Vesper

15.20pm - Claims Chelsea are sending Sancho back According to @DiscoMirror, who is a Manchester United correspondent, Jadon Sancho will return to United this summer.

Sources: Chelsea eyeing Cristhian Mosquera but have PSG problem A Dean Huijsen alternative pops up https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/sources-Chelsea-eyeing-cristhian Chelsea missed out on signing priority centre back target Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth purely because Real Madrid decided to make a move in the end. They hadn’t entered the race and Chelsea thought they had their man, but as I always reported, if Real Madrid entered for Huijsen then it would be game over for all the other interested sides because that was always his first choice move. He got his dream move, and Chelsea now move on to other centre back targets as they look to bring in at least one new one, possibly two, this summer. One alternative to Huijsen is Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera [featured image]. The 20-year-old Spanish youth international has had an excellent season and has emerged as one of the best U21 defenders in Europe. He is believed to be available for a fee of around £16m this summer and has a host of clubs lining up at his door. The stumbling block for Chelsea is PSG, as SPTC sources have heard that they are VERY interested in signing him. But he has now become a serious option for Chelsea this summer as well as they weigh up targets after a year of scouting him this season.

EXCL: Newcastle make contact for Chelsea target Blues may look elsewhere https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/excl-newcastle-make-contact-for-Chelsea One Chelsea target this summer that had been looking destined to happen, and still might of course, is Jamie Gittens of Dortmund. The English youngster was not the most popular of targets amongst Blues fans, and those fans might be pleased to hear that it is all of a sudden not looking as likely as it had been. This is for two reasons. SPTC sources have heard that Newcastle have come in for Gittens and have reached out to make an enquiry about signing him this summer. Other clubs are also closely monitoring the situation of Gittens too, Chelsea have very much been one of them. There are some scenarios where Chelsea can still look to do a deal with Dortmund that includes Gittens, because the Blues have some players that the German side are interested in as well, namely Carney Chukwuemeka. So there is absolutely something that can still be done here if Chelsea really want to go all in for Gittens. The second reason that Chelsea may be about to look elsewhere for a new winger this summer if his fee looks like it could now be rather more inflated since they have got Champions League football, and that will put Chelsea off. Nothing has been decided on Gittens yet, but Chelsea would be unlikely to enter any wars to sign him and will only move if at a reasonable fee, or if they can do some sort of unofficial swap deal. Rodrygo from Real Madrid is absolutely a winger option that we are exploring, as we reported last week. Remember, Chelsea can offer more wages if they get UCL and will also be willing to go out of their structure for the right players.

Rodrygo ending up at Arse/Pool/Citeh would be a disaster for us especially Pool or Arse

Romano seems convinced that Rodrygo is leaving Real Madrid this summer

Arsenal and Liverpool want 35-G/A “amazing footballer”, transfer meeting likely next week Arsenal and Liverpool are among clubs keen on signing Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid at the end of the season. https://www.caughtoffside.com/2025/05/22/arsenal-and-liverpool-want-julian-alvarez/ The 25-year-old is one of the best strikers in La Liga, and he could be an exceptional acquisition for the Premier League club. According to a report from El Chiringuito, meetings will begin with the clubs interested in Julian Alvarez next week. The Spanish club could consider selling the player if a substantial offer is presented in the summer. Arsenal need a reliable centre-forward Arsenal are in desperate need of a quality goal-scorer, and the 25-year-old could lead the line for next season. They have looked toothless in the attack at times, and the lack of a reliable finisher has cost them another league title. Alvarez will add goals and creativity to the Arsenal attack if he joins the club. In addition to that, he is a hard-working player who will help out defensively and with his playmaking abilities. The South American is versatile enough to operate anywhere across the front three, and he could be an asset for Arsenal if they manage to get the deal done. Liverpool need Julian Alvarez Similarly, Liverpool are crying out for a reliable forward as well. Darwin Nunez has been very underwhelming, and he needs to be replaced. Signing the World Cup winner would be a major coup for Liverpool. It remains to be seen whether they can convince the player to return to England. He has proven his quality in the Premier League with Manchester City in the past, and there is no doubt that he could hit the ground running if he joins Liverpool or Arsenal. Alvarez has been hailed as an “amazing footballer” by Erling Haaland. The player has 29 goals to his name this season, and he has picked up six assists as well. He is unlikely to be a cheap acquisition, and it remains to be seen whether the two English clubs can convince Atletico Madrid to sell him. His winning experience could prove to be vital for Liverpool as well. He has won the Premier League title, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, Club World Cup, and the World Cup and the Copa America with his country.

Well that is certainly a nice uplifting prognostication. 😢

another trophy for Timo btw

never really rated him that much at all his type of football is not EPL level

it was pure shittery

bye bye perfect finals record for Casemiro

the Spuds team is across the board so much better than Manure (and many other teams) I completely understand why Manure are shit, they have horrid players, almost zero that I would take (maybe Bruno and Yoro, that is IT) but spuds have some real talent, more than a few I would take you have to blame the manager I suspose

Spuds now have 5 (4 are UEFA) European trophies to Arsenals 2 (1 is UEFA) and 3 of Spuds are for the Europa League

and only 38 points! which has gotten teams relegated before

lol spuds get the google fireworks

spuds win worst CL team from the EPL in decades

absolute shitter of a game so far

1 nil spuds

Casemiro has 12 wins, no defeats in European, South American, and global club finals

I understand that argument, but I can NEVER go for Spuds unless they need to win to get us a trophy or into the CL

Odin strike me down but I have to go for Manure my utter hatred of Spuds trumps all

🍿

Rodrygo is streets ahead of Gordon.

The Athletic’s end-of-season awards, 2024-25: Men’s football https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6336642/2025/05/20/athletic-end-of-season-awards-2024-25-men/ The Premier League title has long since been won and the battle to avoid relegation was also decided weeks ago, leaving the fight to qualify for European football in 2025-26 as the major outstanding issue of this season. As the 20 clubs of the domestic top-flight prepare to wrap up their league campaigns over the next week, including Sunday’s 10-game final day, The Athletic’s team of experts have been voting in our annual end-of-season awards. These cover the Premier League, the Championship and also the big competitions in Europe. We have done the same for women’s football — you can find out about them here. But without further ado, let’s reveal the winners in the men’s game… Premier League Player of the Season: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) Mohamed Salah set standards nobody could get close to as he propelled Liverpool to the title. The prolific Egyptian flourished under new head coach Arne Slot, breaking the record for most goal involvements in a 38-game Premier League season (46 and counting). The previous best was 44, achieved by Thierry Henry of Arsenal (2002-03) and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (2022-23). Salah, who is also on the brink of winning his fourth Premier League Golden Boot in eight seasons as the division’s top scorer, has tormented top-flight defenders. As well as netting 28 league goals, he has also been the champions’ most creative force with 18 league assists. Across all competitions this season, he has 33 goals and 23 assists in 51 appearances — climbing to third place on the club’s all-time scoring list with 244. He’s signed a new contract to replace the one that was expiring this summer too, so Premier League defenders face having to deal with him for two more years. Premier League Young Player of the Season: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) Morgan Rogers is a unique footballer. He is nimble and fleet of foot, but is seemingly built of concrete. His physicality has created a rare type of attacker — a brilliant ball-carrier who is hardly ever outmuscled. Combine all of this with a developed end-product and you get a 22-year-old who is a critical cog in manager Unai Emery’s Aston Villa system. Few players enjoy a rise as swift or sharp as Rogers’ has been, going from a so-so midfielder at Middlesbrough in the second-tier Championship and during a string of previous EFL loans, to an England international and elite playmaker in less than 18 months. Premier League Manager of the Season: Nuno Espirito Santo (Nottingham Forest) There are a few managers who have earned their place in Nottingham Forest history by inspiring truly remarkable transformations in the club’s fortunes. Brian Clough took Forest up from the second tier in 1978 and over the next three seasons made them not just domestic champions but kings of Europe — twice, Frank Clark followed another top-flight promotion in the early 1990s by swiftly earning UEFA Cup qualification and Steve Cooper took over a team fighting relegation to the third tier in September 2021 and within nine months had the club back in the Premier League after 23 years away. With the job he has done at the City Ground since replacing Cooper in December 2023, Nuno Espirito Santo has more than earned his place among that group. Forest spent the previous two seasons fighting against relegation. Many pundits predicted back in August that it would be the same story again. But Nuno has proved Forest’s doubters wrong. There’s been a battle alright, but of a much more enjoyable kind for the team and their fans. After they climbed to third in the table before Christmas, it seemed Forest were on course for a top-five finish and Champions League place. While they might have stuttered slightly over the race’s final furlong, they have still qualified for Europe for the first time in three decades and could still cross the line in the top five to return to the continent’s elite they conquered under Clough. Nuno has given Forest an identity again, a mentality that has seen them beat Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Manchester United (twice) this season. He has allowed their fans to dare to dream that nothing is impossible. Premier League Team of the Season Nottingham Forest spent a lot of time and money trying to find a reliable goalkeeper, and in 2024 winter-window buy Matz Sels they finally found their man. No Premier League keeper has more clean sheets this season than his 13 and few, if any, have been as important to their team. Champions Liverpool provide 50 per cent of our all-star team’s back four. The departing Trent Alexander-Arnold added six more assists to his Premier League total, while his Anfield captain Virgil van Dijk is the league’s top-goalscoring central defender (25) since he came to the English top flight with Southampton in 2015. Talking of goals, Arsenal’s set-piece devourer Gabriel retains his position from last year’s XI, with Bournemouth’s overlapping-run merchant Milos Kerkez completing the quartet. Arsenal are represented in our midfield three too, with the increasingly influential Declan Rice bouncing back from that much-debated red card against Brighton in August to dominate games on both the domestic and European stages. Meanwhile, Liverpool provide the incredibly consistent Alexis Mac Allister (five goals and five assists in his first Premier League season for the club, and now the same again in year two) and Ryan Gravenberch, whose conversion by new head coach Arne Slot into a No 6 was one of the tactical shifts of the campaign. Up front, we have Salah, a player who must now own more records to do with scoring and/or assisting than most other footballers have actual goals. The Egyptian is joined by Alexander Isak — just the third Newcastle player to hit 10+ goals both home and away in the same Premier League season — and Chris Wood, who after a sensational season with Forest (20 league goals so far) is now the record Premier League goalscorer for both them and Burnley. And if that doesn’t earn you a spot in a team of the season, then what does? snip