Former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has ruled out a return to Portuguese football, paving the way for Fulham boss Marco Silva to reportedly reach an agreement in principle with Benfica.

Amorim’s representatives, AS1 Sports, released a definitive statement confirming the 44-year-old intends to pursue his next managerial role abroad.

The Portuguese coach had been heavily linked with the impending vacancy at the Estadio da Luz.

Current Benfica manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly set to depart the club after agreeing a blockbuster return to Real Madrid.

Amorim’s agency dismisses speculation

Rumours regarding a return to his homeland intensified due to a close friendship with Benfica president Rui Costa, who served as sporting director during the manager’s playing days.

However, his agency categorically denied that any meetings regarding working conditions, squad structure or salaries have taken place.

“Ruben Amorim made the decision a long time ago to pursue his career abroad,” the statement read.
“Therefore, he has not had any meetings with Portuguese clubs to discuss working conditions… anything said beyond this is mere speculation and has no basis with reality.”

Silva poised for Lisbon switch

With the former Sporting boss officially withdrawing from consideration, attention in the Portuguese capital has shifted to Craven Cottage.

Marco Silva is believed to have prioritised a return to his native country over extending his current stay in London.

The Fulham head coach has guided the Whites since 2021, establishing them as a highly competitive force in the English top flight.

Despite previously expressing his affection for the Premier League, Silva recently admitted to DAZN Portugal that he has never closed the door on a fresh challenge.

Life after Old Trafford

Amorim arrived in England with a stellar reputation but endured a turbulent 14-month tenure before being dismissed by the Old Trafford hierarchy in January.

Following his departure, the Red Devils have experienced a marked improvement in form under the guidance of interim boss Michael Carrick.

The former England midfielder is now widely expected to be handed the reins on a permanent basis following a highly successful spell in temporary charge.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters will stage a major protest against the club’s hierarchy following Sunday’s crucial Premier League finale against Everton, regardless of whether the team avoids relegation.

The demonstration by the fan group Change for Tottenham underscores widespread dissatisfaction following a calamitous campaign that leaves the team fighting for top-flight survival.

Currently sitting 17th in the table and just two points above the drop zone, the world’s ninth-richest football club faces the genuine prospect of a first relegation in 49 years.

Fans demand accountability after final whistle

In a statement released ahead of the vital home fixture, organisers urged the fanbase to maintain strict unity while the game is being played.

“This Sunday, for 90 minutes, we need to get behind the team. Nothing else matters.”

The group made it clear that their focus will immediately shift to the ownership once the match concludes.

“When the final whistle blows, regardless of the result, we need to stand up to the board for putting us in this perilous position.”

Campaigners hold chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, director of football Johan Lange, and the Lewis family’s ENIC ownership group primarily responsible for the current turmoil.

Managerial carousel and leadership vacuum

Systemic issues off the pitch have deeply frustrated supporters since Daniel Levy departed his role as chairman last September after a 24-year tenure.

The North London outfit have subsequently endured three different head coaches, a 15-match winless streak, and a club-record six consecutive league defeats.

Thomas Frank was sacked in February after recording the worst win rate of any permanent manager, while interim successor Igor Tudor lost five of his seven matches in charge.

The recent appointment of Roberto De Zerbi has sparked a noticeable improvement within an injury-ravaged squad, but the Italian’s transformative impact may have come too late.

Defeat to the Toffees, coupled with a West Ham victory over Leeds United, would condemn the historic club to second-tier football next season.

Brazil forward Neymar has suffered a minor calf injury just days after being named in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

The 34-year-old sustained the issue while playing for boyhood club Santos.

It comes only three weeks before the tournament gets underway across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

However, the club’s medical department expects the veteran attacker to recover in time to join his national teammates next week.

“Neymar has a minor calf injury, an edema,” said Santos head of medical Rodrigo Zogaib.

“But, according to our planning, his progress will allow him to be fit next week when he will join up with the national team.”

Return from long-term absence

The former Paris St-Germain star has not featured for his country since suffering a severe anterior cruciate ligament injury in October 2023.

This upcoming tournament represents what is likely his final opportunity to secure a major international honour with the five-time world champions.

Chelsea striker waits on standby

Should the Santos talisman fail to recover, Chelsea forward Joao Pedro is expected to be first in line as a replacement.

The 24-year-old was controversially omitted from the final 26-man selection despite a stellar debut season in London.

Pedro netted 20 goals for the Blues this term, prompting Ancelotti to publicly acknowledge the difficulty of leaving him behind.

“For the season he had in Europe, he probably deserved to be on this list, but unfortunately we chose another player,” Ancelotti explained.

“I feel very sorry for Joao Pedro and all the others.”

Mohamed Salah has been named captain of Egypt’s preliminary 27-man squad for this summer’s World Cup in North America.

The 33-year-old attacker will lead his nation after a remarkable nine-year tenure at Liverpool concludes at the end of the current season.

He approaches the prestigious tournament boasting an exceptional international record, having netted 67 goals in 115 appearances for the Pharaohs.

Youth and experience combined

Head coach Hossam Hassan has elected to include uncapped 18-year-old prodigy Hamza Abdelkarim, who currently features for Barcelona Under-19s.

Manchester City winger Omar Marmoush is also selected to bolster the attacking options for the African side.

However, Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed has been surprisingly omitted from the initial selection.

Hassan must trim his roster by one player to meet the strict Fifa-mandated 26-man limit.

Crucial preparation fixtures

The final squad cut will occur following a warm-up friendly against Russia in Cairo on 28 May.

The North African nation will then travel to the United States to face Brazil in a high-profile Cleveland exhibition on 6 June.

Egypt are drawn into Group G for the expanded 48-team competition hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Their group stage campaign begins against Belgium on 15 June, followed by pivotal clashes with New Zealand and Iran.

Full preliminary squad

Captain Harry Kane believes the current England squad is capable of ending a 60-year wait for World Cup glory when they travel to North America this summer.

The 32-year-old will lead his country into the tournament hoping to become the first Englishman to lift the famous trophy since Bobby Moore in 1966.

Following back-to-back European Championship final defeats under Sir Gareth Southgate, the Three Lions qualified comfortably for the global showpiece under new manager Thomas Tuchel.

With standout talents such as Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice thriving, the national team skipper feels they enter the competition as genuine contenders.

“I think our squad is as good as we’ve ever had,” Kane said.

“When you look at the starting XI and the players coming off the bench, we’re going into the tournament as one of the favourites.”

Evolving into a complete forward

The former Tottenham Hotspur marksman heads into his third World Cup on the back of a stellar season in Germany.

He has scored an astonishing 58 goals in 50 appearances across all competitions for Bayern Munich.

Despite winning his first Premier League Golden Boot a decade ago, the prolific forward insists his overall game has significantly evolved.

“I’m at a stage of my career where I’m definitely a different player from what I was 10 years ago,” he explained.

“I’ve developed my game by dropping into those deeper spaces and linking up play.”

“I feel like a much more complete footballer, and honestly, I think I am playing the best football of my career right now.”

Closing in on Lineker’s milestone

Beyond team success, another significant personal milestone remains firmly in the veteran striker’s sights.

He currently requires just three more goals to surpass Gary Lineker as England’s all-time record scorer at the World Cup.

Lineker holds the current benchmark with 10 goals on the sport’s biggest stage.

“Gary was an incredible striker for England, and to achieve 10 World Cup goals is impressive,” added Kane.

“Personal milestones are, of course, a motivator.”

Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff home run and pitched five scoreless innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 4-0 victory over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Wednesday.

The result allowed the visitors to win the series against their bitter rivals.

It also extended their advantage in the National League West to one and a half games.

Historic dual-threat performance

Starting a game as both the leadoff batter and the starting pitcher is a rare feat in baseball history.

Hitting a home run to open the game while also taking the mound is something no other player had ever achieved before Ohtani.

The Japanese international has now accomplished this unique double twice in his career.

Pitching through five innings, the two-way superstar retired the first nine batters in order before facing difficulty.

“The results were good, as you saw, but the process wasn’t that great,” he admitted through an interpreter.

Overcoming mid-game challenges

His velocity dropped slightly in the fourth inning as San Diego loaded the bases with just one out.

However, an 88th-pitch sweeper to Fernando Tatis Jr forced an inning-ending double play to escape the jam.

Despite recording his shortest start of the season, his earned run average dropped to a remarkable 0.73.

Only legendary left-hander Fernando Valenzuela has posted a lower mark through his first eight starts of a Dodgers season, achieving the feat in 1981.

Workload management remains a priority

To preserve his fitness, Los Angeles management had previously kept their marquee player out of the batting lineup on days he pitched.

The rotation was adjusted this week to allow him to bat on Wednesday, knowing a scheduled rest day followed on Thursday.

“I think it’s just another case in point that it’s good for us to be mindful of the workload and just not take that for granted,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

“But he’s still pretty special and got through it.”

George Russell heads to the Canadian Grand Prix under mounting pressure to reignite his Formula 1 world championship challenge after Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli’s run of three successive victories.

The 28-year-old Briton returns to action in Montreal trailing the Italian teenager by 20 points at the top of the standings.

This weekend marks the start of a crucial phase in the 2026 season, with seven races scheduled over the next 10 weeks before the August summer break.

Shifting momentum at Mercedes

Russell began the new regulatory era as the overwhelming favourite to claim his maiden world title.

He immediately justified that status by taking pole position and the race victory at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The momentum remained with the experienced driver when he triumphed in the China Sprint race, again starting from the front of the grid.

However, the championship pendulum has swung dramatically towards his younger garage companion since that early success.

Can experience overcome youth?

A technical problem during main qualifying in China restricted Russell to a single run, opening the door for Antonelli to secure his first career pole position.

That misfortune was followed by a troubled weekend in Miami, allowing the 19-year-old to complete a hat-trick of wins and seize the championship initiative.

Despite the current deficit, Russell can draw confidence from his dominant performance against the same team-mate last year.

During his team-mate’s rookie campaign, Russell outqualified him 21-3 and comprehensively outscored him by 319 points to 150.

With Mercedes widely recognised as the dominant force under the new regulations, their intra-team battle is poised to dictate the destination of the world championship.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points on Wednesday as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 122-113 to level the Western Conference finals at 1-1.

The league MVP produced a commanding response following a subdued performance in the opening game of the series.

His crucial offensive display ensured the defending champions avoided falling into a perilous 2-0 deficit on home court.

Thunder bench makes the difference

While the 26-year-old guard spearheaded the attack, the hosts relied heavily on their supporting cast to secure the vital victory.

Oklahoma City’s second unit outscored their Texan counterparts by a staggering 57-25 margin.

Alex Caruso contributed 17 points off the bench, while rookies Jared McCain and Cason Wallace each added 12 points.

Isaiah Hartenstein also made a significant impact with 10 points and 13 rebounds after barely featuring in the series opener.

“The guys brought it tonight. Knowing what it would have meant if we lost this one, we brought the energy from the jump.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Wembanyama effort falls short

San Antonio trailed by 11 points at half-time but mounted a fierce comeback effort in the closing stages of the contest.

A corner three-pointer from Harrison Barnes reduced the deficit to just two points with nine minutes remaining.

However, the home side responded with a decisive 11-0 run to regain a comfortable double-digit advantage and effectively seal the game.

Victor Wembanyama produced a spectacular individual performance for the visitors, recording 21 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and four blocks.

The French superstar was supported by Stephon Castle, who registered a team-high 25 points, alongside Devin Vassell with 22.

The pivotal third game of the series will take place on Friday when the contest shifts to San Antonio.