Welcome to the third edition of The Athletic’s Transfer DealSheet for the summer 2025 transfer window.

Our team of dedicated writers, including David Ornstein, will take you inside the market to explain the deals being worked on. The mini-window ahead of the Club World Cup closed last Tuesday, but the regular summer transfer window opened on Monday and will now run until September 1.

The information found within this article has been gathered according to The Athletic’s sourcing guidelines. Unless stated, our reporters have spoken to more than one person briefed on each deal before offering the clubs involved the opportunity to comment. Their responses, when they were given, have been included in the Transfer DealSheet.

We aim to bring you analysis you can trust about what is happening at Europe’s leading clubs and the latest information we’re hearing from across the market. This year, The Athletic’s football finance writer, Chris Weatherspoon, will be adding to our analysis of the transfer market, along with tactical analysis from Mark Carey and Thom Harris this week.

Last week, we looked at Arsenal’s situation, Paris Saint-Germain’s interest in Illia Zabarnyi and Liverpool’s ongoing pursuit of Milos Kerkez. This week, Nico Williams and Xavi Simons are on the agenda, as well as the latest across Europe’s top clubs.

This article is long but detailed, so enjoy it all — or search for the club or player you want to read about.

---

David Ornstein’s One To Watch

The summer transfer window is now fully open and there are two and a half months for deals to be done ahead of it shutting on September 1.

Among the most notable cases is the one involving Nico Williams, the winger who has been targeted by many leading clubs over a considerable period.

But despite Premier League sides being among his admirers, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are emerging as more plausible destinations if the 22-year-old Spain international leaves Athletic Club. Arsenal and Chelsea have somewhat cooled their pursuit, and that increases the chances of others in the frame stepping up their interest.

A release clause of around €60million (£51m, $69m) provides suitors with a clear and achievable transfer fee, but personal terms are not as straightforward. Williams already earns a high salary, and there is a lucrative proposal on the table for him to extend his time in Bilbao, which makes the overall package challenging from a cost perspective.

Barcelona are pushing hard and carry an appeal to Williams, especially given his close bond with their Lamine Yamal, a team-mate for Spain, plus Liverpool’s reluctance to do business for Luis Diaz — initially their preferred candidate. Barcelona already have Raphinha in this position and it is also complicated for them to register new squad members due to their financial health; however, they are trying to make it happen.

Bayern are believed to have conveyed an offer to the player, and a second may follow, as the German champions weigh up multiple options to strengthen in the wide attacking areas. Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen was their top target, but he has opted for Liverpool, while it is probable that Bradley Barcola — another liked by Bayern — will remain at Paris Saint-Germain. Milan’s Rafael Leao and Kaoru Mitoma from Brighton & Hove Albion have also been linked.

If Bayern advance their pursuit and get nearer the kind of numbers Williams might expect, he would be open to talking with their head coach Vincent Kompany regarding a possible transfer.

Although a concrete direction of travel is yet to emerge, dialogue continues between all parties — so this situation is absolutely one to watch.

---

Why is there such enduring interest in Nico Williams?

Williams endured a slower start to the season after starring at Euro 2024 for eventual champions Spain, but his desire to run at defenders with the ball at his feet continued to burn bright. The 22-year-old has lightning-quick feet, with only Lamine Yamal, Jamie Gittens and Jeremy Doku attempting more than his 8.4 take-ons per game last season.

Such ambition with the ball makes it hard to keep Williams out of the action for long, clicking into life as his boyhood team Athletic Club progressed through the Europa League. He was particularly electric in a 7-0 hammering of Real Valladolid, while his two goals against Claudio Ranieri’s Roma in March helped to overturn a first-leg deficit.

He likes to hold the width out on the left, which is particularly effective when he can nip to the byline and cut the ball back. But there is real unpredictability to Williams’ game. The winger is capable of cutting inside to shoot or driving into the danger area, as we can see from the chart below.

Even in a trickier season for him, Williams still put up a goal or an assist every other match. But it’s not all about output with this winger, a zippy, relentlessly positive runner who makes things happen through the sheer speed with which he approaches the game.

Thom Harris

---

What else we’re hearing

• Netherlands international midfielder Xavi Simons has told RB Leipzig that he wishes to leave this summer. Simons has been at the German club since 2023, first on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, before joining on a permanent basis, for €50million, in January 2025. But Leipzig have just suffered their worst season since being promoted to the Bundesliga in 2016, finishing seventh and failing to qualify for any European competition. Simons, 22, has since decided that he has reached the end of his development at the Red Bull Arena and, with only two years left on his contract, Leipzig broadly accept that this might be the right moment to part ways — but are determined to resist offers below €70m. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
• Manchester United have enquired about the availability of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike. As previously reported by The Athletic, Ekitike is already of interest to Chelsea. But United have made contact with Frankfurt in recent weeks to try to understand the player’s level of availability and what a potential transfer might cost. The Bundesliga club have so far maintained that Ekitike, who turns 23 this week, will not leave for less than their €100m asking price, albeit they are willing to be flexible around the structure of a deal. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
• Leeds United are close to an agreement with Udinese for defender Jaka Bijol. A deal for the 26-year-old Slovenia international is expected to be worth around £17million ($23.1m) in addition to add-ons. Bijol has spent three seasons with Udinese, playing 95 times. David Ornstein
• Real Betis want to sign Antony permanently after his successful loan spell in Spain. Betis have had conversations with Manchester United to find out their position on his future. However, no offers have been made for the 25-year-old, and there is an expectation that a deal might take time to be completed. Dermot Corrigan and Mark Critchley
• Galatasaray are still keen to sign Victor Osimhen. The Nigeria striker spent last season on loan in Istanbul from Napoli and was a huge success, scoring 37 goals in 41 appearances as they won their third successive Super Lig title. Now they want to bring him back on a permanent deal, and are optimistic of persuading the 26-year-old to join after he turned down an offer from Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal. His significant wage demands are not considered a problem for the Turkish club, but they anticipate the desired transfer fee might be too high. Galatasaray hope Napoli’s demands might drop as the summer goes on. Nick Miller
• Sources close to Brahim Diaz have said the player is in talks with Real Madrid about extending his contract. His current deal expires in the summer of 2027. Sources close to the 25-year-old attacking midfielder say they and Madrid are yet to agree on the length of any extension to his contract. Mario Cortegana
• Florian Wirtz is set for a medical on Friday ahead of completing his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool. The plan, as things stand, is for the 22-year-old to arrive in the United Kingdom later this week ahead of that medical. David Ornstein
• Chelsea have made a verbal enquiry for Lyon winger Malick Fofana. The Premier League club have made their interest known for the 20-year-old Belgium international. Fofana is among a number of options being considered and conversations are ongoing. David Ornstein

---

Arsenal

Has anything happened over the past week?

It has been a quiet week on the incomings front for Arsenal. They are yet to sign a striker, although the situation remains as it was — Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are two players they are closely tracking.

Gyokeres plays for Portugal’s Sporting CP, and their president Frederico Varandas insisted he had received no offers for the 27-year-old Sweden international. Reports in Portugal have claimed that Gyokeres could go on strike to force a move amid suggestions that the Lisbon club had previously agreed to let him leave if a set valuation was met.

“I want to make one thing clear: We at Sporting have common sense,” Varandas said in quotes carried by Portuguese newspaper Record. “We said two things (at the start of the season): that we would not demand €100million and that the value would depend on the performance of Viktor.

“How did he perform? Sixty-three goals, 17 assists (his stats for club and country), fantastic form, one of the best seasons in the history of Portuguese football. Even then, Sporting will not demand his release clause.

“But people should know that threats, blackmail and insults will not work with me. I can guarantee one thing: Viktor Gyokeres won’t leave here for €60million plus €10m in add-ons. He won’t, and the game the agent is playing will only make the situation worse. As of now, we haven’t had one offer for him.”

Nypan and Sane are heading elsewhere. Will this impact Arsenal’s plans?

A centre-forward is the priority for Arsenal, but adding a wide player is also on their to-do list to help add another option beyond Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri.

Talks were held with Leroy Sane, but with Arsenal looking to assess their options, The Athletic reported last week that a broad agreement has been reached between the 29-year-old Germany international winger and Galatasaray of Turkey. Sane’s Bayern Munich contract expires at the end of this month.

Sverre Nypan is a young player Arsenal showed interest in in January, but they, along with Aston Villa, became resigned to losing out on the 18-year-old. Manchester City have reached an agreement with Rosenborg for the player.

Neither Sane nor Nypan were priority targets for Arsenal this summer, with Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, 24, of particular interest to fill that wide player slot. Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon, another 24-year-old, is also of interest. The club have cooled their interest in Athletic Club’s Nico Williams, 22.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Another week has passed — don’t panic, there is still plenty of time to sign players — and Arsenal are yet to sign a striker. It is the position they are prioritising, with interest in RB Leipzig 22-year-old Sesko and Gyokeres.

On top of a new striker, Arsenal would like to strengthen their squad with a new wide player. Rodrygo is of interest in that category, although a deal is unlikely to come cheap, and that could present a challenge. Domestically, Newcastle’s Gordon is another wide player they admire.

A central defender to support Gabriel and William Saliba, Arteta’s first-choice pairing, is also a signing the Arsenal boss would be happy to make. Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi is a player they like, but whether the 24-year-old would want to play second fiddle to Gabriel and Saliba could be an issue.

Should Thomas Partey leave when his contract expires at the end of the month, then there may be scope to enter the market for a new midfielder.

Which players could be leaving?

Arsenal are yet to announce a new contract for Partey, with the midfielder’s existing deal expiring on June 30.

During the last week, Partey, who is in talks with the club over a fresh contract, gave an interview to TV3 Ghana in his home country and said it is not up to him to decide where he’ll be playing next season.

“I think the first thing is: where are you happy and where do you feel at home?” Partey said. “Then it’s about: what is your next objective? What do you want to achieve next? You still have to look at all this, and, at the end of the day, we all have a family that needs money. This is our mind.

“I’m an Arsenal fan, I can’t decide anything and just have to leave it to my agent and the club. I just want to enjoy football.”

Elsewhere, Reiss Nelson, who spent last season on loan at Fulham, is subject to plenty of interest, with the west Londoners interested in securing his return to Craven Cottage if a deal can be agreed.

Dan Sheldon

---

Chelsea

Has anything happened over the past week?

Chelsea increased their bid for Jamie Gittens to £42million ($57m) on June 10, deadline day of the initial mini-window, but that was rejected by Borussia Dortmund.

The offer did not include the fee being paid in one lump sum and was not high enough for Dortmund anyway. But Gittens has already come to terms with Chelsea on a seven-year contract, and the two clubs have not ruled out reaching an agreement in future.

My colleague Thom Harris says: “The 20-year-old established himself with eight goals and three assists at Dortmund last season. He’s a speedy dribbler with a powerful right-footed shot. As we can see from the plot below, only two players attempted more take-ons than Gittens last season, maintaining a respectable success rate, given his relentless approach.”

Chelsea ended their interest in Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan after opting not to make an official bid. They had told the Serie A club the most they would pay is €15million, because the France international, who turns 30 early next month, has just one year left on his contract, but that was below Milan’s valuation.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s third-choice ’keeper Marcus Bettinelli completed a permanent switch to Manchester City for an undisclosed fee.

Will Chelsea sell Djordje Petrovic?

They are certainly open to the idea. Petrovic wants to be assured of a starting role somewhere, and with Chelsea unable to promise him that, the 25-year-old Serbia international is exploring his options.

Petrovic asked to be left out of Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad last week, and he has four to five clubs, from the Premier League and elsewhere in Europe, expressing an interest.

There is a gentleman’s agreement between Chelsea and the player that he can leave if someone bids £25million (€30m). Petrovic has been given the green light to find himself a club over the next month that will be prepared to pay that.

If nothing comes of it, Petrovic will have to report back for pre-season training. A return to French side Strasbourg, where he impressed on loan in 2024-25, could then be a possibility as they have maintained their interest in him.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Nothing has changed on this front. The priority is still a right-footed left-winger, something head coach Enzo Maresca confirmed in his opening press conference at the Club World Cup. They are also in the market for an all-round attacker. Any defensive additions will depend on exits.

Gittens is clearly the most likely to fill the winger role as things stand, due to the negotiations that have already taken place.

Among the candidates being viewed to meet their other attacking requirements are Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, West Ham midfielder Mohammed Kudus, 24, and 23-year-old Brighton forward Joao Pedro. As The Athletic reported on Monday, Chelsea have also made a verbal enquiry for Lyon’s Malick Fofana.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, a player Chelsea have admired for three years, was removed from the wishlist once they bought Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for £30million. The 22-year-old’s playing style is seen as similar to Delap’s, so he is no longer needed.

Which players could be leaving?

The long list includes most of the players Chelsea loaned out last season — apart from Andrey Santos. So: Raheem Sterling, Renato Veiga, Armando Broja, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Axel Disasi, Joao Felix, Alfie Gilchrist and Lesley Ugochukwu.

A few of those Maresca has taken to America for the Club World Cup could also be sold. Christopher Nkunku is after a move, while Trevoh Chalobah and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall may want to pursue regular first-team football elsewhere.

As revealed last week, Kendry Paez is going to Strasbourg on a season-long loan. He agreed to join Chelsea from Independiente del Valle in his native Ecuador two years ago but has had to wait until this summer to complete the switch, having turned 18 last month. Midfielder Mathis Amougou, bought from Saint-Etienne in January, will join him there. England Under-21 goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe is on the verge of joining Bolton Wanderers of League One on loan after agreeing a new two-year contract.

Other talented personnel from the under-21s are set to leave permanently. Donnell McNeilly has rejected a new contract in order to join another club, and Leo Castledine is also aiming to go elsewhere.

Simon Johnson

---

Liverpool

Has anything happened over the past week?

Liverpool agreed a club-record deal to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and are now waiting to finalise the move. The plan is for Wirtz to fly over to the United Kingdom this week ahead of a medical on Friday.

Wirtz is joining for €136.3million (£116m), comprising €117.5m upfront with a further €18.8m in add-ons. The 22-year-old is set to sign a five-year contract after choosing Liverpool over fellow suitors Bayern Munich and Manchester City. Wirtz has recently been on holiday but is expected to complete a medical and seal the switch when he returns.

My colleague Thom Harris says: “Liverpool fans can expect silky creativity from Wirtz, an elusive player adept at drifting into pockets of space between the lines and gliding into dangerous areas. As we can see below, Wirtz is dangerous across the attacking third, happy to whip in crosses from the flanks, slide passes into the box and cut back for onrushing team-mates from either side.”

It also became clear in recent days that Leverkusen are keen on Liverpool’s young centre-back Jarell Quansah, but any potential move will not be linked to the Wirtz deal.

Liverpool will move some of their first-team players on this summer, and Atletico Madrid are weighing up a move for Andy Robertson as they look to bolster the left side of their defence after the Club World Cup.

Are Liverpool willing to let Quansah leave?

For the right money, yes. Although they are not actively looking to sell.

The 22-year-old is valued at over £40million and has potential suitors, with Leverkusen showing the strongest interest.

Liverpool used Quansah largely as a backup option behind Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate last season, but recognise that he still has plenty of potential. It’s why they won’t let the England Under-21 international, who earned a call-up to the senior squad last year, leave on the cheap. Quansah does want to play more minutes next season, though.

What positions/players are they looking at?

After agreeing to sign Wirtz — and continuing with the push to bring in Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth — the bulk of the main business will soon be done. Liverpool believe these two players, alongside fellow new arrival Jeremie Frimpong, would add creativity and strength that will give the rest of the team a boost. Head coach Arne Slot is happy with the new champions’ progress so far, but there may still be some room for changes, including at centre-forward.

If Quansah leaves, Liverpool could also return to the centre-back shopping list they were evaluating throughout last season, when a number of options were under consideration.

Which players could be leaving?

With 21-year-old Kerkez expected to join, the most obvious exit at left-back was thought likely to be Kostas Tsimikas, even though he’s still got two years left on his contract.

Yet Atletico’s interest in Robertson will leave the Scot with a tricky decision to make, and Liverpool will then have to plan accordingly. Whether Robertson decides to see out the final year of his contract or considers leaving, with his game time likely to be reduced next season, remains to be seen for now.

Atletico have made the 31-year-old a priority but are also considering other options, including Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne.

As reported last week, Dutch side Ajax are leading the race to sign reserve goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros on loan. Liverpool will also listen to offers for striker Darwin Nunez and forward Federico Chiesa.

Gregg Evans

---

Would Kerkez represent an upgrade on Robertson?

If peak Kerkez were to be pitted against peak Robertson, the contest would be far more tightly fought, but it is fair to say that an energetic 21-year-old would be an upgrade on someone a decade older and entering the twilight of his career.

No Liverpool fan can be anything but glowing in their praise of Robertson’s work in a red shirt since he joined in summer 2017, but his powers are waning compared with previous years, and more defensive mistakes crept into his game last season. Kerkez’s relentless attacking mindset does mean he can be guilty of switching off defensively himself at times, but as a player who is yet to reach his peak years, there is plenty of opportunity to improve his positioning when out of possession.

What you cannot not replace is Robertson’s leadership. The Scotland captain is crucial for keeping both spirits and standards high in Liverpool’s squad, and he would be justified in pointing to his collection of winners’ medals — including two Premier League ones and another from the Champions League — in showing what it means to have an elite mentality.

Robertson’s name should be etched into Liverpool’s history for his service to the club, but Kerkez’s name represents the future.

Mark Carey

---

Manchester City

Has anything happened over the past week?

Manchester City have won the race to sign Norwegian teenager Sverre Nypan, as reported by The Athletic.

In January, it was Spain’s Girona, another club within the City Football Group, who had earmarked the 18-year-old midfielder but City entered the race and were able to leapfrog Arsenal and Aston Villa, who had hosted Nypan earlier in the year as part of a charm offensive.

A fee of £12.5million (€14.6m) has been agreed and Nypan is expected to then be sent out on a season-long loan to continue his development.

Elsewhere, City’s four new first-team recruits so far, Marcus Bettinelli, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reinders and Rayan Cherki, joined the squad for pre-Club World Cup training in Miami, as the latter two spoke about filling the void left by the departing Kevin De Bruyne.

Will City now pause recruitment until after the Club World Cup?

City moved quickly to acquire their main targets in that mini-transfer window, which shut before the Club World Cup.

New director of football Hugo Viana was in the travelling party when the squad arrived in the United States but his work will not stop during the tournament, even if the futures of some players may become clearer after City’s involvement in it is over.

What positions/players are they looking at?

A right-back is still a possibility, given Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis are the only two, makeshift, options at the moment.

City have been linked with Juventus’ 25-year-old Andrea Cambiaso and Flamengo’s Wesley, 21, but there are not a whole host of top-class players at that position on the market currently. City also have seven centre-backs on their books — even if several of them can play at full-back too — so adding another body would take the head count in defence to 11.

It may be that another wide player arrives, as only Savinho and Jeremy Doku are out-and-out wingers. Cherki, Foden, Marmoush and Silva can all play there but another quick, direct player could give manager Pep Guardiola another variation to work with.

Which players could be leaving?

Kyle Walker is back from five months on loan at Milan, but the 35-year-old is no longer in Guardiola’s plans. A permanent exit is expected before his deal runs out after next season. Jack Grealish has also been left out of the Club World Cup squad, but it remains to be seen whether interested parties will be able to afford the financial package to sign him permanently.

James McAtee was allowed to play for England Under-21s at the European Championship rather than travel to the States. His future will be decided after the players return to Manchester.

Jordan Campbell

---

Manchester United

Has anything happened over the past week?

Matheus Cunha was unveiled as United’s first signing of the summer after completing his £62.5million move from Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Jason Wilcox’s new title of director of football acknowledged for the first time in the club’s announcement.

United remain in negotiations with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo after submitting their opening offer of £45million plus a further £10m in add-ons earlier this month. Mbeumo’s preference is to join United, although Tottenham Hotspur hope to persuade him to follow his Brentford head coach Thomas Frank across London to them instead.

The club also agreed a £1million deal for 16-year-old defender Harley Emsden-James of Southampton last week, continuing a policy of pursuing and investing in academy-level talent under Wilcox, who worked at the south-coast club in 2023 and 2024 before joining United.

How much more business do United need to do to make the squad more Amorim-friendly?

Head coach Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system is notable for its three-man defence and use of wing-backs, but United are relatively well-stocked in those positions.

Cunha and, if signed, Mbeumo are arguably better suited to the narrow-No-10 roles than most of United’s existing options at those positions and would therefore represent upgrades. Both also have experience of playing up front, but given Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee combined for only 17 goals in all competitions last season, centre-forward remains an obvious area in need of improvement.

Amorim’s midfield pairing is required to cover a lot of ground in games and could be reinforced, given those physical demands, but positions in the front line have been prioritised so far this summer.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Amorim would like to reunite with his old Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, although Arsenal’s ability to offer Champions League football next season may prove more attractive to the 27-year-old if decision-makers at the Emirates prioritise him over Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig.

United made contact with Eintracht Frankfurt last week regarding in-demand striker Hugo Ekitike to explore the parameters of any potential deal. Their €100million asking price is certainly at the higher end of the centre-forward market.

Beyond the signing of Cunha and the pursuit of Mbeumo, it is expected that United will need to sell players from the fringes of the first-team squad to generate funds before making further additions.

Which players could be leaving?

Real Betis still hope to secure Antony permanently following his successful half-season with them on loan. Initial conversations have taken place between the clubs over the past week but are yet to result in a formal offer, let alone reach an agreement.

Andre Onana‘s representatives held a meeting with Old Trafford figures last week, and the Cameroon goalkeeper is expected to stay this summer, although United could still enter the market at his position to sign a backup who can provide him with competition.

Inter retain an interest in Hojlund, whose preference is to stay to fight for his place at Old Trafford next season. Among others who could yet depart, Alejandro Garnacho would likely command the highest fee, followed by Marcus Rashford. United are unlikely to recoup their money should they find buyers for Tyrell Malacia, who joined in a €17million deal three years ago.

Mark Critchley

---

Why United could do with selling Antony – or anyone – this summer

As detailed by The Athletic earlier this month, United currently have few profit and sustainability rules (PSR) troubles, so any player sales this summer won’t be done with keeping out of regulatory hot-water as the primary purpose.

Yet that doesn’t mean sales aren’t necessary. As Amorim looks to recover from United’s worst league finish since the 1970s, he’s in need of a squad revamp that necessarily means some of the current squad will have to go.

United’s cash position is less clear than their PSR one. Despite remaining hugely cash-generative at the operating level, outgoings on player transfers, loan interest and the £50million investment at the Carrington training ground have squeezed their ability to spend quite so readily as in the past. It is part of why they wanted to pay for Cunha over five years rather than the two Wolves ultimately insisted upon.

Surprisingly, United repaid £50million of their revolving credit facility (RCF) in the first quarter of 2025, leaving them with £140m of available cash to draw down as at the end of April.

Whether they’ve drawn down since is unknown, but, by March 31, the net amount they owe out on transfer instalments had grown further to £308.9million, with £175.5m due to be paid before the end of March 2026. That remains a massive commitment from which there’s no escaping; one way to reduce the burden would be to sell well this summer.

One potential leaver is Antony, with Real Betis keen to turn last season’s loan into a permanent deal. United parted with £82million to get the Brazilian winger from Ajax in August 2022, a fee which means, after including some assumed agent fees, he still sits on their books at around £37m currently. Any fee received below that level would crystallise a loss on sale.

It would probably still be wise to take the hit. United are fine on PSR headroom, and cash they can get on sales of unwanted players will limit the need to draw down any further on the RCF — thus avoiding adding to their hefty debt pile.

There are wage savings too, particularly if they can remove players from the payroll fully. Without European football of any kind for United next season, Antony’s weekly package is around £105,000 before bonuses. That’s hardly world-leading but selling him would still translate to £6.3million in cash saved across the year.

Chris Weatherspoon

---

Newcastle United

Has anything happened over the past week?

Nothing concrete in terms of bids being made, but that is far from unusual for the middle of June, given many executives and players are away on holiday or at tournaments.

The recruitment team have been reassessing attacking options after Bryan Mbeumo indicated a preference to move to Manchester United, with Brighton & Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro having re-emerged as a key target after the Brazilian came close to joining in 2022 from Watford.

The 23-year-old is highly regarded at Newcastle. He is viewed as a versatile, Premier League-experienced option who head coach Eddie Howe believes would be an excellent addition, and there are noises that the club may look to step up their pursuit soon.

A forward arrival is partly dependent on Callum Wilson’s future, with Newcastle waiting to see whether their budget can stretch to signing both a right-winger and a versatile attacker. They would ideally like to acquire one of each, but a player with Pedro’s adaptability is particularly attractive, given he can cover several positions.

Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga, 23, and 25-year-old Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth are also admired, with both out-and-out wingers, while West Ham United attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus, 24, has featured during internal discussions.

The message being repeated constantly behind the scenes is that Newcastle will not pay fees which they perceive to be inflated. PSR issues prevented them from making a first-XI signing for three successive windows and the club’s ownership does not want a repeat of that scenario, even if there is a desire to invest this summer and significantly improve Howe’s squad.

When will Howe be desperate for players to arrive by?

Uh, a fortnight ago.

That is a slight exaggeration, but Howe did admit after the final game of last season that he had “reiterated many times internally” the need for Newcastle to “complete things very quickly”. Then came frustration after they seemed to miss out on Mbeumo, their top right-winger target, which followed ambitious, yet ultimately doomed, attempts to lure Dean Huijsen of Bournemouth (signed by Real Madrid) and Ipswich’s Liam Delap (now a Chelsea player) to Tyneside.

Of course, Howe would ideally have liked arrivals over the line by now, but he also accepts that, following an initial flurry, this tends to be a quiet month in the market, especially before we hit the run-up to the June 30 PSR deadline. The head coach is also keen to lure the right players — quality individuals who improve the first XI — and is prepared to wait for them, rather than recruit bodies just to flesh out his squad.

Newcastle’s non-internationals are scheduled to return for pre-season on July 7, and Howe wants an addition or two by then. Certainly, by the time the squad head to Austria for a training camp the following week, he will want reinforcements acquired so that they can acclimatise to his demands and style of play.

If there has still been little-to-no movement on the incomings front a month from now, that is when Howe is likely to really become exasperated.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Newcastle are prioritising the recruitment of a right-sided centre-half, a forward who can play on the right and a goalkeeper, while they may also bring in a striker or versatile attacker.

Beyond the forwards mentioned above, Newcastle’s interest in Marc Guehi remains, following the failed month-long pursuit of the Crystal Palace defender, now 24, last August. Having missed out on Huijsen, they have a shortlist of centre-back targets, including some players at continental clubs. Huijsen’s former Bournemouth team-mate, Illia Zabarnyi, 22, is also highly thought of at St James’ Park.

Goalkeeper-wise, Newcastle had an offer rejected for Burnley’s James Trafford 12 months ago. They still want the 22-year-old, and though his price tag has risen following a stellar campaign in the Championship to help his club win promotion, he remains their top target.

Again, with Newcastle resolute in their determination not to pay what they view as excessive fees, they have explored alternatives. French club Lille’s 23-year-old Lucas Chevalier has admirers inside St James’ Park.

Which players could be leaving?

Newcastle will consider offers for Sean Longstaff, who is entering the final 12 months of his deal and turned down opportunities to leave in January. Should Newcastle sell the 27-year-old, they can bank “pure profit” in PSR terms. Promoted Leeds United are among the multiple English clubs who are interested.

Howe is keen to keep Nick Pope, even if a rival goalkeeper joins. The 33-year-old has been linked with an exit, but he is still first choice and Howe wants to increase depth in that department. Wilson‘s representatives have held talks with Newcastle about prolonging his stay via a more incentivised deal, after the club opted against enacting a 12-month extension. However, an agreement has not yet been reached and the 33-year-old striker may well depart on a free.

Odysseas Vlachodimos, the backup goalkeeper signed for £20million a year ago who has made only one substitute appearance, is available, with a loan departure appearing most likely, given the PSR hit Newcastle would have to take by selling the 31-year-old Greece international for a low price. Fellow ’keeper Martin Dubravka’s situation is also unclear, despite the 36-year-old signing an extension in January.

Newcastle will listen to offers for defender Matt Targett, 29, while a resolution is required to 30-year-old midfielder Isaac Hayden’s situation as he is not part of Howe’s plans.

The club are confident they can rebuff any interest that comes along in Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali.

Chris Waugh

---

Tottenham Hotspur

Has anything happened over the past week?

Spurs can finally look to the future after appointing Thomas Frank as head coach. Frank, who replaced Ange Postecoglou following nearly seven years in charge of fellow Londoners Brentford, signed a three-year contract.

The club can speed up their transfer activity now that they can tell targets who is going to be leading the team, and completed their first piece of business on Sunday when they signed Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich permanently.

Tel spent the second half of last season on loan in north London and while the France Under-21 forward’s performances were inconsistent, he has huge potential. Spurs’ senior recruitment figures, including sporting director Johan Lange, deserve credit for renegotiating the fee with Bayern and bringing it down from €55million to €35m plus €10m in possible add-ons.

Will the squad need overhauling to suit Frank?

One of the 51-year-old Dane’s biggest strengths is his adaptability. He does not have a defined football philosophy the way Postecoglou did and makes subtle tactical tweaks to try to bring the best out of the players at his disposal. For example, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins, Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo have all excelled under him at Brentford, even though they are all different types of strikers.

Frank prefers to play 4-3-3, and that is what this Spurs squad have been used to over the last two years. They need to augment the side with more quality this summer, not rip everything up.

What positions/players are they looking at?

The Athletic reported discussions have been held over signing a new winger and a striker, as well as improving the defence. Keeping Tel ticks one of those boxes, but while Frank would like a reunion with Mbeumo, the forward favours a move to Manchester United.

Keep an eye on what happens in central midfield, where Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur both have only a year left on their contracts. Frank is a huge fan of Archie Gray and tried to sign him for Brentford from Leeds. But is the 19-year-old ready to start as a No 6 every week in the Premier League and the Champions League? It is an area Spurs cannot afford to overlook for a second successive summer.

Which players could be leaving?

Bissouma, Bentancur and captain Son Heung-min only have 12 months to run on their deals. Spurs need to offer them extensions or consider selling them. It would be a difficult and emotional decision to wave goodbye to Son after a decade with the club.

Cristian Romero has publicly flirted with the idea of moving on to play in Spain’s La Liga and posted praise for Postecoglou on Instagram shortly after Frank’s appointment was officially announced.

The new coach might have an idea on which players will fit into his plans but will want to spend time during pre-season with everybody before he makes any definitive decisions on who should stay or go.

Jay Harris

---

Barcelona

Has anything happened over the past week?

There has been more progress with the signing of Joan Garcia. Barcelona officials told The Athletic they ordered the payment of the 24-year-old goalkeeper’s release clause, set at €25million, on Friday last week. Rastar Group, the company that owns 99 per cent of his club Espanyol, confirmed they had received the payment on Monday morning. Further confirmations are expected in the coming hours.

Besides Garcia, a surprise name re-emerged last week: Nico Williams. Sporting director Deco had a meeting in Barcelona with his agent. Barcelona sources told The Athletic the encounter involved the Athletic Club winger’s camp letting them know he would be open to moving to the Camp Nou.

But those same Barcelona sources say other European clubs have shown interest in the 22-year-old this summer. Williams’ camp has declined to comment on the subject.

It is still unclear if Barca will progress from that. It wouldn’t be an easy deal from a financial perspective. They would also need to arrange multiple departures from the current squad before being able to register a new player of Williams’ calibre.

Meanwhile, Barcelona sources insisted their top target in that position is Luis Diaz, although there is a reluctance on Liverpool’s’s part to sell.

Why has De Jong’s situation changed at Barcelona?

Frenkie de Jong has become a key player in Hansi Flick’s system. The German manager, appointed last summer, believes Barcelona have been better with De Jong on the pitch, especially on the ball. Based on the second half of their title-winning 2024-25 season, he is not wrong.

De Jong has always prioritised staying with Barcelona, even when the club desperately tried to offload him. But now, from a financial and contractual dimension, it makes more sense than ever to keep him around.

The 28-year-old’s current contract is entering its last year, and he is still being paid a share of the money he agreed to defer in 2021, after Covid-19 hit the football industry. As soon as this deal ends, De Jong should be in a more balanced place in Barcelona’s salary scale.

Deco and the player’s camp have been in touch over a potential extension, and both sides have been optimistic regarding the outcome. There has not been a definitive breakthrough yet, but with Barcelona being in a more urgent need to reduce their wage bill in order to register new contracts, there has not been a rush to extend De Jong. In any case, the expectation is for the Netherlands international to stay.

What positions/players are they looking at?

The clear priority now is to sign a new winger.

The candidates Barcelona like the most are Diaz and Marcus Rashford of Manchester United. There is now the addition of Williams to the mix after last week’s meeting with Deco. But the signing of any player in this position is an operation that will likely require more time for significant progress, given Barcelona’s financial situation and their need to sell first.

As of now, there are no other priorities, but that could change depending on what players end up leaving by the end of the window.

Which players could be leaving?

The first name on the list is Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Garcia’s signing, and the plan the club has to give him the starting role, leaves the German in a tough spot. He is captain and under contract until 2028, but if he wants to stay as his country’s starting goalkeeper at the World Cup next summer — especially with rival Manuel Neuer out of the picture having retired from international football — Ter Stegen would need to play regularly in the coming season. Barcelona executives would like to see the 33-year-old leave the club, with the hope of reducing their wage bill.

Then there is Ansu Fati, who is not a new name in this list. The 22-year-old has accepted that the best thing for him is to leave on loan this summer. Barcelona are hopeful they can find a destination for him in the coming days.

More players than that will need to leave, though.

Pau Victor is open to finding a move that can provide him with regular game time. The coaching staff would like to keep close tabs on Victor, as they were very happy with his attitude last season, but if an appealing offer arrives, Barcelona would be open to a sale. Industry sources told The Athletic that Barca have put a €20million price tag on Victor. If he left on loan instead, he wouldn’t be short of interested clubs.

Pablo Torre is also expected to go, and follow a similar route to Victor. Barcelona would like to have the player at hand to return if he is sold. Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen are also of note. Barca would happily listen to offers for them, but both players want to stay at the club next season.

Pol Ballus

---

Real Madrid

Has anything happened over the past week?

Dean Huijsen was officially unveiled on Tuesday. Two days later, it was Trent Alexander-Arnold’s turn. But the biggest transfer news of the week was the official announcement of River Plate youngster Franco Mastantuono’s signing.

According to a River statement, the 17-year-old has become the most expensive sale in Argentine football history. They added that Madrid had paid €63.2million in total, with River receiving €45m and the remaining €18.2m being distributed between the Spanish tax authorities (€11.8m), the players’ associates, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and additional fees.

River president Jorge Brito told Argentine channel TyC Sports that Madrid will pay the money in three instalments. Mastantuono will play for River at the Club World Cup first, then will join Madrid on August 14, having signed a contract until 2031.

Meanwhile, Raul Asencio’s deal has been extended through to 2031. Madrid had already triggered a pre-agreed contract option to extend the 22-year-old defender’s stay at the Bernabeu until 2029, but both parties then held discussions over a new renewal on improved terms. Asencio will have a huge €1billion release clause as part of the new deal.

Last season was disappointing for Madrid. Do they need more changes to avoid that again?

Definitely.

New coach Xabi Alonso wants more signings on top of Huijsen, Alexander-Arnold and Mastantuono. The club are considering reinforcing other positions too as they look to recover from a campaign in which they won none of the three traditional major trophies (La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey).

What positions/players are they looking at?

Madrid have been working for weeks on the signing of Alvaro Carreras from Benfica and hoped he would play for them at the Club World Cup. But the Portuguese side wanted the same and got their wish, registering the 22-year-old for the tournament in the United States.

“We have not reached an agreement with Madrid for Carreras,” Benfica president Rui Costa said before his side’s first group game on Monday against Boca Juniors, as reported by Marca.

“There were offers that we didn’t like: not for Alvaro or for another player. He is a Benfica player and we will see what happens with the whole market and not just Alvaro, who is now focused on playing in the Club World Cup.”

Benfica are known to be tough negotiators. Elections for the Lisbon club’s presidency will also be held in October, and voices close to the deal say Costa does not want to take what would be an unpopular decision to sell before standing again.

Carreras has a €50milion release clause and Madrid want to pay the fee in instalments, as they have agreed to do with Huijsen and Mastantuono. According to voices close to the player, he knows Madrid will come back to try to finalise a deal after the Club World Cup.

Our colleague Thom Harris explains: “Carreras made a name for himself at Benfica with thunderous overlapping runs from left-back, but as we can see from his SkillCorner off-ball run profile, he can do a bit of everything. He would offer Xabi Alonso tactical flexibility at Madrid, comfortable on the left side of a back three to allow Trent Alexander-Arnold to push on down the opposite side, or able to play the flying wing-back role himself.”

Our Mario Cortegana reports that Madrid are also looking for a Joselu-style striker: a player who can make an impact in the box, could be signed for a low fee and would accept a secondary role.

That is a direct request from Alonso, who worked with similar profiles of player at previous club Bayer Leverkusen, such as Victor Boniface and Borja Iglesias. Madrid are keen to meet the new coach’s request. Players to have been offered to the club include Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres. The club likes him but ruled him out because of the potential cost and because they see him as a starting striker.

Endrick’s hamstring injury means Gonzalo Garcia, from the Castilla reserve team who play in the Spanish third division, will be Madrid’s reserve forward at the Club World Cup. Alonso is an admirer of the 21-year-old, but he is still expected to leave later this summer.

Which players could be leaving?

One player to keep an eye on is goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who has said at Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground that he wants to stay, but whose camp are trying to find him a club where he would have more prominence.

Another is left-back Fran Garcia. He could drop further down the pecking order once Ferland Mendy returns from a thigh injury and if Carreras does finally join — although the Spaniard will play at left-back during the Club World Cup and Alonso was an admirer of his at Leverkusen.

Mario Cortegana also reports that Rodrygo ended the European season unhappy with his situation, and has now attracted interest from several Premier League clubs, with Arsenal keeping a close eye on his situation. The player’s father, and agent, Eric Goes is unwilling to enter into negotiations for now.

Valdebebas sources say Rodrygo’s attitude since returning to training has been positive. Those sources say Alonso has been very attentive to him, showing him affection while also demanding a lot from the Brazilian. How the forward is used during the Club World Cup could be key to how the transfer window develops.

Endrick wants to succeed at Madrid, and his injury has reduced the possibility of a summer exit. He damaged his hamstring at the end of May, with an initial estimate of around eight weeks on the sidelines, but he could be out for slightly longer. If Madrid do sign a No 9 and he is not given much playing time on his return, the 18-year-old could look for a way out in January to help his chances of playing for Brazil at the World Cup.

As well as Gonzalo Garcia, other promising academy players such as Victor Munoz — who has also been called up for the Club World Cup — could leave. The tournament in the United States promises to be an opportunity to showcase their talents.

Guillermo Rai and Mario Cortegana

(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)

Welcome back to the Film Room Podcast! In Episode 43, The Times-Tribune Athlete of the Week Valley View star softball player Abbi Call joins hosts Joe Baress and Joby Fawcett to discuss her team’s state title victory, playing through injury, her decision to commit to Clemson, what this Valley View team meant to her and more.

We also wrap up the end of the high school sports season, discussing the Abington Heights girls lacrosse team that made it to the state semifinals and the incredible seasons area girls teams and athletes had in the 2024-25 school year. We also touch on Riverside star football player Tavian Branch committing to Rutgers.

You can listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music and, of course, Podbean. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

Follow live coverage of Paris Saint-Germain vs Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich vs Auckland City at the Club World Cup today

Days before Manchester City started the 2024-25 season, Ruben Dias gave a glimpse into the breathless schedule he and his team-mates faced for the next nine months.

“POV: You play for City,” read his post on X, accompanied by a nervous sweating emoji and a spreadsheet showing City’s commitments for the season.

POV: You play for City pic.twitter.com/xETxxLNEoe

— Rúben Dias (@rubendias) August 7, 2024

The Portuguese defender played 57 times for club and country in 2022-23 and has notched another 49 on the body clock this season, the latest being Sunday’s Nations League final victory over Spain.

There is no rest, though. He flies to the U.S. this week with his City team-mates to compete in the newly expanded Club World Cup. It could add another seven games to his schedule if City make the final, just over a month before the new Premier League season gets underway.

High-profile figures in football are becoming increasingly outspoken on the issue of player welfare, with an extended Champions League and expanded Club World Cup adding to their workload.

There are few periods where players get a break, but rather than rest, some are using that time to do the work that is not possible within the relentless rhythm of their clubs.

Dias, along with other elite Portuguese players including Milan’s Rafael Leao, Chelsea’s Renato Veiga and Sporting CP’s Trincao, is a long-term client of PTW360, a training gym based in Carcavelos, 30 minutes outside of Lisbon.

It has become a laboratory for Portuguese players looking to prepare their bodies for the rigours of life at the sharp end.

Dias was the first young athlete to work with Francisco Martins, a former semi-professional player turned fitness coach. Dias was looking for a place to do a mini boot camp for the Under-19 European Championship in 2016 and, eight years later, he still works with the gym as a four-time Premier League winner.

Martins runs the gym in southern Portugal with Ze Miranda, a former rugby player in his youth, whose studies in human kinetics made him realise many footballers were not receiving the bespoke fitness work they required.

Each player who joins undergoes a general muscular endurance test to assess their starting point and gauge where their weaknesses lie. But Ze Miranda finds that even players at the top level often have little understanding of the gym and the potential it has for their game.

“It is very common,” he tells The Athletic.  “A lot of players get to the top because they are technically very advanced, but we are seeing that this is no longer enough.

“Some players are used to the gym work at the club, but that is not enough as it is more general for the team. Here, we do the work for the individual. A centre-back needs to be strong in the duels on the ground and in the air. We work on things like jumping technique and heading biomechanics. We study these specific things a lot, so we do a lot of work on two-foot take-offs and one-leg take-offs.

“Mentality-wise, Ruben is out of this world. He is super competitive and if he was not a footballer, he would be in the Marines. His mentality is different to most.”

More players are being directed to the gym through word of mouth and their social media footprint. West Bromwich Albion striker Josh Maja was put in touch by his team-mate Grady Diangana and spent two weeks at the facility in the summer.

The summer camps have come to be known as ‘pre-pre-seasons’, with players keen to ensure their levels do not drop off too much before they return to training.

“The off-season is always an incredible part of our working year,” says Martins. “There is a special environment in the gym during this time of the year. It’s intense but very contagious at the same time. When athletes are not at the club and don’t have the stress from the games, they want to push themselves to the fullest and make the most gains.

“We were doing maximal anaerobic work with Renato Veiga on the air-resistance bike and, in trying to set the best score in the gym, he broke one of the bike’s handles. That guy is a real beast. If my memory serves me right, he broke a second handle doing the same test a couple of days later.”

Veiga began working with PTW360 when he was in Sporting’s second team, which plays in Portugal’s third tier. After spells at Augsburg and Basel, he was signed by Chelsea last summer for €14million (£11.8m; $15.3m).

“He is the biggest transformation I’ve seen,” says Ze Miranda. “What we’ve seen from him is the perfect prototype of a player getting to the highest level by developing his physical qualities. There are other components, too, but his body was not the same, that’s for sure. He was a bit skinny and weighed around 80kg (176lb/12.6st), but he is now over 90kg and has increased a lot in size.

“The important part was the sequence of his work. Hypertrophy training to build muscle mass, as maximal strength depends on the amount of muscle. If you are stronger, you have more potential to be explosive, so then comes the power phase.

“We believe that football is more and more an individual sport and more about individual duels.”

Maja scored 12 goals in the Championship last season but missed the rest of the season after undergoing surgery for a lower leg injury in January. The aim is for next season to be the first injury-free one of his career.

“Josh came for two weeks and was working almost every day, including some technical and tactical work,” says Ze Miranda.

“Since he went back to the UK, we have continued to do one session a week, usually two or three days before a game, based more on mobility and flexibility, so it won’t cause a lot of fatigue.

“From the day we met, Josh had the mindset that he wants to do everything he can to improve his performance. That is why it is going so well with him and it is the main thing we look for in the players. You need the consistency to see results.

“It was funny, as in the first game this season, he scored a hat-trick and two of the goals were headers. I sent him the videos and he said, ‘Yeah, I knew it was coming!’”

Some fans may wonder why players need to seek out extra training, but Ze Miranda says the main driver is the calendar and the toll it can take on their bodies.

“We have a lot of players who find us in the hope of reducing the risk of injury so we work on the hamstrings, ankles and knees,” he says.

“We look to work on the thing they lack the most and eliminate the weak points, but what we have to offer is not just training, it is change. It has to be a full 360 structure around them. Nutrition, sleep quality, recovery, such as sauna, massage and cryotherapy. We are looking at all of those components.

“It is a change to how players approach football, especially those looking to move up levels. Even parents have started sending their kids at 12 and 13. The kids follow the players and see Rafa Leao and Ruben Dias training and want to follow their example. Sometimes they come at the same time as Rafa and they can train side by side with him.”

Leao has developed a reputation as a supremely gifted winger but someone whose work effort on the pitch does not match his ability.

In December’s 2-1 Champions League win against Crvena Zvezda, he scored a terrific goal after bursting in behind the defence and volleying home, but the commentators continued to focus on their perception of him.

“Lazy is different from relaxed,” says Martins. “The pressure is high in Italy after leading Milan to the championship in Italy and being considered the MVP, but Rafa is an incredible guy who grows every year in maturity and development.

“We started working together when he was just 17 and he was so observant. He is probably the athlete who identifies most with our work. Rafa’s explosive strength levels were already high for someone so young, but he needed to gain muscle mass and some weight to increase his game’s intensity level. Rafael has always been an intelligent boy, he knew that this work could be fundamental for his development.”

With so many games, it is not possible for the players based outside of the Portuguese clubs to do many in-person training sessions, so a lot of the work is done remotely via video or Martins travels to work with top clients, such as Leao.

Presumably, that must create tension with some clubs, who may not be overly pleased that their athlete is doing extra work outside their supervision.

“When it’s possible to establish a means of communication with the club’s sports science and medical department, things work just fine and it’s something that benefits the athlete,” he says.

“If both sides are aware of what load is being done with the athlete, it will increase the quality of work in both sides.

“I was there in November and the work is always done in the afternoon in agreement with the people at Milan. The exchange of information is essential to find a balance between what he does at the club and what he does throughout the season, so we are in constant contact.”

(Top photos: Ze Miranda, left, and Martins, right, have worked with Dias since he was a youngster; by Jordan Campbell, Getty Images)

Last week, we announced the start of our series on the Top 25 moments in Michigan athletics for the first 25 years of the 2000s. Today, we continue with No. 20-16, which includes several national championship-related items for the Michigan Wolverines.

20. Jake Moody saves season with game-winner against Illinois (2022)

There may not be a single game I have sweated over more in my life than Michigan vs Illinois in 2022. Just about everything that could have gone wrong in that game did. The Illini had a really good team coming into the Big House the week before the most highly anticipated Michigan-Ohio State game in a decade.

To make matters worse, Blake Corum went down with a knee injury right before halftime, putting the game and the season in jeopardy. But man oh man, thank goodness for Jake Moody. He went 4-for-4 in the game, including three fourth-quarter field goals and the eventual game-winner with about a minute left on the clock. The final kick came after a clutch fourth-down conversion from walk-on Isaiah Gash.

19. Michigan Men’s Gymnastics wins national title; Juda proposes (2025)

Paul Juda had a day to remember in late April, leading the way for the Michigan men’s gymnastics team to be crowned national champions while also becoming the Parallel Bars National Champion. Afterwards, he got down on one knee and got engaged:

The Wolverines accomplished this on their home turf in the Crisler Center, for the seventh national championship in program history. Fred Richard took home the NCAA All-Around Title to cap off one of the greatest seasons in program history.

18. Jourdan Lewis’ one-handed INT vs Wisconsin (2016)

A top-10 battle in 2016 between Michigan and Wisconsin was a nail-biter. Two elite defenses were taking turns flexing their muscles. Alex Hornibrook was forced to throw the ball late in the game with hopes of tying the game. Instead, he was picked off twice on the final two possessions to seal the win for Michigan. The last was one of the most ridiculous picks you will ever see, coming from Michigan All-American Jourdan Lewis.

17. Denard Robinson hits Roy Roundtree to win vs ND under the lights (2011)

The first night game in the history of the Big House also included one of its best finishes. Late in the third quarter, Michigan was down, 24-7, and it felt like a blowout was on the way for the Fighting Irish.

Instead, quarterback Denard Robinson took off, leading one of the biggest fourth quarter comebacks in the rivalry’s history. Three touchdowns were scored in the final 1:20, and Michigan was on the right side of the finish as Robinson found Roy Roundtree in the end zone with two seconds left.

16. J.J. McCarthy salvages broken trick play in Rose Bowl (2024)

You will see a couple of moments from Michigan football’s national championship run as we continue in this series. One moment all fans will remember was J.J. McCarthy making a spectacular one-handed catch, doing a 360 and firing a bullet to Roman Wilson in the second quarter of the Rose Bowl:

The Wolverines finished the drive with a touchdown, giving them the lead before halftime.

---

For more in this series:

It’s been a while since Bomani Jones hosted his Raleigh-area sports talk radio shows, The Three-Hour Lunch Break on 620 The Bull, and Sports Saturday with Bomani Jones on 850 The Buzz. In the years since, he has been very successful with his The Right Time podcast, as well as his work at ESPN and HBO.

Jones recently appeared on Jon “Stugotz” Weiner’s podcast, where he lamented not being able to bring people together in digital media the same way that he once did with sports talk radio.

“I do miss it,” Jones admitted. “The coolest thing about radio to me, and why I enjoy it over every other medium, is that the community that surrounds it is always so much more intimate, and always like much closer.”

Jones mentioned a book he read that argued that more communication doesn’t necessarily bring people closer together. He then emphasized that by allowing live call-ins, sports radio helps bridge the gap between people and enables them to connect on a personal level.

“Doing the jobs that we do, especially like in the face of social media and everything else. You talk more and more, and you’re going to reach a point where you say something, or you’ve evolved and changed in such ways that somebody is not going to like it,” Jones said. “In radio, it was calls and people would call up to the radio station, and maybe they want to get one off on you because they’re upset with whatever it is that you’ve done… Where we all are now is the longer you do this and there’s no feedback mechanism and the radio creates the possibility of feedback mechanism…

“I miss when I did daily radio. There were five or six people that I knew I would talk to every day. They call in. They were happy to talk to me. I was happy to talk to them. We would hang out. In your life, you got no five people that are going to call you every day that you want to talk to.”

In the same vein, Jones touched on his belief that the closed network of podcasting, where audiences can only engage through comments after the fact, has had a diminishing effect on talent’s ability to connect with their audiences.

“You record it and you put it up, people are now more likely just to go b*tch about it on their own little platform than engage the person. Then the engagement is tough as the person now, because you get so much sh*t along the way that you can’t even tell who a real person is.”