Chelsea are now in a strong position to win the race for an “unbelievable” forward whose price tag has recently dropped by £79m, but there will be competition for his signature from Barcelona, according to a report.

Maresca set to strengthen attacking options

Enzo Maresca is keen to strengthen his attacking options in the summer transfer window, amid doubts over Christopher Nkunku’s future, and Barcelona’s Ferran Torres is the latest player to be named as a target, with a £25m offer currently being prepared.

The Blues are trying to prise Torres away from Barca, and they are also set to battle the La Liga side for the signatures of a number of forwards at the end of the season.

Liverpool’s Luis Diaz has caught the eye of both clubs, with the Colombian viewed as an ideal acquisition, although he remains keen on agreeing new terms to extend his stay at Anfield.

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The Blues have been approached over his potential availability.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 22, 2025

Another winger being eyed by Barcelona and Chelsea is AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, with a report from Spain revealing both clubs are interested in a summer deal, but the Premier League side could hold a major advantage (via TEAMtalk).

The Blues are said to be in a strong position to win the race for Leao’s signature, as Barca’s financial issues could pose a problem, and the AC Milan winger will not be cheap, although his price has recently dropped significantly.

Previously, Milan had informed interested parties to pay the £145m release clause in the Portugal international’s contract, but they are now willing to sanction his departure for a fee of £66m, with the asking price dropping by £79m.

The 25-year-old is seen as an ideal fit for Maresca’s squad, and he is now set to be available for a much more affordable price at the end of the season.

"Unbelievable" Leao could take Chelsea's attack to next level

Journalist Sam Tighe has lauded the AC Milan star as “unbelievable”, and for good reason, given how influential he has been for the Serie A side for a number of years, having regularly contributed with goals and assists.

Season

Serie A appearances

Goals

Assists

2019-20

31

6

2

2020-21

30

6

6

2021-22

34

11

10

2022-23

35

15

10

2023-24

34

9

10

2024-25

23

5

6

The Portuguese forward has proven himself at the highest level, having scored three Champions League goals this season, so there is every indication he would be an excellent addition for Chelsea in the summer.

After exhibiting some promising signs at the start of the Premier League season, Jadon Sancho’s form has gone downhill recently, with the Manchester United loanee picking up just one goal contribution in his last 11 matches.

Fabrizio Romano has stated the Blues are locked into making Sancho’s stay a permanent one, with a £25m deal on the cards, but if his performances don’t improve between now and the end of the season, Leao should become a major target.

Manchester City conceded two late goals as Real Madrid came from behind to win 3-2 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie, courtesy of match-winner Jude Bellingham.

Manchester City	Game stats	Real Madrid
55%	Posession	45%
11	Shots	20
4	On target	8
9	Fouls	6
6	Corners	5

Man City player ratings

Ederson – 5

Was on course for a fine evening of work before gifting Real Madrid and former Blue Brahim Diaz their second by uncharacteristically conceding possession late on.

Josko Gvardiol – 7

Once again the defender was at the heart of all of City’s impressive work going forward and even got an assist to his name for Haaland’s opening goal.

Nathan Ake – 6.5

Faced a difficult time up against Vinicius and didn’t always have things his own way, but Ake stood firm for the majority of his time on the pitch before he was replaced by Mateo Kovacic.

Ruben Dias – 7

City have missed their commanding defender and even as injuries fell around him, Dias often remained solid despite shipping what were frustrating goals.

Manuel Akanji – 7

Summing up their injury issues, Akanji became the second City player forced off with injury at the break to add to Pep Guardiola’s woes. Prior to that, however, the Swiss – to his credit – did well up against an energetic Vinicius Junior.

John Stones – 8

In the defensive midfield role as Guardiola’s latest attempt to replace Rodri, Stones’ performance puts him in good stead to once again feature in what could provide a crucial solution for Man City at the heart of their midfield.

Savio – 5

The Brazilian endured a frustratingly quiet game for his standards, struggling to get on the ball and make the desired impact as Real Madrid pushed him back with offensive outlets of their own.

Kevin de Bruyne – 6.5

For all his hard work when he got himself on the ball, De Bruyne struggled to do exactly that one too many times. In the end, his lack of influence proved costly on a big night for his side.

Bernardo Silva – 6

A midfielder who’s struggled to maintain his standards at times this season, Silva once again performed below what he is capable of just when Guardiola needs his most experienced men to step up.

Jack Grealish – 7

Forced off after just 30 minutes, Grealish didn’t need beyond the half hour mark to make his mark on Real Madrid having played Gvardiol in behind in the build-up to Erling Haaland’s opener.

Erling Haaland – 9

In truth, there wasn’t a lot more that Haaland could do. Finding the opening effort in routine fashion, the forward then stepped up to take responsibility from the penalty spot and score what many believed would be the winner.

Substitutes: Phil Foden – 7, Rico Lewis – 6.5, Mateo Kovavic – 6.5

Real Madrid player ratings

Thibaut Courtois – 7

Although it was a rarity, the goalkeeper did well – as ever – to keep out the majority of Manchester City danger. Up against Haaland, the Belgian could do nothing to stand in the way of both goals.

Federico Valverde – 7

You wouldn’t know that Federico Valverde was out of position based on his performance up against the Premier League champions – albeit the hurt champions – with the midfielder enjoying an impressive display.

Aurelien Tchouameni – 7

Like Valverde, Tchouameni performed well out-of-position and highlighted how Madrid have been doing well to solve problems of their own in recent weeks.

Raul Asencio – 6.5

A young defender alongside an out-of-position midfielder, not many will have any complaints about Asencio’s performance at The Etihad as he largely kept Manchester City at arm’s length.

Ferland Mendy – 6

Whilst he didn’t struggle defensively, Mendy was guilty of spurning a chance that should have been converted in the opening period which Carlo Ancelotti would have wanted to fall to almost anyone else.

Rodrygo – 7

Mbappe and Bellingham will get the credit, but Rodrygo stood out in his own right throughout a frantic affair.

Eduardo Camavinga – 7

As the old guard in Real Madrid’s midfield bow out, Camavinga has stepped up on the biggest stage to make his mark in their place.

Dani Ceballos – 6.5

Back on English soil, Ceballos loses marks for conceding the penalty on what was otherwise an well-rounded evening from the former Arsenal man.

Jude Bellingham – 7.5

The match winner to turn a quiet game into an electric evening, Bellingham was always likely to have his say at The Etihad and that he did.

Vinicius Junior – 7

In front of fans who were quick to remind him about his recent failures, Vinicius was among the stars of the show as he laid down a marker in front of an on-watching Rodri.

Kylian Mbappe – 7

Although wasteful at times, Mbappe still made his mark with a well-timed equaliser in somewhat scrappy fashion.

Substitutes: Luka Modric – 6, Brahim Diaz – 8, Fran Garcia – 7

Melbourne Stars have confirmed the signing of England batter Sophia Dunkley via the WBBL’s unusual direct nomination pathway with Dunkley one of six players to commit to playing in the tournament without entering the overseas draft.Dunkley was not in the WBBL draft last Sunday where seven of the eight WBBL clubs only chose two overseas players, with each club allowed to take three, and six of them committing to signing the six players who had decided to bypass the draft.The inaugural WBBL overseas draft included a bespoke nomination clause that did not feature in the men’s BBL draft. Players unsure about entering the draft due to the uncertainty of where they might play or being overlooked entirely were given the option of directly nominating themselves to play for a WBBL club without being part of the draft. The option came at a cost with the players only eligible to be paid 95% of the silver category salary – which equates to AU$61,750.Related

• Beaumont signs with Renegades, Adams heads to Strikers in WBBL

• Du Preez takes direct route to Brisbane Heat for WBBL

• WBBL draft: Kapp goes pick one to Thunder, Scorchers retain Devine

Dunkley, Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones, Mignon du Preez, Lizelle Lee and Suzie Bates all took that option. It meant that the WBBL draft did fall a little flat after the first two rounds with seven of the eight clubs passing on their third pick. Sydney Thunder were the only team to draft three players on the day.Dunkley will join Stars under English coach Jonathan Batty alongside England team-mates Alice Capsey and Maia Bouchier.The other five signings are expected to be confirmed in the coming week. Bates looks set to return to Sydney Sixers and Lee is likely to head back to Hobart Hurricanes. Du Preez is expected to join Brisbane Heat, Beaumont Melbourne Renegades and Jones Perth Scorchers.

Steven Fletcher has hinted at being forced out of Wrexham despite an emotional "friends" claim from Red Dragons co-owner Rob McElhenney.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Scottish striker joined in September 2023
• Helped to secure back-to-back promotions
• Released by Red Dragons at 38 years of age

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• GOAL/Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The veteran Scottish striker linked up with the ambitious Welsh outfit in September 2023. He helped them to back-to-back promotions, with Phil Parkinson’s side now preparing for life in the Championship.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Fletcher registered 15 goals for Wrexham through 71 appearances, becoming a super-sub in the 2024-25 campaign as he found the target on eight occasions in League One and helped to secure another all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas courtesy of McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.

• WHAT STEVEN FLETCHER SAID

  In the wake of that celebration in Sin City, it has been announced that Fletcher will be released. He has revealed that call was made against his wishes, saying in a farewell post on Instagram: "It's with a heavy heart, and not by choice, that I unfortunately have to announce my departure from what I can only describe as the most magical club I have ever played at!

  "In my 22 years of stepping onto a pitch, I have never experienced anything like this club. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to come here and fall back in love with the game! To have had the experiences and the opportunities that this club has given me has been just incredible. And this group of lads are the best that I have ever shared a changing room with.

  "It's not just a team or a changing room. This group of boys, fans and staff have been my family for the past two years. You welcomed me with open arms and open hearts and made me feel like I had a purpose again."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  McElhenney said after seeing departures for Fletcher and 38-year-old goalkeeper Mark Howard confirmed: "I cannot say enough about these two men. They are my friends and people I admire. They are men of ability and principle and commitment and compassion. They are men of character and fortitude who have achieved something beyond anyone’s imagination.

  "I greatly admire everything about them and have so thoroughly enjoyed every moment I’ve had to see them play, or to just spend time with them. All I can say to these great men is THANK YOU."

Former club captain retires from first-class and List A cricket to join coaching staff

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2023

Steven Croft will continue to play T20 for Lancashire•Getty Images

Former Lancashire captain Steven Croft has signed a T20-only playing deal for 2024 and will move on to the club’s coaching staff full time.Croft, 39, will embark on a 21st season as a player while continuing his transition into a coaching career, having been part of the staff for last season’s One-Day Cup.He has also officially retired first-class and List A cricket, bringing down the curtain on a red-ball career that included hitting the runs to secure Lancashire the County Championship title in 2011. In 212 first-class matches, Croft scored almost 10,000 runs, while adding another 4800 in one-day cricket.”This is something that has been an ambition of mine for a while, when I started to think about my post playing career, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to start my coaching career with Lancashire – a club which has given me and my family so much over the last 20 years,” Croft said.”The timing feels right to call time on playing first-class and List A cricket, especially with the number of talented players we have in contention for places, but I will also be ready and looking forward to helping the team in T20 cricket again next season.”I have some amazing memories from my playing career – topped by winning the County Championship in 2011 – and it was an honour to captain the Red Rose for a couple of seasons too.”Croft, club captain between 2016 and 2018, also led Lancashire to the T20 Blast title in 2015 and most recently helped the club to Finals Day in 2022. He has scored more than 5000 runs in the format, to go with 78 wickets.Lancashire director of cricket performance, Mark Chilton, said: “Steven has been a wonderful servant to Lancashire Cricket for over 20 years now and we are delighted that will continue, albeit in a different capacity, as he moves into a coaching role with the club.”This is something that Steven has been working towards for a while and he has coached with our Academy and age group players in recent years before joining the coaching staff during this summer’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup.”He will also continue to be available in T20 cricket next season and I know that he will be keen to continue contributing towards wins as a player.”

The final schedule, where six teams will play a total of 34 games, is expected soon

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Aug-2023The second edition of the ILT20 is set to run in the window between January 19 and February 18 next year. The six teams – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Dubai Capitals, MI Emirates, Sharjah Warriors, Desert Vipers and defending champions Gulf Giants – will play a total of 34 games across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah within that 30-day period.Recently, the likes of David Warner, Mark Wood, Shadab Khan and Ambati Rayudu signed up for the second season. Warner and Wood, rivals at the Ashes recently, will play at Capitals, while Shadab joins Pakistan team-mates Shaheen Shah Afridi and Azam Khan at Vipers. Rayudu, who retired from all Indian cricket after IPL 2023 and is currently playing in the CPL, has been signed up by MI Emirates, while Martin Guptill and Maheesh Theekshana will play for Warriors alongside Lewis Gregory.The schedule will clash with the five-match India vs England Test series that begins on January 25 in Hyderabad; Wood and Joe Root, who are both part of the ILT20, are expected to be part of the England squad there. Warner, meanwhile, is expected to fulfil his BBL commitments with Sydney Thunder – the tournament will end on January 24 – before hopping across to the UAE to be part of the ILT20. He will require a No-Objection Certificate from Cricket Australia to play in the league.The second season of the ILT20 will also run more or less concurrently with the second season of the SA20 league in South Africa, which is expected to be played from January 10 to February 10. This was the case last year too. And while the dates for the PSL and the BPL haven’t been announced yet, there could be some overlap there too.The last stage of the squad-building process will involve selecting the UAE players, details of which will be “announced shortly” according to an official release.In February this year, less than a week after Gulf Giants were named inaugural champions at the first edition of the ILT20, it was announced that ILT20 2024 would kick off on January 13 2024. That has now changed. The ILT20 was one of two new men’s franchise leagues added to the calendar last year, along with the SA20, with a crossover of team owners in both leagues and the IPL.

Aston Villa are already putting plans in place ahead of the summer transfer window opening, as recruitment staff have been watching a “complete” young defender closely, according to a recent report.

Aston Villa eyeing new strikers and centre-backs

Jhon Duran’s surprise move to Saudi Arabia in January has left the Villans short of number nine options for the remainder of this season, with Ollie Watkins their only recognised out-and-out striker. Unai Emery will hope his side can cope between now and the end of the campaign, but signing a player to replace Duran seems to be a top priority for the summer.

Aston Villa hold concrete interest in "world-class" £50m Duran replacement

The Villans have set their sights on a top striker to replace Jhon Duran this summer.

1 ByDominic Lund Mar 2, 2025

The £65 million pocketed from Duran leaving means Villa will have a lot of money to spend, and one player they could look to sign is FC Porto striker Samu Omorodion Aghehowa, who has been very impressive in Portugal this season, and he would only cost £42 million, leaving the Midlands side with money left to spend.

But he is not their only forward option, as Juventus’s Dusan Vlahovic is a concrete interest to Villa, as he looks set to leave Turin at the end of the season, as contract negotiations look to have stalled. Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui is also another option that is under consideration by Villa, but he may not be a top priority.

Aston Villa staff have been closely watching a £40m Mings successor

But signing a striker is not all that the club are focusing on, as according to journalist Alan Nixon (relayed by Give Me Sport), Aston Villa are in the race to sign defender Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge.

Villa are not alone in their pursuit, as Everton are also keen on signing the 20-year-old, who can play at centre-back as well as right-back. It is reported that Villa have watched Ordonez closely as they have come up against him in the Champions League this season and will do so again in the last 16.

Despite being under contract until 2028, Ordonez, who has been dubbed a “complete” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is allowed to leave the Belgian side for a fee of £40 million. The Toffees are said to be ready to make an offer for the defender, so Villa will have to decide fairly soon if they plan to make an offer.

Ordonez

Mings

Apps

10

2

Starts

10

2

Passes attempted

511

112

Passes completed

461

98

Tackles (Won)

7 (2)

2 (1)

Blocks

13

4

Interceptions

9

1

Clearances

61

4

For Villa, signing Ordonez, who stands at 6 foot 2, could be seen as a long-term replacement for Tyrone Mings, who has recently returned from a long injury layoff. The 31-year-old has played 13 times this season in all competitions, but with his contract expiring in 2026 and his recent injury problems, Villa could be on the lookout for a younger replacement.

Ruben Amorim will be wanting to make a real mark on the Manchester United squad over the summer transfer window, offloading numerous players who aren’t at the level required.

The Red Devils have been languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table throughout 2024/25, falling way short of the expectations of the fanbase.

However, the 40-year-old has only had one transfer window to make an impact at Old Trafford, needing more time before a judgement is made on his tenure in charge.

He will be hoping that the hierarchy will back him in his quest to lead the side back to the summit of the division – a position they undoubtedly belong in, given their previous success under Sir Alex Ferguson.

It looks extremely unlikely that he will be able to secure a reunion with one player, given the news that has emerged over his future over the last 48 hours.

Man Utd look set to miss out on Geovany Quenda

According to David Ornstein, Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Sporting CP wing-back Geovany Quenda for a fee in the region of £40m – a simply bonkers fee for a 17-year-old.

The deal will see the teenager spend next season on loan at the Portuguese side before signing an eight-year contract with the Blues and linking up with them in the summer of 2026.

United were previously in the race for his signature, with Amorim undoubtedly keen for a reunion, given the youngster’s form under his guidance back in his homeland.

Quenda has registered two goals and six assists in 43 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25, with the Red Devils possibly ruing not agreeing a deal with Sporting before Chelsea swooped in.

However, the supporters shouldn’t worry, with the club already having a player who could become even better than the teenager should he receive first-team minutes in the near future.

The Man Utd star who could be Amorim’s next Quenda

Patrick Dorgu moved to the club in January from Italian side Lecce, looking to nail down the left-back role – a position that has often been a problem for various managers over the years.

The Dane has already starred in his short spell at Old Trafford, featuring six times across all competitions – with his best display coming in the Europa League on Thursday night.

However, the right side still remains up for debate, with Amorim potentially having his own version of Quenda in the form of 17-year-old Bendito Mantato, who has excelled at youth level.

Mantato can operate either in a full-back position or off either flank in the final third, having the versatility to feature in a wing-back role in Amorim’s five-back system.

The youngster has registered seven goals and one assist in his 14 youth appearances throughout this campaign, highlighting the attacking threat he possesses.

U18 Premier League

10

6

0

FA Youth Cup

1

1

0

UEFA Youth League

2

0

1

Premier League 2

1

0

0

Total:

14

7

1

However, analyst Ben Mattinson has dubbed the teen as “creative” and “explosive”, but also possessing a lot of the qualities that saw Quenda drop into a slightly deeper role – a decision that has taken his career to the next level, as seen by his pending move to Chelsea.

His 1v1 ability has caught the eye in the academy setup over the last couple of months, undoubtedly contributing to his tremendous goalscoring record for the youth side.

Mattinson previously stated his recovery pace makes him perfect for a wing-back, combining both of his key assets and allowing for the manager to have another talented teen in his squad.

If Amorim has been able to achieve such success with a youngster once, there’s no denying he could work his magic once again – this time allowing Mantato to thrive and fight for a place in the first team.

It may be a risk to include such a young talent in the senior setup, but as seen during his time at Sporting, his high risk has produced high rewards, with the youngster potentially allowing the supporters to forget about missing out on the Portuguese star.

11 duels won, 100% dribbles: Man Utd ace is now as undroppable as Fernandes

Manchester United booked their place in the next round of the Europa League last night.

1 ByEthan Lamb Mar 14, 2025

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير عن غيابات عدة للاعبي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي خلال الفترة المقبلة، مؤكدًا أن بعض اللاعبين سيغيبون عن مباراتي الفريق في الدوري بالإضافة إلى غيابهم عن منتخب مصر.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الثلاثاء: “ياسر إبراهيم، بسبب إصابته بشد عضلي، غاب عن المباراة السابقة، ومن المتوقع أن يغيب عن مباراة غزل المحلة، وهناك احتمالية كبيرة أيضًا لغيابه عن مباراة بيراميدز”.

وتابع شوبير: “أما اللاعب الذي تأكد غيابه عن مباراتي المحلة وبيراميدز، وكذلك عن صفوف منتخب مصر بعد أن كان ضمن اختيارات المدير الفني حسام حسن، فهو ياسين مرعي”.

طالع أيضًا | خاص | منتخب مصر يحسم موقفه من ضم محمد الشناوي بعد عدم مشاركته مع الأهلي

وأضاف: “حسام حسن كان يكن إعجابًا كبيرًا جدًا بياسين مرعي، ومعه ياسر إبراهيم، لكن للأسف كلاهما خارج صفوف المنتخب حاليًا. ياسين مرعي يعاني من شد أو تمزق في الخلفية ومن المتوقع أن يغيب لمدة شهر”.

واختتم شوبير: “بناءً على ذلك، من اليوم 19 أغسطس، فإن ياسين مرعي وياسر إبراهيم غائبان، بالإضافة إلى محمد شكري، ومن المتوقع أن يعودوا جميعًا في أواخر سبتمبر على الأقل”.

Alex Hales, Tom Curran and Jason Roy among those believed to be keen on securing involvement

Matt Roller18-Dec-2023English players are considering missing up to half of the T20 Blast group stages in 2024 in order to feature in the second season of Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States.MLC announced last week that the 2024 season will start on July 4 and will conclude “by early August”, with fixtures due to be released early next year. The Blast starts on May 30, running concurrently with the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States, and the group stages end on July 19.The ECB did not permit players with central contracts to feature in MLC last year and the board’s stance is not likely to change ahead of this season. Jason Roy was the only England player to feature in MLC’s inaugural season, representing Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR), and he arrived late after staying in the UK for T20 Blast Finals Day.Related

• Alex Hales to miss Notts Blast fixtures after signing LPL deal

• Roy agrees termination of ECB incremental contract to play in MLC

• MLC wants more England cricketers, but not to 'start a war with anyone'

• Hales hopeful of featuring in MLC amid NOC doubts

• ECB defends 'Super September' as 2024 county fixtures put season climax in spotlight

In 2023, MLC lasted two-and-a-half weeks and slotted into the gap between the end of the Blast – Finals Day apart – and the start of the Hundred. This year, the dates do not align as neatly, and an expanded MLC season is likely to run into the first week of the Hundred, which is due to start in late July.MLC is in the process of finalising its rules around retention for 2024. Last year, the tournament’s director Justin Geale told ESPNcricinfo that there had been “an awful lot of interest from English players” and it is understood that a number of England players are weighing up the possibility of being involved next year.Alex Hales, who played in the Global T20 Canada last year after talks with MLC franchises fell through, is in the final stages of negotiations with his county Nottinghamshire over a new contract for 2024. Hales will feature for them in the Blast in some capacity next year but could miss up to six group games if he receives a lucrative MLC offer.In theory, Notts could attempt to block Hales from playing in MLC by refusing to release him, but ESPNcricinfo understands that they would not try to do so. He has played for the club throughout his career and, in the event of a clash in his schedule in July, would then return for the knockout stages in September.The top-paid players at MLC in 2023 earned US$175,000 (£140,000) to play a minimum of five games, salaries that even the wealthiest counties would struggle to compete with across the Blast’s seven-week group stage.Roy, who was retained by Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2024, is also expected to play for LAKR again next summer. The reported last week that he and Tom Curran have both agreed new contracts with Surrey which will give them scope to play in MLC, though the club declined to comment.County directors of cricket are also worried that the Blast’s clash with the T20 World Cup will make it difficult to secure overseas players for the competition next year until squads have been named. Holding on to any big names for the duration of the Blast will prove even harder, with the knockout stages due to be staged six weeks after the end of the group stage.