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Rangers carried over their European momentum into the Premiership as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s won 2-0 on Sunday.

The Gers made their way to a major European final on Thursday night with a 3-1 win at Ibrox and the manager took the opportunity to make a number of changes to his team for this domestic clash.

James Sands, Aaron Ramsey, Leon King and Steven Davis were among the players who were given a chance to impress but it was a familiar face on hand to open the scoring as James Tavernier scored from the spot.

Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo then came off the bench in the second half to make sure of the three points, moving the Light Blues back to within six points of their rivals at the top of the table.

Whilst it was an assured, dominant, performance from Rangers against Dundee United, not every player on the pitch gave a good account of themselves. One dud who was a passenger throughout the match was Canadian midfielder Scott Arfield.

The former Burnley man lined up in an advanced role and failed to impress on or off the ball as he struggled to make a positive impact on the game.

Rangers have a Europa League final against Frankfurt coming up and players will be playing for their places ahead of such an important match. With this in mind, Arfield did nothing to strengthen his cause for a start as van Bronckhorst will surely be disappointed with his display.

Out of possession, he offered nothing. Via SofaScore, he did not win a single duel, or even compete in any, during his 65 minutes on the pitch. He also failed to make a clearance, tackle, block or interception, although the Gers did have 73% of the ball and limited what Dundee United could offer.

On the ball, he was far from good enough. As per SofaScore, he had fewer touches (23) than Jon McLaughlin (44) and did not create a single chance or complete a dribble. He also missed a ‘big chance’ – his ninth of the campaign in the Premiership – and only completed 15 passes.

Therefore, he was a passenger throughout the game as he failed to showcase his quality on the ball or his strength off of it. Van Bronckhorst will not be able to trust him to start in a European final if he continues to produce performances like this one.

AND in other news, Rangers played an Ibrox blinder with £22k-pw “cornerstone” who’s like “Graeme Souness”…

Sunderland still have some big games left in their latest League One campaign to try and force their way into the Championship.

However, with the summer transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though a clue has emerged over one potential deal that the Wearside club would be involved in.

What’s the news?

According to journalist Paul Davis, on-loan Sunderland striker Will Grigg has “been offered a deal” to stay with his current club Rotherham United on a permanent basis once his loan spell ends in the summer.

Sunderland signed the striker back in early 2019 from Wigan Athletic in a deal worth £4m.

Two years later, the Northern Irishman joined MK Dons on loan until the end of the 2020/21 season before then joining Rotherham shortly after.

Great news for Sunderland fans

This season has seen the 30-year-old score just two goals in 19 appearances for his current side.

To highlight how disappointing he’s been for the Millers in this campaign, out of the 28 shots he’s had at goal, only nine of them have even been on target.

Additionally, the striker has committed more fouls and been caught offside more times than the number of crosses, interceptions or tackles he’s made.

In terms of his overall performances, WhoScored currently list him as one of Rotherham’s lowest-rated players with a rather underwhelming overall rating of 6.45/10.

With that in mind, it’s rather surprising to hear that the club have reportedly offered him a permanent deal.

With 62 appearances to his name in a Sunderland shirt, the centre-forward only found the net on eight occasions and delivered just three assists.

Taking all of this into account, it’d be safe to assume that plenty of Black Cats supporters would be rather pleased to see Grigg finally leave the club on a permanent basis this summer.

Although, with his contract at the Stadium of Light set to expire at the end of the season, this means that they won’t be picking up any sort of fee for him from Rotherham.

Overall, while it would be good to get his wages off their books, it’s hard to deny that their £4m move for him has been rather unsuccessful.

In other news: “Has a chance”: Sunderland set for big injury boost that’ll leave supporters buzzing

Crystal Palace are looking to bring former defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka back from Manchester United this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Tough times for Wan-Bissaka

The Englishman traded the Eagles for United in a big-money transfer in the summer of 2019, having caught the eye hugely with his performances in the Premier League.

Things haven’t panned out the way Wan-Bissaka would have hoped at Old Trafford, however, with the right-back really struggling to make his mark and finding himself in and out of the team, starting just 20 of 35 league matches this term.

With Erik ten Hag coming in as manager, it could be that he deems the defender surplus to requirements, allowing him to find another club immediately.

The Latest: Palace return mooted

According to The Athletic, Palace are interested in bringing Wan-Bissaka back to the club at the end of the season, with a loan move mooted initially.

He is seen as someone who could be an upgrade at right-back on the ageing Nathaniel Clyne, returning to the club he joined as a boy and helping strengthen Patrick Vieira’s squad.

The Verdict: Ideal summer signing

While Wan-Bissaka has plenty of critics after a poor spell at United, coming back to Palace this summer could end up being the ideal solution for all parties.

He was once hailed as the ‘best in the world’ in one-on-one situations by Jamie Carragher and he was superb for the Eagles, hence United wanting to sign him in the first place.

At 24, there would be no concern surrounding Palace re-signing a player who is past his best and Vieira could see the best of him again back in familiar surroundings.

In other news, Palace have been dealt a blow regarding one key player. Read more here.

Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhães is nearing a return from injury after the Brazil defender was spotted “flying off the handle” during a friendly football match in South London this week.

Arsenal injury latest

The Gunners centre-back is just one of several injuries for manager Mikel Arteta to contend with heading into the busiest part of the season.

The Spaniard was typically coy this week when asked if any of Declan Rice, William Saliba, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber would be available to face Wolves.

Saliba has been absent for the past four fixtures with an ankle injury, and Arteta said of the France defender: “It was something quite small because it came from an ankle injury that he had, and then he started to modify the way he was running, and he started to overload an area, which is something common.

“But at some point, it became uncomfortable to continue training and playing and we had to stop.

“He hasn’t trained with us yet. We have an extra day. Let’s see if he can be available (to face Wolves) or not.”

Arteta has been missing his first-choice centre-back pairing since Gabriel picked up a thigh injury during the November international break, but onlookers believe the 27 year-old is close to a return after he was filmed in an intense incident in London this week.

A friendly match between supporters of Brazilian side Botafogo was called off after the controversial tackle, and although the £150,000-a-week Arsenal star did not play in the match, a witness told The Sun he looked he “didn’t look injured”.

Arteta typically keeps his cards close to his chest when it comes to injuries, but his number six may well have just raised more questions for his next press conference.

A number of iconic strikers have donned Sunderland red and white over the years, getting the Black Cats out of many sticky patches in the Premier League.

Kevin Phillips will always go down as the most memorable, notably winning The Golden Boot on Wearside when he powered home 30 strikes during Sunderland’s 1999/2000 campaign.

While Jermain Defoe would never hit these amazing heights, the lethal Englishman did consistently bail his team out of relegation danger when scoring 34 top-flight goals over three seasons near the bottom of the tough division.

In the here and now, a new hero is forming to potentially rival the exploits of both journeyman attackers.

Wilson Isidor was already firmly in the Stadium of Light’s good books when he fired home 13 strikes last season to steer Sunderland back up to the top-flight after a seven-year absence.

So, Isidor, already bagging some crucial strikes in the infancy of this season, has not harmed his glowing reputation among the hardened Wearside masses whatsoever. Rather, it has significantly strengthened his fan favourite status.

Isidor's start to Premier League life

Often, the jump-up from the Championship to the Premier League can swallow a player whole.

Many Sunderland supporters might have anticipated that the French striker would find the step-up in quality to be a frightening one to navigate. Instead, he has seemingly taken it in his stride.

Three glorious strikes have already been picked up by the ex-Zenit St. Petersburg forward, with those first two efforts only coming about from a combined 39 minutes of action.

The Black Cats’ “one man machine” – as he was glowingly labelled by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley in the second tier – has since become Le Bris’ main starter up top, with that third and final strike falling against Aston Villa handing the ten men on the day a dramatic share of the points.

Isidor will just be glad he hasn’t been branded as a presence who couldn’t handle the intense heat of the Premier League, with Unai Emery’s Villans reportedly contemplating a move for the skilful 6-foot-1 striker, off the back of his late heroics at the tail-end of September.

Unfortunately, not every addition made by Sunderland in recent memory has been able to make their start to top-flight life in England look as seamless, with Jozy Altidore still sticking out to this day as one of the Black Cats’ worst blunders in the attacking department.

Altidore's awful spell at Sunderland in numbers

In the summer of 2013, Sunderland must have thought they’d picked up a stellar bargain when landing Altidore’s signature for a modest £9m.

After all, he was just fresh off an insanely potent season in the Eredivisie with AZ Alkmaar, with a stunning 23 league goals fired home from just 33 games during his swansong campaign in the Netherlands.

Games played

42

Minutes played

2080

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

Unfortunately, he never found that same lethal form on English soil, culminating in Altidore’s smart turn and finish against Chelsea – which can be seen above – going down as his only strike for the Wearside outfit from 42 largely forgettable outings.

Labelled as “Dozy Anti-score” by some Sunderland fans, Isidor will just be glad he has never received similar vitriol, with the Frenchman a reliable source of goals and entertainment, thankfully, as opposed to being public enemy number one for being wasteful in front of goal.

Coincidentally, the American’s nightmare at the Stadium of Light came to a halt when an exchange deal for the aforementioned Defoe to move back to England was arranged with Toronto FC. Altidore then turned into a dependable MLS marksman for the Canadian side.

Yet, a modern-day tale similar to Altidore’s could now be playing out in real time.

Sunderland "powerhouse" could be the next Altidore

Thankfully, most of Sunderland’s summer purchases haven’t fallen victim to the Altidore curse of freezing in the big time.

It was to be expected that Granit Xhaka would be an instant hit under Le Bris’ wing in the Premier League, having already proven himself to be a forceful machine with Arsenal in the demanding division.

But, other new faces such as Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete – who once called France and Spain home – have instantly slotted into the Frenchman’s lineup, too, and looked near faultless, with just three league goals given up as a pairing, before a humbling 2-0 defeat to Manchester United.

Yet, while a lot of the summer business has gone down as success stories from the get-go, striker Brian Brobbey is yet to live up to the “goal machine” tag once handed to him by scout Jacek Kulig, when gifted limited opportunities to impress.

In an eerily similar fashion to Altidore, Brobbey had long been seen as a feared goalscorer in the Eredivisie for previous employers Ajax before embarking on a fresh adventure to English shores, with the homegrown Amsterdam product bagging a lethal 56 strikes from 163 contests.

Therefore, with the 23-year-old also costing a bumper £17.3m to obtain in a stunning deadline day swoop, the world would have been expected of Brobbey on his arrival, with Isidor likely to be displaced by the number nine’s efficient ability to put away chances in an instant.

Games played

3

Games started

0

Minutes*

21

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

5.7

Accurate passes*

1.3 (50%)

Total duels won*

1.3

In reality, Brobbey has struggled for gametime whilst Isidor continues to steal the limelight, much like Altidore was guilty of playing second fiddle to figures such as Steven Fletcher and Connor Wickham.

Worryingly, the brand-new number 9 is yet to even register a single shot in the Premier League from his three lacklustre cameos, away from also averaging just 5.7 touches of the ball per substitute appearance.

He has also looked concerningly weak in physical battles despite once being noted as a “powerhouse” by scout Antonio Mango, with just one aerial duel from four attempted won last time out against Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils.

It is far too early in the season to be writing off individuals, but it will be intriguing to see how long Brobbey’s early barren patch of form can run before he is looked down on as a potential expensive flop.

For now, Le Bris will hope he can come good, but it will be bothering some at the Stadium of Light already that the £17.3m signing could go down as a similar Altidore-style misfire.

Seb Larsson 2.0: Le Bris must unleash Sunderland's "sensational" talent

One wizard shines for Sunderland, drawing early comparisons to Seb Larsson

ByWill Miller Oct 4, 2025

West Ham United are lining up potential replacements for Graham Potter after what has been a nightmare start to 2025/2026, and one of their candidates is very eager to make the move to east London.

Graham Potter facing West Ham dismissal after poor start

Potter’s win percentage since taking charge in January makes for pretty dismal reading.

Out of every single West Ham gaffer in Premier League history, his lowly 26.1 per cent win rate only sits above that of Avram Grant, who guided the Hammers to relegation at the end of 2010/2011.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

Defensively, West Ham have been cut through like a knife with hot butter — conceding more goals than any other top flight side thus far whilst displaying a serious weakness in dealing with set pieces.

The blame for West Ham’s hapless start to 2025/2026 doesn’t lay solely at the feet of Potter, though, as you can make a serious case that the ex-Chelsea boss was hardly backed with winning players in the summer.

In any case, the overwhelming consensus is that Potter is fast running out of time, and it is believed that Potter could be given a stay of execution until the Arsenal game — to give any new West Ham manager the best possible chance of a good start at home to Brentford (ExWHUemployee).

Slaven Bilic "waiting" for offer to manage West Ham

Of the contenders to replace Potter, Nuno Espírito Santo is reportedly in pole position for the potential West Ham job right now (ExWHUemployee), but we cannot discount ex-Irons boss Slaven Bilic.

The Croatian, a former West Ham player, was in charge between 2015 and 2017. Bilic guided West Ham to a seventh-placed finish at the end of his first campaign, only to be sacked two years later with his side sitting in the relegation zone.

Now, as per GiveMeSport, Bilic is ready to make a West Ham return and is simply “waiting” for his chance of reunion.

He is in his homeland right now monitoring events closely, and if Potter cannot turn things around against Everton and Arsenal, it appears he wants to take over from the 50-year-old.

Interestingly, despite other opportunities, West Ham are one of just two clubs Bilic would join — alongside another former club in West Brom.

West Ham must hire Nuno ahead of Bilic

However, we believe that Bilic isn’t the right man to take them forward, as evident by the fact they have already sacked him once. Nuno, on the other hand, is an entirely different matter.

The Portuguese’s stock is back at an all-time high after a fairytale 2024/2025 at Nottingham Forest, and he’d still be at the City Ground now if not for a public fallout with controversial owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Nuno was awarded a brand-new contract just months before his Marinakis spat, and the thought of him leaving Forest after last year’s achievements was previously deemed unthinkable.

Taking his job at Wolves into account as well, Nuno has a proven track record of helping relegation-threatened sides climb the Premier League table to establish themselves as European contenders.

The Old Gold reached a Europa League quarter-final in 2020 under Nuno’s guidance, and what’s more, the 51-year-old has some trophy-winning experience from his time in Saudi Arabia.

Nuno led Al-Ittihad to an SPL title only to leave the Middle East just months later. With no other free agents of his calibre available right now, it is crystal clear that the ex-goalkeeper should be given top priority to steady the ship after Potter’s inevitable exit.

Newcastle United are preparing for life back in the Champions League in the 2025/26 season after a positive 12 months at St James’ Park.

Eddie Howe’s side ended the Magpies’ long wait for a trophy by lifting the EFL Cup, whereas they also finished in the top five in the Premier League to ensure a return to Europe’s biggest club competition.

As a result, PIF and co could be busy in the transfer market ahead of the new season, looking to ensure Newcastle can cope with their return to Europe.

Newcastle's most expensive sales of all time

A look at Newcastle’s 20 most expensive departures.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 5, 2025

Now, Grok, the AI tool on X, has predicted Newcastle’s starting line-up ahead of their first Premier League game against Aston Villa on August 16.

AI predicts Newcastle’s 2025/26 line-up 1 GK: James Trafford

Expected to finally arrive at St James’ Park this summer after months of rumours is goalkeeper James Trafford.

The Englishman starred at Burnley in 24/25, conceding just 16 goals in 46 games, and his ‘ball-playing ability suits Howe’s evolving style’, so he has been backed to cost £30m and start ahead of Nick Pope.

2 RB: Tino Livramento

After helping England win the U21 European Championships this summer, Tino Livramento is set to keep his place in the XI ahead of Kieran Trippier.

Grok says ‘Livramento has emerged as a dynamic option’ for the Magpies and is still under contract for another three years.

3 CB: Sven Botman

Described as a ‘cornerstone’ in Newcastle’s side, Sven Botman’s place in the side looks nailed on when he is fit.

The Dutchman only made eight Premier League appearances in 24/25, though, so he’ll be looking to put his injury woes behind him.

4 CB: Marc Guehi

Partnering Botman, Grok have predicted Marc Guehi to sign for Newcastle in a £46m deal this summer, despite interest from a number of other clubs.

The Crystal Palace captain has been on Howe’s radar for a long time now and may depart Selhurst Park with 12 months left on his contract.

5 LB: Lewis Hall

After making his loan move permanent in 2024, Lewis Hall has been a regular at left-back for Newcastle and has been predicted to keep his place in the XI.

Games

34

Assists

5

Yellow cards

4

Minutes played

2,661

Grok says Hall’s ’development into a key starter’ has been noticeable, chipping in with five assists last year.

6 CM: Bruno Guimaraes

Despite being linked with a move away from Newcastle once again this summer, Grok have predicted Bruno Guimaraes to remain at St James’ Park and play an important role once more.

The Brazilian’s ‘leadership and all-action style are vital’ in Howe’s side, and he still has three years remaining on his contract.

7 CM: Sandro Tonali

Alongside Guimaraes is a player he knows well in Sandro Tonali. The Italian ‘has proven indispensable’ under Howe and missed just two league games in 24/25.

Grok adds that Tonali’s ‘box-to-box energy complements Howe’s system’, but there may be no place for Joelinton in the XI.

8 AM: Eberechi Eze

Completing a three-man midfield in an attacking role is potential new signing in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, with Newcastle keen on the Eagles star.

The Englishman has a release clause of £68m which may need to be triggered, and Grok have stated that Eze’s ‘versatility as a No. 10 or winger fits Howe’s fluid attack’.

9 RW: Mohammed Kudus

Another star linked with a move to Newcastle this summer is West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus, who has been backed to start on the right-hand side for the Magpies.

With the Hammers open to offers in the region of £60m, PIF may need to act fast with Tottenham and Chelsea also showing an interest in Kudus.

10 ST: Alexander Isak

Arguably Newcastle’s most important piece of business this summer will be keeping hold of star striker Alexander Isak.

After qualifying for the Champions League, Grok thinks Isak won’t be going anywhere, labelling him as ‘untouchable’ at St James’ Park.

With The Friedkin Group looking to make some impressive statements in their first summer at the helm, Everton are reportedly ready to open talks to sign a Premier League-winning attacker.

Everton announce retained list

With the Premier League season concluded and the summer now underway, Everton have announced the list of players they remain in negotiations with in pursuit of fresh deals at the club. The Merseyside club confirmed that they are set to offer new deals to Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gana Gueye, whilst negotiations are ongoing with the representatives of both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Michael Keane.

Everton make approach for £29m McNeil upgrade who Van Dijk called "difficult"

Everton are planning to make some attacking changes in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 9, 2025

Announcing the news in a statement on their official website, Everton said: “The club is offering new contracts to Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gana Gueye, while we continue to liaise with representatives of Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with the current deals of all four players expiring at the end of June.

“As previously confirmed, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Ashley Young, Joao Virginia, Asmir Begovic, Mason Holgate and Neal Maupay will leave Everton when their current contracts expire at the end of this month, with loanees Jack Harrison, Jesper Lindstrøm, Orel Mangala and Armando Broja returning to their parent clubs.”

Calvert-Lewin’s situation is particularly one to watch. Concerns over his Everton future have been rumbling on for some time now and links to the likes of Manchester United have hardly helped speculation. Now, into the final weeks of his current deal, the Toffees are still attempting to secure the forward’s future at the club.

What Calvert-Lewin’s departure would do, however, is clear room for potential arrivals. And that could yet include a Premier League winner for David Moyes this summer. In an impressive move, Friedkin have reportedly set their sights on welcoming a wantaway attacking addition who could revive his career in Merseyside.

Everton ready to open talks to sign Grealish

According to TeamTalk, Everton are now ready to open talks to sign Jack Grealish from Manchester City in a complex deal, having already identified the winger as a transfer target in recent weeks. The deal won’t come cheap, though, even if the Toffees secure the loan deal that they prefer to a permanent deal.

Grealish reportedly earns a hefty £300,000-a-week at Manchester City, which translates into £15.6m-a-year. Whether Everton are both willing to match that salary and can afford to spend such a price will be the big question this summer, especially since Grealish would instantly become their highest earner by some distance.

Jack Grealish

£300,000

Jordan Pickford

£130,000

Idrissa Gueye (*offered new deal)

£120,000

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

£100,000

James Tarkowski

£100,000

Earning over double Everton’s current highest-earner in Pickford, Grealish would simply have to rediscover his very best form to make any deal worthwhile for the Toffees next season.

At his best, the former Aston Villa man has earned some impressive praise, including from Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City boss dubbed Grealish “aggressive” following a pre-season draw with Barcelona last summer, only to limit the Englishman’s game time in the months that followed.

Manchester City may have one eye on the Club World Cup this summer, though they are refusing to relent in their pursuit of additions and could now be in a position to land one of PSG’s leading stars.

Man City's changing dynamics this summer

The end of a trophyless campaign for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City appears to have only fueled his desire to ensure his side doesn’t end up empty-handed next time out.

Fortunately, the Club World Cup will offer a quickfire chance to atone for a year without silverware alongside a bounty of nearly £100 million for the eventual winners of the competition.

Of course, Manchester City are hardly struggling for cash. Still, a sizeable extra windfall would allow more room for manoeuvre in their quest to rejuvenate a squad that will see some experienced figures depart over the summer.

Kevin De Bruyne appears to be on his way to Napoli and bows out as possibly the Citizens’ greatest ever player, leaving a void to be filled not only in the engine room but in terms of leadership.

Jack Grealish could be on his way to Tottenham Hotspur after becoming a spare part. Although his influence has waned in recent times, there is no doubt that his experience has helped to set a culture of success inside the Manchester City dressing room.

Hugo Viana makes £40m+ Man City offer to sign Brazilian ahead of Man Utd

The Citizens are looking to steal a march on their rivals…

BySean Markus Clifford May 30, 2025

AC Milan star Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri could arrive to work under Guardiola. Nevertheless, their prospective moves don’t undermine the need for stars capable of producing match-winning moments to arrive, no matter where they may feature on the pitch.

Man City eye surprise Gianluigi Donnarumma move

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have made contact over a move for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma if number one Ederson is sold this summer.

The Brazil international is attracting interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League and could be allowed to leave for just over £25 million if appropriate offers come in.

Gianluigi Donnarumma in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

40

Clean sheets

12

Goals conceded

39

On the other hand, former AC Milan star Donnarumma is in the middle of a contract wrangle with Paris Saint-Germain and is also being tracked by Arsenal, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Juventus, with City also registering their interest.

Intriguingly, he has been labelled a “top goalkeeper” by Guardiola back in 2017 and won’t have done himself any harm after picking up the Champions League trophy last weekend.

Speaking about his future at the French giants, Donnarumma stated: “New deal or leaving? We will see what happens… I don’t know.

‘It’s time to enjoy this magic season now. I will go on holiday and then we will see.”

From a Manchester City standpoint, that doesn’t sound like a man who has completely ruled out the prospect of playing elsewhere next term. Now, it is over to their recruitment staff to try and tempt the £205,000 per week earner to English shores.

Chelsea have reportedly submitted their first formal bid in an attempt to sign a marquee forward who’s also wanted by Liverpool, with BlueCo trying to back manager Enzo Maresca ahead of their Club World Cup campaign next month.

Chelsea set for crucial top-five decider against Nottingham Forest

Before they can officially get any signings through the door, Stamford Bridge chiefs await the result of Chelsea’s chase for a highly coveted spot in the Premier League top five.

Chelsea open negotiations to sign £100m Brazilian with offer already made

The Blues want to “speed up” talks.

8 ByEmilio Galantini May 24, 2025

Maresca’s side are braced for a tough final day test against fellow Champions League qualification contenders, Nottingham Forest, at the City Ground, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s men needing a victory against Chelsea to stand any chance.

Rank

Team

Points

GD

Man City

68

+26

Newcastle

66

+22

Chelsea

66

+20

6

Aston Villa

66

+9

7

Nottingham Forest

65

+13

Chelsea, on the other hand, can confirm their Champions League status without having to worry about results elsewhere, but to be in that scenario, nothing but three points will do for Maresca, who sent a subtle message to his team prior to their all-important last game of 2024/25.

“It probably also shows how difficult is the Premier League, so many teams involved. The ones that have been consistent are Liverpool, this is the reason why they won… the rest had up-and-down moments during the season,” Maresca said in a pre-Forest press conference.

“We’re quite lucky in this aspect, because if we win, we do our job. We don’t need to pay attention to the other results.”

Finishing outside the top five would be detrimental, not just in the sense of a disappointing season, but also when it comes to Chelsea’s recruitment plans for the summer.

Their transfer strategy is directly tied in with their Champions League chase, and Chelsea will have more wiggle room to strengthen the squad in certain areas if they’re successful (Simon Phillips).

That being said, this reportedly hasn’t stopped the Blues from testing the water for key targets.

Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea have held talks with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, while reports in Brazil this week even claim they’ve launched an offer for Brighton’s Joao Pedro.

Chelsea submit "formal" bid to sign Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitiké

Claims of this nature will come flooding in as we fast approach the mini-transfer window, which will open from June 1 to June 10, and allow Chelsea to register new players before their CWC campaign kicks off.

Eintracht Frankfurt sensation Hugo Ekitiké is another striker on Chelsea’s radar, following the Frenchman’s impressive haul of 22 goals and 12 assists in all competitions this season.

The 22-year-old departed PSG for Eintracht last summer and hasn’t looked back since, but the Bundesliga side face a battle to keep hold of Ekitike, as he attracts serious interest from England’s elite.

According to reports in Spain, the forward is wanted by both Chelsea and Liverpool, but it is the west London club who’ve moved in with an offer.

It is believed Eintracht want around £84 million to sell their star striker this summer. However, Chelsea’s “formal” opening bid for Ekitike comes in at around £67 million, so it would appear they’re some way short of the mark.

The cost of this potential deal is exacerbated by PSG’s sell-on clause, meaning a percentage of his final fee would go to his former side. This has prompted Eintracht to slap a mammoth price tag on his head, and it is unclear whether the Germans will entertain Chelsea’s low-ball proposal as things stand.

Nevertheless, this is deemed an “ambitious” move by BlueCo, and time will tell whether it will bear any fruit.