All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United endured a dismal 2022/23 campaign as they were relegated from the Premier League after three seasons at the top level.

The Whites were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020 and enjoyed two seasons of survival before eventually going down under a combination of Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce.

They are now back in the Championship and are looking to return to the top-flight at the first time of asking, with German head coach Daniel Farke at the helm.

Leeds brought the former Norwich City and Borussia Monchengladbach boss in to bolster their chances of promotion and he has enjoyed a strong start to life in Yorkshire, with five wins and two defeats in 11 league outings.

A drop down to the second tier has afforded a number of players the opportunity to regain form and confidence at a lower level and one ace who could have benefitted from that was central midfielder Mateusz Klich, who left the club in January.

The Poland international moved on at the start of the year and former Whites boss Marsch seemingly had a mare with his decision to part ways with the talented gem, as he has more goals and assists than some of the club's current attackers – like Crysencio Summerville – this year.

How much did Leeds sell Klich for?

Leeds did not receive a single penny in return for Klich as they opted to release him from his contract, despite having 18 months left to run on his deal at the time.

Marsch stated that it was a mutual decision as the club allowed the central midfielder to move on from the then-Premier League side for £0 after he had made 14 top-flight appearances during the first half of the campaign.

The veteran maestro was then able to complete a transfer to D.C. United, who were managed by Wayne Rooney at the time of the move, on a free transfer in January.

How many goals did Klich score for Leeds?

He racked up 24 goals in 195 appearances for the Whites in all competitions during his time in England, which began after a switch from FC Twente ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

The 33-year-old dynamo spent time on loan with FC Utrecht in his first season with Leeds before making his breakthrough as a regular under Bielsa the following term.

Klich exploded onto the scene with a phenomenal 2018/19 campaign as the club fell just shy of the play-off final. He contributed with ten goals and eight assists in 46 Championship starts from a midfield position.

The Polish whiz only missed two 'big chances' and created nine of them for his teammates, which shows that he was ruthless in front of goal and had the quality to provide his fellow attackers with excellent opportunities at the top end of the pitch.

He followed that up with six goals and five assists in 45 league starts throughout the 2019/20 season as Bielsa led the side to a Championship title and promotion to the Premier League. Klich only recorded five assists in spite of ending the campaign with ten 'big chances' created, which suggests that his teammates let him down in the final third.

The former Twente ace was then able to make the step up to the top-flight as he chipped in with four goals and five assists in 28 starts in his first year at that level.

After 18 more months in the Premier League with Leeds, Klich moved on from England with 24 goals and 21 assists in his 195 appearances.

How has Klich performed for D.C. United?

The 33-year-old gem has enjoyed a fantastic year in the MLS since his switch to America in January, with a string of impressive performances in midfield.

Klich has hit the ground running for D.C. United and has proved himself to be a consistent attacking threat from the middle of the park.

Sofascore rating

8.1

Goals

One

Chances created

Two

Pass accuracy

91%

Duels won

Four

Klich's most recent performance for D.C. United (via Sofascore)

The veteran wizard has contributed with four goals and seven assists in 32 MLS outings throughout 2023, which shows that the talented ace is getting back to the impressive form that he displayed under Bielsa earlier in his Leeds career.

He has only missed one 'big chance' and has showcased his terrific creativity with 2.5 key passes per game, as per Sofascore, and no Leeds player has managed more per match this term.

How many goals has Summerville scored this year?

Meanwhile, Summerville has scored three goals for Leeds over the course of 2023, whilst playing in the Premier League and the Championship.

He racked up one goal and one assist in 19 appearances in all competitions from January until the end of the 2022/23 campaign as the Dutch ace struggled to find consistency at the top level.

The 21-year-old wizard has contributed with two goals and two assists in nine outings so far this season under Farke, which mean that he has produced three goals and three assists in 28 matches in total this year.

This is five fewer goal contributions than Klich, who plays in a central midfield role, has managed in 2023, despite playing out on the wing.

Summerville is not the only Leeds attacker with fewer goals and assists than the Poland international in that time, though, as Italian winger Wilfried Gnonto has three goal and five assists in 28 games in all competitions for Leeds this year.

Was it a mistake to move Klich on?

These statistics suggest that Marsch had a mare by allowing Klich, who Rooney hailed as a "leader", to move on from the club on a free transfer in January as the talented maestro could have been a big player at Championship level this season.

His form in the MLS suggests that the 33-year-old technician still has the quality to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position, with goals, assists, and key passes.

He has been able to outperform exciting attackers like Summerville and Gnonto throughout 2023 and it is a shame that Farke did not get the opportunity to work with the former Eredivisie star at Elland Road this term.

Newcastle United have had a strong start to the 2023/24 season, currently sitting sixth in the Premier League table and are still fighting for qualification out of the group stage in the UEFA Champions League despite losing last week to German outfit Borussia Dortmund.

However, the Magpies suffered a crushing blow during the 1-0 loss to Dortmund in Europe a week ago as star striker Alexander Isak was taken off early into proceedings and is expected to miss the next few weeks with a groin injury.

Callum Wilson is now Eddie Howe's only fit striker, with some big games on the horizon, but there is one man set to return to action soon after a lengthy absence that many Newcastle fans may have loved to see take Isak's place in the team.

Ivan Toney set to return

Ivan Toney's career kickstarted in League Two with Northampton Town eleven years ago this month. The 6 foot 1 striker bagged 11 goals in 60 appearances for the Cobblers before Newcastle came calling.

Although Toney recently revealed that a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers collapsed as the club discovered scoliosis in his back, the Magpies capitalised on the situation, signing the frontman for a reported £250k in 2015.

Unfortunately, Toney made merely four appearances for Newcastle and was sold three years later to Peterborough United in League One for £650k. Eventually, the striker's impressive goalscoring form for Posh earned him a transfer to Brentford who were pushing for their first-ever promotion to the Premier League under Thomas Frank. The London club gave Peterborough £10m to secure his services.

At Brentford, Toney has gone from strength to strength, becoming the club's all-time top goalscorer with 68 goals and even being labelled as "remarkable" by head coach Frank. The 27-year-old was handed an eight-month ban back in May for breaching the FA's betting rules, although he is set to return to action this coming January.

The two clubs play each other once more on the final day of the Premier League season and Toney will certainly want to make his former club regret selling him, especially now that he is worth 47 times what Newcastle sold him for five years ago.

Toney's stats comparison

Last season, Toney scored more goals than both Newcastle strikers Isak and Wilson, bagging 20 and registering four assists in 33 Premier League appearances. In 31 games, Wilson scored 18 times while Isak finished with 11 goals in his debut campaign in the top flight from 24 matches. However, Wilson's goals per 90 record of 0.86 was far better than Isak's 0.59 and Toney's 0.61, according to FBref.

That being said, Toney was more prolific when it came to scoring chances that arose as the England international was having fewer opportunities per game than the duo up north. The Brentford talisman averaged 2.65 shots per 90. Newcastle's Swedish sensation boasted 2.8 shots per 90 while Wilson averaged the highest number of shots per 90 with 3.35.

The main reason for this was because Brentford had the fifth-lowest share of possession in the Premier League last term with 43.8% compared to the Magpies holding the seventh-highest with 52.3%.

In addition, Toney's xG per 90 average during the 2022/23 league campaign was 0.57 while Wilson maintained a 0.84 xG per 90 rate. The former scored more goals despite having fewer quality opportunities.

There is no doubt that Isak and Wilson are fine frontmen and have served Newcastle well during their respective stints at St. James' Park. However, the stats show that Toney would outperform the double-act if he still played for Newcastle, a sale that may still haunt the previous ownership.

Celtic are building for another successful campaign north of the border, but they may now have to field a proposal for one of their star players from the Premier League, according to a report.

Celtic finally announce Benjamin Nygren

Typically, Celtic are slow starters in the window as they prefer to take stock before acting on the market, but supporters will be heading into the weekend with a spring in their step following confirmation of Benjamin Nygren’s arrival.

Coming in from FC Nordsjælland on a five-year deal, the versatile attacker has vowed to impress the Bhoys’ support by creating plenty of chances as well as getting himself on the scoresheet, regardless of where he is deployed on the pitch.

He explained: “I feel amazing to have signed for Celtic, it’s so nice to be here. I’ve been looking forward to this so much.

“I’m a player who wants to create a lot of chances and go towards goal. I’m a link between the defence and the offence and I can run a lot. I’m an offensive-minded player but I also work hard and try to do my best in all parts of the game.”

With the recruitment wheels in motion at Parkhead, Celtic could make a move for Girona forward Bojan Miovski to settle their long-winded quest for a number nine following Kyogo Furuhashi’s departure in January.

Celtic in talks to sell international defender for 7-figure loss

Is it the right time for him to leave?

1 ByHenry Jackson Jun 27, 2025

Nevertheless, they could also be set for outward movement in relation to their front line after turfing out a £500,000 bid from Bolton Wanderers for Irish striker Johnny Kenny.

Como’s advances for Celtic star Nicolas Kuhn have turned heads, though the Hoops could be set for another shock to the system amid Premier League interest in one of their most productive stars.

Brentford could submit imminent offer for Daizen Maeda

According to a report from Sportiva, cited by the Daily Record, Brentford could submit an imminent offer for Celtic forward Daizen Maeda after Keith Andrews took over at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Tottenham, Fenerbahçe and West Ham have all been tentatively linked with a move for the Japan international, but the Bees are now said to be in pursuit, even if they will give careful consideration to the finances behind any deal before proceeding, though it is suggested they could move for him in “immediate” fashion.

Daizen Maeda’s mercurial 2024/25 campaign at Celtic – all competitions

Appearances

51

Goals

33

Assists

12

Trophies

1x Scottish Premiership, 1x Premier Sports Cup

Labelled a “special player” by Alistair Johnston, Hoops favourite Maeda managed to direct 28 of his 57 shots on target last term and emerged as arguably Celtic’s most important player on the march to a domestic double.

Brendan Rodgers won’t be in a rush to lose his services, but a question mark over his future will continue to remain as his contract at Parkheads ticks down.

Two years remain on his current terms, so nailing Maeda down to a new long-term deal will be a central priority for the Irishman.

Arsenal are considering a swoop for a new defender in January to provide competition for Oleksandr Zinchenko, with a fresh report detailing the chances of him moving to the Premier League.

Who are Arsenal linked with?

At the Emirates Stadium, Edu and Mikel Arteta have been heavily linked with a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto, whilst Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips and Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez are two additional names to have been mentioned in recent weeks.

The Gunners had also previously been credited with an interest in Aston Villa centre-forward Ollie Watkins, but with him having since signed a new long-term contract in the Midlands, that puts any kind of potential deal next year out of the equation.

In N7, Zinchenko is the only natural player that the boss has available at left-back so it’s definitely an area that needs addressing, and it would appear that the hierarchy have turned their attention towards Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez, who joined his side last summer from Real Madrid (Transfermarkt – Gutierrez transfer history).

Spain’s youth international still has another four years remaining on his deal (Girona contracts), so Michel Sanchez’s outfit are in a strong negotiating position, but if the following update is to be believed, the 22-year-old is someone who chiefs are willing to test their resolve for.

Miguel Gutierrez transfer update…

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside) in a transfer update on Miguel Gutierrez, Arsenal are "keen" on the defender at Girona. The Estadi Montilivi star's performances have "caught the attention" of the board in the capital, and with the club assessing their options in the market for a new left-back, they have highlighted the talented prospect as an ideal candidate.

The La Liga outfit could easily demand a big sum for their prized asset due to his contract situation and it's stated that he would "likely to be tempted to join", but at this stage, it remains to be seen whether this is a move that will come to fruition in January.

How good is Miguel Gutierrez?

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Gutierrez is a “solid” defender which is proved by him averaging 2.4 clearances per league game so far this season (WhoScored – Gutierrez statistics), highlighting his desire to get stuck in and throw himself into challenges, but he’s equally strong in the offensive aspect of his game.

The Wasserman client, who is naturally left-footed, has posted seven contributions (five assists and two goals) in 44 appearances since joining Girona which shows that he loves to use his pace to burst down the flank, take on his marker and create chances for himself and his fellow teammates in the final third.

Furthermore, Gutierrez only pockets £5k-per-week (Girona salaries), so he would be a more than affordable option for the Gunners because that would make him the lowest-earner on their books (Arsenal salaries), so should the opportunity present itself, this seems like a no-brainer of a deal to pursue at the start of 2024.

Glasgow Rangers went through a summer of transition under Michael Beale as there were plenty of incomings and outgoings throughout the off-season.

In truth, this overhaul was needed a season or two ago, yet the board failed to back Steven Gerrard adequately enough, and it led to Celtic reasserting their dominance of the Scottish game, ensuring Beale now faces a massive challenge this term in order to claim some domestic silverware.

The 43-year-old signed nine players during the transfer window, with the likes of Jack Butland, Jose Cifuentes and Danilo among the high-profile arrivals.

Butland – who has been described as an upgrade on Allan McGregor by pundit Kris Boyd – is really the only one who has settled well into life at Ibrox, and it may take some of the others some time to gel and forge connections with their new teammates.

As well as reinvigorating the team with some fresh faces, Beale also shipped quite a few first-team stars out of Ibrox. Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos left for nothing as they chose to run their contracts down, while Glen Kamara and Fashion Sakala were moved on for £5m and £4m, respectively.

One of the best pieces of business the former QPR boss did was to sell Antonio Colak, however, despite the striker playing only one season at the Gers.

How much did Rangers sign Antonio Colak for?

After leading the club to their first Scottish Cup since 2009 and coming so close to Europa League glory, Giovanni van Bronckhorst spent the summer of 2022 strengthening his squad ahead of the next season.

Colak was signed from Greek side PAOK and Rangers knew all about his qualities as he had scored a double for Malmo when they knocked the Light Blues out of the Champions League at the beginning of the 2021/22 campaign.

A fee of £1.8m was enough to secure his signature and Van Bronckhorst heaped praise on him, saying: "He is a very experienced player who has played at high levels and scored a lot of goals for the teams he has played for.

"We wanted to add some more players to our attacking options, and Colak is a player we welcome a lot and will give us a lot of strength up front."

Sporting director Ross Wilson was another who lauded Colak. He said: "Welcome to Antonio, we are delighted to have him join our squad. I know how much Gio and the staff are looking forward to working with him on the pitch.”

Everything looked positive that the Croatian would be a success at the club, and it didn’t take him long to hit the ground running.

What happened to Antonio Colak?

Colak came to life for the club during the qualifiers for the Champions League, scoring three goals in four matches, including the winner against PSV Eindhoven that secured group-stage football.

The striker continued his excellent form up until the hiatus for the 2022 World Cup as he ended up scoring 14 goals under Van Bronckhorst, and it was beginning to look like £1.8m was going to be a bargain.

His form tailed off when Beale was appointed manager in November last year, however, with injury issues resulting in him starting just five times under the current boss, and it looked as though he didn’t quite fit his tactical system.

Colak was praised by Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie however, who said: “Colak's had a really good game to this point.

“It's his shot that creates the first and his pass the second but more his link-up that's caught the eye. Has dropped in consistently to create overloads and looked sharp.”

He finished the 2022/23 season as the club's joint top scorer with 18 goals, alongside James Tavernier, but it looked as though he was set to leave the club during the summer.

Where is Antonio Colak now?

Italian side Parma came in with a £2.5m bid during the transfer window and having already signed a few new forwards, the Light Blues accepted the bid, and it was a decent profit on the fee they spent on him just a year previously.

Beale only had good words to say about the 6 foot 2 hitman, saying: "Antonio can be really proud of his time here at Rangers. He scored goals and made a good contribution on the pitch but also as a man and professional, he was someone that I enjoyed working with and who built strong relationships with his team mates and staff off the pitch.

“We initially had a conversation at the end of last season, where we discussed football, his family and also what the future would look like in terms of the team. Antonio was very honest on his side and we have been working with him and his agent in the following weeks to find a solution that suits all parties. I am pleased for him to have this excellent opportunity in Italy.”

Although Colak has scored twice in his opening four matches for the Serie B side, it is evident that the Gers have struck gold by selling him on for £2.5m.

According to Football Transfers, Colak is now valued at €2.4m (£2m) and this represents a decline from the fee they spent on him just a couple of months ago.

Although he will continue to score goals in the second tier for Parma, the striker is on the wrong side of 30 and unless something dramatic happens, his value will only continue to drop in the coming months.

He only spent one season at Rangers, but with 18 goals in that timeframe, it represented a solid return for a player who was perhaps slightly one-dimensional and struggled to really get into games.

Beale has spent money on Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, and Sam Lammers this summer in a bid to improve his attacking options, but they have a long way to go in order to catch reach the 18 goals that Colak netted last term.

It is still early days, but none of the three have really caught the eye, and it will be up to Beale to try and get a tune out of them.

Celtic were dealt a blow during the summer transfer window as Parkheaad's star winger Jota was sold ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Who are Celtic's biggest ever sales?

The Hoops forward moved to Saudi for a reported transfer fee of £25m earlier this year after one season in Glasgow on a permanent basis, having also spent 12 months on loan prior to a £6.5m switch in 2022.

Jota

£25m

Kieran Tierney

£23m

Moussa Dembele

£19m

Odsonne Edouard

£14m

Virgil van Dijk

£13m

Former Bhoys head coach Ange Postecoglou, who left the club to join Tottenham in the Premier League shortly after the 2022/23 campaign ended, certainly hit the jackpot with that particular move.

The Scottish giants made a significant profit on the Portuguese dynamo within the space of a year, showing that the Australian head coach was able to unearth a gem by developing the young talent's potential during their time together at Paradise.

Jota is not the only signing made by Postecoglou who has been a roaring success, though, and another player who could end up leaving the club for a huge fee is Japan international Daizen Maeda.

How much did Celtic pay for Daizen Maeda?

The Hoops reportedly spent £1.6m to sign the attacker on a permanent basis from Yokohama in the summer of 2022 after he spent six months on loan with the club during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.

Celtic landed the energetic forward initially on loan after he enjoyed a phenomenal 2021 campaign with his former club in Japan.

Maeda showcased his ability as a goalscorer throughout his final year with Yokohama as he plundered an eye-catching 23 goals in 36 J1 League outings. He also assisted three goals and created four 'big chances' for his teammates to go along with his frequent scoring at the top end of the pitch.

The Japanese sensation averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.09 throughout those matches, which was the seventh-highest score within the squad.

That exceptional form came after a difficult year in 2020 where only found the back of the net three times and failed to create a single goal for his teammates in 23 J1 League matches.

Maeda also happened to work with Postecoglou at Yokohama for the majority of that time as he scored 12 goals and assisted four in 50 appearances for the Australian head coach for the Japanese side.

How many goals has Maeda scored for Celtic?

The now-Spurs boss knew exactly what he was getting when he signed the 25-year-old and it has turned out to be a fantastic piece of business for the club.

Maeda has scored 19 goals in 77 matches in all competitions for the Scottish giants to date and has become an incredibly reliable option out wide or through the middle throughout his spell.

He hit the ground running during his initial loan spell with Celtic in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign as he immediately made an impact on the pitch.

The speedy ace racked up six goals and five assists in 16 Scottish Premiership outings, 14 of which were starts, for Postecoglou as he showcased his ability to score and create goals on a regular basis.

Impressively, the at-the-time loanee recorded one goal and four assists in five matches during the top-six split, which shows that he produced consistent quality against the best of the best within the division.

There was no need for a period of adaption to life in Scottish football as Maeda was able to instantly translate his impressive form for Yokohama over to Celtic.

Maeda then completed his permanent £1.6m move to the club in the summer of 2022 and enjoyed a terrific first full season with the Bhoys as they won the domestic treble.

He racked up 11 goals and seven assists in 49 matches across all competitions, which included eight goals and five assists in 31 Premiership outings.

The 25-year-old, who created six 'big chances' for his teammates in the top flight last term, has also enjoyed a strong start to the current campaign, demonstrating himself to be a pivotal component of Brendan Rodgers' side too.

Maeda has created three 'big chances' in five Premiership matches this term and assisted one goal to go along with an average Sofascore rating of 7.10, which shows that he has the ability to split open the opposition's defence as well as being a goal threat.

How much is Maeda worth now?

It was recently reported by TEAMtalk that Postecoglou now happens to be interested in signing the Japanese marksman once again ahead of the January transfer window.

The report claimed that Spurs are monitoring the Celtic star's situation as they consider a possible swoop to sign the versatile forward ahead of the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

It stated that the Scottish giants would a fee of around £25m for the 5 foot 8 forward's services, as they would like a similar amount to the one that they received from Al Ittihad for Jota in the summer – £25m.

Maeda, who former Celtic striker Chris Sutton once hailed as a pressing "machine" for his relentless closing down of the opposition, has, therefore, seen his value skyrocket from £1.6m to £25m within the space of a year.

The former Yokohama star has been a fantastic signing for the Hoops and Postecoglou certainly played a blinder by bringing him to Scotland after their first spell together in Japan.

He evidently saw enough from the wide attacker to suggest that a move to Scotland would allow him to thrive and the Australian head coach has been proven right over the last 18 months.

Celtic have already benefitted from the move on the pitch, as shown by the aforementioned statistics over the last two seasons, but they could now benefit off the pitch with a significant profit on Maeda if Spurs decided to meet their £25m valuation in the January window.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to make it three wins from as many games under the leadership of Vitor Pereira as they face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this afternoon.

Wins over Leicester City and Manchester United have moved the Old Gold out of the relegation zone and hopes are high the club can maintain their top-flight status under the new manager.

Against the Old Trafford side, the majority of the starting XI played rather well as they secured all three points, but there were a couple of players who underperformed.

Goncalo Guedes was deployed alongside Matheus Cunha as an attacking midfielder but didn’t have the same impact as the Brazilian.

Goncalo Guedes’ game in numbers vs Man Utd

The 28-year-old has scored five goals and grabbed four assists in all competitions for the Molineux outfit this season, but his display on Boxing Day wasn’t his best of the campaign.

The Portuguese star failed with both of his dribble attempts, registered just one shot on goal and failed to make a key pass or create a big chance in the final third.

Stat

Highest Ranked

Accurate passes

Matt Doherty and Andre (59)

Key passes

Kobbie Mainoo (3)

Shots on target

Matheus Cunha (2)

Ground duels won

Matheus Cunha (13)

Tackles

Toti Gomes (5)

Guedes also lost nine of the 13 ground duels he contested during his time on the pitch, along with losing possession a staggering 16 times and it is clear Pereira must make a change ahead of the clash against Spurs.

He was replaced by Hwang Hee-chan with just 15 minutes remaining and the South Korean star scored the decisive second goal which wrapped up a 2-0 win for the home side.

With this in mind, Hwang should be unleashed in place of Guedes this afternoon as he could cause the Spurs’ defence plenty of damage.

Pereira must unleash Hwang Hee-chan against Spurs

The forward hasn’t exactly enjoyed the most productive of seasons throughout 2024/25, with his goal against United his first of the season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

He has only started three games all campaign, but this should change today, as Pereira looks to continue the club’s impressive momentum of late.

Hwang was hailed by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright back in 2021, who said: “He has got everything [Hwang], he has got pace, skill, touch and awareness and he’s always driving to get into the box.”

These attributes were on show last term, as the South Korean maestro ended up scoring 13 goals for the Old Gold while also creating four big chances, averaging 0.6 key passes per game and succeeding with 1.2 dribbles each match in the Premier League.

When compared to his positional peers in the top flight last season, Hwang even ranked in the top 9% for successful take-on percentage (52.2%) per 90, showcasing his dribbling skills.

If unleashed against Spurs, he will be keen to carry on where he left off against the Red Devils. Another goal or assist would certainly give him a great chance of forcing his way into Pereira’s starting XI, and he might just help move Wolves further away from the drop zone.

Imagine him & Cunha: Wolves lodge enquiry to sign Raul Jimenez 2.0

Wolves are showing interest in a German international…

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 28, 2024

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is likely to give the green light for his side to sell a player, who ex-fan favourite Thiago Silva interestingly called “the future” of the club.

Players who look set to leave Chelsea in 2025

The writing is on the wall for a few members of Maresca’s squad once we reach the turn of the year, with left-back Ben Chilwell and midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka looking like sure-fire favourites to leave Chelsea.

£195k-per-week Chelsea star worried about his future with Enzo Fernandez

The Argentine’s reportedly being targeted by Barcelona and Inter Milan.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 6, 2024

Chilwell has been deemed surplus to requirements by Maresca, playing just 45 minutes in all competitions this season and failing to make a single Premier League matchday squad under the Italian.

It’s been quite a fall from grace for him considering the 27-year-old once captained Chelsea and featured regularly for the likes of Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel, but injuries have also blighted his time at Stamford Bridge overall.

Arsenal (home)

November 10

Leicester City (home)

November 23

Aston Villa (home)

December 1

Southampton (away)

December 4

Tottenham (home)

December 8

Chilwell is now attracting interest from clubs in England, Spain and Italy ahead of the January window, and Chelsea are actively encouraging clubs to make a move for the £200,000-per-week defender as they look to get him off their wage bill (Simon Phillips).

Meanwhile, Chukwuemeka is a transfer target for Barcelona, and Italian heavyweights AC Milan have also been linked with the 20-year-old who appears out of Maresca’s long-term plans.

Carney Chukwuemeka

Benoit Badiashile had been tipped to leave as early as January, but Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media sources like GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs are now pouring cold water on the Frenchman’s potential exit.

Chelsea officials also have decisions to make on their crop out on loan spells, including Cobham academy graduate and boyhood supporter Trevoh Chalobah.

The Englishman is on a temporary spell at Crystal Palace right now, but the Eagles have no option or obligation to buy him in their deal, so Chalobah is set to return next summer.

Chelsea likely to sell Trevoh Chalobah in 2025

Some reports have even suggested Chelsea could use Chalobah as a makeweight in talks to sign Murillo from Nottingham Forest, with Jacobs sharing his own update on the 25-year-old’s future for GMS.

The reporter claims that Chalobah is likely to be sold by Chelsea next year, with Maresca appearing to see no long-term future in west London for the “impressive” versatile defender, who Silva tipped for greatness back in 2021.

“He is a player who I knew from France where he was playing at a lower level for Lorient, and he’s made the step-up, and he’s playing here because he deserves to,” said Silva on Chalobah.

“Some people said that he didn’t have the ability to do so but he’s made it because of his own capacities. That’s something that makes me really happy because a player like Trevoh Chalobah is the future of this club.”

Maresca unceremoniously axed Chalobah from his pre-season squad at one point, which would’ve left a bitter taste in his mouth, and the tactician looks as if he’ll be sticking to his guns.

While things are looking a little bleak at the moment, Arsenal are still in a position that seemed almost impossible just a few years ago.

Mikel Arteta’s side have gone from languishing in eighth place for back-to-back campaigns to fighting for the Premier League title for the third year on the bounce.

The Spaniard has overseen a massive overhaul of the side he inherited in December 2019, with only a few players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli surviving and continuing to play significant roles in the first team.

However, there is another survivor who was a part of the squad during Arteta’s first season, a player who joined the club that summer and was tipped to be a future captain, but now has to be sold for his own sake.

Arsenal's 2019 summer signings

So, before we get to the player in question, let’s examine a couple of other signings made that summer, starting with a player who is unfortunately considered one of the club’s worst additions of all time, Nicolas Pepe.

Under the management of Emery, Arsenal decided to smash their transfer record in July 2019 and spend a whopping £72m on the Ivorian international, who, in their defence, had just scored 23 goals and provided 12 assists in 41 appearances for LOSC Lille.

Unfortunately, as most fans will attest, the talented winger did not show that sort of form in North London, and while he left the club for good last September as a flop, his final tally of 27 goals and 21 assists in 112 appearances isn’t quite as bad as some would have you believe.

In stark contrast, the North Londoners also paid a hefty £27m for a relatively unknown 18-year-old centre-back from Ligue 1 that summer, a young defender who has since established himself as one of the best in the world, William Saliba.

Yes, while he would spend the next three seasons on loan in his home country, the Gunners secured the services of their number two in 2019, and following his competitive debut for the side against Crystal Palace in August 2022, he’s racked up 98 appearances for the team, signed an extension in 2023 and is rumoured to be getting another one soon.

However, the Bondy-born titan wasn’t the only defender signed by the club that summer, but unfortunately, the player in question has followed a path closer to Pepe’s than his in N5, despite being touted as a future captain at one point.

The Arsenal captain that could've been

Arsenal have had a long list of incredible captains over the years, like Tony Adams in the past, the technically brilliant, if a little controversial, Cesc Fàbregas in the early 2010s, the sharpshooting and, actually, just as controversial, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during Arteta’s earlier tenure, right up to the midfield maestro, that is Martin Odegaard today.

However, in the summer of 2019, the club signed someone who perhaps could have been on that list in another world, Kieran Tierney.

The Scottish left-back joined the North Londoners from Glaswegian giants Celtic that August for around £25m.

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While he hadn’t played outside the Scottish Premiership at that point, there was a lot of excitement about what he could become.

That was largely thanks to his sensational play for the Hoops and the perception people had of him as a hard-working, no-nonsense defender, someone who was a throwback to a bygone era.

The then-22-year-old endured a mixed start to his life in the capital, though, as despite looking good on the pitch, he could only make 24 first-team appearances, as injuries kept him sidelined for large parts of the campaign.

The following year was much better in this regard, as while he still suffered a few setbacks, the Douglas-born dynamo made 38 appearances for the first team, in which he scored two goals, provided four assists and was called a “natural leader” by the manager.

The good times wouldn’t last, however, and even though the following season saw former professional Ally McCoist describe him as the “obvious captain” following Aubameyang’s exit, the talented full-back was once again plagued by injuries, and he made just 25 appearances.

Those fitness concerns must have been the final straw for the manager, as that summer, he welcomed in Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City for £32m, and even though the Scotsman managed to avoid injury throughout the campaign, he was limited to just 15 starts and 21 substitute appearances.

Appearances

124

Goals

5

Assists

13

Goals + Assists per Match

0.14

Injuries (including Loan)

11

With the writing clearly on the wall, the former Celtic star joined Real Sociedad on a season-long loan last year, but as you may have guessed by now, injuries once again reared their ugly head and the 27-year-old was limited to just 26 appearances.

Today, the £110k-per-week full-back is still in North London but hasn’t made a single appearance all season thanks to yet another hamstring problem.

Therefore, even though he was once tipped to be the club’s future captain, Arsenal must do what they can to sell Tierney before his contract expires in 2026, for their own sake and his.

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The end of the season is rapidly approaching, and Arsenal are still in with a brilliant chance of lifting the Premier League trophy come May.

Mikel Arteta's side battled to an impressive 3-0 win away to Brighton & Hove Albion last time out in the league but were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

It was a game in which practically the team looked off their very best, but a few players stood out for the wrong reasons and shouldn't start against Aston Villa this afternoon, Gabriel Martinelli chief among them.

Gabriel Martinelli's performance against Bayern Munich

Tuesday night was Martinelli's first start for over a month since injuring his foot against Sheffield United. There was an expectation that his direct play and rapid pace would give Bayern's defence nightmares, but he ended up looking entirely ineffective and was practically managed out of the game.

It was a performance that encapsulated Arsenal on the night: underwhelming, disjointed and directionless.

The 22-year-old certainly didn't impress GOAL's Matt O'Connor-Simpson as the journalist gave him a 4/10 on the night, writing that he 'didn't really get into the game', which might even be slightly generous, based on his statistics.

In his 66 minutes of action, the former Ituano gem registered an expected goals figure of just 0.10, had no shots on target, completed one of four dribbles, took 27 touches, completed one cross, lost five of six duels, lost the ball eight times and committed a foul.

Minutes

66'

Expected Goals

0.10

Expected Assists

0.10

Shots on Target

0

Shots off Target

1

Dribbles Attempted (Successful)

4 (1)

Touches

27

Crosses (Completed)

1 (1)

Duels (Won)

6 (1)

Possession Lost

8

Fouls

1

Overall, it was an awful performance from a player who could start to slip down the pecking order if he's not careful. As such, he should be dropped ahead of the must-win game this afternoon.

Why Gabriel Jesus should start against Aston Villa

The player who should start in place of the young winger this afternoon is the same one who came on in the second half on Tuesday night and completely changed the game for Arsenal: Gabriel Jesus.

The former Manchester City ace may have only played 28 minutes against Bayern, but in his short time on the pitch, he added an attacking threat that was severely lacking before, and while he didn't score the equalising goal, it was his immaculate close control that created the chance for Leandro Trossard.

It's not just the performance against the German giants that should see the 27-year-old come back into the starting XI, though; it's the fact that he has been more effective than his young compatriot all season.

Appearances

29

36

Goals

8

8

Assists

6

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.48

0.36

For example, in his 29 games this season, the "exquisite" forward, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has scored eight goals and provided six assists, meaning he's averaging a goal involvement every two games.

In contrast, the Guarulhos-born winger has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 36 games, meaning he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.7 games, and he has played 677 more minutes this year as well.

Ultimately, with home advantage and their league form, the Gunners should be able to collect all three points this afternoon, regardless of who starts on the left.

However, if Arteta wants to make it less stressful and give the team the best preparation ahead of the game at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, he should start Jesus over Martinelli.

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