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Despite early season optimism, with Sheffield Wednesday starting the campaign with a comfortable 4-0 Championship win over Plymouth Argyle, Danny Rohl’s Owls have found their recent batch of fixtures in the challenging league bumpy, to say the least.

Only two more wins have come since this opening day demolition job of the Pilgrims, with the South Yorkshire outfit just three points off the dreaded relegation spaces in the division after succumbing to a 2-0 defeat to Scott Parker’s Burnley last weekend.

There will have been plenty for the German in the Hillsborough dug-out to chew over when assessing this flat loss to the Clarets, with a number of his key players struggling to get going against their promotion-chasing opponents.

Sheffield Wednesday's main underperformers v Burnley

Ike Ugbo continuing to look lacklustre up top for the Owls is a major concern, considering the second-tier side went all out this summer to ensure the former Chelsea youngster made a dramatic return to the club.

The Canada international is still goalless during his second stint, with no strikes coming his way now from nine unmemorable appearances, with the low-on-confidence 26-year-old only managing a meagre 22 touches and five accurate passes up against Parker’s visitors.

Only registering one off-target effort too, Rohl will want to see some major improvements from the summer recruit moving forward, or his place up top in the Wednesday lineup could soon be up for grabs.

It was also a poor day at the office for the defenders at Hillsborough, with the likes of Akin Famewo only winning two of his five duels all afternoon long, alongside also giving away possession a costly 14 times to boost the away side.

But, the worst culprit at the back for Rohl’s men was Yan Valery, with the ex-Southampton defender at fault for Jaidon Anthony’s opener on the day, after wildly misjudging a clearance that saw the AFC Bournemouth loanee then fire home.

Valery's performance in numbers

The brand new Wednesday number 27 has had a part to play in every single Championship game so far this season for his new employers, but he could find he’s axed for the game against Swansea City this coming Tuesday night based on this showing.

Away from the sobering error that gifted Burnley the one goal advantage, Valery was shaky in other aspects of his game, with possession squandered 11 times to fit in with Famewo’s equally shoddy play out from the back.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

42

Accurate passes

18/22 (82%)

Clearances

2

Interceptions

2

Tackles

1

Errors leading to a goal

1

Total duels won

4/4

It wasn’t all doom and gloom from Valery’s perspective during the loss, however, with the Frenchman successfully winning 100% of his duels, but the ex-Saints man will have already played over that error in his head countless times that allowed Anthony to calmly score to make it 1-0.

Upon reflection, Wednesday were not completely dominated nor turned over by the visitors from Lancashire – with 13 shots in the home side’s favour to Burnley’s 14 – but costly mistakes like Valery’s can change games and allowed Burnley to gain some much-needed momentum to go on to collect a 2-0 victory.

Sheffield Star journalist Alex Miller handed out a low 5/10 rating to Valery after the defeat, with the mistake labelled as a “horror moment” amidst a poor showing from the Wednesday defender.

This could see Rohl shuffle his pack for the game against the Swans this mid-week, therefore, with Dominic Iorfa capable of coming in and displacing Valery, who is yet to experience being dropped for his new team in league action.

But, after this Burnley defeat, it could be a necessary alteration, as Rohl attempts to put together the best possible XI to overcome Swansea.

Sheffield Wednesday summer signing likely to miss next 7 games with injury

Nathaniel Chalobah has played just one game for Sheffield Wednesday since moving to the club in the summer.

ByBarney Lane Oct 19, 2024

Sometimes, in the world of football, players that make big money moves are judged through an unfair lense, purely because of their transfer fee. Chelsea know that all too well.

This can often come back to bite many pundits, as they make bold shouts about players being a “flop” too early, only for them to prove people wrong, find their feet and excel.

Teams such as Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, and even Arsenal have been known to spend big fees on players, meaning we have seen this a fair amount in recent years.

Some big examples of this in the past few years are Jack Grealish, David Raya, and Marc Cucurella. But Jamie Carragher is the latest pundit to be subject to this, after a comment he made in August 2023.

What Carragher said about Caicedo

Moises Caicedo joined Chelsea from Brighton for a British record transfer fee of around £115m, signing an eight-year deal for the Blues.

Carragher, whilst covering the Chelsea vs West Ham game on Sky Sports, labelled Caicedo’s debut a “nightmare”, as he came from the bench, giving away a penalty late in the game.

Many fans took to social media after this, brandishing the mega-money man as a “flop” already, but the 22-year-old midfielder bounced back, having a brilliant second half of the season, and becoming one of Chelsea’s most important players under Mauricio Pochettino.

Caicedo made 48 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions last season, scoring once, providing four assists, and contributing to 11 clean sheets in his 3,899 minutes played. Perhaps his highlight of the season came with his halfway-line finish against Bournemouth on the last day, as Chelsea won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Caicedo 2024/25 impact so far

Under new manager Enzo Maresca, Caicedo is already showing how important he is, playing as a holding midfielder, but having a number of different responsibilities during a game. Maresca will often invert one of his fullbacks alongside the Ecuadorian, giving the pair a lot of the build-up responsibilities.

Perhaps his biggest responsibility is to protect Chelsea in transition, mopping up danger between the lines. The 22-year-old is averaging 2.76 tackles per 90 this season, compared to just 1.13 last campaign, showing his importance in this aspect of the game.

With the consistent injury issues of Roméo Lavia, who also signed in the summer of 2023 for a fee of around £58m, Caicedo’s importance has only been amplified this season, especially seen in his performance against West Ham, where he won ten of his 12 ground duels, and made a whopping eight tackles in the game.

Maresca clearly sees Caicedo as one of his key players, having already started seven of Chelsea’s nine games in all competitions, totalling 637 minutes this season. This is more than the 555 minutes of Cole Palmer, which begs the question, who is more important for the Blues?

Caicedo vs Palmer

Palmer has already scored six and provided four assists in his eight appearances, coming off the back of his stellar 2023/24 campaign, where the 22-year-old scored 27 goals and provided 15 assists in 48 games across all competition.

The English midfielder/attacker is coming off the back of a Premier League record-breaking game, where he scored four goals in the first half, the first time this has ever been done in Premier League history.

Caicedo vs Palmer comparison (24/25 Prem)
Stats (per 90 mins)	Caicedo	Palmer
Goals	0.00	1.07
Assists	0.17	0.71
xG	0.02	0.66
xAG	0.19	0.57
Progressive Carries	0.86	3.28
Progressive Passes	3.28	5.54
Passes Attempted	55.0	38.2
Pass Completion %	87.5%	73.4%
Key Passes	0.69	3.04
Shots Total	0.52	3.04
Tackles	4.14	1.07
Interceptions	1.72	0.36
Stats taken from FBref

The problem when comparing these two players is that their stats reflect their role in the team, making it hard to draw comparisons as to which is contributing most in their role. Caicedo winning 4.14 tackles per 90, and making 1.72 interceptions, is allowing Chelsea to regain possession, kick-start attacks, and protect their own goal, allowing them to concede fewer.

Palmer, on the other hand, is the main source of creation for Maresca’s side, making 3.04 key passes per 90, taking 3.04 shots per 90, and, of course, contributing with goals and assists, scoring 1.07 per 90, and assisting 0.71 per 90.

The argument to be made for Caicedo being more important to the team is the fact he has more touches on the ball (66.7 touches per 90, compared to Palmer’s 48.4), and has the responsibility of progressing play into those attack-minded players, who can then work their magic.

If the former Brighton man wasn’t winning the ball back as often as he is, playing forwards, and allowing stars like Palmer to shine, everything would fall flat, and Chelsea would struggle to control games, or even generate attacks.

This isn’t to say other Chelsea players haven’t had brilliant starts to the season, as Levi Colwill is another that has really impressed for Maresca at the start of this new season, being given more on-ball responsibilities, allowing him to play progressive passes through the lines, and showcase his passing ability.

Since the arrival of Maresca, Colwill is averaging ten more passes attempted per 90, 3.67 progressive passes per 90, and more long balls per 90, showing the license he now has to fully utilise his passing range to benefit the side.

Whilst the argument for who is Chelsea’s most important player could be made for both Colwill and, of course, Palmer, especially after scoring four goals on the weekend, Caicedo is currently the Blues’ most important player, as without him, Maresca’s side would struggle in all phases of the game, which is telling of the impact the Ecuadorian has on the team, week in, week out.

Chelsea wanted to sign £42m star who's like Drogba, Jackson arrived instead

Todd Boehly and Co made the right move…

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 1, 2024

Everton are now believed to be looking to bring in a “fantastic” manager to replace Sean Dyche as the Friedkin Group close in on a takeover from Farhad Moshiri.

Everton takeover latest

The Blues are still without a win in the Premier League this season, although Saturday’s 1-1 draw away to Leicester City did at least see them get their first point on the board. There was an element of disappointment about the result again however, considering Everton were leading through Iliman Ndiaye’s goal and because they were up against a team who were playing Championship football last term.

This terrible start to the campaign has understandably meant that there is huge pressure on Dyche to keep his job, with the Englishman seemingly losing admirers by the week among the Goodison Park faithful and a potential takeover sure to change his status as well.

On that note, it appears John Textor has taken too long trying to sell his stake at Crystal Palace, as it is now the Freidkin Group closing in on a deal, with reliable reporter Mark Douglas revealing on Monday that an Everton takeover is “very close” and Friedkin is plotting “significant” investment and an “immediate review of football operations” – something which may place Dyche’s position in danger.

Moyes favourite to be new Everton manager

A new report from Football Insider claims that Everton are now looking to bring David Moyes back to Goodison, should they decide that Dyche is no longer the right man for the job. The Scot is considered a “popular appointment” by both “the boardroom and the fans”, having enjoyed such an impressive stint in charge first time around, although it is unclear how much of that support is from the potential new investors.

Opinion may be divided among Everton fans when it comes to a Moyes return, with some no doubt happy about the potential for it happening, and others perhaps feeling that a younger option is needed. He enjoyed a good second spell at West Ham, not least because he won the UEFA Europa Conference League back in 2022/23, but has ironically struggled against Dyche in his career, barely averaging over a point per game against the 53 year-old and winning only 3 of 11 head to heads.

Legendary centre-back Martin Keown lauded him during his last stint with the Hammers, saying: “I think David Moyes deserves credit because you know he’s at the back end of his career but I think he’s getting ever-better. He’s actually showing improvements. Fantastic work they’re doing in Europe, and he seems to be relishing the battle right now.”

Moyes is known for adopting a 4-2-3-1 formation, and while not necessarily the most attack-minded manager around, he could arguably play better football than has been on show under Dyche, with entertainment value severely lacking under his management and only four goals scored in the league so far this season.

West Ham

230

1.53

West Ham

31

1.19

Sunderland

43

0.72

Real Sociedad

42

1.21

Man Utd

51

1.73

Everton

518

1.54

Preston North End

211

1.72

Moyes’ vast experience could help Everton get themselves out of this current hole, in a period where avoiding relegation from the Premier League this season is paramount ahead of the move to Bramley Moore Dock.

Manchester United supporters would have excused the nervousness of the opening day win against Fulham in the Premier League, with new recruit Joshua Zirkzee scoring late on to secure a slim 1-0 win versus Marco Silva's Cottagers, to spare the blushes of Erik ten Hag watching on.

Now, however, the same forlorn mood that engulfed Old Trafford for large spells of last season has returned, as Arne Slot's Liverpool trounced the out-of-sorts Red Devils 3-0 last time out, on what has become a very happy hunting ground for the Reds in recent years.

Losing in the last minute to Brighton and Hove Albion the match before did make this showdown with their arch-rivals feel even more important, but the Premier League titans just couldn't handle the immense pressure on their shoulders and rolled over in the end for Mohamed Salah and Co to comfortably pick up three points

Ten Hag will be bitterly disappointed with the efforts of his senior individuals that continue to underperform, with Casemiro notably trudging off the pitch at the Theatre of Dreams in a downbeat manner, after a horror-show display against Liverpool saw him be hooked at half-time.

Casemiro's decline at Man United

Once costing the Red Devils an eye-watering £70m, picking up Casemiro back in 2022 was meant to be an almighty statement purchase, especially when you consider his golden trophy haul playing for Real Madrid before making the switch to England.

Winning an astounding five Champions League winners medals when starring at the Santiago Bernabeu, the now 32-year-old holding midfielder must look back on that patch of his career with even more nostalgic fondness, as he continues to decline at Old Trafford.

The waning South American midfielder was at fault for both of Liverpool's first-half strikes in the one-sided affair on Sunday, gifting strikes for Luis Diaz to then confidently convert with the Colombian attacker loving life in Manchester, as the game swung heavily in the away side's favour.

It wasn't a real shock to see his Dutch manager bring him off at the half-time interval, therefore, as a passing of the old guard to the next generation at the Red Devils occurred, with 19-year-old Toby Collyer thrown into the action in his place.

Giving up possession 14 times across his disastrous 45-minute showing too, alongside other worrying numbers from the crushing defeat, this could signal that the end of Casemiro's career at Man United is on the horizon.

He equally had a shocker of the same magnitude last season when Ten Hag's men were badly humbled away at Crystal Palace by four goals, as the 32-year-old was dribbled past an outrageous seven times, leading to the Eagles toying with the once esteemed Real Madrid figure.

This damage to his ego in Manchester has resulted in his transfer value taking a major hit, with the lacklustre United number 18's value in the here and now nowhere near the extortionate £70m he once was worth at the height of his playing days.

Casemiro's transfer value in 2024

As per Transfermarkt, the Brazilian midfielder is now worth just £17m, a far cry off that bumper amount Ten Hag's side forked out to win his services only two years ago.

With his highest-ever estimated transfer value recorded by Football Transfers coming in at £70.5m as well, it's fair to say his career has taken a swift decline playing for the up-and-down Red Devils, who continue to spend lavish amounts.

Top five highest spenders in the PL this summer
Club	Spending outlay
1. Chelsea	£219.6m
2. Man United	£205.9m
3. Brighton	£192m
4. Tottenham	£133.5m
5. West Ham	£132.5m
Sourced by Sky Sports

Man United rank as the second-highest spenders during the recently closed transfer window in the Premier League, just behind Todd Boehly-backed Chelsea, with a spending outlay of £205.9m according to Sky Sports.

Their wild spending habits have seen the likes of Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt and Manuel Ugarte all join the building, as fans of the underperforming giants pray that not a single big purchase this summer goes on to be an expensive flop like Casemiro is turning into.

Away from all the very expensive new buys entering through the door, Ten Hag will have been pleased with the efforts of Amad Diallo so far this campaign, who had been stuck on the fringes at Old Trafford for a while.

market

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Diallo's promising performances this season

The former Atalanta winger once cost the Red Devils £37m, which looking back could be seen as a rash purchase in itself, particularly when you evaluate that his own price tag has dropped down to below Casemiro's at £15m, according to Transfermarkt.

Yet, Diallo is now finally making a positive impact and will feel content with where he now finds himself in his topsy-turvy career in Manchester, having shone in spells during the early stages of this bumpy campaign. After all, it's not as though he's been the catastrophic flop that positional peer £80m Antony has turned to.

The 22-year-old attacker would only make nine Premier League appearances in total last season, with the increasing likelihood that he would be offloaded sooner rather than later.

Now, however, he has become an exciting player to watch during gloomy times at the top-flight club, with his bright display against Brighton before the sobering loss to Liverpool deserving of the goal he was rewarded with.

The once ostracised United number 16 also tried to give his downtrodden side a boost when coming off the bench against Liverpool last time out, with one big chance created from his promising 21-minute cameo. No United player had more touches in the opposition's penalty area than the Ivorian either.

It was somewhat of a surprise to see the United boss switch up his starting XI and drop Diallo for the crunch clash with Slot's men, as Diallo strives to get back into the first-team mix for United's next Premier League tie after the international breakaway at Southampton.

The former Sunderland loanee – who was once labelled as a "superstar" by football creator Liam Canning – will also aim to keep being a creative spark so his transfer value can eventually rise above the current £15m price tag that he has next to his name.

His value could potentially even soar above that of Casemiro's down the line, who is in dire need of breathing life back into his poor playing days.

With the ex-Real Madrid man's contract expiring in 2026, it will be intriguing to see if the South American underperformer is put up for sale in the near future, with the stuttering top-flight giants fully aware that his stock is at a radical all-time low.

With Ten Hag's neck also on the line again in the Man United dug-out as a result of his team's continued failures, this could now be the end of Casemiro in a Red Devils strip, whilst Diallo heads in the opposite direction, finally starting to show why he was brought to Carrington a few years ago.

Man Utd have an amazing teen who could be more exciting than Toby Collyer

Manchester United have a whole host of youngsters ready to make it in the first team.

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 2, 2024

Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup has endured a difficult start to life in Norfolk, with one win in five Championship matches and several of his key players being sold during the summer transfer window.

The Danish boss lost Adam Idah, Abu Kamara, Jonathan Rowe, and Gabriel Sara in August, with the sale of the Brazilian midfielder, arguably, the biggest blow.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the former São Paulo man produced 13 goals and 12 assists in 46 outings in the second tier during the regular season under David Wagner. Galatasaray then swooped in to secure his services for a fee of £20m, which could rise to £22.5m including add-ons.

Norwich do, however, have an asset at the club who is reportedly worth even more than Sara, as his value has soared over the last three seasons.

How much Norwich paid for Josh Sargent

Back in the summer of 2021, as the Canaries prepared for a season in the Premier League, Daniel Farke and Stuart Webber snapped up USA international Josh Sargent from Werder Bremen.

The club reportedly splashed out a fee of £8m to sign the 2. Bundesliga centre-forward, who had just been relegated from the top-flight in Germany, and he endured a rough debut year in England.

Norwich were relegated from the Premier League, Dean Smith replaced Farke at the helm, and Sargent only scored two goals in 26 appearances, both of which came against Watford in the same game.

That relegation to the Championship was a blessing in disguise for the American striker, however, as he has thrived in the second tier with the Yellows.

Josh Sargent's current market value

It was reported during the summer transfer window that Norwich were looking for a staggering fee of £30m for their star striker, which means that his value has soared by a whopping £22m since the summer of 2021.

The right-footed marksman racked up 13 goals and two assists in 40 appearances during the 2022/23 campaign, under Smith and David

Wagner, but only featured as a striker on 19 occasions – often deployed on the wing or in an attacking midfield role instead.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, though, Sargent has exclusively operated through the middle as a centre-forward, and his record in front of goal reflects that.

Appearances

26

5

xG

12.07

1.90

Goals

16

2

Assists

2

1

Big chances created

3

1

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old striker has fired in 18 goals in his last 31 appearances in the Championship for Norwich, from an xG of just 13.97.

These statistics show that Sargent has been a reliable source of goals for the Canaries in the second tier, and his return of 18 goals from 13.97 xG shows that he ruthlessly puts away the chances that come his way.

His terrific goalscoring record may be why the club value him at a staggering £30m, more than the £22.5m they raked in for Sara, and shows that Farke and Webber hit the jackpot when they landed him for just £8m in the summer of 2021.

Aston Villa had a superb campaign in 2023/24. They finished fourth in the Premier League, their second-highest finish since the competition was rebranded from the First Divison in 1992 when Ron Atkinson was the manager.

Their fourth-place finish saw them qualify for the Champions League, returning to European football’s most prestigious competition for the first time since it was called the European Cup in 1982/83. In that campaign, the Villans were defending champions, winning the trophy in the 1981/82 season.

It was certainly a team effort from Unai Emery’s squad to reach Europe's premier competition again, but one of their players was a standout performer. That man was Ollie Watkins.

Ollie Watkins 2023/24 campaign in numbers

It was a quite remarkable campaign for England international Watkins, and he was one of the best players in the Premier League. The 28-year-old was a key reason as to why the Villans were able to qualify for Europe again.

The England striker, who scored in the Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands, played 37 times in the top flight of English football, scoring 19 times and registering 13 assists. In all competitions, he played 53 times, with 27 goals and 13 assists in total.

His performances last season were superb, and Watkins was equal second for the most combined goals and assists in the Premier League.

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer led the way with 33, and Watkins, alongside Erling Haaland, came in second, with 32 each. They were the only three players in the English top flight who scored and assisted 30 or more goals.

Not only did the former Brentford striker score and assist the second-highest number of goals, but his 13 assists were the best in the top flight. He was recognised for such an achievement, winning the Premier League’s playmaker award.

It was undoubtedly the best season of the striker’s career so far. The 28-year-old performed better than ever and helped the Villans return to the heights of the continent's top competition.

However, for all his goals last term, there has been a former Villa striker who has somewhat outdone him over the last year.

Christian Benteke’s stats after leaving in 2024

The player in question here is former Villa talisman Christian Benteke.

The 33-year-old now plies his trade in the United States of America for Wayne Rooney’s former club, DC United. It is fair to say the Belgian has had a successful time of things of late.

He has scored 17 goals in 23 MLS games so far in 2024, and two goals in three appearances in the MSL Cup. Impressively, the Belgian is currently leading the MLS Golden Boot race, ahead of the likes of Luis Suarez (16) and Lionel Messi (12).

His record speaks for itself, and he statistically scored more regularly Watkins when looking at his 2023/24 Premier League tally.

Although the Englishman has scored more goals, he has fewer goals per game than the former Liverpool striker as per FBref. Benteke averages 0.79 goals per game in the current MLS season, with Watkins’ average from last term just 0.53 each game, according to FBref.

Reflecting back on Benteke’s time in the Premier League, he was one of the league’s deadliest strikers for a period of time.

In 280 games, he scored 86 times across spells for Villa, Liverpool, who paid the Villans £32.5m in 2015, and Crystal Palace.

He was a formidable centre-forward and enjoyed a successful personal career in the top flight of England as the stats below reflect.

Benteke PL record by season

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2012/13

34

19

4

2013/14

26

10

2

2014/15

29

13

2

2015/16

29

9

3

2016/17

36

15

2

2017/18

31

3

5

2018/19

16

1

1

2019/20

24

2

1

2020/21

30

10

1

2021/22

25

4

1

Stats from Transfermarkt

Even though he has not played for Villa for a number of years, he was a "beast" in the Midlands, as football scout Antonio Mango described him.

For Villa fans, it might be enjoyable to see a former player still has his shooting boots on and is consistently finding the back of the net towards the end of his career.

Related Aston Villa hit gold on amazing £0 signing who's now worth more than Rogers

Having not signed for a single penny, the player has shone for Unai Emery since joining.

Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Sep 9, 2024

Another big name could also leave Chelsea with Raheem Sterling, as uncertainty surrounds the Englishman's future under Enzo Maresca.

Sterling releases Chelsea statement after Man City squad omission

The 29-year-old's omission from Chelsea's opening Premier League matchday squad to face Man City last weekend resulted in mountains of speculation, as reports claim a potential exit for Sterling is on the cards before deadline day.

Chelsea offer Barcelona £115k-per-week ace who Maresca says is "very good"

The Catalans have been sounded out.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 20, 2024

Maresca claimed Sterling's absence from the Chelsea squad to face City was a "technical decision", but reliable media sources like The Guardian rebuff this and write that the ex-Liverpool winger is facing a very real prospect of being sold.

Indeed, it is believed Maresca has privately told Sterling to consider leaving Chelsea, and the £325,000-per-week star is personally concerned that he won't feature in the club's plans moving forward.

The player's camp released a statement, attempting to quash rumours of a possible goodbye before August 31, whilst stating that Sterling is committed to the club.

Appearances

81

Goals

19

Assists

12

Yellow cards

13

Red cards

0

Minutes played

5,321

Transfermarkt

"Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea Football Club for the next three years," said a spokesperson for Sterling on his Chelsea future.

"He returned to England two weeks early to conduct individual training, and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, who he has developed a good working relationship with.

"He is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard, and given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.

"As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation."

Since that message was released to the public, it has been met with criticism, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp calling it "really poor".

"That's absolute rubbish, he should do better than that," said Redknapp on Sky.

"His representatives should do better than that. That's a really poor statement. There's other players that could be putting statements out that aren't in the squad.

"He hasn't done well enough. It's your opinion, if you think you've been doing well enough in pre-season, just keep doing better. The manager's opinion is the only one that counts and if he's not going to pick you that's unlucky. You have to get back in training tomorrow morning and be the best trainer and show that you want to play. That's the only way you're going to get back in the team."

As plenty of noise surrounds Sterling, the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Ben Chilwell could also part company with Maresca in the coming 11 days.

Chilwell could leave Man City with Sterling as Man United ponder deal

Like Sterling, the latter £200,000-per-week star was left out of Maresca's squad to face City on Sunday.

Maresca holds doubts over Chilwell's suitability for the left-back role, with Marc Cucurella also fresh off the back of an impressive Euro 2024 campaign.

According to CaughtOffside, Chilwell could leave Chelsea with Sterling, and Manchester United are even considering a swoop for the Englishman as they eye up a new left-back. He is apparently another big name to watch out for in terms of exits, with Maresca seemingly unafraid to swing the axe on high-profile stars.

Steve Cooper will be searching for more Leicester City players to call his own between now and deadline day at the close of the month, to help the Foxes in their bid to stay afloat in the Premier League past this season.

It feels an awfully long time ago now since Enzo Maresca was in the King Power Stadium hot-seat over the Welshman, as the Italian swapped the newly promoted outfit for Chelsea, right after lifting the Championship title last campaign.

Cooper won't be expected to pick up any silverware, on the contrary, as he attempts to keep Leicester up, with this new signing potentially entering the building soon.

Leicester could land Wilfried Zaha alternative

Leicester had been noted as an interested party looking at former Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha this summer, with the ex-Eagles winger expected to leave Galatasaray behind, for a return to English shores.

However, any talk surrounding the 31-year-old dramatically returning to the Premier League with the Foxes has gone quiet, as the newly promoted outfit could now look at snapping up Reiss Nelson instead.

As per a report by the Telegraph earlier this week, it seems that Leicester are looking at the reserve Gunners attacker, but the 24-year-old's reported £120k-per-week pay packet could prove to be a tricky hurdle to overcome in their pursuit.

Still, the entertaining 5 foot 9 attacker could join between now and the end of the month, with the potential there that the former TSG 1899 Hoffenheim loanee could shine alongside veteran striker Jamie Vardy if signed, after finding himself stuck on the periphery in North London for too long.

What Nelson could offer Leicester

Nelson has performed recently for Arsenal when thrown into the deep end however, netting this last-gasp winner – as shown above – back in March of last year versus AFC Bournemouth, after only being on the Emirates Stadium turf for a meagre 21 minutes.

He could well be an impact substitute for Cooper's men too, therefore, thrown into action when top-flight defences are tiring, in place of first-team regular Abdul Fatawu down the right, or even down Stephy Mavididi's left-hand side if needed.

Nelson's record away from Arsenal vs Zaha's (Galatasaray)

Club played for

Games played

Goals

Assists

Hoffenheim

29

7

1

Feyenoord

32

4

7

Galatasaray

43

10

5

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Leicester will just hope Nelson can turn back the clock to the form he's managed away from North London in the past, with 11 goals and eight assists managed when loaned out to the Netherlands and Germany previously.

Whereas, Zaha – who is now 31 years of age – has only managed 15 goal contributions playing out in Turkey away from Palace to date, and so Nelson could still have the potential to push on and become a top performer in the Premier League, at 24 years of age himself.

Cooper won't want too many ageing talents up top, well aware that Vardy is already nearing towards the end of his playing days at the King Power, but can still pack a punch in the elite division.

The Foxes veteran would only need 19 touches of the ball to fire home versus Tottenham Hotspur during his side's opening 1-1 draw of the campaign, getting under the skin of Ange Postecoglou's men in the process, by deliberately riling up the away end from North London when hauled off by Cooper, on top of denying Spurs a win.

Therefore, both players could prove to be vital assets for the former Nottingham Forest boss to rely on, as both are capable of producing moments of magic from limited time on the pitch.

If any manager can get Nelson back to firing on all cylinders on a regular basis, it could well be Cooper, who is an avid admirer of the Arsenal man's work, having overseen his early development as a rising star when coaching the England U16s and U17s.

Once dubbed as being "special" by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, Nelson could well get his stuttering career back on track at the King Power, as Leicester aim to keep their heads above water back in the Premier League.

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Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Aug 3, 2024

Everton are preparing for an emotional year ahead, with the 2024/25 season set to be the club's last at Goodison Park. Sean Dyche has enforced solid improvements since taking the helm, comfortably avoiding danger last term – and that's despite an eight-point deduction in the Premier League.

While the Toffees' seemingly never-ending ownership issues are fraught with peril, PSR was successfully swerved as financial accord has been strengthened further through the pending £50m sale of Amadou Onana to Aston Villa.

Tim Iroegbunam and Iliman Ndiaye have both been signed to the cause already, but Everton are decidedly light on the flanks and need an exciting new addition – or two.

Everton transfer news

As per Football Insider, Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto is one of Everton's top targets this summer, with the Merseysiders' long-term interest likely to come to a head in the coming weeks.

Gnonto, 20, has been the subject of discussions between the applicable outfits and has been regarded for his athletic quality and versatility across the frontline.

Everton are locked in negotiations to discuss a deal, which could see a breakthrough swiftly given that Dyche's side started their pre-season schedule last weekend.

Leeds stood firm on a £30m valuation last summer but would be willing to consider offers of £25m now, and with Newcastle United also sniffing around, Everton better get the deal done quickly.

The endless pursuit of Wilfried Gnonto

Interminable would probably be the right word to describe Everton's efforts to sign Gnonto from Leeds. Following the Whites' relegation from the Premier League in 2022/23, the up-and-coming Gnonto was expected to be one of the most likely sales, for he was a teenage Italy international with piles of talent and many suitors besides.

Everton were right at the front. And despite throwing three bids Elland Road's way last August – the third of which tabled at £26m on deadline day 11 months ago – he remained with Leeds as readied for life in the second tier.

Links have not faded away. In January, reports stated that Everton still had the Italian on their radar and were working on a deal. It didn't come to fruition.

Fast and furious, the winger has been described as an "absolute nightmare for defenders" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with his fleet-footed style and stocky power making him a formidable adversary.

He started the 2023/24 campaign slowly, with Daniel Farke relegating him to a subsidiary standing on the wings following his transfer request last summer, seeking to force a path down the M62 to Liverpool.

But he grew as the term went on and won his manager's favour, making marked improvements that earned him a vital place on the (predominantly) right flank.

His bursts of pace can wrongfoot many a defender, running widdershins around his opponents as he surges inwards from the right. This snap-jerk style earned him ample goalscoring success across the second half of the campaign as Leeds recorded 90 points but still finished third and lost to Southampton in the play-off final.

Wilfried Gnonto: Championship Stats 23/24
Stat	2023	2024
Apps	19	20
Starts	7	15
Goals	1	7
Assists	1	2
Stats via Transfermarkt

His infrequent starting action and prolific renaissance have led to Gnonto actually sealing himself as one of the Championship's best statistical finishers. As per FBref, Gnonto ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division last season for non-penalty goals scored (and only the top 21% for shots taken, speaking of high-level shooting), the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 15% for clearances per 90.

While he was below Premier League level last season, the 13-cap Italy international has everything he needs to bloom into a player of significant quality in Dyche's Everton squad. He must be the priority target.

How Wilfried Gnonto compares to Jesper Lindstrom

Gnonto's former coach Michael Skubala has hailed his protege as a "special player", with a raw ability on the field that is being shaped into something tangibly brilliant.

His tactical fluidity, further to the point, has arrested Everton's attention for some time. With 47 career appearances playing off the striker, 29 on the left and 44 out on right wing aged just 20, Dyche has the pieces to build a lasting shape tailored to his style.

And it's for this reason that he must be signed over Jesper Lindstrom, Napoli winger and – as Football Insider's above-mentioned report states – one of the Goodison Park side's chief targets this summer.

Everton are believed to be considering paying £25m for the attacking midfielder this summer, with Lindstrom seeking a route out of Italy after a disappointing season with Napoli in Serie A.

Lindstrom wasn't really afforded a chance, playing 29 times and failing to register a single goal contribution but only starting three matches across all competitions. To collate Gnonto and the 24-year-old's data, let's look at Lindstrom's metrics during the 2022/23 season, with Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany.

Wilfried Gnonto vs Jesper Lindstrom
Statistics	Gnonto (23/24)	Lindstrom (22/23)
Matches played	39	27
Matches started	22	22
Goals	8	7
Assists	3	2
Pass completion	83%	68%
Big chances created	5	4
Shots per game	1.3	1.7
Key passes per game	0.6	0.7
Dribbles per game	0.8 (47%)	1.0 (35%)
Duels won per game	3.4 (51%)	2.9 (36%)
Stats via Sofascore

The players in question aren't actually that dissimilar, with both adept dribblers but refraining from dribbling with regularity. Gnonto, however, is far more technically sound in regard to his crispness, with a superior pass success rate and a more creative approach.

Given that Lindstrom has just completed a pretty dismal campaign in Italy, as well as the extensive scouting put toward signing Gnonto, Everton must surely prioritise the Leeds man.

He's in the fledgling phase of a career of great promise, and efforts must be exhausted in bringing him to Merseyside to boost Dyche's hopes of rising up the Premier League table.

Perfect for Lindstrom: Everton in talks to sign £17m Onana successor

The Toffees are battling with another Premier League side for his signature.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 20, 2024

It's been an awfully quiet transfer window from Arsenal so far this summer, but with just over a month remaining, it could be about to change.

For example, Ajax's highly rated young goalkeeper Tommy Setford joined over the weekend, Riccardo Calafiori's move from Bologna looks to be edging ever closer, and a move for Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino is still a distinct possibility.

However, based on recent reports, Edu Gaspar and Co might have found the perfect alternative to the Spaniard in a player who has shades of former Gunners great Patrick Vieira about him.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides keen on landing French international Adrien Rabiot this summer.

Alongside the Gunners, the report revealed that the player's representatives are in talks with Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Manchester United, with the latter currently leading the way.

The good news for the North Londoners is that with the 29-year-old's Juventus contract expiring last month, they won't need to pay a transfer fee to secure his services. The bad news is that he's after an annual wage between €10m and €15m, which converts to between £8m and £13m.

It could be challenging to get ahead of United, but given Rabiot's ability and experience, Arsenal should do what they can to bring him to N5 this summer, as he could be the perfect alternative to Merino, and his similarities to Vieira are certainly a nice bonus.

How Rabiot compares to Merino and Vieira

Now, before we compare Rabiot to Merino, let's examine how he mirrors former Arsenal great Vieira, who left the club with three league titles, four FA Cups, and 405 appearances to his name.

So, the first and most obvious similarity is that, like the former Gunners star, the 29-year-old is a prominent French international who operates best at the heart of midfield, where he can demonstrate his incredible ability on and off the ball.

For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Saint-Maurice-born star sits in the top 11% of midfielders for aerial duels won and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90.

This demonstrates that, like the World Cup winner, the "monster" midfielder, as football writer Robin Bairner dubbed him, uses his impressive physicality to win the ball off opponents before driving through the middle of the park to help at the sharp end of the pitch.

Speaking of their physicality, while the former Paris Saint-Germain ace isn't quite as tall as the 6 foot 4 retired superstar, he's still an imposing midfielder thanks to his 6 foot 2 frame, which would undoubtedly come in handy in the Premier League.

So, with his similarities to the Invincibles legend clear to see, how does the "extraordinary" dynamo, as described by French icon David Trezeguet, compare to Merino?

Well, when we look at their underlying numbers, it becomes clear that both midfielders are fantastic players and would bring a great deal to Mikel Arteta's side, but unsurprisingly, the Frenchman just edges things.

Rabiot vs Merino

Stats per 90

Rabiot

Merino

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.25

0.19

Progressive Carries

2.44

0.94

Progressive Passes

4.07

5.91

Shots

1.29

1.09

Shots on Target

0.54

0.40

Passing Accuracy

82.2%

76.2%

Key Passes

0.88

0.72

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.34

0.11

Shot-Creating Actions

2.17

2.36

Tackles

1.97

2.79

Blocks

0.88

1.30

Interceptions

0.85

0.58

Errors Leading to a Shot

0.00

0.11

Successful Take-Ons

0.95

0.87

Miscontrols

1.76

2.21

Dispossessed

0.64

1.52

Ball Recoveries

5.08

7.14

All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 League Season

For example, he comes out ahead in more relevant metrics, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, carries into the penalty area, key passes and passing accuracy, interceptions and successful take-ons, all per 90.

Moreover, he is dispossessed less often, makes fewer errors leading to a shot, and miscontrols the ball less, all per 90.

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Posts 3 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 21, 2024

Ultimately, even with a higher-than-average salary, signing Rabiot seems like a great idea, as he offers more than Merino, and the comparisons to Vieira also work in his favour.