Vesper

have never heard of that excuse before, he was CLEARLY onside utter robbery

2 2 Hwang both Wolves goals were Alisson howlers

Kompany has them playing very well

a 2 year plus running joke that we have not purchased a right back clown show

as I always say I want to finish off buying Arsen Zakharyan and Moukoko grab a bloody Right-Back (madness this has not been sorted) and then see what we do in MF (older players, not youth) from (removing Enzo and Bellingham) the remotely available CMF/DMFs left that I rate: Nicolò Barella (probably impossible atm) Moisés Caicedo Roméo Lavia Manu Koné Alexis Mac Allister (scored a brace today) Martín Zubimendi Bruno Guimarães (very likely will not leave, after the Tchou turn-down in buying (GRRRRRRRR), the 2nd biggest DMF choke we made in ages) then Mikel Merino Amadou Onana Marcos Llorente Danilo (Palmeiras) Khéphren Thuram Manuel Ugarte side note: fucking Citeh snatched my Argie youth possible Enzo clone prospect (Máximo Perrone) but Manuel Ugarte (pic above) is a poor man's Uruguayan version, and is also only 21yo

pretty much every viable CF option atm Victor Osimhen Dusan Vlahovic Jonathan David Ivan Toney (betting issues???) Amine Gouiri Randal Kolo Muani Arnaut Danjuma Youssoufa Moukoko (he is only 18 though) Marcus Thuram Gonçalo Ramos Aleksandar Mitrović (hard as fuck pull now) Noah Okafor Evanilson Benjamin Sesko (tracking to 20 goals, 0 assists over a full season's minutes, at age of 19) Hugo Ekitiké is likely NOT available, so doubt PSG will sell him (other than for CRAY dosh) stopgap: Duván Zapata Brasilian youth: Yuri Alberto Marcos Leonardo Vitor Roque

Villarreal 2 FT 1 Real Madrid

Middlesbrough 1 FT 5 Brighton & Hove Albion

Sheffield Wednesday 2 FT 1 Newcastle United

2022-23 English FA Cup, Third Round Liverpool Wolverhampton Wanderers https://www.sportfacts.net/sports/2023/fa-cup-liverpool-vs-wolverhampton-wanderers-s1/ https://www.vipleague.st/liverpool-vs-wolverhampton-wanderers-1-live-streaming

slap on the wrist for the 'golden boy' Manc vermin a sternly-worded letter people would howling for a 15 point reduction if it was us

quarter of a billion quid counting salaries 🤬

I don't see that

Ivorian club report Chelsea and Molde to FIFA over David Fofana transfer https://ghanasoccernet.com/breaking-news-ivorian-club-report-Chelsea-and-molde-to-fifa-over-david-fofana-transfer Ivorian club Abidjan City have filed an official complaint with FIFA, urging the world governing body to halt the transfer of David Datro Fofana from Norwegian club Molde FK to Chelsea. The Abidjan-based club asked FIFA to suspend the £10m transfer claiming the striker was fraudulently signed by the Norwegian club Molde when he joined them two years ago. Abidjan City asked FIFA to intervene to ensure the decision of its Dispute Resolution Chamber decision is respected by Chelsea who bought the player from the Norwegian club last week. David Fofana joined Abidjan City Football Club in 2016 as a minor with the authorization of his mother Valerie Datro Mahi but she denied signing the agreement claiming the player was not attached to any club. Armed with this claim by the player's mother and the approval of some officials of the Ivorian football federation the striker was transferred to Molde. The transfer to the Norwegian club forced Abidjan City to approach FIFA claiming the striker was fraudulently acquired. The club's President Marco NE Taddei, a former Ivory coach international, wrote to the Swiss-based organisation last week saying the status of the striker was already a subject of an investigation of the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber. "I am following the decision rendered by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber, the conclusions of which were communicated on September 6, 2022, and the reasons communicated on September 7," Marco Ne said in a letter to FIFA. "Today, we consider that this decision validates the contract which was signed between the player Datro David Fofana and our club on July 31, 2019, and that any transfer, in particular to the Chelsea club, of this player, without our agreement, would be contrary FIFA rules and could be questioned. "We, therefore, invite you to intervene with the Chelsea club, which is copied, so that the player's transfer is suspended until the dispute between the Molde FK club and ourselves is settled by the CAS. "We naturally reserve all our rights because we consider that the interest of African football and in particular of our club has been violated by the European club Molde FK, also in copy of this letter." Chelsea signed the Ivory Coast international Fofana last week from Molde for a fee believed to be between £8m-£10m. "Chelsea FC has reached a pre-agreement with Molde FK for the transfer of David Datro Fofana. The 20-year-old striker will join the Blues on 1 January 2023. We look forward to welcoming David to the club," a Chelsea statement read. Fofana, who turned 20 in December, has scored 15 goals in 24 games in Norway's top flight this season. The striker had only one year remaining on his current contract with Molde for whom he signed in 2021 on a four-year deal.

he is now coming off my lists as well

Josko Gvardiol makes "dream" Liverpool transfer admission amid Chelsea interest Chelsea have long eyed Josko Gvardiol amid his starring performances for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, but the defender has now dealt a blow to the Blues' hopes of signing him https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/josko-gvardiol-transfer-Chelsea-liverpool-28897587 Josko Gvardiol has admitted that Liverpool is his "dream" club as the transfer battle over the centre-back intensifies. Chelsea and Tottenham are among the teams eyeing a move for the Croatian, who has impressed for RB Leipzig. He also helped his country to finish third at the most recent World Cup, playing every minute of their tournament. His performances in the Bundesliga and at international level have attracted a range of interested suitors, with Chelsea having made a move for him last summer. He is under contract at Leipzig for another four years, but is once again set to be the subject of interest this month. The Blues are expected to reignite their interest in the 20-year-old as Graham Potter looks to upgrade his squad. But Gvardiol has now delivered a blow to Potter's hopes of signing him, as he admitted Liverpool is his dream club. "That would definitely be Liverpool. Since I was little, I watched a lot of Liverpool matches with my dad, and we covered every season in detail. It is a club that has remained in my heart," he told RTL Danas. "Since I was a child, I always gravitated towards the English league. We all know what kind of league it is. I don't know if I'm mature enough and ready for that league. We will see, when I feel that this is the moment, that I have crossed a certain level and reached the border in Germany, then I will look further. "I don't bother with numbers. I am in contact with people at the club and I don't think there have been any negotiations. I have a manager who deals with it and I am maximally focused on the work on the field." Gvardiol also hinted that he wanted to stay at Leipzig for the rest of the season, rather than move on this month. And the defender also insisted he feels wanted by the Bundesliga side after they fought to keep him during the summer. "I am also happy for the club to achieve something big. I'm not in a hurry, I'm in Leipzig, we still have six months to finish the season properly and to win something. And then we will look further to the future," he added. "I am convinced of this because this summer the transfer was close and they simply kept me. We talked and they told me how much I mean to them, how much I mean to my teammates and the club, and I was glad to hear that. "I hope to spend these six months with them. They did not give up, but it was agreed that we would go for the winter. Winter has come, so we need to see what and how to proceed, but it's okay, there's still plenty of time, we'll see. "Well, I do not know. Nobody presented anything to me. No idea as far as I'm concerned. But I'm not in a hurry, we have time, let them arrange the plan and we'll see."

Chelsea reveal Edouard Mendy operation as injury crisis continues ahead of Man City Chelsea injury news: The Blues shot-stopper has been out of action since the return with injury after playing at the World Cup. https://www.football.london/Chelsea-fc/news/breaking-edouard-mendy-Chelsea-injury-25919827 Edouard Mendy has undergone an operation on a fractured finger after injuring it during training, the club have revealed. The 30-year-old has been absent from the matchday squad since the Premier League's return with Marcus Bettinelli taking his place on the bench instead. Mendy was replaced as first-choice keeper by Kepa Arrizabalaga once Graham Potter was appointed and has only played five times since then, all coming when Kepa was injured himself. The statement says he will be working with the club's medical department during the rehabilitation phase. The Senegal keeper is one of 10 first-team injuries for Graham Potter to deal with at the moment. READ MORE: Pep Guardiola stunned by Chelsea star as Todd Boehly handed new £26.5m transfer conundrum Potter saw Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic both go off injured inside the opening 20 minutes against Manchester City on Thursday and added them to a list including Reece James, N'Golo Kante, Ben Chilwell, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Armando Broja on the sidelines. When asked about Mendy's fitness before the game, Potter said: "He’s been training a little bit more than he was. He’s not fully fit at the moment but hopefully the next week or so he will make progress." He played every game for Senegal at the World Cup, losing to England in the last-16 and also had a spell out injured in October after pulling out of his international camp then too. Mendy has been going through his worst period of form since joining Chelsea in 2020 and hasn't kept a cleansheet under Graham Potter, losing all four league games under the new boss, conceding five goals in the process. Kepa on the other hand has been in inspired form under the new manager but was widely criticised for his role in Manchester City's goal at Stamford Bridge, appearing to pull out of blocking Jack Grealish's low cross.

I already posted the entire article hours ago

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/01/06/Chelsea-keep-faith-graham-potter-plan-youngsters-contention/ https://archive.ph/MXiMw Chelsea’s owners remain confident Graham Potter will turn around the club’s season and believe their crippling injury crisis is largely to blame for the run that has seen the team win just one of their last eight Premier League games and drop to 10th in the table. Potter is prepared to give Chelsea’s youngsters more opportunities to shine while he waits for his senior players to get fit with the likes of Lewis Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka pushing to start Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Manchester City. The injuries to Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic could also increase Chelsea’s interest in trying to hijack Arsenal’s attempts to sign winger Mykhailo Mudryk, with co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali confident they would be capable of outbidding their London rivals but also wary of making sure the player would be prepared to move to Stamford Bridge, having seemingly set his heart on moving to the Emirates. Sterling suffered a pulled hamstring in the first minute of Thursday night’s Premier League defeat by City, while Pulisic was forced off injured and Mason Mount was ruled out of the game after suffering a blow in training. The latest injuries meant Chelsea now have a total of 10 senior players out and there is sympathy from the club’s owners and board for the fact Potter is effectively having to operate with one hand tied behind his back with the likes of Reece James, N’Golo Kante, Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell and Ruben Loftus-Cheek all out. Chelsea were undefeated in Potter’s first nine games in charge after replacing Thomas Tuchel as head coach and showed enough to underline the board’s faith in him. It is not seen as a coincidence that Chelsea’s form started to suffer following the injury to James in their comfortable Champions League victory over AC Milan and with Kante yet to play for Potter, there is acknowledgement that he has been without two of the club’s best players since the start of October. All of Potter’s predecessors have struggled when Kante has been out for a prolonged period and the midfielder is not expected to return before the end of February. There is obvious disappointment with Chelsea’s league position and the fact a top-four finish that would clinch Champions League qualification for next season already appears to be drifting out of sight, but Potter is still viewed as the man to handle this period of transition and put the club back on the right path. Chelsea’s owners are confident the club’s luck will change and that as players start to return, so too will the team’s form and results in time for the second half of the season to offer optimism for the future. Boehly and Eghbali will have noticed that Chelsea’s match going fans have remained supportive of Potter and the players during the bad run of results. The pair have also noted that Pep Guardiola did not win a trophy in his first season in charge of City and that Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta needed periods of adjustment at Liverpool and Arsenal. No problem between Aubameyang and Potter In terms of Chelsea’s goals for this season and whether or not the top four is now an impossibility, Potter said: “The situation we’re in, to think about what’s going to happen in five months’ time is the wrong path for us. We have to just focus on the next day and the next game and keep being together, keep showing the performance level we showed against City, keep taking the challenges that are coming our way and try to stay together as a team and as a club and move forward.” Chelsea’s approach to the transfer market has appeared somewhat scattergun, but Potter is believed to have backed the bid for Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez. Despite the complaints of the Portuguese club of the nature of negotiations, Chelsea have not yet ruled out making a new offer before this transfer window shuts. But other than looking for new signings, Potter is prepared to put more faith in Chelsea’s young players following the encouraging performances of 18-year-old left-back Hall and 19-year-old midfielder Chukwuemeka as substitutes against City. The outlook for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is less clear after the striker was substituted after being sent on as an early replacement for Sterling against City. Aubameyang looked upset with the decision, although sources close to the player and Chelsea insist there is no problem between the former Arsenal captain and Potter, with the pair said to enjoy a healthy working relationship.

Report: Graham Potter now personally wants to Chelsea to sign player who Messi thinks is 'outstanding' https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/transfer-news/report-graham-potter-now-personally-wants-to-Chelsea-to-sign-player-who-messi-thinks-is-outstanding/ Graham Potter is reportedly fully behind Chelsea’s pursuit of Enzo Fernandez. According to The Telegraph, Potter has ‘backed the bid for the Benfica midfielder’. Todd Boehly is certainly on the hunt for Fernandez, having apparently been interested in him since he started to shine at the World Cup. The 21-year-old only really rose to fame towards the latter stages of the tournament, when Argentina truly established themselves as favourites for the trophy. He was eventually named the young player of the competition, and won numerous intrigued looks from Europe’s heavy hitters. Not only that, he received praise from the messiah of his country. “He is an outstanding youngster who plays a crucial role for us,” said Lionel Messi. Chelsea are still chasing Enzo Fernandez Chelsea have been the leading candidate throughout Fernandez’s upsurge to fame. Boehly and his team have apparently worked furiously to get a deal done this month, although Benfica remain firm on their stance. They want his £106m release clause paid in full, otherwise there will be no transaction in January. Even a side with the financial power of the South West Londoners would be reluctant to release such a hefty amount of money in one go. Hence why Chelsea are trying to look for ways round coughing up the cash all at once. There has been suggestions that Boehly will actually pay over the odds for Fernandez, but do so in a series of instalments over several years. Whichever approach the Blues go down, landing the World Cup winner will not be easy.

A single step that cost Kepa Arrizabalaga and Chelsea the only goal against Manchester City https://theathletic.com/4063440/2023/01/06/kepa-arrizabalaga-error-Chelsea-manchester-city/ Matt Pyzdrowski is a coach and former goalkeeper who played in the United States and Sweden. He serves as a goalkeeping analyst for The Athletic. Here he analyses why Kepa Arrizabalaga’s misstep cost him and Chelsea against Manchester City. There has been a big improvement in Kepa Arrizabalaga’s performances since Graham Potter and his staff took over at Chelsea but he was at fault for Riyad Mahrez’s winner for Manchester City. He failed to cut out Jack Grealish’s cross and Mahrez snuck in at the back post ahead of Marc Cucurella to finish. Where did it all go wrong? Arrizabalaga’s initial positioning was good. He was facing the ball but slightly angled with his body open to see the play in front of him. He was almost in the sweet spot of being aggressive off his line to cut out the cross, yet close enough to his near post should Grealish try and sneak one past him. As he is watching the play and waiting for the ball to be played by Grealish, Arrizabalaga needed to quickly determine if he was going to shoot or pass it to a team-mate. It’s quite clear that because of Grealish’s angle as he received the ball that he was going to cross, most likely across his goalmouth — the positioning of his defenders in the box in addition to Mahrez’s back-post run were his signal. Arrizabalaga set and waiting for the ball from Grealish with a good body angle These are the moments when you want your goalkeeper to be proactive and anticipate the play. Waiting to react is often how mistakes can happen. Unfortunately for Arrizabalaga, he always appeared to be a step behind the play and his indecision cost him. As the ball came in, instead of taking a step at a forward angle, towards the ball and attacking it with his hands, he hesitated and took his initial step backwards, which opened his hips (and, in turn, his entire body), making it virtually impossible to attack the ball in the necessary position to make the save. Arrizabalaga taking his first step backwards and opening his hips/body Had Kepa held his initial position, taken a step towards the ball and launched himself at it with his hands, it’s likely he would have cut out the cross. His step backwards was his step of no return and, by opening his hips and body, he made his path to the ball longer and created hesitation and uncertainty. The ball sneaks in front of Arrizabalaga and toward Mahrez at the back post He made up his mind too quickly that he was going to turn his body as the ball was played to defend the cutback, which made it that much harder for him to adjust. It is largely the reason why he appeared to be caught in two minds. One, to go directly for the ball and claim it, or two, to track the ball across his goal and ready himself for the shot. You can see him quickly try to adjust with his left leg at the final moment to take a step towards the ball and face it to propel himself forward. Arrizabalaga was too late and, because of it, he never had a chance to react. Arrizabalaga attempting to adjust himself at the last moment toward the ball Additionally, the angle and pace of the ball were just good enough to ask the right questions of Arrizabalaga from the attacking player’s perspective and it put the goalkeeper in two minds at a critical moment. It is what created that moment of doubt for Arrizabalaga. A ball of lesser quality would not have had the same impact. Arrizabalaga comes so close to the ball but the pace takes it past him This is the perfect example of a moment when a goalkeeper immediately knows what they should have done differently – even when the play is happening in front of you, only for your body to freeze and panic as you attempt to put yourself through the motions. Having that clarity of thought and bravery to just go for the ball can be hard enough to do in a controlled environment at training; much harder in the heat of the match and with all those players in and around you with the game on the line. The margin for error is minimal — getting the technique slightly wrong or hesitating can be the difference between a goal being scored rather than a save being made. Had Arrizabalaga been proactive, thought one or two steps ahead and looked to defend the space and cut out the play — rather than defend the cutback — he would have likely claimed the ball. He got it wrong and it cost Chelsea the chance to turn their miserable form around against City.

How Ian Maatsen has become the complete Vincent Kompany player https://theathletic.com/4060195/2023/01/06/ian-maatsen-vincent-kompany-burnley-Chelsea/ If you were searching for an indication of where Ian Maatsen’s confidence levels are, look no further than his two goals against Swansea City. The left-back’s first was a sweetly struck free kick, while his second blasted through the hands of Steven Benda, which resulted in his manager Vincent Kompany learning the term, “stayed hit”. It took Maatsen’s goal contribution total to eight in the Championship (four goals and four assists), with only Jay Rodriguez, Josh Brownhill, Manuel Benson (all 11) and Nathan Tella (10) producing more for Burnley this season. The Swansea double in the 2-1 victory was a standout performance in what has been an impressive campaign. It is exactly what the 20-year-old was hoping for when he chose Burnley and Kompany in the summer for his latest spell away from Chelsea. While he held hopes of a Premier League loan, Kompany was determined to bring him to Turf Moor. After conversations with the Belgian, Maatsen saw the club as an attractive proposition because of the style of football Kompany was going to deploy and his role in the free-flowing, attacking, possession-based system. His aim entering the season was to improve his defensive ability but primarily work on his attacking output. He has already doubled his goals and assist tallies from his time at Coventry City last season. A key development he has been making is with his mentality, learning to act and compete as an elite player every day and in every session. He’s settled seamlessly into the dressing room and has engaged with local community projects. He is well-liked by his team-mates, forming bonds with many including Tella, as shown in their goal celebrations together. Maatsen announced himself to Burnley supporters with his opening-night goal against Huddersfield Town, one befitting his forward-thinking role, operating in an advanced position on the left. Clearly in front of the rest of the defence when he received possession, he drove forward before attempting to find Ashley Barnes in the box. He continued his run into the area and curled home a shot when the ball broke perfectly for him. A frequent in-possession trait of Kompany’s side is that they will shift from a back-four out of possession to a three, with one of the full-backs becoming a centre-back and the other advancing. Alternatively, one of Jack Cork or Josh Cullen will drop in from central midfield. In the early stages of the season, Maatsen was the full-back who more frequently ventured forward, as displayed in the examples below. It was effective, as his assist against Hull City showed. With Connor Roberts in possession deep on the right, Maatsen was high on the left. Roberts passed the ball to Cullen, who quickly released Maatsen… … and he squared the ball for Rodriguez to finish. It was that high left channel that Maatsen transitioned into for his second goal against Swansea. After excellent work from Tella, he set the ball for his team-mate to run onto and produce a stunning finish. Maatsen’s influence cannot be underestimated. He is second in chances created from open play (25), passes played into the box (79) and expected assists (3.54) for Burnley, with only Brownhill registering more in each category. Broaden the comparison to Championship defenders and only Watford’s Hassane Kamara (36) and Luton Town’s James Bree (32) have created more from open play. Maatsen’s role has seen him play the fifth most passes into the opposition half (657) of Championship defenders. He is averaging 5.1 progressive passes per 90 minutes, a pass which moves the ball towards the opposition goal by at least 10 yards. It puts him in the top 10 for all Championship players who have played at least 900 minutes. It is the highest in Burnley’s squad. His attacking positioning was highlighted by his touch map in the opening game against Huddersfield, where he created a season-high six chances, according to Opta… … and his average position compared to the rest of Burnley’s defence (Maatsen is No 29). That was the theme throughout the opening spell of Maatsen’s appearances. Against Blackpool, a game Burnley dominated less, he still did a lot of work in the opposition half… … and his touch map represents that further. Maatsen was sent off against Blackpool for reacting to a tackle by Sonny Carey, who was also red-carded. The youngster showed his inexperience and when he returned to the team, he struggled to re-find his top form. He rotated with fellow summer addition Vitinho before suffering a minor injury. He returned for the 1-0 victory over Norwich City at the end of October, the second game of Burnley’s run of 10 league victories in 11 games, and he has started them all. When Kompany was asked to discuss the importance of the 20-year-old’s role, he noted the attacking work from the opposite full-back and finding balance. While Maatsen was frequently pushing forward, Burnley’s right-back rotated between Roberts and Vitinho and as Burnley have evolved, they have increased their rate of getting forward. Roberts’ goal and assist against Birmingham City is the most recent example. The balance has been evident in the two goals Maatsen had been involved in before his double against Swansea. Against Queens Park Rangers, both full-backs were advanced. Vitinho’s shot was parried by Seny Dieng… … and Maatsen was on hand to finish it off. His last assist, which came in the reverse fixture against Swansea, came via the same combination, with Maatsen crossing from the left… … for Vitinho to head home at the back post. He is behind only Taylor Harwood-Bellis (289) and Cullen (199) for most passes played into the final third with 171, and it is here that provides an insight into how Maatsen’s role has evolved during Burnley’s run. Maatsen’s passes into the final third have shifted drastically from 6.72 per 90 minutes in his first 11 appearances to 13.1 passes per 90. He is not finding himself in high attacking positions as frequently and his average position has dropped. Take a look at two of Burnley’s most recent victories against Birmingham… … and Swansea. One was a dominant 3-0 home victory while the other was a much tougher away game. Both show Maatsen’s position to be level or even deeper than fellow full-back Roberts (wearing No 14). The touch maps show he is finding himself on the ball in deeper areas, too. Firstly against Birmingham… … and then Swansea. What has reduced is Maatsen’s chance creation. He has only created four opportunities from open play, according to Opta, in his last 10 appearances. Compare that to the 21 in his first 11 games and it is a significant shift. This could usually lead to the conclusion that his attacking output and performance levels have dropped. That is far from the case. The emergence of Tella and Anass Zaroury ahead of him has eased the attacking burden, with Zaroury, in particular, keen to hug the touchline, with less need for Maatsen to be as advanced. He has shown he can dictate play from deep and has shown his vision and range of long passing to build play. Operating as one of Kompany’s back three in the 3-1 win against Middlesbrough, he stepped out and curled an inch-perfect pass into the path of Johann Berg Gudmundsson who was through on goal. It has helped Maatsen defensively and he is looking like a complete all-round player, with Kompany praising both elements of his game. Teams would look to expose the space behind Maatsen, a tactic West Bromwich Albion used successfully. Defensively the unit has tightened up and they have kept five clean sheets in the last 10 games Maatsen has started. There is no option to buy in Burnley’s loan agreement with Chelsea but the feeling is the club will pursue a permanent deal for Maatsen in the summer, and it is looking increasingly likely that they will be able to offer the defender Premier League football. Chelsea drive a hard bargain for their young players so it is unlikely the youngster would come cheap. Under the Todd Boehly and Clearlake ownership, they have been reluctant to let their young players go, with only Billy Gilmour departing permanently. A deal probably suits all parties, although there will no doubt be interest from elsewhere. His parent club’s recruitment in his position in recent years with the signings of Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella means they are well stocked in that area and a breakthrough for Maatsen looks a long way away. His contract situation presents Chelsea with a dilemma. Maatsen will have 12 months remaining on his deal with a further one-year extension option, which means his value will only decrease. The Dutchman is ambitious so will not want to risk stagnating with no regular first-team football. That discussion will come at the end of the season. The focus now is on helping Burnley to win promotion, which Maatsen will continue to play a big part in.

Fabrizio Romano's Daily Briefing 🚨 Christian Falk's Fact Files - Jude Bellingham update, Chelsea could secure €100m defender, Liverpool looking at Chelsea's Enzo Fernández talks, and more Today's exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool and more. Christian Falk https://caughtoffside.substack.com/p/christian-falks-fact-files-jude-bellingham Today’s top stories: Chelsea have a big advantage in the Youssoufa Moukoko transfer race Liverpool have between £200-250m to spend in the summer And plenty more on Dortmund, Barcelona, Manchester United and Newcastle Arsenal Evan Ndicka has an offer from Frankfurt - a three-year extension specifically. I think there’s a good chance that he’ll sign this contract but there are many clubs interested at the moment, one of them is Arsenal. It’s not so concrete that Frankfurt are really afraid of losing him. 📰 Mikel Arteta wants to bring Declan Rice to Arsenal in the summer (Fichajes) Atlético Madrid I’m not sure if Dortmund want to keep Raphaël Guerreiro anyway. It isn’t clear how serious Atlético’s interest is. I think Dortmund knows that Guerreiro won’t sign a new contract, so Atlético could fit. Barcelona A move to Barcelona could happen for Benjamin Pavard. Pavard changed his agent - his new agent is Pini Zahavi - and if you see Pini’s friends, there are always two clubs. One is Chelsea. When he’s talking about Chelsea he’s often talking in terms of ‘us’ and ‘we’, so he’s really close. He’s living in London, so that’s why there were many rumours in the past around Pavard and Chelsea. [Benjamin Pavard walks away from the World Cup trophy - photo by Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images] But the other club, and a big friend of his, is Joan Laporta’s Barcelona. He’s always got a bit of back and forth with him; we saw it with Robert Lewandowksi and at the end it worked. So yes, it’s true - Barcelona and Pavard, there is a connection at the moment. If they do it, it will depend a bit on Bayern Munich. Bayern Munich Alphonso Davies is the future. The bosses at Bayern Munich won’t sell him to Real Madrid. There’s no price on him, so no, no they won’t. Nobody knows when Manuel Neuer will return or how he’ll return, so Yann Sommer sees a big chance at Bayern. It’s a dream for him and he’s got a guaranteed six months’ worth of game time. After the six months, we have to look at what shape Neuer is in and then he can show if he’s better or not. [Yann Sommer and Manuel Neuer during a UEFA Nations League clash between Switzerland and Germany - photo by Ina Fassbender / AFP via Getty Images] Bayern Munich would love to sign Florian Wirtz because he’s one of Germany’s biggest talents at his age. But he signed a new contract with Bayer Leverkusen (set to last until 2027), which I heard Bayern Munich’s bosses weren’t so happy about, as he no release clause in this contract. Jamal Musiala has a very new contract. It’s not that they have to hand him a new one soon but they see that they have to do something because he keeps getting better. He has an English past so everybody knows that in his head he’s still thinking a little bit about the Premier League. They are talking now about a new contract, if they do it, it’ll only be until 2027 (his current contract isn’t set to expire until 2026). He can get a bigger salary than the one he’s got at the moment. He’s not in the range he should be, so they want to put a little bit more money in his contract. 💬 Should Bayern Munich make Yann Sommer their new No.1 even once Manuel Neuer is fit and back in action? Tell us what you think in the comments! Borussia Dortmund Dortmund are searching for a player like Weston McKennie but I heard that option No.1 is Mohammed Kudus of Ajax. There are still talks with him and they want to sign him if it’s possible to arrange. I’m sure McKennie’s on the list but I think they’re talking mainly about other names but if they don’t come then he could, I think, be an option. [Mohammed Kudus in action against Napoli - photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images]. Daichi Kamada has been offered a three-year contract extension like Ndicka but Gladbach aren’t so sure that he’ll sign it, so Dortmund is a possibility for him. He has so many options. I think he will leave the club and maybe stay in the Bundesliga for Dortmund. Many clubs are interested, he’s got many opportunities, I think he won’t stay. Chelsea There are many clubs showing interest in Joško Gvardiol. He was always good in the Bundesliga and now everybody has seen him at the World Cup. Chelsea made very concrete talks in the past. On Leipzig’s end, they gave him a new contract until 2027 and they added a clause that allows him to leave in 2024. The interesting thing now is that they’ve set a benchmark of €112m and they don’t want to sell him this summer. Leipzig could lose him if Chelsea offer to pay €100m. That’s really in their mind and they know they can’t say no for a second time if such an amount of money is on the table. The Blues won’t be alone in their interest, however, with London rivals Tottenham also very interested in the Croatian for the summer. It’s looking like Youssoufa Moukoko is really keen on leaving Dortmund. It’s a question of money. I have heard, and this is a very interesting point for England, that Chelsea has a really good opportunity because they have Christopher Vivell now and he knows Moukoko very well from his time in the Bundesliga. He liked the player during his time at RB Leipzig, he always had an eye on him, so I think he has a good advantage in the poker game, which means there’s a good chance for Chelsea to get Moukoko. 💬 Should Chelsea sign another forward in January? Is it worth attempting to land Youssoufa Moukoko from Borussia Dortmund? Tell me your thoughts in the comments! Eintracht Frankfurt I think, in this case, Randal Kolo Muani’s own club are in the driving seat when it comes to his future. Eintracht can say no and I think they will say no. They have their own targets - they want to play in the Champions League. I don’t know if they will this time but any league in Europe is, for them, a success. They’ve done very well this year and they don’t want to sell him now. They know they can’t hold him for years but for one more year, they think they can do it. He hasn’t got a release clause, they’ve made it clear that they won’t sell in winter. Germany Hansi Flick will be our coach at the European Championship in Germany - that’s clear. Thomas Tuchel had an eye on Germany, he also had an eye on England but Gareth Southgate is also staying, so he won’t be a national coach for either. I was really happy to hear again that Jürgen Klopp said in an interview that he still has an eye on the national job. I think he can be the future in many years but not in the next two. Hansi Flick will be the Bundestrainer in Germany and after that they have to talk again. Gladbach It’s also a question of money but Gladbach knows that they will let Kouadio Koné go in the summer unless there’s an opportunity to keep hold of him. Liverpool are watching him, Newcastle were very interested in him, PSG also interested. Bayern says no, that’s my concrete information, they don’t want to buy him. Not this summer, perhaps in future but then he’s gone. Bayern have enough midfield players so they’re not in the race. Dion Beljo is on the list of Gladbach. He’s the No.1 option in case Marcus Thuram leaves. David Kownacki, he’s playing for Fortuna Düsseldorf in the second league, he’s also an option for Gladbach. Liverpool There’s not much in the way of hope that Jude Bellingham will stay at Borussia Dortmund. There isn’t a clause in his current contract allowing him to leave in the summer but they told him that if there’s a big opportunity for him (ultimately, he has a career plan - that’s why he came to the Bundesliga), he can leave. They have to talk, if he wants to talk. I think they will have to talk. I noted on Twitter a few weeks ago that his father is very keen on the prospect of his boy going to Liverpool. I don’t think a January exit will happen, Dortmund doesn’t like to do that. Money will be the main point for Liverpool but don’t forget about Real Madrid, as they have more at the moment. I heard in Liverpool that Jürgen Klopp really wants him. We call him a ‘mancatcher’ - if he wants to pursue a person, he can do that but he also has to pursue the club. I heard the club has about £200-250m that they want to spend in the summer, so there’s a good chance they get Bellingham. [Jude Bellingham (far left) celebrates with Dortmund teammates - photo by Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images] Jurgen Klopp: “Jude is a great player who we are familiar with, of course. We’d be stupid not to have him on our radar. But there’s nothing more to say at the moment.” 💬 Will Jude Bellingham join Liverpool in the summer? Leave a comment below and let me know! Manchester United Dani Olmo is another case like Gvardiol because Leipzig really want to keep him, so it’s not getting easier for any interested clubs. They want to give him a new contract. Yes, United is an option, of course. They have money but I’m not sure they want him enough to make the payment. 📰 Manchester United have tabled a bid Dani Olmo but will face competition from Bayern Munich who have also submitted an offer (Nacional) Newcastle Newcastle’s interest in Marcus Thuram was serious, that’s true. They decided already in this window that they won’t go to Newcastle. Everyone has to see what happened with Newcastle, nobody knows if they’ll get Champions League football. [Marcus Thuram (left) on the France bench with Kylian Mbappé - photo by Jewel Samad/ AFP via Getty Images] From Thuram’s side, they made a plan and decided to stay at Gladbach for the moment. If there’s a big offer, it has to come from a very big club - United is one of them, Bayern is one, Inter Milan and PSG. These four clubs are in their head. If they bring a good offer and Gladbach says ‘okay, for this money we have to sell him because we’ll lose him anyway’ they will do it. He won’t sign now at Newcastle as he’ll have so many options in the summer. But if one of these four clubs is knocking on his door then things could progress quickly. PSG If a player is injured there is always hope of his club agreeing a contract extension. It really was a pity for N’Golo Kanté to be injured before the World Cup. I spoke about PSG. I know that Thomas Tuchel, back when he was Chelsea’s manager, was very interested in new players in Kanté’s position because he knew already that they can lose Kanté to PSG. Tuchel heard about the interest and searched for new players in his position. The only thing is, he was injured, so perhaps he is more likely to talk now about his future because the situation isn’t quite as good as it was before. I think the situation is open. Paris is Paris, it’s France. Perhaps it’s a really good last step for him but perhaps they feel there are more interesting players on the market now, so I would say 50-50.

Fabrizio Romano's Daily Briefing 🚨 the Daily Briefing - Pulisic could leave Chelsea, Kudus' future, Andrey Santos had Premier League offers, and more. Today's exclusive transfer round-up, including Christian Pulisic, Mohammed Kudus, Andrey Santos and more. https://caughtoffside.substack.com/p/the-daily-briefing-pulisic-could Good morning guys, welcome to today’s Daily Briefing, brought to you straight to your inbox and ad-free as always. Thanks for reading, and enjoy! 🙂 Today’s top stories: Christian Pulisic could leave Chelsea this January. Andrey Santos had Premier League offers. No offer from Manchester United for Mohammed Kudus. Ajax Official, confirmed. Geronimo Rulli has joined Ajax on a permanent deal from Villarreal. Contract will run until 2026 with an option for a further year. €8m fee plus €2m in add-ons. Arsenal Mykhaylo Mudryk’s agent Alekhin on Arsenal and Chelsea: “Mudryk is a Shakhtar player and the decision on his transfer will be made by the board of the club.” “Mykhailo is now preparing to go with Shakhtar to the training camp.” I’m not aware of private conversations between Thomas Partey and Joao Felix. However, these conversations are absolutely normal so I don’t see this as a key factor for Felix. It depends on Atletico Madrid’s final decision. I think Felix has to go wherever he is guaranteed to play as a starter. At the moment, he’s not a starter. Atletico Madrid Atletico Madrid will keep pushing to have Caglar Soyuncu in January. Talks will take place with Leicester in the next few days. In any case, Soyuncu is expected to join the club in June as a free agent if all goes to plan. Barcelona Barcelona president: “Ruben Neves is a top player but it's part of private conversations. Busquets has to decide his future, he has proposals from MLS and so we're exploring options for the future.” Barcelona have always been the most interested club in Neves. Nothing will be decided now, they will discuss summer plans in the next few months, but the relationship with his agent is great. It also depends on Busquets’ future, he has to make a decision. Ousmane Dembele on PSG’s interest: “I’ve signed a new deal with Barcelona just few months ago. I’m happy here and I want to keep going with Barça. Paris? No, I feel good at Barça. Xavi and the board trust me. I’m happy with their faith in me". Bayern Munich Bayern Munich director on Yann Sommer: “I don't like talking about players of other clubs, but Sommer is definitely a topic, of course. We are considering our options and will make a decision in the near future.” Benfica Benfica coach Roger Schmidt: “It's clear what Enzo Fernández did wasn't right, that’s why he wasn't in the team. I’m happy to announce from tomorrow I'll see Enzo in training.” “He is our player, we need him… now Enzo can focus on Benfica and football again.” Benfica’s position is clear and doesn’t depend on Enzo. €120m release clause or nothing. No other way for Rui Costa. As it stands, nobody is paying this clause. We will see what happens in the next weeks - as of now it’s gone quiet again but the market is open. Enzo of course was dreaming of the Premier League but he’ll be back in the Benfica squad. Chelsea Official, confirmed. Andrey Santos has signed as a new Chelsea player on a long-term contract from Vasco da Gama. Chelsea will pay €12.5m fee to Vasco for Santos. Newcastle and the City Group were both interested in signing Santos, before Chelsea secured the young talent. The player was tempted by Chelsea for the future with many young talents involved. After many conversations in Brazil, he chose Chelsea. At the moment, there is nothing concrete or advanced, but I’m told Christian Pulisic could leave the club in January if Chelsea bring in a new winger. Of course, it depends on clubs making offers and many other factors - as of now it’s a scenario and not a negotiation. Manchester United Manchester United consider Marcus Rashford and Diogo Dalot new contracts among their top priorities to be solved as soon as possible. Contracts are already taking place. Erik ten Hag wants both to be part of his long-term project. He was clear when PSG made a move for Rashford, no way. Manchester United have officially confirmed the signing of Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland on loan for the rest of the season. Ten Hag on Jadon Sancho: "I've also to show patience. We have some hurdles to take, but I think he's in a good direction. In this moment he's not fit enough. I hope Jadon can return quickly but I can't say a duration of how long it will be.” After signing Antony, Lisandro Martinez, and Ten Hag, it would be interesting to see Manchester United pay Ajax big money for another one of their players, in Mohammed Kudus. I’m not aware of any contact or negotiation between Manchester United and Kudus as of today. 💬Is Mohammed Kudus the type of player Manchester United are missing? Should they be looking to make a move for him? Let me know your thoughts. Napoli Napoli have submitted an opening proposal for Morocco star Azzdeine Ounahi. Opening offer was €15m to sign the player now but allow him to stay at Angers for the rest of the season. Portugal Roberto Martinez is one of the options in the list for the Portugal national team job, still waiting for the final decision. Martinez received many approaches after World Cup with Belgium. PSG Marquinhos: “I’m hopeful, confident on new deal to be signed soon. Talks are progressing very well, I’m happy here — I feel at home at PSG.” RB Leipzig RB Leipzig director on Josko Gvardiol: “Thanks to the contract extension with Josko, we are in control — the club has done an outstanding job.” “Football has gone crazy, but our interest is zero that we want to sell Josko Gvardiol in the summer.” 💬Chelsea fans - would you like to see your club sign Josko Gvardiol despite already bringing in Benoit Badiashile? Let me know in the comments! Southampton Southampton have now approached Manchester City on hiring highly rated academy director Jason Wilcox as new director of football. Southampton will offer Wilcox to lead infrastructure, first team, Academy, recruitment and sports performance and analysis. Southampton have completed the signing of Mislav Orsic for a fee of around £6m. Contract valid until June 2025. Tottenham Tottenham midfielder Pape Matar Sarr is in talks with Serie A side Salernitana over a potential loan deal. Pedro Porro is top of the list for Tottenham as new right-back. Spurs will try to sign Porro and the player would be keen on the move. It’s a difficult deal in January as Sporting have been very clear - €45m release clause or no way.