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Crystal Palace Good — ninth in the table, enjoying their first European campaign. Bad — Oliver Glasner unhappy with no investment in the summer, his contract expires in a few months, Jean-Philippe Mateta’s future possibly in doubt, Marc Guehi on his way out before long and basically a growing sense of ‘enjoy it while it lasts’.

Why do Leeds and Chelsea hate each other? https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6855235/2025/12/03/leeds-Chelsea-rivalry-hatred/ Leeds United host Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday night — marking a return of one of the most historic rivalries for both teams. The Elland Road side have spent the last two seasons in the Championship following relegation. While Leeds and Chelsea shared the same division between 2020 and 2023, the former also spent the previous 16 years outside of the top flight. They even fell as low as League One at one stage. During that time, they only played once in any competition. But it is fair to say that the fans of these two clubs seriously dislike each other. At times, it strays into hatred. Why? The answer goes back nearly 60 years. The Athletic’s Beren Cross — with help from Leeds fan Gareth Senior — and Simon Johnson explain below. Where did the rivalry begin for Leeds fans? Beren Cross: The misconception for some, at least from the Leeds perspective, is that this rivalry began with the 1970 FA Cup final, but it started before then in West Yorkshire eyes. Chelsea beat Leeds 1-0 in the 1967 FA Cup semi-final played at Villa Park in controversial circumstances. United were twice denied an equaliser in the final seven minutes by referee Ken Burns, but it was the second from substitute Peter Lorimer which was too much for the Leeds fans. Terry Cooper’s strike was ruled offside, but a free kick passed to Lorimer was lashed home, only to be ruled out because the Chelsea wall had not been 10 yards back. The 1970 final only added to the growing bitterness. There was the dreadful pitch at Wembley, Gary Sprake’s struggles in goal, Eddie Gray’s wizardry, but then, in the replay at Old Trafford, the early injury to Gray and a tussle which Michael Oliver, the Premier League’s leading referee, told The Telegraph would have resulted in 11 red cards under today’s rules. Gareth Senior, a Leeds season-ticket holder since 1987, told The Athletic: “There was always that, through the late 1960s into the early 1970s, King’s Road vs the grim north. “There was the money, the lights, but (all the newspapers were based on) Fleet Street in the 1970s, so it was all London-centric. Arsenal, West Ham, Chelsea, Tottenham got all the headlines.” A tackle during the tense 1970 FA Cup finalPeter Robinson/EMPICS via Getty Images Was it the same for Chelsea fans? Simon Johnson: Yes. Older supporters still talk about the intensity of these fixtures between the supporters as well as the players. Like any rivalry, playing high-profile fixtures where trophies were at stake helped increase the animosity. The 1970 FA Cup final just brought things to a head. But this was more than just football. This encapsulated the north-south divide in England, with Chelsea being seen as flashy and glamorous given their proximity to the King’s Road in London, whereas Leeds matched their quality with a lot of determination and fight, quite literally at times. How did it develop after the Cup final? Cross: Senior said it spilt onto the terraces in the late 1970s and early 1980s. There was hostility and violence between the two fanbases as hooliganism exploded across English football. The two clubs only met six times across the 1980s, and all meetings were in the second tier as they struggled to establish themselves at the top of the domestic game. In October 1982, for example, with Leeds in the capital to play at Stamford Bridge, there was what Senior says is known as the ‘Battle of Piccadilly’. The police made 153 arrests that day away from Stamford Bridge, as supporters from both clubs clashed in and around Piccadilly Circus. They clashed underground on the Tube network, too. A further 60 arrests were made at the game itself. In 1984, Chelsea owner Ken Bates said one of his most infamous quotes. After Leeds fans damaged his new scoreboard at Stamford Bridge, the future Elland Road owner said: “I shall not rest until Leeds United are kicked out of the Football League. Their fans are the scum of the Earth, absolute animals and a disgrace. I will do everything in my power to make this happen.” Bates would go on to buy a 50 per cent share of Leeds in 2005. Johnson: Chelsea won just two more fixtures against in the decade after the 1970 cup final, a reflection of their decline. But high-profile incidents in games during the 1980s (see below) and 1990s sparked things up again. Becoming rivals for a Champions League place in the late 1990s led to some really lively affairs. In December 1997, there were eight bookings, and Leeds had two players sent off in a goalless draw. The following year, there were 12 bookings and this time a red card for Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf in another 0-0. The same player was sent off when Leeds won 2-0 at Chelsea in 1999, with the home fans making their displeasure known throughout. In a first cup meeting since 1970, Chelsea won a 2001 League Cup tie in controversial circumstances as Eidur Gudjohnsen scored one of their two goals while Stephen McPhail was on the ground, injured. Graeme Le Saux was carried off on a stretcher in that match after a collision with Alan Smith. Were there any flashpoints for Leeds fans in subsequent years? Cross: In 2001, Senior recalls a lunging, two-footed challenge by Graeme Le Saux on Danny Mills at Elland Road, which saw him get a yellow, but he says it would get “two red cards” nowadays. And how about for Chelsea fans? Simon Johnson: One of the reasons Chelsea erected wire fences around Stamford Bridge in the 1970s came after a lot of crowd trouble and pitch invasions following a game between the sides in 1972. A decade later, having had a four-year gap between matches, clashes between the fans led to a total of 213 arrests around the fixture. When Chelsea beat Leeds 5-0 to secure promotion from the old Division Two (now the Championship) in 1984, there were more pitch invasions, and Leeds damaged the Chelsea scoreboard, attracting Bates’ fury. How was the rivalry perceived by Leeds fans while they were outside of the Premier League? Cross: Senior believes the rivalry is driven more by the Leeds side now. “For people my age, a little bit younger and a bit older, that sort of thing never disappears because it’s ingrained during your days as a younger lad, growing up,” he said. “You’ve got Chelsea, Millwall, Man United, a little bit of West Ham, but there’s also a bit of begrudging respect there. “You’ve got those sort of main rivalries, but it doesn’t go away from you, and you still see it as a rivalry because you always think you’re on a little vacation away from the top flight.” Chelsea were very successful after Leeds were relegated. Did it diminish as a rivalry? Johnson: To a degree. It helped the rivalry that there was a League Cup tie in 2012 to refresh everybody’s memories. Even though the unpopular Rafa Benitez was Chelsea’s head coach back then, the away support enjoyed a 5-1 victory at Elland Road. In contrast, one of Thomas Tuchel’s last games in charge was a 3-0 league defeat at Elland Road in 2022, which stung a fanbase that expected an easy three points. The question is whether the younger supporter, unaccustomed to this fixture being played on a regular basis, sees Leeds in the same way the older generation does. Chelsea have two traditional rivalries that are regardless of league standing or position. One is Tottenham, the other is Leeds. But while anti-Tottenham songs are regularly sung by fans, you hardly ever hear anti-Leeds chants anymore. This might be a sign that the baton has not really been passed on to the younger generation, and also a reflection that a lack of games between each other over the last 20 years has had an impact. The pitch invasion during the 1984 matchSapiano/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images How do Leeds fans view this game ahead of Wednesday’s match? Cross: “If you’d have asked me at half-time on Saturday, I’d have said we’re in for the biggest loss at home for a long time, and we get done by four or five,” said Senior. “If Farke sticks to the formation they finished the game with and sticks to pretty much the same personnel, I’d like to see a different player rather than two big No 9s playing, a (Wilfried) Gnonto or an (Noah) Okafor in a front two with one of the others, a point would be brilliant.” And what about Chelsea fans? Johnson: There is a lot of optimism given how Chelsea have performed against Barcelona and Arsenal in the past week. Things do seem to be progressing well under Enzo Maresca, but this is an important game for Chelsea to win to keep in touch with Arsenal at the top of the table and also cement their standing inside the top four. Losing this match would probably bring back a lot of the negativity we saw earlier in the campaign following defeats by Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Sunderland. What You Should Read Next Why Chelsea hate Leeds. And does it matter any more? An old rivalry remains for many Chelsea fans. But after so many years of not playing Leeds, does it matter to a young fans? By Beren Cross and Simon Johnson

EXCL: Chelsea confident in transfer policy as they eye two more elite-level wonderkid signings Chelsea have their next two superstars in their sights... https://thedailybriefing.io/p/Chelsea-wonderkid-transfers Chelsea are increasingly confident that their transfer policy of the last few years is proving fruitful as Enzo Maresca’s side challenge for the Premier League title. The Blues are just six points behind league leaders Arsenal and were unlucky not to win against the Gunners despite being down to ten men for much of Sunday’s game at Stamford Bridge. Players like Estevao Willian have been a huge success for Chelsea, while Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez also continue to improve all the time, justifying the big investment made in them when they were still relatively unproven youngsters. I can also reveal two exciting new names on Chelsea’s list of targets as they look to continue recruiting wonderkids for their long-term project. Two players of strong interest to Chelsea at the moment are Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, and Metz striker Brian Madjo. Who are Chelsea’s new transfer targets Ayyoub Bouaddi and Brian Madjo? Bouaddi is not exactly an unearthed gem at this point, with the 18-year-old French midfielder already making 72 appearances for Lille’s senior side since making his debut in the 2023/24 season. As I’ve previously reported here, Bouaddi is also highly regarded by Manchester United and will be one to watch on their list of transfer targets in the near future, while others around Europe are also well aware of him now. Sources in the industry are now increasingly talking up Chelsea, particularly with BlueCo also having Strasbourg as an ideal next stepping stone for him in Ligue 1. “Bouaddi has attracted interest from several European clubs, and Chelsea are one of them,” one source with knowledge of the club’s plans told me. “Chelsea’s interest is strengthened by their ownership link with Strasbourg, which could allow the player to continue his development in France while staying under close watch. This pathway is seen as an ideal plan to make the transition to the Premier League smoother.” Sources were keen to stress, however, that there have not yet been any concrete negotiations over Bouaddi, or any offers made to Lille. As for Madjo, the 16-year-old Metz forward who has represented England and Luxembourg at youth level, Chelsea figures supposedly see him as “a project worth investing in”, with the talented teenager already a tall and imposing central striker who could have a big future in the Premier League due to his characteristics. “As usual, Chelsea will feel confident they can lure talents like Bouaddi and Madjo in with the promise of long-term contracts, as we’ve seen become the norm under this ownership,” my source added.

Send Guiu there on loan.

🔵Official Emegha will not be Strasbourg’s match day squad to face Toulouse in their next game. They state that it is because the player failed to respect the club’s values, expectations and rules. He will definitely be moving to Chelsea in January. He won't be able to stick it out until the summer. He gets booed by the Strasbourg ultras at every game!

here are the non-Chels CMFs and/or DMFs valued higher on T-Markt than Mainoo (no AMFs included) the ones in bold have been linked with Chels within the last year (some of those links are to players who are not going to leave their club, those I will make red) Pedri Federico Valverde Declan Rice Alexis Mac Allister João Neves Vitinha Ryan Gravenberch Rodri Bruno Guimarães Aurélien Tchouaméni Sandro Tonali Tijjani Reijnders (plays a lot at AMF) Martín Zubimendi Nicolò Barella Carlos Baleba (Man United-bound) Adam Wharton (will skyrocket the next update) Aleksandar Pavlovic Pablo Barrios Warren Zaïre-Emery Eduardo Camavinga Manu Koné (Roma stole him for only £15.5m in summer 2024, now he is worth at least 3 and half times that) Morten Hjulmand Scott McTominay and here are the ones valued the same as Mainoo is now: Éderson Elliot Anderson (will skyrocket the next update) Angelo Stiller Curtis Jones Frenkie de Jong Joshua Kimmich who would I take over Mainoo? these 4 (and they have to be the type who will leave their club for us, which rules out a lot) none of these will be cheap Bruno Guimarães Sandro Tonali Adam Wharton Elliot Anderson

This is one of the typical fixtures where the atmosphere can kill us off and where I find us struggling to manage games like this, such as Newcastle, Leeds etc and how naive we are at times. Get on the ball, take the sting out of the atmosphere hopefully grab a goal to mute the noise even more and take the game to them

I imagine he will look for a (loan)move to a smaller PL club so he can have a chance for WC.. Many player will push for this in January.

🔵According to journalist Achille Ash Mykhailo Mudryk could return to the pitch as early as January 17, 2026. On that date, his provisional doping ban could be lifted. Chelsea's management is then considering loaning him to RC Strasbourg.

Manchester United will reportedly listen to offers in January for a number of players: 🔸 Kobbie Mainoo 🔸 Joshua Zirkzee 🔸 Manuel Ugarte (@ESPN) This could mean that K. Mainoo could end up at Chelsea, as our scouts have been admiring him for quite some time!

Enzo Maresca on lack of minutes for Josh Acheampong https://Chelsea.news/2025/12/enzo-maresca-josh-acheampong-lack-of-minutes/ Enzo Maresca has explained the lack of minutes for Josh Acheampong ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Leeds on Wednesday evening. The Blues kick off a busy December with a tough game at Elland Road, a ground they lost 3-0 at on their last visit under Thomas Tuchel. If Chelsea want to be considered title contenders then these are the games they have to be winning, something Maresca will be more than aware of. Maresca only made one change to the team for the Barcelona and Arsenal games, but will likely make a number of changes on Wednesday, especially with another game against Bournemouth on Saturday. Acheampong has put in some impressive performances this season, and Chelsea fans would like to see more minutes for the 19-year-old. Acheampong scored his first Chelsea goal against Nottingham Forest, but hasn’t featured in the league since the 2-1 defeat to Sunderland in October. The teenager came on as a late substitute against Barcelona last week, and Maresca has now explained his lack of minutes. “He’s very good,” he said as quoted on X.com by journalist Lloyd Canfield. “The only thing, I mean, it’s something nice for me, and it’s something nice for the club, is that at the moment our central defenders are doing very well. “Wes is doing well, Trev is doing well. Josh is doing well. “This is what we need in terms of central defenders. It’s just a matter to find the right moment when we give him the chance.” Chelsea looking much better defensively Having struggled at the start of season from a defensive stand point, with a number of mistakes being made, the Blues have made real improvements. Chelsea conceded just once in the Premier League in November, and that in part is down to Maresca having settled on a consistent pairing. Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana started three of those four games, and the duo are showing signs of being a very good partnership. Maresca will likely change that partnership against Leeds, and it will be interesting to see who comes in, with a number of options available.

Rather than rotate the first XI I would take some of the starters off in the 2nd half. Santos and Enzo - a new midfield is certain. Wouldn't want to change up too much from the main team

From the archive: The smile on Michael Essien’s face https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/from-the-archive-the-smile-on-michael-essiens-face Twenty years ago, Chelsea completed the signing of midfielder Michael Essien, who today celebrates his 43rd birthday. The Ghanaian would go on to become a Blues great, and here he reflects on his trophy-laden spell at Stamford Bridge... In the summer of 2005, Chelsea had just lifted the Premier League title for the first time, and in dominant fashion, but it wasn’t going to be a case of one and done for the Blues. Hernan Crespo returned from a loan spell with AC Milan, fresh from scoring twice in the Rossoneri’s epic Champions League final against Liverpool, and Shaun Wright-Phillips, the hottest young prospect in England, had also been brought in from Manchester City. But with the new season fast approaching, the club were set on bringing in a new midfielder, and there was only one name on the shortlist: Michael Essien. Not much was known about the Ghana international on these shores, other than he played for Lyon which, at that time, meant he was part of one of the most dominant domestic club sides in European football. Over the previous two seasons he had helped OL win back-to-back Ligue 1 titles, midway through a run of seven straight triumphs, and in the second of those campaigns he was chosen as the best player in the French top flight. Understandably, Lyon didn’t want to part with their prized asset. 'It was 20 years ago,' begins Essien, 'and Didier [Drogba] called Florent [Malouda] to say that Jose [Mourinho] wanted to talk to me. I happened to be at a barbecue with Malouda, who was my team-mate at Lyon, and that’s how it all started with me finding out that Chelsea wanted me. 'However, the owner of Lyon had his own valuation and was not willing to budge, so that led to a long, drawnout transfer. I stayed professional throughout without wanting to force the move but eventually the clubs agreed the transfer and it happened. Of all the moves I made throughout my career this was certainly the longest, with the most drama.' A summer-long transfer pursuit finally reached its conclusion, for what was then a club-record fee, on the eve of the new season, and with it began a nine-year love affair for a player who would go on to play a big role in one of the most beloved periods in Chelsea’s history. 'I had a good time with the club,' he adds. 'I won a lot of trophies and so I can’t ask for much to be honest. I had a good relationship with the owners, management, staff and fans, and that’s what matters the most for me. 'The relationship with the supporters was very good. I have no idea what they would say about my time with the club, but hopefully it will be something positive! I always did my best and I am sure they would say something along those lines. They supported me through thick and thin and they appreciated all my hard work, so I have a lot of time and respect for the Chelsea fans all over the world. Even now we still maintain a good relationship, which is very pleasing.' Essien felt like a good fit for Chelsea from the word go, slotting in alongside Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele to fill the role previously held by Tiago, who went in the opposite direction to the Ghanaian shortly after his move. English football was the perfect environment for a player with his attributes – strong, athletic, with an incredible engine and underrated technical qualities. 'Looking back, yes, I think it was a very good fit,' he says. 'Although I think I surprised a few people with my qualities. Very few supporters outside France knew me so when they started seeing me play, they took to me very well. My versatility was also another attribute that suited Chelsea. I could play in a lot of positions which suited most of the managers I had in my career.' At that time, he was also coming into a dressing room with so many big personalities, some of the biggest names in world football. Anyone who has come across Essien off the pitch will know that compared to the ferocious competitor on the field, he is calm and considered, and very softly spoken. So, how did he find that environment? 'It wasn’t too much of a big deal, to be honest, and it was more about getting to know them. Because I had played in the Champions League and in France for a while, I knew a lot of them and had also played against some big names at the time in Europe, so it wasn’t too much of an issue. Also, knowing Didier helped ease me into the dressing room. 'The Ivorians were probably my best friends when I was at Chelsea – Drogba and [Salomon] Kalou – and also Malouda. Three of us were from west Africa and had the same journeys to Europe so we probably had a lot in common. For Malouda, I knew him from his days in France with Lyon. I also got to know Ashley [Cole] when we went to France for rehab at one point so we became close. As a group we all got on really well, in fairness.' At the end of his first season, we retained the Premier League title, and in some style, clinching the championship with a thumping 3-0 win over our closest challengers, Manchester United. We remind Essien of an incredible picture that was taken shortly after that triumph by our club photographer, which you can see below. He’s sat on the pitch in front of the trophy, staring at this piece of silverware with a mixture of love and disbelief written across his face. 'I remember that very well,' he says. 'It was the joy of the moment that got us all doing crazy things with the trophy. The club photographers are always in and amongst us so that captured some amazing memories. At that time I probably didn’t realise what it all meant, but I look back and have a smile on my face any time I see some of those images and videos we took together.' While dominant midfield displays characterised his early years at the club, winning duels for fun and running just as hard in the 90th minute as the ninth, we later discovered that these skills were transferrable to other areas of the pitch. He was key to not only Plan A, but also B and C, the man for every occasion. He was imperious as a stand-in centre-half for the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium in 2007, producing an outrageous tackle on Ryan Giggs to deny the Welshman a certain goal. Later on, he starred at right-back in our run to the Champions League final in 2008, having previously been utilised in that position a year earlier as a Plan B whenever things weren’t going well, and it was his deflected shot against Manchester United which fell into the path of Frank Lampard, who slotted home our first-ever goal in a Champions League final. 'It wasn’t too bad [playing at right-back] because I was a very quick learner and understood how to play a number of positions,' he says. 'As long as I was playing, I didn’t really mind about my position. I wanted to help the team all the time. 'I also started my career as a centre-back and most of my youth football games, even for Ghana, were at the back, so playing in defence came to me naturally. Of course, I faced tougher opponents but I think I adapted well and tried to always give my best.' We ask him if he listens to all the chat nowadays about inverted full-backs and thinks to himself, ‘Hey – I was playing that way almost 20 years ago!’ 'Definitely, and they have just changed the names,' is his response. 'I was actually talking about this recently, that as a right-back I used to wander into midfield. The goal I scored against Arsenal is a good example of that. The game has changed, of course, but there are so many similarities. I look back sometimes and think I used to do that and it just has a different name now.' That brings us on nicely to another subject we wanted to tackle – namely the spectacular goals that became his calling card. He scored 25 times from 256 appearances, and two of them were breathtaking strikes that won him the Goal of the Season award at Chelsea, against Arsenal and Barcelona. But the big question, and one we cannot answer, is: which was the better of the two? 'I get asked this a lot and I will say the Arsenal one, purely because it preserved our unbeaten home run and it was an incredible strike,' he says. 'I also love the Barcelona goal, but due to the outcome at the end, I have to say the Arsenal one. 'Both of them were purely instinctive, without having to think about them. Just a natural reaction of ‘hit it’ when the balls were available – and thankfully they both went in. The fans still talk about them and the Premier League and UEFA post them every year, which is really pleasing for me.' As well as those two Goal of the Season awards, he was chosen by the supporters as their Player of the Year in 2007, becoming the first African to claim that prize for the club. 'That was very special because Chelsea had some of the best players in the world, let alone in England, and to be selected as the best meant a lot to me. At one point we had lots of national team captains in our dressing room so if you are selected as one of the best, it should mean a lot – and certainly it did for me at the time.' Unfortunately, the latter part of Essien’s time as a Chelsea player was dogged by fitness issues. Two major knee injuries meant that he was never truly the same player, although he was briefly back to his best after the first of them, during the period when he scored the aforementioned blockbuster volley against Barcelona at the end of the 2008/09 campaign. He says that there are no regrets, nor frustration, at how things panned out, insisting that injuries are part and parcel of football. And he was also still at the club during the legendary 2011/12 season, when we upset the odds to get our hands on the Champions League trophy for the first time. 'It was great to finally win that trophy after years of trying and failing,' he adds. 'I remember we had a good run, especially games with all the drama like the ones against Napoli and Barcelona, and the way those games played out we felt it was going to happen. 'Being able to finally win it was great for the whole club. It also meant some of us who missed out on winning the Moscow final eventually got a chance to lift the biggest trophy of them all in club football.' Essien spent the next season on loan to Real Madrid, where he was reunited with Mourinho, and then departed Stamford Bridge for good midway through the following campaign to join AC Milan. He continued playing for another six years, on and off, before hanging up his boots and starting a coaching role with Nordsjaelland in Denmark, which he still holds to this day. 'When I decided to stop playing, which was around the Covid time, I was approached by the owner of Nordsjaelland, Tom Vernon, to join them to further my coaching career, which I had just started. So I am working as an assistant coach and supporting the U19s, and also the club academies in Ghana and Egypt. I am enjoying it a lot. It’s totally different to my playing days but I am used to it now, having been doing it for the last four or five years.' Will we ever see him back on these shores, working in the Premier League? 'I have learned to never say never, so who knows about coaching in England? At the right time and with the right opportunity it is possible.' - This interview was first published as part of the Unscripted series in last season's matchday programme

We just had two big games and Garnacho - Pedro was the only change. 10 other players started both games. So, because of this I definitely expect rotation. Guys like Delap, Palmer, Gittens, Santos, Tosin, Acheampong can easily start here. Btw completely forgot about Buonanotte. Didn't play in a month, usually not even on the bench. And this was with Palmer out who is back now.

Enzo Maresca thinks Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo will benefit from enforced rest https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/columnist/enzo-maresca-has-found-one-positive-from-moises-caicedos-suspension-he-may-be-on-to-something/ Caicedo has played a lot of football for both Chelsea and the Ecuador national team, but he will get a bit of a breather now following his suspension. According to Maresca, that is a good thing. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, which has been shared by Chelsea’s official club website, the Italian said: “This break will give him a little bit more rest because he is playing every game, also with the international team. That is the positive part. “Next Tuesday he will be available to play Atalanta, so one game in one week, but it’s a chance for him to recover energy and to recover from his knee problem.” This season, Caicedo has only missed one game in the Premier League, which was his side’s 2-0 win against Burnley. Santos deputised for Caicedo that day and did an excellent job. It means Maresca can have confidence in him ahead of the trip to Elland Road. Moises Caicedo has played too much football Maresca is not wrong to suggest that Caicedo is being overused. Therefore, this three-match ban really could end up benefitting the 24-year-old. This term, Caicedo has already played 18 games and 1,389 minutes in total. Last season, he made 50 appearances. Ultimately, over the last few seasons, Caicedo has played a lot of football, perhaps even too much. The above does not even include the caps he has earned for Ecuador. As Maresca alluded to, the former Brighton & Hove Albion man has also been playing with a knee injury. Sitting out Chelsea’s next three league fixtures could do him a world of good. The Club World Cup winners did not lose against Arsenal either, so maybe Caicedo’s sending off really could end up being a blessing in disguise. It never cost Chelsea in their London derby, and the Ecuador international now has time to rest.

We are delighted to announce that Chelsea Academy defender Isago Silva has signed his first professional contract with the club. https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/isago-silva-pens-professional-contract The 17-year-old has been a Blue since joining us ahead of his Under-13s season. In that time, he has developed into a versatile and reliable defender, comfortable operating at both left-back and centre-back. During his Under-16s campaign in 2024/25, Isago Silva made his Under-18s debut against Leicester City. This season, he featured in the thrilling 3-3 draw with Sheffield United in the Under-18 Premier League Cup. He has also appeared three times in our Under-17 Premier League Cup campaign. Congratulations, Isago! lol, his Talk Chelsea birth announcement from 2008:

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca believes young defender Josh Acheampong could provide some cover in midfield if needed amid Moises Caicedo's suspension. https://www.si.com/onsi/soccer/Chelsea/news/maresca-considering-playing-centre-back-in-Chelsea-midfield-amid-caicedo-suspension-01kbfa4kj4qf Caicedo received a straight red card in the first half against Arsenal on Sunday, which means he will have to serve a three-match suspension in the Premier League. He will miss Wednesday's trip to Leeds United, Saturday's trip to Bournemouth, as well as the upcoming clash with Everton at Stamford Bridge on December 13. The Ecuador international has missed just one of Chelsea's 13 Premier League games so far this season, and it is clear that his absence is a huge blow for the team. "For sure, again, we are a better team with Cole (Palmer), with Moi, with Levi (Colwill), but when these players are not available, we need to find solutions," Maresca said in Tuesday's press conference. "Now we need to do something different." The most obvious replacement would be Andrey Santos, who performed really well as a number six in Caicedo's only Premier League absence against Burnley in November. Interestingly, Maresca has also named versatile defender Acheampong among his options. "Andrey is ready. His position is playing as a No.6, like Moi, but he is ready," he added when asked about Santos. "(Another) one that can play good in that position is Josh, but we will see." Obviously, Reece James, whose performance in midfield in the draw with Arsenal deservedly earned him a lot of praise, can also be an option, and so can fellow right-back Malo Gusto. Meanwhile, Maresca also confirmed that other natural number sixes, Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo, are at different stages of their recoveries. "Romeo is still trying to recover," the Italian explained. "Dario, he was okay and started some sessions with us. Now he needs to slow down a little bit so he will be out again, hopefully nothing important. The rest are all fine."

Chelsea receive major boost in efforts to offload Nicolas Jackson permanently https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/transfer-news/Chelsea-receive-major-boost-in-efforts-to-offload-nicolas-jackson-permanently/ Nicolas Jackson will not be at Chelsea next season and it is starting to become increasingly unlikely that Bayern Munich will sign him permanently. It has been reported that it is now impossible for Jackson to trigger Bayern’s obligation to buy. The German giants could always negotiate fresh terms with Chelsea; however, at the moment, there is nothing to suggest that they will do that. The above, though, does not mean that the Club World Cup winners will struggle to get rid of Jackson in the summer. READ MORE: Chelsea should offer Nicolas Jackson in swap deal for £82m striker they’re interested in signing Other clubs now monitoring Nicolas Jackson’s situation According to the reliable Fabrizio Romano, there are several sides who are currently keeping a close eye on Jackson, so the striker is likely to have suitors at the end of the season. Speaking on GiveMeSport’s Market Madness, Romano said: “Nico Jackson is ready to fight till the end to stay at Bayern. “He’s very happy there, but eventually if it’s not going to be Bayern next season, I’m told that there are already several clubs attentive to the situation because Jackson will be on the market and he’s not going to stay at Chelsea.” Some Chelsea fans are not against Jackson returning to the club, but there seems to be no way back for the 24-year-old. He has more goals than Liam Delap, scoring five times this term. Delap has netted just once but missed two months of the campaign because of injury. Why Chelsea have no choice but to leave Nicolas Jackson on the market While some Chelsea supporters would welcome Jackson back to Stamford Bridge, there is simply no room for him. The Blues have to sell the Senegal international. Delap, Joao Pedro and Marc Guiu are the current strikers in Chelsea’s squad, while Emanuel Emegha is set to join them in the summer. The announcement that Emegha is leaving for Chelsea caused much commotion at Strasbourg, but that has not stopped the Dutchman from performing. He recently scored in Strasbourg’s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace in the Conference League. Again, with Emegha expected to be part of Enzo Maresca’s first team squad next season, there will not be any space for Jackson in west London. Whether it is Bayern or someone else, Jackson will join another club in the summer.

Acheampong should come in for Fofana, who I think might be rested. Santos in for James. Gusto at RB. Joao Pedro off the bench. Garnacho starting. Doubt Acheampong will get a start though, with Tosin there in the squad.

How can Real Madrid bring Nico Paz back from Como? https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6801094/2025/11/13/real-madrid-nico-paz-transfer-como/ Nov. 13, 2025 Nico Paz is impressing with Como in Serie A. Since joining the Italian club from Real Madrid in August 2024 his stock has risen sharply — and the 21-year-old attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur this summer. However, the Argentina international looks to have a Madrid return on his mind. The Spanish club considered activating a buyback clause for him this summer — and they retain further options on him for 2026 and 2027. What’s the latest? Allow The Athletic to explain. Is Paz expected to move to Real Madrid? Paz’s impressive first season in Italy over 2024-25 (he scored six goals and provided nine assists in 35 games) meant Madrid’s board seriously considered bringing him back this summer. He had spent the previous season mostly with Real Madrid’s reserve side in the third tier of Spanish football, also playing 128 minutes across eight appearances for the seniors, scoring an important goal in the Champions League. He quickly stepped up in Serie A and, in June, Madrid could have re-signed him for €8million (£7m, $9.3m). There was so much speculation about Paz’s return that the move was widely considered a given in Spanish media. However, this was not the case for two reasons: Paz only wanted to come back if it was to take up an important role, and the approval of the new coach Xabi Alonso was still needed. Paz, meanwhile, has always felt very comfortable at Como, where he has developed well and should continue to do so this season, with the aim of representing Argentina at the World Cup next summer. He has been in all of national team manager Lionel Scaloni’s squads since October 2024. Nevertheless, Paz’s goal is to return to Madrid. That is why he ignored interest shown by several other suitors in the summer, including Tottenham and Inter. Madrid, Como and Paz’s agents kept each other informed of every move and did not entertain these options. Instead, they discussed reviewing and updating Madrid’s buy-back terms. Madrid have also been looking at other midfielders. The Athletic previously reported that Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Kees Smit of Dutch club AZ have been discussed at the club. However, they have by no means forgotten about Paz and are continuing to monitor his progress very closely. There is a strong chance that they will bring him back next summer. Mario Cortegana What options do Real Madrid have? Madrid can buy Nico back next summer for around €9million. Why such a low figure when his market value is much higher? When Madrid sold Paz to Como for around €6million in August 2024, they inserted several clauses and buyback options into the deal — following a now well-established policy at the Spanish club. Few Madrid youth academy graduates tend to move directly up to the first team at the Bernabeu (centre-back Raul Asencio and striker Gonzalo Garca have done so in recent seasons because of injuries or lack of options in their position). As a result, many are sold on to other clubs, where they will play more, and their progress is monitored closely. Those who end up returning to Madrid do so via the so-called ‘Via Carvajal’ (the Carvajal route), referring to how Dani Carvajal was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for around €5million in 2012, before returning the following year, after a brilliant campaign in the Bundesliga, for €6.5m. Catch Up On The Story Real Madrid’s academy, the Dani Carvajal route and dilemma facing youth players Madrid's youngsters have had to look for opportunities elsewhere in recent years - but that might have to change soon Madrid ordinarily include buyback clauses in deals for their youth academy prospects, as well as sell-on clauses if they end up being transferred again. They also ask to be notified of bids from other clubs, and for the right of first refusal — giving them the chance to match offers from rivals. Madrid have that right of first refusal for Paz. They would also be entitled to 50 per cent of any sale and included several buyback clauses in his August 2024 transfer to Como. Last summer, they could have signed him for €8million. That figure increases by €1m for the summer of 2026, and by €1m again for the summer of 2027 — with some potential add-ons also included in each scenario. However, these clauses may yet be renegotiated, in recognition of Paz’s rising market value. Mario Cortegana What’s the Como view? Como have struck up a great relationship with Madrid. They have proved themselves a credible destination for the development of Madrid’s finest young talent, a finishing school by the lake. Manager Cesc Fabregas’ work in pushing Paz to fulfil his potential meant Madrid were more than happy to sell them another young prospect, 20-year-old centre-back Jacobo Ramon, for €2.5million in July. Como informed Madrid of a huge bid for Paz in the summer from the Premier League. It was agreed they would turn it down and re-negotiate the buy-back clause included in the terms of the initial deal, out of recognition of his growing value. Fabregas was permanently appointed Como coach in July 2024Nicolo Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images Paz, who has already been capped by Argentina six times, would one day like to play for Madrid. For now, Como aren’t looking too far ahead in the future. “It’s normal that I can’t comment until something is finalised,” Como sporting director Carl Alberto Ludi said at a press conference in October. “Nico grew up at Real. He’s an extraordinary talent developing in one of Europe’s biggest leagues. Real can exercise their right to buy him back. “He plays in a position where there are many Madrid players. Everyone is talking about (his future) and maybe it’s also Nico’s legitimate desire as a kid who came through at Real and grew up in that environment. I can’t speak for him but I can imagine that’s the case. He is very happy here too.” If Madrid can’t find space for him next season either, perhaps, in the event Como qualify for Europe, playing a third season at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia would also have some appeal. James Horncastle How good has Paz been in Serie A? Paz was named the best young player in Serie A in his first season. It was no one-off. The Tenerife-born Argentine has gone from strength to strength since. He contributed eight goal involvements in his first seven appearances of the current campaign and has won four player of the match awards. Only Napoli’s box-crashing midfielder Frank Anguissa has collected more. After a 2-1 win against Juventus on October 19, attended by the 38-year-old manager’s mentor Arsene Wenger, he told DAZN: “I want to thank him (Wenger) again for believing in me like I believe in Paz. I have great faith in him for the future because I feel like I know when a player has the mentality to be a top player, and if he carries on like this, the sky is the limit.” James Horncastle By Mario Cortegana and James Horncastle

sell — DF FRA Axel Disasi — FW ENG Raheem Sterling (nightmare because of his insane £325K PW wage and his age, KSA is probably the only option but the berk will not go there, he holds all the cards and thus is holding us hostage due to our own stupidity) 4 DF ENG Tosin Adarabioyo 5 DF FRA Benoît Badiashile 12 GK DEN Filip Jörgensen 32 FW ENG Tyrique George 44 GK USA Gabriel Slonina 33 FW BRA Deivid Washington — GK ENG Ted Curd — GK ENG Teddy Sharman-Lowe — MF ENG Leo Castledine — FW CIV David Datro Fofana — FW SEN Nicolas Jackson

Chelsea will not have Dario Essugo available to cover Moises Caicedo after midfielder suffers setback https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6856038/2025/12/02/dario-essugo-Chelsea-injury-return/ Chelsea midfielder Dario Essugo has been ruled out of three more Premier League games at the very least after suffering a setback in training on Monday. Essugo, who completed a £18.5million ($24.4m) move from Sporting CP in June, has already been sidelined for over two months due to sustaining a thigh injury while away with Portugal Under-21s. The 20-year-old underwent surgery to help cure the problem but there was optimism he would soon be available for selection again after training with the senior side for the first time last week. However, head coach Enzo Maresca has confirmed the player’s return is going to have to wait. “For sure, he is not available for the next three (league) games,” Maresca said at a press conference. “We need to check him. Is it serious? I don’t think so. Unfortunately, it was just yesterday (Monday) so I don’t know (how bad a setback it is).” What You Should Read Next Chelsea Transfer DealSheet: What to expect in 2026 Chelsea were the Premier League's busiest team in the summer window One of the reasons Chelsea signed Essugo was to help provide cover for Moises Caicedo. The latter is suspended for the league games at Leeds (Wednesday night), Bournemouth (on Saturday) and against Everton on December 15 at Stamford Bridge after being sent off for a bad challenge on Arsenal’s Mikel Merino on Sunday. Asked about coping without Caicedo, Maresca added: “It’s always harder without Moises, Cole Palmer (played just four times this season) and Levi Colwill (expected to miss most of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his knee). There are many players. But we will try and find different solutions.” By Simon Johnson Chelsea Correspondent

Enzo Fernandez says he received ‘unwavering support’ from Chelsea after racist France chant https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6854688/2025/12/02/enzo-fernandez-Chelsea-france-argentina-chant/ Enzo Fernandez said he received “unwavering support” from the Chelsea squad during the fallout from the video of him and his Argentina team-mates singing a racist chant about the France national side in July 2024. Fernandez posted a video of the song on social media after Argentina’s 2024 Copa America final victory over Colombia, with the French Football Federation (FFF) describing the chant as “unacceptable, racist and discriminatory”. Fernandez’s Chelsea team-mate and France international Wesley Fofana accused members of the Argentina squad of “uninhibited racism”. Fernandez, 24, said he cancelled his holiday to apologise in person to the Chelsea squad at their pre-season tour in the United States and added that the incident strengthened his relationship with his club team-mates. He went on to captain Chelsea in their opening Premier League match of the 2024-25 campaign the following month in the absence of Reece James. The midfielder issued an apology on social media in July 2024 but, speaking publicly about the video for the first time, the Argentina international told GiveMeSport: “The club has always shown faith in me and I’m grateful for that because I was given the captain’s armband at a tough time, but that shows a lot about me and what I mean to the club and my team-mates who showed faith in me from the start. “Regardless of what happened, the support was unwavering and they (Chelsea) showed their faith in me, so I’m ever so grateful to them for that.” What You Should Read Next Chelsea and the Enzo Fernandez fallout: Anger, apologies and investigations The song Enzo Fernandez streamed on social media after Argentina's Copa America victory win has caused fallout at Chelsea Fernandez explained that during his apology to the Chelsea squad he emphasised he was not “the type to discriminate or judge others”. He insisted the harmony in the dressing room was not impacted by the incident and said he had a “very good” relationship with his French team-mates. Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout in the 2022 World Cup final, with some fans of the South American side singing a chant ahead of that match referencing how many France players were of African heritage and were first- or second-generation immigrants in the European nation. The words to the chant were: “They play for France, but their parents are from Angola. Their mother is from Cameroon, while their father is from Nigeria. But their passport says French.” The FFF said it would file a legal complaint in the aftermath of the incident, while UK anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out called for action from governing bodies and clubs. Asked what he learnt from that period in 2024, Fernandez said he “suffered” and described it as a “really hard time for me personally”. By Ali Rampling Deputy News Editor

Essugo has got Lavia disease

Enzo Maresca on Dário Essugo: “Essugo is not available for the next THREE games. We need to check him, as he had a setback yesterday. “Unfortunately, it was just yesterday, so I don’t know how serious it is.” (@LloydCanfield)