Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Julian Draxler has been a renowned player across Europe for some time now and Crystal Palace could be set to make a move for him, with a new update dropping news on talks between the clubs.
How old is Julian Draxler?
The German has enjoyed an excellent career for club and country, even though injuries have ultimately played a part in him not quite reaching his vast potential. That being said, he has still won 58 caps for Germany, scoring seven goals at international level, not to mention winning the 2014 World Cup.
Now 29 years of age, Draxler has been plying his trade at PSG since arriving from VfL Wolfsburg in 2017, making a total of 198 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants. Last season, he was sent out on loan to Benfica, however, and he was restricted to just ten games in the Primeira Liga.
The midfielder is out of contract at his current club next summer, meaning they could be keen to cash in on him before deadline day arrives next Friday night. If not, it means they will likely lose him on a free transfer in 2024, with an extension not expected to come his way, hence his loan move in 2023/24.
With Palace eyeing up some late business in the current transfer window, a potential move for Draxler looks to be on the cards, following an intriguing update.
Will Crystal Palace sign Julian Draxler?
Taking to Twitter, RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins claimed that Draxler is a summer target for Palace, as they eye up an audacious piece of business:
"Crystal Palace is interested in Julian Draxler. First contacts have taken place between Paris and the English club. The German, who has one year left on his contract, is enthusiastic about the idea of going to London."
Granted, Draxler's career has gone the way he would have hoped, in terms of the injury layoffs and not becoming a genuine world-beater, but he could still be a really exciting signing by Palace this summer.
His talent is undeniable, having registered 41 assists and scored 26 goals for PSG, not to mention being called "world-class" by Jens Keller, and he could raise the level of everyone around him at Selhurst Park.
Draxler's contract situation means that Palace could also be able to snap him up for a cut-price amount, with PSG not in a particularly strong bargaining position, so it wouldn't necessarily be a financial risk, even given his injury record.
The fact that the player himself is keen on a move to the Eagles certainly bodes well, as he looks for a fresh challenge away from being a fringe player at PSG, and he could add that sprinkling of magic in attacking midfield, possessing the ability to open up defences and also chip in with goals of his own.
Draxler has scored 66 goals and got 80 assists in his professional career to date – that figure would be higher if he had been available more often – and that level of end product could make Palace a greater attacker force, at a time when goals can come at a premium.
Chelsea could still make an attacking signing in the remaining days of the transfer window, and they have turned their attention to La Liga for a potential addition, according to a new claim.
Do Chelsea need to sign another attacker?
The Blues have enjoyed a productive few months when it comes to transfer business, with Mauricio Pochettino coming in as manager and rebuilding the squad.
A number of players have moved on, including Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, while the likes of Axel Disasi, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Nicolas Jackson represent good incoming signings who can possibly take the club forward.
In the early weeks of the new Premier League season, however, there have been signs that further attacking reinforcements could be needed, with Mykhailo Mudryk struggling to make an impact and too much onus arguably on Raheem Sterling and Jackson to produce end product currently.
There is still enough time for that to change at Stamford Bridge, should Pochettino feel the need to make another signing, and a new update suggests that further business isn't out of the question.
According to The Daily Mail, Barcelona winger Raphinha is seen as an option to come in this summer, as is fellow teammate Ferran Torres, with internal talks held by Stamford Bridge chiefs.
"Names floated for Chelsea as potential forward targets include Ferran Torres and Raphinha at Barcelona and Arsenal's Emile Smith Rowe. Interest is not particularly advanced but that trio are among the names being discussed by the Chelsea hierarchy at this stage."
Raphinha could be a great signing for Chelsea before the end of deadline day, having shone so much for Leeds United during their time in the Premier League. The Brazilian has scored 17 goals and registered 12 assists in the competition, once scoring a penalty at Stamford Bridge, and his pace, trickery and end product from the right wing could be a great option for the Blues.
Granted, Sterling is currently in superb form in that position, but the Englishman has shown how good he can be on the left flanks throughout his career, and could still thrive there for Chelsea. If they had him and Raphinha on either flank, and Jackson leading the line, it could be a formidable-looking attacking unit for Pochettino, while simply having the Brazil international would also improve squad depth.
Former Leeds teammate Dan James has described the 26-year-old as a "magician" in the past, highlighting the technical quality he has in his locker, and he could jump at the chance to join the Blues, having not always managed to be a regular for Barcelona since arriving from Elland Road last year.
Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…
While he still featured in 36 of Barca's La Liga game last season, only 25 of them were starts, and if he was promised more regular playing time by Pochettino in west London, it could be a move that really appeals to him, also helping improve Chelsea significantly at the time.
At 26, Raphinha is still at a young enough age to improve further and be a long-term signing for the Blues, so they could look to bring him in before the transfer window slams shut.
Popular Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has already made his "first and last mistake" at Spurs, according to talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor.
How are Tottenham doing?
The north Londoners have been thriving under new head coach Postecoglou this season, with the Australian bringing his style of exciting, attack-minded "Ange-ball" to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Postecoglou was a rip-roaring success at his previous club Celtic, where he won five domestic trophies during his two-year tenure at Parkhead.
The 58-year-old has also enjoyed brilliant stints at various clubs in the Far East; clinching another five league titles across spells with Brisbane Roar, South Melbourne FC and Yokohoma F.Marinos in Japan.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy took an arguable gamble with Postecoglou's appointment considering his lack of experience in elite European divisions, but the tactician is proving all doubters wrong thus far.
The Lilywhites have won three out of their opening four Premier League games, prior to this international break; having put Man United, Bournemouth and especially Burnley to the sword.
In that time, Postecoglou's electric footballing philosophy has been on full display, with Spurs scoring nine goals in their last trio of top flight of encounters.
Speaking to Sky last month, Tottenham's popular new head coach explained exactly why he will not be diverging away from his particular brand.
"That's the beauty of our game," Postecoglou said.
"The beauty of football is that there are so many ways you can have success, so many ways you can set up your team, so many ways you can counteract the opposition.
"I'm probably at one extreme and there are others at the other extreme and we can both have success in this game.
"I think especially with a football club like this, that has consistently looked for that in their teams, they've loved the entertainers, there's a connection there with that kind of football."
What's been said about Ange Postecoglou?
This exceptional start to life in England has resulted in major praise for Postecoglou.
However, according to pundit Agbonlahor – who is regularly seen and heard on talkSPORT – the Spurs boss has already made his "first and last mistake" at N17.
Indeed, the former Aston Villa striker claims that Postecoglou's team selection for their Carabao Cup second round tie away at Fulham two weeks ago was a real error.
The ex-Hoops boss fielded a weakened side for the clash at Craven Cottage, a decision which proved costly as Spurs exited the competition very early; thwarting an opportunity for them to clinch a major trophy.
Agbonlahor, speaking to Football Insider this week, claimed this was a "big loss".
“Going out of the League Cup, it’s a big loss for Spurs," said Agbonlahor.
“I think picking some of the players Postecoglou did, it’s the first and last mistake he will make. He won’t do that again in a big game.
“But they’ve responded. If you look at the side that started against Burnley, it’s a top, top side. It’s definitely a team that would have beaten Fulham from the start. They would’ve washed them away.
“Ange will take the FA Cup seriously now, starting his best side. I think it’s going to be a successful season for Spurs.
“I can see them finishing in the top six, and I think they’ve got a chance of winning the FA Cup.”
The abundance of exciting and eye-catching content around Premier League clubs nowadays is unprecedented, and it makes being a fan much more accessible than ever before. That said, while you can find out anything you want about your club, it can also be somewhat overwhelming at times.
Arsenal are no exception to this, and if anything, the sheer size and success of the club only means that there are even more options to choose from – maybe too many.
So here at Football Fancast, we have put together a cheat sheet of who to follow for all your red and white needs.
Arsenal News Now
If you are looking for the best place to find top-notch journalism about any club, let alone the Gunners, News Now should probably be your first port of call. The website collects headlines from around the world on a vast array of topics and provides you links to all the latest news.
It will even give you a short selection of the most popular stories at any given moment. So you'll know what is worth reading and what isn't, along with always staying in the loop when it comes to Arsenal.
While traditional sports media and recognised journalists are invaluable when it comes to keeping abreast of the latest goings-on at all of our favourite clubs, they can sometimes be a bit sterile and stiff, which is precisely where fan content comes into the equation.
Fan-led YouTube channels, Twitter accounts and podcasts have exploded in recent years, and many of them have Arsenal Fan TV to thank for paving the way. There is no fan channel with more reach or more well-known than AFTV, and no fan creator more respected than Robbie Lyle, AKA Don Robbie.
AFTV has been around for well over a decade, and while the cast of characters has changed over the years, Robbie has remained – as has their place as the number one destination for Arsenal fans on the internet.
With more shows that we can count and several appearances on major broadcasters, if you want to find out what fellow Gooners are talking about at the moment, head to AFTV.
Arsenal Vision Podcast
saka-martinelli-arsenal
AFTV might be the best-known destination for fan-based arsenal content, but they aren't the only one. The Arsenal Vision Podcast is one of the most popular Arsenal-based podcasts going.
Described as 'sometimes funny, sometimes serious, occasionally ridiculous and hopefully always enjoyable' by the hosts themselves, it's a great listen for any Gooner looking for more Arsenal content to consume.
John Cross
Back to traditional media once more, and John Cross is one of the best journalists to follow for Arsenal fans – even if he has, at times, clashed with AFTV. Cross is the Chief Football Writer for the Mirror, and while he might not solely focus on the Gunners in his day-to-day work, he still frequently covers them – especially on his Twitter account.
He also wrote a book about the great Arsene Wenger called Arsene Wenger: The Inside Story of Arsenal Under Wenger – which is good enough for us.
Charles Watts
Sticking with recognised journalists, and Charles Watts is perhaps one of the journalists most associated with Arsenal, and for good reason.
Previously a writer for GOAL and football.london, Watts would focus on the club for these publications and even wrote a book on Mikel Arteta's time with the club called 'Revolution – The Rise of Arteta's Arsenal.'
He now has his own website that focuses specifically on Arsenal, a Twitter account with over 500k followers and a YouTube account with 90k subscribers.
If you're an Arsenal fan, you simply have to follow Watts.
James McNicholas
James McNicholas is one of the most respected journalists in the industry, with more than a decade of experience writing for ESPN, Four Four Two, and Bleacher Report. Oh, and he's also a huge Arsenal fan.
Now primarily writing for The Athletic, McNicholas is one of their Arsenal correspondents, and alongside his work for them, he co-hosts the Arsecast podcast.
He can also be found on Twitter and is well worth a follow.
David Ornstein
Rounding off our list of sports journalists is probably the most famous of all, David Ornstein.
Ornstein has grown in prominence in the footballing world over the last few years, and that's certainly true among Arsenal fans. He has been one of The Athletic's most prominent writers since he joined the company in 2019 after spending over a decade with the BBC and has since gained quite a reputation as a reliable reporter of transfer news, with fans often pitting his reports up against those of transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.
Outside The Athletic, fans can find him on Twitter, and he's well worth a follow for everything from news, insider scoops and transfer updates.
He doesn't just Tweet about Arsenal, but when he does, it's usually worth taking note.
Afcstuff
As football content continues to be more and more fan-driven, it only makes sense for websites like Twitter – or X if you like – to become even more central to the popular discourse around the game, and Arsenal are no exception.
There are 1000s of Arsenal dedicated Twitter pages on the site, but only some are worth following, and afcstuff chief among them.
After AFTV, afcstuff is the site's most significant fan-run Arsenal page and is a must-follow for Arsenal supporters.
In their own words, you can find the 'latest updates, stats, quotes, team news & transfer news about Arsenal FC' on their page.
Sticking to Twitter for a moment, and another account well worth following if you are after more of the Gunners in your life is Arsenal Buzz.
The page posts constant updates about the team, with quotes from players, managers and pundits.
It's also a great page to follow if you want to stay up to date with the players on international duty, as they post pictures and updates about that as well.
As many are in the industry nowadays, Harry Symeou does a little bit of everything. A broadcaster, commentator, content creator, podcast host and radio contributor, he does it all – and it all links back to Arsenal.
You can find him in several different places on the internet. He's very active on his personal Twitter account, on his podcast's account – The Chronicles of a Gooner – and even on TalkSport, fighting Arsenal's corner.
Following Arsenal Buzz, afcstuff, and Harry Symeou on Twitter should have you covered on fan accounts on the website.
Arseblog
Another site created by fans, but Arseblog is the real deal. Their website has something for everyone, from news articles, tactical breakdowns, features, and opinions- and then there's the podcast.
The Arsecast – the one co-hosted by James McNicholas – is one of the most popular Arsenal-centric podcasts going, with over 550 episodes in the bank and likely many, many more to come.
The podcast crew also put on special live recordings of the podcast that fans can attend, with their last one including a surprise appearance from club legend Ian Wright – what's not to love?
Outside of their own website, you can also find them through their Twitter account.
Love it or hate it, there is simply no getting away from the all-conquering juggernaut that is The Athletic when it comes to sports journalism these days. That said, their coverage of Arsenal is excellent, as are their writers.
While it may lack the charm of a local or even some fan-created outlets, it's hard to knock the quality of the work they produce.
And as one of the country's biggest sides, Arsenal get even more coverage compared to some others in the Premier League.
Football London – Arsenal
One of Reach PLC's many titles football.london could've ended up feeling like a detached and somewhat sterile corporate attempt at covering the clubs local to the capital, but through hiring the right people and focusing on the right things, they have become one of the best websites going when it comes to the London clubs.
Their coverage of Arsenal is no different, with interesting interviews, match reactions, deep dives and features all focused on the North London club.
It would be a bit odd if we didn't end the article with at least a small shoutout to the work we do on the Gunners here at Football Fancast.
Our team of writers cover everything about the club, whether that be transfers, news, match reaction, analysis, features and more.
Keep your eyes on the site to find out the latest The Arsenal.
And there you have it, a list of everyone and every site you should be following to keep up to date with The Arsenal. From traditional journalists to fan channels and even the blending of the two, there is certainly a lot of content out there to get stuck into.
Tottenham Hotspur have now been provided with an update on the injury Brennan Johnson suffered against Arsenal in Sunday's North London derby.
What's the latest Tottenham injury news?
Johnson was not the only player who sustained an issue in Sunday's game, with James Maddison being forced off after going in for a challenge with Jorginho, but he left the ground without the need for crutches or an ice pack, indicating the injury isn't too serious.
Ivan Perisic has now been ruled out for what is likely to be a considerable length of time, having picked up an ACL injury in his right knee, and the Croatia international joins the likes of Ryan Sessegnon and Rodrigo Bentancur on the list of long-term absentees.
There are indications that Giovani Lo Celso is making decent progress towards a return from a thigh injury, with Ange Postecoglou saying on September 15th: "Gio is still working his way back. He had a session with us yesterday, but we won't rush him back. It was just good that he got through the session, and the plan now is to reintegrate him."
However, the Tottenham manager may be a little more concerned by the hamstring injury Johnson picked up against Arsenal, with Football London reporting he could be ruled out for up to six weeks depending on the severity of the issue. It is thought the Wales international only suffered from a tight hamstring, rather than a more serious injury, but he is set to undergo scans this week to determine the extent of the problem.
Spurs will be hoping the 22-year-old is back in contention ahead of the October international break, and he could return to the side for the trip to Luton Town on October 7th if it is only a low grade strain.
However, if it is more serious than first feared, the forward may not be able to return until after the international break, and in the worst-case scenario he may not be ready to make his comeback until the away clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers in November.
Did Brennan Johnson play well against Arsenal?
Postecoglou put his faith in the Welshman by starting him for the trip to the Emirates Stadium at the weekend, but he did not have the best of games in front of goal, missing two big chances, the highest number of any player on the pitch.
It could be viewed as a positive that the former Nottingham Forest man was getting in the right positions on Sunday, in what was a high-pressure game, but Postecoglou will be hoping he can be a little bit more clinical going forward.
Having been lauded as "unbelievable" by former manager Sabri Lamouchi, the winger certainly has the potential to be a long-term success in north London, and he performed well in the Premier League last season, scoring eight goals in his debut campaign. As such, Postecoglou will be hoping the injury is nothing serious, allowing Johnson to continue his development with Spurs at the earliest opportunity.
USWNT stars Trinity Rodman and Alex Morgan were at the center of multiple heated scuffles against Colombia Sunday evening.
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USWNT defeat Colombia 3-0 in Gold Cup
Rodman and Morgan clash with opposition
Set to face Canada in semifinals
WHAT HAPPENED?
In their 3-0 defeat of Colombia Sunday evening, where the USWNT netted three first-half goals, the two sides clashed from the opening whistle onward. Each team was handed two yellow cards within the first 20 minutes and the contested match quickly became one-sided. However, USWNT veteran Alex Morgan and youthful winger Trinity Rodman were the two at the center of the aggression on the pitch for the USA on Sunday.
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Overall, though, Rodman was the figure at the center of the match through the first 45 minutes. Not only did she assist Jaedyn Shaw's goal – their third of the match – she was the individual who played instigator, protagonist and antagonist on the pitch.
She defended Morgan when three Colombian players confronted her, getting in their faces and pushing them away, while also announcing her presence in two other occasions. Notably, she confronted a Colombia player who was pressuring her during stoppage in the match, yelling "Back the F*CK up" at her.
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WHAT NEXT FOR THE USWNT?
The USWNT will take on Canada in the semifinals of the Gold Cup next on Wednesday, March 6. The CONCACAF rivals will go head-to-head for a chance to play in the finals of the tournament, with Brazil and Mexico competing in the other semifinal.
Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are "very happy" with a Spurs "talent" in their ranks, and they believe he will become an "important player".
Who have Tottenham signed 2023?
Following a productive summer transfer window, Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy backed new manager Ange Postecoglou with seven major signings over the summer. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, assured defender Micky van de Ven, England midfielder James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon, exciting striker Alejo Veliz and Wales forward Brennan Johnson all put pen to paper on moves to N17, deals which have proved fruitful so far.
Spurs are currently flying near the Premier League summit; lying just one place behind table-topping Man City in second. Postecoglou's side have scored just as many league goals as last season's treble-winners also; highlighting the fantastic job done by Tottenham's popular Antonio Conte replacement. The north Londoners remain unbeaten over their opening seven league games, where they've won five and drew two.
A couple of Tottenham's summer captures have so far proved extremely brilliant new additions, namely both van de Ven and Maddison, who have become fixtures in Postecoglou's starting eleven and are impressing on a weekly basis.
Latest Spurs news
A few of them, however, are forced to be more patient in terms of making an impact. The likes of Alejo Veliz and Ashley Phillips may yet be introduced more regularly but seem to signings for the future, while Johnson has started just one league game since joining from Nottingham Forest.
The 22-year-old, who can play almost anywhere across attacking midfield, has already been praised by Spurs captain Son Heung-min as a star he cannot wait to play more with this season.
"I think that by coming to Spurs (Johnson) wants to improve and go to the next step," said the South Korea international (via BBC).
"He will feel the pressure as well but I can't wait to have him in our team, playing even better football, better attacking, better fast football, but I think everyone has to take that responsibility."
Shedding more light on the feeling around Johnson and his capabilities, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Spurs are "very happy" with their decision to sign the Welshman. Tottenham also think that Johnson will go on to become an "important player" for Postecoglou.
Commenting on Tottenham's call to sell former star striker Harry Kane to Bayern Munich over the summer, Romano said to CaughtOffside:
“Tottenham have started this season so well despite losing a world class goal-scorer in Harry Kane. Still, it’s clear this summer that they didn’t panic when Kane left for Bayern Munich – of course it was a complicated decision and Daniel Levy offered the player a new deal and tried in every way to keep Kane at the club, but it was impossible to convince him at that point.
“It’s crucial to point out that Tottenham decided, along with manager Ange Postecoglou, to go for a different strategy. Because there was not really a proper no.9 available on the market for Tottenham, they decided to go for a different kind of player, as they did by signing Brennan Johnson. They are very happy with this, they feel they’ve signed an important player for the present and future."
Marcus Rashford's decision to party in Belfast until the early hours of the morning reportedly "let down" several of his Manchester United team-mates.
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Rashford on Belfast boozy bender in January
Reports that Ten Hag relationship broken
Latest information suggests team-mates also "let down"
WHAT HAPPENED?
The England international embarked on a tequila-fuelled session in a Belfast club back in January, missing United training and their FA Cup fourth round clash against Newport as a result. Despite immediately reinstating Rashford – to great effect against Wolves – previous reports have suggested that Erik ten Hag's relationship with the player has become irreconcilable. According to the , that sentiment has spread to the players.
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The notes that certain members of the United dressing room feel "let down" by Rashford's actions. That's despite the 26-year-old releasing a 2,000-word statement last week underlining his commitment to the Red Devils. But according to the , Rashford's previous status as a senior member of the United dressing room has been hit, with his reputation tarnished as a result of that unceremonious trip to Belfast.
DID YOU KNOW?
Rashford did his talking on the pitch in his first game back against Wolves but has put in several below-par performances since. The United forward has struggled in a more central role, in the absence of Rasmus Hojlund, but bounced back with a screamer in the Manchester derby. More of that and he will likely regain the support of his team-mates in no time.
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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?
He may, however, struggle to properly rebuild his relationship with Ten Hag, with whom he is reportedly not even on speaking terms with at this stage. That said, Rashford may well outlive his manager given that recent results have piled the pressure even further on the Dutchman, with several names mooted to replace him.
Burnley look set to be without a “fantastic” player for their trip to Newcastle United on Saturday, with Vincent Kompany’s injury issues going from bad to worse.
What’s the latest Burnley injury news?
The Clarets are yet to pick up a Premier League victory so far this season and sit in the bottom three as a result. The club have had a tough run of opening fixtures, though, losing to Manchester City, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United and picking up a point at Nottingham Forest.
It doesn’t get any easier for Burnley, though, with a trip to St James’ Park to take on Eddie Howe’s side tomorrow afternoon. A number of players have been sidelined in recent weeks at Turf Moor and will not feature, including Hjalmar Ekdal, Darko Churlinov, Nathan Redmond and Michael Obafemi, whereas Lyle Foster has been suspended.
Manuel Benson looks set to join them on the treatment table after being subbed off early on in the midweek EFL Cup win at Salford City due to an ankle problem. Speaking ahead of the game this weekend, relayed by The Burnley Express, Kompany said Benson is set to miss out this weekend but is hopeful his issue will “heal fairly quickly”.
“It’s not bad, bad news but in the short term it has an impact on the squad for the weekend. It was a serious knock, so it’s a bit of both. But it’s nothing dramatic, so hopefully he will heal fairly quickly. With the international break, that probably comes at a good time actually.”
Manuel Benson
How good is Manuel Benson?
Benson starred during his first season in England last year, playing a key role in the Championship-winning campaign with 15 goal contributions.
He was hailed as “fantastic” by Kompany as a result, who said after he scored last season: “He’s got to score five in a row. It’s not a coincidence; it’s a skill he’s got.
“It’s the same as a striker being able to peel off to the back post and head it in. I can’t be handing solutions of how to deal with him, but it’s just the things he’s been doing since he was a kid. “I’m still pushing him for tap ins- I want tap ins.
“In the end it’s something he’s comfortable doing and he will get goals that way. What he’s done for us is fantastic and from our side, that’s all we want. He’s doing well and we’re pushing him to keep doing well and I'm very happy to have him with us.”
However, in 2023/24, it has so far been a struggle for Benson, who was making just his second start of the season in the week.
The winger has played just over 90 minutes of football in all competitions and could now be missing for a short period of time. If he doesn’t return until after the international break, something Kompany has hinted, then Benson would also miss games against Luton Town and Chelsea, where hopefully, the Clarets will pick up their first league victory of the campaign.
Chelsea’s season is in danger of spiralling out of control.
On Saturday evening, the Blues suffered a third successive Premier League away defeat, this time beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa.
Enzo Maresca’s side have now won just two of their last ten league outings, relinquishing their place in the Champions League spots.
Out of both domestic cups too, this season, which seemingly promised so much, could ultimately be deemed a failure, with the Blues’ ongoing centre-forward crisis once again a talking point.
Chelsea's continued striker issue
As noted by Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport, despite spending in excess of £1.5bn since Todd Boehly’s takeover, Chelsea are ‘threadbare’ in attack ‘with no fit strikers to call upon’.
Chelsea'sNicolasJacksonreacts after sustaining an injury
That’s because Chelsea are enduring a striker shortage, given that Nicolas Jackson will be sidelined until April ‘due to a muscular injury’, while Marc Guiu suffered a ‘bad knee injury’ against West Ham.
Even before this, there were question marks over Chelsea’s centre-forward position, with Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports stating he believes they do not have a striker good enough to win the Premier League title.
So, for now, Christopher Nkunku is leading the line, but he certainly isn’t earning rave reviews.
Louis Sealey of the Metro described his display at Villa Park on Saturday as ‘non-existent’, while Barry Glendenning of the Guardian outlines how he spent the majority of the evening ‘gesticulating in frustration’.
Meantime, Malik Ouzia of the Evening Standard notes that he continues to be the ‘least threatening of Chelsea’s attackers’, which is far from ideal considering the Blues’ lack of alternatives.
So, given Chelsea’s ongoing search for a reliable goalscorer, do they regret allowing one to leave?
Former Chelsea striker now among the goals
Many may have actually forgotten that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was a Chelsea player not too long ago. Described as “world-class” upon his arrival at the Bridge by Behdad Eghbali, he ended up making just 21 appearances for the Blues, scoring only three goals, before quickly departing for Olympique de Marseille a year later.
During one season with les Phocéens, the Gabonese striker actually scored 30 goals in just 51 appearances, but departed OM to become the latest big-name player to move to the Saudi Pro League, joining newly-promoted outfit Al-Qadsiah.
Well, with Aubameyang spearheading their attack, Al-Qadsiah are currently third in the Saudi Pro League which, according to Hussain Almaskati of New of Bahrain, is ‘defying expectations’, with a Saudi Gazette report describing his performances as ‘sensational’.
So, let’s see how Aubameyang compares to Chelsea’s two most-used strikers: Nkunku and Jackson.
Aubameyang vs Nkunku & Jackson 24/25
Statistics
Auba
Nkunku
Jackson
Appearances
21
33
24
Minutes
1,863
1,493
1,778
Goals
12
13
9
Minutes per goal
155
115
198
Assists
2
4
5
Shots per 90
3.54
2.72
3.27
Shots on target %
45.5%
55.3%
47.6%
Big chances missed
10
13
15
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com & Sofascore
As outlined in the table, it’s actually Nkunku who boasts the best statistics, but this must be caveated.
The Frenchman has scored 13 goals this season, but only two have come in the Premier League, on target seven times in the Conference League, as well as bagging a hat-trick against Barrow in the EFL Cup.
Of course, Aubameyang is plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League which, according to Global Football Rankings, is the 31st best league in the world, while the Premier League is top of these rankings, which provides some perspective.
Nevertheless, the fact the 35-year-old has missed fewer Opta defined big chances than both Nkunku and Jackson this season suggests he could have helped the Blues had he stayed.
Better than Jorgensen: Chelsea will regret letting "world-class" GK leave
Chelsea goalkeepers Robert Sánchez & Filip Jörgensen continue to endure a miserable season so did the Blues let their best shot-stopper leave on loan?