Category Uncategorized

An “unbelievable” Sunderland player could now make his return from injury this month, according to a positive update before the clash with Coventry.

Sunderland look to get back to winning ways

After opening up a five-point lead at the top of the Championship table, it hasn’t been the most productive of weeks for Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats side.

Last weekend, Sunderland could only draw 0-0 draw away to Queens Park Rangers, with midfielder Jobe Bellingham’s red card immediately making life harder for them. They then followed that up with another stalemate on Wednesday night, as Le Bris’ men failed to beat Preston North End at Deepdale.

Next up for the Black Cats is the visit of Coventry City in the Championship on Saturday, which represents a good chance to get back to winning ways. Their weekend opponents sacked manager Mark Robins earlier in the week, in what was a surprise decision, so Sunderland could be playing them at just the right time.

Le Bris isn’t without injury problems heading into the game – they will also be without Bellingham as he continues to serve his three-match ban – but a positive update has now dropped regarding one absent individual.

"Unbelievable" Sunderland ace close to return

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Coventry [via The Sunderland Echo], Le Bris confirmed that Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson could be back for the clash with Millwall after the international break, with the two sides meeting at the Stadium of Light on November 23rd.

“Anthony won’t be available, we hope he will be back for Millwall because he will have two weeks to recover.”

This is great news for Sunderland, even though Le Bris has also made it clear that he is impressed with the job Simon Moore is doing in Patterson’s absence, saying on Friday: “I’m very happy for Simon, he has done very well. He’s a top professional with a top attitude, because he trains so well every day he is ready when the opportunity comes. It is good for him and us as a team.”

Patterson is Sunderland’s undisputed No.1 goalkeeper, however, proving to be such an impressive performer between the sticks for a sustained period now.

Still only 24 years of age, the Englishman has already made 134 appearances for the Black Cats, keeping 43 clean sheets in that time, while Mike Dodds heaped praise on his ability during his time in temporary charge earlier this year: “I’ve got to praise Patta [Patterson] because that’s an unbelievable save. I think that justifies our belief that he’s one of the best goalkeepers in the league.”

Hopefully, the weekend clash with Coventry will be the final time that Sunderland have to make do without Patterson in the Championship between now and the end of this season.

Le Bris must now drop Sunderland ace who made just 1 pass all game

Regis Le Bris will have been left frustrated with Sunderland’s display away at Preston North End.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 7, 2024

The Black Cats stopper is going to play a big role in his side’s promotion push between now and May, and he will have to produce some big performances if Le Bris’ side are to reach the Premier League.

If there is no struggle, there is no progress, and Liverpool have carried both parts in equal weight over the past decade. Though the Jurgen Klopp era was laden with trophies and success, it met plenty of adversity.

But it’s the struggle that makes reaching the apex such a wonderful thing. Liverpool have tasted the Premier League and Champions League trophies since Klopp’s advent, with a host of domestic silver won too.

There’s not quite a single watershed moment, so to speak, that defines the rise, but the sale of Philippe Coutinho certainly sparked the highest level that the Reds reached under their larger-than-life German boss.

Philippe Coutinho's time at Liverpool

From Liverpool’s standpoint, every inch of Coutinho’s time at the club can only go down as an unmitigated success, having signed the creative midfielder from Inter Milan for just £8.5m in January 2013, enjoying the height of his qualities throughout a storied career and selling him to Barcelona for a jaw-dropping £142m figure in January 2018.

It was a staggering sum and one that allowed Liverpool to move and sign the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, shaping Klopp’s side into a superpower.

A true magician of a footballer, Coutinho was blessed with the slickest of movements, nifty and tricky while carrying an influence that stretched as much from his confidence and self-belief as it did from his raw talent.

As you will see below, he was utterly mesmerising in his performances that year, supercharging Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in front of him and leaving the iconic trio with enough gas to fire their way to immortalised Anfield status over the next several years.

Liverpool couldn’t turn down Barcelona’s offer. They just couldn’t. The domino effect saw Van Dijk and Alisson welcomed soon after to bring the backline to an imperious level, and it all came together and dovetailed.

Coutinho’s decision to move to La Blaugrana was justifiable, but there’s a famous Klopp quote that rings true to this day.

“I told him stay here and they will end up building a statue in your honour,” Klopp said. “Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more.”

It’s safe to assume that the Brazilian has looked dolefully back at his time on Merseyside, but he signed a contract worth around £400k-per-week in Catalonia, eclipsing his earnings at Liverpool.

Given that he was taking home less than Mario Balotelli, it’s understandable that he would leap at the chance to link up with Lionel Messi and his celestial crew.

Mario Balotelli's Liverpool "mistake"

‘Why always me?’ the Liverpool fanbase seemed to question as a time of such promise crumbled away like a sandcastle fighting haplessly against the tide. There was an inexorability about the pull of regression, back to the cold and comfortable familiarity of struggle.

‘Why always me?’ asked Balotelli, as his efforts at Liverpool failed to inspire the kind of striking prowess that was hoped for after the ludicrous Luis Suarez left for the now-bygone riches of Barcelona.

It was a bleak period, a tumbledown time. Direction was wayward and hope was in scarce supply. Balotelli, at least, was a name. Quite the name. A notorious figure but he did know goals, and that was what the Reds needed.

But a stream of goals to replace Suarez’s 31-goal haul the year before did not arrive, not a trickle but more of a splutter, with the former Italy international notching during a win over Tottenham Hotspur in April in what proved his sole Premier League goal for the Merseysiders.

Liverpool didn’t quite know what to expect but they certainly expected more. Something. Where was the magic, the flair, the gusto? It just didn’t work out, plain and simple, and given that Balotelli’s £16m transfer fee, joining from AC Milan, arrived with a £100k-per-week salary that saw him earn more than all but Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge, it’s clear it was quite the blunder, with a star like Coutinho only earning £75k per week.

Moreover, after failing in his one season at the club, he headed back to Milan to salvage his career, and since Liverpool agreed to the deal without the insertion of a salary portion being covered, it means that he was paid over £10m across the two-year spell, taking Liverpool’s expenses to about £26m. Straight from the horse’s mouth, Balotelli even believed the whole ordeal to have been “the worst mistake” of his life.

The former Inter Milan and Manchester City striker scored 26 goals in 46 games for the Rossoneri before returning, but the damage had been dealt and he failed to recapture his form in the Serie A, posting once in the league for the second season running, albeit in a wholly different setting.

It cost Liverpool a great deal. It cost them their momentum, it cost the Reds their place in the Champions League, and it cost Brendan Rodgers his job. Perhaps, then, it wasn’t the biggest mishap in the world, for it sparked change that saw Klopp enthroned as the all-inspiring new leader.

Cause and effect, cause and effect. It’s one to forget, for sure, but maybe, in his own way, Balotelli helped pave the foundation blocks of Klopp’s illustrious era.

Liverpool must miss a star who's earning more than Van Dijk after leaving

Liverpool sold one of Klopp’s main men and he’s earned loads more than Salah since.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 18, 2024

علّق أنطوان كومباريه، المدير الفني لفريق نانت، على فوزهم المثير في مباراة اليوم على ليل في بطولة الدوري الفرنسي، موسم 2024/25.

وتلاقى الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة السادسة والعشرين من الدوري الفرنسي، حيث فاز نانت بهدف دون رد.

جاء هدف فوز نانت عن طريق المحترف المصري مصطفى محمد، الذي دخل كبديل في الدقيقة 70 وأحرز هدف الانتصار في الدقيقة 83.

وقال أنطوان كومباريه، في تصريحات نشرها الموقع الرسمي لنادي نانت: “هناك شعور بالفرح والفخر تجاه الأداء، في ظل صعوبة اللعب بـ10 لاعبين أمام ليل، لقد فاق الأداء توقعاتي”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ردود أفعال جماهير نانت على هدف مصطفى محمد أمام ليل: نشعر بالاشمئزاز من العنصرية ضده

وأضاف: “لم يكن الأداء الذي أردناه في الشوط الأول، ولكننا كنا أفضل في الثاني، كان ذلك الشوط هو الذي منحنا الثقة، وجدت البطاقة الحمراء صعبة للغاية، ولكن الفريق حافظ على قوته ولعب جيدًا”.

وواصل: “لقد دافع الفريق بشكل جيد، سجلنا هدفًا وهذه مكافأة رائعة لـ مصطفى محمد، هذه ثلاث نقاط مهمة بالنسبة لنا، من أجل ثقتنا والاستعداد الجيد لما هو قادم”.

واختتم: “أود أن أهنئ الجماهير التي شجعتنا ودعمتنا في الأوقات الصعبة، أحسنتم”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Resende está na terceira fase da Copa São Paulo. Em Suzano, o time carioca ficou no empate por 1 a 1 com o Fortaleza e na disputa de pênaltis venceu por 4 a 3.

O Jogo

FORTALEZA NO ATAQUE

Os primeiros 45 minutos tiveram a superioridade do Fortaleza. O Leão soube controlar as ações e levou perigo ao gol do Resende. A melhor chance veio aos 13 minutos. No cruzamento rasteiro, a bola chegou em Ryan, mas o chute foi para fora. O Tricolor ainda teve mais uma oportunidade aos 21 minutos. Em novo cruzamento, o goleiro Pedro saiu mal e Affonso cabeceou para fora.

EQUILÍBRIO

O Resende até equilibrou um pouco mais as ações e tentou incomodar o Fortaleza, mas sem sucesso.

QUEM NÃO FAZ…

O Fortaleza permaneceu em cima na etapa final, mas quem balançou a rede foi o Resende. Em jogada na entrada da área, João Felipe tirou o marcador e acertou um lindo chute de fora da área, 1 a 0.

PRESSÃO

Como não poderia ser diferente, o Leão se jogou no campo ofensivo e começou a criar chances. Em desvio de Juan Martínez, o goleiro Pedro fez milagre.

EMPATE

No abafa, o Leão conseguiu o empate na casa dos 40 minutos. Juan foi derrubado na grande área e o juiz deu pênalti. Na cobrança, Samuel deixou tudo igual.

TRAVESSÃO

A bola da classificação do Fortaleza veio aos 43 minutos. Na cobrança de falta, Geilson carimbou o travessão do Resende.

PÊNALTIS

Na marca da cal melhor para o Resende. O goleiro Pedro defendeu três cobranças do Fortaleza e o time carioca converteu quatro chutes para avançar. Vitória por 4 a 3.

FICHA TÉCNICA

FORTALEZA 1 (3) X (4) 1 RESENDE
Local: Estádio Suzanão, em Suzano (SP)
Data: 12/01/2022 – às 11h30 (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Pietro Dimitrof Stefanelli
Assistentes: Douglas Marcel Borges e Maguinilson de Oliveira Silva
Cartões amarelos: Samuel (FOR); (RES)
Cartões vermelhos: –
Gols: João Felipe (10’/2ºT) Samuel (40’/2ºT)

FORTALEZA: Hugo; Marcos Vinicius, Patrick, Matheus Oliveira e Miguel (Douglas Cunha, aos 26/2ºT); Geilson Almeida, Ryan, Affonso e Samuel; Juan Martínez e Erick Cunha (Henrique, aos 18/2ºT). Técnico: Junior Câmara.

RESENDE-RJ: Pedro; Zé Carlos (Valter, aos 16/2ºT), Peixoto, Halls e Douglas; Índio, Medina (Samuel, aos 24/2ºT) e João Felipe; Bredon, Léo Santos e Léo Pedro (Gustavo Coutinho, aos 24/2ºT) (Kaio, aos 44/2ºT). Técnico: Jefter Percy.

RelacionadasFutebol InternacionalEm fim de contrato, Pogba deve deixar o Manchester United com destino a outro gigante europeuFutebol Internacional12/01/2022BotafogoBotafogo bate São José-RS nos pênaltis e garante vaga à terceira fase da CopinhaBotafogo12/01/2022Futebol InternacionalEscândalo: árbitro termina jogo entre Tunísia e Mali pela Copa Africana de Nações antes dos 90 minutosFutebol Internacional12/01/2022

Manchester City and Pep Guardiola will replace Rodri by promoting two current Etihad stars to bigger roles as well as a potential January signing, according to a recent report.

Rodri injury update from Man City

The Spaniard, who has been such an influential member of City’s squad in recent years, suffered a serious injury during the 2-2 draw with title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

Rodri needed to be replaced by Mateo Kovacic after going down under a challenge from Thomas Partey at a corner, and it looks as if damage sustained to his right knee could be season-ending for the £220,000-a-week star.

Speaking earlier in the week, Guardiola said: “Still, we don’t have the definitive. He’ll be out for a long time, a while, but there is some opinions that maybe it will be less than we expect.

“Unfortunately he was injured. Right now, still, I cannot tell you [how long] because we’re waiting the last phone calls from him and the doctors to know exactly what, definitely, he has and the type of surgery that he has to get.”

Since then a Man City statement has read: “Assessment remains ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis. Everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery.”

After initial tests in Manchester, Rodri has travelled to Spain for further assessments, but in the meantime, City will have to deal without the star midfielder, with Guardiola’s plans already being shared.

Man City identify Rodri replacements

According to Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, Guardiola is planning to use Rico Lewis and Matheus Nunes in central midfield to replace Rodri throughout the season.

The injured star may not return for the rest of the campaign, and it is added that Ilkay Gundogan’s return is seen as a boost to those at the Etihad.

Meanwhile, O’Rourke also claimed that ‘Man City are also expected to evaluate the transfer market during the upcoming January window to see if there are any possible options to bolster Guardiola’s options’.

TEAMtalk goes one step further and names four potential transfer targets for City officials. Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, who was wanted by Arsenal and Liverpool over the summer, is thought to be one possible option.

Txiki considering £83m Man City bid to sign "exceptional" big name player

Ilkay Gundogan wants Pep Guardiola to sign him.

ByHenry Jackson Sep 23, 2024

Meanwhile, Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella has been a player City have watched for a number of years but commands a price tag of at least £70m. Atalanta midfielder Ederson, who has previously been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United, is the third player listed, with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton the fourth and final midfielder mentioned.

Wharton’s ‘age and profile are attractive for the club and he is seen as a player who could not only fill in for Rodri but become his replacement over time’, so those four names are ones to watch in 2025, but for now, it’ll be down to Lewis and Nunes to impress in midfield, starting this weekend against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

MatériaMais Notícias

Fica ou não fica? Marco Antônio, um dos destaques do Botafogo na temporada, ainda tem futuro indefinido. O meio-campista, que retornou ao Bahia após um período de empréstimo junto ao Alvinegro, atrai interesse permanente por parte do clube carioca, mas a questão financeira da negociação é um entrave.

RelacionadasBotafogoBotafogo fecha renovação de quatro jogadoras do time feminino para a temporada 2022Botafogo09/12/2021BotafogoJonathan se despede do Botafogo em carta: ‘O lugar do Fogão é brigando pelas primeiras posições da Série A’Botafogo09/12/2021BotafogoTúlio defende permanência de Enderson e espera ano tranquilo para o Botafogo: ‘Está no caminho certo’Botafogo08/12/2021

+ Primeiro herói brasileiro da Marvel, Mancha Solar aparece com camisa do Botafogo em novo HQ nos EUA

O camisa 70, porém, parece que não esqueceu o Glorioso. Marco Antônio fez uma liveno Instagram na tarde desta quinta-feira. De férias na casa dos pais em Marituba, no Pará, o jogador brincou sobre o futuro. Na semana passada, a esposa do jogador se despediu do Rio de Janeiro.

Ao ler um comentário de Gregore, ex-companheiro de Bahia e atualmente no Inter Miami-EUA, falando “compra ele, Botafogo”, o meio-campista respondeu o volante.

–Olha o Gregore aí, pitbull… É isso aí. Me compra, Botafogo. Me compra, Botafogo – brincou.

O Botafogo tem interesse em continuar com Marco Antônio para 2021, mas tem o Bahia no meio. O Tricolor de Aço, diante da valorização do atleta, tem interesse apenas de negociá-lo de forma definitiva, sem um novo empréstimo, o que é um entrave para o Alvinegro diante das dificuldades financeiras.

Portuguese's task is proving even harder than anyone imagined but he knows the path to a better future and must keep following it

Ruben Amorim had just fielded a question about not selecting Marcus Rashford and was listening to one about squad rotation when he was rudely interrupted. Not by a journalist, but by a drip coming from the ceiling of the Old Trafford press conference room.

There has been a lot of change at Manchester United in the last year since Sir Jim Ratcliffe purchased his stake in the club for £1.2 billion ($1.5bn). The training ground is being renovated, plans to build a brand new stadium have accelerated, £160m ($200bn) has been invested in new players, and more than 250 people have lost their jobs including Sir Alex Ferguson, Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth. And yet the team are still losing 3-0 at home to Bournemouth, Rashford's attitude remains a huge talking point and there is a leak in the stadium every time it rains heavily.

Amorim left sunny Lisbon and an all conquering Sporting CP that he had built to join this dysfunctional club and now he has to miss Christmas for the first time to take his dishevelled team to Wolves on Boxing Day. He could be forgiven for regretting that decision now he realises the scale of the rebuilding job he faces. But he is not about to change course and nor should he.

Because even though it feels like United have not made any progress since swapping Ten Hag for Amorim, the Portuguese has a plan to revive the team. He must stick to it, and the club must back him along the way.

GettyNo real signs of progress

Nine games in to Amorim's reign, the statistics do not make for encouraging reading. United are 13th in the Premier League table, one place higher than where Ten Hag was when he was sacked in October but in the same position as when Amorim took the baton from interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy in November. They have taken seven points from their six league games, one fewer than Ten Hag earned from his last six in charge.

They are also out of the Carabao Cup, the competition they won in Ten Hag's first campaign, and Amorim's hopes of emulating the Dutchman's excellent record in the FA Cup look slim after – through no fault of their own – being drawn away to Arsenal in the third round. They have conceded 17 goals in their nine matches under the Portuguese, seven of which have been from set pieces. They have also lost two home games (to Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest) while conceding three goals, just as they did under Ten Hag (against Liverpool and Tottenham).

United have at least made progress in the Europa League and after the victories against Bodo/Glimt and Viktoria Plzen they have a strong chance of finishing in the top eight and making the last-16 without having to go through the play-offs. They also pulled off a stunning derby victory away to Manchester City. But then again, Ten Hag also managed to beat City, including in an FA Cup final.

AdvertisementGetty Taking responsibility for injuries

There have been a couple of noticeable improvements though. The team are scoring more goals than under Ten Hag (1.8 goals per game compared to 1.5). They also look less vulnerable in open play, being able to control the opposition's transitions better. While the set-piece defending is deeply concerning and must be improved, Amorim has managed to make his team look ever so slightly more cohesive.

The manager has also sought to take responsibility for the number of injuries the team gets by rotating the squad as much as he can, even if it means sometimes playing players with lesser ability. After making six changes from the defeat at Tottenham for the Bournemouth game he explained: "It's not rotation to see players and prepare the future, it's simply to not have injuries. I know there's a long-term project and we're focused on that, but I also know that at big clubs you don't have a lot of time and you have to win games. I have a clear idea of the responsibility I have here but I'm trying to manage the team to not have injuries. If you have injuries it's a massive problem."

Ten Hag's second campaign was destroyed by injuries but while the Dutchman was always keen to point out how many players he was missing, he never made a link between the injuries and his own reluctance to rotate.

Getty Images SportTougher than Ten Hag

Amorim has also proven to be a much better communicator than Ten Hag, both with the media and with his players. While Ten Hag talked a good game about improving standards and cracking down on breaches of the discipline, his actions did not speak louder than his words.

When Cristiano Ronaldo left the pre-season game with Rayo Vallecano at half-time, he was still in the squad for the opening game of the season against Brighton. When the Portuguese refused to come off the bench against Tottenham, he was only banished from the squad for one game.

When Rashford was late for a team meeting at Wolves after oversleeping, his punishment was to be left out of the starting line-up, only to be brought on at half-time when the game was goalless. Rashford scored the winning goal and all was forgiven. And last season when he skipped training after his drunken night out in Belfast he only missed the game against Newport County. Just days after that discretion, he started against Wolves and scored.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty'Big talent, big responsibility'

Amorim has proven to be a much tougher enforcer of his rules. He left Rashford and Garnacho out of the squad for the Manchester derby after questioning their attitude off the pitch and while the Argentina international was back for the trip to Tottenham in the League Cup four days later, Rashford was again left out and was not selected for the Bournemouth game. The homegrown forward's continued absence from the squad is causing a huge distraction and if United do wish to sell him, not playing him while appearing to call out his attitude will only drive down his price.

However, Amorim is not going to budge until he sees a noticeable improvement in Rashford's displays in training, and his detailed explanation after the Bournemouth game should give great encouragement to United fans who have become sick of certain players not pulling their weight. He said: "Everyone at Carrington knows what I'm talking about and what I want from Marcus and for everyone else so it's not a distraction for us, maybe it is for the media but that's not my concern. [Rashford should be] like any other player, the best that they can be.

"If you have big talent, [you need to show] big performance, big responsibility, big engagement. Push everybody forward. In this moment some guys have a big responsibility here because they are here for a long time. This is one of the lowest moments of our club we have to face it and be strong in this moment, that's what I want from every player in the team."

Celtic are said to be exploring a last-gasp deal to sign a young player with "great passing ability", according to a fresh update from Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops are looking to seal some late summer business on deadline day, as Brendan Rodgers aims to bring in the odd new face to make his squad as formidable as possible. The Scottish Premiership champions have reportedly made a last-minute attempt to sign Lausanne-Sport youngster Alvyn Sanches, after their efforts to snap up Mateusz Bogusz from Los Angeles FC fell through. They are even believed to have tabled a £2.5m offer for the 21-year-old.

Mahamadou Diawara has also been linked with a summer move to Celtic in recent days and a loan offer is thought to have been made by the Scottish giants. Sadly, his current club Lyon have rejected their advances, however, not wanting to let him leave during the current transfer window. Now, a fresh Hoops transfer update has emerged, with further business being eyed up in the remaining hours of the window.

Celtic could sign new target with "great passing ability"

According to Sky Sports' Joseph, Celtic are exploring a deal for West Ham midfielder Andy Irving late on deadline day, with Dundee ace Luke McCowan also mentioned as a potential target and an approach now made for the latter.

"Celtic are in pursuit of another midfielder before tonight’s deadline. They are working on potential deals with several targets… They are also exploring a loan deal for West Ham midfielder Andy Irving. However, it’s understood the Hammers are not keen to let the 24-year-old go in this window."

The update also states that Irving "would be classed as homegrown for the Champions League criteria", acting as an added bonus for Celtic. The 24-year-old could be a perfect addition before deadline day ends, with former Hearts manager Robbie Neilson heaping praise on him during their time together at the SPL club.

"He’s got great passing ability, as you seen with the pass for the goal. It’s great to have him in. He’s still learning the game. I was really pleased with him. Obviously coming down here, we knew what the pitch was going to be like, we knew the physicality was going to be like, I thought Andy handled it very well."

It seems clear that Irving has no future at West Ham, considering he has never even made an appearance for them since arriving from Austria Klagenfert in 2023, so a switch to Celtic could be an ideal outcome for all parties.

Related McGregor 2.0: Celtic make last-gasp move for "highly-rated" £4m star

The Hoops are looking to add another midfielder to their ranks before the deadline.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery Aug 30, 2024

He also has Scottish Premiership experience from his Hearts days, making 21 appearances in total, so there shouldn't be an issue with him coming in and hitting the ground running, adding creativity for Rodgers in the middle of the park.

Amad Diallo hilariously called for a VAR check as Manchester United named Noussair Mazraoui as their Player of the Month for November.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mazraoui was picked as PotM for November
• Amad seemingly did not agree with the choice
• Sent in a cheeky reply on social media

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils named the Moroccan their best player for November following a four-day fan-driven online poll. The summer recruit garnered an impressive 55% of the vote, comfortably outpacing competitors Amad, who secured 23%, and Andre Onana, who received 21%.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This recognition marks Mazraoui's first monthly award since joining United. Amad claimed the award in August, while Onana was recognised in September. Despite their strong cases, Mazraoui’s recent performances, including under interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, solidified his position as November’s standout player.

• WHAT AMAD SAID

  Following the announcement, Amad took to social media in good spirits, posting a humorous GIF calling for a VAR check on the decision.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ahead of the Arsenal showdown, new United head coach Amorim was effusive in his praise for Mazraoui, labelling him a "top player" who excels in all aspects of the game.

  "He understands the game," the Portuguese said. "He knows how to attack, he's very technical, he's very good defensively, and he's very good one-on-one. A top player. He's a modern player. I think he's the future of our team.

  "When you think about him, you think, 'we need more players like Nous that can control the tempo'; they are really, really good and comfortable with the ball. They understand the game, so Nous, I'm really happy with him."

Ashley Cole is one of the modern-day icons for Chelsea, featuring 326 times for the Blues over an eight-year period at Stamford Bridge.

After joining from Arsenal back in the summer of August 2006, he settled straight into life at the club, winning all there is to win in England and Europe – including the Champions League and numerous Premier League titles.

However, after his departure back in 2014, the club have failed to have a settled replacement, with various different talents trying to fill the void in the process.

Players such as Marcos Alonso, Emerson and Filipe Luis all arrived in west London in big-money deals, with the trio all departing the Blues for a fee significantly lower than they paid for their services.

In 2024, Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella are the current options available to new boss Enzo Maresca, after the club forked out over £100m to bring the pair to Stamford Bridge.

The duo could only register 34 Premier League appearances between them in 2023/24, with both players struggling with injuries or lack of form.

Cucurella enjoyed a successful Euro 2024 campaign, winning the competition with Spain, but his lack of form at club level, as demonstrated by his lowly appearance tally of just 21, could be a cause for concern for Maresca.

As a result, the Blues could dip into the transfer market, pursuing a deal for a new option down the left-hand side, including one star who’s recently been touted with a move to the Premier League.

Chelsea could target £25m talented ace this summer

In the modern game, there’s a real lack of high-quality left-backs, with the majority of top-level European sides wanting to sign a high-level left-sided defender.

Marcelo and Patrice Evra were alongside Cole at different times battling to be the best left-back in the world, but now very few sides possess players of that calibre in that area of the pitch.

However, the Blues could invest in a young talent who has the potential to finally end their pursuit for a replacement for the legendary Cole.

Chelsea have recently been linked with a move to sign Lecce defender Patrick Dorgu, but face competition from fellow Premier League sides Tottenham and Arsenal for his services.

The 19-year-old, who could be available for £25m this summer, made 32 appearances in Serie A last season, with his eye-catching statistics making him the perfect modern-day full-back.

His energy to overlap and tuck inside and feature as an inverted full-back could allow him to slot perfectly into Maresca’s system as he attempts to lead the Blues back to the summit of the Premier League.

Why Dorgu would be perfect for Chelsea

The Danish youngster, who’s previously been dubbed “incredible” by one scout, started for the Italian side during 2023/24, despite the club registering a 14th-placed finish.

It’s huge praise for such a young talent, but undoubtedly justified given his impressive tallies in what was his breakthrough campaign at Lecce.

Whilst he’s an attacking-minded full-back, Dorgu’s primary role is to be solid defensively, a role in which he’s excelled, winning an average of 2.5 tackles per 90, alongside 2.6 clearances.

However, he’s just as impressive in transition, averaging 2.8 progressive passes and 2.1 progressive carries per 90, potentially allowing Maresca to have another option in forward areas despite his defensive role.

With the modern game seeing more sides utilise a five-back formation, it can only be a successful system if the wing-backs are able to thrive in defensive and attacking areas, whilst also having the ability to motor up and down the pitch.

Dorgu possesses all of the aforementioned qualities, making him the perfect option down the left-hand side for Chelsea next season.

With the club spending recklessly in recent times, the Dane can finally allow the club to stop splashing needless cash to replace the legendary Cole, with Dorgu having the ability to slot straight into the Blues’ side whilst also having the potential to grow into a world-class star.

Forget Williams: Chelsea lining up "potent" signing who’s like Rodrygo

Chelsea still hunting for wide fire power

By
Connor Holden

Jul 23, 2024