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Chelsea’s pursuit of Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens seems to have hit a bit of a roadblock. The Blues were ideally looking to bring the winger in ahead of the Club World Cup, in which they will face LAFC in their first game. However, with the deadline at 7pm on Tuesday, it was not to be for the Blues.

They already lost out on a deal for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano. That means that, after the Gittens deal was not completed in team, striker Liam Delap and defender Mamadou Sarr are the only new players to have arrived ahead of the competition in the USA.

Whatever happens with Gittens in the long run, he might not be the only winger that switches to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Chelsea’s Gittens alternatives

It was confirmed by Romano that the West London outfit want to sign Gittens ‘even if it’s later this summer’, explaining there is ‘no rush’ with the move. That suggests it is an independent move to their pursuit of another Premier League winger.

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This time in conversation with DAZN, Romano suggested that the Blues may still pursue a move for Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho. He explained that the Argentina international is ‘appreciated’ by the higher-ups at Stamford Bridge.

They might not be the only side in contention to sign Garnacho this summer. Bayer Leverkusen, now managed by former United boss Erik ten Hag, ‘called’ for the winger according to Romano, but he explained the player wants to stay in the Premier League.

As for a fee, it was reported by TEAMTalk at the end of last week that the Red Devils would expect at least £50m for Garnacho.

Why Garnacho would be a good signing

Despite a tough season at times for Garnacho, there is no doubt he is an exciting talent, described as a “special” player by football statistician Statman Dave. He ended the campaign in strong fashion, too.

The 20-year-old, who has already won three major trophies for club and country, ended 2024/25 with 21 goals and assists to his name in all competitions. He managed that tally in 58 games for United.

In the Premier League, the former Atletico Madrid academy player struggled for consistency. He scored six goals and assisted twice in 36 games. Almost half of those goal involvements, including this stunning strike away to Brentford, came at the end of the season, where Garnacho grabbed four in nine appearances.

Perhaps Garnacho could actually be considered a bigger talent than Chelsea’s other target, Gittens. Make no mistake about it, the England under-21 international is an exciting player. He managed 12 goals and five assists in 48 games for Dortmund last season.

That is, of course, fewer than the numbers Garnacho put up. With that being said, it is worth remembering that the Red Devils’ number 17 played ten more games, although he was far more productive.

On top of that, Garnacho’s contribution to silverware for United has been imperative to their success. He scored in an FA Cup final against Manchester City in 2023/24, showing a relentless nature to press City and then pounce on an error at the back.

There are also standout statistics on FBref which suggest Garnacho is an even bigger talent than Gittens. For example, in all competitions last season, the United winger averaged 1.68 key passes and 5.8 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to the Dortmund star’s 1.07 key passes and 5.53 progressive carries each game.

Garnacho & Gittens key stats compared (all comps)

Stat (per 90)

Garnacho

Gittens

Goals and assists

0.53

0.49

Key passes

1.68

1.07

Progressive passes

2.22

2.13

Progressive carries

5.8

5.53

Ball recoveries

3.95

3.71

Stats from FBref

Whilst Gittens would be a strong addition to the Chelsea squad, Garnacho is perhaps a far bigger talent. The 20-year-old has three major trophies to his name, all of which he has contributed to, and the underlying numbers show just how deadly he can be.

£50m could be a bargain for Chelsea, if they decide to pursue a move for a player who can add a whole new dimension to their attack.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall Jun 10, 2025

Next season will be the start of a new era for Everton.

On Sunday, the Toffees played their 2,791th and final match at Goodison Park, waving goodbye to their home since 1894 with a 2-0 victory over Southampton; Iliman Ndiaye the scorer of a first half brace.

​​​​​​So, come August, the Blues will commence the new campaign at their new home at Bramley-Moore Dock, with a renewed sense of optimism, given that the team have stabilised since David Moyes’ return, while new owners the Friedkin Group offer hope for the future too.

However, with one of Everton’s most-prized assets, potentially, on his way out this summer, have they already identified an ideal replacement?

Everton targeting defensive reinforcements

According to a report in Africa Foot, Everton are ‘considering’ making a move to sign defender Sinaly Diomandé, adding that ‘negotiations between the various parties are… underway’.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, the report adds that the Toffees are said to have ‘begun talks’ with the player’s representatives regarding a potential move.

The 24-year-old Côte d’Ivoire international began his career at Olympique Lyonnais, making 85 appearances for les Gones, before joining Auxerre last summer on a free transfer, albeit, according to L’Équipe, Lyon will receive 50% of any future sale.

So, could the young defender be on the move again, this time to Merseyside?

How Diomande compares to Jarrad Branthwaite

Once again, as was the case last summer, Jarrad Branthwaite’s name features prominently in the transfer rumour mill.

Mick Brown of Football Insider claims that Chelsea are ‘considering’ a move to sign the centre-back, while it would be no surprise to see Manchester United come back into the equation this summer.

A year ago, as noted by Andy Hunter and Ben Fisher of the Guardian, Everton rejected two bids from Man United, the second of which was worth £50m, with Branthwaite valued at closer to £70m.

Nevertheless, even if Everton stand firm, interest in the England international will remain.

So, would Diomandé be a good replacement? Well, let’s find out.

Appearanes

30

23

Minutes

2,510

1,945

Pass accuracy %

83%

85%

Successful tackles

36

39

Clearances

188

96

Interceptions

27

30

Blocked shots

23

18

Ball recoveries

93

86

Duels contested

186

160

Duels won

118

94

% of aerial duels won

59%

54%

% of ground duels won

69%

61%

Touches per 90

56

59

Average Sofascore Rating

7.02

6.89

As the table outlines, the duo’s statistics are very similar across the board, with Branthwaite having the slight edge overall, albeit Diomandé does boast a better passing accuracy, while also registering more tackles and interceptions, as well as more touches per game.

One analyst noted that Diomandé is a talented youngster who has “shown some great things” during his time in Ligue 1, while Sébastien Denis of Foot Mercato believes he has “incredible qualities”.

Meantime, João Ruivo of Total Football Analysis praises his aerial prowess​​​​​​​ as well as his ability to register plenty of interceptions, assertions that are supported by the data, while Dom Corrigan of Target Scouting is impressed by his ‘calming presence’, adding that he is ‘capable of brilliant last ditch defending’.

Thus, it is clear that Diomandé is a young defender with serious potential, so, given Everton’s ongoing financial constraints, if they’re able to secure him at a cut-price, he could be an excellent addition to fill Branthwaite’s possible void.

​​​​​​​

Everton join race to sign "elite" £17m+ defender also wanted by Aston Villa

The Toffees are now in the frame to sign a centre-back, who is attracting widespread interest from the Premier League.

ByDominic Lund May 21, 2025

Liverpool are on the cusp of winning the Premier League title for the second time in its modern format. Victory will take Anfield’s top-flight triumphs to 20 across the sweep of history, levelling with bitter rivals Manchester United.

It could be settled this week. Should second-place Arsenal, whose eggs lie in the Champions League basket, fall at home against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, Liverpool will win the title. Otherwise, the Merseysiders have the chance to clinch it themselves when they host beleaguered Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.

Arne Slot is going to get a taste for silver on English soil, and he’s going to want more. The Dutch tactician, who replaced Jurgen Klopp last year, has already confirmed Liverpool are planning to attack the summer transfer market with a hunger.

Multiple areas require attention, but with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah’s contracts wrapped up, it’s clear Liverpool are looking to spend a shedload on a brand-new centre-forward.

Why Liverpool want a striker

Klopp’s many players have been effectively subsumed into Slot’s way of life, but Darwin Nunez remains an uncrackable nut.

Liverpool’s head coach gave it his best shot, but the 25-year-old hasn’t reacted all that well to the Dutchman’s tactical nuances, scoring just seven times across all competitions and starting only once in the Premier League since Boxing Day.

He’s set to leave, but sourcing the perfect successor isn’t going to be a walk in the park. On Monday, Fabrizio Romano revealed on GIVEMESPORT’s Market Madness show that Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak remains the top target at number nine but won’t be signed unless his exorbitant £150m valuation is slashed.

Strong across all areas and a goalscorer of the highest station, the Sweden international’s the dream, alright, but the report details growing interest in RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Joao Pedro, who has scored 30 goals and laid on ten assists across 70 games for Brighton.

Change is afoot at Anfield, but Nunez isn’t the only member of Slot’s attacking fold who may be in the firing line this summer.

Plenty of speculation has circled around Luis Diaz’s head, but the in-form, multi-positional winger might be better off staying put this term.

However, there’s another who needs to be sold. Believe it or not, this man’s actually been more wasteful in front of goal than Nunez since Slot walked through the door.

Liverpool must cash in on wasteful star

It’s curious that Liverpool should be cruising toward the Premier League title, their first since Jurgen Klopp dominated the 2019/20 campaign, but feel in need of surgery across a range of positions.

Such is the ambition of this team, whose future will surely lie at the forefront of the European game with key players tied down and exciting targets being lined up.

But Liverpool will need to cash in on one or two. They haven’t received bang for their buck with Nunez, but Diogo Jota has been a clinical presence in the final third since he signed for Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £41m fee in 2020.

However, he’s endured a miserable season and may well be heading toward the end of his time on Merseyside.

Only 15 months ago, Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher remarked that Jota, from a pure ball-striking standpoint, might be Liverpool’s deadliest goalscorer, saying, “he’s a better finisher than the likes of Suarez, Torres, even Salah.”

Quite the praise, but not true anymore. So many injuries and inconsistencies have taken their toll, and this current version pales in comparison to the sure-firing Jota of old.

Jota’s shooting boots have deserted him. He’s missed 13 big chances in the Premier League having converted six goals, as per Sofascore. Across the past two campaigns, the 28-year-old fired 17 strikes home, missing 13 big chances.

Something’s gone awry. Given that he’s actually been more profligate than Nunez this season, it doesn’t feel like Jota’s toils are backing up Carragher’s lofty words from last year.

Mohamed Salah

33

27

23.84 (+3.16)

21

Luis Diaz

32

11

9.23 (+1.77)

9

Cody Gakpo

30

8

6.22 (+1.78)

6

Diogo Jota

22

6

7.26 (-1.26)

13

Darwin Nunez

25

5

4.88 (+0.12)

6

Federico Chiesa

4

0

0.25 (-0.25)

1

The Uruguay striker, set to leave in the coming months, hasn’t actually been all that wasteful in front of goal this season; rather, he’s lacked composure and a stylistic understanding of Slot’s demands.

Liverpool are going to sign a new centre-forward, to be sure, but why not two? A young, eager-to-please star could fill Jota’s boots, jockey with the young and lively Jayden Danns for a nailed-down place in Slot’s high-performing squad.

Were Salah not in such staggering form this season, Nunez and Jota’s struggles may well have been to the detriment of Liverpool’s title charge, for neither have covered themselves in glory this season.

Alan Shearer even branded Jota “embarrassing” after a half-baked attempt to win a penalty in a victory over Newcastle last season, when ostensibly he could have struck cleanly on goal instead.

The Portugal international has more than paid his due at Anfield over the past five years, but every dog has their day, and this talented forward no longer bears his trademark incisiveness in the final third.

Given that he takes home a pretty penny at £140k per week and is about to enter the penultimate year of his contract, it might be worth cashing in while FSG can still bank a sizeable fee.

Maybe he was once Liverpool’s cleanest finisher, but he’s performing to a lower standard than Nunez and that makes the final comment on Carragher’s claim.

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Liverpool appear set to lose the Scouser in their team on a free transfer this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 21, 2025

Thrown into a pulsing bowl of noise at Chepauk on Friday, his IPL debut was one to remember

Deivarayan Muthu25-Mar-2024Chepauk has a Westpac Stadium vibe to it. Yellow stands. Yellow jerseys. World-class Wellington batters.In IPL 2023, a Wellington boy thrilled the Chepauk crowd. In a bizarre three-day rain-hit final that season, Devon Conway produced a Player-of-the-Match performance, against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. On Tuesday, Chennai Super Kings will face Titans in a rematch of the final, at Chepauk, but Conway is back in Wellington, recovering from thumb surgery. He has been sidelined until May.No Conway? No problem for CSK. Because another Wellington boy has slotted directly into the top order and enjoyed a sparkling debut, against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Thirty-seven runs off 15 balls at an eye-watering strike-rate of 246.66. It’s his highest in 57 T20s. It’s also the highest strike rate by a debutant across 17 seasons of the IPL (for a minimum of 30 runs scored).Related

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When Rachin Ravindra was snapped up by CSK at the auction last December for INR 1.8 crore, he wasn’t a certainty in their XI though he was the breakout star of the ODI World Cup held in India that year. But when he was thrown into Chepauk, which was a pulsing bowl of noise on Friday, Ravindra was at home away from home.IPL debuts can often be unnerving – some of the biggest international names have had harsh initiations into the IPL – but Ravindra’s was nerveless. After taking the catches of both Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli in the hotspots at the boundary, he tore up the powerplay with the bat, in CSK’s chase of 174. With his hairstyle and athleticism, you could easily mistake him for another Ravindra from CSK – Jadeja.Rachin Ravindra with his domestic team-mates and former coach Sriram Krishnamurthy in Wellington•Sriram KrishnamurthyRavindra’s former Wellington and New Zealand A coach, Sriram Krishnamurthy, was part of a packed crowd at Chepauk. Sriram, who now works at the Super Kings Academy, CSK’s grassroots programme, isn’t a Chepauk regular for the CSK games, but on Friday he was right there for Ravindra’s IPL debut.”It was surreal for sure,” Sriram tells ESPNcricinfo. “We started working together in Wellington in 2015 and we set small goals. But our reunion at Chepauk was simply surreal because it was never ever part of the plan. Even until last year we would have never entertained the thought of meeting in Chennai.”In the lead-up to Ravindra’s first IPL stint, many on the outside wondered whether he had the game and gears to succeed in T20 cricket. After all, he came into the IPL with a modest T20 record: 673 runs in 48 innings at an average of 16.41 and strike rate of 126.26. On the opening night of IPL 2024, he struck at nearly 250. Sriram isn’t surprised one bit, though.”He’s always had the skill and the shots,” Sriram says. “What is aiding him to bring runs to his name is his mental switch. Right from when he was 14-15, he could cut, pull, drive, sweep, he could play the lofted drive. When you’re playing on some flat wickets, even against good bowlers the margin for error is so small; so he’s able to play all these shots. Which is what he was able do against Australia at the Westpac Stadium and then against RCB at Chepauk, which wasn’t the usual Chennai wicket.”I feel it’s a mental switch: he understands that in a T20 game if he can think about the batting in a way that he can play all the shots, based on his reaction to the ball…Whereas when he goes back to New Zealand, where he’s going to play at least 50% of cricket, he needs to be more careful. In the 50-over games against Bangladesh at home during the day games, the ball was seaming and holding in the pitch, he needs to be more selective with his shots there.”In the IPL season-opener, Ravindra hooked Alzarri Joseph for six, whipped Mohammed Siraj for four, but it was his rasping back-foot pull off a not-so-short ball from Karn Sharma that stood out. Ravindra picked the length early and made a blameless hard-length delivery look like a rank long-hop.”He always looks good when he plays the square-drive between cover and point, but that didn’t come for him in that opening game,” Sriram says. “We will see more of that as the tournament goes on. When you’re quick on our feet and use the depth of the crease…that’s the difference between punching it back to the bowler or hitting it to the boundary. He was able to cash in, but you still need to put them [bad balls] away.”Rachin Ravindra with CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan and his former Wellington coach Sriram Krishnamurthy (far right) who now works with the CSK academy in Chennai•Chennai Super KingsRavindra has had a habit of making striking first impressions. In his first game for Wellington Under-19s, Ravindra, 15 at the time, scored a century. On the opening day of the 2023 ODI World Cup, he cracked an unbeaten 123 off 96 balls against England in Ahmedabad.Then came the first-day first act at Chepauk.”Making that first impact is a quality of good players-in-the-making,” Sriram says. “Let’s go back to 2021, when he made his Test debut for Black Caps in Kanpur, he helped save that game. Then in the World Cup first match against England, in a different role. There was a Test comeback against South Africa. Now this CSK debut. He has always taken his opportunities and that’s something that resonated when I first met him. That also tells you about the person he is.”The day after Ravindra’s IPL debut, Sriram got together with him once again, at the Super Kings academy, and introduced him to the kids there. “We have met almost every alternate day in Chennai since the first two games are in Chennai,” Sriram says. “It meant so much to the kids. For him to walk into the indoor facility and see the kids get as excited as they did… that selfie picture. We had a tough time to control those boys from jumping around him and falling on him (laughs).”When Anirudh Immanuel, a messy-haired mystery spinner from the USA who is with CSK as a net bowler, walked out to train on the eve of the IPL opener, he was mistaken for Ravindra. One game in, Ravindra is a more recognisable face and could well become the “flavour of the season” in Chennai.

Released by Notts last year, Compton has made hundreds in each of his first three innings for Kent

David Hopps20-Apr-2022Considering that Ben Compton has already batted for 20 hours and 43 minutes, and faced 918 balls, with the County Championship only two matches old, it would be understandable if casual observers looked at his age of 28 and exclaimed: “Where on earth has he been?”The answer for Neil Burns, who has coached Compton regularly in cricket and life skills, is simple: he has been on the outside, forever knocking on the door of a county system that is so often closed to the late developer.Compton’s extraordinary start to the season has brought a series of records. He became the first Kent batter ever to score hundreds in his first three innings for the county. And his 856 minutes at the crease against Lancashire at Canterbury was unprecedented in the Championship.There has even been a suggestion that when he was the last man out, lbw to George Balderson, and so narrowly failed to bat through in both innings, the umpire apologised for getting it wrong, although it looked a close-run thing.Rejected more times than he cares to remember, Compton has certainly been making up for lost time. Burns, MD of London County Cricket Club, where he offers mentorship in business and sport, feels the county system is at fault.Related

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“I told Ben he had to work very hard because the way the system is designed it is a closed shop,” Burns told ESPNcricinfo. “It is designed to recognise top talent at a young age – the next Joe Root, the next Ian Bell. But you don’t need to find that player – they are a class apart. The real test of a system is whether it helps a player who is not outstanding at a young age to make the cut.”What happens is because lots of money and time, not to say careers, is invested in that academy process, it becomes very exclusive. I’m not saying it is consciously exclusive, but late developers find it harder to break in. Players outside the system get disregarded.”His assertion comes fast on the heels of Darren Gough’s criticism ahead of Yorkshire’s opening Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol that county cricket was “too matey” when it came to coaching appointments.Cricket exists on the principle of incremental change where players are identified early and progress tiny step by tiny step. For Burns, Compton represents “Discontinuous Change” – an abrupt change that disturbs the traditional way of doing things.He sees that as a very good thing. “Ben has sent a message to those in elite development that they have to perform to justify their gilded life,” he said.Compton was born in Durban, South Africa, but he has a British passport. He is a cousin of Nick, a former England batter, and grandson of Denis, one of the most celebrated and entertaining players in England history. Since netting alongside Nick as a 16-year-old, he became determined to make it as a county cricketer, but despite the famous cricketing name, he was stymied at every turn.

If ever someone deserved a summer G&T it’s this man #BenCompton #3inarow #kentccc pic.twitter.com/a7RpDToiSB

— Nick Compton (@thecompdog) April 18, 2022