Looking to follow up their recent deal to sign Emanuel Emegha in 2026, Chelsea have reportedly joined the race to sign a teenage gem ahead of their Premier League rivals.
Chelsea agree deal to sign Emegha
Once again using BlueCo’s connection to Strasbourg – another club that they own – Chelsea have officially announced a deal to sign Emegha. The talented striker will join the club in 2026 after one more season in France and represents the fifth player to move to either Chelsea or Strasbourg in the last 12 months.
Emegha’s pending arrival will lead to questions about Nicolas Jackson’s future once again. The forward is currently on loan at Bayern Munich, but even though that deal has an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met, Bayern chief Uli Hoeneß recently made it clear that it is unlikely that he reaches those conditions.
He told reporters: “It’s not a €16.5m loan fee, because the player and his agent are contributing €3m, so that leaves €13.5m. And there will definitely not be a permanent contract. That only happens if he plays 40 games from the start. He will never do that.”
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If that proves to be the case, Chelsea will have as many as four strikers at their disposal in 2026 with Jackson’s sale still on their list of priorities. That’s not to say their spending is about to end, however.
The Blues have now reportedly turned their focus towards Enzo Maresca’s midfield, joining the race to sign a teenage sensation ahead of their Premier League rivals.
Chelsea racing to sign Jorthy Mokio
According to TeamTalk, Chelsea are now racing to sign Jorthy Mokio from Ajax after sending scouts to watch the 17-year-old midfielder. Compared to Declan Rice and former Stamford Bridge star N’Golo Kante, the Belgian is certainly one to watch in the next 12 months. As ever, Ajax have helped develop an incredibly impressive talent after securing his signature from KAA Gent last summer.
Compared to Kante by TeamTalk thanks to his exceptional recovery ability and positioning during transitions, Mokio could yet follow Jorrel Hato’s path by swapping Ajax for Chelsea as a rising star.
Described as “quick & agile” as well as “intelligent” by U23 scout Antonio Mango last May, Mokio has only improved ever since. Now, as several Premier League sides chase his signature, the midfielder, who can also play centre-back, has a decision to make.
Last weekend’s opening Premier League match of the season for Arsenal was a struggle.
Mikel Arteta’s men were hardly free-flowing in pre-season and that was in evidence at Old Trafford as they laboured to a 1-0 victory.
Alas, the Gunners did win and secured three points that built a platform for an incredible 5-0 win over Leeds United on Saturday evening.
Arsenal were perhaps a little slow to get going on the goals front but they eventually burst into life on a day of many positives for the north Londoners.
The biggest positives from Arsenal's win over Leeds
Let’s be honest, there was only going to be one result here this weekend. Before the game had got underway a certain Eberechi Eze was announced to the Emirates Stadium faithful as an Arsenal player.
The saga was remarkable. Eze was on the verge of signing for rivals Tottenham Hotspur only for a call between Arteta and the England international on Wednesday paved the way for an incredible hijack.
The Gunners board came together and within hours they had a deal agreed with Crystal Palace.
Once of Hale End, it marks a stunning return to the Arsenal and the thought of the 27-year-old playing in this attack is mouthwatering.
Speaking of which, it was a day of joy for Viktor Gyokeres. Last weekend, he was grilled, he was the scapegoat for an underwhelming performance away in Manchester.
In all honesty, it wasn’t his fault. Arsenal struggled to create and Gyokeres was left isolated. Well, he hit back at the critics superbly on Saturday, scoring twice.
While the Swede’s second was a well taken penalty, his first goal in a competitive match for the Gunners was an excellent one. Riccardo Calafiori, who picked up two assists on the day, pinged the ball in behind for the forward to run onto.
Gyokeres found possession in his favoured left channel, burst into the penalty area and then tucked the ball home at the near post.
For Arsenal’s big marquee signing, it was the perfect response to last weekend, but he wasn’t the only to find form.
Bukayo Saka found the net in explosive fashion while Jurrien Timber, making his first start of the campaign, bagged twice.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
So, it’s all rosy as far as the Gunners are concerned, but for a player who failed to get on the pitch, it was not an ideal day.
Arsenal star will suffer after Madueke and Eze arrivals
On Saturday, there weren’t too many surprises as far as the team sheet was concerned but it was eye-catching to see that Noni Madueke started on the left hand side of the pitch.
With Eze having also now signed, the competition for places in that area is likely to be fierce.
Madueke did not score or assist on his first start for the Gunners but it was a productive first outing, notably registering two key passes, attempting five crosses and winning half of his duels, via Sofascore.
There will be better performances to come from the summer arrival but it was perhaps a landmark day for Gabriel Martinelli.
A week ago, the £48m-rated Brazilian was given the nod and like Gyokeres, became a scapegoat for the sluggish performance that played out.
Martinelli vs Man Utd
Minutes played
60
Touches
14
Accurate passes
3/5 (60%)
Shots
1
Key passes
1
Successful dribbles
0/1
Crosses
0
Possession lost
7x
Times fouled
1
Stats via Sofascore.
Fans have seemingly run out of patience and on today’s evidence, you’d now be hard pressed to consider Martinelli a regular starter again.
In 2024/25, he started 25 of the 33 Premier League games he featured in, scoring eight times in the process. That’s a handy tally but it’s not the elite level Arteta requires to win the league.
Leandro Trossard received a pay increase in midweek but the Belgian is in a similar boat. He’s a tremendous squad player but you are unlikely to get an elite level of performance out of him on a consistent basis.
Madueke is still getting up to speed but on a day where he made his first start and Eze signed, it was damning that firstly, Martinelli wasn’t selected to start, and secondly, that he didn’t feature off the bench.
What’s more damning is that Arsenal picked up injuries too. Yet, with Martin Odegaard and Saka going off, the Brazil international was nowhere to be seen. Ethan Nwaneri and the remarkably talented 15-year-old that is Max Dowman were both preferred.
A great day for Arsenal it certainly was, but Martinelli should be fearing for his place in the side now moving forward.
Salman Nizar was the hero for Kerala as they entered the Ranji Trophy semi-final only for the second time in their history. They got there having batted out the entire final day of an absorbing contest against Jammu & Kashmir that went into the last 30 minutes with all results possible.J&K needed four wickets, while Kerala simply needed to bat time to ensure a draw was enough since they’d taken a one-run lead. Nizar was unbeaten on 44 off 162 balls, Mohammed Azharuddeen 67 off 118 balls. The seventh-wicket pair batted out 42.4 overs to grind J&K’s attack to dust on the final day. Kerala are set to face Gujarat in the semi-final on February 17, while Mumbai will take on Vidarbha in the other semi-final.As important as Nizar’s second-innings rearguard was, it was his first-innings 112 that set the game up for Kerala, taking them from the brink to giving them the lead that eventually proved massive. Nizar marshalled the lower order, putting together 81 with No. 11 Basil Thampi to help steal the lead after J&K had Kerala tottering at 200 for 9 after they’d posted 280.Related
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Nizar’s unbeaten century underpinned Kerala’s fight, but Jalaj Saxena’s 67 was equally impactful. Saxena resurrected a floundering innings from 11 for 3 as J&K seamer Auqib Nabi, also the season’s second-highest wicket-takers, made the ball track on a greenish Pune deck. Saxena counter-attacked his way to a half-century, in which he drove, cut and pulled imperiously.Saxena’s dismissal had the potential to prove game-changing, but Nizar stood up, like he did in the must-win final league game last week against Bihar when he hit a century to swell their first-innings total.File photo: Salman Nizar and Sachin Baby played crucial knocks in the second innings•KCA
Kerala began the final day on 100 for 2, still needing 299 for victory. But it was clear from the beginning that they weren’t after the runs. Sachin Baby and Akshay Chandran put together 58, but batted together for 43 overs in the process to frustrate J&K in their victory march.The tide turned just before lunch as J&K’s spinners made massive inroads. Chandran was out caught at short leg by Shubham Khajuria. Soon after the break, they were fully in the ascendancy when they lost two wickets in two overs. Sahil Lotra, the offspinner, had Baby jab at one that turned and bounced, while Saxena was out looking to drive left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq.Having hit him through the covers off the previous delivery, he looked to repeat the shot, but was lulled in superbly by Mushtaq as he dragged his length back and had Saxena edging to first slip. When Aditya Sarwate was out looking to hoick Mushtaq over the infield, it seemed the end was nigh.But Nizar and Azharddeen showed resilience and grit in stonewalling J&K’s attack for a better part of the last three hours to secure a draw.J&K would look back on their first innings lapse with the ball, especially when they allowed Kerala’s last pair to get away as a turning point. Despite that, they bounced back to post 399 for 9 in the second innings, thanks largely to captain Paras Dogra’s century. The 40-year-old, in his first season as J&K captain, hit his first century after a prolonged barren run of form – he hadn’t scored a single half-century prior to this game.Those efforts in the end were only a consolation in the end as J&K’s second entry into the knockouts in the last five years ended in a heartbreak. That they’re bowing out without having lost a single game this season will make their exit even tougher to digest.
Glasgow Rangers were not willing to sit on their hands and go again with the same squad or management team at Ibrox after ending the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy.
The Light Blues appointed Russell Martin to be their new head coach and brought in 12 new recruits to bolster the Rangers playing squad for the current season.
It has not been an ideal start to the campaign, though, as they have failed to win any of their first four matches in the Scottish Premiership under their new manager.
Joe Rothwell is one of the new signings who has failed to hit the ground running, as he was subbed off at half-time in the 6-0 loss to Club Brugge and dropped down to the bench for the clash with Celtic on Sunday.
Joe Rothwell's early struggles at Rangers
The central midfielder was signed from Bournemouth on a permanent deal this summer with a view to him playing in the number six position in Martin’s 4-3-3 system.
At the age of 30, Rothwell is an experienced player who was signed to make an instant impact at Ibrox. He is not a young and promising player who needs time to develop and grow.
That is why his early struggles, compounded by being dropped for the Celtic game after starting the first three league matches, are a concern for the Scottish giants.
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Rothwell needs to turn things around and show the supporters that he can impact and influence games in the number six role week-in-week-out, because, at the moment, he looks like a downgrade on John Lundstram, who left the club last year.
Rangers had a howler with John Lundstram
In a similar move to the one that brought Rothwell to Ibrox this year, Lundstram signed for the Gers on a free transfer from Sheffield United in the summer of 2021, and went on to enjoy a successful spell in Scotland.
Rangers midfielder John Lundstram.
Former Rangers defender Maurice Ross described the English midfielder as the “cornerstone” of the team and claimed that he “was strolling about the pitch like Graeme Souness” in 2022.
The former Blades ace went on to score 11 goals, including the one against Borussia Dortmund above, in 153 matches for the club in all competitions, per Transfemarkt.
Appearances
34
4
Long passes per game
5.6
1.3
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.5
2.0
Clearances per game
1.0
0.0
Duels won per game
3.8
2.5
Aerial duel success rate
55%
33%
As you can see in the table above, Lundstram produced more impressive performances in his last season at Rangers in the Premiership than Rothwell has managed in the current campaign.
Despite that, Philippe Clement allowed the English central midfielder to leave the club at the end of his contract in the summer of 2024, and signed Connor Barron on a free transfer from Aberdeen.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement.
Ultimately, that decision has turned out to be a howler for Rangers and Clement because Martin has swooped to sign Rothwell 12 months later to replace Barron as a number six.
On top of that, Rothwell still appears to be a downgrade on Lundstram, which means that the Light Blues have yet to successfully replace the star who was once compared to Souness, despite them allowing him to leave for nothing last year.
Rangers could get Ibrox rocking by sacking Martin for "kamikaze" manager
Rangers could get the Ibrox crowd rocking again by sacking Russell Martin to appoint this head coach.
Manchester United are heading into the final stretch of the summer transfer window brimming with optimism, for Ruben Amorim and the outfit’s transfer entourage have come together to pull off some exciting signings.
Last year’s lowly Premier League finish is a thing of the past, and with a new-look frontline consisting of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo out wide, plucked from divisional rivals, and fronted by Benjamin Sesko, 22, who joins from RB Leipzig with a weight of expectation, hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig for having “the potential to develop into a world-class striker.”
FFC Manchester United Sesko Mbeumo Cunha
However, United may yet be in need of a few more signings besides. Amorim took the wheel of a sinking ship last season, and while things didn’t go to plan across the first chapter of the Portuguese tactician’s journey at the club, there’s hope that the storm has been weathered and the Red Devils can begin anew.
But in order to achieve his goals, Amorim is determined to get rid of a few more surplus first-teamers before the end of the month, maybe even signing another player or two as well.
Man Utd pushing for more signings
While Man United still have their work cut out in cashing in on some of the deadwood within the Old Trafford first team, there’s little question that the Red Devils have displayed great intent in the summer transfer market, and remain hungry for further signings.
PL Transfer Window 24/25 – Most Money Spent (so far)
Club
Arrivals
Expenditure
(1) Liverpool
6
£256m
(2) Chelsea
8
£241m
(3) Man Utd
4
£198m
(4) Arsenal
6
£193m
(5) Man City
6
£153m
Data via Transfermarkt
And the pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba suggests that the Red Devils plan to shuffle the midfield pack further over the coming weeks.
But, with the frontline secure, Caught Offside are reporting that Amorim has personally requested that INEOS advance a potential move for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has been excluded from Luis Enrique’s plans for the new season, expected to depart having entered the final year of his contract.
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United are joined by their pesky neighbours Manchester City in chasing the Italy international, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, who is valued at a steep €50m (£43m); furthermore, his salary demands would be sure to place him among the club’s top earners.
Man United have, of course, already engaged with PSG for a big-money transfer in recent memory, signing Manuel Ugarte last summer.
And it’s with that deal in mind that caution should be considered when weighing up a move for PSG’s 6 foot 7 shot-stopper.
Why Man Utd shouldn't sign Donnarumma
Donnarumma played a vital role in winning everything on offer in Europe for PSG last season, but having been ferried toward the exit door, Man United spy an opportunity.
However, should they be making this move when INEOS’ new strategy appears to hold so much promise?
To be sure, Donnarumma is an exciting and established player, but PSG don’t want him, and perhaps that is telling, especially when peering back at the many misfires for Man United over the years.
And when considering that a move for Ugarte last summer hasn’t really gone to plan, a different track might be worthwhile here too. Indeed, the current bid for Baleba suggests that Ugarte’s place as the starting anchor in Amorim’s system is anything but secure.
The 24-year-old had some good moments in the Premier League last season, namely during a monstrous performance against Liverpool at Anfield, but there’s little question that he struggled to adapt to the rigours of English football.
However, he petered out toward the end of the campaign and struggled on the ball at times. Sure, the Uruguayan was crisp enough, completing around 88% of his passes in the league, but his average of 3.08 progressive passes per game, via FBref, left him ranked among the lowly bottom 18% of the division’s midfielders.
Not good enough, and indicative of a discordance between Ugarte’s tactical weaknesses and the way in which Amorim wants to play. The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell noted that the South American was prone to having a ‘nightmare in possession’ for the side last season.
In this regard, Donnarumma could bleakly mimic his former Paris-based teammate. The Italian is a staggering shot-stopper, so important in winning the quadruple at PSG under Luis Enrique’s wing last season.
However, Donnarumma is infallible, and on a reported £300k-per-week salary at the Parc des Princes, might Old Trafford be treading over the sheet-thin ice of recent years?
Though he has improved since those youthful days, Donnarumma remains a comparatively young goalkeeper and we have seen with Andre Onana the perils in signing a goalkeeper with such deficiencies, in spite of strong performances out on the continent.
It’s worth noting that Onana, for all his flaws, saved 68.9% of his shots faced in the Premier League last season; Donnarumma, however, averaged a 66.7% save percentage in Ligue 1, both sets of stats courtesy of FBref. The Italian is also barely much better when it comes to launching passes, ranking among the worst 30% of goalkeepers in Europe for launched pass success. Onana, conversely, ranks among the worst 15%.
Andre Onana in action for Manchester United.
Given that, as was the case with Ugarte, PSG have marked Donnarumma as expendable, casting him out of the project, United technical director Jason Wilcox will surely be wary of lightning striking twice, and United being stuck within this cyclical further still.
Whether Man United act on their interest and sign the prominent goalkeeper remains to be seen, but as with the likes of Raphael Varane, Casemiro and indeed Ugarte (among others), there is a lesson to be learned about signing high-profile players who other top teams are happy to shift.
Football commentator Matteo Bonetti has remarked in the past that Donnarumma boasts a skill set that is “beyond world-class”, but the reservations as to whether United would receive bang for their buck are definitely there, and perhaps it would be better to opt against such a signing.
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A better signing than Sesko: Man Utd to hold talks over landing £26m star
Manchester United are ready to make even more signings this summer.
Manchester United are now in contact to sign an “expert striker”, who could join as part of an Alejandro Garnacho swap deal, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed.
Garnacho's time at Old Trafford coming to an end
It is difficult to see a way back for Garnacho at Man United, after the winger was controversially pictured wearing an Aston Villa shirt with Marcus Rashford’s name on the back a little over a month ago.
Mark Goldbridge was left furious by the picture, suggesting the Argentina international was trying to engineer a move elsewhere, and there is certainly no shortage of interest in his services.
In fact, Villa recently made an approach for the 21-year-old, joining the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for his signature, and the forward is thought to have “heard good things” about playing under Unai Emery.
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However, in a report for GiveMeSport, Romano has revealed that United could try and get the winger off the books a different way, as they are now open to discussing the conditions of a swap deal involving Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson.
The Red Devils have recently been approached over starting formal talks for Jackson, with the Blues open to sanctioning the striker’s departure, although the reported valuation of £100m could be off-putting.
A move to Old Trafford is considered a ‘good option’ for the Senegal international, but Ruben Amorim’s side are yet to decide whether he should be their main striker target, with the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins and Dusan Vlahovic also on the shortlist.
"Expert striker" Jackson could be exciting signing for Man Utd
Of course, there are some doubts over the Chelsea forward, given that he is well-known to not be the most prolific finisher, underperforming his xG by a considerable margin over the past year.
However, the 24-year-old has still been a pretty reliable source of goals and assists ever since arriving at Stamford Bridge, while he also received high praise from former Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend last season, after impressing against West Ham United.
Nicolas Jackson
Townsend said: “Even last season watching Nicolas Jackson, he had everything but the goals. He had the movement, he had the dribbling, he was getting into some great positions but he just wasn’t finishing them off.
“But, the goals he scored on the weekend were taken competently and confidently like an expert striker.”
It is also important that United get Garnacho off the books, with the Villa shirt stunt proving the winger has little interest in remaining at Old Trafford, and a swap deal could benefit all parties, considering the Blues have signed Joao Pedro and Liam Delap this summer.
Derby County have already shown they mean business this summer and are closing in on another signing to strengthen ahead of the Championship season, according to John Percy.
Derby County back themselves to make Championship statement
With six new arrivals through the door and John Eustace restoring the feel-good factor at Pride Park, there is every reason for Rams’ supporters to feel optimistic heading into the new campaign.
Captain Ebou Adams shares the sentiment that Derby County can make a ‘statement’ in the second-tier, claiming his side will allow themselves to dare to ‘dream’ as he feels the fans, manager and players are united in their vision to thrive.
Owen Beck has arrived from Liverpool on loan and Derby aren’t keen to stop there after lining up Coventry City’s Jake Bidwell as their latest target, with the Sky Blues open to selling the 32-year-old this summer.
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The Rams also saw a £1 million bid turned down for Bristol City’s Zak Vyner. It remains to be seen whether his future at Ashton Gate is resolved, but their attempt to land his services illustrates that Derby are targeting reinforcements across all areas of their squad.
Now, a familiar face could be set to link up with Eustace again at Pride Park as their recruitment drive accelerates ahead of the competitive kick-off.
Derby County set to re-sign David Ozoh
Taking to social media platform X, reliable reporter Percy of The Telegraph has confirmed that Derby County are set to re-sign midfielder David Ozoh on loan from Crystal Palace, with confirmation expected later this week.
The 20-year-old made 12 appearances during a loan spell last term, but a hamstring injury alongside muscular problems limited his chances of earning further minutes.
Nevertheless, Eustace has previously labelled Ozoh a “fantastic player” back in February, signalling that he will have every chance to shine under his stewardship despite his stint being cut short last time out due to fitness issues.
All parties now appear to be close to a deal and his parent club seem to be happy with the arrangement, which will enable the Valencia-born man to develop away from the spotlight of Premier League football.
More importantly, Derby will inherit a talented youngster determined to prove a point while also shoring up their midfield at little financial cost.
“It is important to give players freedom – that’s what I believe in – and not have a relationship of a head coach and a player”
S Sudarshanan22-Jul-20240:38
Gambhir: ‘Our responsibility to have Bumrah fresh for important games’
India made significant gains during the two-and-a-half-year period where Rahul Dravid was their head coach, making the finals of a world event in each of the three formats and winning the T20 crown. Now the focus is on building on those gains and the man leading them forward will be Gautam Gambhir, their new head coach, who understands he has “big shoes to fill”.Speaking to reporters for the first time in his new role, Gambhir touched on the way he wants to work with India’s players and what they can expect from him. “It is very simple,” he said on Monday in Mumbai. “It is important to give players freedom – that’s what I believe in – and not have a relationship of a head coach and a player.”The best relationship is one built on trust. The most important thing is they’ll always have my backing. I don’t complicate too many things. I am taking over a very, very successful team – India are T20 world champions, have been runners-up in the World Test Championship and the 50-overs World Cup.”Related
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Gambhir’s tenure begins on July 27 with India’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. This is his first time as head coach of a team, although he has served as a mentor in the IPL, with both Lucknow Super Giants and the reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders. In his playing days, he was an excellent opening batter with an international career that spanned 13 years and peaked with World Cup wins in 2007 and 2011.”My learning has been simple – it has been all about winning,” he said. “I don’t deviate from something. We are in a profession where there can be only one winner. We try and play fair, we try and play hard, and try and come back in a winning dressing room and a happy dressing room.”A happy dressing room is a winning dressing room. Ultimately it is the players’ team, the support staff is there to try and get the maximum out of their potential. Sometimes international cricket can be tough, it can be insecure as well because only 15 can be picked. It is the job of support staff to keep them happy.”For the tour of Sri Lanka, Gambhir will have Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coaches and Sairaj Bahutule as the bowling coach. T Dilip, so far, is the only one to reprise his role from the previous regime. He will be the fielding coach. The other support staff members, Gambhir said, will be finalised after the Sri Lanka tour.
“For batters, if they can play consistently and if they are in good form, [they] might as well play all the games. With Rohit and Virat now not playing T20 cricket, they only have two formats to look after. So they are going to be available for most of the games”Gautam Gambhir
In the past, Gambhir has not been an advocate of players picking and choosing matches. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both have been selected for the ODIs against Sri Lanka, with the former set to lead. This is one of only two ODI series India are slated to play ahead of the Champions Trophy early next year.Gambhir said that workload management is important for fast bowlers but batters need to play all games if they are fit and available.”Workload management for someone like Jasprit Bumrah is important,” Gambhir said. “For batters, if they can play consistently and if they are in good form, [they] might as well play all the games. With Rohit and Virat now not playing T20 cricket, they only have two formats to look after. So they are going to be available for most of the games.”For Bumrah, because he is one rare kind of a bowler who anyone would want [in their team], so it’s our responsibility to try and have him fresh for most of the important games. So, workload management for, not just Bumrah, but fast bowlers becomes very, very important.”
Tottenham Hotspur have Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze high on their list of attacking targets this summer, but Thomas Frank’s side have been told to consider one Chelsea star as a viable alternative to the England international.
Spurs’ serious interest in Eze isn’t exactly unfounded, with the former Arsenal academy man fresh off the back of another impressive campaign at Selhurst Park.
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He spearheaded Oliver Glasner’s men to their first ever major trophy at the back end of 2024/2025, scoring the FA Cup final-winning goal which clinched an historic 1-0 victory over Premier League heavyweights Man City at Wembley, and Palace are poised to enter Europe next season as a result of his heroics.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
In total, Eze racked up an outstanding 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, and the attacker’s form surely cannot be ignored by the footballing elite for much longer.
His £100,000-per-week pay packet at Palace is affordable, and could well be attractive to chairman Daniel Levy, who won’t be too keen on breaking Tottenham’s carefully organised wage structure, which allows them to be among the top-flight’s lowest-spending ‘big six’ clubs in terms of salary.
The ex-QPR star’s contract also includes a £68 million release clause, with reports suggesting that Tottenham are prepared to meet this asking price for Eze as the 26-year-old himself also eyes a move to north London.
However, Tottenham face fresh competition from arch rivals Arsenal for Eze’s signature (talkSPORT), so they might not have it all their own way.
In the event a deal cannot be done for him, Levy will need alternatives, and Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku could be one of them.
The £195,000-per-week Frenchman does command a hefty wage, but his stellar form at RB Leipzig and versatility makes him an attractive possibility. Nkunku can also play almost anywhere across the attacking line, including Eze’s positions as a CAM and on the left.
Commanding a price tag of around £59 million, the 27-year-old still managed 14 goals in all competitions last term despite hardly starting, which shows just how impactful the player can be.
Tottenham told to sign Eberechi Eze alternative in Christopher Nkunku
Former Spurs midfielder Steffen Freund, speaking to Hochgepokart, has certainly endorsed a potential move.
Freund believes that Tottenham’s potential signing of Nkunku could help to unlock Mathys Tel too, with the pundit urging Levy and co to consider a deal.
“Tottenham need another attacking option. I’d look at Christopher Nkunku if I were them – he can make the difference,” said Freund.
“He can play in behind the striker and up front, he’s already at Chelsea. He did an outstanding job at RP Leipzig; he’s currently underperforming but there’s a great player in there. Mathys Tel is a good signing, he can play up front, and, on the wing, he’d link up well with Nkunku.”
According to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Tottenham made an enquiry for Nkunku recently, so there has been concrete interest from N17 as well.
This could be one to keep an eye on, as competition is likely to heat up for Eze’s signature after his stellar season at Palace.
Tottenham Hotspur went into last weekend on something of an increasingly rare high.
For everything else that has gone wrong this season, the North Londoners had just secured their place in the Europa League Final, and therefore the chance to make this campaign a memorable one.
Unfortunately, the little positivity there among the crowd quickly disappeared as Ange Postecoglou oversaw yet another dismal showing in the Premier League, which ultimately ended in the club picking up their 20th league defeat in the competition.
Unsurprisingly, then, reports have continued to emerge linking the club with a host of new managers, including one who’s got Champions League experience and would be a massive upgrade on Postecoglou.
Tottenham's manager search
With the domestic campaign being as much of a disaster as it has this year, it’s hardly been a surprise that, in recent weeks anyway, there has been an avalanche of reports linking the club to a plethora of top managers, like Marco Silva and Simone Inzaghi.
Manager Focus
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Since taking charge of Fulham in 2021, the former has helped transform the Cottagers from a Championship side who’d come up and go straight back down on a regular basis into a comfortable mid-table side.
However, with little to no experience in managing a truly big club, the spotlight in North London could be a little too bright for the Portuguese coach.
In contrast, Inzaghi would be an incredible appointment down to his brilliant record with Lazio and Inter Milan, but due to the incredible work he’s done at the San Siro, it feels like hiring him is nothing more than a pipe dream.
So, this need to strike a balance between attainable and exciting might help explain the links to Roberto De Zerbi that have popped up in recent weeks.
For example, it was reported late last month that the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss is someone appreciated by many at Spurs, and then only last week, talkSPORT revealed that he’d be open to returning to the Premier League this summer.
It could be a complicated deal to get done, but one thing is certain: he’d be a significant upgrade on Postecoglou.
How De Zerbi compares to Postecoglou
So, if Spurs are able to convince the Italian coach that they’re the perfect club for him to take charge of ahead of next season, why would he do a better job than Postecoglou?
Well, the first thing to look at is their respective records in English football, as while the Australian has a marginally better one, it should be far greater given the size of Tottenham compared to Brighton and the nature of the latter constantly losing their biggest talents.
For example, the former Celtic manager has managed 98 games in England, of which his side has won 46, drawn 14 and lost 38, which comes out to a points-per-game average of 1.55 – a number seriously helped by the ten-game-winning streak from the start of last season.
Games (All Comps)
89
35
98
Wins
38
20
46
Draws
20
5
14
Losses
31
10
38
Points per Game
1.51
1.86
1.55
In contrast, the former Sassuolo boss managed to win 38 of his 89 games in charge of the Seagulls, drawing 20 and losing 31, which comes out to a points-per-game average of 1.51.
However, since moving to Marseille, the “genius” tactician, as dubbed by analyst Statman Dave, has overseen 20 wins, five losses and 10 defeats, which comes out to a far more impressive point-per-game average of 1.86.
Moreover, the fact he’s managed at a club as massive and intense as the French giants is another big plus; if he’s been able to cope with the pressures on the French Riviera, he’d be fine in North London – which hasn’t been the case for Postecoglou this year.
Finally, on top of doing well in France, the 45-year-old is often credited with being something of an innovator, with Pep Guardiola, of all people, describing him as “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years.”
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi
Ultimately, it now feels like there is no future for Ange at Spurs, and while he might not be as big a name as some would like, De Zerbi is the perfect combination of gettable, exciting and capable of handling big clubs.
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