Real Madrid youngster Endrick has been linked with a shock move to the Premier League this week, with a South American football expert expecting the Spanish side to receive an imminent bid from one of their European rivals ahead of the new season.

Endrick broke scoring records as a youngster at Palmeiras – one of the world’s best academies, which has also produced players like Chelsea’s Estevao – and caught Real Madrid’s eye at just 14.

However, the usual pathway for a Brazilian joining Los Blancos hasn’t been as smooth for Endrick as it was for Vinicius Jr. or Rodrygo. Both made an almost immediate impact and remain mainstays in a squad that is always fighting for silverware.

Having only just turned 20 this year, there’s no doubt the winger has bags of talent that could come to good use at another team, where the competition for places isn’t quite so high. Now could be the perfect time to take a chance on him, with one of Real Madrid’s Champions League rivals reportedly ready to take the punt.

Premier League Club Preparing ‘Imminent Bid’ For Endrick

REUTERS/Mike Segar

South American football expert Tim Vickery told talkSPORT a substantial bid is being prepared by Liverpool, in the same week their moves for Paris Saint-Germain duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye stalled, while the Reds also saw their £50 million bid for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh rejected.

The Merseyside club has focussed most of their transfer efforts around bolstering their wide attacking options following the departure of Mohamed Salah, who joined Trabzonspor as a free agent, with new manager Andoni Iraola a devoted subscriber to wide formations and getting the best out of his wingers.

But while reports in Brazil expect them to make a move for Endrick, he has his doubts about whether a deal will be struck, as he explained:

He concluded by asking: “How high are Liverpool prepared to go? And would Real Madrid want to sell him to a competitor in the Champions League?”

Meanwhile, he was also left pondering whether the Reds’ tactical outlay under Iraola would suit that of the Palmeiras youth academy graduate, who prefers to play more centrally in a position much closer to a second-striker. These positions, of course, are already taken up by British transfer record Alexander Isak and the currently-injured Hugo Ekitike.

Liverpool’s Search For a Mohamed Salah Replacement Continues

Peter Powell vs Reuters

Liverpool have really stepped up their search for new wingers in recent weeks, but always seem to end up going down dead ends and cul-de-sacs. It now looks like Iraola will start Rio Ngumoha and Cody Gakpo on either flank when they begin their Premier League season against Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.

There is a belief that they will seal a big-money transfer before the deadline prevents them from doing any more business. But with the squad appearing thin on the ground in defence, and the midfield needing some extra help after the hierarchy sanctioned Curtis Jones’ move to Inter Milan, the biggest worry is that too much of their focus on a winger could leave the rest of the squad suffering.

And that could ultimately leave their new boss having to operate with one arm behind his back during his maiden voyage, in which his team will be expected to have a much more plainsailing route to Champions League qualification than last time out.

A former Mr Olympia bodybuilder has died just weeks after making a mysterious post in which he called on his followers to “stop taking life for granted.”

Navy veteran Dwayne Quamina passed away on Sunday, having just six days earlier competed in a bodybuilding qualifier for the Mr Olympia competition.

After that qualifier, in which he came in sixth in the 212-pound division at the Atlanta Pro competition, he posted: “If it was easy, everybody would do it. The best quality you can have is the ability to pick yourself up and go again, no matter how many times it takes. Watch what comes next!”

The cause of Quamina’s death remains unknown.

“Stop taking life for granted, go all the way and have zero regrets when it’s all over!” he posted to his more than 114,000 Instagram followers last month.

Quamina leaves behind him his wife, Leah, and two children.

A GoFundMe page set up to support his wife and children has so far raised more than $9,300 towards its stated target of $20,000.

“Dwayne was a loving yet fierce man, someone who protected and provided for his family while uplifting others with his presence, kindness, and unwavering spirit. His loss has left an unimaginable void in the hearts of all who knew and loved him,” the page says.

Tributes Pour in For Dwayne Quamina

Tributes have poured in for Quamina. Eight-time Ms Olympia winner Lenda Murray posted: “My thoughts and prayers are for the family. Sincere condolences.”

“It’s absolutely tragic. We competed together just a week ago at the Atlanta Pro. It’s hard to believe he’s gone,” fellow bodybuilder Karol Małecki Ale Lekkie said.

Quamina, known as “King Q”, became a bodybuilder in 2016 after serving in the US Navy for 10 years. He placed 10th in the Mr Olympia tournament in 2018 and won the lightweight title at the 2016 NPC USA Championships and 2017 Europa Phoenix Pro event. He was born in Trinidad and Tobago before eventually moving to the United States and then settling in California.

Alongside his bodybuilding, he also worked as an online coach and posted workout videos and motivational content to his social media followers. He was well known for his content that aimed to inspire his followers to achieve their potential. In one post, he wrote: “Who do you want to become? Once you figure that out, all that’s left is to go out and become.”

The ‘real reason’ why former United States Champion Ilja Dragunov is leaving WWE has been revealed, and it reportedly goes against the company’s best efforts to re-sign him.

WWE is thought to have wanted to retain the services of the Russian-German professional wrestler – whose real name is Ilja Rukober – and is even reported to have had plans for the Superstar post SummerSlam.

The 32-year-old last appeared on WWE programming in April when he wrestled in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the night before WrestleMania 42 on SmackDown.

The Moscow-born performer was in talks with WWE as recently as June about signing a new contract to tie him to the company, but talks broke down.

Dragunov, therefore, chose to let his contract run down and it has now expired. It remains unknown, however, why the talks over a new deal stalled and why Dragunov’s planned WWE return fell through.

Ilia Dragunov’s WWE Career

Ilja Dragunov established himself as one of WWE’s most intense performers and as a favourite among diehard fans.

After joining NXT UK, he became NXT UK Champion in 2021 by defeating Gunther before capturing the NXT Championship itself and further cementing his reputation as a standout performer in the WWE’s developmental system.

Moving to the main roster in 2024, he appeared on the Raw brand before suffering a lengthy injury layoff which kept him out of the ring for over a year after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Dragunov’s highlight at the company came later in 2026 when he defeated Sami Zayn for the United States Championship, adding another major achievement to his career.

Ilia Dragunov’s Wrestling Future

Questions will now turn to Dragunov’s future, with links to Tony Khan’s AEW mooted. If Dragunov were to sign for WWE’s rival, he would join a host of ex-WWE alumni, and there would be a wealth of potential opponents in the pipeline.

With the likes of MJF, Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland, and Jon Moxley as potential challengers, it would no doubt put a marker down if AEW could secure his services and fans would definitely tune in.

While the most likely option is probably AEW, Dragunov does have other options. Japan would be one possibility, as well as other independents, which would offer him greater creative freedom and perhaps leave the door open for a return to WWE down the line.

Dragunov has now been moved to the alumni section of the WWE website.