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A “sensational” striker is desperate for his club to let him join Arsenal before the 11pm transfer deadline tonight, according to a report.

Gunners pursuing a striker

The Gunners blitzed past reigning Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, and Kai Havertz found himself on the scoresheet, but some additional attacking firepower may be needed if they are going to catch Liverpool.

That is the view of Thierry Henry, who told Sky Sports after the game: “We need a No.9. Nobody is going to be asking for a No.9 after you win 5-1. But we should be asking for one – the situation is still the same. We’ve been asking for a No.9 for four transfer windows.”

There have been a number of top strikers linked with moves to the Emirates Stadium, including RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko following the Slovenian’s impressive showings in the Bundesliga.

Ollie Watkins, who is valued at above £80m by Aston Villa, has also emerged as a major target over the past few days, with Mikel Arteta’s side submitting a bid in the region of £45m, which was knocked back by the Villans.

With the transfer deadline just hours away, Arsenal are considering a last-gasp bid for Watkins, who is desperate to move to north London, according to a report from TEAMtalk.

The striker is said to be gutted that Villa have rebuffed the Gunners’ advances for him in the past few days, given that he grew up supporting the club, with his current employers unwilling to sanction his departure after already selling Jhon Duran this month.

The 29-year-old has previously stated it would be a “dream” to play for the club he supported growing up, and he still wants to join, but time is running out.

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1 ByEthan Lamb Feb 3, 2025 Villa unlikely to let Watkins leave at this stage

Villa wrapped up a deal to sign Marcus Rashford on loan earlier today, with the Manchester United man being handed the number 9 shirt, but it still seems unlikely they will sanction Watkins’ departure at this stage of the transfer window.

It will be very difficult for Unai Emery to bring in a replacement at this stage, and Arsenal may not be able to satisfy the Villans’ demands, considering they want over £80m, given the England international’s fine record in front of goal.

Season

Premier League appearances

Goals

2020-21

37

14

2021-22

35

11

2022-23

37

15

2023-24

37

19

2024-25

24

10

Premier League legend Alan Shearer has previously described the Villa star as “sensational”, and given that he is so keen on the move after growing up as a fan, it could have been a perfect fit.

However, Arsenal may be better off waiting until the end of the season before making a move for a striker, and Sesko could be the preferable option, given that he is just 21-years-old, while Watkins is now 29.

Leeds United are set to be handed a welcome double injury boost which involves captain Ethan Ampadu.

Farke facing big Leeds calls ahead of Championship run-in

The Whites and Daniel Farke are now preparing for a dash to the line in the Championship, looking to beat Sheffield United and Burnley to promotion and the second-tier title.

Leeds have taken just five points from their last four games which has allowed the Blades and the Clarets to close in, with eight fixtures remaining starting against Swansea City on Saturday.

Leeds (80 pts)

Sheffield United (80 pts)

Burnley (78 pts)

Swansea City

Coventry City (h)

Bristol City (h)

Luton Town (a)

Oxford United (a)

Coventry City (a)

Middlesbrough (a)

Millwall (h)

Derby County (a)

Preston North End (h)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Norwich City (h)

Oxford United (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Watford (a)

Stoke City (h)

Burnley (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Bristol City (h)

Stoke City (a)

QPR (a)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Blackburn Rovers (h)

Millwall (h)

One of the big talking points after the 2-2 draw with QPR last time out was Wilfried Gnonto’s impact in the No. 10 position, an area of the pitch Farke could look to address over the coming weeks. Gnonto replaced Brenden Aaronson at half-time and received praise from Farke after helping Leeds take a point away from London.

“I was convinced he would make an impact. If I had opted for Ilia Gruev [to start the match] I would also have opted for Willy Gnonto. Perhaps we would have had a better start if we had made those changes. The feeling is he’s playing more and more to create good situations in the centre and that’s what he did in the second half.”

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ByBrett Worthington Mar 24, 2025

Unfortunately, after an injury scare away with Italy U21s in the international break, Gnonto may not be immediately available to Farke as Leeds wait to see the extent of the ankle issue. However, the Whites have two players who look set to be close to a return.

Leeds to welcome back Ampadu and Bamford for run-in

As per Joe Donnohue of The Yorkshire Evening Post, Ampadu has been stepping up his knee injury recovery during the international break and is on course to return to team training.

The versatile midfielder has missed Leeds’ last five games and the club weren’t sure if his knee problem would require surgery, but it looks as if he could play a part in the run-in.

Alongside Ampadu, Patrick Bamford is finally closing in on a return from a hamstring injury. Donnohue adds that the forward ‘has been working on match fitness at Thorp Arch over the recent weeks and during the international break brought himself closer to an on-field return’.

Bamford has only played once in 2025 due to a hamstring issue but like Ampadu, could feature in the final eight games. Two experienced players in the Leeds squad, the pair returning would be a much-needed boost for Farke, who will be hoping to have every senior player available between now and May.

Chelsea have conducted excellent business in the transfer market over the last couple of years, handing Enzo Maresca the platform to be a success.

The Italian has a superb squad at his disposal, having depth in key areas, helping them sit in fourth place in the Premier League – aiming to secure a Champions League place come the end of the campaign.

However, mixing that with the superb academy facilities in West London makes for a great combination, with numerous players making the jump into the senior ranks over the years.

Levi Colwill has cemented his place in Maresca’s backline over the last few months, starting all but two of the league outings since his appointment in the summer.

He’s often been partnered by another player who emerged through the ranks at Cobham, making a name for himself with his excellent performances since his debut.

Reece James’ stats for Chelsea in 2024/25

Full-back Reece James has been a player who has had his injury struggles in recent years, restricting his progress for Chelsea and holding him back from his full potential.

The 25-year-old has made just 11 Premier League appearances in 2024/25, but has still managed to impress, leading to an England call-up for the current international break.

He’s managed to complete 90% of the passes he’s attempted, whilst also creating 0.9 chances per game – having a huge impact in attacking areas despite his defensive role.

James has also managed to catch the eye defensively, winning 5.4 duels per 90 to date, along with 1.1 interceptions – helping the side keep six clean sheets in the league this season.

However, despite his impressive showings after his latest setbacks, he’s now valued lower than one player who’s often filled the void in his absence in recent times.

The Chelsea player who’s worth more than James

His injury issues have allowed numerous players to stake their claim at right-back under Maresca – numerous of whom have featured out of position.

Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana are just two players who have operated in the aforementioned department but have struggled to match the performance levels of one other first-team member.

Malo Gusto has developed well since his £26m move to join the Blues back in January 2023, providing the goods at right-back within Maresca’s side.

The Frenchman has already featured 66 times for the Blues, with 29 of which coming in the current campaign, the majority of which have been in the Premier League.

He’s impressed in numerous key areas, outperforming James in various departments and showcasing the rise he’s endured since his big-money transfer.

Games played

24

11

Goals & assists

1

1

Progressive carries

2.3

0.7

Pass accuracy

86%

84%

Tackles won

1.5

0.9

Blocks made

1.5

1.3

Carries into final third

1.8

0.5

Gusto, who’s previously been dubbed “unbelievable” by journalist Nizaar Kinsella has managed to complete more progressive carries and achieve a higher pass accuracy, highlighting the threat he carries in attack.

However, he’s also managed to win more tackles per 90, whilst also making more blocks, having that defensive solidity to help Maresca in his quest for Champions League football.

As a result of his showings, the 21-year-old has seen his market value to £30m as per Transfermarkt, a fee higher than that of James, who’s only valued at £25m after his injury issues.

Such a deal is evident that the club have recruited well in the transfer market, making the right call in investing in young talents and handing them the platform to improve.

With Gusto and James both on the books, it’s safe to say that the department should be sorted for years to come, with the pair having the opportunity to write themselves in Blues history.

Boehly must finally sell Chelsea flop who's drained them of £114m

Enzo Maresca must finally cash in on the Chelsea flop who has cost the club £114m so far.

ByDan Emery Mar 24, 2025

Manchester United face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium later on tonight, looking to build on the Europa League triumph over Real Sociedad on Thursday evening.

Ruben Amorim’s side are looking to make it four games unbeaten in the Premier League, after two draws and a win against Everton, Arsenal and Ipswich Town, respectively.

It will be the fourth time the two sides have met throughout 2024/25, with the Red Devils winning the other league clash this campaign with victories in the Carabao and FA Cup.

However, the manager may have some selection decisions to make if they are to extend their unbeaten run, helping end the season on a high after enduring a dismal campaign to date.

He will certainly be without one player for the trip to the East Midlands, with one first-team regular currently serving a suspension after picking up a red card a couple of weeks ago.

Patrick Dorgu’s suspension for Leicester City

Left-back Patrick Dorgu impressed massively during the win over Real Sociedad, looking like the player they decided to splash £30m on in the January transfer window.

However, the 20-year-old won’t be available for the clash with the Foxes this evening, serving the second of his three-game ban for his straight red card received in the win over Ipswich.

The Dane missed the clash with Arsenal last week, but his absence may be felt more tonight, given his impressive showing against the Spanish outfit a couple of days ago.

With Luke Shaw still out injured and Tyrell Malacia spending the remainder of the campaign out on loan, options are limited within the defensive department.

As a result, Amorim could look to start one player in an unfamiliar role, looking to follow in the footsteps of one player who previously impressed in his new position.

The player who could solve Amorim’s wing-back dilemma

Amad Diallo hasn’t featured since the last clash with the Foxes at the start of February, potentially missing the rest of the campaign with an ankle issue.

However, before his setback, Amorim often utilised the Ivorian in a slightly deeper wing-back role rather than his preferred attacking position, managing to get the best out of the youngster in the process.

The 22-year-old has managed to register 12 combined goals and assists since the former Sporting CP boss’s appointment, thriving with added minutes in the first team.

However, Amorim could look to replicate such success by unleashing Alejandro Garnacho in a similar position on the opposite flank, potentially allowing the Argentine to spark into life under the new manager.

The 20-year-old has only registered four combined goal contributions this calendar year, struggling to adapt to Amorim’s demands of operating in a more central role rather than his preferred wide position.

Whilst it may seem like a far-fetched idea, the young “game-changer” – as described by journalist Samuel Luckhurst – has all of the tools to operate in such a role, having the energy to get up and down the line, with his stats showing the impact he can have at both ends.

In the Premier League throughout 2024/25, Garnacho has averaged 1.1 successful dribbles and created 1.3 chances per 90 – showcasing the impact he can have when marauding into forward areas.

Games played

27

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

83%

Successful dribbles

1.1

Chances created

1.3

Duels won

4.1

Tackle success rate

65%

He’s also won 4.1 duels per 90, along with a 65% tackle success rate, having the defensive capabilities to regain possession should he need to when the side are without the ball.

Given the form of Amad in a similar position, it could be a great opportunity for the manager to start the academy graduate in a new role – offering added versatility to the side in the process.

Leicester’s lowly league standing could allow for one or two risks to be taken, with Amorim having the perfect chance to work his magic by utilising an attacker in a wing-back role, which could get the best out of his game after a stuttering few months.

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ByEthan Lamb Mar 14, 2025

West Ham United are set to be without another squad member for their looming Premier League clash away to Arsenal, alongside star midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who’s already been ruled out due to a fresh ankle injury.

West Ham travel to Arsenal as Graham Potter searches for second win

Since taking the reins from his predecessor Julen Lopetegui, Hammers boss Graham Potter has guided the east Londoners to just a single win in all competitions, and the Englishman faces his toughest task yet in search of his second victory in charge.

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ByEmilio Galantini Feb 19, 2025

West Ham travel across London to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, where they will face off against Premier League title-chasing Arsenal, with Potter looking to both upset the Gunners’ title hopes and secure a much-needed three points for the travellers.

Arsenal (away)

February 22nd

Leicester City (home)

February 27th

Newcastle United (home)

March 10th

Everton (away)

March 15th

Wolves (away)

April 1st

Unfortunately for Potter, news emerged earlier this week that Paqueta suffered a new ankle problem in Rush Green training, and it is now confirmed that the £150,000-per-week Brazilian is set to miss their game against Arsenal as a result.

“It was a training incident. Just an innocuous one, he went over on his ankle in a collision with Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He has rolled his ankle,” said Potter in a pre-match press conference today.

“He will be missing for the [Arsenal] game and probably Leicester as well. We will see how he it is, but it is swollen a bit. We will take it day-by-day but I would imagine a week or two he will be away.”

The South American’s ingenuity in the middle of the park will be dearly missed at Arsenal, but he isn’t the only squad member who won’t be playing a part against Arteta’s side.

Coufal set to miss West Ham game against Arsenal through injury

Potter also confirmed that right-back Vladimir Coufal is missing from their matchday squad through injury as well, but the Czech Republic international could still play a part in their follow-up clash with Leicester City.

West Ham will be without Coufal for their trip to Arsenal, and while the 32-year-old is currently behind Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the pecking order, his professionalism and experience won’t be seen off the bench.

“This weekend will come too soon for Vlad,” said Potter. “He has got an outside chance for Leicester.”

The defender is likely to leave West Ham at the end of this season when his contract expires, but supporters will always remember how vital he was during their imperious 2020/2021 season.

“They are two fantastic honest pros and the most humble guys I have met in football,” said left-back Aaron Cresswell about Coufal and Tomas Soucek back then.

“Their work ethic, we’ll play a game on a Saturday, we recover on a Sunday and the lads will be getting massages and you look out the window and the two Czech boys are running around the pitch.

“They are brilliant, they will sit there and play head tennis for an hour on recovery day. They are fantastic guys and two fantastic signings.”

Arsenal may well have secured a 1-0 victory over Wolves at Molineux on Saturday but it wasn’t without an almighty struggle, yet an immense show of character.

Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off in controversial circumstances in the first half for tripping Matt Doherty and from that moment onwards, it was another uphill battle for Mikel Arteta’s side.

They have faced a number of setbacks this season, notably with red cards, but this was perhaps one of the most puzzling yet.

Alas, Arsenal fought hard and through unlikely goalscorer Riccardo Calafiori, they found their winner in the second half.

What the game did underline, however, was a further need for a goalscorer. Kai Havertz missed a succession of chances once again and as a result KSE simply have to spend this January if they want to give Arteta the best chance of winning the Premier League title.

Just hours after the game Erling Haaland was scoring again and despite not being truly at the races this term, his goals have been the difference in the last two title races. Arsenal could certainly do with their own version of the Norwegian superhuman.

Arsenal’s hunt for a centre forward

As it happened, the Gunners came up against one of their reported targets in Matheus Cunha this weekend who fortunately for Arteta, couldn’t get the better of William Saliba and Co.

Meanwhile, another target, Alexander Isak, was celebrating a further two goals for Newcastle United at the same time.

While that was happening, Havertz missed another simple opportunity and demonstrated why a player like Cunha or Isak is needed.

That being said, there’s another centre forward who could well arrive at the Emirates Stadium in 2025. His name is well known to supporters now; Benjamin Sesko.

The RB Leipzig forward was a priority target for Arsenal last summer but he ultimately penned a new deal with the Bundesliga outfit and stayed in Germany.

Now rated at around £70m by some reports, he’s still on the club’s radar, but according to new claims from transfer insider Ben Jacobs, via Football Transfers, a deal is difficult to do in January.

The reporter did have some positive news for Arsenal fans, however, saying that he would prefer the north Londoners over other suitors.

Jacobs said: “Last summer when the project was pitched from Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United, Sesko picked Arsenal and then made a secondary choice of whether it was now or to stay at Leipzig.

“With Sesko, some contact has been made with Leipzig to understand whether anything is possible. Even though Leipzig are out of the Champions League, they’re pushing in the cup and to qualify again next season. It’s going to take a crazy offer or be impossible in January because Leipzig’s position is very firm.”

How Sesko compares to Erling Haaland

Manchester City have been a dominant force in English football for a while now but the aforementioned Haaland has really taken them to the next level since he signed from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

In 2022/23, they won the treble as City finally got over the line in the Champions League. That term, the inevitable Norwegian scored a mindblowing 52 goals.

While there was not a consecutive Champions League title in 2023/24, they did win the league again on the way to Haaland bagging 38 times.

Arsenal evidently miss that. Bukayo Saka was the club’s top marksman last season with 20 goals and this time around, their top scorer is Havertz on 14, ten behind Haaland’s tally.

So, signing an out-and-out goalscorer like Sesko certainly ticks a lot of boxes. The Slovenian has scored 14 times in 27 outings in 2024/25 but at the age of 21, his potential for growth is still immense.

He’s also got an extraordinary profile. Right-footed and standing at 6 foot 5, the tall and powerful striker has a cannon of a shot and a lengthy running pattern to race beyond defenders.

In a nutshell, he’s like Haaland. That’s the viewpoint of many in the know, including talent scout Jacek Kulig who has described him as “the new Erling Haaland”.

Data analyst Ben Mattinson elaborated on that comparison via social media, explaining that Seko is an “an amazing athlete with elite range of movement that enables acrobatic improvised finishes.” He continued that the young Slovenian is “the type of striker who throws his body at the ball to score. Sesko scores with style & finesse. Similar to a young Zlatan Ibrahimovic, mixed with Erling Haaland.”

So how do the pair compare over the last two years?

Goals

0.73

0.88

Assists

0.13

0.12

Shots

2.58

3.98

Shots on target

1.39

1.94

Key passes

0.63

0.96

Progressive passes

1.56

0.80

Successful take-ons

1.16

0.44

Carries

16.3

11.6

Progressive carries

1.56

1.02

Aerials won

2.45

1.50

Unsurprisingly the City sensation is streets ahead for goals. No one is going to rival him there but there are some parallels. That said, it actually looks as though Sesko is the more well-rounded striker, offering different types of attributes, chiefly the ability to carry the ball further, beat a man and hold the ball up with a higher percentage of aerial duels won.

As Mattinson further describes, the Leipzig forward is a “diamond in the rough” and at the age of 21, can only get better as he seeks out some of the records Haaland has broken in years gone by.

Is this the Haaland-like signing to catapult the Gunners to the next level? Arteta will certainly hope so if he can conclude a deal.

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ByMatt Dawson Jan 25, 2025

Liverpool have reportedly made an offer to sign RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol ahead of Premier League rivals Manchester City.

Who is signing Josko Gvardiol?

The Reds and Jurgen Klopp have been relatively busy so far this summer in the transfer market, with a number of incomings and outgoings at Anfield, mainly in midfield.

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have signed from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively, whereas James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all left on free transfers. Jordan Henderson has joined Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia, and Fabinho looks to follow suit.

Therefore, another midfielder appears to be on the Anfield radar, with Southampton’s Romeo Lavia seemingly a top target and James Pearce believes it is “increasingly likely that a compromise will be reached”.

However, alongside another midfielder, it appears as if a new centre-back could also be on the cards, with links to Torino’s Perr Schuurs and now Gvardiol emerging.

Read The Latest Liverpool Transfer News HERE…

Gvardiol has been heavily linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium this summer and Fabrizio Romano even said at one point earlier this month that a fee had been agreed between the two clubs and the player had even undergone a part of his medical.

However, a move is yet to be officially completed, with Liverpool, and by extension owners FSG, making a move of their own, aiming to hijack City’s deal. Paisley Gates relayed an update from Spain regarding Liverpool and Gvardiol, claiming the Reds are one of the sides looking to take advantage of the current impasse between Man City and Leipzig.

It is alleged that Liverpool have submitted a bid to sign Gvardiol, who is valued at around £86m. Fellow Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United are also pressing to secure the player’s services, but it is City who are still in pole position.

Who is Josko Gvardiol?

Gvardiol is a left-footed defender who is primarily a centre-back but can also turn out as a left-back if required. The Croatia international came through the academy at Dinamo Zagreb and turned out for the first team on 52 occasions before joining RB Leipzig in 2021.

Since then, the 21-year-old has made 87 appearances for the Bundesliga side and has gone from strength to strength, with his Transfermarkt valuation rocketing from €16m to a career-high €75m in the space of two years.

Therefore, you could say that a move to Merseyside to play alongside Virgil van Dijk could be a brilliant move by the Reds and Klopp, with Gvardiol called "elite" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig. He has also had his eye on a move to Liverpool, previously revealing that it was his dream club, as per The Daily Mail.

“My dream club? That would definitely be Liverpool. Since I was little, I watched a lot of their matches with my dad.”

It looks as if a deal for the defender may well be one to keep an eye on, in what could be a busy August at Anfield both on and off the pitch.

Leeds United have made an approach for an international midfielder who is enjoying a superb breakthrough season in the Turkish Super Lig, according to a new report.

Farke calls for calm after Portsmouth defeat

Leeds’ charge towards the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League hit a bump in the road at the weekend as they were beaten 1-0 by Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

Leeds dominated much of the game, but couldn’t make it count, with Portsmouth defending valiantly and Daniel Farke’s side spurning a number of chances, most notably Joel Piroe, who fired over when faced with an open goal early in the second half.

The Lilywhites were then made to pay when Colby Bishop capatilised on a mix-up at the back to prod home what proved to be the winner in the 61st minute.

The defeat, combined with Sheffield United’s 1-0 win over Preston North End, means Leeds’ points gap at the top of the Championship table has now been completely erased, with Farke’s side now leading only by goal difference.

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ByDan Emery Mar 9, 2025

Speaking after the defeat, the German head coach called for calm, insisting that the race for the title “always goes to the wire”.

“If you want to finish in the top positions in this league you have to show consistency – the title is not won in February or March,” he said, via BBC Sport.

“You have to prove yourselves every single game, we have some difficult matches coming up and we don’t take anything for granted. I know we can be better and much more effective.”

Leeds make approach for Anthony Dennis

Though there are still plenty of games left this season, it seems Leeds are already preparing for next year – whether that be in the Championship or the Premier League. According to Africafoot, Leeds, alongside German side Stuttgart, are one of two clubs to have already made an approach for Nigerian midfield prodigy Anthony Junior Dennis, who has been enjoying a fine breakthrough season in Turkey with Göztepe.

The 20-year-old has been Göztepe’s standout player in their first season back in the Super Lig since 2021/22, helping put them firmly in contention for an unlikely top four finish and qualification for Europe next year.

In an interview with Africafoot, sources from the Elite Project Group, the agency that manages Dennis’ interests, said: “He is playing at the highest level this season, so it’s no surprise that Stuttgart and Leeds are interested. Both have made approaches this week about a possible transfer.”

The souces added, however, that “Gotzepe are reluctant” to accept any offers right now and are holding out for bids from elsewhere before making a decision. The Turkish club are understood to value Dennis, who has been touted as Wilfred Ndidi’s long-term successor for Nigeria, at around £4.2 million.

Chelsea’s miserable form continues.

On Saturday evening, despite taking the lead inside ten minutes through Enzo Fernández, the Blues were beaten 2-1 at Villa Park, the late winner coming in the final minute of the 90.

This means Enzo Maresca’s side have now lost three consecutive Premier League away games, winning only two of their last ten league fixtures played anywhere, so now find themselves outside the Champions League places.

As the Blues’ woes rumble on, one rather important position epitomises their struggles.

Chelsea's goalkeeper issues

Saturday saw summer signing Filip Jorgensen start a third successive Premier League match in goal, although he won’t remember his trip to the Midlands fondly, letting Marco Asensio’s rather tame shot to squirm straight through him in the dying embers of the game.

Matt Law of the Telegraph labelled it a ‘howler’, Malik Ouzia of the Evening Standard described it as a ‘clanger [that] gifted Villa all three points’, while Maresa himself admitted he remains “always concerned” by Chelsea’s ongoing goalkeeper crisis.

That’s because, as noted by Chris Wilson of the Independent, this is not a new thing, stating that ‘Chelsea’s goalkeeping woes continue’.

Jorgensen is only donning the gloves because Robert Sanchez, who had started 21 of the first 23 Premier League matches this season, has been dropped following a string of high-profile errors.

The Spaniard was last seen in the league during the 3-1 defeat at Manchester City, in which Sanchez ‘endured a terrible performance’ in the words of GOAL, mere days after, as noted by Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian, he’d ‘added to his growing list of mistakes’ during the home win over Wolves.

Prior to the 3-0 defeat at Brighton, Maresca confirmed Jorgensen is now his starting Premier League goalkeeper at the moment, with Sanchez therefore set to feature in Conference League matches, the Blues face København at Parken in the first leg of their last 16 on Thursday week, but given how the pair are performing, this hierarchy certainly is not set in stone.

However, is Chelsea’s best goalkeeper, outperforming both Sánchez and Jörgensen, currently out on loan, a decision they’re surely living to regret as every week passes?

Chelsea's best goalkeeper is out on loan

As noted by Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport, Chelsea began the season with eight first-team goalkeepers on their books, before four of them, namely Gabriel Słonina, Eddie Beach, Kepa Arrizabalaga and, most notably, Đorđe Petrović, departed on loan.

Petrović joined Chelsea for a reported fee of £14m from the New England Revolution in August 2023, having been, as Tom Bogert of the Athletic put it, ‘the best goalkeeper in Major League Soccer’.

The stats certainly back up this claim; according to FBref, the Revs’ shot-stopper racked up the highest post-shot expected goals – goals allowed figure of any goalkeeper in MLS throughout the 2022 season, his figure of +13.1 at least three higher than the next-best on this list.

The Serbian arrived in West London to little fanfare but, by the end of last season, had established himself as Mauricio Pochettino’s first-choice, starting all 23 Premier League fixtures from ten December onwards, as well as the EFL Cup Final defeat to Liverpool.

However, surplus to requirements this season, Tom Weber of Football Transfers believes he was deemed ‘not good enough with the ball at his feet’ to play in a Maresca team, he therefore joined Strasbourg on loan in August, the other club owned by Todd Boehly’s group BlueCo.

Well, under new manager Liam Rosenior, les Bleu et Blanc are enjoying an excellent season, knocking on the door of European qualification, as outlined by Nick Hartland of Get French Football News, while Raphaël Jucobin of the Guardian notes that the 40-year-old manager has made a ‘big impression’ in the Alsace, but he’s not the only one.

Rosenior has described his goalkeeper as “world-class”, so let’s see how Petrović compares to the two misfits Chelsea decided to keep instead.

Appearances

19

22

16

Minutes

1,710

1,980

1,440

Goals conceded

26

29

18

Goals conceded per 90

1.29

1.38

1.14

Clean sheets

5

4

5

Clean sheet %

26.3%

18.2%

31.3%

Save %

76.3%

74.8%

76.6%

Post-shot xG – goals allowed

+4.8

+0.7

-0.2

Pass completion %

79.9%

73.3%

83%

As outlined in the table, it’s actually Jorgensen whose statistics are the best, very marginally in most cases, albeit these are surely inflated by the fact he’s played against minnows such as FC Noah, Astana and Shamrock Rovers in the Conference League, as well as both Barrow and Morecambe in domestic cups.

For Petrović, two statistics are most telling. First, his post-shot expected goals – goals allowed figure of +4.8 is exponentially higher than both of Chelsea’s current goalkeepers, while the Serbian ranks fourth in Ligue 1 for this metric this season.

Also, Petrović’s pass completion % figure of 79.9% is higher than Sanchez’s and only marginally lower than that of Jorgensen, dismissing the notion that he could not have played out from the back to Maresca’s required level, underlining that the Blues made a mistake forcing him to depart on loan.

Not just Jorgensen: Maresca's 4/10 star is now on borrowed time at Chelsea

Chelsea’s 4/10 star is now on borrowed time after poor Aston Villa performance

ByConnor Holden Feb 23, 2025

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are now targeting a Chelsea youngster who manager Enzo Maresca has mapped out for a “key role” next season.

Chelsea prepare for FA Cup tie at Brighton after win over West Ham

The west Londoners have tasted defeat just once in their last six games across all competitions in 2025, with Maresca’s side making a solid start to the new year and competing on multiple fronts.

19-year-old set for Chelsea first team after Moises Caicedo comparison

He’s been likened to the club’s record signing.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Feb 6, 2025

Chelsea most recently overcame a 1-0 deficit to clinch a much-needed 2-1 win over London rivals West Ham at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, and now travel to Brighton on Saturday for their fourth round FA Cup tie.

Brighton (away)

February 14th

Aston Villa (away)

February 22nd

Southampton (home)

February 25th

Leicester City (home)

March 9th

Arsenal (away)

March 16th

It wasn’t the January transfer window most supporters had hoped for, with BlueCo electing not to sign a prolific new striker amid Nicolas Jackson’s damp run of form. Chelsea did make contact with Ipswich over Liam Delap (Simon Phillips), and were linked with a host of other high-profile options, but the club had to settle for midfielder Mathis Amougou in a £12 million deal from Saint-Étienne and a recall for Trevoh Chalobah as their only winter incomings.

A host of players departed Cobham as well – including the likes of João Félix, Cesare Casadei, Carney Chukwuemeka, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga and Ben Chilwell – but none of the aforementioned were regulars under Maresca and needed to be shipped out for game time.

Barring Casadei, they all left on loan, so Chelsea will need to find them permanent suitors when they return this summer.

While their futures seem far away from the club, one player currently out on loan but set for a pivotal first-team role next season is Brazilian starlet Andrey Santos.

The 20-year-old is enjoying a fine campaign at Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg in Ligue 1, having racked up eight goals and three assists in 21 appearances across all competitions, with Santos pinpointed for a “key” role under Maresca next campaign as a result.

His form at Strasbourg has been so impressive that Vincent Kompany’s Bayern are now thought to be keeping tabs.

Bayern Munich target Andrey Santos with Chelsea stance revealed

According to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, writing for GiveMeSport, Bayern have started tracking Santos ahead of a potential Chelsea swoop.

The South American’s performances have attracted admiring glances from the Allianz Arena, but Chelsea have adopted a firm stance over selling Santos.

Indeed, the club are not open to any offers this summer, so Bayern will have a tough time in striking any deal with Maresca’s side who appear determined to keep hold of the midfielder.

Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior highlights why Chelsea are so enarmoured by Santos, praising his professionalism and attitude as a captain-level player.

“He constantly shows professionalism every day in his work, he constantly wants to improve and constantly trains at 100%,” said Rosenior.

“There were other players that had a worthy cause to be captain, but I felt that Andrey was the right choice. I felt that he didn’t do the armband any disservice at all.”