Interest in Cristiano Ronaldo is already heating up in Europe and MLS, with Manchester United linked, while Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are all interested in Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

– Interest in Cristiano Ronaldo is already heating up in Europe and MLS, according to TEAMtalk. Ronaldo, 40, refused to play for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League side’s 1-0 win over Al Riyadh, as sources told ESPN he is unhappy about the way the league conducted the Karim Benzema transfer to Al Hilal. The Manchester Evening News has linked the Portugal international with a return to Manchester United, while several other big clubs in Europe are willing to reshape their sporting projects to sign him.

– Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are all interested in Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, according to The Sun. Mikel Arteta is a big admirer of the Italy international and wants to pair him with Declan Rice in the Gunners’ midfield. The Gunners were even alerted to a possible move on deadline day, but it went nowhere. City boss Pep Guardiola is also a big fan of the 25-year-old and his Magpies teammate Tino Livramento, while Chelsea are monitoring Tonali. However, he and his wife are reported to be happy in the North East and he isn’t actively looking for an exit.

– Marcus Rashford has no intention of returning to Manchester United when his loan spell at Barcelona expires this summer, according to The Mirror. The Blaugrana have an option to permanently sign him for €30 million and the 28-year-old wants his future sorted before the 2026 World Cup begins. United’s interim head coach Michael Carrick would try to persuade the Red Devils academy graduate to stay if he becomes head coach full-time, but Rashford has already told Barca that he wants to stay at Camp Nou and would find another club instead of returning to Old Trafford if an agreement isn’t reached.

– Bayern Munich are in advanced talks to sign Charlotte FC and U.S. U20 winger Nimfasha Berchimas, as reported by The Athletic. The two clubs didn’t have to worry about Germany’s transfer deadline as they are working on a pre-agreed deal for the summer, as Berchimas only turns 18 at the end of this month so can’t be registered for a German club yet. There could be another U.S. youth international moving to Europe in the summer, as Tom Bogert reports that Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid are showing a strong interest in 18-year-old Real Salt Lake striker Zavier Gozo.

– Juventus will make a move to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer after the striker stayed on loan at Tottenham Hotspur this January, as reported by Calciomercato. Juve tried until the very end of the transfer window to bring back the 27-year-old, who also wanted a return to the Serie A giants, but Spurs insisted on keeping the France international as they couldn’t find an affordable alternative. It will take at least €50 million to sign him permanently, but Juve will need to seal a departure for Loïs Openda to meet that figure.

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN’s Mark Ogden looks at the future for Cristiano Ronaldo if he leaves Saudi Arabia.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his 41st birthday on Thursday, but his incredible longevity and goal-scoring ability is why there will be plenty of clubs willing to sign the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward if he seeks a move away from Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

There will be clubs who want him, and clubs who can afford him. And there will also be the crucial factor of being able to offer Ronaldo the chance to break the 1,000 career goal mark — as he is now less then 50 goals away from that milestone.

So with all that considered, where could he go? Forget the speculation linking Ronaldo with a return to United for a third spell at Old Trafford. There is no good reason for that happen and it won’t. A move to MLS would be a serious option and open up the prospect of a “Last Dance” alongside Lionel Messi in the United States. If Ronaldo wants to move to the U.S., there is enough money in the country to make it happen, so don’t rule out the possibility of Ronaldo ending up in Los Angeles or New York.

But with Ronaldo earning a reported £177 million-a-year in Saudi Arabia, money will be perhaps the biggest factor, so any club, anywhere in the world, who will pay him a huge salary and give him a chance to hit 1,000 goals has a chance.

Only last week, Ronaldo’s former United and Portugal teammate Nani made a move to FC Aktobe in the Kazakhstan Premier League, and with the oil-rich country keen to boost its sporting profile, Ronaldo could even end up there. With him, almost anything is possible.

OTHER RUMORS

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– Real Madrid are monitoring Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez for the summer in case they have any major outgoings. (Caught Offside)

– Internazionale could move for Al Ittihad winger Moussa Diaby and Atalanta right back Marco Palestra (who is on loan at Cagliari) in the summer after being unable to complete January deals for either of them. (Calciomercato)

– Atalanta are open to continuing talks with Atletico Madrid about midfielder Ederson ahead of June, having refused to let the Brazil international leave in January. (Rudy Galetti)

– Jadon Sancho is looking at a summer return to the Bundesliga as it is unlikely that the winger will stay with Aston Villa when his loan from Manchester United expires. (Football Insider)

– Paris Saint-Germain are working on triggering a release clause to permanently sign Khalil Ayari, who is currently on loan from Stade Tunisien. (Footmercato)

– Center back Dayot Upamecano has agreed a contract extension with Bayern Munich. (Florian Plettenberg)

– A new meeting between Juventus and Kenan Yildiz‘s agent is expected in the coming days, with a five-year contract extension worth €6 million-per-year to be discussed. (Nicolo Schira)

– Sevilla are considering re-signing 39-year-old defender Sergio Ramos for a third stint. Ramos is a free agent after leaving Monterrey in December and the former Real Madrid star began his career at Sevilla before returning to the club 18 years later for the 2023-24 campaign. (Diario de Sevilla)

– Xabi Alonso and Enzo Maresca are expected to be on the three-man shortlist to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, while Como’s Cesc Fabregas is gaining admirers across Europe. (Telegraph)

– Marc-Andre ter Stegen will not return to Barcelona after sustaining an injury and will see out his loan with Girona, but the goalkeeper could do part of his recovery with the Blaugrana‘s medical staff. (Mundo Deportivo)

– And Girona could still sign free agent goalkeeper Ruben Blanco to replace the Germany international. (Sport)

– Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini will sign contract extensions in the coming days to stay with Roma until 2029. (Nicolo Schira)

Pakistan’s decision to boycott its Twenty20 World Cup match against India has drawn widespread support from fans and administrators who hailed the move as a long-overdue stand in a rivalry in which sport and geopolitics have collided.

Pakistan’s decision has also handed the International Cricket Council (ICC) a delicate dilemma.

The ICC, in its initial response, warned in a statement that the boycott could undermine the credibility of international cricket and carry long-term consequences for the sport.

Should Pakistan stand by its refusal, the ICC has a range of disciplinary options at its disposal, including warnings, imposing fines, stripping hosting rights or, in extreme cases, suspending participation in ICC events.

A full expulsion from the T20 World Cup, however, would be viewed as a last resort.

The ICC typically seeks to avoid such outcomes as they damage the tournament’s commercial value, weaken competition, and disproportionately affect players and supporters rather than administrators.

In most cases, disputes of this nature are addressed through neutral venues, scheduling adjustments or quiet negotiations behind the scenes.

Historically, when teams have declined to tour or play specific opponents, the ICC has leaned on member boards to find a compromise, reserving bans only for clear violations of its regulations or outright refusal to participate in the tournament itself.

Deepens a long freeze

The boycott deepened a long freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours — who have not played a full series since 2012-13 and now meet largely at neutral venues — and dealt a blow to the ICC’s marquee event, with India-Pakistan matches the biggest drivers of global viewership and revenue.

Enough is enough

For many in Pakistan, however, the boycott was less about cricketing issues, with Pakistan forfeiting two points by skipping the match, and more about symbolism.

“Enough is enough,” former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi told Reuters, accusing India’s board of politicising the ICC.

“It’s time to challenge this duplicitous approach by exercising PCB’s options in alliance with Bangladesh.”

The ICC said it was still awaiting an official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) conveying their “position of selective participation”.

“While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the Dubai-based body said in a statement on Sunday.

The government has not publicly detailed its reasoning, but Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, linked the move to security tensions with India.

“Nothing is more important than the memory of Pakistani citizens and troops murdered by Indian proxy terrorists over the weekend,” Zaidi said.

“With funerals taking place today, this was the least that could be done.”

The remarks followed coordinated attacks by Fitna Al Hindustan militants across Balochistan province over the weekend that killed nearly 50 people.

Pakistan’s World Cup jersey has been branded the “Markhor Edition,” after the national animal, a symbol of resilience also used in military iconography.

Let cricket just be a game

On the streets of Pakistan’s major cities, many cricket fans backed the boycott as a response to what they see as India’s growing arrogance.

“This arrogance of India should be broken a little,” said Mohammad Asghar, a fan in Karachi.

“They should realise someone has come forward to challenge them.”

Others drew parallels with Bangladesh’s earlier withdrawal from the tournament over safety concerns, a move that led to Scotland replacing them.

“If Bangladesh can boycott for one player’s safety, why can’t Pakistan take a stand?” said Ayaz Ahmed.

The decision also sparked heated debate on social media, with users divided between calls for “self-respect” and warnings that skipping the match could further isolate Pakistan in global cricket.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi agreed.

“Cricket can open doors when politics closes them,” he wrote on X.

“It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India, but this is the moment for the ICC to prove it is impartial.”

You never know what will be asked at during Super Bowl media availabilities, but for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, he doesn’t mind a little ranking question regarding his wife, Ann Michael’s, baking.

Maye, who has helped lead the Patriots to the “Big Game” in Santa Clara this week in just his second NFL season, was asked to rank four of his wife’s recipes, which has been talked about throughout the season. Ann Michael shares her recipes on TikTok, some of which going viral during what she called “Bakemas” for the holiday season.

The Patriots’ signal caller already knew what his top choice would be in the kitchen.

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Drake Maye (10) of the New England Patriots and his wife, Ann Michael Maye, pose for a photo prior to the game against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Dec. 1, 2025. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

“Cinnamon roll snickerdoodle, she just made those for the O-line this week,” Maye said with a smile. That’s my No. 1.”

After that, he had to give it some thought.

“Puppy chow, I’ll put puppy chow No. 3. Pistachio bread, I think it’s good. I’m not a fan, [so] I’ll put that at four. The crumble copycat sugar cookie? Yeah, put that at No. 2.”

DRAKE MAYE ‘SUPER BOWL’ GUY, FORMER COACH SAYS AS PATRIOTS QB REACHED NFL’S BIGGEST STAGE

With nerves and anticipation high for everyone on the Patriots and Seattle Seahawks entering this week, questions like these perhaps make things lighter.

And for the Patriots, it’s always good to have some fresh baked goods as a nice treat before the Super Bowl. Remember Donna Kelce bringing some homemade cookies for her boys, Jason and Travis Kelce, before they faced off in the Super Bowl a few years back?

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) reacts after the New England Patriots defeat the Denver Broncos in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. Jan. 25, 2026. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

Maye has spoken on Ann Michael’s TikTok’s in the past, calling her a “superstar” with over 200,000 followers.

“(She’s) in her little journey doing ‘Bakemas’ right now. I get to do the good part of trying all her stuff she bakes. I try to bring some leftovers into the building,” Maye told “WEEI Afternoons.”

“She’s been a big addition for me being up here and living with me.”

Maye loves talking about his wife’s baking, but he knows this is still a business trip to the west coast this week. The Patriots have enjoyed a quick turnaround under new head coach Mike Vrabel, winning the AFC East and three playoff games on the way to the Super Bowl.

Maye, though, hasn’t been his usual, consistent self on the gridiron, which we saw all season long on his way to being an MVP candidate. He hasn’t completed more than 59% of his pass in any of his three games, though he has thrown four touchdowns to two interceptions.

Drake Maye of the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX Opening Night at San Jose McEnery Convention Center on Feb. 2, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots and wife Ann Michael Maye hug after the AFC Championship Playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on Jan. 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)

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Against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, Maye threw for just 86 yards, though the snowy weather played a large factor in that.

With perfect weather expected in the Bay Area on Sunday night, Maye should have the right conditions to get back in the saddle and try his luck against the Seahawks’ top-rated defense this season.

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