標籤: growth

Aston Villa’s growing interest in Ibrahim Mbaye is now being supported by reports coming from France, with the forward’s situation at Paris Saint-Germain beginning to attract wider attention.

Aston Villa have made a habit of tracking young attackers across Europe. When a path opens, they start moving forward. In Mbaye’s case, his reduced role at Paris Saint-Germain could pave the way.

The 18-year-old is highly rated internally in Paris. He is powerful, direct and tactically sharp for his age. These qualities make him a natural fit for Premier League football. However, his actions declined at a critical stage of his development.

This is where the current noise begins to form.

France supports Premier League interest

according to TeamIbrahim Mbaye is expected to receive approaches this summer, with England highlighted as a possible destination.

The French outlet says his playing time has decreased significantly under Luis Enrique. That situation is already raising questions about his short-term future.

Interest from the Premier League is nothing new. The clubs made contact in January, but PSG refused to entertain any discussions. Since then, the context has changed slightly, even though the club’s public stance has remained firm.

Aston Villa are now among those positioning themselves. From their perspective, Mbaye represents a classic market opportunity. A young player, strong international momentum, but limited appearances at the club.

There have also been links to Manchester City. Reports suggest he visited their facilities, although his entourage has denied that claim. Still, the level of interest around him is palpable.

International format strengthens the case

Ibrahim Mbaye’s performances with the Senegal national team continue to push his profile upwards.

He recently provided one goal and one assist in matches against Peru and Gambia. This followed a promising Africa Cup of Nations campaign earlier this year. As a result, his international trajectory looks far more stable than his club role.

Luis Enrique has insisted that the club still believes in him. He highlighted the confidence given to Mbye and suggested that his time would come. Still, lack of minutes remains a major issue.

At the age of 18, regular football often dictates the next step. Without it, even top prospects start looking elsewhere.

busy summer is coming

Ibrahim Mbaye’s priority remains PSG. This has not changed publicly. However, L’Equipe’s reporting reinforces the idea that he is now watching the market more closely.

If his situation does not improve before the summer, Premier League clubs are likely to act quickly. Aston Villa already appear to be alert to that possibility.

For now, it remains a nascent movement rather than a defined conversation. Still, the combination of fewer minutes and outside interest is starting to create a familiar transfer pattern.

Aston Villa have made their transfer plans for the summer, the player has been described as ‘meteoric rise’.

🇸🇳 Ibrahima Ba | Aston Villa express interest in signing 20-year-old defender – face big Portuguese battlehttps://t.co/yWAOFmCoOg #avfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 31 March 2026

At this point in the season pregame routine logistics such as shooting groups, meals and training table times are largely set. The NBA trade deadline has passed, rosters are largely set, and young players from lottery-winning teams have found their way to each zone. For example, Cody Williams is starting to establish himself as one of the Utah Jazz’s favorites in 2026. It’s easy to see why Will Hardy is leaning into everything going into year two.

It all starts with the soundtrack. About an hour before tipoff against the Memphis Grizzlies, Williams sat in the visiting locker room with headphones on and props to match the gospel night theme. This felt right for the night. It turns out that part of the ritual is never the same twice.

“I can’t do the same thing before every game,” Williams told ClutchPoints. “I have to change it.”

However, unlike his new teammate Jaren Jackson Jr., who once served as the designated locker room DJ on Beale Street, Williams isn’t going to be commanding the team’s aux cord. Even joking suggestions are being kept to a minimum until Jackson Jr. returns from knee surgery.

“I don’t have nothing for (Jarren Jackson Jr.) right now,” Williams admitted. “I don’t have the power to play music, so I just sit here and listen to it. In fact, most people have their headphones on before the game.”

What plays through those headphones depends entirely on the moment.

“It depends on the mood,” Williams shrugged. “Before some games, I’ll put on some R&B and calm, some old school Anthony Hamilton, some gospel like Kirk Franklin. It really depends on the mood and what type of day it is. Like, how I’m feeling before that game is what I’ll play. Sometimes I’m putting on Nirvana, Green Day and a bunch of those bands.”

An eclectic mix that defies categorization traces his earliest exposure to music.

“I’ve got good taste in music,” Williams said defensively as a few teammates listened in. “My music is very diverse, shout out to my mom. She listened to a lot of old soul stuff.”

Music truly is a window into the soul; This shows how Williams carries herself. Loose, humble, down to earth, yet confident enough to be curious and make mistakes. It’s also the only way to get better at the game. However, the headphones come in for the shootaround, as Williams wants to absorb everything. It’s more important to be able to interact with coaches and cheer on teammates. Everyone knows Williams is there for them, even if his playlist is everywhere.

Those traits can’t be denied after just a few minutes with the former first-round pick, so a year three jump wouldn’t be surprising to anyone in the front office. Still, in a league known for its rap and hip-hop connections, Williams is also learning some new tunes.

“Lucki is definitely my favorite new artist,” Williams shared. “Whenever I need a new rap, I go into his catalog and listen to it.”

The 21-year-old’s support system extends far beyond her mom’s CD binders. At center stands his brother Jalen, the Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star who recently captured an NBA championship.

“Thank you so much to my brother (Jalen). He’s been my best wingman and biggest inspiration through this whole thing,” Cody said. “I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do a trip like this without him. He’s a good punching bag. I beat him up a lot, but he gives me survival tips.”

Jalen’s rise from unheralded Santa Clara product to lottery pick to champion has provided a blueprint. Now Cody has started to find his feet. Since dropping 18 points on New Year’s Day, Williams has averaged 8.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.7 steals/blocks while shooting 52.5% from the field.

This recent increase in production is just part of getting comfortable at work.

“I think I’m getting a really good idea of ​​how I can impact the team as a whole,” Williams explained. And how can I be effective on the court. It’s just playing to his strengths and weaknesses, especially on the defensive end. Then it’s putting a lot of pressure on the rim offensively. This way I can play in my position and help the team. I feel like I can understand my game more as the season has gone on, which is why I’ve been able to play better.

Despite increasing comfort levels, some things haven’t changed since we dreamed of this moment in childhood.

“I still get butterflies before games,” Williams admitted. “I’m so excited to go out there, to have this opportunity to live a dream. I don’t know if this feeling will ever go away, just because I really love what I do. I don’t even call it a job because it still feels like a dream. I still feel like a little kid every time I jump the ball. Everything about it is so exciting.”

For a Jazz franchise in the midst of a deliberate rebuild, that kind of enthusiasm from a young cornerstone is exactly what the organization is counting on. If the past several weeks are any indication, Chance, armed with headphones and an extensive playlist, is beginning to figure out how to turn that enthusiasm into production.

During his first appearance at All-Star weekend, a reporter asked Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren about the growth he has seen with the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder’s Holmgren discussed his personal growth this season ahead of his first All-Star Game selection. However, he was hesitant to talk about how much the Nuggets have improved as a team.

Instead, Holmgren discussed the injuries the Nuggets have experienced this season, much like the Thunder’s injury-plagued campaign.

“Denver has some different players on the roster who have taken some steps this summer,” Holmgren said. “They were a really good team last year. They’re a really good team this year. They’ve had some injuries, as we have, as everybody in the league has. Hopefully, they can get those guys back, and we can get all our guys back. At the end of the day, every team wants to be completely healthy and playing at their best. So, that’s what we’re hoping for.”

The Nuggets were without All-Star Nikola Jokic for more than a month. The Thunder have been missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the last five games. Oklahoma City has also struggled with injuries to Jalen Williams, who has missed 30+ games this season; starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, who has missed 16 games; And Ajay Mitchell, who has been out since January 21.

Chet Holmgren reacts to the new All-Star Game

Thunder forward Chet Holmgren discusses the new All-Star Game format after making his debut in the star-studded event. Holmgren reflected on career milestones.

Holmgren said, “I thought it was good. I thought everybody out there was playing a good brand of basketball.” “It felt like, I guess you would say, a pick-up game, and when there’s that level of talent on the field, it’s always fun, it’s always good.”

He also talked about the ring he received for his All-Star selection, which was unexpected for Holmgren.

Holmgren said, “It was pretty cool. I didn’t know you could get an All-Star ring until I got it.” “So, it was pretty cool. It comes with a little box with a little video in it. It’s too bad, but I think I like our ring from last year a little more.”

Holmgren says he treasures the moment of his first All-Star Game.

“I definitely tried to take a moment during pictures yesterday and then warming up and playing the game today and think what a great opportunity this is,” Holmgren said. “I felt like I was beautiful most of the time. Just taking it all in.”

Holmgren and the Thunder resume their regular season schedule when they host the Nets on Friday.