Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has set his sights on a Real Madrid target who Mikel Arteta personally thinks is perfect for his system, according to a new report.
Arsenal prepare for Premier League blockbuster against Chelsea
The mood around N5 could hardly be more positive right now after a phenomenal week.
Arsenal dismantled North London rivals Tottenham 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium last weekend and immediately followed that up by inflicting Bayern Munich’s first defeat of the entire campaign on Wednesday.
It was the perfect few days to set up a tantalising encounter with London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with Arsenal now having the chance to go nine points clear of Enzo Maresca’s side.
Chelsea pose yet another tough test for Arsenal, especially after the Blues thrashed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League, but Arteta’s side go into the contest on an all-time high.
Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham
Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich
Arsenal have also welcomed back Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard from injury, with the former two getting on the scoresheet against Bayern to round off a superb win.
Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus missed the victory over Bayern, alongside star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, but young defender Cristhian Mosquera did a ‘superb’ job filling in for the latter.
Arsenal’s strength in depth is testament to Berta’s excellent recruitment drive last summer, with their near-£270 million outlay on new signings paying dividends for Arteta.
The Gunners could hardly be any stronger right now, but Berta will be paying close attention to unmissable market opportunities.
Arsenal star makes transfer admission and says club "want" to sign him
He’s responded to the speculation around his future.
ByEmilio Galantini Nov 14, 2025
One of them could be Elche sensation Rodrigo Mendoza, who is rumoured to have a tempting £17.5 million release clause in his contract amid comparisons to Pedri and Barça legend Sergio Busquets.
Arsenal hold 'initial talks' to sign Rodrigo Mendoza from Elche
That is according to TEAMtalk, who also report that Arsenal have positioned themselves as the frontrunners to sign Mendoza in January.
Arteta has apparently identified the 20-year-old as an ‘ideal’ addition to strengthen his title-chasing squad, with Arsenal already holding ‘initial talks’ to sign Mendoza after ‘exploratory’ contact.
TT sources indicate that Arsenal are prepared to test Elche’s resolve before Christmas as they look to bolster their midfield options for the second half of the campaign.
However, Arsenal face significant competition for his signature. Three other Premier League heavyweights have all made contact with the player’s representatives too, setting up a four-way English battle, and Real Madrid are believed to be targeting Mendoza too.
Sources close to Mendoza’s camp apparently state that, while multiple English clubs have registered interest, Arsenal’s early moves give them a distinct advantage.
The modest release clause represents exceptional value in today’s inflated market, particularly for a Spain Under-21 international who has progressed through every youth level.
Mendoza has nine La Liga appearances and one goal to his name so far this season, and helped Elche achieve promotion back to the Spanish top flight last season.
For just £17.5m, Arsenal could sign one of Spain’s newest rising stars, with Arteta’s apparent eagerness making this transfer one to watch.
Tottenham chiefs are believed to be assessing their options ahead of the looming January transfer window, which opens in just over a month’s time, and Thomas Frank reportedly wants to reinforce his attacking options.
On the pitch, all eyes turn towards this weekend’s looming North London derby as Frank’s side dream of their first Premier League win at the Emirates Stadium since 2011.
Frank also heads into his first derby clash as Spurs boss in testing circumstances, nursing a crippling injury crisis as he also navigates an inconsistent run of form. With as many as 11 first-team players currently sidelined, the Dane’s squad depth is pretty stretched for one of the Premier League’s most high-stakes fixtures.
Dejan Kulusevski
Knee
29/11/2025
James Maddison
ACL
01/06/2026
Radu Dragusin
Knee
22/11/2025
Ben Davies
Thigh
23/11/2025
Kota Takai
Ankle/Foot
23/11/2025
Mohammed Kudus
Knock
23/11/2025
Randal Kolo Muani
Jaw
23/11/2025
Yves Bissouma
Ankle/Foot
23/11/2025
Lucas Bergvall
Concussion
23/11/2025
Dominic Solanke
Ankle
23/11/2025
Archie Gray
Calf/Shin/Heel
23/11/2025
via Premier Injuries
His preparations took another worrying turn when midfielder Pape Sarr limped off during Senegal’s friendly against Brazil, though his international manager, Pape Thiaw, then provided a reassuring update which suggested the knock wasn’t serious.
The injury list makes for grim reading. Randal Kolo Muani, Archie Gray, Ben Davies, Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, Yves Bissouma and Kota Takai are just some of the names on Tottenham’s large absentee list, with a good few not expected back in time for the Arsenal clash.
Solanke is apparently “unlikely” to make his return against Mikel Arteta’s side as the striker continues his recovery from minor ankle surgery, while Kolo Muani fractured his jaw against Man United, and it remains to be seen how long the summer signing will be out for.
Mohammed Kudus should recover from a knock to face Arsenal, offering some attacking relief, while Lucas Bergvall could return after completing concussion protocols following his head injury against Chelsea — even if he was sent home from Sweden international duty after a ‘setback’.
Taking into account the club’s fitness issues which have plagued the Lilywhites since the start of Ange Postecoglou’s final season in charge, it is no surprise that they’re considering moves in the winter transfer market to reinforce Frank’s options.
Tottenham tried and failed to sign Man City winger Savinho in the summer, and it is believed that another wide-forward is very much still on the agenda at N17.
Takefusa Kubo could be tempted to join Tottenham in January
Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo is a player who’s long been linked with a move to Spurs.
Some reports even suggest that the north Londoners have made ‘several’ failed attempts to sign the Japan international, but they’ve been given some encouragement in the build up to January as it is claimed that Kubo is keen on Spurs as a landing spot.
His contract reportedly includes a £52 million release clause, and journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Football Insider that Kubo could still be intrigued by a move to Tottenham this winter amid Sociedad’s worrying form which sees them hovering just three points above the relegation zone.
O’Rourke also calls Kubo a “top player” who’d tick a lot of boxes for Frank.
The 24-year-old, who left Real Madrid after successive loan spells away to join Sociedad permanently in 2022, averaged more successful take-ons per 90 than any of his teammates in La Liga last season (WhoScored), and more than any Tottenham player managed in England that campaign too.
Predominantly a right-winger, Kubo appears unlikely to threaten Kudus’ place in the side given his exceptional start, but can operate as both a central attacking playmaker and even a second-striker, which may well appeal to Frank.
The presence of a release clause means that Spurs can bypass negotiations with Sociedad by triggering it and entering talks with the player himself.
Kubo’s signing could also open up commercial opportunities in the Asian market, something which Tottenham have missed since club legend and South Korea icon Son Heung-min departed for Los Angeles FC in the summer.
Make no mistake, this could be one to keep an eye on, and Kubo has been tipped to become an eventual superstar by those who’ve worked with him.
Shai Hope’s fifty rescued WI from 43 for 3, while Roston Chase starred with an all-round show
Tristan Lavalette05-Nov-2025
Mitchell Santner’s cameo at the death kept New Zealand alive•AFP/Getty Images
Quick Matthew Forde provided a spark in his return from injury before West Indies overcame a late whirlwind from skipper Mitchell Santner to defeat New Zealand in the T20I series-opener. West Indies did eventually clinch the lowest total successfully defended at Eden Park in a T20I, but they were made to work hard after Santner clubbed 55 not out from 28 balls to almost power New Zealand to an incredible victory.Romario Shepherd, however, held his nerve with the ball in the final over to ensure West Indies drew first blood in the five-match series. Roston Chase produced a fine display of spin bowling on a small ground, picking up 3 for 26 to go with the hand he played in West Indies’ two biggest partnerships earlier in the day. He was named Player of the Match.Having been restricted in good batting conditions less than a week after clean-sweeping a T20I series in Bangladesh, West Indies appeared set for a tough start to a tour that comprises all three formats. But Forde was menacing in his return from a shoulder injury as West Indies tore through a meek New Zealand batting effort. It was a disappointing start for New Zealand in their first match since the retirement of Kane Williamson from T20I cricket.It was a major turnaround after West Indies’ batting order had earlier struggled on a surface with much more bounce than in Bangladesh. Captain Shai Hope overcame a slow start in the powerplay to top score with 53 off 39 balls to lead West Indies’ recovery from 43 for 3.This series is seen as important preparation for the short-handed teams as they build towards a T20 World Cup that is just three months away. Meanwhile, there was an old-school feel to the game with DRS not in place due to technical issues.Matthew Forde got 1 for 9 off his first three overs•Getty Images
Forde sparks WI in comeback gameForde hadn’t played any competitive cricket since July, but showed no signs of rust in a brilliant opening burst. He bowled beautifully with the new ball, especially from around the wicket to trouble Devon Conway with deadly swing.Forde was finally rewarded when he clean-bowled Conway with an inswinger that hit top of off stump. He continued to be all over New Zealand’s top order, finishing with 1 for 9 off his first three overs – marked by 14 dot balls – in the powerplay. But his performance was soured slightly after conceding 23 runs to a rampaging Santner in the 18th over.Santner’s near miraculous heistAfter a horrific collapse of 7 for 37 from 70 for 2 in the tenth over, New Zealand appeared set for a crushing defeat at 107 for 9 in the 17th. But Santner turned the chase on its head by smashing seven boundaries and a six in a nine-ball flurry as the sparse crowd started to find its voice.With New Zealand needing 20 runs off the final over, Santner could not score off the first two deliveries bowled by Shepherd – although the second ball should have been called a wide due to height – before clubbing a six to give New Zealand hope. But it ultimately proved too tough a task despite a record tenth-wicket partnership for New Zealand in T20Is.Shai Hope rebuilt with a half-century after three early wickets•AFP/Getty Images
Hope fires after slow startHaving come off tours of Bangladesh and India, West Indies had the tough task of quickly acclimatising to the different conditions in New Zealand. Their top order made a rough start, struggling to handle the extra bounce as Brandon King, Alick Athanaze and Ackeem Auguste holed out after miscues.Hope had to steady the innings, and he entered the match after solid performances across formats in south Asia. But he was sluggish to begin with, unable to find timing much to his frustration on a true surface. Hope scored only 11 off 17 balls in the powerplay, with West Indies making just 32 runs off the first six overs. He finally decided to go for broke against Jimmy Neesham in the seventh over as the run rate finally lifted over six an over.It got him going, with Hope starting to clatter the smaller boundaries and bringing up his half-century in style by clubbing Zakary Foulkes for six over long-off. But Hope was clean bowled on the next delivery, undone by Foulkes’ variation as he missed an attempted swipe over the leg side.West Indies’ innings never truly got rolling, but it did receive a lift from Rovman Powell, who smashed a couple of huge sixes after being dropped twice in the outfield by Michael Bracewell.Jacob Duffy struck in the first over•AFP/Getty Images
Duffy shines in NZ’s disciplined attackNew Zealand are assembling a deep and talented pace pack, with competition for spots hotting up as the T20 World Cup looms. With Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke and Lockie Ferguson on the sidelines, New Zealand didn’t miss a beat, with Jacob Duffy the standout of an attack that kept a powerful West Indies batting order in check.Duffy was outstanding in the powerplay, removing King in the first over to start an opening burst that yielded figures of 1 for 10 off three overs. He later bowled Chase with a superb yorker after coming back at the death.Duffy showcased his variety, bowling a mixture of length and full deliveries to concede just one boundary in four overs. Kyle Jamieson bowled well in his return from a side strain, while Foulkes had a mixed bag but did claim two wickets.
O Flamengo está interessado na contratação de Maycon, volante que pertence ao Shakhtar Donetsk e está emprestado ao Corinthians. O clube ucraniano aceitou uma oferta de seis milhões de euros do Rubro-Negro pelo atleta. As informações são dos sites “Goal” e “ge”.
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O Shakhtar irá comunicar a decisão ao Corinthians, que, por sua vez, tem 48 horas para igualar a oferta e manter o jogador em definitivo. O empréstimo de Maycon ao Timão vai até o fim de 2024, e seu contrato com o clube ucraniano se encerra em dezembro de 2026.
A janela de tranferências do futebol brasileiro se encerra no dia 7 de março, próxima quinta-feira. Mesmo Maycon atuando pelo Corinthians e disputando o Paulistão, há o entendimento por parte do Flamengo de que, por se tratar de uma negociação com um clube ucraniano, a negociação deve respeitar o prazo desta semana. Por isso, há pressa para fechar a contratação.
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➡️ Flamengo tenta regularizar Léo Ortiz para semifinal do Carioca; saiba quando o zagueiro chega ao Rio
O jogador de 26 anos foi revelado pelo Corinthians em 2016. Foi vendido ao Shakhtar em 2018 e está emprestado de volta ao Timão desde 2022, ano em que lidou com lesões consecutivas. Mesmo assim, teve seu empréstimo renovado por mais uma temporada. Em 2023, foram 57 partidas e três gols. Nesta temporada, Maycon entrou em campo 11 vezes, com dois gols e duas assistências.
Voices have been raised from within the Liverpool dressing room during the club's alarming ongoing slump, according to a report on Saturday morning. The Red have lost nine of their last 12 games, and a handful of players have seemingly had enough. Pressure is continuing to mount on head coach Arne Slot as Liverpool struggle in the Dutchman's second season.
Pressure really starting to mount on Slot
Liverpool followed up their 3-0 loss to Forest last weekend with a disappointing Champions League showing in midweek as goals from Ivan Perisic, Guus Til and Couhaib Driouech – twice – compounded the Reds to a 4-1 home defeat to PSV, a performance that was slammed by former Reds striker Peter Crouch. The result means Liverpool have lost their last three matches, conceding 10 times in that run, and have fallen to defeat in nine of their last 12.
The shambolic start to their title defence means Liverpool head into Sunday's game at West Ham 11 points off league leaders Arsenal and have since slipped to 12th in the Premier League table. Combined with Everton's 1-0 win over Manchester United on Monday night, even the Toffees now sit above their local rivals in the table, albeit on goal difference.
And a report from the Daily Mail on Saturday morning has pinpointed the moment that things truly begn to unravel for Slot as pressure mounts on the Dutchman. Defeat to a rejuvenated West Ham this weekend will only heighten growing calls from fans for the club to relieve Slot of his duties.
AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Voices were raised' following Forest loss
The Mail report from the suggests that "voices were raised" behind closed doors following the humbling loss to Forest. Goals from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White saw Sean Dyche's side claim an impressive victory at Anfield last time out, a result that means the Premier League champions have lost six of their 12 league matches this season.
However, captain Virgil van Dijk took to social media following the defeat to PSV to insist that Liverpool "won't give up" as the club look to turn their dire form around. "We're facing one of the toughest moments of our journey, but we refuse to let this define us," the Reds captain posted on his Instagram.
"We will rise from this. I believe in this team with everything I have. Nothing has ever been handed to us – we’ve fought everything, and this moment is no different. We won’t give in. Won't give up. Every challenge is an opportunity. We must grow together, lift each other up, and show the strength that lies within us.
"To the fans, keep supporting us. We all need each other more than ever."
Liverpool are feeling a different type of pressure, says Slot
Under-fire Slot, meanwhile, insists that he is used to feeling the pressure while working for a top-level club, and has suggested that he is under pressure regardless, but that this season's struggles differ to last season's push for the Premier League title.
"There is a lot of pressure if you work or play at a top club," Slot said in his pre-West Ham press conference on Thursday. "And then there is even more when you start losing more games than this club, players or the manager are used to. But there was pressure last season as well for us to win the league.
"But now it’s a different kind of pressure because we have lost so many games. In the end, it's about doing what this club is about. Keep fighting no matter how difficult it is. It would also be nice if we reward ourselves in the moments we play well."
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Getty Images SportWest Ham hoping to pile further misery on Liverpool
Liverpool's game at West Ham on Sunday comes at a bad time for the Reds as they look to get their season back on track. The Hammers look to have found their groove following a disappointing start to life under Nuno Espirito Santo.
The east London side are unbeaten in three after their 2-2 draw at Bournemouth last weekend, a result that means they have collected seven points from the last nine available. The turnaround in fortunes means West Ham head into the weekend's action outside of the relegation zone, and they'll hope to pile further misery upon this downtrodden Liverpool side and pull away from danger in the process in Sunday's game at the London Stadium.
Christian Pulisic’s impressive season for AC Milan has hit another setback, with manager Massimiliano Allegri revealing the American is expected to miss this weekend’s Serie A matchup against Lazio. The winger, who scored the decisive goal in Milan’s derby win over Inter, withdrew from training on Wednesday due to muscular discomfort, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming fixture.
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Pulisic is unlikely to play
At his prematch news conference, Allegri said Pulisic “is unlikely to play,” while noting that there were still two days for the situation to change. He added that the rest of the squad is in good condition. Pulisic missed training on Wednesday after reporting muscular discomfort, prompting Allegri to be cautious given the American’s recent recovery from a hamstring issue.
“Pulisic is unlikely to play, although there are still two days until the match and anything can happen,” Allegri said according to ESPN.
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Recent injury history
The timing is particularly frustrating for Milan, as Pulisic had only recently returned to full fitness after a hamstring injury suffered during U.S. national team duty in October. He made a substitute appearance in Milan’s 2-2 draw with Parma on Nov. 8 before starting and scoring the winner in the derby against Inter on Nov. 23. With seven goals and two assists in just 10 appearances across all competitions this season, Pulisic has been instrumental to Milan’s strong start despite missing four games earlier in the campaign.
Impact on Milan's tactical approach
The timing of the setback underscores Pulisic’s rise as Milan’s attacking catalyst since his €20 million ($22 million) move from Chelsea. His versatility under Allegri this season has made him a central piece of the system, with no player in Serie A producing more goal contributions than Pulisic since his arrival in 2023 (48, tied with Inter’s Lautaro Martínez).
Losing Pulisic against a well-organized Lazio side would be a significant blow to Milan’s attacking options and could force tactical adjustments, especially with the Serie A title race tightening at this stage of the campaign.
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What's next for Milan?
Milan currently sit second in the Serie A table with 25 points, level with Napoli and just two points behind leaders Roma, making the Lazio fixture crucial to their title aspirations.
Salman Agha has been batting with Babar Azam since their Under-16 days, so it’s not surprising that, now in their 30s, they are attuned to each other’s rhythm. It was in evidence during Pakistan’s T20I series decider against South Africa on Saturday when, joining hands at a tricky phase in the chase, they went about the task at hand.”Babar and I have known each other for a long time,” Agha said. “When you know someone so well, it feels easier batting together. We’re experienced enough to know the asking rate wasn’t extremely high.”Perhaps there never was a time when Pakistan were not in control of the chase, but when the wicket fell to bring their captain to the crease alongside Babar, the perch from which they dominated the game had begun to wobble. Pakistan were scoring at about a run a ball into the eighth over, with Agha taking his time to settle, and the asking rate at the 8-an-over mark.”Singles and doubles would have been enough to win the game,” Agha said. “That’s what we were doing, and we knew we’d get an over like the one against Baartman [where we hit four boundaries], and that almost finished the game.”Related
Babar 68, Shaheen three-for headline Pakistan's 2-1 series win
Three of those boundaries came off the bat of Babar, who, by then, had smoothly moved gears and was beginning to approach vintage Babar territory. The third, a trademark Babar cover drive, brought him his first T20I half-century in 18 months, and his 40th T20I score over 50, a record.But it was earlier in the innings that the former Pakistan captain showed signs he was prepared to play a different kind of knock. When the parsimonious George Linde fired one into his pads, he got down and swept him crisply away for four. One of the weaknesses of Babar’s batting portfolio is his discomfort playing the sweep, but he deployed it several times early in his innings, and to great effect.For Agha, it is his desire to adapt and improve that stands out most in what he admires about his old friend. “You may all be fans of his batting, but I’m a fan of Babar’s work ethic. The way he prepares, I have not seen anyone prepare as well as he does in international cricket. Whether he’s performing or not, his preparation is always spot on.”He knows he needs to bring new things into his game. That sweep shot, which you do not normally associate with him, got him a number of runs today. He understands this stuff because he’s such a big player, and he recognises he needs to take things to the next level. I really hope we see this kind of Babar in future, because if he performs, we’ll definitely win matches. That’s a good sign for us.”It left the crowd – at over 32,000, officially the biggest in Pakistan’s history – content as they made their way to the exits, having waited until Babar’s innings finally came to an end. By then, the outcome of the game was all but certain, even if a little tremor at the end took the game to the final six deliveries.”We’re all delighted for Babar. The whole country is. In big games, big players step up. He did that today, and I really hope he continues along this vein and we see this Babar perform in the next four or five years.”We’ve won both matches comprehensively. The bowlers kept them under par, and that’s what we discuss in team meetings. Score above par and keep other teams below par. The bowling did their job and it was an easy chase in both games.”The mood in the Pakistan camp is a lot brighter than it might have been earlier in the week. The series started with a limp performance that allowed South Africa to take a 1-0 lead in Islamabad. It seemed, after some of the progress seen during Pakistan’s Asia Cup run to the final, that the problems of old had begun to resurface. But Agha pushed back against “a prevailing narrative” that this T20 side he has now led for the best part of a year is doing poorly.”You can spin it anyway, but we played the Asia Cup final, won the tri-nation series and the West Indies series. We scored big runs in those series. Here, we prepared relatively low scoring pitches because going forward, we’re playing a World Cup in Sri Lanka. I don’t think we’ll have 170-180 type matches. It’ll be the 140-150 kind of pitches. And those are the kinds we need to prepare for.”There’s a narrative that this team is not performing well. We only lost the away Bangladesh series in the last few months and the Asia Cup final. The narrative is this team’s performance isn’t great, but if you talk factually, our performances have been great, and our winning ratio [since the end of the PSL] is 70% [66.6%]. That’s the winning ratio of the best teams in the world.”
The Kansas City Chiefs and Royals will likely stay in Missouri after the state's House approved a stadium incentives package on Wednesday. Missouri governor Mike Kehoe will need to sign the plan, which he is expected to do.
With the package, which passed 90 to 58, will "pay for up to 50% of new or improved stadiums for the Chiefs and Royals using tax revenue generated by the teams toward payment of bonds," via the .
There have been rumors for quite some time of both professional teams jumping across the border into Kansas. The state of Kansas was expected to pay up to 70% of the stadiums.
The result of the vote is a controversial one as many Missourians saw both sides, mostly for financial reasons. The state would've lost revenue from the teams moving out of Missouri, but now the state will pay a big chunk of change to keep the teams.
However, it's important to note that neither the Chiefs nor the Royals have confirmed their intentions to stay in Missouri. There still may need to be local support in the Kansas City area to provide more funding for the teams.
If the Chiefs stay in Missouri, the plan is to renovate the team's current home, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Royals, however, have looked into leaving Kauffman Stadium, which shares its parking lots with Arrowhead, to move to another part of the city.
Long before he was a 10-time MLB All-Star, a three-time World Series champion, and a first-ballot Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz was just a kid from the Dominican Republic, dreaming of one day playing in the big leagues.
A native of Santo Domingo, Ortiz described his upbringing—in a country where opportunity was scarce—as "tough". The oldest of four children and a passionate fan of baseball, he dedicated himself to the sport at a young age and, shortly after turning 17 years old, earned a contract with the Seattle Mariners.
Ortiz was ultimately traded to the Minnesota Twins after four years in Seattle's system, and quickly rose up their ranks—making his Major League debut the following season. To this day, he still remembers the first time he saw himself on a baseball card:
"Man, the very first baseball card that I saw myself [on], it was this one card that said on the bottom: 'The wave of the future,'" Ortiz explained in an interview with . "I never forgot about that. When I saw that baseball card for the first time, I felt proud of myself. And believe it or not, it kind of motivated me to continue … I want[ed] to see myself on more baseball cards."
Twenty seasons and countless trading cards featuring Big Papi later, and Ortiz is now teaming up with to predict the future stars of baseball's next generation.
In a spot filmed at at Boston's TD Garden, the former slugger plays the role of a tarot card reader working the back room of a trading card shop. When two friends enter the hobby to inquire about a box of sitting on the counter, they're directed to a secret room with a sign above it that says "See the Future." Upon entering, they see Ortiz, who sits with them and proclaims that prospects Jesus Made, J.J. Wetherholt, and Charlie Condon are baseball’s three biggest upcoming stars.
“The future is in the cards," he tells them. Here's a full look at the spot:
Ortiz spoke withabout his appearance in the ad for and how they're helping put a spotlight on the baseball's future stars:
"What is doing right now is basically, the incredible talent—player-wise—that is coming, they’re trying to call people’s attention [to it]," he said. "In my days, it didn't used to be like that."
"Once you got to the big league, established yourself, started putting up numbers, that was when people started paying attention to you," Ortiz continued. "Nowadays it's different, because social media … the job that is doing right now, I mean, [in the commercial] we're talking about a kid from my country, that is a beast, that I didn't even know, now I do. That's what is happening with everybody else nowadays, they're going to pay attention thanks to and everything that they are doing to make sure the new talent, those new players coming up, get to be more known way before they get to the big leagues."
Wednesday marks the release of 2025 Bowman Baseball, available today at both hobby shops and . Each pack contains three base cards, three Paper Prospects, and two Chrome Prospects, one Chrome Prospect Mini Diamond Refractor, one Chrome Prospect X-Factor, and one Autograph.