Chelsea haven’t been afraid to splash the cash since the arrival of wonder Todd Boehly back in 2022, with the American splashing over £1.2b on new additions in the process.

It has enabled boss Enzo Maresca to have superb squad depth this season with multiple key options across various different positions across the pitch.

Given the Europa Conference League campaign this campaign, it has allowed the 44-year-old to rest his key players, often fielding a completely different starting eleven in Europe.

One transfer window, in particular, has led to their recent success in the Premier League, edging them ever closer to securing a return to

Champions League football at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s transfer window in January 2023

Enzo Fernández moved to the Blues in January 2023, costing Boehly a whopping £106.8m – a transfer fee that would break the club’s transfer record.

The Argentine has been impressive over the last couple of months, regaining his starting position after losing his place in the starting eleven after the Italian’s appointment.

However, the 24-year-old enjoyed a run between November and December which saw him register a goal or an assist in seven consecutive matches – helping the Blues win every game in their Europa Conference League group.

Noni Madueke was another player who arrived during the aforementioned month, costing £29m from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven – becoming a key player in recent times.

The Englishman has made 72 appearances for the Blues, scoring 17 times and registering assists, with Maresca trusting him to nail down the position on the right wing.

However, the Italian boss tried to delve into the market over the last couple of weeks to land a player who could’ve featured alongside Madueke in the final third.

The player who earns nearly 2x more than Garnacho at Chelsea

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho was a name constantly touted over a move to West London during January, but a move for the Argentine failed to materialise.

The youngster was seen as an option for the left-hand side after Mykhailo Mudryk’s ongoing suspension, but Maresca was unable to complete any deal, subsequently having to operate with the options currently at his disposal.

It would’ve been another huge investment from the hierarchy, but as well as incomings, the American needed to make some key calls on departures to reduce the bloated squad following the arrivals.

One of the players who should’ve been offloaded is centre-back Benoit Badiashile, who’s failed to make an impression under the new boss, casting doubt on his long-term future at the club after arriving in the same window as Fernandez and Madueke.

The Frenchman cost £35m two years ago, but this year has been unable to force himself into the starting eleven, starting just twice in the Premier League in 2024/25.

His lack of minutes, coupled with his huge fee should’ve seen him moved, especially to prevent the club from losing a fortune on the fee forked out for his signature.

Badiashile also pockets a small fortune despite his lack of action, earning £90k-per-week – a figure nearly two times higher than winger target Garnacho who’s only earning £50k-per-week despite his rapid rise at Old Trafford.

Axel Disasi

£80,000

£4,160,000

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

£80,000

£4,160,000

Robert Sanchez

£60,000

£3,120,000

Noni Madueke

£50,000

£2,600,000

Marc Guiu

£50,000

£2,600,000

Filip Jorgensen

£50,000

£2,600,000

Malo Gusto

£45,000

£2,340,000

Roméo Lavia

£45,000

£2,340,000

Given his mammoth income, Maresca should’ve parted ways with the former Monaco man, which could’ve allowed for added investment during the window just gone.

With the summer transfer window opening in just a few months’ time, it gives the boss another chance to make alterations to his playing squad, with the departure of Badiashile needing to be right up there on his list of priorities.

He's now outscoring Palmer: Chelsea must regret selling "all-time great"

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Bangladesh’s spin-bowling coach urged the batters to build partnerships like how India did

Mohammad Isam15-Dec-20221:30

Jaffer: ‘Bangladesh batters need to value their wickets’

Being four down for less than 100 has been a recurrent theme for Bangladesh’s batting line-up this year. In response to India’s 404 in Chattogram, Bangladesh slumped further to 97 for 6 and ended the second day on 133 for 8. A rejigged top order had given Bangladesh some hope, but it evaporated quickly, leaving them facing a battle for survival for the rest of the game.Najmul Hossain Shanto’s selection ahead of Mahmudul Hasan Joy put the team management in the spotlight. Mominul Haque, who has six centuries and averages 62 in Chattogram, continued to warm the bench. Shanto’s record this year isn’t much better than that of Joy or Mominul and his overall batting average has nosedived to 19.62 from 40.50 in January.Shanto’s golden duck exposed Bangladesh’s batting line-up. Yasir Ali and Litton Das, who batted at No.3 and No.4 respectively for the first time, were immediately under pressure. Debutant Zakir Hasan (20 off 45 balls) lasted the longest among the top four as Bangladesh collapsed to 56 for 4 by the 18th over.Related

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The unpredictable Chattogram pitch: will it get better or worse?

Shanto and Zakir edged Mohammed Siraj’s outswingers, while Litton and Yasir played on. Kuldeep Yadav then took care of Shakib Al Hasan, Nurul Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who was the player of the series in the preceding three-match ODI rubber, is unbeaten along with No. 10 Ebadot Hossain.Rangana Herath, Bangladesh’s spin-bowling coach, expressed his disappointment at the batting collapse.”Losing eight wickets is disappointing, but you know this is Test cricket; another three days to go. We need to hang in there and we need to fight hard,” Herath said. “Test cricket is not easy, always testing your skill, testing your temperament, your patience and there always is a situation, so in that case, you need to fight hard and have to have that gritty attitude.”We are getting some momentum at some stage, but somehow we are losing that momentum. I don’t think it’s about technique but more about getting those decision-making right in certain situations.”There will be some discussions around the batting promotions. Shanto had been Bangladesh’s No 3 for almost three years, but was asked to open for only the second time in his Test career. He was bumped up to the top in place of Joy, who was tipped to be a long-term opener. Zakir’s 173 against India A earned him the other opener’s slot, but that meant there would be no room for Mominul. Yasir, playing his first Test in eight months, was pushed up to No.3 and he got out playing away from the body. A lot was expected of Litton, but he seemingly lost his concentration after Siraj had passed a comment about his aggressive approach.Do Bangladesh’s batters have a psychological weakeness? “When it comes to cricket, you always have to be a tactical guy,” Herath said. “You can be a bowler or a batsman but to be in the middle you have to have that temperament, it should always come from your heart and mind.”There is nothing wrong with the ability or skill, but we need to be more gritty on that and fight hard in the middle. Once you spend some time in there, you get kind of an easy situation. So we need to stay and wait for that time and that’s what I expect from our guys.”Herath also urged Bangladesh to build partnerships like how India had done on the second day. Despite losing Shreyas Iyer early, R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav put on a 92-run eighth-wicket stand to frustrate Bangladesh and help drag India up to 404.”There partnerships were well executed. They were 50 for 3 [48 for 3] at one stage,” Herath said. “There was one partnership with Rishabh [Pant] and [Cheteshwar] Pujara, then [Shreyas] Iyer with Pujara. You need to have that kind of partnership in Tests. If you look at Pujara’s innings, he scored 90 but played a lot of balls with his gritty attitude so we need to have bigger partnerships.”

German media hailed Harry Kane after he scored on Bayern Munich's day of title celebrations with a 2-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• German media hail Kane
• Fans reacted to striker winning first title
• Scores in 2-0 win over Monchengladbach

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• WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MATCH?

  Kane opened the scoring for Bayern in the first half and Michael Olise then netted the clinching goal in the 90th minute as the newly crowned Bundesliga champions comfortably beat Borussia Monchengladbach 2-0 in their penultimate game of the season. After the game, Kane joined his team-mates in celebration at the Allianz Arena as the England captain lifted the first-ever trophy of his career.

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  HOW DID THE GERMAN MEDIA RATE KANE'S PERFORMANCE?

  Appreciating the Three Lions skipper's performance, BILD rated it as a two out of five – with one being the highest grade – and wrote: "Celebrated his very first title in front of the TV on Sunday and was motivated to the core in the game afterwards. And he scored with them! He got a close shot on Olise's shot, goal number 25! He went full throttle, even clearing once at the back of his own penalty area!"

  Sport1 meanwhile wrote: "On the day the championship trophy is handed over, striker Harry Kane scores again."

• WHAT ARE THE FANS SAYING ON SOCIAL?

  Bayern fans also celebrated Kane's success as they hailed the former Tottenham star for finding the back of the net on a momentous occasion.

  An X user named @clockmeta wrote: "Classic Kane always finds a way to get that final touch."

  @ademir2z wrote: "6 seasons with 25 or more league goals now for Harry Kane. Wonder how many players have more than that in big Euro leagues? Exceptional stuff."

  Another fan with the handle @FL4_FCBM wrote: "Shameless but we understand bro."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE AND BAYERN?

  Kane and Bayern will play their final game of the Bundesliga 2024-25 campaign on May 17 against Hoffenheim. The team are then expected to take a short break before they start preparation for the Club World Cup in the US next month.

As one Bundesliga club look to make instant profit, it’s Manchester United who could reportedly take full advantage in a deal that could cost them as much as £67m this summer.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils struggled on the reinforcements front during the January transfer window – only welcoming Patrick Dorgu and young Ayden Heaven – and must now turn their attention towards much-needed improvements in the summer.

That winter failure was there for all to see against Leicester City in the FA Cup too, as Ruben Amorim’s side were forced to win late on against a struggling Leicester City side courtesy of Harry Maguire’s contentious winner.

Sat in the bottom half of the Premier League, Amorim desperately needs a summer of additions if he is to turn what has so far been an Old Trafford nightmare into a gradual rise into the dream move he may have envisioned.

With that said, the Red Devils could take full advantage of one club’s pursuit of profit this summer. According to Christian Falk via Caught Offside, Manchester United are plotting a summer swoop to sign Xavi Simons.

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The German reporter explained that despite only just completing a permanent move to RB Leipzig last month, the Bundesliga club could look to sell their star man for instant profit of just over £25m this summer.

Falk told Caught Offside: “It was a little bit surprising that Leipzig committed to a permanent deal with Simons. At the beginning, they didn’t think they’d get this chance, but they did it for €50m (£41m), which isn’t a lot for this kind of player. His contract, of course, isn’t that long, running just until 2027.

“So, you see, his stock is rising! Leipzig are thinking they have signed a player for €50m (£41m) who has the potential to be an €80m (£67m) player, so they could earn a lot of money on a potential sale. I’m sure there’s a gentleman’s agreement or a release clause, which would see Simons sold in the summer.”

Simons would solve Amorim's frustrating problem

The story of Amorim’s Manchester United tenure so far has been square pegs in round holes in a system which simply hasn’t suited the squad that Erik ten Hag left behind. Simons’ arrival may well spell the beginning of the end of that narrative, however.

In Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system – which operates with two advanced midfielders – the Dutchman would be the perfect candidate to slot straight in alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes and finally sharpen a blunt Old Trafford attack.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)	Xavi Simons	Bruno Fernandes
Starts	12	23
Goals	4	5
Assists	2	6
Key Passes P90	1.95	2.29

Dubbed a “crazy” talent by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, 21-year-old Simons would certainly be a worthwhile investment to kickstart the Amorim era at Old Trafford this summer.

Manchester United are believed to be interested in hiring a “phenomenal” manager to replace Ruben Amorim in the near future, according to an intriguing new update.

Amorim under pressure at Man Utd

There was plenty of positivity in the air when Amorim was confirmed as Erik ten Hag’s replacement earlier in the season, not least because of the superb job he did at Sporting CP.

It’s fair to say that things haven’t panned out too well so far, however, with the 40-year-old always speaking well and carrying himself with class, but ultimately getting nowhere near enough positive results. In fact, he has only averaged 1.57 points per game in charge, which is a big drop-off from 2.29 per match achieved while at Sporting.

United have arguably become a worse team under Amorim, currently languishing in 14th place in the Premier League, and while he is admirably sticking by his principles and not changing his approach, things have to improve on the pitch sooner rather than later.

If that doesn’t happen, Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be forced into making a decision that he likely would never have expected to make so soon, especially if the squad stop playing for the Portuguese. Now, a big update has emerged regarding the managerial situation at Old Trafford.

Man Utd eyeing "phenomenal" manager

According to a report from Spain, Manchester United and INEOS are eyeing Aston Villa manager Unai Emery as a potential Amorim replacement at Old Trafford.

It is claimed that those high up at the club “could take drastic measures and accelerate the search for a replacement” if things don’t improve, with the 53-year-old emerging as a target.

To see Amorim depart so quickly would be a huge shock, and it does feel as though he still has the backing of the club for now, with the summer transfer window acting as a chance for him to bring in the right players and dispose of numerous players he doesn’t want.

That said, if United remain so poor as the season goes on, Emery could be a fantastic option to come in, having done such an impressive job with Villa, guiding them into the Champions League and reaching the last 16.

The Spaniard has so much experience at the highest level now, incredibly winning the Europa League four times, as well as seeing off United on three occasions. Meanwhile, BBC pundit Danny Murphy has waxed lyrical over the job he has done at Villa:

“His impact’s been absolutely phenomenal. I’m not sure anyone predicted the level of consistency, and the results, and the form, which they’ve had since he came in. I don’t think any of us saw that coming. It’s very difficult to get such a quick impact and keep it going, so I have nothing but admiration for what he’s done.”

Aston Villa

124

1.76

Villarreal

129

1.78

Arsenal

78

1.85

Paris Saint-Germain

114

2.42

Sevilla

205

1.78

Spartak Moscow

26

1.50

Valencia

220

1.72

Almeria

84

1.62

Lorca Deportiva

24

1.25

For now, Amorim needs to be trusted at United, but if he ultimately shows that he isn’t the right man for the job, Emery should be considered a standout candidate.

MatériaMais Notícias

Apesar de viver a temporada de consolidação no elenco principal do Athletico-PR, o atacane Rômulo teve a primeira experiência de marcar em uma partida do Campeonato Brasileiro somente no último fim de semana, fazendo um dos tentos no 4 a 2 aplicado sobre o Bragantino.

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>Saiba por onde andam os jogadores da conquista do penta

Destacando também o caráter de experiência que vem conseguindo acumular ao longo dos 22 compromissos disputados no ano, ele frisou o sentimento de alegria com o feito no triunfo do último dia 25 de maio:

– Venho em um momento bom. Não só eu, como o grupo todo. Evolui bastante desde que subi. Os jogadores mais experientes me ajudam bastante e a cada jogo que passa venho ganhando mais experiência.A sensação é muito boa, né? É um sonho se realizando. Um objetivo desde o início da minha carreira na base. Com certeza, agora continuo focado e trabalhando para fazer mais gols.

Na próxima partida da equipe dirigida por Luis Felipe Scolari, o Furacão vai até a cidade de São Paulo para enfrentar o Palmeiras, líder do Brasileirão, no próximo sábado (2).

Confronto esse que Rômulo reconhece o grau de dificuldade, mas também destaca que enxerga o Athletico capaz de sair com a vitória mesmo atuando como visitante. Algo que, caso ocorra, diminuiría a diferença das equipes na tabela para somente dois pontos:

-Temos o foco agora no Brasileiro. Sábado teremos um jogo muito importante. É um confronto direto. Vai ser um jogo difícil, mas estamos preparados para tentar conquistar os três pontos e poder diminuir a vantagem deles na liderança.

تحدث ديديه ديشامب، المدير الفني لمنتخب فرنسا الأول لكرة القدم عن استحقاق لاعبه عثمان ديمبلي، للفوز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية لهذا العام.

وشهد هذا الموسم تألقًا كبيرًا من قبل اللاعب الفرنسي عثمان ديمبلي، على المستوى الفردي والجماعي، ويعتبر قريبًا من الفوز بالجائزة خاصة عقب التتويج ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتوج باريس سان جيرمان بطلًا لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا للمرة الأولى في تاريخه بعدما حقق انتصارًا كاسحًا أمام نظيره إنتر ميلان بخماسية نظيفة، على ملعب “أليانز أرينا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | ديمبلي بعد التتويج بـ دوري أبطال أوروبا: لن أهين برشلونة مهما حدث

ومن المقرر أن يواجه منتخب فرنسا نظيره إسبانيا ضمن منافسات نصف نهائي بطولة دوري الأمم الأوروبية، مساء الغد، الخميس.

وفي ضوء ذلك، قال ديشامب في المؤتمر الصحفي قبل المباراة: “بالتأكيد أنا أدعم عثمان ديمبيلي بنسبة 100% للفوز بالكرة الذهبية، بالنظر إلى الموسم الذي يُقدمه”.

وأكمل: “إنه يستحقها، إذا سألتني عن لامين يامال وعثمان فسأقول عثمان بنسبة 100%”.

وبسؤاله عن أدائه الضعيف مع منتخب فرنسا قال: “بإمكاننا دائمًا تقديم أداء أفضل، كان حاسمًا في المباراة الأخيرة معنا، ولأنه لم يُقدم أداءً يُذكر في مواسم سابقة على مستوى الأندية، فقد رفع حجم التوقعات هذا الموسم”.

وأتم: “وبعد كل هذا الموسم لن يذهب في إجازة، لأنه سيشارك في كأس العالم للأندية من 14 يونيو إلى 13 يوليو، في الولايات المتحدة”.

Journalist Alan Nixon has claimed that Everton are considering making an offer for a “superb” player during the summer transfer window.

Everton eyeing midfield reinforcements this summer

The Blues continue to be linked with summer signings now that top flight status is secure, with Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard the latest player named as a possible target. The 30-year-old is now a proven Premier League player, so he would bring a wealth of experience in the middle of the park.

Manor Solomon has also been backed to join Everton at the end of the season, following a productive spell on loan at Leeds United in 2024/25. The winger is a Tottenham player currently, but they are willing to sell him permanently in the summer.

Speaking of loanees, a fresh report has stated that the Blues are unlikely to retain Jack Harrison’s services beyond this summer, as his second year in a row at Goodison Park nears its conclusion. He appears likely to return to Leeds instead of joining the Merseysiders for good, perhaps taking Solomon’s place in Yorkshire.

As for important current midfielders, David Moyes is thought to be a driving force behind Abdoulaye Doucoure signing a new deal, seeing him as a key figure moving forward. He is out of contract in June, at which point he will be able to depart on a free transfer.

Everton planning offer for "superb" centre-back

It’s not only in the centre of the park the Toffees want to strengthen however, as according to Nixon on Patreon [via Give Me Sport], Everton are ready to make an offer for Club Brugge centre-back Joel Ordonez ahead of the summer window.

The 20-year-old is valued at £40m by the Belgian side, with Aston Villa the other Premier League club mentioned as suitors in the update.

Ordonez is a young player with a lot of potential, hence his price tag, so it is no surprise Everton view him as an exciting long-term option for the summer.

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While James Tarkowski has enjoyed another strong campaign, he turns 33 years of age later this year, and there are doubts about how long Jarrad Branthwaite will remain at the club.

Ordonez had the misfortune of scoring an own goal against Manchester City in the Champions League in January, but he has shone this season overall, averaging six clearances per game across 10 appearances in the competition. Meanwhile, football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as “superb”.

While at his most effective as a centre-back, the four-cap Ecuador international can also do a job at full-back, which could appeal to Moyes, strengthening his defensive options and no longer having to rely on ageing figures such as Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman in that position.

Netherlands 255 for 7 (Nidamanuru 110*, Ackermann 50, Masakadza 3-36, Ngarava 2-44) beat Zimbabwe 249 (Madande 74, Klaassen 3-41, van Meekeren 2-50) by 3 wicketsTeja Nidamanuru’s unbeaten 96-ball 110 from No. 7 did the job for Netherlands as they pulled off a come-from-behind three-wicket win over Zimbabwe.Chasing 250 for victory in the first of three ODIs, Netherlands were staring down the barrel at 110 for 6 in the 32nd over before Nidamanuru first wove partnerships with Shariz Ahmadand Paul van Meekeren and then finished off the game with some fireworks.Nidamanuru walked in after Richard Ngarava and Wellington Masakadza had dismantled Netherlands’ top order. Colin Ackermann was still there, though, and put up a 46-run stand with Nidamanuru, but Masakadza knocked Ackermann over for 50 in his final over.It was the bottom few left then, and Nidamanuru and Shariz picked up a boundary each in the first ten balls of their partnership before a quiet period left Netherlands needing 108 off 72 balls. They found the odd boundary, and Nidamaduru went past 50, but it wasn’t till the 43th over that things started to get a bit desperate.Zimbabwe bowled five bowlers between the 43rd and the 48th over but the rotation didn’t work in terms of stemming the flow of runs. It did, however, involve Shariz being run out for 30 to end a 110-run stand off just 94 balls.Paul van Meekeren played useful hands with ball and bat•ICC/Getty Images

Nidamadaru brought up his century in the 48th over, with a four off Ngarava and with van Meekeren hitting another four in the same over, Netherlands needed 19 from 12. That became just four from the last over after Nidamadaru smacked a six and van Meekeren a four in the 49th over, bowled by Blessing Muzarabani. It went down to the penultimate ball, before van Meekeren hit Brad Evans for six to finish the job.Earlier in the day, Zimbabwe were put under the pump after being asked to bat. Fred Klaassen and van Meekeren removed the top three cheaply in the first powerplay. Wessly Madhevere and Sikandar Raza got off to starts but Madhevere was run-out in the 11th over.Brandon Glover, Vikramjit Singh and Shariz chipped away to leave Zimbabwe languishing at 98 for 7 in the 21st over, before Masakadza joined Clive Madande to repair the innings.The two absorbed the pressure by turning the strike over and were not perturbed despite scoring only five boundaries in their 99-ball partnership. They put up 70 runs when Masakadza became the second run-out victim of the innings.After that, 32 of the 66 runs between Madande and Ngarava, who smashed two sixes, came in boundaries. Madande reached his fifty in the 41st over and carried on before being the last man out for a 98-ball 74. It was a heroic effort, but could not stop Netherlands from earning their third win of the ODI Super League.