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Lazio sporting director Angelo Fabiani has played down recent rumors linking the Biancocelesti with an interest in Colombia captain James Rodriguez. In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Fabiani addressed speculation regarding Lazio’s potential pursuit of the 33-year-old playmaker.
“Excellent player, but he’s over 33, and in recent seasons, in his club teams, he’s played a maximum of 10-12 games,” the Lazio chief executive said, effectively shutting down talks linking his club with a move for Rodriguez.
Rodriguez enjoyed a superb 2024 Copa America tournament. With an impressive haul of one goal and six assists, the veteran led Colombia’s bid to win only their second continental title. Though Argentina defeated the Colombians in the final, the rumored Lazio target earned the Copa America 2024 best player award.
His phenomenal performances in the recent tournament have ramped up rumors surrounding his future. Though Rodriguez has reportedly severed ties with Sao Paulo to accelerate his return to Europe, Lazio will not be his next destination. Fabiani’s words have unequivocally quashed the media hype.
Formerly tracked by Milan, the former Real Madrid star could return to La Liga, with Rayo Vallecano interested in acquiring his services. Another La Liga reunion is on the cards. Lazio striker Taty Castellanos has drawn interest from Girona as Artem Dovbyk heads to the Stadio Olimpico to pledge his future to Roma.
Castellanos played for Girona in 2022/23 before joining Lazio last summer. Despite his torrid first season in Serie A, the Argentine is part of Marco Baroni’s plans for the upcoming campaign, suggesting the Italians would likely fend off any approach from the Spanish club.
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Eze tipped to struggle in his new role at Arsenal
Eberechi Eze has been deployed predominantly in a wide position since joining Arsenal, yet this role differs significantly from the one he occupied at Crystal Palace. During his time at Selhurst Park, he enjoyed greater freedom to influence matches from central areas, becoming one of the club’s standout performers. At Arsenal, however, he is being utilised as a replacement for Gabriel Martinelli on the flank, a role that has not yet appeared to suit him fully. In the recent fixture against Athletic Club, Eze appeared to struggle with the tactical demands of his new position. Observers have noted that the shift limits his natural tendencies, with the midfielder often seeking to drift centrally rather than maintain width. Tactical Demands at Arsenal Former player and analyst Leon Osman has commented on the adjustment Eze is undergoing. As quoted by Football Insider, he remarked, “Mikel is demanding that Eze stays out wide. You could see from the game plan, to get around the outside, to try and get round the defensive line. But he just wants to drift in, he wants to still be that. I think it’ll take time. I think as a player, you have this natural desire to go into where you feel you’re going to get most of the ball, where you’ve been actually playing your best football, scoring all your goals. He’s had some good goals and assists rates over the last few seasons. Now that may change because he’s going to be adopting a different position.” Osman’s assessment highlights the conflict between Eze’s instinctive style and the requirements of his current tactical role. While Arsenal’s system demands discipline on the wing to stretch opponents, Eze has long excelled by operating in central areas where he can dictate play and directly influence the attack. Adapting to a New Role Despite the early challenges, Eze remains aware that adaptation is crucial if he is to secure consistent playing time. With no available space in attacking midfield under Mikel Arteta’s set up, mastering his responsibilities on the flank will be essential. Transitioning to a new team inevitably requires adjustment, and Eze is still in the early stages of his Arsenal career. Time, familiarity with the system, and trust from the coaching staff will play a major role in determining how well he can adapt. Supporters will hope that once fully integrated, he can combine his natural creativity with the positional discipline demanded of him, ultimately becoming an even more effective contributor to the squad. __________________________________________________________________________________________
Packers Get Good News Regarding TE Tucker Kraft’s Knee Injury
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Packers TE Tucker Kraft had “a little scare but all good” regarding the knee injury he suffered during Thursday’s practice squad. “I think he will be OK,” Schefter’s source added. The Packers were optimistic that Kraft’s knee injury wasn’t a season-threatening issue, but they had to get tests run before saying for certain. It’s still unclear whether he will be able to play in Week 3. Kraft, 24, was a two-year starter for South Dakota State and earned first-team All-American honors in 2021 and third-team in 2022. The Packers selected him in the third round with the No. 78 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s in the third year of a four-year, $5,537,934 rookie contract that included a $1,027,588 signing bonus. In 2025, Kraft has appeared in two games for the Packers and caught eight passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
Concerning report emerges about Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin's health
The Washington Capitals began their first day of training camp with an injury scare, as star left winger Alexander Ovechkin left practice early with a lower-body injury. Alexander Ovechkin addresses the media It wasn't immediately clear if the injury affected the same leg that Ovechkin broke last year, when a fractured fibula cost the Capitals captain 16 games. The injury was not severe enough to restrict Ovechkin from speaking to reporters following Thursday's practice. Per NHL.com's Tom Gulitti, Ovechkin sounded "unconcerned" about his lower-body injury, but he added that the Capitals captain might not skate on Friday when training camp resumes. Gulitti added that Washington head coach Spencer Carbery called the decision "precautionary" to take Ovechkin off the ice. Ovechkin, who turned 40 on Wednesday, enters the 2025 season as the NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer with 897 tallies. When asked if he is approaching this season as if it would be his last, Ovechkin said he didn't know. Ovechkin is also the NHL's all-time leader in regular-season power-play goals (326), game-winning goals (136) and shots on net (6,864). Depending on the severity of this injury, Capitals fans may have to wait to watch Ovechkin continue padding those totals and try to lead the Caps to their second Stanley Cup.
South Carolina receives significant update on star QB LaNorris Sellers
The South Carolina Gamecocks received a positive update regarding quarterback LaNorris Sellers' health on Thursday, setting him up to return for their first road SEC game of the season against Associated Press No. 23 Missouri Tigers. LaNorris Sellers returns to practice On3's Pete Nakos and Chris Low reported that Sellers (head) "is trending towards playing ... barring a setback," with Nakos noting the trendy preseason Heisman pick was practicing with the team two days before kickoff. Sellers suffered a head injury in the first half of last Saturday's 31-7 upset loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores, which entered the Associated Press poll at No. 20 following the win. Before leaving the game, Sellers was 6-of-7 for 94 yards (13.4 yards per attempt) and an interception. South Carolina's hopes depend on LaNorris Sellers It's not an exaggeration to say that South Carolina's hopes of pulling off a road win against Missouri hinges on Sellers' health. As CBS Sports noted, the Gamecocks averaged 4.5 yards per play and turned the ball over three times with Luke Doty at quarterback. Their seven points were their fewest at home against an unranked conference opponent since 2007 (h/t Stathead). Sellers put up modest numbers in his first two games, averaging 168.5 passing yards in wins against the Virginia Tech Hokies (0-3) and FCS South Carolina State Bulldogs (2-1). But little was needed of Sellers in those games. Against tougher SEC competition, including Missouri (3-0), which is first in the conference in total offense (587 yards per game), South Carolina's offense will need to shoulder more of the burden. The Tigers have been particularly effective running the ball, ranking third in FBS in rushing offense (907 yards). With their ability to shorten games thanks to a potent rushing attack, Sellers' ability to hit on explosive passing plays could be crucial. This season, he's completed three of his four attempts that have traveled at least 20 air yards for 126 yards (31.5 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns. In 2024, Sellers had the highest adjusted completion percentage, which accounts for receiver drops, on deep passes among SEC quarterbacks with at least 20 attempts at 56.4 percent (h/t Pro Football Focus). Last Saturday was a huge setback for South Carolina, which fell from No. 11 to out of the AP poll with the 24-point loss to Vanderbilt, the largest in program history in a ranked-vs.-unranked home game. But the Gamecocks can quickly turn the page against Mizzou, and getting Sellers back at quarterback would give them a legitimate chance of doing so.
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