All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Celtic are set to continue trimming their squad ahead of the new season, and have made a trio available this summer as they look to hand Brendan Rodgers a side capable of competing in the Champions League next season.

Celtic slow on transfer front

It has not been quite the summer many Celtic fans envisioned following their Scottish Premiership and Cup double last season, with the club having done little more than what was necessary so far.

Rodgers' side have confirmed the arrival of one former Premier League winner to replace another, with Kasper Schmeichel arriving on a one-year-deal in place of the retired Joe Hart.

Imagine him & Palma: Celtic in talks to sign "exciting" £10k-p/w dynamo

The Hoops are reportedly pushing to secure a deal for the Premier League defender.

ByDan Emery Jul 26, 2024

They have also added another goalkeeper to their ranks, with Finnish shot-stopper Viljami Sinisalo arriving from Aston Villa. The 22-year-old is considered very much one for the future at Celtic Park.

Meanwhile, the rest of the summer has seen the Bhoys chasing permanent deals for their successful loanees and trimming their squad, with Hyeon-gyu Oh and Sead Haksabanovic both having departed. One player who looks set to arrive is Paulo Bernardo, with Rodgers admitting after the 4-1 thrashing of Chelsea in pre-season that he "hopes" to have the Portuguese midfielder among his ranks sooner rather than later.

“I hope so. You want to have them in as soon as you possibly can. Their current group is working very hard in their own right and we’ll improve the squad over the course of the window.”

As things stand though, their focus is on outgoings and three players have been put up for sale in a bid to trim the squad.

£30,000 a week trio put up for sale

That comes as Football Insider reveal that three Celtic defenders are allowed to leave this summer, either on loan or permanently before the end of the transfer window.

Fringe pair Gustaf Lagerbielke and Yuki Kobayashi are both deemed surplus to requirements 12 months on from their arrivals, with the latter failing to make an appearance across the 2023/24 campaign for Rodgers' side.

Lagerbielke managed 10 appearances, but those appearances totalled just over 500 minutes across all competitions, and he is clearly not favoured by the Celtic boss.

Perhaps most surprisingly, fellow centre-back Stephen Welsh has also been put up for sale, and the report claims that "loan and permanent bids will be accepted for the three players" as Celtic look to overhaul the heart of their defence amid links to Burnley's Dara O'Shea.

Appearances for Celtic 23/24

Stephen Welsh

Yuki Kobayashi

Gustaf Lagerbielke

Appearances

14

0

10

Goals/Assists

0

0

1

Yellow Cards

1

0

1

The trio's departures would be a financial boost for the Hoops, with the defenders taking home more than £30,000-a-week as things stand.

But it will likely leave Celtic needing reinforcements ahead of the new season, with the exits leaving just Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales and Maik Nawrocki as options in the heart of the defence. Should they leave, Celtic fans may see their own transfer business heat up between now and deadline day.

Leeds United extended their lead at the top of the Championship table to two points after they picked up a point away from home against Burnley on Monday night.

The Whites secured a hard-fought draw with the Clarets at Turf Moor, with neither side doing much to test either Illan Meslier or James Trafford throughout the match.

Given that Burnley are also competing for automatic promotion and were in the Premier League last season, it was a good test for some of Daniel Farke’s players to see if they have the credentials to make the step up to the top flight.

Sadly, one player failed to prove that he has what it takes to make the grade if Leeds are promoted to the Premier League for the 2025/26 campaign.

Leeds' biggest underperformer against Burnley

The Dutch forward had a terrific opportunity to prove to Farke, and the supporters, that he can be the difference-maker against a potentially top-flight level defence.

Unfortunately, he became just the latest striker to fail to score past England goalkeeper James Trafford, who has kept 19 clean sheets in 28 matches.

The shot-stopper had an easy evening at Turf Moor, though, because Piroe failed to offer much up against CJ Egan Riley and Maxime Esteve, who dominated him all night.

Minutes

71

Shots on target

0

Key passes

0

Duels won

0/2

Pass accuracy

50% (6/12)

Possession lost

10x

As you can see in the table above, the former Swansea man’s lack of mobility and physicality allowed the Burnley defenders to enjoy a comfortable evening, as he failed to win a single duel and did not make any impact at the top end of the pitch.

It was a chance for Piroe to prove that he has the physical and technical attributes to make the step up to the Premier League, and he failed on both counts – which is why Farke must drop him from the team.

Why Farke should drop Piroe

It was a lethargic and poor display from the Dutch striker and it was his third match without a goal in the Championship, recording just one chance created in those three outings.

In fact, Piroe has only scored six goals in his 19 starts in the second tier, with a further four as a substitute, and this shows that he has failed to offer consistent quality in the final third.

The left-footed attacker has lost a whopping 75% of his duels in the Championship this season, which illustrates his lack of strength in physical battles with opposition defenders, and this means that Leeds are not getting a physical presence or regular goals from him as a starting option.

Piroe does have quality as a finisher, as shown in the clip above and by his ten goals from 7.05 xG, but his all-round game and lack of athleticism, as shown in the draw with Burnley, suggests that he does not have what it takes to make it in the Premier League.

Therefore, Farke should drop the Dutchman in the short-term, given his recent performances, whilst also considering what to do with the number nine position heading into next season.

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ByDan Emery Jan 27, 2025

Celtic are yet to make their first signing of the summer transfer window but still have just under two months left to do any incoming business they want to do.

The Hoops won the domestic double, lifting the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup, during the 2023/24 campaign and could still look to improve their squad to secure more silverware next term.

A new number one is on the agenda for the Bhoys after Joe Hart's retirement, with Newcastle United's Martin Dubravka and Croatia star Dominik Livakovic linked with moves to Parkhead to be Brendan Rodgers' first-choice.

There could also be some changes in the backline for the Scottish giants as the Northern Irish boss could shake up his central defender options.

Celtic's possible centre-back shuffle

Football Insider recently reported that Sweden international Gustaf Lagerbielke is poised to move on from Parkhead before the end of the window.

The outlet did not reveal, however, any current interest from teams or how much the Hoops would be prepared to sell him for, after paying £3m to sign the defender from Elfsborg last summer.

Celtic could ruthlessly ditch the Swedish dud over the coming weeks by securing a deal to sign an impressive free agent as his replacement.

The Daily Record have claimed that Scotland international Scott McKenna has been on Rodgers' radar for a 'long' time, which suggests that he may be a target for the club this month if they are in need of a centre-back.

Signing the left-footed titan would then free up the club to cash in on Lagerbielke, as they would have a central defender in the building to keep them covered in that position.

Why Scott McKenna would be a good signing for Celtic

Celtic should swoop to sign McKenna as he is an experienced and reliable centre-back who would also offer natural balance on the left side.

Liam Scales is the club's only naturally left-footed centre-back, with Stephen Welsh, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Lagerbielke, and Maik Naworcki all being naturally right-footed.

This means that the Scottish colossus could come in and provide Scales with competition for his place with his ability to play out from the back on his favoured foot.

Appearances

13

Pass accuracy

90%

Duel success rate

58%

Aerial duel success rate

65%

Error led to shot/goal

0

Penalties committed

0

As you can see in the table above, McKenna caught the eye during his loan spell with Kobenhavn during the second half of last season, as he completed a high percentage of his passes and was dominant in duels without making any major errors.

The 27-year-old titan, who was once dubbed "dominant" by analyst Chris Kearney, completed a higher percentage of his passes than Lagerbielke did (85%) in his seven outings in the Premiership.

Perhaps the 24-year-old dud's passing was an issue for Rodgers, hence his lack of game time, but that should not have come as a surprise after he completed 81% of his passes in the Swedish top-flight in 2023, which shows that he gifts the ball back to the opposition far more regularly than the Scottish enforcer.

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McKenna, therefore, could now come in as a free agent and offer reliability in possession and a natural left-footed option to play next to one of the right-footed defenders, which is why he could be a fantastic bargain signing to allow the club to brutally ditch Lagerbielke.

Everyone involved with Ipswich Town will hope that they enter the Premier League and make the most out of it, especially if it ends up being a fleeting visit, on the way to a disappointing relegation straight back down to the Championship.

The Tractor Boys' nerves ahead of their maiden voyage back to the top flight won't have been helped when casting an eye over their 38-game schedule when it was released recently, facing off against Arne Slot's Liverpool and Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in a daunting pair of opening clashes.

The prospect of being embarrassed in both games could be why Kieran McKenna and Co are so insistent on bringing in a number of new defenders through the door this summer.

Perhaps that could start with reported target Jacob Greaves and continue with a full-back who is now on the agenda.

Ipswich eyeing up free agent

According to a report in the Telegraph, who also broke the news of Ipswich's interest in the aforementioned Greaves, the Suffolk club are also now eyeing up a free-agent swoop of Ben Johnson this off-season.

With Johnson's contract coming to an end at West Ham United very shortly, it's no surprise to see the Tractor Boys are testing the waters, knowing that the soon-to-be £0 man is an in-demand figure.

Leeds United have also been interested in the services of the adaptable 24-year-old for some time now, having attempted to get a deal done in the January transfer window, but Ipswich could well be in the driver's seat over the Whites to land Johnson, owing to their newly attained top-flight status.

How Johnson would fit in at Ipswich

The Hammers number two could offer the likes of Axel Tuanzebe great competition at Portman Road if his signature was successfully won, alongside offering McKenna a utility option to rely upon, if issues started to come to the surface across the back four.

Despite never being the main man hogging the spotlight at the London Stadium, across his many years in East London, Johnson has remained a key player at West Ham, as a figure that can be relied upon if a gap needs to be filled defensively, or even further forward.

In 2023/24, the versatile 24-year-old made 14 Premier League appearances, often from off the bench, but even started at right midfield against Manchester United, happy to just play wherever for his employers in an understated manner.

Minutes played

90

Touches

64

Accurate passes

34/36 (94%)

Accurate crosses

1/8

Accurate long balls

3/3

Shots on goal

3

Duels won

5/9

Johnson's 90-minute display away at Old Trafford exemplified his effectiveness in being played all across the park if required, as can be seen glancing at the table above, with Tuanzebe worried that his nailed-down right-back spot from the back-end of last season is now on shaky ground if the 24-year-old rocks up to Portman Road shortly.

Only making 18 appearances in total in the league, the former Manchester United defender found his debut season in Suffolk a struggle at points, with only four clean sheets amassed from the Championship clashes he featured in.

Yet, he will have a burning desire to prove those wrong at the Red Devils next campaign, after his release from the Theatre of Dreams in 2023, with Johnson providing some much-needed competition, to get even more out of the Tractor Boys number 40.

It will be an interesting opening few games from an Ipswich perspective, with those watching on from Suffolk hopeful that McKenna's underdogs can rise to the occasion, especially if solid new recruits such as Johnson – who has even been described as "wonderful" in the past by Stuart Pearce for his selflessness – end up joining.

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West Bromwich Albion are back in action in the Championship this evening as they prepare to travel to St. Mary’s to take on an in-form Southampton side.

The Saints, now led by Tonda Eckert, have won five of their last six matches in the division, beating Birmingham City 3-1 in their most recent outing.

Ryan Mason will have to make some tweaks to his side after they were beaten 3-1 by QPR at Loftus Road on Saturday, and Josh Maja is one star who could lose his place in the XI.

Why Ryan Mason should drop Josh Maja for West Brom

The Nigeria international was given a starting berth for the trip to West London after he came off the bench to provide an assist in the 3-2 comeback win over Swansea in the previous game.

Unfortunately, though, the former Sunderland centre-forward was unable to build on that assist with another strong performance, as he struggled against QPR.

Maja joined Aune Heggebo to form a front two for the Baggies in London, but was unable to provide much of a threat at the top end of the pitch in a drab loss.

Minutes

64

Shots

1

Touches

20

Possession lost

8x

Key passes

0

Duels won

2/5

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old attacker offered very little in the final third and was wasteful with his use of the ball, only retaining possession 12 times from his 20 touches.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With this in mind, Mason should ruthlessly ditch the striker from the starting line-up to bring Isaac Price back into the starting line-up as a number ten against Southampton.

Why West Brom should unleash Isaac Price against Southampton

The Northern Ireland international should be brought back into the side for multiple reasons, and not only for the attacking quality that he can provide.

As a natural attacking midfielder, Price replacing Maja could make West Brom more difficult to play through than they were in a 4-4-2 shape against QPR, as the youngster can drop into a midfield three, making it a 4-5-1 out of possession, which Maja would not be comfortable doing.

This is why bringing the former Standard Liege talent into the team could make a lot of sense for tactical reasons, ahead of a clash with an in-form Southampton team that will be expected to be on the front foot.

Of course, Price should also come into the starting XI because he has the potential to offer more quality to the side at the top end of the pitch than Maja does.

The 22-year-old star, who was described as a “breath of fresh air” by Chris Brunt, has been more effective than the Nigerian centre-forward with his play in and out of possession in the Championship so far this season.

Appearances

17

19

xG

1.88

4.65

Goals

1

5

Key passes per game

0.4

1.4

Big chances created

0

3

Assists

1

2

Duel success rate

36%

49%

As you can see in the table above, Price has scored four more goals, outperforming his xG, and created chances for the team on a far more regular basis than Maja.

These statistics suggest that the Northern Irish talent is far more likely to be a difference-maker in the final third against Southampton this evening, which is why he should be given the nod from the start in the hope that he can make an impact at St. Mary’s.

Their respective success rate in duels also further backs up the belief that Price would be the better option out of the two for West Brom’s plan out of possession, as he is better in his physical battles against opposition players.

Given that Southampton have won five of their last six games, the Baggies will need to roll up their sleeves and put in a lot of fight to come away from Hampshire with some points, and Price seems more likely to be effective in that situation.

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Therefore, Mason must ruthlessly drop Maja from the starting line-up, after one match, to bring Price back into the side in an attempt to secure a positive result against Southampton this evening.

Arsenal are a little bit good, aren’t they? Heading towards the final weekend of November, Mikel Arteta’s charges sit at the top of the Premier League.

Not just in cracking form domestically, defeating rivals Spurs 4-1 last Sunday, they are also more than up to the task in Europe.

Following five match weeks in the Champions League this season, they are top of the table there as well and they are the only team with a 100% record left in the competition.

Their recent win was perhaps one of their most special of the Arteta era. Arsenal dispatched Bayern Munich, unbeaten Bayern this season, winning 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

But, how did they do it?

Arsenal's squad depth reigns supreme against Bayern

What was made all the more impressive about Arsenal’s win against Vincent Kompany’s men was the fact that the Gunners were not at full strength.

No Gabriel? No problem. Jurrien Timber will score from a corner instead. No recognised number 9? Fear not, Mikel Merino will knit things together.

No Martin Odegaard? Well, Eberechi Eze will keep things ticking over. After scoring a stunning hat-trick against Spurs, he registered an assist on Wednesday evening.

No Bukayo Saka? Well, that doesn’t appear to be a problem now either. Saka did start the game but was not at his best against the German giants and while he was still dangerous with his actions, it was the winger’s substitution just after the hour mark that tipped things in Arsenal’s favour.

The first half had been pretty even but the second period was all in favour of the hosts and they really came to the fore once Saka was subbed. In previous seasons, Arteta would rarely dare to take the club’s talisman off but Andrea Berta’s work in the summer transfer window has ensured that we no longer need to worry about that.

Saka went off and before you knew it, Noni Madueke was firing home at the back stick to make it 2-1. The goal had been created by another sub, Riccardo Calafiori, who galloped down the left-hand side like a prize race horse and swung in an inch-perfect delivery.

The third and final goal was tucked home by another substitute in the form of Gabriel Martinelli. Eze clipped a ball over the top and the Brazilian was left with an easy finish after he knocked the ball past an onrushing Manuel Neuer, who did not cover himself in glory at all.

So, it was a win for Arsenal and a win for Berta who fought tooth and nail to spend a shedload on improving the club’s depth. That work could well be decisive as they aim to win both the Premier League and Champions League.

That said, it wasn’t a positive night for everyone in red and white.

Arsenal's biggest concern after Bayern

Seeing Leandro Trossard, a man in the form of his career right now, limp off with an injury in the first half wasn’t ideal but ultimately the quality of Arsenal’s depth shone through. Madueke and Martinelli came on to get Arsenal over the line.

Equally, Calafiori came on and gave Arsenal far more than a certain Myles Lewis-Skelly had given during his 68 minutes on the field.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

For supporters, there have been concerns about the form and minutes of the teenager this season. Last term, he burst onto the scene in incredible fashion.

With Calafiori out injured, Lewis-Skelly was the main man at left-back and as a consequence, he became a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad. He even scored on his debut for the Three Lions.

There was that goal and that celebration against Manchester City too. He was nominated for PFA Young Player of the Season as well.

Yet, 2025/26 has been more difficult for Lewis-Skelly. The 18-year-old featured in the first couple of England camps but was told during the November break by Tuchel that he simply needed to be starting more games. Fair enough, right?

He was not dismissing the fact that Lewis-Skelly is a good player, but you simply aren’t going to make it in a World Cup squad if you aren’t playing football.

There have still been some positive performances from the Hale Ender this term. There was that stunning assist for Martinelli’s goal against Atletico Madrid in the earlier stages of the Champions League. It was a piece of play that showcased exactly what he’s all about.

Yet, against Bayern, we saw a player lacking in first-team minutes and ultimately a player lacking in confidence.

Minutes played

68

Touches

25

Accurate passes

7/12 (58%)

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

0/1

Dribbles

0

Shots

0

Duels won

3/11

Recoveries

2

Tackles

1

Lewis-Skelly’s night wasn’t disastrous but he did endure a more challenging evening than his teammates. The England international was caught out by a brilliant ball in behind from Joshua Kimmich that led to Bayern’s equaliser.

Former Gunner, Serge Gnabry, got in behind the youngster and then laid the ball on a plate for 17-year-old Lennart Karl to score. In a battle of the teenagers, it was the German who triumphed on this occasion.

Lewis-Skelly spent most of the night rather uncomfortable with The Standard handing the full-back a 5/10 match rating, having endured a ‘tough evening against Michael Olise’.

In fairness, few will enjoy a comfortable night against a player of Olise’s calibre but Calafiori’s influence off the bench only served to show why Arteta has preferred the Italian this season.

Lewis-Skelly’s night was made all the worse by his lack of impact in possession. Usually an area that’s so impressive in his game, he had fewer touches of the ball (25) than David Raya (45) while he only completed seven passes. Only 33% of his passes in the opposition half were accurate.

So, this was a rare off night for a kid usually so captivating and so full of energy. He struggled. So what? Yet, he will have to improve if he wants to earn more regular minutes. For now, expect Calafiori to come back into the starting lineup for Chelsea at the weekend.

Arteta now has an even better duo than Gabriel & Saliba at Arsenal

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In the last few years, there has been a debate raging at Manchester City as to who is the better striker, Sergio Aguero or Erling Haaland.

Well, it is not an easy question to answer, given how long the Argentine striker was successful at City.

In total, Aguero played 390 times for the East Mancunian outfit, and his record speaks volumes about how good he is. The 101-cap Argentina international bagged 260 goals in that time. You consider it ludicrous to go against him in this debate.

Yet, the numbers Haaland is putting up certainly make him better than Aguero in the eyes of many.

Why Haaland is Man City's greatest striker

This is a debate that, at this stage, doesn’t really have a right answer. However, with the trajectory that Haaland is on, it is hard to see him failing to overtake Aguero’s record as City’s all-time top goalscorer.

In just 161 appearances in the famous Sky Blue shirt, the 25-year-old already has 143 goals to his name, as well as 22 assists. He’s averaging a goal involvement in more than every game. That is why Jamie Carragher said Haaland is “the greatest goalscorer to ever play in English football.”

Indeed, his form this season has been astronomical. Already, he’s found the back of the net 19 times in just 15 games. Miraculously, he’s not added to the 11 hat-tricks he has for the club, but has bagged twice in a game six times.

Haaland is a simply ridiculous number nine who can do it all, from excellent link-up play to clinical finishing in the box. His goal against Arsenal is perhaps the best example, with the striker starting the move by tucking the ball round the corner to Tijjani Reijnders, before charging forward and receding the ball again to score.

The Norwegian is incredible, although City don’t have a natural striker as his understudy if he gets injured. If that were the case, the answer might be an academy star who could one day take the number nine shirt after Haaland.

Man City's in-house number nine after Haaland

Haaland’s injury record isn’t perfect. The striker has missed 26 games since he moved to City, and they don’t really have a natural replacement. Omar Marmoush can lead the line, but he excels in a slightly deeper role, a little like Julian Alvarez did.

Lucky for the Citizens, they might have the perfect striker in the academy in the form of Mahamadou Sangare.

The France U18 centre-forward only moved to the club in the summer from Paris Saint-Germain, but is already excelling in the youth side.

This season across all competitions for the esteemed City academy, Sangare has found the back of the net on nine occasions in just 14 games. That includes three goals in four UEFA Youth League games.

In fact, it was in that competition that Sangare put in his most impressive performance to date. The 18-year-old shone against AS Monaco U19s, bagging a hat-trick and assisting one goal, after creating two chances.

Touches

35

Opposition half passes completed

14/18

Aerial duels won

5/6

Shots

4

Goals

3

Chances created

2

Assists

1

One person who has spoken highly of the striker is football scout Antonio Mango. He called Sangare a “prolific” number nine, complementing him on the fact that he was one of the standout PSG youngsters last season. He scored 33 times in 35 games for their U19s.

Well, it certainly seems like City are seeing the quality he can bring to the youth sides. It will be fascinating to see how quickly Sangare’s development continues. He certainly has an eye for goal and will be hoping that he can translate that to senior level.

Of course, the 18-year-old is quite some way from being on Haaland’s level, but with his natural goalscoring instinct, there is no reason why he can’t establish himself in the first team. Perhaps he will even be the natural successor to Haaland’s iconic number nine shirt.

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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has shared an injury update on his squad, and they could be without one of their players until after the new year.

The Blues made light work of London rivals Tottenham in their last outing, cruising to a 1-0 win on enemy turf, and Thomas Frank’s side hardly laid a glove on them.

It was a much-needed victory for Maresca’s men, who were dispatched by newly-promoted Sunderland in their previous Premier League clash the weekend prior.

The loss at home to Regis Le Bris’ side sparked major outrage after what was a very disappointing performance, with reports in the aftermath suggesting that Maresca’s long-term Chelsea future is far from certain amid interest from Juventus.

Luckily for the Italian, Chelsea have responded to that defeat in good fashion — knocking Wolves out of the Carabao Cup via a dramatic 4-3 win at Molineux to then claim the London derby spoils.

It has been a mixed start to 25/26 for Chelsea after what was a stellar summer, having won both the Conference League and Club World Cup earlier this year, but Maresca is believed to be dissatisfied with the squad at his disposal overall.

Chelsea ended the last summer transfer window as one of England’s most lavish spenders, investing nearly £300 million in new recruits, but the west Londoners failed to shore up their centre-back options or bring in a world-class goalkeeper.

Rank

Club

Gross Spend

Sales

Net Spend

20.

Bournemouth

£136.7m

£202.5m

+£65.8m

19.

Brighton

£67.7m

£127.5m

+£59.8m

18.

Brentford

£92.8m

£152m

+£59.2m

17.

Wolves

£105.6m

£126.5m

+£20.9m

16.

Chelsea

£296.5m

£314.4m

+£17.9m

BlueCo are reportedly ready to prioritise the signing of a centre-back for Chelsea in January, but Maresca hasn’t exactly been helped by injuries and suspensions either.

Summer signing Liam Delap was missing for weeks with a hamstring problem and couldn’t play against Tottenham last weekend after his red card at Wolves.

Malo Gusto was also suspended recently, with Trevoh Chalobah, Robert Sanchez, Joao Pedro and Delap all sent off in the last 44 days alone.

Chelsea’s current disciplinary issues are a real conundrum for Maresca to solve, and it’s the last thing he needs considering their troubles with fitness issues this campaign.

Right now, Pedro Neto, Benoit Badiashile, Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill and Dario Essugo are all unavailable through injury, and Maresca might not welcome back the latter until 2026.

Chelsea could be without Dario Essugo until January

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of their Champions League clash with Qarabag, Maresca suggests that Essugo could be out injured until January.

Essugo, who’s been called a ‘frightening’ player by members of the media like journalist Antonio Mango, hasn’t been able to showcase his best since joining Chelsea in the summer, and it’ll be a while before he gets to do so.

That being said, there is some good news.

Chelsea’s manager believes that star forward Palmer, who’s been battling a niggling groin problem since the start of the season, could return for their blockbuster European showdown against Barcelona.

Chelsea play their last game before the next international break against Wolves this weekend, and their Barça clash is scheduled to take place around three days after they return to action away to Burnley on November 22.

Being the massive club they are, Arsenal have been blessed with truly world-class players over the years, players who have formed sensational partnerships.

One of the best examples of this has to be Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, who, to many fans, remain the greatest ever to don the Gunners’ famous red and white.

The pair played 216 competitive matches together from the 99/00 to 05/06 season in which they combined for 20 goals, averaged 2.10 points per game and, most crucially, won two Premier Leagues, three FA Cups and two Community Shields.

The dynamic duo were the faces of Arsenal’s most successful era, and it now looks like Mikel Arteta might have created the club’s best pairing since them – and no, it’s not the summer signings of Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres.

Why Eze & Gyokeres could be a brilliant duo for Arsenal

They might not be the pairing in question, nor are they even all that in sync at the moment, but there is every chance that Gyokeres and Eze could become a formidable duo for Arsenal by the season’s end.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

One reason is the Swede’s positioning and the impact he has on opposition defenders.

For example, while he is most certainly still finding his feet in the Premier League and hasn’t quite found his shooting boots, it’s becoming increasingly clear that when he’s leading the line, he drags opposition defenders towards him.

Unlike Kai Havertz’s last season, who liked to drop deep and link play, the former Sporting CP star is playing more like a traditional nine, and thanks to his runs in behind and imposing strength, is stretching defences.

This, in turn, makes space for his teammates like Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Eze, who should become more effective at exploiting that space the more comfortable he becomes playing in the right eight for the Gunners.

Another reason the two summer signings could form a brilliant partnership is down to the Englishman’s ability to move the ball up the pitch.

After all, with Gyokeres spending more time in and around the penalty area than Havertz did last season, the Gunners need to get the ball to him, and that is something a fully up-to-speed Eze should be able to do.

Shots Total

3.31

Top 1%

SCA (Shot)

0.83

Top 1%

% of Dribblers Tackled

100.0%

Top 1%

Shots on Target

1.16

Top 4%

Pass Completion %

80.9%

Top 4%

GCA (Shot)

0.17

Top 4%

Pass Completion % (Medium)

84.7%

Top 8%

Successful Take-On %

58.8%

Top 8%

Assists

0.33

Top 12%

Through Balls

0.66

Top 12%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

21.88

Top 12%

Passes Attempted (Medium)

14.09

Top 15%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

Top 15%

For example, FBref ranked him in the top 8% of players in the league this season for successful take-on percentage, the top 12% for assists and through balls and the top 15% for goal-creating actions, all per 90.

In other words, the former Palace star is someone who can and will get the ball to Gyokeres in dangerous areas this season, and will only get better at it as he further beds into the team.

With all that said, while the summer signings could well become a game-changing pair this season, Arteta already has a truly world-class duo in his side today.

Arsenal's world-class duo

Some impressive partnerships are beginning to form for Arsenal this season, such as Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber and Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori, but the best of the lot is undoubtedly the one between William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.

After all, while the wide players are hugely important to the Gunners, their most significant strength is, without question, their incredible solidity at the back, which stems from the centre-backs more than anyone else.

For example, as things stand, the North Londoners have not conceded a single goal in the Champions League or League Cup, and have let in just three in the Premier League, one of which is that outrageous free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai.

If the Gunners keep up their incredible efforts at the back, they stand a brilliant chance of beating Chelsea’s astonishing record of just 15 goals conceded in the 04/05 season.

Also, while the two centre-backs haven’t played all ten league games together this season, they have made eight appearances as a duo.

With that said, what is their overall record when playing together?

Well, across all competitions, the Frenchman and Brazilian have appeared in 126 games alongside one another, in which the Gunners have conceded 115 goals, combined for one goal and averaged an impressive 2.15 points per game.

And if that is not enough, before the Palace game on Sunday, the pair had made 93 league appearances together, during which they’ve conceded 0.78 goals per game, putting them as the sixth-best centre-back pairing in Premier League history.

However, given they’ve taken another massive step forward this season, it doesn’t feel unrealistic that they could eventually replace Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidić at the top of that table one day, as their average of 0.71 goals conceded a game isn’t that much better.

Ferdinand & Vidic

120

0.71

Keown & Adams

97

0.73

Campbell & Toure

59

0.73

Terry & Carvalho

85

0.76

Lescott & Kompany

58

0.76

Gabriel & Saliba

93

0.78

Van Dijk & Matip

72

0.81

Ultimately, with how well they’ve already played together, how much more impressive they’ve been this season and their ages, there is every chance that by the time they leave the club, Gabriel and Saliba could be viewed as Arsenal’s greatest ever duo.

Forget Eze: Arsenal's 8/10 star is becoming Arteta's most important player

Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League with a win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 27, 2025

An “amazing” Leicester City January transfer target is keen on joining the club so he can play under Ruud van Nistelrooy, according to a new report. The Dutchman gets his Leicester reign underway on Tuesday evening, as the Foxes welcome West Ham United to the King Power Stadium.

Leicester City now want to sign £25m+ Olympic winner for Van Nistelrooy

He could be the perfect man to kickstart their great escape.

ByBen Browning Nov 30, 2024 Leicester transfer news

This is Van Nistelrooy’s first permanent role in England as a manager, and he will be hoping it goes as well as his interim spell in charge at Manchester United did. The first task for Nistelrooy is to turn this current form around, as the club have failed to win in their last six games in all competitions.

The good news for the new Leicester manager is that January is not far away, and he may already have his eye on a few players he would like to bring to the club. It has been reported that the Foxes are interested in signing Valencia forward Diego Lopez, as the young forward is seen as a “fundamental pillar of their sporting project”.

Leicester have also been linked with a move for Hertha Berlin’s Ibrahim Maza in the past, and he could be one they look to bring to the King Power Stadium in the New Year. There are several Premier League clubs keeping an eye on his situation, and he could be available for around £17 million. Van Nistelrooy’s arrival could help Leicester a lot when it comes to transfers, and that appears to be the case already, as one target is keen to join the club and play under the Dutchman.

Ferguson keen to sign for Leicester so he can play for Van Nistelrooy

According to Football Insider, Brighton’s Evan Ferguson is keen to make the move to Leicester City as he wants to work under van Nistelrooy. The 20-year-old has been with the Seagulls since January 2021, but it wasn’t until the last two campaigns that he really started to impress in the first team.

In the 2022/23 season, Ferguson, who has been described as “amazing” by former teammate Alexis Mac Allister, scored six goals in 19 league games. He followed that up by scoring six goals again last season in 27 Premier League matches, but he has struggled for regular minutes in this campaign, starting just one of eight league games he has featured in.

Therefore, a loan move in January looks to be on the cards, and Leicester are interested in securing his services. This report now states that working under van Nistelrooy would be a “great opportunity” to develop his game, and while there is still work to be done on completing a deal, Ferguson is keen to make the move with the promise of increased playing time.

Apps

55

Goals

13

Assists

2

Leicester see the Republic of Ireland international as “pivotal” in their fight to stay in the league, but Brighton have yet to decide whether they will accept loan offers in January. Ferguson is keen to remain in the Premier League should he move and would welcome the chance of becoming a key player for the Foxes. Furthermore, he would love the chance to learn from van Nistelrooy, who knows what it takes to be a top striker in England.