A Liverpool player who Mohamed Salah admits he loves playing with is expected to be the subject of an offer from a huge club, and he is open to the idea of leaving Anfield.
Who will Liverpool sign after Wirtz?
The Premier League champions have made a huge statement already this summer, with Florian Wirtz arriving for a British record fee of £116m from Bayer Leverkusen, with the German speaking of his delight at joining.
“I just thought that it was the right point in my career to make the next step and of course I wanted to get to a club that is from the top three in the world, and in my opinion Liverpool was one of them. Yeah, I just saw myself in the best hands in Liverpool. I was really convinced by the people here, by the idea, and everything what the club offers me was really good. And in the end [it was] also easy to be excited for me to come to Liverpool.”
Florian Wirtz
It’s now a case of seeing who else arrives at Liverpool this summer, with Milos Kerkez joining both Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong at the club, and various players are being linked with moves to Anfield.
Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi has been strongly mentioned in recent days, being seen as both a replacement and an upgrade on the departing Jarell Quansah, and Lyon winger Malick Fofana has been mentioned as a potentially superb attacking signings.
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There are also constant exit rumours surrounding various unwanted Liverpool players, however, and a fresh update has now emerged.
Nunez open to Liverpool exit as Napoli ready offer
According to The Athletic‘s Pearce on X, Napoli are now expected to table an offer for Nunez, with the striker “open” to a move to the Serie A champions:
“Napoli’s interest in Darwin Nunez has been registered and an offer is expected in due course. The Italian champions are the most serious contenders for the 25-year-old and he is open to moving to Naples.”
The £140,000-a-week and £7.3m-a-year Nunez needs to leave Liverpool before next season gets underway, with Arne Slot starting him just eight times in the Premier League last season.
The Uruguayan’s performances have been far too hit-and-miss for too long, even though Salah has admitted that he likes playing alongside him.
“Who do I most like to play with? It was Firmino. Now I feel like I generally like playing with Nunez. A lot of people don’t like him but I like playing with him.”
Nunez is arguably not at the level required to take this brilliant Liverpool team forward after scoring just five league goals last season, with an upgrade required this summer, but he will still leave as a popular figure, given his effort levels.
Napoli could be ideal for him, with their passionate fans likely to be drawn to him, and he could flourish playing in a weaker division than the Premier League.
Saha has will turn out for Rashmi Medinipur Wizards in the Bengal T20 league which starts on June 11
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2024
Wriddhiman Saha has moved back to Bengal after two years in Tripura•BCCI
Wriddhiman Saha is all set to return to Bengal for the upcoming Indian domestic season, and will also feature in the inaugural Bengal Pro T20 league that gets underway on Tuesday at the Eden Gardens.Saha, who represented Bengal for close to 15 years since making his first-class debut in 2007, moved to Tripura ahead of the 2022-23 domestic season as a player-cum-mentor. He had asked for his NOC after being hurt by comments by a senior administrator before the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy quarter-finals. After two years at Tripura, Saha is now back at Bengal.He wasn’t on the initial draft list of the Bengal Pro T20 league but has been picked by the Rashmi Medinipur Wizards team as a replacement for the injured Abhimanyu Easwaran. Wizards will be led by Sudip Chatterjee in the league and also have former India U-19 fast bowler Ishan Porel in their ranks.There are a total of eight teams taking part in the Pro T20 league. Each team will play seven league-stage matches, followed by the semi-finals and the final on June 28 at the Eden Gardens.”We are very happy to have Wriddhiman back in Bengal. Also, his interest in playing at the Bengal Pro T20 League will add more glamour to the League,” Snehasish Ganguly, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, said.Saha, 39, has played 136 first-class matches, scoring 7013 runs at an average of 41.99. So far, he has hit 14 centuries and 43 half-centuries. This includes 1353 Test runs in 40 matches at an average of 29.41.Saha was picked up by Gujarat Titans at the IPL 2022 auction and was part of the side that won the title in its inaugural season. He had an underwhelming IPL 2024, though, where he could only manage 136 runs in nine innings while averaging 15.11. His loss of form coincided with Titans’ slide as they finished eighth in the season.
Turning their focus towards the Club World Cup, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly made their first approach to sign a South American star this summer.
Who Wolves could sign next after Lopez
Wolves still have money to burn after welcoming Fer Lopez and could yet do so to make an emphatic statement ahead of Vitor Pereira’s first full season in the charge. The sales of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha may have dealt the Midlands club a frustrating double blow, but they have also provided those at Molineux with the funds to pursue names such as Harvey Elliott.
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The Liverpool youngster seems to be edging closer to the exit door at Anfield and recent reports revealed that it is Wolves who are confident of getting a deal done to secure his signature. Priced at £40m, Pereira could yet welcome a player who just dragged England into the U21 Euros final with a fantastic winning goal to add to his first effort.
His price tag may seem steep on paper, but Elliott would be worth every penny on the pitch. At just 22 years old, the Liverpool gem is already a two-time Premier League winner and has also won both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup during his time in Merseyside. What makes those achievements even more special is the fact that he is yet to reach the peak of his powers.
Wolves have an opportunity to sign an underrated youngster this summer and must do everything to secure his signature. It’s then that Elliott could also be joined by a Club World Cup star as the focus remains on welcoming exciting young talents in the Midlands this summer.
Wolves make first Wallace Yan approach
As reported by Globo Esporte and relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves have now made their first approach to sign Wallace Yan from Flamengo. The 20-year-old forward has a release clause to join European clubs worth €40m (£34m) and could yet swap South America for the Midlands as a result this summer.
Flamengo's Wallace Yan celebrates scoring against Flamengo.
The young forward has already enjoyed the feeling of scoring against English opposition too, having netted Flamengo’s third goal in a shock 3-1 victory over Chelsea at the Club World Cup.
A player who was described as “selfless” by analyst Ben Mattinson in April, Yan is full of potential and joining following former Fluminense midfielder Andre to Wolves could be the perfect way to reach that potential.
The deal won’t come cheap, but the Brazilian proved that has the quality to match Premier League opposition when he squared off against Chelsea. Now, Wolves would be wise to make their move.
Even though he missed almost four months of action, it would be fair to say that Bukayo Saka was one of Arsenal’s best players this season.
It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise, though, as the Hale End superstar has been getting better seemingly year after year for some time now.
However, even so, his tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances this year was nothing short of remarkable, and had he been fit for more of it, the Gunners might have run Liverpool a lot closer in the Premier League.
So, fans should be incredibly excited about recent reports linking Arsenal with a young wonderkid who’s been compared to the talismanic number seven.
Arsenal transfer news
Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at a couple of the other brilliant players linked with Arsenal in recent weeks and months, like Ademola Lookman and Karou Mitoma.
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The former could be available for around £55m this summer and would be a great addition to the Gunners’ squad, as in 40 appearances for Atalanta this season, he has scored 20 goals and provided seven assists.
Mitoma, on the other hand, could end up costing as much as £80m, and with a tally of 11 goals and four assists in 41 games, he might be less appealing of a target, even though he’s tried and tested in the Premier League.
Brighton & Hove Albion's KaoruMitomain action with Fulham's Timothy Castagne
However, neither of these wingers can be classed as a young up-and-coming wonderkid like Kenan Yıldız.
Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now interested in the tremendously exciting Juventus gem.
Interestingly, the report reveals that much of this interest stems from the soon-to-be-hired Matteo Tognozzi, who was a scout at the Old Lady and was the man who discovered the talented Turkish ace.
However, if the Gunners are to get their man, they’ll likely have to match the Italian giant’s asking price of up to €80m, which converts to about £68m.
Juventus' KenanYildizcelebrates
It would be a lot to spend on someone so young, but given Yıldız’s immense ability and potential, this is a transfer worth fighting for, especially as he’s been compared to Saka before.
How Yıldız compares to Saka
So, before we get into some of the other reasons Arsenal should be signing Yıldız this summer, it’s important to examine this comparison to Saka and where it has come from.
Well, in this instance, it stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in last summer’s European Championships, before creating a list of the ten most comparable players.
By doing this, it concluded that the Englishman was the third most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Turkish wonderkid in the entire competition.
Yıldız & Saka
Statistics per 90
Yıldız
Saka
Expected Assists
0.11
0.11
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.20
0.20
Passing Accuracy
83.65%
83.8%
Shot-Creating Actions
3.65
3.30
Goal-Creating actions
0.26
0.47
Tackles Won
0.53
0.57
Blocks
1.05
1.00
All Stats via FBref for EURO 2024
The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, expected assists, tackles won, blocks, passing accuracy and more, all per 90.
However, while a comparison to someone as brilliantly talented as the Englishman is certainly encouraging, it’s not the only reason the Gunners should be looking to sign the young Juve ace.
For example, the “special talent,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, can play almost anywhere in attack, from both wings to attacking midfield and even up top.
Moreover, despite being 19 for most of this season, the Regensburg-born prospect scored seven goals and provided five assists in 35 appearances, which comes out to a pretty decent average of a goal involvement every 2.91 games for someone so young.
Juventus'KenanYildiz
Ultimately, while it would be a lot of money, Yıldız looks like he could be one of football’s next great stars, and for that reason, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him – the comparison to Saka is a nice bonus.
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It is the dawn of a new era for Glasgow Rangers after Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises officially completed a takeover of the club last week.
They have immediately invested £20m into the club and will now oversee the search for the team’s next head coach, after Barry Ferguson stepped away at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
The former Scotland international was appointed as the interim boss after Philippe Clement was dismissed in February, and he only won six of his 15 matches in all competitions in the dugout at Ibrox.
Ferguson, whose team was held to a 2-2 draw by Hibernian on the final day of the Scottish Premiership campaign, failed to do enough to convince the board that he was the man for the job moving forward.
The 49ers and new sporting director Kevin Thelwell are now tasked with finding a manager who can bring glory back to Ibrox, after four seasons without a Premiership title.
One of the first items on the agenda for any incoming Rangers head coach should be convincing Nicolas Raskin to remain with the Gers beyond the summer.
Why Nicolas Raskin could leave Rangers
The Belgium international could move on from Ibrox in the summer transfer window, as Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Leeds United are both reportedly interested in the central midfielder.
Raskin has attracted interest from elsewhere due to his impressive performances for the Gers during the 2024/25 campaign, which led to him winning the club’s Men’s Player of the Year and the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year awards.
The 24-year-old star was deemed to be the best player at Ibrox this season and there are now teams who want to test how he would adapt to Premier League football next term.
Rangers, however, should be doing everything in their power to keep hold of the Belgian talent during the summer transfer window, because they will need as much quality as possible to finally beat Celtic to the Premiership title.
The former Standard Liege star is tenacious out of possession, as he averaged 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game and won 57% of his duels in the league this term, but the Light Blues star also provides plenty of quality on the ball.
24/25 Premiership
Nicolas Raskin
Appearances
33
Touches per game
68.4
Goals
4
Big chances created
9
Assists
10
Pass accuracy
87%
Dribbles completed per game
1.0
Dribble success rate
68%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Raskin is a player who thrives on the ball with his ability to both score and create goals from a central midfield position, whilst being efficient as a passer and a dribbler.
This suggests that the Belgian star would, therefore, love a manager who is committed to a ball-dominant style of play, which is why he should be pleased with the latest update on the Rangers manager search.
The latest on Russell Martin to Rangers
According to the Daily Mail, former Southampton head coach Russell Martin is one of the ‘main contenders’ to land the vacant managerial position at Ibrox.
The report claims that the former Scotland international, who had a loan spell with Rangers during his playing career, and Davide Ancelotti are the two main contenders for the role.
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It adds that Francesco Farioli, who recently left Ajax, and Brian Priske, most recently of Feyenoord, are also still in the running, but they are not as high up the list as Martin and Ancelotti.
The Daily Mail claims that the ex-Saints head coach was set to fall out of the race for the Rangers job when he was being lined up for the Leicester City position, but they have yet to sack Ruud Van Nistelrooy, so he remains in contention to replace Ferguson at Ibrox.
Appointing Martin as the first head coach of the 49ers era could be good news for supporters who want to see Raskin remain at the club, as the central midfielder could be a perfect fit for the Scottish tactician.
Why Nicolas Raskin would love Russell Martin
Analyst John Walker hailed Martin’s style as “exciting” and “total football”, due to the ball-dominant nature of how he wants his teams to play, and that could suit the Belgium international perfectly.
As aforementioned, Raskin is a technically brilliant footballer who constantly looks to make things happen from a central midfield position, with passes, dribbles, goals, and assists, and he could have plenty of chances to influence games in this manager’s system.
The clip above, from his time at MK Dons, is a flavour of the way Martin’s teams play, with plenty of short passes under pressure and movement off the ball to provide players with multiple passing options at all times.
Raskin would be a perfect fit for the way the ex-Norwich City and Rangers centre-back likes to coach his sides, because of his dynamism off the ball and his quality in possession.
Russell Martin’s attacking style of play
23/24 Championship
Southampton
League rank
Pass accuracy
87.7%
1st
Passes into the penalty area
594
1st
Progressive passes
2556
1st
Shot-creating actions
1255
1st
xG
79.8
2nd
Points per game
1.89
4th
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Martin successfully deployed a possession-based system to get Southampton promoted out of the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, building a team that was incredibly dominant when it came to passing forward and creating high-quality chances.
These statistics suggest that Raskin, who created nine ‘big chances’ in the Premiership, would thrive in his system as a midfielder who would constantly have chances to dictate play and create even more opportunities for his teammates with the dominance that the style of play creates.
Therefore, the Belgian midfielder could be more inclined to stay at Rangers for another year because of the prospect of thriving in a side coached by Martin, as it could help him to take his game to the next level ahead of a bigger move next year.
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This time last year, Leeds United were full to the brim with nerves as a Championship playoff final awaited the Whites at Wembley.
Thankfully, no such heartache on the biggest stage is plaguing Daniel Farke’s men currently, with any loss to Southampton now a distant memory, considering the second-tier title was wrapped up in style this season by the West Yorkshire giants.
One downside to Leeds winning promotion could come in the form of Harry Gray’s development being hindered, with so much already anticipated of the teenager at Elland Road despite the attacker only being 16 years of age.
Gray's incredible rise at Leeds
Plenty of the hype surrounding Gray does come from his notable namesake, with his brother Archie now on the books of Tottenham Hotspur and a Europa League winner after exploding into life in the senior game with the Whites.
Farke was heavily responsible for the 19-year-old’s sudden rise in the first team, considering he gifted the versatile Spurs number 14 his first senior opportunities at Elland Road, with history now amazingly repeating itself.
Indeed, with Leeds’ promotion virtually wrapped up, the German would start to name the 16-year-old sensation amongst his substitutes, with his first official appearance for his boyhood employers coming against Stoke City last month.
With 11 goals next to his name playing for both the U18s and U21s too, this could well be the early beginnings of a future icon in West Yorkshire. After all, he has already been described as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation” by data analyst Ben Mattinson.
Gray might not be the only rising star that could soon work his way into Farke’s regular first team picture, though, with this fellow Thorp Arch product possessing the potential to be as big a talent as the much-talked-about striker if given time.
The Leeds youngster who could be as impressive as Gray
It isn’t the biggest shock in the world to see the Leeds conveyor belt continuing to churn out more and more top-drawer youngsters with the likes of Kalvin Phillips once beginning his journey with the Whites.
Sam Chambers could be the next prodigy to rise the ranks and make an impression; therefore, with the exciting 17-year-old also gaining his first meaningful senior opportunities this season when given a cameo late last year versus Plymouth Argyle in the league, alongside an FA Cup chance against Millwall in 2025.
These rare slices of senior action would follow on from Chambers thumping home this effort in pre-season action for Farke’s men, with the promising Scotman really catching the eye at a youth level for the Whites for his versatility all across the attacking positions.
Indeed, his ability to maraud down the wings or play as a number 10 has even seen his ever-improving game be compared to that of Jack Grealish and Tyler Dibling by SCOUTED editor Llew Davies, who stated that Chambers “breaks open games, beats presses, creates positive attacking situations. He’s a little bit like Grealish, Emile Smith Rowe and Dibling.”
Chambers’ G/A numbers for Leeds by position
Position played in
Games
Goals scored
Assists
AM
20
2
3
CM
5
1
0
CF
4
1
1
LM
3
0
0
RW
1
0
0
LW
1
0
0
RM
1
0
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Chambers will aim to follow in both Grealish’s and Dibling’s footsteps, therefore, as the electric duo were both raw gems themselves once upon a time at Aston Villa and Southampton before their big breaks.
If he can go on to live up to these lofty comparisons, he could even be a bigger talent than Gray, with the future looking very bright at Elland Road as Premier League football returns, alongside yet another generation of stars coming through that look extremely encouraging.
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Leeds United may be about to sign a star who could follow in Ao Tanaka’s footsteps at Elland Road.
Arsenal are now seriously considering a move for a defender who has played every single minute for his club in the Premier League this season.
Gunners stepping up centre-back pursuit
Mikel Arteta has received criticism for not bringing in a new striker, which has arguably been costly in his side’s pursuit of the Premier League title, with Gary Neville recently questioning the decision prior to the 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield.
As such, it is looking increasingly likely that the Gunners will pursue a new forward this summer, with an offer for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak now in the works, but they are also keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch.
The north Londoners have stepped up their pursuit of a new centre-back in recent weeks, having now made a formal offer for AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, but the Spaniard is not the only Premier League defender on the shortlist.
According to a report from The Boot Room, Arsenal are now seriously considering a move for Brentford defender Nathan Collins, who has impressed for the Bees since arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £23m deal last summer.
Brentford'sNathanCollinsapplauds
Newcastle United are also ramping up their interest in Collins, however, so there could be competition for his signature, and a move to St. James’ Park could be preferable, given that he wouldn’t have to compete for a starting spot with the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba.
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ByDominic Lund May 11, 2025 Collins among Premier League's "best" defenders
The centre-back has been indispensable for Brentford this season, playing every minute in the top flight, and he has received high praise for his performances from ESPN’s Mario Marra, who described the Irishman as “one of the best” defenders in the Premier League.
The 24-year-old’s defensive aptitude is also underlined by the fact he places highly on some key defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs in the big five European leagues.
Statistic
Average per 90
Blocks
2.0 (97th percentile)
Clearances
6.08 (82nd percentile)
Aerials won
3.22 (91st percentile)
Not only that, but the Ireland captain has also proven himself to be an attacking threat, picking up two goals and five assists for Brentford in the Premier League, underlining his ability to be a difference-maker at both ends of the pitch.
That said, it is likely to be very difficult to displace Gabriel and Saliba in the starting XI at Arsenal, so it remains to be seen whether Collins is willing to leave Brentford behind and play more of a sporadic role in north London.
Everton and their hierarchy are now pushing to complete the signing of a £12 million attacker who has told his entourage to get the deal done, according to a recent report.
Everton chasing multiple signings to kick off summer business
The Toffees are one of several sides in the Premier League who have nothing to play for in the remaining games of the season, but will want to carry plenty of momentum into the new campaign. Club chiefs at Goodison Park however appear to be turning their attention towards the summer and the business they would like to conclude.
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Strengthening the options in defence seems to be a high priority for David Moyes, as they have already been linked with a shock move for Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah, who has now been backed to make the move to Everton by former scout Bryan King. The Toffees are also interested in signing David Hancko from Feyenoord, but it is not a cheap deal, as the Dutch side want to get around £34 million for his services.
It’s also been stated that Moyes is keen to strengthen his forward line, as goals have been somewhat of a problem, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin could leave for nothing come the end of the season. Brighton’s Evan Ferguson has been identified as their top target for a new centre-forward, as his future with the Seagulls is very much up in the air.
Everton are pushing to sign £12m winger Moses Simon
As well as looking at Ferguson, the Toffees are also looking at other attacking additions, and according to Africa Foot, relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have identified Moses Simon as a transfer target heading into the summer.
The report states that the Toffees are pushing to complete a deal for Simon after sending scouts to watch him live in action in Ligue 1 in the last few weeks. The Nantes winger is said to have left them impressed, and now the Premier League side are working on a deal, with Simon telling his agent to do whatever needs to be done to complete a move to Everton in the summer transfer window.
Interestingly, his agency CAA Base also represent one of Everton’s coaching staff, Dan Micciche, who is the Toffees’ Player Development Lead.
The French club do not want to sell Simon, despite his contract ending at the end of next season. However, their stance on selling the 29-year-old will change if they receive a bid worth €15 million, which is roughly £12.8 million. The Toffees meanwhile believe they could take advantage of Simon’s contract and bring him to England for less than the price Nantes want.
Moses Simon’s Ligue 1 stats
Apps
173
Goals
32
Assists
37
The Nigeria international has scored seven goals and recorded nine assists in 28 Ligue 1 games this season, which is his best return in his career. Everton may need to strengthen in the wide areas this summer, as there is uncertainty over the future of Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom, who are both on loan until the end of the campaign.
Manchester United are preparing a bid to sign a Paris Saint-Germain star who is statistically similar to Bruno Fernandes.
Onana errors cost Man Utd against Lyon
Ruben Amorim’s side failed to return from their Europa League quarter-final first leg against Lyon with an advantage after being held to a 2-2 draw in France.
It was another game to forget for goalkeeper Andre Onana, who made two errors, the last of which came in stoppage time to allow Rayan Cherki to equalise.
The build-up to the game was overshadowed by Nemanja Matic’s comments on Onana, with the Red Devils ‘keeper hitting back at the former United midfielder.
Onana’s days at Old Trafford could be numbered, with a new shot-stopper on the radar in Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen.
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Contact has been made over a move to sign the Dutchman to replace Onana, and by the looks of things, INEOS are looking to make a marquee signing further up the pitch.
Man Utd prepare bid for £250m+ PSG star Doue
According to reports in Spain, Man Utd are preparing a bid to sign PSG star Desire Doue. The Red Devils have ‘strongly reactivated its interest’ in the 19-year-old, who those at Old Trafford see ‘as a figure capable of making a difference’.
Doue, who PSG value at up to €300m (£261m), scored a brilliant goal against Aston Villa in the Champions League recently. The report adds that United see Doue as a top-level target, however, PSG aren’t looking to sell the teenager who’s been likened to Neymar and idolises the Brazil legend.
Interestingly though, as per FBRef, over the last 12 months Doue also compares stylistically to United skipper Fernandes, and has ranked in the top 1% for take-ons and assists when compared to other attacking midfielders.
Wingers and midfielders Doue has been compared to
Club
Bruno Fernandes
Man Utd
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal
Rodrygo
Real Madrid
Florian Wirtz
Bayer Leverkusen
Phil Foden
Man City
Luis Enrique has also praised Doue, who can turn out on the wing or as an attacking midfielder, saying: “I remember you criticised him. Today it’s praise, but one day the criticism will return because the elite level means you have to accept that when you’re not at your best. Doue needed months to adapt. Succeeding at PSG as a Frenchman is tougher.
“At Rennes, we saw his technical ability, physicality, and personality. Now, he’s reaping the rewards of his hard work. There’s still plenty to do, but he’s at the right place and club to grow and play high-stakes matches. The Champions League level, as I tell the players, is like international duty – you’re up against the best players and coaches.”
A move to Manchester could well be one to keep an eye on, but with a staggering asking price, INEOS will need to break the bank to bring Doue to England.
Chelsea’s next game in the Premier League sees them host London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. This has, historically, been a favourable fixture for the West Londoners; at least, that has been the case in the Premier League.
Chelsea's Marc Cucurella celebrates scoring their first goal with Enzo Fernandez
The Blues’ record at Stamford Bridge against Spurs since the 1992/92 season is exceptional. In 32 top flight games, they have won 20, drawn 11 and lost just one. In that time, they have scored 61 goals to the Lilywhites’ 23.
Last season, this fixture ended 2-0 to Chelsea, thanks to goals from defender Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson. Surprisingly, it was a rare game in which Cole Palmer failed to register a goal involvement.
However, he will have a chance to do so on Thursday night, with Enzo Maresca bearing good news about his return from injury.
Chelsea team news vs. Spurs
Well, Chelsea fans can breathe a sigh of relief because Palmer will return to action against Spurs. After missing England duty and the last Premier League game against Arsenal, Maresca explained, “Cole is back, he is ok. He is better”, in his pre-match press conference.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer
The Wythenshawe-born sensation has actually been on a bit of a goal drought in recent weeks but still has 14 goals and seven assists in 28 Premier League games this term.
He scored twice away from home against the Lilywhites in a 4-3 earlier in the season, including a clever panenka, and will surely be hoping to repeat the feat this week at Stamford Bridge.
Palmer is not the only England international returning to the Blues’ first team this week. Noni Madueke is also returning to the first-team fold after missing the last four Premier League games with a hamstring injury.
Maresca confirmed the former PSV Eindhoven star is “better” and seemingly will be available for selection against the Lilywhites, where he played academy football. Madueke will be looking to add to his eight goals and four assists this term.
Having Palmer and Madueke back is a huge boost for Maresca, but they are not the only attacking stars returning to action for Chelsea. The Blues boss also has a deadly forward available who could do Spurs some damage.
The returning Chelsea star who can unlock Palmer
Not only are the two England internationals back in action this week for the Blues, but so is Jackson, one of the goal-scorers from last season against the North Londoners.
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He has missed the last five league games with a hamstring issue, but Maresca also said he is “better”, describing the returning trio as “all good”.
It has been an impressive season for Jackson on the whole. He has featured 23 times in the Premier League, scoring nine times and grabbing five assists.
His all-round centre-forward play seems to have improved this term, given he has already matched his assist tally from 2023/24. Jamie Carragher described the 23-year-old as a “handful” at the start of February.
Indeed, the stats on FBref certainly back up how much trouble he can cause opposition defences. For example, in the Premier League this season, he averages 0.52 goal-creating actions, ranking him in the top 12% of strikers in the English top flight.
Jackson key stats in 2024/25 PL season vs. Strikers
Stat (per 90)
Number
Percentile
Shots on target
1.56
88th
Non-penalty expected goals
0.59npxG
88th
Assists
0.26
90th
Shot-creating actions
3.21
76th
Goal-creating actions
0.52
88th
Stats from FBref
Football scout Antonio Mango said Jackson’s “movement is key to unlocking Cole Palmer”, with the movement he makes creating space for the England international to exploit. This seems like something the Blues would appreciate, given Palmer’s goal drought over the last few weeks.
Indeed, his elite movement off the ball was evident at the start of his Chelsea career. In September 2023, analyst Nick Wright wrote a piece for Sky Sports, which noted that ‘Jackson has made more off-the-ball runs than any other Premier League player this season’. Already, you can see how good Jackson is at moving off the ball to facilitate his teammates.
Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer for Chelsea
If given the chance, Jackson definitely has the potential to hurt Spurs this evening. The fact that he can facilitate Palmer so well with his elite movement, plus his ability in front of goal, makes him a great weapon in Chelsea’s arsenal ahead of this crunch clash on Thursday night.
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