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The fans might not have got everything they wanted, but it was a pretty good summer transfer window for Chelsea this year.

The club were able to ship out several players they deemed no longer good enough, and bring in a host of brilliant young talents who could develop into superstars for Enzo Maresca.

However, unlike some of their Premier League rivals, there was no blockbuster move for a certifiable world-class player, like Alexander Isak.

The Swedish international’s £125m move to Liverpool is now the league’s record transfer, although, painfully, Chelsea did lose a young talent in the past who is now worth more than that.

The best Ex-Chelsea gems

Over the last five years or so, Chelsea have seen a pretty constant stream of academy products come through and make it into the first team.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

However, like every other team, they’ve also lost out on some serious stars when they were young, with Declan Rice being a big one.

The Arsenal star came up through Cobham alongside Mason Mount and a number of other notable players, but at the age of 14 was let go.

He then moved to West Ham United, where he made 245 appearances and won the Conference League before joining the Gunners for £105m in the summer of 2023 and becoming a key cog in Mikel Arteta’s midfield.

Another youngster the Blues missed out on was Michael Olise, who left the club at the age of 14 and has gone on to become one of the best wingers in world football.

The Frenchman earned a £50m move to Bayern Munich last summer after impressing at Crystal Palace and more than justified his price tag.

In 55 appearances, he scored 20 goals and provided 23 assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games.

In all, Chelsea have missed out on some unreal talents of the years, although perhaps the worst is someone now worth more than Isak.

The ex-Chelsea gem worth more than Isak

Unfortunately for Chelsea, there are plenty more stars they let slip through their fingers, but in this case, the player worth more than Isak is Jamal Musiala.

Yes, the German international was once a part of the Blues’ academy, but in the summer of 2019, he opted to join Bayern, for which the club received just £170k.

It was seen as such a disaster by some that Massimo Franchi, the creator of the Golden Boy award, compared it to “the Louvre losing the Mona Lisa!”

Dramatic? Slightly, but the mercurial midfielder has been exceptional in the years since, and according to the CIES Football Observatory, is worth up to 151m.

That converts to around £131m, or £6m more than Isak’s record-breaking move, and while that sounds absurd, his performances suggest otherwise.

For example, despite still being just 22-years-old, the “world-class” superstar, as dubbed by former manager Julian Nagelsmann, has racked up 207 appearances for Bayern, totalling 12163 minutes, in which he’s scored 64 goals and provided 39 assists.

That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every other game, or every 118.08 minutes.

Appearances

207

Minutes

12163′

Goals

64

Assists

39

Goal Involvements per Match

0.49

Minutes per Goal Involvement

118.08′

On top of that, he has already won 40 senior caps for Germany, in which he’s scored eight goals and provided eight assists.

Ultimately, Musiala is an exceptional world-beating talent, and Chelsea must rue the fact that they weren’t able to keep hold of him.

Chelsea star who was sold for a £38m loss is now playing like Xavi Simons

The international star had moments of brilliance at Chelsea, but never lived up to expectations.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 4, 2025

“It has definitely helped me to get better, be more instinctive, be on my toes, and think correctly at the right moment”

Deivarayan Muthu24-Jan-20252:51

Varun excited for first home game in Chennai: ‘Important day for me’

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy has given a ringing endorsement of the country’s domestic system, more specifically the 20-overs Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, saying it is “almost on par” with the IPL and international cricket.”The level of cricket in the domestic [circuit] is extremely high,” Varun said on the eve of the second T20I against England in Chennai. “I would say [it is] almost on par with IPL and the other international matches we play. I would really suggest everyone to go and play the Syed Mushtaq Ali because we play on small grounds. It is very challenging [for bowlers].”Related

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Varun himself has benefitted from regular game-time in domestic white-ball cricket over the past two seasons. In the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2023-24, his first List A tournament in five years, Varun came away as the joint-highest wicket-taker, with 19 strikes at an average of 13.05. In the most recent Vijay Hazare Trophy, he finished as the second-highest wicket-taker, with 18 strikes in six innings at 12.16. In this season’s 20-overs Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he was put under pressure on the easy-paced, bash-through-the-line pitches on a small ground in Indore. For instance, in Tamil Nadu’s opening game of the tournament, he was taken for 49 runs by Tripura in four overs.”I find it very tough playing SMAT,” Varun said. “It has definitely helped me to get better, be more instinctive, be on my toes, and think correctly at the right moment.”Over the past two years, Varun has also been active in other T20 tournaments like the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) and the DY Patil tournament in Mumbai.Varun Chakravarthy took a match-winning three-wicket haul in the first T20I in Kolkata•BCCIOn Friday, he returned to Chepauk, the scene of his emergence as an international player. His family and friends will turn up at the venue on Saturday to watch him in action in his first international at home. Even before he had featured in TNPL 2018, which first put him on the T20 map, Varun bowled at the Chepauk nets to the Chennai Super Kings batters. It was his first professional stint in top-flight cricket after he had transformed himself from a medium-pacer in tennis-ball cricket to a mystery spinner. Having worked as an architect and made a cameo appearance in a Tamil movie back in 2014, Varun is eager to reintroduce himself as an international cricketer at his home ground.”Definitely [special],” Varun said of his homecoming. “Back to Chennai and in the blues is very important for me. I see it as a very important day for me. I’m coming back to Chennai after a long time. Playing for the country in front of my parents and the home crowd. Yeah, it is very special for me.”At his press conference, Varun was also asked about stepping into the shoes of the recently retired R Ashwin, his former India team-mate and current captain at Dindigul Dragons, under whom he won TNPL 2024.”It’s a big deal for me that you’re making this comparison,” Varun said. “Ashwin has played all three formats. I’m only just coming back into the team, and I’ve not yet done enough to merit this comparison. But still, everyone wants to get into the Indian team, and I’ve been doing my processes, and I’ll go wherever that takes me. I can’t think about filling the shoes of someone like Ashwin – he’s played so many matches, taken 500 [Test] wickets, big shoes to fill, I’m not even close yet.”R Ashwin, Varun’s captain at Dindigul Dragons, has encouraged him to bat up the order•TNPL/TNCADuring TNPL 2024, Ashwin had encouraged Varun to bat up the order and, in one of the games, he even batted above at Ashwin at No.7. Varun said he has also been working on his batting with Abhishek Nayar, the former assistant coach at Kolkata Knight Riders who is now with the India team in a similar capacity.”I have been working on batting for the last six-seven months,” Varun said. “I started my preparation in KKR only with Abhishek Nayar. That kind of helped me. There is still a lot of work to do.”In the first T20I against England, Varun took 3 for 23, including the big wickets of Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone in the same over. With England’s Bazballers gearing up for a backlash, Varun might have to do more work with the ball on a fresh Chepauk pitch, where the ball is expected to slide onto the bat, and he’s prepared for it.”Even when you see Eden [Gardens], it’s a small ground,” Varun said. “Bowlers have the challenge of bowling [with smaller boundaries]. We do plan for that also. If they [England] are looking to have an aggressive approach, that is how T20 is. I cannot complain or be shocked by their approach. I am expecting that. I also have certain plans for that.”

أعلن نادي أتلتيكو مدريد الإسباني أنه سيخوض مباراة ودية ضد خصمه إنتر ميلان الإيطالي، خلال فترة التوقف الدولي لشهر أكتوبر الحالي، لعام 2025، وذلك في إحدى الدول العربية.

وسيستغل أتلتيكو مدريد فترة التوقف الدولي لخوض مباراة ودية ضمن كأس إعادة الإعمار، وذلك ضد نظيره إنتر ميلان، في دولة ليبيا.

وسيستضيف ملعب “بنغازي الدولي” مباراة أتلتيكو مدريد وإنتر ميلان يوم الجمعة 10 أكتوبر، في تمام الساعة السابعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.

اقرأ أيضًا | ثورة جديدة مرتقبة في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. مباريات نارية ومنصة مجانية

وقال أتلتيكو مدريد: “ستتيح هذه المباراة للاعبين غير المنضمين لمنتخباتهم الوطنية الحفاظ على إيقاعهم ومواصلة استعداداتهم للمباريات التنافسية القادمة”.

وسبق أن تواجه الفريقان مرتين في الموسم قبل الماضي، ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا في دور الـ16، حيث فاز إنتر ميلان في الذهاب، بينما انتصر أتلتيكو مدريد بفضل ركلات الترجيح في العودة.

كذلك سيواجه أتلتيكو مدريد خصمه إنتر ميلان مجددًا في دوري أبطال أوروبا ذلك الموسم في مرحلة الدوري.

Afridi, Naseem and Rauf restricted the hosts to 140 before Pakistan completed a smooth chase in the decider

Tristan Lavalette10-Nov-2024

Completing a remarkable revival, having been engulfed in turmoil ahead of the tour, Pakistan claimed a rare series triumph in Australia after a comprehensive eight-wicket victory on a bouncy Optus Stadium surface in the third and final ODI.Having lost a heartbreaker in the opener at the MCG, Pakistan rebounded brilliantly with almost flawless performances in Adelaide and Perth to completely overwhelm world champions Australia, who have plenty of question marks ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.It was Pakistan’s first series victory in Australia since 2002 and a result made more incredible given white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten quit just a week before the tour amid well-worn Pakistani turmoil.But Pakistan appeared galvanised under Jason Gillespie, their Australian Test coach who is filling the shoes of Kirsten, and were ignited by a rampant four-pronged attack that routed a shorthanded Australia without their Test stars for 140 in just 31.5 overs.There were no infamous wobbles for Pakistan, who romped home in the 27th over.Australia capped a sluggish series with a sloppy performance in the field. Opener Saim Ayub had an early reprieve, while Adam Zampa spilt a sitter at deep square leg to reprieve Abdullah Shafique as Australia faced the humiliating prospect of a first ever 10-wicket ODI loss at home.But Lance Morris, who showcased his trademark pace by hitting speeds in the mid-140 kph, at least saved Australia from an unwanted place in the record books with the wickets of Shafique and Ayub in the 18th over.Lance Morris dismissed the two openers in one over•Getty Images

Interim captain Josh Inglis opted not to use Morris until the 15th over with allrounder Marcus Stoinis surprisingly given the new ball alongside Spencer Johnson.Skipper Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam, his predecessor, were nerveless with a flurry of boundaries to complete a match that finished two hours ahead of the scheduled close time.It completed a memorable first series in charge for Rizwan, who had no hesitation to bowl first and his decision was vindicated. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah claimed three wickets apiece, while in-form Haris Rauf finished with 2 for 24 as his sheer speed once again shook up the batters.Numerous batters succumbed to hostile short balls, while allrounder Cooper Connolly had to retire hurt on 7 after copping a blow to his left hand attempting to pull Mohammad Hasnain. He was taken for scans and did not field in Pakistan’s innings.Pakistan’s attack smartly did not get carried away with the bounce on offer as their quicks bowled unrelenting line and lengths to totally smother Australia, who once again would be disappointed with their shot selections on a surface that was not a minefield. No Australia batter scored a half-century across the series.Pakistan entered in the unfamiliar position of favourites in a country where they have endured so much misery over the years.Their optimism was heightened by Australia making five changes after skipper Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne were rested as they start to prepare for the first Test against India.Australia had to rejig their batting-order, but openers Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk remained at the top of the order and desperate to fire having struggled across the opening two games.They appeared intent on backing their ultra-aggressive methods and scored 12 runs in the opening over. But things quickly went downhill with Fraser-McGurk caught at second slip after attempting to drive a good length delivery from Naseem.Josh Inglis gives the team talk on captaincy debut•Getty Images

He failed to move his feet in a dismissal that is common in Perth and his wicket brought to the crease allrounder Aaron Hardie, who was elevated to No. 3 in a role he fulfils with aplomb for Perth Scorchers in the BBL. Even though he was on his home ground, Hardie looked nervous and fell in a moment of indecisiveness and edged to second slip in a reward for Afridi, who conjured beautiful seam movement.The pressure was on Inglis, who was already amid a big day in his captaincy debut having been earlier selected in Australia’s 13-member squad for the Perth Test against India. Inglis has often performed a rescue role for Scorchers in the BBL, but he couldn’t get going and skied a short Naseem delivery to Rizwan.Short managed to get through the early barrage as he set his sights on furthering his bid to become Australia’s permanent ODI opener. But on 22 he picked out square leg to gift a wicket to Rauf, who was feeling giddy at his good fortune.Rauf ramped up his speed and claimed Glenn Maxwell for a duck as Australia stared down the barrel of being routed for under 100. The only momentary concern for Pakistan was Afridi grimacing in agony after being whacked on his left thumb taking a throw at the stumps.But he returned and was faced with a counterattack from Sean Abbott, who top-scored with 30. But Afridi ended Abbott’s resistance and then knocked over Morris to send the large contingent of Pakistan fans in the terraces into raptures and they continued to roar through the afternoon.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in a race to sign a versatile £6.7 million international who could be a replacement for Nélson Semedo, according to a recent report.

Wolves target new midfielder and new striker

Given the fact the Midlands side have already seen Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri leave the club in big-money deals, Wolves have a rather large back pocket full of money. Manager Vitor Pereira will be hoping the club chiefs allow him to spend that money in the transfer market, as they look to avoid another relegation battle.

Wolves make approach for "major talent" also wanted by seven other clubs

The Old Gold are in the market for reinforcements…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jul 4, 2025

According to a report from Spain, one way the Premier League side want to spend some of their cash is by signing Conor Gallagher from Atlético Madrid. It is claimed that Wolves are among the teams wanting to sign the midfielder, and they would be willing to pay as much as £43 million to bring him back to England. The Spanish giants could be open to letting the England midfielder leave in this transfer window, as that would allow them to improve their squad in other areas.

As well as a new midfielder, Wolves also want to add more firepower to their team and have made an approach to sign El Bilal Toure from Atalanta. The striker, who scored three goals in all competitions last season, is very much a wanted man this summer, as teams from France, Turkey, and England are all queuing up with an interest.

Wolves in race to sign Tchatchoua to replace Semedo

As well as looking to strengthen their midfield and forward line, the Premier League side may be in the market for a new right-back, and according to Tuttomercatoweb, relayed by Molineux News, Wolves are interested in signing Jackson Tchatchoua from Hellas Verona.

Wolves are still working on a deal to keep Semedo at the club, as his contract expired at the end of June and he has been offered fresh terms. However, they are yet to receive an answer, and now the Premier League side are looking at possible replacements and therefore have turned their attention to Tchatchoua, who is also wanted by Everton, Marseille and Galatasaray.

The 23-year-old, who has earned 10 caps for Cameroon, joined Hellas Verona on loan for the 2023/24 season, and that move was made permanent last summer. He can operate as a right-back as well as a right midfielder, scoring two goals to go with three assists in 36 Serie A games last season.

It has been previously reported that Hellas Verona value Tchatchoua at €8 million, or roughly £6.7 million, which could be an absolute bargain if Fosun can convince his agency, DWMA, to bring him to England. The group also represented Wesley Fofana in his £75m move from Leicester to Chelsea however, so may be looking to drive that price up.

The ban came following an Afghanistan Cricket Board anti-corruption investigation into the 2024 Kabul Premier League

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-2024Ihsanullah Janat, the Afghanistan top-order batter, has been banned from “all forms of cricket activities” for five years for corruption, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said on Wednesday. The ban is effective immediately. The board said that the breaches of the ACB’s and ICC’s anti-corruption code had been committed during the second edition of the Kabul Premier League earlier this year.”Janat was found guilty of violating Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, which involves improper influence or efforts to fix the result, progress, conduct, or any other aspect of a match,” the ACB said in a statement. “In light of this violation, he has been handed a five-year ban from all cricket-related activities. Janat has admitted to the charges and confessed to his involvement in corrupt activities.”The statement added that the ACB’s anti-corruption unit has been investigating “three other players” for possible involvement in corrupt activities. “Decisions regarding their involvement will be made upon confirmation of their guilt,” the ACB said.Related

Ihsanullah, another jewel in the Mangal family

Ihsanullah, 26, was in action for Shamshad Eagles at the Kabul Premier League 2024, and scored 72 runs in four innings at an average of 18 and strike rate of 150. The team finished last on the six-team league table with just one win from five games.Internationally, Ihsanullah has appeared in 20 games for Afghanistan across the three formats. Following his debut in an ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare in February 2017, Ihsanullah has played 15 more times in the format, scoring 307 runs (average 21.92) and has also turned out in three Tests (110 runs at 22.00) and one T20I, where he scored a 14-ball 20. That T20I, in June 2022 against Zimbabwe in Harare, was his last appearance for his national team.Ihsanullah comes from a family with close ties to the game, with his brother Nawroz Mangal one of the country’s stalwarts in their early years of international cricket. Nawroz was the captain of the national team when they became the first Affiliate nation to gain ODI status at the 2009 World Cup qualifiers, and again when they qualified for the 2010 T20 World Cup.

Chelsea suffered a disappointing defeat in their second group match of the Club World Cup, going down 3-1 against Brazilian side Flamengo.

Enzo Maresca had led the Blues to an opening victory against LAFC, but the loss now means he will need to secure all three points against ES Tunis to qualify for the knockout round.

Given how big the prize fund is, going as far as possible is certainly within the club’s best interests.

The Stamford Bridge side have already signed Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for a fee of £30m, while deals for Estevao, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr, and Kendry Paez have also gone through so far this summer.

Maresca won’t be stopping there, that much is certain. With a move for Hugo Ekitike high on the priority list, it is clear the Blues want to sign another centre-forward this summer.

They have also been linked with moves to sign Tyler Dibling, Murillo, and Mohamed Kudus in recent weeks as Maresca prepares to take Chelsea into the Champions League.

With so many potential transfer links, the manager will surely be looking to offload a player or two. Not only to free up space in the first-team squad, but also to balance the books.

Several names have been touted as departing the club, but could Noni Madueke be the most high-profile sale this summer?

What the future holds for Noni Madueke at Chelsea

Last season saw Madueke come of age at Chelsea. Across 43 appearances in all competitions, the English winger scored 11 goals and provided five assists for the Blues.

He helped them win the Conference League in the process, and this campaign surely gave him plenty of confidence heading into the Club World Cup.

According to The Telegraph, Arsenal are seemingly keen on making a move to sign the former PSV Eindhoven starlet this summer in a bid to improve their attacking options.

With Maresca continuing his heavy recruitment drive at Stamford Bridge, Madueke’s space in the starting XI is certainly not guaranteed heading into the 2024/25 campaign.

The report goes on to state that the winger is not up for sale, but should things change in the coming weeks, he could be obtainable in the transfer window.

Noni Madueke’s stats for Chelsea last season

Metric

Premier League

Conference League

Goals

7

3

Assists

3

1

Big chances created

6

0

Successful dribbles per game

1.4

1.6

Key passes per game

1.1

1

Via Sofascore

He would be a fine signing for any club in the top flight, as evidenced by his statistics when compared to peers across Europe’s top five leagues.

Not only did he rank in the top 1% for progressive carries (6.82) per 90, but the winger also ranked in the top 4% for touches in the opposition penalty area (8.15) per 90 and in the top 7% for total shots per 90 (3.54), proving just how big an impact he had at Chelsea.

Should an offer come in that is too good to turn down, Maresca will surely accept it. This could allow him to make a move for a player who is on his wish list of late.

Chelsea eyeing move for Lyon sensation

According to football.london, Chelsea are interested in signing Lyon starlet Malick Fofana this summer.

As per the report, the club have already initiated contact with the Ligue 1 side regarding a move.

Any deal for the Belgian international will likely cost around £45m, which shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for the Blues, that’s for sure.

Given how many players are set to make the move to Stamford Bridge, however, moving for a first-team star or two looks like the best bet, hence the interest in Madueke.

Swapping the current Chelsea winger for Fofana has the potential to be an excellent deal for all parties involved.

But just what would the 20-year-old bring to Chelsea next season?

Why Chelsea must sign Malick Fofana

Just a couple of months ago, football talent scout Jacek Kulig lavished praise on the young attacking talent, saying: “Malick Fofana – 17 G/A in around 2000 minutes for Lyon this season. 20 years of age.

“Still a bit inconsistent, but already showing flashes of his enormous potential.

“Big future ahead.”

If he continues on this recent upwards trajectory following a stunning breakthrough season with Lyon, then he could become one of the finest attacking talents on the continent.

With the Blues returning to the Champions League for the first time since the 2022/23 campaign, Fofana could be a dangerous weapon in their quest for glory. Especially taking his Europa League displays from last term into account.

Across ten games in the competition for Lyon, the young dynamo scored six goals while providing two assists.

In addition, when compared to his peers in Europe’s secondary competition, Fofana ranked in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (1.05), progressive carries (7.88) and touches in the opposition penalty area (8.23) per 90 last term.

Of course, this wasn’t in the Champions League, but performing as well as this at such a young age, what is stopping him from shining on the biggest stage?

Fofana is a right-footed winger who prefers to operate on the left so he can cut in on a regular basis. Last season, however, Fofana did play a couple of matches on the right flank, scoring twice in the process.

Could he, then, be an ideal replacement for Madueke should the English starlet move on from the club this summer? It would be interesting to see exactly what position Maresca would utilise Fofana in, especially as he does appear rather flexible.

Given Madueke still has a few years left on his contract, the Blues should be able to demand a decent fee for the player, who only joined in January 2023.

If his sale can free up space for Fofana coming in, a player who appears to have a brighter future, then it would be a shrewd piece of business. For now, Maresca will just be looking to see his team defeat ES Tunis in order to seal a place in the last-16 of the Club World Cup.

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Posts ByMatt Dawson Jun 21, 2025

Arsenal’s season of disappointments has finally come to an end.

While it would be fair to say that they probably exceeded expectations in the Champions League, Mikel Arteta’s side certainly underdelivered in the Premier League.

Now, injuries and suspensions certainly played their part in this, but many of the Gunners’ first-team stars have been seriously underwhelming, including the reigning Player of the Year, Martin Odegaard.

In fact, if recent reports are to be believed, the Norwegian’s lacklustre form could cost him his place in the team next season, as one of the league’s most exciting midfielders has now been touted for a move to the Emirates.

Arsenal transfer news

With yet another trophyless season under their belt, it seems as if Arsenal are determined to make significant additions to the team this summer, as the last few weeks have seen them linked to a number of seriously talented players, such as Eberechi Eze and Kaoru Mitoma.

Transfer Focus

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

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The former has a release clause worth around £68m in his current contract, and while that is a lot of money, he’s certainly worth it, as on top of playing a key role in Crystal Palace’s FA Cup triumph, the Englishman has scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 games this season.

Mitoma could end up costing the Gunners around £80m and has amassed a reasonable enough tally of ten goals and four assists in 36 games.

However, another name has now entered the picture, someone who could end up being the perfect upgrade on Odegaard: Morgan Gibbs-White.

Yes, according to a recent report from former scout Mick Brown via Football Insider, Arsenal are now interested in signing the Nottingham Forest star this summer.

The report claims that Arteta views the Englishman as the ‘perfect option’ to add some added drive and tenacity to the Gunners’ midfield next season, although he could be an expensive addition, with prior stories claiming he could cost around £100m.

It would likely be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Gibbs-White’s immense ability, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be the perfect upgrade on Odegaard.

How Gibbs-White compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to say is that even though Gibbs-White is talented and capable enough of playing in several different positions, from right-wing to central midfield, his best and most played position is undoubtedly attacking midfield.

Moreover, the ten position is where he has truly excelled and reached another level for Forest this season, so were he to move to Arsenal in the summer, it seems like a sure bet that he would come in to play as the most attacking player in the midfield.

Therefore, his most significant competition for game time at the Emirates would be Odegaard, so how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes down to their pure output from this season, which is ultimately what matters most and what the Gunners need to focus on, it’s the Tricky Trees star who comes out on top.

For example, in 38 appearances across all competitions, totalling 3142 minutes, the “exceptional” 25-year-old, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, scored seven goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 184.82 minutes.

Gibbs-White vs Odegaard 24/25

Player

Gibbs-White

Odegaard

Appearances

38

45

Minutes

3142

3447′

Goals

7

6

Assists

10

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.4

Minutes per Goal Involvement

184.82

191.5′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the North Londoners’ captain scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 45 games, totalling 3447 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Norwegian star, the difference is even more stark when we just look at their Premier League record, as his tally of 11 goal involvements in 30 games comes out to an average of one every 2.72 games.

In contrast, the Forest ace’s haul of 17 in 34 appearances comes out to one every other game.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to add more goals and assists to their midfield next season, and while Odegaard may well get back to his best, Gibbs-White has shown that he can do just that.

Therefore, even though it’ll cost a king’s ransom, the North Londoners should do what they can to bring him in.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 27, 2025

Chelsea are set to make contact and hold negotiations with an in-form forward, who Serie A heavyweights Juventus wish to sign more than anyone, with BlueCo seemingly looking to spoil the Old Lady’s transfer plans.

Chelsea targeting new forward as main summer priority

Enzo Maresca and the club will look to sign a new forward as one of three main transfer aims this summer, alongside the additions of a new centre-back and winger (Simon Phillips).

Related £200k-a-week Chelsea ace could now join De Zerbi with sale real possibility

It would be a big decision.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 29, 2025

Depending on their Champions League qualification and player sales, they could also go for a second centre-back, left-back, new goalkeeper and attacking midfielder (Simon Phillips), but supporters will be particularly keen to see a forward arrive at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s final four Premier League fixtures

Date

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

Nicolas Jackson scored his first Premier League goal of 2025 in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Everton over the weekend, with the Senegalese largely struggling to replicate his previous scoring form since the turn of the year.

Christopher Nkunku is also likely to leave Chelsea this summer, either on loan or permanently, according to reports, after the Frenchman agreed personal terms on a move to Bayern Munich in the January window.

Taking this into account, it is clear to see why we could definitely expect an overhaul up front. Sky Sports revealed earlier this month that RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, Lille star Jonathan David, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké and Napoli outcast Victor Osimhen are all targets for Maresca’s side.

Delap is said to be a key target for Chelsea and will now be available at around £30 million, due to the release clause in his contract tied with Ipswich’s relegation, but there is no guarantee they will complete a deal with the major competition for his services. This is where a potentially fruitful alternative comes in – Atalanta star Ademola Lookman.

Chelsea set for Ademola Lookman talks in bad news for Juventus

The Nigerian’s 18-goal haul in all competitions has piqued interest from England’s elite, including Chelsea, who are now believed to be eyeing up a move.

That is according to CaughtOffside, who state that Chelsea are planning to open talks with Lookman ahead of the summer. This comes as bad news for Juve in particular, who are described as “prioritising” a move for the 27-year-old.

The versatile attacker, who can play as a second striker, centre-forward and on the left-flank, as he has done under Gian Piero Gasperini this term, could be a great option to reinforce multiple areas, with chairman Todd Boehly apparently pushing the need for versatile signings behind-closed-doors (Simon Phillips).

He would cost up to £55 million, as per CaughtOffside, and given Chelsea’s need to bring in players with more experience, Lookman may well be one to keep an eye on.

“He’s [Lookman] a top player,” said Gasperini about Lookman. “In terms of character, there are perhaps players who have more continuity and are more solid, but that’s normal.

“Even his role is difficult. He always has to be very fit, but he has become a truly extraordinary player, among the best in Europe and the world. Because he has improved his consistency and in some ways, he has started to be an important Atalanta player.”

The same qualities that brought Jayasuriya criticism when he was a selector have contributed to his success when he was interim coach

Madushka Balasuriya07-Oct-2024Confidence, data-driven insight, and a little bit of luck. These are the core tenets of Sanath Jayasuriya’s coaching philosophy, which have worked well enough for him to be handed the reins of Sri Lanka’s men’s national team, following roughly three months in the role in an interim capacity.Those three months, while not being a runaway success, included a home ODI series win against India, a home Test series win against New Zealand and an impressive Test win in England – yes, they lost the series 2-1, but it was a crucial victory from the WTC point of view. The only real blip was Jayasuriya’s first assignment, a T20I series defeat to reigning world champions India.”What I have always said is that it’s all about confidence and trust. I created that around the team and that’s very important,” Jayasuriya said on Monday, as he faced the media following the announcement of his full-time appointment. “And I think there was a little bit of luck also. You may do a lot of work, but you need that luck sometimes.Related

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“At the same time, the players are determined to do well. They know what they went through over the last couple of years. They were really down and I asked the people to support the Sri Lanka cricketers. They are a good bunch of cricketers and they are talented. Only thing I gave was confidence, and I am there with them. They can talk to me and discuss anything.”That, in a nutshell, is Jayasuriya the coach. Arm around the shoulder, almost parent-like in the handling of his players. While during his time as chief selector, this was one of the criticisms directed at him – that he was at times too comfortable with his players, seen giving them advice and instructions in the lead up to, or even during, matches – now it’s seen as a strength.Jayasuriya has always been all action, with emotions firmly worn on his sleeves. Even during his short stint as interim coach, it was not uncommon to see him standing on the boundary line at the edge of the dugout, no attempt whatsoever at hiding his many emotions.”Yeah, he himself gets nervous sometimes, but he doesn’t let that happen to us,” Angelo Mathews had said recently during Sri Lanka’s second Test against New Zealand.And most times at the highest levels of team sport, it’s not so much about the actual coaching as it is your ability to get the message across effectively to the players. Sri Lanka have had 14 head coaches across their history (not including interim appointments) including some on multiple occasions, but Jayasuriya is only the fourth from Sri Lanka.

“In practice, we try and find different ways to do them [training sessions]. I want to make them interesting. Even before we start training, we’ve done little changes to create a nice atmosphere. So there are little things I do but it goes a long way”Sanath Jayasuriya

While foreign coaches bring a mountain of experience, their communication often relies on a translator, with several anecdotes abound about players over the years having tuned out during team briefings as a result of this language barrier. This, allied with Jayasuriya’s standing as a player , has provided him with a unique authority over the dressing room.”It’s easy for me to communicate first and foremost,” he said. “Any issues they have they can speak with me freely, and it’s easy to sort out. They have the confidence to do that. They also know what sort of cricket I played, so they know the value I bring.”But I have a responsibility as a local coach, I don’t have favourites. I will always play the team that is best for Sri Lanka cricket. I know that after me, it’s unlikely that a local coach will get this role. So there’s a responsibility I have on that end as well.”As for insights into Jayasuriya’s coaching acumen, there is yet to be any real information forthcoming, aside from the results. This is largely down to his role as a man-manager first and foremost, with tactical insights derived from the data gathered by SLC’s centralised hub for advanced cricket analytics – their “brain centre”.”The players also know what sort of cricket I played, so they know the value I bring”•Getty Images”In practice, we try and find different ways to do them [training sessions],” he said. “I want to make them interesting. Even before we start training, we’ve done little changes to create a nice atmosphere. So there are little things I do but it goes a long way.”The basics are very important. And that they enjoy, and that they are focusing [on]. But like I always say, focus maximum and when you finish, switch off. I don’t need to put them under pressure when they are not playing and the game is finished.”A very key area at the moment is the analysing department. That’s why Sri Lanka Cricket has invested a lot of money to the ‘brain centre’. We got some support from India too recently to educate our analysis department. It was very successful. And every tour we get data on the opposition, we go through it and discuss every detail. We then discuss our plans 48 hours before the match, so it’s easy for us to go out and execute our plan.”But while it’s been a satisfying honeymoon period, there are much sterner tests to come. For Jayasuriya, though, as a player, administrator, and now coach, a challenge is something to take head-on.”I think this is [something I] never expected, but I am very happy to achieve this and get this opportunity,” he said. “It’s a challenging job, I know that, it’s not a very easy job. But I want to take on that challenge and move forward with the team.”