Juventus were keen to sign Fikayo Tomori during the summer before deciding to pursue Jhon Lucumi instead. However, the Bianconeri remain interested in the AC Milan defender, particularly with his contract situation potentially allowing them to sign him as a free agent.

Tomori remains an experienced centre back who has established himself in Serie A. His quality and familiarity with Italian football make him an attractive option for Juventus as they consider ways to strengthen their defence.

However, Juventus are not the only club monitoring his situation. With the possibility of signing him without paying a transfer fee, several teams could compete for his signature, making the race more difficult for the Italian giants.

According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are the latest club to show interest in signing Tomori. The Premier League side reportedly views the defender as one of their leading transfer targets for the summer and would be keen to persuade him to return to England.

A move back to the Premier League could appeal to Tomori, who would have the opportunity to continue his career in familiar surroundings. Newcastle could also offer a competitive financial package if he becomes available as a free agent.

Juventus would therefore need to make an attractive proposal to remain in contention. Although they have tracked the defender for some time, their interest alone will not guarantee that he chooses to continue playing in Italy.

(Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

The prospect of signing Tomori without a transfer fee makes him an appealing target for both clubs. Juventus could strengthen their defensive options without paying Milan a transfer fee, but they may have to compete financially with Newcastle to secure an agreement.

The Bianconeri remain capable of winning the race, provided they can offer terms that satisfy the defender. However, Newcastle’s interest could complicate their plans, particularly if the English club makes a serious effort to bring him home.

Newcastle’s own season has been turbulent, and their final league position remains uncertain. That could influence their transfer plans and their ability to attract targets.

For Juventus, Tomori remains a potential opportunity, but the club must be prepared for competition. If Newcastle pursue him aggressively, the financial terms and sporting project offered by both sides could prove decisive in determining his next destination.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois believes his teammate Kylian Mbappe deserves to win the Ballon d’Or, insisting that nobody has been better than the Frenchman ‘individually’, while questioning the criteria used to determine the award.

The Belgian goalkeeper believes his Real Madrid teammate deserves recognition for his individual performances, although he acknowledged that Lamine Yamal has the advantage of having won major trophies with Barcelona and Spain.

“I think Kylian deserves it, but people vote according to their own logic,” Courtois told DAZN (h/t AS), just days before the Ballon d’Or ceremony, which will take place in London next Monday.

Courtois highlighted the dilemma between rewarding individual performances and collective succes, saying:

“Do we choose someone who has won trophies, or someone who has been above everyone else throughout the season, even if they have not won anything?

“I am thinking especially of Kylian. I think individually nobody has been better than Kylian, but unfortunately, we have not won anything collectively.”

One of the contenders for Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The Belgian recalled that Mbappe finished fourth at the World Cup and was the tournament’s top scorer, while his main rival for the award, Lamine Yamal, became world champion with Spain.

“For me, Lamine Yamal had a slightly worse World Cup, but he became world champion, won La Liga with Barcelona and had a good year,” said the 34-year-old goalkeeper.

Courtois also questioned the voting criteria, recalling that he expected Vinicius Jr. or Dani Carvajal to win the 2024 award, only for Spain midfielder Rodri to take the prize.

“I did not think it had been his best year, although he won the European Championship with Spain. The previous year, when City won the Champions League, I think he would have deserved to win it,” Courtois said.

He added that “sometimes it is difficult to know how to vote for the Ballon d’Or”.

Turning to his future at Real Madrid, Courtois said he expects to finalise a contract extension soon. His current deal expires in June 2027, with an agreement for another year understood to be close.

“It is not finalised yet. In principle, it should be resolved quickly. There is no problem. We simply need to find time for my agent and my father to discuss the final details,” he explained.

“I want to stay here for a long time, and I am doing everything I can to make that happen,” he added.

Courtois will sign a new contract until 2028. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)

Courtois also revealed that he has been removed from the Belgium national team players’ WhatsApp group, following his decision to take a break from international football after the World Cup.

However, he played down the situation, explaining that he remains in contact with some team-mates and is hopeful of representing the Red Devils again.

“I have been kicked out of the players’ WhatsApp group. That group is used to communicate information, such as training details. There are a few messages from time to time, but not that many,” he said.

The goalkeeper expressed optimism about Belgium’s future under new head coach Mark van Bommel, the Dutchman who has taken charge of the national team.

“Everyone was fairly satisfied after the first international camp. The team is heading in the right direction, as is the coach. This national team has a great future,” Courtois said.

Having considered retiring from international football after the 2026 World Cup, Courtois explained that the positive atmosphere during the tournament changed his mind.

He also revealed that he had offered Van Bommel a compromise by making himself available to return to the national team in November. Courtois stressed that he does not expect guarantees of a starting place, once he returns.

“I have never reported for international duty assuming I would automatically play. I know my qualities and I know I can be important to the team,” he said.

“Nobody needs to guarantee me a starting place. If Senne Lammens, Maarten Vandevoordt or Mike Penders have worked hard and the coach prefers to play them, there is no problem. It does not bother me at all,” he added.

Matt Prater is one of the best NFL kickers viewers have had the privilege to watch for years. He maybe almost joined the Los Angeles Rams. Now, Prater has been in the league since 2006 so with that longevity comes experience, but age. Age equating to diminished performance can be the end of an NFL career.

Prater specialized as a long-distance kicker with the most 50+ yard field goals made in NFL history. Prime Prater with Sean McVay would’ve been a cheat code for points. McVay did somewhat have this type of kicker with Greg Zuerlein, he was great when he was great, but Prater was a bit better.

All that aside, the Rams are going with Brandon McManus.

You could say I buried the lede down here, but how desperate are the Rams for a kicker?

Very desperate. As their dream turned nightmare season rolls along.

“The Los Angeles Rams are signing veteran kicker Brandon McManus, their third kicker of the 2026 NFL season.

The move follows Blake Grupe’s torn ACL during Sunday’s 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.

McManus, 35, worked out Tuesday alongside free-agent kicker Matt Prater as Los Angeles addressed its special-teams problems.

The Rams are 2-4 after six games and hope the veteran can bring stability to the position.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport shared details of the agreement Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter, citing information gathered alongside fellow insider Mike Garafolo.“

“It doesn’t help that the Rams have already lost to the 49ers, too, so they can’t sweep San Francisco and clinch that tiebreaker in the event that they finish with the same record. They’ll have to finish with a better divisional record than the 49ers in that case, which seems unlikely considering San Francisco is 3-0 and the Rams are 0-2.

The Rams have to go on a run before their Week 11 bye. They’ve got four winnable games coming up, one of which is a rematch against the Cardinals in Week 10. Their other opponents are the Raiders, Chargers and Commanders, who are all at or below .500.“

“Cardinals veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne blasted LA via Instagram in a post that surfaced after the 18-16 victory.

He believes the Rams haven’t looked efficient on offense without LaFleur there.

“Them boys ain’t the same wit out LaFleur,” Bourne posted on his personal IG page.

LaFleur worked under McVay as offensive coordinator before accepting the Cardinals head coaching opening in the 2026 offseason. He became the latest past McVay OC to land a head coaching gig; following the path of brother Matt LaFleur, Zac Taylor, and Kevin O’Connell. The latter three have guided playoff runs or, in the case of the Cincinnati Bengals head coach Taylor, a Super Bowl appearance against the Rams in 2021.“

“The Los Angeles Rams made a trio of roster moves on Tuesday, all of which were expected. They placed Davante Adams and Poona Ford on injured reserve and signed kicker Brandon McManus to replace Blake Grupe.

Interestingly, they did not put Kobie Turner on IR yet, though Sean McVay said on Monday that the team will likely move him there at some point; he’s expected to miss a “handful of weeks,” as McVay put it.

Adams will be out 6-10 weeks with a ruptured hamstring, while Ford will miss the rest of the season with a torn triceps. Turner injured his groin in Sunday’s loss but McVay didn’t have an exact timetable for his return.“

“Last season, McManus ranked 43rd out 43 kickers as measured by FanSided’s Kick Value Added metric. he names directly above him? Ironically enough, LA’s Joshua Karty and Grupe. 

Hopefully McManus can keep those gargoyles at bay for as long as the Rams must rely on him. 

McManus did, at least, beat out an ancient Matt Prater in Tuesday’s audition. If you’re looking for more robust reassurance, well, there really isn’t any, but McManus was highly effective in 2024, his first Packers season.“

“Check out Nick Shook’s Power Rankings for Week 7 of the 2026 NFL Season.”

“While it is more than fair, and probably even encouraged, to laugh at the Rams right now, it would be silly to count them out entirely. Yes, they have been really bad and have had some key injuries, but they still have a lot of talent on the roster, and it would be surprising if head coach Sean McVay isn’t able to figure something out by the end of the season.

The Myles Garrett trade has not worked out as planned, and Davante Adams is going to be out for a while. But the Rams’ upcoming schedule is not especially scary, and if they get some of their guys back late in the season and start to peak for the playoffs, then they will definitely be a team no one wants to face in the playoffs.“

“The Washington Commanders most definitely make sense because of Thomas’ LSU connection with quarterback Jayden Daniels. However, there’s another club in the NFC that would make a push for him.

Like other teams that are dealing with injuries at receiver, Los Angeles would be a realistic landing spot for Brian Thomas Jr. While Puka Nacua is back in the fold after sitting out two contests with a groin and a core muscle injury, teammate Davante Adams will tentatively miss six to 10 games after sustaining a hamstring rupture. Brian Thomas Jr. would be a more than capable replacement, as Michel Haney at Ramblin Fan suggests. Here’s the skinny.“

“Here are five things to know about the Rams’ new kicker.

Before the Broncos went on a decade-long playoff drought that lasted after McManus’ departure, he won Super Bowl 50 with the team. During that playoff run, McManus hit all 10 field goal attempts and was perfect in point-after attempts.“

“Adams, 33, spent parts of three seasons with the Raiders after arriving in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers in 2022. He was traded to the New York Jets during the 2024 season before joining the Rams.

Sunday’s game would have marked his first appearance against the Raiders since leaving Las Vegas.

Adams had been one of the Rams’ most productive offensive players this season, catching 30 passes for 480 yards and four touchdowns through six games.

His absence is another significant setback for Los Angeles, which has struggled to a 2-4 start.“

“McManus is an experienced kicker in the NFL unlike Tanner whose glory came in the UFL. Rams obviously looking for someone with experience based off of who they brought in. I’ll go with the Rams in this one.”-TonyT828

Rookie wideouts have been the craze on the fantasy football waiver wire in recent weeks, with Germie Bernard and Omar Cooper Jr. emerging as enticing options for WR-needy teams. Bernard and Cooper are both viable additions, but if you're stuck between them, it's worth discussing their rest-of-season outlooks.

In this week's installment of our fantasy football mailbag, which questions are eating away at managers?

Note: Feel free to reach out to me on Twitterso I can answer your fantasy football questions in future articles.

All stats used in this article are from PFFor Sumer Sports unless stated otherwise. Fantasy rankings and fantasy point totals are courtesy of FantasyPros.

Bernard appeared in my Week 6 FAAB report as my favorite player to target on the waiver wire. The first-year WR on the Pittsburgh Steelers responded by finishing Week 6 as the WR3 in fantasy points (25.7) with 11 receptions, 87 yards, and a touchdown.

With Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson both on injured reserve for the Steelers, Bernard is primed to become a go-to target for Aaron Rodgers the rest of the season. DK Metcalf has also been extremely inefficient in 2026, making it a non-zero chance that Bernard is already the No. 1 WR in Pittsburgh.

As for Cooper, the first-round pick by the New York Jets produced a season-high 22.3 fantasy points to conclude Week 6 as the WR6. Even with Garrett Wilson operating as the Jets' featured wideout, Cooper led the team in targets (7), receptions (6), and receiving yards (103) on Sunday against the New England Patriots.

Although it's an extremely small sample, Cooper has the seventh-most yards after the catch per reception (7.3) and most yards per route run (4.59) among WRs with five-plus targets.

Between Bernard and Cooper, Bernard would be my preferred choice for the rest of the season. Cooper has to compete for targets with Wilson, and it remains to be seen what his role looks like once Adonai Mitchell returns and if rookie TE Kenyon Sadiq gets more involved.

Ahead of the New York Giants' matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, reports surfaced that Cam Skattebo could see an altered role amid his fumbling woes this season. Skattebo failed to record a snap in the loss to the Saints, while Najee Harris, Tyrone Tracy, and Devin Singletary handled the backfield workload.

However, the Giants have since released Harris, and head coach John Harbaugh indicated that he wouldn't rule out Skattebo being back in the mix moving forward. With all of that in mind, are any of the New York RBs worth rostering?

If I were to guess how the backfield shakes out now, it would be Skattebo getting the short-yardage role and Tracy earning the passing and third-down snaps. Even with that being the case, managers shouldn't be clamoring to add any of the RBs on the Giants.

Regardless of who has carried the ball, the Giants are 26th in rushing EPA (-0.19) and rushing success rate (34.6%) in 2026.

Instead of writing a novel about each notable WR who was recently injured and talking about which players to target in their absence, I'll highlight each one and create a bulleted list of which players to prioritize on their respective teams (in order).

Davante Adams (Leaves behind a 20.2% target share, valuable red-zone role)

• Tyler Higbee
• Terrance Ferguson
• Konata Mumpfield
• Colby Parkinson

Terry McLaurin (Leaves behind a 13.2-yard aDOT, valuable downfield role)

• Antonio Williams
• Treylon Burks
• Chig Okonkwo
• Dyami Brown

Mike Evans (Leaves behind a 23.5% target share and clear No. 1 WR role on the 49ers)

• Christian Kirk
• Brandin Cooks
• Jordan Watkins
• Jacob Cowing

Hopefully everyone's fantasy football squads enjoy plenty of success in Week 7!

• Week 7 WR/TE Target Report and Fantasy Football Value: Is Isaiah Likely a Top-3 TE? Is Matthew Golden a WR1?
• Dak Prescott & DK Metcalf Among the Biggest Fantasy Football Sits for Week 7
• Week 7 RB Usage Report: Backfield Shifts & Fantasy Football Impact for Kendre Miller, TreVeyon Henderson, and More!
• Tre Tucker, Marvin Harrison Jr., and 6 Other Must-Sit Wide Receivers in Week 7 Fantasy Football

This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Week 7 Fantasy Football Mailbag: Is Germie Bernard or Omar Cooper Jr. Better for the Rest of the Season?.