All posts by n8rngtd.top

Celtic were in action against Hibernian on Saturday, and one star caught the eye more than most for Brendan Rodgers on an occasion that ultimately ended in frustration.

Celtic have to settle for a point against Hibernian

Despite their best efforts, Celtic had to settle for a point at home to Hibernian on Saturday in a goalless draw mired by frustration due to their lack of potency in the final third.

Statistically, the Scottish Premiership holders racked up 26 shots and an Expected Goals tally of 3.00, per Fotmob. Nevertheless, some excellent stops from Raphael Sallinger and a host of missed chances meant a share of the spoils at Parkhead.

Opting not to criticise his players too much after a day where luck wasn’t on their side, Rodgers praised Celtic for their ‘dominant’ performance, also offering credit to Hibernian for their robust display. He stated via BBC Sport:

“I was happy with the performance. I think every metric in the game, we were dominant. I thought today our football was really good, we went through the pitch well but we just lacked that killer instinct in the box. But I also think they defended the box really well so we need to credit Hibs for that.”

Kelechi Iheanacho couldn’t convert his chances against Hibernian despite being heavily involved in attacking moves, while Arne Engels and Luke McCowan didn’t do enough to convince supporters they are worthy of a regular place in the engine room after rare starts.

Perspective is needed in light of the Hoops’ opportunity creation, but they are now two points behind Heart of Midlothian in the league standings as they now focus on facing Braga in the Europa League next Thursday.

Regardless, one Celtic performer did take his chance against Hibernian, earning praise from the manager after an impactful display on an otherwise forgettable afternoon.

Brendan Rodgers delighted with Celtic left-back Marcelo Saracchi

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Rodgers made his appreciation known for loanee Marcelo Saracchi after his ‘excellent’ performance against Hibernian.

Detailing his consistency in training, he stated via The Daily Record: “Marcelo was excellent with his attitude to the game and his confidence. He’s an experienced player having played at a high level.

“Working with so many South American players, it’s an obligation, they’re not timid, they’re aggressive and strong and very committed and when we have the ball, he wants to play forward and come into those nice spaces.

“He’s made a really good impact coming into training. That attitude I like. You need that personality at a club like this. Some can be overawed, and you have to be patient, but he was excellent.”

Ultimately, Saracchi was a shining light for Celtic and proved his worth as an able deputy to Kieran Tierney, who is still working to reach full fitness after his summer move from Arsenal.

The Uruguay international has made an impressive start to life at the club and supporters will be excited to see more of the left-back in weeks to come.

Former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva has delivered his verdict on how Martin Zubimendi has taken to life at the Emirates Stadium.

Gunners off to a flying start to the season

After coming second in the Premier League three years on the spin, Mikel Arteta identified the need to strengthen his squad considerably in the summer transfer window, and spent heavily, bolstering his options in a number of key areas.

Viktor Gyokeres was arguably the statement signing, amid widespread demand for Arteta to bring in a new striker, and the Sweden international is off to a solid, if not spectacular start, having scored three goals in his opening seven league games.

Folllowing the departure of Thomas Partey, it was also vital to strengthen in midfield, and Zubimendi was among the most notable additions, with the Spain international starting six of the seven Premier League games up to this point.

Arsenal let "one of the best finishers of the last 15 years" leave for £0

This former Arsenal forward would be an upgrade on the current frontman at Arteta’s disposal.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 12, 2025

As such, the Spaniard has clearly managed to impress Arteta, and he has also caught the eye of Gilberto Silva, despite the Brazilian admitting he wasn’t aware of who he was before the Gunners finalised a summer deal.

Zubimendi establishing himself as key player for Arsenal

It is no surprise that Arteta has started the Spain international so consistently, considering he has put in some fantastic performances in the Premier League, averaging a 7.33 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest figure of any Arsenal player.

The 26-year-old also won the Guinness Goal of the Month award for September, courtesy of a phenomenal strike in the 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest, during which he scored two goals in one game for the first time in his career.

There were some concerns that Zubimendi’s new midfield partner, Rice, may have been ruled out due to injury, but the 26-year-old featured in England’s 3-0 victory over Wales, meaning he looks on course to be available for the trip to Fulham next weekend.

Anthony Gordon has become the centre of social media scrutiny after the England international failed to find the back of the net in yet another Premier League game. The winger has had a grip on the left of the Magpies and Three Lions' attacks in recent months, but both Eddie Howe and Thomas Tuchel may be growing concerned at Gordon's lack of output.

• Gordon under fire for West Ham defeat

  Gordon was disappointing once again for Newcastle in the Premier League as the Magpies slumped to a shock 3-1 defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium. The Hammers recorded just their second win of the season, and their first under Nuno Espirito Santo, to leave Newcastle a disappointing 12th after 10 games.

  The afternoon started brightly for the away side when Jacob Murphy put the visitors in front after just four minutes. The right-winger weaved in and out of the Hammers defence before striking hard into the bottom-left corner.

  Yet, the Magpies could only hold onto their lead for half-an-hour when Lucas Paqueta, looking to lead West Ham to safety, curled an effort from distance past the diving Nick Pope. Ten minutes later, a Aaron Wan-Bissaka cutback was turned into his own net by Sven Botman to give the hosts the lead. Newcastle pushed, but were unable to find a way back into the game and Tomas Soucek bundled home in injury time to seal the three points.

  It marks another poor result and performance from Newcastle, whose dreams of qualifying for the Champions League for another season already look under threat, with much of the blame for their inconsistent and wasteful attack being levelled at Gordon, who was substituted at half-time.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Fans fume at wasteful winger

  The Newcastle United fans are growing tired of the winger, who has now gone 19 games in the Premier League without scoring or providing an assist for one of his team-mates. On X, @Regista10_ declared the stat as, "one of the worst stats" they had ever heard.

  Gordon was also fortunate that his lackadaisical performance escaped punishment. @KHeneage said that "Anthony Gordon [is] far too casual on the ball in the wrong areas," in reference to the winger being robbed of possession leading to a West Ham attack. Looking to pounce on Gordon’s error, the hosts poured forward and, when Jarrod Bowen went over in the box, looked as if they would take advantage of the winger’s complacency in midfield. Luckily for Gordon, the awarded penalty was overturned by VAR.

  On the same incident, @Will44s added: "Anthony Gordon is very light weight and also gives the ball away far too much for somebody that’s meant to be this good a player."

  Taking things further, @swamoil wanted the club to not only drop the wide attacker from the starting line-up, but to expel him from the entire club. They posted: "Anthony Gordon needs to be released. Spent £500m and Jacob Murphy from nearly a decade ago is still our best winger."

  Also looking for the Magpies to move Gordon on, @GetAHurrCutMan_ said: "Anthony Gordon is nowhere near as good as he thinks he is. Would snap your hand off if a bid of any significance arrived."

• Gordon to move back to Merseyside?

  Interest in Gordon from other clubs has been well-documented. Liverpool have long-been-linked with the winger who has reportedly been open to a move back to Merseyside.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  Shooting boots are on in Europe

  Champions League nights return to the Northeast this week as Athletic Club visit St. James’ Park. Fortunately for Gordon, he has been excelling in European football and even drew praise from Benfica manager Jose Mourinho after the Englishman put the side from Lisbon to the sword. He will want to add to the four goals in three games he has scored in the competition already.

James McClean has explained how and why he ended up punching a Cardiff fan during a car park altercation. The veteran winger was put in an uncomfortable position as Wrexham faced fierce Welsh rivals in a Carabao Cup derby clash. With emotions running high at the Racecourse, tempers boiled over behind the scenes – leading to McClean being forced to lash out.

• What happened? How McClean was confronted in car park

  The 36-year-old former Republic of Ireland international is no stranger to unwelcome attention from opposition supporters. He is often the subject of terrace taunts and has never been the kind of character to back down from a challenge.

  Much of the abuse that he endures can be shrugged off, with angry words often being aimed in his direction during the heat of competitive action. Things were, however, taken a step further when Wrexham played host to Cardiff as a group of Bluebirds supporters gained access to the car park used by Red Dragons stars. An investigation into how that happened has been opened, with McClean having to put his boxing skills to good use as he responded to a “hostile move” that was made against him while being left outnumbered.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Why did McClean punch a fan? Wrexham star explains

  Explaining the unfortunate events, McClean told : “What happened was I got out of my car in the players’ car park. Somehow, there were four male Cardiff fans, also late 20s, early 30s. They recognised me, [and] immediately started running their mouths off at me. I ignored the first jibe. The second, I responded to, and I confronted them about it. Words were said. One of them, a tall chap with glasses, made a hostile move towards me.

  “Like I’ve told you in previous interviews, I’m in my workplace and I feel I should never feel threatened in that workplace. So instead, I wasn’t waiting for him to make the first swing. So I did. Four men, one of me.”

• Should know better: McClean hits out at fan behaviour

  Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said of the incident, with McClean having played no part in a 0-0 draw with Portsmouth on Wednesday: “I had a chat with James on the evening and it has been dealt with and that’s it. No more to say on that tonight.

  “James has had an injection in his hip and has been playing on for weeks with it. We needed to get that right and we took the decision to do that yesterday – to get him available for the weekend.”

  McClean added on having to deal with problematic behaviour from fellow adults that should know better: “People need to understand that just because we play football doesn’t mean people can try and take liberties without their actions having consequences. That was it. Nothing further happened. And the situation was dealt with. I hope that helps.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Special EFL rule that benefits McClean

  McClean, who joined Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac at Wrexham in 2023, has been granted special treatment by the EFL due to the attention that he attracts from rival fans. Since 2024, he has been allowed to leave the pitch by the shortest route to the tunnel when being substituted – rather than stepping off the field at the nearest point.

  He has said of that ruling: “It's not something I've asked for, so it was quite a shock to see it, to be honest. It's definitely welcome because, not just for me, but for anyone. I find that a very stupid rule anyway – leaving the pitch at the nearest exit – you're putting yourself in a situation where players have to walk around the outside of the pitch, and, especially, players playing away…and you can get idiots.

  “It's very hard to control thousands of idiots if you're a steward or police if people wanna throw things, if people wanna shout abuse – not everybody can be controlled. It just takes away the [chance of] anything stupid happening really, common sense has prevailed let's say!”

  Wrexham, who sit 14th in the Championship table at present, have one more fixture to take in before reaching the November international break – with that contest set to see them play host to Charlton on Saturday.

Many of Eddie Howe’s trusty Newcastle United old guard now find themselves on borrowed time on Tyneside.

Indeed, with just two wins next to their name from their opening eight Premier League games, it’s clear that the Toon aren’t firing on all cylinders anymore week in week out, with figures such as Dan Burn on shaky ground arguably when it comes to consistent first-team minutes heading their way in the near future.

Burn will be worrying when he will next be reinstated to the heart of the Magpies’ defence with the emergence of Malick Thiaw into the side, with the £30m summer recruit already looking right at home on English shores, hailed by some as their “signing of the summer.”

With Kieran Trippier not getting any younger in the right-back spot, either, it does feel as if Newcastle are heading towards a situation where a refresh is needed in certain areas of the squad.

Obviously, watching these Toon stalwarts decline in front of their very eyes will be heartbreaking to watch from a Newcastle fan’s perspective.

But, Newcastle have been here before in terms of having to pull the plug on a once regular starter in the form of Miguel Almiron, who was a beloved presence at St James’ Park, even if his playing days in black and white did unfortunately fizzle out.

Almiron's decline at Newcastle

Even if it did end in Almiron being offloaded back to Atlanta United last January for a cheap £11m fee, considering he was once purchased for £20m by the Premier League side, it’s clear from goals such as his outrageous curled effort against Everton that the South American is still fondly remembered as an entertainer on Tyneside.

Back in January of 2019, the Paraguayan entering the building for that high amount meant that he was seen as a statement purchase from the get-go, which had a negative effect initially on him being able to settle in his new environment.

Staggeringly, it took Almiron 27 appearances in the Premier League before he finally broke his top-flight duck with a strike against Crystal Palace.

Thankfully, with a monkey now off his back, the 31-year-old would eventually go on to be seen as a “very special” asset to have around St James’ Park by Howe.

Across a mighty 223 appearances for the Toon, Almiron netted 30 goals and 16 assists for the club, with one of those efforts even pushing the former number 24 into the record books to sit alongside Magpies royalty in Alan Shearer.

Amazingly, Almiron would score Newcastle’s first strike in Champions League action since 2003 when getting the ball rolling during that famous night against PSG at St James’ Park, with Shearer the last goalscorer to bag for the Toon in such an illustrious competition, before Almiron delivered.

With an 11-goal Premier League season also under his belt during the 2022/23 campaign, it appeared as if Almiron would be sticking it out with Newcastle until the very end of his long career, with the 31-year-old continuing to age gracefully as a star capable of serving up “magical” moments, as his manager also waxed lyrical.

However, all began to unravel for Almiron last season, as the adaptable attacker – who can play all over the attacking positions if needed – was frozen out of his manager’s lineups, as injury issues also took a hold of the declining South American.

Even when he was fit and free of knee troubles, the once slick and daring forward looked a shadow of his former self, with zero goals or assists coming his way during limited opportunities last campaign.

In the end, Almiron closed out his long-standing affliation with the Toon on a sombre note, with a very real fear in the air now that Howe has an Almiron 2.0 scenario going on.

Newcastle have another Almiron problem

Around the time Almiron joined the club in 2019, Newcastle were splashing the cash regularly on some exciting new gems.

In the summer transfer window after the 5-foot-9 playmaker had moved to England from America, Newcastle also purchased Allan Saint-Maximin, who was guilty of some hit-and-miss moments himself on Tyneside.

Alongside him, the Toon also went all out to land Joelinton for a whopping £40m.

At the start, much like his fellow South American counterpart before him, Joelinton severely struggled in the bright lights of the Premier League, with the-then striker seen as an expensive laughing stock, when scoring just a meagre two league goals during his debut campaign.

However, much like Almiron managed, Joelinton would breathe significant life into his Magpies playing days the more he became attuned to the intense nature of the English game, with Howe’s decision-making to push him into a central midfield spot proving to be a masterstroke.

Even Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher heralded the no-nonsense Brazilian as a “revelation” for what he would go on to offer his side from the middle of the park, with a clear highlight of his 230-game spell in black and white to date surely being the Carabao Cup trophy being lifted earlier this year.

Joelinton was vital in that 2-1 upset being pulled off against Arne Slot’s heavily fancied Liverpool, and although he didn’t add to his goal or assist tally at Wembley – which stands at an impressive 52 goal contributions – it’s clear why Howe once noted that the 29-year-old was “gold dust”, always putting in a shift when needed.

Yet, despite all his past successes making him an undoubted modern icon, time has seemingly caught up with Joelinton in the same way it begun to weigh down on Almiron, with this season – in particular – highlighting the number seven’s alarming drop-off.

Joelinton’s creative spark has now left his game, with zero goals or assists coming his way in league action from seven largely forgettable games, with his energy and determination also lacking, when you consider he has only won 4.2 duels per game across that same span of games. As journalist Mark Douglas noted after Saturday’s defeat to Brighton, the midfielder is now “nowhere near his best.”

To add context, at the peak of his powers during the 2022/23 campaign, he won a high seven duels per game, with his lacklustre showing last time out against Brighton seeing Magpie Media state that his performance was “tough to watch.”

With Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes still performing at their optimum in the middle of the park – with Tonali boldly being branded as “world-class” by one Newcastle content creator this season – it feels as if Newcastle might need to have some tough conversations soon about ditching Joelinton, with Almiron leaving the building initially hurting, but is now seen as the correct and decisive call looking back.

Newcastle can forget Elanga by unleashing 19-year-old "star in the making"

Eddie Howe could have a surprise Anthony Elanga replacement up his sleeve in this exciting 19-year-old talent.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 20, 2025

With their backs against the wall, the New York Mets staged a stunning comeback in the top of the ninth inning during their 4–2 win in Game 3 of the wild-card round series to eliminate the Milwaukee Brewers. It seems no one was more fired up than Jesse Winker, who was one of the runners who crossed the plate during the late-game rally.

A couple of batters after Pete Alonso's three-run homer gave the Mets a 3–2 lead, Starling Marte batted Winker home on an RBI single. After crossing the plate and giving New York a two-run cushion, Winker was so fired up he removed his helmet and promptly smashed it on the ground with both hands in celebration.

His helmet didn't survive the collision with the ground, as pieces of it could be seen scattering after Winker spiked it into the dirt.

It's not difficult to see just how much it means to him, despite having joined the franchise ahead of this year's trade deadline. Winker swiped second base in order to get into scoring position, and that proved to be a game-changing stolen bag, as he was able to come around to score after Marte's base hit.

Here's another look at just how fired up Winker was after crossing the plate.

That's postseason baseball, folks.

Winker, who played for the Brewers in 2022, was ushered back into the dugout by his overjoyed teammates, who knew they had just put themselves within three outs of an NLDS berth. They managed to get those three outs with David Peterson on the mound in the bottom of the ninth, stunning the crowd at American Family Field.

The Los Angeles Dodgers closed out a five-game World Series against the New York Yankees in the Bronx, staging a dramatic comeback in Game 5 to clinch the franchise's eighth championship.

During a Monday appearance on Mookie Betts's podcast, manager Dave Roberts admitted that he's relieved the series didn't shift back to Los Angeles for a Game 6.

Elaborating, Roberts said that he was afraid of the pressure the Dodgers would face if tasked with having to avoid potentially blowing a 3–0 series lead. Roberts, who was part of the Boston Red Sox team that staged a 3–0 comeback in the ALCS against the Yankees in 2004, made it clear he was hoping to avoid ending up on the wrong side of history.

"When you're down 3–0, you're at the point where you have nothing to lose now… When you're down 3–0 everyone is expecting you to lose anyway. So now, that, for me, is freeing. And they played free, won Game 4. And I will tell you this now, publicly, I was so afraid to come back to Los Angeles for Game 6," said Roberts, when asked if he managed Game 5 with more urgency than usual.

"If we were to come back, the noise, the pressure becomes real. Because then, you're going to start potentially being part of history in the wrong way."

Roberts's urgency in Game 5 paid off, as a disastrous series of Yankees defensive miscues gave life to the Dodgers' comeback. They managed to secure the World Series win on the road, much to the relief of their manager.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is looking to do something tonight that Russell Martin did not achieve in his time at the club: back-to-back wins in the Scottish Premiership.

The former Gers boss only won five of his 17 games in charge of the Ibrox giants, and he only won one match in the league before his dismissal earlier this month.

Rohl arrived to replace him in the dugout at Ibrox and won his first Premiership game in charge of the club at the weekend, beating Kilmarnock 3-1 in front of the home support.

The Gers face Hibernian away from home in the Premiership this evening, and the German boss must ruthlessly ditch Thelo Aasgaard from the starting line-up.

Why Thelo Aasgaard should be dropped

The Norway international should be dropped from the XI against Hibs tonight because his performance against Kilmarnock last time out left a lot to be desired.

Aasgaard, per Sofascore, came off the pitch in the 81st minute after failing to register a single shot on goal or create any chances for the team at the top end of the pitch, which shows that he was ineffective as an attacking force.

As you can see in the table above, the former Luton man’s only impressive attacking outing in the Premiership came during Stevie Smith’s match as interim manager.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The English-born playmaker has not proven that he can be relied upon, as evidenced by his dismal league form, which is why he should be dropped for a tricky away game against Hibernian, who are third in the league.

The Rangers star Rohl should replace Aasgaard with

Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Aasgaard from the team in order to bring hard-working central midfielder Connor Barron into the middle of the park alongside Mohamed Diomande and Nicolas Raskin.

The box-to-box star could help to make Rangers solid and difficult to beat, rather than having a natural attacking player like Aasgaard in there, which could help them to record back-to-back wins in the league.

Prior to Martin’s arrival in the summer, pundit Andy Haliday claimed that Barron “was Rangers’ best player for the first few months of the season” in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he is capable of outstanding performances for the Light Blues.

As you can see in the table above, the Scotland international’s performance levels in and out of possession were much higher before Martin arrived at Ibrox earlier this year.

Barron was a defensive force, averaging 6.8 tackles, interceptions, and recoveries per game, for Rangers in the Premiership last season after his move from Aberdeen, buzzing around the pitch to disrupt the opposition and win possession back for his side.

Rohl should be looking to unlock his talent, which was seemingly hidden by Martin’s tactics, by unleashing him in midfield against Hibernian ahead of Aasgaard this evening, as he could provide the bite and drive that they may need to come away with all three points in a difficult away match.

Rohl could now turn "exciting" Rangers star into his own Shankland at Ibrox

Following Rangers’ 3-1 home win over Kilmarnock on Sunday, has Danny Röhl unearthed an “exciting” attacker who could be their own Lawrence Shankland?

By
Ben Gray

Oct 28, 2025

Rohl has made it clear that he is not wedded to one style of play or system, which is why taking a creative midfielder like Aasgaard out for a pitbull like Barron could make sense for a tougher match away from home, as it is a pragmatic move.

Harry Kane has reportedly emerged as Barcelona's top target to replace ageing striker Robert Lewandowski at the end of the 2025-26 season. Lewandowski is expected to depart Hansi Flick's side as a free agent when his contract with the Catalan giants expires next summer, with Barca considering triggering the £57m release clause in Kane's contract at Bayern Munich.

• Kane on Barca's wanted list

  Barcelona are expected to invest in a new No. 9 next summer to replace Lewandowski and have put Kane at the top of their wanted list, according to . The England captain has enjoyed a prolific time at Bayern since moving from Tottenham in 2023 and won his first major trophy last season by firing the Bavarian giants to the Bundesliga title. Kane turned 32 back in July but has scored an incredible 108 goals in 113 appearances for Bayern, making him one of the deadliest strikers in Europe. The England captain does have an exit clause in his contract at Allianz Arena, and it's thought Barca could be preparing to trigger it to bring him to Camp Nou.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Barcelona line up Lewandowski replacements

  Kane is not the only player being linked with a move to Barcelona to replace Lewandowski. Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez is also thought to be a target, while Barcelona president Joan Laporta is said to be "obsessed" about trying to bring in Erling Haaland to the club. More recently, Etta Eyong has also been mentioned as a low-cost option, due to Barca's continued financial issues.

  Meanwhile, Lewandowski, now 37, has spoken about his future while on international duty with Poland and insists he has not yet decided his next move. He told reporters: "I still don’t know the answer. That’s why I’m not in a hurry, I’m at peace with myself. And that is the most important thing. Even if, for example, the club contacted me now, I still wouldn’t answer that question. Because I also have to feel what’s best for me. Now I’m calm, I’m not in a hurry and, at the moment, I don’t expect anything else."

  Lewandowski has had to accept a reduced role at Barcelona in the 2025-26 season, due to injury and with Ferran Torres gaining prominence, but is still the team's top scorer currently. The veteran striker has seven goals from nine La Liga outings, which also means that only Kylian Mbappe has netted more times than Lewandowski in Spain's top flight in 2025-26.

• What has Kane said about his future?

  It remains to be seen if Kane could be tempted to Barcelona, but he will surely be well aware that England team-mate Marcus Rashford has been posting some impressive statistics since joining the club on loan from Manchester United. Rashford has received plenty of praise after contributing six assists and two goals in his debut La Liga campaign and making the most of his first-team opportunities while Raphinha is out injured.

  Meanwhile, Kane has spoken about his future this season, saying he's happy at Bayern and is willing to discuss a new contract. He said: "We can certainly talk about that. I have almost two years left. It's not like I'm in the final year of my contract and anyone is panicking. I'm fine. The club is fine. I think they're happy with me, and I'm happy with them. Those discussions can take place." 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  What next for Kane and Barca?

  Barcelona's continued financial issues will affect any transfer plans and it remains to be seen if the club can afford to trigger Kane's release clause and add him to the squad in time for next season. Lewandowski's priority is thought to be to stay at Barcelona, as he is not tempted by a lucrative transfer to Saudi Pro League, and he may well hope he can earn a new contract if he can continue to deliver goals and titles for the Catalan giants. Barcelona will also have to make a decision on Rashford's future. The forward's contract at Barcelona includes a purchase option, but the club have already ruled out triggering it in January and there's no guarantee yet that his loan spell will be made permanent.

The San Diego Padres have awoken from their spending slumber and done so in a big way.

On the eve of spring training, the Friars have agreed to a deal with free agent right-hander Nick Pivetta. The 31-year-old is widely considered the top free-agent starter left on the market. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the deal is for four years and $55 million, with a pair of opt-outs.

In 27 appearances (26 starts) during the 2024 season for the Boston Red Sox, Pivetta went 6-12 with a 4.14 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 172 strikeouts in 145 2/3 innings pitched. It was his first season as a full-time starter since 2018 when he was with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pivetta turned down a qualifying offer from the Red Sox, so the Padres will lose their second-highest pick in the 2025 MLB draft for signing him, plus $500,00 from their international bonus pool. The Red Sox would earn the 77th pick overall as compensation.

The Padres have a glaring hole on their staff, as Joe Musgrove will spend the season rehabbing following Tommy John surgery. The rotation will be led by Dylan Cease, Michael King, Yu Darvish, and Pivetta. The fifth spot will likely come down to a battle between a group featuring Randy Vasquez, Matt Waldron, and Stephen Kolek.

Pivetta turns 32 on Friday, so a deal with opt-outs that allows him to test the market again in search of a big contract makes sense for him.