Chelsea moved up to seventh in the Premier League table with an eye-catching 5-0 win over West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The Blues are above Manchester United on goal difference, ahead of their clash with Crystal Palace on Monday night, and are two points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United, with three matches left to play.

Mauricio Pochettino's side are still in with a chance to secure a place in a European competition for the 2024/25 campaign, but it remains to be seen whether they will land in the Europa Conference League or the Europa League.

Cole Palmer, Conor Gallagher, and Noni Madueke all scored during the first half to give the team a healthy advantage, before Nicolas Jackson struck twice in the second half to round out the 5-0 win.

The only starter outside of Dorde Petrovic and the back four who was not directly involved in a goal was Mykhailo Mudryk and Pochettino must now ruthlessly ditch the lightweight from the starting XI.

Mykhailo Mudryk's performance against West Ham

The Ukraine international was selected to start on the left side of the attack for the Blues at Stamford Bridge but failed to showcase his quality in the way that his teammates did.

Moises Caicedo registered an assist, Gallagher scored, Madueke produced a goal and an assist, Palmer scored, and Jackson scored two goals to go along with his assist, as the rest of Chelsea's midfield and attack outperformed Mudryk.

He did not make the most of his team's dominance in the game to play with freedom and display his attacking ability by taking players on and trying to make things happen, as the forward ended the match with one attempted dribble.

Minutes played

76

xG

0.34

Goals

0

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

Ground duels won

2/5

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old attacker did not have much of an impact on the game, with zero 'big chances' created and zero goals from 0.34 xG.

GOAL reporter Mark Doyle handed him a match rating of 5/10 and described the winger as the 'weak link' once again for the Blues, citing his safe play in possession – passing it backwards too often – as one of the reasons why it was such an underwhelming showing.

Mudryk ended the match with fewer touches (36) than the Chelsea goalkeeper Petrovic (46) and the fewest of any starter in the front for Pochettino, which speaks to his passive mentality during the game as he failed to go out in search of the ball in order to make things happen.

The Argentine head coach must now ditch the winger from the starting XI, as it was the latest disappointing showing in an underwhelming campaign from the young whiz.

Mykhailo Mudryk's Premier League season in numbers

Pochettino could, perhaps, excuse the odd poor performance if it was surrounded by impressive displays in other games, but that has not been the case for Mudryk.

The former Shakhtar Donetsk speedster has racked up just four goals and two assists in 29 appearances in the Premier League so far this season – an average of one goal or assist every 4.8 games.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the attacker does not rank within the top five in the Chelsea squad for goals, assists, shots per game, or key passes per game, which illustrates his lack of influence in the final third.

He ranks within the bottom 49% of wingers and attacking midfielders in the division for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.63), the bottom 34% for assists (0.13), and the bottom 40% for shots taken per 90 (2.07).

The Chelsea lightweight, who has lost 55% of his duels in the Premier League, has also been far too loose in possession of the ball to be considered a reliable operator.

Mudryk ranks within the bottom 7% of his positional peers in the top-flight for pass accuracy at just 67.3%, which shows that he is one of the most unreliable passers in the league.

His poor form throughout the season, with zero goals and zero assists in his last ten games, is why Pochettino must ditch the 'weak link' from the XI next time out against Nottingham Forest next Saturday.

The player Chelsea should replace Mykhailo Mudryk with

Christopher Nkunku made his return from injury off the bench against West Ham and, if fit, should be named in the lineup against the Tricky Trees.

The French forward has missed a staggering 39 matches through various injury issues, with hamstring, hip, and knee problems, and that has restricted his impact in London thus far.

He has only made eight appearances in the Premier League so far, two of which have come as a starter, and has scored two goals from 1.75 xG in that time.

It has possibly been frustrating for Pochettino and supporters that Nkunku has not been more readily available for selection, as two goals from two starts speaks to the untapped potential he has in a Chelsea shirt.

Appearances

25

Starts

20

xG

14.59

Goals

16

Assists

4

Big chances created

8

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old sensation arrived at Stamford Bridge off the back of a sublime campaign in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig last term.

He was directly involved in 20 goals in 20 league starts, compared to Mudryk's six involvements in 16 starts in the Premier League this term, and that speaks to his quality and consistency as an attacking player.

Nkunku ranks within the top 19% of forwards in the Men's Big 5 Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.53), and the top 6% for Expected Assisted Goals (0.25).

This shows that the former Bundesliga star does have the potential to be a terrific option for Pochettino to call upon if he is fit enough to play from the start next Saturday.

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If Nkunku can be selected to line up on the left of the attack, Pochettino must ditch Mudryk from the XI in order to hand the Frenchman an opportunity to shine.

After sacking David Wagner following play-off failure up against Leeds United, Norwich City are now reportedly one step away from signing their new manager and kicking off a new era at Carrow Road.

Norwich manager news

Wagner guided Norwich into the Championship's top six, before watching on as his side were eased out of the way by a dominant Leeds side in a 4-0 thrashing. Those in Norfolk then wasted no time before parting ways with their manager, with the club's sporting director Ben Knapper telling the official website: “David has operated with class and dignity throughout his period as Norwich City head coach, but we now feel that the time is right for us to move in a different direction.

“We remain committed to progressing our football club, in both the short and long-term, working through a diligent and thorough strategy. The appointment of a new head coach is an important one. We will now work and continue our due diligence with the view of making an appointment in the near future.”

That different direction has seemingly taken the Canaries towards Denmark too. According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Norwich are now one step away from signing Johannes Thorup from Nordsjaelland with his work permit accepted on Thursday. This will likely see the 35-year-old arrive to take charge of just the second club in his managerial career, pending the board's final decision.

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Nonetheless, his first two seasons in the dugout have certainly gone well, with Nordsjaelland finishing second in his first campaign before falling to fourth in his second, meaning that the Dane has never finished lower than the top four when taking charge of a senior side.

Thorup represents an exciting unknown

Norwich find themselves at a crossroads this summer. They're in no position to panic about Championship relegation, but promotion also seems a world away despite reaching the play-offs in the current campaign. And given that they've not been in the Premier League since 2022, they risk stagnation in England's second tier and away from their ability to bounce consistently up to the top flight.

Now is the time to try something new away from the same names and experienced managers. Now is the time to take a risk on a manager like Thorup. He's shown plenty of signs in Denmark that he has the potential to step up in the Championship, but at 35 years old, he will still need the time to build an ideal project at Carrow Road.

His preferred 4-3-3 attacking formation should add the excitement that Wagner lacked at times, whilst his connection with Nordsjaelland will hopefully create a pathway for talent to make their way to English football courtesy of Norwich. The Danish club are owned by the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana, which has produced the likes of West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus.

تحددت قبل قليل مجموعة فريق نادي العين الإماراتي في كأس العالم للأندية 2025، بعد إجراء مراسم قرعة البطولة الدولية.

وتستضيف الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية منافسات كأس العالم للأندية بمشاركة 32 فريقًا، خلال الفترة ما بين 15 يونيو حتى 13 يوليو من العام القادم.

ويشارك فريق العين الإماراتي ضمن ناديين عربيين يمثلان قارة آسيا، إذ يشارك في البطولة وإلى جواره الهلال السعودي.

كما يتواجد الأهلي على رأس الأندية المشاركة من قارة إفريقيا ومعه كل من الترجي التونسي والوداد المغربي وماميلودي صن داونز الجنوب إفريقي. تصنيف الأندية في كأس العالم للأندية 2025

التصينف الأول: مانشستر سيتي (إنجلترا)، ريال مدريد (إسبانيا)، بايرن ميونخ (ألمانيا)، باريس سان جيرمان (فرنسا)، سي آر فلامينجو (البرازيل)، سي بالميراس (البرازيل)، ريفر بليت (الأرجنتين). فلومينينسي (البرازيل).

“رقم غير مسبوق لـ الأهلي”.. زيادة هائلة في جوائز كأس العالم للأندية 2025

التصنيف الثاني: تشيلسي (إنجلترا)، بوروسيا دورتموند (ألمانيا)، إنترناسيونالي ميلانو (إيطاليا)، إف سي بورتو (البرتغال)، أتلتيكو مدريد. (إسبانيا)، بنفيكا (البرتغال)، يوفنتوس (إيطاليا)، سالزبورج (النمسا).

التصنيف الثالث: الهلال (المملكة العربية السعودية)، أولسان (كوريا الجنوبية)، الأهلي (مصر)، الوداد (المغرب). مونتيري (المكسيك)، كلوب ليون (المكسيك)، بوكا جونيورز (الأرجنتين)، بوتافوجو (البرازيل).

التصنيف الرابع: أوراوا ريد دايموندز (اليابان)، العين (الإمارات العربية المتحدة)، الترجي الرياضي التونسي (تونس)، ماميلودي صنداونز (جنوب إفريقيا)، باتشوكا (المكسيك)، سياتل ساوندرز (الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية)، أوكلاند سيتي (نيوزيلندا)، إنتر ميامي (الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية). نظام قرعة كأس العالم للأندية 2025

الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، أعلن قبل أيام قليلة عن تطبيق العديد من القيود خلال القرعة، أولها عدم تواجد فريقين من قارة واحدة في المجموعة ذاتها، وهو ما يعني أن الأهلي سيتجنب مواجهة صن داونز، الوداد والترجي.

وشدد فيفا على أنه قد تم استثناء قارة أوروبا التي يمثلها 12 ناديا من تلك القاعدة، ليتواجد ناديين أوروبيين في 4 مجموعات من أصل ثمانية.

بجانب تطبيق قاعدة التصنيف المزدوج بناءً على تصنيف الاتحاد القاري، وذلك لفرق الوعاء الأول عند توزيع مجموعاتها في كأس العالم للأندية.

وقرر فيفا أن يتواجد ممثلا الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وهما ناديي إنتر ميامي سي إف وسياتل ساوندرز إف سي في المجموعة الأولى والثانية على التوالي وفق تصنيفهما الرابع.

ويخوض فريق إنتر ميامي سي إف في المباراة الافتتاحية للبطولة على ملعب هارد روك في ميامي، بينما سيفتتح ساوندرز مشواره على ملعب لومين فيلد في سياتل، بعد ذلك بوقت قصير.

وشدد الاتحاد الدولي على أنه سيتم الانتهاء من الجدول الكامل للمباريات، بما في ذلك الملعب ووقت انطلاق كل مباراة، ونشره بمجرد إجراء القرعة. مجموعة العين في كأس العالم للأندية 2025

1- مانشستر سيتي (إنجلترا)

2- الوداد (المغرب)

3- العين (الإمارات)

4- يوفنتوس (إيطاليا)

Experienced middle-order batsman from Jamaica secures another chance in the Test arena

Sreshth Shah12-Jul-2020

Jermaine Blackwood in action•Getty Images

Who is Jermaine Blackwood?A 28-year-old middle-order batsman from Jamaica, Blackwood is a natural stroke maker, having played more than 100 first-class games in his career.He was the leading run-scorer in the 2013-14 domestic first-class season in West Indies, and on the back of that form, Blackwood made his Test debut in June 2014, during the home Test series against New Zealand, where he made 63 on debut.A regular in the side until the tour of Zimbabwe in October 2017, he made nine fifties and a hundred (against England, in 2015) but fell off the radar thereafter, having scored just 15 runs in his last five innings in that period, and been dropped by the side.Strong performances in the domestic first-class system kept Blackwood within touching distance of the West Indies first XI, but barring a brief appearance as a concussion substitute against India in 2019, he did not make the team until the first Test against England in Southampton.How did Blackwood make the cut for the first Test?Before the pandemic curtailed the 2020 first-class season in West Indies after eight matches, right-handed batsman Blackwood was the tournament’s highest run scorer, pummelling 768 runs in 15 innings for Jamaica, which included a double hundred against Leeward Islands in the tournament’s last match.Roger Harper, West Indies’ chairman of selectors said ahead of the tour that Blackwood marked a return to the side “on the sheer weight” of his first-class performances. Harper had also praised Blackwood’s “patience and consistency” in 2020.But Blackwood might not have featured in the series at all, had it not been for the decision made by Shimron Hetmyer and Darren Bravo to not tour England. That meant Blackwood made the 14-man squad for the Test series as a middle-order replacement for the players who did not travel. That said, Blackwood made only 62 runs in four innings during the tourists’ intra-squad warm-up games, and might have been the man left out if West Indies had opted to play a specialist spinner in Rahkeem Cornwall.What special relationship does Blackwood share with England?Blackwood’s only Test century came in 2015 when England were touring the Caribbean, and over 41% of his Test runs have come against them.Including his match-winning 95 in the fourth innings at Southampton, Blackwood has made three fifties and a hundred against England. His average of 55 against England is the best among all current West Indies players and stands behind only Lawrence Rowe, George Headley, Viv Richards, Brian Lara and Garry Sobers.His unbeaten 112 at North Sound in 2015 earned West Indies victory and his 85 in the third Test at Bridgetown set things up for the hosts before he hit the winning runs in the fourth innings.When West Indies toured England in 2017, Blackwood’s 79 at Birmingham was the lone contribution of note as West Indies slumped to defeat in the first Test after Alastair Cook pumped 243 in the first innings. After that, he made crucial contributions of 49 and 41 in the Headingley Test that followed, which West Indies won on the back of twin centuries from Shai Hope.And with an opportunity presented in 2020, Blackwood delivered again with a fourth-innings 95 to help West Indies navigate out of a tricky chase and help them take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.What’s changed in Blackwood’s game?Blackwood entered the Test series believing he had something to prove. Ahead of the series, he said that his new batting mantra was to “bat as long as possible” as he wished to change the “wrong impressions” people had of him.”It’s been two-and-a-half years that I’ve been out of the Test team,” Blackwood had said during the intra-squad warm-up game West Indies played before the first Test. “This opportunity has come out and I have to grab it with both hands. I have something to go out there and prove against all the best bowlers in the world, I want to score runs against them.”Before the squad flew out to England, Blackwood had stated what changes he had made to his game. “Right now, it’s a more determined Jermaine Blackwood and a more focused Jermaine Blackwood,” he said. “Being dropped helped me to go back and work on my game and my mental space, and to come back strong. It wasn’t anything too much to do with the technical aspect of batting, just some little tweaks. But the mental side, I had to change a bit. I did a lot of reading just to help my mental space going forward. That’s really helped me.”After the intra-squad game, he said: “It’s about patience for me, spending lots of time in the middle. That doesn’t say if I get a bad ball I won’t put it to the boundary. I don’t change too much of my shot selection. It’s just staying a bit more patient, batting a lot of deliveries – trying to bat for a whole day, or a day-and-a-half.”Blackwood did that magnificently against a hostile pace attack led by Jofra Archer on the final day of the Southampton Test. Despite falling just five runs short of a second Test hundred, his 95 was the first page of a new chapter in Blackwood’s Test career as West Indies took the series lead.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni says Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister missed training ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualifier.

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Mac Allister away for World Cup qualifiers with ArgentinaMidfielder scored in win against ChileMissed recovery training and is 'overloaded'WHAT HAPPENED?

Mac Allister was on the scoresheet for the world and South American champions as they beat Chile 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier but was withdrawn with a knock late in the game. Scaloni says the 25-year-old did not take part in training the day after, sparking concern among the Liverpool fanbase.

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Scaloni described Mac Allister as in "a lot of pain" and that he had been "overloaded" in recent months. The former Brighton maestro helped his country to back-to-back Copa America titles this summer before being thrown straight back into action by Arne Slot on Merseyside. It remains unclear whether the accomplished midfielder will be available for the match against Colombia on Tuesday.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mac Allister played in all but one of Argentina's Copa America matches in the US this summer. He grabbed two assists en route to the final as La Albiceleste asserted their dominance once again over the continent.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MAC ALLISTER?

The update on Mac Allister does not sound too optimistic and may cause him to withdraw from the squad and return to Liverpool. The Reds face Nottingham Forest on September 14 but there is no indication whether the midfielder will be fit and available.

The midfielder quietly became an alternative Premier League icon with his collection of sublime goals for Blackburn Rovers in the noughties

'The Barclays'. While the Premier League was technically sponsored by the aforementioned bank between 2001-16, the period which is so wistfully looked back upon by fans of a certain vintage is the first decade of the 2000s.

After its initial emergence in 1992, the English top flight enjoyed a secondary boom in popularity following the turn of the millennium, as overseas television deals and a secondary influx of foreign stars gave the league a truly global appeal. It played host to a number of the game's modern icons, too, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Didier Drogba among those who lit up the Premier League on a weekly basis.

When fans talk about 'The Barclays', though, it is not those household names they are referring to. Instead it is the players who were largely in the background when it came to being headline-grabbing, but were seen as key cogs in the Premier League machine by die-hard fans, while still able to produce moments of magic on occasion.

These players have come to be known as the 'Barclaysmen', but what made them so beloved, and what became of them once their Barclays life was over? Here at GOAL, we will endeavour to find out with our latest series, 'Ultimate Barclaysmen'.

When you think of ultimate 'Barclaysman', one name in particular springs to mind: Blackburn Rovers legend Morten Gamst Pedersen. Quite simply, he ticks all the boxes: a back catalogue of outrageous goals, a cannon of a left foot, a mop of highlighted blonde hair, adidas Predators and a storied career with one of the Premier League's unfancied sides. A man with one of the best highlight reels around, Pedersen is an alternative icon.

GettyWhere he came from

The true mark of a 'Barclaysman' is someone who emerged out of nowhere, captured the imagination in the Premier League and then faded into obscurity as soon as they left British shores, and that was certainly the case for Pedersen.

Hailing from the small Norwegian town of Vadso, which has a population of just 6,000 and is located within the Arctic Circle, Pedersen's breakthrough came at Tromso in his homeland, where he would spend the first four years of his senior career. Something of a late bloomer, he was already 22 when Blackburn came calling in 2004.

The £2.5 million transfer was prompted by Pedersen's fine form for the Eliteserien side, where he had scored seven times in the first half of the March-to-November season alone. He made the switch to the Premier League in August, with Blackburn and then-manager Graeme Souness still looking to replace Damien Duff, who had joined Chelsea a year earlier.

Pedersen joined Rovers among a host of other notable Blackburn 'Barclaysmen' that summer, including the likes of Ryan Nelson, Robbie Savage and Aaron Mokoena.

AdvertisementBarclays highlights

Pedersen's start to life in the Premier League was far from memorable as he struggled for minutes after Souness was replaced by Mark Hughes in September 2004, but that would all change in early 2005 as he forced his way into the team with three goals in as many games and effectively made himself un-droppable.

With his smiley demeanour, blonde highlights, classy technique and traction engine of a left foot, Pedersen would go on to become a cult hero at Blackburn and one of the finest midfield players outside of the established top six at the time. Dubbed the 'Norwegian David Beckham', outrageous goals became his trademark, and in nine years at Ewood Park he put together quite the repertoire.

The standouts among his substantial back catalogue include a thunderous volley on the run against Fulham in August 2005 and a match-winning brace against Manchester United at Old Trafford the following month, coming in the form of a direct free-kick and an emphatic finish into the roof of Edwin van der Sar's goal. That performance is widely considered to be his best in the Rovers shirt.

He wasn't just all about spectacular goals, though – he 'had that dog in him', too. The winger developed a reputation for playacting and was capable of rubbing opponents up the wrong way, once clashing with now-Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta against Everton and even taking a punch in the gut from ex-Newcastle man Joey Barton.

Despite playing for an often-middling Blackburn team for the best part of a decade, Pedersen made a creditable 75 goal contributions in 259 Premier League appearances for the Lancashire side, with 2006-07 his most productive season as he scored 11 times and laid on eight more.

Getty'Morten is up there with Beckham'

The main reason Pedersen is remembered so fondly by noughties football aficionados is undoubtedly his ball-striking ability, with the midfielder capable of unleashing rockets off both feet. He didn't actually start developing his famous left until the age of 15, when his father noted that there were too many right-footed players coming through in Norway.

His reputation as one of the cleanest strikers of a ball in Premier League history is no fluke, then – coming as result of countless hours of practice on the training pitch. "We have just highlighted certain things to Morten and he has worked on it," ex-manager Hughes said in 2007. "He works extremely hard after training every day, hitting numerous balls into the net, with or without 'keepers in goal. David Beckham was one of the best set-piece experts in my time at Manchester United and Ryan Giggs before him, but I would say Morten is up there with David."

Pedersen was something of a trailblazer – a fleet-footed technician in an era when the Premier League was all about power and physicality, before the days of David Silva and Eden Hazard, loyally plying his trade for a club the size of Blackburn for the peak years of his career. "I like to try different things," he told UEFA back in 2005. "In some parts of the game it's not the thing to do, but when you have time you can maybe try something. I like to play with the ball and give something back to the crowd. It's fun to try things but you have to be at the right place at the right time."

He also endeared himself to Barclays followers with his cheery manner, seemingly joying every single second out on the pitch. "I always have a smile on my face, off the pitch as well," he said. "That's a part of me, a smile and a good mood."

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GettyMoving on

After nine years of loyal service, Pedersen's Blackburn career arguably came to its natural conclusion back in 2013, but he didn't actually want to leave the club.

Rovers had been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2011-12 campaign and the 31-year-old had admirably gone down with Rovers amid top-flight interest. However, despite providing seven assists in the Championship the following season without being a regular starter, he was told he could move on in August 2013.

It was reported at the time that his preference was to stay, but he wanted regular game time and that was not forthcoming at Ewood Park. Financial constraints following their relegation also meant Blackburn needed to trim their wage bill, putting relatively high-earner Pedersen in the firing line.

"There is no big issue. Morten is a top, top professional who wants to play football," ex-Blackburn chief executive Derek Shaw said at the time. "He has found himself out of the team and we will do anything we can to assist a move. You don't meet people as professional as Morten too often and he is a man who wants to play football."

The agent of a Manchester United target described as a "monster" was "in attendance" to watch the defeat to Arsenal over the weekend, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils were beaten 1-0 at home to the Gunners on Sunday afternoon, with a woeful season at Old Trafford now thankfully having just one game remaining in it. Huge changes are needed within the squad during the summer transfer window, and it could even be that Erik ten Hag's days are numbered, too.

Many players are being linked with summer moves to United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly keen on acquiring the services of Manchester City defender Yan Couto, which could be controversial, given the rivalry between the two clubs. The 21-year-old has been on loan at high-flying Girona this season, bagging eight assists in 33 appearances in La Liga and helping them to second place in the table.

If Ten Hag does stay on as manager, he could target some former players, and it is believed that he is "crazy" about the idea of snapping up Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. The pair worked together effectively as Ajax, coming within seconds of reaching the 2019 Champions League final.

Benfica ace Joao Neves has been linked with United a number of times throughout this season, arguably being considered one of Europe's most exciting young midfielders – he has a £100m release clause in his current deal.

Man Utd target's agent spotted at Old Trafford

Taking to X, Romano claimed that Manchester United target Benjamin Sesko's agent was at Old Trafford to watch the weekend loss against Arsenal: "Benjamin Sesko’s agent was in attendance at Old Trafford for Manchester United-Arsenal. Here’s Elvis Basanovic posting from the stadium ahead of summer transfer window."

This is further evidence to suggest that Sesko is a genuine target ahead of the summer window, with the RB Leipzig star a young striker with an enormous amount of potential. Various reports have suggested that United could sign him at the end of the season, and his agent being present at Old Trafford will only add to the rumours.

Still only 20 years of age, he has already achieved so much in the game, scoring 11 goals in 27 caps for Slovenia, and also a combined 46 times for RB Salzburg and Leipzig. Journalist Sripad has even compared him to Napoli superstar Victor Osimhen.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to sign “superb” £35m Man City player for Man Utd

This could be a controversial move…

By
Tom Cunningham

May 13, 2024

In Rasmus Hojlund, United already have an excellent young centre forward of whom big things are expected, but Sesko could come in and provide competition and ease the burden on the Norwegian. To have two exciting attacking options to lead the line would increase both depth and quality in the squad, with the Leipzig star coming in as a direct replacement for Anthony Martial.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após a vitória por 2 a 1 sobre o Vasco, que valeu a classificação ás quartas de final da Copa do Brasil, o elenco do São Paulo ‘vira a chave’ para a disputa do Campeonato Brasileiro, competição em que a equipe enfrenta o Athletico-PR, no sábado (07), às 18h, na Arena da Baixada.

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Para evitar um desgaste físico, os jogadores que iniciaram a partida contra o Cruzmaltino fizeram somente atividades físicas no hotel em que a delegação está hospedada, no Rio de Janeiro. O São Paulo ficou em solo carioca e viaja para Curitiba na sexta-feira.

– Ativação pós-classificação! Os atletas que iniciaram a partida contra o Vasco fizeram trabalhos físicos no hotel no Rio de Janeiro, na tarde desta quinta-feira, sob a supervisão do preparador Pedro Campos – escreveu o clube paulista nas redes sociais.

💪😃 Ativação pós-classificação!

Os atletas que iniciaram a partida contra o Vasco fizeram trabalhos físicos no hotel no Rio de Janeiro, na tarde desta quinta-feira, sob a supervisão do preparador Pedro Campos.#VamosSãoPaulo 🇾🇪 pic.twitter.com/WgxxefMxYn

— São Paulo FC (@SaoPauloFC) August 5, 2021

Vale ressaltar que a comissão técnica vem ficando preocupada com as recentes lesões. William, Luciano, Eder e Marquinhos estão no departamento médico e correm contra o tempo para voltarem a estar à disposição de Crespo para os jogos decisivos na temporada.

A £55 million player's representatives have contacted Chelsea chiefs in the last few days, as momentum builds over Enzo Maresca's side bidding for him this summer.

Maresca makes Chelsea transfer requests as arrival confirmed

The Italian was officially confirmed as Mauricio Pochettino's replacement on Monday, with a new era now beginning at Stamford Bridge after co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart chose Maresca as their standout managerial candidate.

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The former Man City coach, who worked under Pep Guardiola as part of his backroom staff, reportedly beat the likes of Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna and Brentford's Thomas Frank in the race to become Chelsea's new manager.

Maresca guided Leicester City to automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking with Leicester City last season, winning the Championship title in the process, and his success at the King Power has earned him the step-up to Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca's record at Leicester City last season

The numbers (via Transfermarkt)

Games managed

53

Wins

36

Draws

4

Losses

13

Points per game on average

2.11

The 44-year-old, according to some reports, has already made specific transfer requests behind the scenes. Maresca has held discussions with Chelsea chiefs over the summer window, and it is believed he's floated some desired signings.

Maresca is a real fan of Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, alongside other stars, with defender Tosin Adarabioyo set to become Chelsea's first signing under their new manager on a Bosman deal from Fulham.

The west Londoners are chasing a prolific new forward this summer, and one who can lead Maresca's front line to provide that extra cutting edge. Chelsea were heavily reliant on Cole Palmer last term, and while Nicolas Jackson showed bags of potential, there are still concerns as to whether he is ready to be the vocal point of their attack.

They've been heavily linked with RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, coming after the Slovenia international netted 18 goals in all competitions over 2023/2024.

Sesko's agents contact Chelsea this week with Maresca bid likely

As per TEAMtalk, Sesko's agents have contacted Chelsea in the last few days as momentum builds for a bid being placed.

His release clause stands at a tempting £55 million, which is far less than the reported clauses in both Victor Osimhen's (£115m) or Viktor Gyokeres' (£86m) contracts, and that may well shoot Sesko up Maresca's list of transfer priorities.

However, Chelsea will have to compete with London rivals Arsenal for the 6ft 5 star's signature, as Emirates Stadium insiders believe they're one quality striker away from winning the Premier League and are seriously interested in Sesko as well.

Mikel Arteta's side are still thought to be in a strong position to sign the centre-forward, with it clear the two clubs are set to do battle for him.

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), hosts of this year’s IPL, is hopeful of at least some fan presence in the stands during the matches. The ECB is finalising preparations to host the IPL from September 19 after India’s struggle to contain the Covid-19 surge prompted its relocation.While it will be impossible to create the usual carnival-like atmosphere in the stands, the ECB is hoping it would not be a totally-behind-closed-doors affair as is the norm during the pandemic.”As hosts, Emirates Cricket Board will work closely with the authorities to seek approval on what protocols need to be followed, this includes fan attendance,” ECB general secretary Mubashshir Usmani said by email. “We will then discuss with the BCCI to assess their spectator requirements.”We want our Asian diaspora, as well as the other expat and Emirati sports-loving fans to be able to watch the action from the stands.”ALSO READ: UAE board looking to fill ’30-50%’ of the stadiums with spectatorsThe 53-day tournament will be played across three venues – Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi – with the final scheduled for November 10.It is not the first time that the eight-team competition will be held outside India. The 2009 edition took place in South Africa as it coincided with India’s general elections and the UAE hosted the early matches of the tournament five years later for the same reason.”Having hosted the 2014 IPL our team is well aware of the requirements to deliver on a successful event,” Usmani said. “We have a very capable team who has an exceptionally strong cricket-administration pedigree… We are very confident in delivering a successful tournament.”