Former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has suggested Gunners manager Mikel Arteta took the right call by playing Kepa Arrizabalaga in last month’s 2-0 EFL Cup final defeat.
On March 22, Arteta’s side failed to maintain their quadruple charge after slumping to a EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London. Nico O’Reilly, who was playing as a left-back, scored a great brace in the second half to help the Cityzens win a trophy.
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Kepa, who left Chelsea to join the Gunners for £5 million last summer, endured an underwhelming night in the EFL Cup final. The 31-year-old goalkeeper allowed the ball to slip between his gloves for City’s opener in the 60th minute, causing fans to rue David Raya’s absence.
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However, during a recent interaction with Clutch 9 Football, Lehmann asserted that Arteta was right in trusting his second-choice goalkeeper in the cup final. He stated (h/t Arsenal Insider):
“It’s not only harmony, but it’s also just (about respecting) the quality of the second goalkeeper, even the third goalkeeper sometimes… Because he got you to the final. So, you have to give him confidence and let him play, and I do not think I see such a big difference between the two of them (Kepa and Raya).”
Lehmann, who recorded 80 clean sheets in 200 appearances across competitions for the north London outfit, concluded:
“Like, I did not see a lot of differences between when I was playing and the number two at the time. So it’s only small margins, and I think it’s on a personal basis. As I said, they haven’t lost because of that. I think they’ve lost because they got a little bit too much pressure in the second half.”
Kepa, who will turn 32 this October, registered zero saves and completed 24 of his 32 passes in the EFL Cup final against Manchester City.
How have Kepa Arrizabalaga and David Raya performed for Arsenal this season?
Since departing Chelsea, Kepa Arrizabalaga has made 10 overall appearances for Arsenal. He has yet to play in the Premier League this campaign, but has kept four clean sheets in nine domestic cup starts so far.
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On the other hand, David Raya is enjoying a sensational 2025-26 campaign for the north London outfit. The 30-year-old has registered an impressive 21 clean sheets in 40 total appearances, shipping just 25 goals.
Kepa is likely to start in Arsenal’s FA Cup quarter-final match against Southampton at the EFL Championship side’s stadium this Saturday.
World number two Nelly Korda saw her lead at the LPGA Chevron Championship cut to five shots despite equalling the event’s 54-hole scoring record.
After shooting two rounds of 65 on previous days, the 27-year-old American went round in 70 on Saturday to go 16 under par at Houston’s Memorial Park.
If Korda can get over the line on Sunday and win a second Chevron title in three seasons, it would take her to the top of the world rankings after the current world number one, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, missed the cut.
Korda got off to a fine start too, with four birdies on the opening six holes but failed to break par on any more holes as she lacked precision on the greens.
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“The front nine was great,” said Korda, who said she was going to spend time on the putting greens before Sunday’s final round of the first women’s major of 2026.
“Just got to reset and hopefully it goes my way tomorrow,” she added.
Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit hit a 69 so was able to claw back a shot and reduce Korda’s overnight six-stroke lead to five, despite a bogey on the 13th – her first of the tournament.
She sits on 11 under heading into the final day.
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Pauline Bouchard of France is a further shot behind, alongside China’s Yin Ruoning, who scored a bogey-free 66, the joint-best round of the day.
Korda’s 54-hole score of 200 put her level with record holder Jennifer Kupcho, who was the third-round leader on 200 in 2022 – she went on to win by two strokes.
Oh, you though the madness was over? Think again. Yes, we just spent three days watching NFL teams make a total of 257 picks over the course of seven rounds, but the roster building process wages forward. With the 2026 NFL Draft over, teams will now round out their rosters by dipping into the free agent pool of prospects that did not hear their names called.
This is one of the more hectic periods of the offseason as there is typically a fast-paced bidding way to land them almost as soon as the draft concludes. Just because these players weren’t drafted, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should tune out what goes on at this juncture. There have been plenty of diamonds in the rough that have emerged as a UDFA to become legitimate contributors in the NFL, and have even found themselves wearing a gold jacket as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the dust settled.
As the chaos begins, allow us to spare you from having to scroll through various feeds to figure out which teams signed which UDFA. Below, you can find a full list of the undrafted free agents and where they’ve decided to begin their NFL journeys.
This tracker will be updated in real time with signings from team announcements and reports.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi appeared to be in considerable pain and had to be helped off the field after suffering an injury scare during Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday. The incident occurred during SRH’s chase of 229 runs, after Sooryavanshi’s brilliant century had helped RR post a formidable total. In the third over of the SRH chase, Sooryavanshi was running after a shot from Ishan Kishan when he suddenly slowed down and clutched his hamstring. He appeared to be in intense pain, and the team physio assisted him off the field.
Earlier, following a whirlwind second Indian Premier League (IPL) century, Rajasthan Royals’ 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became both the youngest and fastest player to reach the 1,000-run mark in T20 cricket.
During the clash between two potential playoff contenders, Sooryavanshi wreaked havoc on the bowlers, powering his way to a 37-ball 103, which included five fours and 12 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 278.38.
He is the youngest player to reach 1,000 T20 runs at the age of 15 and also the fastest to the milestone in terms of balls faced, achieving the feat in just 473 balls. This puts him ahead of Australian rising star Mitchell Owen (533 balls) and late Australian legend Andrew Symonds (558 balls).
Sooryavanshi reached the milestone in his 26th innings, making him the fourth-fastest batter to 1,000 T20 runs in terms of innings played. Australian batters Brad Hodge and Shaun Marsh remain the fastest, having reached the milestone in just 23 innings.
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Of the 1,069 batters who have aggregated 1,000 runs in T20s to date, Sooryavanshi is the only one with a 200-plus strike rate (212.2).
He is also the first uncapped batter to score two IPL centuries.
Additionally, he brought up his half-century in just 15 balls, marking his third IPL fifty in 15 balls or fewer. In doing so, he surpassed Australia’s Jake Fraser-McGurk, who had registered two such half-centuries during the 2024 season with Delhi Capitals.
With his 12 sixes in the innings, Sooryavanshi overtook Chennai Super Kings and India legend Murali Vijay, who had hit 11 sixes against the same opposition back in 2010.
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In eight innings this season, Sooryavanshi has scored 357 runs at an average of 44.62 and a strike rate of 234.86, including one century and two half-centuries. At the time of writing, he holds the Orange Cap for most runs in the tournament.
Rajasthan Royals will need to defend their total of 229 runs to register their fifth win of the season, while SRH must chase down the target to secure their own fifth victory. Sooryavanshi (103 off 37 balls, with five fours and 12 sixes) and Dhruv Jurel (51 off 35 balls, with eight fours and a six) put their foot on the accelerator with a 112-run partnership. A late cameo from Donovan Ferreira (33 off 13 balls, with three fours and three sixes) helped RR finish strongly.
Terence Crawford has named the opponent he would “love” to see Gervonta Davis face upon his expected return to the sport.
The former world champion has not fought since March 2025, when many believed he was fortunate to come away with a draw against Lamont Roach.
Nevertheless, ‘Tank’ retained his WBA lightweight title and was set to face Roach in an immediate rematch, only to then negotiate an exhibition match with Jake Paul.
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Rather than having a move around with the YouTuber-turned-boxer, though, Davis was forced to face allegations of domestic violence from his ex-partner, Courtney Rossel.
Crawford, meanwhile, has little desire to see ‘Tank’ face Schofield or Cruz, but would happily sit down and watch him collide with Shakur Stevenson.
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Speaking with Danielle Pirrello, ‘Bud’ named the WBO world super-lightweight champion a perfect opponent for Davis, believing their potential encounter represents one of the best fights that can be made.
“I would love to see Shakur vs ‘Tank’ Davis.”
Stevenson has previously called out Davis on several occasions, while perhaps becoming increasingly doubtful that the Baltimore man will ever sign on the dotted line.
It is therefore unrealistic to expect an immediate fight between ‘Tank’ and Stevenson, especially after the latter’s dominant performance against Teofimo Lopez in January.
WNBA star Angel Reese appeared on Michelle Obama’s podcast earlier this week and opened up about feeling mistreated by fans and the media with the former first lady.
At one point during the interview, Reese admitted she would rather take a fine than speak to reporters after games.
“The media has not always been great for me. And I’ll take a fine. I’ll catch a fine, especially in a WNBA. I’ll have a fine before I have to go to media and feel like my back is against the wall,” Reese said, while Obama repeatedly expressed agreement.
WNBA players are required by their collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which was just ratified weeks ago so players can get higher salaries, to be available to the media after games.
Failure to adhere to these rules can lead to fines, such as a $10,000 fine for skipping required sessions.
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese reacts after being fouled by Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in May as Michelle Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago Aug. 20, 2024.(Getty Images)
Obama’s brother and former college basketball player Craig Robinson, who co-hosts the podcast, told Reese during the interview that the sports media tries to “manufacture some stuff.”
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“Sports is like reality TV. The media wants to manufacture some stuff. And I just want you to know that I noticed how you’ve handled yourself, and it has been absolutely with aplomb,” Robinson said.
Reese later said she likes to turn her phone off when she arrives home after Obama asked her how she stays sane.
“I love being able just to come home and turn my phone off and just relax,” Reese said. “I think the maturity of just understanding like social media isn’t real. … Years prior, I would comment back at things and let things continue to bother me.”
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese walks on the court during the second half against the Connecticut Sun at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Sept. 3, 2025.(Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)
Reese claimed she can’t even “go to the grocery store” anymore.
Obama previously commented on the attention surrounding Reese and her longtime rival Caitlin Clark in a podcast appearance last year.
During an August appearance on the podcast “All the Smoke with Matt Barnes & Stephen Jackson,” Obama spoke during a group discussion about the impact of the Clark-Reese drama on the WNBA’s popularity, the impact on the players’ well-being and “hate” involved.
“I think the tough thing is the social media element to it. But that’s true across the board. I mean, we’ve talked about this on our show; it just takes a normal occurrence. These young kids today, what they have to go through, what they have to be able to withstand, because social media is such a huge part of the world,” Obama said.
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“There’s the hate. But now the hate is in your room, on your phone with you all the time. And you can’t, for whatever reason, tell these kids to turn it off, because they’re making their living that way. I mean, now they are expected to stay engaged.
“So, I think that makes it feel even worse. But I think, as you point out, that’s happening in sports across gender. It’s just harder not to withstand other people’s horrible, horrible opinions.”
Obama, like her brother, previously compared ESPN to reality TV during an episode of her brother’s podcast “IMO” in July.
Michelle Obama speaks onstage during a recording of the “IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson” podcast at the 2025 SXSW Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas, March 13, 2025.(Julia Beverly/WireImage)
“It’s all a sociological study. They think that sports is better reality TV, I’m like, ‘It’s the same thing.’ If I listen to ESPN for an hour, it’s like watching the ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ you know?” Obama said. “It’s the same drama, and they’re yelling at each other and they don’t get along, you know?”
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Canelo Alvarez could be confronted with a path of considerable resistance if he attempts to become a three-time undisputed champion at 168lbs.
The 35-year-old has not fought since last September, when he lost his four major super-middleweight titles following a unanimous decision defeat to Terence Crawford.
Based on his performance, though, the Mexican is still capable of competing at world level, just not against a generational great such as Crawford.
Among the names being mooted as possible opponents is Christian Mbilli, who was elevated from ‘interim’ to full WBC champion shortly after Crawford’s retirement.
As for the other champions at 168lbs, there is also Jose Armando Resendiz and Osleys Iglesias, while Hamzah Sheeraz bids to collect the vacant WBO world title on May 23.
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Standing in his way is Alem Begic, who the 26-year-old must defeat on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven before targeting a showdown with Canelo.
Eventually, though, Sheeraz does see himself squaring off against the four-division world champion, telling Ring Magazine that he could use the WBO belt as a bargaining chip.
“I must admit, it would be nice to get Canelo. And, obviously, it would be far more lucrative if I win the world title before that.
“I am sure his plan is to try and become undisputed [champion] again so, God willing, I become world champion on May 23. I’ll be in the way of him becoming undisputed [champion].
“Maybe we will end up fighting for all the belts. I feel like that fight can definitely flourish in the future.”
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For an undisputed clash between Canelo and Sheeraz to materialise, the pair must respectively win their next outings and collectively dethrone the remaining champions in their division.
Schrager later retracted that report, tweeting there was originally a plan for Vrabel to be in contact, but the Patriots “ultimately chose not to interrupt him and his family.”
Patriots vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf confirmed that was the case while speaking with reporters following the end of the draft, via the Patriots’ official transcript:
Q: Were you in contact with Mike at all today, and if so, how often were you guys in contact?
EW: So, last night we kind of talked through things and made the decision that the time away really needs to be time away, so we were not in contact with Mike today other than some just, ‘Hope everything’s going OK’ kind of texts early this morning.
Q: And just to follow up, when you talked to him last night when Day 2 ended, what kind of message did he leave you guys with headed into today?
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EW: Just words of encouragement. He knows he knows our process, and again, we talked about what kind of players we needed to add. We knew what kind of players that he liked, and obviously we drafted some of the guys that he had an affinity for today.
It’s unclear if Vrabel will be missing anymore activities for the Patriots following the draft, though the NFL has made it clear he won’t be investigated for possible violations of the league’s personal conduct policy.
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Patriots owner Robert Kraft has also voiced full support for him.
This is a story that changed quickly for its participants, as Russini and Vrabel had previously downplayed the initial photos as a mere encounter during trips with their respective friends. That story seems to have fallen apart via questions from The Athletic and more photos of the pair in other locales, and Vrabel has now said “My previous actions don’t meet the standard I hold myself to.”
Super Eagles striker Sadiq Umar was on target for Valencia CF as they secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Girona FC at the Estadio de Mestalla on Saturday.
After scoring in Valencia’s draw away to RCD Mallorca last week, Sadiq was handed another start by coach Carlos Corberan in a crucial clash between two sides battling to avoid relegation.
Valencia started brightly, controlling possession and creating the better chances. Sadiq had an early opportunity in the 19th minute but fired wide from inside the box. Despite their dominance, the hosts were unable to break the deadlock before half-time.
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The breakthrough came shortly after the restart when Largie Ramazani combined well with Javi Guerra before finishing low past Paulo Gazzaniga to give Valencia the lead.
Sadiq then doubled the advantage nine minutes later with a well-taken header from a cross by Jose Gaya. The Nigerian forward showed great movement to lose his marker and power the ball home despite pressure from the Girona defence.
Girona responded in the 63rd minute through Joel Roca, setting up a tense finish. Sadiq was later substituted in the 71st minute, with Hugo Duro coming on in his place.
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Valencia held on for the win, with Sadiq’s goal proving decisive as they moved up to 11th place in the league table with 39 points from 33 matches.
The goal marks back-to-back strikes for Sadiq, who has looked sharp in recent games. With international fixtures approaching, including matches against Poland and Portugal, his form could catch the attention of Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle as he prepares his squad.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is seen during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The running back position carried the Minnesota Vikings for a long time, which is no surprise with talented backs Adrian Peterson and Dalvin Cook in the backfield for 1.5 decades. Under Kevin O’Connell, the importance of the position group has seemingly faded.
Still, the club drafted a running back on Saturday, using pick 198 to bring Wake Forest ball-carrier Demond Claiborne to the Twin Cities. That pick was acquired via trade from the Patriots for a seventh-rounder this year and a sixth-rounder from next year’s draft.
Oct 5, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of the game against North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
Funny but true: That exact draft pick, 198 from the 2026 draft, was used three times by the Vikings to acquire a new running back.
How did that work? Well, time appears to be a flat circle in the NFL.
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On a serious note, that pick was originally Minnesota’s organic 2026 sixth-rounder. In October of 2024, the organization traded that pick to Houston in exchange for running back Cam Akers.
Akers had already played for the Vikings in 2023, joining via trade from the Los Angeles Rams. He played a rotational role behind Alexander Mattison and his snap share slowly increased. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon halfway through the season.
In the 2024 offseason, Akers signed with the Texans. Once again unhappy with the depth in the running back room, the Vikings traded for him a second time in 2024. This time, pick 198 was used.
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Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) hands the ball off to Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The Texans shipped that pick back to Minnesota in a trade for Vikings guard Ed Ingram last offseason. The former second-rounder couldn’t establish himself as a starter here, but left a mark in Houston. Pick 198 was back in the State of 10,000 Lakes.
A few days later, the Vikings swapped 198 for Jordan Mason. A second back arrived with that same exact draft choice. Mason became the running mate of Aaron Jones after his breakout season in San Francisco. The 49ers didn’t want to hand him a contract extension, opening the door for the Vikings. Mason led the Vikings in rushing with 758 yards and six touchdowns.
In October, six months ago, the 49ers rerouted Minnesota’s sixth-rounder to the New England Patriots in a trade that landed them defensive lineman Keion White. San Francisco’s defensive unit had a horror season, as injuries depleted that group all year long. White was a needed reinforcement.
That brings us to Saturday. The Vikings wanted to trade up into the sixth round to secure the speedy back out of Wake Forest. In exchange for picks 234 and a 2027 sixth-rounder, Minnesota once again controlled pick 198.
The draft pick underwent a long journey and somehow gave Minnesota three running backs along the way.
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Sep 27, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) runs the ball during the third quarter against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Kelvin Hill (16) at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
Claiborne joins Mason and Jones in the running back room, with Zavier Scott providing depth. He became Minnesota’s first running back drafted since DeWayne McBride in 2023.
The 22-year-old provides the breakaway speed and the youth that the Vikings lacked in recent years. He demonstrated his pace with a 4.37 40-yard dash at the scouting combine.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote about Claiborne in his pre-draft analysis, “A twitched-up ball carrier, Claiborne has darting quickness and speed to burn, which allows him to gear down, plant and hit the accelerator in unison. He is a competitive runner but lacks the power of an inside runner and is at his best on the move, when he can get defenses flowing east-west and set up cutback opportunities. Minimizing fumbles and drops and expanding his catch radius would vastly increase his chances of finding regular playing time in the NFL.”
Over the last two years, Claiborne rushed for over 1,900 yards and 21 touchdowns, adding another 394 yards as a pass-catcher and two more scores. He also returned two kick returns for touchdowns in his collegiate career.
Depending on his success in a purple uniform, pick 198 could reach legendary status in Minnesota.
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