fulhamHopes of signing Malik Tillman from Bayer Leverkusen this summer may have been boosted as he admits his time at the German side is over.

Sport Bild report on Forward todayWhat could be a busy summer for Leverkusen when it comes to departures.

Tillman wants to leave Leverkusen

The newspaper reports that Leverkusen paid €117m for Malik Tillman and several other signings last summer. But they have hardly been used at all by manager Kasper Hjulmand this season.

This is being considered as a clear indication of how poor coordination is between the German club and the manager. And this summer there will be consequences.

Many of the players who were contracted are ‘dissatisfied’ and are seriously considering walking out. The club is also considering promoting players. In fact, sporting director Simon Rolfes has hinted at this in recent comments.

He said, “There will be a shakeup in the team this summer. We are trying to inject some new energy and strengthen the team.”

A lot will depend on the new manager, but Malik Tillman has ‘pretty much closed the book’ on his Leverkusen tenure. This information has already been given to the club management. The 23-year-old wants to use this World Cup skip to strengthen his market position.

Fulham expressed interest

Sport Bild report that Fulham have already ‘expressed interest’ in signing him this summer. Leverkusen are open to a deal if they can recoup the €35m they paid to PSV Eindhoven last summer.

This matches recent reports Sports witnesses have covered up the player. The last of them, last month, said Fulham were tempting the player with a move to the Premier League.

Now it appears that the American has taken the decision and wants out. The question is whether those in charge at Craven Cottage want to pay the €35m asking fee. If they’re up for it, it’s a deal that could be done quickly in the coming months.

fulhamHopes of signing Malik Tillman from Bayer Leverkusen this summer may have been boosted as he admits his time at the German side is over.

Sport Bild report on Forward todayWhat could be a busy summer for Leverkusen when it comes to departures.

Tillman wants to leave Leverkusen

The newspaper reports that Leverkusen paid €117m for Malik Tillman and several other signings last summer. But they have hardly been used at all by manager Kasper Hjulmand this season.

This is being considered as a clear indication of how poor coordination is between the German club and the manager. And this summer there will be consequences.

Many of the players who were contracted are ‘dissatisfied’ and are seriously considering walking out. The club is also considering promoting players. In fact, sporting director Simon Rolfes has hinted at this in recent comments.

He said, “There will be a shakeup in the team this summer. We are trying to inject some new energy and strengthen the team.”

A lot will depend on the new manager, but Malik Tillman has ‘pretty much closed the book’ on his Leverkusen tenure. This information has already been given to the club management. The 23-year-old wants to use this World Cup skip to strengthen his market position.

Fulham expressed interest

Sport Bild report that Fulham have already ‘expressed interest’ in signing him this summer. Leverkusen are open to a deal if they can recoup the €35m they paid to PSV Eindhoven last summer.

This matches recent reports Sports witnesses have covered up the player. The last of them, last month, said Fulham were tempting the player with a move to the Premier League.

Now it appears that the American has taken the decision and wants out. The question is whether those in charge at Craven Cottage want to pay the €35m asking fee. If they’re up for it, it’s a deal that could be done quickly in the coming months.

liverpool And Manchester City Lens could be tempted by the signing of Samson Baidu, whose stock is rising in France.

The centre-back has played 21 times in Ligue 1 this season, logging almost 2000 minutes in all competitions.

He had been missing in recent weeks with a hamstring injury but has now returned to the squad. He came off the bench against Brest a week ago but recently started against Nice and played a part in the 1–1 draw.

sports witness Aston Villa’s interest in the talent has been covered, with the Villans already making a move for him. Baidu is believed to have a number of attractive scouts, with Juventus also a potential suitor.

Baidu’s future is uncertain

alljuve Report that the centre-back is one of the most interesting young players in Europe at present. While this is a clear attempt to promote the player, he believes Baidu’s future in the lens is becoming increasingly uncertain.

It seems likely he will leave in the summer, with Juventus trying to increase contact for his signature. The Italian side see him as one of their main targets for the summer but the task will not be easy.

Manchester City and Liverpool have been tracking Baidu ‘for some time’, with Inter Milan also interested.

As a result, the valuation of youth is likely to increase in the next few months. He is currently valued at €30m but this could increase as a result of involvement from English clubs.

This would marginalize Juve, giving the Premier League teams an advantage.

Our Opinion: The team is working to promote the player

Baidoo is currently represented by Sportcover, who also represent Juve players Jérémie Boga and Khefren Thuram. The Bianconeri are likely to make a deal with the squad in the summer. Boga will be signed permanently and will attempt to renew Thuram’s contract.

Both Manchester City and Liverpool may also be in need of a centre-back in the summer. Both clubs are going through a period of change and the backline is one of the areas they are looking to add to.

The Lens defender may need another season in France but he is someone who is attracting a lot of attention.

On Saturday night at UFC 328, Alexander Volkov and Waldo Cortes-Acosta face off in a main card clash with big implications. The winner of their scrap will put their name in the title contender conversation this fall.

After three extremely tight contests, the Russian used his length and leg kicks to defeat the Dominican and earn his 14th win inside the Octagon and 40th overall. Let’s see where he lands in our new heavyweight rankings after UFC 328.

10. Tyrell Fortune (18-3)

Multiple-time wrestling champion Tyrell Fortune was a top prospect for Bellator in the final years of the promotion’s existence. But after two appearances in the PFL, he took his talents to the MMA regional scene to build his resume for a shot in the UFC.

Well, he got that opportunity in the Octagon in March 2026 and he made the most of it by scoring a big decision victory over ranked veteran Marcin Tybura. The win earned him a spot in our latest UFC Heavyweight Top 10.

9. Rizvan Kuniev (14-3-1)

PFL and Contender Series veteran Rizwan Kuniev joins our UFC heavyweight rankings after scoring the biggest win of his career with a hard-fought victory over Zelton Almeida during his debut in the Octagon in February 2025. While it wasn’t great, he proved he could compete with top-10 talent.

Sergei Spivak has been a consistent top-15-tier fighter at heavyweight for the past five years. While he has lost six times inside the Octagon, his most recent failures have come against elite competition such as Tom Aspinall, Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Cyril Gane. However, he has also achieved some big wins against big-name or ranked foes.

He scored another goal in February when he scored in a very hard-fought victory over talented finisher Ante Delija. Their latest win halted a potential losing streak and brings them back into our top 10.

7.Curtis Blades (19-6)

While Curtis Blaydes has suffered some tough losses during his career, he has remained a top-five tier heavyweight for most of the last decade, earning wins over fighters such as Junior dos Santos, Alexander Volkov, and Zelton Almeida during his tenure in the UFC.

However, in the UFC 327 scrap, where he was a huge favorite, the 35-year-old decided to engage Josh Hockitt in a brawl, and suffered a surprisingly upset loss. It’s hard to imagine that “Razor” will ever fight for UFC gold again.

6. Josh Hockitt (9-0)

Leading up to his scrap at UFC 327, few people knew who Josh Hockitt was. However, his bizarre antics during Fight Week brought the talented wrestler a lot of attention, but mostly for the wrong reasons. Nevertheless, on fight night, he still had an opportunity to earn top 10 status in a clash with Curtis Blaydes.

Although it was no technical performance, Hokit showed an impressive chin and courage as he shocked the MMA world by defeating Blaydes in Fight of the Night. His third consecutive win in the Octagon lands him in our latest Top 10 and on the radar of UFC fans around the world.

Dominican legend Waldo Cortes Acosta has quietly become a serious force in the heavyweight division. In his 13 bouts inside the Octagon, he has recorded 10 wins, including wins against some notable talents in the top 15, including against fan favorite Derrick Lewis at UFC 324.

In May, he got a chance to potentially become the No. 1 contender in a UFC 328 bout with Alexander Volkov. However, the Dominican was unable to figure out the Russian’s away game and suffered a disappointing decision loss.

4. Sergei Pavlovich (20-3)

Sergei Pavlovich has been an absolute crushing machine during most of his UFC career. After losing to Alistair Overeem in his debut match, he reeled off six consecutive wins and all of those wins came via devastating knockout. However, a string of two-match defeats halted all their momentum. But he has righted the ship in 2025 and has scored two decision wins. The most recent fight was against Waldo Cortés-Acosta in Shanghai.

3. Alexander Volkov (40-11)

Alexander Volkov has been a top-tier MMA heavyweight for a long time. Although he has been unable to earn a UFC title shot, he has remained a veteran in the top 10 over the years. Have been hovering around the title contenders conversation for the last few years.

However, at UFC 328, he may have locked up a title opportunity in the near future when he was able to outpoint and outpoint Dominican star Waldo Cortés-Acosta to earn a crucial unanimous decision victory.

2. Cyril Gane (13-2)

Cyril Gane is a superb athlete and one of the most technical heavyweight strikers in the game. This is the reason why he is constantly in the title discussion. However, his wrestling shortcomings remain a problem, and they were evident again in his UFC 310 bout with Alexander Volkov. Fortunately “Bon Gamine” was able to escape and win the decision.

This victory earned him a title opportunity at UFC 321. However, his good luck ran out against Volkov, and his chance to win UFC gold was halted after just a few minutes when he kicked champion Tom Aspinall in both eyes, ending the fight.

1. Tom Aspinall (14-3)

Englishman Tom Aspinall is the best heavyweight in the UFC. It became official when MMA GOAT Jon Jones decided to step away from the sport earlier this year. The Englishman has defeated many of the best fighters in the division over the past three years and is the undisputed leader in the eyes of most UFC fans.

After definitively avenging the only defeat of his UFC career in the summer of 2024, he made his first defense of the undisputed title in October. Unfortunately, a nasty blow from opponent Cyril Game ended the UFC 321 main event after just a few minutes. An immediate rematch in early 2026 appears likely.

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

Ted Turner, who helped finance one of the world’s most powerful wrestling promotions, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), has died at the age of 87.

In the 1980s, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) founder Vince McMahon had the bold idea of ​​taking his brand nationally. In the process, they revolutionized the concept of regional wrestling promotions and dominated the industry for a decade and well into the 1990s. One of the regional brands that faced financial problems due to the dominance of the WWF – now WWE – was North Carolina company Jim Crockett Promotions. Who owned a share of the NWA.

With his company in dire straits, Crockett sold his wrestling assets to rapidly rising media mogul Ted Turner. The man who turned TBS, TNT and CNN into powerhouse national television networks was a wrestling fan and wanted to continue airing in-ring content on TBS.

Turner already had a weekly show called “World Championship Wrestling”, so he took Crockett’s roster, which included wrestling icon Ric Flair, and turned WCW into a real wrestling promotion. Still, despite airing content on national TV each week, success like the WWF was not immediate.

Ted Turner helped propel WCW to the top of wrestling

So the television veteran decided to put his money where his mouth was, and when new WCW boss Eric Bischoff asked him to invest big bucks in WWF legends like Hulk Hogan and “Macho Man” Randy Savage, he did. Although this has not yet turned them into real competition for the WWF, it has given the brand far more credibility in the industry.

WCW then regained that identity and added better storylines and talent. With the help of the massively successful nWo storyline and the high-flying cruiserweights, the company became the strongest in the industry and nearly put the WWF/WWE out of business.

That growth was supported by Turner’s wealth and the mega-companies he created. This is why the WWF did parody segments about Turner, Hogan and Savage in the mid-90s and called them “Billionaire Ted”. They could sense the growing threat he was helping to create in WCW.

Along with his roles at WCW, TBS, TNT and CNN, he also owned the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks for a few decades. He died on Wednesday after battling dementia in the last years of his life.

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

Luis Palma’s €3.5m valuation is seen as ‘affordable’ for Sevilla this summer, raising possibility celtic Forward takes step towards Spain.

Orgullo Biri’s report The Spanish club are eyeing a move for the Celtic man this summer due to his low-cost valuation.

an affordable signature

A report last week said that Sevilla are attempting to persuade Luis Palma to join the club this summer.

They have been impressed by his performances while on loan at Lech Poznań. The 26-year-old has shone for the Polish side with nine goals and nine assists in 42 games in all competitions this season.

They are likely to exercise the €4m option to buy the winger, but According to reports in Spain, Sevilla are looking to intervene.

Sources close to the player had then denied anything had happened. But He stressed that Palma is eager to move into the top five leagues this summer. Celtic are likely to sell him after two consecutive loan deals away from the club.

Orgullo Bieri now reports that Palma’s current valuation of €3.5m is ‘a figure within Sevilla’s reach’. They see Palma as ‘affordable’. Either option loan or low cost transfer will work for them.

They say that while Lech Poznan want to sign Palma permanently, the player may prefer La Liga if a stronger offer comes in. Celtic are open to sale after Palma’s consecutive loan spells at Olympiacos and Lech.

sevilla status key

First and foremost, Sevilla need to make sure they are in La Liga. Now they face an important stage of the season in which it will be determined.

Their plans for next season depend on the result. Same is the case with Luis Palma. A deal for the Celtic forward will only go ahead if the Spanish side remain in the lead.

But if they do, he is seen as an affordable option they may want to pursue for next season.

Well friends, it’s official: the Ottawa Senators are headed to the playoffs! On January 24, they finished in last place in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. At the time, the Detroit Red Wings led the Atlantic and were tied for most points in the East. There was a difference of 16 points between the two teams.

Now, with the Sens up by five points on the Wings, Detroit is officially out of the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. As much as this story is about the Senators’ dominance over the last two and a half months, the Red Wings’ downfall deserves to be discussed as much. Let’s get into the details.

Read more: It’s time for Jordan Spence to extend

Ottawa Senators by the numbers

The Senators’ 4–1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on January 24 left them in sole possession of 15th place in the Eastern Conference. That’s when his season changed. have a look:

• first 51 games: 23-21-7, 3.22 goals/game, 3.39 goals against/game, 22.9 PP%, 71.8 PK%
• last 29 games: 20-6-3, 3.62 goals/game, 2.31 goals against/game, 24.4 PP%, 83.6 PK%

Let’s break down these numbers among all the NHL teams:

• first 51 games: 25th in points %, 12th in goals/game, 28th in goals against/game, 10th in PP%, 31st in PK%.
• last 29 games:T-1st in points %, 4th in goals/game, 1st in goals against/game, 10th in PP%, 5th in PK%.

Obviously, it was a change of the entire team. Sure, his goalscoring and power play were solid in the first 51 games, but those numbers have reached even greater heights since then. Goal prevention is where the Senators have improved even more dramatically. A lot of it has to do with their goal setting. To keep an eye:

• first 51 games: .865 Team SV% (32nd in the NHL)
• last 29 games: .900 Team SV% (7th in the NHL)

The .865 SV% paced the Senators for the lowest team SV% in the NHL since the 1993–94 Ottawa Senators. Keep in mind, that was the Senators’ second year of existence. Individually, Linus Ullmark went from .881 SV% to .904 SV%. They have 14 wins since returning from their leave of absence on January 31 for the league lead.

Detroit Red Wings by the numbers

Now for the fall part of the equation. The Red Wings defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5–1 on January 24 to tie the Carolina Hurricanes for most points in the East. Sure, the Red Wings played an extra game, but they were undoubtedly in a great spot to end their long playoff drought. Well, so much for that! Let’s take a look at the figures:

• first 53 games: 32-16-5, 3.11 goals/game, 2.96 goals against/game, 24.7 PP%, 79.3 PK%
• last 27 games: 9-14-4, 2.59 goals/game, 3.15 goals against/game, 19.7 PP%, 73.5 PK%

And now for a league-wide comparison of those numbers:

• first 53 games: 4th in points %, 17th in goals/game, 13th in goals against/game, 6th in PP%, 18th in PK%.
• last 27 games: 28th in points %, 30th in goals/game, 22nd in goals against/game, 22nd in PP%, 27th in PK%.

This is the exact opposite of the senators. They lagged behind in virtually every category. Clearly they relied too heavily on their power play, which held back just like every other part of their game. The Red Wings didn’t just become a mediocre team, they became one of the worst teams in the NHL. Keep in mind, they were buyers on deadline. Here’s what their deadline acquisition did for them:

• Justin Faulk: 15 games, 4 goals, 6 points, -3, 20:16 time on ice/game
• david perron: 14 games, 2 goals, 2 points, -9, 13:42 ice time/game

The Senators were the ones who traded Perón to the Red Wings. He was replaced by Warren Foegele, who scored 5 goals and 7 points in 19 games with Ottawa. It certainly wasn’t just Faulk and Perron who caused Detroit’s decline. For example, Lucas Raymond had a dramatic fall. He scored 58 points in his first 51 games, but has scored only 18 points in his last 27 games.

defining game

Let’s go back to March 24. The Senators were in Detroit to face a Red Wings team that was one point ahead of them. These were the problems:

• They were playing for the second straight night, having played against the Rangers in New York the night before.
• They were without Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot and Nick Jensen on defense.
• The Red Wings had won all three meetings up to that point in the season.

Any back-to-back is tough, but playing both games on the road in two different cities, as well as missing both Chabot and Sanderson, made this feel like a scheduled defeat for the Senators. Additionally, depth D-men Dennis Gilbert and Lassie Thomson were out, forcing the Sens to call up forwards Jorian Donovan and Carter Yakemchuk to play their first career games.

outcome? The Senators’ incredible 3–2 win moved them ahead of the Red Wings in the standings for the first time since December 5. The Senators never let the Red Wings pass after that. The Red Wings suffered several tough losses in a row to keep them out of the playoffs, but considering the circumstances, this was the worst.

final thoughts

There came a time when it felt like none of the teams fighting for the last few playoff spots in the East were going to lose completely. Of course, the Red Wings were the exception. They lost 8 of their last 11 and 18 of their last 27 and found themselves out of the playoff picture.

Meanwhile, the senators never gave up. They played 20 games without Brady Tkachuk early in the season. He endured nearly 50 games of terrible goaltending. Linus Ullmark took a partial leave of absence during the year. Jake Sanderson missed 13 games. After the Olympic break, they used 12 defensemen. In the end, their resilience has been rewarded with a second consecutive trip to the playoffs.

These two teams have shown a lot of disdain for each other over the past few years as they have tried to work their way back to contender status. Obviously, senators have the upper hand. Meanwhile, the Red Wings must figure out what to do next after a terrible collapse that saw them miss the playoffs once again.

Danny was born and raised in Ottawa and still lives in that city. He has followed… more about Danny McCloskey

There is still a possibility of Jhon Lukumi being eliminated Sunderland But competition for the defender is being encouraged.

The Black Cats were relentlessly pursuing the defender’s signature in the summer. Right after his release condition expired, sports witness The proposal to sign it was rejected.

His agent had also announced his intention to exit, but Bologna remained firm. Despite Lukumi performing well this season, the player has not responded to attempts to renew his contract.

As a result, the Colombian is expected to move in the summer and will be one of the most sought-after players at that time.

Sunderland’s task is becoming more difficult Il Resto del Carlino Watching closely.

Bologna awaits World Cup transfer boost

Bologna are now certain about selling Lucmi.

They know his value is falling as his contract expires in 2027 and a sale is due to take place this summer.

If Lukumi performs well in the World Cup, they will be able to receive a higher fee from his sale.

Sunderland remain interested but Barcelona have now been mentioned. They see the 28-year-old as an alternative to Alessandro Bastoni, who is expected to command a big price in the summer.

Lucumi has attracted the attention of the Catalans, especially because his agent is at work on finding a new destination.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth have also joined the chase and view the Bologna man as a replacement for Marcos Senesi. Fenerbahce and Galatasaray are also interested, with both clubs described as ‘very rich’ contenders in the race.

Sunderland’s time may be up

Due to the way Bologna are operating, Sunderland will run out of time to sign Lucumi.

If the centre-back makes an impact at the World Cup, he will attract global attention and his agent and even the Rossoblu would love nothing more than that.

Furthermore, Lucumi is able to play for a major club due to his obvious European experience. That’s why it’s no surprise Barcelona’s interest, which could certainly increase.

The Spanish side are not financially prosperous but their interest is a sign that Sunderland’s task could become more difficult.

The Italian club will also be keeping a close eye on the defender, who could potentially add further hurdles for Regis Le Bris.

Ohio State linebacker Arvel Reese put on a show during the NFL Scouting Combine. Participating with the edge rushers at the combine in Indianapolis, Reese ran a 4.46 40-yard dash with a 10-yard split of 1.58 seconds. Measuring 6-foot-4 1/8 and 241 pounds were also some of the most impressive measurements for a player at his position.

Reese totaled 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks last season in Columbus. He is widely expected to be taken in the top five of April’s NFL Draft and could go as high as No. 2 overall to the New York Jets. Reese has taken the college football world by storm this season, as he has seen his draft stock rise.

Now, as he prepares for the draft, let’s take a deeper look at what made Arvel Reese who he is today.

What high school did Arvel Reese go to?

Arvel Reese attended Glenville High School, where he won a state football championship playing for coach Ted Ginn Sr. He was also named a finalist for the 2022 high school Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top high school linebacker.

What college did Arvel Reese go to?

Reese attended The Ohio State University. He is currently majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences. His GPA is still not public information.

What is Arvel Reese’s draft projection?

Reese is projected to be a top 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

arvel reese college statistics

Reese put together a strong two-year college resume, showing clear development and defensive impact. In the 2025 season, he recorded 69 total tackles, including 34 solo stops and 35 assisted tackles, while adding an impressive 6.5 sacks and two pass deflections.

This is a significant jump from his 2024 campaign, where he recorded 43 total tackles (18 solo, 25 assisted) and 0.5 sacks. In both seasons, Reese did not record any forced fumbles, fumble recoveries or interceptions, but the increase in his pass-rushing production and overall tackle volume in 2025 highlighted his evolution into a more disruptive defensive presence.

The Denver Nuggets currently have the best player in the NBA in Nikola Jokic.

He has incredible talent and has been a triple-double machine in the NBA. He’s not the most athletic, but he’s shown that he’s extremely efficient on offense, and that’s been a big difference maker, which is why he’s won three MVP awards.

However, another big man may overshadow him in the near future: Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama is in his third season in the NBA and has been dominant, which shows how much he has grown as a player. He’s only going to get better, and Jokic said he’s relieved he won’t be there to experience his peak. Jokic is the best player in basketball today, but he said that Wembanyama basketball is changing and he clearly stated that he is glad he will not be there to experience the best of his career.

“He’s changing basketball. He’s a rim protector, he’s shooting threes. He’s unique. I’m glad I’ll probably retire before Wembley takes over the entire league,” Jokic said in his appearance on X&O Chat, a Serbian basketball podcast hosted by Edin Avdik.

Wembanyama has made a significant leap with the San Antonio Spurs this 2025-26 season. Despite injury problems early in the year, he is now averaging 23.9 points on over 50 percent shooting with 11.1 boards, 2.9 assists and a league-leading 3.0 blocks per game.

Wembanyama’s combination of defensive mastery, scoring ability, and overall unicorn talent has propelled the Spurs to the NBA championship. They are currently one of the top favorites to win it all as the No. 2 seed in the West, with a 47-17 record.

It’s also worth noting that Wembanyama has broken the mold of how NBA players are viewed by giving his all to play every night during the regular season. He was emotional after the big comeback against the Clippers a few nights ago, which was refreshing for many fans after so much talk about how NBA players don’t care about the regular season anymore.

The New York Knicks have been playing well for quite some time and Karl-Anthony Towns deserves some of the credit. Aside from the team’s recent loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Towns has figured out how to impact games. Despite shooting the ball less, he is creating significant efforts on the glass and impacting the game where he can. But the Knicks will need more from Towns than the 14 points he made on four shots in a 109-94 loss to the Cavaliers. And clearly, they will need to average more than 20 points per game this season if they hope to win the championship.

On the court, it looks like Towns has lost his sense of scoring. Towns has spoken a lot about Mike Brown’s lack of understanding of his role in the offense this season. And his four-shot attempt performance in the team’s loss to Cleveland shows he still hasn’t figured it out.

Towns is so efficient as a scorer that he only gets four shot attempts, while averaging 24.4 points per game last season. And the team probably needs even more from him if it hopes to win a championship. Instead, they are decreasing.

To take the next step, the Knicks need Karl-Anthony Towns to showcase

To put it bluntly, the Knicks need Towns to do what he is known for, scoring the basketball. He’s a great rebounder. If he somehow develops into an elite passer and defender, that would be great too. But New York needs Towns’ scoring.

The Knicks rank ninth in points per game this season (117.1). They were seventh last season (115.8). So, while they score slightly more, they have not been able to maintain the widespread increase in scoring per game across the league, as they have dropped two places. Still, that kind of relative decline isn’t the end of the world. In fact, the Knicks offense is still quite impressive when it’s working.

The same can be said about towns. He has had his share of success. But he is scoring the second lowest points (20.0) of his career, which is exactly the wrong direction for him. The Knicks hoped that Towns, Brunson and Brown would complement each other. Instead, Towns has become more inconsistent than ever.

It’s important to remember that Towns received less criticism last season. He scored 24.4 points per game with 22 30-point outings—and the Knicks still failed to reach the Finals.

Mike Brown needs to do more for Karl-Anthony Towns

Unfortunately, Brown’s system appears to limit Towns’ ability to reach his potential. Cities are rarely the focal point in this season. He is averaging about 6.1 dunk or layup attempts per game this season. Comparatively, he averaged 7.85 dunks or layup attempts per game. He’s also running one less isolation play per game.

Overall, Towns is averaging three fewer shot attempts per game (16.9 in 2024-25 to 13.9 in 2025-26). And the shot attempts he’s not getting seem to be the ones he’d prefer to take. Towns’ lack of understanding of his role means he doesn’t know when and where his efforts might go. And this is a problem.

Additionally, while Towns may not have a large scoring burden on him, there is significant—and some might say too much—pressure on Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and others. And while Brunson’s impact has been consistently strong, Anunoby isn’t quite the caliber scorer that Towns is. And asking him to be the second option on a Championship team is probably too much. The same can be said about Mikal Bridges.

Karl-Anthony Towns’ salary dictates he should work more

Another problem with Towns scoring less points is his salary. Towns is objectively a top-tier offensive talent. And that’s how he’s being paid.

Towns is making $53 million this season, with $57 million guaranteed next year and a player option for $61 million in 2027-28 (which he will likely decline). With the Knicks’ 2025-26 salary set at $211 million, Towns represents a little more than 25% of it. This is too much for a player who is not being showcased or utilized properly.

Paying town like a franchise player restricts the team’s ability to maximize the chances around him. But Towns is clearly talented enough to command a star-level salary.

So, the Knicks’ answer is obvious; If New York wants to see how far they can go, they’ll have to get Towns more involved. Give him a chance to succeed (or fail). But by limiting him, it limits the team’s potential and puts a ceiling on what they can achieve this season and beyond.

West Ham United have received a strong reaction from the Brazilian after Matthias Martinelli officially signed a contract renewal with Fluminense until the end of 2030.

According to a report from a Brazilian outlet globo esporteThe 24-year-old midfielder put pen to paper on Tuesday.

The agreement has been in progress for several days, but is now fully completed. His previous deal ran till December 2027.

The timing is significant, as West Ham was among the clubs to do so Try Fluminance early this year. The Brazilian side rejected the approaches without starting formal negotiations.

Rejected bid and escalating situation

Globo Esporte recall that Fluminense rejected an offer of €13m (£11.1m) during the first transfer window of 2026. The report does not name the club making the bid, but West Ham was linked earlier With that range of data.

Internally, Martinelli is not viewed as a negotiable asset. The midfielder is a product of the club’s academy and has become one of the leaders of the team.

At just 24 years old, he already has 300 senior caps for Fluminense. In doing so, he became the first academy graduate to reach that milestone. He also started in the club’s 2023 Copa Libertadores victory and most recently won the 2026 Rio de Janeiro State Championship trophy as captain.

Those details strengthen its symbolic and sporting value. Therefore, the renewal is as much strategic as it is emotional.

Player ambition balanced with club stance

Recently he said this in an exclusive interview we covered that timeMartinelli admitted that he dreams of playing in one of the world’s top leagues. However, he made his position clear.

Any move, he said, should work for both him and Fluminense. This cannot be just a unilateral decision.

That balanced message is now gaining added importance. By extending to 2030, Fluminense has significantly improved its negotiating position. Any prospective suitors would need to move on from the previously rejected €13m (£11.1m).

The landscape has changed for West Ham. The interest may remain, but the cost of doing business has increased.

Daniel Gilardi made a slow start at AS Roma this season but has burst onto the scene over the past few weeks. The defender is now attracting interest from Newcastle United.

The Giallorossi signed the player from Hellas Verona last summer on an initial loan with an obligation to buy. This comes just after impressing for Italy U21 at last year’s European Championships.

He did not appear in any of Roma’s first eight Serie A games. Gradually they have changed things.

In 2026, he made six starts and impressed in a 2–2 draw against Napoli at the weekend. As attention increases around the 23-year-old, Newcastle United are emerging as suitors.

Newcastle and Italy are monitoring Gilardi

gazzetta dello sport A look at the defender’s condition makes it clear that he has ‘grown a lot’ over the past month.

All this has happened in the absence of Mario Hermoso, who is struggling with an injury. As the Spaniard now progresses his recovery, there are question marks over whether he will directly replace Gilardi.

His form has seen him hold a starting spot under Gian Piero Gasperini, who has impressed. All this has also attracted interest from Newcastle United.

What’s more, Rino Gattuso is keeping an eye on Gilardi for a possible Italy call-up in the future.

It is very possible that Gasperini will opt to play both Hermoso and Gilardi, as a reward for the ex-Verona player’s form.

Magpie switch could be too soon for Gilardi

The defender was seen as one of the most promising young defenders in the last few years. It’s nice to see that he’s been through a tough time and it says a lot about his mentality.

When it comes to a change in the Premier League, it may be too soon for Gilardi.

He is very reliable with the ball and passing it forward but he is not yet physically developed enough to play in England. There is no doubting his overall quality, but he still needs to go through a phase of development before making a big step elsewhere.