It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to describe the last few years as being incredibly hectic for Chelsea.

The Blues have seen new ownership come, have spent an enormous amount of money in a relatively short space of time, and have been through their fair share of managers.

However, even though there have been more than a few bumpy moments in terms of performances and results, it looks like the team are finally on the right track.

Enzo Maresca led his side to a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, and on top of securing Champions League football, led them to Conference League glory.

Following the Argentine’s impressive first campaign, the board have already backed him in a big way this summer, with the likes of Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens all making their way to the King’s Road.

The wheeling and dealing looks far from finished there, though, so here’s what Chelsea’s dream squad could look like if everything goes according to plan this summer.

The Goalkeepers

Emiliano Martínez takes the gloves

While Robert Sanchez improved towards the end of last season, it would be fair to say that many fans would still like to see an upgrade signed this summer.

That seems to be the opinion of the board as well, with reports linking them with Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning shot-stopper Emiliano Martínez.

The Argentine, who won last year’s Best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper, is reportedly also a target for Manchester United and could end up costing around £40m.

That would see Sanchez become the number two, and with Đorđe Petrović looking set to join Bournemouth for around £25m, Filip Jorgensen could be third choice.

Full list of goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez, Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen.

The Defence

Chelsea add promising depth

Chelsea managed to produce the third-best defence in the Premier League last season, conceding just two more goals than Liverpool and nine more than Arsenal.

So, instead of wholesale change, they would be wise to trim the fat and add a couple of exciting prospects to the group.

Funnily enough, that seems to be the approach the Blues are taking, with Axel Disasi and Renato Veiga looking likely to leave, while Jorrel Hato could make his way to West London from the Netherlands.

Alongside the West Londoners, the “exceptional” Ajax gem, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has been linked with a host of clubs and could be available for around £40m.

Hato’s senior record
Appearances	111
Starts	102
Minutes	9121′
Goals	4
Assists	9
Goal Involvements per Match	0.11
Minutes per Goal Involvement	701.61′
Points per Game	1.86
All Stats via Transfermarkt

It might sound like a lot to spend on a 19-year-old, but he’s already made 111 first-team appearances for the Amsterdam side, has six caps for the national team and can play as either a left-back or centre-back.

The young Dutchman probably wouldn’t start many games, at least not right away, but he’d be brilliant depth and help ensure Marc Cucurella isn’t played into the ground.

Full list of centre-backs: Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Mamadou Sarr, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile.

Full list of right-backs: Reece James, Malo Gusto.

Full list of left-backs: Marc Cucurella, Jorrel Hato.

The Midfielders

Chelsea add an exciting talent

Arguably, Chelsea’s most stacked area of the squad is the midfield, and there isn’t a whole lot that needs to be done there this summer.

So long as they remain fit, the incredible Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández will remain the first choice for the middle of the park.

At the same time, Andrey Santos and Roméo Lavia are excellent rotation options.

Moving up into attacking midfield and to the man who has to be the first name on the team sheet: Cole Palmer.

Palmer’s Chelsea record
Appearances	96
Minutes	7770′
Goals	41
Assists	28
Goal Involvements per Match	0.71
Minutes per Goal Involvement	112.60′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

While he is capable of playing out wide and on the wing, he can have a far greater impact on proceedings as the most advanced midfielder, and with a tally of 41 goals and 28 assists in 96 games for the Blues, Maresca will want him where he can have the most significant impact.

However, the club appear to be after someone who can cover for the sensational talent, and based on reports, that player could be Alejandro Garnacho.

The Argentine ace had a very public falling out with Manchester United and was told he would be sold this summer, and one of the clubs interested in the £60m ace is Chelsea.

While it might not be a move that excites the fanbase, the Madrid-born international wasn’t too bad last season, racking up 11 goals and ten assists in 3568 minutes, and spending most of the campaign in attacking midfield.

In all, Chelsea have an incredible array of midfield talent, and the United star could be great depth.

Full list of midfielders: Cole Palmer, Alejandro Garncaho, Moises Caicedo, Roméo Lavia, Dario Essugo, Enzo Fernández, Andrey Santos, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

The Attackers

Chelsea go huge on the frontline

Chelsea have already gone big when it comes to attacking signings this summer.

Delap cost them £30m from Ipswich Town, Pedro cost a cool £60m from Brighton & Hove Albion, and Jamie Gittens cost around £48m from Borussia Dortmund.

With all of that business in mind, plus the likes of Pedro Neto and Estavão looking ready for the new season, it makes sense for the club to be looking to sell a few players.

The most notable departure is undoubtedly Noni Madueke, who is set to join Arsenal for around £52m, but it also looks like João Felix could be on his way for close to £17m.

If the board can then get rid of Raheem Sterling as well, that would leave them with plenty of room in the wage budget to further bolster the attack, which seems to be the plan.

One of the names linked with the team this summer has been Malick Fofana, who has a price tag of around £50m.

The young Frenchman would be another signing for the future, but with a tally of 17 goal involvements in 41 games last season, he could still make an impact from the bench.

Finally, if Chelsea are able to amass their dream squad this summer, then they’ll surely get their hands on Hugo Ekitiké.

The Eintracht Frankfurt striker has been linked with a £85m move to Stamford Bridge this summer, and while that is a lot of money, it would be money well spent.

In 48 appearances last season, totalling 3644 minutes, the 23-year-old marksman scored a mammoth 22 goals and provided 12 assists to boot.

Ekitiké in 24/25
Appearances	48
Minutes	3644′
Goals	22
Assists	12
Goal Involvements per Match	0.70
Minutes per Goal Involvement	107.17
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, the Reims-born dynamo whom journalist Graeme Bailey once dubbed the “next Mbappé,” averaged a goal involvement every 1.41 games, or every 107.17 minutes.

Just imagine how dangerous he’d be playing in the same team as Palmer; that duo could be enough to fire the Blues into a title charge.

Full list of wingers: Pedro Neto, Estavo, Jamie Gittens, Malick Fofana.

Full list of strikers: Hugo Ekitiké, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson.

Chelsea "close" to agreeing "excellent" player's exit after Thursday update

The west Londoners need to trim their squad.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 10, 2025

Joe Root has become England’s top run-scorer in Test cricket, overtaking Alastair Cook when he reached 71 with a straight drive for four on the third morning of their first Test against Pakistan.Root acknowledged the landmark with a wave of his hand – and then his bat – to England’s players and coaching staff, who stood to applaud him on the dressing-room balcony at the Multan International Cricket Stadium. He started this tour 70 runs behind Cook’s career aggregate of 12,472, and went clear of him by driving Aamer Jamal down the ground.Last month, Root surpassed Cook’s record for the most Test centuries by an Englishman with twin hundreds against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. He has now drawn clear of Cook for total runs, too, and has moved into fifth on the list of all-time leading run-scorers in Test cricket. He was more than 800 runs behind Rahul Dravid, in fourth, when he overtook Cook.Root went past Cook’s tally of 33 Test centuries with twin tons at Lord’s•AFP/Getty Images

Root is still more than 3,000 runs behind Sachin Tendulkar’s world record, but Cook believes he has every chance of breaking it. “I can see him overhauling Sachin Tendulkar’s record,” Cook told the BBC. “When I retired, I thought there was every chance that my record will be broken. I thought only the effects of captaincy and the hunger that takes out of you would stop him. I think the fact that Ben Stokes has taken over the captaincy has helped Root.”You could say Sachin is still the favourite, but [only] just. He’s been so lucky with injuries. All great players who played for a long time have been lucky with injuries. You just never know what’s around the corner, but it has to be something like it that could stop him. But I don’t see that happening for Root to lose that hunger and ability to keep driving himself forward for the next couple of years.”The only slight hurdle in his way will be the Ashes series – there is always something happening around the series. It’s in 14 months’ time and there’s always a story about the damage that happens or doesn’t happen around every Ashes series. I’d give Sachin 51% and Root 49%. But I would be betting on Root to do it.”Related

• Joe Root: Harry Brook's 317 is just the first of his 'monster' scores

• Joe Root: 'Earning the right to win' was England's motivation in historic batting display

• Breaking down four sensational years of Joe Root

• England seize opportunity after Brook triple, Root double flatten Pakistan

• Pakistan await their date with mediocrity as familiar tale unfolds in Multan

Speaking ahead of the first Test, Root had played down the significance of the record. “The only reason it’s on my mind is because people keep asking me about it, to be honest,” he said. “I see myself playing Test cricket for a lot longer. It’s not like I’m going to get to a certain mark or a number and say, ‘Right, I’m done now.’ I just want to keep enjoying the game, keep playing.”With Ben Duckett unable to open the batting on the second evening in Multan and Ollie Pope deputising for him, Root was batting a spot higher than usual at No. 3. Having walked out to bat in the second over of England’s innings, Root combined with Zak Crawley and Duckett – who recovered overnight and came in at No. 4 – for century partnerships, as England chipped away at the deficit.Root made steady progress on the third morning, reaching 50 for the 99th time in his Test career when inside-edging Naseem Shah through square leg on the stroke of the drinks break. On 65, he survived an lbw shout when struck on the pad by Aamer Jamal, which Pakistan reviewed unsuccessfully; four balls later, he secured the England record.

South Africa and England are coming off convincing wins in their tournament openers

Ekanth06-Oct-2024

England beat Bangladesh in Sharjah in their opening game•ICC/Getty Images

England vs South AfricaSharjah, 6pm local timeEngland squad: Heather Knight (capt), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni WyattSouth Africa squad: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe TryonTournament form guide: Both teams are coming off convincing wins in their tournament openers. England were restricted to 118 for 7 by Bangladesh in Sharjah but 16 overs from their four spinners gave them a 21-run win. South Africa had a near-perfect game against West Indies which they won by 10 wickets.News brief: England’s experience of playing in Sharjah could come in handy but a two-day turnaround time will test their stamina in hot conditions. With the Sharjah pitch typically being slow, the likelihood of England persisting with four spinners – Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn, and Linsey Smith – is high. Getting good starts will be a challenge for the batters as evidenced by the fact that only three of the nine England batters got to double figures against Bangladesh.With 19 losses in 24 games, South Africa have a terrible record against England in T20Is but the last of the four wins came in the semi-final of the previous edition of the T20 World Cup. They are also coming off a clinical ten-wicket win against West Indies that was set up with the ball by Nonkululeko Mlaba and Marizanne Kapp. The duo took all six wickets to fall with Kapp going at an economy of 3.5. Chloe Tryon and Sune Luus, who bowled six overs in Dubai, are more likely to bowl their complete quotas in more helpful conditions. Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits took them home with unbeaten fifties, so the rest of the batting line-up is still untested. South Africa, like England, are likely to go unchanged.Marizanne Kapp dismissed West Indies’ key batters in Dubai•ICC/Getty Images

Player to watch: While the spinners, especially Mlaba, will be in focus, Kapp’s all-round abilities pump up her value. She can swing the new ball and take out key batters, as she did to Hayley Matthews and Hayley Matthews in Dubai. She is versatile with the bat and can play the anchor role or bash it around. Similarly for England, Nat Sciver-Brunt is the allrounder providing the balance. She was the only pacer they used, despite Danielle Gibson’s availability, and bowled her full four overs for the first time in eight games against Bangladesh. A good outing with the bat for her will strengthen England in their semi-final rematch.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now joined the race for a winger with “electric pace”, who is open to a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.

Wolves set sights on new forward after sealing Arias deal

Wolves have already bolstered their attacking options considerably this summer, having signed Jorgen Strand Larsen and Fer Lopez from Celta Vigo, while Jhon Arias became the latest addition to the squad earlier this week.

Steve Bull believes Arias could be a fantastic heir to Pedro Neto, saying: “Some quality has left the squad and we needed to bring in some replacements and from what I’ve seen of Arias, he’s quick and dangerous.

“We’ve missed that pace in the side since Pedro Neto left, and fingers crossed he can bring something different to the team.”

However, despite already making major improvements to his attack, Vitor Pereiera remains keen on getting another forward through the door, and the Old Gold have now joined the race for a new target.

That is according to a report from ESPN, which reveals Bayer Leverkusen’s Amine Adli is now on Wolves’ radar, with the Premier League side keen on a move, and the player himself is believed to be open to heading to England.

West Ham United are also in the race for Adli, and a deal is unlikely to break the bank, with Leverkusen looking to receive just £23m, despite the Morocco international playing a major role in their 2023-24 Bundesliga title triumph.

Related Wolves in race to sign £17m+ striker who has been likened to Olivier Giroud

The teenager could be the next big thing…

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Jul 24, 2025

During that campaign, the 25-year-old registered ten goals and 12 assists in 42 outings across all competitions, but his form has since dropped off, having struggled with injuries, potentially opening the door for a move to Molineux this summer.

"Electric" Adli could be exciting signing for Wolves

The Moroccan was one of Leverkusen’s most important players in the 2023-24 season, and he was also singled out for praise by Xabi Alonso upon returning from injury last season, with the Spaniard saying: “Having Amine back on the pitch is very important for everyone. His attitude and quality are extremely important for the team.”

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has provided an overview of the Leverkusen ace’s key strengths in the past, describing him as a “versatile & mobile player capable of playing anywhere along the front line”, while also claiming the attacker has “electric pace”.

The France-born forward missed 23 games for club and country due to injury last season, and subsequently his attacking output dropped, picking up just two goals and one assist in the Bundesliga.

However, if Adli is able to put his injury problems in the rear view mirror, he could be an exciting signing for Wolves, and it is promising news that he is now open to a move to the Premier League.

تحدث فوتشيك تشيزني، حارس مرمى برشلونة عن مستقبله، بعد نهاية مباراة فريقه ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد في الجولة الأولى بمرحلة الدوري لدوري أبطال أوروبا.

وكان برشلونة قد تغلب ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد بهدفين لهدف واحد، خلال اللقاء الذي جمع الفريقين على ملعب سانت جيمس بارك.

ويحرس مرمى برشلونة حالياً خوان جارسيا الذي تعاقد معه النادي من صفوف إسبانيول، ليحل محل الحارس الألماني تير شتيجن الذي فقد الثقة من جانب المدرب الألماني هانز فليك.

وكان خوان جارسيا قد تألق في مباراة أمس وعلى الرغم من أنه قد سكن شباكه هدف من أنتوني جوردون جناح نيوكاسل، إلا أنه منع أكثر من فرصة هدف محقق ليساعد برشلونة على الفوز.

أقرأ أيضاً.. رسمياً.. برشلونة يحدد ملعب مباراة باريس سان جيرمان في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وقال تشيزني حارس مرمى برشلونة البديل حالياً عن مستقبله في تصريحات نشرها صحفي سكاي سبورت “فابريزيو رومانو” :”أنا الحارس الاحتياطي لخوان جارسيا وسأبقى كذلك”.

وأضاف الحارس البولندي موضحاً حقيقة استيائه في برشلونة: “دوري هو إعداد جارسيا للمباريات الكبرى، إنه بالفعل أحد أفضل حراس المرمى في أوروبا لكنني أريد إعداده لأعلى المستويات، سأحاول مساعدته”.

جدير بالذكر أن برشلونة أعلن في يوليو بعد نهاية الموسم الماضي عن تجديد عقد حارس مرماه فوتشيك تشيزني لمدة موسمين حتى عام 2027.

Chelsea are leaving no stone unturned as the club chases glory on all fronts this season. Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro have arrived to bolster the attack.

Pedro has made an instant impact already, registering three goal involvements in as many matches at the Club World Cup for the Blues.

He might be joined by Xavi Simons, who looks close to sealing a deal to join the Blues in the coming days.

This squad depth would make the Stamford Bridge side a force to be reckoned with under Enzo Maresca, especially if he can work out a system that could benefit his attacking players.

Despite the lavish spending, it appears as though Maresca isn’t finished yet…

Chelsea eyeing another attacking signing

With Simons looking like he will be the next big arrival, Maresca has turned closer to home for another potential signing.

According to Football Insider, Chelsea have offered two players plus cash in a deal to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa.

Nicolas Jackson and Tosin Adarabioyo are the two players mentioned, while it remains to be seen how much money they have offered as part of the deal.

Villa value Rogers at around £100m, and they will do anything to keep hold of the playmaker this summer.

If the Blues strike a deal, it would be a major statement. Several of the team will benefit from Rogers’ arrival, none more so than Pedro.

Why Morgan Rogers would benefit Joao Pedro

Last season, Pedro scored ten Premier League goals for Brighton, adding six assists in the process.

He has settled into the Blues’ squad nicely indeed. Across three games at the Club World Cup, the Brazilian netted three goals while averaging one key pass per game.

Ahead of the new Premier League campaign, just how good can Pedro become with a player such as Rogers operating directly behind him?

Well, the Englishman enjoyed a stunning breakthrough season himself in the top flight during 2024/25.

Not only did he score eight times, but Rogers generated ten assists as Villa just missed out on Champions League qualification. He notably shone in Europe too, netting eight goals, including three which came in one game against Celtic.

When compared to his peers in the Premier League, the former Manchester City starlet ranked in the top 7% for through balls (0.64) per 90, along with ranking in the top 20% for take-ons attempted (4.62) per 90 across last season.

Furthermore, the youngster even created a staggering 16 big chances (the 11th best tally in the division) while also averaging 1.4 key passes per game for Villa.

Shots per game

1.5

Big chances created

16

Key passes per game

1.4

Total duels won per game

4.7

Big chances missed

11

Touches per game

41.3

These statistics demonstrate just how effective he is behind the centre-forward, something which Pedro can take full advantage of.

Hailed as “unstoppable” by former Liverpool defender turned pundit Jamie Carragher last term, Rogers has all the tools in his armoury to be a success at Stamford Bridge.

The offer to Villa sounds like it might be tempting for Unai Emery to accept, especially given their need to balance the books.

Will Rogers be the final piece of the attacking jigsaw for Maresca ahead of the 2025/26 season? Only time will tell.

Way better than Simons: Chelsea preparing offer to sign £100m "machine"

The dynamic attacker would be a better signing for Chelsea than Xavi Simons.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 22, 2025

Leicester City have now held talks over the signing of a £30,000-a-week Leeds United player who could replace Mads Hermansen, according to a recent report.

Leicester could be set to lose goalkeeper as they eye a new midfielder

The Foxes are very much playing catch-up in the transfer market, as the time it took for them to decide to sack Ruud Van Nistelrooy and replace him with Marti Cifuentes means they are yet to make a signing in this transfer window.

Leicester City now want to sign 35-cap England star who may join for free

The Foxes could land an experienced midfield performer…

BySean Markus Clifford Jul 9, 2025

However, that could be about to change, as Leicester are among the teams interested in signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on a free transfer. The former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder has agreed to cancel his contract at Besiktas and is now set for a return to England.

However, the Foxes are not the only team to be interested in a possible deal, as Burnley, Birmingham City, Ipswich Town, Sheffield United, Coventry City and Oxlade-Chamberlain’s former club Southampton are all keeping an eye on his situation.

Meanwhile, as the focus will be on incomings, the Foxes could be preparing for a big exit, as Ben Jacobs has revealed that West Ham are set to approach Leicester over signing goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.

It was reported at the end of June that the Hammers had set their sights on the shot-stopper, and now Jacobs believes a bid could be arriving soon, with Leicester looking to get a fair price, as he is under contract until 2028. His departure will likely mean Leicester will need to find a replacement, and they already have an idea who that could be.

Leicester hold talks over signing Illan Meslier from Leeds United

According to TBR Football, reporter Ben Jacobs has also revealed that Leicester City have held discussions over signing Illan Meslier from Leeds United.

Meslier is in the final year of his contract at Elland Road, and Jacobs believes he could be available for a transfer, given his recent form.

Jacobs told TBR Football: “Leicester at the same time are advancing on Asmir Begovic, who is available on a free transfer; they have discussed Illan Meslier at Leeds, who may be available because he didn’t finish strongly last season, so Leeds could be looking for a number one goalkeeper as well.”

Meslier, who earns a weekly wage of £30,000, cost the Yorkshire side £5 million back in October 2020, and given his contract situation, Leeds may be lucky to make any profit on the goalkeeper.

Apps

92

Goals conceded

69

Clean sheets

47

The Frenchman started every Championship fixture for Leeds up until their game against Luton Town in April, as his form took a dip and Daniel Farke decided to drop him, which meant he didn’t feature in the final seven games of the campaign.

Meslier remains a Leeds player and did feature in their game against Manchester United last weekend, but it remains to be seen if he is Farke’s number one choice heading into the new season.

After an inauspicious but victorious start to their Scottish Premiership title defense, Celtic’s need for attacking reinforcements was emphatically underlined further.

On Sunday, after the champions’ flag had been flown, the Hoops struggled to break down a solid and stubborn St Mirren, requiring a deflected strike from Luke McCowan with just two minutes remaining to pinch all three points at Parkhead.

In less than a fortnight, Brendan Rodgers’ side will take on either Kairat or Slovan Bratislava in a season-defining Champions League play-off tie, the first leg in Almaty between that pair ended 1-0 on Wednesday, and supporters are concerned about the squad’s current lack of quality.

So, with that clash looming large, could Celtic soon sign a new highly-rated youngster?

Celtic's search for firepower

Inarguably, Celtic’s squad is weaker now than it was in May, largely due to the fact Nicolas Kühn has been sold to Como for a reported fee of £16.5m.

The German winger scored 21 goals across all competitions last season, most notably bagging a brace during the famous Champions League victory over RB Leipzig, also on target as the Hoops came agonisingly close to a victory over Bayern Munich in Bavaria.

This saw him sold for a more than 500% profit, having arrived from Rapid Wien for just £3m a year and a half earlier, but fans are demanding that this money be reinvested in a similarly high-quality replacement.

Well, according to a report from TEAMtalk, Celtic are intensifying their interest in Brøndby winger Clement Bischoff, with Premier League trio Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Brighton also noted as being interested.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

They add that, should he move to Glasgow, he would add ‘dynamism’ to Rodgers’ wide options, valued at just over £6m.

It’s safe to assume Celtic have sent scouts to Brøndbyvester, given their long-standing interest in Brøndby​​​​​​​’s top scorer last season Mathias Kvistgaarden, who instead joined Norwich City for £6.9m, but will the Scottish champions land their man this time?

What Clement Bischoff would bring to Celtic

Still only 19 years old, Bischoff made his Danish Superligaen debut as recently as February 2024, but was a key figure for Brøndby last season, making 39 senior appearances across all competitions, 27 of which were starts.

He scored two league goals, on target against Viborg and Lyngby, while also providing ten assists, starting both legs of Brøndby’s Conference League qualifying victory over Havnar Bóltfelag to start this campaign. He also started their first two Superligaen fixtures, scoring the only goal as they beat Nordsjælland away from home last month.

His performances saw him included in Denmark’s squad for the under-21 European Championships earlier this summer, starting three of four fixtures, netting against Ukraine and during the quarter-final defeat to France in Prešov.

During that tournament, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled him a “quality winger”, adding elsewhere that he is “flamboyant”, noting that his strengths include “explosive” pace, dribbling, ball-striking technique and the fact he is ambidextrous.

So how does he compare to the man he could well be replacing in Glasgow Kühn?

Clement Bischoff at Brøndby vs Nicolas Kühn at Celtic comparison

Statistics

Bischoff

Kühn

Appearances

49

69

Minutes

2,765

4,263

Goals

3

24

Assists

12

18

Shots per 90

2.04

2.27

Shots on target %

44.4%

43.3%

Crosses per 90

3.09

1.66

Dribble success %

38.7%

49.5%

Big chances missed

3

10

Big chances created

11

21

Average Sofascore Rating

7.12

7.26

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table documents, while Kühn comes out on top for the vast majority of metrics, it’s worth noting that Bischoff is still a teenager, while the German joined Celtic as a 24-year-old, and played almost twice as many minutes during the timeframe analysed.

The young Dane’s statistics are largely similar to Kühn’s, which is certainly high praise, coming out on top when it comes to shooting accuracy and crosses per game, while only a small amount below in terms of shots, assists and chances created.

Thus, Bischoff is clearly an ultra-talented player, one that could prove to be a bargain if Celtic are able to secure his signature.

​​​​​​​

Related Perfect for Tierney: Celtic made approach to sign Euro U21s star

Celtic reportedly made an approach to sign a star who would be perfect for Kieran Tierney.

Posts ByDan Emery Aug 6, 2025

Paul Collingwood says England have not given up hope of pulling off successful chase

Matt Roller17-Oct-2024Salman Agha pledged that Pakistan will put every effort into securing a first home Test win in “God knows how many years” after England lost two late wickets on the third evening in Multan. England need 261 more runs on a worn, re-used pitch to take a 2-0 series lead, while Pakistan require eight wickets to set up a decider in Rawalpindi.Pakistan ripped up their long-term plans after their innings loss in the first Test, making four changes and packing their side with spin options after opting to re-use the same strip for the second week in a row. Salman admitted that he was anticipating a difficult week after so much upheaval, but said he was impressed by his team-mates’ response.”To be honest, I was thinking, ‘It is going to be hard,'” Salman told Sky Sports. “There was a lot of changes – and big changes. But the way the team has gelled, and the way the new guys have come in and we’ve welcomed them [has been great]. They come in and they are chipping in.Related

Shoaib Bashir's raw returns turn spotlight on England's spin gamble

Brendon McCullum plays down England spin concerns as Pindi decider looms

Jordan Cox in line for Test debut in New Zealand as Jamie Smith's paternity cover

Pakistan savour the sweet, sweet taste of victory … as the sugar-crash can wait

Pakistan's pitch-perfect gamble exposes England's familiar batting flaw

“Look at Sajid [Khan]. He took seven wickets and scored important runs. And then you will see Noman Ali. He came and took wickets, and scored important runs. I think it’s very good for Pakistan cricket, the way they came and gelled in and contributed. That’s amazing.”England, meanwhile, face a tough chase in challenging conditions, and their assistant coach Paul Collingwood said that pulling off a win in pursuit of 297 would be an even greater achievement than their victory last week. “I think it would, under the circumstances and the conditions that we’ve been given,” he said.”The amazing thing is now there’s still hope, and there’s only hope because of the amazing things that these guys have done in the past… You look at that first Test in India [in Hyderabad], I don’t think anybody had given us any hope of going on to win that one, but someone like Ollie Pope goes out and makes a double [196]. They are capable of doing amazing things.”We’ve got to be realistic. It’s effectively the ninth day that wicket’s being played on tomorrow, and as we can see, it’s doing plenty for the spinners. There’s lots of cracks there… [But] we all know if you get on a roll and get a partnership going, anything can happen. It’d be one hell of a chase. It’s something that we’ll obviously relish and try to go for.”Pakistan have not won a home Test match since they beat South Africa in February 2021, with four draws and seven defeats since then, and have lost all six of their Tests in the last 12 months. Salman said that ending those streaks would be “very important” and that Pakistan would give everything on the fourth day.”It’s going to be massive, because we haven’t won a Test match at home for… I don’t know, God knows how many years now,” he said. “It’s going to be a very, very big thing for us. We will make sure we will put all the efforts there and make sure we win this game, because that’s very important for us.”

An “incredible” midfielder is now “set to join” Leeds United alongside their move for Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg on X.

Leeds closing in on two new midfielders

Leeds have been targeting Longstaff for quite some time, and the deal is now finally edging closer to completion, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealing the midfielder is set to undergo a medical ahead of a move.

Daniel Farke will be relieved to finally get a new central midfielder through the door, having missed out on Habib Diarra to Premier League rivals Sunderland, but the manager remains keen on securing the signature of another player.

It was recently revealed the Whites have agreed personal terms with Hoffenheim midfielder Anton Stach, who is valued at £17m by the German club, and there has now been a major new update on their pursuit of the 26-year-old.

In a recent update from Plettenberg on X, it was revealed that “new talks” over a deal for Stach took place on Wednesday, with Leeds stepping up their pursuit of the Hoffenheim star, amid rival interest from Bundesliga side Stuttgart.

Major blow for 49ers as £30m+ Leeds target now pushing other clubs to bid

Leeds have a fight on their hands to secure one of their top targets of the summer transfer window.

3 ByBrett Worthington Jul 16, 2025

Stuttgart have also held talks over a deal for the German, but Hoffenheim are yet to strike an agreement with either club, although the feeling is that he is now “set to join Leeds”, which will come as welcome news for Farke.

However, it remains to be seen whether the Premier League side are willing to match the aforementioned asking price of around £17m plus bonuses.

Stach could be "incredible" addition to Farke's squad

The Hoffenheim maestro has received praise from former teammate Dominik Kohr, who lauded him for his “incredible” shooting ability, while he also excels in a number of other key areas, most often catching the eye from a defensive point of view.

The two-time Germany international is particularly impressive at winning back possession, as showcased by the number of interceptions he has averaged per 90 over the past year, while the defensive midfielder’s 6-foot-4 frame means he is also impressive in the air.

Statistic

Average per 90

Interceptions

1.65 (93rd percentile)

Blocks

1.60 (85th percentile)

Clearances

3.65 (99th percentile)

Aerials won

1.83 (88th percentile)

Leeds will need to be defensively solid if they are to stand a chance of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship, and Stach’s displays for Hoffenheim prove he could be a fantastic signing, so it is exciting news that the move has progressed in recent days.