All posts by z3u9t.icu

After convincingly beating automatic promotion rivals Ipswich Town 4-0 just before Christmas, Leeds United crashed back down to reality away at Preston North End in their next Championship encounter, with the Whites succumbing to a 2-1 defeat late on at Deepdale.

Daniel Farke's men weren't helped by Illan Meslier in goal, the Leeds shot-stopper lashing out at a Preston man meaning the second-tier giants played the majority of the second 45 minutes with ten men.

Leeds weren't at their potent best going forward either in the contest, way off the standards set in the demolition job of the Tractor Boys previously – only mustering up two shots on target on an off-day for the likes of Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter.

Farke could, therefore, attempt to sign this tricky winger in January to further help out the forwards at Elland Road and share the goal-load away from heavily relying on Crysencio Summerville to conjure up moments of magic to get his team out of many sticky situations.

Leeds lightweight who lost nine duels let Farke down badly alongside Meslier

The young defender endured a difficult afternoon at Deepdale on Boxing Day.

ByDan Emery Dec 26, 2023

This signing could also soften the blow of Wilfried Gnonto's expected departure from West Yorkshire when the transfer window reopens, this transfer into the building an upgrade on the diminutive Italian attacker.

Leeds transfer latest – Ryan Kent

Last month, TEAMTalk reported on the possibility that Ryan Kent's current club Fenerbahce would be open to loaning the ex-Rangers man out in January – the 27-year-old winger failing to acclimatise to his new surroundings in Turkey after joining on a free transfer.

Frenzied interest in Kent's services from a number of suitors could be forthcoming therefore, being able to land the English attacker on a short-term basis to positively enhance your team a no-brainer move to attempt to pull off.

Leeds and AFC Bournemouth were named as interested parties, according to the report, the Whites hopeful of jumping to the front of the queue owing to Gnonto potentially leaving.

Football Insider have recently reported that Farke's men are open to selling Gnonto now, after batting away interest in their number 29 from Everton in the summer.

Signing Kent would appease any Leeds masses disappointed by Gnonto leaving immediately, Leeds hopeful of getting the best out of the left winger again even after a torrid time in Turkey to date.

Ryan Kent's style of play

Kent's relentless focus on venturing forward with pace and trickery would fit Farke's side down to a tee, Leeds routinely blitzing opponents with their gung-ho approach when on song.

Gnonto's effectiveness has taken a back-seat this season, however ,when it comes to helping his teammates score goals for fun, only helping himself to one goal and one assist from 18 appearances.

Kent has also been going through a difficult spell in his career in terms of goal output – the 27-year-old only managing one goal and two assists from 15 appearances for Fenerbahce this campaign – but the attacker would be a different beast altogether in the Championship if Farke puts an arm around the misfiring winger on his arrival to West Yorkshire and believes in him.

At the peak of his powers playing in Scotland, the slick £33k-per-week forward – as per Capology – was a creative machine who had a killer knack of finding the back of the net also – assisting ten goals in his final full season at Ibrox, amassing 33 goals scored and 56 assists during a long-standing affinity with Rangers which was then severed.

His time with Rangers even saw talkSPORT pundit and ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O'Hara claim that Kent should be playing in the Premier League instead of the Scottish Premiership, labelling the dynamic attacker as a "top player".

With Gnonto – who only boasts 17 goals and 15 assists in his senior career to date during his time at Elland Road and for FC Zurich – snapping up a far more experienced and proven asset like Kent could well see Farke secure an upgrade on the young Italian.

Leeds could well be the destination that re-energises the ex-Liverpool man's stuttering career this January, bolstering the squad with another impactful presence who would go toe-to-toe with Dan James on his arrival and enable Gnonto's exit to be simply shrugged off and forgotten about.

Gary O’Neil will be pleased with the progress his Wolves side has made this season.

The Old Gold have shown a togetherness that allows them to play as a team rather than individuals, and that was on show against Brentford in the 1-1 FA Cup draw last weekend.

Despite being 11th in the Premier League, the Wanderers will look to strengthen their squad in January.

Wolves transfers latest – striker hunt at Molineux

According to The Athletic, Wolves are interested in signing Danny Ings on loan from West Ham.

The Wanderers have been keeping an eye on Ings’ situation, but talks are yet to begin between the clubs. As a result, we may have to wait until later in the winter window to see if things develop into a formal offer for the player.

The deal is allegedly dependent on Michael Antonio’s recovery from injury, with the Irons forward reportedly out for the best part of six weeks.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 How Danny Ings compares to Raul Jimenez

Sasa Kalajdzic was the latest player signed in an attempt to replace the goals that Raul Jimenez brought in the 2019/20 Premier League season (17). However, the 6 foot 6 striker has just joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan after failing to secure a place in the starting XI. He joins a pretty wretched list of forward players who have simply failed to make the grade in the Midlands.

Raul Jimenez

67

13

Patrick Cutrone

4

0

Fabio Silva

72

5

Willian Jose

18

1

Hwang-hee Chan

84

20

Sasa Kalajdzic

14

3

Matheus Cunha

41

8

Diego Costa

25

1

Therefore, Ings could be drafted in as a short-term fix to a long-term issue, who coincidentally is a similar player to Wolves icon Jimenez according to FBref’s similar players model.

The former Liverpool player has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but he has only missed one game since the start of 2021.

Despite being available, the 31-year-old has failed to nail down a spot in the starting XI at West Ham, with either Antonio or Jarrod Bowen being preferred in the number nine role, which has led to Ings playing just 108 minutes in the Premier League this season. Wolves, therefore, could offer him a valuable short-term exit.

The West Ham striker would bring experience and goals to the Wolves attack, as according to one football writer Ings is a “clinical finisher," and in fairness, the table below does prove that he knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, notably in the Premier League.

2022/23

35

8

2

2021/22

30

7

6

2020/21

29

12

4

2019/20

38

22

2

2018/19

24

7

3

Ings is the definition of a goal-scorer, but his technique and ball-striking ability are what make him so dangerous.

Indeed, if the striker gets half a chance, he will most likely bury it, which is needed when playing for a side like Wolves, who have created the 12th most big chances in the Premier League this season. This makes him like Jimenez, who has overperformed his xG this season for Fulham.

But just how do they compare specifically? Well, when it comes to how involved they are in the play, where they take their shots from, passing and carrying, there's not much to separate the pair.

Expected Goals (xG)

0.06

0.32

Average shot distance

14.1 yards

13.8 yards

Pass Success rate

63%

66%

Passes into penalty box

0.63

0.57

Touches

32

35

Successful take-ons

0.63

0.65

Carries

17.5

19.8

Overall, the potential signing of Ings is by far from one that the Wolves faithful will be extremely excited about, but given the fact that Hwang Hee-chan will be their only available striker for the rest of the season (when he returns from the AFC Asian Cup), the move does seem smart.

AFC Asian Cup 2023: Every Premier League & Scottish Premiership player going

With the AFC Asian Cup 2023 now upon us, FFC takes a look at which players from the Premier League and Scottish Premiership will feature.

ByLuke Randall Jan 2, 2024

Even if he doesn’t feature heavily. This transfer has absolutely no risk attached, and therefore, there can only be an upside to the loan.

Manchester United are keen to compete on all fronts and could now look to add an experienced full-back to their ranks who could push Patrick Dorgu for his starting spot.

Manchester United look to balance youth and experience

The Red Devils are a club that has always taken pride in developing youngsters from their academy. Balancing the growth of young players with some experienced older heads to learn from will be their best chance of long-term success at Old Trafford.

With that in mind, Manchester United fans will be delighted to hear that Shea Lacey was called into England’s senior squad training before their clash against Wales, and England Under-20 coach Ben Futcher spoke to BBC Sport about the impact he feels the step up can have on his development.

He said: “We have looked after Shea and helped him get some minutes. He is a top talent, has reconnected with the group and I thought he performed really well. I am sure Manchester United have a good plan for him. Hopefully he can stay injury free and fulfil that potential.”

JJ Gabriel and Samuel Lusale are among other promising Manchester United academy gems hoping to one day make their senior breakthrough, and it appears that they are willing to give youngsters a chance.

Patrick Dorgu comes into that conversation under different circumstances since his move from Lecce in January. Nevertheless, the 20-year-old has made seven appearances in all competitions this season, completing four full matches in the Premier League.

Despite his emergence as a positive source of energy on the left-hand side of Ruben Amorim’s backline, he won’t be expected to play every game this season, which could pave the way for a positional competitor to arrive at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim pushing to sign Federico Dimarco for Man Utd

According to Inter Live, Manchester United are pushing to sign Inter defender Federico Dimarco, who is into the final two years of his £142,500 per week contract at San Siro.

Amorim is considered the man behind the effort to recruit the Italy international, and their involvement in persuading him to move to England is reportedly complicating the Nerazzuri’s bid to have him extend his contract.

£18m per year Man Utd star who regretted Old Trafford transfer set to leave

Should the Red Devils try and keep him?

ByHenry Jackson Oct 13, 2025

Earning 33 caps for his country, Dimarco has registered 20 goals and 37 assists in 198 appearances for the Serie A giants, establishing himself as a key goal threat and presence on the left flank.

Two strikes and three assists in eight outings this campaign has elevated his stock once more, and he may well be the ideal candidate to offer competition to Dorgu after Luke Shaw’s move into a left-sided centre-back role.

Either way, this transfer saga may be one to keep an eye on as Manchester United probe the market for reinforcements to strengthen under Amorim.

Celtic have made a name for themselves as a club that excels at developing and selling on talented young players, with Matt O’Riley the latest player to benefit from the stepping stone.

As much as the Hoops would rather not be a middle ground for players who want to play in the major leagues across Europe, that is where they are and they have been making the most of that position over the last ten years or so.

The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Fraser Forster, Odsonne Edouard, Moussa Dembele, and Kieran Tierney, among many others, all spent time in Glasgow before sealing moves across Europe.

Celtic sold Portuguese winger Jota to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad for £25m in the summer of 2023, and sold O’Riley to Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of more than £25m earlier this year.

This means that the Hoops have raked in more than £50m from two player sales since the start of last season, alongside the departues of Carl Starfelt and Liel Abada, to Celta Vigo and Charlotte respectively.

However, not every young player who arrives at Parkhead is able to make that next step, and they may be about to cash in on one who failed to establish himself in Glasgow.

The latest on Alexandro Bernabei's future

Argentine left-back Alexandro Bernabei was sent out on loan to Brazilian side Internacional back in March and is set to remain at the club until the turn of the year.

According to The Scottish Sun, Internacional would like to sign the 24-year-old full-back on a permanent deal in the upcoming January transfer window.

The report claims that they are due to fly to Europe for a number of recruitment meetings and they want to have talks with Celtic chiefs in order to thrash out an agreement to keep the defender on a permanent basis.

It states that his contract with the Scottish giants is not due to expire until the summer of 2027 and that puts the club in a relatively strong position in negotiations, as they are not under any pressure to cash in on him for an insignificant fee.

Bernabei joined the Hoops from Lanus for a reported fee of £3.75m in 2022 under Ange Postecoglou, and it remains to be seen how much of that they would be able to recoup from the Brazilian outfit.

Transfer Focus

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

One thing is for sure, though, and that is that Brendan Rodgers must ruthlessly cash in on the flop, as he reportedly earns £5.5k-per-week, which is even more than current first-team star Liam Scales.

How much Liam Scales earns for Celtic

The Ireland international reportedly earns £5k-per-week, £500 less each week in comparison to Bernabei, and has provided great value for that wage since the start of last season.

After his loan spell with Aberdeen in the 2022/23 campaign, Rodgers decided to provide the left-footed titan with an opportunity to stake a claim for a place in the Celtic first-team, and he grasped the opportunity with both hands.

He established a partnership with Cameron Carter-Vickers and went on to play a whopping 45 senior games in all competitions last season for the Hoops.

The 26-year-old colossus played 34 times in the Scottish Premiership for the Bhoys and helped the team to keep 14 clean sheets, winning 63% of his duels against opposition attackers in that time.

His rock-solid performances at the heart of the defence earned him a place in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year, alongside teammates Carter-Vickers, Callum McGregor, and Matt O’Riley.

Appearances

11

Sofascore rating

7.59

Clean sheets

8

Ground duel success rate

71%

Aerial duel success rate

77%

As you can see in the table above, Scales has also enjoyed a strong start to the current Premiership season, despite competition from Auston Trusty for his starting spot.

The Irish brute has been even more dominant than he was last term in the division, winning a higher percentage of his duels on the deck and in the air.

Scales’ 45 Premiership appearances, dominant displays, and Team of the Year inclusion, since the start of last season show that he has provided great value for his £5k-per-week, and the same cannot be said of Bernabei with his £5.5k-per-week.

Why Celtic should sell Bernabei

Rodgers must ruthlessly cash in on the Celtic dud when the January transfer window opens for business, amid these planned talks with Internacional, as he failed to make the grade during his time in Glasgow.

In the 2022/23 campaign, after being brought in by Postecoglou for £3.75m, Bernabei only managed 15 appearances, including nine starts, in the Premiership for the Scottish giants.

The left-footed defender was dribbled past 14 times in nine starts and gave away one penalty, whilst he also lost a whopping 60% of his physical duels, which shows that he was a liability defensively as opposition players found it far too easy to get the better of him.

Bernabei was then handed eight league appearances by Rodgers in the 2023/24 campaign and was dribbled past five times and lost 53% of his duels in three starts.

His performances clearly did not impress the Northern Irish head coach, who sanctioned a loan move to Internacional from March until the end of 2024.

Appearances

19

Goals + assists

7

Tackles + interceptions per game

4.7

Dribbled past per game

1.3

Duel success rate

47%

As you can see in the table above, Bernabei has made a big impact in the final third from a left-back position in the Brazilian top-flight this year, and made numerous tackles and interceptions per game on average.

However, his issues with being dribbled past too often and losing the majority of his duels are still present, which does not suggest that he would fare much better if given another chance at Celtic.

Therefore, Rodgers should get this £5.5k-per-week wages off the books and attempt to recoup some of the £3.75m spent on him by cashing in on the flop at the earliest available opportunity.

Rodgers could land Kyogo upgrade in Celtic swoop for "impressive" marksman

Celtic have been linked with an interest in a swoop for the in-form centre-forward.

1 ByDan Emery Nov 13, 2024

Chelsea’s spending in the transfer market over recent years has been erratic to say the least, with the club splashing huge figures on players who haven’t been up to the level required for a top-four Premier League side.

Mykhailo Mudryk is undoubtedly the biggest example of the club’s poor recruitment, joining the Blues in a £89m deal from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023.

The Ukrainian has since only registered seven goals in his 62 appearances for the club, with Todd Boehly currently forking out £12.7m per goal he scored during his time in West London.

However, he’s also teammates with another player who has failed to make an impact after his own big-money move to Stamford Bridge a couple of years ago. Still, at least Mudryk is actually among Maresca's cohort of players…

Ben Chilwell’s time at Chelsea

After a successful five-year stint in Leicester City’s first-team, left-back Ben Chilwell moved to Chelsea during the summer of August 2020 to help improve the club’s full-back department.

The club paid a staggering £50m for his services – a huge fee for a left-back – with the move being an unsuccessful one four years on.

Chilwell has made 106 appearances at Stamford Bridge but has massively struggled with fitness and injury issues after his big-money transfer.

As a result, it’s allowed Marc Cucurella to secure his place as a regular starter under new boss Enzo Maresca, with Chilwell no longer part of the Italian’s plans at the Bridge.

The former England international has found himself away from the first-team squad, being forced to train separately – an indication as to how quickly his Chelsea career has declined over the last couple of years.

However, he still has a market value higher than a former Blues talent who was once destined for big things at the club. In an alternative reality, both would be key members of not only the Chelsea side, but the England team too.

Tammy Abraham's declining market value

Striker Tammy Abraham came through the Cobham academy, impressing on various loan spells at Bristol City and Aston Villa – scoring a combined 52 goals in 88 appearances over the two stints.

The latter loan allowed for a first-team spot at his boyhood club, scoring 30 goals in 78 appearances between 2019 and 2021, before leaving under the reign of Marina Granovskaia in a £34m transfer to Serie A outfit Roma.

2021/22

53

27

5

2022/23

54

9

7

2023/24

12

1

1

2024/25

2

0

1

It was a move to allow him to gain more valuable first-team minutes, but he’s been plagued with injury issues in Italy, with the "monster" 26-year-old, as described by former boss José Mourinho, suffering an ACL injury in 2023 – never fully recapturing his best form – which saw him join AC Milan on loan this summer.

As a result of his torrid luck with injuries, Abraham has seen his market value plummet in recent months, with the Englishman now only valued at £12m as per Football Transfers.

His subsequent value is lower than that of former teammate Ben Chilwell, who’s still valued at £16.1m despite his recent exclusion from Maresca’s first-team setup.

Despite the club’s recent hunt for a new striker, they made the right call in selling Abraham, with the 26-year-old failing to reach the heights many thought he would after his early promise during his younger years.

His unbelievable misfortune with injuries is undoubtedly a shame to see, but given his rapid decrease in market value, Chelsea sold him at his peak price – allowing for added investment and quality in the current first-team setup. This was a rare success story for the Blues in recent windows.

Chelsea must regret selling star who's now worth more than Enzo & Palmer

He’s been “sensational” since leaving…

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 10, 2024

Sunderland take on Preston North End on Wednesday night and manager Regis Le Bris has confirmed that a “strong” player will start the game at Deepdale.

Sunderland prepare for Preston clash

The Black Cats dropped rare points in the Championship last weekend, only managing a 0-0 draw away to Queens Park Rangers, missing the injured Chris Rigg in the process and struggling to hit the heights they have so far this season.

It was still no disaster, however, and by the end of the weekend, Sunderland were still three points clear at the top of the table, as Le Bris continues to enjoy a superb start to life as manager since arriving in the summer.

Next up for the Black Cats is a trip to Preston in the league on Wednesday evening, as they look to get back to winning ways against their 20th-place opponents. They will be favourites to prevail and three points will allay any fears that their form could be on the slide.

Sunderland will have to make do without Jobe Bellingham for the game, however, with the young midfielder suspended after his red card away to QPR, but Le Bris has been boosted by having Rigg and Dan Ballard as part of his squad for the midweek action.

"Unbelievable" Sunderland ace will start vs Preston

Speaking ahead of the game, Le Bris confirmed that Alan Browne will start for Sunderland against former club Preston on Wednesday, praising his player in the process.

“He will play, and he deserves to play obviously, because he’s a great professional with good experience, good leadership – quiet leadership, but strong leadership.

“Obviously our midfielders played very well since the beginning of the season and for Browney, he needed to wait. But, he knows that that league is so long, that he was sure he’ll have opportunities to play. It’s now and he did well, so I’m confident for him.”

Browne has been such an astute signing for Sunderland since arriving on a free transfer from Preston during the summer transfer window, bringing experience to the midfielder, in a squad littered with young players. The 29-year-old may have only started four Championship matches this season, but he has appeared 10 times in the competition in total, scoring once and completing 82.5% of his passes.

Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil has hailed Browne since he became his teammate, lauding his qualities and making it clear he was always a strong opponent when the Black Cats faced Preston.

“Alan’s got an unbelievable engine, unbelievable legs. We knew that from when we played Preston previously. Every time we’ve come up against him, we’ve talked about the unbelievable engine he has. He’s a bit more of an experienced head in there as well, which helps us because me and Jobe are still young.”

Sunderland struck gold selling £8m ace who's now worth millions less

Sunderland will now feel they made the right decision shifting on this star.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 4, 2024

With Bellingham out, the £15,000-a-week Browne’s influence is going to be vital on Wednesday, and if he plays a big role in a Sunderland win, he could retain his place at home to Coventry City on Saturday.

Aston Villa failed to win their third game on the bounce at Goodison Park this weekend, as they were held to a drab 0-0 draw by Everton.

This was Unai Emery’s 11th away match of the season, yet they’ve only won four, which is extremely poor compared to their home form this campaign.

20

13

6

1

45

25

20

13

4

3

43

25

21

13

4

4

43

16

20

12

4

4

40

17

How Everton v Aston Villa played out

Villa thought they had taken the lead in the first half through a powerful strike from Alex Moreno, but the goal was ruled out for offside. The game was even in the first half, however, Emi Martinez will be thanked for his vital stop against Dominic Calvert-Lewin in a 1v1 scenario when the English attacker simply had to score.

In the second half, the Villans dominated the tie and racked up 0.81 xG, but they failed to really test Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal. The best chance of the half fell to Matty Cash, who had his low effort blocked inside the box.

The Spaniard will be disappointed that his side were unable to pick up three points and further distance themselves from those fighting for a top-four spot. Some individuals were particularly frustrating in Merseyside, but in truth, it was a bad day at the office for all involved.

Leon Bailey had a relatively quiet afternoon and failed to impress, but John McGinn was the player who was far from his best and struggled against the physical Toffees midfield.

Leon Bailey’s game vs Everton by numbers

Bailey was fielded in his usual right midfield role in the 4-4-2 variant, but the Jamaican was marked out of the game by the relentless Vitaily Mykolenko, who didn’t give the forward an inch.

The winger wasn’t particularly wasteful in possession, as he had 79% pass accuracy, but other than one key pass, he failed to cause Sean Dyche’s backline any issues. This is highlighted by his xG of 0.07 and his expected assists (xA) of 0.05.

Bailey failed to make a single successful dribble in the game, and he also lost all three of his duels. The 26-year-old was ultimately subbed just after the hour mark, which sums up his level of threat throughout the game.

John McGinn’s stats vs Everton

McGinn is usually the energetic midfielder who demands high standards of himself and those around him, which is why he wears the captain’s armband. However, his performance against Everton was one of his worst this season.

Indeed, John Townley of Birmingham Mail offered the following summation at full-time: "McGinn is always dangerous on the half turn, but he was sloppy in possession today."

The Scotland international received a 6.8 rating via Sofascore, with the dynamic and hard-working Everton midfield trio running all over him. The table below highlights his performances using a handful of stats.

Possession lost

16x

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Duels Won

5/11

Key passes

0

The biggest concern in the game was how wasteful the midfielder was in possession, especially when attempting to force the issue down the left-hand side. This led to him giving the ball away 16 times, the second most for a Villa player behind Moreno.

Furthermore, McGinn is usually tenacious out of possession, but today he failed to make a single defensive action bar one clearance. The 29-year-old also failed to win half of his individual battles on the field, as shown by the five out of ten ground duels won.

Nothing will come from this performance in terms of McGinn’s place in the side, but it was certainly an afternoon to forget for the Scottish midfielder.

Just a matter of weeks ago it looked like Chelsea were in the title race but things have rather unravelled for Enzo Maresca and Co in recent weeks.

The Blues did pick up a point against Arsenal with ten men but results since then have been bleak, losing 3-1 to Leeds United and drawing 0-0 with Bournemouth.

Cole Palmer’s return to fitness has been timely, but according to the manager, he’s still not up to full speed just yet.

The latest Chelsea injury news

Palmer returned from the bench against Bournemouth at the weekend but in a fresh blow to Maresca and Co they have decided that the attacking midfielder will not travel with the squad for the Champions League trip to Atalanta.

That said, no fresh injury has been sustained. The manager has confirmed the forward is simply being rested as part of his recovery.

Palmer had missed a period courtesy of a groin injury and then had to spend an extra week out after breaking a toe at home.

That said, he is now slowly working himself back. Maresca said: “Cole is in part of his process in this moment. He’s not available, he can’t play two games in a row in three days. So we planned that, and it’s just a way to protect him.”

As far as Liam Delap is concerned, the news isn’t ideal there. The striker injured his shoulder against the Cherries and will now miss a period of time.

Commenting on the striker’s situation, the Chelsea boss stated: “Liam, fortunately, there is not any fracture, so that is good news. In terms of how long he will be out, we are not sure at this stage to be honest.”

What Delap's injury means for Chelsea

Well, it certainly means that Joao Pedro is likely to play a lot of minutes over the festive period and there could well be a rare slice of minutes for Marc Guiu who has barely kicked a ball this season after being recalled from his early-season loan spell with Sunderland.

That said, it’s unlikely we’ll see a recall for a certain Raheem Sterling who remains out in the cold alongside centre-back Axel Disasi.

A January exit looms for both players and it would be a surprise if we saw either in a Chelsea shirt again.

Maresca said in his press conference: “In terms of Raheem, once again it’s the same thing I said about Axel, they are Chelsea players. Now also we are in December, January is coming, so anything can happen, obviously.”

Sterling signed at Stamford Bridge in a deal worth £47.5m back in the summer of 2022 but has not lived up to expectations, scoring just 19 goals in 81 outings. A season-long loan spell with Arsenal in 2024/25 failed to get his career back on track either.

As for Disasi, he had a loan spell with Aston Villa in the back end of last campaign but has not been seen in Chelsea blue this season. He once cost the club a whopping £38.5m but there is seemingly no way back for him.

Chelsea flop has fast become their biggest liability since Bakayoko

Chelsea and Maresca need to move on from the walking disaster as soon as possible.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes 3 days ago

Given the very underwhelming start to the season the club have endured, Celtic supporters are demanding reinforcements when the transfer window re-opens in January.

During the summer, the Scottish Premiership champions did make 11 senior signings, albeit the arrivals of Marcelo Saracchi, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Sebastian Tounekti and Kelechi Ịheanachọ all came right at the end of the window, after the club had crashed out in the Champions League play-off round against Kairat.

Meantime, Brendan Rodgers’ side were beaten 2-0 by Dundee at Dens on Sunday, so are currently five points adrift current league leaders Hearts, who they face at Tynecastle in an eagerly-anticipated clash on Sunday.

In summary, supporters are not happy, chants of “sack the board” can be heard loud and clear at every game, so could a new signing or two this Christmas help lift the mood?

Celtic targeting January reinforcements

Last week, totally out of the blue, it was reported that Celtic were close to signing Bobby Clark for £6m; the 20-year-old midfielder is currently on loan at Derby County from RB Salzburg.

However, Rodgers told Sky Sports “I haven’t a clue where that has come from”, pretty emphatically shutting those rumours down.

More recently, according to a report by Sports Boom, Celtic ‘have expressed an interest’ in re-signing Andy Robertson from Liverpool.

While the defender learned his trade at Queen’s Park and Dundee United, he was in the Hoops academy from 2003 to 2009.

The report adds that the Scotland captain is into the final 12 months of his £160k-per-week contract on Merseyside, so will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement come 1 January, but the Premier League champions may be willing to sell before then, ‘providing the price is right’.

Transfer Focus

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

So, could the 31-year-old soon swap Anfield for Celtic Park?

Why Celtic could seal a bigger coup than Clark

Since joining Liverpool from Hull City for around £8m eight years ago, Robertson has been an absolute stalwart of the Reds’ success.

Right now, only nine men have made more Premier League appearances for Liverpool than Robertson, set to overtake Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robbie Fowler in the next few weeks.

During the 254 appearances, the left-back has accumulated 56 assists, meaning he ranks among the very best defenders in Premier League history by this measure, as the table below documents.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

67

Andy Robertson

56

Leighton Baines

56

Antonio Valencia

52

Graeme Le Saux

44

Kieran Trippier

38

Kyle Walker

37

Andy Hinchcliffe

36

Ian Harte

36

César Azpilicueta

36

As the table documents, Robertson is behind only former partner-in-crime Alexander-Arnold in terms of Premier League assists by defenders, underlining his attacking prowess, with Liverpool legend, and former Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard labelling the duo “world-class”.

He has been such a key contributor at Liverpool for so many seasons, making his current predicament peculiar.

The Scotsman started 29 Premier League games last season, but hasn’t started any this time round so far, following the arrival of Miloš Kerkez from Bournemouth, despite the fact the Hungarian is yet to impress.

Speaking on Sky Sports following Manchester United’s shock victory at Anfield on Sunday, Jamie Carragher said that he thinks it’s “strange” that Robertson is “getting treated like Tsimikas”, where Kerkez is the undisputed first-choice and Robertson is a deputy, rather than even a rotation option.

If that continues to be the case, it appears pretty likely that he’ll be on the move in 2026, so could Robertson fulfill a lifelong ambition?

Born and raised in Glasgow, Robertson has spoken repeatedly about his desire to play for Celtic one day, having been released by the club as a 15-year-old, before going on to play for Queen’s Park and Dundee United.

In 2022, he stated that he’s “always dreamed” of representing his boyhood club, elaborating that “when you watch them and see a packed Celtic Park… as a fan you always have that dream”.

At international level, the 31-year-old now has 88 caps to his name, just three behind Jim Leighton, while chasing down Sir Kenny Dalglish’s all-time record of 102 that has stood since 1986.

Of course, the eternal dilemma for Scotland managers has been how does one get both Kieran Tierney and Robertson into the same side, a headache that could soon not only occur at Hampden, but three miles across the city at Celtic Park too.

Nevertheless, the addition of the national team captain would represent a major coup for the Hoops, with his Premier League experience and title-winning credentials far exceeding the undoubted promise of a player like Clark, one who previously struggled to make his mark after joining Red Bull Salzburg last summer.

With Celtic also already boasting similar talents to the Englishman, a deal for a figure like Robertson should well be the priority, helping to get supporters back on side, adding much-needed experience and quality to this struggling outfit.

Not just Yang & Scales: 18-touch Celtic dud must be dropped by Rodgers

Celtic suffered their first Premiership defeat of the season at Dundee on Sunday, and one flop, not Liam Scales or Yang Hyun-Jun, must be dropped.

Oct 20, 2025

A few weeks ago you’d have said that Arsenal needed to throw the kitchen sink at strengthening their squad in the January transfer window.

The Gunners were sinking without a trace and had plenty of issues in the squad. Those, however, largely came about as a result of several injuries.

Chief among them was Martin Odegaard’s absence. The captain missed 12 matches due to an ankle injury but since his return to the starting lineup against Chelsea a few weeks ago, Mikel Arteta’s men are now back in form.

Since the last international break, Arsenal have scored 13 goals in three games, evoking memories of that remarkable run at the beginning of the year when the Londoners scored 21 goals across consecutive league matches with West Ham, Burnley, Newcastle and Sheffield United.

So, are new recruits in January still necessary? Certainly.

Arsenal looking to sign Bundesliga winger

If there is one area of the Arsenal squad that could still do with more depth it’s in the wide areas.

That was a problem area during the summer window but until the 11th hour, they decided not to do any business.

Transfer Focus

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

A market opportunity came about as a result of Chelsea’s inflated squad. Raheem Sterling was available on loan, and having been a player who’s worked with Arteta before, the Gunners were happy to bring him in.

You sense that Sterling’s long-term future does not lie at the Emirates Stadium and reports ahead of January suggesting Arsenal could sign a new winger only substantiate that claim further.

According to reports from Sky Germany this weekend, Borussia Dortmund forward Jamie Gittens is on the radar of several teams including the Gunners.

It’s reported that they are not alone in their pursuit of the Englishman who has also attracted the interest of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.

What makes Gittens so special

A former product of the Chelsea and Manchester City youth academies, Gittens has followed the Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho route to stardom by trading English football for the Bundesliga.

It’s safe to say that’s been a phenomenal decision as the young 20-year-old is making waves during what has been a real breakout season at Dortmund, starring not just in domestic action but in the Champions League too.

Gittens has already scored eight goals and supplied four assists this term with four of those goals coming on the biggest of continental stages.

Perhaps most impressive was his performance against champions Real Madrid. The German side may have lost 5-2 but the English wonderkid was a rare bright spark.

So, what could “England’s next superstar” – as he was dubbed by one German outlet – offer the Arsenal team?

Predominantly a right-footed left winger, he would provide fine competition for the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

In truth, he could be a far more explosive asset than the Belgian in particular, with Gittens possessing a Bukayo Saka-like ability to make something happen out of nothing. Here’s how the two compare in league action this season.

Goals

0.46

0.51

Assists

0.93

0.38

Pass success %

76.2%

78.5%

Key passes

3.33

1.14

Passes into final 3rd

0.93

0.89

Carries

32.6

27.7

Progressive carries

5.19

6.33

Successful take-ons

2.04

4.81

Tackles

1.57

1.65

So, there are some key differences here. Saka has been one of the best creators in European football this term – registering a ridiculously high number of assists per 90 minutes.

While Gittens doesn’t perhaps have that level of creativity just yet, like his fellow countryman, he’s an elite-level ball carrier. The very fact he ranks within the top 5% of positionally similar players in the Champions League this term of successful take-ons says it all.

One area they are particularly alike is their ability to press and win the ball back, attempting a very similar number of tackles from the flanks.

Gittens is, of course, still very raw but all of the foundations are there for the English talent to blossom into a Saka-like winger, albeit from the opposite flank. This would be a very exciting signing for Arsenal if they could pull it off.

Not just Saka: £27m star is becoming one of the best in Arsenal's history

One of Mikel Arteta’s signings is fast becoming one of the best players we’ve ever seen at Arsenal.

ByMatt Dawson Dec 1, 2024