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Chelsea chiefs have done extremely well when it comes to selling players this summer, with BlueCo’s mass car boot sale raising north of £300 million.

Enzo Maresca’s side have a unique pact with UEFA after they were slapped with a conditional fine for breaching FFP last month.

A condition of the settlement is that Chelsea must sell certain players from their ‘A-List’ Conference League squad last season if they want to register new signings for the Champions League this term, meaning the Blues have been under pressure to offload squad members.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Mathis Amougou, Djordje Petrovic, João Félix, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Armando Broja, Lesley Ugochukwu, Renato Veiga and Carney Chukwuemeka have all left Stamford Bridge on permanent deals this window, raising a mountain of cash and allowing the club to produce a positive net spend.

Madueke, Amougou and Dewsbury-Hall’s departures also contribute towards Chelsea’s goal of a ‘positive transfer balance’ by September, so they can insert new players into their Champions League ranks ahead of what will be a testing 25/26.

Lately, their potential deals for one of Xavi Simons or Fermin Lopez, with Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho, have stalled due to their need to sell both Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson – which is a result of their UEFA agreement.

Garnacho has agreed personal terms with Chelsea, while it is believed that Barcelona’s Lopez is coming round to the idea of a potential west London move if Maresca’s side opt for the Spaniard instead of Simons.

Chelsea now face stiff competition from Tottenham for the latter, so if they do really want the Dutchman, BlueCo will need to hurry as Spurs are desperate to sign a playmaker.

According to reports, Simons is jetting to London for transfer talks amid Chelsea and Spurs’ interest, so this race is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Luckily for Chelsea, they have just freed up space in their squad for one of Simons or Lopez by agreeing to sell Nkunku to AC Milan.

Chelsea agree Christopher Nkunku exit with AC Milan deal done

According to Fabrizio Romano, who broke the news first, Chelsea have verbally shaken hands on a deal with Milan over Nkunku, with the £195,000-per-week Frenchman set to pen a five-year deal at the San Siro.

The BBC’s Nizaar Kinsella estimates that, following this transfer, Chelsea have raised around £310 million from outgoings to balance out £277 million spent on transfers – so Maresca’s side certainly won’t have to worry about PSR.

A move to Serie A also comes as the fresh start Nkunku needs to become a mainstay star, having contributed well under Maresca when called upon.

The Frenchman bagged 15 goals in all competitions despite coming mainly off the bench and starting in the Conference League, with João Félix calling him a “top player”.

It has been a long time since the mood around Arsenal has been so jubilant.

Amazingly, it was the complete opposite just a couple of days ago, with fans having to deal with fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur closing in on Eberechi Eze and Kai Havertz suffering another potentially significant injury.

Fortunately, everything changed on Wednesday evening when reports broke of the club going back in and hijacking the move for the Crystal Palace star.

With a ‘here we go’ from Fabrizio Romano and news of him completing his medical yesterday, the Gunners have finally got their hands on the potentially game-changing number ten they’ve needed for so long.

Yet, if Arsenal want to really get the most out of Eze and help him reach or surpass the numbers Liverpool’s new ten, Florian Wirtz, put up last season, they should be going in for another international they’ve been linked with this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Why Arsenal signed Eze

One of the primary reasons Arsenal decided to splash the cash on Eze this summer is undoubtedly his output of the last few years.

For example, across the 23/24 and 24/25 seasons, the 27-year-old “magician,” as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, was able to score 25 goals and provide 17 assists in 79 appearances, totalling 5588 minutes.

In other words, the former QPR gem maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games, or every 133.04 minutes for a mid-table side.

The second significant reason the North Londoners went all out for the Greenwich-born superstar is the fact that he can play as a ten and out on the left.

These were two of the most significant problem areas for the team last season, as Martin Odegaard was miles off his creative best and neither Gabriel Martinelli nor Leandro Trossard were able to offer enough threat out wide.

Finally, while it will take some time for the 5 foot 10 dynamo to familiarise himself with Arsenal’s style of player and Arteta’s tactical ideas, he’s Premier League-proven.

Therefore, it shouldn’t take anywhere near as long as some of the Gunners’ other signings to get up to speed.

However, while Eze looks like he could be a game-changing addition to the North Londoners’ squad, they could potentially get even more out of him and help him hit the numbers of Wirtz last season by signing another international star they’ve been linked with: Ademola Lookman.

Why Lookman can help Eze hit Wirtz numbers

Given their attacking problems last season, it’s hardly been a surprise to see the sheer number of offensive players Arsenal have been linked with this summer.

One of the most exciting and intriguing of those has been Lookman, who could be available for around £43m after his move to Inter Milan fell through, and he could help Eze hit the incredible numbers Wirtz did last season: 31 goal involvements in 45 games.

The first reason we think this is that the Nigerian international is a lean, mean output machine.

Since moving to the Serie A side in August 2022, the “world-class” attacker, as dubbed by the BBC’s John Bennett, has scored a brilliant 52 goals and provided 25 assists in 118 appearances, totalling 7538 minutes.

That means the 5 foot 9 monster has averaged a goal involvement every 1.53 games or every 97.89 minutes on the continent.

Just imagine the sort of numbers the former Everton man would put up in this Arsenal side, and then the goals and assists the Palace ace could chalk up playing alongside him.

Moreover, there would be plenty of opportunities for the two to play together, as even though the Wandsworth-born game-changer spent much of last season up top, he is just as comfortable playing on either wing, as a second striker, or even in midfield.

This ability to cover practically every area of the attack also means that he could cover for the FA Cup winner when needed, ensuring he isn’t overplayed and is always near his best.

Ultimately, Eze is an excellent signing in his own right, but were Arsenal to also bring in Lookman this summer, he could help the Englishman hit the sort of numbers Wirtz did for Bayer Leverkusen last year.

Palace's "unusual" Eze demand sparked Tottenham fear before Arsenal hijack

The England international has agreed to re-join his boyhood club.

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 22, 2025

Joe Cole has joked that Jose Mourinho, who he worked under at Chelsea, must have “kicked Daniel Levy's cat” at Tottenham to deserve being sacked on the eve of a major cup final. The outspoken Portuguese was relieved of his duties in north London after guiding Spurs to the 2021 League Cup final. The decision to part with a proven winner raised a few eyebrows, with the Special One still chasing down tangible success at 62 years of age.

• Returned to his roots: Mourinho's career path goes full circle

  Mourinho has returned to where it all began for him in a coaching capacity, with professional steps being retraced to Benfica. Said move was made after being relieved of his duties by Turkish giants Fenerbahce, with a rare trophyless tenure being endured in Istanbul. There is no questioning Mourinho’s appetite for success or his desire to chase down major honours.

  He has done that across spells with Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Roma. Questions have been asked of his methods, and whether they could now be considered outdated, but top jobs continue to come his way and he remains one of the most decorated coaches to have ever graced a dugout.

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  Mourinho sacked by Spurs on eve of cup final

  Ahead of an emotional reunion with Chelsea in the 2025-26 Champions League, ex-Blues star Cole told when asked if the modern game is passing Mourinho by: “For me, the only question mark over the last 10 years is the Fenerbahce job, and I don't know enough about what happened over there.

  “The Manchester United job now looks like a stellar job, when you think of the debacle that came before and after him, incredible job. Spurs, he had them on the brink of a cup… I don't know what Daniel Levy was thinking sacking a manager before a cup final. I'll never be able to comprehend that unless he's gone in and kicked Daniel's cat the night before! The Tottenham job is a write off.

  “This is a crucial job for him. It's a smart move for him to go back to his home country, back to where he knows and back where it all started. If he goes and wins the league at Benfica and has a run in the Champions League, his name will start being bandied around the big clubs again."

• What is Mourinho like to pay under?

  Quizzed on whether Mourinho can be considered the greatest manager to have ever passed through Stamford Bridge, Cole added: “I don't think there's any doubt in that. Obviously, he's then gone on to manage Spurs and Manchester United, but I see him at Chelsea as a [Bill] Shankly-type character.

  “When he walked through the door, there’s a clear line from being a fashionable club… Chelsea's always been a fashionable club where people were excited to come and watch great players, but he came in and changed the club and effectively started the last 25 years, which has been unbridled success. The fans will always love him because he's the manager that started that success.”

  Cole was already on Chelsea’s books when Mourinho arrived for his first spell in west London during the summer of 2024. They would go on to win two Premier League titles together, with Cole saying of what the enigmatic Portuguese is like to play under: “He's brilliant, looking back on it. It was just fun, the lads used to love it. We used to love his press conferences, coming into the building and being all ‘He said what?!’.

  “He was a breath of fresh air for the Premier League and was probably the last 'rock and roll' manager. I'd put him next to people like Brian Clough, and you've seen the legacy of Brian Clough. Whenever you go to Forest they're still talking about him and his pictures are everywhere. I think Jose is that type of guy.”

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  Champions League test: Mourinho back at Stamford Bridge

  Mourinho has enjoyed an unbeaten start to his reign at Benfica, picking up seven points from three Liga fixtures. Chelsea will provide his biggest test yet, but the Blues have picked up just one win from their last five games in all competitions to see a few uncomfortable questions asked of head coach Enzo Maresca.

Wayne Rooney spent his career playing alongside some of the best to play the game. With the pinnacle of his career being a part of a Champions League-winning side that included the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nemanja Vidic and Ryan Giggs.

Before he was playing in the red of Manchester, Rooney broke through as a young Evertonian starlet. Making his Premier League debut at 16 years old, he played in his home city of Liverpool before being picked up by Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United two seasons later.

When Rooney was breaking into the first team, Everton had a number of impressive attack-minded players that he could model himself after, including Wales winger Mark Pembridge and the late Kevin Campbell. However, there was one striker in particular that Rooney favored, and they would go on to play together on 31 occasions.

Rooney's "favourite player" growing up

Rooney’s rapid development as a youngster saw him make his Premier League debut at only 16 years old. Some players don’t break into the first team football until they are in their 20s, but being able to play at a high standard at such a young age allowed Rooney to play alongside Duncan Ferguson.

At an Everton legends game in March, Rooney reminisced about the start of his career and his admiration for Ferguson growing up, calling the £4m ex-Rangers record signing his “favourite player”.

While Rooney admired Ferguson for his striking abilities, many know the Scot for his hard-man persona and his less-than-reputable disciplinary record.

During his 319 career appearances, he received 44 yellow cards and six red cards, meaning he received some form of card on an average of just over once every six games.

Ferguson's concise approach to dealing with Rooney

Ferguson was clearly aware of his reputation and took it into consideration when dealing with a young and impressionable Rooney. When speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, he said:

“Wayne was only young at the time, you know, coming through at Everton. You could see where he was going to get to; he wasn’t quite there, but he was still a top, top player; you could see what he was going to be.

“I kind of tried to shy away from Wayne. Wayne was younger than me, and I think he looked up to me. I was a bit worried because I wasn’t the best role model, and he was just a young kid. He was the biggest talent in Britain, and if he got into trouble, I was going to get the blame for it. So I tended to keep away from him.”

When Ferguson gave advice to Rooney, it seemed to be the best advice of his career, as he advised him to move to Manchester United rather than Newcastle United. Ferguson said his advice to Rooney was: “Newcastle’s a wonderful club with great fans, but if you’re going to leave and Sir Alex Ferguson wants you, then you’ve got to go there”, and given his success at United, it was clearly the right move.

On Tuesday, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) officially presented Sonia Bermudez as the new head coach of the Spanish women's national team, who will be succeeding Montse Tome in the role. Bermudez, one of the best players in Spain during her time, addressed the future of veteran striker Jenni Hermoso, who was left out of the Euro 2025 squad.

• Bermudez presented as new Spain coach

  Having retired in 2020, Bermudez obtained her UEFA Pro License immediately and started coach the women's youth teams of Spain. She has managed the U-19s, the U-20s, and the U-23s. On Tuesday, she was presented as the new head coach of the senior women's team on a two-year contract, which will end after the 2027 Women's World Cup. The former Barcelona and Atletico Madrid forward takes over from Montse Tome, who led La Roja to a runners-up finish at the Women's Euro in the summer.

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  Hermoso's international career with Spain could be over

  Speaking at her presentation, Bermudez spoke highly of Hermoso, a player she has previously shared the dressing room with at Rayo Vallecano and Barcelona. However, the 40-year-old didn't clarify whether the Tigres UANL forward was in her plans. 

  "I'm not going to reveal who Jennifer Hermoso is. She's a legend, the national team's top scorer, who's now in Mexico. But you'll have to wait for the list," she said. "We're starting from scratch. We want to focus on the project and we're going to try to bring in the best players. We're following all the players and monitoring them every week. I'm looking forward to getting started. When the list arrives, we'll talk about all the players."

• Hermoso is Spain's all-time top scorer

  The 35-year-old made her debut for Spain in 2012 and has since made 123 appearances for her country, scoring 57 goals. No other footballer has scored more for Spain's women's team in history. She won the Silver Ball for her exploits in Spain's World Cup-winning campaign in 2023, scoring three goals and delivering two assists. What's more, she has finished as the top scorer in Spain's top-flight five times. 

  Her time with Spain, though, seems to be coming to an end. Despite finishing as Spain's joint top scorer in the Euro qualifying campaign along with Salma Paralluelo, she was surprisingly left out of the Euro 2025 squad, with the likes of Esther Gonzalez, Alba Redondo, Claudia Pina and Mariona Caldentey getting the nod.

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  When do Spain play their first games under Bermudez?

  Bermudez will make her senior managerial debut on October 24, when Spain host Sweden in the first leg of the Women's Nations League semi-final. The return leg will be played four days later.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has shared an update on talismanic star Cole Palmer ahead of their Premier League return against Brentford.

The west Londoners were dealt multiple injury blows in the last week, with news that Liam Delap will be out until December after suffering a hamstring injury in Chelsea’s derby win over Fulham.

Whilst the summer signing didn’t require surgery and will immediately begin rehab on the problem, Delap is expected to miss some big games in the run-up to winter — including a Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, their face-off against Liverpool and Chelsea’s trip to Tottenham.

Alongside Delap, fellow summer arrival Dario Essugo has undergone surgery on a thigh problem he sustained during the international break with Portugal’s Under-21s, leaving Maresca one-man lighter in midfield.

The 20-year-old is now set to wait for his Premier League debut after making three appearances at the Club World Cup, joining Delap on the treatment table for an extensive period, and supporters have been very keen to find out the condition of star man Palmer.

The England international was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest Three Lions squad for their wins over Andorra and Serbia, with Palmer nursing a groin problem since Chelsea’s 5-1 win away to West Ham.

The 23-year-old injured his groin in the warm-up and was subsequently replaced in the line-up by Brazilian teenager Estevao, missing their rampant London Stadium win and their victory over Fulham.

Reliable sources indicate that Maresca has merely been cautious with Palmer, and Telegraph journalist Matt Law suggested this week that the ex-Man City sensation could return against Brentford on Saturday.

Now, Maresca has provided an update in his latest press conference ahead of Brentford.

Enzo Maresca provides Cole Palmer injury update ahead of Chelsea vs Brentford

Speaking to the media, Chelsea’s boss says that Palmer is touch-and-go for Brentford, with the forward subject to a late training session this afternoon which will determine whether he is ready for their trip to the G-tech Community Stadium.

BlueCo’s best signing since the 2022 takeover has been worth every penny of the £42.5 million they paid City for Palmer on summer deadline day in 2023.

Palmer is an absolutely vital figurehead, racking up 43 goals and 29 assists in nearly 100 appearances, and there is even a belief that Chelsea can be too reliant on him at times.

Last season, Palmer was yet again their chief creator, finishing the campaign with more shots at goal and key passes per 90 on average than any other Chelsea player in the Premier League (WhoScored).

If not against Brentford, Palmer doesn’t sound too far away from full fitness, and Maresca will be hoping he can at least be fit for their opening Champions League game against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s son has earned a maiden call-up to the Portugal U16 squad, with the talented teenager continuing his impressive rise through the youth ranks with club and country. Cristiano Jr is, like his superstar father, currently on the books of Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. Eye-catching performances in the Middle East are allowing international selections to be earned.

• Tournament action for Ronaldo Jr

  Ronaldo Jr could have been forgiven for wanting to steer clear of professional football, given the exploits of his legendary dad. He will forever be following in the most illustrious of footsteps, with inevitable comparisons becoming impossible to avoid. The 15-year-old is, however, ready to tread his own path.

  The youngster, who is known as Cristianinho in Portugal, is one of 22 players to have been called upon for the upcoming Federations Cup. That competition, which will have an U16 event, is due to take place in Antalya, Turkey, between October 30 and November 4. It will be the second tournament that Ronaldo Jr has graced.

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  Ronaldo Jr played alongside Kai Rooney at Man Utd

  He made his international bow at the Vlatko Markovic Tournament in Croatia after being included in Portugal’s U15 squad for the first time. He made quite the impression there, bagging a brace in a final showdown with the host nation. Cristianinho is seemingly happy to operate under the brightest of spotlights.

  He lined up for Portugal in Croatia on the left wing – which is a position that his father operated in for Sporting and Manchester United before being transformed into arguably the greatest goalscorer that the world has ever seen.

  Ronaldo Jr also sported the No.7 shirt, with his dad having worn the same jersey with distinction across spells with United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr – while also filling it on a regular basis while earning 225 caps for Portugal and scoring 143 goals.

  Cristianinho has followed his father around the world, forming part of academy systems at Juve and Al-Nassr. He also once lined up alongside Wayne Rooney’s son Kai in the fabled youth ranks at Premier League giants Manchester United. There are high hopes for both of those hot prospects.

• No pressure! CR7 allowing son to tread his own path

  Ronaldo Snr has tried to avoid putting too much pressure on his eldest child, with it important that he learns from his own mistakes and naturally develops the hunger to succeed. CR7 has said: “He’s a good kid. The other ones are more tougher, the small ones at home. This one is no problem. When I was his age, he is a little bit bigger and stronger. I was smaller. I think he will be bigger than me. Let’s see if he has the hunger. The hunger is the most difficult.”

  Ronaldo added during a discussion with ex-United team-mate Rio Ferdinand: “Right in this moment, Cristiano wants to be a football player but I don't make big pressure, I make a little. He has pressure already to be the son of Cristiano [senior]. Let him do his own mistakes, but I hope that in the future he can be a professional player. If he doesn't become a player, maybe another job, but I will always support him. We cannot put pressure on our sons because we are famous.”

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  Will Ronaldo play alongside his son before retiring?

  Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has not ruled out playing alongside his son at some stage. He is now 40 years of age, but has committed to a new two-year contract at Al-Nassr, which could put him in contention to figure in the same game that sees Junior make his professional debut.

  CR7 has said: “I would like it, I would like it. It's not something that keeps me up at night, but I would like it. We'll see. It's more in his hands than in mine. The years are starting to pass and obviously Cris will have to, one day, leave football, because the years I'm extending… There will come a time when it's no longer possible. Not only physically but psychologically.

  “But I also don't see it as an obsession. He will follow his path, his trajectory. I will be a proud father, I will be proud of whatever he wants to do. If he plays, 'top'. If he doesn't play, we tried. At least his father tried hard. But it won't be a problem either, in my opinion.”

Despite slipping to a late defeat on the road at Crystal Palace on Saturday, Liverpool remain at the summit of the Premier League for the time being.

Arne Slot and Co had five straight league wins to thank for their table-topping position, but the concerning nature of their defeat at the hands of Oliver Glasner’s Palace will make those with connections to the Anfield giants worry about more crushing losses to come.

It’s too soon to be furiously pounding the panic button, but there will still be an uneasiness in the air surrounding Mohamed Salah’s poor performances of late, as the ageing winger now inevitably faces the winding down of his esteemed playing days.

Salah's poor performances in numbers

Staggeringly, if you remove his opening day strike against AFC Bournemouth from the equation, Salah only has a last-minute penalty against Burnley to shout about for his goalscoring efforts this season.

He does also have two assists next to his name, but it was a worryingly sub-par showing from the usually enigmatic Egyptian against the tough to break down Eagles, with Tyrick Mitchell managing to make the “world-class” ace – as he was once dubbed by Jurgen Klopp – look ordinary.

Salah was arguably lucky to last the full 90 minutes, with the lacklustre number 11 managing to complete none of his dribble attempts to try and catch out a resolute Palace defence, while also squandering two big chances to try and keep the Reds’ 100% record intact.

It does feel rather far-fetched that Salah will be dropped, though, even with these off-days popping up, but Slot will have one eye on the future now, surely, with the left-footed ace coming in at 33 years of age.

Thankfully, Liverpool do have some shiny starlets in the youth set-up who will be desperate to make more considerable strides in the first team picture soon, with one rising attacker maybe even aiming to become the next Salah in time.

Liverpool's up and coming Salah heir

When the day comes that Salah leaves Anfield behind, it will be an extremely tough task to try and instantly replace the Egyptian’s unmistakable star quality.

Despite visible chinks in his armour now appearing, Salah does boast an unbelievable 248 goals and 116 assists for the Reds, with two Premier League triumphs and a Champions League trophy lifted off the back of his blistering heroics.

Still, everybody has their day in the sun before they have to walk away, and with Liverpool already beginning to put the pieces together for a new-look attack with Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, and Florian Wirtz in through the door this summer, there could soon be a queue of candidates wanting to take over from the modern day icon as Liverpool’s electric spark down the flanks.

Rio Ngumoha might well fancy his chances at being a long-term successor to Salah’s throne, having already lit up the Premier League this season with a Salah-like moment of quality when breaking Newcastle United hearts with a last-gasp winner at St. James’ Park.

In the right place at the right time to smash home that decisive strike, the tricky 17-year-old also managed to complete one successful dribble, despite only being present on the Tyneside turf for eight minutes.

Having also scored and assisted for fun in pre-season for Slot’s men – with two goals and two assists registered against the likes of Athletic Bilbao and AC Milan – it does feel like only a matter of time before Nguhoma enters into the Dutchman’s first team plans and remains there.

The future is immensely bright for this talented teen, with his former youth coach in Saul Isaksson-Hurst even going as far as to say he could one day make the Ballon d’Or shortlist like Salah.

Nguhoma’s current moment in the spotlight at Anfield could have well been Chelsea’s own success story in an alternate reality, with the teenage sensation lining up nine times for the Chelsea U18s before moving to Merseyside.

Of course, Salah was also once let go of prematurely by the Blues, before turning into a world beater donning Liverpool red.

With a Salah-like directness present in his game, also making him “one of the best young wingers in Europe” according to Secret Scout, there is an unbelievable level of hype already surrounding the 17-year-old’s name.

It will be up to the England U19 international and those around him to ensure he is brave enough to ride these choppy upcoming waves, but a homegrown Salah potentially being in the works is an absurd thought.

Slot has found the new Nunez in Liverpool star who's "struggling" big time

Liverpool have problems to fix after suffering their first league defeat of the season at Crystal Palace.

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 28, 2025

Pep Guardiola sees the Stoke City model being followed "more and more" in the Premier League, as several teams are picking up Tony Pulis' old tactics. The Manchester City boss believes the English top-flight has fallen in love again with Pulis-style football, where long throws and set-piece chaos decide games more than skill or possession. However, the Catalan coach remains defiant and claims that he will not change his philosophy. Instead, he vowed to nullify that threat using his own methods, which will involve adopting an "aggressive response".

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  Premier League sides following Pulis blueprint

  Almost 19 per cent of all goals in the Premier League this season have come from corners. Corners and long throws are dictating results in most Premier League fixtures, with some of the top clubs, including leaders Arsenal, turning to specialists to squeeze every advantage out of dead-ball scenarios. Mikel Arteta has time and again stressed the importance of set-pieces, and Arsenal's playbook revolves around what Pulis once made famous at Stoke. They look to build relentless aerial pressure in packed penalty areas and clever flick-ons designed to unsettle defenders. While Guardiola insists he respects every manager’s right to shape their team in their own image, he made it clear City will not abandon their identity, despite the change in approach adopted by most Premier League teams. 

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  Guardiola: I am not naive

  Speaking ahead of City’s Carabao Cup fourth-round clash with Swansea City, Guardiola admitted that the league’s obsession with set pieces has reached new heights. 

  "I remember a long time ago with Sean Dyche, Burnley were an incredible threat in the long balls, second balls," he said. "Dyche is one of the best by far doing these kind of aspects. It’s not new, he did it before. Or Sam Allardyce. Or I remember when I was not here, Stoke City. Do you remember Stoke City when they made the throws? It happened in that time. Now it’s just more and more teams doing that but then maybe Stoke was the exception. I remember when I was at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Arsene Wenger talked about going to play at Stoke City but now it happens a lot of times."

  Guardiola admitted his side must improve in managing these moments, but he is refusing to compromise his footballing principles.

  "Every manager does what they believe. I’m focused on that," he insisted. "I want to score from free-kicks and corners – I’m not naive, I want it – but I spend my time on what we have to do to play better, attack better and create chances, to score goals. Defensively, you have to be more aggressive. All the aspects of the game I see. Of course, I pay attention, but I know I’m not the manager to try to… It’s what I’ve done all my career."

• Guardiola working on an antidote

  The Premier League’s average of 2.6 goals per game this season is the lowest since 2017, while the ball is in play for just over 55 minutes per match. Matty Cash’s goal for Aston Villa in their 1–0 win over City at the weekend was yet another example of the set-piece dominance, coming straight from a corner. Guardiola revealed that City have been working behind the scenes to strengthen their defensive shape on dead balls. He praised his set-piece coach, James French, for drilling in the tactical discipline required to handle aerial bombardments.

  "I remember at Burnley when it was tough, we conceded only one corner or maybe not even one. Why? Because we controlled the second balls," he said. "The best kind of way to defend these games is in that way. But for that, you have to be good in a lot of aspects and we are working on it. I will, until the end, continue to work mainly on our game. And sometimes adapt, when we have to do it. We did it at Brentford incredibly well. (Set piece coach) James (French) made an incredible job seducing our players into how we should defend these kinds of actions. It was unbelievable, the same at Arsenal. We conceded a lot of corners against Arsenal because we didn’t control the game."

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  City to ring changes in League Cup

  While Guardiola’s City remain the only team to have scored all their goals from open play this season, others are embracing a more direct, gritty approach. Swansea will likely adopt a similar style when they welcome their illustrious Premier League opponents on Wednesday evening in the Carabao Cup. It remains to be seen how much control Guardiola's men have in the match, as the manager will be inclined to rotate his squad amid a busy schedule. Midfield dynamo Rodri is unavailable, while Erling Haaland might be rested. Omar Marmoush is set to be handed his first start since August, while 18-year-old ­midfielder Divine Mukasa is also in line to feature against the Championship side. 

Gus Poyet has told a crucial Chelsea star that he might need to join Real Madrid or Barcelona for one key reason, with the former Stamford Bridge star sending a clear message.

Chelsea prepare for Liverpool as Enzo Maresca without up to eight stars

Enzo Maresca is without up to eight first-team players for their visit of Premier League title rivals Liverpool on Saturday.

The Italian won’t be able to count on star forward Cole Palmer, who remains absent with a niggling groin injury, but seven other men could also miss their face-off against Arne Slot’s side.

Alongside Palmer and Chalobah, while Maresca was cryptic in his update, it is likely the other players he’s referring to are Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap and Andrey Santos.

Maresca has been left absolutely bereft of central defensive options ahead of Liverpool, meaning he’ll most likely choose to play Benoit Badiashile and Jorrel Hato at the heart of Chelsea’s defence ahead of youngster Josh Acheampong.

Chelsea are now paying the price for not signing a centre-back in the last transfer window, despite Maresca’s wishes and spending the second-most money of any Premier League side behind this weekend’s opponents.

However, BlueCo are reportedly working on a potential defender deal for January as their priority (Pete O’Rourke).

Marc Guehi’s camp have received contact from Chelsea this week ahead of a potential winter swoop, according to Simon Phillips, but the England international also has Liverpool, Man City, Real Madrid and Barça hot on his trail with the Englishman’s contract expiring next year.

While the addition of a new defender is vital, so is keeping Palmer out of the clutches of Europe’s biggest sides.

Gus Poyet tells Cole Palmer to leave Chelsea for Real Madrid or Barcelona

The England star has been a revelation since joining from Man City in 2023, spearheading the team as their main attacking vocal point, which is widely seen as over-reliance on Palmer at times.

The £130,000-per-week superstar is arguably nailed on to win the coveted Balon d’Or in future if he stays on this trajectory, but according to Poyet, he needs to quit Stamford Bridge for that to happen.

Speaking to GOAL, Poyet urged Palmer to leave Chelsea for Real or Barça, in order to give himself the best chance of claiming the award.

Only two players have won the Ballon d’Or in the last 17 years — Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 and Rodri in 2024 — so Poyet could have a point.

The City midfielder’s prize shows it is not impossible for Premier League stars to clinch the award in this day and age, so Palmer could still have a real shot if he remains in West London, but he’ll have to play out of his skin.

Rodri was cut and above the best defensive midfield player in Europe when he was awarded the honour, starting nearly all of City’s most crucial games in 23/24, and this came right after his winning goal against Inter Milan in the 2023 Champions League final to gift the Sky Blues a treble.

The bar is set rather high for Palmer, and he’ll arguably need to achieve similar feats at Chelsea to stand any chance.