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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has already made a decision on the long-term future of a promising player ahead of 2026, with the Spaniard having no place for him in his long-term plans for the North Londoners.

Arsenal prepare for imminent Premier League return against Fulham

The Gunners entered this international break on a near-perfect run of form.

Arteta’s side, barring their 1-1 draw with Man City, have won every single match in all competitions since the last international break, including a dramatic win at Newcastle, where Arsenal showcased a Liverpool-esque ability to nick three points right at the death, despite not playing at their best.

Arsenal’s manager will be quietly thrilled by his squad’s reaction to their first and only defeat of the campaign so far at Anfield, with the Gunners’ impressive unbeaten run since catapulting them to the Premier League summit.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Premier League

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Champions League

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Premier League

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Carabao Cup

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Premier League

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Champions League

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Premier League

The only piece of bad news for Arteta recently has been club captain Martin Odegaard’s knee injury, with the Norway international not expected to return until after the November international break.

Odegaard joins Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke’s on Arsenal’s long-term injury list, but luckily for Arteta, summer signing Piero Hincapie is set to be available for their clash against Fulham this weekend.

Hincapie has been struggling with a groin problem since joining from Bayer Leverkusen on loan with a £45 million option to buy, with the Ecuador international playing just one minute for Arteta so far and still waiting for his Premier League debut.

The 23-year-old was brought in as a direct replacement for Jakub Kiwior, who joined FC Porto on loan in the summer window.

Kiwior, by contrast to Hincapie, has got off to an excellent start to his temporary spell in Portugal. He’s started every league game since his switch to the Primeira Liga, helping Francesco Farioli’s side to maintain their unbeaten run domestically and in the Europa League.

Porto have also conceded just two goals in all competitions so far, with the 25-year-old finding his feet very quickly abroad.

Jakub Kiwior to leave Arsenal for good after Mikel Arteta decision

Kiwior’s loan includes an obligation to become permanent for around £15 million plus add-ons if certain conditions are met, and it appears as if the Poland international is firmly on his way to meeting those requirements to seal an indefinite Arsenal exit.

This is just as well, with Arteta already deciding that there is no place for the ex-Spezia man in his long-term plans.

That is according to reports from Spain, which state that, even if Kiwior doesn’t end up meeting the obligation conditions at Porto, Arsenal are set to sell the defender next summer and have put a £21.5 million price tag on his head in the event he becomes available again.

As things stand, the most likely scenario is Kiwior joining Porto permanently, and it is believed they wish to secure his future in April or May after an impressive early run of form under Farioli.

Called a “sensational talent” by members of the media, it was always a tall order for Kiwior to establish himself as a mainstay Arsenal starter ahead of Gabriel and William Saliba, who’ve established themselves as two of the top five best centre-backs in world football.

Rank

Player

Age

Club

Nation

1

Virgil van Dijk

34

Liverpool

Netherlands

2

Antonio Rudiger

32

Real Madrid

Germany

3

Gabriel Magalhaes

27

Arsenal

Brazil

4

Alessandro Bastoni

26

Inter Milan

Italy

5

William Saliba

24

Arsenal

France

That being said, his ability was never lost on Arteta.

West Ham United face a familiar struggle for goals this season and now appear to be taking steps in an effort to rectify the problem come the January window.

West Ham offer youth a chance in hunt for goals

Niclas Fullkrug and Callum Wilson are both experienced heads in front of goal and Jarrod Bowen is a permanent threat for the Hammers. However, there has been a frustrating lack of goals dispersed throughout their side lately, contributing to their Premier League struggles.

In surprise fashion, Northern Ireland international Callum Marshall earned his top-flight debut as West Ham chased a way back into the match in their defeat away to Arsenal, leading Nuno Espirito Santo to talk up his potential post-match.

He stated: “What I’ve been seeing in training sessions, his energy, he’s a good finisher, good mobility, he can recognise the gaps in the space, he has a good chance. Even though he’s not a strong boy against a very tough centre-half, he managed to get the header, so I think we have something that we can use.

“We’re going to have three strikers available: (Niclas) Fullkrug, Callum Wilson, and Marshall. We’re going to need all of them, different players, that are going to give us different solutions and options moving forward.”

Scottish youngster Josh Landers is another candidate to bolster West Ham’s forward line after 14 goals in 19 matches last term. Nevertheless, it feels likely that Nuno will turn to the transfer window after his side’s return of six goals in seven matches.

Weekly wages: West Ham United FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

The Irons’ biggest earners for the 2025/26 season…

ByCharlie Smith Sep 24, 2025

Desperate times call for desperate measures and the new regime will have designs on evading the relegation zone and building momentum, and they may look for a helping hand in the form of an out-of-favour striker.

West Ham ask to keep informed on Joshua Zirkzee

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham have asked to keep informed on Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee as the Netherlands international continues to be out of favour at Old Trafford. Intermediaries will run the rule over potential options for the forward, with both loan moves and permanent arrangements set to be explored and the player open to joining another English club.

Joshua Zirkzee’s tally at Manchester United

Appearances

53

Goals

7

Assists

3

Zirkzee believes he can succeed in the Premier League and would be open to remaining on English soil, albeit Juventus and AC Milan have previously shown interest in bringing the 24-year-old back to Serie A following his exploits with Bologna.

Coming in as a caveat, the Schiedam-born man isn’t a conventional number nine and has come off the frontline to link play regularly since his £36.5 million move to Manchester United last summer.

Either way, his talent would undeniably improve West Ham’s shrinking pool of options if they were to convince him that the London Stadium is the best place to take his next career step, though only time will tell whether that scenario can become a reality.

Arsenal's run of four games without a win came to an end on Sunday, albeit only thanks to an own goal from Brighton's Marisa Olislagers in a narrow 1-0 victory. The Gunners will be relieved to have avoided extending their barren streak to what would've been their worst in 11 years but the same sluggishness in attack persisted, with Daphne van Domselaar's terrific second half save to deny Carla Camacho proving to be particularly important come the final whistle.

Van Domselaar has been struggling with her own individual form, too, with a high-profile mistake in the Champions League loss to Lyon in midweek highlighting as much. For the Dutchwoman to bounce back with a strong display here, then, will have been one of the most encouraging aspects of the entire afternoon for those of an Arsenal persuasion.

At the start of the game, there looked like there would be more positives, too. The Gunners started well, with Olivia Smith and Caitlin Foord causing plenty of problems in the wide areas before the two then linked up in the build-up to the only goal, which saw Smith's cross deflect off Olislagers and into the back of the net after 15 minutes. However, neither winger was particularly accurate with their final ball, while the overall slow pace of the Arsenal play failed to stretch a well-organised Brighton defence.

Instead, it was the Seagulls who had the better chances, as Kiko Seike and Fran Kirby tested Van Domselaar in the first half and Camacho started to find her range in the second, only for the goalkeeper to produce an outstanding reflex save on the hour mark to deny the young Spaniard what looked a certain goal. Stoppages in play for injuries not long after that halted Brighton's momentum, though, while Arsenal's introduction of Stina Blackstenius helped give the hosts more threat, with the Swede unlucky not to make the end of the game more comfortable for her team when her header struck the bar late on. 

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Daphne van Domselaar (7/10):

Made a terrific save to deny Camacho an equaliser on the hour and positioned herself well to make her other stops very comfortable, too. A confidence-boosting performance for the goalkeeper, whose recent form has been shaky.

Emily Fox (6/10):

A solid display in which she did little wrong defensively, though couldn't make too much impact going forward.

Katie Reid (6/10):

A little sloppier on the ball today than she has been throughout her strong start to the season. Outstanding in her duels, however.

Steph Catley (6/10):

Was generally tidy in possession and relatively untroubled off the ball.

Katie McCabe (6/10):

Had some real problems dealing with Seike in the first half but fared better after the break.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Kim Little (6/10):

Kept the ball tidily at the base of midfield, though didn't do much to speed up the play going forward.

Mariona Caldentey (6/10):

Moved the ball well and was often central to Arsenal's best moves. Like Little, though, she could and should've done more to move the Brighton back line around.

Frida Maanum (5/10):

Had an effort cleared off the line from a corner but otherwise struggled to really make her mark against a well-organised Brighton defence.

Getty ImagesAttack

Olivia Smith (6/10):

Caused plenty of problems, with it her cross that produced the opening goal, but did lack efficiency with her end product overall.

Alessia Russo (5/10):

Worked hard off the ball but got so little service, with crosses just not finding her.

Caitlin Foord (6/10):

Arsenal's liveliest performer throughout the afternoon, though her final ball should have been better on numerous occasions.

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Subs & Manager

Kyra Cooney-Cross (6/10):

Made a positive impact in midfield with some driving runs and quality passing.

Stina Blackstenius (6/10):

Caused Brighton problems with her clever movement and was very unlucky not to add to Arsenal's lead when her header from McCabe's corner hit the bar.

Beth Mead (5/10):

Worked hard off the ball, though couldn't make a huge impact on it.

Chloe Kelly (N/A):

A late sub as Arsenal saw the game out.

Renee Slegers (6/10):

A win is a win but there wasn't much in this Arsenal performance to suggest their recent bad run is totally behind them. The Gunners started well but appeared content with the slender lead, doing little to add to it. That did improve a little with Slegers' subs, which were a little different to her usual changes, which was a positive.

South Africa will not host any men’s Tests next summer, in accordance with the Future Tours Programme (FTP), and only have one inbound tour – a five-match T20I series against West Indies – in the 2025-26 season. This is the first time since readmission that South Africa will not host men’s Tests with the next long-format home fixtures scheduled for October 2026 against Australia.The lean schedule will allow for Cricket South Africa to focus on stadium upgrades ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Several of the country’s premier grounds will have makeovers including new floodlights and drop-in pitches, which will be prepared well ahead of time and tested before the main event.It will also give the South African women’s side the spotlight, as they host Ireland and Pakistan for three T20Is and three ODIs each. They will play matches at all of South Africa’s big five venues: Newlands in Cape Town, St George’s Park in Gqeberha, the Wanderers in Johannesburg, SuperSport Park in Centurion and Kingsmead in DurbanThe women’s team will visit the smaller centres in Paarl, Benoni, East London, Potchefstroom, Bloemfontein and Kimberley as well, meaning they will have a match at all the country’s major grounds in the same season. The Pakistan series also marks the first round of the new Women’s Championship cycle, leading up to the 2029 ODI World Cup.”We are looking forward to seeing our women take on Ireland and Pakistan,” CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki said in a release. “These tours not only provide our team with strong competition but also give our fans an opportunity to watch the Proteas Women compete at their favourite venues across the country.Moseki explained the men’s international window as being “unusually shorter next season due to outbound bilateral tours,” with South Africa’s white-ball sides touring Australia and England in August and September and the Test team due to play two-match series in Pakistan and India in November and December.The absence of home Tests has also allowed the SA20 to move into the festive window for the first and only time. It will be played between December 26 and January 26, with the West Indies series to follow immediately afterwards. The five matches are spread between the coastal venues and the Highveld but neither Gqeberha nor Durban will host a game. South African players will therefore have six weeks of T20 cricket before the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, which starts in February.CSA have also arranged one A tour, against New Zealand A, which will include three one-day matches and two four-day matches at the start of the summer. The games will be played in Pretoria and Potchefstroom.The dearth of home Tests next summer will be followed by a boon in the 2026-27 season when South Africa’s men will host England and Australia for three Tests each and Bangladesh for two matches while the women’s team will play Tests against India and Australia for a total of 10 Tests.

Iconic Premier League manager Rafael Benitez wants to make a managerial comeback in England's top-flight before formally ending his illustrious coaching career. The Spanish head coach managed four different English clubs in the last three decades, including his maiden stint at Anfield, where he guided Liverpool to their fifth Champions League title.

• Benitez last managed Everton in England

  Benitez returned to England in 2021 and took charge of Liverpool city rivals Everton on three-year deal but his stint was abruptly cut short as he was relieved of his duties in January 2022 after a series of poor results at Goodison Park. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Benitez admits he is still active as manager

  The 65-year-old Spaniard, who has won mutiple trophies in England, including two European trophies with Liverpool and Chelsea, has clarified that he is still active as a manager and would love take up a new job in England or any of the top European leagues.

• "Don't want people to think I am finished"

  Speaking to , Benitez said: "Sometimes to be described as ‘a legend’ is very nice, but also complicated. It is bad for a coach to be seen as retired. People still ask me, ‘Do you want to coach?’ For sure, I do, particularly in England and Europe. I do not want people to think I am finished. I am still evolving."

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• AFP
  

  What is Benitez doing now?

  At the moment, Benitez is back in Merseyside and will attend Sunday's derby clash between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield.

There’s no denying that West Ham United look a little light with the 2025/26 Premier League season just two weeks away, even after the defensive acquisitions of Kyle Walker-Peters and El Hadj Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague.

Mohammed Kudus has not yet been replaced after completing a controversial £55m switch to Tottenham Hotspur, and Crysencio Summerville remains injured after sustaining a hamstring injury that ruled him out for the final 18 games of the term.

However, Lucas Paqueta’s absolution from wrongdoing in a two-year-long spot-fixing case marks a galvanising lift and potentially the catalyst for change. A turning point.

However, the Irons still need more, and no mistake. Paqueta is a high-level playmaker, but he could with a foil, someone to shoulder his burden at times.

And Potter has got the perfect young star in his sights.

West Ham lining up more attacking quality

Skipper Jarrod Bowen remains West Ham’s offensive linchpin, but he needs some help in the final third after a rather uninspiring 2024/25 as a collective.

Goalscoring quality remains a pressing issue, but United averaged just 1.53 goal-creating actions per 90 last term, as per FBref, which surpassed only the three relegated sides.

As such, Potter may look to complete a move for Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, who is anticipated to leave Anfield this summer, having been limited for playing time under Arne Slot.

Football Insider report that the Hammers are ready to make their move, pushing ahead with plans to sign the £50m-rated midfielder.

Elliott, 22, has held talks with a number of suitors, and West Ham are joined by Newcastle United and Tottenham, among others, in their intrigue.

Why West Ham want Harvey Elliott

Though Elliott struggled for match action at Liverpool last season, he still managed to showcase his ability on numerous occasions, notably scoring in three successive Champions League fixtures.

A diminutive and versatile midfielder, Elliott’s technical ability on the ball serves as the staple of his skill set, with one-time Liverpool U18s head coach Neil Critchley praising his ability to create “magic” through his passing.

As per FBref, the England U21 international ranked last season among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for goal involvements, passes attempted and progressive passes, as well as the top 15% for goal-creating actions per 90.

Thus, Elliott’s potential to become a special player for a team like West Ham is underscored, and he could even rekindle the finest form of Bowen, who still wrapped up the latest campaign with a respectable haul of 13 goals and ten assists in the Premier League.

Elliott came up trumps through the 2023/24 campaign, providing plenty of creative support as Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool struggled against a slew of unfortunate injuries.

24/25

28

5

3

23/24

53

4

14

22/23

46

5

2

21/22

11

1

0

*20/21

1

0

1

19/20

8

0

1

He has the tenacity and winning mentality, inculcated in him through his years on Merseyside, to combine with Bowen, who is a spirit-lifting star in his own right.

Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino once said that Bowen is “direct and he’s a bit like Salah” when discussing the complete forwards’ fast rise at the London Stadium, and this only strengthens the case for him being a dream partner for Elliott.

Landing Elliott would be a statement signing, all right, and perhaps what West Ham need to hit their stride and return to the forefront next season.

Potter's new Bissouma: West Ham accelerate move for "outstanding" £20m star

West Ham want to sign at least one midfielder this summer

1 ByJoe Nuttall Aug 1, 2025

Kylian Mbappe scored a ton of goals in his first season at Real Madrid, but he has backed two ex-team-mates to land the coveted Ballon d'Or.

Mbappe says he won't win Ballon d'OrBelieves Demeble or Hakimi more likely to winCeremony takes place on September 22Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

France star Mbappe has reacted to news of his own nomination for the award by claiming he won't win it and gone on to name two former team-mates he'd like to see land the crown. Mbappe believes Paris St-Germain pair Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele are best-placed to secure the big prize this year.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

A Ballon d'Or winner from PSG is the obvious starting point for this year's crown. The Paris giants landed a historic treble last season, including the club's first-ever Champions League crown, during their thrilling run to the final which ended in the 5-0 thrashing of Inter. 

WHAT MBAPPE SAID

Mbappe told : "I can't win this year. I can't choose between two friends. What matters is that their performances are recognised. And, for both of them, I would be very happy either way."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

Mbappe is humble enough to concede he won't win Ballon d'Or this year and he only has a matter of days to wait for the star-studded ceremony which takes place in Paris at the Theatre du Chatelet on Monday, September 22.

Leeds United have now officially unveiled Sean Longstaff as their fifth summer buy after promotion to the Premier League.

This is the first time this summer that the Whites have actually purchased some experience of the division; however, with Longstaff able to boast a mammoth 171 Premier League appearances for former employers Newcastle United – with ten goals and nine assists tallied up along the way – before Elland Road came calling.

Still, there are more exciting signings potentially on Leeds’ radar than the 27-year-old’s £12m switch to West Yorkshire, as a versatile forward presence is now eyed up.

Leeds ready to hijack deal for £12m star

A far more eye-catching pick-up than Longstaff’s arrival onto the scene would surely come in the form of Rodrigo Muniz entering Daniel Farke’s ranks, with recent reports suggesting that Leeds are continuing to pursue a move for the Fulham attacker who has a healthy 17-goal return in the top-flight.

Moreover, Igor Paxiao is also on the Whites’ agenda from Feyenoord as they try to replicate their Crysencio Summerville magic, but a move might be on the table for Juventus star Timothy Weah, too, if Leeds can hijack Marseille’s advances at the final hour.

Indeed, as per football journalist Mirko Di Natale, via his X account, Leeds and Everton remain in the background for the hunt for Weah, but a hijack could be on the cards owing to no agreement being reached yet between Marseille and the Old Lady.

The interest is still there – and at a reported £12m – this might well go down as one of the standout deals from Leeds’ hectic transfer window, with Weah potentially going on to be a far more exciting buy than the ex-Toon midfielder.

Why Weah would be a more exciting signing than Longstaff

Longstaff does have that added boost of plenty of Premier League experience, but it will be a competition for the 27-year-old to make Farke’s XI from the get-go, when considering the Whites’ already stacked midfield options.

The German already has Ao Tanaka at his disposal centrally, who is fresh from a standout Championship season where he collected seven goal contributions in total, on top of also having the steady presence of Ilia Gruev by his side.

The brand new Leeds purchase will also need time to get up to speed with proceedings, having only made eight starts in league action last season for Eddie Howe’s Magpies as a rotation member of his squad.

Weah did also struggle for consistent first team minutes in Turin last campaign, with 18 starts being handed his way in the hustle and bustle of Serie A, but the “versatile” ace – as he’s been praised in the past by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley – has still managed to shine in spurts across various positions on the pitch for Igor Tudor’s giants across 78 clashes.

Weah’s numbers for Juventus by position

Position played

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

RM

32

2

1

RB

11

1

1

RW

10

3

1

LM

6

0

0

CF

3

0

0

LW

3

2

1

LB

1

0

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Despite such limited opportunities, Weah would manage to chip in with an impressive five strikes last campaign for his Italian employers, with the American even lining up in defence on occasion.

This flexibility for the cause will be music to Farke’s ears, considering the ex-Norwich City boss loved utilising a similarly fluid body in the form of Archie Gray when he was situated at Elland Road.

Away from his adaptable nature piquing Farke’s interest, Weah would also be capable of pushing Daniel James all the way to a starting spot on the right channel when you weigh up the Welshman’s previous Premier League difficulties – with only 12 goals next to his name in the daunting division – next to the 25-year-old’s more assured presence in Serie A.

This isn’t to say that Longstaff won’t be a valued member of Farke’s squad, with his know-how of the taxing league no doubt coming in handy.

But, the “wonderful” £12m star – as he’s been labelled by ex-boss Brendan Rodgers – might just be a slightly more captivating signing to someone peeking in, when you take into account his malleable nature and his bursts of quality at the very top of Serie A.

Related Farke's own Joelinton: Leeds made contact over deal to sign £22m "monster"

Leeds United have made contact over a potential deal for a star who could be their own Joelinton.

Posts ByDan Emery Jul 19, 2025

Southampton are looking to bounce back to the Premier League and could be set to pounce for a talented star if they lose one of their higher-profile assets this summer, according to a report.

Southampton look to build with Kamaldeen Sulemana funds

With the window underway at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton have sold Kamaldeen Sulemana to Atalanta for £18 million as they begin to clear the decks ahead of returning to competitive action.

Will Still’s men have also inserted a sell-on clause in the agreement, which will see the Ghana international link up with Ivan Juric after the pair worked together last season.

Joshua Quarshie has come in from Hoffenheim and there will be more signings to come at Saints, with FC Köln striker Damion Downs reported to be on their list.

Previewing how his potential arrival could unfold, German journalist Constantin Eckner has pleaded for caution as the United States international continues to develop.

He stated: “He’s still an up-and-comer with little experience but has developed into an interesting striker. He’s more of a project rather than a finished product.”

Same agent as Downes: Southampton in "advanced" deal talks for "top" star

Southampton are now moving closer to signing a new striker this summer.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 30, 2025

Bobby Clark is reportedly keen on a move to Southampton after being left out of RB Salzburg’s squad for the Club World Cup, and he has all the hallmarks of a smart acquisition that could add some fresh legs in the engine room.

On the other hand, any fee for Downs would likely sit just below £7 million, which would represent good value for money after his return of 11 goals and six assists last campaign.

Making tracks, Southampton could now swoop for a reliable stopper between the sticks who has proven pedigree in the EFL Championship.

Southampton enter race to sign Anthony Patterson from Sunderland

According to Football Insider in conversation with former scout Mick Brown, Southampton are in contention to sign Anthony Patterson from Sunderland as a potential replacement for Aaron Ramsdale.

He explained: “Patterson is a top young goalkeeper and he’s got a good reputation. I personally still have some doubts about him, and it looks like Sunderland might share those.”

Anthony Patterson in 2024/25 – Sky Bet Championship
Appearances	45
Goals conceded	45
Clean sheets	14
Save percentage rate	70.3%
Shots on target against	128

He added: “I’m told Southampton are one of the clubs looking at him because they expect Ramsdale to leave. He’s got a release clause in his contract and clubs have been looking at him.”

Labelled “excellent” by Simon Moore, the Black Cats seemingly do hold conerns over Patterson as they close in on Djordje Petrovic, making first-team minutes difficult to come by at Sunderland, who are worried by his lack of top level experience.

Brown made it clear the ball will be in his court, but Southampton will hope they can convince Patterson to make the move south if Aaron Ramsdale indeed does leave the club for a new challenge.

When it comes to their summer recruitment drive, Chelsea haven’t been distracted by the ongoing Club World Cup campaign.

Enzo Maresca and co are looking to mount a serious CWC challenge in the States with as much as £97 million worth of prize money on offer, but in the background, Stamford Bridge chiefs are working to strengthen ahead of a pivotal next season.

Tottenham hold talks to sign £65m star, but his club prefer he joins Chelsea

Spurs are set for a transfer tussle with their London rivals.

6 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 20, 2025

As things stand, Chelsea are prioritising a new winger right now, with the club back in talks over a potential deal for Borussia Dortmund sensation Jamie Gittens after seeing three June 10 deadline bids rejected for the Englishman.

As well as Gittens, Chelsea have their eyes on West Ham star Mohammed Kudus (Simon Phillips), not to mention Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho, so supporters can fully expect at least one new wide player to come in.

However, they’re also believed to be targeting a new centre-back.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Uncertainty surrounds the long-term futures of Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and even Wesley Fofana (Foot Mercato), who’s suffered from repeated injury problems since his £75 million move from Leicester City.

This has resulted in Chelsea considering Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, among other names, but the Toffees could demand up to £80 million to part company with the commanding centre-half before deadline day on September 1.

“Chelsea intend to push for him [Branthwaite] again and there is a possibility that they offer players to Everton in an attempt to get the fee down and make the deal more appealing on both sides,” said journalist Simon Phillips recently, via his Substack.

“The other further info we have received from SPTC sources is that there’s a feeling now that Branthwaite could actually leave Everton this window for a Champions League club – which puts Chelsea in a strong position.”

However, a far more obtainable defender, who comes with a £68 million release clause, is starting to turn Chelsea’s head as well.

Enzo Maresca wants Ousmane Diomande at Chelsea

As per TEAMtalk and journalist Rudy Galetti, Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande is “firmly” on their shortlist, despite both Real Madrid and Newcastle’s serious interest in signing the Ivorian.

The 21-year-old was a mainstay under both Ruben Amorim and Rui Borges last term, making 46 appearances in all competitions and helping the Primeira Liga heavyweights to their first domestic double in two decades.

Maresca is a “huge fan” of Diomande, and has personally listed the African as one of his top defensive targets for the summer, so this could be one to watch as Chelsea seek a good-value backline addition without paying over the odds.

Sporting are apparently braced for a ‘bidding war’, though, and Chelsea will be hoping that no other suitor decides to go beyond Diomande’s release clause so they can win the race for his signature.