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Michael Carrick has acknowledged that Manchester United still need to strengthen their squad during the current transfer window, but insists they will not spend at the level of their Premier League rivals.United have so far spent around 85 million to secure Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow. However, after another summer of heavy spending elsewhere, they remain the only Premier League big six side never to have broken the 100 million threshold on a player.Midfield additions were necessary following Casemiros departure as United seek to build adequate squad depth ahead of their return to the Champions League, and Carrick is pleased to have strengthened in this area."I think weve done really good business and weve got really some top, top, top players," Carrick said at Uniteds pre-season training camp in the Republic of Ireland."Were delighted with that. We always want to improve. We want more, we need more, we keep looking for how we can do that. That never stops."Man United have signed Youri Tielemans (PA Wire)Meanwhile, rivals continue spending heavily with Chelsea buying Morgan Rogers for 117 million, Manchester City signing Elliott Anderson for 116 million, and Tottenham securing Sandro Tonali in a deal potentially reaching 100 million."Moneys money, I get that," Carrick said. "Its still about the football, and thats where the competition lies."Certainly the situation is what it is as well, whether thats finances or whatever. For now, weve got to make the most of it, but weve got to keep pushing and push everything and every boundary that we can to be able to win again."Asked why United were not matching rivals' spending, Carrick added: "To be honest, I havent got the answers for that. Were working with pushing everything that we can to make the best of it."Marcus Rashford is back with United this week after returning from the World Cup. Barcelona opted against exercising their option to buy the 28-year-old England winger following last season's loan, leaving questions over his long-term future despite Carrick talking up his reintegration.When asked directly if the winger was for sale, Carrick said: "Hes our player, and hes a good player and he gives us something a little bit different in the group.Carrick feels Marcus Rashford has plenty to offer (PA Wire)"Marcus can offer us so much. He has done, and he can do again, so in that respect its quite exciting."This summer a number of Carricks players have expressed belief they can challenge for what would be a 21st league title, and first since 2013, next season. While that is positive news for the manager, he was far less forceful himself."Weve definitely got the potential to achieve something really special," he said. "Im not hiding from the fact, and we should aim to do that, but I cant give you a definite answer on that. Its certainly what were pushing to do because we have to, because thats the club we are."Carrick originally took the job on an interim basis in January following Ruben Amorims exit, before signing a two-year contract in May. The 45-year-old insisted he was not worried about whether a longer-term deal meant he might now be judged differently."Im not fussed," he said. "Doesnt bother me anyway. Im just going about trying to win and trying to do the right thing for the football club."

Celtics Legend Issues 'Scary' Jaylen Brown Warning After 76ers Trade originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Rajon Rondo is high on the Philadelphia 76ers' potential.The Boston Celtics legend appeared on the latest episode of the Road Trippin' podcast and shared his thoughts on the new-look 76ers.Rondo called LeBron James' decision to join the 76ers a "brilliant move" and gushed about Tyrese Maxey, who he believes is "arguably the best young point guard in the game.""LeBron is like the king on the chessboard," Rondo, who won a championship alongside James in Los Angeles, said. "He has all the right pieces to make the right moves. We all know he's one of the greatest basketball minds to play the game. If you give him these types of pieces to play with, I'm an early bet with them being the favorites to win in my book.""You've got the combination of the hunger, the combination of wanting to prove something," he added. "A lot of people talk bad about obviously JB [Jaylen Brown], Bron, [Joel] Embiid. You've got a nice combination of guys that have a lot of fuel in the fire left to prove something this year."If they get to the playoffs healthy, with Bron on the court, the player he is... they got a great chance to get it done.MORE:NBA Insider Reveals $2 Million Reason Celtics Won't Make Splashy TradeRondo had more to say about Brown in particular, too."A pissed-off Jaylen Brown," Rondo said. "The disrespect he's had throughout the summer. When you get players in that type of mode, or they're coming off the season like he had he's got so much to prove. It's going to be scary for the league."Brown is coming off a career year. In 71 games with the Celtics, he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.0 steal while shooting 47.7 percent from the field.Brown earned his fifth All-Star selection and his second All-NBA selection, and he finished sixth in MVP voting.Those numbers and accolades haven't stopped some from questioning how valuable Brown actually is.Given how everything has gone down, Brown could enter the 2026-27 season with a chip on his shoulder exactly the type of player Rondo believes could be "scary" for the rest of the league.More CelticsLatest CelticsnewsTD Garden fan guide: What to know before you goComplete history of Celticschampionships

Los Angeles, CA - March 20: Lakers president and controlling owner Jeanie Buss, attends a game between the Lakers and the Bucks at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesFor now, Jeanie Buss role with the Los Angeles Lakers seems intact as the teams Governor.Shortly after agreeing to purchase Mark Walters majority ownership shares for $12.5 billion, former Disney CEO Bob Iger addressed directly whether he and co-owner Joshua Kushner will honor Buss agreement that she remains the Lakers governor for at least the next five years.We have enormous respect and appreciation for Jeanie, her father and what theyve contributed to this franchise, Iger told the California Post. And we have every intention to honor the agreement that was made between Mark and Jeanie. If things change, theyll change, but were going into this with enormous respect and appreciation for who she is and what she represents in the organization.Meanwhile, Buss outlined her public support for the Lakers new ownership group by quote tweeting Lakers star Luka Doni. Then, Doni wrote on X that being a Laker means everything to me, and Im excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA. Doni then addressed the fact that he has played for three different ownership groups with the Lakers since they unexpectedly acquired him from the Dallas Mavericks in the middle of the 2024-25 season.Ive gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise, Doni wrote. I look forward to meeting with Josh and Bob so we can get back to work building something special in LA together.Buss then wrote in a separate post, Perfectly said. But will this new arrangement yield a perfect partnership? Too early to say. Iger did offer a qualifier saying that If things change, theyll change. Initially, though, theres a strong belief that Buss role would stay the same as it would have under Walter. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 21: Jeanie Buss (L) and Mark Walter attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena on October 21, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)Getty ImagesFirst, the transaction technically hasnt been finalized. The NBA has to approve the sale at the next Board of Governors meeting in New York sometime next month. As the Lakers Governor, Buss will represent the Lakers at that meeting. She has held that role ever since her father, Dr. Jerry Buss, died in 2013. Before, she attended such meetings as the Lakers main person in charge. She wont be there this time, however, in an ambassador role. She will be needed to guide the Lakers during their transition period.Iger has a close relationship with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stemmed from his role with Disney. Disney has been one of the NBAs key broadcast partners with ABC and ESPN. Iger also helped advise how the NBA could resume its 2019-20 season in a quarantined bubble outside of the Disney campuses near Orlando, Florida during the coronavirus pandemic. But Buss has obviously worked more closely with Silver on league matters. When the NBA approved that the Buss family would sell their majority ownership shares to Walter for $10 billion in Oct. 2025, the league announced then that Jeanie would stay as the Lakers governor for at least the next five years. The NBA doesnt directly influence how teams manage their organizations, including their ownership staffs. But the NBA would like to ensure organizational stability since all 30 NBA teams share its total basketball-related revenue to ensure league-wide parity. Once Walter purchased the Lakers, Buss role certainly changed. Before, Before her fathers passing, Jeanie oversaw the Lakers business operations. After Jerrys passing, his son, Jim, became in charge of the Lakers basketball operations. But Jeanie eventually fired Jim and thwarted a lawsuit in 2027 amid her dissatisfaction with his role in the teams unsuccessful free-agent signings during the teams worst-stretch in franchise history. Since then, Buss did directly dictate how the teams front office constructs their coaching staff and roster. But she remained deliberative with budgeting on head coaches, players and team support staff partly since the Lakers served as the Buss familys sole revenue stream. Generally, the Lakers spent lavishly spent on superstars and high-impact players and absorbed luxury tax penalties. The Lakers were more deliberate with role players, head coaches and support staff. Although never perfect, the Lakers sought to strike a healthy balance between spending to ensure a championship-caliber team and staying budget-conscious on priorities that may not significantly alter the teams title chances. Walter, who oversees Guggenheim Group with ownership stakes with the Dodgers and Sparks, did not have such spending constraints. The Lakers had expanded the teams front offices, business staff and other support staff, while also laying off various employees. The Lakers also pursued new sponsorship deals and relocated their G League team to the Palm Springs area. Jeanie Buss still remained a valuable resource for her business relationships in Los Angeles and in the NBA. But she longer dictated the majority of decisions. Under Iger and Kushner, Jeanies role initially appears to be similar. In the short term, Jeanies role likely becomes more important with familiarizing both Iger and Kushner with the NBA landscape and consulting them on their direction. In the long term, Iger left that open-ended. Even though new ownership groups inevitably yields to changes, it initially appears more likely that could affect how they evaluate the front office and support staff as well as pursue any initiatives. Although Buss has operated most comfortably under people that she knows well, she has also received praise for how her soft skills and how she collaborates. Given her personality and background, it wouldnt be surprising if the the Lakers new ownership group lean on her even after the initial transition. This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The Ravens appear to have avoided significant injuries to two of the most important players in their secondary.Head coach Jesse Minter said Thursday that cornerbacks Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey are progressing well and could return to practice at some point next week. Both players will miss Baltimores preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night, but neither injury is expected to cause an extended absence.Got good reports on both of them, Minter said. Both trending well, hopefully, to get back at some point next week. Both relatively small things, so thats certainly positive.Wiggins was carted off the practice field Tuesday after suffering a lower-body injury while covering rookie wide receiver JaKobi Lane during a one-on-one drill. The scene created immediate concern because Wiggins is expected to serve as Baltimores top matchup cornerback and enter the conversation among the NFLs best players at his position. Subsequent testing revealed no structural damage, and Minters latest update provided additional reassurance that Wiggins should not miss significant time.Got good reports on both of them. Head Coach Jesse Minter with status updates on Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey pic.twitter.com/ZVrsbB0WIm Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 13, 2026Humphrey left Wednesdays practice early after breaking up a deep pass intended for Lane. His departure came one day after Wiggins was injured, briefly leaving Baltimore without its top two cornerbacks. Humphrey had been enjoying one of his strongest stretches of training camp before the injury, with Minter praising the veterans recent practices and continued adjustment to the defense.The Ravens have enough cornerback depth to proceed cautiously. Chidobe Awuzie gives Baltimore another experienced starter, while T.J. Tampa, Keyon Martin and rookie Chandler Rivers should receive valuable opportunities against Philadelphia. Tampa, in particular, has strengthened his case for a larger role with several productive practices.The Ravens will begin joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings next week, although Minter did not guarantee either player would participate. For now, the expectation that both cornerbacks could return soon qualifies as welcome news after two concerning departures in consecutive practices.This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens get encouraging injury updates on Nate Wiggins, Marlon Humphrey

Birmingham City finished 10th in the Championship under Chris Davies last season [Getty Images]Birmingham City head coach Chris Davies says that Blues' away form last season is a "glaring" issue that must be rectified if they are to stand any chance of winning promotion for the second time in three seasons.Blues finished 10th in the Championship in 2025-26, nine points shy of sixth-placed and ultimately promoted Hull City in the play-off places, a full 20 behind Ipswich Town, who went up in second, and 31 adrift of champions Coventry City.In going up as League One champions in Davies's first season at the helm in 2024-25, Blues were unbeaten at home (19 wins and four draws) and only lost three times on the road, picking up 50 away points out of a possible 69.But after averaging over two points per away game in the third tier, performances dipped markedly last term, as they averaged less than a point per game away, collecting just 20 points (five wins, five draws and 13 defeats) - out of a possible 69."We had an opportunity this summer to reflect and ask what we needed to get better at," Davies told BBC Radio WM."We can't say our objective is promotion because that's obvious - everyone in the Championship wants to get promoted."The home form has been excellent. What did we need to really focus on? And the away form was pretty glaring. We need to score more goals and keep a few more clean sheets."Marvin Ducksch was Birmingham's top scorer on their away travels in 2025-26, hitting four of his side's 18 goals in 23 Championship games [Shutterstock]Only two other Championship sides - Stoke City (17) and bottom club Sheffield Wednesday (15) - scored less away goals than the 18 managed in 23 games by Blues last season. One of those 18 was an own goal and another a penalty, Jay Stansfield's injury-time spot-kick equaliser when Blues won their first away outing of the season 2-1 at Preston - the 2024-25 top scorer's only away strike of the campaign.But after ending last season with two encouraging 1-1 draws at Hull and Portsmouth, Blues have started this term positively by winning 1-0 in the League Cup at Swansea.Before this Saturday's televised opener against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane (17:30 BST), Davies points to an improved tactical approach on their travels at the end of last season, beginning with a narrow but spirited defeat at Ipswich. "The last three away games gave us a template," he said. "If you add in Swansea, we've drawn two, won one and should have got something at Ipswich. "There was a change - I basically took out that slower build-up around our box. I didn't want to change everything and say 'now we need to sit back, defend, hang on and try to break away'. I still don't feel that's the way to go. "I want to us to keep putting pressure on the opposition, but I want us to get the ball forward quicker and use our set-pieces and counter-attacks more. "There were so many games where, on many metrics, we outplayed an opposition, but it was pretty embarrassing to even suggest that after a game because you might have lost 1-0 or 2-1. We didn't look a threat, yet we did a lot of good things. "Other managers said that, for the first two-thirds, we're as good as you get in terms of movement patterns and the structure is really hard to stop, but we run out of punch in that final third."In the Swansea game, they had more possession than us, but we had more box threat. It was a tight game that could have been 1-1 or 1-0 to them, but we won. There's no chance last season that we get anywhere near that. We probably lose that match."We scored 57 goals last season and if we're going to push on and make that next step, that needs to be 70-plus. That's a lot of goals, set-pieces. We need to be clinical."Blues head coach Chris Davies on BBC Radio WM'No loyalty to a style of football'Bringing in new additions has been harder because of the World Cup and Blues have so far added only three actual new signings - Anderlecht striker Luis Vasquez, Middlesbrough defender Dael Fry and Palermo left-back Kristoffer Lund.They have also signed midfielder Jhon Solis, who was on loan last season, on a permanent basis and re-signed Brighton keeper James Beadle on loan. But there could be more to come - with Davies highlighting Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Osman as another of last season's signings they would have liked to have back."He gave us a real thrust and he had killer pace. He could really scare a defender, take you up the pitch and be dangerous. "We just need to make sure that for all of our good bits of play, we can score goals."We're working hard. We know exactly what we need. We don't need quantity, we just need quality."I've got no loyalty to a style of football. I don't care how it looks. I don't care what people say. I want to win and I've got to work out the best way to do that. That's my job."Chris Davies was talking to BBC Radio WM sports editor Richard WilfordAll the latest Birmingham City news

  According to the latest report published by Data Bridge Market Research, the Food Salt Market  CAGR Value The global food salt market size was valued at USD 35.02 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 43.68 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 2.80% during the forecast period A comprehensive Food Salt Market research report offers...