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Lionel Messi scored two goals, and Inter Miami took advantage of an admittedly sloppy Nashville SC to earn a 3-1 win and take a 1-0 lead in the first round of their MLS playoff series. The Argentine was short of his best, but opportunistic at the right moments, and the Herons' only real gripe can be that they didn't keep a clean sheet in their pursuit of an evasive MLS Cup.

This all looked like classic Miami from the first minute. They were thoroughly outplayed in the opening exchanges and should have gone behind, had it not been for an untimely slip from Jacob Shaffelburg as he ran through on goal. 

Messi soon got into the game, though. And he played architect for the opener. Luis Suarez picked up the ball on the right, and Messi ghosted to the center of the box. Neither defender tracked him, and Messi easily nodded home. 

Tadeo Allende should have made it two in the first half, and eventually did in the second. The goal was a well constructed thing, an Ian Fray cross landing agreeably on Allende's forehead, who had sufficient space to nod home unchallenged. Nashville had more of the ball in the second half, but did admittedly little with it. 

Miami were, in the most part, happy to defend. They were rather gifted a third when a defensive mishap gave Messi the ball in front of an open goal. He poked it home. Nashville's defense looked around. Miami took a 3-0 lead. A late Hany Mukhtar free kick, where the German scored, did little to change the result. This wasn't perfect, but Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano will certainly be pleased. 

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Chase Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Rocco Rios Novo (7/10):

  Didn't really have loads to do, other than claim a cross or two. Denied Surridge late. Could do nothing about Mukhtar's late free kick.

  Ian Fray (8/10):

  Grabbed himself an assist, and held down his side of the pitch effectively. A really good night. 

  Maxi Falcon (7/10):

  A bit chaotic, which is kind of his thing. Made a few tackles, missed a few tackles, but Miami kept a clean sheet. 

  Noah Allen (7/10):

  Made a big mistake early on that really should have been punished by Shaffelburg. Settled down thereafter. 

  Jordi Alba (6/10):

  Industrious on the left, looked to combine, but was a little lacking in his final ball. 

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  Midfield

  Sergio Busquets (6/10):

  Not involved much. Picked up a yellow that could have probably been a red. Won some important tackles, otherwise. 

  Rodrigo De Paul (7/10):

  Scrappy, a bit of an irritant, and played a ball that was crucial in the run up to the opening goal. 

  Lionel Messi (8/10):

  Pretty magical, as per usual. Found all sorts of spaces, scored a wonderful goal, bagged an easy second. Makes it look so easy. 

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  Attack

  Tadeo Allende (7/10):

  Should have scored to double Miami's lead. Eventually did in the second half. Has found the net 11 times this season in MLS. A really good signing. 

  Luis Suarez (8/10):

  His ball to Messi for Miami's opener was delightful. Had a couple of chances well denied. Not happening for him in front of goal, but was still mightily effective. 

  Baltasar Rodriguez (6/10):

  Never fully worked his way into the game. Put in the legwork, but certainly could have been more effective when called upon.

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  Subs & Manager

  Telasco Segovia (7/10):

  A solid shift with a few nice touches. 

  Mateo Silvetti (N/A):

  No time to make an impact

  Yannick Bright (N/A):

  No time to make an impact

  Gonzalo Lujan (N/A):

  No time to make an impact

  Javier Mascherano (8/10):

  Didn't change much on the night, and didn't really have to. Miami took their chances and defended well enough to earn a routine win. A few more of those will do them just fine. 

The match will be played in batting-friendly Chattogram, which means Bangladesh’s bowlers will have to work extra hard to force a result

Mohammad Isam27-Apr-2025

Blessing Muzarabani picked up nine wickets in the first Test•AFP/Getty Images

Big picture: Zimbabwe eye series winAfter the thriller in Sylhet, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe would be expected to deliver another close Test in Chattogram. Zimbabwe were largely in control of the Sylhet game except for the last hour on the fourth day, but they held on. Bangladesh just didn’t have enough to play with and are under severe pressure to avoid a series defeat.Zimbabwe had their impressive bowling line-up, particularly the pace attack, to thank for getting them into a strong position in Sylhet. Blessing Muzarabani was the natural leader of the attack, with career-best match figures of 9 for 122, but it was the rest of the attack that surprised Bangladesh. Richard Ngarava and Victor Nyauchi were relentless, while Wellington Masakadza and Wessly Madhevere didn’t let the lower order settle.They would be a little worried about their batting, though. Brian Bennett struck twin fifties and Sean Williams got a half-century in the first innings, but otherwise they had to rely on lower-order runs. Nyasha Mayavo’s wicketkeeping will also concern the side after he dropped a few sitters.But Bangladesh have bigger problems, particularly in their batting line-up. Their openers haven’t scored an inidividual hundred or put together a century stand for more than two years. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto isn’t staying for long enough, while Mominul Haque hasn’t got a big one since their India tour.The Mushfiqur Rahim question hovers over the team management, as the veteran hasn’t got a fifty in the last 12 innings. At the same time, Jaker Ali now has a fifty in each of his first four Tests, which suggests he needs to be promoted as he mostly ends up batting with the tail.The onus, therefore, is on Bangladesh’s bowling attack to get the win in Chattogram. They are without Nahid Rana, who has left for the PSL. Hasan Mahmud and Khaled Ahmed could get Tanzim Hasan as the third seamer, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who got a ten-wicket haul in Sylhet, and Taijul Islam as the main spinners. Mehidy and Taijul, however, will have to do more early in the game to give Bangladesh a chance.Form guideBangladesh LWLLL
Zimbabwe WLLDLMushfiqur Rahim has not scored a half-century in his last 12 Test innings•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Mushfiqur Rahim and Brian BennettThe pressure is on Mushfiqur Rahim after his lean patch extended to 12 innings. His last major contribution was the 191 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, but that was eight months ago. In the Sylhet Test, he was out cheaply twice. Mushfiqur is expected to play his 100th Test match later this year, so it is crucial that he starts scoring, as questions are beginning to mount about his place in the team.Brian Bennett struck two fifties in Sylhet, both times dominating the Bangladesh attack. He said after his first half-century that Rana’s pace didn’t bother him. “The faster the ball, the further I can hit,” Bennett said. He has looked confident with his off-side shots, particularly the square cut. But both times he got out just after reaching his fifty, the second of them a worry since Zimbabwe lost their way for a bit from a strong position when he was dismissed.Team news: Bangladesh could rejig top orderBangladesh have brought in Anamul Haque to boost their top order. They have also added the uncapped left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam, while quick bowler Tanzim Hasan awaits his debut.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Anamul Haque, 2 Shadman Islam, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 7 Jaker Ali (wk), 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Hasan Mahmud, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Tanzim HasanBrian Bennett scored half-centuries in each innings in the first Test•AFP/Getty Images

Zimbabwe have Johnathan Campbell, Trevor Gwandu, Vincent Masekesa and Tafadzwa Tsiga on their bench, but might not want to break their winning combination.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Ben Curran, 2 Brian Bennett, 3 Nick Welch, 4 Craig Ervine (capt), 5 Sean Williams, 6 Wessly Madhevere, 7 Nyasha Mayavo (wk), 8 Wellington Masakadza, 9 Richard Ngarava, 10 Blessing Muzarabani, 11 Victor NyauchiPitch and conditions: Welcome to the batting havenChattogram is Bangladesh’s best batting pitch, with the last two teams batting first here scoring 500-plus each. It is hard to bowl teams out here, which could be detrimental for the home side as they try to level the series. There is a forecast for rain on the first three days.Stats and trivia Muzarabani’s 9 for 122 in Sylhet is Zimbabwe’s best match returns against Bangladesh. The previous best was Grant Flower’s 8 for 104 in Chattogram in 2001. During their second innings of the Sylhet Test, Bangladesh’s batters all got out to catches. The only other time it happened for Bangladesh was against West Indies in 2021. Mehidy now has three ten-wicket hauls in Test cricket, the most for Bangladesh, going past two each by Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul. This will be David Boon’s 87th and last Test as match referee. Quotes”Yeah, I think it’s really important to obviously understand the processes that got you to that Test win. It’s not about putting added pressure on ourselves just because we are 1-0 up and there’s an expectation to come in and win the series. We need to break it down into small bits and make sure we stick to our processes and stick to our plans.”
“I don’t think we lost strength. We lost pace. There’s nobody here with Rana’s pace. The skills are there however, especially how to bowl in Chattogram. It has always been a slower wicket. Hopefully we can extract a bit of turn and the seamers can do the job with their skills.”

Wrexham's Hollywood owners have been warned that their valuation of the club may be significantly lower than they estimate. A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac value the club at $472m (£350m) but it could in fact be far lower according to a football finance expert. Reynolds and Mac have invested heavily in a team that has scaled the football pyramid since their 2021 purchase.

Getty Images EntertainmentReynolds and Mac value Wrexham at $472m amid talk of selling stake

Wrexham finally secured their spot in League Two after a series of failed attempts to escape the National League having been taken over by Reynolds and Mac – formerly McElhenney – in February 2021. Since then, the Dragons have gone from strength-to-strength securing three successive promotions. Wrexham have made a solid start to life in The Championship with their midweek draw at Leicester taking them to nine points from the opening eight games ahead of Friday's game against Birmingham.

And Reynolds and Mac are keen to build upon Wrexham's impressive rise up England's football ladder with reports suggesting the pair have been talking to advisors about selling a minority stake in the club to help fund player transfers and to aid in paying for a new Kop stand.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWrexham owners told valuation may be inflated

However, a football finance expert has warned that Reynolds and Mac's valuation may be inflated, estimating it could be worth a third of the $472m (£350m) valuation. "Valuing a football club is always part science and part art and ultimately it is about what someone is prepared to pay," Dr Dan Plumley of Sheffield Hallam University told Grosvenor Casinos via Wales Online. "However, some sensible judgement on the numbers can get us close. Typically, a football club would command a valuation of around 1.5 to 2 times turnover, plus the physical assets it owns and the respective intangibles of brand value, heritage and the power of the fan base.

"Even on the numbers we can see, that would put Wrexham at a valuation of circa £50m based on 2024 numbers. If the turnover has been higher in 2025 and jumps again in 2026 then talks of a £100m valuation becomes more feasible. Wrexham are trying to grow their turnover in the future through stadium expansion which is commendable. These are long-term projects, however, and would not lead to valuation jumps straight away."

Getty Images SportFinance expert issues caution about attempts to reach the Premier League

Plumley was also quick to praise Wrexham and their owners for the strides take to move up the football pyramid but pleads for caution as they look to achieve their dream of reaching the Premier League in the foreseeable future.

"They've made positive strides on and off the pitch in the last three years. The next step won't be easy as they battle with increased costs, Championship PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) and other clubs in receipt of Premier League parachute payments," Plumley added.

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Wrexham achieving impressive financial results

Wrexham have previously posted impressive financial results, with the club's revenue for the 2023/24 financial year a notable £26.7m when they were still in League Two. The success of the documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham' has contributed to a rise in overseas interest and an increase in revenue.

And as they seek investment, it wouldn't be the first time they have sold a minority stake in the club having done so to the Allyn family last year. The club used the investment from the American family to launch a summer splurge, which saw them sign the likes of Nathan Broadhead, Ben Sheaf and Lewis O'Brien, to name three, in their bid to avoid immediately dropping back into League One.

Newcastle United fans will be hoping to see plenty of improvements on the pitch at St James’ Park from their team when the international break is finished.

The lacklustre Toon currently find themselves in a seriously below-par 17th position in the early Premier League standings, having failed to win any of their three opening matches.

There were positives aplenty to take away from the exhilarating 3-2 defeat at the hands of Liverpool, but that high-octane performance was then followed up by a flat 0-0 draw against Leeds United at Elland Road.

While Eddie Howe’s Magpies loiter in and around the relegation spaces, Elliot Anderson is at least further up the division with Nottingham Forest, with the former Newcastle youth product never looking back since departing Tyneside in the summer of 2024 for a chance at the City Ground.

Anderson's rise since leaving Newcastle

PSR-related troubles would see both Anderson and Yankuba Minteh leave St James’ Park behind that summer for fresh opportunities elsewhere in the Premier League.

Howe and Co will feel plagued with more regret now that they let the 22-year-old go over the Minteh situation, considering the Forest number 8 has now just won his first senior England cap after regularly impressing for Nuno Santo’s Tricky Trees.

It’s a well-deserved moment in the spotlight for the 5-foot-10 star, too, having exploded into life from minute one of his Forest journey to be considered a very crucial cog for Nuno and Co in the same vein as Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood.

Indeed, his 2024/25 offering in league action would see him tally up two goals and six assists as a creative spark centrally.

But, when you dive even deeper into the numbers, it’s his relentless vigour that catches the eye more so than his ability to create an opening, winning a mightily impressive 6.5 duels per game last season in the league, as Forest clinched Europa League football.

Howe would love to call upon Anderson in his team right now to generate a buzz to get his side out of their malaise, but their costly loss has ended up being Forest’s immense gain.

Still, the out-of-sorts Magpies will be hoping that they have picked up their own version of Anderson in the chaotic transfer window, having snapped up a promising midfielder from a fellow Premier League foe.

Newcastle's next version of Anderson

Thankfully, Newcastle are no longer in the same dire financial straits, helped no doubt by the £125m boost to their bank account when Alexander Isak unsurprisingly changed allegiances to Liverpool.

Off the back of such a hefty injection of cash, Newcastle went all out to land both Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade, with the £43m pick-up of Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa perhaps flying under the radar subsequently.

While Howe’s men will be sympathetic to Villa’s own PSR obstacles in the here and now, they have benefited directly from Unai Emery’s side having to sell a prized asset to balance the books by signing Ramsey, much like Forest knew they were on their way to stealing a gem when securing Anderson.

Despite finding himself in and out of the first-team picture at Villa Park – much like Anderson before him at St. James’ Park – there has been more than enough promise in the 24-year-old’s displays in the West Midlands to suggest he could be an impactful starter on Tyneside, having once been branded as a ‘”terrific” talent by ex-Villa boss Steven Gerrard.

Games played

138

Games started

94

Goals scored

14

Assists

12

Passes completed

3004 (85%)

Tackles

193

Duels won

487

The table above certainly validates the argument that Ramsey could become Howe’s own Anderson, with the lively midfielder registering a healthy tally of 14 goals and 12 assists in the top-flight to date, even as 44 of his 138 Premier League clashes for his boyhood side came from off the bench.

Moreover, he also displays the same fight and hunger Anderson has in abundance, winning 3.5 duels per game, making him a lively character that could soon propel the Toon up the division, after a slow start out of the blocks.

There were many grumbles online after the £43m man’s move to St James’ Park was confirmed, as Villa bemoaned PSR-related issues resulting in the loss of one of their own.

Newcastle know all too well the same agony, but they will hope they can capitalise on the unfortunate situation at hand, away from being stung again.

Newcastle hit the jackpot on “outstanding” star worth more than Anderson

While Elliot Anderson thrives at Forest after his £35m transfer, Newcastle have a rising star of their own

ByWill Miller Sep 6, 2025

Pakistan were reduced to 46 for 4 before a gritty rearguard from Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel

Danyal Rasool17-Jan-2025

Mohammad Rizwan played a key part in rescuing Pakistan after a shaky start•PCB

Half-centuries from Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan wrestled momentum back for Pakistan after Jayden Seales’ triple-strike had put West Indies in the box seat in Multan. On a surface tailor-made for spin, it was the fast bowler who proved the pick of the bunch, exploiting pace and slight seam movement to send debutant Mohammad Hurraira, Kamran Ghulam and Babar Azam back for single figures. Pakistan had, at that point, been reduced to 46 for 4, with West Indies looming ominously over the tail. But a gritty unbeaten 97-run rearguard for the fifth wicket, from Rizwan and Shakeel, thwarted the visitors for the rest of the day, to ensure Pakistan would end the day with a semblance of control.After the start was delayed by four hours owing to heavy fog that enveloped the ground, Pakistan won the toss and batted first in hazy conditions with the floodlights on throughout the course of the day. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie bowled the first ball, an indication of how both sides perceived the pitch upon which each played three specialist spinners. Motie got rid of Pakistan captain Shan Masood early on, squeezing him down to the debutant wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach on the on side, but for the rest of the hour, it was Seales’ show.He had been sniffing right from the outset, and got his reward when Hurraira hung his bat out and edged to the keeper. It was followed up by a beauty to remove Kamran Ghulam, who had just dispatched an outswinger to the boundary. The next ball, he attempted to shoulder arms but it seamed back into him wickedly, rapping the thigh, with Hawk-Eye showing it would have clipped the top of off.Kamran Ghulam was lbw shouldering arms to Jayden Seales•PCB

The big fish came soon after, another glorious use of the seam. Seales hit a hard length which Babar looked to parry into the off side, but it shaped away just enough to kiss the outside edge through to Imlach. Babar would review, but, like Ghulam, he would not be reprieved.The innings threatened to fall apart at that point, but Saud Shakeel, seasoned on surfaces like these, restored some order to proceedings for Pakistan. The sting was taken out of the quicks and the spinners negotiated deftly, while Mohammad Rizwan at the other end kept his concentration levels up as West Indies continued to prowl.There was a notable acceleration from the pair after tea, right from when Shakeel got to his knees and swept Kevin Sinclair for four. It was a shot that brought the pair bounty through the session, giving them a release shot as the ball began to rip. The next six overs produced seven boundaries with Rizwan the chief aggressor, brave enough to use his feet to spin and ensuring the strike kept ticking over.There remained plenty for the visitors to get excited about. A number of balls beat the outside edge by a whisker, and Shakeel popped one up dangerously close to short midwicket just shy of a half-century. But when he got there, and Rizwan followed up soon after, the milestones were both well-deserved. By now, the light had been deteriorating consistently, and midway through Kraigg Brathwaite’s first over, the light-metre came out, and the players went off. By then, Pakistan were arguably the happier side, having been dragged by Rizwan and Shakeel towards a rather less perilous position than they found themselves in after the first hour.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher fears the club's failure to sign Marc Guehi could come back to haunt them in the Premier League title race.

• Liverpool missed out on Guehi signing
• Crystal Palace pulled plug late on
• Carragher fears it could cost Liverpool

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Guehi, 25, was on the brink of joining the Reds on transfer deadline day after they agreed a £35 million fee (€40.5m/$47m) with Crystal Palace for the defender. However despite undergoing a medical with Liverpool, Palace pulled the plug at the last moment following reports that manager Oliver Glasner threatened to quit should the transfer go through without his side securing a replacement.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  And while Carragher believes Liverpool remain firm favourites for the Premier League despite missing out on Guehi, he says the club will now be sweating on the fitness of defensive duo Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk in their pursuit of a second successive title in 2025-26.

• WHAT CARRAGHER SAID

  Speaking to The Overlap Podcast, Carragher – who made 737 appearances for Liverpool – said: "Might they [Liverpool] regret that [missing out on Guehi]? Listen, they are three games in, nine points from nine and probably not played that well, so we would probably all say they are big favourites, Liverpool. But that is the one area [defence] where that could come back and blow up in their face because they haven't really got that [cover]. What Guehi was getting was giving Liverpool competition at centre-back. They haven't really got that. They've got two starters and two understudies.

  "Joe Gomez, injury-prone himself, and the young lad from Italy [Giovanni Leoni], he is going to be a great prospect, but if you think if one of them had to play for a couple of months, it is a big difference."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Guehi showed no signs of lingering frustration over his scuppered Liverpool move after starring in England's victories over Andorra and Serbia during the international break. The former Chelsea centre-back started both games and scored his first Three Lions goal in the thumping 5-0 win over Serbia on Tuesday.

Holden questioned both tactical and lineup decisions by Pochettino, pointing to the Tim Ream and Tristan Blackmon pairing

• Holden questioned several of Pochettino's decisions
• Didn't understand the thought process on defense
• Says U.S. must get a win against a top opponent 

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following a 2-0 loss to South Korea on Saturday night, the USMNT are now winless in their last seven matches against non-North American top-25 opponents, being outscored 17-3 in that span. It is a worrying sign for former U.S. star Stu Holden, who says manager Mauricio Pochettino needs to find a rhythm with the team ahead of the World Cup.

  "This is the national team 10 months away from the World Cup," Holden said on the "State of the Union" podcast. "If you're going to experiment and you have different partnerships, some of that is expected. But tactically, the discipline, the way the U.S. looks in and out of shape, it's more concerning for me than it is encouraging from what I saw in this game."

  Holden pointed to numerous tactical decisions by Pochettino, including the manager's call to start Tristan Blackmon in his first U.S. game, which led to issues against Son Heung-Min and the South Korea attack.

  "Let's be honest, Tristan Blackmon was pretty underwhelming," Holden said. "I was interested in trying to figure out what Pochettino was really asking of him. Especially when the U.S. were in possession, he was squeezing very tight. And then even defensively, when the U.S. were in their own half defending, he was playing very aggressively. And that's actually what led to that first goal by South Korea."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Blackmon wasn't the only player who had issues for the U.S. Holden called out other tactical flaws, saying, "We had no pressure on the ball, and the lines were disconnected."

  Despite the loss, Pochettino stressed that the USMNT have improved, evidenced by bettering South Korea in both shots taken and possession. Yet the team was shut out.

  "The fact is, again, we didn't score a goal. Again, we didn't beat a top-25 opponent, which we haven't done since the 2022 World Cup," Holden said. "And once again, we're left with more questions than answers." 

  Holden suggested that Pochettino consider a five-man backline and start another centerback with Chris Richards and Tim Ream, which could create more freedom for the attack.

  "It alleviates a little bit of defensive pressure on [Christian] Pulisic and [Tim] Weah, from [Diego] Luna, from whoever is on the forward part of the field," Holden said. "I just think Pochettino now has to start transitioning his head to start thinking 'We can't beat top opponents, we need to stop conceding goals against top opponents.'

  "To go far in the World Cup, you need to start beating top opponents. We can't do it in the formation that we have. He's even said it himself, that this is the last window for experimentation… Formation may indeed be a part of the problem."

• WHAT HOLDEN SAID

  Josh Sargent made the start at striker against South Korea, but struggled before being subbed off for Folarin Balogun in the second half. Holden said the way the U.S. are being set up in attack doesn't allow the team to get the best out of Championship's leading striker.

  "He is a guy who thrives off crosses in the box – we don't cross the ball," Holden said. "Josh Sargent, his average position was deeper than Diego Luna… It's just this hodgepodge in the middle, and there's no width. There's nothing dynamic in the way they were creating."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

  The U.S. will now look to regroup when they face Japan on Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio.

Chelsea are now just two games away from being crowned champions of the world.

Late on Friday night, the Blues booked their place in the Club World Cup semi-finals, thanks to a 2-1 victory over Palmeiras at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Cole Palmer broke the deadlock early, only for Chelsea-bound Estêvão Willian to score a stunning equaliser, but Malo Gusto’s late cross was deflected into his own net by Agustín Giay as the Londoners prevailed in Pennsylvania.

Enzo Maresca’s team will now take on Fluminense in Tuesday’s semi-finals at MetLife Stadium, the third different Brazilian club they’ve faced this summer, firm favourites to reach the final, where either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid await.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

Meantime, Chelsea remain, as is their want, extremely busy in the transfer market, with João Pedro debuting off the bench on Friday, while Jamie Gittens has since arrived too, it could mean that another of their forward players is to take his leave.

The latest on Noni Madueke's Chelsea future

As reported by Sam Dean and Sam Wallace of the Telegraph, Arsenal are preparing a £50m bid for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

Meantime, David Ornstein of the Athletic notes that the England international has actually already ‘agreed personal terms’ with the Gunners, and this deal appears as though it could actually happen, with Madueke thereby becoming the tenth player to leave Chelsea for Arsenal in the modern era, six of which have done so since 2019.

William Gallas

2006

£5m

Lassana Diarra

2007

£6m

Yossi Benayoun

2011

Loan

Petr Čech

2015

£10m

David Luiz

2019

£8m

Willian

2020

Free

Jorginho

2023

£12m

Kai Havertz

2023

£65m

Raheem Sterling

2024

Loan

Kepa Arrizabalaga

2025

£5m

A real mixed bag there from an Arsenal perspective, with Chelsea supporters very much viewing their North London rivals as a bit of a dumping ground, but could a highly-rated teenager be moving in the opposite direction?

Chelsea targeting Madueke upgrade

According to a report by Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are closely monitoring Ethan Nwaneri’s contractual situation at Arsenal and are ‘ready to attack the situation’.

The 18-year-old, only eligible to sign a professional contract since March, currently has just one year remaining on his deal with the Gunners, and James McNicholas of the Athletic has reported that ‘talks are at a delicate stage’, with the club desperate to tie down ‘such a valuable prospect’.

He adds that, before committing to anything, the £47m-rated youngster wants to seek assurances over his playing time, following a breakout season at Arsenal, seeing 1,378 minutes of action across all competitions, including starting 11 Premier League matches, scoring nine goals.

For context, despite his age and the fact he played 1,246 fewer minutes, he only scored two fewer goals than Madueke across all competitions, underlining the immense potential and talent that he possesses.

Indeed, Nwaneri is only the third player to score nine goals before their 18th birthday for a Premier League club, after Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, who weren’t bad, were they?

Described by Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout as a “magnificent talent”, he could well be the perfect long-term replacement for Madueke, but if it is indeed first-team opportunities that are the teenager’s priority, perhaps Chelsea are not the right club to join, considering all the wide-attacking options currently on their books.

Cole Palmer

23

95

Noni Madueke

23

91

Pedro Neto

25

49

Christopher Nkunku

27

60

Raheem Sterling

30

81

João Félix

25

40

Jamie Gittens

20

0

Mykhailo Mudryk*

24

73

Tyrique George

19

26

Kendry Páez

18

0

Estêvão Willian

18

0

Omari Kellyman

19

0

*currently banned for doping.

Fair to say, Maresca has a fair few options from which to choose out-wide, even if Mykhailo Mudryk is currently banned, while a couple of others are likely to depart, including the aforementioned Madueke and João Félix.

Nevertheless, might Nwaneri be the best of the lot?

Well, former Chelsea winger Joe Cole compared the teenager to Lionel Messi, following Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Leicester City in February, stating “you can’t mark him because he can go both ways… I don’t even want to say it, but it’s like Messi”.

Meantime, Lorihanna Balabanova of Total Football Analysis praises Nwaneri’s ‘versatility’ and phenomenal ‘potential’, adding that his ‘best attribute is his ability to find pockets and exploit spaces’.

Thus, it is clear that Nwaneri is a player who is poised to be a future star, and if there’s one thing Chelsea love, it is hoovering up such young talents, so will they strike again?

More exciting than Estevao: Chelsea chase one of "England's biggest jewels"

Chelsea could be looking to make a move for one of England’s finest talents

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 5, 2025

Chelsea continue to be extremely busy in the transfer market.

Just last week, both João Pedro and Jamie Gittens arrived, with the Brazilian thrown straight in for his debut off the bench against Palmeiras in Friday night’s Club World Cup quarter-finals.

That 2-1 victory in Philadelphia means Enzo Maresca’s team faced Fluminense in the semi-finals, and Pedro truly delivered, scoring twice as the Blues progressed through to Sunday’s final, where Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid will await at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Meantime, back at home, Chelsea’s recruitment staff continue to be the hardest-working people in football, so could the Blues snap up yet another highly-rated young talent?

Chelsea's search for more attacking talent

With all their arrivals, The Times are reporting that Chelsea ‘need to raise’ in excess of £60m through player sales to be compliant with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations.

With that in mind, reports suggest that Arsenal are ‘advancing their pursuit’ of Noni Madueke, who they believe is valued at around £50m, noting that personal terms have already been agreed.

If that deal goes through, will they be able to use that money to sign another English talent?

Well, Simon Johnson of The Athletic notes that the Blues are ‘big admirers’ of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, adding that Chelsea’s summer transfer activity is unlikely to be finished yet.

One sticking point is likely to be the player’s price, with talkSPORT previously quoting that the England international is valued at something in the region of £100m.

How Morgan Rogers would improve Chelsea

Should this come to fruition, he would be yet another former Manchester City academy player, or indeed coach, to end up at Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca

2022-23

2024

Cole Palmer

2010-23

2023

Liam Delap

2019-20

2025

Jamie Gittens

2018-20

2025

Roméo Lavia

2020-22

2023

Tosin Adarabioyo

2003-20

2024

Rogers featured for Manchester City in the UEFA Youth League, EFL Trophy, FA Youth Cup and PL2, without ever making a senior appearance, departing for Middlesbrough before exploding on the scene at Aston Villa.

Now though, could the 22-year-old swap the West Midlands for West London?

Rogers certainly impressed at Villa this season, registering 14 goals and 15 assists across all competitions, including a Champions League hat-trick against Celtic in January.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout asserted that he enjoyed a “magnificent campaign”, while former defender Jamie Carragher noted that he was truly “unstoppable” in the Premier League.

Another former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood, also an ex-Villa boss of course, believes Rogers is worth at least £80m, underlining his exponential improvement, having joined the Villans for up to £15m just 18 months ago.

But the question remains: is Rogers a bigger talent than the recently arrived Gittens, as well as the potentially departing Madueke? Let’s find out.

Games

54

45

49

Minutes

4,496

2,625

2,803

Goals

14

11

12

Assists

15

5

5

Stats below: per-90 league & UCL only.

Shots

1.5

2.6

1.8

Shooting accuracy %

50.84%

56.14%

50.74%

Chances created

1.5

1.4

1.1

Take-on success %

50.3%

49.45%

49.53%

Touches

46

47

49

Touches in the box

4.6

8.8

6.2

As the table outlines, many of the attacking metrics included are generally comparable across all three players assessed.

Rogers scored more goals and registered significantly more assists than both Madueke and Gittens, albeit doing so in almost twice as many minutes on the pitch, albeit he also came out on top for chances created, on a per-90 basis, and take-on success percentage too.

That suggests that Rogers isn’t just a livewire in the final third but he’s also got the end product to boot.

Where he would fit in, and how much it would cost to get him out of Aston Villa, well, those would be the tough questions? Either way, coming off the back of an outstanding campaign, he would well be set to better Madueke and Gittens.

A better move than Nwaneri: Chelsea looking to land their own Rice for £51m

Chelsea are in the market for another defender or two this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 7, 2025

As Newcastle United look to solve their goalkeeper problem, a new option has reportedly emerged as one to watch in what would be one of the most surprising moves of the summer.

Newcastle's goalkeeper problem

Since last summer, Newcastle’s interest in James Trafford has been a fairly open secret. Reports even suggested that the Burnley shot-stopper had already agreed terms with the Magpies. One year on, however, Burnley are back in the Premier League and it remains to be seen whether the England international will complete a long-awaited move.

If it’s not to be Trafford, then whether Newcastle turn their attention elsewhere is the big question. Current No.1 Nick Pope had more injury problems throughout the 2024/25 campaign and with both him and Martin Dubravka not getting any younger, Eddie Howe could certainly do with a fresh face in between the sticks this summer.

Starts

28

10

Saves per 90

3.07

2.90

Save Percentage

71.7%

70.7%

Clean Sheets

8

5

The numbers do not paint a pretty picture for those at St James’ Park- the fact that Pope missed 10 Premier League games should send alarm bells ringing around Tyneside. With Champions League football to balance alongside domestic action next season, the last thing that Howe needs is for his No.1 to miss an extended period through injury again.

PIF should have money to spend this time around following a frustrating period amid PSR issues, and a large sum of that money should be spent on giving Howe a major upgrade in between the sticks. If recent reports are anything to go by though, the Magpies could be in for a shock on that front.

Fraser Forster is "one to keep an eye on"

According to The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Fraser Forster is now “one to keep an eye on” as Newcastle look to sign another goalkeeper. The shot-stopper is likely to replace Odysseas Vlachodimos if he does arrive, with the former Nottingham Forest man among players who are likely to be shown the door at St James’ Park this summer.

Signing Forster, even if Vlachodimos departs, would remain a surprising move by Newcastle. Their current crop of goalkeepers is already an ageing one and adding a 37-year-old to that would hardly ease that problem – especially one who reportedly earns £75,000-a-week.

The Tottenham goalkeeper is still someone who earned the praise of Ange Posescoglou back in December, however, with the Australian telling reporters after Forster’s mistake against Liverpool: “He’s disappointed as well, because he was outstanding for us [before]. He didn’t have a lot to do before then. And even the first half, I thought he was really good with his feet.”

Whilst Forster is a player with plenty of experience, what is clear is that Newcastle will need more than just his arrival to solve their shot-stopping problems this summer.