Ins and outs: Mourinho's Real deal

This week's news and rumours on player transfers and trades from the world of sport.

NRL / AFL / Rugby / Football / NBA

NRL

Brisbane's forward pack will get a much-needed boost next season with homesick Bulldog Ben Hannant signing on with the Broncos for next season. Hannant had been linked to the Gold Coast Titans, but Brisbane had more room under their salary cap and secured the Test prop.

Ricky Stuart sprung a surprise this week by quitting the Cronulla Sharks. The former Test coach will leave at the end of the season, but has dismissed reports he is set to join the Wests Tigers or Super rugby franchise the Melbourne Rebels.

There could be somewhat of an exodus at the struggling Sharks, with Trent Barrett coming off contract this year and five players - including Anthony Tupou, Reece Williams and John Mannah - having clauses in their contracts allowing them to leave when Stuart does.

And Israel Folau could stay in the NRL thanks to money from, strangely enough, the federal government.

The NRL is looking into the possibility of Folau earning a new third-party deal by giving Folau an ambassadorial role within the Polynesian community.

Similar deals have been reached in the past with Johnathan Thurston and Preston Campbell taking roles within the Aboriginal community.

AFL

Richmond 18-year-old Dustin Martin has played just eight games of football, but that hasn't stopped the new Greater Western Sydney team offering him a whopping three-year contract worth $2.4 million.

Martin reportedly received a verbal offer from the GWS franchise for $800,000 a season - but still wants to stay at Richmond where he could earn up to $500,000 a year.

Meanwhile, Adelaide's 33-year-old captain Simon Goodwin has announced he will retire at the end of the season.

RUGBY

NSW Waratahs Phil Waugh and Al Baxter were the big losers in Robbie Deans's 30-man Wallabies squad to face Fiji, England and Ireland next month.

Deans named seven uncapped players in the squad and gave a recall to Brumbies skipper Stephen Hoiles, but may have ended Waugh's career with the snubbing.

See the full squad here.

FOOTBALL

After winning the Champions League with Inter Milan, Jose Mourinho is on his way to Real Madrid after the Spanish giants sacked their coach Manuel Pellegrini.

The very quotable Mourinho has made no secrets of his plans to join Real over the past few weeks, talking up the abilities of Real's Portugese star Cristiano Ronaldo even before Pellegrini was sacked: "We are both Portuguese, he is the best player in the world and I am one of the best coaches in the world. I want a lot of goals from him next season.

"Nobody can criticise him if he's with Paris Hilton on holiday, or he goes to LA or he buys a Ferrari, because someone who trains and plays as he does is from another planet. He is an historic footballer."

The likes of Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole, Fernando Torres and Maicon have all been talked about as possible signings for Mourinho's Real squad.

Elsewhere, Arsenal have reportedly told Barcelona that Barca junior Cesc Fabregas is not for sale at any price, despite the fact the star Spain midfielder has spoken of his desire to rejoin his childhood team.

Arsenal's famously frugal manager Arsene Wenger is looking to strengthen his squad in a bid to convince Fabregas to stay, signing Morocco striker Marouane Chamakh on a free transfer and now reportedly turning his eyes to Australia's own Mark Schwarzer as a solution to the club's goalkeeper woes.

Meanwhile, Everton playmaker Mikel Arteta has been linked to both Arsenal and Manchester City, while Chelsea are apparently considering a swoop on Liverpool midfielders Javier Mascherano and Yossi Benayoun.

In the A-League, Sydney FC is set to announce the signing of former Newcastle Jets star and fringe Socceroo Nicky Carle as one of their marquee players. Carle was one of three players cut from Pim Verbeek's World Cup squad this week, alongside striker Scott McDonald and defender Jade North. Five more players will be trimmed when Verbeek names his final 23-man squad before the June 1 FIFA deadline.

NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers have sacked coach Mike Brown after the team's surprising early exit from the playoffs, while a choir of Cleveland minor celebrities have recorded a "We Are the World"-style charity song in a last-ditch bid to prevent Cavaliers star LeBron James from leaving the franchise.