Liverpool want to sign Denmark international and Brentford midfielder Christian Eriksen this summer.
What’s the story?
According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are one of three possible clubs Eriksen could end up at next season with the other two being a return to either Ajax or Tottenham Hotspur.
Many were surprised when he came back to the Premier League with Brentford in January, but he is shown he is still capable of producing top performances which have attracted interest from big clubs.
He’s rated at £13.5m with his contract expiring at the end of the season. The Bees will be keen to renew, but better options could be on the table for Eriksen.
Liverpool supporters will be buzzing
Whatever you think about the club’s he has previously played for, most people are admirers of Eriksen. So Liverpool fans will be buzzing about the prospect of him moving to Merseyside.
His story over the last 12 months is remarkable. From winning the Scudetto with Inter Milan to hopes of lifting the European Championships with his country. Everyone stood still when he collapsed on the field during the Euros after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Thankfully he was saved and has made an incredible recovery since. Naturally there were question marks over whether he would be able to replicate his form previously shown.
However, in just six appearances for Brentford since arriving Eriksen has been directly involved in three goals, and in games where he’s played a full 90 minutes the Bees have a 100% record.
The 30-year-old has shown that he still has a lot to offer and has been described as still “world class”.
So it’s not surprising that bigger clubs in Europe are interested in him, and if he’s available on a free transfer it’s likely he’ll receive some big offers.
With all three clubs mentioned in the report there’s a possibility of playing Champions League football. A return to Spurs would see Eriksen reunited with Antonio Conte who he played under at Inter.
However we think Liverpool is the most attractive option, it comes with the chance to work with Jurgen Klopp and compete for every trophy available. He’s never won the Champions League and with Liverpool it would be his best opportunity.
It’s a transfer that would suit both parties with Eriksen adding some exceptional quality to the growing depth of Klopp’s side. The man with 110 senior career goals to his name could be a shrewd addition at Anfield.
IN other news: Liverpool now targeting “special” £49.5m-rated star, he’s the dream Salah replacement – opinion…
Big afternoon stand is bookended by collapses against both new balls on topsy-turvy day in Cardiff
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay23-May-2025Glamorgan were unable to make their mid-innings dominance of Middlesex count, as hundreds from Sam Northeast and Kiran Carlson were offset by the loss of seven wickets on a balanced day one at Sophia Gardens.The captain and vice-captain’s 228-run partnership lifted the hosts to 280 for 3 after three early wickets fell for 52, but they finished on 334 for 7 at the close with Toby Roland-Jones dependable as ever for Middlesex with 4 for 73.Northeast and Carlson both fell within 10 overs for 122 and 109 respectively to give Middlesex a chance to fight back with the new ball towards the end of the day, with Ryan Higgins also taking 3 for 44.Middlesex won the toss and elected to bowl on a green surface at Sophia Gardens with uncertainty of how the lush ground would play following heavy rainfall in south Wales for the first time this season.The visitors got off to a strong start with restrictions on runs initially before the series of plays and misses turned to wickets thanks to the experience and skillset of Middlesex veteran Roland-Jones.Marnus Labuschagne’s woes were improved on last week’s four runs across two innings but he still didn’t look comfortable. The Australian added 23, including a gifted four from a bizarre Luke Hollman overthrow on a certain dot ball.Glamorgan’s new pair combined their red- and white-ball captains, but the bowlers were still on top going into the second session with Northeast scoring cagily at first against a prominent attack which includes three Test internationals.As has been the case for this pair this season, Carlson eventually got his strokes to come together to increase the scoring rate, with typical Carlson backfoot punches and cuts, including against the novice Naavya Sharma in his second match. Meanwhile, Northeast churned out his runs, ambitious to beat his previous season best of 67 in 11 innings. Between them, they produced Glamorgan’s first unbroken session partnership of the season.The pair went at four an over for the afternoon, with a six from the captain moving him to 99 and Carlson surviving an edge evading slip’s head off Hollman on 96 before they both passed three figures.The new ball brought the change in fortune for the visitors in the final 16 overs of the day as the momentum shifted. Carlson was in disbelief to be given out in the 81st over and Tom Bevan following shortly afterwards in his first game of the season, in place for the absent student, Ben Kellaway.Higgins was soon in on the action, bowling Northeast for 122 as four wickets fell for 39 runs. Andy Gorvin was required to survive the night alongside Chris Cooke, who never looked fazed for his unbeaten 32.
The hosts have got their mojo back since the group meeting between these sides but Australia know all about the pressure of knockout matches
The Preview by Alan Gardner10-Jul-20193:03
Hodge: Australia only need a little bit more firepower from the middle order
Big pictureBig match. Grudge match. Rematch. Bogey team, bogey ground. No. 1 in the world, No. 1 in World Cups. At the pointy end of the tournament, a game with no shortage of historical needle. England versus Australia, no Ashes on the line but arguably something more significant, at least from the perspective of the hosts. Six weeks of tension building, dark clouds gathering once again… all about to be released in a thunderclap?Okay, so things may not play out so dramatically, but the first World Cup knockout encounter between these two sides in more than 30 years has the potential to produce a seismic collision when the players take the field at Edgbaston – perhaps the most raucous of English grounds (that’s assuming some England fans have managed to get hold of tickets). We can but hope for the sort of game that will make a sometimes-sodden tournament instantly memorable.ALSO READ: Ben Stokes fired up for ‘redemption’ shot in semi-final against AustraliaIn the blue corner, England’s wannabe history-makers, chasing that elusive global 50-over title. Their World Cup almost took a queasy turn towards familiar farce after they were beaten by Australia at Lord’s during the group stage; required to win their next two games to hold off a resurgent Pakistan, England took a glimpse into the abyss, gritted their teeth and got the job done. Accomplished performances against India and New Zealand (aided, perhaps, by the coin toss) saw them through with renewed conviction that this can indeed be their year.Standing in England’s way, the country that sets the green-and-gold standard in World Cup competition. Australia know what it takes to win, just as they know England are still trying to work it out. After 18 months of ODI turmoil, the old game-face has returned. Australia haven’t lost to England in the World Cup since 1992; England haven’t won a knockout match in just as long.There again, if it is omens you’re after, how about this one: England have been victorious in their last ten internationals at Edgbaston, going back to 2014. Moreover, Australia haven’t won here since 2001 – although they do have the 1999 semi-final tie to cling to for comfort. England beat them in Birmingham at the 2017 Champions Trophy; they mugged them by a mere two runs during the 2005 Ashes; and even managed to take down Warne and McGrath there in 1997.It was also Edgbaston – and the return of Jason Roy – that pepped up England after things had threatened to go awry. If another true surface awaits, Roy and Jonny Bairstow will doubtless emerge wielding the cudgels again. With Liam Plunkett restating his worth over the last couple of games, England seem content to have moved away from the two-spinner strategy that had previously served them so well.Australia have gradually found their preferred formula, too, though there will be at least one enforced change to the batting, after both Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh suffered tournament-ending injuries in the space of a few days. Both teams would surely prefer to bat first, with Australia’s opening partnership similarly integral to their fortunes so far. Will it all depend on the call of heads or tails?The possibility of more iffy weather might reduce some of the bat-first advantage that has become more and more apparent (as should a fresh pitch). In which case it could come down to which of the superfast men – Mitchell Starc, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are among the quickest on show – has the better day, as well as England’s ability to combat a marked weakness against left-arm seam bowling. Adil Rashid has struggled for form, but Australia remain his favourite opponents in ODIs; Nathan Lyon has only played three World Cup matches but never needs extra motivation against England.Perhaps it will come down to the captains. Eoin Morgan has occasionally appeared tetchy as his team attempt to make good on four years of promise while dealing with the expectation and pressure of the ECB staking the house on this World Cup. He copped plenty for how he was bounced out by Starc at Lord’s, too. Meanwhile, Aaron Finch has been prolific with the bat and at ease with the demands of leadership. Finch is also a World Cup winner. Only victory against the old enemy on Thursday will allow Morgan and his players to keep that ambition alive.Form guideEngland WWLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first) Australia LWWWWBen Stokes plays a shot•Getty Images
In the spotlightBen Stokes has been perhaps the standout middle-order batsman of the tournament, as well as quietly doing his bit with the ball and pulling off the usual quotidian brilliance in the field. He was the man who managed to drag England back into the contest between these sides at Lord’s, first with economy and a wicket, then his sinew-straining 89 – only to be torpedoed by Starc just when it seemed he might bring home the egg-and-bacon. If things get sticky again, then Morgan will doubtless look to Stokes to light England’s fire.Whether Edgbaston stays off the boos or not, Steven Smith will be hoping to make himself centre of attention for cricketing reasons. He’s yet to locate that famous Smithian groove at this tournament, when the degree to which his limbs seem out of sync is diametrically opposed to the runs they are able to harvest. He has three half-centuries to go with a mortal average of 32.66 and was dismissed attempting an agricultural hoick against England a fortnight ago. Maybe the absence of Usman Khawaja and a return to No. 3 will get the cogs whirring again.Team newsEngland seem likely to stick with the men who have taken them through two crunch matches in a row, meaning no place for Moeen Ali.England (probable): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Liam Plunkett, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Mark WoodJustin Langer has already confirmed that Peter Handscomb will make his World Cup debut, most likely coming into the side at No. 4 after the hamstring injury suffered by Khawaja in Australia’s last game. Marcus Stoinis was also a doubt but seems set to be passed fit, helping to maintain the balance of a side with only four frontline bowlers. There was just a suggestion starting to bubble up that Glenn Maxwell could be under pressure for his place with Matthew Wade looming now that he has been officially added to the squad.Australia (probable): 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 David Warner, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Peter Handscomb, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jason BehrendorffPitch and conditionsThe pitch is two across from the one on which the England-India game was played, so the shorter boundary is a bit longer. The grass on this pitch will be fractionally shorter than it was for that game and spin, again, isn’t expected to play a big role. The weather could play a part as there’s a chance of rain on Thursday.Strategy punt Finch has had a productive World Cup – and his century set up Australia’s victory at Lord’s – but there may be an area to exploit if he survives the early new-ball overs. Imran Tahir nabbed him early at Old Trafford to continue his successful record against Finch, and it could be worth giving Rashid an early bowl. Rashid has twice removed Finch in the first 20 balls he has faced. Things have gone a bit quiet for Pat Cummins in this tournament, with two wickets in his last four matches, but Finch could be glad he has him up his sleeve for Joe Root, who is England’s leading run-scorer. He has removed Root three times in five innings with Root striking at just 55 against him.Stats and trivia David Warner needs 19 runs to reach 5000 in ODIs; Mitchell Starc needs two wickets to reach 50 in World Cups Jason Roy has scored three of his nine ODI hundreds against AustraliaQuotes”We know how they are going to play, they know how we are going to play. We have played each other a lot over the last couple of years, so it will be whoever holds their nerves, whoever takes them half-chances, whoever starts off the game really well in the first ten overs, whether it is with bat or ball, it will be so important for either side.” “The support we have had throughout the tournament has been unbelievable and certainly something I have never experienced in my life. The amount of good faith and goodwill going around is fantastic, so we sense the support that’s with us, but also the opportunity as well.”
Manchester City star Erling Haaland showed why he is hailed as the best striker in the world with a four-goal display against Wolves.
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Haaland scores four goals against Wolves
Redknapp praises striker's ability and mentality
Also defends Norwegian from criticism
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Norwegian striker scored a first-half hat-trick for Pep Guardiola's side to put them in the driving seat before scoring a fourth past Jose Sa in the 54th minute. Man City cruised to a 5-1 victory thanks to the 23-year-old's inspired performance and former Liverpool man Jamie Redknapp was full of praise for the striker after the game. He also praised the striker's mentality as the Norwegian seemed miffed when Guardiola took him off for Julian Alvarez in the 82nd minute of the game.
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WHAT REDKNAPP SAID
Speaking with Sky Sports, Redknapp said: "We all want so much from a forward, from a player. Sometimes we talk about the little finesse and touches he maybe doesn't do as well. But what he is is an animal in front of goal. The mentality he has. He scored four goals and you could see he was furious that he'd come off, he was fuming!
"He wanted to score more goals. A lot of players that I'd play with that were goal scorers would have taken four goals, a standing ovation, take it easy for the game at Fulham next week. This guy is built differently. He's a phenomenon. To have him in our league, I just love watching him.
"All the goals that he scores, he wants more. He knew there was going to be another chance. The one that (Julian) Alvarez scored would have been perfect for him and he knew that. He wants to destroy teams. The guy is just built completely different."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Haaland is having a season that seems underwhelming compared to his last campaign, and he has received a lot of criticism for his performances. The Norwegian has even been blasted for his lack of involvement in some games for Guardiola's side which Redknapp feels is unfair.
"It's very easy to say what he can't do, but enjoy what he can! He has given City a difference," he added. "There were times when they won the league without a striker and we spoke about the final piece in the jigsaw and he's certainly that. They won the treble last year. When people criticise him I find it hard to understand sometimes."
WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND?
The Norwegian has once again taken a form lead in the Premier League Golden Boot race, and going into the clash against Fulham on May 11, he will hope to pull a bigger gap on Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak, who now sit five behind the Manchester City striker on 20 goals each.
Stina Blackstenius' dramatic extra-time goal won Arsenal the Continental Cup and denied Chelsea the chance of a quadruple in Emma Hayes' final season.
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Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in Conti Cup finalBlackstenius scored only goal in extra-timeChelsea's quadruple dream over for another yearGettyTELL ME MORE
Chelsea thought they'd taken the lead midway through the first half when Mayra Ramirez beat Manuela Zinsberger with a fine strike from range, but VAR intervened and ruled it out for a handball in the build-up by Erin Cuthbert. It was the closest the game got to a goal in a first half peppered with half-chances, with Arsenal's best opening in normal time coming after the break when Cloe Lacasse was unable to beat Hannah Hampton one-on-one.
Lauren James had a great opportunity to open the scoring as the potential of extra-time loomed, put through on goal by Guro Reiten's clever scooped pass, but the angle closed as she waited to take the shot and that worked in Zinsberger's favour, who made herself big to thwart the England star.
To extra-time we went, then, but not before some really horrible scenes as Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum went down off the ball and was in need of serious medical attention before being stretchered off.
The Arsenal fans did all they could to fire up their team as the game understandably fell flat in light of a really worrying situation, and it was the Gunners who created the best chance in extra-time, as Blackstenius blasted a golden chance over the bar after Alessia Russo cleverly put her through on goal.
That miss wouldn't come back to haunt the Swede, though, as it was she who scored the only goal of the game with just four minutes of extra-time remaining, her shot too powerful for Hampton to stop as Arsenal retained their Conti Cup title.
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Arsenal are the only English team to have won the quadruple, doing so back in 2007, and so there will be a little extra satisfaction for the Gunners with this triumph as it means they have denied Chelsea the chance to match that feat this year. The Blues are still fighting for three trophies though, in the league, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
Getty ImagesTHE MVP
It wasn't Blackstenius' best game and she missed a huge chance before eventually breaking the deadlock, but it's hard to deny her the feat of MVP after she scored the goal that decided this final. The Swede ran hard as she always does, stretched the Chelsea defence and came up with the match-winning moment to ensure Arsenal's season doesn't end without silverware.
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GettyTHE BIG LOSER
In a tight and even contest which became more a war of attrition, there were no outstandingly bad performers, but it was Ramirez on the end of some bad luck when she had a wonderful strike ruled out through no fault of her own. There was no disputing the decision to disallow her superb goal, as it was a clear handball by Cuthbert, but she will have been frustrated all the same.
Root wants to play regularly in all three formats and Nottinghamshire’s spending splurge suggested his chances might be limited
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2018
Billy Root drives through the off side•Getty Images
Billy Root, brother of the England captain Joe, has left Nottinghamshire for Glamorgan in search of more playing opportunities.Root’s departure continues a huge overhaul at Nottinghamshire which has seen three top-order batsmen – Joe Clarke, Ben Duckett and Ben Slater – arrive at Trent Bridge and Riki Wessels and now Root move on.Despite having one year left to run on his current deal, Root’s playing possibilities were limited in 2018, and the influx of three highly-rated batsmen, two with perceived England potential, suggested that was unlikely to change next summer.”We’re sad to see Billy go but understand that he wants more regular playing opportunities, something which has been hard to come by over the past year,” said Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket.”He has the ability to play in all three formats, as he has shown during his time with us and I am sure he will relish his new challenge with Glamorgan.”Root made over 1000 runs in his time at the club, including centuries in both first-class and List A cricket. His 133 alongside Chris Read in the final game of the 2017 season against Sussex, helped secure promotion from Division Two of the Championship and saw the Sheffield-born batsman sign his first professional deal.Glamorgan were attracted by the fact that he averages more than 30 in all three formats – albeit only just – as they sought to address a dismal 2018 campaign in which their homegrown players were not up to the task.Glamorgan’s director of cricket, Hugh Morris, still retains faith in the advantages of giving opportunities to Welsh youngsters – indeed the Welsh Assembly expects it – and the introduction of Root is not remotely a signal that such a policy is about to be abandoned.Root in many ways is a direct replacement for Aneurin Donald, who had encouraged such optimism in Wales but whose form declined before he left for Hampshire midway through last season.”Over the course of the campaign it became apparent we needed to supplement our batting stocks and in Billy we have signed a player who is still young but has experience playing Division One cricket and is hungry to succeed,” Morris said.”He can play across all three formats which makes him an ideal signing for the club and he will be a fantastic addition to the dressing room.”
ScorecardUmesh took seven wickets in 12 overs to run through Kerala, scuttling them for 106 all out in 28.4 overs. Faiz Fazal then steered Vidarbha’s reply with 75, taking them to 171 for 5 in 45 overs, with the lead standing at 65 runs.Kerala’s position was ameliorated by late strikes, when Sandeep Warrier accounted for Fazal and Atharva Taide, while Basil Thampi ensured nightwatchman Rajneesh Gurbani’s stay lasted only six balls. Vidarbha were in command at 170 for 2, but lost three wickets in 2.2 overs, including Taide off the last ball before stumps.Fazal had won the toss and put Kerala in on a spicy pitch at Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad. This was the same venue where Kerala had beaten Gujarat in the quarter-finals, with no team scoring more than 185 and seamers accounting for 34 of the 38 wickets that fell to bowlers.Jaffer had come into the game with 969 runs, and though he was out for 34 to a good catch at slip by KB Arun Karthik, it was enough to take him past 1,000 runs in the season. It was exactly ten years after he had made 1260 runs for Mumbai in 2008-09, and even at almost 41 years old, Jaffer showed that he was well up with modern memes in acing the #10YearChallenge.On the day though, Vidarbha’s batting was held together by the other veteran in the team. Fazal’s strokeplay on a pitch that offered something to seamers was compact and assured. His wicket did precipitate a mini-collapse, but Vidarbha’s lead in what is potentially a low-scoring game is already significant, and they have the assurance of unleashing Umesh in the second innings.Kerala’s batsmen had failed to handle Umesh’s pace and hostility in the first innings, and among the top order, only captain Sachin Baby (22) reached double figures. Vishnu Vinod, batting at No. 7, hit out to score 37 not out, adding 25 runs for the last wicket with MD Nidheesh while farming the strike. That stand took Kerala into three figures, but they couldn’t go much beyond that.Umesh’s latest performance came on the heels of his nine-wicket match haul ” target=”_blank”>against Uttarakhand in the quarter-finals, for which he was named the man of the match. He hadn’t been available for Vidarbha in the league stages as he was on national duty.Rajneesh Gurbani, who shared the new ball with Umesh, took the other three wickets, doubling his tally for what has been a sub-par season so far. Vidarbha didn’t need to give their spinners any overs, despite the pair of Aditya Sarwate (44) and Akshay Wakhare (27) being their leading wicket-takers this season. ScorecardShreyas Gopal raises his bat•PTI
Karnataka were left to rue two bad periods of batting that bookended the day. They had been reduced to 30 for 4 after Jaydev Unadkat’s first spell of 7-3-19-3. Their middle order fashioned a recovery, but from 232 for 5, they collapsed again to end the day on 264 for 9.Unadkat made light of losing the toss at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, tearing through a star-studded Karnataka top order. His victims were R Samarth, lbw to the third ball of the match, KV Siddharth, Karnataka’s highest run-getter this season, and Mayank Agarwal, India’s newly minted Test opener.Fellow left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya, the 20-year-old who had made his debut this season, was rewarded for his tight lines and subtle movement with Karun Nair’s wicket.However, captain Manish Pandey came out with positive intent and combined with vice-captain Shreyas Gopal to stabilise Karnataka. Pandey had spent the previous two days polishing his attacking game in the nets, and he brought his full repertoire to the middle, driving and flicking with élan. He got to a half-century at quicker than a run-a-ball, and forced Unadkat to pull back from all-out attack to slightly more in-and-out fields.At the other end, Shreyas was more patient, and showed his batting chops. Pandey looked like he would play the defining knock of the innings, but Unadkat came back after lunch and bent his back to bowl with a bit more pace, getting him to be late on the ball before it thudded into the stumps.The fifth-wicket pair had put on a century stand but at 136 for 5, Karnataka were not yet safe. However, wicketkeeper-batsman S Sharath, playing only his fourth first-class match, showed great composure to string together another substantial stand with Shreyas. While Pandey had chosen to counterattack, both Sharath and Shreyas were more cautious, and built steadily.However, they seemed to have decided that among the Saurashtra bowlers, Kamlesh Makvana’s gentle offspin was the one to target, and that eventually led to Karnataka’s undoing. Makvana had leaked runs at a higher rate than Saurashtra might have liked, but when Shreyas had a lapse in concentration on 87, he missed a ball that went with the angle from around the stumps and bowled him.Karnataka’s lower order seemed intent on following Pandey’s method, but without the accompanying skill to execute it. K Gowtham was out to a casual waft three balls after being reprieved when Unadkat dropped a catch, while both Vinay Kumar and Abhimanyu Mithun were dismissed slogging across the line.Sharath remained unbeaten on 74, but he now has only No.11 Ronit More for company.
Suspended Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is in line for a surprise return to action next month after not featuring for over a year, according to reports.
Mykhailo Mudryk banned for positive drugs test
Mudryk’s absence from Chelsea’s first-team setup has now exceeded twelve months, with the Ukrainian international last appearing competitively on November 28 last year before his career ground to a dramatic halt.
The 24-year-old tested positive for meldonium, a performance-enhancing substance prohibited under anti-doping regulations.
Following confirmation of his B sample analysis in June, the FA formally charged Mudryk, leaving him facing a potential ban ranging between two and four years if found guilty.
Throughout the ordeal, Mudryk has maintained complete innocence, and even voluntarily undertook a lie detector test which supported his version of events.
Ukrainian sports journalists have theorised that contaminated stem cell treatment administered during international duty may explain the adverse finding, suggesting the injection originated from cattle previously exposed to meldonium.
Chelsea sanctioned the record £88.5 million transfer from Shakhtar in January 2023, initially viewing him as a transformative attacking signing after hijacking Arsenal’s deal.
However, his Stamford Bridge career proved underwhelming even before the suspension materialised, with inconsistent performances failing to justify the enormous investment.
The club reassigned his prestigious number ten shirt to Cole Palmer following Mudryk’s suspension, signalling their acceptance of a prolonged absence.
Chelsea also reinforced their attacking options by striking deals for Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens in the summer, further blocking any potential pathway back into Enzo Maresca’s plans.
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Reports have suggested that, once Mudryk is eligible to play again, Chelsea could allow the forward to join sister club Strasbourg on loan in a bid to reignite his career.
Mykhailo Mudryk in line for January return as Sevilla eye Chelsea loan deal
Now, according to journalist JM Villalba and Canal Sur Radio, that eligibility could be as early as next month.
Speaking to the Spanish broadcaster, Villalba has reported that Mudryk will be able to play again after January 17, and this has piqued interest from La Liga side Sevilla.
Chelsea's MykhailoMudryk
The club are considering a deal for Mudryk once he comes back midway through next month, which is a surprise when factoring in how very little we’ve heard about the winger’s return timeline.
If Mudryk is indeed eligible for a January renaissance, BlueCo should certainly green-light a temporary move away for him.
He quite simply needs game time and renewed confidence following the lengthy layoff, controversy and serious drop down Maresca’s pecking order, with the Spanish top flight potentially providing that needed reintroduction to competitive action.
That being said, it should be a dry loan with no option or obligation to buy, with Chelsea poised to make a key decision about Mudryk’s long-term future.
He still has six years remaining on his current contract, giving the Blues plenty of time to do so.
da betsul： On Sunday, the Sky Blues were steamrollered 5-1 by Arsenal, completely capitulating after Erling Haaland had headed home a second-half equaliser, conceding a few seconds after kick off and then three times more after that.
This is the first time Man City have conceded five open-play goals in the same Premier League match since 2008. It is the heaviest defeat of Pep Guardiola’s managerial career and means the Citizens have now conceded more goals this season than Manchester United, despite the fact their neighbours are languishing in 13th.
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After Saturday’s FA Cup trip to Leyton Orient, they’ll face Real Madrid twice, Newcastle, Liverpool, Spurs and then Nottingham Forest, so things certainly don’t get much easier, with opposition teams continuing to exploit Man City’s right-sided weakness.
Manchester City's current right-back options
In early January, following the 8-0 demolition of Salford, Guardiola revealed that club captain Kyle Walker had asked to leave the club and “explore options abroad”, with the 34-year-old joining A.C. Milan on loan a week or so later, debuting for I Rossoneri by starting Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina, which ended 1-1.
In terms of arrivals during the winter window, as noted by Philip Buckingham of the Athletic, Man City spent £178m, which he points out is more than the other 19 Premier League clubs combined, and “four times” as much as the next highest-spending side, who were Wolves.
The Sky Blues recruited centre-backs Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah, the latter immediately loaned out to Lens, as well as striker Omar Marmoush and central midfielder Nico González, the Spaniard arriving on deadline day from Porto for a reported £50m.
However, no right-backs were signed, neither to replace Walker in numerical terms, nor to fix a position that had already been problematic.
20-year-old Rico Lewis is the most obvious option for this position, and earlier this season Guardiola praised the youngster, labelling him “so intelligent”, adding “he’s playing because he’s playing really good”.
Well, in more recent weeks, he hasn’t been playing, seeing just 18 minutes of action across the last four Premier League games, introduced at Ipswich with the score already 6-0, not starting any of the last seven matches in any competition.
Instead, having been trialled as a left-winger earlier in the campaign, Matheus Nunes has started all seven of those fixtures at right-back, with Guardiola claiming the Portuguese international is making a lot of progress as a full-back.
However, Michael Cox of the Athletic describes Nunes as an “uncomfortable… makeshift right-back”, while Graham Ruthven of Forbes adds that he “doesn’t have the defensive instincts of a natural full-back”.
In short, Manchester City’s right-back situation is a mess, exacerbated by the fact they may have sold their best option for this position last summer.
Manchester City may have let their best right-back depart
Back in August, João Cancelo joined Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal for a reported £21m, but his Man City career had been over long before this, loaned out to both Bayern Munich and then Barcelona following a falling out with Guardiola, with Richard Martin of Goal believing the “final straw” came in January 2023.
Joao Cancelo is set to leave Manchester City.
In his pomp, Cancelo was “one of the best if not the best attacking full-backs in world football”, as noted by Phil Foden, and there are signs that the Portuguese defender is rediscovering his best form in Saudi Arabia.
Cancelo has impressed in an Al-Hilal shirt, with an article in Breaking the Lines claiming his “consistent performances” have “validated the investment”, the right-back himself saying “I am at home… people have shown me very important love and hospitality, and this is something I appreciate”.
While on international duty with Portugal in November, Cancelo claimed he “thought [the Saudi League] would be much easier”, adding that the perceived lack of intensity “is a myth…you wouldn’t know because you’ve never played there”.
So, let’s see how his statistics this season compare to Nunes.
João Cancelo vs Matheus Nunes 24/25 comparison
Statistics
Cancelo
Nunes
Appearances
16
27
Minutes
2,164
1,717
Goals
2
3
Assists
10
8
Big chances created
16
10
Tackles won
30
32
Interceptions
29
17
Aerial duels won
53%
50%
Ground duels won
50.4%
53.7%
Crosses
94
53
Average Sofascore rating
7.65
7.47
Statistics courtesy of FBref.com, Transfermarkt and SofaScore
As shown in the table, Cancelo comes out on top in most metrics, both in and out of possession, with the obvious caveat being that he is playing at a lower level; global football rankings believe the Premier League to be the strongest league in the world, with the Saudi Pro League ranked at 31st.
Nevertheless, only one defender has accumulated more assists in the Saudi Pro League, while much of Cancelo’s best work has come in the AFC Champions League, racking up five assists in seven appearances, scoring against both Al-Rayyan and, most recently, Persepolis on Tuesday night.
Thus, these performances suggest Guardiola may rue the day he cast Cancelo aside.
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As they look to use the January transfer window to their advantage in the race to avoid Premier League relegation, Leicester City are reportedly plotting a move to welcome back a familiar face this month.
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The Foxes were at least given some reprieve away from Premier League action when they squared off against Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup and swept past the Championship side in a 6-2 thrashing, but there’s no doubt that they’ll be fully focused on escaping the dropzone rather than domestic glory. And with Crystal Palace up next, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side must take that goalscoring form from QPR into a crucial relegation six-pointer.
Of course, alongside a flurry of fixtures this month, Leicester also have the chance to strengthen courtesy of the January transfer window. In that regard, the Foxes have already been linked to names such as Miguel Almiron, as Newcastle United look to cash-in on their struggling winger in what could be a move to boost Leicester’s survival chances.
Before any fresh name, however, those at The King Power Stadium could welcome back a familiar face. According to The Boot Room, Leicester are now plotting a reunion with Ben Chilwell, who is desperate to leave Chelsea after becoming an outcast at Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca, who has admitted the player will probably go.
The left-back would certainly have to hit the ground running to get fans back on side after swapping Leicester for Chelsea in 2020 in deal worth a reported £45m, but there’s no doubt that he still has more than enough left in the tank to drag his former side to survival.
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Potentially a full-circle moment, Chilwell should take the opportunity to complete a return with both hands if Leicester come calling this month, but he will of course have to take a significant hit to his current £200,000-a-week wages.
Chilwell desperately needs Chelsea exit
Once a Chelsea vice-captain and Champions League winner, Chilwell now desperately needs a move away from Stamford Bridge like a number of his teammates who have been cast aside and shown the door at the London club. At just 28 years old and with a World Cup coming up next year, the Englishman has the perfect chance to return to his best and earn back his England place as Thomas Tuchel looks to make his mark.
In doing exactly that, the defender would be making up for his previous discretions at Leicester too, whose survival chances would only increase by welcoming such experience.
Speaking to reporters, Maresca revealed that Chilwell will be allowed to leave Chelsea this month, saying via TNT Sports: “Because players want to play more so there’s probably chances for them to leave.
“But Ben has been top. I have to say that, he has been top. Very professional, works hard. I feel shame because of that situation, but in terms of behaviour, he has been very good.”
Before the end of the month, Chilwell simply must move on from his recent Chelsea struggles, whether that results in a Leicester reunion or a move elsewhere in the coming weeks.