Hull City Manager Sergej Zakirovic believes they need 12-15 signings this summer to compete in the Premier League next season.

sports news Today is a comprehensive interview with the Hull City manager, in which he explains his plans for the summer transfer window.

Hull City Summer Plans

Sergej Zakirovic has become one of the most intriguing coaching stories in European football over the past year, thanks to his immense, unexpected success at Hull.

He took charge of Hull last year with the apparent luxury of remaining in the Championship or at least achieving a comfortable mid-table finish. Instead, they defied expectations and sent them into the playoffs in the first place Defeated Middlesbrough in play-off final.

It means he is now a Premier League manager and faces the difficult task of keeping the Tigers at the top. And to do that, he believes they need a big summer transfer window.

“We have calculated that the core structure of 12 players who have performed this season will remain in place, which means we need 12 to 15 reinforcements,” he said.

“The owner and I talked, but he didn’t say anything about money, we still have to sit down seriously.

“However, we know some information. As winners of the Championship last season, Coventry plan to invest around €40m in reinforcements, but they already have an expensive and strong team with which they have attacked the Premier League for two years.

“Ipswich are reportedly preparing around €80m. For comparison, Sunderland, as a newcomer to the Premier League last summer, invested around €120m in reinforcements and immediately finished seventh after winning the Europa League.”

Spend €120 million like Sunderland?

While Sunderland could be a shining example of how to do it, Zakirovic does not believe Hull will have the same kind of spending power this summer.

He said, “Sunderland is my guiding principle, the club has identified excellent, conditionally, cheap, but very good players, mainly in Belgium and France.”

Getting €120 million of reinforcements… It’s already a dream, I don’t believe we will have that much money, but we’ll see. “Basically, there are no restrictions now, we can compensate.”

newcastle united Real Betis will face a number of challenges to sign Abed Ezalzouli this summer.

Last week, the Magpies sold Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for around €70m. While his departure has created a void, his financial condition has also improved.

Newcastle United have set their vision Real Betis are on the star and sent their scouts to follow him closely in May itself.

Last Thursday, Sports Witness broadcast news The La Liga side risked losing the attacker and Nathan in favor of Eddie Howe.

At the weekend, we Covered claims from Spain That it would be difficult for Abede to turn down the Tyneside club. This is unlikely to happen as of Tuesday’s edition abc sevilla.

Abede not keen on Newcastle United

There is a report in the newspaper on the situation of Abed Izzalzouli on a move and why Andalusian clubs are quiet.

A number of unnamed clubs have asked about the former Barcelona man, who has a €60m release clause.

Real Betis are in no rush to sell the Morocco international as his wages are manageable. If he impresses in the World Cup, his value may also increase.

He believes a price of €60m is fair, also considering that Barça will retain 20% of his rights.

The attacker, for his part, feels comfortable at the club and is not thinking about leaving, despite being in the process of changing agents.

Los Verdiblancos know he prefers to play in the Champions League with Real Betis next season rather than join a club that can pay him more.

ABC Sevilla was quick to mention Newcastle United, who failed to qualify for Europe after finishing 12th. The player’s current preference means the Magpies are ‘out of the running’ to sign him.

If he left, the newspaper says: ‘Abde has limited his options to really powerful clubs that can meet his buyout clause or offer a similar amount and provide him with big sporting challenges such as winning national and international titles. And there aren’t that many people at that level.

Deal more complicated for Magpies

The stance of Real Betis and Abed Ezalzouli makes it more complicated for the English club.

Newcastle United will have to make a huge effort to soften the position of both Real Betis and the attacker. To do this, a major effort is required, especially to convince Moroccans.

Abed scored 15 goals and 13 assists this season transfer market He is worth €30 million.

There is no doubt that Shawn Strickland is one of the best 185-pound fighters on the planet. Because of the impressive resume he has built inside the Octagon, he deserves the top spot in our UFC middleweight rankings.

The 30-7 star has victories over some of the best middleweights of the last decade, including division legend Israel Adesanya. Additionally, seven of his losses inside the UFC have come against elite talents, including future Hall of Famers Alex Pereira and Kamaru Usman.

However, a major reason for their rise to fame, or rather infamy, is the lack of a filter between their brain and mouth. Fight fans are accustomed to bold hot takes from competitors. But Strickland lets fly with any and all ideas about social issues on media programs and social media. And in many instances, they provoked serious reactions because of how controversial they were.

Ahead of his return in the championship main event of UFC 328 this weekend, we take a look at some of Strickland’s most outrageous and controversial opinions.

Shawn Strickland doesn’t want women in the workforce

UFC fans have discovered over the years that the former middleweight champion is conservative in many of his views on society. This includes the roles of men and women in society, and in 2023, he stated that he would prefer women to stay at home and have children rather than be part of the American workforce.

“We need to go back to getting women out of the workforce, and maybe that’s where we went wrong, guys. We let women vote, no offense. Think about America before you let women vote… You let these women into the workforce, now we make less money, you’ve got kids raising themselves on TikTok, we need to go back to like 1942, maybe 1958, after dealing with the Germans. We let women in. “Needs to be put back in the kitchen.”

Sean Strickland hated Bad Bunny’s performance in the Super Bowl

One of the biggest stories of 2026 was music mega-star Bad Bunny – one of the most downloaded artists of all time – performing during the Super Bowl. The February demonstration became the most watched demonstration ever. But leading up to a fight against Anthony Hernandez in February, Strickland offered some anti-gay views on the NFL’s decision.

“I think they all gathered around a table and said, ‘You know, guys, how can we ruin this game? How can we make it gay? Why don’t we bring in a gay alien who doesn’t speak English and have him perform?'”

Bunny is Puerto Rican, which makes him a US citizen because Puerto Rico is a US commonwealth.

Shawn Strickland shows no love for women’s MMA

Next weekend will bring the most valuable promotion and a big first for Netflix. A mixed martial arts event headlined by female MMA legends Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. However, the middleweight title contender is not a fan of the upcoming bout between the 39-year-old and the 44-year-old.

“Ronda Rousey is going to steamroll her, and we’ll just see two middle-aged women going through menopause fight each other. I don’t know. I’m not interested in that. Who gives a s***?”

Sean Strickland wants opponent to die in cage?

Strickland has expressed a number of bizarre views on life and death over the years. However, the most controversial was a comment from five years ago in which he toyed with the idea of ​​ending an opponent’s life in the cage. This should have raised big red flags with the UFC brass.

“I would love nothing more than to beat someone up in the ring. Nothing more. That would make me extremely happy. I would also own that ***… Be a sociopath, it’s fun!”

The rise before UFC 328

On Saturday night, Strickland will get his second chance to become middleweight champion when he faces current title holder Khamzat Chimaev. It was always expected that the tension between the two foul-mouthed fighters would increase as we get closer to UFC 328.

The first salvo in trash talk came last week when Strickland suggested he might pull out a gun if Chimaev and his friends tried to confront him before their fight.

“I’ll just pull out my gun, and I can shoot him. If you come at me with three Chechen guys who don’t speak English, I’ll pull out my gun, and I’ll shoot each one of you.”

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

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery could completely reshape the future of the league, with multiple teams competing for the No. 1 overall pick. While some franchises enter as clear favorites, history shows that the lottery often springs surprises.

Here’s a full breakdown of the odds heading into one of the NHL’s most important nights.

nhl draft lottery odds snapshot 2026

Here are the 2026 draft lottery odds for Tuesday, May 5.

• Vancouver Canucks – 18.5%
• Chicago Blackhawks – 13.5%
• New York Rangers – 11.5%
• Calgary Flames – 9.5%
• Toronto Maple Leafs – 8.5%
• Seattle Kraken – 7.5%
• Winnipeg Jets – 6.5%
• Florida Panthers – 6.0%
• San Jose Sharks – 5.0%
• Nashville Predators – 3.5%
• St. Louis Blues – 3.0%
• New Jersey Devils – 2.5%
• New York Islanders – 2.0%
• Columbus Blue Jackets – 1.5%
• St. Louis Blues (via DET) – 0.5%
• Washington Capitals – 0.5%

The race for the No. 1 pick is wide open, with several teams having realistic chances depending on lottery results.

How does the NHL Draft Lottery work?

The draft lottery determines the order of the first overall pick for non-playoff teams. Only the top-2 picks are selected in the lottery each year.

Main rules:

• Teams are given odds based on regular season standings
• Only a limited number of positions can be added to a draft order
• Lottery determines top picks, not entire draft order
• Results are revealed live during the broadcast program

This system is designed to balance competitiveness while preventing tanking in the NHL.

How to watch the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery

You can watch the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday, May 5 at 7:00 PM ET. The lottery will be broadcast on ESPN, Sportsnet and TVA Sports, as one of 16 teams will earn the first pick in the 2026 NHL Draft this summer.

READ MORE: 5 bold moves that could reshape the Florida Panthers this 2026 offseason

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

Manchester City Have signed many youngsters in recent years and are still on the lookout.

Premier League teams are already looking across Europe and beyond for young talent.

In the last few days, the game has witnessed Brazil and Spain’s claims covered About Manchester City’s solid interest in Palmeiras youngster Eduardo Conceição.

The 16-year-old has put his offer on hold and is waiting to find out whether Barcelona will make a move.

Last week, we Covered claims from Brazil Athletico Paranaense youngster Bruninho is on Manchester City’s radar. two days ago, game witness broadcast news Pep Guardiola is keen to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza.

Manchester City focuses on the Mexican market

The Citizens are owned by City Football Group, who have several clubs in their stable. This includes New York City FC, Verona, Troyes and others.

Pumas UNAM manager Efraín Juárez worked as an assistant with the MLS side between 2020 and 2022.

He has confirmed that Manchester City owners have already asked him about some players for both their youth and first teams. record In Mexico he has released his comments.

“Because of my relationship with the group, I worked there for three years. It is the biggest football group in the world,” He said.

“I heard they were coming. They asked me about some of the players from the youth academy and currently in the first team, who are already thinking about how they can strengthen their squad with their ten or twelve teams around the world.

“He has that spontaneity and clarity. With such a big group, that always happens. I will welcome him tomorrow; we will definitely welcome him.”

“On Thursday, I’ll see if I can have dinner with them. They’ll ask me questions. They’re going to watch some matches, not only ours, but some from the Mexican League as well. They’re coming to watch the games; that’s what they do.”

No mention of details of players

Efrain Juarez did not confirm which players the Manchester City owner is considering or is on his agenda.

There have been no concrete claims made recently regarding players being considered by Premier League teams. More updates on this may come in the coming days or weeks.

The Tennessee Titans hold the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, positioning them to come out with a potential perennial Pro Bowl selection as a core part of their future. As draft day approaches, there is more talk about who Tennessee could take with its top pick.

Previewing the upcoming NFL Draft, reporter Cameron Wolfe shared that the Titans “like” All-American running back Jeremiah Love.

RELATED: Why the Titans shouldn’t draft Jeremiah Love

Wolfe noted that Love, a standout for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, might be “too good to pass up” for Tennessee. He also mentioned a recent conversation about the Titans’ potential draft plans in which his source compared the situation to the franchise drafting Derrick Henry a year after selecting quarterback Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick.

Love is viewed as one of the few blue-chip prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah ranks Love as the second-best player in this class, while ESPN.com’s Matt Miller rates the offensive weapon as the top overall player this year.

RELATED: 2026 Dynasty positional rankings, including Jeremiah Love

Going back to the comparison made to Wolff by someone inside the league, it is a bit flawed. Henry is a future Hall of Famer and has proven himself worthy of being a first-round selection, but Tennessee took him in Round 2 with the 45th overall selection.

This is a lot different than using the fourth overall pick on a running back, especially when both the Titans defense have glaring holes at multiple spots and the offensive line isn’t even league-average entering 2026.

RELATED: Latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft

It’s also worth noting that Tennessee’s running back committee already includes Tony Pollard, Tyjay Spears and Michael Carter. All the while, this team doesn’t have a true No. 1 wide receiver to back up Cam Ward.

With all that said, discussion around the league continues to suggest that there is a very good chance the Titans select Love with the fourth overall pick. This is a selection that will get a lot of criticism due to the running back’s positional value and other team needs, but Love is certainly one of the few players in this class who can be a difference-maker for an offense.

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

West Ham Recent transfer windows have been spent looking for long-term aggressive solutions, often mixing immediate needs with youth investments who can develop into the role.

Club recruitment is increasingly leaning towards emerging markets, particularly South America, where early identification of talent can provide both sporting benefits and financial value.

The West Ham transfer approach helps explain why their latest link is not to an established name, but to a striker still developing in Brazil.

The Hammers are now keeping an eye on Palmeiras forward Heitor Vinicius, an 18-year-old centre-forward who has yet to break into senior football but is already attracting attention behind the scenes. At this stage, the move will clearly be about anticipation rather than immediate impact.

According to a Brazilian journalist george nicolaCiting information from the player’s own camp, West Ham are intent on signing the striker and are closely monitoring his progress.

That claim has been supported by extensive reporting in Brazil, pointing to growing international interest in the teenager as his development continues in Palmeiras.

Early numbers and rapid progress

Heitor Vinicius has been playing above his age group for some time now. He played for Palmeiras’ U20 team at the age of 17 and remains there this season despite being 18 years old.

His statistics give a glimpse of why clubs are paying attention. So far in 2026, he has five goals in 10 matches in the youth competitions. This included two goals in four matches in the Copa Libertadores U20 and three goals in three matches in the Brazilian U20 League.

Last season, he scored 10 goals in 35 matches, reflecting steady performances rather than explosive output. However, he has consistently faced older opponents, which makes his evolution more remarkable than raw totals alone.

Profile in line with West Ham transfer interest

Heitor Vinicius has been described as a classic number 9 in Brazil. He serves as a point of reference in attack, is strong in the air and is able to maintain play. He can bring others into the game and keep defenders in the centre.

That profile remains valuable in England. Even though many teams favor a fluid forward line, there is still a demand for strikers who can provide structure inside the box.

Palmeiras internally see him as one of the next names to pave the way for the first team. report from bolavip There is suggestion that the club see a clear possibility of them reaching the senior level in the near future, which is often the moment when European interest increases.

special information

Sports Witness Source Understand that Palmeiras will currently demand between £13.1m and £21.8m (€15m and €25m) for the striker.

That’s a significant evaluation for a player with no senior minutes. Still, it reflects broader trends in Brazil. Clubs are already securing their top prospects and setting prices before they become regulars.

So even though he is in the development phase, any move will likely depend on his first-team success.

For West Ham, the current stage is information gathering. Observation can immediately turn into action if the player takes the next step. At the same time, waiting has its own risks, as exposure at a senior level will certainly drive up his value.

“The Mendoza Mafia is deeply entrenched.” That’s how the quarterback describes his family — and for Fernando Mendoza, that support system has been everything.

The Indiana Hoosiers QB is officially taking his talents to the next level in April after declaring for the NFL Draft in 2025 following a dream season. Once a lightly recruited guy coming out of high school who began his college career at Cal, Mendoza flipped the script in a big way — winning the Heisman Trophy and leading Indiana to a national championship victory over Miami in January.

At the center of it all is her mother, Elsa. Living with multiple sclerosis, she has been his constant source of strength and inspiration.

Who are Fernando Mendoza’s parents?

Fernando Mendoza’s parents are Elsa and Fernando Mendoza Sr.

Why is Fernando Mendoza’s mother in a wheelchair?

Elsa Mendoza has been one of Fernando’s toughest fighters. And his story reaches deeper than football. A former college tennis player at the University of Miami, Elsa was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007 and is now confined to a wheelchair. Like the rest of the family, she is of Cuban origin, with her parents having settled in Miami. That flexibility? It’s clearly part of the Mendoza DNA.

In December 2025, Elsa shared a heartfelt letter Players’ Tribune This gave fans a closer look at his journey. He admitted that he once saw Fernando following his path in tennis. “My dream was for you to play tennis like me,” she wrote, recalling how she had coached him from his college practice when they were younger.

What does Fernando Mendoza’s father do?

According to his bio and LinkedIn, his father, Fernando Mendoza Sr., is a medical director at Nicklaus Children’s Health System in Miami. Of Cuban roots, his parents immigrated from Cuba and settled in Miami. Mendoza Sr. brings a strong cultural and business foundation.

But before the white coat, he had real athletic chops. A gold medalist in rowing at the 1987 Junior World Championships, he later competed at Brown while studying biology. From there, he progressed academically – earning his medical degree from the University of Florida, completing his residency at Jackson Memorial in Miami, and adding a fellowship at Boston Medical Center.

Does Fernando Mendoza have siblings?

Fernando Mendoza has two brothers – Alberto and Max. Alberto plays football with Fernando for the Indiana Hoosiers and Max is in Miami.

Pedro Porro’s time at Tottenham has been full of ups and downs. Their obvious quality is now attracting attention from abroad.

This week, sports witness Jade Spence has added to the doubts over the future of another Spurs defender. Juventus are considering a potential deal for the Englishman, who may not be the only defender to depart in the summer.

There is also interest in Italy from Porro, who has played 36 times in all competitions this season. He has assisted five times while working regularly under Anze Postecoglou.

interest Take a closer look at his situation, especially as Tottenham remain just above relegation.

Inter is keen on Poro

The outlet believes the 26-year-old is considered the ‘best’ option for Inter, who are looking to sign the right wing-back in the summer.

There is interest in Marco Palestra but the Nerazzurri are looking for an established player in this position. Denzel Dumfries is expected to leave in the summer and has a release clause of €25m in his contract.

Once Inter earn that fee, they are likely to make a move for Porro, with Tottenham unlikely to demand a huge sum. Inter Milan’s budget is €40m.

The right-back’s experience at the highest level attracts the Serie A league leaders. He is also at the peak of his career and will have no problem handling the pressure of playing at San Siro.

Our opinion on Poro’s Tottenham exit

It has become clear that Poro’s development has stalled this season. Despite being erratic at times, the defender is usually one of Tottenham’s most reliable players, but it remains to be seen if he can take the next step in London.

Inter, currently a much more stable football organization – although that can change rapidly in Italy – could get help doing just that. Dumfries has done so himself since joining PSV Eindhoven.

Poro could also benefit from playing at wing-back in a 3-5-2 setup. He is currently playing at centre-back in a back three due to his long passing ability. This takes away his ability to take the ball forward and that is what Inter would like.

Therefore, a move to the Nerazzurri would make sense and would depend on whether they can meet Tottenham’s asking price.