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Manchester United have struggled under Ruben Amorim so far. The Red Devils have so far been led in 21 matches by their new manager, but have managed to win just ten of those games, losing nine times and drawing two along the way.

There have been some incredibly disappointing defeats in there, too. They include a 2-0 defeat away from home against Wolverhampton Wanderers and a loss by the same scoreline at Old Trafford against Crystal Palace.

There have been some high points, including a win away to Manchester City and a draw at rivals and Premier League leaders Liverpool.

However, they will now be without the man who scored the crucial goals in those games, Amad.

Amad’s impact under Amorim

In a season of huge disappointment for the Red Devils, one of the only good things has been the performances of Amad. The Ivorian forward was described as “unstoppable” after his Derby Day heroics by United legend turned Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville.

Despite a big impact in the tenure of former manager Erik ten Hag, Amad found opportunities sparse under the Dutchman. However, that cannot be said for his time under Amorim. The Portuguese manager seemingly loves the attacker, and has, at times, relied on him to dig his side out of a hole.

In 20 appearances under the former Sporting CP boss, the United number 16 has managed six goals and five assists, with nine of those coming in games where his side won or drew. Amad’s contributions have been massive this season.

So, for United to be without Amad for the rest of the season, is a huge blow. Amorim confirmed last week that the Ivorian damaged his ankle ligaments and will miss the remainder of the campaign.

It leaves the Portuguese manager with the unenviable task of finding an in-house replacement.

Perhaps the answer could lie in United’s ever-productive Carrington academy.

United’s in-house Amad replacement

Sunday afternoon’s 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur was a memorable day for several of United’s academy players. Amorim named eight of them on the bench, bringing Chido Obi onto the pitch for the final throes of the game, for his first-team debut.

However, the solution to his Amad problem may not lie in the players he selected on Sunday afternoon in North London, but in the form of Shea Lacey, an attacker who was not involved against Spurs.

Lacey is an attacking player who is held in high regard and is believed to have a “huge future ahead”, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig. The youngster has struggled with injuries in the last few months but is finally back to full fitness and playing weekly for United’s academy.

His record for the Red Devils youth side is impressive. He has played 30 times for the under-18s and the under-19s in the UEFA Youth League, scoring five goals and grabbing seven assists in that time.

Just like Amad, Lacey is a left-footed right winger, who excels in the half spaces and has exceptional close control. He is also comfortable cutting inside on his left foot and trying his luck from range, as this strike against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2023 shows.

The Liverpool-born winger is a player who can have a big impact in a short space of time. His stats on Sofascore from a 26-minute cameo against Galatasaray in the UEFA Youth League last season show this.

In that short time, he created one big chance and won four out of seven ground duels.

Stat

Number

Minutes played

26

Touches

20

Pass accuracy

78%

Passes completed

7/9

Chances created

1

Big chances created

1

Assists

1

Perhaps Lacey is the solution to replacing Amad. He is of a similar profile and excels in the same areas of the pitch as United’s Ivorian winger.

At 17 years of age, he is perhaps too young to be thrown into the deep end and start every week, but opportunities off the bench may be there.

In The Pipeline

Lacey certainly seems like a player United fans can get excited about. Who knows, maybe a first-team debut isn’t too far out of the picture.

INEOS made bigger mistake than Rashford selling Man Utd's future "captain”

Manchester United made even bigger mistake than Rashford by selling a future “captain”

ByConnor Holden Feb 17, 2025

Cricket South Africa is using the series against India to explore the possibility of playing music in between each delivery of a T20 match

Sidharth Monga in Centurion21-Feb-2018

Manish Pandey works Tabraiz Shamsi to deep fine leg for a single. “I’ve Got The Power” plays on the stadium’s PA system. Suresh Raina pushes the next ball straight to cover for a dot. “Here Comes The Hotstepper” blares out. Welcome to the new world of music after every ball in T20 cricket, assuming the paying public cares for it.Yes, songs have been played on a cricket ground in between overs and after boundaries for a while now. But Cricket South Africa is using the T20Is against India to trial the idea of playing music between deliveries. At the end of the series, the ticketholders will be asked to participate in an online survey and the decision to stop or keep going will be made based on the feedback.”Twenty20 is played in festive environment,” a CSA official said. “It is followed by families and kids. We wanted to see if our public wants more of the music and dance. We will of course listen to the people and see what the survey says. If they like it, we might even get a professional DJ at our grounds for T20.”The official said CSA was not taking the lead from what happened in the Trans-Tasman tri-series. Music between deliveries was tried during a game at Eden Park in Auckland last week and it received harsh criticism from the fans, including those on Twitter.As in South Africa, the cricket board in New Zealand is in charge of the music on game day. The negative response to the experiment brought immediate results: the music was reduced in the subsequent matches of the tri-series.”NZC is in charge of game day enhancements such as music, and they turned it down as soon as they were informed,” Eden Park tweeted in response to the complaints against the too-frequent music.

West Brom have set their focus on bolstering their attack this summer, doing so with the signings of winger Jeremy Sarmiento on loan from Brighton and striker Josh Maja on a free transfer from Bordeaux.

With that said, the Baggies have neglected other areas of their squad as demonstrated by their struggles defensively, conceding five goals in their first three Championship games.

The departure of star centre-back Dara O'Shea to Burnley in June, without replacing him, has been the main reason for their downfall, but news has thankfully emerged that Carlos Corberan is chasing a replacement for the Republic of Ireland international.

What is the latest West Brom transfer news?

Looking to improve upon their leaky defence, West Brom are believed to be chasing a move for former Reading centre-back Liam Moore, who departed the club this summer following the expiry of his contract, as per FootballTransfers.

Despite showing promise earlier on in this career, Moore's time at Reading was blighted by injury setbacks, although he still managed to make 219 appearances in the Championship for the Royals, scoring eight goals.

With the 30-year-old returning to full fitness and ready for his next challenge, this has piqued the interest of clubs in the second tier, so those at the Hawthorns will need to act fast if they want to secure Moore's signature.

Should West Brom sign Liam Moore?

Even though he suffered several injuries at Reading, signing Moore on a free transfer would be a relatively low-risk move with potentially high rewards.

After departing Leicester in 2016 following their miraculous Premier League title triumph, the "super" 6 foot 1 centre-back, as dubbed by Paul Ince, has since excelled at Championship level, becoming a stalwart at the heart of the Royals defence.

He featured 40 times during the 2016/17 season as Reading reached the play-off final, losing to Huddersfield Town on penalties before making at least 38 appearances in each of the three seasons that followed.

With his relentless consistency, tremendous defensive capabilities and organisational skills coming to light during this period, Moore was rewarded for his performances by picking up the club's coveted Player of the Season award in 2018 – but Reading's star defender was hungry for more success.

A move to the Premier League was his dream and in his attempts to facilitate that, Moore handed in a transfer request. But despite the best efforts of Brighton, who were keen to prize him away from the club, Reading held firm in their valuation of the player.

Five years on and Moore remains without a club but during his best seasons in Berkshire, the centre-back's key defensive metrics imply that he could be an ideal replacement for O'Shea.

According to FBref, the veteran's stats across the 2021/22 season rank high when compared to other Championship defenders, particularly with his tackling, interceptions and threat from set-pieces.

With that said, Moore ranked in the top 3% for shots blocked (1.29), top 8% for blocks (1.55), top 15% for short passes completed and top 7% for non-penalty goals (0.10) having scored twice in 17 appearances.

Although when compared against O'Shea's stats from last season, it's clear to see why a Premier League club came calling, with the Republic of Ireland international recording 4.24 aerials won, 1.81 interceptions, 54.05 passes completed and 3.84 progressive passes, all per 90 via FBRef.

While the loss of O'Shea is a huge void to fill, former Reading boss Paul Ince did offer words of encouragement in February when Moore was waiting patiently to make his return.

He said: “His numbers have been absolutely fantastic."

If Moore can recapture the form he showed earlier on in his Reading career, he could prove to be a bargain signing for the Baggies.

Keaton Jennings and Ben Foakes made an impression for England Lions in Brisbane as England’s head coach Trevor Bayliss and batting coach Mark Ramprakash looked on before heading to Adelaide to prepare for the second TestJennings, who has switched from Durham to Lancashire to try to restate his England credentials, scored 89 from 148 balls and shared a second-wicket stand of 144 with Foakes, who like his Surrey team-mate Tom Curran was drafted into the Lions team from England’s Ashes squad in search of match practice.Foakes, understudy to Jonny Bairstow, whose strange headbutt greeting to Cameron Bancroft has given the Ashes one of its stranger headline stories, shared wicketkeeping duties with Lancashire’s Alex Davies at Allan Border Field as the Queenslanders made 396 for 9 on the first day.He then stroked 67 from 94 balls, batting at No 3, to continue the excellent batting form that had been a feature of his 2017 county season.

Westley heads home

Tom Westley was due to return home from the England Lions’ tour of Australia on Wednesday in expectation that he will need an operation on finger injury on his left hand.
Westley, who was omitted from England’s Ashes tour party after a five-Test run last summer, had been due to bat first wicket down for the Lions in their clash with Queensland Select.
Instead, he is heading for Leeds where he will have a second scan and any surgery that proves to be necessary.

“Obviously I’ve been netting a lot out here so it was nice to get out in the middle, share a stand with Keats and get a few runs,” said Foakes.”When you come out as back-up keeper you know your game time is going to be limited, but it’s still been special to be out here,” he added.”We had three days of hard work in Brisbane when I thought we played pretty well, and although it slipped away in the end, hopefully Adelaide will be a good place for us to come back.”Jennings declared the Lions innings on 250 for five, in the hope of setting up a last-day run chase and there seemed every chance of further batting opportunities as Queensland powered to a lead of 344 at the close with eight wickets remaining.

Leeds United are entering a new chapter this summer with a full takeover from the 49ers, a newly-appointed manager in Daniel Farke and a huge challenge ahead of them in the Championship.

The Whites were relegated from the Premier League after a struggle to find the recipe for success and consistency at Elland Road last season, with important players departing and three different managers trying to find a solution to the struggles on the pitch.

As a result, the supporters will be hoping that a fresh start is ahead of them and after many changes behind the scenes the main focus can return to performances on the pitch and earning an instant bounce-back to the top-flight over the 46-game campaign ahead in the second tier.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

In terms of the summer transfer window, following a number of departures there is still a lot of work to be done to get the terraces in West Yorkshire rocking by deploying a team that can compete from automatic promotion.

Who are Leeds' transfer targets?

Despite kicking off their opening game of the season this weekend, the west Yorkshire outfit are still linked to a number of players including Liverpool's Nathaniel Phillips, Manchester City's Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Swansea City's Joel Piroe.

However, there is one player who has been linked that would show the club's ambitious intent to not only secure promotion but challenge again comfortably in the Premier League beyond next season.

According to Mexican news outlet W Deportes, Leeds have been in talks to sign Napoli winger Hirving Lozano this summer, an incredible talent who could be Farke's very own Raphinha.

How good is Hirving Lozano?

There is no doubt that the signing of Lozano would a monumental achievement for Leeds given the situation they have found themselves in and considering the player is currently playing Champions League football with his Serie A side.

However, it is fair to say that a spark at Elland Road burnt out when Raphinha departed for Barcelona last summer, something that was painfully obvious last season with Leeds missing that huge quality and game-changer in their squad.

Now Farke could emulate the Brazilian's impact on Leeds by acquiring the services of Lozano and providing the squad with a creative talent and consistent outlet to serve in the attacking threat.

The Mexico international – who has a reported £13m price tag – ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for progressive carries, interceptions and blocks, as well as ranking in the top 30% for successful take-ons and touches, as per FBref.

When comparing Lozano's output to Raphinha's last season, the pair shared many similarities in key attacking attributes including shots on target rate (31.7% v 31.6%), pass completion rate (75% v 72.3%), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.45 v 0.65) and successful take-ons (48.7% v 42.5%).

Lozano has even been compared to Lionel Messi by former Everton sporting director Marcel Brands, who compared the 28-year-old's strengths to those of the World Cup winner:

"When you look at his playing style, without wanting to compare, you know, Lozano has what Messi also has – a centre of gravity low to the ground, the ball is usually quickly under control, very explosive and agile. Then your opponents automatically force mistakes."

With that being said, if an opportunity arises for Leeds to sign Lozano this summer it is one they should not miss, as his talent and quality would be an incredibly valuable asset to the team next season.

Celtic could look to bring in a goalkeeper this transfer window alongside a Jota replacement, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Hoops are looking to further bolster their squad ahead of this upcoming Scottish Premiership season.

What is the latest Celtic transfer news?

The club have had a very busy transfer window so far.

The club have made six signings so far, with Maik Nawrocki, Odin Thiago Holm, Hyun-jun Yang, Marco Tilio, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, and Tomoki Iwata all arriving at Parkhead for a combined total of £12m, strengthening the club at centre-back, central midfield and right wing.

The Bhoys did lose one of their finest talents however, when former Benfica youth academy product Jota departed Celtic to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad and team up with the likes of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and Fabinho in a deal worth £25m, which is a record fee for a Bhoys player.

Manager Brendan Rodgers is committed to using some of that fee to fund the replacement for the clubs best player last campaign according to Whoscored, but the club could also be forced into using some of those funds to address their goalkeeping department. Currently, former England international Joe Hart is the clubs number one, however he is coming to the end of his career at the age of 36 and his current backup options in Scott Bain and Benjamin Siegrist may not be at the level Rodgers wants from his starting keeper.

The club are reportedly targeting Croatian international Dominik Livakovic, and have been handed a boost as the players proposed to from Dinamo Zagreb to Turkish side Fenerbahce has supposedly broken down, with the Super Lig side turning their attention to other targets.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones revealed that Livakovic would be a "marquee singing" should the Hoops manage to secure the deal: "Rodgers intends to replace Jota, and while I don’t expect it to be a huge signing, I think, by Scottish Premiership standards, they will bring someone in who makes a significant mark on the league.

“I keep hearing about the goalkeeper situation too, which could be something to look out for. Livakovic is being linked pretty heavily, and someone like that would probably be considered a marquee signing, to be honest – just at the opposite end of the pitch to where we might be expecting it.”

Would Livakovic be a good purchase?

Livakovic would be an excellent pickup by Celtic.

The 28-year-old has been with Dinamo Zagreb since 2015 and has made 283 appearances for Zagreb, keeping 131 clean sheets en route to winning eight major honours during his time with Zagreb, where he has since become club captain.

Livakovic will be most recognized however for his international career, where he has also played in two World Cups, helping Croatia to the final against France back in 2018, as well as helping the Croats secure a third place finish at the 2022 World Cup. The keeper received praise from legendary shot-stopper Oliver Khan for his performance against Brazil in December, with the former Bayern Munich keeper saying: "The man who stopped Brazil will always be a hero to me, Livakovic is worthy of praise. Such a goalkeeper must play at a top club. I have no doubt that this will be the case in the new season."

Signing Livakovic would be a real statement of intent by the Bhoys, and could secure their number one spot for eight years to come, if current goalkeeper Hart's longevity is a basis to measure against.

South Africa squeezed the pulp from England’s attack in the second Investec Test with a resolution that has set them up for victory at Trent Bridge, and potentially left a few psychological marks

The Report by David Hopps16-Jul-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details0:56

Butcher: Du Plessis’ return has driven South Africa

South Africa squeezed the pulp from England’s attack in the second Investec Test with a resolution that has not only set them up for victory at Trent Bridge, so levelling the series at 1-1, but potentially left a few psychological marks for the matches ahead at The Oval and Old Trafford.England’s openers clung on for four overs at the end of an exhausting third day – and even that required Alastair Cook’s successful review, first ball, to overturn an lbw decision for Morne Morkel, as well as much desperate defending besides.But that was about England’s only consolation as they contemplated a target of 474, assembled with utmost seriousness by a South African side determined to give no quarter. No side has made that many at Trent Bridge in the fourth innings, whatever the result, and the weather is set fair.England face death by numbers

332 Highest successful chase by England in Tests, against Australia at Melbourne in 1928-29. The biggest target chased at Trent Bridge is England’s 284 against New Zealand in 2004.
2010 The last time Hashim Amla scored fifties in both innings of an overseas Test, against Pakistan in Dubai. Between 2008 and 2010, he managed it on four separate occasions.
4 Number of higher targets set by South Africa against England than their 474 in this game. In England, this is the second-highest they have ever set.
167 Runs by Vernon Philander in this series – the most he has scored in any series, beating the 136 he accumulated in three Tests in Australia last year. His scores in this series have been: 52, 19*, 54 and 42, with a maximum of four more innings to come.

There was much for South Africa to like as they looked on from Trent Bridge’s characterful old dressing-room balcony. England’s spinners, lightly used in the first half of the day, found increasing turn in the final session, and there was both steep and low bounce for the second new ball.Only in the hour before the declaration did South Africa bat in uninhibited fashion, adding 68 in 14 overs as their lead passed West Indies’ 418 for 7, the highest successful chase in Test history in St John’s 14 years ago, and 440, the highest fourth-innings in a Test in England, amassed by New Zealand in 1973 in the pluckiest of defeats.The mood of the day, though, centred upon Hashim Amla, who was so relaxed in making 80 from 180 balls, he might have been a prized professor at a school of meditation. Not that he did much to de-stress the England attack as South Africa’s lead slowly advanced. His passivity told not of negativity but of an inner certainty that a South African win would ultimately unfold before him.In reaching half-centuries, Dean Elgar and Faf du Plessis maintained similar self-control.Amla’s demise was somewhat unexpected. Joe Root had been markedly reluctant to bowl his spinners, especially Liam Dawson, who had been despatched with ease by Amla in two overs before lunch. But with the seamers needing time to graze before the second new ball, Dawson had to return and he had Amla lbw advancing well down the pitch in a bid to hit him down the ground.Mark Wood endured a frustrating day and his place must be in jeopardy•Getty Images

Umpire Paul Rieffel had no option but to turn down the appeal, just as it was no surprise to find upon England’s review that ball-tracking technology suggested the ball would hit middle, halfway up. Dawson deserved it, if only for the precision of his review signal to his captain – the ‘T’ signal perfectly formed – which was either symptomatic of a Test cricket newbie eager to do things right or merely a young man of fastidious nature.As England took the field at the start of play, the Getty photographer Gareth Copley captured Stuart Broad staring at the Trent Bridge honours board, as if to build himself up for a supreme fightback, South Africa’s lead at start of play already being 205.It was not to be. Neither Broad not James Anderson found the life unearthed by South Africa’s new-ball pair on the previous day. Ben Stokes summoned his best, most aggressive form of the summer, but he had a hint of a limp by the end. Mark Wood, the weakest of the quartet, has yet to find the 90mph threat that England crave and his place must be in jeopardy.While England attempted to rectify their shortcomings of the first two days, criticism was easy to find. Graeme Smith, a former South African captain and a batsman who knew something about crease occupation, termed England’s first innings “glory cricket”. Geoffrey Boycott, another adhesive opening batsman of repute, was in the mood to collar anybody in his range to lecture them about defensive batsmanship.It felt a bit misleading. England had hared along at four an over as they conceded a first-innings lead of 130, but none of their top-six batsmen, with the possible exception of Root, had been dismissed because of attacking intent. Whether they had been dismissed because of a lack of defensive excellence was an altogether different matter.Whatever the assessment, England were up against it. They needed wickets, and quickly, but they had to make do with Elgar, prised out for 80 with lunch 20 minutes away, along with Quinton de Kock, whose danger was defused an over later with only a single to his name. Elgar’s stand of 135 in 36 overs with Amla (it felt slower) set the tone.Amla drained England by sitting in and waiting, taking boundaries from only the loosest deliveries; it was hard to remember a play-and-miss. Elgar ground forward with occasional watchful off-side drives and deflections to third man, some of them secure, some of them not. Suitably, he raised his fifty by thick-edging Anderson low through third slip. His technique was occasionally flawed, but his concentration was impeccable.England had fleeting chances to remove both of them in the opening forays. Criticised for their wanton waste of reviews, this time England missed one. When Broad flicked Amla’s outside edge, on 25, the only half-appeal came from Alastair Cook at first slip. Even Broad looked confused as to whether he should appeal, which does not often happen. TV replays showed the slightest contact.Elgar’s escape, on 55, came in the shape of a fantastic leaping effort at gully by Anderson, who got a hand on the ball as it flashed by on his left-hand side. Hardly a chance, but frustration nonetheless.The appearance of spin sparked Amla into life. He took 14 off Dawson’s second over, capped by an effortless straight six to raise his fifty: 38 scored all morning and half of them in two Dawson overs. Not the best time for Dawson to strike up a casual conversation with an England seamer. By tea, Amla’s wicket in the book, he had the right to a sentence or two.Statistics insist that Elgar is much more vulnerable to right-arm quicks coming around the wicket – strikingly so, with an average of 27 compared to 70-plus, and Broad in particular was eager to take advantage.But Elgar had 80 by the time Stokes added another around-the-wicket dismissal to the records. It was a good aggressive bouncer, uncomfortably spooned aside in front of his face and easily caught by Anderson at square leg. De Kock edged Anderson to Bairstow in the next over.By the time England took four wickets in the final session, they were but drops in an ocean of pessimism. Temba Bavuma, in other circumstances, might have been ticked off for getting out two deliveries before the second new ball – lofting Moeen to wide mid-off, there were good catches in the deep by Gary Ballance and Broad, and there was a painful blow on the wrist for Bairstow, fielding a ball from Stokes that scudded awkwardly in front of him, that might yet cause England some concern.

Chelsea 'can't resist' the thought of Brazil star Neymar moving to Stamford Bridge this summer despite how difficult it would be to thrash out a deal, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Are Chelsea interested in buying Neymar?

According to Le Parisien via Sport Witness, Chelsea have contacted Neymar's entourage to 'come for information' regarding whether the Brazilian will be available to move this summer.

Chelsea would rather buy the £930k-a-week ace than sanction a loan deal for him and Neymar is said to be valued at between €50-70 million by Paris Saint-Germain. Blues owner Todd Boehly is reportedly keen to act if an opportunity presents itself to pull off a potential marquee deal.

Last term, Neymar was in sensational form for Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, registering 18 goals and 17 assists in 29 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The former Santos man was a creative lynchpin for his current employers in 2022/23, successfully completing 2.5 key passes and 1.9 dribbles per match in the French top flight, according to WhoScored.

Mauricio Pochettino has already been active in the transfer market in the off-season and has managed to secure the signatures of Nicolas Jackson, Diego Moreira, Christopher Nkunku and Angelo.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones thinks that Neymar is a player Chelsea would be tempted by this summer due to his profile.

Jones stated: "Neymar to Chelsea is like an itch they can’t resist scratching. This isn’t the first time the story has been out there and they would love to go there, I’m convinced of that, but he’s one of those players that is genuinely so hard to sign.

“The salary that comes with Neymar is out of this world and at a time when Chelsea are not in Europe, it’s an extremely difficult time to pull something like this off.

“Boehly has a slight fascination with celebrities; we saw that when he became indulged in the idea of signing Cristiano Ronaldo.

Who else has been earmarked to join Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea rebuild?

Chelsea are active in the transfer window as Pochettino looks to solidify his options ahead of the new term getting underway and it wouldn't be a surprise to see several new arrivals at Stamford Bridge in the near future.

In a surprise development, Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been mentioned as a target for Chelsea by The Sun soon after the news broke that he has been stripped of the captaincy at Old Trafford.

As per The Evening Standard, the Blues will submit a £70 million-plus bid in an attempt to finally get a deal for Brighton & Hove Albion enforcer Moises Caicedo over the line, with personal terms already thought to be agreed between the Ecuador international and Chelsea.

FootballTransfers claim that Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun has opened talks over a surprise move to west London following his exceptional campaign out in France with Reims.

The USA international is likely to be moved on by Mikel Arteta and his representatives have 'touched base' with Chelsea regarding a potential switch, indicating that the Blues could be about to get busy in the market as the start of the Premier League campaign continues to draw closer.

Another new era at Chelsea is now firmly up and running following the official unveiling of Mauricio Pochettino at the weekend and the arrival of another new player.

With Nicolas Jackson joining Christopher Nkunku in making a move to Stamford Bridge, the Blues could be about to land another talented attacking player in Flamengo teenager Matheus Franca.

Will Chelsea sign Matheus Franca?

According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea are looking to sign Franca this summer as part of a £25m deal with Brazilian heavyweights Flamengo.

The 19-year-old is no stranger to being linked with big-name clubs, having previously been touted as a target for La Liga's big two Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Newcastle United, West Ham United and Crystal Palace are also said to have shown an interest in Franca, but Chelsea could get there ahead of their Premier League rivals.

Who is Chelsea target Matheus Franca?

Franca is a versatile attacker who can play across the forward line and in central attacking midfield, which is where most of his appearances have come this season, as per WhoScored.

Chelsea are not exactly short of attacking midfielders, though that is likely to change as Mason Mount is on the verge of joining Manchester United, while Christian Pulisic is unlikely to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Mykhailo Mudryk looked set to capitalise on those exits, having struggled for any sort of rhythm since arriving in an £88.5m deal in January, but Franca's mooted arrival could spell further bad news for the Ukraine international.

Like Franca, Mudryk also operated in a number of positions last season, including central attacking midfield. Chelsea will want to get their money's worth from Mudryk, but Pochettino will not be afraid to bench the 22-year-old in favour of Franca should the Brazilian be better suited to his system.

There are similarities between the two players, as you would expect given they take up similar positions, but it could be argued that Franca is showing even more potential than Mudryk did prior to his Chelsea switch.

Taking Mudryk's figures from his final season with Shakhtar Donetsk, which ultimately paved the way for his move to Stamford Bridge, he scored 0.22 goals per 90 minutes, which compares to 0.64 for Franca at Flamengo in the 2022 season.

Franca also had a better pass-completion percentage across those respective seasons (75.1 v 70.5), as per FBref, and also played more passes that led to a shot attempt (2.56 v 2.50), which highlights his ability to link play high up the pitch.

Interestingly, the Brazil U20 international also ranked higher for tackles (2.05 v 1) and ball recoveries (3.59 v 3), showing he is also able to get stuck in if required.

More than that, though, it is his ability to find space at such a young age that has most caught the eye. "He has a very good understanding of the game, Flamengo U20s coach Fabio Matias told GloboEsporte, via Goal. "He also has the ability to be decisive in front of goal and is a great finisher."

That sounds like the player Chelsea were signing in Mudryk. While that could still be the case, it may well be that Pochettino turns to a different talented attacking midfielder in his first season at Stamford Bridge.

Moises Caicedo will "not be the last signing for Chelsea in terms of midfielders" this summer, according to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Chelsea transfer news – What's the latest on midfield targets?

With the departures of N'Golo Kante and Matteo Kovacic already confirmed and the deal to sell Ruben Loftus-Cheelk to Italian giants AC Milan for £18.5m agreed as well, it is perhaps no surprise that the Blues would be on the lookout for more than just one new body in the centre of the park.

Add to that the completed deal to sell German international Kai Havertz to cross-city rivals Arsenal, and the Pensioners start to look very thin in an area of the squad that looked overcrowded just a month ago.

That said, Romano stressed that Brighton & Hove Albion's Ecuadorian machine is still the club's primary target this summer, and despite his information that the West London club will be looking for more players, he couldn't specify who exactly they were interested in.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: "The discussions are going to take place for Caicedo, we wait for the next steps and, let me say, that from what I heard, this could be not the last singing for Chelsea in terms of midfielders.

"They could also consider one more midfielder in the next weeks, so lets wait and see, this will depend also on the pre-season, but Chelsea are going to be busy with midfielders."

However, one of the names that have been linked to the team is Southampton's exciting prospect Romeo Lavia, per FootballTransfers, a player Chelsea might have to rival Arsenal for should the interest be genuine.

Would Romeo Lavia be a good signing for Chelsea?

If the two-time European Champions can secure the signature of Caicedo, then 19-year-old Lavia could be the perfect understudy or even midfield partner for the Ecuadorian.

According to WhoScored, the Belgian teenager achieved a solid average rating of 6.56 across his 29 Premier League games last season, which looks quite promising in the context of his incredibly dysfunctional Southampton side.

He is also a bit of a defensive powerhouse, averaging 1.9 blocks per 90, putting him in the top 4% of players across Europe's top five leagues for that metric, per FBref.

Before he made the move to the south coast, he was a part of Manchester City's youth set-up, and his ability clearly left an impression on former boss Pep Guardiola, as the Spaniard heaped praise upon the player, saying:

"I am really impressed with what Romeo has done and is doing. We had, and we have, an incredible opinion about him. We thought to keep him, but maybe he would not (get) enough minutes like he has in Southampton."

In seasons past, the idea of a young player going to Chelsea to develop might've seemed farcical, but under new boss Mauricio Pochettino – a manager famed for his ability to develop youngsters – Stamford Bridge could just be one of the best places a burgeoning talent could go.

If Chelsea can beat their rivals to the signature of Lavia, it could turn out to be a signing that pays dividends further down the line.