Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma made his first start in more than a year in the 2-1 win against Manchester City on Wednesday night, and Blues fans were certainly impressed with his performance.
With wing-back Victor Moses still missing and Antonio Conte clearly worried about the attacking threat that Pep Guardiola’s side would bring, the France international was named in the starting line-up for the first time since February 2016 after a long lay-off with a cruciate knee ligament injury
While he did well on his comeback, the 22-year-old was withdrawn at half-time with Nemanja Matic coming on as Conte decided to alter his formation and bring another body into the midfield.
Nevertheless, Blues supporters were impressed his showing in the first 45 minutes and they believe that he is getting back to his best after such a long spell on the sidelines.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction to the post…
According to reports in The Sun, Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez could quit if he isn’t handed £100m to spend by the club after securing promotion back to the Premier League on Monday night.
What’s the word, then?
Well, after leading the Magpies back to the top flight at the first time of asking, the Spaniard is set to demand a huge transfer war chest to ensure the club don’t face another battle against relegation next term.
Even though he spent more than £50m last summer – with the majority of that money coming from the sales of Moussa Sissoko, Andros Townsend and Georginio Wijnaldum – Benitez’s relationship with owner Mike Ashley was said to have come under strain during the January transfer window as the club failed to bring in any of his targets.
What else does Benitez want?
The former Real Madrid and Liverpool boss wanted full control of recruitment when he signed a new three-year deal to stay at St James’ Park last summer.
While Ashley gave him his word on that at the time, Benitez is worried there is a chance he could lose it with chief scout Graham Carr back involved with the club.
How many new players does he need?
It’s difficult to say but there is no doubt that the squad needs a lot of strengthening if they are to compete.
Benitez will probably look to bring in around five or six players that will be starters next season to boost the likes of Jamaal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey, Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle who are likely to be considered good enough to be Premier League regulars.
Will he get his £100m?
The whole situation has certainly taken a new twist on Wednesday with the news that managing director Lee Charnley has been arrested after the HMRC raided St James’ Park as part of a tax fraud investigation into the club’s transfer dealings.
Whether this will have an effect on their budget and business this summer remains to be seen but one thing is certainly clear – Newcastle United need Rafa Benitez more than he needs the Magpies.
According to Spanish transfer outlet Don Balon, via the Daily Star, Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera is a summer target for Barcelona.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Catalan giants are said to be looking for a long-term replacement for Andres Iniesta with the 32-year-old getting no younger, and they are said to have been impressed with the performances of Herrera this season.
Barca believe that the Spaniard would fit in well to their style of play having featured for Athletic Bilbao in La Liga before.
However, he isn’t their only target and Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho and Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Verratti are also said to be on their radar.
How good has Herrera been this season?
The 27-year-old has become a key man in midfield for the Red Devils and he has scored one goal and provided a further six assists in 27 Premier League appearances.
He showed his importance to the side when he scored one and assisted the other in the 2-0 win against leaders Chelsea at Old Trafford earlier this month.
Would Mourinho let him go?
The Portuguese boss will want to strengthen his squad rather than losing key players this summer and with Michael Carrick getting no younger and Marouane Fellaini unlikely to be a regular next season, it is vital that he keeps the impressive Herrera at Old Trafford.
If the midfielder wanted to return to Spain or play for Barcelona then the situation could change as United won’t want to keep a player that doesn’t want to be at the club.
What’s the verdict, then?
Having become a key man in the Manchester United midfield it seems unlikely that Mourinho would be willing to sell Herrera or that the Spaniard would want to leave, but the lure of playing for Barcelona could be too good to turn down.
Celtic romped to yet another derby victory over Rangers this season with one of their biggest ever victories over the Gers at Ibrox in history.Goals from Scott Sinclair, Leigh Griffiths, Callum McGregor, Dedryck Boyata and Mikael Lustig provided the mammoth 5-1 win and even a customary Kenny Miller goal could do little to dampen the spirits of the away support.That means it’s five wins out of six against Rangers this season for Brendan Rodgers side, the other of which ended as a draw.They’ve also now extended their season long domestic unbeaten streak to 42 and are just five matches away from cementing themselves as Celtic legends.There were star performers throughout the team for Celtic; Scott Brown, Leigh Griffiths and Jozo Simunovic to name but a few. One of the best performances came from young Patrick Roberts who, after putting in a brilliant display at Hampden last week, was absolutely brilliant all day.He’s due to head back to his parent club in the summer but as this stat from Squawka shows, the Hoops should be doing everything in their power to have him either extend his stay or move permanently.
That’s a fantastic return from a player who has never really had an extended period of games from the start this season. He was of course contributing to goals on Saturday, setting up Callum McGregor and winning a penalty for Scott Sinclair to convert.
With 14 assists in all competitions, no-one has more and if he does return to Man City for next season, a big gap will be left in this Celtic side.
According to reports in The Times, Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is ready to demand a loan move away from the club this summer.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the 21-year-old would have hoped to get more first team opportunities under Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge this season having signed a new long-term contract last season and also being one of the Blues’ only youngsters to have never been sent out on loan, but it hasn’t been the case.
The England Under-21 midfielder has grown frustrated with life at Stamford Bridge and will tell the Italian manager that he wants to leave on a temporary basis if he isn’t given more of a chance next term.
How many times has he featured this season?
Britain Football Soccer – Chelsea v Peterborough United – FA Cup Third Round – Stamford Bridge – 8/1/17 Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek looks dejected after missing a chance to score Action Images via Reuters / Tony O’Brien Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your ac
Despite being one of the club’s most highly-rated young players, Loftus-Cheek has made just 11 appearances in all competitions – with all six of his Premier League outings coming from the substitutes’ bench – this season.
The latest blow came on Monday night when he wasn’t even named in the squad for visit of Watford despite Conte making nine changes to his starting line-up from the side that wrapped up the Premier League title on Friday night.
Why hasn’t he played more?
With no Champions League football, Chelsea have had fewer games this season and it has affected the midfielder.
Conte has had a settled partnership of N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic in the middle of the park for much of the campaign and hasn’t felt the need to change it.
Does he still have a future at the club?
He should do, yes.
Having signed a new long-term deal this season, Loftus-Cheek is said to be seen as the next youth product after John Terry to become a regular in the side.
But perhaps the club believes that he needs to gain more experience out on loan first in order to do that.
What’s the verdict, then?
Well, it seems that Loftus-Cheek has a long-term future with the champions and that he needs regular first team football in order to boost his chances of becoming a Chelsea starter in years to come.
A move away to someone like newly-promoted Brighton and Hove Albion would be a low pressure and ideal.
As reported by The Daily Record, the deal to bring Mexican midfielder Carlos Pena to Rangers is not quite done and dusted yet despite the player undergoing a medical in Glasgow earlier this week.
What’s the story?
Pedro Caixinha has wasted little time in recruiting players for his Rangers revolution this summer, signing Ryan Jack and Bruno Alves, and appears close to adding even more talent to his midfield.
The Daily Record say the midfielder agreed a three-year deal with the club on Friday, also passing a medical that would clear him to sign for the Light Blues.
However, he still needs to get the all-clear from an independent panel next week that will decide next week whether he gets a work permit or not.
The 27-year-old, rated at £3m on Transfermarkt, has been capped 19 times by his country but has only featured twice over the last 12 months, meaning that he fell short of a gaining an automatic visa.
What will he add?
The Rangers midfield has often been accused of being lightweight over the last 12 months and Pena would certainly add a strong, physical presence in the middle of the park. That’s not say he is without flair, also holding the ability to score goals.
With current club Leon, where he is on loan, he formerly scored 12 goals in 31 matches to help them gain promotion to the Mexican top-flight.
That was enough to win him a multi-million pound move to Guadalajara, and Caixinha will be hoping he can tap into some of that potential if he eventually makes the move to Scotland.
According to reports from The Independent, Tottenham Hotspur are considering a swoop for Borussia Dortmund’s Matthias Ginter amid doubts over the futures of a number of their defenders – namely Kyle Walker, Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose.
The 23-year-old is an incredibly useful member of the Black-Yellows squad. He’s featured as a centre-back, a right-back and a wing-back this season – which is exactly the kind of versatility Mauricio Pochettino needs to add much-required depth to his Spurs ranks.
But the nine-cap German international, who lifted the World Cup with his country in 2014, hasn’t convinced everybody with his performances this season, Dortmund disappointingly ending the campaign in third place.
He’s reportedly available for £15million, which is well within Tottenham’s financial reach this summer and will leave them with plenty to spare to make more signings. So, Lilywhites supporters, would you back a transfer swoop for the 23-year-old? Let us know by voting below…
According to reports in The Sun, Southampton are hoping to beat a number of their Premier League rivals to sign £8.75m-rated Caen winger and France Under-21 international Yann Karamoh, but the 18-year-old’s contract dispute with his club will need to be sorted first.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Sun says the youngster has just a year left on his contract and as he is looking unlikely to sign a new one, the Ligue 1 outfit are keen to sell him this summer to avoid losing him for free next year.
However, the report adds that the player’s lawyer has advised him to instead run down the final year of his deal to maximise his opportunities when he is available for nothing next summer.
But a number of Premier League clubs, including Everton, West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal are interested in the French teenager, although Southampton are leading the race to bring him to England, according to The Sun.
How did he do last season?
Karamoh only made his debut for the Caen first team last August, and despite his tender years he played a key role in helping them avoid relegation to Ligue 2 last term.
The 18-year-old, who primarily plays on the right wing but has also played on the left and as a centre-forward during his short Caen career, scored five goals and provided a further four assists in 35 Ligue 1 appearances.
Would he be a good signing for Southampton?
While he is – quite understandably because of his age – not the finished article, Karamoh certainly showed last year that he has huge potential to achieve big things in his career if he continues to develop in the right way.
That is something Saints can help him with if he moves to the south coast outfit, as they have shown they are willing to give young players regular playing time in the Premier League.
Southampton were missing that exciting, attacking spark at times last season without Sadio Mane, and they may feel that the 18-year-old could be the unpredictable forward that loves to run at defenders that they didn’t really have last term, especially after Jay Rodriguez joined West Brom on Sunday.
What’s the verdict, then?
Well, Southampton have been known to find gems around Europe before selling them on for big fees in recent years, and if they get Karamoh for £8.75m this summer and develop him in the right way, he could be worth an awful lot more in one or two years’ time.
Former Chelsea captain John Terry could become an Aston Villa player when his contract expires this weekend, according to The Mirror.
What’s the word?
Many have been waiting to see where Terry moves to after deciding to call an end to his 22-year stay at Chelsea.
The man himself admitted that he considered retiring, but at the end of last season claimed that he intended to continue playing.
MLS clubs, as well as those from the Chinese Super League, have been linked to the 36-year-old defender.
However, The Mirror reports that Villa are in the driving seat and could announce Terry’s arrival as early as this weekend when they unveil their 2017-18 kit.
It is believed that the Midlands outfit have offered Terry £5m and a one-year deal that includes massive bonuses if the club earn promotion back to the Premier League.
Is this the right move for Terry?
In most cases, players in the closing stages of their careers tend to move abroad and look for that final big pay check before hanging up their boots.
Moving down to the Championship provides a big challenge for Terry, particularly as he started just six Premier League games last season.
The fixtures come thick and fast in the second tier, so it is a big ask for Terry to handle the pressure and intensity.
In a way it is admirable that he wants to continue pushing himself in the twilight years of his career, but let’s make no mistake, he will still benefit handsomely from a financial standpoint.
If Terry still craves competition, then Villa is a good destination, particularly if they launch a series promotion bid.
Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester United in the race to sign Romelu Lukaku is proving so fractious it could reportedly see Antonio Conte quit the club before the Premier League season officially starts up next month.It certainly feels as if the Blues boss has put all his eggs in one basket; before surprise reports of Manchester United agreeing a fee with Everton emerged, Lukaku being Chelsea-bound was the widely-held assumption – so wide, in fact, Conte had already cut Diego Costa loose via text message.That bridge is already burned and Chelsea have now missed out on Conte’s No.1 replacement, in worrying echoes of the club’s recruitment the last time they entered a season as reigning Premier League champions – when Jose Mourinho was sacked in December as his squad’s form, confidence and commitment spectacularly imploded.
It may well have been Lukaku or bust in the eyes of Conte, but Chelsea can’t waste any more time looking back at a deal that’s now impossible. And for all the Belgium international’s obvious qualities, boasting 85 Premier League goals at the tender age of 24, he arguably isn’t the right fit for the shoes Costa will leave behind anyway. Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata, on the other hand, is.
At first glance, the Spain international is the riskier of the two. Whereas Lukaku has more than proved himself to be a prolific goalscorer in the Premier League, reaching double figures for the last five campaigns, Morata’s spent his entire career in either Spanish or Italian football.
He’s not been as lethal either, scoring 45 less league goals than Lukaku over the last five years despite plying his trade with two of the biggest clubs in Europe in the form of last term’s Champions League finalists.
He’s also never been the main man for Real Madrid and Juventus in the same way Lukaku has at Everton, floating in and out of his sides usually as an understudy to a more illustrious name – although the 24-year-old is now Spain’s first-choice up front.
WATCH THE LATEST 442OONS VIDEO BELOW…
But plenty of strikers have enjoyed fantastic form during their first seasons in the Premier League, not least including Costa who’d spent his entire career in Portugal and Spain before moving to Stamford Bridge in 2014. That certainly didn’t slow him down and in fact highlights how style of play is as important as experience when adapting to the somewhat idiosyncratic English top flight.
“I am happy in Italy but Germany and England are both countries where my style of football could be better suited.ÂI like the Premier League a lot because of the way football is played there. It’s more attractive for a striker because it is not as tactical as in Italy.”
Morata stated himself last year that his style of play is better suited to English and German football, something which stands out when watching him in action. The 20-cap international is tall but mobile, rendering him effective in the high press, stretches defences with darting runs down the channels and has a subtle yet integral aggression about his game. That mix of physicality, aggression, energy and, of course, technical quality is practically the litmus test for Premier League players nowadays.
More than simply a good fit for the Premier League, however, Morata’s combination makes him a far more natural successor to Costa than Lukaku, who rarely uses his imperious physicality to impose himself on the opposition in the way you’d expect of a 23-year-old centre-forward. Indeed, Lukaku is more of the pure poacher mould despite his size, always looking to get on the shoulder of the last defender or run beyond the backline on the counter-attack.
Of course, the trade-off is quite simply Lukaku’s lethal supply of goals. If he could replicate his 25-goal haul last season at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea would have a pretty good chance of retaining the Premier League title next term considering how solid they are defensively.
Football – Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea FA Cup Semi Final – Wembley Stadium – 11/12 – 15/4/12 Chelsea’s Frank Lampard (R) celebrates with Didier Drogba Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine
Yet, goals provided from up front have rarely been the most important returns for Chelsea throughout the Roman Abramovich era; just two out of ten seasons saw Didier Drogba score more than 12 Premier League goals and none of Costa’s three seasons have produced a Golden Boot, despite two ending in title wins – in fact, even when Chelsea won the Champions League in 201/12, their entire strike-force scored just 42 goals throughout their 61 competitive fixtures that season.
Bringing Chelsea’s sensationally talented midfielders into the game has proved far more important, the first being Frank Lampard and the second being the current talisman Eden Hazard. Perhaps Conte hoped Lukaku would help readdress the balance somewhat but currently, the Belgian winger is Chelsea’s most valuable player by quite some distance; it’s more important a striker can get the best out of him than netting 20 or 30 times himself.
Last season, for example, Costa to Hazard was the joint-11th most common assist-to-goal combination in the Premier League. Hazard to Costa, meanwhile, didn’t even rank in the top 20.
In that regard, Morata remains head and shoulders above Lukaku – as you can see from the statistics. The quality of link-up play is a difficult subject to judge statistically – some argue no aspect of football should be analysed on numbers alone – but Morata does trump the towering Belgian for chances created, assists, passes, duels won, tackles won, fouls won and fouls committed per ninety minutes.
That highlights how although Lukaku is a great goalscorer, Morata offers far more in terms of all-round centre-forward play – easily the greatest asset Costa currently offers Chelsea.
And perhaps the fact Morata wasn’t Chelsea’s first-choice will work in their favour as well, the Spaniard arriving at Stamford Bridge with a point to prove – especially after being forced to play bit-part roles at Real Madrid and Juventus – and the driving ambition to outperform Lukaku at United.
It’s the kind of subplot we often overlook in football, particularly when the statistics are brought out, but could prove to be a pivotal one in this instance.
As with any transfer, however, Morata’s potential move to Chelsea will likely come down to price. It’s claimed Real Madrid want £79.62million (€90million) – but how much do you think he’s worth Blues supporters?