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Chelsea have now reportedly launched their first move to re-sign Antonio Rudiger in what would be a sensational return for the experienced central defender.

It’s no real surprise that the Blues have set their sights on more experience. As impressive as their young squad is, it is still exactly that – young. Enzo Maresca has already suffered the consequences of an inexperienced side at times this season, with Chelsea too inconsistent to seriously challenge for the Premier League title but good enough to secure a top four place.

Against Wolverhampton Wanderers, that quality was on full show as goals from Malo Gusto, Joao Pedro and Pedro Neto wrapped up a comfortable 3-0 defeat. In the same week, however, Chelsea drew 2-2 with Qarabag in a game they should have comfortably won – highlighting their inconsistencies once again.

The addition of a serial, experienced winner could be the missing piece to the puzzle – particularly within Maresca’s backline. The Blues have suffered a number of injuries and suspensions within their back four this season, leaving Maresca with little choice but to come up with internal solutions.

Against Qarabag, 19-year-old Jorrel Hato especially struggled, begging the question as to whether he’s ready to be thrown into the current Chelsea side. Maresca defended his decision to rotate in midweek, but admitted that young players need the chance to make mistakes.

The Italian told reporters: “They are talented, they are young. When they are young you have to give them chance to make mistakes.”

Still, the question of experience will remain and as Rudiger’s contract continues to tick down at Real Madrid, the Blues could have the ultimate solution to their problems lying in wait.

Rudiger makes Real Madrid decision as Chelsea come calling

According to reports in Spain, Chelsea have now made contact with Rudiger over a return to the club in 2026 when he’s set to become a free agent at the end of his Real Madrid contract.

Alas, whilst Rudiger does love the West London club, his preference is to extend with Real Madrid and stay put. Leaving the ball in the Spanish side’s court, the German has less than nine months to get his wish.

If that contract doesn’t arrive, then Chelsea should come swooping in. Rudiger is a two-time Champions League winner these days and one of the most experienced defenders around at 32 years old. He’s led the Blues before and would comfortably do it again.

Chelsea star criticised vs Wolves after having fewer touches than Sanchez

The summer signing endured a tough time against the Old Gold.

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By
James O'Reilly

Nov 8, 2025

Having previously written in the Players’ Tribune that Chelsea will always be “in his heart”, a return to Stamford Bridge could be the perfect way for Rudiger to close out an excellent career.

Whether Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso will let him leave that easily is another question, though. The Spaniard previously reiterated that the German is “very reliable” and losing that for the cost of nothing next summer is something that the La Liga giants should want to avoid.

Chelsea "actively in talks" over signing "very mature" England international

Manchester United have now opened talks to sign an “incredible” star, who’s scored a whopping 147 career goals, and they are looking to get a deal done at the start of next year.

Man Utd looking to bring in another leader

In the wake of the 4-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night, Ruben Amorim praised Lisandro Martinez for his leadership capabilities, while also adding: “Mason Mount is always the same thing, training, talking, dealing with people around Carrington. That is not easy. So he is a very, very good player.”

However, the perceived lack of leaders in the squad has been criticised for quite some time, with Roy Keane calling into question whether Bruno Fernandes is a suitable captain after the 1-1 draw against Chelsea last season.

Following the emphatic win at Molineux, the Red Devils are up to sixth in the Premier League table, but they clearly aren’t the finished article just yet, having lost at home to 10-man Everton and drawn with a struggling West Ham United side in recent weeks.

If Man United are to start competing for the top honours once again, they may need to bring in players who are experienced at the top level, and they have now opened talks over a deal for Sergio Ramos, who is a free agent, following his departure from Monterrey.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states negotiations are in the early stages, with United expressing the ‘strongest’ interest in securing the former Real Madrid man’s signature, and they are looking to bring him in at the start of next year.

Several other unnamed clubs are in the race for the Spaniard’s signature, with his future set to be resolved in the next few weeks.

Amorim's priority target: Man Utd step up interest in "special" Madrid star

Man United are now in the race for a “special” player

ByDominic Lund 3 days ago "Incredible" Ramos knows what it takes to win

With Keane previously making it clear he is not entirely convinced by Fernandes as a captain, Man United could perhaps do with bringing in an experienced leader, who knows what it takes to win.

The 39-year-old certainly fits the bill in that regard, having become the first player to captain a team to three straight Champions League triumphs during his time with Real Madrid.

Mesut Özil has also made it clear just how highly he rates his former teammate, saying: “Sergio Ramos is the best defender I’ve ever played with. And the one with the most character. At that time I was still very young, but I already had a very strong mentality. It was incredible. It was clear that sooner or later he would lead Real Madrid to UCL glory.”

Not only is the 180-time Spain international a top-quality defender, but he also poses a threat at the other end of the pitch, having amassed a whopping 147 career goals for club and country.

That said, Ramos is now 39-years-old, and hasn’t played in Europe since a spell with Sevilla in the 2023-24 campaign, so there may be some doubts over whether he is still capable of making an impact at a club like Man United.

Cameron Green, playing as a specialist batter, fell for a duck but Western Australia team-mate Cameron Bancroft issued a reminder of his indefatigable approach at the top of the order with a determined century at the WACA.Bancroft’s 122 off 255 balls guided WA into a position of strength against South Australia on day two despite the stirring efforts of spearhead Brendan Doggett who finished with 6 for 48 from 21.2 overs.Related

• 'I'll be ready' – Doggett waits on an Ashes call after six wickets on Shield return

• Australia's top order: What are the selectors' options?

• Webster falls cheaply as Perry takes five

• Smith puts England on notice with sparkling Gabba knock

Doggett is pushing to be a fast-bowling reserve for the Ashes having been part of the World Test Championship squad earlier this year and originally due to tour West Indies before injury struck.”There has been a little bit of noise, but trying not to think about it,” Doggett said about his potential Ashes chances. “I just want to keep playing for South Australia and keep putting good performances together. I think that’s all I can control at the moment.”After missing the India ODIs due to side soreness, Green had a starring role in the field on day one as he eyes making a bowling return in WA’s next Shield match against Queensland starting on November 11.But Green, batting at his preferred No. 4, lasted just six deliveries after whacking Doggett straight to mid-off. It was left to Bancroft to anchor the innings and he returned to form with steely defence mixed with classical drives.A slow start to the season has seen him slip outside of the Ashes selection mix on the back of making just 344 runs at 26.46 last season compared to an average of 48.37 across WA’s hat-trick of titles.Cameron Green fell for a duck as he builds towards the Ashes•Getty Images

“I’ve had my time at that level, feel really grateful. If an opportunity came to play for Australia, that’s great, but certainly not feverish about it,” said Bancroft, who played the last of his 10 Tests during the 2019 Ashes.After dominating the opening day, WA resumed on 87 for 0 with Bancroft and skipper Sam Whiteman having to contend with far more disciplined bowling from South Australia’s quicks.In his return from a hamstring injury, Doggett had been sluggish late on the opening day but found his rhythm from the get go amid overcast morning conditions. Doggett had Whiteman edging to second slip to break the 93-run opening stand and immediately caused Hilton Cartwright problems by pitching up and targeting the pads.Cartwright was made to dig in as he shifted up the order from his customary No. 4 spot due to Green’s return. With the surface flattening out after notable sharp bounce and carry on the opening day, Bancroft and Cartwright started to take the game away from South Australia as they built a half-century partnership and batted into the second session.Cameron Bancroft drives during his century•Getty Images

With South Australia needing a spark, it was up to Doggett to bend his back and he did exactly that after lunch with a stirring spell that accounted for Cartwright and Green in consecutive overs.But South Australia’s momentum was halted by Cooper Connolly, playing his first Shield match of the season having recently impressed in the India ODI series. Connolly has already proven he’s a three-format player in his fledgling career and seemed set to add a sixth half-century in eight Shield innings as he scored at a run-a-ball pace.Connolly was particularly aggressive against offspinner Ben Manenti and the approach rubbed off on Bancroft with the pair trading sixes as WA powered past South Australia’s first innings total of 215.But Connolly’s cavalier knock ended on 33 when he whacked Nathan McSweeney to extra cover before rain halted play for an hour. On resumption, McSweeney unexpectedly turned the game briefly with the further scalps of Bancroft and Aaron Hardie, who threw away his wicket after miscuing a reverse sweep.WA did finish with a 92-run first innings lead but were unable to make a breakthrough before stumps were called early due to bad light.

The step up from the Championship to the Premier League is a difficult one to make, as Leeds United have found out so far this season with 11 points from 11 games.

Joel Piroe is a player who perfectly illustrates the gap between the two divisions. He was the top goalscorer in the second tier with 19 goals last season, yet he has no goals in five Premier League games and has been an unused substitute five times, per Sofascore.

As Daniel Farke learns more and more about his players in the top-flight, other stars from the 2024/25 campaign may end up losing their place in the starting line-up, as Piroe did.

Club captain and starting defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu has started all nine of his appearances in the Premier League this season, but he is not undroppable.

Why Ethan Ampadu is not undroppable for Leeds

The Wales international has been a fantastic player for the club since his move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, leading the Whites to the title as captain last term.

Ampadu is not undroppable, though, as some of his performances in the number six position for Leeds in the Premier League have left a little bit to be desired from, most recently against Nottingham Forest.

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

76%

Possession lost

15x

Tackles won

1

Ground duels won

3/7

Aerial duels won

1/2

Fouls committed

3

Dribbled past

1x

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh midfielder lost the majority of his ground duels and was dribbled past as many times as he completed a tackle, which shows that it was a bit too easy for the Forest midfielders to get the better of him.

Per FotMob, Ampadu ranks within the bottom 40% of midfielders in the division for being dribbled past (four times) and the bottom 39% for aerial duel success rate (50%). This shows that his issues against Forest were not isolated incidents.

With this in mind, Farke could improve the robustness of his midfield by ruthlessly dropping the skipper to unleash Anton Stach in a new role as the number six.

Why Leeds should play Anton Stach over Ethan Ampadu

Per Transfermarkt, all of the German midfielder’s starts in the Premier League this season have been as a central midfielder or as an attacking midfielder. That is despite the fact that he has more starts in his career (138) as a defensive midfielder than in any other role.

Chalkboard

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

AllLeedsTV presenter Oscar Marrio, who claimed Stach “was cooking” earlier in the season, recently noted that the 6 foot 4 star “excelled” for Hoffenheim as a number six, earning him a comparison to Arsenal star Declan Rice.

Stach’s defensive output as a central midfielder in the Premier League so far this term suggests that he does have the potential to offer more security in front of the defence than Ampadu has.

Tackles won

23

15

Duels won

39

49

Duel success rate

57%

60%

Aerial duels won

8

17

Aerial duel success rate

50%

85%

Dribbled past

4x

1x

Fouls committed

16

14

As you can see in the table above, the £17.4m signing from Hoffenheim has outperformed the Welshman in duels, particularly in the air, and has been harder to get past for opposition midfielders.

These statistics suggest that Stach, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, could be well-suited to sitting in as the number six in Farke’s 4-3-3 system to provide a physical presence in front of the back four.

Ampadu’s struggles aerially and in allowing players to dribble past him as the number six have been evident, which is why dropping him from the line-up to unleash Stach in a new role, albeit one he has played a lot elsewhere in his career, could be a good move.

That also does not mean that the captain has to completely lose his place in the team. Farke could play the former Chelsea man as one of the two midfielders ahead of Stach, to see if that is a more successful dynamic.

Big DCL upgrade: Leeds have "unstoppable" £40m talent on "their radar"

Leeds United are keeping tabs on a star who would be a big upgrade on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

ByDan Emery Nov 14, 2025

Abhishek Sharma hit 61 off 31, Tilak Varma struck 49 not out off 34, and India cruised to the highest score of the tournament, posting 202 for 5 without ever looking like they were breaking a serious sweat.Sri Lanka too, made no serious errors. In fact they caught well – Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera taking outstanding catches off their own bowling – while the groundfielding was in good shape. None of their bowlers leaked more than 15 runs in an over, and the frontline bowlers all completed their quota.And yet, India kept finding the boundary, first through Abhishek, before Varma and Sanju Samson set themselves up in the middle overs to hit 66 runs off 42 balls together. Wickets fell too, but such are India’s riches, and so in control were they of this innings, that dismissals did not lead to major hits to the scoring rate.Sri Lanka’s bowlers did pose threats. In fact, five bowlers took wickets. But none took more than one, and not a single bowler of the six used went at less than six an over. Whatever Sri Lanka threw at India, the India batters negotiated with measured aggression.

“You can’t let it chew you up’ – Shams Mulani has done it for Mumbai year after year and will continue to, whether or not higher honours come his way

Shashank Kishore22-Nov-2025There’s a growing perception in Indian cricket that Ranji Trophy success alone isn’t enough to break into the Test team. IPL performances are seen as proof of temperament under pressure. But what does a player do when the IPL call doesn’t come?Ask Shams Mulani, who has neither been an IPL regular nor made the India A cut, seemingly due to intense competition, with all of Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar and R Sai Kishore performing exceedingly well.Mulani’s record, though, is mighty impressive. Since 2022, no bowler in the country has taken more Ranji Trophy wickets than him: 198 at 21.92, with 16 five-fors and three ten-fors. The next best, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, has 157.In this period, Mulani has also been a regular performer in white-ball cricket – most notably in a key role in Mumbai’s maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20) Trophy triumph in 2022-23, where he picked up 16 wickets in ten matches. Yet, despite this unmatched consistency, the IPL door has never really opened for Mulani, who has played all of two matches for Mumbai Indians.Related

Auqib Nabi, Prithvi Shaw light up the Ranji Trophy

“You’re providing a service, bringing a skillset, and if there’s no demand, you just keep plugging away,” Mulani tells ESPNcricinfo. “The IPL is a great stage, but if you’re not playing there, you can’t let it chew you up. It’s easy to obsess over what you don’t have. I prefer to take pride in being a Mumbai cricketer, where nothing comes easy and you learn to enjoy the struggle.”It’s this mindset Mulani will carry into the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy next week, joining hundreds of hopefuls vying for visibility ahead of the auction.

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Mulani wasn’t supposed to get this far. He barely made age-group sides and spent nearly two seasons on the fringes before debuting for Mumbai in all three formats in 2018. “When you don’t expect something and it happens, the happiness is different,” he says. “But playing for Mumbai comes with pressure. That pressure drives me.”Along the way, he has also learned to live with the noise and the scrutiny that invariably follows. “One bad game, even one bad session, and people are talking about you by evening. I’ve heard people say, ‘he’s done’ or ‘he doesn’t have it anymore’ [like in the knockouts phase of 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy when he was dropped]. I try to stay calm and stick to my routine. Five-for or failure, nothing changes that.”That routine includes never skipping training. “Big players come with a purpose. They do things like clockwork. I’ve adopted that mindset. First optional session or second, I’m there. I hate missing it even if it’s optional.”Mulani has come through the first leg of the 2025-26 Ranji season with the same relentless sense of purpose. After five games, he is third on the wicket-takers’ list and central to Mumbai’s rise to the top of Elite Group C.

“As I look ahead, winning matches for Mumbai is what I train for. Anything else – any other team, any other setting – will just be a by-product”Shams Mulani

He revels in being Mumbai’s crisis man, and the season opener in Srinagar offered a reminder. After Mumbai’s top order was blown away by Auqib Nabi – 70 for 5 – in the second innings, Mulani’s gritty 41 dragged them to 181 and set Jammu & Kashmir a target of 243. He then produced a career-best 7 for 46 to secure a tense 35-run win, just when a second straight loss to J&K loomed. Amid the euphoria of that dramatic win, his first-innings 91, which set up the game, almost seemed like a footnote.”The main thing for me is getting a feel of the game,” he says. “Once I get that, I start visualising wickets. In Srinagar, the pitch was helping fast bowlers, so I didn’t get much in the first innings. But on the evening of day three, I told my room-mate Akash Anand, ‘I feel like tomorrow I’m going to change the game’. He wasn’t convinced. But I just had that feeling.”Two weeks ago in the fourth round, against Himachal Pradesh, he rescued Mumbai from 73 for 4 with a vital 69 and returned on the final day to take five wickets and finish the job. This ability to wheel away tirelessly is the result of years of work. “I played Ranji for years as a very different bowler,” he explains. “My mentality was simple: don’t give runs, control the game.”

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Everything changed when he began working with Amol Muzumdar in mid-2021 when Muzumdar was appointed Mumbai coach. “He really challenged me. He said containment alone wouldn’t take me to the next level. We debated a lot. He had his ideas, I had mine, and we found a middle ground. That shift helped massively.”Mulani ended the 2021-22 season with 45 wickets in six matches as Mumbai reached the final. “My mindset changed, and that happened because Amol backed me completely. Even now, Omkar Salvi [head coach] and Dhawal Kulkarni [bowling coach] keep pushing me.”And what changed technically?”I’ve always bowled left-arm around the wicket, running in straight. But most left-armers cut across the crease or go more side-on for angles,” Mulani says. “Before the season, Amol wanted me to try that. I was sceptical. I’d bowled the same way for years. But he told me, ‘don’t worry, I back you’.”They had an agreement: start spells with the new angle, return to his natural method later if it didn’t work.Shams Mulani is someone Mumbai trust to bail them out of tricky situations, even with the bat•PTI “It took a month to convince me. But once it settled, it felt really good. The ball came out faster, with more nip and bite. Being slightly more side-on helps create the angle and makes the ball carry off the pitch. The balance – not fully side-on, not fully straight – has made a big difference.”Another big shift has been fitness.”That’s played a huge role,” he says. “I’ve trained for five years with Vishal Chitarkar. He knows my body inside out. How fatigue affects me, how I should recover. We worked a lot on endurance, especially on the muscles that tire late in the day.”But training only takes you so far. In 95% humidity, in blazing heat, it’s willpower. You can give up and say you’re tired, but then you remind yourself the team needs you. Last year in the [Ranji Trophy] semi-final, I bowled 44 overs in the second innings. After 25, it was pure willpower. That ability to keep going has developed over time.”Over these years, Mulani has also fought to change perceptions. Early on, he was boxed in as a white-ball bowler. Now, his red-ball success has seen him being typecast at the other extreme. The younger Mulani might have been bothered; the 28-year-old version is not.”As I look ahead, winning matches for Mumbai is what I train for,” he says. “Anything else – any other team, any other setting – will just be a by-product.”If bigger doors open, Mulani will walk in. If they don’t, he’ll keep knocking on them the way he knows: one grinding spell, one hard run, one Mumbai win at a time.

West Ham are believed to be in the market for three major signings this January, and could now turn back to a familiar face in pursuit of fresh quality.

The Irons are preparing for what could be a vital transfer window in their quest to ensure Premier League survival. Looking to back new boss Nuno Espírito Santo, with West Ham currently sitting in the relegation zone after a torrid start to 2025/2026, David Sullivan and co have identified three key areas to reinforce.

Nuno’s would seriously benefit from signing a striker and a centre-back in January, while they’re also exploring options in midfield to add depth and quality in that area of the squad (Sky Sports).

In attack, West Ham are apparently targeting an athletic, mobile centre-forward who can provide a different profile to their current options. Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney is believed to be a target for Nuno’s side in that regard, while reports suggest that Santiago Gimenez of AC Milan is also on West Ham’s radar.

The same can be said of ex-Tottenham striker Troy Parrott, who’s currently enjoying the season of his life at AZ Alkmaar, having also fired the Republic of Ireland to the World Cup play-offs recently.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Parrott’s brace against Portugal, which led Ireland to a 2-0 win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s side, and a hat-trick against Hungary confirmed his country’s place in the draw, with clubs like West Ham apparently taking notice of the 23-year-old’s exceptional form.

The midfield area also requires attention, with West Ham reportedly targeting additions to bolster their options in the number eight role. The club has been linked with moves for the likes of Chelsea starlet Andrey Santos as they look to add technical quality and energy to the middle of the park.

Defensively, West Ham are pursuing reinforcements at centre-back.

They’ve reportedly made a £15.8 million bid to sign Lecce and Portugal Under-21 centre-back Tiago Gabriel already (La Gazzetta dello Sport), though the Italian club has rejected this opening offer and is holding out for around £22 million.

West Ham currently have the second-worst defence in England’s top flight, and despite their glaring need for a forward, Nuno’s backline also demands attention.

West Ham looking to 'reignite' Charlie Cresswell talks

Now, according to ExWHUemployee, they could turn back towards Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell as an option.

The former Leeds United defender was apparently ‘close to signing’ in the summer window, and West Ham are looking to ‘reignite talks’ over signing Cresswell in January as they attempt to shore up their leaky defence.

Cresswell represents the type of defensive reinforcement West Ham desperately need to address their relegation concerns.

The 23-year-old has demonstrated strong leadership capabilities and excels in aerial situations, while also contributing offensively with three goals last season.

Standing over six feet tall, he’s physically imposing and wins his defensive battles, providing the commanding presence that’s been missing from West Ham’s backline. His move to Toulouse has proven highly successful, with the defender establishing himself among France’s top young centre-backs and helping Toulouse to keep 10 clean sheets in 2024/2025.

His quality has translated to international football too, where he earned praise for his leadership during the recent Under-21 European Championships (GiveMeSport). The England youth international played a key role in his country’s successful title defence, showing he can deliver on the big stage.

Cresswell being homegrown and valued at around £18 million in the summer makes this deal all the more appealing to West Ham, especially considering their limited winter budget.