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2025 will be a much-needed year of mass-change at Everton.

Last Sunday, the Toffees waved goodbye to Goodison Park, their home since 1892, following a 2-0 victory over Southampton, with Iliman Ndiaye the scorer of both goals.

Meanwhile, this year, David Moyes has returned as manager, 12 years after departing for Manchester United, while the Friedkin Group have taken over as the new owners, bringing to an end the miserable Farhad Moshiri era.

So, before moving into their brand-new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, will the Toffees sign one of Britain’s most highly-rated wingers?

Everton targeting a historic move

According to a report by Paul Joyce, of The Times, Everton are eyeing up a move for Ben Doak this summer to bolster their options in the wide areas.

The journalist claims that the Toffees are ‘showing an interest’ in the Scotland international, as Moyes plots a controversial move for the flanker.

The 19-year-old spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough from… wait for it… Liverpool, which would certainly make this a historic move, as the table below outlines.

Players transfering from one Merseyside club to the other

Player

Year

Everton to Liverpool (1945-present)

Abel Xavier

2002

Nick Barmby

2000

Dave Hickson

1959

Tony McNamara

1957

John Heydon

1949

Liverpool to Everton (1945-present)

Gary Ablett

1992

Peter Beardsley

1991

Alan Harper

1983

Kevin Sheedy

1982

David Johson

1982

Johnny Morrissey

1962

Jimmy Payne

1956

Information courtesy of FBref.com and Goal

As the table shows, not since Gary Ablett 33 years ago have Everton bought a player from Liverpool, but could that be about to change?

How Ben Doak would improve Everton

Aside from the trio of relegated clubs, Everton are the lowest scorers in this season’s Premier League with just 41, so they certainly require more attacking firepower.

Back in March, Moyes stated that he required more “assists and goals” from wingers Jesper Lindstrøm and Jack Harrison, and the latter duly responded to this call to arms, opening the scoring against Wolves at Molineux the next day.

Nevertheless, this remains Harrison’s only goal of the season; his most recent before that came against Tottenham all the way back on 3 February 2024, underlining that this is a department in which the Blues could upgrade.

So, let’s asses how he compares to target Doak.

Jack Harrison vs Ben Doak 2024/25 comparison

Statisitcs

Harrison

Ben Doak

Appearances

37

24

Minutes

2,091

1,789

Goals

1

3

Assists

1

7

Shots on target %

25%

51.9%

Goals – xG

-2.5

-1.4

Big chances created

6

7

Progressive carries

71

134

Attempted take-ons

74

99

Take-on success %

31.1%

35.4%

Carries into penalty area

16

80

Shot-creating actions

56

82

Goal-creating actions

4

11

Touches per 90

42

47

Average Sofascore Rating

6.69

7.03

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table outlines, even though he played around 300 fewer minutes, largely due to a season-ending thigh injury suffered in early-March, Doak’s statistics are universally more impressive than Harrison’s, with the caveat that he was playing in the EFL Championship which, according to Global Football Rankings, is the 11th strongest league in the world.

Doak was, without question, one of the best dribblers in the Championship this season, as highlighted in the table.

Ben Doak dribbling statistics: EFL Championship 2024/25

Statistics

Doak

Championship rank

Minutes

1,778

270th

Progressive carries

134

8th

Attempted take-ons

99

26th

Carries into penalty area

80

2nd

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As the table below emphasises, despite limited minutes, Doak’s dribbling prowess came to the fore his season, with only Burnley’s Jaidon Anthony, who played almost 1,900 more minutes, registering more carries into the opposition penalty area.

This has earned the Scotland international rave reviews, with journalist Henry Winter labelling him a “huge prospect”, former Liverpool Danny Murphy midfield described him as a “super quick, explosive winger,” while Ange Postecoglou, who gave him his senior debut at Celtic, called him a “fantastic kid”.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes he is an ‘old fashioned winger’ who is ‘capable’ of playing on both flanks, and possess ‘elite technical abilities’.

Thus, it is indisputable that Doak is a massive talent who would improve Everton.

Whether they’d be able to do a deal with Liverpool to secure his services is another question entirely!

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Posts ByBen Gray May 23, 2025

Newcastle United are in the market for new blood this summer and could now have taken one step closer to landing a reported target following a recent scouting mission.

Newcastle's Champions League hopes set to define summer window

Over the weekend, the Magpies defied pressure on their shoulders by claiming a vital three points over Chelsea that has put them in pole position to seal a Champions League qualification slot. Eddie Howe knows that a victory over Arsenal next weekend will effectively clinch their place in Europe’s Premier competition before a final day at home to Everton that will be savoured by supporters.

Crucially, Newcastle’s return to the Champions League will provide greater scope to bring marquee arrivals to the North East to join PIF’s ambitious vision for the club. Per reports, Bryan Mbeumo is said to be their top target after a brilliant campaign for Brentford that has also drawn the attention of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

Harvey Elliott is another high-profile star on Newcastle’s radar and there is growing suspicion that the Magpies are now set to put forward a formal proposal for the England Under-21 international.

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Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson May 11, 2025

For now, finishing as high in the Premier League table will take precedence for the Magpies. They still have a chance of sealing an impressive achievement of claiming second place, which would stack up nicely next to their EFL Cup triumph.

Moving towards regular title challenges will be the eventual aim for Newcastle, who now have a talented defender in their sights that could help them on their journey.

Newcastle send scouts to watch Brentford defender Nathan Collins

According to TBR, Newcastle sent scouts to watch Brentford defender Nathan Collins against Ipswich Town on Saturday as he helped the Bees keep a clean sheet in a vital 1-0 victory that has kept their European hopes alive.

Sending representatives to take in his performance is a sign of growing interest in the 28-cap Republic of Ireland international, who is also wanted by Arsenal following a string of excellent displays this term.

Nathan Collins’ impressive season for Brentford – Premier League

Tackles won

22

Aerial duels won

118

Interceptions

33

Recoveries

154

Duels won

187

Pass accuracy

86.3%

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is another on the radar heading into the summer, which won’t come as too much of a surprise due to Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar heading towards the latter stage of their respective careers.

Labelled “fantastic” by John O’Shea, Collins has registered an impressive two goals and five assists in 40 appearances across all competitions this season. With room to develop further at 24-years-old, the Leixlip-born man would be an ideal addition for the Geordies to add strength in depth at the back as they look forward to another exciting campaign under Howe.

Liverpool have a “growing interest” in completing the signing of a “crazy” talent who has already held contract negotiations with Real Madrid, leaving the Spanish club trying to speed things up.

Liverpool rivlary with Madrid continues over Huijsen deal

The Reds have almost become renowned for being relatively frugal in the transfer market under owners FGS, with both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot often tasked with working their magic with a smaller squad than some of their rivals.

This summer is reportedly going to be one of the busiest in years at Liverpool, however, with Slot set to be handed lots of funds for new signings, as they seek to replace Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold for starters, with a deal for Jeremie Frimpong nearing completion.

Reds captain Virgil van Dijk has put an element of pressure on owners FSG, saying he expects lots of money to be spent in the coming weeks and months.

The man who could have become the skipper’s successor looks to be following Alexander-Arnold to Madrid however, with the Spaniards pulling ahead in the race for Dean Huijsen. Indeed, Florentino Perez’s side have approached Bournemouth over a £50m deal and are discussing personal terms with the young defender.

Madrid are now leading the race for the Cherries star ahead of the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, and after seemingly missing out to their European rivals again, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have turned their attentions further up the pitch.

Liverpool have "growing interest" in Messi-like youngster

According to a fresh report from Sport [via Sport Witness], Liverpool have a “growing interest” in River Plate midfielder Franco Mastantuono, who has a £38m release clause in his current deal.

The 17-year-old is considered one of Argentina’s brightest young talents, with Manchester United and Madrid also interested in signing him. In fact, Madrid even agreed a contract with the player last year, and while a deal didn’t go through then, they are now hurriedly speeding up their interest in fear of missing out to the Reds.

Mastantuono looks like an incredible prospect, so Liverpool should be doing all they can to beat United and Madrid to his signature in the summer window.

At just 17, the Argentine has already racked up 59 appearances for River Plate, bagging 16 goal contributions in that time (nine goals and seven assists), and analyst Ben Mattinson has called his talent “crazy”, also saying he is a “leader”.

Meanwhile, FIFA have even compared him to Lionel Messi, which is the ultimate praise: “He has a different, special aesthetic. The stretched, slender, elegant body. He receives with his foot and the game options seem to multiply. From right to left. With the inside edge or the instep. With the toe or the outside of the boot. Franco Mastantuono, the new promise -figure- of River Plate, 17 years old, has the complete repertoire.”

An attacking midfielder by trade, Mastantuono could arrive at Liverpool as a squad player to begin with, but given the heights he is reaching in his homeland, he could end up becoming a superstar at Anfield.

The solution to finding form as a Manchester United player? On current evidence, it would seem that sealing a move away is the perfect answer.

Having stepped out of the intense spotlight at Old Trafford, a number of individuals have rediscovered their groove elsewhere, with Marcus Rashford notably reaching double figures for goals and assists in just 17 games on loan at Aston Villa.

Even the much-maligned Antony – a player who arguably ranks among the worst signings in Premier League history, considering the limp return on his £86m investment – has dazzled for Real Betis in recent months, with five goals and four assists in 18 games out in Spain.

Perhaps the biggest success story, however, lies with Scott McTominay, with the towering midfielder spearheading Napoli’s Scudetto charge, having scored 11 Serie A goals in 2024/24 – including five in his last three league outings.

Were United and INEOS right to let him go?

Why Man Utd sold Scott McTominay

A miserable 2023/24 campaign under Erik ten Hag was one of few bright spots – excluding the FA Cup final triumph to round things off – although the displays of McTominay were one element to shout about, with the Scotland star scoring ten goals in all competitions.

That stellar impact included memorable efforts like his stoppage-time brace against Brentford to seal a 2-1 win at Old Trafford, as well as his opener in the 4-3 thriller with Liverpool, having become a figure whom the Dutchman could rely upon.

Having had just a year left on his deal heading into last summer, however – and with United feeling the need to comply with PSR regulations – the new INEOS regime took the decision to cash in on the 28-year-old, raking in £25m of ‘pure profit’.

That sale – which allowed the Red Devils to subsequently sign fellow midfielder, Manuel Ugarte – was one that Ten Hag certainly didn’t agree with, having later admitted that he “didn’t want” to sell a player who he labelled as having “Manchester United in his veins”.

Not only were there financial benefits to that decision to sell, but the problem for McTominay was the lack of an obvious starting berth in the side, having actually only started 27 games in that final campaign at the club.

The 6 foot 4 ace – as his goal return showcased – was not defensive-minded enough to operate as a deep-lying midfielder, while it was also unlikely for him to be able to dislodge captain Bruno Fernandes in a number ten berth.

In the end, McTominay was parachuted in as something of a makeshift striker or false nine in the final weeks of the season, albeit with that hardly representing a long-term solution.

As it is, despite being a reliable presence loved by his manager and a player who had starred last term, a permanent place in the side looked unlikely moving forward. Could the same now be set to occur with one of his former colleagues?

The Man Utd star facing McTominay repeat

As alluded to, McTominay lacked that real quality in a defensive sense to thrive at the base of the midfield, having ranked in the bottom 31% of midfielders in the Premier League for interceptions made per 90 in 2023/24, as well as in just the top 35% for tackles made per 90, as per FBref.

Equally, his ability on the ball, particularly creatively, could also be brought into question, as he ranked in just the bottom 8% for shot-creating actions, the bottom 8% for passes attempted and the bottom 17% for progressive passes.

In essence, despite his role as a box-crashing game-changer, McTominay couldn’t truly settle on a regular position under Ten Hag, with that a fate that could befall Noussair Mazraoui heading into next season.

First and foremost, the £12.9m arrival from Bayern Munich has proven to be an “outrageous bargain” amid a promising debut season in Manchester, in the words of journalist Liam Canning, having become the club’s ‘Mr Consistent’ due to his impressive availability and reliability.

Indeed, the Moroccan star has played 51 games in all competitions, with 34 of those coming under Ruben Amorim’s watch – the joint-most of any player since the Portuguese coach took charge.

Like McTominay was under Ten Hag, Mazraoui is a player beloved by his manager, with Amorim describing the 27-year-old as the “future of our team” back in December, while also later lauding the defender’s “amazing” work ethic.

Like McTominay too, however, there could be a case that in the new manager’s 3-4-3 set-up, the versatile asset is potentially too much of a jack of all trades, having floated between right wing-back, left wing-back or one of the centre-back berths.

With Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt and Ayden Heaven all in contention to feature at centre-back when fit – as well as the stricken Lisandro Martinez – there are more suitable long-term options than Mazraoui in those roles.

Equally, at wing-back, the former Ajax man’s lack of genuine attacking threat could also be his undoing in the long term, considering he has only registered three assists while failing to score this season.

Most tackles – Premier League (2024/25)

Player

Tackles

Idrissa Gueye

123

Daniel Munoz

109

Noussair Mazraoui

102

Moises Caicedo

100

Joao Gomes

99

Alexis Mac Allister

95

Victor Kristiansen

85

Tyrick Mitchell

85

Antonee Robinson

84

Youri Tielemans

82

Stats via Premier League

There’s no denying that Mazraoui – like McTominay before him – has been something of an unsung hero this term, not least considering he ranks third in the division for tackles made, but there does need to be questions asked over what his role will be on a permanent basis moving forward.

At present, the £135k-per-week star is proving invaluable due to his ability to cover up the club’s lingering injury woes with his positional flexibility, although once Amorim has been handed a summer to spend and settle on a side, will Mazraoui feature quite so prominently?

Again, in a similar mould to McTominay, such a valued squad member might not be afforded the starring role that his quality deserves.

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Posts ByRobbie Walls Apr 29, 2025

Manchester City have the opportunity to reach a third successive FA Cup final when they take on Nottingham Forest this afternoon at Wembley.

Pep Guardiola has won this competition twice, but will still be stinging from the defeat to Manchester United in the 2024 final.

Forest defeated City in the Premier League last month, but the Spaniard may have learned from this loss, and his side could reach another final.

They warmed up for the clash with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, but a few players weren’t quite at their best. İlkay Gündoğan was one, and he could return to the bench this afternoon.

Why Man City must drop İlkay Gündoğan

Guardiola operated with a 4-1-4-1 system against Villa, and Gundogan was one of the four midfielders tasked with providing opportunities for Kevin De Bruyne.

Despite playing for the full 90 minutes, the midfielder failed to register a single shot on goal, while he failed with his only dribble attempt.

Gundogan also lost possession seven times against the Midlands side and won just one of his three aerial duels.

For the semi-final clash against Forest, Guardiola must revert to a 4-2-3-1. Mateo Kovacic will reprise his role at the heart of the midfield, but for this game, winter signing Nico Gonzalez must be brought into the starting XI.

Why Nico Gonzalez must start for Man City

Gonzalez may have cost the club around £50m back in January, but he is already looking like a potential long-term heir to Rodri.

The midfielder has already featured 12 times for City in all competitions, even scoring against Real Madrid in the Champions League, although it wasn’t enough to see his club make it to the next round.

Across his eight Premier League matches for the club, the 23-year-old has averaged a 93% pass success rate, along with making 1.9 tackles, two clearances, and recovering 3.9 balls per game in the top flight.

Furthermore, the Spaniard wins 1.9 aerial duels per game – a success rate of 59% – while averaging 81.9 touches each match for City. These statistics show just how dependable he is at the heart of the pitch, because he rarely gives the ball away and is strong in his physical duels.

He was praised by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in July 2024, who said: “Nico González – 4 goals in FC Porto’s four friendly games this preseason. Simply superb in the second half of the 23/24. Technique, football IQ, and pure elegance.”

Nico Gonzalez’s stats in the PL for Man City

Metric

Per 90

Passes attempted

77.9

Pass completion percentage

92.9%

Aerial duels won

2.09

Passes into the final third

6.68

Touches

88.33

Via FBref

The move to Manchester hasn’t fazed him, and he now looks like an excellent signing. Settling in throughout the second half of the 2024/25 season appears to be a smart move by Guardiola, as Gonzalez will hit the ground running in August.

Moving back to a 4-2-3-1 system for the FA Cup semi-final could go a long way to seeing City reach yet another final. With Gonzalez and Kovacic at the base of the midfield, the attacking quartet will be given free rein to cause plenty of destruction.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington Apr 26, 2025

Leeds United’s Saturday lunchtime couldn’t have gone any better, with the Whites recording a priceless victory in the ongoing automatic promotion tussle in the Championship against Preston North End, whilst one of their rivals for the top two spots succumbed to a third straight defeat in the league.

That was Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United who shockingly fell to a late defeat at bottom-of-the-table Plymouth Argyle, with Leeds’ emotions very different at the final whistle away from the dour mood in Devon from the away stands.

The picture above encapsulates the mixture of both relief and jubliance inside Elland Road when the full-time whistle was sounded, with Manor Solomon standing out throughout as a top performer after gifting his promotion-chasing side the lead after just four minutes.

Solomon's performance in numbers vs Preston

With Daniel James confirmed to be out of the lunchtime clash when the lineup filtered through, Solomon must have been even more aware that he could be a hero for his team down the flanks, away from the energetic Welshman.

He instantly threw himself into the contest and was rewarded with a stunning early effort, with the Tottenham Hotspur loanee managing to curl this delightful effort past the opposition goalkeeper after the Whites’ patient passing approach paid off.

Preston would instantly fight back with an equaliser, but thankfully, the Championship’s table-toppers had more than enough in their system to get over the line and win, with Solomon a lively customer across the frantic 90 minutes.

Indeed, the 25-year-old winger would also turn provider when assisting Jayden Bogle’s winning goal, with the Spurs loan ace further completing four accurate crosses to try and make Leeds’ slim victory more comprehensive.

Whilst the attacking players in Daniel Farke’s ranks do often steal the plaudits with breathtaking displays of quality, there was also a resilient side to Leeds on show against Paul Heckingbottom’s visitors, with this defender a colossus throughout.

The 8/10 Leeds star who has become undroppable

It could be argued that the centre-back star in question was even better than Solomon across the full duration of the bumpy 90 minutes, with the 6 foot 4 titan having to remain alert throughout, away from his attacking teammate stealing the show early on.

Joe Rodon would come away from this nervy encounter with his head firmly held high, considering the Welsh enforcer would trudge off the Elland Road turf at the close of the contest with all but one of his seven duels won, among other standout numbers.

Rodon’s performance in numbers

Stat

Rodon

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

59

Accurate passes

47/51 (92%)

Key passes

1

Shots

2

Clearances

4

Tackles

1

Total duels won

6/7

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, it’s clear Rodon was a man in control throughout his near-faultless 90 minutes, with the ex-Swansea City man only misplacing four of his 51 passes on the day.

Whilst he followed a worried trend of Leeds being wasteful in front of goal with two chances spurned of his own, Rodon would still rightly be praised post-match, leading to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth dishing out a high 8/10 rating to the dominant number six, labelling his forceful showing as simply ‘no-nonsense’.

Already undroppable before this tense fixture – considering Farke has started him in every Championship game this season to date – his importance to the cause has only been heightened now off the back the unfortunate backdrop of his usual centre-back comrade, Pascal Struijk, being ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

Rodon will hope more authoritative performances defensively, such as this one against the Lilywhites, leads to more invaluable victories coming his side’s way, with just one misstep in the automatic promotion race in the Championship proving to be very costly.

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Tottenham Hotspur want to sign a “leader” from Barcelona this summer, and he could be allowed to leave the Camp Nou for as little as £17 million.

Spurs targeting new centre-back signing before next season

The Lilywhites learned the hard way that they need reinforcements at centre-half this summer, given the plethora of injuries which have ravaged Ange Postecoglou’s defence throughout 2024/2025.

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Tottenham attempted to resolve the issue in January by signing Kevin Danso on loan with an obligation to buy, only for the Austria defender to be sidelined alongside Radu Dragusin, and this followed long-term absences for Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Archie Gray was forced to play as a makeshift centre-back at periods, which the teenager handled very well, but Spurs will be extremely keen to avoid being left so short of options for the 2025/2026 season.

Romero is also believed to be pushing for an exit from Tottenham this summer, amid interest from both Atlético and Real Madrid, so the north Londoners may end up having to sign a replacement for the Argentine.

According to reliable journalist David Ornstein, Tottenham have reached out to Dean Huijsen’s representatives in the last week, but Arsenal, Chelsea and other elite Premier League sides are after the Spaniard with a £50 million release clause attached to his contract.

Huijsen is also rumoured to favour a move to Real Madrid, so Spurs could be up against it in the race for Huijsen, while other reports believe Atalanta star Isak Hien is emerging as an alternative defensive target for Tottenham.

In any case, it appears a new centre-half is firmly on the agenda for chairman Daniel Levy and co.

Tottenham want to sign Barcelona defender Eric Garcia

According to reports in Spain, a potentially golden opportunity to reinforce their defensive ranks comes in the form of Barcelona and former Man City man Eric Garcia.

The 24-year-old is out of contract in the summer of 2026, meaning he could be available for a cut-price fee in the next transfer window, which some media sources believe to be around £17 million.

His experience at the top level, despite being at such a young age, could be invaluable to Tottenham – and his reputation as a capable ball-playing defender means that Garcia could be an ideal fit at a very reasonable price.

Tottenham want to sign Garcia this summer, and it is believed the Catalans are now prepared to sell, so this could be an intriguing one to watch as we fast approach the window.

“Eric is a very intelligent boy – more than a boy,” said City director of football Txiki Begiristain, during Garcia’s time at Eastlands, before he made the switch to Barca in 2021 as a free agent. “He is a good character, a solid leader.”

As they look to deal their Premier League rivals a major blow and land a key reinforcement in the process, Aston Villa are now reportedly prepared to complete Unai Emery’s transfer request to hijack a major star from Tottenham.

Aston Villa ready to grant Emery's wish

Having dragged them from the depths of relegation battles all the way to a Champions League quarter-final and a place in the last four of the FA Cup, to say that Emery is well-placed to make his own transfer requests at Villa Park would be an understatement. Together with sporting director Monchi, the Spaniard has earned the backing of those in the Midlands.

To Villa’s credit too, they’re often just as ambitious as their manager in the transfer market – welcoming both Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on loan during the January window. And that ambition is only likely to increase if they qualify for the Champions League for a second-consecutive season – perhaps resulting in moves for the likes of Dusan Vlahovic.

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Apr 1, 2025

The Villans are reportedly leading the race to sign the out-of-favour Juventus striker and could land a deal for as little as £33m this summer. It’s not just the Serbian forward on their radar, however.

According to Football Transfers, Aston Villa are now preparing to grant Emery’s request and sign Cristian Romero from Tottenham Hotspur this summer. The Argentina defender is reportedly ready to move on from North London and will cost as much as £55m, with Villa ‘willing to offer Romero a five-year contract’.

A World Cup-winner and Champions League-level defender, Emery’s interest in Romero should come as little surprise. It represents how far Spurs have fallen at the same time as Villa’s rise that the two clubs have almost swapped in positions both on and off the pitch. It wouldn’t be absurd to suggest that, in 2025, a move to Villa Park is bigger than heading to Spurs.

"Strong" Romero would be impressive coup

Luring one of the most influential players at one of the so-called top six clubs to the Midlands would not only validate Villa’s place in the battle for European places, it would also send a damning statement of intent. Emery already knows all about Romero’s quality and whilst there may be some concerns over his recent injury history, there’s no doubt that he would instantly hand Aston Villa a defensive leader.

Ollie Watkins also knows all about the defender’s quality. As Spurs thrashed Aston Villa 4-1 earlier this season, the England international was limited to just three touches in the opposition box and lost as many as nine duels. Romero, meanwhile, made four interceptions and won four out of seven ground duels whilst maintaining a pass accuracy of 95%.

If that was his Aston Villa audition, then the Argentine passed with flying colours. It’s those types of performances that have seen Romero praised by the likes of teammate Micky van de Ven, who told reporters last season: “Amazing player, unbelievable player. Defensively so strong, with the ball so strong, keeps talking, for me an amazing player.”

It’s been another frustrating campaign for Chelsea so far this season.

One week, Enzo Maresca’s side are able to keep Premier League leaders Arsenal at bay with ten men and tear Barcelona apart 3-0 in the Champions League.

Yet, the next week they’ll lose 3-1 to Leeds United and be held to a draw away to Bournemouth.

One of the big problems this season has been a lack of goals from their strikers, and the worrying thing for Liam Delap in particular is that Chelsea may already have a forward who could end his stay at Stamford Bridge early.

Chelsea's striker situation

Chelsea did not score enough goals last season; they ended the campaign having scored 22 fewer than Liverpool, eight fewer than Manchester City, five fewer than Arsenal and even four fewer than Newcastle United.

Chalkboard

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

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So, on top of their other business, the Blues opted to send Nicolas Jackson out on loan and bring in Delap and Joao Pedro to compete for that nine position, with Marc Guiu then returning from loan after the Englishman suffered a hamstring injury in the third game of the season.

Now, while this looked like a reasonable plan from the outset, it would be fair to say that, so far, it has not really worked out.

The West Londoners have still scored fewer goals than the Gunners and City, and their forward options are a significant reason why.

Pedro, for example, may have been on fire in the Club World Cup and pre-season, but after the first few games of the campaign proper, he has underwhelmed.

For example, in 18 appearances, totalling 1377 minutes, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star has scored four goals and provided three assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.57 games, or every 196.71 minutes.

Moving on to Guiu, the Spaniard has barely been given a chance to play this season, but has scored and assisted a goal in 280 minutes of football across eight appearances.

That comes out to a reasonable enough average of a goal involvement every 140 minutes, or every four games.

Finally, arguably the most orthodox centre forward of the lot, and potentially the most disappointing so far, is Delap.

Chelsea’s Strikers

Player

Pedro

Guiu

Delap

Games

18

8

11

Minutes

1377′

280′

453′

Goals

4

1

1

Assists

3

1

0

All Stats via Transfermarkt

When not injured or suspended, the former Ipswich Town star has made 11 appearances for the West Londoners, totalling 453 minutes, in which he has scored just a solitary goal.

Unfortunately for the 22-year-old, he is now set to miss another eight weeks of action with a shoulder injury he picked up against the Cherries.

Now, there is every chance Delap could eventually come good this season, but if he does not, his stay at Stamford Bridge could be cut short by another exciting striker making his way there in the summer.

The Striker that could end Delap's Chelsea career

Following the news that Delap would be out for up to eight weeks, there was talk that Chelsea could potentially bring Emmanuel Emegha’s move forward to the winter window.

That now seems to be unlikely, but even so, the Strasbourg forward, who agreed to join the Blues in September, is the player who could be bad news for the Englishman next season.

Why is this the case, you may ask. Well, the first and by far most significant reason is the simple fact that he appears to be a reliable source of goals and assists.

For example, in 29 appearances last season, totalling 2408 minutes, the Dutchman scored 14 goals and provided three assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.70 games, or every 141.64 minutes. There’s a reason he’s been described as a “devastating” talent by scout Antonio Mango.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough for a young forward, the “simply phenomenal” goalscorer, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has gotten even better this season.

In 11 appearances, totalling 664 minutes, he has already scored seven goals and provided two assists, which comes out to a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.22 games, or every 73.77 minutes.

Emegha’s recent record

Season

24/25

25/26

Appearances

29

11

Minutes

2408′

664′

Goals

14

7

Assists

3

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.81

Minutes per Goal Involvement

141.64′

73.77′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

On top of this incredible output, the Den Haag-born poacher is also the captain of Strasbourg, so he should not feel intimidated by stepping up a level in the Premier League.

Finally, he is also 6 foot 5 and no pushover, so on top of potentially being a better goalscorer than Delap, he should be able to hold up the ball at least as well, if not better.

Ultimately, there is still time for the former Ipswich ace to come good at Chelsea, but if he doesn’t improve this season, Emegha could be the one to end his Stamford Bridge stay as soon as next year.

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Barbados Royals stay rooted to the bottom of the table after their third loss in four games

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Aug-2025

Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran put on a match-winning stand•CPL T20 via Getty Images

Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran led a clinical chase as Trinbago Knight Riders brushed aside Barbados Royals by seven wickets in Tarouba to rise to the top of the CPL 2025 table. Chasing 179, Munro set the tone with a typically aggressive 67 while Pooran finished the job in style with an unbeaten 65, wrapping up the target with 13 balls to spare. With three losses and a no-result in four matches, Royals are bottom of the table.The foundation of the chase was laid early, as Munro and Alex Hales added 55 for the opening wicket inside the powerplay. Munro, who was the early aggressor, raced to his half-century off just 30 balls. Even after Hales fell for a 14-ball 19, off the final delivery of the sixth over, the momentum remained firmly with Knight Riders.Related

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Pooran started off in a brutal fashion, launching an attack against both pace and spin. His unbeaten 65 came at a brisk pace, studded with boundaries and calculated risks towards the end of the chase. The highlight was him hammering Rovman Powell for three consecutive sixes in the tenth over.Royals briefly kept Knight Riders quiet, conceding just 20 runs between overs 10 and 14, but it didn’t shift the momentum.Pooran and Munro added 93 for the second wicket, off just 54 balls, before the latter was run out in the 15th over. But by then, the equation was down to a run-a-ball 30 and Kieron Pollard ensured there were no hiccups, smashing two sixes and a four in his nine-ball stay. The winning runs came in the 18th over, sealing a dominant performance.Earlier, Royals posted 178 for 6, a total that looked competitive at the halfway mark but ultimately proved well below par. They began cautiously after losing Quinton de Kock early but were steadied by a 56-run stand between Brandon King and Kadeem Alleyne. King chipped in with a 23-ball 29 while Alleyne made 41 off 37.Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for Barbados Royals with 45 off 22 balls•CPL T20 via Getty Images

Once King fell, Sherfane Rutherford’s late surge – 45 off 22 – offered Royals some hope. He began with a four off his second ball against Andre Russell, and then took McKenny Clarke for a four and a six in the following over. He smashed two more sixes, off Mohammad Amir in the 16th over, before the fast bowler dismissed Alleyne.From 105 for 2 at the end of 14 overs, Royals accelerated with 73 runs in the final six overs. Captain Powell was particularly merciless against Ali Khan as he scored 23 runs off him in the 18th over, which included three sixes and a four.Russell and Amir were the standout bowlers for Knight Riders. Russell picked up 3 for 37 while Amir’s 2 for 35 ensured control through the middle and death overs.The win puts Knight Riders in a commanding position at the top of the table while Royals are left needing a spark to reignite their faltering campaign. St Lucia Kings are also on eight points alongside Knight Riders, but occupy the second spot owing to an inferior net run-rate.