All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

For the first time since March 2023, Tottenham Hotspur will be playing in the Champions League tonight and looking to kickstart their European campaign with a win.

The Lilywhites enter the clash against Villarreal in excellent form, winning three of the four Premier League games since Thomas Frank took the reins during the off-season.

He will be looking to build on the club’s recent impressive form in Europe, with the side currently on a 20-game unbeaten run at home – dating back to the 7-2 triumph over Maccabi Haifa in October 2020.

Frank’s men are taking on Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side, who, like the Lilywhites, have only lost once to date in 2025/26, with such a defeat coming in the recent clash with Atlético Madrid at the weekend.

However, if the Dane is to extend such an impressive European record against the Yellow Submarine, he may need to drop one player from his starting eleven tonight.

Why Frank may need to drop Kudus against Villarreal

Mohammed Kudus joined Spurs in a £55m transfer from West Ham United this summer, looking to add further quality to the first team’s attacking department.

The Ghanaian made an immediate impact for his new outfit on the opening day of the new campaign, registering two assists in the triumph over Burnley in North London.

However, in the three games since, the 25-year-old has failed to manage a single goal or assist, with the likes of Lucas Bergvall outperforming the right-winger.

Despite his lack of tangible success, he did manage to thrive against his former employers last weekend, notching the most chances created and dribbles completed of any player on the pitch.

It has been an impressive start to life for the Lilywhites for Kudus, but he may be dropped from the side ahead of the meeting with LaLiga side later this evening.

The Spurs player who could be their next Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale is a household name to many fans around Europe, which is understandable, given his impressive form for both Spurs and Real Madrid throughout his career.

The Welshman started out as a left-back in the early days of his career, but rapidly transitioned into a winger – especially after his display against Inter Milan in the Champions League.

Back in 2010, Bale’s Lilywhites career catapulted into life after he netted a second-half hat-trick at the San Siro – a feat that catapulted him to huge stardom in North London.

His superb display made him a fan-favourite with the fanbase, allowing him to be a consistent figure within the first-team side after a stop-start first few years in the capital.

Such a situation could be repeated by his compatriot Brennan Johnson, with the winger having the ability to replicate his success in this year’s Champions League campaign.

The Welshman, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, has already showcased his talents for the Lilywhites – netting 18 goals in all competitions last campaign, including the winner against Manchester United in the Europa League final.

The 24-year-old has also made an impressive start to the 2025/26 campaign, scoring twice in his first four outings and more than deserving of a start in the Champions League.

Despite his impressive record, he’s followed a similar route to success to his compatriot, struggling to make an immediate impact after his £47.5m transfer from Nottingham Forest.

Johnson was subject to huge abuse 12 months ago, leading to the attacker deactivating his social media accounts, but it’s safe to say he’s silenced his doubters.

1. Brennan Johnson

11

2. James Maddison

9

= Dominic Solanke

9

3. Dejan Kulusevski

7

= Heung-min Son

7

4. Richarlison

4

5. Pape Sarr

3

However, adding a Champions League goal or two to his record could be the perfect platform to allow him to cement his place in the side and lead Frank’s men to new heights.

Whilst it would be a somewhat harsh decision to drop Kudus from the starting eleven, Johnson is more than deserving of a recall – especially considering his recent goalscoring tally in 2025/26.

If the 24-year-old can match Bale’s feat in Europe’s most competitive competition, he will certainly have the platform to build on and take his career to new heights in North London.

Move over Tel: Frank can embarrass Foyth by unleashing Spurs "monster"

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank could embarrass former Spurs defender Juan Foyth by unleashing this star.

ByDan Emery Sep 16, 2025

Things are looking up for Chelsea at the moment.

Enzo Maresca’s side put a stop to their middling form in the Premier League with their incredible 2-1 over Liverpool on the weekend.

It was the sort of performance and result that could see them now go on a winning run in the after the international break.

Moreover, with the talent Todd Boehly and Co have added to the squad, plus someone soon to return whose valuation has exploded at Stamford Bridge, there is no reason the Blues couldn’t win something again this year.

How Todd Boehly's most significant signings are faring

Since taking charge of the club in 2022, Boehly and then Clearlake have invested substantial sums of money in players, and while not all have succeeded, some of Maresca’s most important players have joined under his leadership.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

For example, Moises Caicedo, who cost around £115m, is now finally looked upon as one of the very best midfielders in the Premier League, someone capable of breaking up opposition attacks and then kickstarting them for his team.

Moreover, he seems only capable of scoring absolute bangers.

It’s been a little tougher to win people over for Enzo Fernández, who also cost over £100m, but he played himself into some brilliant form by the end of last season, and seems to be getting better with each passing game this season.

Furthermore, even when he’s not playing at his best, he has been able to pop up with a goal involvement, scoring three times and providing one assist in seven league games so far this season.

Goals

0.44

Top 2%

Goals + Assists

0.58

Top 2%

Penalty Kicks Made

0.15

Top 2%

xG: Expected Goals

0.54

Top 2%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.44

Top 2%

npxG + xAG

0.55

Top 2%

Progressive Passes Rec

3.93

Top 2%

GCA (Dead-ball Pass)

0.29

Top 2%

Penalty Kicks Attempted

0.15

Top 6%

npxG/Shot

0.30

Top 6%

Passes into Penalty Area

1.46

Top 6%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.58

Top 6%

Touches (Att Pen)

2.48

Top 6%

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.29

Top 10%

Progressive Passes

6.41

Top 14%

Then there are his underlying numbers, which help illustrate the extent of his influence over games, as according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of midfielders in the Premier League this season for expected goals, the top 6% for passes into the penalty area and goal-creating actions, all per 90.

Someone who endured a tough start to life in West London, but is now as undroppable as Caicedo, is Marc Cucurella.

The Spanish left-back has been sensational for the Pensioners for well over a year now, and has proven himself to be as brilliant at the defensive side of being a full-back as he is at the offensive side.

He was excellent against the Reds at the weekend and provided the assist for Estevao’s late-late winner.

However, while these three are clear examples of successful signings under the club’s new ownership, there is one international who has become the jewel in the crown, someone whose value has exploded since moving to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's best signing under Boehly

It’ll likely come as no surprise at all that the signing in question is none other than Cole Palmer.

The former Manchester City star joined the club in the summer of 2023 for a fee of around £42.5m, including add-ons, and according to the CIES Football Observatory, is now worth up to €161m, which is about £139.5m.

In other words, the Englishman’s valuation has skyrocketed a whopping 228% in just over two years, and while that might sound absurd, it’s an increase that simply mirrors the international’s immense talent and importance to this Blues side.

For example, since making the move, the 23-year-old game-changer has made 101 appearances for the club, totalling 8095 minutes, in which he has scored 45 goals and provided 29 assists.

That translates to a world-class average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, or every 109.39 minutes, which would be an outrageous rate of return for a number nine, but is all the more impressive considering he primarily plays on the right or in attacking midfield.

Appearances

101

Minutes

8095′

Goals

45

Assists

29

Goal Involvements per Match

0.73

Minutes per Goal Involvement

109.39′

Moreover, he isn’t some flattrack bully who scores meaningless goals; he’s someone who loves the biggest stage, as he demonstrated in the Club World Cup final, with a brace and assist against Champions League champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Finally, in addition to the sheer number of goals and the important big-game goals, the former City ace is also a great entertainer, someone capable of turning defenders inside out and getting the crowd on their feet.

It’s an outlandish comparison to make, but there is certainly an element of truth in the statement from GOAL’s Sean Walsh that he’s like “Lampard, Drogba & Hazard all in one.”

Ultimately, Chelsea have made their fair share of poor signings over the last three years or so, but they’ve also made some world-class additions, none more so than Palmer.

Chelsea lost a homegrown Estevao for £0, now he's "one of the world's best"

The sensational talent would be perfect for Chelsea and could help push Estevao to be even better.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 8, 2025

Beginning to think ahead to 2025, Liverpool are now reportedly preparing a £50m offer to sign an impressive attacking midfielder who has a fan in the form of Reds boss Arne Slot.

Liverpool transfer news

Given how close to perfection the Reds have been so far this season, it’s difficult to pick out just where they could find a sufficient enough upgrade. Instead, their transfer strategy seems to be focused on preparing for the worst when it comes to Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. All three players, as things stand, are set to depart at the end of the season as free agents in what would be a disaster for those at Anfield.

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It remains to be seen just where that trio of stars will be next season, but reports have at least been positive when it comes to Salah and Van Dijk’s Anfield future. Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, has decided to keep his cards close to his chest amid interest from Real Madrid.

It’s not just right-backs, central defenders and wingers that the Reds could look to sign in 2025, however. According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now preparing a €60m (£50m) offer to sign Charles De Ketelaere from Atalanta in 2025.

The Belgian is back to his best at Atalanta after struggling at AC Milan and has, therefore, gained a fan in Liverpool boss Slot, who reportedly likes the attacking midfielder. It must be said too, that De Ketelaere would be a fairly ideal fit for the Dutchman’s 4-2-3-1 system at Anfield.

"Magical" De Ketelaere can return to Europe's biggest stage

Whilst De Ketelaere’s last big move didn’t exactly go to plan, that failure should have prepared him for the chance to step back into the limelight, having rediscovered his best form at Atalanta. On that front, there’s arguably no bigger limelight than Anfield and the Premier League, making Liverpool both a daunting and potentially perfect next step.

Having scored twice and assisted a further three goals against Young Boys in the Champions League last month, De Ketelaere’s evening was rightfully described as “magical” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.

With an impressive six goals and nine assists to his name this season, the 23-year-old is one to watch once again. With his AC Milan days behind him, De Ketelaere could emerge as an ideal option to play in the advanced midfield role in Slot’s Liverpool side. The likes of Curtis Jones have thrived in that role. Now, the young Belgian could be next.

Newcastle United reportedly now face an uphill battle to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the summer.

The Lowdown: Enquiry made

It has been reported that both the St. James’ Park faithful and Arsenal have now made an enquiry over the possibility of signing Calvert-Lewin this summer, as he is almost certainly going to leave Goodison Park if they end up getting relegated from the Premier League.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-5/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Unfortunately for the England international, his season has been hit by constant injuries, but he has shown his credentials in previous campaigns at the Merseyside club (Transfermarkt), while Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has even gone as far as to claim that the striker is ‘one of the best‘ in his position.

Thus, it is no surprise that Calvert-Lewin is subject to interest from a number of clubs in the top flight.

The Latest: Arsenal preferred

As per Football Insider, a recruitment source has now revealed that Calvert-Lewin has ‘told friends’ that he would prefer a move to the Gunners over the Magpies, and that he is ‘likely’ to leave the Toffees this summer, whether they end up relegated or not.

The Tyneside outfit may be able to compete with Mikel Arteta’s team in terms of how much money they can offer, but if the North London club end up qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, they will likely face an uphill battle to convince Calvert-Lewin to sign for them instead.

The Verdict: Don’t panic

There is no need for the Toon to panic if Calvert-Lewin decided to move to the Emirates Stadium ahead of St. James’ Park.

Given his injury problems this term, Eddie Howe may want to think twice about whether the 25-year-old would be worth the price tag, which should be heightened given his age and the fact that he is an English international.

Nonetheless, they will have plenty of other quality targets to look at, like Victor Osimhen and Hugo Ekitike, and so the board should just take their time with regards to Calvert-Lewin’s situation.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ Champions League winner NUFC are now eyeing here!

The date is January 31st 2023. It doesn’t feel like a poignant day in Arsenal’s history. That’s because it wasn’t. But for one player, it was a landmark occasion.

Indeed, it’s the date Jorginho joined Arsenal, moving from cross-city rivals Chelsea for a measly fee of £12m.

Considering Mikel Arteta had initially missed out on Moises Caicedo, this felt like an attempt to cover their backs.

Later that year, the Gunners would miss out on Caicedo again. Declan Rice, at a mighty £105m, was the preferred option.

Coincidentally, Caicedo filled the void Jorginho left behind at Stamford Bridge, albeit for £115m. Their stories since couldn’t be further apart.

Indeed, hours after Chelsea had been dispatched on their own patch, 4-2 by Wolves, Jorginho and Co were marching towards a 3-1 victory over title rivals Liverpool.

It could well be a poignant moment in the quest for league glory, with Arteta’s side closing the gap to Sunday’s opposition to two points.

All of that came after a transfer window in which Arsenal didn’t spend a penny. Nor did Liverpool in all fairness, but there could well be a war chest to spend in the summer.

A striker is required, with Ivan Toney reportedly the chief target, and a midfielder too; Martin Zubimendi.

Arsenal want Zubimendi in the summer

Reports during January suggested that Arsenal were interested in procuring the signature of Zubimendi in the summer.

Those claims have since been backed up prior to the winter window closing last Thursday.

Ryan Taylor of the Express has suggested that the Real Sociedad star tops the club’s summer wish list, although Edu and his transfer team will need to fight away interest from German giants Bayern Munich.

It’s been noted in the play that the player has a release clause of £53m but there is a sense that money such as that would be better spent on a new centre forward.

After all, the aforementioned Toney has had an £80m valuation slapped on his head and another target in Victor Osimhen could cost upwards of £120m.

Why is this all relevant after Arsenal’s win over Liverpool, though? Well, because of Jorginho, of course.

How Jorginho compares to Zubimendi

The Italian was hardly a celebrated arrival when he joined the club a year ago but he has quickly become a much loved figure at the Emirates Stadium.

He proved exactly why on Sunday afternoon with a man of the match display that showcased to his manager that Arsenal already have their own version of Zubimendi.

Indeed, analyst Ben Mattinson asked us at full-time to envisage the idea of the Spanish midfielder lining up alongside Rice, suggesting he could well be an ‘upgraded version’ of the 32-year-old.

The pair both bring a calming presence to proceedings. They’re not a tackling machine like Manchester City’s Rodri, nor are they a box to box midfielder like a certain Granit Xhaka was last term.

Goals + assists

0.22

0.24

Shots

0.89

0.72

Pass success

91%

85%

Key passes

0.89

0.43

Progressive passes

10.0

4.50

Shot-creating actions

2.00

1.72

Tackles won

0.89

0.91

% of dribblers tackled

53%

53%

Tackles + interceptions

3.33

3.01

Ball recoveries

4.89

5.84

Instead their job is to sit and protect. Look at the table; they’re rarely active in the final third but boast high totals for pass success, as well as tackles and interceptions.

Evidently their role is to recycle the play, to break it up and to make those around them look better. Described as a "mental monster" by Dr Rajpal Brar – a notable character on social media – £110k-per-week Jorginho did that to some aplomb against Liverpool, boasting the most touches of anyone in Arsenal red.

It was a total performance from the Italy international and one that Rice certainly lapped up.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, the former West Ham star said: “Before I signed for Arsenal, the prospect of playing with him (Jorginho), [Thomas] Partey – Playing against them before, knowing how he controls games. I think he’s got qualities that not a lot of midfielders have.”

Well, if he enjoys a game playing in a double pivot with Jorginho, he’d certainly enjoy Zubimendi’s presence.

For now, Arsenal will be content with their classy veteran midfielder but in time they will need someone with fresher legs. When that time does occur, the 25-year-old Jorginho clone at Sociedad will be a superb replacement.

Can Arsenal continue their unbeaten streak at Stamford Bridge?

The Gunners will make the seven-mile trip across the capital on Sunday, currently unbeaten in six away games against Chelsea, winning three of them, despite having lost eight of their previous ten Premier League fixtures at the Bridge; how times have changed.

Well, already this week, Mikel Arteta’s team have comprehensively beaten both Tottenham and Bayern Munich at home, and a victory on Sunday would move them nine points clear of the Blues at the top of the Premier League table.

So, if the Gunners are to beat another fierce rival, Arteta should unleash his attacker labelled “better than Bukayo Saka”.

Leandro Trossard latest injury news

Just when Arsenal were starting to get some attacking players back from injury, another could be heading for the treatment room.

38 minutes into Wednesday’s win over Bayern Munich, Leandro Trossard suffered a knock and was forced to come off.

Speaking in his press conference on Friday, Arteta said that “we’ll have to see” if the Belgian will be available this weekend, noting that he has avoided serious injury, but has not trained since the match.

Losing Trossard would be a major blow, considering he has already scored five goals and registered five assists across all competitions this season, most recently breaking the deadlock in last weekend’s North London derby.

However, does Arteta have a ready-made replacement, one who will be particularly raring to face Chelsea?

The attacker Mikel Arteta must start vs Chelsea

Arsenal do remain without Viktor Gyökeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, but Arteta is now going to have some attacking options from which to choose once again.

Both Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli made their returns off the bench in mid-week, while Noni Madueke has been introduced as a substitute in each of the last two matches, scoring his first goal for the club against Bayern Munich, connecting with Riccardo Calafiori’s cross at the back post.

Before being introduced for a late cameo against Spurs, Madueke hadn’t been seen since 21 September when Manchester City drew in North London, sustaining a knee injury that day, which was a real blow because he had been really bright up until that point.

Back in September, the winger also scored his first goal for England, on target as the Three Lions demolished Serbia 5-0 in a World Cup qualifier at the Marakana in Belgrade.

After the match, former Manchester United defender Paul Parker asserted that “I actually think he’s better than Bukayo Saka”, a bold take, but let’s compare the pair in the Premier League last season to test this hypothesis.

Goals

0.4

0.4

Assists

0.2

0.6

Shots

2.6

2.2

Shots on target %

56%

56%

Chances created

1.4

3

Big chances created

0.26

1.1

Big chances missed

0.6

0.4

Completed take-ons

2

2.2

Take-on success %

49.45%

52.56%

Touches

47.4

56.8

% of touches in box

18.48%

16.54%

Average rating

7.03

7.60

As the table documents, Saka does come out on top for the vast majority of metrics, but Madueke’s numbers are largely comparable across the board, superior in some key areas too.

The 23-year-old attempts more shots and registers a higher percentage of his touches in the opposition penalty area, underlining that he might just be more of a goal threat, with Saka excelling as the creator.

Also, Madueke’s direct running and fearlessness could be exactly what Arteta’s team need in this game, hoping to give Reece James, Malo Gusto or whoever else Enzo Maresca might deploy at right-back nightmares.

Having been cast aside by Chelsea in the summer, told he was surplus to requirements, Madueke will surely be ultra-motivated to show his former employers what they passed up on, so could he write his name into Arsenal folklore?

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

In a move that could see them skip out the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool have reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive South American wonderkid.

Van Dijk: It's "clear" Liverpool must improve

Returning from the international break looking to return to winning ways for the first time in three games, against rivals Manchester United no less, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted that the Reds must improve.

The Dutchman also praised the Red Devils, sending a warning to the rest of his teammates about the threat that they pose even after getting off to a difficult start to the campaign, themselves.

For Arne Slot, it’s an unfamiliar position.

The Dutchman only knows winning ways in Merseyside after securing the Premier League title in his debut campaign last time out. Now, for the first time, the pressure is on him to turn Liverpool’s £400m summer spending spree into a side capable of defending that title.

Slot can fix Konate & Leoni blow by unleashing Liverpool's 19-year-old star

Liverpool have something of a sore spot in defence this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 18, 2025

Anfield chiefs rarely panic on that front, however, and will instead have their sights set on further improvements.

After smashing their transfer record twice in the summer to welcome Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have reportedly shifted their focus towards a wonderkid.

Liverpool join Ian Subiabre race

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Ian Subiabre alongside Arsenal, Manchester City and a number of other Premier League rivals.

The youngster is one of the most promising stars that South American football has to offer, and is reportedly ready to move on from River Plate in 2026.

Described as a “direct dribbler” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Subiabre would be an excellent coup for Liverpool, especially in January if a winter move does indeed become possible.

Whether it’s been those at Anfield in the case of Alexis Mac Allister or Chelsea with Moises Caicedo, a number of top Premier League sides have missed out on bargain deals for South American stars before paying a premium price to the likes of Brighton to secure those same players.

The Reds could now skip that step by landing a repeat of Man City’s Claudio Echeverri deal for Subiabre next year.

While Subiabre’s deal is due to expire at the end of 2026, reports from his homeland suggest the 18-year-old is actually ready to renew his deal until 2028 — giving River Plate the chance to recuperate a larger fee for him.

This proposed fresh contract, if officially announced, would include a whopping £74 million release clause.

Liverpool will be praying this isn’t the case, and Subiabre pulls a ‘Trent’ by running his current deal down.

If not, Slot’s side would have to fork out much more money for the Argentine, albeit maybe not as high as the clause.

The recent transfer window slammed shut in Scotland last Thursday but that may not be the end of Celtic's business ahead of the final few months of the season.

Latest Celtic transfer news

Whilst the window is not open for the Hoops to bring in players to the squad, teams in other continents are not bound to the same restrictions and can swoop in for Brendan Rodgers' men.

According to Football Insider, there are currently MLS teams monitoring James Forrest's situation at Parkhead as they eye up a possible swoop for the forward.

The report claims that the Scottish winger rejected six offers to leave the club on deadline day, with most of those coming from English Championship teams, but a move to North America could still be on the cards as their window does not shut until April.

His current contract does not expire until the summer of 2025 and Rodgers must now ruthlessly ditch the club hero if any of the interested MLS sides are prepared to pay a fee for his services.

The Hoops is reportedly on £19k-per-week at Paradise and this means that he is set to cost in excess of £1m to keep for the remainder of his contract.

Therefore, Celtic could rake in a fee, for however much they demand or the MLS teams are prepared to pay, as well as saving over £1m in wages on the winger to add to the summer transfer budget.

This may not sound like a lot but you never know how important that could be if the Hoops are pursuing a big target and need to stump up funds to land a marquee addition.

Why Celtic should sanction his departure

Forrest has been a terrific servant for the Hoops throughout his career, since coming through the academy ranks, but his time at the club appears to be coming to a natural end.

The 32-year-old forward, who was hailed as a "brilliant" ambassador for the club by Rodgers, has only started two matches in the Scottish Premiership so far this season and played 15 times in total in the division this term.

Last season, the veteran winger only featured in 16 top-flight games under Ange Postecoglou and started five of those outings for the now-Tottenham Hotspur.

Appearances

31

Goals

Six

Assists

Three

Big chances created

Two

Key passes

23

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish dynamo has not provided consistent quality in the final third for the Hoops over the past 18 months, although he has produced a respectable goal tally given his lack of starts.

The bottom line is that Forrest, who has racked up 483 appearances for the club in all competitions, is not playing regular football or making a big impact on the pitch for Rodgers.

It could, therefore, make sense for him to go and enjoy the end of his career playing week-in-week-out, whether that is in the MLS or elsewhere, and Celtic could save a good chunk of money in the process.

This is why the Northern Irish boss must ruthlessly ditch the long-serving Hoops hero in what appears to be in the best interests of all involved from a footballing perspective heading into the final few months of the campaign.

Chelsea’s scouts have now reportedly been spotted keeping close tabs on a Premier League star ahead of making a potential move in 2026.

Chelsea's January transfer plans

Enzo Maresca is gradually beginning to discover the best formula for success at Stamford Bridge. Without the injured Cole Palmer, the likes of Moises Caicedo and summer signing Joao Pedro have all stepped up – replacing one of the best players in the Premier League in the process. But, there is still something missing before the Blues can become serious title contenders.

As impressive as they are in midfield and going forward at times, Chelsea’s backline still needs work. Amid a number of suspensions and ill-timed injuries, their lack of quality at centre-back has been particularly exposed.

Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill all represent solid options, but it’s difficult to pick a leader out of any of those four players. That must change in 2026. Instead of setting their sights on yet another offensive addition, BlueCo should look to land a major defensive upgrade.

On that front, a number of players have already been linked with moves to West London. Among them is Ronald Araujo, whose Barcelona future continues to be thrown into doubt.

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ByEmilio Galantini Oct 25, 2025

If the Blues are looking for a defensive standout then signing of La Liga’s finest certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea. Araujo would offer fresh experience to Maresca’s backline whilst still performing at the peak of his powers at 26 years old.

He’s not the only name mentioned in recent reports, however. The West London club have also been linked with a Premier League option, who shares an agent as Liam Delap.

Chelsea scouts spotted watching Ezri Konsa

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Chelsea scouts have now been spotted watching Ezri Konsa, who has attracted interest from across the Premier League thanks to his performances at Aston Villa.

The England international is one of a number of players who could yet leave to ease Villa’s PSR problems and, if that does prove to be the case, Chelsea could be lying in wait.

Minutes

3,149

2,936

Progressive Passes

131

90

Tackles Won

34

18

Successful Aerial Duels

121

97

Questions must be asked as to whether Konsa would solve Chelsea’s problems, however. When compared to Colwill last season, it is the Blues’ current star who stands out both in possession and out of it. The last thing that Maresca needs is simply a like-for-like player rather than an upgrade.

That said, the Villa defender has still earned plenty of praise over the years, including from former Manchester City star Micah Richards.

The Sky Sports pundit had nothing but positives after Konsa’s England performance against Switzerland at Euro 2024, saying: “Can you control your nerves? Can you do the basics very well?

“And he has done all of these things. I just think his overall game has been fantastic. He has been excellent, he really has.”

After what must have felt like an incredibly long time away from football following their festive season collapse, Arsenal stormed to a 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta's men looked like they were getting back to their best, with Gabriel Martinelli picking up a Thierry Henry-esque brace from the bench, although Bukayo Saka left the pitch without a goal or assist to his name.

The talismanic winger has seen his on-field impact dwindle somewhat over the last month or so – one goal in seven games – but with little in the way of genuine competition on the right wing, Arteta hasn't got much of a choice but to start him.

However, the latest player touted for a move to N5 could provide the challenge the Englishman needs, and with comparisons to Mohamed Salah, a challenge it would be.

Arsenal look to Germany for rightwing depth

According to reports from Spain, Arsenal are seriously interested in signing Bayern Munich's Leroy Sane in 2024, with Arteta seeing the German 'as the perfect signing to increase competition on the right wing'.

The report has also revealed that alongside the Gunners, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are keen to land the winger's signature this year.

While the competition from their Premier League rivals is far from ideal for the north Londoners, the fact that Sane's current contract with Bayern is set to expire next summer is.

A potential transfer fee has yet to be reliably reported, but the CIES football observatory values the 28-year-old at around €100m – £86m – and while that is undeniably expensive, it might prove to be value for money if he can replicate his performances in the red of Bayern in N5.

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ByMatt Dawson Jan 21, 2024 How Sane compares to Saka and Salah

Now, for a modern-day winger, there are few – if any – more flattering comparisons than Liverpool's Egyptian king, Salah. However, according to FBref, the outrageously talented wideman is the third most similar player to the German in Europe's top five leagues.

This conclusion is reached by comparing where players rank for specific important statistics to other players in the continent's top five leagues. Then, those who are in similar percentiles for multiple metrics are placed together.

For example, the "world-class" German, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, sits in the top 2% of wingers for assists per 90, as does Salah. Another example is non-penalty expected goals, with the Bayern star sitting in the top 3% of players and the Liverpool star ever so slightly ahead in the top 1%.

That said, with Arteta's initial interest in Sane stemming from a desire to give Saka more competition and improve his front line, how do the pair's underlying numbers compare?

Well, FC Hollywood's "level raiser", as data analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed him, might just help to raise the level at the Emirates as in every attacking metric bar aerial duels won, he emerges victorious.

While the margin of superiority is small in some areas, such as passing accuracy and progressive carries, it is vast for many others, like successful take-ons, shots on target and non-penalty expected goals and assists per 90.

1.11

0.60

0.49

0.21

0.61

0.31

4.70

3.61

5.37

4.85

1.52

0.87

80.3%

75.9%

6.65

5.81

4.09

1.60

2.56

2.06

2.01

1.75

3.78

4.85

0.12

0.82

In contrast, Saka is the clear winner when it comes to ball recoveries and the number of times each player is dispossessed or miscontrols the ball.

Moreover, if the Hale End star was placed into a team as domestically dominant as Bayern, he might also be able to produce offensive numbers as impressive as Sane. Still, as things stand, the German has him beaten in that regard.

Ultimately, if Arsenal can get a deal for the former Manchester City ace over the line – helped by Arteta's previous relationship with him – they absolutely should, as the potential competition between him and Saka can only make the team stronger.