Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers unleashed Benjamin Nygren on the right wing against Sturm Graz in his latest attempt to fill that spot that was vacated by Nicolas Kuhn.

The Hoops sold the German winger to Como for £16.5m in the summer transfer window, after he racked up 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for the club last season, per Transfermarkt.

Nygren, who missed four ‘big chances’ to find the back of the net, scored the winning goal against Sturm Graz on Thursday night in the Europa League with a close-range header.

However, Football FanCast have suggested that the injury to Kelechi Iheanacho could mean that the Swedish star is needed at centre-forward, which would leave the manager to find another right winger.

Why Celtic are struggling on the right wing

Celtic allowed Kuhn to move on from Parkhead without signing an out-and-out right winger, as Rodgers has mainly used Nygren in a central midfield role, whilst Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Sebastian Tounekti are both left-sided wingers.

This has meant that there has been pressure on Hyun-jun Yang and experienced winger James Forrest to step up on the right, but neither of them have risen to the task.

Per WhoScored, Yang and Forrest have failed to provide a single goal or assist in 12 combined appearances in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, which shows that they have not offered enough quality in the final third.

Chalkboard

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

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With this in mind, Rodgers should look to unleash Luke McCowan in a new role on the right wing for the clash with Hearts in the league on Sunday.

Why Luke McCowan should start against Hearts

With Nygren moving over a centre-forward role, per our suggestion, the former Dundee midfielder could be an interesting solution to the team’s problems on the right wing.

As aforementioned, Yang and Forrest have simply not done enough with the ball at the top end of the pitch to suggest that they have the quality to be regular starters on the right wing to finally replace Kuhn at Parkhead.

McCowan, albeit in a different position, is a proven Premiership performer who knows how to score and assist goals fairly consistently for Celtic.

Premiership (24/25 + 25/26)

McCowan

Forrest + Yang

Appearances

44

58

Starts

19

21

Goals

9

6

Big chances created

10

9

Assists

8

7

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish midfielder has produced more goals, more ‘big chances’ created, and more assists than both Forrest and Yang combined in the league since the start of last season.

These statistics suggest that the 27-year-old maestro, who was once described as a “game winner” by pundit Marvin Bartley, could make an impact in front of goal from a right wing position, in which he has played 43 matches in the past for other clubs, per Transfermarkt.

McCowan, as Kuhn did last season, would want to cut inside onto his left foot from a right wing position, which would then open more space for Colby Donovan to attack down the right.

Instead of having Yang and Forrest both wanting to go down the line and clogging up the width, McCowan could come infield to draw attention away from the young full-back, who provided an assist against Sturm Graz.

Related Celtic star who Lennon dubbed "world-class" was even better than Nygren

This Nakamura-esque Celtic star was even better than Benjamin Nygren against Sturm Graz.

Posts ByDan Emery Oct 24, 2025

Donovan, who has created two ‘big chances’ in three Europa League outings, could, therefore, benefit from Rodgers unleashing McCowan as a Kuhn-esque right winger against Hearts on Sunday, with Nygren through the middle as a striker.

The Chicago White Sox were blanked 9-0 by the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night to drop their astounding season record to 31-109. It appears they have a date with unfortunate destiny as it'll take drastic improvement to avoid posting the worst win-loss number Major League Baseball has ever seen. Once again, NBC Sports Chicago had to think of things to say on

Thankfully, an incident between Sox manager Grady Sizemore and umpire Hunter Wendelstedt provided all the content neccessary. And it really set Ozzie Guillen off. Though, to be fair, a lot of things can set Guillen off.

“I wish I punched him in the face,” Guillen said of Wendelstedt. “He’s the first guy to kick me out of a game in the big leagues, with no reason. His dad, he was a legend. I said, ‘You know what? You’re not a pimple on your daddy’s behind.' I told him that. Because he kicked me out running out onto the field. He kicked me out of the game. Like, wait a minute. Don’t live on your daddy’s name. I spent more years in the big leagues than you. I think the call made today… I never argue with a call in TV. But obviously, with the uniform on, I did it almost every day. The calls made today were horrible.”

Not done, Guillen added: “The guy is bad. Look at how fat he is. He should be embarrassed to wear that uniform."

The barb about the umpire's relative girth notwithstanding, that's Guillen's lived experience and it would make sense if he's been waiting to torch the guy.

Plus, it probably felt good to talk about someone doing their jobs poorly who is not being paid by the White Sox. Only a few more weeks until it'll all be over.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. authored some pretty serious bulletin board material for the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

After the New York Yankees lost Game 2 of the ALDS 4–2 to even the series at 1–1, Chisholm was asked about his team taking the defeat. He immediately claimed the Yankees would win the series and that the Royals got lucky on the night.

Chisholm was asked how different the series felt compared to after Game 1, which the Yankees won. He said, "It still feels the same, that we're gonna win it, you know? I don't feel like anybody feels any different, you know? We're gonna go out there and do our thing still. We still don't feel like any team is better than us. Like you said, we had a lot of missed opportunities tonight. So, they just got lucky."

While I appreciate the confidence in his teammates, that's a rough look for Chisholm.

The Royals didn't get lucky, they battered Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon. The lefty gave up four runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. They also got three hits with runners in scoring position while the Yankees were 1-for-6. That's not luck, it's execution.

Both teams got stellar work from their bullpens. The Yankees' pen went 5 1/3 innings, allowing no runs on four hits and two walks. Meanwhile, the Royals used four relievers to cover the final five innings. They allowed one run on four hits and three walks. Closer Lucas Erceg surrendered a solo home run to Chisholm in the ninth and that was the only damage.

Kansas City did what it needed to on Monday night. Chisholm should recognize that.

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are set to meet in the World Series for the 12th time in history beginning on Friday, Oct. 25. It's the most reccurring World Series matchup in MLB history.

The Yankees will make their first World Series appearance in 15 years. They've won 27 times, which is the MLB record. The Dodgers last competed in the 2020 World Series when they won their seventh title.

As MLB awaits to crown this year's winner, here's everything you need to know about the 2024 World Series.

Full World Series Schedule

Below is the full schedule for the 2024 World Series. It's a best-of-7 series, so games that may not be needed are denoted as such.

Which Teams Are Playing in the 2024 World Series?

The Yankees and the Dodgers will compete in the 2024 World Series. The Dodges had an MLB best 98–64 regular season record. The Yankees posted a 84–68 regular season record.

Both teams were the No. 1 seeds in the American and National Leagues in the postseason, meaning they had wild-card byes.

The Yankees faced the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS, winning the best-of-five series 3–1 to advance to the ALCS. From there, the Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians 4–1 to reach the World Series.

The Dodgers played the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, winning a close 3–2 series victory. The Dodgers then faced the red hot New York Mets in the NLCS, capturing a 4–2 series win.

Series Format

The World Series is a best-of-seven series, meaning the victorious team needs to win four games to capture the title.

Even though both the Yankees and the Dodgers were both the No. 1 seeds, the Dodgers had the better regular season record, meaning they get the first home field advantage. The series will be played in Los Angeles for Games 1 and 2, followed by going to New York for Games 3, 4 and 5, if needed. Then, the series would head back to Los Angeles if Games 6 or 7 are needed.

Game-by-Game Scores and Results

Any doubts about Newcastle United’s quality have been extinguished by a run of October form that has led to six wins from seven matches in all competitions.

Newcastle are making headway in the Champions League and have set themselves back on track in the Premier League with a last-minute winner against Fulham at the weekend. St. James’ Park roared, and then cheers in concert once again when Tottenham Hotspur were dumped from the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.

Still, Eddie Howe’s side are hardly firing on all cylinders, and that especially applies to the final third. However, Nick Woltemade has been nothing but brilliant since completing his club-record £69m transfer over from Stuttgart in August, and the German striker is spearheading the fight for silverware and retention of this seat at the top European table.

Woltemade's prolific start at Newcastle

Woltemade’s crisp header to seal the victory over Tottenham marked his sixth of the campaign, just 11 matches into his Newcastle career.

Alexander Isak’s record-breaking transfer to Liverpool felt like it could have a detrimental effect on the Toon project, but Newcastle have kept on moving forward, with the rangy centre-forward dovetailing into the system.

He loves a header, the German does, but that’s hardly the full scope of his game. Lanky at 6 foot 6, Woltemade has no right to be as technically graceful and intuitive in the tight spaces as he is, ranking among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 5% for shot-creating actions per 90.

And yet he is mesmerising when on the ball. BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan has even said that “there’s no striker on the planet who moves the ball like Woltemade.”

With this in mind, the Tyneside frontline should be firing on all cylinders, but this isn’t the case. Anthony Gordon is seemingly saving his best displays for the continental front at the moment, while Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy make up solid, if unspectacular, parts of the unit.

But there’s another man who has left much to be desired, and must be frustrated with his tough start to life in black and white as Woltemade thrives beside him.

The Newcastle star being saved by Woltemade

How often have we seen a player struggle to impress after switching clubs in the Premier League? It’s not an uncommon experience, to be sure.

And for Anthony Elanga, this is the reality as he still searches for his first direct goal involvement as a Magpie, having joined Newcastle from Nottingham Forest for £55m in August, one year after Howe’s first bid to snatch him from Evangelos Marinakis.

It’s been an inauspicious start to life in Howe’s squad, it must be said. Elanga has played 14 times in all competitions and has yet to register a goal or an assist.

Still, the Sweden international is one of the fastest players in the Premier League, and while his playmaking success has dried up of late, he ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists per 90.

And there’s a good reason that the big bucks were spent on his signature. For Nottingham Forest, the 23-year-old was a menace, with his fleet-footedness and tendency to directly take on his man playing to the strengths of Howe’s counter-attacking system.

However, deeper statistical analysis would suggest that even across his two terms with the Tricky Trees, Elanga left something to be desired. He is not the most active in taking on his opponent, despite his pace, and does not dribble with the intensity of frequency that perhaps his physique suggests is within his capacity.

Matches (starts)

36 (25)

38 (31)

Goals

5

6

Assists

9

11

Shots (on target)*

1.5 (0.6)

1.1 (0.6)

Pass completion

75%

78%

Key passes*

0.9

1.3

Big chances created

14

9

Dribbles*

0.8

0.7

Tackles + interceptions*

1.1

0.7

Duels (won)*

2.9 (44%)

3.0 (45%)

With just four Premier League starts in a Newcastle shirt this season, it’s perhaps premature to analyse the data on a wider scale, but we can observe that Elanga is currently averaging only 1.8 successful duels per game, completing just 18% of his dribbles besides.

With a nominal amount of shots unleashed each game and not a big chance yet created, it’s not difficult to see why he’s struggling.

But Elanga needs only take a leaf from Anthony Gordon’s book. After all, the Three Lions star flattered to deceive after completing a £45m transfer from Everton in January 2023, then clicking into gear in 2023/24, winning the Newcastle Player of the Year award after posting 11 goals and ten assists in the top flight.

Gordon has yet to fully spread his wings this season, but he’s tenacious and talented and undoubtedly the focal point out wide for Newcastle. Elanga will use him as inspiration.

Now, Gordon is one of the most prominent wingers in the Premier League, seemingly Thomas Tuchel’s preferred pick on the Three Lions’ left flank as the 2026 World Cup looms ever closer.

While Elanga’s sticky form continued with a 6/10 display against Tottenham, as noted by the Shields Gazette, there is a wide recognition of the winger’s talent, and he will improve as he continues to develop under Howe’s wing.

This is all to say that fans would be silly to give up on Elanga after only a few months at St. James’ Park. There’s a real player in there, a star who the club scouted extensively.

Perhaps he’s mimicking a former version of Gordon, but if that is the case, then the best is yet to come.

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2025

If Phil Foden were able to replicate his strike rate for Manchester City when he put on an England shirt, then he would be keeping company with team-mate Bukayo Saka and Paul Scholes in the top 40 of the Three Lions' all-time goal-scorers. Instead, one has to scroll through the archives, past players whose photos are in black and white or even from an era when there was no photography to find him on the list.

Foden, who has just four goals to show from his 45 caps, is all the way down in joint-140th, alongside ex-Liverpool winger Nicky Barmby, who played half as many games as him, and below defenders such as Tony Adams, Stuart Pearce and Gary Cahill (on five goals each). When it comes to goals per match, he ranks 409th, which is in stark contrast to the 104 goals and 64 assists he has produced in 333 matches for City.

The midfielder has not scored for England since in the friendly win over Scotland in September 2023 while Foden's last competitive goal came against Wales at the 2022 World Cup. Before then, his only strikes for his country were a brace against Iceland in a behind-closed-doors Nations League match in the coronavirus days of 2020. He has contributed nine assists, although only one of them has come since the last World Cup.

Foden is far from alone in shining much more brightly for his club than his country, but the drop-off when he swaps the light blue of City for the white of England is far more pronounced than any other player of his stature. And it is worth examining once more as he prepares to make his first appearance for England in eight months in their final two 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

Getty Images'No-brainer'

Foden's failure to fire for England has been an unsolved conundrum for most of the five years since he made his senior debut for the Three Lions, although it was a problem that Thomas Tuchel could conveniently forget about for the last six months or so. Foden asked to not be selected for the June fixtures against Andorra and Senegal as he was suffering from burnout at the back end of last season while he was injured for the September World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.

He was returning to his usual self ahead of the October camp, but Tuchel opted against recalling him for the matches with Wales and Latvia as he wanted to capitalise on the good vibes of the previous camp, leading him to also discard Jude Bellingham in his most eye-catching squad list yet. But with Bellingham playing regularly for Real Madrid again after recovering from his shoulder surgery and Foden in unstoppable form for a resurgent City, the coach could no longer ignore the sound of the banging on his office door and recalled both players last Friday.

"Big names, big personalities, big, big talents," said Tuchel upon announcing his squad. "It’s excellent to see that both of them are in rhythm, both of them are in form, in shape, both contributing goals in important wins for their teams. It was a no-brainer. We will have central roles for both of them to bring out the very best. The contribution to their clubs lately was immense. They play regularly and a big part for City and Real. We are delighted they are in shape and in form."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportNot dovetailing with Bellingham

And yet, both players returning to the squad at the same time means Tuchel is forced to confront the same problem Gareth Southgate faced: How to fit these two outstanding individuals into the same starting XI when they both want to play in similar areas and stamp their style on the play. 

As England crawled their way to the Euro 2024 final by playing uninspiring football and sneaking through each match via a combination of extra-time, penalty shootouts and stoppage-time goals, many pundits and fans were wondering whether Southgate would have been better off dropping one of Bellingham or Foden rather than play them together in all seven matches. And with Bellingham having scored twice, including his overhead kick which ensured England avoided a humiliating last-16 defeat to Slovakia, many were pointing at Foden to be left out.

Foden was predominantly deployed on the left of England's 4-2-3-1 formation during the tournament, though he also fell flat playing as a No.10 alongside Bellingham in a rejigged 3-4-3 against Switzerland. After that game, Foden's dismal statistics went viral as it was revealed he had no shots on target, hadn't created a chance and had lost the ball on 19 occasions. 

AFPPosition frustration

Months later, Foden appeared to blame Southgate for playing him in a position he had ceased to play for City, even if it was the one where he first shone between 2019 and 2023.

"I feel frustrated I didn’t get out what I wanted to get out of it," he told the in January 2025. "The position I was put in on the left was very difficult to influence the game. Coming off last season being the best player in the Premier League and playing centre midfield, I do feel the position was quite difficult to get used to."

It is also worth mentioning that Foden had to leave the England camp during the Euros to attend the birth of his third child, returning in a flash to ensure he did not miss any matches. Leaving his family so soon after such a big event and not being able to see his newborns first weeks in the world first-hand could not have been easy.

In Tuchel's first game in charge against Albania, Foden was deployed on the right of the attack behind Harry Kane, with Bellingham again playing as No.10. However, a few days later against Latvia, Foden was dropped to the bench and subsequently brought on to replace Bellingham in the second half. The change worked a treat, too, as Foden set up Eberechi Eze's goal to round off the 3-0 win.

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Getty Images Sport'Not a winger'

After bringing them both back in for this week's games, Tuchel wasted little time in outlining where he saw the Foden and Bellingham playing: "Jude comes back as a No.10. That is his best position. One of his key strengths is to score from this position. Phil, where he played lately for City, was where I see him the strongest. He is close to the opponents' box. The main thing with Phil is he gets a role in the central part of the pitch. I don’t see him as a winger. He will contribute as a nine and a half, a 10 and a half, very fluid."

The main thing for Tuchel, though, is to make sure he does not make the same mistake as Southgate and see both Foden and Bellingham as un-droppable, or the same error that both Sven-Goran-Eriksson and Fabio Capello made when they attempted to crowbar Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard into the same midfield. The fact that Tuchel left both players out of his previous squad is encouraging in that sense, although it is one thing to drop a star name for a World Cup qualifier and another to do so at a major tournament.

Aston Villa have now overtaken Liverpool in the race to sign an “outstanding” new defender, with Newcastle United also keen.

Villa still keen on new additions amid uptick in form

Villa endured a slow start to the Premier League season, with the 3-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace likely to be considered a low point, but they have really managed to turn things around over the past few weeks.

Indeed, the Villans have now won five matches on the spin in all competitions, most recently defeating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on the road, courtesy of a first-half stunner from Morgan Rogers, which was followed up by a winner from Emi Buenda with a little under 15 minutes remaining.

Unai Emery will be very pleased about the recent uptick in form, which has seen his side rise to 11th in the Premier League table, but the manager clearly still feels a fresh injection of quality is needed, with a new centre-back of interest.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Aston Villa have now overtaken Liverpool in the race for Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez, given that Arne Slot’s side have recently decided to cool their interest.

Alongside Villa, Newcastle are also credited with a strong interest in the defender, but the Premier League sides may need to shell out a relatively high fee to get a deal over the line, with it being revealed he could command a fee of around €50m (£43m).

Both English sides should be well-positioned to get a deal done, however, with it previously being revealed that Ordonez is keen on a move to the Premier League.

"Outstanding" Ordonez could excel at Villa Park

Lauded as an “outstanding young footballer” by journalist Graeme Bailey, the Ecuadorian is a key player for Club Brugge, having made ten appearances in all competitions this season, during which time he has put in some eye-catching performances.

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One of the 21-year-old’s best displays actually came in the Champions League, which is an encouraging sign, with the youngster making a number of important defensive contributions to keep AS Monaco at bay and help his side secure a comfortable 4-1 win last month.

Scout Ben Mattinson has hailed the Brugge star for his ability in possession too, describing him “secure on the ball”, while also adding he “anticipates well” and “has the pace to recover”.

Villa’s defence has not been a major problem this season, having shipped just eight goals in eight Premier League games, but there are plenty of signs that Ordonez could be a solid long-term addition to Emery’s backline.

يخوض منتخب المغرب مباراة قوية أمام نظيره منتخب مالي، مساء اليوم الثلاثاء، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا.

وتقام مباراة المغرب ومالي، في إطار دور الـ16 من كأس العالم للناشئين 2025 المقامة في دولة قطر، على ملاعب أكاديمية أسباير7.

وتمكن منتخب المغرب تحت 17 عامًا من تحقيق الفوز على أمريكا، بركلات الترجيح بنتيجة 4/3، عقب انتهاء الوقت الأصلي بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدف لكل فريق.

ويسعى منتخب المغرب لمواصلة مشواره في البطولة وبلوغ الدور ربع النهائي بعد العروض القوية التي قدمها في دور المجموعات.

طالع | المنتخبات المتأهلة إلي دور الـ 16 من كأس العالم للناشئين تحت 17 عام

كما يرغب منتخب مالي في مواصلة نتائجه الإيجابية واستكمال مسيرته في المونديال. موعد مباراة المغرب ومالي اليوم في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

تقام المباراة اليوم الثلاثاء الموافق 18 نوفمبر 2025، في تمام الساعة 05:45 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 04:45 مساءً بتوقيت المغرب، 06:45 مساءً بتوقيت مكة المكرمة. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة المغرب ومالي اليوم في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

سيتم نقل المباراة بين منتخبي المغرب ومالي، عبر قناة “بي إن سبورتس المفتوحة HD”، وقناة الكأس 2. معلقا مباراة المغرب ومالي اليوم في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

ويتولى الثنائي جواد بده وسمير المعيرفي مهمة التعليق على أحداث المباراة بين المغرب ومالي.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

MatériaMais Notícias

O Goiás recebe o América-MG nesta quarta-feira (6), pela 38ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. A bola vai rolar a partir das 19h (de Brasília), no Estádio da Serrinha, em Goiânia (GO), com transmissão do “Premiere”.

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✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
Goiás x América-MG – 38ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro

Data e horário: quarta-feira, 6 de dezembro de 2023, às 19h (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio da Serrinha, em Goiânia (GO)
Onde assistir: Premiere
Arbitragem: Davi de Oliveira Lacerda (árbitro); Fabiano da Silva Ramires e Vanderson Antonio Zanotti (assistentes); Marcos Sousa (quarto árbitro); Gilberto Rodrigues Castro Junior e Clovis Amaral da Silva (VAR)

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

⚽PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

Goiás (Técnico: Mário Henrique)
Tadeu; Maguinho, Lucas Halter, Sidimar e Diego; Willian Oliveira, Morelli, Luís Oyama e Guilherme; Vinícius e Matheus Babi (Palacios)

Desfalques: Diego e Alesson (suspensos); João Magno, Higor Meritão, Hugo, Vinícius e Sander (lesões)

América-MG (Técnico: Diogo Giacomini)
Jori; Rodriguinho, Éder, Júlio e Danilo Avelar; Lucas Kal, Benítez (Breno), Martinez (Alê) e Juninho; Adyson e Renato Marques

Desfalques: Marlon e Matheus Henrique (suspensos); Aloísio, Felipe Azevedo, Iago Maidana, Mastriani, Mateus Pasinato, Matheusinho, Nicolas, Rodrigo Varanda e Wanderson (lesões)

Chelsea have now launched their first enquiry to sign Como star Nico Paz in 2026, but it is reportedly Real Madrid who hold the key in pursuit of one of the world’s best young talents.

The Blues have built quite the reputation for signing young stars in recent years, with some of those stars beginning to thrive at Stamford Bridge whilst others wonder what’s next. One of those on the more positive side is Estevao Willian. The young Brazilian has hit the ground running in West London and once again came from the bench to contribute on Saturday night.

This time it was Wolverhampton Wanderers who suffered as Estevao found room to hand Joao Pedro the chance to get his name on the scoresheet. From one Brazilian to another, the former Brighton & Hove Albion forward duly obliged.

The 18-year-old’s performance once again resulted in significant praise from the Sky Sports studio, with former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil saying: “The thing holding him back is that he’s got the best winger I’ve ever worked with in Pedro Neto in his position.

“But he’s a top talent. Estevao, I’m sure, will manage to find his way into the team, but I think it’s difficult on that right-hand-side. At his age, you can keep him happy giving him sub appearances. But at some point, he needs to be let off the leash.”

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Whilst Estevao continues to enjoy an impressive rise, Chelsea will no doubt continue their search for the next generation of standout stars. And that, of course, includes Paz. The Como star has been excellent under former Stamford Bridge star Cesc Fabregas this season and the Blues have now made their first move for his signature.

Chelsea launch first Nico Paz enquiry

As reported by Caught Offside, Chelsea have now enquired about signing Paz from Como in 2026, but face competition from Inter Milan, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Reports have even claimed that Inter are preparing to submit an offer to sign the attacking midfielder worth €58m (£51m).

Unfortunately for the Italian giants and the rest of the interested parties, however, it is Real Madrid who hold the key to Paz’s future. The Spanish giants reportedly have a buy-back clause worth €9m (£8m) in 2026 and €10m (£9m) in 2027. In one move, they could sign a player who could reach the value of €100m for what would be the bargain of the summer.

Chelsea and others must simply hope that Madrid either opt out of signing the 21-year-old in the next two years or the player, himself, rejects the chance to make a return to the Bernabeu. If either of those scenarios take place, then things will certainly become interesting.

Described as “incredible” by Lionel Messi in the highest praise that an Argentinian can receive, Paz has already been involved in eight goals in 12 games this season and doesn’t look likely to slow down anytime soon.

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