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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed Declan Rice is available to face Crystal Palace after missing their Carabao Cup win over the Eagles.

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• Rice missed Palace cup game
• Arteta issues update on Rice
• Arsenal face Eagles again

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international missed Arsenal's 3-2 Carabao Cup win over Palace at the Emirates in midweek due to a minor injury. However, the club and manager Arteta have confirmed both Rice and defender Riccardo Calafiori are fit for the Premier League clash at Selhurst Park this weekend.

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  WHAT MIKEL ARTETA SAID

  Arteta told reporters on Friday: "They [Rice and Calafiori] are both available to be in the squad."

  The club added that defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu both remain sidelined with their respective knee injuries, while left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko could be available.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Arsenal cannot afford to fall further behind Premier League pacesetters Liverpool and Chelsea, with the Gunners six and four points back respectively. And having Calafiori and Rice back fit is a big boost for Arteta's men.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  After taking on Palace on Saturday, third-placed Arsenal return to the Emirates next Friday to host lowly Ipswich Town in the Premier League.

While the Premier League starts on Friday night, Manchester United's season began on Saturday with a closely fought loss to Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Erik ten Hag's side may have come out of the match empty-handed, but they looked competitive, and with several signings expected to join in the coming weeks, they could be in for a successful campaign.

The biggest name set to join Sir Jim Ratcliffe's revolution is Matthijs De Ligt, but another name recently touted for a surprise transfer to Old Trafford is Sander Berge.

The Norwegian midfielder is a talented player, but it could be argued that he's not of the level to help take the club forward, which is why fans should be excited about recent reports which have now linked a far more impressive midfielder with the Red Devils.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, United are now targeting AS Monaco's Youssouf Fofana.

The report claims that Ten Hag is now prioritising a move for a new number six, and one of the players the club is looking at is Fofana, who has been impressing for Les Monégasques for years.

However, Ratcliffe and Co will need to present a compelling case to the 25-year-old, as the report has revealed that he is currently leaning towards a move to Italian giants AC Milan.

The potential price is not mentioned in the story, but reports from last week revealed that a fee of around £30m should be enough to complete the deal. While that's not an insignificant amount of money, if the club could bring in Fofana over Berge, it would be worth it.

How Fofana compares to Berge

Okay, so while both players are primarily central and defensive midfielders, let's kick off this comparison by looking at their raw output, as while their main job will be to help out with defensive work and breaking up the opposition's attack, in the modern game they'll be expected to help out in attack themselves at points.

In this battle, it's an easy win for Fofana, as in his 35 appearances for Monaco last season, he scored four goals and provided four assists, equating to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 4.37 games.

In contrast, Berge could not provide much attacking impetus for Burnley last year, scoring just two goals and providing two assists in 40 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every ten games.

Okay, how about their underlying numbers, then? When we compare what's going on under the hood, is the Frenchman again the clear winner?

Unsurprisingly, in practically every relevant metric, the Paris-born "monster," as data analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed him, comes out ahead, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, shots and shots on target, key passes, passes into the final third and penalty area and shot and goal-creating actions all per 90.

Moreover, even in the slightly closer fought defensive metrics, the former Strasbourg ace does well, blocking more passes, making more interceptions, completing more ball recoveries and making fewer errors that lead to an opponent's shot, also per 90.

Ultimately, whether by pure output or their underlying numbers, it's clear that Fofana is a vastly superior midfielder to Berge. Therefore, if United have the opportunity to sign him for around £30m this summer, they must take it, as he'd be a brilliant addition to Ten Hag's side.

After Mazraoui: Man Utd in talks to sign "electric" upgrade on Luke Shaw

Manchester United could solve their ongoing left back issues with this buy.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 11, 2024

Viktoria Plzen boss Miroslav Koubek admitted that they deliberately targeted Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana.

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• Onana's mistake allowed Plzen to score
• Hosts persistent in pressing the keeper
• Koubek instructed his players to test Onana

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Plezn's approach paid off as Onana’s mistake led to the opening goal of the match on Thursday night. Just two minutes into the second half, Onana attempted to initiate play from the back, but Pavel Sulc intercepted his pass. He then quickly laid the ball across the box for Matej Vydra who found the back of the net with ease, giving the home side a surprising lead.

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  WHAT KOUBEK SAID

  Speaking after the game, Koubek confirmed to reporters that Plzen’s plan was to exploit Onana’s vulnerabilities.

  "Yes, that was our tactic," he said. "I told them to shoot from every viable opportunity."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Koubek’s tactical gamble almost paid off handsomely, but Plzen failed to hold on to their advantage, ultimately succumbing to United’s determined response with Rasmus Hojlund scoring a brace to bail out his team-mate. After two consecutive defeats in the Premier League, it was a welcome victory for Ruben Amorim, who is yet to implement his vision and philosophy at Carrington after a month of taking charge.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The latest error comes just days after Onana faced criticism for his performance in Manchester United’s 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest. In that game, United found themselves trailing early to a second-minute strike by Nikola Milenkovic. Although Hojlund once again came to United’s rescue with an equaliser, Onana’s inability to keep out Morgan Gibbs-White’s long-range effort in the second half helped give Forest the win. The England international’s speculative shot appeared to deceive Onana, who misjudged the trajectory as it flashed past him into the net.

With less than a fortnight until Everton's Premier League season kicks off with the visit of Brighton & Hove Albion, the Toffees are still in the market for a new midfielder to fill the void left by a departing star.

Everton eye potential Onana replacements

The big news out of Goodison Park this summer has been the departure of midfielder Amadou Onana. The Belgium international had been a vital part of Sean Dyche's side last season, however a £50million move saw the 22-year-old join fellow premiership side Aston Villa.

Offer made: Everton submit £6.8m bid to sign new 22 y/o ace this summer

He could be astute addition for Sean Dyche.

By
Henry Jackson

Aug 4, 2024

With a hole in their midfield and a significant windfall in their pockets, the Toffees are now on the hunt for Onana's successor on Merseyside. The latest rumours have linked Everton with a move for out of favour Manchester City star Kalvin Phillips. A recent development suggests that the Toffees are now leading the race for the former England international, who is set to be shown the door at the Etihad this summer.

Another name on Everton's shortlist is Habib Diarra, who enjoyed a successful season with Ligue 1 side Strasbourg last term. The 20-year-old is valued at around £29million by the French outfit meaning that it would take up a significant chunk of the Onana money to get the deal over the line.

With Everton eager to have a new midfielder on the books before the start of the season, it appears that the club are in active talks to bring a former Liverpool man back to Merseyside.

Toffees continue talks for Arthur Melo

As reported by Sport Witness, the Italian press are claiming that Everton are in ongoing discussions over a deal for Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo. The outlet claims that the Toffees are joined by Leicester City in these talks as both sides attempt to ascertain whether the Brazilian would be interested in a move to the Premier League.

Everton have been linked with a move for the 27-year-old for much of the summer, with the Toffees now in active talks to bring the player to Goodison Park. The report by Sport Witness states that Arthur's name is on the list of players not in the plans of new Juventus coach Thiago Motta, meaning that he is likely to be leaving Turin before the window closes.

Much of the Goodison faithful will remember Arthur from his disastrous loan spell at neighbours Liverpool that saw the Brazilian make just one appearance for the club. Despite this, the 27-year-old is still a talented player with even Jürgen Klopp singing the player's praises upon his arrival at Anfield: "What does he bring? He's a really good footballer – I think we all agree on that.

"He gives rhythm, he can give rhythm, he's a really good passer, has speed with the ball, safe on the ball and, how I said, can demand rhythm, which is pretty important, really good in tight areas – all these kind of things. I like it a lot."

With a new midfielder still high on Everton's list of priorities, the Toffees could do a lot worse than signing a player with Arthur's experience this summer, a Brazil international who joined Juventus for an initial £62m who may simply need a fresh start.

Liverpool and Manchester City target Martin Zubimendi has picked up a 'serious' injury which could affect the two Premier League sides' January plans.

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• Zubimendi rejected Liverpool in the summer
• Man City also interested in the midfielder
• Zubimendi picks up 'serious' injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Zubimendi was a major target for Liverpool in the summer as the Reds looked to bring in a defensive midfielder, however, the Spain star decided to stay put with his boyhood club. Manchester City have joined the race to sign the Spaniard in January as they look to replace the injured Rodri amid their inconsistent form.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However, Zubimendi has now picked up what has been described as a serious injury while playing with Real Sociedad in their 3-0 win against Leganes. After suffering a blow to his back, Zubimendi was in clear pain, he signalled to the bench and was quickly replaced by Jon Ander Olasagasti. La Real boss Imanol Alguacil has now opened up on his back injury.

• WHAT ALGUACIL SAID

  Speaking to the media, Alguacil said: "Zubimendi and Aihen Munoz asked me to change them, and it seems serious."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ZUBIMENDI?

  However, it is reported bythat Zubimendi will only miss two to three weeks of action and return for Real Sociedad's last two league games of the calendar year. As such, it is possible that Liverpool and Manchester City's plans are not hindered.

Chelsea are closing in on another signing this summer after agreeing a £17m+ deal for the next exciting talent out of Brazil, according to recent reports.

Chelsea building for the future

It has been a strange two years since Todd Boehly's arrival at Stamford Bridge, with much of the first team sold off to fund moves for future gems.

Significant sums have been spent on players who are either yet to join or who have been sent out on loan for the most part, with only Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto, Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu likely to be part of Enzo Maresca's squad for the upcoming Premier League season from the teenagers signed.

The method is yet to truly bear fruit either, with Chelsea finishing in a Europa Conference League spot last season despite five straight wins to end the season, a finish that saw them part ways with manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Meanwhile, homegrown talents are being sold off to make space for the additions; Ian Maatsen has joined Aston Villa this summer and Conor Gallagher is on the verge of joining Atletico Madrid, while Trevoh Chalobah continues to be ostracised from the squad amid reports he could leave the club too.

Chelsea agree deal for "Neymar-esque" forward

Chelsea have reportedly finally agreed a deal to sign 16-year-old Brazilian talent Gabriel Mec from Gremio. The attacker is yet to make a senior appearance for Gremio, and has just six U20 appearances to his name, registering one goal in the process.

However, he is already widely touted as a future superstar; Football analyst Ben Mattinson described him as "a 2-footed, skilful Brazilian attacker" with a "Neymar-esque play-style" on X. He tends to play in the wide areas or as a number 10, but it is added that "wherever he plays he’ll drop deeper or central to receive the ball".

Boehly now working to sell "the future of Chelsea" after £21m signing

The west Londoners have offered him out across Europe.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 3, 2024

Now, the same outlet that broke Chelsea's initial interest in the teenager have claimed that a deal has been agreed, with the Blues ready to pay in excess of 20m euros (£17m) with add-ons included.

Meanwhile, other reports claim Mec is "open to the move" to Stamford Bridge, where he would join a growing contingent of Brazilian youngsters with Estevao already set to make his way to west London to join Angelo and Andrey Santos.

Of course, Mec can not leave Brazil until he turns 18, which will see him head across the Atlantic in the summer of 2026 to join his new club. If he lives up to the weight of expectation that surrounds him, he could prove an excellent piece of business for the Blues, albeit at the cost of their current squad.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that the press are targeting him too much after Los Blancos' slow start to the season.

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• Real Madrid suffer poor start to the season
• Ancelotti's future at Real Madrid questioned
• Italian boss claims media taking shots at him

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid were looking to follow up their La Liga and Champions League double with a strong start to the season, however, that has not been the case for Ancelotti's side as they have struggled for form and balance in the side after Kylian Mbappe's introduction to the squad. The 15-time European champions are four points off Barcelona in the La Liga standings and sit in 24th in the Champions League league stage standings, which is the last place that will achieve qualification to the playoff stage.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Real Madrid's poor form has put into question whether Ancelotti is the right man to bring the club back into form as he has been unable to bring the required balance into the team, with cracks seeming to open up in the dressing room as well. The Italian coach has now criticized the Spanish press for their constant criticism and claimed that they take 'too many shots' at him.

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  WHAT ANCELOTTI SAID

  Speaking to the media, Ancelotti said: “It’s normal because the team is not showing its best version, it’s criticism I have to accept, and as always happens in football, the manager is the one most responsible. That said, I think you are taking too many shots at me. Maybe you are tired of me. But I am not tired of this job. The criticism is acceptable, and I understand, also it’s worth noting that the stress can also be fuel for a reaction.”

  Ancelotti was later asked whether some of those shots at him in the media were justified, to which he added: “Your shots? You’re the one taking shots? Because sometimes I read them. I don’t live in another world, I live in this world, and I read. I read the criticism sometimes, and I note the journalist but I am not able to connect the journalist’s name with their face, so I need the press to give me a list of their names and their faces,” he said laughing.

  “As I said, when there is criticism, there has to be some truth behind it. Now if you’re asking me which shots annoy me most, some yes, some do annoy me. It affects, sometimes, your identity. Because I don’t mind when it’s I made a bad change, a bad line-up, that affects the professional side.

  “But when it affects your identity, what you are, who you are, that’s what annoys me. It’s the difference between saying you’ve said something stupid, or you’re stupid. It’s different.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR ANCELOTTI?

  The Real Madrid boss has agreed that there is cause for concern after the start that his side have had, however, the Italian has also claimed that there is no need to write off the season just yet. He added: "It’s normal, it’s not a funeral, we’re still in the fight. We have to have optimism that we can solve the problems that we have had. We have a good squad with quality. So we have to be optimists."

The Frenchman's fifth goal in four matches sent Enzo Maresca's side on their way to another European victory.

Christopher Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk got the goals as Chelsea kept their perfect Conference League record intact with a 2-0 win at Heidenheim on Thursday, but it was Jadon Sancho who deserved most credit for the victory.

Sancho created both goals with excellent crosses in the second half, overcoming a quiet start to tee up Nkunku and Mudryk for fine finishes as the Blues put the first blemish on the hosts' own record in the competition.

The German side had a few chances to hurt the Blues, in part thanks to some questionable displays from the likes of Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile, but they came up against a superb shot stopper in Filip Jorgensen. They were also frustrated to see two goals chalked off.

Chelsea had the upper hand for the majority of the game, with Marc Guiu showing a lot of promise early on but he failed to deliver. It was left to Nkunku to break the deadlock when his outstretched leg met Sancho's cross and the forward added a composed finish.

The game appeared to be fading out when a smart combination from Sancho and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ended with the winger's excellent ball back to Mudryk to send it into the top corner.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the Voith-Arena…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Filip Jorgensen (8/10):

  Pulled off some excellent saves to keep Heidenheim at bay.

  Renato Veiga (7/10):

  Was aways looking to get forward to add energy to Chelsea's moves.

  Benoit Badiashile (5/10):

  Booked right at the beginning of a shaky display for the centre-back.

  Tosin Adarabioyo (6/10):

  Made some passes to help Chelsea get forward but was a bit erratic at times.

  Axel Disasi (6/10):

  A bit of a hectic display as he gave plenty away, but made the challenge that kickstarted the move for the goal.

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  Midfield

  Mykhailo Mudryk (7/10):

  Tried his best to create some danger but failed to connect to his team-mates a few times before a lovely finish to make it 2-0.

  Cesare Casadei (6/10):

  Looked uncomfortable in his role and needed more support. Ended up being sent off with a second yellow late on.

  Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (7/10):

  Made some poor decision making and bad passes but had a role in the build up for both goals.

  Jadon Sancho (8/10):

  Kept quiet in the first half despite his efforts to get the ball forward, but got the assist for Nkunku and looked more dangerous afterwards. His excellent work created the second.

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  Attack

  Christopher Nkunku (7/10):

  Lively throughout and was rewarded with the goal after a fantastic first touch but he should have had a second.

  Marc Guiu (5/10):

  Had a bright start with good runs and smart positioning, but his finishing let him down.

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  Subs & Manager

  Joao Felix (5/10):

  Didn't have impact after replacing Guiu beyond a good pass to tee up Nkunku for a wasted effort.

  Carney Chukwuemeka (5/10):

  Put a good ball in but couldn't connect with a team-mate.

  Samuel Rak-Sakyi (N/A):

  Had no time to impact the game.

  Tyrique George (N/A):

  Came on in the final minutes.

  Enzo Maresca (6/10):

  His side got over the line but gave away too many chances and the coach will be concerned by some of his players' performances.

The hope and expectation is that Enzo Maresca will instil his philosophy into a talented Chelsea team that had raised its game toward the end of the 2023/24 campaign and that the Blues will return to prominence.

It's been a painful few seasons for the west Londoners, who have become so used to sustained silver-laden successes over the past few years, only to fall by the wayside since Todd Boehly and Co assumed ownership in 2021.

But Mauricio Pochettino's one-year reign seems to have stabilised Stamford Bridge after a previous campaign of turbulence and turmoil. Maresca has inherited a talented if unrefined team and has ventured to score improvements thus far through the £30m signing of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in midfield and centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, who joined on a Bosman after his contract with Fulham expired last month.

Presently, the Blues are moving to sign Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen in a £20m deal, but once that one's tied up, Chelsea will move to address the frontline.

While the search for a high-level centre-forward rages on, sporting director Paul Winstanley is keeping tabs on an attacking midfielder whose arrival could make all the difference at the start of a new era.

Chelsea transfer news

According to Spanish outlet Sport – via Caught Offside – Chelsea are interested in signing RB Leipzig winger Dani Olmo this summer, with the Spaniard having been one of the standout performers at Euro 2024.

A host of outfits – including both Manchester giants in the Premier League – are interested in a move, with the expiry of Olmo's €60m (£51m) release clause doing little to dissuade suitors.

The Spain international, aged 26, will be allowed to leave for a figure in the same region, and with Chelsea in the market for a dynamic wide forward, he could be just the man for the job.

What Dani Olmo would bring to Chelsea

Olmo endured something of an injury-hit campaign with Leipzig after playing a crucial part in two DFB Pokal-winning seasons prior, but he still managed to impress with a prolific haul of eight goals and five assists across 20 starting appearances.

And of course, the £152k-per-week forward played a significant part in Spain's triumph on the continent this summer, with pundit Ally McCoist praising his "magnificent" displays.

The former Barcelona academy star's performances for his country last month probably serve as a better, more apt representation of his technical acumen than his efforts over the last year for Leipzig, and with injury issues seemingly behind him, Chelsea must start to ramp up the gas and prepare to bypass the competition for his signature.

His silky-smooth passing game and prowess as a "natural-born goalscorer" – as said by former La Masia coach Denis Silva Puig – could see Olmo emulate Cole Palmer at Stamford Bridge, with FBref actually listing the two attacking midfielders as comparable players.

Olmo's Spain bested England in the Euro 2024 final but Palmer certainly did his bit, slicing a driven strike into the bottom corner to restore parity in the second half, before the Three Lions ultimately rolled on their back. It was a fitting seasonal finale for a player who had posted 25 goals and 15 assists across 45 outings in his maiden season with Chelsea.

Olmo, who can operate across the frontline, could be the perfect addition to complete Maresca's set, with his skillset possibly even serving to unlock the talent of Christopher Nkunku, who did not enjoy the same kind of debut Blues term as his peer, Palmer.

Imagine Olmo & Christopher Nkunku

Chelsea confirmed the £52 signing of Nkunku from Leipzig back in June 2023, with the France international having enjoyed an incredible couple of years in Saxony, Germany. Indeed, across the two seasons prior, he had scored 58 goals and added 29 assists in this time frame, proving to be quite the effective striker.

Injuries absolutely wrecked his first year on English shores, however, limiting him to just 11 outings and two starts in the Premier League – still, he bagged three goals.

Having enjoyed a summer of recuperation, missing out on France's Euro 2024 squad due to such issues, Nkunku has now expressed that he is "feeling better" ahead at another shot at success with Chelsea.

Bonding him with Olmo – who he wreaked havoc within Germany – once again could prove to be the perfect way to steady the ship, with the duo combining for 13 goal contributions at Leipzig, the joint-most of any of Nkunku's career colleagues.

Nkunku is also much more than just a goalscorer; across the 2022/23 campaign, in the Bundesliga, he ranked among the top 1% of forwards for shot-creating actions and pass completion, the top 13% for progressive passes and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Chemistry. It's an all-important word in football; the elite-level outfits have it in spades. Chelsea, admittedly, lacked that steel-reinforced bond throughout their attack last term, with only Liverpool (79) missing more big chances than Pochettino's side last year (73).

Olmo and Nkunku could dig up their former fluency in Germany and strike a chord under Maresca's wing, propelling Chelsea back into the ascendancy and restoring that trophy-winning feeling that feels to have dragged on for an interminable amount of time.

Imagine him & Palmer: Chelsea can land £152k-p/w ace who's like Bellingham

The star has caught the attention of multiple sides across Europe this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 27, 2024

Jack Grealish has confirmed he's "back" in action for Manchester City after a spell on the sidelines that also saw him miss out on England duty.

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• Grealish pulled out of the Three Lions squad
• Had been nursing a groin injury since late October
• Has returned to training after successful recovery

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Grealish was notably absent from Manchester City’s Champions League squad in late October during their clash with Sparta Prague. Despite this, England interim manager Lee Carsley surprisingly included the 29-year-old in his final squad for the Three Lions' Nations League matches. This decision raised eyebrows, particularly as City manager Pep Guardiola had already stated that Grealish would not be fit until after the international break.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Following medical evaluations, Grealish became one of nine players to withdraw from Carsley’s squad to allow him sufficient time to recover. Now, after weeks of rehabilitation, Grealish has resumed training with his Manchester City team-mates, the midfielder revealed on Instagram. John Stones, Manuel Akanji, and Kevin de Bruyne are also back in training along with Grealish in what will be a big boost to manager Pep Guardiola.

• WHAT GREALISH SAID

  Grealish shared a story captioned, “Finally back with the boys.”

  @jackgrealish Instagram

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

  City’s upcoming match against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday presents a significant challenge. The North London side eliminated City from the Carabao Cup and will look to repeat their heroics at the Etihad on Saturday. Guardiola will look to leverage the international break as an opportunity to reset and recalibrate his team’s strategy after an unprecedented run of four consecutive defeats. And Grealish’s return could play a crucial role in revitalizing the Cityzens.