West Ham United look to be in absolute free fall at the moment.

Not even the new appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo has been able to stop the Premier League losses from piling up in East London, with the forlorn Hammers at least thankful to Wolverhampton Wanderers for picking up no wins to keep them off the very foot of the division.

Still, West Ham only have the one dire win from nine league matches themselves, as the ex-Nottingham Forest boss grows increasingly concerned that he is steering the ship straight down to the Championship.

Max Kilman has received plenty of pelters in recent weeks for his disastrous performances at the back, with the £40m recruit looking anything but a stable presence defensively in the daunting Premier League.

Kilman's woes at West Ham this season

With Kilman in the heart of defence this season, West Ham have leaked a shambolic 20 goals already in league action, which is the worst defensive record in the entire division.

He isn’t helped by his regular partner being Jean-Clair Todibo, who has just one clean sheet in claret and blue from 30 Premier League appearances, but the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man is very much on borrowed time when focussing in on the number 3’s woes, having been descrobed as “shocking” by one West Ham content creator during the 2-0 loss to Brentford last month.

Igor Thiago for the Bees completely bullied the weak 28-year-old all night long, with Kilman’s feebleness in the air, and when going in for duels one major concern. Indeed, he won only two of his eight duels against Keith Andrews’ visitors.

He did improve on this weak area against Leeds United last time out, with 100% of his aerial duels successfully won, but he still isn’t in the West Ham fans’ good books off the back of a debut season in East London that saw him collect just six clean sheets from 38 league outings.

His ex-Old Gold manager in Gary O’Neil has even opened up to state that one of Kilman’s biggest problems is his frustrating nature to “switch off” during games, with Nuno now potentially wanting to get rid having seen how shoddy the 6 foot 4 defender has been already during the early stages of his West Ham managerial career.

Thankfully, in the long term, West Ham could already have an in-house replacement for the £40m flop.

West Ham's "unreal" Kilman replacement

Nuno could look towards the next generation emerging up the ranks at West Ham to try and breathe life back into his side’s disastrous season, with Freddie Potts one face who could be deserving of a senior shot soon.

Alongside Potts, Kaelan Casey also looks ready for some first-team action imminently, having already been labelled as an “outstanding” asset to have at Swansea City by his short-term boss Alan Sheehan, after not looking fazed by the challenge of Manchester City in the EFL Cup.

Casey vs Man City

Stat

Casey

Minutes played

90

Interceptions

0

Clearances

14

Blocked shots

2

Recoveries

3

Total duels won

5/5

Total tackles won

2/2

Last man tackles

1

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at his numbers above, Sheehan was right to shower the 21-year-old with praise, with Swansea in danger of being on the receiving end of a drubbing without Casey stepping up to the mark, as seen by the number 26 registering a mammoth 14 clearances all across the 3-1 defeat, on top of winning every single duel and tackle that came his way.

With a full EFL season soon to be under his belt, it’s clear that Casey could soon be fast-tracked to the first team picture back at the London Stadium, having already lined up for three senior games for his boyhood employers.

He also has 106 games next to his name for the Hammers U18s and U21s, with Declan Rice once even labelling Casey as an “unreal” talent off the back of him scoring 11 goals as a dependable defensive figure in youth football.

Kilman will know that he’s on borrowed time in East London, and if Casey returns with even more impressive showings to boast about – like his imperious night against City – he will soon surely be demoted down the pecking order for the 21-year-old to shine.

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Sandro Tonali maintained an interesting stance about a move away from Newcastle United earlier this week and now Real Madrid are reportedly preparing a move worth over £40m.

It’s an all too familiar feeling for Newcastle, who were forced to bid farewell to Alexander Isak for a Premier League record in the summer as they scrambled to find his replacement. Now, they potentially face the prospect of losing more key men amid reported interest from around English football in Sven Botman and, of course, Tonali.

It’s the last thing that Eddie Howe needs in the middle of the Magpies’ current domestic form. In the Champions League, his side have been close to perfect, but that couldn’t be further from the case in the Premier League with just three wins in their opening 10 games.

The Newcastle boss admitted in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to Brentford that his side must rise up the ranks in the Premier League after a disappointing run.

Missing out on Champions League qualification would only make Newcastle’s attempts to keep hold of key men even tougher, especially if Real Madrid do come calling for Tonali.

Tonali shares exit stance as Real Madrid prepare move

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid are now preparing a move to sign Tonali from Newcastle worth €50m (£44m) in 2026. Now, whilst the Magpies are unlikely to accept such a low offer for a player that cost them £55m, Madrid’s attempts would certainly spark some interesting questions about the midfielder’s future.

Newcastle have "one of the best teen prospects" & he can surpass Woltemade

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Despite recent reports revealing that the Italian has already signed a new deal which could keep him at St James’ Park until 2029, Tonali refused to rule out an exit away from the club when questioned about his Newcastle future earlier this week.

Described as “excellent” by Howe, Tonali’s admission will undoubtedly concern those on Tyneside, who saw Isak force his way out of the club in the summer. The last thing they need is another summer-long transfer saga.

PIF's "massive overpay" is quickly becoming Howe's new Almiron

Fiery burst wrecks hosts’ hopes of taking lead, before Gubbins’ fifty builds for visitors

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay31-Jul-2025 Hampshire 293 (Middleton 79, Weatherley 62, Taylor 5-55) and 139 for 2 (Gubbins 55*) lead Worcestershire 249 (Libby 100*, Hose 82, Baker 5-72) by 183 runsSonny Baker’s five-wicket haul and a Nick Gubbins half-century helped drive Hampshire into the ascendency on Day Three of the Rothesay County Championship clash against Worcestershire.Baker’s morning burst of three wickets saw him to figures of 5 for 72, as Jake Libby’s 100 not out could not see Worcestershire into the lead despite early promise, as his side were bowled out for 249.With a lead of 44, the visiting side batted through the day with relative comfort on a flattening wicket, as Joe Weatherley and Fletcha Middleton made early progress for their side.Gubbins then scored an unbeaten 55 to see his side to 139 for 2 at the close, with the away side well in the hunt for a third County Championship victory of the season.With a lengthy delay to the start of proceedings on the third morning of the match, Hampshire enjoyed an excellent start to the day as Baker produced an eye-catching three wicket burst to reduce Worcestershire to 189 for 5.The visitors welcomed a stroke of luck in the second over of the day when Adam Hose feathered a strangle down the leg-side, to depart without adding to his overnight score, before Baker picked up the wickets of Brett D’Oliveira (1) and Ethan Brookes (0) as the hosts reeled under the clouds at Visit Worcestershire New Road.Searching for their first Rothesay County Championship win since mid-May, Hampshire began the afternoon session in similar vein to the morning, with Libby watching his side fall behind in the contest.Matthew Waite helped add 34 with the Worcestershire opener, before he nicked off to James Fuller for a cautious 21 as the Division One strugglers watched another promising position fall away beneath them as they limped to 223 for 6.Part-timer Nick Gubbins was thrown the ball in the 80th over of the innings as the visitors looked to move things on before taking the new ball but were overjoyed when Tom Taylor was pinned LBW in an innocuous over as the home side slid further behind the eight-ball.Hampshire tightened their grip on the match, as Kyle Abbott (1 for 27) and Baker removed Ben Allison and Adam Finch, with Libby 98 not out and his side still trailing by 46 runs.Libby added the two runs required to reach a gritty century off 235 balls, registering the first century by a Worcestershire player at Visit Worcestershire New Road this summer.Baker capped a fine individual performance as he returned in the next over to secure his five-wicket haul and ensure his side took a healthy lead of 44 runs into their second innings, with Worcestershire all-out one run short of a batting bonus-point.Hampshire lost Joe Weatherley in the 11th over of their reply, when he was LBW to a full ball from Waite but marched on unfazed to pass fifty with comfort.Middleton got in and showed signs of extending his good form from the first innings but was unable to capitalise on his positive start as he was caught behind off an Adam Finch delivery, with his side 120 runs in front.Gubbins made his way to a comfortable half-century as the evening drew to a close, as he and Tilak Varma batted through to stumps with Hampshire in total control at 139 for 2, with a commanding 183-run lead heading into the final day.

Leroy Sane earned praise from Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann after starring in the four-time world champions' hard-fought 2-0 win over Luxembourg in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match on Friday. Nagelsmann had earlier issued a public warning to former Bayern Munich and Manchester City winger that he could lose his place in the national if he did not perform consistently.

• Sane picking up form for Galatasaray

  Sane, who moved to the Turkish Super Lig to join champions Galatasaray from Bayern Munich this summer, was off to a slow start in the new league but with time, he has started to adjust to the new set-up and is now slowly regaining his form. In 15 matches across all competitions in the 2025-26 campaign, the former City star has scored three goals and has as many assists. 

  Speaking to recently, Sane shared about his initial struggles in Turkey, saying: "I had to settle in first. I had an adjustment period, so things didn't quite go as planned on the pitch at the beginning. I had to get to know my teammates, and they had to get to know me, how to interact on the pitch, how to play together. That took a little while. But now, in the last few games, I'm very happy with my performances and how I've played. I want to carry this momentum forward and keep going."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Nagelsmann praises Sane

  After an impressive show in the World Cup qualifier on Friday – where Sane provided the assist for Nick Woltemade's opening goal before feeding Ridle Baku with a pass just outside the box from which the full-back set up the Newcastle star for his second of the night – Nagelsmann told : "He had two good actions that led to two goals. He had a few moments in the first half. He played a good game, had two decisive actions, and that's what it's all about in the end."

  Sane, in turn, told the media: "I'm happy that I was able to repay Julian's trust to some extent. We had very good talks. Julian knows how I tick. That's normal, that's football, it's part of the game. I can't complain, I can only do my own thing. The World Cup is my big goal."

• Nagelsmann's public warning for Sane

  Sane's starring role comes in response to a public discussion around his role in the team following his decision to leave the Bundesliga for the Super Lig. National team manager Nagelsmann had warned Sane publicly that he needs to be outstanding for Galatasaray to hold on to a place in the squad. 

  "If we had six or seven players to choose from in that position, then it would be significantly more difficult for him," he told reporters. "He knows that there aren't an unlimited number of opportunities to prove himself at the national team level. I told him that openly. Profile-wise, he has everything we need in that position. That's why he has this opportunity now. His scoring rate and performances have improved significantly compared to the beginning, both in the Super Lig and in the Champions League. But he still has steps to take to improve even further – both here and at the club."

  Following his warning, Nagelsmann received criticism from several personalities in German football, but the 38-year-old defended himself, saying: "I didn't do this for fun. It was discussed with him. I know what he's capable of and I want him to bring what he's capable of onto the pitch. Leroy knows what is required and he also knows that there are not countless opportunities left to prove himself at the national team level, at least not under my leadership. I didn't use the phrase 'last chance' either. I said that he doesn't have countless chances anymore. That's a fact."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Germany eye World Cup berth

  The 2014 World Cup winners will now aim to secure a berth in the flagship competition in North America next year. A win over Slovakia on November 17, with whom they are tied on points, would secure them a direct qualification, although a draw will also suffice as Germany have a better goal difference. 

Lancashire have said they are investigating after an incident in which a fan attending the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford was asked to cover up the Pakistan shirt they were wearing.The fan, named in Pakistani media as Farooq Nazar, posted a video on social media documenting the request, initially from a member of the security staff at the ground, that he cover the shirt, a replica of Pakistan’s traditional green limited-overs kit.The security guard, who identifies himself as working for Lancashire, says: “I’ve been asked by control if you can cover that shirt up, please.” Later on, a steward can be heard saying the shirt “might be considered nationalistic”.Related

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• Cricket must be played by the rules, not Stokes' moral code

In the video, Nazar can be seen becoming increasingly agitated amid repeated requests to cover up. Eventually, he is approached by a police officer, who asks to continue the conversation away from the stands. According to reports, Nazar then opted to leave the ground rather than hide his shirt.Political relations between India and Pakistan, frosty for years, have been at their most tense this year, following a brief military skirmish between the two countries in May. Those tensions have filtered into relations between the BCCI and PCB; the two sides have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13 and no Test cricket since 2007-08. Their participation in ICC events hosted by either country has also recently become problematic, with a neutral venue added in to stage their games as part of a hybrid solution to the issue.It is unclear on which day of the Test, which ended in a draw as India batted their way through five sessions, the incident took place but Lancashire confirmed they were looking into it.”We are aware of the incident referenced and are taking steps to understand the facts and context surrounding the matter fully,” a Lancashire spokesperson said.In recent years, Lancashire have openly spoken of building their links with India. The Hundred team based at the ground, Manchester Originals, are set to become 70% owned by Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG group, which runs Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, while Lancashire’s chief executive, Daniel Gidney, has suggested giving the BCCI a stake in the 100-ball tournament.

Lionel Messi was reportedly left feeling “deceived and betrayed” by Barcelona after seeing his dreams of making an emotional return to Camp Nou as a player cruelly dashed. The Argentine superstar was forced out of Catalunya in 2021, as he headed to Paris Saint-Germain, but saw an agreement lined up two years later that would have allowed professional steps to be retraced.

Messi reached out to Barcelona after winning 2022 World Cup

Having seen Messi – alongside his wife Antonela and their three children – endure a tough time in France, with the South American icon struggling to settle when stepping off his career-long comfort zone, Barca explored the option of re-signing a fan favourite.

Having left as a free agent, he dropped back into that pool when reaching the end of his contract at Parc des Princes in the summer of 2023. Messi had become a World Cup winner by that point and was on course to collect a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or.

Shortly after capturing a global title in Qatar, Messi is reported to have reached out to close friend and former team-mate Xavi – who was Barcelona’s head coach at the time. Contact was made on January 6, 2023. A day later, the Liga giants are said to have “got to work”.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMessi left stunned as deal never materialised

With Messi expressing a desire to head back to his spiritual home, the Blaugrana were confident that a deal could be lined up. Both sides of those discussions were said to be “excited” about a possible reunion. Over the course of six months, Barca were able to gain approval for Messi’s return – with the all-time great prepared to take a sizable wage cut.

According to , the day after Barcelona won the Liga title at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, the Messi family “received a call from the highest levels” at Camp Nou. They were informed that a “transfer couldn’t be done”. That led to “total devastation” in the Messi camp, with the Argentine GOAT left “deceived and betrayed” for the second time – having previously believed that an extension could be agreed at Barca prior to his tearful departure for PSG.

Messi return to Barcelona as a player ruled out

Messi is said to have accepted that he “would never play for the club of his life again”. That remains the case in 2025, with the 38-year-old now on the books of MLS side Inter Miami. He has agreed fresh terms there through 2028.

Barca president Joan Laporta has said of the club’s all-time leading scorer – who has 672 goals to his name – returning in a playing capacity: “Out of respect to Messi, all the club staff and the club members, it's not right for me to speculate on something that would not be realistic, and it's not the moment to do it.”

Spanish journalist has reiterated that stance, posting on social media: “Leo Messi, under no circumstances is considering a return to Barcelona as a footballer. That chapter is closed. He has a long-term contract in Miami. He goes season by season. If he returns, it would be more for the offices, in the sports area. He is Barcelona's heritage and hopefully he returns someday.”

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Getty ImagesMLS star Messi will move back to Barcelona in retirement

Messi has admitted as much, telling of his plans to move back to Catalunya once he has finished chasing the American dream: “I really want to go back there, we miss Barcelona a lot. My wife and I, the kids, are constantly talking about Barcelona and the idea of moving back. We have our house there, everything, so that's what we want. I'm really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it's finished because since I left for Paris, I haven't been back to Camp Nou, and then they moved to Montjuic.”

Messi recently took in a secret visit to Camp Nou, as that iconic venue undergoes a serious redevelopment project. Even Laporta claims to have been unaware that the mercurial No.10 was back in familiar territory, with it still being suggested that a friendly or exhibition game could be lined up that allows Messi to grace the field in Barcelona one last time.

Chelsea have now joined the race to sign a “hugely impressive” £70m forward, who recently broke a Champions League record.

Blues' winning streak ended by Sunderland

After winning four games on the spin in all competitions, Chelsea fans could be forgiven for expecting a comfortable victory at home against newly-promoted Sunderland, but their winning streak was brought to an abrupt end.

Chemsdine Talbi’s stoppage-time winner secured all three points for the visitors, with the Blues hardly laying a glove on their opponents, recording an xG of just 0.90 throughout the match, which will no doubt be a concern for Enzo Maresca.

It was a very poor performance from the hosts, and perhaps the only slight positive was Alejandro Garnacho’s performance, with the summer signing scoring his first goal since arriving from Manchester United.

It is still early days, but Garnacho will now be hoping he can kick on and silence the doubters, with journalist Ollie Holt not convinced the winger’s move to Stamford Bridge will pan out.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Chelsea have also joined the race for another young forward, having sent scouts to watch Bayern Munich forward Lennart Karl in action, but a deal is expected to be on the expensive side.

Indeed, Bayern value their break-out youngster at around €70m – €80m (£61m – £70m), which means the west Londoners may need to shell out a huge fee to tempt the German club into a sale.

Having recently smashed the previous record to become Bayern’s youngest-ever Champions League goalscorer, a number of top clubs have joined the race for Karl, with Arsenal and Manchester City also named as potential suitors.

"Hugely impressive" Karl could be future star

It is a very promising sign that the 17-year-old has managed to force his way into Vincent Kompany’s plans at such a young age, featuring six times in the Bundesliga this season, during which time he has chipped in with two goal contributions.

Having also gotten off the mark in the Champions League, the teenager has proven he could be a future star, but there are doubts over whether he is the type of signing that Chelsea need at this stage.

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Ben Gray

Oct 26, 2025

The Blues added Jamie Gittens and Garnacho to their ranks this summer, so it is questionable whether they need to bring in another young winger, with Paul Merson recently emphasizing that a lack of experience is a real issue.

Merson said: “The team is too young. The oldest player there is 23, 24? When you get a young team, you’re up and down, they have wingers who are very inconsistent.”

As such, rather than signing Karl, who has been described as “hugely impressive” by scout Ben Mattinson, Chelsea could do with bringing in players with more experience, instead of being so hell-bent on only signing young players.

Manchester City have now opened talks to sign an “exceptional” Real Madrid player, who has been personally requested by manager Pep Guardiola.

Man City unbeaten in nine after Villarreal triumph

Man City extended their unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions by defeating Villarreal 2-0 on Tuesday evening, with Erling Haaland once again getting on the scoresheet, and the striker is now just one game away from breaking one of Cristiano Ronaldo’s records.

After a turbulent 2024-25 campaign, City appear to finally be rediscovering their best form, having also moved up to second in the Premier League, but it has now emerged that Guardiola is keen to bring in some extra attacking firepower.

Haaland is in the form of his life, but a report from Spain reveals Man City are keen on bringing in another attacking midfielder to provide for the 25-year-old, having opened talks over a deal for Real Madrid star Arda Guler at Pep’s request.

Since the arrival of Xabi Alonso, Guler has emerged as a key player for the La Liga side, which means they are extremely reluctant to sanction a departure, but that hasn’t stopped Guardiola’s side recently opening negotiations.

Guardiola is personally keen on the attacking midfielder, as the manager believes he suits City’s style of play, but the Blues may need to break their transfer record to get a deal done, with it being reported the 20-year-old is valued at over £130m.

Man City now rivalling Real Madrid to sign "tremendous" South American defender

Pep Guardiola’s side are battling the 15-time European champions for the signature of a centre-back.

ByDominic Lund Oct 21, 2025 "Exceptional" Guler would be statement signing for Man City

The youngster has been one of the Spanish side’s most important players this season, chipping in with three goals and five assists in 11 matches in all competitions, and he was recently compared to two former Real Madrid stars by Alonso.

The Madrid boss said: “Not just because of his background, but because of the quality he has. He is a mix between Ozil and Guti, because Guti knew how to play close to the box and give the final pass.”

Despite only turning 20 earlier this year, the Turkey international already has plenty of first-team experience, being lauded by Statman Dave as a result of his performances for Fenerbahce during the 2022-23 campaign.

Signing Guler would be a real statement of intent from Man City, but in truth the move seems very unlikely, given that Real Madrid have no plans to let the starlet leave, and he remains under contract until 2029.

MatériaMais Notícias

OCorinthians goleouo Palmeiras por 8 a 0, na manhã deste domingo(12), na Neo Química Arena, pelo jogo de volta das semifinais doPaulistão feminino.Com isso, as Brabas do Timão avançam à final da competição.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

É o maior placar registrado no confronto entre as duas equipes no futebol feminino. A partida recebeu 24.215 torcedores na zona leste de São Paulo.

As Brabas usaram bem o mando de campo e não deram espaço para as palmeirenses. O primeiro gol saiu logo aos três minutos da primeira etapa, comDuda Sampaioapós grande jogada deGabi Portilho.Com a pressão corintiana, as palestrinas tiveram dificuldades no jogo, criando poucas oportunidades nos primeiros minutos.

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+Grêmio x Corinthians: onde assistir ao vivo, horário e prováveis escalações do jogo pelo Brasileirão

Se impondo diante das adversárias, o segundo gol não demorou muito e saiu logo aos 16 minutos do primeiro tempo,Luanaaproveitou o rebote e marcou. Após a desvantagem, o Palmeiras tentou chegar ao gol do Corinthians e chegou a ter um gol anulado por impedimento.

Já o terceiro gol aconteceu no final do primeiro tempo com uma bela finalização de Gabi Portilho. O Corinthians poderia ter feito mais na etapa inicial, só não foi possível por conta de boas defesas da goleira Amanda.

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A etapa final não foi muito diferente. O Corinthiansmostrou superioridade e dominou o time adversário.O Palmeiras teve apenas uma boa chance no segundo tempo, com uma chegada deBia Zaneratto. Já nos quatro minutos,Vicaproveitou a cobrança de escanteio e marcou de cabeça o quarto gol das Brabas do Timão.

Mesmo com a superioridade de gols, o Corinthians não diminuiu o ritmo e continuou chegando à meta adversária. Foram mais quatro gols durante o segundo tempo.Millenefez o quinto;Marizao sexto;Jheniffer, livre na área, marcou o sétimo, eMiriãfechou a goleada com o oitavo gol.

Oacumulado do confronto terminou 9 a 0 para o Timão. No jogo da ida, no estádio Jayme Cintra, em Jundiaí, as Brabas venceram por 1 a 0. Aoutra semifinal acontece entre Santos e São Paulo.O jogo nesta segunda-feira (13), na Vila Belmiro, em Santos.

MLB Network released their annual list of the league's top 100 players earlier this month, and Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout came in at No. 39. This was the lowest Trout has been ranked in his career. Trout was previously left off the list prior to the 2012 season despite making his MLB debut in 2011, as he was not officially considered a rookie until the 2012 season.

Since winning the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2012, Trout ranked top-two in MLB's rankings in every season from 2013 to '22, including first on eight occasions. He ranked third in '23, and dropped to 12th in '24, but was still ranked as a top-15 player. Heading into 2025, Trout has fallen to 39th.

Though Trout tries to stay off social media, he acknowledged Wednesday that he has seen the ranking. "They're going off the last couple years and I haven't been out there," Trout told the media. "That's their ranking, I know where I stand."

When asked whether the ranking gives him more motivation, Trout said, "Oh yeah. … Stuff like that I think fires you up a little bit."

The ranking is not necessarily a shock when considering Trout's recent injury limitations. Trout tore his meniscus a month into the 2024 season, causing him to miss the rest of the year. The injury also caused Trout to miss the MLB All-Star Game for the first time in his career.

Before the injury, Trout was among the league leaders in home runs early in the season. The Angels superstar has unfortunately struggled to stay on the field for a full season, missing significant time in each of the last four seasons. The 2024 season marked the fewest games he has played in a single year.

The Angels are looking to mitigate Trout's injuries going forward, and Trout will move from center field to right field this season in an effort to stay healthier. If Trout can play the entire season and return to his usual form, it would not be surprising to see him rise back up to the top 10.