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Setting their sights on commencing a new era with a bang, The Friedkin Group are reportedly serious about Everton’s dream move to sign a player who was once worth £60m.

Everton preparing for new era

With just two more games to come at Goodison Park, all eyes with be on handing one of English football’s most historic grounds the ultimate send off around the blue half of Merseyside. With their Premier League safety sealed, David Moyes’ side will play host to Southampton on May 18 looking to end on a high before beginning to write a new chapter at the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.

Before that day arrives, however, the Toffees will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they square off against the relegated Ipswich Town this weekend, before travelling to Fulham in an attempt to end the season with a flourish of positive results following recent defeats against Manchester City and Chelsea.

Of course, once any emotional goodbyes are complete it will be all eyes on the summer transfer window for Friedkin, as they set their sights on making their first real mark on the club.

Just who arrives with that in mind remains to be seen, but that hasn’t stopped the rumours from coming thick and fast. Those at Goodison Park have already been linked with moves for the likes of Tomas Soucek and Clement Akpa in recent weeks, with the former potentially reuniting with Moyes in Merseyside this summer.

He won't start again: TFG must finally axe Everton's new Phil Neville

Recent results have shown Everton need a sweep of fresh faces in the transfer market this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 28, 2025

The West Ham United midfielder thrived under the veteran manager at the London Stadium and could now take that form to Everton should they decide to make their move. Meanwhile, Everton themselves could be set to get a dream reunion when the transfer window opens.

Friedkin serious about dream Richarlison return

According to GiveMeSport, Friedkin and Everton are now serious about a dream move to re-sign Richarlison from Tottenham Hotspur this summer and the Brazilian forward could yet be allowed to leave the Lilywhites in the coming months.

Having swapped Everton for Spurs in 2022 for a reported £60m, things haven’t quite worked out for Richarlison in North London and a return to Merseyside could be on the cards as a result. A Goodison Park hero, the forward may yet get the chance to make his mark on a new Everton era at the Bramley-Moor Dock stadium.

It was at Everton that Richarlison earned the most praise of his career too, with former teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin once telling reporters following an influential display by the Brazilian: “He’s asleep in the changing rooms now, with a nice pillow and a sleeping bag!

“I thought he was fantastic today. His goal was well deserved and his play off the ball, his selflessness was the key for us today. I thoroughly enjoyed playing with him again in front of the Goodison faithful.”

Tottenham Hotspur picked up a much-needed win on the weekend, just their 11th in the Premier League, but it’s done little to boost morale.

This season has been an unmitigated disaster for the North Londoners, as while there is still a chance they could win the Europa League, they look destined to finish in the bottom half of the league table, with more losses than wins.

Now, there are a few reasons for this dramatic collapse in form from Ange Postecoglou’s men, but perhaps the most significant has been the near-endless stream of defensive injuries they’ve had to deal with.

For example, neither Micky van de Ven nor Cristian Romero has made even 20 appearances this year, and now it looks like they may lose the latter for good in the summer. Still, they might also already have the perfect replacement in a youngster out on loan.

Romero's unsure future

Romero moved to Spurs on a loan deal with an option to buy back in the summer of 2021 and, since then, has become an essential part of the squad and first team.

In all, the World Cup winner has made 117 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals, providing one assist, and becoming one of the co-vice captains under Postecoglou’s tenure.

However, this rapid rise and impressive form for the team – alongside his international exploits – has seen other major teams from the continent take notice.

For example, earlier this year, it was widely reported that Real Madrid were keen on signing the former Juventus ace in the summer, while more reports from the last few weeks have revealed that Atlético Madrid are now just as interested.

In fact, just last week, it was reported that Diego Simeone had personally contacted the player and that, due to a mutual interest in making the transfer happen, he might be able to leave N17 for around £67m.

There is no doubt that losing a defender of Romero’s calibre would be a blow for Spurs, but it might not all be doom and gloom, as the club might already have the perfect replacement in an exceptionally exciting youngster.

The Spurs youngster who could replace Romero

So, if Romero does leave in the summer, the board will likely replace him with the fee he earns them, but there might already be a perfect replacement in the squad by then: Luka Vušković.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Yes, he might not be a name that everyone is familiar with yet, but based on his performances this season and the way those in the know speak about him, he most certainly will be.

The North Londoners signed the Croatian wonderkid in September 2023, but being just 16 at the time, post-Brexit rules around registering foreign players under 18 mean he cannot officially join the team until this summer.

So, with him unable to move to England this season, the “freak talent,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, joined Belgian outfit KVC Waterloo last July, and to say he’s enjoying a good season would be an understatement.

Despite only turning 18 in February, he has made 29 first-team appearances so far, in which he’s helped to keep five clean sheets. More impressive than that, he has scored seven goals and provided two assists.

This level of output for such a young defender suggests he’d be able to at least match the attacking threat Romero has, and with him already being 6 foot 4, there is no way he’d be bullied by opposition players.

Finally, he’s no slouch when it comes to the defensive side of the game either, with FOTmob revealing that he wins 6.09 duels and 4.05 aerial duels per 90 while also making 5.74 recoveries.

For comparison, Romero wins 5.46 duels and just 2.45 aerial duels per 90 while also making slightly fewer recoveries at 5.39 per 90.

Ultimately, we are not saying that Vušković will be able to immediately replicate what Romero can do next season.

However, he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting defensive prospects around, and with the right coaching, he could reach that level sooner than people expect, which would soften the Argentine’s departure.

He's a £101m star in the making: Spurs hit gold on "monster" Nuno signing

The incredible talent has a bright future at Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 7, 2025

Jemimah Rodrigues, Laura Wolvaardt, Kate Cross, Shreyanka Patil, Tanuja Kanwar, Alice Capsey and Shweta Sehrawat on what they have learned about their Australian team-mates in T20 leagues

Interviews by S Sudarshanan 29-Sep-2024Out of the first 15 Women’s World Cups across the ODI and T20I formats, Australia won nine. Then they lost the semi-final of the 2017 50-over World Cup, which stung them so much that they changed the look of their line-ups – pushing up Alyssa Healy to open the batting being one of those – in a bid to get back to the winningest of ways.Since then, they have added another ODI World Cup and three more T20 World Cups to their cabinet. They also finished gold medalists at the inaugural Commonwealth Games women’s cricket competition in 2022. In short, they have swept it all – every single multi-team tournament since the start of 2018.How do Australia manage to build a winning mindset? What does it entail? And how do their players prepare for matches or deal with pressure? We asked players from other countries to tell us what they had observed about their Australian counterparts while playing alongside them in T20 leagues across the world.Is there an Australian player you love watching play or train?
Kate Cross (*with Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux in WPL; Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Phoebe Litchfield, Heather Graham in the Hundred): I think Phoebe Litchfield is probably one of the more fun players to watch at training. She often commentates on her batting, which can be hilarious at times, and she really puts a lot of time into her funky shots. So, it was interesting watching how she tries to develop and improve her game – even in the middle of competitions.Related

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I love watching Georgia Wareham go about her business. She’s a pretty quiet character off the field but she’s outthinking a lot of people on it. Her skill level is ridiculously high too, so having her as a team-mate recently has been something I’ve really enjoyed.Shreyanka Patil (with Perry, Wareham, Molineux in WPL): I enjoyed playing with Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham as fellow spinners. Even during practice, they were coming and helping me out, and asking questions as well, so it was a two-way learning.Laura Wolvaardt (with Gardner, Garth, Sutherland, Wareham, Litchfield, Mooney in WPL; Mooney, Garth, Wellington in the Hundred; McGrath, Wellington, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown in WBBL): Tahlia McGrath, obviously played a lot with her at [Adelaide] Strikers. I think she is a really good cricketer, good at everything – batting, bowling, fielding, captaincy. She is a really cool and humble person off the field as well.Alice Capsey (with Lanning, Sutherland, Jess Jonassen in WPL; Lanning, Sutherland, Kim Garth in WBBL; Amanda-Jade Wellington in the Hundred): Growing up, I was more attracted to the Jos Buttlers, Jason Roys, Charlotte Edwards. I wasn’t really Australian-driven, I didn’t know many of the players that well. But now it has been great to share the dressing room with someone like Meg Lanning. It is not just about their experiences but [observing] how they go about training, preparing for a game, what they look for, what kind of prep they do and just learning how they had done it themselves. I am never going to be same as a Lanning, but I can pick up on different things she does based on what works for me.Shweta Sehrawat walks out to bat with Alyssa Healy for UP Warriorz: “My first experience playing alongside Healy and Tahlia [McGrath]… I had to adjust a bit mentally, because in my mind they were my opponents”•Deepak Malik/BCCIHow has your impression of them changed from that of an opponent to a team-mate?
Capsey: You see these players on TV and you play against them, but it is nice to understand them as a person as well and just build really good relationships and have a relaxed conversation. Every time I have been in the changing room with Meg, she has been very open, very welcome. She is one of the cricketers who just knows her game so well.She’s been a good sounding board for when I have been playing for Delhi Capitals and Melbourne Stars. People don’t realise how valuable it is batting alongside her in the middle. At the end of the day, you can do all the training and have all the conversations off the pitch. But it is how they manage the in-game situations, which is one of the aspects that makes them so great. Meg’s one of those – she manages her innings so well. She knows what’s happening and is so in control. Being able to play alongside her is so amazing.Shweta Sehrawat (with Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath in WPL): It was a bit different for me. I always imagined wanting to play for India against Australians as opponents. But my first experience itself was playing alongside Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath in the first season of the WPL. I had to adjust a bit mentally, because in my mind they were my opponents. But there was no fear, and I lapped up the opportunity to learn from them. I gelled better in the second season, so much so that I am in regular touch with Tahlia and we went out for dinner when I toured Australia as part of the India A side last month.Tanuja Kanwar (with Litchfield, Garth, Sutherland, Wareham, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner in WPL): I used to watch Australian players only on TV before the WPL. But when I met them, I realised they are very chill people. I used to feel, “Oh, how do I speak to them”, but it was very easy when I met them and we became a team.Cross: I think it was just nicer to have Ellyse as a team-mate for once and not worry about how to get her out! But the beauty of changing from rivals to team-mates is that it gives you an insight into how and why they have got to the very top of their game. Also, just getting to know someone on a personal level – it almost makes me look forward to the Ashes more, knowing you’ve got mates to go up against.Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues and Alice Capsey at a Delhi Capitals event: Capsey says her understanding of the game has grown in the time she’s spent with Lanning•Bhushan Koyande/Hindustan Times/Getty ImagesHow do they train and prepare for a game?
Wolvaardt: The level of training and preparation at Strikers is equal to an international set-up, whereas our domestic systems are very much behind. They have an analyst, physio, strength and conditioning coach, a manager, because they are just so far ahead development wise. They have 200-300 players at a professional level every single day whereas we maybe only have the national side that is at that level of training.Cross: I didn’t notice any differences, but it’s their diligence that stands out the most. How well they train is admirable and is a huge indication of how consistent they are on the pitch because of how they train behind the scenes.Capsey: Everyone does it differently; someone like Meg does it differently to someone like Nat [Sciver-Brunt], who does it differently to someone like Marizanne Kapp, who does it differently to me or anyone else. Everyone has different things that works for them. Meg’s one of those people that’s so consistent, she just churns runs for fun, and it’s amazing to watch. You can also see the hard work that goes behind the scenes, how she goes about her net sessions and how specific she is. Then you get a pretty good understanding of the process that makes her successful.That is important in cricket. You are always going to fail more than you succeed. As a batter, more often than not, you are going to get out for low scores. It is about understanding and creating a process that works for you and allows you the best chance to be successful. There are so many variables that if you have your process it makes it a little bit easier.Kanwar: I am a bit superstitious; I don’t do knocking just before toss, but I do bowl a bit to warm up. With Australian players, I have seen that they prepare fully. They do knocking, take a few catches and do fielding drills, too, just to be ready in the match.Tanuja Kanwar: “I have noticed that the Australians do not get overly dejected [by defeat]. They are focused on what to do next and how to better the performances”•Prashant Bhoot/BCCIHow do they react under pressure?
Jemimah Rodrigues (with Lanning, Jonassen, Sutherland in WPL; Jonassen in WPCL; Sutherland in WBBL): Lanning is so calm and cool, even under pressure. I feel that is one of the biggest qualities a captain can have. Everyone’s under pressure, but if you see your captain calm, it just helps calm the entire team. That is an amazing thing with Lanning.Wolvaardt: They are very good under pressure. Just as you think they are about to finally lose a game, they find a way to win. They can find a way to win from any position. That comes with time and being exposed to those scenarios. It is like a momentum type of thing – the more you win in those situations, the more you will be able to win. It’s hard when you are in those situations and you lose ().Rodrigues: I think the one thing I will really take from Lanning is that she just knows what she’s doing. That’s what helps her be calm even under pressure.Cross: Nothing massively stood out that I wasn’t expecting, but Pez would be in the nets all the time. I’m now really not surprised she has that massive hotspot in the middle of her bat. She uses it that often!Sehrawat: I hadn’t really looked at Tahlia from that perspective, but come to think of it, I can recall one thing from during the A series. I was standing at slip, and against a left-arm spinner, she hit a lovely inside-out lofted shot that beat long-off. I then remembered her playing that shot on a few occasions before as well, so I now want to steal that shot and play it as adeptly as her.Capsey: Playing with Meg, I have learnt to manage my innings a lot better. The little bits and pieces that I have taken from her have been about my mindset and how I go about reading a game. She’s one of the most successful captains in world cricket – just how she reads the game, she’s good at speaking. She’ll tell you why she’s done certain things. She just doesn’t do it and you notice it, but she speaks to you and helps you understand why she’s done it. So, mindset and my understanding of the game and reading the game, I think, has a lot to do with playing and being in an environment with her. How to be ruthless once you are on top, I think she is good at that – sensing moments and pouncing at that.*Includes Australian team-mates in T20 leagues from March 1, 2023

Dutch legend would enjoy the journey more if he had his time again in international cricket

Matt Roller16-Jun-2022Perfect endings are rare in sport, as Ryan ten Doeschate might well reflect. He signed off from an 18-year professional career by sitting in the dugout at a near-empty Sharjah, watching his Netherlands team-mates stumble to 44 all out against Sri Lanka after opting to sit out of a dead rubber at the end of the T20 World Cup’s preliminary group stage.The Netherlands had gone into the tournament with a strong squad and high hopes but lost all three games and headed home early; ten Doeschate faced a single ball, pinned lbw as the second victim in Curtis Campher’s four-in-four, and did not bowl. “I had got nothing going at Essex last season and was in a really bad place,” ten Doeschate recalls.”I explained that to Cambo [coach Ryan Campbell] and the guys did everything they could to help: I really felt like I was up and running again. Then I got hit on the pad against Ireland, slipped down the order against Namibia and by the time the Sri Lanka game came around, we were already out so it was an opportunity to give someone else a chance.”It was a disappointing end, but ten Doeschate’s second wave as a Netherlands player had surpassed his expectations. After returning to orange kit in 2017, he was part of squads that secured spots in the ongoing ODI Super League and last year’s T20 World Cup by winning the World Cricket League and the 2019 qualifiers respectively. “I really felt like I was part of something,” he says.

It was exciting for them to play against Sachin Tendulkar and take photos, have bats signed, which I didn’t really get. Maybe I got that wrong as well: if I had the chance again, I would approach it differentlyTen Doeschate on the 2011 World Cup campaign

The first half of his international career, from 2005 to 2011, played a key role in building ten Doeschate’s profile. His ODI batting average, exactly 67, is still the highest ever (minimum 30 innings); he scrambled back to the non-striker’s end for a second run when Stuart Broad’s famous overthrow gave the Netherlands their most famous win on the opening night of the 2009 World T20; his 307 runs at the 2011 World Cup remain (by a distance) the most by a Netherlands batter at a World Cup.And yet, ten Doeschate looks back on that stage of his career with regret. “I was very ambitious,” he says. “I had big goals for those guys and I wanted to be professional then and maybe that was an unfair expectation of guys who were working in full-time jobs. It was exciting for them to play against Sachin Tendulkar and take photos, have bats signed, which I didn’t really get. Maybe I got that wrong as well: if I had the chance again, I would approach it differently.”The England win was so much fun, certainly the biggest victory we had and in isolation, it was an absolutely great night. It was one of the first major upsets for Dutch cricket, on the first night of the World Cup. But we didn’t get out of that group: England beat Pakistan, and we lost badly to Pakistan and went out on net run-rate.”I’ve always focused on where you’re moving to: for me, getting out of that group ahead of Ireland and Namibia [at last year’s T20 World Cup] would have been a far bigger achievement than beating England at Lord’s. At the end of the day, that was just a bit of fun which didn’t mean anything. Maybe that was where I got it wrong in terms of my attitude: I did appreciate it, but I always wanted more; I wanted success in a bigger context.”Netherlands victory at Lord’s in 2009 was their greatest moment, but ten Doeschate regrets not reaching the knock-outs•PA PhotosAfter the 2011 World Cup, ten Doeschate put his international career on hold, a hiatus that lasted six-and-a-half years before Campbell brought him back into the fold. “I didn’t agree with how things were run, what was being expected of me, how I was treated,” he says. “The next series was during the English summer and I had goals that I wanted to achieve with Essex. It wasn’t even a close call.”Personally, the first half was far more successful than the second half, but the second half was far more enjoyable. The changes that they’d made in that period where I was away, making it a bit more professional. I remember meeting Cambo in Hong Kong and he said: ‘Here’s what we’re trying to do. You’ll really like it, just give it a chance.’ And he was right – I did.”Now Kent’s batting coach, ten Doeschate was a consultant coach on the Netherlands’ curtailed tour to South Africa last year and while open to similar roles in the off-season, he is not actively involved with the current squad. He was encouraged by the recent series against West Indies despite their 3-0 defeat – he covered the tour as a commentator for talkSPORT – and believes that there is plenty of young talent coming through.Related

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“Without exaggerating, the West Indies series was one of the best that Holland have ever been involved in: they had no county players available but pushed them really hard in two of those three games, and really should have won one of them. It should be an absolute walk in the park for England but it would be a result for Holland to push them and get close; with the Super League ending, it’s not all about the results and they’ll be looking ahead to the T20 World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe in July.”There’s some serious talent: Vik Singh, Shariz Nadeem, Aryan Dutt, Musa Nadeem – if you can get these guys to become bankers at associate level, that’s a good result. We’ve not seen the best of Bas de Leede either: I think he’s got all the attributes of being a proper allrounder. The lack of exposure in the way he plays shows at times because he’s often out in the same way, but in terms of technique and shots, he’s as good as any young player in England.”The absence of county-contracted players during the home summer is a source of frustration for Dutch supporters, not least because the ICC’s “mandatory release” policy dictates that the KNCB should be able to pick them. In practice, “it’s a pretty worthless mandate,” ten Doeschate says. “I know from my experience that if the Dutch had tried to enforce that, I’d have said: ‘OK, then I’ll just retire from international cricket.’ There has to be a bit more give-and-take from both sides.”It’s tricky: you look at someone like Rashid Khan – they are obviously very different circumstances, but he can afford to miss six games for Sussex or leave tournaments early. The Afghans are very good in that sense: their players are always available. Maybe because they’ve achieved more, maybe there’s a bit more purpose, maybe the set-up is a bit more professional and the set-up is designed in that way – I don’t know what the answer is but it can be done.”

Rangers were certainly busy in the transfer market last summer, but supporters will be demanding more new recruits come January.

13 new additions were made in July and August, but this team has got significantly worse, leading to sporting director Kevin Thelwell feeling the need to do an interview with the club’s in-house TV channel during the international break.

Having sacked Russell Martin after only 15 games in charge and appointed Danny Röhl, the German will surely demand new recruits when the winter window opens in just 41 days time, so could Rangers bring in some much-needed defensive reinforcements?

Rangers' need for defensive depth

After taking a couple of matches to figure things out, new coach Röhl has settled on a back three, notably deploying this shape against Hibs, Roma and Celtic.

As a result, centre-back will surely be a key position he’ll seek to strengthen in January, given the Light Blues’ lack of depth and quality in this position.

Summer signing Nasser Djiga has regularly proved himself to be an unreliable figure, making a high-profile error against Club Brugge, having been sent off on his home Premiership debut against Dundee, thereby losing his place in the side (video below).

Meantime, John Souttar has been Rangers’ most impressive centre-back so far, starting 23 of 24 fixtures to date, albeit he can unfortunately never be relied upon to remain fit for a long period of time.

He withdrew from Scotland’s starting lineup mere minutes before Tuesday’s historic World Cup qualifying win over Denmark after suffering an injury in the warm-up and was at fault in the game against Greece, with James McFadden stating that he had a “nightmare” in that clash.

So, right now, even when everyone is fit, Röhl has just four senior centre-backs for three starting positions, one of which is Emmanuel Fernandez, who has not started a match since August.

Perhaps an addition in January would do the trick.

Rangers targeting a new centre-back

According to reports in Belgium earlier this month, Rangers have “made enquiries” as they aim to sign defender Mujaid Sadick from Genk.

Well, Football Transfers believes the 25-year-old is worth around £8m, which would make him one of Rangers’ most-expensive signings of all-time, so would he be worth the investment?

Mujaid began his senior career at Deportivo La Coruña in Spain, making 55 appearances for the fallen Spanish giants, before moving to Belgium in 2021, appearing 136 times for current employers Genk, who finished third in last season’s Jupiler Pro League.

This season, he has been a near ever-present for the Smurfs, including starting all four of their Europa League matches, the first of which was a 1-0 victory at Ibrox, with former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu the match-winner.

The Spaniard’s statistics certainly make for impressive reading, as outlined below.

As the table highlights, Mujaid’s statistics in Belgium’s top-flight this season are generally pretty imperious.

No players boast a higher pass completion %, while he is also in the top 20 when it comes to tackles and clearances.

The Rangers Journal described the Spaniard as “physical, athletic, good on the ball and aggressive”, while his “versatility” has also been praised, which would certainly enhance his reputation with Röhl, who regularly tinkers with his shape and formation both from one game to the next but also within a match.

Thus, what is clear is that Rangers really need to sign another centre-back in January to avoid having to play stop-gaps as part of Röhl’s back three.

Mujaid’s statistics and potential, still only 25 years and playing in the sixth-strongest league on the planet, according to Global Football Rankings, all suggest he would represent an upgrade on Djiga and Souttar, the latter has been in good form, but is injury prone and whether or not his performances as sustainable remains a question mark.

The Spaniard would be an expensive investment, but one Rangers may have to make to correct the errors made in the summer.

Rangers star looks set to become Ibrox's new Hamza Igamane under Rohl

As Rangers seek to replace Hamza Igamane, who has been on fire for Lille, which “exciting” forward, not Youssef Chermiti, could replicate his success?

By
Ben Gray

Nov 16, 2025

Chelsea have received a massive Liam Delap boost as the striker is set to make a swift recovery from his shoulder injury. Delap looked set for more time on the sidelines after being forced out of last weekend's game against Bournemouth in the Premier League at the Amex Stadium with a shoulder injury. The English forward landed heavily and looked to be in real pain in the first half of the game.

Fresh injury setback for Delap

After spending close to two months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury at the start of the season, Delap returned to action in November. He featured in Enzo Maresca's starting against Bournemouth last weekend but lasted less than half an hour due to injury. The Chelsea forward appeared to dislocate his shoulder after a heavy fall and was replaced immediately. Delap had caught the eye in the opening exchanges against Bournemouth for his physical approach and was perhaps fortunate not to have been booked for catching Marcos Senesi with a stray arm twice before he had to be taken off.

After the game, Maresca sounded worried about Delap's fresh setback, as the Italian coach had said: "Unfortunately, he has already been out for two months and he has to be out again. We don't know for how long, but it looks quite bad, his shoulder. He has been unlucky. We are also a bit unlucky because we need that kind of a No.9."  

AdvertisementGetty Images SportChelsea's massive Delap boost

According to , Delap did not fracture his shoulder and he is expected to recover from it in the next three or four weeks. This means that in the New Year, Delap will fully recover and will be ready to take the field for the Blues. However, the English forward is set to miss matches against Atalanta in the Champions League, Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup and then Everton, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Bournemouth in the English top-flight. 

Providing a positive update on Delap's condition, Maresca had said before the Atalanta clash: "Liam is fortunately not any fracture. We had Liam two months out [earlier in the season]. Joao Pedro plays as a No 9, Pedro Neto too, also Tyrique [George] as a number nine. We try to find solutions. We know Liam needs to play games to be fit and be better and better. Now, unfortunately, he is out again."

Emegha to remain at Strasbourg

Following Delap's injury, reports emerged that the Blues might fast-track Emmanuel Emegha’s arrival from Strasbourg. However, the later reported that Emegha won't be rushed to Stamford and the youngster would rather join the Premier League giants in the summer of 2026, as decided earlier. Now, with Delap's latest update, Emegha is sure to stay in France for six more months. 

Chelsea opted to bring back Marc Guiu from his Sunderland loan back in August after Delap's earlier injury, and the plan is to stick with the former Barcelona star yet again to provide cover for Delap. Guiu replaced the injured Englishman against the Cherries, with Maresca explaining that the physical nature of the match suited the teenager more than using Joao Pedro as a makeshift centre-forward. 

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AFPPalmer fails to make Champions League squad

Despite starting in the Premier League last weekend, Palmer was not included in the Chelsea matchday squad for their Champions League fixture against Atalanta on Tuesday.

Explaining his decision to omit the starting attacker, Maresca said: "[He] played half an hour the other day, played one hour today. So now it's important that he can build the physical condition."

The Italian coach had earlier called for protecting Palmer as much as possible, as he had said: "We need to protect Cole for sure, 100%. Not only Cole in my personal view, because as I said now, because of the Club World Cup or because we never stop, we need to manage and protect different players. The solution with Cole, I don’t know, now we have a meeting with the medical staff, and we will decide the best solution for him. But it’s also a kind of injury that is not like black and white. It’s an injury that someday you can be better. It’s not that you have pain and tomorrow will disappear. Sometimes you can be better, sometimes you can be worse. That’s why we need to manage day by day." 

Diego Simeone has fuelled speculation about his long-term future after openly admitting he can “imagine coaching Inter one day." The Atletico Madrid boss, now in his 14th season, made the confession ahead of a crucial Champions League meeting with the Nerazzurri – a moment that has reignited old ties and sparked fresh questions about what comes after his successful era in Spain.

Simeone stirs future talk before high-stakes Inter clash

The build-up to Atletico's Champions League showdown with Inter was already intense but Simeone turned it into global headline material. Speaking on the eve of the match at the Metropolitano, the Argentine coach revisited his emotional bond with the Nerazzurri, where he spent two seasons as a player between 1997 and 1999.

His comments arrive during a turbulent European campaign for Atletico, marked by strong wins against Eintracht Frankfurt and Union Saint-Gilloise but also damaging defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal. With qualification still uncertain, the club’s margin for error is slim, making the Nerazzurri's visit a defining moment in their season.

And yet, instead of cooling the atmosphere, Simeone chose to heat it up, hinting at what could be his next chapter. That set the stage for his most eye-catching admission of the night.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSimeone admits he imagines coaching Inter

Before addressing tactical matters, Simeone was asked directly about rumours linking him to Inter. The 55-year-old didn’t hide behind diplomacy and gave one of the clearest answers of his managerial career.

Introducing his remarks with calm assurance, Simeone acknowledged both his past at the club and his long-term ambition. “It doesn’t depend on just me, but in my coaching career I can imagine myself managing Inter one day. I think it will happen one day,” he said.

The statement echoed a sentiment he has carried privately for years, but rarely expressed aloud. In Madrid, it landed like a bombshell; in Milan, it was heard like a promise.

Praise for Inter and deeper implications for Atletico

The Argentine didn’t stop at expressing affection he went on to shower praise on Inter’s current squad and project. He highlighted how strongly the San Siro side have developed, stressing their consistency, structure and attacking clarity. “They play very well, they have personality and they have a clear idea of how to attack. The squad is incredible. Against Milan they were proactive. They didn't finish, but they could have won. They deserved it. We have to take the game to a place where we know we can beat them.”

He then underlined their recent pedigree in Europe, placing them at the top of the continent’s contenders, adding: “In the Champions League, the numbers speak for themselves. They've played two finals. They're one of the favorites to win and demonstrate their strength, as they have done so far.”

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AFPLong contract at Atletico, but a future with Inter remains open

On paper, there is no immediate drama. Simeone is tied to Atletico until 2027, and Inter are thriving under their current manager. No short-term change is expected. But sentiment matters and Simeone has now publicly outlined what could be his next step after closing his long chapter with the Rojiblancos. 

The Spanish side have spent big on transfers in recent years and those above Simeone believe it is time to deliver trophies, having failed to do so since 2021, with the club's president saying in the summer that they are aiming to win the Champions League. Failure to beat Real Madrid and Barcelona to another domestic title, at least, could see pressure build on the Argentine as the season wears on.

For the time being, though, he remains the undisputed leader of Atletico’s most successful era. He has coached the club for nearly 15 consecutive years, delivering league titles, Champions League finals, and a modern identity built on emotional intensity and structure. Yet after this press conference, one thing feels clearer than ever: whenever the Inter bench becomes available, Simeone already sees himself there.

Tottenham Hotspur have had a fair few talents that have been underappreciated over the years, but none more so than central midfielder Mousa Dembélé.

The Belgian joined the Lilywhites in a £15m deal from Fulham back in the summer of 2012, with many supporters unaware of the quality he possessed prior to his switch to North London.

He racked up a total of 249 senior appearances during his seven-year spell at the club, arguably cementing himself as one of their best ever midfielders.

From dazzling runs with the ball at his feet to dominant physical displays out of possession, the talent cemented himself as a key player during his spell in the Premier League.

Since his move to Guangzhou City in 2019, the Lilywhites have massively lacked a player of his quality, with Thomas Frank unable to rely upon one player to be his own version of the Belgian.

Why Bentancur has struggled with Spurs in 2025/26

After Frank’s arrival in the summer, there was a huge question mark around what system the Dane would operate with at Spurs after utilising various formations at Brentford.

However, it appears as though the 52-year-old has settled on a three-man midfield in a 4-3-3 system, which has seen Joao Palhinha operate at the base, with two box-to-box players ahead of him.

Rodrigo Bentancur has been one of the most utilised players in such an area, as seen by his tally of 10 appearances out of a possible 11 in the Premier League to date.

However, the Uruguayan has struggled to impress in those outings, even being benched against Manchester United in the final game before the ongoing international break.

The 28-year-old’s underlying stats from the 2025/26 season showcase his struggles of late, which could see him drop down the pecking order further in the months ahead.

He has only created 0.6 chances per 90 this season, which ranks him in the bottom 25% of all players in the division – often struggling to make a huge impact when in possession.

Such a skillset is vital when playing with Palhinha at the heart of the side, with the Portuguese international known to break up the play and allow those around him to provide the creative spark.

However, out of possession, Bentancur has also struggled under Frank, only making 0.5 interceptions per 90, which also places him in the lower quarter of all midfielders in England’s top-flight.

The aforementioned figures highlight his all-round struggles in North London, which could certainly put his long-term future at the club in jeopardy – that’s despite penning a new deal earlier this campaign.

The Spurs star who’s already showing 'shades of Dembele'

Top-level midfielders in the modern game cost a small fortune, with numerous clubs in the Premier League often forking out mammoth sums to land world-class talents.

Four teams in England’s top-flight have spent £100m or more on a midfielder in the last five years, with Chelsea doing so on more than one occasion, with deals for Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández.

However, Spurs are a club that unfortunately aren’t in a position to willingly fork out such funds in the market, with more of a focus being directed to younger prospects.

Dominic Solanke remains the club’s record addition at £65m back in the summer of 2024, with no midfielder in Frank’s current first-team squad being bought for over £55m.

The likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr both cost a combined £22m, with both now managing to establish themselves as key first-team members in 2025/26.

However, the academy system is another avenue for clubs to go down, with the Lilywhites desperately needing to put faith in youngster Tyrese Hall in the years ahead.

The midfielder joined the club at the age of just eight, subsequently spending 12 years in the youth ranks, before making the move to join Notts County on loan in the summer.

Such a move came after the youngster registered six goals and seven assists in 28 U21 appearances in 2024/25, with such a move being his first taste of senior football.

However, whilst it may appear a daunting task to many, Hall has taken it all in his stride, as seen by his impressive numbers at Meadow Lane over the past few months.

Central midfield

30

6 (5)

Defensive midfield

19

3 (4)

Attacking midfield

18

5 (3)

Centre-forward

6

3 (2)

Left midfield

3

1 (1)

Right midfield

1

1 (0)

The 20-year-old has already found the net on six occasions, with his latest strike proving to be the winner in the affair with Cheltenham Town at the beginning of the month.

Whilst he’s operated in a more advanced role with the Magpies, Hall has previously featured slightly deeper – even playing as a number eight for the Lilywhites in a post-season friendly back in 2024.

The youngster was brought on as a substitute in such a fixture and even impressed, with one of the commentators that day claiming he was showing “shades of Mousa Dembele”.

Such praise is huge given the levels produced by the Belgian during his own time in North London, with real hope that Hall can match such levels if given the opportunity.

At 20, he still has bags of time to reach his full potential, with his loan spell at Notts County undoubtedly helping him in his quest in the professional game.

However, Frank will need to keep a close eye on his progress and potentially hand him the opportunity to impress him in pre-season ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Dream Simons replacement: Frank has "one of England's best talents" at Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur already have an elite-level prospect on their hands in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 18, 2025

Manchester United have joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck, and the Bundesliga club’s stance on cashing-in has now been revealed.

Man United have taken major strides over the past month or so, having taken 11 points from their last five matches, but it would be fair to say their defensive record still needs major improvement.

Ruben Amorim’s side have shipped 18 goals in their opening 11 games, the joint-highest number of any side above 16th in the Premier League table, failing to keep a clean sheet since the 2-0 victory against Sunderland at the beginning of October.

Both Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt have impressed in an attacking sense, with the former scoring the winner at Anfield, while the Dutchman recently received high praise from Rio Ferdinand, who said: “De Ligt’s been our best defender this season”

“I think he’s been outstanding for us. He’s even adding goals like the last-minute equaliser the other day.”

That said, Amorim clearly needs to tighten things up at the back, given the sheer number of goals his side have conceded, and the Red Devils have now set their sights on a new target.

Man Utd join race to sign Nico Schlotterbeck

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man United have now joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck, who is about to enter the last 18 months of his contract with the German club, meaning a bidding war could be on the cards.

Liverpool have also emerged as potential suitors for the centre-back, who has earned comparisons to Virgil van Dijk, in light of his composure under pressure, which has been on display in the Champions League.

Dortmund may need to cash-in due to their financial situation, as they are currently at risk of losing the 25-year-old on a free transfer, and there is no shortage of interest, with Barcelona currently believed to be leading the race for his signature.

The defender’s ball-playing ability, coupled with the fact he is left-footed, is said to make him perfect for Amorim, and the Dortmund star has earned high praise from former Premier League chief scout Mick Brown.

Brown said: “He’s a dominant centre-back, a regular for Germany, and a very defensive option who likes to win tackles, win headers and take charge of the back line.”

Impressively, the German is also very comfortable in possession of the ball, as displayed by his performance across some key passing and dribbling metrics over the past year.

Nico Schlotterbeck’s passing and dribbling statistics

Average per 90

Passes attempted

84.06 (97th percentile)

Progressive passes

7.43 (99th percentile)

Progressive carries

1.29 (89th percentile)

Successful take-ons

0.48 (92nd percentile)

Schlotterbeck is experienced at the top level, having amassed 22 caps for Germany and 35 Champions League appearances, and he could be the ideal option for Amorim at left centre-back.

What Man Utd plan to do to hijack Real Madrid's move for Marc Guehi What Man Utd are ready to do to hijack Real Madrid's move for Marc Guehi

He could be a superb signing for the Red Devils.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 4, 2025

The son of a Manchester United legend has made waves with an eye-catching performance on his first start for Salford City, scoring two goals and walking off with the Man of the Match award in a 4-2 victory over Wolves' Under-21s in the Football League Trophy. There is a strong Manchester United connection at Salford as the club are currently owned by a consortium headed by David Beckham and Gary Neville, who bought out fellow Class of '92 stars Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Phil Neville earlier this year.

• Another star in the making?

  Ruben Butt, son of former Manchester United and England midfielder Nicky, has been celebrating his first goals for Salford after helping seal an impressive win on Tuesday. The 18-year-old bagged a brace on his first start, producing two excellent finishes to ensure he was named the Man of the Match. Butt cut inside and curled a low shot past the goalkeeper for his first of the night, and then ran onto a long ball and slotted his shot between the goalkeeper's legs for his side's fourth.

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• Butt delights in first goals for Salford

  Butt spoke about his pride at opening his account for the club after the win. He told the club's media: "I had at least one in the first half maybe two. In the second half I thought, I'm going to have to score one here and I got two. Got to be happy to be honest.

  "[Alex] Bruce reminded us, especially for the senior lads about how important this competition is, with the final being at Wembley. You've got to try and win every game. We went 1-0 down so we did well to react. At half time we just said we've got to win the game. Second half performance was really great, better than the first half.

  "I feel like we've got a lot closer to the first team lads. They all look after us and are dead nice to us on the pitch, even if they have to shout at us and tell us what we've done wrong, it helps us. We are all familiar with the style of play that the gaffer and Brucey want from us. You've just got to work on it every day and prove that you should be given a chance. Like tonight was a great chance to prove it."

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  Familiar faces at Salford

  The youngster is not the only familiar name at Salford. Alex Bruce, son of ex-Manchester United star Steve Bruce, is a first-team coach at the club, while former Liverpool striker Fabio Borini was also part of the XI on Tuesday night after joining Salford in October on a short-term deal.

  Borini spoke about his decision to join the club after signing, telling the club's website: "It’s been great, I came in to train to keep myself fit in this transition between contracts and Salford, the Gaffer, Alex Bruce were kind enough to allow me to use the facilities and train here. Experience is one thing that I can bring, but it’s not just about the experience that I have on the pitch, it’s outside of the pitch so leading by example in training, outside training, how to manage a game. I’ve never played League Two football so I need to learn as well from my team mates the main characteristics of this league, but I will bring myself as an open book for my team mates to use me, learn from me or help me, so I’m very open to this challenge. It’s a challenge that I’m embracing and I chose to embrace because I needed the real football, something that warms my heart for football, not for anything else."