They pay the money, they spend the money, I mean they're a great team. They run their team like a business, and they run it the right way. They understand where they need to put their money into, but also - people don't look at this either - their draft and their development is unbelievable. They draft then they develop then they trade those guys for big name guys and they can spend the money.
Vincent Kompany has maintained consistency in his communication during his time at Bayern Munich. He has always been clear of what he expects of his players and has communicated so to the media- mantras such as "work hard and I will be happy" or "when there's hype please don't believe it, you're not that good. And when you lose a game or you have a bad performance, don't believe that you're bad, you're not that bad" come to mind immediately. This consistency is also the case with 17-year-old Lennart Karl, who Kompany has always insisted should be able to enjoy matches while other players take on the responsibility.
In a period where continuity and leadership can define a club's trajectory, Bayern Munich has chosen stability (at least for now) at the heart of their defense and belief in a player who has steadily grown into one of Europe's most complete center-backs. CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen emphasized both development and unity when reflecting on the extension. "Dayot Upamecano has matured into a top-level player with us. We're delighted he'll continue his journey at Bayern, also proving once again our status in international football.
I'm very flexible. They know they have certain roles in our attacking plan, that they always need to be available for the ball. They also need to pose a threat. They also have an important role in shoring things up. I always try to look at the player's profile and give them a role in the overall picture. Pavlo's profile is activity, always being available. Jo has the final pass. Pavlo doesn't do what Jo does, and vice versa, but it's all compatible for us,
Like any class, college football's group of 2023 recruits has high-profile hits along with some notable whiffs. Our projections are based off college impact and NFL upside. There are 13 prospects from our original top 25 who are on Mel Kiper's Big Board rankings. Other high-profile prospects such as quarterbacks Arch Manning and Dante Moore decided to return to college even with high NFL grades. Both are listed in Matt Miller's top early 2027 NFL prospects.
There is no shortage of stats and metrics these days that attempt to predict how baseball teams will fare in an upcoming season. But there is one area lacking in all of it: human will, and how certain players can push themselves to be better than even the best analytical models could have foreseen. The foundation is laid over the winter, when pitches are learned and swing mechanics are tweaked and bodies are molded.
He's capable of that, Ben. He's done it over time, it's not like he's just burst onto the scene. He's been doing it and proven he can score goals. He's been doing it in training for us as well so it's not surprising to be honest. It's what he's does, it's what he's good at. The last goal would have done him the world of good and tonight is another important goal and a big moment for him and us.
Bryn Ward was talking to his mother Wendy the other day when he suddenly remembered that his goal at the start of the season was to play five games for Ulster. Having only just turned 21, and still part of his home province's academy, it was a realistic target to set, only he managed to surpass it halfway through a season that has seen Ward play nine games for Ulster, and earn his first full call-up to the Ireland squad.
The Bees conducted interviews in January before settling on the appointment of Rainford. The 46-year-old former Dagenham & Redbridge midfielder joins Brentford having been the head of education and academy player care at the Premier League since 2020. Since Torpey left the role with Brentford's academy to join Manchester United in September, Jamie Greenwood has been in place as interim academy director.
As mentioned, there were expectations for him to be a top blueliner on the Leafs, along with former young prospect Rasmus Sandin, who was also envisioned as a top blueliner for the team. Niemela was mainly praised for the way he moves the puck as a defenceman. He also showed great vision and was able to make a pass whenever it was possible. He was also seen as someone who wasn't afraid to take a shot on goal and walk into the slot.
AC Milan have one of the smallest squads in Serie A in terms of numbers, but Massimiliano Allegri continues to find new resources within it. For some time, there were question marks about what the summer window brought to Milan. The squad underwent a big downsizing to just 19 outfield players, and the new signings certainly took some time to adapt.
"Appreciate [Kevin Kiermaier] taking the time to work with [Zach Erhard] this offseason," Michael Dillon, who represented Kiermaier in the majors and currently represents Erhard, wrote via Instagram. "It's the little adjustments on and off the field that separate the good from the great. Z is well on his path to being great."
With a couple of the safer picks rounding out the top 30, we have begun to enter the part of the list that caters to some high upside prospects. Compared to recent years there is a lot more upside, and a lot more tools that are definitely louder than years prior. There is also considerable capital associated with this particular section of the system with high international signing bonuses, as well as a pair of players drafted within the first six rounds.
When the New York Rangers hired Mike Sullivan to replace Peter Laviolette, many were thrilled. Sullivan, a former back-to-back Stanley Cup winning coach, felt like a huge upgrade from Laviolette, and a potential overseer of a comeback season. Sullivan was the right coach to bring the Rangers back from their blip of a season and get the most out of this veteran core.
Some fans don't understand it, but it's easy to see why Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra values Dru Smith. It's because he falls right in line with previous developmental success stories of guards who can't really shoot the basketball efficiently, but can do virtually everything else. Smith epitomizes Heat culture, and in small doses, has proven to be quite productive for the organization. Perhaps most importantly, he's a true competitor. And that's what Spo has to like best.
Kuminga is in his fifth season with the Warriors, but the past two years of his career have essentially amounted to a mutual waste of time. His strengths have been inadequately highlighted, his role has been limited, and his flaws have been unfortunately unresolved. Though fingers can be pointed in every direction, the unfortunate truth remains that Kuminga is a young and talented scorer with a career average of 20.3 points per 36 minutes who has never felt empowered to explore his potential.
What I find so cool about all the metrics we have on exit velocity, spin rate, bat speed, and so forth is that they allow us to define what were once amorphous concepts akin to magic. We have the ability to know beyond a shadow of a doubt which pitcher throws the fastest or which ball was hit the hardest. And you know what? Knowing that doesn't take any of the magic or joy away.
They Athletics already invested in three core players over the past year, getting Brent Rooker on a five-year $60 million extension in Jan. 2025, followed by Lawrence Butler (seven-years, $65.5 million in Mar. 2025) and Tyler Soderstrom (seven-years, $86 million in Dec. 2025). Now as the calendar flips to 2026, the Athletics have continued to invest in that young core with their latest extension going to shortstop Jacob Wilson.
All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson and the Athletics reached agreement on a seven-year contract that includes a club option for an eighth season, the team announced Friday, adding another premium young player to an impressive core as the franchise prepares to move to Las Vegas. The contract is worth $70 million, sources told ESPN. Wilson, 23, finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting last year after hitting .311/.355/.444 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs in 125 games.
With a bit of distance, Deco talks about Vitor Roque without trying to rewrite history. "From a quality standpoint, I don't think we made a mistake," Barcelona's sporting director said, pointing out that the club's idea was clear from the start: find a long-term successor to Robert Lewandowski before the clock became a problem. The issue wasn't the player's profile so much as a total mismatch in timing, according to Deco.
"[Bernal is] good with and without the ball, he knows how to find the best spaces and make the best decisions. You saw it against Copenhagen, in the second half, how much he's improved defensively, physically he's doing much better, he's on another level physically and he's a great professional, and he's very good to watch. "I think, as I said, Casadó is a fantastic professional, and so is Bernal.
On paper, this is a team that should be taking a clear step into a new era: Anže Kopitar is nearing retirement after a successful career, Brandt Clarke and Quinton Byfield are emerging, and the front office has invested heavily in a core that's supposed to push them forward.
Their 2024 first-round selection, Trey Yesavage, started the year off in Single-A Dunedin. By the time he was finished, he had just shattered multiple postseason records by a rookie starting pitcher. Arjun Nimmala took another step towards becoming a true upper-echelon prospect. Johnny King emerged as a teenage phenom with gaudy swing-and-miss ability. Juan Sanchez appears to be their first IFA signee with true star potential since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The list goes on.
EXCLUSIVE: River Plate agree deal to sign Kendry Paez on loan from Chelsea, here we go! ???#CFC recall Kendry from Strasbourg loan with new talents coming, Paez travels to Buenos Aires for medical tests as ideal solution for his development. Season long loan agreed ?? pic.twitter.com/F7PuOz3Qzr Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 28, 2026 EXCLUSIVE: River Plate agree deal to sign Kendry Paez on loan from Chelsea, here we go! Romano posted. #CFC recall Kendry from Strasbourg loan with new talents coming, Paez travels to Buenos Aires for medical tests as ideal solution for his development. Season long loan agreed What next for Chelsea wonderkid Kendry Paez? Paez will no doubt be hoping to do a lot better with his next loan after a slightly underwhelming spell in Ligue 1.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded multiple first-round picks over the past few years which has created a less exciting farm system. If you live in the GTA and can't afford, or can't get access, to a Toronto Maple Leafs game, the Toronto Marlies were a fantastic alternative. Tickets are always affordable for a family of four and you'd typically get to see a few future Leafs in the making. However, if you look at the current roster, it's uninviting.
Yasin Ozcan has joined Turkish club Besiktas on loan, and he is excited to get his career back on track after being frozen out at Aston Villa. The 19-year-old defender joined the Premier League club in January, but he struggled for regular opportunities. He was sent out on loan to Belgian club Anderlecht, but he barely played for them. He has now been loaned out to Besiktas as part of the deal to sign Tammy Abraham.
