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Chelsea have been contacted over signing a £50 million star from Barcelona, as the player now sets his sights on a move to the Premier League this summer.

Chelsea in the market to sign new forward before deadline day

Summer deadline day looms at the end of next month on August 30, and reports suggest Todd Boehly could still back new head coach Enzo Maresca with fresh faces before that point.

£25 million forward likened to Luis Suarez holds talks to join Chelsea

He’s been highly praised by Joe Cole.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 18, 2024

Official deals for defender Tosin Adarabioyo (free), striker Marc Guiu, homegrown starlet Omari Kellyman, midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Portuguese ace Renato Veiga, alongside Brazilian starlet Estevao Willian, who'll join in 2025, set Chelsea back around £93 million.

The west Londoners, in total, have spent near-£120 million so far, including Chelsea's signings of Aaron Anselmino and Caleb Wiley from Boca Juniors and Atlanta United respectively, with the duo costing around £25.5 million (The Athletic).

Despite their serious investment in both senior players and talents for the future, co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley remain in the market for a new forward and centre-back.

Chelsea are believed to be prioritising a new winger as one of their top transfer wishes, with Maresca apparently keen on providing competition for the likes of Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk.

They hold no shortage of options, as reports heavily link Chelsea with the likes of Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams and Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi lately.

Chelsea contacted over signing Raphinha from Barcelona

According to HITC, Chelsea may now have a chance to do a deal for Raphinha, who is said to be keen on making a move back to England from Barcelona.

The former Leeds United star, who is valued at around £50 million, scored six goals and registered a further nine assists in La Liga last season. HITC claim Chelsea have been spoken to about signing Raphinha this summer, but it is unclear whether they were approached by the Brazilian's agents or Barca themselves.

The 27-year-old's proven top-flight experience could be a draw for Maresca's side, with Raphinha attracting plenty of praise during his time in the Premier League.

“Each week we are seeing more and more of his repertoire. He has so much to offer Leeds United," said former Whites striker Noel Whelan on Raphinha during his time at Elland Road (Football Insider).

“That skill in the corner against Gary Cahill was a typical bit of Brazilian magic. He really embarrassed Cahill with a clever megs. He is a player now who continuously has an effect on a game, in a positive way. Even if he is not on the scoresheet, he will have played a hand in the goal. He is relentless.

“He gets on the ball, has great balance, is very dynamic and he takes the game to the opposition. What impresses me is that he is not afraid to do the horrible side. I get more and more impressed by his worth ethic.”

West Ham United supporters felt a pang of concern after David Moyes departed the club at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. It was the right decision, but still, the Scot had led the club to their brightest period in modern history, and the road ahead looked fraught with the murky unknown.

Julen Lopetegui's subsequent appointment failed to allay such trepidation, with supporters viewing the deal as pragmatic, but he has since proved himself bold and committed to building a competitive squad, combining with technical director Tim Steidten in the transfer market to make some exciting signings.

A new centre-forward is yet to come, but one of the most important issues has been mitigated in central defence, with Max Kilman signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £40m.

West Ham transfer news

Lopetegui wants more in defence. According to Caught Offside, West Ham are leading the race to sign Ajax centre-half Josip Sutalo, who has also been scouted by Brighton & Hove Albion and Fulham in the Premier League.

Valued at €30m (£25m) by the struggling Dutch giants, the Croatian is expected to be at the centre of official bids, albeit below Ajax's expectation.

West Ham are in the most commanding position after signing Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus from the Eredivisie side last year, and could now use past dealings to their advantage.

Why West Ham want Josip Sutalo

West Ham have considered selling central defensive mainstays Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma this summer, the latter of whom is the club's captain.

Sutalo, 24, completed 39 appearances for Ajax last term and played every minute of Croatia's disappointing Euro 2024 campaign, with the Luka Modric-captained nation failing to make it past the group phase, collecting two points.

It might have been a tough season for club and country as far as the 6 foot 3 titan is concerned, but there's no question that he has maintained a formidable level throughout, combining defensive steel with bouncing energy and crisp passing.

Progressive and proficient across a wide range of roles, Sutalo would be a brilliant addition to a new-look West Ham defence, partnering with the left-sided Kilman to create a dynamic sheen.

Kilman, aged 27, is not exactly the conventional defender either, prone to surging forwards and seeking out passages himself, with the clip below highlighting the kind of shuttling success he can find with the ball at his feet.

The Wolves defender, who plied his trade under Lopetegui during the 2022/23 season, averaged 4.7 recoveries and clearances per game in the Premier League last term and won 71% of his aerial battles, suggesting that the Irons could find a solid partnership capable of performing well whatever the conditions.

One year ago, talent scout Jacek Kulig described Sutalo as "one of the most underrated U-23 CBs in Europe", speaking highly of his potential.

He might have endured a testing 12 months but the Croatia star has proved himself sturdy despite the woes of the collective, and would be a credit to West Ham as they step into a new era.

West Ham submit bid to sign Duran alternative who's better than En-Nesyri

Tim Steidten has made the first move to sign this Euro 2024 sensation.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 9, 2024

The 75-year old complained of “tiredness and fatigue” on Friday evening and his speech became a “little bit cluttered”

PTI18-Jan-2021

Former India legspinner BS Chandrasekhar is recovering in a hospital after suffering a “very, very minutest stroke.””Chandra is recovering very well, and he will be back home on Wednesday or Thursday,” his wife Sandhya Chandrasekhar told PTI.The 75-year old complained of “tiredness and fatigue” on Friday evening and his speech became a “little bit cluttered”, according to her.On the advice of doctors that he needed neurological treatment, Chandrasekhar, was admitted in Aster RV Hospital, where he was kept in the emergency care unit for medical observation.Sandhya said that Chandrasekhar has now been shifted to regular ward and is undergoing physiotherapy.”There is some kind of blockage in the brain. It’s a very, very minutest stroke,” she said. “There is no problem. It’s not a life-threatening thing. Please convey to fans that Chandra is very much stable. He has a very strong willpower.”In his 16-year career, Chandrasekhar played 58 Test matches capturing 242 wickets.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca says he felt there was no need to bring on Cole Palmer in the Blues' 2-0 Carabao Cup loss to Newcastle on Wednesday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Chelsea knocked out by Newcastle
• Palmer unused substitute
• Maresca says star was not needed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the last-16 stage, losing 2-0 to Newcastle despite beating them at Stamford Bridge a few days earlier. Maresca opted to include Palmer in the squad as a substitute and the 22-year-old did not even get the call to come on with his side trailing by two goals.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT MARESCA SAID

  The former Leicester boss explained his decision to leave Palmer out, saying: "Simply because I think Joao [Felix] and Christo [Nkunku] were doing very good. The reason why [we brought him] was in case we needed Cole but Joao and Christo were doing well so there was no need to change."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Palmer's omission is probably deeper than what Maresca explained in his post-match press conference. The Blues are heavily reliant on the young England star and therefore must manage his minutes coming into a busy period. Palmer was also left out of Chelsea's squad for the Conference League and is seemingly being prioritised for Premier League action instead.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  A big match is on the horizon for Maresca's side on Sunday when Chelsea take on Manchester United at Old Trafford. There is no doubting Palmer will be involved in that game as the London team look to break into the Premier League's top four.

The 2024/25 season holds real promise for Chelsea following a brilliant end to last season which saw the Blues secure European Football despite losing 11 of their 38 Premier League matches.

Mauricio Pochettino led the Blues to five consecutive wins during the closing weeks of the campaign to secure a sixth-placed finish, but it wasn’t enough for the Argentinian to keep his job.

The club parted ways with the former PSG boss, appointing Enzo Maresca as the club’s new manager, looking to build on Pochettino’s work with all the Blues’ new additions.

The Italian has huge expectations on his shoulders to transform the club and take them back to a title race, aiming to claim their first Premier League title since the 2016/17 campaign.

However, the new manager will have a lot of big decisions to make on the future of numerous first-team members, but he simply can’t afford to let go of one talent who excelled away from Stamford Bridge last season.

The latest on Ian Maatsen's future at Chelsea

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen is attracting interest from Aston Villa and Manchester City after his impressive loan stint at Borussia Dortmund last term.

The 22-year-old, who featured in the Champions League final, impressed during his temporary stint in the Bundesliga, scoring two goals and providing two assists in his 16 appearances for the German side.

The report from Bailey also states that the Dutchman has a £35m release clause in his contract, with Chelsea potentially looking to make a hefty profit on the full-back to boost their FFP status.

However, whilst it may seem a good deal to receive a hefty sum for a player with just 15 appearances for Chelsea’s first-team, Maresca can’t afford to let go of Maatsen, with the talent potentially following in the footsteps of one player who’s excelled since leaving the club.

Another Havertz situation for Chelsea

Last summer, the Blues agreed to sell midfielder Kai Havertz to rivals Arsenal for a reported £60m in an effort to boost their financial situation after a huge influx of incomings at Stamford Bridge.

However, since his departure, the former Bayer Leverkusen talent has excelled under the guidance of Mikel Arteta, leaving Chelsea with a scenario of what could have been for the German had he remained with the Blues.

He’s excelled in a false nine role during the 2023/24 campaign at the Emirates, scoring 13 times in the Premier League, whilst also providing seven assists as Arsenal came within touching distance of winning the title.

Games

37

Goals

13

Assists

7

Goals + assists per 90

0.5

Chances created

46

Duels won

197

A year on from the deal, the club are presented with another precarious situation with Maatsen, especially considering the interest from another top English club in champions Manchester City.

Maresca already has Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella in the left-back area, but given his temporary stint at Dortmund, Maatsen has showcased his talents on the biggest of stages, also having the potential to improve down the line.

The "exceptional" youngster, as dubbed by former Coventry City teammate Simon Moore, will want consistent first-team minutes to be able to reach his full potential, with Maresca needing to make a bold call in keeping the Dutchman, making him his first-choice on the left-hand side.

The club have become too synonymous with offloading young talents too soon, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah both going on to thrive in the Premier League.

Maatsen is potentially next on the list should the club decide to part ways with him this summer, but, Maresca can buck the trend this window, handing the youngster the opportunity to thrive at Stamford Bridge and cementing himself as a key player under the new management team.

Chelsea could sell "irreplaceable" star in repeat of City's Palmer mistake

He has been a key player for the Blues this season

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 11, 2024

Despite Newcastle United's injury crisis this campaign, it has come with a positive as it's allowed boss Eddie Howe to give valuable first-team minutes to multiple youngsters within the club.

Lewis Miley and Elliot Anderson have been the main beneficiaries for the Magpies, with the duo making 38 Premier League appearances between them this season.

18-year-old Miley has taken the league by storm despite his tender age, becoming a real mainstay in the Newcastle side, after the injuries and suspension to Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, respectively.

He managed to score his first top-flight goal in the 3-0 victory against Fulham at St James' Park back in December, with the youngster going from strength to strength after his goal.

After Miley's brilliant start to life in the first team under Howe, the Magpies boss and Saudi PIF should step up the chase for another teenage talent who has been linked with a move to the club.

Newcastle interested in 18-year-old talent this summer

According to a report from Sky Germany over the weekend, Newcastle are battling numerous Premier League sides for the signature of 18-year-old talent Assan Ouedraogo.

The attacking midfielder, who plays for Schalke in Bundesliga 2, has excelled for the side despite the club struggling to secure an immediate return to Germany's top flight.

He's scored three times and contributed with two assists in 17 appearances this season in what has been a breakthrough season for the youngster.

Despite the Magpies's interest, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool all remain interested in Ouedraogo, who would cost either of the sides in excess of £12m this summer.

Why Ouedraogo could be the next Bellingham

In previous months, Transfermarkt's Manuel Veth has compared the youngster to Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham – a reasonable comparison given their similar rise and stats in 2023/24.

The duo both made the first impact on professional football playing at their boyhood clubs in the second tier of their respective countries, before either moving or being linked with a transfer to one of Europe’s elite. Bellingham, of course, started life at Birmingham City, for whom he made 44 appearances as a teenager, scoring twice and providing two assists.

When comparing their stats from the previous season, the duo have produced similar figures, albeit at vastly different levels of quality – with the Champions League-winning Bellingham recording 36 goals and assists in his debut season at the Bernabeu.

The German youngster has averaged slightly fewer shots per 90 than the Champions League winner, but has averaged nearly double the amount of successful take-ons – demonstrating his ability to drive forward with the ball at his feet.

Whilst he averages more take-ons, the pair both have the same completion rate of 52%, but both average very similar averages when it comes to assists per 90.

Ouedraogo undoubtedly has a long way to go before he reaches the levels of Bellingham, but the midfielder, who’s “destined for elite football” according to data analyst Ben Mattinson, has the potential to be special.

With the club already having success with Miley, the Magpies must pursue a deal for the youngster, keeping one eye on the future but also vastly improving their current squad depth.

Newcastle could replace Guimaraes by signing £50m "Aldi Jude Bellingham"

He has 15 goals and assists in the Premier League this season…

By
Joe Nuttall

Jun 1, 2024

Chelsea's 2023/24 season came to an end on Sunday as they beat Bournemouth 2-1 at Stamford Bridge to finish sixth in the Premier League table.

The Blues achieved a sixth-placed finish and are now set to host European football next term, having gone through the current campaign without any Champions League, Europa League, or Europa Conference League games.

Mauricio Pochettino will now have a number of decisions to make during the upcoming summer transfer window as he shapes the squad for the new season.

One player who must be ruthlessly ditched from the squad by the Argentine head coach is central midfielder Cesare Casadei, who should be shipped out on loan or sold permanently if a good enough offer comes in.

Cesare Casadei's time with Leicester in numbers

The Italy U21 international spent the first half of the campaign on loan with Leicester City in the Championship but failed to nail down a place as a regular starter in Enzo Maresca's side.

Despite the Foxes' dominance in the second tier, as they went on to win the division, the Chelsea youngster could not showcase much in the way of attacking quality when on the pitch.

As you can see in the table above, Casadei underperformed in front of goal with the quality of chances that were created for him and failed to provide a single assist for his teammates in 22 matches, only eight of which came as a starter.

He also made just 1.2 tackles and interceptions combined per game and lost 51% of his duels, which shows that the youngster did not make up for his lack of attacking quality with strong defensive work.

Why Chelsea should move Cesare Casadei on

Pochettino opted to bring the Italian gem back to Stamford Bridge to be part of his first-team squad for the second half of the campaign but the 6 foot 1 talent did not do enough to suggest that he should be kept around next season.

Casadei, who was once hailed as "powerful" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, went on to play 11 times in the Premier League over the past five months, all of which came as a substitute.

He played 99 minutes of top-flight action for the Blues and produced zero interceptions, zero goals, zero assists, and zero 'big chances' created in that time.

This meant that the 21-year-old midfielder ended the Premier League season with even fewer minutes than Christopher Nkunku (437), despite the French forward having missed a whopping 39 matches through various injury issues.

The former RB Leipzig star battled back through his fitness problems to score three goals in 11 league appearances for the Blues, whilst Casadei did not do enough with his time on the pitch.

His lack of starts and complete lack of impact on the pitch off the bench suggests that Chelsea must now brutally ditch the youngster this summer, whether that is on loan or permanently.

Chelsea star who won 11 duels simply has to become a regular next season

The Blues star put in a fantastic display on the final day vs Bournemouth to give Chelsea a great chance of qualifying for the Europa League.

By
Dan Emery

May 20, 2024

Casadei's lacklustre performances, both in the Championship for Leicester and in the Premier League for the Blues, show that he is unlikely to be a useful player for Pochettino next term, which is why he should be brutally parted ways with ahead of next season.

Derbyshire stay top of North Group with second win in as many matches

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2020

Legspinner Matt Critchley picked up career-best figures of 6 for 73 as Derbyshire extended their lead at the top of the North Group by completing a nine-wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Bob Willis Trophy match at the Fischer County Ground, Grace RoadCritchley had Colin Ackermann caught at first slip by a diving Wayne Madsen, Ben Mike caught at second slip by Leus du Plooy and Dieter Klein caught behind by wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein in the space of five balls as the Foxes collapsed from 104 for 2 to 140 for 8. Only a defiant last-wicket stand of 52 between Harry Swindells and Chris Wright, batting with a runner, prevented Leicestershire being beaten by an innings.The morning had seen a double wicket maiden from first-class debutant Ed Barnes raise Derbyshire’s hope of forcing a three-day win. The young Yorkshireman, on loan at Derbyshire until the end of the season, bowled nightwatchman Callum Parkinson off the inside edge as the batsman tried to leave a delivery just outside off stump, and three balls later found the edge of left-hander Ben Slater’s bat and saw Madsen hold a waist-high catch at first slip to leave Leicestershire struggling on 34 for 2.They would have been in even deeper trouble if Leus du Plooy had been able to hold a chance given by Harry Dearden soon afterwards, the batsman edging an attempted cut at a wide delivery from Dustin Melton to second slip, where du Plooy got both hands to the ball but could not hang on.Dearden played aggressively after lunch, hitting 21 runs off 14 balls and raising a 50 partnership with opener Hassan Azad, but an attempt to clear mid-on off the bowling of Critchley gave Luis Reece a simple catch. Azad followed, leg before wicket on the back foot to the occasional left-arm spin of du Plooy, and the writing was on the wall for the Foxes when George Rhodes tried to clip a full straight ball from Melton through midwicket, missed, and was palpably leg before wicket.Critchley’s three in five made the win all but certain, though Will Davis, Swindells – who finished on a career-best 41 not out – and Wright battled impressively to ensure the home side avoided the ignominy of an innings defeat.With the pitch offering increasing turn, left-arm spinner Parkinson then had Derbyshire captain Billy Godleman caught behind before Reece and Madsen saw their side over the line for their second win in as many matches.