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William Gallas criticized Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly as he claimed they have become an 'average club'

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Gallas slams Chelsea and BoehlyClaims the Blues have become 'average'Chelsea take on Man City on SundayWHAT HAPPENED?

The ex-Chelsea and Arsenal defender did not hold back while criticising his former club as he ranted against the Boehly ownership regime. Gallas said the west London side have become 'average' since the takeover of the American owners in 2022 while claiming the current batch of Chelsea players would not get into the teams from the club's glory days.

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Boehly and the Clearlake Capital group took charge of the club from Roman Abramovich in the summer of 2022 and have since spent more than £1 billion to rebuild the squad. However, the team has failed to live up to expectations having finished 12th and sixth respectively in the last two campaigns.

WHAT WILLIAM GALLAS SAID

Speaking to Genting Casino, the Frenchman said: "Chelsea have been suffering from the same problems for the last two years and I really can’t understand how the owners and the people that look after the football operations haven’t addressed them. We’ve seen so many changes at the club over the last couple of years and I don’t think the club are any closer to challenging for the Premier League title, and I would seriously doubt Chelsea’s ability to qualify for the Champions League this season.

"I’m looking at this squad of players and I don’t see nearly enough quality. There are so many players in the squad that don’t have the quality to play for Chelsea! I look at some of these guys, and there is no way they would get into the best Chelsea teams from the last few years – half of them wouldn’t even get on the bench of the best Chelsea teams. These players aren’t good enough to win a Premier League title, and that should always be the aim of a club like Chelsea. Are they good enough to qualify for the Champions League? We will find out this season, but I have serious doubts."

He added: "Everybody used to fear Chelsea. We won everything as a club. We were respected all over the world. Every single player was a first-choice pick for their national teams. I’m looking at this group, and I don’t see many world-class players. Chelsea have gone from a club that used to win everything to a club that wins nothing under the new ownership. It’s upsetting to say that I can’t see that changing anytime soon when I look at the squad. We look like an average club, and that is really difficult for me to say. I don’t recognise this version of Chelsea anymore."

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Getty WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

After a disappointing pre-season where the team managed to win just once in six friendly matches, Chelsea will play their first game of the 2024-25 Premier League season on Sunday against reigning champions Manchester City.

Chelsea have been called the "only possible option" for an in-work manager to leave his club this summer, and Man City boss Pep Guardiola holds him in very high esteem.

Chelsea linked with Pochettino replacement

The calls for Mauricio Pochettino's sacking have died down somewhat recently, with Chelsea not recording a single league defeat since their dismal 4-2 loss at home to Wolves in early February.

Sky journalist says Chelsea may sell "interesting name" alongside Gallagher

PSR concerns have motivated consistent exit rumours.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 16, 2024

While Chelsea have suffered poor results since then, most notably losing the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool and drawing at home to relegation battlers Burnley, the signs have been far more positive in recent weeks.

The Blues, thanks to yet another stunning display from Cole Palmer, battered Everton 6-0 at Stamford Bridge. Before that, Chelsea were involved in the game of the season with their dramatic 4-3 win over Man United, and these are encouraging results to build upon from Pochettino's perspective.

Arsenal (away)

April 23rd

Aston Villa (away)

April 27th

Tottenham (home)

May 2nd

West Ham (home)

May 5th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 11th

Nevertheless, supporters have still been far from impressed overall with Chelsea's style of play under Pochettino, and it is believed that the club have a shortlist of potential replacements – should they part company with the Argentine.

Simon Phillips revealed this week that Barcelona boss Xavi is now under consideration, and there have been some rumours that Jose Mourinho is keen to make a return to Chelsea after leaving Roma.

Another potential option for Chelsea is Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian, who's been praised for his job on the south coast after replacing Graham Potter in 2022, is attracting interest from elsewhere and could well leave the Amex.

Chelsea named as "only possible destination" for De Zerbi

If the former Sassuolo boss does depart at the end of this season, journalist Rudy Galetti has written for Tribal Football that Chelsea are the only possible option for De Zerbi, who is among the names in the race to be appointed as Pochettino's replacement, as other elite English sides like Liverpool will have different choices.

This could benefit Chelsea if they're that eager to hire another manager from Brighton, but what's most intriguing is the real praise De Zerbi has received from City boss Guardiola – who called him "one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years".

"There is no team playing the way they play – it's unique,” Guardiola also said of De Zerbi.

"I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn't expect him to do it in this short space of time. He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents. He monopolises the ball in a way it hasn't been for a long time.

"They deserve completely the success they have. If you don’t play at a high level, he can do whatever he wants against you."

A fresh update has emerged from the camp of Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez after reports that Arsenal had bid for his services over the weekend.

Arsenal back on track against Wolves

After a pair of damaging results saw Arsenal lose control of the Premier League title race and drop out of Europe at the quarter-final stages, Mikel Arteta's side got back to winning ways courtesy of a 2-0 win over Wolves at Molineux on Saturday.

It is a result that lifts them back to the top of the Premier League as things stand, with Liverpool behind them on goal difference and Manchester City trailing by a point but with a game in hand on both clubs.

Arsenal could fetch a £173m fee by selling their "monster" talent

The Arsenal star is the joint-second highest valued player in England.

ByTom Lever Apr 21, 2024

The Gunners face Chelsea next at the Emirates Stadium before a trip across north London to take on Tottenham over the weekend, with the Gunners likely needing to take three points from both London derbies to still be in consideration for the title come the end of the weekend.

There are still areas of improvement needed though, with Arteta's side clearly still lacking a spark in central midfield and also a reliable goalscoring striker. As it stands, only Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard have reached double figures this season for goals, with no one breaching the 20 goal mark yet.

Arsenal's top goalscorers

Player

Goals 23/24

Bukayo Saka

18

Leandro Trossard

14

Martin Odegaard

11

Kai Havertz

10

Gabriel Jesus

8

Gabriel Martinelli

8

Despite being the highest scorers in the competition, there is a feeling that Arsenal need more, and they have been credited with an interest in Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez.

The Mexican has enjoyed a fine campaign to date, scoring 24 times and grabbing 7 assists in 40 outings for his side in all competitions. On Friday, it was reported that Arsenal were one of many sides pushing to sign the 23-year-old, and there were even rumours that Arsenal had made a bid for his services.

Gimenez to Arsenal update

Now, a fresh update has emerged on the status of Arsenal's interest in the £29k-a-week Gimenez, and it appears to be just that for now. As per Mexican outlet Azteca Deportes [Via Sport Witness], an "internal Feyenoord source" has relayed to them that no bid has been forthcoming from any party, with the Gunners part of a trio of sides keen on signing Gimenez.

Atletico Madrid and Juventus are also keeping a close eye, but again have not made an offer and there has been "no formal approach" for the striker from any of the three clubs in question.

It remains to be seen whether or not Arsenal's interest firms up into something more serious in the coming weeks and months, but he would certainly solve a problem the Gunners seem to have in central areas, and is reportedly available at a bargain price of just £40m this summer, which would allow plenty of scope to rebuild the squad elsewhere too.

The pair amass 268 for the sixth wicket to lead a remarkable recovery

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Feb-2020
Career-best scores from wicketkeeper-batsman Dane Cleaver (196) and Mark Chapman (114) left India A fighting for survival in the first four-day fixture in Christchurch.New Zealand A, who won the one-day series 3-2, continued their challenge of India A courtesy their lower-order spunk, recovering from 176 for 6 to 562 for 7 declared. The lead of 346 giving them a cushion to push for an innings victory when play resumes on Sunday, with India A on 127 for 2.Priyank Panchal, an India A regular, missed out in the first innings but built set himself up nicely and is firmly within grasp of a 24th first-class century. He was 67 not out, while Shubman Gill, who cracked a run-a-ball 83 in the first innings, was more sedate this time around, finishing 33 not out at stumps.Mayank Agarwal, India’s first-choice opener for the two-Test series to follow, bagged a pair, however. Bengal’s Abhimanyu Easwaran was dismissed for 26, thereby extending barren run without a half-century for 10 first-class innings. The visitors still trail by 220 runs.The day completely belonged to Cleaver and Chapman, who dashed India A’s hopes of bowling them out cheaply by amassing 268 for the sixth wicket. The stand ended when seam-bowling allrounder Vijay Shankar had Chapman caught by captain Hanuma Vihari in the 133rd over.The respite was all too brief for India A as Cleaver then added 114 for the seventh wicket with McConchie at a run rate of over four an over. Cleaver, though, fell four shy of a double-hundred in the 160th over and in the next over New Zealand A declared after McConchie reached his fifty.India A’s bowlers toiled hard, with Ishan Porel and Sandeep Warrier coming away with two wickets each. Meanwhile, Siraj, Vijay, and Nadeem picked up one wicket apiece.Cleaver, Kane Williamson’s cousin, had managed only 139 runs in six innings in the Plunket Shield, but his return to form bodes well for New Zealand A as well as Central Districts. Cleaver had also been in the thick of the action on the opening day, when he snaffled a ricochet off short-leg fielder Rachin Ravindra to send back Vihari for 51 in bizarre fashion.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have spent big at Wrexham, but fans are not “naive” and accept that Hollywood co-owners intend to make money.

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Takeover completed in 2021Back-to-back promotions enjoyedIntend to reach Premier LeagueWHAT HAPPENED?

A stunning takeover at SToK Racecourse was completed in 2021. Quite the journey has been enjoyed since then, with back-to-back promotions lifting the Red Dragons into League One. Reynolds and McElhenney have taken a financial hit when funding a meteoric rise, with their intention being to reach the Premier League at some stage.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT DOCUMENTARY STAR SAID

If that target is hit, with extra investment found along the way, then the Welsh outfit should move out of the red and into the black. Lifelong fan Rob Clarke, who figures in the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series, has told of having famous chairmen on board: “Rob and Ryan are nice fellas. They’re shrewd businessmen, too. They wouldn’t have got involved with Wrexham if they were not going to make money. I’m not naive. They’ve built the brand up brilliantly but we’re benefiting as a club and a town, too. Just look at the good times we’ve had these past couple of years. We’re riding on the coattails of this and everyone wins.”

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Wrexham supporters were left pinching themselves when news of Reynolds and McElhenney’s bid for power first broke, with Clarke saying of how his family reacted to those reports: “I got this message saying, ‘It’s Ryan Reynolds who is buying the club’. I told my dad but he didn’t have a clue who he was. I told him, ‘Think Tom Cruise and he’s as famous as him’. Straight away, Dad replies, ‘What does he want to buy us for?’ I must admit I’d asked myself the same question a few weeks earlier, back when the suggestion in town was Russell Crowe wanted to buy Wrexham.”

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There was never any substance to the Crowe rumours, but Wrexham found their A-list owners and are now reaping the benefits. They have made a positive start to life in the third tier of English football, with more shrewd transfer business helping to ensure that they remain fiercely competitive.

Former Real Madrid and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez snubbed Cristiano Ronaldo when naming the best player he has ever worked with.

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Benitez names best player he has ever managedPicks Gerrard over RonaldoSpaniard coached CR7 briefly at Real MadridWHAT HAPPENED?

The Spaniard, who has managed a host of top European clubs including Chelsea, Real Madrid and Liverpool, got the opportunity to work with world-class players like Frank Lampard, Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard. He briefly managed Ronaldo in Spain as his contract was terminated at Los Blancos within six months of his appointment in January 2016.

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Benitez recently spoke to Gary Neville on The Overlap podcast – brought to you by – where he discussed several aspects of his managerial career, including the best player he has ever worked with. While many would have expected it to be Ronaldo – considering the Portuguese is widely regarded as one of the greatest to have ever graced the game, the Spanish coach instead named Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

WHAT RAFAEL BENITEZ SAID

In one of the questions, Neville asked the 64-year-old if he never trusted Gerrard in a two-man midfield to which he replied: "It’s not about trust. Stevie is the best player that I have ever coached. Because when I was in Madrid I couldn’t say that! But now I can say that. It’s very clear. He had everything."

He added: "What was missing was the tactical knowledge a foreign player has because they play in this position. He was so good, he had so much energy that he could get into the box, go as a full-back, do whatever he wanted to do, but he needed to understand the position."

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Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

The former La Liga-winning Valencia coach was last in charge of Celta Vigo who parted ways with him in March 2024. Since then Benitez has been without a club. He was briefly linked with the USMNT manager's job after Gregg Berhalter's departure, but Mauricio Pochettino is now the frontrunner for that role.

Glasgow Rangers face a summer of change under Philippe Clement, with the Belgian looking to build a squad full of his own transfer targets at Ibrox.

The Belgian inherited a side from Michael Beale which features a host of players who clearly are not up to the required standard to be long-term solutions for the Light Blues.

Credit to the former Club Brugge manager, as he has managed to somehow drag the club into a Premiership title race, while winning the League Cup and reaching the final of the Scottish Cup, proving how good a boss he has turned out to be.

This summer is the perfect opportunity for the 50-year-old to ship out some deadwood while signing a few targets who can instantly improve the starting XI.

Could the Light Blues perhaps turn to a player who has shone against the Old Firm recently as one of their future transfers? A current Scottish football pundit certainly thinks so.

Rangers tipped to move for defender

It is no secret that the left-back area is a primary concern for Clement. Not only is Borna Barisic out of contract at the end of the season and looks set to depart Glasgow, but Ridvan Yilmaz is injury-prone and simply cannot be trusted to remain fit throughout an entire season.

This will certainly see the club dive into the market for at least one left-sided defender this summer, potentially two, depending on the budget available to Clement.

Pundit Tam McManus, a former striker for Hibs and Dundee among others, has been hyping up a left-back who has shone for Dundee in recent weeks since joining from Burnley on loan – Owen Dodgson.

“I like the left-back, Dodgson,” McManus said when appearing on PLZ Soccer regarding the defender. “He’s been excellent. I think Celtic and Rangers should be looking at him.

“The two games I’ve seen him, against both Celtic and Rangers, I thought he was really really good.”

Could he perhaps be a viable option for Rangers? Even if it were to just add some much-needed depth to the squad over the summer.

Owen Dodgson’s statistics for Dundee

The youngster moved north to secure a six-month loan spell at the Dens Park side, featuring in 13 matches so far for the club.

Across his 12 Premiership appearances, the 21-year-old has shown plenty of promise. Not only does he show plenty of willingness to get on the ball, evidenced by averaging 43.7 touches per game, but he has also won 3.3 total duels per game – a success rate of 55% – along with creating two big chances, impressing across a range of performance metrics.

Accurate passes per game

18.5

Key passes per game

0.8

Successful dribbles per game

0.2

Total duels won per game

3.3

Possession lost per game

14.3

Via Sofascore

It was his displays against both Rangers and Celtic in recent weeks which have seen people sit up and take notice, showcasing his talents while playing the two best teams in the country.

During the clash against the Light Blues, Dodgson won six of his seven contested duels, made four interceptions and wasn’t dribbled past once. A few weeks later, when Celtic came to town, the Englishman delivered a wonderful display which featured five key passes, winning three of his five duels, and creating two big chances during their eventual 2-1 defeat.

This shows the player was clearly not fazed in the slightest by taking on some of the finest attackers in the top flight, which could come in handy should the Gers take a closer look at him.

There is no reason why he couldn’t come in and replace Barisic, especially considering how poor the Croatian has been so far this season as he winds down his six-year association with the club.

Borna Barisic’s stats for Rangers this season

The left-back has been a stalwart at Ibrox since first walking through the doors in the summer of 2018, becoming one of Steven Gerrard’s first signings in the process.

Nearly six years later, he has amassed 234 appearances for the Light Blues, winning every domestic prize on offer along with helping the club reach the 2022 Europa League final.

Since then, however, his performance levels have dipped, and it is clear the club needs to release him once the season has finished in order to add some freshness to the department.

At the time of writing, the 31-year-old has played 33 times for the Gers this term, with the majority of them coming during the first half of the season.

Indeed, Barisic has made just five Premiership starts since the turn of the year, as Yilmaz emerged as Clement’s first choice.

The only reason he was still getting some game time is due to Yilmaz’s injury which he suffered on international duty, otherwise he would have spent the vast majority of the time on the bench.

Among his teammates this season, the Croatian ranks 11th in the squad for goals and assists (three) in the Premiership, while ranking in a lowly 17th spot for big chances created (one), ninth for accurate passes per game (28.6) and 19th for successful dribbles per match (0.3), indicating that even when he does play, his statistics are often poor.

The defender is currently earning £21k-per-week and getting this sort of wage off the books during the summer will give Clement much more flexibility in the transfer window, no doubt about that.

Dodgson will return to Burnley, his parent club, once his loan spell at Dundee comes to an end, but he has impressed significantly across the previous five months.

With a contract at the Turf Moor side until 2025, which suggests he could be available for a knockdown price, that is, if Burnley are open to selling him.

While nothing is concrete, he could certainly be a wonderful option to have at Clement’s disposal next season. Dodgson is still coming into his peak and could even make the Gers a profit in the future, such is his vast potential.

The summer could be an exciting time indeed for the Ibrox faithful.

India’s bowlers fought hard but were blunted by steely knocks from Tom Blundell and Tom Latham

The Report by Sidharth Monga01-Mar-2020New Zealand pranced to a 2-0 series whitewash – and No. 2 in the Test rankings – as their bowlers took 47 minutes to take the four remaining India wickets and then their openers made the 132-run target look easier than it was in conditions that continued to be torturous for the batsmen. The depth in New Zealand’s five-man seam attack outshone India’s three-man party, which was missing Ishant Sharma and also had to deal with an injured Mohammed Shami on the third day.However, even a full-strength India attack would have probably made it only marginally more difficult once the exceptional and relentless bowling display by New Zealand meant they had to chase under 150. Only twice has a team won a Test by 10 wickets despite falling behind in the first innings; New Zealand came pretty close. That they were not chasing any more was down to the depth in their attack, which didn’t give India even a mini spell where they could relax in the third innings.On the third morning, though, New Zealand needed just the two men to bowl India out for 124. In the process Tim Southee also hit Shami on the shoulder with a bouncer, which delayed his introduction, and Umesh Yadav released any pressure there might have been with boundaries in each of his first three overs. Shami had a go for three overs at first-change, but with the score at 46 for 0 at lunch, he had had enough.That doesn’t take away, though, from the torturous conditions for the batsmen. That is exactly why New Zealand would have wanted to dismiss India for as little as they could on the third morning. They succeeded with the task with the first three wickets. Hanuma Vihari was a tad unlucky that he tickled one down leg for BJ Watling to take. It is perhaps not unlucky on flat surfaces, but here when you are watching out for seam, swing, bounce and trying to cover your off stump, it seems like a rather cruel way to get out.There was nothing cruel with how Rishabh Pant got out, pushing repeatedly and defensively at deliveries outside off. This was just the time for Pant to play a typically aggressive innings to try to unsettle the bowlers, but he played low-percentage defensive shots outside off: the best you do is middle them for a dot, and the worst is to edge them with no chance of them flying over the slips. When he did that three balls in a row to Trent Boult, the third one took the edge. Was Pant playing not to the conditions but all the criticism and axes he has faced for seemingly “irresponsible” shots in the past? Only he will know.Shami showed the right intention when he went for a slog, but he ended up hitting into the wind, and also New Zealand had a deep forward square leg in place just for that. India’s lead read 115 at that time, but Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah proceeded to frustrate New Zealand. Jadeja’s six back over Boult’s head was special while Southee kept swinging it past the bat of Bumrah. To the last ball of an over, Bumrah wanted to run to hand over the strike to Jadeja, but Boult had done well to cramp the batsman up with a short ball. It went nowhere, Boult fielded well in his follow-through, and Kane Williamson did better to be there to collect the throw as it missed the stumps.New Zealand corrected their mistake from the second morning and asked for a heavy roller, which settled the pitch down for 20 minutes or so. In that period, Yadav provided a few loose balls to get New Zealand going. Toms, Latham and Blundell, showed remarkable application and intent, putting behind them every play and miss, every blow on the body, and every bit of prodigious seam movement. Whenever a scoring opportunity provided itself, they were up for it, especially when it came to running aggressively.The ninth over of the innings underlined how difficult the conditions were. Bumrah swung and seamed each of those balls from a length, drew an inside edge from Blundell that Pant’s dive couldn’t catch up with, and nearly bowled Latham twice. The batsmen made no mistake on any of those occasions.However, every time a bowler overpitched or provided width on a short ball, the two pounced on it, going back to lunch unseparated, having scored more than the last four India wickets added on the morning. India came back without Shami for the second session, and against a deflated side, the Toms took the opportunity to lend some stylish touches to the series win. Drives down the ground and on the up, punches off the back foot, cuts, domination of spin, all made an appearance.Latham ended up with twin fifties, Blundell with the joint-highest score of the match, 55, and just to underline the conditions, India picked up three wickets towards the end with short balls and still-prodigious seam movement.

The last five years have been a real rollercoaster for Tottenham Hotspur fans as they have watched Nuno Espírito Santo, José Mourinho and Antonio Conte all come in and fail to rediscover the magic that Mauricio Pochettino was able to create in the late 2010s.

However, the most recent man tasked with that job, Ange Postecoglou, might be on the right track, even if recent results have been less than ideal.

The Australian has instilled an attacking mentality into his squad that has finally seen them play some entertaining football, and with the proper backing, he could bring the club back to the promised land.

That said, several players still aren't at the level required, one of which has seen their value plummet since joining the club under Pochettino's reign.

Giovani Lo Celso's Spurs career

The player in question is Argentinian midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, who joined the Lilywhites in the summer of 2019 on an initial loan deal from La Liga side Real Betis, which was made permanent in January 2020.

It was a move met with genuine excitement from fans and pundits alike at the time, with South American football expert Tim Vickery telling Sky Sports that he had a "wonderful left foot", was someone who could "split tight defences", and was practically a "Christian Eriksen replacement."

Unfortunately for all involved, the player Vickery waxed lyrical about in 2019 never emerged in N17. Instead, the club were left with a mediocre midfielder who was described as a "bigger flop" than Tanguy Ndombele in 2022 by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke – which really is a scathing assessment.

In the five years since his initial move to North London, the former Paris Saint-Germain dud has made just 106 appearances for the Lilywhites, scored ten goals, provided eight assists and spent one and a half seasons on loan in Spain with Villarreal.

Appearances

106

Goals

10

Assists

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.13

In all, it would be hard to describe the midfielder's time in England as anything other than a disaster, and his current transfer value is a great way of demonstrating that.

Lo Celso's valuation in 2024

Now, due to how the deal to sign Lo Celso was structured in 2019, with it being a loan first, there are some conflicting reports as to how much Spurs actually paid for the midfielder in full. According to The Athletic, the total cost of the transfer was around £42m, which, upon reflection, might be about £40m too much.

Unsurprisingly, due to the Argentine's consistently underwhelming performances in white and his loans away from the club, his valuation has seriously plummeted in the years following his arrival in England.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the midfielder Spurs writer Alasdair Gold, described as "mischievous" only last year, is now worth just €15m, which is around £13m, or around £29m less than the club paid for him five years ago.

However, perhaps the most damning takeaway from his new valuation is the fact that it is €5m – £4m – lower than Emerson Royal's, who is a player that fans and pundits have been heavily criticising in recent weeks for his dreadful performances.

Starting as a left-back against Liverpool last weekend, the defender rather looked like a fish out of water, with Gary Neville stating that "Emerson’s day just got a lot worse" after Cody Gakpo's goal.

Ultimately, while there are worse players at the club – Royal chief among them – Lo Celso is clearly one who doesn't have a long-term future under Postecoglou.

Therefore, even though he's lost 69% of his value since 2019, Daniel Levy and Co should still look to sell him in the summer before his £70k-per-week contract expires in 2025.

Spurs were rinsed by Poch's "deadwood" who earned more than Van de Ven

The Pochettino-backed flop cost the Lilywhites an awful lot of money.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 7, 2024

Manchester United have been challenged to sack their "embarrassing" manager Erik ten Hag for turning the club into a "laughing stock".

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Man Utd suffer second straight lossRatcliffe told to sack manager Ten HagDutchman turned club into "laughing stock"WHAT HAPPENED?

Following United's 3-0 loss at home to Liverpool at the weekend, off the back of spending approximately £200 million ($262m) this summer, beIN Sports pundit Keys has laid into Ten Hag and has called minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to dismiss the Dutchman during this international break. However, he questions if they have the "balls" to sack him, especially after giving him a new contract mere months ago.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT RICHARD KEYS SAID

He wrote in his blog: “Your team was hopeless in both halves. How many times have I said he lives in a parallel universe? It’s embarrassing. Remember – this is Manchester Uniiiited. I’d sack him now. No. I’d have sacked him in the summer. Maybe even before that. He’s not the right man to manage United. He’s reducing them to a laughing stock. ‘I’m not Harry Potter ’, he went on to tell reporters. He’s right. I’d say more Graham Potter.”

Keys added: “If there had been any Utd fans left inside Old Trafford on the final whistle surely they’d have let Ten Hag know how they were feeling? All you could hear were Liverpool supporters, who‘d enjoyed watching their team ram those daft words back down Ten Hag’s throat. I wonder if the clever people running United have got the balls to sack him during this break? Why not?”

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After an opening day win over Fulham, United have lost two Premier League games in a row and pressure is once again mounting on the former Ajax boss – who has already got into heated exchanges with journalists over the way he is leading his team. If results do not improve soon, he could be looking for a new job in the not so distant future.

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After two straight losses, Ten Hag's United side travel to struggling Southampton for an early kick-off on September 14, before beginning their Carabao Cup campaign against League One Barnsley three days later.