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      Five ways Chelsea could line up with Joao Felix providing new striker option – but it’s not his favourite position

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      JOAO FELIX’S arrival at Chelsea could give Graham Potter several different options in attack.The Blues need reinforcements after picking up just one win in their last nine games.
      Chelsea have agreed to sign Joao Felix on loanCredit: Getty
      OPTION 1: Felix could add goals to the Chelsea attack as a striker
      And they are closing in on the loan signing of Felix after reportedly agreeing to pay the £10million fee Atletico Madrid are demanding.
      Felix has primarily played as a striker throughout his career, and Potter will hope he adds more goals to his side.
      But the Portugal international is very flexible and can play across the forward line.
      However, Felix prefers to operate as a No10 with a striker in front of him.
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      OPTION 2: The Portugal star prefers playing as a No10
      He said: “My best position is as the second forward.
      “Playing like a No.10, with a guy in front of me.”
      That means Felix could play just behind Kai Havertz or new signing David Fofana if he arrives at Stamford Bridge.
      Felix excelled on the left flank for Portugal at the World Cup and he could even play there for Chelsea given the injuries to Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic.
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      OPTION 3: Felix could feature on the left wing given Chelsea’s injuries
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      Potter has experimented with different formations since taking charge, though limited options mean he has often played one striker – Havertz or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
      Both have struggled for goals of late and Felix could arrive to play alongside either forward in a 3-5-2 formation.
      Alternatively, Felix could play as a No10 in a 4-3-3 system behind Havertz, Aubameyang or Fofana.
      OPTION 4: Felix could also slot into Graham Potter’s preferred 4-3-3 formation
      OPTION 5: The Atletico star could partner Aubameyang or Havertz up-front More

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      Man Utd ‘name Harry Kane in stunning three-man summer striker shortlist with Wout Weghorst transfer just short-term fix’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are hoping a loan for Wout Weghorst will only be a short-term solution for the striker position.And the Red Devils are reportedly planning a summer move for a big-name attacker with three players on their shortlist.
      Harry Kane is reportedly one of the names on Manchester United’s shortlistCredit: Getty
      Serie A star Victor Osimhen is also on the listCredit: EPA
      Red Bull Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko is another targetCredit: Getty
      Top of that list, according to ESPN is Tottenham’s Harry Kane.
      While they are also keeping an eye on Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and RB Salzburg star Benjamin Sesko.
      United have long been linked with Kane only to be thwarted by Spurs’ sky-high demands.
      That situation remains unlikely to change, but Old Trafford chiefs hope Kane’s dwindling contract might make Tottenham entertain offers.
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      Osimhen would be a different style of striker, but has been prolific for Napoli since joining the club and has continued his form this season with 11 goals in 16 games.
      While Sesko is more of an unknown quantity but is viewed as one of the most exciting prospects in Europe.
      And although Salzburg’s sister club RB Leipzig have reportedly agreed on a £20million deal to sign him, it is believed that the deal could be cancelled should a team come in with a higher offer.
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      United, in the meantime, have been linked with Dutch international Weghorst, who is currently on loan at Turkish side Besiktas.
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      A move for the 30-year-old striker is set to only be a short-term fix for the club, according to the ESPN report.
      Should he arrive at the club, Weghorst will offer manager Erik ten Hag a different option up front as he is more of a traditional number nine.
      United will hope that Weghorst can fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the club in November.
      He would then compete with more typical wide players such as Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford for the striker role.
      The report says that United are aiming to have a “clean slate” in the summer.
      The report has suggested that United are not able to make moves now as the players that are available are “castoffs who don’t play, strikers who have been injured, or those who just aren’t good enough.”
      The club are cautious about rushing into a long-term commitment with another striker after their recent struggles with players.
      United spent big on Romelu Lukaku, while the likes of Edinson Cavani and Radamel Falcao joined the club for high wages.
      Wout Weghorst is seen as ‘short-term fix’ for Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty More

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      How Man Utd can still sign RB Salzburg wonderkid Benjamin Sesko despite RB Leipzig having £20m agreement in place

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      MANCHESTER UNITED’S pursuit of a new striker has been handed a boost after it was revealed they are still able to sign RB Salzburg star Benjamin Sesko. Sesko, 19, has a £20million agreement on his head to move to Salzburg’s German sister club RB Leipzig.
      Man Utd could hijack a move for Benjamin Sesko.Credit: Getty
      And while United are not likely not try and sign him in January, they are far more likely to make a move in the summer following the revelation Leipzig could be bought out of the deal.
      According to ESPN, while Leipzig have an agreement in place to sign the Slovenian at the end of the season, a major bid from another club could change the trajectory of his career.
      This gives United a final chance to make a move for the highly-rated striker.
      Of course, the club appears to be prioritising a short-term solution in the January window.
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      Loans for Wout Weghorst and Joao Felix have been earmarked.
      But in the case of Felix, the fee it would cost United to take him on for six months has been a major stumbling block – though Chelsea have just agreed a deal to bring him in according to reports.

      This has seen negotiations for on-loan Burnley star Weghorst accelerate.
      And while he is the exact mould of striker Erik ten Hag wants in a centre forward, any prospective loan for him will depend on Besiktas, where he is currently situated.
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      As well as Sesko, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Tottenham star Harry Kane are being discussed as more long-term solutions.
      England captain Kane is entering the final year of his Spurs contract in the summer and faces a pivotal decision in his career. More

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      Tottenham ‘accelerate Leandro Trossard transfer pursuit as they look to snap up Brighton star in January’

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      TOTTENHAM’S pursuit of Brighton forward Leandro Trossard has reportedly “accelerated” as they eye a January transfer.The Belgian, 28, joined from Genk in 2019 for £15million.
      Leandro Trossard has been linked with a move to both Spurs and ChelseaCredit: Getty
      He has been a superb asset for the Seagulls, contributing 25 goals and 14 assists in 121 appearances.
      That includes seven goals and three assists in 17 games so far this season.
      But he was reduced to a spot on the bench for the whole of Brighton’s 4-1 Premier League victory over Everton.
      And manager Roberto De Zerbi then left him out of the squad altogether for the 5-1 FA Cup win over Middlesbrough.
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      It comes amid reports of both Spurs and Chelsea being interested in the Belgium international – with The Mail reporting that Tottenham are looking to speed up negotiations.
      Brighton are aware of the sides monitoring him, but a move is not expected to be completed until later in the window – if at all.
      Antonio Conte is keen to add to his squad after Tottenham dropped out of the top four over Christmas.
      A draw with Brentford was followed up by a 2-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa on New Year’s Day.
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      Back-to-back wins over Crystal Palace and Portsmouth have given Spurs fans a bit of renewed hope.
      But their squad is still suffering with a number of injuries, particularly in the forward areas.
      Lucas Moura is currently unavailable, with Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski facing a race to be fit for the North London derby this Sunday.
      Midfielders Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are also nursing fitness issues.
      Conte’s men currently sit fifth in the Premier League table, two points behind Man Utd and 11 adrift of leaders Arsenal. More

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      Chelsea ‘verbally agree £10m Joao Felix loan transfer as they beat Man Utd and Arsenal to Atletico Madrid outcast’

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      CHELSEA have “verbally agreed” to sign Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid for the rest of the season, according to reports.The Blues are ready to pay the £10million loan fee that Atletico Madrid are demanding for the forward.
      Joao Felix is eager to move to the Premier LeagueCredit: Rex
      Graham Potter’s side are also happy to cover the Portuguese star’s entire salary for the remainder of the season.
      Felix, 23, went into the January transfer window desperate to leave Atletico, having fallen out with boss Diego Simeone.
      According to The Athletic, Chelsea have won the race for his signature.
      They claim that Felix has snubbed interest from Manchester United and Arsenal after being “attracted by Chelsea’s project”.
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      The Daily Record add that he has already told pals he is moving to England.
      It’s claimed that Chelsea want to include an option to buy in the loan deal.
      But Atletico may have been waiting to see if they received a better offer.
      The Red Devils were reportedly told to stump up £70.5m at the end of the season for Felix, in addition to an initial £9.5m loan fee.
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      Arsenal, meanwhile, have been exploring options up top after the injury suffered by Gabriel Jesus.
      Felix is set to follow former Molde striker David Datro Fofana in joining Chelsea this month.
      And it’s claimed that the Blues could look to add another attacking player before the end of the window.
      Both Chelsea and the Gunners have been linked with Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhailo Mudryk.
      But neither have so far been willing to stump up the £85m offer that the Ukrainian side have been demanding.
      The Blues have scored just 12 goals in 11 Prem matches since Potter took the helm.
      They have struggled to create quality chances, with their xG, shots on target and shots attempted numbers all among the worst in the Premier League over Potter’s 11 matches to date.
      Chelsea have already spent around £300m on transfers since Todd Boehly bought the club last year.
      In addition to Fofana and Felix, they also recruited Benoit Badiashile from Monaco earlier this month for £35m.
      After yesterday’s 4-0 defeat to Manchester City, Potter vowed that his team need to “stick together”.
      He said: “You can make excuses and look for reasons or say it isn’t good enough. Both of those answers are correct.
      “We have to keep improving and stick together because clearly we are suffering as a football club and it’s not nice at all.”
      “You understand the supporters’ frustration, we respect that.
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      “There are always other opinions and negativity and criticism because the results haven’t been positive.
      “That’s part of the job and part of the challenge.” More

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      How Weghorst, Giroud and Dzeko compare as target men are all linked with shock Man Utd transfer

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are on the hunt for a striker following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are currently Erik ten Hag’s only proven options to lead the line for the remainder of the season.
      Edin Dzeko has been with Inter Milan since leaving Roma in 2021Credit: Getty
      Olivier Giroud could be set for a return to England amid Man Utd interestCredit: Getty
      Wout Weghorst is currently on loan at Besiktas from BurnleyCredit: Getty
      And an additional forward could help the Red Devils over the line in their pursuit of a place in the top four.
      Inter Milan’s Edin Dzeko, 36, Burnley’s Wout Weghorst, 30, and AC Milan’s Olivier Giroud, 36, have all been linked with moves to Old Trafford.
      But how do they stack up compared with one another?
      SunSport has taken a look at their statistics since the start of last season.
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      How Dzeko, Giroud and Weghorst compare since the start of last season
      Dzeko and Weghorst have played almost the exact same number of matches – with just one between them at 53 and 54 – while Giroud has managed 44.
      Inter man Dzeko leads the way in the goalscoring charts with 20 as the other two are locked together on 16.
      Weghorst edges things when it comes to assists – the Burnley loanee registering eight compared with Dzeko’s seven and Giroud’s six.
      Dzeko has the best shot conversion rate and has also registered the most attempts at 125.
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      But of those efforts, Weghorst has managed the most on target.
      Giroud comes third in most of the statistical comparisons and “chances created” is no different.
      The former Arsenal man has laid on 40 opportunities for his team-mates, with Dzeko on 51 and Weghorst 49.
      But Giroud’s most impressive numbers come in the air.
      While Weghorst has competed in the most aerial duels, Giroud has a win percentage of 64 compared to Weghorst’s 46 and Dzeko’s 54.
      Finally, when it comes to touches in their respective games, Weghorst has had 200 more than Dzeko in just one more match.
      Giroud has had a further 560 less, albeit in 10 fewer appearances.
      Man Utd currently sit fourth in the Premier League table, two points ahead of Tottenham in fifth but nine off leaders Arsenal.
      And if they are to close the gap, what are the chances of them turning to a former Gunner to help them do it? More

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      West Ham keen on Youssef En-Nesyri in January transfer but Sevilla’s form could scupper £35m-plus deal

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      WEST HAM are interested in a January move for Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri.However, there is little confidence from the Hammers that a deal can be struck due to the Spanish side’s similarly poor domestic position.
      West Ham are once again interested in signing Youssef En-Nesyri this monthCredit: Getty
      Boss David Moyes has previously insisted the east London club are not planning any winter window business after spending around £160m in the summer.
      However, in recent press conferences, the Scot has hinted at some potential incomings following their poor start to the Premier League campaign and goalscoring woes.
      Sevilla’s En-Nesyri, 25, was a target for Moyes and West Ham in 2021 only to be priced out of a switch, with the Spaniards demanding up to £35m.
      They remain keen on the Moroccan international, and an approach has been made for a loan this window with an optional permanent fee at the end of the season.
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      However, SunSport understands West Ham are not holding their breath and are expecting to be knocked back by Sevilla once again.
      Like West Ham, Sevilla find themselves in 17th and a battle to avoid the drop with just three wins in their opening 16 league matches – one victory fewer than Moyes’ men have currently.
      West Ham have scored just 15 goals in 18 outings in the Prem, with the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio struggling to fire them up the league.
      En-Nesyri is seen as too valuable to Sevilla, despite failing to net in La Liga thus far.
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      He did hit a hat-trick in the Copa del Rey against Linares Deportivo last week, as well as netting twice in the Champions League and twice at the World Cup in Qatar.
      Overall, he’s scored 40 goals in 123 games for Sevilla in all competitions. More

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      Man Utd ‘have Wout Weghorst transfer bid REJECTED by Besiktas as they prepare new offer’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have reportedly seen a bid for striker Wout Weghorst REJECTED by his loan club Besiktas.The Dutchman, 30, is on loan at the Turkish giants from Championship outfit Burnley.
      Wout Weghorst is on loan at Besiktas from BurnleyCredit: Getty
      He has scored nine goals in 18 appearances for Besiktas – who have a deal with Vincent Kompany’s side to keep him until the end of the season.
      According to Manchester Evening News, Burnley received an offer from Man Utd for Weghorst which they passed onto Besiktas.
      But the Champions League outfit rejected the proposal and have insisted they want to keep the ex-Wolfsburg man until the summer.
      Man Utd are understood to be working on a compensation package that would convince Besiktas to end Weghorst’s loan in the January window.
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      The Super Lig side also have a £12million option to buy him at the end of the campain.
      But Weghorst is believed to be keen on the move to Old Trafford and was accused by Besiktas’ club president of saying goodbye to the fans during his goal celebration at the weekend.
      Negotiations are taking place for United to pay Burnley a fee which would then be handed over to Besiktas to ensure the termination of his loan.
      The Premier League side would then return to the table with Burnley to agree a short-term loan deal for Weghorst until the end of the season.
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      There is no recall option in the loan contract between Burnley and Besiktas, so United need the Turkish outfit to agree or they will fail in their pursuit of the striker.
      Erik ten Hag is keen to bring in another forward this month following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.
      Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are currently his only options to lead the line.
      And Weghorst, who scored a brace for Netherlands against Argentina in their World Cup quarter-final defeat, has been identified as a target.
      Eden Dzeko and Olivier Giroud have also been mooted as alternative options. More