There are plenty of challenges that come with opening a season nearly 8,000 miles from home. The San Francisco 49ers, set to fly Wednesday to Melbourne, Australia, ahead of their Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams, are learning them firsthand. 

The dizzying list of complications starts with a simple one: “Do you have a passport?” 

Advertisement

That’s a question general manager John Lynch said he recently asked a potential practice squad player, as his team continues to finalize the group it will bring on a 16-hour flight this week for the Sept. 10 opener.

“There’s a lot of little logistics like that that are complicated by this, but we’re embracing it,” Lynch said ahead of Monday afternoon’s practice. “We’re having a plan for everything, and we’re getting it done.”

A day after slicing its roster to 53, San Francisco made a flurry of additional moves. It placed defensive back Nate Hobbs and linebacker Nick Martin on injured reserve, re-signed punter Corliss Waitman and safety Ashtyn Davis one day after releasing them and added 13 of the allotted 17 players to its practice squad. Those were all calls that needed to be made faster than normal because of the impending trip.

Another Australia-specific challenge the 49ers are navigating? An accelerated timeline on injury decisions. There are a number of players, highlighted by tight end George Kittle and defensive end Nick Bosa, who are recovering from major injuries and could play in San Francisco’s first regular-season contest. Under normal circumstances, the decision of which injured players will travel could be made close to – or even on – game day. But with the 49ers flying eight days before they take the field at Melbourne Cricket Ground, the decision-making process is far from simple.

Advertisement

Bosa, who tore his right ACL last season and is dealing with lingering tendinitis, wasn’t seen during the portion of practice Monday open to the media. He hasn’t practiced since Aug. 3. Kittle participated in position drills and ran routes at full speed; he also took part in portions of practice last week.

The good news for San Francisco is that it gets three consecutive practice days ahead of its Wednesday flight. Coach Kyle Shanahan said he hopes the decision on Kittle will be clear after that time, but it’s also possible that it won’t be.

“I don’t think you have to do anything. If we didn’t think he was going to play, though, and it was looking that way, I think it’d be much nicer to make that decision before we left instead of having him go through all that,” Shanahan said. “It’s also a long time that we’re out there, so to be away from the team for a week – not for camaraderie or anything – but just the training staff and things like that, and being away from meetings is also a big deal, too. But hopefully these three days that we have, these three practices will go the right way and it’ll make it an easy decision to get him on the plane.”

The return of a great: Lynch never thought he’d have to watch defensive tackle Aaron Donald terrorize his team again after he retired in 2024. But with the future Hall of Famer re-signing with the Rams on Sunday on a one-year deal, the 49ers GM might witness it in less than two weeks.

Advertisement

“I mean the guy’s different, right? He’s a he’s an exceptional player, one of the greats,” Lynch said. “I know that guy trains like a bad man.”

It’s currently unclear if Donald will play Week 1. The Rams don’t fly to Melbourne until much closer to game day, so they have extra time to ramp him up and make a final decision. Even if Donald doesn’t play, the two teams will see each other again Dec. 13. Donald is set to pair up with another future Hall of Famer in defensive end Myles Garrett.

Earlier in the offseason, after Los Angeles traded for Garrett, Lynch joked about reading an inspirational John Wooden quote that fell on deaf ears with Shanahan. The quote read: “Don’t lose sleep worrying about your competition. Let them lose sleep worrying about you,” to which Shanahan responded, “You know what? F John Wooden.”

The feeling is only exacerbated by the return of Donald. But Lynch still feels confident in his team’s prospects ahead of the Rams showdown. 

Advertisement

“They got better certainly with him deciding to come out of retirement,” Lynch said. “I think we’re pretty good, too.”

Briefly: Shanahan declined to name a starting left guard or a backup running back when asked Monday. Rookie Kaelon Black is competing with 2025 fifth-round pick Jordan James for the right to back up Christian McCaffrey. On Sunday, San Francisco traded for guard/center Jarrett Patterson from the Houston Texans after cutting Robert Jones and placing Brett Toth on season-ending IR. Jones was looked at as a potential depth option at left guard, while Toth was likely to be the backup center. Patterson could be a logical replacement to fill both of those roles, while Connor Colby and Carver Willis are the likeliest candidates to start at left guard.

Subscribe

There’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.

This article originally published at 49ers, with 8,000-mile trip on tap, deal with roster uncertainty for opener.

Kiki Ramos (Photo by Instagram@kikiramoss_)

Kiki Ramos, the Haiti-born winger who recently became the first player born in the Caribbean country to represent Argentina, has pushed back against criticism surrounding racism and discrimination in Argentina, saying he has never personally experienced it since arriving in the country as a baby.The 17-year-old made his Argentina U-17 debut this week in a 2-1 victory over Ecuador, marking a significant moment for a player whose journey to the Albiceleste began after the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010.Ramos was born in Haiti on April 3, 2009, and arrived in Argentina at nine months old after being adopted by an Argentine couple. He has since developed through Vélez Sarsfield and is now attracting attention from clubs in Europe.Ramos responds to criticism surrounding ArgentinaAmid criticism of Argentina and allegations of racism circulating on social media, Ramos gave his own account of his experience in the country. Speaking as quoted by Albiceleste Talk, he said:“Did I feel any racism or discrimination in Argentina? Ever since I came to Argentina, I’ve never felt discriminated against.”“Other than the occasional fights between youth players during matches, everything has always been fine off the pitch. I never felt discriminated against, and I never felt different from anyone else. That’s why I feel like people who say Argentina is racist are just saying it for the sake of it.”Ramos added:“I think we’re just going through a period where Argentina is being heavily criticised, you know? But Argentina is a beautiful country. For me, it’s a dream to represent Argentina and a huge honour to wear this beautiful shirt. I’ve dreamed of it since I was a little kid, and I hope I can live up to it every time I’m called up.”Ramos’ remarkable journey to the Argentina shirtRamos, who goes by “Kiki”, survived the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti in January 2010. The disaster caused more than 100,000 deaths, with an official figure of 316,000 later provided by Haiti’s government, according to the material surrounding his story.After arriving in Argentina as a nine-month-old, Ramos was adopted by an Argentine family and eventually began his football development at Vélez Sarsfield. His emergence with the club has now taken him into Argentina’s youth setup, where his debut came in the 2-1 win over Ecuador.His appearance has also attracted attention because of the historical context around players born outside Argentina representing the national team. According to the reports, Ramos could become the first player without Argentine roots to play an official match for the senior Argentina side since Paraguayan-born Heriberto Correa represented the Albiceleste after becoming an Argentine citizen in 1973.There is an unusual link between the two players beyond their birthplace circumstances: both arrived at Argentina’s national-team setup while representing Vélez Sarsfield, although more than five decades separate their stories.Ramos’ next major opportunity could come with Argentina’s U-17 side at the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar from November 19 to December 13.For now, though, his focus is on building his career with Vélez and continuing to earn opportunities in Argentina’s youth teams, while his comments offer a personal account that contrasts with the broader criticism surrounding the country and its football culture.

There was a time earlier this year when Chris Waller was preparing to say goodbye to classy sprinting mare Generosity. However, this Saturday, she will begin another campaign for the champion trainer.

The six-year-old mare resumes in the $750,000 Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Sandown.

Generosity was entered for Inglis’s Chairman’s Sale in May, but was withdrawn after Waller and owners B2B Thoroughbreds seriously contemplated a trip to Royal Ascot.

That potential journey was aborted after her unlucky sixth placing as a well-backed favourite in the Group 1 Sangster Stakes at Morphettville on Anzac Day, and Waller is content to keep her racing.

“We took her to Adelaide and had no luck and she’s spelled since,” he said.

“She was that close to going to Royal Ascot and we just pulled the pin.”

“Even after that (Sangster Stakes) she was still OK, but I just thought it’s a long way to go to not be a good thing.”

“She’s come back well, she’s trailed well and she goes good fresh.”

The daughter of Divine Prophet, who ran sixth and fifth in two trials in Sydney during August, is chasing a maiden Group 1 win in the Moir Stakes.

The former Western Australian mare has won six of 28 starts, with her biggest win being the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) first-up last campaign.

The Moir Stakes will be her first run in Melbourne. Despite this, the $9000 weanling purchase has extensive experience racing anti-clockwise, due to commencing her career in Perth. She had her first 22 starts there, earning just over $800,000, before being sold privately to B2B.

Generosity is scheduled for a familiarisation gallop at Sandown on Tuesday morning, with Giga Kick and Natural Fling among other Moir Stakes entries expected to make the trip.

Fancy placing a bet on the Moir Stakes? Explore the top online bookmakers for the event at online bookmakers.

Manchester United identified Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde as an option this summer but appear to have now made a decision

Manchester United are unlikely to pursue a move for Alejandro Balde after talks with Barcelona revealed a significant gap in valuation, it has been claimed. The Spaniard had been identified by United as a potential signing as they look to strengthen their defence and add competition for Luke Shaw.

One of the club’s priorities has been to sign a left‑back before Tuesday’s (September 1) transfer deadline. Shaw started every Premier League game last season – becoming just the fifth United player to do so but cannot realistically manage two matches per week, especially with the Champions League returning.

Balde had been considered in the final weeks of the window, particularly after Newcastle United stood firm on their stance over Lewis Hall, who is viewed internally as United’s ideal left‑back target. Barcelona’s addition of Joao Cancelo and the emergence of Xavi Espart had encouraged United to explore a deal for Balde.

While Barcelona are not actively pushing Balde out, they are willing to listen to offers. According to a new update from Fabrizio Romano, further discussions took place on Sunday involving both clubs and Balde’s agent, Jorge Mendes, who outlined the conditions required for a transfer.

As it stands, the two sides remain far apart. United are thought to view the deal as ‘too expensive’ and prefer a loan with an option to buy, while Barcelona’s stance is a ‘permanent transfer or nothing’.

AC Milan are also said to have enquired about the possibility of signing Balde but ran into the same financial obstacle. Balde, who is under contract until 2028, is valued at around €40m (£34m).

Although a move for the 22‑year‑old now appears unlikely, Romano has suggested United still expect to bring in another left‑back before the 11pm deadline.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

When asked if United will make another signing, United head coach Michael Carrick said after his side’s 5‑2 win over Ipswich Town: “It’s always difficult to say, to be honest, when there’s so little time left.

“I think the situation that we’re in, I think the business that we’ve managed to do, I’m pleased with. I think we’re a better group, a better squad, potentially a better team.

“Adding Marcus [Rashford] into that feels like a new signing. So, in that respect, we’re quite happy. We’re always open to if there’s something else to be able to add, so I wouldn’t shut that down, but as it stands, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Teams can carry up to 16 players, including six veterans with unlimited NFL experience, providing vital depth across the league following 53-man roster cutdowns

Advertisement

Aug 31, 2026

at

7:58 pm ET

•

7 min read

A summer when Arsenal targeted Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez seems set to end without them luring a Galactico of a forward but Mikel Arteta may have other ways of adding a new dimension to his attack. Perhaps typically, given the Arsenal manager’s obsession with accumulating defenders, it involves a man whose day job is at the back.

But Riccardo Calafiori got their season off to a flying start with a goal after 23 seconds in the Community Shield. And, when Arsenal seemed short of incision at Villa Park, it was their charismatic, compelling left-back who provided the element of unpredictability required. By surging forward to supply Bukayo Saka with a simple finish, Calafiori maintained Arsenal’s 100 percent start to the campaign. If part of the test is to improve upon last year, in one respect they already have: defeated at Villa Park in December, they were victorious now.

“That image when the players were on the floor, totally gutted, it was a really difficult one to take and we used that,” said Arteta. This was cathartic and came from the collective. “It was a squad victory,” Arteta said.

It was forged more by perspiration than inspiration. If Arteta had seemed to take the handbrake off in eviscerating first Manchester City in Cardiff and then Coventry at home, this was a night when it was back on. Arsenal can win in different ways, but many of them involve a clean sheet and Aston Villa finished without a shot on target. The travelling Gunners’ eventual chorus of “1-0 to the champions” was a retort to their Villa counterparts chanting that they would never be able to call themselves champions of Europe.

Maybe, maybe not. But Saka’s second goal in as many league games showed Arsenal already had the potential to kick on; if Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard can stay fit, each could offer more goals than last year. And while they are yet to land a left winger, Gabriel Martinelli’s departure could afford Eberechi Eze the chance for more minutes on the flank.

He came on at half-time for Christos Tzolis who, after a fine start to his Arsenal career, was booked then hooked. Eze offered an indication of what he can offer to help set up the goal, releasing the underlapping Calafiori, who centred for Saka. “Ebs comes on and makes the difference to win the game,” said Arteta.

It was a personal comeback, with Eze culpable for Matty Cash’s goal at Villa Park last year, and a swift response to a collective disappointment. Five minutes earlier, Arsenal were initially awarded a penalty when Ian Maatsen’s nudge in the back sent Saka flying. A VAR review later and the offence was adjudged just outside the box. Odegaard dinked the resulting free kick just wide.

Until then, the goalmouth action consisted of Villa rattling the frame. Emi Buendia, the late match-winner last season, was almost an early scorer, his ferocious, first-time shot thudding into the Arsenal bar.

Buendia had begun Villa’s Premier League campaign as a false nine at Brighton. They had a genuine striker here, the £47.5m Nicolas Jackson parachuted in for a debut after his move from Chelsea. He showed flashes of pace without getting a chance.

Perhaps the more auspicious bow came at the other end of the pitch, even if the statistics will not reflect it. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki made fine saves from Declan Rice’s header and Havertz’s shot, when the German was clear on goal; he was not to know that, with the flag raised for different reasons, neither would have counted. The Japan international cut an authoritative figure and looked a worthy successor to the sold Emi Martinez.

The most notable bow, however, came in the closing stages. It was certainly the most audible introduction, with boos apparent when Ezri Konsa was on the ball. A stalwart of Villa’s best team of the 21st century had decamped to London amid the exodus. The fixture list may have been unkind to him, giving him an immediate return to Villa. Even with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber injured, Arteta had enough defenders to start without the £51m man.

He also benefited from having players already accustomed to lining up alongside each other. This was change against continuity, with the upheaval at Villa versus Arsenal’s summer of stability and solidity. The stands at Villa Park contained Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ibrahim Mbaye, perhaps the last arrivals in a recruitment drive that has cost a quarter of a billion pounds, all funded by sales.

“We are happy how we are closing the window,” said Unai Emery. “We are not regretting anything.” His Villa were far better than they were against Brighton, though that is not saying much. They made that rout look like an aberration. “We performed like we planned and we competed like we planned,” added Emery. “The result, of course, is painful.”

He is reconstructing his side. Villa Park can whip up an atmosphere for a night game even when the North Stand is a building site but Arsenal are sufficiently battle-hardened they could cope with it. This was not a statement performance but, in its own way, it may prove a statement result. “To lose in Villa Park is not normal,” said Emery. It may have been a good time to face a team in transition but, thanks to Calafiori and Saka, Arsenal ensured it was as they pocketed the points.

Bill Haney has named a five-man hit list for his son, Devin, who looks to return to action later this year.

‘The Dream’ has not fought since last November, when he became a three-division world champion by dethroning Brian Norman Jr with a unanimous decision victory.

After that, he was in talks for a unification match with WBA champion Rolando Romero, only for their matchup to collapse at the negotiating table.

Having missed the window for a voluntary title defence, Haney was then ordered to defend his WBO welterweight strap against mandatory challenger Keyshawn Davis.

The only issue, however, was that Davis initially rejected a $3m offer from his promoter, Top Rank, before altogether withdrawing his interest from their contest.

This was because, following a purse bid hearing, ‘The Businessman’ found himself on the short side of a 75/25 split and would have been left with around $2m.

But still, Bill Haney has told Ring Magazine that Davis is nonetheless included on Devin’s hit list, while pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson is placed at the very top.

A more left-field option, meanwhile, is Delante ‘Tiger’ Johnson, who was involved in a brawl with Team Haney during the weigh-in for Stevenson’s January showdown against Teofimo Lopez.

From Bill’s perspective, though, the unbeaten welterweight could make for an intriguing clash with his son.

“Goddamn it, I gotta give you another wildcard. Fox Johnson. You been talking so much. You got me on a f**king restraining order; you got me going to court.”

Along with the aforementioned names, Bill highlighted IBF champion Liam Paro and top contender Jack Catterall as potential options for Devin.

Indian paddler Ankur Bhattacharjee produced a memorable performance to win his maiden WTT men’s singles title, while also securing the doubles gold with Akash Pal at the WTT Feeder Olomouc tournament in Czechia.

The World No. 78 overcame third-seed Slovenian Deni Kozul 3-1 (9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6) in the singles final to cap a remarkable campaign.

He had joined forces with Akash earlier to defeat Hungary’s Csaba Andras Szantosi and Poland’s Alan Kulczycki Zalewski 3-1 (11-8, 4-11, 13-11, 11-9) in the men’s doubles final.

The singles final began with a setback for Ankur as Kozul edged the opening game 11-9. The Indian, however, quickly found his rhythm, tightening his placement and controlling the rallies to win the next three games and seal the title.

In the men’s doubles, Ankur and Akash overcame an early setback.

The two took the opening game 11-8, but Szantosi and Zalewski levelled with an 11-4 second game.

The Indians regained the advantage in a closely fought third game, winning 13-11, before holding their nerve to close out the fourth 11-9.

The result capped a strong season on the WTT Feeder Series for the Ankur.

The Europe Youth Smash (Sweden 2025) finalist had already reached two quarterfinals and two semifinals in 2026 before breaking through for his maiden WTT title in Olomouc.

Well, the expected happened, it just took about a day to get there.

The Vikings pulled the expected lever with UDFA sophomore Max Brosmer, moving on from him a day after the cut deadline. Ian Rapoport passed along the news: “The #Vikings are releasing QB Max Brosmer, who started two games last year and played in seven. He now heads to waivers.”

Vikings Pull Lever at QB with Max Brosmer

All along, the Minnesota Vikings have desired a four-deep quarterback room. But all on the active roster? Eh, that was always going to be a stretch. Keeping a trio active as a another lives on the practice squad always looked more likely.

Keeping Mr. Brosmer for an added day creates a scenario where Minnesota has a better shot at retaining him in the Twin Cities, albeit at a practice squad level. And, truthfully, that’s very likely what makes the most sense. Brosmer isn’t without talent but his greatest asset is his intangibles. Brosmer is a smart, hard-working passer who may develop into becoming a strong QB2 or QB3.

At this moment, though, he’s a developmental QB4.

In theory, a team could submit a claim for him, stealing him away as he descends from the roster to the practice squad. Doing so would be a surprise since he offers very little on-field value.

News emerged earlier in the day of the Vikings opting to snag a pair of large lads to reinforce the iOL depth. Alec Lewis (The Athletic) was among those to report that Nick Simac and Trevor Keegan got claimed. An NFL roster has a hard cap for the amount of players who can be on the team at a single time: the almighty 53 that has been all the rage in recent days. So, going +2 means going -2.

Kick it back to Lewis for one subtraction: “Now the Vikings are waiving WR Dillon Bell, per a source, to make room for claiming G Trevor Keegan and C Nick Samac. Lots of internal back-and-forth over the last 24 hours.”

And then there’s the Max Brosmer development. Rapoport added a bit of further context: “With Brosmer headed to waivers, the #Vikings QB room now features Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz and JJ McCarthy.”

Last year, Brosmer got put into a position that he was never intended to be in as a rookie.

Due to injury, the rookie UDFA had to start a pair of games, leading to a 1-1 record where he was more of a hindrance than a help. His final stats show a 66.2% completion rate to stand alongside 328 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. Brosmer’s passer rating came in at a dismal 53.0.

Again, though, there’s the reality: the kid was set up to fail. The Vikings did insulate him by putting him into the QB3 job, but J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz both went down to injury (Wentz, to his great credit, did all he could to protect Brosmer from getting tossed into the game by battling through tremendous shoulder pain). All that was left was to turn to Brosmer since the in-season additions of guys like Desmond Ridder and John Wolford weren’t deemed desirable.

What’s still demanding some clarity in the Twin Cities is whether McCarthy sticks around. If he does, is he the main backup? Can a team pry him away with a draft pick(s)?

Max Brosmer, 25, stands at 6’2″ and weighs 218 pounds. Look for him to be the Vikings’ QB4 for the 2026 season.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Jaja Santiago-Minowa finished with 19 points in her debut with Creamline in the PVL Invitational Conference on Monday. She scored 17 from 30 attacks and also had a block and an ace.

A warning to the rest of the field: She’s still adjusting to her team’s system.

“I’d say I’m around 70 percent. It’s really me who needs to adjust because this is their system and I’m the one who came into the team,” Santiago-Minowa said. “I still need to learn more about our blocking system and defense. But I don’t think it’s that difficult because I’ve been training with them for about two months now. I think we’re getting there, and hopefully throughout this Invitational, everything will connect.”

When that everything connects, Santiago-Minowa expects the Cool Smashers to be better than they were when they fended off Nxled, 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

One of the things the 6-foot-5 ace hopes to improve is her connection with setter Kyle Negrito, who dished out 31 excellent sets on top of six points. INQ