The Reds were once again guilty of shocking wastefulness and dire defending as the slumped to a dismal loss at Goodison Park

Liverpool's Premier League title hopes have been left in tatters after an embarrassing 2-0 loss at Everton on Wednesday, with the Reds once again paying a heavy price for horrific finishing and even worse defending.

Jurgen Klopp's side could have drawn level with Arsenal at the top of the table with a win, but they fell behind in farcical circumstances in the first half, with players taking it into turns to fail to clear the ball before Jarrad Branthwaite managed to sneak a shot under Alisson's body.

Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz then wasted one great chance after another to level the game before Dominic Calvert-Lewin rose unmarked at the back post in the 58th minute to head home a Dwight McNeil corner and seal a first win for Everton over their city rivals at Goodison Park since 2010.

GOAL rates all of the Liverpool players on show on Merseyside, as they slumped to a devastating defeat in Klopp's final derby that means his nine-year right is now almost certain to end without a second league title…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Alisson (5/10):

  Obviously let down by his defenders on both goals but was lucky to avoid giving away a penalty for taking out an offside Calvert-Lewin.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (4/10):

  Created several great chances with his frankly outrageous passing but was one of those who failed to clear the ball in the build-up to Everton's first goal and was then guilty of a pathetic attempt to stop Calvert-Lewin on the second.

  Ibrahima Konate (3/10):

  Once again, an accident waiting to happen. His miscued clearance gifted Godfrey a goal and he repeatedly looked ropey in possession. Lucky to make it to the hour mark.

  Virgil van Dijk (5/10):

  May have been let down by those around him – again – but, as captain, has to take responsibility for Liverpool's total inability to keep clean sheets. His frustration manifested itself in a booking for dissent.

  Andy Robertson (5/10):

  A good outlet down the left flank but probably should have fired across the box rather than shooting from an acute angle when put in on goal.

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  Midfield

  Dominik Szoboszlai (3/10):

  A cheap imitation of the player who had such an excellent first half of the season. Indecisive and ineffective.

  Alexis Mac Allister (5/10):

  The reason why Liverpool took control of the game towards the interval but fatigue has been a major problem for the overworked Argentine in recent weeks.

  Curtis Jones (3/10):

  Unsurprisingly played with plenty of passion, but unable to make any meaningful impact on the game before being rightly withdrawn after an hour.

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  Attack

  Mohamed Salah (4/10):

  Created two chances with clever lay-offs that really should have been put away, but his finishing was horribly wasteful. Just not looked anything like the same player since returning from injury.

  Darwin Nunez (3/10):

  An absolutely atrocious showing from the Uruguayan, who struggled to control the ball all evening and missed a glorious chance to level the game. Hard now to see how Liverpool can ever rely on him to score goals.

  Luis Diaz (6/10):

  Kept carrying the fight to Everton with his pace and quick feet but missed one good chance in the first half before striking the woodwork with a sublime effort after the restart.

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  Subs & Manager

  Harvey Elliott (5/10):

  Came on midway through the second half but unable to turn the game around.

  Jarell Quansah (5/10):

  Much better than the man he replaced, Konate – but that's not saying much.

  Wataru Endo (5/10):

  Brought on for Szoboszlai but didn't impress.

  Kostas Tsimikas (N/A):

  Not on long enough to warrant a score.

  Joe Gomez (N/A):

  Only came on for the last 10 minutes.

  Jurgen Klopp (4/10):

  Injuries up front obviously forced him to start Nunez, but the German erred badly by persisting with Konate and Szoboszlai and now his dream of a fairy-tale farewell has been dashed.

The Blues suffered more European heartache against Barcelona on Saturday, but that should not impact their manager's legacy when she goes to the U.S.

Saturday was always going to be emotional for Emma Hayes. After all, Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona was her final game at Stamford Bridge as manager of the Blues, ahead of her becoming the new head coach of the United States women’s national team. That it was the first time the women’s team had sold out the iconic ground was fitting, an achievement representative of the growth under Hayes. But the tears that flowed at full-time were of sadness, not joy, after a result that confirmed that Chelsea and Hayes’ story together will not end with a European title.

During her 12 years in charge, Hayes has helped the club win the lot in the domestic game and they’ve done it multiple times over. Six Women’s Super League titles, five FA Cup triumphs and two Continental Cup victories are bolstered by a league title during the WSL’s ‘Spring Series’ and a Community Shield win. The missing piece is the Champions League and a place for it in Chelsea’s trophy cabinet will remain there to fill for whoever has the unenviable task of following Hayes.

The 2-0 defeat at the Bridge to Barca was a huge disappointment, especially after all the great work Chelsea had done to secure an historic 1-0 win in Catalunya only a week earlier, and it capped a really difficult four-week period for Hayes and her team. Less than a month prior, there was talk of a quadruple, however, via a Conti Cup final loss to Arsenal, defeat in the FA Cup semi-finals at the hands of Manchester United and Barcelona’s turnaround in Europe, there is now just one trophy left on the table – the WSL.

Yet, the latest disappointment in what has been an underwhelming end to Hayes’ illustrious tenure should not taint her legacy, as what she has done for this club is much bigger.

GettyStarted from the bottom

When Hayes was first welcomed into this club, there was no major success to talk of on the women’s side. Chelsea’s honours at that point were lower-league titles and County Cups. Though the Blues were a real power in the men’s game, and had just been crowned champions of Europe, there was a lot of work to do in the women’s department – and Hayes was one of the key figures in ensuring that work was done.

“Emma came in and said, 'We are Chelsea. When we take part, we win’. The directors and the owner got completely on board,” Chelsea Women chairman Adrian Jacob told GOAL. "It was at the same time the WSL became more professional. We brought in more players. Everything we asked for from the club, we got, but it was bit by bit. We became good.”

AdvertisementGettyEngland's dominant force

Over time, it came together. It wasn’t just about building a good squad, it was about facilities, resources, staff – support in all departments, really. Hayes pushed for it, the club backed her and the results have been seen on the pitch.

For the last four years, Chelsea have been champions of England, all of the last three FA Cup titles have been won by the Blues and when they reached the Women’s Champions League final in 2021, they became the first English side to do so since Arsenal back in 2007. They’ve become the dominant force in the country – and that is not an easy status to maintain, especially when the WSL has become more and more professional, clubs have increased their investment and some have even sprouted up women’s sides that didn’t exist when Hayes first took this job.

Between 2019 and 2023, Chelsea won nine of the 12 major domestic trophies on offer and they reached the final in two of those three competitions that were won by others. To always be there or thereabouts when English women’s football is so competitive at the top deserves huge credit. Chelsea have raised the bar and that’s at least part of the reason why they’ve fallen short in recent weeks, as others have improved massively to chase them down.

GettySmall fish in a big pond

But while Chelsea’s long-term investment in women’s football has helped them to power ahead in England, their competitors on the continent have been doing the same for as long or even longer. They too have financial backing, all-encompassing support and world-class players who are part of a well-structured project.

To bridge that gap needs experience, and it has taken time for Chelsea to accumulate that. Their first two seasons in Europe saw them run into two-time champion Wolfsburg in the early rounds, which stopped them in the tracks, but then five of their Champions League campaigns since have ended in a semi-final defeat to a former winner, be it Wolfsburg, Lyon or Barcelona.

How different would things be if they could’ve found a way to win the 2021 final? It’s a difficult hypothetical as Barcelona had been Europe’s best team all season, they were much the better team on the day and they deserved to be crowned champions. But since then, they’ve built on that and become even better, especially in their mentality, and that is the next step that Chelsea need to take. They are so close – but have again fallen just short.

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GettyGrowing with experience

There is more to it than just experience, of course. It’s about having the right game plan, executing it correctly and taking your chances when they come. But Chelsea’s second-leg defeat to Barca on Saturday did also feel like they were short in the experience column.

“The way we handled the first leg was excellent with the discipline and I think that's what let us down today, our lack of tactical awareness in terms of taking the fouls when we needed to,” Jess Carter, the Blues defender, explained. “We let them dictate the whole way through unfortunately. We've got to get better on the ball. We can't expect to win a Champions League when you give the ball back to Barcelona for 90 minutes, which is exactly what we did today.”

Barca, on the other hand, ground out the win. They weren’t at their best but they stuck to their task and their world-class players produced moments of quality when they were needed. That’s a very good team, but also an experienced one.

Celtic have made an approach to ask about a deal to bring one of their long-term targets to the Scottish Premiership, according to a fresh report that has emerged.

Hoops eyeing Kvistgaarden

Ahead of January, Brendan Rodgers will be assessing his options in the market to see if there are any players he could strengthen his squad with. One recently identified is Brondby forward Mathias Kvistgaarden if claims are to be believed.

The Bhoys are reportedly preparing an improved offer for the striker having seen their opening bid turned down over the summer, but should a deal for him fail to come to fruition for whatever reason, the hierarchy appear to have alternative centre-forward targets.

Sturm Graz’s Szymon Wlodarczyk only put pen to paper at his club during the previous window from Gornik Zabrze where he’s so far made 28 appearances to date (Transfermarkt – Wlodarczyk statistics), but he was on the board’s radar long before his most recent move.

Back in January, Mark Hendry first claimed that Poland’s youth international was of interest to the green and white stripes, though a switch hasn’t yet taken place, hence why he moved elsewhere, and it still sounds like the 20-year-old won’t be making the trip to Glasgow anytime soon despite new efforts.

Celtic submit enquiry for Wlodarczyk

According to Football Scotland, Celtic have asked about signing Wlodarczyk again next month, but after learning his price tag in a response from Sturm Graz, have decided that they couldn’t afford to complete a deal in January.

“Football Scotland can also reveal Celtic reached out to Sturm Graz in an effort to revisit another former transfer target, Szymon Wlodarczyk, but were told his valuation has sky-rocketed to around £15m which would financially be out of their reach in January.”

Wlodarczyk is a "highly talented" striker

Since joining Sturm Graz, Wlodarczyk has racked up 11 contributions (nine goals and two assists) from 28 appearances, displaying how prolific he can be in the final third, and he’s able to pose a constant threat to the opposition’s defence in the attacking areas of the pitch.

Sponsored by Adidas, Walbrzych's native has recorded 32 shots over the course of the current campaign which is more than any other of his fellow teammates, highlighting what a standout performer he is in front of the net compared to his peers (FBRef – Sturm Graz statistics).

Standing at 6 foot 2, Rodgers’ target is also able to provide a real physical presence up top with his height, with his ability to win aerial duels making him a real handful for any backline to deal with, alongside how dangerous he can be with the ball at his feet.

Described by football scout Jacek Kulig, Wlodarczyk is a “highly talented” player with an extremely bright future ahead of him, but with Celtic not set to splash the cash to get their long-term target in the coming weeks, it could prove to be a blow considering the positive impact that he may have been able to make.

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel wants his players to connect with their inner child if they are to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League.

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Bayern to face Real Madrid for Champions League final spotTie level ahead of return at the Santiago BernabeuTuchel reveals what he's told his playersWHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern face Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday aiming to secure a place in the final of the Champions League. The tie is delicately poised after a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the semi-final at the Allianz Arena. Tuchel has been asked what he has told his team ahead of the tie and had some unusual advice for his players.

AdvertisementWHAT TUCHEL SAID

Tuchel told reporters: "It wasn't a declaration – I felt the need to say something again. We had an extra day to prepare, and we made the most of it. One topic was that we also enjoy a day like today. The tactical meetings are of course very much characterised by content. It's important to connect with your inner child and realise that we all dreamed of being in games like this as a child. It won't stop us from giving it our all tomorrow."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Champions League is the only piece of silverware Bayern can win this season after missing out on the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen. They face a Real Madrid side who have already clinched the league title in Spain this season and knocked out holders Manchester City in the last round after a penalty shoot-out. The winners of the tie will play either PSG or Dortmund in the final at Wembley.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN

Tuchel is heading into his final few fixtures as Bayern boss ahead of his summer exit. The coach is said to be interested in returning to the Premier League, while it still remains to be seen who will take over from Tuchel in the Bayern dugout.

يطمح علي لطفي حارس نادي زد إف سي، إلى تحقيق بطولة كأس مصر للموسم الحالي، مع فريقه بعد التأهل إلى المباراة النهائية.

وفاز فريق زد على الإسماعيلي بهدف دون رد، في مواجهة دور نصف النهائي لبطولة كأس مصر.

وقال لطفي خلال تصريحات عبر قناة أون تايم سبورت 2: “مجدي عبد العاطي تحدث في المحاضرة معنا، تقريبًا لمدة 13 سنة لا يوجد نادي غير الأهلي والزمالك حقق كأس مصر”.

طالع.. فيديو | زد يفوز على الإسماعيلي ويتأهل إلى نهائي كأس مصر لأول مرة في تاريخه

وأضاف: “تحدثت مع اللاعبين، قولت لهم أنا كنت لاعبا في النادي الأهلي وحصدت بطولات ولكن البطولة خارج الأهلي والزمالك يكون له طعم آخر، التتوج ببطولة مع فريق صاعد حديثًا للدوري وأول موسم له، ستكون بطولة غالية”.

وأكمل: “التاريخ لا يذكر إلا البطل ونحن لم نحقق أي شيء، نقطة مهمة للنادي أن فريق صاعد حديثًا للدوري الممتاز يتأهل لنهائي الكأس، ولكن نحن كلاعبين نريد أن نكون أفضل من ذلك، كان هدفنا التواجد في المربع الذهبي بالدوري ولكن لم نوفق، أصبح كل تركيزنا في الكأس، وصلنا للحلم الذي نريده وهو التأهل للنهائي والحلم الآخر وهو التواجد على منصة التتويج”.

وأتم: “قمنا بتحية لاعبي الإسماعيلي بعد المباراة، لأن المنافسة تكون داخل الملعب وتكون شريفة، أشفق على لاعبي الإسماعيلي لأنهم صغار، تحدثت معهم، قولت لهم إنكم ستكونون مستقبل الإسماعيلي أرى لاعبين جيدين ويمتلكون الشخصية”.

The dual roles of Mickey Arthur and Azhar Mahmood with the national team and Karachi Kings could come under review at the board’s next governing council meeting

Umar Farooq07-Feb-2019

Mickey Arthur and Azhar Mahmood at Edgbaston•Getty Images/ICC

The PCB’s board of governors (BoG) has formally taken up the issue of dual roles causing potential conflicts of interest ahead of the Pakistan Super League. The BoG has agreed to chalk out a policy on engagement of PCB employees with PSL franchises.In the 52th governing council meeting today, the issue came up for discussion officially, with a focus on national-team coaches who also work with PSL teams. The PCB has confirmed the development, but with the league starting in a week’s time, a final decision on the issue will have to wait until the next board meeting, with all appointments to be reviewed after PSL season ends on March 17.Ever since Ehsan Mani took over as PCB chairman in September 2018, high-profile names such as Mickey Arthur have come under the spotlight, with other high-profile names having to give up roles in the PSL.Last year, the PCB removed chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq from the PSL player draft committee because of a potential conflict of interest since he was involved with a talent-hunt programme run by one of the tournament’s franchises, Lahore Qalandars. Tauseef Ahmed, who is part of the national selection committee while also being Islamabad United’s spin coach, was also left out of the PSL draft committee and later axed by the franchise.ALSO READ – Mickey Arthur’s dual roles with Pakistan and Karachi Kings back in the spotlightPakistan head coach Arthur is also part of the Karachi Kings coaching staff, which has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.In 2016, Arthur was already Karachi Kings’ head coach when he took over the Pakistan role shortly after Waqar Younis’ resignation. Arthur, with then PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, had negotiated a contract to allow him to fill both roles, foregoing his monthly PCB retainer during the duration of the PSL. When he renewed his contract as Pakistan coach until the 2019 World Cup, this agreement remained intact. Arthur has coached Karachi Kings in all three seasons of the PSL so far, and is set to do so again in the 2019 edition. Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood had been part of the franchise as well but that is no longer the case.PSL franchises haven’t raised the issue openly, but have hinted at concerns about having Arthur in both set-ups. “If you talk about me as a head coach, its challenging for a coach and selector within one set-up,” Aaqib Javed, the Lahore Qalandars head coach, told ESPNcricifo after the first season. “There is a reason why it’s been avoided and seen as awkward. I have great regard for Mickey but this should be avoided.”ESPNcricinfo understands that Arthur has no vote in picking Pakistan’s squads, though the selectors take his inputs on board, but he does have a vote in selecting the final playing XI. “I see absolutely no conflict at all and in fact see it as a massive benefit because it allows me to see all the best young talent available,” Arthur said in 2016. “I certainly am professional enough not to in any way be biased in selections or opinions on any player because at he end of the day I am here to assist Pakistan cricket and make Pakistan cricket the best and I am not going to jeopardise that in any way.”

Manish Pandey’s second T20 hundred – his first since IPL 2009 – powers Karnataka, Sandeep Warrier takes hat-trick for Kerala

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2019Shreyas Iyer’s 55-ball century
Shreyas Iyer continued his rich vein of form, smashing his second hundred in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2018-19. Iyer now has scores of 147, 46 and 103* in the tournament to be the highest run-getter so far.Iyer’s innings meant Mumbai beat Madhya Pradesh by eight wickets, getting to 145 for 2 in just 16 overs after being 7 for 2 in two overs.Tushar Deshpande’s 4 for 28 had kept MP to 143 all out in 19.3 overs, and although Mumbai had an early wobble with openers Prithvi Shaw (off the first ball) and Ajinkya Rahane falling cheaply, Iyer took charge of the situation. He faced the majority of the strike during a 14-over partnership with Suryakumar Yadav, who played the supporting role with 39 off 36 in a stand that yielded 138 runs.Iyer hit a whopping 10 sixes and five fours during his innings, scoring 80 of his runs with boundaries.Manish Pandey’s 43-ball century
Manish Pandey walloped 111 not out off 46 balls as Karnataka smothered Arunachal Pradesh by 146 runs, the joint fourth-largest margin of victory (by runs) in a T20 match in India.Pandey’s innings drove Karnataka to 226 for 4 after he had won the toss and chosen to bat, and Arunachal were then shot out for 80 in 14.4 overs, with Shreyas Gopal picking up 5 for 11 in 3.4 overs.This was Pandey’s second hundred in the format, his only other one coming for RCB in IPL 2009 when he became the first Indian to hit a century in the Indian Premier League. For Shreyas, this was the first time he had taken a five-wicket haul in a T20 innings.Karnataka had not started at a frenetic pace, and were 52 for 2 in 6.1 overs when Pandey walked in. He was into his stride immediately though, as the run-rate picked up. His half-century came off 25 balls, and the hundred was raised off 43 balls.Arunachal might have gone down by a record margin were it not for opener Samarth Seth’s 49 off 35 – the next highest score was 6. Seth was run out in the 13th over by Shreyas, who picked up the next three wickets to finish up the innings and end with a five-for.CLICK HERE for all scorecardsBCCIIshan Kishan’s 54-ball century
Ishan Kishan became only the second Indian player to hit back-to-back centuries in T20 cricket, leading Jharkhand to a 121-run win over Manipur with his innings of 113* off 62 balls.Manipur chose to bowl first, and Jharkhand’s batsmen made them pay. Anand Singh and Kishan rocketed to a 54-run opening stand in just 4.3 overs before Manipur got their only wicket in the form of Anand, for a 12-ball 26.Virat Singh came in and kept pace with Kishan, as Jharkhand continued to score briskly. Kishan raised a half-century in 35 balls, and Virat followed a little while later, getting to his own fifty in 34 balls. Kishan then stepped up a gear in the final stages of the innings, getting to a century in 54 balls. His knock had 12 fours and five sixes, and carried Jharkhand to 219 for 1.Virat remained unbeaten on 73 off 46, with the partnership between the two worth 165 runs in 15.3 overs.Manipur’s reply stuttered from the start, and save Yashpal Singh’s 40 off 31, there were no substantial contributions as they ended on 98 for 9 in 20 overs. Utkarsh Singh took 3 for 7 in three overs on Twenty20 debut, while Rahul Shukla, who had taken a five-wicket haul in the previous match, picked up 3 for 14 this time around.Warrier’s hat-trickSandeep Warrier took a hat-trick in the final over as Kerala squeezed out an eight-run win against Andhra.Choosing to bat first, Kerala made 160 for 6, driven by Vishnu Vinod’s 70 off 61 at the top of the order. Andhra recovered from 92 for 5 thanks to Prashanth Kumar’s 57 off 36, and were 152 for 7 at the start of the final over, when Warrier struck. Warrier had KV Sasikanth, Karn Sharma and SK Ismail out off the second, third and fourth balls of the over, ensuring Andhra’s innings ended.Warrier took 3 for 27 in 3.4 overs to have the best figures for Kerala.

Manchester United have endured a rough start to their campaign so far this season. They have gone from arguably the third-best side in the country and one that lifted silverware last year to one that seemingly falls apart when presented with the slightest of setbacks.

Erik ten Hag's men have lost four of their last ten games, including bruising defeats to Manchester City, Newcastle United and Copenhagen. At the same time, they have only beaten Everton, Luton Town, Sheffield United and Fulham.

In short, it hasn't been good enough for a club of United's stature, and while there are a multitude of reasons why they're struggling so much, one of the big ones is the absence of centre-back Lisandro Martínez.

The Argentine – dubbed an "absolute monster" by Luke Shaw – has arguably been the club's best defender since arriving from Ajax last summer, and his removal from the backline has been detrimental to the team.

So it's good news that the Red Devils have been linked to another defender that measures up well to 'The Butcher': Jean-Clair Todibo.

Man Utd transfer news – Jean-Clair Todibo

​​​According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, United are interested in signing the Frenchman in the winter window and view him as a "candidate" to help solve the squad's defensive issues.

However, Ten Hag's side aren't the only Premier League club interested in the OGC Nice centre-back, as according to the Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are targeting the player.

The publication has also revealed that any move will likely cost in the region of £39m, which doesn't seem too unreasonable for a sought-after 23-year-old "Rolls-Royce", as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango.

However, United will have to act fast, as Spurs' need for a centre-back is arguably more significant than theirs, and should Liverpool still be in a title race come January, they could find it challenging to sell the United project.

How Jean-Clair Todibo compares to Lisandro Martínez

Now, while you don't necessarily want a team of players that all play in the exact same way, it certainly helps to have centre-backs that can be relied upon and that play together exceptionally well.

Well, with Todibo, United could have precisely that. The Frenchman is both an exceptionally talented and "complete" defender – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – in his own right and a statistical clone of Martínez.

According to FBref, the former Ajax man is the most similar player to Todibo across Europe's top five leagues.

Most Similar Players to Jean-Clair Todibo
1	Lisandro Martínez	Manchester United
2	Dante	OCG Nice
3	Igor Julio	Brighton & Hove Albion
4	Christian Romero	Tottenham Hotspur
5	Ibrahima Konate	Liverpool

By looking at their numbers from last season, you can see just how similar the two players are and how they could complement one another were they to form a partnership.

In fact, there are even some areas in which the Nice star outshines his potential new partner, such as progressive carries and passes.

Jean-Clair Todibo & Lisandro Martínez
Stat	Jean-Clair Todibo	Lisandro Martínez
Progressive Carries per 90	0.66	0.51
Progressive Passes per 90	4.80	3.53
Attempted Passes per 90	68.4	65.0
Pass completion	88.5%	87.0%
Tackles and Interceptions per 90	3.70	3.67
Stats via FBref for the 2022/23 Premier League & Ligue 1 Season

Now, there may be a case to be made that having two incredibly similar centre-backs would be detrimental to a team's chances; after all, they would share the same weaknesses.

Well, you only have to look at Todibo's own team, Nice, to see that's simply not the case. The second most similar player to the Frenchman is former Bayern Munich defender Dante, who has started 100% of Nice's games this season and, alongside the sought-after 23-year-old, has helped guide the team to second in Ligue 1.

Ultimately, United have the opportunity to sign an exceptionally talented defender for £39m, and with how their season has gone so far, they should grab it with both hands.

Much like the 2022/23 Premier League season, 2023/24 has been one Chelsea fans have had to endure rather than enjoy.

The Blues went into the campaign hopeful that new boss Mauricio Pochettino could lead their young group of inexperienced players to glory, but after 17 games, they are closer to 20th than 1st.

However, there have been the odd bright spots here and there, perhaps the brightest being the arrival of Cole Palmer from Manchester City, who has taken like a duck to water in west London and often looks like one of the club's best players when he steps on the pitch.

Chelsea could replace Disasi with "immense" £69m talent

The 20-year-old could shore up Chelsea’s defence for over a decade.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 20, 2023

He could look even better in the new year as the latest player linked with the club could form a deadly partnership with the youngster and supercharge his creative numbers, Sporting CP's Viktor Gyökeres.

Chelsea transfer news – Viktor Gyökeres

According to the Evening Standard, Chelsea are incredibly interested in the Portuguese side's prolific striker, Viktor Gyökeres, and have even inquired about a deal.

The Swedish international joined Sporting in the summer for a fee believed to be in the region of £20m, and as such, they are not keen to sell him this January, but Chelsea can bring him to west London if they are willing to pay his €100m – £87m – release clause.

While the price is undoubtedly a significant obstacle to Todd Boehly and Co. completing this deal, the other and perhaps more significant one is the interest of city rivals Arsenal.

That said, with ten goals and five assists in just 13 league appearances this year, Gyökeres is a player worth getting into a bidding war for.

Viktor Gyökeres could supercharge Cole Palmer

Now, one of the biggest problems at Chelsea this season has been the inability of forwards to finish their chances. The team are currently in fourth place in the expected goals table but fall all the way down to ninth in goals scored.

Palmer is a perfect example of a player this has impacted, as according to FBref, his expected assist figure in the league this season has stood at a genuinely impressive 0.47 per 90. In contrast, his actual assist figure is 0.28, just over half.

This would suggest that the former City man is crafting quality chances for his teammates, and they simply are not scoring as often as they should based on the xG value of the opportunities.

So, if Pochettino was able to add in the "one of a kind" Gyökeres, as described by his former manager Mark Robins, who has been able to score eight non-penalty goals from a non-penalty expected goals figure of just 4.2, Palmer should see his actual assist numbers start to reach and maybe even exceed his expected assists figure.

Moreover, the rest of Gyökeres' underlying numbers paint the picture of a Premier League-ready forward who could come in and fire the Blues back up the table.

He completes 3.88 progressive carries, 2.02 progressive passes, and 2.56 take-ons per 90, highlighting that he can be more than just a fox in the box for the Pensioners, although that would be his most significant selling point to this current Chelsea side.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.33

Non-Penalty Goals

0.78

Progressive Carries

3.88

Progressive Passes

2.02

Shots on Target

1.16

Shot-Creating Actions

3.86

Goal-Creating Actions

0.62

Successful Take-Ons

2.56

All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season

Ultimately, the "unplayable" number nine, as described by his former teammate Maxime Biamou, would be an incredibly useful player for a team as lacking in quality finishers as the Blues, and as such, the board should be doing all they can to get this deal over the line.

Pochettino could supercharge Palmer's assist numbers by bringing in a quality centre-forward sensation who has proven himself to be a terrific finisher this season.

Palmeiras boss Abel Ferreira made an ardent plea to club president, Leila Pereira, to block the sale of Estevao Willian to Chelsea despite €55m offer.

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• Chelsea not willing to give up on Willian
• Have tabled a third fresh bid for the youngster
• Ferreira wants him to stay until 2027 at Palmeiras

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Despite facing initial rejections for their first two offers, the Premier League outfit have escalated their pursuit with a lucrative third bid, of €55 million (£47m/$58m), signalling their intent to secure the 16-year-old's signature. The teenager's recent exploits have only served to heighten interest in his services, with his dramatic injury-time winner against Botafogo in the Copa do Brasil further enhancing his reputation.

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  WHAT FEREIRA SAID

  Palmeiras manager, Ferreira, recognising Willian's immense potential, has made a passionate plea to his top boss and said: "I'm going to ask Leila not to sell this player. The father, the manager and he will be sad. Let him stay with us until 2027. I really think this player is unlike anything I've ever seen. A boy who defends, attacks, shows himself in the game."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However, even if Chelsea were to succeed in their pursuit of Willian, the talented winger would not be able to join the club until next summer due to employment laws prohibiting such transfers for players under 18 years of age. Despite this obstacle, Chelsea remain determined to secure a deal for Willian, underscoring their commitment to acquiring the most promising young talents in world football.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  While the teenager's current release clause stands at €60 million, reports suggest that Palmeiras may not be willing to accept Chelsea's bid as they believe the player's value could continue to rise. Hence they are considering offering him a new contract which would further extend his stay in Brazil and potentially fetch a higher fee when he is sold at a later date.