This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Former WWE Champion Sheamus is set to depart the company.
Per a report from Fightful Select, the 48-year-old’s contract is due to expire imminently. He is said to have rejected the chance to sign an extension under restructured terms.
In the hours before the news was announced, the Irish Superstar changed his social media handle to his real name, hinting at the end of his relationship with WWE.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Tottenham Hotspur have agreed another deal for the summer transfer window as they continue to rebuild their squad for Roberto De Zerbi.
Spurs have signed six players so far this summer, bringing in Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka on free transfers, while Jan Paul van Hecke arrived for £52m, while Mateus Fernandes joined for £85m and Sandro Tonali signed in a £100m deal.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Spurs have agreed a loan with an obligation to buy with Fiorentina for defender Radu Dragusin to depart this summer.
The Romanian, who is known for his blistering speed, asked to leave this club this summer after seeing limited game time last season, while two new centre-back arrivals mean he had fallen even further down the pecking order.
Fiorentina tried to sign him in January but were blocked from doing so, but they have now agreed to pay a £1m loan fee to sign him this summer, with an obligation to buy next year for £15.5m already agreed.
Fiorentina will also cover the centre-back’s wages for the entirety of the 2026/27 season before making the deal permanent next summer.
Dragusin will not travel to Florence early next week to undergo a medical, before putting pen to paper on a contract to bring an end to his two-and-a-half-year spell in north London.
⚽
World Cup History Quiz
You scored
out of 20
Tottenham Clearing The Squad Out
After making an early splurge to strengthen the squad and bring players in that De Zerbi wants as part of his side for the new season, Spurs are now making an effort to trim the far and clear out the dead wood.
Vuskovic wasn’t in the Italian’s plans and has been allowed to move on, and Dragusin is obviously in exactly the same boat, having fallen behind Romero, Van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Senesi, and Van Hecke in the squad.
More players will almost certainly be allowed to move on between now and the transfer window closing, but Dragusin is someone who won’t be too sorely missed.
Mario Balotelli has named the one player he believes is “maybe” better than Argentina’s World Cup hero Lionel Messi.
Messi continues to roll back the years with sensational performances for his country in the United States, Mexico and Canada. At the age of 39, he continues to carry his nation on his back, firing them into the last 16 with seven goals in just four games.
The footballing world recognises Messi as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, players to ever grace the pitch. The Barcelona icon has won a record-breaking eight Ballons d’Or and made history throughout his illustrious career.
While the Inter Miami forward is heading towards the end of his story, he continues to make an impact on the biggest stage. There’s every chance he becomes a two-time World Cup winner and further cements his legacy as the very best player of all-time.
Mario Balotelli Makes Huge Lionel Messi Claim
Peter Hansson/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Former Manchester City striker Balotelli is a huge admirer of Messi, whom he’s met as an opponent four times. He said the Argentine operates at a level of unpredictability and speed that “is not normal.”
That said, the former Italy frontman believes another Albiceleste great does rival Messi as the greatest player in history. He told The Late Run:
“I think the only one that may be better than him, but not too much, was Maradona.”
Diego Maradona is celebrated as a footballing genius who made the beautiful game look easy every time he had the ball at his feet. A charismatic personality, blended with naturally gifted ability, wowed fans throughout his career.
Everything the Argentine icon touched seemed to turn to gold, including his infamous Hand of god goal scored against England at the 1986 World Cup. He captained his country to glory at the tournament, putting in inspired performances and registering five goals and as many assists.
There are similarities between Messi and Maradona, not least their rise to footballing superstardom and their status as heroes in their homeland. They left the opposition dumbfounded by their quick feet and dribbling abilities, something Balotelli touched on when describing the current Argentina skipper:
“His speed with the ball is crazy. If I want to do something with the ball that Messi does, I’ll probably do it after thinking for two seconds: Messi is like this (clicks fingers), then like this (clicks fingers), and then do something different. Then you think he will probably come from the right; he already moved the ball, it’s not normal.”
Maradona thrived as an attacking midfielder for club and country, earning 90 caps for the South Americans, posting 32 goals and 27 assists. His best moments at club level came with Napoli, which named its stadium the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Messi is statistically superior, having broken goalscoring records throughout his career. He is the defending world champions’ all-time top scorer, but Balotelli’s opinion is more focused on the incredible duo’s playing style.
You scored
out of 20
Messi Told He’ll ‘Never be Better than Maradona’
Action Images
The GOAT debate is often contested between Messi and longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The younger generation weren’t fortunate enough to watch Maradona and the late great Pele.
Maradona has many supporters who argue that he remains the best player the sport has ever seen. That verdict was given by Argentina’s 1978 World Cup hero Mario Kempes, who claimed back in 2021 that Messi couldn’t displace ‘El Pibe de Oro’:
“If [Messi] wants to be better than Maradona, he is not going to achieve it even if he wins four World Cups in a row… No matter how many titles he wins or what he wins, it can never be compared to what Diego did.”
Lionel Messi is indisputably the GOAT when it comes to football, winning titles and breaking records wherever he goes, but how does he do it?
That is a strong statement given no player in history has won two World Cups in a row, let alone four. Messi is bidding to become the first to deliver back-to-back glory for their nation.
The pressure of competing at the top of Formula One is naturally high and one ‘dejected’ driver reportedly let his emotions get the better of him during the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone.
For all 22 drivers of the grid, the role of an F1 driver extends far beyond what happens when they are sat in their cars. From media commitments to dealing with partners and sponsors, there are many demands on drivers’ time during race weekends.
One obligation that drivers must fulfill is to accommodate Netflix cameras for the sport’s flagship documentary series, ‘Drive to Survive’.
However, one driver in particular was in no mood to deal with the production crew following a disappointing performance in qualifying and did something that one observer in the paddock had “never seen happen” before.
F1 Driver ‘Not in Good Spirits’ During British Grand Prix Weekend
Following Saturday’s qualifying session, Mercedes’ George Russell could only manage P4. While many drivers on the grid would have been happy with the position.
However, the Mercedes man was out qualified by not only his teammate and championship rival Kimi Antonelli, but also Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at his home race.
Horner has been out of the sport since being sacked by Red Bull last July…
Rosanna Tennant, speaking on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, detailed how a dejected and demoralised George Russell was acting in his press pen following the qualifying session.
Netflix were following him for ‘Drive to Survive’, but as frustration intensified over his performance he asked the camera crew to leave so as not to film his exasperation.
“He felt very dejected in the media pen. He actually asked the Netflix crew to go away. He said, ‘Thank you guys, enough. Thank you.’ I’ve never really seen that. He’s really not in good spirits at all.”
Frustrated F1 Driver Bounced Back Well With His Performance at the British Grand Prix
Credit: REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
Having struggled for straight-line speed throughout the weekend, Russell claimed a hugely valuable second-placed finish at Silverstone. The 28-year-old split the two Ferraris of the victorious Charles Leclerc and third-placed Lewis Hamilton.
Of equal value to Russell as the 18 points that he picked up, though, was the fact that both Antonelli and Max Verstappen failed to complete the race, despite both looking well-placed for a strong finish entering the final stages.
Russell now sits only 25 points behind Antonelli and could be just a couple of races away from taking charge at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, should results go his way.
The season will resume in two weeks time at the Belgian Grand Prix, where Russell might just be in more of a mood to speak to Netflix following his good fortune at Silverstone.
