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Nottingham Forest are seemingly testing the waters for long-term heirs to star midfielder Elliot Anderson, with the Englishman now a man in serious demand.

Elliot Anderson attracts serious interest ahead of 2026

Anderson has emerged as one of English football’s most coveted midfielders following his sensational performances for Forest this season, with Man City reportedly establishing themselves as frontrunners for his signature despite the club’s eye-watering £100 million asking price.

The 23-year-old has exploded onto the scene at Forest since departing Newcastle in 2024, a move that originally stemmed from the Magpies’ PSR pressures.

Anderson has transformed into one of England’s brightest prospects, establishing himself as a near-certainty for Thomas Tuchel’s squad at the 2026 World Cup.

City have especially been ‘captivated’ by Anderson’s abilities, with Etihad scouts apparently watching the midfielder over ten times this season (Sky Switzerland).

Reports suggest Pep Guardiola views Anderson as the perfect successor to Rodri and an ideal fit for his system, appreciating the youngster’s versatility to operate as either a holding midfielder or box-to-box number eight.

Most significantly, Anderson is said to have privately informed his representatives that City are his preferred destination should he leave the City Ground.

This revelation provides the Premier League title contenders with a crucial advantage over fierce rivals Man United, who had identified Anderson as their priority midfield target for 2026.

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However, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis remains steadfast in his valuation, demanding fees potentially exceeding £100m for a player contracted until 2029.

Anderson has been exceptional for Forest throughout the campaign, winning more duels than any other player in the Premier League this season.

His combative presence, defensive tenacity and progressive passing have caught attention across Europe, with Liverpool also rumoured to be monitoring his situation closely.

Any departure remains unlikely until the summer, with Forest determined to retain their prized asset in January.

A standout tournament performance next summer could push Anderson’s valuation even higher, though his believed preference for Eastlands suggests City hold an advantage when negotiations eventually intensify.

As Sean Dyche faces the looming threat of his star midfielder next year, the Tricky Trees have begun succession planning.

Nottingham Forest make approach for Atalanta sensation Sergej Levak

According to TUTTOmercatoWEB reporter Andrea Losapio, Forest have made an enquiry to sign Atalanta Under-23 midfielder Sergej Levak.

The 19-year-old has impressed significantly since arriving from Roma last summer, making 13 appearances and scoring three goals in Serie C’s Group C during his debut professional campaign for Atalanta’s ‘B team’.

His performances have grabbed attention across multiple divisions, with Forest making a preliminary approach to gauge Levak’s availability.

Levak stands at a towering 6 foot 4 and combines technical ability with physical presence, earning comparisons to former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic.

Atalanta moved quickly to secure his signature ahead of strong competition from Genoa, Parma, Juventus and Inter Milan, who all explored routes to sign him through their respective Under-23 setups before promoting him to senior level.

Beyond Forest’s attention, several Serie C clubs alongside various European teams have shown interest in securing Levak’s services.

However, sources indicate Roma harbored doubts about his capabilities before his departure, making Atalanta’s swift intervention particularly shrewd business.

The Bergamo side are now faced with an important decision regarding Levak’s pathway. Options include allowing him to complete his debut season with the Under-23 side or entertaining January offers from clubs across different leagues.

The Croatian sensation is a fairly unknown quantity, but Forest’s interest perhaps indicates they have scouts working in Italy to identify top talent.

Manchester City have now moved into pole position in the race for an “incredible” star, with Pep Guardiola captivated by him.

Man City's January transfer plans taking shape

It is clear that Man City could do with bringing in some additional attacking firepower this January, given that Erling Haaland has scored more than half of their 27 Premier League goals this season, although Phil Foden is showing signs he could be getting back to his best.

City survived a scare to defeat Leeds United 3-2 on Saturday, with their academy graduate bagging a brace, scoring the all-important third goal in stoppage time.

However, with Haaland perhaps still in need of additional support in attack, the Blues are looking to sign a new forward, and they are now exploring a move for AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

Semenyo is not the only target though, with Guardiola’s side setting their sights on a new midfielder, amid Rodri being unable to overcome his injury woes, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson.

According to a report from Spain, Man City are now the clear favourites to sign Anderson, but they will have to shell out one of the highest transfer fees in their history to get a deal done, with a €100m (£88m) asking price being touted.

Guardiola has been left captivated by the midfielder, who has attracted interest from some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Manchester United and Liverpool, but City have now moved into pole position in the race for his signature.

The Blues’ financial resources should also give them the edge, and there is every indication he would be a fantastic addition to Guardiola’s squad…

"Incredible" Anderson has earned move to top club

The central midfielder has been nothing short of a revelation for both club and country this season, most recently putting in a top performance against Brighton & Hove Albion, despite Forest losing 2-0, winning more duels and completing more dribbles than any other player.

Elliot Anderson’s key statistics

Number completed

Dribbles

6

Duels (won)

17 (12)

Accurate passes

62/71 (87%)

Crosses (accurate)

13 (6)

Lauded as “incredible” by journalist Konstantinos Lianos, the Forest star has also received high praise from England manager Thomas Tuchel, who said: “He is an elite player with the right attitude and a lot of talent. He is fulfilling his role in the best way possible so we are very happy with him.”

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With Rodri still struggling on the injury front, it would be ideal to bring in a new midfielder who could help keep the pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race, and Anderson has proven himself as a top player this season.

Three days into the 2025 season, the biggest story in baseball was the New York Yankees' bats.

On the first Saturday of the year, the Yankees—using innovative "torpedo" bats exalted by announcer MIchael Kay—crushed the Milwaukee Brewers 20–9 and watched both leagues raise their respective eyebrows. Soon, the bats were everywhere.

Not even fancy bats, however, could stem the tide of regression to the mean. New York is now a good-but-not-great 8-6, and the extent to which its initial detonation may have been a sample-size mirage was on full display Sunday against the San Francisco Giants.

With his team up 1–0 in the second inning, shortstop Anthony Volpe swung out of his shoes and flung his "torpedo" bat into the stands.

"Somebody just caught the torpedo," Kay said as the fan who caught the bat could be seen feeling its barrel.

Volpe is slashing .240/.339/.540 with four home runs and 13 RBIs so far; it remains to be seen whether he can keep those career-best numbers up.

Travis Head returns to add more batting power but South Africa are able to call on Kagiso Rabada

Andrew McGlashan09-Aug-20252:34

The best of Cameron Green from the West Indies series

Big Picture: International cricket returns to DarwinThere was a little more riding on the outcome when these two teams met a couple of months ago at Lord’s, where South Africa wrote a new chapter in their history by claiming the World Test Championship title. This series is very much a stepping stone to the next global tournament: February’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.Both sides are in T20 mode. Australia have recently completed a 5-0 sweep of West Indies where their batting power stood out – and it’s been strengthened further for this series by the return of Travis Head – while South Africa were part of a tri-series in Zimbabwe where they fell short in the final against New Zealand with an experimental side.Related

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A few key names have returned for this trip, notably captain Aiden Markram and pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, but it also continues to be an exploration of South Africa’s depth and potential options ahead of the World Cup alongside getting further games into the likes of Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis and Kwena Maphaka.”Zimbabwe [T20I tri-series] was a valuable exercise and we obviously want to build on the good things in particular the form of our two young batters and someone like Kwena as well to continue to grow his stocks in T20 cricket,” coach Shukri Conrad said.Australia are staggering the return of their all-format quicks with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc continuing to rest ahead of the home summer, while Josh Hazlewood is back, although he is likely to have his workload managed. However, Nathan Ellis’ performances are raising the question as to whether it’s time to permanently split up the big three in this format.The other significant aspect of the opening matches of this series is that it sees a return of international cricket to Darwin in Australia’s Top End for the first time since 2008, when Bangladesh were the visitors. The opening match is a sellout with the second on Tuesday heading that way, too. The city is a likely host of a Test match against Bangladesh next year as Australia’s home season extends into the northern summer.Form guideAustralia WWWWW
South Africa LLWLWIn the spotlight: Mitchell Marsh and Dewald BrevisAustralia’s batting order came together impressively in the West Indies, but captain Mitchell Marsh was the one player to not make a significant contribution, with 81 runs in five innings. It won’t be a major concern with plenty of T20Is ahead for Marsh to hit his stride – and he’s locked in at the top alongside Head – but it would be an unwanted distraction should Marsh remain short of runs, especially given the plethora of top-order options available.South Africa have clearly earmarked Dewald Brevis as a likely World Cup player in the middle order•SA20There were some promising signs for Dewald Brevis in the Zimbabwe tri-series as he finished as South Africa’s leading run-scorer with 133 at a strike rate 187.32, although he couldn’t quite see them home in the final. Those were Brevis’ first T20Is since his debut, which came against Australia in 2023, a year after he flayed an astonishing 162 off 57 balls in the domestic one-day competition. South Africa have clearly earmarked him as a likely World Cup player in the middle order.Team news: Hazlewood likely to return, Pretorius may miss outMatt Short continues his recovery from the side strain he picked up in the West Indies, and will miss the first two games of the series which partly eases the batting squeeze for now. Marsh confirmed he and Head would open – and are set to be the duo for the World Cup – which will see Glenn Maxwell return to the middle order and Mitchell Owen potentially being as low as No. 7. Hazlewood will strengthen the pace attack, although he may not play every match. Matt Kuhnemann is part of the squad should an extra spinner be needed.Australia (possible): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Cameron Green, 5 Tim David, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Mitchell Owen, 8 Ben Dwarshuis, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodSouth Africa’s top order is bolstered by the return of Markram and Ryan Rickelton, which may see 19-year Pretorius squeezed out of the XI. Left-arm spinner George Linde took on an allrounder’s role at No. 6 in Zimbabwe and could continue in that capacity.South Africa (possible): 1 Aiden Markram (capt), 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 George Linde, 7 Prenelan Subrayen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Lungi NgidiMitchell Owen could bat as low at No. 7•AFP via Getty ImagesPitch and conditionsGiven Darwin is effectively starting again as an international venue after such a long gap, there is some uncertainty over what the conditions will be like, although there shouldn’t be anything untoward in the surface. The forecast, for both matches, is good with mild, dry evenings.Stats and trivia The last time Darwin hosted an international, Australia were captained by Michael Clarke. These two teams have not met in T20Is since 2023, when Australia came out 3-0 winners in South Africa. Maxwell needs four wickets to reach 50 in T20Is. He will become just the fourth men’s player to score 2500 runs and take 50 wickets in the format. Since the start of 2024, Australia have the highest batting strike rate in T20Is.Quotes”They’ve some young guys that have, I guess, burst onto the scene over the last couple of years. That’s always exciting for international cricket, and provides us with a different challenge, but certainly looking forward to coming up against them.”
.”You can see these guys are raring to go. It’s great having the experience back – Aiden’s leadership and then obviously the leadership roles that someone like Kagiso plays. So, really excited about this next couple of weeks. We know it’s going to be a great challenge.”
.

It is fair to say that the end of the summer transfer window did not go exactly to plan for Celtic in their attempts to bolster the attacking options in the squad.

Brendan Rodgers wanted to add more firepower to his frontline by bringing in a new number nine, whilst he also allowed Adam Idah to leave to sign for Swansea.

The Ireland international scored 20 goals in all competitions for the Hoops last season, per Transfermarkt, and his exit left Johnny Kenny and Shin Yamada as the only natural strikers at the club.

Unfortunately, Celtic were unable to bring a new centre-forward to Parkhead on deadline day. Instead, they signed Kelechi Iheanacho on a free transfer the day after deadline day, and he has scored three goals for the club to date.

The Nigeria international has scored one goal from open play, along with two penalties, and missed four ‘big chances’ in six appearances so far, per Sofascore.

Celtic did make a signing on deadline day, though, as they brought Sebastian Tounekti in from Hammarby for a fee of around £5m, and he has hit the ground running in Glasgow.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Sebastian Tounekti

Typically, crowds love to watch exciting wingers who take their man on and make things happen with the ball at their feet, because it creates excitement and gets fans off their seats.

Tounekti is that sort of winger. The Tunisia international could be described as fearless in the way that he is willing to try and try and try again to dribble past opposition defenders.

He completed five of his eight attempted dribbles and created four chances for his teammates against Kilmarnock, per Sofascore, on his debut for the club in the Scottish Premiership last month.

The 23-year-old star, who scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup against Partick Thistle, has completed 14 dribbles in five appearances for the club in the Premiership and the Europa League to date.

He has been an electric figure on the left flank for the Scottish giants with his ability to whiz past opposition full-backs with ease to get into promising positions in the final third.

Sebastian Tounekti

5

14

James Forrest

9

11

Benjamin Nygren

9

7

Daizen Maeda

9

5

Colby Donovan

4

4

As you can see in the table above, Tounekti has the most completed dribbles of any player in the Celtic squad, despite playing four fewer matches than the three players who are closest to his tally.

One thing that you may notice about that table is that summer signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who is a winger, does not make it into the top five at the club for completed dribbles.

That is because he has not completed a single dribble in five appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been a bit too timid with the ball at his feet so far for the Bhoys.

Whilst that suggests that he is unlikely to follow in Tounekti’s footsteps as an exciting and dynamic wing wizard, Rodgers does have another Celtic player who can get supporters off their feet with exciting wing play.

Chalkboard

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

Jota suffered an ACL injury in May against Dundee United that ruled him out of action for up to nine months, which means that the Hoops may not have him back until the second half of this season.

Once the former Rennes and Al Ittihad star does return to the field at Parkhead to play for Rodgers, though, the manager could have another Tounekti at his disposal.

Why Jota is the original Tounekti

The Portuguese starlet signed for, left, and rejoined Celtic before Tounekti arrived in Glasgow on deadline day at the start of September, but is currently on the sidelines because of his injury.

Jota produced 25 goals and 23 assists in the Premiership and European competitions across his two seasons at the club under Ange Postecoglou’s management, which attracted interest from Al Ittihad.

The electric forward joined the Saudi Pro League side for a fee of £25m in a move that was a blow for the Scottish giants, because he was their most exciting attacking outlet.

1

Jota – 1.7

Jota – 1.5

2

Tom Rogic – 1.6

Alexandro Bernabei – 1.5

3

Mikey Johnston – 1.3

Anthony Ralston – 1.0

4

Anthony Ralston – 0.9

Reo Hatate – 0.8

5

James Forrest – 0.9

Greg Taylor – 0.8

As you can see in the table above, Jota was the most prolific dribbler in the squad in both of his first two seasons at Parkhead with Postecoglou in the dugout, which shows that he was the original Tounekti.

Of course, the Portugal international returned to Celtic in the January transfer window this year, joining from Rennes, and he hit the ground running at the start of his second spell in Glasgow.

The 26-year-old star scored four goals and provided two assists in 11 Premiership appearances in the second half of last season, whilst completing 1.6 dribbles per 90, per Sofascore.

Jota, who pundit Michael Stewart described as a “game-changer” who “raises the bar”, gets fans off their seats in anticipation because he takes defenders on and makes things happen in the final third.

Along with his dribbling skills, the Portuguese talent also has the output, with his return of goals and assists, to give supporters the belief that he will score or create a goal when he gets the ball in dangerous positions.

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Therefore, Rodgers will be patiently waiting for Jota to be available for selection once again, because the manager will then have two electric and exciting wingers to select on the flank in Tounekti and the former Benfica star.

As Nuno Espirito Santo looks to solve their goalscoring problem, one striker has reportedly “definitely” emerged as a January transfer target for West Ham United.

West Ham's striker problem

It’s a problem that Michail Antonio covered for a number of years and one that Jarrod Bowen is desperately attempting to do without his former teammate, but one that is simply not going away. West Ham simply lack goals. Take away their captain’s output and the Hammers have scored just three goals in seven Premier League games, despite welcoming new striker Callum Wilson in the summer.

On Nuno’s list of priorities, a new striker must sit at the absolute top. Neither Niclas Fullkrug or Wilson are likely to take the role as talisman in years to come, given that they’re both in their 30s, and that should ring alarm bells about the summer transfer window that West Ham just endured.

As much as Graham Potter struggled, it’s clear that the Hammers should have signed a striker at the peak of their powers when they had the chance in the summer.

2025/26 PL goals

Goals

Bowen

3

Fullkrug

0

Wilson

1

Just who arrives is the question. The likes of Joshua Zirkzee have already been linked with shock moves to the London Stadium in 2026 and there’s no doubt that he could return to his best away from Manchester United. Like Wilson and Fullkrug, however, Zirkzee has not shown the type of form in front of goal that the Hammers need.

Nuno was bought in to solve West Ham’s current problems, but he must be backed with an attacking addition when the winter window swings open. To do that, the Hammers could use the upcoming World Cup and one player’s desire to make Thomas Tuchel’s England squad to their full advantage.

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A loan deal would certainly suit West Ham too. It would likely mean a discount on the forward’s hefty £22m-a-year wages in Saudi Arabia and there’s no doubt that the 29-year-old is still capable of finding the back of the net in the Premier League.

After scoring eight goals in 10 games in all competitions this season, Toney would be an excellent addition for West Ham as they look to finally solve their striker problem. Whether the forward is granted a January exit remains to be seen, however.

Tottenham Hotspur have come on leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, as seen by some of the achievements on the field under various managers.

Ange Postecoglou may have been handed his marching orders over the summer window, but he managed to achieve something which various managers have failed to do in North London.

The Aussie claimed the Europa League title with a victory over fellow Premier League side Manchester United in Bilbao, subsequently ending the 17-year trophy drought.

However, it wasn’t enough to keep his job, with the 60-year-old replaced by Thomas Frank, with the Dane tasked with the responsibility of taking the Lilywhites to the next level.

Their ability to win the Europa League has allowed the club to feature in the Champions League, whilst also recruiting some top-level talent in the process.

How Spurs struck gold in Daniel Levy's final window

During the recent summer window, Frank made a beeline to improve his forward line, subsequently making a move to land Mohammed Kudus from rivals West Ham United.

The Ghanaian cost a reported £55m during the off-season, but he’s already shown glimpses of being a shrewd addition for the Lilywhites in 2025/26 and beyond.

He’s registered five assists in his first ten outings in North London, as per Transfermarkt, with the forward also getting off the mark during the recent 2-1 win over Leeds United, lashing home from just outside the box.

Kudus wasn’t the only big-money addition during the off-season, with the hierarchy also forking out £52m for the signature of attacking midfielder Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig.

A new number ten was on the agenda all summer long, subsequently landing the Dutchman after missing out on the likes of Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White prior to his arrival.

The 22-year-old has so far made seven outings across all competitions, but unlike Kudus, he’s failed to find the net and has also only registered one assist in the process.

Despite the aforementioned additions, one other player in the first-team is rapidly becoming a better signing than the pair after establishing himself in Frank’s plans.

The Spurs star who’s becoming a better signing than Kudus & Simons

Over the last couple of years, Spurs haven’t been afraid to splash the cash to help them achieve their goals on the pitch, with the hierarchy spending well over £400m in the last three years.

Numerous areas of the pitch have been subject to investment, as seen by the additions within the final third, but the defensive unit has also been bolstered in recent years.

The partnership of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero at the heart of the backline has already contributed to Frank’s side keeping five clean sheets in 2025/26 to date.

However, the middle of the park is arguably one of the most important, with Lucas Bergvall already making huge strides after the Dane took the reins during the off-season.

The Swede was an unknown quantity to many a little over 12 months ago, when the hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £8.5m for his services from Djurgarden.

Yet, swiftly said to possess “a first touch like Modric” by the Athletic’s JJ Bull, at the age of just 18 when he moved to England, the midfielder made an immediate impact during his debut campaign – racking up 45 appearances across all competitions.

Whilst he’s primarily a deep-lying option, he managed to net his first goal for the club in the Carabao Cup semi-final over Liverpool – but it was unable to catapult the side to the final.

The 2025/26 campaign has seen the youngster go from strength to strength, already featuring in ten outings under Frank and leading to Squawka describing him as “incredible”.

Bergvall has already added to his goalscoring tally, netting his first English top-flight effort in the recent 3-0 triumph over West Ham at the London Stadium.

Games played

6

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

84%

Dribble success

70%

Tackles won

2.2

Duels won

5.2

Recoveries made

3.9

Shots taken

1.5

His underlying stats this season are just as impressive, making 2.2 tackles per 90 and winning 5.2 duels per 90 – subsequently showcasing his excellent ability to regain possession for the side, before transferring the ball into attacking areas for the likes of Kudus and Simons.

The Swede has also achieved an 84% pass completion rate, whilst also completing 70% of the dribbles he’s attempted – arguably being the perfect box-to-box option at the heart of the team.

At just 19, it’s scary to think about how impressive Bergvall can become in the years ahead, especially if he continues on the trajectory he’s put himself on in recent months.

There’s no disputing that Kudus and Simons will be excellent additions in the near future, but the move for Bergvall was a bargain and one that could go down as one of the best in their history if he reaches his full potential.

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Barcelona have created a detailed recovery plan to ensure Lamine Yamal is fully fit for the upcoming Clasico against Real Madrid. The 18-year-old winger has been battling a groin injury but continues to train individually under strict supervision. The club aim to gradually reintroduce him to the team by limiting his playing time in the build up to the showdown against Madrid.

Barcelona design recovery plan to have Yamal ready for El Clasico

According to , Yamal is working relentlessly at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper as Barcelona aim to get him back to full fitness in time for the Clasico against Madrid on October 26. The teenager suffered an injury relapse during the Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, but early signs of recovery have been very positive. The club’s medical team have created a progressive training plan that focuses on gradual workload increases and specific strengthening exercises. 

Yamal is training five consecutive days this week, and if everything goes according to plan, the winger will feature against Girona later this month for 30–45 minutes, followed by a potential start against Olympiacos in the Champions League all with one goal in mind: to be fully ready for the Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALFlick’s trust and Yamal’s determination drive Barcelona’s push

Hansi Flick has made it clear that the youngster’s availability for the Clasico is non-negotiable, as the Catalan giants prepare for a fixture that could have a major impact on their La Liga title chase. Despite his youth, Yamal’s maturity has impressed the coaching staff. He has fully committed to the club’s plan, resisting the temptation to rush his recovery. Both the player and medical department remain optimistic that he’ll be 100% fit by the time they face Los Blancos.

Spain and Barcelona clash over injury management

The winger's situation has also sparked tension between Barcelona and Spain’s national team. La Roja coach Luis de la Fuente responded to Flick’s earlier criticism about how the national team managed Yamal’s fitness, saying he was “surprised” by the lack of empathy from a former coach. While De la Fuente defended Spain’s approach, Barca remain cautious about the winger’s workload, especially given his importance to both club and country.

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Getty Images SportBarca hope for key returns before Girona clash

Barcelona are not only focused on Yamal’s recovery the club are also expecting positive updates on Fermin Lopez and Raphinha. Both players are close to returning from muscle injuries and could be included in the squad against Girona to regain match rhythm. After disappointing results against PSG and Sevilla, Flick hopes the return of key attacking options will help the team rediscover form ahead of a crucial run of fixtures. The upcoming games could define their momentum heading into one of the most anticipated Clasicos in recent memory.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is currently assessing the remainder of his squad that haven’t gone out on international duty, and the Italian has promised one thing to a highly-rated youngster who’s now looking to turn heads at Cobham.

The Blues take on Brentford in their first game back from the break, four days before a blockbuster opening Champions League game against Bayern Munich at Stamford Bridge on September 17.

After a summer of trimming down Maresca’s squad, partly to comply with UEFA as Chelsea looked to register a ‘positive transfer balance’, Maresca named a 23-man squad for his European A-list — notably missing out summer signing Facundo Buonanotte.

Goalkeepers: Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen

Defenders: Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah,

Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, Jorrel Hato,

Reece James.

Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Dario Essugo, Enzo Fernández, Andrey Santos.

Forwards: Liam Delap, Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto,

Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Estevao.

Bomb squad members Axel Disasi and Raheem Sterling were unsurprisingly omitted, with reports still suggesting the pair could leave soon, even after the UK transfer window shut its doors at 7pm on Monday.

Disasi has been subject to an approach from Saudi side Neom SC, while former Man United chief scout Mick Brown believes Chelsea could terminate Raheem Sterling’s deal in a bid to rid the club of his £325,000-per-week wages.

As we’ve seen from the last window, you can never rule anything out at Chelsea, with Liam Delap’s injury prompting BlueCo to both re-negotiate a more favourable exit for Nicolas Jackson whilst recalling Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland.

The teenager was also named in Maresca’s Champions League A-list squad, so the intention to play him is crystal clear, and Guiu is believed to have received the Chelsea boss’ word on a key issue.

The former Barcelona gem was set to further his development with more guaranteed game time at Sunderland, and had already made his mark by scoring for Regis Le Bris’ side in the EFL Cup against Huddersfield Town.

Marc Guiu desperate to impress in Chelsea training after Maresca promise

Now back in west London, Guiu is desperate to impress in Chelsea training, with Maresca promising the 19-year-old that he will be handed game time in the coming weeks.

That is according to GiveMeSport, who state that the Spaniard has set his sights on dazzling Maresca behind-the-scenes as he looks to stake his claim in the Chelsea squad.

It is also noted that, if Guiu can prove to be a constant threat in the final third, then there will be a chance for him to become a prominent figure in the club’s plans moving forward.

The youngster scored six goals in seven Conference League appearances last term, playing a major role in the group stages before missing out on nearly every knockout game with a hamstring injury — bar a three-minute cameo in the final.

The signing of Xavi Simons marks nearly a month-long pursuit for Tottenham Hotspur to find their James Maddison replacement.

In a World Cup year, this was set to be an important campaign for the Englishman, who was notably excluded from England’s squad at the European Championships.

More heartbreak has befallen Maddison, set to miss most of the 2025/26 campaign with an ACL injury.

Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White were the main targets but the former joined Arsenal instead and the latter was handed a shiny new contract by Mr Marinakis at Nottingham Forest.

So, Simons ended up being the man, penning terms after Spurs agreed to pay RB Leipzig £51m to attain his signature.

Yet, the Lilywhites may not be done there.

Spurs could conclude one last deal

If Spurs are to conclude any last-minute deals then it’s likely to be in attack. Dominic Solanke has picked up another injury problem while Richarlison has had his own setbacks throughout his time in the capital.

As such, going into the campaign without another forward player signed could be a recipe for disaster as far as Thomas Frank and Co are concerned.

A number of players have been linked in recent days, notably Lucas Paqueta and Ademola Lookman, but the more likely name to join is Manchester City winger, Savinho.

A number of weeks ago reports emerged that stated Spurs were in talks to sign the Brazilian winger and indeed, the Lilywhites are still trying to conclude a deal worth around £69m.

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City are reluctant to sell but the 21-year-old is trying to force through a move in the remaining hours of the transfer window, having been left frustrated by his club’s stance.

Now, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, both player and club are trying to make a deal happen.

Bailey states that Spurs “love” Savinho, suggesting that a deal “is not dead in the water yet”. That’s presumably due to the player’s stance.

Indeed, the report further notes that the Brazilian is ‘keen to make the switch’, with his desire to leave a factor that could ‘yet make the deal possible’.

Why Xavi Simons would love playing alongside Savinho

The addition of Simons in the last few days is undoubtedly a landmark addition for the Lilywhites.

He will bring goals, having scored 11 times last season, and he will bring assists, registering eight in all competitions throughout 2024/25.

Simons – Bundesliga (2024/25)

Stats (per 90)

Tally

Games

25

Goals & assists

17

Pass accuracy

83%

Chances created

2.2

Successful dribbles

1.4

Tackles won

75%

Duels won

5.7

Stats via FotMob

The Dutchman is certainly one of the best playmakers in European football and at the age of just 22, he’s only going to get better.

Combine his playmaking ability with the creativity of Savinho and you have a duel threat that could transform the fortunes of Frank’s attack.

While Spurs didn’t struggle to fashion chances against Burnley and Manchester City, scoring five goals, they really did against Bournemouth on Saturday. Spurs managed just five total shots to Andoni Iraola’s side’s 20, and they failed to carve out a single big chance.

Therefore, Simons and Savinho could work in tandem to boost the forward line. After all, they are two of the most creative players in Europe.

Last season, while the Brazilian struggled in front of goal with just three strikes, he was particularly creative.

A “superstar in the making”, in the words of Paul Merson, the 21-year-old contributed with 13 assists in all competitions. As such, he ranked among the top 13% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues for assists per 90 minutes.

He also sits inside the best 3% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons, rubberstamping his credentials as one of the most exciting wide players on the continent.

Those numbers draw similarities to the likes of Bukayo Saka and Florian Wirtz, with FBref declaring the two Premier League stars as some of the most similar players in Europe to Savinho.

That creative and progressive nature would make him a phenomenal player for Simons, a player who possesses very similar traits.

Indeed, over the last year, the former Leipzig man ranks among the best 13% of players in his position for progressive passes. With Savinho, a willing runner, and Simons, a willing creator, this feels like a match made in heaven for Spurs.

What this would open up are multiple areas of attack. Simons would have the remarkable pace of Brennan Johnson to feed and then he’d also have the more skilful nature of Kudus and Savinho to tee up.

It really does feel like Frank would be covering all bases behind the main centre forward if this occurred.

Related Better signing than Simons: Spurs to send bid for £35m star in coming hours

Tottenham are looking to seal one or two more signings before the end of the transfer window.

Posts 2 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 28, 2025