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Sheffield United welcomed ten new signings over the summer but could still look to the free agent market to bolster their squad, and Football FanCast have looked into three possible free agent targets for the Blades.

Sheffield United make unbeaten start

Having been relegated from the Premier League last season, the Blades will be aiming to secure an instant return to the top flight this season, and have begun in strong fashion.

Though six points off the early pace set by Regis Le Bris and Sunderland, they have taken six points from their four games and are yet to taste defeat. It has left them sitting eighth in the Championship and Chris Wilder's side are only likely to improve as their new additions bed in and gel with one another.

With purse strings tight at Bramall Lane, Wilder has played down the prospect of promotion, explaining: “Just because a club comes out of the Premier League, it is expected to be up there straight away. We’re not Burnley, Leeds or Luton.

“There’s a hell of a lot of changes that we have made this pre-season. Sometimes, from me, I am going to protect those players as I should and hopefully we, as a football club, will recognise that. Sometimes, you have to suffer little backward steps."

However, with some stars available as free agents right now, they could well strengthen their squad without a single penny spent on transfer fees, with these three looking the most tempting.

Cheikhou Kouyate

A player who has spent several seasons in the Premier League, Cheikhou Kouyate's time at Nottingham Forest came to an end this summer, and he is yet to find a new club.

The 34-year-old can play either in the heart of defence or, as is more likely needed at Bramall Lane, at the base of midfield. With 92 caps for Senegal and almost 300 Premier League appearances he would add plenty of experience to Wilder's ranks, which would only help the likes of Harrison Burrows, Alfie Gilchrist and Ollie Arblaster, all of whom remain in the infancy of their careers.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025

Though only making 12 appearances for Forest last season, a step down a division may be the perfect solution for Kouyate should he wish to continue his senior career, while the Blades would be adding a versatile and experienced leader to their dressing room.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh

The other key area that the Blades require cover is on the wing, with only the young Jesurun Rak-Sayki as a recognised option in the wide areas, though Callum O'Hare can also feature there.

That is an issue they could rectify through the addition of former Brighton winger and Iranian international Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who finds himself without a club as it stands, despite racking up 17 goals in 84 Iran caps.

Remembered fondly on the south coast for a stunning overhead kick against Chelsea, the 31-year-old was most recently at Feyenoord but was let go at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh in English football

Games

61

Goals

4

Assists

2

Minutes per goal/assist

443

Capable of playing on either side of attack, he could be a shrewd addition on a free transfer to add some much needed firepower to the Blades' attack.

Ivan Cavaleiro

Speaking of shrewd additions, Ivan Cavaleiro could be another that fits the bill. The 30-year-old was released by Lille over the summer, and is yet to find another club. But he brings experience of English football, having played for both Wolves and Fulham in stints which saw him make 59 appearances and score on six occasions.

A right-footed winger, he is most comfortable on the left-hand side but, like Jahanbakhsh, can play on either side of the frontline if required. Could he lend his talents to the Blades to help them back into the Premier League?

It's not been the most exciting summer for Arsenal fans this year.

While they looked good in preseason and have started their Premier League campaign brilliantly, they haven't strengthened much in the transfer market.

As things stand, the only new faces added to Mikel Arteta's first team have been Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino. In fact, the club have been far busier with outgoings than incomings over the last few months, which has left some fans unsure about the prospect of finally dethroning Manchester City this season.

However, there is still just about enough time for a late deal to be struck, and interestingly, the North Londoners have recently been linked to a forward who scored for fun last year, although his potential arrival could spell trouble for Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from transfers expert Ben Jacobs via GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal have shown interest in Feyenoord star Santiago Gimenez.

The journalist claims that the Gunners have "looked at" the Mexican international this summer, as well as several other talented strikers, including Brighton & Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson and Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres, although he believes a move for the latter would be too expensive this year.

Jacobs does not mention how much the former Cruz Azul poacher would cost the North Londoners, but earlier this month, it was reported that Feyenoord deemed a £29m offer from Nottingham Forest acceptable, only for the player to turn down the move.

So, if Arsenal could secure Gimenez's services for around that fee, then this deal seems like a no-brainer, although his potential arrival could be bad news for Jesus.

How Gimenez compares to Jesus

Okay, so the first thing to point out is that, at the moment, it appears as if Kai Havertz is firmly Arteta's first choice for the number nine position, and considering he scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 18 starts there last season, it's not hard to see why.

So, that means that Gimenez would likely be fighting it out with Jesus for the backup role should he move to the Emirates before tomorrow night, which would make sense given the potential fee, but how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes down to the most important metric of all for a striker, output, it's the "insane" Feyenoord ace, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, who comes out way ahead.

For example, in 41 appearances last season, he scored 26 goals and provided eight assists and in the campaign prior, he scored 28 goals and provided three assists in 50 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.20 and 1.61 games, respectively.

In contrast, the former Manchester City ace scored eight goals and provided eight assists in 36 matches last season while scoring 11 goals and producing seven assists in 33 appearances the season before, equating to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.25 and 1.83 games, respectively.

Appearances

50

33

Goals

28

11

Assists

3

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.62

0.54

Appearances

41

36

Goals

26

8

Assists

8

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.82

0.44

Unfortunately for the Brazilian dynamo, it's not just output where the Mexican "machine", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has an advantage, it's also in availability.

Over the last two seasons, the Gunners' number nine has missed 33 games for club and country, whereas his potential replacement has missed just four games through injury.

Ultimately, while Jesus is an incredible talent, his struggles in front of goal and inability to remain fit are big issues, and while he has yet to play in a top-five league, Gimenez looks like he could be the perfect signing to either replace the Brazilian or help push him to get back to his brilliant best. Therefore, Edu and Co should do what they can to secure his signature before the window slams shut.

Arsenal monitoring £179k-per-week Nketiah replacement with late bid possible

The Gunners have just sold him to Palace.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 29, 2024

Manchester United have lined up a potential move for an assist king in midfield as they look to explore alternatives for PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

Ugarte deal needs work

Erik ten Hag's side are on the hunt for additions in midfield this summer as they look to bolster their ranks following a disappointing 2023-24 Premier League season. There are concerns over the future of Casemiro after he was urged to leave the Premier League behind in the wake of a terrible performance against Crystal Palace last season.

“I think Casemiro should know tonight that he should only have another three games left at the top level. The next two league games and the cup final, then he should be thinking, I need to go to the MLS or Saudi", Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports after the 4-0 thrashing at Selhurst Park.

"This has to stop because we are watching one of the greats of the modern time. I always remember the saying 'leave the football before the football leaves you'. The football has left him. At this top level, he needs to call it a day at this level and move."

They are believed to have agreed personal terms over a deal for PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte, but they are no further over agreeing a deal with the French champions. Fabrizio Romano hinted that the Ligue 1 side could be "open to a loan" with an obligation to buy the Uruguayan at the end of the deal, though no progress has been made on that front.

Now, reports suggest Manchester United are eyeing an alternative option if a deal can't be struck.

Man Utd eyeing up Eredivisie playmaker

That comes courtesy of Caught Offside, who claim that United are keeping an eye on PSV Eindhoven star Joey Veerman, who faced current Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in the final of EURO 2024.

Though the midfielder didn't have the best tournament with the Oranje, he enjoyed an excellent campaign with PSV, grabbing five goals and a mammoth 16 assists across the campaign as he proved a vital cog in a side that suffered just one domestic loss all season and romped to the Eredivisie title.

Ex-Tottenham and Netherlands midfielder Raphael Van de Vaart singled him out for high praise ahead of EURO 2024: "I think he is by far the best. He comes very, very close to the top players in the world. Veerman is simply a great player, but he also needs a bit of space. He often gets that, although that is also because of himself. He puts them down wherever he wants."

Veerman has just two years left to run on his current £13,000 a week deal in Eindhoven, and has been on the radar of Premier League rivals Liverpool as well.

His arrival would continue the theme of Manchester United signing current and former Dutch top flight stars, with Lisandro Martinez, Antony, Tyrell Malacia, Andre Onana and Joshua Zirkzee having previously plied their trade in the Netherlands. Though a different type of player to Ugarte, he would be a potentially elite level addition at a cut-price fee.

Visiting openers negotiate tricky passage to cut arrears before early close

Paul Edwards10-Apr-2021
A day that began with snow at Emirates Old Trafford ended with bad light at 4.30pm followed by rain, sleet and a premature dusk tugging at the sky’s skirts. In between those meteorological events, one of them eccentric, another inevitable, we had a day of shreds and patches in which Lancashire established a first-innings lead of 106, only for Sussex’s openers to reduce the advantage to 68 without too many alarums. If Dane Vilas’s bowlers hear any dreamy lullabies this evening, they will concern early wickets in good weather on the morrow. One cannot like their chances with the weather but the pressure exerted by Saqib Mahmood and Tom Bailey will warm the home coaches this evening. Merciful God, something needs to.There are days in the close season when one arrives at this ground and observes with sage joviality that cricket would be impossible. The rain is icy and grey skies complete the wintry aspect. This was one such morning. Friday’s improvement in the weather had been brief. Folk arrived from distant parts – well, Skelmersdale anyway – with talk of snow. Sleet speckled the morning air, sending the already euphoric photographers scurrying for their cameras. A thrush perched outside Exchange Quay looked so beruffled it might have been a distant descendant of Thomas Hardy’s possibly percipient bird.Related

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Eventually, play got under way and things immediately proceeded much as they had on Friday: Dane Vilas pushed Sean Hunt to deep point and took a single. At times one believes Lancashire’s captain would look to keep the scoreboard moving in the aftermath of nuclear winter. Rather like Don Bradman or Alastair Cook, he finds the tedium of incessant accumulation most congenial.One imagines Hunt will be particularly glad we got on the field. A Guildford lad who played all his age-group cricket for Surrey, Hunt took his maiden first-class wicket, that of Alex Davies, on Friday afternoon and nearly 24 hours later he got two more leg before decisions from Neil Bainton when Luke Wood and Danny Lamb played around very straight balls. In a match where more experienced bowlers have been taken out, Hunt can take pride in having adhered to his disciplines.The next wicket was taken by George Garton, who stopped the ball off his own bowling and ran out the non-striking batsman, Bailey, for 24 when he and Vilas were negotiating a single. Another “shall-we? shan’t we?” total balls-up resulted in Tom Hartley being run out by Stiaan van Zyl for 4 but by then Lancashire had a full bag of bonus points. Almost immediately Vilas was dropped by the scampering wicketkeeper, Ben Brown, when he top-edged a skyer towards long leg. The escape counted for nothing but entertainment. Next over Lancashire’s captain was caught at deep point by Aaron Thomason for 189 when reverse-sweeping Carson. It is the eleventh time Vilas has passed 150 in his 22 centuries.Our season is barely three days old yet there has been so much to learn. Brown’s bowlers, two of them Championship debutants, can reflect on their first experience of big school. Carson, for example, could have dismissed both Davies and Vilas quite cheaply on Friday afternoon but instead ended the innings with 2 for 106 from his 24.4 overs. Every inaccuracy was seized upon and punished. In that context Brown’s decision to give his young offspinner second and third spells on Friday, and then more bowling on Saturday, suggests Carson has the steel to prevail and will, in time, repay his skipper’s faith. By September we shall all know more about the matter.We will know more about Tom Haines and Thomason, too, but what they revealed this afternoon was a shrewd awareness of their responsibilities and a determination to defend the commonwealth. The pair had to face a very tough examination from Bailey and Mahmood with the new ball but the nearest Lancashire came to a breakthrough was when Haines miscued a drive over Josh Bohannon’s head at cover. Were Sussex to have been 38 for 2 at the close we would be considering a very different final act to this drama. As things are, a draw is the most likely outcome and the only things a fellow can ask of this evening are a hearty supper and an improving book. Patrick Kavanagh’s seems about right.

Euro 2024 is done and dusted. Spain were the victors, of course they were, leaving England to rue another failure at the final hurdle.

Three years ago, Gareth Southgate had led the Three Lions to the verge of European Championship glory. Wembley was expectant, Wembley was…well, quite frankly chaotic. Italy were the eventual winners.

There was less chaos, less dramatics inside the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, but the end result was the same, just without the nervy penalty shoot.

Cole Palmer struck home. The trademark celebration came out and it looked as though England, a team who relied on moments throughout the competition had come out with another one. It was memorable again, just like Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick, just like the penalty shoot-out win over the Swiss, just like Ollie Watkins’ last-gasp heroics.

This time, however, it did not result in a win. With minutes on the clock Mikel Oyarzabal broke English hearts, steering home from close range. 2-1.

It was painful, not least for Southgate who two days later would leave his post. No more Gazza. We thank him for his efforts, for his charm, for his loyalty, we thank him for increasing our hopes of winning silverware.

Alas, it’s now time for a new era, it’s time to prepare for the World Cup in 2026. America, Canada and Mexico await the footballing world and England should be up there again as one of the favourites.

So, who will be in that squad? Some of the old guard, including Southgate, will be gone. There will be fresh faces, some usual suspects too.

England's predicted squad for the 2026 World Cup

Here’s what we’ve come up with at FFC and why…

1

Goalkeepers

On the plane – Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale

It’s unlikely there will be too much change in this department ahead of the next World Cup. Pickford is the undisputed number one and that won’t change following his penalty heroics against the Swiss in Germany this summer.

You sense that Ramsdale will need to move on from Arsenal in order to stand a chance of competing for a spot. Still, with a new manager on the horizon, he might go in a different direction.

Facing the chop – Dean Henderson

Henderson only has one cap to his name and will be battling out with a few other stoppers for the right to be England’s third choice in North America.

New picks – James Trafford

The Burnley gloveman didn’t enjoy the best of seasons as the Clarets were relegated but he’s still a top young ‘keeper and has a few years to build up his experience ahead of 2026.

Ones to watch – Anthony Patterson

The Sunderland stopper could follow in Pickford’s footsteps to become a genuine option between the sticks during the next reign. He will likely have to leave the Championship in order to do so but he has been involved at U21 level already so the coaching set-up evidently rates him.

2

Defenders

On the plane – Marc Guehi, John Stones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luke Shaw

No surprises here in truth, with Marc Guehi fully deserving of a starting berth again following a stunning first outing at a major tournament – even earning a place in Opta’s best XI as a result. As for Stones and Shaw, the pair will still only be 32 and 31, respectively, by the time the World Cup concludes, with fitness likely to be the only nagging issue over the next 24 months.

The only other certain survivor should be Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the Liverpool hero having the chance to finally nail down the right-back berth following the failure of Southgate’s short-lived, midfield experiment.

Facing the chop – Kyle Walker, Lewis Dunk, Ezri Konsa, Kieran Trippier

Culpable for arguably both of Spain’s goals in Berlin, Kyle Walker certainly wasn’t at his best over the past month or so, with it hard to see the long-serving speedster lining up again at the age of 36 next time around.

Age will also likely bring the curtain down on Kieran Trippier’s solid England career, while 32-year-old Lewis Dunk may have also seen his chance come and go after failing to feature in Germany.

In the case of Ezri Konsa, the Aston Villa man certainly didn’t disgrace himself after replacing the suspended Guehi against Switzerland, although the emergence of an exciting crop of young centre-backs could prove his undoing.

New picks – Ben White, Levi Colwill, Jarrad Branthwaite, Rico Lewis, Quansah

Speaking of rising stars, Jarrad Branthwaite, Levi Colwill and Jarell Quansah will almost certainly be in contention in two years’ time, with the young trio looking set to remain mainstays of their respective clubs for the foreseeable future.

Away from the centre-back ranks, the seemingly inevitable retirement of Walker and Trippier could pave the way for U21s starlet Rico Lewis to stake a claim at right-back, while a certain Ben White may also be rubbing his hands together following Southgate’s – or rather Steve Holland’s – recent departure.

Ones to watch – Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Max Kilman

Such is the depth of talent at the new manager’s disposal, there remains a long list of other noteworthy figures who will also be pushing for involvement over the coming years.

There is a case to be made for the young Newcastle pairing of Lewis Hall and Timo Livramento, with the former Chelsea duo set to be in the mix to succeed the likes of Shaw and Walker et al before too long.

At the other end of the spectrum, a chance could finally emerge at some stage for West Ham’s new £40m signing, Max Kilman, with the ex-Wolves skipper – who will be 29 in 2026 – still waiting for a first cap after being bizarrely overlooked throughout Southgate’s tenure.

A word must also be said for forgotten man, Reece James, with the Chelsea star undoubtedly one of Europe’s best full-backs on his day, albeit the jury remains out on whether he will ever truly fulfil his potential amid a string of frustrating injury setbacks over a number of seasons now. (As they say, the best ability is availability…)

3

Midfielders

On the plane – Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo

England have some of the most exciting young midfielders in the game right now so it was rather baffling to see Southgate pick the likes of Conor Gallagher and Trent Alexander-Arnold over Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton in Germany.

Mainoo eventually came into the side and was excellent, ultimately named in FFC’s Team of the Tournament for Euro 2024. He and Wharton will be great potential partners for Rice moving forward.

Facing the chop – Conor Gallagher

The Chelsea midfielder could be dropped from the squad depending on his club form over the next few years. He was a regular substitute in Germany but having been hauled off at half-time versus Slovenia, it said it all about his prospects moving forward.

With younger and fresher options bursting onto the scene, he will have to do a lot to become a regular under the new boss. Perhaps new Blues boss Enzo Maresca could turn him into a force. Watch this space.

New picks – Archie Gray, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Two of the more interesting picks for 2026 could be Archie Gray and Dewsbury-Hall, players who have achieved big moves this summer. The former joined Spurs from Leeds United and has been touted as a “future £100m” player. A few good seasons in the Premier League and there will no doubt be calls for an England inclusion.

Dewsbury-Hall may have his work cut out but offers a range of box-to-box qualities that would make him perfect alongside someone like Rice or Mainoo.

Ones to watch – Jacob Ramsey, Morgan-Gibbs-White, Curtis Jones, Lewis Miley

The sheer range of options the Three Lions could have available to them in two years is remarkable to think about. Ramsey, who has shone for Villa, has been linked with Tottenham, as too has Nottingham Forest’s Gibbs-White. Both possess the ability to make something happen out of nothing. Truth be told, though, they’d struggle to usurp Bellingham.

There might be better luck for the likes of Jones and Miley, who play in deeper roles. The Liverpool midfielder was in the provisional squad but didn’t make the cut for Euro 2024. As for Miley, still aged just 18, it surely won’t be too long before the Newcastle sensation appears in an England squad.

4

Forwards

On the plane – Saka, Foden, Eze, Palmer, Gordon, Watkins, Kane

Not much change expected here, with it set to be a surprise if the forward line differs too drastically in two years’ time – unless Jack Grealish and Co can get their act together.

Twice England’s player of the year, Bukayo Saka cemented his status as arguably the nation’s most reliable presence following a standout Euro 2024, with the watching world still waiting for teammate Phil Foden to follow suit despite his heroics at club level.

If he’s not careful, the ‘Stockport Iniesta’ could find himself ousted by his former City colleague, Palmer, while both Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon, in particular, will be hoping to show more after being afforded mere flashes this time around.

As for the centre-forward ranks, the lack of a rising English striker should ensure it’s more of the same, with the question only likely to be as to whether Watkins will finally end an ageing Harry Kane’s (deserved) stranglehold on the number nine shirt.

England's possible starting XI in 2026

Facing the chop – Ivan Toney, Jarrod Bowen

It may appear harsh considering Ivan Toney’s limited, yet valuable impact in Germany, but the Brentford talisman will be 30 in 2026, while picking the right next move at club level will also be crucial for whether he can kick on in an England jersey.

As for West Ham’s shining light, Jarrod Bowen, the wing wizard continues to dazzle in claret and blue, although things haven’t quite clicked into gear on the international scene thus far, with the rise of Palmer – alongside Saka’s remarkable consistency – reducing his chances of featuring off the right flank.

New picks – Marcus Rashford

At a crossroads in his career with even his Manchester United future in doubt, Marcus Rashford could likely have had few complaints after missing out on Southgate’s Euros squad, having scored just eight times in all competitions in what was a limp 2023/24 campaign.

And yet, a man who netted three times at the World Cup in Qatar – and who has 17 goals in total for his country – can never truly be written off, while at just 26, time is still on his side to get back firing again.

While never seemingly a Southgate favourite, the United academy graduate – now aided by the arrival of club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy at Old Trafford – could regain his place under the new regime, with the ailing Kane having no doubt missed Rashford’s explosive runs in behind this summer.

Ones to watch – Dominic Solanke, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Samuel Iling-Junior, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Ethan Nwaneri

As noted above, the pool of young strikers who are currently thriving at the elite level is rather limited, although in terms of an experienced option, Dominic Solanke could well be in contention again after narrowly missing out this time around.

On the flanks, there is certainly cause for excitement, with Aston Villa only recently snapping up England U21 star Samuel Iling-Junior from Juventus, while Jamie Bynoe-Gittens could well follow in Jadon Sancho’s footsteps after trading Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund a few years ago.

Elsewhere, a return to the international fold may lie in store for Callum Hudson-Odoi, with the ex-Chelsea man having found a new lease of life at Nottingham Forest last season – scoring eight Premier League goals.

A more wildcard shout – in the mould of say Kobbie Mainoo at this summer’s Euros – could well be Arsenal prodigy, Ethan Nwaneri, with the 17-year-old looking to kick on after having become the top-flight’s youngest-ever player in the 2022/23 season.

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By
Stephan Georgiou

Jul 16, 2024

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared some transfer news out of Chelsea, as Enzo Maresca's side open talks with a £34 million player.

Maresca's rumoured transfer demands after busy Chelsea window

Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham), Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa), Renato Veiga (FC Basel), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City), Marc Guiu (Barcelona), Estevao Willian (Palmeiras) and Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United) are all of their confirmed signings of the window so far, with Argentine defender Aaron Anselmino also set to join Chelsea in a £17 million deal from Boca Juniors.

£25m Euro 2024 star is about to leave his club and could join Chelsea

The Blues could strike a cut-price deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2024

These eight deals bring Todd Boehly and Blue Co's total expenditure to nearly £120 million, but the sales of Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall, Omari Hutchinson and Michael Golding have brought in around £89 million to balance the books.

This has allowed Chelsea to register a net spend of just £31 million, with Maresca said to be targeting signings for a couple of key areas ahead of his debut season at Stamford Bridge.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley are overseeing the club's recruitment drive and are primarily responsible for Chelsea's summer deals, but that hasn't stopped Maresca from having his say at Cobham behind-the-scenes.

Some reports have claimed that Maresca has made it clear he wants another striker at Chelsea and one who can compete with young Senegal forward Nicolas Jackson for a spot next term.

Jackson finished 2023/2024 with a very impressive 17 goals and six assists in all competitions, but some Chelsea critics have expressed their belief that the 23-year-old is still raw and not quite ready to lead their line (Nizaar Kinsella).

This has prompted a Chelsea bid for Atletico Madrid striker Samu Omorodion, while there are still reports that Victor Osimhen could join Maresca in west London.

Meanwhile, after his first week taking first-team training in pre-season, Maresca has now asked Chelsea to sign a new goalkeeper. The Italian is believed to be a real fan of current number one Robert Sanchez, but the tactician's now requested a shot-stopper be brought in to compete with him.

Maresca already has a backlog of keepers in his squad, with Sanchez, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcus Bettinelli and Lucas Bergstrom on their books – as well as Serbia international Djordje Petrovic.

Chelsea in direct contact with Jorgensen as Petrovic could leave

Romano, sharing news on his YouTube channel (via Chelsea News), has an update on their search for a new keeper.

The respected media source claims Chelsea are in direct contact with Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen as Petrovic could now leave. The Dane started 37 games in all competitions as Villarreal's undisputed number one last season, and this has seemingly done enough to impress Blues chiefs.

“Petrović could be on the move as Chelsea look for a new keeper," said Romano.

"Contacts are ongoing between Chelsea and Filip Jörgensen. He’s one of the options out of 4 on the list, waiting to decide on the favourite.”

Jorgensen's contract also includes a £34 million release clause, meaning Chelsea could bypass talks with Villarreal if they opt to trigger it.

The incident took place in the 11th over with Wade being caught in front of leg stump by a Natarajan delivery

Varun Shetty08-Dec-2020

Virat Kohli speaks to the umpires after a DRS referral was not allowed•Getty Images

Virat Kohli has said the Matthew Wade lbw review situation was a “strange” one, after India’s review was turned down by the third umpire before the 15-second limit. A replay of the ball was shown on the ground’s big screen even as the Indian team was contemplating a review, within their designated 15-second period, and third umpire Paul Wilson said on air that Kohli’s review was “null and void” as a result. The review would have found Wade, who was on 50 then and went to score 80, to be out lbw.The incident took place in the 11th over with Wade trying to flick a full delivery from T Natarajan and being caught in front of middle and leg stump. India made a stifled appeal and were thinking about whether the ball was sliding down leg, Kohli said later, when a replay showed up on the screen that nullified their chance to review the on-field decision.”That lbw was a strange one, because we were still discussing whether the ball was going down and within the 15-second timeframe, they showed the replay on screen,” Kohli said at the press conference. “And we decided to go for the review but the umpire said they’re showing the replay on the screen. I had a chat with Rod, asking what we can do in this situation and he said nothing can be done.”ALSO WATCH: India’s DRS check against Wade disallowed (Indian subcontinent only)The ICC playing conditions around player reviews make it clear that players cannot receive direct or indirect input when they’re deliberating a DRS request, and points out specifically that no replay will be shown to the spectators in that time.Law 3.2.4 (D) of the men’s T20I playing conditions says: “No replays, either at normal speed or slow motion, shall be shown on a big screen to spectators until the 15 second time limit allowed for requesting a Player Review has elapsed. The only exception to this provision is where a Player Review of a caught decision is requested after the Umpire Review of a Fair Catch or Bump Ball has concluded […]”Tucker was seen having a conversation with Wade after India decided to review the decision and it was referred to the third umpire – the batsman holding out his arms in protest – before heading towards Kohli to discuss the matter. In the short time period between these conversations, the third umpire was heard declining the review.”[We felt] that these mistakes cannot be done at the highest level. In a very important game, this could be very costly. It was a little bit of a miss from the TV guys upstairs and I’m sure that it’s probably not going to be repeated. No one wants to be in a situation where you lose out on a very important moment in the game,” Kohli said.

MatériaMais Notícias

Neste domingo (12), o São Paulo encerra seu período sem jogos e volta aos gramados. Enfrentando o Fluminense, no Maracanã, às 20h30, o Tricolor paulista tem uma missão importante pela frente, disputando pontos cruciais para sua sequência no campeonato.

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CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

Diante da equipe carioca, o São Paulo tem um ‘jogo de seis pontos’. Atualmente na 16ª colocação, com 22 pontos somados, uma vitória pode colocar a equipe na 9ª posição, dependendo do resultado as outras equipes.

Com uma vitória colocando o time com 25 pontos no campeonato, o Tricolor pode empatar em pontos com o Fluminense caso vença a partida.

Uma derrota, porém, complica muito o Tricolor paulista. Além de se distanciar da parte de cima da tabela, o time pode ficar ainda mais próximo da zona de rebaixamente, que tem, na 17ª posição, o América-MG, apenas um ponto atrás do São Paulo.

O time do Morumbi, porém, tem um jogo a menos, justamente um confronto direto com o Coelho, pela 19ª rodada, sendo uma partida decisiva para se distanciar de vez do Z4 ou, ainda, entrar nele.

Assim, o São Paulo entra em campo neste domingo (12), às 20h30, no Maracanã, com uma missão importante para se aproximar do topo da tabela e se distanciar ainda mais da briga contra o rebaixamento.

England interim boss Lee Carsley has ruled himself out of becoming the permanent England manager as reveals he has not formally applied for the job.

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• Carsley rules out becoming England coach
• Reveals his hopes to return to U21 job
• Three Lions looking at Tuchel to takeover

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gareth Southgate left the post of the England national team manager in July after the Three Lions failed to win the Euro 2024 final against Spain. The Football Association (FA) turned to Carsley to serve as the interim boss as they looked for potential managers to take over on a permanent basis. The 50-year-old had a perfect start to life before England's 2-1 loss to Greece and reports he does not want to stay on.

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  WHAT CARSLEY SAID

  Speaking to the media, Carsley said he will 'hopefully' return to the England U21 team. When asked to clarify his comments the 50-year-old said: "Hopefully is a word and a phrase I use quite a bit. There’s obviously no guarantees in life, including tomorrow.

  "It’s a job, the Under-21s, that I’m really proud of and massively invested in. But I know there’s no guarantees. But the plan is to give this job for three camps the best I can do along with the rest of the staff and hopefully we can be in a good position.”

  "I wanted to give this job my best shot for three camps. I didn’t want to have any regrets. I think it’s important that we do try something different at times and I think I’ll be a better coach for that, but I think we’ll be a bit more conventional tomorrow night."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  When questioned further about the permanent England role and his potential running for the job, Carsley said: "No, I didn't formally apply for it.

  "Because I've been with the U21s. I'm really happy doing my job but I'm an employee of the FA and I was asked to take the senior team which is a privilege, it was the proudest moment of my career so far.

  "Really honoured with the chance to manage the senior team, I'm in a really fortunate position, I'm on the inside and I can see how much potential this team's got.

  "I've said all along, it's one of the best jobs in world football, there's not many jobs where you've got a chance of winning, I believe the coach that comes in has got a really good chance of winning and we deserve the best one that's out there."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

  The Three Lions have reportedly been in contact with former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel to take over the role of England's head coach and it seems highly likely that Carsley will return to the U21s once a permanent manager is signed on.

Manchester City have been linked with replacing Pep Guardiola with a "genius" manager in 2025, following reports of the Spaniard leaving in 2025.

Guardiola set to leave Man City in 2025

The Citizens suffered a disappointing end to their season on Saturday afternoon, losing 2-1 to rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley. It was a game that many expected City to win, but they produced a flat performance after a long campaign.

According to a huge update that emerged on Sunday, Guardiola is now expected to leave the Etihad at the end of next season, at which point he will have spent nine years at the club.

Should that happen, it will be a seismic moment in the Premier League, with the Spaniard arguably the greatest manager in the history of the competition, winning four league crowns in a row after securing glory once again earlier this month. It would also mean that both he and Jurgen Klopp have departed in the space of 12 months, bringing an end to a legendary era in English football.

There is no confirmation that Guardiola will move on in 2025, but if that proves to be the case, another manager will be given the daunting task of filling an enormous void that will be left by the former Barcelona boss. It looks as though candidates are already being lined up, following a new update.

Man City linked with De Zerbi to replace Guardiola

According to a fresh report from The Daily Mail, Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is one of four managers being linked as Guardiola's replacement at Manchester City.

"City’s succession planning will begin, with Girona’s Michel talked up as a potential candidate after impressing in La Liga. Julian Nagelsmann has a contract with Germany until 2026 and Xabi Alonso is highly thought of, while Guardiola himself admires Roberto De Zerbi."

De Zerbi feels like a natural fit to be Guardiola's successor at City next year, considering his penchant for a high-intensity, ball-playing style in a 4-2-3-1 formation, pressing high up the pitch and retaining possession in tight areas.

Granted, the Italian's stock may have fallen a little of late, due to Brighton's season tailing off, but he is a hugely gifted coach who Adam Lallana has waxed lyrical about and shown support for recently, saying:

"My message to them would be keep supporting the lads, even in tough moments like we've had in the past eight or nine weeks. It's important that they keep sticking with the lads and stick with the manager, because we've got a genius here – there's no other way to put that."

Roberto De Zerbi's managerial record

Matches

Points per game

Brighton

89

1.51

Shakhtar Donestsk

30

2.17

Sassuolo

120

1.38

Benevento

29

0.72

US Palermo

13

0.38

Foggia

90

1.86

Darfo Boario

22

0.91

Meanwhile, Guardiola previously hailed De Zerbi, saying in 2023: "There is no team playing the way they play – it's unique. I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn't expect him to do it in this short space of time. He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents. He monopolises the ball in a way it hasn't been for a long time."

Many City fans will hope that Guardiola stays on beyond 2025, of course, but if he feels jaded like Klopp did, it may be best for everyone concerned to freshen things up. Whoever comes in will find it almost impossible to replace him, but finding the ideal person for the job is imperative.