the Brissett standoff persists, the Cardinals should entertain telling Brissett “thanks but no thanks” while giving Beck a full audition for the QB1 job.
Most don’t expect Arizona to do much of anything in 2026, especially in a division with the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers. The Cardinals can learn about Beck’s skill set and know that if he doesn’t have “it,” well, they’d be in line for a high draft pick next April, which could land Texas’s Arch Manning or Oregon’s Dante Moore.
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The main takeaway? Arizona should examine Beck’s readiness, the longer Brissett continues the unorthodox holdout.
Brissett’s Career Resume
Brissett has essentially authored the blueprint for a top-tier NFL bridge quarterback. Across a ten-season career, he’s started 85 games, accumulating 14,766 yards, 76 touchdowns, and 45 interceptions, with a 61.9% completion rate. His career passer rating of 86.4 encapsulates his performance: solid, dependable, rarely erratic, and seldom spectacular.
His most statistically efficient year came with Washington in 2023, albeit in limited action, where he achieved an impressive 146.8 passer rating. His most extensive playing time was with Indianapolis and Cleveland, demonstrating his capacity to sustain an offense over prolonged periods.
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) delivers a pass during first-half action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. On Nov. 30, 2025, in Tampa, Florida, Brissett directed Arizona’s offense on the road while facing a Buccaneers team competing for positioning in the NFC playoff race. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Beyond his passing, Brissett has added 1,224 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, proving his ability to convert crucial first downs. While Brissett won’t transform a struggling team into a championship contender, he also won’t be the reason for its downfall. His reliability and stability are valuable, which is precisely why teams in search of a credible, patient, and mature quarterback have kept him employed.
It’s just that he’s not the type of dude who should a team hostage via holdout.
Maybe the Cardinals should’ve kept Murray?
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Manchester United are looking to bolster Michael Carrick’s squad this summer
Manchester United are targeting five new signings this summer following an agreement for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, who is set to become the first arrival of the Michael Carrick era.
The Red Devils have just secured their return to the Champions League and, having played only 40 matches across all competitions last term, are aware their squad will face greater demands over the next 12 months.
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Consequently, they’re looking at a number of new recruits, with The Times reporting that several midfielders are on their shortlist. An agreement worth an initial £35million has been reached with Atalanta to bring in their Brazilian star.
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In addition to this, they hold an interest in Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni, West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. Elliot Anderson has also been mentioned, though it appears Manchester City are frontrunners to secure his signature.
A striker is also on their agenda, with the club already confirming that Rasmus Hojlund has departed Old Trafford on a permanent basis. A left-back is another position under consideration, with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall a potential target.
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Despite their ambition to recruit, the United hierarchy has made clear, and Michael Carrick firmly agrees, that the pathway into the first-team for young players must not be completely blocked. The former United player turned manager is a strong advocate of utilising the academy.
Carrick is familiar with the club’s heritage and swiftly reintegrated Kobbie Mainoo following his appointment in January.
The midfielder rediscovered his best form, and the club are keen to see more homegrown talent emerge, with players such as Shea Lacey receiving chances last term.
Ruben Amorim faced criticism for neglecting the club’s young prospects while also relegating Mainoo to the substitutes’ bench, deploying the midfielder only intermittently. Carrick’s arrival was warmly welcomed by families of academy players, who believed he would prove far more receptive to their development.
United are also poised to witness further high-profile departures, which will create space within their squad and generate revenue for their recruitment strategy.
Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee, Marcus Rashford and Andre Onana are available for transfer, while Casemiro has departed after his contract expired.
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Jadon Sancho, who has endured an underwhelming loan spell at Aston Villa, is another player set to leave without a fee.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Noah Lyles is also in action with fellow Team USA superstar and indoor world champion Jordan Anthony, with Team GB’s Jeremiah Azu and former Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs in the men’s 100m.
Georgia Hunter Bell goes in the women’s 1500m, while Amy Hunt and Dina Asher Smith are up against superstar duo Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Julien Alfred in the women’s 200m.
Here’s everything you need to know:
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When is the Rome Diamond League?
The meeting in Rome will be held on Thursday 4 June at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the meeting live on BBC Three, with coverage on the channel from 8pm BST. A live stream will be available via the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
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