Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff WriterAug 9, 2023, 04:42 PM ET
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Josh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University. You can follow him via Twitter @joshweinfuss.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals running back Marlon Mack, who signed with the team on Friday, will miss the rest of the season with an Achilles injury, coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday.
Mack, 27, suffered the injury to his left Achilles midway through Tuesday’s practice and did not return. He tore his right Achilles early in the 2020 season, when he was with the Indianapolis Colts.
Gannon was Indianapolis’ defensive backs coach that year as well.
“Terrible,” said Gannon, when asked how he felt about Mack’s injury.
Gannon declined to go into the conversations he’s had with Mack since the injury.
After his first practice with the team on Saturday, Mack said he hoped to show the Cardinals enough to make the 53-man roster and that he felt like a “deer” on the field with fresh legs.
After his first five seasons with the Colts, Mack spent last season with the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos, totaling 185 rushing yards and a touchdown in eight games.
Overall, he’s rushed for 2,568 yards and 21 TDs in six seasons. He’s also caught 65 career passes for 547 yards and three more scores.
Despite the financial restraints on many clubs around the world, the wheeling and dealing continues unabated – particularly in England – as we rumble toward the final weeks of the European transfer window. In order of transfer fee, we’re grading the marquee signings thus far in the men’s game. For more on all the deals struck by Saudi Arabian clubs – excluded on this list because of market distortion – tap here.
Declan Rice ?? Arsenal
The deal: Reported €116-million initial fee ?
Arsenal identified Rice as their primary midfield target early in the transfer window and withstood stiff competition from Premier League rivals – and reigning champions – Manchester City, who never met West Ham United’s asking price. When trying to make the leap from title contender to winner, this is the type of statement move you need.
Verdict: A
Jude Bellingham ?? Real Madrid
The deal: Reported €103-million initial fee ?
Real Madrid’s midfield is locked in for the next decade-plus. Bellingham, 20, joins Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Fede Valverde in assuming the reins from decorated veterans Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. How did every other club in Europe let this happen? The English international is already a hit in Madrid and should develop into a generational superstar.
Verdict: A+
Josko Gvardiol ?? Manchester City
The deal: Reported €90-million fee ?
The rich get richer. There were some twists and turns during this protracted transfer saga, but Manchester City eventually landed their man. Gvardiol, 21, is arguably the best young defender in the game, and his arrival from RB Leipzig immediately makes the treble winners even better. In a point surely not lost on City fans, the Croatian was less expensive than Harry Maguire.
Verdict: A+
Rasmus Hojlund ?? Manchester United
The deal: Reported €75-million initial fee ?
This is a big gamble right now, but it could pay off handsomely for Manchester United down the line – it already has for Atalanta, who turned an enormous profit on the young Dane. Hojlund, 20, shouldn’t be expected to light up the Premier League immediately, but if the club practices patience, the striker has all the tools – particularly physically – to be a scoring machine.
Verdict: B-
Kai Havertz ?? Arsenal
David Price / Arsenal FC / Getty
The deal: Reported €75-million fee ?
Havertz is undeniably skilled – to question his pure talent would be foolish. His fit with Arsenal isn’t immediately clear, though, which isn’t ideal when you’re talking about such a monstrous amount of money. He’s not a pure No. 9, and the spaces in which he best operates – off a striker in playmaking areas – are already occupied by some of Arsenal’s most bona fide starters.
Verdict: B-
Christopher Nkunku ?? Chelsea
The deal: Reported €73-million fee ?
It’s a damn shame that Nkunku was injured playing on a shoddy pitch in a preseason friendly, because he looked set to take the Premier League by storm this season. The French forward scored 36 Bundesliga goals over his last two campaigns with RB Leipzig and, assuming he makes a full recovery from his recent knee surgery, will be an electric presence at Stamford Bridge.
Verdict: A
Dominik Szoboszlai ?? Liverpool
The deal: Reported €70-million fee ?
Szoboszlai has been tipped for a big transfer the last couple years, and it finally materialized when Liverpool triggered the release clause in his RB Leipzig contract. It’s a hefty fee, no doubt, but the 22-year-old Hungarian has the kind of game-breaking ability that can light up Anfield. His stupendous set-piece delivery will be a wicked weapon for Jurgen Klopp’s team.
Verdict: A-
Sandro Tonali ?? Newcastle United
The deal: Reported €69-million fee ?
Tonali is an energetic midfielder who’ll become a fan favorite at St. James’ Park; the Toon Army will love the Italian’s ferocious style of play and the work rate he displayed at AC Milan. Just how much he improves the team relative to his lavish transfer fee remains to be seen, though, as Tonali’s on-ball production from open play is somewhat limited.
Verdict: B-
Goncalo Ramos ?? Paris Saint-Germain
The deal: Loan with €65-million purchase option ?
PSG are putting a lot of trust in Ramos’ breakout season at Benfica and his performances at the World Cup in Qatar. The Portuguese striker is only 22 and should develop into a prolific force who can eventually help replace some of the production lost when Kylian Mbappe inevitably departs. Getting him on an initial loan to skirt FFP regulations was masterful bookkeeping.
Verdict: B+
Mason Mount ?? Manchester United
Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA / Getty Images Sport / Getty
The deal: Reported €63-million initial fee ?
Manchester United are hoping a change of scenery will help Mount, 24, rediscover his best form. His final year at Chelsea was beset by chaos and dysfunction. Don’t let the Blues’ disastrous season cloud your judgment of the versatile Englishman, who’s just one campaign removed from hitting double figures in both Premier League goals and assists.
Verdict: B+
Manuel Ugarte ?? Paris Saint-Germain
The deal: Reported €60-million fee ?
PSG almost definitely overpaid here, but Ugarte will provide the kind of tenacity and bite in midfield that the French club has been accused of sorely lacking for some time. The Uruguayan, 22, showed at Sporting CP that he can kick-start attacks after winning the ball back, and he could supplant Marco Verratti in the center of the pitch as PSG chase an elusive European crown.
Verdict: B
Moussa Diaby ?? Aston Villa
The deal: Reported club-record €60-million fee ?
After watching Diaby shine at Bayer Leverkusen in recent years, it’s not difficult to see why Aston Villa smashed their transfer record to sign him. The rapid winger is a nightmare for opposing full-backs, and his combination of pace, trickery, and composure around the penalty area will add a whole new dimension to Unai Emery’s attack this season.
Verdict: A-
Andre Onana ?? Manchester United
The deal: Reported €55-million fee ?
This one is a balancing act. To play the type of football Erik ten Hag desires and keep moving forward as a club, Manchester United badly needed a new goalkeeper who’s excellent with his feet. Onana emphatically checks that box. But he’s also the third-most expensive netminder in history after his move from Inter Milan and will need to be great for some time to justify that fee.
Verdict: B
Kim Min-jae ?? Bayern Munich
The deal: Reported €50-million fee ?
Knowing Lucas Hernandez was on his way out – he’s since joined PSG – Bayern Munich moved quickly to add another defender. In Kim, they’ve acquired last season’s standout center-back in Serie A, as the South Korean was vital in helping Napoli win the Scudetto. But Bayern have also just spent big on a player who was available last summer for roughly €20 million.
Verdict: B
James Maddison ?? Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur FC / Tottenham Hotspur FC / Getty
The deal: Reported €46-million fee ?
Maddison was always going to leave Leicester City after their relegation from the Premier League – it was simply a matter of where he would land. Tottenham won the race. In doing so, Spurs landed a clever playmaker who fills a clear need; the team was disjointed and lacked a creative midfielder to bridge the gap to the forwards last season.
Verdict: A-
Axel Disasi ?? Chelsea
The deal: Reported €45-million fee ?
Disasi is a very good defender. You don’t crack the loaded France squad and make three appearances at the most recent World Cup by accident. But Chelsea’s backline is getting bloated, even with Wesley Fofana sidelined. For a team not playing in Europe this season, and one that needs to give Levi Colwill significant minutes, this deal may create more issues than it solves.
Verdict: C+
Harvey Barnes ?? Newcastle United
The deal: Reported €44-million fee ?
After his most prolific Premier League season, Barnes, like former teammate Maddison, was destined to leave Leicester. He won’t provide the same type of razzmatazz as dribbling extraordinaire Allan Saint-Maximin, the winger he’s replacing on Tyneside. But his game, while simple and based heavily on the classic give-and-go, is arguably more rounded. A solid deal for the Magpies.
Verdict: B
Lois Openda ?? RB Leipzig
The deal: Reported €43-million initial fee ?
Based on their excellent scouting department and track record in the transfer market, this deal should work out very well for RB Leipzig and eventually net them a healthy profit. The Belgian, 23, is coming off a breakout Ligue 1 campaign in which he led Lens to a second-place finish with 21 league goals. He’ll help fill the scoring void left by Nkunku.
Verdict: B+
Alexis Mac Allister ?? Liverpool
The deal: Reported €40-million initial fee ?
Considering some of the astronomical figures being thrown around in the immediate aftermath of Mac Allister’s successful World Cup campaign with Argentina, this feels like a good bargain for Liverpool, even if the deal ultimately rises to €63 million after add-ons. Mac Allister, 24, profiles as the type of player that Klopp is going to adore.
Verdict: A-
Micky van de Ven ?? Tottenham Hotspur
Yui Mok – PA Images / PA Images / Getty
The deal: Reported €40-million initial fee ?
New manager Ange Postecoglou wanted a left-sided center-back before the Premier League season began, and he got his wish. But this is a lot to pay for someone who was in the second tier of Dutch football just two years ago and who is yet to feature for the senior national team. The deal, by all accounts, will likely reach €50 million. Spurs need Van de Ven, 22, to develop quickly.
Verdict: C
Jurrien Timber ?? Arsenal
The deal: Reported €40-million initial fee ?
Their proximity on this list makes it even easier to question Van de Ven’s signing. In contrast to their north London rivals, Arsenal have gone out and landed a more versatile defender – Timber can comfortably play multiple positions – who is the same age and has already established himself as a contributor for the Netherlands.
Verdict: B
Lucas Hernandez ?? Paris Saint-Germain
The deal: Reported €40-million fee ?
It’s much better than the roughly €80 million that Bayern Munich reportedly wanted to sanction for the French international’s move, but spending half that is still a big gamble considering Hernandez’s unstable injury history. The 27-year-old defender spent a lot of time on the treatment table in Germany and is still working his way back from a torn ACL suffered at the World Cup.
Verdict: C
Tino Livramento ?? Newcastle United
The deal: Reported €37-million initial fee ?
Our concerns about Hernandez’s deal are echoed here: Spending significant sums on full-backs coming off ACL tears is probably not advisable. Livramento, 20, has shown flashes of excellence in his young career but missed most of last season with a serious knee injury. This deal gets a slightly higher grade because of his potential, but it’s another risky transfer.
Verdict: C+
Nicolas Jackson ?? Chelsea
The deal: Reported €37-million fee ?
Any time a 21-year-old scores 12 La Liga goals in just 26 appearances, people are going to take notice. That breakout campaign at Villarreal earned Jackson his move to Chelsea, who desperately need more firepower after finding the net just 38 times during their miserable 2022-23 campaign. The Blues have spent impulsively under Todd Boehly, but this deal looks a judicious one.
Verdict: B
Lionel Messi ?? Inter Miami
The deal: Free transfer ?
We’re breaking the rules with our final entry to include Messi, who’s taken North America by storm since joining Inter Miami. The Argentine icon has seven goals in his first four appearances for the club, including some vintage free-kicks that came right out of a movie script. Everyone is talking about Messi, and, crucially for MLS, people are tuning in. By every possible metric, this is obviously a slam dunk. An “A+” rating doesn’t even do it justice.
Manchester City completed their long-awaited swoop for top transfer target Josko Gvardiol, the Premier League club announced on Saturday.
The 21-year-old defender joins from RB Leipzig after signing a five-year contract. The treble winners agreed a transfer fee worth €90 million (£77 million) to seal the deal, according to Simon Stone of BBC Sport.
“I have always dreamed of one day playing in England and to be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honor for me,” Gvardiol said after joining the reigning Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League winners. “Anyone who saw Manchester City play last season knows they are the best team in the world. To win the treble says everything you need to know about the quality this team has.”
“To have the chance to work with Pep Guardiola, too, will be amazing for me,” Gvardiol added. “I know I am not yet the finished article and I am sure my game will progress under the best coach in football.”
Gvardiol’s arrival was billed as potentially representing a world-record fee for a defender. But, since the agreement with Leipzig doesn’t include add-ons, Manchester United’s £80-million deal to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019 remains the benchmark.
Welcome, Josko! ? pic.twitter.com/h5twzhVNy1
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 5, 2023
Gvardiol’s move to the Etihad Stadium appeared to be in limbo in July when Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl dismissed reports of an agreement. He also stated Gvardiol wouldn’t be sold for less than €100 million. The two sides eventually came to a compromise.
His addition will strengthen the left side of Guardiola’s central defense while potentially creating uncertainty over the future of Aymeric Laporte.
Along with playing a pivotal role in Croatia’s third-place finish at the 2022 World Cup, Gvardiol appeared in 30 Bundesliga matches to help Leipzig finish third.
Gvardiol is Manchester City’s second marquee signing of the summer following the arrival of fellow Croatian international Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea in June.
“To be linking up with Mateo Kovacic will also be special,” Gvardiol said. “He’s a top footballer and I hope we can both help City achieve another successful season in 2023-24 and then beyond.”
David Newton, ESPN Staff WriterAug 5, 2023, 03:34 PM ET
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David Newton is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Carolina Panthers. Newton began covering Carolina in 1995 and came to ESPN in 2006 as a NASCAR reporter before joining NFL Nation in 2013. You can follow Newton on Twitter at @DNewtonespn.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Rookie quarterback Bryce Young finally showed visible frustration in training camp, but not so much that Carolina Panthers coach Frank Reich was concerned.
The frustration came near the end of Saturday’s practice when Young couldn’t get a play off before the whistle after moving the offense into scoring position in a two-minute drill.
The top pick of the 2023 NFL draft put his hands on the sides of his helmet and shook his head as the defense celebrated the stop. It was a rare moment for a player Reich and Carolina players consistently have said never gets rattled.
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“He’s really harder on himself more than anybody,” Reich said after one of the longest and hottest practices of camp. “A quarterback, you’ve just got to be unflappable. And I think we all know Bryce has that gene. Nothing really changes his pulse.
“But yet, he’s the ultimate competitor, he’s got that drive to be great. So that’s what you want.”
That Young waited that long to show frustration actually was impressive. On a day when he completed 7 of 15 passes, there were three drops — two in the end zone — and multiple pre-snap penalties that led to the defense winning the day.
There also were a few times when it appeared a receiver ran the wrong route, and more than the normal amount of balls thrown high and out of bounds.
“As a competitor … we all get frustrated,” Young said. “But we have to do a better job of bringing stuff back and really stepping back and making sure that even if it’s not our day, for one period or one play, we’re able to flip the script.
“We didn’t do a good enough job of that today. But that’s what training camp is for.”
On the two-minute drive, everything was going as planned, but the offense still needed a touchdown, according to the script. So Reich called one of his “specialty plays” that turned out anything but special.
“I haven’t talked to him yet, but I think he was expecting somebody to do something different than what they did,” Reich said of Young. “Then I ended up blowing the whistle a little early because it didn’t quite develop and I didn’t want to see a big collision in the end zone.”
Then came the frustration, slightly more animated than the day before when Young threw a football into the ground on a day in which he was under more duress than normal.
Young said the key when moments like this happen is to “embrace it and funnel it.”
“There are only two options at a certain point,” Young said. “Are you going to let it dwell? Or are you going to let it affect you the next play? Or are you going to move on and get better? And the only thing you can do is focus on the next rep.
“So you’re constantly turning the page.”
In the end, Young said, “There’s a lot of things I’ve got to do better.”
