More stories

  • in

    Chelsea player ratings: Hat-trick hero Madueke shines in front of fuming Wolves crowd but Mudryk has quiet game

    NONI MADUEKE bagged himself a second half hat-trick courtesy of Cole Palmer as Chelsea fired to a 6-2 victory away at Wolves.Palmer’s three assists and first half strike capped off a wonderful afternoon for the England ace, while Stamford Bridge flop Mykhailo Mudryk was hooked off at half-time.Noni Madueke was Man of the Match after a stunning hat-trick at WolvesCredit: AlamyNicolas Jackson opened the scoring inside two minutesCredit: GettyBefore Matheus Cunha levelled the score in the 27th minuteCredit: AFPPalmer lobbed Jose SaCredit: PABefore Jorgen Strand Larsen made it 2-2 before half-timeCredit: RexNoni Madueke’s second-half hat-trick put the visitors in cruise controlCredit: GettyAt times it resembled a basketball match, but Chelsea later took control after going into the break at 2-2.Madueke stunned after taking the game by the scruff of the neck and notching a 14 minute hat-trick after mistakenly sharing an X-rated message about Wolves ahead of the clash.And THREE feisty brawls capped off the EIGHT-goal Molineux thriller.SunSports’ Katherine Walsh has provided his ratings from the match…Robert Sanchez – 7/10Solid display. Held firm and kept Wolves at bay in the first half.Brilliant long ball distribution cross-pitch to Jackson who assisted Palmer’s goal and Chelsea’s second.FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSSanchez played a big part in Palmer’s goalCredit: GettyMalo Gusto – 5/10Out of position for Matheus Cunha’s 26th minute equaliser and didn’t get forward enough.Failed to have an influence on the game after a quieter second 45 minutes from Wolves. Most read in FootballWesley Fofana – 6/10Had his back to goal for Wolves’ second equaliser before half-time. The ball had been guided in by a free-kick and Jorgen Strand-Larsen cleverly guided it home with his right foot.Levi Colwill – 6/10Not a particularly noticeable performance from the 21-year-old in a positive or negative sense.Suppose it was a solid showing but was also caught ball watching for Cunha’s goal.Pulled Cucurella away from the third brawl of the match.Marc Cucurella – 6/10Worked hard and found himself centre of multiple fights with Wolves players throughout the 90.Solid as ever, needing to be alert with Wolves lethal in the first half.Cucurella was front and centre of a feisty afternoonCredit: GettyMoises Caicedo – 6/10Quiet afternoon for the midfielder. Didn’t do much right or wrong.Enzo Fernandez – 7/10Often in the right place at the right time after clearing two Wolves’ attempts from inside the box.Battled to win the ball for Madueke’s third goal and frequently recovered possession for the visitors.Enzo Fernandez worked well with MaduekeCredit: GettyCole Palmer – 9/10A brilliant goal and THREE assists finished off a sensational performance from the No10 position.Somehow managed to outshine hat-trick scorer Madueke after providing all of his goals. His own notch came against the run of play just after receiving a yellow. Picked up the ball 20 yards from goal after a long Sanchez kick and lobbed Wolves keeper Jose Sa just when the visitors were hanging on.Cole Palmer was back to best on SundayCredit: GettyMykhailo Mudryk – 4/10Enzo Marseca said he needed time and coaching to get his Chelsea career on track. But failed to make an impact against Wolves.Didn’t notice him being shipped off at half-time for former Wolves star Pedro Neto.Noni Madueke – 9/10The star man scored THREE in the second half after bagging against Servette on Thursday. Chelsea’s best player in the first half. The young winger has bundles of ability and energy. Looked lively and won several free-kicks in promising positions.Worth a note that he silenced the home fans who were heavily booing him throughout after his social media comments earlier today.Nicolas Jackson – 8Opened the scoring with a post header inside two minutes. But let himself down with silly antics while arguing with Cunha twice.Most non-penalty goals for Chelsea in the Premier League since the start of last season: 15. And assisted Palmer’s brilliant goal and Chelsea’s second.Stunned fans say ‘this guy is ready to throw anyone under the bus’ as Enzo Maresca lays into yet another Chelsea star SubsPedro Neto 7/10Put a shift in after coming on at half-time on his first return to the Molineux.Bagged himself an assist in the 80th minute.READ MORE SUN STORIESJoao Felix – 7/10Scored on his Chelsea 2023/24 debut after joining from Atletico Madrid for £42.6m.Combined with other new signing Neto for the goal.Christopher Nkunku – N/ARenato Veiga – N/AKiernan Dewsbury-Hall – N/A More

  • in

    Top 10 Premier League earners on combined £3.55MILLION a week as Osimhen demands record wages to join Chelsea

    VICTOR OSIMHEN is set to become the highest-paid player in the Premier League if he completes his move to Chelsea.The Napoli striker, 25, is closing in on a £39million transfer to Stamford Bridge as Romelu Lukaku prepares to go the other way.Victor Osimhen could become the highest-paid Premier League player if he joins ChelseaCredit: RexOsimhen’s 76 goals in 133 appearances for Serie A giants has made him one of the most sought-after forwards in European football.And Blues manager Enzo Maresca will hope he can lead the line effectively for his Chelsea side – who started their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 defeat at home to champions Manchester City.Osimhen will have pressure to perform given the lucrative wages he is demanding – HALF A MILLION per week.The figures would eclipse all other Premier League stars – and SunSport has taken a look at the revised 10 biggest earners should Osimhen arrive in England before the window closes.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL10) Jack Grealish – £300k-per-weekJack Grealish, 28, penned a £300,000-per-week contract when he joined Manchester City in 2021 in a deal from Aston Villa worth £100million.He is the third highest-paid man in Pep Guardiola’s squad, but 32 goal contributions in 126 games is under-par for what many expected.Jack Grealish is the third highest-paid Manchester City playerCredit: Getty9) Bruno Fernandes – £300k-per-weekBruno Fernandes, 29, signed a new Manchester United contract earlier this month to keep him at Old Trafford until 2027.Only two Red Devils players earn more than the Portuguese playmaker – who has 79 goals and 67 assists in 236 games for the club.Most read in FootballBruno Fernandes recently signed a new deal at Old TraffordCredit: GettyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS=6) Marcus Rashford – £325k-per-weekMarcus Rashford earns £25,000 more per week than club captain Fernandes, placing him second on Man Utd’s books.The England international, 26, scored just eight times in all competitions last season and there is pressure on him to perform in the 2024/25 campaign.Marcus Rashford is another player earning in excess of £300,000 per weekCredit: GettyTop 10 highest paid footballers in the world revealed with no Premier League players making the top five=6) Raheem Sterling – £325k-per-weekChelsea forward Raheem Sterling is the joint-highest earner at Stamford Bridge, but is being heavily linked with a transfer away after Maresca left him out of his squad last weekend.Sterling’s representatives issued a statement calling for clarification, with Juventus linked to the Englishman, 29.And the other best-paid player at Chelsea could also be on his way out…Chelsea are trying to offload Raheem Sterling’s big wagesCredit: Getty=6) Romelu Lukaku – £325k-per-weekLukaku, 31, looks set to join Napoli following a horror three-year stint at Chelsea.The Belgian, 31, arrived for £97.5m and secured £325,000 per week in wages, but has not played for TWO YEARS as the Blues farmed him out to Inter Milan and Roma.Romelu Lukaku earns £325,000 per week but has not played for Chelsea for two yearsCredit: Getty=4) Mo Salah – £350k-per-weekLiverpool legend Mo Salah is into the final year of the £350,000-per-week contract he signed in 2022.It remains to be seen whether the Egyptian, 32, who joined in 2017, will extend his stay as he continues to be linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.Mo Salah has the biggest wages of any player at AnfieldCredit: Reuters=4) Casemiro – £350k-per-weekCasemiro, 32, endured a torrid 2023/24 campaign as he received huge criticism… with Jamie Carragher even telling him to leave European football for good.But he has returned for the new season in the Man Utd line-up and looks set to continue as their highest earner.Casemiro is the best-paid Manchester United playerCredit: Getty3) Erling Haaland – £375k-per-weekErling Haaland, 22, scored his 10TH Manchester City hat-trick on Saturday against Ipswich, taking his overall tally to 94 goals in 101 appearances for the English champions.Safe to say he has been worth every penny of the £375,000-per-week they have paid him so far.Erling Haaland is living up to the massive wages Manchester City are paying himCredit: Getty2) Kevin De Bruyne – £400k-per-weekKevin de Bruyne’s title as highest-paid Premier League player could be gone should Osimhen arrive at Chelsea.The Man City man, 33, will go down as one of the all-time greats in English football if he leaves at the end of his contract in the summer after ten years at the Etihad.READ MORE SUN STORIESKevin De Bruyne is the current highest-paid player in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty1) Victor Osimhen – £500k-per-weekOsimhen is reportedly asking for £500,000 a week to seal his Chelsea transfer.If he was to receive those demands he would become the highest earner in the Premier League, £100,000 per week ahead of De Bruyne.Osimhen is demanding huge wages to join ChelseaCredit: RexOsimhen could top the list of highest-paid Premier League stars More

  • in

    ‘That’s what top players do’ says Alan Shearer as he warns Cole Palmer of ‘tricky’ challenge ahead for Chelsea star

    ALAN SHEARER has warned Cole Palmer that he faces a tricky challenge this season.The Chelsea star was named the PFA Young Player of the Year after his sparkling debut campaign at Stamford Bridge.Alan Shearer has fired a warning to Cole PalmerCredit: GettyThe ex-pro has called on the Chelsea star to repeat his exploits from last seasonCredit: RexPalmer, 22, netted 22 goals and assisted 11 more in his 33 Premier League appearances after his switch from Manchester City.His brilliant form saw him called up to the England squad for the run to the final at Euro 2024 this summer.This season has not started as successfully as the Blues lost their first league match to Man City.Shearer has now called on Palmer to prove he is a top player by repeating his exploits this campaign.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe told Betfair: “Cole Palmer needs to go again, and I have no doubt that he will.”He should enjoy this moment and embrace it.”He looks so chilled; there’s an arrogance about him, in the best sense he’s got that swagger, which I rate.”He’s like, ‘pass me the ball, I’m not sweating it’, and that’s how he rolled last season.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”After a blinder like that, he’s got to somehow step it up again, as tricky as that’ll be in this Chelsea squad because they’re playing a different game to your average club.”But we’ve seen the talent, we’ve seen the ability, we’ve seen he can score goals and we’ve seen he can handle the pressure.England hero Cole Palmer relaxes with mystery woman in Ibiza2024 PFA Award winnersHere is who won awards at the PFA awards this year…Players’ Player of the Year – Phil Foden, Manchester CityYoung Player of the Year – Cole Palmer, ChelseaWomen’s Players’ Player of the Year – Khadija Shaw, Manchester CityWomen’s Young Player of the Year – Grace Clinton, Tottenham”The one thing you’ve got to do is go again, because that’s what top players do.”The top players enjoy what they’ve done, they get a taste for it and think, ‘I want more of that’, and that is what Palmer’s got to do now too.”There have been concerns over Palmer after he hobbled off the pitch in Chelsea’s 2-0 Conference League play-off win over Servette.Manager Enzo Maresca has calmed the worries since then.He said: “Cole felt something, but he looks fine.”Palmer has been rewarded for his good form at Chelsea as he was handed a massive contract extension.The attacker has penned a new deal that will run until 2033, which will significantly boost his £60,000-per-week wages.Enzo Maresca has calmed injury concerns over PalmerCredit: GettyEvery Chelsea signing under Todd BoehlyHere is a list of all Chelsea’s signings under Todd Boehly…Raheem Sterling – £50mKalidou Koulibaly £33mGabriel Slonina – £8mCarney Chukweumeka – £20mMarc Cucurella – £57.5mCesare Casadei – £13.3mWesley Fofana – £70mPierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £10.3mDenis Zakaria – £2.7m (Loan fee)David Datro Fofana – £10.6mBenoit Badiashile – £33.7mAndrey Santos – £11.1mJoao Felix – £9.7m (Loan fee)Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m Noni Madueke – £30mMalo Gusto – £26.75mEnzo Fernandez – £107.8mChristopher Nkunku – £52mDiego Moreira – FREENicolas Jackson – £31.5mAngelo Gabriel – £13mLesley Ugochukwu – £23.3mAxel Disasi – £38.9mRobert Sanchez – £20mMoises Caicedo – £100mRomeo Lavia – £53.2mDeivid Washington – £13.7mCole Palmer – £40.1mDjordje Petrovic – £13.6mTosin Adarabioyo – FREEMarc Guiu – £5.1mCaleb Wiley – £8.63mRenato Veiga – £12mAarón Anselmino – £14mOmari Kellyman – £19.2mFilip Jorgensen – £21mKiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £30.2mPedro Neto – £51mJoao Felix – £42.6m More

  • in

    Armando Broja’s loan transfer from Chelsea to Ipswich on brink of COLLAPSING after injury is revealed in medical

    ARMANDO BROJA’S loan move from Chelsea to Ipswich is on the brink of collapse after his medical revealed signs of an Achilles injury.The two clubs agreed a deal for the striker to spend the season at Ipswich earlier this week.Armando Broja’s proposed move to Ipswich is at risk of collapsingCredit: RexBut SunSport has learned that the player’s medical has thrown up complications.Ipswich have not walked away from the deal completely but are understood to now be looking at other options. Broja’s medical problems are a huge blow for Chelsea, who are seeking to offload at least 15 players before the transfer window shuts on Friday.The Albanian international has been told he has no future at Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHowever, the club may now struggle to sell him despite interest from Everton. Chelsea had also agreed a clause with Ipswich for them to buy Broja for £30m next summer if Kieran McKenna’s side stay in the Premier League. As a homegrown player Broja’s transfer fee could be registered as pure profit by Chelsea.This would help them comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules next year. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBroja’s Chelsea career has been plagued by injuries. The 22-year-old missed much of last season with a knee problem and failed to make an impact during the second half of the campaign on loan at Fulham. Chelsea were approached for comment.  Jamie Carragher says ‘players should stop joining Chelsea’ and ‘sign a four-year deal at a proper club’ in stunning rantChelsea ratings vs ServetteCHELSEA sealed their first win under new manager Enzo Maresca as they beat Swiss minnows Servette.Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke got the second-half goals to give the Blues a commanding lead in their Uefa Conference League play-off double header.But it was far from convincing with Chelsea BOOED OFF at half-time.Here’s how SunSport’s Jack Rosser rated the Blues stars…Filip Jorgensen – 7Made some very smart saves – especially late on as the visitors caused problems and came close to finding a goal to get back in.Axel Disasi – 6Kept things quiet down Chelsea’s right hand side having been started out of position at right-back. The Frenchman did not offer much going forwards but was more than solid enough defensively.Tosin Adarabioyo – 6An assured first start for the club since joining from Fulham on a free transfer. The defender was not caused any real problems and dominated in the air – a big reason Chelsea decided to snap him up.Benoit Badiashile – 6Solid enough defensively but looked awkward on the ball at times, especially when Chelsea were trying to pick a way through a solid midfield.Renato Veiga – 5Was given the task of moving inside from left-back and looked to struggle a lot at points, losing the ball cheaply on half way at one stage.Moises Caicedo – 5The midfielder was sent out in the holding role and hardly helped defensively by having Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Nkunku, a striker, ahead of him. Struggled to get a grip of midfield and dictate the game.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 7A very encouraging full debut for the summer signing – neat and positive on the ball and created some good chances for those ahead of him.Pedro Neto – 6A first start for his new club and the winger made some very encouraging runs down the right hand side. Will take time to settle but looks a very good option.Christopher Nkunku – 6Rather fortunate to win the penalty as it looked a touch harsh but stepped up and converted well.Mykhailo Mudryk – 4The definition of all bark, no bite. The Ukrainian winger has pace to burn and a huge bag of tricks but neither help him make any significant impact on games.Continuing to play like that and Raheem Sterling might have a future here after all.Marc Guiu – 6Missed an absolute sitter to score his first goal for Chelsea.After working so hard through the first half, Guiu turned a tap in into a howler when putting what should have been an easy finish straight at the scrambling Servette keeper. More

  • in

    Chelsea’s 13-man bomb squad costing Blues staggering £1.25million a WEEK as wages of Sterling and Co are revealed

    CHELSEA are paying their 13-man ‘bomb squad’ a staggering £1.25MILLION per week. New Blues boss Enzo Maresca has ruthlessly axed the group because they are not part of his plans in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge.Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling have been pushed aside by Enzo MarescaCredit: Richard Pelham / The SunTrevoh Chalobah is not part of the new manager’s plans and is in the 13-man bomb squadCredit: GettyThat means there is more than £250million worth of signings currently training away from the first-team squad under the watchful eye of ex-Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini. And the unlucky 13 are being paid a whopping amount despite being nowhere near the first team. SunSport has crunched the numbers according to Spotrac’s wages to work out just how much Todd Boehly and Co are splashing out on the likes of Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling. So, from lowest earners to the highest…READ MORE ON CHELSEALucas Bergstrom – £3,000 per weekThe 21-year-old Finnish goalkeeper joined the academy in 2018 but has made just three Under-21 appearances and none for the first team.He is behind four goalkeepers at Chelsea and Maresca has decided he does not need Bergstrom in his training sessions as well – making him the lowest-paid member of the bomb squad. Alex Matos – £5,500Matos signed for Chelsea a year ago and made his debut last October against Fulham in the Premier League on the day before his 19th birthday. But he will not be adding to that solo Prem appearance anytime soon and will hope to secure a loan exit before deadline day.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAngelo Gabriel – £25,000The whole host of wingers in Chelsea’s bloated squad means there is no space for Angelo Gabriel.The Brazilian teenager earns a reported £25,000 per week – and few clubs wanting to take him on loan will cover those wages. Why Joao Felix’s transfer to Chelsea is not as crazy is it soundsHarvey Vale – £26,000Harvey Vale is certainly versatile – but the problem at Chelsea is there is no lack of strength in depth. His £26,000-a-week is not reaping much reward on the Blues’ investment. Tino Anjorin – £27,000Anjorin earns a similar amount to train with the Maresca outcasts at Cobham. A return to Portsmouth on loan could be on the cards after helping Pompey to promotion last season. David Datro Fofana – £30,000Fofana’s hopes of being the first-choice No9 Ivory Coast will take a big hit if he is not getting regular first-team action.But he is not close to getting that at Chelsea as he finds himself way down the pecking order.Deivid Washington – £40,000Chelsea are paying Washington £40,000 a week to train in the bomb squad.Like Angelo, this will not be what the Brazilian youngster had in mind when he made his big move to London – and hopes it does not set the trend for the remaining six years of his deal. Armando Broja – £40,000Like Fofana, Broja is behind the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and now Joao Felix as the players who can play up front for Chelsea this season.He had a dismal loan spell at Fulham and is likely to exit Stamford Bridge before the transfer window deadline. Trevoh Chalobah – £50,000Chalobah’s Chelsea career looks to be over with another manager not fancying the defender. And his £50,000-a-week salary will mean the Blues are keen to get him off the wage bill with Aston Villa, Newcastle and Crystal Palace all interested.Chelsea ratings vs ServetteCHELSEA sealed their first win under new manager Enzo Maresca as they beat Swiss minnows Servette.Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke got the second-half goals to give the Blues a commanding lead in their Uefa Conference League play-off double header.But it was far from convincing with Chelsea BOOED OFF at half-time.Here’s how SunSport’s Jack Rosser rated the Blues stars…Filip Jorgensen – 7Made some very smart saves – especially late on as the visitors caused problems and came close to finding a goal to get back in.Axel Disasi – 6Kept things quiet down Chelsea’s right hand side having been started out of position at right-back. The Frenchman did not offer much going forwards but was more than solid enough defensively.Tosin Adarabioyo – 6An assured first start for the club since joining from Fulham on a free transfer. The defender was not caused any real problems and dominated in the air – a big reason Chelsea decided to snap him up.Benoit Badiashile – 6Solid enough defensively but looked awkward on the ball at times, especially when Chelsea were trying to pick a way through a solid midfield.Renato Veiga – 5Was given the task of moving inside from left-back and looked to struggle a lot at points, losing the ball cheaply on half way at one stage.Moises Caicedo – 5The midfielder was sent out in the holding role and hardly helped defensively by having Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Nkunku, a striker, ahead of him. Struggled to get a grip of midfield and dictate the game.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 7A very encouraging full debut for the summer signing – neat and positive on the ball and created some good chances for those ahead of him.Pedro Neto – 6A first start for his new club and the winger made some very encouraging runs down the right hand side. Will take time to settle but looks a very good option.Christopher Nkunku – 6Rather fortunate to win the penalty as it looked a touch harsh but stepped up and converted well.Mykhailo Mudryk – 4The definition of all bark, no bite. The Ukrainian winger has pace to burn and a huge bag of tricks but neither help him make any significant impact on games.Continuing to play like that and Raheem Sterling might have a future here after all.Marc Guiu – 6Missed an absolute sitter to score his first goal for Chelsea.After working so hard through the first half, Guiu turned a tap in into a howler when putting what should have been an easy finish straight at the scrambling Servette keeper.Kepa Arrizabalaga – £150,000The first of the four ‘big hitters’ in terms of wages is the world’s most expensive goalkeeper.After returning from winning the Champions League on loan at Real Madrid, Kepa is now battling with Bergstrom to be the first-choice bomb squad goalkeeper – and earning £150,000 per week.Ben Chilwell – £200,000Maresca described Chilwell as a “lovely guy” but is clearly not a fan of him as a footballer, immediately booting him out of the squad and openly admitting he will “struggle” to get any minutes.It is a big call to make for the left-back who arrived for £50m and was made vice-captain by previous boss Mauricio Pochettino. Raheem Sterling – £325,000Sterling played in all six of Chelsea’s pre-season games before Maresca dropped the bombshell of his exclusion on the eve of the new Premier League season – then saw his No7 shirt ripped away and given to Pedro Neto. Nobody earns more than the reported £325,000 a week the ex-Liverpool and Manchester City winger is on – and will need to take a major pay cut if he secures a Premier League transfer.READ MORE SUN STORIESRomelu Lukaku – £325,000Quite simply, Lukaku’s return to Stamford Bridge has been a disaster.He is the joint top earner alongside Sterling but just like the winger, he is not getting a look in under Maresca – and must be wondering where it all went wrong. Romelu Lukaku’s Chelsea return has not gone to planCredit: AFPKepa Arrizabalaga helped Real Madrid win the Champions League on loan last seasonCredit: GettyMaresca is working with the players he wants to give time toCredit: Getty More

  • in

    Aston Villa hold shock talks over Raheem Sterling transfer with Chelsea star frozen out by Enzo Maresca

    ASTON VILLA have held talks over a move for Raheem Sterling as he looks for a way out of Chelsea.The winger, 29, has been told he is no longer part of the plan at Stamford Bridge and has been training separately from the first team along with a number of other exiled players.Aston Villa could move for Chelsea outcast Raheem SterlingCredit: GettyA number of clubs have made enquiries as to the terms of a deal for the former Manchester City man.Villa have expressed interest but talks are at an early stage. Sterling would prefer to stay in the Premier League though his wages of more than £300,000-a-week are likely to be an obstacle for most suitors.All sides expect that Sterling would have to take a wage cut to move.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThe Blues are currently working on options for a move and will present them to the former Liverpool man.It is not clear what sort of fee Chelsea would demand, though they cannot have hopes for anything close to the £50million paid to City given the club have made it clear the winger is not wanted.Sterling has been excluded from Chelsea’s two match day squads this season while his squad number was given to new signing Pedro Neto.Maresca played the winger in all six of his pre-season friendlies before informing him on the Friday before the start of the season that he would not get game time in West London.Most read in FootballSterling’s camp statementA statement read: “Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea Football Club for the next three years.”He returned to England two weeks early to conduct individual training, and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, who he has developed a good working relationship with.“He is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard, and given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.“As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation.“Until then, we will continue to support Raheem’s desire to start the new season positively.”FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe England international is one of up to 15 players Chelsea are looking to move on before next week’s transfer deadline.Romelu Lukaku is another high earner who needs to leave the club.Gary Neville claims Raheem Sterling ‘may be punching back on behalf of Gallagher and Chalobah’ after Chelsea statementFollow Chelsea vs Servette’s SunSport live blog here.Former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is keen to bring the Belgian into Napoli.The Serie A side offered a loan deal with an obligation worth around £25.5m, though Chelsea want more for the former Everton man – who has two years on his deal.Talks between Napoli and Chelsea are scheduled in the next couple of days.Chelsea ratings vs Man CityCHELSEA began life under new boss Enzo Maresca with a 2-0 home defeat to champions Manchester City.Here’s how SunSport’s Lloyd Canfield rated the Chelsea lot as the season didn’t begin how they wanted.Robert Sanchez – 4/10Distribution-wise, it’s not good enough; that said, he made an absolutely fantastic save to deny a deflected effort from Jeremy Doku in the first half. Similarly in the second half, made a routine save to deny Erling Haaland before getting a hand to Mateo Kovacic’s shot, but failed to stop it rattling the back of the net.Malo Gusto – 5It’s more of the impressive attitude we saw last season from the flying Frenchman, but today, he couldn’t stamp his mark on the game at all going forward. We certainly see more of his best qualities in the game where Chelsea have more of the ball, he should grow into the season nicely over the next few games. Wesley Fofana – 5He didn’t look out of his depth in his first Premier League game for Chelsea for over a year, and despite conceding, it was a decent performance to build on in the coming games. Did well physically against Haaland in fairness, and made it through the 90 minutes unscathed which will please Chelsea fans in some capacity.Levi Colwill – 5Tough day at the office against physicality personified in Erling Haaland.Did play the ball well out from the back for Chelsea with a few good blocks and tackles. But much the same as with Wesley Fofana, there is room for growth into the season with easier fixtures upcoming, particularly where Chelsea will dominate on the ball.  Marc Cucurella  – 6Forced Jeremy Doku into a change of wing in the first half after winning a tough battle against the Belgian winger, and stepped into challenges well for the most part.Was solid again in the second half before going off with an injury. Romeo Lavia – 6He looked like a calming presence in the Chelsea midfield when he did get the ball and he broke up play pretty well for a player who has been out through injury for so long. Continued his good pre-season form and is deserving of a run  in the side. Moises Caicedo – 5A similar performance really to the aforementioned Lavia, but was one of Chelsea’s better progressors of the ball when they did get forwards and showed some nice touches in the middle of the park.Fans will be left wondering whether he, Lavia and Enzo Fernandez fit into the same midfield.Enzo Fernandez – 5A mixed performance from the Argentine midfielder who showed promise in spells, but it really wasn’t the level you would expect of a player with his price tag.This could have been a huge game for the Chelsea captain for the day, but he failed to really stamp his mark on it in comparison to the player whom he replaced, Mateo Kovacic.Christopher Nkunku – 4Enzo Maresca seemed to want him playing as a touchline winger, but the forward looks far more comfortable in the middle of the pitch.He was the first player to be hooked in the second half and was replaced by Pedro Neto, who looked more at home wide on the left-hand side.Cole Palmer – 5It was far from the electric performance which saw him scoop heaps of praise last season. He still did show glimpses going forward, but he just failed to impact the game in the ways he did last time around.  Nicolas Jackson – 4New season, same old Nicolas Jackson.A great run in the first half was let down by a pea-roller of a shot into a Man City defender, before he hit the back of the net only to see the official’s flag raised on the far side. I’m sorry Nic Jackson, but it’s a four for you this time round…SUBS:Pedro Neto (Nkunku, 58) – 5Not the kind of debut that got fans out of their seats, but with The Blues failing to really get him on the ball there was little to take note of.Marc Guiu  (Jackson, 66) – 5Less impactful than Nicolas Jackson, but in considerably less time.For a player who can dominate physically, he looked a little intimidated by the Manchester City defence and wasn’t really presented with any chances.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Lavia, 67) – 5Many Chelsea fans were disappointed to see Romeo Lavia come off after a good performance, and Dewsbury-Hall failed to add any of the attacking prowess we saw in the Championship last season.Renato Veiga  (Cucurella, 80) – 5He didn’t have enough time to impact the game after replacing Marc Cucurella, who had more time to establish himself as one of Chelsea’s better performers.  More

  • in

    Sky Sports host stuns in bold sleeveless outfit live on TV after warning Chelsea fans ‘something isn’t right’

    SKY SPORTS host Olivia Buzaglo wowed viewers with the incredible outfit she wore for Thursday’s TV duties.Olivia, 29, was on screens this morning to discuss all the latest transfer news.Olivia Buzaglo wowed in a bold outfitCredit: Sky SportsShe stunned on Sky Sports News as she discussed Chelsea’s transfer businessCredit: Sky SportsOlivia is a host and reporter for Sky Sports and the Premier LeagueCredit: INSTAGRAM @oliviabuzagloOlivia is a huge Chelsea fanCredit: Instagram / @oliviabuzagloOne cheeky viewer compared her outfit to Andre the GiantThe glamorous reporter dazzled in a stylish black dress, with the look accompanied by luxury earrings and a watch.The outfit was sleeveless and featured just one shoulder strap.One fan on Twitter joked the dress had some similarities to the outfit worn by Andre the Giant, which Olivia hilariously replied to on X.Seeing pics of herself and the famous wrestler side-by-side, she replied: “Looooooool”.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSOlivia, who is a passionate Chelsea fan, gave supporters an update on the Blues’ unique transfer situation.After Conor Gallagher’s move to Atletico Madrid was confirmed, Armando Broja is set to be the next academy graduate to depart as he has completed a medical at Ipswich.But amid manager Enzo Maresca axing 15 players and forcing them to train away from the first-team, Olivia has expressed concern at the mood around the club.She tweeted: “I’m not afraid to admit I feel slightly disconnected to the club right now. I just can’t get my head round a lot of things.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”I’ll always support my team and I know that connection will come back over time, I just don’t know how to feel right now.”I have never and will never boo my own players cos that’s just ridiculous. SunSport’s Latest Transfer Headlines”We all want the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge to be better. It needs to be better. I’ll always be a supporter, just something isn’t right, right now.”Olivia is no stranger to catching the eye of fans, previously stunning in a pink jacket at Wembley.And she caught the eye earlier this summer while cheering on England at the Euros and holidaying in Jamaica.Olivia has admitted she feels ‘disconnected’ amid the current feeling surrounding ChelseaCredit: InstagramShe previously wowed pitchside at WembleyCredit: INSTAGRAM @oliviabuzagloShe began her career on Chelsea TVCredit: PAOlivia has a huge 63,000 followers on social mediaCredit: Instagram / @oliviabuzaglo More

  • in

    Why Joao Felix’s transfer to Chelsea is not as crazy is it sounds and here are three reasons why it makes sense

    CHELSEA have added Joao Felix to their already bloated squad for £42.6 million.The former winner of the Golden Boy award is the tenth signing of the summer, joining the likes of international team-mate Pedro Neto who joined from Wolves for £54m, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, a £30m recruit from Leicester.Joao Felix signs for Chelsea for £42.6mCredit: GettyThe Portuguese forward was on loan at Stamford Bridge in 2022-23Credit: GettyTo many observers, the arrival of Joao Felix is another example of the muddled thinking of Chelsea’s recruitment team.Chelsea already have Pedro Neto, Raheem Sterling, Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk who can play as wide attackers.With so many options, players are going to have to leave or sit on the bench.That’s without the young options like academy starlet Tyrique George and Brazilian boy wonder Angelo Gabriel.read more on footballThe 24-year-old Portuguese winger scored four goals in 20 games on loan for Chelsea two seasons ago – not exactly world-beating form.However this is not to say though that the signing of Joao Felix is a bad deal in itself. He is an extremely talented and intelligent attacking player who will bring an element of threat to the Chelsea attack whether he is positioned wide or central areas. Here are the key areas where Joao Felix can have an impact for Chelsea under their new coach Enzo Maresca.Most read in FootballHow Chelsea could line up this seasonAn eye for spaceOne of Joao Felix’s biggest strengths is his ability to find pockets of space in the opposition half to receive the ball. He has played in various positions throughout his career having played as a central striker, a No10 or a left-sided winger. But no matter what position he plays, he always seems to find a way to drop into pockets of space between the opposition midfield and defence in order to receive the ball.The issue when considering whether the signing of Joao Felix by Chelsea is a good idea or not is that we don’t know where the club, or Maresca,are planning to play him. We believe that he is most likely to play from the left-side of the attack and in this role under Maresca his movement and positioning may help to unlock teams.Playing for Barcelona last season, Joao Felix comes inside and receives the ball in space before playing in a team mateWhen Marcesca was in charge of Leicester in the Championship last season his side were very structured and careful in the way that they built their attack. Where they could struggle at times, however, was in breaking down opposition sides who sat back in a deeper and more compact defensive block. The addition of a player like Joao Felix could well help Marcesca to find an immediate solution for this.Having a player like Joao Felix who can drop into spaces behind the striker for Chelsea will also make it easier for the midfielders, especially the likes of Enzo Fernandez, to play more progressively with more forward passes into the final third and into areas from which Chelsea can beat the opposition. If Chelsea are too rigid and structured in the way that they attack then it becomes harder for them to break teams down and create chances.Having a player with the intelligent movement that Joao Felix shows could be key for Chelsea going forward this season.Joao Felix scored four times on loan two seasons ago for ChelseaCredit: AFPJoao Felix finds a pocket of space between defence and midfield and provides the angle to receive a pass in a dangerous areaCreative passesWhen Joao Felix first came through at first-team level at Benfica, and even when he initially moved to Atletico Madrid, he was seen as an attacking talent who thrived on his ability to drive in possession and beat opposition players in 1v1 situations. But now he has more strings to his bow.As his career has progressed he has developed his creative side and his ability to break lines and create opportunities for teammates in the final third with his passing profile.We have already touched upon the fact that Joao Felix will add value for Chelsea with his movement and ability to receive and take positions between the lines. While this, in itself, will help Chelsea to progress the ball and play forward, what will be even more important is Joao Felix’s ablity with the ball after he has received it.Joao Felix has the ball wide for Barcelona but he does not try to overplay and instead he plays a first-time pass to play a teammate through on goalThe Portuguese international’s ability on the ball in terms of passing, breaking lines and creating chances for teammates is actually very underrated. As his career has progressed he has developed his ability to find these passes as opposed to just taking possession of the ball and looking to outplay defenders in 1v1 situations very quickly.Almost all of the other options that Chelsea currently have around their first-team squad for wide attackers are better suited as either wide attackers who thrive in 1v1 situations.Players like Mudryk, Madueke or Pedro Neto or players who are better as second forwards from the wide position, like Nkunku. Having a wide player with the creative ability of Joao Felix when he receives the ball in these positions will bring value to this Chelsea team. His ability to play the last pass through when combined with his ability to dribble and carry the ball make him a versatile attacking threat in the final third.This time Joao Felix utilises his passing ability to free up a team-mateAs a more creative option in the final third you can clearly see the value for Chelsea in signing a player like Joao Felix to add to their attack.Goalscoring threatJoao Felix also brings threat with his ability to finish chances. While he is not a player who is ever going to score 30 goals in a season for you he can finish with 10-15 goals across a league campaign. His movement from wide into space and then into the opposition area makes him difficult to pick up properly for opposition defences.When he does break into the area and when he does get a chance in front of goal he has always been a strong finisher with good ball striking technique to beat the goalkeeper from a wide variety of positions. Chelsea will be hoping that he can bring this ability in front of goal to their attacking group from wide areas – in a similar way to Cole Palmer on the opposite side.Joao Felix makes an intelligent run and finishes with composure past the opposition goalkeeperChelsea want Joao Felix to have a similar style to Cole PalmerThe Portuguese star shows good movement when the ball is elsewhere, centrally or on the opposite side, and he will typically find good angles to attack space in the opposition area and create situations from which he can score.This time he cuts the opposition apart with a slick one-two before finishing from the edge of the areaChelsea’s upcoming fixturesLast season we saw Chelsea largely struggle for goals from their forward players. This meant that their wide attacking players had to step up to contribute in this way. Joao Felix is the kind of attacking winger who can add goals and assists from out on the left-side or even if he is positioned behind the striker.ConclusionWhile it often does not work when a club brings a player back for a second spell there is value in this deal for Chelsea. READ MORE SUN STORIESCritics will be hammering Chelsea once again, saying they don’t need Felix – but, they will be adding a proven player who has a slightly different profile from their other wide attackers. This will be especially helpful for Maresca and his tactical system at the club. More