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Finn Allen smashed his second straight 50-plus score, Jake Fraser-McGurk roared back to form, and fast bowlers Xavier Bartlett and Haris Rauf picked up four wickets apiece to lead San Francisco Unicorns to their second win on the bounce in MLC 2025. Unicorns posted a 200-plus total for the second game in a row, after their record-breaking 269 for 5 in the opening game of the tournament, and it proved to be too much for Los Angeles Knight Riders as only two of their batters scored over 30.It was Fraser-McGurk this time who led Unicorns’ charge with a blistering 88 off 38 balls that was studded with 11 sixes and just two fours, and it came after he had tallied just 61 runs in his last seven T20 innings at an average of just 8.71, which also included him getting dropped from the Delhi Capitals (DC) playing XI in the IPL. Against LAKR, however, he and Allen hammered 121 runs in just 55 balls for the second wicket – including a powerplay of 76 for 1. The highlight in that phase was the four consecutive sixes Fraser-McGurk smashed off Shadley van Schalkwyk in the fifth over that went for 25. After a rare boundary-less seventh over for just four runs from Sunil Narine, and seven more in the next bowled by Jason Sangha, Fraser-McGurk and Allen got back to smashing the ball around before Allen holed out to long-on off Narine for 52 off 27.Fraser-McGurk replied with three more sixes in the 13th over after he had brought up his 21-ball fifty, before he too handed a catch, to mid-off against van Schalkwyk. The top order had set the stage as Unicorns were going at over 12 an over when Fraser-McGurk fell with the score on 167 with 39 balls to go. The LAKR bowlers pulled things back after that as Unicorms lost four wickets and managed just 52 runs thereafter. They lost Hassan Khan, Corey Anderson, Bartlett and Brody Couch in the space of three overs, which included a double-wicket over from Ali Khan. Rauf struck a six and a four in the last two overs to stretch them past 200 and post a challenging total.The LAKR chase was dented twice early on with the wickets of openers Andre Fletcher and Alex Hales in the first 21 balls. No. 3 Unmukt Chand kept them going with a 30-ball half-century to post 66 in the powerplay. He lost his partner Nitish Kumar in the eighth over to Hassan that ended a quick stand of 46 off 24. Chand and Matthew Tromp then managed just 33 runs off the next 30 balls that saw three boundary-less overs on the bounce. Chand took off again with a four and a six in the next two overs before Rauf roared with a seven-run double-wicket over that saw Chand and the powerful Andre Russell walk back, the second dismissal coming through a 146km thunderbolt that rattled the stumps. LAKR were five down and needed 107 from 42 balls, which proved to be too stiff. Saif Badar scored 17 off eight balls and Narine, the captain, smoked 27 off 13 before Rauf struck with another double-wicket over that virtually ended the chase in the 19th over.

Yorkshire captain continues fine form and will face future team-mates in third round of T20 Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2025

Lauren Winfield-Hill continued her fine form with a matchwinning 60 from 35 balls, and in the process set up an intriguing clash with her soon-to-be team-mates at Essex, as Yorkshire overpowered Staffordshire in the second round of the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup.After winning the toss at Weetwood, captain Winfield-Hill found a key ally in Rebecca Duckworth, who made 51 from 54 balls, as Yorkshire set their Tier 3 opponents 177 to win.Olivia Thomas took 3 for 17 from four overs of legspin, while Claudie Cooper and Beth Langston claimed two wickets apiece as Staffordshire were bowled out for 108 off the penultimate ball of their chase.Winfield-Hill made 88 in Yorkshire’s round-one victory over Derbyshire on Monday, and was soon into her stride, hitting four boundaries in the second over, bowled by Staffs captain Lucy Shenton.She was given two chances en route to a 28-ball fifty, then picked off the first six of the innings before Georgie Harrison bowled her for 60 to end a 91-run stand with Duckworth.Staffordshire’s hopes were dented by a tight start from Yorkshire’s bowlers, who conceded nine runs in the first three overs of the chase, before offspinner Cooper struck courtesy of Winfield-Hill’s smart stumping of Helen Hughes for 3.Staffordshire recovered to 50 for 1 but fell away to 67 for 4 at the halfway mark, and never threatened thereafter. It means Yorkshire will host Tier 1 opposition for the first time when Essex visit next weekend, with Winfield-Hill due to join her opponents on loan later this season when the T20 Blast gets underway.Elsewhere, Glamorgan secured a home tie against Tier 1 side Lancashire by overcoming Sussex by 48 runs in Cardiff. Batting first, Glamorgan racked up 156 for 7 in their 20 overs, Bethan Gammon top-scoring with 41 from 30 balls. In reply, Sussex’s first two wickets fell for ducks as they were restricted to 108 for 7.Oxfordshire will host The Blaze in round three after seeing off Hertfordshire by 24 runs at St Edward’s School. Their imposing total of 191 for 7 was built on Sophie Grayson’s 48 from 37 balls, and a fast-paced finish from captain Ellie Ingram, who was unbeaten on 53 from 29. Hertfordshire battled hard, reaching 80 for 1 at the halfway mark, but could only tally 167 for 3.Leicestershire made light work of Cheshire at Grace Road, restricting their visitors to 93 before easing to victory in 12.1 overs, with Becki Brooker top-scoring with 42 from 37. Cambridgeshire, meanwhile, beat Northumberland by 18 runs at Corbridge, with Kelly Haynes’ 3 for 13 proving instrumental in their defence of 131.In Sunday’s ties, Northamptonshire overcame a dramatic top-order wobble to see off Shropshire at Shrewsbury, recovering from 50 for 6 to post 137 for 7, thanks to Mabel Reid’s 54 not out from 34 balls. In reply Shropshire were rolled aside for 66.At Butleigh Salterton, Devon saw off Suffolk in a tense 14-overs contest, eventually chasing 67 with two balls to spare. While at Wokingham, Kent marched into round three with an emphatic 47-run victory over Berkshire.

John Terry has revealed his confusion at the fact he does not receive more job offers, while seemingly giving up on his ambition to manage Chelsea. The former England captain has not held a first-team coaching position since working as an assistant at Leicester City in 2023, as offers do not appear to have materialised.

• Terry's bitterness

  Terry enjoyed a world-class playing career in which he captained Chelsea to five Premier League titles, as well as the Champions League and five FA Cups. He retired after a short stint at Aston Villa, having also won 78 caps for England, and then appeared set to head into coaching. In 2018, fresh from hanging up his boots, he was appointed as Villa's assistant head coach, working with manager Dean Smith, but left after three years. Since, he worked with Chelsea in a coaching consultancy role, before returning to Smith's staff at Leicester City. After his time with the Foxes, which came to an end in July of 2023, he has not held a role in first-team football, and he has expressed his confusion at the state of affairs he finds himself in, having seen former international team-mates Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Wayne Rooney all bag managerial roles. 

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  Terry's dream fading

  Quoted by the Daily Mail, Terry revealed his dream is to manage Chelsea, but he accepts that he may well have to admit defeat on that fantasy. 

  He said: "I'm not sure it ever happens, to be honest. It's my one last dream I have at the football club. I've done everything at Chelsea. And for me now, the one thing that is missing is being the manager of the football club. 

  "That's why I went into coaching when I finished playing. My idea and dream was to learn my trade a bit. As a player, you retire after 22 years… Listen, 100 per cent, you learn enough to go into management. 

  "The level I played at and the managers I played under. But it doesn't give you the right you go into management at a certain level. You still have to learn and understand what it takes. 

  "There's a lot more that goes into the coaching side of it. So I went away and learnt my trade, I had some unbelievable times at Villa, I left Villa to be a number one, I thought I was ready. I think I'd be a really good number one, I enjoyed the coaching side of it. 

  "I want people around me that are better coaches than me. Then I could lead the dressing room and the team like I did [as a player]. That's what I did for 22 years at the club. I know I'd be good at it. Will I ever get the chance? I'm not sure, without doing the other bits. But when people tell you you've not got the experience, it's difficult to fathom."

• Not eyeing a Premier League club

  Terry says he is not trying to take a job in the top-flight of English football, and instead says he would be willing to drop into a League One club as he looks to kick-start his managerial career at the age of 44. 

  He added: "When I went into Villa I got great experience under Dean Smith and we got promotion, which was incredible. As an assistant coach in the Premier League and the experience I've had as a player and an individual captain in both Chelsea and England, I thought that would be enough to get me a job.

  "I'm not saying a job in the Premier League or the Championship – but a job at League One level."

  Terry concluded: "I didn't even get a sniff. I had interviews and it was just 'you have no experience'. When I see some people managing today, it baffles me, it really does. 

  "In terms of 'am I frustrated', yes, absolutely, because I have a lot of good attributes to be a really good coach or a really good manager but, unfortunately, that's not happened."

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  What comes next?

  Terry is clearly ready and willing to jump into the dugout but it is unclear if a League One club will be willing to test him out. He will surely be keeping a close eye on managerial movements up and down the Football League, although the Blues job looks a long way off for the former skipper. 

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Bruno Lage pode trabalhar no Brasil. Após alguns dias de espera, o português obteve seu visto de trabalho e, agora, o Botafogocorre contra o tempo para contar com seu comandante na beira do gramado para o confronto com o Patronato, da Argentina. A informação foi divulgada inicialmente por “O Globo” e confirmada pelo Lance!.

Para que Lage faça sua estreia oficial na quarta-feira (19) no comando do Glorioso em partida válida pela Copa Sul-Americana, o nome do técnico tem de estar regularizado no Boletim Informativo Diário (BID) da CBF.

Caso isso não aconteça, há possibilidade de Bruno Lage estar à beira do gramado do Nilton Santos. Porém, não assinará como treinador principal. Isto ocorreu com Cláudio Caçapa na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Vasco, na qual Lúcio Flávio assinou a súmula como o treinador alvinegro.

O restante da comissão técnica de Bruno Lage ainda está no aguardo. Os auxiliares técnicos Luis Nascimento e Carlos Cachada, o preparador físico Alexandre Silva e os analistas Jhony Conceição e Diogo Camacho continuam à espera de seus respectivos vistos.

Manchester City lost one of their key players over the summer. Kevin De Bruyne departed the club after a decade, leaving as one of the all-time great players, not only in City’s history, but in the entirety of the Premier League, given his record and the fact that he is a six-time champion.

He featured 422 times for the Citizens in total, scoring 108 goals and assisting a remarkable 117 times. His loss is certainly going to impact City, as the Belgian legend embarks on a new adventure for Scudetto winners Napoli, under Antonio Conte.

With De Bruyne gone, City will need to replace him well to ensure they maximise the likes of Erling Haaland. In recent days, a shock link has emerged for Pep Guardiola’s side.

City’s latest transfer targets

It will be fascinating to see just how much money City spend before the end of the 2025 summer transfer window. Reports in recent days suggest they are plotting an ambitious £85m move for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo.

Transfer Focus

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

The Brazilian might not be the only marquee player through the door at the Etihad Stadium before the window slams shut. According to talkSPORT, they are ‘contemplating a stunning hijack’ for Chelsea’s deal to sign RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons.

The Dutchman has been a long-term target for the West Londoners this summer and has agreed personal terms, but City could ‘come in and try to complete a deal themselves’, with no fee yet agreed.

Leipzig are looking for £60m, and with Chelsea around £10m, it could give City a chance to hijack the move.

Why Simons would be a good signing

There is no doubt that Simons is a hugely exciting talent. The Leipzig attacker, who can play right across the frontline, has shone in the last couple of years for the German side, and was once described as a “sensation” by football scout Antonio Mango.

Last season, the youngster, who is still just 22 years of age, played 33 times for Leipzig, scoring 11 times and assisting a further eight goals. He struggled with an ankle injury and missed a large portion of the season between October and December.

Some of his stats from the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign are impressive and show his ability to create chances in the final third. For example, the former Barcelona academy star averaged 5.86 progressive passes and 2.13 key passes each game, placing him in the top 5% and 15% respectively.

It is that kind of creativity that will serve Haaland well. The Norwegian striker has been a revelation for City and has a sensational record for the club. In 146 games, he’s found the back of the net 124 times, chipping in with 21 assists.

Yet, taking a player with the quality of De Bruyne out of the City team would surely impact Haaland if they don’t replace him well. The pair combined for 25 goals, and Haaland has never linked up with a player more times in his career, as per Transfermarkt.

It is certainly a big job for Simons if he were to step into De Bruyne’s shoes this season. Just looking at the numbers he managed to put up with Haaland shows just how dominant the pair were together.

Yet, the Dutchman, who was born in Amsterdam, has put up some fantastic numbers over the past couple of seasons and is a consistent chase creator, as the above number showed. It is easy to imagine Haaland getting on the end of passes such as this one to new Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko.

Of course, £60m is a huge investment for City to make, given they have bought a lot of players already this summer. Yet, they need a quality De Bruyne replacement, and Simons has the ability to become that player.

Haaland would love a new De Bruyne this season, and perhaps City have found their answer in the talented young Dutchman.

He’s Balotelli 2.0: Viana exploring Man City move to sign £43m "phenom"

Man City are still not done in the summer transfer window

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 13, 2025

West Ham United are now willing to submit a formal offer for a “special” goal-scoring midfielder, who could be keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.

West Ham looking to sign new midfielder after opening day defeat

There have been widespread suggestions that West Ham are set to make an offer for at least one new midfielder in the coming days, and the need to get new signings through the door has arguably been exacerbated by the disappointing opening day defeat.

The Hammers suffered a 3-0 loss against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon, and Alan Shearer has since stated that fans should be worried about the season that lies ahead.

Shearer said: “I would be [concerned]. That’s Graham Potter’s biggest defeat as West Ham manager. They haven’t replaced Kudus, two new players in the starting lineup.

“There was no spark, no energy, and there was certainly no reaction at all, and that would be the worrying thing already.”

Their new Rice: West Ham now in the mix to sign PL "monster" for Potter

West Ham are in the race to sign a midfielder who could be their best since Declan Rice.

ByWill Miller Aug 17, 2025

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Bayer Leverkusen’s Aleix Garcia is one of the midfielders on Potter’s shortlist, and there has now been a new update on the Irons’ pursuit of the Spaniard.

According to a report from Spain, West Ham are now willing to submit a formal offer for Garcia in the coming weeks, and there is a feeling the former Manchester City man could welcome a return to the Premier League.

The Hammers’ current midfield options have been inconsistent, meaning Potter is looking to bolster his options, but it could be a challenge to prise the Spanish maestro away from Bayer Leverkusen, given that he only arrived at the German club for €18m (£16m) last summer.

The Irons also held talks to sign the former Girona man prior to his move to Germany, and there are plenty of signs it could be worth reigniting their interest…

"Special" Garcia could elevate West Ham's midfield

Pep Guardiola has lauded the five-time Spain international in the past, claiming he has “something special”, and the Leverkusen ace’s goal-scoring ability could make him a shrewd acquisition for West Ham.

Indeed, the 28-year-old has been a reliable source of goals for Leverkusen over the past year, placing in the 92nd percentile for non-penalty goals per 90, while also ranking in the 89th percentile for assists.

Moreover, the former Man City man has vastly outperformed Lucas Paqueta over that time period, despite the Brazilian being more accustomed with playing in a more advanced midfield role.

Player

Non penalty goals (per 90)

Assists (per 90)

Lucas Paqueta

0.07

0.0

Aleix Garcia

0.20

0.20

As such, Garcia could clearly be capable of taking West Ham’s midfield to the next level, and it is promising news that an official bid could be submitted soon.

Shubman Gill is set to miss the first Test against Australia starting on November 22 in Perth after fracturing the thumb of his left hand.ESPNcricinfo learned the fracture was confirmed on Saturday after Gill attempted a low catch in the slips on the second day of India’s simulated training game.The BCCI has not yet made an official statement on Gill’s injury but it is understood that while the fracture is minor, Gill is racing the clock to be fit for the second Test in Adelaide, a day-night fixture that begins on December 6.Gill’s injury means India will have to adapt to fill gaps in their batting order. With captain Rohit Sharma also set to miss the first Test, India have to find an opening partner for Yashasvi Jaiswal, a new No. 3, and also identify their No. 6.Related

• India's likely XI: Rahul set to open, Padikkal No. 3, and Jurel in the middle order

• Boost for India as KL Rahul returns to bat in Sunday training

• Can Jaiswal counter fire with fire in Australia?

The options for India are KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran at the top of the order, though Devdutt Padikkal, who was with India A on the shadow tour in Australia, will also remain with the India squad.Rahul had opened the batting in the second four-day game between India A and Australia A, and also in the simulated training game among the Indian players at the WACA in the lead up to the series opener at the Optus Stadium. After scoring 4 and 10 against Australia A at the MCG, Rahul was struck on his right elbow by a rising delivery from the tall quick Prasidh Krishna on Friday. He did not bat again that day but returned to the nets on Sunday.Abhimanyu landed in Australia on the back of spectacular form in domestic cricket in India, having scored four centuries in as many red-ball games. But his returns dipped on Australian soil as he fetched scores of 0, 17, 7 and 12 against Australia A. He was out to pace bowling three out of four times – twice edging the ball behind and once to a bouncer – and run-out the fourth time.

Manchester United's swashbuckling attack will have put their Women's Super League title rivals on alert after thrashing Leicester City.

Melvine Malard's brace helped secure Manchester United a commanding 4-0 win over Leicester City in their Women's Super League opener.

Lionesses star Toone opened the scoring in the 13th minute when her first-time hit evaded the clutches of Leicester goalkeeper Janina Leitzig. Elisabeth Terland scored her fifth goal of the season in all competitions as her well-placed header from Jayde Riviere's pinpoint cross squirmed under the Foxes stopper 12 minutes later. 

The Red Devils put some extra gloss on the scoreline 17 minutes from time when Dominique Janssen's teasing delivery was headed in by a brave Malard. The French international scored a terrific fourth from the edge of the box in the 87th minute as Marc Skinner's side went top of the WSL on a rain-swept Sunday afternoon.

GOAL rates Manchester United's from Leigh Sports Village…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Phallis Tullis-Joyce (6/10):

  Was fortunate that Hlin Eiriksdottir's superb long-range effort was ruled out for being offside, as her clearance was poor. Made a good stop in the second half to preserve her team's clean sheet.

  Jayde Riviere (8/10):

  The Canadian was a big threat going forward, and she produced a superb assist for Terland's header. Didn't really put a foot wrong.

  Maya Le Tissier (6/10):

  Some of her passing was a bit sloppy on a sodden surface but improved as the contest progressed. May have picked up a knock late on.

  Dominique Janssen (7/10):

  Was relatively untroubled but looked a bit shaky when faced with the pacey Hannah Cain. Pulled off a lovely cross for Malard's first of the afternoon.

  Anna Sandberg (8/10):

  The Swede was full of running and kept her side of the defence well locked down. A very encouraging performance by the energetic left-back.

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  Midfield

  Julia Zigiotti Olme (7/10):

  The summer signing was lively on her WSL debut for United. They seem to have a bit more quality in midfield now.

  Ella Toone (8/10):

  The Euro 2025 winner could have had a first-half hat-trick but was repeatedly denied by goalkeeper Leitzig. Ran the show in attacking midfield and scored.

  Hinata Miyazawa (6/10):

  The 25-year-old was competent enough but grew into the game as her side put the away team to the sword.

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  Attack

  Celin Bizet (7/10):

  United found most of their joy down the left but Bizet was still a nuisance on the right. 

  Elisabeth Terland (8/10):

  Showed good awareness to set up Toone for United's first goal and then took her header with aplomb. Her stunning start to the season shows no signs of abating.

  Melvine Malard (9/10):

  Linked up very well with Toone in particular, with Leicester's defence having no idea how to handle the Frenchwoman. Bagged two goals of real quality, especially the second.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jess Park (7/10):

  In her first appearance following her eye-catching switch from rivals Manchester City, she looked good on the ball in a zippy display.

  Lisa Naalsund (7/10):

  Helped sweep up some of Leicester's attacking forays.

  Millie Turner (7/10):

  Made some good tackles off the bench.

  Marc Skinner (7/10):

  Only named a bench with five substitutes on, highlighting the club's injury issues, and nearly used all of it. Will have been happy with his team's performance but tougher tests lie ahead.

انتقدت وسائل الإعلام الإيطالية حكم مباراة مانشستر سيتي ونابولي، فيليكس زواير بعد نهاية اللقاء بفوز الفريق الإنجليزي بهدفين نظيفين على ملعب الاتحاد في الجولة الأولى بمرحلة الدوري في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وجاء هذا الانتقاد بسبب لقطة طرد جيوفاني دي لورينزو لاعب نابولي وقد تم اتخاذ القرار بعد مراجعة تقنية الفيديو.

ووجهت صحيفة “كورييري ديلو سبورت” الإيطالية انتقادات خاصة للحكم الألماني الذي حصل على تقييم 4.5 في المباراة.

وجاء القرار الكبير من جانب حكم مباراة مانشستر سيتي ونابولي في الدقيقة 21، عندما تلقى دي لورينزو مدافع الفريق الإيطالي بطاقة حمراء بسبب ارتكابه خطأ ضد إيرلينج هالاند.

أقرأ أيضاً.. أرقام قياسية لـ هالاند بعد هدفه أمام نابولي في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وجاءت الكرة على حافة منطقة الجزاء وكانت هناك فرصة حقيقية ليسجل مانشستر سيتي هدفًا، وكان الحكم يرى في البداية أن دي لورينزو لمس الكرة ولم يغير رأيه إلا بعد مراجعة تقنية الفار في الملعب مما أدى لطرد اللاعب الإيطالي الدولي.

واعترفت الصحيفة الإيطالية بأن دي لورينزو ارتكب خطأ واضحا ومنع فرصة حقيقية لتسجيل هدف لصالح مانشسيتر سيتي.

ومع ذلك فقد أشارت الصحيفة إلى أن هالاند ضرب بيوكيما بمرفقه أثناء التحضير للهجمة، لذا كان ينبغي على تقنية الفيديو مراجعة اللعبة بأكملها.

وأضافت كورييري أيضاً أن نيكو جونزاليس لاعب مانشستر سيتي استحق إنذاراً لاعتدائه بمرفقه على أنجيسا في وقت لاحق من المباراة.

بينما أعطت صحيفة “لاجازيتا ديلو سبورت” تقييمًا للحكم بدرجة 5.5 في المباراة وكتبت أن صاحب الـ44 عاماً لم يشاهد كثير من الأخطاء ربما لأنه تأثر بحصول دي لورينزو على بطاقة حمراء.

Chelsea could still sign more players before deadline day, even if this hinges on their quest to offload an array of surplus squad members.

Related PSG "prepared" to smash transfer record with £217m bid for Chelsea star

The claim emerges days after they lost the Club World Cup final to Enzo Maresca’s side.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 15, 2025

The world champions, fresh off their Club World Cup triumph over PSG at the MetLife Stadium, have just banked a substantial £87.5 million financial from winning the tournament, but there is still a need to balance Enzo Maresca’s squad through player sales.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season

Average match rating

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

After being fined by UEFA for breaching FFP rules recently, the governing body and Chelsea reached an agreement that they need to sell and trim their bloated squad, or Maresca will be unable to register new players for the Champions League next season (Kaveh Solhekol).

According to journalist Simon Phillips, via his Substack, the prospect of more new signings still isn’t entirely ruled out, but any business will be directly tied into Chelsea’s outgoings.

“A new goalkeeper is still on the agenda for Chelsea this summer, but we have to wait and see exactly what action Chelsea do end up taking there,” wrote Phillips.

“A new defender is also being targeted still and sources believe it is going to be another flexible option. They are looking at Marc Cucurella cover as well, but we are uncertain whether they will get a centre back and a left back, or a player like Jorrel Hato, who we are still looking at, who can play both positions.

“So these are the three positions that Chelsea are still actively looking to sign in, but they will depend on sales at this point.”

João Félix is already said to be in talks over a return to Benfica, right after Noni Madueke sealed a £52 million move to Arsenal and Djordje Petrovic agreed to join Bournemouth in a £25 million deal.

The latter duo are set to join goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, defender Basir Humphreys, midfielder Mathis Amougou and Marcus Bettinelli, who’ve also sealed permanent moves away from Stamford Bridge.

With Chelsea making significant progress on the exit front, perhaps there is more room to add another centre-back to Maresca’s squad.

Chelsea could offer Renato Veiga in a swap deal for Kim min-Jae

According to TUTTOmercatoWEB and journalist Dimitri Conti, £200,000-per-week Bayern Munich defender Kim min-Jae is on BlueCo’s shortlist of defensive targets.

The 69-cap South Korea stalwart was a mainstay of Vincent Kompany’s back line for the majority of last season before injury problems limited his game time towards the back end of 2024/2025.

Bayern are open to selling the 28-year-old, who boasts years of top-level experience, and Chelsea are interested in potentially doing a deal for him.

It is believed that Chelsea could even use Renato Veiga in a swap deal for Kim, given the Portuguese has long had admirers at the Allianz Arena. However, Maresca faces competition from both Atlético Madrid and Tottenham, with the latter holding an historic interest in Kim dating back to José Mourinho’s tenure in charge.

“I wanted to sign Kim Min-jae when I was at Tottenham,” said Mourinho in 2023, via Fabrizio Romano. “I had some FaceTime calls with him — our bid was €5m, Fenerbahçe wanted €10m for Kim and for Tottenham that wasn’t possible at that point.

“Now look at Kim and his level, he’s a top player”.