All posts by z3u9t.icu

Sunderland secured their first three points of the season with a hard-fought victory over Rotherham on the weekend.

But, if the club is to mount another promotion push then they must bolster their attacking options. This campaign, the Wearside Giants have recorded 45 shots in three Championship outings, scoring just four times and losing twice.

Last season, the Black Cats were massively aided by the imperious form of Amad Diallo and seem to desperately miss his prolific nature in offensive sequences. The Ivorian was Sunderland’s top scorer with 14 goals, and they require a new player to replicate these heroics…

What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?

According to journalist Alan Nixon (via his Patreon site), Sunderland are in the running to sign Crystal Palace’s Jerurun Rak-Sakyi.

There is a hotly contested race for the tricky winger, with league rivals Blackburn Rovers also said to be interested.

Would Jesurun Rak-Sakyi be a good signing for Sunderland?

Last term, the 20-year-old gem emphatically burst into national prominence thanks to a glorious loan spell at Charlton Athletic in League One.

Across 40 starts, Rak-Sakyi registered 15 goals and eight assists, and averaged 1.9 dribbles per game, ranking the highest in the squad for each metric.

Rak-Sakyi's ex-manager Ben Garner was mesmerised by his natural ability and end product, saying:

“He takes everything in his stride and has adapted very quickly to the challenges and physical demands of the game.

“His standout attribute is his wonderful balance and ability to change direction. He can beat people with his body movement. He can go both ways, finish off both feet, but he’s also got his eyes up and has vision. I worked with a lot of players in academy football who were fantastic dribblers but didn’t see movement around them. Jes can carry the ball but he’s got awareness.”

These numbers, coupled with the attacker’s impressive profile, mean he is resoundingly above third-tier level and a move to Sunderland could be perfect, given the limited opportunity he is being afforded at Selhurst Park.

The joyous technician has been at Crystal Palace since 2019 but has only mustered three senior appearances, totalling just 87 minutes. He was an unused substitute in the loss to Arsenal on Monday evening and has been unable to forge any notable game time, despite the injury to Michael Olise.

Therefore, the Stadium of Light could be the perfect destination for Rak-Sakyi, whose right-wing berth is missing the indomitable Diallo, who was magnificent in his brief spell in Wearside.

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman was full of adulation for the Manchester United loanee and said:

“Amad's performances in the games – not just with the ball but some of his defensive work, his energy, his pressing – the way he has taken to the supporters, he's absolutely bought in to what we required of him.”

Rak-Sakyi is more than capable of repeating Diallo’s magic and has already shown his glistening potential when awarded with trust.

Meanwile, current Addicks boss Dean Holden has described the 5 foot 10 livewire as a “fantastic” young player, who is “dedicated, professional, and diligent.”

With this mentality and talent, he could be a monumentally useful asset for Sunderland and the driving force of another promotion challenge.

Celtic are closing in on their seventh summer signing and he will arrive this week to finalise his move to the Scottish giants before their crucial Glasgow Derby match against Rangers this weekend.

What's the latest transfer news involving Celtic?

According to Honduran outlet Diario Diez, Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma has already said goodbye to his teammates and is in London to put the finishing touches to his impending move to Celtic.

He will then travel to Glasgow to be officially unveiled by the Scottish champions and will don the iconic number seven jersey at Parkhead, which has been worn by club legends such as Jimmy Johnstone and Henrik Larsson in the past.

The Scottish Sun detail that Celtic will pay a fee in the region of £3.5 million for the Honduras international and he could be the first of five late-window incomings to bolster Brendan Rodgers' underperforming side. Manchester City youngster Tommy Doyle has been mentioned as a potential arrival to bolster the Irishman's engine room before the deadline.

Several outgoings are also expected and it is believed that Benjamin Siegrist, James McCarthy, Albian Ajeti and Ismaila Soro could all be on their way out of the club.

Celtic have failed to score in over 180 minutes of football and were knocked out of the Viaplay Cup against Kilmarnock, followed by putting in a disappointing display in a 0-0 draw against St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership last weekend, as per Sky Sports.

Cited by The Sunday Mail (27/08 print edition, page 59), Celtic boss Rodgers has laid down the gauntlet to the Hoops' hierarchy to fulfill his wish for further recruitment in the market before the close of play, stating:

“We need to improve for sure. I spoke to the club when I came in and, assessing the squad, we need to improve the quality. It’s clear if you see the team, if you go back to my first time here the team was fast and dynamic, got through the lines quickly, created and scored goals.

"So this is what we’ll eventually get to. But we’re missing those certain profiles so hopefully we can bring that into the squad and be a lot cleaner and a lot quicker in our play.”

What could Luis Palma bring to Celtic?

Since Portuguese winger Jota left Celtic to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad earlier in the summer for a fee in the region of £25 million, the Hoops have lost a valuable creative outlet, which is something Palma could help to remedy due to his direct style of play.

During his time in Greece, Palma has been a live wire and regularly troubled opposition backlines, registering 17 goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Dubbed a "huge player" by Aris manager Apostolos Terzis, Palma will be desperate to hit the ground running at Celtic and show that he can live up to the hype of his iconic shirt number.

Cited by Football Scotland, Terzis has confirmed that Palma is leaving Aris and stated in an interview: "I want to wish him the best of luck with his new club, Celtic. He worked so hard for our team and Aris also helped him a lot to develop."

Wolverhampton Wanderers lost their first game after the summer transfer window slammed shut as they were beaten 3-2 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Sunday.

Who did Wolves sign this summer?

The Old Gold brought in eight signings to bolster the squad after the 2022/23 campaign, although Matheus Cunha and Boubacar Traore arrived on permanent deals after time on loan at the Molineux last year.

French talent Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, central defender Santiago Bueno, teenage forward Enzo Gonzalez, experienced goalkeeper Tom King, and right-back Matt Doherty, who has rejoined the club, were also snapped up on a permanent basis.

Meanwhile, Tommy Doyle signed on a season-long loan from Champions League champions Manchester City after Matheus Nunes' move to The Etihad. He is a creative-minded player who scored three goals and assisted four in 33 Championship outings for Sheffield United last term.

This means that they did not add a new defensive-minded midfielder to improve their backline, despite being touted with a swoop for Real Betis star Guido Rodriguez over the summer.

Did Wolves nearly sign Guido Rodriguez?

Italian journalist Rudy Galetti had told GIVEMESPORT at the start of August that Wolves were in contact with the Spanish side over a possible deal for the Argentina international.

However, there were no further updates after this claim and the defensive midfielder ended up staying with the LaLiga side beyond the end of the European summer transfer window.

This suggests that Wolves were either unable to meet the player's valuation or they were turned down by the 29-year-old brute, although it remains to be seen if the real reason will ever be revealed.

The experienced campaigner's contract with Betis expires in the summer of 2024 and this means that Wolves could, in theory, secure his services on a pre-contract deal in January if he does not put pen to paper on an extension before that point.

It is unclear as to why their move for the Argentine battler broke down but it appears to have been a mistake by the club as his statistics in recent years suggest that he would be a far better option than Mario Lemina in the middle of the park for Gary O'Neil..

How good is Guido Rodriguez?

The 6 foot 1 star, who won the World Cup with his country in Qatar last year, enjoyed a strong 2022/23 campaign with Betis in the Spanish top-flight as he showcased his defensive quality on a regular basis in midfield.

Rodriguez averaged a fantastic Sofascore rating of 7.07 across 34 LaLiga outings and made 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game for his side, whilst also winning 60% of his individual duels.

To put that into context, no outfield player for Wolves aside from Ruben Neves (7.23) averaged a Premier League Sofascore rating higher than 6.90 for Julen Lopetegui last term.

This came after the 29-year-old averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05 over 32 league matches for his side throughout the previous season. In that time, the reported Wolves target made four tackles and interceptions per game and came out on top in 60% of his physical contests.

These statistics show that Rodriguez, who analyst Marcus Bring hailed as "brutal" and a "monster" defensively, is a superb ball-winner in midfield who is able to consistently cut out opposition attacks to break up the play.

In fact, the terrific midfielder ranks within the top 2% of his positional peers over the last 365 days across Europe's top five leagues for tackles per 90 (3.65). He also ranks in the top 10% for both blocks (1.71) and clearances (2.25) per 90.

Evidently, the Betis star is one of the best midfielders in Europe at winning the ball back off the other team by making challenges in midfield, which highlights his impressive strength, timing, and positioning out of possession.

Is Guido Rodriguez better than Mario Lemina?

Rodriguez's aforementioned statistics indicate that he would have been a big upgrade on current Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina, based on the former Southampton man's form for the club this year.

The Gabon international joined from Ligue 1 side Nice in January and started 17 Premier League matches during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.

He averaged an unimpressive Sofascore rating of 6.68 across his 19 appearances in total in the division. This was the 17th-best score within the squad, meaning that he was far from being one of the team's outstanding performers, in spite of being a regular starter.

The ex-Saints dud made 2.7 tackles and interceptions per match and won 59% of his duels in midfield, whilst he also failed to score a goal or create a single 'big chance' for his teammates.

Lemina has started this season with an average Sofascore rating of 6.80, which is the ninth-highest in the squad, and started all four of the club's Premier League matches.

These statistics suggest that Rodriguez would have been a significant upgrade on the 30-year-old.

The proof is there that both midfielders do the majority of their work out of possession, failing to contribute much offensively with goals or assists. That said, the Betis star's defensive impact is far greater than Lemina's.

Such evidence means Wolves may well have made an error when failing to secure a deal for the Real Betis titan.

The team only finished seven points clear of the relegation zone at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and O'Neil's men have lost three of their four league matches so far this term, which highlights the precarious nature of their situation and why they must nail their transfer business in order to avoid relegation to the Championship.

Indeed, this is precisely why they could look back on their failed move for Rodriguez with regret this time next year.

The Argentine's presence in midfield could have improved their XI by coming into the team for Lemina, which could have had a positive impact on their results. The latter hasn't played badly by any means, but an upgrade certainly would have been no bad thing.

Manchester City made a late, big-money approach for Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, but they were unable to get the deal over the line, a report has revealed.

Who did Man City sign in the summer?

Man City had a moderately busy summer transfer window, with Pep Guardiola being forced to freshen up his squad after a number of first-team players moved on, including captain Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte.

Josko Gvardiol's arrival paved the way for Laporte's departure, with the Spaniard joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, while Gundogan was replaced by Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic, with the central midfielder joining in a deal worth an initial £25m.

Guardiola also had to bring in reinforcements in wide areas, owing to Mahrez and Cole Palmer leaving the club, with Jeremy Doku being brought in as a replacement for the former, however the manager was unable to conclude a deal for another winger.

Palmer completed a move to Chelsea for £40m on deadline day, with the deal taking the Blues' spending over the £1bn mark since Todd Boehly took over as owner, and there was not enough time for City to find a suitable replacement for the 21-year-old.

However, the Sky Blues did make an attempt to bring in a new player on deadline day, with The Mirror revealing they made an 11th hour £60m bid for Eze, with talks reaching an advanced stage, but they were unable to get a deal over the line.

The Premier League champions were left frustrated after failing to push through the deal, with Palace refusing to budge from their £80m asking price, £20m more than City were willing to offer.

The player himself may have also been left frustrated by the move not going through, as he would have loved the opportunity of linking up with Guardiola. After remaining at Selhurst Park, the winger may now be offered a new contract, with Michael Olise also electing to commit his future to the Eagles after a bid for him was turned down earlier in the transfer window.

How good is Eberechi Eze?

Although City were unable to get a deal done on deadline day, they should definitely keep the England international on their shortlist of future targets, as he has put in some top-quality performances for Palace over the past few seasons.

Last season was by far the Palace star's best campaign since arriving at Selhurst Park, weighing in with ten goals and four assists in the Premier League, bouncing back well after suffering a serious Achilles injury back in May 2021.

Crystal Palace reporter Matt Woosnam was full of praise for the attacking midfielder after he put in an impressive display against Leicester City last season, saying on X:

"Thought Eberechi Eze was brilliant today. Exploited the space offered to him by Leicester's defence / midfield going missing.

"Played with verve and confidence. His best performance in ages. Way he moves his body to deceive players v good again today."

Having proven himself at Palace, Eze could be ready to make the step-up to City in the near future, so it could be wise for Guardiola and co to keep him on his shortlist ahead of the January transfer window.

Burnley are now in the race to sign Colchester United forward Bradley Ihionvien, with a report revealing that a number of Premier League clubs could be set to do battle for his signature…

Who did Burnley sign in the summer?

The Clarets overhauled their squad in the summer, following the promotion from the Championship last season, and the vast majority of the new arrivals are 25 and under, with manager Vincent Kompany willing to put his faith in a youthful team.

However, the approach is yet to yield any positive results for Kompany's side, who are currently bottom of the Premier League table, having lost their opening three games, although they have faced tough opposition in Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.

Summer signing Lyle Foster has recently opened up about Burnley's start to the season during his media duties for national side South Africa, saying:

"It's a tough league. You can't make too many mistakes, otherwise you will be punished but I'm enjoying myself and with the young team we have, we can only grow and learn more from this, especially the first three games which were tough and world-class opponents,

"It's a long season ahead, but I believe in this team. We are three games into the season and we can't be pressing panic buttons."

Although it has not been the best of starts to the season, Kompany seemingly remains committed to his approach of signing young players, with Football Insider revealing the Clarets are now in the race for 19-year-old Colchester striker Ihionvien.

However, a whole host of other clubs are keen on signing the youngster, including Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Watford and Norwich City, so there is sure to be stiff competition for his signature.

The "powerful" striker has caught the eye of clubs higher up the football pyramid after impressing for Colchester in the early stages of this season, having made his first-team breakthrough at the back end of the 2021-22 campaign.

As the left-footed forward is out of contract at the end of this season, there is an indication he could be available for a cut-price fee, with Colchester now bracing themselves for interest.

Who is Bradley Ihionvien?

The English youngster came through the youth ranks at Colchester, and he has gone on to establish himself in the first team this season, scoring two goals in 178 minutes of League Two action this season.

The most recent of which came less than five minutes after being brought on as a substitute against Tranmere Rovers, showing manager Ben Garner that he is worthy of a start at home against Mansfield Town this weekend.

It is still very early days in Ihionvien's career, so it is difficult to tell whether he would be able to make the step-up to Burnley, but they should continue to run the rule over him ahead of the January transfer window.

Until then, Kompany will be hoping Foster continues his fine form in front of goal, with the South African finding the back of the net twice in his opening three Premier League games.

Having recently enjoyed the exhilaration of Champions League competition, Newcastle United return to the domestic scene to face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in the Premier League.

The Magpies battled to a goalless draw against AC Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday night, having ended a three-match skid in the English top-flight with victory over Brentford on Tyneside last weekend.

The Blades, newly promoted, have endured a tricky start to the season and boast only one point after five matches, though that did come against Everton in their previous home match.

Paul Heckingbottom's side have actually performed quite well, narrowly losing to both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, conceding late on; in fact, all four defeats have come by a single goal, but an increase in attacking intent will certainly be needed to bypass Nick Pope's goal.

Failure to win in Sheffield would constitute a poor start to the season, but Eddie Howe's outfit now have a glorious opportunity to bag successive league victories and start to close the gap on those at the forefront.

What's the latest Newcastle team news?

Howe has confirmed that midfielders Joe Willock and Joelinton will remain sidelined for the forthcoming Premier League clash, with full-back Emil Krafth still absent as he looks to build fitness following a long-term injury.

While there are not believed to be any fresh concerns for Howe and co to nurse, the weight of European competition has now beset the shoulders of the Magpies squad, many of whom had previously never tasted continental competition.

As such, the Toon boss might look to stir things up somewhat and unleash several changes on the affair, with talented young full-backs Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento both pushing for their first starts in black and white.

Fabian Schar has played every minute of the season so far, and – while he is a solid and dependable defender – could be among those to receive a rest today, especially considering Manchester City await in the Carabao Cup next Wednesday.

How is Fabian Schar performing?

For much of his time on Tyneside, Swiss centre-half Schar failed to impress, having struggled to cement a regular starting role after joining from Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna in 2018 after his reported £3m release clause was met.

Journalist John Gibson branded the 31-year-old a "walking mistake", though he continued to state that he has "eliminated" the blemishes in his skill set under Howe's tutelage.

Last season, he started 36 matches in the Premier League and contributed enormously toward Newcastle's keeping of the joint-best defence in the division, also keeping 12 clean sheets.

However, the £40k-per-week titan – who has entered the final year of his contract at St. James' Park – has not quite lived up to the same standards as last year this time around, earning an average Sofascore rating of just 6.78 and winning only 46% of his duels as opposed to an average of 65% last year.

Last year, he was hailed for his "incredible" performances by his manager, with Statman Dave also claiming that he is "important at both ends" for his ball-playing skills and aptitude in the final third, having registered five assists for club and country across the 2022/23 campaign.

And, as per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for total shots taken, the top 7% for assists, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and the top 17% for aerial wins per 90, illustrating the dynamic skills that have allowed him to prosper for the fast-rising Magpies.

Having yet to receive a break, however, it might be time for Schar to earn a breather, and club captain Jamal Lascelles might now be set to seal his first start of the campaign.

How good is Jamal Lascelles?

Lascelles has been a stalwart for Newcastle, having made 225 appearances for the Tyneside club since signing in a double £7m deal from Nottingham Forest in 2014, alongside Karl Darlow.

Last season, as United forged a tremendous campaign, the 29-year-old only received four starting roles in the Premier League, very much on the fringe as Sven Botman and Schar thrived together.

Described as a 'leader on and off the pitch' on Newcastle's official club profile for the titan, Lascelles has been the captain since the 2016/17 season, and may well prove to bring the tenacity and composure to overcome the physicality and toughness of the Blades.

While he found scant action on the pitch, the ace did manage to produce some solid showings when he did feature, completing 85% of his passes, winning 67% of his aerial duels and averaging 2.4 clearances per game.

Sheffield United are not the most goal-happy of sides – having taken the joint-lowest amount of shots in the division this season (41), alongside Burnley, who have a game in hand. But they are physical and have jumped into 93 tackles thus far – the sixth-highest tally.

And after failing to bag a win across the opening phase of the term, they will be desperate to kickstart their campaign, and buoyed by what promises to be a cacophonous Bramall Lane support, will not roll over and allow Newcastle to steamroll them.

Lascelles, who was heralded for one "heroic" display in the Carabao Cup last season by Howe, playing on after breaking his nose, is a 6 foot 2 powerhouse and can match the home side in both tenacity and toughness.

Clearly, Schar is the best fit for Howe's side and offers a more expansive skill set than his skipper, but it would be ludicrous for Howe to start him across every match of every competition of this congested campaign, and Lascelles, next to a peer of Botman's merit, could be more than capable of providing his side with the mettle requisite for success.

Everton defied all the odds last night, as they recorded back-to-back away wins by once again comfortably dispatching Aston Villa 2-1 at their own place.

With Sean Dyche masterminding another wonderful trip for the travelling Toffees, he has the midfield exploits of James Garner to thank, who showed what good he could do when played in his natural role…

How did James Garner play vs Aston Villa?

Having finally been deployed in the engine room, rather than the right midfield position he has inhabited in five of their opening six Premier League fixtures, it was a truly stellar display from the 22-year-old who ran the show until once again moving out wide for the final period of the clash.

Aside from scoring the opener, a sweet left-footed finish he took well from close range, his 8.2 Sofascore rating was largely buoyed by a tireless work rate that led their press throughout.

However, he would add a plethora of other starring statistics to uphold such a figure, with his one key pass and three successful dribbles indicative of a fine creative performance, via Sofascore.

Perhaps most impressively was the mammoth 11 ground duels he won out of the 13 competed in, keeping the game ticking over and ensuring the hosts remained quiet.

And yet, despite all the praise rushing in for the Manchester United academy graduate, it could be argued that his England U21 teammate Jarrad Branthwaite truly stole the show.

How did Jarrad Branthwaite play vs Aston Villa?

With particular interest unsurprisingly surrounding his continued presence in the first team, given the growing list of suitors the youngster is maintaining, it was impressive just how calm and collected the left-footed titan remained at the back.

His 7.1 Sofascore rating perhaps belies the importance the 20-year-old enjoyed as the left side of a rigid back three, silencing Mousa Diaby and Ollie Watkins when he came on.

Such a notion was supported by his two tackles, one interception and one clearance, whilst the former Carlisle United man also won four of the five duels competed in at an 80% success rate, as per Sofascore.

Although such solidity is always preferable for a centre-back, in the modern game it is particularly useful to boast some confidence in possession too. Fortunately, with a 90% pass accuracy, and four out of four long balls hitting the mark, this is another attribute in which Everton's new defensive hero shines.

The sky truly is the limit for a man who grows in quality and confidence every game, and continues to add to his price tag. Given it was set at £25m during the summer, after a full year of Premier League football, it could have grown as much as £20m more on his current trajectory. After all, remember a certain defender in John Stones once departed Goodison for £47.5m.

Journalist George Priestman was equally effusive in his praise for Branthwaite, offering the following summation in his post-match player ratings for Liverpool World, which ranked the defender at a 7/10: "Another solid outing for the youngster who continues his good form."

The young colossus is going from strength to strength under Dyche, and will hope to maintain his and the team's form going into two wholly winnable home league fixtures. All that matters for now is that the Toffees remain firmly up for the cup, with Burnley at Goodison Park their next EFL Cup challenge.

The issues continue to mount for Manchester United boss, Erik ten Hag, with the upcoming Premier League clash with Brentford already looking like something of a must-win game, amid the club's wretched run of form of late.

The Red Devils have now lost six of their opening ten games in all competitions this season following the midweek defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League, with the hosts' defensive shortcomings having been laid bare at Old Trafford as they simply wilted in the closing stages.

A particular issue that was exposed in that 3-2 defeat was the use of Sofyan Amrabat as a makeshift left-back in the absence of Sergio Reguilon – with the likes of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia also sidelined – as the 27-year-old summer signing 'did not look a natural' in that role, according to Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.

Having been signed primarily to feature in central midfield, the on-loan Fiorentina man seemingly needs to revert back to his usual role to be afforded the chance to properly impress in his new surroundings, with club captain Bruno Fernandes another who could also benefit from a tactical tweak.

How did Bruno Fernandes perform against Galatasaray?

As Luckhurst stated on Twitter on Tuesday night, the Portugal international was seemingly "at his worst" up against the Turkish outfit, having seemingly been "trying too hard" to make things happen for his side as they slumped to yet another loss.

Also described as "particularly poor" by Luckhurst, the 29-year-old was unable to impact proceedings too greatly after being shifted out onto the right flank in order to accommodate the likes of Mason Mount and Hannibal Mejbri.

Moved away from his usual number ten berth, the "creative machine" – as described by Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne – was unable to dictate the game as he would have liked, giving away the ball on 27 occasions and making just two key passes.

The former Sporting CP ace also squandered an early chance following fine work from Rasmus Hojlund down the left flank, setting the tone for the abject display that was to follow from the experienced playmaker.

Should Bruno Fernandes play on the right wing?

There's no denying that on occasions the use of the £240k-per-week star in that wide berth can pay off, with Fernandes notably netting a stunning volley in the win over newly-promoted Burnley a few weeks ago.

Even in that 1-0 win, however, the versatile asset 'did little' up until making the breakthrough, as per Luckhurst, with Ten Hag seemingly needing his talisman and skipper to be more involved if United are to stop the rot sooner rather than later.

That strike away at Turf Moor has indicated that Fernandes will do a job at times off the right, yet why should such a vital figure – who created the most big chances in the league last term – be shifted out of position for relatively untested options, like Mejbri and Mount?

With the latter man having previously played on the wing for former club Chelsea – and with Anthony having made his return from his recent absence – there should be no need for Fernandes to be shunted from the centre moving forward.

Having been a standout figure for the club over the last three years or so – recording 122 goal involvements in 194 games – the one-time Udinese maestro deserves to be in his rightful place as the man pulling the strings as the link between the midfield and attack.

When Todd Boehly completed his takeover of Chelsea in 2022, his arrival was filled with excitement and apprehension but fast-forward 17 months, and the Blues have gone through turmoil on the back of their disastrous spending in the transfer window.

From finishing 12th in the Premier League last season after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor and Frank Lampard all had spells as head coach, they now lie in the bottom half under Mauricio Pochettino.

What's more alarming is the fact that the Blues have gone backwards as a club despite spending an eye-watering £1bn on 33 new signings since May 2022 and according to Jamie Carragher, still need at least four top players if they are to stand any chance of catching Manchester City.

Astronomical spending without significant returns on their outlay isn't a concept that is alien to Chelsea. In the near two decades that Roman Abramovich owned the club, the Russian shelled out large sums of money on several stars who flopped at Stamford Bridge, including Fernando Torres (£50m), Tiemoue Bakayoko (£40m) and Timo Werner (£45m) – to name a few – but by far the worst of the lost was the deal to bring Romelu Lukaku back to the club in 2021.

How much did Romelu Lukaku cost Chelsea?

Romelu Lukaku declared he had "unfinished business" when he returned to Chelsea from Inter Milan in 2021 for a club-record fee of £97.5m.

The Belgian "monster" – as dubbed by Jose Mourinho during his time at Manchester United – arrived in west London when his stock was at its highest having chalked up a sensational 40 goal contributions in one season for Inter prior to joining the Blues.

Expected to fire Thomas Tuchel's side to a Premier League title on the back of their Champions League triumph over Manchester City, Chelsea paid Lukaku a staggering £325k-per-week, making him the club's highest earner, as per Capology.

Amounting to an eye-watering salary of £16.9m across the 2021/22 campaign, the weight of expectation on the shoulders of the 6 foot 3 powerhouse was enormous and a return to Stamford Bridge would either make or break him.

Unfortunately, the latter transpired as Lukaku would go down as one of the worst signings, not just in the club's history, but of all-time.

What went wrong for Lukaku at Chelsea?

Although Lukaku's disastrous spell on the books of Chelsea is still ongoing, initially it looked as though Tuchel would be a match made in heaven for the striker as he opened his account for the club with three goals in as many matches, including a brace against Aston Villa.

Speaking after his excellent display against the Villans, Tuchel expressed his delight, saying: “He was the difference.

“He wants to score and he wants to help the team with his goals. He has composure and confidence. He was super important. He adds something to the group that we did not have in this capacity before now.”

While Lukaku was playing with a point to prove in those initial matches, his second spell at Stamford Bridge would soon unravel into a nightmare, beginning with an injury in late October and continuing when he publicly admitted – months after he signed – that he wasn't happy with his situation at Chelsea, suggesting Tuchel has opted to play a system that doesn't suit his style of play.

"Physically I am fine. But I'm not happy with the situation at Chelsea," Lukaku told Sky in Italy [Via talkSPORT] in an interview that took place in December 2021.

"Tuchel has chosen to play with another system – I won't give up, I'll be professional. I am not happy with the situation but I am professional – and I can't give up now."

If the knife wasn't already stabbed into Tuchel's back enough, he went deeper by saying he regrets the way he left former club Inter Milan and vowed to go back to the San Siro – and would be granted his wish in the following season as he returned on loan, with the Italian side paying £6.9m (€8m) for his services.

Now on loan at Roma, linking up with former manager Mourinho, Lukaku has scored four goals in his first six appearances for the club as Chelsea hope to finally offload their "biggest flop" – as dubbed by the journalist Jonny Bentley – once and for all. That won't be before he's cost them the best part of £114m, though, when considering salary and transfer fee.

Manchester United chiefs are not happy with Erik ten Hag, with a new report sharing one thing the club are concerned about the Dutchman.

Could Man Utd sack Ten Hag?

The Red Devils have endured a tricky start to the new campaign, losing four of their eight Premier League fixtures so far and suffering back-to-back defeats in the Champions League.

As a result, there has been speculation over the future of the 53-year-old, who was asked if he was concerned about his future earlier this month, to which Ten Hag said:

"Last season: brilliant, terrific, more than we could expect but also when we went into this project we knew there would be common gaps and in this moment we are in a very difficult period, as everyone can see.

"But we come out together, we are fighting together, we are sticking together, behind each other, it's me, the directors, the team, all together, we will fight and this is not us. We know we have to do better and in togetherness we will come out."

Recent reports on Ten Hag’s future have claimed that the club are not yet thinking of sacking the manager following his impressive first season at Old Trafford, however, it looks as if club officials aren’t impressed with one aspect of his management.

Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey shared a Man Utd update on Ten Hag on Monday, claiming those at Old Trafford are not happy with the Dutchman on the way he has recently handled the situation of three players.

It is believed that the club hierarchy are majorly concerned about how Ten Hag has managed some of his squad, including Harry Maguire, Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho, and feel he may lack the skills needed to manage a dressing room full of high-profile players.

Man Utd news; Maguire, Sancho and Greenwood latest

The three players in question have been a hot topic of conversation in recent months, with Greenwood sent out on loan to Spanish side Getafe during the summer window, with the latest Greenwood transfer reports saying he could move to La Liga on a permanent basis. Meanwhile, Sancho has been left out of the squad since the beginning of September, with Ten Hag citing training issues as his reason. Recent reports on Sancho's future say he too could be on the way out of the club.

Maguire has turned out under Ten Hag recently after being stripped of the captaincy over the summer, however, the latest Maguire transfer news has claimed that the centre-back’s agent is actively looking for a move away in January as he looks to save his England career.

Ten Hag hasn’t had it easy at Old Trafford, with a decision also being made on Cristiano Ronaldo last year, and the way he has dealt with Maguire, Sancho and Greenwood doesn’t look like it’s been taken well by those higher up at the club, so if things don't turn around on the pitch, he may come under pressure soon.