All posts by z3u9t.icu

After a few years away, Chelsea are finally back in Champions League action tonight.

It won’t be an easy reintroduction to Europe’s premier competition, though, as Enzo Maresca’s Conference League winners will be taking on Bayern Munich.

The German champions are stacked with incredible players in every position, but the one the Blues have to be most wary of is undoubtedly Harry Kane.

The England captain has the ability to take games away from teams, although Chelsea have a superstar of their own, someone who could well outshine Kane.

Chelsea's record against Bayern Munich

Despite both Bayern and Chelsea being two of the biggest clubs in European football and consistently competing for the top prizes in recent decades, they’ve only played one another in five competitive games.

The first was back in the 2004/05 season, in which the Baverians travelled to West London for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, a game the hosts won 4-2, which was then followed by a 3-2 win for the German giants in the second leg.

However, the most famous meeting between the two institutions came just over 13 years ago, when Roberto Di Matteo’s side managed to beat the odds and claim their first Champions League title by beating Jupp Heynckes’ men 4-3 on penalties.

It was in that game that Didier Drogba scored his most famous goal for the Blues, and Petr Čech played a crucial role by saving a penalty from Arjen Robben in extra time.

Unfortunately, FC Hollywood have had the upper hand in the two games since that incredible final.

They demolished Frank Lampard’s side 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their round-of-16 clash in February 2020, and then completed the job with a 4-1 win when the competition resumed that August after the first lockdown.

In all, while Bayern have won most of their encounters, Chelsea fans wouldn’t swap their records thanks to that famous night in Munich. Although with that said, Maresca will be looking to improve that record tonight, and so long as he starts the player who could upstage Kane, then there is every chance he will.

Chelsea star could outshine Kane

While they’ve received plenty of criticism for their transfer strategy over the years, Chelsea now have a team packed with brilliant players.

Chalkboard

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

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernández could get into most top teams around Europe, but without a doubt, the Blues’ best player is Cole Palmer.

The former Manchester City gem is the definition of a game-changer, and should he be on song against Bayern, there is every chance he could outshine Kane.

While the England captain is that bit more prolific a goalscorer, almost everything good the West Londoners do goes through their dazzling number ten, so much so that GOAL’s Sean Walsh once suggested that he is “Lampard, Drogba & Hazard all in one”, combining the best attributes of three Stamford Bridge legends.

Rather unsurprising, Chelsea’s fortunes changed for the better when he came on at the weekend, entering the fray on Saturday in the 56th minute and just five minutes later scoring the equalising goal for his side.

It was hardly a surprise, though, as in 99 appearances for the Pensioners, totalling 7984 minutes, the “generational talent,” as dubbed by journalist Scott Bradley, has scored 44 goals and provided 29 assists.

In other words, the 23-year-old has maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.35 games, or every 109.36 minutes, which is frankly absurd.

Appearances

99

Minutes

7984′

Goals

44

Assists

29

Goal Involvements per Match

0.73

Minutes per Goal Involvements

109.36′

Moreover, he proved himself to be a big-game player at the Club World Cup, scoring two goals in the final against a heavily favoured Paris Saint-Germain.

Ultimately, while Bayern will be the favourites, Chelsea have every chance of coming away with all three points tomorrow night, especially if Palmer starts and is on song.

"It's on you" – Redknapp criticises £40m Chelsea star after Brentford draw

The Sky Sports presenter slammed one Chelsea player after the 2-2 draw against Brentford.

ByDominic Lund Sep 15, 2025

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin is under plenty of external pressure after a difficult start to his time in the dugout at Ibrox this season, with some noticeable booing and chanting at recent games.

The former Southampton boss has failed to win any of his four Scottish Premiership matches in charge of the Light Blues so far, and failed to qualify for the league phase of the Champions League, losing 9-1 to Club Brugge on aggregate.

There is still plenty of time left to see how things pan out, though, because he had 12 summer signings and it will take time to assess whether they were strong additions or not.

Summer transfer windows can make or break managers, as former Rangers head coach Michael Beale found out in the harshest way in 2023.

Michael Beale's worst Rangers deals

Beale signed eight players on permanent deals in the summer of 2023. Jack Butland is the only one of those eight players who started the club’s most recent game against Celtic.

Danilo was signed for £6m from Feyenoord and he has only scored nine goals in 39 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, missing 53 matches through injury in that time, per Transfermarkt.

Sam Lammers arrived from Atalanta for a fee of £3m in the same window. He scored two goals in 31 games for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, before being sold to FC Twente last year.

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As well as making poor signings, Beale also allowed several quality players to leave the club that summer, including electric forward Ryan Kent.

Michael Beale had a howler with Ryan Kent

Despite working with the English winger as Steven Gerrard’s assistant in the past, Beale was unable to get the best out of the former Liverpool man at Ibrox as the head coach.

Kent played 22 times for the English tactician in all competitions in his last season in Glasgow, but only found the back of the net twice in that time, per Transfermarkt.

The left winger was once described as the “Mbappe of Scottish football” by Specs Gonzalez, whilst speaking on Sky Sports, but he was anything but Mbappe-esque under Beale.

Appearances

22

196

Goals

2

31

Games per goal

11

6.32

Assists

4

52

Games per assist

5.5

3.76

As you can see in the table above, Kent was far more prolific and creative throughout his Rangers career without Beale as his head coach, his output with and without him makes that very clear.

IbroxNoise noted at the time that the English forward’s decline under the former assistant manager was because the system being deployed meant that he had to play as a number ten rather than as a winger.

If asked to picture a Ryan Kent goal or assist for Rangers, most supporters would likely picture him on the left flank, cutting in or getting to the byline. The former being what happened in the clip above.

Beale’s wingerless system did him no favours and that was why it was not a surprise when the forward decided to let his contract run down in the summer of 2023, rather than committing his future to the club with his former Liverpool academy coach in charge.

This meant that Rangers lost Kent, a player once compared to Mbappe, for nothing that summer because their manager did not play a system that got the best out of him.

Instead, Beale played a system that attempted to accomodate the three central players he signed, Danilo, Cyriel Dessers, and Lammers. Only one of those three players remains at Ibrox, Danilo, and he looks set to be a back-up to Bojan Miovski and Youssef Chermiti this season.

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Therefore, Beale had a howler with Kent because he did not find a way to get the best out of a player who could have been a huge threat for his side down the left flank, given his return of goals and assists in his career at Rangers prior to the manager’s appointment.

Chelsea are showing no sign of slowing down in the transfer market this summer, despite having already spent millions on fresh faces.

Chelsea now "advancing" talks to sign £70m star, formal bid expected soon

The Blues are making progress in their pursuit of an “exceptional” player, journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed.

ByDominic Lund Jul 28, 2025

Enzo Maresca saw £145 million trio Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro join the club most recently, when the west Londoners were successfully tackling their Club World Cup campaign, but the Italian is set to be backed even more.

Financially, the Blues are in excellent stead, having raised around £100 million through player sales already, which is due to rise to around £126 million through João Félix’s move to Al-Nassr.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

The Saudis agreed an initial £26 million deal for Felix, plus hefty add-ons, and Chelsea could even bank close to £43 million in future thanks to a sell-on clause.

Chelsea’s £87.5 million financial windfall from winning the CWC, not to mention Champions League revenue, also contributes to Maresca’s side being comfortably far away from breaching the PSR threshold.

While Chelsea remain keen to balance out their squad by selling more players, partly due to pressure from UEFA, there is scope for BlueCo to seal more squad upgrades in time for the 2025/2026 season.

Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato has already agreed personal terms with Chelsea over a move to Stamford Bridge, and talks are at an advanced stage to sign the Dutchman, who could come in as both cover for Marc Cucurella and as another centre-back option.

Another Netherlands international could also join Hato in London pretty soon – RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons.

The 22-year-old has been on fire for Leipzig since signing for the Bundesliga side on an initial loan in 2023/2024. His move was made permanent in January, with Simons bagging a total of around 21 goals and 23 assists in all competitions over the last two seasons.

Leipzig even made Simons the highest-paid player in their history on a contract worth around £192,000-per-week, but the attacker is already prepared to seek pastures new.

Chelsea to submit opening offer for Xavi Simons

Chelsea talks for Simons, according to some sources, are advancing in quick fashion (Simon Phillips), but they’re yet to place an opening offer.

Journalist Ben Jacobs, sharing another update for talkSPORT and on X, claims Chelsea are poised to submit their first bid for Simons after positive club-to-club talks.

Interestingly, Jacobs reports for talkSPORT that Bayern Munich have called Simons “several” times in an attempt to convince the playmaker to join Vincent Kompany’s side, but he much prefers a move to the Premier League with personal terms agreed.

Leipzig are prepared to green-light Simons’ sale for around £61 million, but there is a belief within Chelsea that they could strike a deal for less.

Chelsea are now pushing to finalise a deal for a “world-class” £50m star, who could be in line to join along with Jamie Gittens, according to a report.

Gittens deal now close to completion

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an exciting update on the Blues’ pursuit of Gittens, with the transfer expert revealing Borussia Dortmund have given the move the green light, meaning it is now a “done deal”.

At £55m, the deal for the winger will not be cheap, and the west Londoners have already been very busy in the summer transfer market, strengthening their attack by signing Liam Delap, who was on the scoresheet in the 3-0 Club World Cup victory over Esperance Tunis.

However, perhaps given Delap’s lack of experience, Enzo Maresca’s side remain interested in securing the signature of another forward, and they are now looking to finalise a deal for Brighton & Hove Albion star Joao Pedro.

That was according to The Express, who claimed Chelsea are pushing to sign Pedro, and they have since been followed by an update from David Ornstein, who reports the Blues have now agreed a deal worth over £50m to sign the Brazilian.

Maresca is now pushing Chelsea to sign £150k-per-week World Cup winner

The Italian and his staff are big fans.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 28, 2025

Brighton were thought to be holding out for a fee in the region of £60m, so it could certainly be considered a coup, and signing the 23-year-old could also directly impact the futures of Nicolas Jackson and Christoper Nkunku.

"World-class" Pedro could be major Nkunku upgrade

Should Man United be willing to come forward for Nkunku, it could make sense to offload the forward, given that he disappointed throughout the 2024-25 season, picking up just three goals and two assists in 27 Premier League outings.

Pedro, on the other hand, impressed for the Seagulls throughout the campaign, collecting 10 goals and six assists, and the Brazilian has previously received praise for his “world-class” finishing and “magnificent technique” from content creator Ryan Adsett.

Chelsea have, of course, already signed one striker this summer, with Delap arriving from Ipswich, but the Brighton marksman is more of a well-rounded forward than the Englishman, as showcased by his ability to create chances for his teammates and pitch in defensively.

Average per 90 (past year)

Joao Pedro

Liam Delap

Assists

0.28

0.07

Tackles

0.74

0.38

Interceptions

0.42

0.07

As such, Pedro would provide Maresca with a different option in attack, so it is promising news that Chelsea are now pushing to finalise a deal, but they may have to move swiftly, given the rival interest from Newcastle.

It’s been a hectic summer for Chelsea so far this year.

Instead of enjoying some time off and getting themselves ready for an intense Premier League campaign next season, the Blues have been fighting their corner in the Club World Cup.

Enzo Maresca’s men might have stumbled somewhat against Flamengo on Friday, but in the small hours of Wednesday morning, they bounced back with a 3-0 win against ES Tunis.

More importantly, the game also saw summer signing Liam Delap open his account for the club, and if recent reports are to be believed, the club could be looking at someone who’d be a great teammate for the Englishman.

Chelsea target attacking reinforcements

With Chelsea looking to improve on their fourth-place finish in the Premier League next season, it’s not been a surprise to see them linked with a host of attacking stars in recent weeks, such as Hugo Ekitiké and even Victor Osimhen.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former managed to rack up a tally of 34 goal involvements in 48 games this season and would reportedly cost around £84m, while the latter managed to amass a haul of 45 goal involvements in 41 games and could cost around £60m.

However, as brilliant as they would be for the Blues, they’re both centre-forwards, so it would be hard to describe either of their potential arrivals as good news for Delap, unlike with Alejandro Garnacho.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Telegraph, Chelsea could still make a push to sign the Manchester United star this summer.

The report claims that the West Londoners are now ‘weighing up the possibility’ of signing the Argentine international while sending Christopher Nkunku the other way in a swap deal.

We say ‘sort of’ swap deal, as the report claims the pair moving in opposite directions would be handled as separate deals, meaning a fee would have to be paid for the winger, who the Red Devils value at £60m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Garnacho’s potential and ability, it might be one worth pursuing, especially as he could be a great signing for Delap.

Why Garnacho would be a great signing for Delap

Okay, there are two main reasons why Garnacho could be a great signing and teammate for Delap at Chelsea, and the first relates to his output.

Even though the United ace is far from being the finished product and can certainly be a little frustrating at times, his raw output is actually quite impressive, especially for someone his age.

For example, in 58 appearances this season, totalling just 3568 minutes, the “generational” talent, as dubbed by Statman Dave, managed to score 11 goals and provide ten assists for a pretty rubbish Red Devils side.

Appearances

58

47

Minutes

3568′

3032′

Goals

11

8

Assists

10

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvements

169.90′

178.35′

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or one every 169.90 minutes, which is actually better than some of the Blues’ better wing options, like Pedro Neto, were able to manage.

So, just imagine how effective the former Ipswich Town gem could be with someone able to produce those numbers in a dysfunctional team to his left.

The second reason the Madrid-born ace would be a great teammate for the Englishman is that he is also a young, developing player, so in theory, they could develop alongside one another, learn each other’s game and hopefully reach their respective peaks at near enough the same time, in turn helping the squad as a whole.

Ultimately, signing Garnacho might not be a popular decision to start with, but he’s shown that in the right environment, he can thrive, and with an exciting, capable striker like Delap next to him, he could become exceptional.

He'd be a dream for Ekitike: Chelsea move close to signing £55m star

The tremendously exciting attacker could become a superstar at Chelsea.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are set for a crucial summer transfer window ahead of Thomas Frank’s first full season in charge of the club.

Spurs will absolutely have to reinforce their young and inexperienced squad as they gear up for Champions League football and the hectic fixture calendar that comes with it, following a 2024/2025 campaign blighted by a plethora of injuries to key players.

Thomas Frank "pushing" Tottenham to make "statement" £51m signing

Spurs are “ready” to back him.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 13, 2025

Ange Postecoglou chose to throw all of his eggs into the Europa League basket, a decision which ultimately paid off, with the Australian ending Spurs’ 17-year wait for a major trophy on a memorable night in Bilbao last month.

However, their dismal Premier League form, which saw Tottenham record 22 top-flight defeats and a 17th-place finish, resulted in Postecoglou losing his job and Frank coming into take over from the now-unemployed 59-year-old.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

The Lilywhites are already working to back Frank with key additions to his new squad, with Spurs holding initial talks over signing Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, a player who the Dane knows very well from their time together at the Gtech Community Stadium.

There are even reports that Tottenham have made a £70 million offer for Mbeumo as they bid to hijack Man United’s deal for the Cameroonian (The Mirror), but this is yet to gain traction among other reliable media sources.

What’s confirmed is Spurs’ talks over signing Mathys Tel on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich, with their sporting director, Max Eberl, telling Abendzeitung München that discussions are indeed ongoing.

Frank wants to keep the Frenchman at N17, and the tactician will have a clear idea of the other players he’d rather hold onto in his new role as Tottenham boss.

Cristian Romero has attracted serious interest from Atletico Madrid, and the Argentine would be a significant loss for Frank, while uncertainty also surrounds the future of club captain Son Heung-min.

Tottenham to consider "lucrative" offer for Son Heung-min

The South Korean’s deal expires next year after Levy elected to trigger the one-year extension clause in his terms earlier this year, but despite the little time remaining on his contract, it is reported in Asia that Spurs’ chairman will demand as much as £50 million to sell Son this summer.

Son is attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, who’ve reportedly held talks with the 32-year-old’s representatives, and journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Football Insider that Levy will consider a “lucrative offer” to sell the forward.

“There’s potential something could happen early in the window,” he said.

“There is growing interest from the Saudi Pro League, and the South Korea international is now going into the final year of his contract at Tottenham. If Tottenham are ready to cash in on Son, this is their last opportunity to get a decent fee for him.

“Thomas Frank will want to have some say over what’s going to happen. He’s a legend at Tottenham, he’s been there for a decade now and he captained them to Europa League success.

“I think, ideally, Frank would like to keep Son because he doesn’t want to lose his club captain just after taking over the new job. He still has something to offer Tottenham, but if a lucrative offer does arrive it’s something they will consider due to his age and contract situation.”

The former Bayer Leverkusen star was a bargain signing from the Bundesliga this time 10 years ago, and gifting the club £50 million would be an ideal way to end his long tenure at Spurs, if Saudi sides decide they can stump up that level of fee.

Son would also sign-off on his Tottenham career after winning a major trophy, which would be a fairytale end for him.

Russell Martin is the 20th permanent manager in Rangers’ 153-year history, but he’s got plenty of work to do if he’s going to be a success at Ibrox.

Last season, the Gers finished second in the Premiership, a whopping 17 points adrift of the champions, and ended the campaign trophyless, most notably dumped out of the Scottish Cup having suffered their first-ever home defeat against lower-league opposition in the competition.

So, if the Light Blues are going to be ready for the start of Champions League qualifying next month, Martin is going to want to be very busy in the transfer market, so could he be reunited with a player for the third time?

Rangers targeting a new centre-back

According to a report by EFL Analysis, Rangers remain interested in signing centre-back Harry Darling, labelling this potential move to Glasgow a ‘very intriguing prospect’, with Norwich City also pursuing the defender.

The 25-year-old is a free agent, having left Swansea City, and has twice played for Martin before, first at Milton Keynes, before the new Rangers manager signed Darling three years ago when he was in charge of the Swans.

Recently-appointed Norwich boss Liam Manning, who replaced Martin at MK, described Darling as “outstanding”, adding that he is more than “capable” of playing at a high level, so could he turn down the Canaries and reunite with Martin once more?

How Harry Darling compares to Robin Pröpper

According to reports in the Netherlands, Robin Pröpper is set to re-join FC Twente this summer, with the Eredivisie side willing to pay around half of the £2.5m they received for the centre-back a mere 12 months ago.

The Dutchman made 43 appearances during his first, and potentially only, season at Rangers, scoring during victories over both Celtic and Dundee United, but more notably getting sent off just 13 minutes into the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club.

Pröpper himself admitted that “maybe I underestimated” the level of competition one faces in the Scottish Premiership, with his performances often widely criticised, including by Aaron Nijjar of Football Insider, who noted that his ‘struggles continued’ following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in December.

Meantime, Ewan Paton of the Rangers Review believes that Scottish football is ‘too quick and physical for his capabilities’, suggesting that supporters would be pleased to see the back of him.

But, would Darling be an upgrade? Let’s assess the pair’s respective statistics to answer that question.

Appearances

39

43

Minutes

3,337

3,210

% of dribblers tackled

56.5%

55.6%

Tackles per 90

0.8

1.2

Interceptions per 90

0.6

0.9

Clearances per 90

5

3.8

Ball recoveries

152

36

% of aerial duels won

64.2%

54%

% of ground duels won

66%

53.25%

Average Sofascore Rating

7.23

6.69

As the table outlines, pretty much across the board, Darling comes out on top for the vast majority of defensive metrics included.

Worth considering that also, according to Global Football Rankings, the EFL Championship is the 11th strongest division in the world, with the Scottish Premiership down in 43rd, albeit 11 of Pröpper’s outings did come in either Champions League qualifying or the Europa League.

Writer Kai Watson believes that Darling would be ‘perfect’ for Martin’s system, labelling him ‘very comfortable on the ball and a brilliant passer’, underlining that this deal is a no-brainer for Rangers, especially considering he’s a free agent.

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ByDan Emery Jun 12, 2025

As speculation continues to arrive about Sandro Tonali’s future, Newcastle United are reportedly in pole position to sign a midfield star who could replace the impressive Italian.

Juventus interested in Sandro Tonali

When Newcastle were without Tonali at the start of the season, it showed. Eddie Howe’s side struggled in pursuit of Champions League qualification and were lacking that added power in the middle of the park. Ever since the return of the Italian, however, the Magpies have dominated the majority of their midfield battles and formed quite the trio between Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

Starts

28

38

29

Progressive Passes

128

271

116

Tackles Won

32

47

35

Ball Recoveries

117

188

149

The perfect blend of combative midfielders and those who have the ability to step onto the front foot, not many can stand in the way of Newcastle’s bulldozing midfield three at their best.

As a result, interest was always likely to arrive with reports in Italy now indicating that Juventus are interested in signing Tonali in this summer’s transfer window. The Italian giants are seemingly looking to bring the midfielder back to the Serie A for the first time since he left AC Milan in what should send alarm bells ringing around St James’ Park.

Jamie Carragher has been among those to praise the Newcastle midfielder this season, even including him in his Monday Night Football Team of the Season. The Sky Sports pundit said when asked why: “I went for Tonali because Newcastle look like they are going to finish third in the Premier League.

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“I don’t think many people would have predicted that. They’ve won a trophy for the first time in 70 years. But they actually made a poor start to the season. I don’t think their season turned around until Eddie Howe put him [Tonali] in the holding role.”

Of course, it remains to be seen whether Tonali will give into the temptation of Italy, but it seems as though Newcastle have a much-needed plan in place nonetheless.

Newcastle now leading race to sign Matteo Guendouzi

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now leading the race to sign Matteo Guendouzi from Lazio this summer. The former Arsenal midfielder is reportedly valued at just €40m (£34m) and could now be on his way back to the Premier League if Tonali decides to leave St James’ Park.

Starts

28

37

Progressive Passes

128

316

Tackles Won

32

21

Ball Recoveries

117

173

Not only does Guendouzi progress play better than Tonali, he has also outperformed the impressive Guimaraes in that department. Since leaving the Premier League with a whimper, the Frenchman has simply discovered another level to his game.

Earning plenty of praise ever since his time at the Emirates, football talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed Guendouzi a “fantastic signing” by Marseille in 2021 and the midfielder has only proved to be equally as fantastic at Lazio.

If the campaign does end with Chelsea securing Champions League qualification, the Blues will have done so without the presence of a reliable and consistent centre-forward this season.

While Enzo Maresca does have Nicolas Jackson to call upon, the Senegalese striker has only scored ten times in the Premier League in 2024/25, albeit while having missed five games in February and March due to a hamstring injury.

The currently suspended marksman has perhaps not been helped by the lack of direct competition in that role, with teenager Marc Guiu having also been sidelined since February with his own hamstring issue.

Although Jackson’s return of 29 goals in 77 games is hardly disastrous, the Blues are still longing for a properly prolific presence to lead the line, echoing the days of Diego Costa and Didier Drogba in their pomp.

In a summer in which the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United will also likely be seeking a new striker, Chelsea themselves appear keen to bolster their ranks with a new addition of their own, with a handful of leading targets already emerging.

The latest on Chelsea's striker search

Arguably the dream target for any Premier League outfit this summer would be Newcastle United talisman, Alexander Isak, with the Swedish star having scored 23 top-flight goals this season – following on from the 21 he chalked up in 2023/24.

The former Real Sociedad man was the subject of interest from the Stamford Bridge side last summer, with contact being made, while reports have again emerged regarding their interest in his services this time around.

Despite the 25-year-old reportedly being open to moving to London, amid rival interest from the Gunners, any deal appears to be out of reach, not least with Newcastle set to demand around £150m if they are to sanction a sale.

With that in mind, alternative options have been drawn up by Todd Boehly and co, with recent reports outlining that Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap remains a leading target, amid his 12-goal haul in the league this term.

The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell recently revealed that the 22-year-old has held ‘face-to-face talks’ with Man United, although Chelsea were named as a rival suitor, with Delap expected to hold discussions with a variety of clubs before settling on a new destination.

Available for just £30m, following Ipswich’s recent relegation, the Englishman would represent a bargain option for Boehly this summer, with competition and cover needed for Jackson through the middle.

Managing to get such a deal over the line could also run parallel with a key departure from the Bridge, with Christopher Nkunku one notable high earner who surely needs to depart.

How much Nkunku earns compared to Delap & Isak

It’s worth remembering the excitement that surrounded the capture of Nkunku back in the summer of 2023, with the Frenchman joining from RB Leipzig on a £52m deal, having registered 125 goals and assists in 172 games for the Bundesliga side prior to that.

That marquee move appeared a notable coup considering his exploits in 2021/22, when the in-demand talent racked up 35 goals and 20 assists in just 57 games, although such form has not been translated in English football.

A knee injury sustained during pre-season, ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, set the tone for what has been a wretched two years for the 27-year-old, as he ultimately made just 11 Premier League appearances last term, scoring three goals.

While he does boast 14 goals this time around in all competitions, only three of those have come in the top-flight, with the one-time Paris Saint-Germain man restricted to just nine league starts under Maresca’s watch.

The issue appears to be finding a settled home for the versatile asset in the starting lineup, with Maresca insisting that he is not an orthodox striker, albeit while having been unable to dislodge Cole Palmer or Enzo Fernandez in the number ten role.

Games (starts)

11 (2)

27 (9)

Goals

3

3

Goal frequency

146min

313min

Big chances missed

3

6

Assists

0

2

Big chances created

0

1

Key passes*

0.3

0.5

Pass accuracy*

89%

91%

Successful dribbles*

0.2

0.4

As cult hero John Obi Mikel stated last month, Nkunku simply “looks lost” when he is asked to play through the middle, in the absence of Jackson, with the move having simply not worked out for both parties.

Thankfully, there does appear to wide-ranging interest in the struggling star ahead of the upcoming window, with reports indicating that he could depart for a fee in the region of £35m.

Managing to rake in a figure close to that asking price would also be aided by the ability to shift Nkunku off the wage bill, with the ex-Leipzig man currently taking home £195k-per-week in west London.

To put that into perspective, the highly-sought Isak is on a salary of £120k-per-week at St James’ Park, while the aforementioned Delap is on ‘just’ £20k-per-week at Portman Road, ensuring Nkunku is earning more than both of those targets combined.

Based on his limp Premier League return, in particular, the 5 foot 10 flop has not warranted such an outlay, with now the time for Boehly to finally cash in on his expensive mistake.

Their new John Terry: Chelsea looking at signing "colossal" £100m defender

Chelsea could look to strengthen in defence this summer

ByJoe Nuttall May 21, 2025

Crystal Palace are now plotting a move for a £20m midfielder, and they are looking to get a deal over the line quickly, according to reporter Alan Nixon.

Palace eyeing new midfielder after FA Cup triumph

May 17th, 2025 will be a date forever etched into Palace history, having won their first ever major trophy courtesy of a shock 1-0 FA Cup final victory against Manchester City, which also secures qualification for a maiden Europa League campaign next season.

Midfielder Will Hughes spoke about what it meant to win the first major honour of his career after the game, while admitting it will take some time to sink in.

Hughes has been an important player for Oliver Glasner this season, making 31 appearances in the Premier League, but with a Europa League campaign now on the horizon, the manager may have to bring in some more depth in midfield this summer.

According to a report from Nixon on Patreon (via Football League World), one of the midfielders Crystal Palace have set their sights on is Mateus Fernandes, with a quick deal for the Southampton midfielder now being plotted.

With the Saints suffering relegation from the Premier League, they could be at risk of losing some of their key players, and Fernandes is valued at roughly £20m, amid interest from both Palace and Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest.

Fernandes deserves another chance in the Premier League

Southampton have endured one of the worst seasons in Premier League history, collecting just 12 points throughout the campaign, but the youngster has shown he deserves a second chance in the top flight with some of his performances.

Despite being just 20-years-old, the attacking midfielder has been a regular starter for the Saints, making 35 appearances in the Premier League, during which time he has managed to amass three goals and two assists.

Crystal Palace join Man Utd in race to sign £19m ace who could replace Eze

Crystal Palace are among the Premier League teams chasing a player who is leaving his club this summer.

ByBrett Worthington May 19, 2025

Former manager Vasco Seabra has also praised the starlet in the past, describing him as a “very strong and aggressive player with a great ability to cover a lot of ground”, and he has performed extremely well across some key defensive metrics, including tackling, over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

2.81 (98th percentile)

Interceptions

0.83 (96th percentile)

Blocks

1.31 (89th percentile)

Clearances

1.12 (85th percentile)

Having stood out defensively, when compared to other attacking midfielders, Fernandes is clearly a well-rounded midfielder, who is capable of playing slightly deeper, and he could be a shrewd acquisition for Crystal Palace this summer.