All posts by n8rngtd.top

The last few seasons have seen Chelsea completely overhaul their squad.

While there have been a few mistakes along the way, it would be fair to say the club look like they now have a team full of incredibly talented players.

Arguably, the most exhilarating of the lot has been Cole Palmer, who, since his arrival from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, has been nothing short of world-class for the Blues.

So, fans should be tremendously excited about recent reports linking the West Londoners to another talent who has won comparisons to the game-changing Englishman.

Chelsea target Premier League signings

Chelsea have already made a few signings from outside England this summer, but, if reports are to be believed, the club are also looking at several stars from the Premier League, such as Joao Pedro and Murillo.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could reportedly cost up to £60m, and while that is a significant amount of money, he was fairly effective in limited minutes this season, scoring ten goals and providing seven assists in 30 appearances, totalling 2,136 minutes.

Murillo, on the other hand, could cost the Blues up to £80m, but given his incredible performances at the back for Nottingham Forest this year, that once again may well be a fee worth paying.

However, as transformational as these two players could be for Maresca’s side, neither one can really be compared to Palmer, unlike Harvey Elliott.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are one of a number of teams interested in the Liverpool gem this summer.

Alongside the Blues, the report claims that Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United, and Borussia Dortmund are all keen on the 22-year-old talent.

However, alongside the intense competition for his services, the West Londoners will have to pay a substantial sum of money to secure their man, with the report claiming that the Reds want at least £50m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Elliott’s ability and potential, it’s one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he’s won comparisons to Palmer.

How Elliott compares to Palmer

In this instance, the primary comparison to Palmer originates from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, and came to the conclusion that the Chelsea gem has been the eighth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to Elliott over the last 365 days.

The best way to understand how this conclusion was reached is by examining some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked incredibly closely, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, goals per shot and shot on target, interceptions, carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

However, the similarities extend beyond the statistics, as the young Liverpool gem, like the Blues star, has demonstrated an ability to play in multiple positions, with attacking midfield and right-wing his most played.

Moreover, should this transfer go through, then it would be another example of the West Londoners bringing in a younger talent from one of their rivals who’s just not getting the game time he deserves at the moment.

On top of that, even though he’s had to play a bit-part role at Anfield this season, the 22-year-old “machine,” as dubbed by journalist Sam McGuire, has still got some seriously impressive underlying numbers, which suggests that were he given more regular game time, he could seriously explode.

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals, the top 2% for progressive passes and passes attempted, the top 8% for non-penalty expected goals, and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, there would undoubtedly be some risk in signing Elliott this summer, but there was also plenty of risk in signing an unproven Palmer in 2023, and thanks to their similarities, this feels like a risk Chelsea should take.

Chelsea ready to offer six-year deal to £45m player, talks "now advancing"

The west Londoners could make their next signing soon.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 27, 2025

Celtic are looking to improve their options in the wide areas during the summer transfer window ahead of the 2025/26 campaign getting underway.

The Hoops are already closing in on their first addition on the flanks, as reporter Anthony Joseph has claimed that the club have agreed a fee of £1.7m to sign FC Nordsjaelland attacker Benjamin Nygren.

The Sweden international, who scored 15 goals in 30 league matches for the Danish club this season, is set to arrive to compete for a place on the right wing, but the club are also looking at a left-sided addition.

Journalist Sacha Tavolieri has claimed that talks are ongoing between Celtic and Michel-Ange Balikwisha over a potential move from Belgian side Royal Antwerp.

The Belgian reporter added that the 24-year-old winger is keen to make the move to Parkhead this summer, but it remains to be seen whether or not terms will be agreed between all parties to make it happen.

Celtic are looking to bring in a new left-winger after Jota suffered a long-term knee injury in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, and there are reasons for and against a move for Balikwisha.

The Celtic case for Michel-Ange Balikwisha

One of the reasons why Celtic may want to sign the Belgian forward is because he has the potential to deliver quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals at the top end of the pitch.

The right-footed flanker has produced 29 goals and 17 assists in 141 appearances in all competitions for Royal Antwerp to date, which includes four goals and three assists in ten games during the Pro League play-off round this season.

Balikwisha has shown that he has the potential to make a big impact in the final third at a good level in Belgium’s top-flight, which is why Celtic may feel that he could hit the ground running in Scotland.

At the age of 24, the Belgian forward is also at a good age where he still has time to develop and improve, but is not inexperienced, which could make him an ideal signing.

As you can see in the table above, though, there are also reasons to be concerned about a potential deal for the winger, as he has missed 63 matches through injury in the last four seasons combined, and this means that the attacker may not be available week-in-week-out.

Balikwisha has also only played more than 17 games in one role, as a left winger, in his career, which does not suggest that he is supremely versatile across the frontline.

Transfer Focus

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

Celtic could, however, land an even better winger signing this summer by moving for Blackburn Rovers dynamo Tyrhys Dolan over a swoop for Balikwisha.

Why Celtic should sign Tyrhys Dolan

The Hoops are reportedly in the running to land the 23-year-old attacker on a free transfer, as his contract at Ewood Park is due to expire at the end of this month.

This means that he would be significantly cheaper than Balikwisha, who has a reported price tag of £5m, and that would allow the Scottish Premiership champions to save money to spend in other areas of the pitch.

Not only would Dolan be a cheaper alternative, the English forward would also arrive as a player who is more likely to be a reliable option for Brendan Rodgers from a fitness perspective, as he has not suffered any notable injuries in his career, as per Transfermarkt.

The 23-year-old ace, who has racked up 210 appearances for Blackburn already, is durable and can be relied upon to be available most weeks as Celtic compete across four competitions, as he has been used to 46-game seasons in the Championship.

Dolan, once hailed as “outstanding” by manager John Eustace, also has the positional flexibility to make him a useful option even when Jota is back fit. He has played 25 games or more in four different positions throughout his career, and is capable of playing on the right or left flank, as an attacking midfielder, and as a centre-forward.

This suggests that he is more likely to be a viable option in other positions than Balikwisha, who is predominantly a left-winger, would be, which is another reason why he could be a more valuable signing for Rodgers moving forward.

As you can see in the table above, Dolan also caught the eye with his contributions at the top end of the pitch in the second tier of English football, ranking highly in a host of key attacking metrics.

He ended the campaign with a return of seven goals, seven ‘big chances’ created, and six assists, compared to Balikwisha’s haul of four goals, seven ‘big chances’ created, and three assists.

These statistics, with both his goal and assist numbers as well as his underlying data, suggest that the potential is there for the potential free agent signing to deliver quality as a scorer and a creator of goals for Celtic.

Overall, Dolan would be a better signing for the Scottish giants than Balikwisha because he would arrive at Parkehad for less money, offer more reliability with his fitness, offer more versatility with the positions that he can play, and offer a similar threat in front of goal.

Dream Miller alternative: Celtic ramping up move to sign £1.6m star

Celtic are reportedly keen on signing a star who would be a dream alternative to Lennon Miller.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 18, 2025

It is now down to Rodgers to push the board to strike an agreement with Dolan to bring him in on a free transfer instead of pursuing a big-money deal for Balikwisha this summer.

Kieran Tierney is back at Celtic.

On Tuesday, the club officially confirmed Tierney’s return to Parkhead, re-joining on a free transfer, six years after he departed Glasgow initially, heading for Arsenal.

Safe to say, Celtic supporters are excited to see the beloved left-back bedecked in green and white hoops again, but could Brendan Rodgers now land a winger to play in front of the returning hometown hero?

Celtic chasing a new winger

So, with Tierney through the door and the Bhoys chasing more recruits, who’s up next at Paradise?

Transfer Focus

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

Well, according to a report by RMC SPORT, Celtic are ‘back in the race’ to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha this summer, adding that ‘discussions regarding personal terms’ have already begun.

The Hoops have a long-standing interest in the winger, with Royal Antwerp general manager Sven Jaecques admitting that they had been negotiating with both Celtic and Stade Rennais last summer, only for Balikwisha to suffer an injury that curtailed these talks.

Well, as outlined by Manuel Meza of Sports Illustrated, Balikwisha now has just one year remaining on his contract with Antwerp, hence why the Belgian outfit ‘are looking to cash in’, especially after they failed to qualify for Europe, defeated 2-1 by Royal Charleroi in a Jupiler Pro League play-off at Bosuilstadion last month.

According to Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old is worth around £5m, having been valued at close to double that as recently as December 2023, so could he be on his way to Glasgow?

How Michel-Ange Balikwisha would improve Celtic

A Belgian U21 international, Balikwisha made his professional debut for Standard Liège, before joining Royal Antwerp in 2021, making 141 appearances for the Reds, scoring 29 goals and registering 17 assists.

He was a key figure in the Antwerp side that won the league and Coupe de Belgique double in 2022/23, Antwerp’s first Belgian title since 1957, before scoring against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League the following season.

Balikwisha’s career has been blighted by injuries in more recent times, requiring knee surgery in January 2024, before making just 17 appearances this season due to a torn thigh muscle, albeit he started each of Antwerp’s final 11 fixtures of the campaign.

So, let’s assess his statistics.

As the table shows, Balikwisha generally ranks very highly for all the attacking metrics included, which is very impressive considering that he missed seven matches due to injury during the 2023/24 campaign, as well as the fact that the Jupiler Pro League is the eighth-strongest division in the world, according to Global Football Rankings.

Analyst Ben Mattinson describes him as a “two-footed” left-wing who is certainly “capable of beating a defender” both inside and out, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes he operates best as an “inside forward”, praising his “pace, dribbling and finishing” as his main attributes.

Thus, one can certainly envisage Balikwisha and Tierney linking up well together down the Celts’ left-hand side. The Scot was simply sublime in green and white last time, registering as many as 37 assists. Safe to say he was one of the best left-sided players in the whole country.

Now, with the returning hero bombing down the left flank again, as is very much his want, the Belgian would be given the license to cut inside and get shots away.

On paper at least, it sounds like they would form a devastating duo.

Celtic can forget about Kvistgaarden with move to sign "gifted" £0 striker

With Celtic seemingly set to miss out on signing Mathias Kvistgaarden from Brøndby, they should instead go for a “gifted” free agent.

By
Ben Gray

Jun 10, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have now held advanced talks to appoint a “phenomenal” manager as a replacement for Ange Postecoglou, according to journalist Tancredi Palmeri.

Sack looming for Postecoglou despite Europa League victory

It appears as though the Europa League triumph in Bilbao will not be enough to prevent Daniel Levy from pulling the trigger on Postecoglou, with Football Insider recently revealing thaty the decision has been made to sack the manager.

That news comes after journalist Miguel Delaney revealed the 59-year-old has very little chance of remaining in his post, saying: “As of Friday morning, Tottenham Hotspur still hadn’t made an official decision on Ange Postecoglou but the chances of staying had apparently gone down from last week’s ‘five percent’.

“His departure is still expected, whenever that may be.”

Sacking the manager who led Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years will no doubt cause unrest within some pockets of the fanbase, but making the decision early will, at the very least, give any new manager an entire summer to instill a new philosophy.

According to Palmeri, who recently spoke to talkSPORT, Daniel Levy now has a top-level manager in mind as a replacement for Ange, namely Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi.

When asked about Inzaghi’s future at the San Siro, the journalist said: “The situation is that Al Hilal offered him £25million per-season for two seasons.

“I can tell you that he had advanced contacts with both Newcastle and Tottenham but at the same time, the priority for him is to stay at Inter.”

"Phenomenal" Inzaghi could be ideal Ange replacement

Tottenham’s 17th-place finish cannot be ignored, despite the Europa League triumph in Bilbao, with Ange’s side losing 22 Premier League games across the campaign, becoming the first side to lose as many without being relegated.

There is no doubting the Inter Milan manager’s talent, having led his side to the Champions League final this season, albeit coming up short in a 5-0 thrashing against Paris Saint-Germain in Munich.

Top target: Tottenham set to hold talks for "unbelievable" £68m forward

Spurs are planning to enter negotiations with the agents of a forward, who is one of their key summer targets.

By
Dominic Lund

Jun 2, 2025

The Italian has been lauded as “phenomenal” by former Inter striker Felipe Caicedo, and he retains a stellar record across spells with Inter and Lazio, winning three Italian Cups, five Super Cups and one Serie A title in the process.

It would be a shame to see Ange leave, given that he was responsible for ending Tottenham’s trophy drought, but Inzaghi, who rakes in £5.6m-a-year (£108k-a-week), could be an excellent replacement for the Australian.

Manchester United’s rebuild this summer has already begun just days into the transfer market, with Ruben Amorim desperately needing to make his own stamp on the squad.

The Red Devils will be hoping for a huge reaction next campaign, after the side registered their lowest ever Premier League points tally and league finish in 2024/25.

Matheus Cunha has already completed his switch to Old Trafford, with the Brazilian moving to the North West in a £62.5m deal from fellow top-flight outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, despite the massive fee spent on the 25-year-old, it does not appear to scupper any other plans in the market, with numerous names continuously linked with a summer move to the club.

All areas of the pitch are set for investment from INEOS, with Amorim finally getting the opportunity to sign and sell players who may or may not be part of his plans ahead in the coming years.

The latest on United’s hunt for new players this summer

Bryan Mbeumo appears to be the latest addition to be made by the United hierarchy this summer, after he confirmed his desire to leave Brentford for a switch to Old Trafford this summer.

The Red Devils will reportedly approach Thomas Frank’s side this week over a deal for the 25-year-old, but the Bees are set to demand a fee in the region of £60m for his signature this window.

The Cameroonian could be joined by another new addition at the Theatre of Dreams by Aleksandar Mitrovic, that’s if talkSPORT’s latest update on the transfer front is to be believed.

They reported that United are seriously considering a potential bid for the Serbian international, who currently plies his trade for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

The article also states that West Ham and Everton are monitoring the 30-year-old’s progress, with the Middle Eastern outfit demanding a fee in the region of £40m to part ways with their talisman.

Why Mitrovic would be a huge upgrade on Delap

Liam Delap was once seen as United’s number one target for the centre-forward role, but circumstances elsewhere have seen the club move on this summer.

The 22-year-old has completed his medical ahead of his proposed move to Chelsea this summer, after Enzo Maresca’s side triggered the £30m release clause in his contract.

It may be a blessing in disguise after allowing the English youngster to move to Stamford Bridge, with many supporters unsure whether he would be the answer to their goalscoring issues.

He did manage to score 12 times for the Tractor Boys this season – an impressive tally for a player in a relegated outfit – but it’s unclear whether he will be able to sustain a record in 2025/26.

Such a situation has seen the hierarchy targeting a move for former Fulham star Mitrovic, with the Serbian talisman massively outperforming Delap when comparing their respective figures from this season.

He’s registered 28 goals in his 36 appearances throughout this campaign, a tally more than double than that of the soon-to-be Chelsea man and eight more than Mbeumo – highlighting his clinical nature within the final third.

The striker has also placed more of his efforts on target and achieved a better goal per 90 rate, handing Amorim the sensational talisman he’s desired since taking the reins.

Mitrovic’s dominance doesn’t end there, winning more aerials than the aforementioned duo, handing the latter an opportunity to increase his own goal tally, given his ability to play as a focal point.

Missing out on Delap may be a concern, especially to a direct rival in the ‘big six’, but ultimately, if they were to pursue a move for the former Fulham star, it would be a sensational deal that could transform the club’s fortunes.

It may not be the glamorous name many were anticipating, but his tally of 38 goals in England’s top-flight, he has what it takes to be a success and play a key role in their revival next time around.

After Cunha: Man Utd set to make £29m move to sign their new Berbatov

Manchester United could sign their new Dimitar Berbatov this summer.

By
Matt Dawson

Jun 2, 2025

Everton continued their fine end-of-season form in the Premier League away at Newcastle United on Saturday with a slim 1-0 victory.

This latest win means David Moyes’ Toffees have now gone the entirety of May without a defeat in the top-flight as a new, exciting dawn looms on the horizon at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Loanee Carlos Alcaraz also saw out his sparkling loan stint on Merseyside by popping up with the winner as a permanent deal between Moyes’ men and the South American presumably waits ready on the table.

Alcaraz's performance in numbers

Based on his standout display at St. James’ Park alone, the entertaining 22-year-old will surely be a permanent member of Moyes’ camp in no time.

Chalkboard

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

The number 24 was constantly trying to catch out an alert Nick Pope with five shots registered on his net in total, but he wouldn’t score a trademark, sublime solo strike.

Rather, the tricky Argentine attacker would expertly head home an inviting Vitaliy Mykolenko cross to break the deadlock.

Away from his header completely wrongfooting the Magpies goalkeeper, Alcaraz would also finish the tight contest with 100% of his passes accurately completed in a bid to try and make the visitors’ lead more convincing, on top of also winning two duels as a livewire presence just behind Beto.

In an ideal world, a deal to keep the ex-Southampton man around for good will be a formality in the coming weeks as next season’s squad begins to take shape.

He isn’t the only figure in Moyes’ XI that caught the eye, however, ahead of an exciting new campaign at Everton’s impressive state-of-the-art home, with the Scotsman perhaps possessing his next Marouane Fellaini now in this versatile presence.

Moyes' brand new Fellaini

The beloved Toffees manager will be hopeful that the glory days of Fellaini could soon return to Merseyside with their notable upturn in form a big positive to take into the following campaign.

When the 33-goal Belgian was regularly scoring goals from the middle of the park – alongside lining up as a makeshift centre-forward – Everton were routinely competing for spots in Europe.

This could well be the aim once more when switching stadiums, with Jake O’Brien potentially the boss’ new iteration of the former Toffees icon heading into a fresh era.

After all, much like Fellaini before him, the number 15 is an imposing yet flexible presence who has an eye for goal, seen in his two efforts this season in league action when slotting into the side as either a right-back or centre-back.

For the trip to the Toon, Moyes would stick with the Irishman as one of his options in the heart of defence. This could well have been a daunting challenge for the Cork-born defender, considering he was tasked with keeping a blistering Alexander Isak quiet. But, he passed the test with flying colours.

Indeed, alongside help from veteran teammate Michael Keane, Isak would be reduced to only registering two on-target efforts at Pickford’s net.

Away from just this individual challenge though and O’Brien stood out as a well-rounded presence at the back for his victorious outfit, with only two of his 23 passes not finding their intended target, alongside showing off his brute strength – much like the 6 foot 4 Belgian used to – when winning a high five duels.

The former Lyon man would subsequently pick up a well-deserved 8/10 post-match rating by Liverpool Echo journalist Chris Beesley, with Beesley stating that the ever-improving 24-year-old ‘kicked and headed everything that came his way’.

Fellaini would only get better located at the Toffees after his debut season, meaning even more could soon come from O’Brien as Moyes looks for improvements out of all his troops next campaign, after thankfully turning around his once downtrodden team’s fortunes.

Talks held: Everton vying to sign "fantastic" Calvert-Lewin upgrade

As Everton prepare to move into their brand-new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, could they sign a “fantastic” striker to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin?

By
Ben Gray

May 24, 2025

Enzo Maresca is not short of options at centre-back for Chelsea. The Blues boss has several options when everyone is fully fit, not including Axel Disasi, who is currently on loan at Aston Villa. Youngster Josh Acheampong is also an option at centre-back, as is Wesley Fofana, although he is out injured.

Trevoh Chalobah was recalled to the club in January after spending the first half of the season on loan at Crystal Palace, and he has had a big role to play since returning, having started the last six Premier League games.

Levi Colwill – who has started 32 top-flight games in 2024/25 – has also been a key player, with the likes of Benoit Badiashile and Tosin being options, too.

However, the Blues seem like they will bolster their defensive depth in the summer and bring in a new recruit for Maresca.

Chelsea’s defensive target

If there is one defender who is widely wanted across Europe this summer, it is Feyenoord and Slovakia international David Hancko. The 27-year-old came close to leaving the club last summer, but seems destined to depart in 2025.

Transfer Focus

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

According to a report from Dutch news outlet Voetbal International, Chelsea are one of the sides ready to make an offer to sign him this summer. The report suggests the Blues ‘want to work on the arrival of the defender’ before someone else snatches him up.

They will face stiff competition, however, with West Ham United the other Premier League side said to be interested in striking a summer deal.

Outside of England, Atletico Madrid and Al Nassr are also strongly linked. In March, a report from TEAMTalk suggested the defender could leave Feyenoord for a fee in the region of £42m.

Why Hacko would be a good signing

It has been an impressive season for Hancko, in a Feyenoord side who have had a good time of things from a defensive standpoint in the Eredivisie. As per Sofascore, they have conceded the second-fewest number of goals, letting in 33. They have also kept nine clean sheets, bettered by just three sides.

Slovak international Hancko has played a big part in that, too. He has played 44 times across all competitions, with 29 of those games coming in the Dutch top flight. He has featured in all of those aforementioned nine clean sheets.

The 27-year-old has also chipped in with goals and assists this term, too. He has scored and assisted four each across all competitions, with one of those goals coming in that famous 3-3 draw away to Manchester City, when his side came from three goals down in the Champions League.

Described as a “freak technician” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, Hancko’s ability on the ball is a standout feature of his game. He can play at both left-back and left centre-back, showing excellent versatility.

In fact, that is like another Chelsea target, Jorrel Hato, who also plays in the Eredivisie for Ajax. According to a recent report from Sky Sports, the West Londoners are ‘seriously considering making a move’ for the 19-year-old.

The Ajax academy graduate has been crucial for the Dutch giants this term. He has featured 47 times in that famous shirt, scoring three goals and assisting six. Just like Hancko, he can play at centre-back or at left-back.

Well, the pair can be compared via FBref, to gain a better understanding of their underlying numbers. Their defensive number are very close, with Hancko averaging 2.17 tackles and interceptions and 4.34 ball recoveries each game. Comparatively, Hato averages 2.88 tackles and interceptions and 4.4 ball recoveries per 90 minutes.

Signing Hancko seems like an excellent option for the Blues. He is progressive on the ball, as the stats show, and can play in a couple of positions, which adds to Maresca’s options at the back.

£42m is a fairly sizeable amount of money, but he would certainly increase the technical floor of the squad and become another quality option.

Maresca must unleash 18-year-old Chelsea star who's their homegrown Hato

Chelsea might not have to worry if they miss out on signing Hato

By
Joe Nuttall

May 7, 2025

Chelsea are working on a “behind-the-scenes” deal for a former Man City gem who’s also being targeted by Premier League champions Liverpool, according to a former club chief.

Chelsea targeting new striker and winger this summer

As per credible media sources, Chelsea are in the market for a new wide player and striker this summer.

Chelsea set to hold talks with star forward who Juventus are "prioritising"

The west Londoners could spoil Juve’s main transfer plan.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 29, 2025

Supporters will be especially eager for BlueCo to bring in a prolific number nine, given Nicolas Jackson has bagged just one Premier League goal this calendar year, while Christopher Nkunku is also expected to leave Chelsea.

They’ve been targeting RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, Lille star Jonathan David, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké and Napoli outcast Victor Osimhen, according to Sky Sports, but some of these names will be in high demand at other elite European sides.

Chelsea must also think of their Club World Cup campaign, as they could bring home a financial windfall of around £97 million if they win all of their group games and the tournament itself (BBC).

Stamford Bridge officials will be keen for Enzo Maresca’s side to perform well in the tournament, and the club will have a special early transfer window to utilise if they wish to reinforce the squad in time for the CWC, which will open from June 1st to June 10th.

The Blues also wish to require a new winger, amid the rumoured uncertainty surrounding Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho’s long-term futures.

There are reports that Chelsea could even offer Sancho in a separate swap deal for key target Jamie Gittens, who’s enjoyed an impressive 2024/2025 campaign at Borussia Dortmund.

Chelsea working on "behind-the-scenes" deal for Jamie Gittens

However, according to ex-Man United chief scout Mick Brown, speaking to Football Insider, Chelsea face competition from Liverpool in pursuit of the English sensation.

That being said, Brown hears Chelsea are working on a “behind-the-scenes” deal for Gittens, as they look to get in ahead of Arne Slot’s side.

“Chelsea look like they could have another busy window,” said Brown. “Maresca wants to sign a new winger because there are questions about where he sees Madueke and Sancho in his plans for the future. One name who has been on their radar for a while is Jamie Gittens.

“Lots of teams had the opportunity to sign him when he left Man City a few years ago, but he ended up making the move to Germany. After the season he’s had for Dortmund, there are a lot of teams in for him.

“He’s come into the team and has been playing regularly, so teams have been assessing him and I expect him to move back to England. Liverpool are one of those teams I’ve heard have been having a look, but I think the interest from Chelsea is a bit more advanced.

“From what I hear, they’ll be working on that deal behind the scenes and they’re aiming to get ahead of teams like Liverpool to sign him.”

The 20-year-old has racked up 12 goals and five assists in 45 total appearances for Dortmund this season, becoming a mainstay for both Nuri Şahin and Niko Kovač, and it appears Gittens fits Chelsea’s transfer mould of a young, exciting player with bags of potential. He’s also valued at just £35 million, so his signing wouldn’t exactly break the bank.

Although Sheffield United now find their automatic promotion dreams in tatters, the determined Blades will still feel confident they can achieve promotion via the lottery of the Championship playoffs after Friday night’s comfortable 2-0 win over Stoke City.

This routine victory away at the Potters was their 28th of the season to date, which is the most tallied up by a side, funnily enough, even as Leeds United and Burnley showed off their superiority in the confirmed top two.

The United away masses who made the trip down to Staffordshire would have been largely delighted with what they saw from their team, with a fight and bite present in their game, alongside moments of quality to seal a confidence-boosting three points.

Top Blades performers vs Stoke

Both goals on the day would come from unlikely sources, with former Norwich City full-back Sam McCallum powering home a header deep into the first half, before second-half substitute Andre Brooks made sure of the win with a late breakaway strike.

McCallum impressed in spurts on just his eighth league start of the campaign, with the 24-year-old managing to win all of his aerial duels on the night, away from connecting valiantly to this corner delivery.

McCallum wasn’t the only stern body in Wilder’s defence, with Rob Holding – who will be wanting to impress ahead of the playoffs – also excelling as his side picked up a well-deserved clean sheet, with the ex-Arsenal man managing to win five duels of his own.

Kieffer Moore also shone up top for the Blades in what was an attritional contest, considering the Welshman won a staggering 15 duels in total, away from unfortunately squandering five shots on the Potters net.

But, not everyone adorned in the United away top would be overjoyed with their efforts at the full-time whistle, with this underperformer now at risk of being dropped for the intense playoff matches to come.

The United flop who could now be dropped

It was certainly a full-blooded affair between Mark Robins’ hosts and Wilder’s visitors, with five yellow cards being handed out across the duration of the feisty 90 minutes.

Whilst that suited the likes of Moore with his towering 6 foot 5 frame, ex-Stoke City man Tyrese Campbell would flounder on the contrary, with the bruising nature of the contest proving to be too much for the 25-year-old up against his former employers.

Looking at the table above – away from losing out on six duels across the 2-0 win – Campbell would regularly find himself out of the contest in an attacking capacity, leading to the United number 23 amassing just 23 touches of the ball.

Even Michael Cooper, in-between the sticks for the away side, would accumulate more touches with 43, culminating in Wilder bringing off the out-of-sorts attacker for Tom Cannon to get a cameo at the end.

After all, Cannon has recently broke his goalscoring duck for the promotion hopefuls against Burnley, meaning he could be in line for more first-team chances soon, having shown a glimpse of the quality that he can provide.

Campbell does boast ten league goals for the season, but with no strikes now from his last six Championship outings, a fresh body up top might well start against Blackburn Rovers on the final day, before the nerve-wracking playoffs kick off.

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Chelsea are making moves for their desired summer transfer targets, with BlueCo reaching out to yet another player who’s keen to leave Bayern Munich.

Chelsea hold talks with Dean Huijsen and Jorrel Hato's agents this week

As per reliable Stamford Bridge journalist Simon Phillips, both Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato and Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen have been subject to approaches from Chelsea in the last few days.

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As per the reporter’s sources, writing via his Substack, Chelsea held talks with Hato and Huijsen’s representatives, just before their Europa Conference League loss to Legia Warsaw in west London, with Enzo Maresca on the hunt for new defenders this summer.

Trevoh Chalobah is likely to leave Chelsea again this summer, despite being recalled from his loan at Crystal Palace in January, while Wesley Fofana has been sidelined through yet another long-term injury.

Ajax mainstay Hato is able to provide cover at both centre-half and left-back, so the Netherlands international is an astute option, while Huijsen’s £50 million release clause has piqued interest from Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea after his excellent campaign at Bournemouth (David Ornstein).

The competition for both men’s signatures will be fierce, though, so Maresca’s side will have earmarked a number of defensive targets ahead of the 2025/2026 season.

Chelsea must get this summer’s transfer window right, and Maresca also has a chance to bring players in early ahead of their Club World Cup campaign, following confirmation from the Premier League that there will be an additional transfer window open from June 1st to June 10th.

Up to £100 million in prize money will be on the line during this year’s CWC, so Chelsea will be keen to reinforce areas of the squad in time to compete.

Chelsea contact Kim min-Jae with defender keen to leave Bayern Munich

According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, it is now believed £198,000-per-week Bayern defender Kim min-Jae is a target for Maresca’s side.

The South Korean, with nearly 70 international caps, is apparently “very open” to departing the Allianz Arena this summer, despite being trusted by Vincent Kompany as a consistent starter.

Chelsea have reached out to min-Jae’s camp for discussions, as per Aouna, but Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have done the same, as both sides look to reinforce their backlines.

The 28-year-old has been linked with a move to England for years, with Tottenham registering an interest in min-Jae during Antonio Conte’s tenure in charge.

Back in 2020, during José Mourinho’s time at Spurs, it was also reported that Son Heung-min was pushing the club to sign min-Jae – so he’s clearly highly-rated by his peers behind-the-scenes.