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A “generational” player in Chelsea’s squad may have no choice but to wave goodbye to Enzo Maresca and leave in January, for one key reason.

Players who could leave Chelsea in 2025

As the new Premier League season gets underway, we’re starting to get a good idea of the players firmly in Maresca’s plans for 2024/2025, and those who look set to feature in more of a bit-part role.

Related Chelsea open talks with £160k-per-week star as Boehly discovers key clause

The Blues sense a January opportunity.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Then, there are those who will be shipped out of Stamford Bridge altogether. Despite the summer transfer window just closing, we’re already seeing reports that Maresca could green-light exits for a few big-names in his squad.

Indeed, Axel Disasi is on the Chelsea transfer list, with the Frenchman struggling to find his best form since arriving from Monaco in a £38.5 million deal last summer. Most recently, Disasi struggled as a makeshift right-back against Bournemouth, and was hauled off just past the hour mark.

Chelsea’s next Premier League fixtures

Date

Brighton (home)

September 28

Nottingham Forest (home)

October 6

Liverpool (away)

October 20

Newcastle (home)

October 27

Man United (away)

November 3

Maresca elected to play Tosin Adarabioyo at right-back over Disasi in their following Premier League game against West Ham, so the writing could be on the wall for him this winter if he doesn’t pick up form.

Meanwhile, fellow defender Benoit Badiashile could also be sold by Chelsea, with the £90,000-per-week France international yet to play a single top flight minute so far this term.

Left-back Ben Chilwell has been heavily linked with a Chelsea exit, and Maresca has even admitted that they were looking to offload the 27-year-old this summer, but he’s now back in the fold and re-introduced to first team training.

“Hopefully we can give him some minutes tomorrow,” said Maresca on Chilwell’s status in the team before their EFL Cup win over Barrow.

“The idea for him was to leave. In the moment that he’s here, he’s one of the squad, he’s training. He will be in the squad tomorrow and hopefully we can give him some minutes.”

Of course, there is also the case of winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who Chelsea splashed £89 million to sign (including add-ons) in January last year.

Mudryk could have no choice but to quit Chelsea

The Ukraine international played 90 minutes against Barrow, and chalked up an assist in what was a solid display, but supporters will be keen to see him perform against elite-level opposition.

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As per Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, sources have described his situation as “difficult”, and it is believed Mudryk may have little choice but to leave Chelsea in January if he doesn’t begin to feature more regularly.

It will apparently be difficult for the 23-year-old to turn his fortunes around at the club, despite sources describing him as a “generational” talent in other reports, and Maresca hasn’t exactly hid the fact that Mudryk needs to up his game.

“I don’t think it’s a lack of confidence. Misha is Misha,” said Maresca on Mudryk before Barrow. “You have to accept the way he is. Hopefully he can get minutes and do better.”

After missing out on the Scottish Premiership, Rangers are set to suffer more frustration with one player set to leave the club this summer in a disappointing blow for Philippe Clement.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers looked on course to complete a sensational title comeback in Scotland with the race even in their hands at one stage, but Clement's side ultimately fell short and Celtic kept their crown for another year. That's not to say there have been no positives under Clement, however, who took those at Ibrox from out of the race to win the title entirely to taking their Old Firm rivals all the way.

Related 8/10 Rangers star has given Clement perfect excuse to release Lundstram

The impressive Light Blues ace caught the eye with his performance against Dundee on Tuesday night.

Posts ByDan Emery

Now, in his first summer transfer window in charge, the Belgian can finally make his mark to build on the positives already centred around his time in charge so far. And reports suggest that could see both Oscar Cortes and Abdallah Sima arrive in permanent deals after impressing on loan. Sima has particularly starred during his short spell at Ibrox and represents and seemingly remains on course to potentially turn his loan permanent. The same can't be said for Fabio Silva, however.

According to Caught Offside, Rangers want to keep Silva but the forward is ready for a new challenge and does not want to stay at Ibrox. He won't be kept around in the Midlands however, as Wolves plan to show him the door amid interest from AC Milan and Sevilla this summer.

It's frustrating news for the Gers, given their reported stance on the forward, but they can at least look to spend his reported £4m-a-year salary on improving Clement's squad through other arrivals.

The 21-year-old, meanwhile, finds himself at a career crossroads. After failing to find his feet at Wolves and opting out of a permanent move to Rangers, Silva must get back on track with his next move, wherever that may be.

Silva signing would have been a risk

Whilst it's always important to take into account that Silva is still just 21 years old, there still needs to be signs that he will reach that potential of his. Whether it's been at Wolves or Rangers, he has yet to really show those signs since his Benfica days, meaning that any permanent deal would have been a risk for the Gers.

Fabio Silva at Rangers

Stats (via Transfermarkt)

Appearances

23

Goals

5

Assists

0

Having initially joined Wolves for a reported £36m back in 2020, everyone in the Midlands will be incredibly disappointed with the way things have worked out, including executive chairman Jeff Shi, who told the club's official website after the Portuguese forward arrived: "Our recruitment team have been watching Fabio since he played for Portugal under-16s and they feel he has always been the best number nine coming through his age group anywhere in Europe.

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“Fabio is a young player who shows not only incredible technical ability, but also his game intelligence for a player of his age is top class. He has the ability to drop in to link play and hold the ball up to bring others into play. He always then looks to get in the box and his movement and intelligence in the penalty area is as good as anyones."

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe relieved some heavy pressure off his shoulders at the weekend by putting bitter rivals Sunderland to the sword in the Tyne-Wear Derby with a 3-0 victory to progress to the next round of the FA Cup.

However, with games against Manchester City and Aston Villa in the Premier League on the horizon to close out January, the former Bournemouth boss could find himself under the microscope once more.

Nevertheless, with the winter transfer window open, Howe could invest in the market to bolster his squad beforehand and is reportedly eyeing up defensive reinforcements.

Newcastle United transfer news – Andreas Christensen

According to a report from Sport, Newcastle United are set to battle it out with Premier League rivals Manchester United over the signing of Barcelona centre-back Andreas Christensen. The outlet are claiming that La Blaugrana are pushing to sign Real Betis defender Chadi Riad which could force the Denmark international out the door.

Christensen has plenty of experience in English football, having spent eight years with Chelsea where he made 161 appearances for the Blues and even won the Champions League in 2021, coming off the bench early in the game as the London club beat Manchester City 1-0 in Portugal to lift the coveted crown.

The 27-year-old was an integral part of Barcelona’s title win last season, with journalist Domagoj Kostanjsak describing him as a “cheat code” in defence alongside Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde. Nonetheless, Christensen could now be on the move, with Newcastle keen to improve their depth at the back.

Andreas Christensen's stats this season

While the Dane may not have a long-term future at Camp Nou, he has still been a mainstay in Xavi’s defence this season, having made 20 appearances in all competitions.

Sven Botman has been a regular in Newcastle’s starting lineup since joining the club in the summer of 2022 for £35m. The Dutchman has since played 56 matches for the Geordie club despite missing three months of the 2023/24 campaign through injury.

However, Howe will be keen to find a long-term partner for Botman in the heart of the defence. Due to injuries, both Fabian Schar and captain Jamaal Lascelles have shared the right centre-half position at regular points throughout this season, although the former has been slightly more prominent in the team, featuring 28 times to the skipper’s 22 appearances.

Nevertheless, Christensen has performed better statistically than both Schar and Lascelles this season and looks to be a perfect fit for Howe’s system.

Per 90 Metrics

Andreas Christensen

Fabian Schar

Jamaal Lascelles

Assists

0.08

0

0

Expected Assists

0.02

0.06

0.01

Progressive Passes

6.12

3.98

2.59

Progressive Carries

1.07

0.79

0.6

Passing Accuracy %

95.9

85.2

86.5

Long Passing Accuracy %

82.2

60.4

47.5

Passes To Final Third

5.7

4.45

3.19

Interceptions

0.99

0.94

0.34

Tackles + Interceptions

1.74

2.25

1.55

Aerial Duels Won %

75.7

50.7

67.1

Stats via FBref

The central defender is used to playing regularly in a possession-based system based on his time at Chelsea and Barcelona, hence why he has superior stats to Newcastle’s right-footed centre-backs. Additionally, as Botman is left-footed, Christensen would comfortably slot right next to him in the back four.

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Christensen is a player with plenty of experience in England’s top flight and wouldn’t need a settling-in period to get to grips with the speed of the game. Furthermore, he is at the right age now, whereas both Schar and Lascelles are on the wrong side of 30.

If Christensen is available, with a market value of just £34m, as per CIES Football Observatory, then Howe certainly shouldn’t pass up the chance to bring him to St. James’ Park.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to make further additions to bolster Brendan Rodgers' squad before the summer transfer window officially slams shut on Friday.

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to The Scottish Sun, the Hoops are keeping tabs on Manchester City central midfielder Tommy Doyle for the head coach ahead of the deadline.

The report claims that Premier League clubs are set to make big decisions on whether or not they will loan out their young stars this week and the Scottish giants are keeping an eye on those situations with a view to possibly swooping in.

It states that Rodgers could make up to five new signings, including the pending £3.5m arrival of Luis Palma from Aris, and a new midfield recruit has not been ruled out with Doyle seemingly on their radar.

How good is Tommy Doyle?

The 5 foot 8 maestro is a terrific prospect who could be a superb signing for Celtic if he is able to use the experience he gained last season to take the next step in his development.

Doyle, who scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed "fantastic", has the potential to be an outstanding creative presence in the middle of the park and could form a fearsome partnership with current Hoops star Matt O'Riley in midfield.

The England U21 international enjoyed a strong season on loan with Sheffield United last term as he racked up four goals and seven assists in 38 matches in all competitions, which included three goals and four assists in 33 Championship appearances for the Blades on their way to promotion to the Premier League.

However, his form for Manchester City at youth level suggests that there is more to come from the talented gem. The 21-year-old magician produced nine goals and 15 assists in 50 U21 matches for the Cityzens, which included ten assists in 18 Premier League 2 outings during the 2020/21 campaign.

These statistics suggest that he has the potential to be a phenomenal creator from midfield if he is able to replicate that form at first-team level. His seven-assist haul for the Blades shows that he is on the way to reaching his academy level of production and moving to Celtic to be part of a team that dominates games and expects to compete for the title could be the perfect platform for him to take the next step.

O'Riley (12) was the only current Hoops player, in any position, to assist more than eight goals in the Scottish Premiership, as Jota and Aaron Mooy have since departed Parkhead.

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Therefore, Doyle could be an outstanding creative presence alongside the Denmark U21 international if he can reach double figures for assists in the league for Celtic as he did at U21 level for City.

O'Riley, who created a team-leading 2.1 chances per game last term, has already proven himself to be capable of consistently unlocking the opposition's defence for his teammates and he could benefit from having a similar player alongside him in midfield.

Doyle and the former MK Dons star could link up together to split open the other team with their respective passing qualities and they could create space for each other as their opponents focus their attention on stopping one, which could free up room for the other to work their magic.

Manchester United are reportedly plotting a move for Wolfsburg midfielder, Felix Nmecha, with the German maestro potentially set to be available on the cheap this summer.

What's the latest on Nmecha to Man United?

According to SPORT1, the Red Devils are said to have 'thrown their hat into the ring' with regard to the signing of the 22-year-old, with the Premier League giants ready to rival Borussia Dortmund in the battle for the playmaker's signature.

The report suggests that United have already held talks with the player's father ahead of a potential move to Old Trafford, with the youngster potentially set to be available for as little as €15m (£13m), due to his expiring contract.

This comes amid reports that Newcastle United are also readying a bid for the former Manchester City youth product, ensuring that Erik ten Hag and co may have a fight on their hands if they are to land an agreement.

Who is Felix Nmecha?

The one-cap Germany international – who previously turned out for England at youth level – began life on the books at the Etihad, before sealing a free transfer switch to Germany back in the summer of 2021, following his old brother, Lukas who had made an earlier £11m move to Wolfsburg.

In the case of the younger man – who made just three appearances for City at first-team level – the promising midfielder appears to have blossomed following that move to the Bundesliga outfit, with current boss Niko Kovac having recently stated:

"Previously, he never got into a rhythm. He played in so many different positions. Now he's playing in midfield and you can see his technical ability. He has [also] improved physically."

That consistent run in the side in a midfield berth appears to have paid dividends for the Hamburg native as he racked up three goals and six assists in 30 league games in 2022/23, having also received hefty praise from journalist Josh Bunting, who stated:

"He’s very quick,technical ability is good, a ball carrying number 8, strong in his duels and has an intelligent eye for a final pass."

That latter trait could ensure that Nmecha proves to be a dream heir to current United man Christian Eriksen, with the 31-year-old having also been lauded as a "player who plays with intelligence" by club legend, Paul Scholes.

Having been signed on a free transfer last summer, the Danish ace went on to provide two goals and ten assists in 44 games in all competitions in the most recent campaign, thus mirroring Nmecha in that ability to be a creative spark from the centre of the park.

A more youthful alternative to the one-time Tottenham Hotspur man may be in order amid Eriksen's recent woes since returning from injury, however, with journalist Scott Saunders highlighting the 120-cap gem's physical shortcomings after stating that he is "bypassed too easily in a deep role".

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Nmecha, therefore, could offer greater athleticism in that midfield berth – shown by the fact that he ranks in the top 19% among his European peers for successful take-ons – as well as a superior defensive presence, with the 6 foot 2 starlet ranking in the top 7% for aerial duels won.

Eriksen, by contrast, ranks in just the bottom 18% and the bottom 12% for those same two metrics, respectively, while the experienced asset also averaged just 0.8 tackles and 0.4 interceptions per game from his 28 league outings, while the former City ace averaged 1.4 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game from his 30 league appearances.

With Nmecha evidently able to replicate Eriksen's creative brilliance as well as being able to offer a greater work ethic in midfield, the £2k-per-week ace could well represent a long-term successor and replacement for the gifted Dane.

West Ham United have an array of legends throughout their extensive history.

They’ve had World Cup winners – the 1966 England squad famously included a number of Hammers, they’ve had brilliantly goal scorers, scorers of iconic goals, as well as technically gifted midfielders, and near-unstoppable defenders. But, our question is, what have 10 West Ham legends been up to since retirement. We decided to find out, via Premier League Heroes. 

So, if you’ve ever wondered what Di Canio does when he’s not scoring stunning goals using techniques now named after him, then see below. Meanwhile, we also found out what the likes of Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock and Julian Dicks have been up to since hanging up their boots.

10) Scott Parker

One of a few midfielders to go into management since retirement, Scott Parker did stand alongside Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard as a Premier League manager, having taken AFC Bournemouth back to the Premier League.

Compared to Gerrard and Lampard, Parker has plenty of years of experience, with time also spent at Fulham, where he took them back to the top flight, before suffering relegation.

However, he was relieved of his duties as Cherries boss and is now managing in Belgium with Club Brugge.

9) Anton Ferdinand

Unlike Parker, Anton Ferdinand has opted to go down the punditry route instead of the managerial or coaching path, working for the likes of BT Sport, whilst also playing a key role in BBC’s documentary, ‘ Football, Racism, and Me’ in 2020.

We are likely to see more of Ferdinand as a pundit as the seasons tick by.

Of course, Anton’s brother Rio is the more famous broadcaster and understandably, given the career he had.

8) Tony Cottee

In similar fashion to Ferdinand, Tony Cottee has spent time as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday panel since retirement, before the show was revamped in 2021.

Outside of his media work, Cottee works as a PR consultant and ambassador for construction industry supplier Rudridge in what is a surprising role.

The former West Ham man can also be seen as an after-dinner speaker and he’s consistently giving his opinion on what’s going on at the club.

He still cares.

7) Neil Ruddock

Since retirement, Neil Ruddock has toured the game show circuit, appearing on Celebrity Wife Swap, The Big Fish Off, Celebrity Masterchef, Big Brother, and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

Most recently, he was part of ITV series ‘Harry’s Heroes’, but was unable to play as part of the England squad reunion due to heart problems, for which he has since had a pacemaker fitted.

It remains to be seen how often he is seen on television during the coming seasons but Ruddock clearly still has a real association with West Ham United.

6) Carlton Cole

Making recent appearances on Sky Sports as a pundit, Carlton Cole has also tried his hand at coaching as part of the West Ham U16s set-up, and as a support coach in the academy.

The former forward has also worked in the club’s hospitality section, and as an ambassador on pre-season tours and match-days.

He is still rated as a former Hammers favourite, despite also playing for Chelsea during his career.

He’s regularly seen at the London Stadium.

5) Kevin Nolan

Since hanging up his boots, Kevin Nolan has had a fairly impressive stint in management, taking up a role of player-manager at Leyton Orient.

He went on to take over at Notts County, keeping them up, and signing a three-year deal. A six-game winless streak in 2018 soon saw the former midfielder relieved of his position however.

As of February 2020, he has also been a first-team coach at West Ham, working under the management of David Moyes.

He is continuing his coaching education at the London Stadium.

4) Joe Cole

Joe Cole’s managerial ambitions are no secret.

Since retiring, he has studied for his coaching badges whilst as a player/assistant manager at Tampa Bay, before returning to Chelsea as a technical coach, and then travelling the world to visit other clubs and gain more experience.

Cole can also be seen as a pundit on BT Sport away from his coaching journey, regularly analysing games involving his former clubs, including the Blues and the Hammers.

3) Stuart Pearce

Stuart Pearce has managed to build quite the managerial and coaching portfolio since retirement, taking charge of Manchester City – leading them to a UEFA Cup place, whilst also managing England’s U21s side, before taking that up as a full-time role after leaving Man City.

Pearce was also part of Fabio Capello’s first-team coaching staff, and took charge of Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Since then, he has also had spells at Nottingham Forest, West Ham as a coach, and Portsmouth as a coach.

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He’s had quite the career since his playing days ended.

2) Julian Dicks

You would have thought that it would be in football that Julian Dicks would suffer a career-ending knee injury.

But, as it turns out, it was his golf career that came to an end as a result. Outside of his golf career, Dicks took up management and coaching at Wivenhoe Town, Grays Athletic, West Ham, Heybridge Swifts, and West Bromwich Albion.

Currently, he works at Carolina Velocity as a technical director.

He is also regularly seen at the London Stadium, cheering the Irons on.

1) Paolo Di Canio

When we think of Paolo Di Canio since retirement, our minds instantly go to that famous knee slide celebration of his when in charge of Sunderland.

If there was a winner for manager celebrations, it would be the passionate Italian.

Before taking charge of the Black Cats, Di Canio had a successful spell at Swindon Town, winning the League One title. Now, he works as a pundit in Italy.

So, there you have it, what 10 West Ham legends have been up to since retirement. Overall, a fair few have had successful coaching or management spells, which comes as little surprise, given how impressive the previous era of players were at the London club.

What will be interesting to see is what the current generation of Hammers get up to after hanging up their boots. In 20 years, will we see Declan Rice in charge of a Premier League side? Or will we see Michail Antonio criticising top flight sides as a pundit on Super Sunday? We certainly can’t wait to find out.

Everton are one of the Premier League clubs interested in signing Watford winger Ismaila Sarr. 

The Lowdown: Sarr’s season so far

This season has seen the 24-year-old score six goals and deliver three assists in 17 Championship appearances, making him Watford’s joint top scorer.

Having then gone on to play in all four of Senegal’s World Cup games, scoring one goal in the process, Sarr will soon be back in action for the Hornets.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, the attacker has been linked with a move back to the Premier League.

The Latest: Everton eyeing Sarr

In a recent Twitter post, journalist Ignazio Genuardi revealed that Everton, alongside other English sides, could make a January move to sign the winger, who is set to see his current contract at Vicarage Road expire in the summer of 2024.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-8/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”] 

Genuardi also mentioned that Sarr could well be in the middle of a bidding war during the upcoming January transfer window.

The Verdict: An exciting signing for Everton

In addition to his goals and assists in the Championship this season, the 52-cap Senegal international has also racked up more shots at goal (35) than any other player at Watford.

Also, only one other player at the club has delivered more crosses into the 18-yard box than Sarr (8), which further highlights how much of an attacking threat he carries.

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Described as a “scary” player by Ben Foster, Sarr has 50 Premier League appearances to his name, across which he has scored 10 goals and delivered eight assists, which shows the top-flight experience he has and how quickly he could potentially settle in at Everton.

Taking all of this into account, we feel that signing the Watford star would be a very exciting signing for Everton and a rather necessary one given how only five clubs have registered fewer attempts at goal than the Toffees (157) in the league this season.

For much of the last two decades, they have been regarded as the two greatest players in football, stars of a wonderful era in the beautiful game. But now firmly in the twilight of their illustrious careers, and beyond the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, will there be an international future for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?

Both of these wonderful players has managed to win continental tournaments, whilst representing their countries, yet the biggest prize on the global international stage continues to elude them. Let’s take a look at how their influence could shape the destiny of their nations, during what might very well be the World Cup swansong for Messi and Ronaldo.

Argentina

For many fans in Argentina, the ‘Greatest of All Time’ will be none other than Diego Maradona, due to his virtuoso role in leading the country to World Cup success in 1986. Messi finished as a runner-up in 2014, leading to speculation he would never lift aloft the iconic golden trophy, although winning the 2021 Copa America did manage to lift some of those doubts.

The first objective for Argentina this year will be to top Group C, which might seem fairly comfortable on paper, yet could be filled with plenty of perils and potential pitfalls. For one thing, they will face the firepower of Poland with Robert Lewandowski, the man who has now replaced Messi as the stellar attacking force at Barcelona.

Due to playing in their home region at the 2022 World Cup, the potential for Saudi Arabia to become dark horses must not be underestimated. Likewise, nobody should ever dismiss the potential of Mexico, as they are always capable of causing upsets. If they can lead Group C, then Argentina could avoid facing France in the Round of 16.

Messi has dropped hints at international retirement after the World Cup, which inevitably makes his role with Argentina more important than ever before. One last throw of the dice before deciding to say “Adios!” to his national team.

Portugal

From a personal perspective, some of Ronaldo’s greatest achievements have come with his country. He was hugely inspirational as Portugal won the 2016 UEFA European Championship, then conquered the first edition of the UEFA Nations League in 2019. He also established the world record for international goals, which currently stands at 117 and counting.

Despite boasting what has become a guarantee of goals from Ronaldo, there are lingering doubts about how far Portugal can go, heading into the 2022 World Cup. On paper, the opposition in Group H would seem comfortably beatable, coming in the shape of Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea.

Yet on their day, any one of those three sides are more than capable of beating Portugal, should Ronaldo and his teammates not remain entirely focused, as they seek to top Group H and progress to the Round of 16. Doing so would help them to potentially avoid facing Brazil, who are expected to top Group G, and would face the runners-up from Group H.

By the time Ronaldo concludes his participation at the 2022 World Cup, he will almost be 38 years of age. Unless he fancies emulating Cameroon icon Roger Milla, who was 42 at the USA 1994 World Cup, it seems unlikely that CR7 will be around for the next North American hosted tournament in 2026.

What the bookies think

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Given this is the first World Cup ever to be held in the Middle East, the frenzy of wagering activity has already begun. Mindful of this, Arabian Betting has produced an extensive 2022 World Cup betting guide, focusing on where to find the broadest selection of markets, along with focus on which online bookies are offering the best promotions.

Brazil are the clear outright winner favourites, despite not having won the tournament since 2002, although they will clearly always be a force to be reckoned with. But insofar as the leading challengers are concerned, oddsmakers genuinely fancy France to defend the title they won in 2018, and England could be capable of ending more than half a century of hurt.

Interestingly, following a stellar start to the 2022-23 season with PSG, the form of Messi has inspired growing confidence in Argentina, whose odds have been trimmed in recent weeks. The same can’t be said for Portugal, however, largely due to Ronaldo cutting an unsettled figure at Manchester United. Nevertheless, the fortunes of both nations will rest squarely on the shoulders of these two iconic players.

Photo by Unsplash

Journalist Ben Jacobs has provided an update on Newcastle’s pursuit of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen. 

The lowdown

So far this summer, Eddie Howe has signed Matt Targett permanently and also added goalkeeper Nick Pope to his ranks.

The club have also finalised a deal to bring in Lille centre-back Sven Botman, so that end of the pitch may now be covered, and it seems the boss is intent on signing a youthful striker next.

Newcastle’s proposed deal for Reims striker Hugo Ekitike has now been declared ‘off’ after the club grew ‘frustrated’ at the demands of his agent, and it’s not the best news on Osimhen either…

The latest

CBS Sports reporter Jacobs says that ‘Newcastle have looked at’ Osimhen as an alternative to Ekitike.

However, that deal is thought to be ‘highly unlikely’ at this moment in time. That’s partly because, right now, the Nigerian is ‘happy at Napoli’.

The verdict

Osimhen was excellent last season either side of a cheekbone fracture that kept him out for 54 days and 12 matches.

He scored 18 times and laid on six assists in his 32 appearances for Luciano Spaletti’s side. It was no surprise to see the 23-year-old earn the league’s Best Young Player award, and his potential has been clear ever since he won the Golden Boot at the Under-17 World Cup back in 2015.

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While a move for Osimhen may not be realistic this summer, Newcastle’s admiration is clear. Who’s to say, then, that they won’t be knocking on Napoli’s door in 12 months’ time?

And significantly, they may be in much a better position at that stage. Currently, the Magpies would be asking Osimhen to forego European football, but they may be able to qualify this season if they can sustain their excellent form under Howe.

Everton have struggled to score goals throughout their latest Premier League campaign in comparison to other teams in the bottom half of the table.

With 30 league games under their belt, the Toffees have only been able to find the net 33 times.

One figure who hasn’t been particularly helpful in terms of scoring goals for Frank Lampard’s team is Salomon Rondon. Having made 15 appearances in the league, the Venezuelan has scored just once, which came during their 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace back in December.

Looking ahead to the upcoming summer transfer window, it seems as though the Toffees are looking at bringing in another attacking player who could push the 32-year-old out the door.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Merseyside club are eyeing up a summer move for Benfica attacker Everton Soares.

With a total of 272 appearances under his belt for Benfica and his previous club Gremio, the Brazilian has scored 62 goals and provided 35 assists in the process. This shows just how capable the 26-year-old is of scoring and setting up goals, something that Lampard’s side have often lacked this season.

To highlight what a deadly attacking figure he has been for his side in the Portuguese league this term, only three other Benfica players have racked up more shots at goal than Everton (34), who also has the third-highest number of crosses in the squad (58).

The Brazil international has also shown how useful he can be off the ball for his team by making 20 tackles in total throughout the campaign.

Labelled an “exceptional” player by Marcelo Paz, the £37k-per-week talent could be just what the Merseyside club needs in order to become a deadlier attacking team than they have been this season.

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Despite predominantly being a wide player, adding the Benfica star to Lampard’s squad could give the likes of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin the chance to play up front together, which could then push Rondon out of the club.

Having been described as being “desperate” to score goals for the Toffees by Noel Whelan, the Venezuelan should not be in Lampard’s plans for next season given his lack of goals during a difficult campaign for him and the club.

In other news: Everton must launch move for “outstanding” 25-year-old “Wolverine” as insider claim emerges