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The New York Mets captured Game 1 of their NL wild card matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night thanks in part to Jesse Winker's two-run triple in the second inning that knotted things up at two runs apiece.

The heightened energy of playoff baseball is always palpable, and that couldn't have been more clear by Winker's reaction to the triple. After tying up the game, Winker was fired up, and the former Brewer exchanged words with ex-teammate Willy Adames. Adames was seen standing at shortstop talking trash back and forth with Winker, who started the rift as he was running the bases.

H/T to @JomboySports on X (formerly Twitter) for the breakdown of what appeared to be said. Winker hit Adames with a, "F— you, mother——."

After Adames appeared to fire back, Winker asked Adames repeatedly, "Whatcha gonna do about it?" To which Adames responded with, "I'll let you know in the parking lot."

Adames was asked about the second inning spat after the game, and chalked it up to Winker being Winker.

"I don't know what was going through his head, but he just started saying some stuff and I said something back," Adames told the media after the game. "I don't know. I think that's the kind of player he is. …I guess that's part of his personality. It was just a little bit of a surprise to me, but we don't back off."

Winker deflected when asked about his part after the game.

"I don't really want to speak on it. I just want to focus on the game tomorrow," he said after the win.

Chalk it up to a high energy playoff game, but as Adames mentioned, the Brewers won't back off as they look to keep their season alive.

Just like buses, you wait a while for a Rangers win in the Scottish Premiership and then two come along at once.

On Wednesday night, Rangers, donning their new bright orange fourth kit, for once did not look off colour, beating Hibernian 1-0 at Easter Road, thanks to Danilo’s left-footed strike inside four and a half minutes.

So, having won only one of their first eight league matches this season, Danny Röhl has now won both since his appointment, also battling to a 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Ibrox last Sunday.

Next up for Röhl is an Old Firm derby in the League Cup semi-finals at Hampden on Sunday, facing a Celtic side led by Martin O’Neill, wait, what year is this?

Ahead of that massive Glasgow derby, which Rangers star made himself simply undroppable thanks to his exploits in Leith?

Danilo's Rangers resurgence

Fair to say, in general, since arriving from Feyenoord for £6m over two years ago, Danilo has not lived up to expectations.

His goal in Edinburgh this week was only his 15th in 62 outings for the Light Blues, sitting out a whopping 65 matches due to various injuries.

Now though, having also headed home against Killie on Sunday, the Brazilian has scored in back-to-back Premiership matches for the first time in 11 months.

Speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage, Chris Sutton asserted that Danilo has grabbed his opportunity, while former Rangers striker Kris Boyd would like to see him deployed as the centre-forward on Sunday, given that he has shown more promise than either Youssef Chermiti or Bojan Miovski to date.

Well, Danilo’s father Marcelo Silva, who has been a prominent figure at Rangers matches for a few years now, possibly outshone his son in Leith, very much enjoying his night at Easter Road, dancing away at the very front of the away stand.

Nevertheless, despite Danilo’s sudden scoring spree, he was not the biggest Rangers hero on the night.

Rangers' "best player this season"

Worth highlighting that the only reason Rangers departed the capital with all three points on Wednesday was thanks to the contribution of goalkeeper Jack Butland.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With five minutes to go, Connor Barron bundled over Junior Hoilett and referee John Beaton pointed to the penalty spot.

Jamie McGrath stepped up, but saw his effort spectacularly saved by Butland, preserving victory for the Gers.

Butland has now, remarkably, now saved six of the last seven penalties he’s faced, excluding shootout, already denying Oh Hyeon-gyu of Genk and Lawrence Shankland of Hearts from 12 yards earlier in the campaign, albeit the latter did convert the rebound.

Nevertheless, this save secured Rangers’ first away clean sheet since a 3-0 victory over Ross County in Dingwall on 8 December 2024, a run of 325 days and 24 matches, the latter an unwanted club record, smashing the previous one of 22 set in 1897 when Queen Victoria was still on the throne.

For Butland specifically, irrespective of whom the manager has been, he has been a consistent performer so far this season.

Towards the back end of the last campaign, during Barry Ferguson’s interim tenure, Butland found himself on the bench, following a string of errors, with Liam Kelly starting both legs of the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club.

Now though, the England international appears to be back to his best, as the statistics below highlight.

Of course, despite Rangers leakiness at the back, Butland is nowhere near the busiest goalkeeper in the Premiership, with both Scott Bain of Falkirk and Dundee United’s Yevhen Kucherenko facing more than 50 shots apiece to Butland’s 32.

Nevertheless, for the most part, he has made big saves when called upon.

Back when he was at Stoke, then-manager Paul Lambert labelled him the “best goalkeeper in Britain”, while journalist Scott Bradley notes that Butland “was a shell of his former self last season” but has been “Rangers’ best player this season” so far.

Thus, while new manager Röhl is quickly searching for player he can rely on, Butland has certainly proved himself to be one of those, underlining his undroppable status.

If Rangers are going to beat their fiercest rivals at Hampden on Sunday and book their place in December’s League Cup Final, chances are they’ll need their goalkeeper to be at his brilliant best, possibly even in a penalty shootout.

Better than Danilo: Rangers star may have saved his Ibrox career

This Glasgow Rangers star who was even better than Danilo may have saved his career at the club.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 30, 2025

The Dutch professional footballers' union (VVCS) has joined a growing class action lawsuit against FIFA, the KNVB and several national football associations over what it calls an “unfair” transfer system. The legal challenge, spearheaded by the Justice for Players foundation, could impact over 100,000 players across Europe and potentially reshape football’s transfer rules.

• VVCS joins legal action against FIFA and KNVB

  The Dutch professional footballers’ association (VVCS) has officially thrown its weight behind a class action lawsuit against FIFA, the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) and several European football federations, accusing them of maintaining an “unfair and restrictive” transfer system. The legal initiative, led by the Dutch-based foundation Justice for Players, seeks compensation for an estimated 100,000 professional footballers, both male and female, who have played in Europe since 2002.

  The lawsuit, described as potentially “billion-euro” in scale, argues that FIFA’s current transfer rules violate European Union law, particularly the principle of free movement of workers. The case follows a landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice last October in favour of former France international Lassana Diarra, which found that certain FIFA regulations unlawfully restricted players’ rights.

  The VVCS decision mirrors that of France’s national players’ union (UNFP), which publicly announced its support for the same campaign in October. In a statement, VVCS said it was compelled to act due to the growing number of players contacting the organisation over transfer disputes, limited playing opportunities and threats of sanctions. 

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  Levchenko slams 'unfair' rules and club power

  VVCS chairman Evgeniy Levchenko has been vocal about the growing frustrations among players trapped within system. He argued that players are often left powerless when clubs refuse to sanction moves, despite offers from other teams. “The current transfer system was and remains unfair,” Levchenko said. “For example, there are footballers who train for months without any prospect of playing matches, or who forgo their right to move to another club for fear of FIFA sanctions.”

  Levchenko emphasised that the lawsuit is not just about financial compensation, but about restoring players’ freedom of movement within the European labour market. “Within Europe, thousands of footballers are directly disadvantaged by the current FIFA transfer rules,” he added. “Supporting Justice for Players aligns with our commitment to work towards a balanced system that complies with European law.”

  According to VVCS, the situation has worsened in recent years as players increasingly report being pressured to stay at clubs despite mutual interest from other teams. Levchenko said, “That’s why we feel it’s necessary to join the Justice for Players campaign. It’s for players who receive an offer but aren’t allowed to leave because they’re tied to their contracts. You have to have a certain degree of freedom to break that contract.”

• Diarra case sparked groundbreaking challenge

  The lawsuit’s foundation lies in last year’s landmark Diarra vs FIFA case, which has become the cornerstone of the current legal movement. Former Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder Diarra was fined €10.5 million and barred from joining a new club after terminating his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow due to a dispute. The European Court of Justice later ruled that FIFA’s transfer regulations had unlawfully restricted Diarra’s right to free movement under EU law.

  This ruling paved the way for Justice for Players to seek broader compensation for athletes across Europe. According to preliminary research commissioned by JfP, professional footballers have earned, on average, about 8% less during their careers because of the transfer restrictions, losses that could amount to billions of euros collectively.

  Lucia Melcherts, chair of Justice for Players, said the support from "VVCS underscores that the current transfer system is unfair and needs to change.” She added: “Reforming these rules and ensuring fair compensation for players are essential components of a more transparent and better future for professional footballers.”

  The case is being viewed by legal experts as potentially the most significant challenge to FIFA’s authority since the 1995 Bosman ruling, which revolutionised football by allowing free transfers for out-of-contract players.

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  Legal and financial implications for FIFA

  The ongoing legal challenge could have profound consequences for FIFA’s transfer framework and the financial ecosystem of professional football. If successful, it could force FIFA to rewrite its global transfer regulations to align more closely with European labour laws. Economists advising Justice for Players estimate that the cumulative compensation owed to players could reach several billion euros, given the scale of those affected since 2002.

  VVCS and JfP’s class action is also expected to trigger similar lawsuits in other countries, as player unions across Europe, including in France, Spain and Belgium, continue to assess their legal options. The plaintiffs argue that FIFA’s control mechanisms, particularly Article 17 of its transfer regulations, grant clubs disproportionate power and restrict player autonomy.

  Levchenko compared the situation to the pre-Bosman era, saying: “We kind of hope this case has the same groundbreaking effect as Bosman. But FIFA is blocking a lot of things. They've only slightly modified Article 17 of their regulations, but that's nothing more than a bit of copy-and-paste, if I'm honest.”

  While FIFA has yet to comment publicly on the case, should the court find in favour of the players, it would mark one of the most dramatic shifts in the governance of world football since the Bosman judgment, with potential ripple effects across every major league in Europe.

One of the most sought-after players in free agency this year did not play in MLB last year.

Twenty-three-year-old Roki Sasaki plied his trade in 2024 for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, winning 10 of 15 decisions with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111 innings. These numbers have stateside executives salivating—and allow Sasaki to express considerable discretion in how his free agency plays out.

On Monday evening, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Sasaki has a special request for the teams he's meeting with: he does not want them to bring any of their players to the meetings.

That tracks with Sasaki's unconventional approach to free agency, which agent Joel Wolfe said via Nightengale is driven by his desire to be great.

"‘He's a guy that wants to be great. He's not coming here just to be rich. He wants to be one of the greatest, ever," Wolfe said.

Per the rules governing player transfers between NPB and MLB, Sasaki is required to sign between Jan. 15 and 23 if he wants to play this season.

Manchester United were deservedly booed off the pitch as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to an Everton side who played the vast majority of the game with 10 men. Idrissa Gueye's bizarre sending off for snapping at his team-mate Michael Keane gave United the perfect advantage but they completely blew it, falling behind to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's stunning long-range hit then failing to react.

Everton had made such a strong start that United barely managed to get out of their own half for the first 10 minutes. But the visitors shot themselves in the foot in a truly remarkable turn of events which saw Gueye sent off in the 13th minute for striking Michael Keane in the face. Gueye vented his fury at Keane just after Casemiro had fired a shot on goal in United's first attack of the game, shoving the defender and twice raising his arms to his face before goalkeeper Jordan Pickford intervened. 

It was a very rare instance of a player being sent off for confronting a team-mate, reminiscent of Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer's infamous scrap in Newcastle's defeat against Aston Villa 20 years ago which saw both players dismissed. And yet, the Toffees responded to the setback in the best way possible, continuing to harry United and taking the lead with a brilliant strike from Kiernan Dewsbury Hall, who beat Fernandes and  Yoro before arrowing into the top corner from outside the area.

United dominated the play but were completely toothless and unimaginative. Patrick Dorgu and Amad each fired wide in the first half while Fernandes' threatening shot was tipped over by Pickford. Ruben Amorim changed things in the second half but United still lacked creativity and, worst of all, belief.

The weekend's results gave them the opportunity to climb into fifth in the Premier League table but instead they are left stranded in 10th and it feels like they are back to square one, all the progress of their positive results in October and early November going out the window.

GOAL rates Man United's players from Old Trafford…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Senne Lammens (5/10):

  Question will be asked of his failure to stop Dewsbury-Hall's shot but it had real power and direction on it. He didn't have to do much else given how Everton sat off once in front.

  Matthijs de Ligt (4/10):

  Struggled in the early stages amid Everton's bright start. Backed away from Dewsbury-Hall instead of trying to close him down. Was then too cautious, not capitalising on the man-advantage by stepping forward.

  Leny Yoro (4/10):

  Should have done more to stop Dewsbury-Hall, getting a foot to the ball but then letting his opponent win it back to score. Otherwise defended pretty well and played on the front foot in the second half. 

  Luke Shaw (4/10):

  Struggled to contain Iliman Ndiaye in the early stages. Tried to support the attack in the second half but his crossing wasn't good enough.

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  Midfield

  Noussair Mazraoui (4/10):

  Struggled to make much happen at right wing-back, making just one memorable move down the flank before being taken off at half-time.

  Casemiro (4/10):

  A flat performance, not disrupting Everton's play as he needed to and missing the target with a decent sight of goal. Removed shortly after being booked.

  Bruno Fernandes (3/10):

  A very poor performance by his usual high standards. Made little effort to stop Dewsbury-Hall in his tracks, another sign of the risks of playing him in the deeper role. His passing was also sloppy and he couldn't inspire United when he needed to, firing a good opportunity over the bar in the second half.

  Patrick Dorgu (4/10):

  Didn't get at Everton enough and on the one occasion he got in a good position – a brilliant one at that – he fluffed his lines and fired wide of the near post. Taken off for Dalot.

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  Attack

  Bryan Mbeumo (6/10):

  He at least looked determined to make a difference and provided some spark but didn't pack his shooting boots, slicing a good opportunity well wide.

  Joshua Zirkzee (4/10):

  Had the chance to make his mark while Sesko is out but was largely toothless. Took until the 80th minute to have his first shot although he did at least have a flurry of late attempts, twice being denied by Pickford.

  Amad Diallo (6/10):

  Had a couple of good dribbling moments but was isolated in the first half in the attacking midfield role. Combined better with Mbeumo when restored to wing-back.

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  Subs & Manager

  Mason Mount (6/10):

  Gave the team some urgency and bite going forward and was unlucky not to equalise.

  Kobbie Mainoo (5/10):

  Another opportunity wasted to endear himself to Amorim as he made very little happen.

  Diogo Dalot (5/10):

  Gave the team a bit more balance but rarely looked like making a difference.

  Ruben Amorim (4/10):

  Playing Mazraoui and Dorgu as wing-backs did not work but the fact that his team lost at home to 10 men speaks of a much bigger malaise. 

The final chunk of international action is winding down for the year, and that means Liverpool fans can get ready to see Arne Slot’s side back in action.

There is an air of uncertainty about the Reds at the moment. After all, they were thrashed out of the Etihad Stadium nearly two weeks ago, having put Real Madrid to the sword in the Champions League days before.

But we must look at the wider trend, and we must accept that Slot’s squad have lost five of their past six matches in the Premier League, and that has eliminated any hopes of retaining that hard-won title for the time being.

The season is still young, but whatever happens over the coming months, FSG will have accepted that a few deeper problems need to be solved.

Take, for example, Virgil van Dijk’s announcement that the 2026 World Cup will be his last for Oranje. That underlines the 34-year-old’s ageing legs, and his acceptance that soon – not yet, but soon – he will wind down.

And the same could be said of Mohamed Salah, who has not been himself this season. FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes are aware that Salah, 33, might be nearing the end at Anfield.

Liverpool begin search for Salah successor

Liverpool’s search for a Salah successor is tentative and new at this stage. The Egyptian star earns £400k per week on Merseyside after renewing his soon-to-expire contract in April, keeping him at the club until the end of next season.

After such staggering success last year, Salah’s drop-off in form has been painful to see, though circumstances have played a part, and the prolific winger is sure to rediscover his shooting boots at some point.

But Liverpool do need to start drawing up plans, and Spanish sources suggest this is already in the running, with Hughes preparing a

€100m (equating to £88m) offer for Barcelona superstar Raphinha.

The Brazil international is a wanted man after his sensational 2024/25 campaign, with Atletico Madrid also keen.

However, Liverpool have more financial might and La Blaugrana’s interminable money worries could see a deal completed in 2026.

Why Liverpool want Raphinha

Raphinha, 28, is not a young, up-and-coming talent who can be shaped into a superstar over the next several years.

That’s because he’s already among football’s top brass, hailed as “the best player in the world” by Statman Dave for his herculean efforts in last year’s Champions League.

Last year, the former Leeds United ace produced Salah-esque numbers for Hansi Flick’s La Liga champions. He scored 34 goals and provided 26 assists across all competitions, and that haul saw him eclipse everyone else across Europe’s top five leagues in all competitions. No small feat that, especially when considering the season Liverpool’s talisman had.

He hasn’t quite hit the same awe-inspiring heights so far this season, but Raphinha has still made a commendable start to the campaign, notching five direct involvements from six league games.

A ready-made talent, Raphinha could prove the perfect replacement to Luis Diaz in Slot’s Liverpool, who was, of course, sold to Bayern Munich this summer for £66.5m.

Diaz, also 28, has been riding the crest of a gigantic wave in Germany this season, with six goals and four assists to his name in the Bundesliga, just nine games played, as well as three strikes from four in the Champions League. His all-round play has been spectacular, his impact sending tremors across Germany.

Away from the more emphatic side of his game, Diaz’s combative side has been sorely missed this term at Liverpool. Last season in the Premier League, he averaged more than one tackle per fixture. Moreover, journalist Neil Docking hailed him as “strong and a fighter” upon the announcement of his departure.

There is also the small matter of Raphinha’s Premier League experience. The Brazilian’s years at Elland Road fashioned in him a physicality and determination that are necessary for success in England. The struggle of Florian Wirtz in a Liverpool shirt underlines the difficulties of integration from overseas.

But, most crucially of all, Raphinha is a player whose skillset aligns with Liverpool’s former wideman. FBref’s data reveals that the Barca man ranks among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe over the past year for goals and assists combined, and then the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90 too.

This has seen Diaz recorded as one of his most comparable players. Diaz is incredibly prolific in front of goal, and like Raphinha, he observed his fleet-footed quality, not running about with the same intensity and frequency as someone like Jeremy Doku, but instead being economical in his advancements.

Liverpool need something different in attack, and with Salah winding down, Wirtz struggling to make his mark at this stage, and Diaz now plying his craft elsewhere, the dynamic and versatile Raphinha would be a stunning addition. If Liverpool can capitalise on Barcelona’s financial plight, they must do so.

Bigger mistake than Quansah: Liverpool sold their next Gravenberch for £15m

Liverpool made a bigger mistake than offloading Jarell Quansah when they got rid of their own Ryan Gravenberch for just £15m.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 20, 2025

New York Yankees rookie catcher J.C. Escarra, a 29-year-old former Uber driver, made his first MLB start behind the plate in Thursday night's 9-7 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium. And Escarra, who took an inspiring journey to the big leagues, collected the first hit—a double—of his career in what amounted to a special moment in the bottom of the seventh inning.

But that wasn't the only special moment of the night.

After Yankees reliever Luke Weaver shut the door on the Diamondbacks with a save in the ninth inning, he and Escarra shared an embrace. Then, the Yankees backstop gave Weaver the game ball, placing the baseball in the righthander's glove. But Weaver, knowing what the day meant to Escarra, insisted that the catcher keep the baseball.

Here's the touching moment.

Even as he bounced between five seasons in the minors and three seasons total spent in Puerto Rico and Mexico, Escarra never gave up on his dream of playing in the majors. He worked as a substitute teacher and Uber driver while his wife Jocelyn worked multiple jobs as well to make ends meet. Then, after a strong spring for New York, Escarra made the Yankees' Opening Day roster heading into the '25 season.

And Thursday night was the culmination of years of dreams.

Escarra told he plans to give the baseball from his first big-league hit to his father.

"I’m dedicating that ball to my pops," Escarra said. "A longtime Yankee fan, lived in Yonkers for 15 years. Been through a lot, so he deserves that ball."

Now, thanks to Weaver, Escarra will have another memento of his own from his first MLB start.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been singled out for some hefty criticism by sections of the Spanish press as his difficult start to life at Real Madrid continues. The England international arrived in the summer after bringing an end to his time with boyhood club Liverpool, but he has only managed four starts in La Liga and just one in the Champions League despite right-back mainstay Dani Carvajal being sidelined by injury.

• Alexander-Arnold struggling after making dream summer transfer

  Alexander-Arnold decided to call time on his Liverpool career after winning a second Premier League title with the Reds last season, signing for Los Blancos in time for the summer's Club World Cup. However, it has been far from an ideal start to life at Santiago Bernabeu, with the 27-year-old struggling to convince fellow Merseyside icon Xabi Alonso that he warrants a regular place in his starting XI. He has made three consecutive starts in recent weeks thanks to Carvajal's injury, but so far he has been unable to conjure up the creative spark that made him such an asset to Jurgen Klopp and later Arne Slot, failing to register a single assist since the start of the current campaign. Instead, it's been Madrid's attacking and midfield players who have been setting up the majority of the team's goals, with Arda Guler leading the assist rankings in their La Liga outings with five, while Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde have contributed four apiece. Whether it will all come together for Alexander-Arnold in Spain remains to be seen, but the notoriously short-tempered local press have not wasted any time declaring how lost the right-back has looked during his first six months as a Madrid player.

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  What the Spanish media said

  While plenty of Madrid's players have struggled during the early parts of the 2025-26 season, Alexander-Arnold in particular came in for criticism after his performance in the 1-1 draw with Girona at the weekend. Writing for , Spanish journalist Alfredo Relano claimed: "Now that Trent is here, he seems like a clueless and insubstantial player, with the expression of a rabbit in the headlights. His quality at set-pieces is masked by his right foot, but in open play he is non-existent." The same publication had published a slightly more sympathetic report a few days earlier, admitting Alexander-Arnold had produced a "mixed bag" of performances since joining the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe at the club.

• How Alexander-Arnold performed against Girona

  Madrid's draw with Girona was disappointing for a number of reasons. It was their third consecutive stalemate in La Liga, which allowed Barcelona to open up a four-point lead at the top of the table after Hansi Flick's side beat Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening, and they had to rely on an Mbappe penalty to drag them level after Azzedine Ounahi had bagged the opener shortly before half-time. Alexander-Arnold himself committed the cardinal sin of failing to track his opposite number before the goal and couldn't provide much ingenuity at the other end of the pitch. He did create two chances but only completed one of his 10 attempted crosses, also committing two fouls in defence.

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  What comes next for Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid?

  While criticism has headed his way, Alexander-Arnold did enough last time out to be included in Alonso's starting line-up for Wednesday night's trip to Athletic Club. A win is crucial for Los Blancos, with manager Alonso starting to feel the heat after some unconvincing recent performances, while an improved showing from Alexander-Arnold could ease some the pressure starting to build on the Englishman's shoulder, and perhaps even provoke a more positive reception from the Spanish media. Regardless, the boyhood Scouser will be keen to show everyone he's not the 'clueless' player he has been labelled and perhaps start to work his way back into contention for England duty, with next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico fast approaching.

Arsenal are preparing a £70m offer for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, who is now unhappy with manager Xabi Alonso, and keen to play under Mikel Arteta.

There are arguably question marks over whether the Gunners need to bring in another forward, off the back of a fantastic attacking display in the 4-1 rout against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with Eberechi Eze bagging a hat-trick.

Such is the depth of the attacking options Arteta has at his disposal, Gabriel Martinelli was unable to get off the bench against Spurs, with Leandro Trossard bagging his fifth goal of the season in all competitions, while also setting up Eze’s third goal.

Arteta has also confirmed that Martin Odegaard and Viktor Gyokeres were close to being involved in the North London derby, and added: “Unfortunately, [Odegaard] wasn’t 100% to be involved in such a game, but Noni [Madueke] is back and Gabriel [Martinelli] being back is a boost for us.”

However, with the Gunners perhaps keen to seize the chance to finally win the Premier League title, they are now lining up a move for a new forward ahead of the January transfer window.

Arsenal preparing offer for Rodrygo

According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now preparing a package worth a total of €80m (£70m) to sign Rodrygo, with the Brazilian now unhappy with Alonso and keen to leave Real Madrid before the 2026 World Cup.

The 24-year-old is eager to receive consistent game time ahead of hopefully heading out to North America with Brazil, and he is keen to play under Arteta, alongside the likes of Eze, Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

Having already tried to sign the Madrid forward in the past, Arteta remains in ongoing talks with his representatives, which means they could be the favourites in the race for his signature, ahead of Liverpool.

Although game time has been hard to come by this season, the Brazil international has certainly impressed in a Real Madrid shirt in the past, receiving particularly high praise from journalist Bence Bocsak back in July.

Since then, the versatile forward, who can play at striker and on both wings, has continued to impress in Europe’s elite competition, picking up two assists in three Champions League outings this season.

The report makes it clear that Rodrygo is being targeted amid Martinelli’s uncertain future, and it would certainly be worth pursuing the Real Madrid ace if his compatriot were to move on next year.

However, Arsenal are currently very well-stocked in attacking areas, and £70m would be a huge fee to pay for a player who may not be a necessary addition.

Rodrygo has been named as one of the best wingers in the world

The Best 15 Wingers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best wide man in world football right now?

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 28, 2025

The Baltimore Orioles are hosting the Minnesota Twins in an afternoon game on Wednesday and while Ramón Laureano started the game in left field, he'll be watching the final few innings from the clubhouse after being ejected for throwing a tantrum after a called third strike.

With two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the sixth inning, Laureano let a very close pitch on a 3-2 count go by without swinging. Home plate umpire James Hoye called it a strike to end the inning, which prompted Laureano to freak out. First he slammed his bat to the ground and then he had an all-time spike of his helmet that led to his immediate ejection.

Here's how that played out, starting with a pitch that he should have been swinging at, and his childish actions after being called out:

The announcer nailed it with this line: "The bat throw and then helmet spike is going to get run pretty much every time."

That might be the easiest ejection of the MLB season.