All posts by z3u9t.icu

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.

Newcastle United have now discovered the extent of Tino Livramento’s injury and whether he suffered an ACL blow ahead of a spell on the sidelines.

Howe responds to Rummenigge's "idiot" claim

Nick Woltemade has enjoyed an excellent start to life in Tyneside and, as such, questions have arrived for Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga giants failed to secure the German’s signature in the summer, allowing Newcastle to swoop ahead and finally sign the striker they needed, but those in Bavaria have insisted that they wouldn’t have paid as much as £69m.

Ex-chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge even told reporters: “I can only congratulate those in Stuttgart for finding – I’ll use quotation marks here – an idiot who paid that much money. Because we certainly wouldn’t have done that in Munich!”

It’s strangely-timed criticism of a deal that is quite clearly working out for all parties so far and Eddie Howe reiterated that he’s pleased with Woltemade’s early goalscoring form.

The towering forward was once again at the top of his game against Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League, opening the scoring for the Magpies with his third strike in six games before they went on to seal a comfortable 4-0 victory.

It’s a week that needed to include a positive note following Arsenal’s late victory at St James’ Park on Sunday and, ultimately, one that also delivered some fairly positive news on Livramento.

Livramento injury update

As reported by Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Tino Livramento has avoided an ACL rupture and will now miss the next 6-8 weeks for Newcastle. After seeking a second opinion, the news will come as a huge relief for the Magpies, given that there were initial fears that the England international had suffered the second ACL injury of his career.

Newcastle's "nightmare" star now in danger of becoming their next Almiron

Newcastle need this man to rediscover his finest form, and fast.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 1, 2025

Whilst this still means that Livramento will likely miss the next 10 Newcastle games, an ACL rupture would have ended his season altogether and all but ended his chances of returning to full fitness in time to make Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 England World Cup squad.

Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest

Premier League

Brighton vs Newcastle

Premier League

Newcastle vs Benfica

Champions League

Newcastle vs Fulham

Premier League

Newcastle vs Tottenham

EFL Cup

West Ham vs Newcastle

Premier League

Newcastle vs Athletic Club

Champions League

Brentford vs Newcastle

Premier League

Newcastle vs Man City

Premier League

Marseille vs Newcastle

Champions League

Missing three Champions League games and seven in the Premier League, Livramento is likely to return around the end of November when Newcastle travel to the Hill Dickinson for the first time to face Everton.

Everton has long been synonymous with the development of English talent, cultivating players through one of the Premier League’s most respected academy systems.

From the legendary emergence of Wayne Rooney to modern stars like Anthony Gordon, the club has consistently provided a pathway for young players to break into the first team and make an impact on both domestic and international stages.

The club’s focus is clear: technical development, tactical intelligence, and professional growth are embedded from academy to senior squad.

Competitive youth fixtures, exposure to domestic cups give emerging players confidence and experience under pressure.

This structured approach ensures that English graduates are not only technically proficient but also resilient and tactically aware – qualities essential in modern football.

Under David Moyes, Everton’s strategy of integrating homegrown talent continues, blending experienced professionals with promising English players.

This season, Jack Grealish has become the symbol of the club’s revival, while another young talent represents the future of English defensive prospects at Goodison Park.

Why Grealish deserves a World Cup place for England

Grealish, 30, has been central to Everton’s resurgence under Moyes.

Arriving from Manchester City, Grealish has gradually regained the form that once made him a household name in England – staking his claim to be part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans heading into 2026, despite being overlooked recently.

In the 2025/26 season, he has already contributed a goal and four assists in seven Premier League appearances, playing 557 minutes – almost matching his totals from last season when he played only 721 minutes due to injury.

Known for his creativity and ability to dictate the tempo, Grealish ranks in the 6th percentile for progressive carries per 90 (6.27), 4.39 progressive passes per 90, and maintains an 84.1% pass completion rate.

His shot-creating actions per 90 sit at 4.55, while he completes nearly two successful take-ons per game.

These metrics underline his influence in Everton’s attacking transitions, providing both flair and functional output.

His 93rd-minute goal against Crystal Palace to end their 19-match unbeaten run highlighted his ability to perform under pressure, again boosting his claim to be in Tuchel’s next squad, or next summer’s roster at the very least.

Despite past injuries limiting his minutes, Grealish’s resurgence under Moyes shows that he remains a key creative fulcrum, bridging experience and leadership for Everton’s younger English talents.

However, while all eyes focus on Grealish’s headline performances, his role may impact other English players like Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who thrive in similar carrying and passing areas but lack the freedom to shoot.

Everton’s system will need to balance flair and structure, ensuring Grealish’s influence does not inadvertently limit opportunities for other homegrown talents.

Why Branthwaite is the next big English talent at Everton

While Grealish is providing immediate returns, Jarrad Branthwaite represents the long-term promise of Everton’s English talent pipeline.

Born in 2002, the 6 foot 5 left-footed centre-back joined Everton from Carlisle United in January 2020 after nine league appearances.

Branthwaite has since made over 75 appearances for the senior side, featuring prominently during loan spells at Blackburn Rovers (ten appearances in 2021) and PSV Eindhoven (27 league games in 2022/23), where he scored twice, featured in European competitions, and won the KNVB Cup.

His leadership qualities and composure on the ball are complemented by defensive steel, ranking in the top 9% for clearances among Premier League defenders per 90.

Matches Played

30

Minutes

2,511

Blocks

31

Tackles

36

Challenges

20

Internationally, Branthwaite has progressed steadily through England’s youth setup, earning eight U21 caps and winning the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship before making his senior debut in June 2024 in a 3–0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Despite missing the start of the 2025/26 season due to a hamstring injury, his market value of £42m – as per Transfermarkt – and long-term contract until 2030 underscore Everton’s commitment to securing homegrown English talent.

Branthwaite – described as a “physical beast” by analyst Ben Mattinson – embodies the club’s vision: combining technical skill, tactical awareness, and maturity beyond his years.

As Everton continue to develop a squad capable of competing in the top half of the Premier League, the centre-back is expected to play a pivotal role once fully fit, complementing experienced players like Grealish and ensuring Everton’s tradition of nurturing English talent endures.

Everton’s commitment to developing English talent remains clear, blending the immediate impact of established stars like Grealish with the long-term promise of Branthwaite.

While Grealish’s resurgence provides creativity, energy, and leadership, Branthwaite represents the next generation of homegrown players ready to step into key roles.

Under Moyes, Everton continues to balance development and performance, giving both established and emerging English talents the platform to succeed.

Everton's "revelation" could become the biggest loser from Grealish's rise

Jack Grealish’s form at Everton could nudge another star out of Moyes’ best team

ByWill Miller Oct 16, 2025

Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has lavished praise on a defender as Tottenham allegedly push for his signing.

Spurs want another centre-back after Dragusin

Despite agreeing a £25 million deal for Radu Dragusin from Genoa in the January window, reports have suggested that manager Ange Postecoglou wants another centre-back at N17.

Suggestion £26m striker praised by Harry Kane could now join Tottenham

He’s got real potential.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 20, 2024

Dragusin's arrival comes as a welcome relief for Spurs who were at one point suffering from a real injury crisis at centre-half. Indeed, both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were unavailable for sizeable chunks of the mid-season, with Postecoglou forced to play a makeshift pairing of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies at various stages.

While van de Ven and Romero are both available again, it's clear that one or two key injuries can leave Spurs short of options in a very sudden fashion. Eric Dier also departed for Bayern Munich in January, so perhaps bringing in another defender would be wise.

Crystal Palace

March 2nd

Aston Villa

March 10th

Fulham

March 16th

Luton Town

March 30th

West Ham

April 2nd

Tottenham have been linked with a fair few options already, like Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly and Everton starlet Jarrad Branthwaite most recently.

The former's deal expires this summer as things stand, so he could be available for Spurs to sign on a Bosman, unless they're beaten to the punch by clubs abroad who can agree a pre-contract right now. Branthwaite, though, is a particularly interesting case as the 21-year-old plays a key role under Sean Dyche at Goodison Park.

The homegrown defender is even being chased by Real Madrid, according to The Daily Mail, who also claim Tottenham are "pushing" to sign Branthwaite and are among the sides making a "most concerted" effort for this summer.

Branthwaite has been in very impressive form since returning from a loan spell at PSV Eindhoven last season, with more praise being thrown in his direction.

Carragher praises "special" Branthwaite as Spurs push

Speaking to Sky Sports on Monday, as transcribed by TBR, pundit Carragher has called Branthwaite a "special" player amid claims Spurs want to sign him.

“I think he is [special]. And what is really special as well is the amount of centre-backs we have in the Premier League aged 21 or younger," said Carragher.

“I remember being a young lad going in myself at Liverpool and it’s an unforgiven position, I had to go to full-back for the next three or four years and then go back to centre-back, so you can see the quality we have.

“Branthwaite has been outstanding, Murillo I think has been outstanding. But I think this lad has been pretty special and he’s a big part of why in my eyes Everton still have a great chance of staying up, him and his partnership with Tarkowski.”

Amid the Toffees' fierce relegation battle, their potential drop to the Championship could give Tottenham a big opportunity to tempt him down south.

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has his work cut out for him at Parkhead after a frustrating first match in charge of the club against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

A 2-1 defeat to the league leaders proved that the Frenchman has plenty of issues to solve and plenty still to learn about the squad of players that he has at his disposal.

The former Columbus Crew head coach has a big group of players to work with in Glasgow, and there are a number of stars who he should give an opportunity to in the coming weeks.

The rarely-seen Celtic stars Nancy should unleash

Kelechi Iheanacho, for example, was an unused substitute against Hearts after returning from injury, and he should be given a chance to lead the line after Daizen Maeda missed two ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, on Sunday.

The Nigerian centre-forward has scored three goals in eight appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, per Sofascore, and could emerge as Nancy’s first-choice number nine.

Another rarely-seen star who could benefit from the change in shape to a 3-4-2-1 could be Dane Murray, who has started two league games this season, as he is a naturally right-sided centre-back who can provide balance when playing out from the back.

Auston Trusty played in that role on Sunday, as a left-footed player, and was slow to bring the ball forward and progress the play, as he was on his weaker side, which could open the door for Murray to come in and take that spot.

Colby Donovan was also snubbed in Nancy’s first game, playing zero minutes, but he could emerge as the manager’s own Kieran Tierney in the right wing-back position, having been set to leave in the summer window.

Wilfried Nancy is brewing the next Tierney

The 19-year-old academy graduate was “set to join Dundee on loan for the season”, per journalist Josh McCafferty, in the summer transfer window, before an injury to Alistair Johnston meant that he was needed as a first-team option at Parkhead.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Donovan has gone on to play 716 minutes across 12 appearances for the first-team, per Sofascore, since the decision was made to keep him at the club, instead of sending him out on loan, and he has shown real promise.

The Scotland U21 international is looking to follow in Kieran Tierney’s footsteps in Glasgow, as the left-back came through the academy to provide a big threat down the left flank as an attacking full-back.

In his first spell with the club, as shown in the graphic above, the Scotland international provided an eye-catching 37 assists in 170 matches for the club, and Donovan has the potential to provide a similar threat in this new system.

Hyun-jun Yang started at right wing-back against Hearts. However, Nancy could move him over to the left and unleash the academy graduate on the right to provide crosses on that side.

xA

0.14

Top 28%

Assists

0.28

Top 1%

Long pass accuracy

46.2%

Top 23%

Chances created

1.12

Top 39%

Successful crosses

1.12

Top 25%

Touches in opposition’s box

2.80

Top 14%

Donovan, as shown in the statistics above, has stood out as one of the most impressive creative right-backs in the Premiership this season under Brendan Rodgers and Martin O’Neill, whilst playing as a right-back.

Playing as a wing-back under Nancy would give him even more opportunities to push forward and show off his creativity in the final third, which could improve his output as a creator and make him a Tierney-esque threat on the right-hand side.

Whilst Johnston is still to return from his injury eventually, unleashing Donovan in this new role could provide him with a chance to nail down a regular starting spot in the team to become the next academy graduate to become a star at Parkhead, like Tierney.

His emergence in the first-team this season, after being set to go out on loan in the summer, is perhaps a lesson that Celtic can learn from, as they could give more opportunities to their academy players to see if they have what it takes to play for the senior side before letting them move on, permanently or on loan.

Worse than Yang: Nancy must bin 3/10 Celtic dud who once had "the X factor"

This Celtic star who had “the X Factor” should be ruthlessly dropped from the starting line-up on Thursday.

ByDan Emery 3 days ago

Crystal Palace have been rather inconsistent this season, as they currently sit 14th in the Premier League.

Roy Hodgson’s biggest problem has been in front of goal, with only Burnley and Sheffield United scoring fewer in the league.

Therefore, the former England boss will look to fix that problem this month by signing a new centre forward.

Crystal Palace transfers latest – Borja Mayoral

TEAMtalk recently revealed that Crystal Palace are keeping an eye on Borja Mayoral of Getafe.

The Eagles could attempt to sign the Spaniard this January, with the move far from impossible.

It is rumoured that a fee of around £20m would be enough to secure his services this month.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

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

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 Borja Mayoral’s style of play

It is well known that Palace will attempt to bring a centre forward into the club this month, with their main target reportedly being Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal.

Football journalist Ben Jacobs confirmed that the Eagles’ interest is true and that they could offer £30m for him. However, the transfer guru also mentioned that unless the Gunners find a suitable replacement, they won’t be willing to let the 24-year-old leave.

With that being the likely outcome of the saga, Palace could look to switch their attention to Mayoral and forget Nketiah, with the former being an attainable and more realistic target.

The Real Madrid youth star has been on fire this season in La Liga, netting 12 goals in 19 matches, with only Jude Bellingham scoring more in the division. The striker played a vital role in Getafe’s survival last season, and he has been instrumental in the side’s climb up to eighth this campaign.

The table below displays Mayoral’s statistics from this La Liga season and how he compares to his positional peers.

Goals

0.71

Top 9%

xG

0.52

Top 28%

Shots total

1.96

Bottom 80%

Goals/shot

0.24

Top 12%

Passes completed

17.77

Top 18%

Progressive passes

2.78

Top 12%

Passes into final third

1.90

Top 9%

Mayoral has featured in the front two of a 4-4-2 this season, and his output in front of goal has been terrific. His goals-per-game ratio is superb, and he is a clinical "finisher,” as per footballer writer Ben Mattinson, which is highlighted by his low shots, goal/shot ratio, and overperformance of xG.

This is the exact profile that Palace have been missing this season, as the Spaniard has netted more than Jean-Phillipe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard combined (eight).

The ex-Roma player is also an intelligent striker who can drop into pockets in between the opposition midfield and defence to pick up the ball. His relatively high passes completed prove that, while his progressive passes and passes into the final third show that he has the ability to start attacks as well as finish them.

Overall, Mayoral is exactly what Palace needs, and he’s even outperformed Nketiah by seven goals this season. Hodgson should definitely look to bring the Getafe star in before another Premier League club snaps him up.

Aston Villa could be close to sealing their second signing of the January transfer window as they have submitted another bid for a talented Championship starlet…

Aston Villa’s search for new signings

Unai Emery secured his first deal of the winter window by sealing a move for defender Kosta Nedeljkovic from Red Star Belgrade, yet he will remain with the club until joining up with Villa in the summer.

This means the Spaniard has not actually signed anyone as yet who will bolster his first-team squad between now and the end of the season.

This could change between now and Thursday, however, as David Ornstein has given an update on their chase for Middlesbrough forward Morgan Rogers.

The journalist said: “Aston Villa submit improved third offer to Middlesbrough for Morgan Rogers.

“Latest proposal worth in region of £15m including add-ons. No agreement with #Boro so far but negotiations ongoing + #AVFC hopeful of closing deal early next week.”

Could the Midlands outfit finally get the player they have been chasing for the previous few weeks? It looks like a deal could go through before deadline day on Thursday.

Emery could certainly form a frightening duo with him and Moussa Diaby on either flank as they would help ease the pressure on Ollie Watkins for goals.

Latest Aston Villa transfer news: Unai eyes £40m deal; Saudi club want star

It’s a huge summer for Aston Villa and Unai Emery as they prepare for the Champions League.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 11, 2024 Why Morgan Rogers could benefit Diaby

Diaby arrived for a club record fee of £51.9m last summer, yet he has not quite lived up to those high expectations yet.

The Frenchman has registered 11 goal contributions in 30 matches for the club, but once he really settles down, there is no doubt he could start replicating the form he displayed for Bayer Leverkusen over the previous few years.

His favoured position is on the right wing and with Rogers operating on the left flank for Boro on a regular basis, the duo could be devastating together.

The 21-year-old has scored seven goals and grabbed nine assists in 33 matches this term, but it is not just his effectiveness in front of goal which would make him a good signing for Emery.

The youngster currently ranks second among the squad for big chances created (11), along with ranking fourth for key passes per game (1.4) and for successful dribbles per game (one), clearly indicating his desire to burst into the final third and create opportunities for his teammates. It's those attributes that could well be game-changing for both Diaby and Watkins in Villa's attack.

Rogers was previously dubbed “outstanding” by his former boss Michael Appleton during his loan spell at Lincoln City in 2021, and it is safe to say he has developed into a wonderful talent who could well be ready for the rigours of Premier League football.

While Rogers may not be a big name as such, the fact that he will only cost Villa £15m could prove to be a wise move by Emery as he keeps some funds for bigger signings in the summer.

The current Boro star could thrive in the top flight should he be given regular opportunities and a duo of him and Diaby on either wing may lead to the club ending their 28-year-trophy drought this term.

Aston Villa were steadily getting back to their best across October.

Indeed, five straight wins had been collected by Unai Emery’s men, with three of those victories falling in October, before a trip to Dutch outfit Go Ahead Eagles fell on the calendar in the Europa League.

Yet, even with Evann Guessand netting after just four minutes had been played, the Eredivisie hosts would collect a surprise 2-1 win come full-time, as Emery and Co. cursed their luck away from Villa Park.

On another night, Villa might well have at least collected a share of the points. Unfortunately, though, Emiliano Buendia noticeably underperformed throughout, with a second-half missed penalty from the ex-Norwich City midfielder only further confirming that it was the hosts’ lucky day.

Buendia's poor showing against Go Ahead Eagles

Before his Europa League hiccup, Buendia had very much shown Emery why he was deserving of more consistent first-team minutes.

It was widely reported this summer that Buendia was on the brink of a move away from the West Midlands, with his future at the club still remaining uncertain if Villa need to cash in on an asset here and there to satisfy PSR troubles.

Despite all this distracting chatter, Buendia had managed to let his football do the talking as of late, with a standout haul of three goals and an assist from 11 appearances.

However, his poor day at the office in the Netherlands does have the potential to trouble his concrete starting position.

The out-of-sorts number ten would spurn another big chance away from missing that vital spot-kick, with Buendia also uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball at his feet, with possession surrendered a worrying 17 times.

Off the back of this individual showing, leaving a sour taste in Emery’s mouth, the Spaniard could look to alternate options in the number ten spot when Premier League action returns, with Morgan Rogers an easy fix here.

He might not be afforded a spot down the left wing, either, with Guessand scoring from this spot on the pitch against Melvin Boel’s hosts, as the ex-OGC Nice forward was in the right place, at the right time, to poke home a rebound.

Emery will want all of his attackers to be as instinctive as the Ivorian when Manchester City come to town next, with this other notable Villa first-teamer fearful of his starting spot subsequently, after another quiet game passed him by mid-week.

Emery must axe Villa star who is "off it"

The former Arsenal boss isn’t blessed with plentiful options in the centre-forward department anymore, with super sub Jhon Duran now plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League, after once being seen as an ideal second-in-command figure.

This has ramped up the pressure on Ollie Watkins’ shoulders, arguably, with his forgettable season so far displaying a striker in clear decline, with talkSPORT’s Troy Deeney even calling out the England international as being way “off it” back in September, when his goal output had already begun to disastrously dry up.

Games played

12

Minutes played

822

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Since this scathing assessment from the former Watford centre-forward, Watkins has only gone on to pick up an unsatisfactory one strike for the Villans from 12 matches, with Emery clearly losing patience with his usual reliable starter when benching him last time out in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur.

Villa didn’t look lost without their 88-goal man leading the line, either, with ex-Borussia Dortmund man Donyell Malen filling in as the main marksman somewhat competently, as the likes of the aforementioned Rogers and Buendia stole the show with goals from the midfield areas.

Watkins didn’t exactly bang the door down to reclaim his top-flight starting spot with his shoddy showing against Go Ahead Eagles, with what should have been a confidence-boosting night only sapping the 29-year-old’s belief even more, as three shots failed to find the back of the net from his minimal 17 touches of the ball.

Guessand might even be the face that Emery chooses to start up top against Pep Guardiola’s challengers, if he wants to experiment away from a goalless Malen, with eight goals actually collected by the versatile Ivorian from this position for Nice, as Watkins fears another spot warming the bench is going to come his way later today.

£868m release clause: Aston Villa now willing to bid for "world-class" star

The Villans are prepared to make an offer for a new forward, who is now looking to leave his club.

ByDominic Lund Oct 24, 2025

On Christmas Eve, it was confirmed that British businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe had agreed a deal to buy 25% of Manchester United from the Glazer family for just over £1bn. It was expected to take a further six to weight weeks from that date for the deal to be officially ratified.

As part of the arrangement, Ratcliffe and INEOS will take control of the sporting operation at the club, and they were also expected to provide £236m worth of investment into the Old Trafford stadium.

However, it was claimed on Tuesday that the 71-year-old was actually considering building an entirely new site, and had already spoken to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham about the idea. Ratcliffe, who's keen to leave a long-term legacy at the club he supports, may pursue government funding to help bankroll the project if he goes through with it.

All options on the table as Ratcliffe addresses Old Trafford issue

Now, Sky Sports have shared their "understanding" of the situation, clarifying that all options are still "on the table", including a redevelopment of the current facility, and that no decision has been made just yet.

Their on-air update went as follows: "Even though we’re still waiting for Jim Ratcliffe’s investment into the club to be ratified by the Premier League, it seems he’s wasting no time on making an impact.

"Reports overnight claim that Sir Jim is looking at the possibility of building a new stadium that will be billed as the Wembley of the North. However, it’s our understanding that all options are still on the table regarding the infrastructure at Old Trafford with no decisions made so far."

Ratcliffe must respond to "shameful" blow

Ratcliffe's priority, of course, will be sorting out Man Utd's fortunes on the pitch, where they're currently in the midst of a miserable season. With 15 Premier League games to go, Erik ten Hag's side are currently in sixth place, eight points off the Champions League qualification spots. They've already exited Europe, and they were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle in the round of 16.

However, the stadium is undoubtedly an important part of the club's prestige, and last year, United suffered the ignominy of being left off the list of Euro 2028 venues. Local rivals Manchester City made the cut for the tournament, which will be held in the UK and Ireland, because their stadium is seen as a more modern option.

Wembley

N/A

90,000

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Spurs

62,850

Etihad Stadium

Manchester City

53,400

Villa Park

Aston Villa

42,640

St James' Park

Newcastle

52,000

Bramley Moore Dock

Everton

53,000*

Hampden Park

N/A

52,000

Principality Stadium

N/A

74,500

Aviva Stadium

N/A

51,700

Casement Park

N/A

34,000*

Former Man Utd player and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was left furious by the ground's omission, and launched a stinging rebuke of the Glazers: "The Glazer family have, for years, been warned about a lack of investment in Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe leading race to sign Man Utd's dream Martinez partner

The right centre back position is up for grabs.

ByTom Lever Feb 7, 2024

"They have overseen a decline for 20 years in which it has gone from being one of the best stadiums in the world to one that can't even get into the top 10 in the UK and Ireland. This is an all-time low. That it is not in the best ten to host a tournament is a joke. There has been no investment. It is a rusty stadium. This is a dereliction of duty. It is shameful."

One of Ratcliffe's biggest tasks, then, will be to recover from this "all-time low", and make United's home stadium a state-of-the-art base that draws the envy of much of Europe once again.

Earlier this week, Celtic completed their first signing of the January transfer window with a £3m deal for Rapid Vienna winger Nicolas Kuhn, but Brendan Rodgers doesn't intend to stop there. Before the deadline, the Hoops boss also wants to add a left-back and a striker to his squad.

One candidate for the latter position is Bologna's Sydney van Hooijdonk, son of the former Celtic man Pierre, and one newspaper in Italy has even predicted that he'll make the move to Parkhead in the second half of the window.

Another is Brondby's Mathias Kvistgaarden. It's been nearly a week now since we learned that Celtic were in talks with the Danish club over a transfer, and it seems as if there's been an encouraging development in their pursuit.

Celtic take step towards Kvistgaarden deal

According to Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, Celtic are "making progress" on a deal for Kvistgaarden. If the Scottish Premiership leaders receive "encouragement" from Brondby, they could launch an offer.

Meanwhile, the proposed move for Van Hooijdonk "has hit a stumbling block", because it's believed it would take at least £8m for Bologna to sell him – a fee that's "too steep" for Celtic in the mid-season market. Crucially, Kvistgaarden is expected to be available "on more favourable terms".

"Crazy" Kvistgaarden has edge over Van Hooijdonk

21-year-old Kvistgaarden has been with Brondby since 2018, racking up 81 appearances for the club, but this is the year where he's really come alive. He scored six goals and provided three assists in his last six league games at the back end of 2022/23, a "crazy" run of form in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig, and he's carried that momentum into the current campaign with 14 direct goal contributions (seven goals, seven assists) in 21 appearances.

The youngster ranks second in the league for assists and fourth for overall goal contributions. If he keeps this up, be it at Brondby or at Celtic, it surely won't be long before he graduates from Denmark's Under-21s (for whom he's played 16 games) to the senior team.

Celtic could repeat O'Riley blinder with swoop for £1.6k-p/w "hero"

The Hoops have been credited with an interest in the Championship centre-forward.

ByDan Emery Jan 20, 2024

In light of his exploits this term, you'd expect him to arrive in Glasgow full of confidence and in peak condition, but the same can't be said for Van Hooijdonk. The Dutchman has found himself down the pecking order at Bologna, starting just two of his side's 20 league games and watching 10 matches as an unused substitute.

Given that Celtic's joint-top scorer is a midfielder in Matt O'Riley (10 goals), and Kyogo Furuhashi is the only one of their forwards to score more than seven goals this season, they need somebody who can make an instant impact in whatever capacity as they battle for the title with Rangers. There will be pressure on the new face to swiftly boost Rodgers' firepower, and Kvistgaarden looks better-placed to live up to that task. As such, it may not be the worst thing that Van Hooijdonk is out of their price range.