Chelsea have already turned their attention to recruitment matters ahead of 2026, and could be set to change their transfer strategy to complete an intriguing move.

Chelsea look to Cole Palmer alternatives after injury confirmation

Enzo Maresca and Chelsea will be relieved to see Premier League football return after the international break.

However, it isn’t all good news, with Maresca confirming that Cole Palmer faces six more weeks on the sidelines. The forward’s niggling groin injury has limited his ability to make an impact this term, and he now won’t be back until around December.

Addressing his situation, the Italian boss made it clear that despite the nature of his issue, surgery will remain off the table for now as he aims to recover before the festive period.

Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Pedro Neto also suffered fitness issues in the build up to their clash with Nottingham Forest earlier today, continuing a theme of injury concerns at Stamford Bridge that will force Maresca to shuffle his pack amid a busy fixture schedule.

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While not on their immediate radar, incoming transfers will become an important part of their long-term planning over the coming weeks, albeit it remains to be seen where Maresca feels his squad needs reinforcements most.

Reports suggest Chelsea are prioritising a centre-back in January, coming after Maresca publicly requested one in the summer window, and links continue to surround a potential new goalkeeper as well.

Interestingly, a new midfielder could be on the agenda too, and Chelsea could now be set to deviate from their transfer philosophy in an attempt to sign an experienced playmaker.

Dean Jones on Chelsea's potential move for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Previously, FootballFanCast relayed news from Italy that Chelsea are pushing to sign Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Al-Hilal in what could be a deviation from their usual transfer strategy of recruiting young players with potential.

Deemed to be earning around £418,000 per week in the Middle East, the Serbia international has regularly been linked with Premier League clubs over the last decade, and he may be available to return to Europe on a free transfer next summer.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s record at Al-Hilal

Appearances

102

Goals

30

Assists

26

Contract expires

30/06/2026

Delivering some clarity on his situation, Dean Jones suggests Chelsea could value Milinkovic-Savic’s leadership qualities, and this may lead the West Londoners to pursuing a deal that would be classed as out of the ordinary compared with their usual transfer activity.

Chelsea are renowned for going for players below a certain age, but Jones says more senior options “will be considered” moving forward.

Successful Chelsea teams of the past have been littered with experienced professionals capable of conjuring important moments, and it appears Maresca wants to lean into that long-held tradition should he get the chance next summer, which could be beneficial for everyone.

Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly battling to complete the signing of “one of the strongest forwards in Europe” in 2026, with his big wages not a problem for either side.

Rooney impressed with Mbeumo at Man Utd

The Red Devils’ start to the season has been flawed, with not all of their new signings hitting the ground running, but Bryan Mbeumo has made an encouraging start to life at Old Trafford.

One player who has been impressed by the Cameroonian’s performances in a United shirt is Wayne Rooney, who admitted as much on The Wayne Rooney Show.

“He looks like the type of character who would be fine with it (going back to his old club). I think he’s been a real positive for Man United this season. I think his energy, his running off the ball, his commitment, he’s scored a couple of goals, he could have had more.

“So I’ve been really happy. I think he’s been, out of all the signings, the most positive one. And he looks like someone who will just take it in his stride. So, yeah, I think he’ll be ok. It’s not always easy when you go back.”

While Mbeumo has been joined by Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko at United this summer, another attacking player is now being mentioned as a transfer target for them.

Man Utd battling Chelsea for soon-to-be free agent

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Manchester United are interested in signing Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, who is on course to become a free agent in 2026.

The Red Devils will reportedly have no issue paying the Serb’s £10m-a-year wages, with Chelsea also keen on acquiring his signature, and Juve could cash in on him in the January transfer window, rather than lose him for nothing.

Vlahovic is an outstanding striker who has proven himself over an extended period, being hailed by his former manager Cesare Prandelli earlier this week.

“Dusan has shown great professionalism. He has endured everything. His goals reflect his inner balance. For me, he is a champion. I’d like to see him score even more – he is one of the strongest forwards in Europe.”

Juventus

150

62

Fiorentina

108

49

Partizan Belgrade

27

3

Serbia

38

15

Vlahovic has all the tools to be a big hit for United, from physicality to expert finishing, but the one question mark against them signing him is whether it would stunt Sesko’s growth at Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old Slovenian is still adjusting to life with the Red Devils, but there needs to be a point where United show faith in a striker and stick with him, having loaned Rasmus Hojlund out to Napoli for the 2025/26 season.

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That said, strong depth is never a bad thing, and the club needs to be ruthless, so if Sesko doesn’t enjoy a big first year at Old Trafford, a move for Vlahovic could make perfect sense.

Celtic are back in action in the Scottish Premiership on the other side of the international break at the end of this week when they face Dundee away from home.

The Hoops will be aiming to move back to the top of the table if Hearts slip up in their match, as they currently sit two points off the top of the division as it stands.

Despite a 3-2 win over Motherwell in the last game at Parkhead before the international break, Brendan Rodgers must find ways to make his Celtic team more effective in the final third.

The Scottish giants have failed to find the back of the net in five separate matches in all competitions so far this season, which shows that they have been blunt in front of goal far too often.

It is, therefore, a concern that Daizen Maeda had to withdraw from international duty with Japan due to a foot injury, sparking doubt over his availability for the clash with Dundee this weekend.

The 27-year-old star scored the winning goal against Motherwell last time out in the Premiership, and Rodgers may have to find an alternative option on the right wing.

Ranking Celtic's first-team right wing options

Maeda is currently the number one option for the Hoops on the right flank. Sebastian Tounekti’s arrival has forced the Japanese star to move to the right wing, and he has delivered two goals and two assists in the Premiership.

The Celtic star, who scored 33 goals in all competitions last season (Transfermarkt), has shown that he can impact games with goals and assists on a regular basis, which is why he is currently the best option out wide on the right.

If Maeda is unavailable for selection this weekend against Dundee, Hyun-jun Yang and James Forrest would be two potential replacements as natural right wingers.

Appearances

30

26

Goals

1

5

Big chances missed

4

6

Key passes per game

0.9

0.7

Big chances created

5

4

Assists

5

2

However, as you can see in the table above, both Yang and Forrest have failed to provide consistent quality in the final third in the Premiership since the start of last season, which is why they rank third and fourth out of the four first-team right wing options.

Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who is a left-winger typically, started on the right wing in the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock last month, and was subbed off with no shots on goal and no ‘big chances’ created, yet should still be considered the second-best senior right winger.

The Belgian forward, who provided a fantastic assist for Maeda from the left wing against Motherwell, looked uncomfortable and passive on the right flank, which is not his usual role.

Balikwisha, as he is the only winger other than Maeda with a goal contribution in the Premiership this season, may be the best first-team option available on the right wing, though, if the Japan international is injured, as Yang and Forrest have not shown enough quality.

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Because the former Royal Antwerp man looks to be the best senior right winger fit and available ahead of Dundee, Rodgers should look to the academy to unleash a young star on the flank.

Balikwisha, Forrest, and Yang do not look set to be future stars for Celtic on the right wing, but B team starlet Rhys Dargie may have the potential to be a key player for the Hoops moving forward.

Why Celtic should unleash Rhys Dargie against Dundee

The extent of Maeda’s injury remains to be seen, but it was bad enough for him not to play a single minute for Japan during the international break.

Even if it is not a serious injury that will completely rule him out for games, Celtic have a Europa League clash with Sturm Graz next week that they may want to save the attacker for if he is not at 100% fitness.

Therefore, Rodgers should unleash B team star Dargie on the right wing against Dundee this weekend in a bold move, because of how underwhelming his other options in that position have performed this season.

Rhys Dargie (B team)

10

4 + 3

Daizen Maeda (first-team)

13

3 + 2

Michel-Ange Balikwisha (first-team)

6

0 + 2

Hyun-jun Yang (first-team)

8

1 + 0

James Forrest (first-team)

12

0 + 0

As you can see in the table above, the 18-year-old attacker has the most goals and the most assists of any Celtic right wing option at B team or first-team level in the 2025/26 campaign so far.

What makes his return of four goals and three assists all the more impressive is that they all came in six appearances as a right winger, as the other four were in central midfield or on the left flank.

Dargie, who was described as “some talent” by reporter Stu Mclellan, also scored an eye-catching nine goals in 11 outings in the Lowland League in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt.

The Scottish sensation has scored 13 goals and assisted three in 21 appearances for Celtic B to date, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he is a winger who can offer a consistent threat in the final third, particularly as a goalscorer.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Dargie can translate those performances over to the first-team, the alternatives at the manager’s disposal have shown that they cannot be relied upon to deliver quality when needed.

That is why Rodgers should take a risk, although it is not much of a risk given the alternatives, and plunge the teenage talent into the Premiership clash with Dundee at the weekend to see if he has what it takes to influence games at senior level.

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An injury to Maeda is a blow on the face of it, particularly if he is out for a significant period of time, but it could be a blessing in disguise if it provides Dargie with an opportunity to shine in the first-team, as was the case with Colby Donovan after Alistair Johnston’s injury.

Table-toppers maintain unbeaten start to Blast campaign with five-wicket win at Grace Road

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Georgia Elwiss was in the runs for The Blaze•Getty Images

Nottingham-based The Blaze maintained their unbeaten record in the Vitality Blast women’s competition with a five-wicket victory over Lancashire Thunder at the Uptonsteel County Ground in Leicester.England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, making her first appearance in English domestic cricket for almost two years, made 31 from 25 balls with former England international all-rounder Georgia Elwiss top-scoring with an unbeaten 43 off 30 as The Blaze won with 10 balls to spare.Scotland international Ailsa Lister rescued an otherwise sub-par effort from Lancashire, thundering nine fours and three sixes in a 38-ball 79 – the highest individual score for Thunder in this year’s women’s Blast, helping her side from 47 for three after 10 overs to 150 for nine, regaining second place in the points table.Australia all-rounder Heather Graham took three for 36, Blaze skipper Kirstie Gordon picking up two for 24.The scheduling had been tough on Thunder, who were in action at The Kia Oval only 24 hours earlier; the Blaze, by contrast, had enjoyed a six-day hiatus between fixtures, although the break had allowed both Surrey Women and Bears Women to overtake them in the Blast table.Put in, Thunder struggled to 29 for two in the powerplay. Emma Lamb was run out at the non-striker’s end when bowler Sarah Glenn deflected Eve Jones’s drive into the stumps, Jones falling to the last ball of the sixth, well taken by Gordon at mid-on. Lister had an escape when she was dropped at mid-wicket on three but Thunder still faced a big task to post a meaningful score at 41 for three after Elwiss had Ellie Threlkeld caught behind for six.They were four down for 65 in the 12th, but the fifth-wicket pair almost doubled the total before Morris hit Graham straight to backward point, sparking a rush of wickets. King holed out to mid-on next ball before Gordon took two in two deliveries at the end of the 19th as Kate Cross was stumped and Tara Norris found long-on.Lister – dropped again on 62 – could not be shifted until slicing Graham to third man off the last ball, having cleared the rope off the Australian for the second time at the start of the final over.The Blaze lost Tammy Beaumont, leg before playing across the line to Kate Cross, and Kathryn Bryce yorked by Tara Norris, but were 48 for two from six thanks mainly to Sciver-Brunt hitting four of her first 10 balls to the boundary. Marie Kelly stepped right across her stumps to be bowled by Australian leg-spinner Alana King at 55 for three. Nonetheless, the home side looked comfortable at the halfway point, needing 78 to win.They would have felt less so eight balls later when Sciver-Brunt missed a straight ball from Grace Potts that hit the top of off-stump. The departure of one England player ushered in another in Amy Jones but after adding 29 in 19 balls with Elwiss, Jones miscued to mid-on for 16.The departure of the in-form Jones gave Thunder brief hope but three fours from Graham regained momentum for the home side, Elwiss thumping her seventh four down the ground off King to win the contest.

South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has announced that he is stepping away from international cricket, as he looks to prioritise his T20 league future.The decision means Klaasen, who will be 34 next month, played his last game for South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to New Zealand in Lahore in March. That has turned out to be the final game of a seven-year international career, in which he played four Tests, 60 ODIs and and 58 T20Is. It was in the white-ball formats that he really made an impact, and his reputation as one of the game’s most fearsome middle-order hitters; he exits ODIs with one of the highest career strike rates.Related

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It was in the 50-over format that he played one of the innings people will remember most, a blistering 83-ball 174 against Australia in Centurion. He was a key figure in South Africa’s runs to the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup as well as the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup. His dismissal in that final against India for a 27-ball 52 was one of the major turning points in South Africa’s ultimately doomed chase.The decision to retire, though, had been on the cards for a while now. He was overlooked for Cricket South Africa’s central contracts in April. Klassen had been on a white-ball only contract until then, having retired from Test cricket in January 2024.1:45

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At the time, both David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen accepted hybrid contracts which allows them to play in ICC events and agreed-upon bilateral tours. Of Klassen, CSA had said in a statement only that “discussions regarding his future are ongoing and a final decision will be made in due course.”Klaasen’s decision was also inevitable given Shukri Conrad’s plans for the national side. Announced as South Africa’s white-ball coach last month, Conrad made it clear that playing for South Africa would be the priority over T20 leagues in his tenure and committed to putting the best South African team forward in all their games.South Africa have a busy schedule coming up across formats, including several white-ball commitments through July, August and September. Those series clash with a number of leagues, including Major League Cricket (MLC), the Hundred and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). As one of South Africa’s most sought-after players on the T20 franchise circuit, Klaasen is signed up for the MLC and the Hundred (for the Seattle Orcas and Manchester Originals respectively).ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Conrad was expected to talk to players who were not given central contracts, including Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi as well but he was very clear when taking over about his selection criteria: “All our players must be available for selection. If they make themselves unavailable for selection, well, that’s a decision that they’ve made and the path that they’ve chosen.” He was especially keen to avoid situations where players do not feature in bilaterals but are parachuted in for an ICC event or one where a severely under-strength national squad has to take the field.”It is a sad day for me as I announce that I have decided to step away from international cricket,” Klassen said in a statement. “It took me a long time to decide what’s best for me and my family for the future. It was truly a very difficult decision but also one that I have absolute peace with.”To have played with the Proteas badge on my chest was and will always be the biggest honour in my career. I look forward to spending more time with my family as this decision will allow me to do so.”Enoch Nkwe, CSA’s director of national teams and high performance, said they respected Klaasen’s decision. “Heinrich has been a true match-winner for South Africa. He was a player capable of changing the course of a game in a matter of overs,” he said. “His commitment and impact in the white-ball formats have been immense, and we thank him for his outstanding service to South African cricket.”He has been transparent with Cricket South Africa throughout the past few months, and we fully respect his decision to retire from international cricket. We wish him continued success in the next chapter of his journey.”

The Atlanta Braves are 39-31 this season, but that record is still well below their expectations heading into 2024. They've been bit by the injury bug and are now 8.0 games back from the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.

Thankfully, they managed to squeeze by the Detroit Tigers via a 2-1 decision in the first game of their three-game set on Monday night and will try to string together a second straight win tonight.

We're going to dive into everything you need to know to bet on today's interleague showdown.

Tigers vs. Braves Odds, Spread, and Total

Run Line:

• Tigers +1.5 (-139)
• Braves -1.5 (+115)

Moneyline:

• Tigers +140
• Braves -167

Total:

• 9.0 (Over -105/Under -115)

Tigers vs. Braves Probable Pitchers

• Detroit: Casey Mize (1-4, 4.43 ERA)
• Atlanta: Spencer Schwellenbach (0-2, 6.32 ERA)

Tigers vs. Braves How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, June 18
• Time: 7:20 p.m. EST
• Venue: Truist Park
• How to watch (TV): Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Detroit
• Tigers record: 34-38
• Braves record: 39-31

Tigers vs. Braves Key Players to Watch

Detroit Tigers

Riley Greene: The Tigers' outfielder has been by their best offensive player this season. His 14 home runs is five more than any other player on the roster and his WAR of 3.0 is the best on the team by 2.0. When he gets going offensively, the Tigers are at their best.

Atlanta Braves

Spencer Schwellenbach: The Braves' rookie arm hasn't had a great start to his MLB career. He has a 6.32 ERA through his first three starts, but the good news is he was able to go 6.0 innings against the Baltimore Orioles his last time out. His development will be interesting to watch the next few weeks.

Tigers vs. Braves Prediction and Pick

Instead of betting on a side in this game, I'm going to opt for the total instead and take the UNDER.

Both offenses have been cold of late. Over the last 30 days, the Braves rank 18th in OPS at .687 and the Tigers come in at 24th at .669. Both teams also rank in the bottom half of the Majors in total runs scored in that time frame.

When it comes to pitching, I have faith we're going to see some positive regression from the young Schwellenbach. His 6.32 ERA is ugly, but a 4.43 FIP shows that some of his overall numbers may look reserve than they deserve to.

At surface level, you may think this game is going to produce a ton of runs, but when you dive into some underlying numbers along with recent form, it's clear to me we could see another low-scoring affair like we did on Monday.

Matheus Cunha says he is determined to "bring back the glory days" at Manchester United. The Brazilian has helped Ruben Amorim's team become a more competitive force this season but the ex-Wolves man says this is just the beginning. But amid his impressive start to the season, the 26-year-old was quick to downplay comparisons to Red Devils icon Eric Cantona.

Getty Images SportCunha compared to Cantona

Cantona is widely viewed as one of United's best-ever players, with the Frenchman playing a huge role in turning the Red Devils into the juggernaut that dominated English football for years in the 1990s and 2000s under manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Last month, former Premier League defender Stephen Warnock said Cunha has "got the aura of Cantona," and club CEO Omar Berrada previously stated that the £62.5 million ($85m) signing will prove to be "Cantona-esque" for the Red Devils. But the player himself thinks he needs to do a lot more before he can be spoken about in the same breath as the forward. 

He told The Sun: "Wow, what a player. I need to do much more things to be compared to him. When someone says something like this to me, I try to see the good part of this. To be someone who has a lot of passion to play for this club, to play football – and then try to represent everyone inside of the pitch. I feel privileged to be associated with these kind of things and with Cantona also. He made history. And if I can do a little percentage of what he did already, I’ll be very happy and then try to build my way to the guys to remember me also. I’m new at the club. I’m new in terms of the look, all the other performances from the past. Everything for me is new. So I have only my mind in bringing back the United glory days."

AdvertisementCunha: 'I want to do it my way'

Arsenal reportedly wanted to sign Cunha from Wolves in January but he ended up signing a new deal that included the release clause that United triggered this summer. Now, he wants to "build his dream" at Old Trafford. 

He added: "You need to look at even the hard moments in the positive way. Of course, I’m not someone special. Of course, I have my doubts. I have the difficult moments, like everyone. But this kind of world, I don’t feel it is impactful, like pressure to play like for this club or maybe to be someone different from the others. I only want to do it my way. I want to help my team. I only want to build my dream. To be a little part of the United history – be successful – I will always go for that.”

Getty Images SportMan Utd's relief at signing Cunha

The Brazil international ran circles around United for Wolves last season, as he picked up the man of the match award twice against Amorim's side. He scored one and assisted the other in their 2-0 win at Molineux and was instrumental in the 1-0 victory in the return fixture. 

When asked if United's players were relieved when Cunha joined them, he replied: "Yeah, exactly. It was exactly what happened! It was when I arrived and then I think my back was direct to Nous [Noussair Mazraoui] and to Leny. Because I only looked left and Leny was there. And they said, ‘Wow, wow, I’m so happy to have you on our side right now. It was so hard to get to the ball. And then we talked about the game. I was a little bit shy, you know, in the beginning. But these kind of moments help us be a little bit more comfortable. And then it was very good moments to remember."

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What comes next for Man Utd?

United are currently on a four-match unbeaten streak, comprising three wins and a draw. They sit eighth in the Premier League but if results go their way this weekend, they could be back in the top four. But to do that, they will have to beat Tottenham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a repeat of last season's Europa League final. This will be a good test of Amorim's team as they try and banish the horrors of last term.

Wolves are in the market for firepower and have now turned their attention to a Vitor Pereira favourite that he personally wants to bring to Molineux.

Wolves aim to bounce back after the international break

Admittedly, Wolves have suffered a poor start to the campaign, albeit draws against Tottenham and Brighton in the Premier League have provided more cause for optimism in the West Midlands.

Despite being rooted to the bottom of the table, the Old Gold have shown more resolve in recent times, though they are still to find that all-important victory to kickstart their campaign in earnest.

Hugo-Bueno-in-action-for-Wolves

Speaking about his side’s recent form, Hugo Bueno believes his side will eventually find three points and has encouraged his teammates to look past the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser to the Seagulls last weekend.

He stated: “It was really painful, but I try to keep with the positives of this game and I think the team showed a really good character. I think we controlled the game, we played really well, so we have to keep going like this. I’m really proud of the team but we have to look forward to the next games and to the next points and hopefully we can win that one.”

With Matt Doherty set to spend a month on the sidelines, Wolves find themselves with a lack of depth at right-back. Either way, back-to-back fixtures against Sunderland and Burnley simply have to be a launchpad for climbing the Premier League table.

Avoiding relegation will be the first port of call for the Old Gold this term before other objectives are discussed, and they could now be set to target a prolific striker to help their bid for survival.

Vitor Pereira tells Wolves to sign Yuri Alberto

According to reports in South America via Sport Witness, Wolves boss Pereira personally wants to bring Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto to Molineux as he believes the Brazil international could add another layer to his offensive options.

The tactician is also said to have asked Wolves to sign Alberto, so it is clear Pereira is very keen on bringing the attacker to the Black Country.

The 24-year-old has registered 15 goals and two assists in 45 appearances over the current Brazilian campaign and was previously the subject of a failed loan bid with an option to buy from the Old Gold back in 2024.

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By the same token, Alberto has also created 11 chances on league duty, per Fotmob, illustrating his capacity to lead the line efficiently as Wolves look for someone to compete with Jorgen Strand Larsen and Tolu Arokodare for a starting place.

No official proposal has been made yet. Still, the Corinthians striker is now firmly in Pereira’s thinking, and his arrival could add some much-needed goals to a side who have been the Premier League’s lowest goalscorers thus far alongside Nottingham Forest.

Arne Slot gambled on Wednesday when he decided to exclude from his matchday squad the majority of his first-team Liverpool stars.

But the Dutch tactician didn’t gamble with his side’s chances of advancing against Crystal Palace to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup. The result, plainly, always felt the probable outcome from the build-up, and Liverpool are now condemned to six losses from seven games.

Liverpool did not have the firepower to overwhelm Oliver Glasner’s side, and so he has rested his heavyweights in the hope that the Reds will see an upswing in form across the crucial coming period of football. Up next: Aston Villa and Manchester City in the Premier League, with the visit of Real Madrid in the Champions League in between.

With that in mind, the decision to field a second-string team was understandable, but there was a dearth of experience, and with the outcome almost pre-determined, unleashing the already under-fire Milos Kerkez has backfired.

Milos Kerkez struggles again

Since September 27th, Liverpool have lost more games than any other side across Europe’s top five leagues. Defensively, it’s been a bit lackadaisical and erratic.

In this regard, summer recruit Kerkez has really struggled. The Hungarian arrived from Bournemouth for £45m in July but is unrecognisable to the Premier League Team of the Year inclusion who inspired such awe on the south coast last year.

Slot and Kerkez will take solace in the 21-year-old having created two chances, finding his man with both attempted crosses and connecting well with the lively Rio Ngumoha. However, he also lost the ball 19 times and won only three of his nine contested duels (data via Sofascore).

It was a display that, once again, left plenty to be desired, and Liverpool still wait to see the left-back form into a worthy part of Slot’s project.

There is, however, time on his side. But the same cannot be said for another part of the Liverpool backline, a player who has been at the heart of a series of transfer sagas in recent years and may now be heading for the axe.

Slot must ditch Liverpool stalwart

Liverpool have undergone plenty of change this year, and there’s a sense that some of the veterans need to stick around. This isn’t true in every case, though.

For so long, Joe Gomez has been a part of the club, instrumental in the rise of Jurgen Klopp and the longest-serving active first-team player – and that even before Trent Alexander-Arnold packed and left.

The 28-year-old was part of a three-man backline in the cup, but Slot’s attempts to negate the Palace threat came undone when Gomez found himself at the epicentre of the deadlock-breaker. It was his loose touch that gifted Ismaila Sarr the first goal of his brace, ever the bane in Liverpool’s side.

Perhaps Gomez’s miscontrol was more unfortunate than clumsy, but there was still a flash of a chance to clear the danger and keep that elusive clean sheet.

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

3

Errors made

1

Touches

92

Accurate passes

69/76 (91%)

Possession lost

9x

Recoveries

5

Tackles

1/1

Interceptions

3

Clearances

8

Ground duels

1/3

Aerial duels

3/4

Moreover, Gomez’s errant pass led to the Eagles’ conclusive third strike, and Liverpool World saw it fit thereafter to hand the England international a 5/10 match rating.

After attracting interest from Newcastle United and, curiously, Palace over the past two summer transfer windows, Liverpool may come to regret not cashing in, especially if that had led to the likes of Marc Guehi, who remains under Glasner’s wing but could have been fielded for the hosts on Wednesday.

After such sweeping changes this summer, Liverpool were always going to need time to develop and reshape as a unit. But this feels messy.

We are not seeing a coherent squad ratcheting up the pace, but instead a sour situation that now threatens to spill over if form is not found before Aston Villa’s trip to Anfield on Saturday evening.

If Slot has learned anything new, it’s that Gomez cannot be placed into the starting line-up against Unai Emery’s well-oiled team.

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

Manchester City are known for their spending power following their 2008 takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group and have won everything under Pep Guardiola.

Jack Grealish is the club’s biggest ever addition at a cost of £100m, whereas star striker Erling Haaland looks a bargain at just over £50m.

Man City's most expensive signings of all time

The Citizens have spent a lot of money over the years.

ByBarney Lane Jan 28, 2025

However, those at the Etihad Stadium have also brought in some big fees for some star players in recent years, with Cole Palmer’s move to Chelsea one that City arguably regret.

Here is a list of Man City’s most expensive departures of all time, with a detailed look at the top 10.

Rank

Player

Fee

Sold to

Year

Julian Alvarez

£64.4m

Atletico Madrid

2024

Raheem Sterling

£47.5m

Chelsea

2022

Ferran Torres

£46.7m

Barcelona

2021

Gabriel Jesus

£45m

Arsenal

2022

Leroy Sane

£44.7m

Bayern Munich

2020

Cole Palmer

£42.5m

Chelsea

2023

Danilo

£34.1m

Juventus

2019

Oleksandr Zinchenko

£30m

Arsenal

2022

Riyad Mahrez

£30m

Al-Hilal

2023

Kelechi Iheanacho

£25m

Leicester

2017

Yan Couto

£25m

Borussia Dortmund

2025

Alvaro Negredo

£23.8m

Valencia

2014

Aymeric Laporte

£23.6m

Al-Nassr

2023

James McAtee

£22m

Nottingham Forest

2025

Joao Cancelo

£21.2m

Al-Hilal

2001

Shaun Wright-Phillips

£21m

Chelsea

2005

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

£20m

Southampton

2024

Mario Balotelli

£19m

AC Milan

2013

James Trafford

£19m

Burnley

2023

Robinho

£18m

AC Milan

2010

10 Kelechi Iheanacho £25m to Leicester, 2017

Eight years before full-back Yan Couto, Man City sold forward Kelechi Iheanacho for a fee of £25m.

The Nigerian scored 21 goals in 64 games at the Etihad, however, in search of regular game time, signed for the Foxes where he would make more than 230 appearances.

He won the FA Cup for Leicester, whereas City were happy with the money after bringing the forward through their academy.

9 Riyad Mahrez £30m to Al-Hilal, 2023

After winning the treble with Man City in 2022/23, winger Riyad Mahrez swapped Manchester for Saudi Arabia.

Mahrez was 32 years of age when Al-Hilal came calling, with City recouping half of the £60m they paid Leicester for the right-winger in 2018.

8 Oleksandr Zinchenko £30m to Arsenal, 2022

Full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko played more than 125 games for Man City after joining in 2016 from FC Ufa.

Zinchenko cost just £1.8m, so would go on to make a huge profit when selling the Ukrainian to Arsenal. It proved to be a wise call, with the left-back struggling to make the same impact at the Emirates.

7 Danilo £34.1m to Juventus, 2019

Brazilian full-back Danilo arrived from Real Madrid in Guardiola’s first season and would make 60 appearances for Man City.

He left for Juventus in 2019 after winning back-to-back Premier League titles, two EFL Cup trophies and an FA Cup, with City making profit in the process.

6 Cole Palmer £42.5m to Chelsea, 2023

A sale that Man City look set to regret for a long time is academy graduate Cole Palmer.

When Man City accepted Chelsea’s £42.5m offer for the attacking midfielder in 2023, it appeared as if it was a wise decision and one that would help with FFP.

However, Palmer has gone from strength to strength at Stamford Bridge and is now seen as one of the best creative attackers in world football.

5 Leroy Sane £44.7m to Bayern, 2020

Arriving at the Etihad in 2016 for an initial £37m, Leroy Sane made a big impact on the wing for Man City, with his lightning speed terrifying full-backs in the Premier League.

The German won two league titles with City and returned to his native country with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich four years later, with the Blues making money on the attacker.

4 Gabriel Jesus £45m to Arsenal, 2022

Like Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus also made the move from Man City to Arsenal in 2022, and the Brazilian cost the Gunners more at £45m.

Jesus scored 95 goals in 236 games for City, winning four Premier League titles. He cost the Blues around £27m, meaning those at the Etihad made a tidy profit despite selling to a rival.

3 Ferran Torres £46.7m to Barcelona, 2021

Ferran Torres’ stay in Manchester was short and sweet, and much of his 18-month stay at the Etihad was during the pandemic and played behind closed doors, so City fans never really got to see the forward up close.

The Spaniard did catch the eye in England, so much so that Barcelona were willing to pay £46.7m for his services at the end of 2021.

2 Raheem Sterling £47.5m to Chelsea, 2022

Raheem Sterling spent seven years as a Man City player and won four Premier League titles at the Etihad, going down as a club legend.

The winger cost City just under £50m from Liverpool in 2015, so recouping the majority of that fee when Chelsea came in was seen as a shrewd piece of business.

1 Julian Alvarez £64.4m to Atletico Madrid, 2024

Top of the list as Man City’s most expensive sale of all time is forward Julian Alvarez, who played second fiddle to Haaland for large parts of his Etihad career.

The Argentine did win the World Cup while at City and impressed when given the chance under Guardiola.

However, those at the Etihad couldn’t turn down an initial £64.4m offer from Atletico Madrid, and that could rise to £81.5m with add ons.