All posts by z3u9t.icu

According to reliable journalist Tom Barclay, Southampton transfer target Liam Delap would ‘definitely’ fit the profile of player that manager Ralph Hasenhuttl might be tempted to sign during the upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: Delap profiled

The 19-year-old first joined the academy at Manchester City as a scholar three years ago and has worked his way up through the ranks at the club, which saw him rewarded with his first-team debut in the Sky Blues’ 2-1 Carabao Cup victory against Bournemouth in September 2020.

The forward put pen to paper on a new three-year contract extension with the Etihad Stadium outfit last summer, but he has recently been touted with a move away from the Premier League champions in a bid to get some much-needed game-time and further his development.

In a recent report from The Sun, it’s claimed that the teenager is on Southampton’s shortlist as they desperately look to bolster their attacking ranks; and after raiding Chelsea’s academy to sign Tino Livramento and Dynel Simeu last year, the Saints have been backed to pull off a similar move by tempting Delap into a south coast switch in the coming months.

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The Latest: Barclay backs Southampton links with Delap

Barclay has suggested that Delap could be the perfect fit for Hasenhuttl’s plans at Southampton, given the Saints’ previous raids for young prospects from the Premier League’s top brass.

Wnd when asked whether he thought he could see any parallels in their swoops for the aforementioned ex-Chelsea youngsters, he told GiveMeSport: “Yeah, definitely. They’ve targeted Chelsea’s academy in recent history with great success, with obviously Livramento being the standout one, Broja as well.

“Dynel Simeu, who went on loan to Carlisle and did well, although he’s not been as much of a standout player; he was signed more for the B team but is another player they signed from that club’s academy.

“And I think we’ve talked about Tino Anjorin as well as another possible target in the future. So, they’ve looked at that area.”

The Verdict: Perfect replacement for Long

With veteran striker Shane Long set to depart St Mary’s upon the expiry of his contract next month, Delap could be viewed as the ideal candidate to take the Irishman’s place in the squad, either on a temporary or permanent basis.

The Winchester-born talent, who was once dubbed a “special” player by City manager Pep Guardiola, has been in excellent form in Premier League 2 this season. With eight goals and two assists in just ten appearances at that level, as per Transfermarkt, he has shown just how prolific he can be in the final third regardless of his age.

After a disappointing 15th-place finish in the top flight this season, the possible addition of someone like Delap up top could be just what Southampton need if they are to start making a serious push towards a top-ten finish next time around.

In other news… a talkSPORT reporter has made this huge Saints transfer claim involving one of their summer targets

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, Tottenham Hotspur target Idrissa Gueye could be the perfect ‘upgrade’ on midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The Lowdown: PSG open to Gueye exit

The 32-year-old currently plays his football with Paris Saint-Germain, having made a total of 110 senior appearances for the club since joining in a £29m move from Premier League side Everton.

However, French outlet Jeunes Footeux recently reported that the French giants would be open to letting the defensive midfielder leave the club at the end of the season, which may well have caught the eye of the Lilywhites.

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The Latest: Jones makes Hojbjerg ‘upgrade’ claim

Jones says that he very much likes the thought of Gueye making the switch to Spurs and believes that the maestro would be an ‘upgrade’ on current first-team star Hojbjerg. He told GiveMeSport:

“With Idrissa Gueye being linked, I can understand why he might be a fit because he wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s a great midfielder. He would seem to fit, and you would imagine they’re looking for an upgrade on Hojbjerg.”

The Verdict: A welcome new addition

With Antonio Conte reportedly wanting to add two new midfielders to his ranks as he starts to rebuild his squad ahead of the start of the new season, Gueye would be a welcome signing in the middle of the park, whether that’s as a Hojbjerg replacement or playing alongside him.

The 5 foot 7 beast, who was once hailed as an “amazing” player by Chelsea stalwart Thiago Silva, already has plenty of experience in the top-flight, having made 108 outings for the Toffees, so will know exactly what is required of him.

Gueye will be out of contract at the Parc des Princes next summer so there’s no doubt that PSG will want to try and complete a deal in the upcoming window to get some kind of fee for him, but if his price tag is affordable for Paratici and co, Spurs should do everything they can to get it over the line.

In other news… a Sky Sports pundit is thrilled by some transfer news he’s heard coming out of N17.

Injured Everton centre-back Yerry Mina will be a ‘huge’ miss against Watford, according to Premier League pundit Paul Robinson. 

The lowdown: Mina becomes latest Blues casualty

Mina lasted only 18 minutes in Sunday’s 2-1 victory against Leicester City before sustaining an injury, with Michael Keane coming on in his place.

It’s the sixth separate problem the Colombian has encountered this season, limiting him to just 11 Premier League starts.

Left-back Vitalii Mykolenko, who scored the opener, also left the action midway through the second half after suffering from cramp.

Frank Lampard has now confirmed that the calf issue will sideline Mina for Wednesday’s trip to Watford, but Mykolenko is fine.

Everton head to Vicarage Road gunning for what could be three decisive points in the battle for survival. Victory would take them four points above Leeds United with just three games to play.

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The latest: Huge…

Robinson, speaking before the Ukraine star was passed fit, says both Mina and Mykolenko have been in excellent form recently, and thinks Everton could suffer from the former’s absence.

However, he’s confident that the Toffees have still done enough to survive.

“They really have been outstanding,” he told Football Insider.

“I don’t think their injuries will matter though. I think Everton are safe. The last two wins have done wonders for them.

“I truly believe it’s between Burnley and Leeds now. Everton have momentum after those two performances. They will take care of themselves now.

“Mina and Mykolenko will be huge misses but I think they’ve done enough. I’m sure they’ll be safe come the end of the season.”

The verdict: Another one?

Everton have been hit extremely hard by injuries this season, and that’s part of the reason why they’ve struggled.

As of 5 April, they had picked up more injuries than any other team in the Premier League (via Ben Dinnery).

For Mina in particular, it’s been a stop-start campaign, and he could leave the club with a decision to make.

Might it be wise to cash in on the £18million-rated 27-year-old if he’s so rarely available, and replace him with someone who’s comparatively bulletproof?

In other news, Robinson also reacted to links with this defender.

Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen demonstrated a ‘very impressive’ range of passes against Watford on Saturday, according to one Sky Sports journalist.

The lowdown

Palace beat Watford, and former manager Roy Hodgson, 1-0 on home soil to make it back-to-back wins after last weekend’s success against Southampton.

Wilfried Zaha’s first-half penalty was enough to seal a result that moves Palace up to ninth place and confirms the visitors’ relegation to the Championship.

Andersen made his 29th Premier League start of the campaign in Palace’s 35th match, helping the Eagles keep their 11th clean sheet.

The latest

Sky Sports journalist Charlotte Marsh, stationed at Selhurst Park, was left in awe of Andersen’s distribution.

“Andersen has made a number of incredible long passes down the field to try and set Crystal Palace up in an attacking position,” she said in the early stages of the second half.

“His latest to [Eberechi] Eze on the left isn’t quite as successful as some of the others, but the range is still very impressive.”

The verdict

Andersen didn’t have all that much defending to do in this particular game as Watford, reduced to ten men following Hassane Kamara’s red card 20 minutes from time, could muster only 31% possession and five shots.

That largely explains why he didn’t make any tackles, recorded only one interception and one clearance, and contested only three duels (via SofaScore).

But he found another way to contribute, launching attacks for Palace with his booming balls from the back. Over the course of the game, he completed a whopping 15 long passes (from 22 attempts).

For context, the next highest was Watford’s goalkeeper Ben Foster, who successfully pulled off 112 (out of 33).

The £70,000-per-week man is an offensive asset to Patrick Vieira’s side despite operating as a centre-half.

In other news, Palace’s top target has emerged. 

Martin O’Neill hasn’t just steadied the ship at Celtic, he’s steered it firmly back on course, with Wednesday’s narrow victory over Dundee seeing the Glasgow giants move level on points with Hearts at the Premiership summit – and with a game in hand to boot.

While that recent surge up the table has come amid a mid-season slump for the Jambos, O’Neill could have done little better during his interim stint, recording five successive league wins, while claiming November’s Manager of the Month award.

Parachuted in following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation, the 73-year-old has brought calm to the chaos, with the Hoops now firmly back on track both domestically and in Europe.

Although the treble-winning coach may not have overseen a vintage display on his final outing in the dugout, Daizen Maeda’s brave first-half header was another to secure all three points, ensuring new man Wilfried Nancy can aim to build on this momentum heading into the weekend’s top-of-the-table clash.

The Frenchman – finally – will take charge at Parkhead, with Wednesday’s win outlining that there is still plenty of work to be done to right the wrongs of Rodgers’ regime.

Nancy's in-tray at Celtic

Perhaps the most notable point of concern for the incoming 48-year-old will be the raft of injuries that have struck Celtic of late, with left-back Marcelo Saracchi the latest to be struck down on Wednesday.

As O’Neill confirmed post-match, the 27-year-old appears to have pulled his hamstring once again, cruelly curtailing his hopes of genuinely challenging Kieran Tierney in that full-back berth.

The summer signing thus joins the likes of Jota, Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand and Cameron Carter-Vickers on the sidelines, with the latter man having notably been ruled out for the season following a severe Achilles injury.

Away from the treatment table, a key issue for Nancy to solve will be in the attacking unit, with the likes of Sebastian Tounekti, Yang Hyun-jun and the forgotten Michel-Ange Balikwisha all vying for that left-wing berth.

On the opposite flank, O’Neill has utilised Luke McCowan in recent weeks, although the Scotsman looks far more suited to a creative number ten berth, much like Sweden star Benjamin Nygren.

Equally, too, a decision will have to be made on the make-up of the midfield trio, with Reo Hatate having found his feet again under O’Neill, notably playing that stunning sweeping pass in the build-up to Maeda’s header against Dundee.

Perhaps the biggest debate, however, might be how best to cover for that devastating loss of Carter-Vickers in the backline, with questions still to be asked of the Auston Trusty and Liam Scales partnership.

Celtic's "player of the year" could now be replaced

In a department that has seen such turbulence in recent years, with figures like Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki coming and going without so much as leaving a trace, the news of Carter-Vickers’ lengthy absence will have been a bitter blow for those at Celtic Park.

Chalkboard

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

Unsurprisingly, since then, O’Neill has settled on the experienced duo of Trusty and Scales, although that pairing is not without its problems, as was evident again last night.

Indeed, the Republic of Ireland international was particularly underpar against Steven Pressley’s side, having hardly been his usual dominant self in both boxes.

As per Sofascore, the 27-year-old won just a solitary duel from four attempts, while failing to win a single tackle, having been dribbled past once in that midweek encounter.

One particular moment of concern came late on, with Scales allowing substitute Ashley Hay to burst in behind and in on goal, albeit with the towering left-footer doing well to narrow the angle for the subsequent attempt on goal.

Callum McGregor

24

Liam Scales

24

Benjamin Nygren

24

Arne Engels

23

Kasper Schmeichel

22

Kieran Tierney

21

Reo Hatate

21

Daizen Maeda

21

Luke McCowan

18

Not his usual threat in an attacking sense either, having registered no shots, dribbles or key passes despite Celtic’s possession dominance, it was a bit of an off night for the former Shamrock Rovers man.

Of course, it has largely been a positive season for the Irishman, having been noted as in the running to be the club’s “player of the year” this term by one podcaster, although as Wednesday showcased, he isn’t without his limitations.

Equally, with the sight of two left-footers deployed together at centre-back still looking somewhat unnatural, Nancy may instead prefer to take a punt on young Dane Murray.

Scales, for what it’s worth, has done little wrong of late, but if Nancy truly wants to progress this team, the steady centre-back may have to be a potential casualty.

Better than Maeda: Celtic star is going to be undroppable under Nancy

This Celtic star who was even better than Daizen Maeda against Dundee should be Wilfried Nancy’s first undroppable star.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2025

TalkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan has revealed that he spoke to Daniel Levy in the summer and urged the former Tottenham chairman to hire an alternative to Thomas Frank.

Tottenham braced for Champions League reunion with Bodo/Glimt

Spurs take on last season’s Europa League semi-final opponents, Bodo/Glimt, in the Champions League group phase this evening as Frank looks to build upon their 1-0 win against Villarreal last time out.

At the end of 2024/2025, The Lilywhites ran out 5-1 winners on aggregate over Bodo/Glimt to reach their first European final since their Champions League loss to Liverpool in 2019 — beating tonight’s opponents 2-0 the last time they travelled to the Aspmyra Stadion in May.

Bodo/Glimt’s journey to the Champions League phase comes as historic for both the club and the country they hail from, as they’re the first team from Norway to reach this stage of the competition for two decades.

Frank is no stranger to Scandinavian football and will be aware of the threat they pose this evening, according to Bodo/Glimt chief executive Frode Thomassen, who hailed the 51-year-old in an interview with GiveMeSport.

Thus far, ex-chair Levy and the board’s decision to appoint Frank looks like the right one.

Matches

9

Wins

5

Draws

2

Losses

2

Points

14

Points per game

1.89

He’s overseen five victories from nine of his first games in charge, with Tottenham also displaying a real grit to come back from losing positions to snatch dramatic draws in their last two Premier League outings.

Joao Palhinha’s expertly taken side-footed half-volley ensured Spurs avoided a humbling defeat at home to Wolves on Saturday, yet again proving the case that Tottenham should activate the £27 million buy-option at the end of the midfielder’s loan deal.

Despite their bad luck at the Amex in recent seasons, Tottenham also came back from 2-0 down to 2-2 against Brighton a fortnight ago, with signs suggesting that Spurs are already a far more robust outfit than under Ange Postecoglou.

Simon Jordan urged Daniel Levy to hire Oliver Glasner instead of Thomas Frank

Tottenham had other options on their managerial shortlist to replace Postecoglou.

According to reports, before the club announced Frank as their latest new manager, Tottenham did consider a move for Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.

The Austrian is working wonders at Selhurst Park right now, despite losing a succession of star players in the last two summer windows, with Michael Olise joining Bayern Munich in 2024 and Eberechi Eze signing for boyhood club Arsenal last summer.

They also face the looming threat of Marc Guehi’s departure as his contract winds down towards expiry, but for now, Glasner’s Palace are unbeaten in their last 18 games across all competitions.

Now, pundit and ex-Palace chairman Jordan has told talkSPORT that he urged Levy to go for Glasner before Tottenham eventually hired Frank, calling the tactician a “top, top manager”.

The 51-year-old’s contract currently expires next summer, so if things don’t work out with Frank, the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss will be readily available in 2026 as things stand.

Of course, this is presuming another top side doesn’t come in for Glasner, which may be wishful thinking considering just how fine of a job he’s done in South London over the last 12 months.

It’s been a couple of weeks since the transfer window closed, and it’s hard to remember a better summer for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta got practically everything he could have wanted, from a prolific number nine, to a new highly sought-after six, a backup for Saka and one of the most exciting young defenders in world football.

Moreover, with the signing of Eberechi Eze, he got someone who can replace Gabriel Martinelli out on the left or start as the team’s out-and-out ten.

It’s not even a problem that he’s closer to 30 than some would like, as Arsenal also look to be brewing their own homegrown version of the Englishman, and no, we aren’t talking about Max Dowman.

Why Eze could be a game-changer for Arsenal

Even though Viktor Gyokeres was far more prolific and Martin Zubimendi reportedly caught the attention of Real Madrid, Eze feels like Arsenal’s most important signing this summer.

Even discounting the narrative of his returning home and the story of his choosing the Gunners over Tottenham Hotspur, there are a few reasons why we think his move could be the most consequential.

Firstly, unlike some of the other new faces, the Greenwich-born maestro is already Premier League-proven.

Including the games against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest this year, he has made 149 appearances in the competition, during which he has scored 34 goals and provided 24 assists.

Secondly, the 27-year-old “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, has proven himself capable of taking high-pressure games by the scruff of the neck and dragging his team over the finishing line.

For example, he scored in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of the FA Cup as Palace won their first significant honour last season.

Finally, as we’ve already mentioned, his versatility means he can play out on the left or in the ten depending on what the team need, or which other players are out of form.

However, Arteta has to be careful not to play him out wide too often, as while the former QPR gem can play there, it’s clearly not his preferred position.

We can see this in his heatmaps from last season, when he clearly moves towards the middle the further up the pitch he gets.

Attacking Midfield

144

35

21

Left Winger

53

10

8

Central Midfield

43

9

3

Left Midfield

32

8

5

Right Winger

11

3

1

Right Midfield

4

0

0

Centre-Forward

2

0

0

Moreover, the vast majority of his goal involvements have come when he is playing in attacking midfield, 56 to be exact.

In all, Eze looks like he’ll be an incredible addition to this Arsenal squad, and in even better news, it looks like the club are already brewing their own version.

Arsenal's homegrown Eze

Now, given the way pre-season went, and the way he’s started the season prorper, some may assume that the player in question is the sensationally talented Max Dowman.

Chalkboard

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

However, that’s not the case, as while he could well develop into an Eze-esque star for Arsenal, he is still just 15 years old, and we haven’t really seen enough of him to determine something like that.

Instead, when it comes to the Gunners’ homegrown version of the former Palace star, we are talking about none other than Ethan Nwaneri.

There are a few reasons for this, and the first is where he plays.

Like his older teammate, the Hale Ender is someone who can play in a number of roles – with Arteta even claiming he could play up top last season – but he seems to have two he’s most comfortable with, which are right-wing and attacking midfield.

Moreover, while he can play out wide, as he did for much of last year, he spent most of his time in the academy playing as a ten, and he’s even told the press that it’s his preferred role.

The second similarity is that the “phenomenal” talent, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, has already proven himself to be a significant goal threat, as well as someone who can create.

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

For example, in 37 appearances, totalling just 1378 minutes, the Enfield-born dynamo scored nine goals and provided two assists, which comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or every 125.27 minutes.

Finally, like the 27-year-old, the Gunners’ next big thing is an entertainer on the pitch.

He’s not afraid to try something audacious with the ball at his feet, and according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90, and that dribbling past an opponent is always one way to get the fans on their feet.

Ultimately, Eze could well be the difference for Arsenal this season, but Nwaneri could end up being just as, if not more, important in a few years.

Arsenal fans gave £60m ace the Madueke treatment all summer, now he's set to star

The Arsenal star could be in for a career revival this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 19, 2025

Manchester United will not be playing European football in the 2025/26 campaign after they lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the Europa League earlier this month.

Their only chance to secure Champions League football for next season was to beat Spurs in Bilbao, due to their lowly position in the Premier League, and they failed to do so.

Whilst you could spin that into a positive, as United will not have a busy schedule with loads of European matches to deal with, it could affect the club’s business in the summer transfer window.

Manchester United reportedly held face-to-face talks with Ipswich Town centre-forward Liam Delap earlier this month, but he is now set to sign for Chelsea.

Fabrizio Romano revealed that Enzo Maresca’s side are on the verge of signing the England U21 international for a fee of £30m, thanks to a relegation clause in his contract with the Tractor Boys.

The Italian journalist added that Champions League football was a key part of his decision to join the Blues, which suggests that United losing in the Europa League final played a role in their failure to land Delap.

Why missing out on Liam Delap is a blow for Man Utd

Manchester United missing out on a deal to sign the Ipswich Town centre-forward ahead of Chelsea is a blow because he could have been an interesting addition to Ruben Amorim’s squad in the summer transfer window.

The former Manchester City striker joined the Tractor Boys last year and enjoyed an impressive debut season in the Premier League, despite his team’s relegation back down to the Championship.

Delap scored 12 goals in 32 starts for Ipswich in the top-flight, whilst Bruno Fernandes ended the year as Manchester United’s top scorer in the division with just eight strikes.

The 22-year-old marksman would have arrived at Old Trafford as an upgrade on Amorim’s current first-choice number nine, Rasmus Hojlund, based on their respective performances in the Premier League this term.

Appearances

37

32

xG

9.34

5.24

Goals

12

4

Conversion rate

18%

13%

Big chances created

3

4

Assists

2

0

As you can see in the table above, Delap had a far more impressive season as a goalscorer for his side, accumulating more xG and far more goals despite playing in a worse side, as Ipswich were relegated from the league.

These statistics suggest that he would have improved United’s team by coming in to offer a greater goal threat at the top end of the pitch in comparison to Hojlund, which is why missing out on him is a blow.

A failure to land Champions League football has put an end to their pursuit of Delap, unfortunately, but the Red Devils are now reportedly looking at a forward who could be even better than the Ipswich star.

Man Utd eyeing deal for Premier League forward

According to GIVEMESPORT, Manchester United are ready to pursue a deal to sign Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that they are preparing to target the Cameroon international in the coming weeks after it became clear that they are set to miss out on Delap to Chelsea.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It adds that Brentford value the left-footed forward at a fee of around £60m this summer, which means that the club would have to pay twice as much as Chelsea are due to pay for Delap in order to get a deal over the line for him.

GIVEMESPORT also reveals that Mbeumo is aware of the interest from Manchester United, but that a move is not far enough along for the player to have made a final decision on his future.

The outlet states that United would be willing to pay the £60m price tag if they felt that it would give them an advantage over the likes of Newcastle United, who are unsure about whether or not they want to pay that much for the Brentford star.

Arsenal are also said to be keeping an eye on his situation heading into the summer transfer window, but the Magpies appear to be the biggest competition for his services.

Why Man Utd should sign Bryan Mbeumo

The Red Devils should swoop to sign the left-footed star ahead of Newcastle by paying the £60m asking price because he could be even better than Delap for Amorim.

One of the biggest question marks looming over the Ipswich star is whether the 2024/25 campaign was just a flash in the pan? It was his first season in the Premier League, and he had never scored more than eight goals in a single Championship season previously in his career, out on loan with Preston, Stoke, and Hull.

That same concern would not be there with Mbeumo because he has proven himself to be a very capable Premier League performer over the course of a number of seasons at Brentford.

The 25-year-old star has played in the top-flight since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, following his team’s promotion from the Championship, and has delivered plenty of quality in the final third since then.

After a return of just four goals and seven assists in his first season in the Premier League with Brentford, Mbeumo improved his output as a goalscoring threat for the Bees.

Appearances

35

38

25

38

xG

N/A

9.77

9.81

12.26

Goals

4

9

9

20

Big chances create

4

14

6

17

Assists

7

8

6

7

As you can see in the table above, the £60m-rated sensation has consistently provided goals and assists at an impressive rate over the last three seasons, scoring more goals than United’s top scorer this year in all three of those terms.

Mbeumo, who was once hailed as “unplayable” by manager Thomas Frank, also scored eight more goals and supplied five more assists than Delap in the Premier League in the 2024/25 campaign.

This suggests that the Brentford star could be an even better signing than the England U21 international for several reasons, as he is more of a proven quantity at Premier League level, and has the potential to deliver even more quality in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Amorim's own McTominay: Man Utd make contact to sign "world-class" £50m ace

Manchester United could be about to land a star who could be the new Scott McTominay.

ByEthan Lamb May 30, 2025

Therefore, Mbeumo could be worth the extra £30m that United would have to pay to sign him this summer, which is why they should go ahead with a move to snap him up ahead of Newcastle.

This time last year, Leeds United were full to the brim with nerves as a Championship playoff final awaited the Whites at Wembley.

Thankfully, no such heartache on the biggest stage is plaguing Daniel Farke’s men currently, with any loss to Southampton now a distant memory, considering the second-tier title was wrapped up in style this season by the West Yorkshire giants.

One downside to Leeds winning promotion could come in the form of Harry Gray’s development being hindered, with so much already anticipated of the teenager at Elland Road despite the attacker only being 16 years of age.

Gray's incredible rise at Leeds

Plenty of the hype surrounding Gray does come from his notable namesake, with his brother Archie now on the books of Tottenham Hotspur and a Europa League winner after exploding into life in the senior game with the Whites.

Farke was heavily responsible for the 19-year-old’s sudden rise in the first team, considering he gifted the versatile Spurs number 14 his first senior opportunities at Elland Road, with history now amazingly repeating itself.

Indeed, with Leeds’ promotion virtually wrapped up, the German would start to name the 16-year-old sensation amongst his substitutes, with his first official appearance for his boyhood employers coming against Stoke City last month.

With 11 goals next to his name playing for both the U18s and U21s too, this could well be the early beginnings of a future icon in West Yorkshire. After all, he has already been described as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation” by data analyst Ben Mattinson.

Gray might not be the only rising star that could soon work his way into Farke’s regular first team picture, though, with this fellow Thorp Arch product possessing the potential to be as big a talent as the much-talked-about striker if given time.

The Leeds youngster who could be as impressive as Gray

It isn’t the biggest shock in the world to see the Leeds conveyor belt continuing to churn out more and more top-drawer youngsters with the likes of Kalvin Phillips once beginning his journey with the Whites.

Sam Chambers could be the next prodigy to rise the ranks and make an impression; therefore, with the exciting 17-year-old also gaining his first meaningful senior opportunities this season when given a cameo late last year versus Plymouth Argyle in the league, alongside an FA Cup chance against Millwall in 2025.

These rare slices of senior action would follow on from Chambers thumping home this effort in pre-season action for Farke’s men, with the promising Scotman really catching the eye at a youth level for the Whites for his versatility all across the attacking positions.

Indeed, his ability to maraud down the wings or play as a number 10 has even seen his ever-improving game be compared to that of Jack Grealish and Tyler Dibling by SCOUTED editor Llew Davies, who stated that Chambers “breaks open games, beats presses, creates positive attacking situations. He’s a little bit like Grealish, Emile Smith Rowe and Dibling.”

AM

20

2

3

CM

5

1

0

CF

4

1

1

LM

3

0

0

RW

1

0

0

LW

1

0

0

RM

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Chambers will aim to follow in both Grealish’s and Dibling’s footsteps, therefore, as the electric duo were both raw gems themselves once upon a time at Aston Villa and Southampton before their big breaks.

If he can go on to live up to these lofty comparisons, he could even be a bigger talent than Gray, with the future looking very bright at Elland Road as Premier League football returns, alongside yet another generation of stars coming through that look extremely encouraging.

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Since the turn of the century, Chelsea rank first across Europe for transfer expenditure, spending a rather grotesque figure of €3.86bn (£3.2bn).

Having sold players to recoup around €1.96bn (£1.65bn) during the same period, the Blues have a total net spend of €-1,899.67m since 2000.

While the club may have won two Champions League titles and five Premier League crowns during that period, plus winning a plethora of other domestic and European trophies, spending has gone to a new level since Todd Boehly took control.

The Stamford Bridge side did make plenty of exciting signings during the first 12 years of the century. Players such as Didier Drogba, Claude Makelele and Ricardo Carvalho all played key roles under José Mourinho as the Blues emerged as a major force.

Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois and Oscar saw Chelsea enjoy a successful second act between 2012 and 2017, winning another two Premier League titles and a Europa League crown.

One signing was perhaps lauded more than the rest, especially given how much potential he had upon moving to Stamford Bridge.

Juan Mata looked ready to explode into life in the Premier League upon moving to England. Unfortunately, his time in London was short-lived, but his cult status hasn’t left him.

Juan Mata’s Chelsea statistics

Mata had enjoyed an excellent start to his career. After making his debut for Valencia, the Spaniard accrued over 150 competitive appearances for the La Liga side, scoring 46 goals and grabbing 52 assists in just four seasons.

This form saw him secure a place in the 2010 World Cup squad. He may have only played 20 minutes for Spain during the tournament, but he got his hands on the trophy.

Chelsea made their move a year later, signing the playmaker for a fee in the region of £23.5m, which was certainly a bargain.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2013/14

17

1

3

2012/13

64

20

30

2011/12

54

12

20

During his first season with the club, he played 54 games and registered 32 goal contributions, helping the Blues win the FA Cup and Champions League.

Remarkably, 60 goal involvements were recorded in the season after as Mata emerged as a key attacking threat for the London side. They didn’t win anything, but with Mourinho announced as the new manager in the summer of 2013, hopes were high of further glory.

It was clear he wasn’t going to fit into his tactical system, resulting in Mata making just 11 Premier League starts for the Blues during the first half of the season.

In January, Manchester United paid £37.1m to bring him to the North East, but he left Chelsea as a cult icon for his impressive displays.

With the transfer window set to open in just a few weeks, could Chelsea be about to raid Valencia once again for a talented young player with the world at his feet?

Indeed, a move for Cristhian Mosquera this summer could see him become Mata 2.0.

Chelsea make their move for La Liga sensation

While the club are in urgent need of a new striker or two heading into the transfer market, Enzo Maresca is also on the lookout for a new defender.

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are keen to step up their interest in Mosquera, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season for the Spanish side.

As per the report, the Blues could be set to initiate talks with the centre-back soon in a bid to secure his signature. Due to the fact that his contract expires next summer, Valencia are only demanding a fee of around €25m (£21m), which is certainly feasible for Maresca.

They face stiff competition from Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig. While Atletico Madrid are also keen. Three of these clubs will take part in the Champions League next term, meaning Chelsea must secure their place in the competition to stand a chance of landing the youngster.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Although Maresca has plenty of centre-backs at his disposal, Mosquera could soon become a first-choice option for the Italian.

Why Chelsea must sign Cristhian Mosquera

The 20-year-old has started all but one of Valencia’s league matches this season, although the club have underperformed as a whole, looking like they might finish in the bottom half of the table.

Throughout the campaign, the Spaniard exuded the qualities of someone ten years older. Indeed, he has won an impressive 69% of his total ground duels per game in the top flight, along with making 3.4 clearances, 1.4 tackles and losing possession only 0.3 times per match.

These solid displays at the heart of Valencia’s backline have bolstered his reputation, being praised heavily in the process.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that Mosquera is a “magnificent CB in the making” earlier this year. He also stated that the youngster was “one of the most talented U-21 CBs in Europe” following an excellent performance against Real Madrid in April.

When compared to his positional peers in La Liga this season, Mosquera currently ranks in the top 4% for ball recoveries (5.16) per 90, along with ranking in the top 14% for pass completion percentage (90.8%) and in the top 18% for percentage of dribbles tackled (76.3%) for Valencia.

He is certainly still raw and has plenty of development to do over the next few years, but these statistics prove he can mix it with the very best in Spain, no doubt about that.

For a fee of just £21m, Maresca won’t find better value out there all summer. Mosquera has proven throughout the 2024/25 campaign that he is a reliable centre-back,k and his signing fits into the club’s policy of bringing younger talent to London.

Mata enjoyed a wonderful two-and-a-half-year spell with Chelsea after sealing a move from Valencia. Given his growing reputation and talent, Mosquera could certainly go on to enjoy a similar sort of impact at Stamford Bridge should he make the move this summer.

Maresca must act swiftly to secure his signature, especially with plenty of other suitors swirling around the player.

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