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Real Madrid have already started doing significant work in the transfer market. They have wrapped up Trent Alexander-Arnold's signature on a free transfer from Liverpool, and added Dean Huijsen and Franco Mastantuono to the team.
Apart from the incoming players, Los Blancos are also looking to sort out the contracts of the players they already have. An agreement with Brahim Diaz is close, with the Morocco international set to renew his deal, as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports.
Diaz has a deal until 2027 and has so far scored 20 goals and set up 19 more in 117 appearances. Los Blancos are looking to tie down the 25-year-old to an even longer-term deal. After Diaz, renewing Thibaut Courtois' contract is on Real Madrid's priority list, as Romano has reported. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
Real Madrid are in advanced talks over new deal with Brahim Díaz. The player has already said yes to staying and extending.
Agreement almost reached with talks underway for 2 weeks.
Next one: Thibaut Courtois.
⚪️ Real Madrid are in advanced talks over new deal with Brahim Díaz. The player has already said yes to staying and extending.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 16, 2025
Agreement almost reached with talks underway for 2 weeks.
Next one: Thibaut Courtois. pic.twitter.com/93ZN0DCODv
Courtois has been a key player for Los Blancos since his 2018 move from Chelsea. When fit, he is the first choice between the sticks and has so far made 282 appearances, keeping 111 clean sheets. At 33, Courtois still has a lot left to offer.
Last season, the Belgian once again showed his mettle, keeping 15 clean sheets in 47 appearances across competitions. His current deal runs until 2026, and Los Blancos seem keen on keeping him beyond that period.
The team are set to start a new chapter under Xabi Alonso and the June 18 game against Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup is the first game under the Spaniard.
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Sergio Busquets Confirms Final Season: Why The Midfield Maestro Will Retire After 2025
After over 15 years of controlling midfields across Europe and America, Sergio Busquets is finally ready to bring the curtain down. Spanish outlets like Cadena COPE and SoyFutbol have revealed that the Barcelona legend is preparing to retire at the end of the 2025 season, which means his last competitive matches could come as late as November or December, depending on how far Inter Miami goes in the playoffs. Busquets has not released a flashy farewell just yet, though his words leave little doubt. In a press conference before Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup semifinal, he admitted, “Estoy más cerca de acabar mi carrera que de seguirla,” which translates to “I’m closer to finishing my career than continuing it.” His current contract in Miami runs through 2025, and everything now points toward that deal marking the natural end of an extraordinary playing journey. The Legacy Of A Midfield Architect Few players in football history have managed to change the way a position is understood, but Busquets did exactly that. He never relied on electric pace or goals from distance. Instead, his game was built on intelligence, timing, and consistency. At Barcelona, where he spent his entire European club career from 2008 to 2023, he featured in more than 700 matches and collected over thirty major trophies. His cabinet includes nine La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey triumphs, and three Champions League winners’ medals, alongside multiple UEFA Super Cups and FIFA Club World Cups. When he joined Inter Miami in 2023, many assumed the twilight years would be quiet. Instead, he proved the doubters wrong. Within weeks of arriving, he helped Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba guide the club to the 2023 Leagues Cup, the first trophy in Inter Miami’s history. He followed it up with another piece of silverware in 2024 as the team lifted the Supporters’ Shield, proof that his intelligence on the pitch still translated across continents. His story with Spain is just as decorated. Busquets became a central figure in what many call the golden generation, the group that turned La Roja into world champions. He lifted the World Cup in 2010, added the European Championship in 2012, and played at the highest level for more than a decade. By the time he retired from international duty after the 2022 World Cup, he had earned 143 caps and had given Spain the calmness and balance that made their attacking brilliance possible. What Makes Busquets Special It’s easy to admire Busquets once you know what to look for. He rarely scored the winning goal or made the highlight reel, but he was always the reason Barcelona and Spain could play their football with such control. His genius lay in how he read the game. He could spot danger seconds before anyone else, slipping into space to make an interception or positioning himself perfectly so a teammate could receive the ball under no pressure. Perhaps the most striking quality was his calmness. When the crowd grew restless and opponents pressed high, Busquets never panicked. His passing under pressure was so simple yet so effective. A quick turn, a short touch, and suddenly Barcelona were building again. He was the metronome, setting the rhythm of games that often felt like symphonies under Pep Guardiola and later managers. The famous midfield trio of Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Busquets remains one of the most celebrated partnerships football has ever seen. While Xavi dictated with precision and Iniesta dazzled with dribbles, Busquets provided the glue. He gave them the freedom to shine by protecting the team defensively and recycling possession when attacks stalled. Together, they rewrote what it meant to dominate matches. What’s Next: Closing Chapters And Unanswered Questions Even with his retirement looming, the exact way it will happen remains a mystery. Some believe he will record a farewell video similar to the emotional message he released when leaving Barcelona. Others think he will wait until the end of Inter Miami’s campaign to announce it officially. What is clear is that these final months will be cherished not only by fans in Miami but also by millions across the world who grew up watching him in garnet and blue. Speculation has also begun about what comes next. Coaching remains a possibility given his understanding of the game, while some insiders suggest Barcelona could eventually invite him back in an ambassadorial or sporting role. The club has already brought back legends such as Xavi and Deco in different capacities, so a return for Busquets would not be surprising. At the moment, though, he seems focused solely on closing this chapter with dignity and class, as he has always carried himself. Final Thoughts Sergio Busquets is the definition of a footballer whose value went far beyond numbers. He was never about goals or glamour, but about balance, control, and a deep understanding of how football truly works. From anchoring Barcelona’s midfield in their golden era to lifting the World Cup with Spain, his career has been a lesson in subtle brilliance. As the months tick down toward his farewell, every appearance feels like a celebration of what he has given to the game. Each pass, each interception, each moment of calm in chaos is a reminder of why he was so unique. When he does officially hang up his boots, the sport will lose not just a champion but a masterclass in simplicity and intelligence.
Steelers' Once Promising Third-Year Defender Could Be Relegated On The Depth Chart
The Pittsburgh Steelers have begun the 2025 NFL season with a 2-1 record, however there are some things that need to be figured out. The defense is shaky at best despite forcing five turnovers in Sunday's win over the New England Patriots in Week 3. The group still struggles to get off of the field on possession downs, and stopping the run has been an issue throughout the first three weeks of the season. A lot of that starts with the front seven and the interior defensive line. Pittsburgh has been banged up in that area, but some healthy contributors returning could shake up the lineup. Pittsburgh was able to see the regular season debut of Derrick Harmon on Sunday. The organization selected Harmon in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but he suffered a sprained MCL in the preseason finale which kept him on the sidelines throughout the first two weeks of the regular season. He made an impact while serving in a limited role on Sunday against New England as he recorded a sack and two total tackles, and he is expected to help the run defense in the near future. Team insider Mark Kaboly spoke about the interior defensive line after the game on Sunday on the most recent episode of Kaboly + Mack, and he believes there will be two rookies starting in that area very soon. "They made some moves there, and it was able to help them out," Kaboly said. "That's a definite difference in what they were able to do. And I think it's just a matter of time until Yahya Black, Derrick Harmon and Cam Heyward's your one, two and three across the front. It's just a matter of time." Currently, Cam Heyward and Yahya Black are the starting defensive tackles for Pittsburgh while Keeanu Benton has been the starting nose tackle. That is the part of the lineup that will be shuffled, as Benton will likely switch to being a rotational piece, while Harmon enters the starting lineup. He will likely takeover the duties at defensive tackle, while Black shuffles to nose tackle. Benton was expected to take a leap forward going into his second season in 2024, but that didn't necessarily happen. He has made some big plays for Pittsburgh, but he has not been the consistent force that the organization had hoped he would be to this point. There was hope he would improve once again during the 2025 season, but if anything, the third-year pro has shown some regression since his rookie season. Moving to a rotational role where he can fill in at both defensive tackle and nose tackle might be best for Benton at this point. He doesn't necessarily have the size to be a true nose tackle in the NFL, so the coaching staff in Pittsburgh has seemingly been setting him up for failure a little bit in that regard. He would likely play better at defensive tackle, which is something the coaching staff could find out if the starting defensive line gets shuffled. Steelers Need To See Keeanu Benton Step Up No matter what role he is serving, Benton needs to play better moving forward. The interior defensive line is a key part of stopping the run, and Pittsburgh has struggled to do that. It is going to be hard to win meaningful games if that problem persists, especially against the better teams in the NFL that show up on the schedule later in the year. Benton needs to show some signs of progression, whether that be as a starter, or as someone who rotates in with the starting lineup throughout a game. Benton can still have a future in Pittsburgh, but he is going to need to improve in 2025 while setting himself up for success in 2026.
Exciting Jordan Addison Development Occurs Ahead of Vikings-Steelers
The Minnesota Vikings are fourth-worst in the NFL with 503 passing yards through three weeks, but they've been compromised. Wide receiver Jordan Addison was suspended for the first three games for violating the NFL's Substances of Abuse Policy. The 23-year-old was arrested on suspicion of DUI near Los Angeles International Airport in July 2024 and pleaded no contest to a "wet reckless" charge this past July, which is a misdemeanor offense. The Vikings drafted Addison No. 23 overall out of USC in 2023, and he was productive in his first two seasons. The 5-foot-11-inch, 175-pounder has career totals of 1,786 receiving yards on 133 catches with 19 touchdowns over 32 games. Addison is now done with his suspension, via NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "Suspensions are over for 49ers wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and Vikings WR Jordan Addison, who both served three games and are now back with their teams," he reported on Monday. Minnesota will now have its No. 2 receiver back moving forward. Superstar wideout Justin Jefferson leads the team with 12 catches and 200 yards, while the next receiving leader is fellow wideout Josh Nailor with 96 yards. Tight end T.J. Hockenson also has nine receptions for 76 yards. Addison has a better track record than Nailor, who has never topped 414 yards in a season since entering the league in 2022. On the other hand, Hockenson notched 95 catches, 960 yards, and five touchdowns in 2023, but he's a safety blanket underneath and over the middle. Addison can help take the top off of the defense alongside Jefferson, which should open up the Vikings' offense. Vikings Positioned for Success Against Steelers Not only is Minnesota getting Addison back for this Sunday's bout with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it'll face a defense that ranks 23rd in the NFL with 25.7 points allowed per game. The Steelers did hold the New England Patriots' offense to 14 points in last Sunday's win, but they coughed up 32 points to the New York Jets in Week 1 and 31 to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is out, but veteran backup Carson Wentz showed he can still play in Sunday's 48-10 trouncing of the Cincinnati Bengals, completing 14 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. They're now 2-1 ahead of their Week 4 matchup with the Steelers in Dublin, Ireland, and could go 3-1 if Addison picks up where he left off.
Steelers Could Be Planning To Use Week 5 Bye As An Opportunity To Make Unexpected Trade
The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 2-1 after defeating the New England Patriots by a score of 21-14 in Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. It has appeared as if Aaron Rodgers still has some game left at 41 years old, but the box score on Sunday didn't exactly instill confidence from an outside observer. He was only able to throw for 139 yards in the contest and the offense as a whole was only able to muster up 203 total yards. The unit will be facing a tough test in Week 4 when the team plays against the Minnesota Vikings in Ireland. The long-term plan for the Steelers at quarterback is a bit of a mystery. The organization could draft a signal-caller in 2026, or let Mason Rudolph and Will Howard compete for the job in training camp. The latter seems unlikely, given the fact that franchises need a dominant force playing quarterback to win, and neither of the options under contract for 2026 have proven themselves as much as fans would have liked. The fourth piece to the puzzle currently is Skylar Thompson. The former seventh-round pick showcased his talents in the preseason, and ended up putting plenty of good film on tape. He was one of the better signal-callers throughout the league during the exhibition period, and should have no business being an organization's fourth option. With Howard and Thompson both currently on Injured Reserve (IR), a decision is going to have to be made in the coming weeks about what to do with the emergency quarterback spot on game days. The Steelers are known for not holding onto more than three quarterbacks, so it's very possible that Thompson ends up getting released when, and if, all four players are healthy at the same time. After Pittsburgh's Week 4 matchup overseas, the team will have an early bye in Week 5. This will allow guys to get healthy, but also provide a unique opportunity to explore additions, or subtractions from the roster. Franchises have already experienced quarterback injury issues early on in 2025, and by the time Thompson is healthy, a decision could be made to deal him for a late-round draft selection. There's no guarantee that the Steelers would find a trade partner for Thompson, but as long as he is fully healthy, he's definitely someone to shop around. He is highly likely never going to see the field in Pittsburgh, but has some value because of how well he played during the preseason. Unfortunately for the Steelers, it doesn't make sense to part ways with a rookie while keeping someone else who is on a one-year deal. While Thompson won't be able to return to action until Week 7 (because the bye week does not count when a player is on IR) there is precedent to trade him anyway. The Patriots just traded Ja'Lynn Polk to the New Orleans Saints despite the receiver being on season-ending IR. Thompson's situation is a bit different, as he should be expected to return in 2025. Any team inquiring would need to be confident that he is fully healthy, because his 21-day window would need to be activated upon any deal. General Manager Omar Khan could be interested in getting yet another draft pick for 2026 if another organization throughout the league needs quarterback help. Steelers Hoping To Keep Rodgers Healthy All Season Pittsburgh's offensive line performed better in Week 3, but there is still a long way to go for the unit. While the other three quarterbacks don't necessarily matter for on-field play in games, the 41-year-old in Rodgers could be one hit away from the Steelers' signal-caller situation drastically changing. Overall, Thompson is at the bottom of the list, and could get traded soon if he is almost fully recovered from his injury.
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