Manchester City are drawing up contingency plans in their search for a marquee midfielder, identifying Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali as a primary alternative should a deal for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson collapse. Following Bernardo Silva’s departure from the Etihad Stadium, City’s hierarchy—led by director of football Hugo Viana—are prioritising a high-energy midfield reinforcement. England international Anderson remains the top target, but securing his signature is proving complex and costly. Nottingham Forest have already rejected City’s opening formal proposal, holding out for a potentially record-breaking fee for the 23-year-old. While City prepare to go back with a second bid, the Cityzens are wary of being priced out and have placed Tonali high on their backup shortlist. Tonali, who has been closely monitored by several elite clubs including ****** nal and Manchester United, could leave St James’ Park this summer. While Anthony Gordon’s high-profile move to Barcelona has eased some financial restrictions, Newcastle’s lack of European football means a significant midfield departure remains highly likely.
Renowned for his work rate, ball-winning ability and progression from deep, the ‘brilliant’ Tonali could slot into a midfield pivot alongside Rodri or fill a more advanced central role. However, moving for Tonali would not be without obstacles. Newcastle are reportedly holding out for a fee between £80m and £100m. For City, the path forward is clear: they will push hard to close the gap with Nottingham Forest on Anderson’s valuation, but if negotiations stall, Etihad chiefs are ready to redirect their financial power toward tempting Tonali to Manchester instead.

In Today’s Links: another look at Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s monster 2025 campaign, ways our Seattle Seahawks can respond to the Myles Garrett trade, several takeaways from the Derick Hall signing, Sam Darnold has been picking up the new offense, and a bit more. Happy Thursday! The weekend is basically here. Kick your feet up. Soon. After work today. Thanks for being here. Go, ‘Hawks!
Seahawks News
Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Historic Season Was Even Better Than You Realize – Seaside Joe
Non-Seahawks fans don’t and will never appreciate how absurd JSN’s 2025 season actually was
Brock & Salk: 2 ways Seahawks can combat Rams’ bold additions – Seattle Sports
Brock and Salk view continuity and depth as Seattle’s path to countering the Rams.
Derick Hall Signed Contract Extension Wednesday: ‘This Place Is Really Special To Me’ – Seahawks.com
Seahawks outside linebacker Derick Hall spoke with the media after he signed a three-year contract extension on Wednesday.

Last week, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell provided a vague injury update for Lions safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, along with tight end Sam LaPorta.
“They’re all improving. None of them are practicing,” Campbell said ahead of the third OTA practice for the team. “It’s the best I can tell you.”
At this point, there is no clear timeline for any of those players’ returns to the field, but this week we did get some visual progress for Branch.
The Lions’ Pro Bowl safety suffered a torn Achilles in early December, and it’s basically been radio silence since. However, a couple of Instagram pages this week shared photos and videos of Branch’s rehab process. First, the Instagram page _rockofficial shared a pair of photos of him working with a medicine ball and flipping a tire.
That account belongs to Christian Van Buren, a former college football player and current “performance specialist.”

Texas A&M baseball has seen its first non‑pitcher enter the transfer portal this offseason, and this one stings a little more than most. Sophomore infielder Sawyer Farr, a legacy Aggie who never stopped grinding for a role, has officially entered the portal, as first reported by Aggie Sports 365 and later confirmed by On3.
Farr’s path in College Station was anything but straightforward. Thrust into a starting job far earlier than expected during the injury‑plagued 2025 season, he endured the typical freshman growing pains while trying to stabilize an infield that was constantly in flux. Despite being a top‑rated shortstop in his class, he wasn’t projected to play nearly as much as he did, and the learning curve showed.
The 2026 season brought even more competition. True freshman Boston Kellner seized the starting shortstop job from day one, while Chris Hacopian opened the year at second base. Even when Hacopian shifted to designated hitter due to injury, veteran Ben Royo stepped in at second, leaving Farr without a clear path to consistent innings.
With Jack Bell arriving through the portal and both freshman starters potentially returning, the infield picture only grew more crowded. Farr found himself on the outside looking in, reduced to backup opportunities rather than a defined role.
Still, he made the most of the chances he did get. Across 19 games and 40 at‑bats, Farr posted a .250/.400/.325 slash line, showing improved plate discipline and the same clutch gene that surfaced multiple times during his freshman campaign.

A new basketball league is coming to Europe. NBA commissioner Adam Silver provided a little more clarity on Wednesday.
Speaking with reporters ahead of the 2026 NBA Finals, Silver confirmed the NBA is on track for its European subsidiary to launch next year and will soon stop accepting bids from interested teams:
“We are very much on schedule. It is our hope and anticipation that that league will launch in the 2027-28 season in Europe. We are on track. Final bids from franchises are due at the end of the month in June. As has been reported, we’ve seen record interest and we’re very excited about the ongoing opportunity and working closely with FIBA, our federation.”
Silver later said the league will “presumably” be in position to award franchises in the fall. When asked how the new league would be structured, he laid out a vision that features 16 teams, with some existing teams and some newly created, some permanent and some using a promotion/relegation system.
Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament

Italy have painfully missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row, yet Serie A fans will still see many of their idols in the USA, Mexico and Canada this summer, with 66 players from Italy’s top flight called up.
The 2026 World Cup is just around the corner and, unfortunately, it will not see the Azzurri among the participating teams.
Italy faced elimination from the World Cup play-off Final in March, losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina and failing to qualify for the tournament for the third consecutive time.
However, several Serie A stars will participate in the competition, which runs from June 11 to July 19.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 31: Christian Pulisic of United States scores his team’s second goal against Mory Diaw of Senegal during the international friendly match between United States and Senegal at Bank of America Stadium on May 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Jalen Brunson was a high-profile guard in college, leading the Villanova Wildcats to two NCAA championships in his three years there. Things changed dramatically when he decided to turn professional.
Brunson was selected 33rd overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, a class widely regarded as one of the strongest in recent years. The worst part, at least from his perspective, was landing with the Dallas Mavericks, who also acquired Luka Doncic — arguably the most NBA-ready player in that draft.
Brunson averaged 18.9 points while playing around 32 minutes per game in his final college season. Those numbers declined during his rookie year with Dallas, as he posted 9.3 points and roughly 22 minutes per game. The Mavericks also had guards such as Dennis Smith Jr. and J.J. Barea, making his role uncertain.
He instantly became a back up with Doncic as the team’s main guy in terms of playmaking and scoring. Brunson shared that it was during these times that he felt unsure about his ability.
“The only time is probably my rookie year … playing pickup with the team in Dallas and then obviously watching Luka doing his thing so effortlessly,” he said when asked by a reporter if ever dealt with imposter syndrome in his career..

HOUSTON (AP) — Oneil Cruz and Brandon Lowe hit three-run homers and Endy Rodríguez added a two-run shot to power the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 10-6 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
Jake Mangum tied a career-high with four hits to help the Pirates to their fourth straight victory.
Yordan Alvarez had three RBIs and hit his 21st home run, which ranks second in the majors behind Kyle Schwarber's 22. But his big game wasn't enough to keep the Astros from their third loss in four games.
The Pirates trailed by 2 with no outs and two on in the sixth before Cruz launched his 14th homer of the season into the bullpen in right-center field to give them a 5-4 lead.
Lowe’s home run, which clanged off the foul pole in right field, came in the eighth to make it 9-4.

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 15: Tommy Kahnle #41 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout during Game 2 of the ALCS presented by loanDepot between the Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Boston Red Sox have spent much of the season searching for bullpen consistency, and that need became increasingly apparent as veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle continued to dominate at Triple-A Worcester.
Kahnle was pitching well for the Red Sox’s Triple-A affiliate this season and, after spending 11 seasons in the big leagues, the right-hander appeared to be positioning himself either for a major league opportunity in Boston or the chance to pursue one elsewhere.
“Veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle, who has a 1.40 ERA in 18 games at Triple-A Worcester, can opt out of his minor league deal and become a free agent Monday (June 1),” Chris Cotillo reported for MassLive last week. “According to a source with knowledge of Kahnle’s thinking, the righty ‘100 percent’ plans to hit free agency if he is not added to Boston’s roster.”
FORBES | By Peter Chawaga
Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker Makes Change For First Time Since Leaving Cubs As Concerns Mount

With football’s biggest stars all set to battle it out at this summer’s World Cup, there is plenty to be excited about.
Aside from the team glory of winning the whole competition, there are plenty of ways for a player to enjoy a successful tournament. One such way would be by scoring the most goals at the tournament and claiming the prestigious World Cup Golden Boot.
Here are some of the stars that will be in the running for the Golden Boot at this summer’s World Cup…
Who better to start with than Erling Haaland. The Norwegian has won three of the last four Premier League Golden Boots and is quite frankly a goalscoring machine. The striker netted a staggering 16 goals in eight qualifying matches, as he helped his nation reach the tournament for the first time in almost 30 years.
Although Haaland has **** nal captain Martin Odegaard on hand to create for him, Norway do not have the strongest national team. Consequently, the Manchester City striker is somewhat of an outsider for the top scorer prize. You can take advantage of that fact and discover him at even bigger odds by using the price boost finder.

Milwaukee vs. Auburn baseball box score: Live stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game 6 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After taking care of business against the Milwaukee Panthers late in the early morning hours on Monday, the Auburn Tigers baseball team is back at it again. A rematch is in store with both teams will be in store tonight in the Auburn Regional Final.
The Tigers need a win to advance, while Milwaukee needs two straight victories to survive. First pitch will be at 6 p.m. ET.
2026 NCAA Baseball Championship
1

Tennessee's 2026 softball season concluded Monday in the College World Series semifinals. Texas (51-12) eliminated the Lady Vols (49-12), 4-0, at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Following a season-ending defeat, Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly discussed Monday's contest.
"First, I'd like to thank everybody involved in putting on this event," Weekly said. "It's absolutely incredible. This venue is unbelievable, the experience, the TV coverage. It's just awesome to see what's happened to college softball and how it grows every year.
"I want to congratulate the University of Texas. Outstanding, outstanding team. When those seniors on their team were freshmen, they came to our place for super regionals in 2023. Even though we won, I remember saying to Mike (White), your team is going to be a ******* uva team and going to contend for championships if all those girls stay together, and they've stayed together. They did what they needed to do today. They've got a very veteran team, very experienced team, and they rose to the occasion with their backs against the wall. Incredibly talented, incredibly experienced, and very, very well prepared. Also, I'm really proud of our team, really proud of our team. I think a lot of people counted us out, didn't think we'd get here. We certainly had our ups and downs during the season. Then when we got here, probably thought we wouldn't make much noise, and we made a lot of noise. I told them in the locker room there's never any words to say that's going to ease the pain, but I think for our team the pain is because it's the end of them being together. It's the end of them being together. Absolutely they want to win a national championship, but I think it's just as much they want to be together another day, and that's where the sadness comes from. We're grateful that we're here. We're grateful we're in a position to be sad because a lot of teams aren't."
More: Karlyn Pickens' college softball career ends with Tennessee

We start each week of the season with a quick look back to spotlight the standout performances of the previous week. This week's finalists all came from Section 1 tournament semifinal winners. Go ahead, vote and vote and vote. The winner gets five minutes of fame on our social media accounts.
The poll closes at 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 3.
Previous winners: Aiden Kinsley, Kennedy Catholic; Logan Idi, Ossining; Jackson Rosenfeld, Ardsley; A.J. Pesce, Valhalla; Chase Harrison, Edgemont; David Rosen, Edgemont; Dakota Bourgie, Putnam Valley; Mikey Hart, Valhalla.
The senior defender returned from injury and impacted a 16-8 win over Irvington, getting two ******* ists, three caused turnovers and four ground ******* .
The senior FOGO surpassed 900 career faceoff wins, going 20 for 24 during a 17-5 win over Putnam Valley in a Section 1 Class D semifinal.

It's time to take a look at the standout performers from Section V.
Your vote will determine who will be the Faber Builders Boys Sports Athlete of the Week for May 25-31. The players' credentials are listed above the poll — which will be live until 8 p.m. Wednesday. The winner will be announced on our Instagram page Thursday morning.
The nominees are chosen by our sports reporters. If you would like to call attention to an athlete's performance to be considered for the nomination, please email sportsdemocratandchronicle.com by 7 p.m. each Sunday. All athletes who play on Section V boys teams are eligible to be nominated.
The poll can be found at the bottom of the article. Now, let's meet the candidates.
A senior at Geneseo who ran the fastest 800-meter race in Section V this spring (1 minute, 55.93 seconds) during the Class C3 sectional championships.

More than 890 people were arrested across France in riots following Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG's) Champions League victory, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on Monday.
That was 45% more arrests than after the club's victory the previous year, the minister told the broadcaster France Inter.
He said the high number of arrests showed that the security forces had done their job well, as it had been clear in advance that riots would occur.
Rioting broke out in several French cities as PSG rose to victory. In some places, shops were looted and fires set.
On the Champs-Élysées boulevard in Paris, where thousands of people had gathered, clashes occurred between masked individuals and security forces. Projectiles and tear gas were used.

PROVIDENCE — It will be at least Tuesday before the Division III softball winner’s bracket final is decided.
Tiverton and Rogers were suspended due to rain in the bottom of the third inning Sunday night at Rhode Island College. The Tigers held a 6-5 lead on the Vikings and were batting with two outs and ******* ody on when umpires halted the action.
Lia Doster was at the plate with a full count when the call was finally made to stop playing. Both pitchers were starting to have difficulty gripping the ball and some mud was forming around each base. The fans who remained just prior to 10 p.m. headed quickly for their cars at the premature conclusion.
Morgan DiManno’s run-scoring triple to center and an RBI groundout by Abby Gilfillen helped Tiverton overcome a 5-3 deficit in the third. Sarah Poland grounded an RBI single up the middle in the first and an error plated two runs in the second to help the Tigers erase an early 4-0 hole.
Rogers started quickly in the top of the first, sending all but one of its nine hitters to the plate. Jazelle Ramons whacked a two-run triple to deep right-center to highlight the rally, scoring courtesy runner Catalina Schroder and Charlotte Plowden. Alexandra Brown’s safety squeeze bunt added another run in the second.

Vinicius Jr. and Luiz Henrique celebrate Brazil’s first goal in the 6-2 rout of PanamaCredits: Nelson Terme/CBF
Scorer of the first goal in Brazil’s 6-2 rout of Panama this Sunday (31) at the Maracanã, forward Vinícius Júnior said the friendly was a good opportunity for the Brazilian team to prepare for the 2026 World Cup. He also played a direct role in the second goal, scored by Casemiro. He was then substituted at halftime.
“I believe it was a good game for our preparation. There were two teams, one in the first half and another in the second half, but with the same objective: to arrive as well prepared as possible for the World Cup. I believe both teams (the two Seleção lineups) did very well what the ‘Mister’ asked of us, and we managed to put it into practice,” he said.
The No. 7 also praised the atmosphere at the Maracanã after the friendly win and spoke about the feeling of returning to the stadium. More than 70,000 Brazilian fans made the difference and pushed the team toward victory. “Winning at home, at the Maracanã, being able to come back here after such a long time, is always very special,” added Vinícius Júnior.
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RALEIGH, N.C. — The Vegas Golden Knights would love nothing more than to throw a block party at Lenovo Center beginning Tuesday night. It’s a path, albeit a painful one, to winning a second Stanley Cup.

Blocking shots in the NHL takes courage. Ask Pavel Dorofeyev, who took one off the knee in the Anaheim series then returned to the ice and was the overtime hero of Game 5 when he scored the game winner.

“It’s kind of a s— part of my job, but it hurts more when I miss it,” I just had to get myself together and get back on the ice,” was Dorofeyev’s now-famous postgame quote. And it exemplifies what the mentality is when it comes to blocking shots.

On this team, no one is exempt when it comes to getting in front of pucks. It’s one of those “non-negotiables” that coaches love to talk about. And John Tortorella has been a long-time advocate of demanding his players block opponents’ shots.

The memo was received loud and clear, Through three rounds of this year’s playoffs, the Knights have a total of 278 blocked shots compared to 223 for their opponents. Shea Theodore, who’s not known for being a big shot-blocking presence unlike his blueline partner Brayden McNabb, is second in the NHL in postseason blocks with 46. McNabb has 31 and ranks sixth, followed right behind by Noah Hanifin with 30 and Rasmus Andersson is 11th with 26 blocks.

And if you think the Vegas forwards get a free pass, guess again. Colton Sissons has 17 blocks, Jack Eichel has 16 and Nic Dowd has 14. Dorofeyev? He’s got nine and he’s got the bruises to prove it.

Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin is the Hurricanes’ top shot-blocker with 28, which ranks him ninth in the playoffs. The Canes don’t block a lot of shots. But don’t be fooled. Opponents don’t get a lot of shots for Carolina to block as shot suppression is preached by coach Rod Brind’Amour. In five games of the Eastern Conference Final, the Montreal Canadiens managed just 89 shots total, an average of under 18 shots on goal. No wonder the Habs were sent packing.

Can Carolina contain Vegas’ attack? Can the Knights get enough shooting volume each game to make Frederik Andersen work in the Carolina net? Or will the Canes have to block more shots in order to get the desired result?

Conversely, will Carolina be able to pressure Carter Hart enough and not get frustrated when Theodore, McNabb and the rest of the Knights throw their bodies in the way of shots from the Canes’ shooters?

Defenseman Dylan Coghlan said it’s a mindset that was there before Tortorella arrived, basically emanating from ******* istant coach John Stevens, whose primary responsibility is working with the Vegas defensemen.

“It’s just one of those things you have to do,” Coghlan said. “I think (Stevens) said it a few times — it hurts more if it goes by you. So just having that mentality and trying to do everything you can.

“I think it started as a joke, but I don't think anybody takes it as a joke. It's true, if it goes by you and i

Win or go home.
After being upset by St. John’s on Friday, No. 10 seed Florida State is attempting to fight its way out of the loser’s bracket in the Tallahassee Regional to make a return trip to the super regional stage.
The Seminoles, in a game that took nearly 24 hours to complete due to weather delays and a postponement, took down Coastal Carolina 2-1 on Sunday to keep their season alive.
Florida State will now face off against Northern Illinois at approximately 7:15 p.m ET (ESPN+) to try to advance to the Tallahassee Regional championship, where St. John’s awaits after going 2-0. The Seminoles will serve as the away team in the matchup, hitting first.
The Huskies led 5-0 after three innings, but a nine-run fourth inning and a six-run fifth propelled the Red Storm to a blowout 21-8 win. NIU was forced to use eight pitchers after rolling out four in its Friday win over Coastal Carolina, including its ace Max Vaisvila.

The Carolina Hurricanes are headed to the Stanley Cup Final, and excitement is building across the Triangle as fans get ready for Game 1.
The Hurricanes will face the Vegas Golden Knights, with the series opening Tuesday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Tickets for the Stanley Cup Final are now on sale.
After clinching the Eastern Conference ****** le with a Game 5 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday, Caniacs are preparing to pack arenas, bars and watch parties across the area in red, white and black.
For fans who can't make it inside Lenovo Center, there are several places around Raleigh to catch the action:
Moore Square (Downtown Raleigh): Outdoor watch party with a large jumbotron. Fans are encouraged to bring their own chairs.

The Prem
Leicester: (14) 26
Tries: Pearson, Cracknell, Clare Cons: Bailey Pens: Bailey 3
Exeter: (13) 35
Tries: Woodburn 2, Ikitau, Zambonin Cons: Slade 3 Pens: Slade 3