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Newcastle United are believed to have made a contract offer to one of their most important players, as they look to stave off potential interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.

Ross Wilson "delighted" with Newcastle job

The Magpies have made huge progress on the pitch in recent years, excelling under Eddie Howe, but important figures off the field have also played their part in the club’s success.

Earlier this week, Ross Wilson was confirmed as Newcastle’s new sporting director, taking on the role vacated by Paul Mitchell, and he has spoken of his delight at coming in at St James’ Park.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be here at Newcastle United. This is such a special club, and I fully understand the passion, ambition and expectations of our incredible supporters, as well as the ambition and desire of our ownership to keep developing and building an even stronger Newcastle United.

“My conversations with ownership have been extremely positive, and I’ve also been in regular contact with Eddie Howe and David Hopkinson. The trust, cohesion and alignment we’re building already feels strong, and we believe that being united as a team will be so important as we continue to move the club forward together. I’m excited to work with everyone across the different areas within our football department.”

Now, a significant piece of Newcastle contract news has emerged, as the club look to tie down one of the most influential players at the club.

Newcastle make contract offer to star player

According to UOL [via Sport Witness], Newcastle have offered Bruno Guimaraes a new deal until the summer of 2030, continuing to see him as a huge figure.

The Magpies are wary that Saudi clubs could come in with bids for the Brazilian at some point in the future, so they are looking to tie him down for the next five years.

Bruno signing a new contract at Newcastle would be huge for anyone associated with the club, with his influence and passion at the heart of the midfield huge ever since he arrived at the club.

The 27-year-old’s quality was on show in last weekend’s 2-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, with Howe lauding him after the game.

“I thought we had control of the second half and we needed a moment to bring us the goal. Bruno’s goal was a moment of magic from an unbelievable player. He makes a difference more often than not.”

Anderson re-signs; £75m PL star joins: Ross Wilson's dream XI at Newcastle

Newcastle continue their hierarchal re-structure with the appointment of a new technical director.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 11, 2025

At 27, the £160,000-a-week Bruno is at the peak of his powers, and there is no reason why that will change in the next three or four years, so giving him a contract extension is a no-brainer, also putting them in a strong position if another club does make a move for him, in terms of being able to demand huge money.

Sunderland can keep up their impressive record against arch rivals Newcastle United when Sunday rolls around.

Indeed, looking back at the more recent iterations of the fierce Tyne-Wear Derby, the Black Cats have some memorable victories to their name, with a 3-0 win in Sunderland’s favour being the last scoreline when the two rivals faced off at the Stadium of Light in Premier League action back in 2015.

Since then, there has been only one meeting on Wearside soil in early 2024, when the then Championship strugglers were trounced by the Magpies 3-0 in the FA Cup.

Now, however, Regis Le Bris’ men will hope to collect another memorable league victory against their sworn enemy, with one figure in his talented camp now standing out as a modern-day version of Kevin Ball, who featured in various Tyne-Wear derbies himself as a legend of the club.

Kevin Ball's legend status at Sunderland

Noted as being a Sunderland legend in “the truest sense of the word” by current chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus in 2022, Ball really did embody the fighting spirit the Black Cats will need to show against Newcastle on the weekend throughout his long-standing stay on Wearside.

Lauded for always being “a warrior on the pitch”, by former Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, Ball would go on to make a staggering 388 appearances for his beloved team, with many a memorable showdown with Newcastle popping up.

Ball’s consistent brilliance from the middle of the park would further see him chip in with 27 goals, which included this diving header being expertly put away.

On top of often being in the right place at the right time to put his neck on the line, the Black Cats hall-of-famer would also go on to collect two Player of the Year accolades at the end of the 1990/91 season and the close of the 1996/97 campaign, while also even temporarily being handed the reins as Sunderland’s caretaker boss in 2013.

To put it simply, Ball is synonymous with the famous red and white stripes of Sunderland, with Le Bris hoping he can see the same verve and determination Ball had in spades coursing through his team’s veins on Sunday, as one key individual – in particular – continues to stick out as a Ball-style figure.

The £110k-per-week star who is Le Bris' own Ball

Unfortunately, the Frenchman will be without Luke O’Nien for the showdown with the Magpies after his red card against Manchester City.

The no-nonsense 31-year-old would have loved to feature against Sunderland’s Tyneside enemies if he hadn’t been dismissed, with O’Nien recently being branded as a “remarkable” icon of the club by EFL pundit George Elek.

He’s worthy of such adoration, as well, as the full-blooded defender has notched up a crazy 316 appearances for his team now. His mammoth journey started way back in League One, with his dedication to the cause undoubtedly similar to that of Ball’s.

Yet, even with these substantial numbers next to O’Nien’s name, Granit Xhaka is managing to stand out even more as a figure made in the same mould as the ex-Sunderland captain

The Swiss international is not afraid to launch himself into a tackle or a battle if necessary, as seen in him being branded a “monster” centrally by Arsenal-based writer Connor Humm, when he was still at the Emirates.

Games played

15

Goals scored

1

Assists

4

Touches*

66.5

Accurate passes*

42.3 (83%)

Key passes*

1.2

Big chances created

5

Ball recoveries*

4.5

Total duels won*

5.4

But, much like Ball, too, as seen when looking at his mightily impressive statistics at Sunderland so far this season, Xhaka is more than capable of popping up with a crucial goal and assist, with his one goal and four assists this campaign sitting pretty next to his 5.4 duels won on average.

Managing to collect six wins in the North London Derby when on the books of the Gunners, Xhaka’s know-how under pressure has already seen him be handed the Sunderland captain’s armband, amid shouts that he is the club’s “signing of the season” by Wayne Rooney.

Of course, he still has some time to go before he will be considered a Hall-of-Fame-worthy recipient like Ball, but it’s clear from his past exploits at Arsenal and his battling nature with the Black Cats so far that the £110k-per-week star will leave everything out on the pitch against Newcastle, just like Ball would have done.

The nerves will be there from Sunderland’s perspective, with the Premier League not hosting this tense contest since 2016.

But, with Xhaka present, Le Bris will be optimistic that his side can reign supreme, to continue their fine start to the season.

Sunderland's "signing of the season" is now their best player since Amad

This Sunderland star has been the club’s most impactful signing since Amad Diallo.

ByDan Emery 6 days ago

A bizarre moment took place Friday night at Oracle Park when a fan appeared to test his arm in the middle of the San Francisco Giants-Atlanta Braves game.

There's a time and a place to see how far you can throw a baseball, but the fourth inning of an MLB game is not one of them. In that frame, Braves' Sean Murphy hit a fly ball to right field as Matt Olson rounded third and raced toward home plate. As Olson got closer to home, a second ball was thrown from the upper stands at Oracle Park and landed on the field near home plate. This happened just as Giants' Mike Yastrzemski made a throw to try and get Olson out.

After collecting the throw home, Giants' catcher Patrick Bailey quizzically looked around, clearly baffled by the whole situation.

Watch that weird play below:

Olson ended up scoring on the play. The umpires convened to discuss the play but didn't issue any rulings, and the game resumed as if nothing had happened.

Afterward, Giants manager Bob Melvin spoke about how confused he was by the strange incident.

"That's a first," Melvin said. "I've never seen that before. I don't know where it came from. I don't know what the rule is. I think everybody was a little surprised by it. It didn't affect the play but it was extremely odd to see another baseball come on the field."

Maybe someone on the Giants' subreddit has an idea of who's to blame here. The Giants went on to beat the Braves, 5-4.

Former Liverpool star Sadio Mane explained exactly why he's blown away by 'incredible' Al-Nassr team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo. Mane has shared a dressing room with Ronaldo for more than two years and has built a formidable partnership with the Portuguese legend in the Al-Nassr attack. Mane moved to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023, just six months after Ronaldo arrived at the club.

• Mane and Ronaldo Al-Nassr's brightest stars

  Al-Nassr set the trend of signing top players from across the world in January 2023 when they shocked everyone by securing a transfer for Ronaldo, who was a free agent at that time after leaving Manchester United by mutual agreement in November 2022. The former Real Madrid, Juventus and United star's arrival in the Kingdom created quite a stir and also opened new avenues for the other Saudi Pro League clubs.

  In the subsequent summer, top stars from European football headed to the Middle East, with the likes of Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante joining Al-Ittihad, while Neymar moved to Al-Hilal. Al-Nassr too further bolstered their attack by signing Mane from Bayern Munich.

  In the last two seasons, Al-Nassr have made several high-profile signings, especially in the last transfer window as they landed Joao Felix, Inigo Martinez and Kingsley Coman. However, Mane and Ronaldo continue to remain the brightest star in their squad.

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• Getty
  

  'I've never seen another player like him'

  Speaking highly of his Portuguese colleague, the ex-Liverpool winger said via : "I didn't know him, but I read and saw on television things about his dedication, his mentality, and his professionalism. When I arrived in Saudi Arabia, that's exactly what I saw. It's incredible. Even at 40 years old, you can see that. He's an athlete, a complete athlete. He's an example for all footballers in the world. That's Cristiano. His mentality, his thirst for victory… His professionalism is impressive. I've never seen another player like him."

• Ronaldo told he is 'the best in history'

  A couple of weeks ago, a former Al-Nassr team-mate of Ronado, Anderson Talisca had told : "It was an incredible two years. When he arrived, I had already been there for two years. I spent four years at the club, an incredible story. Playing with him was surreal, it was a dream for me. For me, he is the best in history. We trained together and did incredible things. Working with him, for me, as an athlete and as a human being, was about maximising the athlete's potential, being more professional, caring more about himself. It was incredible."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  1000 goals and titles on Ronaldo's mind

  After failing to win a single major trophy in Saudi Arabia in his first two and a half years, Ronaldo is determined to end his wait for silverware this season. He urged the club to sign quality players like Felix and Coman, alongside former Barcelona defenderMartinez and so far the investment has paid off. Al-Nassr, under the tutelage of Jorge Jesus, have won their first eight matches in the Saudi Pro League and are three points clear at the top of the table.

  Ronaldo will also aim to reach the 1000-goal mark at the end of the season, although it will be difficult to achieve the feat this season itself as he is still 47 goals short of the magic figure. Al-Nassr will next face Al-Khaleef in the SPL on Sunday.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Milan é mais um clube europeu na briga pela contratação de Gabriel Moscardo, do Corinthians. Os rossoneros fizeram contatos iniciais com o staff do atleta e podem apresentar uma proposta ao Timão na próxima janela de transferências. O interesse dos italianos foi divulgado pela Sky Sports, da Itália, e confirmado pelo Lance!.

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+ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Segundo a Sky Sports, os italianos estariam encantados com o talento do volante de 18 anos, e o jogador do Timão é visto como um investimento para o futuro, mas com maturidade para ajudar o meio-campo da equipe italiana.

O Milan deve enfrentar a concorrência do Barcelona, Chelsea e outros clubes da Premier League. O Lance! reportou em julho que o Corinthians recusou uma proposta dos Blues de 21 milhões de euros (R$ 108,9 milhões), com a possibilidade do valor total aumentar em 4 milhões de euros (R$ 20,7 milhões) em bonificações. O Barça, através do ex-jogador Deco, que desde junho é diretor esportivo do clube catalão, também teve uma oferta declinada pelo Alvinegro no meio do ano.

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O camisa 44 corintiano vinha sendo monitorado por pessoas ligadas ao Arsenal e Manchester City quando ele ainda jogava nas categorias de base, e a Sky Sports aponta que Liverpool e Manchester United também estariam interessados.

O Timão planeja fazer de Moscardo a maior venda do clube, e a diretoria alvinegra exige pelo menos 25 milhões de euros (R$ 132 milhões) para liberá-lo. Mesmo em seu penúltimo mês de mandato, o presidente Duilio Monteiro Alves não descarta a possibilidade de negociar o volante antes de deixar o cargo.

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+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Timão no Brasileirão

Moscardo tem contrato com o Corinthians até julho de 2026, com multa rescisória de 100 milhões de euros (R$ 518,5 milhões) para o mercado internacional. Após o empate com o Atlético-MG, Moscardo pregou foco na reta final do Brasileirão e revelou que seu empresário acredita que chegará “algo bom” para ele no final da temporada. O volante de 18 anos disputou 22 jogos pelo profissional do Corinthians.

Spending big money in the transfer market is something which is part and parcel of the modern game and needed to help bring about various levels of success.

Tottenham Hotspur have shown glimpses of splashing the cash in recent times, with the hierarchy spending over £400m in the last three years alone.

However, big spending doesn’t necessarily equate to success, with their latest investment in Xavi Simons appearing to be one that has struggled to hit the heights many expected.

The board forked out a fee in the region of £52m for the Dutchman’s signature, but he’s only registered one assist within his first eight outings across all competitions.

It may only be the early days of his stint in North London, but the 22-year-old desperately needs to find his best form to avoid being labelled a flop by the fanbase.

If Simons is unable to do so, he could be placed in the same category as one player who massively failed to deliver during his own stint in the Premier League.

The finances behind Tanguy Ndombele’s failed spell at Spurs

Back in the summer of 2019, excitement was at an all-time high at Spurs, after the hierarchy forked out a then club-record £63m on the signature of midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.

The Frenchman joined from Lyon with real expectations of taking the first-team squad to the next level – understandably so given the nature of the transfer fee.

He was handed a five-year deal on a staggering £200k-per-week, but such a deal would turn out to be one of the worst in the club’s history due to the astronomical numbers involved, coupled with his lack of impact.

When combining the total spent on his signature and the wages the hierarchy paid him, such a deal ended up costing £104.2m, with the breakdown of such a cost highlighting how much money they wasted.

Ndombele only made 91 appearances for the Lilywhites during his five years in England’s top-flight – which works out at a staggering £1.1m per appearance he made in North London.

The finances of Tanguy Ndombele’s Tottenham Deal

Statistics

Tally

Transfer Fee

£63m

Wages (Total)

£200k (£41.2m)

Appearances

91

Cost per Appearance

£1.1m

Goals

10

Cost per Goal

£10.4m

Assists

9

Cost per Assist

£11.5m

Goal Involvements

19

Cost per Goal Involvement

£5.4m

Stats Transfermarkt & Capology

He also only netted 10 goals and registered nine assists, with his total of 19 goal contributions seeing the club fork out a total of £5.4m per contribution he made.

To top off his dismal spell in North London, the 28-year-old would depart on a free transfer in the summer of 2024 – further showcasing how much money they wasted on his signature.

The Spurs player who could become as big a waste as Ndombele

In the present day, Thomas Frank has the opportunity to break new ground for Spurs and build on the Europa League triumph at the back end of last season.

As previously mentioned, Simons was brought into the club to provide a needed boost in the final third, with Mohammed Kudus another player to make the move to North London.

The hierarchy forked out £55m for the Ghanaian’s signature, a hefty figure, but one that has appeared worthwhile given his immediate form in 2025/26.

He’s currently sitting on one goal and four assists across all competitions – currently boasting the highest combined tally of any player within the first-team squad.

The same can’t be said for fellow winger Wilson Odobert, with the Frenchman ultimately struggling to match the excitement his arrival last summer generated.

His transfer to join the Lilywhites came out of the blue, as the board paid a reported £25m for his signature after Burnley were relegated back to the Championship at the end of 2023/24.

Injuries massively plagued him in 2024/25, with the 20-year-old restricted to 21 appearances across all competitions – scoring just one goal in the Premier League as a result.

However, Frank’s arrival could have handed Odobert a fresh lease of life this campaign, but he’s so far been unable to take the initiative with both hands.

He’s already racked up 10 appearances in 2025/26, but has so far been unable to register a single goal or assist in any competition, with his underlying stats further highlighting his lack of positive impact.

Wilson Odobert – PL stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

8

Minutes played

317

Crosses completed

0.5

Chances created

0.8

Dribbles completed

52%

Shot on target accuracy

28%

Goals & assists

0

Possession lost

4.8

Stats via FotMob

The former Burnley star has only completed 0.5 crosses per 90, whilst only completing 52% of the dribbles he’s attempted – often being unable to beat the opposition defenders with the ball at his feet.

Odobert has also been wasteful in front of goal, only managing to place 28% of his shots on target to date – undoubtedly contributing to his disappointing return in the final third.

At 20, he still has bags of time to improve further, but it’s unclear if he will be able to do that in North London, given the pressure placed on his shoulders.

He’s been tasked with replacing Heung-min Son this campaign, so far to no avail, with such a deal being a waste of money if he’s unable to find the form that saw the club spend big money on his signature.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Oct 21, 2025

It’s incredible just how quickly the mood around a football club can change, and Chelsea are a perfect example.

Less than a month ago, the Blues were coming off their third defeat in four games, and as a result, the club had to publicly back the manager.

Yet today, after three wins on the bounce against Benfica, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, there is a renewed sense of optimisim that Enzo Maresca’s side will be near the very top of the Premier League table come the end of the season.

What makes this turnaround even more impressive is that it’s come without the talismanic Cole Palmer. However, the manager does have another star in his team, whom he has compared to the former Manchester City gem.

How Chelsea have coped without Palmer

Palmer was forced off just 21 minutes into the defeat to Manchester United last month, has missed the previous three games and will be out for another six weeks.

However, while Chelsea lost to Brighton & Hove Albion, largely thanks to Trevoh Chalobah’s red card, they have come out on top against Arne Slot’s Reds and the Tricky Trees without the sensational Englishman in the side.

Now, that isn’t to say the Blues are better without him – they are not – but it does show that, unlike some other sides, the West Londoners are capable of putting in good performances without their talisman.

For example, against the defending champions, the Pensioners opted to stick with Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto on the wings, with Enzo Fernández down the middle, and were still able to create chances.

Moreover, when the former Wolverhampton Wanderers’ star came off in the 75th minute, Maresca opted to throw on the young and hugely exciting Estevao, who was able to slot home the winner late on.

Interestingly, instead of keeping the 18-year-old in the starting lineup, the manager opted to start Neto at the City Ground, and what a decision that turned out to be.

In his 78 minutes of action, the Portuguese international was a constant threat. Although he lacked that final delivery in the first half, he provided an assist early into the second and then scored a free-kick to ensure his side collected all three points.

It was a comprehensive performance from Chelsea, and one that showed they can cope without Palmer when it really comes down to it.

With that said, Marsca did start another player whom he has compared to the Englishman.

Chelsea's star who is like Palmer

Given the quality of young players in Chelsea’s squad today, like Estevao, you could argue that several of them could become Palmer-type players.

Chalkboard

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

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However, a player you might see as being all that comparable to the talismanic attack is Reece James.

However, it was after the Conference League final last season that Maresca claimed that “for us, he is like Cole Palmer.”

There were two reasons the Argentine made this comparison, and the first is that he sometimes needs his minutes managed due to injuries and fitness.

However, the second and far more important point of comparison is just how undeniably important the two players are to the West Londoners.

After all, the defender might not be as involved when it comes to goals and assists, and therefore doesn’t get the same recognition outside the club, but he is a core leader, he is the captain.

Moreover, while he’s not as prolific as his compatriot, he is still more than capable of chipping in with goals and assists.

For example, he has already provided two assists this season, and scored his first goal of the campaign against Forest on the weekend.

Finally, his underlying numbers more than back up the idea of him being one of the best full-backs in the world.

James’ Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Shots from Free Kicks

0.27

Top 1%

Through Balls

0.44

Top 1%

Total Passing Distance

1050.58

Top 3%

Passes Completed (Medium)

25.83

Top 3%

Passes into Final Third

6.20

Top 3%

GCA (Take-On)

0.05

Top 3%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

42.42

Top 3%

% of Aerials Won

69.4%

Top 3%

Goals – xG

+0.07

Top 4%

Non-Penalty Goals – npxG

+0.07

Top 4%

Passes Completed

59.60

Top 5%

Progressive Passing Distance

341.62

Top 5%

Passes Completed (Long)

5.11

Top 5%

Aerials Won

1.85

Top 5%

Touches

79.94

Top 6%

Touches (Live-Ball)

79.94

Top 6%

Shots on Target

0.44

Top 7%

GCA (Shot)

0.05

Top 7%

Live-ball Passes

59.71

Top 8%

Interceptions

1.52

Top 9%

Switches

0.44

Top 10%

All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for through balls, the top 3% for passes into the final third, the top 5% for passes completed and aerials won, the top 9% for interceptions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, it might not seem like an immediately obvious comparison to make, but when you think about how important he is to Chelsea, James really is like Palmer.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Oct 19, 2025

Chelsea will be in the market come January to further their bid for silverware and could now be set to land a heavy discount on a target they have identified at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea set for defensive injury boost following Ornstein update

The Blues have been affected by their fair share of injury news lately, and their lack of depth in central defence was highlighted against Liverpool last weekend – a fixture that Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill missed due to various issues.

Josh Acheampong ended up starting in the pivotal victory over the Reds, though he had to be subbed off himself after picking up a knock during proceedings. David Ornstein doesn’t believe his misfortune is as serious as first feared.

He stated via The Athletic’s Youtube Channel, also offering an update on Benoit Badiashile:

Trevoh Chalobah, returning from suspension, will also be a boost for the Blues, who have an away Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest to contend with before quickfire home fixtures against Ajax and Sunderland.

Signing a defender is a major priority in January for Chelsea, and that has only been heightened by the fact that Colwill has torn his ACL, so there will be no shortage of rumours on that front between now and the window opening for business.

With that in mind, attention will soon turn to potential mid-season solutions, and the Blues may now have identified a centre-back who they feel can make an instant impact at Stamford Bridge, should a deal materialise.

Chelsea could land heavy Castello Lukeba discount

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea could land a heavy discount in their attempts to sign RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba, who has a release clause of just over £78 million.

Nevertheless, this stipulation is believed to be largely symbolic, and Leipzig are ‘ready to accept’ a potential bid in and around the £52 million mark.

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The west Londoners have already had a bid knocked back.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 10, 2025

Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Real Madrid are also keen on the France Under-21 international, who has also registered one assist in seven matches across all competitions this season.

In light of their injury problems and frustration at relying on the likes of Wesley Fofana to be available, a discounted move for Lukeba, who’s been called a “very unique” defender, may be a way to solve fitness issues that have plagued Stamford Bridge this term.

Predominantly left-sided, Lukeba has won 26 duels already this term and carried the ball out successfully six times, per Fotmob, illustrating his suitability to Enzo Maresca’s high-octane style of play.

Now, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea can push a deal over the line amid serious interest from elsewhere in the French defender.

They might not have spent as much as they have in previous summers, but Chelsea had a great transfer window this year.

The club were able to ship off a number of the club’s unwanted players and replace them with a host of exciting talents.

That said, even though the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jorrel Hato are incredibly exciting, fans might have been disappointed they missed out on Xavi Simons.

Fortunately, there is already more than enough talent in the squad, including one player worth millions more than the Dutchman who should have a big season this year, and no, we’re not talking about Cole Palmer.

The Chelsea players set for a big season

With a Champions League and Club World Cup under their belts, Chelsea should be looking to kick on in a big way this season, and one of the players who should help them do that is Pedro.

The Brazilian forward has already hit the ground running since his £60m move from Brighton & Hove Albion, scoring three goals in America and two in the Premier League.

Likewise, while he is yet to score a competitive goal for the club, Estevao has looked electric.

He came off the bench in the first two games of the season and then, in place of Palmer, started against Fulham and looked every bit the future superstar that so many believe him to be.

Finally, speaking of the talismanic international, when Palmer returns to full fitness, he will come right back into the side.

As he ended last season with a tally of 18 goals and 14 assists in 52 games, he should help fans who were even linked with Simons in the first place.

With all that said, there is another international star who will be incredibly important to Chelsea’s campaign this season, someone worth millions more than the Flying Dutchman.

The Chelsea star worth millions more than Simons

Even though they are yet to truly challenge for the league, Chelsea are blessed with an abundance of sensational talents, such as Enzo Fernández.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Yes, the player in question is the Argentinian midfielder, who may have had his issues in West London, but is now undoubtedly one of the side’s most important players, which is reflected in his valuation.

For example, the CIES Football Observatory prices him at up to €87.9m, which is about £76m, or £24m more than the £52m Spurs paid for Simons.

Now, that certainly is an awful lot of money for one player, but over the last year or so, it would be hard to argue that it’s an unfair valuation.

After all, he was a key reason the West Londoners qualified for the Champions League last season, scoring six goals and providing seven assists in just 36 Premier League appearances.

Moreover, his underlying numbers are utterly superb.

According to FBref, the “unbelievable” ace, as dubbed by content creator Matisse Armani, ranked in the top 1% of midfielders in the Premier League last season for switches, the top 5% for completed long passes, the top 7% for key passes, and the top 8% for shot-creating actions stemming from live passes, among other metrics, all per 90 minutes.

Switches

0.79

Top 1%

Passes Completed (Long)

4.79

Top 5%

Key Passes

2.35

Top 7%

SCA (Live-ball Pass)

3.54

Top 8%

npxG + xAG

0.39

Top 11%

Progressive Passes

6.47

Top 11%

Shot-Creating Actions

4.49

Top 11%

Assists

0.21

Top 13%

SCA (Defensive Action)

0.15

Top 13%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.18

Top 14%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.40

Top 14%

Goals + Assists

0.40

Top 15%

Through Balls

0.43

Top 15%

Goals

0.18

Top 16%

Finally, he has the mentality to lead this team, which we’ve seen not only in Chelsea blue but also in the blue and white of Argentina.

Ultimately, missing out on Simons isn’t ideal, but Chelsea have so many game-winning stars in this team, including Fernadez, who is already worth millions more than him.

Chelsea's last five loan signings prove Buonanotte is doomed to fail

It feels like Chelsea have made a mistake signing Buonanotte.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 4, 2025

يحل فريق ليفربول الإنجليزي، مساء يوم الأربعاء، ضيفًأ على خصمه فريق آينتراخت فرانكفورت الألماني في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2025/26.

ويلتقي الفريقان في خضم لقاءات الجولة الثالثة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري على ملعب “دوتش بانك بارك”.

ويمتلك ليفربول 3 نقاط حيث فاز في الجولة الأولى على أتلتيكو مدريد بثلاثة أهداف لهدفين، وخسر في الثانية أمام جالطة سراي بهدف دون رد.

ويأمل النجم المصري محمد صلاح العودة إلى مستواه حيث يعاني من تراجع في أدائه بشكل ملحوظ ذلك الموسم، مع العلم إنه لم يسجل إلا هدفًا واحدًا في النسخة الحالية من دوري أبطال أوروبا، وهدفين في الدوري الإنجليزي.

ويفتقد ليفربول خدمات اللاعب الهولندي ريان جرافنبيرخ بسبب الإصابة، حسبما أعلن المدرب آرني سلوت أمس.

(محدث) تشكيل ليفربول أمام فرانكفورت في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. موقف محمد صلاح تشكيل ليفربول المتوقع أمام آينتراخت فرانكفورت اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: مامارداشفيلي.

خط الدفاع: سوبوسلاي، جو جوميز، فيرجيل فان دايك، آندي روبرتسون.

خط الوسط: كورتيس جونز، ماك أليستر.

خط الوسط الهجومي: محمد صلاح، فلوريان فيرتز، كودي جاكبو.

خط الهجوم: هوجو إيكتيكي.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.