All posts by n8rngtd.top

Manchester United have been given a new lease of life and optimism after the appointment of Ruben Amorim from Portuguese side Sporting CP.

Former boss Erik ten Hag was dismissed after United’s woeful start to the new campaign, winning just four wins in all competitions up until the end of October, when the Dutchman received his marching orders.

It comes after the board once again backed the 54-year-old in the transfer market, taking the spending to over £600m since his appointment back in the summer of 2022.

He was unable to secure a consistent challenge for a top-four spot in the Premier League, finishing eighth last season – only achieving qualification for the Europa League after beating rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

Their recruitment over this summer has failed to push them back in the right direction and take them to the next level in the early stages of the campaign.

Manchester United’s summer transfers in 2024

Joshua Zirkzee moved to Old Trafford in a £36.5m transfer from Serie A side Bologna, aiming to add firepower to the Red Devils’ front line.

Up to now, the move has been a failure for the Dutchman, scoring just once, with the goal coming off the bench on his debut outing against Fulham on the opening day.

Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui both arrived in a deal from Bayern Munich, which combined to around £60m with the pair previously featuring together in the backline together at Ajax under Ten Hag’s leadership.

However, only the Moroccan full-back has cemented his place as a regular starter, starting ten of the 11 Premier League outings throughout the 2024/25 season.

Manuel Ugarte will undoubtedly have an increased role under Amorim after their time together at Sporting, but he’s only made three league starts since his £50m transfer from PSG after a summer of rumours.

However, huge promise remains around another one of their summer additions, with the hope that he can transform their backline over the next few years.

Man Utd could have their own £90m talent

Centre-back Leny Yoro had huge interest from major European clubs all throughout the summer after his impressive breakthrough season with Lille in Ligue 1.

The 19-year-old made 44 appearances in all competitions, playing a crucial role in the starting lineup despite his tender age.

However, he would move to United for a deal in the region of £52m, but picked up an ankle issue in pre-season that has restricted him from making a single competitive appearance for the Red Devils.

There still remains a huge amount of promise around the teenager despite his injury issues, especially considering he was likened to Arsenal star William Saliba by FBref for his displays last season.

When delving into their respective stats, the comparison is an understandable one, with Yoro matching or even beating Saliba, who’s been valued at around £90m by CIES Football Observatory.

The “world-class” youngster, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, achieved to same pass accuracy, but did average more tackles and interceptions per 90.

United’s backline has been in desperate need of improvement over the past couple of years, with the hope that Yoro can have a similar impact to that of Saliba at the Emirates.

Amorim will likely utilise his three-back system once again on his arrival to Old Trafford, with the Frenchman having the ability to become a fan-favourite upon his return to action.

Forget McTominay: Man Utd already sold a "monster" who Amorim would love

Manchester United must be regretting their decision to sell star who would’ve been perfect for Amorim.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 14, 2024

Everything you need to know about Arsenal talisman Bukayo Saka's salary numbers

Despite his still relatively tender age, Bukayo Saka has already established himself as an Arsenal legend.

Coming up the ranks in the youth team, Saka made his first team debut for the Gunners in 2018 aged 17. Since then, the winger has managed to establish himself as one of the best players in the squad and the league. He even won the PFA young player award for his performances in the 2022/23 season.

Saka’s performances for the club have earned him a handsome salary in the wage bill, making him one of the top earners at the club.

Just how much does Saka earn at Arsenal, though?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

*

• Bukayo Saka’s wages at Arsenal in numbers

  Saka signed a new four-year contract with the Gunners back in 2023, keeping him at the club until June 2027.

  The attacker currently earns £195,000 ($246,311) on a weekly basis, which scales up to £10 million ($12m) annually.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Bukayo Saka	English	£195,000	$246,311	£10,140,000	$12,808,189

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Top earners at Arsenal

  Despite Saka’s importance at the Emirates, he fails to make it to the top five when it comes to the highest-paid players at the club.

  Acquiring the number one spot in the list is former Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, followed by Gabriel Jesus in second spot. 

  Club captain Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice earn similar wages at the club, while number five is Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Kai Havertz	German	£280,000	$353,678	£15,560,000	$18,391,246
  Gabriel Jesus	Brazilian	£265,000	$334,731	£13,780,000	$17,406,000
  Martin Odegaard	Norwegian	£240,000	$303,152	£12,480,000	$15,763,925
  Declan Rice	English	£240,000	$303,152	£12,480,000	$15,763,925
  Thomas Partey	Ghanaian	£200,000	$252,627	£10,400,000	$13,136,604

• Top 5 earners in the Premier League

  None of the Arsenal players make it into the top-five earners list across the league.

  Manchester City’s Erling Haaland sits at the top of the list having recently signed a nine-year contract, keeping him at the Etihad up until 2034. Following Haaland is yet another City attacker in Kevin De Bruyne, while Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah makes the cut at number three.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wage sin USD
  Erling Haaland	Norwegian	£525,000	$663,164	£27,300,000	$34,483,586
  Kevin De Bruyne	Belgian	£400,000	$505,254	£20,800,000	$26,273,206
  Mohamed Salah	Egyptian	£350,000	$442,097	£18,200,000	$22,989,057
  Casemiro	Brazilian	£350,000	$442,097	£18,200,000	$22,989,057
  Jack Grealish	English	£300,000	$378,941	£17,169,698	$19,704,906

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Highest paid players in the world

  Looking at the list above, it's quite obvious that the English winger would be way down the list when it comes to top-earners across the world. But how much exactly do the highest-paid players in the world earn? Let's find out!

  At the top sits all-time top goalscorer of the Champions League Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays his football for Al Nassr. He is followed by his former Real Madrid attack partner Karim Benzema.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,846,154	$4,027,872	£200,000,000	$209,449,340
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,923,077	$2,013,936	£100,000,000	$104,724,670
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£1,003,846	$1,051,275	£52,200,000	$54,666,278
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£769,231	$805,574	£40,000,000	$41,889,868
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£667,308	$698,836	£34,000,000	$36,339,460

Questions have been asked of whether Erling Haaland will honour his contract at Manchester City, with it pointed out that “10 years is a long time”.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Norwegian tied to deal through to 2034
• Could break countless records in that time
• La Liga transfer talk seemingly never far away

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Premier League champions City have moved to tie their prolific Norwegian striker down to a deal that is due to run until the summer of 2034. Haaland is considered to be a key part of present and future plans at the Etihad Stadium.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It is easy to see why City would want such terms in place, with the 24-year-old frontman hitting 118 goals through 136 appearances. Haaland has collected major honours at home and abroad, but has also generated plenty of transfer talk when it comes to supposed interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

• WHAT RICHARD DUNNE SAID

  Quizzed on whether Haaland will see out a decade-long deal in Manchester, former City captain Richard Dunne – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “It’s unheard of, a contract that length. It’s exceptional that he’s got something like that.

  “I suppose the couple of seasons that he’s had have proven what he can do. It’s a case of can he do it for that length of time? I’m sure he can, but things change an awful lot in football and 10 years is a very long time.

  “If he’s still there, brilliant. At the moment he’s the No.1 striker in world football. If City can keep him, that’s amazing. But also for the Premier League, to have him for that amount of time. Whether he actually goes and sees that deal out remains to be seen.”

• Getty/GOAL
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  If Haaland were to hang around at City, then he will likely rewrite the history books. Pressed on the possibility of every record being broken if 10 more years are spent at the Etihad, Dunne added: “You would imagine. On paper, yeah. Given what he’s done so far, yes. But, he still has to score nearly 30 goals every season. It’s still a huge ask and an incredible achievement what he’s doing at the moment.

  “It looks like he’s the one that would break [Alan] Shearer’s record and set records that would never be beaten again. To keep that consistency over a period of time isn’t the easiest. We have seen it this season, where he has probably not got the goals that he expected. Man City haven’t had the season that they would’ve expected.

  “It will happen over the course of the next 10 years and might not happen again. It’s hard but any man playing football at the moment that you thought had a chance of breaking all the records, he is certainly the one. Given the amount of time that he is hopefully going to be there, he’s got a real opportunity to do it.”

Manchester United are now ready to make a mammoth offer to sign a Serie A star for new boss Ruben Amorim, it has been reported, as the Red Devils look to rebuild under their recently appointed coach.

Amorim draws first Man Utd game

A tough 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town marked Amorim’s first Premier League game in charge of Manchester United, with the Portuguese coach explaining after the game that he expects the rebuild at Old Trafford to be a lengthy process.

“I know it is frustrating for the fans but we are changing so much in this moment with a lot of games,” he revealed. “We are going to suffer for a long period. We will try to win games but this will take time.

“We have to risk it a little bit [now] and in the next year we will be better [otherwise] next year at the same stage we will be here with the same problems.”

Man Utd star who Solskjaer sold for just £1.2m is now on par with Fernandes

The former Manchester United talent has still demonstrated his talents away from Old Trafford.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 27, 2024

Part of the problem is that the players in the Manchester United squad do not reflect the playstyle that he is trying to implement; against Ipswich, he opted to use Amad Diallo as a wing-back, with Noussair Mazraoui at centre-back and a midfield pair of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.

Further forward, Bruno Fernandes was stationed as one of the no.10’s, but struggled to get into the game too much from his position on the right side of attack, while Marcus Rashford contributed the early goal but little else at the top of the pitch.

The transfer windows ahead will be vital in their progression under Amorim, and now a fresh report has claimed that the Red Devils and INEOS are ready to pay one target big money over five years.

Man Utd ready mammoth contract for forward

That is according to a report in Italy, which points to Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as the player in question.

The Georgian forward, who has been dubbed “sensational”, still has almost three years left to run on his contract in Naples, but Napoli are trying to get him to sign a new contract at the club.

But that is now in jeopardy, as the report claims that Manchester United are ready to blow Napoli out of the water with a massive contract offer to Kvaratskhelia.

This offer will amount to a huge “five-year contract at €8m net per season” which could see him take home a mammoth €40m (£33.3m) across his five years at Old Trafford.

That would work out at around £128,000 a week, a sum that would not even make a dent among Manchester United’s highest earners, but would be a massive upgrade on his current £32,000 a week deal in Naples.

Of course, that is only half the battle, with Manchester United still needing to convince Napoli to part ways with their winger, but it is added that should he enter the final two years of his deal without an agreement over a renewal, the Serie A giants will be open to a sale at around the €100m mark, though they are “open to there being a formula to reach that point rather than it being an outright payment”.

Could Kvaratskhelia be the first major signing of Amorim’s era at Old Trafford?

Goals. Football’s currency. Defence wins you titles, and all that, but without goals, you’re not going to place the foundational blocks of any degree of success.

Everton need goals, need them desperately. Sean Dyche knows that his side are entering a harsh winter period having failed to inspire, with Sunday’s defeat at Old Trafford brutally exposing the Toffees’ shortcomings up top.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s days are numbered. He’s out of contract at the end of the campaign and a cynic would claim that his eight-match drought in the Premier League is a by-product of that uncertainty and the effect it’s had on his form.

With Armando Broja approaching the green light after injury woes, the 27-year-old might leave Goodison Park with his tail between his legs.

Calvert-Lewin has enjoyed heights on Merseyside in the past, even hailed as a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig during his heyday under Carlo Ancelotti.

A new age approaches. Farhad Moshiri’s 94% stake is soon to be purchased by The Friedkin Group, and hopefully, a fresh approach to transfer strategy will end the glut of misfires up front.

There have been a few to be sure…

Everton's worst strikers in modern history

Indeed, there have been a few. Everton fans have suffered some howlers in the transfer market since Moshiri insinuated himself in the head chair, and many exciting arrivals at number nine have proved to be anything but auspicious.

Sandro Ramirez, for example, left Barcelona to rise to prominence as Everton’s star man in 2017. It was a shrewd deal at around £5m, but he was utterly useless across his short Merseyside career, failing to carry the promise of his 16-goal campaign in Spain the year before, featuring just 16 times and scoring once before leaving the Toffees with negligible memories.

Cenk Tosun would be another, one of more damaging financial repercussions. He joined from Besiktas for £27m but only scored 11 goals from 61 appearances, made more frustrating when noting he bagged five times from his opening 14 Premier League matches.

What about Moise Kean? How frustrating that the Italian centre-forward, still only 24, has posted 12 goals from 15 matches for Fiorentina this term but fell heavily by the wayside, scoring only four goals across 39 matches.

Everton signed Juventus’ prospect for £29m, and while he was offloaded for £25m, it’s still one that rankles.

That brings us to Salomon Rondon.

In fairness, Rondon didn’t prove to be the costliest blunder, for he joined on a free transfer after his contract with Chinese outfit Dalian Professional expired. He reunited with Rafa Benitez but it was not a happy reunion.

The now 35-year-old managed just 20 Premier League appearances across his lonely Merseyside campaign, scoring once and assisting once more. As per Sofascore, the Venezuelan titan failed to show even a small degree of the technicality required, completing 62% of his passes and winning a paltry 27% of his ground duels.

Rondon only missed two big chances, so he can’t have been all that profligate in the final third, but if anything, this is a representation of his immobile, insipid presence up top, unable to find promising positions from which he could unleash shots.

You’d think, now playing in the twilight phase of his career, that Rondon would be on the way out, languishing in obscurity.

Although he plays in the Mexican top flight, the striker’s goalscoring exploits and trophy-lifting success have seen him be ranked alongside some of Europe’s finest centre-forwards and above Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

How Rondon is now ranked above Mohamed Salah

After something of a revival with River Plate in Argentina, Rondon has settled in Liga MX, the top division in Mexico, posting 25 goals and five assists across 44 matches for the outfit, lifting the CONCACAF Champions Cup last season.

Rondon bagged a brace in the final and then went on to notch three goals for his nation in the 2024 Copa America, leading FIFA to place him in contention for the global institution’s The Best Award.

Salah was not placed on the shortlist, and while Liverpool supporters and many more football fans besides will argue that the indomitable Egyptian is the superior player to Rondon across any stretch of his nomadic career, Toffees supporters will still delight in one of their former flops outranking him on such a prestigious list.

The Liverpool forward has long been regarded as one of the finest Premier League stars, and though he has led a storied career under Jurgen Klopp’s wing, the 32-year-old has hit another level within Arne Slot’s system, scoring 12 goals and adding ten assists across 19 matches in all competitions this season.

Given that the likes of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, wreaking havoc with Bayern Munich, are among the contenders for the award, it’s pretty rewarding stuff for an ageing player of Rondon’s ilk. No doubt, he will stand proud.

Everton will be frustrated that they failed to harness the goal prowess that Rondon has demonstrated elsewhere – including in the Premier League – and though TFG need to fix the forward issue at the moment, it’s unlikely that they will be swooping in for their former flop, even if he’s receiving such praiseworthy nominations.

Now worth just £3m: Everton must brutally get rid of Dyche’s flop

Everton must sell a flop whose “big move” has failed.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 29, 2024

The Fulham forward reached 37 goals with El Tri after scoring twice against Canada in Nations League semifinals

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• The forward nearing El Tri's top 3 all-time goalscorers

• Jiménez debuted with national team in 2013

• Top 3: Chicharito, Jared Borgetti, Cuauhtémoc Blanco

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Raúl Jiménez is having an exceptional moment as a footballer, both with Fulham in the Premier League and with the Mexican national team. The 'Lobo de Tepeji' scored two goals in Mexico's victory over Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals, bringing his total to 37 goals with El Tri.

  That puts him just one goal away from tying Cuauhtémoc Blanco and entering the top three of Mexico's all-time top scorers, a list led by Chicharito.

  Mexico's all-time top scorers:

  Chicharito – 52 goals

  Jared Borgetti – 46 goals

  Cuauhtémoc Blanco – 38 goals

  Raúl Jiménez – 37 goals (current)

  Luis Hernández – 35 goals

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jiménez debuted with the Mexican national team in 2013 while playing for América in Liga MX. Since then, he has become one of El Tri's main forwards, participating in three World Cups. Despite ranking as the fourth-highest scorer, Jiménez has not scored in the World Cup.

  After Thursday's victory over Canada, the forward confessed his desire to play in the 2026 World Cup, saying "It's a beautiful thing to play a World Cup at home. I’ve been in three World Cups, and it hasn’t gone the best way I’d have liked."

• AFP
  

  WHAT RAÚL JIMÉNEZ SAID

  Jiménez spoke about the two goals he scored in the semifinals against Canada and shared his thoughts on playing alongside Santiago Giménez: "Sometimes it's good to have two forwards who play well and are doing things right. It keeps the defense more occupied with two rather than one. That’s important. We didn’t have many chances to score, but the way it all turned out was good."

• AFP
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Raúl Jiménez's first goal with the Mexican National Team came on July 12, 2013, against Canada. At that time, the forward was playing in his first Gold Cup with El Tri. Interestingly, Mexico lost in the semifinals to the same opponent they will face Sunday in the Nations League final: Panama.

  One of Jiménez's most famous goals came when he scored a bicycle kick against Panama in the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup. Mexico was on the verge of being eliminated in the qualifiers until he scored that legendary goal.

Harry Kane will "hoover up trophies" at Bayern Munich, says Emmanuel Petit, with a Premier League return – "especially at Arsenal" – being ruled out.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Left north London for Germany in 2023
• Desperate to break career-long trophy duck
• Warned against return to English football

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  There has been talk of the England captain opening himself up to a summer transfer in 2025. It has been reported that release clauses were included in the deal that Kane agreed when moving to Germany from Tottenham in 2023.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane is yet to break his trophy duck with Bayern, but that is expected to happen before the current campaign comes to a close. At that point, the 31-year-old may decide that he wants to head home and chase down Alan Shearer’s Premier League goal record.

• WHAT EMMANUEL PETIT SAID

  Various potential landing spots are being speculated on, from Old Trafford to Emirates Stadium, but World Cup winner Petit cannot see the prolific No.9 back in north London. The ex-Gunners midfielder told : “I don't think Harry Kane will ever play for Arsenal! We all know why he left Spurs, he didn't win any silverware with the club.

  “He's such a huge striker. He’s up there with the best 9’s in the game. He’s demonstrated that throughout most of his career and he’s been brilliant at Bayern Munich since he joined the club. He's scoring goals every single weekend.

  “He left his club, Spurs, to win trophies, and he’ll do that this season. Why would he want to return to the Premier League in the summer or the January window – I just don’t see why he would come back, and especially not at Arsenal with the history that he has. He's having a really good time over there. He's got a great chance to win the Bundesliga. He's still involved in the Champions League.

  “If he returns to the Premier League, the only reason would be to break Alan Shearer’s goalscoring record. If he joined Manchester United, or if he went back to Tottenham, even Arsenal, there would be no guarantee that he would win silverware. He’s virtually guaranteed trophies at Bayern. He’s getting older, the clock is ticking, I suspect that he wants to hoover up as many trophies as he can with Bayern.”

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR HARRY KANE?

  Kane’s strong ties to Spurs, where he is the club’s all-time leading scorer, make a transfer to Arsenal almost impossible. Manchester United’s recent struggles would also appear to rule them out of any bidding war, meaning that the modern-day legend is likely to work through at least one more year of his contract at the Allianz Arena.

Chelsea sit top of the UEFA Conference League, having won four out of four in the competition, scoring 18 goals and only conceding three.

Enzo Maresca’s side started their Conference League campaign with a 4-2 victory over Gent, goals coming from Renato Veiga, Pedro Neto, Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Their second victory came against Panathinaikos, beating them 4-1. Mykhailo Mudryk, João Félix (x2) and Nkunku all got on the scoresheet before facing minnows Noah at Stamford Bridge.

They put on a show with an 8-0 dismantling of the Armenian side. Goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Axel Disasi, Felix (x2), Mudryk and Nkunku (x2) secured the win.

In their most recent Conference League game, the Blues beat German side, Heidenheim 2-0 on the road with Nkunku and Mudryk securing the points once again. Maresca’s side will now travel to Kazakhstan on Thursday, as they get ready to face off against Astana, who sit 23rd in the Conference League after four games played.

Chelsea vs Astana team news

With Enzo Maresca likely to rotate his squad fully again, with one eye on Brentford at the weekend, Chelsea can expect a very different starting XI against Astana.

The players travelling won’t arrive back until Friday morning, so when picking his squad, Maresca has to take this into account.

In his press conference, Maresca said Noni Madueke wouldn’t be involved and this is likely due to the Premier League suspension for Pedro Neto, meaning Madueke will likely start on the right against Brentford.

Cesare Casadei will also not be available for the Blues after receiving two yellow cards and being sent off against Heidenheim in their most recent Conference League tie.

Chelsea have also added Ato Ampah, Harrison McMahon, Kaiden Wilson, Richard Olise, Josh Acheampong and Harrison Murray-Campbell to their UEFA squad, ahead of their game against Astana.

But there are already four names from the academy in the UEFA squad, including Kiano Dyer, Sam Rak-Sakyi, Shim Mhueka and one more name, who could even be in line to start.

Chalkboard

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

Young winger set to start for Chelsea

Mykhailo Mudryk has missed the last two Chelsea games with an illness, and it is unknown whether he will be part of the squad, or be ready to play a part in the game.

With Jadon Sancho currently starting as Chelsea’s left-winger, he is also very unlikely to be in the squad, as he will be needed for Brentford on Sunday.

This leaves Tyrique George, Chelsea’s 18-year-old winger, in line for a start on his natural left side, which could allow him to fully unleash his creative toolkit.

George has already made six appearances for the Chelsea first team this season, starting against Noah in the Conference League, and his other five appearances coming from the bench.

Both Sancho and Mudryk have had good patches so far for Chelsea, with the 24-year-old English winger showing elite progressive and creative qualities, averaging more progressive carries, more progressive carries, more shot-creating actions, and completing more successful take-ons.

The 23-year-old Ukrainian, on the other hand, has generated more xG and xAG per 90, scored more goals per 90, has a higher shot volume, and provides more key passes, often being more direct with his actions.

George has the qualities of both of these wingers, mixing it up to go direct at times, using his pace and drive to beat players at speed, but also his agility, close control, and creative passing to create chances for others, and link play to progress through the pitch.

But the teenager isn’t the only academy player who could feature, as certain positions are looking rather light, and the bench is likely to be full of academy prospects, all hoping to get their chance to receive their debuts and make a difference for Maresca’s side.

Other Academy players who could feature for Chelsea

Maresca also made it clear Josh Acheampong is in line to start, having been frozen out of both the senior and U21 sides whilst negotiations for a new deal took place.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed an agreement between Acheampong and Chelsea is almost done for his new deal, with the “final details to be sorted”.

Maresca went on to say in his press conference: “The club loves Josh. I love Josh. We are almost there for his new deal. He’s set to start”.

In previous games, Moises Caicedo and Malo Gusto have played right-back, and with both players not set to travel, this leaves Acheampong as the starting right-back, likely to be alongside Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo and Renato Veiga at the back.

Another position the Chelsea squad could be light in is central midfield, with Roméo Lavia not part of the squad, Casadei unavailable due to suspension, and the likes of Enzo Fernández and Caicedo not travelling.

This leaves the other midfield options as Carney Chukwuemeka and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. However, if Maresca wants a profile more similar to the likes of Lavia, Caicedo and Fernandez, 18-year-old Dyer could be the man.

However, Dyer could instead be introduced from the bench, as the other more senior options will be wanting minutes, especially with young Chukwuemeka having been struggling for many minutes this campaign, totalling 63 across four appearances.

Potential Lineup: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Disasi, Tosin, Veiga, Dewsbury-Hall, Chukwuemeka, Nkunku, Neto, George, Guiu.

Real Madrid want him: Chelsea heading for Hazard repeat with £96m star

Cole Palmer continues to impress at Chelsea, with Real Madrid reportedly monitoring the Englishman’s progress

2

By
Ben Gray

Dec 10, 2024

James Tarkowski's wife has slammed the "disgusting" trolls for "wishing death" on the Everton star over his foul on Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Tarkowski avoids red for Mac Allister foul
• Everton man sent death threats online
• Wife Samantha slams "disgusting trolls"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  During Everton's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday, Tarkowski escaped a red card for a reckless tackle on Mac Allister – something he later apologised for. In the aftermath, his wife Samantha revealed the 32-year-old has been subjected to death threats, saying these "pathetic" acts go "far beyond football".

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  WHAT SAMANTHA TARKOWSKI SAID

  She wrote in an Instagram story: "I wasn't actually going to say anything because we usually just laugh if off but f*** it. The level of abuse my husband is receiving – wishing death on him, vile comments about me, about us as a couple, and about him as a person – is beyond disgusting. People forget that he is more than just a footballer. He is a husband, a father, a brother, a friend, and most importantly, the father of our two children. He goes out there and does his job and does it very f****** well yet he's subjected to so much hate. For those acting like he deliberately set out to hurt someone – are you serious?! Football moves at speed, and tackles are split-second decisions. No player goes out there to injure someone and do you think any player would feel good about it if they did? But the pure s*** messages, the threats? That's intentional. That's on you. Football is a sport, but the way some so-called 'fans' behave is disgraceful. The abuse, the threats – it's not passion, it's pathetic. We're real people, and this goes far beyond football."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tarkowski admitted his high challenge on the Argentine was "not a great one from me", with the PGMOL later admitting the centre-back should have been sent off for the foul. While the ex-Burnley man was in the wrong, nobody should be subjected to that sort of abuse.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Tarkowski is likely to return to action on Saturday when Everton host Premier League title hopefuls Arsenal at Goodison Park.

Celtic have now made an enquiry about signing an “outstanding” Premier League player who wants to leave in January, according to a report.

Rodgers keen on a midfielder

Brendan Rodgers has set his sights on a new midfielder this January, and there are indications that there could be more than one new arrival, with claims suggesting a potential double signing could even be in the works.

The Hoops are now expected to push for Chelsea duo Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka, who have both found game time difficult to come by at Stamford Bridge so far this season.

With Rodgers looking for a potential long-term replacement for Callum McGregor, there have been reports that Celtic could also look to sign Ajax’s Benjamin Tahirović, with the Bosnian also struggling to force his way into his manager’s plans.

Rodgers clearly has a number of options in mind ahead of the rapidly approaching January transfer window, and there are now indications that some groundwork has been done in pursuit of another target.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Celtic have made an enquiry over Manchester City’s James McAtee – and he looks like he could be on the move this winter.

The City midfielder wants to leave in January, having been unable to impress Pep Guardiola so far this season, with game time proving difficult to come by.

The Premier League outfit would rather not lose McAtee this January, but it has been claimed that Guardiola would not stand in the way of any player who wants to leave, meaning a January move could be possible.

There are a number of clubs from England and across Europe hot on the 22-year-old’s tail, so the Hoops will need to fend off significant interest from elsewhere if they are to get a deal over the line.

Three clubs keen on unhappy Celtic player who could now leave in January

He’s found minutes hard to come by at Celtic Park this season.

By
Barney Lane

Dec 28, 2024

McAtee could go right to the top

Although the Salford-born midfielder has been unable to make a name for himself at City, his potential was on show for all to see during his two loan spells with English Championship side Sheffield United.

During the Blades’ promotion-winning campaign in 2022/23, the Englishman scored nine goals in 37 Championship games, showcasing his talent going forward.

Clinton Morrison was full of praise for the “outstanding” young midfielder during his time in Sheffield, while Leam Richardson stated he could go all the way to the top:

Previous reports have alleged that McAtee could cost £20m, which could prove to be a stumbling block for Celtic, but it is promising news that initial contact has now been made over a deal.