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Inter want Cesc Fabregas to replace Simone Inzaghi on their bench, but, like the other teams that tried, they’ll have to go through Como and have no certainty they’ll be successful. There would be no issues on the economic front. The Nerazzurri are offering a two-year contract with €4M wages plus bonuses. They won’t drag things out, given the impending start of the Club World Cup, Alfredo Pedullà informs.
The only fallbacks are Christian Chivu and Patrick Vieira. The former, who was their Primavera manager not too long ago, has yet to sign an extension with Parma. The Genoa gaffer is under contract for one more year, but he can get out of it through a clause. Francesco Farioli has been proposed by agents and intermediaries. Instead, there have been no contacts with Roberto De Zerbi.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter director Piero Ausilio is in London like Fabregas and the Como higher-ups. Should he receive the green light, he would talk with the manager. The Lariani successfully stifled Roma, Bayer Leverkusen, and RB Leipzig. The boss and his current president spoke highly of their project during a congress, heavily alluding to his permanence. Eventually, he’ll pose some conditions to the Nerazzurri regarding the squad and the transfer market.
Per SportMediaset, there’s no substance to the chatter about Diego Simeone, José Mourinho, and Roberto Mancini. The Biancoblù have contacted Daniele De Rossi just in case.
Our Take on Inter and Fabregas
It’s clear that they want an up-and-comer to start a lengthy cycle. He’s the belle of the ball, even though the appointment wouldn’t be risk-free since he has a very diverse style and he’s green. It’d be quite the win for their management after a few clubs crashed and burned.
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Isak transfer drama sparks fresh Saudi interest in Darwin Nunez – report
Liverpool’s next big exit might not be who we expected — and it could be triggered by a transfer battle unfolding in the north east. According to a report from Arriyadiyah, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have shifted their attention towards Darwin Nunez after their pursuit of Alexander Isak hit a financial wall. The Newcastle United striker has reportedly demanded an eye-watering £60 million annual salary, plus extras, to consider a move to Saudi Arabia. Saudi interest in Isak has cooled now attention turns to Nunez That’s more than £1.15 million per week, and it’s no surprise that Al-Hilal are now exploring alternatives. One of them, per the same report, is Liverpool’s No.9. The Saudi side’s coach Simone Inzaghi is said to have specifically requested the Uruguayan forward as a top alternative to Isak. The 26-year-old was already the subject of interest from the Gulf state earlier in the window, but now that Isak talks have cooled, the heat is rising again around our £85 million man. Darwin Nunez is viewed as an Alexander Isak alternative It’s another sign that our forward line could be reshaped this summer. Liverpool have already committed to French striker Hugo Ekitike and with Alexander Isak reportedly still on our radar at £130-150 million, a serious bid from Saudi Arabia for Darwin could accelerate a sale — especially given his struggle for form under Arne Slot. The former Benfica striker managed just five Premier League goals last season and the boss no longer appears to trust him in big moments. If Al-Hilal formalise their interest, this could be the end of Nunez’s Anfield journey — and the start of a new era up front. The irony of Darwin Nunez being viewed as an Alexander Isak alternative, as we attempt to sign the Swede, despite buying Ekitike who was Newcastle’s desired replacement for their No.14 – somewhat highlights the craziness of this merry-go-round transfer window.
Raiders releasing former big-ticket addition after just one season
Before the 2024 NFL season the Las Vegas Raiders signed defensive lineman Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110M contract in free agency to make him a key part of their defensive line. On Thursday, just one year later, the Raiders are releasing him. It is also a situation that is likely to get messy in the coming weeks due to a grievance that Wilkins has filed with the NFLPA. At the center of his release — and grievance — is Wilkins' rehab from a foot injury that cut short his 2024 season after just five games. The Raiders wanted Wilkins to correct the issue with surgery. Wilkins opted not to have the surgery, and as the rehab continued to drag on, there was uncertainty of when he would be able to get back on the field. As recently as Tuesday Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said there was no definitive timeline on when that would be. Just 48 hours later, Wilkins was released, with the Raiders attempting to void the remaining $35.2M in guarantees that he was owed on his contract. Wilkins spent the first five year of his career with the Miami Dolphins, and turned a career-year performance in 2023 into a big-ticket free agency contract with the Raiders. The hope was that he could form a dominant 1-2 punch with Maxx Crosby, and for the five games he played he showed the ability to do that. He was just never healthy enough to continue the rest of the season. Now Las Vegas is going to be left asking what could have been, while Wilkins tries to get the money he believes he is owed. Wilkins will turn 30 in December, and if anyone is confident in his ability to come back from the injury, he could still land on a new team and potentially play a big role.
Vikings training camp recap, Day 2: Defense continues to impress
It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that through two days of training camp, the Vikings' defense appears to be pretty far ahead of the offense. Brian Flores is now in his third season as Minnesota's defensive coordinator, and many of his key players have been in the scheme since he arrived. Others are now in their second year, and even some of the newcomers seem to have picked things up quickly over the course of this offseason. Meanwhile, the Vikings are breaking in an offense with a new starting quarterback (and a new backup), as well as some new pieces on the offensive line and elsewhere. Expected or not, my main takeaway from Thursday's practice was how impressive this defense already looks. On a beautiful 80-degree day at TCO Performance Center, Flores' group appeared to be in mid-camp form, if not ready for the regular season to begin already. That was also the case on Wednesday, when they snagged a pair of pick-sixes on the first day of camp. The lone interception on Thursday went to 14th-year safety Harrison Smith, the league's active leader in picks by a healthy margin. In a 7-on-7 period, he snagged a J.J. McCarthy pass that deflected off of Lucky Jackson's hands, then — in humorous Smith fashion — proceeded to lateral it to teammate Jay Ward shortly thereafter. So many different members of the first-team defense stood out at least once. Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Harrison Phillips blew up run plays and got into the backfield. Jonathan Greenard roasted tackles with speed off the edge. Blake Cashman burst unblocked through a gap on a blitz for a would-be sack. Ivan Pace Jr. did the same off a stunt. Isaiah Rodgers made a great play to break up a McCarthy back-shoulder ball intended for Rondale Moore (who, at 5'7", probably won't be the recipient of many back-shoulder targets in game action). The Vikings were second in defensive DVOA last season, and I don't think there's any question that they got better — at least on paper — over the course of the offseason. That doesn't guarantee more dominance this season. But it's hard not to get excited about a defense that has a chance to be incredible up front with Allen, Hargrave, Phillips, Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Cashman, and Pace. If the secondary reaches its potential, Flores could be cooking with all kinds of gas this season. That context is also why no one should panic if McCarthy and the offense aren't particularly sharp over the course of training camp. This defense might just be better than any they'll see over the entire regular season. Here are some other notes from Thursday's practice. Jeff Okudah is a player to watch. He's the No. 3 corner with the first-team defense right now, alongside Byron Murphy Jr. and Rodgers. The former No. 3 overall pick is on his fourth team in as many seasons, but he's only 26 years old, and if anyone is going to help him revive his career, it feels like Flores and Daronte Jones could be the coaches to do it. Okudah is physical and not afraid to come up in run support, which he did for a would-be TFL in this practice. Mekhi Blackmon has been working with the second-team defense so far. I think I'm obligated by law to comment on McCarthy's performance, even if just for a few sentences, every day throughout camp. I thought he was fine on Thursday, but maybe a bit more shaky than on Day 1. There was the INT to Smith. He also sailed a ball over Justin Jefferson's head when trying to layer an intermediate throw early in practice, which led to a discussion with Kevin O'Connell and others while watching the replay. But McCarthy also completed plenty of passes, most of them of the short variety. He's shown quite the rapport with Jordan Addison, who was his top target in this practice after Jefferson departed (more on that in a second). McCarthy's fastball is impressive, and he used it to connect with players like Addison, Jalen Nailor, and even rookie Tai Felton late in practice. His best throw of the day was an intermediate out route to Addison, who was covered tightly by Theo Jackson. Jefferson sat out most of the team drills out of precaution after experiencing some minor tightness in his legs following a leaping catch. You can read more on that here, but the key thing to emphasize is that it's nothing significant or concerning. Josh Metellus, whose full participation in Wednesday's practice was a story due to his contract situation, watched practice from the sideline on Thursday due to what the Vikings described as a minor ankle issue. It'll be interesting to see if Nos. 18 and/or 44 are out there on Friday. Some of the depth guys on the defensive line will be fun to track over the course of camp. Levi Drake Rodriguez goes 110 percent all the time and ended up in the backfield on a couple plays, including one where he wound up on the ground near Sam Howell's legs (which coaches don't like). Jalen Redmond burst through the line for a TFL at one point. On another rep, Gabriel Murphy and rookie Elijah Williams put pressure on Max Brosmer, who got a few snaps in this practice after not seeing any on Wednesday. Brosmer, by the way, attempted the longest throw of the day, but it was just out of the reach of a well-covered Dontae Fleming. More Vikings coverage
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan leaves behind a complicated legacy
On Thursday, wrestling icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea died at the age of 71. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company said in a statement. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s... WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans." Hogan was the first true superstar to emerge in the wrestling industry, capturing a casual audience worldwide and bringing new eyes to the sport. He was an unbelievable draw, both as a baby face and as a heel. From his time as an All-American hero to leading the New World Order and teaming with Randy Savage as part of the "Mega Powers," he has been a staple of the scene for decades. Who can forget his WrestleMania III moment, where he defied the laws of physics to body-slam a 520-pound Andre the Giant? Or, more recently, his match with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 18? His last appearance on WWE RAW on Jan. 6 saw him booed throughout, highlighting the rocky legacy Hogan leaves behind. Hogan's universal popularity has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to a racism scandal that led to his removal from the Wrestling Hall of Fame, only to be reinstated in 2018. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Hogan's outdated and unwelcome outlook on specific aspects of life derailed the final stanza of a legendary career. Still, there's no denying that without Hogan, the wrestling we know and love today wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be WWE on the world's largest streaming platform, or All Elite Wrestling, which is developing into one of the most successful challenger brands. Instead, there would be smaller, more localized promotions, all competing for a sliver of television time. Hogan popularized the sport by bridging the gap between the wrestling ring and Hollywood. During his time in the spotlight, Hogan appeared in movies such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and "Suburban Commando," all of which helped bring his larger-than-life persona to a new audience. It's no surprise, then, that The Rock, John Cena and Dave Bautista have all made similar jumps in recent years. Hogan leaves behind an everlasting imprint on the wrestling world. Unfortunately, it comes with multiple asterisks; however, that doesn't change what he achieved as the first global wrestling star.
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