chelsea Now Thiago Silva may be offered a very different route back to Stamford Bridge, with the Brazilian’s future pointing towards coaching rather than another playing contract.

The Brazilian has decided not to activate the automatic renewal clause in his Porto contract. Despite this, he recently won the Portuguese title with the club.

according to espn brazil According to journalist Bruno Andrade, Porto wanted Thiago Silva to stay for another season. However, the veteran preferred to become a free agent and reevaluate the final phase of his career.

That decision has now opened up two possibilities. This will allow him to continue playing for AC Milan in Italy for the next one year. The second could begin his long-term transition into coaching – and that’s where Chelsea enter the picture.

Crossroads Chelsea icon presented

Bruno Andrade explains that Chelsea have already invited Thiago Silva to become part of the club’s wider structure after he decided to retire.

Importantly, this will not include playing returns. Instead, the plan will see Thiago Silva working as part of Chelsea’s normal coaching staff.

The initial idea for them is to start around the academy setup. Then, over time he would gradually progress through the club structure. Along with this, he will also continue his coaching studies and live with his family. who lives in london.

Thiago Silva already has a UEFA B license, is finalizing a UEFA A license, and is expected to start a UEFA Pro license in the United Kingdom. As long as he completes the final stages of his coaching path, the club can integrate him internally.

There is already a strong relationship between Thiago Silva and the current Chelsea staff behind the scenes.

As we covered last yearThe Brazilian remained close to the club’s people even after leaving Stamford Bridge. He was also included in the group during Chelsea’s FIFA Club World Cup victory.

Nevertheless, there is nothing to suggest that the offer is linked to the arrival of Xabi Alonso or any specific managerial influence. Instead, this appears to be a broader institutional move from Chelsea, with the club seeing Thiago Silva as someone who can gradually become part of their long-term structure.

Interesting option for Chelsea

Thiago Silva recently left Chelsea, but his connection with the club clearly remains strong behind the scenes.

Even during difficult times at Stamford Bridge, the defender was widely seen as one of the team’s most important leaders. His professionalism, authority and influence inside the dressing room earned him great respect from supporters and staff alike.

Therefore, Chelsea’s interest in keeping him close to the club makes a lot of sense.

The current ownership has invested aggressively in young players over the last few years. However, the club also lacks experienced players capable of helping the young players deal with the pressure and instability.

Thiago Silva could ultimately offer exactly that from inside the coaching structure.

Matching is still an option

The only major option currently mentioned involves matching.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, now working within Milan’s playing structure, has opened the door for Thiago Silva to return to Italy, according to reports. This may be the last season of his playing career.

Thiago Silva spent three successful years at Milan early in his career, winning the Serie A and establishing himself among Europe’s elite defenders, and later moved to PSG and Chelsea.

Additionally, ESPN made it clear that Brazilian football is out of the equation for the time being.

At this stage, the defender’s future seems set to remain in Europe either on the pitch with Milan or within the Chelsea structure as he prepares for life as a coach.

Sheldon Keefe is safe, but Sunny Mehta is cleaning house. He is serious about improving the New Jersey Devils.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Devils announced that goaltending coach Dave Rogalski has been relieved of his duties.

Additionally, assistant coach Sergei Brylin will take on a new role within the organization.

According to a team source, Braylin will no longer be in a coaching role.

The search for replacements for those roles has begun.

Keefe will return for his third season as head coach with the Devils in 2026–27. Over the course of two seasons, he is 84-70-10. The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are set to miss the postseason for the first time since a disappointing 2025-26 season.

Keefe described missing the postseason as “embarrassing” in his year-end press conference.

Rogalski moving on shouldn’t be a surprise. In fact, it was long pending.

The Devils signed Jacob Markstrom to a two-year extension in October to secure their crease. However, Markstrom regressed in 2025–26, recording his worst statistical season to date.

In 44 games, Markstrom recorded an .883 save percentage and was 88th out of 98 goaltenders in goals saved above expectation (-11.9).

Braylin began working as a team consultant for the Albany Devils in the New Jersey organization during the 2012–13 season. He was immediately promoted to assistant coach the following season and then became an assistant coach for New Jersey in 2022–23.

Braylin’s role moving forward has not yet been determined.

Rogalski has been in the NHL since 2017-18. He moved from St. Louis to New Jersey in the 2020–21 season. He transitioned from a development coach to a goaltending coach and has been in his role ever since.

There will be no other changes to the Devils’ coaching staff. For the time being, Brad Shaw and Jeremy Colliton will continue in their roles alongside Keefe.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

The Portland Trail Blazers coaching search immediately made headlines this off-season, as new owner Tom Dundon wanted to hire the cheapest head coach in the NBA. While it’s unclear how much salary the organization is willing to pay, targets are emerging in the search.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, assistant NBA coaches Jared Dudley, Micah Nouri and Steve Hetzel are among the coaching candidates in whom Portland has interest. Portland-based reporter Sean Heikin also recently revealed that assistant Greg St. Jean is another target.

RELATED: Examples of Cheapness from Trail Blazers Owner Tom Dundon

Dudley is definitely the most familiar name to NBA fans. The 40-year-old former NBA champion played with seven different franchises from 2007-2021 before becoming an assistant coach after his retirement. After a few years on the Dallas Mavericks coaching staff (2021-25), he joined the Denver Nuggets coaching staff last season to work under David Edelman.

Nouri, age 52, has long been viewed as one of the top rising NBA coaching candidates. He began his coaching career with the Toronto Raptors (2009–13) and had stints with the Sacramento Kings (2013–15), Denver Nuggets (2015–18) and Detroit Pistons (2018–21), and he has been with the Minnesota Timberwolves since 2021 as a lead assistant.

Hetzel has been in the coaching ranks for more than a decade. He joined the Detroit Pistons in 2009 as a player development coach and has served as an assistant on NBA staffs with the Charlotte Hornets (2014–18), Orlando Magic (2018–21), Portland (2021–24), and he has worked with the Brooklyn Nets since 2024.

St. Jean began his career as a video coordinator with the Kings, working his way up to player development assistant (2014–15), then working with St. John’s and then the Los Angeles Lakers (2019–21, 2024–present), Mavericks (2021–23), and Suns (2023–24).

Notably, none of these targets in the Trail Blazers coaching search have head-coaching experience in the NBA. Although his salary has not been disclosed, it may reportedly be only a slight increase from the range Portland wanted to set for its next head coach ($1-2 million). Also, if other teams are also interested, it is more likely that other clubs will be willing to offer more money.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Jesperi Kotkaniemi is not happy with the Carolina Hurricanes.

This isn’t a bit of a surprise, as for the first time in his tenure with Carolina, he has been the most frequently scratched player for the team. In a recent interview, he discussed the Hurricanes’ issues with coaching, management and their season overall.

Kotkaniemi talks about lack of communication, trust with organization leaders

On Wednesday, Ilta-Sanomat, Finland’s largest newspaper, released his interview with Kotkaniemi – an interview in which the 25-year-old centerman lifted the lid on the rift between himself and the Hurricanes organization.

“It hasn’t really been explained to me why I’m not allowed to play,” he told the outlet. “It’s a little difficult.”

He expressed his frustration in the narrative that he is not equal to a second-line centerman when he has rarely performed as one throughout his time in Carolina, citing an oft-forgotten discrepancy between his position on nightly lineup sheets versus ice time and the matchups he was actually given.

However, it seems like the thing that has frustrated him the most is, as you would expect, a lack of meaningful ice time and an absence of trust from the coaching staff.

“Playing time was limited from the beginning of the season. Then came bench assignments. And after a long injury, the coaching staff was in no hurry to get me back into the lineup.

“It’s a shame, because I worked hard over the summer.”

Between the failed trade and lack of ice time, Kotkaniemi’s future with the Hurricanes remains uncertain.

He subsequently faced frequent trade rumors and was repeatedly said to be moved, but this never seemed to happen.

With only eight points this season, and averaging just over 11 minutes of ice time whenever he has been given the chance, this is a stark contrast to last season, in which he had three times the points and average ice time per night was almost three minutes more.

As for Kotkaniemi’s career, and his potential return to the Hurricanes if he is ultimately traded, this season has undoubtedly taken its toll on both sides. Before the trade deadline, the team began making calls about a possible move, but those lined up were reportedly unwilling to pay the price set by general manager Eric Tulsky. Since then, except for the occasional game, he has simply been left on the shelf, gathering dust and losing the opportunity to improve his numbers, and in turn, his trade value.

“The future here doesn’t look very good, at least not right now.”

Translation via Google Translate, Microsoft Translator

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

The North Carolina Tar Heels coaching search has resulted in contract extensions for at least two top targets, with Alabama’s Nate Oats and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd agreeing to new deals. Now the program’s focus has reportedly shifted to four other current head coaches.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that Michigan Wolverines coach Dusty Mays, Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan, Iowa State Cyclones coach TJ Otzelbarger and UConn Huskies coach Dan Hurley are the top targets in North Carolina’s coaching search at the moment.

RELATED: Potential cost of UNC Tar Heels coaching search revealed

Specifically, according to Thamel, if Michigan loses in the Final Four, the Tar Heels plan to play hard for May. With the Wolverines advancing to the men’s national championship game to face UConn, both Hurley and May are being viewed as unlikely recruits for North Carolina.

What’s likely to happen is that Hurley and Mays will use the Tar Heels’ coaching search as leverage to land a deal. After receiving interest from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024, Hurley used that to take advantage of an extension from UConn. May, who was hired by Michigan in 2024, will do the same here.

The real question may be whether Otzelberger uses the interest as leverage. However, given that North Carolina can provide better resources to build a top program, it stands to reason that Otzelberger would see it as an upgrade from his current program at Iowa State.

RELATED: NBA coach addresses Tar Heels’ interest in HC gig

Specifically, according to Thamel, Donovan does not want to leave his position in the NBA until Chicago’s season ends. This would mean that North Carolina, if he were hired, would not be able to make an official announcement until the Bulls season ends on Sunday, April 12. Until then, the college basketball transfer portal will be exhausted with limited options available for North Carolina.

Donovan appears to be the Tar Heels’ preferred option of the two, and there have been reports that the opportunity to coach in Chapel Hill would be appealing to Donovan. However, if the school decides it can’t wait, Otzelberger could be the next Tar Heels men’s basketball coach.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Former New Jersey Devils head coach Pete DeBoer has once again been assigned behind an NHL bench.

On Easter Sunday, the New York Islanders made the smart move of firing head coach Patrick Roy and replacing him with DeBoer, as the Isles were going through a slump during the regular season, and were struggling to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The Islanders are tied for third place in the Metropolitan Division by one point with the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets. Philly and Columbus have games on the Islanders, which could knock New York out of the playoff picture by the end of the season.

According to multiple sources, DeBoer’s new deal with the Islanders is only through the remainder of the 2025-26 season and not the playoffs. There is a condition attached to his new deal that is yet to be disclosed.

The Islanders noted DeBoer’s success as a head coach in the NHL, citing his success with the San Jose Sharks – qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs in four of his five campaigns with the Sharks and helping the team reach their first Stanley Cup Final in franchise history during the 2015–16 season.

He also noted DeBoer’s four seasons in New Jersey, particularly the season he reached the Stanley Cup Finals in his first campaign with the club in 2011–12.

DeBoer also has several deep Stanley Cup playoff appearances, most recently with the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights.

DeBoer ranks 18th in NHL history in coaching wins (662) and 22nd in games coached (1,261), and he has a perfect 9–0 record in Game 7s, the most Game 7 wins in NHL coaching history.

In 2024, the Islanders relieved former coach Lane Lambert during his second season as head coach in New York in favor of Roy in a similarly shrewd move.

Now, the Devils’ opponent will be led by one of the most successful playoff coaches in NHL history, who has yet to claim hockey’s ultimate prize.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

With Cooper Flagg making rapid progress, it wasn’t too surprising that the Dallas Mavericks decided to part ways with Anthony Davis, as the team felt it could build around the rookie forward instead.

Davis played only 29 games in his brief and injury-filled tenure with the Mavericks. He was traded to the Washington Wizards in a three-team deal that also included the Charlotte Hornets. In return, Dallas received Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson and several draft picks.

Upon joining the Mavericks, Middleton was reunited with coach Jason Kidd. Kidd managed Middleton when he called the shots for the Milwaukee Bucks from 2014 to 2018, developing a strong bond.

When Kidd was asked about coaching Middleton again, he had a very funny answer, as shown in a video posted by Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban.

“Awesome,” Kidd joked.

However, he turned serious and discussed the importance of 34-year-old Middleton to the team.

“Playing through him, he’s a vet. I’ve been with him at the beginning of his journey. He’s a champion, he’s professional, comes to work, does his job and understands that he can help us not just with his play, but with his voice,” said Kidd, who went 139-152 with the Bucks.

“I’ve been talking to him a lot about how he can help Coop. He feels like he can’t help Coop. Coop has already passed him. He has a good sense of humor (about it). But given his knowledge and understanding of the game, it’s been great to work with Khris.”

Jason Kidd on working with Khris Middleton again:

“Awful. Playing through him, he’s a vet. I’ve been with him at the beginning of his journey… He’s a champion, he’s a professional… I’ve been talking to him a lot about how he can help Coop. He feels like he can’t help Coop, Coop has already passed… pic.twitter.com/iizozXoYmj

– Noah Weber (@noahweber00) 27 February 2026

Middleton is still adjusting to his role, though, as he poured in 25 points in their win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, helping the Mavericks end a 10-game losing streak.

His familiarity with Kidd should serve him well throughout the season.

A well-known New York sports commentator offered an interesting idea this week. Is Carlos Mendoza’s replacement as New York Mets manager waiting in the wings on his staff?

Mendoza faced a difficult task when he had to replace Buck Showalter as manager of the NY Mets in 2024. However, in his first season in Queens after being the bench coach for the New York Yankees, the 46-year-old led the club on a magical trip to the NLCS. It seemed as if the team had found the person to be its captain for the next decade.

Then in 2025 the story changed completely on Mendoza. After adding Juan Soto to the roster heading into the 2024 NLCS, the NY Mets looked like one of the best teams in MLB in the first half. However, the manager could not pull the right levers and save them from a surprise relegation at the end of the season, resulting in missing the playoffs entirely.

While there were rumors that Mendoza might lose his job due to the team’s poor performance, the team instead decided to retain him but completely changed their coaching staff. One of the interesting appointments they made in October was Kai Correa. A man who has been the bench coach and interim manager for the San Francisco Giants and was a key part of the Cleveland Guardians’ staff in 2024.

Is Kai Correa ready to replace Carlos Mendoza if the NY Mets stumble early this season?

Many view Correa as an up-and-coming MLB coach, and at only 37 years old, he is a savvy kid in the industry. That’s why popular WFAN morning radio host Greg Gianotti suggested this week that Correa was specifically hired to take over for Mendoza if the NY Mets get off to a bad start in 2026.

Gianotti claimed, “I think if the Mets have a bad start, or say they’re under .500 around Memorial Day, Carlos Mendoza is going to be fired and this guy Kai Correa is going to be the manager.” “I said this when they hired this guy because he has no connection to the current Mets or Carlos Mendoza.

“He’s an analytics guy who has come up through the ranks. It’s almost as if David Stearns said, ‘Let’s get this guy on our staff now because in a few years he’s going to be a manager somewhere else.’

This is a sensible idea. And there’s no doubt that Mendoza will be on a very short leash and will have to get results with a very expensive and talented NY Mets roster.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

There are 31 franchise owners in the NFL. The Green Bay Packers are owned by a publicly held non-profit organization. Meanwhile, other teams like the New York Jets are owned by a man like Woody Johnson.

Of course, not all NFL team owners are the same. Johnson is known for interfering in his team’s football decisions, and has been highly criticized for this over the years.

Now, according to ESPN’s Jets insider Rich Cimini, Johnson is back at it again. The Jets were close to hiring Don “Wink” Martindale as Glenn’s new defensive coordinator, but plans apparently changed after the job description also changed.

The Jets came close to hiring a highly respected and experienced defensive coordinator who had never called plays before. It’s a fairly significant change, but we can see why candidates like Martindale, who has been an NFL defensive coordinator for seven seasons, were no longer interested in the job, leaving the Jets to go to Brian Duker.

The Jets interviewed eight candidates for the position, but Duker got the job just one day after meeting with the team. Either way, it doesn’t matter, as Glenn plans to call the team’s defensive plays in 2026 anyway, but now he won’t have an experienced right hander to handle the duties if things go awry again in New York.

RELATED: Potential NFL rule change makes blockbuster trades more likely

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