All posts by h716a5.icu

The Los Angeles Dodgers made two major roster moves on Wednesday that are directly related. Longtime catcher Austin Barnes has been designated for assignment and the team has called up 24-year old prospect Dalton Rushing to take his place.

Barnes has backed up Will Smith this season and appeared in 13 games. He is just 9 of 42 at the plate this season while posting a career-low OBP. Rushing, the Dodgers' 2024 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year, has been lighting it up in Triple A this season where he's hit five home runs to go with a slash line of .308/.424/.515.

Barnes made his major league debut with the Dodgers in 2015 and was a member of World Series championship teams in 2020 and '24. In 2020 he appeared in 10 of the team's 18 postseason games, went 8 for 25 with three RBI and scored four runs. He also homered in Game 3 of that World Series.

Rushing will presumably take Barnes's spot backing up Smith and find him at-bats wherever they can. The Dodgers are again one of the best teams in baseball, but only have a half-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West.

Manchester United have been told that a sensational January swoop for Brazilian superstar Neymar could offer them a “boost”. Questions are, however, being asked of whether the Santos playmaker is cut out for life in the Premier League at Old Trafford after reaching 33 years of age and suffering a number of injury issues over the last couple of seasons.

Neymar landing spots: England or MLS?

Neymar, who is his country’s all-time leading goalscorer at international level, is currently playing through pain and ignoring the advice of doctors at Santos. He is doing his best to steer his boyhood club away from relegation danger.

He headed home in January after seeing his contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal terminated – with a long road to recovery taken in on the back of knee ligament damage. Neymar has spent more time on the treatment table this term.

Another change of scenery may be sought early in 2026, as Neymar sees his contract run down towards free agency, and various landing spots are being speculated on – from England to MLS. United have been credited with interest in the not too distant past.

AdvertisementGettyMan Utd move: Should Red Devils approach Neymar?

Quizzed on whether a deal would appeal at this stage, former Red Devils striker Louis Saha told : “If you asked me six months ago, I’d have loved Neymar at Manchester United. But right now, he seems fragile, or injured. Maybe he’s lost his spark.

“It’s sad, because I love Neymar. I thought a couple of years ago it’d have been a perfect move because he can still be an amazing player. He could really boost United with his inventiveness and talent.

“I think perhaps the way he has had his career guided needed to be challenged in the past. I don’t know how he can set about putting things right and rebuilding anymore. United need players who will sacrifice themselves for the team, who are in love with the club. I’m not sure Neymar is the man to offer that to United at this point in his career.”

Alternative options: MSN to reform in MLS?

It has been suggested that Neymar could reunite with former Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami, allowing the fabled ‘MSN’ attacking unit to be reformed.

Ex-USMNT and MLS star Brad Friedel has told GOAL of whether that switch makes sense: “If Neymar is fit, then I think it works, I really do because he’s still a huge name in certain parts of the US. The trouble is if he’s not fit and he’s injured a lot, then it becomes a negative media-driven reality. I can understand arguments on both sides for sure.

“I would assume, and these are smart guys, it would be a tiered contract based on performances and being fit. Having spent some time in Miami, before Messi came you wouldn’t have really known that Miami had a team. From the time that he came, there are pink and black shirts everywhere. If Neymar came, it would add to that.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyBest business: Top Premier League deals in 2025

While Saha doubts that Neymar is the right option for United, he believes that the Red Devils completed one of the Premier League’s best deals during the summer of 2025 – with a proven performer being lured away from domestic rivals Brentford.

He added when picking out the shrewdest business done in the last window: “For me, the best signing is between Hugo Ekitike and Bryan Mbeumo. I think [Nick] Woltemade has been brilliant too, I love him.

“I think those three have been the standout players so far, but I think that Mbeumo has probably been the very best of the three. He’s playing for a side that is in transition. Ekitike is playing for the league champions, and Woltemade arrived at a team that is in the Champions League. They both have their problems, of course, but I think United were in the toughest place at the start of the season. I’ve seen United struggle, and how hard it was for Mbeumo, and he’s done brilliantly to raise standards at the club and keep his own standards up.”

United will be piecing together plans for January, with it possible that further reinforcements will be drafted in alongside Mbeumo. Ruben Amorim’s side, who are still scratching around for consistency in 2025-26, sit seventh in the Premier League table through 13 rounds of fixtures and will be back in action on Thursday at home to West Ham.

The home side crumbled on the final day before a last-wicket stand narrowed the margin

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2025New South Wales opened their Sheffield Shield campaign with a memorable 74-run away win over Western Australia.Set 231 to win, WA crumbled for 156 on a tricky pitch at the WACA ground in Perth as unheralded Blues quick Liam Hatcher inflicted serious damage on the lower order. Batting with injured No. 11 Joel Paris, Australia allrounder Ashton Agar went down swinging.Related

Salzmann, Lyon give New South Wales hope after Konstas misses again

Hazlewood, Starc in line for SCG Shield outing before Ashes

Chris Green handed code of conduct breach after dismissal reversal

Paris and Agar put on an innings-high 53-run stand for the last wicket to give NSW some nervous moments before closing out the game.But Agar was bowled for 46 the first ball after drinks in the second session of day four, slashing onto his stumps off Ryan Hadley who finished with eight wickets in the matchNSW lost serious experience in the off-season with Jackson Bird moving back to Tasmania and Moises Henriques retiring from four-day cricket. The upset result is a huge boost for veteran Test spinner Nathan Lyon, who led the side in this match in the absence of Jack Edwards on Australia A duty.WA veteran Cameron Bancroft did nothing to impress selectors for a potential Test recall, out for 3 when he edged Hadley after making 10 in the first innings.Test allrounder Cameron Green fell for 24 on Tuesday, superbly held in his follow through by former WA quick Charlie Stobo, after making 19 in the first innings. Green, who is being eased back into bowling following serious back surgery last year, sent down just four overs in the match.NSW’s contenders for a potential Test spot – Sam Konstas and Kurtis Patterson – also failed to capitalise. Incumbent Test opener Konstas made 4 and 14, while Patterson, who played the last of his two games for Australia back in 2019, was dismissed for 8 and 4.

Not every transfer has panned out the way they planned, but Chelsea have built themselves a brilliant squad over the last few years.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández, Marc Cucurella and Joao Pedro wouldn’t look out of place in any other Premier League side.

Moreover, while it’s still early days, it looks like Enzo Maresca and Co have a genuine world-class superstar in the making with Estêvão.

The Brazilian has been incredible so far this season, so Chelsea fans should be delighted about reports linking them to someone who could end up being another Estêvão.

Chelsea target their next Estêvão

There has long been a lot of hype around Estêvão, so much so, in fact, that respected analyst Ben Mattinson labelled him a “future Ballon d’Or winner” a few months before Chelsea even signed him.

Transfer Focus

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

Now, there is still a long way to go until the teenager reaches that level, but he has already been sensational for the Blues this season.

For example, in 17 appearances, totalling 740 minutes, he has provided one assist and scored five goals, including a stunner against Barcelona on Tuesday night.

Therefore, it’s hardly a surprise that the club are now interested in another young star, Assan Ouédraogo, who could potentially emulate the Brazilian.

Yes, according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany, Chelsea are one of a few clubs keen on signing the RB Leipzig gem.

Alongside the West Londoners, Manchester United have been credited with an interest in the 19-year-old, whose contract runs until 2029.

Unfortunately, there is no release clause in that deal, so the fee needed to sign the German could end up being rather significant, as much as £50m according to further reports out of Germany in the last few months.

Even so, given Ouédraogo’s ability and potential, this is a transfer Chelsea should pursue, especially as he could be another Estêvão.

Why Ouédraogo could be another Estêvão for Chelsea

So, the first thing to point out is that, yes, the two youngsters primarily play in different positions.

Ouédraogo has spent this season playing as a central and attacking midfielder, while Estêvão has spent most of this year on the right.

However, while the pair do not necessarily operate in the same areas of the pitch, both are highly rated youngsters who seem destined to reach the top of the game.

For example, while Chelsea fans are more than familiar with the Brazilian’s exploits so far this season, they likely don’t know that the German has been even more productive.

In 12 first-team appearances, totalling 561 minutes, the Leipzig gem has scored three goals and provided four assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 80.14 minutes.

Moreover, the Mülheim an der Ruhr-born prospect has already made quite the impression at the international level.

After blitzing his way up through the various youth levels, he was handed his first senior cap for Germany earlier this month, and instead of just coming on and focusing on not making a mistake, he scored.

Finally, on top of already producing goal involvements for fun, the £22k-per-week gem has some unreal underlying numbers to back up exactly why content creator Neal Gardner has described him as a “powerhouse.”

Goals

0.48

Top 1%

Assists

0.48

Top 1%

Goals + Assists

0.97

Top 1%

Yellow Cards

0.00

Top 1%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.31

Top 1%

Shots Total

2.90

Top 1%

Shots on Target

1.45

Top 1%

Goal-Creating Actions

1.13

Top 1%

Touches (Att Pen)

4.83

Top 1%

Successful Take-Ons

1.77

Top 1%

Carries into Penalty Area

0.97

Top 1%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals, assists, shots on target, goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it’s still early in his career, it’s hard to disagree with Mattinson’s assessment that Ouédraogo is a “beast ready to be unleashed” and therefore capable of being another Estêvão for Chelsea.

Chelsea have already signed another exciting star who's "just like Estevao"

Chelsea have already signed another youngster who could become another Estevao for Enzo Maresca.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2025

For the last three days, one run has been enough to defeat the Cincinnati Reds. And that's exactly what has happened.

Yes indeed, the Reds have lost their last three games by a score of exactly 1–0, falling 1–0 to the Texas Rangers on Tuesday and Wednesday, and opening a four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers with another 1–0 loss on Thursday.

According to Stathead, the Reds are the sixth team in MLB history to lose three consecutive games by a score of exactly 1–0, and the first since 1960. The others? The 1908 Brooklyn Superbas, the 1909 St. Louis Browns, the 1909 Washington Nationals, the 1917 Pittsburgh Pirates and the 1960 Philadelphia Phillies.

“They’re trying their [tails] off. Maybe too hard," Reds manager Terry Francona said after the game [via Charlie Goldsmith]. "They’re fighting. We’re not going to have a situation where it’s ‘us’ when we win and ‘they’ when we lose. We’ll do this together. We’ll figure it out together. Nobody is happy about what’s happened the last three games. We’ll figure it out together. I feel strongly about that."

Through seven games, the Reds are 2–5 and sit tied for last place in the NL Central with the Pittsburgh Pirates. They have scored 24 total runs in those seven contests, although over half of that offensive production occurred in a 14–3 win over the Rangers on Monday.

The Reds return to the diamond Friday for a rematch against the Brewers in hopes to plate at least one run. Or perhaps it will be yet again at American Family Field.

Varun Chakravarthy remains the No. 1 T20I bowler

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-20251:20

Chopra: Very little the bowlers could do against Abhishek

Pakistan’s Saim Ayub is the new No. 1 allrounder in men’s T20Is while India opener Abhishek Sharma has broken the record for highest rating points, extending his lead at the top of the men’s T20I batting charts.Ayub moved up four places to the top of the allrounder rankings, pushing India’s Hardik Pandya down to No. 2. Ayub took eight wickets in six innings and went at only 6.40 per over in the Asia Cup, although he scored only 37 runs in seven innings. Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi dropped one position to third while Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza complete the top five.Abhishek, who was already leading the batting rankings, reached 931 rating points after his half-century against Sri Lanka. He has surpassed Dawid Malan’s previous best mark of 919 rating points in 2020. Abhishek, who only debuted last year, finished the Asia Cup with 314 runs at an average of 44.85 and a strike-rate of 200 to clinch the Player-of-the-Tournament award.Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

Abhishek has an 82-point lead over England’s Phil Salt, who is second, with India’s Tilak Varma third. Jos Buttler remains at fourth while Pathum Nissanka moved up to No. 5 after scoring 261 runs in the Asia Cup.Among bowlers, Varun Chakravarthy retained the No.1 spot after taking seven wickets in the Asia Cup. Kuldeep Yadav rose nine places to 12th after his 17-wicket haul in the tournament. Shaheen Afridi jumped 12 spots to joint-13th, and Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain advanced six places to 20th.

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has opened up about the controversy surrounding Thomas Tuchel’s exit and revealed that the 2017 team bus bomb attack played a major role in the breakdown of his relationship with the German coach. Tuchel spent two seasons with the Bundesliga club and won the DFB-Pokal in 2017 before being dismissed, a decision that Watzke says he regrets.

Bomb attack was turning point in Tuchel's Dortmund exit

Tuchel, who was appointed in 2015, was sacked just days after winning the DFB-Pokal. At the time, the split was believed to be due to internal tension and frustration over the club’s failure to seriously challenge Bayern. Now, Watzke says the turning point came much earlier. He explained that the bomb attack on the Dortmund team bus in April 2017 strained their relationship. The incident happened before Dortmund’s Champions League match against Monaco, and the rescheduled game was played less than 24 hours later. Tuchel publicly criticised the decision to go ahead with the game so soon after the attack, saying the players needed time to process the trauma.

AdvertisementAFPDortmund chief says relationship with Tuchel had already broken down

Watzke claims Tuchel's public statement did not match what was agreed internally. He says players were given a choice the night before the game, and that the situation was more complex than how it appeared from the outside.

"I don't want to go into the details for the hundredth time. What's important to me, however, is that what was reported publicly didn't correspond to what we had discussed internally. Every player was absolutely free not to play the next day without any consequences. We met immediately after the season to discuss how things would proceed," Wazke revealed to .

He added that once the season ended, talks were held to discuss the future, but the relationship had already broken down.

"No one tried to find common ground. There was no real dialogue at all. After 20 minutes, it was clear: it couldn't continue."

Watzke regrets Tuchel exit

The Dortmund director said tensions between him and Tuchel escalated after the incident, creating a divide that became hard to repair. He believes the situation might have unfolded differently if emotions hadn’t been so high at the time.

"Looking back: I don't think things would have come to this without the attack," the German said. "And in retrospect, I have to say: I probably wouldn't dismiss Thomas Tuchel today. But back then, we had torn each other apart so much because of this issue that things probably wouldn't have turned out well on a human level."

Despite the friction, Watzke says he now has a good relationship with the England coach again. "Today I get along well with Thomas again. We talked things out. And I have to say: He is an outstanding coach."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportEngland thriving under Tuchel

Tuchel left Dortmund in 2017 and went on to coach Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich before taking charge of England in 2024. He has made a strong start with the national team after a turbulent end to Gareth Southgate's tenure. The Three Lions completed their World Cup qualifying campaign unbeaten and without conceding a goal, finishing with a 2-0 win over Albania. The run has boosted early belief in Tuchel’s project as he prepares for his first major tournament with the English team.

It’s make-or-break time for Eddie Howe in the Newcastle United dug-out.

Howe has now overseen 190 games in charge of the Magpies, with recent 3-1 defeats picked up away at West Ham United and Brentford surely ranking high when scanning over some of the most abject performances served up during his long-standing tenure.

Former Magpies goalkeeper Tim Krul has come out to say Howe will still go down as “one of the legends of the club”, despite his poor current form in the hot seat, resulting in Newcastle sitting in a lowly 14th position in the Premier League.

All these glowing words will ultimately mean nothing, though, if Howe can’t turn around this concerning rut, with many a selection decision for the under-pressure boss to ponder over now during the international break, in an effort to save his job.

How Howe can save his job at Newcastle

Howe must know he’s under pressure now, with the usually calm and relaxed 47-year-old cutting a dejected figure after the away defeat at the Bees.

He will surely have come to the realisation he cannot rely on the first-teamers he has picked throughout his spell on Tyneside to continue to come up trumps, with the likes of Nick Pope and Joelinton potentially put to one side – owing immediately to injury – but also due to their recurring poor performances as the Toon slide down the division.

It’s a sad decline in real time for both the Brazilian and the ex-Burnley shot-stopper, with Aaron Ramsdale the likely candidate to replace Pope long-term, after he kept a clean sheet when last selected in the EFL Cup.

The faltering Magpies could look to the January transfer window to try and nail down a lasting replacement for Joelinton, but Jacob Ramsey did impress in flashes at the Gtech Community Stadium, winning five duels and amassing two key passes.

Howe could also be willing to gift Harvey Barnes some more first-team chances to save his skin, with the number 11 bagging his first Premier League goal of the season against Brentford to raise a rare smile.

With Anthony Gordon also being stricken by injury, and Anthony Elanga yet to get off the mark after a £55m summer move, the manager’s dependable super sub could be in for a start against Manchester City, after the break concludes.

There is also the major problem of Newcastle’s leaky defence that Howe will need to address, with one first-team figure – who was once even likened to Magpies’ great Alan Shearer – now in grave danger of being shelved for good.

Newcastle's "Shearer-like" star could be given the boot

As the aforementioned Krul touched upon, Howe will be viewed as a heroic icon down the line when his Newcastle tenure does expire, having guided the often trophyless Toon to an EFL Cup triumph just last season.

On that memorable day at Wembley, Dan Burn, all 6-foot-7 of him, got the ball rolling against the heavily fancied Liverpool, with that powerful header too fierce for Caoimhin Kelleher to palm away.

Sky Sports’ Gary Neville even heralded this moment as being “Shearer-like” from the Blyth-born defender, as the passionate number 33 scored an all-important strike, much like Shearer managed during his Tyneside peak, time after time.

Still, Howe cannot afford to be swept up in sentiment right now involving the ageing defender, with a red card picked up against Brentford resulting in the away side collecting a depressing fifth league defeat of the season.

Minutes played

73

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

61

Accurate passes

20/32 (68%)

Accurate crosses

0/1

Possession lost

18x

Tackles won

1/2

Interceptions

0

Clearances

11

Blocked shots

1

Ball recoveries

1

Total duels won

8/17

It wasn’t just the dismissal, though, that would sting from Burn’s off-performance, with the four-time England international also failing to lead by example when only winning eight of his 17 duels, on top of also giving away possession 18 times.

For Howe to save his job, he will need to ditch using Burn as a left-back option, with one content creator certainly right in his assessment now from earlier in the season, that the 33-year-old staying in that spot for the foreseeable future is the “stuff of nightmares.”

It will be a tough call to get rid, with Burn even once being noted as one of the “best signings” his manager has ever made, by Howe himself.

But, with his fralities being exposed all campaign long now, it could be a necessary alteration to bring Lewis Hall in, so Howe lives to see another day at St James’ Park.

PIF must cash in on Newcastle "legend" who is becoming the new Sissoko

This Newcastle star appears to have gone past his sell-by date.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 12, 2025

Crystal Palace have been “watching” a centre-back, who has been a key part of an “incredible” defence this season, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Palace stepping up centre-back pursuit

It will be a tall order for Palace to replace captain Marc Guehi this summer, but it is looking increasingly likely Oliver Glasner will have to bring in a new centre-back, given that the 24-year-old has not agreed terms on a contract extension.

As such, the Eagles have now stepped up their pursuit of a new centre-back ahead of the summer transfer window, and they could make a statement signing by bringing in Paris Saint-Germain defender Milan Skriniar, having now joined the race for the Slovakian.

Skriniar is one of the more well-known targets, but there could be an addition out of left-field, with Glasner’s side also making contact over a deal for Independiente De Avellaneda’s Kevin Lomonaco, who may be available for just £5m this summer.

Crystal Palace eyeing move to sign new £30m+ "Roy Keane-esque" midfielder

The Eagles are set to battle it out for a midfielder, who has been compared to Manchester United legend Roy Keane.

ByDominic Lund Apr 16, 2025

According to former scout Brown, in an interview with Football Insider, Crystal Palace are also in the race for Burnley defender Maxime Esteve, having sent officials to watch him in action this season.

Brown said: “Everton and Crystal Palace have been watching him, among other teams, and have had scouts at Turf Moor to keep an eye on his performance.

“Burnley want to keep him, especially if they get promoted to the Premier League, but a really good offer for him could get that over the line.”

Esteve was also singled out for praise, given the Clarets’ exceptional defensive record this season, with Brown adding: “This season, he’s really pushed on and he’s been an integral part of an outstanding Burnley defence.

“They’ve conceded just 13 goals in 42 league games this year, it’s incredible.”

"Phenomenon" Esteve ready for Premier League

Burnley’s defensive record in the Championship this season has been nothing short of remarkable, having conceded just 14 goals, and the 22-year-old has played an absolutely crucial role, making 43 appearances.

The Burnley star is particularly impressive in possession of the ball, ranking in the 91st percentile for passes attempted per 90 over the past year, and 89th for his pass completion rate, having previously received high praise for his ball skills from football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Esteve appears to have the hallmarks of a quality modern-day centre-back, and his performances for Burnley this season indicate he is definitely ready for a Premier League move, but Crystal Palace may have to shell out around £30m for his services.

Despite Chelsea’s dip in form during the second half of the season, Enzo Maresca has clearly improved the defensive level of his side, implementing a more control-based system with a man-to-man pressing approach.

The Blues were involved in plenty of high-scoring games last campaign, including a 4-4 draw against Manchester City, a 4-3 win against Manchester United and five 2-2 draws.

Whilst they were scoring lots of goals, it was also coming back the other way, giving them their worst defensive record in the last ten years.

Goals Conceded

1.58

1.22

xG Against

1.53

1.33

Shots Against

14.6

10.8

Shots on Target Against

4.79

4.19

Average Shot Distance Against

16.9 (yards)

17.5 (yards)

Under Maresca, these defensive metrics have begun to improve, conceding fewer goals per 90, conceding fewer shots against per 90 and forcing opposition teams into longer-distance shots.

However, we can still expect defensive reinforcement in the summer, as the Blues will likely want to take another step to further improving their defensive record next season.

Chelsea's centre-back conundrum

After Wesley Fofana has continued to struggle with injuries in the 2024/25 campaign, Chelsea are now looking to add a central defender in the summer transfer window, with one of the names highly linked being Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen.

Huijsen only signed for Bournemouth in the 2024/25 summer transfer window, joining from Juventus for a fee of around £12m.

That said, his excellent performances at just 20-years-old is already attracting interest from Europe’s elite, with the Spaniard’s £50m release clause now likely to be activated after just one season in England. The Blues are one of the interested parties with it reported that they and Arne Slot’s Liverpool are at the front of the queue for his signature.

The 20-year-old has made 30 appearances for the Cherries this season, scoring two goals, providing one assist, contributing to seven clean sheets and totalling 2,350 minutes played.

But, as talented as Huijsen is, could Chelsea already have their own young talented defender in the pipeline?

Chelsea's homegrown Huijsen

A certain Josh Acheampong has fully broken into the senior set-up at Chelsea this season, having made his debut under Mauricio Pochettino last term, coming from the bench against Tottenham.

The 18-year-old has made nine senior appearances throughout 2024/25 in what has been a real breakthrough year, contributing to five clean sheets in 511 minutes played.

One of his best traits is the ability to drive the ball out from the back, striding forwards and kick-starting attacks through progressive carries.

Especially against man-to-man pressing schemes (which are becoming far more common in the Premier League), this attribute can become a real game-changer.

In The Pipeline

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

Acheampong has already been labelled as a “dominant” defender by scout Jacek Kulig, who referred to the 18-year-old as the “definition of a modern defender”.

The England U19 star is versatile, able play as both a right-back and centre-back, even recently showing his ability to step into midfield, having the composure and elegance beyond his years.

Having been integrated slowly this season under Maresca, who has already stated Acheampong is “the one he fell in love with” after his performance against Legia Warsaw in the UEFA Conference League, next year could be a big season for the young defender, becoming more than just a bit-part piece for the Italian head coach.

A better signing than Huijsen: Chelsea preparing bid for £50m defender

Chelsea are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League defender this summer.

ByDan Emery Apr 14, 2025