Manchester United may not have a sweetener to offer two potential new signings if they do choose to move this summer

Manchester United are unlikely to be able to offer Sandro Tonali and Ederson their current squad numbers if they were to head to Old Trafford this summer.

Michael Carrick is keen to get midfield reinforcements in early to replace the departed Casemiro and other potential outgoings. Reports suggest that Newcastle’s Tonali and Serie A star Ederson are high on United’s priority list.

TalkSPORT claim that United have reached a verbal agreement with Atalanta star Ederson on a five-year deal. It is understood that talks are progressing between the two clubs over a £43million move.

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Tonali has also been heavily linked with United in recent months, with Newcastle’s failure to reach European football providing a huge boost in their pursuit. The Magpies are looking for a whopping £86million for the Italian midfielder but could be willing to sell due to their low Premier League standing, with reports in Italy claiming United are confident of signing both.

Ederson has just a year left on his contract with Atalanta but the Serie A side are seemingly standing firm on their valuation. If United are to drop the combined £129m on the two midfielders, they will aim to settle them in quickly.

But both players’ squad numbers are unavailable, so that potential welcome gift cannot be handed to them. Tonali has worn the number eight since his days at AC Milan, but there is one huge star he will not unseat from that digit at United.

Bruno Fernandes has held the shirt since the 2022/23 season after repping No.18 for the first three years at the club. The United captain also previously wore his current number at Sporting CP and Udinese and is without a doubt Carrick’s star man.

The Portugal international has been linked with moves away previously, but doesn’t look to be going anywhere soon at Old Trafford. The number 18 shirt is now available after Casemiro’s departure, which Tonali could claim.

Ederson, meanwhile, has worn the No.13 the entire time at Atalanta. He has stepped out in the No.15 and No.40 at previous clubs, but has been repping the same digit for the last six years.

However, Patrick Dorgu claimed that when he joined United in the 2025 winter window and has worn it throughout his senior professional career. Dorgu is currently tied down until at least 2030.

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The next number to Ederson’s is 12, after Tyrell Malacia’s departure was confirmed by the club. No. 19 and 22 are also vacant if the Brazilian opts for a complete change at United.

Both Fernandes and Dorgu look to be in Carrick’s long-term plans as he looks towards the future with United. The ex-club captain’s permanent appointment was confirmed earlier this month, and he will aim to help any arrivals settle in seamlessly.

But Carrick will have to rely on something other than squad numbers if he is to land Tonali and Ederson in a double swoop this summer.

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.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have secured a place in the final of the 2026 Unity Cup after a convincing 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe on Tuesday night in London.

The three-time African champions produced an impressive display at The Valley Stadium, home of Charlton Athletic, with debutant Femi Azeez emerging as the star of the match.

The Millwall winger enjoyed a dream start to his international career by scoring both goals for Nigeria in his first appearance for the national team, handing head coach Eric Chelle a winning start in the four-nation competition.

Nigeria wasted little time taking control of the contest as Azeez opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a brilliant strike from outside the penalty area after a bright start by the Super Eagles.

The early breakthrough gave Nigeria confidence as captain Terem Moffi led the attack effectively, while midfielders Tochukwu Nnadi and Samson Tijani delivered solid performances in the middle of the park.

Zimbabwe attempted to fight back, but the Nigerian defence, led by Igoh Ogbu and Chibuike Nwaiwu, remained organised and composed throughout the opening half.

Despite creating more chances before the break, the Super Eagles went into halftime with only a narrow advantage.

Nigeria continued to dominate after the restart and eventually doubled their lead in the 63rd minute. Moffi made a strong run into the box before laying the ball across for Azeez, who calmly finished to complete his brace.

The outstanding display capped a memorable night for the 24-year-old, who recently impressed for Millwall in the English Championship after recording 17 goal contributions and earning a place in the league’s Team of the Season.

Chelle later refreshed his side with the introduction of Tosin Oyedokun and Owen Oseni for Philip Otele and Samson Tijani as Nigeria comfortably managed the remainder of the game.

Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo also delivered a confident performance whenever called upon, helping the Super Eagles keep a clean sheet against a Zimbabwe side that had previously held Nigeria to two draws during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The victory sends Nigeria into the Unity Cup final, where they will face either Jamaica or India in the title decider.

For Chelle, the performance will provide encouragement as he continues to assess new players and strengthen the squad ahead of future competitive matches.

However, the night belonged to Azeez, whose remarkable debut has quickly made him one of the major talking points from Nigeria’s latest outing.

Bayern Munich’s phenom Michael Olise has just finished an astounding season, surprising everyone with his level, and even being considered by many as a legit Ballon d’Or contender. With France being one of the top contenders for the championship, the Frenchman will be one of the players to keep an eye on during the upcoming FIFA World Cup. However, the kit Olise will be wearing during the summer could have been a different one entirely.

Former Nigeria coach and former Bayern player Gernot Rohr recently discussed how he tried to convince Olise to join the Nigerian national team a few years back (Brilafm889 via @iMiaSanMia). “In 2019, I saw Olise and I had a look at him with my assistant. We went to watch a match and we tried to invite him but he did not want to join us at the time,” declared Rohr.

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At the time, Olise was eligible to play for five teams: England (where he was born), France (his mother’s nationality), Nigeria (his father’s roots), Algeria and Haiti (due to his mother’s roots). Having had that many options, especially two European powerhouses, surely did not help Nigeria’s chances. “Because I think he already knew he can have a big future in a European team and can play for several countries of course. Six or seven years ago when we saw him, he was already so strong. Unfortunately he refused to play for Nigeria,” lamented Rohr.

Today, Olise is set to become a big name in the summer’s major tournament, while Nigeria has been left wondering what it could have been had Olise’s decision been different back in 2019.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

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Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla called the Coach of the Year award “stupid.”

Now, he’s won it.

“I don’t need it. I think it’s a stupid award,” Mazzulla said back in March after being asked about the possibility of winning it due to the Celtics’ regular-season success without some of its stars, including Jayson Tatum, for most of the year.

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Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics watches during the second quarter of Game Five in the first round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., on April 28, 2026. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The award’s winner was announced on Tuesday night, as Mazzulla helped lead the Celtics to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record, finishing four games behind the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.

But Mazzulla wasn’t just calling the award stupid for the sake of it – he believed it should be a “coaching staff of the year” honor rather than one person getting hardware.

CELTICS COACH JOE MAZZULLA QUIPS THAT HE WISHED REF A ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’ IN IRATE POSTGAME OUTBURST

Mazzulla, discussing the honor on Tuesday night, told NBC as much.

“The long nights, the trips, game plans, the video guys that are clipping up the film and coding it, the assistants who are putting in the game plan, I think there’s so much that goes into winning one game,” Mazzulla explained. “It starts with the players, but it goes to our staff. I feel bad that they’re not here — but forever indebted to the guys that we have that give up time with their families and their time to give us a chance to win every day.”

Mazzulla is the fourth Celtics coach to win the award, which is named after the legendary Red Auerbach, who won it in 1965. Tom Heinsohn (1973) and Bill Fitch (1980) have also received the Red Auerbach Trophy in their careers.

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla calls to players during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks in Boston on June 6, 2024. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Auerbach helped lead the Celtics to nine NBA titles, including eight in a row from 1959-66, during his Hall of Fame career.

Mazzulla was able to capture that glory in 2024, as the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 4-1, to notch yet another Larry O’Brien Trophy for Boston’s mantle.

Unfortunately for the Celtics, they were unable to make it far in these playoffs despite their stars getting healthy late in the season. They were shockingly bounced in the first round after losing Game 7 to the Philadelphia 76ers.

But Mazzulla, 37, is now the youngest head coach to receive the Coach of the Year award since the legendary Phil Jackson won it in 1975, per the NBA.

While Mazzulla wanted to point at his staff, Celtics president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, praised his fourth-year head coach.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla watches the game during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on Jan. 12, 2026. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

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“This is well deserved recognition and a testament to both Joe and his staff,” Stevens said. “With all of our unknowns entering the season, Joe did a fantastic job building and growing a team. He pours everything he has into competing at a high level, while helping players find the best versions of themselves within the framework of a team.”

Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff finished in second place, which is the same spot he found himself in after last season, and San Antonio Spurs leader Mitch Johnson finished in third place.

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Mason Greenwood is expected to depart Marseille in the summer transfer window, with former club Manchester United set to benefit

Manchester United stand to profit as Mason Greenwood closes in on his next move, with a departure from Marseille looking increasingly likely this summer. The striker appears poised to swap France for Roma after the club missed out on Champions League qualification.

Greenwood has scored 26 goals and 11 assists across all competitions in 2025/26, attracting interest from Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus. Roma, however, appear to be leading the race, having already made contact with the player’s father, with Greenwood reportedly keen on the project, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

The marksman looks set to bring his time in France to a close after Les Phocéens fell short of securing a place in European football’s premier competition. Greenwood completed a £26.6million switch from Old Trafford in 2024 after United concluded he could no longer remain at the club.

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The academy graduate was suspended by United when he was charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour in 2022.

The 24-year-old denied the charges, which were later dropped, but found himself on the fringes at Old Trafford before joining Marseille following a season on loan at Getafe.

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United are understood to have inserted a sell-on clause in the original deal, entitling them to up to 50 per cent of any future transfer fee for Greenwood. Marseille are reportedly seeking £43m for the striker, who remains under contract until 2029 and are facing pressure to sell players after missing out on Champions League qualification.

The French club are said to be in a ‘precarious financial situation’ and need to complete several sales before June 30th to satisfy France’s financial regulator.

Turkish media reports suggest that Fenerbahce presidential candidate Hakan Safi is preparing to unveil Greenwood’s signing as part of his plans to revitalise the club. Roma are hoping their existing ties with Marseille will work in their favour.

Greenwood has previously stated his wish to stay at the Stade Vélodrome, although Marseille’s financial predicament may complicate matters.

Speaking after being named in Ligue 1’s team of the season, the forward acknowledged it had been a challenging period for the club.

“This season has sometimes been difficult collectively, especially in recent months,” he said. “But individually I think I’ve had a good season.

“There are some incredible players in this team of the year, so it’s nice to receive this trophy. Ligue 1 is a wonderful league. We play incredible matches and, for me, it’s one of the best leagues I’ve played in. I hope I can stay.”

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.

After an incredibly disappointing finish to their deepest playoff run in the post-LeBron James era, it felt like sweeping changes were going to be made for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This roster proved to be incredibly flawed, and the coaching situation seemed rocky at best.

Cleveland was left with a few branching paths as they deal with the most expensive roster in the sport. Rumors have swirled around a potential Evan Mobley for Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. Many believe that the backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden won’t work in the modern NBA, so one of them could be on the trade block. Also, Kenny Atkinson’s seat was incredibly warm, and it wouldn’t be a Cavaliers offseason without LeBron James coming home rumors.

They say insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result, but that’s not always the case in the NBA. Letting a team battle through adversity and learn to play together is incredibly important at the professional level.

I don’t feel that the current construction of this roster can win an NBA title, especially after watching the Knicks, Spurs, and Thunder battle it out. Unfortunately, I’m not sure there’s a much better option for the Cavs. Everyone wants to hit the rebuild button, but fans and organizations sometimes forget how painful a rebuild can be.

Instead of letting rumors swirl, Cleveland sort of answered the unanswered questions as quickly as they could. Atkinson will retain his head coaching position with the Cavs, putting to bed the Jason Kidd-to-Cleveland conversations.

Cleveland also got themselves under the second apron by having James Harden opt out of his player options, and has essentially agreed to a reduced contract to retain him long-term. We won’t know the exact details for a few weeks, but it is rumored to be around 3-years and $90 million in total.

Brian Windhorst also reported that LeBron James would be unwilling to take a veteran minimum to finish his career where it began. Many felt that the Cavs would find themselves competing in the LeBron sweepstakes, but now that he confirmed that he won’t take the massive pay cut in Cleveland, they’re going to have to look elsewhere to drastically improve their roster.

Just one season ago, Cleveland won over 60 games before injuries spurred an early playoff exit. With how the Cavs have treated this offseason so far, don’t be surprised if they run back a very similar roster at the start of 2026. Aside from a backup point guard or center, the roster we saw close out this year is likely what we will see at the start of next season. I’m not sure I love that decision for Cleveland, but purgatory might be better than trying to rebuild with the new anti-tanking protocols.

Gary Sales shoots for men’s title No. 4. —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The motivation for Gary Sales heading into the National Tournament of Club Champions (NTCC) presented by Lexus this year is far bigger than any he has had in a glorious participation in the event.

It could be a family thing for the ex-pro-turned-successful businessman this year.

“This will be her first time,” Sales told the Inquirer on Tuesday, referring to Marienelle, his wife, who took up the game during the pandemic and is now part of the starting cast of the most exclusive tournament in the land. “She will be there for the experience [this year]. But who knows?”

Gary is the defending men’s champion, and he and Marienelle will try to defy the odds and become the first husband and wife tandem to win the event as both jockey for rankings in their respective divisions in an 18-hole round at the Faldo course of Eagle Ridge.

Rodel Mangulabnan has become the prohibitive seniors division favorite with defending champion Abe Rosal begging off, and Marienelle will have to topple big names in the women’s game, like the seasoned Matet Salivio, if she wants a Cinderella finish.

Gary will be representing the host venue for the second time at the event. His three previous championships, counting two won in back-to-back style, were for Villamor, where he operates one of the best pro shops in the land.

“It’s going to be a very tough week,” Gary added, admitting that he has been more occupied with business and the remodeling of a newly acquired property in Parañaque. “There are a lot of players in the field who can really win this thing.”

Gab Macalaguim, the Tagaytay Highlands champion, Basti Lorenzo of Sta. Elena, Jonar Austria of Lakewood, Orchard’s Chucho Martinez, Manfred Guangko of Manila Southwoods, Justin Tambunting of Alabang and Henry Bolano of Royal Northwoods are among the players to watch in the men’s division.

Southwoods’ Joseph Tambunting is in the Senior division, like Abe Avena, the Mount Malarayat representative and Wack Wack’s Marvin Caparros, who are all expected to crowd Mangulabnan for top honors. INQ

When Jessica Davies, wife of Australian batter Travis Head, recently spoke about the torrent of online abuse directed at her family after her husband’s on-field skirmish with Virat Kohli, it wasn’t merely another episode of fan rivalry crossing the line. Nor was Shrestha Iyer’s anguished reaction after being viciously targeted for appearing in a light-hearted social media video with Punjab Kings’ content team. These are not isolated cases of “passionate fandom” turning ugly. They are symptoms of a toxic ecosystem – an organised, monetised, and now uncontrollable hate industry that cricket’s peripheral commercial machinery knowingly helped create over the past decade.

What began as aggressive social media marketing has gradually mutated into a Frankenstein’s monster. “There are agencies that can charge anything between Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh for spreading unmitigated hatred against a particular player,” an industry insider told PTI.

“To run a campaign, customised stats could be given. Now it’s up to them to make the topic trend. Obviously, the rates will be different for hours of trending and trending for days,” the insider added.

The social media game around cricketers changed dramatically nearly a decade ago when platforms stopped being merely tools of engagement and became commercial goldmines.

A player’s social media following increasingly determined the value of his digital endorsement deals at a time when traditional advertising revenue through linear television began shrinking.

One viral hashtag could translate into endorsement deals worth crores. And that’s when the ecosystem changed permanently.

“And here entered a very important component: the sports management firms that handled players’ image and commercials,” a senior BCCI official familiar with the workings of the system said.

“The managers would comb through profiles of social media aggregators with decent following. They would be engaged to improve a player’s social media traction,” the official explained.

Soon, fan clubs multiplied exponentially.

Algorithms rewarded outrage over nuance, abuse over analysis, and tribal loyalty over sporting appreciation.

What initially looked like harmless fan engagement slowly became weaponized propaganda.

Managers, agencies, and social media operators found that inorganic amplification worked both ways — glorifying one player and systematically tearing another down.

What nobody anticipated was how quickly this ecosystem would slip out of institutional control.

Bots became armies. Rival fan groups became digital lynch mobs. Manufactured trends became accepted public discourse.

The abuse was no longer restricted to players. Families became collateral damage.

Wives, sisters, and even children became easy targets in a culture where anonymity removed accountability and hatred became currency.

Jessica Head and Shrestha Iyer are suffering today because cricket’s wider commercial ecosystem spent years incentivizing online polarisation without caring about its eventual human cost.

The tragedy is that the same ecosystem that once celebrated “engagement metrics” is now horrified by the monster those numbers created.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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