All posts by n8rngtd.top

Chelsea chiefs have opened club-to-club talks with officials over signing a “fantastic” player, following a transfer decision from Arsenal which will have an impact on the race for his signature.

Chelsea transfer plans amid tight Champions League race

The race for a place in the top five is set to go down to the Premier League final day, making Chelsea’s crunch clash with rivals Nottingham Forest their most important game of the season.

New target: Chelsea now hatch plan to sign "powerful" PSG defender for £0

The Blues are aiming to sign a Paris Saint-Germain player on a free transfer this summer.

By
Dominic Lund

May 18, 2025

Five teams – namely Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Man City and Forest – are involved in the airtight battle to confirm a place in next season’s Champions League draw, with the result of this intense race also set to have a crucial impact on BlueCo’s transfer plans for next season.

Enzo Maresca recently admitted in a press conference that qualification for Europe’s most prestigious competition will have a knock-on effect when it comes to their recruitment plans, and Chelsea wish to be ambitious in the market yet again.

As per journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea have some “big plans” they’re already working on and wish to bring in a number of new players. The plan within Stamford Bridge is to ideally seal a couple of their most desired signings before the Club World Cup begins, and they’ll have a short window to do so.

A special edition window will be open from June 1 to June 10, allowing Chelsea to register new arrivals before the CWC takes place, leaving little wonder we’re seeing reports of the Blues getting busy early doors.

Chelsea reportedly made Dean Huijsen an offer to join them from Bournemouth, but with the 20-year-old now off to Real Madrid, attention now turns to alternative defensive targets. One of them, according to multiple sources, is Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato.

Chelsea open talks with Ajax over signing Jorrel Hato

The Netherlands international has featured at left-back throughout the 2024/2025 campaign for Ajax. However, before Francesco Farioli utilised him in a different position, the highly-rated teenager was predominantly a centre-back.

Todd Boehly is allegedly keen on Chelsea signing versatile players who can cover multiple areas (Simon Phillips), so Hato would fit the bill in that respect, and come in as a significant central defensive upgrade as well as an alternative to Marc Cucurella.

A deal for him would apparently cost somewhere in the region of £46 million, so in terms of cost, the defender could be an astute option.

That is according to CaughtOffside, who also boldly state that Chelsea have opened talks with Ajax officials over signing Hato.

While Hato is on Liverpool’s list of targets as well, they’re currently prioritising a deal for Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, and Arsenal have decided to cool their interest in the player after Myles Lewis-Skelly’s excellent breakthrough campaign.

This call from the Gunners, not to mention Liverpool’s chase for Kerkez, could free up a Chelsea run at signing Hato, with CaughtOffside describing Maresca’s side as the favourites to strike a deal.

Hato is held in very high esteem by those within the beautiful game, with Jordan Henderson lavishing praise on the Dutchman as a tireless worker.

“It’s crazy how young he is, but obviously how mature he looks when he’s on the pitch and also off the pitch,” Henderson said.

“He’s a very mature person, works hard, fantastic player, and yeah, he has a bright future ahead of him, I’m sure. I think he just needs to continue to do what he’s he’s been doing.”

Leeds United are now readying a £6 million bid to sign a “complete” defender who is also wanted by Premier League side Everton, according to a new report.

Leeds’ transfer plans beginning to take shape

The Championship season has now come to an end for the Whites, so all focus will be on next season and what they would like to do in the summer to give them the best chance of staying in the Premier League. The transfer window has yet to open, but already the Yorkshire side are being linked with several players in a bid to strengthen their side.

Leeds can wave bye-bye to Firpo by signing "complete" £15m left-back

Leeds United may need to land a replacement for Junior Firpo this summer, potentially turning to one player as a result.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 7, 2025

Signing a new striker looks to be a high priority for Leeds, as they don’t want to rely on just Joel Piroe next season. The Whites are said to be one of a number of teams looking into signing Jamie Vardy this summer, as the veteran striker becomes a free agent after leaving Leicester City.

Meanwhile, Leeds have also held internal talks about signing Troy Parrott from AZ Alkmaar after his impressive season in Dutch football. However, this could be a costly purchase for the Championship winners, as he could cost as much as £20 million.

Another forward the Whites are interested in signing is Moussa Djenepo, who has a £1.7 million release clause, which Leeds are now willing to trigger. Djenepo is currently on loan at Turkish side Antalyaspor from Standard Liege, but he doesn’t want to make the switch a permanent one, meaning the door is open for Leeds to swoop in and get their man.

Leeds readying £6m bid to sign "complete" defender ahead of Everton

But it isn’t just forwards that Daniel Farke wants this summer, as according to Scouts in Attendance on X, Leeds are now ready to make a £6 million bid to sign Panathinaikos right-back Georgios Vagiannidis.

They share news from Greek media that Leeds officials will be there this weekend to watch Vagiannidis in action for Panathinaikos against rivals Olympiakos. It goes on to add that while they will be doing some scouting of his performance, Leeds are already willing to make a bid worth 8-10 million euros, which is roughly £6-8 million.

The Whites are not alone in their pursuit of the full-back, as it was reported over the weekend that Everton are in advanced talks to sign Vagiannidis after putting forward their proposal. However, Leeds will hope the fact they are back in the Premier League means they are on an even playing field when it comes to signing the defender.

The 23-year-old, who has been described as a “complete” defender by scout/writer Jacek Kulig, has played for Panathinaikos for most of his career, except for a short spell at Inter between 2020 and 2021 – he did not play for the Italian giants and was instead loaned out to Sint-Truiden.

Vagiannidis’ potential arrival at Leeds would see him join Jayden Bogle in fighting for the right-back spot.

Manchester City have really turned a corner in the Premier League with Pep Guardiola’s men entering back into their groove in the top-flight at just the right time.

The rejuvenated Citizens have won four of their last five games in the elite league to now only six points off Champions League semi-finalists Arsenal occupying second place.

A place amongst Europe’s elite is the obvious objective for Guardiola and Co come the end of the sobering campaign, with City then aiming to be a title challenger once more down the line by snapping up exciting targets.

Man City line up £102 move for "superstar in the making"

As per reports from Spain over the weekend, City are preparing to bid a club-record £102m for Paris St Germain ace Desire Doue this summer.

The report states that the 19-year-old attacker has caught the eye of Guardiola who is looking to add even more exceptional youth to his City ranks, having given the likes of 21-year-old sensation Savinho plenty of game-time this campaign.

Winning the signature of Doue – who has already been heralded as a “superstar in the making” by French journalist Julien Laurens – would be a massive statement buy, with that £102m price-tag showing off how much PSG currently value him.

The eight-time Premier League title winners could also gain their very own version of Bukayo Saka with the promising Frenchman, with both attackers in question patrolling the right wing with ease so far this campaign.

Why Doue could be Man City's very own Saka

Saka has been able to show off his class down the right channel for the Gunners over many seasons now, despite being naturally left-footed in approach.

This season alone, the academy product turned North London royalty has managed to tally up a sizeable 25 goal contributions across 31 clashes, including scoring away at Real Madrid to help his team reach the coveted Champions League semi-finals.

Doue has also been unfazed by the big occasion lining up for Luis Enrique’s outfit, with the one-time senior France international actually matching Saka for goals and assists at 25 himself, albeit from a heftier 47 games.

Six of those have actually come about in Europe’s elite competition too, as Doue aims to spoil Arsenal’s mood when the two teams clash this mid-week at the Emirates for a place in the illustrious final.

Equally adept at using his left-foot whether that be down the left or right wing or even through the middle as a number ten, Doue’s general numbers across the last year for PSG are also similar to Saka’s for Mikel Arteta’s side.

The £102m-rated attacker, whose fifth-most similar player in European football is Saka, via FBRef, even betters his English counterpart when it comes to progressive passes and carries.

Not far off the blistering number seven in other aspects of their games, City will be hopeful that they can win their very own version of Saka if a move was to get over the line, with Doue only likely to get better as he progresses much like the 23-year-old has managed for the Gunners.

Of course, there will be a worry that splashing the cash in such a lavish way could backfire on City, but having proven himself already with PSG on some of the biggest stages, this switch might be just what Guardiola’s men need to further rebuild their elite reputation and get back to being stylish title candidates.

Man City have hit gold on £111m-rated star who is worth more than Wirtz

Man City have hit the jackpot on a signing made in 2019

1

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 26, 2025

Manchester United now appear to have one foot in the Europa League final after claiming a 3-0 triumph over Athletic Club in the semi-final first leg away from home.

Bruno Fernandes’ double and Casemiro’s header secured the triumph for Ruben Amorim’s side ahead of next week’s return leg at Old Trafford – needing to hold on to secure their place in the final.

Should the Red Devils reach such a stage, it would be a superb achievement, especially considering the side was on the brink of elimination with a handful of minutes to go against Lyon in the previous round.

It’s the perfect opportunity for the manager to claim his first trophy in the role after taking the reins back in November, potentially securing a place in the Champions League as a result.

Numerous players produced performances to remember in Spain last night, playing a huge role in the success which led them to a three-goal advantage after 90 minutes.

United’s star performers against Athletic Club

As previously mentioned, captain Fernandes managed to get himself on the scoresheet twice, taking his goal tally to 19 goals across all competitions in 2024/25.

However, his underlying stats from the win were just as impressive, making 12 passes into the final third, along with three chances created – enabling other players the opportunity to impress in attacking areas.

Manuel Ugarte was another player who starred in Bilbao last night, registering two assists for Casemiro and Fernandes – offering a presence at both ends of the pitch for Amorim.

He also managed to win 100% of the tackles he entered, along with five recoveries and five ground duels won – highlighting his impressive showing in Spain once more.

However, despite the performances of the aforementioned duo, one other Red Devils talent failed to deliver, putting his position within the side at huge risk with the summer rapidly approaching.

The United dud who’s becoming the new Van de Beek

Midfielder Donny van de Beek joined United in the summer of 2020, looking to be a key player in the side’s ambitions of returning to former glory.

However, the Dutchman, who cost a remarkable £40m, would make just 62 appearances during his four years at Old Trafford, with injuries also preventing him from being a regular.

He would depart the club in the summer of 2024, joining Spanish side Girona for just £500k, seeing the side lose 99% of their investment, highlighting how poor their business has been in recent years.

Amorim may have unearthed another version of the midfielder in the form of Mason Mount, who has massively failed to deliver since his £60m move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023.

Like Van de Beek, injuries have hampered his progress, making just 41 appearances in the last two seasons, but also failing to deliver when fit – as seen in his showing against Athletic Club last night.

He was brought on with 25 minutes remaining, but could only muster a total of 23 touches, completing a tally of just 12 passes – unable to have the desired impact.

Mount also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles or his attempted crosses, losing possession seven times – looking wasteful when having the ball at his feet.

The 26-year-old picked up a booking to top off his showing off the bench, before being handed a measly 5/10 match rating by Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst – highlighting his lack of impact off the bench.

Throughout this season, Mount has been unable to make an impact, especially since Amorim’s arrival, often being injured but also unable to provide the goods when fit – as seen with his cameo last night.

Given his decline, the club desperately need to sell him this summer, avoiding a repeat of Van de Beek and losing a whole load of money on their investment, with any funds allowing the manager to make the changes he desires.

97% passing: 8/10 Man Utd star is now as undroppable as Bruno & Casemiro

Man Utd romped to a superb 3-0 win on the road on Thursday evening in the Europa League…

By
Robbie Walls

May 2, 2025

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is reportedly waiting for a green-light from the Kroenkes to seal his first major signing at the club, with an agreement for the player described as “done”.

Arsenal transfer plans as Mikel Arteta prepares for PSG

With their Premier League clash against Crystal Palace done and dusted on Wednesday evening, Mikel Arteta can now put full focus into their far more important Champions League semi-final first leg against PSG next Tuesday.

Fabrizio Romano says Arsenal "really" want £50m player, talks already held

The north Londoners are very keen.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 23, 2025

The Gunners face France’s champions in a mouthwatering European encounter which has the power to make or break Arsenal’s season, and Arteta’s side now have six days to prepare for their most crucial match of the season so far.

Arteta’s mind will only be on how to ge the better of Luis Enrique’s high-flying PSG side, who’ve seriously impressed both domestically and in Europe, but he’ll take comfort from the fact Aston Villa very nearly upset them in the last round.

Off the field, Berta and co are already making transfer plans for next season.

Arsenal are believed to be in the market for a second-choice keeper, full-back, midfielder, left-winger, right-winger and striker (GiveMeSport). It was also reported that they could bring in two midfielders, with Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes linked.

However, it has since come to light that the north Londoners could extend Thomas Partey’s contract instead, following an impressive end to the campaign.

It is unclear how this will impact their ongoing attempts to sign Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi, but given Jorginho is still likely to leave the Emirates, Arteta will still be in need of reinforcements for the engine room.

Arsenal have been in talks to sign Zubimendi for months, and there is confidence that the Spain international will eventually arrive and depart his boyhood club for the Premier League, one year after he rejected a switch to Liverpool.

Arsenal agree Martin Zubimendi deal as Berta awaits green-light

According to journalist Juan Castro, writing in a column for Marca (via Sport Witness), Arsenal’s deal for Zubimendi actually seems to be “done”.

However, there are a few things holding up despite the alleged agreement, with one of them being Arsenal’s owners – Josh and Stan Kroenke. Berta is believed to be waiting on the club’s board members to sanction Zubimendi’s £51 million release clause payment, while Real Madrid could still come in to mount a late hijack.

If the Kroenkes refuse to green-light a move, it could collapse, with Los Blancos also posing some threat in the background, even if it is still unlikely Real pose a threat at this stage, with a deal very far down the line.

Zubimendi would be a stellar capture for Arteta, and has been described as the “perfect” midfielder for Arsenal, so supporters will be hoping the Kroenkes eventually give the go ahead.

With the summer transfer window approaching, Crystal Palace are now reportedly looking to shock a mega rich club in the race to sign one particular attacking talent for Oliver Glanser should he stay put.

Crystal Palace face Oliver Glasner concern

In his first full season in charge at Selhurst Park, it’s fair to say that Glasner’s impressive spell at Crystal Palace has not gone unnoticed. The Austrian is reportedly among the names on RB Leipzig’s radar as they look to welcome their replacement for the sacked Marco Rose. Having previously managed in Germany, there will be plenty of concern surrounding Glasner’s future in South London.

The Eagles have already suffered one major departure away from the pitch in the form of Dougie Freedman and the last thing that Steve Parish needs is to be left replacing both his sporting director and manager.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time that Europe’s top clubs came swooping in for Palace’s top talents. Just last summer, the headlines surrounded Michael Olise, who eventually swapped Selhurst Park for Bayern Munich.

Now, on top of Glasner, Eberechi Eze has also been linked with a summer exit amid links to the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Given that Palace sit above both those sides in the Premier League this season, losing Eze to either would represent the most frustrating blow for Crystal Palace.

Potentially preparing for the worst, however, Palace have reportedly turned their attention towards a move to sign one particular Bundesliga talent ahead of Newcastle United.

Crystal Palace battling to sign "complete" Merlin Rohl

According to Bild in Germany, Crystal Palace are now shock contenders to sign Merlin Rohl from SC Freiburg this summer in a deal that will cost a reported €25m (£21m). With Liverpool and Newcastle also interested, there’s no doubt that the Eagles would be landing an impressive coup by signing the attacking midfielder in the coming months.

What would be most impressive if Rohl joined Palace over Newcastle specifically is how the finances of both clubs compare. These days, thanks to PIF, those at St James’ Park represent one of the richest clubs in world football and could put that billionaire status to good use this summer having managed their PSR issues over the last year. Meanwhile, Palace are often forced to sell before they can buy.

Just where Rohl’s next destination is remains to be seen, but his arrival would certainly ease any potential Eze exit blow for Crystal Palace this summer. The 22-year-old has earned plenty of praise during his Bundesliga rise over the years, including from former Ingolstadt coach Tomas Oral, who said: “Merlin’s the complete midfielder. He can do it defensively and offensively.”

With the Premier League calling, Palace will be desperate for Rohl to make his choice and join up with Glasner’s side this summer.

The Dodgers were able to win their second straight World Series title on Saturday night by beating the Blue Jays 5-4 in a legendary Game 7 at the Rogers Centre.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who pitched six innings in Los Angeles' Game 6 win on Friday night, entered Game 7 with one out in the bottom of the ninth and then worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings to lead the Dodgers to their dramatic victory. He was named the World Series MVP for his heroic efforts, which also included a complete game gem in Game 2.

The righthander had a very subtle classy move in the bottom of the 11th inning that the Fox Sports cameras were able to pick up. Yamamoto was seen tipping his cap to Toronto's Vlad Guerrero Jr. as the slugger prepared to step into the batter's box with his team trailing by a run.

Here's how that played out:

That was such a great moment at such a pivotal moment of the game. Guerrero would go on to hit a double but then Yamamoto was able to close things out thanks to a double play that was brilliantly turned by Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts.

Yamamoto gave up just one hit and had one walk in his relief appearance. He finished his second season with the Dodgers with a 12-8 record and then really became a force in the postseason. Along with his complete game in the World Series, he also had a complete game win over the Brewers in the NLCS.

Fans loved that hat tip from Yamamoto:

England and India served up a treat at Lord’s, leaving the series delicately poised. Alan Gardner was joined by Sid Monga and Vish Ehantharajah to discuss what went down

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jul-2025England and India served up a Test match for the ages at Lord’s, one that was eventually won by 22 runs deep into the final day as the hosts took a 2-1 lead with two to play. With the dust still settling on the closest contest of the series, Alan Gardner was joined by Sidharth Monga and Vithushan Ehantharajah to pick through all the goodness – from honours board appearances for Joe Root, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul, to Jofra Archer’s comeback, Ravindra Jadeja’s herocis, Ben Stokes’ juju and the welcome return of on-field needle as the tour reaches its pointy end.