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Real Madrid’s summer has so far been about arrivals this year, with new manager Xabi Alonso followed through the door by defensive signings Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Los Blancos are also set to bid farewell to veterans Lucas Vazquez and Luka Modric, but it is not yet clear whether any of their big names could depart.
This time last month, it looked almost certain that Rodrygo Goes would be exiting the club. The Brazilian did not feature for the final month of the season for Los Blancos, and was reportedly open to an exit. However in recent weeks, since the arrival of Alonso, it appears Rodrygo is leaning towards remaining at the club.
Real Madrid open to offers for Rodrygo
A fresh update on his situation has been given by Fabrizio Romano. The Italian transfer journalist explains that Real Madrid are yet to hear anything from Rodrygo, and at no point has he expressed a desire to leave. Were he to do so though, Los Blancos would consider offers for him.
Rodrygo is currently focused on the Club World Cup though, and getting back to his best under Alonso, who has said that he ‘knows what happened to him’ at the end of the season. He has spoken positively about Rodrygo in public, and the 24-year-old is building a relationship with his new manager.
Arsenal interest in Rodrygo
The one side that are consistently linked with Rodrygo are Arsenal. Romano explains that they have not made any moves for him, but there is a firm interest in bringing him to the Emirates. There are doubts about the potential cost of a deal, but they are keeping a close eye on the situation to see what happens. One positive for them is that Manchester City and Liverpool are no longer being linked with the Brazilian forward, reducing competition for his signature.
Club World Cup could be decisive
As Rodrygo looks to start afresh under Alonso, the Club World Cup could be decisive. If, as reported, Los Blancos play with two up front and that pairing is Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, then it may be clear that Rodrygo would have to accept a secondary role or leave the club. Alonso’s usage of him will speak louder than any words in press conferences.
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Chelsea gets early fitness boost before they face Arsenal this month
Arsenal are preparing for a challenging encounter as they face Chelsea at the end of this month, a fixture that is expected to be one of their toughest tests in November. The match is set to come at a crucial stage of the season, particularly as there will be no international break until March next year. This extended run of uninterrupted domestic football places significant emphasis on consistency and momentum, and Arsenal will need to embark on a sustained winning sequence if they are to maintain their position as title contenders. Manchester City continue to apply pressure and remain firmly in pursuit, a situation that should give Arsenal reason for caution. The Citizens possess considerable experience in managing long title races and their ability to sustain high performance levels deep into the season is well established. Arsenal therefore understand that every match carries added importance, especially those against fellow clubs with top four or title aspirations. Chelsea Strengthen Ahead Of The Clash Chelsea are also eager to remain competitive and have ambitions of their own this season. With Arsenal having performed at an exceptional level so far, the Blues will be determined to avoid defeat in what is expected to be a high intensity contest. For a match of this magnitude, Chelsea will want their strongest team available and they have now received a significant boost on that front. Cole Palmer, who has been one of Chelsea’s most influential attacking players since joining the club, is set to return from injury ahead of the fixture. The Englishman has struggled with fitness issues throughout the season, and a groin problem has kept him out of the last eleven matches. His absence has been felt, given his creativity and threat in the final third. As reported by Metro Sport, he is now nearing the end of his rehabilitation and is expected to be fit in time for the meeting with Arsenal. Arsenal Face A More Dangerous Opponent Palmer’s return adds another layer of complexity to Arsenal’s preparations. His ability to drift into dangerous positions, link play and produce decisive moments makes him a key figure for Chelsea, and his presence could influence the tactical approach adopted by both managers. For Arsenal, ensuring defensive stability will be essential, particularly as Palmer has shown he can trouble even the most organised back lines. The match promises to be a significant test of Arsenal’s title credentials, and the return of a major Chelsea threat only heightens the importance of the occasion. As both sides aim to assert their ambitions, the encounter is shaping up to be one of the defining matches of the month. __________________________________________________________________________________________
Packers Receive Disappointing Injury News Before Vikings Matchup
Jayden Reed’s anticipated return to the practice field for the Green Bay Packers will have to wait a little longer. Despite some growing hope earlier this week that the dynamic wide receiver could begin the next phase of his recovery, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Wednesday that Reed will not open his 21-day practice window yet. “He’s not practicing today,” LaFleur said ahead of Sunday’s critical matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. When pressed for a clearer timeline on the second-year standout, who remains on injured reserve with collarbone and foot injuries, LaFleur deferred to the medical staff. “I don’t know. As soon as medical clears him, he’ll be out there,” LaFleur said. “I know he’s excited to get back. As am I.” The optimism had spiked in recent days. On Monday, LaFleur indicated there was a chance Reed and/or rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd could start their practice windows this week. Reed himself fueled the excitement Tuesday by sharing a photo of himself dressed in full uniform on social media. Those plans, however, are now on hold. Reed’s surgically repaired foot seems to have healed satisfactorily, but the collarbone—fractured on a diving attempt during the first half of Green Bay’s Week 2 victory over the Washington Commanders—still needs additional time. For a wide receiver whose job involves regular physical contact and the risk of landing hard on the shoulder, the medical staff is requiring clear imaging evidence that the bone is strong enough before green-lighting a return. The cautious approach echoes the Packers’ handling of Aaron Rodgers’ similar collarbone injury in 2017, when the former quarterback sat out seven games while waiting for full healing. Nearly 10 weeks removed from the injury and having already missed eight contests, Reed could still require another one to two weeks before doctors are comfortable clearing him for football activities. That timeline keeps a potential return for the Thanksgiving night clash with the Detroit Lions or the following week against the Chicago Bears realistically in play. Before the injury, Reed had established himself as Green Bay’s top receiving weapon. He paced the team in receiving yards in both 2023 and 2024, and in the two games he played this season while managing the foot issue, he recorded three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Green Bay Packers will continue their Week 12 preparations without their leading wideout on the practice field, with LaFleur and the organization prioritizing full recovery over a rushed comeback.
Shedeur Sanders makes promise to Browns fans ahead of first regular-season start
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced on Wednesday that rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make the first regular-season start of his career when the 2-8 Browns play at the Las Vegas Raiders (2-8) this Sunday. Later on Wednesday, Sanders offered somewhat of a promise to Cleveland supporters who are hoping the fifth-round draft pick could potentially become a savior for the franchise. Shedeur Sanders wants to be "the guy" for the Browns "I know our fans have a lot of expectations and hope," Sanders acknowledged, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "And I would be doing a disservice to myself and a disservice to the organization if I didn't feel like I am the guy. ...I'm doing everything I need to prepare to be the best version of myself as possible. With the circumstances, everything got to be sped up, and that's great. I like pressure in life. I'm just excited for everything. So, I feel like I'm the guy. I know I'm the guy, but you just have to be able to see." Sanders made his regular-season debut against the Baltimore Ravens this past Sunday after fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion. In total, Sanders completed 4-of-16 passes for 47 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in what became a 23-16 defeat. He was also sacked twice for a loss of 27 yards. Why Shedeur Sanders is confident he'll be better in second appearance Earlier in the week, Stefanski suggested the coaching staff is confident Sanders will play better after the 23-year-old gets first-team practice reps that were previously reserved for Gabriel. During his Wednesday media availability, Sanders echoed Stefanski's take. "I'm truly excited for that, knowing that I have a piece of [the] offense and a say so and how things fit my eye and place the players exactly where they need to be," Sanders added. "Seeing how they come in and out of routes, seeing the structure of the O-linemen, seeing their set, just having a feeling. I'm more of a feel type of person, so that's how I learn. That's how I do everything. I'm not just, 'Imma just watch it, it's just going to happen.' No, I got to be out there, feel it. I got to move around. It's like so many details that it takes for me to feel my best and play my best, and I'm doing everything in my power and the team's doing everything to help me get prepared." It remains to be seen if a more prepared version of Sanders will be able to relegate a healthy Gabriel to backup duties beyond Week 12. As of Wednesday afternoon, ESPN BET had the Browns as four-point underdogs against the Raiders.
No. 4 Arizona accomplishes rare feat in thrilling road win over No. 3 UConn
The fourth-ranked Arizona Wildcats are putting a strong resume together and it is just the third week of the college basketball season. After riding freshman Koa Peat's sensational debut to an opening-night win over then-No. 3 Florida, the Wildcats added another impressive win on Wednesday night with a 71-67 victory at No. 3 UConn. Although Arizona led by as many as 13 in the second half, a 17-5 run from the Huskies made it a one-point game with 4:41 to play. UConn even held a 64-63 lead with just over a minute to play before Arizona took charge and accomplished something rarely seen in the sport. Arizona joins exclusive list after latest win over top-three opponent According to ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Arizona (5-0) is just the third team in AP poll history to have multiple wins over top-three opponents in its first five games of the season and the first since Kansas in the 1989-90 season (h/t ESPN Research). As Borzello noted, UConn was without leading scorer Tarris Reed Jr., who was sidelined with an ankle injury. While that certainly was a tough break for UConn in a top-five matchup, Arizona still had to take advantage and it did just that. Although the Wildcats were terrible from long-range (2-of-10), they outrebounded the Huskies, 43-23, and outscored them, 42-24, in the paint. Senior guard Jaden Bradley led the way with 21 points (6-of-13 FG), including this clutch layup to extend Arizona's lead to three with 16.3 seconds left. The freshman Peat was not far behind with 16 points (7-of-14 FG) and 12 rebounds as Arizona appeared to be the aggressor for much of the game. Arizona continues to ace tough nonconference schedule Wednesday night marked the third of five scheduled ranked matchups prior to the start of Big 12 play. Along with wins over Florida and UConn, the Wildcats also took down then-No. 15 UCLA, 69-65, on Friday. The schedule lets up through the end of November, but back-to-back games against No. 22 Auburn (Dec. 6) and No. 11 Alabama (Dec. 13) will provide two more tests for Arizona before a grueling Big 12 slate takes shape in January. Arizona may not be the top team in the country at the moment, but if it continues to pile up signature wins and handle tough road environments like it did on Wednesday night, it will only strengthen its case.
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