Rajasthan Royals’ Jofra Archer (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Riyan Parag admitted Rajasthan Royals still have several areas to improve despite sealing the final IPL 2026 playoff spot with a crucial 30-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. RR crossed the 200-run mark thanks to explosive late hitting from Jofra Archer and Ravindra Jadeja before Archer’s brilliant spell with the ball helped knock Mumbai Indians out of the tournament. Speaking after the win, Parag explained the tactical thinking behind promoting Archer to No. 7 and sending Jadeja at No. 9 during RR’s late batting surge. “Obviously it’s good when things go to plan. I know we’ve won the game, we’ve qualified, but a lot of areas that we can do better,” Parag said. “Wanted the set batter to play a little longer (the move to have Jofra at 7, Jaddu at 9). We needed runs. It’s a wicket where you can’t have two players batting in the middle and going at a run a ball. Wanted one guy to take the initiative, take the risk. And the other guy could stay a little bit longer.” The RR captain reserved special praise for Jadeja, whose unbeaten 19 off 11 balls proved crucial in the final overs. “And Jadeja is as reliable as always. I knew back-end he would get us at least 20 off 10 which he did,” he added. Parag also opened up on his aggressive leadership style and insisted the decisions were based more on instinct than statistical match-ups. “Have taken a lot of brave calls actually this season. That’s how I like to lead. That’s how I lead Assam as well. You got to take your chances, it’s not a gamble. Of course you think about it a lot.” One of those calls involved using Archer directly against Hardik Pandya during Mumbai’s chase, a move that proved decisive after the England pacer dismissed the MI skipper in the 16th over. “I thought, Hardik – there’s only one guy who can get him out and that is Jofra. That paid off well.” When asked whether his decisions are driven by data or instinct, Parag gave a straightforward answer: “Instincts always.” The RR skipper also praised uncapped bowlers Brijesh Sharma and Yash Raj Punja for stepping up in a pressure game, though he joked about usually avoiding too much praise. “It’s tough but all the credit to them. I don’t usually praise them so they don’t get all bloated and stuff. But after tonight I think they deserve it.” “Brijesh – the way he’s come back after getting a few games here and there, where he’s gone for some runs in the last few overs. How he bowled today and how he’s been bowling.” “And Punja, from a net bowler to his journey right now, being the lead spinner. Remarkable job. I hope they do it for another one game and then another two games.” Parag also revealed he is still not fully fit physically but credited mental toughness for helping him continue through the season. “I’m definitely not fit. All of this was mental toughness.” He also provided updates on Archer and Jadeja ahead of the playoffs. “Jofra’s fine, he’s strong as a rock. Jaddu bhai has some niggles here and there.” Despite securing qualification, Parag admitted RR made life harder for themselves by leaving it too late. “We should’ve qualified way earlier. Left it a little too late. Hopefully we learn from all of our games.”

Every college football season produces a handful of second-year players who stop looking like promising recruits and start resembling future first-round draft picks. The jump from freshman flashes to sophomore superstardom is often where national contenders are made, Heisman campaigns are born and coordinators suddenly realize they’ve created a weekly matchup problem for the rest of the sport.

Heading into 2026, this sophomore class is loaded with that kind of upside and poised to alter the playoff picture for other contenders.

Several of these former blue-chip prospects spent last fall adjusting to the speed of the college game while playing behind veterans or carving out rotational roles. Now, the spotlight shifts. Expectations rise quickly when talent meets opportunity, and this year’s group features explosive quarterbacks, dynamic receivers and defensive playmakers capable of becoming household names before Halloween.

The scary part for opponents? Many of these players already showed enough as freshmen — many with postseason laurels — to hint at what’s coming next.

Whether it’s a quarterback ready to elevate an entire offense, a lockdown corner capable of erasing half the field or a playmaking receiver built for viral moments, the 2026 season could belong to college football’s emerging sophomore stars. And by December, several of these names may sit firmly in the sport’s national award conversation.

1. Malachi Toney, WR, Miami

If college football’s next superstar leap is coming from the sophomore class in 2026, keep your eyes on Toney. The nation’s most dangerous playmaker not named Jeremiah Smith, Toney eviscerated defenses after opening the season as a 17-year-old true freshman, then celebrated his birthday with two touchdowns at Florida State. 

Toney flashes the kind of effortless explosiveness that separates elite receivers from merely productive ones. He’s sudden out of his breaks, dangerous after the catch and has the positional versatility modern offenses crave. Slot? Outside? Motion packages? Doesn’t matter. Get him the football and watch the stress level rise for opposing secondaries. Toney’s 109 total receptions were a single-season program record and ACC freshman record. In November alone, he caught 41 passes for 418 yards and four scores.

He’ll be the featured weapon within a Shannon Dawson offense that includes former Duke standouts Darian Mensah (quarterback) and Cooper Barkate (wide receiver), along with returning star Mark Fletcher Jr. at running back. The scary part for opponents is that Toney’s ceiling extends beyond all-conference chatter. He’ll be an All-American if the production matches the flash.

Predicting college football award winners: CJ Carr gives Notre Dame first Heisman Trophy winner since 1987

Austin Nivison

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2. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, QB, California

When you’re handed the keys to the offense at a Power Four program as a first-year player, growing pains are expected. However, Sagapolutele showed very little hesitation for the Golden Bears as a freshman, especially down the stretch when he completed his throws at a 68.7% clip over Cal’s final five games despite 205 passing attempts. Coach Tosh Lupoi made Sagapolutele his top priority when he left his role at Oregon for this vacancy, calling him the most important recruit he was tasked with retaining.

Sagapolutele already looks the part physically with the arm talent to attack every blade of grass, but what makes him especially dangerous is his poise. He doesn’t play rushed, even when protection breaks down, and that calm presence matters in the ACC. Cal believes it finally has a quarterback capable of elevating the entire offense rather than simply operating it, and Lupoi’s arrival could accelerate that breakout following the hire of Jordan Somerville, formerly the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ passing game coordinator.

3. Brandon Finney Jr., CB, Oregon

Finney checks every box that a premier cornerback should — physical at the line of scrimmage, fluid in transition and confident playing on an island against elite receivers. The first-round traits were noticeable last fall when the Maryland native worked his way into a loaded secondary as a starter and collected three interceptions, including a pair in Oregon’s playoff shutout win over high-powered Texas Tech. Ironically, his other two-takeaway performance came on the road at Iowa after forcing a pair of fumbles. Finney’s first career interception came during Oregon’s 30-20 loss at Indiana when he swiped Fernando Mendoza’s underthrown pass off his back foot early in the fourth quarter and knotted the score at 20.

4. DJ Pickett, CB, LSU

After watching team leader Mansoor Delane come off the board at No. 6 overall in April’s NFL Draft, the Tigers turn to Pickett and junior PJ Woodland as their starting cornerbacks this season, leaders on a rebuilt two-deep defense largely renovated through the transfer portal. Pickett was exactly what LSU thought it was getting in a five-star prospect last cycle as a rangy 6-foot-4, 190-pound freshman All-American. He picked off three passes in 13 games (three starts) and finished with 37 tackles and two sacks. Like Derek Stingley Jr. and other top-end cornerbacks before him in Baton Rouge, Pickett will be a three-and-out athlete with two more seasons of high energy and big plays coming.

5. Devin Sanchez, CB, Ohio State

The Buckeyes should be relieved Sanchez played 409 snaps last fall as a freshman, considering their secondary lost first-round safety Caleb Downs and cornerback Davison Igbinosun, the No. 62 overall pick, last month. One of six new starters for Matt Patricia’s defense, Sanchez finished the year with 15 tackles, two pass deflections and a fumble recovery, much of that production coming in his lone start at Illinois (five tackles). The No. 1 cornerback and fifth-best player overall in the 2025 class, Sanchez expects to hear his name called on Day 1 two years from now in the NFL Draft as long as his development keeps up.

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6. Mason Heintschel, QB, Pittsburgh

An early enrollee for the Panthers in last year’s cycle, Heinstechel went 6-3 over nine starts as a true freshman. His speedy development chased three quarterbacks — Eli Holstein, David Lynch and Cole Gonzales — to the portal. He completed 201 of 316 passes for 2,354 yards with 16 passing touchdowns and two rushing scores, including three or more touchdown passes in wins over Boston College, NC State and Stanford. With spotlight opportunities this fall against Miami, Louisville and two Friday night showdowns with Virginia Tech and Florida State, Heintschel has a chance to muddy up the ACC title picture for perceived contenders.

7. Dijon Lee, CB, Alabama 

Lee made an immediate impact in Tuscaloosa as an all-SEC freshman team honoree after showing coaches he was the most consistent option at cornerback and unseating previous starter, Domani Jackson. A former five-star recruit rated as the No. 1 player out of California in the 2025 cycle for the Crimson Tide, Lee is a physical menace at 6-feet-4 and 205 pounds and runs like a wide receiver on the outside.

8. Elyiss Williams, TE, Georgia

Where are the Bulldogs finding these 6-foot-7, 255-pound terrors to defend at the tight end position? Used primarily in blocking situations last fall as a freshman, given his strength and power at the line of scrimmage, Williams did record seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown — numbers that’ll will be heavily multiplied this season. Behind Lawson Luckie on the depth chart exiting spring, that’s merely in principle. Mike Bobo’s multi-tight end sets will come in full force with Williams being a dependable third-down and red-zone threat as a sophomore.

9. Bryce Fitzgerald, S, Miami

Fitzgerald led the ACC with six interceptions last season and was one of only six players nationally with at least five picks. He played in every game for the Hurricanes but made only four starts, given the wealth of veteran talent at the back end. Now, even if he’s only a sophomore, Fitzgerald will be leaned on to lead. With more snaps coming his way this fall, Fitzgerald’s numbers could be record-setting as one of the program’s top players at the back end in several years. The single-season record for most interceptions is 10, set by late program legend Sean Taylor in 2003.

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10. Carius Curne, OL, Ole Miss

A four-star signee in LSU’s 2025 class, Curne started five of the eight games he appeared in as a true freshman and was courted by several programs in the portal — including Georgia and Arkansas — before signing with the Rebels. LSU unsuccessfully tried to retain the Arkansas native, who secured a starting spot this spring in Oxford.

11. Mandrell Desir, EDGE, Florida State

This is the more productive of the Desir twins up front for the Seminoles after he recorded 30 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last season as a freshman before earning All-ACC Honorable Mention and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up accolades. Desir’s sack total was the third-most in program history for a first-year player, and he ended the campaign with at least 0.5 sacks in five consecutive games. Like his brother, Darryll, Mandrell Desir played in every game, starting twice. Florida State retaining the Desir family on its 2026 roster was imperative to its defensive rebuild.

12. Michael Fasusi, OT, Oklahoma 

Fasusi is an extremely athletic left tackle for the Sooners, despite his size — at 6-5, 290 pounds — being smaller than most SEC left tackles. After anchoring the position last fall, Fasusi beat out fellow sophomore Peyton Joseph for the role in 2026 as the Sooners try to improve on last season’s second-half struggles offensively with John Mateer returning at quarterback.

13. Kaliq Lockett, WR, Texas

Are there enough footballs to go around for the Longhorns? That’s the only dilemma that could potentially limit Lockett’s production as a redshirt freshman on the Forty Acres. One of the program’s fastest players, Lockett is option No. 4 in an ultra-talented wideout room and nearly impossible to cover from the slot given his agility. He played in five games to preserve his redshirt in 2025 as a five-star freshman and scored his first career touchdown during the Longhorns’ Citrus Bowl victory over Michigan.

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14. Gideon Davidson, RB, Clemson

If there’s any hope that Dabo Swinney’s hire of Chad Morris as offensive coordinator works out this fall, Davidson’s production is paramount to that development. He rushed 60 times for 260 yards and had 11 receptions over 190 snaps as a true freshman in 2025 and now gets first-team reps for the first time as a versatile threat of sorts. The Tigers signed Chris Johnson (SMU) in the portal to provide backfield assistance, but Davidson is a former four-star with track speed that this coaching staff expects to have an eye-popping campaign.

15. Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, LB, Michigan

One of six expected new starters defensively for the Wolverines, Owusu-Boateng co-anchors the linebacking core with Nathan Staehling, a transfer from North Dakota State. A former four-star recruit, Owusu-Boateng is the younger brother of NFL linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and shares similar athletic traits, including speed in space. Owusu-Boateng moves like a safety and will be a coveted piece for Kyle Whittingham and Michigan’s defensive staff in blitzing and pass-rush situations.

16. Jayden Sellers WR, South Carolina

The younger brother of Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers, Jayden averaged 15.3 yards per catch over 22 receptions in just five games last fall during his first year on campus. His 75-yard touchdown against Coastal Carolina in November was his arrival moment, and that confidence level was further enhanced this spring. Sellers and junior Mazeo Bennett will split reps at the slot during camp before the first-team designation is decided, but Sellers has more upside, it appears.

17. Byron Baldwin, S, Indiana

The highest-ranked recruit in the Hoosiers’ 2025 signing class, Baldwin was hampered by an injury as a freshman that kept him off the field for much of the campaign. Considering senior Amare Ferrell is the only returning safety starter within a scheme that uses two players and a nickel at the back end, along with two cornerbacks, Baldwin should see a ton of reps this fall. Indiana replaces veterans Louis Moore and Devan Boykin in the secondary, and Baldwin is one of the next stars in the making.

Selekhmeteva was playing her first match under the Spanish flag, having switched allegiance earlier this week.

Kostyuk did not shake hands with her opponent, as Ukrainian players have a long-standing policy of not shaking hands with Russian or Belarusian players.

The 23-year-old has been an outspoken critic of Russia and its ally Belarus since it began its invasion on Ukraine in 2022.

“My biggest example is the Ukrainian people,” Kostyuk said.

“I woke up this morning and looked at all these people who woke up and kept living their lives, kept helping people who are in need.

“I knew a lot of Ukrainian people would come out and support today. My friends from Ukraine came to support and I’m very happy to have them here.

“I’m incredibly proud of myself. I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my career.”

Only Mirra Andreeva (15) has claimed more wins on clay on the WTA Tour this season than the in-form Kostyuk (12), who remains unbeaten on the surface in 2026.

She will face Katie Volynets next after the American beat France’s Clara Burel 6-3 6-1.

This page will update live with the latest relevant news, no need to refresh the page!

Join us for all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s final Serie A games, Napoli-Udinese, Torino-Juventus, Milan-Cagliari, Verona-Roma, Cremonese-Como and Lecce-Genoa.

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There is still so much to play for, with two of the Champions League spots to be assigned and the last relegation berth.

Napoli-Udinese sees Antonio Conte wave goodbye at 17.00 UK time (18.00 CEST).

All the others begin at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

Lithuania’s Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte and Australians Thomas Hodges and Ben Hood rule their respective divisions in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge. –PNVF PHOTO

SANTA ROSA, Laguna — Lithuanian Olympians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte captured the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge title after dominating Americans Alaina Chacon and Madelyn Anderson, 21-12, 21-11, on Sunday night at the Nuvali Sands Courts here.

Raupelyte controlled the net throughout the match, especially in the second set, where the 6-foot-6 Lithuanian anchored a decisive run that turned into an 18-8 advantage after a lucky dig conversion by Paulikiene.

The Americans managed to trim the deficit to 19-11 before Paulikiene pushed Lithuania to championship point. Raupelyte then sealed the victory with an attack off a floater to clinch the pair’s first championship together.

READ: US, Lithuania dispute women’s crown; Aussies vs Swiss in men’s final

Australia and Lithuania are Kings and Queens of #BeachProTour Nuvali Challenge. @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/RapOEGjHmW

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) May 24, 2026

“Like always, just to do the best as I can and be aggressive on the block,” Raupelyte said after scoring 23 points built on 16 kills and seven blocks.

Raupelyte also credited her chemistry with Paulikiene, who added 10 points on eight attacks and two aces.

“She makes my job easier by putting the ball by one touch,” Raupelyte said. “I think that we made it because we had a great atmosphere. We’re supporting each other.”

The title was a breakthrough for the Lithuanian duo after settling for silver medals in the Tlaxcala Challenge in Mexico last March and the Xiamen Challenge in China earlier this month.

“It’s amazing after playing three years in the Challenger events. It’s our first gold,” Raupelyte said. “This is history for Lithuanians, the first time for Lithuanians to take a gold medal.”

Anderson scored 11 points in the loss, while Chacon finished with eight, as the gold remained elusive for the American pair.

In the men’s division, Australians Thomas Hodges and Ben Hood rallied from a slow start to defeat Swiss pair Adrian Heidrich and Yves Haussener, 14-21, 21-16, 15-8, and capture their first title together in the Nuvali Challenge.

READ: Ukraine duo ousts Aussies, reaches Beach Pro Tour Nuvali semis

Lithuanian Olympians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte relish their first championship together in the #BeachProTour Nuvali Challenge. @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/YlFlhr9hZK

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) May 24, 2026

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After dropping the opening set, Hodges and Hood carried their momentum from the second frame into the decider, racing to a commanding 10-4 lead.

Hood later scored off the block to extend Australia’s cushion to 13-7 before Hodges delivered a huge block for championship point.

Carrying the momentum from a strong second set win, Hodges ignited a 10-4 start in the decider before Hood scored off the block to stretch it to 13-7.

Hodges nailed a big block to reach championship point, followed by a strong hit by Hood to win it all.

“We just had to stick together,” said Hodges, who finished with 23 points.

“We had a few moments where, I mean, this morning we lost a set, but we managed to maintain a good head. First set here, they came out and played really, really well. And all full credit to the team to stay composed and to continue to go back to what we do.”

“Awesome. It’s just been really fun and I’ve really enjoyed just the battles we’ve had,” added Hood, who tallied 11.

Earlier, Dutch pair Emi van Driel and Mila Konink claimed the bronze medal after defeating Ukrainians Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil, 22-20, 21-18.

Konink exploded for 23 points as the Dutch tandem bounced back from a semifinal loss to the eventual champions earlier in the day.

In the men’s division, Swiss duo Julian Friedli and Jonathan Jordan secured the bronze medal after rallying past Germans Philipp Huster and Sven Winter, 18-21, 21-13, 15-13.

Sunday is the final day of the 2025-26 English Premier League season, with every team kicking off at 11 a.m. ET as part of EPL Matchday 38. The EPL title has been secured, with Arsenal clinching when Man City drew with Bournemouth on Tuesday. Even with the title race over, Sunday’s matchday features plenty of storylines, with many of these matches having serious implications across the league. Tottenham is facing relegation for the first time in club history, and there are Europe League spots up for grabs, while Manchester City is playing its final match under longtime manager Pep Guardiola.

Those interested in soccer betting can take a look at the latest EPL predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model for information on all of the Matchday 38 contests. You’ll also really want to see what SportsLine expert Jon Eimer is betting before locking in your wagers for the last day of the Premier League season.

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Eimer finished 2023 as SportsLine’s No. 1 soccer expert, posting a 248-234-12 record (+25.93 units) on SportsLine article picks. Eimer has been red-hot in 2026, posting a profit in multiple leagues, including the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga and more. Anyone following his soccer betting picks could have seen huge returns at sportsbooks and on betting apps. 

Here are Eimer’s best bets and analysis for Premier League Matchday 38.

EPL Matchday 38 best bets

• Bruno Fernandes to score or assist vs. Brighton (-105)
• Crystal Palace-Arsenal Under 2.5 goals (+115)
• Tottenham Over 1.5 goals team total vs. Everton (-127)
• West Ham Over 1.5 goals team total vs. Leeds (-153)

Bruno Fernandes to score or assist vs. Brighton

Brighton have much more motivation going into this match as a win here would solidify their spot in a UEFA competition next season. While I expect Brighton to press hard here, Fernandes is currently one assist away from breaking the all-time single-season Premier League record. He’s currently tied with Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry, and even though this game doesn’t matter to Manchester United, I expect the captain to go for glory and find an assist in this match.

Crystal Palace-Arsenal Under 2.5 goals

This game is a bit of a weird one. Arsenal have already won the league and won’t risk a single injury with their Champions League final still on the horizon. Crystal Palace also have no need to risk injuries in this game with a Europa Conference Final early next week. Expect both teams to rotate, sit back and just play a risk-free match with neither side wanting to do anything to hurt their chances in their respective upcoming finals. I expect this to be an absolute snoozer with maybe, just maybe, one goal being found by the final whistle.

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Tottenham Over 1.5 goals team total vs. Everton

A win or a draw is all Tottenham needs to avoid the dreaded drop down to Championship. The problem with Spurs is their defense is truly horrendous. It’s going to take more than one goal to get the win to guarantee that safety, so I expect Spurs to be pushing like mad against an Everton side who has been abysmal defensively on the road all season long.

West Ham Over 1.5 goals team total vs. Leeds

While West Ham need to rely on the Spurs match in regards to relegation, nothing matters if they don’t get the win and three points themselves. It’s most likely going to be too little too late, but there’s still a chance of survival, only if they win. Leeds are already done with their season as winning or losing won’t affect them in any way. I expect West Ham to go down swinging as they press for the multiple goals they’ll need to make up for their appalling defense.

Bet on Tottenham or West Ham to get relegated with the latest BetMGM promo code.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello, file)

Lionel Messi has reportedly crossed the billion-dollar mark in net worth, becoming only the second footballer ever to enter the billionaire club after long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo. As per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, cited by Goal.com, Messi’s fortune has now surpassed $1 billion following years of massive earnings through salaries, bonuses, endorsements and investments. The Argentine superstar is estimated to have earned more than $700 million in wages and performance-related payments since 2007 alone. Unlike Ronaldo, whose financial empire expanded rapidly through an aggressive global branding strategy and his blockbuster move to Al-Nassr in 2023, Messi’s wealth growth has reportedly been more measured and carefully managed through long-term partnerships and family-led business decisions across Europe and the United States. The 38-year-old’s commercial influence has exploded further since joining Inter Miami CF in 2023. His arrival transformed football’s popularity in the United States, driving huge attendance numbers, worldwide attention towards MLS and increased interest from several European stars considering moves to North America. Messi’s cultural impact in the USA has now reached another level ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A township in New Jersey has officially named part of Sherman Avenue as “Leo Messi Way” in honour of the Argentine icon. The tribute comes from Berkeley Heights, a small town in Union County with a population of just over 13,000 residents. The initiative was approved through the BH FIFA World Cup 26 Task Force, a local group formed to build excitement and community engagement before the World Cup arrives in the United States, Canada and Mexico next year. Messi, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, will once again lead his country into the tournament in 2026. Argentina have been placed in Group J alongside Austria, Jordan and Algeria, with their opening match scheduled against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16.

Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh spoke last Sunday about the club’s need for leaders, ideally Scottish leaders and gnarled professionals.

He never mentioned Lawrence Shankland but almost didn’t need to. The striker is everything he was describing. Rangers are not particularly lacking for goals – they outscored Celtic and Hearts in the Premiership in the season just gone – but they need steel and presence and Shankland provides that.

It was evident on Friday that things were moving quickly. It’s still not definite – as of now he has not signed and there’s still a medical to complete – but everything is heading rapidly in the right direction from a Rangers’ perspective, if not from a Hearts point of view.

Shankland is returning from holiday and final agreement would appear to be imminent. Pending any departures he would join Youssef Chermiti, Ryan Naderi, Bojan Miovski and Danilo as Danny Rohl’s options up front. It’s unlikely that all of those will be Rangers players come the start of the season. Shankland, if it gets done, would be the main man.

People with knowledge of the negotiations are being coy about what Rangers are paying Hearts for Shankland. Both sides are not comfortable talking about a supposed break clause in Shankland’s Hearts contract that would allow him to leave for nothing, a scenario that would, no doubt, infuriate Hearts fans even further.

Losing their captain and principal scorer is bad enough but losing him for little or no money might be deemed insult added to injury. Right now, the phrases being used are ‘undisclosed fee’ and ‘Rangers paid the required amount’.

Shankland has a prolific record for Hearts against Rangers, scoring both in a 2-0 win at Ibrox in September, getting what turned out to be the winner against them in December and in May, both times at Tynecastle.

He scored against Rangers in a 3-3 draw in May, 2024 and scored in a 3-1 loss and a 2-1 loss in November and October 2023. He’s the most prolific scorer Hearts have had since the great John Robertson.

Shankland netted 20 goals for Derek McInnes’ team in their near-glory season, part of which he missed through injury. He’s pushing hard to start for Scotland against Haiti in the opening game of the World Cup.

For McInnes, this will come as a bitter blow. Shankland and Hearts were at a bit of a stand-off at the end of season 2024-25, a long-running dispute over salary between the club and the player’s representatives threatening to see an end of him at Tynecastle.

When McInnes was appointed manager, one of the main items on his list was to keep Shankland. He was insistent he needed the striker and a deal was done. McInnes and Shankland have worked excellently together. Those days would appear to be over. Shankland to Rangers will take a lot of beating as the signing of the summer.

Vasiliy Lomachenko could land an immediate world title shot, but only if he chooses to campaign at 130lbs.

Either way, the 38-year-old is set to return to action later this year, having allowed his deal with Top Rank to expire earlier this month.

As a promotional free agent, ‘Loma’ is now expected to fight for the first time since May 2024, back when he scored an 11th-round stoppage victory over George Kambosos Jr.

In doing so, Lomachenko claimed the IBF lightweight title after having previously become a three-division world champion, with his last 10 professional outings all being fought at 135lbs.

But while many are expecting him to return to lightweight, perhaps in pursuit of an eventual clash with Gervonta Davis, the Ukrainian could potentially be tempted by an opportunity at 130lbs.

In other words, he is set to be offered an immediate world title shot against unified champion Emanuel Navarrete, who comes off a dominant 11th-round finish over Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez.

This, in turn, saw him unify the WBO and IBF titles, though it remains unclear what options the Mexican is exploring for his next outing.

One of them, however, could be a showdown against Lomachenko, with WBO president Gustavo Olivieri sharing his thoughts on the matter via social media.

“Lomachenko is back, and if he wants to fight at 130lbs against Navarrete, I’m sure that the WBO Executive Committee [will approve their fight].

“In light of his professional merits – [two-time] Olympic [gold] medallist, champion in multiple divisions, WBO super champion, a future Hall of Famer – I’m sure the approval will be unanimous.”

WBO President Gustavo Olivieri reiterated that, should Team Loma formally seek a direct shot at Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, the matter would receive serious consideration from the Executive Committee given Lomachenko’s legacy as a 3-Division WBO World Champion and one of the… pic.twitter.com/ZJy3qTcU3P

— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) May 21, 2026

While the Lomachenko fight could make sense for both parties, super-featherweight contender Charly Suarez will be demanding a mandatory shot at Navarrete if he comes through his next outing, against Manuel Avila, on July 11.