In an international break full of positives on the injury front for Eddie Howe, Newcastle United have been handed yet another boost with one long-term absentee now in line for a return.
Newcastle injury news
Barring the continued absence of Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman, who suffered ACL injuries last season, Newcastle are all but back to full strength ahead of their meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion fresh from the international break this weekend. This means that both Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak are in line for much-needed returns, with the former potentially making his first start of the season.
Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson for Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, Isak’s return will mark his first appearance since Newcastle’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of Fulham towards the end of September. Without the Swede, the Magpies have been without a goal from open play in 270 minutes of football in all competitions – a run that Wilson should also help to end of course.
Without a Premier League win in three games, the Brighton game suddenly has added importance as Newcastle look to get back on track. With Wilson, Isak and now one other in line for a return though, their fortunes are certainly looking up.
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Troubling times for the Magpies…
ByTom Cunningham Oct 17, 2024
As reported by Chronicle Live, Lewis Miley has returned to Newcastle training for the first time in seven months and is in line to make his first appearance of the season in the coming weeks.
The young midfielder suffered a broken metatarsal in last season’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat against Manchester City and has faced a long road to recovery ever since. Now, seven months later, he has battled back well and will hope to put himself back in contention for Howe’s side as soon as possible.
Still just 18 years old, Newcastle will likely ease Miley back into action in a run that he’ll hope to pick up where he left off at St James’ Park.
Newcastle must remain cautious with "brilliant" Miley
Whilst Miley was one of the few positives to emerge from Sandro Tonali’s ill-timed suspension last season, the Magpies eventually paid the price for their failure to find other options, with their academy graduate soon suffering a long-term injury. Learning a harsh lesson, Newcastle must not rush Miley back now that he’s returned to training. After all, this is a player who could be at the heart of their midfield for years to come.
Starting 17 games for the first team last season, it’s clear that Miley has the quality to earn a place under Howe but Newcastle must not run their young talent into the ground before he even has the chance to reach his peak.
Howe will need to act with caution when it comes to the full recovery of a player destined for great things, as the Newcastle boss pointed out last season, telling reporters via The Northern Echo: “I believe there’s huge growth in every area of his game – athletically, physically, technically, tactically.
“We’ll never stand still with Lewis and will look to continually help him. But what he has got already is a brilliant brain, and that brain allowed him to play so well (against Chelsea).”
Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards has urged Arsenal and sporting director Edu Gaspar to make a signing so manager Mikel Arteta can stop relying on a “frustrating” weak-link in his Gunners team.
Arsenal draw with Liverpool in thoroughly entertaining clash of titans
Despite missing a host of key players in William Saliba, Riccardo Calafiori and captain Martin Odegaard, Arteta very nearly came away from the Emirates Stadium with a victory over high-flying Liverpool on Sunday.
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Bukayo Saka, despite reports in the build up suggesting he looked set to miss their face-off with Arne Slot’s side, was deemed fit to play and opened the scoring with an excellent finish into the roof of the net.
Virgil van Dijk equalised just under 10 minutes later, but it didn’t take long for the home side to seize back an advantage through summer signing Mikel Merino’s diving header.
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
Chelsea (away)
November 10
Nottingham Forest (home)
November 23
West Ham United (away)
November 30
Man United (home)
December 4
They held a 2-1 lead for the majority of the second period, with Liverpool superstar Mohammed Salah unfortunately leveling the score just nine minutes from full-time.
Whilst Kiwior’s lack of awareness arguably led to Salah’s equaliser, which squandered the advantage, it was an impressive outing overall by the north Londoners considering they were forced to field a weakened team – with Thomas Partey also playing at right-back so Ben White could fill in for Saliba.
Arsenal didn’t really have a potent attacking option to call upon in place of Kai Havertz, either, with striker Gabriel Jesus misfiring so far this term and yet to get off the mark in all competitions.
This has led to reports that Edu is looking to sign a striker in January, and pundit Richards has now had his say on the matter.
Richards urges Arsenal to sign striker for Arteta
Speaking on the Rest of Football podcast, Richards urged Edu to sign a striker for Arsenal, to ease the reliance on Jesus and take some of the pressure off Havertz’s shoulders to lead the line, as the club continue their quest for a first Premier League title in over two decades.
“It’s how adaptable Arsenal are. You see [Thomas] Partey playing right-back, Timber playing left-back,” said Richards.
“Without key players they still managed to find a way. If they want a low block, if they want to counter-attack and still cause problems.
“People question their mentality in terms of how they want to play but I always give a manager credit if they’re able to adapt to what the game needs and Arteta did that really well.
“I think it’s just frustrating for him [Arteta], you bring in Jesus as this striker, winger, forward whatever you want to call him and he’s not contributing enough in terms of goal threat. Maybe another forward [needs to be signed] just to help him out, relieve some of that pressure on [Kai] Havertz.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers might well decide to change their manager in the coming days. It has been an appalling start to the season for the Old Gold, who are rock bottom of the Premier League and winless so far this term.
Gary O’Neil is seemingly under increased pressure, with his side without a win since the 27th of April, a 2-1 victory against now-relegated Luton Town. They have three draws this campaign and have the worst defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded 27 goals.
The higher-ups at Molineux may well decide to pull the plug on O’Neil’s reign soon enough and are believed to be surveying options. There has been one shock candidate who has emerged.
Wolves' search for a manager
The manager in question here is Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin. The Swedish boss has been incredibly impressive at the helm for the Scottish side this season and is thought to be a target at Molineux if they decide to make a change.
According to a report from Graeme Bailey, the Old Gold would have to pay a release clause of £2m if they decide to bring the impressive Swedish boss to the club. That follows a report from the start of October, which suggested the Midlands club are ‘considering making a move’ for Thelin.
Indeed, the £2m release clause was something believed to be inserted this summer in the Swede’s contract at Pittodrie. It could now be a clause the Old Gold activate as they look to transform their season.
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Why Thelin would be a good appointment
It has been a sublime start to life in British football for the former Elfsborg boss. He joined Aberdeen this summer and has made an extraordinary start to life at Pittodrie, with The Dons flying high in the SPFL this term.
Despite a 6-0 thrashing by Celtic in the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup, they are the closest challengers to the Bhoys in the top flight and sit second. Brendan Rogers’ side are only top on goal difference, with both sides currently on 28 points from 10 games.
Stat
Number
Games
10
Wins
9
Draws
1
Losses
0
Goals for
20
Goals against
9
Points per game
2.8
One thing that Thelin has done this season has turned their home ground, Pittodrie, into something of a fortress. Their only dropped point this term has come away from home, at Celtic Park, meaning they have a flawless record at home.
That includes a famous 2-1 victory over Scottish giants Rangers.
There is certainly a case to be made that Wolves would be taking a big risk in appointing a manager from the Scottish top flight, with the Premier League being a big jump.
However, the man who goes a long way to disproving that theory is Ange Postecoglou, the Tottenham Hotspur manager.
After a successful spell in Scottish football in charge of the Bhoys, in which he won five trophies, including two league titles, the Australian made the move to North London. There, he boasts an impressive record which includes 31 wins in 56 matches, and a fifth-place finish in his first season. The Lilywhites have performed well this term, too, and are two points outside of the top four.
Thelin could certainly be Wolves’ own version of Postecoglou, who has proven there can be a relatively seamless transition between the Scottish and English top flights.
With that in mind, it may well be worth the risk for the Old Gold, particularly with Thelin also mirroring the Spurs boss with regard to his attack-minded, free-flowing approach, as has been outlined by Dons hero, Willie Miller:
Former Celtic defender and Thelin’s fellow Swede, Johan Mjallby, described him as “the next best thing” in management in the past. It may certainly be a risky appointment for the Midlands club, but Aberdeen’s boss could be the man to come and change the fortunes around at Molineux, as they look to survive in the Premier League.
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Arsenal prepare to face Newcastle United at St. James' Park
After keeping Premier League title rivals Liverpool at bay last Sunday, drawing 2-2 with Arne Slot’s in-form Reds, Mikel Arteta is preparing his side for a tough trip to face Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.
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In his mission to maintain Arsenal’s momentum and continue bouncing back from their first defeat of the season against Bournemouth a fortnight ago, Arteta fielded a fairly strong team in their 3-0 win over Preston North End on Wednesday evening, with the Spaniard also having to cope minus a few star players.
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
Chelsea (away
November 10
Nottingham Forest (home)
November 23
West Ham United (away)
November 30
Man United (home)
December 4
Key creator and captain Martin Odegaard has been out for over a month with an ankle injury, while Takehiro Tomiyasu is expected to be out for the foreseeable after his knee problem flared up again.
Summer signing Riccardo Calafiori is also out for a “few weeks” after picking up an injury in their Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk last week, so it seems as if Arteta may be forced to field a near-identical team to the side which drew with Liverpool last weekend – depending on Gabriel Magalhaes’ condition.
Arsenal remain favourites to win their clash with the Magpies, who haven’t gained a single three points in the top flight since their 2-1 victory at Wolves in mid-September, but the nature of the Premier League means there are no certainties in any game.
To give Arteta the best chance of clinching Arsenal’s first league title in over 20 years, whilst maintaining their place among the country’s most elite sides, Edu and his staff are preparing for the January window and beyond.
Arsenal are believed to remain in the market for a second-choice keeper, despite signing Neto on a season-long loan. Espanyol star Joan Garcia agreed personal terms to join Arsenal in the summer, and he was Edu’s preferred target for the role, before they couldn’t agree on a transfer fee with his club.
Arsenal eyeing new goalkeeper target in Anthony Patterson
The north Londoners are still keeping a watch brief on Garcia ahead of a potential move, but he isn’t the only keeper on their radar.
That is according to The Boot Room, who claim Arsenal are also fond of Sunderland keeper Anthony Patterson. The 24-year-old has played a key role in guiding Sunderland to the Championship summit, as they chase promotion back to the top flight after years of absence.
Arsenal are now eyeing a move for Patterson, who is valued at around £20 million by The Black Cats, amid his fine start to 2024/2025 – with teammate Simon Moore calling him a “top class” young keeper.
Chelsea’s increased transfer output since the takeover by Todd Boehly in 2022 has been a huge turnover of players to allow various managers the opportunity to end the club’s wait for a league title.
The Blues haven’t claimed a Premier League title since the 2016/17 season under former boss Antonio Conte, with the American owner desperate to return success to Stamford Bridge.
It may be a controversial way to assemble at title challenging squad, but current boss Enzo Maresca is certainly reaping the rewards at present, leading his side to third place just nine points off the summit going into the third international break.
Their recent outing saw them claim a valuable point against London rivals Arsenal, denting their ambitions of dislodging Manchester City from their recent glory in England’s top flight.
Pedro Neto starred scoring the vital equaliser after Gabriel Martinelli’s opener, looking way more comfortable off the right-hand side following Noni Madueke’s withdrawal.
However, it was another one of Boehly’s big-money additions that caught the eye, playing a crucial role in keeping one player quiet throughout.
Marc Cucurella’s stats against Arsenal
After joining in a whopping £62m deal from Brighton back in 2022, the deal for left-back Marc Cucurella certainly raised eyebrows around the footballing world.
His move wasn’t helped by his lack of immediate impact in West London, often looking off the pace and being dominated by the opposition’s attackers.
Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella
However, he played a crucial role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph during the off-season, returning to the Bridge with a newfound sense of confidence – allowing him to become a regular starter in the early days of the Maresca era.
His best display to date undoubtedly came against Mikel Arteta’s side at the weekend, preventing dangerman Bukayo Saka from creating any clear-cut chances in front of goal.
Minutes played
90
Touches
58
Pass accuracy
36/39 (92%)
Tackles won
2/3 (67%)
Interceptions made
3
Clearances
2
Recoveries
3
The 26-year-old featured for the entirety of the contest, winning two tackles and making three interceptions as he neutralised the threat posed by the England international.
However, despite his admirable display, it wasn’t as good as one former Blue who produced an even better showing against the Arsenal ace earlier on in the campaign.
The player Chelsea may regret offloading
Fellow left-back Lewis Hall emerged through the Cobham academy during the 2022/23 campaign, making 11 first-team appearances – staking his claim for a regular starting role despite his tender age of 18.
However, he was shipped out on loan to fellow Premier League side Newcastle United last season, before joining the Magpies on a permanent basis this summer for a fee in the region of £35m.
Whilst on the face of it, £35m may seem like an excellent deal for an academy graduate with just a handful of professional games under his belt, it’s turned out to be a shocking decision with Hall rapidly developing under Eddie Howe’s guidance.
He’s since featured in all 11 league outings this season, even featuring against Saka in their 1-0 win over the Gunners a couple of weeks ago at St James’ Park.
The youngster was handed the Man of the Match award for his display, which saw him win ten of the 14 duels he contested, winning three tackles in the process in what was a dominant display against an elite-level talent.
Hall’s subsequent performance led to The Athletic’s George Caulkin claiming that he was “exceptional vs Saka” – ultimately playing a huge part in the win for the Toon.
To rub salt into the wounds for the Blues, the now 20-year-old was recently included in Lee Carsley’s England side for the upcoming Nations League fixtures – further highlighting his rapid progression since his Stamford Bridge departure.
Undoubtedly, Boehly’s investment since his takeover has allowed for a huge turnaround and given Maresca the opportunity to be a success in his first year at the helm.
However, such spending has seen them have to balance the books, with Hall just one player suffering as a result.
Their loss is most certainly Newcastle’s gain, with the Magpies now the home to one of if not the best English left-back in world football based on current form.
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His tenure might not have ended in the best way possible, but Mauricio Pochettino turned Tottenham Hotspur into a sensational side during his five years at the club.
The Argentine took charge in 2014, turned a mediocre team into genuine title contenders, and even led the club to their first Champions League final.
This was achieved through a combination of brilliant tactics and astute recruitment, with players like Son Heung-min, Toby Alderweireld and Dele Alli all joining the club under the 52-year-old’s watch.
However, for all the incredible players he brought to N17, Pochettino was also responsible for his fair share of dud signings, including one who proved to be a massive mistake and earned as much as star attacker Brennan Johnson does today.
Pochettino's worst signings
Before we get to the offender in question, let’s look at some of the other poor signings made under Pochettino’s reign, starting with a striker who couldn’t score: Vincent Janssen.
Tottenham flop Vincent Janssen.
Yes, the Dutch centre-forward joined the North Londoners for £17m in the summer of 2016 following a sublime season with AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, in which he scored 32 goals and provided seven assists in 49 appearances.
Unfortunately, the Heesch-born poacher seemed like a totally different player in England and after a few years which saw him go out on loan to Fenerbahçe for a season, the 30-year-old left N17 for just £6m, with six goals and four assists in 42 appearances to his name.
Another striker who failed to live up to expectations under Pochettino was Clinton N’Jie, who joined the club for £12m in August 2015, following a promising campaign with Lyon in which he scored eight goals and provided nine assists.
However, as with Janssen, the Cameroonian marksman seemingly lost the ability to score following his move and would eventually leave the club two years later following a loan move back to France, with no goals and just one assist to his name in 14 appearances for the Lilywhites.
That said, while N’Jie was a bad transfer, he didn’t cost the club anywhere near as much as the following transfer.
Pochettino's costly mistake
The player in question is former Spurs full-back Serge Aurier.
Serge Aurier for Tottenham.
The North Londoners opted to pay Paris Saint-Germain £23m for the Ivorian defender in August 2017, and while the move raised a few eyebrows at the time due to him receiving a suspended sentence for assaulting a police officer a year earlier, his performances on the pitch were deemed good enough.
For example, in 32 appearances for the French giants in the 16/17 campaign, he produced a reasonable tally of five assists, including one against North London rivals Arsenal in the Champions League.
Unfortunately, instead of getting a reliable and effective attacking right-back, the Lilywhites got an unreliable and “erratic” liability, as dubbed by former icon Teddy Sheringham, who managed to get himself sent off on his first Premier League start for the club.
The Ouragahio-born enigma would get himself sent off for a second time just a couple of years later in a league game against Southampton, and when he gave away a pointless foul in the 2021 League Cup final that led to Manchester City’s winner, Jamie Carragher blasted him.
Truth be told, the criticism was incredibly scathing with the Sky Sports pundit labelling him as “one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football” and the kind of player who would “put you off management with the amount of crazy decision he makes.”
It was in the aftermath of the defeat that his contract, which saw him earn £80k-per-week in his first season at the club and £70k-per-week for the next three, was finally terminated by mutual consent, with him having scored eight goals and provided 17 assists in 110 appearances.
So, when combined, the former PSG ace earned a whopping £15m in wages from the Lilywhites, meaning his total cost to the club, including his fee, was an enormous £38m, which does not seem like fair value considering the performances he put in.
Transfer Fee
£23m
Total Wages
£15m
Appearances
110
Cost per Appearance
£345k
Goals
8
Cost per Goal
£4.7m
Assists
17
Cost per Assist
£2.2m
Goal Involvements
25
Cost per Goal Involvement
£1.5m
When broken down, that comes to £345k-per-appearance, £4.7m-per-goal, £2.2m-per-assist and £1.5m-per-goal-involvement.
Ultimately, while he was able to put in some good performances here and there, the poor discipline, huge costs, and disastrous foul in the League Cup Final make it hard to look at Aurier’s transfer as anything other than a massive failure, especially when he earned as much as Johnson is today.
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The sensational international has been on a journey since leaving Spurs.
It is fair to say that it has not been the start to the season that Glasgow Rangers were hoping for in the Scottish Premiership under Philippe Clement.
The Light Blues have lost three and drawn two of their opening 14 matches in the division and that has left them a whopping 11 points behind Celtic in the title race, and below Aberdeen in the table.
Clement’s side have suffered losses to Kilmarnock, Celtic, and Aberdeen in the Scottish top-flight, which has left them with plenty of work to do to catch up with their rivals.
Football Insider recently reported that the Belgian head coach is under mounting pressure but that he is set to remain in post until after the League Cup final clash with the Hoops at Hampden Park later this month.
Patrick Stewart is due to officially start as CEO after that match and the report claimed that his first decision on the board could be to make a call on the future of the former Monaco boss.
Clement, therefore, needs to keep picking up strong results to show the board and Stewart that he deserves more time at Ibrox, and ensuring that his key players – including Nicolas Raskin – continue to shine is key to that.
Nicolas Raskin's form this season
Whilst the season as a whole has been disappointing for the Gers so far, the manager has helped the Belgian central midfielder to thrive in the middle of the park since his return from injury.
The 23-year-old star was out from July to September through injury, missing nine competitive matches, and has come back to emerge as a regular starter alongside Connor Barron in midfield.
Raskin has started eight of his 11 appearances in the Premiership and three of his five outings in the Europa League this term, which shows how much trust Clement has had in him, despite his injury issues.
Appearances
11
Starts
Eight
Pass accuracy
90%
Tackles per game
3.1
Ground duel success rate
66%
Aerial duel success rate
62%
As you can see in the table above, the former Standard Liege star has been a terrific anchor at the base of the Rangers midfield in the Scottish top-flight so far this season.
He has offered reliability in possession as well as incredibly strong defensive work, winning the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air, whilst making over three tackles per game on average.
Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin.
Clement and Rangers could elevate his game to another level, however, by swooping to sign Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka when the January transfer window officially opens for business next month.
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The Boot Room recently reported that the Scottish giants have been offered the chance to sign the England U21 international ahead of the second half of the season.
It was claimed that both Rangers and Celtic have been told that the former Aston Villa prospect is available in January and that the Blues would be willing to send him to Glasgow on loan.
The outlet added that the Premier League giants would also be prepared to sell Chukwuemeka on a permanent basis, but did not reveal how much they would want for the 21-year-old gem, whom they paid £20m for in 2022.
Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka.
Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Celtic or Rangers are ready to take Chelsea up on their offer to sign the English talent, the Austrian-born gem has been offered to clubs across Europe, which suggests that there could end up being plenty of competition for his signature.
The Boot Room claimed that Chukwuemeka is not a part of Enzo Maresca’s plans at Stamford Bridge and it has been agreed that he will be allowed to explore a potential exit in January, as the midfielder is ready to move on from the club.
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With this in mind, Nils Koppena and Clement, should he still be in a job come January, should push hard to win the race to sign the Chelsea youngster, because he could be a perfect partner to help Raskin to elevate his game.
Why Carney Chukwuemeka would be perfect for Nicolas Raskin
Firstly, the Blues gem stands at 6 foot 2 and could offer the height and physicality that the 5 foot 10 Belgian whiz does not offer in the middle of the park, which could help the Gers against taller and stronger teams, particularly in Europe.
Chukwuemeka is also a player with the attacking potential to come in and thrive at the top end of the pitch for the Light Blues, which is an area in which Raskin has struggled.
Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka with former boss Graham Potter.
The current Rangers star is yet to register a goal or an assist in the Premiership so far this season and has only created 0.6 chances per game in the division, which shows that he has struggled to make things happen in the final third.
Having a midfielder next to him, or in the number ten position in front of the double pivot, could allow Raskin to solely focus on his defensive work and then recycling possession to find the likes of Chukwuemeka, Ianis Hagi, Nedim Bajrami, and Vaclav Cerny in dangerous areas.
Villa U18s
26
10
8
Villa U21s
29
3
5
England U19s
13
6
0
Villa first-team
16
0
1
Chelsea first-team
31
2
1
As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old showed plenty of promise at youth level for club and country as a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position.
His statistics do not seem great on paper at first-team level but he has only started six Premier League games for Villa and Chelsea combined to date, which means that the youngster has not had an opportunity to showcase his quality on a regular basis.
James Norris, who played with him at youth level, once claimed that Chukwuemeka is a “a bit like Pogba”, which is a comparison which makes sense when you consider his attacking potential and height in a midfield role.
Villa insider Charlie Jennings, when speaking to Sempre Milan amid links to AC Milan, illustrated the youngster’s strengths by saying:
“Carney is an outstanding ball carrier from deep areas of the midfield. He is known for marauding, mind-boggling dribbles through tight areas and compliments this with a delightful array of passes.”
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Pogba, who scored 39 goals and provided 48 assists in 233 games for Manchester United, offered similar qualities in the middle of the park, and Rangers could find their own version of him in a swoop for Chukwuemeka, who could then elevate Raskin’s game by allowing him to focus solely on his best qualities as a ball winner and passer from deep.
Chelsea are planning a January exit for a “quality” member of Enzo Maresca’s squad, and he’s got an array of Premier League suitors heading into the looming winter transfer window.
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There are a good few players who could be shown the Stamford Bridge exit door when the window opens for business on January 1, and they’re exactly who you’d expect.
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Maresca has already ruled out any January departure for Christopher Nkunku, with the Frenchman proving extremely useful off the bench and scoring 12 goals in all competitions.
There were murmurs of Nkunku being unhappy with his lack of game time, but Maresca poured cold water over a possible exit next month.
However, the same cannot be said for left-back Ben Chilwell, midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka or Cesare Casadei. Chelsea are fielding approaches for Chilwell before January, according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, while there is a belief that Chukwuemeka is pushing to leave Stamford Bridge amid his lack of opportunities.
Everton (away)
December 22
Fulham (home)
December 26
Ipswich Town (away)
December 30
Crystal Palace (away)
January 4
Bournemouth (home)
January 14
Reports in Italy are heavily linking Casadei with a return to Serie A. Indeed, it is believed Monza have been in talks over signing Casadei on loan, while AC Milan and Juventus are also believed to hold a serious interest.
Cesare Casadei
All three players have been bit-part players this term, mainly used in cup competitions, and summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall certainly falls into that bracket as well.
The Englishman, who was a star man under Maresca during Leicester City’s push for Premier League promotion last season, now finds himself on the fringes of Chelsea’s first team after joining them for around £30 million in the summer.
Chelsea planning January exit for Dewsbury-Hall with 10 teams interested
Dewsbury-Hall has been regularly linked with a Chelsea exit as a result, but CaughtOffside now write that the midfielder is in serious demand. Indeed, it is believed that as many as 10 sides from Britain alone are keen on offering him an escape route next month as Chelsea plan to offload Dewsbury-Hall in January.
Leicester City, Fulham, Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford, Manchester United and Arsenal are all monitoring this situation closely, with the plethora of teams sensing a real opportunity to bolster their midfield ranks.
Chelsea's KiernanDewsbury-Hallin action with Southampton's Kamaldeen Sulemana
It has been a tough time for Dewsbury-Hall in his new surroundings, but it will be comforting for the player to know there are many other potential destinations for him as we fast approach 2025.
“Maresca knew about him and knew he was a quality player,” said journalist Graeme Bailey to The Chelsea Chronicle recently.
“It was a very strange deal. I don’t think he’s going to be at Chelsea at the start of next season. It is what it is. He’s not the only one it will happen to. Chelsea are well set in that department.”
The managerial merry-go-round is in full swing in the Premier League now with Russell Martin’s dismissal from the Southampton hot seat following on from Gary O’Neil losing his job at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Both managers were facing a losing battle to remain employed, especially Martin who bowed out from his time at the Saints with a depressing 5-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur, which left his side rooted to the bottom of the league on a dire five points.
Southampton manager Russell Martin.
Now, the next appointment has to be spot on in order to try and give Southampton a fighting chance at somehow surviving, as many names begin to be linked to the vacancy.
Southampton's managerial search
The main faces being linked to the pressurised job post include Danny Rohl and Carlos Corberan, as Southampton cast their net into the Championship to find Martin’s successor.
Rohl has previously been a coach at the Saints, with the German at the club under Ralph Hassenhuttl’s lengthy tenure, whilst Football Insider has revealed that Corberan is a ‘top contender’ to take over at the Premier League’s basement club, having been in the dug-out at West Bromwich Albion since 2022.
Away from those two in-work managers, there are also many unemployed bosses who could be up for consideration to come in and be just the fresh blood needed at St. Mary’s.
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One of those free agent managers is reportedly Kasper Hjulmand, who would be seen as both an upgrade on the heavily fancied Corberan and recently departed Martin if he does relocate to England soon.
What Hjulmand could offer Southampton
That’s the case according to a report by talkSPORT, who state that the relegation favourites have long admired the Dane, with the potential for Hjulmand to be swayed into taking on the tough opening.
The 52-year-old has shown in the past, however, that he can work wonders under pressure as a manager, having guided one of his previous clubs, FC Nordsjælland, to their first-ever Danish Superliga title in 2012, among other glittering achievements.
Kasper Hjulmand
Moreover, he also helped his nation reach the semi-finals of the Euros in 2020, only to be beaten by Gareth Southgate’s England 2-1 in a closely fought contest at Wembley.
Therefore, it does feel as if the ex-Denmark head coach is worthy of an opportunity to test himself in England’s elite division, with Hjulmand also tallying up more victories as a manager overall when weighed up next to Corberan and Martin.
Manager
Games managed
Wins
Draws
Losses
Hjulmand
358
147
83
128
Corberan
242
96
64
82
Martin
252
101
56
95
Boasting 46 more victories than Martin as a more experienced head, Hjulmand could sense this is the perfect job for him to get stuck into after resigning from his international team position earlier this year.
After all, the 52-year-old’s play style in aiming to keep possession before launching into an attack would suit the Saints well, having averaged 53% of the ball this campaign to date despite being often blown away by superior opponents.
Whilst Corberan would perhaps be able to offer some more stability, as a defensive coach who knows the ins and outs of the English game, Hjulmand could be the bold left-field choice Southampton are crying out for, with 560 goals rippling the back of the net under his exciting managerial methods.
Once labelled as a “fantastic coach” by Simon Kjaer when the pair worked together at Denmark, the proof will be in the pudding if the Scandinavian can miraculously keep his new club afloat should a deal go through.
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Arsenal are increasingly keen on the signing of a Barcelona star in the January transfer window, and his agent has travelled to England this week, as the representative fields interest from N5 and across the Premier League.
Arsenal scouring market for new forward after Bukayo Saka injury
Credible media sources have shared that Arsenal are scouring the market for a Bukayo Saka alternative, after the £195,000-per-week star winger was ruled out of action for weeks with a hamstring injury.
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There are also fears within Arsenal that Saka could be sidelined until March (The Daily Mail), which would be a hammer blow for manager Mikel Arteta, as he desperately looks to remain in this year’s Premier League title race and end the club’s 21-year wait for a domestic crown.
Raheem Sterling would be useful as cover for Saka, but sadly, Arteta won’t be able to call upon the 30-year-old as he’s also out with a knee injury.
Ipswich Town (home)
December 27
Brentford (away)
January 1
Brighton (away)
January 4
Tottenham (home)
January 15
Aston Villa (home)
January 18
It is looking more and more imperative that Arsenal bring another winger in once the January window commences, which is set to open in a few days time, but the Gunners do possess options in that regard.
Reports have claimed that PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani could be offered to Arsenal on loan, with the France international star struggling to establish himself under Luis Enrique at the Parc des Princes since his move there from Eintracht Frankfurt.
France'sRandalKoloMuanireacts
Meanwhile, it is also believed that Barca attacker Dani Olmo – who only joined the La Liga giants for around £50 million in the summer – is attracting serious interest from north London, as interim sporting director Jason Ayto looks to Europe in search of more wide options.
The former RB Leipzig sensation could leave Catalonia “free of any contract” next month (Sacha Tavolieri), with Barca struggling to pay his wages for the second half of 2024/2025 as they tackle registration issues.
This has put a host of sides on red alert, including Arsenal, who sense an opportunity to seize the 41-cap Spain international who’s bagged six goals and an assist over his 15 appearances for the Camp Nou side this term.
Agent travels to England as Arsenal eye January move for Dani Olmo
Sky Sports have reported that Arsenal are in “positive contacts” with Olmo’s representatives ahead of a potential move, and The Daily Mail have backed Arteta’s interest in the 26-year-old with a fresh update of their own.
The Mail shares that Olmo’s chief agent, Andy Bara, has travelled to England this week, and he was in attendance to watch Man City’s 1-1 draw with Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day.
While Bara claims that he was there merely for a holiday, as he’s quoted as saying by the report, he is actively exploring transfer options for his client – and Arsenal are named by The Mail as a potential destination for him.
Arsenal have apparently taken a “keen interest” in signing Olmo this January, and are eager to ascertain whether the forward will be available next month, alongside fellow Premier League giants Man United and Man City.