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Liverpool have confirmed a new contract for Virgil van Dijk, fending off interest from the likes of Bayern Munich to keep the captain on Merseyside for two more years.

Liverpool seal new contracts for key stars

The Reds could officially win the Premier League this weekend in what has been a brilliant first campaign under Arne Slot. Should Arsenal suffer defeat against Ipswich Town on Sunday afternoon, Liverpool could seal the title with a win at Leicester City shortly after.

However, away from the pitch, a hot topic of conversation has been on the futures of star trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk. Salah, as we know, has officially signed a new two-year contract at Anfield, whereas Alexander-Arnold looks set to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano had recently said that Van Dijk is set to join Salah in signing a new Liverpool contract through until 2027, and talking recently, the skipper was asked about his pending new deal: “I think first, all the focus should be going to the Hillsborough anniversary. I think that’s the main thing and then we’ll see. The focus will still be on Leicester, but maybe there’s some news. I know … but I don’t know.

“I love the club, that’s pretty obvious. I think you can see that in the way I speak about the club, the way I work for the club in terms of what I do on the pitch on and off the pitch, and that will always be the same.”

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Posts 1 ByTom Cunningham Apr 16, 2025 Van Dijk signs new Liverpool deal worth over £40m

Bayern Munich were keen to sign Van Dijk on a free transfer, seeing the centre-back as a ‘unique opportunity to strengthen its defence with experience, leadership and proven quality’, but it has now been confirmed by Liverpool that Van Dijk has signed a new contract at Anfield.

Rumoured to be on £220,000-a-week beforehand, Van Dijk has become a Liverpool legend since joining from Southampton back in 2017, winning numerous trophies, and David Ornstein reports the new two-year deal is now worth £400,000-a-week.

Ornstein confirms there are no pay cut or break clauses, which will guarantee the Netherlands star is paid £41,600,000 through to the summer of 2027, by which time he’ll be 35. This is even more than the fee Liverpool paid to Brighton for star midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (£35m), but Reds fans will feel their captain deserves every penny.

Van Dijk’s stats at Liverpool

Games

314

Goals

27

Assists

13

Yellow cards

25

Red cards

1

Minutes played

27,925

Trophies won

8

Talking after penning terms, Van Dijk said: “I’m very happy, very proud. There are so many emotions obviously that go through my head right now speaking about it. “It’s a proud feeling, it’s a feeling of joy. It’s just incredible. The journey I’ve had so far in my career, to be able to extend it with another two years at this club is amazing and I’m so happy.”

Van Dijk is now the highest paid defender in the top flight and will be the second-highest paid player in any position once Kevin De Bruyne departs Man City this summer, behind only Erling Haaland who sits on £500,000-a-week at the Etihad.

As it has been for a number of years, Chelsea’s famous Cobham academy is a conveyor belt for elite talent. The 2010s was perhaps the best era to date for their academy.

They produced currency Premier League stars such as Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ola Aina and Mason Mount, whilst Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori are all plying their trade at AC Milan.

Their current crop of academy talent might end up being better. One of the most highly-rated players in the academy is defender Josh Acheampong, who was one of ten academy stars to make his senior debut in 2024.

Another Cobham graduate who is establishing himself in the Chelsea team under Enzo Maresca is Tyrique George, who has made a big impression so far.

George's Chelsea career so far

It has been a real whirlwind few months for 19-year-old George, who has become an established member of Maresca’s squad after making his debut last August in the Conference League qualifiers.

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Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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He has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks in particular. The London-born winger now has 20 games under his belt for the West London giants, scoring two goals and grabbing four assists, an impressive return so far.

His first strike for the Blues was in the Conference League quarter-final against Legia Warsaw, and he bagged his first goal in the Premier League last weekend too against Fulham. It was a superb finish, unleashing a first-time strike into the bottom left corner after Antonee Robinson’s miscued clearance fell at his feet.

Blues boss Maresca was complimentary of the attacker after his goal against the Cottagers last time out.

He described the winger as “a talent” and said he is “doing well” in the first team at Stamford Bridge.

It has been a dream start to life as a professional footballer and he could well become the next great Cobham star. However, there is a player in the Chelsea academy who might end up rivalling him for a place in the first team soon.

Chelsea's next exciting academy star

As good as George has been this season, perhaps Jimmy-Jay Morgan will leapfrog him in the first team at some stage.

A centre-forward by trade, the youngster is currently out on loan with League 2 side Gillingham, who are towards the lower end of the table but surely safe from relegation.

It has not been the easiest time of things for Morgan on loan at the Southern outfit. Adapting to senior football for the first time can be a challenge, and he has two goals in 14 appearances for the club so far.

However, despite the lack of goals during his time with the Gills so far, he has some strong underlying numbers, as per Sofascore. For example, Morgan averages 2.3 shots and completes 1.1 dribbles per game.

19-year-old Morgan is clearly a talented forward, as he has shown as a Gillingham player. However, his numbers from his time playing for Chelsea’s U21 side further showcase just how dangerous he can be.

Overall, Morgan’s record for the most senior side of the Cobham academy is impressive. In 34 appearances so far, he has found the back of the net 16 times and has also managed to grab three assists.

George record for Chelsea U21s

Competition (season)

Games

Minutes

Goals

Assists

EFL Trophy (2023/24)

3

233

1

0

Premier League 2 (2023/24)

14

849

6

1

Premier League 2 playoffs (2023/24)

3

135

1

0

EFL Trophy (2024/25)

3

124

0

0

Premier League 2 (2024/25)

11

442

8

2

Stats from Transfermarkt

Football scout Antonio Mango described Morgan as a player who is “too good for his age”, while Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth has suggested he’s “going to be a hell of a player when he’s older”. Although the weight of goals isn’t necessarily there, his experience playing senior football will have surely taught him plenty.

George has shown there is still a pathway from Cobham into the first team at Stamford Bridge, and perhaps next season, with Nicolas Jackson underperforming and Christopher Nkunku likely on his way out, Morgan can be the man to break into the squad.

Related Chelsea have signed "future Ballon d'Or winner" who's going to stunt George

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Posts 4 ByKelan Sarson Apr 22, 2025

Leeds United will be playing Premier League football next season after they won the 2024/25 Championship title with an extraordinary 100-point haul.

The Whites, who secured the crown with a stoppage-time winner against Plymouth Argyle on the final day, will now have to think about how the squad will shape up ahead of a campaign in the top-flight.

Daniel Farke and his staff need to decide who will and who will not be up to the task of stepping up to the Premier League, and Isaac Schmidt is one player whose future is up for debate.

Why Isaac Schmidt may not be deemed ready for the Premier League

Leeds swooped to sign the Swiss full-back from St. Gallen at the end of the summer transfer window last year to bolster their options in the full-back positions.

Unfortunately, though, Schmidt has been unable to force a way into the side over Jayden Bogle at right-back or Junior Firpo at left-back, and did not start a single match in the Championship this season.

The 25-year-old defender played 71 minutes over 12 substitute appearances in the second tier, and was an unused substitute on 22 occasions.

Leeds were recently linked with an interest in Bournemouth right-back Max Aarons, whom he worked with at Norwich City, and that could mean that the club are looking to improve on Schmidt, which could be bad news for his future at Elland Road.

There is another star, however, who played even fewer minutes than the Swiss defender in the Championship for the Whites, and they must never play at Elland Road again.

Why Leeds should release Josuha Guilavogui

Josuha Guilavogui was brought to West Yorkshire as a free agent in October 2024 after injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev left Farke particularly light in the middle of the park.

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The former France international, who previously played for Atletico Madrid, Mainz, and Wolfsburg, provided an experienced presence on and off the pitch throughout the season, but was rarely used on the pitch.

Fewest minutes played for Leeds (24/25 Championship)

Player

Minutes

Starts

James Debayo

1

0

Charlie Crew

4

0

Harry Gray

4

0

Joe Gelhardt

9

0

Sam Chambers

16

0

Josuha Guilavogui

58

0

Isaac Schmidt

71

0

Georginio Rutter

90

1

Patrick Bamford

235

0

Max Wober

332

2

Stats via WhoScored

As you can see in the table above, only five players played fewer minutes in the league, and they are all academy graduates, rather than nailed-on first-team players, which shows that he was not viewed as a frontline option for the team.

Guilavogui did not start any of his 16 appearances in the Championship, playing even fewer minutes than Schmidt, and should now be released ahead of promotion to the Premier League.

His contract is up this summer, and all parties should shake hands and part ways. He came in and did a job for the team when called upon off the bench as an emergency option, but his lack of minutes in the second tier do not suggest that the midfielder is likely to be a good enough option in the top-flight.

Therefore, Leeds should ruthlessly part ways with the 34-year-old veteran this summer and look to replace him with a player who can fulfill his role effectively at Premier League level.

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Posts ByDan Emery May 4, 2025

Fulham have now identified a £5 million manager who is destined for “big things” as a candidate to replace Marco Silva should he leave, according to a recent report.

Latest on Marco Silva's future at Fulham

It has been another impressive campaign for the Cottagers in the Premier League, as they have a really good chance of finishing in the top 10 and potentially even sealing a place in a European competition for next season.

Related Fulham and Silva could sign £30,000-p/w full-back instead of Walker-Peters

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Posts ByBrett Worthington May 1, 2025

Given how well Fulham have done ever since Silva arrived at Craven Cottage, it may not come as a surprise to supporters to see him linked with a new job. The future of Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is very much up in the air, as reports have suggested that the Australian could still be sacked even if Spurs win the Europa League. Silva is said to have an £8 million release clause in his Fulham contract that expires in 2026, and is now a frontrunner to replace Postecoglou.

But it is not just Spurs who are chasing Silva; in fact, the reason he could leave Craven Cottage is for a move to Saudi Arabia. It’s been reported that Al Hilal have set their sights on Silva as they look for a new manager before the Club World Cup starts in June, and there are even claims that Silva has agreed to leave Fulham and make the move to the Saudi Pro League.

Fulham eyeing Danny Rohl

The Cottagers are wasting no time in looking at candidates to replace the former Everton manager. According to Sky Sports German reporter Philipp Hinze, Fulham are interested in appointing Danny Rohl as manager should Silva leave Craven Cottage.

Hinze states that it looks likely Rohl will be leaving Sheffield Wednesday after another campaign of the German keeping the Owls in England’s second tier despite financial difficulties.

Rohl does have an exit clause in his contract, and it’s been reported that it is worth £5 million. That figure doesn’t seem to have put off interested parties, as both Fulham and Crystal Palace are keeping an eye on his situation given talk of their managers possibly leaving.

However, they are not the only teams from England interested in the 36-year-old, as Leicester City and Southampton are also admirers of Rohl as they prepare for life back in the Championship. Hinze does also state that there is interest from the Bundesliga in Rohl, but as things stand, interest is ‘hotter’ from England.

Danny Rohl’s Sheffield Wednesday record

Games

89

Won

34

Drawn

19

Lost

36

Points

121

Points per game

1.36

Rohl, who has been dubbed as being destined for “big things” as a manager by Rob Staton, has limited experience in management, as Wednesday was his first managerial role. Should Fulham decide he is the man to replace Silva it would be a gamble, given he has never managed in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur are on the look-out for new managers to replace the under-fire Ange Postecoglou this summer, with widespread reports claiming the Australian is likely to walk regardless of their success in the Europa League final.

Tottenham identify managerial candidates amid Postecoglou uncertainty

Postecoglou has now led Spurs to 20 Premier League defeats in a single campaign, breaking the club’s record which was previously held by former Lilywhites boss Ossie Ardiles, who oversaw 19 top flight losses in the 1993/1994 season.

Related Tottenham: £4m-per-year manager enters pole position to replace Postecoglou

The Australian could still leave Spurs if they win the Europa League.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini May 10, 2025

While Postecoglou has an all-important Europa League final on the horizon, which could well save Tottenham’s season, the 59-year-old’s future remains uncertain.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.05

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.88

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Even if Spurs win the competition and end their 17-year wait for a piece of major silverware, all while qualifying for next season’s Champions League, there is still absolutely no guarantee that Postecoglou will be in charge next term.

As per the reliable David Ornstein and other media sources, Postecoglou remains likely to be replaced by Tottenham this summer in the event they’re victorious in Bilbao against Man United come May 21.

“I think the direction of travel is for Spurs to make a change in the summer, irrespective of the outcome of this match,” said Ornstein on the Sky Sports Back Pages podcast this week (via GiveMeSport).

“I do take the point on the emotion, and we saw what happened with Manchester United [under Erik ten Hag], although that may serve as a warning why clubs shouldn’t repeat what they did.

“The view of the club seems to be that he hasn’t got what he should’ve out of the team this season, and that’s putting it politely. And therefore, whatever happens in this Europa League campaign, I think that a new coach coming in over the summer is a very high possibility.”

In terms of Tottenham’s reported managerial targets, the likes of Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford), Scott Parker (Burnley), Jürgen Klopp (Head of Global, Red Bull), Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund) and Edin Terzić (free agent) have all been linked in recent weeks.

Tottenham hold talks with ex-Barcelona manager Xavi

Now, as per ex-Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys, via his personal website, former Barcelona boss Xavi has also attracted interest from N17. The Camp Nou legend guided Barça to a La Liga and Spanish Super Cup title in 2023, but later parted company, telling any future manager that they’d “suffer” in the job.

He’s been out of work ever since, with Keys sharing information from a “very good source” of his that Tottenham have held talks with Xavi over becoming their new manager.

However, as things stand, it is believed the 45-year-old is not looking to make a Premier League move just yet. This comes as a dampening blow for Spurs, with Xavi arguably the most exciting free agent coach available for hire right now.

Unlike Postecoglou, Xavi has also been praised for his in-game tactical switch ups and versatility when it comes to making substitutions.

“Xavi is intelligent, and he knows it,” said ex-Liverpool and Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez. “The substitutions that Xavi makes are intelligent.”

West Bromwich Albion are now pushing hard to sign a defender, who recently won his side’s Fans’ Player of the Year award, according to a report.

West Brom's manager pursuit rumbles on

West Brom are still searching for a permanent replacement for Tony Mowbray, who was dismissed from his post back in April, and a number of different managers have been linked with the vacant job.

Minnesota United boss Eric Ramsay and Stockport County’s Dave Challinor are among the potential options, alongside Tottenham Hotspur coach Ryan Mason, who was identified as the top target in the wake of Mowbray’s sacking.

Tottenham’s involvement in the Europa League meant the Baggies have been forced to wait before making an approach for Mason, but with the north Londoners ending their 17-year trophy drought against Manchester United on Wednesday night, the 33-year-old could now be available.

Any new manager is likely to have a big say in the recruitment this summer, but West Brom have already started to identify targets in the meantime, with a report from EFL Analysis revealing they are now pushing hard to sign Hearts defender James Penrice.

Director of Sport Ian Pearce is determined to win the race for Penrice, but there is set to be competition for his signature from some of the Baggies’ Championship rivals, which could pose a problem, with Watford and Southampton also keen.

Signing a new left-back is a priority for Albion this summer, with Callum Styles potentially moving back into midfield, despite displaying his versatility by slotting into the defence last season.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson May 21, 2025 "Tough as nails" Penrice could be excellent signing

The Scottish defender has never played outside his home country, but there are signs he could be ready to take his career to the next level by making the move to a promotion-chasing Championship side, having scooped up the Fans’ Player of the Year award last season.

Throughout the 2024-25 campaign, the 26-year-old remained a vital player for Hearts, making 46 appearances in all competitions, during which time he received plaudits for his no-nonsense nature from Guardian reporter Ewan Murray.

Murray is also correct to point out that the Livingston-born full-back is a threat on the front foot, given that he picked up two goals and seven assists last term, while also ranking in the top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90 over the past year, when compared to other full-backs.

Styles was a key player for the Baggies last season, but with the Hungarian predominantly featuring further forward throughout his career to date, it would make sense to bring in a new left-back, and Penrice could be an excellent signing for West Brom.

Football might have come to a brief stop, but there is no rest for the wicked, and Arsenal have a potentially era-defining few months ahead of them.

To ensure they get over the line in the Premier League next season, Mikel Arteta and new Sporting Director Andrea Berta need to nail their transfer dealings, and if they can bring in Rodrygo, that’d be an excellent start.

The Real Madrid superstar has been linked with a £85m move to the Emirates on multiple occasions over the last few weeks, and the combination of his outlandish ability and stature in the game makes him someone who could really move the needle in the Gunners’ favour next year.

However, if recent reports are to be believed, the North Londoners could now be closing in on another attacking talent who’d be an even more exciting signing than the Brazilian international.

Arsenal transfer news

Given Arsenal’s position in English football and how close they seem to be to glory, it’s hardly been a surprise to see them linked with a plethora of incredibly exciting players in recent weeks, such as Bradley Barcola and Takefusa Kubo.

Transfer Focus

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

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The former could cost the club a whopping £101m this summer, which might be an eyewatering sum of money, but it might also be fair enough, as in 58 games for Paris Saint-Germain this season, he scored 21 goals and provided 19 assists.

Kubo would be a far cheaper option at around £50m, but he’s not been anywhere near as prolific as the Frenchman, racking up a reasonable but unspectacular haul of seven goals and four assists in 52 games.

However, while a wide player would be a welcome addition to the club, Arteta and Co’s priority has to be a new number nine, someone like Benjamin Sesko.

Fortunately, a recent report from Caught Offside has claimed that Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Slovenian striker.

In fact, on top of confirming that Berta has already held direct talks with RB Leipzig, the report has revealed that the Gunners are now among the frontrunners for the player, alongside London rivals Chelsea.

However, it won’t be a cheap deal complete; the report states that Leipzig want €80m for their star attacker, which is around £68m, and a fee Arsenal should pay, as not only would Sesko be an incredible signing, but a more exciting one than Rodrygo as well.

Why Sesko would be more exciting than Rodrygo

So the first thing to say is that Rodrygo would, in fact, be an incredibly exciting signing for Arsenal to make this summer. After all, he’s a Champions League and La Liga-winning winger who knows how to score a goal or two.

However, for our money, the “instinctive” Sesko, as dubbed by journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor, would be just that bit more exciting, and there are several reasons why.

The first is that, in signing him, Arteta and Co will finally be addressing the club’s longstanding need for an out-and-out striker, and more than that, he’d be coming in with a proven track record of scoring goals and providing assists.

For example, in the 22/23 campaign, he scored 18 goals and provided four assists in 41 appearances; last season, the Slovenian international scored 18 goals and provided two assists in 42 appearances, and then this year, the Leipzig star was able to rack up an impressive haul of 21 goals and six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes.

In other words, the Radeče-born “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, averaged a goal involvement every 1.66 games, or every 120.66 minutes this season.

Sesko vs Rodrygo 24/25

Player

Sesko

Rodrygo

Appearances

45

50

Minutes

3258′

3290′

Goals

21

13

Assists

6

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.6

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

120.66′

143.04′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the Real Madrid star scored 13 goals and provided ten assists in 50 appearances, totalling 3290 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.17 games, or every 143.04 minutes, in a far better team.

Finally, on top of his current ability in front of goal, the former Salzburg gem has received some rave reviews from scouts and analysts, with the respected EBL claiming he “has the potential to become the best #9 in the world” – which is also what makes him that bit more appealing than Viktor Gyokeres, another of the more heavily linked strikers in recent weeks.

He argues that this is down to the combination of him being “a 6’4 speed demon” who is “unstoppable in transition” and the fact “he can dribble”, all while also being “an elite ball-striker.”

That might sound hyperbolic, but a few of these strengths are on show in this goal, with him using his acceleration and mighty left foot – and you only need to look through some of his other goals to see his immense technical ability.

Ultimately, Arsenal need more than one attacking signing this summer, but from his goal tally this season to his potential and technical ability, Sesko would be the club’s most exciting addition.

Related Mega Martinelli upgrade: Arsenal eyeing £101m star with "devastating pace"

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 2, 2025

Chelsea have already made a couple of signings during the 2025 summer transfer window, and have confirmed the addition of midfielder Dario Essugo from Sporting CP. The most recent of those signings was Mamadou Sarr, the young French centre-back who joined from sister club Strasbourg of Ligue 1.

The other addition was Liam Delap, who made the move to Stamford Bridge from now relegated Ipswich Town. He cost the Blues £30m, the price of his relegation release clause at Portman Road, although BBC Sport say he will cost Chelsea £20m up front.

Delap, a European champion with England under-21 back in 2023, might not be the only player from that successful side to join the Blues this summer.

Chelsea chasing another English talent

Delap joins his fellow under-21 European Championship winner, Cole Palmer, in the Chelsea squad. It certainly fits the transfer policy we have seen from the Blues under Todd Boehly, to sign young talents who will have an impact now and in the future.

Transfer Focus

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

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The man who could join his former England teammates at Stamford Bridge is James Trafford. According to a report from The Telegraph, Chelsea could ‘enter the race’ for the Burnley goalkeeper, having kept a close eye on him ‘for more than a year’.

Indeed, the West London club do not go into the race for Trafford as favourites. Rather, they could end up hijacking the move, with fears at Newcastle United, who are ‘negotiating over the asking price’ with Clarets, that Chelsea could poach the goalkeeper.

Burnley have asked for £30m or more for the goalkeeper, a fee Chelsea would need to match to pull off the hijack.

Why Trafford would be a good signing

If Chelsea were to sign Trafford this summer, and poach him right from underneath Newcastle’s nose, he would join the club with a great reputation. It was a sensational 2024/25 campaign for the Burnley shotstopper, with football scout Antonio Mango calling him the “future England No1” based on those efforts.

Indeed, it was a magical season for Trafford, helping his Burnley side to promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. In 45 Championship games, he conceded just 16 goals and kept 29 clean sheets.

Those numbers are ridiculous. It was a team effort, of course, with a strong defence in front of him, but certainly a large part of the defensive success was down to Trafford between the posts. He conceded an average of 0.36 goals per game across the season, as per FBref.

That is one of the many metrics in which Trafford ranked first amongst Championship goalkeepers last season. Another impressive stat is his save percentage, which was 84.5% last season.

FBref stats show that he stacks up well against Premier League goalkeepers, too. In 2024/25, Trafford conceded the least number of goals compared to top-flight shot stoppers who played at least 50% of games, kept double the amount of clean sheets and had the highest save percentage.

Trafford key stats & rank vs. PL/Championship goalkeepers

Stat

Trafford number

PL rank

Championship rank

Goals conceded

16

1st

1st

Goals conceded per game

0.36

1st

1st

Saves

85

14th

=13th

Save percentage

84.5%

1st

1st

Clean sheets

29

1st

1st

Stats from FBref

Equally too, there are a number of similarities between Trafford and Chelsea’s new number nine, Delap. Not only have they played alongside each other for England under-21s, but the pair also represented Manchester City’s academy alongside each other.

In all, they have played 21 games together, and it is certainly interesting that the pair have had such a similar career. After plenty of loans across the EFL, they each left City – joining Burnley and Ipswich for £19m and £20m, respectively – forged their own paths and made a real name for themselves, before potentially reconvening at Chelsea. It is quite the story.

On top of that, the Blues also pipped Newcastle to the signing of Delap. Back in May, it was reported by TEAMTalk that they had ‘showdown talks’ with the striker. However, Chelsea won the race to sign him, and they could well be set to repeat the feat with Trafford.

Paying £30m for a goalkeeper with the quality of Trafford seems like an easy decision for the West Londoners to make. This could be one of the sagas of the window, and one Chelsea will be hoping they can win.

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Posts 1 ByRoss Kilvington Jun 9, 2025

A “sensational” goalkeeper has now been identified as Aston Villa’s top target to replace Emiliano Martinez this summer, according to a report.

Martinez's time at Villa could be coming to an end

After being a peripheral figure during his time with Arsenal, Martinez’s career has gone from strength to strength since making the move to Villa Park, most notably playing a key role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, scooping up the Golden Glove award.

The goalkeeper’s impressive performances for his country go hand in hand with some top displays at club level, recently winning the Premier League Save of the Season award for a remarkable stop against Nottingham Forest.

However, the 32-year-old’s time with the Villans could now be coming to an end, amid growing interest in his signature, with Manchester United currently showing the strongest interest, while Atletico Madrid have also been named as potential suitors.

As such, Unai Emery may be tasked with bringing in a replacement between the sticks this summer, and a new top target has now been identified by recruitment chiefs, namely OGC Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka.

Indeed, according to a report from The Boot Room, Bulka is now emerging as Aston Villa’s first-choice option to replace Martinez, should the goalkeeper move on this summer, although Marseille and some other unnamed clubs could provide competition for his signature.

Nice had been hoping the shot-stopper would be willing to commit to a new contract, but discussions have not progressed, and if he doesn’t sign a new deal, the French side will look to cash in this summer, potentially opening the door for a move to Villa Park.

"Sensational" Bulka impressing in Ligue 1

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has singled the Pole out for praise in the past, describing him as “sensational” for his performances at club level, most notably putting in a remarkable performance against Paris Saint-Germain back in April.

Related Aston Villa join battle for "fantastic" midfielder in cut-price £8m deal

He’s a wanted man.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jun 8, 2025

The 25-year-old achieved a Sofascore match rating of 10, courtesy of a fantastic display against the Champions League winners, making a number of important contributions as his side ran out surprise 3-1 winners at the Parc des Princes.

Statistic

Number completed

Clearances

2

Saves

12

Saves from inside the box

9

Goals prevented

2.53

French journalist Julien Froment was also left impressed by the Poland international’s performance, hailing the £6k-a-week goalkeeper for his “colossal” contribution to his side’s shock victory, which suggests he could now be ready for a big move this summer.

That said, while Bulka could be a fantastic signing for Aston Villa, they will still be hoping that Martinez is willing to remain at the club, having won two Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper awards during his time at Villa Park, most recently scooping up the 2024 award.

First-wicket pair put on 99 inside eight overs, including Hughes’ 32 off six balls

ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2024

Harrison Ward helped blast Sussex to victory•Getty Images

Sussex 181 for 2 (Ward 68, Hughes 47, Simpson 45*) beat Essex 178 for 9 (Elgar 54, Pepper 51, McAndrew 3-33) by eight wicketsA masterful exhibition of stunning hitting from openers Harrison Ward and Daniel Hughes gave Sussex the platform to an eight-wicket victory with 26 balls to spare against an Essex team who had axed their Vitality Blast captain Simon Harmer.The first-wicket pair put on 99 inside eight overs – including 32 from a Daniel Sams over – as 10 sixes rained down all around the Chelmsford ground. The Australian Hughes claimed four of them in his 18-ball 47, and Ward chipped in with three in his 68 from 36.However, it was left to John Simpson to hit Luc Benkenstein for 10 off two balls in the 16th over to complete Sussex’s fourth success in five Blast matches this season.In turn, Essex, put in, failed to post the sort of score that might have been expected after Dean Elgar anchored two fifty-run stands with stand-in captain Adam Rossington and Michael Pepper. However, when Pepper was dismissed for a 26-ball 51, it precipitated a clatter of eight Essex wickets for 54 runs in 43 balls. They finished on a decidedly below-par 178 for 9.Ward and Hughes went off like trains as they hammered eight fours in 11 balls from Shane Snater and Aaron Beard. It did not stop there. After Ben Allison arrested the onslaught with just five conceded off the fourth over, Sams was dumped for 644666 in an incredible over of power hitting from Hughes. At one stage the pair had hit 50 from nine balls.Hughes had raced to 47 when he swept Matt Critchley into deep square-leg’s hands. By the halfway point, Sussex required just 50 runs more for a facile win, but they lost Ward, caught behind off Allison, the one bright spark with the ball on a dismal evening for the home team.However, the pre-match news that Harmer – who would have been playing his 100th T20 game for Essex – had been omitted from the team, rested or dropped depending on who you asked, was almost as seismic as the on-field carnage if not totally surprising: he had not taken a wicket in Essex’s first five Blast games and contributed just 17 runs with the bat.Rossington helped Elgar put on 50 for the first wicket inside six overs, though the captain’s contribution was 16 from 11 balls before he got an inside edge as he attempted to swipe Ollie Robinson out of the ground.Elgar had survived a drop at slip by Tom Alsop on nought, but while he outscored Rossington, he was comprehensively outgunned by Pepper for the second fifty stand of the innings. Pepper hammered 40 of those runs, including four sixes to different parts of the ground off the Sussex spin pair, Danny Lamb and James Coles.Pepper reached his half-century from 24 but two balls later he lofted Nathan McAndrew to backward square leg to precipitate the collapse. McAndrew struck again when his next delivery had a bemused Jordan Cox bowled.Paul Walter became a third wicket in five balls as he advanced down the wicket against Jack Carson and was stumped. Elgar reached his fifty with a straight six, but again fell almost immediately, lobbing Coles tamely to mid-on.The earlier onslaught became a distant memory as Matt Critchley swished at Coles and was bowled, Sams departed to a catch at deep square leg, giving McAndrew another wicket, and Benkenstein attempted a reverse sweep and lost his off-stump the ball after hitting Robinson for six over midwicket. Carson took a third catch in the match, dismissing Snater at deep mid-on.