Philippa Kaur

CHELSEA have started looking for yet MORE wingers – as they are planning for next season without both Jadon Sancho and Mykhailo Mudryk.The Blues have Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto and youngster Tyrique George as flank options, while Cole Palmer drifts wide when he sees the opportunity.Enzo Maresca will seek new attacking reinforcements this summerCredit: AlamyJadon Sancho is expected to return to Man UtdCredit: AlamyMykhailo Mudryk will likely remain unavailableCredit: GettyBut boss Enzo Maresca is working on the likelihood that neither on-loan Sancho nor Ukrainian Mudryk will be available next term.Forward Christopher Nkunku, who was a target for Bayern Munich in January, also remains likely to be moved on.Madueke is another to keep an eye on and could well be allowed to move on should a club come in with the right sort of offer.Chelsea chiefs are ready to pay Manchester United £5m to back out of their agreement to sign one-time England winger Sancho.And the club are still in the dark over the future of Mudryk after he was provisionally suspended for a failed drugs test.Mudryk costs the Blues £7.3m plus his £5.2m wages every season, with his amortisation precept still standing at nearly £45m this summer.The Ukrainian faces a potential four year ban under World Anti-Doping rules which are followed by the FA.Brazilian boy wonder Estevao Willian is being viewed as a potential first team squad member next year after his arrival from Palmeiras in a deal worth up to £48m.Join SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford BridgeIt is expected that Ecuadorean teenager Kendry Paez, 18, will be sent out on loan next season, although he could first be included in the squad for this summer’s Club World Cup.The youngster has been training with Liam Rosenior’s Ligue 1 side Strasbourg this week as he prepares for the move to Europe.Chelsea vs Tottenham descends into chaos as Romero sparks mass melee after shoving Colwill to groundChelsea have wanted to help Paez acclimatise to European life and the training culture before making the move permanent.Sources have indicated that there is no guarantee he will join Strasbourg next season, though it seems likely.OPEN THE DORONE winger Chelsea are tracking is Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens.The England Under-21 international is keen on a move to the Premier League with Liverpool also keeping a close eye.Chelsea have identified Jamie Gittens as a potential targetCredit: GettyChelsea may feel they hold an advantage over the Reds, with midfielder Carney Chukwumeka already on loan with the Bundesliga club.Dortmund hold an option they can activate for the former Aston Villa man, signed by Chelsea for £20m.The German side are understood to be able to sign Chukwuemeka for just below his £40m release clause at Stamford Bridge.That means any deal which involved Gittens would require Dortmund’s clause to be renegotiated, which some believe to be unlikely at this stage.Chukwumeka’s loan has been disrupted by injury but he scored on his first Bundesliga start in an eye-catching performance against Freiburg over the weekend.The midfielder also played a role in Serhou Guirassy’s goal, with a superb defence-splitting pass.Dortmund are keen to make the move permanent, so long as they qualify for the Champions League this season.’GAMING’ THE RULESCHELSEA’S near £200m sale of their relentless winning women’s team was a perfect example of “gaming” the Prem’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.Despite that, Uefa will NOT allow the Blues to include the sale to parent company BlueCo 22 in their calculations, meaning a likely eight-figure fine for breaching Euro regulations.Chelsea sold its women’s team to parent company BlueCo in an attempt to remain in line with the Prem’s PSR rulesCredit: GettyUefa will not allow the Blues to include the sale in their calculationsCredit: PABut with Prem clubs – who voted against clamping down on “inter-group” property sales last summer – having also agreed to maintain the PSR status quo until the end of next season, Chelsea could have few other assets to flog to the company owned by Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.Two of those are on the Stamford Bridge site, the restaurant at the front of the ground and the Health Club situated at the corner of the main East and Matthew Harding Stands.There is also the 117 acre Cobham training ground, a section of which is understood to have been sold to BlueCo this season.And at the main entrance to Cobham, there stands a large detached house, also owned by the club.However, the sale of the women’s team does mean that the costs and revenues associated with Sonia Bompastor’s side cannot be used in PSR calculations for this season or next term.ENZ OF THE ROAD?TALK of a summer exit for Enzo Fernandez is growing, with Madrid giants Real and Atletico both snooping around the Argentine playmaker.But the eight and a half year deal agreed when the South American made his £106m switch from Benfica in January 2023 means the Blues could be faced with a HUGE loss on any transfer – causing them a significant PSR issue.Enzo Fernandez could leave Stamford BridgeCredit: GettyThe massive contract length allowed Chelsea to “amortise” his annual cost – not including estimated wages of £9.3m a year – at £14.5m per season.Yet if Fernandez did leave this summer, with six years still to go on his initial deal, Chelsea would need to agree a deal of £87m JUST to break even.Any figure below that would significantly cut into their PSR calculation numbers, even if the Blues will be allowed to bank their up-front £30m entry fee for this summer’s Club World Cup.SAFETY CONCERNSCHELSEA fans need to be careful in Poland this week.The club failed in their bid to get more than 742 tickets for Thursday’s Europa Conference League quarter-final away to Legia Warsaw.Chelsea travel to face Legia Warsaw this weekCredit: ReutersThe behaviour of the Polish club’s notorious ultras was the reason why Chelsea received less than the normal 2000 tickets for an away game due to fears over the travelling supporters’ safety.Although Chelsea asked for more tickets Uefa insisted that they had to stick with the original amount.Equally, Legia are allowed only 1000 fans inside Stamford Bridge next week which is half the number they requested and there will be a huge police presence at the game.Legia fans are known for causing all sorts of problems home and away.They were banned from five away European games due to violent clashes before the Conference League match at Aston Villa in November 2023.In total, 46 men were charged after fans ran riot. A number of police officers were injured.In a statement, Villa said: “This shocking behaviour followed Legia club officials’ complete lack of cooperation with West Midlands Police, Aston Villa and UEFA throughout the day.”Legia have continued to be in hot water with Uefa this season. They unfurled a giant banner before a game against Molde criticising the governing body and this led to a one-game stadium ban.NO EXCUSESLOOKING through the Legia squad offers another example of how absurd it is the Blues are even in this competition.The Polish side’s most notable and valuable player is former Wolves defender Ruben Vinagre.According to Transfermarkt, in total the Warsaw squad is worth just over £31miliion, or one Malo Gusto.This week they face up with a Blues squad valued at a staggering £791m and recently confirmed as the most expensive in history in UEFA’s financial report.Chelsea have few excuses for not winning this competition. More

PAUL SCHOLES has not been afraid to stick the boot in on Manchester United this season.So much so that one player phoned him up about his criticism.Manchester United’s players have been criticised throughout the seasonCredit: PAPaul Scholes refuses to hold back in his fiery approachCredit: YouTube/The OverlapScholes revealed on The Overlap Fan Debate via Sky Bet one unnamed United man took matters into his own hands – and got in touch about the negative press.The legendary midfielder, 50, said: “Players can be a little bit touchy these days.“I had a player this year, who contacted me and wasn’t happy with some of the things I’d said.”He wanted to meet me at the training ground.READ MORE ON MAN UTD”I said, ‘Of course, no problem,’ and gave him my number but he never got back to me.“I would have done it. If I’m saying things I believe and he wants me to explain why, it wouldn’t have been a nice conversation.”But I said if they or anyone else has a problem, there’s my phone number.”Scholes did not say who the irked Red Devils player was – but there is no shortage of people at Old Trafford he has slammed this season…Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old TraffordAUGUST 2024 – ANDRE ONANABefore the season even started, Scholes was piling in on United – and Andre Onana was the first man caught in his crosshairs.Scholes: “I’ve heard a lot of United fans say how excited they are for the new season… I’m struggling with that.Paul Scholes feels like Man Utd are ‘begging’ for money to build new stadium “The goalkeeper is a big concern for me. Even in pre-season with some of the goals he conceded. I worry to death about him.”AUGUST 2024 – MATTHIJS DE LIGTUnited brought in defender Matthijs de Ligt for £42million – and it is safe to say Scholes was not convinced given his lack of minutes for Bayern Munich last season.Scholes: “We’re talking about players who can’t get into their team.”He’s not playing for Bayern, that has to be a big concern, especially when Eric Dier is playing in front of him. That is a massive concern for me.”SEPTEMBER 2024 – MATTHIJS DE LIGTIt didn’t take long for the club icon to continue his De Ligt rant and reckons Erik ten Hag was desperate to replace Harry Maguire.Scholes: “He couldn’t wait to get de Ligt straight in ahead of Maguire, he was just waiting for the opportunity.”And look, in all honestly, I’m not sure it is that much of an upgrade.”He might be slightly better but he is not a massive improvement where you think, ‘Wow.'”Andre Onana was criticised before the season startedCredit: RexMatthijs de Ligt’s signing to replace Harry Maguire raised questionsCredit: The TimesOCTOBER 2024 – NEW SIGNINGSHe blasted the club’s “ridiculous” transfer strategy – and namedropped five flop arrivals. Scholes: “Zirkzee, what is he? Is he a No9 or a No10? Is he going to get you 20 goals? I don’t think so.”Rasmus Hojlund does alright – but is he gonna score you 20 goals? I don’t think so.”I think they are relying more on hope than actual proven quality and they spent so much money as well.”It’s a ridiculous amount of money and some of them can’t get in the team.”You think of Ugarte coming into the club, who was supposed to change the midfield, Ten Hag didn’t play him.”De Ligt, £50m and he didn’t play him. Jonny Evans has come in at 36-years-old instead of him.”Martinez, Ten Hag brought him into the club. What must he be thinking? Jonny Evans is playing, Harry Maguire started, Victor Lindelof comes on before him.”OCTOBER 2024 – ERIK TEN HAGIt was not just the players feeling the heat from Scholes, who also went in on Ten Hag just before his sacking.Scholes: “There’s been no improvement. “I think that’s the biggest disappointment with two and a little bit years in, a lot of money has been spent and we’re not seeing improvement.”You’d like to think by now they’re up there challenging them. The top three teams I know Liverpool, City and Arsenal are ahead of most other teams.”You’d like to see them getting even a little bit closer to that, but it doesn’t feel like it.”JANUARY 2025 – KOBBIE MAINOOAfter a few quieter months as Ruben Amorim replaced Ten Hag, Scholes continued his onslaught in the New Year by raising questions over Kobbie Mainoo’s fitness levels.Scholes: “Mainoo with his legs has to be a worry. “He doesn’t finish a lot of games.”JANUARY 2025 – MAN UTD SQUADScholes then took aim at pretty much the entire squad – as just three avoided the chop in a game of “keep or sell”. Mainoo, Onana and Alejandro Garnacho avoided the ruthless culling but the rest he was asked about were dumped. Scholes is worried Kobbie Mainoo is not fit enoughCredit: GettyThe ex-midfielder wanted Marcus Rashford ‘banished’ before his Villa loanCredit: GettyScholes said Luke Shaw and Mason Mount are “never fit”, Casemiro is past his best and defenders De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez can go. For Antony, Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford, Scholes simply replied: “Sell.”JANUARY 2025 – MARCUS RASHFORDRashford took plenty of flak inside and outside the club ahead of his loan move to Aston Villa – and Scholes did not hold back.Scholes: “I think Marcus has let a lot of people down with his attitude.”He’s 27, he’s clearly not training properly, he’s not living his life properly. “In a way, he’s saying he doesn’t want to be involved with the team and the fact of letting his teammates down, he should be banished from the dressing room.”FEBRUARY 2025 – RUBEN AMORIM & PATRICK DORGUPatrick Dorgu only arrived in the January transfer window but it did not take long for Scholes’ attention to be drawn to the defender when United played Leicester in the FA Cup.He seemingly took a sarcastic swipe at Amorim playing the Danish full-back out of position.An unimpressed Scholes posted on Instagram: “Inverted wing-backs… you saw it at [Old Trafford] first.”Patrick Dorgu operated on the right in the FA Cup against LeicesterCredit: GettyAlejandro Garnacho threw a strop when he was subbed off against IpswichCredit: ReutersMARCH 2025 – ALEJANDRO GARNACHOScholes singled out Garnacho for criticism after the Argentine winger threw a strop when substituted off against Ipswich. Scholes: “He looked like he was sulking a little bit to me.”Garnacho’s biggest strength is running through. Sometimes he makes the wrong decisions but he had a lack of energy and a little bit of silkiness.”He will need to get better as they don’t really have anything else to call on.”MARCH 2025 – SIR JIM RATCLIFFEAnd the 11-time Premier League winner even took a swing at owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe over the ambitious £2billion new stadium plans. Scholes: “You can be gullible at times, and believe what he says, just because you’ve never heard anyone say anything before. You don’t know how realistic it is, it’s all up in the air.Read More on The Sun”Words are cheap, and we could say anything about anyone, you can say in 10 years we’ll have the biggest and best stadium.”For a long time, we’ve been called the richest club in the world, but I feel like we’re begging a little, asking for the stadium and that we need £2billion, and selling players to buy players.” More