Chelsea have raised £239 million in player sales after Carney Chukwuemeka’s £24m move to Borussia Dortmund, but another could soon be following him.

Thanks to their plethora of exit deals, Enzo Maresca’s side possess an excellent summer net spend of just £3 million heading into deadline day, so they’re under no pressure from the Premier League’s PSR rules to balance their books.

However, due to their pact with UEFA, Chelsea still need to sell certain members of the squad.

They reached a settlement with the governing body last month after Chelsea breached FFP laws, and a condition of this pact is that they must produce a positive transfer balance by the end of the window.

Failure to do so will result in them being unable to register new signings for Maresca’s Champions League squad, and only players who were involved in their Conference League squad last season will count towards viable outgoings.

This is why the sales of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are viewed as crucial to Chelsea’s remaining transfer plans for the window.

BlueCo have been in talks over signing Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons for weeks, and reports now claim that Chelsea are also eyeing Barcelona star Fermin Lopez as an alternative to the latter.

A sell-to-buy policy appears very much in effect at Stamford Bridge, but a potentially imminent exit for Jackson could be on the cards to allow Maresca’s side to make room.

Bayern Munich are in negotiations over the Senegal international, valued at £80 million, who has also attracted rumoured interest from Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

Now, the player’s own agent has shared an intriguing update on his future.

Nicolas Jackson tipped to leave Chelsea within 24 hours

Speaking to Wiw Sports on Tuesday morning, Jackson’s representative, Diomansy Kramara, claimed that the striker is expected to leave Chelsea in the next 48 hours, so at the time of writing now, this is now 24 hours.

The former Villarreal star was a key member of Maresca’s first team last season, bagging 13 goals and six assists in all competitions, including a strike in the Conference League final.

However, the additions of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro have pushed Jackson down the pecking order, and he’s not been involved in any of Chelsea’s opening Premier League games as Maresca confirms he can leave.

Essex (Cox 117, Walter 95, Critchley 45* Westley 40) vs Surrey Jordan Cox made sure his name remained on the England selectors’ radar with the ninth first-class century of his career, and fifth inside a year since joining Essex, as reigning champions Surrey toiled under bright Chelmsford skies.The 24-year-old Cox was on the cusp of an England debut in New Zealand last autumn before suffering another injury setback. But a swashbuckling 117 from 148 balls in the opening Rothesay County Championship match of the season can only have helped his cause ahead of a year in which England face first Zimbabwe and then India and Australia.His powerful innings overshadowed an otherwise excellent 95 from makeshift opener Paul Walter. The 30-year-old left-hander, better known for his big-hitting exploits in T20 cricket, fell just short of what would have been only his third red-ball century.Walter’s stands of 78 with rookie opener Charlie Allison and 100 with Cox, along with Cox’s 92 with Matt Critchley, underpinned an Essex total of 356 for 4 on the first day against a Surrey pace attack devoid of the likes of Gus Atkinson, Dan Worrall and Tom Lawes. Kemar Roach added some respite with 2 for 54 from 18 overs.Essex had won the toss and elected to bat on a benign green-top in front of a bumper home crowd of 2,370.Walter set the tone by marching to his fifty from 58 balls when he turned James Taylor off his legs for a single. He had dominated the first hour as Allison marked his first-class debut in look-and-learn mode. The 20-year-old, replacing Dean Elgar at the top of the order while the South African becomes used to the idea of being a father of twins, took 38 balls before hitting his first boundary, a square drive off Matt Fisher that took his score into double figures.The first-wicket stand ended when Dan Lawrence entered the Surrey attack and with his fourth delivery had Allison lbw for 25, playing down the wrong line, much to the delight of the former Essex man.Where Walter had been dominant in the opening stand, he became becalmed in the fifties either side of lunch as Tom Westley briefly took centre stage. The Essex captain rolled his wrists to turn Taylor through midwicket for four and later thick-edged Lawrence past a despairing slip.Westley contributed 40 towards a 48-run second-wicket stand before turning Roach into short midwicket’s hands. Walter added just five to his total in that 16-over partnership but then opened his shoulders and square-cut the first ball after Westley’s departure for his 10th four.There was greater equality between the third-wicket pair with Walter and Cox trading blows. Some of Cox’s hitting was effortless with no discernible back-lift, most notably his ninth boundary, a drive that scorched past mid-off, and brought up his half-century from 77 balls.The century partnership was reached with a single from Walter, but two balls later he gave Fisher his first Surrey wicket since the winter move from Yorkshire, when mis-hooking to Ben Foakes diving full-length down legside. Walter’s innings had lasted 172 balls and included 14 fours.Cox took up the cudgels immediately after tea, hitting Roach to three different parts of the boundary in an over. There was a strange incident just before Cox reached three-figures when he appeared to hit Foakes with his bat as the ball lobbed towards the wicketkeeper. No censure ensued and the century duly arrived with a straight drive off Lawrence for his 18th four.Cox added three more boundaries before he was beaten for pace by Roach to end a stay of a tad over three hours.It was just left to Critchley to confirm Essex’s domination as the sun went down with three successive fours off the expensive James Taylor and reach the close on 45 not out.

Fifties for Robson and Holden but Middlesex fall away from strong position to post 260

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Apr-2025Lancashire 68 for 0 trail Middlesex 260 (Robson 70, Holden 69, Aspinwall 4-32) by 192 runsRookie seamers Tom Aspinwall and Ollie Sutton launched Lancashire’s bid for an immediate return to the top flight in positive fashion by bowling out Middlesex for 260 on the opening day at Lord’s.Relegated to Division Two of the Rothesay County Championship last season, the Red Rose began the campaign without injured ex-England veteran James Anderson and West Indies paceman Anderson Phillip, unavailable due to a visa issue. But 21-year-old Aspinwall, with figures of 4 for 32, and left-armer Sutton, who took 2 for 57 on his first-class debut, swung the game in their side’s favour after a century stand between Sam Robson and Max Holden had given Middlesex a strong platform.Having reached 215 for 3 in front of an impressive Lord’s crowd of 4257, the home side stumbled – losing their last seven wickets for 45 runs – and Lancashire’s openers shaved 68 off the deficit before the close.The visitors opted to bowl after winning the toss and gained some early swing and bounce, with Tom Bailey beating the outside edge several times before breaking through in the fifth over. Nathan Fernandes, restored to an opener’s role at Middlesex following Mark Stoneman’s departure, contributed just a single before he was tempted to nibble at a Bailey delivery that slanted across him.But, having seen off the new ball, Robson began to play with greater freedom and rattled off a spate of boundaries, steering Sutton to the midwicket fence to bring up his half-century from 60 balls.Holden played his part as Middlesex cruised along at around four-and-a-half an over, but the left-hander was given a life on 28 when he hooked Sutton to long leg, only for the ball to slip through Luke Wells’ fingers and over the rope. However, with Lancashire’s seamers toiling fruitlessly, Wells redeemed himself by coming on for an over of legbreaks just before lunch to pin Robson lbw on the back foot with his fifth ball.Holden posted his half-century in the first over after the resumption, squirting Wells to third man for three and looked a good bet to convert that 50 into three figures until he fell to a smart take by Matty Hurst. Standing up to the stumps, the young wicketkeeper – who had earlier spilled a similar chance to remove Leus du Plooy off Will Williams – snapped up Holden off the same bowler and claimed his third dismissal when Ryan Higgins nudged George Balderson behind.That triggered a middle-order collapse, with four more wickets falling in the space of just 21 deliveries – two apiece to Sutton and Aspinwall. Debutant Ben Geddes became Sutton’s maiden first-class victim when he miscued a pull to midwicket and Jack Davies was lbw shuffling across his stumps before du Plooy, having spent more than two hours over a watchful 41, was on the sharp end of a similar decision in Aspinwall’s favour.By contrast, Toby Roland-Jones’ dismissal was palpable as Aspinwall brought the ball a long way back down the slope to take his leg stump, mopping up the innings after tea with the wickets of Zafar Gohar and Henry Brookes.Lancashire skipper Keaton Jennings batted sensibly alongside new opening partner Michael Jones, capitalising on loose deliveries as they chipped away at the home side’s total. However, there were close calls for both openers before stumps, with Jennings’ inside edge off Blake Cullen rebounding off his pad but somehow avoiding the wicket and Jones almost playing on to Brookes.

تحدث الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول عن إصابة لاعبه قبل مواجهة آينتراخت فرانكفورت ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويواجه ليفربول نظيره آينتراخت فرانكفورت في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا غدًا الأربعاء، الموافق 22 من شهر أكتوبر الجاري.

ومن المقرر أن يحل ليفربول ضيفًا على الفريق الألماني مساء غد الأربعاء في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

وكان ليفربول قد خسر بثنائية مقابل هدف، أمام مانشستر يونايتد في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة الثامنة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

اقرا أيضًا | قائمة ليفربول لمباراة آينتراخت فرانكفورت في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. موقف محمد صلاح

ولمدة 4 مباريات متتالية، لا يعرف ليفربول طعم الفوز أو حتى التعادل إذ خسرهم جميعًا في جميع المسابقات، 3 منهم في الدوري الإنجليزي أمام كريستال بالاس وتشيلسي ومانشستر يونايتد، وواحدة في دوري أبطال أوروبا أمام جالطة سراي.

وأصيب ريان جرافنبيرخ، في مباراة الفريق أمام مانشستر يونايتد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي، في الكاحل، ليغيب عن مواجهة فرانكفورت غدًا.

وقال سلوت، في تصريحات نقلها الموقع الرسمي لناديه: “كنت مضطرًا في عدم اصطحاب جرافنبيرخ لمباراة فرانكفورت لأنني رأيته “يعرج” قليلًا المباراة الماضية، لذلك فضلت استبعاده”.

وأكمل: “غيابه سيؤثر علينا بالطبع ويكون دائمًا فرصة للآخرين، رأينا في مباراة كريستال بالاس بالدرع الخيرية وأمام بورنموث ماذا حدث لنا في غيابه، هو يحمي الرباعي الخلفي، لكن في نفس الوقت ينبغي أن أختار لاعبًا جديدًا آخر في تشكيل الغد”.

وأردف: “ريان لن يكون متاحًا لمباراة فرانكفورت، ونأمل أن يكون متاحًا في نهاية الأسبوع”.

وأتم: “هي إصابة في الكاحل، علينا أن ننتظر ونرى، ونمنحه بعض الوقت ونرى أين سيكون عندما نعود من مباراة فرانكفورت”.

Newcastle United are perhaps ruing their decision to sell academy graduate Elliot Anderson last summer to Nottingham Forest. The England international, who was only capped for the first time last week, moved down to the East Midlands from his boyhood club for reasons relating to PSR.

Yet, he has gone from strength to strength at the City Ground, a testament to his ability that Newcastle fans no doubt saw at St James’ Park, too. That talent has been summed up by Thomas Tuchel, handing the youngster his England debut against Andorra last week.

Having Anderson alongside midfield options like Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, and Joelinton would have been excellent depth for Eddie Howe. With that being said, it gives the chance for a new academy star to break through, after someone like Lewis Miley.

Miley’s Newcastle career so far

It is easy to forget that England under-1 international Miley is just 19 years of age. He’s been in and around the first team frame at St James’ Park for a number of years, since first making his debut in the 2022/23 campaign.

In total, the Stanley-born midfielder has played 49 games for his boyhood club.

He’s managed to get himself on the scoresheet three times and has chipped in with four assists along the way, too.

Of course, it has not been easy for Miley to establish himself in the Magpies’ midfield with the aforementioned quality they have. However, his versatility may work in his favour, given he’s played as a number six as well as in his preferred number eight role.

The youngster has also struggled with injuries, missing the back end of the 2023/24 campaign and the beginning of the 2024/25 season. Since then, he has been unable to break into the side under Howe.

It remains to be seen if Miley can become Newcastle’s new Anderson, but, for now, it doesn’t seem likely that he can establish himself in the starting lineup. Instead, another teen star at the club might be the person Newcastle turn towards to replace Anderson.

Newcastle’s next Elliot Anderson

There must be something in the air at Newcastle to have developed Anderson and Miley, two young academy midfielders. Well, next on that list could be 19-year-old Alfie Harrison, a versatile midfielder who hails from Manchester.

Described as a “star in the making” by football writer Thomas Hammond, Harrison has shone for the Magpies’ youth team at under-21 level, after originally coming through the ranks at Manchester City.

After playing under-21 football in 2023/24, Harrison had his best campaign yet last season. The Mancunian midfielder, who has the first-team number 44 at St James’ Park, played 20 games in the Premier League 2, scoring three times and assisting seven.

He has also excelled in the EFL Trophy, too. The 19-year-old created three chances in his first game of the competition this season against Huddersfield Town, and also won two ground duels and one tackle, showing great all-round ability.

One of the standout features of his game is the versatility he offers. Whilst he is a midfielder by trade, Harrison can also operate out wide, which will teach him plenty of skills to add to his craft in the middle of the park.

Harrison’s U21 record

Position

Games

G/A

Central midfield

15

6

Attacking midfield

8

6

Right-wing

4

1

Right midfield

2

2

(min 45 mins played)

Stats from Transfermarkt

Losing Anderson was certainly a huge blow for the Magpies, but perhaps Howe will decide to unleash a player with the creative talent of Harrison at some stage this season.

He will certainly add quality on the ball, just like their former midfielder.

In The Pipeline

Expand Collapse

Miley is certainly a great option for Howe to have in and around the squad, but perhaps a player with the skill of Harrison will be able to leapfrog him and become the new Anderson soon enough.

Related Anderson repeat: Newcastle must regret selling a "monster" for just £500k

Have Newcastle repeated their Elliot Anderson mistake?

Posts ByWill Miller Sep 9, 2025

In one of his final acts as chairman, Daniel Levy signed Mathys Tel in a cut-price £30 million deal for Tottenham, but it’s been far from plain sailing for the Frenchman thus far.

Initially, Spurs agreed a £45 million buy-option in the January loan deal which saw him join from Bayern Munich. However, Levy managed to re-negotiate a lesser fee to make Tel the Lilywhites’ first signing of the summer bar Kevin Danso.

The arrival of Bayern’s former prodigy brought plenty of excitement with it, especially after Julian Nagelsmann once tipped the 20-year-old to bag 40 goals a season one day.

Whilst Tel garnered a fearsome reputation as a hot commodity during his time in Bavaria, it’s been a mixed start to life in north London.

He grabbed back-to-back Premier League goals against Southampton and Wolves in April last season, and an assist against both West Ham and Brighton, but is yet to get off the mark since Thomas Frank took charge.

Tel also missed a penalty in the UEFA Super Cup shoot-out against PSG, with Frank ultimately sacrificing the forward for Europe by omitting him from Spurs’ 22-man Champions League squad alongside the likes of Yves Bissouma, Kota Takai, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

Appearances

24

Goals

3

Assists

2

Bookings

3

Minutes played

1,366

via Transfermarkt

He therefore won’t be eligible to make a single Champions League appearance until after the league phase, if they even get that far, with pundit John Wenham suggesting that the north Londoners may be regretting the type of deal they’ve secured for Tel.

Tottenham could be regretting Mathys Tel deal as "frustrating" claim made

Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham hints that Tottenham will be looking back on the permanent deal for Tel with hindsight, asking themselves whether they should’ve just gone for another loan.

Of course, there is still time for him to come good, and that is far more likely than not.

Why Mathys Tel could prove people wrong at Tottenham

Tel is still raw, but Frank has been very impressed by the attacker since his Champions League snub, not least for a hard-working display against West Ham.

The France Under-21 starlet’s main strengths lie in his athleticism and versatility. Comfortable through the middle or out wide, he gives Frank multiple options in attack. His pace allows him to stretch defences, while his ability to play with his back to goal offers a different profile to Spurs’ other forwards. That adaptability will be key in a side competing across several competitions this season.

His finishing, movement and composure are still maturing, but those are qualities that can sharpen with experience.

At the start of the calendar year, Celtic had Adam Idah, Johnny Kenny, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Daizen Maeda on their books as options in the number nine position.

Kyogo, of course, left to sign for Rennes in the January transfer window, and Kenny is still a young player who needs time to develop and improve before he is a frontline option.

Earlier this month, Brendan Rodgers said: “I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”

The Celtic head coach is now set to lose another option in that centre-forward role, as Anthony Joseph reports that Idah is closing in on a permanent move to Swansea.

He is set to undergo a medical in Wales on Friday before putting the finishing touches on a move to the EFL Championship side before the end of the summer transfer window on Monday.

The Ireland international’s exit will leave Celtic with Kenny and Shin Yamada as their only natural striker options, whilst Maeda can, of course, play there.

Celtic have had a nightmare with Adam Idah

It is hard not to feel that the Scottish giants have had a nightmare with the Irish centre-forward, who they only signed from Norwich City on a permanent deal last summer.

The club reportedly paid an initial fee of £8.5m, which could have gone up to £9.5m, and Swansea have now agreed a deal that is worth up to £7m for the 6 foot 3 attacker.

This means that the Scottish Premiership champions have made a loss of at least £1.5m on Idah just 12 months on from signing him from the Canaries, which is hard to defend from a recruitment perspective.

The number nine had his moments in a Celtic shirt, as shown by the clip above, but he was nowhere near reliable enough as a starting option for Rodgers.

Adam Idah: The super sub
24/25 Premiership	Starts	Off the bench
Appearances	19	16
Minutes	1,352	357
Goals	6	7
Minutes per goal	225	51
Assists	0	1
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Idah only scored six goals in 19 matches in the Premiership for the Scottish giants in his only full season at the club.

This may be one of the reasons why the club decided to sanction a permanent transfer to Swansea after just one year, because he failed to prove that he could deliver consistently as a starter.

Ultimately, Rodgers could not trust him to start week-in-week-out and they may have expected more from a player they were willing to spend up to £9.5m in 2024.

Celtic prepare offer for new striker

According to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, Celtic are considering a last-gasp offer to sign Anderlecht centre-forward Kasper Dolberg in an attempt to replace Idah.

The journalist claims that the Denmark international is the club’s number one target to fill the soon-to-be vacant number nine shirt at Parkhead.

Transfer Focus

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

Joseph also reveals that the Hoops are in talks with Anderlecht over a move for the experienced marksman, as they look to bring him in before the deadline on Monday.

He adds that the Scottish giants were quoted a fee of around £10m for the forward earlier this summer, but it remains to be seen if that is still the case.

The journalist claims that Anderlecht are open to cashing in on the former Ajax and Nice star after they were knocked out of Europe by losing 3-1 to AEK on aggregate, which has presented Celtic with the opportunity to swoop in now that Idah is on his way out of the club.

Why Celtic should sign Kasper Dolberg

The board should be pushing to get a deal for the Pro League forward over the line before the deadline on Monday because he could arrive as a big upgrade on Idah in the number nine position.

As aforementioned, the £9.5m signing from Norwich simply did not do enough when given chances as a starting striker for Celtic to be relied upon as the main man for goals.

Dolberg, however, is a player who could be that main man as an experienced and top-quality number nine who can find the back of the net on a regular basis.

The Anderlecht marksman has already scored three goals in five games at the start of the current campaign, per Sofascore, but it was his form last season that shows how much of an upgrade he would be on Idah.

24/25 season	Dolberg (Pro League)	Idah (Premiership)
Appearances (starts)	31 (30)	35 (19)
xG	16.70	N/A
Goals	18	13
Conversion rate	22%	17%
Goals from outside the box	3	2
Assists	2	0
Duel success rate	50%	41%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Dolberg can score goals at an impressive rate whilst starting week-in-week-out for his side, which is something that Idah failed to do.

The Danish attacker, who was once hailed as an “extraordinary talent” by John Steen Olsen, also enjoyed a greater conversion rate in front of goal and won more of his physical duels with opposition defenders.

These statistics suggest that Dolberg could offer far more to the team as a regular starter than Idah did, certainly in the Premiership, as a lethal centre-forward who can finish chances efficiently, as shown by his goal return versus his xG.

At the age of 27, Celtic would also be signing a player who is in the prime years of his career and can be expected to hit the ground running as an instant and reliable performer, rather than coming in as a young and unproven talent who would need time to adjust and develop.

Better than Saracchi: Celtic in race to sign "technically gifted" £9m star

As Celtic search for a new left-back before the deadline, the Hoops should forget about Marcelo Saracchi and sign a “technically gifted” star instead.

1

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Therefore, Dolberg could be a fantastic addition to the squad as a big upgrade on Idah as a starter if they can get the deal over the line in the coming days.

While they didn’t exactly kick off their Premier League campaign in style, Chelsea got back on track with their thumping win away to West Ham United on Friday night.

The fans will be expecting Enzo Maresca’s side to do even better than last season this year, and rightly so, as the board have more than done their part over the last few months by significantly strengthening the side.

The likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato and more all look like great buys, and with a week to go until the window slams shut, the West Londoners seem intent on bringing in more talent.

One of the players who now seems almost sure to join the club is Alejandro Garnacho, although if reports are to be believed, the Blues could be set to sign another international ace who’d keep him out of the team.

Chelsea target Garnacho upgrade

Chelsea’s interest in Garnacho has been a longstanding one, with reports touting him for a move to the club back in the winter window.

Transfer Focus

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

Things have significantly progressed this summer, though, with the Manchester United ace reportedly rejecting other clubs to join the Blues, so long as a deal can be worked out between the two sides.

The Madrid-born gem would undoubtedly add dynamism and more of a goal threat to Maresca’s squad, but it now looks like the West Londoners are closing in on another attacker, someone who’d surely keep him out of the team.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s interest in Xavi Simons.

More than that, though, the report has claimed that, on top of already having an agreement with the player, the player will try to secure his move to the Bridge before deadline day.

In other words, the West Londoners are trying to bring the RB Leipzig star to Stamford Bridge this week, and while no price is mentioned in the story, reports from earlier this summer claim that an offer of £61m should be enough to seal the deal.

That is certainly a lot of money to spend on one player, but given Simons’ ability and potential, he’d be worth it, even if he’d keep Garnacho out of the team.

Why Simons would keep Garnacho out of the team

Unfortunately for Garnacho, while he is a versatile player who can thrive in attacking midfield and off the left, so can Simons.

In fact, the Flying Dutchman has shown himself to be even more versatile than the Argentine, as on top of playing in the middle and off the left, he has spent time off the right and up top.

In other words, the United ace would almost certainly be in competition for game time with the Leipzig star, and based on the last season or so, we’d pick the latter every time.

For example, when it comes down to their raw output, there is just no competition.

In his 33 appearances for the German outfit last year, totalling 2763 minutes, the unreal “game-changer,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.

That means he was able to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 145.42 minutes.

In contrast, the 21-year-old Red Devils ace scored 11 goals and provided ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3568 minutes, last term.

That comes out to a notably worse average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or every 169.90 minutes.

The comparison is just as, if not more, one-sided when we take a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.67

0.33

Progressive Passes

5.86

2.30

Progressive Carries

3.56

5.78

Key Passes

2.13

1.52

Passes into the Final Third

3.31

0.90

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.51

1.02

Shot-Creating Actions

4.52

3.40

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

0.25

Tackles Won

0.88

0.74

Blocks

0.79

0.78

Clearances

0.79

0.45

Successful Take-Ons

1.38

1.07

Here, the former Paris Saint-Germain gem comes out comfortably ahead in most relevant metrics, such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, from their output to their underlying numbers, there is nothing that suggests Garnacho is even on the same level as Simons.

Therefore, as they play in the same positions on the pitch, it seems almost certain that the latter will keep the former out of the Chelsea team this season.

He's their next Palmer: Chelsea ace has held talks over leaving the Bridge

Chelsea really are having a summer clearout as this rising star looks set to be the next to leave.

1 ByKelan Sarson Aug 25, 2025

Newcastle United’s summer of transfer activity once again underlined the scale of ambition since the PIF takeover.

Deals for Jacob Ramsay, Malick Thiaw, Aaron Ramsdale and Anthony Elanga have complemented headline-grabbing signings such as Nick Woltemade for £69m and Yoane Wissa for £55m.

Alexander Isak’s £125m move to Liverpool left a sour taste, but the overall picture was one of a club continuing to spend at the very top of the market.

That has not always been the case on Tyneside.

Before Saudi investment changed the landscape, Newcastle were known for trimming squads and selling talent to make a profit.

Promising youngsters would be moved on for financial reasons or simply slip through the cracks, only to thrive elsewhere.

This summer’s spending spree serves as a reminder of how much things have changed, but also how much has been lost.

The departure of Elliot Anderson last year remains a striking example.

Newcastle did not want to lose the academy graduate, but Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) forced their hand.

Nottingham Forest seized the opportunity, and now the Northeast club must watch a homegrown talent flourish elsewhere – much like another striker once forced to leave before truly being given a chance at St James’ Park.

Anderson's rise away from Tyneside

Anderson’s move to Forest in 2024, part of a deal that saw Odysseas Vlachodimos move the other way, was emblematic of Newcastle’s recent financial gymnastics.

The midfielder represented pure profit under PSR calculations, a valuable asset when books needed balancing.

Jankuba Minteh was sold to Brighton in the same scramble, and even the sales of Isak and Anthony Gordon were considered.

At the time, it looked like a sacrifice of potential for compliance.

Yet Anderson has proven exactly why the club were so reluctant to lose him.

Last season, the 22-year-old made 37 league appearances for Forest, scoring twice and providing six assists. His form earned him a first senior England call-up, and he started against Andorra, winning the Player of the Match award.

The numbers underline his growing influence.

Last season, Anderson ranked in the 88th percentile for assists per 90 (0.19) and 77th percentile for shot-creating actions (3.07).

His ability to progress play was matched by tenacity in midfield.

He sat in the 88th percentile for tackles per 90 (3.07) and 87th percentile for clearances (2.40).

Analysts like Max Scott have even gone so far as to describe Anderson as having “a bit of Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Zinedine Zidane” in his game.

It is difficult to see how he would have found the same opportunities had he remained at Newcastle.

Competing with Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton for minutes, he might have stagnated.

Instead, Forest have given him the platform to grow, and Newcastle are left to reflect on a talent that got away, not for the first time either.

Newcastle's homegrown striker regret

Anderson’s story draws inevitable comparisons to Ivan Toney, another player who slipped through Newcastle’s net.

Signed from Northampton Town in 2015 for around half a million, Toney struggled for first-team opportunities and was farmed out on loan before leaving permanently for Peterborough United in 2018.

From there, his career trajectory exploded. Toney scored 72 goals and provided 23 assists in 141 appearances for Brentford, firing them to Premier League promotion with a goal in the 2021 play-off final.

His 20-goal return in the 2022/23 season made him one of the division’s most reliable strikers, hailed as such by Thomas Frank who described him as a “monster”.

Recognition followed on the international stage. Toney made his England debut in 2023 and was part of the Euro 2024 squad, holding his nerve to score in the penalty shoot-out against Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

The numbers again tell the story of a rounded, top-level forward.

During the 2022/23 season, Toney ranked in the 72nd percentile among centre-forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals (0.43 per 90), 70th percentile for progressive passes (2.41), and was outstanding aerially, sitting in the 91st percentile for aerials won (3.32 per 90).

His defensive contribution was underrated too, with strong numbers for interceptions and clearances.

Matches Played

33

Goals

20

Assists

4

Progressive Carries

14

Progressive Passes

79

In 2024, Toney completed a £40m move to Al-Ahli, where he scored 23 goals and registered four assists in the Saudi Pro League last season.

At 29, he remains a high-level striker whose career arc must leave Newcastle wondering what might have been.

The parallels between Anderson and Toney are plain to see.

Both left St James’ Park for very different reasons, but both have gone on to prove themselves at a high level.

Each departure highlights the fine margins between financial management and footballing vision.

Newcastle’s current owners are now spending freely, with marquee signings transforming the squad.

Yet history shows that some of the biggest success stories can be those who slipped away. In Anderson, Newcastle may once again have let a future England regular leave too soon.

PIF have already signed Newcastle's new Elliot Anderson and he's "terrific"

Eddie Howe will hope he has his own Elliot Anderson now at Newcastle United in this terrific talent.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 8, 2025

The full cost of replacing the Man Utd managers and their coaching teams since the departure of Sir Alex has been revealed and it could leap up by a mammoth amount if the club decide to dispense of current incumbent Amorim. The merry-go-round of managers in the 12 years since the Scot left includes some of the biggest names in the game, but none of them have come close to filling his boots.

Counting the cost of United's sackings

David Moyes was handpicked by Ferguson to take over from him in 2013, but his tenure lasted only 10 months after United finished a disappointing 7th in the Premier League and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in nearly two decades. Then came Louis van Gaal, whose reign brought an FA Cup in 2016, making him the first manager since Fergie to land silverware for the club, but the Dutchman was brutally sacked just two days later. Jose Mourinho arrived soon after and delivered three trophies in his first season: the Europa League, League Cup, and Community Shield, becoming the first manager in the club's history to win two major trophies in his first season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led United to a second-place finish in the Premier League and the Europa League final, but ultimately failed to win any trophies and was removed after three years in charge. Ralf Rangnick took over for a brief period before Erik ten Hag brought United their first competitive trophy in nearly six years by winning the League Cup in 2023 and followed that by winning the FA Cup in 2024. Despite winning two trophies in two seasons Ten Hag was sacked after a poor start to the 2024-2025 season. And the heat is now firmly on Amorim, whose side finished 15th last season and sit a lowly 14th after six league games this term.

Sir Alex’s coaching team – £2.4m
David Moyes (2013/14) – £5.2m
Louis van Gaal (2014/16) – £8.4m
Jose Mourinho (2016/18) – £19.6m
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (2018/21) – £9.1m
Ralf Rangnick (2021/22) – £14.7m
Erik ten Hag (2022/24) – £10.4m

TOTAL: £69.8 million ($93.8m)

AdvertisementAFPFergie's incredible record at Old Trafford

Fergie's tenure as manager of Manchester United from 1986 to 2013 was the most successful period in the club's history, transforming them into a dominant force in English and European football. He took over a club that hadn't won a league title in 19 years and led them to unprecedented heights. Under Ferguson's leadership, Man United won a remarkable 38 trophies, including; 13 Premier League titles, two UEFA Champions League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups. Fergie’s success was built on a foundation of tactical brilliance, fierce leadership, and an unparalleled ability to rebuild teams. He nurtured young talents like the "Class of '92", which produced club legends including Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, and Paul Scholes, and integrated world-class players like Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney into his squads. His ability to adapt his strategies and maintain a relentless winning mentality kept United at the pinnacle of football for over two decades.

Will United stick or twist with Amorim?

United have struggled with inconsistency, failing to win consecutive games in any competition under Amorim. Their poor form has led to significant concern among fans and pundits, with some questioning Amorim's long-term future at the club. Despite this, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly still backing the manager. And the cost of sacking him would be an eye-watering £12 million ($16.1m) if they decide to pull the plug on the Portuguese boss. 

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Getty Images SportTough tests coming for United

United’s next match is against Sunderland at Old Trafford on October 4th, followed by a challenging away game against Liverpool at Anfield on October 19th. There follows matches against Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. More defeats and poor performances could cost Amorim his job… and cost United another £12 million.