This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Marko Arnautovic has left West Ham United and the question on everybody’s lips in east London is this: Can the Hammers replace him?
On the chalkboard
One has to examine Arnautovic’s stats throughout the 2018/19 season to get to the bottom of this and with that comes a caveat.
Arnautovic enjoyed a perfectly serviceable first half of the season but he was diabolical after January, as he effectively downed tools following the transfer saga that first saw him linked with China, and went 11 games without a goal.
Nevertheless, his stats are enlightening.
In 2018/19, the Austria international made 28 appearances for the club. He scored 10 goals and provided four assists.
Per understat, he averaged 2.78 shots per game, with an expected goals (xG) rate of 8.94. Thus, we can ascertain that Arnautovic outscored the expectation; despite finding himself in positions that he perhaps shouldn’t have scored from, he had a penchant for hitting the back of the net. He also averaged 1.62 key passes per 90, meaning that his passes directly led to a shot 1.62 times across the game.
Across the 90 minutes, his xG stood at 0.40. By comparison, Javier Hernandez had an xG-per-90 of 0.53. He only scored seven goals, though, with an xG rate of 7.89 – he scored the goals he was expected to score.
A versatile forward, Arnautovic scored six goals with his right foot, three with his left and one with his head.
Playing as a forward, he averaged 2.87 shots per 90 with an xG of 0.41 – he is prone to efforts from range, but the majority of his goals came in the box.
Indeed, understat tells us that he scored just once from outside the box while seeing nine efforts go off target. Six from range were blocked, while six were saved. His goal actually came from inside the D, too, pointing to an inaccurate penchant for shooting from outside the area. His one goal, against Arsenal, had an xG rate of 0.05 – few would have predicted it would hit the back of the net.
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Anderson the replacement
Arnautovic is not the best striker around.
The fact that he outscores his xG is impressive but the same can be said for Felipe Anderson, who scored nine goals in 2018/19 with an xG rate of 5.53.
The Brazilian, a winger, also laid on four assists but had an expected assist rate of 6.78 – the strikers, namely Arnautovic, were not taking as many chances as they should have been.
Anderson also averaged a higher key pass statistic per 90 – 1.90 to 1.62 – while he was more economical with his shooting. He also missed nine shots from range but scored two, while he averaged just 1.70 shots per game.
Perhaps moving the winger into a false nine position, then, could see Manuel Pellegrini reap a fair few rewards.
Statistically, the two have a similar profile, but Anderson is perhaps a better option, with his dribbling ability and penchant for dropping deep likely to free up space for the likes of Manuel Lanzini and summer signing Pablo Fornals.
Having finished outside the Champions League places and lost out in the Europa League final, the Gunners are reported to be working with a summer transfer budget around the £40m mark.
It means Unai Emery’s side are probably not going to be in the market for ‘superstar’ signings and are more inclined to spend their money a bit more wisely.
According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, the Gunners boss is targeting a move for his fellow Spaniard Lucas Vasquez, who has found himself out-of-favour at Real Madrid this season.
After hearing the news they could be making a move for the right-winger, many Gunners fans took to Twitter to reveal their frustrations at the potential move and made it clear that they felt underwhelmed.
Would you take a job at your fiercest rivals stadium? The Spurs fan in the video below wasn’t going to let football stand in the way of a bit of dollar…
Indeed, some seemed to think a deal for Vasquez showed that the north London side had moved on to a target that was relatively low-down on their shortlist.
The report’s claim that Emery was championing a move for the Spain international to use him in a 3-5-2 formation also didn’t seem to go down too well and many urged the Arsenal manager to just go back to a more “normal” set-up.
Check out some of the disappointed reaction of Arsenal fans below:
According to The Sun, West Ham look set to miss out on Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes as Everton appear to have secured a £22million deal.
What’s the deal, then?
The 25-year-old was on loan at Goodison Park last season where he was a first-team regular for much of the campaign as he made 27 Premier League appearances for the Toffees.
And The Sun also revealed that the Hammers missed out on the Portuguese international despite making a higher bid than Everton.
The London Stadium-based club offered the Catalan giants £25m to try and tempt Gomes away from Marco Silva, but he was adamant he wanted to remain where he’d spent all of the last campaign.
Hammers showing ambition that they have lacked in the past
What’s refreshing to see is the level of player the east London club are now trying to attract.
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The Irons have already signed Spanish international Pablo Fornals for £24m in what is a major coup given the promise that the 23-year-old has.
And the fact that they are bold enough to try and negotiate a deal with Manchester United over Issa Diop by demanding Anthony Martial shows how a side that finished 10th in the league last season is now standing up and demanding respect as a force to be reckoned with.
The Hammers may have been a little disappointed to miss out on Gomes, especially given their offer was the most lucrative, but it is not the be all and end all given they do already have options in midfield – Mark Noble, Declan Rice, Pedro Obiang, Jack Wilshere and Carlos Sanchez.
Gomes is known as a player who keeps the play ticking over and has a diverse range of passing – but actually Rice, who is known for his tackling and ability to break up the play more than anything else – had a higher pass completion rate last season – 86% compared with Gomes’ 84%.
Irrespective of what he would have added to the side, for many years the bee in Hammers fans’ bonnet was the lack of direction and willingness from the owners to step up the cash and push their club on towards the top bracket of English football.
Without question they have begun this transfer window as a club who is set on building a deep, talented squad who can push on to bigger and better things.
Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham has hinted that he could join Aston Villa on a permanent deal in this summer’s transfer window.
What’s the word, then?
Abraham played the full 90 minutes as Villa recorded a 2-1 win over Derby County in Monday’s Championship playoff final to secure a return to the Premier League.
As it stands, the England international will be heading back to Chelsea this summer with the view to battling for a first-team spot at Stamford Bridge next term.
However, Villa have been linked with a £25m swoop for the striker, who has refused to rule out a permanent move to the newly-promoted side.
Abraham told Sky Sports in his post-match interview:
“You can never say never, first of all, I have to enjoy it with the boys tonight. You can never say never. [I’ll] see what God has in store for me.”
There is absolutely no question that the striker was key for Villa during the 2018-19 campaign.
However, Dean Smith’s side must ensure that they use their heads when it comes to the 6 ft 3 ace rather than making an emotional decision.
How will this one play out?
Abraham has ended the season with 26 goals in 42 appearances for Villa – including 25 during the regular Championship campaign.
The Englishman is a serious force at Championship level but is yet to prove himself in the Premier League, managing just five top-flight goals during a loan spell at Swansea City.
Chelsea will surely now increase their £25m asking price following Villa’s promotion and that will leave Smith’s team with a huge decision to make.
Abraham has played a key role in Villa returning to the top flight but any decision taken at this point could be due to the emotion surrounding Monday’s win over Derby.
Spending big on Abraham this summer would effectively make him Villa’s starting forward next season and that would be a huge gamble when taking everything into consideration.
So then, another season of the Premier League is done and dusted and it’s time for the 20 teams to start reviewing their campaigns and putting plans in place for the 2019/2020 term.
Little has changed at the top of the league with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City marching to back-to-back English top-flight titles, but this year, they had new runners-up.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool took over in second place from Manchester United by accumulating an incredible 97 points and finishing just a single point behind the Citizens.
Despite being knocked out of both the Carabao Cup and the Emirates FA Cup at the first opportunity, the Reds have had much more joy in one other competition, the UEFA Champions League. The Merseysiders will go for glory in the final for the second successive term, against Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid at the end of May.
In light of all this, today we review the season so far of Liverpool, from their player of the season, to their goal of the season and who they should sign to improve before next term…
Player of the Season – Virgil van Dijk
The biggest factor that has allowed Klopp’s team to make the title race go right down to the wire in 2018/2019 has been their defence, something that’s let them down time and time again in recent seasons, and a huge part of that has been Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk.
The 27-year-old joined from Southampton for a world-record fee back in January 2018 and has flourished in his first full season at Anfield, the commanding defender being crucial to both the domestic and European success with 49 appearances across the Premier League and Champions League.
As a result, Van Dijk has picked up wide acclaim from all four corners of the footballing world, fans, pundits and even his fellow professionals, who voted him the PFA Player of the Year and a member of the PFA Team of the Year. The Netherlands international will be hoping to put the cherry on the cake at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Flop of the Season – Naby Keita
In contrast, the flop of the season in the Red Half of Merseyside has undoubtedly been summer 2018 signing from RB Leipzig, midfielder Naby Keita.
After the club paid a staggering fee of £54 million for the Guinea international, he’s struggled to adapt to the pace of English football as his performances all season long have fallen well below par in the centre of the park.
Keita does have more time to make it work in England and live up to his lofty price tag – it sometimes takes even the best players on the planet a little time to settle in. However, if the flop keeps this up, it won’t be long before the whole of Liverpool loses patience and the plug is pulled.
Unsung hero – Georginio Wijnaldum
Soccer Football – Champions League Semi Final Second Leg – Liverpool v FC Barcelona – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – May 7, 2019 Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum celebrates scoring their third goal with Jordan Henderson REUTERS/Phil Noble
Every team in every season needs its unsung hero, that one player who chips in at vital times, scoring pivotal goals or saving pivotal goals. But not quite getting the credit they deserve and the credit of some of their teammates.
That has, without doubt, in 2018/2019 been Dutch attacking midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum for the Reds, just as important as the likes of Alisson, Van Dijk and Sadio Mane at times – not nearly sung as much as them.
Wijnaldum has had the habit of popping up just at the right time for Klopp throughout the campaign, whether it be for the league winner away at Tottenham back in September or the decisive inspired brace in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona, for example. A true unsung hero.
Signing of the Season – Alisson
Soccer Football – Premier League – Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – May 12, 2019 Liverpool’s Alisson waves to the fans as he holds a trophy for winning the Premier League Golden Glove award after the match Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single clu
Before the start of the term, Klopp brought four new signings to Anfield, first was the aforementioned Keita, then his fellow midfielder Fabinho from Monaco, followed by Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri and rounded off by much-needed goalkeeper Alisson from Roma.
The latter has by far been the pick of them when we look back, taking the Premier League and Champions League by storm and paying back every penny of his £66.8 million price tag, then the highest fee ever paid for a shot-stopper.
The fact that Alisson won the English top-flight Golden Glove award for the most clean sheets by fighting off competition from Man City’s Ederson is one example of just how immense he’s been in his maiden English term. The 26-year-old has saved 79 per cent of his league shots, 79 per cent!
Biggest Shock – second place
There wasn’t much wrong with Liverpool’s season whatsoever, especially in the Premier League, 97 points from 38 matches. That’s why the biggest shock of the campaign was surely that they could only finish second.
The side that have incredibly never lifted the Premier League trophy lost just once in the league throughout the whole term, regrettably, for them, that defeat came against the Citizens and was ultimately the difference between the two teams.
What really damaged Klopp’s men was a run of four draws in the space of six games in February and March, making it seven overall for the season and costing them the trophy. Though they can take pride in pushing arguably the greatest English team ever all the way and know that if they can rack up the same total next season, it surely won’t be beaten.
Best result – Barcelona (H) – 4-0
When reviewing 2018/2019, there will be one result that sticks out in the mind that bit more for everyone associated with Liverpool, one of the greatest Anfield nights in history.
Trailing by three goals from the first leg, the Reds welcomed Spanish giants Barcelona to Merseyside for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final. The hosts had a chance but needed to score early.
And that’s exactly what they did, taking the lead through Divock Origi on seven minutes. That advantage was doubled and then tripled by Wijnaldum in three crazy early-second-half minutes to turn the tie on its head, allowing Origi to complete his brace with just over 10 minutes to go and Liverpool to hold onto their place in the final. The undisputed best result of the season.
Worst result – Manchester City (A) – 2-1
The worst result of the campaign from a Liverpool perspective can be none other than the result that cost the Reds the title in so many different ways.
Travelling to the Etihad Stadium having held City to a 0-0 draw at Anfield earlier in the term, Klopp’s men met an inspired team that had them a goal down after 40 minutes. Although Roberto Firmino was able to reply after half-time, Leroy Sane netted a winner for the home side 18 minutes from time in the New Year contest.
This was not just a huge blow for the Merseysiders in terms of the league table, it was a huge blow psychologically and just gave their opponents that mental edge to be able to win their final 14 games and overturn what was at one stage, a seven-point lead at the top.
Goal of the Season – Daniel Sturridge vs Chelsea
Scoring over 130 goals in all competitions, it’s little surprise that the Reds netted some absolute beauties over the course of the season, Mo Salah’s scintillating strike at home to Chelsea, Mane’s skilful finish away at Bayern Munich in the Champions League and sexy flick in the Watford thrashing.
However, they were all trumped by a thorough worldie from an unlikely source, outcast striker Daniel Sturridge, in the dramatic league draw at Stamford Bridge.
With the Blues a goal to the good in the 89th minute, the former England centre-forward picked up the ball outside the box from Shaqiri, took it out of his stride and then beautifully stroked it into the far top corner to win his side a key point. The bittersweet aspect of September’s Premier League Goal of the Month being that Sturridge is an ex-Chelsea star.
Most controversial moment – West Ham United (A)
The Reds’ campaign, filled with its magical moments, was not without its fair share of controversy now and again, with one moment much more prevalent than all the others.
It came in the visit to London Stadium to face West Ham United and involved one of if not the worst linesman calls in recent Premier League history.
In the 22nd minute, Mane converted from close-range to give the visitors an early lead, although, in the build-up, a short pass from Adam Lallana was made to the blatantly offside James Milner right in front of the linesman and was not detected. Luckily, justice was done as Michail Antonio levelled shortly after and it finished 1-1. However, Origi missed a last-gasp chance for Klopp’s men from, you guessed it, an offside position.
Turning point – Manchester City defeat
For Liverpool to lead by seven points at the top of the Premier League table and end up one point behind in second by the end of matchday 38, there had to be a turning point at some stage.
The Reds’ was an obvious one, the aforementioned early-January defeat to eventual champions Man City at the Etihad – it was the turning point in so many different ways.
Pre-match, Klopp’s side had won their last nine in the Premier League and following City’s poor Christmas form, were ahead by eight. A loss cut that margin to four and really took the wind out of their sails after a busy festive period, the Merseysiders would draw four out of their next eight league encounters and the critical damage of the turning point was done.
Portuguese outlet A Bola have reported that Islam Slimani could leave Leicester to rejoin Sporting Lisbon in the summer.
The report claims that the Liga NOS outfit have been in contact with the Foxes over a possible loan move, involving an option to buy at the end of it.
Slimani has endured a torrid spell with Leicester, scoring just 13 times after a club-record switch in 2016.
The Algerian international has spent the current 2018/19 term with Fenerbahce but again has struggled for goals, scoring just once in the league.
There is a huge doubt that the Foxes will return much of the £29m they spent on the player three years ago but given his performances it’s unlikely the club will care too much.
With another possible switch away in the offering, Football FanCast writers have given their verdicts on whether the 6 ft 2 forward deserves another chance at the King Power. Check out what they said below.
Jack Saville:
“Slimani has been one the biggest transfer blunders in Leicester’s history and there is absolutely no chance he should stay at the club. His style is antithetical to Brendan Rodgers’ philosophy and it would take a minor miracle for him to play his way back into the first-team at this stage. This one is a no brainer: he is finished at the King Power.”
Luke Glanville:
“Leicester City have made some atrocious signings in the last couple of years and Islam Slimani is very much one of those. The Algerian has been given plenty of opportunities at the King Power Stadium and not nearly been consistent enough, also failing to impress out on loan. The Foxes need to move forward under Brendan Rodgers and to do that, deadwood like Slimani has to be sold. Leicester should not give the 30-year-old a second chance.”
Harry Sherlock:
“Islam Slimani isn’t good enough for Leicester. He’s 30 and there’s absolutely no chance of him improving at this stage. The Foxes aren’t the richest club in England but they have a fair transfer budget and there has to be better out there this summer. In fact, it should be a priority; Leicester need to replace him, not debate giving him another chance.”
يشهد جدول مباريات اليوم الأحد 8– 11– 2020 إقامة عدد من المباريات الهامة في الدوريات الأوربية منها الإنجليزي والإيطالي والإسباني والفرنسي.
على مستوى الدوري الإنجليزي تقام قمة كبيرة بين ليفربول الذي يضم بين صفوفه محمد صلاح المحترف المصري أمام نظيره مانشستر سيتي، كما توجد مباراة هامة بين آرسنال وأستون فيلا فالأول يلعب بين صفوفه محمد النني والثاني يضم محمود تريزيجيه.
وفي الدوري الإسباني تستكمل مباريات الجولة التاسعة من المسابقة بعدة مباريات أبرزها مواجهة ريال مدريد أمام منافسه فالنسيا.
وفي الدوري الإيطالي تعقد عدة مواجهات حاسمة وهامة في ظل اشتعال صراع المقدمة وعلى رأسها ميلان ويوفنتوس وساسولو بجانب أتالانتا كما يأتي من بعيد فريق انتر ميلان الطامح في المنافسة على اللقب هذا الموسم. مواعيد مباريات اليوم الأحد 8-11-2020 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي اليوم
توتنهام أمام وست بروميتش في تمام الساعة الثانية ظهرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والثالثة بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 2.
ليستر سيتي أمام ولفرهامبتون في تمام الساعة الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والخامسة بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 2.
ليفربول أمام مانشستر سيتي في تمام الساعة السادسة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسابعة والنصف بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 1.
آرسنال أمام أستون فيلا في تمام الساعة التاسعة والربع مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والعاشرة والربع بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 2. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإسباني اليوم
فياريال أمام خيتافي في تمام الساعة الثالثة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والرابعة بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 3.
غرناطة أمام ريال سوسيداد في تمام الساعة الخامسة والربع مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسادسة والربع بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 3.
بلد الوليد أمام أتليتيك بلباو في تمام الساعة السابعة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والثامنة والنصف بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 3.
ليفانتي أمام ديبورتيفو ألافيس في تمام الساعة السابعة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والثامنة والنصف بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 5.
ريال مدريد أمام فالنسيا في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والحادية عشر بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 3. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإيطالي اليوم
يوفنتوس أمام لاتسيو في تمام الساعة الواحدة والنصف ظهرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والثانية والنصف بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 4.
انتر ميلان أمام أتالانتا في تمام الساعة الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والخامسة بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 1.
جنوى أمام روما في تمام الساعة الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والخامسة بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 5.
تورينو أمام كروتوني في تمام الساعة الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والخامسة بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 7.
نابولي أمام بولونيا في تمام الساعة السابعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والثامنة بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 4.
ميلان أمام هيلاس فيرونا في تمام الساعة العاشرة إلا ربع بتوقيت القاهرة والحادية عشر إلا ربع بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 4. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الفرنسي اليوم
ستاد بريست 29 أمام ليل في تمام الساعة الثانية ظهرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والثالثة بتوقيت السعودية، وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 6.
لانس أمام ستاد ريمس في تمام الساعة الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والخامسة بتوقيت السعودية، وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 6.
لوريان أمام نانت في تمام الساعة الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والخامسة بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 8.
مينز أمام ديجون في تمام الساعة الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والخامسة بتوقيت السعودية.
نيم أولمبيك أمام انجيه في تمام الساعة الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والخامسة بتوقيت السعودية.
نيس أمام موناكو في تمام الساعة السادسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسابعة بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 6.
ليون أمام سانت ايتيان في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والحادية عشر بتوقيت السعودية وتذاع عبر beIN Sports HD 6.
يُمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنا.
Fernando Llorente led the line for Tottenham Hotspur in Tuesday’s Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Llorente scored the goal which ultimately saw Spurs book their spot in the semi-finals of the Champions League at the expense of Manchester City.
However, the club’s supporters were still not very pleased with the Spaniard during and after Tuesday’s game with Brighton.
It was a tough night for Llorente – a 2017 arrival from Swansea City – as he was up against two central defenders who are very, very strong in the air.
Some may have claimed that Spurs are actually better off without Harry Kane given their results and performances when he has been out of action in 2019.
Llorente struggled to make his mark against the Seagulls, though, and there was also a rare appearance off the bench for a certain Vincent Janssen.
Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…
It seems likely that Llorente will be leaving Tottenham on a free transfer this summer when his contract expires, and the latest messages from the fans suggests that not too many will be bothered.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
As reported by Chronicle Live, Dave Kitson has revealed Newcastle United will be sold before the season ends for between £300million-£400million, and Toon fans have understandably taken to Twitter to discuss the latest in a long list of potential takeovers.
The most recent of which was supposed to be by Peter Kenyon but of course, the deal never quite materialised.
Previously there was the Amanda Staveley saga – Mike Ashley and Staveley even met in a restaurant to discuss the potential takeover, all the while making sure the press spotted them together at every possible occasion. The British-born billionaire then failed to make any progress in negotiations and that was the end of that.
Now with the season approaching the end and Rafa Benitez’s future still up in the air, another takeover rumour has emerged which has caused sceptical Magpies fans to respond.
It’s fair to say that most have taken Kitson’s latest claim with a pinch of salt, questioning his credentials and one even pointing out that the former Reading striker’s comments came on April Fool’s Day. Here’s a look at what Newcastle fans have been saying on Twitter…
Leicester have essentially told clubs chasing Ben Chilwell to abandon their hopes this summer, according to The Daily Star. Losing him would undoubtedly be a big blow to the Foxes.
What’s the word?
Chilwell is one of the most promising full-backs in the Premier League but amid interest from Manchester United and Liverpool, Leicester have issued a hands-off warning to any club considering pursuing an interest.
The English international has been sought after for a while with Manchester City registering interest in the player back in January, according to ESPN.
However, as per The Daily Star, Foxes officials have told Brendan Rodgers that their days of selling their top players are over.
The 22-year-old’s value is nearing the £40m region, which is no surprise given his performances in the top flight and the fact that he is an England international.
Change in system for Leicester?
The next step after retaining Chilwell’s services should be a new primary formation for Leicester, one which sees the England international’s impressive attacking attributes come to the fore.
Rodgers should opt to move to three at the back with two rising stars in Filip Benkovic and Caglar Soyuncu operating alongside Harry Maguire.
Benkovic and Soyuncu boast considerable potential and they could form part of a solid defensive unit which really ignites the club’s new era under the Northern Irishman. Maguire’s experience of playing among a three-man defence for England would also benefit this system.
What this would mean further up the field is pushing Ricardo Pereira and Chilwell into advanced wing-back roles on either flank. The former has featured further forward already this season and done it to an impressive degree so the pair of them should be able to do a significant amount of damage in the final third.
Both have the ability to deliver the ball into the penalty area and by using them in this way it would give Rodgers an interesting new dimension. This formation would ensure Chilwell flourishes and help develop some of the club’s other rising stars.