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Dana White Wants Donald Trump to Change US Law on Issue ‘Hurting’ UFC

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UFC supremo Dana White has called on US President Donald Trump to reverse a new law which is ‘creating problems’ for the world’s leading MMA promotion.

White and Trump are good friends and the UFC will stage a landmark card on the South Lawn of the White House next month in celebration of both the President’s birthday and the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America.

UFC Freedom 250, as the show will be known, is set to feature two championship bouts. Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane will meet for the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship, before Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje collide for the undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship.

Dana White’s Request to Donald Trump Ahead of UFC White House Card

U.S. President Donald Trump is pictured saluting during the national anthem ahead of the final match between Italy's Jannik Sinner and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz

Before the big show on the 14th of June, though, White has written to Trump to ask him to make a change to US law in order to help the UFC.

In an unprecedented step, Dana wrote a public letter to Trump outlining the issue and explaining why it is such a big problem for his company.

Last year, Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which made big changes to the tax code in the United States. Fast-forward a year and the impact of that bill has been significant on the UFC.

As is the case with almost every popular sport, a staggering sum is bet on UFC fights every year. The OBBBA made a big change to the law relating to gambling, as under the bill, US taxpayers can only deduct 90% of their gambling losses against their winnings. This is a reduction from the previous 100%.

Dana White’s Letter to Donald Trump

In his letter, White pointed out that the move had already had a detrimental effect on the UFC. Dana called the new law ‘irrational’, pointing out that it was encouraging gamblers to bet with unlicensed bookies.

Unlike the UK, gambling is considered a taxable activity in the US. In its current state, the law means that players could end up with a tax bill, even if they don’t make a penny.

White wrote: “The current law makes it irrational to bet in the United States because you could end up owing taxes even when you lose or having a tax bill that exceeds your winnings for the year.”

UFC Boss Dana White Reacts to Shooting at White House Correspondents' Dinner

UFC Boss Dana White Reacts to Shooting at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

The UFC CEO also claims the policy has negatively impacted the company he works for.

“The change has knock-on effects for businesses like mine. The UFC supports a healthy, legal sports betting market to drive fan engagement, broadcast value and sponsorships. When legal betting is discouraged, it hurts the ecosystem we’ve spent years building in partnership with state regulators and licensed operators.”

In driving gambling activity underground, the bill is also making it harder for the UFC to police fight-fixing. The UFC has been known to cancel fights where it receives information suggesting that the outcome of a fight may have been influenced to secure a certain outcome. With US law now making betting with licenced operators less attractive, that intelligence may become harder to obtain.

The law won’t be altered in time for next month’s White House card, but Dana will be hoping his close relationship with the President can help affect change.

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Man Utd Will Make Offer to Sign Mateus Fernandes

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Manchester United will make a move to sign West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes in the coming weeks, according to the iPaper.

Man United have made rebuilding their midfield the main priority of the upcoming summer transfer window, which officially opens on June 15.

The Red Devils are already closing in on a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta, according to Fabrizio Romano, but they are unlikely to be done there thanks to the confirmed exit of Casemiro, and with South American compatriot Manuel Ugarte up for sale.

Despite the opening of the window being more than a fortnight away, United chiefs are already working on agreements ahead of time, and if a deal is completed for Ederson, he won’t be the last midfielder arriving at Old Trafford in this window.

One report has suggested that if Ugarte does go, United could attempt to sign up to three midfielders to significantly boost their squad ahead of a Champions League campaign.

The club is said to want to sign an elite, big-money replacement for Casemiro, with two lower-priced midfielders arriving alongside that player.

Priced at just below £40m, the Atalanta star would fit into the latter category, as could Fernandes.

Man United ‘Intend to Move’ for Mateus Fernandes

West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes celebrates scoring vs Sunderland

While a deal for Ederson progresses, according to the iPaper, United will also make an offer to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham in the coming weeks.

The Red Devils were interested in signing the Portugal international even before the Irons’ relegation to the Championship was confirmed at the weekend, with many Premier League clubs likely to sense an opportunity to sign the 21-year-old at a lower price.

It had previously been suggested that Fernandes would be valued at £80m, so it will be interesting to see how much West Ham will demand now they have gone down to the second tier.

Man United Move is ‘First Pick’ for Mateus Fernandes

Mateus Fernandes

According to the iPaper’s sources, Fernandes has already made United his top pick if he is to leave West Ham this summer.

Previous reports have suggested that the youngster would love to play with one of his idols, Bruno Fernandes, at Old Trafford, with his more experienced compatriot also said to have suggested that the Red Devils sign him.

Despite suffering two successive Premier League relegations with West Ham and Southampton, the 21-year-old often stood out as being head and shoulders above his teammates, suggesting he is ready for a move to an elite club.

United have certainly been impressed with what they’ve seen in his two seasons in England, noting his ability to receive the ball all across the midfield.

Fernandes has shown that he can play as a number 6, 8 and 10 during his time with West Ham and Saints, and that versatility and his room for growth is unsurprisingly attracting the Red Devils’ recruitment team.

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Neymar Could Still Be Excluded From Brazil’s World Cup Squad

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Neymar’s hopes of leading Brazil at the 2026 World Cup have been thrown into doubt after confirmation that the forward has suffered a grade two muscle injury in his right calf, just three weeks before the tournament begins.

The Brazilian superstar picked up the injury ahead of Brazil’s opening match against Morocco at MetLife Stadium on the 13th of June, leaving fans concerned over whether he’ll be fit in time for the competition, with the injury carrying a 2-3 week recovery time.

Despite the setback, the Brazilian Football Confederation isn’t considering Neymar’s removal from the squad for the time being. Instead, the plan for the 33-year-old is to undergo treatment over the coming days before another scan takes place on the 12th of June in New Jersey.

FIFA regulations allow teams to replace injured players up to 24 hours before their opening fixture, meaning Brazil technically has until the day of the scan to make a final decision on Neymar’s availability.

Neymar Facing Race Against Time for the World Cup

Neymar

Under FIFA rules, any replacement must first be approved by the organisation’s medical committee, with federations required to provide evidence that a player is unable to take part in the tournament (per ESPN Brazil).

That leaves Brazil with a difficult balancing act. If Neymar isn’t fit, but remains in the squad beyond the deadline, the Selecao risk carrying a player who isn’t capable of contributing during the World Cup at all.


Neymar


Brazil Handed Neymar Concern Days After Including Him in 2026 World Cup Squad

Oh dear 😳

The situation is particularly worrying given Neymar’s history with injuries during major tournaments. He’s not featured for Brazil since 2023 and has spent time out injured in two of the last three World Cups.

Even if he recovers in time to stay in the squad, there’s no guarantee Neymar will be able to perform at his usual level straight away, if at all.

Who Could Replace Neymar in Brazil’s Squad?

Brazil's Joao Pedro
Brazil’s Joao Pedro

Should Brazil decide they can’t risk taking Neymar, any replacement would need to come from the provisional 55-man squad already submitted to FIFA.

Several attacking options are available to manager Carlo Ancelotti, including Premier League quartet Gabriel Jesus, Igor Jesus, Joao Pedro and Richarlison. Former Manchester United winger Antony is also part of the men ready to step in, alongside Kaio Jorge, Pedro, and Samuel Lino, who play in the Brazilian Serie A.

Gabriel Jesus possesses World Cup experience and versatility across the front line, while Richarlison has previously delivered for Brazil on the international stage, particularly during the 2022 World Cup, where he won the Goal of the Tournament.

Joao Pedro could also be an intriguing option after impressing in the Premier League and the Club World Cup in his first season for Chelsea. His omission from the Brazil squad came as a surprise to everyone, with most feeling as though he was guaranteed to make the squad before Ancelotti’s announcement 10 days ago.

As it stands, Brazil remain hopeful Neymar will recover in time, but with the deadline fast approaching, the pressure is growing ahead of the World Cup, and there’s a host of fine players ready to step up in his place.

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Man City Star Savinho Wants to Join Tottenham to Play Under Roberto De Zerbi

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Tottenham Hotspur are hopeful of sealing a deal to sign Manchester City star Savinho this summer, and he wants to join to play under Roberto De Zerbi, according to Football Insider.

Spurs avoided relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season thanks to a 1-0 win over Everton, and the club have already agreed two deals to strengthen the squad this summer, with Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi expected to join on a free transfer from Liverpool and Bournemouth, respectively.

But the club are also keen to bolster their forward options heading into the new season to ensure they’re not facing the same predicament again, and the Brazilian has emerged as a target.

Savinho Wants to Sign for Tottenham

Savinho in action for Manchester City

Savinho, who has been described as ‘extraordinary’, has struggled to make himself a regular in the Man City team since arriving from Troyes in 2024, and is now understood to be ready to move away in order to play more regularly.

Spurs were keen to sign the 22-year-old last summer, but City pushed to keep him as part of Pep Guardiola’s squad, and convinced him to sign a new long-term contract once the transfer window closed. However, he still managed just 821 minutes of Premier League action this season, and a move away now looks likely.

It’s understood that Savinho is very open to a move to Tottenham this summer, and the prospect of playing under De Zerbi is believed to be a big factor in his thinking.

Enzo Maresca is set to take over at Man City this summer, and it remains to be seen if he views the Brazil international as part of his plans. But with Guardiola gone, it’s believed that one of the biggest hurdles for the deal last year has now been removed.

Savinho is ready to push on his end to make a deal happen as he looks to play more regularly, and Spurs are ready to do what they can to add him to their squad.

Savinho Could Be Ideal De Zerbi Winger

Roberto De Zerbi

This season, De Zerbi had to make do with limited attacking options due to injuries and stylistic clashes, but he managed to avoid the drop. Now, he will be fully backed in the window, and forwards are likely to be a priority.

Richarlison looks likely to be on the move, while Xavi Simons will be sidelined until 2027 after rupturing his ACL last month. There are also question marks over the long-term fitness of Dejan Kulusevski, and the future of Mathys Tel.

So bringing in a forward like Savinho, who loves to run at opponents and has a lethal left foot, could be the perfect addition for Spurs as they look to get back to being one of the top clubs in the division.


Roberto De Zerbi points during Tottenham's win over Everton


De Zerbi Wants Tottenham to Sign ‘Incredible’ Star After Andy Robertson

Roberto De Zerbi is targeting a player from his former club Brighton and Hove Albion this summer

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