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Islanders bringing in divisive DeAngelo for season
Tony DeAngelo is back in the NHL, signing with the New York Islanders for the rest of the 2024-25 season.
The contract, announced Friday, is for the league minimum salary of $775,000 and is prorated for the remaining games of the season.
The 29-year-old defenseman started the season with SKA Saint Petersburg of Russia's KHL, signing with the club in the offseason after not finding an NHL opportunity in free agency. He had 32 points and 33 penalty minutes in 34 games. SKA announced a mutual termination of his contract Jan. 14 for what the team said were family considerations in North America.
As a player returning to the NHL, DeAngelo needs to clear waivers before playing his first game with the Islanders.
The Islanders recently lost top offensive defenseman Noah Dobson to a lower-body injury. Dobson, who has 24 points in 46 games, is considered week-to-week.
DeAngelo is considered an offensive defenseman. He has 210 points in 371 career NHL games.
The Islanders are DeAngelo's fifth NHL team. He was drafted 19th overall in 2014 by the Tampa Bay Lightning, who traded him to Arizona in 2016. After his rookie season with the Coyotes, he was traded to the New York Rangers, where he spent the majority of his career (167 games) and had his best offensive season in 2019-20 with 53 points in 68 games. His time with the Rangers ended after a physical altercation between DeAngelo and goalie Alexandar Georgiev in January 2021.
He signed as a free agent with the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2021 offseason and was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers one year later. The Flyers attempted to trade him back to the Hurricanes in 2023, but the deal violated the collective bargaining agreement; instead, they bought out the last year of his contract. He re-signed with the Hurricanes for the 2023-24 season and played 31 games, having been a healthy scratch for multiple games.
DeAngelo's outspoken nature in interviews and on social media has made him one of hockey's most divisive players among fans for his views on politics and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2014, while playing junior hockey for the Sarnia Sting, DeAngelo was suspended twice for violating the Ontario Hockey League's abuse/diversity policy. That included an eight-game suspension for "a most inappropriate statement to a teammate."
Kyle Walker has completed a move from Manchester City to AC Milan after the two clubs agreed terms, the teams announced on Friday.
Walker has joined the Italian side on loan until the end of the season. Milan also have an option to make the move permanent in the summer, but there is no obligation built into the agreement.
The 34-year-old England defender has a contract at City until 2026 but has not featured for the team since the 4-1 win over West Ham on Jan. 4.
He wrote a farewell post to City on Instagram after the transfer was confirmed.
"Manchester City ... where do I start?," Walker wrote. "Signing for this incredible club in 2017 was a dream come true. Seven years later, winning 17 trophies, including the Champions League and the famous treble is something I could only have dreamt as a child.
"To play alongside so many talented players has pushed me to be the best version of myself, and I'm truly grateful for the opportunity I've had at the Etihad. A huge thank you to so many people, the coaching staff, the kit men and all the backroom staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes. You make every day enjoyable and provide the platform for us to perform at our best.
"To my teammates, from the moment I walked through the door I felt at home. Thank you for the great memories and for all the success we have shared together. You are friends, but also family for life. To Pep Guardiola, thank you for believing in me and working so hard to bring me here in 2017.
"Lastly, to the fans -- thank you for embracing me as one of your own from day one. Your unwavering support, week in, week out, home and away, will never be forgotten."
Walker's departure leaves Guardiola short of recognised right-backs despite the signing of two new defenders this month.
Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens and 19-year-old Vitor Reis from Palmeiras have both joined City in the January window.
Walker's move to Milan ends any chance that Marcus Rashford will end up at San Siro.
Milan had expressed interest in Rashford, but Serie A rules around the signing of non-EU players means that any chance of a deal materialising is dead.
Walker leaves City having won six Premier League titles and the Champions League following his move from Tottenham in 2017.
Arsenal and Manchester City are battling to sign teenage midfielder Sverre Nypan from Rosenborg, sources have told ESPN.
Mikel Arteta's team are in talks with the 18-year-old over a possible deal with the club viewing him as a first-team squad addition despite his relative inexperience, the sources added.
Nypan has played just 56 times for Rosenborg but emerged as one of Norway's brightest prospects, operating primarily as a No. 8 or a No. 10.
Sources have told ESPN that Nypan's representatives are also due to meet with City, who view him as a signing for the City Football Group. That would likely mean him joining one of their sister clubs on loan should a deal be agreed.
No final decision has been made on his future and no agreement has yet been reached with any club, sources confirmed.
Should Arsenal prove successful in their pursuit of Nypan, it would cast further doubt over the futures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey with both players out of contract at the end of the season.
Nypan's arrival in addition to the likely signing of Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad -- talks are at an advanced stage over a transfer which would see Zubimendi move this summer -- would reshape the midfield department and ensure Arsenal were in a strong position to allow both Jorginho and Partey to leave should they wish.
Speaking earlier on Friday, Arsenal boss Arteta reiterated his desire to bring in an attacking player this month following long-term injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.
"If we can get the right player, that's why we are actively looking at it," he said. "Any player, no. Someone that makes us better and has an impact in the team.
"It is clear that in the period that we lost them, ideally we need some help. We were short already and now we are even shorter. The team still copes with that. We have to do what is right for the club."
City have already made three signings this month with Pep Guardiola confirming on Friday that Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and forward Omar Marmoush are all eligible to face Chelsea at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Austin FC announced the acquisition Friday of Albania forward Myrto Uzuni for a club-record transfer fee.
Multiple reports put the price tag at $12.3 million to acquire the 29-year-old from Spain's second-division Granada CF.
Uzuni joins Austin as a designated player on a guaranteed three-year contract with an option for 2028.
"One of the main reasons I want to join Austin FC is the ambition that Anthony Precourt and Rodolfo Borrell have for this team, which matches my own ambition always to succeed with a winning mentality," said Uzuni, who will wear the No. 10 jersey.
"I can tell Austin fans that I will do everything in my power to score goals and help the team push toward achieving our objectives. I'm coming here to break records."
Uzuni tallied 49 goals and eight assists in 106 matches with Granada over the past three seasons, including 14 goals in 18 league matches this season.
"Myrto has shown himself to be a prolific goalscorer in every team and league where he has previously played," said Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell.
"His high work rate during games, finishing ability, ambition, determination, and versatility to be able to play both centrally and in the wide areas will all be big assets. We're very excited to have him join."
Since turning pro in 2013, Uzuni has accumulated 126 goals and 42 assists over 322 matches in Albania, Croatia, Hungary and Spain. Internationally, he has five goals and seven assists in 38 caps with Albania.
The transfer fee breaks the previous club record of a reported $10 million set earlier this offseason to acquire Brandon Vasquez from Mexico's CF Monterrey.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has compared forward Cole Palmer's influence on the team to that of Premier League top scorer Mohamed Salah's on Liverpool.
Palmer joined the west London club from Manchester City in September 2023 and has been their standout performer since, scoring 22 league goals last term under Mauricio Pochettino and adding 14 more to that tally this season, along with six assists.
Salah, meanwhile, sits atop the league's scoring chart this campaign having contributed 18 goals and 13 assists to help Arne Slot's Liverpool establish a six-point gap at the top of the league with a game in hand.
Maresca said, however, that it was not just Palmer's efficiency in the final third that make comparisons to the Egypt international pertinent, but his willingness to compete in challenging situations.
"He [Palmer] is improving a lot but not just in terms of numbers of goals and assists," Maresca said in his news conference on Friday. "The second half against Wolves for me was one of the best moments since I arrived here. He was showing personality, he was asking for the ball in any moment that the team needed it.
"Liverpool when they have some [tough] moments, Salah is asking for the ball. Arsenal when they have some problem, [Martin] Ødegaard is asking for the ball.
"We need that kind of player when we are in some difficult moments, who is turning to his teammates and saying: 'Give me the ball, don't worry, I will be in charge.'
"This kind of personality that we have to show in a difficult moments. Against Wolves in the second half he was top."
Chelsea take on City at Etihad Stadium on Saturday in a rematch of both teams' opening game of the season -- a game that Pep Guardiola's team won 2-0 -- and Maresca said that despite Palmer's irrepressible form since moving to the capital, his former club will have few regrets.
"Having so many options there I think it was difficult for Pep to give Cole minutes," Maresca said.
"No one at City was thinking that Cole was not good enough. Everyone was sure that he is a top player.
"The problem was that if Cole played then Phil Foden has not to play, or [Kevin] De Bruyne. It's a matter of balance and a matter of decisions."
Chelsea head into the clash in fourth place in the Premier League, two points ahead of City in fifth.
Manchester United have asked to be kept informed of developments regarding Christopher Nkunku's future, a source has told ESPN, while Chelsea continue to weigh-up a formal move for Alejandro Garnacho.
Garnacho's future at Old Trafford is in doubt amid interest from Chelsea and Napoli. United's financial position means that, although they've been clear that they are not trying to force Garnacho out, they are willing to listen to offers.
A source has told ESPN that the 20-year-old's preference is to join Chelsea if he has to leave United.
Nkunku is open to leaving Stamford Bridge this month and has been the subject of interest from Bayern Munich. Chelsea would likely need a replacement if the Frenchman does leave and have been linked with Bayern striker Mathys Tel.
United looked at Nkunku during his spell at RB Leipzig. He moved to Chelsea in 2023 but has struggled with injuries.
He has scored 16 goals in 42 games for the Premier League side and has often been used as an understudy to Nicolas Jackson this season.
Most of Nkunku's minutes this season have come in the UEFA Conference League and he has started just three league games this term.
United have drawn up lists of targets for a number of positions, but their limited budget has meant viable options are restricted.
Signing a left wing-back is seen as a priority, sources have told ESPN, and discussions are ongoing around a deal for Lecce's Patrick Dorgu.
Antony, meanwhile, is set to seal a loan move to Real Betis until the end of the season. The Spanish side have indicated they will cover the majority of the Brazilian's wage, a source has told ESPN, which should give United greater flexibility with their finances in the final days of the January window
Hasan, 30, has not played since suffering an elbow injury during his stint at Edgbaston last season, which ruled him out after taking 10 wickets in five Vitality Blast appearances. Surgery followed and he has been undergoing rehab overseen by both Warwickshire and Pakistan's medical staff.
"I said last year that Edgbaston felt like a second home to mebut it's becoming more like a first home now," he said. "I love playing for Warwickshire, playing for the Bears fans. And I hope they see by the way I play how much I want to win for this club.
"Being awarded my White Bear Cap in 2023 was among the proudest moments in my career and I want to make lots more special memories with the Bears next season.
"Last year was unlucky with the injury. I felt I was bowling well and taking plenty of wickets in the Blast. But I'm back bowling 100 percent in training and focused on joining up with Warwickshire next season."
Hasan has taken 27 wickets in nine County Championship appearances for Warwickshire across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, as well as 19 in the Blast.
His availability was restricted last summer after a surprise late recall to Pakistan's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, but Warwickshire's head coach, Mark Robinson, said they had been in contact with the PCB about securing the player, who is no longer centrally contracted, for an unbroken spell.
Robinson said: "His call-up last May came out of the blue and took Hasan away from our County Championship start. We've had reassurances this year from the PCB that Hasan will be able to focus on the Bears which is great news.
"Obviously the contract comes with the caveat that Hasan continues making good progress on his post-op rehab and arrives to us fully fit.
"Hasan is a heart-on-the-sleeve performer who always gives his all to the cause. He's a proven wicket-taker at the highest level and was flying with us last season before the injury. He brings a real energy to the place, the dressing room and on the pitch and inspires everyone around him with his enthusiasm. I'm looking forward to welcoming him back into the Bears fold."
Jon Lewis: Culture, not fitness, at root of Australia's dominance of Women's Ashes
Despite their best performance of the tour, England's rain-affected loss in a closely fought second T20I in Canberra continued Australia's dominance of a series in which they have now claimed the Ashes for a sixth consecutive series dating back to 2015. And with just two matches to come, including the one-off Test at the MCG next week, the prospect of a whitewash is looming large over the squad.
Though Lewis said he disapproved of Ecclestone's reasons for turning the interview down, and that he would have encouraged her to do it had he known about the incident at the time, he was adamant that the squad could not realistically be expected to work harder on their fitness levels than they already do.
"You guys need to come watch them. I promise you. I cannot defend them more around how hard they work on their physicality," he said. "They are incredibly dedicated to what they do. I've never seen a cricket team work like this cricket team, and I've worked in professional cricket for 31 years."
Instead, he suggested the outdoors lifestyle in Australia was more conducive to producing natural athletes, and cited a recent trip to Bondi Beach in Sydney as an example.
"On Sunday morning, pretty much every Australian in the eastern suburbs was in the water," he said. "There's about a million kids down there, and they were doing Surf Lifesaving, or playing touch rugby.
"For me, that's a cultural difference. I definitely think Australia have an advantage in terms of athleticism, and also our talent pool at the moment is small, so it's important for us to grow the game."
However, Lewis also insisted that the gulf between the two teams was not as wide as the current 10-0 scoreline suggested, and that Australia's seizure of key moments in each of the five matches to date had been the difference between the teams.
"The space on the tour we didn't get right was around the first two games," he said. "Australia are a really strong team, obviously on their own patch. We knew that when we got on the plane. But in every game, there's been moments where we feel that we've been in the game and had a good opportunity to try and push home a strong advantage. And we haven't quite got those moments in the game right, and the opposition have.
"Whilst it is 10-0, and whilst the margins of victory in the game have been at times large, I think the difference is isn't as big as the margin suggests in terms of results, in terms of the performance."
"Like any selection, we make those decisions after the tour," he said. "We will spend some time reflecting and make some rational decisions, and think about what the right thing is for the team further down the road. I don't think now is the right time to consider that, to be honest,
"We've got a game to play tomorrow, Heather's in charge, and we've got Test match next week, which we need to get our heads round. And then after the tour, we'll sit down, we'll think about what the what the right thing is for team, and how we know we move forward, like we would do with every other selection."
On his own future, Lewis - who has been in the position since 2022 - was more forthright. "I'm really comfortable with the job that I'm doing," he said. "I'll continue to work to develop this cricket team as best as I can until someone tells me that it's not the right time for you to do this anymore. I'm really excited about what the future holds for this team, and I feel like I'm the right person to coach it."
"I think Grace probably did my job for me," Lewis said. "I'll give her a pat on the back when I see her. The players are really aware that they need to win some cricket matches. They're working incredibly hard to do that."
Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket
Harry Brook blames Kolkata smog for England's spin difficulties
Chakravarthy was the pick of the attack with 3 for 23 in his four overs, although his fellow legspinner Ravi Bishnoi proved every bit as tough to get away as he returned figures of 0 for 22. And speaking on the eve of the second T20I in Chennai, Brook suggested there had been an atmospheric reason for England's struggles to pick their variations.
"I didn't face Bishnoi but Chakravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler," he said. "He's tough to pick. I think actually with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick as well. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here and we can see the ball a bit easier.
"He's an exceptional bowler and has got a lot of skills with extreme accuracy as well. Their spinners are their key threat, so we will look to put pressure on them, take them down, put as much pressure as we can on them, and hopefully they crumble from there."
It's a familiar refrain from England touring sides. On their 1992-93 visit to India, England's then-chairman of selectors, Ted Dexter, famously attributed his team's emphatic defeat in the first Test, also at Eden Gardens, to smog. Though he was widely lampooned for his remarks, the issue has taken on a more serious aspect in recent years, with India's Test against Sri Lanka at Delhi in 2017 having to be stopped after several players vomited due to the pollution.
England are set to make at least one change to the XI in Chennai, with Brydon Carse included as a pace option in place of Gus Atkinson, who endured a night to forget with bat and ball at Kolkata. Jamie Smith has also been included in a 12-man squad, and could step in for Jacob Bethell, who missed training on Friday with illness.
Nevertheless, his appointment of Brook as Jos Buttler's vice-captain is further proof of his desire to unite the red- and white-ball squads under a single philosophy, and with as many cross-over performers as possible. And the informal attitude that has powered the Test team's displays in recent seasons was in evidence in the manner with which Brook was offered the deputy's role.
"We were sat in the bar the other night and Baz texted me from across the other side of the room," he said. "He just said 'Congrats, you're the vice-captain' and I just put: 'Beautiful, thanks.' There wasn't really much conversation.
"Obviously, I captained the ODIs in the summer so I kind of knew that it was going to happen. You don't have to do too much as a vice-captain; Jos is extremely experienced, I'll give him a few suggestions here and there and if he comes to me, I'll give him my opinion but it's up to him whether he takes it or not."
The questions Australia will need to answer in Sri Lanka
Australia previously played in Sri Lanka in 2022 and last toured the subcontinent in early 2023, when they visited India. There are echoes of that tour coming up in Sri Lanka with captain Pat Cummins unavailable and Steven Smith standing in again. Australia's selectors showed a willingness to pick an unconventional XI in India in a bid to select the best team for the conditions after learning some lessons from the 1-1 series draw in Sri Lanka. The selectors have some intriguing decisions to make ahead of the first Test in Galle with the shape of the XI potentially looking very different to the recent Border-Gavaskar series.
Will Travis Head open and how will the top-order shape up?
Head was being discussed as an option to open in this series from a long way out, given he made 23 runs in three innings batting at Nos. 5 and 6 in Sri Lanka in 2022, and averages 18.90 in 11 innings on the subcontinent in the middle-order. He was dropped at the start of the India series in 2023, such were the selectors fears about his ability to start against spin. He was recalled as an opener when David Warner was injured in the second Test and made 223 runs at 55.75 in five innings.
Who partners Lyon and how many spinners play?
While the selectors would prefer to have Kuhnemann partner Lyon for match-up purposes, there is a case to be made that Murphy is the better option full stop. The want for a left-arm orthodox, as was the case with Ashton Agar in India in 2023, comes from a belief that having two right-arm offspinners, plus a third part-timer, against a right-hand heavy batting line-up is too one-dimensional. But Murphy's record against right-handers is excellent. He's taken 13 wickets at 27.61 in Tests against right-handers, having knocked over Virat Kohli four times, Cheteshwar Pujara twice, Joe Root and KL Rahul once each among others. In first-class cricket, his strike-rate against right-handers is better than Kuhnemann's.
Is the allrounder needed?
If significant spin is expected, Australia might not need an allrounder. Or they could bat the allrounder at No. 8 to lengthen the order and back the two main spinners, Head and one quick to take 20 wickets. If Kuhnemann is unavailable, such a scenario would open the door for Connolly to play at No. 8.
If the wicket is flatter, as it was in the second Test in Galle in 2022, then Webster's bowling will make him a more attractive option at No. 6. On top of his medium pace, he can bowl offspin and could provide a different trajectory from 200cm even if he would potentially be fourth choice behind Lyon, Murphy and Head. He can also swing the new ball and bowl stump-to-stump medium pace with the keeper up, if the bounce gets inconsistent.
Which quicks and how many?
Starc does not get nearly enough credit for his durability and his skill across a variety of different conditions. With Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood unavailable, Starc will lead the pace attack and might do it on his own. He did so in the final two Tests in India and could do so again if conditions allow it.
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