After it was revealed that Barcelona were not entirely convinced by their options in goal, it swiftly directed attention to the star of the season for crosstown rivals Joan Garcia. The Espanyol goalkeeper has undoubtedly been the best in La Liga this season, and is likely to move on this summer, but is not the only name on the Blaugrana shortlist.
Garcia, 23, has a release clause of €25m, which will rise to €30m should be called up by the Spanish national team, and drop to €15m if Los Pericos drop to the second division. An important detail is that Espanyol must make up €15m in sales before the end of June in order to balance their accounts, but they already have interest from Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Garcia is also the top choice for Barcelona though, even if Espanyol will do all they can to prevent that move from happening.
There will be a bus parade through the city tomorrow if Barça become La Liga champions tonight. @sergisoleMD
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) May 15, 2025
Brighton and Netherlands number one Bart Verbruggen is much appreciated in Can Barca, say Sport. His agility, ability with the ball at his feet and capacity for big saves make him an ideal fit in their eyes, but his price tag may be a stumbling block. The 22-year-old has three years left on his deal, and Brighton will be in no hurry to sell.
Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier was mightily impressive in the Champions League campaign this summer, and attracted Barcelona’s eye as early as October after his side beat Real Madrid. His price tag may also be an issue though, with Chevalier also likely to cost in excess of €40m. He has a deal until 2027, and will no doubt have further suitors. The Catalan daily do detail that Director of Football Deco will likely only spring into action if Wojciech Szczesny does not accept their renewal offer.
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New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields found out he has a long way to go following his performance at Tuesday's joint practice with the New York Giants. Per Connor Hughes of SNY TV, Fields started hot at the practice before struggling during the move-the-ball period. "Very interesting practice for #Jets QB Justin Fields," Hughes posted on X. "He finished 7 of 12 with a TD. 5 of 5 to start practice. Then 0 for 4. Finished 2 of 3 with the really impressive TD to Jeremy Ruckert in red zone (starter 18 yard line). "The offensive performance was a bit alarming in move-the-ball period of practice. Fields Co. had three attempts to get down field. They didn’t gain a first down. Only gained yards twice (two short Breece Hall runs). Three sacks. That needs to be fixed. #Giants defense toyed with NYJ during that period." Some Jets fans online thought Hughes was using hyperbole to characterize the practice, but he doubled down on his judgment of the offense. Fields looked strong on his first and only drive in the Jets' 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. He went 3-of-4 passing for 42 yards and rushed two times for 14 yards and a touchdown. However, the Giants defense at the joint practice is a much better unit than the short-handed one the Packers trotted out for the first preseason game. Fields' issues seen with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, with holding the ball too long and not being able to pass consistently downfield, were a factor against the Giants. Following Saturday's game, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said Fields was getting better but had a lot to improve on. Tuesday's practice was a humbling reminder that Fields needs to become a consistent passer if the Jets are going to move the ball on good defenses in the regular season.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel received the most passing attempts in a joint practice with the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles ahead of a preseason game between the two teams. The former Oregon Ducks star has been battling a hamstring injury and missed the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers. However, after an injury to fellow rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, it appears Gabriel is the likely starter for the Browns' preseason game two. Dillon Gabriel Stats From Joint Practice With Eagles Gabriel didn't have his best practice of the Browns' training camp in the joint practice with the Eagles. Here’s the stats for all four of the Browns quarterbacks that participated, per ESPN Cleveland. Joe Flacco: 6/13, zero touchdowns, zero interceptions Kenny Pickett: 5/6, zero touchdowns, zero interceptions Dillon Gabriel: 6/19, two touchdowns, zero interceptions Tyler Huntley: 3/4, zero touchdowns, zero interceptions Shedeur Sanders did not practice after suffering an oblique injury early in practice. Which Quarterback Will Start Vs. Eagles? Gabriel told reporters that his hamstring feels better, indicating that he could likely start on Saturday. Cleveland.com reporter Mary Kay Cabot says the former Oregon Ducks star is a "good bet" to be the Browns' starting quarterback vs. the Eagles. Gabriel spoke to the opportunity, after the joint practice. "I think for many people in any situation, you either look at things as a threat or an opportunity, and an emotionally healthy mind always sees it as an opportunity. For me, I just continue to try and be in that mental mindset and headspace, and every day is an opportunity," Gabriel said. "When you wake up, you can get better or just coast, and for me, I'm always trying to get better, mental reps, whatever it may be, even in the training room, or in the weight room, there's things that you can get better at, so... That's what I'm focused on," Gabriel continued. Oregon fans are not surprised to see Gabriel maintain his poise amid one of the most talked about NFL storylines this season. Sanders' NFL Draft fall to the fifth round certainly brought more attention to the quarterbacks competition as Gabriel transitions to the NFL. Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett Back From Injury Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett each missed the Browns first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers with hamstring injuries. Against the Panthers, the Browns only played two quarterbacks; Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Huntley. Shedeur Sanders wow'd in his first NFL actions. Sanders went 14/23 passing with two touchdowns and zero interceptions in the Browns 30-10 win. Huntley saw limited time and went 6/8 for 51 yards and a touchdown. Pickett is still nursing his hamstring injury so it appears that Gabriel could get the starting nod and make his NFL debut. Cleveland Browns Preseason Schedule The NFL preseason is a huge opportunity for Gabriel to show why the Browns drafted the Heisman Trophy in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Ducks fans can't wait to cheer him on in his first NFL action. Cleveland plays on the road vs. the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday, Aug 16 at 1 p.m. ET. The Browns' third preseason game is vs. the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 1 p.m. ET.
A Minnesota Vikings wide receiver's season is already over. The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday that wide receiver Rondale Moore is being placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a leg injury that he suffered in the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans this past weekend. It is a devastating blow for Moore, who is now being sidelined for an entire season, before it even begins, for the second year in a row. Moore signed a one-year, $2 million contract in free agency with the Vikings this offseason in the hopes he could return from a different injury that cost him the entirety of the 2024 season. Moore was a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 after being acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for backup quarterback Desmond Ridder. This is now two different teams that Moore has been a part of, but will never play a game for them due to injuries. Moore was injured while returning a punt. He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, catching 135 passes for 1,201 yards over three seasons before being traded. He was never going to be counted on to be a key contributor for the Vikings offense this season, especially given the superstars they already have at wide receiver in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he still had a chance to be an interesting depth player. Now it is fair to wonder what the rest of his career might even look like. Missing two full seasons due to two different leg injuries is going to be a brutal thing to try to come back from. Missing two seasons for any reason is difficult, but when you add the leg injuries to the equation, it makes the obstacle even steeper.
Cleveland Browns All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett became the subject of headlines when it was learned that he was cited for driving 100 mph in a 60 mph zone on an interstate in a Cleveland suburb several hours after the Browns opened the preseason with a 30-10 win at the Carolina Panthers on Friday night. While speaking with reporters ahead of the club's joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday morning, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski sent a clear message regarding his feelings about Garrett's latest speeding incident. "Coming from a team leader, extremely disappointing," Stefanski said about Garrett, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "It's been addressed with Myles -- with the football team. He needs to slow down for his safety and the safety of others." Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer mentioned that Garrett has had at least eight speeding citations in Northeast Ohio since Cleveland made him the first overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. Back in the fall of 2022, Garrett missed a game after he was involved in a single-car accident following a team practice. The Ohio State Highway Patrol ultimately issued Garrett a citation following that crash after it was determined he was using an "unsafe speed for the type of roadway being traveled." Cabot added that Stefanski declined to say if Garrett will be disciplined this summer. Earlier in the week, Cabot wrote that Garrett could "be fined for conduct detrimental to the team." Back in early February, Garrett requested a trade from the Browns coming off the club's 3-14 season. However, he later accepted a four-year, $160M contract extension that included $123.5M guaranteed to stay with the organization. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam revealed during the NFL owners meetings in the spring that he had "challenged" Garrett "to become a real leader of the team." Haslam made that comment after a March report shared that it's "well known within the Browns that Garrett is frequently late to the facility" and "has skipped mandatory team activities on multiple occasions." It remains to be seen how the 29-year-old will respond to Stefanski's comments about an incident that occurred after Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders was cited for speeding twice in June.
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