BBC
Newcastle United and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali, 25, is Serie A side Juventus' top transfer target for the summer. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian) , external
Barcelona are considering offering 37-year-old Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, whose deal with them runs out in the summer, a contract extension for another season but on reduced wages. (ESPN), external
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Al-Nassr is in doubt and the 41-year-old has a £44m release clause in his contract with the Saudi Pro League club. (Athletic - subscription required), external
Scotland international Scott McTominay and Napoli are set to hold talks about extending the 29-year-old's contract beyond 2028, with the Serie A club keen to secure the midfielder to a new deal until 2030. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external
Colombia striker Jhon Duran, 22, is set to join Zenit St Petersburg on loan after ending his season-long stint at Fenerbahce from Al-Nassr. (Talksport) , external
Feyenoord are among the clubs to have explored a move for England forward Jesse Lingard, who is available on a free transfer after leaving FC Seoul. The 33-year-old's former Manchester United team-mate Robin van Persie is in charge of the Dutch club. (Mail), external
Leeds United are reportedly targeting a new goalkeeper in the summer transfer window. It is understood Daniel Farke has been underwhelmed by Brazilian signing Lucas Perri, 28, who arrived at Elland Road in July 2025 for £13.9m. (Teamtalk), external
Tottenham's 22-year-old Argentine striker Alejo Veliz, who is on loan at Rosario Central, is set to join Brazilian club Bahia in the summer in a deal worth 9m euros (£7.8m) plus add-ons. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Atletico Madrid showed an interest in Spain's 23-year-old attacking midfielder Gabri Veiga in the last couple of days of the winter transfer window but Porto rejected the La Liga club's approach. (Fabrizio Romano)
Sky Paper Talk
FOOTBALL
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to continue his strike at Al Nassr and miss the game against Al Ittihad on Friday - Daily Mail
There are employees at Al-Nassr who reportedly haven't received their salaries - A Bola
Sandro Tonali is growing increasingly frustrated at Newcastle and was heard venting his frustration at the situation to a member of club staff following the Carabao Cup defeat by Manchester City - The Sun
Michael Carrick has made a major change to Manchester United's training schedule by allowing players to have the day off after matches, something that previous bosses Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim refused - The Sun
Tottenham Hotspur owners the Lewis family, have no control over former chairman Daniel Levy selling his lucrative stake in the club's majority shareholder Enic to anyone he chooses - The Telegraph
Liverpool are being forced to pay Chelsea up to £6.8m in compensation for Rio Ngumoha - The Times
Liverpool fear that Conor Bradley will be out for the remainder of the calendar year despite recent social media speculation that he could return in time for the start of the 2026/27 season - Daily Express
Former Chelsea midfielder Marco van Ginkel has hung up his boots aged just 33 - Daily Express
Jhon Duran has terminated his loan at Fenerbahce and is set to join Zenit St Petersburg for the remainder of the season - Daily Mail
Netball coach and sister of Gary Neville, Tracey, has appeared of the forefront of a new project from Stockport County for a women's football team - The Sun
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will not be a part of Celtic's Europa League squad if he joins the Glasgow giants after missing out on the deadline to submit the squad to UEFA - Scottish Sun
CRICKET
Ben Stokes suffered gruesome facial injuries after being struck by a ball driven by an 18-year-old youth player - The Sun
RUGBY UNION
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has handed England an injury scare on the eve of their Six Nations opener with Wales after reporting a leg injury, with Tom Roebuck on standby - The Times
The off-field turmoil in Welsh rugby has taken an explosive turn after Swansea council began legal action against the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Ospreys owners, Y11 Sport and Media - The Times
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has played down a report that he has agreed to take over at Newcastle Red Bulls after the World Cup - BBC
WINTER OLYMPICS
Matt Weston insists he is unconcerned by the helmet row that has erupted ahead of his bid to win skeleton gold at the Winter Olympics - Daily Mail
Team GB's Chef de mission Eve Muirhead believes that they can return from the Winter Olympics having won eight medals - The Guardian
The Athletic
Jamal Baptiste, the ex-West Ham defender compared to Rio Ferdinand: ‘I need to show they weren’t wrong’
Jamal Baptiste is on loan at Rotherham United from Sheffield United Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images
By Roshane Thomas
It was an unusual start to the day for Jamal Baptiste. But by the end of it, the unfamiliarity of being a free agent took its toll.
In the summer of 2023, Baptiste — who joined West Ham United aged eight — left his boyhood club following the expiry of his contract. The centre-back, now 22, made his first-team debut in an FA Cup tie against Doncaster Rovers in January 2021. Eleven months later, he made his first start in a Europa League group-stage game against Dinamo Zagreb. He had been viewed internally as the next Rio Ferdinand, in reference to the West Ham academy graduate who went on to play for Manchester United and England.
The previous summer, Baptiste had glandular fever, which later developed into Guillain-Barré syndrome (a rare and serious condition that affects the nerves). It hampered his ability to perform for the under-21s and a fresh start elsewhere was viewed as the best option for all parties, but a departure initially came with challenges.
“It was a stressful situation,” Baptiste tells The Athletic. “The morning of me no longer being at West Ham, I just couldn’t be at home. I needed to have a purpose, but I didn’t know what to do. I ended up going to Powerleague (a small-sided football centre) with my friend to pass the time and do sessions.
“It wasn’t a comfortable situation. I think that’s why it was one of the lowest points in my career, because West Ham will always have a place in my heart.
“It was an upsetting time. Mentally, I was not in a good place and I felt like I had no control. I was questioning myself and asking if I was still good enough. But everything happens for a reason. I needed to experience that to be where I am now.”
This season, Baptiste has thrived during a season-long loan at Rotherham United from Sheffield United. He scored his first senior goal and was named man of the match in the League One side’s 4-0 victory over Exeter City on Saturday. He has made 19 league appearances under manager Matt Hamshaw.
Following his release from West Ham, Baptiste actually joined Manchester City, which encompassed a loan spell at Belgian side Lommel, where he made three appearances.
Jamal Baptiste, pictured in 2022, was rated highly while at West Ham UnitedPete Norton/Getty Images
In November 2024, the defender joined Sheffield United on an initial one-year deal. He made his debut the following month against Cardiff City and continued his development with the under-21s. In June 2025, he was rewarded with a contract extension.
“I don’t think I’d be the person I am today if I didn’t go through what I did,” he says. “I was without a club for a month after I left West Ham, but it felt longer. It was meant to be a 12-week trial at Man City, and after four weeks they signed me.
“But before all of that, it was a lonely time for me. The hardest thing about it was transitioning from such a high to a sudden feeling of emptiness. So for all of that to be taken away hit me hard. That’s why I work hard every day to make sure I don’t put myself in that situation again.
“Then my experience at Lommel made me realise my career wasn’t going to be straightforward. I injured my ATFL (anterior talofibular ligament) during training. I blocked a shot, the ball hit my face and I just collapsed onto my ankle. I did a bit of rehab on it and ended up trying to play three or four games on it and it was just one thing after the other.
“I’m in a whole different country by myself, I don’t speak the language and I can’t play football, so that’s another mental challenge. I went back to City, had a scan and had surgery.”
Baptiste, who has played for England at under-16 to under-19 levels, thanks his family for helping him during his lowest moments. He started attending church with his mother, and playing week in, week out for Rotherham has restored his confidence. Although the League One side are in a relegation battle, the defender has been one of the shining lights of their season.
“When I joined, I had to do a presentation on why I play football,” he says. “I put up pictures of my family, my agent and my girlfriend. They’re the closest people to me and I do this for them. They’ve been on this journey with me. It made my team-mates understand what I’ve been through, and why I’m working so hard to one day get back to the Premier League. It was an important ice-breaker.
“Since then, the manager has helped with everything. He told me his vision and the way he wanted the season to look for me. Everything’s gone the way he said it was going to go. At the start, I felt like maybe I could have been dropped from the team because of performances. But he still had faith in me and that’s why he’s now getting the best out of me. I want to go above and beyond for him. If I’m not able to do that on the pitch, it annoys me.”
Sheffield United rejected bids from suitors for Baptiste during the January transfer window. Given his form, there could be further interest this summer. The young defender is happy with the trajectory of his development and cites two defenders as key influences on his playing style.
“Virgil van Dijk (of Liverpool) has got the overall package: defending skills, leader and good aerially,” says Baptiste. “Then one person people don’t really think of is John Stones (of Manchester City). I think the way he carries and passes the ball is great for a centre-back. But playing in League One has taught me it’s not my job — or priority — to be stylish in possession. That’s why keeping a clean sheet is as important as me scoring a goal. It annoys me when we don’t keep a clean sheet.
“There are so many big differences from academy to men’s football. If someone scores in academy football, it doesn’t mean as much because there’s nothing on the line. But in men’s football, the outcome of a match determines whether the crowd goes home happy or not. I want to keep giving the fans more happy moments, so the only way is up for me now.
“I still remember hearing about those comparisons to top players when I was at West Ham. The people who said nice things about me did it for a reason. I need to show them they weren’t wrong to view me in that fashion.
πI’ll just prove to them and prove to myself that I will get to a high level one day.”