Barcelona confident of €70m deal for Newcastle star – agent’s visit on Wednesday pushes deal forward

Barcelona believe they are very close to signing Anthony Gordon newcastle united In the coming days.

cadena ser report There is growing belief at the Camp Nou that Gordon will be signed soon.

Barcelona’s confidence

The radio station reports that Barcelona are confident of securing a deal for Anthony Gordon in the coming days after his agent William Salthouse traveled to Barcelona today.

They explain that Salthouse traveled to Barcelona on Wednesday, following Barca director of football Deco’s visit to London over the past few days to push forward talks for the Newcastle star.

He made the trip with the aim of finalizing the final details of the operation and expediting the signing of the player.

Barcelona are now ‘almost confident’ of being able to complete the deal quickly. He is in talks with Newcastle over a €70m deal.

fits the profile

The 25-year-old’s profile appeals greatly to both the club’s sporting management and manager Hansi Flick. They both consider strengthening the wings with players ‘capable of maintaining a high rate of pressing and intensity’ a priority.

Barcelona have several reports on Anthony Gordon in this department. He highlighted the Newcastle forward’s ability to ‘repeated high-intensity efforts’. This is a key feature for any player in Flick’s system.

Barcelona also believes that Gordon can play as both a winger and a striker. This further increases his strategic importance for the team.

Negotiations have now advanced ‘very far’ and the Catalan giants are confident they will be able to sign a deal in the coming days.

They will look to move quickly to avoid potential competition from Bayern Munich.

report in germany It’s been made clear that they’re keen on Gordon too, and have been for some time. But they are hesitant to pay Newcastle’s asking price, which is not an obstacle for Barcelona.

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“Confidence spread throughout the city” – Carlos Carvalhal moves into ‘a skeptical Sheffield Wednesday fanbase’

Sheffield Wednesday supporters have had little time to celebrate in recent months.

Relegation to League One in February pushed the club into even greater uncertainty, as frustrations over ownership and the future continued to grow around Hillsborough.

That disappointing background perhaps explains why the name of Carlos Carvalhal still holds such affection in Sheffield.

portuguese newspaper game This week on Wednesday a major feature was devoted to the magic of Carvalhal, this period is now being revisited through a new book called “Carlos Had a Dream” written by journalist Dominic Howson.

The book revisits the 2015/16 season, when Wednesday reached the Championship play-off final against Hull City and came within one match of a Premier League return. The club has not played in the top flight since 1999/00.

For many supporters, that campaign still represents the emotional pinnacle of Sheffield Wednesday’s modern history.

from doubt to belief

Howson explained to the Portuguese press that Carvalhal arrived at Hillsborough surrounded by suspicion.

“With him, it was a real leap into the unknown,” He said. “He had coached big clubs but had never worked in England. Many supporters were disappointed by Stuart Gray’s dismissal as he had achieved success with a limited budget.”

The skepticism extended beyond the stands.

“Carvalhal walked into a skeptical dressing room, a skeptical fan group and a skeptical press box,” Howson recalled.

That mood didn’t last long. Before Carvalhal’s arrival Wednesday had finished 13th in the championship. Expectations were modest even after owner Dezfon Chansiri increased spending. Yet the Portuguese coach quickly changed the atmosphere around the club.

“The first season was innovative, fun, and full of potential,” Howson said. “Wednesday signed 15 players, but they almost immediately formed a cohesive and expressive team. The football was adventurous and entertaining.”

Players such as Barry Bannon, Ross Wallace, Fernando Forestieri and Gary Hooper became symbols of a side that suddenly felt alive again. Forestieri, in particular, emerged as one of the championship’s outstanding performers that season.

Wednesday lost only two home league matches during the 2015/16 campaign. Hillsborough came out strong again. The crowd kept increasing. Optimism spread throughout the city.

Howson believes that emotional impact explains why Carvalhal still holds a special place in the club’s modern story.

“He gave confidence, identity and happiness,” The author explained. “His personality resonated deeply. Supporters embraced him wholeheartedly and sang ‘Carlos Had a Dream’.”

The chant eventually became one of the defining symbols of that era.

“The atmosphere changed overnight”

The timing of the book release seems important. Wednesday are preparing for another painful rebuild after demotion, while the memories of the Carvalhal years grow stronger with time.

Particularly for younger supporters, the run to Wembley has become a reference point for them as to what the club can still be. Howson said this clearly.

“For the younger generation, the 2015/16 season defines the club,” He said. “This is no longer the era of Di Canio or Benito Carbone and the excitement of the 1990s. That trip to Wembley was monumental.”

The author returned repeatedly to the idea that Carvalhal changed not only the results, but also the feeling around Sheffield Wednesday.

“He spread joy and ended years of indifference,” Howson explained. “Supporters fill Hillsborough again to watch bold football.”

He then described how quickly the mood changed around the club.

“The atmosphere changed overnight. The excitement grew every week. There was freedom and individuality in the team, and character in the dressing room. We had a stadium that was again full of noise and hope. Confidence spread throughout the city.”

Howson also believes that Carvalhal’s personality played a major role in creating that relationship.

“He connected with people regardless of results. He had charisma and humor.” He said.

Despite the club’s difficult situation, that emotional attachment is still strong.

“Carvalhal was the club’s first foreign manager and became a unique chapter in our modern history,” Howson added. “With them, it was the last time Wednesday felt really close to the Premier League, with exciting football and a lively atmosphere.”

The author acknowledged that the current reality of Hillsborough makes those memories even heavier.

“It’s sad to see where we are,” He said. “But Carvalhal is still popular with supporters. He created memories that go far beyond disappointment.”

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Carlos Carvalhal revisits the heartbreak, passion and famous Arsenal story of Sheffield Wednesday

Carlos Carvalhal still wonders what would have happened if Sheffield Wednesday had completed the job at Wembley. Ten years from now, supporters will probably do the same.

portuguese newspaper game This week Wednesday’s remarkable 2015/16 season was revisited through a major feature attached to the book “Carlos Had a Dream”, in which authors Dominic Howson and Carvalhal both reflected on the club’s painful near-miss and the stories that still surround that team.

Sheffield Wednesday reached the Championship play-off final under Carvalhal before losing 1–0 to Hull City on Wednesday, missing out on one of football’s richest prizes. For many supporters, it still hurts.

“For the younger generation, the 2015/16 season defines the club,” Howson explained. “That trip to Wembley was memorable, the first in 23 years. For many supporters it was the greatest moment of their lives.”

Over 40,000 Wednesday supporters traveled to Wembley that day. Fans believed that promotion could eventually bring the club back to the Premier League for the first time since 2000.

The £170 million question

Howson acknowledged that the feeling towards the club during that period was different to that experienced by Sheffield Wednesday supporters for years.

“Nobody expected us to fight for promotion, to reach the play-offs,” He remembered. “And nobody expected us to beat Brighton and get to Wembley.”

That semi-final against Brighton remains one of the defining nights of Carvalhal’s spell. Wednesday won 3-1 on aggregate and suddenly found themselves one game away from the Premier League. However, the ending was brutal.

“Many players froze on football’s biggest stage,” Howson accepted. “It was a painful end to a remarkable season.”

Howson believes that the promotion would have changed Carvalhal’s status forever.

“If Carvalhal had finished with promotion to the Premier League, I think he would have achieved legendary status in the city and he would have been forever appreciated.” He said.

The financial impact will also be huge. Promotion was valued at around £170 million (€195 million), money that could potentially shape the club’s future.

“This could have helped the club to reposition itself over time,” Howson acknowledged, before adding a more cautious thought. “But given what we know today about the ownership situation, perhaps not going up was a blessing in disguise. We don’t know what might have happened.”

Carvalhal himself is not interested in dwelling too much on the defeat.

“If we had gone up, I don’t know whether I would have stayed at Sheffield Wednesday for many years,” He reflected. “It was like that. We started as underdogs. We weren’t promotion favorites and still finished sixth.”

The Portuguese manager instead prefers to focus on how expectations changed dramatically during that first season.

“I arrived at Sheffield Wednesday with the idea of ​​stabilizing the team, then suddenly we found ourselves fighting for promotion to the Premier League,” He said. “I can feel like a champion only for exceeding objectives.”

He also admitted that his relationship with the club has become deeper than expected.

“At that time I had opportunities to leave, but I did not want to do so because of my attachment to the club,” Carvalhal revealed.

“If you leave a mark on a club to such an extent that people remember you years later, and someone decides to write a book about that campaign, then that’s rewarding,” He said. “Only the promotion was missing because everything else was extraordinary.”

Carvalhal also proudly highlighted the historical significance of what his employees accomplished.

“We were the club’s first foreign coaching staff and were responsible for some of the best results of the modern era,” he explained. “Staying in people’s memories as Portuguese makes it even more special.”

“A giant wake up”

Carvalhal’s personality became almost as famous as the football. Supporters still remember the metaphor, the emotional speech and the feeling that something different was happening around Hillsborough.

One sentence followed him everywhere.

“I had an expression that became very popular – ‘Let’s wake up a giant’,” Carvalhal was recalled.

In many ways, Sheffield Wednesday supporters believe that is exactly what they did.

“The club was literally sleeping,” he explained. “We almost doubled the crowds, increased attendances by 30 per cent and our away allocations were always sold out.”

Then came Wembley.

“The 40,000 tickets we got were sold out,” Carvalhal added. “That was our big objective.”

Howson also revisited the origins of the famous “Carlos had a dream” chant, which eventually became inseparable from that team.

“It happened at Brentford when Lucas Joao scored a late winner,” he explained. “The supporters sang the song all afternoon and at first they didn’t even realize it was about them.”

Carvalhal embraced it completely. According to Howson, the Portuguese coach later had the song embroidered on the inside of his jacket and printed on his boots.

Howson also highlighted another famous Carvalhal moment, this time after a chaotic comeback against Cardiff City.

“Had a loss on Wednesday, then threw in two more forwards and began a spectacular comeback,” The author recalled. “He later explained this by saying that he ‘put all the meat on the grill.'”

This explanation became another example of the Portuguese manager’s strange charm.

“It was philosophical, colorful and said with a smile,” Howson added. “He connected with people regardless of results. He had charisma and humor.”

arsenal story

One of the best stories of Carvalhal’s spell involved Barry Bannan and Ross Wallace before Sheffield Wednesday’s famous 3–0 win over Arsenal in the League Cup, a result many supporters still talk about today.

Carvalhal admitted that he had deliberately told both players that they would not be involved. The reaction was exactly what he wanted.

“I told Ross Wallace and Barry Bannon that they wouldn’t play because we had too many matches.” he explained. “This was a conversation to test their reactions.”

The pair were angry.

“They were upset and convinced they wouldn’t play,” Carvalhal said. “But I was always confident that I would use them.”

Believing they had the night off, both players went out for a drink.

“They went to drink beer and drank too much,” Carvalhal laughed. “But because I actually planned on playing them, they started right away and both had very good games.”

Sheffield Wednesday then defeated Arsenal 3–0.

“They were surprised and started laughing afterward,” Carvalhal added. “But in proper British fashion, there is no beer that can beat ours.”

This line perhaps explains why Sheffield Wednesday supporters still remember the Carvalhal years differently from almost everything that followed.

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The Minnesota Vikings are hosting top free agents on Tuesday and Wednesday

While there was a lot of criticism from the outside, especially after ‘reaching’ with the 18th overall pick for defensive tackle Caleb Banks, the Minnesota Vikings are happy with the results of their 2026 NFL Draft class. However, that doesn’t mean that the nine selections they made met all of their needs.

One noticeable absence was the fact that the Vikings did not select any wide receivers. It came as a surprise when the team let last year’s WR3, Jalen Naylor, sign with the Las Vegas Raiders. His potential replacement, last year’s third-round pick Tai Felton, had only 25 yards as a rookie.

Still, the Vikings freed up some extra cap space with the Jonathan Greenard trade, and now they’re trying to use some of it to address arguably one of their biggest needs.

According to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Vikings are hosting free agent receiver Jaun Jennings for a visit from Tuesday through Wednesday. By setting up two-day meetings, it’s clear the Vikings are applying a full-court press, trying to get Jennings signed to a contract before he leaves the team facilities on Wednesday.

Jennings recorded a career-high 77 receptions for 965 yards with six touchdowns in 2024. Hoping to build on those strong numbers, the 28-year-old receiver’s numbers took off in 2025, where he recorded 55 receptions for 643 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns.

However, when he reached free agency, Jennings did not find the market he would have liked. Perhaps his asking price was a bit high.

Now that teams have addressed their most pressing needs through free agency and the draft, Jennings’ options have dried up, and they will certainly have to lower his asking price.

The 6-foot-3, 212-pound receiver should have an easy transition learning Kevin O’Connell’s offense, as he has just spent five seasons mastering Kyle Shanahan’s system. He will also add a unique element to the team’s receiver room, adding even more size to the table.

If he signs, Jennings will immediately become the team’s new No. 3 receiver, falling behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and he will give Kyler Murray another reliable pass-catcher to target in the red zone.

RELATED: Minnesota Vikings had one of the NFL’s ‘worst’ draft classes

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Club warns of competition for Sheffield Wednesday player – Championship side could raise price

Earlier this month, Sheffield Wednesday allowed Yann Valery to join Young Boys on loan until the end of the season.

The Tunisia international made his debut for Young Boys when he came off the bench in a defeat to FC St. Gallen on 11 February.

Last weekend, the Sheffield Wednesday player played the full 90 minutes and provided two assists in a 6–1 win over FC Winterthur.

Friday edition of blick Looks at how the right-back can help the Swiss club and discusses his future beyond this season.

Why did the Owls approve the loan move?

Valeri played regularly under Henrik Pedersen and has made 23 Championship appearances for the Owls this season.

The English club is struggling financially and is in the process of finding a new owner.

Blick claims that Valeri is one of Sheffield Wednesday’s top earners and his exit will at least allow them to shed part of his wages.

The newspaper believes that this move will also benefit them from the sporting point of view and will improve their chances of making it to the World Cup. Whether this is the case or not remains to be seen.

Good start for Sheffield Wednesday loanee

He provided two assists in their previous win, and credited his new teammates for helping him settle in.

“The team gave me a great welcome. It made my first game a lot easier. The two assists were just a bonus,” He said.

Before joining Sheffield Wednesday, the fullback worked in England with Southampton. During his time at St Mary’s, the Saints sent him on loan to Birmingham City. It is believed that his previous difficult experience in England will help the Young Boys now.

“I learned this in England. But I have known it since I was a child. Later, I also experienced the battle of exile on the island,” Valerie explained.

As things stand, the Tunisian is set to return to Sheffield Wednesday at the end of his loan spell. The Owls are bottom of the table, and are unlikely to play in League One next season.

This will give Young Boys a chance to retain him beyond this season. However, Blick has warned that if he continues to shine, there could be more clubs queuing up to sign him.

The newspaper suggests the price could rise if ‘powerful Championship clubs make serious offers’.

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LaMelo Ball involved in Charlotte car crash on Wednesday

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball was recently involved in a car accident in Uptown. Video released shows Ball’s Hummer colliding with a car as the two were passing through an intersection. The car the ball hit stopped immediately, the driver got out, and went to the Hornets guard to see if he was OK.

It is not certain who was at fault for the accident, but it seems that both parties are safe.

Witnesses told local news that the sedan was heading east on Trade Street, while Ball was heading west. He tried to go left on the one-way road, which is why the collision occurred. Eyewitnesses also claimed that when Ball got out of the Hummer, he got into a Lamorgini. Both the Hummer and the sedan were towed.

Ball has received criticism for his driving over the years. Several videos have been posted of him exiting the Spectrum Center and driving away at speed.

The Hornets are set to play the Houston Rockets at home on Thursday, and so far, it doesn’t look like Ball will suffer any injuries as a result of the accident.

Over the past few weeks, the Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the league and have climbed up the Eastern Conference standings after once missing out on the play-ins. They are now seeded ninth, and have plenty of time to make a move up the standings if they continue to play like this.


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