Manchester United are battling Chelsea over the signing of RB Leipzig’s highly-rated young midfielder Assan Ouedraogo, as Ruben Amorim eyes up new additions.

The Red Devils fell to a woeful 1-0 defeat at home to Everton on Monday evening, failing to beat a Blues side who played most of the game with ten men.

It was a big setback for Amorim, with United now going three Premier League matches without a win, and the manager bemoaned the performance of his players at Old Trafford.

It was further proof that United need to look at midfield additions, whether that be in the January or summer transfer window, and an exciting update has now dropped in that respect.

Man Utd have upper hand on Chelsea in Assan Ouedraogo race

According to Sky Germany [via Sport Witness], Manchester United are pushing ahead in their efforts to sign Ouedraogo from Leipzig in 2026. The Red Devils’ interest in the 19-year-old is “becoming more concrete” all the time, with Premier League rivals Chelsea also pushing for a deal.

United have an upper hand in that they have already had contacts with the player’s camp, pursuing him before he left Schalke in June 2024, but a “top offer” will be needed to pry him away from Leipzig given he has no release clause.

Ouedraogo is a huge young talent with so much potential, so United should be looking at him as a fantastic option to add to their midfield in the coming months.

Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes are both in their 30s now, and struggled together against Everton, but the Leipzig star would be a long-term signing who would add much-needed fresh legs in the middle of the park.

Amorim and Wilcox agree on blockbuster Man Utd move for "elite" £80m star

The Red Devils could now make a notable signing that would be represent a statement at Old Trafford.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 24, 2025

Ouedraogo recently scored on his debut for Germany, and he will be pushing to be one of the standout youngsters at 2026 World Cup, with scout Antonio Mango desribing him as a “midfield sensation” earlier this month.

While the German teenager is at his happiest in a central midfield role, he can also shine in a more attacking central berth, as well as on the left wing, and United beating Chelsea and others to his signature would feel like a major statement of intent.

Worse than Bruno Fernandes vs Everton: Amorim must bin Man Utd's 3/10 flop

No one expected Vancouver to contend MLS Cup when they were put up for sale at the start of the season, but they might be the team best equipped to win it

Vancouver wasn't supposed to be here. Some, in fact, didn't think they would get close. 

Look at the lists made by experts and fans alike, and most would have told you that the Canadian side could finish towards the bottom of the Western Conference. And even if that was harsh, this certainly didn't look like a sure-fire playoff team. There was a good reason for that. In November 2024, they fired their coach, a fan favorite in Vanni Sartini. A month later, the ownership group announced the club was up for sale. There was a chance that Vancouver might not even have an MLS club for long, with rumors of relocation. 

Vancouver’s head coaching job remained vacant for nearly two months, illustrating the level of upheaval at the club. They finally appointed Jesper Sørensen on Jan. 12 – a Danish manager with no prior MLS experience.

It all looked like a recipe for disaster. 

Yet nine months later, they are two wins from a historic milestone. A season that was expected to be mediocre has instead turned into one of steady ascent. The Whitecaps started strong, built on that foundation, and now sit within reach of the first MLS Cup in club history.

Getty Images SportThe stats tell the real story

There’s always an element of luck in an MLS regular season. Teams can ride a hot start, stay afloat for months, and then fall apart when the playoffs begin. St. Louis City SC in 2023 is the textbook example – an expansion team that stunned the Western Conference but whose underlying numbers raised doubts, which were confirmed when they collapsed in the first round.

The Whitecaps have been nothing like that. Their metrics back up the eye test. They scored a conference-best 66 goals, conceded a conference-low 38, and lost fewer matches than anyone in the West. Even their draws came in useful stretches. In short, this was a team that earned its results, not one carried by momentum or good fortune.

The underlying numbers are good – and generally reliable. Their 66 goals came on 63.1 xG, suggesting that they, like many teams that are deadly in front of goal, slightly overperformed their mark (a discrepancy of 2.9 tends to be a sign of clinical finishing rather than pure luck). And they were equally effective at the other end. Their xG conceded was 37.3. They allowed 38 goals.

Piece it all together, and Vancouver were a very good team performing exactly how the statistics project they really should.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCONCACAF Champions Cup run set the tone

There were early hints the Whitecaps might be good. They opened the MLS season well and climbed to the top of the Western Conference within two months. That raised eyebrows – not least because Sørensen was a relative unknown when he was hired in mid-January. But the MLS regular season is inherently chaotic. Hot starts happen. And even with Brian White scoring regularly, there was a suspicion that Vancouver could still regress to the mean.

What they needed was a signature run, something to prove they were more than a fast starter. Enter the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the perfect proving ground for MLS clubs. Historically, teams from the league have struggled – especially in Mexico – feeding the perception that MLS sides simply can’t win there. Vancouver shattered that narrative, earning away-goal wins in the knockouts to reach a semifinal showdown with Inter Miami.

And at that point, the magic should’ve ended. This was Lionel Messi in knockout football, after all. Thanks for the memories – time for the big boys to take over.

Except…

They hosted the first leg at BC Place and stunned a full-strength Miami with a 2-0 win. Then they went to Chase Stadium and did it again, a 3-1 triumph to complete an unthinkable 5-1 aggregate rout of MLS’s best. The enchantment eventually faded – Cruz Azul, deeper and more battle-hardened, thrashed them in the final – but even that result felt surprising.

And maybe that’s the biggest compliment you can give this Whitecaps team.

ImagnThe American influence

The through line in this Whitecaps side is a general sense of money well spent. The Whitecaps have never been flush with cash, and have, arguably, not had a singular star player since Alphonso Davies left nearly a decade ago (and even then, he was very much a man on the rise). They have consistently been a bottom 10 spender in MLS, and have been – until recently – unable to lure any big stars to the BC Palace. 

But to say they have been expert navigators would be inaccurate, too. They are, instead, remarkably agreeable in their business. Until now. The loss of Ryan Guald – their star man and highest earner – to a long term injury really should have derailed their campaign. Instead, the system became the star, with plenty of strong individual talents throughout. White was a surprise early Golden Boot contender and earned a well-deserved USMNT call up for doing so. Tristan Blackmon certainly has his critics, but was good value for his nod for the U.S. in September, too.

And then, we have Sebastian Berhalter. As the story goes, the son of former U.S. manager Gregg was uncertain that he even wanted to play soccer just a few years ago. Now, he is one of Pochettino's favorites, a set-piece specialist with a wonderful engine in the middle of the park. 

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ImagnMuller's arrival

There was no way Thomas Muller should have gone to Vancouver. Stars don't do that. They go to Los Angeles, New York, Miami, or Chicago. Vancouver is a truly lovely city, but it is not a spot that can lure European stars, not ones that have won World Cups, multiple Champions Leagues, and 13 Bundesliga titles. 

Except this time, they did. Muller supposedly flirted with Chicago for some time, but was sold on Vancouver. He has turned out to be the perfect midseason boost. The Whitecaps were good – very good – but championship sides tend to need a lift, especially in the slog of the MLS season. And so Muller arrived to immense fanfare. 

He was greeted by droves of fans at the Vancouver airport, and quickly brought his trademark brand of soccer to Canada’s West Coast. Muller has done what he does best – drifting into pockets of space, making the right runs, picking the right passes, and providing a cutting edge in the final third. His quality has anchored the attack while White worked his way back from a long-term hamstring injury.

Chelsea have taken serious interest in one of Europe’s most promising young forwards amid his stalled new contract talks, and a move to Stamford Bridge may well be on the cards for him next year.

Enzo Maresca has somehow guided his side to third in the Premier League table, just six points behind league leaders Arsenal, which is made all the more impressive by the sheer amount of injuries they’ve had so far this season.

Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Benoit Badiashile, Malo Gusto, Enzo Fernández, Roméo Lavia, Pedro Neto, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Andrey Santos and Josh Acheampong have all been sidelined due to injury or suspension at least once this season, forcing Maresca into a league-high 93 squad rotations.

Much was made about how the Club World Cup, which forced Chelsea to play an unbelievable 65 matches in 53 weeks, could impact the fitness of Maresca’s players, and it is safe to say 24/25’s intense fixture schedule had a long-lasting impact.

While Chelsea spent nearly £300 million in the summer, Maresca was left dissatisfied with his current options, especially at the back.

Rank

Club

Gross Spend

Sales

Net Spend

20.

Bournemouth

£136.7m

£202.5m

+£65.8m

19.

Brighton

£67.7m

£127.5m

+£59.8m

18.

Brentford

£92.8m

£152m

+£59.2m

17.

Wolves

£105.6m

£126.5m

+£20.9m

16.

Chelsea

£296.5m

£314.4m

+£17.9m

Chelsea have been linked with both a new goalkeeper and centre-back heading into 2026, while other media sources suggest that they could also look to sign a head-turning winger despite their current abundance of wide forwards.

One of their top attacking targets is believed to be Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.

The Turkey international has been nothing short of a revelation at Juve, finishing 2024/2025 with 12 goals and nine assists in all competitions. He also ended the campaign as their best-performing regular by average match rating per 90, according to WhoScored, with a host of sides linked as Yildiz’s long-term future remains uncertain.

The 20-year-old wants a significant pay rise on his current deal to bring him in line with Juve’s top earners, as befitting his star player status, and Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Chelsea ‘really’ like Yildiz as these new deal discussions continue.

Juventus 2-0 Parma Calcio

8.88

Juventus 4-3 Inter Milan

8.51

Juventus 3-1 Udinese

7.55

Juventus 0-0 Torino

7.38

Atalanta 1-1 Juventus

7.10

via WhoScored

Now, according to TEAMtalk, there’s been another update.

Chelsea plot fresh Kenan Yildiz talks after rejected bid and 'very exciting proposal'

The same outlet previously reported that Chelsea had a £62 million bid rejected in the summer and recently made a ‘very exciting proposal’ to his entourage.

In another development, TT writes that Chelsea want to have fresh discussions with Yildiz, on the condition that they’re given encouragement he does, in fact, want to pursue a new challenge.

Right now, it is simply a waiting game from Chelsea’s perspective, as they await the outcome of new Juve contract talks with Yildiz which have currently stalled due to wage demands. The main obstacle in Maresca’s way is Juve’s seismic £79 million valuation of the player, which would more than likely increase in the event of an extension.

That being said, Yildiz represents exactly the type of elite young talent Chelsea should be targeting to elevate their attacking options to a title-challenging level.

Yildiz has averaged a goal contribution every other game this season, bagging three goals and four assists from 14 outings in all competitions, and he’s even been compared to Juve legend Alessandro Del Piero.

The winger loves to cut in from the left, boasting wonderful control technique and the ability to beat a man before unleashing a shot at goal.

Jacek Kulig, an expert on world football’s most elite young talent, has also praised the young forward’s dribbling ability, saying he has “high on-the-ball bravery to make spectacular solo runs”.

Yildiz’s rumoured wage demands of around £5.2 million per year would see him easily fit into Chelsea’s wage structure as well, even sitting between the likes of Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians segue interessado na contratação do meia Erik Lamela, mas se preocupa com a condição física do jogador, que possui histórico recente de lesões. Para buscar mais informações, o presidente corintiano Augusto Melo se reuniu na noite desta terça-feira (8) com José Maria del Nido Carrasco, presidente do Sevilla, clube no qual o atleta argentino tem contrato até junho deste ano e não irá permanecer.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

O encontro aconteceu em um restaurante na zona sul de São Paulo. O representante do clube espanhol está no Brasil nesta semana, onde, nos últimos dias, realizou uma visita à Federação Paulista de Futebol e palestrou no Sports Summit, feira de esportes que acontece na capital paulista.

➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão

A ideia de Augusto também foi de estreitar relações com o dirigente do Sevilla. No entanto, o maior interesse foi obter mais informações sobre Lamela.

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O Timão está em contato com o estafe do jogador há algumas semanas e chegou até mesmo a oferecer um salário alto em relação a média do elenco, além de um contrato de três temporadas. Os representantes do argentino se mostraram satisfeitos com a oferta corintiana, mas deixaram claro que a preferência do jogador é permanecer na Europa.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos da Sul-Americana

Sem retorno nos dias seguintes ao contato inicial, a diretoria da equipe paulista recuou na possibilidade do negócio, até o encontro de Augusto Melo com o presidente do Sevilla, que foi motivado pelo interesse do dirigente do Corinthians em fazer um movimento de impacto no mercado. O presidente do clube alvinegro considera Lamela um atleta com essas credenciais e, também, capaz de elevar o nível técnico do elenco corintiano.

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Erik Lamela tem 32 anos e disputou duas Copas América pela seleção argentina. Ele foi revelado pelo River Plate, que também fez sondagens e está interessado no futebol do jogador. Na Europa desde 2011, o atleta tem passagens por: Roma, da Itália, e Tottenham, da Inglaterra, além do Sevilla, no Velho Continente.

Tudo sobre

Corinthians

Phil Simmons has urged the Bangladesh players to refrain from posting on their social media handles. This in the wake of Mohammad Naim posting a reaction after he and a few other team members were abused by some fans at the Dhaka airport on Wednesday upon their return from the UAE following the series against Afghanistan, where they won the T20Is 3-0 but lost the ODIs by the same margin.”I don’t agree with players having anything to do with social media,” Simmons said at a press conference a day out from the ODI series against West Indies. “It is your right as a person to be on social media, to say what you want on social media. But as an international player, as a national player for Bangladesh, my players should not be on there.”Naim was part of a group of players that came face to face with some individuals at the airport. Separate footage also showed Taskin Ahmed and his family facing similar abuse from fans.Related

• Patience running thin amid Bangladesh's batting gloom

Bangladesh’s cricketers quite regularly post on Facebook, which has been a topic of discussion in the BCB and among the team management for many years. It is, however, not clear if the board has spoken to the players on the matter or imposed any restrictions on their online presence.Simmons was also critical of fans racially abusing Jaker Ali, as has been reported at some cricket grounds and is regularly seen on social media.”I would say one thing, it is not nice to bring racial tones into anything to do with players,” Simmons said. “I don’t care where you’re from, the racial part of it against Jaker Ali I am disgusted with. That’s not nice. But I don’t want my players answering anything on social media.”Mohammad Salahuddin, the Comilla Victorians head coach, had in fact referred to the matter at a BPL press conference last year, pointing to that as the reason for Victorians player Jaker’s non-selection to the Bangladesh team.”The boy is black, which is why the board doesn’t see him,” Salahuddin had said in February 2024. “He is playing well in the last few years. His strike rate has helped us as he scores important runs. He is a sensible cricketer. I think he should get a chance.”Jaker had made his international debut in October 2023, but has become a regular in the team more recently.Although Salahuddin’s statement in support of Jaker, he faced backlash for his choice of words. When told about this after Friday’s press conference, Simmons admitted that he was aware of Salahuddin’s 2024 statement.

NZ fast bowler experienced side stiffness during training on Saturday

Alex Malcolm25-Oct-2025New Zealand quick Kyle Jamieson has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against England with side stiffness.Jamieson, 30, experienced stiffness in his side during training at Bay Oval on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s series opener. Given Jamieson’s history with stress fractures, including one post back surgery, New Zealand made a precautionary decision to rule him out of the three-match series and is targeting a comeback against West Indies in November.”Kyle experienced some stiffness in his side after bowling today and we didn’t want to take any risks at this stage of the summer,” New Zealand coach Rob Walter said. “We felt it was best for him to sit out this one-day series and give himself the best chance of being ready for the West Indies tour which starts on November 5 in Auckland.”Related

'There's been quite a bit of change' – Williamson rejoins New Zealand

England seek clarity for seam attack as ODI reboot gathers pace

Jamieson: 'Screws and wire doesn't make you bulletproof'

Jamieson will return home to Christchurch for further assessment. Walter said New Zealand would name a replacement following the completion of the opening round of the Ford Trophy, New Zealand’s domestic One-Day tournament, on Saturday.Jamieson told ESPNcricinfo last month that he was being meticulous in the way he was managing his body on his return to competitive cricket in 2025 after the stress fracture last year. His bowling program has been managed by high performance coaches Chelsea Lane and Matt Dallow who are not formally part of New Zealand Cricket.”They’ve done a huge amount of work in rebuilding athletes and biomechanics and just how to stack up your body properly,” Jamieson said. “They advise on everything, right from how my body’s moving, what my gym program looks like, what the [bowling] load numbers look like.”I have reflection and review processes with them after pretty much every day that I bowl, my sort of weekly, monthly calendar is mapped out with them, my total load tracking is done through them. So I’m pretty much fully through them at the moment, and then apply it into the different cricket environments that I end up in.”

Neymar went against advice from doctors to play through on for Santos as they secured a crucial win in their bid to beat the drop from Brazil's top flight. Santos hosted Brasileirao footers Sport Recife and secured what could prove to be a vital three points as they look to stave off the threat of relegation. And Neymar was key in a 3-0 victory that may have ended the forward's season.

• Neymar influential as Santos down Sport Recife

  Neymar fired Santos ahead midway through the first half and the hosts were two goals to the good 10 minutes later after a Lucas Kal own goal doubled Santos' advantage. And the three points were sewn up midway through the second half as Neymar turned provider for Joao Schmidt to confirm a 3-0 victory.

  The win extended Santos' unbeaten run to four matches as they secured just their 10th league victory of the season. Santos now sit two points above the relegation zone ahead of their final two games of the campaign as they look to beat the drop.

  Relegation rivals Vitoria host high-flying Mirassol, while Fortaleza host Atletico MG on Sunday evening as the battle to beat the drop goes to the wire. Neymar, though, has done all he can at the risk of aggravating a knee injury that could now rule him out for the final two games of the season.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Santos had a 'plan' for their talisman

  Neymar has endured an injury-hit campaign, meaning he has been restricted to just 15 league starts this season. The Brazilian missed the recent 1-1 draw with Internacional with a knee issue, though the plan had always been for Neymar to play some part against Sport Recife over the weekend.

  Speaking after the 1-1 draw with Internacional, Santos manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda revealed what he had in mind for Neymar, stating: "The plan is for him to be in the match against Sport. I have to talk to him, I'm not in his physical presence and I will respect Neymar's decisions.

  "But his commitment is to be there, he always wants to be there. Before the Mirassol game, he felt discomfort in his knee. He also felt it during the game. The following day he was experiencing significant discomfort in that knee. We know we have games every three days. With travel, we'll arrive in Santos tomorrow afternoon… He's a player we need for all three rounds and he'll help us. He's our leader on the field. He'll be there. He felt he wouldn't be able to meet the demands of today's game."

• Neymar to miss the final two games

  Neymar trained ahead of the game against Sport Recife even after it was recommended that he undergo an arthroscopy in order to repair a tear in the meniscus region of his left knee. The issue is said to be causing Neymar persistent pain, but he was willing to play through the pain in order to boost Santos' survival chances.

  And while he defied medical advice to play a vital role in Santos' win over Sport Recife, earning a standing ovation has he exited the field, Neymar will miss the final two games of the Brasileirao season due to the meniscus injury.

  Santos see out the campaign with a trip to relegated Juventude next week before the welcome of Cruzeiro in a potential relegation decider in the final round of Brasileirao fixtures. Rivals Vitora follow up their welcome of Mirassol with games against Red Bull Bragantino and Sao Paulo, while Fortaleza take on Corinthians and Botafogo following Sunday's game against Atletico MG.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Injury will impact 2026 World Cup spot

  Neymar's latest setback may impact his Brazil chances with head coach Carlo Ancelotti previously stating what is required for the 33-year-old to secure his Selecao spot in North America next summer.

  "Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup. He has six months to make the final list," Ancelotti said earlier this month. "Neymar has recovered, but he needs to show performance. When the Brazilian league ends he'll have some vacation time, and then he must show his quality and physical condition again," the Italian stated elsewhere.

  The former Barcelona and PSG forward's current Santos deal expires at the end of the year, and the club is in a dilemma over the player's future.

  "Neymar’s project is the 2026 World Cup," Santos club President Marcelo Teixeira said recently. "If we find common ground, his continuity will be confirmed. As long as Santos and Neymar, who have a strong and positive understanding of trust, reach a common ground. I believe we will resolve this situation at the right time."

Only 3.4 overs possible on blustery, grey day at Eden Park

Andrew Miller23-Oct-2025

Tim Seifert pulls off a reverse-scoop for six during his enterprising innings•AFP/Getty Images

New Zealand 38 for 1 (Seifert 23*) vs England – match abandoned England claimed the spoils in their T20I series against New Zealand, after the third and final match at Auckland went the same way as the series opener in Christchurch – lost to the weather as steady early-season rain swept in to curtail the contest after just 3.4 overs.In the limited time available, Tim Seifert made the running for New Zealand with an enterprising knock of 23 not out from 11 balls. He launched his innings with two fours off Luke Wood in the three balls that were possible prior to the evening’s first hour-and-a-half-long delay. Then – after the match resumed as 14 overs a side – he struck two sixes off the extra pace of Brydon Carse, including an outrageous reverse-scoop over fine leg that was well caught in the crowd.Carse did hit back at the other end, removing Tim Robinson for 2 as Jacob Bethell clung on well to a top-edged pull at deep midwicket. Wood then bowled an effective over to the left-handed Rachin Ravindra, finding sharp late movement in the seam-friendly conditions. Ravindra got going with a pulled six off Carse, but moments after Seifert had landed the second of his sixes off the same bowler, the rain returned once more.Despite a planned resumption at 10pm local time – with the match further reduced to eight overs a side – the grim weather returned just as the players were preparing to take the field, and the match was abandoned soon afterwards.It completed an unsatisfactory early-season foray for New Zealand, whose curtain-raising series against Australia at the start of the month had similarly been affected by the weather. They had made the running in the series opener, limiting England’s hard-hitting line-up to 153 for 6 on a seaming wicket at Hagley Oval, but were blown away in the return fixture two days later, losing by 65 runs after England had smashed the ground record with their total of 236 for 4.England chose to bowl first having named an unchanged XI for this decider. Despite the grey weather and unusually short boundaries at Eden Park, they decided to trust the balance that had impressed in Christchurch, with Liam Dawson retained as a second spinner ahead of an extra seam option.New Zealand, meanwhile, made one change – Zak Foulkes coming in for Kyle Jamieson. But in the end, it was all academic, as attention now turns to the ODIs which get underway in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.”It’s very frustrating,” Brook said at the post-match presentation. “The weather hasn’t been ideal. But great for the boys to get some time out there.”It’s a great place to tour, we’ve had an amazing time so far. We’ve got the ODIs coming up and we’re looking forward to it. We’ve got a few big names coming back and hopefully we can keep that momentum in the next few weeks.”Mitchell Santner, New Zealand’s captain, rued his team’s missed opportunities, both with the weather and their own performances: “I guess this time of the year it (rain) is always a potential. It’s always nice to play England, no matter what time of the year you play.”The way we bowled in that first game [was good], especially on a Hagley wicket that did give us a little bit. The second game, we were put under a lot of pressure on a good wicket, so when we come across that again, we’ll have learnings from that.”

If you're tuning into the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow this weekend in Charlotte, you'll see a few golfers donning a rather surprising icon: the MLB logo. No, it's not new, but it may be the first time you've noticed it!

Jhonattan Vegas wears it on the left side of his polo, and others have the logo elsewhere on their clothing. It sits in a place not uncommon for sponsors, but it seems like a strange thing to include on a shirt of an athlete for a completely different sport. So why is it there?

No, these aren't athletes who are former MLB players or anything like that. It's actually simply a sponsor/ambassador exchange for those athletes, even if a bit unconventional.

Agent Dave Parker had the idea as early as 2013 when he brought it to Major League Baseball. A GOLF.com article detailed the story years ago, and the arrangement then was that the player would get paid for the logo exposure, and he also might entertain some of MLB's biggest clients with a golf outing or two.

One other bonus? At least one player—Shawn Stefani, the first to sign the deal—got free baseball tickets to his hometown Houston Astros whenever he wanted. Peter Malnati later got a ticket hookup too, but with the Kansas City Royals. Vegas has been spotted at Astros games too, perhaps with a similar perk in exchange for his shirt real estate.

Red Sox outfield prospect Roman Anthony has been tabbed as one of the best in all of baseball and he's hard at work proving that this season as he plays at AAA Worcester. The 21-year-old has carried a .916 OPS into June and shown routine flashes of the type of talent he possesses. Saturday night provided him an other opportunity to impress against Rochester and Anthony capitalized, blasting a no-doubt grand slam in a 10-4 victory.

That's about as hard as you'll see a ball hit. And the sound Anthony's blast made off the bat was the most impressive part. That's the sound you hear on the radio and know that it's long gone before the announcer gets a chance to do any narration.

Also, what a tremendous nickname in the Roman Empire. How often are you thinking of this guy? Probably not as much as you will be.