Marsh has had keyhole surgery on his troubled ankle and will miss three months of cricket while Salt has not recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered in Australia
ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2022Perth Scorchers have suffered a major blow to their BBL title defence with Australia allrounder Mitchell Marsh and England batter Phil Salt both ruled out of the entire BBL due to injury.Marsh will miss three months of cricket after undergoing keyhole surgery on his troubled left ankle. He has carried the ankle problem for many years and reinjured it during Australia’s ODI series against Zimbabwe in August, which ruled him out for over a month. It also compromised his preparation for the T20 World Cup and limited his ability to bowl in the tournament.Marsh’s decision to have surgery now will give him a chance to be fit for Australia’s next ODI assignment in India in March.Related
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Salt sustained a grade-two ligament injury on his left shoulder during the third and final ODI against Australia last week in Melbourne. He was diving to save a boundary and also suffered a concussion in the same incident and was subbed out of the game. His arm was in a sling in the rooms after the match to protect his shoulder and following his return to England he consulted a shoulder specialist who recommended he miss both the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament and the BBL.Phil Salt puts his body on the line in vain•Getty ImagesScorchers had already lost Laurie Evans after terminating his contract following a positive dope test. They recruited South Africa star Faf du Plessis for a seven-game stint as a short-term replacement for Evans prior to him heading to South Africa for the new CSA T20 league in January.Scorchers general manager Kade Harvey said the defending champions would look to source further replacements for Marsh and Salt.”Losing Mitch and Phil so close to the start of the season is very disappointing,” Harvey said. “Mitch is one of the best ball-strikers in global cricket with an incredible BBL record, and his leadership and presence around the group is enormous.”Phil has proven his class for England and in T20 tournaments around the world, so it’s unfortunate he won’t pull on the orange this summer.”We’re under no illusions about how difficult it will be to cover the absence of Mitch and Phil, but we take pride in the depth of our squad and have a lot of players capable of stepping up.”In better news for Scorchers, fast bowler Jhye Richardson is expected to be fit for the start of the BBL despite being kept out of Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield match against Queensland this week due to a bruised heel.
Chelsea have made contact with a marquee Barcelona player who’s very highly-regarded at the Camp Nou, as Enzo Maresca’s side seek to gauge his interest in making a move to the Premier League.
Chelsea targeting new midfielder this summer
Roméo Lavia’s recent injury problems have exposed a slight shortage of quality centre-midfielders in Maresca’s squad, leading them to consider their options in the transfer market.
Chelsea very open to selling £70m star as elite club plan summer talks
They seriously wish to sign him.
ByEmilio Galantini Feb 13, 2025
Chelsea did move to complete a £13 million deal for Mathis Amougou, who joined them from Saint-Étienne towards the back end of the January transfer window, but the teenager is believed to be a temporary solution for the first-team this season before he heads out on loan to Strasbourg for 2025/2026.
Bearing this in mind, Chelsea are looking at more permanent options for their midfield next season.
Reports in Spain have suggested that Chelsea are prepared to bid around £58 million for Atletico Madrid ace Pablo Barrios, and they were linked with a sensational move for Man United gem Kobbie Mainoo during the winter.
However, if Chelsea are to reignite their interest in the England international later this year, it is believed that United would demand around £80 million to sell Mainoo – so BlueCo would need to heavily invest in his signing.
Another rumoured midfield target for Maresca’s side is Barcelona starlet Marc Casado.
The 21-year-old has been an ever-present in Hansi Flick’s first-team, averaging their third-highest rate of tackles per 90 and a near-90 per cent passing accuracy (WhoScored) – with Chelsea thought to be very keen.
Chelsea approach Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado over potential transfer
According to Spanish news outlet Cadena SER, and their reporter Santi Ovalle, Chelsea have approached Casado recently to gauge his interest in joining them.
The Catalan gem’s contract includes an £83 million release clause, and while it is unclear whether Barca would be willing to negotiate at a lower fee, he is apparently very well thought of at the club.
Casado, who has another three years remaining on his contract, also favours making a go of his career at Barca – but that hasn’t stopped Chelsea from becoming another Premier League side to express interest.
The Spaniard has been praised by those within the beautiful game for his performances this campaign, with Bryan Zaragoza even calling him an “animal”.
“He’s an animal,” said Zaragoza after Casado made his first ever Spain start in a 3-2 win over Switzerland late last year. “I don’t even know what to say about how he played. He’s barbaric.”
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente joined in on the praise soon afterwards, stating: “Marc has been with us for a game and a half and plays like a veteran. I never cease to be amazed by his maturity when I see him play with that confidence, that security and that control of the situation.”
Inter forward Lautaro Martinez has been cleared to feature in the semi-final second leg against Barcelona, although Benjamin Pavard will miss out.
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Martinez recovers in time for Barca clashPavard will not feature in the second legCatalans dealing with their own injury crisisFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Inter have been handed a major boost ahead of their crucial Champions League semi-final second-leg clash against Barcelona with star striker and captain Martinez making a remarkable recovery from a thigh injury in time to feature in the high-stakes encounter. However, the Italian giants will be without key defender Pavard, who has been ruled out after suffering a setback during training.
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Martinez was hooked at half-time in the first leg at the Montjuic, with Mehdi Taremi his replacement. It was widely believed that the Argentine would not recover in time for the second leg, but he appears to have shrugged off his thigh problem. While Martinez is unlikely to be 100 per cent, his availability comes as a welcome boost for manager Simone Inzaghi.
Along with the good news of Martinez's return, there was some bad news, too, with Pavard ruled out of the second leg at San Siro after suffering discomfort in Monday's final training session. The France international didn't play in the first leg either, with German centre-back Yann Bisseck replacing the 29-year-old.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Nerazzurri aren't alone in being hit with an injury crisis. Indeed, their opponents will have to make do without their starting full-back pair of Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde, with the former picking up an injury in last week's first leg that ended in an entertaining 3-3 draw. Robert Lewandowski, who has missed the last four games for the Catalans, has returned to the squad, with head coach Hansi Flick providing positive updates last weekend.
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The second leg at San Siro on Tuesday, May 6, promises to be a belter of an encounter, with the first game ending all square. If the hosts progress it'll be their second Champions League final in just three seasons. Barca, meanwhile, are looking to reach the final for the first time since defeating Juventus 3-1 to lift the trophy in 2015.
Legendary Premier League forward Alan Shearer has shared his thoughts on Arsenal's 1-0 loss to PSG in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
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Shearer spoke his mind on Arsenal's first leg loss to PSGProvided a scathing assessment of Gunners' displayExplained how Mikel Arteta's side can turn the tie aroundFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Iconic Premier League striker Shearer didn’t hold back in his assessment of Arsenal’s performance, criticising the team for their lethargic start in their Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. The Newcastle legend remarked that the Gunners looked completely lost in the opening stages, saying they "didn't know what day it was." Despite the setback, Shearer believes all is not lost for Mikel Arteta’s side and outlined the key adjustments Arsenal must make to keep their Champions League hopes alive in the return leg.
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Although Arsenal gained momentum as the game progressed, it was PSG who took the game by the scruff of its neck. Indeed, a brilliant team move saw a red-hot Ousmane Dembele find the back of the net in just the fourth minute, leaving Arsenal shell-shocked. In the lead-up to the first leg, Arteta's troops were full of belief, and why not? After all, they were heading into the semi-finals on the back of a 5-1 demolition of reigning champions Real Madrid in the quarter-finals. However, Luis Enrique's side brought them down to earth as the Gunners failed to impose their gameplan and struggled to keep up with Les Parisiens' spirited teamplay.
WHAT ALAN SHEARER SAID
Speaking to Betfair, Shearer opined on Arsenal's dreadful first half performance: "It was an amazing atmosphere at the Emirates before Arsenal's Champions League semi-final first leg against PSG but that changed after three minutes with PSG's goal. When you go to a hostile ground, where you know the atmosphere is going to be amazing for the home team, you want to keep the ball and, if possible, get an early goal just to kill the crowd. PSG did that.
"Arsenal never recovered. For the first 20 or 30 minutes, they didn't know what day it was. Then they recovered and were the better team for ten or 15 minutes before half-time – and they didn't need half-time.
"There were two really, really good chances for Arsenal. One in the first-half with Gabriel Martinelli one-on-one and then a one-on-one in the second half involving Leandro Trossard. Other than that, I know they had the disallowed offside goal which took far too long considering he was half a yard offside. The positive was that it only ended 1-0. It could've been a lot worse.
"At 1-0 going into the second leg, Arsenal still have a chance. What was already a difficult opportunity against a very good side has become a little bit more difficult, but it's not impossible.
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HOW ARSENAL CAN BEAT PSG ACCORDING TO SHEARER
Shearer, though, believes that Arsenal are still very much alive in the tie. The Englishman explained what the London outfit needs to do better in the return leg next week: "Arsenal missed Thomas Partey in the first leg against PSG. I'm not sure that Dembele has that amount of space in the first three minutes if Partey is playing. He'll be playing next week which means we'll hopefully see a better Declan Rice because it's not his best role, sitting and trying to sweep up play as a number six.
"Rice is better when he's driving forward and there was one time last night where he was able to drive forward and that was what created the opportunity for [Leandro] Trossard.
"Arsenal's pressing has to be better. For the first half-an-hour in the first leg, they didn't know when to press or sit and it looked really confusing in terms of when and how to go. They didn't get that right and ended up getting picked off. That can improve massively, but they don't have to go for it straight away. If it's still 1-0 at half-time in Paris then that's fine.
"Arsenal just have to be a little bit more patient, go with what happens, keep it tight and don't concede because if they concede the first goal early on then it'll be pretty much curtains for them."
Allrounder says missing 2021 World Cup through injury helped development as a key cog in T20 side
Vithushan Ehantharajah14-Nov-2022Sam Curran has admitted he spent the last few weeks of the T20 World Cup asking the relevant seven members of England’s squad what it was like to win the 2019 50-over World Cup. Along with the buzz of success after so much hard work, they confirmed being able to say you had won a World Cup, putting you in an exclusive club among English sportspeople, was a perk that did not get old. “Now to be in that position to say I’ve won one is very cool,” he said.The 24-year-old can also let people know he was Player of the Match in the final, with 3 for 12 against Pakistan at the MCG, and moreover the Player of the Tournament with 13 wickets – joint second from just 22.4 overs – at 11.38. Depending on how well-versed the company he finds himself in, he might even let them know he answered England’s call for a death bowler in emphatic fashion.But Curran feels the overall prize is much more satisfying. Not least because it is a declaration that makes everything that came before it worthwhile – vindicating the hard work and the tough times. For Curran, the latter was a lower back injury that ruled him out of the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE,Related
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“I don’t care about the injury,” Curran declared with a smile. “I can call myself a world champion, which is pretty cool. Obviously missed the last tournament and was gutted and the guys lost in the semi-final. But there was no real talk about that this year, it was just we’ve got a job on our hands.”Curran, though, does care. Or at least he recognises the opportunity the injury provided him. “I think I can look back at my injury maybe as a positive. I got a little bit stronger and it was the first bit of a break since I started playing.”Part of the rehabilitation back at his county Surrey involved getting him more robust physically, leading to far more gym work than he would usually be able to do given the relentless schedule. There was also the opportunity to work on fine-tuning his action with Surrey bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, which involved working on achieving more bounce by having his arm slightly taller and not closing in on himself as he delivered the ball.It meant when his captain Jos Buttler sat him down on the tour of Pakistan to talk about a role he saw Curran playing with the ball, which involved being able to perform in the powerplay, middle overs and at the death, he had the requisite skills to excel.”I think maybe it was a bit of freshness and doing a little bit of work back at Surrey,” Curran said of how the break helped. “Getting a little bit stronger, working on alignment. I think that’s again confidence: when you’re playing well and feeling in good rhythm you can naturally get a bit more of a buzz towards the crease.”These grounds in Australia are probably suited to the way I wanted to bowl and make guys hit me towards the bigger boundaries. It’s my first time playing in Australia so that’s been a great challenge and I’ve loved it because we’ve won the tournament so maybe I’ll keep coming back here more.”Curran was full of praise for Ben Stokes’ contribution•AFP/Getty ImagesIn terms of inspiration as a death bowler, there was no one in particular, he said. What nuggets garnered from around him came through conversations with bowling coach David Saker and the rest of the attack. There was, however, one man Curran describes as a constant source of inspiration to him and many others within English cricket – fellow allrounder, Ben Stokes.”When Stokesy was out there, geez…” started Curran before losing his thoughts thinking of the innings of 52 not out that eventually took England to their target of 138 with an over to spare. “He’s done it so many times.”I’ve looked up to him for so long and, phwoar, he’s got so much guts and passion and he just does it time after time.”There isn’t too much similar to Curran and Stokes. One looks like he’s due to hit puberty, the other looks like he’s been through it twice. But there is an overriding sense that, like Stokes, Curran has a knack for the big occasion. Maybe not as bombastically as his team-mate, but enough to consistently fulfil a role for England bowling late in the innings when batters target you most without being fazed.”I probably wouldn’t have loved being in the middle when we needed that – he made it look very easy,” Curran responded when it is suggested he would have enjoyed the pressure of the chase. Really? “No, I probably wouldn’t!”I’ve looked up to him [Stokes], he’s always contributing to all three phases of the game, bat, ball and in the field. That’s what you strive to to do – be there in the moment when the crunch time is. He’s done that so many times recently, that gives you inspiration and gives you confidence in the dugout when he’s out in the middle.”Curran might not realise it just yet, but, like Stokes, team-mates and England fans alike will feel a similar comfort going forward whenever the ball is in his hand. He has more than earned that trust after ensuring he, along with this England team, can call themselves “world champions”.
Chelsea lost to Brighton and Hove Albion once again, this time in the Premier League. After a 2-1 defeat in the FA Cup last weekend, Enzo Maresca was out for revenge against Fabian Hurzeler.
The game didn’t go to plan for the Blues, however, as a double from Yankuba Minteh alongside a well-taken goal from Kauro Mitoma saw the Seagulls prevail 3-0 at the AMEX.
Since the turn of the year, the Stamford Bridge side have only won two top-flight matches as they have slipped further down the league table.
Chelsea
Several players haven’t been performing to their full abilities of late. Cole Palmer has failed to score in his previous five matches. Considering Chelsea have won just two of those fixtures, his downturn in form is perhaps no coincidence.
Another player who hasn’t been at their best of late is Levi Colwill, especially against Brighton on Friday evening.
Levi Colwill struggled against Brighton
The defender played the full 90 minutes against the South Coast side during the 3-0 defeat, but he struggled to cope with the frantic nature of the home side.
He may have won eight of his nine total contested duels during the clash, along with completing 93% of his passes, but Colwill was poor in dealing with the threat Brighton posed, especially in his own penalty area.
Indeed, he was given a match rating of just 3/10 by the Standard and was heavily criticised by Blues content creator Vdyk for his display on Friday evening and unless he improves rapidly, he could find himself out of the starting XI, that’s for sure.
This performance was a culmination of a series of poor displays leading up to the match. Against Manchester City a few weeks ago, the Englishman made an error for one of City’s goals as the Blues suffered a 3-1 defeat.
Back in 2021, Chelsea sold a centre-back to fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the finest defenders in the top flight.
Crystal Palace's Jefferson Lerma, Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, Crystal Palace's Trevoh Chalobah and Crystal Palace's AdamWharton
Right now, he is certainly better than Colwill, without a shadow of a doubt.
How much Chelsea sold Marc Guehi for
After making just two senior appearances for Chelsea after coming through the academy, Marc Guehi knew that a move elsewhere would be the only chance he would have of igniting his career.
He spent time on loan at Swansea City, but by the summer of 2021, Crystal Palace were keen on keeping him in London. A deal was struck which saw the youngster move to Selhurst Park for a fee in the region of £20m, which was an impressive profit secured by the Blues.
Although he hadn’t been tested in the Premier League, his success with the Welsh side in the Championship meant he was an interesting signing.
Over the next three and a half seasons, Guehi has gone from raw potential to gaining 22 caps for England while making over 100 appearances for Palace.
How Chelsea would love a player of his quality still at the club.
Marc Guehi’s Crystal Palace statistics
Across his first two seasons at Palace, Guehi missed just three Premier League matches, establishing himself as a regular at the club.
A knee injury restricted his appearances to 25 in the top flight last season, but during his time on the pitch, the 24-year-old was a dependable part of the defence.
Across the entire campaign, Guehi won 60% of his total duels contested in the Premier League, while also making 3.5 clearances, 1.1 tackles, and recovering 4.8 balls per game for Palace.
These statistics show just how impressive he was for the club as they retained their status in the top flight for yet another season and he was hailed by a former teammate at youth level, Josef Bursik, who said: “He’s an absolute tank.
“It’s like having a brick wall in front of you, he’s massive.”
His strength is undoubtedly one of his finest attributes, evidenced by the fact he won over half of his total duels last term.
Given Colwill’s recent poor form, Chelsea must now come to regret selling someone like Guehi, who has developed at a quicker rate than the current Chelsea centre-back, that’s for sure.
Marc Guehi is better than Levi Colwill
Comparing the two defenders with regard to their performances in the Premier League this season proves that there is one who is outshining the other.
Indeed, Guehi has registered more goal contributions (four vs one) in the top flight this term, along with registering more shots (0.43 vs 0.3), tackles (36 vs 29), percentage of dribblers tackled (67.9% vs 64.7%), progressive carries (ten vs nine) and aerial duel won (57 vs 53).
Metric (per 90)
Guehi
Colwill
Accurate passes
43.5
70
Tackles
1.6
1.3
Possession lost
10.4
9
Ball recoveries
4.6
2.9
Total duels won
5.3
4.4
Interceptions
0.6
1
The best thing is, Guehi hasn’t actually been performing at his very best, especially during the first few months of the season, yet he has still managed to outperform the current Chelsea centre-back.
This speaks to just how impressive of a talent the England international is and exactly why the club should regret selling him, as he could have been a great option for Maresca right now.
How much Marc Guehi is valued at now
Chelsea have shown some interest in bringing Guehi back to Stamford Bridge due to his rise at Palace.
Newcastle United did make several offers last summer for the Englishman, but they were rejected by the London club as they looked to build their team around him.
According to GIVEMESPORT, Chelsea are now the favourites to lure the defender back to his first club, although it would take an eye-watering amount to make it happen.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi
This summer could be the perfect chance to sign him, as he only has a year left on his current contract by the time the summer comes around.
Palace will still demand a fee of around £75m, however. Depending on the other areas of his team that Maresca needs to strengthen, might this prove to be a stumbling block?
Only time will tell, but by signing Guehi, the Blues will be improving their defensive options. That’s a certainty.
Fewer passes than Jorgensen: Chelsea's 4/10 flop let Maresca down
Chelsea suffered another defeat to Brighton on Friday night in the Premier League.
Manchester City are now showing concrete interest in a defender, whose price tag has now dropped by £12.5m, but there may be competition for his signature from Real Madrid, according to a report.
Man City keen to strengthen at full-back
Kyle Walker joining AC Milan on loan last month could spell the end for the right-back at the Etihad Stadium, and Pep Guardiola has started to work on finding a replacement, with widespread reports linking Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento with a move.
Not only is Pep looking to strengthen at right-back, but the manager is also keen to bolster his options on the opposite side, with Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso remaining on the list of targets, having been interested in signing the Italian during the January window.
Other left-backs to be considered by City in recent times include Paris Saint Germain’s Nuno Mendes and AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez, with Pep seemingly looking to bring in competition for Josko Gvardiol.
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There has now been a new update on the Sky Blues’ pursuit of Hernandez, with TEAMtalk revealing the left-back is now likely to leave AC Milan this summer, with the Italian club slashing their asking price from £41.5m to £29.5m.
Amid the £12m price drop, Man City are now showing concrete interest in the left-back, who is now climbing higher on their shortlist, with the £29.5m fee considered a fair price.
AC Milan'sTheoHernandezcelebrates
The only potential issue is the fact Real Madrid have also expressed an interest in the Frenchman, and he would be open to a return to the Bernabeu, having spent two years with the Spanish side earlier in his career.
Hernandez is a top attacking left-back
Throughout his career, the Milan defender has consistently provided an attacking threat, despite almost exclusively featuring at left-back, providing seven goals and six assists in the Serie A during the 2020-21 campaign.
Freelance Ben Mattinson has described the former Madrid man as “electric fast”, while also branding him “the best attacking LB in the world”, so it is promising news he could be available for just £29.5m this summer.
Although the report states the France international’s form has dipped this season, he has remained a key player for Milan, and he has continued to provide a consistent attacking threat over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Non-penalty goals
0.10 (82nd percentile)
Progressive carries
3.51 (93rd percentile)
Successful take-ons
1.14 (85th percentile)
Not only does the defender impress on the front foot, but he has also received praise for his defensive work in the past too, being lauded by CBS’ Marco Messina.
As such, Hernandez could be a fantastic signing for City this summer, and given that his price tag has fallen significantly, they should definitely pursue a move.
Uncapped Kamran Ghulam has been called up to replace Azhar Ali, who retired after Pakistan’s last Test
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2022Pakistan have recalled fast bowler Hasan Ali and picked uncapped middle-order batter Kamran Ghulam for the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand at home. Shaheen Shah Afridi continues to miss out as he recovers from a knee injury he picked up in the 2022 T20 World Cup final.Naseem Shah, who missed the last two Tests against England with a shoulder injury, has also returned to the squad after being declared fit. But Haris Rauf, who had also picked up an injury on debut in the first Test against England and did not play in the next two matches, is still recovering, and has been left out.ESPNcricinfo LtdGhulam, 27, had also been picked for the Bangladesh Test series a year ago but didn’t get a game then. He has played 44 first-class matches and averages 47.36, having struck 10 centuries and 18 half-centuries for his 3268 runs. He replaces Azhar Ali in the squad after the senior batter’s retirement. Ghulam had scored a record 1249 runs for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the 2020-21 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and was part of the victorious side in the same tournament last season. He is in fine form these days as well, having scored 92, 0, 123* and 98* in the one-day format in the Pakistan Cup this month. In the QeA Trophy before that, he scored 597 runs from 14 innings to average 42.64.Hasan returns to the squad after being dropped for the series against England, which the visitors swept 3-0. His last Test was against Sri Lanka in Galle in July.Fast bowler Mohammad Ali and bowling allrounder Faheem Ashraf, who were in the squad for the England Tests, have both been excluded for the upcoming series and advised to participate in the ongoing Pakistan Cup, the PCB said in its statement.The series will start on December 26 in Karachi and then move to Multan for the second game starting January 3. That will be followed by three day-night ODIs back in Karachi from January 10 to 14.Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (capt), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Zahid Mehmood
Julian Alvarez hopes Atletico Madrid sign Tottenham's Cristian Romero as the striker is eager to share the dressing room with his Argentine teammate.
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Romero is on the wishlist of both Atletico & RealHas two years left on his Spurs deal Alvarez wants him at Atletico Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Interest from both Atletico Madrid and their city rivals Real Madrid has intensified in recent weeks, with Romero reportedly open to exploring opportunities in Spain. Having joined Spurs permanently in 2022 for £42 million, the 27-year-old still has two years left on his contract, which could complicate negotiations.
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Tottenham hold a strong negotiating position given Romero’s contract length and market value, currently estimated at €75 million (£64m/$85m). Despite that, Atletico believe they could drive the price down, especially if Tottenham fail to secure Champions League football for next season.
WHAT ALVAREZ SAID
Speaking to Spanish outlet , Alvarez made no effort to hide his hopes to see Romero at Atletico and said: "I hope [he joins]! I hope it happens. He's a great player. One of the best centre-backs in the world, in my opinion. A teammate on the national team and a great person. Such a great addition to the team would be a great help.
"[Atleti] feels more like Argentina compared to the Premier League. Maybe also because of the language, or, as we were saying, there are many Argentinian team-mates, the coach too, and so I felt a bit more like Argentina. It's like a family, very close. The passion, courage, and heart that Atleti identifies with is felt a bit more from within."
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DID YOU KNOW?
Romero has previously admitted that Spain's top division remains a personal goal. In an interview with last month, the Argentine defender confessed: "La Liga is left for me to play in, I would love to, to tell you the truth. I would love to play there because it’s the league I’m missing. I try to above all live the day to day. There are almost two months until the championship ends and in my head it’s always [about] performing to the maximum, trying to finish in the best way possible.
"We’re in the semi-final of the Europa League. It’s an important step for the club after so many years where they hadn’t reached those stages. To say I’m happy [with that]? No, because in the end I want to win it, but it depends on a lot of things. After that, once the championship finishes, we’ll see. The truth is I haven’t spoken to my representative yet but I’m open to anything. In my head, I always [think about] growing, also [about] going to new places to keep growing but I don’t want to talk about that yet because there’s a few months left of the championship."
One Chelsea player has failed to win over manager Enzo Maresca behind-the-scenes, and he’s open to the idea of signing for an elite club indefinitely for next season.
Chelsea beat FC Copenhagen 2-1 in Europa Conference League
The west Londoners kicked off an excellent start to their Europa Conference League knockout campaign with a 2-1 victory at FC Copenhagen in their first leg of their last 16 tie, with goals from Reece James and Enzo Fernández handing the Blues a one-goal advantage heading into their second leg clash at Stamford Bridge.
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It was Chelsea’s first away win in all competitions since their 3-1 victory at Kazakhstani minnows Astana all the way back in December, and while this tie still hangs in the balance, Maresca was relieved to finally clinch a win on the road.
“A long time [laughs]! Yeah, very important for many reasons,” said Maresca on the long-awaited Chelsea away win. “For sure because it’s away, for sure because it’s a knockout game now so you need that. And also for the performance.
Leicester City (home)
March 9th
Arsenal (away)
March 16th
Tottenham (home)
April 2nd
Brentford (away)
April 5th
Ipswich Town (home)
April 12th
“They surprised us because in the last almost three years with this manager, they played two games with a line of five, so we didn’t expect that. In the first-half, we controlled the game, we didn’t create chances. Also, when we planned the game, we also expected not to create many chances when we have Shim [Mheuka], who is 17-years-old, Ty [George] is 17-years-old; we knew we would struggle a little bit.
Chelsea manager EnzoMarescabefore the match
“Overall, we deserved to win the game, and it’s good because we gave chances to all of them to get minutes.”
Chelsea let a host of B team players leave during the January transfer window, which contributed towards Maresca handing a few academy teenagers some minutes in Denmark last night. One of the winter departees, João Félix, left west London to join Serie A heavyweights AC Milan on a temporary deal.
The Portugal international impressed during the early stages of his Milan loan, but he’s since failed to recapture that initially promising run of form, with the San Siro outfit’s stance on a permanent move now emerging.
João Félix open to joining AC Milan from Chelsea this summer
As things stand, Milan are not inclined to negotiate an extended stay for the £130,000-per-week attacking midfielder, even if the player himself would be keen on the idea.
According to GiveMeSport, Felix is interested in joining Milan from Chelsea this summer for the 2025/2026 season, but the 25-year-old would need to improve his overall displays to convince the Rossoneri to negotiate a deal.
Right now, Milan are not even entertaining the thought of discussing an extended loan, so Felix will need to put in a real shift from now until the end of this campaign.
GMS add that Felix has failed to impress Maresca or win him over back in London, so there is every reason for the ex-Benfica and Barcelona star to work his socks off in Italy.