Cristiano Ronaldo is being backed to launch a 2026 World Cup Golden Boot bid as his “sole aim is to beat records” at 40 years of age.
Evergreen frontman continues to make historyHoping to grace a sixth World Cup finalsFocused on end product & conserving energyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Portuguese GOAT is expected to grace his sixth World Cup finals next summer, as more history is made at international level by the all-time leading goalscorer in the men’s game – with the target being found for his country on 138 occasions through 221 appearances.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Ronaldo, with a Euros crown and two UEFA Nations League titles to his name, has never savoured global glory. He is determined to right that wrong before hanging up his boots, with a new two-year contract being signed at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
DID YOU KNOW?
A World Cup win would see him emulate eternal rival and fellow Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, with CR7 already considered to be mimicking the iconic Argentine in the energy stakes – with the veteran frontman now more about end product than relentless running.
GettyWHAT HESKEY SAID
Ex-England striker Emile Heskey told when asked if Ronaldo can claim top scorer honours at the 2026 World Cup: “I wouldn’t put it past him. His sole aim is to beat records, and I think he’s got the ability and opportunity to do that again at the World Cup.
“You don’t see him running around crazy like he used to. Now, he just knows where to be in the box and the team work for that. They will put the ball in the area for him, so he can still do it. His movement in the box is still great, even if there isn’t much from him on the rest of the pitch.
“Right now, he needs to work on staying fit. He will know his body, and it’ll tell him when he’s doing too much. He will need a good relationship with his coach, so he pulls him out of games or sessions he doesn’t need to be in. It’s about managing his movement now, lasting the full 90 minutes.”
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva claims his side's exit from the Club World Cup feels like a Champions League defeat.
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Bernardo Silva on Club World Cup exit
Claims it feels like the Champions League
City knocked out by Al-Hilal
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WHAT HAPPENED?
City were beaten 4-3 by Al-Hilal in a thrilling last 16 tie, ending a miserable season in which they finished trophyless. Silva is adamant they will bounce back in the 2025-26 campaign but admits the disappointment is similar to their European exit to Real Madrid in February.
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WHAT SILVA SAID
Silva said: "It does feel a little bit like going out of the Champions League, yeah. No one wanted to lose, we are very used to not having holidays unfortunately because the schedule is crazy. But when we are in a competition we take it very seriously and we had a lot of ambition for this Club World Cup and we wanted to win it. In one month when we start the Premier League, we will forget and focus on having a great season."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
City's defeat means they end the campaign without silverware for the first time since 2017, Pep Guardiola's first season in charge. He has made several signings to help fix his side's slump but they were not enough to prevent a poor defensive performance letting them down against Al-Hilal.
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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?
City must recover quickly, with the Premier League campaign little more than six weeks away. They face Wolves on the opening weekend of the season.
da dobrowin： Everton are poised to pounce for an “excellent” Premier League midfielder, who is now looking increasingly likely to leave his club this summer, according to a report.
Toffees set sights on new midfielder
da apostebet： It is set to be a summer of change for the Toffees, with the move to Bramley-Moore Dock to take place prior to the start of the 2025-26 campaign, while David Moyes is also looking to upgrade his squad in a number of different positions.
Having flirted with relegation over the past few seasons, it is little wonder Moyes is eyeing upgrades in several areas, with Leeds United’s Junior Firpo among the targets at left-back, while Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap could be brought in to provide more attacking firepower.
The Merseysiders are also looking to upgrade their options in the engine room, with an offer now being prepared for Lille central midfielder Angel Gomes, who is set to be available on a free transfer this summer.
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However, amid widespread interest in Gomes, it could be difficult to get a deal over the line, and a different central midfielder has now entered the frame as a potential summer target.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Everton are now poised to pounce for Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff, who is looking increasingly likely to exit St. James’ Park this summer, with the Magpies prepared to sanction a departure for just £12m.
Newcastle United's SeanLongstaffin action with Bromley's Jude Arthurs
Eddie Howe’s side are eager to cash-in on Longstaff, with his contract set to expire in 2026, potentially opening the door for a move to Merseyside, having been identified as a strong target by the Toffees.
Moyes is looking to overhaul his squad this summer, and wants to bring in players with Premier League experience, but there could be fierce competition for the midfielder, with Manchester United, Leeds United and teams in Scotland also keen.
"Excellent" Longstaff could be solid signing for Toffees
As the season has progressed, the Englishman has started to play more of a sporadic role, often being limited to appearances off the bench, but he has impressed Howe in the past, with the manager previously describing him as “excellent”.
With Moyes keen on proven Premier League players, the 27-year-old also fits the bill in that regard, having made 171 appearances in the top flight, picking up ten goals and nine assists.
Not only is the central midfielder capable of posing an attacking threat, but he is also willing to pitch in defensively, as showcased by his performance on some key metrics over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Touches (Att pen)
2.33 (86th percentile)
Tackles
2.61 (77th percentile)
Blocks
1.77 (92nd percentile)
While Longstaff is unlikely to be the most exciting addition for Everton this summer, there is every sign the Newcastle midfielder could be a solid addition to Moyes’ squad.
da apostebet： O Fluminense pode ter uma receita inesperada em breve. De acordo com o jornalista italiano Fabrizio Romano, o atacante João Pedro, de 21 anos e atualmente no Watford (ING), vai ser negociado com o Brighton (ING). Os valores giram em torno de 30 milhões de libras (R$ 188 milhões). Deste valor, o Tricolor tem direito a cerca de R$ 13 milhões, que podem ter descontos.
+Fortaleza x Fluminense: onde assistir, horário e escalações do jogo do Brasileirão
A venda do “Moleque de Xerém” foi em torno de 11,5 milhões de euros, parcelados até 2023. O LANCE! apurou em 2022 que o Fluminense ainda tem direito a 5% de mais-valia(diferença entre o valor que foi vendido ao Watford e o que os ingleses receberão na revenda). Porém,dentro desse valor existem alguns descontos e, portanto, ainda não é possível precisar a porcentagem exata. Além disso, são mais 3,5% referentes ao mecanismo de solidariedade da Fifa que entram em parcelas de acordo com o contrato.
+ Veja a tabela do Brasileirão
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da esoccer bet： João Pedro foi vendido ao Watford ainda na gestão de Pedro Abad, em 2018, mas Mário Bittencourt conseguiu renegociar a transação, aumentando o valor total recebido pelo Fluminense. Em contrapartida, o limite de pagamento foi prorrogado até este ano.
+É na terça! Veja os times e regras para o sorteio das oitavas da Copa do Brasil 2023
Uma das maiores promessas da base tricolor, João Pedro atuou em apenas 37 partidas com a camisa do Fluminense. O atacante marcou dez gols e deu duas assistências no curto período.
حرص اثنين من لاعبي ليفربول على توجيه التهنئة إلى نجم فريق باريس سان جيرمان، عثمان ديمبلي، على تتويجه بجائزة الكرة الذهبية لأفضل لاعب في العالم لعام 2025.
وتمكن عثمان ديمبلي من الحصول على جائزة الكرة الذهبية، المُقدمة من جانب مجلة “فرانس فوتبول” الشهيرة، وذلك لأول مرة في مسيرته، خلال حفل مساء أمس في العاصمة الفرنسية باريس.
وكان محمد صلاح ضمن المرشحين لنيل الكرة الذهبية، ورأى الكثيرون أنه الأجدر بها ولكن انتهى به المطاف للتواجد في المركز الرابع.
وسلطت صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية الضوء على رد فعل ثنائي ليفربول، هوجو إيكتيكي وإبراهيما كوناتي، تجاه تتويج ديمبلي بالكرة الذهبية، على حساب محمد صلاح.
اقرأ أيضًا.. صحفي أمريكي ينتقد فوز ديمبلي بـ الكرة الذهبية: محمد صلاح الأحق.. جائزة لا قيمة لها الآن
وأوضحت أن إيكتيكي وإبراهيما كوناتي وجها التهنئة لـ ديمبلي، رغم كون محمد صلاح زميلهما في صفوف ليفربول.
وغاب محمد صلاح عن حفل الكرة الذهبية، ولكن زميليه فيرجيل فان دايك وأليسون بيكر كانا حاضرين ليشهدا فوز ديمبلي، ورغم أنهما ربما شعرا بالتعاطف مع موقف المصري، إلا أن إيكتيكي وكوناتي كانا في وضع أصعب.
وأشارت “ميرور” إلى أن إيكتيكي وكوناتي يعرفان ديمبلي جيدًا من خلال المنتخب الفرنسي، في حين شارك الأول غرفة الملابس لفترة وجيزة مع الفائز بالكرة الذهبية في باريس سان جيرمان.
وسارع إيكتيكي وكوناتي إلى تقديم التهنئة لـ ديمبلي، عبر إنستجرام، عقب الإعلان عن فوزه بالجائزة، حيث كتب الأول: “في قمة السعادة، شكرًا لك يا عثمان ديمبلي”، وكتب الآخر: “تهانينا يا أخي”.
وأفادت الصحيفة بأن الأمر المؤكد هو أن محمد صلاح لن يحمل أي ضغينة تجاه زميليه في ليفربول لاحتفالهما بنجاح منافسه على الكرة الذهبية، مشددة على أن إضاعة الفرصة هذه المرة ستحفزه على مواصلة سعيه للفوز بالجائزة قبل اعتزاله.
El Tri defeated the Dominican Republic 3-2 with goals from Edson Álvarez, Raúl Jiménez and César Montes
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México will face Suriname next WednesdayRaúl Jiménez reached 40 goals with Costa Rica is next for the Dominican Republic in Group A actionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Mexico’s 3–2 win over the Dominican Republic in their 2025 Gold Cup opener Saturday night sparked sharp media criticism, with several prominent analysts and former coaches expressing concern about the national team’s performance under Javier Aguirre.
Despite the result, many pointed to a lack of identity, intensity, and tactical coherence against an opponent ranked 139th in the world.
“You can’t allow this to happen. Mexico didn’t impose itself on the Dominican Republic at all – they let them do whatever they wanted,” said José Luis Sánchez Solá said on ESPN’s utbol Picante. “There wasn’t a single clear chance in the first half. I loved what the Dominican Republic did. Mexico frustrated me. This team isn’t working."
Fellow analyst and coach Mario Carrillo agreed, stressing the lack of basic tactical structure and saying, “Mexico must improve tactically. Today, you have to know how to move the ball, create triangles, and manage possession – especially against teams that run a lot. This is CONCACAF. This is the Gold Cup."
Francisco Gabriel de Anda offered a more optimistic but still cautious take, saying: “Aguirre should already have a core lineup with the World Cup less than a year away. You can't still be testing players. I’m optimistic, but he should have 60 percent of the squad defined by now.”
He added that dismissing opponents based on perceived quality is a dangerous mindset: “It’s not always about whether the opponent is too weak or too strong. Mexico won, but it wasn’t convincing.”
On FOX Sports, Cristian “Chaco” Giménez, father of striker Santiago Giménez, noted that Aguirre "adjusted the team’s structure at halftime due to dissatisfaction with the first-half display."
Eduardo de la Torre, a former executive and analyst, criticized Mexico’s offensive setup: “Aguirre has to choose between Raúl Jiménez and Santiago Giménez – this team needs to play with a single striker.”
Rubén Rodríguez, also on FOX, was blunt in his assessment: “Much of what the Dominican Republic accomplished was because Mexico allowed it. There was a huge gap in midfield. The team was reactive, not proactive. That’s something Aguirre never addressed. If the goal is to win, fine – but this team doesn’t function
David Faitelson of TUDN echoed that sentiment: “Less than a year from the World Cup, Mexico inspires no one – absolutely no one. There’s no identity, no style. What we saw today was very poor against a team with limited ability. In the end, Mexico was begging for the final whistle.”
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT JAVIER AGUIRRE SAID
After the game, Aguirre acknowledged his team was pushed to the limit by an opponent he admitted surprised him.
They stuck to a 5-4-1, and did it well," he said. "It was an attractive game for the fans. There are things to correct -we could’ve scored more, but credit to the opponent. They have players in Europe, they’ve grown a lot. They were clinical. Malagón didn’t face too many shots, but the ones he did came from silly plays that led to goals. It could’ve been 3-0, but then it was 3-1, 3-2… and we were on edge again. We played with intensity, but the opponent took us to the limit."
DID YOU KNOW?
Aguirre has won eight of his 13 matches in his current stint as head coach of the national Team.
Raúl Jiménez reached 40 goals with El Tri, putting him just six behind Jared Borgetti (46) for second place on Mexico’s all-time scoring list. Javier “Chicharito” Hernández remains the national team’s top scorer with 52 goals.
WHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM?
The Mexico will face Suriname Wednesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, while the Dominican Republic will take on Costa Rica later that same afternoon at the same venue.
The big debate at Leeds United currently concerns the number one position at Elland Road amid questions over Illan Meslier’s suitability for the team this season.
Daniel Farke has already confirmed that Karl Darlow will be between the sticks when the Whites face off against Luton Town in the Championship this weekend, which will be a huge chance for the former Newcastle United man to nail down a place in the side.
The West Yorkshire outfit are currently competing for promotion to the Premier League – sat in second place as it stands – and the Wales international now has an opportunity to play a key role in an ascension to the top-flight.
Darlow has yet to make a Championship appearance for Leeds this season, but has kept two clean sheets in three Nations League matches for Wales, and it remains to be seen if he can be an upgrade on the French stopper.
Meslier’s form for the Whites throughout the 2024/25 campaign has been a concern, though, and it seems like the right call for Farke to take him out of the firing line this weekend.
Why Leeds are right to drop Illan Meslier
The former Lorient goalkeeper was in the spotlight once again when Leeds were held to a 2-2 draw by Swansea last weekend after he fumbled a cross to allow Harry Darling to score and let a shot from Zan Vipotnik squirm under him at the near post – undoing the good work he did to save a penalty.
He has started all 39 of the club’s matches in the Championship so far this term and that clash with the Swans was far from the first time that he has let the side down.
The left-footed dud has conceded 2.73 more goals than expected, based on the xG of the shots against his goal, which suggests that the Frenchman has been well below average as a shot-stopper.
Meslier has also made three errors that have directly led to goals for the opposition this season, the most famous of which may well be the one against Sunderland in the last minute at the Stadium of Light.
All of this suggests that Farke is right to finally take the 25-year-old liability out of the starting line-up because he has underperformed as a shot-stopper and made too many errors to gift goals to the opposition.
Meslier’s poor form this season has also caused some supporters to look back at former goalkeepers who have been let go during the French flop’s time at Elland Road, including Italian stopper Elia Caprile.
Leeds United's error with Elia Caprile
The young goalkeeper spent two-and-a-half years with the club’s academy, keeping five clean sheets in 19 U21 matches, and was sent out on loan to the third tier of Italian football in the 2021/22 campaign.
Caprile kept 12 clean sheets in 36 Serie C matches in that season, whilst Meslier had started all 38 of the club’s Premier League games under Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch combined.
At that point, it did not seem realistic that the Italian would overtake the Frenchman because he had just played third tier football, whilst the Leeds number one was playing week-in-week-out in the top-flight.
That led to Victor Orta and Marsch sanctioning a deal to send Caprile to Serie B side Bari on a permanent deal, which turned out to be an error on the club’s part as he went on to join Napoli one year later.
Appearances
23
15
Goals conceded per game
1.2
0.9
Save success rate
75%
77%
Goals prevented
+0.96
+5.84
Saves made
80
43
Error led to goal
1
0
As you can see in the table above, he has spent the last two seasons on loan at Empoli and Cagliari in the Serie A and caught the eye with his impressive shot-stopping skills.
This suggests that Leeds messed up with Caprile, because he is currently outperforming Meslier whilst playing in a major league, but it was difficult for the club to predict that rise after he had played in the third tier in Italy.
A bigger blunder by Leeds was their decision to allow Joel Robles to leave on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, as he could have been a dream replacement for the French dud.
Why Joel Robles was the perfect Illan Meslier replacement
The experienced Spaniard played four times in the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign under Sam Allardyce, who dropped Meslier, before the club released him that summer.
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.
That has turned out to be an even bigger mistake than the decision to move Caprile on because the former Wigan Athletic man was a veteran presence between the sticks with top-flight experience, whilst the Italian was an inexperienced and young prospect who had yet to prove himself when the Whites let him leave.
Leeds United goalkeeper Joel Robles.
Meslier had just conceded a staggering 12.4 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG against him in the Premier League, which meant that he was heading into the Championship in poor form.
The 25-year-old dud has now gone on to concede 7.22 more goals than expected and made four errors that have directly led to goals in the second tier since the start of last term, which shows that he has continued to be a liability between the sticks.
Robles, who was hailed as an “incredible” teacher by Marc Roca, should have been kept as an experienced pair of hands to step in for Meslier once it was clear that his poor form had followed him to the Championship, as he has gone on to prove his quality in Portugal with Estoril.
Appearances
39
24
Saves made
65
77
Saves from inside the box
35
57
Save success rate
71%
68%
Goals prevented
-2.73
+6.84
Error led to goal
3
1
As you can see in the table above, the Spanish titan currently plays for Estoril and has significantly outperformed Meslier whilst playing in a top division.
Robles has consistently bailed his team out, almost preventing seven goals, and these statistics suggest that Leeds would have conceded far fewer goals if they had a goalkeeper of his shot-stopping ability between the sticks instead of their current number one.
Leeds United goalkeeper Joel Robles
Therefore, Leeds already let a perfect upgrade on Meslier leave for £0 when they released the former Wigan and Everton man on a free transfer back in the summer of 2023.
The 34-year-old colossus is proving that age is just a number as he continues to shine in a top European league for Estoril, whilst his former teammate continues to struggle in the Championship.
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Leeds could have more points on the board right now if they had a reliable shot-stopper who could consistently prevent goals, like Robles, as they may not have dropped points against Sunderland or Swansea away – for example – without Meslier’s errors.
One of the areas of their squad that Manchester United might look to upgrade in the summer is their midfield. Ruben Amoim has chopped and changed his pivot since taking over as manager, with Bruno Fernandes being the only consistent option in the middle of the park.
Next to Fernandes, the new United boss has either deployed Manuel Ugarte, who does have his limitations on the ball, or Casemiro, who has become a more prominent part of the squad again in recent weeks. That said, it was reported in February that the Brazilian could see out the remainder of his contract at Old Trafford.
Other options in the centre of the park include Kobbie Mainoo, who is currently out injured and Toby Collyer. Therefore, it will come as no surprise that United are linked with a new midfielder for the summer.
Man Utd's midfield target
So, United could be set to bring in a new player to strengthen in midfield over the summer, to supplement Amorim’s options in the middle of the park.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
One name who has been linked to a switch to Old Trafford is Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha.
According to Sky Germany’s Patrick Berger, the Red Devils are believed to be ‘interested’ in signing the German this summer. He reports that the club ‘have him on their shortlist’ ahead of the transfer window.
Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha
As Berger notes in the story, ‘there has been no contact yet’ between United and Dortmund.
However, the midfielder is likely to cost around £42m if he is to leave Signal Iduna Park, which could become likely if BVB fail to qualify for Europe.
Why Nmecha would be a good signing for Man Utd
Despite Dortmund’s struggles this season, it has been an impressive season for Nmecha. Often playing as the deepest midfielder for the Bundesliga giants, he has featured 27 times across all competitions, scoring three times and grabbing two assists.
Felix Nmecha for Borussia Dortmund.
Goals are not necessarily a key feature of the midfielder’s game; he has only scored eight in his professional career.
However, when he does score, they are often worth a watch. Take his goal against Freiburg as an example. Nmecha picked up the ball from outside the penalty box and curled a shot home into the bottom left corner.
Interestingly, Nmecha has already had experience of English football. He spent several years playing for Manchester City’s academy, even featuring three times in the first team under Pep Guardiola, before making a move back to Germany, originally joining Wolfsburg before signing for Dortmund.
First team
3
73
0
u21s
47
3150
20
u19s
11
505
3
u18s
28
2197
18
This could also make negotiations for the player run smoother from United’s point of view. As Berger explained in his report, the Red Devils’ technical director, Jason Wilcox, ‘knows him well’, given he was once the head of the City academy.
Should United complete a deal to sign Nmecha, they might find they have signed their own version of Jude Bellingham, not so much in the way they play, but rather in the fact both honed their crafts at Dortmund.
Man United targetJude Bellingham
The England international played for the German side 132 times, scoring and assisting 24 times each, and has since gone on to achieve great things at Real Madrid. Bellingham has played 81 times for Los Blancos, with 34 goals and 24 assists to his name, and multiple titles.
Well, like the former Birmingham City star, Nmecha might not be the player we see today, without his time at Dortmund. In total, he has played 56 times, with nine goals and assists from his deeper role, and three Germany caps to his name.
There are similarities between the pair, however, despite the fact they are different styles of midfielder. Perhaps most notable is that both players are powerful box-to-box ball-carriers. As per FBref, Nmecha averages one take-on per 90 minutes this season, and Bellingham 1.72 per game. They also perform a similar amount of defensive work, notably when it comes to tackling.
Progressive passes
4.94
7.15
Key passes
0.83
1.56
Pass success rate
88%
88%
Goal-creating actions
0.44
0.50
Successful take-ons
1.00
1.72
Attempted tackles
2.28
2.22
Succesful tackles
1.50
1.24
Tackles + interceptions
3.67
3.13
Perhaps there is something about signing midfielders from Dortmund because Bellingham’s impact in Madrid has been superb. The Red Devils will surely be hoping the same can be said about Nmecha if they were to sign the 24-year-old in the summer.
Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha.
As football scout Antonio Mango said, he is a “terrific talent”, who could transfer United’s midfield ahead of a big 2025/26 campaign.
Man Utd star was ahead of Mainoo, then Ten Hag sold him for just £850k
One Man Utd academy star failed to build on his early promise under Erik ten Hag
Enzo Maresca was flying high in his first few months at Chelsea, leading them to second in the Premier League, finishing top of the UEFA Conference League group phase and implementing a clear style of play for all to see.
However, in the past few months, things have taken a turn for the worst, dropping to sixth place in the league, being knocked out of both the EFL Cup and FA Cup, and having a poor January transfer window where plenty of issues were not addressed by Todd Boehly and co.
Chelsea have had some huge issues since their injury troubles began to arise, leading to a run of only three wins in their last ten games, one of which coming against Morecambe in the FA Cup.
Chelsea's injury issues
The first big injury blow this season was the loss of Wesley Fofana, who had settled into a solid defensive unit alongside Levi Colwill, the two complimenting each other brilliantly and beginning to provide the Blues with a stability they hadn’t had previously.
Fofana’s hamstring injury was the first to really affect the first-team squad, as he had started 12 of the first 13 Premier League games. Since then, Roméo Lavia and Reece James have both struggled for fitness, whilst James is currently available, the two have been suffering from reoccurring injuries this season.
In the past few weeks, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu and Noni Madueke have all suffered injuries too, leaving Chelsea with a thin squad despite being able to field two different starting lineups earlier in the season.
Availability is one of the most important things in this modern era of football, and one man Chelsea sold in the summer had that in abundance.
The former Chelsea star who's worth more than Lavia
Conor Gallagher was sold to Atlético Madrid in the summer transfer window, joining the Spanish giants for around £35.8m.
Market Movers
In his time at Chelsea, the English midfielder made 95 appearances for the club, scoring ten goals, providing ten assists and totalling 6,061 minutes played.
But more importantly, Gallagher has never been ruled out through injury, which is something Chelsea could use in their current squad.
Conor Gallagher vs Roméo Lavia comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)
Gallagher
Lavia
Goals + Assists
0.30
0.16
Progressive Carries
1.07
0.51
Progressive Passes
2.80
2.88
Shots Total
1.16
0.16
Pass Completion %
86.0%
91.6%
Passes into Pen Area
0.53
0.51
Shot-Creating Actions
1.13
1.86
Tackles + Interceptions
3.60
4.67
Blocks
1.40
1.02
Ball Recoveries
4.80
4.75
Stats taken from FBref
When comparing Gallagher and Lavia’s underlying metrics this season, you can see Lavia clearly has a bit more quality on the ball, making more progressive passes and completing a higher percentage of his passes.
However, Gallagher offers similar defensive qualities with ball recoveries, blocks and can even add goals from midfield, crashing the box and working hard from end to end.
Mauricio Pochettino labelled Gallagher as “priceless” last season, but the 25-year-old, who was sold for £35.8m is now worth €73m (£61m) according to Football Observatory, which is more than the injury-prone Lavia, who is only valued at €25m (£21m).
Cole Palmer and Conor Gallagher for Chelsea
Due to the injury issues of Lavia this season, Enzo Fernández and Moises Caicedo have experienced an incredibly big workload in midfield, and having a player like Gallagher, in hindsight, who is always available and willing to work hard, could have been very helpful for the squad.
Perhaps, Boehly and co will live to regret that transfer decision, as the battle for a Champions League berth hots up…
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Manchester United are now battling Liverpool for the signature of a rising star, who could be brought in to replace a first-team player this summer, according to a report.
Man Utd struggling defensively
It would be fair to say Man United have struggled at both ends of the pitch this season, with Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund struggling to deliver in attack, while there have also been some very poor defensive performances.
The Red Devils have conceded three goals at home against the likes of Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion, and their frailties were on show once again in the 2-2 draw against Everton at the weekend, with Harry Maguire receiving criticism.
There has been doubt over Maguire for quite some time, with the Englishman being stripped of the captaincy during the Erik ten Hag era, and there are now indications Ruben Amorim is looking to bring in a replacement this summer.
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According to a report from Caught Offside, United held off on signing a centre-back in the January transfer window, at which point Maguire was in good form, but they are now ready to battle it out for the signature of Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite this summer.
Everton's JarradBranthwaitein action with Manchester United's Harry Maguire
Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are also named as potential suitors for Branthwaite, with some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs queuing up to get a deal done, while Real Madrid have also been linked.
However, the centre-back will not come cheap, as the report reveals he will cost in excess of £70m, and Everton are determined to keep hold of him, with the plan being to extend his contract until 2030.
"Colossal" Branthwaite performing well for Everton
The Toffees have been in resurgent form since David Moyes returned to Goodison Park, and the 22-year-old has continued to play a key role, starting every Premier League game under his new manager.
The Englishman has also averaged a 7.06 SofaScore match rating in the league this season, ranking him among the best performers in the Everton squad, while also eclipsing Maguire’s average of 6.86.
In the 2-2 draw at Goodison Park on Saturday, the Carlisle-born centre-back was rated as the best-performing defender on the pitch, winning seven of the eight duels he contested, indicating he could be a real upgrade on the Red Devils’ current options.
Maguire is by no means a bad player, ranking highly across some key defensive metrics over the past year, placing in the 97th percentile for interceptions, and the 93rd percentile for aerials won.
However, if Amorim is to turn United back into contenders near the top of the table, it is clear he will need to improve his defence this summer, and Branthwaite, who has been lauded as “colossal”, is showing signs he could be a fantastic long-term addition to the squad.