Sunderland Captain Granit Xhaka has insisted he is not thinking about a move this summer after an impressive first season at the Stadium of Light.

Blick held an interview with the 33-year-old today. And he makes it clear that he is not only happy at Sunderland but feels like he is at home at the Stadium of Light.

sunderland joy

The Swiss midfielder joined Sunderland in a surprise deal from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, a move which raised eyebrows at the time.

But he soon established himself as a key player in Regis Le Bris’s team, and playing a key role, he secured European football for the following season. He has since been named the Premier League signing of the season.

Very few would have predicted that his or Sunderland’s season would go so well. But he insists he knew from the beginning he was onto something good.

“To be honest, I’m not surprised,” he said.

“Throughout my career, I have always taken all my decisions based on my gut feeling. Moving from Leverkusen to Sunderland was not a sudden decision. I had a lot of discussions with the owner, sporting director and manager before signing.”

“Of course, you could say that winning the league title with Leverkusen was a bit of a surprise. The same applies for this season, finishing seventh in the Premier League as a newly promoted team. But I look at it a little differently because I see all the hard work that goes into these successes. If you work hard day and night, you can achieve a lot.”

sunderland love

Such is his situation already at Sunderland; He is often heard signing his captain to Elvis’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. And he admits that he feels the same way.

He said, “Yeah, it’s a bit like home to me.”

“The city feels like Basel. Like the St. Johann district where I grew up. You can perform at your best only when you feel comfortable in a place.”

And that means one important thing for Sunderland, Granit Xhaka is not thinking of leaving anytime soon. Despite speculation, he is happy with zero heat transfer negotiations While he is in the World Cup.

“For me, the most important thing is that my family is happy. And we are at Sunderland. I’m not even thinking about a transfer,” he concluded.

“I’m really happy to finally spend the summer without any speculation about my future. This has rarely happened in recent years. It allows me to concentrate completely on the World Cup.”

tottenham Alejo Veliz was sold months ago, but the striker has just arrived in Brazil. And it looks like this is the real end to one of the club’s strangest runs in recent years.

The Argentine landed in Salvador on Monday night and is now set to complete the final stages of his move to Bahia from City Football Group, who Agreed €9m (£7.6m) deal with Tottenham earlier this year.

In many ways, it is a move that closes the chapter on what never really took off in North London.

Tottenham signed Veliz from Rosario Central in 2023 after emerging as one of Argentina’s most promising young forwards. The expectation was that Spurs had secured a striker for the future.

Instead, a series of injuries, limited opportunities and debts prevented him from establishing himself.

Veliz made only a few appearances for Tottenham and scored only once. That goal came as a late consolation in a 4–1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. This proved to be his first and last goal for the club.

Three loans and no success

Tottenham spent much of the last two years finding the right environment for Veliz to develop.

The striker went on loan to Sevilla, then to Espanyol and finally back to Rosario Central. Despite those opportunities, he never reached the level Spurs expected when they invested in him.

His final loan was arguably his most successful. Rosario Central fought hard to keep him until the end of the campaign and Veliz wanted the same.

He finished the season with six goals in 24 matches as the Argentine team reached the semi-finals of the Argentine Championship.

This connection was evident during his farewell. Just a few days before the trip to Brazil, He scored in his last home match and walked off the field in tears.

Why did they choose Bahia?

Speaking after arriving in Salvador, Veliz admitted that the decision was emotional, especially because of what Rosario Central means to him. His comments were relayed globo esporte.

“I am very happy with this step in my career, arriving at this club. I am very emotional to leave Rosario Central because this is my home and my family. We made this decision because I want to extend my career elsewhere. It was the best decision we have taken as a family.”

The striker also revealed that he had spoken to former Argentina youth teammate Bahia forward Mateo Sanabria before agreeing to the move.

“First of all, he wrote to me and I talked to him before making a decision.”

Veliz said he had already been watching Bahia from afar and was impressed by the atmosphere created by the supporters.

“I saw the fans a lot. I even watched recent matches. It’s incredible. I hope I can give back some of what they do.”

For Tottenham, the story is now over. There’s a €9m (£7.6m) sale of the club, Bahia finally get the striker they’ve been chasing for years, and Veliz gets the fresh start he never got in north London.

Anthony Gordon will undergo a medical this afternoon before leaving for Barcelona newcastle united It will be finalized in the next few hours.

sports report on newcastle The forward arrived in Barcelona this afternoon after his flight from the UK was delayed.

already in barcelona

The newspaper reports that Anthony Gordon is undergoing a medical in Barcelona already this afternoon. It is scheduled for 4pm in a hospital in Barcelona. He will then sign a five-year contract at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona had planned for Gordon to arrive at 2pm, but the plane that flew him from Newcastle was delayed by an hour and a half.

So he was welcomed by the crowd at El Prat Josep Tarradels airport, where he spoke his first, unofficial words as a Barcelona player. “I’m very happy,” he said, greeting the press from a distance.

According to Sport, Gordon is scheduled to have a medical in Barcelona at 4 p.m. This is a definite step towards closing the deal. He will then sign a five-year deal and become the first player to sign with Barcelona in the summer.

€70m transfer deal

Barcelona and Newcastle have completed a deal worth around €70m, of which €10m will be in different types. The agreement was reached after ‘intensive negotiations’ led by Barcelona sporting director Deco.

He closed the signing during an ‘express visit’ to London, during which he laid the foundations of the agreement. After this it was finalized on Wednesday.

Barca’s sporting management has accelerated over the past two days to complete the deal before the World Cup. They wanted to avoid any possible complications during the tournament.

Anthony Gordon made him his preference despite receiving offers from Liverpool and Bayern Munich.

Unless there are any last-minute, surprise complications, the official announcement of the transfer should come in the next few hours, once the 25-year-old has completed his medical and signed the relevant documents.

There are 32 teams in the NFL, and the Arizona Cardinals are expected to be one of the worst teams in the league. That’s the expectation moving forward after going 3-14 last season, finishing in fourth place in the NFC West, hiring a first-year head coach and with a veteran journeyman starting quarterback like Jacoby Brissett.

The Cardinals’ voluntary organized team activities began on May 18, but they were missing a key member of the roster, former Pro Bowl pass-rusher Josh Sweat. As mentioned, these workouts are completely voluntary, so there is no punishment for players who do not participate.

According to John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Phoenix, Sweat was not injured. Then, Cardinals insider Kyle Odegaard added fuel to the fire by revealing that Sweat “isn’t particularly happy in AZ.”

The 29-year-old Sweat recorded a career-high 12 sacks and four forced fumbles last season. This was his first season in Arizona after signing a four-year, $76.5 million contract with the Cardinals in free agency after helping the Philadelphia Eagles win Super Bowl LIX.

Nevertheless, Sweat signed when the Cardinals were coached by defensive-minded Jonathan Gannon. While the Cardinals are now led by the offensive mind of first-year coach Mike LaFleur, not much should change for Sweat, who will still play for defensive coordinator Nick Rallis for the second consecutive season.

Perhaps Sweat wants a raise after dominating individually to protect the bottom line. Sweat’s contract has him ranking 21st in annual average salary among edge rushers, but he performed at an elite level last season. His $16.3 million cap hit in 2025 is more than reasonable for the type of production Sweat is producing.

Perhaps he feels like Arizona is in no position to compete, and he wants to join a contender, no matter what that is; Sweat is trying to send a message.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings after Aaron Rodgers rejoins the Steelers

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

bournemouth Forward Ryan has opened up more about the stormy months that have seen him transform from a budding talent at Vasco to a Brazil international who has quickly adapted to Premier League football.

The 19-year-old has already become one of Bournemouth’s most famous players After registering five goals and two assists in his first 13 appearances for the club.

His pace, direct running and physical profile helped him quickly settle in England, while his form also earned him first senior call-up In the Brazil national team under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti.

Now, in A New interview with UOLRyan has reflected on the move, the role of a former manager in his career and the feelings surrounding the Brazil call-up.

Bournemouth project convinces Ryan

Speaking while showing off Bournemouth’s training facilities, the youngster admitted that everything happened very quickly after Vasco’s Copa do Brasil final.

“When it all ended after the Copa do Brazil final, I didn’t know what would happen next in my life.”

Ryan revealed that manager Fernando Diniz wanted him to stay at Vasco. However, the Bournemouth project ultimately changed the direction of his career.

“When we came back from the break, Diniz asked me to stay, He said. “But when Bournemouth arrived, there was Tiago [Pinto] There, who is truly a great and special person. He showed us the project and I liked it very much.

The Brazilian also made it clear how comfortable he already feels at the club.

“As you can see here, I am very happy. This has been a very important moment for me, not only for me but also for my family,” He said.

He also gave a glimpse of his training program.

“During the week, when we have a whole week without matches, we only train in the morning. We report at 9:15 am and training starts at 11 am because we have pre-activation work before that. Most of the time it is always in the morning.”

Diniz’s influence is still strong

Ryan gets emotional while discussing the importance of his former manager Fernando Diniz In his development.

“That’s incredible,” Further said. “He still calls me almost every day if it’s up to him. He’s a very special person, someone who helped me a lot and still helps me. We talk all the time.”

The Bournemouth attacker also admitted that Diniz played a decisive role in changing the direction of his career.

“Yes, he changed my life,” Ryan explained. At the same time, the young player stressed that a change in his own mentality during his final period at Vasco was also important.

“I worked my way out on the pitch as well. At Vasco I think I changed my mentality very, very quickly.”

This mentality has clearly applied in his early Premier League months.

what happens next

Ryan’s trajectory continues to rise rapidly. Just months after leaving Vasco, he is adapting to the Premier League, Attracting interest from elite European clubs And becoming part of Brazil’s senior setup.

If Bournemouth’s unbeaten run continues and Ryan continues to take on more responsibility, the hype around him will only increase.

The Indiana Hoosiers football team visited the White House and President Donald Trump on Monday, while Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza did not attend the visit. There was a reaction from President Trump on this.

Speaking before the Hoosiers football team, Trump said he was “not happy” about Mendoza not coming to the White House.

“I’m not happy, but that’s OK. The reason he doesn’t do it is because he’s in spring training, OK?”

President Donald Trump on Fernando Mendoza skipping White House visit (H/T ProFootballTalk)

Mendoza, who won Offensive MVP in the CFP National Championship Game, shared with reporters that he would not be visiting the White House because of practicing with the Raiders. He felt it was important to be there for rookie minicamp and believed the best way to serve his teammates would be to prioritize practice rather than celebrating Indiana’s national title.

The decision to prioritize football not only earned him some points with teammates and the Raiders coaching staff, but it also allowed Mendoza to avoid willingly throwing himself into political discourse.

However, Trump said that Mendoza had personally called him to explain why he could not attend. President Trump also said that Mendoza is “a big fan of ours” and that he would not have mentioned the star quarterback if he wasn’t.

“If he hadn’t done that, believe me, I wouldn’t even be talking about him. I don’t. If he wasn’t here for other reasons, like he didn’t like Trump or he didn’t want to come, I wouldn’t even have mentioned him. I would do the whole thing. [speech] – I’ll talk about how awesome it is [the team was]I won’t even mention the quarterback’s name.

President Donald Trump calls Fernando Mendoza to explain why he did not visit the White House

Mendoza probably would have preferred if that alleged call had not been disclosed, but he avoided public scrutiny by skipping a trip to the White House, and he had a legitimate excuse for doing so.

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

Hertha BSC have ‘recently’ contacted Birmingham City striker Marvin Dakhsh about a return to Germany this summer.

BILD reports that the 2. Bundesliga side The 32-year-old man has reportedly been questioned and has spoken to his agents.

The Birmingham City striker’s agents have been contacted

The newspaper points out that RTL/NTV initially reported that the Berlin club had made an inquiry about the Birmingham striker. According to information from BILD, the German club has recently contacted representatives of Dachshund.

Their understanding is that Daksch was already a target of Hertha this season. It remains to be seen whether the transfer can take place this summer.

The striker has ten goals for Birmingham City this season and is under contract until 2028, but according to BILD, he could leave St Andrews this summer for ‘a small transfer fee’. He cost the Blues €2 million last summer, so perhaps this is the fee being considered.

Hertha would like him to help them get back to the Bundesliga. They sit third this season, but are one point behind second-place SV Elversberg, and level on points with fourth-place Paderborn.

promotion scoring campaign

Even if they get promotion, he could still be the goalscorer they need next season. If it’s another promotion race, he has experience in that too.

Dakash achieved the feat with Werder Bremen in the 2021/22 season. The striker scored 20 goals that season. Hertha would be open to a long-term partnership despite the 32-year-old.

He will be the replacement for David Kownacki, who is set to return to Werder Bremen in the summer transfer window. Hertha began pursuing Dachsch as that loan deal expired.

It remains to be seen whether the Birmingham City striker wants the move or not. The move to Birmingham last summer was his first move outside England and he may be reluctant to leave so soon. However, Hertha are in contact with their representatives regardless.

ipswich town achieved direct promotion to the Premier League after finishing second in the Championship.

Chuba Akpom played a role in Ipswich Town’s return to the top flight, managing two goals and one assist in 29 league appearances.

The English club initially signed him on loan from Ajax in August 2025.

Earlier that month, Sport Witness broadcast news Ipswich Town included a compulsory buyout in case of promotion. The same source said the price was €8m plus €2m in potential bonuses.

With their promotion to the Premier League confirmed, Ipswich Town made the 30-year-old be permanent On Tuesday. He has signed a contract at Portman Road until 2029.

Details of sale to Ipswich Town

De Telegraaf journalist Mike Verweij is delighted with Chuba Akpom’s permanent move to the English club and discussed the deal on the podcast Kick-Off. football news Circulating my comments.

The forward joined the Dutch club from Middlesbrough in August 2023 for around €12.3m.

Verweij says the sale raised €9.3m for Ajax.

Alex Kroos was technical director when Akpom moved to England on loan and left Ajax in January. The journalist praised the official for adding a buyout clause as part of the temporary deal.

“Alex Croes didn’t do many things right, but this is clearly a top segment,” He said.

“Especially because you see he didn’t even come on as a substitute in those promotion matches against Queens Park Rangers. He sat on the bench for 90 minutes. That’s been the situation for the last few weeks.

“I think the Ajax management are happy. Otherwise, you would not only not have got him back, but you would also have had to pay his huge salary next year. And you would never have been able to sell him for €9.3m.”

Akpom hopes for better performance in PL

Before joining Ipswich Town, Chuba Akpom played for several English clubs. These include Arsenal, Brentford, Coventry City, Nottingham Forest, Hull City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Middlesbrough.

However, he has only played four matches in the Premier League with the Gunners. One was during the 2013/14 season and the remaining three were in the following season for a total of 28 minutes.

transfer market Estimate his value at €5m. The highest was €12m in June 2023, when he was at Middlesbrough.

brighton and hove albion Midfielder Matt Wiefer recently admitted to a duel of burnley Kwilinski Hartmann observed him using some underhanded tactics.

football primer report Comments from an interview with a Brighton man today Prime Video in the Netherlands.

burnley vs brighton reunion

Burnley v Brighton on 11 April^th It was a special occasion for the Seagulls man, who has been converted into their new right-back this season.

Not only did he score two goals in the game, he also had to play against an old friend in Kwilinski Hartmann.

The pair arrived at the Dutch club at the same time. They played together in the first team and shared major milestones such as Eredivisie titles and Champions League football. Despite parting ways in England, they remain good friends.

That friendship turned into rivalry in the game at Turf Moor. And Wiffer is happy to admit that he’s used every trick in the book.

“Yes, I had a little chat with him. It’s unbelievable that I scored twice against him.” He said.

An interesting moment saw Hartman shove his former teammate just before half-time. Wiffer admits it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Instead, he took a little dive.

“It was definitely a fun match,” He added.

“That was actually quite funny, because at another moment he pushed me too, and that time I did a little dive.”

Different experience in England

Whether Matt Wiefer and Kwilinski Hartman see each other again in England remains to be seen.

Brighton are Premier League regulars at the moment, while Burnley look to make an immediate return to the Championship. Reports were already linking Hartman With a transfer in the January transfer window.

It is likely that the possibility of exits will only increase in the coming months. If this happens, it would mean that the two old friends will not face each other on the field again for some time.

Then again, after “diving a little” into their meeting this month, the advantage is still Vifar.

armory Defeated Sporting in the last eight and secured a place in the Champions League semi-finals.

The Gunners won the first leg 1-0 in Portugal and the return leg at the Emirates ended in a goalless draw on Wednesday. That meant Kai Havertz’s goal last week proved to be the difference between the two sides.

Martin Zubimendi played the full 90 minutes in both legs against the Lions. He has been a regular under Mikel Arteta since joining the Gunners from Real Sociedad in July 2025, playing 3,842 minutes in 48 matches.

His Premier League statistics are as follows:

• Appearances: 32
• Start: 31
• Total minutes: 2,680
• Minutes per game: 84

Before his move to the north London club, there were reports of interest from Real Madrid. Last October, he refused to discuss The La Liga giants said he has “tried everything” to join Arsenal.

Real Madrid link follow Arsenal star

After yesterday’s match, Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi spoke to Cadena Ser’s El Larguero and uncheck Has released his comments.

There have been no concrete claims of Real Madrid’s interest in the 27-year-old recently, but that hasn’t stopped them from being asked about it.

Responding to that he said: “I don’t have any answers, but I’m not paying much attention to them all. I guess it’s in the past, and I have other things on my mind. It’s not a bad thing.”

Mikel Arteta’s side will face Atletico Madrid, who defeated Barcelona, ​​in the Champions League semi-finals.

Upon facing Diego Simeone’s side, Zubimendi explained: “I know them well already, and this weekend they have a match against Real Sociedad, so we’ll see how it goes. Anyway, I think they are in very good form, with a lot of confidence and emotion, as is typical of Atlético de Madrid. We already know them from the group stage, but this will be different.”

The midfielder on the Gunners’ recent struggles

Arsenal have won one of their last five matches in all competitions. In the same period, the Gunners lost to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Southampton. This includes the league defeat to AFC Bournemouth last weekend.

Mikel Arteta top the table, six points behind second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

Martin Zubimendi also spoke to reporters in the mixed area infobae Has released his comments.

On the Premier League’s three recent defeats, he said: “It’s been tough, for the team and for me personally. We have games every three days. When you’re injured, you have to recover quickly, and today [against Sporting] There is proof of this.”

Arsenal’s remaining matches this season

The Gunners have six league matches and at least two more in the Champions League this season.

Their fixture list is as follows:

• vs manchester city [away] on 19th April
• v newcastle [home] on 25th April
• atlético madrid [away] on 29th April
• in fulham [home] on 2 may
• atlético madrid [home] on 5 may
• vs west ham [away] on 10th may
• v burnley [home] tbd
• v Crystal Palace on 24 May

🇧🇷 Exclusive: Arsenal tracking Lucca Marques

⭐️ 18-year-old’s rapid growth draws attention
⚽️ Youngest player to score in Copa Libertadores in Sao Paulo history
🇩🇪 Borussia Dortmund also interested
➡️The Gunners can make a formal offer in the summerhttps://t.co/u7LuPMgUyJ #afc #bvb

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 3 April 2026

Aston Villa’s Pau Torres says he and his family are happy with life in Birmingham.

Unai Emery’s team took advantage of the ongoing international break and traveled to Spain.

Aston Villa travels to Murcia friendly against elche Last Friday, which ended with a 2-1 defeat to the visiting team.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente did not include the centre-back in his squad for the March matches. This allowed him to travel with the Villains, who stayed at the Doubletree La Torre by Hilton.

It gave to the Spanish newspaper Mark The opportunity to have an in-depth interview with the 29-year-old after the training. Earlier today, he explained what disappointment is Emery most at Villa Park.

Aston Villa in its long-term plans

At the end of the interview, Marca specifically asked Pau Torres about his future. The newspapers were curious to know whether he would be with the English club.

Responding to that he said: “Yes, I’m doing well. My family is doing well there. The club is doing well and growing. Barring any unexpected circumstances, we are going to play in European competition again next season; we don’t know yet which one.”

“We are achieving good goals, and that’s the idea. To keep playing in the Premier League, to keep playing in Europe. I see myself at Villa at least until the end of my contract.”

Unai Emery’s side are fourth in the table, five and six points ahead of fifth and sixth-placed Liverpool and Chelsea respectively.

This puts them in a good position to qualify for the Champions League next season. The Villans can also book a place in the Europa League this season by winning the Europa League.

importance of emery

Unai Emery left Villarreal for the Premier League team in November 2022 and the following summer, he raided his former club to sign Pau Torres. The move sees the defender leave his boyhood club for the first time in his career.

When Torres was asked how playing for Aston Villa changed his life, he explained: “I think with the arrival of Unai, the club grew tremendously.”

“We’ve gone from fighting to avoid relegation to now aiming for European qualification every year. If we can qualify for the Champions League, that would be even better. I think it’s something that will give the club a lot of stability in terms of improving the team.”

Torres stats, contract and price

The Spaniard has played 2,233 minutes in 37 matches in all competitions and 1,389 minutes in 17 league matches.

Pau Torres will have two years remaining on his contract after this season. its value, according to transfer marketIs €22m. He and his family have no plans to leave Aston Villa until 2028.

Jayson Tatum criticized officiating after the Boston Celtics’ 125-116 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night, calling the refs “trigger happy” after teammate Jaylen Brown was ejected early in the game.

Brown was ejected after receiving two technical fouls during the contest, limiting the Celtics star to just 15 minutes of action. Tatum, who recently returned from an Achilles tear last spring, addressed the situation after the game.

“I disagree with that. You know, the NBA makes a big deal about prime time games and stars playing and being available… He was definitely pushed and maybe the first tech was necessary, the emotions were too high.”

Tatum continued to raise questions over the timing of his ejection during the nationally televised matchup.

“National TV game, the two best teams in the league and you make a big deal about the stars playing and you’re happy to take someone out of the game. I disagree with that.”

Brown’s frustration began after a sequence in which he believed he was fouled out of bounds by Spurs guard Stephen Cassel. After the game, Brown confronted crew chief Tyler Ford by pointing at him, causing the first technical foul.

“National TV game, the two best teams in the league and you make a big deal about the stars playing and you’re happy to take someone out of the game. I disagree with that.”

Jayson Tatum on Jaylen Brown’s ejection at Celtics-Spurs last nightpic.twitter.com/dzbBeYlm9v https://t.co/CjynsnpBNR

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 11 March 2026

The Celtics guard remained visibly upset and argued with officials as teammates attempted to calm him down. Umpire Suyyash Mehta later assessed a second technical foul, resulting in Brown being sent off.

Officials explain Jaylen Brown’s removal because Jayson Tatum disagreed

Brown finished the night with eight points, seven assists, two rebounds and one steal while making 4 of 8 shots from the field.

Ford later explained the officiating team’s decision in the league’s pool report.

“(The first technical was) for aggressively gesturing and using profanity and outrage without a call,” Ford said in the pool report, via NBA insider Brett Siegel for ClutchPoints. “(The second technical was called because) he aggressively approached a game official, pointing and using profanity.”

Tatum, playing his third game back from injury, led Boston with 24 points while adding five rebounds, two assists and two steals. The 27-year-old shot 10 of 24 from the field and 4 of 14 from three-point range in 27 minutes.

Despite Tatum’s efforts, Boston was unable to overcome Brown’s absence for most of the game. The loss dropped the Celtics to 43–22 on the season.

Boston will try to regroup on Thursday night when it concludes its three-game road trip against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who enter the matchup with a 51-15 record. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 pm ET on Prime Video.

The LA Clippers have been one of the league’s best teams since Dec. 20, but Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland are still content with one month remaining in the NBA’s 2025-26 regular season.

After starting the season 6–21, the Clippers have bounced back and are 26–11, reaching .500 for the first time since the early parts of the season. The Clippers moved to a 32-32 record with a win over the New York Knicks on Monday night to move past the Golden State Warriors for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

But Kawhi Leonard wasn’t ready to celebrate anything just yet.

“It’s nice, you know, but the job’s not done,” Kawhi Leonard admitted after the game. “The season isn’t over. That’s to be expected. Like I tell the guys, you don’t train to lose, you train to win, so yeah, it’s OK.”

Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points, including seven rebounds, eight assists and two steals, in the Clippers’ win over the Knicks, while making 10 of 19 shots from the field in 35 minutes of play.

After the game Leonard spoke with several Clippers players about the importance of maintaining their focus throughout the remainder of this regular season.

“We just talked to some players about it,” Leonard said. “Today, when I heard we were .500. Like I said, the job’s not done, we’ve still got games to play, so there’s nothing to be happy about.”

In his fourth game with the Clippers since returning from a foot injury, Darius Garland played a strong game as he worked his way through the minutes restriction. Garland scored 23 points with seven assists and two steals in 30 minutes of play, knocking down five three-pointers in the process.

He echoed Kawhi Leonard’s sentiments after the game, saying there is still more work to be done.

“I’m just here to win games,” Darius Garland said after the win over the Knicks. “That’s what we do, work in the offseason to win games so it’s exciting to get back to .500, but we still have a lot more work to do. We’re not done yet.

“[Being .500] Just a number. As I said before, we’re not done yet. There are still a lot of games left, and hopefully we’ll win some of them so keep trying, keep working on yourself, don’t worry about anyone else. We have to get better as a team, especially with our new guys getting acclimated and everything like that, so yeah, we’re just worried about the Clippers here.

Head coach Tyronn Lue acknowledged that reaching .500 after being 15 games behind and deep in trouble is an accomplishment in itself.

“It means a lot,” head coach Tyronn Lue explained. “Our guys in the locker room stuck with it, kept fighting, kept competing. We thought we should have been better and could have been better. Injuries hurt us, but this team, since I’ve been here six years, our guys always keep fighting when our backs are against the wall.”

“I give credit to our coaching staff they did a great job sticking with it, staying positive, continuing to help these guys get better. Starting 6-21 and getting to .500 right now is huge for us.”

The Clippers still face an uphill battle as they try to continue their lead in the Western Conference standings. As of Tuesday night, the Clippers are the eighth seed despite having the same 32-32 record as the Golden State Warriors as they currently lead the season series 2-1 with one game remaining on the final night of the regular season.

The Phoenix Suns have played five games on the Clippers, and have continued to play well despite missing players like Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, and Mark Williams all year.

AFC Bournemouth star Allie Junior Crupi is on the agenda for Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid in the summer window.

At least that’s what Téléfoot in France is reporting, relayed by le10 sport. They cover interests from Liverpool, PSG and Real Madrid and the striker has also responded to interests from these clubs.

Bournemouth agreed a deal with FC Lorient in February 2025 for Crupi to arrive at the Liberty Stadium last summer.

The 19-year-old has made 24 appearances, including 13 starts, and scored eight goals for Bournemouth so far. This included late equalizers against both Leeds United and Manchester United, which helped Andoni Irola’s side pick up two points.

Crupi also scored in Bournemouth’s league win over Tottenham Hotspur and defeat to Arsenal. His performances and ability did not go unnoticed in England and across Europe.

Liverpool in picture with Real Madrid and PSG

Last month, Sports Witness news broadcast from france Arsenal and League 1 winners Bournemouth are looking at the player.

Téléfoot now supports PSG’s interest and adds Liverpool and Real Madrid to its list of favourites.

On behalf of Arne Slot, the Paris club and Real Madrid signed Milos Kerkez, Ilya Zbarny and Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth respectively last summer. Los Blancos activated the latter clause while Liverpool and PSG negotiated a fee.

The Reds could compete with PSG and Real Madrid to sign the France U21 international after this season.

Frenchman thrilled with interest from big clubs

The Bournemouth attacker, for his part, is pleased that these clubs are showing interest in him.

“It’s nice when people talk about me, when they talk about these big clubs,” He said.

“But the most important thing for me is what I do on the pitch, this is the best league in the world, so performing here means you can perform anywhere. The most important thing for me is to perform here, and then we’ll see what happens.”

Crupi’s contract and price

Player’s contract is till 2030 transfer market He is worth €22m. This is the highest valuation so far in his short career.

However, if they decide to sell him, Bournemouth will demand a fee far higher than his current valuation.

Last summer, Liverpool spent big on both Alexander Isak and Hugo Aktike. Therefore, it may not make sense to sign Crupi next season.

The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the league over the past few months, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be letting up any time soon. After a slow start to the season, they have found their rhythm on both sides of the ball and are now over .500 for the first time this year, with a chance to move up in the Eastern Conference standings.

Fans have begun to embrace the Hornets’ success, and this is shown by how packed the field is these days, something that Miles Bridges has not seen since his time with the team.

“I’m not used to it,” Bridges said, via Will Eudy. “It’s usually just a few games, like Warriors, Lakers, Knicks. But now, people are coming to games against Portland. Portland is a good team… but people don’t play those type of games. So I’m happy for the fans that they’ll get to experience that.”

I was just at the Hornets shootaround and I asked Miles Bridges about playing in front of noisy crowds every night:

“I’m not used to it. It’s usually just a few games, like the Warriors, Lakers, Knicks. But now, people are coming to games against Portland. Portland is a good… pic.twitter.com/0Gfd4c7o7B

– Will Eudy (@WillEudyNBA) 6 March 2026

The Hornets have played great in their last few games and join the 2017 Golden State Warriors field, tying their streak to six straight games. Winning by 15+ points.

Head coach Charles Lee’s team is playing its best basketball at the right time, and he cited staying healthy as one of the keys to their success during this period.

“It’s been good to have a healthy roster,” Lee said. “It’s definitely played a role in some of the changes we’ve made. But I think our guys have embraced the process even more. It started in the offseason. I thought everyone has increased their work habits, their work standards and their togetherness about how we can lift each other up. We’ve come out stronger through all of this.”

The Hornets are currently the ninth seed in the East, but they could make up some ground and continue to climb depending on what the teams above them do.

DeMar DeRozan is the definition of a true professional in the NBA. Although things have not been going well for the Sacramento Kings this season, DeRozan’s demeanor is unchanged, and he continues to play late in the 2025-26 season as if it was the first game of the year.

At this point, many veterans like him would have wasted the season and called it quits, especially as players like him, 36 and older, want to preserve any time they have left on the hardwood. Although DeRozan clearly believes this is a lost season in Sacramento, he is not one to leave in the middle of the year.

He has always held himself to a high standard, and the six-time All-Star recently admitted that he cherishes every minute he spends on the court because you never know when it will be your last moment to put on your uniform or put on your shoes.

“Yeah, I mean everybody’s got to find their happiness, whatever way it is. For me, you know, you can’t take these moments for granted,” DeRozan told reporters on Wednesday, via Sactown Sports 1140.

“So for me, just the ability to go out there and play, to be able to get the opportunity, you know, for me, that’s what keeps me going, keeps my happiness out there because you never know.”

DeRozan will turn 37 in August, making him one of the league’s oldest active players, joining LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. As he enters the final few seasons of his career, DeRozan clearly wants to win and compete at the highest level, but playing for the Kings has allowed him to embrace this stage of his career.

Retirement is around the corner for DeRozan, which is why, whether it’s for the Kings or another team moving forward, he’ll be continuing to bring the same work ethic and positive attitude to being able to play the game he loves.

“I’m closer to the end more than anything. For me, I want to enjoy every single moment of playing basketball.”

Playing in all 63 of the Kings’ games so far on the season, DeRozan has averaged 18.2 points, 3.9 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.0 percent from the floor. He recently passed Paul Pierce to move to No. 23 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, and he will temporarily surpass Stephen Curry at No. 22 in his next game as Steph is currently out with an injury.

By the end of the season, DeRozan, who has 26,439 career points, could move into the top 20 of the all-time scoring list, surpassing George Gervin (26,595). Every player in the top 40 of this historical list is either a Hall of Famer or will be a Hall of Famer, which is why DeRozan’s chances of being immortalized in Springfield when the time comes look good.

So, how many years does DeRozan have left? Only he knows the answer to that, but that won’t stop him from going on the court every day and playing to the best of his ability, finding joy in both wins and losses, until his career is over.

Julio Enciso has admitted he was not happy at Brighton & Hove Albion, as he is now enjoying life in France.

Le Figaro covered the 22-year-old’s comments today Because he wants to get his career back on track in Strasbourg.

The midfielder joined the French club for €9.5m last summer, ending a three-year stay with them before joining the Seagulls for €11.6m in 2022.

Enciso would make only 57 appearances in total for the club. This was largely due to injuries that held him back.

A meniscus injury in 2023 cost him 38 games for club and country and spent 184 days on the treatment table.

brighton to strasburg

The second half of last season’s loan spell at Ipswich Town was also cut short by injuries. That frustration led him to move to France this summer, where he has been impressing this season.

He has already played 24 times for Strasbourg this season, starting 15 of their 18 games so far in Ligue 1. He has justified that status too, with eight goals and three assists in 24 games in all competitions so far.

The Paraguayan is also the joint-top goalscorer in the French Cup with five goals so far. Le Figaro described him as the main architect of their impressive performance in the competition to date.

Becoming a star under O’Neal

He’s clearly having fun with Gary O’Neill. The former Wolves boss employed him as a ‘playmaker’ in the middle of the pitch.

Enciso is enjoying the support he is receiving, admitting he has never been happy at Brighton in recent years.

“I admit that I went through a very difficult period,” He said.

“I wasn’t happy at Brighton. But here I have the support of my teammates, my coach and I’m doing a lot of personal work as well.”

Fer López says he is enjoying being back at Celta Vigo, after joining on loan from Wolves in January.

On Thursday, the Spanish club won 1-0 over PAOK in the Europa League play-offs.

Ahead of the clash, Movistar+ in Spain spoke with Wolves-owned player and uncheck Has released his comments.

The attacking midfielder graduated from the La Liga side’s youth system and is set to make his first-team debut in 2024. He made a few appearances for the senior team, but it was enough to convince the Premier League side.

Wolves signed him for around €25m in June 2025 and his sale helped Celta Vigo manage their finances.

The 21-year-old struggled in England, failing to score and provide one assist in 364 minutes in 12 matches. This convinced him to leave Wolves and Celta Vigo stepped in to sign him on loan.

Why is he happier since the transfer?

Since returning to Spain, López has scored a goal in a 1–1 draw against FK Crvena Zvezda in the Europa League. The attacker revealed that as soon as he left Wolves for the Spanish club, he felt good.

“From the first minute I felt very comfortable. It’s true that in the short time I’ve been here, I’ve played a lot of minutes.” He said.

“I’m very happy, especially because in the first six months I didn’t get so many minutes and chances. The important thing is to win games and keep adding minutes.”

When asked about the atmosphere in Celta Vigo’s dressing room, López explained: “We’re all friends, you can see it every day on the field and in training. We all enjoy it. We want to win. It shows on the field; we’re a big family, we’re there for each other. I’m very happy to be here with them all.”

What’s next for the Wolves man?

Lopez is due to return to England in the summer, following his temporary stint with the La Liga team.

Celta Vigo initially wanted to sign him on an 18-month loan deal, but Wolves only agreed to six months.

Earlier this month, Sport Witness Covered claims from Spain That Celta Vigo will make every effort to extend the player’s loan stay beyond this season.

On Friday, NBA legend Charles Barkley turned 63. The vocal “Round Mound of Rebound” received a lot of love.

Throughout the day, Barkley received several birthday messages. The first to celebrate was his 1992 Dream Team teammate, Magic Johnson.

“Happy Birthday to my good friend and dream teammate Charles Barkley! He’s the funniest guy on TV!” Johnson posted on Twitter, ex.

Happy Birthday to my good friend and dream teammate Charles Barkley! He’s the funniest guy on TV!

– Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) 20 February 2026

Later, actor Samuel L. Jackson posted a video Johnson and I are jointly wishing Barkley a happy birthday.

“Happy Birthday to our man, Charles Barkley,” Jackson posted.

Happy Birthday to our man, Charles Barkley‼️🔥 pic.twitter.com/RuOavhZOKc

– Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) 20 February 2026

Jackson appears in Capital One’s March Madness commercials with Barkley and Spike Lee.

Then, the Philadelphia 76ers, for whom Barkley played from 1984 to 1992, released his celebratory poseOn Barkley’s birthday.

“A franchise and an NBA legend. Happy Birthday to the one and only Sir Charles Barkley!”

A franchise and NBA legend.

Happy Birthday to the one and only Sir Charles Barclay! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WaIu6TVwKi

– Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) 20 February 2026

Of course, Barclay is full of hyperbole. Radical, controversial, beloved, unapologetic and iconic. He was like that both on and off the court. On the court, Barkley was one of the defining players of his generation. Although he never won an NBA title, he mesmerized fans and contemporaries alike with explosive toughness.

He was a 5-time NBA All-Star, 1993 NBA MVP, 1988 rebounding champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, Hall of Famer, and on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Off the court, Barkley lets loose, especially when he’s calling NBA and NCAA basketball on television. Besides, he’s not afraid Venture into politics and social issues.

At 63, Sir Charles remains an undeniable icon that never ages.