A regular visitor to Villa Park, Prince William was spotted in the crowd celebrating as Villa beat Nottingham Forest earlier this month to secure their place in the Europa League final.

So it was only right that the prince made the trip to Turkey to witness Villa history.

Television cameras picked up on the prince soaking it all in before kick-off, before celebrating with those close by as Villa got a grip on the trophy.

The prince also made sure to capture the historic moment when John McGinn hoisted the trophy high above his head.

Villa captain McGinn labelled Prince William as “just a normal guy” after the win.

McGinn told TNT Sports: “He’s a classy man, he was in the dressing room before the game.

“He’s a massive Villa fan, he was never going to miss it. He’s just a normal guy, it’s great to have his support.”

The prince started supporting Villa during his school days in Berkshire, choosing a team further afield as he did not want to follow the crowd.

“A long time ago at school, I got into football big time. I was looking around for clubs. All my friends at school were either Manchester United fans or Chelsea fans and I didn’t want to follow the run-of-the-mill teams,” he told the BBC in 2015.

“I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments.”

William was born 26 days after Villa’s European Cup final win against Bayern Munich on 26 May 1982.

He has spoken previously about the joy he gets from following a club with the ups and downs that Villa have experienced.

“Aston Villa‘s always had a great history. I have got friends of mine who support Aston Villa and one of the first FA Cup games I went to was Bolton v Aston Villa back in 2000. Sadly, Villa went on to lose to Chelsea [in the final],” he added.

“It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie and I really felt that there was something I could connect with.”

The Minnesota Vikings might have a slight roster deficiency at outside linebacker after trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles last month, and Fansided says the best way to fix that is a trade for New York Giants defender Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The price may be manageable if New York ever shops the former No. 5 pick.

Several free-agent EDGE rushers are also on the open market, but Jake Beckman claims Thibodeaux is the way.

Brian Flores Could Use Another Young EDGE Piece

For the most part, Vikings fans would approve of this transaction.

Fansided: Thibodeaux to Vikings via Trade Makes Sense

Beckman identified one trade candidate per team this week, and on Thibodeaux to Minnesota, he wrote, “The Vikings traded Johnathon Greenard to the Eagles during the draft, and now they’re going to be missing out on a whole lot of snaps and even more production. Luckily for them, the Giants are sitting there with a plethora of defensive ends and edge rushers.”

“New York might be saying that they’re not going to trade Kayvon Thibodeaux, but that’s what every team says, so they don’t lose leverage in any potential trades. If the Vikings wanted to go and get him, they’d definitely be able to… However, if you’re a Vikings fan, that’s probably not what you want.”

Four years ago, Thibodeaux was considered one of the next big things in the NFL.

Beckman continued, “Sure, Thibodeaux would end up being awesome, but I don’t necessarily want my team to make any trades when they don’t have a general manager. Especially after they just traded a player like Greenard for the low price of two third-round picks.”

Thibodeaux’s Production

Curious about Thibodeaux’s track record? We’ve got it. These are the numbers:

And his Pro Football Focus scorecard since 2022:

• 2022: 72.5
• 2023: 58.4
• 2024: 69.0
• 2025: 66.0

It’s worth noting that Thibodeaux’s tackling has waned over the last two seasons; he’ll need to improve it before too long.

Possible Trade Price

NFL trade packages notoriously vary, but for Thibodeaux, an interested team might have to pony up the equivalent of a 3rd- or 4th-Rounder. The man does pressure quarterbacks, and he’ll always have the fifth overall draft pick stock from 2022.

For example, if Minnesota wanted him, a deal might have to look like this:

Minnesota notably doesn’t have a 4th-Round pick next year because of its ill-fated Adam Thielen trade in 2025. What’s more, the Vikings have an extra 3rd-Rounder in 2027 because of the aforementioned Greenard trade to the Eagles last month — perhaps more firepower to land a notable EDGE via trade.

The Athletic‘s Dan Duggan noted on Thibodeaux’s trade price in April, “The Saints were the team most interested in trading for Thibodeaux, however, according to a league source. The problem was the sides weren’t close on potential compensation.”

“The Saints’ best offer is believed to have been a fourth-round pick (No. 132), while the Giants were seeking a second-round pick — the Saints had the 42nd selection. The Saints moved on, instead sending a fifth-round pick to the Raiders for defensive end Tyree Wilson and a seventh-round pick.”

In-House Options at OLB

If the Vikings do not consult a trade for a third pass rusher, they have a few options behind the starters, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner. The first is rookie Jake Golday. Minnesota drafted him as an off-ball linebacker, but he played some EDGE in junior college before taking the plunge at ILB in Cincinnati. Flores could deploy Golday like Van Ginkel, a hybrid OLB-ILB.

Flores also has two undrafted free-agent outside linebackers: Bo Richter and Tyler Batty. One of those men could be ready for a breakout, at least in OLB3 terms, and if so, Minnesota would need no Thibodeauxs.

Otherwise, the free-agent market has names like Denico Autry, Derek Barnett, Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney, Marcus Davenport, A.J. Epenesa, Leonard Floyd, Cameron Jordan, Von Miller, Haason Reddick, and Kyle Van Noy.

Thibodeaux will turn 26 in December. He’s right in the middle of his prime. He’ll also need a new contract between now and next March.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Real Madrid are confident of signing Rodri from Manchester City amid Pep Guardiola’s departure, Bayern Munich plan a shock move for John Stones, while Atletico Madrid want Marc Cucurella.

Pep Guardiola’s impending exit from Manchester City opens the door for 29-year-old Spain midfielder Rodri to join Real Madrid this summer. (Marca – in Spanish), external

Bayern Munich are considering a shock move for England defender John Stones with the 31-year-old set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. (Mail), external

Atletico Madrid are weighing up moves for Manchester City‘s 31-year-old Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva and Chelsea‘s 27-year-old Spain defender Marc Cucurella. (Sky Sports), external

Inter Miami are closing in on the signing of Manchester United‘s Brazil midfielder Casemiro with the 34-year-old set to leave the club at the end of the season. (Athletic) , external

Liverpool‘s 33-year-old Brazil goalkeeper Alisson wants to join Juventus this summer even if the Serie A side fail to qualify for the Champions League. (Gazzetta – in Italian), external

Barcelona have agreed personal terms with 28-year-old England forward Marcus Rashford as they look to make his loan deal permanent, but are yet to agree a transfer fee with Manchester United. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Liverpool have formally registered their interest in 20-year-old Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Toure but they face competition from Manchester United, Aston Villa and Newcastle who also admire the Ivorian. (Teamtalk), external

Manchester United are monitoring Borussia Dortmund left-back Julian Ryerson, 28, with the Norway international being lined up as a possible replacement for Noussair Mazraoui. (Sky Sports Germany), external

Manchester United could take advantage of Southampton’s Spygate controversy by moving for 22-year-old Northern Ireland midfielder Shea Charles. (Mirror), external

Liverpool could make a move for 21-year-old Norway winger Antonio Nusa should a deal for his RB Leipzig team-mate Yan Diomande become too difficult. (Football Insider), external

Fenerbahce have emerged as a surprise contender to sign 33-year-old Egypt forward Mohamed Salah from Liverpool this summer. (Caught Offside), external

Chelsea are weighing up a move for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba, 27, with the Burkina Faso international having previously worked under incoming boss Xabi Alonso. (Teamtalk), external

Borussia Dortmund are unlikely to bring Manchester United‘s 26-year-old England winger Jadon Sancho, who is on loan at Aston Villa, back to the club for a third spell. (Bild – in German), external

Sanju Samson and Heinrich Klaasen

NEW DELHI: A day after tempers flared during the high-voltage IPL 2026 clash between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sanju Samson and Heinrich Klaasen moved quickly to put the controversy to rest with warm social media messages for each other.The two players were involved in a heated on-field exchange during SRH’s successful chase at Chepauk on Monday night, but their posts a day later painted a very different picture.Samson shared a photo with Klaasen on social media and wrote: “Things happen on the field but lots of love and respect to this gem of a person off it.”Klaasen soon responded by reposting the picture with his own message: “Much love and respect for you bud. Always love watching you play. Keep doing your thing. We are all good. Looking forward to our next battle.”The exchange quickly won over fans online, with many praising both cricketers for showing mutual respect despite the emotional confrontation during the game.

Sanju Samson and Heinrich Klaasen’s social media exchanges

What happened during the clash?The incident took place in the 15th over of SRH’s chase when CSK spinner Noor Ahmad dismissed Klaasen with a sharp stumping.Bowling a googly outside off stump, Noor tempted Klaasen into stepping out for an inside-out shot. The ball spun away, beat the outside edge and Samson reacted instantly behind the stumps to whip off the bails before Klaasen could drag his foot back inside the crease.Samson’s lightning-fast work drew comparisons with former CSK captain MS Dhoni. Klaasen, who had looked dangerous with a quickfire 47 off 26 balls featuring six fours and two sixes, appeared visibly frustrated after the dismissal.As he walked back, Klaasen exchanged words with Samson near the pitch and even turned around again while heading towards the dugout. Samson responded as tensions briefly escalated before Shivam Dube, Noor Ahmad and the umpire stepped in to calm both players.Despite Klaasen’s dismissal, SRH completed a five-wicket victory to seal their place in the playoffs alongside Gujarat Titans.

Lane Kiffin is bring back a familiar face.

LSU has finalized a deal to hire former head coach Ed Orgeron as an assistant on head coach Lane Kiffin’s staff, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The deal brings Orgeron back to his home state, and reunites with him Kiffin after working under him at USC and Tennessee.

Aston Villa finally ended their 30-year wait for a major trophy after defeating SC Freiburg 3-0 in the UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday night in Istanbul.

Goals from Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia and Morgan Rogers secured a famous victory for Unai Emery’s men as the Premier League side lifted their first trophy since winning the League Cup in 1996.

Villa took control of the final late in the first half when Tielemans fired home a powerful volley in the 41st minute after meeting a clever corner delivery from Rogers.

Just before the break, Buendia doubled the advantage with a brilliant curling strike from outside the penalty area after Freiburg failed to close him down.

Rogers completed the victory in the 58th minute, sliding in to convert Buendia’s cross and spark wild celebrations among the Villa supporters inside Besiktas Stadium.

The triumph also marked Villa’s first major European title since their famous European Cup success in 1982, when they defeated Bayern Munich in Rotterdam.

Villa players wore white shirts for the final, similar to the kit used during that historic 1982 victory, with club legends Peter Withe and Dennis Mortimer watching from the stands.

Manager Unai Emery continued his remarkable record in the Europa League by winning the competition for a fifth time. Emery previously lifted the trophy three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.

The success completed a remarkable turnaround for Villa, who struggled badly at the beginning of the season and went six matches without a win.

Since taking charge in October 2022, Emery has transformed the club from relegation candidates into European champions and Champions League qualifiers.

Villa dominated much of the contest and could have scored earlier before Tielemans finally broke Freiburg’s resistance with his superb finish.

The victory ended years of disappointment for Villa, who had suffered several painful cup defeats in recent seasons before finally enjoying a memorable night in Istanbul.

Although Travis Kelce agreed to a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs that will bring him back for a 14th NFL season, much of the recent attention surrounding the star tight end has focused less on football and more on his relationship with Taylor Swift and the couple’s reported wedding plans.

Swift’s ties to football date back years. According to the 14-time Grammy winner, her father, Scott Swift, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid have long shared a friendship. Since beginning her relationship with Kelce, the music superstar has frequently appeared in luxury suites at Kansas City games.

The three-time Super Bowl champion recently revealed his fiancée also made a sharp observation about a legendary Pittsburgh Steelers running back.

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Taylor Swift celebrates with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Jan. 26, 2025. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

On a recent episode of New Heights, the podcast he co-hosts with brother Jason Kelce, Travis shared Swift’s amusing observation that Jerome Bettis looked “like an offensive lineman running with the football.”

AARON RODGERS CONFIRMS HE’S RETIRING AFTER UPCOMING SEASON WITH THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Jason’s mention of Bettis’ upcoming golf tournament prompted Travis to share a story about unexpectedly running into the Hall of Famer during a dinner with Swift.

“He is just the best dude ever. I got to run into him at dinner. I was like telling Tay about him like, ‘That dude was a beast.’”

Kelce later showed Swift highlights from Bettis’ Hall of Fame career, which stretched from 1993 to 2005.

Running back Jerome Bettis of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the football against the Denver Broncos during the AFC Championship game at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Jan. 11, 1998. The Broncos defeated the Steelers 24-21. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

“I showed her a Jerome Bettis highlight tape and she was like ‘Why does he look like an offensive lineman running with the football?’ Because he was ‘The Bus,’” Kelce said.

Bettis, a six-time Pro Bowler, was listed at more than 250 pounds for much of his decade-long run with the Steelers, earning him the nickname “The Bus.” He began his career with the Rams, who selected him in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft.

Jerome Bettis signs a football during Touchdowns on the Green, the inaugural Tim and Sherice Brown Celebrity Golf Invitational to Blitz Human Trafficking before Super Bowl LVIII at Topgolf Las Vegas on Feb. 8, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

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Bettis won Super Bowl XL with the Steelers.

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Macklin Celebrini is 19 years old and already carrying the weight of a comparison that no player in hockey ever escapes easily. Brady Tkachuk called him Sidney Crosby 2.0 on a recent episode of the Wingmen podcast, and the hockey world has been talking about it ever since.

The comparison did not come out of nowhere. Celebrini produced 115 points in his sophomore NHL season with the San Jose Sharks, finishing as a Ted Lindsay Award finalist and establishing himself as one of the most complete young centres the sport has seen since Crosby himself arrived in Pittsburgh two decades ago.

The Crosby Parallel Is Already Undeniable

Matthew Tkachuk put it plainly on the podcast. Players who remember Crosby as a teenager see the same qualities in Celebrini, including the skating, the puck protection, and the ability to control the tempo of a game through the middle of the ice.

Brady went further. “It’s not quite changing of the guard because Sid’s still Sid,” he said. “But it’s just like, holy cow, this kid is going to be 2.0 for the next 20 years.” That kind of praise from opponents carries enormous weight. 

Brady Tkachuk is not in the business of building up rival players without reason, and the respect in his voice was unmistakable. When Team Canada assembled for the World Championship in Switzerland, Celebrini was named captain before Crosby joined the roster. 

Rather than reclaiming the armband, Crosby encouraged Celebrini to keep the captaincy and accepted an alternate captain role himself. Celebrini responded by scoring twice against Italy. Crosby then produced four assists against Denmark as Canada rolled through group play unbeaten. 

The two have developed immediate chemistry on the top line together, a development that feels almost cinematic given the circumstances. Celebrini already skated alongside Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon at the Winter Olympics in a line nicknamed the Mac Attack. 

At the World Championship, he is now linemates with Crosby himself. The San Jose Sharks are still building around their young core, but Celebrini has already outgrown the rebuild narrative. He is not a prospect anymore. He is a star, and the sport is beginning to treat him like one.

The torch has not officially changed hands. Crosby is still Crosby. But the next era of Canadian hockey has a face, and at 19 years old, Macklin Celebrini is only getting started.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez revealed he broke his finger during the warm-up before his side’s Europa League final win against Freiburg.

The Argentine suffered the injury moments before kick-off in Istanbul and had to be checked over by a physio.

But he managed to play the entire match on Wednesday as Villa won 3-0 to secure their first European trophy for 44 years.

The 33-year-old did not have much to do, as goals from Youri Tielemans, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers ended Villa’s 30-year wait for a major trophy, but still managed to make two saves.

He said: “Today I broke my finger during the warm-up and for me, every bad thing brings something good. I’ve done this my whole life and I’ll keep doing it.

“Should I be worried? Well, I’ve never had a broken finger before. Every time I caught the ball, it went the other way. But these are things you have to go through, and I’m proud to defend Aston Villa.”

The injury also did not stop Martinez from joining in the post-match celebrations as he jumped into the Villa fans before hoisting manager Unai Emery aloft.

Argentina will hope Martinez’s injury is not too serious with their World Cup squad set to be announced before next month’s tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

The former Arsenal keeper has now won every final he has played in during his career, including the FA Cup final, the World Cup final, two Copa Americas and now the Europa League.