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Chelsea have signed some big-name attackers in recent seasons, having spent a fortune on new players since Todd Boehly bought the club in 2022. According to Oliver Hopkins of The Analyst, the Blues have spent around £1bn since the American tycoon bought majority shares in the club, much of which has gone on attacking talent.

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2 ByStephan Georgiou Aug 23, 2024

The most notable attacker they have bought is, of course, Cole Palmer. He has been simply extraordinary for the Blues since his £42.5m move from Manchester City, scoring 31 goals and grabbing 19 assists in just 53 games. Other attacking arrivals in recent transfer windows have included Pedro Neto and Christopher Nkunku.

Chelsea’s most recent signing was also someone brought in to add depth in attacking areas, and so far he has proven to be a big success. That player is Jadon Sancho.

Sancho’s stats for Chelsea so far

It was a disappointing end for Sancho at Manchester United. He fell out with boss Erik ten Hag, who froze him out before the winger joined former side Borussia Dortmund on loan for the second half of the 2023/24 season.

He left Old Trafford this summer, switching Manchester for London to join Chelsea, the club he has previously said he supported growing up. The 24-year-old joined the Blues on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy next summer.

He has been a big hit for Enzo Maresca’s side so far. Despite having played just three games, the England international already has three assists to his name; they came in each game – against Bournemouth on debut, away to West Ham United, and last time out for Palmer against Brighton.

Incredibly, the Chelsea No 19 is already halfway there when it comes to matching his assist tally in 83 games for United. Sancho provided six goals for his teammates during his time at Old Trafford, scoring on 12 occasions in that time, too.

Despite his market value falling as low as £20m when he was a Red Devil (as per Transfermarkt), the winger’s fine form for Dortmund last term and his excellent start at Chelsea has seen his value increase. Sancho is already valued at €30m (£25m), and if his form continues, it will only continue to grow.

Whilst Sancho’s stocks have begun to rise in the past few weeks, Chelsea once had an even more valuable winger on their books, who they may wish they had kept hold of instead of losing him for free.

All 2024/25 Premier League clubs ranked by net spend

Football FanCast has looked at the net spend of 2024/25’s Premier League clubs, going back to the 1992/93 season.

ByLewis Thompson Jun 29, 2024 The player who’s now worth more than Sancho

The attacker in question here is Bayern Munich and recently capped France international winger Michael Olise. Now one of the best right-wingers in the world, the former Reading and Crystal Palace player was someone Chelsea lost out on when he was an academy player.

According to a report from BBC Sport, the Frenchman was part of Chelsea’s esteemed Cobham academy up until the age of 14, when the Blues released him for free. Whatever the reason was, it has proven to be a choice they must now regret.

Incredibly, the Blues were interested in re-signing their former academy prodigy this summer, and given his record at Selhurst Park, that is no surprise. The Frenchman scored 16 goals and grabbed 25 assists in 90 games for the Eagles, with 10 goals and 6 assists coming in 19 games in the 2023/24 season. Football statistician Statman Dave described him as “unstoppable” for a reason.

Chelsea were willing to pay upwards of £60m for his services, along with Man United and fellow Premier League side Newcastle. In the end, it was German giants Bayern who won the race for his signature.

Olise’s move to Munich has been nothing short of a success so far. He has played eight games for the club so far, scoring five goals and registering three assists. With that in mind, it is no surprise that his value has risen so much. He is now worth a whopping €55m (£46m), almost double that of Sancho’s value. Given they lost him for free, that is an outrageous loss for the Blues.

Club

Value

Date

Age

Reading

£6.6m

December 2020

19

Crystal Palace

£15m

December 2021

20

Crystal Palace

£18.4m

November 2022

20

Crystal Palace

£41.8m

December 2023

22

Bayern Munich

£46m

October 2024

22

Chelsea fans might well wish they had not released Olise as a youngster and instead helped him hone his craft at Cobham. Had he ended up an academy graduate of the club, he might have become one of the best players at Stamford Bridge, and thrived alongside the likes of Sancho and Palmer.

Thomas Tuchel is now officially England manager, meaning Manchester United will now have to look elsewhere in their search to replace under-pressure Erik ten Hag. Former Chelsea and Bayern boss Tuchel had been widely linked with United before he was appointed as the new England boss on Wednesday.

“I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team,” Tuchel said after his unveiling. “I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already,” he added. “To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.”

United look local in manager search

With a move for Tuchel now out of the question, United will turn their attention to two English managers in their search to replace Ten Hag. That’s according to TEAMtalk, who report that former Brighton and Chelsea head coach Graham Potter and Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe are in a “strong position” to succeed the Dutchman should he be given the axe.

The publication claim that both managers are admired by United, but Potter is the more likely of the two to land the job. Potter, who usually deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023.

While the Englishman endured a tough time at Stamford Bridge, winning just 39% of his 31 matches in charge, he fared much better during his time at Brighton between 2019 and 2022. During the last of his three years in charge of the Seagulls, Potter guided the club to what was then their best-ever Premier League finish of ninth, securing wins over Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Pep Guardiola’s Man City in the process.

Ten Hag close to sack as United prepare for Brentford

According to reports shared by TEAMtalk, United are prepared to sack Ten Hag should his side fail to win their next Premier League game against Brentford. This season, the Dutch manager has led the Red Devils to their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign, gathering just eight points from a possible 21.

The club is currently 14th in the top flight, two points behind 11th placed Brentford, who they welcome to Old Trafford on Saturday.

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ByEmilio Galantini Oct 15, 2024

Beating the Bees will be no easy feat for Ten Hag’s side. Not only are Thomas Frank’s side enjoying their best start to a Premier League season since their debut campaign in 2021/22, United could be without as many as 11 players for the fixture.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Ten Hag will have to make do without Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Luke Shaw and Amad Diallo, while Manuel Ugarte, Rosmus Hojlund, and Alejandro Garnacho are also doubts.

It’s only been just over a season, but Ange Postecoglou has transformed Tottenham Hotspur.

Before the Australian arrived, the North Londoners were stuck playing turgid ‘pragmatic’ football that not only bored fans senseless but also failed to deliver the success they had been told it would.

Now, while there are still some issues that cost them here and there, the Lilywhites are finally back playing an exciting brand of attacking football and entertaining their fans every week.

However, Postecoglou hasn’t just changed the style of play; he’s also overseen a swathe of signings, including one player whose value has skyrocketed this season and is now worth more than James Maddison.

Maddison's valuation in 2024

Spurs spent £40m to secure the services of Maddison from Leicester City last summer, and in the season and a bit since, it would be fair to say that it’s just about been money well spent.

We say just about because the Englishman has been incredible in some games and frustratingly ineffective in others.

For example, in his first ten league games last season the 27-year-old scored three goals, provided five assists and generally looked like one of the best midfielders in the country, but following his return from the injury he picked up in his 11th game, he looked like a different player and ended the campaign with four goals and nine assists in 30 appearances.

Appearances

30

12

Goals

4

2

Assists

9

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.43

0.50

It’s been more of the same this year, as the Coventry-born dynamo has already racked up two goals and four assists in 12 matches but was hooked at half-time against West Ham United and looked bereft of ideas against Crystal Palace at the weekend.

With all that said, due to his undeniable talent, long contract and age, his valuation has still risen, with Transfermarkt pricing him at €70m, which is about £58m, or £18m more than he cost the club last year.

However, another of Postecoglou’s signings from last summer has seen his valuation rise even more, and he is now worth even more than Maddison.

Brennan Johnson's valuation in 2024

Yes, the signing in question is Brennan Johnson, who completed his £47.5m move from Nottingham Forest on deadline day last summer.

Now, during his first few months at the club, the Welshman struggled to make an impact and by Christmas had scored just a single goal and provided only three assists in 12 appearances, but he soon found his footing and ended the campaign with a respectable tally of five goals and ten assists in 32 league matches.

Likewise, the start of this year was tough for the 23-year-old, and after a poor display in the North London derby, he had to deactivate his Instagram account due to fan backlash, but in the weeks since, he has been simply electric.

Following his late winner against Coventry City in the League Cup, the “frightening” winger, as dubbed by content creator Dan Cook (HLTCO), went on to score in his next five games and, as things stand, has six goals to his name in 13 appearances this year.

Unsurprisingly, such a rich vein of form has only seen his valuation soar, and according to the CIES Football Observatory, the former Forest ace is now worth up to €82m, which converts to about £68m.

Appearances

34

13

Goals

5

6

Assists

10

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.46

That means the 41-capped international is now worth just over £20m more than he cost the North Londoners last year and about £10m more than Maddison is worth today.

Ultimately, while it’s too early to say with any certainty, it’s starting to look like Spurs signed an incredibly talented winger in Johnson, and given his age, someone who could remain in the first team for a long time to come.

After Moore: Ange has the next superstar brewing in Spurs' "pure talent"

Spurs have yet another superstar academy gem who looks ready to step up in the coming years.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 28, 2024

Aston Villa suffered defeat to Crystal Palace in midweek, being knocked out of the League Cup in the process.

For Unai Emery, it could be a blessing in disguise, especially with more Premier League and Champions League ties to come between now and Christmas.

Nevertheless, he will still be disappointed that they have missed a chance to end their major trophy drought, especially with Manchester City also being knocked out of the competition.

Emery will be looking ahead to the tie against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday as a chance to secure a firm grip on the fourth spot in the league table. There may be a few changes made, as some players failed to perform well against the Eagles.

Emiliano Buendia should be dropped for Villa

The Argentinian midfielder was making just his second start for the club since returning from a cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out for the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign.

Deployed in the number ten role by the Spaniard, Buendia was given a rare chance to shine against Palace, but he failed to really showcase his abilities.

Goals

0

Total shots

1

Ground duels (won)

13 (2)

Possession lost

11

Key passes

1

Touches

39

Via Sofascore

He did make one key pass and had a shot on target, yet the former Norwich City gem could only succeed with one of his three dribble attempts, lost possession 11 times, and won just two of his 13 ground duels during his 78 minutes on the field.

Of course, it will take time for him to get back to full match fitness, but this was a disappointing showing in a game where he could have laid down a marker for Emery.

Against Spurs, the manager will likely switch things up and this could see Morgan Rogers come back into the starting XI.

Morgan Rogers will be unleashed by Emery

The youngster has been in fine form for Villa this term. In the top flight, he has scored twice, grabbed two assists, created four big chances, and averaged 1.3 key passes per game.

These statistics show that the Englishman has cemented his place as the main attacking midfielder in Emery’s tactical system this term, given his ability to make things happen in the final third.

Former striker Tony Cascarino lavished praise on the player in September, saying: “He reminds me a little bit of Jamal Musiala. He’s that guy that picks up the ball and he’ll just make runs and he’ll create problems for others.

“He’s got a lot about him. Comparing him to Musiala, well that type of player, that’s a really big praise because Musiala’s a real talent. But I do see something in Morgan Rogers where he’s got that ability.”

High praise indeed and if Villa aim to secure yet another win, Rogers must start against Spurs on Sunday afternoon.

He is hitting his best form at exactly the right time and there is no doubt Rogers has a bright future in the game ahead if he maintains his current level of performance. That’s a certainty.

Therefore, Emery must ruthlessly ditch Buendia from the starting XI, after his struggles last time out, and bring the England U21 international back into the starting XI, as the Argentine whiz failed to take his chance to impress in the cup.

While you can’t guarantee what the results are going to be, you can be sure that watching Tottenham Hotspur play will result in 90 minutes of pure entertainment at the moment.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are still struggling to put their inconsistent streak behind them, but continue to play some of the most aesthetically pleasing and attacking football in the Premier League, as evidenced by their league-high haul of 23 goals.

In fact, the North Londoners are scoring so frequently across all competitions that even some players you wouldn’t usually associate with scoring are finding themselves surprisingly high up in the club’s top goalscorers list, including one player who’s recently been compared to a sensational international with an enormous valuation.

Spurs' top goalscorers

So, before we get to the player in question, let’s look at Spurs’ actual topscorers, and coming in at number one is the club’s most inform attacker, Brennan Johnson.

The Welsh international endured a slow start to the campaign that even saw him deactivate his Instagram account following abuse from so-called fans.

However, following a late winner against Coventry City that kept the team in the League Cup back in September, he has been utterly unstoppable and currently has an impressive tally of seven goals and one assist in 17 appearances for the club.

Just behind him is record-signing Dominic Solanke, who also had a bit of a plodding start to life in North London but has since found his shooting boots and has six goals – including a brace against Aston Villa – and two assists to his name in just 15 appearances, which has been enough to earn him another call-up to the England squad.

Now, once we get into third place, there are three players all tied on three goals a piece, including the usual suspects of James Maddison, who also has four assists in 15 games, and club captain Son Heung-min, who has three assists to boot in his 11 games so far.

However, the final name to make it into the club’s top three scorers for the season so far is probably not someone most fans would expect to see so high up, even though they are immensely talented and could one day earn the club a huge payday.

Spurs' surprise scorer

So, the Spurs ace who is currently tied on three goals for the season so far is Pape Matar Sarr, who has found the back of the net against Qarabağ FK and Ferencvaros in the Europa League and scored a screamer against Manchester City in the League Cup.

However, while it’s certainly a bonus for Postecoglou and Co to see the talented midfielder help out with goals here and there, that is not what makes him such a unique talent.

Instead, it’s his ability to help his more senior teammates run games from the middle of the park thanks to his impressive technical ability, surprising physical strength, general football intelligence, and ability to carry the ball forward into dangerous areas.

He showed a number of these traits in his sensational performance against Aston Villa just over a week ago, which earned him a 9/10 rating from football.london’s Alasdair Gold and led to GOAL’s Mitch Fretton calling him a “monster,” which wasn’t even hyperbolic, as he made three clearances, two interceptions and blocked one shot during his 90 minutes on the pitch.

On top of him now cementing himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet in N17, the Senegalese international has also now won comparisons to a certain rival player worth a fortune: Declan Rice.

Yes, according to FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues before creating a ten-man list of the most comparable players, the Englishman is the fourth most similar midfielder to the Lilywhites star.

To better understand how this conclusion was reached, we can examine the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked very closely, metrics including but not limited to progressive passes and carries, non-penalty expected goals per shot, passes into the penalty area, successful take-ons, miscontrols and ball recoveries, all per 90.

Progressive Carries

2.04

2.61

Progressive Passes

7.55

6.52

Non-Penalty Expected Goals per Shot

0.07

0.07

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.61

0.98

Successful Take-Ons

0.41

0.65

Miscontrols

0.82

0.65

Ball Recoveries

6.12

5.11

Now, while the Spurs faithful might not be too keen on their exciting midfield talent being compared to one of those lot down the road, their opinions may change when they notice the Gunners ace’s valuation of €120m per Transfermarkt, which comes out to about £100m.

If Sarr continues to play as well as he has been this season and is as similar to Rice as the data and analytics suggest, then given the fact he’s still just 22 years old, it does not seem impossible that he, too, will one day be worth £100m or more.

Ultimately, even if a fee that high never makes it into Daniel Levy’s hands, Tottenham have clearly got an incredible talent in Sarr.

Their own Saka: Ange could save his job by unleashing "fearless" Spurs ace

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 12, 2024

Since his return to Parkhead in the summer of 2023, Brendan Rodgers has been backed by the Celtic board in the transfer market in all three windows so far.

The biggest show of faith from the board so far has been the decision to break the club’s transfer record in an £11m swoop for Augsburg star Arne Engels.

However, his signings in his first window back at the club have not been hugely successful as a collective in their first 18 months or so in Glasgow.

Paulo Bernardo, who was on loan last term before joining permanently this summer, is the only one who remains a regular fixture in the side in the present day.

Celtic's 2023 summer signing woes

Per Transfermarkt, Maik Nawrocki, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Luis Palma, and Odin Thiago Holm were the four most expensive signings in that transfer window, all costing £2.5m or more.

Nawrocki, Lagerbielke, and Holm combined for just 13 starts in the Scottish Premiership during the 2023/24 campaign, and none of them have started a game in the division this season, with Lagerbielke currently on loan with FC Twente.

Palma started well at Celtic, with five goals and nine assists in his first 16 league games, but has only produced two goals and zero assists in 16 Premiership matches in 2024.

One signing that may have gone under the radar as a flop from that summer of recruits has been Australia international Marco Tilio, who was brought in for a fee of £1.5m from Melbourne City.

Marco Tilio's Celtic struggles

Shortly before his official unveiling, Football FanCast suggested that Tilio could have been Rodgers’ own version of Manchester City star Phil Foden, as a diminutive, left-footed, attacking midfielder, who can play centrally or out wide.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig had named Foden as a “similar” type of player to the then-Melbourne star and listed dribbling, technique, and ball control among the £1.5m signing’s strengths, after a return of ten goals and five assists in 25 A-League starts in the 2022/23 campaign.

Tilio, however, arrived with an injury and was not fit until September 2023, which meant that he was already down the pecking order by the time he was available.

The winger went on to play just 28 minutes across two games against Hibernian and Motherwell in November and December 2023, as the winger failed to break into the starting XI, with the likes of Palma, Hyun-jun Yang, Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi, Hyeon-gyu Oh, and James Forrest ahead of him in the forward areas.

Tilio was then sent out on loan to Melbourne City for the second half of the season and scored one goal in four matches, whilst missing nine games through injury, before returning for a second loan there in the summer transfer window.

Appearances

3

Goals

1

Assists

0

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

1.3

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old attacker scored one goal in three matches at the start of the 2024/25 campaign, but he has been out with a hamstring injury since November and is expected to be back at the end of December.

So far, it has been £1.5m wasted for Celtic as they have only got 28 minutes of action from him in what will have been two years by the end of his current loan with Melbourne.

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ByDan Emery Nov 19, 2024

His form in Australia, along with his continued injury issues, does not suggest that he is likely to return to Parkhead and live up to being their own version of Foden.

Tilio’s contract with Celtic does not expire until the summer of 2028, though, and there is still time for him to overcome his struggles, but it currently looks as though it was £1.5m wasted by the Scottish side.

Former Aberdeen chief Keith Wyness has discussed potential “great news” regarding the future of Rangers manager Philippe Clement.

Clement battling to save Rangers job

The Belgian has only been in the job at Ibrox for a little over a year, taking over from Michael Beale back in October 2023, but he is already battling hard to remain in charge.

Rangers have made a largely disappointing start to the season, beginning with being dumped out of the Champions League in the qualifying rounds, before allowing themselves to fall 11 points adrift of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race. Even Aberdeen are nine points clear of them, albeit having played one game more.

On Thursday evening, the Gers won 4-1 away to Nice in the Europa League, in what was a much-needed result for Clement, potentially giving him some leeway for the time being.

On Sunday, he faces another must-win game, however, with Rangers making the trip to St Johnstone in the league. Their opponents are sitting ninth in the table currently, so failure to beat them would be a significant blow, especially to the manager.

Former chief makes big Clement claim at Rangers

Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness claimed that Rangers could allow Clement to take the Belgium job without compensation, saying it could be “great news” for the Scottish giants if they managed to bring in £3m.

“It’s a funny story. The rumours are that there’s a £3million compensation clause in his contract. I think Rangers fans would say: forget the compensation, just take him. I’ve been arguing that he has to remain in place, and I still think he’s a good manager – with a squad like Belgium’s, he could do well.

“I don’t think there’ll be any compensation if Belgium do come in. This may be a situation where both parties decide to move on. If there is to be a change, it will likely come around Christmas. If Rangers get £3million from Belgium, it would be one of the more shocking things I’ve seen in football. It would be great news for the club.”

Rangers supporters are sure to be split when it comes to Clement’s future, with a section of the fanbase showing patience and still seeing him as the right man for the job. There may well be plenty who feel that a change in boss is needed sooner than later, in order to salvage the Gers’ season and keep up their faint chances of catching Celtic in the title race. That may be wishful thinking at this point, but a change in the dugout may freshen things up.

Should Belgium want Clement, though, Rangers should consider not standing in their way, especially in terms of potentially bringing in £3m to aid their financial situation.

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ByDan Emery Nov 28, 2024

More may become clearer at the end of this weekend, with the St Johnstone game feeling big for the manager, but huge improvements are needed if he is to remain in charge in the long-term.

Liverpool are flying at the moment, sat nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and first in the gigantic Champions League table too, having won 18 of 20 fixtures since Arne Slot’s arrival.

Not so long ago, the accusation was that the Reds hadn’t played anyone good yet, but that certainly is not the case anymore, following resounding victories over both serial European champions Real Madrid and then four-in-a-row Premier League champions Manchester City on Merseyside in the space of five days.

However, if there is one potential area of improvement within this team, it could certainly be argued that they’ll need more goals from midfield.

​​​​Dominik Szoboszlai has scored only twice in all competitions so far this season, the strike against Southampton his first in the Premier League since January, on target just seven times during the previous campaign too.

In the meantime, Curtis Jones’ winner when Chelsea visited Anfield was also his first since January, while the other regulars in this position Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have only nine and four goals for the Reds to their respective names since the pair both arrived in the summer of 2023.

The form of Liverpool’s forwards, Mohamed Salah in particular, but also the supporting cast members, means this currently is not an issue, but could the Reds dip into the transfer market to add a different dimension to Slot’s squad?

Liverpool could sign goalscoring midfielder

According to a report by one Spanish-based outlet, Liverpool are preparing an €80m bid (around £66m) for Athletic Club Bilbao midfielder Oihan Sancet.

They describe the 24-year-old as “versatile” and “tactically-intelligent”, claiming he would bring “dynamism and quality” to Liverpool’s midfield. However, this certainly will not be an easy deal to finalise.

Sancet’s reported release clause of €80m would almost certainly have to be met if Liverpool are to secure his services.

In the past, Athletic Club have been excellent at getting high transfer fees for their most prized assets, most notably of all Kepa Arrizabalaga’s £72m move to Chelsea in 2018, which remains a world-record transfer fee for a goalkeeper.

This is largely due to the fact Athletic operate with their unique Basque-only player policy.

In practical terms, this means Athletic players are always amongst La Liga’s top-earners, considering the clubs rarely pay transfer fees, but also they always do everything in their power to keep hold of key figures, given the limited pool from which they can replace them.

As an aside, this is also an especially important season for the Lions, considering the Europa League Final will take place at their home stadium San Mamés next May.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

This was often sighted as a key reason why Nico Williams chose to stay at the club last summer, despite firm interest from Barcelona, thereby precluding any move for Sancet in January.

So, why is he so in demand?

What would Oihan Sancet bring to Liverpool?

Sancet joined Athletic Club Bilbao as a 15-year-old, making his senior debut four years later on the opening day of the 2019/20 season, coming off the bench as the Lions enjoyed a famous, last-gasp home win over Barcelona at San Mamés.

In all, he’s now made 172 appearances for Athletic, establishing himself as a key figure in the last 12 months or so.

Having scored just six goals throughout the entirety of last season, the midfielder has taken his game to new heights in this campaign, on target eight times already from 15 outings.

He was the only scorer during last month’s el Derbi Vasco, as Athletic beat local rivals Real Sociedad, rising highest to nod home Nico Williams’ cross, before bagging a brace as his side fought back from a goal down to defeat Rayo Vallecano at Vallecas on Sunday.

This form has so far gone unnoticed by Spain boss Luis de la Fuente, with Sancet’s sole international call-up of 2024 coming all the way back in March, but it’s surely only a matter of time until he’s representing the reigning European champions again.

As outlined by FBref, he ranks highly for non-penalty goals, progressive carries and pass completion %, but also for aerial duals won too, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe, suggesting he would be able to adapt to the more physical style of English football.

That profile of player, someone who’s tall and capable of scoring goals could see comparisons drawn to another LaLiga sensation in the form of the league’s most high-profile midfielder Jude Bellingham.

Sancet has actually scored three more goals this season, while ranking higher for xG and npxG, emphasising that he’s been a substantial goal threat during this campaign. On that evidence, it really is no surprise that some in the industry, including journalist Josh Bunting, have described him as a “beautiful talent”.

The pair are comparable when it comes to pass completion % as well as shot-creating actions per 90 with their figures in that category near-identical. Bellingham is on another level in terms of tackles and blocks, suggesting Sancet still has a little way to go out of possession if he’s to fit into a Slot side.

Imagine him & Gakpo: Liverpool want to sign £50m ace who's outscoring Salah

Liverpool are interested in a red-hot forward who’s outscoring Mo Salah in 2024/25.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 2, 2024

Enzo Maresca has fully turned things around at Chelsea since his arrival, the Blues finding themselves second in the Premier League after 16 games played, and top of the UEFA Conference League after five games.

In their five Conference League games, Chelsea have scored 21 goals, including an 8-0 victory against Noah. Meanwhile, they have only conceded four goals in five games.

Maresca has shown faith in the squad options he has, including academy graduates, making 11 changes in most games, in order to keep his entire squad fresh, and competing on all fronts.

The same is expected against Shamrock Rovers in their next game, with plenty of rotation set to take place, as one eye is already on the weekend.

Chelsea team news

Wesley Fofana and Reece James both remain out through injury. Whilst neither would likely play in cup competitions, the knock-on effect on the squad means Tosin Adarabioyo is likely to start in the Premier League, meaning he is less likely to also feature against Shamrock.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Benoit Badiashile is also unavailable due to an injury picked up last week, further adding to the centre-back issues when rotating the team, and Mykhailo Mudryk is also out for the time being through suspension, which could see minutes for Tyrique George at left-wing.

João Félix is also a doubt, whilst others such as Cole Palmer and Roméo Lavia aren’t available due to not being selected in the Conference League group stage squad.

The absence of Felix could be a big one which requires multiple rejigs to Maresca’s plans, as the Portugal international has often taken the Palmer role in this second unit.

Maresca's attacking options

Christopher Nkunku has been playing as a striker in the Conference League, with Nicolas Jackson being rested for Premier League games. The 27-year-old Frenchman has made 23 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring 12 goals and providing two assists in 903 minutes played.

But in the absence of Felix, Nkunku would likely drop slightly deeper, playing in his preferred number ten position, able to drop deep, link play, get on the ball more often, and create for others alongside himself. This would see the striker position become available, with Marc Guiu being the player who has benefited from these sparing minutes this campaign.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Nkunku

Guiu

Goals

1.03

1.03

Assists

0.19

0.00

xG

1.09

0.71

xAG

0.26

0.11

Progressive Carries

2.58

1.79

Progressive Passes

3.33

1.43

Shots Total

3.27

5.17

Goals/Shot

0.26

0.20

Key Passes

1.52

1.07

Shot-Creating Actions

4.55

2.86

Aerial Duels Won

0.91

0.00

Guiu has made nine appearances since joining the Blues this summer for a fee of around £5m, scoring three goals, all of which have come in the Conference League, where 224 of his 382 minutes have been played.

The 18-year-old striker has shown his ability to be a nuisance in the box, willing to get his shots off (shown by his 5.17 shots per 90), and pressing with high intensity, always looking to do his part off the ball, as well as on it. Nkunku has shown his creative numbers are far superior, and by dropping him to the number ten position, he will have even more chances to impact the game in this way.

But there is another option Maresca could choose to hand those minutes to upfront, with an academy graduate who has been called “the next big thing from Cobham” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Why Shumaira Mheuka must be unleashed

Shumaira Mheuka made his debut against Astana last week, coming from the bench in the 78th minute, taking one shot (off target) and winning two of his three ground duels.

The 17-year-old has made 14 appearances for the U21 side this season, scoring two goals, providing one assist and totalling 1,003 minutes played.

The young English forward thrives in and around the box, having excellent movement to find himself in dangerous positions, having brilliant ball manipulation in order to shift it himself and find a yard to get a shot away, and also using his body well to protect the ball.

Maresca will have a tough decision on his hands, as Guiu will be knocking on the door for minutes after scoring twice against Astana last week. However, whilst Mheuka might not start the game, it should be a good chance to give him more minutes in the senior team, as he looks to gain his reps and experience this season.

And Mheuka isn’t the only academy graduate in line for some minutes against Shamrock Rovers, as two players, in particular, are even expected to start the game on Thursday night, having also started last week against Astana.

Other academy graduates who could feature

Both Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong are expected to be involved in the Conference League game this week, with Mudryk unavailable, and Jadon Sancho likely being rested ahead of the Premier League game against Everton this weekend.

This will likely see George start in his favoured left-wing position, allowing him the freedom to cut inside on his stronger right foot.

In the absence of James and Fofana (both right-side defenders), extra pressure is on the likes of Malo Gusto and Adarabioyo, which will likely mean they are also rested for the weekend’s game. This could see a second consecutive Conference League start at right-back for Acheampong.

Both George and Acheampong are highly rated by the club, with the latter even signing a new five-year contract yesterday, with Maresca stating he believes “Josh needs to stay close with us rather than going on loan”, insinuating the 18-year-old defender is a part of the plans not only for the future, but also the present.

Exciting times, indeed, in both the short-term and long-term at Stamford Bridge.

Beware Jackson: Chelsea chasing "monster" who'd be their own Gyokeres

Chelsea can sign their very own Gyokeres with “true monster”

ByConnor Holden Dec 18, 2024

Wolverhampton Wanderers could sign a “powerful” defender for Vitor Pereira in a loan-to-buy deal this January, according to a report.

Wolves and Pereira eyeing new defender

Wolves have endured a difficult first half of the Premier League season, but the 3-0 victory at Leicester City last week was the perfect start to the Pereira era, showing signs they are more than capable of steering themselves out of the bottom three.

That said, the Old Gold’s appalling defensive record under Gary O’Neil is likely to be a cause of concern for Pereira, meaning the new manager may be tempted to bring in a new defender in the January transfer window.

Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard is very much on the radar, having impressed in the Championship this season, although there may be competition for his signature from a number of other Premier League clubs.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Tottenham Hotspur (a)

December 29th

Nottingham Forest (h)

January 6th

Newcastle United (a)

January 15th

Chelsea (a)

January 20th

Arsenal (h)

January 25th

As such, Pereira could pursue a target from a little further afield, and Wolves are believed to be in pole position to sign Lens defender Kevin Danso, having made him their no.1 transfer target this winter.

Now, there has been a promising update on the pursuit of Danso, with Football Insider reporting that Lens could be willing to orchestrate a loan-to-buy deal this January.

Internal talks over a deal have been held by the Old Gold, discussing a deal which could see Danso move to Molineux on a temporary basis, before making his stay permanent if Pereira’s side avoid relegation from the top flight.

Pole position: Wolves now leading race to sign new £24k-p/w ace in January

He could become the first signing of a new era at Molineux.

ByBen Browning Dec 25, 2024

The French club are open to a deal of that nature in order to balance the books, and there are signs the player himself could be keen on the move, with the report making it clear the Austrian is keen on a return to the Premier League.

Other English clubs are interested in the 26-year-old, but as things stand, Wolves are still leading the race for his signature.

Wolves need a centre-back

It is promising news that Wolves stand a good chance of signing the Lens defender this winter, as they are in dire need of a new centre-back.

Sky Sports’ Peter Smith highlighted the Old Gold’s defensive vulnerabilities earlier this month, with the statistics at the time showing they had conceded twice as many set-piece goals as any other Premier League team.

There are signs that Danso could be the man to rectify that issue, having been lauded as a “big, strong and powerful” centre-back, playing a key role for Lens in Ligue 1 by starting every game, barring a period out injured.

Wolves need to fix up quickly in a defensive sense if they are to avoid relegation this season, so they should undoubtedly pursue a deal for the Austria international.