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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Looks like it’s full speed ahead to January.

With Leicester City looking like they might pose a serious threat to make a run at European competition this season, currently sitting in the top four, Brendan Rodgers appears to be after some more continental flair to add to his side.

According to reports from ASRomaLive, Leicester are among a number of clubs that are interested in bringing in Ajax’s 21-year-old right-back Noussair Mazraoui.

The report states that they will face some stiff competition for his signature, as the likes of Tottenham Hostpur, Valencia and AS Roma are also circling him.

Mazraoui played eleven times in the Champions League for Ajax last season, scoring an equaliser away to Bayern Munich and the winner at home to Benfica in the group stages.

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On the chalkboard

As a right-back, his main rival for a starting spot will be the incumbent Ricardo Pereira, and while Mazraoui may have youth on his side, thus giving Rodgers someone that he can work with for the long-term, the statistical analysis shows that it isn’t really much of a contest when it comes to who is the better player.

Their statistics from WhoScored pretty much tell you all you need to know with Pereira dominating in terms of his tackle count at 4.7 per game compared to Mazraoui’s 1.6.

The Portuguese also has 1.8 interceptions per game compared to the Ajax defender’s 0.8 and 1.3 aerials won each outing compared to 0.6.

In fact, the only area that Mazraoui has the advantage over his Portuguese counterpart is his passing ability, completing 82.1% compared to 79.6%.

That’s not to say that Leicester shouldn’t be going after him, but he’s clearly only going to be useful to them as a backup or rotation player, who can help them out when they choose to rest players in cup games.

As a result, they shouldn’t be trying to break the bank to try and land the £13.5m-rated man. If they end up being gazumped by another team in the process it’s not the end of the world because there are clearly better options out there, someone who might give Pereira a little bit more competition.

Chelsea are ready to sell a £35 million member of their squad, so they can help to back head coach Enzo Maresca with the potential signing of a Premier League star.

Chelsea plotting late defensive reshuffle this summer

Reports have begun to accelerate over a potential new centre-back signing before the transfer window cut-off on August 31, despite Maresca already having a wealth of senior central defenders at his disposal.

Chelsea face Barcelona battle to sign £13m forward with agent talks ongoing

The Catalans have opened talks with his representative.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 21, 2024

The Blues also signed Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham earlier this summer, but versatile defender Trevoh Chalobah is expected to leave Chelsea in the coming week after being frozen out of both pre-season and the squad.

Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian, a reliable media source, backs reports that Chelsea could look to bring in another defender very soon, with Maresca holding little faith in both Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi.

"While Chelsea’s squad contains six senior centre-backs, Chalobah is up for sale and Disasi is not in Maresca’s long-term plans," wrote Steinberg.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

"Disasi, who missed much of pre-season after having surgery on a hernia, has not convinced since joining from Monaco for £38.5m last year and has interest from Newcastle. The France international, who made 44 appearances last season, has not looked comfortable with the ball at his feet. There are also doubts over how much Benoît Badiashile will play this season.

"Maresca is happy with Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana as his first-choice centre-backs, with Tosin Adarabioyo as the first back-up. But Fofana needs to be managed carefully after returning from a serious knee injury and there is a chance that a new centre-back who can provide more competition and thrive in Maresca’s possession-based system will arrive."

In the last few days, it has been claimed by other members of the media, like respected Chelsea reporter Simon Phillips, that Liverpool defender Joe Gomez is a very realistic transfer target.

Chelsea ready to sell Badiashile and could sign Joe Gomez

This is backed by TEAMtalk in another update, who write that Chelsea have put Badiashile on the transfer list and are ready to sell him. The 23-year-old, who only joined the club for £35 million in January last year, hasn't lived up to expectations at Stamford Bridge.

Those within Chelsea apparently hold this view of the Frenchman too, and it is believed they're considering the signing of Gomez as a replacement for Badiahshile. Maresca is also said to have requested the signing of a new centre-back to Chelsea chiefs, so this could be one to watch.

Arne Slot's centre-back has been regularly linked with an Anfield exit, commanding a price tag of around £34 million. Gomez made 32 Premier League appearances during Jurgen Klopp's final season in charge, starting 17 of them, and has been praised for his quality in recent years.

"He is a sensational footballer, which is good," said Klopp on Gomez in 2020.

“He has outstanding speed, which helps us a lot to keep our last line high; he is a really good challenger; good in one-on-one situations; football-wise, I said already, good."

Chelsea's summer business has been chaotic to say the least. There have been some impressive captures with the likes of Pedro Neto and Joao Felix both arriving.

That said, there has been some controversy surrounding player exits. Conor Gallagher, Chelsea through and through, was alienated from the playing squad before joining Atletico Madrid.

Now, there is the curious case of Raheem Sterling on transfer deadline day. There are two possibilities; he stays at Stamford Bridge or heads off to Arsenal following a reported phone call with Mikel Arteta.

A striker continues to elude the Blues, although they could yet launch a late swoop for Victor Osimhen. However, in their endeavours to replace the potentially departing Sterling, they've found a winger.

Chelsea make deadline day bid

With transfer deadline day reaching its conclusion, the transfer team at Chelsea have launched a late move to bring in another attacking player.

That happens to be Jadon Sancho, the man at the centre of Sterling's future in west London.

That's according to Fabrizio Romano who stated on Friday afternoon that they were now speaking with Manchester United regarding a deal.

Here's what the ever-reliable transfer insider said…

How Sancho is similar to Willian and Hazard

Now, going from one underperforming winger in Sterling to another in Sancho might defy belief. However, this is Chelsea we're talking about. They don't do things by the book.

That said, the former Borussia Dortmund man is a captivating prospect and at his best is one of the finest wide forwards in the game.

You only need to look back at his performances in last season's Champions League when his loan side, Dortmund, reached the final.

In the semi-finals against PSG, he was electric. During the first leg, the Englishman completed 12 dribbles. That was the most by any player in a Champions League semi-final since Lionel Messi in April 2008 against United (16).

On that evidence, it's hardly a surprise that he was once described as the “the next Eden Hazard” back in 2020 by former Liverpool star Steve Nicol.

2012/13

62

13

21

2013/14

49

17

8

2014/15

52

19

12

2015/16

43

6

7

2016/17

43

17

7

2017/18

52

17

13

2018/19

52

21

17

Hazard was renowned as one of the finest dribblers in the Premier League during his spell on English shores. In 2017/18, the Belgian ranked in the top 1% of positionally similar players in the top flight for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, illuminating how good he is at beating a player.

It's a quality he clearly shares with Sancho, who could well become Hazard incarnate by making a late move to London this summer.

What's interesting is that the United outcast is also comparable to another ex-Chelsea forward in Willian. FBRef notes that the Brazilian is the fourth-most similar player based on data across the last 365 days. Why? Well, as we can see in the graphic below, their passing metrics are largely rather alike, making a similar number of progressive passes per 90.

So, with Todd Boehly and Enzo Maresca making one last-gasp dart to sign a new player before the deadline, Sancho feels like a no-brainer on a loan deal for the rest of the campaign.

Chelsea can forget Osimhen & Toney with last-gasp move for £25m "monster"

The Blues’ transfer window is going to the eleventh hour…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 30, 2024

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has personally set his sights on signing a £50m+ player, however, Manchester United are in talks over a transfer.

Aston Villa's summer signings so far

NSWE and Monchi have backed Emery after he guided Villa to a top four finish in the Premier League last season, ensuring Champions League football will be on offer during the 2024/25 campaign. Eight new signings have been made, however, one of those, Cameron Archer, is already on the way out to Southampton.

Aston Villa summer signings

From

Fee (Transfermarkt)

Amadou Onana

Everton

€59.35m

Ian Maatsen

Chelsea

€44.5m

Cameron Archer

Sheffield United

€16.65m

Jaden Philogene

Hull City

€16m

Samuel Iling-Junior

Juventus

€14m

Lewis Dobbin

Everton

€11.8m

Enzo Barrenechea

Juventus

€8m

Ross Barkley

Luton Town

€5.9m

Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen have been the biggest in regards to transfer fees, but it looks as if more could be on the way before the August 30 deadline.

For example, Fabrizio Romano has recently claimed that Aston Villa are in advanced talks with right-back Lutsharel Geertruida, however, a fee is yet to be agreed with Feyenoord.

"It's ongoing [Geertruida negotiations], it's not that close yet, it's well advanced on the player's side, because the player is keen on the move to the Premier League and to the Champions League. Also in this case, with Aston Villa, he's really attracted by the project of Unai Emery.

"But with Feyenoord it's always complicated to negotiate for Geertruida. He's a really important player for them and every time important clubs try to approach Feyenoord in recent years, Leipzig last year, PSG at the beginning of this summer transfer window, it has always been a tough story.

"He's a player they love at Feyenoord, and it's never easy to negotiate with Feyenoord for Hanchko, for Geertruida, all their superstars, they love to keep those players at the club."

£68m release clause: Aston Villa want "superstar" Joao Felix upgrade

Unai Emery is ‘insisting’ on completing this statement deal.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 16, 2024

Alongside Geertruida, Villa are also closing in on an academy addition in Manchester City’s Kane Taylor, but by the looks of things, Emery is eyeing another midfielder valued at more than £50m.

Emery wants to sign Ederson for Aston Villa

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa and rivals Man Utd are in the frame to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson before the deadline.

It is claimed that Emery personally ‘wishes’ to sign the 25-year-old, however, those at Old Trafford are in talks over a deal. Atalanta value Ederson at €60m (£51m) and it is added that Atletico Madrid are also in the picture for the player and even made a €45m (£38.3m) bid which was rejected.

The Brazil international can play as a central, holding or attacking midfielder and has been with the Serie A side since 2022. South American football expert Tim Vickery has heaped praise on him earlier this year, describing him as “strong” and “versatile”.

"24-years-old, strong, well-built central midfielder. Strong on the ball, versatile, box-to-box. Strong personality as well. The first time I remember him was his professional debut really. He was thrown in the deep end in a big team called Cruzeiro, who were really on the slide. They were relegated in dreadful form and even in this bad context, he stood out, so a lot of virtues."

Aston Villa forward Keinan Davis has told chiefs that he wants to leave the club this summer, according to reports.

Where is Keinan Davis now?

Davis is a striker and academy graduate in the Midlands who worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to the first-team back in 2017, where he’s since gone on to register a total of 86 senior appearances to date.

However, the 25-year-old is yet to make his debut under Unai Emery as a result of being out on the road having carried out two back-to-back loan spells, the first with Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest and the most recent being with Watford in the Championship.

The Stevenage-born talent is now back at Villa but his contract is set to expire at the end of next season, meaning that the ongoing window will be the boss’ final big opportunity to cash in should he not want to lose him on a free transfer in 12 months, and it sounds like an exit is now the most likely outcome.

Is Davis leaving Aston Villa?

According to German outlet Fussball Transfers (via Sport Witness), Davis "wants to leave" Aston Villa and has made it clear that he "intends" to find a new permanent home this summer.

NSWE and Monchi are "getting prepared" for his departure having already placed a €5-7.5m (£4.2-6.4m) price tag on his head. All roads are "pointing to a farewell" with "numerous clubs" both in the second-tier and overseas all queuing up to secure his services.

Aston Villa have Ollie Watkins as their only senior option at centre-forward with Jhon Duran just 19 years of age and Cameron Archer 21, so Emery could do with some more experience in the final third. And whilst the boss won’t know what Davis is capable of having not yet utilised him, he should definitely give him a chance to prove himself in pre-season.

The Tier One client, who’s naturally left-footed, posted nine goal contributions (seven goals and two assists) in 34 Watford outings last term and recorded 56 shots over the course of the campaign, which was the third-highest throughout the squad at Vicarage Road.

Standing at 6 foot 2, the £45k-per-week earner would also be the ideal target man having averaged 1.2 aerial wins per second-tier game, with his physical stature having previously seen him hailed “powerful” by journalist Josh Bunting, so he is still a great asset to have in the building.

Jarrod Bowen etched his name in West Ham United folklore when firing in the winning goal in last week's Europa Conference League final victory over Fiorentina.

That 90th-minute strike earned United a 2-1 win in Prague and ended the club's 43-year wait for a major trophy, while at the same time helping to cover the cracks of a poor Premier League campaign.

Bowen is not the only player West Ham have signed from a Championship club, having brought the forward in from Hull City for around £20m three-and-a-half years ago, and they may be about to repeat the trick.

According to the Daily Mail, the Hammers are in the running to sign Alex Scott from second-tier side Bristol City, though they face competition from Premier League rivals Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Is Alex Scott ready for the Premier League?

Scott is still aged just 19, yet he has already racked up 81 appearances for City in the Championship, almost half of those (40) coming in the 2022-23 season.

The ten yellow cards Scott collected in the league last season – the most of any City player – gives a rough indication of what the England U20 international is all about.

However, the Guernsey-born youngster – who can play as a holding midfielder, attacking midfielder and even out wide – particularly thrives in terms of beating his opponents and getting the ball forward.

Indeed, with 2.34 progressive carries per 90 minutes over the past year, Scott ranks in the top 22% of his positional peers, as per FBref. He is also in the top 17% when it comes to successful take-ons.

Scott's impressive midfield game at such a young age earned him the ultimate compliment earlier this year when Pep Guardiola described him as an "unbelievable player" following Manchester City's 3-0 win at Ashton Gate in the FA Cup fifth round.

The Robins' reported £25m valuation is said to be putting prospective buyers off making a move but, as was the case with Bowen, there is value to be had from signing players from the Championship.

Like Scott, Bowen had only been a Championship regular for two full seasons before being given a Premier League chance by West Ham.

As pointed out by transfer insider ExWHUEmployee on The West Ham Way podcast, the Hammers are "looking at players in the Championship" this summer with the belief that they will adapt to the Premier League quicker than a foreign import, such as big-money recruit Gianluca Scamacca last year.

Bowen is not West Ham's only success story when recruiting players from further down the ladder, with the likes of Michail Antonio, Flynn Downes and Aaron Cresswell all making an impact. Last season, those four players made a combined 120 appearances in the Premier League alone.

The lure of European football next season, plus a sizeable sum of up to £100m incoming for Declan Rice, means West Ham can lure a higher calibre of player to the London Stadium this summer.

But it may well be that a player such as Scott ticks all the boxes for David Moyes as he looks to repeat the success of previous windows.

At the backend of a forgettable campaign, the emergence of Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones will have been a pleasing consolation for manager Jurgen Klopp, with the Scouse-born ace playing an important part in a seven-match winning run to bridge the gap to the top four.

It was too little too late, and the Reds failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven years with a fifth-placed finish, ending an illustrious run in the competition that has led the Anfield side to three finals, winning one.

Hailed as the "complete #8" by one analyst & scout, the 22-year-old has almost certainly earned a place in Klopp's plans next term after his purple patch, especially considering James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all left the club following the expiry of their contracts.

And now, the Guardian report that Chelsea are the latest team to have joined the race for the 21-year-old, but that Liverpool and Barcelona are both wanting to claim the player's signature for themselves, all looking to meet his €40m (£34m) buyout clause.

How good is Gabri Veiga?

The £35m signing of Alexis Mac Allister is the first of an ostensible torrent of incomings, with two or three top-class acquisitions still expected to be made, and one, the precocious Spanish talent Veiga, could spell danger for Jones' role on Merseyside.

Despite the recently-concluded campaign being Veiga's first with regular top-flight football, he has plundered 11 goals and supplied a further four assists from just 28 LaLiga starts, earning acclaim for his "dangerous" skill set – as said by journalist Euan McTear.

It's quite frightening to envisage the fleet-footed midfielder's future, given how brilliantly he has taken to life at the top level, already ranking among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 20% for rate of assists, the top 12% for progressive carries and successful take-ons, and the top 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as per FBref.

The praise is mounting: talent scout Jacek Kulig has marvelled at the "amazing" talent while journalist and content creator Rimedi dubbed him "baby Kaka" for his elegance on the ball and deft dribbling skills.

Jones boasts some impressive metrics of his own after starting the last 11 league matches of the year, scoring three goals and registering one assist, ranking among the top 6% of positional peers for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 20% for shot-creating actions and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90, also crisp as they come with the ball, ranking among the top 3% for pass completion.

Klopp will be wary of hampering Jones' progress but with such a fantastic starlet available for an affordable fee, it's simply too good an opportunity to cede, especially given the tumult of Liverpool's present situation. Indeed, this move could be a blow to one of Anfield's hottest young talents.

Leeds United are considering making West Brom boss Carlos Corberan their next manager this summer, according to an update from reliable journalist Phil Hay.

Is Corberan impressing at West Brom?

On Friday, it was confirmed that the Whites had parted company with Sam Allardyce, with the veteran unable to keep them in the Premier League during the latter part of the season. The hunt is now on to find the right replacement before the start of the 2023/24 campaign, in what represents a vital appointment.

There has been a lack stability on show since Marcelo Bielsa's departure, with Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Allardyce all flattering to deceive, so a long-term addition needs to come in this time.

Someone who has been linked with taking charge at Elland Road in the recent past is Corberan, who was once in charge of Leeds' Under-21s, spending three years there between 2017 and 2020. He is now at West Brom, however, and is doing an impressive job, having come close to getting into the Championship play-offs last month.

He inherited a Baggies side who were floundering near the bottom of the table, but the progress he has made in a short space of time sums up his quality as a manager.

Could Corberan take charge at Leeds?

According to The Athletic's Hay, Corberan is again a potential target for Leeds this summer, with Brendan Rodgers also getting a mention in the report:

"Brendan Rodgers, out of work after leaving Leicester City in mid-April, shortly before their own relegation on Sunday, appeals but it is feasible he will also receive offers from Premier League sides.

"Leeds’ former under-21s coach Carlos Corberan, now in charge at Championship club West Bromwich Albion, has been looked at before and is being again.

"But Leeds, as yet, are not in a position to make a final choice."

Corberan could certainly be an encouraging choice as Leeds' new manager, coming in as someone who is still young and full of fresh ideas. Renowned Spanish journalist Guillem Balague described him as "exciting" upon his appointment at West Brom and he has often adopted a direct and attacking style of play in a 4-2-3-1 formation at the Hawthorns.

He could view the chance to move to Elland Road as a step up, considering the size of the club and especially as he already knows the club so well. Brendan Rodgers is also a strong option, but he may be unwilling to go down to the Championship, as Hay alludes to.

Glasgow Rangers will be hoping to end their campaign on a high note this afternoon and give Michael Beale an indication of what the future holds as the Scottish Premiership season comes to an end.

A trip to Paisley will give Beale the chance to give minutes to a variety of squad members, ranging from youth talents to fringe players, and he spoke to the media ahead of the tie, saying: "Antonio Colak will come back into the squad in place of Alfredo this weekend. Bailey Rice will also return to the squad in place of Glen Kamara as well.

"My excitement for this summer is because I see the work we are doing in the background. We will come out in a much stronger place for sure and be in a much stronger place mentally."

With Bailey Rice in the squad and hoping to come on at some stage during the game, it will be more crucial experience for the youngster. However, Beale must give a start to Alex Lowry following a season which hasn’t lived up to its promise.

Will Alex Lowry start for Rangers against St Mirren today?

The 19-year-old made his debut in January 2022 and even managed to score not long after emerging from the bench, eventually going on to make seven appearances before the end of the season.

The “gallus” talent – as dubbed by Scottish coach Andy Goldie – was expected to make more of an impression for the senior side this term, but a knee injury ruled him out for 12 matches, and he remained with the B team in order to gain match fitness.

This wasn’t a bad idea, as the Scot chipped in with ten goals and four assists across just 11 games for the reserve side, suggesting that he managed to regain form fairly quickly following his setback and deserves a chance from the first whistle today.

He has started just one match for the first team during 2022/23, a 3-0 win over Motherwell back in December. And with nothing to play for during the final match of the season, Lowry could perhaps be deployed just behind the striker in his favoured role as a No 10.

This pre-season will arguably be the most important of his Ibrox career to date, especially if Beale significantly boosts his squad ahead of next term. If the young dynamo can showcase his talent this afternoon, the manager may yet keep him in his plans.

Judging by his first-team experience already, he is more than capable of shining for the Light Blues, that’s for sure.

Chelsea face a mountainous task to recapture their status as one of Europe’s most elite clubs after a calamitous campaign has seen them dismally plummet into the bottom half of the table.

The incoming Mauricio Pochettino has to begin trimming his hideously bloated squad to restore some rhythm and harmony.

One problem area that must be immediately addressed is the goalkeeper position, with both Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy seemingly unfit to be long-term solutions.

Inter Milan’s Andre Onana has emerged as one of the West Londoner’s primary targets, and this would be an inspired piece of business for the Blues.

What’s the latest on Andre Onana to Chelsea?

According to The Telegraph, the 2021 Champions League winners to attempting to manoeuvre themselves into pole position to sign the goalkeeper.

Onana’s possible move to England has been fuelled by reputable journalist Rudy Galetti, who has revealed an eye-opening update on the situation.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“Onana could leave Inter in the summer if a suitable offer arrives. Chelsea are seriously interested in the Cameroonian goalkeeper. However, the current price at the request of the Italian club is €50m (£45m) and is considered too high by the Blues."

Would Andre Onana be a good signing for Chelsea?

The former Ajax man has been in sensational form since his transfer to Italy in January 2022.

In his Inter Milan career, the 27-year-old has played 38 games in all competitions, and only conceded 30 goals, whilst keeping 19 clean sheets, as per Transfermarkt.

He has also started every game for the Nerazzurri in the Champions League, as they booked themselves into the final of Europe’s most elite competition for the first time since 2010 after dispatching their city rivals.

Onana, whose career appeared on the brink of collapse after he received a nine-month ban from football after accidentally taking his wife’s medicine, has navigated an unbelievable turnaround thanks to a rich vein of form.

This is reflected by the fact that the shot-stopper ranks in the top 7% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for save percentage (78.2%) per 90, as well as the highest 5% for his clean sheet percentage (47.1%) per 90, as per FBref.

However, his future is shrouded in uncertainty due to Inter Milan’s murky financial situation as the club had to reportedly borrow €275m (£240m).

Therefore, with a rich club like Chelsea sniffing around, it will be difficult for the Nerazzurri giants to rebuke any transfer attempts.

Once hailed as a “superstar” by UEFA journalist Ome Akatugba, Onana would be the perfect remedy for Pochettino's impeding issue that the Blues have thus far failed to deal with.