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Estevao Willian arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer amid plenty of excitement, but Chelsea now believe another teenager could follow in his footsteps.

The Brazilian, who scored against Enzo Maresca’s side for ex-club Palmeiras at the Club World Cup, is being tipped for an incredibly bright future.

Despite being just 18, Estevao already boasts seven senior caps for the Brazil national side, and bagged his first goal for the five-time World Cup winners in a 3-0 victory over Chile in their last round of qualifiers.

By doing this, Estevao became the youngest Brazil goalscorer in a competitive match since footballing icon Pele.

For Chelsea, the bright young forward has already made three Premier League appearances and notched his first assist for the west Londoners in a 5-1 demolition of West Ham at the London Stadium.

He’s also poised to appear in the Champions League after being named in their official squad for the league phase — travelling with Maresca’s men to face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena this week.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League so far

Average match rating

6. Tosin Adarabioyo

7.20

7. Pedro Neto

7.10

8. Estevao

7.04

9. Enzo Fernández

7.03

10. Robert Sanchez

6.79

via WhoScored

All eyes are now on the dazzling teenager, who has been called the best talent to come out of Brazil since Neymar.

However, as Estevao continues to grab headlines with his potential, Stamford Bridge chiefs are convinced they’ll soon have the next “biggest thing” as well.

Chelsea convinced Dastan Satpaev could be their next Estevao

That is according to journalist Simon Phillips, who told his Substack that Chelsea expect big things from Dastan Satpaev — who’ll join Maresca’s side next summer once he turns 18.

Back in February, Chelsea agreed a £4 million deal to sign Satpaev from Kairat Almaty, which is a record transfer fee for the Kazakhstani first division.

Now, those within the club believe he actually could be the next Estevao.

Interestingly, Chelsea’s faith in Satpaev is backed up by Fabrizio Romano.

Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea really rate Satpaev

The reliable transfer journalist, speaking after Chelsea put pen to paper, revealed that BlueCo actually beat a German club to the youngster’s signature and are convinced he’s got “special” skills.

Manchester City are looking to cement themselves as the team to beat in the Premier League and they could go some way to doing that if they are able to tempt their latest transfer target to the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City react to Champions League league phase draw

In an eventful week, the Champions League league phase draw is now complete and Manchester City now know who they will face for a place in the knockout rounds of the competition.

From the eight sides they will take on, ties against Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Napoli are the standouts, though the Citizens have landed a favourable run off games on paper and will feel confident they can progress.

Man City’s Champions League opponents

Real Madrid (A)

Borussia Dortmund (H)

Bayer Leverkusen (H)

Villarreal (A)

Napoli (H)

Bodo/Glimt (A)

Galatasaray (H)

AS Monaco (A)

Fixture dates TBC

Speaking after the draw, Pep Guardiola expressed his delight at being able to welcome former Manchester City heroes Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane back to the Etihad Stadium.

He stated: “I’m really pleased he (Kevin De Bruyne) will come back here and of course, we have to beat the teams Napoli and Galatasaray (with Leroy Sane), nice to welcome him back. I’m sure the people will give a great welcome to them, they deserve it.”

Nevertheless, attention turns to their clash against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend alongside transfer activity, and the Citizens are plotting move to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold from Real Madrid.

Admittedly, that may come down the line in January, though it shows that Guardiola’s ambition is through the roof as his side look to get back to dominating English football. Fermin Lopez could also move to the Etihad from Barcelona, and they are lining up another significant play for one of the world’s finest stars amid growing uncertainty over his future at a global superpower.

Man City lining up record Vinicius Junior bid

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are lining up a £130 million bid to sign Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, given he has two years on his contract left in the Spanish capital.

The Brazil international is at loggerheads with Los Blancos over an extension and Guardiola is ready to swoop in, given his pace and ability to burn past defenders in one-on-one situations.

Man City could bid for £276k-p/w star who called the Etihad "incredible"

The Blues are lining up a shock move for a player Pep Guardiola has praised in the past…

ByDominic Lund Aug 28, 2025

Similar to their pursuit of Alexander-Arnold, the Citizens may wait until 2026 to move for the winger, who has been nominated for the 2025 Balon D’Or and has previously been labelled “quality” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Starting the campaign with a bang, Vinicius registered a goal and an assist in Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory over Real Oviedo last weekend, but his situation is growing slightly more uncertain as the weeks go by.

Manchester City are no stranger to a statement signing, and manging to push a deal over the line for someone of such a high pedigree would be guaranteed to make global headlines.

Ben Sears, the New Zealand fast bowler, has signed for Yorkshire for the 2025 season, and will arrive in time for their second County Championship game of the season, against Worcestershire at Headingley.Sears, 27, has impressed with his raw pace for New Zealand, including in his only Test to date, against Australia in 2024, when he claimed five wickets at Christchurch, including 4 for 90 in the second innings. He had previously made his T20I debut against Bangladesh in 2021.He will be joined at Headingley by his fellow New Zealand quick Will O’Rourke, who has signed for the T20 Blast, while the club has also drawn comparisons with his compatriot, and former Yorkshire overseas player, Lockie Ferguson.”I can’t wait to get over to Headingley and start playing with the guys,” Sears said. “Some of the signings made already are exciting and I hope I can add to that.”It’s important to set the tone early in any season. We have some big games in that first block, and I’ll be ready to get the team off to the best start possible.”Head Coach Anthony McGrath said: “Ben is a real talent who can get some extra bounce when he bowls. In that early section of the year when pitches can be greener or slower, he’ll be a real handful and I’m excited to get him over and start working with him.”Gavin Hamilton, General Manager of Cricket added: “To attract such talented bowlers like Ben to the club is testament to the lure of Yorkshire across the globe. Ben is an exciting talent and will provide the squad with an extra element that will be crucial this season.”We’re thrilled he has signed and look forward to welcoming him to Headingley in April.”

On either side of Nurul’s blitz was an obstructing the field incident and an argument involving Tamim Iqbal on an action-packed evening

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jan-2025Nurul Hasan hit three sixes and three fours in the final over of Rangpur Riders’ chase against Fortune Barishal in a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match in Sylhet on Thursday, to take his team to a last-ball win.It was the third highest last-over score in a men’s T20, behind Somerset’s 34 runs in a nine-ball over against Somerset in the T20 Blast in 2015 and Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) 31 against Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2023.Nurul was on 2 from one ball after walking out in the 18th over of Rangpur’s chase of Barishal’s 197 for 5. First, he saw Shaheen Shah Afridi and Jahandad Khan send four batters back by the end of the 19th over – including Mahedi Hasan given out obstructing the field. Then, up against Kyle Mayers’ medium pace with Rangpur needing 26 runs to win the game, Nurul went 6 (scythed over cow corner), 4 (shovelled over fine leg), 4 (just short of the rope at deep square), 6 (into the stands at deep midwicket) and 4 (through the covers) to leave two runs to get off the last ball, which he smashed square on the leg side for six more. At the start of that over, it seemed like Rangpur’s unbeaten run in the competition was over. At the end of it, they had made it six wins out of six and were six points clear at the top.Most runs successfully chased in the last over of a T20•ESPNcricinfo LtdAfter the game, Nurul remembered another final over where he could not get the job done. “I always regretted not being able to take 20 runs off the last over against India, in the [2022] T20 World Cup,” he said. “We got close but I couldn’t finish the job in that big stage.”*This time around, he produced one of his “best knocks”. “Khushdil [Shah], who struck two sixes in the 19th over, said that we can still win this game. [Non-striker Kamrul Islam] Rabbi told me to play all six balls in the last over. I think the first six gave me the most belief. They have a good bowling attack. Twenty-six runs was a lot of runs… I was just hoping that I got the balls in my zone.”It is nothing new – people often forget my knocks of twenties or thirties. It is not a big deal as long as I can contribute for the team. Since I could win the game for the team, this is one of my best knocks.”Mahedi out obstructing the fieldThat last over was not the only drama in the game. The 19th over, which Khushdil began with consecutive sixes before falling, produced three wickets: the second one falling via an obstructing-the-field incident.Mahedi Hasan was facing his first ball, with Nurul at the other end. Mahedi lobbed the ball down the pitch, Nurul set off to get the strike, and the bowler Jahandad Khan hared towards his left to collect the aerial lob. Nurul and the bowler collided halfway down the pitch, as the latter was looking to complete the return-catch. An appeal followed and Mahedi was given out in accordance with Law 37.3.1 that states “if the delivery is not a no-ball, the striker is out obstructing the field if wilful obstruction or distraction by either batter prevents the striker being out caught.”Nurul said of the incident: “I was trying to take a run. He just came in front of me. I didn’t change my way. I didn’t have any intention to obstruct the bowler. The umpire informed us that whoever was the striker in that instance, would be declared out.”The final bit of drama came after Nurul’s winning six, when Barishal captain Tamim Iqbal was seen being held back from an argument with members of the opposition. “I saw it partly but I am not aware what it is about,” Nurul said.Barishal coach Nafees Iqbal described the incident thus: “I just saw that there was some excitement after the game. Emotions often carry over after this sort of match. I hope it is nothing serious. Possibly something was said, which prompted the reaction. I don’t think it is serious.”Rangpur batter Alex Hales who was involved in the incident told : “He [Tamim] was upset about something. I am not sure but maybe because his team had just lost. We shook hands. Nothing was said. He asked me if I have something to say, say it to his face. I didn’t say anything. He was getting very personal.”*

Glasgow Rangers play their first competitive game of the 2025/26 campaign on Tuesday night as they prepare for the first leg of their Champions League qualifier at Ibrox.

The Light Blues will be hoping to take an advantage back to Greece the following week in their bid to make the next stage of the qualifying process, as they look to qualify for the league phase of the competition.

Russell Martin may not have the perfect squad to choose from on Tuesday night, though, as new signing Thelo Aasgaard is a doubt through injury.

The Scottish head coach has also confirmed that fellow new signing Djeidi Gassama will not be fit to start the game because of a “disrupted” pre-season, but the Frenchman will be a part of the Rangers squad.

Gassama recently signed for the Scottish Premiership giants from English Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent deal, but supporters look set to have to wait to see him from the start.

That is a shame for Martin, Rangers, and the fans because his performances for the Owls in the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he is a very exciting player.

What Djeidi Gassama could bring to Rangers

On paper, supporters may look at Gassama’s numbers from last season and think that he is a goalscoring winger who does not create much for his teammates.

That is because he ended the campaign with a haul of seven goals and one assist in 43 outings in the Championship, which suggests that scoring goals is his biggest offensive attribute.

Whilst that may still be true, Gassama’s underlying numbers suggest that his teammates were the reason why he only had one assist to his name, rather than because of a lack of quality or creativity on his part.

As you can see in the table above, his teammates only finished one of the 38 chances he created for them, and he underperformed his xA by almost two assists.

These statistics suggest that the 21-year-old starlet is a winger who will provide goals and creativity down the left flank, which is why he could be an exciting player for Rangers supporters to watch.

The Light Blues need a quality centre-forward to make the most of his creativity, though, and they are reportedly interested in a star who would fit the bill.

Rangers ready to pursue prolific forward

According to Football Insider, Rangers are eyeing up multiple experienced players to come in and improve the leadership within their dressing room this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

The report claims that Leicester City centre-back Conor Coady and free agent centre-forward Luuk De Jong are both being lined up to be ‘huge figures’ in the dressing room next season.

It states that the Gers are ready to step up their pursuit of both players, as Martin looks to bolster the quality within his side, and De Jong is available as a free agent.

The Dutch centre-forward left PSV at the start of the month, after his contract with the Dutch team expired, and this means that the Light Blues could sign him for nothing this summer.

Rangers want to sign De Jong, as well as Coady, to bring leadership and experience to the squad, but the 34-year-old star would also bring quality and could be the perfect striker for Gassama.

Why Luuk De Jong would be perfect for Djeidi Gassama

The former Barcelona marksman would be the perfect centre-forward for Gassama for multiple reasons, not least because he is a prolific goalscorer.

De Jong scored at least 18 goals in each of the last three seasons for PSV, scoring 18 in the 2022/23 campaign, 38 in the 2023/24 season, and 18 last term, showing that he has not slowed down in front of goal despite his age.

This suggests that he has the goalscoring pedigree and knack for finding the back of the net to make the most of the creativity that Gassama has the potential to provide on the left flank.

De Jong could, therefore, be a dream number nine for the French winger because his goalscoring quality in the final third could result in the former Sheffield Wednesday man racking up way more than one assist next season.

As aforementioned, though, Gassama is also a winger who has the quality to provide goals on a fairly regular basis from the left flank, as shown by his seven-goal haul in the Championship last season.

De Jong would also be perfect for the ex-Paris Saint-Germain youngster in that respect because he is a number nine who has the ability to consistently create high-quality chances for his teammates.

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman racked up 23 assists in the last two Eredivisie seasons with PSV, which shows that he has the potential to provide Gassama with plenty of chances to find the back of the net.

Whereas, Dessers, for example, has only assisted six goals in 70 matches in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers in the last two seasons, since his move to the club from Cremonese in 2023.

De Jong, who was described as an “exemplary” professional by Xavi during his time at Barcelona, is a complete number nine who offers experience, goals, and assists.

This is why he could be the perfect signing for Rangers, as they look for quality and leadership, as well as being the perfect signing for Gassama, who would have a striker to finish the chances he creates as well as a forward who can create chances for him to score.

Creates room for Rak-Sakyi: Rangers want to sell Dowell & "blistering" flop

Rangers can create space for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi as they look to sell several first-team players.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 17, 2025

يقود الألماني هانز فليك فريقه برشلونة مساء اليوم الأحد في مباراة ببطولة الدوري الإسباني لموسم 2025-2026، أمام خيافي.

ويستقبل برشلونة نظيره خيتافي على ملعب “يوهان كرويف” ضمن مباريات الجولة الخامسة للدوري الإسباني “الليجا”.

وعاد برشلونة إلى سكة الانتصارات في الدوري بالجولة الماضية بفوز ساحق على فالنسيا، بسداسية دون رد، وسيسعى لتحقيق فوزه الثاني على التوالي ضد خيتافي.

وبعد فوزه على نيوكاسل بهدفين لهدف في الجولة الأولى لمرحلة الدوري ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، ينصب تركيز برشلونة على الدوري الإسباني ومواجهة خيتافي.

وقد تشهد تشكيلة برشلونة تغييرات طفيفة، في خط الدفاع نظرًا لإصابة باو كوبارسي في الركبة يوم الخميس، والتي لا تُعتبر خطيرة، لكن قد يفضل فليك إراحة لاعبه. تشكيل برشلونة المتوقع أمام خيتافي

حراسة المرمى: خوان جارسيا.

خط الدفاع: جول كوندي، رونالد أراوخو، أندرياس كريستينسن، جيرارد مارتن.

خط الوسط: فرينكي دي يونج، بيدري، فيرمين لوبيز.

خط الهجوم: رافينها، فيران توريس، ماركوس راشفورد.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

Surrey close with lead of 133, after seven wickets for spinner Will Jacks

ECB Reporters Network31-Aug-2024A maiden century in only his third first-class innings from the 19-year old, locally raised left-hander Freddie McCann helped take Nottinghamshire’s reply to 405 at Trent Bridge despite a caree-best seven for 129 from Surrey spinner Will Jacks. Batting again, Surrey ended the third day of their Vitality County Championship match 133 ahead on 13 for 1.Play was soured in the afternoon, however, when Jacks, selected in both England’s white-ball squads for their games against Australia in September, smartly fielded a pull on the bounce at short mid-wicket and threw the ball hard and high towards the wicketkeeper causing McCann to take evasive action.Umpires James Middlebrook and Paul Pollard immediately summoned Surrey skipper, Rory Burns, and applied five penalty runs under Law 42.3.1 for “throwing the ball at a player in an inappropriate or dangerous manner”. The matter will also now be referred to Surrey for any further disciplinary action they deem condign.Half an hour later McCann became the fourth victim in the innings of Jacks’s off-spin, slog-sweeping to long-on for 154. And Jack Haynes soon went for 68 to the same all-rounder but the follow-on target of 376 was passed just after tea with six wickets down.On 144 for 3 overnight after the nightwatcher had gone to what proved Friday’s final ball, the home side lost Joe Clarke in the morning’s fourth full over when, rashly, he advanced to launch a straight drive at Jacks only to be stumped as the ball spun sharply out of the rough trough thew gate. Clarke, gone for four, was Jacks’s third success in 11 balls after his breakthroughs the previous evening.He remained a threat at the end from which fellow off-spinner Farhan Ahmed had taken seven wickets on the opening two days. But, with Haynes surviving an early alarm when edging a Cam Steel leg-break between wicketkeeper and slip on three, resistance of some character brought lunch at 231 for 4.The partnership had added 154 when McCann departed after 268 balls of high application straight after Haynes had posted a sixth fifty in his 15 innings since joining from Worcestershire. None of these though has passed 77 and the pattern continued when, glancing, his thin legside edge was taken behind.Kyle Verreynne, the South Africa wicketkeeper in his maiden county innings after arriving as Nottinghamshire’s third overseas player this season, was joined by Lyndon James to see the innings to 369 for 4 at tea. But two overs after they had averted the follow-on, James, slicing a drive to backward point for 23, gave Steel his first success in completing 22 of the 110 overs.With bonus points decided as five to Surrey, four to Notts, Liam Patterson-White was leg-before, one run later, giving Jacks his only six-wicket bag since his success at Rawalpindi in the first of his two Tests, against Pakistan in 2022. He had bowled a mere six championship overs hitherto this year.Rob Lord, on debut, came and went for 10 to Steel and Ahmed to Jacks without score as the final four fell for 21 in 30 balls, leaving Verreyyne unbeaten on 50 from just 60 balls. Leading by 120 on first innings, Surrey then faced spin at both ends from the off.It took Ahmed eight balls to add to his match tally when Dom Sibley clipped to mid-wicket but after seven overs bad light intervened with eleven of the day’s quota left unbowled. Surrey’s pursuit of an eighth win in nine games and a third successive championship title was put on hold for the night.

A “fantastic” Sunderland player looks to be closing in on a summer exit from the club, with “positive” discussions reportedly taking place over his future.

Who could Sunderland sign back in the Premier League?

The Black Cats are preparing for life back in the Premier League, following their memorable promotion to the Championship, with plenty of players being mentioned as potential signings.

Dynamo Kiev striker Vladyslav Vanat is reportedly seen as a top target for Sunderland, who are believed to be leading the race to snap him up in the summer transfer window. The 23-year-old scored 17 goals in the league last season, outlining his pedigree as an exciting target.

Meanwhile, Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez has also been backed to join the Black Cats this summer, although he appears to have poured cold water on the rumour in a recent Instagram post, saying:

“10 years ago as a kid moving from south east London to Liverpool, I couldn’t even imagine looking this far into the future. Looking back now I’m full of gratitude & take so much pride in being a part of this club and city.No denying the challenges along the way, but embracing them to grow as both a player and a person is something I’ve always tried to do & I’m grateful for all the support in trying to do that.It’s been a blessing to be a part of the different dressing rooms and getting to create such special memories over the years with so many great players & staff. I felt it was important to share my thanks to you all for the support throughout the years, it’s always meant the world and I will never take it for granted. A decade in red… and still hungry to keep going.”

Sunderland in "positive" discussions over exit for 22 y/o

Now, according to Hibernian head coach David Gray, talks over Sunderland midfielder Nectarios Triantis sealing a permanent move there are going positively currently, following a loan stint at the Scottish club last season.

“He is another one who had a fantastic season. You seen how much he improved last year, playing week-in, week out. His parent club have just got promoted to the Premier League and their are conversations going on. Clearly he was a big part of what we done last year and it is a position that we are going to need to fill. There is conversations going on there that are positive at the minute but you always need to be proactive and making sure that you are trying to get your work in as early as you can.”

Since then, The Northern Echo have reported that talks are at an advanced stage over a permanent exit for Triantis.

This summer feels like the right time for Triantis to leave Sunderland, considering he hasn’t been an important part of Regis Le Bris’ plans at the Stadium of Light.

Related Sunderland hold 'formal' talks and now lead the race to sign £21m star

The Black Cats are ready to strike on the market.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Jun 20, 2025

The 22-year-old Australian has made just five appearances for the Black Cats since arriving in the summer of 2023, and receiving funds for him instead of losing him on a free transfer in 2027 makes perfect sense.

With the transfer window now open, Aston Villa have reportedly made their first move in pursuit of an impressive Championship talent who has attracted interest from a number of clubs.

Aston Villa's summer plans amid PSR concerns

It wouldn’t have just been Unai Emery left angered and bitterly disappointed at Aston Villa’s failure to qualify for the Champions League on the final day of the season, those in the boardroom would have been equally as frustrated. A place among Europe’s elite, on the pitch, would have come with the biggest and most historic occasions for a second season running. But off the pitch, it would have made an even greater impact.

Now, without Champions League football and the finances that come with it, Aston Villa are facing a profit and sustainability crisis. The numbers suggest that they need to sell to buy in the coming months if they want to comply with the rules, and just who those in the Midlands decide to sacrifice is the big question.

As The Athletic’s PSR data shows, Aston Villa are the side most at risk of facing sanctions unless they sell players this summer. Meanwhile, what will only frustrate those at Villa Park more when looking at the data is that Chelsea have the most room to manoeuvre and Manchester United have far more freedom than Aston Villa despite finishing 15th in the Premier League and missing out on European football last season.

Nonetheless, it is the position that Villa must now find a way out of and whilst the likes of Emiliano Martinez have already looked likely for the exit door, the Villans have still set their sights on potential bargain deals in the other direction.

Aston Villa make first Sidibe enquiry

According to The Telegraph’s John Percy, Aston Villa have now made their first enquiry to sign Sol Sidibe from Stoke City this summer. The Villans reportedly have “strong interest” in the teenager that Percy described as a “huge talent” and are competing against a number of English clubs for his signature.

At just 18 years old, the midfielder has been making plenty of waves in the Championship, making eight appearances for Stoke’s senior side last season and leaving former player turned U21s coach Ryan Shawcross incredibly impressed.

The former defender told reporters when asked about Sidibe’s performance against Manchester United’s youth side in August: “I thought Sol was absolutely top-class tonight and was the best player on the pitch by far.

Better than Watkins: Aston Villa ready offer for £28m "pure goalscorer"

Aston Villa are eyeing up a swoop for a striker

1 ByRoss Kilvington Jun 6, 2025

“He drove the ball up the pitch well, showed his qualities, and got another 90 minutes under his belt. We are very aware of the importance of the younger players getting minutes.”

Chelsea have now held internal talks over the possibility of re-signing a star former player, with Enzo Maresca’s side now looking to strengthen yet another area of the squad which could soon be weakened.

Chelsea firmly in Champions League race after win over Fulham

The Blues were staring down the barrel of west London derby defeat to Fulham on Easter Sunday, but thanks to two dramatic late goals from Tyrique George and Pedro Neto, Maresca’s blushes were spared.

Chelsea preparing £43m offer for "surprising" new striker target

The west Londoners have another name on their agenda.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 23, 2025

The 2-1 win at Craven Cottage keeps Chelsea’s hopes of Champions League qualification firmly alive, and there are more than four spots up for grabs this year amid a tight race for fifth with Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United.

Defeat at Fulham would’ve spelled disaster for Maresca, but Neto’s 93rd minute winner sparked jubilation in the away end and could come as a season-defining strike.

“Personally, the goal from Pedro doesn’t change my view from the season,” said Maresca on Neto’s late goal.

“I said three or four days ago, and I will repeat, Chelsea in the last two years have never been in a Champions League spot and this season we spent the whole season there. So today’s win doesn’t change my view.

“It’s already a good season and can become very good if we finish in a Champions League spot, no doubt. But for sure today was an important win because first of all it’s a derby, second it gives us the chance to be there and probably was the most difficult win and the reason why is because they all played yesterday, so for us it was a must-win game. And I think after we conceded the goal is the reason why we struggled a bit more because for the players it became more difficult and second half we were much better.”

The race for Europe will also be crucial in determining the club’s transfer plans for this summer, as it will boost the club’s budget and do wonders in attracting their top targets for next season.

Chelsea discuss re-signing Man City legend Kevin De Bruyne

Now, as per reliable journalist Simon Phillips, an attacking midfielder could be on the agenda for Chelsea, with Christopher Nkunku, Joao Felix and Carney Chukwuemeka all likely to be sold or loaned out in the summer.

They’ve also refused to rule out bringing in veteran players if they come as good value, prompting them to consider a move for Man City legend and former Cobham star Kevin De Bruyne.

The Belgian is out-of-contract and set to leave Eastlands this summer, bringing an end to 10 years of major success at City where he’s been right at the heart of their dominance.

He is undoubtedly one of the best creative midfielders the Premier League has ever seen, and Phillips now reports that Chelsea are internally discussing re-signing De Bruyne, 11 years after Jose Mourinho sold the player to Wolfsburg for just £17 million.

His “beloved” status at the Blues follows a decade of stunning performances, where he’s also managed 107 goals and 177 assists in all competitions.

The 33-year-old has suffered from his fair share of injury problems in the last two seasons, though, and would likely need to take a cut on his sky-high £400,000-per-week salary.