brentford Striker Igor Thiago has completed one of the most remarkable developments in Brazilian football after confirming his place in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the World Cup.

The 24-year-old’s stellar season in England has already thrust him firmly into the international spotlight.

However, the confirmation of his place in the team represents another big step forward in a career that has grown rapidly since his move to the Premier League. sounds like Brazil finally gets its ‘number nine’ At last.

Igor Thiago has scored 22 Premier League goals this season. Those performances not only turned him into one of Brentford’s most important players, but also attracted serious transfer interest from across Europe.

Chelsea has already inquired Regarding the striker, while Atletico Madrid and Juventus have also checked into his situation in recent weeks. As we recently coveredBrentford are reportedly demanding around £77 million (€90 million) for the Brazilian.

Now, with the World Cup in front of him, his value and visibility may increase even further.

Emotional reaction after Brazil call-up

Speaking in comments relayed by ulIgor Thiago admitted that the moment was difficult to describe.

“The only hope we had was faith. We prepared a whole party here at the house and waited for Mister to say my name.” He said.

“They called my name. I’m going to play my first World Cup. It’s an honor. I can’t even express myself. I don’t have words to describe the gratitude and the feeling I’m experiencing right now.”

The striker directly pointed to his Brentford form as the reason behind the call-up. Of course, it is Also positive publicity for the club.

“For what I’m doing this season with my goals. Everything I do at Brentford – physical strength, counter-attacking, I think whatever quality our national team has, I can do that too.

“I’m a tall striker, good inside the box, good in the air, with good pace and finishing. I think a striker should have these attributes, and I think I have them all.”

Brentford’s rise changed everything

Igor Thiago also reflects on the unusual path that took him from amateur football in Brazil to the Premier League and now the World Cup.

“I come from a rural area in the state of Goiás. I was playing amateur football until I was 17 years old. Then I went to a rural area in another state for trials. I became champion there and moved to Cruzeiro.

“I spent three years in the second division at Cruzeiro. Then I went to Bulgaria and my story started to change, then Belgium, scoring goals until I reached the Premier League. Now I have the opportunity to represent my country at the World Cup.”

That journey, whose details we have given earlierNow the striker is becoming a major talking point in Brazil.

Meanwhile, for Brentford, the timing is hard to ignore. With the World Cup approaching and several major European clubs already keeping a close eye on the player, the market around Igor Thiago could become even more aggressive in the coming months.

Manchester City Pair Bernardo Silva and Omar Marmoush have both been reported about a possible transfer to Galatasaray this summer.

Saba reports on the Manchester City pair today. The newspaper reports that while the Turkish side is raising its voice against Silva, Marmoush has also ‘received information’.

manchester city duo on the phone

They reveal the pair were on the phone with former Manchester City midfielder Elke Gundogan, who recently spoke out about the matter.

“Some of my former teammates have called me and asked questions about the club and the league, but I don’t want to reveal names.” He admitted recently.

Sabah have now reported that those two players are Omar Marmoush and Bernardo Silva. When it comes to the former, the report claims that he picked up the phone to contact Gundogan directly and get information about Galatasaray.

The 27-year-old is likely to be targeted if the Turkish side decide not to retain Mauro Icardi this summer. That decision is yet to be taken.

Bernardo Silva in demand

Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva is a long-term target. He is set to become a free agent when his contract at the Etihad expires this summer. But there is competition across Europe, with Juventus particularly keen on him.

The 31-year-old player wants to continue his career with the team present in the Champions League. Galatasaray can certainly offer that.

It has not been made clear what Marmoush wants from his next team. But it seems he is looking around and assessing his options ahead of the summer.

The Egyptian has barely made an impact at the Etihad since arriving last year after thriving in Germany and has played as a back-up behind Erling Haaland. He is now also behind several other options, such as Ryan Cherky and Antoine Semenyo.

However, he will definitely want to see what the plans are at Manchester City after Pep Guardiola. This could change his thinking significantly, even if he has talked to Gundogan about life in Turkey.

Rob Parker thinks Fernando Mendoza is going to be ruined.

The child has not taken a single picture. Not a single representative training camp has been conducted. Haven’t thrown a pass that matters since the national title game. And we have to file the judgment in May.

What is the proof of that? The NFL left the Raiders on the primetime slate. This is the whole logic. Apparently, the people who plug the games into the time slot in the league office have better information about Mendoza than Jon Spytek. These are the same brilliant minds who come to Jacksonville every Thursday night and tell us it’s time to watch.

Fox Sports’ Rob Parker’s “Hot Take” Is Simply Ignorant

I pulled the clip a second time because I wanted to make sure I held it correctly. I did it. Fox Sports Radio. Thursday. Mendoza’s busted, don’t bother looking, Brady ruined the franchise. All this cooked in May.

First let me explain the obvious part. The Raiders won three games last year. Three. Whenever the league gave him a primetime window in 2025, he was unwatchable. Why on earth would Park Avenue hand them another Sunday night from a rookie quarterback’s college tape? They won’t do that. He didn’t. Lincoln Kennedy said the same thing on the Raiders squad show and Kennedy played here, which means his read on this makes about a hundred times more sense to me than Parker’s. You earn primetime. This roaster hasn’t earned dishwater from Andy Reid’s plate.

He’s not on Mendoza. This is the situation he went into.

The piece that really gets under my skin is the valuation. Or what is missing.

41 Touchdowns. 3,535 yards. Heisman Trophy. Natty. In Indiana. I said Indiana. Spytech will not even take trade calls on picks. Not “took them and passed them.” Did not pick up the phone. I’ve covered enough drafts to tell you when a GM is doing due diligence and when he’s already made a decision. This is decided.

Criticism of Fernando Mendoza from “anonymous sources”

Now, the anonymous ACC coach who spoke told ESPN that Mendoza doesn’t have NFL traits. Sure, whatever. Ever since I was secretly drinking beer in college, anonymous coaches have been misunderstanding quarterbacks. They missed Brees. Brady missed. Mahomes missed by a country mile. The track record of sinking anonymous scouts on top picks is, to put it mercifully, poor. And now we’re supposed to believe one of these guys as scripture because this quote fits the premise that Parker was already cooking in the chamber? No. I am well.

Kirk Morrison has been in the league for a long time. Morrison said Mendoza is the hardest worker he has seen in his years in college. Morrison’s name is on it. The other boy was not with him. Pick one for the ride.

Parker’s Tom Brady performance as Raiders owner is also ridiculous

Then we get to Brady and this is actually where Parker offers his hand to me.

Brady ruined the Raiders. That’s his line. The attacker. Hugh Jackson. Dennis Allen. Del Rio. Give Gruden a run. McDaniels shot himself on the side of the road. Antonio Pierce. Pete Carroll for a year. The franchise that nuked itself every 20 months for 15 consecutive years. Brady reportedly ruined it.

Get out of here with him.

I will come equal to you. I’m not the guy who’s going to die defending Brady’s minority stake. The questions of how practical a part-owner should be are real, and the people I trust on this beat are asking them every week. We can do that column some other day. But the version of history where Brady torches a thriving operation? You have to forget that the last decade and a half of Raiders football even existed.

Brady was in Spytek’s room. In Kubiak’s room. In the room when the front office ultimately chose the quarterback they wanted, not the quarterback they got. He is not wasting anything. It’s someone who is finally aiming the gun in a direction that makes sense.

Raiders hot takes are just for clicks and attention

And here’s the thing about what Parker is doing. He is not analyzing the team. He is making a clip. He knows the word Raiders prints engagement. He pressed the button. The button worked. I’m at my desk on a Sunday at 9pm writing about him, so well, he won the day.

This does not mean that he is right.

Honestly a read on the 2026 Raiders is more boring than a viral clip. The spine is in reconstruction for the first time in forever. Spytech has done more in four months than in the four years of the last three regimes. Kubiak’s scheme needs to fit the bodies on the roster. A quarterback may be good, may be great, may spend a year on the bench and clipboard. I’m optimistic, but I’m not booking flights to Los Angeles. Cousins ​​are still cousins. The O-line is still a project. There is still a question mark on the receiver room. All of this is true at the same time.

But you don’t drop the word bust on the No. 1 pick in May because the TV schedule didn’t break out the way you wanted.

The kid hasn’t played a single snap.

Look at something. Then come find me.

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Henry Bolte recently took the world of minor league baseball by going 12-for-12. He had five extra-base hits in Friday’s game before posting another 5-for-5 game the next day. That performance has contributed to a .348/.418/.658 slash line and 1.076 OPS in 37 games with the Athletics’ Triple-A team.

According to sources told by Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline, the A’s are going to call up Bolte and give him a chance to remain with the big league club. The Athletics already have some of the best young hitters in the game in Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers and Jacob Wilson. Adding Bolt to that crop could put them in legitimate contention.

A are competing..?

It’s hard to believe, but yes, athletics is in controversy right now. They have managed to make it to the top of the struggling American League West division. The club has a respectable record of 21–19, which puts them two games ahead of the second-place Texas Rangers. If the season ended today, they would actually receive a bye into the postseason, which would be the second-best record to the AL division leaders.

That’s mostly due to that young offensive core. The A’s are in the top ten of MLB teams in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.249), on-base percentage (.326), slugging percentage (.400) and OPS (.726). This has helped cover the lack of viable pitching on the Athletics roster. The pitching staff has a combined 4.42 ERA on the year (21st in MLB).

Kurtz and Langeliers titled that group. Despite getting off to a slow start in his sophomore campaign, Kurtz has heated up since then. The 2025 AL Rookie of the Year has a ridiculous .841 OPS with a .414 OBP. To put that number in perspective, Barry Bonds’ career OBP is .444. Langeliers ultimately seemed to be successful, posting a .336 batting average with 11 home runs. The backstop has an OPS over 1,000 for the first time in his career.

Bolte’s spot on the roster

The outfield is mostly set up for the Athletics, with Lawrence Butler, Denzel Clark and Tyler Soderstrom making up the starting group. But that group has been seriously lacking in aggression and has posted a combined .191 batting average. Carlos Cortes and Jack Gelof have stepped up in their place. Cortes has an incredible .355/.408/.570 slash line with a .978 OPS.

With that in mind, Bolte has plenty of opportunities to get reps despite a crowded outfield. But if he struggles early, the A’s can always send him back to Triple-A. Bolte is only 22 and has plenty of time to develop. But if he can contribute at the big league level, it could go a long way in helping the club win its first division title since 2013 (not including the shortened 2020 campaign).

According to Divine Sports Gospel, the San Diego Padres are reportedly calling up Sung-Mun Song for tonight’s game against the division-rival San Francisco Giants. Song previously made his MLB debut last week during the Mexico City Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He only pinch-run and did not have an at-bat in the game.

Song was the Friars’ biggest offensive tackle this offseason, signing a four-year, $15 million deal with the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). After missing his ramp-up due to an oblique injury, he was demoted to Triple-A to get used to facing MLB pitching.

He has performed relatively well in Triple-A. Song combined for a .293/.364/.354 slash line with a respectable (albeit slightly lower) .718 OPS. But the underlying numbers are not the same as Song’s. Being limited to singles, he hasn’t made too much hard contact on his hits. He has only four extra-base hits in 25 of 29 games played in El Paso.

Roster transfer still necessary

The Padres will either have to send someone down or move him to the IL for a call up. It has been speculated that the move could come in the form of starting second baseman Jake Cronenworth. He had a disappointing start to the year, batting .144/.272/.468. This basically assures the Padres of an out every time he comes to the plate. His glove is solid, but not good enough to keep his ice-cold bat in the lineup. He was hit by a pitch last night and could be sent to the IL to make room for Song.

Song was initially signed for the Friars as a utility option, capable of playing any position defensively (except catcher). It is likely that this will be on full display if he is called upon for longer periods. That being said, for now, it seems more likely that he will become the starting second baseman.

Whatever the case, Song likely won’t magically move up to the big league level after a lackluster performance in Triple-A. But reportedly that is why he is not being called. The truth of the matter is that San Diego will do anything to get out of the recession it is in. Song could perhaps provide something new that will re-energize these Padres.

The Baltimore Ravens have been heavily involved throughout the offseason, including arguably the biggest controversy in the NFL following a trade for Max Crosby. Although they did not get Crosby, the Ravens did turn their attention to what some might call the best pass-rusher available in free agency by signing Trey Hendrickson.

They have also seen some of their players leave in free agency, whether it be by signing a deal with a different team or simply having their contracts expire. One player who has not yet signed a new deal is DeAndre Hopkins.

Still, the three-time All-Pro has been busy criticizing his former team on social media.

On Monday, Hopkins tweeted the following message:

“How many times do you think I was used in the red zone after this? I’m still one of the most productive guys when targeted but I have never complained with my snaps and never will. Fact!”

Hopkins was responding to a tweet that urged the Ravens to bring the 33-year-old wideout back to Baltimore. Still, it doesn’t seem like Hopkins has any strong interest in re-signing in Baltimore after starting only three of his 17 appearances.

In that time, Hopkins has been targeted only 39 times. But he caught 22 of those passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns. However, the five-time Pro Bowler’s numbers have been declining over the past few seasons. In 2024, Hopkins combined for only 610 yards and five touchdowns while splitting time between the Titans and Chiefs.

RELATED: 2026 NFL Mock Draft After NFL Free Agency Negotiation Window

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

The Oklahoma City Thunder continued their winning ways with a thrilling win over the Denver Nuggets at home on Monday evening. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may very well have strengthened his MVP case in this one, hitting two monster three-pointers in the final seconds to help secure the Thunder’s victory.

Oklahoma City was playing without several key players, including Alex Caruso, who has been in and out of the lineup all year due to various injuries. Recently, Caruso stopped by the “Pardon My Take” podcast, and one of the questions discussed was the Thunder’s inability to win the NBA Cup the past two years, despite making it to the tournament in Las Vegas both times.

Host Big Cat joked, “When the lights go as bright as they can at the NBA Cup, it’s suffocating. You’re the bran.”

Caruso then makes a joke at his expense, also ruining the NBA Cup in the process.

“When the platform is at its peak, he can’t step up to the plate,” he said, according to Big Cat on X, formerly of Twitter.

Indeed, many agree with Caruso’s opinion that the stakes of the NBA Cup have still not been raised high enough for fans to truly invest in the event.

Last season, the Thunder lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the Cup semi-final round, the first of four losses to San Antonio this season, leading many to speculate that a Western Conference Finals matchup between the two teams could occur.

Meanwhile, the Thunder have resumed their dominance after a bit of trouble over the past few weeks, with Gilgeous-Alexander returning to form after a long injury layoff with an abdominal strain./

When the Thunder are healthy, no team in the NBA can come close to matching their depth, and Caruso is a big part in helping the team get to the table on both ends of the floor when healthy.

Caruso hopes to be seen again when the lights are really brightest during the NBA Finals in June.

Ronald Koeman is closely following West Ham United’s Crescencio Somerville.

ESPN NL’s Goedemorgen Eredivisie had the Netherlands coach as a guest on Sunday football news The West Ham star has released his comments.

The winger has performed well so far this calendar year. To put this in context, he scored seven goals and provided two assists for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team in 2026.

This included a winner against Fulham and a goal in West Ham’s 2–1 league win over Tottenham Hotspur in January.

Last month, Sports Witness Dutch media covered He is being pressurized to call from Netherlands.

Somerville’s debut is yet to come

The West Ham star has played for the Netherlands at various youth levels but has yet to represent their senior team. The 24-year-old player is still waiting for his first call.

Koeman has now confirmed that the former Leeds United star is on his radar.

“Our biggest competition is often in midfield and defence, but in attack, it is a little less. He plays in the Premier League and is important at West Ham United. He can play on the right and on the left. We are keeping a close eye on that.” He said.

“He’s also very clever at maintaining possession and has a high level of efficiency in his game. That’s what you’re looking for. He’s used to playing with full intensity both forward and at the back.”

West Ham player may get a call soon

Somerville is also eligible to represent Suriname on the international stage. Their manager Henk ten Cate has convinced Leeds United’s Joel Pirro to choose Suriname over the Netherlands.

Last month, Sports Witness broadcast news That Ten Cate or Koeman have not yet called the West Ham player.

This may soon change before the upcoming international break. Asked whether he could include Somerville in the next squad, Koeman said: “It’s a possibility, yes.”

However, the former Everton boss did not call for him to stop representing Suriname.

“I don’t think you should select a player to overtake Suriname. A player has to be in the picture, and when he is ready, you should call him up,” He added.

Oranje are in danger of missing out on Somerville

The Netherlands have to play two friendly matches against Norway and Ecuador in the next international break.

Koeman will have to make sure that he selects the attacker so that the national team does not miss a talented player in the long run.

If not, it leaves the door open for Ten Kate to convince Somerville to choose Suriname.

In the last few weeks, sports witness Inter Milan have covered Arsenal’s interest in talent Francesco Pio Esposito.

Talk of the Gunners’ interest in the striker has increased since he played against them in the Champions League. The Italian did not score but remained a constant threat as Inter lost 3–1 at San Siro.

Since then, he has scored some big goals – including finding the net against Juventus in Serie A. This has played a role in raising Pio Esposito’s stature to new heights.

He has seven goals and six assists in all competitions this season.

Now, more details are emerging regarding Arsenal’s interest.

Arteta is a big fan of the Italian language

Arsenal’s interest has been raised gazzetta dello sport Today.

He makes it clear that Arsenal and Mikel Arteta were impressed with Pio Esposito after the Champions League game. The manager is said to have asked sporting director Andrea Berta to investigate the possibility of signing the striker, who has also caught the Italian’s attention.

This led Berta to immediately contact Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio. The Arsenal representative inquired about whether Pio Esposito is for sale and his asking price.

The Nerazzurri’s response was brief and firm, making it clear there was no room for negotiation.

They see the Italy international as an important part of their future and have no intention of selling him. This put an end to any possibility of Arsenal signing the player.

pio esposito is shining

Inter’s response is no surprise, given how quickly Pio Esposito has progressed.

He was the Serie B Player of the Season during the 2024/25 campaign, when he was loaned to Spezia. The 20-year-old already has three goals for the Azzurri.

Many expect him to play a leading role at the World Cup if Italy qualifies. This will only increase his valuation and send the message that he is one of the best young talents.

Chelsea and Manchester City are already calling up Genk youngster Constantino Caretas as a race for his signature develops in Europe.

That’s according to 24 sata And Importance of Limburg. Both newspapers cover the age of 18 years. According to him, Chelsea and Manchester City are making great efforts to sign Karatsas.

The youngster is the undisputed star of Genk at the moment. He has three goals and 15 assists in 35 games this season.

His record for the club is six goals and 20 assists in 78 games. He also has six goals and five assists in 20 games for the youth team.

Chelsea and Manchester City are calling

He is an undisputed rising star and big-time sides are courting him. According to 24Sata, Chelsea and Manchester City have already put themselves into the mix.

Same is the situation with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The race is on for the Genk star. This may be because some people are saying that only Kevin De Bruyne has played better for Genk.

This is high praise indeed and given the situation in Belgium it will certainly have ears perking up at the Etihad.

Meanwhile, HBVL has put a price tag on the midfielder’s head. According to their information, the ‘Genk wonder boy’ is worth around €28m. This is hardly an insurmountable figure for Chelsea or Manchester City.

Manchester City has already rejected

The Premier League pair have also been interested for some time. In fact, Karetsas revealed 2024 that he had previously rejected Pep Guardiola’s favour.

However, they are not worried. Sport Witness covered a report About to see their interest resume in November. Meanwhile, Chelsea joins the hunt In December 2024 and it appears that Caretas hasn’t stopped following him since then.

Calls are now being made, although there is no mention of how they are being received. Given his previous dislike of City’s proposal when he was younger, Karatsas may need some convincing.