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Manchester United are thought to be holding talks with clubs over selling one player in a deal worth more than £40m, according to a new update.

Man Utd exit rumours

With new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe now in control of sporting decisions at Old Trafford, it could well be a busy few months off the pitch ahead of his first full season with the Red Devils.

There have already been changes higher up, with Omar Berrada appointed CEO from rivals Manchester City and Dan Ashworth wanted as sporting director after being placed on gardening leave by Newcastle United.

Ratcliffe could sell Man Utd outcast who currently earns more than Mainoo

The Man United prospect has struggled to find his feet in Spain while on loan.

By
Tom Lever

Mar 13, 2024

A new manager could also be on the cards, with reports suggesting that Ratcliffe has already decided to move on Erik ten Hag and has identified Roberto De Zerbi as a replacement after a disappointing second campaign in charge.

On the pitch, The Manchester Evening News recently shared an in-depth story looking at 21 players who could leave the club this summer. It now appears as if the Red Devils are actively looking to sell one of those players mentioned.

Mason Greenwood transfer update

One player who could end up leaving Old Trafford for good this summer is Mason Greenwood, who, as we know, is currently on a season-long loan at Getafe. He was moved on last summer on deadline day months after off-field charges against him were dropped.

Now, according to a new update from Marca, Red Devils officials have travelled to Spain to resolve the forward’s future and have already held talks with Barcelona chief Deco over a potential permanent transfer.

United officials will also speak with Getafe and want around €50m (£42.7m) for Greenwood’s services, with Atletico Madrid another possible La Liga destination for the £75,000-a-week player.

Greenwood, who is out of contract in Manchester at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, has been a regular out on loan with Getafe, playing all across the front three and contributing to a goal every other game.

Ratcliffe has also spoken out on the attacker’s future, saying last month in his first press conference: “It’s a fresh decision. I can talk about the principle. I am not going to talk about Mason. I am familiar with it. The principle is the important one. We will have other issues going forwards.

“What we need to do when we have issues like that is understand real effects, not the hype. Then we need to make a fair decision in the light of the club’s values. That’s what we need to do and that’s how we will deal with it.”

Would be “wholly inappropriate” to promote sales during crisis, says managing director

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Mar-2020Tickets for the inaugural season of the Hundred will not go on general sale as planned on April 8, the ECB has announced.Priority tickets for the new competition went on sale in a window in February, with the ECB reporting that initial sales had “surpassed expectations” as an initial allocation for men’s Finals Day tickets sold out within 24 hours.But with the coronavirus pandemic delaying the start of the English season by at least six weeks and the ability to stage the Hundred in the planned window in doubt, the ECB have decided to delay the next two ticket windows, scheduled for the start of April.ALSO READ: PCA seeks collective solutions as players face prospect of pay cuts“In the midst of an epidemic which is affecting the nation in unprecedented ways, it would be wholly inappropriate for us to promote and sell tickets to the Hundred,” said Sanjay Patel, the competition’s managing director.”We appreciate this may cause some disappointment to fans that were keen to purchase tickets in the April sales window, accessing early bird prices and securing tickets to the most in-demand games.”When it is appropriate to go back on sale, we will of course offer the same ticket offers and accessible pricing. Like the rest of the nation, we all hope that it is not far away before cricket returns to our screens, stadiums, parks and clubs.”Several counties had already taken their ticketing platforms offline due to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, with many clubs currently operating with a skeleton staff.While Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, has signalled that the governing body’s intention is to prioritise the most lucrative competitions, i.e. the T20 Blast and the Hundred, Durham chief executive Tim Bostock suggested last week that if the season is squeezed into a two-month window, it may make sense to delay the new tournament’s first season to 2021.”It’s pretty clear international cricket comes first, then after that it’s the Blast and the Hundred.,” he told TalkSPORT. “That’s where the revenue is.”Protecting the Hundred is important, although in the conversations I’ve had with the ECB, if it ends up getting squeezed into a two-month season – which is possible – a view will be taken about whether this is really the right time to launch the Hundred.”Tom Harrison has been really pragmatic about this. I certainly get the impression if we get a two-month season the pragmatic view would be: what’s the point of launching this competition now? Let’s launch it properly next year.”

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been informed of the “only way” that Wrexham reach the Premier League, with more investment required.

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• Hollywood co-owners calling the shots
• Funded meteoric rise into League One
• More money required to take next step

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hollywood co-owners at SToK Racecourse boast personal fortunes that have allowed them to bankroll a surprising sporting project that was taken on back in 2021. They have also used their marketing know-how to bring considerable commercial revenue into the Welsh outfit.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rapid progress has been made on and off the field, with back-to-back promotions lifting the club into League One, but there will come a point when a financial wall is hit. McElhenney and Reynolds have never shied away from that, with speculation suggesting that more famous faces could be brought on board.

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  WHAT TRUNDLE SAID

  Ex-Wrexham striker Lee Trundle – speaking in association with – has told GOAL when asked if another injection of funds is required, with Reynolds and McElhenney boasting ties to very powerful and considerably rich people and brands: “I think that’s what you need. I have seen it with Swansea, where you get out of League One and operate completely different to the Championship. Then you go into the Premier League and it’s completely different again. That is the only way for them, if they can go and get these other partners on board and try to challenge.

  “You are not only talking about the wages in the Championship, you are talking about fees for players as well and everything that goes along with it. Your standards go up, as I saw at Swansea. That is something I am sure they have spoken about. They have spoken about wanting to get to the Premier League and you have to have a plan behind closed doors to do that – not only on the pitch, but financially. From the National League to League One, they have got every decision right so far. They look as though they are in good hands.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Collective ambition at Wrexham has seen them taking aim at the Premier League for some time, with Trundle adding when asked if a blockbuster script in North Wales will have a happy ending: “I think that’s what they are aiming for. It’s League One now, they are doing brilliantly at the moment. I think they will be up there for the rest of the season, they will be challenging up that end of the table. The hard bit comes when you come to that next one in the Championship, because the gap is so big from League One to Championship and then Championship to the Premier League.

  “As we have seen with clubs that have gone into the Premier League coming straight back down, I think the gap is getting bigger. But with what they have got off the field, with all the momentum they have got and the money that they can make – the way that Rob and Ryan market the club is unbelievable. If you are a big company, I think it is a desirable football club to go into.”

The mood has changed for the better at West Ham United after two successive victories in the Premier League.

How fickle football is, with David Moyes, architect of such illustrious success down at the London Stadium, facing scrutiny over the longevity of his tenure after a poor run of results, the Scotsman's pragmatic style of play creating something of a schism.

Still, the holding Europa Conference League champions – who await Freiburg in the last 16 of the Europa League this week – indeed seem to have put the recent malaise to bed and have reclaimed a seventh-place spot in the table, just two points behind Manchester United.

Defeating Everton at Goodison Park last time out, the Hammers overcame adversity to rattle the hosts with a late flurry, all three scorers (Kurt Zouma, Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez) and assist-makers (James Ward-Prowse, Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen) signed under Moyes' leadership.

The 60-year-old has sculpted a bright future, and while he is out of contract at the end of the season, his influence is unrivalled across the club's recent history, with the players reflecting this.

David Moyes' best West Ham signings

West Ham have certainly had something of a chequered history on the transfer front, especially in the years preceding Moyes' reign, with finances disbursed on high-profile stars who arrived with much promise and fanfare only to leave with a whimper.

Sebastien Haller and Felipe Anderson are two salient names who spring to mind, but that is not an exhaustive list by any stretch, and one of Moyes' hallmarks is the focusing and polishing, of transfer strategy.

Just one month after he was re-appointed in December 2019, Bowen was signed from Championship side Hully City in a £20m plus add-ons deal. Soucek arrived on loan that same window and completed a permanent move worth roughly £18m in the summer.

Declan Rice was not exactly signed under Moyes' leadership but the England star was nurtured to the fore from the academy en route to silverware, joining Arsenal in a £105m transfer last summer.

The money recouped from the midfield talisman's sale was invested in exciting new additions such as Alvarez, Kudus and Ward-Prowse, who will all continue to play a big part in the future success.

This is all a roundabout way of paying homage to Moyes' efforts, transcending the expectation and belief in east London. For all these successful acquisitions, one of the shrewdest, most underrated of the lot has to be Vladimir Coufal, who still doesn't earn half the respect he deserves outside Irons spheres.

Why West Ham signed Vladimir Coufal

Back in 2020, West Ham pulled off the signing of right-back Coufal from Slavia Prague for a fee totalling just over £5m, the Czech international joining compatriot Soucek in the English capital.

Ryan Fredericks had been forced off during West Ham's 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers and indeed only started six Premier League matches during the 2020/21 campaign, while Coufal had Champions League experience and an enlivening tenacity down the flank.

His energy and ability to dart up and down, box to box, has been especially important to allow Bowen and more recently Kudus to flourish, with these attacking wingers reliant on their goalscoring form and thus equally dependent on a hard-working right-back to ensure they have a license to sweep inside and wreak shell fire on opposing goalkeepers.

In total, the £35k-per-week ace has amassed 140 appearances for United since making his debut several seasons ago, and while he has yet to find the back of the net himself he has chipped in with 19 assists and proved himself a dynamic and determined member.

Vladimir Coufal's season in numbers

Last term, Coufal played an important role for West Ham in their journey toward silver-laden success, completing 38 appearances in total and starting nine matches in the Conference League, but he only chipped in with one assist as a declined sense of fluency and verve on the domestic front warranted a more resilient, danger-thwarting approach.

This season, the Czech Republic international has thrived in a role of increased attacking success, having posted six assists from 25 Premier League fixtures.

As per Sofascore, he has averaged one key pass, two tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 4.3 ball recoveries, 2.7 clearances and 4.2 successful duels per game.

Presenter Dan Woffenden argues that Coufal is one of the club's best signings in recent history and it's certainly difficult to take a credible stand against this; given the paltry transfer fee and the "ridiculously consistent" football that Coufal has blessed West Ham with, he represents an exceptional value-for-money venture, with a slice of silverware to rubber stamp his signature as one of success.

As per FBref, Coufal ranks among the top 13% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for interceptions, the top 6% for clearances and the top 16% for aerial duels won per 90, highlighting the rounded skill set that has made him such an excellent asset for Moyes.

Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier and Tottenham Hotspur phenom Pedro Porro are the only defenders in the Premier League to have surpassed his assist tally this term, which is incredible given that both adversaries rank in the top ten for corners taken in the top flight this term. Coufal, by comparison, has taken one corner.

Perhaps somewhat understandably, Coufal has not seen his market value skyrocket during his time at West Ham but there is no doubt that the 31-year-old has forged quite the underrated career for himself under Moyes' stewardship.

A constant, steady outlet down the right channel, Coufal is proof that delving down the less-trodden path can often unearth sparkling success.

It's one that West Ham would do well to replicate with their future transfers. It hasn't exactly gone wrong over the past few seasons, has it?

Both teams will picked based on performances during the tournament

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Feb-2020The one-off all-star match that was meant to preface IPL 2020 will now be played after the tournament. The match was originally scheduled to be played three days before the IPL, which begins on March 29, but due to operational reasons it is now set to be played after the tournament which ends on May 24. No date or venue has been finalised yet though.IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed the development, saying the two teams for the game would be picked based on the performances of the players in the tournament. “It will be after the tournament,” Patel, a former India batsman, told ESPNcricnfo. “We will see the performance of the players and on that basis the two teams will be selected.”The all-star match was originally proposed by the Patel and found support from the BCCI. ESPNcricinfo understands at the last IPL Governing Council meeting, held on January 27, it was decided to have a selection committee in place to pick the two teams. That meeting was attended by the BCCI’s top brass including Sourav Ganguly (president), Jay Shah (secretary) and Arun Dhumal (treasurer).In that meeting, the date for the all-star match was tentatively set as March 25 while Mumbai was picked as the venue, considering the tournament opener between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings was scheduled at the Wankhede stadium on March 29.Subsequently, however, the BCCI realised it did not have much time to get various things in place including the availability of players as well raising a broadcast tender. The IPL begins barely 10 days after the three-match ODI series between India and South Africa, which ends on March 18 in Kolkata.Immediately after the ODIs against South Africa, five Indian players are set to travel to Bangladesh to participate in two T20Is between an Asian XI and a World XI, organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board to commemorate the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding father. The BCCI has not yet announced who will be going, but some prominent India players are part of the list of names approved.One of the officials, who attended the January IPL governing council meeting, said there is ample time now to float the tender and discuss the rights for the all-star match with Star, who hold the broadcast rights for IPL till 2022. It is understood a team lead by Patel was meant to meet up with Star to talk about the tender for the all-star match. That meeting is yet to take place. At the January 27 meeting it was also decided that the proceeds from the match will likely be used for a charitable purpose.

Manchester City chiefs are set to pursue a new deal for one of their brightest young stars "as soon as possible" after an update on his future emerged this week.

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola's side have really found their groove of late, as they threaten to once again go on an unstoppable run in the Premier League and seal yet another title this season. That has been down to the manager and also so many key players hitting top form, with the return of Kevin De Bruyne huge, and the likes of Phil Foden and Erling Haaland also shining.

City continue to be linked with potential new signings in the summer, as Guardiola further looks to strengthen his squad, with West Ham ace Lucas Paqueta seen as a strong contender to come in, having nearly made the move there last year.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich is also seen as a potential target for the reigning Premier League champions, should he leave his current club at the end of the season.

Retaining the services of current key men has to be seen as important as new faces arriving, however, and a big update has now emerged regarding the future of one such player.

Man City want new deal for Erling Haaland

According to AS [via Sport Witness], Manchester City want Erling Haaland to sign a new contract at the club, hoping to seal an extension "as soon as possible".

They will "push to renew" the Norwegian superstar's stay at the Etihad in order to stave off the threat of him joining Real Madrid in the near future, with the La Liga giants' preference for the signing of Kylian Mbappe leading City chiefs to beleive they have "free rein" to secure Haaland long term.

Losing Haaland so soon doesn't bear thinking about for City supporters, considering he is arguably the greatest centre forward in world football at the moment. He has been nothing short of astonishing during his time at the club to date, scoring 73 goals in just 79 appearances.

Guardiola will no doubt be desperate to keep him for as long as possible, with the legendary Spaniard heaping praise on his player earlier this month, saying:

"It is unbelievable how many goals he has scored – so many important goals to help us win games. He is a unique person, as a player but also the person is special. He deserved the guard of honour. It is an incredible milestone. One day maybe he will break his record or someone else will, but they will have to score a lot of goals."

The fact that Mbappe looks Madrid-bound suggests they surely wouldn't be able to afford Haaland as well this summer, acting as a boost to City, but there will always be the worry that the 23-year-old's head could eventually be turned by a move there, as they continue to acquire some of the best players in the world.

Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi says he did not feel any "pressure" to accept a transfer to Liverpool this summer.

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• Zubimendi was a top target for Liverpool
• Rejected move to Anfield
• Fully committed to Sociedad

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Spanish midfielder says his life is at Real Sociedad after rejecting the chance to move to one of Europe's giants this summer. Liverpool's keen interest in the 25-year-old was knocked back following Zubimendi's impressive performances for Spain at Euro 2024 this summer. After deciding to stay in his homeland, the Sociedad maestro has broken his silence on the Reds' failed attempts to lure him away.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT ZUBIMENDI SAID

  Speaking to Marca, he said: "My friends are clear that whatever I decide will be the best. There is no pressure whatsoever. Real Sociedad for me is my life, I think I have spent half my life there. A lot of what I am is part of La Real, it is my life."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Zubimendi may have decided to stay put for now, but if he performs at the same level as he did last season in La Liga, top teams will come knocking again next summer. The Copa del Rey winner is contracted to Sociedad until 2027, but failure to qualify for Europe will likely prompt the midfielder into another think about his future.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ZUBIMENDI?

  Sociedad have not had the best start to the 2024-25 campaign, picking up four points from as many matches. Zubimendi and Co have the tough task of hosting Real Madrid after the international break, but the Spaniard will have his sights set on matches against Serbia and Switzerland in the Nations League first.

Antonee Robinson logged 90 minutes as Fulham earned three points in a feisty clash with Leicester City.

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• Fulham defeat Leicester 2-1
• Antonee Robinson has game-winning assist
• American off to hot start in 2024

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Antonee Robinson's 70th-minute assist to Alex Iwobi secured three points for Fulham Saturday, as earned their first victory of the Premier League season against Leicester City.

  A first half opener from Fulham's Emile Smith-Rowe was cancelled out before the halftime break by a Wout Faes header, but the U.S. international's assist to his Nigerian counterpart secured the win on Matchday 2.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was Robinson's first assist of the season asthe American put forth a sensational display to help his side secure the result. Over the course of the match, Robinson completed 87 percent of his passes while accumulating 69 touches and slinging six passes into the final-third. Add his assist into the mix, and it was a brilliant attacking display.

  Defensively, he was composed as ever. He completed 100 percent of his tackles, going 4/4, and won 50 percent of ground duels at the same time.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Robinson had a career year for Fulham in 2023-24, notching six assists across all competitions as their starting left back. As a result, he was named their

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FULHAM?

  are back in action on Tuesday in the EFL Cup against Birmingham City. They'll look to advance in the competition with a victory against the English League One side.

But for Kolpaks and injury, South Africa could and should have fought fire with fire at the Wanderers

Firdose Moonda at the Wanderers26-Jan-2020When you imagine a dream South African attack to operate at the Wanderers, the home of fast bowling since Australian pitches died, who do you picture running in? Is it Dane Paterson? Or Dwaine Pretorius? Or Beuran Hendricks?Let’s be honest, given what we’ve seen from this Test, it’s probably none of them. Which begs the question: What, without Kolpak, without injury, without anything, would South Africa’s dream attack be right now?For this exercise, we’re not harking back to the glory days of Allan Donald or Makhaya Ntini or even the more recent firestarters like Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. We’re only going to consider players who are active on the current circuit and see if we can come up with a better bowling group than the one playing in this match.We’ll start with the pick of the existing lot, Anrich Nortje, who has tirelessly and single-handedly ensured South Africa have salvaged some pride from this series. Nortje has all the qualities of an old-fashioned South African quick: he is fast and aggressive, his stock ball is short and he has stamina. Nortje has been the seam-bowler putting in the heaviest workloads with more overs than any of his colleagues, and he is also having the most success.His 18 wickets include those that have come late in an innings or the day, like the ones of Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler – both caught behind playing nothing shots to back-of-a-length balls – which created a small opening for South Africa. Nortje left England on 160 for 6. Had the lead not already ballooned to 377, it would have been a handy position for the hosts to be in. All he needs is someone else in the team to put their hand up at the same time.Imagine if Kagiso Rabada had not been suspended for this match and could have bowled alongside Nortje. South Africa would have been able to apply pressure through pace from both ends, the way England did. That said, Rabada is an automatic pick for the dream attack, even if he hasn’t come up with ways to channel his emotions when celebrating better. Hopefully with a more potent pack around him, Rabada’s frustrations will not build to the point where he needs to release them as recklessly as he did at St George’s Park.The question now is who will open the bowling with Rabada. Nortje is one option but it would be difficult to look past Kyle Abbott, who has taken 182 wickets in three seasons in the County Championship, at an average of 18.62. Abbott’s ability to move the ball, through the air and off the seam, would offer a Vernon Philander-esque partner to Rabada.This series, SuperSport Park aside, has not been the best example of how Rabada and Philander can work in tandem, but we can still consider the theory of it. On one end, batsmen would be rushed by Rabada, on the other, contained and tested by Philander and/or Abbott. It would mean they would face contrasting challenges as their innings began and on a Wanderers pitch, it would make it difficult for them to settle. It’s also likely that Abbott would not be as much of a green-track bully as Philander has been accused of, because he has the skillset for other surfaces. Abbott could enhance South Africa’s attack significantly and if there is a way to bring him back, it should be on top of acting director of cricket, Graeme Smith’s to-do list.Kyle Abbott walks off after taking nine wickets•Getty Images

A similar argument could be made for the inclusion of Simon Harmer, whose 212 wickets in three county seasons have come at an average of 20.25. Harmer would present some interesting problems for the selectors, who have anointed Keshav Maharaj the first-choice spinner, with good reason. Until his omission at the Wanderers, Maharaj had done South Africa’s dirty work throughout this series, and before, often holding up an end for an entire day. He is disciplined and occasionally dangerous, which is exactly how South Africa like their spinners. If Harmer was to return immediately, given some of the things he has said about the South African system, it’s more likely he would be an understudy with Maharaj worthy of his retention in this dream attack.That leaves space for an allrounder, a position to which South Africa have committed themselves by blooding Dwaine Pretorius in this series and including Andile Phehlukwayo in the squad. Neither of them offers anything more than medium-pace so South Africa may want to cast the net wider. Wiaan Mulder is the option that would turn the quality attack we have now into a dream. Mulder is young and talented with a first-class batting average that sits just under 40 and a first-class bowling average that is a shave over 23. He is a genuine two-in-one-player and, at 21, has time on his side. Why isn’t he in the squad now, you may ask?ALSO READ: Philander suffers hamstring tear, nine balls into final Test inningsWell, he has spent the last six weeks recovering from a lower-back stress fracture and is due to bowl for the first time tomorrow. If there’s one warning that comes with Mulder, it’s the injury one. He has already struggled with an ankle problem and an Achilles injury and would need to be monitored and managed if he was to play regularly.So there we have our dream attack: Rabada, Abbott, Nortje, Mulder and Maharaj.But we still need some back-ups. If fit, Lungi Ngidi would immediately come into consideration for his pace and bounce. So would Duanne Olivier, another Kolpak player who left when he was excelling. Olivier was the leading wicket-taker against Pakistan early last year where he used barrages of short balls to set South Africa up for a series win. Olivier’s departure opened the door for Nortje, so you could argue that he should be considered ahead of Nortje, but we’ll send him to the back of the queue if he returns. Other names that would come into contention are Lutho Sipamla, who is fourth on the first-class wickets charts and Gerald Coetzee, South Africa’s tearaway at the Under-19 World Cup.So when you are faced with the situation in South African cricket right now, and you’re struggling to find anything in what looks like an empty cupboard, come back to this little exercise. Picture this dream attack on this Wanderers pitch and think about how differently things could have been. And then wake up.

After a rare window without any major incomings, Chelsea look set to spend big once more in the summer, as they look to finally find the formula to ensure their return to the Premier League's top four, which could see one European star arrive.

Chelsea transfer news

Despite signing several fresh faces in a major summer overhaul last summer, the Blues have failed to improve on their results and currently sit as low as 10th in the Premier League – just two places above where they finished in the previous campaign. It's so far been a case of new stars, new manager but same Chelsea under Todd Boehly's ownership. From Champions League winners in 2021, the Blues, under Mauricio Pochettino, now find themselves a world away from Europe's elite.

One problem that those in London have consistently faced since the days of Diego Costa, however, is a player to lead the line and find the back of the net week in, week out. Alvaro Morata once tried, before failing. So too did academy graduate Tammy Abraham, before finding the exit door. And now the responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, with the former struggling with injuries and the latter remaining unconvincing in front of goal.

Chelsea made huge mistake releasing 6ft1 ace now worth more than Caicedo

The former Chelsea gem has been unreal since leaving.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 16, 2024

So the attention turns to the summer once again and a player who could finally fill the golden boots of Costa. According to Rudy Galetti, Chelsea are prepared to trigger main target Victor Osimhen's €130m (£111m) release clause this summer and are set to speed up their plan to secure the Napoli forward over fears that Paris Saint-Germain could make their move.

The French giants will be on high alert when it comes to top strikers this summer with reports indicating that Kylian Mbappe is set to leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season. If they come in for Osimhen, Chelsea may face a tough battle.

"Fantastic" Osimhen could solve Chelsea problem

The deal would cost a hefty fee, but it is one worth paying for a player of Osimhen's calibre. The Napoli man has become the star man in Italy, helping his side to win the famous Scudetto last season, whilst also earning the praise of former AS Roma boss Jose Mourinho. The former Blues man still couldn't help but aim some criticism at the forward, however, saying:

"I told him that he scored a wonderful goal and needs to stop diving so much. His goal was fantastic, he did the same thing when we met earlier this season, so he’s a fantastic player. But he mustn’t dive."

Osimhen's stats, meanwhile, show just how much of an upgrade he'd be on Jackson at Stamford Bridge:

As Chelsea look to get back to their best, Osimhen could quickly prove to be the key if the Blues complete a deal to welcome the forward to Stamford Bridge this summer.