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GOAL takes a look at three managers whose seats are heating up near the mid-point of the MLS campaign

Matchday 15 of the MLS season is in the books, with the halfway point of the 2025 campaign nearly here. Patterns have developed, and a clear hierarchy in MLS has emerged – particularly in the Eastern Conference, where first-through-fifth place is only separated by three points.

Then, there's the bottom of the league.

Reigning champions LA Galaxy are winless in 15, but nonetheless handed manager Greg Vanney a contract extension after Matchday 13 – a move the club ultimately deemed a necessary risk, despite the poor on-pitch performance.

Not every club has shown that willingness with their manager – both CF Montreal and Sporting Kansas City already moved on from their coaches, with Laurent Courtois and Peter Vermes already dismissed. There have now been 14 total managerial changes across MLS over the last year, showing that clubs are not wasting time with underperforming play.

St. Louis CITY's Olof Mellberg, D.C. United's Troy Lesesne and Real Salt Lake's Pablo Mastroeni are all on watch, as each manager's team is currently treading water amid early-season struggles.

GOAL takes a look at MLS coaches on the hot seat.

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  Olof Mellberg, St. Louis CITY SC

  Mellberg may have the hottest seat in MLS. In his first year with CITY, the Western Conference side sits 28th in MLS on just 11 points.

  The Swedish manager has yet to get the most out of his roster, with the club struggling across all areas of the pitch. They've scored just 11 goals, with noticeable struggles taking center-stage in the final-third. Defensively, they have had some impressive showings – notably the first four matches of the season, in which they kept four straight clean sheets and began the campaign 2-0-2 (WLD).

  Since? It's been a disaster. They're winless in 11 straight, and have scored just seven goals during that span – earning three points.

  Speculation surfaced after Matchday 14 that Mellberg could be on his way out, but called that talk premature. However, it is clear his performance has been under evaluation.

  After missing out on the 2024 postseason, CITY have little room for error – if things don't turn around fast, they could be on to their fourth manager since the start of the 2024 season.

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  Troy Lesesne, D.C. United

  Lesesne has faced an uphill battle since taking charge of D.C. United ahead of the 2024 season. Since the departure of Wayne Rooney in 2019, the Eastern Conference side have been non-contenders.

  They haven't made the postseason since the Englishman's final campaign with the club, missing out on the playoffs for five straight seasons – including Lesesne's debut 2024 campaign.

  Sure, Christian Benteke is a terrific forward – but he's the only card Lesesne has been able to play since his appointment. The club has made some baffling transfer decisions – notably loaning Designated Player Mateusz Klich to Atlanta United for the 2025 season, while still keeping him on their books – which includes his DP slot.

  On top of that, they've failed to spend at the caliber of some of top MLS teams – which isn't all on Lesesne, but it is up to him to maximize what he has. And he hasn't.

  D.C. sit 13th in the Eastern Conference and have conceded a staggering 27 goals in 15 matches. Offensively, they've scored just 13 goals – six of which belong to Benteke, their Belgian star. Heading into Matchday 16, the club are winless in four straight – including a pair of scoreless draws.

  As it stands, D.C. are set to make it six straight seasons without a postseason appearance. It's not all on Lesesne, as ownership and their front-office has failed to spend at the scope of their competitors. But the 41-year-old coach needs to get more out of his current squad.

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  Pablo Mastroeni, Real Salt Lake

  Since taking charge of RSL in 2021, Mastroeni's side have not missed the postseason. They've been competing in the West each season, and at one point or another, emerged as a competitor against the best teams in their conference.

  However, they've exited the playoffs in the first round three years in a row, and nearly halfway into the 2025 campaign, have hit a plateau. Can Mastroeni actually take them higher than what they have achieved in the four previous seasons?

  The club sit 12th in the West on just 14 points through 15 games, with a record of 4-9-2. They've lost four of their seven games at home, while on the road, have a record of 2-5-1.

  Their roster, spearheaded by USMNT midfielder Diego Luna, boasts talent – but they're incredibly inconsistent. Beyond the 21-year-old playmaker, who leads the team in scoring with eight goals, six other players have scored one goal each – but none more than one.

  In the final-third, nothing is coming together, and they're falling short of expectation – which ultimately falls on the shoulders of Mastroeni. Defensively, they've conceded 22 goals – the fifth-most in the conference, highlighting another area of concern.

  Curiously, the RSL manager has also struggled with roster selection. Only one player, goalkeeper Rafael Cabral, has started all 15 matches for the club in 2025. The coach has tried a multitude of players on the pitch, but with inconsistent performances outside of Luna, he's struggled to trust his group week-in and week-out.

  Has Mastroeni reached his ceiling with the club?

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  Others to watch

  + Javier Mascherano is in a challenging stretch. The Inter Miami head coach is winless in seven of his last eight across all competitions, and the team has conceded three goals in three straight games. If things don't get sorted out by the end of Matchday 17 in a double-game week, could the make a change ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup?

  + Ronny Deila and Atlanta United FINALLY won a game, snapping an eight-game winless streak on Matchday 15. The highest-spending club of the offseason, the have massive expectations for 2025, and they've failed to live up to them. Deila, a former MLS Cup-winning coach with NYCFC, will be tasked with turning around their poor start.

The Europa League winners have finally put their Australian head coach out of his misery – but who's the best man to replace him?

Ange Postecoglou has officially been relieved of his duties at Tottenham. That's a sentence most Spurs fans had been praying on for months as results and performances took a turn for the worse during a shambolic 2024-25 campaign.

However, victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final added some shades of grey to the situation, with Postecoglou having delivered on his promise to secure some silverware while earning a spot in next season's Champions League to boot. That that achievement came against the backdrop of a 17th-placed Premier League finish, though, has led to his time in north London being ended.

The Australian coach earned plenty of admirers for his attack-minded style of play in his first year at Spurs as he guided the team to a respectable fifth-placed finish in the league, but the drop-off over the past 12 months has, in the eyes of many, been unforgivable, and chairman Daniel Levy had little choice but to make a change.

In the end, Postecoglou's refusal to budge from his principles led to his downfall (along with a series of bizarre exchanges with supporters and the media). The question now is, who is the standout candidate for the job? GOAL ranks the main contenders below…

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  8Kieran McKenna

  Kieran McKenna was reportedly on the radar of Spurs, Manchester United, Chelsea and Brighton after guiding Ipswich Town back to the Premier League for the first time since 2001-02, but he showed admirable loyalty by penning a new four-year contract at Portman Roa. In hindsight, McKenna may now be regretting that decision because his stock has dropped significantly due to the Tractor Boys' struggles in the top-flight.

  Ipswich only won four of their 38 league games in 2024-25 as their immediate return to the Championship was confirmed. McKenna worked miracles by delivering back-to-back promotions in Suffolk, but the step up to the top tier proved too big for the 39-year-old, and Tottenham probably won't revive their interest until he has gained more experience.

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  7Thiago Motta

  Juventus brought in Thiago Motta last summer thinking he'd be the complete opposite of Massimiliano Allegri, a progressive young coach with plenty of personality. But the former Barcelona and Inter star ultimately failed to live up to that billing as the Bianconeri continued to play a drab brand of football for the first nine months of the new campaign, dropping out of the Serie A top four in the process, and Motta paid the ultimate price.

  However, at the age of 42, he still has a bright career in management ahead of him, having proven his coaching chops by leading Bologna to the Champions League on a shoestring budget in 2023-24. Motta is reportedly now on Spurs' radar, and though it would be a risk to go for a Premier League newbie, they could certainly do a lot worse.

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  6Thomas Frank

  Thomas Frank deserves the chance to step up to a big club. That is the only rational conclusion to draw after Brentford's 2024-25 campaign, which ended with a top-10 finish – a remarkable achievement considering Ivan Toney's departure to Saudi Arabia last summer.

  Frank has turned the Bees into a fiercely competitive Premier League side over the past four years, earning widespread admiration for his man-management skills and attention to detail in the process. Spurs have reportedly lined Frank up as a candidate to replace Postecoglou, and it's easy to imagine him making the transition across London seamlessly, not least because of the release clause that exists in his Brentford contract.

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  5Brendan Rodgers

  Brendan Rodgers lifted seven trophies during his first stint at Celtic, and picked up from where he left off after returning to Glasgow in June 2023, delivering the double in his homecoming campaign. The Hoops won another two trophies in 2024-25, while Rodgers also masterminded their surprise run to the Champions League knockout stage play-offs, where they were narrowly beaten by Bayern Munich.

  Rodgers was in the frame to take over at Spurs before Postecoglou's initial appointment, and his name has been bandied about again now that the Australian is gone, but the 52-year-old has insisted he is focused on strengthening his Celtic squad this summer. Tottenham may yet try to tempt Rodgers, though, and there's a good chance the former Liverpool and Leicester City boss would at least get the team pushing in the right direction again.

Chelsea made it three wins in a row in all competitions, beating Leicester 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, following their previous two victories against Copenhagen and Southampton.

Enzo Maresca’s side have had to adapt in recent weeks with the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke and Marc Guiu missing in attack, but also Roméo Lavia missing in midfield, which has led to some reshuffling from the Italian in order to strike balance in the side.

This has seen Pedro Neto playing a new role as a centre-forward, and he isn’t the only one to feature in a new position.

Chelsea has had players capable of doing this in the past, stars capable of being a Swiss army knife for their manager and offering tactical solutions when needed in different positions. We notably saw that under José Mourinho in his first spell at the club where Michael Essien covered two positions on the pitch.

Michael Essien's unique role at Chelsea

Essien joined Chelsea in 2005, signing from Lyon for a fee of around £24.4m.

In his nine years at the club, the midfielder was a rock, making 256 appearances, scoring 25 goals, providing 20 assists and totalling 20,303 minutes played in total.

The Ghana international was known as a central midfielder but had the ability and versatility to solve problems for his managers, playing as a right-back, left-back, right-midfielder, centre-back, left-midfielder and even once as a centre-forward.

Under Mourinho at Chelsea, Essien played a variety of roles, often starting some games in defensive midfield and others at right-back when it was needed.

So, why is this relevant now? Well, Chelsea could have their next Essien who gives Maresca the ability to problem-solve and make tweaks to the game plan.

Chalkboard

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

Chelsea's new Essien

When assessing players in the squad with similar attributes, the tough-tackling Moises Caicedo immediately comes to mind. However, in this instance, we’re not talking about him.

Club captain Reece James came through the Chelsea academy, joining the Blues when he was six years old.

The full-back has already made 170 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals, providing 23 assists and totalling 11,683 minutes, now finding himself as the skipper.

Unfortunately, the 25-year-old has been riddled with injuries throughout his early career, missing 132 games already, sustaining 21 different injuries and missing a total of 742 days.

This has seen a slight transition from the flying wing-back he once was, as Chelsea are now looking to prioritise his fitness and availability.

Under Thomas Tuchel, you can see during the 2021/22 season the type of player James was, flying in attacking areas, providing attacking threat and output for the side, whilst still having the athleticism to recover in defensive transitions too.

However, Maresca has stated, “I see Reece as a midfielder. Since day one”. This new role for James, whether he starts in central midfield, or inverts in there from right-back, allows him to stay more central, having fewer high-intensity sprints in the game up and down the channels.

His leadership, physicality and comfortability on the ball are very useful in central areas for this inexperienced Chelsea side, as he provides a key component to their spine.

Joe Cole has even said he wants “world-class” star, James, back in the England squad, off the back of his recent performances.

James coming into midfield in recent weeks has allowed Maresca to experiment on the right side of the pitch, allowing Gusto to overlap in attacking areas from right-back with the defensive solidity behind him of James, whilst also giving Enzo Fernández a more free role in midfield, to roam and create in different areas.

Chelsea flop who left in 2023 is now "as good as anyone in Europe"

This Chelsea flop has turned out to be “as good as anyone in Europe”

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 11, 2025

It has been confirmed that a supporter died after suffering a horror fall during Portugal's UEFA Nations League final win over Spain in Munich.

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• Major event at Allianz Arena in Munich
• Supporter fell from second tier of stand
• Players initially unaware of the incident

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The incident in question occurred during the closing stages of the international encounter at the Allianz Arena. A fan fell from the second tier of Bayern Munich's iconic home and landed on the seating area below.

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  TREATED AT THE SCENE

  The game continued as paramedics and stewards tended to the individual in question, but they were unable to be revived after receiving medical treatment. Those on the field were unaware at the time of what was going on.

• WHAT UEFA SAID

  A statement from UEFA, European football’s governing body, read: “There was a medical emergency at the Munich arena, and despite the best efforts of the medical team, the person sadly passed away at 00:06 (CET). Our thoughts are with their loved ones at this difficult time.”

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  HOW PLAYERS REACTED

  News of the death ultimately marred Portugal's Nations League triumph. Player of the Match, Nundo Mendes, told reporters afterwards: “I would like to express my condolences to the family of the fan that died. It casts a pall on our victory today.”

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is reportedly prepared to splash the cash this summer, with the 53-year-old plotting to reinforce the squad in numerous areas, including at centre-forward.

Andrea Berta arrives at Arsenal to replace Edu Gaspar

The ex-Atletico Madrid transfer chief, who was at the Wanda Metropolitano for 12 years before leaving La Liga in January, has arrived at Arsenal to replace former Gunners sporting director Edu Gaspar, following his departure in November.

Arsenal open talks to sign £50m player with Berta expected to launch bid

The new Gunners sporting director already has targets in place.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 12, 2025

Berta orchestrated a host of high-profile Atlético deals during his time at the club, including moves for the likes of João Félix, Diego Costa and Álvaro Morata, while also selling Antoine Griezmann for £108 million before bringing him back three years later for just £17 million.

A savvy negotiator in the transfer market, Berta’s arrival has brought plenty of excitement with it, and there has already been plenty of speculation in regards to who the Italian could look to sign when he commences his role in the coming weeks.

GiveMeSport reported recently that RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko, Newcastle United star Alexander Isak, Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams and Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi are all on Berta’s radar heading into the summer, while other reports claim the official has an interest in Bruno Guimaraes (Eduardo Burgos).

There are even suggestions that Arsenal have already initiated some talks over signing Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, while Berta has expressed his desire to strike a potential summer deal for Wolves forward Matheus Cunha.

It could be a very intriguing summer at Arsenal following their brand-new appointment, and it will certainly be a crucial one after their serious failure to mount a successful Premier League title challenge this season.

Benjamin Sesko eyeing Arsenal move as Berta set for "record-breaking" summer

GiveMeSport have another update on this, and they write that Berta could be set for a “record-breaking” summer spend which could even reach £300 million.

Arsenal want to reinforce the squad by signing a new second-choice keeper, full-back, midfielder, left-winger and striker. They could even look to bring in an alternative to Bukayo Saka on the right-hand side as well, and Berta has already identified a host of targets.

One of them is RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko, who is on course to better his 2023/2024 campaign after scoring 17 goals in all competitions already this season.

Previous reports have claimed that Sesko is tempted to join Arteta this summer, and GMS reiterate that the 21-year-old, dubbed a “machine” last year, does have one eye on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Indeed, they claim Sesko maintains an interest in joining Arsenal, and if Berta has his way, the Slovenia international could be one of many fresh faces making their way to the English capital at the end of this season.

Sky Sports also claim that the striker’s current release clause stands at £62 million, but this could shoot up to above £66 million, depending on whether certain conditions are met.

Give them a statue, all of them. In fact, carve a sculpture of the team, as one, jubilant and elated and all the rest after defeating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final and putting Newcastle United’s name, well and truly, on the map.

Newcastle ended a 70-year domestic trophy drought at the weekend, if you didn’t know, with Eddie Howe and his squad now immortalised for bringing a city back to its former greatness.

This is a team of many parts, and the sum of those parts is indeed greater still, but Alexander Isak is undoubtedly the cream of the crop, on the scoresheet at Wembley. Of course he was.

Alexander Isak's greatness

When Isak joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad for a club-record £63m fee in 2022, it was a jaw-dropping outlay for a talented young forward. But would it work out?

Magpies all over will issue an emphatic affirmative in unison. Isak is not only “the best striker in the Premier League,” spoken by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, but a harbinger of silverware, his second-half goal all but sealing Newcastle’s victory over Arne Slot’s Reds.

It was his 23rd strike of the season and another illustration of the quality that has changed things for the better on Tyneside. Isak is a Newcastle legend, plain and simple.

No wonder he’s coveted by almost every high-profile side on the continent. Newcastle are well within their rights to demand in excess of £150m for their talisman, who is contracted until 2028.

He’s not the only signing Howe has struck gold on. Another Newcastle star was hailed for his “Shearer-like” performance against Liverpool.

You may be able to guess who.

Howe's hit the jackpot on "Shearer-like" star

Newcastle have won a trophy, sending London into a euphoric frenzy, trailing black and white all the way back to Tyneside.

Isak bagged the second, sealing the deal, but it was Dan Burn’s thumping header that rewarded United’s first-half dominance, and offering shades of Shearer at that.

Aged 32, the 6 foot 7 defender is still going strong, 139 appearances under Howe’s wing making him the gaffer’s third-most-used Newcastle player.

And to think he was signed from Brighton & Hove Albion for a smart £13m fee in January 2022, one of the first to be picked by Howe as part of his Newcastle project.

All his hard graft came to a head at Wembley, with Burn’s contributions at both ends of the field leaving The Guardian waxing lyrical, handing him a 9/10 match rating after using his physicality to shackle the under-par Mohamed Salah.

Burn’s leaping goal was even described as being “Shearer-like” by Gary Neville on co-comms. Honestly, what a moment on the biggest stage. Caoimhin Kelleher between the sticks simply couldn’t get near it.

That £13m fee looks like more of a bargain every day. What a signing. Burn has written his name into Magpies lore, scribbled in indelible ink.

He might be worth peanuts on the market, but Newcastle have well and truly hit the jackpot on Big Dan Burn.

Burn grew up admiring Shearer, and while he hasn’t played out a career in a similar vein to the legendary goalscorer, his towering header was reminiscent of ‘Smokey’ in his heyday, all leap and precision.

What a signing he’s been.

Newcastle star could leave St James' with a bigger legacy than Shearer

This Newcastle United ace could go on to have a better legacy than Mr Tyneside himself Alan Shearer.

By
Kelan Sarson

Mar 17, 2025

Antonio Conte's Napoli are reportedly keen on signing Darwin Nunez and another Liverpool team-mate after securing Kevin De Bruyne's services.

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• Napoli sign De Bruyne
• Italian side want Nunez
• Also eye Liverpool team-mate

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  La Repubblica claim that in addition to Liverpool forward Nunez, the Serie A champions are also looking to bring in winger Federico Chiesa. The report adds that Conte is 'crazy' about signing the Uruguayan, that negotiations have started already, and the Reds are open to their transfer exits.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Napoli are looking to strengthen their squad after winning the Serie A title this season, something they have done with the purchase of Manchester City legend De Bruyne. But after spending £85 million ($115.5m) on Nunez in 2022 and £12.5m ($17m) on Chiesa last year, Liverpool will want to recoup as much as they can from these outlays – and that may test Napoli's resolve.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chiesa and Nunez struggled for game time this season at Liverpool, with the former making just one Premier League start and the latter notching just eight of his own. And with the Reds preparing to sign Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, their game time is likely to be restricted even further next term.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  It may just be a matter of time before Napoli make a move for the Liverpool duo, although Nunez is also wanted by Atletico Madrid and Saudi Pro League sides, and Chiesa has been linked with other Italian teams, too.

Jobe Bellingham made his debut for Borussia Dortmund in their FIFA Club World Cup opener against Fluminense.

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• Bellingham makes Dortmund debut
• Came on as substitute in 59th minute
• Goalless draw against Fluminense

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The youngster followed in his elder brother Jude's footsteps and appeared in a Dortmund shirt for the first time since completing a €33 million (£28m/$38m) move from Sunderland last week. Bellingham was introduced on the hour mark as he replaced former Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Dortmund boss Niko Kovac had earlier confirmed that the teenager wouldn't feature in the starting lineup as he had only joined the squad for a week. BVB began their Club World Cup campaign with a goalless draw against Brazilian giants Fluminense.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It was also reported that Kovac will exploit the youngster's offensive capabilities from midfield by using him as an attacking midfielder, although he will also be used in a deeper role.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BORUSSIA DORTMUND?

  The Bundesliga side will be back in action on Saturday as they take on South African side Mamelodi Sundowns in their second group game.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has had to think somewhat outside of the box in recent weeks in the absence of first-choice centre-forward Nicolas Jackson.

The 23-year-old Senegal international has been out injured with a hamstring injury that has kept him out of the last five Premier League games.

Although the Chelsea boss confirmed he will be available for selection against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night, it remains to be seen if he will start. Replacing him has not been easy; the 23-year-old has nine goals and five assists in 23 Premier League games this term.

One of the players tasked with stepping up in the absence of Jackson was Christopher Nkunku.

The latest on Christopher Nkunku’s Chelsea future

Nkunku’s numbers this season across competitions are more than reasonable. The Frenchman, who is a graduate of Paris Saint-Germain’s academy, has scored 14 times and grabbed five assists in 38 games.

However, just three of those strikes and two assists have come in the Premier League in 25 games. In the run of five games without Jackson, the former RB Leipzig star has scored and assisted just two goals, both of which came against Southampton.

However, his form across the season could well be a concern for the Blues. This could lead to Nkunku’s departure in the summer transfer window. A report from GiveMeSport at the end of March suggests the Frenchman will leave Stamford Bridge.

He was close to leaving the club in January for a fee reported to be £60m. A return to the Bundesliga was on the cards, with Bayern Munich supposedly interested. Now, it seems a departure is inevitable.

If he is to leave the club in the summer, perhaps Chelsea already have their dream replacement waiting in the wings, in the form of a young talent who is currently out on loan.

Chelsea’s in-house Nkunku replacement

Chelsea have infamously become known for buying lots of elite young talent over the past few summers and keeping them on the backburner until they are ready to make an impact at first-team level.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Well, one of the best examples of this is perhaps 19-year-old striker Deivid Washington. The Brazilian is currently on loan at Santos, the club from which he was originally bought from by the Blues back in August 2023.

He has only played two games and 28 minutes in his second spell at the Brazilian giants, and is yet to find the back of the net. However, he did score two goals during his initial stint at the club, after breaking through the esteemed academy that produced the legendary Neymar, now a teammate of Washington.

The attacker, who can play as a centre-forward, out wide on the left or just behind the striker, has made a real impression for the Blues’ youth team so far.

Across two seasons, he has scored ten goals and grabbed an assist in 18 games.

He has also shown goal-scoring nous for Brazil’s under-20s. He has been handed eight caps at that level of international football, scoring three goals, including a fantastic diving header against Ecuador.

The Santos academy graduate was once described as a “highly talented” star by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and this certainly rings true when looking at what he has achieved in academy football so far.

With more exposure to senior football as a Santos player and, in the longer term, in a Chelsea shirt, the Blues could have an excellent player on their hands. He has already played three times for the West Londoners, and will surely hope to be given even more of an opportunity.

He is certainly a player Chelsea fans can get excited about, and if Nkunku does depart this summer, then Maresca might have a ready-made replacement waiting for his chance in 2026.

He's like Gyokeres: Chelsea plot bid for "one of the best STs in the world"

Chelsea are targeting another player to improve the options within the final third.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 1, 2025

Darwin Nunez has allegedly told a Uruguay team-mate that he wants out of Liverpool and has already decided his next destination.

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• Nunez vows to leave Liverpool
• Tells Uruguay team-mate he wants out
• Has decided on next destination

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Uruguayan striker had a tough 2024-25 campaign personally, struggling for game time under Arne Slot as the Reds won their second Premier League title. Nunez's former international team-mate Walter Gargano has now claimed that Nunez is ready to quit Anfield this summer and that a move to Napoli is in the offing – as the reports.

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  WHAT GARGANO SAID

  Gargano told radio station : "The warmth of the Neapolitans would do him a lot of good, I spoke to him about a week ago and I hope he really comes to Naples. He told me: 'Yes, I'll come to Naples right away. I'm waiting to close with Naples.'"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Napoli are one of several clubs said to be interested in Nunez as they seek to add more firepower to a squad that won the 2024-25 Serie A title. Kevin De Bruyne has already signed for Antonio Conte's side and there seems to be more money to spend on Premier League talent.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  Liverool are already planning for life without Nunez, with Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres reportedly among their targets to replace the Uruguayan. German attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz has already arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for a British record transfer fee.