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Arsenal were finally back in action on Tuesday night, and after months off with a hamstring injury, so was Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End icon didn’t start the Premier League game against Fulham, but he did come off the bench midway through the second half and then, just seven minutes later, scored what ended up being the winning goal.

It was a cameo that reminded everyone of just what the Gunners have been missing since December, and if they are to get past Real Madrid in the Champions League, it’ll no doubt be in part down to him.

In even more exciting news, Andrea Berta seems intent on supporting Saka next season by signing an international star who’d be his dream teammate next season.

Arsenal's transfer targets

Following what is likely to be another season without any silverware, it’s no surprise that the transfer rumours around Arsenal are already coming thick and fast, with one of the most significant in recent days concerning Matheus Cunha.

The Brazilian is supposedly another one of Berta’s targets, as not only has he seriously impressed for Wolverhampton Wanderers this season, producing 19 goal involvements in 29 games, but he worked with the Italian during his time with Atlético Madrid and has a release clause of around £62.5m in his contract.

Someone who could join for free in the summer is Bayern Munich ace Leroy Sané, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the season and has reportedly held “concrete” talks with the North Londoners.

However, with the German set to turn 30 midway through next season, fans might want the club to sign a younger winger for the long term, which is what appears to be happening with Nico Williams.

Transfer Focus

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

According to the Guardian’s Ed Aarons, Arsenal are currently “exploring a summer move” for the Athletic Bilbao gem, who has a release clause worth about £48m in his current contract.

In fact, he goes a step further, revealing that, as one of “his first acts as the club’s sporting director”, Berta has already “held talks” with the player’s representatives.

It could still be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Williams’ incredible ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be unreal alongside Saka.

Why Williams would be a dream for Saka

When it comes down to it, there are a couple of intertwined reasons why Williams would be such a good signing for Arsenal and, specifically, Saka, with the first being his raw output.

For example, in just 37 appearances last season, the “world-class” talent, as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy, scored eight goals and provided 16 assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.54 games.

Williams’ recent record
Season	23/24	24/25
Appearances	37	38
Goals	8	9
Assists	16	7
Goal Involvements per Match	0.64	0.42
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Then, this season, he’s scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 38 appearances, which comes out to a slightly reduced but nonetheless impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.37 games.

Having a player who is this productive on the left wing will not only reduce the burden on the Gunners’ mercurial number seven, but with how frequently the Spaniard scores or assists, he will likely see his own tally increase.

Moreover, the fact that he’s so dangerous will force opposition defenders to focus on both wings instead of doubling up on the Englishman as they do today, which should open up space for the 23-year-old, which is the second reason he’d be a dream teammate.

Finally, according to FBref, the Bilbao dynamo sits in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, for successful take-ons per 90, which again, should see him pull defenders away far more than the North Londoners current left-wing options do.

Ultimately, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Williams this summer, as his output is spectacular, and even when he’s not scoring or assisting, he has the ability to make things happen, which will make him a dream to play with for Saka.

Their best CF since Aubameyang: Arsenal in talks to sign £58m "powerhouse"

The unreal goalscorer would be a game-changer for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 3, 2025

Manchester United icon Paul Scholes' take on Chelsea's Moises Caicedo sparked an online backlash, with fans claiming the opinion was "outrageous".

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Scholes sparks online backlashCriticises Caicedo's Chelsea performancesFans claim he "doesn't understand football"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Speaking on the , brought to you by , Scholes said: "A lot of people were talking about Caicedo, saying he played 38 games. Yeah, but was there much quality? Did he create a lot? Did he control loads of games for Chelsea? I don't remember that. I think there's an era now, with midfielders especially, where you can go through seasons and games without really contributing."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Many fans disagreed with Scholes' comments, with @RhysCarefree posting on X: "This is genuinely one of the worst bits of punditry I’ve ever seen. And if Paul Scholes has said this he quite simply doesn’t watch much football."

@cfcire added: "Breaks my heart when players as good as Paul Scholes are this f*cking stupid. Like what do you mean one of the most talented English midfielders ever doesn’t understand football."

@DarkOfTheMovie added: "Paul Scholes’ take on Caicedo is the exact reason why you shouldn’t take any of these United legends punditry serious. It’s actually comical you can think Caicedo had ANY game this year where he contributed nothing."

In agreement was @ArsenalMediaXI, who added: "Paul Scholes is the worst pundit by a mile! You can't watch Chelsea's games, and do even a 30-second stat check, and think Moises Caicedo that was a star for Brighton and now Chelsea doesn't 'contribute a lot'."

@Blue_Footy said: "Paul Scholes questioning what Caicedo offers to the team is really funny. I wonder if these ex-Man United players even watch football. It's like asking us what [N'Golo] Kante offers because he doesn't dictate tempo or control games."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Caicedo won the Chelsea players' Player of the Season award and supporters' Player of the Season award at Chelsea, having played 52 matches in all competitions this season. He capped off his campaign by netting in the Europa Conference League final win against Real Betis.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR CAICEDO?

Caicedo's holidays cannot begin yet, with Chelsea set to take part in the Club World Cup this summer. The Blues play Leon, Flamengo and ES Tunis in the group stage.

Son Heung-min sent a heart-warming message to sacked Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou amid murmurs of a player revolt after his axing.

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• Postecoglou fired Spurs to UEL success
• Tottenham players are not happy with his exit
• Son sent a message to the Australian

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Postecoglou, who recently led the North London club to a historic Europa League title, was relieved of his duties despite the continental triumph. Son, who served as club captain under the former Celtic boss, posted a heartfelt message on Instagram that has since sparked further speculation regarding unrest behind the scenes.

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  WHAT SON SAID

  Son’s tribute painted a vivid picture of the respect and bond between the two. He wrote: "Gaffer. You’ve changed the trajectory of this club. You believed in yourself and us since day one and never wavered for a second. Even when others did. You knew what we were capable of all along. You did it your way. And your way brought this club the best night it’s had in decades. We will have those memories for life.
  "You trusted me with the captaincy. One of the highest honours of my career. It’s been an incredible privilege to learn from your leadership up close, I am a better player and a better person because of you. Ange Postecoglou, you are a Tottenham Hotspur legend forever. Thank you, mate. 🤍"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chairman Daniel Levy’s decision to terminate Postecoglou’s contract has reportedly not gone down well among members of the squad. Despite a dismal domestic campaign that saw Spurs end the Premier League season in 17th place, many within the camp had hoped the manager would remain to build on their European success. Meanwhile, Son’s emotional farewell has further intensified speculation that he, too, may consider a move away from Tottenham this summer.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  With Postecoglou gone, attention has quickly turned to who will take the reins ahead of Tottenham’s return to Champions League football. The urgency to install a new manager is growing, especially with key players unsettled and the summer transfer window approaching. Brentford’s Thomas Frank is believed to be the leading candidate in Levy’s search. The Dane’s ability to get the best out of a modest squad has drawn admiration, though he is not alone in the running. Marco Silva has earned plaudits for the stability he’s brought to Fulham, making him a serious contender for the job.

A hot topic in the Chelsea fan base this week has been the nature of Enzo Maresca’s tactics, with many complaints arising about his slow and methodical style of play.

This comes after a drastic change from Mauricio Pochettino’s style of play last campaign, which was much more fast-paced and end-to-end.

However, since the Italian took over just eight months ago, Chelsea’s underlying numbers have improved from last season.

The Blues are taking more shots on average per game, but conceding fewer shots on average per match, also generating a higher xG and conceding a lower xG.

Chelsea’s underlying metrics 2023/24 vs 2024/25

Stat (per game)

2023/24

2024/25

Possession %

59.0%

58.2%

Shots

14.4

16.2

Shots on Target

5.11

5.54

Goals For

2.00

1.86

xG For

1.96

1.98

Shots Conceded

14.6

10.9

Goals Against

1.58

1.29

xG Against

1.53

1.39

Stats taken from WhoScored and FBref

Despite the improvement in their underlying numbers, Chelsea’s ability to close out games has been an issue this season, dropping points to the likes of Fulham, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace in their recent poor run of form after taking the lead.

It’s in these games that a John Obi-Mikel-type player would have come in useful, helping to close the game and protect the result.

John Obi Mikel's Chelsea career in numbers

John Obi Mikel joined Chelsea in 2006 for a fee of around £16m, paying Manchester United £12m to hijack their deal for Mikel, after they had already agreed a £4m fee for the Nigerian midfielder from Norwegian club, Lyn.

The defensive midfielder was a José Mourinho signing, and quickly became known for his role in the Chelsea squad as a closer, coming into games to sure things up defensively, allowing the Blues to protect leads and ensure they didn’t drop points.

Mikel made 372 appearances for the Blues, scoring six goals, providing 12 assists and featured for a grand total of 25,363 minutes in Chelsea blue.

This “closer” profile is something the Chelsea squad is currently missing, and they may have already sold their best-suited asset to this role in the 2024/25 summer transfer window.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Expand Collapse Chelsea's "priceless" star could have been Maresca's Mikel

The west Londoners have made many a blunder in the transfer market in years gone by, particularly when it comes to exits.

From Mo Salah to Kevin De Bruyne and most recently, Marc Guehi, they’ve paid the price for passing on players too soon.

Another player they may regret telling to leave is Conor Gallagher. He left in the 2024/25 summer transfer window, with the England midfielder joining Atlético Madrid for a fee of around £34m.

Since joining the Spanish outfit, the 25-year-old has made 36 appearances, scoring three goals, providing four assists and totalling 1,901 minutes of action.

This includes scoring the only goal in the Madrid derby on Wednesday evening. It was a huge goal in the context of the tie, taking the game all the way to penalties where Atlético just fell short, failing to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition.

Gallagher scored with his only shot of the match, but also did a brilliant job defensively, doubling up on Brazilian star Rodrygo, winning three of his seven ground duels, completing three interceptions and one tackle.

When comparing Gallagher’s underlying numbers from last season to this season, many of his on-ball metrics are actually down, but his off-ball contribution is still as high as ever, making tackles, blocks and interceptions, showing how he could have been the perfect bench option for Chelsea this season to help close out games in a similar fashion to Mikel.

Conor Gallagher 2023/24 vs 2024/25 comparison

Stats (per 90 mins)

23/24

24/25

Goals

0.16

0.17

Assists

0.20

0.17

xG

0.12

0.14

Progressive Carries

1.78

0.92

Progressive Passes

4.94

2.89

Shots Total

1.51

1.05

Key Passes

1.49

0.58

Tackles

2.44

2.43

Blocks

1.44

1.45

Interceptions

1.20

1.40

Ball Recoveries

6.35

5.20

Stats taken from FBref

Pochettino described Gallagher as “priceless” for the Blues last season, as the English midfielder made 50 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing nine assists. He even donned the captain’s armband in the absence of Reece James and Ben Chilwell.

Many Chelsea fans were upset with the sale of Gallagher, and whilst they do have an extremely talented midfield group, his extra athleticism, work rate and passion for the badge would have been a very useful tool this campaign.

Related Chelsea allowed "horrific" flop to leave for £0, now he's playing like Isak

The former Chelsea player has impressed massively after departing Stamford Bridge.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Mar 13, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois de ver três jogadores serem expulsos na vitória por 4 a 2 sobre o Universidad Católica, no Chile, pelo duelo de ida das oitavas de final da Copa Sul-Americana, o São Paulo reviveu uma situação que não acontecia há cerca de 13 anos na história do clube.

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GALERIAS
+ ATUAÇÕES: Com o São Paulo com três a menos, Luciano desencanta em goleada cheia de emoções

A última vez que o Tricolor teve três jogadores expulsos em uma mesma partida foi em 4 de novembro de 2009, no empate em 1 a 1 com o Grêmio, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.

Na ocasião, o Tricolor lutava pelo título e o empate com os gaúchos acabou fazendo a equipe degringolar na reta final, sendo ultrapassada pelo Flamengo, que terminou sendo o campeão.

No duelo no finado estádio Olímpico,Borges, aos 32 minutos, Dagoberto, aos 33, e Jean, aos 49, todos do segundo tempo, acabaram indo para o chuveiro mais cedo.

Na última quinta, foram Igor Vinícius, Nestor e Calleri que deixaram o campo mais cedo por decisão da arbitragem.

Situação que preocupa o técnico Rogério Ceni para o duelo de volta com os chilenos.Caso nenhuma das nove peças que estão no departamento médico retornem até a próxima quinta-feira (7), o São Paulo terá apenas sete opções de jogadores de linha para ocuparem o seu banco de reservas.

TABELA
> Confira jogos, classificação e simule resultados do Brasileirão-22
> Confira os jogos da Copa Sul-Americana-22
> Conheça o novo aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

⚽️ Confira os gols do Tricolor no primeiro jogo das oitavas de final da @SudamericanaBR!

🎥 CONMEBOL Sudamericana #GrandeConquista #VamosSãoPaulo 🇾🇪

pic.twitter.com/3TRJd7oUv6

— São Paulo FC (@SaoPauloFC) July 1, 2022

Inter Miami were eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup after losing 3-1 at Chase Stadium to the Whitecaps

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The aggregate score was 5-1 in favor of the Canadian teamWhite, Vite, and Berhalter scored for the visitorsJordi Alba opened the scoring for Inter Miami in the 9th minuteGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Javier Mascherano insists Inter Miami must now focus on MLS after their embarrassing 5-1 aggregate defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals. The Argentine coach, aware that his side has conceded too many goals in recent matches, remains confident that the team will bounce back from this difficult spell.

"We have to keep going and focus on MLS. I’m not even thinking about the Club World Cup," he said, reflecting on recent results. "We’ve been competing in two tournaments, we’ve done it well, and we reached the semifinals—something the club had never done before. But it hurts because we wanted to reach the final. That would have placed the club in a very important position. Still, we have to accept that they were better—they beat us in key moments, in individual duels—and at this stage, those things matter a lot."

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He added, "We have to break it down into two parts. In the first half, I think we played the game we wanted—we managed to score early and had other chances to get a second goal. They had chances too, because we had to take risks. What we didn’t expect was that in just two to three minutes, they would decide the series with two goals, right when we needed to stay calm. What we were aiming for ended up being the opposite. The hardest part was scoring a goal, and we did that—but that’s football, especially in the semifinals. One mistake and the opponent punishes you and takes the series. The match was pretty clear," said Mascherano in the press conference following the elimination against Vancouver.

"We competed—even though the aggregate was 5-1, in Vancouver, they scored the second goal with five minutes left, and at that point the game was under our control. Today, after our goal, we had more chances to go 2-0 up, but goals have to be scored, and talking about it now doesn’t change anything. In these knockout stages, mistakes are extremely costly—especially against a high-level team that won’t forgive you. You can’t afford that, especially not at the start of the second half. We lost focus against Dallas, and it’s happened to us again now."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The victory by the Whitecaps sent Jesper Sørensen’s team to the final, thanks to goals from Brian White, Pedro Vite, and Sebastian Berhalter. They will now await the winner of the matchup between Cruz Azul and Tigres, which will be decided this Thursday at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, with the aggregate score tied 1-1.

Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets started for an Inter Miami side that sparked hopes of a comeback after Alba scored in the ninth minute. However, those hopes gradually faded early in the second half when White scored in the 51st minute, followed just two minutes later by Pedro Vite, who effectively sealed the result. With the game under control, Berhalter added a third to make it 3-1 and secure the Canadians' place in the final.

AFPWHAT JESPER SORENSEN SAID

"You know, you can't stop them, you can only limit them. I think you can't really control Messi—not only is he good at scoring, but he also handles the ball so well. They didn’t finish one of their chances, and you just try to limit them. He’s just too good. You can't leave him alone, he's very smart. He knows what to do before he even gets the ball," Sørensen said on defending Messi. So we had to try to prevent the team from playing through him. Busquets had too much space in the first match, so we tried to press him more."

"I don’t want to sound arrogant—soon I’ll have the knowledge—but playing in Mexico will be very difficult. I know the competition in Mexico is intense, there’s a strong rivalry with MLS teams, and I hope we can handle it and put up a good fight," he concluded.

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Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Vancouver Whitecaps are the third Canadian team in history to reach the Final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup: Montreal Impact in 2015, Toronto in 2018, and Vancouver in 2025.

Messi failed to win the tournament in his second appearance, with his team reaching the quarterfinals last season.

Atletico Madrid are reportedly looking to snap up Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey and Tottenham defender Cristian Romero in the summer.

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• Carlos Bucero calling the shots at Atletico

• Elaborate summer blueprint already in place
• Partey, Romero & several others are on the radar

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Spanish outlet, Atletico’s top brass are determined to strengthen key areas across the pitch this summer, with Director of Football Carlos Bucero leading the club’s recruitment strategy. He has zeroed in on three areas that he believes need urgent attention: a left-back, a left-sided winger, and additional reinforcements through the spine of the team, including a deep-lying midfielder and a central defender.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Atletico’s first priority is to completely overhaul the left flank, which has underperformed this season. On the wing, Villarreal’s Alex Baena has emerged as a serious option. Though Baena’s release clause stands at €60 million (£51m/$68m), sources suggest that Villarreal may be open to negotiating a lower fee. Atalanta's Ademola Lookman was also considered as a winger option, but the Serie A star is reportedly beyond their budget.

  Central defence is another key concern for Diego Simeone’s side, and Atletico have reportedly initiated discussions with Tottenham over a possible deal for Cristian Romero. The Argentine has become one of Spurs’ most consistent performers, but prising him away won’t be easy or cheap. The north London club is said to have placed a €70m (£60m/$80m) valuation on the centre-back.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, who previously spent several years at Atletico before moving to the Premier League, is also high on Bucero’s shortlist. The Ghanaian, who has struggled with injuries and limited game time in North London, is seen as the ideal candidate to anchor the midfield. Meanwhile, a forward is being sought to add firepower up front, and another winger, someone with a profile similar to current player Samuel Lino, is also under consideration.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The end goal of this summer’s transfer blitz is to restore balance and strength to a squad that has struggled for consistency. With aspirations of challenging for La Liga and progressing further in Europe, Atletico’s potential additions — including Partey and Romero — could reshape the team’s tactical structure and offer Simeone more depth across the board.

Aaron Finch insists there should be no reason why Steven Smith or David Warner can’t replace him as Australia’s ODI skipper, adamant the scars of sandpaper-gate have long healed.Finch’s announcement of his retirement from the 50-over format has again put leadership back on the agenda, with Cricket Australia on the search for another captain before next year’s ODI World Cup.Officials opted to hand back some leadership responsibilities to Smith last summer, when they made him new skipper Pat Cummins’ deputy for the Test team. But from that moment it was clear another long-term captaincy call was only just around the corner.Related

• Crucial days loom in Warner leadership ban

• Australia's system produces good captains, but you can't say the same about England

• McDonald pleased with Australia's ODI progress: 'We have challenged ourselves with the structure of our team'

• Smith, Cummins, Warner or someone else – who will be Australia's next ODI captain?

• Warner open to having 'honest conversation' with CA to get captaincy ban overturned

In the press conference where his Test appointment was announced, Cummins made it clear he had no interest in leading Australia’s white-ball teams as well. Finch on Saturday said he believed Cummins could juggle multiple roles, but the fact the fast bowler has missed 28 of 65 ODIs since the start of 2018 suggests he would be an unlikely option.Beyond him, Alex Carey would loom as another candidate, having previously held the vice-captaincy in the one-day team and stood in for Finch last year. However the fact he is not part of the T20 team suggests Australia will ultimately need three separate captains when Finch eventually retires from that format.Mitchell Marsh and Adam Zampa could also be potential ODI skippers, with selectors having two months before Australia’s next match in the format after Sunday’s finale against New Zealand.None however have the experience of Smith, who captained all formats before the 2018 ball-tampering scandal and was still helping set fields on his return.Finch said he had no preference but could not see why the Cape Town 2018 saga should stand in Smith’s way, believing he still had several years ahead of him.”I don’t think [it would be an issue],” Finch said. “He captained a Test match in Adelaide after Pat was out with Covid. “So I think that’s all been put to bed.”Warner would present a different issue for CA. He still has a lifetime leadership ban from the scandal, but there has been every indication recently that could be reviewed after Warner signed up for the BBL. Last month Warner said “it would be great” to have a conversation with the board.Finch on Saturday revealed he was of the view the ban should be lifted, and that his opening partner would be a sound option.”He [Warner] is someone I have played under a few times for Australia when he has had the opportunity to captain,” Finch said on . “He has been fantastic. He is an unbelievable tactical captain and someone at the time the lads loved playing under.”Would I like to see [his ban] overturned? Yeah, absolutely. What he can offer not just now as a player but going forward for him to be able to coach and help the next generation of players coming through is so important. You do your time, and he has well and truly done that.”

Peterborough United have eclipsed Barcelona in one statistic after winning the EFL Trophy with a 2-0 win over Birmingham at Wembley.

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Tom Brady's side beaten in finalPosh have won all five games they've played at WembleyBack-to-back EFL Trophy winnersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Peterborough beat Brady's Birmingham 2-0 at Wembley in the Vertu Trophy final on Sunday, winning the competition in back-to-back seasons. Posh have become the first team to do so, and have also managed to eclipse Barcelona. It is all the more impressive given that Birmingham have already been crowned League One champions, and sit 47 points ahead of Posh in the table.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Darren Ferguson's side have visited Wembley on five occasions, and have won every game they have played at England's national stadium. Barca, by comparison, have won all four of their competitive visits. If they return, they will have the chance to equal the League One side.

DID YOU KNOW?

Hector Kyprianou also made history in the final, as he became the first ever Cypriot player to score at Wembley. His second goal ultimately clinched the club's triumph.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Posh are 16th in League One and face Stockport County on Friday. They then have a short turnaround before a clash with Barnsley on Monday.

Todd Boehly has certainly backed up his ambitions since taking over Chelsea in May 2022, signing players left, right and centre for the first-team and academy teams.

The American has dropped over £1.2bn on new additions in his near three-year spell in West London, providing Enzo Maresca with all the ammunition needed to be a success in the Premier League.

Undoubtedly, such erratic dealings have seen former managers struggle, but the Italian has walked into life at Stamford Bridge with ease, ultimately creating a settled side for league and cup.

Such a layout won’t favour every player, with numerous having to settle for either minutes off the bench or, at worst, struggling to gain any first-team action at all given the huge number of players currently on the books.

One player has fallen into such a category, with the Blues star almost certain for a move away from the Bridge this month, leading to interest from one European outfit.

Chelsea star wanted by Bundesliga giants

According to Sky Germany journalist Patrick Berger, Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka is a target for Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund this month, with a potential loan with an option to buy mooted.

The 21-year-old joined the Blues from Aston Villa back in 2022 for a reported £20m, but his time in the capital has been limited to say the least, finding himself on the fringes of the first team squad as a result.

He’s only featured for a combined 131 minutes in all competitions during 2024/25, starting just one game in the Europa Conference League – with Chukwuemeka pushing for a move come the end of January.

Berger claimed that Dortmund boss Nuri Şahin is a “big fan” of the Englishman, following in the footsteps of Ian Maatsen, who joined the German side on loan this time last year.

However, should the £100k-per-week earner move permanently to Signal Iduna Park, it may be a huge mistake on the part of Maresca to allow him to leave, potentially replicating the mistake made in allowing a former talent to depart and move to Germany.

Why Chukwuemeka could be a De Bruyne repeat for Chelsea

Attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne joined Chelsea way back in January 2012 for a reported £6.7m, before re-joining Belgian side Genk on loan for the remainder of the season.

He would subsequently spend the following campaign on loan at German outfit Werder Bremen, impressing during his temporary stint, registering ten goals and nine assists in just 34 appearances.

Such form catapulted him into the Blues first-team, but after just nine appearances in the first half of the 2013/14 season, he joined Wolfsburg on a permanent basis for around £16.7m – banking a £10m deal profit, but a decade on, the deal looks to be a huge mistake.

De Bruyne starred with increased game time, notching 20 goals and 35 assists – ultimately leading to a £54m transfer back to England to join Manchester City in 2015 – a move that has since allowed him to become one of Europe’s leading playmakers.

2015/16

41

16

13

2016/17

49

7

20

2017/18

52

12

21

2018/19

32

6

10

2019/20

48

16

22

2020/21

40

10

18

2021/22

45

19

14

2022/23

49

10

28

2023/24

26

6

17

2024/25

18

2

3

Total:

400

104

166

The now 33-year-old has since scored over 100 times and registered over 150 assists under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, helping the Citizens win five consecutive Premier League titles – something that could have happened to the Blues had they kept hold of the Belgian.

Fast-forward over a decade, Chelsea are faced with a similar prospect in the form of Chukwuemeka who, like De Bruyne, may well be heading to Germany after restricted game time at the Bridge.

The 21-year-old, who’s previously been dubbed a “superstar” talent by scout Jacek Kulig, has never really been given a lengthy run in the side, especially under Maresca, to prove what he’s capable of.

Undoubtedly, given his tender age, he’s in serious need of regular match action to reach the potential he arrived with upon his move, possibly making a loan deal a better option than a permanent one.

Should it be a permanent transfer, Dortmund would be getting themselves yet another top English prospect – potentially following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham – with Chelsea’s loss undoubtedly their gain.

Dream Nkunku replacement: Chelsea make enquiry to sign £80m PL star

Maresca can finally axe Nkunku by acquiring a well-suited “maverick” for his Chelsea side

ByConnor Holden Jan 12, 2025