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Chelsea picked up all three points in their first game after the international break. The Blues were victorious against Nottingham Forest, securing a 3-0 win over Ange Postecoglou’s side at the City Ground to pile the misery onto the Australian manager.

Three second-half goals from Enzo Maresca’s side were enough to earn the win. The West Londoners opened the scoring through Josh Acheampong, who bagged his first goal in professional football. It was a well-directed header from the centre-back.

He was teed up by Pedro Neto, with the Portugal international getting on the scoresheet himself moments later. That goal came from a well-hit free kick from outside the penalty box, doubling the scoreline. Reece James added a third late on for Chelsea to cap off a wonderful showing.

It was complete dominance from Maresca’s side. They certainly tested Mats Selz in the Forest goal, and had 17 shots, finding the target six times. The visitors also slightly dominated possession, with 51%, and created four big chances.

There were certainly some standout players for the Blues, who picked up their second Premier League win in as many games.

Chelsea’s best players vs. Forest

TNT Sports awarded Chelsea captain James player of the match after a stellar performance against Forest. It was the Cobham graduate’s 200th game for his boyhood club, which he celebrated with a goal and assist.

Whilst the assist for Neto’s strike was a simple roll of the ball, a matter of yards, his strike was excellent.

The England international pounced on a misdirected punch from Mats Selz, which rifled into the back of the net to add a third for Chelsea.

It was arguably not the best goal of the match, though, with Neto’s low free kick a real standout. The Portugal international bent his effort into the back of the net with his left foot, managing to get his strike through a mass of Forest defenders to put Chelsea two goals up.

His cross for Acheampong was a well-paced delivery, too.

One person who was particularly impressed by the performances of both James and Neto was Matthew Judge, a journalist for Goal. He gave the Blues skipper an 8/10 and their number seven a 9/10 for their scintillating performances.

The Chelsea duo were two of their standout players at the City Ground, although one of their half-time substitutes also performed well.

Chelsea's new Werner

After a rather underwhelming first half, Chelsea manager Maresca shuffled the pack and made three half-time substitutes. Jamie Gittens replaced Alejandro Garnacho out wide, and Moises Caicedo came on in midfield for Romeo Lavia.

The other change the Blues made proved to be a smart move. Andrey Santos was replaced by Marc Guiu, with the Spanish striker impressing during his 45-minute cameo. It was a hard-working display from the former Barcelona star.

He “completely changed the game” in the second half, according to football podcaster Terry Flewers. He praised Guiu for the fact that he was a “real presence up top.”

Certainly, the 19-year-old stretched the play and made Forest’s defenders work hard to cope with his runs in behind.

It was a showing that certainly left a good impression on Judge. The journalist said Guiu was constantly ‘working tirelessly up top’ for his side, and praised him for winning the foul, which led to Neto’s free kick.

The stats from the game show how tirelessly the former Sunderland loanee worked.

He only had 13 touches, completed 100% of his passes and had three shots. He had a good impact in a short amount of time.

Pass accuracy

100%

Touches

13

Shots

3

Fouls won

1

Duels won

2

It wouldn’t be outlandish to compare Guiu’s performance to one Chelsea fans may have seen from Timo Werner.

Like the German striker used to do for the Blues, he ran relentlessly and was constantly making runs in behind to stretch Forest’s defence.

Yet, he did miss a couple of chances, rounding the goalkeeper but missing the target, and squandering a one-vs-one opportunity.

Of course, Werner – who notably missed 18 ‘big chances’ in the Premier League in 2020/21, as per Fotmob – was synonymous with wasting those golden chances, just as Guiu did at the City Ground, with little end product to match his impressive work ethic.

However, it is important to bear in mind he is just 19 years of age. There is still plenty of time for Guiu to hone the clinical side of his game, as he looks to nail down a regular spot under Maresca.

Certainly, his outing at Forest will have done him no harm.

Forget Gittens & George: Cobham teen is the "future of Chelsea & England"

Chelsea may have found the latest superstar to emerge from Cobham academy.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 17, 2025

After finding life rather tricky in the Basque Country two weeks ago, winning 2-0 against Athletic Club, Arsenal once again were made to work hard for their win in the Champions League.

Welcoming Olympiacos to the Emirates Stadium, meeting the Greek champions for the 13th time in 15 years, they were a difficult side to get the better of, but like they did in Bilbao, Mikel Arteta’s men got the job done, 2-0 victors again.

While the Gunners struggled to create clear-cut opportunities to score from in the second half, in truth, it was a game they could have won by four or five goals.

In the opening 45 minutes the Londoners were electric, scoring early through Gabriel Martinelli before substitute Bukayo Saka rounded things off late on.

While not on the scoresheet, the biggest positive from the night was undoubtedly the performance of skipper Martin Odegaard.

After suffering an ankle injury on international duty just over a year ago, the Norwegian has looked a little lost for form but was back to his best in Europe on Wednesday, putting in a masterclass performance from the middle of the park.

It was Odegaard who supplied Saka’s goal and it was the club captain who played the ball in behind in the build-up to the opener.

To see him in full flow again is a joy, and he will be vital now as Arteta’s side aim to go deep in this year’s competition. So far they have six points from six, but trickier ties await, notably Atletico Madrid in match week three.

Speaking of Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres will have no doubt been delighted he was back in the side.

Viktor Gyokeres' performance in numbers vs Olympiacos

In all honesty, this has been a difficult start to life for the hulking Swede in north London.

At Sporting CP last season, he showcased his credentials by scoring 54 goals, three of which came against Manchester City in this very competition.

Yet, in Arsenal colours, he’s not been able to demonstrate the same level of clinicalness inside the penalty area.

Gyokeres has scored three times, two coming in one game against Leeds United, but there is a sense that he needs to work on his final action.

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He had six shots against Newcastle on Sunday but none of them felt too clean. The truth is that he’s taking too much time to get his efforts away.

That said, the summer arrival is improving. The very fact he was so threatening last weekend is evidence of that.

Against Olympiacos, the 27-year-old perhaps put in his best non-scoring display for Arsenal yet. Finally afforded space in behind, he was unlucky not to score on a few occasions.

His forward play for the first goal was sublime. Odegaard fed the ball in behind and Gyokeres bulldozed his way forward, crashing past two defenders and then getting a shot away that came off the post.

Fortunately, Martinelli was ready and waiting to tap the rebound into an empty net.

Gyokeres was a willing runner for much of the game and was found with great regularity by an in-form Odegaard. You can tell the chemistry between Arsenal’s chief creators and their new striker is indeed improving.

It’s hard to judge him too much so far. Visits to Old Trafford, Anfield and St James Park’ have historically been tricky and with easier fixtures to come, the Swedish superstar looks like he’s growing in confidence at just the right time.

Whether he goes on to replicate some of Arsenal’s great strikers of the past remains to be seen. He bears the number 14, famously worn by Thierry Henry and later, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

No Gunners striker has lifted the Premier League since the days of Henry, not even the likes of Robin van Persie or Auba. Perhaps now will be the year they finally do so.

To stand any chance of that, not only will they need Odegaard and Gyokeres in top form, but they will also need to find a way to get more out of their future Van Persie.

Arteta could be brewing the next Van Persie at Arsenal

The scorer of 30-plus goals in a single campaign during the Arsene Wenger era, Van Persie was a menacing centre-forward and Gyokeres will no doubt hope to emulate him.

However, one player who already looks ready to emulate the great Dutchman is Martinelli.

The Brazilian has endured a sticky few years. In 2022/23, he ended the term as the club’s joint-top scorer alongside Saka and Odegaard, but he has not replicated that since.

While he still looks a tad timid in 2025/26, he is finding his feet once more, even with limited game time.

Martinelli’s start on Wednesday evening was just his fourth of the season to date but he more than made it count, scoring the first goal of the game.

The 24-year-old is certainly a man in form having scored three in his last four, the most important of which came against Manchester City, delicately lobbing Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Citizens’ net with barely minutes remaining.

All of his goals this season have so far come from central areas and that’s where the Brazilian could become a force in the years to come.

For years, Martinelli has been a wide forward. Those 15 goals in 2022/23 came from the left flank, but there is a striker waiting to be unleashed. His record as an out-and-out centre-forward is better than in any other position, albeit that is from a small sample size.

Having netted nine goals in 16 matches, the proof is there. He’s a very threatening striker. He’s got pace and he’s got the ability to run in behind. The goal in Bilbao a few weeks ago showed no defender is quick enough to keep up with him and that goal against City came courtesy of another run in behind the defence from a central position.

Interestingly, it was as a central attacker where Unai Emery got a lot of joy from Martinelli, too. During his debut year in England, 2019/20, he found the net on seven occasions in nine matches as a centre forward.

So, why the comparison to Van Persie? Well, when the Netherlands icon first signed for Arsenal, he did so as a wide player. Like Martinelli, he was traditionally a left winger.

That said, the plan for Wenger was always to transform him into a striker and he did just that, to great success too.

While Van Persie may not have had the pace of Martinelli, his finishing ability was remarkable. At Arsenal, the Flying Dutchman registered 132 goals in 278 matches, cementing himself as one of the finest players to don the famous shirt. It was a great success story for Wenger.

Now, in 2025, Arteta must take a leaf out of the Frenchman’s book. The Brazil international may well have been fielded on the wing on Wednesday night, but he looks more at home centrally, just as Van Persie did.

After the arrivals of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke this summer, Arsenal’s number 11 was always going to find it tricky to get regular starts, but with Kai Havertz out and Gyokeres still getting up to speed, perhaps the forward could revive his career by permanently moving to the striker role.

Arsenal sold "one of the best passers in Europe"; now he's like Rice & Zubi

The former Arsenal star is having a brilliant season in the Premier League.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 30, 2025

After a summer of chaos at St James’ Park, it has now emerged that Newcastle United actually outbid Liverpool to sign a towering defender before he made his transfer decision.

Newcastle's nightmare summer

With Champions League football secured and PIF ready to spend, it looked as though Newcastle were about to enjoy their best summer yet under the Saudi owners. Eddie Howe also revealed his desire to get any business done early. By the time that pre-season got underway, he wanted to have his squad ready to go.

That proved to be far from the case, however. Whilst it wasn’t for the want of trying, the Magpies managed to welcome just Anthony Elanga by the time their pre-season tour arrived and were also handed the news that Alexander Isak wanted out for the first time. The Swede’s supposed injury quickly turned into a transfer saga and one that he eventually emerged victorious.

Newcastle, meanwhile, were left to turn towards the likes of Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko only to be faced with more bad news. Handed rejection after rejection, their plan to have any deals done by pre-season quickly turned into a deadline day panic as Isak left for Liverpool and Yoane Wissa finally arrived to join Nick Woltemade in the Magpies’ fresh frontline.

It just about summed things up that Wissa’s move very nearly collapsed in the dying embers thanks to an admin error, but Newcastle just about managed to avoid a humiliating scenario.

It’s also now emerged that it wasn’t just Ekitike that Newcastle and Liverpool were fighting over during a frantic summer rivalry away from the pitch.

Newcastle outbid Liverpool for Leoni

As revealed by Parma CEO Federico Cherubini, relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle actually outbid Liverpool for Giovanni Leoni before he chose to move to Anfield.

The Magpies’ offer was more “advantageous” than Liverpool’s, but the Italian only wanted the Merseyside club in a verdict that Newcastle fell victim to all summer long.

In the end, Malick Thiaw solved Newcastle’s need for a defender, but there’s no doubt that Leoni would have been an impressive signing. The towering 6’4 defender was described as “complete” by scout Jacek Kulig and is now seen by many as the future of Liverpool’s backline following his summer move.

Could we be looking at the shortest permanent managerial tenure at Ibrox in Glasgow Rangers’ 153-year history?

Not including caretakers, Pedro Caixinha is the shortest-serving Rangers manager of all-time, for now, overseeing 26 matches in 2017, but could Russell Martin smash that record?

Well, things have not gone very well for Martin in his 11 matches in charge of the Gers, ignominiously dumped out of Champions League qualifying by Club Brugge, demolished 9-1 on aggregate, while he is yet to win a Premiership fixture, drawing all four so far.

Martin’s 26th match would be a Europa League home game against Braga on 27 November, but many are forecasting he’ll be long gone by then, so could 49ers Enterprises turn to an experienced Premier League manager instead?

What is going wrong for Martin at Rangers?

Back on 23 February, Philippe Clement was sacked, following a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of St Mirren.

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Barry Ferguson took caretaker charge for the remainder of last season, actually producing some exceptional results, during which time 49ers Enterprises completed their takeover of the club.

Thus, after a thorough recruitment process, Martin was appointed 102 days on from Clement’s dismissal and, well, supporters were pretty underwhelmed.

Speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Ewan Murray asserted that never before has a managerial appointment been so instantaneously “doomed” from day one as this, noting that Rangers fans never wanted Martin in the first place, and he has certainly not won them over.

The Gers have failed to win any of their first four league outings for the first time since 1983, going on to finish fourth back then, lucky to salvage draws at St Mirren and Motherwell, outplayed by both for long periods.

Also, the aforementioned 9-1 annihilation at the hands of Club Brugge is the Light Blues’ heaviest aggregate European defeat since a 12-4 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the European Cup semi-finals 65 years ago.

After the international break, Rangers welcome both Hearts and then Hibs to Ibrox, the latter a League Cup quarter-final, before commencing their Europa League campaign against Genk in Govan, but, should results continue to deteriorate and Martin’s position become untenable, who should the 49ers turn to?

Rangers' ideal Russell Martin replacement

When looking at the current out-of-work managers, some names immediately leap off the page.

José Mourinho, Erik ten Hag, Marco Rose, Sérgio Conceição, Steven Gerrard, even Ange Postecoglou (could you imagine?), but surely the most sensible appointment for Rangers, given their current predicament, would be Sean Dyche.

The 54-year-old was sacked by Everton in January, but undeniably did a good job on Merseyside, keeping the Toffees in the Premier League during a period of austerity at Goodison, with the Blues finishing 17th and then 15th with a very poor squad.

Dyche is most well known for his decade as Burnley boss before that, taking charge of 425 games, the third most of any manager in Clarets’ history, behind only Harry Potts (1958-70) and John Haworth (1910-24).

Under Dyche, Burnley twice won promotion from the EFL Championship, enjoying six successive seasons in the Premier League, their longest continuous period in the top division since the early-70s, most notably finishing seventh in 2018, thereby qualifying for Europe for the first time since 1966.

The Clarets were known for being defensively organised and tough to beat, with Dyche getting the best out of his players, elevating them to become better than they ever believed possible. He did so on a shoestring budget too, much like current Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers did with Swansea City.

Well, these are all qualities one cannot say about the current Rangers team, who are all over the place at the back, with Max Aarons and Nasser Djiga’s red cards against Brugge and Dundee respectively epitomising this chaotic approach.

Dyche’s Premier League record, when compared to Martin’s, tells the story.

Matches

332

16

Wins

93

1

Win %

28%

6.25%

Goals scored

323

11

Goals per game

0.97

0.69

Goals conceded

467

36

Conceded per game

1.41

2.25

Points

370

5

Points-per-game

1.11

0.31

As the table documents, Dyche is exponentially more experienced than Martin at Premier League level so, while the latter does only offer a small sample size, the way his Southampton team were going, they would’ve conceded 747 goals had he reached 332 matches; that’s 280 more than Dyche.

The main issue for Rangers right now is that, frankly, they have a poor squad, but even their competent players like John Souttar, who was excellent for Scotland in Denmark on Friday night, are not suited to Martin’s style of play.

Thus, what the Gers need right now is a pragmatist, not a dogmatic idealist who sticks to their principles at all costs.

So, if the Light Blues are going to fight for silverware domestically and make a deep run in the Europa League, they need a manager who can get the best out of players, and Dyche appears perfectly suited to that role.

Rangers must rue losing star who's worth millions more than Chermiti

Rangers must rue losing this “incredible” star who would now be their most valuable player.

ByDan Emery Sep 6, 2025

Manchester United still have work to do in the transfer window and may now have the opportunity to offload another of their high earners, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd impress despite opening day defeat to Arsenal

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but Ruben Amorim can take plenty of encouragement from the way his side managed to maintain an adequate level of intensity during their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

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Speaking on Match of the Day, he reiterated his belief that the Red Devils were the better team on the day, even if they ultimately came up short against Mikel Arteta’s dogged outfit in their opening Premier League encounter.

He stated: “We deserved more and we were the better team, that is clear but in the end we lost. We need to work on the things we need to improve. We need to defend set pieces. We did a lot things right.

“There are a lot of things without seeing the video that we need to work. I am really proud of my players. We were more aggressive and brave. In certain moments I think Bryan (Mbeumo) and Cunha helped a lot. We stuck to the plan even when the stadium is nervous, we continued to play the way we played and that will help us in the future.”

Altay Bayindir’s error between the sticks was all that separated both sides, so it won’t come as a surprise to hear that talks have been initiated for Manchester United to re-sign David De Gea as a potential fix to their goalkeeper situation.

His best display for Man Utd: £60m star is as undroppable as Mbeumo & Cunha

Manchester United suffered defeat in their first game of the new season.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 17, 2025

However, with their move to sign Carlos Baleba stalling, outgoings have become a priority at Old Trafford, and Amorim could now have the opportunity to get rid of a star who isn’t part of his long-term plans.

Romano: Roma make contact to sign Tyrell Malacia

Taking to social media platform X, Romano has confirmed Roma have initiated contact to sign Tyrell Malacia from Manchester United to bolster their pool of left-back options. Importantly, and unlike their move for Jadon Sancho, the player is keen on the move.

Besiktas are also interested in the Red Devils’ outcast, who earns £75,000 per week at Old Trafford and is part of the infamous ‘bomb squad’ that Amorim would like to offload should appropriate interest arise.

Plagued by injury since joining under Erik ten Hag, Malacia has featured only 47 times for Manchester United and has struggled to make a lasting impact at the club.

Last term, he spent the second half of the campaign on loan at PSV Eindhoven and made 12 appearances across all competitions, and he could now be set for another exit sooner rather than later.

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Manchester United and Chelsea played out one of the wildest and most exhilarating halves of football in Premier League history at the Old Trafford on Saturday, with both teams having a man sent off in the first 45 minutes. In the process, the English rivals became responsible for setting an unbelievably bizarre Premier League record.

First half ends in 10v10

Fans witnessed a blockbuster clash on Saturday evening as an under-fire Manchester United welcomed world champions Chelsea at the Old Trafford. The two rivals were always going to deliver an entertaining game, but it all became more interesting after Sanchez was given the marching orders in the fifth minute following a mistimed tackle on Bryan Mbeumo. Amorim's men took full advantage of having an extra man, as they breezed to a two-goal cushion thanks to Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, before the Brazilian received his second yellow and thus, a red card in the fifth minute of first half stoppage time.

AdvertisementAFPUnited and Chelsea join hands for a bizarre record

Chelsea's response to going a man, and eventually a goal, down was to make three substitutions within the first 21 minutes, which also saw Cole Palmer come off due to an injury relapse. Enzo Maresca’s side made Premier League history by making the earliest three substitutions ever recorded in a match. 

However, more records were set to be created, as the clash between United and Chelsea became the first game in Premier League history to record at least two goals, two red cards, and two substitutions in the first half, according to .

Old Trafford, Chelsea's kryptonite

Trevor Chalobah's late strike was not enough to save the Blues from their first league defeat of the season. Saturday's loss stretches Chelsea's streak without a win at the Old Trafford to 13 games, the most they have ever gone without a win on the road against any team in the top-flight. 

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AFPA lift-off for Amorim & Co.?

The win against Chelsea could be just the psychological lift-off Ruben Amorim's men need in their bid to reverse their fortunes. After just one win from their opening four games, beating one of the title contenders can prove to be a huge boost for the Red Devils. 

Chelsea have been charged with 74 breaches of rules relating to agents, intermediaries and third party investment. The alleged misdemeanours date back to Roman Abramovich’s time as owner. Various punishments are being speculated on, but the Blues may avoid being stung with the harshest of points deductions by the Football Association.

What does Chelsea's case to relate to?

The Blues reported themselves to the FA, Premier League and UEFA after discovering “incomplete financial information” had been submitted to the relevant authorities during the period of 2012 to 2019.

AdvertisementGettyWhy are Chelsea facing so many charges?

The 74 charges being levelled against them by the FA relate to payments made to agents between 2009 and 2022, with most of the attention in that case being narrowed on the era of 2010-11 to 2015-16.

How will Chelsea argue against punishments?

Chelsea have changed hands since then, with the Todd Boehly-led Clearlake Capital regime taking charge at Stamford Bridge in 2022. That change of ownership could be considered mitigating circumstances on the Blues’ behalf, while full cooperation with the investigation and early admission of any wrongdoing would help to limit any sanctions that are eventually imposed.

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AFPExpert analysis from financial adviser

Manchester City’s former financial adviser, Stefan Borson, has told : “The nub of it will be whether anybody can establish that the breaches created a sporting advantage. If you have a sporting advantage established, then it’s likely that you end up with a sporting penalty. Now, that can be mitigated by considerations like new ownership, early guilty plea, lots of cooperation. These are all things that Chelsea are pushing out into the media as being what they’ve done. That is mitigation. There’s no question. The question is what’s the starting point?

“Is the starting point, well, this is very serious, and we think you’ve had a major sporting advantage? The starting point is a number of points, in which case you’re mitigating down percentage wise from that points deduction.

“If you look at something like Nottingham Forest, they had a lot of cooperation commended by the commission. Now, that was a Premier League commission, but the law is basically the same and they’ll cross compare the cases. In that case, there was basically an argument where Nottingham Forest said, we should have a 50 per cent reduction on the penalty. The Premier League said, that feels a bit too much 50 per cent, maybe 30 per cent. The commission went in the end for 30 per cent. It was going to be six for Nottingham Forest and they got two knocked off for early admission and cooperation.

“You would think that Chelsea would be able to get 30 per cent, maybe even a 40 per cent reduction for their mitigation, adding all the bits and pieces together if everything they’re saying is true about how they cooperated, admitted it, informed. So, they get very good mitigation.”

As Chelsea continue to assess their wide options in the transfer market, their focus has returned to one long-standing target.

While efforts remain ongoing to secure Xavi Simons, the club are also monitoring a dynamic winger who combines the explosiveness of Noni Madueke with the creativity of Pedro Neto.

Having emerged as a Premier League force in recent seasons, this forward’s statistical output paints a compelling picture.

Not only does he rival Madueke for goalscoring impact and Neto for progression and movement, but he also offers a unique blend of the two that could fit Chelsea’s evolving attacking blueprint.

As relations with his current club continue to sour, and with his valuation falling significantly, Chelsea are understood to be keeping close tabs, ready to move if circumstances allow.

Chelsea looking at Premier League star

Alejandro Garnacho has long been touted as a future star.

Since arriving from Atlético Madrid in 2020, the Argentine has impressed at every level, from leading Manchester United’s youth side to FA Youth Cup glory, to making a smooth transition into the senior setup.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Senior figures at Old Trafford have long spoken about Garnacho’s ability to spark games into life.

After a Europa League match in 2022, Paul Scholes drew early comparisons with one of United’s most iconic players. “I think this lad was really entertaining. Almost like a young Cristiano at that age.”

Former Manchester United winger Febian Brandy echoed the sentiment, labelling Garnacho a “full-back’s nightmare. He can go either side, cut inside, he makes it difficult for defenders all game.”

Despite all of that, it looks as though he could be on his way out of Old Trafford this summer. According to Fabrizio Romano, the 20-year-old wants to remain in the Premier League, with Chelsea and Aston Villa among those monitoring his situation.

Initially priced at £70m, United have now dropped their asking price to £40m according to other reports, a valuation that may tempt Chelsea if they wish to act before his value rebounds.

How Garnacho compares to Madueke and Neto

According to data from FBref, Madueke and Neto are the first and fifth most similar players in European football to Garnacho across the last year.

More generally, across his senior career, Garnacho has averaged 0.27 goals per 90 minutes, behind Madueke (0.39) but ahead of Pedro Neto (0.16). In terms of total goal involvement per 90, he sits between the two as well: 0.40 for Garnacho, compared to 0.58 for Madueke and 0.42 for Neto.

Garnacho’s directness is a defining trait. He averages more shots per 90 (3.50) than either Madueke (3.09) or Neto (2.12), though his shot accuracy (31.3%) is lower than Madueke’s 42%.

Those numbers reflect a player still learning to pick his moments, but with a clear intent to impact games regularly. In terms of progression, he also offers plenty. Garnacho averages 5.93 progressive carries per 90, again, sandwiched between Madueke (6.56) and Neto (5.10), underlining their ability to get at their full-back.

His passing numbers are more modest: 2.19 progressive passes per 90, compared to Madueke’s 3.90 and Neto’s 2.32. But he still maintains a healthy pass completion rate (77.2%), while registering a solid 3.77 shot-creating actions per 90.

While he attempts fewer take-ons than his Arsenal and Chelsea counterparts, with just 1.45 successful dribbles per 90, Garnacho’s overall attacking involvement is consistent. He touches the ball in the attacking third 27.3 times per 90, just behind Neto (28.5) and Madueke (30.4), suggesting a player fully embedded in the final-third phase.

Crucially, Chelsea are weighing his profile not just against their current squad, but against their future vision.

Garnacho’s combination of aggression and youthful energy offers a stylistic contrast to more intricate wingers like Cole Palmer.

For a side seeking to sharpen its transitions and threaten on the break, he offers a compelling solution.

Yet despite that promise, United are keen to let him go.

A strained relationship with manager Ruben Amorim has meant Garnacho, along with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia, has reportedly been told to find a new club this summer.

Rashford has already joined Barcelona on loan, while Garnacho’s own future appears to lie away from Old Trafford.

He may not be the finished product, but the underlying data, coupled with a proven ability to excite and influence matches, makes him one of the more intriguing options on the market.

Whether Chelsea firm up their interest may depend on the Simons deal and their broader squad strategy. But in Garnacho, they could secure not just a winger but a player who, if harnessed correctly, could help reshape their attack for seasons to come.

Related Chelsea star says yes to joining Madrid; his exit can fund Simons & Rodrygo

Losing the international star would be far from ideal for Chelsea.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 23, 2025

Manchester United now “fully expect” to sign a “sensational” £70m star soon, as they want him to take part in their pre-season tour, according to transfer expert Graeme Bailey.

Man Utd looking to sign new forward

It has been a slow start to the summer transfer window for Man United, with Matheus Cunha their only high-profile arrival to date, and they have also faced issues getting some of their own players off the books.

There has been a great deal of speculation surrounding the futures of Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, with Liverpool even reportedly coming forward to sign the England international, although Barcelona seems like a more likely destination.

However, United legend Teddy Sheringham has now weighed in on Rashford’s situation, making the bold claim that he hopes Rashford doesn’t end up at the Spanish side, as he doesn’t deserve the move.

The other main transfer saga surrounding Man United this summer centres around Bryan Mbeumo, with Ruben Amorim identifying the Brentford forward as a player who could help solve his side’s attacking issue.

There has now been a new update on United’s Mbeumo pursuit, with Bailey telling The Boot Room that the Cameroonian is growing frustrated by the lack of progress.

The transfer expert said: “United are very frustrated, as is the player. But again, they are keeping pretty quiet. Officially.

“The guaranteed money is the main obstacle still… this was seen as a minor issue two weeks ago, yet that is still the main problem. Man United are telling Mbeumo they still fully expect him to be on their pre-season tour.”

It is little wonder that the Red Devils are starting to grow tired of the negotiations, given that Brentford have recently raised their asking price to around £70m, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe determined to pay no more than £65m.

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While Ratcliffe should not be pressured into forking out an amount above his valuation of the Brentford star, the saga needs to come to an end soon, especially with the player himself now growing frustrated by the lack of progress.

£70m is, of course, a lot of money to spend on a player who is unproven at the highest level, but the former Troyes man performed remarkably well in the Premier League last season, amassing 27 goal contributions in 38 outings.

Lauded as “sensational” by Sky Sports commentators, Mbeumo could be a fantastic signing for United, so it is promising news they expect him to take part in their pre-season tour, with Amorim’s side set to take on Leeds United in Sweden in two days’ time.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is leading the charge to reinforce Mikel Arteta’s ranks this summer, with the Gunners determined to end their two-decade-long-plus wait for a Premier League title.

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Berta officially unveiled his first signing as Edu Gaspar’s replacement earlier this week.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Kepa Arrizabalaga is a now-confirmed Arsenal player after completing his medical at the club last week (Sky Sports), and the 30-year-old David Raya back-up joins from Chelsea for just £5 million.

“We are really happy to have Kepa joining us,” said Arteta about Kepa’s arrival at the Emirates Stadium.

“He is a player we know, having come up against him many times in recent seasons. He brings a wealth of experience, which his teammates will benefit from, and he has a real hunger to win.

“Kepa works hard and will elevate our levels. I know he will fit in perfectly, already knowing some of his teammates, and we are really excited about his future with us.”

Arsenal are likely to announce Martin Zubimendi’s signing at some point this week too, with Brentford captain Christian Norgaard also expected to undergo his medical in the next few days (The Athletic).

Arsenal also want to sign a new attacking-midfielder/winger, amid talks for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, but supporters are especially keen to see Berta end the club’s long wait for a prolific star striker.

While there have been tentative links to the likes of Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, two big names stand out as Arsenal’s top centre-forward targets – RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Sesko, fresh off the back of his best Bundesliga campaign to date, was a top target for Arsenal last summer and in January (Ben Jacobs), with Berta holding talks over the £94,000-per-week Slovenia international again this summer.

Gyokeres, meanwhile, is at the centre of a public fallout with Sporting and president Frederico Varandas, and the 27-year-old is believed to be very keen on a move to Arsenal, whilst being worried that his price tag could jeopardise a move (Record).

Sesko and Gyokeres eyeing Arsenal moves as Berta leads talks

As per GiveMeSport and reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Arsenal’s intentions are clear when it comes to a deal for either man.

Berta has “advanced talks” for Sesko and Gyokeres, as widely reported elsewhere too, and Jacobs says that they would both welcome a move to north London. However, the key for a deal to be done is, of course, down to their final price tags.

Arsenal’s aim is to sign Sesko or Gyokeres for around £60 million, but personal terms shouldn’t be a problem for either really, especially considering the latter is only on around £40,000-per-week in Portugal right now.

Given the likes of Man United are also hunting for a top striker, amid links to Gyokeres in particular, Arsenal cannot afford to dilly-dally for too long here.