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Jason Cundy has told Chelsea to sign a fringe Liverpool star so Enzo Maresca can replace one of his mainstay players, with the talkSPORT pundit explaining exactly why Todd Boehly should move for him.

Chelsea's rumoured transfer plans for 2025

As previously reported, the Blues are planning to bolster Maresca’s options both further forward and at the back.

Chelsea now prepared to make "significant" bid for £83m Barcelona star

There have been a few reports linking Barca and Chelsea with transfer deals.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 23, 2024

Despite Nicolas Jackson’s scintillating start to 2024/2025, proving that he’s more than capable of leading Chelsea’s forward line, it is believed that Stamford Bridge transfer chiefs are still internally debating the prospect of a new striker as soon as January (Simon Phillips).

Chelsea made a late summer attempt to sign Victor Osimhen from Napoli, but neither the west Londoners nor Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli could strike a deal for the Nigerian, who ended up joining Turkish champions Galatasaray on a season-long loan.

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Maresca was backed with a plethora of signings over the summer window. However, a fresh centre-forward option wasn’t one of them, despite Chelsea having also made a summer proposal to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.

Chelsea are also scouring South America for centre-backs and could look to sign defenders from that continent who are plying their trade elsewhere at the moment. Meanwhile, concerns surround current Chelsea number one keeper Robert Sanchez.

The former Brighton shot-stopper has started all eight of their Premier League games so far, but has come under fire by some sections of the media, including Cundy.

Chelsea told to replace Robert Sanchez with Caoimhin Kelleher

Speaking on talkSPORT, via The Metro, the former Chelsea star claims that second-choice Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher would be an ideal successor for him.

Cundy has urged Chelsea to sign Kelleher to replace Sanchez, calling the Republic of Ireland international “top drawer”.

“What was really evident to me at the weekend was that Chelsea’s No.1 isn’t as good as Liverpool’s No.2,” said Cundy on talkSPORT.

“Whenever I see Kelleher play he looks top drawer. Sometimes when you see a No.2 goalkeeper come in, you might see the defence drop a bit deeper or they’re hesitant to do back passes.

“Whenever Kelleher’s in goal and he’s played a lot in the last 18 months to two years both in the Carabao Cup and Champions League, he never looks out of place. Liverpool don’t look any weaker with him in goal and that is a massive compliment by the way.

“If you’re a Liverpool fan, I know you’ve got [Giorgi] Mamardashvili coming in, but you don’t want Kelleher to go either. He’s too good to be a number two. I want him [at Chelsea].”

There is still time for Chelsea’s current first choice to prove his worth, with Fabrizio Romano claiming over the summer window that Maresca really rates Sanchez and couldn’t wait to work with him.

“He is a monster in terms of his physicality,” said Graham Potter on Sanchez during their time together at Brighton.

“He’s not just big but he is powerful, he is fast. In terms of attributes as a goalkeeper, he has got everything to be a top goalkeeper. We have to keep helping him, supporting him.”

Cole Palmer is “Mr Cool” and already a Chelsea hero, says Roberto Di Matteo, but has been told that he needs a trophy to “validate” his greatness.

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• Joined Blues in 2023 for £40m
• Become a talisman at Stamford Bridge
• Now looking to land major silverware

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  England international Palmer moved to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City for £40 million ($50m) in the summer of 2023. A stunning debut campaign in west London delivered 25 goals and Young Player of the Year awards from the PFA and Premier League.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Palmer has a further 14 efforts to his name this term – with that haul including a historic four-goal first-half salvo against Brighton – and continues to enhance his blossoming reputation at 22 years of age. He has become a talismanic presence and a man that looks to lead by example with club and country.

• WHAT ROBERTO DI MATTEO SAID

  Asked for his take on Palmer and whether his services can be retained on a long-term basis, former Chelsea midfielder and Champions League-winning manager Di Matteo – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “Mr Cool! He’s a great player. He glides over the pitch. When you watch the team play and you watch him, you see that he’s such a talented player. He always finds the space. I think why don’t the opposition mark him, but then I’ve watched him very closely and he’s such an intelligent player. He always puts himself in a position where he can receive the ball in space.

  “He is such a technician. He reads the game so well before he receives the ball, he already knows what’s happening. That’s a great gift to have. Technically he is obviously very good. He must be the best signing in the new era, under the new owners. He has had such a big impact on the team. He is a game changer as well, so he’s a very valuable player.

  “I don’t see why not [staying put]. Chelsea are a big club and will again be challenging. This season they have shown that they can be challengers again. The next step will be finishing in the top four and build from there.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Pressed on whether Palmer could follow in some illustrious footsteps and become a Chelsea great, Di Matteo – who worked with the likes of Gianfranco Zola and Frank Lampard as a player and coach – added: “I think in the hearts of fans he is already probably in that bracket. As a player, you need to achieve trophies. That’s what validates you as a player.

  “If you go through your career and you don’t win anything, you might be a great player but I don’t think as an individual he would be happy with that. Once they start winning, and this year they have opportunities to put a trophy on the cabinet, that will validate him even more.”

Dermot Gallagher has backed referee Robert Jones' decision not to send off David Brooks for his tussle with Marc Cucurella despite VAR appeal.

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Brooks unleashed a heavy challenge on CucurellaReferee wasn't convinced that it was "violent conduct" Gallagher believes Jones was right not to send off BrooksFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Brooks was involved in two separate tussles with Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella. In one off-the-ball moment, Brooks appeared to take a swipe at Cucurella, prompting VAR officials Graham Scott and Sian Massey-Ellis to intervene and suggest a review for potential violent conduct and a subsequent red card. However, Jones decided not to upgrade the yellow card to a red, marking the first time a Premier League referee refused to overturn an on-field decision after being advised to review it on the monitor.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT GALLAGHER SAID

Speaking on , former Premier League referee Gallagher, explained his perspective on the decision and suggested that VAR may have initially believed Brooks had pulled Cucurella’s hair. He noted that the replay revealed Brooks grabbing the front of Cucurella’s shirt instead, which likely influenced Jones’ final decision.

"The VAR recommends a review because he thinks there's a possible act of violent conduct," he said.

"I wonder if the VAR thought Brooks pulled Cucurella's hair. It looks as though his hair is pulled back. Brooks actually grabs the front of Cucurella's shirt. The referee looked at it for a long time and discussed it.

"He came to the conclusion that Brooks pulled the top of his shirt which is why you get the clothesline effect. The referee deemed it reckless rather than violent because it was a grab of the shirt. His opinion was it stopped a promising attack. It wasn't violent conduct – he didn't grab his hair or throat."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Gallagher praised Jones for not succumbing to pressure and for thoroughly reviewing the footage before making a measured decision.

"It's all about has he grabbed him at the top of the shirt or by the throat? The referee has looked and looked. Rob Jones hasn't knee-jerked and given him a red card. He's studied it," he added.

Whereas, another ex-official, Keith Hackett, argued that Cucurella was lucky to stay on the pitch.

"Cucurella is beginning to become a serious offender in games, and match officials in their preparations should be aware that he is a player to keep an eye on," he told

"His act is a blatant unfair impeding offence for which he should have received a yellow card."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Following the controversial match, Chelsea will shift their attention to their next Premier League encounter where they are set to host Wolves on Monday.

What’s that, is it a light at the end of the tunnel? Chelsea are making headway and the most interesting point of the Blues project lies in the giddy attacking talent at Enzo Maresca’s disposal.

Cole Palmer is the centrepiece of course but an overreliance on his talent from last season has been tempered. Now, there is some exciting new talent to diversify the attacking efforts.

Of course, there are a couple of resurgent stars that have actually been on the books for over a year now. Indeed, the closed qualities of Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku are beginning to unfurl.

Chelsea's current strikers

Chelsea signed Jackson from Villarreal last summer, completing a deal in excess of his £30m release clause. Nkunku arrived earlier in the summer in a £52m transfer, with a move actually being agreed with RB Leipzig some time before, in a gentlemanly fashion.

Nkunku’s maiden year on English shores was not so much affected as ravaged by injuries. The France international scored three times in the Premier League last year but started only twice.

He’s scored three goals from six matches under Maresca though, notably bagging the winner against Bournemouth last weekend. He’s only started three times and looks like he could be a real menace throughout the campaign.

Jackson, aged only 23, had greater success, avoiding any annoying layoffs to post 17 goals from 44 matches, albeit missing a staggering 24 big chances in the Premier League last term, scoring 14 goals.

This season, the rough diamond has two goals and an assist from five matches. His total Chelsea tally stands at 19 strikes, whereas his French counterpart has just six goals to his name.

Both could end the striker’s curse at Stamford Bridge. So many talented centre-forwards have seen their time in west London prove to be a footnote in the background of an otherwise impressive career, with one such man being Alvaro Morata.

He’s certainly enjoyed a resurgence, having actually outscored the aforespoken forwards since they arrived at Chelsea.

Alvaro Morata's resurgence after leaving Chelsea

Chelsea signed Morata for – wait for it – a then club-record £60m fee in 2017 under Antonio Conte, bringing the Spaniard in from Real Madrid after his relatively prolific stint with the European heavyweights.

It went wrong. Morata took on the rather cumbersome weight of essaying to replace Diego Costa at Chelsea and though starting brilliantly, with nine goals from just 14 appearances, he ended the season with 15 from 44 fixtures.

He was jettisoned back off to the Spanish capital at the midpoint of his second year, this time signing for Atletico Madrid in what would become the most nomadic of wandering careers. After scoring 24 goals from 72 matches as a Blue, he can hardly be considered a success.

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He’s been comparatively prolific, with the newly-signed AC Milan star’s 22-goal haul since the start of last season surpassing the Chelsea totals of both Jackson and Nkunku.

Morata, who earned a jaw-dropping £170k per week at Chelsea, is a good striker – he spearheaded Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph – and has even been rather generously claimed to be “on par with Erling Haaland” by Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone.

Urr, maybe not, but he was still a major miss for Chelsea and has illustriously resurrected his career since leaving, even outscoring Jackson last term for good measure.

Chelsea star who was let go for £0 is now worth more than Fofana & Sancho

Chelsea let star go for £0 and now he’s worth more than Wesley Fofana.

2 ByConnor Holden Sep 16, 2024

Despite picking up seven out of a possible nine points in the Premier League this season, Arsenal are not in the best shape heading into this weekend's North London Derby.

Declan Rice is suspended following his sending off against Brighton & Hove Albion; Mikel Merino is still out due to a shoulder injury sustained in training, and Martin Odegaard is set to miss at least three weeks of action due to an ankle injury he picked up on international duty, leaving Mikel Arteta with limited options for his midfield.

While there is undeniably an element of misfortune in the Gunners' current predicament, some fans believe the club left themselves short by not signing another midfielder in the summer and selling too many squad players.

However, while the former may be true, Edu Gaspar and Co did well to get the money they did for the players they sold this summer, although perhaps the best sale the club have made under the Brazilian came earlier in his tenure.

Arsenal's summer departures

So, while Arsenal brought in Riccardo Calafiori, Raheem Sterling, and Merino this summer, most of their business was seemingly focused on shipping out the players deemed surplus to requirements.

While this might have left the team vulnerable, the sales brought in a lot of money, which could prove useful next summer.

For example, fan favourite Emile Smith Rowe, who had firmly fallen out of favour last season, was moved on to Fulham for an initial fee of £27m that could rise to £34m, and considering the Hale Ender has started brilliantly in West London, we wouldn't be surprised to see that happen.

A month later, the club secured an exit for Eddie Nketiah, who joined Crystal Palace for a fee in the region of £30m.

The talented striker looked like a promising talent just a couple of years ago, but with Gabriel Jesus in the team and Kai Havertz ahead of both of them in the pecking order, it was crystal clear that the 25-year-old was no longer in the manager's plans, so a sale once again suited all parties.

Lastly, despite playing a hugely significant role in the team's first title challenge in 22/23 and being a firm fan favourite, Aaron Ramsdale secured a move to Southampton on deadline day for a fee that could reach £25m, including add-ons.

However, while these three deals should hopefully allow the club to splash the cash once again next summer, Edu's best sale occurred last season.

Folarin Balogun's valuation in 2024

The player in question is former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, who burst onto the scene in the 22/23 season while on loan with Ligue 1 side Stade Reims.

In 39 appearances for the French side, the "unbelievable" American marksman, as dubbed by sports presenter Jules Breach, scored a whopping 22 goals and provided three assists, maintaining an average of a goal involvement every 1.56 games.

However, it was clear that he did not want to return to North London to sit on the bench, so when the summer rolled around, the club sold him to AS Monaco for £35m, which is a brilliant fee for a striker from the academy who had made just ten appearances for the club in total.

Balogun's last two seasons

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All Stats via Transfermarkt

Moreover, Edu and Co made the sale at the perfect time, as while he wasn't terrible for Monaco, he was only able to score eight goals and provide seven assists in 32 matches, which means his average fell to a goal involvement every 2.13 games in the same season that Alexandre Lacazette produced 27 goals and assists in 35 games.

This dip in form has also seen his valuation come down dramatically, with Football Transfers now pricing him at just €17m, which is just £14m, or £21m less than Arsenal got for him last year.

Ultimately, Balogun is a talented forward who could still go on to have a brilliant career, but considering he didn't want to sit on the bench at the Emirates and has seen his valuation collapse, Edu and Co struck gold when they got £35m for him.

Related Arsenal sold their new Ramsey for £25m, now he's being outscored by Gabriel

The Brazillian has become an unlikely source of goals.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 12, 2024

The fallout from the Covid-19 cases – confirmed and suspected – within the IPL bubble was felt through the day on Monday. The Delhi Capitals, the last team to play against the Kolkata Knight Riders – two of their players have tested positive – have been asked to isolate themselves at their hotel in Ahmedabad. In Delhi, neither the Mumbai Indians nor the Sunrisers Hyderabad, who are scheduled to play each other on Tuesday, trained at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground after suspected positive cases among the ground staff.Monday started with the IPL confirming that the Knight Riders’ Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier had tested positive in Ahmedabad, and cancelled their match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, scheduled for Monday. Within hours, in Delhi, the Chennai Super Kings had reported three positive cases including that of Laxmipathy Balaji, who was in the dugout during Saturday’s match against the Mumbai Indians.Related

• Amit Mishra first player from Delhi Capitals to test positive for Covid-19

• Chennai Super Kings' May 5 game against Rajasthan Royals postponed

• Kolkata Knight Riders CEO: 'Sandeep fine; Varun a little under the weather'

• IPL 2021 – Charter flight home for Australians? 'No suggestion at the moment,' says Cricket Australia chief

• Chakravarthy, Warrier test positive for Covid-19; KKR vs RCB rescheduled

Delhi, currently the most severely affected city in India, has already hosted four out of its eight scheduled matches. But there is concern among the franchises after reports emerged that some of the groundstaff at the Kotla had tested positive for Covid-19.Rohan Jaitley, the president at the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association, which manages the Kolta, said that none of the groundstaff that were present for the two matches over the weekend were among those who had tested positive.”There’s no one who is on duty at the matches who has tested positive,” Jaitley told ESPNcricinfo on Monday. “Since the numbers (in Delhi) peaked we had put them (groundstaff) in-house in a bubble and they were staying at the stadium. Since it is a taxing job, they get drained out. So we have groundstaff that are off-site tested and quarantined. After every few matches we rotate them.”Some members of the groundstaff at the Kotla have tested positive for Covid-19•BCCI

It is understood that at least two members of the groundstaff that were not at the ground over the weekend had tested positive and had been placed in quarantine.Jaitley said that the testing had been done as per the standard operating procedures put in place by the IPL and he was confident Tuesday evening’s match would be held on schedule.In Ahmedabad, while the entire Knight Riders’ contingent is now in five-day quarantine, the Capitals put on hold all activity on Monday afternoon after they were asked to isolate in their hotel rooms. There is no clarity yet on whether the squad can train on Tuesday, their first day back at practice after Sunday’s match. Their next match, ironically, is again against the Knight Riders, in Ahmedabad on May 8.It is understood that the Capitals also moved their regular testing, scheduled originally for Tuesday, to Monday. The IPL had, from the start of the tournament’s second leg played in Ahmedabad and Delhi, asked teams to get tested every two days. Teams have conducted these tests on non-match days and the Capitals underwent testing on May 1 before today.The reason behind the franchise taking such a step is believed to be because of the faster rate of transmission in India, which is currently recording close to 400,000 new cases every day. All six venues shortlisted by the BCCI to conduct the IPL – Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata – have been among the worst-affected cities in the past month.

It wasn’t straightforward, it wasn’t pretty, but it is one of those wins that would give South Africa immense satisfaction. On a turning track, where a modest 188, made largely thanks to Mithali Raj’s battling 79 and Rajeshwari Gayakwad’s magnificent 3 for 13, the visitors dug deep to carve out a five-wicket win to take the series 4-1.The victory was set up by Mignon du Preez and Anneke Bosch, who hit half-centuries in a 96-run fourth-wicket stand. It was crucial coming at the time it did, because the visitors had been reduced to 27 for 3 in the 11th over, with the ball jumping off the rough created at one end by left-arm seamer Monica Patel. South Africa have now won 10 of their last 11 ODIs, winning back-to-back series against New Zealand, Pakistan and now India.But they would’ve been nervy at the start. Opening the bowling, Gayakwad defeated Laura Woolvaardt with sharp turn as substitute fielder Jemimah Rodrigues took a sharp catch at slip in the second over. In the fourth, Gayakwad beat Lara Goodall with sharp turn to trap her lbw. But after a three-over spell, Gayakwad was taken off the attack to give inexperienced Patel, playing in just her second game, a spell.Although India struck soon enough, in the 12th over, when D Hemalatha beat Sune Luus in the air and off the deck, they couldn’t sustain the pressure. In looking to attack, the inexperienced spinners conceded more runs than they would have ideally liked.In the absence of Poonam Yadav, the frontline spinner, Deepti Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur, who earlier in the day injured her hip flexor to be ruled out of the game, the responsibility was on debutant C Prathyusha and Hemalatha to offer maximum support to strike bowler Gayakwad. It proved a task too steep as their inexperience showed.Wristspinner Pratyusha, who has a quick-arm action, struggled to land the ball at drivable lengths, which made it easy for du Preez and Bosch to pick her away both off the front and back foot. Bosch was particularly aggressive, looking to clear the infield by getting to the pitch time and again. du Preez, meanwhile, showed all her experience by using the pace to play cheeky paddles.Their industrious partnership meant the score kept ticking along, forcing Raj to keep going back to her two trump cards Goswami and Gayakwad from time-to-time Gayakwad had bowled out going into the last 10, with South Africa still needing 36. This helped Marizanne Kapp guide Nadine de Klerk through the tricky phase with the target within touching distance.Things may have yet been interesting had Goswami taken a catch to remove Kapp at long-off with South Africa still needing 32. South Africa would’ve been six down. It would’ve also come quickly on the back of the wickets of Bosch and du Preez, who fell in the space of 15 deliveries, to Gayakwad and Prathyusha respectively.The missed opportunity had a deflating effect; Pratyusha who should’ve had her second wicket finished with 1 for 60 off nine overs instead. With Patel unable to have any kind of stranglehold over the batters, Kapp calmly wiped off the remainder of the runs with 12 balls to spare, with India forced to rue their batting lapses.That they took the fight till the end was thanks to Mithali Raj’s rescue act after the rest of the batting stuttered yet again. The lone ranger who has carried the India middle order for much of her career, Raj hit her 55th ODI half-century after being put into bat by South Africa.The loss apart, India may also be staring at another major worry ahead of the T20Is, with Kaur, the designated captain for the shortest format, having to retire hurt after a hip-flexor injury. Pushed ahead of Raj to No. 4 on the day, Kaur had settled in to put together a half-century stand with her captain, before retiring out in the 31st over just as India looked to launch.It proved to be a huge setback, after they appeared to have overcome the early losses of Smriti Mandhana, Priya Punia and Punam Raut, India’s highest run-getter, with the scoreboard reading 53 for 3 in the 13th over.Hemalatha, in her first game after replacing Deepti struggled to wriggle out of a hole she dug herself into. Taking 12 balls to get off the mark, she survived an ugly hoick before nicking one to the wicketkeeper two balls later. Then the returning Sushma Verma, picked ahead of Taniya Bhatia, did little to prove her batting credentials, given out lbw to de Klerk.India’s slow middle order consolidation also allowed Sune Luus to get her fifth bowling options – de Klerk and Bosch – to dictate terms; their 16 overs went for just 61 runs for three wickets, all reward for de Klerk’s accurate medium pace.In the face of this meltdown, Raj, who took her time, like she does, focused on holding one end up even if strike-rotation proved difficult initially. And while debates continue over whether she should be accelerating a lot more upfront, India’s middle and lower order did her no favours by collapsing the way they did to give the team management plenty to think of in terms of their approach In the face of a changing game leading into next year’s 50-over World Cup.

In a year which has already seen the 21-year-old enjoy breakthroughs with Tottenham and England, she’s now taking the WSL by storm with the Red Devils

When Grace Clinton faced the media this summer, ahead of her first Women’s Super League season with Manchester United, she was under no illusions with regards to the pressure that was going to be on her at the club, after a breakthrough loan spell at Tottenham and an electric start to her England career. But the way she’s been playing in this campaign, it’s as if she doesn’t feel the weight of expectation whatsoever.

The message from United boss Marc Skinner was not to change anything from the season she had just spent at Spurs, which earned Clinton her Lionesses debut and the PFA Women's Young Player of the Year award. “Marc has reassured me, saying, ‘Don't come in and feel like you have to prove anything, just come in and settle in and just keep enjoying it’,” she explained. “He's just [giving me] the same messages that I had at Tottenham, which is really nice for me to hear.”

Fitting with that consistent message is the consistency of performance from Clinton, though it’s actually easy to argue that her level has even gone up this year from the last. Perhaps that’s no surprise, given the experiences she has accumulated in such a short time, and if she can continue in this vein, with the European Championship right around the corner, she’s going to get the opportunity to shine on even bigger stages.

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  Star of the show

  It's not a stretch to say that Clinton has been one of the very best players in the WSL this season. That’s particularly impressive given she’s essentially a new signing, someone who had hardly played with most of her new team-mates before, nor in Skinner’s side. This is a United team in a little bit of transition, too. It wasn’t set up for her to just slot in and perform.

  There are also greater expectations with the Red Devils. “I think with Spurs, as long as we'd made progress from the year before, nearly getting relegated… They were in completely different places,” Clinton acknowledged before the season. “We had the ability and the freedom to try and work on us as a team and how we play. But at United, you can work on how you play as a team, but you need to get the results at the same time. I think that's more of the difference for me.”

  However, that’s just another obstacle she’s overcome. Armed with a little more confidence as a result of that Spurs spell, Clinton feels in a better play to “express” herself – and it certainly shows.

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  Making her mark

  After marking her United debut with a goal, in a 3-0 opening-weekend win over West Ham, Clinton hasn’t looked back. A remarkably composed finish gave the Red Devils a 1-0 win over Everton the next week. and then she went into the first international break of the season with a third, after scoring in a 1-1 draw with surprise package Brighton.

  Those three goals make her United’s joint-top goal-scorer in the WSL this term, alongside new No.9 Elisabeth Terland, and it’s not the only column in which her stats rank among the very best in the squad. No United player has created more chances in the league this season, with Clinton not struggling to get involved in games at all. Only the centre-back pairing of Maya Le Tissier and Millie Turner have had more touches.

  Terland is the sole player with more shots, shots on target and touches in the opposition's box, and only full-back Jayde Riviere has won more fouls. When it comes to dribbles completed, Clinton is also joint-top of those charts. In essence, she’s at the heart of all the good stuff her team are doing in attack.

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  Growing partnership

  Ahead of the season, there were some concerns that this wouldn’t be the case, because there were questions about how Clinton and Ella Toone, another creative playmaker, would fit into the same team. However, after starting the season with the somewhat questionable choice to play Toone in a wider role, Skinner has settled into playing her more central and Clinton more towards the wings in recent weeks, that a position she is familiar with from her time at Tottenham.

  It's something that has certainly pleased Clinton, as she has repeatedly spoken about how much she enjoys playing with Toone. It’s something they’ve done for England, albeit with the 21-year-old in a slightly deeper role which doesn’t always emphasise her best qualities.

  The bad news is that Toone is feared to be out injured for the rest of 2024, so this growing partnership is on pause for the time being. The good news, however, is that the two have shown glimpses of being able to work well together already, and they’ll hope to continue that in the New Year.

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  All-rounder

  But it’s not just about what Clinton does well in attack, as she’s also a real asset defensively. Be it as a box-to-box midfielder or a hard-working wide player, she is always keen to honour her defensive duties, something that will always curry favour with coaches and team-mates alike.

  No player has won more tackles in the United team this season than Clinton, which underlines how willing she is to get stuck in, be it with her high press or tracking back.

  “I do love being able to just go up and down the pitch, being able to defend and put them tackles in and do that for the team, but then being able to stay in those pockets and create,” Clinton said earlier this year, discussing her preferred position and highlighting the defensive aspects of midfield as a reason for it being her favourite.

The Enzo Maresca revolution is underway, at Chelsea, with the Italian already taking charge and making his mark on the Blues squad.

He’s overseen three matches, a draw with Wrexham, and a defeat to Celtic whilst winning the most recent friendly outing against CF America during their tour of the US.

Maresca has implemented his three-back system, placing expectations on his centre-backs to be comfortable in possession, whilst being strong defensively to allow for his system to be a success at Stamford Bridge.

French defender Benoit Badiashile has struggled during pre-season, making an unforgivable mistake against Celtic, gifting possession away in his own penalty area before being punished by the opposition.

It comes as no surprise to see the club targeting more defensive reinforcements after their defensive frailties in recent matches, with one player once again on the club’s radar.

Chelsea want £60m defensive ace this summer

According to journalist Sami Mokbel, Chelsea continue to monitor the situation of Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo ahead of a potential move to west London this summer.

The Brazilian youngster enjoyed a stellar campaign at the City Ground during his debut season in English football, featuring in 32 straight matches and claiming the club’s Player of the Year award.

Murillo only joined the Reds for a fee in the region of £15m this time last year, but as a result of his excellent season on Trentside, he could be on the move with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis demanding a £60m fee to part ways with his defensive wonderkid.

It may seem a huge figure and one that is slightly inflated given his limited time in the Premier League, however, he would be a phenomenal signing, potentially taking the place of one current Blues star.

Why Murillo would be better than Colwill for Chelsea

Levi Colwill came through the Chelsea academy after joining the club at the age of nine, making his first team debut back in the previous season after two previous loan spells at Huddersfield Town and Brighton.

He made an immediate impact on the first team for his boyhood club, making 23 appearances last season, looking more than comfortable at the back under then-boss Mauricio Pochettino.

However, despite his immediate impact, he could find himself without a spot in the starting lineup, should Murillo arrive at the club, with the Brazilian producing some impressive figures despite featuring for a side in a relegation battle.

The “exceptional” ace, as described by analyst Ben Mattinson, managed to complete more progressive passes and successful take-ons per 90, demonstrating his comfortability on the ball – making him perfect for Maresca’s system.

Games

32

23

Goals + assists

2

2

Progressive passes

89

73

Clearances per 90

6.1

3.3

Blocks per 90

1.4

1.4

Successful take-ons per 90

0.7

0.5

The Brazilian has also completed more clearances and blocks in 2023/24, showcasing his defensive capabilities despite featuring in a side that, at times, were constantly bombarded in games against higher-quality opposition.

Murillo has showcased his ball-striking ability, nearly scoring two goal of the season contenders from his own half, with the youngster certainly not afraid to produce a spectacular moment or two from the back.

He may be an expensive addition, but given his impressive first season in England, there is huge potential for him to improve further.

His attributes with and without the ball make him perfect for the new Chelsea boss, with his talents hugely improving the current options available at Maresca’s disposal.

Chelsea could land a bigger talent than Osimhen in £75m "nightmare"

The Blues are still on the hunt for a new centre-forward.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 2, 2024

Arne Slot confirmed that Diogo Jota remains unavailable for Liverpool's match against Arsenal, but offered a positive update on Federico Chiesa.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Jota is nursing an injury
• Chiesa likely to resume training
• Conor Bradley may be involved

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jota, a key player for the Reds this season with four goals and two assists in 10 appearances, suffered an injury in last weekend’s match against Chelsea, forcing him to leave the pitch early. The injury kept him sidelined for their midweek Champions League encounter with RB Leipzig and now the Portuguese will also miss the trip to north London.

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  WHAT SLOT SAID

  In addition to Jota’s unavailability, Slot also revealed that Federico Chiesa also remains unavailable but might resume training on Friday.

  "I think they feel good but not when it comes to playing for us during the weekend," he told reporters. "Federico might train with us today or tomorrow – but Diogo definitely not. And Conor Bradley, let's see if he can be with us tomorrow."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, remains sidelined with a hamstring injury he sustained against Crystal Palace. As a result, backup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has stepped in to fill Alisson’s role, and Slot confirmed that Kelleher will continue to be Liverpool’s starting goalkeeper against the Gunners.

  On Alisson’s condition, Slot remarked: "Progressing well like we expect, not a short-term recovery, so difficult to judge. We judge him at the end phase of his rehab but not yet. Don't expect him to be at Brighton in the cup."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  Slot has made a strong impact since taking the managerial role at Liverpool, guiding the team to an impressive start to the Premier League season. Despite the injuries affecting key players, Liverpool have maintained a high level of performance, and Sunday’s matchup against Arsenal presents a chance for the Reds to extend their winning form and hold on to the top spot of the league standings.