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Enzo Maresca has been handed a major injury update on the condition of one of his injured Chelsea stars after a renewed timeline on his return.

Chelsea's injury list as Blues suffer Club World Cup consequences

Maresca’s side, given their involvement in the Club World Cup and European competition last term, were forced to play a combined total of 64 games across 24/25.

Chelsea’s triumph at the CWC yielded around £84 million in prize money and their Conference League win handed Chelsea a first major trophy since their Champions League title in 2021, becoming the first club in history to win all five European competitions recorded (Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, Super Cup, and Cup Winners’ Cup).

However, while history was made, their massive number of games appears to be having dire consequences for this season as key first-team stars struggle with injuries and fitness issues.

Enzo Fernández became the latest player to sustain a problem when he withdrew from international duty with Argentina. The midfielder has inflammation in his right knee, and it remains to be seen whether he’ll be fit for Chelsea’s Premier League return against Nottingham Forest this weekend.

The £180,000-per-week star could join Cole Palmer, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap and Levi Colwill on the treatment table, with Andrey Santos and Tosin Adarabioyo also doubts to face Forest after not being spotted in any of the training photos released by Chelsea this week.

The duo both missed Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Liverpool, with supporters forced to wait and find out whether they can play at the City Ground.

Enzo Fernández

Knee

Unknown

Cole Palmer

Groin

November

Andrey Santos

Knock

Unknown

Tosin Adarabioyo

Calf

Nottingham Forest

Dario Essugo

Thigh

Early 2026

Liam Delap

Hamstring

November

Levi Colwill

ACL

Spring 2026

via Standard Sport

Delap’s injury was particularly disappointing, as the striker signed from Ipswich last summer was brought on to spearhead Maresca’s forward line as Chelsea’s main vocal point of attack.

The former Man City starlet enjoyed an exceptional 2024/2025 at Portman Road, but a hamstring injury has forced Delap to wait patiently on the sidelines as he battles his way back to contention.

Chelsea handed major Liam Delap injury update amid renewed timeline

However, according to journalist Simon Phillips, Delap could now return from his Chelsea injury sooner than expected.

The 22-year-old scored 12 Premier League goals last season, which was impressive considering he plied his trade for a team who underperformed and were relegated.

Delap’s early return from injury is set to be a huge boost for Chelsea.

The young centre-forward, who got off the mark for Maresca’s side at the CWC with a goal against Esperance, has shown great promise already with his physicality, sharp movement and clinical finishing — making him an invaluable attacking option.

His presence will add a different dimension to the team’s frontline, capable of holding up play and linking effectively with Chelsea’s creative midfielders. The team have also often lacked a reliable finisher to capitalize on chances, and Delap could really help to solve this problem.

Whilst Chelsea have so far endured a rare quiet spell in the transfer window, the Blues have been linked with a number of players and could yet make their move to sign a major reinforcement before the end of the month.

Chelsea transfer news

Routed in mid-table in the Premier League, there's no doubt that Chelsea once again need reinforcements, despite welcoming a number of additions in the summer. Mauricio Pochettino's side just haven't got going this season, with the former Tottenham Hotspur boss failing to make an instant impact at Stamford Bridge. Speaking on the potential for new arrives, Pochettino previously said: "It is not like this. Like you know, too many rumours going around the clubs. It is not what they translate to me. It is not necessary to sell to buy some players.

"I am very positive and happy with the squad. We are working, if something appears, we will announce. At the moment we are assessing and working normally, how we have been working from the beginning of the season."

With that said, one name that has been mentioned is Alphonso Davies. According to reports in Spain, Chelsea are ready to make their move for Davies in an attempt to beat Real Madrid to his signature. It's clear that Todd Boehly is once again not messing around when seeking reinforcements and given that the left-back's current Bayern Munich deal expires in 18 months, the Blues could take full advantage.

It may be difficult to convince the Canadian to choose Stamford Bridge over the Santiago Bernabeu, but money, as ever, seems unlikely to be the problem for those in London if they push on and attempt to secure a deal either this month or in the summer transfer window. A standout star, Davies could be one to watch.

"Unbelievable" Davies is better than Chilwell

Ben Chilwell's injury history means that Chelsea are often left without a reliable starting left-back for Pochettino, but Davies wouldn't just solve that problem, he could also be a major upgrade on the former Leicester City man, as Davies' stats this season show.

Alphonso Davies

5.50

5.11

4.20

1.37

1.07

Ben Chilwell

3.08

2.56

2.31

0.26

0.77

Davies' most famous game for Bayern Munich is of course the 7-2 thrashing of Barcelona in the Champions League, in which he played a starring role for one particular goal. Praising the left-back for his assist on that night, teammate Joshua Kimmich said:

"That was unbelievable. Even I was a bit ashamed when I celebrated. He gets 99 percent of the credit for the goal. I only had to get the ball over the line."

It's clear that if Chelsea managed to secure a deal to sign Davies, then they could be getting one of the best around in his position. With Real Madrid also interested, it could be a hefty task, but one that the Blues are seemingly ready to pursue.

The need for results over the coming weeks has been heightened. Arne Slot made a telling comment on his hopes of Liverpool progressing deep into the Carabao Cup when fielding a much-rotated team with a bench full of youngsters (average age of 19) against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.

The Eagles won 3-0, their third win over the Reds this term, and that’s now six losses from seven matches in all competitions for Slot’s side, who are very much in crisis mode.

The Dutch boss had turned his attention toward the daunting run of upcoming fixtures before the opening whistle screeched in midweek, and now there is not an emphasis but an expectation that wins will be struck to stop the rot and turn back toward the compelling title defence that was anticipated after a summer of record-breaking spending.

01/11/25

Premier League

Aston Villa (H)

04/11/25

Champions League

Real Madrid (H)

09/11/25

Premier League

Man City (A)

22/11/25

Premier League

Nott’m Forest (H)

26/11/25

Champions League

PSV (H)

If we can take a sliver of optimism from this abject run of form, it’s that, having played an overload of matches away from home, four of the next five take place down Anfield Road, having lost on home soil to Palace on Wednesday too.

There simply has to be a swift upswing. Looking at it from a wider lens, though, it may well be that some Redmen have entered the final phase of their careers on Merseyside.

The Liverpool players Hughes needs to sell

Sporting director Richard Hughes was lauded after his emphatic summer transfer window, overseeing a staggering rebuild at Liverpool after Slot defied expectations to win the Premier League in his first year at the helm.

But the summer upheaval has sent it all in a bit of a spin. Still. Though we must reserve judgement on under-firing newbies such as Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, there are certain veterans at the club who aren’t pulling their weight.

Take, for example, Joe Gomez, who is Liverpool’s longest-serving player but now shows the rust of a man who has been afforded few chances to impress in recent years, with injuries and superiorities elsewhere in defence keeping him on the fringe.

Against Palace, the England international struggled to impress, lacking any semblance of command in a backline that was without the calming presence of Virgil van Dijk.

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

3

Errors made

1

Touches

92

Accurate passes

69/76 (91%)

Possession lost

9x

Recoveries

5

Tackles

1/1

Interceptions

3

Clearances

8

Ground duels

1/3

Aerial duels

3/4

Wataru Endo has been something of a stalwart since arriving at the club for a smart fee in 2023, but the 32-year-old’s role has diminished as his time in England has dragged on.

Stodgy athleticism and limitations on the ball have kept the Japan captain from being anything more than a tackle-first substitute under Slot’s wing, and now it appears he is approaching the end of an illustrious couple of years in Liverpool, unable to offer a viable solution at number six.

Liverpool should have better options in the middle of the park, in any case, but that doesn’t appear to be so as the 2025/26 campaign rolls into its fourth month.

The Liverpool midfielder who's failing Slot

We’ve been here before. Jurgen Klopp’s injury-hit Premier League champions were overwhelmed across the 2020/21 campaign, and scrambled to salvage Champions League football toward the end of the term.

But the deterioration of 2022/23 was more concerning, with the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho flattering to deceive in the middle of the park. The Reds needed to rebuild, and so fashioned together the title-winning engine room of the past few years.

The standout of that rebuild has been Alexis Mac Allister, instrumental to lifting Liverpool back off the ground in 2023/24, after joining from Brighton for around £35m, and then revelling in winning the Premier League last season.

Now, he’s fallen off a proverbial cliff, with his sedentary performances in midfield not those of an elite, robust midfielder. One Liverpool content creator actually said it “looks like Fabinho’s season”, when the Brazilian slumped from his formerly imperious level as the midfield anchor, his legs gone.

Goals

0.17

0.00

Assists

0.17

0.19

Touches

64.41

63.09

Pass completion (%)

83.5

83.5

Shot-creating actions

4.16

2.84

Progressive passes

6.13

3.60

Progressive carries

1.25

2.27

Successful take-ons

0.55

0.00

Ball recoveries

5.13

4.74

Tackles & interceptions

4.05

2.65

The data does suggest that Mac Allister lacks his former vim and vigour, but given that he is only 26 years old and regarded as a “superstar” of a midfielder, as has been said by pundit Joe Cole, this is deeply worrying for those of a red persuasion.

For Fabinho, though only 29 at the time of his £40m transfer to Al-Ittihad, had played 219 high-octane, turbo-charged matches as the heartbeat of Klopp’s Liverpool team, and going from 1.25 carries per game in his first season in England to an average of only 0.51 in 2022/23 emphasises his loss of athleticism.

For a player of Mac Allister’s all-encompassing midfield quality, it’s imperative that Slot gets a tune out of him once again. If the Argentine does not click into gear this season, Liverpool will struggle to hit their stride.

There will be an expectation around Anfield that Mac Allister’s dip in form is not permanent, and that he’s back on his A-game before long.

However, this startling drop-off dredges up unwanted memories of Fabinho’s own fall from grace at Anfield, and Slot will be gravely hoping that lightning hasn’t struck twice on the Liverpool squad.

Another Chiesa: Slot's treatment of Liverpool star is a "sackable offence"

Liverpool have a shrewd solution to one of their biggest problems this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2025

Glasgow Rangers have enjoyed a fabulous run during the first couple of months of 2024, even despite the setback of Saturday's defeat to Motherwell.

The Ibrox side are seeking a first league crown in three years, and with Philippe Clement at the helm, anything is possible.

The Belgian has often had to work without various members of his first-team squad due to a succession of injury issues, with things peaking around Christmas when seven players were ruled out of the clash against Motherwell.

With the Gers in a title challenge plus competing in Europe, the games are coming thick and fast and this means more injuries are likely to happen.

Against Kilmarnock in midweek, January signing Oscar Cortes was forced off with a hamstring injury and Clement provided an update to the media prior to this weekend's clash against the Steelmen.

How long Oscar Cortes is out injured for

The young winger started against Killie but had to come off after 70 minutes clutching his hamstring and it did not look good for the Colombian.

“Cortes will be out, not sure how long for now we are waiting on a specialist.” Said Clement on Friday prior to the weekend clash at Ibrox against Motherwell, and it looks as though the prognosis wont be fully confirmed until next week at the earliest.

Hopefully Cortes won't miss many games as he has certainly given the Ibrox side some much-needed dynamism on the left flank, replacing Abdallah Sima with ease.

Oscar Cortes’ statistics at Rangers

The 20-year-old only featured four times for RC Lens during the first half of the 2023/24 campaign following his move from Millonarios last summer, yet he scored and grabbed an assist during those matches.

A fresh start was required for him to really demonstrate his true potential and the Gers secured him on a six month loan deal with an option to buy during the summer transfer window.

Early indications are that he could be a wonderful long-term addition to the squad. In just seven matches thus far, Cortes has scored once and registered two assists.

Goals

1

Assists

1

Key passes per game

1.2

Big chances created

1

Successful dribbles per game

0.3

The young gem even ranks third among the squad for shots on target per game (one) in the Premiership, while also ranking eighth for key passes per game (1.2), which proves that he has made an instant impact at Ibrox.

His injury will be a major blow. Combine that with the fact Sima is still out for the foreseeable future, while Rabbi Matondo has missed the last few games due to injury.

Blast from the Past

Football FanCast's Blast from the Past series takes a trip down memory lane. Do any of your classic icons of days gone by fit into a modern-day starting XI?

This leaves Clement short of options on the left wing for the matches ahead, but imagine if he could unleash a winger who starred for Rangers between 1998 and 2003? Neil McCann would be an ideal option and could thrive under the Belgian.

How much Rangers paid for Neil McCann

McCann enjoyed spells at Dundee and Hearts – winning the Scottish Cup with the latter in 1998 – before making the move to Ibrox midway through the 1998/99 season as Dick Advocaat was looking to add some more local talent.

The Dutchman unveiled McCann after the winger joined in a £2m deal from the Edinburgh side, and it did not take him long to endear himself to the Ibrox faithful.

In 24 appearances during the second half of his maiden season, McCann scored seven goals as the Gers won the league title and Scottish Cup to seal a stunning treble success.

His most memorable moment, perhaps in his whole spell at Rangers, came during an Old Firm clash in May 1999. A win for the Light Blues at Parkhead would seal the league title, and they duly delivered, as Jorg Albertz and a McCann double secured all three points in a match which is still referred to as the 'shame game’ more than 20 years on.

Neil McCann’s statistics at Rangers

The Scot continued to impress over the next few years at Rangers, offering a direct attacking threat from the left flank with a keen eye for scoring the odd goal or two.

The winger made 40 appearances during the double-winning 1999/00 campaign, netting four goals in the process, and it meant McCann had won four trophies from five after making his move to Glasgow.

The former Hearts man played a key part in the domestic cup double secured during the 2001/02 season, providing the equaliser for Peter Lovenkrands to score a last-minute winner against Celtic in the Scottish Cup final.

He did not feature as much during his final season for the Light Blues, making only 26 appearances due to injury issues, but he secured another three winners medals as he departed in the summer of 2003 on a high.

What Neil McCann did after leaving Rangers

The Scot moved to Southampton and finally got the chance to play in the Premier League, before he moved back to Scotland and played for Hearts, Falkirk, and Dundee prior to retiring in 2011.

Former Rangers assistant manager Moller Nielson lauded McCann during his time at the club, saying:

“McCann was unbelievable with his pace, especially his pace with the ball. He could assist and score goals as well. He was a hard-working boy and it all paid off when he scored those two goals at Parkhead.”

Imagine how good he would be in this current Light Blues side? Playing alongside the likes of Todd Cantwell, Ridvan Yilmaz and Tom Lawrence, the winger would terrorise defences all over the country.

If only Clement could unleash the former Scottish international, as there is no doubt his skills would stand up in today's game and he would be able to fill the void on the left flank.

Injuries have yet to threaten their title challenge as yet and the 49-year-old manager will be hoping that those that are on the treatment table can return as quickly as possible.

This month sees Europa League and Scottish Cup fixtures added to the schedule, which means squad depth will be vital if the club are to add more trophies to their collection come the end of the season.

Aston Villa managed to make four signings during the transfer window, securing the services of young talent such as Morgan Rogers, Lino Sousa, Kosta Nedeljkovic, and Joe Gauci as Unai Emery aims to build ahead for the future.

The Spaniard has something special going on at Villa Park right now and even though they were defeated by Newcastle United in midweek, this result should not dampen the spirits of the players, especially with a clash against Sheffield United to come in the Premier League this evening.

The Midlands side currently occupy fifth spot in the league, just eight points off the summit, and while a title challenge may be hard to sustain long-term, Emery certainly has a squad capable of securing a top-four finish.

We at Football FanCast predict the Villa starting XI, with multiple changes from the 3-1 defeat to Newcastle United, that will take to the pitch in the evening clash.

1 GK – Emiliano Martínez

The Argentinean will make his 22nd Premier League appearance of the season by starting against Sheffield Utd and, during his first 21 matches, he has kept only five clean sheets, conceding 29 goals in the process.

The World Cup winner will be hoping to avoid conceding tonight as a Villa win could allow them to quickly restore some confidence after their recent defeat to the Magpies.

2 RB – Ezri Konsa

Matty Cash started against the North East side but did not have the best performance. During the match, the Poland international lost possession on 21 occasions while failing to provide any sort of attacking threat as he failed to deliver a single accurate cross or succeed with any of his dribble attempts.

Ezri Konsa will move over from the centre of the defence to the right-back slot in order to replace Cash, and it could be a wise decision from Emery to solidify the side.

3 CB – Diego Carlos

The Brazilian remained on the bench against Newcastle, but he has made 15 appearances in the top flight this term and Villa have only conceded 11 goals during the games he has started.

With Konsa covering Cash at right-back, expect the 30-year-old to come back into the starting XI, and he will hope to put in another solid performance against the Blades.

4 CB – Clement Lenglet

With Tyrone Mings ruled out for the season following an opening day injury and now Pau Torres injured, Lenglet finally made his Premier League debut for the club against today's opposition before Christmas.

The Villa Park side have only won once in the league when he has started, however, and this may be a cause for concern for Emery, yet he does not have much of a choice due to injury issues.

5 LB – Alex Moreno

The Spaniard will retain his place on the left side of the defence due to Lucas Digne’s injury and the defender has already scored twice since November which could give Emery another attacking threat.

The 30-year-old has started the last three league matches, and he will be looking to help his team secure another win.

6 RM – Leon Bailey

Bailey was on the bench against Newcastle but replaced Moussa Diaby in the second half and went on to grab an assist and make five key passes during his 30-minute cameo.

The £25m signing from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2021 was dubbed as a “standout” performer by journalist Ashley Preece last season, and he should be given a start on the right side of the midfield against the Blades.

7 CM – Boubacar Kamara

The Frenchman has emerged as one of the key players in the Emery regime, bossing things from the heart of the midfield.

The only Premier League games Kamara has missed this season have been down to suspension, starting in all 18 of his matches in the top flight, and he will retain his place in the middle of the pitch.

8 CM – Douglas Luiz

The Brazilian was subject to plenty of transfer interest during the January window, with Arsenal one of the teams rumoured to be looking to sign the midfielder.

He remains with Villa, until the end of the season at least, and his performances have been crucial to the club motoring well this term.

The former Manchester City starlet has scored seven times and registered six assists across all competitions this season as he has emerged as a solid goal threat for Emery.

A tie against the Blades, who are bottom of the table, could see the 25-year-old add to these tallies this evening.

9 LM – John McGinn

The Scot was pushed out to the right flank in midweek, but with Bailey taking up that slot tonight, McGinn will move back to his role on the left side of the midfield, and he will be hoping to have more of an influence on proceedings.

McGinn has yet to miss a league match this season, starting every single one of their previous 22 games and this won’t change heading into the clash against Sheffield Utd this evening.

10 ST – Moussa Diaby

The club record signing from Bayer Leverkusen will keep his place alongside Ollie Watkins as Emery deploys a 4-4-2 formation against the Blades.

The French winger may not have hit the heights of his sensational season for the German club last term (14 goals and 11 assists), but his return so far of five goals and six assists is solid enough and, with more experience in the Premier League, the 24-year-old will hope to continue to keep getting better.

Southampton survived an almighty scare against Huddersfield Town last time out, three goals in the final ten minutes for Russell Martin's never-say-die Saints allowing his high-flying side to come out on top as 5-3 victors.

Unbeaten in the Championship for 22 games now off the back of these heroics at St. Mary's, Martin will just want the wins to keep coming when his team travels to Bristol City on Tuesday night.

The popular Southampton boss could well have to make a couple of changes here and there to freshen up his troops after such a barnstorming contest on the South Coast, with Sekou Mara potentially coming into the XI after a crucial goal against the Terriers.

Here's what the Saints potential lineup could look like, with two changes in total from the enthralling Huddersfield clash…

1 GK – Gavin Bazunu

Despite shipping three goals against Huddersfield, Southampton's number one goalkeeper in Gavin Bazunu should remain between the sticks for the trip to Ashton Gate.

Keeping a clean sheet in Southampton's last away encounter versus Rotherham United, the former Manchester City goalkeeper will hope he can pick up another one against Bristol City.

2 RB – Kyle Walker-Peters

Likewise, despite being in the back four that leaked three goals at the hands of the Terriers, Kyle Walker-Peters will also remain in Martin's starting XI.

Walker-Peters was lively in the contest regardless of the weak defensive display at points as a collective, amassing 108 touches of the ball as an energetic attacking presence.

3 CB – Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Taylor Harwood-Bellis will also stick it out at the heart of defence against Liam Manning's Robins, accumulating 104 touches last game in total as the Saints attempted to create from deep to outscore Huddersfield.

The Manchester City loanee might be disappointed with the fact he only managed to win 50% of his duels against the Terriers, the 22-year-old hoping to put in a more resilient display in truth versus Bristol City that sees a win and a clean sheet notched up.

4 CB – Jan Bednarek

Jan Bednarek would come away from the full-throttle contest against Huddersfield with his head held somewhat high, winning all but one of his aerial duels at St. Mary's.

Therefore, the reliable Polish defender should be retained by Martin for the clash at Bristol City – the Southampton number 35 helping his side pick up eight clean sheets this campaign when played away from the floodgates opening last game.

5 LB – Ryan Manning

An unchanged defence could well be a brave call by Martin after his side conceded three rapid fire goals last game, but Ryan Manning could start again as Southampton's first-choice left-back tomorrow night.

Managing two key passes from down the left-hand side against Huddersfield, the Saints will just want Manning to be stronger when Bristol City shirts foray forward.

6 CM – Will Smallbone

Will Smallbone will also be kept in the side for the trip to Ashton Gate tomorrow night, the former Stoke City loanee becoming a fixed first-teamer under Martin this campaign.

The Saints number 16 was measured on the ball even when the contest was frenetic, only misplacing three of his 84 passes. Creating one big chance and constantly receiving the ball also, Smallbone will hope he can pick up an assist against Bristol City on the way to his promotion-seeking side registering another win in the second tier.

7 CM – Joe Rothwell

The first change to the side that pulled off an unbelievable comeback win against Huddersfield could see Flynn Downes miss out, the West Ham United loanee ruled out for the mid-week clash at Bristol City owing to an injury concern.

This is undoubtedly a blow for the promotion-chasing Saints, with Martin very fond of the slick central midfielder – the Southampton boss once describing Downes as "incredible" when the pair were together at Swansea City.

Joe Rothwell should be able to fill in for Downes to soften this injury blow however, the AFC Bournemouth loanee netting a brace from off the bench last game – which included an unbelievable first-time strike rippling the back of the net – to set Southampton on their way to pulling off the unthinkable.

Only misplacing one pass too from a very impactful 57 minutes on the pitch, it's a no-brainer to bring Rothwell in for an injury-stricken Downes.

8 CM – Stuart Armstrong

Rothwell wasn't the only midfielder attempting to turn the game on its head however, with Stuart Armstrong attempting three shots on goal during the contest to steer Southampton to three points when defeat loomed.

The Scottish midfielder did get hauled off on the 71st-minute mark, but he should still be retained to feature alongside Rothwell and Smallbone.

9 RW – Adam Armstrong

Adam Armstrong will be retained at the right wing spot most likely for the trip to Liam Manning's side tomorrow, even with Che Adams on the chopping block as the main striker and Armstrong's expertise in the striker role.

Adams struggled throughout a lacklustre 45-minute spell, substituted off at the break owing to a slight knock as was revealed by Martin post-match.

Still, with Martin having another player up his sleeve who could come in and shine as the centre-forward, Armstrong will remain as a winger for this one.

10 ST – Sekou Mara

The second possible change could see Martin give Sekou Mara an opportunity to shine from the get-go as the lone striker, with the exciting 21-year-old attacker scoring and assisting at St. Mary's last time out from just 11 minutes on the pitch.

Without Mara, the game could well have finished as a 3-3 draw with both teams huffing and puffing but no winner coming up trumps.

Yet, the ex-Bordeaux youngster's drive to come on and be a difference-maker paid off which could see him rewarded with a place in Martin's starting eleven tomorrow night.

After ten games in which they came painfully close on multiple occasions, Ipswich Town finally won their first Premier League game of the season on Sunday.

Kieran McKenna’s side travelled to the free-scoring Tottenham Hotspur, and instead of being turned over like West Ham United, Everton, and Aston Villa were, they came away looking much the better team.

It’s undoubtedly too early into the campaign to say whether the Tractor Boys will be able to survive or not, but with performances like that in their locker and players like Liam Delap in the squad, anything is possible.

Moreover, it looks like McKenna could have another goalscoring machine in his team soon enough, as recent reports have linked the club with an up-and-coming talent who’s currently outscoring Delap, and by quite some way at that.

Ipswich Town transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Ipswich are one of several sides interested in Peterborough star Kwame Poku.

Alongside the Tractor Boys, Bailey claims that fellow Premier League side Southampton, Championship outfits Burnley and Millwall and Scottish giants Rangers are also keen on landing the 23-year-old’s services next year.

The story does not mention a potential fee, but as the Ghanaian’s four-year contract expires in the summer, he could be available for a bargain fee in January.

Overall, the number of interested parties could make signing Poku particularly complicated next year, but due to his incredible form and sky-high potential, Ipswich must do what they can to bring him to Portman Road.

Why Kwame Poku could be a Premier League star

So, while it’s notoriously difficult to predict who will be able to make the step up from League One to the Premier League, we feel that there is a very good chance that Poku could be one of the talented few who do.

The reason why? His sensational form in front of goals, both scoring and creating.

In just 17 appearances for the Posh this season, the “huge talent”, as dubbed by former manager John McGreal, has scored ten goals and provided seven assists, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every game at the moment.

Appearances

17

12

13

Goals

10

6

6

Assists

7

1

1

Goals + Assists per Match

1.00

0.58

0.53

Moreover, the former Colchester United star is currently outscoring Delap and Sammie Szmodics combined this season.

While the Croydon-born winger has reached another level entirely this year, it’s not completely out of the blue, as in 49 appearances last season, he scored 12 goals and provided eight assists, and the campaign before that saw him start to find his footing, with a reasonable haul of six goals and 12 assists in 44 matches.

Unsurprisingly, following his impressive rise from being an influential winger to being practically unplayable, Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony predicted that he’d be a “Premier League star in the future” and that he “will probably cost £30 million” down the line, which feels a little conservative if anything.

Ultimately, with his contract expiring in the summer and his otherworldly rate of return this season, Ipswich must act fast to bring Poku to Portman Road, as he looks more than ready to star in the top flight.

Ipswich loan flop has seen his value soar 123% since leaving

The talented striker just couldn’t get to grips with things at Ipswich.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 13, 2024

West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui has been handed a Niclas Fullkrug fitness boost, as news from a “club source” has been shared in the last 24 hours.

West Ham striker Niclas Fullkrug absent through injury since September

The £27 million summer signing has scored just once this season, a goal for Germany against Hungary in the UEFA Nations League, and he’s been absent through injury ever since.

Manager approves "surprise" exit for star as West Ham eye move to sign him

The Hammers could sign him in January.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 26, 2024

Fullkrug picked up an Achilles tendon injury on international duty and has been sidelined ever since, with West Ham receiving around £17,000 of compensation from FIFA every day of the 31-year-old’s absence.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund star, who scored 16 goals in all competitions last season, and two at Euro 2024, was brought in by technical director Tim Steidten as the solution to West Ham’s striker shortage going forward.

Arsenal (home)

November 30

Leicester City (away)

December 3

Wolves (home)

December 9

Bournemouth (away)

December 16

Brighton (home)

December 21

Both Michail Antonio (34) and Danny Ings (32) are out of contract in the summer, as they also reach the twilight phase of their careers, but Fullkrug has been unable to showcase his abilities as a prolific striker due to his injury hell.

This has led to reports that Fullkrug could even leave West Ham in January, with Steidten in the market for a new striker, potentially on loan (GiveMeSport).

The Telegraph named West Ham as contenders to sign Brighton starlet Evan Ferguson on a temporary deal in the winter, with the Seagulls green-lighting his January exit so he can accumulate more game time and further his development.

In the meantime, West Ham will be hoping Fullkrug can return to the field as soon as possible and justify his price tag.

“Niclas [Fullkrug] is improving, but he’s still out and is not ready for Newcastle,” said Lopetegui on Fullkrug’s fitness last week.

“We have a little problem with two players, but we have to check tomorrow, and I hope they’re going to be ready for the next challenge on Monday. I hope they’re going to be better tomorrow as they are little things, so we hope we can overcome this problem.

“We’re very happy with Alphonse [Areola]. He’s working well, but let’s see what’s going to happen.”

Lopetegui handed Fullkrug injury boost as West Ham insider shares fresh update

According to club insider Claret & Hugh on Wednesday, Fullkrug is “nearly back” from injury for West Ham, and the report suggests that he could feature on the bench against Arsenal this weekend.

Failing that, the forward could be named on the bench for their following game against Leicester City.

However, there is a caveat, as the outlet also refuses to rule out the possibility of Fullkrug leaving in January – and the club signing a new striker in January will depend on this, not to mention his overall performances once he returns to action.

Other strikers who West Ham have been linked with are Fotis Ioannidis and Vangelis Pavlidis, with the latter Greek international scoring a brace against England at Wembley recently.

West Bromwich Albion will be seeking out their first Championship win in three games when Sheffield United come to town this coming weekend.

The Baggies have fallen victim to far too many draws in the second tier so far, with a staggering ten already accumulated in league action, which has come at the cost of only six wins being notched up.

Still, only two defeats have come their way, with Carlos Corberan at least pleased with how defensively resolute his side can be, even when victories aren’t always collected.

West Brom's defenders this season

Amazingly, Watford – who occupy sixth spot in the Championship currently at the expense of the West Midlands outfit – have conceded double the amount the Baggies have leaked, with West Brom only shipping 12 next to the Hornets’ 24.

The latest draw away at Preston North End could have easily ended in a disappointing loss if it wasn’t for the likes of Kyle Bartley and Mason Holgate at the back, with the imposing centre-back duo winning 11 duels between them come full-time to keep the Lilywhites at bay.

Alongside Bartley and Holgate, both Darnell Furlong and Thorgen Heggem have also been reliable presences down the flanks for Corberan and Co this campaign to date, with both players everpresent members of the first team even when results haven’t always been rosy.

Of course, everyone at the club would want more wins to ensure a playoff spot is achieved, but the ex-Huddersfield Town boss will still be proud of his players for continuing to battle to stave off any unwanted losses.

Even though he will be content with the defensive numbers he has at his disposal, Corberan would be very unlikely to reject this former loan star’s presence if he returned in a theoretical world, with the centre-back in question going on to star at the very top after lining up at the Hawthorns briefly.

West Brom's loan star is now shining

It might well be forgotten about now that Tosin Adarabioyo was once a wide-eyed youngster on loan at the Baggies, with the towering 6 foot 5 gem attempting to make a name for himself away from then-parent club Manchester City in 2018.

Adarabioyo would impress in his new surroundings, going on to make 36 appearances for the club in total and picking up two assists along the way, as his loan employers entered into the Championship playoff picture.

Off the back of this formative stint away from the Etihad, the now 27-year-old would eventually go on to prove himself as a Premier League capable performer at Fulham, before a major move to near neighbours Chelsea then took shape.

Adarabioyo would go on to tally up 132 games at Craven Cottage before leaving for Stamford Bridge, which would lead to football journalist Zach Lowy labelling him as “incredible” and his transfer value would rise too far above the measly amount he was worth when once donning a West Brom kit.

Stat

Adarabioyo

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

1

Touches

105

Accurate passes

97/98 (99%)

Accurate long balls

8/8

Clearances

4

Stats by Sofascore

This summer, the brand new Chelsea number four was worth in the region of £16.5m – according to Transfermarkt – after once having a low £2.8m value next to his name as a youngster at the Hawthorns, which is a mammoth increase of £13.7m or 489%.

Chelsea wouldn’t even have to fork out a single dime to win their man in the end, having purchased him on a free transfer at the expense of the Cottagers, which looks to be a very wise investment when you consider his promising numbers in Europe for the Blues recently.

He would even score against Noah in mid-November, having also impressed with 97 accurate passes registered, as Chelsea fans long for more from their fresh recruit as 2025 comes into view.

Whilst Adarabioyo continues to knock on the door for more first-team minutes at Stamford Bridge, Corberan’s mind will be on steering his team to more wins in the division below, away from his side being stern at the back.

West Brom must axe Albion dud who Bruce thought would be "a massive asset"

West Bromwich Albion could soon be faced with a decision to get rid of this high earner.

1 ByKelan Sarson Dec 3, 2024

Chelsea continued their push for the Premier League title with a 2-1 victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening.

Goals from Marc Cucurella and Nicolas Jackson ensured that Chelsea moved to within two points of leaders Liverpool and gave the Blues a fifth consecutive league victory.

Chelsea dominated the game in all departments, playing with real fluidity and created 26 goal attempts with eight of those testing Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

Full-back Cucurella impressed in the match, getting on the scoresheet himself and being a constant threat down the hosts’ left-hand side despite a late sending-off.

However, it is the full-back on the right-hand side of Chelsea’s defence that is attracting interest from fellow title rivals.

Chelsea star catching the eye of Liverpool

Malo Gusto arrived at Chelsea from Lyon in January 2023 for a reported £30.75m deal. The French defender has impressed since his arrival and has already made 13 appearances for the club this season, registering an assist in Chelsea’s 5-1 rout of Southampton earlier in December.

This fine early-season form from Gusto has attracted interest from a number of top clubs and it seems that one title rival in particular are ready to firm up their interest in January.

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool are considering a raid of the full-back to replace the potentially outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold. England full-back Alexander-Arnold is out of contract in the summer and is being linked with a move to European giants Real Madrid and Premier League champions Manchester City.

Transfer Focus

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

For now, it seems that Chelsea have no interest in selling Gusto, who has proved himself to be a fine young talent at Enzo Maresca’s disposal, but that may not deter Liverpool from testing the waters in the upcoming window.

Losing Gusto would come as a huge blow to Chelsea’s title hopes as they would be losing a regular first-team defender to the team they are chasing and sit just two points behind.

Let’s just hope it doesn’t end up being a Mo Salah repeat, with the Egyptian leaving Stamford Bridge behind after just 19 first-team games before going on to score 227 times in the red of Liverpool.

Why losing Malo Gusto would be a mistake for Chelsea

Should Chelsea lose Gusto to Liverpool, it wouldn’t be the first time they have regretted losing a player to Liverpool, with Salah, currently the Premier League top scorer, also plying his trade at Stamford Bridge once upon a time.

Another reason Chelsea fans will be hoping the transfer doesn’t formulate is the injury record of potential Gusto replacement Reece James. James is the club captain of Chelsea but has suffered terribly with fitness throughout his career.

Incredibly, since the start of the 23/24 season, James has missed 56 games for Chelsea through injury and is currently out of action with a hamstring injury.

Reece James injury history: Every game missed by Chelsea star since 2021/22

The defender has endured a torrid few seasons at Stamford Bridge.

ByBen Browning Nov 22, 2024

Chelsea fans used to dread news of their captain picking up injuries as he was an important player for the club yet since Gusto’s arrival he has more than become an adequate replacement.

Minutes played

956

241

Progressive passes

5.47

2.96

Tackles won

19

2

Blocks

18

4

Crosses

30

15

Points per match

1.92

1.25

From the above statistics, it is clear that not only is the French defender more reliable in terms of fitness than James but also gives more going forward and in defence. Gusto has registered more progressive passes than his captain this season and has fed more crosses to Chelsea’s potent strikeforce.

Defensively, Gusto is also outperforming his positional rival with more tackles won and more blocks in defensive situations. The most significant stat for Chelsea staff and fans may be the bottom stat that Chelsea are picking up more points with Gusto in the team than James.

If the west London side are serious about their title tilt this season, then they can ill afford to lose a talent like this – especially to their main title rivals.

8/10 Chelsea star who Thomas Frank publicly slammed was their true MOTM

Chelsea sealed a comfortable victory over Brentford on Sunday evening.

ByConnor Holden Dec 16, 2024