Arsenal are targeting several players this summer as they aim to strengthen the squad ahead of the new season. However, the reality is that they cannot realistically afford to sign every player they have been linked with. In truth, even securing half of the reported targets would require an extraordinary effort, both financially and logistically.
Among the names mentioned, Martin Zubimendi is believed to be high on the list. Should Arsenal activate his release clause, they would need to commit around 60 million euros. Adding a player such as Benjamin Sesko to the squad would demand a further outlay of at least 80 million euros. This would take the total to 140 million euros for just two players, with several other positions in need of reinforcements.
Given the scale of investment required, Arsenal may be forced to consider selling one of their key players in order to raise the necessary funds. Fringe players are unlikely to command high transfer fees, meaning that the club would need to look at parting ways with a regular starter to generate substantial income.
Gabriel Magalhaes has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, where clubs have shown a willingness to pay significant sums for top-tier talent. The Brazilian defender could fetch a strong transfer fee, but his departure would come with its own risks. His partnership with William Saliba has been a cornerstone of Arsenal’s defensive success, and the team’s balance could be affected if he were to leave.
In a scenario where Arsenal must sell to buy, tough decisions may lie ahead. The question then becomes which player, if any, should be sacrificed to unlock a larger transfer budget. Options such as Myles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Martinelli represent different levels of value, potential and current importance to the squad.
While young talents offer long-term promise, established players like Gabriel and Martinelli provide immediate impact. Deciding whom to sell would involve weighing financial return against sporting risk. For Arsenal, finding the right balance between raising funds and maintaining competitiveness will be crucial to achieving their goals next season.
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Darwin Nunez is reportedly on the verge of being the next player from Liverpool’s Premier League-winning squad to move on from Anfield within three months of the trophy being presented. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, Jarell Quansah and Luis Diaz have already left since the end of last season, with Arne Slot’s strongest starting XI for the upcoming campaign set to have a rather different complexion to his 2024/25 line-up. As reported by Fabrizio Romano (via X) on Wednesday night, a ‘verbal agreement’ has been reached on a transfer to Al-Hilal for the Uruguay striker, with the Reds expected to bank €53m (£46.3m) plus add-ons from the impending sale of the 26-year-old. How much will Nunez be paid in Saudi Arabia? It’s now been revealed how much Nunez is expected to earn in wages at the Saudi Pro League club, who he’s about to join on a three-year contract. Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg took to X in the early hours of Thursday morning with further details on the Uruguayan’s impending move to Riyadh, where the forward will be paid ‘around €15 million net per year’ (equating to £13.1m annually) after a ‘full agreement’ was reached between all parties. Nunez set to more than triple his current wages with Al-Hilal move According to Capology, Nunez earned a net wage of just under €4.6m (£4m) for the 2024/25 season at Liverpool, a little over 30% of what he’s projected to pocket once he joins Al-Hilal. Should the respective figures be accurate, it lays bare the eye-watering wealth on offer to footballers who transfer to the Saudi Pro League, where even a relatively brief stint could set up a player and his family for life financially. For all the criticism about the quality of football in the Middle Eastern nation, it’s undeniable that the foremost domestic league in the Arab peninsula has become a huge attraction, with several of the Uruguayan’s ex-LFC teammates flocking there (Jordan Henderson, Bobby Firmino, Fabinho). While Nunez had endured a barren campaign in front of goal last year (just seven in 47 games) and fell out of favour with Slot in the second half of the season, he’ll still be missed by a lot of Liverpool supporters who appreciate his indefatigable nature on the pitch and his unbridled celebrations of triumphant moments. He also gave us quite a few memorable late winners, coming up clutch away to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest in 2023/24 and dramatically turning a frustrating day at Brentford into one of jubilation with his stoppage-time brace in January. It’ll be sad to see him leave, but he’s wholly entitled to decide on what he feels is best for his career, and we wish him well in Saudi Arabia if and when his move to Al-Hilal is confirmed.
The Padres announced they’ve optioned JP Sears to Triple-A El Paso. They recalled reliever Sean Reynolds and will go with a nine-man bullpen in the short term. Sears will spend at least 15 days in the minors unless he’s brought up to replace a player going on the injured list. San Diego acquired Sears alongside Mason Miller in last week’s massive deadline deal. The 29-year-old southpaw made his team debut Monday night. He allowed five runs in as many innings on 10 hits and a walk against the Diamondbacks. Sears took the loss in a 6-2 defeat. He’d carried a 4.95 earned run average over 22 starts with the A’s. Monday's performance pushed his ERA to 5.12 across 116 innings. It’s a bottom-10 mark among pitchers to log at least 100 frames. Sears had the highest home run rate among that group, offsetting his nearly league-average 20.3% strikeout rate and solid 6% walk percentage. This is the first time in two-and-a-half years that Sears heads to the minors. He broke camp with the A’s in 2023 and has been in the majors since then. Sears has also avoided the injured list for that entire time. As a result, he’s tied for fifth in MLB with 87 starts since the beginning of the ’23 season. The durability is the big selling point, as his production (4.62 ERA/4.56 SIERA) over that stretch is that of a fifth or sixth starter. The demotion shouldn’t have any impact on Sears’ service trajectory. He has already surpassed the three-year mark and will qualify for arbitration next winter. He’s under team control for three seasons beyond this one. While he’ll probably be back up at some point this year, it may require an injury elsewhere in the rotation. San Diego optioned Randy Vásquez over the weekend. They have a four-man rotation of Dylan Cease, Nick Pivetta, Yu Darvish and deadline acquisition Nestor Cortes. Darvish and Cortes will get the ball for the next two outings. San Diego is off Thursday and could turn back to Pivetta and Cease on extra rest for their first two games of the weekend series against the Red Sox. That’d point to the series finale on Aug. 10 as Michael King’s return date. King threw 61 pitches in what is expected to be his final rehab start on Sunday, via the MLB.com injury tracker. He’d be on six days' rest for his first MLB appearance since he went on the injured list in late May with a nerve problem in his throwing shoulder.
Over the past couple of years, the WNBA has seen a major uptick in ratings and overall fan engagement. Unfortunately, that has also come with negative attention. It may have reached a new low, as there have now been three separate incidents in which a fan has thrown a sex toy on the court. This time, it nearly hit Indiana Fever veteran Sophie Cunningham during a matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. Cunningham had already joked about it on social media, and given her outspoken nature and reputation as a bit of an instigator, she didn't shy away from it: She also laughed it up on her Instagram story: Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts, however, didn't think it was a laughing matter. Following the game, she put the fans on blast for their "stupid" behavior. "It's ridiculous. It's dumb. It's stupid," Roberts said, per Yahoo Sports. "It's also dangerous, and you know, player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things. I think it's really stupid." There's no place for any of this in sports, much less in women's sports. The league needs to crack down on this and take the necessary measures to prevent it from happening ever again. The WNBA is finally thriving after years of surviving, and while the fans will eventually grow to respect the product, not all publicity is good publicity.
The Pittsburgh Steelers gave up 299 rushing yards to their arch-nemesis, the Baltimore Ravens, in the Wild Card Round of the 2024 playoffs. Slowing down Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson was never going to be easy, but Pittsburgh’s defense was gashed from start to finish. It was an embarrassing showing that made it clear major changes were needed. The Steelers immediately began planning how to fix the issue heading into the offseason. With the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, a physical and explosive presence up front. Harmon was brought in to restore toughness, speed, and discipline to the heart of Pittsburgh’s defense. Since his arrival, he has quickly impressed the coaching staff throughout training camp and other offseason activities, showing signs that he could be exactly what the Steelers need. Steelers insider reports have added even more excitement around the rookie. During an appearance on WDVE 102.5 on Wednesday morning, one insider named Gerry Dulac spoke about how impactful Harmon has been, both on the field and in the locker room. The Steelers were humiliated in their playoff loss to Baltimore, but with Harmon in the fold, they believe they’re on track to make sure it doesn’t happen again. "I'll tell you who's buzzing about it quietly and internally, are those coaches," Dulac said. "They love this guy. [From] what they have seen, they're thinking this pick is a home run. Now, we'll see how it plays out, but [from] what they've seen so far, they think he's terrific, and gonna be terrific." It’s not just coaches who are noticing Harmon’s impact either. Teammates have been raving about the way he’s carrying himself, especially for a rookie walking into a veteran-heavy locker room. He’s been described as humble, but intense. Quiet, but physical. It’s that mix of work ethic and natural ability that has people around the team believing the Steelers might’ve nailed this pick. Harmon’s explosiveness off the line has stood out in nearly every practice session. He’s consistently disrupting plays in the backfield, and he’s already shown he can hold his own against the Steelers’ top offensive linemen. Harmon is going to be called on as a rookie to be a starter right away. It's not an easy task for any rookie but the Steelers are just that confident in his skills. What’s also impressive is how fast he’s picked up the playbook. For a position that demands a lot of mental processing, especially in the Steelers’ complex scheme, Harmon hasn’t looked overwhelmed. In fact, he’s been praised for asking the right questions, staying late in meetings, and learning from guys like Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton. He’s clearly not just relying on his physical tools. Of course, it’s still early, and everything changes when the pads come on in real games. But if training camp is any indication, the Steelers’ front office may have landed a game-changer in Harmon. And after that nightmare in Baltimore, they’ll take all the help they can get. Steelers’ Defense Expected To Be Elite The Steelers defense is expected to be one of the NFL’s best in 2025. But if they want to be the best, Harmon’s impact will be key. Lining up next to Benton and Heyward, he could help anchor a dominant front. For that to happen, Harmon will need to play at a high level as a rookie. That’s a big task, but the coaching staff believes he’s more than capable. He’s shown the strength, quickness, and awareness they were hoping for. The Steelers didn’t draft him to sit. They want him to contribute now. If Harmon does that, this defense should be in very good hands for the 2025 season.
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