Liverpool are said to be pressing ahead with their summer transfer business after their successful Newcastle United transfer hijack. The Reds are now closing in on the signing of Osasuna attacker Víctor Muñoz, who is currently at the World Cup with Spain.

Newcastle were hoping to land the young talent, but while they were trying to lower his fee, the Reds stormed in to agree to his £34.6million release clause, and the deal is as good as done. When Muñoz will agree personal terms remains to be seen, given he is busy at the World Cup with Spain, but Liverpool will be confident of striking a deal, especially with a Spanish boss now in place.

Liverpool are not done there

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It was unclear how bold Liverpool would be in this transfer window, given their huge spend and lack of return last summer, but the questions are now being answered. The Reds are already closing in on an exciting young talent in Muñoz, and that is only going to be the start of their business, according to a fresh report.

Football Insider claim Muñoz will be the first of five new signings this summer, with a central midfielder, centre-back, right-back and right-winger all required by Iraola.

The right-winger and centre-back signings will come as no surprise, given the exits of Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah this summer. Meanwhile, many have called for more options in the middle of the park, while Conor Bradley battling his way back from a serious injury issue looks to be forcing the Reds to add more depth at right-back.

Muñoz can play on the right-wing, and he is a right-footer, but he has traditionally played on the left, liking to cut inside.

Shearer’s Reds warning

Speaking to Betfair last week, Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer warned that Liverpool need to recruit heavily in this summer’s transfer window. “Liverpool are going to have to go again in the transfer market,” he said. “Mohamed Salah’s gone, so they obviously need someone to replace him.

“They’ve also got Rio Ngumoha, who’s obviously a great talent, but for the future.So Liverpool need several players, I think, if they want to compete again at the very top. And certainly, in wide positions, they’re going to have to strengthen.

“I’m not surprised with who they’re being linked with, like Diomande and Barcola. I guess it’s only a matter of time before that, that would be the position that they announce.”

Tottenham are still said to be firmly in the race for one of the most in-demand Premier League players this summer. Spurs have already made a solid start to their summer business, with Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson snapped up, and attention is now firmly on continuing to strengthen with further signings.

Spurs and Roberto De Zerbi are hoping to compete for European football next season, and while there is existing talent in the squad, it’s no easy task to go from back-to-back bottom half finishes to a top seven finish. Heavy recruitment is going to be required, and it looks as though that is what the Tottenham board intend to deliver.

Spurs still in Wharton race

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One of the most intriguing Premier League transfer narratives this summer is where Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton is going to end up. The midfielder is expected to be on the move for big money having consistently impressed with the Eagles, and we are beginning to get a clearer picture of where he could end up.

According to FlashScore, both Tottenham and Liverpool remain firmly interested in Wharton this summer. In fact, it’s claimed Spurs view Wharton as one of their primary targets this summer. That’s despite ongoing talks over the potential permanent transfer of Joao Palhinha.

The North London club lose Yves Bissouma this summer, so it’s logical they will try to sign another midfielder or two, and there are also links with Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, who would likely be a Wharton alternative. Spurs are said to have been tracking Wharton for at least a year, remaining patient in timing their move.

Liverpool are also said to be keen, though, and they are said to view Wharton and AFC Bournemouth’s Alex Scott as their main targets for the midfield, although it will be one or the other. The Reds seek a midfielder capable of controlling the midfield.

‘Exceptional’ Wharton’s price and attraction

Wharton is likely to cost a huge fee this summer, with £100million floated as a reported Palace asking price. Though Premier League clubs might be confident of reducing that fee to around £80million despite the midfielder having three years remaining on his current deal.

Eberechi Eze joined Arsenal for £67.5million in a club-record sale for Palace, and so £80million would be a fresh record, and Wharton could push for an exit if the right club comes in this summer, which would weaken Palace’s leverage at the negotiations table.

But Wharton is always going to command a giant fee given his Premier League experience and his proven ability to thrive in huge games for club and country, while he is still only 22 years of age. Micah Richards dubbed Wharton ‘exceptional’ last year, and most connected to Palace and the Premier League would agree.

The New York Knicks are currently enduring the greatest moment in their modern era after ending a 53-year wait to secure a third NBA Championship.

The team secured the title last Saturday night, taking down the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 on the road to clinch a 4-1 NBA Finals triumph.

Celebrations have been taking place non-stop since the Game 5 victory and fans of the franchise will get to witness the stars of the 2026-winning roster when the championship parade is held on Thursday, the 18th of June.

An American tradition that typically follows for a team winning a championship or a triumphant US national team in international competition is to get an invitation from the President to attend the White House. This often sees the winning players greet the sitting President in person and pose for pictures together.

However, this has become more of a conflicting decision for teams to make in the last decade, since the 45th and 47th President, Donald Trump, has been in office due to many players being against his administration’s policies and stances. Trump’s first stint in office was from 2017-2021 while his second and current one started in 2025.

NBA Champions Haven’t Attended White House Under Donald Trump Presidency

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An NBA championship-winning team is yet to visit the White House since Trump’s first election into the Oval Office, with the Golden State Warriors being the first to make their stance clear after NBA Finals victories in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

The Toronto Raptors (2019) and Los Angeles Lakers (2020) also did not visit the White House in the remaining years of Trump’s first stint.

The 2025 NBA champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, did not make the trip to Washington either after being the first champions of Trump’s second spell as President.

Trump made an appearance at the 2026 NBA Finals, sitting in a suite alongside Knicks owner James Dolan for Game 3 of the series at Madison Square Garden.

The 47th President’s decision to attend the game was widely unpopular among the Knicks faithful, as it meant that fans were not permitted to gather for watch parties around the Knicks’ home venue, and fans with tickets had to go through extra rounds of security checks upon entering the third contest.

The President was booed when shown on the jumbotron at the game and some Knicks fans blamed his appearance at the game as the reason why their team was unable to secure a victory on that occasion, as the Spurs pulled the series back to 2-1 following that contest.

New York Knicks Made White House Decision

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However, despite the Knicks fans’ opposition to Trump, it appears that the franchise itself is actually on good terms with the President, as the team is set to visit the White House following their Finals success.

Dolan, a long-time friend of Trump, confirmed the decision during an interview with WFAN New York on Wednesday after being asked whether he was looking forward to a potential celebratory trip to the White House.

The Knicks owner stated: “We did receive an invitation from (the) White House, which we accepted. We still have to figure out the details, but yes, of course, (we’re looking forward to it).

“I invited the President to come down for the game, right? He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House,” the 71-year-old businessman added.

While Dolan will be pleased to make the White House visit and celebrate his team’s triumph with his close friend, it remains to be seen whether the Knicks players and staff display the same glee when greeting Trump and if they choose to pose for pictures with the current President.