Chelsea has been the home to numerous midfield talents over the years, with many capturing the hearts of the fanbase and leading them to success over various time periods.

Frank Lampard will arguably remain one of, if not the club’s most iconic players, producing countless moments of magic during his time as a player at Stamford Bridge.

The Englishman scored 211 goals for the Blues, still holding the record to this day for the most goals scored by a player in the club’s history – showcasing how important he was during his stint in West London.

Fast forward to 2025, Enzo Maresca has a talented crop of players in his hands, helping to try and secure the Italian a top-four finish during his opening Premier League campaign at the helm.

As a result, he’s been targeting reinforcements in the January transfer window, including one player who could return to England in the coming weeks.

Chelsea make enquiry to land midfield star

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have made contact with Juventus to ask about a potential loan move for midfielder Douglas Luiz.

The Brazilian only joined the Serie A outfit in the summer, joining in a £42m deal from Aston Villa, but it’s a move that is yet to go to plan for either party.

He’s only featured in 12 league matches, starting just three of them, with former side Manchester City and surprise top-four hopefuls Nottingham Forest also in the race for his signature.

However, Romano confirmed that the Italian outfit are reluctant to allow him to leave on a temporary basis after his move just a handful of months ago from Unai Emery’s side.

Whilst a deal may seem tricky given the interest from elsewhere, it would be a superb addition for Maresca’s side, undoubtedly proving a better option than another player linked with a move to the Bridge.

Why Luiz would be a better signing than Mainoo for Chelsea

In recent weeks, Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has been regularly touted with a move to join the Blues after it was confirmed they would accept a reasonable bid for his services to satisfy the division’s PSR rules.

No bid has been made for the 19-year-old’s signature yet, but the Red Devils youngster is a name who simply won’t go away, leaving the door open for a late move before the end of the window.

It’s unclear how much Ruben Amorim’s side would demand to part ways with their star academy graduate this month, but it’s clear that he would provide quality in the middle of the park – helping secure a top-four spot.

However, a move for Luiz would certainly be a better option, having that experience at the top level of the English game to have a serious impact at the Bridge to help Maresca in his quest.

When comparing their respective figures from the ongoing campaign, the Juve ace has produced various impressive stats, many of which have completely blown Mainoo out of the water, showcasing why he would be the better option for the Blues.

Luiz, who’s previously been dubbed “one of the best in the world” in a midfield position by one Sky Italia journalist, has completed more of his attempted passes this campaign, whilst also creating more chances per 90, highlighting his ability to create opportunities for his teammates.

However, the Brazilian has been just as impressive defensively, winning more of his ground and aerial duels than Mainoo, making him the perfect box-to-box option at the heart of Maresca’s side should he move.

Given the interest from other Premier League clubs, the Blues may face stiff competition for the former Villa ace’s signature, but it’s a signing that would hugely improve their chances of Champions League football.

He has the opportunity to make himself a fan-favourite should he make the move, providing the added quality and dimension that has often been lacking in the recent poor run of form.

Better than Garnacho: Chelsea make contact over signing "world-class" star

Chelsea could be about to move for yet another attacker before the end of the month.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jan 22, 2025

The PCB has announced an increment in its domestic players’ monthly retainers and match fee, across all formats and levels, for the 2022-23 season.As per the new financial model, a player featuring in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will now get a match fee of PKR 100,000 as opposed to the previous PKR 60,000. Those playing the white-ball tournaments – the Pakistan Cup and the National T20 – will now earn PKR 60,000 per game instead of PKR 40,000.The non-playing members of a squad will get PKR 40,000 and PKR 20,000 per match in red and white-ball cricket respectively.Pakistan’s domestic season started on August 30 with the National T20; those who participated in it did so without a contract. ESPNcricinfo understands that the PCB’s domestic and high-performance centre was waiting for the Board of Governors (BoG) to approve the new model. Those who have played in the National T20 will get their match fee as per the new structure.In all, the PCB will offer contracts to 192 players across five categories. Fifteen players will be in category A+, 35 in category A, 48 in category B, 70 in category C and 24 in category D. The board is yet to announce the names of the contracted players.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“Domestic cricket is the backbone of Pakistan cricket and we need to continue to invest in it to make it a stronger and more attractive brand,” Nadeem Khan, the High Performance director, said in a press release. “In this relation, I am grateful to the BoG for supporting and approving the management’s recommendations. I am sure these new financial incentives will take our domestic cricket forward and assist the PCB in further reducing the gap with international cricket.”The retainers and match fees have been increased to motivate and inspire cricketers to work harder round the year to maintain the required and expected levels of fitness and form, which forms the basis of retaining places in the contract list. Besides, the new incentives will also encourage them to give preference to our tournament over foreign leagues. Needless to remind everyone, PCB domestic events are a pathway to selection in the national side.”In 2019, the PCB did away with its traditional regional and department team model and narrowed down the national pipeline into six associational teams representing all six provinces in the country. That resulted in over 120 players missing out on playing domestic cricket.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Currently, with six elite and six second XI teams, with each having 16 players, the number of active domestic players is 192. Earlier, it was over 300.The PCB insisted that with its new financial model, a domestic player can earn way more than what he was earning previously. After the latest increment, if an A+ category player plays all matches in the season, including the finals, he could earn PKR 6.1 million. The corresponding figure for a D category player will be PKR 4.3 million.Earlier this year, the PCB brought in several changes to the domestic structure for the 2022-23 season, where 187 matches will be played across formats over five months. The season will end in the first week of January, unlike previous ones when it stretched till March.

It has been a tough season for Wolverhampton Wanderers for several reasons, not least because they are struggling for survival and are currently in the midst of a relegation battle. With that being said, new manager Vitor Pereira has earned them some crucial points so far.

In a season such as the one Wolves are having, it is crucial that all the squad are on board and united. However, that is not the case for former club captain Mario Lemina, who was recently dropped from the squad after revealing he wanted to leave. Pereira explained after the recent 3-1 loss to Chelsea “he is out until the end of the market has closed”.

Wolves’ potential replacement for Lemina, Manu Silva had been lined up, but the deal fell through last week.

Why the Manu Silva deal collapsed

It was a frustrating week at Molineux, with the future of Lemina still up in the air and seemingly his replacement ready to put pen to paper and sign on the dotted line. Manu Silva, a 23-year-old defensive midfielder previously of Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes, seemed destined to play for the Old Gold.

However, at the last minute, the £10m deal they had agreed for the young midfielder was hijacked by Portuguese giants Benfica. As talkSPORT explained, Aguias ‘swooped in at the last minute’ and convinced him to stay in his homeland. Benfica, managed by former Wolves boss Bruno Lage, can offer Champions League football, which is hard to turn down.

It was certainly a blow for Wolves to miss out on the talented 23-year-old, who already has plenty of experience at first-team level. This term for Vitoria Guimaraes, he has featured 28 times, with four goals and two assists to his name.

A £10m, it would have been a steal for someone with such high potential, and already brilliant ability for the base of their midfield. As per FBref, he averages 4.54 tackles and interceptions per game, the top 9% of midfielders in leagues similar in quality to the Portuguese top-flight.

As good of a signing as Silva would have been, the Old Gold still have depth in midfield, including someone whose transfer value is far more than what they would have paid for the youngster.

Wolves' current midfield star at Molineux

The player in question here is Brazilian star Andre. He joined the club just last summer, for a fee of £18.5m up front, a value that has now risen to more than double the amount they almost paid for Silva this month.

Andre is now worth over two times Silva, specifically £21m according to Transfermarkt, which already shows great investment from the Old Gold. However, it seems like the “sensational” star, as football statistician Statman Dave described him, might only get more expensive if he continues to be a key man in the top flight.

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?

He has heavily featured so far for the club this term. Andre has played 18 times across all competitions, with 17 of those appearances coming in the Premier League. Under Pereira, he has started five games out of five matchday squads he has been involved in.

Indeed, given some of his impressive defensive numbers in the Premier League, it is no surprise that Andre is worth double the amount of Silva.

As per FBref, the Brazilian averages 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game, slightly more than the new Benfica star. That places him in the 83rd percentile of midfielders in the Premier League. Andre’s numbers outside of that are impressive.

Tackles and interceptions

4.6

83rd

Ball recoveries

6.10

81st

Blocks

2.06

92nd

Tackles won

2.38

95th

Pass completion %

92.3%

98th

The signing of Andre has been a great investment so far from the Old Gold. Not only has he proven to be worth even more than Silva, but he has performed well so far in the middle of the park from the Old Gold.

If the Brazilian can keep this form up, Wolves could be looking at an even bigger increase in his transfer value.

Wolves' most expensive sales of all time

A a look at Wolves’ 20 most expensive departures.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 10, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Em partida válida pela nona rodada do Brasileirão, Avaí e São Paulo se enfrentam no sábado (4), às 19h, no estádio da Ressacada, em Florianópolis, pela 9ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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VEJA A TABELA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO

O Tricolor ocupa o 5º lugar no Campeonato Brasileiro, com 13 pontos em oitos jogos disputados. Na última rodada, o São Paulo empatou com o Ceará por 2 a 2, em duelo disputado no Morumbi.

Rogério Ceni não poderá contar com Arboleda, na seleção equatoriana, além de Rafinha e Igor Gomes, suspensos.Sara, Colorado, Nikão e Talles Costa continuam no departamento médico. Em compensação, Alisson volta após cumprir suspensão.

Já o Avaíocupa o 13º lugar, com 10 pontos em oito jogos. O Leão perdeu por 2 a 1 para o Atlético-MG, no Mineirão, na 8ª rodada. Eduardo Barroca terá os desfalques deBressan, lesionado e Douglas, que recebeu o cartão vermelho e está suspenso.

AVAÍ X SÃO PAULO
Local: Estádio da Ressacada, Florianópolis (SC)
Data e hora: 04 de junho de 2022, às 19h
Árbitro: Anderson Daronco (RS)
Assistentes: Rafael da Silva Alves (RS) e Michael Stanislau (SC)
VAR: Wagner Reway (PB)
Onde assistir: Premiere (todo o Brasil), no tempo real do L! e em áudio na parceria LANCE!/Voz do Esporte

AVAÍ
Vladimir, Kevin, Rodrigo Freitas, Arthur Chaves, Bruno Cortez, Raniele, Eduardo, Bruno Silva, Morato, Bissoli e Muriqui (Pottker). Técnico: Eduardo Barroca
Desfalques: Bressan (lesionado)
Suspensos: Douglas (Vermelho Direto)
Pendurados: Raniele, Arthur Chaves, William Pottker, Jean Cleber e Cortez
Voltam de suspensão: Bruno Silva (3º Amarelo)

SÃO PAULO
​Jandrei; Igor Vinicius, Diego Costa, Léo e Welington; Pablo Maia, Rodrigo Nestor, André Anderson (Patrick) e Alisson; Luciano e Calleri. Técnico: Rogério Ceni
Desfalques: Arboleda (seleção equatoriana), Gabriel Sara, Andrés Colorado, Nikão e Talles Costa (lesionados)
Suspensos: Igor Gomes (Vermelho após o 2º Amarelo) e Rafinha (3º Amarelo)
Pendurados: André Anderson e Luciano
Voltam de suspensão: Alisson (3º Amarelo)

Middle-order batter brings Division One experience to Mickey Arthur project

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2022

Warwickshire batter Matthew Lamb has agreed to join Derbyshire on a two-year deal.Lamb, 26, came through at Edgbaston having joined the club at Under-9s, making his first team debut in 2016. He was a member of the side that won the 2021 County Championship, playing 13 games and contributing 565 runs.A versatile middle-order batter who can also bowl medium pace, Lamb averages 31.23 in first-class cricket and 42.24 in List A.Derbyshire’s head of cricket, Mickey Arthur, said they had targeted Lamb to strengthen the squad after finishing fifth in Division Two in his first season in charge.”Matt had a strong season in Division One and that’s the calibre of player we want to bring to our club,” Arthur said. “Signing a player with a good amount of top level experience is an example of our intent. Our batting has been strong this year, but Matt’s arrival increases that competition for places and re-enforces our batting depth in all formats.”Lamb finished the season out of the Championship side at Edgbaston, but was second in the club’s averages, scoring 487 run at 48.70 with two hundreds in eight appearances.”I leave Edgbaston with a heavy heart, but I’m incredibly excited for the next chapter of my career,” Lamb said. “I will be forever grateful and thankful to everybody at the Bears who helped and coached me from an eight-year-old cricket lover to a County Champion.”I have made friends for life at the club and will always look forward to returning with Derbyshire.”Mickey Arthur’s project at Derbyshire really excites me, there’s a talented group of players and the level of ambition is high, that’s something I want to be a part of. I’ve been pleased with my performances over the last couple of years, but I want to push myself across all formats, this is the opportunity to do that and I’m looking forward to getting going this winter.”

Antonio Rudiger has been told to expect a "double-digit" ban for his "crazy" outburst following Real Madrid's Copa del Rey final defeat.

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Real Madrid lost to Barcelona in finalRudiger threw ice at the refereeLothar Matthaus slams countrymanFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rudiger was sent off after Real's defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, as he protested a decision right at the end of the game. Such was his rage, he attempted to throw ice at the referee, and had to be forcibly restrained by his team-mates.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Now, Lothar Matthaus, Rudiger's countryman, has urged La Liga to hand the defender a lengthy ban. He believes that Rudiger should be grateful if he receives anything close to a four-week suspension, but is anticipating "double-digits".

WHAT MATTHAUS SAID

Matthaus said on Sky90: "He went crazy, he was no longer in control. He's a German international, he should be a role model. Yesterday he forgot all about that."

He added: "If he walks away with a four-week suspension, he can be satisfied. I'm more thinking of a double-digit ban. I expect a massive ban. Besides, he was on probation."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Real play Celta Vigo on Sunday before they renew hostilities with Barcelona on May 11. Los Blancos are four points behind their eternal rivals with five games to go.

New Zealand will still be well-placed even if they lose, though they would likely need to beat Ireland to ensure progress to semi-final

Matt Roller31-Oct-20224:28

Does Stokes fit into this England XI? Are New Zealand favourites?

Big picture
England and New Zealand’s last meeting in this format was an instant classic, a slow-burning epic which saw England’s World Cup hopes go up in flames.Just short of a year on, England will be staring elimination in the face once again, unless they can overcome one of the tournament’s two unbeaten sides at the Gabba. They would still be alive mathematically with a defeat on Tuesday night, but will be relying on Afghanistan beating Australia on Friday, before having to overcome Sri Lanka in their final fixture in Sydney. In short, this is a must-win.Net run rate shouldn’t be a major concern for England at this stage, thanks in no small part to Ireland’s Lorcan Tucker. Australia were heading for a convincing win on Monday evening when Ireland were 25 for 5, but Tucker’s unbeaten 71 closed the margin of defeat significantly. As a result, two wins be enough for England to reach the semi-final; and they have the advantage of playing the last game in Group 1.Related

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New Zealand have been hugely impressive in brushing Australia and Sri Lanka aside, and victory in Brisbane would seal for them a semi-final berth for the third successive T20 World Cup. Moreover, given their net run rate, they will be close to locking in the top spot. New Zealand will still be well-placed even if they lose, though they would likely need to beat Ireland in Adelaide on Friday to ensure their progress.Enough about the permutations and onto the game itself, which could be won and lost in the two powerplays. Trent Boult and Tim Southee, New Zealand’s opening bowlers across formats for most of the last decade, have been lethal with the new ball since arriving in Australia, while England’s top order is yet to fire. Jos Buttler has been very successful against Boult in T20s: but can he take his Rajasthan Royals team-mate down in Brisbane when it matters most?England’s seamers were excellent with the new ball against Afghanistan but were wayward against Ireland; they conceded 59 runs in the first six overs, with Chris Woakes coming in for particularly brutal treatment. Finn Allen is the key wicket: New Zealand blitzed 65 for 1 against Australia when he raced out of the blocks but stumbled to 25 for 3 against Sri Lanka after he fell early on.Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone could be shuffled up after limited opportunities so far this tournament•ICC via Getty ImagesRecent form
England LWWWW
New Zealand WWLLWIn the spotlight
“The one person that you want in your team when the pressure is on is Ben Stokes,” Paul Collingwood, England’s assistant coach, said on Monday. Stokes has managed only 41 runs off 42 balls in his five T20Is since arriving in Australia, and for all his quality as a bowler, fielder and leader, now is the time for him to turn the intangibles into game-defining contributions.England’s batters have targeted Ish Sodhi whenever they have faced him in T20Is: he has nine wickets in as many appearances against them, with an eye-watering economy rate of 10.64 runs per over. Sodhi took the key wicket of Buttler in last year’s semi-final, and will need to be at his best on Tuesday night against a deep batting line-up.Team newsEngland’s selection came under scrutiny after their defeat to Ireland but they were due to play an unchanged team against Australia before the game was washed out. As a result, it seems unlikely they will make changes barring a late injury, though Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali could be shuffled up the order after limited opportunities so far in this tournament. Stokes has hardly trained, but has been declared fully fit.England (probable): 1 Jos Buttler (capt, wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Harry Brook, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Adil RashidNew Zealand might consider bringing Michael Bracewell in to counter England’s left-hand batters•AFP/Getty ImagesMitchell Santner bowled a solitary over in last year’s semi-final, with Kane Williamson reluctant to use him against Dawid Malan and Moeen. England have added an extra left-hander to their middle order this year in Ben Stokes, which could block Santner’s use again; as a result, New Zealand might consider bringing Michael Bracewell, the offspinning allrounder, into their side.New Zealand (probable): 1 Finn Allen, 2 Devon Conway (wk), 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Glenn Phillips, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 James Neesham, 7 Michael Bracewell/Mitchell Santner, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Lockie FergusonPitch and conditions
David Hussey describes the Gabba as “probably the best batting pitch in Australia for white-ball cricket”, and the numbers back that up: the average scoring rate there in men’s T20Is is 7.94 per over, the second-highest of any Australian ground. The pitch was on the slow side in Australia’s win against Ireland on Monday, and the same strip will be used on Tuesday, which could bring spinners into play.Bad weather has followed England around over the last week, and the forecast for the match is not the best either, with rain due to fall throughout Tuesday morning. However, the weather is expected to clear up later in the day, and the Gabba’s renowned underground drainage system could ensure the teams get on to the pitch.Stats and trivia
Buttler will become the second player to reach 100 men’s T20Is for England after Eoin Morgan, and will overtake his predecessor as their all-time leading run-scorer in the format if he can makes at least 64. Malan has dominated Sodhi during their previous meetings in T20Is, hitting 105 runs off the 58 balls. It is one of only five head-to-head match-ups in T20I history where a batter has scored more than 100 runs off a single bowler, where ball-by-ball data is available. Allen has the highest strike rate in T20 history among batters with at least 1000 runs. New Zealand have never played a T20I at the Gabba, and have a poor historic record there across formats. They have not won a game in Brisbane in the last 20 years, their most recent victory coming in an ODI against South Africa in January 2002.Quotes
“It’s frustrating when you’ve got the rain around in Melbourne: it was almost like English conditions there. It’s nice to come up to Brisbane where it’s a lot warmer, and we’re all looking forward to getting a full 40 overs in.”
“Our brand of cricket might not look as aggressive as them, but we need to stick to what we have done well for a period of time, and make sure we throw our own punches in our own way.”

It’s been an unforgiving season for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have been dismal in the Premier League, losing more games than they’ve won, and were dumped out of both the FA Cup and League Cup within the space of five days earlier this month.

Now, while their form has been dire for much of the campaign, they have had to deal with an incredible number of injuries to players all over the pitch.

Games

25

8

5

2

Wins

9

5

4

1

Draws

3

2

0

0

Losses

13

1

1

1

Goals For

49

17

9

4

Goals Against

37

9

9

2

Moreover, while the results would suggest otherwise, one player has stepped up a level this year and is now winning comparisons to another Premier League star who is worth a king’s ransom.

Spurs' top performers compared to last season

While the player in question has taken a massive step forward this season, the same cannot be said for Spurs’ top goalscorer from last year: Son Heung-min.

Despite not always being as dynamic as he was in prior years, the South Korean superstar still managed to rack up a sensational tally of 17 goals and ten assists in 36 appearances, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.33 games.

This season, the 32-year-old has still been somewhat effective in front of goal – perhaps more than people have given him credit for – but his haul of ten goals and eight assists in 34 appearances is still some way off what he managed in 23/24.

Likewise, Richarlison, who managed to produce 12 goals and four assists last term, which made him the club’s second-top scorer, hasn’t been able to get anywhere near that, although a significant reason for that has been his injuries.

That said, he has still made 14 appearances so far, in which he’s only been able to score three goals and provide one assist for Postecoglou and Co.

So, it would be fair to say that some of the club’s best players just haven’t stepped up this season, well, except for one who has been compared to another star worth an incredible amount of money.

The £116m Spurs star in the making

The likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Djed Spence have all stepped up to the plate for Spurs this season and look like they could be core members of the first team for years to come.

Still, when it comes to the established stars in the squad who have excelled this season, it’s impossible to look past Dejan Kulusevski.

The Swedish international has played out wide and in the middle of the park this year, and while there is an argument to be made that his performances have tailed off somewhat in recent weeks, his form for the season as a whole has been brilliant.

For example, in 40 appearances, the “world-class” dynamo, as dubbed by respected talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored nine goals and provided ten assists.

That means that, despite constantly changing positions, the 24-year-old ace has averaged a goal involvement every 2.1 games and is also the most productive player in the squad.

On top of this, he has also been likened to Martin Odegaard by FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Norwegian is the fourth most similar midfielder to the Swedish dynamo.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, assists, crosses into the final third and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.44

0.33

Assists

0.18

0.20

Shots on Target

0.66

0.46

Crosses into the Final Third

0.26

0.33

Aerial Duels Won

0.40

0.39

Now, Spurs fans may not like these comparisons to the captain of their fiercest rivals, especially not when he’s been somewhat out of form this season, but the positive is that it does bode well for Kulusevski’s future valuation as, according to Football Transfers, the Gunners’ number eight is currently worth up to €140m which is about £116m.

Ultimately, Tottenham and a number of their star players might not be having the best of seasons, but in Kulusevski, it looks like the club have a potential superstar who could keep getting better for years to come.

Sold by Conte: Spurs dud has seen his valuation soar 2300% since leaving

The talented attacker has enjoyed a relatively successful few years since leaving Spurs.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 20, 2025

Nottingham Forest have now reportedly made a bold move to bolster their ranks ahead of the 2025/26 campaign with a bid already having gone in for one future star to join Nuno Espírito Santo’s revolution at the City Ground, it has been claimed.

Nottingham Forest on course for Europe

In what is likely to be the shock of the Premier League season, Nottingham Forest are on course to qualify for Champions League football next campaign if they are able to carry their form into the final part of the season.

Nottingham Forest keen on signing "exceptional" £30m Premier League player

The Tricky Trees still hold an active interest in a player they targeted last summer.

1 ByDominic Lund Feb 9, 2025

As it stands, the City Ground outfit sit third in the top flight, just three points behind Arsenal and four points clear of Chelsea, while they have a further two-point cushion to Manchester City and Newcastle United in fifth and sixth place respectively.

With Champions League football likely to be available for the top five finishers, the Garibaldi are in an excellent position to qualify but opted not to strengthen in January in a bid to try and bolster that hope despite links to Matheus Cunha and Yoane Wissa.

Earlier in the month, John Percy revealed that owner “[Evangelos] Marinakis did make it clear that funds were available” in January but that Nuno opted to continue with his smaller squad rather than risk making a mistake in the winter market.

Those funds are also likely to be there in the summer as Forest look to continue their ascent up the Football League to challenge for major honours once more under the stewardship of the Greek owner, and now an idea of their ambition may have just been provided.

Nottingham Forest make £30m+ bid for defender

That comes as a report in Spain claims that Forest have tabled a €40m (£32m) bid to sign Real Madrid sensation Raul Asencio after he shot to prominence this season.

The Garibaldi have enjoyed an excellent defensive partnership at the City Ground after adding Nikola Milenkovic to their ranks over the summer, and their 27 goals conceded is a key reason behind their success this season.

Liverpool

21

Arsenal

22

Nottingham Forest

27

Bournemouth

28

Everton

28

However, they seem keen to bolster their ranks further, with the report claiming that the 21-year-old Spaniard has caught their eye, with his performance in the Madrid derby seeing him hailed a “beast” by Rising Stars.

Indeed, it is claimed that Forest have tabled a “concrete and ambitious offer” and “are willing to pay 40 million euros” to sign the 21-year-old centre-back.

It is added that Real Madrid are yet to reply to the offer and “have not made a definitive decision on the player’s future” as they weigh up offering him a new contract in the Spanish capital.

If Forest are able to pull off a deal to sign one of Real Madrid’s most promising youngsters and a Los Blancos academy graduate, it would represent quite the coup and only serve to continue the rapid upward trajectory of the City Ground side.

Rio Ferdinand believes Ollie Watkins 'deserves' to play for Arsenal after the Gunners saw their January transfer bid rejected by Aston Villa.

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• Ferdinand backs Watkins to join Arsenal
• Striker left frustrating by reduced game time
• Arsenal tried to sign the striker in January

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners are expected to raid the transfer market in the summer in search of a quality striker ahead of the 2025-26 season. The Premier League giants have included Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko in their shortlist as Mikel Arteta seems desperate to add a new No.9 to his squad.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The North London side reportedly placed a transfer bid for England international striker Ollie Watkins in the January window, however, the Villans rejected it and instead sold Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr. Watkins has been left frustrated with his reduced game time under Unai Emery, who had benched the striker in both of Villa's Champions League quarter-final legs against Paris Saint-Germain.

• WHAT RIO FERDINAND SAID

  Amid speculation over the English striker's future at Villa Park, Manchester United legend Ferdinand backed him to move to Arsenal in the summer.

  He told TNT Sports: "I think he’s a cult hero here. He’s one of the main reasons as to why they’re playing Champions League football and playing at this level. I think for any defender, he’s a hard day’s work, 100 per cent, he’s added quality to his game over the last few years. ‘His route to the top hasn’t been conventional, no academies, he’s worked his way here and he deserves everything he gets. I wasn’t surprised Arsenal came in for him because I think he deserves that given the performances and the output he’s been putting in."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ASTON VILLA?

  Emery's side will be back in action in the Premier League on May 10 as they take on Bournemouth away from home.